Most municipal activities around the tri-town region in the year 2024 have shared a common theme: emerging concerns of long-time residents.

            Efforts were evident across the region’s adjudicatory boards to loosen bylaws restricting the construction of accessory dwellings so that more seniors could “age in place” and to formulate town bylaws that would restrict short-term rentals in the interest of preserving quality of life, especially in thickly settled, coastal neighborhoods.

            Confronted by soaring construction costs due to the inflation that followed the Covid pandemic, the Town of Rochester streamlined its original, three-pronged vision for a new, main fire station, an expansion-renovation of its police station and a new, secondary fire station meant to shorten call times to the growing business and residential communities near Routes 28 and 58. Prefabricated construction was considered in the interest of cutting costs for a new main fire station considered to be essential. Fire Chief Scott Weigel put off retirement to see the project through. Dissatisfied with a regional, emergency dispatch based in Duxbury, Rochester continued its search for a more local service.

            Marion’s and Rochester’s planning boards both approved self-storage businesses, Marion’s being one of the new businesses moving into the old Lockheed Martin property off Route 6.

            The Town of Marion opened its new Harbormaster office at Island Wharf, broke ground on a new headquarters for its Department of Public Works at Benson Brook, voted to fund a new patrol boat for its busy harbor, and appointed longtime town employee and former elected official Jody Dickerson to succeed Becky Tilden as DPW director.

            In sight of these massive projects, the Marion Select Board considered joining Rochester in resignation of its participation in the state’s Green Communities and Stretch Code programs but committed to more education on the programs before bringing the measure to voters.

            A review of and proposed amendments to Marion’s cemetery regulations brought out a vocal representation of residents protesting tighter restrictions. Lengthy discussion led to some pragmatic tweaks.

            A new committee formulated plans for an “historic lite” village district in Marion. While the Heron Cove affordable-housing project off Route 6 remained in a stall, Matt Zuker continued to appear before Marion’s Planning Board in hopes to get his neighboring, market-rate, townhouse-style project now known as Mirabelle Bay into the construction phase.

            Internal strife plagued Marion’s Planning Board amidst complaints of sexism by member Eileen Marum.

            After 44 years, the EMT Association that had raised $440,000 for Marion’s emergency efforts disbanded.

            Despite a vote of approval at the May 13 Annual Town Meeting, the Mattapoisett Select Board was conflicted and stalled against acting on the town’s directive to create a Roadway Committee, the result of a citizens’ petition for a voice in the TIP-funded Village Streets Project. Members of the Tree Committee and other local activists seek to limit the removal of mature trees primarily lining Water Street.

            The Mattapoisett Museum welcomed the donation of west-coast artist George Lowery’s exquisite model that he crafted of the Wanderer. The latest scale model housed by the museum became the centerpiece display in its 100th anniversary celebration of the boat’s shipwreck and enduring legacy.

            Rajesh Shahi of India returned to visit his supporters in Mattapoisett, where he had spent lifechanging months as a young boy and received corrective surgeries to his spine. Shahi grew from a life doomed to certain poverty to have a family and run a school for disadvantaged children in his homeland.

            An enforcement order levied by Mattapoisett’s Conservation Commission against the Buzzards Bay Coalition regarding flooding at its Bogs project was lifted on May 20.

            The Mattapoisett Land Trust celebrated its 50^th anniversary, and Ellen Flynn, chairperson of the MLT’s Education Committee, retired after many years helping establish the MLT’s outreach program to hundreds of students attending area schools via outings that include science expeditions from local vernal pools to the shores of Cuttyhunk and Nantucket.

            The Mattapoisett Boatyard, destroyed by a mammoth fire, reopened.

            The Town of Rochester hired a new town administrator (Cameron Durant) and a new police chief (Michael Assad Jr.). At the Annual Town Meeting, an article to put the Select Board in charge of hiring Council on Aging personnel was defeated.

            Durant found himself doing damage control in his early months on the job after Rochester’s Park Commission became the subject of an Open Meeting Law complaint regarding a local non-profit group’s $41,000, 50% donation (the other half to be funded by ARPA money) to help create a children’s playground at Gifford Park. Opponents of a plan to publicly recognize the group Tri-Town for Protecting Children with a plaque at the site complained that they were not properly notified on the commission’s agenda for the public meeting in which discussion took place. The matter was recently handed off to Town Counsel, but Durant said he intends to ensure the public’s interest is addressed quickly and fairly.

            Dave Watling’s dream for a Vietnam Veterans Memorial inside Rochester Town Hall became a reality after some fine craftsmanship by Old Colony RVTHS students.

            Spearheaded by member Margaret McSweeny, the ORR School Committee threw its weight behind the eventually successful, statewide campaign to strip MCAS testing of its status as a prerequisite for high school graduation.

            The tri-towns welcomed new elementary-school principals Heidi Letendre (Rochester Memorial), Stephanie Wells (Old Hammondtown) and Lynn Dessert (Sippican). The Joint School Committee voted in July to extend Superintendent Mike Nelson’s contract.

            The Bulldogs made it all the way to the state boys basketball final, bowing to Charlestown, and the Old Colony boy’s lacrosse team came to within a goal of South Shore in the state vocational final.

            The ORR Junior High Survival Program celebrated its 50^th anniversary with a reunion of participants at Ned’s Point.

            Teacher Margaret DeMello was recognized by the ORR District for her 50 years of service.

            Tri Town Against Racism found a new home for its Little Free Diverse Library at the Rochester Women’s Club, where the life and legacy of the late Abraham Skidmore was celebrated at the Little Library’s opening. Skidmore would be recognized later in the year posthumously as Mattapoisett’s recipient of the annual Keel Award in recognition of his community service over six decades.

            The Wanderer also recognized Rochester resident Cecelia Hall for her relentless effort in turning surplus yarn into charitable gifts for the needy and Marion resident Johanna Vergoni for her years of leadership with the Marion student-parent group VASE.

            Despite concern that a public building might be used as a house of worship, Mattapoisett Library trustees relented on a decision not to allow a bible study in its community room. As property of its trustees, the library remained exempt from the Select Board’s moratorium on the use of town properties by any entity other than duly appointed or elected town board and committees.

            Marion mourned the loss of Paul Naiman, longtime chairman of the town’s Capital Improvements Planning Committee. Rochester lost Debra May Lalli, a long-time employee of the Rochester Assessor’s Department.

            After a brief run, Marion closed its food pantry, referring residents to Damien’s in neighboring Wareham. The Point Road Bike Path, a project of the Marion Open Space Acquisition Commission, made progress, dealt with drainage issues, and saw an increase in citizen involvement.

            Mattapoisett was recognized as a Purple Heart Community and is under consideration for a Revolutionary War designation at its Hammond and Barlow cemeteries.

            Alex and Paul Milde won the Open Division of the Rochester Memorial Day Boat Race, while Will Benoit and Margot Appleton defended their titles in the Mattapoisett Fourth of July Road Race, and Heather Peckham and 2024 ORR graduate Tyler Young were victorious in the Lions Club Triathlon.

            Mattapoisett brothers Peter and Haakon Perkins circumnavigated Martha’s Vineyard in a 13-foot inflatable boat.

            At 92, Brad Hathaway walked his 27,000^th mile.

            Marion 12-year-old Davin Alves ran his third annual food drive, and Marion’s Beckham Harvey went with his Marlboro-based team to compete in the World Futsal Cup in Spain.

            Participant George Powers survived a heart attack while riding in the Tour de Crème bicycling event, thanks to the swift intervention of fellow cyclists and Mattapoisett’s Police, Fire and EMT personnel.

            After a lengthy career pioneering public health in the tri-towns, Rochester Health Director Karen Walega retired, as did Kathy Kearns, a 32-year Marion Finance Department employee who helped save the Town House from burning down in 2000.

            Among elected officials who announced retirements were Rochester Finance Committee Chairman Kris Stoltenberg, Rochester ZBA member Thomas Flynn, Mattapoisett Town Moderator Jack Eklund, Marion ConCom member Ethan Gerber, and Bill Saltonstall, whose work on behalf of the town’s Energy Management Committee helped save over $500,000 via incentivized grant-funding programs.

2024 Year in Review

By Mick Colageo

Old Rochester Regional School District and MA Superintendency Union #55 Superintendent Michael S. Nelson, Principal Michael Devoll, and Interim Assistant Principal Lauren Millette are pleased to share updates on the Project 351 initiative, which includes students in grades 4-12 at Old Hammondtown School, Rochester Memorial School, Sippican Elementary School, Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, and Old Rochester Regional High School.

            Project 351 seeks to develop the next generation of community-first service leaders through customized service learning, hands-on community-building, and values-based leadership training. Ambassadors from each of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts are selected by educators to attend workshops on leadership and community service. The program teams with the Celtics Playbook Initiative, which seeks to leverage the power of sport and, more specifically, the appeal of the Celtics to engage students on critical issues.

            In total, 175 students from grades 4-12 have attended two districtwide workshops hosted at Old Rochester Regional High School (ORRHS) this year, and two more workshops are planned for the spring of 2025.

            The first Celtics Playbook session at ORRHS on October 16 included traditional Playbook Initiative Workshop programming and additional lessons that focused on exploring the idea of “energy givers and takers” in relation to leadership. Students discussed Daniel Coyle’s “Good Apple” experiment from his book “The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups.”

            On November 14, the second districtwide workshop through the Celtics Playbook program took place, and students participated in an additional leadership lesson as well. The leadership session focused on having an open dialogue with peers about safely intervening when they see or hear something that they know is not right and harmful to others.

            Both workshops during the fall built upon the Celtics Playbook initiative with the addition of programming that focused on strengthening student voices and their relationship to building positive school cultures.

            Two more workshops will take place on February 26 and March 19.

            Students from ORRHS and Dartmouth High School will also develop joint workshops for junior high school students within the new year, allowing new perspectives to be shared as participants learn from each other.

            On November 21, Interim Assistant Principal Lauren Millette and ORRHS sophomores Jack Czerkowicz and Olivia Thompson attended the Playbook Leadership Summit at The Auerbach Center in Boston.

            Additionally, on December 2 and 6, they attended two virtual sessions, called “Train the Trainer” with Project 351 and the Celtics Playbook, which prepare individuals for leading the programming.

            “I seek to empower every student and teach them the value of their voice. I want them to realize that leadership is not a copy-and-paste definition,” Olivia Thompson told Project 351 organizers. “It’s something that grows over time and is unique for each person. Anyone and everyone can be a leader.”

            “I continue to be impressed with our student leaders who are eager to learn how to

be the best community members for all students,” Interim Assistant Principal Millette said. “I look forward to working closely with Dartmouth High School in the spring to take our workshops to the next level.”

            Old Hammondtown School (OHS) had 36 students attend the workshops at ORRHS. To help fund community service projects promoted by Project 351, OHS has partnered with the Feinstein Leadership Program and the Sandy Hook Promise Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Promise Club.

            Both foundations have given money for OHS initiatives such as an in-school pantry where students and families can both donate and access essential items as needed.

            “Our students are learning how to organize events, raise awareness, and educate their peers on how to recognize warning signs and be upstanding citizens,” said OHS Principal Stephanie Wells. “Empowering our student leaders to foster a culture of kindness and safety within their school has proven to be an invaluable opportunity.”

            Building upon the Celtics Playbook programming, students from Rochester Memorial School (RMS) brainstormed ways to celebrate and highlight different cultures, including doing so through the daily morning announcements and by creating posters that now hang throughout the school.

            At Sippican Elementary School (SES), 37 students were selected to attend the workshops at ORRHS. In keeping with Project 351’s spirit of service, students contributed by bringing a donation of socks for “Socktober” to support the school’s Community Service-Learning Club. Additionally, students participated in collecting supplies for hurricane relief in partnership with the Tri-Town Nurses. Suggested donations included flashlights, pet food, toothbrushes, and canned soups. The school plans to incorporate a service component into each workshop this year, providing students with valuable learning experiences while giving back to their community.

            “I couldn’t be prouder of our students who have demonstrated taking initiative in leading their peers and learning how to give back to their community in meaningful ways,” Superintendent Nelson said. “I’m confident that these students will develop into successful leaders and key contributors to their communities beyond their school years.”