A number of parents have proposed to fundraise over the coming months to raise enough money to pay for the reinstatement of a part-time physical education position at Sippican School, a position that was cut in the FY2017 budget and will result in less PE time for students.

Sue Shannon, a parent and member of the Sippican School Council, approached the Marion School Committee on June 1, hoping for a nod to move forward with a community-driven fundraising effort, which Shannon called the “Sippican Student Initiative,” to raise $30,000 before September 2016 to hire a part-time gym teacher for a “Healthy Marion Kids Campaign.”

Shannon said Sippican School parents know “the value of playing and movement and exercise,” so they went to Town Administrator Paul Dawson looking for the Town’s blessing and a little guidance as to how to go about the process.

“And he (Dawson) saw no impediment from the Town in terms of that,” said Shannon. “It seems like a do-able thing.”

Shannon said the goal is to form a subcommittee of parents and community-at-large members to initiate the fundraising campaign via a GoFundMe account, as well as a proposal and “talking to Tabor,” as Shannon put it. She also mentioned a sports “promotion day” to introduce students to sports and physical activities as a side project and to also get the community involved.

The question, however, is how does the group continue to fund the position annually and what will happen next year?

School Business Administrator Patrick Spencer advised Shannon that the group would have to set up a special fund with the Town, and all money must be raised before an employee is hired for the position.

“You have to have the money in place,” said Spencer, including a contingency for Unemployment benefits. “The total number that we’re looking at is more like $40,000.”

And, if the total money raised falls short of that amount, Spencer said, “If we don’t reach our goal, you have to return the money back to the donors.”

Shannon asked if there could be a Plan B of sorts, stipulating that if not enough money was raised, could the money go towards a recess program offered through an organization called “Playworks.”

“I think you’re better off going out, seeing what you can do, and then come forth and say, ‘We’ve got this amount of money, what can we do for the schools?’” said Superintendent Doug White.

School Committee member Christine Winters, concerned about the ramifications of the fundraising logistics as well as the hiring of an employee covered under collective bargaining, preferred White’s suggested path forward. She added that the School Committee could hold a special meeting in August to review the progress of the fundraiser.

“That way we’re not taking a vote tonight that ties your hands, either,” said Winters.

School Committee Chairman Christine Marcolini thanked Shannon and the other parents for their efforts.

“We so appreciate it. We really do,” said Marcolini. “You really stepped up as a member of the community … and I really applaud you.”

In other matters, Mike Feeney of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health gave a detailed presentation on the air quality testing performed in April at Sippican School.

“We’re within parameters where we would say, ‘Improve the ventilation,’” said Feeney. The measurements, he said, all were below the national standards.

Although no noxious gasses or environmental irritants were found in any significant amounts, one major concern was a crawl space below the floors of one of the wings of the school built in 1954. Feeney said condensation was present back in April so, in summer, he said, “I would not be surprised if this thing was just dripping with moisture…. It’s because air can’t get down there to help get the moisture out and to increase the temperature of the floor.”

Feeney recommended, among other minor things, turning off the air conditioning during summer vacation months and ventilating crawl spaces. Blocked air vents within classrooms should also be cleared and the ventilation system further assessed.

This was the last meeting of the Marion School Committee for this school year. School committee meetings will resume in the fall.

By Jean Perry

Wellspring Farm located at 42 Hiller Road in Rochester was cited on June 7 for encroaching and altering wetlands by storing a massive manure pile – a pile that has grown to a whopping quarter-acre as high as 10 feet over the past 20 years.

Jim and Gretchen Vogel have been operating a therapeutic riding center at this location for years. The center provides outdoor activities for children and young adults with autism, as well as cognitive and behavioral challenges. The program features the use of horses and donkeys, animals whose daily output is not only companionship and positive experiences for the clients but also, naturally, manure.

Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon explained to the Rochester Conservation Commission that on Friday, June 3, she received several complaints that activity was taking place in wetlands on the Vogels’ property. One complaint came from an unnamed neighbor and another from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection who had also received a complaint.

Farinon contacted the town’s legal counsel, Blair Bailey, for guidance on how to proceed. She also explained that due to the notifications coming late in the afternoon on a Friday, there was insufficient time to list the complaint as a public hearing for the June 7 Conservation Commission meeting, so she instead listed it under new business, which Bailey advised was acceptable.

On Monday, June 6, Farinon made a site visit to Wellspring Farm and found the massive manure pile and an additional open paddock area that was breaching jurisdictional areas. In total, she estimated that 20,000 square-feet of wetlands had been affected.

“This is not to be taken lightly,” Farinon said.

Farinon presented the commissioners with a drafted enforcement order that had been penned with the assistance of legal counsel.

The Vogels were present and quietly listened to the proceedings, asking for the commission’s assistance to repair the damage that had been done.

Discussion about the best practices for removing the manure from the property while managing the ongoing hourly output of the animals was pondered. Mr. Vogel was told he needed to work with an environmental scientist to delineate and repair the wooded swampland.

The enforcement order requires that Vogel remove the offending excrement, cease and desist adding more to the pile, get the wetlands delineated, and develop a restoration plan that will return the wetlands to their original condition.

Farinon said there aren’t any regulations on the amount of manure that can be held on farm properties, and that Rochester did not have, but needed, a “manure bylaw.”

The Vogels have until July 19 to satisfy the enforcement mandates.

A public hearing was held for Jonathan Rezendes’ RDA filing for 405 County Road to remove a garage and return the area to a grassed space for family use. The request received a Negative determination.

A public hearing was also held for a RDA filing from the Town of Rochester Highway Department for the repair and installation of a catch basin located approximately at 75 Hartley Road situated within a 100-foot buffer zone. After discussions that included possible ways to manage stormwater in this high flow location, the hearing was continued.

The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission is scheduled for Wednesday, June 22, at 7:00 pm in the Rochester Town Hall meeting room.

By Marilou Newell