The Women’s Fund held their 8th Annual Tiara 5K Mother’s Day Race, Walk and Fun Run on a lovely Sunday morning. Dozens turned out to enjoy the music, activities and lovely village course. For more information on the Women’s Fund visit: www.womensfundsema.org.
Photos by Felix Perez
To the Editor:
Once upon a time there was a pretty little town with a pretty small beach that everyone loved to visit. It had a pretty name: Silvershell. The only thing that was not pretty was the dirty water that ran down from the roads into the swimming hole at Silvershell. The people thought and thought about this problem and one day they came up with a solution that was so good and so new that folks came from all over the country to see it. Here’s what they did: They dug ponds and marshes for the dirty water to seep through so that the marsh plants and time itself would clean the dirt out and return it, all cleaned, to the pretty beach. It worked! Over 200 people of the pretty town worked hard and planted lots of nice plants in their new marsh and they named it Spragues Cove. The garden club helped with money and work. Folks donated rosa rugosas so when the new fence rotted with age, there would still be a barrier so toddlers couldn’t stumble into the ponds. The pretty town got grants for bushes and trees to create habitat for birds and animals. People from the neighborhood planted pretty flowers all over it, and cared for them, and once in a while they mowed the path so folks could walk around the ponds and peek at the baby herons and otters and turtles who came to live there. Years and years went by and the ponds and marsh quietly and peacefully kept cleaning the water, and the birds and animals and people kept enjoying it. Then one day a Troll who lived in the neighborhood decided, all by himself, without asking anybody, that all the pretty bushes and trees and flowers and nests and animal homes had to go away! The Conservation Commission agreed with him and set out to destroy the pretty place. They sent men with big, noisy machines to rip and tear and ruin the pretty place, and they did. When the big machines were done, not a tree or flower or bird or animal remained. What a shame said the folks who had loved the ponds and marsh. What a shame said the heron chick and the otters and the turtles that had lived there. It has stopped working said the folks who designed it. Give us $12,000 so we can keep ruining it every year, said the Conservation Commission and the Troll. Please vote NO on Article 10 at Marion’s Town Meeting!
Annie Rockwell, Marion
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.
On May 1, the Marion Police Department received state Certification from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.
Certification is a self-initiated evaluation process by which police departments strive to meet and maintain standards that have been established for the profession, by the profession. These carefully selected standards reflect critical areas of police management, operations, and technical support activities. They cover areas such as policy development, emergency response planning, training, communications, property and evidence handling, use of force, vehicular pursuit, prisoner transportation and holding facilities. The program not only sets standards for the law enforcement profession, but also for the delivery of police services to the citizens of the Commonwealth.
“Achieving Certification from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission is considered a very significant accomplishment and is a recognition that is highly regarded by the law enforcement community,” said Donna Taylor Mooers, the Commission’s Executive Director.
Under the leadership of Chief Lincoln Miller, the Marion Police Department was assessed on April 10 and 11 of this year by a team of Commission-appointed assessors.
“Going through the process initially requires intense self-scrutiny, and ultimately provides a quality assurance review of the agency,” said Mooers. To conduct this self-assessment and prepare for the on-site review of the 159 standards by the Commission, Chief Miller appointed Lieutenant John Garcia to serve as the Department’s Accreditation Manager. The department’s job is not done, however, as Chief Miller’s ultimate goal for the Department is to achieve the Commission’s highest award: Accreditation.
Marion is currently one of 20 of the 176 participating agencies in Massachusetts to be granted Certification status. As of today, it is the only department in Plymouth County to hold this status. Certification has been granted for a period of three years. Currently 51 agencies are fully accredited, with only three departments located in Plymouth County. Participation in the program is strictly voluntary.
The following students have achieved honors at Bishop Stang High School;
Maura Lonergan, Grade 11, First Honors, Marion
Brendan Gelson, Grade 12, Second Honors, Marion
Elizabeth Lonergan, Grade 10, Second Honors, Marion
Hannah Nordstrom, Grade 9, Second Honors, Marion
Sophie Polonsky, Grade 9, Second Honors, Marion
Daniel Fealy, Grade 10, President’s List, Mattapoisett
Leonard Murphy, Grade 12, First Honors, Mattapoisett
Caroline Downey, Grade 11, First Honors, Mattapoisett
Carolyn Foley, Grade 11, First Honors, Mattapoisett
Rubén Llanas-Colón, Grade 11, First Honors, Mattapoisett
Katherine Martin, Grade 11, First Honors, Mattapoisett
Adam Estes, Grade 10, First Honors, Mattapoisett
Elizabeth Foley, Grade 9, First Honors, Mattapoisett
Carli Rita, Grade 9, First Honors, Mattapoisett
Lee Estes, Grade 12, Second Honors, Mattapoisett
Regina Kaplan, Grade 12, Second Honors, Mattapoisett
Alicia LaRock, Grade 12, Second Honors, Mattapoisett
Laura Morse, Grade 12, Second Honors, Mattapoisett
Miguel Ortiz, Grade 12, Second Honors, Mattapoisett
Meghan Cote, Grade 11, Second Honors, Mattapoisett
Sandra Decas, Grade 11, Second Honors, Mattapoisett
Emma Downes, Grade 11, Second Honors, Mattapoisett
Meredith Gauvin, Grade 11, Second Honors, Mattapoisett
Megan Goulart, Grade 11, Second Honors, Mattapoisett
Anne Martin, Grade 11, Second Honors, Mattapoisett
Madeline Pope, Grade 9, Second Honors, Mattapoisett
Hannah Sullivan, Grade 12, First Honors, Rochester
Meghan Desrochers, Grade 12, Second Honors, Rochester
Connor MacGregor, Grade 12, Second Honors, Rochester
Meghan Domagala, Grade 11, Second Honors, Rochester
The Tri-County Music Association will be holding its annual meeting on Wednesday, May 21, 7:00 pm, at 589 Mill Street, Marion. This meeting is open to the public.
On May 6, the Rochester Conservation Commission heard resident John Scheub discuss the enlargement of a shed on his property, from its current 12- by 8-foot size to a larger 12- by 24-foot size. This change would cause the shed to extend into the 100-foot buffer zone to a wetland bordering Snipatuit Pond.
“We were out there tonight and we saw how close it is already to the wetland,” said ConCom member Rosemary Smith. She commented that it’s currently on cinderblocks.
Rather than installing a concrete slab, ConCom member John Teal stated, “I think cinderblocks are the way to go. I’ve built plenty of sheds on cinderblocks. I think it would be fine.”
Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon explained that there have been two orientations on this site already and that “the problem is that it is a one-acre lot. And then you add the pond.” She further explained that, “it’s just a maxed out site. It’s tight, but he’s within his rights to apply for it.”
The commission members discussed moving the location of the shed, and there seemed to be a little bit of wiggle room, but not much.
Smith asked Scheub why he needed that much room.
Scheub replied that he has four kids, cars and motorcycles, as well as a decent amount of “stuff” that he would like to keep contained.
ConCom member Kevin Cassidy proposed that a fence be built as a permanent barrier around the property, with a condition that no other buildings are allowed on this property.
“Perhaps we need a continuance to make sure we get this right,” said Farinon. She agreed to meet with Scheub on the property to go over specifics and then re-address the request at the next meeting in two weeks. The continuance was granted.
Farinon then launched into a talk about the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee, on which she is the vice chairman. This committee would like to shed some light on how we manage our water resources in Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Marion and Rochester.
Farinon handed out a brochure with information about the Mattapoisett River Valley’s aquifer. It states that just last year, our aquifer supplied approximately 2.2 million gallons per day for domestic and commercial use. This committee works on activities such as land purchases, engineering studies and water conservation programs.
Farinon said that this is “one of the most rewarding committees I’ve worked on.” More information can be found on the website www.MattRiverValleyProtection.org.
On a different note, ConCom member Laurene Gerrior told the commission that she has discovered a raven’s nest in Rochester. This is a northern bird, similar to a crow. It is the second one found in Plymouth County.
A water event involving kayaks was discussed and tentative dates were made for this summer, as well as a kick-off to open Doggett’s Brook sometime in late June. More information will follow once the dates and events are set.
The Annual Town Meeting will be held on May 19, and the following Conservation Commission meetings will be on May 30 and June 3.
By Sarah Taylor
Little kids and big, big machines on a warm spring Marion morning made for tons of fun at the Marion Recreation’s Second Annual Kid’s Equipment Day on May 10. A row of different Town-owned vehicles including a police cruiser, ambulance, earth diggers, a fire engine, and fire trucks lined the Town House field. There were plenty of Department of Public Works, police, and fire personnel on hand to demonstrate how the vehicles work, to turn on lights and alarms, and answer questions. Marion Recreation Director and Chairman of the Board of Selectman Jody Dickerson was on hand, passing out free colorful plastic firefighter and construction hats to the kids. After exploring the equipment, children removed their shoes to play and jump in the free bouncy house. Photos By Jean Perry
The Rochester Women’s Club would like to invite all area Townspeople to join us for our second annual Scholarship Dance.
The dance will be held Saturday, June 7 at The Redmen Hall in Wareham and The Relics will be performing.
There will also be a prize raffle. We are encouraging area businesses to donate items/services to be included in the raffle. Contact Wendy at 508-314-9567 to donate items.
Tickets are available now and can be purchased at Studio 105 “One Love” Pilates, Yoga, Reiki at Plumb Corner (call 508-322-0998), The Hair and Body Solution at Plumb Corner, The Yankee Clipper in Marion, and The Ponderosa.
All proceeds from ticket sales and raffle tickets will go to the 2014 Raymond C. Hartley Scholarship fund which will be awarding two $500 scholarships to Rochester college-bound students this year.
Hope to see you all there!
“Just the Facts,” the nonfiction book discussion group, will be reading Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Lauren Hillenbrand. Hillenbrand, author of Seabiscuit, takes as her subject Louis Zamperini, track star in the 1936 Olympics. When the war comes, Louis has to become an airman and embarks on a journey that leads to a doomed flight, a tiny raft, leaping sharks, thirst and starvation. “Rescued” by the Japanese, he spends the rest of the war trying to survive the brutality of the Japanese prisoner of war camps. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will. We will discuss Unbroken on Thursday, May 15 at 6:30 pm. Copies are available at the desk or through Overdrive.
Café Parlez’ selection for May is Ahab’s Wife: or The Star-Gazer, by Sarah Jeter Naslund. Inspired by a brief passage in Moby Dick, it is the story of Una, exiled as a child to live in a lighthouse, removed from the physical and emotional abuse of a religion-mad father. It is the romantic adventure of a young woman setting sail in a cabin boy’s disguise to encounter darkness, wonder, and catastrophe; the story of a devoted wife who witnesses her husband’s destruction by obsession and madness. Ultimately, it is the powerful and moving story of a woman’s triumph over tragedy and loss through her courage, creativity, and intelligence. We will discuss this book on Thursday, May 29 at 6:30 pm. Books are available at the desk or bring your own copy.
Computer assistance is available Wednesday mornings from 10:00 – 11:30 am. Call the library at 508-763-8600 for more information.
The Plumb Library Knitters meets Monday at 6:30 pm. Beginners are welcome. Chocolate is always served.
To the Editor:
Marion is a magnificent community with a nationally recognized sailing harbor. That’s why we all live here. It also has a fragile municipal structure managed mainly by volunteers, elected and appointed, working with limited resources struggling with increasing complexities. There are a number of structural and economic issues that impact our community; some we can fix, others we need to live with, and the others we plan for or around. These issues should be considered when voting at this year’s Town Meeting and Election.
Planning: There is little or no coordinated planning for management of Town assets and resources. Planning and spending are sporadic and reactive reflecting continuing narrow “Chimney Management.” Board-based and comprehensive planning does not yet exist and is necessary for effective asset and resource planning and utilization. Without this, community needs are hard to identify and prioritize. Operating and capital budgeting are difficult.
Geographical and Zoning Restrictions: Size 14 square miles and remote location: There is significant allocation of land to open spaces, conservation, wetlands and highways. Commercial zoning is limited and restrictive. Economic development opportunities are geographically constrained and zoning contained.
Physical Assets: Deferred maintenance and investment leaves Town assets in poor condition. There are significant capacity issues causing considerable expensive and unnecessary maintenance, repairs and investment. Matching community needs with community resources requires good planning.
Financial Constants on the Municipal Structure: Marion is a tiny economic entity. Real-estate taxes provide the foundation for financing municipal government. Revenue growth from other sources is limited. Operating revenue enhancement and debt financing opportunities for capital spending is limited by a small tax base supported by a growing number of fixed income retirees. There are 2,400 taxpayers: 25% of the taxpayers pay 60% of the taxes and 50% of the taxpayer pay 80% of the taxes.
Population and Demographics: Marion’s population is 5,300: 30% of the population is retirement age and many living on fixed incomes, yet only 8.4% of our population is Sippican School age grades K-6th. The Town is attractive for retirees and second home owners. High paying employment opportunities are very limited to support younger families and growing income levels.
The Marion Town Meeting warrant is out with a healthy dose of spending and financial commitments. Marion’s costs continue increasing and now are approaching $25 million. The Proposed $19.1 Town Meeting operating Budget allocated for each tax dollar is: 44 cents for operating Town government; 35 cents for the Sippican School; and 21 cents for all other schools. Sewer and the water enterprise funds are $2.4 and $1.97 million respectively. There is $620,000 requested for trust and stabilization funds, good fiscal planning by the finance committee. Another three warrant articles request $39,500 in spending for weed control, a viewing platform and CPC administration.
The Warrant’s proposed $2.7 million FY 2015 capital budget request includes a $1.5 million water tank, $540,000 fire truck, and $203,000 in Music Hall repairs scattered among three different article requests. Funding request are also included for engineering studies for a new DPW complex and the sewer plant which will significantly improve planning and capital forecasting for these facilities.
Coming over the longer term financial horizon for current and future taxpayers are approvals, future commitments and capital spending estimated at $133.4 million or $47,270 per taxpayer. At this point, Marion has committed debt costs (principal and interest) of $42.5 million. The 10-year five-phase $20.4 million Village Project sewer, drainage and paving project has an expected debt cost of approximately $24 million. Unfunded retiree medical and pension future obligations for employees are estimated at $16.6 million. On the perpetually updated capital forecast I maintain as a Capital Committee member there is $30.1 million in visible new spending, much of which is forecasted within a five-year window. This includes placeholders among others for the Town House, DPW complex, Sewer Plant and lagoon upgrades, fire equipment and facility upgrades, vehicles purchases and more water projects.
Revenue growth from exciting and new sources is difficult. We need to do a better job managing the resources available. Good planning is a critical part of the structural and economic equation. The Planning Board with other boards and committees need to form a partnership in developing a realistic working plan for Marion’s future.
Ted North, Marion
Sources” Town Report, Town Warrant, May 15, 2013 Debt Refunding Prospectus and collective Planning Board and Capital Committee Participation
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.