Norman Hills and Rico Ferrari, members of the Marion Planning Board, outlined for the Marion Board of Selectmen members Jody Dickerson and Stephen Cushing the Town’s Master Plan. Hills said a public workshop had been held and meetings with SRPEDD had taken place. Information and feedback gathered from those activities fed into the final document.

But a lack of public response caused Cushing to question if sufficient public input had been acquired. Only 19 residents participated in the workshop, Hill reported. He also said not many residents had visited the Town’s website to provide feedback.

Dickerson said, “In the 1990’s we did neighborhood meetings…town employees too and got great response doing that.” He wondered if tax bills or water bills could go out with a notice asking for the public to participate in this important work.

“People need to come to the workshops,” said Hills.

One of the articles expected to be on the Town Meeting Warrant is a request for $30,000 for a part-time town planner.

“A planner would support the master plan,” said Hills. Ferrari added, “…Someone to supplement our lack of knowledge and implement the plan…”

Previous master plans included action items that were never acted upon, Hills pointed out. Dickerson said they had tried to get the Town to approve a town planner in the past with no success.

Hills stated again, “Community effort, people have to be involved.”

Ferrari added, “We want to draw from the community some leadership…” to help the town see results from the Master Plan.

Hills asked if the Board of Selectmen would invite the Town’s department heads to come together for a brainstorming session saying, “Marion residents’ participation is critical.”

In other business, the selectmen voted to approve the Affordable Housing Plan; to increase the number of Music Hall Advisory Committee members to nine; and the Department of Public Works union contract that will increase two percent in Fiscal Yean 2016.

Town Administrator Paul Dawson reported that the fire chief search has generated 48 interested people.

Dawson also told the board counterfeit guest privilege passes had been discovered and reported by a resident who witnessed someone making them on a commercial copier. He said residents holding passes will receive a letter reminding them of the proper use of the passes, and that improper use will result in all family parking privileges being denied.

On a happier note, Dawson said that bids will be accepted starting Thursday, April 23 for the 2015 July 4th fireworks show. Dickerson assured Dawson that the money, 100 percent from private donations, is funding this summer’s event.

The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for May 5 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

By Marilou Newell

The ORR school district has never taken an official vote on a military leave policy for employees, so on April 8 the Old Rochester Regional School Committee formally adopted one to address the situation of ORR Math teacher Micah Kidney who serves in the U.S. National Guard.

Superintendent Doug White suggested options such as the use of personal time or paid leave of up to 17 days.

“Do you feel that the 17 days is a sufficient number to meet your needs?” asked School Committee member Paul Goulet.

Kidney, seated in attendance replied, “I think that would be absolutely fair.” Kidney said, while on duty, most soldiers make less than their regular job salaries. “For future soldiers, I would love to see that support.”

“I think it’s perfectly reasonable,” said School Committee member Cheryl Hebert. “I think that it’s invaluable to have people (staff in the military) … as role models, and I would hate to see them suffer any loss.”

Given the choice of the two options, Goulet made the motion to grant military employees authorization to use personal days during military service, in addition to the up to 17 days of paid leave.

In other matters, ORR High School Principal Michael Devoll briefed the committee on a revision to the program of studies to add the school’s first ever Advanced Placement Psychology course.

Devoll said some students currently take honors-level Psychology using the AP-level textbooks and a few sit for the AP exam at the end of the course. Once the interested teachers are certified to teach the AP course, the school can offer it without having to hire any new staff or purchase any new books, Devoll said.

Also during the meeting, the committee renewed the one-year lease contract with the Southeastern Massachusetts Educational Collaborative (SMEC) for classroom space at the high school.

“It’s been a positive experience,” said Devoll. “Everything’s been positive. It’s been a smooth year, and we look forward to continuing that.”

The School Committee was pleased to hear that considering that when it approved the SMEC program last year, Devoll was opposed to the segregated nature of the program, which he said at the time went against the full-inclusion philosophy of the school.

Devoll said that although some students in the SMEC program are still working toward the possibility of attending some regular education classes, most SMEC program students do have lunch in the cafeteria everyday and attend field trips with the general population of students.

The next meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee is scheduled for May 13 at 6:00 pm in the ORR Junior High School media center.

By Jean Perry