Outsourcing is coming to Mattapoisett. Well, at least to the local schools.

On December 11, the Mattapoisett School Committee voted to outsource custodial services as a cost cutting measure in FY19. But at least one school committee member had questions around cutting jobs that might put local people out of work and outsourcing that may not bring value.

As Mattapoisett School Committee Vice Chairman Patrick LeClair rounded out his comments regarding the selection of Star Building Services of Boston, whose Request For Quotation came in at $137,000, he noted that by moving to outsourced services in this category of facility needs, the school budget would see a $27,000 savings in FY18. He said that SBS employees undergo the same level of security clearance as the current janitorial staff and that a daytime supervisor would be on-hand to oversee employees.

But School Committee member Carole Clifford wasn’t convinced this decision was in the best interest of the students, the two elementary schools, or those whose jobs are threatened.

Four current custodial employees would be terminated at the end of the fiscal year – July 1, 2018. LeClair said that those whose jobs would be affected could apply to SBS and may subsequently be hired by the Boston-based company, thereby keeping their jobs.

Clifford asked how the current pay and benefit structure stacked up against what these employees might get if hired by SBS. In a follow-up with Clifford, she said that SBS listed hourly wages at between $12 and $15 per hour, whereas currently the local custodians earn between $13 and $18 per hour.

Clifford said, “Custodians have a relationship with students and the school … they care about the school.” Continuing, she said, “My experience has been that eventually those savings go away,” she stated.

The majority of the School Committee members voted for the one-year contract with Clifford opposed.

In other business, the MCAS scores continue to improve, reported Associate Principal Kevin Tavares.

“Sixty-three percent fell into proficient or advanced,” he said, for Grade 5. He pointed out that this was above the state average. Grade 6 had achieved ELA scoring with 72% of the students succeeding, he said. “All students were over or very near….” he added.

Superintendent Doug White said, “The state average is fifty percent … our kids have reached the upper half.” Tavares commented, “We outscored the state, especially in sixth grade.”

Tavares went on to say that Grades 3 through 6 found 86% of students meeting or exceeding top state scoring.

Principal Rose Bowman reported on ALICE Training in the district, which stands for alert, lockdown, inform, counter, and evacuate for active shooter incidents within the school setting.

Bowman said that Mattapoisett Police Officer Matthew McGraw discussed with the students what to do in a crisis saying, “This is not an easy, but a necessary topic.” She said that part of the conversation included telling the children what it would be like in a real situation, using language appropriate to the age group.

“It’s necessary that this is addressed and it empowers them,” Bowman concluded.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee is scheduled for January 8 at 6:30 pm in the Center School cafeteria.

By Marilou Newell

In a year that found the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission tasked with a variety of extremely complex jurisdictional cases – at times pitting neighbor against neighbor, and applicant against commissioner, or vice versa – the last meeting for 2017 started and ended as gently as a softly bleating lamb.

On December 11, the cases heard and applications discussed were discharged with civil discourse.

Once again coming before the commissioners was David Davignon of N. Douglas Schneider & Associates representing David Arsenault for a two-lot subdivision proposed deep within wetlands commonly referred to as Haskell’s Swamp at the end of Snow Fields Road.

The five-acre uplands parcel situated within the wetlands had previously spurred several lengthy and hotly debated sessions as Davignon detailed the roadway plans.

Abutters had come out in force questioning how a roadway could be built into wetlands, the impact such a roadway would have on their property, and the environmental impact both short-term and long-term.

Some abutters also voiced concerns about the ability of emergency vehicles to respond to the two homes planned, given that subsequent iterations of conceptual designs changed the roadway to a common driveway.

The switch from a roadway to a common driveway had the effect of shedding the Planning Board’s required oversight in terms of width access surface and construction materials.

On this night, abutters’ questions were subdued as Davignon explained the current status of the project.

First, though, Chairman Michael King advised everyone that three requests for quotation (RFQ) had been received for a peer review consulting engineer who would be charged with evaluating existing drainage calculations executed by the applicant’s engineers.

King said that two of the three firms had to be disqualified based on conflicts of interest either with the applicant or with the commission, leaving one firm in the running – Zenith Consulting Engineering of Lakeville.

When asked by abutters what ZCE would be doing, Davignon explained that they would be reviewing pre-existing computer modeling reports that modeled how water would flow or flood during storm events after the proposed driveway and culverts were constructed.

Davignon also shared that reports from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and various other environment impact study agencies were still pending, but he was optimistic that those would be received sometime in January.

King said a site walk was scheduled for state and federal agencies including the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission, but that the general public most likely would not be invited onto the private property due to liability issues.

King also assured those in attendance that the commissioners would not “get into any debate or discussion until we have all the parts.”

The hearing was continued until January 8.

Receiving an Order of Conditions was an application filed by Debra Blais, 44 Pico Beach Road, for a vegetation management plan that included a fire pit and sitting area along a coastal beach.

A Negative Determination of Applicability was issued to Richard Gordon, 54 Prince Snow Circle, for the installation of a rail and post fence. Also receiving a Negative Determination was an application filed by Highlander Nominee Trust, Robert Inches, 14 Ned’s Point Road, for a deck expansion.

James Babbitt, Jr., 40 Marion Road, filed a Notice of Intent and received an Order of Conditions for the construction of a 15-foot by 30-foot boat storage shed to be attached to the existing dwelling.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for January 8 at 6:30 pm in the town hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell

Hundreds of baby diamondback terrapins have been saved by residents of The Cove just along Jenney Lane, but the Marion Conservation Commission wanted to know on December 13, what about the Eastern box turtles?

The commission reviewed The Cove in Marion Trust’s Request for an Extension Permit for three years to continue to operate the turtle habitat nesting area located on town-owned property on Jenney Lane. The request included an informal report on the “turtle garden” efforts, including that 120 terrapins were rescued and released into the cove in 2015, 110 in 2016, and 315 in 2017.

The request included a proposal to mow a wider area around the sandy turtle nest habitat that had been so successful so far, saying it would help the residents involved in the effort to locate and identify more terrapin nests, since some that were undiscovered over the past few years led to destruction by predators like foxes and raccoons.

Commission member Jeffrey Doubrava wondered if the commission was allowed to amend an Order of Conditions when the applicant simply requested a permit extension.

Commission member Shaun Walsh determined the answer was ‘no.’ A request for amendment would have to be duly advertised and a public hearing held.

Another issue with The Cove and the turtle garden, which also appeared on the agenda that night, was the violation of the mowing parameters that the commission observed during a recent site visit.

“There’s quite extensive mowing, way past where … they’re not supposed to be mowing,” said Chairman Cynthia Callow, “so we’re very concerned about the area in general.”

In addition to mowing past the boundary, the commission noted that several shrubs and brush were also removed.

“You could see evidence of cutting,” said Walsh, who noted up to five areas that were disturbed.

Doubrava said he believed the field mowing was for the benefit of the Eastern box turtles allegedly present in the area, “And I haven’t heard anything about box turtles.”

Walsh said he would prefer some information from a wildlife biologist on the matter.

The mowing area appeared to be “pretty generous” to commission member Joel Hartley.

“And I’ve yet to hear a report that there were five box turtles that would’ve been eaten by a fox,” said Doubrava.

Doubrava speculated that the overzealous mowing was likely innocent and performed by a hired landscaper. Having said that, though, providing the Order of Conditions to any contractors hired to perform the work was one of the conditions, and certain demarcations of the mowing boundary that should be present are, in fact, absent.

The commission chose to continue the hearing so a representative from The Cove could appear before the ConCom.

“My inclination right now is,” said Doubrava, “I’m not really in support of continuing to mow the field.”

“…Absent any evidence that it enhances the Eastern box turtle,” added Walsh.

The commission continued the hearing until December 27.

In other matters, the board issued a Positive Determination for the Request for Determination of Applicability for Great Hill, LLC, represented by Catherine Stone.

This will require a Notice of Intent filing for work to be permitted.

The work proposed includes the repair or replacement of nine drain pipes beneath North Great Hill Road that run from the wetlands to the shore. Cameras revealed several of the 100-year-old pipes disintegrating and cracking – three need to be replaced, while the rest can be repaired. Stone said the pipes are essential for the water flow to and from the wetlands, and with unobstructed pipes, Stone said hopefully the drainage would assist in keeping phragmites from thriving after they are treated for eradication. Riprap will also be installed to prevent erosion.

Walsh stated that it was “quite a bit of work” within the resource area, pointing out that Requests for Determination of Applicability seek to determine only if the area is a wetlands area subject to jurisdiction, and if the work is within the jurisdictional area. Walsh questioned whether the commission should permit the work through a Negative Determination of the RDA or a Positive Determination requiring a Notice of Intent.

Doubrava stated that, as a rule of thumb, the commission grants approval under a RDA only for work that is minor, or if the work is in a flood zone, but not a bona fide wetland.

“Most of this work … is permit-able,” said Walsh, “but I don’t know how we would possibly allow all of this work to happen with a Negative [RDA].”

Also during the meeting, the commission approved the three-year extension for the Town of Marion/Herring Inspector to allow the continued clearing of obstructions in the Sippican River in order to allow for the unobstructed passage of herring swimming upstream to spawn.

Stanley S. Russo of 19 Pine Hill Lane received a Negative Determination for his RDA to raze a house that Callow referred to as a “throwback from The Brady Bunch” at 4 Crapo Street. Russo will eventually re-build a three-bedroom cape style house for a new residence, but will re-submit another application for the project at a later date.

The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for December 27 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Conservation Commission

By Jean Perry

The Town of Rochester has been awarded a $5,000 grant to install further security at Town Hall.

Facilities Director Andrew Daniel secured the grant, which will pay for the installation of a new security system and security cameras that will monitor the front door entrance and parking lot.

On December 18, Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar praised Daniel for his initiative in obtaining the grant, saying, “He’s the one who put the grant application together … so that’s really quite a thing. I’m glad to see some security … come into town.”

Daniel will work with a security system vendor on the installation process, Szyndlar said.

Also relative to security, Szyndlar said the town would need to budget $4,000 for security system monitoring of all town-owned buildings once the town completes its transition to the new regional emergency dispatch system.

Szyndlar said she learned this during recent talks with the Regional Old Colony Communications Center (the ROCCC) based in Duxbury, which will be taking over the 911 response system in town come spring of next year.

The new security system will replace in-house monitoring by the Police Department since the police station will not be overseen by staff after the transition.

The purchase and installation of the security system and fire alarm is included in the grant money awarded to the town to facilitate the transition, while the $4,000 will be an added cost to cover the on-going, real-time monitoring of all town-owned buildings, including the police and fire stations, library, Town Hall, and Senior Center, among others.

In other matters, Szyndlar said tax bills have been mailed out and are due January 16.

The continued Verizon contract public hearing was continued again until March 19, 2018. The town is still negotiating with Verizon, although the contract is expected to be similar to the town’s contract with Comcast that it has had for ten years; however, the next contract will not be for longer than five years, Comcast insists.

Also during the meeting, the board accepted the resignation of Christine Watling from the Council on Aging Board of Directors and appointed Pauline Munroe.

Town buildings will close early at 12:00 pm on Friday, December 22, and will also close early on Friday, December 29, at 2:00 pm.

The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for January 8 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

Rochester Board of Selectmen

By Jean Perry