Kevin T. Brogioli, Principal of Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, announces the following Students of the Month for May 2018:
Green Team: Sawichaya Phimolmas & Hailey Cohen
Orange Team: Meredith Davignon & Jaelyn Allen
Purple Team: Chase Taylor & Holyn Turner
Blue Team: Emily Cavanaugh-Fauteux & Mason Hanks
Red Team: Isabella Vanderpol & Summer Williams
Special Areas: Mia Hall & Sakurako Huynh-Aoyama
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. Because of 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 13 County Road, the Marion Methodist Church.
The Marion Methodist Church at 13 County Road, an example of Italianate design, was built in 1865-1866. It occupies the site of an earlier church built in 1834 and known as the Methodist Protestant Church. The first minister was Rev. Calvin Cummings. The second pastor, Rev. Nathan S. Clark, lived nearby at 536 Front Street. Later ministers included N.W. Britton and R.H. Dorr. In 1866, this church became known as the Methodist Episcopal Church and Rev. Able served as its minister for only one year. Later ministers include D.J. Griffin (1867-1869), N.W. Chase (1870), J.B. Washburn (1872-1875), Fred Upham (1875-1876), E.W. Culver (1877-1878), T.B. Gurney (1879), Samuel McKeown (1880-1881), Daniel M. Rogers (1872), and J. Lincoln Litch (1883-1884). The church was sold in 2010.
Since the committee for the Carver, Marion, Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District fired its Executive Director Ray Pickles in January, the dumpster fire that Pickles left behind from years of mismanagement burns on, and the future of trash disposal in Marion is suffused in the smoky uncertainty of pending transfer station closures and pricey stickers for residents forced to fund a waste disposal overhaul.
Not only will the three towns have to split the $25,000 bill for a forensic audit of the district after Pickles let six years pass without an annual audit of the district’s finances, the committee is paying previous years’ bills using its fiscal year 2018 budget and making difficult decisions resulting from unauthorized overpayments Pickles made to employees over the years for vacation and sick time buybacks.
What’s more, the district’s contract to dispose of its trash with Covanta expires in 2020, and no one knows what the committee is going to do about it. What is clear, however, is that a critical overhaul of the district could mean closing the Marion transfer station and consolidating the district’s Rochester facility, building an entirely new increased capacity facility, or even dissolving the district with the three towns going their separate ways.
The committee struggled on June 6 with these issues and more. “Reality…” grumbled committee Chairman Steve Cushing after Carver’s Town Administrator Michael Milanoski took to the white board for a woeful lesson that could have been titled “Existentialism and Despair in Municipal Economics.”
The cost of disposal is going up, said Milanoski, as well as associated fuel costs. Without Covanta, he said, the district would have to purchase its own equipment, make upgrades to one consolidated facility, and try to operate it for, say, $600,000 instead of $1 million.
“That’s about the only thing we have control over,” said Milanoski.
The likely scenario for continuing the waste disposal district and keeping it solvent is the closure of the Marion facility and the expansion of the Rochester station. But after years of never having to pay any significant fees for the disposal of trash, residents of the three towns might have to purchase annual disposal stickers, perhaps even two – one for the district and one for their town – or buy district trash bags along with town assessments to fund the operations.
“People can freak out,” said Milanoski, “but we as three towns … have been extremely fortunate because we got the big goose egg.”
But that goose egg, Milanoski said, is going away.
“It’s not a political decision,” said Milanoski. “You’re gonna have to start paying for the service that you’ve been getting for twenty-five years for free.”
At the end of the day, said Milanoski, “It’s math. We only have so many levers we can control…. We can’t control the cost of disposal or fuel … labor, either.”
“There’s a whole lot of ways that we have to do in this,” said Marion Town Administrator Paul Dawson. “The committee members are going to have to agree on a policy.”
Included in a policy would be more robust regulations with steep fines to deter illegal dumping, which the committee suspects would increase once disposal fees are implemented.
The Town of Rochester, which has been sending Selectman Brad Morse and the town administrator to these committee meetings just to listen in, could even consider joining the district once its own trash contract expires to mitigate its own possible waste disposal woes.
“In this changing market, it’s just the way it’s got to be,” Dawson said. “Nobody likes it, but the reality is we’ve got to deal with it.”
But at least one thing was certain, and that was the district needs a new executive director to guide the committee towards a vision of how it wants to manage its operations moving forward and to help defuse the ticking time bombs before the two and a half year deadline.
“We really don’t have a plan here,” said Cushing. “We have nothing here but an idea and that’s it…. We can’t afford to continue on with nobody at the helm.”
There was some good news, though, said Marion Finance Director Judith Mooney. Finances are practically up to date and stable, and further financial documents have been discovered that will assist in the financial audit, although the district expects the Department of Revenue will render a number of “significant findings” against the district – a pickle to dill with when the time comes.
In other matters, the district will hold a hazardous waste disposal day on August 11 and will soon make an announcement allotting a specific time frame for each of the three towns to keep the flow manageable.
The CMWRRDD Committee decided to meet again the following Wednesday, June 13, at 5:00 pm at the Marion police station to discuss Pickles’ overpayment of a retired employee and an advertisement for the executive director position.
Carver, Marion, Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District Committee
By Jean Perry
On June 5, the Marion Police Department received state accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.
Accreditation is a self-initiated evaluation process by which police departments strive to meet and maintain standards that have been established for the profession, by the profession. These carefully selected standards reflect critical areas of police management, operations, and technical support activities. They cover areas such as policy development, emergency response planning, training, communications, property and evidence handling, use of force, vehicular pursuit, prisoner transportation and holding facilities. The program not only sets standards for the law enforcement profession, but also for the delivery of police services to citizens of the commonwealth.
“Achieving Accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission is a very significant accomplishment and a recognition highly regarded by the law enforcement community,” said Donna Taylor Mooers, the Commission’s Executive Director.”
Under the leadership of Chief John Garcia, the Marion Police Department was assessed in January by a team of Commission-appointed assessors. The Assessment Team found the Department to be in compliance with all applicable standards for Accreditation.
“Going through the process initially requires intense self-scrutiny, and ultimately provides a quality assurance review of the agency,” said Mooers. To conduct the initial self-assessment and prepare for the on-site review of the 318 standards by the Commission, Chief Garcia appointed Lt. Richard Nighelli to serve as the Department’s Accreditation Manager.
The Commission offers two program awards: Certification and Accreditation, with Accreditation being the higher of the two. Accreditation has been granted for a period of three years. Participation in the program is strictly voluntary.
On Saturday, June 16, there will be a yard sale on the Quaker meeting grounds at 103 Marion Road in Mattapoisett. It will run from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Speeding on Route 6. For years it has been a major issue in Marion, and during those years, aside from what speed enforcement the Police Department could manage, progress remained in neutral at the state level. But lately the gear has been shifted and progress is accelerating.
The Marion Board of Selectmen and Police Chief John Garcia joined State Representative William Straus and various Massachusetts Department of Transportation employees on the side of Route 6 in East Marion the morning of Tuesday, June 12, for the unveiling and installation of the first of two permanent traffic speed indicator signs.
Straus said he had been working closely and monitoring the progress of the MassDOT’s Route 6 corridor traffic study, and he visited Marion’s stretch of Route 6 last December while hearing residents’ concerns, as well as those of town officials.
Straus said he hopes the two signs will slow drivers down travelling that stretch of Route 6.
Bill Travers, MassDOT Highway Division District 5 operations engineer, acknowledged the “long history” of excessive speeding along this section of Route 6 near Little Neck Village.
“They’ve been sending us complaints,” said Travers, which, along with concerns voiced by former Police Chief Lincoln Miller and past elected officials, helped prompt the speed study and the search for an appropriate measure to help reduce speeding. “So we looked at some options to get people to slow down.”
Over time, as residents and the Town increased the frequency and urgency of their correspondence with their state representative, Straus said on June 12, “We came alive, so to speak.”
“The idea was to find some immediate ways to help some of the traffic problems,” said Straus. “It’s clearly an ongoing issue of traffic problems of Route 6.”
The two solar-powered signs, one west of the Little Neck Village entrance and another one to the east, will use radar to clock the speed of oncoming traffic and display it on a digital screen, similar to those installed on Spring Street and Front Street at Tabor Academy. The display will begin flashing red once a vehicle exceeds the 50 mph limit. The signs are set to flash only up to 60 mph, at which time the sign will prompt “slow down” to the approaching driver.
A contractor for MassDOT used an app on his phone to program the maximum speed the sign will indicate, as well as when the “slow down” message would be illuminated.
The whole installation and programming of the first sign took about 30 minutes.
“A lot of people are going to be surprised,” said Board of Selectmen Chairman Norm Hills as he surveyed the operation of the new sign.
Travers said this was the first speed indicator sign to be installed in MassDOT’s District 5. Signs in other districts have shown to be effective in lowering speeds, he said.
“MassDOT is pleased to install this sign which will show motorists their current speed and encourage safe and reliable travel along this roadway,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver in a press release. “By working closely with elected officials and local leaders, MassDOT is continuing to improve transportation infrastructure and better allow people throughout the Commonwealth to reach the places they need to go.”
MassDOT also announced that new sidewalks would be installed on Route 6 near the police station where there are none currently. All permits for the work have been issued, Travers said, and the sidewalks should be installed this month.
By Jean Perry
Registration is open for this summer’s Summer Library Program “Libraries Rock!” There is a separate registration for children ages 2-12, plus one for Teens and Adults, ages 12 and up. This year, everyone participating will cooperate in a community goal: Stick Together for the RMS Music Mosaic Project. Completing activities adds to the mosaic. When the mosaic is full, the Friends of Plumb Library and other donors will give funds to the RMS Music Department. Sign up online at www.plumblibrary.com before July 31. For more details and activity trackers, visit the library at 17 Constitution Way, Rochester.
For the first outdoor Summer Library Program Challenge, spend some family time by joining Mindy LaBranche, Rochester resident and Biological Sciences Professor at Bridgewater State University, and Ms. Lisa at Church’s Field on Mattapoisett Road for a GUIDED hike on Sunday, June 17from 9:00 – 11:00 am. We will learn about wildflowers, trees, birds, and any other nature we find interesting! Bring a journal to draw what you see! (Colored pencils provided.) Wear appropriate outdoor attire, as well as protection from ticks and biting insects! Registration is required. Visit the Events Calendar at www.plumblibrary.com to register.
The Council on Aging Book Group will meet on Tuesday, June 19at 10:15 am to discuss How Green Was My Valleyby Richard Llewelyn. This classic about a Welsh mining family at the end of the 19thcentury is heartwarming and joyous. It was made into a movie by director John Ford and featured a young Roddy McDowall as the narrator Hu. Copies are available at the library.
“Just the Facts,” the Nonfiction Book Group, will discuss Mark Kurlansky’s The Basque History of the World on Thursday, June 19at 6:30 pm. Straddling a small corner of Spain and France in a land that is marked on no maps except their own, the Basques are Europe’s oldest nation without having become a country. Learn more about this culture by picking up a copy of the book at the library.
The kickoff program for Libraries Rock! Summer Library Program will take place on Tuesday, June 26at 10:30 am and will feature our favorite band, the Toe Jam Puppet Band! Mr. Tom and Mr. Vinny are back to entertain you with a unique combination of original songs, puppetry, storytelling, and just plain old good fun! All ages will enjoy this show, and we defy you to sit still when the music and fun starts! This will be an outdoor show, so bring your outdoor gear – blankets, hats, chairs, sunscreen, and water. This program is sponsored by the Rochester Lions Club. Registration is requested but not required. (However, registering helps the Lions Club, so go to the Events Calendar to register.)
The June book for Café Parlez Book Discussion Group is Blood, Bones, and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chefby Gabrielle Hamilton. This book follows an unconventional journey through the many kitchens Hamilton has inhabited through the years before she opened her acclaimed New York restaurant, Prune. Join us to discuss this book on Thursday, June 28at 6:30 pm.
To the Editor:
I want to thank not only the kind and helpful neighbors and friends that came to my aid Sunday, May 27, but also the wonderful, awesome, and caring EMTs that transported me. They made me comfortable, safe, and most importantly, they made me laugh.
I will be forever grateful to everyone.
Sincerely,
Pamela Hiller, 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.
Hilda B. (Braz) Harrop, 87, of Mattapoisett passed away Monday June 11, 2018 after a brief illness. She was the wife of William M. Harrop, the love of her life. They had been married for 51 years.
Born in Dartmouth, the daughter of the late John and Emilia (Dias) Braz, she lived in Glastonbury, CT for many years before moving to Mattapoisett in 2000.
Mrs. Harrop was formerly employed as the human resources director for Day, Berry, and Howard Law Firm in Hartford, CT until her retirement.
She was devoted to her family and friends.
She is survived by her husband William; her daughter, Lynn A. Motta of Fairhaven; her grandson, Tyler M. Curtis of Fairhaven; and her great-grandson, Colin D. Curtis.
She was the sister of the late Armindo Braz.
Her Memorial Service will be held on Thursday June 14, 2018 at 10 AM at the Mattapoisett Congregational Church. Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday June 13, 2018 from 5-8 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
Maurice “Mudgie” Tavares passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 9, 2018 at the Care One healthcare facility in New Bedford. Mudgie was the son of the late Alfred Tavares and the late Minnie Fermino, and the step-son of the late Charles A. Fermino, Sr.
Born in Mattapoisett on April 13, 1931, Mudgie was given his nickname by his aunt, after a Native American spirit, meaning “first-born son” and “caring giver.” He graduated from New Bedford Vocational High School in 1949, where he ran track, a sport for which he developed a lifelong passion.
Mudgie was a communicant of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Mattapoisett, where, starting as an altar boy, his lifelong commitment to serving his community began.
Mudgie dedicated his entire life to helping people, especially the children of the Old Rochester School District. Working for 36 years as head custodian of Center School in Mattapoisett, Mudgie became a father figure to the countless children to whom he gave selflessly. From anonymously purchasing new sneakers and athletic equipment for children of families in need, to listening to and encouraging kids in times of angst, Mudgie was always there, as a positive influence on generations of Mattapoisett youths.
Mudgie’s iconic station wagon was more a “chariot of charity,” delivering kids to sports practices; taking them to games; bringing them home safely; and carting gifts of groceries and Christmas presents to the underprivileged. As founder of the Mattapoisett Track Club, Mudgie established the town’s Wharf Dances in the early 1970s, to raise funds to support the track club and to give young people a safe place to enjoy Thursday nights in the summertime.
Mudgie also initiated and organized two summer women’s basketball leagues and a field hockey league. He was also an active member of the Mattapoisett Lions Club and was given their prestigious Citizen of the Year Award in 1983.
Mudgie was the recipient of countless awards and honors recognizing his service to the community, not the least of which were the naming of the Maurice “Mudgie” Tavares Playground at Center School in Mattapoisett; the Maurice “Mudgie” Tavares Track and Field at Old Rochester Regional High School in Mattapoisett; and the Marian Medal Award, given by the Catholic Diocese of Fall River.
Mudgie was an enthusiastic basketball fan and devoted jazz aficionado, and he took great enjoyment in listening to the music Duke Ellington and Count Basie.
Mudgie is survived by his sister, Caroline Sylvia, and her husband, John B. Sylvia, Jr., of Marion; two brothers: Peter Fermino and David Fermino, and David’s wife, Victoria Fermino, of Mattapoisett; a niece, Karen Ramos, of Mattapoisett; a nephew, Charles Sylvia, of Providence; a great-niece, Brittany Fevrier, and her husband, Lawens Fevrier, of Smithfield, RI; a great-nephew, Graham Tuxworth, of Newton; and two great-great-nephews, Lawsen and Greysen Fevrier, of Smithfield, RI. Mudgie was the brother of the late Charles A. Fermino, Jr.
Visitation will be held Thursday, June 14, 2018, from 4-8 pm at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Road, Route 6, Mattapoisett. His Funeral Mass will be held Friday June 15, 2018 at 10:00 am at St. Anthony’s Church, 22 Barstow Street, Mattapoisett. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
