Wellspring Farms Granted Approval

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The Rochester Conservation Commission on November 21 issued its approval for the Notice of Intent filed by Wellspring Farm, LLC of 42 Hiller Road to upgrade the existing driveway to satisfy Planning Board specifications.

Engineer Brad Holmes said the requested improvements to the driveway would include, most notably, the paving of the existing gravel driveway, in addition to grass water quality swales on either side of the drive.

Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon said the proposed project was certainly within the owners’ rights, with the original OOC granted years ago for the gravel drive, and an upgrade of the driveway would certainly be appropriate.

“[The work] can be done without adverse impacts to wetlands,” said Farinon.

All work will be done within the 100-foot buffer zone.

The project received an Order of Conditions with the stipulation that there be a pre-construction hearing at the site, at which time all erosion control barriers must be installed and reviewed by the commission.

In other matters, the commission granted a Request for a Certificate of Compliance submitted by JC Engineering, represented by John Churchill, for property at 1 Dr. Braley Road.

One of the conditions was issued to Churchill in December of 2015, allowing for the construction of a three-bedroom house along with an associated porch, deck, bituminous driveway, grading, landscaping, utilities, installation of a drinking well, and installation of a Title 5 septic system.

Churchill said there were some deviations from the plan that are very minor, and Conservation Commission Chairman Michael Conway was just curious as to why the foundation of the house was constructed three inches higher than it was proposed.

Churchill laughed it off, saying that he didn’t know how that happened, but it was also very minor.

Farinon said she had been working with the applicant since last summer, and she had concerns about re-vegetation. After a site visit on November 8, Farinon said, “I think it looks very good, everything was well stabilized.” There was one area of minor concern, she said, referring to it as one “weak spot.”

“[An area] that I know they worked hard to remediate over time and I think it’s under control,” Farinon stated before recommending the Certificate of Compliance.

The Notice of Intent filed by Luis Coelho for property at 0 E/S Walnut Plain Road owned by Decas Cranberry that was continued from November 7 received permission to move forward.

Farinon recommended allowing the project as proposed, with the stipulations that a semi-permanent barrier be installed along the 25-foot No Disturb boundary line prior to occupancy, and secondly that a pre-construction meeting be held to review the barriers.

The NOI filed by Thomas Waterman of Waterman Realty Trust for property located at 0 E/S Walnut Plain Road was given a Positive Determination and an Order of Conditions on its first public hearing appearance before the commission.

Representative Bob Rogers pointed out that this plan was revised to show a smaller backyard, changing the tree line slightly from the original plan.

“Now would be the time to give whatever reasonable rear yard toward the No Touch that the commission would allow,” said Rogers. The plan is to set up the fence in the proper spot so that no future owners would have different expectations of what is allowed.

The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission is scheduled for December 5 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

Rochester Conservation Commission

By Jean Perry

 

Old Rochester’s Winter Farmers’ Market

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The Old Rochester’s Winter Farmers’ Market is back. Come join us on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month, starting up for the holidays on December 9, from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Local, fresh, produce, cheese, honey, non-gmo/hormone-free meats, sweets, syrup, breads, seafood, sweet and savory pies, teas, prepared foods, artisan crafts, alpaca winter items and much, much more! Located at the Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, 133 Marion Road, Mattapoisett. Now accepting new vendors.

Mattapoisett Congregational Church Holiday Fair

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Shop local during the holidays. Join the Mattapoisett Congregational Church for our annual Holiday Fair at 27 Church Street, Mattapoisett on December 9 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Booths include: costume & handmade jewelry, knitted items, Christmas notions, household treasures, baked goods, and frozen foods. We will be serving up a soup & chowder luncheon to keep you going. For more information, call 508-758-2671 or email mattcongchurch@gmail.com.

 

William Frederick Hingston

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William Frederick Hingston of Marion, MA, formerly of Needham, age 93, died November 23, 2017, after a brief illness. He was predeceased by Christina K. Hingston, his beloved wife of 63 years who passed away in 2016. He is survived by his children Mark (Ann) Hingston, Jane (Kim) Peck, and Kathryn (Bill) Carroll; six grandchildren Robert, David (Amy) and Christopher Peck and Andrew, Emily and Allison Carroll; and two great-grandsons, Michael and Matthew Peck. The family will receive friends at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rte. 6, east of North St.) in Mattapoisett, on Saturday, December 2nd from 11 am – 1 pm. A private burial is planned in Marion. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the charity of your choice. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Bill was born on February 23, 1924 in Liverpool, England, to Margaret Mary (nee Hughan) and Frederic Randolph Yea Hingston. He was the middle of three children, John Hingston, his older brother and Rita Reeves, his younger sister both predecease him. His father died when he was quite young and to help his struggling family, he started work before the age of 10, while attending Liverpool schools. After the start of World War II and surviving the Liverpool Blitz, he joined the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and served as a radio installer on United States aircraft shipped over and assembled in India. Meeting young Americans in India gave him the idea that the United States was the place to be. His wartime experience also gave him a start on his professional career.

After the war, Bill attended technical college and worked for Pye Marine where he invented and patented an inexpensive sonar based depth gauge for boats. Bill married Christina K Turner of Birkenhead in 1953. He was hired by RCA and Bill and Christina with their three children emigrated from England to the United States in 1961 where they lived in Cherry Hill, N.J. for many years and became U.S. citizens as soon as they could. The family moved to Needham, Mass. in 1971 where he continued a distinguished career as a senior electronics engineer with Raytheon and Wang Laboratories. He and Christina retired to Marion in 1992.

For 25 years, Bill and Chris lived on Cottage Street in Marion and enjoyed a wide range of activities and made many wonderful friends. Bill took particular pride in marching in the annual Marion Fourth of July parade alongside U.S. veterans, who had graciously invited him to join them. There was no prouder grandfather in America than when two of Bill’s grandsons, Robert and David, who served in the Army and Marines during the Iraq War, were honorary parade marshals.

He was always interested in astronomy, science and lifelong learning. Throughout Bill’s life, he enjoyed playing chess and bridge. For more than 40 years, Chris and Bill and their longtime friends enjoyed a wine tasting group. He was an accomplished sculptor and potter. He volunteered as a math tutor for students studying for the G.E.D. exam. Bill was sure we could all grasp mathematics with the right instruction. He loved Laugh-In, Monty Python, Benny Hill, and puns. And he loved America, where he had been able to build a great life for Chris and their children.

The family is deeply grateful to Bill’s Marion friends and neighbors for their friendship and great kindness during his last years. We are also grateful for the care he received from Marion Fire & EMS personnel, Tender Hearts, Sippican Health Care Center, and Tobey Hospital.

 

Local Man Talks Autism Awareness, Acceptance

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Charles McIntyre of Mattapoisett is like most 25-year-olds – he has a job, interests, appreciates the art of sarcasm, spends time online networking, and still maintains a healthy degree of idealism when it comes to social issues.

In other words, Chuck strives to make a difference in the world, to be his authentic self, and find happiness and fulfillment in life.

But unlike others, McIntyre has had his own unique challenges along the way. After all, for 25 years now he has been navigating a world that is constructed around the concept of ‘normal,’ of ‘neurotypicalness.’

On November 15 during a presentation at the Mattapoisett Library, McIntyre let us all in on a little secret – surprise! He is autistic, he is amazing, and you might as well get used to it because, according to him, he’s not the weird one – it’s we ‘neurotypicals’ who are weird. (Neurotypicals are humans born with typical brains who perceive and behave in ways that are considered ‘normal’ – NT for short.)

McIntyre made it all the way to junior high before he was introduced to the NT world of exclusion of others who are ‘different.’

“My view of myself and autism … changed from being different like needing extra help … to junior high where I felt less and less,” he said. “I felt more and more judged. I felt really down on myself and developed an inferiority complex all the way to college.”

It was in college during his early childhood education class for learners with disabilities when his view of himself began to change, McIntyre said. For the first time ever he was led to start researching “strengths of autism,” of which there are plenty, he assures us.

With this paradigm shift, he developed a positive perspective of autism and of his own self image, and soon he was online connecting with other autistics.

“And I developed this sense of community,” he said, which may seem odd to NTs, since it is a common misconception that autistics dislike interacting with people, he added.

These new friends, like him, experienced similar hardships and struggled with life in an NT society.

“How they felt judged, abused, mistreated, how they struggled at work,” he said.

But times are changing, said McIntyre, and he and other autistics and NT allies have adopted a pro-autistic viewpoint and are spreading the message of acceptance and advocacy.

“Different, not less,” spoken by famous autistic Dr. Temple Grandin, is their shared battle cry, he said, “as we go through life everyday conquering the obstacles and misunderstanding.”

“We are not walking tragedies,” he emphasized. “We are amazing individuals.” We don’t need to be cured, said McIntyre, and autism happens so you might as well accept it and get used to it.

The paradigm for decades has been that doctors and NT therapists know what is best in terms of ‘treating’ autistics – the medical model – normalizing their behaviors, finding a cure, “because ‘different’ is bad.”

A more evolved approach – the social model – is more agreeable to autistics, he says, as autistics and the NTs eliminate the stigma of autism.

“The social model … changed my perspective permanently and for the better.” McIntyre is talking about inclusion, giving a voice back to autistics to self advocate and say ‘no’ when they feel mistreated.

The media often portrays autistics in a way that annoys a lot of autistics, he added. Take Sheldon Copper from The Big Bang Theory. He’s funny, says McIntyre, but, “The only problem with him is we don’t like being compared to [that]. We don’t like being known as the ‘annoying smart guy.’”

So no stereotypes, please.

Autistics don’t want to be thought of as anti-social, and don’t even think for one second that autistics lack empathy.

“That one stabs me deeply in the heart,” he said, because what he experiences is more like an overabundance of empathy for the world.

Describing what he meant, he said, “If you ever toss and turn in the night, think about all the world’s gross problems … all the people who are suffering, and you think to yourself, ‘I wish I could eat the world’s cancer and then come back for seconds,’ then maybe you would know the empathy of autistics.”

Another ableist idea is that autism can be defined by “mild” or “severe” – “low-functioning” and “high-functioning.”

Carly Fleischmann is a famous autistic, author, and advocate who was considered low-functioning because of her behaviors, “stims” (self-stimulating repetitive activities a person does that gives them additional sensory and neurological input), and lack of speech.

“She can read at a superhuman speed and she’s a brilliant writer,” said McIntyre, calling Fleischmann one of his top ten famous autistics that he’s heard of.

We have now entered a time when non-verbal and seemingly “low-functioning” autistics have access to more advanced technology, allowing them to communicate with the world, giving the NT world a peek into what it’s like to be autistic. Read books by autistic people, McIntyre says, to really know what autism is like.

McIntyre is spreading the message of pro-autistic thinking, which focuses on the strengths of autistic people, using language like ‘different, not less,’ and ‘differently-abled’ instead of disabled. It celebrates accomplishments and doesn’t view autistics as hopeless figures with no future and, most importantly, he said, “Pro-autistic thinkers never mutter or clamor for a cure.”

Autistics do have empathy, and they are loyal, honest, and curious. They have special interests, passions, highly active imaginations, and are determined to make sense of the world, he said. We aren’t judgmental. We are awkward yet endearing, have a knack for recognizing patterns, and can think often think in pictures and have killer memories, he said.

On the flip side, said McIntyre, “Autism is not a bowl of cherries.”

There are some tough aspects to autism. Take eye contact, for example. “The eyes are the window of the soul,” he said. “We can hear you too much, your emotions are too loud – they’re over-stimulating.”

And meltdowns. They’re terrible, he said. Different from the typical “tantrum,” meltdowns happen when there’s sensory overload due to a sensory processing disorder. Sometimes emotions can be overwhelming, said McIntyre, causing him to lose control.

“It’s like the breaking of a dam,” he said. “…You cry, sometimes you run. I still have those, adults have them too, they just happen. Sensory overload, emotional overload, or we have trouble understanding the neurotypical world.”

Things overheat, he said. “Things melt.”

Autistics also face discrimination, have a hard time finding and keeping jobs, are often the targets of predators, have a hard time relating with NTs, especially socially, and experience anxiety, among other difficulties.

“But you get the good with the bad, right Mom?” said McIntyre to his mother, Miranda, seated in the audience.

Be an autism ally, he suggested. Be patient. Ask about their interests. Listen. Speak last. Stand up when someone’s rights are violated. Encourage their talents. Accept their quirks. Don’t mock them. And never assume an autistic cannot live a worthwhile life.

And if you are an autistic, said McIntyre, practice self advocacy. Get the formal diagnosis if you haven’t yet. “See what you can accomplish yourself or individually with technology,” he said.

“You know yourself, you know what you need. Never feel bad or weak,” he said. “You need accommodations because the world isn’t built around you.”

And never, ever let anyone push you around.

“Go do what needs to be done and never give up.”

McIntyre ended his presentation with the International Charter of Autists’ Rights: the rights to life, humanity, parity, identity, safety, support, reputation, accuracy, and equality.

‘Like’ the Facebook page “Intelligent Autistic Media” to learn more from McIntyre and his colleagues. To join the pro-autistic conversation, ask to join the Facebook group “Pro-Autism Allies of Intelligent Autistic Media.”

By Jean Perry

 

IAATA Joins #GivingTuesday

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It’s All About the Animals, Inc. has joined #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities, and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide. Their goal is to raise much-needed funds and supplies for their feline shelter, and to encourage cat lovers to volunteer their time on an ongoing basis. Occurring this year on November 28, #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday to kick off the holiday giving season and inspire people to collaborate in improving their local communities and to give back in impactful ways to the charities and causes they support.

To accomplish their goal, It’s All About the Animals asks the community to consider one of the following:

  1. Drop off a much-needed supply on #GivingTuesday at the shelter (103 Marion Road, Rochester) between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm. Clumping litter, Lysol spray (this brand works best), and canned kitten food are most needed.
  2. Make a donation of $10 via the link on their website, www.ItsAllAboutTheAnimals.org, or in person on #GivingTuesday. Your donation will be pooled with others to keep the lights on!
  3. Volunteer at the shelter and feel the spirit of #GivingTuesday all year long! A long-term commitment of a couple of hours per week from a self-sufficient, cat-loving volunteer with their own transportation would be of tremendous help to the shelter.

“We are a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit with no one on payroll. One hundred percent of all donations go directly toward helping felines in need. Each and every donation is greatly appreciated and makes a world of difference in these cats’ lives!” explained Pam Robinson, director of IAATA.

Mattapoisett Public Library

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Health Care Plan Sign-up Explained. Need to sign up for a health insurance plan by the December deadline but still confused about the process and how to choose one? The library is offering a free informational session on Thursday, November 30 at 2:00 pm with health care researcher and consultant Jo-Ann Ryan. Before the deadline, you have the opportunity to learn about plans and make a switch if you are already enrolled. Bring your questions and get answers with no pressure. Sign up to attend by calling the library at 508-758-4171.

The New Yorker’s Mary Norris to Speak at the Library. As part of the Purrington Series sponsored by the Mattapoisett Library Trust, author and The New Yorker magazine staff editor will speak at the library on Friday, December 1 at 6:00 pm. Her recent book Between You and Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen will be available for purchase and signing. It will make a wonderful holiday gift for many readers and writers on your gift list. Reception to follow the lecture. Register by calling the library at 508-758-4171.

Early Music Holiday Concert. Beautiful music will fill the library on Sunday, December 10 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm when The Harper and the Minstrel perform Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque tunes played on over a dozen traditional instruments. Please plan to attend and celebrate the season in song. Supported in part by a grant from the Mattapoisett Cultural Council, a local agency that is funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Bus Complaints Continue in Rochester

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Some Rochester parents aren’t ready to drop the subject of the firing of former Route 5 bus driver Ralph Stinson, pressing the Rochester School Committee and Superintendent Douglas White on November 16 for a resolution to their ongoing concerns about Stinson’s firing, as well as complaints about the replacement bus driver.

Some parents also complained that neither White nor the Braga Transportation bus company had returned emails and phone calls relative to parent concerns about one of the bus drivers that has since replaced Stinson.

Rhonda Baptiste said her son had ridden with Stinson driving the bus, and she never had any concerns about safety or quality of service. That now has changed, she said.

“You’d think that it would be a given that the bus driver would show up every day … but it’s not,” Baptiste said, alleging that there have been some days this year that the bus has not even come to collect her child for school, and on at least one occasion did not stop to pick him up. Baptiste specified that it was not the regular bus driver she was complaining about, rather one of the substitute drivers.

“I am just here to say that Ralph is wonderful,” said Baptiste,” and it’s really disheartening that the children don’t have him on the bus.”

Baptiste said she had contacted Braga several times and has heard nothing back. School Committee Chairman Tina Rood told Baptiste that concerns should first be addressed to Rochester Memorial School Principal Derek Medeiros who would then take her concerns to Braga.

“It’s unfortunate that there’s been no movement and no dialogue,” said Baptiste. “It’s disheartening … that there’s been no progress.”

Elizabeth Souza, another parent, said she had received no response from calls or emails from White or the bus company. She claimed one bus driver has been arriving in the morning at different times and not signaling or stopping to wait.

“Your job is to make sure that every child is to and from school,” said Souza, her voice getting louder. “I’m chasing the bus!”

“Then we need to address that,” said Rood. The best way to communicate is by calling Medeiros, Rood said, advising other parents as well. “We understand your frustration.”

But Souza continued, adding, “If Ralph was early, he would slow up with his yellow lights flashing approaching my stop. She doesn’t even put her yellow lights on. She’s just like ‘vroom!’”

“First and foremost,” Rood told Souza, “your concerns need to be addressed. Let’s get that done…”

During the October 12 meeting, when parents first brought their concerns to the committee, White disclosed that Stinson had been switched from Bus 5 because one student was not being transported to school, which is in violation of the transportation company’s contract with the schools.

This time Stinson himself was seated in the room during the discussion. After he was given clarification on the proper procedure for parents to follow should they have a concern – phoning Medeiros first before the bus company – Stinson said, “So I paid the price because they didn’t go to them (Medeiros)?”

“We’re working towards a resolution together,” Rood said.

In other matters, Medeiros gave a presentation on the highlights of the 2017 MCAS scores.

Beginning with Grade 5 science, Medeiros was happy to report that recent science and STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) coaching of teachers has resulted in 70 percent of fifth-graders scoring in the proficient or exceeding expectations category, which is 24 percent higher than the state average.

With further science curriculum development and teacher training, Assistant Superintendent Elise Frangos said, “I think you will see even greater performance on such standardizes tests.”

In ELA, just about 57 percent of students school-wide scored either at or above the 500 mark – not quite the 60 to 65 percent goal, Medeiros said, but this was the first year of this MCAS format.

For math, 51 percent of students school-wide scored at or above 500. The state average was 48 percent this first year of the tests, and again, Medeiros said, the goal for next year will be 60 to 65 % meeting or exceeding expectations.

The student growth score was at 66 percent, though, said Medeiros with optimism. Student growth score reflects individual progress of students year after year.

“So we see that our students are growing, and that’s great,” said Medeiros.

The next meeting of the Rochester School Committee is scheduled for January 4 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

Rochester School Committee

By Jean Perry

 

Special Town Meeting Warrant Highlights

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It’s nearly the eve of Mattapoisett’s Fall Special Town Meeting scheduled for Monday, November 27 at 6:30 pm in the auditorium at Old Rochester Regional High School. On November 20, the Mattapoisett Finance Committee met to do a final review of the 17 articles on the warrant and discuss any remaining questions or concerns.

Article 17 may be one of the more interesting articles the voters will handle. It asks for the appropriation of $55,000 from free cash to cover costs associated with securing easement rights, restorations, and relocations to make way for Phase 1B of the multi-use pedestrian path.

In a follow-up interview, Town Administrator Michael Gagne said improvements are planned for Reservation Road south of the boundary between the YMCA and the golf club. He said that a golf cart path would be relocated.

Goodspeed Island Road will also see some upgrades as it becomes a shared use roadway. Articles 6 and 7 ask voters to accept these roadway portions as public ways.

Vehicles would, however, continue to be prohibited from using Goodspeed Island Road, Gagne said, except for homeowners whose properties are located there. Public parking on Depot Street would continue to be free and without sticker regulations.

Gagne said, “This will go out to bid in May 2018 … and construction sometime in the fall.”

FinCom voted to support the article.

Another article voters may find of particular interest is Article 1.

Article 1 asks voters to give authority to the selectmen to “…pull all the sources of funding and grants together, pay for the land, and then the town may file with the federal government…”

Gagne said this was for the acquisition of and conservation restriction on property known as Old Hammond Quarry off Mattapoisett Neck Road.

Gagne stated in an email that the Mattapoisett Land Trust is also seek funding and “…the article merely bundles all funding sources together.” No new Town money is being sought, he emphasized.

The Community Preservation Act granted $37,500 for the purchase during the May 2017 town meeting.

The purchase price of the Old Hammond Quarry parcel is $650,000. FinCom will be in support of Article 1.

Articles 2 and 3 ask voters to augment Water Department funding by $400,000 to help defray costs associated with Phase 3 refurbishment of wells, and $75,000 to remediate weakness in the public water main on Pease’s Point.

Article 9 asks for $250,000 from free cash for continued improvements to town roads and streets. Both are supported by FinCom.

Other articles will ask voters to allow the movement of funds for security upgrades to local schools, the demolition of a structure on Town land near the police station, and waterfront improvements.

Finally, the voters will review a list of funds to supplement the FY18 budget for a total of $135,000 from free cash in Article 15. Line items are: $5,000 for shellfish propagation; $3,000 for care and maintenance of public shade trees; $16,000 for town hall floater staffing; $3,000 for care and repair of town cemeteries; $15,000 for part-time highway staff salaries; and $35,000 for benefit payments to a retiring town hall department head.

To review the full warrant, visit www.wanderer.com.

 

Mattapoisett Finance Committee

By Marilou Newell

Machacam Club Meeting

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The Machacam Club will hold their December meeting at Post 280 on December 6. Social time is at 5:30 pm; dinner is at 6:00 pm.

The meal will be lasagna, tossed salad, garlic bread and pie for dessert. Our speaker for this meeting will be Dennis McLaughlin, a very experienced large claim adjuster for USAA.

McLaughlin has recently returned from adjusting total losses in both Texas and California. He will, barring catastrophes, share his experiences with us.

Callers and members are asked to bear in mind the importance of call list accuracy. Call lists should be done and reported no later than 9:00 pm on Monday, December 4 by email to GPFNR@aol.com or by phone to Mike at 508-758-9311. Members with requests or changes can contact Mike by phone at 508-758-9311 no later than 9:00 am on December 5.