Town Administrator Paul Dawson told the Marion Board of Selectmen that DPW Superintendent Rob Zora received word from a state agency that the drought status for the region has been changed from a drought ‘advisory’ to a drought ‘watch.’

“That’s a significant increase in the level of drought situation that’s currently ongoing throughout the state,” Dawson said on August 16.

And with no rain in sight for the next week or so, Dawson said the situation could rise further from a Level One water restriction, which the town is currently under, to a Level Two water restriction.

“That would eliminate the morning watering hours of 6:00 to 8:00 am,” said Dawson, while still following the current odd/even numbered house schedule now in place. No watering would be allowed on Sundays.

Dawson said the town would be obligated to observe a Level Two water restriction effective immediately should the state change the status to a Level Two. Water consumers would be notified upon the change in status.

“It may very well become a reality sooner rather than later,” Dawson stated.

Also during the meeting, it was a ‘simple’ request by Kate Ross, owner of a small restaurant/café at 148 Front Street in Marion, which the selectmen granted, but not until hearing the concerns of abutting tenants, namely the president and members of the Sippican Woman’s Club, over noise-related consequences of an entertainment license to allow live music at the restaurant.

Ross told selectmen that she has had a number of suggestions from patrons that she should provide a little live entertainment in the form of an acoustic musician, which Ross said could be a good idea to boost business, especially during the winter months.

“I don’t have anything planned right now … but I would like the option to have some form of entertainment there if need be,” said Ross.

Ross vowed to be respectful of the village residents and tenants and keep with the quiet character of the town.

“I’m not going to have any loud or obnoxious thing going on there,” Ross said. “We’re not a bar room environment. It would just be added entertainment…. I’m not going to have any kind of loud heavy metal type band.”

Selectman Steve Gonsalves said immediately that he found it to be “a tremendous addition and a tremendous idea,” even joking that the selectmen have been secretly forming a fictional band called “The Singing Selectmen” who would enjoy being Ross’ first act.

Sippican Woman’s Club members voiced concerns over noise at night, especially for tenants who live in apartments above the Woman’s Club, worried about the seeming “open-endedness” of Ross’ request.

“I envision having someone with a guitar or a vocalist sitting in the corner and that’s the extent of it,” said Ross.

Selectman Chairman Jody Dickerson commented that he had already spoken with one of the tenants next to the café, who said they had no problem with the idea of allowing live entertainment and that they have never experienced problems with noise or any complaints with Ross’ café in the past.

“I would go along with it,” said Sippican Woman’s Club President Sue Granger, “as long as it’s not an open-ended thing.”

Ross replied, “It’s important to me as a member of this community to run a successful business that fills the needs and wants of the community…. You have my word that I would come to you … as your neighbor, as your friend…. I don’t want to ruin any of that … I’m not looking to cause problems.”

Gonsalves suggested the entertainment license allow acoustic music, with no amplifiers allowed, on Wednesdays and Thursdays until 9:00 pm and until no later than 10:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Ross would have to reapply each year on December 31 to renew her license, which reassured Sippican Woman’s Club members.

The public hearing for an aquaculture farm for Shea Doonan was continued at the applicant’s request until September 20.

The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for September 20 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

By Jean Perry

Pam and Oren Robinson of 103 Marion Road, the duo who operate It’s All About the Animals, a nonprofit cat shelter, discussed their Site Plan Review application for the addition of a cat room and porch of 670 square-feet on August 9 with the Rochester Planning Board. The Robinsons had included several waivers in the review.

Mrs. Robinson, evidently frustrated by the different hoops required to receive approval, asked the board why she was required to follow commercial guidelines when the property was zoned as agricultural.

“Why didn’t you bring this up two months ago at the technical review?” Chairman Arnold Johnson asked her.

“We did. Everyone just skipped right over it,” Robinson replied.

“I don’t remember that,” Johnson said. “[Town Counsel] Blair Bailey has never indicated that your application is being processed in the incorrect manner, so he believes that it’s right.”

“I did ask Blair if there was an exception for you, due to being agricultural,” said Town Planner Mary Crain, “but he said no.”

Among the waivers the Robinsons applied for, one was an exemption to recording the plan and the ensuing decision with the town.

“I’ve already recorded the plan once, with the Zoning Board,” Robinson explained. “You’re telling me I have to do it again?”

“Well, you haven’t recorded it with the Planning Board yet,” explained Johnson.

Robinson, who was dismayed by the long process in front of her, asked if she would need to do any of the requirements for a commercial building had she instead been allowed to work under an agricultural identity.

The answer from Johnson was, “We don’t know. You might just be dragged back in front of us to do another site review. You might be told to just scratch everything and start all over. It will set you back at least two months and possibly cost you a lot more.”

“Can we put this together and make it right for the next meeting?” board member Gary Florindo asked. “Due to the fact that you’re a nonprofit, we can waive the recording of the plan, since you’ve done it already. My feeling is that you shouldn’t need to do it at all as a nonprofit. But, we need to record Mary’s decision so we have evidence that you did everything you needed to do and nobody can question it later on.”

“We need a waiver list, a full one,” Johnson declared. “I know that it’s frustrating, and that you’ve been working on this for a long time. But if we don’t approve all of the waivers we can now, you might be forced to do something you didn’t need to do later.” Johnson continued, “For example, if it wasn’t waived, you might’ve been required to do a traffic survey on 105, and that could cost you $20,000. So let’s get everything in order.”

The Robinsons agreed to submit a full and complete list of waivers, and the public meeting was continued until the next meeting.

Also during the meeting, the board was questioned on what the cleanup process was at the Zero Waste facility in North Rochester and if they were ever going to clean up after the disastrous fire in May.

“Great question!” Johnson replied enthusiastically. “We’re planning to ask them that on the 23rd. They’ve talked to a few boards, but we still have questions for them. Mainly when they’re going to move beyond day-to-day business and actually take steps for improvement. Last time they were here, they did a lot of talking but not a lot of answering.”

“Are there still piles of waste there from the fire?” Florindo asked.

“Yes,” Johnson confirmed. “They can’t recycle it because it’s partially burned, so it has to go somewhere special. The pile is also sitting on a drainage area,” he explained, shaking his head, “so that’s a whole different problem. We need to see measurable steps over there,” he concluded, “not just every-day business.”

In other matters, the board discussed an application submitted by Diana Murphy of Walnut Plain Road.

“I have a thirty-acre parcel on Walnut Plain Road, an inheritance from my father. Last year, I had an engineer split them into two fifteen-acre parcels,” said Murphy.

“Are you planning to sell the lots?” asked board member Lee Carr. Murphy said yes, she was.

“Well from what I see, you’re in good shape,” said Florindo.

The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board will be on August 23 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

By Andrea Ray