“I beg to differ,” stated James Spader, Marion resident and well-known Hollywood actor when the public comment phase of the hearing of Shea Doonan’s application for an aquaculture license off Meadow Island was opened.

Doonan said that he had searched throughout the coastline of Marion for the right location to place an aquaculture operation and none was better than waters off Meadow Island.

“I own Meadow Island,” Spader told the Marion Board of Selectmen on the night of July 12. “We’ve enjoyed Meadow Island, paid taxes on it for decades,” he continued, “…this will impact Meadow Island.”

Spader told the board that navigation, along with swimming and small boat recreation, will be affected by having an industrial operation between Meadow Island and Planting Island. He went on to say that Marion would not positively benefit from having an aquaculture industry in this sensitive location.

“I look at the community, and I wonder how this project enhances the community in any way,” he said. Spader said that fish farming has been proven to have a negative impact on the environment.

Then his comments became more personal.

“We owned the island so it could look like it does forever.” Speaking of the proposed project he said, “In the morning, I’ve got to wake up and look at that all day and all night and so will all the rest of the people in that cove.” Spader added, “I’m very, very concerned about this.”

He told the selectmen that Marion was about housing, living, boating and 30 minutes prior to the meeting, “I was staring at this spot watching racing.”

Spader was reminded that the harbor and waterways do not belong to Marion but to the Commonwealth for the use of all persons. Doonan said, “There will be navigational issues, but it will be placed closer to Planting Island well north of the channel.”

Harbormaster Isaac Perry said, “It will have an impact on navigation, but it is a good compromise.”

Resident Bill Washburn asked, “What income does Marion get out of this?” Perry replied, “Twelve dollars and fifty cents,” the cost of a permit fee – costs established by the state.

“Marine Fisheries has Okayed it, then it goes to the DEP and has to run the gamut, Army Corps of Engineers and Natural Heritage,” said Perry.

Selectman Stephen Cushing told Spader, “This is step one in a fairly long process, not a done deal.”

“I do have some concerns about navigation,” said Chairman Jody Dickerson.

Doonan responded, “I looked everywhere. It was the one place where I could put this.”

Spader asked again, “What can it bring to the greater community? I don’t think there’s a burden on the town to bring in industry…. The town has the power to say no,” he concluded.

Town Counsel John Witten said, ‘’There’s always an appeals process.” He suggested the board could wait to make their decision.

“I don’t think it’s the best location,” said Dickerson.

Cushing said, “I don’t think it detracts from boating. We have to make a decision based on fact.” He was in favor of allowing the application to move through the process to the next step, involving various state agency approvals.

With only two members present for the hearing, the selectmen cast votes that cancelled each other out. It was decided that a new hearing would be held on August 16 at 7:05 pm, at which time Selectmen Steve Gonsalves would be available to hear the new application and assist in rendering a decision.

Another matter garnering most of the evening’s meeting time was Ladd Thorne’s appeal of the harbormaster’s revocation of his mooring permit.

Arthur Kreiger of Anderson Kreiger represented Thorne while Witten represented the interests of the town.

Kreiger laid out a chronology of events that ultimately lead to Thorne becoming delinquent in paying the mooring fee, setting in motion the revocation of his permit. Kreiger pointed to the town’s not following their own regulations by sending the second notice regular mail versus the established certified mail.

Perry said he had inquired at town hall and learned that about five years ago the town stopped using certified mail due to costs.

Kreiger said that several domestic matters within the Thornes’ home interfered with their timely response and also pointed to the fact that the town had used an incorrect address for at least one of the mailings, if not more.

Perry defended his action by saying that the Thornes missed the appeals date, that there are 10 other permit holders in the same situation as the Thornes, and that he needed to proceed following the town’s protocol in fairness to all concerned.

Once again, the two sitting selectmen were not in harmony but due to procedures in how the votes could be cast, the decision was not to reinstate Thorne’s permit. They did agree to allow Thorne to keep his boat on the mooring until August 1, giving Kreiger time to appeal their decision to the Department of Environmental Protection.

Before the hearing was closed, Perry added, “One of the Thornes’ sons is third on the mooring waiting list,” indicating that the family would have a mooring rather soon even with the loss of the one in question.

The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for August 16 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

By Marilou Newell

Three years ago, the Marion Board of Selectmen appointed Shaun Cormier as the town’s director of facilities with the intention of eventually consolidating the management of the various town-owned buildings and structures. On June 29 during a special morning meeting of the selectmen, they decided it was time to do just that.

“At that time, the board felt that it was a very important decision to have our main assets under one control or one oversight,” said Chairman Jody Dickerson. “And I think that was one of the board’s best decisions that we’ve done … but there have been some issues and we thought it was about time we decide where we’re going to go with it,” adding that the board never specified which buildings Cormier would be responsible for and which buildings department heads such as the police chief, fire chief, and DPW superintendent must manage.

Although Cormier has done a fine job keeping up with the management of the facilities, repairs, upgrades, inspections, and maintenance, say selectmen, department heads agree better communication is needed to assist Cormier in his position, as well as more manpower and a bigger facilities maintenance budget.

Town Administrator Paul Dawson asked for board guidance on how to finally accomplish a cohesive facilities maintenance plan.

“Do we begin to consolidate all the building maintenance type line items in all the various town budgets … into one budget and then that allows Shaun … to then begin some real capital forecasting and planning in terms of how we’re going to maintain our facilities moving forward,” Dawson said.

DPW Superintendent Rob Zora questioned whether Cormier already had enough on his plate, asking how the board could accommodate Cormier in his efficiency without overloading him.

“I see his frustration,” said Zora. He suggested Cormier needed more “manpower,” adding, “Because you’re really adding the workload that’s really going to push him over the edge. He’s definitely going to need a bigger budget…. He is like a one-man band right now….”

The board looked over a two-page list of town-owned facilities that went beyond the most obvious DPW building, town house, and fire and police stations, to include Washburn Park structures among others.

“There are facilities that aren’t even in this town that belong to us,” said Selectman Stephen Cushing.

Dickerson pointed out that, unfortunately, facilities is often the first budget that gets cut back.

When asked, Cormier said two crews of two workers would be ideal moving forward. Dawson said the board should lay out a facility plan and the anticipated costs associated with additional employees to present to the Finance Committee and ultimately town meeting.

“When you present a cohesive plan,” said Dawson, “they will support you.”

Police Chief Lincoln Miller said Cormier is always on top of facility needs at the police station, commenting that the system in place, as far as the police station goes, “I think it’s worked very well.”

Fire Chief Brian Jackvony agreed, but suggested the selectmen allow for some “flexibility” between department heads and Cormier, which might give opportunities for both parties to save taxpayers money by comparing quotes for capital projects, such as a recent water heater installation that Jackvony was able to arrange for a quote less than the one Cormier provided.

“I don’t think we want to handcuff any one department,” said Cushing.
Another issue, said Zora, was communication.

“Sometimes I think that I’m in a different town,” said Zora. “And I think communication is huge.” He suggested more frequent meetings so he feels less “out of the loop.”

Selectman Steve Gonsalves concurred.

“They key to all of this is communication,” said Gonsalves. “I feel if that happens, it’s going to avoid what [Zora] said. It’s so simple, yet so complicated…. It won’t take a lot of time but it will end a lot of headaches.”

Dawson said the board should establish a facilities committee of sorts to discuss line items and keep communication open.

“It really is going to mean communication,” said Finance Director Judith Mooney. “It’s not going to be as simple as taking out of a line item and putting in facilities.”

The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for July 12 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Police Station conference room.

By Jean Perry

The Marion Planning Board has elected to dedicate one meeting per month to the ongoing Master Plan development, and on July 5 the board discussed comments and a draft document laying out the goals for land use and economic development.

The key concept identified during several public workshops was “Village Style” mixed-use housing and commercial growth as essential to the future of Marion. Route 6 in particular, as well as Sippican Office Park, the waterfront, and the village were areas touched upon within the four land use goals, which focused on re-zoning and amending zoning bylaws to accommodate village-style development and cluster development mixing commercial with residential, among other things.

Keeping with the character of Marion is always a key component of discussions on the Master Plan, which includes not only business and housing development and design, but land conservation as well.

Climate resilience is another aspect that will be a strategy integrated throughout all aspects of the Master Plan, and the draft document states that looming sea level rises, storm events, and high-tide events “should be considered for all major land use decisions.”

The document continues, “This means that the initial vulnerability assessment available in the climate resilience and any future climate resilience plans should be consulted for all major zoning, infrastructure, and development decisions.”

“We have to make sure that … economic growth is done properly … and for the community,” said Planning Board member Eileen Marum, emphasizing the importance of mixed-use zoning. “We need to consider cluster buildings. They have to be bike-able; they have to be walk-able….” She later added, “I don’t think just developing Route 6 without a plan would go well with the residents of Marion … I don’t think strip malls are the way to go.”

Moving on to economic development, the Master Plan draft goals take into consideration the fact that Marion’s tax base is 93% residential as compared to 75% in Carver, 79% in Plymouth, 82% in Wareham, and 94% in Mattapoisett. Economic development, again, focused mainly on village-style developments “that give Marion so much of its character while enhancing the tax base.”

The draft further states, “This blended approach is wholly appropriate for Marion and is supported by key data points and the desires Marion residents expressed during the public workshops.”

The goals focus specifically on traditional economic development to the Sippican Office Park by creating a “business-friendly community that attracts high wage job producers.”

Another goal touches upon participating in Chapter 43D expedited permitting within the office park which, according to the draft goals, “provides a transparent and efficient process for municipal permitting, guarantees local permitting decisions on priority development sites within 180 days, and increases visibility of your community and target development sites.”

Another aspect of the economic development goal addresses utilizing tax increment financing with private sector partners to give incentives for new businesses to move to the Sippican Office Park.

The goal also mentions establishing a Local Business Development Commission to improve the likelihood of job creation in Marion and high value commercial growth.

Wastewater treatment, of course, was also a factor in economic growth, with board member Will Saltonstall suggesting there be more emphasis on the future financial burdens of the wastewater treatment facility as the Master Plan is further developed.

“This is not the final product,” Town Planner Ken Buckland reminded the board.

Next month, the board will discuss the housing, services, and facilities goals for the Master Plan.

The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for July 18 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

By Jean Perry