Blockbuster Afternoon for Tri-County Symphonic Band

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Audience members experienced music from Hollywood’s best at the Tri-County Symphonic Band’s 15th Annual Benefit Pops Concert in “Hollywood Blockbusters” this past Sunday at Tabor Academy in Marion.

Under the direction of Philip Sanborn, now in his 11th season, the ensemble performed with great energy and skill.

The Tri-County Music Association went for the full cinematic experience, including Hollywood-themed cupcakes, buckets of fresh popcorn, and even a special visit from Disney princesses Jasmine, Belle, and Elsa. The program included selections from cartoon themes, Walt Disney films, and the scores of renowned film composer John Williams.

Now in its 55th season, the Tri-County Symphonic Band has been entertaining audiences and enriching the cultural life of Southeastern Massachusetts since 1962. The musicians come together every Tuesday evening at the Fireman Performing Arts Center to rehearse, some even travelling from as far as Connecticut and Rhode Island. They perform a variety of musical genres, from classic band repertoire to contemporary favorites. As stated in the concert program, “The primary aim of the organization has been to make live performances of quality concert band repertoire available in the community and to give musicians a chance to share their love for the art of making music.”

One of the highlights of the program was “Cartoon Symphony” arranged by Larry Clark. The work featured themes from The Flintstones, The Simpsons, The Pink Panther, and Looney Tunes to name a few, and the Tri-County Symphonic Band performed them with excellent character and whimsical style. Another memorable moment was “Disney at the Movies” arranged by John Higgins, which took the audience through the music of Disney classics, from Cinderella to The Jungle Book to Mary Poppins. With perfect charm as well as smooth transitions and great ensemble blend, the band received warm smiles from all around the audience.

Another fan-favorite from the afternoon was “Frank Sinatra Medley” arranged by Rochester’s own John Wallace, with vocals performed by New Bedford native Taylor Cormier. The medley comprised of four songs from the movies The Joker is Wild, Guys and Dolls, Pal Joey, and New York, New York. Cormier’s smooth vocals and inflection certainly did Sinatra justice.

Of course, a Hollywood-themed concert must feature the music of film composer John Williams. The Tri-County Symphonic Band performed arrangements of “Star Wars – The Marches” and “Jurassic Park Soundtrack Highlights.” And finally, no Pops concert would be complete without John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” an audience favorite and a classic finale to a successful concert.

When asked what she thought of the concert, Pat Tate of Mattapoisett said it best: “My toes are tapping and I’m enjoying it!”

All proceeds from the concert will benefit the scholarship fund of the Tri-County Music Association. This association is dedicated to “encourag[ing] our young people to pursue careers in music education or as instrumentalists by providing them an opportunity to perform and by awarding scholarships.” The association offers summer music study grants to high school students as well as college scholarships to aid students in pursuit of their musical studies. This year, the Tri-County Music Association will award a total of $12,000 in scholarships and grants.

Mia Quinlan of Mattapoisett, a 2017 recipient of the John R. Pandolfi Summer Grant and member of the Tri-County Symphonic Band, expressed her appreciation.

“I love this group of people. They’re all amazing,” said Quinlan. “They all dedicate time to either education or they have private jobs. But we all come together, we make music, and it’s a lot of fun and I enjoy it!”

Thanks to TCMA’s generosity, Quinlan will be attending the Music Institute at Rhode Island College and the Jeffrey Khamer Flute Festival this summer.

The Tri-County Music Association and the Tri-County Symphonic Band, as stated by the evening’s host, Taylor Cormier, are dedicated “to keep[ing] music live and well in the community.” As evident by the wonderful concert and outpouring of audience support, they are accomplishing this goal.

By Ashley Perry

 

Board Throws Shade at Rochester Solar Farm

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The Rochester Planning Board has nearly lost its patience with Meadowatt, LLC, the developer of a solar farm on Marion Road.

On June 13, Chairman Arnold Johnson said the developer had promised to spread mulch in March and then again promised to in May, but now in mid-June the mulch has still not been put down. And although the developer did mow and weed-whack the site the day prior as requested, which according to the plan must be done bi-weekly, Johnson said the site is still not up to snuff.

The board decided it was time for a letter from town counsel giving Meadowatt five final working days to finish the work or else it would authorize town counsel to move forward with revoking some funds from the maintenance bond to solicit the services of a landscaper.

Planning Board member Ben Bailey voted against allowing another five days for compliance, saying, “Somebody’s got to say ‘No,’” but the motion carried.

“By our next meeting we’ll be done, one way or another,” said Johnson. And if the site is not up to the plan and funds run out of the maintenance bond, the Town will place a tax lien on the property.

In other matters, the board visited 241 New Bedford Road, the site of a ground-mounted solar array and found the work complies with the conditions of the board’s decision, including observations made by the Town’s engineer Ken Motta. Johnson said crushed stone has been spread along the access roads and a pipe that ran between the wetlands and the bog has been removed as requested.

“I think that based on what we observed today, the project is constructed in compliance with the plan,” said Johnson. “I think I’d entertain a motion to say that we’re done with this and that we can send a letter … to the building inspector that the conditions of our decision have been complied with.”

The public hearing for Wellspring Farms located at 42 Hiller Road was continued until the next meeting at the request of the applicants’ attorney, although the board engaged abutters in a lengthy conversation about goings-on at the property, as well as abutters’ continuing complaints.

Abutters said they find three continuance requests excessive, and Bailey commented that he finds the applicant uncooperative, prompting him to come down hard on the Vogels for “not being good neighbors.”

Johnson clarified that the board could “not make the process as difficult as possible” for the Vogels as Bailey put it; rather, the board could issue a “tight decision.”

Abutter Cathy Mendoza said she thinks the neighbors have been acting “spiteful” and abutters are “disappointed that [the Vogels have] been allowed to manipulate the process to this extent.”

Other abutters continued to air their complaints and the board heard their descriptions of fence locations, setbacks, and encroachments on abutting properties, as well as history of abutters’ interactions with the Vogels in the absence of the applicants.

Abutters welcomed the board to visit their properties, in particular on Tuesdays when the business is alleged to be at peak operation, to witness what they experience.

Johnson said he hopes that by the next meeting the Vogels will have made some progress towards satisfying the board’s orders so the matter can move forward and a resolution reached.

The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board is scheduled for June 27 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

Rochester Planning Board

By Jean Perry

 

Privilege Stickers Free for Over 70

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Beginning January 2018, residents of Rochester age 70 or over can receive free of charge a Town of Rochester privilege sticker for access to amenities such as beaches and parking in the Towns of Marion and Mattapoisett.

The sticker generally costs $20 for Rochester residents.

The Rochester Board of Selectmen voted on June 12 to make the stickers available to seniors for free, which gives Rochester residents access to Silvershell Beach and Town Landing in Marion, as well as parking in all areas designated for Marion residents only.

The sticker also grants access to the transfer station on Benson Brook Road.

A complete list of privileges is listed on the back on the sticker.

Selectman Greenwood Hartley liked the idea, saying the Town might not have much to offer residents for free very often, “But this is great,” Hartley said.

“Looks good to me,” said Selectman Naida Parker. “I like it.”

Also during the meeting, Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon gave the board a brief introduction to a conservation restriction request for a 164-acre property on Wolf Island Road that the Town of Marion is acquiring for watershed protection in perpetuity.

Farinon will bring the matter to the selectmen during the next meeting when the board will receive all the information needed before allowing the conservation restriction to move forward.

The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for June 26 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

Rochester Board of Selectmen

By Jean Perry

 

Keel Awards

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The Wanderer is pleased to announce that we are soliciting nominations for our 24th annual “Wanderer Keel Awards.” The yearly community service honor – which is presented to one Tri-Town resident from each of the three central towns in our circulation area – will be announced in our July 27 edition, and each winner will be the subject of a short feature highlighting their contributions to the local community. But The Wanderer needs your help in selecting these “unsung heroes.”

The requirements are simple. Nominees must be legal residents for at least five years of Mattapoisett, Marion, or Rochester, and must have contributed in some way to the overall benefit of the community – either directly to town residents, or indirectly through efforts in promoting town activities, or working to keep the wheels of local government well oiled. The only restriction is that these persons cannot benefit from their efforts in any other way – either financially or politically (hence, sitting elected officials are not eligible).

In doing this, we hope to applaud those who are rarely recognized for their countless hours of service and focus on the many people behind the scenes who remain otherwise anonymous, but provide crucial support to many town functions.

Like the keel of a ship that keeps the vessel from capsizing, the recipients of the Annual Wanderer Keel Award will be recognized for their stalwart efforts in keeping the community on an “even keel.”

Past recipients of this honor include:

– MATTAPOISETT: Maurice “Mudgie” Tavares (1994); Priscilla Alden Hathaway (1995); Norma Holt (1996); Gale Hudson (1997); Kenneth Stickney (1998); Clara Morgan (1999); Betty and Bert Theriault (2000); John N. “Jack” DeCosta (2001); Jo Pannell (2002); Stan Ellis (2003); Evelyn Pursley (2004); Luice Moncevitch (2005); Seth Mendell (2006); Bradford A. Hathaway (2007); Kim Field (2008), David Spencer Jenny (2009), Stephen L. Kelleher (2010), Bento Martin (2011), Howard C. Tinkham (2012), Ellen Flynn (2013), Jennifer Shepley (2014), Ruth Bates (2015, posthumously), Debbi Dyson and Julie Craig (2016).

– MARION: Claire Russell (1994); Ralph and Phyllis Washburn (1995); Annie Giberti (1996); Jay Crowley (1997); Tyler Blethen (1998); Olive E. Harris (1999, posthumously); Kathleen P. “Kay” Reis (2000); Loretta B. “Lori” Schaefer (2001); Ann and Warren Washburn (2002); Andrew Santos Sr. (2003); Eunice Manduca (2004); Annie Giberti (2005); A. Lee Hayes (2006); Horace “Hod” Kenney (2007); Margie Baldwin (2008), Jack Beck (2009), Dr. John Russell (2010), Jane McCarthy (2011), Nancy Braitmeyer (2012), Rodney Hunt (2013), Hanna Milhench (2014), Robbi Dunn-Tracy (2015), Joanne Mahoney (2016).

– ROCHESTER: Joseph McCarthy (1994); Jean Fennell (1995); Katherine Hartley Church (1996); Chris Byron (1997); Albert Alderson (1998); Arthur and Aline Lionberger (1999); Kenneth E. Daggett (2000); Georgia D. Chamberlain (2001); Mary P. Wynne (2002); Evelyn F. Benner (2003); Mike Meunier Sr. (2004); Arthur F. Benner (2005); Pamela J. Robinson (2006); Anna E. White (2007); John E. Lafreniere (2008), Cathy Mendoza (2009), Kate Tarleton (2010), John Cobb (2011), Thomas Goyoski Jr. (2012), Kevin Woodward (2013), Kate Lanagan MacGregor (2014), Gordon Helme (2015), Doreen DeCosta (2016).

Please send the name, address and telephone number of recommended nominees, along with a brief description of their key contributions to the community and why you feel they are deserving of this honor to: Keel Award, The Wanderer, P.O. Box 102, Mattapoisett, MA 02739, or e-mail your submissions to news@wanderer.com.

The deadline for nominations is Thursday, July 20 by 3:00 pm. Selected recipients will be announced in the July 27 edition.

Mattapoisett Lions Club’s Harbor Days

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Get ready for the event that everyone looks forward to each summer – the Mattapoisett Lions Club’s Harbor Days Festival at Shipyard Park! Events begin this year on July 9 with the Triathlon at Town Beach and “run” through the week, ending with crafters at Shipyard Park on July 15 and 16. In between, we will have entertainment, activities and delicious food available including strawberry shortcake (beginning July 12), fish fry (July 14), lobster dinner (July 15) and pancake breakfast (July 16). A full listing of events/activities will be published soon.

Be sure to look for the Harbor Days ad book with vendor listings, event listings and more available at local businesses beginning July 1. For more information, visit www.mattapoisettlionsclub.org or email mattlionsclub@gmail.com.

The Mattapoisett Lions Club will hold a new event this year called “Shopping at Shipyard” that features stay-at-home moms who run businesses from home. This event will take place on Sunday, July 9 after the Triathlon from 2:00 – 4:00 pm at Shipyard Park under the tent. Come out and support your community! For more information, contact mattlionsclub@gmail.com.

Old Rochester Faces Tournament Trouble

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Here is an update for this week in Old Rochester Regional Sports.

            Boys’ Tennis: After making it to the finals and facing Dover-Sherborn for the third straight year, Old Rochester came up with the same result, a 0-5 loss. The Bulldogs had an impeccable season by remaining undefeated but they were no match for the Dover-Sherborn boys’ tennis team. In second singles and first doubles, the matches remained close throughout the duration. However, the opponent managed to end up on top over Alex Bilodeau at second singles and Josh Lerman and Maxx Wolski at first doubles. Sam Pasquil and Jahn Pothier played hard at first and third doubles, respectively.

            Girls’ Tennis: The Lady Bulldogs advanced to the semifinals this year, but could not triumph over Ursuline Academy who won 5-0. Old Rochester played their hardest, but Ursuline proved to be a superior opponent. At first doubles, Emma Colling and Kinsley Dickerson lost their first match of the season. First doubles was the only tight competition between the teams, ending in a super tiebreaker. Regardless of the loss, the Lady Bulldogs carried their heads high and we’re proud of how far they made it in the state tournament.

            Girls’ Lacrosse: Old Rochester faced Cohasset again in the semifinals and lost 18-5. After an honorable season of maintaining an 18-3 record overall, the Lady Bulldogs’ year came to a close. Cohasset proved to be the better team by winning most of the draws and outscoring Old Rochester by 13 goals. However, Ava Ciffolillo and Madison Cooney managed to sneak two goals each past the opponent’s goalie. Meghan Shay netted one goal to help the team. Despite the loss, the Bulldogs are ready to come out strong next season and try even harder to develop more skills to compete, and ultimately beat, teams like Cohasset.

            Softball: After qualifying for the state tournament for the first time in eight years, the Bulldogs made it to the quarterfinals where they lost to Dighton-Rehoboth 0-5. Despite their efforts, the Lady Bulldogs’ opponent triumphed over them. Senior Hannah Guard and junior Sophie Hubbard each had two hits a piece while senior Nicole Ochoa had one hit. Sophomore Ashley Soares pitched a seven-hitter along with two walks and seven strikeouts. Although the team started out the season fragmented, by the end they came together. The Lady Bulldogs finished the year with a 13-5 record.

By Alexandra Hulsebosch

 

An Island Adventure for OHS Sixth Graders

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Old Hammondtown School’s sixth grade classes boarded the Cuttyhunk Ferry docked at the working waterfront in New Bedford on June 12 for an island adventure.

More perfect weather for crossing Buzzards Bay would have been impossible to imagine. And what awaited the 72 students on the other side was an experiential learning opportunity on an island steeped in history.

A partnership between the Mattapoisett Land Trust, OHS, Massachusetts Audubon Society members, Woods Hole Research Center, experts in natural history, archeology, and marine science, along with Cuttyhunk’s one-room elementary school teacher Michelle Carvalho came together to create the one-day educational extravaganza.

It was also a great experience for the two students who call Cuttyhunk home and attend the only surviving one-room school house in Massachusetts: Gwen and Carter Lynch. The Lynches have been engaged with the OHS students through virtual classroom programs and have been attending OHS several days per month. The Lynches’ grandmother lives in Marion where they stay when on the mainland.

For the one-day event, positioned throughout the island were stations where educators engaged the students in experiments or gave them insights in different types of island history.

Andrea Higgins and Chris Walz from the Audubon Society took groups of students to Tower Hill and other vantage points to observe how birds make a living on the island. Local resident and diver Dale Lynch (Gwen and Carter’s uncle) discussed shipwrecks near Cuttyhunk and showed them recovered ‘treasures’ he has found during dives.

Other stations along the shore featured geologist Dave Twichell who explained how the island was formed from glaciers some 20,000 years ago, and how sand moves in and around the island.

A few yards away Wendy Copps, a Mattapoisett resident, coastal scientist, and MLT member, demonstrated the power of wave action by having the children heave grapefruits and tennis balls into the surf and then time their return to shore.

There was island resident Allie Thurston describing early human settlement on the island, and Hilllary Sullivan of Woods Hole Research Center teaching the students how scientific testing is performed in salt marshes.

And then there was the great quahog-shucking lesson where kids tried their best to open the mollusks. Seth Garfield and his team from Cuttyhunk Shell Fish Farms demonstrated the technique and told the kids how the bivalves are farmed off coastal waters. Those brave enough to sample the shellfish showed off to their fellow classmen. A collective “Ew!” was occasionally elicited.

But the glue that brought this day of fun and learning together was attributed to one person, a single force of creative imagination and organizational skills combined with a keen eye on educational details: the island’s teacher. Ellen Flynn, education chairman for the MLT, said, “Michelle [Carvalho] was the one that brought most of this together.”

Cuttyhunk’s one-room school house was built in 1873 and as the OHS students sat in the cozy space learning about birds of prey, they got a sense of what it’s like being a kid on such a small island.

OHS science teacher Ben Squire said it was important for the Lynch children to feel connected and less isolated; thus, having the opportunity to stay on the mainland from time to time was critical to their social development. Of the day’s adventure, he added, “What a great trip … [and] good presenters.”

The students were also very pleased.

Grace Pickwick said she enjoyed learning about nesting birds, as did Corinna Robert. Brady Weglowski liked exploring Lookout Park. Eva Barrows was impressed with the shipwreck presentation. Julia Downey’s favorite part were the experiments in the saltmarsh, while for Kyle McCullough and Philip-le-Gannick it was learning about wave action.

The collective effort of the entire Cuttyhunk community can’t be overstated, however. The residents came out in force, providing golf cart transport for those needing a little help, insight into daily life on an island, and the warmest of welcomes to the students and faculty members.

As the ferry pushed away from the island dock, the residents gathered with Gwen and Carter as they waved goodbye to their visitors. Then the Lynch kids jumped off the dock in a ceremonial bon voyage splash that translates to “…come back again soon…”

By Marilou Newell

Rochester Historical Society Meeting

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The next Rochester Historical Society meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 21 at 7:00 pm at the East Rochester Church/Museum, 355 County Road. The public is invited to hear another interesting piece of Rochester History. Refreshments will be served.

The Society will feature a presentation by Bob Sanderson, of Marion, co-founder of Jonathan’s Sprouts. As they celebrate the business’ 40th anniversary, he will present the history of the Rochester business from its beginnings in the Cervelli Barn on Vaughan Hill Road to an internationally known sprout-growing business. Bob and Barbara Sanderson founded the New England Sprout Growers Association in 1984 and helped create the International Sprout Growers Association in 1989. They have built an outstanding reputation throughout the country, as well as internationally, while maintaining jobs in the community and quality sprouts in the marketplace.

School Committee Celebrates Successful Year

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During its final meeting of the school year on June 12, the Mattapoisett School Committee lingered over the events, celebrated the end of the current school year, and discussed its goals for the next academic year.

In her introduction to the committee of the School Improvement Plan, Center School Principal Rose Bowman first thanked the School Council members, who developed the plan, for their dedication, saying, “It was a very committed group, strong attendance at the meetings and a great cross section of community members, teachers and parents.”

With a strategic plan being developed in the spring of next year, this plan will only cover one year but was replete with many challenging initiatives.

Bowman highlighted the use of the standards based report cards, and expressed her hope that parents will take an active role in providing feedback to the school on the report cards’ effectiveness after the first trimester.

Bowman also underscored the new Salty program, which is modeled after a successful program in Marion in which parents and students are brought together monthly to learn in a variety of workshops developed by the school.

Tina Rood, who heads up the Destination Imagination program for ORR, will be speaking to parents in September about starting a program in the younger grades. Students will also be exposed to a variety of local organizations that provide opportunities for experiential learning.

“We are very fortunate to have strong relationships with organizations in the area like the Mattapoisett Land Trust, the Buzzards Bay Coalition, and the League of Women Voters [which] has helped us tremendously in the fifth grade,” said Bowman.

Superintendent Doug White thanked everyone “for a very good year, for demonstrating a commitment to the students.”

“Everyone should be proud of this school year,” White said.

Continuing in the celebratory tone, Associate Principal Kevin Tavares described the Senior Walk, in which the graduates from ORR come back to Center and Old Hammondtown Schools to visit.

The students at the schools made banners and posted pictures of the seniors as younger students. For their part, the seniors wore their caps and gowns, and while at Center School broke into song, singing the old Center School theme song written by a former music teacher.

Tavares described the moment, saying, “The kids lined the hallway and they started singing. There were a lot of tears!”

Bowman highlighted the major transition that all students are going through at this time of year, saying, “As we think about transition, it is so important – every grade has little nuances you have to address…. The kindergarteners coming in to see their classroom, so they have a visual for the summer. One kid brought his backpack – and asked if he could come back tomorrow!”

The third-graders, Bowman said, are excited to move on to Old Hammondtown after their visit to the school, in which they eat in the cafeteria and visit the classrooms. However, there is also a let-down, she says, and so the day after the last day of school, the third graders are sent to the YMCA for the day to be with their friends, play, and eat pizza to help ease the transition.

Bowman recognized retiring kindergarten teacher Audrey Riley, who unfortunately was unable to attend the meeting. Bowman spoke of Riley’s dedication to her students as well as to her generosity with her colleagues and broader school community. Bowman detailed Riley’s many attributes, thanking her for “her extraordinary leadership.”

“Audrey has supported each kindergarten teacher by sharing strategies … [and] the knowledge she has gained over the years with her colleagues,” said Bowman. She then held up a copy of Mother Goose Rhymes that will become part of the Center School collection in Riley’s honor, noting that rhyming is a gateway to reading in early childhood.

In other business, School Business Administrator Patrick Spencer provided a brief financial report, noting that the committee will be returning approximately $70,000 to $100,000 back to the Town at the end of the fiscal year.

The committee elected Rachel Westgate as its new chairman, keeping Patrick LeClair as vice chairman.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee is scheduled for September 18 at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett School Committee

By Sarah French Storer

 

Dupont Drive Drainage Issues

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In one of the last meetings in his long career of volunteerism, Mattapoisett Conservation Commission Chairman Bob Rogers had to recuse himself from one of the hearings due to a conflict of interest. Filling the void after a procedural vote was Mike King, long-time commission member. It would be over an hour before Rogers would be able to return to the meeting.

Coming before the board was Michael Koska of Koska & Associates of Bridgewater, representing real estate developers Rocco DiNanno & Sons and John Gregorio.

Koska was seeking conditions for two Notice of Intent filings for property located on Dupont Drive in the Brandt Island neighborhood. As he explained the latest plans for building on the three lots, Koska detailed the complexities of constructing septic systems and drinking wells.

King was quick to point out that the commission’s purview extended only as far as the Wetlands Protection Act, and that any issues or concerns related to those elements were under Board of Health oversight. King also said that the property in question was “non-jurisdictional.”

When King opened the hearing to public comment, however, those aspects of the project were exactly what the abutters wanted to talk about.

Robert Gale, 12 Dupont Drive, complained that the raised septic system was creating a dirt wall he had to look at, and that stormwater runoff was increasing on his property. He cited Massachusetts law with respect to septic systems and questioned how a percolation test in October “after a long drought” met regulations that seemed to indicate testing was to have taken place in April. King deadpanned, “That is in the purview of the Board of Health.”

Gale pressed on, asking, “Who can we talk to about this?” King replied, “Dale Barrows, the Board of Health.”

Koska tried to explain that the raised septic system planned for lot 51 would result in only an elevation of 30 inches, and that a grass swale could be constructed to divert runoff away from Gale’s property.

Gale continued in his questioning of the appropriateness of the septic system a mere 4 feet from his property line and also worried about contamination to his fresh well water. King again said his concerns needed to be lodged with the Board of Health, the permitting agency for the systems.

Lisa Winsor of 1 Dupont Drive also voiced deep concerns. “I question how things are being looked at,” she began, “…The proposed septic is going to alter runoff into the cove.”

King responded, “Relative to this project, the scope of this project is not going to hurt the neighbors.” He said the Department of Environmental Protection had not documented any issues with the project.

Winsor asked about the stream that ran through the property. King said there wasn’t a stream, asserting, “There is no jurisdictional stream on the property…. We’ve taken up forty-five minutes in non-jurisdictional issues.”

In the end, the NOI for lot 51 was conditioned for development with the inclusion of a grass swale.

Then came the other two lots: 61 and 62.

Koska described the project as a single-family home that would combine the two lots and that pending were comments from the BOH regarding the septic system.

Gale had more questions about potential stormwater issues. King said drainage issues were of a long-standing nature and were a result of poor design engineering from previous decades.

King said, “We have no reason not to condition the project. If DEP gets involved, we’ve lost all control.”

Winsor continued to object and insisted that runoff would be a problem, especially from fertilizers used on lawns. Koska said they would accept a condition that no fertilizer be used on the property. The project was conditioned with that stipulation.

Rogers returned for the balance of the commission’s meeting.

Mark Manganello of LEC Environmental representing William Poutsiaka, 4 Maple Street, presented a vegetation management plan to mitigate landscaping activities that had come to the attention of Conservation Agent Elizabeth Leidhold.

Manganello explained that the Poutsiakas had been unaware of the need to seek prior approval and were apologetic via a letter he read aloud that had been penned by Poutsiaka. The Poutsiakas were seeking approval to remove invasive species and re-plant native varieties. The NOI was conditioned including a three-year monitoring period.

Also coming before the commission were Ken Motta of Field Engineering for seawall repairs to property owned by Donna Downey, 16 Water Street, and Stephen Wry of Land Planning for tree removal on property owned by Clifford Lange, 4 Split Road Lane. Both projects were conditioned.

The commissioners also signed an agreement to accept a conservation restriction that will be held by the Town of Marion for property located near Wolf Island Road situated along Branch Brook.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission will be held on June 26 at 6:30 pm in the Mattapoisett Town Hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell