‘Not the Largest Variance’ Granted

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When it comes to side setback variances, the one the Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals granted Danny and Victoria Hughes of 549 Walnut Plain Road on February 23 “isn’t the largest variance we’ve ever issued,” said Chairman Richard Cutler.

The request to build a 24-foot by 24-foot garage accessory structure under the mandatory side setback to the property line resulted in a 2-foot variance granted with the condition that a front-yard fence be removed or pushed back onto the owners’ property and away from the road.

The Hugheses are also not permitted to convert the structure into a residence or rental or to engage it in commercial use.

Mr. Hughes explained a discrepancy with the foundation that was poured too close to the side setback, wondering if perhaps the stakes were moved for some reason. He assured the board that he told the contractors the structure had to be 40 feet from the property line, but it was placed a number of inches under that.

“I highly doubt anyone moved it eight inches,” Hughes said. “We were forty feet, six inches … on that side setback so I don’t know.”

Hughes plans to use the barn structure as a shop of sorts to store tools and perform woodworking and other activities.

“I don’t see any big issues except we need to require the fence be put back,” said Cutler. He said the fence placement was “an honest mistake.”

The next meeting of the Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for March 23 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

By Jean Perry

 

Three to Vie for Selectman in Rochester

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Election signs are starting to pop up along the countryside streets of Rochester as the deadline to return nominations papers passed on February 22 and the April 12 Annual Election draws near.

Three familiar faces have thrown their hats in for the race for Board of Selectman.           Incumbent Richard Nunes, who has served six terms as selectman, is seeking a seventh term.

Greenwood “Woody” Hartley III, who ran against Naida Parker for her seat in 2015 and lost, is campaigning again for a seat on the board. Hartley served on the School Committee and as town moderator in the past.

Current Planning Board member Bendrix “Ben” Bailey is running his first race for Board of Selectmen, making this a three-way race for Rochester this year.

All other elected positions are unopposed, with one empty space that will appear on the ballot for Old Rochester Regional School Committee.

Current ORR member Cheryl Hebert did not pull papers this year.

“I just never heard from her,” said Town Clerk Naida Parker. “Usually they’ll tell me if they’re not going to run again, but I never heard anything.”

Parker herself, also chairman of the Board of Selectmen, is up for reelection as town clerk, running unopposed.

The remaining unchallenged positions are as follows:

Tax collector, incumbent Beatrice Renauld; Board of Health, incumbent David Souza; Cemetery Commission, David Shaw; Board of Assessors (3 years), incumbent Debra Lalli; Board of Assessors (1 year), Jana Cavanaugh; Park Commission, incumbent David Sylvia; Herring Inspector, incumbent William Watling, Jr.; Library Trustee (elect two), incumbent Phoebe Butler and incumbent Rhonda Reints; Planning Board, incumbent Arnold Johnson.

Polls on April 12 open at 8:00 am and close at 8:00 pm. The polling station is located at the Rochester Council on Aging at 67 Dexter Lane.

By Jean Perry

 

“Student Strong” Thank You

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The school staff members and their students in our town are truly committed to our community. They have continued for the year to collect cans of food for the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry. The students play a large and very important part of our community in action. There have been several different events held in town, the admittance being a can of food for the pantry.

To all of these students and staff members, we are grateful for your support. With your help, we were able to reach out to many families. We sincerely appreciate all your support. All of us working together to help support one another will make a strong community to grow and live in.

Thank you again,

Nancy Gauvin

St. Vincent de Paul Society

The Community Food Pantry

 

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will 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 Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

ORRJHS Students of the Month

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Kevin T. Brogioli, Principal of Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, announces the following Students of the Month for January 2017:

Green Team: Sabrina Sheldon & Sean Lally

Orange Team: Kayli Vieira & Alexander Craig

Blue Team: Jillian Ferreira & Samuel Harris

Red Team: Morgan Miedema & Cole Meehan

Purple Team: Mickenna Soucy & Andrew Dunn

Special Areas: Meredith Davignon & Jared Asiaf

Tabor Academy Presents The Laramie Project

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On Tuesday, March 7 at 7:00 pm, Tabor students will perform The Laramie Project in the Fireman Center for the Performing Arts (235 Front Street, Marion). The show is free and open to the public with open seating. Many of the same lead actors who performed to a packed house in the school’s performance of the musical Grease will take the stage again in this drama production.

Set in Laramie, WY, the show represents the true story of Matthew Shepard, who was murdered in 1998 because he was homosexual. The play, written by Moisés Kaufman and directed by Mr. Mark Howland and assistant director Duhita Das ‘17, is made up of interviews of Matthew’s friends, family, and community and is meant to focus on how the murder impacted Laramie. The story reveals that this kind of tragedy could happen anywhere. Mr. Howland shared that the story is told through a powerful script with strong performances, “If we do our job, the show will not be easy to watch, but it will be cathartic.”

Several days after this performance, the Tabor cast and crew will travel to England to perform The Laramie Project in venues around Dublin, Ireland, and at Ellesmere College, an English boarding high school. Later in April, students from Ellesmere will come to Tabor for a week-long stay to share a show of their choosing and enjoy American boarding school life with their new American friends.

Gateway Youth Hockey

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Bantams: The Gladiators Bantam team ran into some tough luck on Saturday morning when their goalie came down with the flu. With their backup unavailable, defenseman Will Goldman stepped in to play goalie. Without ever having previously played goalie, Goldman had an outstanding day, making 20 saves in the 5-5 tie against the Canal Sharks. The Gladiators got on the board first when Quirino doCanto stole a pass and shot one by the Sharks’ goalie. The Sharks tied it at 1-1 late in the first. The Sharks took a 2-1 lead until Tyler Lovendale scored a short-handed goal to tie it up. The Sharks then took advantage of a major penalty and scored two more goals making it 4-2, until doCanto added his second goal of the day, assisted by Liv Fryer. The third period started with doCanto tying the score at 4. Late in the third, Zach Barris put home a rebound, making it 5-4, assisted by Lovendale. It remained that way until less than a minute left in the game when a shot bounced off a Gateway defender and into the back of the net, making the final 5-5. The star of the game certainly had to be Goldman, who did a great job in his goaltender debut.

The Moving Wall to Visit Wareham in August

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The Wareham Veterans Council has invited neighboring towns of Rochester and Marion to participate in Wareham’s welcoming of “The Moving Wall,” the half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. scheduled to visit Wareham on August 17-21.

William “Bob” White, chairman of the Wareham Veterans Council, invites the Towns of Rochester and Marion to participate by attending the opening ceremony and by publicizing and promoting the event, and also by issuing a proclamation to memorialize The Moving Wall event by declaring August 17-21 “a time of remembrance for our fallen heroes, a time of healing and a belated welcome home for the communities’ Vietnam veterans.”

This visit of The Moving Wall comes on the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War that began in 1967.

The wall will be installed behind the Town Hall in front of the middle school on the Anderson Track field across from Viking Drive.

Once the site opens on August 17, it will be a 24-hour operation until the wall is taken down, with public viewing hours starting on Thursday, August 17 at 12:00 pm and ending on Monday, August 21 at 4:00 pm.

The total cost of operating the event is between $40,000 to $50,000 with funds being secured “from whatever sources can be developed,” says a press release.

The six surrounding towns of Wareham have been invited to participate on any level, and the veterans’ agent offices of each town are being contacted so that any residents of the towns that fell during the Vietnam War can be recognized.

The Town of Wareham has four of its own names listed on the wall.

The Wareham Veterans Council is working with the 102nd Intelligence Wing to obtain a flyover during the opening ceremony, as well as military and family organizations in the region to participate in daily ceremonies.

Members of the local clergy are also being contacted to collaborate and help provide spiritual support throughout the wall’s visit.

“I’ve been one of the lucky folks that had the chance to be in Washington and experience [the Vietnam Veterans Memorial] firsthand,” said White. “This is an opportunity for us all to participate and make it a great community experience.”

Wareham Board of Selectmen Chairman Judith Whiteside said she once visited the wall in Washington D.C. with her son and was moved by the experience.

“My son said, ‘I really didn’t understand,’” as they beheld the memorial. “I don’t think anybody can unless you’ve seen it or unless you’ve lived it.”

Rochester Selectmen Chairman Naida Parker says she will offer the event as much support as possible, including announcing it in the Council on Aging newsletter and also during any Memorial Day observances in town. Local Boys and Girls Scouts as well, she said, will be notified.

“I think that’s a good experience for them to participate in,” Parker said.

Wareham Veterans Council Vice-President Skip Sarnelli said, “[This event] is to make sure that people never forget,” and is also for the soldiers who returned home. “Myself included,” he added.

By Jean Perry

Ballot to Feature Road $1 Million Debt Exclusion

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The Town of Rochester has received $310,000 in federal grant money to make safety improvements to areas of High Street, and in light of this road improvement, Highway Surveyor Jeff Eldridge asked the Rochester Board of Selectmen on February 27 to approve placing a debt exclusion vote on the April election ballot to fund road resurfacing.

About $750,000 would go towards paving High Street, and the remaining $250,000 towards asphalt resurfacing on Hartley Road.

Eldridge initially asked for an article to be placed on the Annual Town Meeting Warrant for a $1 million override, but Selectmen Chairman and Town Clerk Naida Parker advised Eldridge that a debt exclusion on the ballot would be the way to go.

However, should voters approve it, an article would also have to be placed in the town meeting warrant for voters to allocate the funds.

“You’re talking a million dollars,” said Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar.” You’re talking about $88,000 a year in debt service.”

The average tax impact on a single family home in Rochester valued at $350,000 would be $40 a year.

The wording for the ballot will be crafted by the next meeting so that it can meet the ballot deadline 35 days before the election.

The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for March 6 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

By Jean Perry

 

Sally Waring Buffinton

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Sally Waring Buffinton, age 90, formerly of Marion, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully with family on March 1, 2017 in Plymouth. Sally was the loving wife of Thomas Howland Buffinton for 68 years.

The daughter of the late Sumner J. Waring, Sr. and Louise (Borden)Waring and the step-daughter of the late Beatrice “Bea” (Frost) Haley Waring. The sister of the late Barbara (Waring) Chamberlain and the late Sumner James Waring, Jr, husband of Elizabeth A. Waring.

She will be dearly missed and forever loved by her children Thomas H. Buffinton III and his wife Wendy of Plymouth and Holly Buffinton and her husband Victor Bove of Shaker Heights, Ohio and their extended families. She was the beloved grandmother of Kimberly E. Corley of South Burlington, VT and Stephanie O. Corley of Shaker Heights, OH and her great-grandson William Ordway. She was Aunt Sally to many wonderful nieces and nephews.

She spent her youth in Fall River and Swansea. She was a graduate of the former Sacred Heart Academy and Wheeler School; she attended Lasell College and later taught kindergarten. In 1952 she moved to Tabor Academy in Marion, MA. Where she resided for over 60 years.

Sally had a deep love of nature and the outdoors. She was an avid gardener, sailor and sports enthusiast. She loved to bake and canned all that she grew. Her passion was her family, doting on her husband, children and grandchildren, always taking a deep interest in all that they accomplished. She was active in the First Congregational Church in Marion.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the incredible staff at Stafford Hill Assisted Living and Cranberry Hospice, both of Plymouth, MA.

Visiting hours Monday, March 6, 2017 from 10:30am to 12pm followed by a service at the Waring-Sullivan Home at Cherry Place, 178 Winter Street in Fall River, MA.

Contributions in her honor may be made to the Cranberry Hospice , 36 Cordage Park Circle, Suite 326, Plymouth, MA 02360.

The Magic of Lyn

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Enjoy a magical afternoon as Master Illusionist Lyn Dillies performs in “The Magic of Lyn” on Thursday, April 27 at the Knights of Columbus Hall, Route 6, Mattapoisett. Lunch will be served at 12:15 pm, followed by the show at 1:00 pm.

Lyn Dillies is an award-winning magician who has performed at Lincoln Center in New York and all over the United States for over twenty years. This performance will be a scaled-down version of her full show, but still promises to be awe-inspiring. Cost for lunch and the show is $10; show only $5.Tickets are on sale at the Mattapoisett Council on Aging, 17 Barstow Street from now until April 19 or until sold out. Seating is limited, so don’t delay. Call 508-758-4110 for more information.