ZBA Changes its Meeting Process

on

During a recent meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals, the members discussed and ultimately voted to change the hearing process in an effort to move meetings along more expediently, giving those cases that needed it extra time while still adhering to the required time period.

For years, cases coming before the ZBA were given specific public hearing dates and times on the agenda. Hearings were scheduled every 15 minutes as a standard, oftentimes requiring that the disposition of a case be decided after hearing all the cases on the agenda. That process meant that cases heard early in the meeting might find applicants and interested others waiting long into the evening before learning the fate of their application. It also meant that public hearings exceeding 15 minutes, sometimes over an hour, inconvenienced other cases waiting to be heard.

On July 19 as the board members gave an applicant time to appear, Mattapoisett Building Department Administrative Assistant Robin Shufelt explained: “The new format will work better for all concerned – we tell everyone to arrive at 6:00 pm.” She said cases are scheduled on a first come first served basis and that she’ll try to schedule cases expected to require extra time placed farther down on the agenda.

Regarding applicants who are no-shows, Shufelt said, as a courtesy to the applicant missing their scheduled appearance before the ZBA, “…We [could] allow them to come to the next scheduled meeting, but we don’t have to.”

She suggested that applicants failing to appear may lose their right to have their public hearing, and a new filing required after two years.

On this night, missing his scheduled hearing was Bill Bachant, Stingray City Realty Corp, for a Special Permit to develop and construct three multi-family units on Marion Road. The board elected to allow the applicant to attend the next scheduled meeting before rescinding the application.

Also coming before the board was Carlton Veeder for property located at 39 River Road. The applicant received a Special Permit to construct a family-related apartment behind a new attached garage. Many members of the Veeder family and abutters were present to support the applicant. Veeder said this plan would allow his parents to age in place with other family members residing in the main house.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for August 16 at 6:00 pm in the town hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals

By Marilou Newell

Mattapoisett Congregational Church Yard Sale

on

The Mattapoisett Congregational Church Yard Sale is scheduled for August 4from 8:30 am to noon. There will be something for everyone – furniture, household items, Christmas decorations, toys, tools, sporting equipment, and tons more! You won’t want to miss it! There will also be a Good Will Offering table at 11:30 am. The sale will be held rain or shine with many items inside Reynard Hall. Hope to see you there.

Edwin Warner Allard

on

Edwin Warner Allard, 86, of Mattapoisett died July 27, 2018 peacefully at Brookdale Dartmouth Village.

He was the husband of the late Patricia L. (Govoni) Allard.

Born in New Bedford, the son of the late Edwin B. and Artimesa (Mauzerall) Allard, he was raised in Fairhaven and lived in Mattapoisett most of his life.

Mr. Allard was formerly employed by the Standard-Times for many years until his retirement.

He enjoyed to travel.

Mr. Allard served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War.

His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday at 11:30 am in St. Joseph’s Church in Fairhaven. Burial will follow in the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne. His family will receive guests on Tuesday morning from 10 – 11 am at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. Visiting hours are omitted. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Paul J. Connolly

on

Paul J. Connolly, 79, of Mattapoisett died July 26, 2018 at Tobey Hospital after a long illness.

He was the husband of the late Carol A. (Burke) Connolly.

Born and raised in Waltham, the son of the late Joseph J. and Marie E. (Belliveau) Connolly, he lived in Mattapoisett for over 35 years. He wintered in Venice, FL.

Mr. Connolly was formerly employed as a chemical engineer at Poloraid for many years until retirement.

He was an artist. He enjoyed oil painting and golf.

Mr. Connolly played football for Boston College.

He served in the U.S. Army.

Survivors include his son, Sean Connolly of Wareham; and a daughter, Robin Connolly and her husband Kevin Kearns of Natick, MA; and several nieces and nephews.

He was the brother of the late Walter Connolly, Joseph Connolly, Jr. and Marie Connolly and the grandson of the late Adam Chase Connolly.

Private arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home For Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6) Mattapoisett. For online guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

A Harder Harbor Days

on

It’s the paradox of Harbor Days: the same exact thing every year, which is just the way we like it.

I know where that aluminum can airplane artist will be, at the far end on the harbor side of Shipyard Park, and right opposite that will be the stuffed animal marionettes. In the corner by the ice cream stand will be the plant sale, and up front by Water Street will be the clinking wind chimes made of glass bottles opposite the nautical rope doormats.

Everything this year would be in its place as usual as I walk by, browsing at wares I never ever buy but admire and frame in my camera lens as I look for a brand new angle on the annual event I’ve now covered five times for The Wanderer.

The scent of the sea, the sunglasses reflecting a mountain range of tent tops all around, the Showstoppers in front of the gazebo performing a pop tune that usually annoys me on the radio but somehow delights me when a child sings it; this is the sensory swirl inside the brief moments when Harbor Days is among us. Everything will be there as it should be, except for one thing: Veronika. This year, she would not be there.

For some years now, she was there at Harbor Days selling her handmade silk scarves, the expression of creativity she loved to do, that she used to do in the studio space I let her have in my basement for a few years. Nothing could keep her from spending hours down there, mixing paints, marbling colors, and experimenting with new techniques to make her Suminagashi scarves more unique than anyone else’s, and nothing could keep her from setting up that booth at Harbor Days to put them on display, even if just to show the world what she was capable of creating. Not even cancer would stop her from Harbor Days. Back then it didn’t, anyway.

Cancer never kept her from coming over to my house either, whether as a babysitter, keeper of cleanliness, downstairs to make scarves, or to drop off some rolls of paper towels because she went to the megastore and knew I needed some and wouldn’t have time to go buy any on deadline day for the newspaper.

Cancer didn’t keep her from coming over just to sit in my company and laugh the laugh that was exclusively her laugh, laughing along with me like that time we did four years ago, only instead of laughing I started crying – something, for whatever unhealthy reason, I would rarely do in front of another person.

But that particular way she looked at me that day as I said what I said, what I dread – my lip turned tense and my jaw clamped shut while I panicked and paused to determine if I could continue on to the next word without cracking or if I needed to shut up to keep from blubbering my face off – just looking at her face I knew there was no point in holding it in. A heavy dark cloud of emotion was about to burst, a downpour, and it was all hands on deck. I was taking on water just as she opened up her arms and took me in as if I was a tossed-about boat and she was a safe harbor.

During that moment I couldn’t remember the last time someone had held out their arms to hold me in to cry. But knowing she wouldn’t judge me, knowing that the storm would settle inside there, I let go and she held that space for me.

After that day we would hold our own ‘harbor days’ every now and then, each of us, friends – even closer, like family – there for each other to sail into when seas got rough and the sky drenched our world with rain. Like that time her employer let her go when that second battle with cancer came ‘round and she wasn’t able to perform certain functions of the job; let go right there, without notice, as if the world had no further use for her. She looked to me with an expression of pending tears and I steered her back in with one of those hugs. She would always say she needed a “Jean hug,” and the best thing about giving her a Jean hug was that I would get a Veronika hug.

I was there with her when she got the news that her battle with cancer would be ending soon and there was no ammunition left for the fight. And as she faded, I wanted to sail alongside her through the fog and stay with her as she drifted on home.

Last year was her last Harbor Days at Shipyard Park. She was so tired, so beat, so cancer-sick that she could barely lift a silk scarf and hold it steady in the breeze. She sat behind her display, a small bucket next to her in case she felt nauseated, boldly bald with a scarf around her neck, not on her head.

I remember my last ‘harbor day’ with her two days before she died. We knew it was goodbye, that she was moving aside to let us sail her vessel for her as she waited for her passage home. I asked her if she would mind if I cried one last time in her arms, and she said yes, barely able to make that sacred space with her arms, exhausted at her helm. But still, she took hold of my helm for a moment and sailed me into her and let me float there a while as I, aware it was our last harbor day, wailed and reckoned with the certain emptiness of that horizon without her.

After, we agreed on her symbol, the one she would use to send me signs that she was still ‘there,’ settling on the dragonfly.

This year there was another vendor in the spot where her scarves used to move in the wind and send swirls of silky color about her like spray from waves inside a dream. This year it was a couple doing henna tattoos, and as I watched I saw on the table the henna tattoo design book open to a page with the picture of a dragonfly, and I knew that it was Veronika telling me that she was there. Veronika was still there.

Happy Harbor Days, Veronika Ross. 6/6/1965 – 9/16/2017

This Imperfect Life

By Jean Perry

Silvershell Encampment

on

The 2018 Silvershell Encampment in Marion will take place on August 11 and 12, brought to you by the Marion Cultural Council, Fairhaven Village Militia, and the Marion Recreation Department. Demonstrations happen at the Dancing Cat Tavern, and military drills take place in the Parade Grounds Area throughout the day. During the encampment we encourage everyone to talk to the reenactors. They love to share their craft and their knowledge with others.

Saturday, August 11:

10 am – Opening Ceremony – Site opens to public; 11 pm – Butter churning demo (Fairhaven Village Militia); 12 pm – Nooning; 1 pm – Rip shirt demo (13thContinental Regiment); 2 pm – Candle making (Wareham Minutemen & Militia); 5 pm – Site closes to the public.

Sunday, August 12: 10 am – Site opens to public; 11 am – Learn colonial games (Yarmouth Minutemen & Militia); 12 pm – Nooning; 1 pm – Race to Win – Take what you learned at the colonial games demo and compete to win a t-shirt; 3 pm – Encampment ends.

Academic Achievements

on

MCPHS Universityis pleased to announce that Elexus Afonso of Rochester has been named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2018 semester. Afonso is pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy. Elexus will graduate in 2022 from the Boston, Massachusetts campus. The Dean’s List recognizes those students with a full-time course load who have achieved outstanding scholarship with a 3.5 GPA or higher for the academic term.

TheWilliston Northampton Schoolannounces that Jacob Durocher of Rochester, a Grade 12 student, achieved Honors on the Honor Roll for the third trimester of the 2017-18 academic year. Students earning High Honors are required to earn a GPA of 92. Students earning Honors are required to earn a GPA of 87.

Mattapoisett Roads

on

To the Editor:

Last fall a number of public meetings were held in Mattapoisett giving year-round and summer residents the opportunity to offer their views and concerns regarding a future reconstruction of Main Street, Water Street, Beacon Street, and Marion Road. These streets comprise the historic and scenic roadway that meanders along the shore of the town’s picturesque harbor. For all intents and purposes it defines this iconic seaside village.

These “listening sessions” gave the town’s consulting engineers information which they could use to develop a comprehensive plan that would address various needs of the town, such as drainage issues, safety and so on, and those of the residents. According to the surveys the consultants took, the nearly universal concern of most of the session attendees was that major changes are not desired and that the plan must maintain the village character.

Recently, the plan was presented by the consultants at a sparsely attended regular Board of Selectman meeting. Those present were mainly town officials, two reporters, and perhaps four others who were likely there on other business. Unaware of the meeting until later, I subsequently viewed the PowerPoint presentation on the town website (which I urge others to do as well). As a former design consultant (albeit many years ago), I found the plan to be generally well-done, if one is willing to accept the loss of the town’s village character and aesthetic in favor of a more suburban look which is more reminiscent of Wellesley Center or, as one official opined, “like downtown Wareham” and less like Cape Cod or Nantucket, to which many compare the area. That said, the plan, in my view, has some ill-conceived exceptions, primarily between the wharf entrance at Cannon Street and Barstow Street.

The proposal calls for narrowing the sidewalks and widening the street to accommodate some thirteen additional on-street parking spaces on the south side by Shipyard Park. While this change may benefit the businesses (of which there are only two, both of which promote free parking on the town wharf, a perk residents must pay for with purchase of a parking tag) and some residences (all of which have off-street parking available), the result will obstruct the view of the iconic park and our picturesque harbor.

A suggested alternative solution to the parking issue (but not the widening) offered at the meeting would be to allow only five parking spaces on the south side from the wharf exit to the beginning of the park, thus leaving the view unobstructed. Anyone who has attempted to turn right onto Water Street when a car is illegally parked in front of the General Store (which is often) can attest to the fact that this solution is problematical. Imagine a fire truck or other emergency vehicle making that turn. Parking on the north side, as is the case now, does not create turning issues.

These problems of congestion and parking exist primarily for only two months in the summer. For most of the rest of the year vehicular traffic and parking problems vanish as the village becomes virtually empty of traffic. Not so long ago in my lifetime, Mattapoisett village had many shops, restaurants, a post office, and other mercantile establishments that contributed to the village charm. Not so much anymore. By diminishing the ambiance of this area with more parking, the village remains an expensive residential enclave. A popular slogan once seen on bumper stickers proudly claims, “Mattapoisett is Special”. It can reasonably be said that this stretch of road is what makes it special.

Those residents who expressed their view early on in this project said that major changes are not desired and that the plan must maintain the village character. Let us not lose sight of what we have in this beautiful place we call home. To paraphrase an old song: You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone just to pave paradise to put in…parking.

Richard Morgado, Mattapoisett

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wandererwill gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wandererreserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderermay choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wandererhas the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wandereralso reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

 

When a Negative is a Positive

on

The removal of trees within the buffer zone of a river way can be tricky, but as Mattapoisett Conservation Commission Chairman Mike King explained on July 23, it can be done.

The commission approved Frank Linhares’ Request for Determination of Applicability to remove some dead trees from an area of his property at 16 Holly Hollow within the wetlands buffer zone and within 60 feet of a river bank, but as he explained, there is a protocol.

“The removal of the dead trees is not a problem, but we do need the stumps to stay,” said King.

That was just fine for Linhares, who commented, “I’m more worried about the trees falling on the house right now.”

Keeping the stumps in place keeps the soil in tact, King said, and the goal in a situation such as this is to keep as much of the natural vegetation in place as possible to prevent erosion of the riverfront.

Linhares received a Negative 2 determination allowing him to move forward with the work, and as the commission paused a moment to give a few minutes for the next applicant to arrive, a resident asked King to explain what a “negative determination” means.

King was quick to oblige, explaining that a Negative 2 simply means that there are no applicable regulations or special circumstances in order to perform the work within the buffer zone, adding that, in his opinion, a Negative 2 is the most common of the determinations.

“It’s the one case where negative is good,” said King. “A ‘positive’ means there were issues with the area or regulations,” explained King, issues that would need further study and possibly a wetlands specialists.

And as for a Negative 3, King explained, it simply means that the commission would have to add conditions to the project, such as informing the conservation office before work begins, and orders for how excess materials would be moved offsite.

In other matters, engineer Carmelo Nicolosi gave a brief introduction to the Notice of Intent filed by Ann and Ratcliffe Williams for the demolition of the existing garage and building of a new expanded garage at 31 Shore Drive. The hearing was continued, however, pending the issuance of a Mass Department of Environmental Protection file number for the project.

The commission granted a three-year extension of a permit issued to Jay Duker and Julie Starr-Duker to construct a 4-foot long by 164-foot wide long pile supported pier.

The NOI hearing for Millicent and Donald Carlstrom of 6 Ripple Street was continued until the next meeting, as no one on behalf of the applicant was present. The NOI is to demolish and rebuild a single-family house.

The public hearing for the RDA filed by Mattapoisett land Trust for Hammond Quarry was not discussed and continued again at the applicant’s request, along with the NOI hearing for John and Roger Gibbons for the paving of Foster Street.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for August 13 at 6:30 pm at the Mattapoisett Town Hall.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Jean Perry

2018 Keel Award Recipients

on

The communities of the Tri-Town are special: the landscapes, the historic buildings, the history. But what really makes our three towns stand out are the people who live in them, the people who work in them, and especially the ones who give of their time and energy, volunteering for the highest good of their town and fellow residents.

This is the reason why, every year, The Wandereris pleased to highlight the selflessness of three individuals – one from each town – to honor them and to recognize their countless hours of service to the community and their dedication, which keep the community afloat like the keel of a ship that keeps the vessel from capsizing.

The community responded to the call for the submission of nominees from their towns this year, and the names of the selected recipients quickly rose to the top as the most deserving of the honor. We mostly stayed with the tradition of selecting one resident per town, but like we sometimes do, we broke slightly from the norm and decided to give the honor to two outstanding citizens from one of the towns who share the credit for one ‘cause with paws’ that has benefitted so many from our own community and a number of surrounding ones as well.

The Wandereris proud to award this year’s 2018 Wanderer Keel Awards to: Pete Smith of Marion, Jillian Zucco of Mattapoisett, and Pam and Oren Robinson at “It’s All About the Animals” of Rochester.

            Marion:Pete Smith was born in Marion and has lived here these 82 years of his life. Smith is somewhat of a history buff one could say, but not just a buff of any old history. When it comes to his beloved hometown of Marion, there isn’t anything he doesn’t want to know about its history to share with the rest of the people who love Marion. It’s true, and everyone knows it: Smith knows everything that anyone living today could possibly know about Marion’s history, so no one was surprised when the Board of Selectmen appointed him as the Town’s official historian earlier this year.

Smith, whose first name is actually Charles but never ever called that, has been a volunteer with the Sippican Historical Society for over 20 years now. He currently serves at the curator of the Sippican Historical Society Museum and still reigns among Marionites as “Mr. Marion” as his name is synonymous with history in Marion. Over time, Smith also donated his time and energy serving on the Council on Aging, the Lions Club, the Masons, and the Charles R. Washburn Memorial Trust board.

As the keeper of Marion’s history, as well as the one who keeps up the search for even more precious information about the town’s colorful past, Pete Smith was nominated and chosen as the 2018 Marion recipient of The WandererKeel Award.

            Mattapoisett:The rest of the country might know her as Miss Massachusetts 2017, but in the Tri-Town we know her best as Jillian Zucco.

Zucco was raised in Mattapoisett and still lives there and continues to serve her community even after her reign as Miss Massachusetts concluded this year.

Zucco is one of those few people you hear about every once in a while that embodies the true spirit of volunteerism, making her a perfect example of how one person can make a difference in her community. Zucco keeps it afloat with her literally hundreds of hours of community service each year organizing blood drives, food drives, the Miss Inspirational program, organizing a “Make a Difference Expo” in Mattapoisett to inspire and help steer prospective volunteers towards a meaningful contribution, sharing her talent co-directing with the Showstoppers, and even singing at her church.

Zucco continues to inspire her community, which is why we have selected Jillian Zucco as our 2018 Mattapoisett recipient of the WandererKeel Award.

           Rochester:Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” So on the microcosmic scale, it’s safe to say that as far as cats are concerned, Rochester has indeed been great, at least since 2009 when Pam and Oren Robinson opened a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to rescuing abandoned and abused cats in and around Rochester.

At “It’s All About the Animals,” it literally is all about the animals. Supported by donations, every dime goes towards feeding, housing, providing medical treatment, and ultimately finding loving homes for every cat that enters the cat shelter. The Robinsons oversee all aspects of the cat rescue shelter, which is staffed by volunteers equally dedicated to saving cats.

The Robinsons share their Marion Road home with the cats, dedicating most of the space to its “Kitty Village,” which includes a main shelter and its expanded area complete with ‘catio,’ a kitty clinic, and several other small cat cottages where the cats remain as long as needed until they find a furrever home – because no cat is ever euthanized at IAATA unless it is in pain and suffering from an incurable condition.

It’s All About the Animals is a staple in our Tri-Town community. Its compassionate founders take in the unwanted, uncared-for, and unloved cats in our area because, for the Robinsons, every cat is wanted, cared-for, and loved. IAATA fulfills a vital role in our community – saving cats while also saving us from a life void of fluffy feline companionship, which is why Pam and Oren Robinson of It’s All About the Animals are the 2018 Rochester recipients of theWandererKeel Award.

Congratulations to all four recipients, and thank you to the community for nominating such fine residents who best represent the greatness of our Tri-Town.