ConCom Approves Shawmut Changes

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Shawmut Associates was back before the Rochester Conservation Committee on April 1 with a request to amend the Order of Conditions, which the commission unanimously approved after Project Manager Peter Flood of Green Seal Environmental explained the latest changes to the plan.

Changes to the 50 Cranberry Highway trash and recycling facility plan involve enclosing the originally proposed loading dock, adding a 60- to 70-foot long guard rail to be installed along the northwest side of the property, and relocating a diesel tank from the southeast side of the property to the eastern side of the building.

“Things are going well with the existing project,” said Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon, referring to the work that has already begun on the site. She said these new changes to the plan have resulted in an over-all better design.

Also during the meeting, Farinon told the commission that she issued a violation to Britney Ashley and Christopher Faustino, owners of 510 New Bedford Road for unpermitted clearing of trees within the 100-foot buffer zone – and right up to the very edge of the wetlands.

After receiving a call from a concerned resident, Farinon went to the property and issued the violation. According to the terms of the violation, Ashley and Faustino have until April 18 to file with the Conservation Commission.

The commission was handed photos taken of the logging and clearing at the site, prompting a “holy smokes” and a gasp from ConCom Member Kevin Cassidy.

“That’s a lot of clearing,” said Cassidy looking at the photos.

Cassidy asked Farinon who physically did the logging on the property, and Farinon told him it was Faustino’s father, Christopher Faustino Sr., owner of Faustino & Sons Logging of Rochester. Faustino Sr. was once a Rochester Conservation Commission member.

The extent of clearing Ashley and Faustino carried out requires a Forest Cutting Plan, which they did not have.

In a post-meeting interview, when asked if ConCom would have approved this scope of clearing before the work was completed, Farinon and ConCom Chairman Rosemary Smith both stated no.

In other news, Farinon told the commission that several cranberry bog owners are considering allowing solar farm projects on their bogs, but she would not disclose which ones.

“And they’re being approached by companies to do that,” said Farinon. She added that since cranberry bogs qualify as resource areas under the Wetlands Protection Act, any plans would come before the commission for approval.

In other matters, Michael Clements from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highway Division presented a plan for herbicide application to areas along Interstate 495 within the town border. He said the project is 94-percent mowing, one-percent herbicide application, and five-percent “other.”

It is standard procedure for the Mass DOT to renew its vegetation maintenance plan with the Town, and this plan will expire in five years.

“This plan will have no impact on wetlands resources,” said Clements. He said the herbicides and application methods have been researched and tested by the Department of Environmental Protection, and most of the herbicides, like Roundup®, can be purchased at most garden centers.

Mass DOT will notify the Town 10 days before spraying and applying the chemicals in June. The sprayer is a low pressure, low volume nozzle, and the chemicals can only be applied in dry weather, with wind below 20 miles per hour. The vote to approve was unanimous.

The commission also discussed an email complaint from a resident on March 30, the Sunday of the big rain storm, complaining of significant standing water, which the resident attributed to the nearby Connet Woods subdivision.

Farinon said she went to the site on March 31 and the water had fully dissipated. She stated that members from the Planning Board also checked out the site that Monday, and they found it to be a “non-issue.”

Farinon spoke of the Sunday storm commenting, “There was water every place.” She added that there appears to be a “neighborly dispute” now.

Also discussed, Farinon said a kiosk at Leonard’s Pond is being constructed by students at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School.

A display case is also in the works for Doggett’s Brook to be located on the side of the restroom facility. Farinon brought several sample maps for the commission to look over.

The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission is scheduled for April 15 at 7:00 pm at Town Hall.

By Jean Perry

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Mattapoisett Special Trees

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The Mattapoisett Town Tree Committee is collecting stories of special trees in our town. They need not be old; they need not be beautifully shaped or big. They might be in your back yard or at a playground or along a river. Did you celebrate its blooming with a party? One special tree lives at Ned’s Point Park; it has stood strong through many storms and still shades picnickers. It does not look like a special tree but it is. Bring your stories and maybe a pictures to the COA April 8 at 1:00 pm. Come share your stories of our trees or drop them off at the town hall in the Tree Committee box.

Sippican School Student Council

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To the Editor:

Dear Sippican School Student Council,

The Board of Directors and staff of the Sippican Lands Trust want to thank the students and your adult leader, Elizabeth Milde, who were involved with your recent “green” fundraiser that benefitted our organization. We are appreciative to have students like you in the community who are committed to helping the environment and consciously make choices to make an impact locally. We think your idea to dress up in green on St. Patty’s Day and connect your fundraiser to a local, “green” cause was very witty and we are extremely impressed by your initiative and efforts.

The Sippican Lands Trust currently owns and manages 1400 acres of open space in Marion. This land is open to the public for recreational enjoyment. We are currently working to open more trails and expand our outreach and event offerings. The money you raised will help us on an ongoing project to create trails and a boardwalk on a new parcel of waterfront land that we will be opening to the public this spring.

Again, we thank you for your support and we hope to see you out on our trails this summer! Keep up the good work!

All of us at the Sippican Lands Trust

 

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.

Troop 32 Marion Boy Scouts

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Troop 32 Marion Boy Scouts had a campout/backpacking weekend at Camp Cachalot in Carver starting on Friday, March 21, 2014 and finishing up on Sunday, March 23, 2014. On Saturday, the Scouts woke to 21 degrees air temperature, made a good breakfast and headed out on a five-mile hike. The hike took the Scouts up to Camp Squanto around Fawn Pond and back to Camp Cachalot. Two Cub Scouts from Pack 32 Marion Cub Scouts joined the Boy Scouts for the hike in order to meet an Arrow of Light requirement before they crossover to the Boy Scouts on April 5, 2014. They were Matthew Lavoie and Mason Tucker with their Fathers Dean Lavoie and Mark Tucker, respectively.

Pictured are the Boy Scouts as they are about to head up to Camp Cachalot. From left to right are: Robert Nakashian – Troop 32 Committee Member, Jackson St. Don, Zachary Pateakos, Jack Nakashian, Dave Sheldon, Doug Breault Jr., Chris Horton, Ben Lima and Paul St. Don – Troop 32 Scoutmaster.

ORR Athletic Hall of Fame’s Annual Reunion

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ORR Athletic Hall of Fame’s annual reunion was held at the Reservation Golf Club in Mattapoisett on Saturday, March 29.
ORR.  The 2014 Hall of Fame banquet and induction ceremonies will be held at ORRHS on Saturday, June 21 at 5:00 pm, and the annual ORRAHOF golf tournament will take place the following day, Sunday, June 22 at the Back Nine Golf Club in Lakeville. For more information on all of these great events, please visit the Old Rochester Regional Athletic Hall of Fame’s web site at www.ORRAHOF.com. Photos by Felix Perez

 

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Pictured here: Left to right: Peter Borsari Class of 82, Tom DeCosta Class of 70, Cornelia Dougall Class of 71, and Steve Heath Class of 69.

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Elizabeth A. (O’Connor) Roberts

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Elizabeth A. (O’Connor) Roberts, 82, of Marion, passed away Saturday March 22, at home in Marion. Elizabeth was the wife of the late George H. Roberts. Elizabeth was born in Worcester, MA the daughter of the late John F. and Lillian M. (Fortin) O’Connor. She is survived by her children; David Cederlund of Marion, Robert Cederlund of Worcester and Suzanne Poirier of Scituate. She is the sister of Kathleen M. O’Connor and she is also survived by 6 grandchildren & 18 great grandchildren. She was the grandmother of the late Jason Poirier.

A graveside service was held in the North Marion Cemetery (County Road) on Saturday March 29th.

Old Rochester Class of 1964

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The Old Rochester Class of 1964 is planning a 50th reunion in September 2014. If any one has information on the whereabouts of the following “missing” classmates, please call 317-769-3175: Allan Humphrey; Carol Wordell Quellette; Doris Hartley; Ruth Pare Robichaud; Clark Springgate; David Cobb; Dan Hebert; Martin Bauer; Chris Hayward; Clarissa Dow West; Virginia FaFrance; Robert Mandell; John Rosa; Darla Fidalgo; Malcolm Hardy; and Fred Tavares.

Classic Film Friday: Easter Parade

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On Friday, April 4 at 7:00 pm, the public is invited to the Marion Music Hall for its Classic Film Friday Presentation: Easter Parade. The event is co-sponsored by the Sippican Historical Society and the Marion Council on Aging, and is offered to the public, free of charge.            Easter Parade is a 1948 musical, starring Fred Astaire as a nightclub performer who hires a naive chorus girl (Judy Garland) to become his new dance partner to make his former partner (Ann Miller) jealous. Peter Lawford rounds out the cast. The film features music by Irving Berlin, including such favorites as “Steppin’ Out with My Baby,”” Shakin’ the Blues Away,” and the eponymous “Easter Parade.” Dubbed “the happiest musical every made,” Easter Parade was the highest-grossing musical of 1948, and earned an Oscar for Best Original Music Score the same year. Running time for Easter Parade is 107 minutes. For more information, contact the SHS at 508-748-1116.

Sunday’s Storm Leaves Tri-Town Soaked

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There were a lot of Tri-Town residents still pumping water out of their basements this Monday, after a torrential rain storm on Sunday, March 30 flooded roads and filled cellars faster than sump pumps could do their jobs. The region received over five inches of rainfall on Sunday, and some areas received even more.

Emergency response departments from the three towns reported a significant number of calls for Fire Department assistance in pumping out water from their homes. Residents living near the oceanfront reported flooded streets during the height of the storm Sunday morning when the tide was still high, and several roads were closed to traffic.

Marion Police Chief Lincoln Miller told The Wanderer Monday that the high tide spilled over into Spring Street near Tabor Academy, making it impassable. Marion Police Sergeant Jeff Tripp said other problem areas were on Route 6 by Lockheed Martin where a blocked-up storm drain closed all four lanes. Tripp said one car got stuck in a flooded road, but other than that, “It wasn’t anything to write home about.”

Chief Miller said there were no serious emergency calls or power outages reported, but basement floods are a lingering problem for residents.

“It was such a large amount of water that came down in such a short period of time,” said Miller. And the high tide, he added, seriously slowed the flow of storm water run-off from the street into the ocean. “[The storm water] has a difficult time dispersing into the harbor,” said Miller, “It takes a while longer.”

In Rochester, Police Sargent Bill Chamberlain said a few calls came in for assistance in pumping out flooded basements, and there were some calls reporting culverts backing up, but no emergencies and definitely nothing out of the ordinary.

We had a very easy time of it,” said Chamberlain,” considering the amount of water and the wind.”

In Mattapoisett, Police Chief Mary Lyons said things got a little wet around the edges, as she put it, with calls predominantly for flooded roads and flooded basements. River Road was one of the worst roads for flooding, and Lyons stated the road was still closed after the river crested Monday morning when she spoke with The Wanderer.

“That’s always a troublesome spot,” said Lyons.

Park Street and Driscoll Lane were both flooded also, along with Channing Road. Acushnet Road at Tinkham Pond was closed as well.

“Other than that it was just a big rain storm,” said Lyons.

By Jean Perry

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John Hallett Smith

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John Hallett Smith, 67, of Rochester, died Friday, March 28, 2014 at his home. He was the husband of Deborah M. (Maxim) Smith.

Born in Wareham, he was the son of the late Francis H. & Ellen (Corse) Smith. He graduated from Wareham High School, Class of 1964 and the UMass Dartmouth. A longtime resident of Wareham, he has lived in Rochester for 39 years.

Mr. Smith was employed as a L.P.N. at Kindred Transitional Care at Forestview in Wareham for 20 years and the Plymouth County House of Corrections for 26 years. He was also an EMT and firefighter on the Rochester Fire Department for 35 years.

The Smith family would like to thank the staff at Southcoast Oncology Center in Fairhaven, in particular Jeannie Maloney; and the staff at Southcoast VNA Hospice especially Laura Reynolds for their compassionate care during John’s illness.

In addition to his wife; he is survived by his daughter, Kelli M. Roof and her husband Jamison of Marshfield; his grandchildren, Chloe and Emmett Roof; his sisters, June Gainey of Old Fort, NC, Frances Florindo of W. Wareham, Joyce McWilliams and her husband Gardner of W. Wareham and Lucille Walker and her husband Marshall of Westland, MI; his brother, Francis Smith and his wife Jean of W. Wareham; his mother in-law, Nancy Connolly; his brothers in-law, Don Maxim and John Connolly; his sister in-law, Bridget Connolly and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Fri., Apr. 4, 2014 at Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 2599 Cranberry Highway (Rt. 28), Wareham at 6:30 PM. Relatives and friends may visit from 4 to 6:30 PM prior to the service.

In lieu flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Rochester Firefighters Association, 10 Neck Rd., Rochester, MA 02770 OR Southcoast Hospice, 200 Mill Rd., Fairhaven, MA 02719.