The Marion Planning Board took the opportunity of a light meeting agenda on June 5 to thoroughly discuss its current budget and future needs. The board efficiently addressed bylaw codification and voted to secure funding for assistance with the Town’s Master Plan.

Board member Norman Hills, a member of the Bylaw Codification Sub-committee, notified the board that he would be bringing a series of bylaw revisions to be reviewed by the board over several meetings.

Hills said, “I want to give the board a heads-up that there are eighty bylaws to be reviewed and I’d like to bring ten to each meeting,” adding that there are currently 52 ready to be reviewed.

The sub-committee would like them to be ready for the Fall Special Town Meeting.

Vice Chairman Stephen Kokkins noted that Town Meeting had approved a list of routine corrections, which now must be approved by the state Attorney General’s Office.

Hills said that the bylaws the sub-committee is now addressing are ones that need more discussion, and he cautioned, “Twenty are going to be really tough to talk about.”

Board member Will Saltonstall suggested that the board get the bylaws ahead of time, which Hills agreed to, but he also emphasized the prudence of members only reviewing the 10 that the board would be discussing at the current meeting.

Chairman Eileen Marum concurred, saying, “It’s a worthwhile effort doing it in increments. We will have a better understanding of what’s going on in the codification.”

New Board member Christopher Collings asked if the document the sub-committee was working on could be reviewed in its entirety, to which Hills replied that he would be happy to provide to everyone, but it is a living document and it could become somewhat confusing. The sub-committee is changing the document weekly, and Hills would rather not have comments on drafts that may be irrelevant to the current discussion.

Saltonstall urged that there be public input early in the process so that the bylaws have the best chance of success to be approved at Town Meeting, to which Hills replied that there must be a public hearing on all the bylaws after the Planning Board approves them.

Hills again took the lead on the discussion regarding the state of the board’s FY17 budget. Planning assistant Terry Santos, Chairman Marum, and Hills met earlier with Finance Director Judith Mooney to get an overview of the current budget.

Hills noted that there was roughly $12,000 left in the part-time wages line item of the budget, which is what the board uses to pay for the assistance from SRPEDD for the Master Plan. There is currently approximately $3,100 outstanding to be billed to the board by SRPEDD, which leaves roughly $9,000.

Hills recommended to the board that it encumber that amount to be used for a new contract with SRPEDD. After Town Meeting acceptance on the Master Plan this fall, the Town will need assistance from SRPEDD to implement the Master Plan, including support for new sub-committees that will be created, as well as help in developing the priorities of the Plan.

Hills noted that if the funds were not encumbered, they would be lost at the end of the fiscal year on June 30.

Saltonstall, while supporting the vote to secure the funds, underscored the “big task of educating the public before Town Meeting, [making sure] it is not the first time they are seeing this stuff…”

The board voted to approve the contract with SRPEDD using the designated funds as described by Hills.

In other business, the Zoning Board of Appeals requested comments from the board regarding a project at 6 Allen Street in which a Special Permit is being requested for a non-conforming structure. Saltonstall recused himself from the brief discussion. It was noted that the existing structure to be modified is a garage at the rear of the property and is not visible from Allen Street. The structure will be increased greater than 50% in size, making it over 500 square feet, which Hills noted would trigger a Minor Site Plan review by the Planning Board. The board agreed to send this recommendation to the ZBA, with Collings remarking, “We should be as modest as possible in our oversight.”

In other matters, board member Jennifer Francis noted that she and Hills continue to interview town planner candidates, but as Hills put it, “I’m not sure we are where we want to be yet.”

The next Marion Planning Board meeting is scheduled for June 19 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House, not the police station as noted on the meeting agenda.

Marion Planning Board

By Sarah French Storer

Marion Police Chief Lincoln Miller gave the Marion Board of Selectmen on June 6 a brief update on the goings-on at the police station, which ultimately became a public announcement of his impending retirement. The department is about to once again undergo the process of accreditation, which happens every three years. Miller said Marion is only one of 70 police forces in the state (out of 351 municipalities), and only one out of four in Plymouth County, that is accredited.

“It’s a very intensive process to do,” Miller said, adding that there are evaluations, reviews, and a number of assessments involved.

Miller also said the department is involved with the Plymouth County Project Outreach, a program that reaches out to victims of opioid overdose and their families for support. Miller said victims are offered rehabilitation opportunities and families can receive support. Once the offer is accepted, social services takes over.

“It’s been a really positive experience,” said Miller. “It’s something that worked out really well.”

Board of Selectmen Chairman Jody Dickerson commented that Miller would indeed be missed and praised his leadership.

“I’m proud of the way this has all panned out over the years,” said Miller. “I’m very proud of having had the opportunity to serve here. But change is good … and it’s definitely time.”

Miller will retire effective December 31, 2017.

Also during the meeting, local condominium developer Christian Loranger, owner of 324 Front Street, requested that the board, acting as the Water Commissioners, approve his request to provide sewer to the 12 existing bedrooms in the structure he purchased to renovate. The Town has previously assessed the multi-family home at five bedrooms, but Loranger said a proper interior assessment was never made.

The Zoning Board of Appeals had denied in a 3-1 vote a Special Permit to Loranger in favor of Loranger’s formerly proposed project; however, the project required a supermajority vote of 4-0.

He is currently appealing the ZBA decision.

Loranger said he was not applying for an increased use of sewer service, just that it be properly authorized for 12 bedrooms.

“I’m not sure what’s going to happen with it, whether there’s going to be a new building there or whether I’m going to build a new structure,” said Loranger.

The board said they would review the materials submitted by Loranger and make a decision at the next meeting.

In other matters, the Town has received a $289,000 donation from Peggy Repass and family to enhance the accessibility of the Elizabeth Taber Library. Resident Nancy Braitmayor has also donated the funds to cover the cost of architectural plans for the project; all that is left is for the Town to follow a process to accept the donation and enter into a philanthropist agreement with the donors. Groundbreaking could take place sometime after June 17.

Town Administrator Paul Dawson and Dickerson mentioned that they and several others had engaged in a meeting with Tabor Academy Head of School John Quirk in an effort to strengthen communication between the two parties. Dickerson said the meeting was positive and a first step towards future cooperation.

Finance Committee Chairman Alan Minard and former Planning Board member Robert Lane approached the board with a list of their suggested names for a subcommittee that Town Meeting approved to explore the VFW site for a town hall.

Minard and Lane wish to appoint themselves to the subcommittee, as well as former Planning Board member Michael Popitz, Caroline Bobick and Lars Olson.

Dickerson asked if the two gentlemen had advertised in the local newspapers that the Town was seeking members for a subcommittee to study the VFW site for a possible town hall. After a pause, Minard told him that they had not.

Dickerson said he preferred to refrain from making any appointments to the subcommittee until after the subcommittee positions were advertised for at least one week, as are all other committees and subcommittees in town. People interested, Dickerson said, should contact the Selectmen’s Office.

The board also refrained from accepting Lane’s request to allow him and Minard to expedite the architectural study process by appointing their preferred firm to get straight to work on the exploration of the site. Dickerson preferred to delay until the next meeting so that members eventually appointed to the subcommittee could have a say.

The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for June 20 at 6:30 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Board of Selectmen

By Jean Perry

The consensus amongst the joint school committees is that having a two-year evaluation process is more successful than the one-year evaluation process.

On May 31, Superintendent Doug White presented his mid-cycle review of the Tri-Town school districts’ goals and their progress towards meeting those goals.

With the assistance of a subcommittee charged with forming and developing these goals, White says the school districts have seen much progress on the focus areas selected, while giving administration and staff more time to plan, execute, and chart progress, and meet expectations.

“We felt that having the longer time frame really got the chance to put a focus on those types of goals that we wanted to see within our school district and this committee was just great from the start,” White said.

Particular emphasis is placed on meeting the social-emotional needs of students of the Old Rochester Regional School District as well as within the three towns’ school districts.

“It’s all about doing everything for every single student that’s in our building,” said White. “All students receive social-emotional learning support.”

White described some of the interactive opportunities to foster social-emotional wellbeing, including some older students attending a production at The Zeiterion Theater about drug abuse. The school also hosted a viewing of the documentary “Screenagers,” hired a BCBA (board certified behavior analyst), and will implement a health curriculum at Sippican School this year.

At the high school, particular interest is placed on the development of an “intervention block” when all students would meet with guidance staff for academic and social support. Also, the school has secured an intern psychologist from the University of Rhode Island at a reduced cost for further student support.

Data that has come back from a “Community Cares Survey” will also help the districts pinpoint other areas where social-emotional support is needed.

A new kindergarten transition program at Sippican School will be implemented next year in Rochester and Mattapoisett after success in Marion. Kindergartners will enter kindergarten and will be observed and assessed before being placed in the appropriate setting.

The ANCHOR Program at Sippican also resulted in successfully reaching out to parents in the community who might need more encouragement connecting with the school staff, so White is looking to expand the program to the two other towns.

Budget enrichment is also a focus area, with particular attention being paid to the School Choice program and how it will enhance the ORR budget this fiscal year. Following and monitoring the $603,000 Capital Plan is also essential, White said.

“I feel that if there’s any goal that the committee is well in tune with, it’s the budget,” said White.

The school districts also have their sights set on expanding outreach through various media sources to connect the school with parents, community members, and town officials.

Technology and the technology knowledge of the staff and students were also emphasized to have the greatest impacts on teaching and learning, White said.

Academic rigor is also emphasized, with an example of carrying out this goal being additional Advanced Placement offerings at the high school.

“The fact that we had a year to work on these goals and really get into the trenches was much more productive than setting them in October, working on them … in January, and then having to be done with it now,” said White.

ORR School Committee member Michelle Smith said the two-year cycle is an easier way to go about the evaluation process.

“We felt more connected and more a part of this process with you,” said Smith. ”We really worked well as a team as well. We did an amazing job. Just looking back at what we’ve done this year, it’s really amazing.”

Marion School Committee Chairman Christine Marcolini added, “I loved the format, too. It was really informative.”

The next meeting of the joint school committees is scheduled for September 28 at 6:30 pm in the junior high school media room.

Joint Meeting of the School Committees

By Jean Perry