The Town of Mattapoisett applied for a Request for Determination of Applicability for test borings along the proposed bike path through Goodspeed Island during the December 14 meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission. The soil borings are one more twist in a long list of additional technical data the Massachusetts Department of Transportation has requested from the bike path committee.

Steve Kelleher, chairman of the bike path committee, told the commission that the DOT changed their requirements for pedestrian bridges, now requiring that they meet much stricter design criteria – criteria that would allow trucks to travel across them.

Study data produced thus far was insufficient to prove or disprove the existence of bedrock below the railroad easement along the barrier beach where part of a pedestrian bridge spans from the YMCA to Goodspeed Island.

Representing the town, Susan Nilson of CLE Engineering explained the process that would be used to access the sensitive wetlands area and perform core samplings. She also said they planned to locate the west side of the sewer main that runs through the area.

Nilson spoke for about ten minutes giving such comprehensive details as the pounds per square inch from the mobile equipment needed to do the borings.

When Chairman Bob Rogers opened the hearing to the public, Attorney John Gushue, representing Goodspeed Island residents Daniel DaRosa and Anthony Campbell, came forward.

Gushue presented Rogers with a multi-page document listing concerns and citing language from various government agencies pointing to why the town needed to file a Notice of Intent versus a RDA.

“The bottom line is we are asking the commission to find a positive determination… ‘this needs a NOI,’” Gushue told the commission. “It’s all a resource area; there is very little buffer zone,” he pointed out.

Gushue said Nilson’s presentation had “informational deficiencies” and that there were no details about how the work would be performed. He said the entire area in question was a resource area, therefore demanding greater investigation before data should be collected.

Nilson responded to Gushue’s questions and comments and noted that for future work a NOI would be filed, but that the scope of work that would be performed for the test borings was not significant enough to warrant a NOI.

Rogers said, “With a potential of an appeal of our decision, we should be very clear.”

Kelleher addressed the commissioners and the audience saying, “We’ve had every federal and state department on this project for the last three years. Everybody is in favor of this project going through.” He continued, “This is one of the most favorable projects on SRPEDD list for the next 15 years. It is very vital that we move forward in an expeditious manner.”

“We do what we think is right and if it’s appealed, well, it’s appealed,” Rogers stated.

The commission discussed the matter and ultimately felt that a Negative 3 ruling for the RDA was in order, while acknowledging that their decision will be appealed.

In other business, RDAs filed and receiving negative rulings were: Lisa Caudle, 17 Centre Drive, for an addition; Isabel Morton, 7 Bethany Lane, for a pool shed; Gary Wynn, 12 Shore Drive, for construction of a second story and new roof; and William Hewitt, 8 Brierpatch Lane, for various additions and improvements to a single family home.

Whitman Homes received an Order of Conditions for construction of a new home located on Split Rock Lane.

A Certificate of Completion was issued to property located at 40 Water Street for beach nourishment.

Rounding out a long agenda, the commissioners had an informal discussion with Todd Rodrigues, owner of Yard Boss, regarding his application for a RDA for water withdrawal at the Mattapoisett River spillway.

Due to insufficient public notification, his request could not be heard. However, Rogers offered to answer any questions Rodrigues might have for a future filing.

Rodrigues advised the commissioners that the property located on River Road where he had been pumping water into his irrigation truck tanks was owned by Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester, not Fairhaven. Rogers said that the towns would have to be notified of any future public hearings. Rogers suggested to Rodrigues that he withdraw his application and reapply at a later date. Rodrigues agreed.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for December 28 at 6:30 pm in the Mattapoisett Town Hall conference room.

By Marilou Newell

The Rochester Conservation Commission on December 15 approved the wetlands line for 0 New Bedford Road/268 Mattapoisett Road, the site of a proposed solar farm by the junction of the two roads.

The hearing, which was continued from December 1, wrapped up rather swiftly after the commission was satisfied that post peer-review plans were changed to reflect the discovery of a potential vernal pool at the location, as well as the location of a line of wetlands flags that Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon contested were accurate. After another site walk, the lines were adjusted.

“So you’re happy with the line,” Conservation Commission Chairman Rosemary Smith suggested to Farinon.

“Yes, it’s a good line,” replied Farinon.

Also during the meeting, the board issued an Order of Conditions for development of an existing car path to a proposed new single-family home at an unspecified property off Vaughan Hill Road. The car path runs between wetlands roughly 4 feet away on both sides of the drive.

The commission approved the work, but stipulated that siltation barriers be used on both sides of the car path, which should be partially paved at one section as opposed to gravel to offer more control of the car path surface material during rainfall.

As far as the water quality control, said Farinon, there was minimal, if any, impact.

“It’s not an issue,” said Farinon. “In this particular case I’d rather see it paved … with the wetlands so tight here.”

The commission ordered an inspection of the silt filtration barriers before starting the work.

In other matters, the commission granted an Order of Conditions for Daniel and Deborah Carr Clark of 272 Mary’s Pond Road after continuing the hearing from December 1 in order to consult with town counsel.

The concern was over whether the commission would have to wait to issue the OOC until the Planning Board was first able to approve the subdivision, which splits one lot to create an additional adjacent lot with a proposed single-family home.

“The answer was no,” said Farinon. “We do not. And it’s perfectly acceptable to render a decision tonight.”

There was one noteworthy change to the original plan pertaining to a retention area that was pulled back from the wetlands from a 32-foot distance to 42 feet. Grading was also pulled away from the edge of the wetlands.

“Yeah, I like that,” said commission member Kevin Cassidy.

Farinon called the project “pretty straightforward” and the OOC was issued.

The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission is scheduled for January 5 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

By Jean Perry

Superintendent of Schools Douglas White announced at the December 14 meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee that in the future, all state schools will move towards implementing a test that is a hybrid of the more traditional MCAS test and the “next generation” PARCC test.

The merits of the PARCC test, compared to the older MCAS test, were the main topics of conversation during the Mattapoisett School Committee meaning.

The committee was able to compare results because, while all students from grades three through six take PARCC exams in math and ELA, the fifth grade students at Old Hammondtown and Center School also took the MCAS Science exam.

The Committee opted to begin PARCC testing last year, and 2015 was the first year the test was taken. This was also the first year that standardized testing was done by computer in Mattapoisett.

“The Massachusetts Board of Education has mandated that all standardized testing must be done on a computer by 2019,” said White, “and we’re already there. The fact that it is computerized is part of why we chose to use PARCC in the first place.”

The committee first reviewed the grade five students’ MCAS Science scores, in which 73 percent of students scored in the ‘Advanced’ or ‘Proficient’ range, which is 20 percent above the state average. Twenty-five percent of students scored ‘Needs Improvement’ and 2 percent dropped into the ‘Failing’ category. The percentage of students who scored at ‘Advanced’ or ‘Proficient’ levels has remained roughly the same between 2012 and 2015.

“It’s a good achievement,” observed Mattapoisett School Committee Vice Chairman Patrick LeClair, “but I’ve noticed there’s a small subgroup of students stuck in the ‘Needs Improvement’ and ‘Failing’ categories. Our goal is to focus on moving students from ‘Needs Improvement’ to ‘Proficient,’ and from ‘Proficient’ to ‘Advanced’ and so on.”

“There’s a significant drop-off at ‘Advanced,’” agreed Chairman James Higgins. “Are we really doing enough to push advanced students or to give other students the opportunities to reach an advanced level?”

Center School Assistant Principal Kevin Tavares noted that there was already an action plan to address this concern.

“We’ve been focusing more on math and reading,” Tavares said. “We need to shift more focus to science. Recently, we haven’t been able to clarify exactly what needs to be taught at each grade level, but that should change next year.”

The committee then switched to reviewing PARCC scores. The students did well on PARCC testing, with all four grade levels scoring an average score well above the state average.            PARCC is scored somewhat similarly to an SAT test: a score of 650-700 indicates ‘Not Yet Meeting Expectations,’ while 701-725 indicates ‘Partially Meeting Expectations.’ A score of 725-750 indicates ‘Approaching Expectations,’ while scoring 750-803 indicates ‘Meets Expectations.’ The highest-ranking students will score between 804-850, which correlates to ‘Exceeds Expectations.’

Each of the four grade levels earned an average score of 751+ in ELA to land them all in the ‘Meets Expectations’ category. The schools received an identical result on the math section of the exam, where each of the four grades again scored an average score of at least 750. Higgins was pleased with the result.

“Our students adapted to a new test and a new testing style [testing online, rather than with a pencil and paper] well,” Higgins said.

PARCC does not come without its downfalls, however. ORR District Assistant Superintendent Elise Frangos observed that the students generally do not score as well on the PARCC testing system as they do on the MCAS test.

“PARCC values whether students meet expectations of that grade level,” she said. “The past study skills we used don’t apply here.”

“Did we move because the PARCC test is computerized? Was there any proof that one test was better than the other?” asked LeClair.

“When we used MCAS, it was created by educators. Items from the year’s test were released, and teachers could look at their students’ scores to see where they were lacking,” said Frangos. “PARCC is a better, more rigorous test, but it is written by Pearson. Pearson is an educational company, but they own the test, and they aren’t releasing any items. What we really need is a test like PARCC, but owned by us.”

That idea has apparently crossed the minds of the Massachusetts Board of Education as well.

“I know that the Board of Education has been weighing whether to keep going with PARCC or to move back to the MCAS test,” said White. “They’ve voted instead to go forward with a computerized test which will be a blend of MCAS and PARCC. It will be controlled by the state and written with the input of educators. They’re calling it ‘MCAS 2.0.’”

The new test won’t be implemented immediately. White indicated that the Board of Education hoped that it would be written and ready to go for grades three through eight in 2017. The 2016 test will be the same PARCC test taken this year, but will be taken during one testing window, likely from late April into May. Students at the high school, meanwhile, will do two more years of MCAS testing, while a PARCC-style assessment is being built, for anticipated release in 2018.

In the meantime, Mattapoisett schools will begin to focus more on continual improvements to its science program.

“We’re doing inventory on science materials,” said Higgins, “and developing partnerships with places like the Mattapoisett Land Trust and the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission. This will open up more science opportunities for students.”

Although the majority of the meeting focused on the issue of standardized testing, several other issues were touched upon.

White indicated that the ORR school district was having a difficult time finding substitute teachers to replace teachers taken ill.

“Our concern is finding qualified, excellent substitutes,” he said. “Our current rate of pay for substitutes was set in 2001 or 2002. I’ve looked at other districts, and we are on the low end of the scale.” He proposed moving the rate from hourly pay to daily pay.

“I’d like to propose an increase in pay for the remainder of the year, with a further increase to begin in September 2016,” he said. The current rate of pay for certified substitute teacher is $70 per day. The first pay increase, applicable for the rest of the current school year, will push the rate of pay from $70 to $75. The salary rate will increase again in September 2016, ending at $85 per day for a certified substitute teacher.

The committee unanimously approved the proposal, but White will need to bring it before the other district school committees for approval before it can be advertised and put into effect.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee is scheduled for January 11 at 7:00 pm at Center School.

By Andrea Ray

After a years-long legal battle between the Town of Marion and Tabor Academy over an unpermitted backstop, Tabor Head of School John Quirk told the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals on December 10 that instead of continuing on the same path to try to keep the backstop, he was withdrawing the school’s appeal to start fresh with a new request for a variance.

The meeting agenda listed Tabor Academy as seeking relief from the building commissioner’s prior denial of a building permit for the backstop. Now, said Quirk, instead of seeking relief, he is seeking to withdraw without prejudice.

“We’re hoping to reappear in January … to reapply with this group (ZBA members) … to express our desire to seek a variance and our arguments as to why we think we have a reasonable chance,” said Quirk.

Quirk asked ZBA Chairman Eric Pierce if there would be any objection to the withdrawal. Pierce paused for a moment before giving his reply.

“I don’t know what else that means other than this was remanded to us by the courts,” said Pierce. “We’ll just have to find out. I don’t know what the case is…”

Pierce said this case was interesting, and he told Quirk that, in his opinion, seeking a variance after-the-fact means the backstop would have to come out before it gets approved to put back in again.

Quirk said Tabor would be proposing changes to the backstop plan to enhance safety features on it, and also said he would “make a good reasonable case as to how those changes will benefit everyone involved.”

Quirk said he appreciated the board’s patience just before Pierce said he would entertain a motion to accept the withdrawal without prejudice. ZBA member Michelle Ouellette asked for clarification and a little background information before a vote.

“The court said, you win – the town – but we want you to go back and talk about it some more – try to work it out,” Pierce told her. The appeal, he said, was to overturn Building Commissioner Scott Shippey’s original decision to deny the building permit.

But, said ZBA member Betsy Dunn sternly, “If you don’t come back in January, the structure comes down.”

Relatively new ZBA member Kate Mahoney also had some questions, and Pierce struggled a bit to summarize the situation relative to its history. Quirk chimed in.

“We are no longer seeking relief from the … the … the challenge from Mr. Shippey…. I can assure you that we’re not going to seek any advantage from this bit of confusion,” said Quirk.

Pierce told Mahoney that Quirk could withdraw so that he could reapply. The board voted to accept the withdrawal, just in case a vote was required.

“Consider yourself withdrawn,” Pierce said.

Also during the meeting, the board denied a request to convert a single-family dwelling into a multi-family house, citing a Town bylaw that discourages multi-family houses in town and restricts them to specific residential zones only – zones in which Chris Shachoy’s 444 Front Street home is not located.

“We could suggest a withdrawal,” said Pierce, “but there’s no option. At least that’s the way I read it.”

The board did approve a Special Permit for Bill Marvel to add a 16- by 16-foot addition to his 60 South Street home.

The next meeting of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for January 14 at 7:30 pm at the Marion Town House.

By Jean Perry