Marion Police Re-accredited

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Marion Police Chief Richard Nighelli is proud to report that the Marion Police Department earned re-accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC). On June 26, MPAC unanimously re-accredited the Marion Police Department.

            “I am honored our department has once again earned re-accreditation from MPAC,” said Chief Nighelli. “As we celebrate this achievement, I would like to recognize all of our department members for their dedication and commitment to upholding the values of this department. I would also like to thank our community for their ongoing support and partnership.”

            The department received State Certification in June 2014, full State Accreditation in June 2015 and re-accreditation in 2018 and 2021. Accreditation must be renewed every three years and, following this year’s renewal, the department will be up for re-accreditation again in 2027.

            Accreditation is a self-initiated, lengthy and comprehensive evaluation process. Participating departments complete an internal self-review and an external assessment by MPAC experts. The process is a voluntary evaluation by which police departments strive to meet and maintain the top standards of law enforcement. It is considered the best measure for a police department to compare itself against the established best practices around the country and region.

            The Massachusetts Police Accreditation Program consists of 257 mandatory standards as well as 125 optional standards. In order to achieve accreditation status, the department was required to meet all applicable mandatory standards as well as 55% of the optional standards.

            These carefully selected standards reflect critical areas of police management, operations and technical support activities. They cover areas such as policy development, emergency response planning, training, communications, property and evidence handling, use of force, vehicular pursuit, prisoner transportation and holding facilities.

Tavares Appreciated in Sendoff

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            In recognition of retiring Old Hammondtown School Principal Kevin Tavares, Mattapoisett School Committee Chairperson Carly Lavin prepared the following remarks publicly read during the June 13 meeting of the committee:

            “As you approach the culmination of what can only be described as an illustrious, three-decade journey in the Mattapoisett School District, I find myself reflecting on the impact that you had on our academic community, it’s with a mixture of joy for you and (loss) for us as I write to express our deepest gratitude for your unwavering dedication and your exceptional leadership.

            “Over 30 years, you’ve been a staple of Mattapoisett Schools, guiding both Center and OHS with both wisdom and integrity and a visionary outlook. Your commitment to excellence in education, your passion for nurturing young minds, and your tireless efforts to foster an environment where everyone can thrive are truly incredible.

            “Under your leadership, Mattapoisett not only has achieved academic excellence but has also cultivated a culture of kindness, inclusivity and a resilience … Through the years, your guidance has shaped the futures of countless students, inspiring them to reach their fullest potential.”

            Lavin went on to describe Tavares’ influence as “inspirational to all of us” and the mark he leaves on the committee as “indelible.”

            Visibly affected by Lavin’s comments and the passionate applause at the conclusion of her words, Tavares alluded to the old saying that, “You don’t choose education, education chooses you.”

            With that, he confessed that he had done all he could not to be a teacher after seeing his father put in 33 years.

            “I’ve worked with some amazing people, but it’s all about the kids,” said Tavares, emotionally expressing his appreciation for the support he received over the years, especially from committee member Jim Muse.

            Muse publicly identified Tavares with the Town of Mattapoisett and assured him he has a home in Mattapoisett.

            Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson added his appreciation of Tavares and other retirees.

            Later in the meeting, Nelson would note that Stephanie Wells will be joining the ORR District as Old Hammondtown’s new principal.

            As explained by Center School Principal Laura Ashley, changes to the Student Handbook for the 2024-25 School Year will include changes to the section addressing Bullying Intervention and Prevention and a Discipline triangle chart in order to better align the individual school districts within the ORR District. The committee voted its approval.

            The committee’s approval of meeting dates for the 2024-25 school year was preceded by Lavin’s public appreciation to secretary Melissa Wilcox for her work. The dates: September 12, October 17, November 21, February 6, 2025, March 13, 2025, April 10, 2025 and June 5, 2025.

            The committee approved the leases of SMEC and Countryside Childcare for the 2024-25 school year. The committee approved a list of library materials to be disposed of and in a separate vote, the disposal of technology materials.

            Upon the completion of Year 1 of the School Improvement Plan, Nelson said it’s time to begin reflection work and prepare for Year 2.

            “We really accomplished a lot across the district,” said Ashley, referencing the plan’s emphasis on literacy.

            Lavin thanked Ashley and Tavares for the presentation and said it represented a lot of work.

            Nelson said the Strategic Plan’s ability to align the individual “sister districts” helps the overall health of the school system.

            Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning Dr. Shari Fedorowicz thanked the stakeholders for the teamwork it took to make Year 1 of ORR’s literacy initiative successful.

            Amanda Hastings volunteered to represent Mattapoisett on the union side of the Joint School Committee, and Muse will continue his service on the ORR District side.

            The Mattapoisett School Committee approved the following grants: a Vacation Acceleration Academies Grant of $30,500 (a grant Nelson said the district did not receive last year), High-Quality Instructional Materials Purchase Grant of $27,992 (support for sciences, especially STEM), from the Tri-Town Education Foundation Fund, $2,000 to Carolyn Pawlishen for Empowering, Engaging and Motivating Students with Learning Differences, $2,000 from The Feinstein Foundation to principal’s secretary Jennifer Janicki for a Japanese Silk Lilac tree and two wooden benches on school grounds, one in honor of the late Jenny Rusinoski and one in honor of the retiring Tavares.

            The committee entered executive session for bargaining and litigation preparation purposes.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, September 12 at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett School Committee

By Mick Colageo

Road Construction Committee Tabled

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The July 9 meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board was a bit bumpy, as discussion resumed in the matter of selecting residents to be seated on the new village roadway committee.

            When the agenda item was heard, Select Board member Jodi Bauer said that no more than three people should be appointed to the advisory committee, while member Jordan Collyer said he would agree to five.

            Member Tyler Macallister stated, “Forming this committee is a mistake.” He voiced his opinion that Mattapoisett may forfeit TIP monies by trying to control the project versus letting the state Department of Transportation do the job.

            Collyer and Bauer both stuck to their decision regarding the number of committee members, deciding instead to think on the matter further in an effort to reach a consensus, thus tabling the matter until the next Select Board meeting on July 23.

            Also speaking to the need for consensus was Bonne DaSousa, who defended the need for a roadway committee, saying it could help the town reach a consensus regarding various aspects of the proposed project.

            Tree Committee Chairman Sandy Hering said that she has learned just how much latitude the DOT had sufficient to, “…making a project that suits towns.” She stated that by showing the state agency the town has achieved a consensus, it would demonstrate, “…we want this project.”

            Other agenda items were heard before discussions once again returned to the village roads project.

            DaSousa questioned cost estimates for the placement of utilities underground. A survey intended to gather village residents’ appetite for a betterment of upwards of $50,000 had been mailed to property owners in the village. DaSousa, who was admittedly surprised to receive the survey, sought clarification of how the estimates were calculated and what data had been used.

            Macallister responded that DaSousa should not be surprised to have received the survey since it was what was requested by those supporting underground services. He explained that cost estimates were based on a project currently being installed and familiar to the town’s engineers, VHB. He also said that VHB’s figures were verified by Eversource and Verizon. He further stated that easements would have to be granted by property owners impacted by moving utilities underground and that, “… they don’t want to do that.”

             In other matters, the Select Board will hold a public hearing for the placement of “No Parking” signs on Mattapoisett Neck Road near the entrance to the bike path. Other bike-path news shared by Town Administrator Mike Lorenco was that the 25% design on phase 2A is nearly complete.

            Lorenco also reported that a parking area off Mattapoisett Neck Road is being planned with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

            Bauer announced her resignation from the Mattapoisett Tree Committee after more than 20 years. She was thanked for her years of service. A refreshed Commission on Disability was formed and appointments made.

            Lorenco said there are still open seats on several committees, most notably the Finance Committee. Interested parties should contact the Select Board’s office.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, July 23 (time to be announced).

Mattapoisett Select Board

By Marilou Newell

SCUBA – Diving Into Friendship with God

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We are getting excited at First Congregational Church of Rochester for our free summer Vacation Bible School program to be held July 15 to 19 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. There are plenty of spots still available for kids in grades K-6 and openings for teen volunteers as well. Come for one day or all five. Registration is open and will remain open throughout the week. Register online at vbspro.events/p/966f16 or in person at First Congregational Church of Rochester, 11 Constitution Way. A Celebration Party with refreshments will be held on Friday following the final session. Call the church office at 508-763-4314 with any questions.

A Night at the Movies That’s Out of This World

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On Friday, July 12, the Marion Concert Band begins its Friday evening concert series with a program of music based on two themes. The first half of the program will feature soundtrack music from a variety of motion pictures and TV shows. The second half of the program will be feature movie music with a “space” theme. The program is as follows:

American Legion March – C. Parker

Parade of the Charioteers (from Ben Hur) – M. Rozsa

Concertino for Clarinet – Carl Maria von Weber

Daniel Moniz, clarinet

Hooray for Hollywood – arr. W. Barker

The Sounds of Hollywood – J. Higgins

Prime Time Toon Revue – arr. T. Ricketts

Bond…James Bond – arr. S. Bulla

Pure Imagination (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) – A. Newley

Jurassic Park Soundtrack Highlights – J. Williams

Star Trek Through the Years – J. Moss

Dr. Who: Through Time and Space – M. Gold

Theme from E.T. – J. Williams

The Trombone King – K. L. King

            Daniel Moniz, clarinet soloist, performs regularly with several local ensembles. He is the principal clarinetist of the UMass Dartmouth Wind Ensemble and a member of the Swansea Community Musicians. He performs regularly with the St. Cecilia Philharmonic Band from Fall River and has been a member of the Marion Concert Band since 2005.

            The concert will be held at the Robert Broomhead Bandstand, Island Wharf off Front Street in Marion. The program, under the direction of Tobias Monte, will begin at 7:00. All concerts are free and open to the public. “Like” us on Facebook at “Marion Town Band” for up-to-date announcements and rain cancellation notices.

Electrical Substation Proposed

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            Rochester’s Planning Board Tuesday began reviewing Eversource’s proposal for an electrical substation on 6.26 acres at 297 Rounseville Road.

            The informal discussion of the plan started with Eversource representative Dan Hagen describing the project as an upgrade of electrical services in Rochester. Two larger transformers will quadruple power to the area, he said. Two new transformers will be included. Some tree clearing will be necessary, but the proposed landscaping will include additional screening from the road.

            Board member John DiMaggio asked if the new substation will increase noise in the neighborhood and how will it be lit.

            Eversource representative John Zicko responded that new substation transformers are so acoustically treated, “we’ve had to touch them to make sure they are live.” He added that the lighting that personnel will need for certain operations will normally be left off. “We will keep the lighting as reasonable as possible,” he said.

            Planning Board Chairman Arnold Johnson asked about the construction timeline. Hagen estimated that Eversource will start construction by the start of 2025, and the facility will open by the end of 2026.

            Johnson concluded by instructing the applicants to speak to Town Planner Nancy Durfee about the filing application and fees. Eversource representatives said they will seek a waiver of the site plan review’s traffic-study requirement. Johnson advised them to read the town’s site-plan-review requirements before they compile their waiver requests.

            In other action, the board again continued the three large projects on its agenda to its next (August 13) meeting. The modified site-plan-review application for Rochester Crossroads, 22 Cranberry Highway, which replaces a paved rear-access way to County Road with a gravel road, yielded discussion over whether to place a gate at the end of that road.

            The applicant’s engineering consultant, Philip Cordeiro, argued property owner Ken Steen wants that gate on the rear access road along County Road. Steen said, with the gate unauthorized, vehicles could use the road as a “cut-through” from the retail area to the residential parking lot.

            Highway Surveyor Jeff Eldridge said he has been “anti-gate” since the project began for safety reasons. What if the gate is not opening when an emergency exit by residents is required? Eldridge explained.

            Steen and Cordeiro said they could install gates that would open more easily than others. Johnson told them to bring in specifications on those kinds of gates on August 13.

            The board continued its hearing into the request to extend for one year the Special Permit for the Braley Hill North solar facility, Braley Hill Road, after discussing insurance coverage that would indemnify the town should a catastrophic failure affect the solar array. The applicant’s attorney, Gregory Sampson, was instructed to return on August 13 with the standard language for such an insurance contract. But, first, the board approved the bond amounts that the applicant must post: two-year landscaping bond, $6,500; five-year landscaping bond, $13,000, and the decommissioning bond, $600,000.

            The site-plan-review application hearing for a four-building, self-storage facility on County Road, which is part of the Rochester Crossroad project, was continued after Cordeiro asked the board for input as to whether the project could get a waiver of the requirement to include landscaping. All of the site’s abutters are industrial, Cordeiro explained. Board members said they agreed only minimal landscaping is required because of the site.

            In other business, the board signed the Certificate of Completion for Tree Talk Natives, LLC, the new tree nursery business on Vaughan Hill Road.

            The Rochester Planning Board’s next meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 13, at 7:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Planning Board

By Michael J. DeCicco

Bike Path a Slow Ride to Reality

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The Marion Pathway Committee met virtually on June 17 and heard an update on the Marion Shared Use Path from committee Chairman John Rockwell.

            In identifying a small but significant collection of factors regarding Marion’s plans for a bike path, including wetlands impact, being in a state-designated Environmental Justice Neighborhood, crossing vehicular traffic and crossing a state highway (Route 105), Rockwell explained how the project is caught up in red tape.

            For instance, certain triggers require that an Environmental Impact Report be filed with the secretary of the state and environmental affairs. Because of that, Rockwell said, there is an environmental census block on the northern side of the railroad bed that crosses Route 105 and runs through Washburn Park.

            He considers the project a positive impact.

            “There will be some noise and construction right next to the apartment buildings, but on the other hand when they’re done, that’ll be a great amenity for that whole neighborhood,” he said.

            Also attending the Zoom-only meeting were members Paula Meere, Dan Eling, Steve Lohrenz and John Menzel.

            In discussing the bike path, Rockwell acknowledged that a lot of paperwork must be filed, a time-consuming task.

            One environmental issue that the committee needs to address is the number of rivers that flow year-round across the bike path. Rockwell said modern topographic maps established from aerial photographs identify four rivers that cross the path, but he disagrees.

            “There’s actually only one, and the way you get around that is to go out there and take photographs four days in a row when the area’s dry,” said Rockwell, noting that this will take place in August.

            Rockwell said the state has hired someone to handle all the project work related to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA).

            “The idea is that anytime there is a state project that needs state permits that rises over certain thresholds … there’s communication amongst all the boards, and all the issues are sorted out ahead of time,” Rockwell explained. “The idea is you don’t have state projects causing problems for other state agencies.”

            Rockwell told the committee he was told to expect the state’s response around Thanksgiving. He said no state permits are attainable until the Environmental Impact Report has been filed and the state secretary has accepted it. The report will be prepared by a firm that typically handles MEPA-related files and that the state has hired, said Rockwell.

            Menzell asked if there are any other loose ends required by the state Department of Transportation.

            Rockwell explained that the town cannot work on the necessary easements until the state approves the plans, and that cannot be done until the Environmental Impact Report process is complete.

            “It’s like everything else in this project, we don’t have a lot of control,” said Rockwell, whose institutional knowledge helps in the case of proving there is only one rather than the four crossing rivers shown by the state-generated map.

            Given the process and the requirements to respond to state feedback, Rockwell said he expects a groundbreaking no earlier than FY26 (a year from now).

            It is expected that the trees located between the apartment complex and the bike path will come down amidst construction, but Rockwell said shade trees can go well in that space. He said the trees will be of substantial size when fully grown.

            Menzel said he would like to see the bike path connected to White Eagle (the Sippican Lands Trust parcel) and Parlowtown Road. Rockwell agreed it would make a nice connection for the path.

            A reorganization of the committee only reinforced established roles, as Rockwell remained chairman. He also received approval to make Meere’s dual service official as both vice chair and clerk. “Poor Paula’s done all this work without which we would not survive,” he said.

            The committee also needed a representative to the Stewards of Community Open Space. Having noted that member Lorraine Heffernan (who could not attend the June 17 meeting) had done a good job in the role, the committee voted to recommend her reappointment. The Select Board makes the final approval.

            The next meeting of the Marion Pathway Committee will be scheduled in August on a date yet to be determined.

Marion Pathway Committee

By Mick Colageo

At the Rochester Historical Society Museum

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Join us for a perfect summer evening on July 17. First, music with Sheila and Tom Perry and then make your own ice cream sundaes. All of this will be downstairs at the Museum, 355 County Rd., Rochester. We’ll start at 7:00. Enter through the door on the right-hand side of the museum.

Free Jazz Concert This Friday

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Since its inception in 2017, the Buzzards Bay Musicfest Swing Band has delighted audiences with jazz from different eras, genres, styles and origins. The commonality is the energetic and experienced approach of the instrumentalists as they interpret the truly American art form that is not only historically significant, but deeply rooted in the souls of all who appreciate good music. From a veteran of the Tony Bennett Band to a Berklee College of Music Professor and from the former piano accompanist for Sheila Jordan to the former drummer of the Artie Shaw Band, these ten artists and improvisors exhibit the spirit of the constantly evolving jazz tradition. Please come to hear the band pay homage to three jazz masters of the mid-Twentieth Century: Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk and Charles Mingus. The program “Miles, Monk and Mingus” will be presented on Friday, July 12, 7:30 pm, at the Fireman Performing Arts Center on the campus of Tabor Academy, 245 Front Street, Marion. Free admission. Please visit www.buzzardsbaymusicfest.com/ for more detailed information.

Marion Fireworks

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Dear Marion Community,

            On behalf of the Marion Select Board and Fireworks Committee, we would like to thank all of those who had a hand in making our annual fireworks display and community event possible. This yearlong effort is put together by dozens of volunteers, town employees, public safety staff, vendors, and local groups and organizations who work tirelessly to put on a celebration and community get-together each year and for the third year in a row.

            Unfortunately, the inclement weather throughout the weekend caused issues that severely impacted the fireworks show. First, the show was postponed for safety precautions from Saturday to Sunday due to high winds. On Sunday, the decision was made to start the show early and on short notice because of heavy fog that was quickly rolling in over the water.

            Both decisions were made at the recommendation of the professional fireworks vendor contracted by the Town. This vendor is well-established in New England and has been responsible for our amazing and successful shows over the last several years. The safety of spectators, surrounding property and the barge technicians was the priority. High winds can cause flammables to drift into surrounding homes and trees and dense fog not only impacts viewing but can damage the fireworks and equipment creating an added layer of danger to the barge crew. We trust the vendor’s judgment as the experts in conducting a safe and entertaining show. Again, safety was the priority.

            On Sunday, Town officials made an announcement on social media and via our email announcement system that the show would begin early. This decision was not made easily. Due to the contract and budgetary constraints, there was no further postponement available.

            While we share in the disappointment that the show did not proceed as planned, we want to thank our residents for their understanding and also give a heartfelt thanks to the donors and the Fireworks Committee that makes this event possible each and every year.

            Sincerely,

Geoffrey Gorman, Marion Town Administrator

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