To the Editor,
I want to thank Barry Denham in his plow for personally escorting the funeral director to my home on a Sunday during a snow storm. I love the caring of a small town.
Gail Lockwood, Mattapoisett
Town Braces for NPDES News
Even though there was still no word from the Environmental Protection Agency since the Town responded to the EPA’s draft NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit, anticipated engineering costs estimated at around $450,000 topped the priority list for the Capital Improvement Planning Committee’s fiscal year 2016 report presented to the Marion Board of Selectmen on March 3 by CIPC member Norman Hills.
Hills said the initial funding for wastewater treatment plant engineering and support was the “big ticket item” that pushed several other projects further down the priority list as it faces a possible response from the EPA upholding the NPDES draft it offered. That draft would prohibit the use of the Town’s three unlined wastewater lagoons that are vital to the wastewater treatment plant. Costs for subsequent upgrades to the wastewater treatment facility could exceed $20 million.
A new fire pumper made the priority list on the CIPC report as well, estimated at $540,000, but attention remained focused on the NPDES permit. Selectman Stephen Cushing called the NPDES matter “the big unknown.”
“Be still my heart,” said Chairman Jonathan Henry about his first reaction to the report. “Every time you see a big number, it’s like a dash of cold water.”
Town Administrator Paul Dawson said he continues to work closely with the engineers from CDM Smith, the consulting engineering firm for the Town. Meanwhile, Dawson said, tentative NPDES costs will continue to drive the budget, although costs are still unknown.
“We honestly don’t know and we won’t know until the EPA responds back,” said Dawson. “Obviously, the details of the final draft permit will dictate the measure and the level of work that will need to be done.”
Dawson said the premise for the Town’s response to the drastic measures mandated in the new NPDES permit is the questioning of the scientific validity of the data the EPA used to determine maximum levels of nitrogen and other pollutants, as well as the extent of the pollution the lagoons have made on Aucoot Cove and Sippican Harbor.
Dawson also reiterated that the draft NPDES permit gave the Town no options for seeking alternative solutions to pollutant levels; however, CDM Smith consultants advised selectmen last month some viable alternative solutions do exist.
Dawson said he hopes the EPA response will grant the Town more time to seek out other options, saying the EPA has no time restraints for issuing the permit.
“Our best estimate is $450,000 in capital improvement planning,” said Dawson, “and that might just be the tip of the iceberg.” He continued, “They could issue [the permit] tomorrow, or they could issue it three years from now.”
Dawson said the Town owes it to the ratepayers to find a fair and equitable solution to the NPDES conundrum.
“We don’t want to create the appearance that we’re stumbling along waiting for something to happen,” said Henry, who soon after was appointed as the board’s representative during talks with CDM Smith engineers.
Meanwhile, selectmen received a copy of a letter dated February 26 that Senior Attorney for the Buzzards Bay Coalition Korrin Peterson sent to Brian Pitt of the EPA. The letter urges the EPA to issue the Town of Marion the NPDES permit with a special condition requiring the facility to remediate pollution discharged from the lagoons. The letter also claims there are likely on-going violations at the wastewater treatment facility that violate the Town’s current NPDES permit.
The letter asserts, “…[E]ffluent from the lagoons was infiltrating into the underlying groundwater and the nitrogen from the effluent is flowing towards Marion’s impaired coastal waters…. [T]his evidence justifies the need for a permit condition requiring the town take immediate action to remediate this source of pollution.”
It further states that the lagoons, in their current state, are in violation of current NPDES permit conditions as well as state regulation, and maintaining the lagoons “in a state where they continue to leach into the environment should not be considered proper operation and maintenance.” The letter lists several alleged NPDES permit violations and on-going violations of state regulations.
Selectmen also received a copy of another letter from BBC Attorney Peterson dated February 6 to the EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection saying the BBC fully endorses the draft NPDES, and included specific comments on points in the draft permit.
“The unlined lagoons are a clear source of pollution,” the letter reads. It further states, “…[T]here is no liner or leachate collection system and all evidence demonstrates that the wastewater and sewage sludge are contaminating the groundwater. Marion has offered no evidence to the contrary.”
Also during the meeting, the board approved minor changes that Marion Police Chief Lincoln Miller made to Police Department Rules & Regulations, and took several matters under advisement after brief discussions.
The board will consider the proposed job description of the Music Hall coordinator as well as a draft of financial policies.
The board voted to allow Dawson to draft a Town Meeting article pertaining to the Community Electricity Aggregation Program endorsed by SRPEDD, which would allow residents to opt into a community agreement to purchase electricity at more competitive rates. Town Meeting would have to approve the program, which Dawson said would give residents more purchasing power and “strength in numbers.” Residents would not be obligated to participate and participants could opt out at any time.
A next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen has not yet been scheduled.
By Jean Perry
Bugworks
The Marion Natural History Museum provided an opportunity on February 27 to get up close and personal with critters from the insect world, including praying mantises and jumbo-sized grasshoppers. Above: Tapper Crete, 7, was the first one brave enough to ask to touch a praying mantis. The event was hosted by Maire Anne Diamond, owner and educator at ‘Bugworks.’ Photos by Felix Perez
Knights Teen Dance
The next teen dance is on March 6 from 7:00 to 10:00 pm; admission is $8 at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Route 6, Mattapoisett. This is a safe place for 6th, 7th and 8th graders to have a good time socializing, dancing and listening to their favorite music on a Friday night. Knights of Columbus chaperones and a uniformed police officer are on site at all of our dances.
Thank You First Responders
To the Editor,
We wish to thank the first responders from the Tri-Town area and Fairhaven who responded to a house fire at our home and business on February 18. Their quick response and professionalism despite the bitter cold conditions and frozen hydrants allowed us to salvage at least a portion of our personal belongings and memories. Thank you.
Our deepest gratitude also to everyone who has showed us so much compassion and support. We count ourselves truly blessed to live in such a caring tight-knit community. We only hope that we can in some small way repay the kindness that has been offered us.
Sincerely,
Jilly Jarvis and Paul Wildnauer
Local Collectors Share Passion, History
What’s in a collection? A whole lot if you are looking at Nate Bekemeier’s eclectic compilation of curious objects he has encountered and saved throughout his entire life.
Each little figurine, a memory. Every tiny trinket, a tale. Each of the odds and ends, an experience, a time, a place.
Bekemeier was one of several collectors who shared his treasures with the public at the Mattapoisett Historical Society’s February 26 event, “Sharing Your Passion: Personal Collections.”
Bekemeier thought his quirky collection was too special to be kept hidden away in a dark drawer to be forgotten. Thirty years ago, he hand built a special glass-top display table so he would have a place to put the interesting things he happened upon for all to admire. Many who paused to wonder at the table of a thousand things said it reminded them of a game of “I Spy.”
Bekemeier has many interesting stories to accompany his interesting objects. Among the dice and fetishes, in between campaign buttons and shells, and somewhere mixed in with the random figurines and a glass eye lies a roll of pennies that Bekemeier said is one of his favorites of all the little things that fill his display table.
As Bekemeier tells it, he had a friend who was “always doing funny things.” One day, he found the old man picking pennies out of a large chunk of cement. “He was painstakingly picking the cement off the pennies,” said Bekemeier.
When he asked his friend why he was doing this, he told Bekemeier that he had been tossing pennies into a cement bucket for years and had finally decided to cash them in.
“He placed the cement block on the counter and, unsurprisingly, the clerk would not accept it,” said Bekemeier. “But she told him that if he picked enough cement off each penny so that at least 50-percent of it was visible, he would be given full price for the penny.”
So, what did Bekemeier do at that point? He offered his friend a dollar for the fifty-cent roll and has kept it ever since.
“I thought his collection was hysterical,” said Mattapoisett Historical Society Museum Curator Elizabeth Hutchison. “If you sit and talk to him about it, it’s just crazy. What’s even more amazing is that he remembers everything that’s in there.”
Bekemeier’s was arguably the most popular collection at the event, but there were others with their own uniqueness, their own brand of treasure, for those looking around to admire.
Hutchison noted one remarkable collection of Chinese turquois-colored porcelain figures that Leda Kim had collected over the years.
“Those were beautiful,” said Hutchison. “Interesting, too, because it’s not something you often get to see.”
Ellen Flynn brought in her collection of porcelain, glassware, and a silver goblet with her name on it, which has been in her family for generations.
Flynn began collecting her pieces while in her 20s and, over the past 40 years, she has collected over 200 items – some from occupied Japan, France, and all over the world.
“I was impressed by the peoples’ collections,” said Hutchison. “We had a lot of fun stuff. It was interesting to see.”
Hutchison said one of the board members of the museum suggested the event, which was inspired by the Brooklyn Historical Society’s annual Collectors’ Night.
“It was a fun thing to do,” said Hutchison. “That’s essentially what a museum is for, so we can share things. It was an opportunity for people to share their collections and their passions.”
Felix Perez contributed to the content of this article.
By Jean Perry
Pier Hearing Postponed in Mattapoisett
Due to poor weather conditions the Department of Environmental Protection hearing scheduled for Thursday evening in Mattapoisett has been postponed. At this time a new date for the meeting has not been scheduled.
Trash Collection Costs To Increase
Board of Health Agent Dale Barrows told the Mattapoisett Finance Committee on February 25 that rubbish collection costs in subsequent years are expected to drastically increase.
“The downside of the whole project is that [prices] will go up,” said Barrows. He explained, saying that the SEMASS agreement was up for negotiation as it nears the end of its 28-year contract. He said when the contract was first written, pricing was set to attract customers. The original contract, Barrows said, was for $22 per ton; prices are now anticipated to soar to $65 per ton.
Barrows said ultimately the solution is for more waste to go into the recycle barrels versus the solid waste barrels.
If that happened, the Town could then hold down solid waste expenses. However, costs overall would continue to increase.
“The downside of the whole project is that it will go up,” he said, adding that tonnage of solid waste is supposed to go down as people get into the habit of recycling more materials. He quoted SEMASS pricing as soaring upwards of $85 to $90 per ton. While the coming year won’t be affected, said Barrows, subsequent years will.
Town Administrator Michael Gagne said that Zero Waste located in Rochester, a sister company to ABC Disposal, was competing with SEMASS for customers. He also said the Town is looking at other companies for a cost-effective solution to both solid waste and recyclable materials.
Barrows concluded his budgetary presentations for recycling and solid waste removal by saying, “It’s your tax dollars you are going to have to put to this…. [You’ll see] in 2017 $120,000 more than what you pay today.”
Barrows’ budgets for fiscal year 2016 are: $148,213, up from $143,896 in FY15; rubbish collection $248,337, up from $241,103 in FY15; town disposal (SEMASS et al) $123,827, up from $68,000 last year; transfer station $5,000 (flat year over year); Board of Health $121,657, an increase from $119,203 in FY15.
Also on the agenda that night were the library and the Water and Sewer Department.
Making her case for an increased budget was Library Director Susan Pizzolato, accompanied by members of the Library Trustee Committee.
She shared achievements over the past fiscal year, touting the library’s certification and the commitment of the staff members.
“It is important for us to stay certified,” said Pizzolato, referring to the ability to draw materials from other libraries in the state’s systems.
Pizzolato also commented on the success of opening the library to the public on Sundays saying, “We have between 85 and 100 people visiting the library on Sundays.”
But that success was not without its downside, she noted. Staffing was an issue, asserting staff hours as a priority as the committee reviewed her FY16 budget requests.
Pizzolato asked the committee to consider a new part-time professional staff member for 19.5 hours per week, given the demand for expert technology assistance by the community and coverage during the Sunday openings.
She said the new position would require that the staffer be certified in computer technology to meet the public demand for that level of expertise. Pizzolato is asking for $20,436 to fund the new position, along with an increase in staff hours for existing employees totaling $14,500.
The library’s overall budget for FY16 is $425,796, up from $358,966 in FY15.
Nick Nicolson, superintendent of the Mattapoisett Water and Sewer Department, was last up to meet with the committee.
The most significant difference between the FY15 and FY16 budgets appears on the sewer spreadsheets. Nicholson said a decrease in assessment fees from Fairhaven was $75,915.
Nicholson’s narrative on the budgets he presented reflects an overall increase of $27,405 for the Sewer Department and $41,974 for the Water Department. Salary increases, retirement sick time buy-out, utilities, equipment repairs and legal fees all add into those increased budget requests.
The Mattapoisett Finance Committee will meet again on March 11 at 6:00 pm in the Town Hall conference room.
By Marilou Newell
Frank M. Suzan
Frank M. Suzan, 83, of Mattapoisett, Massachusetts passed away peacefully March 3, 2015 at Sippican Healthcare Center surrounded by his family.
He was the loving husband of the late Meredith S. (MacLean) Suzan.
Born in in Milton, Massachusetts he was the son of the late William P. and Bena (Erhard) Suzan. He lived in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts and San Diego, California most of his life.
Capt. Suzan was a communicant of St. Anthony’s Church.
He was a graduate of Holy Family High School and Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Capt. Suzan later joined the Merchant Marines before serving a distinguished career in the U.S. Navy for 26 years. Following his retirement from the Navy he was the general manager of Mahoney Oil and business partner in Sea Gas.
He was an avid golfer and a member of the New Bedford Country Club.
Capt. Suzan loved the Town of Mattapoisett. He would often be seen at the town wharf, the lighthouse and most days riding his bike around the village handing out treats to all the town dogs. He served two terms as Selectman for the Town of Mattapoisett from 1979-1985.
The family would like to extend a personal thank you to Debbie Mayer and the nurses and staff at Sippican Healthcare Center for the excellent care that Frank received the past three years. He considered all of them family and would refer to Sippican Healthcare as his second home.
His survivors include his son, F. Mitchell Suzan, Jr. and his wife Deborah Lowney Suzan of Mattapoisett; a daughter, Merry Suzan McCleary and her partner Ann Elizabeth Pasky of Atlanta, GA; a brother, William P. Suzan, Jr. of the State of Washington; 3 grandchildren, Erika Suzan Osetkowski and her husband Brett, Carly Suzan DuBeau and her husband John and F. Mitchell Suzan, III; 2 great-grandchildren, Mollie Elizabeth Osetkowski and Harper Leigh Osetkowski.
He was the great-grandfather of the late Connor J. Osetkowski.
His Funeral will be held on Saturday at 9 AM from the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home For Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6) Mattapoisett, followed by his Funeral Mass at St. Anthony’s Church at 10 AM. Burial will follow in St. Anthony’s Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Friday from 4-8 PM. For directions and guestbook, please www.saundersdwyer.com.
MaryEllen Kelly
MaryEllen Kelly, born in New Bedford,MA 9/3/61, beloved daughter of David and Maria Harrington passed away at Falmouth Hospital on March 4. MaryEllen was predeceased by her father, Robert F. Kelly.
MaryEllen grew up in Dartmouth,MA and later Marion,MA. She attended elementary school at MT Carmel School, graduated Bishop Stang High School and earned a BA at UMass Dartmouth. MaryEllen was proud to have worked at NBIS and N.B. 5 Savings Bank.
Battling brittle Type I diabetes from adolescence she suffered a hypoglycemic coma at age 30 which left her brain injured.
As MaryEllen would like to say, ” I love the fresh air!” She most enjoyed long walks with her mom where she could enjoy the sunshine, beautiful flowers and then celebrate with her at lunch at the Wayside Inn, Sudbury,MA.
She is survived by her parents, her sister, Carolyn Higgins and her husband, Mickey Higgins; 3 nephews; Nicholas, Jonathan and Logan and 1 niece, Julianna. She also leaves her stepbrother David Harrington and his partner, Julie. Her uncle Dr. Anthony deBarros and Aunt Ninette, Aunt Elaine and late Uncle Hudson along with her Godfather Raymond Silveira mourn her loss. She was predeceased by her kind loving godmother, Louise Silveira. Mary Ellen was adored by Cousin Linda and Cousin Sue. She also leaves behind cousins; Sandy, Pamela,Hudson and her Godson Tristan de Barros.
The family would like to extend a sincere thank you to Bosun’s Seven Hills Community Services for caring for MaryEllen in her last few months and providing for her with a happy warm place to call home. Jennifer your time with MaryEllen is priceless to us. We would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to Dr Tadbiri and his staff for their care that extended well past that of their jobs. Lastly Maria and David cannot express enough gratitude to Dr Irvine of Falmouth Hospital. His patience and guidance was invaluable. The nursing staff of Falmouth Hospital, ICU cannot be fogotten. We would like to express how deep our gratitude extends for their compassion and unwavering support. Danielle,Faith, Emily Chris and Tracey you exemplify all that is good and you proudly represent your profession.
Her funeral will be Monday beginning in the funeral home at 9:30 A.M. and continuing with a Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church at 10:30 A.M. Burial will follow in St. John Cemetery. Visitation will be held in the funeral home on Sunday from 3:00 to 5:00 P.M. Arrangements placed in the care of Perry Funeral Home, 111 Dartmouth St. New Bedford, Ma 02740
In Lieu of flowers please send contributions to Joslin Clinic, One Joselin Place, Boston, MA
For online Condolences please go to www.perryfuneral.com.