Wetland Delineations for Vaughan Hill Property Pending

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An abbreviated notice of resource area delineation or NRAD caused a bit of conversation during the December 20 meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission.

Coming before the commission was Alan Ewing of Alan Ewing Engineering representing Marc and Nancy Ferreira. The site is 6.8 acres and is located on Vaughan Hill Road.

Ewing detailed for the commissioners wetland delineations completed by Ferreira’s wetland consultant.

An abutter residing at 30 Vaughan Hill Road and Kevin Ferreira, who identified himself as a New Bedford resident interested in finding out how things were done in Rochester, questioned the intent of the applicant in seeking certification of the wetland line.

Ewing said that a single-family home was planned.

Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon said the commission was only hearing the NRAD application. She explained that soils on the site were “difficult,” noting wetland vegetation in upland areas. Farinon said, “I’d like to make more detailed studies.”

Ewing asked for and received a continuation pending completion of Farinon’s site work and submittal of wetland consultant’s report.

Bob Rogers of G.A.F. Engineering came before the commission with a continued notice of intent hearing for Mike Spieldenner, 1 Happy Tails Lane. Spieldenner has already been before the Planning Board and had previously met with the Conservation Commission.

However, the Planning Board asked for modifications to the proposed paved 12-foot wide roadway that included a drainage swale and a check dam to help manage and mitigate stormwater runoff.

Rogers also said that electrical service would be moved underground versus across the neighbor’s property.

Commissioner Daniel Gagne question the depth of the swale, saying it appeared that the depth was lower than existing wetlands. He wondered aloud about the need for a dewatering plan. Gagne also asked about the need for a test pit to determine the water table. Rogers responded that he didn’t want to “add cost” if that wasn’t necessary.

Rogers said that if seasonal high water table levels were reached while excavating that digging would stop there. He said that he planned to ask for a continuation until January 17 to give Spieldenner time to circle back to the planning board on January 10 with any new information Rogers gleaned from tonight’s meeting with the commission.

The commission seemed satisfied with the plan as proposed. Rogers asked for and received a continuation.

Patricia Tilton, representing the estate of Carol Taylor, 40 Hartley Road, along with Collins Civil Engineering Group presented a request for determination of applicability to install a new 1,500-gallon septic system. The project received a negative determination with standard conditions.

The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission is scheduled for January 17 at 7:00 pm in the town hall meeting room.

By Marilou Newell

 

Church Pony Pasture

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George and Catherine Church loved Rochester and their land. They wanted the public to be able to enjoy this land that they loved forever. The Rochester Land Trust is proud to be helping make their wishes come true. RLT recently purchased the historical Church Pony Pasture in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and the Church Estate Trust.

Over the next few years, we hope to restore the field and stone walls to their earlier splendor. RLT is a private nonprofit organization, managed by volunteers who do most of the stewardship work on its properties. The Pony Pasture had become so overgrown since George had been able to care for it that clearing the field and walls was too big a project for our volunteers and their equipment. Our neighbor, Faustino and Sons, has been engaged, at a special rate, to do the heavy clearing. We are grateful to the Ocean Spray Community Fund for partially funding this project.

There will be much addition work to do in clearing the brush and vines from the walls, replanting and mowing the field, and in restoring the walls. If you would like to help, please let us know at 706- 675-5263 or info@rochesterlandtrust.org. Tax-deductible donations will be gratefully received at Rochester Land Trust, P.O. Box 337, Rochester, MA 02770.

Whaling Museum for Moby-Dick Marathon

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It is time for the yearly migration to the New Bedford Whaling Museum. January 6-8 will mark the 21st annual Moby-Dick Marathon at the Museum. The event summons readers and enthusiasts around the globe – from the world’s most obsessive literary aficionados, to local school children and everyone in between. Participants will travel back in time to accompany narrator Ishmael on the epic whaling journey and hunt for the elusive white whale.

Since 1995, the Museum has marked the anniversary of author Herman Melville’s 1841 departure from the Port of New Bedford and Fairhaven aboard the whaleship Acushnet with this mid-winter tradition. Melville would later pen Moby-Dick, publishing the famous American novel in 1851. The 25-hour Moby-Dick readathon, fueled by caffeine, warm local chowder, theatrical performances, and a fondness for the author’s artistry, features inspiring options including a children’s marathon, as well as a reading of the abridged Portuguese adaptation of the novel.

Herman Melville’s great-great-grandson, Peter Gansevoort Whittemore, will read the classic opening excerpt from Moby-Dick, beginning with the famous line, “Call me Ishmael.” The reading will move through multiple settings throughout the Museum, as well as the Seamen’s Bethel, the actual chapel that the book’s “Whalemen’s Chapel” is modeled after. The event begins in the Museum’s Bourne Building, which houses the world’s largest whaleship model. Marathoners can sit amongst the sails, lines, and whaling tools of the time while experiencing the first six chapters. The next section of the book is read, appropriately, at the Seamen’s Bethel. Melville attended a service there shortly before he shipped out, and he heard a sermon by the chaplain, Reverend Enoch Mudge, who was the model for Father Mapple in the book.

The remainder of the book is read non-stop in a gallery with 180-degree views of the fishing fleets and other vessels lining New Bedford harbor, except for a theatrical adaptation of chapter 40 in the Museum’s theater.

The entire marathon is peppered with fun Melville-inspired activities throughout, including opportunities to chat with Melville scholars and even a chance to “stump” the scholars by testing their Melville knowledge.

The few hardy souls who brave the voyage through all 136 chapters of the great American epic – from “Etymology” to “Epilogue” – will receive a prize when the marathon comes to an end on Sunday.

Activities begin on Friday, January 6 at 5:30 pm with a ticketed event including the opening of the Melville Society Exhibit, a dinner well-suited for hungry sailors, and an engaging lecture and discussion on Melville and Religion. Friday tickets are $40 for Whaling Museum members, $50 for non-members. To purchase tickets, visit www.whalingmuseum.org or call 508-997-0046.

The main marathon program begins at 10:00 am on Saturday, January 7 and continues through 1:00 pm on Sunday, January 8. Times for events are approximate and are dependent on the reading pace of the marathon. All Saturday and Sunday events are free and open to the public. Guests may come and go as needed through the Museum’s main entrance.

The entire marathon will be broadcast via livestream in a couple of venues throughout the Museum, as well as online, so enthusiasts around the globe can follow along. Visit www.whalingmuseum.org for a complete schedule of events and more information.

Tabor Students Face College Decisions

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Students departed Tabor’s campus for Winter Break this past Friday, and with them dispersed the stress and emotions the college admission process inevitably brings to high school upperclassman each year around the holidays.

The college admission process officially began for juniors on Wednesday, December 14, with the annual “College Kick-Off Day,” a required event for all junior students.

The event, which lasted throughout the morning, outlined the timeline of events the students would face over the coming year, jump-started the thought process on building a “model college” and considering preferred characteristics of a school, and introduced several key resources available to students as they navigate this process. Additionally, students were assigned a college counselor who will work with them throughout each step of the process over the next year.

Within the senior class, there has been a large disparity in sentiments that was clear around campus over the past week. The week of December 12 to 16 was a popular window of time for colleges and universities to release notifications for early decision and early action applications. Decision notifications came in from schools across the globe, from California, to Canada, to New York, to Scotland, and countless places in between.

With the large majority of students having applied to at least one school with an early application, the halls were buzzing with college acceptance news. For some, an acceptance meant a dream come true, four years or more of hard work finally paying off. For others, a rejected or deferred application meant a major disappointment or a notable set back.

With most regular decision applications due during the first few days of the New Year, many seniors are spending their vacation time crafting several, if not dozens, of supplemental essays for the schools to which they are applying. Though most colleges use the Common Application as the shared source of information on applicants, nearly every school requires extra information and essays to gain better insight into a candidate.

Once applications have been submitted around New Year’s Day, the process is put on pause until March. At that time, all the stress and uncertainty felt around Tabor over the past week will resume as colleges across the world release their final “regular” application decisions. Students who have been accepted to schools under early decision admission will no doubt breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that they have avoided reliving the process as so many of their peers have done.

Over Winter Break, many juniors will take advantage of the free time by visiting colleges and universities across the country, taking tours, and attending information sessions. This time is also ideal for students to study and prepare for standardized tests, most commonly the SAT.

The current junior class – Class of 2018 – is the first class to be fully transitioned to the revised version of the SAT test, which has notable structural changes including the transition from the 2400-point scale to a 1600-point scale. The Class of 2017 was allowed the flexibility to take either the old or new versions of the exam.

The College Counseling program operates under the leadership of five counselors who provide individualized advice and aid to students, all while maintaining a high degree of independence for the students. Because of this approach, every Tabor student typically matriculates to a highly competitive college or university.

By Jack Gordon

 

ZBA Hearings Cause Debate

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With a fairly heavy agenda, the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals held their December 15 meeting at Old Hammondtown School.

One case experiencing some pushback from abutters came for Scott Boucher’s application for a special permit to operate a used car sales lot at the former Gail’s Goodies Bakery on Route 6. Boucher, a Mattapoisett resident, has been working his way through various boards in town for several months before finally advancing to the ZBA for a special permit.

Boucher explained that he operates an automobile repair shop in Acushnet and wants to use the Mattapoisett location for “higher end cars” and cars for young adults. He said that no repair work would take place in Mattapoisett and that hours of operation would be reasonable.

But even with those assurances, folks living on Reservation Road took exception.

A letter read into the minutes from Ken and Martha Schmidt, 6 Reservation Road, said that to allow the used car lot to operate in Mattapoisett would be tantamount to diminishing the quaintness of the community and that there were other towns where people could purchase cars.

Also objecting was Mary Kelleher, 4 Reservation Road, who echoed those sentiments in her presentation, in which she pointed out that the ZBA did not have to allow the special permit saying, “This is not in keeping with the character of the town…”

Boucher countered that a gas station was situated next door to the property in question, that the entire area was zoned general business, and that the lot would only be used to display cars without the visual noise of balloons or flagging.

The ZBA members saw no problem with the business plan as presented by Boucher and unanimously approved the special permit with the following restrictions: hours of operations set at Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sunday by appointment only; lighted signage will be turned off when business is closed; total number of units for sale may not exceed 12; and no repair service would be offered at the location.

Another case causing a bit of dialogue was a special permit sought by Mattacarm, LLC, 1 Macneill Drive, Southboro, for property located at Shawmut Road for construction of a two-story single-family home. The applicant was represented by David Davignon of N. Douglas Schneider & Associates.

Davignon gave a historical run down on the decades old sub-division plan for the Antassawamock coastal neighborhood including the fact that an earlier cottage had come down during the 1938 hurricane and was never re-built. He said that a study of housing units in the area showed that all lots were approximately 7,000 square feet and that the DEP had previously approved building on the lot in question with environmental remediation planned near the proposed home.

Nils Johnson of 23 Sagamore Road, an abutter to the Shawmut lot, objected to the location of the remediation, saying it might jeopardize the dry basement he currently has and asking why the remediation couldn’t take place on an adjacent lot also owned by the applicant.

ZBA member Mary Anne Brogan asked Davignon, “So you are creating wetlands in his backyard?” Davignon explained that, yes, a wetlands could be wet, but that it didn’t mean there would be standing water; simply that original soils would be exposed and wetland bushes and grasses would be introduced. He said that the remediation project would not change the water table.

“We aren’t bringing water in,” he told Brogan. He also pointed out that the house would only cover 17 percent of the lot size.

Brogan said, “But the ConCom didn’t approve this project.”

Chairman Susan Atkin replied, “That’s not our area.”

Brogan said, “But we should look at the whole picture.”

Andy Bobola, director of inspectional services, explained that the DEP allowed the building.

Brogan held fast, “It isn’t fair.” Bobola said the ZBA decision could be appealed if the abutters objected.

In the end, the other board members voted to grant the special permit with Brogan casting a negative vote.

In other business, Michael Finch received a special permit to store and sell firewood from his 112 Acushnet Road residence. Also, Main Street Realty Trust, William Cantor, 4 Prospect Road, received a special permit to construct a 496 square-foot addition to an existing home.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals will be scheduled for January 19 at 6:00 pm in the town hall conference room if there are any hearings.

By Marilou Newell

 

Tabor Continues Science@Work Lecture Series

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On January 12 at 6:30 pm, Michael Retelle, Professor of Geology at Bates College (ME), will share information about Paleo-Climatology through his study of ice cores from the Arctic. Retelle did his undergraduate studies at Salem State College (BS, 1976) prior to working as a field geologist on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in 1976. He did his graduate work in Geosciences at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. His primary research interests include glacial and marine environments and climate change in northern New England and in the Canadian and Norwegian arctic.

His talk will focus on the recent environmental history in Svalbard, Norway, with an emphasis on the alpine glacier history from the ice expansion during the Little Ice Age of the 14th to 19th Centuries to the retreat that began in the beginning of the 20th Century that has accelerated in recent decades. Svalbard is an extensively glaciated archipelago in the Norwegian high arctic that sits at the boundary of polar and North Atlantic waters, climatologically sensitive to shifts in ocean currents and related air masses, impacting regional sea ice and glacier extent.

This lecture is free and open to the public and will be held in Lyndon South Auditorium, Stroud Academic Center, 232 Front Street, Marion on January 12 at 6:30 pm.

MAC Art and Theater Classes

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The Marion Art Center is now accepting registrations for the following children’s art and theater classes for Winter 2017:

Little People’s Theater (ages 5-8): Tuesdays from 4:30 to 5:30 pm; January 10 – February 14 (6 weeks); Instructor: Linda Landry. Tuition is $80 for MAC members* and $95 for non-members. Minimum of 5 students required for this class to run. Registration deadline for Winter Session is January 5.

Our young actors will develop acting skills while having fun and learning to interact with one another. Through age-appropriate acting games, improv, and small scenes, these young actors will learn theatre basics. They will learn the rules of the theatre, theatre terminology, how to project an emotion, how to start creating a character, and more. Students will learn the process of putting on a production through selection, rehearsal and production of a small show presented at the end of the session. *Current membership required for discount. The 2016-2017 Membership Year runs August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017.

Young People’s Theater (ages 9-12): Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:30 pm; January 12 – February 16 (6 weeks); Instructor: Linda Landry. Tuition is $80 for MAC members* and $95 for non-members. Minimum of 5 students required for this class to run. Registration deadline for Winter Session is January 7

Our young actors will develop acting skills while having fun and learning to interact with one another. Through age-appropriate acting games, improv, and small scenes, these young actors will learn theatre basics. They will learn the rules of the theatre, theatre terminology, how to project an emotion, how to start creating a character, and more. Students will learn the process of putting on a production through selection, rehearsal and production of a small show presented at the end of the session. *Current membership required for discount. The 2016-2017 Membership Year runs August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017.

Fashion Design & Illustration For Tweens (ages 9-12): Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:30 pm; January 19 to March 9 (8 weeks – no class on February 21); Instructor: Catherine Carter. Tuition is $180 for MAC members* and $195 for non-members (supplies not included). Minimum of 5 students required for this class to run. Registration deadline for Winter Session is January 14

Love fashion and coming up with your own designs? This new MAC offering for youngsters between ages 9 and 12 will cover the basics of fashion illustration, including drawing the fashion figure and rendering fabrics with colored pencil and marker. We will create a series of design projects inspired by a range of sources including fashion history, ethnic costume, and fine art. *Current membership required for discount. The 2016-2017 Membership Year runs August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017.

For more information about or to register for any of MAC’s classes, please call 508-748-1266 or visit: http://www.marionartcenter.org/about/register/.

The Marion Art Center is now accepting registrations for its Winter 2017 Adult Art Classes. Offerings include:

Beginner & Continuing Drawing for Adults: Tuesdays, 10:00 am to noon at the MAC Studio; January 17 to March 7 (8 weeks).

This class will expose students to a number of traditional illustration skills and concepts. Participants will learn how to compose with line, shape, tone, and shadow. Using still-life setups and the immediate environment as inspiration, the class will explore working with perspective, positive and negative shape, and texture using traditional drawing materials.

Instructor Anthony Days has been involved in illustration and visual arts since his childhood, receiving awards and donating his artistic abilities to school and community activities. He has been providing private drawing lessons for over 30 years and is a Member of the Marion Art Center, New Bedford Art Museum and Mattapoisett Area Artists group. Note: A minimum of 5 students is required. Tuition is $180 for MAC members* and $195 for non-members (supplies not included). *Current MAC membership is required for discount. The 2016-2017 Membership Year runs August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017.

The Art of Reupholstery: Wednesdays, 10:00 am to noon at 188 Front Street in Marion; January 18 to March 22 (10 weeks).

This class will teach students the basics of reupholstery, an applied art that has its roots in the Renaissance period. While learning this art form, students can restore an old chair using techniques and materials that are timeless, and enjoy the heirloom that they create. It is the upholstery and soft furnishings that are the most important in creating the ambience of a room. Students will be taught to strip the old coverings and stuffing as needed, secure the frame of the item so that it is rigid, build up from the base or foundation, add the webbing and springs, tie, sew and weave batting and padding. Materials are not included. Students are strongly advised that their first attempt should be more substantial than a footstool. Please bring the project to every class, together with a tack hammer and an old flat-head screwdriver.

Instructor Harriet Ingerslev graduated in Fine Arts from State University of New York at Oswego. She studied restoration and upholstery at the Stanhope Institute in London, England. Her extensive instructional background includes teaching upholstery in Princeton, NJ for 13 years in two adult schools, as well as teaching fine art for 25 years at high school and elementary school levels. Note: A minimum of 5 students is required. Tuition is $180 for MAC members* and $195 for non-members. *Current MAC membership is required for discount. The 2016-2017 Membership Year runs August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017.

Abstract Painting for Adults: Wednesdays, 2:00 – 4:00 pm at the MAC Studio; January 18 to March 8 (8 weeks).

This course is designed for those who have always been intrigued by abstract art and want to learn to paint in this free and individual style. Using acrylics, students will discover how to organize the canvas through the basic elements of shape, color, texture and design, rather than realistic subject matter. This process will yield works of art that are uniquely your own expression. Appropriate for both beginning and intermediate students. Participants should bring to the first class whatever supplies they have on hand.

The instructor, Catherine Carter, has taught at Framingham State University and the Danforth Museum School for the past 14 years. An abstract painter herself, she has exhibited her work nationally as well as at the United States Embassies in Oman and Cameroon through the Art In Embassies Program. Her paintings are held in public and corporate collections including the Boston Public Library, the Four Seasons Hotel, and Meditech Information Technology. She has recently relocated to the Southcoast, where she currently maintains her studio at Hatch Street Studios in New Bedford. Note: A minimum of 5 students is required. Tuition for the class is $180 for MAC members* and $195 for non-members (supplies not included). *Current MAC membership is required for discount. The 2016-2017 Membership Year runs August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017.

All Levels Watercolor Painting for Adults: Thursdays, 10:00 am to noon; January 19 to March 16 (8 weeks). *Note: No class on February 9.

After a brief introduction each week, students will explore different techniques, while working on the landscape, still life, figurative, and/or imaginative painting, in a nurturing environment. Participants should bring to the first class whatever supplies they have on hand.

Instructor Patricia White is an illustrator, a painter, and a Gallery Instructor Associate at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She is past President of the Marion Art Center and the current President of the Bourne-Wareham Art Association. She studied Illustration and Realist Painting at the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts, and has shown her work in numerous exhibitions in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, including the Marion Art Center, The Jonathan Bourne Library, The Thomas Hanley Gallery in Falmouth, The Wareham Library, Don’s Art Shop of Warren, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, ArtWorks of New Bedford, the Annual BWAA Show and Sale, and the Gift Shop of The Cape Cod Museum of Art. Note: A minimum of 5 students is required. Tuition for the class is $180 for MAC members* and $195 for non-members (supplies not included). *Current MAC membership is required for discount. The 2016-2017 Membership Year runs August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017.

Continuing & Advanced Watercolor Painting for Adults: Fridays, 10:00 am to noon at the MAC Studio; January 20 to March 10 (8 weeks).

This course is a perfect “next step” for those who would like to explore watercolor painting beyond a basic understanding of color and brush strokes. Using the brilliant nature of light (and dark), we’ll “push” the medium, adding other water media, brushes, and paper surfaces, and experiment with palette color mixing to capture magic and luminosity. In each class, we will start a new painting together using landscape, still life, the figure, abstract or imaginative thought, or narrative ideas as subjects. Each class will also provide a brief and supportive group “critique”. Students will leave with expanded knowledge of technique and traditional and contemporary use of watercolor.

The instructor, Jay Ryan, is a Fairhaven painter and a Gallery Instructor at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. A former K-12 public school art teacher and administrator, Jay has studied at Massachusetts College of Art, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and Framingham State and Lesley Universities. His work has been locally shown at the Judith Klein Gallery, ArtWorks! and Gallery X in New Bedford, and the Marion Art Center. Note: A minimum of 5 students is required. Tuition for the class is $180 for MAC members* and $195 for non-members (supplies not included). *Current MAC membership is required for discount. The 2016-2017 Membership Year runs August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017.

For more information about or to register for any of MAC’s classes, please call 508-748-1266 or visit: http://www.marionartcenter.org/about/register/.

Tinkhamtown Chapel Christmas

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Kids at the Tinkhamtown Chapel Christmas Carol Sing on December 17 perform “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” as is the tradition at the little chapel in Mattapoisett during Christmastime. Photo by Jean Perry

Holiday Spirit Sings at ORR

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One would be hard pressed to find a place filled with more holiday spirit than the ORRHS auditorium last Tuesday.

After an opening by the jazz combo, the rest of the night was filled with performances by the school’s mixed chorus, jazz band, and concert band, all under the conducting of Music Director Mike Barnicle.

With an ever-changing roster, the jazz combo always offers something new each year. Led by senior Maxx Wolski on the vibraphone, the student-run group started the concert off on a lively tone with two creative pieces full of improvisation sections featuring several of the members.

Veterans Joe Gauvin on drums and John Roussell on trumpet provided a firm support for the four newcomers: Caroline Regis on saxophone, Patrick Igoe on bass, Lindsey Merolla on piano, and Elise Parker on percussion.

“Jazz combo is fun because it’s just a small group of us,” said Regis, who is also a member of the chorus and concert band. “I’m not used to being in such a small group, so it’s challenging me to be more confident in who I am as a musician, which I think is important.”

The jazz theme continued for the second set, with the jazz band taking the stage with three pieces, including a rendition of “Winter Wonderland” with vocals by sophomore Kelly Bruce.

“I really enjoyed my solo,” Bruce said. “It was rather short and simple to learn, and a tune that everyone was familiar with … I’m glad to have had the opportunity to perform it.”

Although the audience had been informed one particular song was very difficult and could experience a few slip-ups, the jazz band blew everyone away and well deserved the enthusiastic applause they received.

Audrey Knox, a freshman playing trombone in the group, spoke on her favorite part of the group.

“What I like is getting to hear the end result,” she said. “We work so hard and just hear what [a song] sounds like the first time we play to perform it.”

The mixed chorus was next to perform, with their first piece accompanied by the jazz band. Michael Buble’s arrangement of “Jingle Bells” gave both musical groups the opportunity to participate in a larger ensemble, alongside senior Jonathan Kvilhaug as the soloist. This was followed by a rendition of “Silent Night,” with a solo by Christopher Savino and piano accompaniment by Drama Director Paul Sardinha.

“I really enjoyed that solo because it challenged me to sing a different style of music, because I typically sing musical theater,” Savino said afterwards.

“Everyone worked hard on Silent Night and it came together really well, especially with Chris’s solo,” Regis stated.

Bruce agreed. “Even though the [performance] didn’t go as well as our practices did, it was a good challenge.”

The chorus did not disappoint with their final two songs either, both a capella. “Ave Maria” left a tingling echo in the air with the finish of each rich chord, while “Ding Dong Merrily on High” brought the sound of bells from the well-blended vocals of all four sections.

This signaled the start of the concert band’s three numbers of the night. Their “Nightmare Before Christmas” set was a large crowd pleaser, drawing many to sing along to the sections they knew. The karaoke continued into the final selection of the night, with the chorus leading the audience in “Auld Lang Syne.”

“It’s something that many of us have sang at the New Year,” said Barnicle.

It goes without saying that, without Barnicle, none of what was showcased at the Holiday Concert would be possible. He conducts all three classes of students that perform for four concerts per year, as well as individual and group competitions.

“I don’t know if many people understand that he has such a stressful job,” Regis said. “He’s the head of the whole music department and the only music teacher the school has, so there is a lot on his plate.”

Merolla added to this sentiment.

“He’s attuned to every section and when someone plays a wrong note or is out of key, he notices and fixes it. He wouldn’t have given us hard music if he didn’t think we were up to it.”

“Mr. B. also has to be one of the few teachers in the school that has not only impacted me as a singer and person, but he impacts every student that joins one of his ensembles,” Savino concurred.

What Barnicle has created at the high school encompasses more than simply a strong music program – he has also created a strong sense of community among the students.

“I enjoy chorus because it gives people a chance to create beautiful music for those of us who like to sing,” said Bruce, “and everyone in chorus is very close, so it’s like a tight-knit family.”

Sophomore Mariana Herbert seconded the feeling.

“Chorus is like its own little family,” said Herbert. “We make a lot of jokes, but we get a lot done.”

The band is not much different.

“It’s almost like a secret club or group,” Merolla quipped, “and almost everyone knows everyone at least by name.”

Regis offered a personal experience as an answer.

“Coming into ORR as a new student, the people in band were some of my first friends, and I’ve had so many memories with band,” Regis said. “I’ve always wanted to be part of chorus, and being part of chorus now is so much fun.”

The teamwork demonstrated by the music produced by the students after months of practice tops off the cheerful and familial feelings that coincide with the holiday season. With around a dozen weeks left until the high school music department’s next performance, it is only anticipation that awaits the students and audience once again.

By Jo Caynon

 

Problematic Sub-Division Roads

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Barry Denham, Mattapoisett’s highway superintendent, knows a thing or two about roads.

During the December 19 meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board, Denham again sounded the warning bell about private roadways in sub-divisions that are either incomplete or failing.

“I have advocated on every single project that blacktop be down before building permits are issued. By not doing that, we have problems,” Denham told the members of the Planning Board.

“We’ve got areas of Bay Club, Narragansett, and Ocean Breeze out there … we never required receipt of testing,” he stated.

In Mattapoisett, when sub-divisions are approved, one of the primary performance areas for the developer is the construction of roads that will serve the homes being raised. Denham has seen his share of sub-divisions where the developers have failed to adequately complete roadways while building and occupancy permits are issued, oftentimes leaving the homeowners with sub-par roadways.

Denham reported that developer Michael Salimando had blacktopped Appaloosa Way in the past few days without providing certified reports on the condition of the base layer. He said that he had been making site visits to the location and waiting for Salimando to repair portions of River Road, but was suddenly surprised to find work had been completed on the sub-division road without certification reports.

Denham said he called Salimando and questioned him on why he had not patched River Road where the sub-division stormwater management system ties into the town’s pipes, with Salimando replying, “It looked pretty good.” He told Denham he’d fix it in the spring.

Denham said he couldn’t leave it like that all winter, and that he had had the town patch the area as a stopgap measure, not as a permanent fix.

Denham said he also called G.A.F. Engineering and spoke to Brian Grady, the engineer of record, inquiring as to whether or not the base had been tested for viability before the blacktop was poured, with Grady saying he too was surprised.

Chairman Tom Tucker asked Planning Board Administrator Mary Crain to reach out to the developer and engineer to determine if reports were available.

Of the Ocean Breeze sub-division located off Prospect Road, Town Administrator Michael Gagne said that roadway construction had never been completed. Numerous attempts by the town to gain developer Scott Snow’s cooperation and compliance had failed. The town is currently undertaking legal action in that matter.

Narragansett Road, the main entrance roadway to the massive cluster sub-division Brandt Point Village, has been deemed problematic by Denham for many years. That roadway is on the to-do list for developer Armand Cotelleso. He had said that work would be completed in the spring.

The only public hearing of the night was a request by Robert Randall for a Form A, Approval Not Required, to split a buildable lot from property located at the intersection of Acushnet Road and Hereford Hill Road. That request was unanimously approved.

There are no meetings scheduled in January 2017. The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for February 6 at 7:00 pm in the town hall conference room.

By Marilou Newell