Elizabeth Taber Library’s Annual Meeting

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The Marion Library’s Board of Trustees welcomes all to attend our Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 30 at 6:30 pm at the Elizabeth Taber Library. Libby O’Neill, the Library Director, will give a brief overview of the library’s services and programs and then highlight some of our accomplishments over the past year. During this meeting, you’ll have the opportunity to ask any questions and provide suggestions for services in the future. For more information, please call the Elizabeth Taber Library at 508-748-1252.

New in Mattapoisett

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Editor’s note: George Emmons is a gentleman who recently moved to Mattapoisett and is sharing his experiences as he gets to know the area.

 

My wife, Jan, and I have just moved in at Crescent Beach after 20 wonderful years in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts.

We both were very involved in non-profits of Monterey, a small town near Lake Garfield; she as chairperson on the Gardening Committee of The Bidwell House Colonial Museum, and I was president of The Berkshire Hatchery Foundation, the only volunteer-run hatchery in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife system. I also wrote a monthly column in the local monthly paper about wildlife, nature, environmental awareness, and human interest profiles of local town personalities.

Getting on in years, we both wanted to be nearer to our youngest daughter. A big change in our lives. However, now, with a beautiful new sunrise at Crescent Beach, our day often starts out with the promise along a new road taken, especially going into town where at every turn and destination we are made to feel most welcome with hospitality as warm as we have ever known with our new neighbors, registering to vote at Town Hall, and especially at the library, becoming acquainted when I took out two books – Melville’s Moby Dick and Philbrick’s Heart Of The Sea – to immerse myself in the history of whaling era whose last iconic active vessel was this publication’s namesake The Wanderer.

Going into town one morning, a big surprise awaited me at the corner intersection of Prospect and Marion while driving by the Shipyard Repair Shop of David Peterson. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a nautical landmark with wonderful lines, but which had seen better days and was now mast-less like a swan sheared of its feathers. The empty hull rang a bell in my head and, acting on a hunch, I drove in and knocked on the workshop door. Like everyone else we have met, David was very polite being interrupted on a busy day, but was very pleased in my particular interest in one of his favorite charges of his collection.

It turned out to be a classic yawl named Buzzard’s Bay 30 (measured in as many feet) designed by none other than Nathaniel Herreshoff of Bristol, Rhode Island with others in the history here of fish boats, catboats, skipjacks, knockabouts, and schooners. David also kindly loaned me the treasure of a book, personally autographed to him by the author Edward F. R. Wood, entitled Sailing Days in Mattapoisett 1870 to 1960. On page 42, thirteen owners of Buzzard Bay 30s include the name of Robert W. Emmons of Tobey Island, who was my father’s second cousin. Also in the index, his name is listed three times as skipper of The Endeavor and Enterprise in the J-Boat America’s Cup races.

This nautical yarn of this adventuresome tale takes me full circle back to a sailing family heritage that includes my father, whose boat was The Quakeress around Jamestown Island in Narragansett Bay, and his uncle Arthur B. Emmons as commodore of the Ida Lewis Yacht Club in Newport. My next nautical article may find inspiration over the horizon from Crescent Beach to the whaling island of Nantucket, where my wife’s great, great grandfather was the first lighthouse keeper and who first charted the waters around Martha’s Vineyard and Block Island.

By George B. Emmons

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Residents Hope To Meet With Developer

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On June 20, Mattapoisett Planning Board Chairman Tom Tucker was in the mood to see compromises between the latest team developing Brandt Point Village and the residents of the sub-division’s Phase 1.

At the June 6 meeting, however, Tucker’s mood had been notably one of exasperation, saying that “lip service” by the development team had to stop. He went so far as to ask the town’s counsel to issue a cease and desist order based on information from residents of Phase 1 that Phase 2 construction had commenced, a violation of the phased construction plan.

Tucker’s tone was considerably tempered on this night as he told the sub-division residents that he had spoken to Mark Marcus of Omega Financial Corporation and had received assurances of compliance.

“I spoke to Marcus this morning. He is aware of the problems and does want to finish Phase 1 because it’s holding up Phase 2. He wants to meet with the residents,” Tucker said. He went on to say that all parties had to be willing to make compromises and to comport themselves like adults.

Tucker said that Marcus’ engineer, Al Loomis of McKenzie Engineering, was waiting for feedback from the town’s engineer, Ken Motta of Field Engineering, and that a punch-list of over 100 line items of to-dos was being checked off.

Still the mood of the residents was tense.

Denis Demos, whose attendance at planning board meetings has been consistent, asked, “Who is going to be accountable?” He sought to get a firm grip on what authority would finally ensure that construction concerns of the residents would be handled. Tucker said, “When everything is built, we’ll get as-built plans. I don’t want to drag anyone through the mud.”

Tucker said, “He [Marcus] knows we are going to hold him up until he is done,” referring to the completion of Phase 1 where eight households have been struggling through 10 years of incomplete construction and what, at times, has seemed to them like a revolving door of investors and developers.

All residents had signed a letter submitted to the planning board for inclusion in the evening’s informal discussion. Tucker read the letter that listed their grievances such as street lighting not in the proper location, a mail kiosk that needs to be moved, incomplete stormwater management, and the fact that Marcus was using outdated plans. They also said that Marcus had not been willing to meet with them to discuss their concerns.

Marcus’ attorney, John McGreen, was in attendance and said that Marcus didn’t want to come back to the planning board every time a small item on the punch-list was about to be worked on, noting that would hamper the project further. Tucker said that wouldn’t be necessary.

With assurances that all parties would meet outside the planning board meeting and that the residents could return if they needed assistance, the discussion was concluded.

Also coming before the planning board was Tree Warden Roland Cote with public hearings for the removal of trees along five streets considered to be part of the scenic canopy of the town.

Planning Board member Karen Field asked Cote, “Shouldn’t we be doctoring trees, not taking them down?” Expressing concern at the number of trees Cote has asked to remove in recent months, she added, “We’re not going to have scenic ways.”

The planning board members heard Cote’s rational for the removal of the trees – some due to safety concerns and others due to possible diseases. Of the five locations, the board members granted permission at three: a maple tree at 150 North Street, a Bradford pear tree at 29 Pearl Street, and an ash tree at the corner of Pine Island and Old Marion Road. Tree removal at 14 North Street was tabled pending clarification of location and tree in question, and a maple tree at 33 Pearl Street was deemed healthy at the present time. Cote said that part of the town’s village street improvement project would include the planting of new trees in partnership with the tree committee.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for July 18 at 7:00 pm in the town hall conference room.

By Marilou Newell

 

FORM Celebrates the Contributions of ORR Music Students

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The Friends of Old Rochester Music (FORM) is pleased to announce that 19 graduating seniors received scholarships and awards for their contributions to the ORR Music Program. Their commitment to the program and the impact that music has made in their lives was eloquently detailed in their impressive applications. Thanks, in part, to the generous support of donors and sponsors to FORM, the following students received awards this year: Sydney D. Arruda, Samantha Babineau, Colleen Beatrice, Hannah June Dean, Samantha Dean, Lillie Farrell, Holly Frink, Meghan Johnson, Jane Kassabian, Jessica Rose Keegan, Isabella King, Alyson Maggiore, Alexandra Taylor Melloni, Victor Schoen Morris, Zenobia Ruth Nelles, Kaeli Peters, George Rentumis, Hannah Rose, Natasha Heather Shorrock.

We extend our congratulations to these accomplished student musicians and wish them much success in their future endeavors.

On behalf of FORM and the ORR Music Program, we would also like to recognize and applaud the efforts of Jill Peters, who after more than a decade of supporting FORM, is retiring from FORM and leaving her current role as President. Without her leadership and personal contributions, the FORM organization would not have flourished and reached so many students. It is with our heartfelt gratitude that we wish you all the best!

FORM is a volunteer, non-for-profit organization whose mission is to support the ORR Music Program. Funds are used to defray some of the costs associated with music competition fees, travel, instruments, and more. Thanks to the generosity of donors and patrons to FORM, students were able to attend Great East Music Festival, MAJE, the Berklee High School Jazz Festival, the UNH Jazz Festival, and MICCA competition during the academic year as well as play at Faneuil Hall in Boston. In addition, FORM donated a new drum set from Symphony Music Shop to benefit our aspiring percussionists.

For more information about FORM, to make a contribution to the scholarship fund, or to become a volunteer, please contact Susan Gorden Ryan at 508-208-1927 or Susan@boldrealtors.com.

New Summer Programs at the MNHM

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Join us on Wednesday afternoons from 1:00 – 4:00 pm this summer for nature programs with the Marion Natural History Museum. The cost for each program is $24 for members, $30 for non-members.

July 20: Exploring Fresh Water Ecosystems at Washburn Park. We’ll be exploring vernal pools, woods and bogs. We’ll spend the afternoon looking at plants and soils, netting amphibians and fish, and looking for birds and signs of other types of wildlife.

July 27: Introduction to Our Coastal Birds. A naturalist with MA Fish and Wildlife will be giving us a presentation on shore birds of our area. We will be able to hear first-hand from one of the naturalists how they’ve been helping to improve the nesting habitat for the Roseate Terns of our area. Then we will be taking a trip to Bird Island, courtesy of Marion Harbormaster’s office and lead naturalist, Carolyn Mostello.

August 3: Summer Star Lab. Explore summer constellations with the Museum’s Star Lab portable planetarium. We will have the opportunity to work with the Star Lab instructor to learn to identify some of the features of our nighttime summer skies.

August 10: Children’s Nature Journaling Workshop. Learn the art of observation with Artist and Naturalist Tricia Cassidy. This is a great way to introduce the students to the world of journaling. We will make a small sketchbook and then go outside to learn different ways to observe and draw from nature.

August 17: Making Artwork from Nature. During this program, we’ll collect interesting items during our hike around town and then use them to create our own masterpieces here at the museum.

These programs are designed to be small groups, and registration is limited to 15 children per session. To register for any of these programs, please go to www.marionmuseum.org, fill out the registration and submit with payment. Please call the museum if you have any questions at 508-748-2098, and please visit the museum during our open hours this summer.

Marlene A. (Sylvia) Hirst

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Marlene A. (Sylvia) Hirst, 76, of Fairhaven, passed away Sunday, June 19, 2016, at Sippican Healthcare Center, in Marion, after a period of declining health. She was the wife of the late David M. Hirst.

Born in New Bedford, daughter of the late Manuel B. and Lucille (DeTerra) Sylvia, she lived most of her life in Mattapoisett prior to settling in Fairhaven 25 years ago.

Marlene had worked as a secretary for Frank Sylvia Relator for many years. She loved doing crafts, especially crocheting and knitting and was active in the operation of her daughter’s craft shop on Spring Street, in Fairhaven, the former Linda’s Country Collection.

She is survived by her daughter, Linda Ryan of New Bedford; a son, Gerald Brecken, Jr. of Fairhaven; three grandchildren, Jeremy and Kristopher Borges and Jessica Brecken; two step sons, Michael Hirst and his wife Judy of Hudson and Matthew Hirst and his wife Tracy of Freetown; a step daughter, Suzanne Bancroft and her husband David of Fairhaven; an aunt, Ruth Sylvia of Marion; several great grandchildren, step grandchildren and nieces and nephews. Mrs. Hirst was the mother of the late Shawn Brecken, mother in law of the late Michael Ryan and she was the last of four children.

Private arrangements are by the Fairhaven Funeral Home, 117 Main Street, Fairhaven.

Bikes, Buoys, And Roads

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On the evening of June 21, the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen discussed the issue of bike safety, once again finding it hard to reach a consensus on the best course of action to take to improve the bike path crossings at Mattapoisett Neck and Brandt Island Roads.

Police Chief Mary Lyons said her research was incomplete but that the combination of bikers not stopping at the crossings and motorists traveling too fast was lethal. She had found that some cities and towns use a gate system that forces the bicyclists to slow down and/or stop as well as pedestrian crossing cones that gave motorists a visual cue to slow down. But that latter suggestion made Selectman Tyler Macallister comment, “The root of the problem is that people are not stopping,” referring to the bicyclists not the motorists.

Lyons thought that a committee should be used to weigh all the options and provide some clarity to the issue.

There ensued a 20-minute, sometimes tense discussion that included bike path chairman Steve Kelleher, longtime advocate and prime mover of bike path projects Bonne DeSousa, and Highway Surveyor Barry Denham, along with Lyons and the Board of Selectmen.

Macallister referred to bicyclists as “your people” when addressing a point to Kelleher. That caused DeSousa to point out to him that it is the entire public at risk and not a group belonging to Kelleher.

DeSousa also offered, “A complete street policy would help to get new funds.” She believed that those funds could be used to improve safety at the crossings.

DeSousa also said that more education was necessary beyond simply showing the children how to put on a bike helmet. She said that the state Department of Transportation has a program called “Safe Routes to School Programs” from which the town might benefit.

However, Denham said that “…it’s a grant we tried to get twice in my ten years as the highway supervisor, but the schools have to apply for it, not the town. The schools don’t want to do it because it doesn’t benefit schools directly.”

It seemed that once again an impasse stalled efforts to fix a problem everyone at the table agreed existed.

In the end, it was decided that a committee consisting of Denham, a representative from the police department, and a representative from the bike path committee would bring back concrete options for improving the crossings. They are expected to return to the July Board of Selectmen meeting with their findings.

In another area of safety – boat safety – Harbormaster Jill Simmons came before the selectmen to discuss the disestablishment of buoys and other navigational aids proposed by the USCG as mandated by the federal government.

Simmons said that at least one of the four markers proposed for removal from Mattapoisett Harbor had to be kept, adding that, “Depending on what they take out, we’ll have to put back,” at a cost to the town.

Simmons will draft an impact letter to the USCG who is asking for local feedback as they try to implement budget cutbacks. Simmons will pen the letter as part of her work with the Buzzards Bay Task Force and asked for the town’s support. Support was granted. Simmons will keep the selectmen informed moving forward.

Denham then came before the board to discuss the new gas line installations that have been ongoing throughout town. He said it was a complicated and slow process to remove the 100-year-old gas lines, but once complete “We’ll be good for another one hundred years.”

Denham also presented the selectmen with a report listing the condition of every public roadway in the town. He said of the 46 miles of public access roads, 74 roads were in good condition, 12 in fair condition, and 45 in poor condition. Denham said that the village street improvements would cost approximately $1 million dollars per mile and that there were 4.5 miles in that category.

Town Administrator Michael Gagne reported that the TIP (state transportation improvement program) vote was taken and that Mattapoisett was slated for funding for village street improvements in 2021. The selectmen agreed that Gagne should prepare a RFQ for engineering services in advance of the fall town meeting so that Mattapoisett could be ready with the 25 percent engineered drawings required by the program.

The selectmen also approved the transfer of $68,983 to cover various year-end overages from wages to legal services to snow and ice expenses.

Also meeting with the selectmen was John Foggerty regarding his proposal to place a food truck at the town beach for the summer.

After some discussion on the viability of the location to support a business, appropriate lease costs, and safety issues, Foggerty was asked to return with an updated proposal showing hours and days of operation. The selectmen agreed that the town beach location was less desirable than the town wharf location, with Macallister saying, “The Slip is the primo spot; the two locations are not on a par with each other.” It was disclosed that the Ice Cream Slip pays the town $2,000 per season for the wharf location that includes easy access to electrical service and water. It was suggested that a fee of $500 per month for a trial period was acceptable for the town beach location.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for July 19 at the new time of 6:30 pm for the July and August 16 meetings.

By Marilou Newell

 

New Cupola in Rochester’s Historic Town Center

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It was a magnificent sight to behold as a new cupola soared skyward on June 17. It soared with its bronze and copper eagle perched inside the peaked roof. It soared with its glistening copper roof. It soared as a symbol of what can be accomplished when people come together and share talents, resources, and time. Rochester’s Plumb Library wears its new cupola with pride as a work of art in the historic village center.

But let’s back up to how this truly elegant piece of engineering and design came to be.

Library Director Gail Roberts told The Wanderer, “The project came about because the old cupola, which was original to the building and built in 1976, leaked and sometimes the rain would pool up in the attic and would drip down into the library. Not good! Andrew Daniel, Rochester’s Facilities Manager, explored it and found that it was open to the attic underneath, as the original idea was to have a light in the cupola. He suggested that we get a new cupola in the style of the old one, and that he would close up the space underneath it.”

            After looking into the cost to replace the cupola, it quickly became apparent that a new one was out of the question. “It was cost prohibitive,” Daniel said.

Daniel said that the cost for a new cupola was about $14,000. “There was no way the town could do it.” Daniel knew of the skills and cooperative climate at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School as he had worked with the students and instructors there on other town projects. He approached the school about building a new cupola, and Daniel said, “They saved the day.” Yet the school alone, even with the town’s assistance, couldn’t get this job done.

Daniel spearheaded collaboration between OCRVTHS carpentry shop and businessman Richard Miranda, owner of Diversified Roofing Systems located in New Bedford.

Miranda heard through a mutual acquaintance that the town needed some help and that Old Colony was willing to build the wooden structure. Miranda donated copper sheeting for the roof and the technical expertise to apply the metal to the multifaceted roofline.

“I went to the old Apponequet High School. They had shops back then. My grandfather always told me do whatever you want, but have a trade to fall back on,” Miranda shared. With that sage advice, Miranda did two things: he followed his heart, and he developed a successful trade and business. On staff, Miranda also has a graduate of Old Colony. He is paying it forward both in terms of sharing knowledge and resources while honoring his grandfather’s memory.

“We did the copper work,” Miranda said of the shiny new copper-covered roof the cupola sports. “It’s a dying art,” he demurred. He said the students were very helpful and willing to learn. “We spent the whole day teaching the kids – I even shut off my phone,” he said with a chuckle. “It took about one hundred man hours to do the copper because of the angles,” he said.

Carpentry instructor Douglas Sims, who took over the project that was started by retiring instructor Stu Norton, said the students built the wooden structure using rough drawings provided by Daniel. He said the students also worked with manufacturer’s instructions for the tricky part of installing the four window sections. Of the day spent working at Miranda’s shop, Sims said, “The five students didn’t want to leave!” Norton said that opportunities such as this are beneficial, “Kids get to learn with very little cost to the school.”

Daniel said he was going to try to install the cupola himself in three pieces. Miranda once again provided vital support. Miranda donated hours to the installation of the finished piece with a team of workers and a very large crane that hauled the cupola up and onto the library roof peak. Daniel said that the new cupola’s appearance was in keeping with the aesthetics of the other buildings in the town’s historic center. He also beamed with pride, “I repaired the eagle.”

Roberts thanked everyone for all they had done to make this project come together, “We couldn’t have done it without everyone’s help. Now we’re good for another hundred years.”

By Marilou Newell

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Sippican Lands Trust Scholarship Winner

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The Sippican Lands Trust Executive Director Robin Shields enthusiastically announces the recipient of the 2016 Sippican Lands Trust Helen A. Arthur Scholarship in the amount of $1,000.

This year’s recipient is Emil Assing, a senior at Old Rochester Regional High School. Assing has been admitted to the University of Vermont where he plans to pursue his education in environmental science. More specifically, Assing strives to focus his degree to incorporate his interest in organic chemistry.

Assing is recognized for his excellence in academics, athletics, civic leadership and community service. In particular, the SLT appreciates his commitment to the environment and his drive to want to address environmental issues in the future.

Funds for this award are made available through the Sippican Lands Trust Scholarship Fund, which was created and named after Helen A. Arthur, a beloved resident of Marion and long-time volunteer for the SLT. Helen had a deep interest in the preservation of the beautiful open spaces in Marion.

Founded in 1974, the Sippican Lands Trust strives to acquire, protect, and maintain natural areas in Marion. Its purpose is to conserve land, protect habitat and offer public access to the beautiful protected lands of our town.

Please do not hesitate to us if you have any questions at 508-748-3080 or info@sippicanlandstrust.org. Visit us on Facebook and www.sippicanlandstrust.org.

Symphonic Concert a ‘Celebration of the Sea’

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Spectators had a ‘whale of a time’ at the Tri-County Symphonic Band’s 14th Annual Benefit Pops Concert this past Sunday at the Tabor Academy in Marion.

Under the baton of Philip Sanborn, music director of the Tri-County Symphonic Band for the past 10 seasons, the ensemble delivered a performance with such vibrancy and excitement that one couldn’t help dancing in their seat.

This year’s theme, “Celebration of the Sea,” was inspired by where the group rehearses. According to Sanborn, “We’ve been rehearsing fifteen yards from the sea all these years. Why don’t we dedicate this [concert] to the sea?”

Pops concerts such as this characteristically program popular pieces as well as light classical music, making them a great way to introduce oneself to the world of classic band repertoire in a casual way. Tri-County’s program featured nautical selections, including swashbuckling sea chanties, maritime marches, and a premiere work.

Now in its 54th season, the Tri-County Symphonic Band has been dazzling audiences and enriching the cultural life of Southeastern Massachusetts since 1962. The musicians come together every Tuesday evening at the Fireman Performing Arts Center to rehearse, some coming from as far as Connecticut and Rhode Island. They perform a variety of musical genres, from classic band repertoire to contemporary favorites. As stated in the concert program, “the primary aim of the organization has been to make live performances of quality concert band repertoire available in the community and to give musicians a chance to share their love for the art of making music.”

One of the highlights of the program was Robert W. Smith’s Song of Sailor and Sea. The Tri-County Symphonic Band delivered the piece with great character and style, especially the percussion section with their extensive feature that included whale sounds, rattling chains, and a ship’s bell. It was difficult to tell whether the ocean sounds the audience heard came from the band or the Sippican Harbor just outside the tent.

Another highlight was the premiere of An Evening Sail on Buzzard’s Bay written for the group by Rochester’s own John Wallace. The peaceful composition well captured the mood of a tranquil sail over glassy waters. The symphonic band also performed selections from Horner’s Titanic and Zimmer’s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End to the audience’s delight, and also featured a virtuosic performance by alto saxophonist, Michael Raposo. Raposo, currently a student at the Hartt School of Music, gave a well-executed performance of Carnival by Philip Sparke with his beautiful tone and excellent technique.

And finally, no Pops concert would be complete without John Philip Sousa’s The Stars and Stripes Forever, an audience favorite and a classic finale to a successful concert. When asked what he thought the audience would like best, Sanborn responded with, “Everything … It’s all good!”

All proceeds from the concert will benefit the scholarship fund of the Tri-County Music Association. This association is dedicated to “encourag[ing] our young people to pursue careers in music education or as instrumentalists by providing them an opportunity to perform and by awarding scholarships.” The association also offers summer music study grants to high school students and awards a total of $12,000 each year.

Katrina Arabie, a 2015 recipient of the John R. Pandolfi Scholarship and member of the Tri-County Symphonic Band, expressed her appreciation: “I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to play at the Benefit concert. I received the scholarship in 2015 which helped further my education at the University of North Texas. The ensemble provided me with many connections to other music educators in the area.”

The Tri-County Music Association and the Tri-County Symphonic Band are true gems to the community, and in the words of trumpet player Roger Haber, dedicated to “keep music live and alive.” From the abundance of supporters at Sunday’s concert, it is clear that the band is treasured by the community as well.

By Ashley Perry

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