Over the history of the Bay Club, developers have come and developers have gone. A recent addition to the list of homebuilders is Aerie Homes of Waltham, whose Ted Gowdy came before the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission on January 12.

Having purchased 36 lots on Fieldstone and Split Road Drives in an area of the Bay Club known as the Preserve, Gowdy and his team reconfigured the lot lines to maximize land use for new home construction. By doing so, one additional lot was added. But this comes with some legal complications – what to do about an existing conservation order of conditions and plans of record. Those were not cleared up prior to the land sale from one developer to the other.

Chairman Bob Rogers explained that Gowdy had several options for the four lots his new application for minor modifications requested on the meeting agenda.

Rogers cited a letter he had received from town counsel that noted the developer could request certificates of compliance for the lots in question, clearing orders of condition from the Registry of Deeds and clearing the way to request new Requests for Determination of Applicability. But Gowdy said two of the lots were already sold, thus making time of the essence.

“We should probably abide by town counsel’s recommendations,” said Rogers after considerable conversation. It was decided that Gowdy would withdraw his request and re-file in a manner that clears up the paperwork moving forward.

Earlier in the evening, David Davignon of N. Douglas Schneider & Associates, representing Robert Brack of 18 Water Street, met with the commission members for a Notice of Intent filing for the construction of a private residential pier.

In 1881, the property was licensed by the state for a stone jetty and pier structure. Today, only archeological remnants remain on the site. After discussion of the proposed pier, the commission asked Davignon and the applicant to consider building the new 116-foot long by 4-foot wide structure over the old pier, a position that would give the neighbors equal distance from the structure.

They also asked that the applicant consider using environmentally friendly pilings in the form of hardwood timbers versus chemically treated materials, and that the design set the height at 30 inches above the sea floor versus 24 inches. At the present time, the design situates the pier in a manner that would allow beach access under the structure at low tide. No shell fishing has been permitted at this location since 1947.

The applicant received a continuance for two weeks to review all suggestions.

William and Kristin Durbin of 21 Bay Road received a Certificate of Compliance for the replacement home they built after a fire destroyed the prior structure and for landscaping.

Ann Leibowotz of 1 Brandt Island Shores received a Certificate of Compliance for work that was completed in 1995 – the installation of a well.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for January 26 at 6:30 pm in the Town Hall conference room.

By Marilou Newell

Rochester Memorial School students just weren’t hungry enough to participate in a school breakfast program, despite the efforts of RMS staff to entice enough kids in order to make the venture viable.

RMS Principal Derek Medeiros told the Rochester School Committee on January 8 that some kids he polled did express interest in having breakfast served at school, but not enough to get the program off the ground.

“It just didn’t reach significant numbers,” said Medeiros. “But it doesn’t mean that the idea is lost.”

Maybe next year, said Medeiros, the school will muster enough participation by varying the breakfast program a bit to include more social interaction and exercise opportunities for students, such as a walking program in the gymnasium in addition to breakfast with a rotating schedule.

Until then, Medeiros and his staff will continue to brainstorm ideas and update the School Committee on their progress.

Also during the meeting, Assistant Superintendent Elise Frangos said Rochester Memorial School will receive $20,000 from the Digital Connections Partnership Schools Grant, a state-funded technology grant aimed at expanding Massachusetts schools’ technology resources.

“Receiving that $20,000 in Rochester is an honor,” said Frangos. “We’re very, very thrilled.”

As Rochester is designated a rural school district, the grant is a 50/50 match grant; in order to collect the state funds, the district will have to put forward $20,000 of its own funds to go towards technology.

Superintendent of Schools Doug White said the funds should be expended by summer 2015, and new purchases will be available when the next school year begins in September.

In other news, Business Manager Patrick Spencer said the pre-school that has been renting space at RMS is now defunct, after the program fell short on enrollment.

Back in December, the School Committee approved renegotiating the pre-school’s lease to delay incremental increases in the monthly rent amount. The program officially shut down on December 31, despite the lease amendment.

“I’m really sorry that it didn’t work out,” said Spencer.

The next scheduled meeting of the Rochester School Committee is February 12 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

By Jean Perry

Town Administrator Michael Gagne said during the January 13 Board of Selectmen meeting that Mattapoisett’s pursuit to modify the FEMA flood plain mapping “won’t be the end all and save people from flood insurance costs…. We have a reprieve until 2017.” He said residents who saw their flood insurance rates skyrocket, followed by some temporary relief, would still see high deductibles and fewer subsidies in the future.

Gagne said the Town would be partnering with both the Coastal Coalition and a group in Woods Hole to mount a defense against the modeling FEMA used to establish new flood zone mapping. He also said a new town coalition consisting of Westport, Dartmouth, New Bedford and others is also possible.

He said that the west coast modeling that was applied throughout the country is being challenged with some success and that both the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and Massachusetts State Building Code are onboard in commissioning a new wave modeling study.

Selectman Paul Silva asked if the FEMA maps were now overlaid in the Town’s GIS system. Gagne said that Director of Inspectional Services Andy Bobola and Chief Assessor Kathy Costello were nearing completion on that project.

“There will be a disclaimer on the website stating ‘come in and review maps…’ for complete details,” said Gagne.

Time is now of the essence as the clock ticks towards 2017 when temporary stays by FEMA and the federal government will end. FEMA has asked groups to give them feedback. Gagne said that residents will be invited to send in their comments and ideas on the issue via the Town’s website and that those will be fed to the Coastal Coalition study group. (See The Wanderer article “Flood Maps and Insurance Update” in the January 8 issue for more information.)

Gagne also reported on the progress to repairs to the Town’s beach house, saying a contractor had been selected and work would begin shortly. Interior fixes to the restrooms at Ned’s Point are also finishing up, he said.

He said that the Facility Analysis Committee will be meeting twice monthly to review options for new town structures such as a fire station.

Earlier in the evening, Harbormaster Jill Simmons discussed repairs needed to the Town’s historic docks and wharves. Gagne also presented a study completed by Field Engineering that outlined three options for work on one dock called the ‘short wharf’.

Gagne has applied to the Community Preservation Committee in a quest to seek funding for this work. He will be meeting with the CPC on January 15 to assert the need for the funds.

Field Engineering’s report gave three options.

Option A: Fender System Replacement in kind with 12-inch diameter piles ($130,000); replacement of the entire fender system, and retaining existing steel sheeting and cement concrete façade.

Option B: Fender System Replacement with 6-inch by 6-inch treated timbers ($70,000); replacement of the entire timber fender system, timbers containing high impact thermoplastic fenders, and retaining existing steel sheeting and cement façade.

Option C: Fender System Replacement with 6-inch by 6-inch treated timber and new reinforced cement concrete wharf façade ($240,000); same as Option B, but with new fender system mounted to a new reinforced cement concrete wharf façade, and new steel sheeting.

Simmons said that short wharf ladders are unstable and that considerable damage had been done during the massive water leak that affected the wharf’s underpinning.

“If we are going to rebuild that wharf to last, we need to go with the more expensive option,” said Selectman Jordan Collyer.

Simmons also discussed using the wharf at Barstow to try and divert some traffic away from the busy town center wharves, with possible modifications to the wharf surface for parking.

Simmons also proposed seeking funds from the Clean Vessel Program to purchase a boat that could provide more pump out services in far-flung locations along the town’s coastline. She said that the program would pay for up to 75-percent of the cost of a vessel and for 75-percent of the cost of running the boat and personnel annually.

Gagne suggested that the Marine Advisory Board be brought into the conversation to secure their endorsement for the additional vessel when the question goes to Town Meeting in May.

Simmons also brought up the possibility of purchasing a limited use vehicle that would be used to get around the various landside locations under the harbormaster’s control and responsibility saying she could provide better customer service if she and her staff could move more quickly. She added that the use of personal vehicles for Town employees posed other issues, so that wasn’t a viable option. Gagne said that this item would be prioritized through the Capital Planning Committee.

Gagne said that the governor has signed the document allowing the Town to place 100-percent of all boat excise taxes collected into the Waterfront Enterprise Fund.

Silva asked when the Town’s new trash and recyclables process will go into effect. It is unclear at the present time when the new barrels will be distributed, but a meeting between the Town’s vendor, ABC Disposal Service, and Board of Health Agent Dale Barrows is scheduled for this week.

Suzanne Kennedy was selected to fill the unexpired term on the Mattapoisett Housing Authority as an interim member until the next town election.

Christmas trees will continue to be collected through January 23, and winter transfer station hours are Thursday and Friday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, and Saturday 8:00 am through 3:00 pm.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for January 27 at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall conference room.

By Marilou Newell