Join Eileen Lonergan on Thursday, February 26 at 6:00 pm as she walks us through how to create banners, flyers, interesting images for an event, website, social media, and more all on the website Canva (www.canva.com). To register for this workshop, please stop into the library or call us at 508-748-1252.
The Gateway Gladiators Mite C team defeated the SC Panthers in another come back victory 12-10 Saturday. In the first period, the Panthers came out flying, scoring five straight goals before the Gladiators were able to get on the board. The Panthers then scored again, but the Gladiators scored 25 seconds later to end the first period down 6-2. In the second period, the Gladiators came out playing team hockey and were able to tie the game at 6-6. The two teams traded goals, scoring three more times and the game remained 9-9 with three minutes left. The Panthers had a chance to take the lead on a penalty shot, but Charlie Carroll made a great save to stone the Panthers to keep the game even. After the save, the Gladiators took the momentum and Jarrod Frates scored two quick goals and the Gladiators were able to get one more taking the lead 12-9. The Panthers put one more on the board, but the Gladiators played solid defense and held the lead. Frates lead the team with eight goals. The other scorers included Ben Hebbel, Brayden Cannon, Jack Langlais and Pat Tripp. Carroll played stellar between the pipes with 37 saves. Lilia Lopez and Del Moral played solid on defense for the Gladiators. The Gladiators are climbing the ranks after starting and staying in last place for awhile to begin the season. If the Gladiators win their last two games, they have a good chance of being the number one seed in the playoffs.
If you have not yet returned, or telephoned in, your 2015 Annual Street Listing (Census) please do so immediately to the Marion Town Clerk, 2 Spring Street, Marion, MA 02738.
Home visits will be made to all residents failing to respond. Should you have any questions, please contact the Town Clerk’s office 508-748-3502.
ORR’s class of 1970 is planning our 45th reunion for sometime this summer and would like to update as many email addresses as possible to keep everyone informed of the event. Please contact Dede Pangaro Smith at Dsmithlil@comcast.net or Cindy Haskell at Molly5971@gmail.com with your new or updated email address.
Old Rochester Senior and Junior High Schools will be closed on Monday, February 23 while the structural integrity of the roofs is evaluated due to the recent snow loads. The school district posted this notice:
“While our crews were clearing the roofs at the Junior High School and Senior High School, late this afternoon, there were concerns reported by the foreman of the insurance group who was overseeing the work that a portion of the roof may have been compromised. As a result of this information and the need to ensure the safety of our students, school at the junior high school and senior high school in the Old Rochester School District will be closed on Monday, February 23, 2015. Please know that first thing tomorrow we will have structural engineers in the district to inspect the roofs and provide information and direction that will allow us to take the necessary steps to ensure that the building is safe and when students may return to school. I will provide updated information as we move through the process through connect ED and the district website. Thank you for cooperation and patience as we manage this matter.”
Spring is coming. The Rochester Historical Society is sponsoring a Spring Fling Dance as a fundraiser for its organization. The dance will be held on Friday, April 10 at the Reservation Golf Club at 10 Reservation Road in Mattapoisett from 7:00 to 11:00 pm. The music will be provided by DJ: Music on Wheels. The cost is $15 per person. There will be appetizers, door prizes and a silent auction. Please come to support your local community and have a great time doing it. Hope to see you there. Call 508-961-7401 for more information.
During the first week of March – Monday, March 2 to Thursday, March 5 – the Tabor Academy Art Department will host artist Eric Kao through the Tomlinson Visiting Artist Fellowship program. Mr. Kao is a potter, ceramic sculptor and the Director of The Pottery Workshop, a ceramic art and education center in the famous “porcelain city” of Jingdezhen, China. Mr. Kao’s ceramic work has explored pottery, sculpture and the human figure often arranged in narrative and metaphorical combinations that address ideas of cultural identity, the weight of history, and the value of tradition in contemporary life.
During his four-day stay on campus, Mr. Kao will conduct a series of workshops for the students in ceramics and studio art. His practical workshops will be presented in the ceramic studio throughout the academic day. All are welcome.
Concurrent with his visit, an exhibition of his recent ceramic work will be on view in the gallery in the Braitmayer Art Center.
On Thursday evening, March 5 Mr. Kao will present an image illustrated talk about his ideas, experiences and his art. This talk will be presented in the ceramic studio from 6:30 – 7:30 pm. Please stop by!
The Marion Natural History Museum will present “Beyond the White Shark – Sharks of New England” with Tom Burns on Friday, March 6 from 7:00 – 8:30 pm at the Marion Natural History Museum, 8 Spring Street. The cost is a $6 donation to the Marion Natural History Museum.
Dr. Tom Burns has been photographing sharks for over 20 years. His pursuit of shark encounters has taken him around the world. Years of in-water interactions with sharks – often without the barrier of a cage – have allowed him to obtain a real perspective of these intelligent animals. Based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, it is the sharks of New England that have become his focus including the mako shark, basking shark, porbeagles and the rare hammerhead and tiger sharks. Beyond the species profiles, Dr. Burns will give the audience background on how he dives, photographs, and interacts with these different species.
The presentation will include some of Dr. Burns’ stunning photographs, which have been published in numerous magazines.
Join “Bugworks” at the Marion Natural History Museum on Friday, February 27 from 7:00 – 8:30 pm for an interactive evening featuring live invertebrates. Topics will include insect life cycles, characteristics, defense mechanisms, historical significance, and more. We’ll also compare insects to other arthropods such as millipedes and arachnids. Join us as we peer at a praying mantis and marvel at millipedes! The event will be held at the Marion Natural History Museum, 8 Spring Street Marion; cost is a $6 donation to the Marion Natural History Museum. For more information, please visit the museum’s website: www.marionmuseum.org.
Rochester Town Administrator Michael McCue’s face was rather solemn when he delivered the news to selectmen on February 11 that the projected town revenues are no match for the current proposed school budgets.
With budget season in full swing, the Rochester Board of Selectmen will begin meeting weekly leading up to Town Meeting, as McCue works with the finance team any free moment he can grab, as McCue put it.
“At this point, we are looking at budget requests that our revenue projections cannot support,” stated McCue. He said he has been meeting with representatives from the School department to come up with a budget the Town can afford to support.
“It’s going to be difficult. We are looking at a difficult couple of weeks, couple of months,” said McCue. “We’re looking at perhaps some difficult decisions moving forward.”
Remaining optimistic, McCue said he still thinks the problem is surmountable.
Rochester is looking at a 5.6 percent or $265,000 increase over fiscal year 2015 in its contribution to Old Rochester Regional, stated McCue in response to Selectman Naida Parker’s inquiry.
“Unless I’m missing something,” said Parker, “the requests for increases for ORR and RMS exceed the gross in the budget that we will have this year.” McCue affirmed her statement. “So their budget requests alone are in excess of what we are able to fund,” reiterated Parker.
The numbers are the numbers, said McCue, and the Town is in no position to generate new revenue.
“It’s quite black and white,” said McCue. “We know where our ceiling is and we have no means to exceed that ceiling.”
Also during the meeting on February 11, Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon briefed selectmen on the need to craft an article for the Town Meeting warrant to adopt changes to the FEMA flood plain maps into the Town’s flood zone bylaw.
The only change to the maps affects land at the New Bedford Waterworks and Little Quitticas Pond, said Farinon, and does not have any impact on Rochester residents.
Farinon is tasked with working with town counsel to create an article that Town Meeting members would easily understand and approve.
“I don’t think anybody is going to have a problem with this map,” said Farinon.
Farinon also asked selectmen for support moving forward with a new Open Space Plan, with the current plan set to expire in October 2015.
Selectmen agreed to have the town administrator contact certain town board and committee chairmen to appoint a member to the Open Space Plan Committee, but were hesitant to act on any allocation of required funds that Farinon predicted would cost between $1,500 and $2,000.
Farinon said the state requires towns to conduct a survey to formulate goals and action items for the plan. Selectmen hope to devise a way to distribute the survey to residents without having to spend money on a mailing.
In other matters, the board approved a fortuneteller’s license for Gina Govoni of 75 Walnut Plain Road.
The next scheduled meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is February 23 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.
By Jean Perry
Dale and Laura Briggs of 23 Dexter Road, situated on the Weweantic River, received a Negative 3 determination for reconstruction of a private pier at the February 11 meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission.
David Davignon of N. Douglas Schneider & Associates described the details of the project as the reconstruction of the existing pier and the removal and replacement of the associated concrete abutments.
The Briggses currently hold the necessary state permits for an existing pier with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Waterways Program. The DEP determined that the project was minor in scope, thereby negating the need to apply for a new permit at this location.
Davignon stated that the applicants also received a list of standard conditions from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and a negative finding from the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. Furthermore, the floating dock associated with the pier has a Marion Harbormaster permit.
With all the bases covered for this 61-foot deep-water pier, the commission granted the Negative 3 determination. The applicants plan to return at a later date for permissions to replace a timber walkway across jurisdictional wetlands.
In other business, the Town of Marion – represented by JC Engineering – requested a continuance of its Notice of Intent filing for reconstruction of a 337-foot by 4-foot high seawall at Sprague’s Cove. The hearing is now scheduled for March 11.
Wildlands Trust at 105 Allens Point Road received a Negative 3 determination for demolition work on lands that are in permanent protection status, as gifted by the Watson family.
The residence and septic system currently on the property will be removed and the lot will be remediated and replanted with native species.
Bay Watch Reality Trust/Sippican Woods and Marion Village Estates requested an amended Order of Conditions for Field Stone Lane. The work will include lowering elevations at the end of the roadway and the construction of an emergency vehicle turnaround.
Also, a Stormceptor stormwater management system will be placed at the southeast corner of the roadway.
Architect Peter Turowski received a Negative 2 determination for the construction of a 1,560 square-foot garage and second-story studio located at 94 Piney Point.
The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for February 25 at 7:00 pm in the Marion Town House conference room.
By Marilou Newell
