Revisit Days

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On April 2, 3, and 7, about 150 accepted students visited Tabor Academy’s campus to help them determine if they will attend Tabor next year.

According to Caldwell Harden, a head tour guide, “Revisit days are a vital part of a student’s schooling decision because it is one thing to read about a school and look at photos, but once you are here on a revisit day, it becomes possible to picture oneself here and see what the day-to-day life is truly like.”

On Revisit Days, Tabor students are hosts for the visitors and bring them around throughout the day. Over the course of the day, students attended Chapel, a bi-weekly gathering at Tabor during which seniors have the privilege of giving a speech. At Chapel, the string ensemble performed along with various choral groups.

“Giving a speech on a revisit day is a bit of added pressure, but as I wrote it, I focused more on revealing a part of myself that my peers did not know,” says Harden, who spoke on one of the days.

Throughout the day, students attended three classes based on the subject interests that they shared in preparation for the day.

Students got an idea of what the daily menu is like during lunch with their hosts in the dining hall and when the academic day ended, they were welcome to take a final tour of any place on campus that they felt the need to see again. Some students elected to take a second look at the performing arts center, the athletic center, and dorms, and received a personalized tour from one of the head tour guides.

Furthermore, the parents had their own schedule while their kids shadowed current Tabor students. The parents were able to speak with a panel of students and ask them any questions they had about Tabor. The visiting students were also able to attend a separate panel to ask questions. Assisting on the panel is another example of all the help that Tabor students provided throughout the day.

At the end of the day, the accepted students and their parents attended an extracurricular fair where faculty members and current students had displays of various clubs, sports, and activities to discuss with potential students.

The extracurricular fair is a great opportunity for these visitors to make connections with coaches and students with shared interests who they can talk to as they continue making their decision.

Lots of hard work by Tabor students, faculty, and especially Admissions staff help to make these important days a success.

Tour Guide Claire Brito, a junior, enjoys Revisit Days as a current student. “It reminds me of my revisit day and makes me remember why I love Tabor.”

By Julia O’Rourke

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Spring Sports Trudge Through Mud

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Thanks to the record-breaking snowfall from this past winter, the Old Rochester Regional High School spring sports teams, which began practicing on March 18, have had to postpone and reschedule many of their games in order for the muddy fields to get in order. Luckily, a few teams managed to get their seasons started this week with promising results. Here is a look at the first week of scheduled games for ORR spring athletics.

Boys’ Tennis: After a conference championship last spring and very few starters graduating, the boys’ tennis team has high expectations for this season. If their season-opener is any indication, the Bulldogs are not only ready to meet those expectations, but to exceed them. In their season-opener, the boys shut-out what was considered to be their toughest competition in the conference, Dighton-Rehoboth, 5-0 without losing a single set. Owen Sughrue, a freshman who quickly locked up the first singles spot, won his match in an easy 6-0, 6-0 to add a point to the Bulldog’s victory. Other wins for the Bulldogs came from Alex Bilodeau (second singles), Sam Pasquill (third singles), Josh Lerman and Maxx Wolski (first doubles), and Stephen Burke and Jahn Pothier (second doubles). Proving that they are certainly capable of defeating one of the top teams in the conference, the boys’ tennis team will look to claim an undefeated SCC title this spring, as well as a strong state tournament run.

Girls’ Tennis: Like the boys’ team, the girls’ tennis team opened up their season with a 5-0 victory over Dighton-Rehoboth, and followed it up later in the week with another 5-0 shutout, this time against Bourne. In both matches, senior star Julia Nojeim played as her usual consistent self at the first singles position, easily defeating the top players on the opposing teams by large margins. Morgan Middleton, who played second doubles last year, proved herself very capable of playing in the second singles position, winning both of her matches as well. Other scorers for the Lady Bulldogs were Olivia Bellefeuille (third singles), K.K. Bindas and Charlotte Levine (first doubles), and Sophie Church and Emma Collins (second doubles).

Boys’ Lacrosse: The ORR lacrosse programs also had excellent opening weeks. In their home-opener, the boys’ lacrosse team defeated non-conference Dartmouth in an exciting 10-8 victory. Dartmouth, who has had their lacrosse program much longer than Old Rochester, is generally considered one of the toughest teams in the area, but thanks to strong efforts from veterans and debut players alike, the Bulldogs managed to pull ahead in the final minutes to secure the victory. Sophomore Landon Goguen was the lead scorer for ORR, recording four goals. Other goals for the Bulldogs came from Taylor Hatch (two goals), Ethan Lizotte, Pat Kiernan, and freshman Thomas McIntyre, who scored two goals and recorded three assists in his debut high school game. The Bulldogs also played well defensively, thanks to a strong backfield of Dakotah Jones, Hunter Cooney, and West Point bound goalie Gerald Lanagan. The strong start bodes well for the Bulldogs, who will look to reclaim their SCC championship status for the second year in a row.

Girls’ Lacrosse: Going into their season-opener against Division 1 Dartmouth, many did not expect the girls’ lacrosse team to emerge victorious. The Lady Bulldogs shattered all expectations this week, however, defeating the Lady Indians for the first time in program history with a score of 15-11. Led by senior Chloe Riley, who scored an incredible seven goals, the Lady Bulldogs battled back from a two-goal deficit at halftime to outscore Dartmouth 9-3 in the second half and win their first game of the season. Other goals for ORR came from Mikayla Demanche, Sarah Ryan, and freshmen Maggie Adams, Ali Hulsebosch, and Maddie Cooney. Though the Lady Bulldogs have a very young team, they more than make up for it in talent, as some of the freshmen recruits have already begun to stand out on the varsity level.

Below are the overall spring team records, followed by the conference records in wins, losses, and ties as of April 5.

Baseball: (0-0-0) (0-0-0); Softball: (0-0-0) (0-0-0); Boys’ Track: (0-0-0) (0-0-0); Girls’ Track: (0-0-0) (0-0-0); Boys’ Tennis: (1-0-0) (1-0-0); Girls’ Tennis: (2-0-0) (2-0-0); Boys’ Lacrosse: (1-0-0) (0-0-0); Girls’ Lacrosse: (1-0-0) (0-0-0).

By Michael Kassabian

 

Selectmen Air Concerns and Review FY16

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Mattapoisett Town Administrator Michael Gagne met with the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen on April 7 to present the Fiscal Year 2016 budget and to answer their questions and flush out areas of concern in advance of Town Meeting.

Gagne and the Finance Committee had been plugging away for weeks, meeting with department heads and reviewing line-by-line departmental budgets expenses and revenues.

Their conversations focused on the larger departments such as schools, highways, and emergency services. They also found themselves talking about some issues that potentially could pose grave consequences for the town if unaddressed.

During their review of the Highway (FY16 $533,932 versus FY15 $536,292) and Sewer (FY16 $2,202,504 versus FY15 $2,246,917) budgets, the conversation turned to concerns regarding the sewer pipe crossing the Eel Pond breach.

Gagne told board members that the Town may engage a firm from Maine to discuss replacing the existing pipe using a boring method for $450,000 and explained how the technology would work.

“I think you’re throwing money away,” said Selectman Tyler Macallister. Macallister proposed that instead of spending money on replacing the sewer line in sensitive ecological conditions, it should be used to explore sending the line up to Route 6 via Depot Street.

Selectman Jordan Collyer concurred that the current location of the pipe was like a ticking time bomb saying, “If they are to open up that pipe … if anything happened, we are in a world of hurt.” He continued, “Soils under a new pipe will be loosened and that may cause the pipe to settle and crack…”

And that wasn’t the only troubling location for the town’s public sewer lines. Collyer said an even bigger concern was the sewer line running along the railroad bridge near the YMCA camp.

Selectman Paul Silva asked Gagne if the town would be eligible for federal funds, and Gagne’s said yes. Gagne said he would pursue that option before exploring repairs to what all considered a very poor location for raw sewer transport.

Getting back to the budgets, Gagne walked the board members through several cost centers.

For the Planning Board, Gagne pointed out that a small increase of $3,704 was called for to increase the part-time hours presently worked by the secretary from 14 hours per week to just under 19. The selectmen felt the additional hours were necessary. The Planning Board’s total FY16 budget stands at $20,914.

The Police Department budget for FY16 is $1,949,954 versus FY15 $1,887,133. The lion’s share of the increase is wage step increases.

The Fire Department budget for FY16 is $402,784 versus FY15 $384,549. Here, Gagne explained the need to increase the on-call personnel line item from $122,000 to $140,000, saying daytime coverage is a problem and he hoped that an increase would encourage young members of the department to come forward when needed. But Gagne also said that younger volunteer fire personnel work out of town or can’t simply leave their jobs. He suggested looking into encouraging people who live in town and either work in town or very nearby to consider becoming a volunteer firefighter.

In the inspectional services category, Gagne discussed the $10,000 increase needed for the combination of an outside inspection professional to assist the Town and a third of the money going towards services provided by the conservation agent.

Collyer asked how much money the department brought in last fiscal year and Gagne said approximately $295,000. The total budget for this department for FY16 is pegged at $198,351 versus FY15 $185,377.

Gagne shared with the selectmen that the school committee had agreed to use an adjusted state figure instead of relying on the governor’s number for budgeting purposes.

“This has been an historic battle,” said Collyer. “Everyone’s using the governor’s numbers.”

The school budget is 2.9% greater than FY15, which was $11,747,395.

There was a candid discussion regarding manpower at the Highway Department with all agreeing there was a need to increase part-time hours and look at other staffing solutions. The FY16 budget comes in at $533,932 versus FY15 at $536,292 – a savings of $2,360 unless those monies are moved to wages before Town Meeting vote.

The big whopper of the night was SEMASS. With the closure of the multi-decade contract comes a higher solid waste cost, Gagne told the selectmen.

For FY16, the number is $123,000 versus $68,000 in FY15. On the bad news front, that number will continue to climb unless competitive sources could be found, Gagne said. On the good news side was the hope that more recycled solid waste would equate to savings for the town.

“The public needs to understand that the more they recycle, the more money the town will save on solid waste removal,” said Silva. He said that every time people use the ‘orange lid’ containers, they are helping save tax dollars. Solid waste removal is anticipated to be $165,000 in FY17.

The notion of adding a new staff position for the library met with some raised eyebrows as the selectmen wondered at the need to increase part-time hours and also hire a new part-time person. They agreed with one another that it should be either/or, but not both. FY15 was at $358,966 versus the FY16 request of $391,317.

Gagne said that the selectmen would be meeting with Highway Surveyor Barry Denham and the Town’s engineering consultant, Field Engineering, at the next Selectmen’s meeting. At that time, the board will have a chance to discuss in greater detail roadway and sidewalk repair planning and associated costs, priorities and timelines. The selectmen felt that with the Town’s debt service standing at -$99,808, the Town was in a good position to secure funding for much needed repairs.

Wharf repairs were touched on with Silva asking if a professional grant writer should be hired to help the Town articulate its need for federal assistance of these valuable assets. Gagne agreed and more to follow on this was assured.

The selectmen will look at the FY16 budget again before signing the document for Town Meeting, but that date has not been set.

By Marilou Newell

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Rochester Historical Society Meeting

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The next meeting of the Rochester Historical Society will be on Wednesday, April 15 at 7:00 pm at the East Rochester Church/Museum 355 County Road. Michael McCue, Town Administrator, will speak about his interest in local history and his research regarding Benjamin Church, early ancestor of the George Church family of Rochester. All are welcome. Refreshments will be served.

Thank You for Plowing

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To the Editor:

Now that the winter season has finally passed, WE HOPE, I would like to take a moment to thank Barry Denham and his crew for the top-notch job they did keeping our roads plowed and safe for travel all through this monumental winter.

No matter how big the storm, our roads were open in a timely manner with a courteous crew at the helm.

Also a hats off to the school bus drivers who transported our children to and from school every day safe and sound during this MEMORABLE winter.

Joyce Almeida, Mattapoisett

 

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

It All Adds Up for Math Team

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An organization like the Math Team is often not a primary focus of the Old Rochester Regional High School student body, and therefore their success goes mostly unnoticed. This season, however, the team has been garnering notoriety for their strong showings in the Southeastern Massachusetts Conference of Mathematics League (SMCML).

Math Team advisor Melanie Kellum, along with a couple of the club’s standout performers, explained a bit about the competitive math landscape and how this club is unlike any other at ORRHS.

Kellum provided some context for those unfamiliar with the structure of a math meet.

“Math topics covered include topics covered in the curriculum and extracurricular topics that students may have not interacted with,” said Kellum. “We have four meets between October and March. There are teams of five for the first rounds, and each student also participates in three 10-minute individual rounds. The top seven to eight teams in the league go to playoffs each year, and we are one of those teams going to the playoffs this year.” She finished by saying, “We practice every Wednesday, and anyone who likes Math can come.”

Thanks to the high level of participation in ORR’s Math Team this year, ORR has been able to bring roughly three teams to a math meet. Kellum noted the increased participation as one of the best things about this year’s Math Team experience, and also as one of the trends she would like to see continue. “I’m very happy with the results,” she added.

Some of the best things about Math Team, according to Kellum, are the team’s flexibility and potential aid to a member’s schoolwork.

“Kids can be involved in all kinds of activities and still do a great job on the team. The added benefit is that they get better at their math,” said Kellum.

Sophomore Colin Flynn didn’t join the team until November, but he has excelled ever since to become a top scorer and a building block for the future. Flynn described the meets as “enjoyable events with a good environment.”

Flynn is excited by the upcoming playoff meet and noted the significance of the last meet, where he earned the top score for ORR. Encouraged by his success, Flynn said he is “definitely continuing next year.”

Andrea Harris is one of the team’s seniors, and as Kellum puts it, “a top scorer.” Harris said that the strong point of this year’s team was the depth.

“We had a lot of good meets where we had our top two or three teams scoring,” said Harris.

Harris started competing as a sophomore and said one of the best things about being on the Math Team is, “We had a lot of fun outside of the actual math competition.” Harris said that one thing Math Team taught her is that “it’s better to think simple.”

Junior Drew Robert also began Math Team as a sophomore, which seems to be a trend. Robert enjoyed a few perfect rounds this season and said his best memory was beating Dartmouth, who he labeled “our biggest competitor.”

Robert said he enjoys the “unique environment” of Math Team and cited the food served at practices and meets as a cool thing that sets the Math Team apart from any other club or organization. He is planning on returning to the team for his senior year.

The Math Team, without a doubt, is one of the fastest-growing and most interesting clubs at ORR. As the club gains notoriety and continues to perform at a high level, there is nowhere to go but up.

By Patrick Briand

 

Saltworks Surprised, Needs Special Permit

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The Saltworks Marine property development project slated for 291 Wareham Road made some progress on April 6, even with the revelation that the project would require a special permit in addition to the site plan review process with the Marion Planning Board.

Saltworks owner Daniel Crete and Engineer Douglas Schneider, standing in for David Davignon, were caught off guard by the Planning Board’s advisement that the project would require a special permit application because the square footage of the proposed buildings on the site exceeds the 5,000 square-foot aggregate. Crete expressed surprise that the board was only now just informing him of the requirement.

“We’ve been pretty forthright through this process, so we’d like to get all this figured out now,” said Crete. He asked how difficult the special permit application would be at this point in the process, and the board determined that, under a tight timeline, the matter could be resolved by mid-May.

“You have to forgive my ignorance, but I clearly missed the 5,000 square-foot aggregate,” said Crete, adding, “All of this has been right in front of everybody … almost seven months ago already.” Continuing, Crete said, “I’m happy to do whatever we need to do to get the special permit…. Clearly we missed it, and now we have to fix it.”

Planning Board Chairman Stephen Kokkins told Crete “both sides could have done better,” and Crete thanked Kokkins for his understanding. “Normally it’s not the Planning Board to anticipate every detail,” said Kokkins.

“I’m not pointing any fingers,” said Crete, “I’m just saying that this has all been clearly lying on the table for seven months.”

Needing the site plan approval, delayed by the special permit requirement, in addition to the approval of the Conservation Commission, Crete said construction logistics all hinge on several elements that form a Catch-22 conundrum, while the clock ticks away. Crete said he was planning for completion of construction of Phase I in November.

“We can’t set improper precedents here, either,” said Kokkins.

Planning Board member Norman Hills brought up the Phase II Quonset hut, which is currently placed temporarily within a velocity zone that Crete is trying to have undesignated as a V-zone with FEMA.

“Until that’s changed, you don’t want to hear about it and I don’t want to bring it up,” said Crete.

Engineering consultant for the board, Bill Madden of G.A.F. Engineering, addressed the matter of the groundwater mounding analysis waiver request from the March 2 meeting, which Madden, in his letter to the board, recommended the board not approve.

Madden, in attendance, went through the 64 recommendations point by point, saying Crete had addressed most of the concerns, with just a few remaining, including the groundwater mounding analysis waiver.

Madden said groundwater mounding calculations show the northerly stormwater recharge system adequate, but the southerly system, according to the calculations, shows an 18-inch mound, which must be rectified by enlarging the system before a waiver for the analysis can be granted.

Contrary to the prior concerns stated in his letter to the board, Madden recommended the board issue a number of the other waivers requested as well, including the one for a side yard setback on the recharge unit, now saying the risk of an impact on neighboring basements due to mounding was minimal.

Although Schneider voiced his continuing concern over the groundwater mounding analysis waiver, he said he was confident the outstanding issues could be addressed to move the special permit process forward.

The matter was continued until April 21.

There was more strife over meeting minutes before adjourning just at the two and a half-hour mark in the evening. Hills and Planning Board member Eileen Marum both voted against acceptance of the November 17 and December 1 minutes written by Planning Board Clerk Robert Lane in a 3-2 vote. Another set of minutes was deferred for a later date for modification and acceptance.

The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for April 21 at 5:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

By Jean Perry

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Earth Day Event Features Live Animals

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The Buzzards Bay Action Committee is pleased to sponsor its third annual Earth Day for Buzzards Bay Expo event in Fairhaven on April 25 – the last day of April school vacation. The Expo is free admission to all. Bring the family and find out what you can do to enjoy your spring and lighten your impact on the environment at the same time.

This year’s highlights include the “Turtle Guy,” Don Lewis of Marion, with some of the live turtles he’s rescued from the wild. Lewis has been working with turtles and other endangered wildlife for more than 12 years. There will also be a live honeybees exhibit with Wayne Andrews of the Bristol County Beekeepers Association. The beehive will be under glass so you can watch all their activities without disturbing them or being disturbed by them.

The Expo is also the place to learn about pollinators – especially monarch butterflies and their plight, and pick up a free milkweed plant for your home butterfly garden – and about composting – what can and cannot be composted – and where you can get a compost bin for your backyard and a pail for your kitchen (right at the Expo!).

There will be displays and activities for kids; exhibits and talks about garden design, land trusts, native plants, and new biodegradable packaging materials; and the Fairhaven Bikeways and Sustainability Committees will be there as well as the Buzzards Bay Coalition and the Buzzards Bay Action Committee. Food will be available from How on Earth, the natural foods store and restaurant located on Route 6 in Mattapoisett, and other vendors will be selling native plants, natural soaps, aromatherapy, etc.

The Earth Day Expo will feature a wide variety of eco-friendly options for a lifestyle with low impact on the environment, especially Buzzards Bay. A number of exhibitors will present their products and ideas to help residents learn how to reduce their water bills, keep lawns and yards healthy and attractive, and cut back on the use of potentially harmful chemicals inside the home and out. It begins at 10:00 am and runs until 4:00 pm at the Fairhaven Senior Center, 229 Huttleston Avenue (Route 6), Fairhaven, on April 25. Admission is free.

Tabor Academy Morning of Service

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On April 22, Tabor Academy students and faculty – about 600 strong – will fan out across the Southcoast for their second Morning of Service of the year. The school organizes this event each fall and spring to assist local organizations with special projects that can be accomplished in 2-3 hours. Many of the organizations Tabor students will be working with on April 22 are ongoing service partners for the school’s afternoon, evening and weekend service program, partnering on projects on a weekly or monthly basis, allowing students to build stronger relationships and skills that become really valuable over time for both the organization and the students.

During the Morning of Service, students work together within their advisor groups to serve their chosen organization, often one that has a personal connection to a member of the group. For example, Marion resident Connie Pierce, a teacher at Tabor, introduced her students to the First Congregational Church in Marion several years ago. The students now occasionally help serve a monthly Friendship Table meal for the church. On the Morning of Service, her advisor group has been entrusted with a list of special clean-up projects to accomplish, widening the students understanding of the church’s mission.

Some of the tasks students will perform during the Morning of Service include painting fences and spreading mulch at Marion’s Sippican School; painting bathrooms and spreading wood chips for the YMCA preschool program at Sippican School; making blankets for Project Linus; conducting Earth Day road cleanup for the Marion Tree Committee; tree planting with Grow Education in New Bedford; trail clean-up at the Lloyd Center in Dartmouth; springtime garden prep at the Sharing the Harvest Community Farm in Dartmouth; cleaning church pews at St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church of Marion; and start-up work at Community Boating Center, New Bedford.

The Morning of Service is a time when Tabor students give back to the community and have the opportunity to learn about the needs of a new organization and the population they serve. Some of these will be one-time projects, while others have or will blossom into real partnerships for progress.

The action starts at 5:00 am on April 22 when the first advisor group will head off for their Morning of Service to cook and serve breakfast at Mercy Meals in New Bedford. Vans and busses will continue departures from Tabor all morning, fanning out across the Southcoast to learn and serve in partnership with our community.

Pier Hearing

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To the Editor:

Even though I live almost on the Marion town line, you can bet I’ll be attending next week’s public hearing on the proposed Goodspeed Island Pier.

Scheduled for 7:00 pm on Thursday, April 16, the hearing at Old Hammondtown School is on the public’s appeal of the Department of Environmental Protection’s approval of the pier plan over town objections.

My interest is two-fold. The general public’s recreational use of the head of Mattapoisett Harbor, for various reasons, should take precedent over an individual land owner’s right to the same territory.

Last fall, I expressed this thought to the DEP. I also noted that there are other embayments in the eastern part of Mattapoisett of which I am familiar where pier construction would interfere with the public’s recreational rights. I specifically mentioned the heads of Aucoot Cove and Hillers Cove. The latter includes a heavily used town beach.

The final decision on the Goodspeed Island Pier will have a lot to say about future pier construction in sensitive areas used by the public at large.

Last week, abutters to private property in the upper reaches of Aucoot Cove were informed by certified letter that the Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing on another pier proposal similar to the Goodspeed Island one. And so we start again with another hearing on April 13.

A big NO from the DEP now might just put an end to this major issue of grave concern to a vast majority of town residents. A town wetlands protection bylaw at next month’s town meeting would give legal status for the use of public recreational purposes as good reason for denying any private pier project in the future. And engineering firms in town may get the message.

Brad Hathaway, Mattapoisett

 

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.