On Thursday, April 4from 5:00 pm -7:00 pm, the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center, 465 Mill Street, Marion will host an opening reception for the Art Exhibit Four Friends. Join us to view the artwork, meet the artists, and enjoy some light refreshments. Four Friends consists of a collection of works from Betty Beaulieu, Jennifer Cipriano, Jane Egan, and Helen Johnson. The show will run until May 30th. For more information call, 508-748-3570.
Grace F. (Foster) Benjamin, 81 of Rochester died March 17, 2019 peacefully at Atria Senior Living after a brief illness.
She was the wife of the late Robert A. Benjamin.
Born in New Bedford, daughter of the late Albert B. and Rita M. (Cawley) Foster, she lived in Rochester most of her life.
Mrs. Benjamin was formerly employed by as an operator with New England Telephone before staying home to raise her family.
She was a communicant of St. John Neumann Church where she served as a Eucharistic Minister.
Mrs. Benjamin was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Society.
She enjoyed gardening.
Survivors include her 2 sons, Mark Paul Benjamin and Matthew Benjamin, both of New Bedford; a daughter, Anne Marie Drake and her husband Robert of Ashland, MA; and her grandson, Scott Drake and his wife JoAnne Sylvia Drake.
Her Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, April 3rd at 10 am in St. John Neumann Church. Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Visiting hours are omitted. Arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. For directions and guestbook please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
Mattapoisett’s Board of Selectmen discussed the need to try and find new ways to offset expenses associated with providing specific services – services that, by and large, benefit individuals or business entities versus the community.
On March 26, the selectmen and Town Administrator Michael Gagne began a conversation on fees currently collected for services rendered and services that might be ripe for imposing a fee. The plan is to build in new fees to help offset operating costs.
Gagne outlined the phases of construction and associated inspections required for building homes and other structures, saying, “It’s very individualized.” The services – site visits, plumbing and electrical inspections, and construction site inspections all require special services. But, beyond those expected with construction projects, there are other services provided by other town agencies equal in importance, but currently not offset by fees.
Gagne said that he wanted to look at the Conservation Commission, as well as the Recreation Department. He continued his thought by adding that currently, before construction activities are permitted, a Request For Determination of Applicability (RDA) or a Notice of Intent (NOI) must be filed with the Conservation Commission. Of those two permits, only the NOI charges a fee on $100 that is then split with the Commonwealth.
Selectman Paul Silva asked Gagne what the operating expenses were for the Conservation Commission, to which Gagne replied, “The agent and the clerk are both part-time, but salaries plus office expenses are $65,000.” He said the agent spends 90-percent of her time assisting people with all manners of wetland-related issues. When asked how much money the commission currently had on the books Gagne said “about $5,000.”
Regarding the issue of whether or not a town could impose conservation fees without having a local wetlands bylaw, Gagne said it most likely is possible.
“I’m having town counsel look into that, but I think all we have to do is have a bylaw for the fee,” Gagne said.
Selectman Tyler Macallister asked how many NOI s and RDAs are applied for annually, and Gagne said that data and data on fees charged by other cities and town would be discussed during the March 27 Finance Committee meeting.
Silva thought, if the Building Department was successfully covering 80 percent or more of its operating costs, then that might be the goal for all town agencies providing services.
“It’s not right that the average person should pick up the costs,” Silva opined. He also asked Gagne to look into whether or not the set NOI fee could be raised.
Continuing on the theme of fees, Gagne said that while the community was the host town for many community-wide events, there were other events that had singular beneficiaries. Of this later category, he said there is an “exhaustive list” of organizations and individuals petitioning to hold events in Mattapoisett, but who do not pay the town a fee to do so.
“I want to make it clear,” Gagne stated, “I’m not talking about certain community events; but others, yes.”
During his updates, Gagne said the Fire Department Building Committee is on track, and the committee selected Context of Boston for the architecture while project management will be handled by Vertex of Weymouth, said Selectman Jordan Collyer, who was attending the meeting via remote connection. Gagne said the committee is close to presenting costs estimates in preparation for the May Town Meeting.
Silva said he also wants to present Town Meeting with the value of the old fire station as the town considers the real possibility of putting the property up for sale and using the revenue to offset construction of the new fire station. Gagne told Silva that type of language would be in the Town Meeting appropriation article for the firehouse construction. It would also ask that the Board of Selectmen be granted authority to advertise the property and manage the sale.
Collyer felt it was critically important that Town Meeting be presented with this financial information, to which Silva concurred, “It’s appropriate to let the public know what we plan on doing.”
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for April 9 at 6:30 pm in the Town Hall conference room.
Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen
By Marilou Newell
The New Bedford Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce that it is now accepting applications for the 2019 Lillian B. Lamoureux Music Scholarship. The scholarship, established in 2000 to support young musicians who intend to pursue their music education, continues to recognize the legacy of former President Emerita and longtime board president Lillian B. Lamoureux. The scholarship competition is open to all South Coast music students ages 14–21. Two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded, one to a high school student and one to a college student.
The deadline for application, including two letters of recommendation, is Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Finalists will be invited to audition before the scholarship committee on Saturday, May 11 at UMass Dartmouth College of Visual and Performing Arts. For an application, please call the NBSO at 508-999-6276 or visit www.nbsymphony.org.
The NBSO is a professional orchestra that annually presents a concert series of classical and pops music with internationally acclaimed guest artists, as well as an outstanding chamber music series. In addition, the NBSO’s innovative and nationally recognized educational programs reach 25,000 students each year. The NBSO is dedicated to building a community of music in the South Coast. Visit www.nbsymphony.org today!
John Berg, Modern Mover & Shaker, will speak on Thursday, April 11at 6:30 pm at the Mattapoisett Museum, 5 Church Street in Mattapoisett. John Berg, Mattapoisett summer resident, will bring our celebration of Mattapoisett’s creative innovators into the modern era. Berg, Carpe Diem Technologies CEO, and his team designed the Freedom Beacon atop One World Trade Center in New York City. Come learn about bright (LED) lights in the Big Apple, holograms, printing electronics, and metamaterials. Could Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak become a reality? Questions? Email info@mattapoisetthistoricalsociety.org or call 508-758-2844.
Scott Snow, represented by G. deJesus of Prime Engineering, came before the Mattapoisett Conversation Commission March 25 meeting with a Notice of Intent application for a five-lot subdivision located at 6 and 8 Prospect Road and the construction of a private way named Parsons Lane.
The scope of the proposed subdivision includes the movement of an existing home and the development of two new lots. The subdivision would also include other existing homes, bringing the subdivision total to five residences. Unclear at the present time, however, is how the residences would handle sanity requirements – would it be by tying into the municipal sewer system or by private septic systems?
According to deJesus, test pits had not been dug, nor had any approval been sought from the Board of Health; those plans, he said, would be developed later if necessary. As of now, no meeting with the Water and Sewer Commission has been set.
With so much still undecided, Chairman Mike King asked, ”We’re kind of in a Catch-22 situation – how can we approve a plan we don’t know?”
The property in question currently held two sewer betterments, so a plan to tie all five homes was viable, stated deJesus. But, absent any conclusion from the Water & Sewer Department, no further plans were in play.
King said, given that the issue of sewer capacity is not a sure thing, the Water & Sewer Commission would approve new services. Furthermore, the conceptual plans have not received any comments from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and, said King, although he thinks the overall project is a good one, without fully crafted plans for the sanity needs of the residences, the commission couldn’t render a decision on what was being presented, namely stormwater management designs.
Snow came forward saying he had “just wanted to talk” about the project and receive feedback from the commission; he hadn’t anticipated receiving conditioning on this night.
Regarding the stormwater management system deJesus put forward, the commission found no issues, with King saying that a detention pond on the site was a good plan for allowing water to recharge slowly into the ground.
“I walk down that way and it is notoriously wet,” said King.
Highway Superintendent Barry Denham asked that the commission consider hiring a peer review consultant, and deJesus said that the Planning Board had already hired one. The Planning Board will meet with Snow during its April 1 meeting.
The commission continued Snow’s discussion until April 15.
Also coming before the board was Mike Huguenin of the Mattapoisett Land Trust (MLT) with a Request For Determination of Applicability for the Hammond Quarry property located off Mattapoisett Neck Road.
The MLT had waited months for clearance from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife regarding the presence of endangered species. The MLT plans to construct a walking trail through the parcel, remove fallen trees, and install 80 to 160 feet of ‘bog boards’ across sections of standing water or deep mud.
A letter dated March 13 from the Division approved of the project so long as the MLT followed certain conditions including the use of hand tools exclusively, the installation of turtle protection in the proposed parking area, and if work was to occur between July 2 and April 14 at any time in the future, the applicant would file a turtle protection plan and that the plan would be prepared by a qualified biologist. Furthermore, any plants used for restoration must be of a native variety.
The project received a Negative 3 determination from the commission, allowing the project to move forward.
Wetlands located a bit further down Mattapoisett Neck Road were discussed earlier in the evening when Joe Costa of the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program came before the commission with an RDA for a multi-year study of marshlands. Costa described the study, which will include the installation of sighting poles along the marsh.
“We want to determine what is happening with the saltmarsh,” Costa said, adding that crab species and other wildlife would be studied and recorded as well.
Costa said the area has already experienced the impact of sea levels rising.
The project received a Negative 3 determination.
The commission approved the Notice of Intent for Timothy Soule, 9 Central Drive, for the construction of a new home, while one filed by Paula Coffey, 64 Shore Drive, was continued until April 15 pending complete engineered drawings of the foundation of the proposed new home.
Howard Rottler, 23 Channel Street, received RDA approval for the construction of a wheelchair lift, and Jeffrey Roberts, 5 Woodlawn Avenue, was approved for the renovation of a deck.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for April 15 at 6:30 pm in the Town Hall conference room.
Mattapoisett Conversation Commission
By Marilou Newell
The Annual Ladies Friendship Luncheon will be held on Saturday, April 13at 12:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall at First Congregational Church of Rochester, located in the center of town, 11 Constitution Way. Please come and invite a friend to share in fellowship, food, and music. The guest speaker this year is Rudy Wilson Galdonik. Tickets are $15 per person. Please call the church office at 508-763-4314 to register before April 7.
Allan R. Schubert, of Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, died on March 30, 2019 at home surrounded by his family.
Allan was born on October 7, 1934 in Manchester, CT to Lena Roth & Max Schubert. While attending Manchester High School and the University of Connecticut, he began a 42-year career with Pratt & Whitney where he worked in test, assembly, supervisory, and community education roles. While managing the Quality Plus Process, he created process innovations and promoted improved communications between engineering and manufacturing units to ensure a successful product. He embraced opportunities through P&W to apply his talent for quality improvement in the community, developing a quality plan for local public schools. He also served on local college curriculum planning boards to ensure students would gain the education and skills required for excellent jobs at P&W.
After retirement, Allan eagerly signed on with CONNSTEP as a consultant who visited small businesses in Connecticut to improve their manufacturing processes. His boundless curiosity about how things work and are produced and could be improved was the reason he felt working for CONNSTEP was like “being a kid in a candy shop.”
Upon moving with his wife to Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, Allan looked for opportunities to serve his new community. He joined the Mattapoisett Land Trust and was asked to help shepherd the restoration of the famous, but aging seahorse sculpture on Route 6. Allan worked with a local artist, a shipbuilder, and many other new friends in Mattapoisett to begin restoring the seahorse to its former glory. He was surprised to receive the Mattapoisett Man of the Year for the seahorse restoration, since this was a town-wide project, but he was very honored. Allan also served as member of the fundraising committee for the addition to the Mattapoisett Library. His assignment was to encourage widespread community involvement, the result of which was the first Taste of the Town, a community-wide fundraiser which continues today to help other organizations to raise funds.
Later, Allan was invited to be president of the struggling Tri-County Symphonic Band, helping them reorganize and go on to achieve lasting success and bring music to their communities. He loved music and enjoyed watching how it got made, by frequent attendance at rehearsals.
In recent years, Allan became a masterful restorer of antique windows for his and other old homes in the area. He was a true family man, and loved traveling, hiking, skiing, and attending Red Sox games with his wife, family, and friends.
Allan leaves his beloved wife, Mary Schubert, his daughter Molly Bernard of Bothell, WA and his sons Andy Schubert of Burlington, VT and Chris Schubert and his wife Sharon Schubert of North Kingstown, RI. He also leaves three grandchildren, Nina Bernard, Tom Schubert, and Joey Schubert.
Family and friends are invited to pay tribute to this generous man on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, at the Saunders-Dwyer Funeral Home, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett, MA. The family will receive guests beginning at 1:30 p.m. and then friends and family will share stories about Allan at 2:00 p.m.
Memorial donations may be made to “N.F.S. fbo The Joseph P. Schubert Special Needs Trust” and sent via Barnum Financial Group, 200 Crossings Boulevard, Suite 200, Warwick, RI 02886.
In 1998, the Sippican Historical Society commissioned an architectural survey of Marion’s historic homes and buildings. The survey was funded one-half by the Sippican Historical Society and one-half by the Massachusetts Historical Commission. Due to the limits of funding, not all of the historic buildings were surveyed, but over 100 were catalogued and photographed. The results of the survey are in digital form on the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s website and in four binders in the Sippican Historical Society’s office (and at the Marion Town Clerk’s office).
Marion (Old Rochester) is one of the oldest towns in the United States, and the Sippican Historical Society maintains an extensive collection of documentation on its historic buildings. The Sippican Historical Society will preview one building a week so that the residents of Marion can understand more about its unique historical architecture.
This installment features 23 Water Street. The Shingle-style house at 23 Water Street was built in the early 1890s for Edward Hamlin. Designed by Boston architect William Gibbons Preston, this lovely home is sited to overlook Sippican Harbor and an ample south lawn. The lawn’s Water Street side is enclosed by a low rubble stone wall.
Jamele Adams’ face is as familiar to Old Rochester Regional Junior High as it is unfamiliar. The poet, activist, and dean of students at Brandeis University is no stranger to ORRJHS, as Principal Kevin Brigioli often invites the speaker to the school to engage the seventh and eighth grade in an exchange their regular everyday education simply cannot provide.
When Jamele Adams says something, he says it like he means it. And when he stands before the young faces lining the rows of the ORRJHS auditorium and his words reach their ears – words as hard as steel forged into a context that Adams wields like a poetic sword that stabs at the very heart of the zeitgeist – the knots of any preformed presuppositions that tie up the mind start to loosen with the unfolding of Adams’ unrelenting message.
In a flash, the first poem left the chamber with a ‘boom!’ that unleashed an unrelenting hail of words targeting racial ramparts and busting down barricades of beliefs with unprejudiced precision.
“Hey there, black boy…” the poet called out the way he has done before during the prior visits to the school.
Brigioli asked Adams to return to ORRJHS on March 18 to say a few words to this community of students in a way they’ve probably never heard them put before because, in the Tri-Town, this stuff never happens. Right?
And say a few words he did, and you know how he said them – he said them like he means them.
“Don’t do anything that might get you killed or locked up – close to home – that’s exactly where these boys are murdered.”
Words: Frisked – Unarmed – Under attack.
“Being human, start out as property – when you’re the anomaly, minoritized – just three-fifths of one – This is about deconstructing systems of oppression.”
More words: Privilege.
And then suddenly a “Good morning, everybody!” breaks out unexpectedly and snaps the quieted students into a smile that crashes into their own “Good morning!”
“Please rise,” Adams asks of his captivated company. “You all represent the dispelling of myth and the disbelief in the lower expectations people have of young people.”
More words: Humanity – Equity – Equality – Diversity – “Caring about each other. There are folks who don’t think that’s possible. Are they correct?”
“No!” they call back to Adams.
“You all care more than any other generation before your age, and yours is a legacy that will feed a legacy of activism that will follow you.”
Adams is indeed invoking the new generation of activists and its entirely new efforts of collaboration against the things that plague them like gun violence and outdated attitudes towards LGBTQ rights and the Black Lives Matter movement.
“Turn to your neighbor,” Adams instructed. Willingly, they complied. “Say, ‘Neighbor – we need each other to keep each other free.”
Again, they listened.
“Now, say it like you mean it!”
Again, they spoke.
A mantra was established.
“The texture of your hair, the complexion of your skin, where you live does not predict where you will land or what you will be.” And this is so, Adams told them, because people are more than just statistics. “Statistics cannot account for what you have already overcome for your success … and what you are willing to go through for your success without hurting others,” Adams roared – like he meant it.
“You are more than and then some. Say it: ‘I am not a statistic!’”
The students woke up the entire building, “I am not a statistic!”
“Statistics do not define my identity!”
The kids said it, again, and again and they said it like they meant it.
“Statistics, move outta my way!”
And they said it, again, and they really meant it, again.
The topics of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, conceded Adams, “You cannot bottle it up in 45 minutes. It’s forever a work in progress.”
By now the kids were ‘LIT’ – an acronym Adams formed using love, inclusion, and trust.
Adams tried hard to hold each minute for as long as he could but with each word – Trust. Community. Together. Promise – the minutes fell to the ground and each word after was covered by the next and the next, as if time was a farmer and minutes were its seeds and the ideas that watered this new ground would keep it all intact while the young people shined on in the middle of their day over the diversity of their new garden.
“Diversity includes me, includes us all,” said Adams. “Diversity includes that which is not me.”
And the kids repeated it – like they meant it.
More minutes, more words: Tolerance – Respect – Dignity.
And still more words, the ones that sting; the ones that cause physiological responses, actual tangible sensations – and not just the N-word, but other words, too. The words that deliver pain with a delivery that equates violence.
Adams left the kids with a challenge, one they accepted, at least they said that they would like they meant it.
“Allow only love to leave your lips, even if it hurts,” he told them. Confront those who use words to inflict terror and ask them why, he said.
“There’s an honesty that usually presents itself.”
Stay LIT, he challenged them. And never be shushed into silence.
Then, in the words of Muhammed Ali, Adams said, “Repeat after me: ‘I’m the greatest.’ Say it like you mean it.
“Say, ‘Don’t tell me I can’t do something. Don’t tell me it’s impossible. Don’t tell me I’m not the greatest – unapologetic for who we are, we are the present, we are the future, driven by love.’”
And they said it, and they meant it.
By Jean Perry