New Planning Board Member Appointed

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Lee Carr was appointed to the fill the vacant seat on the Planning Board during a March 3 joint meeting between selectmen and members of the Planning Board.

Carr had written a letter expressing his interest in serving on the Planning Board; however, it was a couple days too late to submit nomination papers before deadline and get his name on the ballot for the April 9 election.

In light of this, Carr will run as a write-in candidate, while serving on the Planning Board as an appointed member the month leading up to the election.

The Planning Board is a seven-member board, and has had quorum concerns since December when former Board Member Bob Francis resigned. Having seven members present for meetings is crucial when someone applies for a special permit; it requires a positive majority vote of five out of seven to pass.

Selectmen Chairman Naida Parker pointed out that Carr was the only resident expressing interest in running for the Planning Board, and emphasized that the appointment by selectmen was not an endorsement “showing favoritism.”

“Lee Carr is an easy name to write in,” commented Planning Board member Susan Teal.

Both boards took two separate unanimous votes appointing Carr to the board. If you blinked, you might have missed it – the meeting was only two minutes long.

The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for March 24 at 6:30 pm at Town Hall.

By Jean Perry

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More Solar Power for Rochester

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Rochester might be in for more solar power in the near future.

According to Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Richard Cutler, the Board recently received correspondence from Building Commissioner Jim Buckles notifying them of the potential for a 250-kilowatt solar array on Theodore Brillon’s property at 287 Snipatuit Road.

“My guess is he’s going to build it where the cranberry bog is, or was,” said Board member Kirby Gilmore.

Cutler said that the potential project, which is still only in its preliminary phases, was entitled the “Crimson Cranberry Bog Solar Project,” and would be on 1.1 acres of property.

“[Brillon] either has been or will be doing a significant amount of excavation there,” said Cutler, noting that this type of project is classified as an “Accessory Structure for Profit.”

In other Zoning Board news, a motion was approved to remove stipulation #2 as shown on an old special permit for Janet Dugan’s property at 124 High Street. That stipulation stated that the property is non-transferable.

Dugan hopes to sell her home, which is a two-tenement, but said she could not do so because of the preexisting stipulation.

“I can’t sell it because of that,” said Dugas.

The Board unanimously approved the motion to lift the stipulation, and any appeals must be filed within 20 days of the filing for this decision in the town clerk’s office.

The next meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for March 13.

By Nick Walecka

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Capital Planning Work Begins

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The hard work of trying to give the town’s departments all the items on their ‘wish lists’ and coming in at a figure that voters will accept has begun. The Capital Planning Committee, chaired by Chuck McCullough, meets between February and May each year to craft financial requests in excess of $10,000 that will be part of the town meeting warrant. These expenses are then prioritized by the Capital Planning Committee and sent to the Finance Committee for their review. Once the Finance Committee has determined if the request is viable, the voters will then either approve or deny the requested sum during May’s town meeting.

Working from a spreadsheet that spans 2014 through 2023, the committee members met with Police Chief Mary Lyons and Highway Surveyor Barry Denham on February 26. Chief Lyons discussed the need for two new cruisers and a new ambulance. She noted that the trauma unit to which her department transports victims is located in Rhode Island. The plan asks for $32,500 for each cruiser and $200,000 for an ambulance.

Next up was Highway Surveyor Barry Denham. He told the committee that his department has completed a number of road sign upgrades that are part of his five-year plan. Due to Federal regulations, the town is required to replace all street signs before 2018. He said that of the 782 signs in question 374 have been replaced, concentrating on roads that have speed limits greater than 25 miles per hour. The importance of moving the remaining costs associated with this project from departmental budget to capital expenditures was suggested by Town Administrator Mike Gagne, who felt that the new signage was critical for public safety. He said that many roads in town are in very discrete locations, making it difficult to locate streets and intersections if the street sign is of poor quality. This project needs $22,500 for completion. The committee agreed that it should be included in capital planning as a lump sum.

Denham went on to discuss repairs to the town barn and shed structures and what remains to be done. The plan has $40,000 plugged in for 2015. Roads and drains will continue to be funded at $400,000 – a figure that has remained static since 2014 and that is proposed to remain static into the foreseeable future. Although not part of the 2015 capital plan, Denham once again advocated for a three- to five-ton roller and a road grader. He said that his department oversees the maintenance of four miles of town roads and eight miles of private gravel roads.

Gagne told the committee that he is looking for some funding through the Community Preservation Committee for the bath house at town beach that needs repairs and retrofitting for limited mobility access, as well as repairs to town wharves.

When the committee meets again on March 12, they are scheduled to review requests from the Fire, Water/Sewer, and Recreation Departments.

By Marilou Newell

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South Coast Bikeway Summit

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The South Coast Bikeway Alliance invites all supporters of the South Coast Bikeway to the 4th Annual Bikeway Summit March 27 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at the Fort Taber Community Center – on the bike path – at 1000 Rodney French Boulevard, New Bedford, MA. Welcoming Reception will begin at 5:00 pm. Come meet your neighbors and friends who are committed to completing a regional bike path. The program will begin with Mayor Flanagan and Mayor Mitchell presenting highlights of their cities’ planned bike paths, Quequechan River Rail Trail and Saulnier Bike Path respectively.

Representative Bill Strauss, Chair of the House Transportation Committee, will discuss current status of state planning for bike paths. Eric Weis and Molly Henry of East Coast Greenway Alliance will unveil the Old Colony Bike Touring Loop, including a segment on the South Coast Bikeway. The final routing is the result of a collaborative effort with public input from many local partners and residents along the south coast and along the Cape.

Keynote Speaker will be Willie Weir, nationally-acclaimed columnist for Adventure Cyclist Magazine and the author of Travels with Willie and Spokesongs. Mr. Weir is also a photographer, radio host, inspirational speaker and bicycle advocate. Mr. Weir has cycled over 60,000 miles throughout the world.

Pre registration is appreciated. Go to southcoastbikeway.com click on “events calendar” or call SRPEDD at 508-824-1367 and ask to speak to the Bicycle Coordinator, Jackie Schmidt.

The presentation will be important to all advocates of the South Coast Bikeway: cyclists; walkers; public officials; planners; transit officials; and employers. Presentations will be followed by open discussion of the importance of making the South Coast region a more bike- friendly region.

The South Coast Bikeway is a component of the SRPEDD’s Southeastern Massachusetts Bicycle Plan. The bikeway, once realized, will be a 50-mile continuous system of bike paths (or multi-use paths) and bike lanes that will connect Rhode Island to Cape Cod. Cities and towns included in this plan are Swansea, Somerset, Fall River, Westport, Dartmouth, New Bedford, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Marion and Wareham. Several segments of the bikeway already exist in Swansea, Fall River, New Bedford, Fairhaven and Mattapoisett.

South Coast Bikeway Alliance is a consortium of South Coast towns who meet monthly with other regional advocates of a regional bikeway, including SRPEDD, Voices for a Healthy South Coast, Mass in Motion both in Fall River and New Bedford.

MAC Hosts All Abstract Show

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The Marion Art Center will present an exhibition of abstract art featuring works by Bouldin G. “Bo” Burbank, Jeffrey Rappo, and Filipe Miguel, from March 7 to April 19. A reception honoring the artists and their guests will be hosted by the Marion Art Center on Friday, March 7 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

While the word “abstract” could describe or define the type of art that is produced by the artists exhibiting in this show, the three artists most definitely have diverse mediums. Jeff Rappo is a digital photographer, Bo Burbank is a painter and found object sculptor, and Filipe Miguel creates works using the “encaustic” method of painting. The resulting show will break out of the normal box for exhibitions usually shown at the Marion Art Center.

Meet The Artists:

Bo Burbank defies artistic standardization as far as style and approach. He rotates from one medium to another, going back and forth between paint, watercolor, sculpture and multimedia. He often starts his works with a mental image of a landscape or a stored-up feeling over an event or issue, but once initial contact with the canvas is made, his mind set and energies become open-ended, evolving on the canvas. Most of his compositions are abstractions, full of quick action and reaction strokes allowing the viewer to interpret the image through his or her own way of “seeing”. His sculptural pieces are inspired by the “found objects” he collects, producing works that are the products of emotion impelled by personal feelings or by public events and issues. Bo resides in Marion.

Filipe Miguel grew up in South Eastern Massachusetts. He was born in Paris in 1972, immigrated with his parents to the U.S. at a young age and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2005. As an artist, Filipe fuses different mediums and techniques to create his work. In his undergraduate studies at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, he explored drawing and painting while earning a BFA in Painting and Art Education. He achieved an MFA from the University of Connecticut in 2003 where he developed his interest in multi-media installations.

Of his work Filipe says, “The paintings start with the building of the wood panels. Then I mix pigments, beeswax, resin crystals and heat it up. I drip it on, layer it, smooth it out with a hot iron. Afterwards I fuse it with a heat gun or blow torch.” The resulting pieces are known as “encaustic” paintings. His sources of inspiration include natural selection, evolution, and mutation.

Filipe resides and works in Raynham where he lives with his wife and family.

Jeff Rappo’s life-long interest in music and art has inspired his most recent creative pursuit of digital photography. This medium is a perfect outlet for his experimental nature. An affinity towards the unusual and darker aspects of the human psyche is expressed through his abstract works. Jeff is a social science graduate of UMass-Dartmouth and currently resides in Marion.

Located at 80 Pleasant (the corner of Pleasant and Main Streets) in Marion, the Marion Art Center has been promoting the visual and performing arts since 1957. For more information about this exhibit and all the events at the Marion Art Center, please visit www.marionartcenter.org or visit during Gallery hours: Tuesday through Friday from 1:00 to 5:00 pm and on Saturdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Academic Achievements

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Breanne Inman-Trendowski of Mattapoisett graduated in December from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine with a Bachelor of Arts in Theological Studies.

Anya Cummings of Mattapoisett, a first-year student in the mechanical engineering program in RIT’s Kate Gleason College of Engineering, made the Dean’s List for the Fall 2013 semester. Degree-seeking undergraduate students are eligible for Dean’s List if their quarterly GPA is greater than or equal to 3.400; they do not have any grades of “Incomplete”, “D” or “F”; and they have registered for, and completed, at least 12 credit hours.

A Year with Harry

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Another year has flown by leaving behind lots of happy memories and some that have been, well, shadows that only time will help to fade. Last spring we brought home Harry, our Havanese puppy. He is now one year old. When I retired in the winter of ’13, one of my post-employment goals was to do something that would benefit others. I had dreamed of becoming a dog trainer or having a therapy dog. I could see myself going into nursing homes and hospitals with a small dog that would bring good cheer to those facing medical difficulties. So after doing research on breeds that might fit the bill, I decided on a Havanese.

This dog breed is gaining popularity in the U.S., but it is still relatively unknown. What I learned from various web sites was that they are a good choice for people who have allergies because their coats are non-shedding hair rather than fur. That’s a good thing. They are easy to train and love the attention of humans, another good thing. They are small dogs with the adult males maybe topping out at 15 pounds and the females at 10 pounds. Perfect. And with a little dog comes little messes to pick up outside. SCORE! I was sold. Further web surfing turned up several breeders within driving distance, and we were off. It wasn’t long before we found someone in Rhode Island who would have puppies available in March of that year. We were excited.

In the meantime, our four-year-old Cairn terrier, Max, was the center of our household. Max – so loveable in his macho way – stopping by for a pat or a scratch on his way to important duties such as chasing the cats and birds out of the backyard, or barking at the joggers going by the house. He was our good boy. Max, with his exotic brindle coat, alert eyes and ears, and intelligent personality had been selected as a companion for my newly-retired husband while I finished out a few more years of 9 to 5. They walked miles together, worked in the yard with Max keeping his master safe from voles, chipmunks and rabbits, and they watched sports at night.

Max and I also walked miles. He was my nightly partner as we sped along the village streets in every type of weather. His hearty stout body, nearly waterproof coat, and boundless energy made him the ideal walking team member. I didn’t fear the dark when I walked with Max. At 25 pounds he wasn’t huge, but he was tough and he was dedicated.

I was reluctant about bringing another dog into our quiet, restful home. We had never had two dogs before, and the work might be daunting. I was confident, though. I was sure that after awhile the two dogs would settle into a routine and get along fine. Never one to back away from a self-imposed challenge, I plowed ahead.

One day just before the scheduled day for picking up the new pup, Max and I went out for a walk. As we passed by a house a short distance from our home, a huge German Shepherd vaulted across North Street, grabbed Max around the torso, tossed him up in the air, and was going in for the kill when the owner pulled it off. The whole horrible event didn’t take a minute, but it seemed to happen in slow motion. I scooped Max up into my arms and was in shock as I knelt on the ground screaming. Max was trembling and yelping; the attacker’s owner had secured him back into its pen and was now trying to calm me down. I was too far gone. The German Shepherd is a handsome example of the breed. But unfortunately, he was not frequently exercised and spent his days in an outdoor pen. The dog seemed to have not been socialized, so that when the opportunity presented itself to act out its frustration, he seized it and my Max. I don’t fault the dog at all.

The dog’s owner summoned my husband, and with some assistance I got into our car while holding a much stressed dog. At the vet’s office, it was determined that Max had soft tissue trauma and one small surface wound from the assailant’s teeth. He was given pain medication and some antibiotics. The dog officer wrote up the incident report, and I gave the neighbor the invoice for the vet expenses.

The whole incident really unnerved me. To this day when I close my eyes, I can still see that enormous animal bounding across the road brandishing teeth, growling, and then viciously attacking. I was so glad it hadn’t been worse and also glad that the owner had been in the yard when his loose dog tackled Max. With difficulty, I still walk by that property and see that huge wild dog, stuck in a pen, growling and barking – waiting for a chance to run or vent frustration.

It took Max about a week to fully recover and not wince in pain while moving around. The day of the attack, I called the Havanese breeder and asked if we could postpone picking up Harry due to the incident. I explained that I needed to give both Max and myself a chance to recover. I didn’t want to bring a puppy into my world of jangled nerves. She agreed wholeheartedly, and we set a new date.

Over the coming days, thinking about Harry helped me overcome what had happened and, after all, it really hadn’t been so bad. Right? I did a great deal of positive self-talk and set my sights on Harry while cherishing Max. I spent time educating myself on how to introduce a new dog into the household and forged ahead. The day arrived in mid-April with bright sunshine.

I followed all the protocol that professionals advise for bringing a puppy into a resident dog’s home. It wasn’t easy for Max to have a busy puppy in his face endlessly imploring him to play. Harry got strong rebukes a couple of times that made me question the wisdom of bringing a puppy into Max’s space. But I trusted that over time all would be well. That spring there were days of watching the sun come up as one does having a newborn baby in the house, accidents on the floor and near food fights. Yet, after some weeks things were in fact getting better. Harry would learn all Max had to teach, and one day I’d have a therapy dog to help the wider community and a good buddy for our private life.

We hired a trainer to come into our home once a week to teach me the best techniques for training Harry in the basics and then later on advance lessons for therapy dog certification. The time investment would be at least a year and not inexpensive, but I balanced that against the benefit convincing myself it was worth it. Things were moving in the right direction.

Then one day when we picked Max up from the daycare he attended twice a week, the provider said he didn’t seem right, was very anxious and out of sorts. When we got him home, it was clear something was wrong. He couldn’t urinate, wouldn’t or couldn’t lie down and had a wild-eyed look. At the vet’s office, they flushed his bladder, took scans and x-rays but could find nothing conclusive. We brought him home hoping this too would pass. It didn’t. Without going into the agony that the ensuing 36 hours brought, we found ourselves finally receiving a diagnosis that was unmerciful. I held my baby, somehow found strength to reach a peaceful island inside my heart, and felt the life leave his body as the vet administered the shot. A week later, we buried Max’s ashes in the backyard in one of his favorite spots. I can see his grave from the kitchen window; missing him is now just part of my daily existence.

In the days that followed, we were faced with taking care of a tiny pup whose needs didn’t stop just because the humans were walking shells of grief. We cried into his food and water dishes, we cried when he tried to play ball with us, we cried when he walked him outside. Everywhere and everything was Max. The void his absence caused was enormous. Our grief felt more than we could handle. But Harry needed us.

The slow process of healing took months. I forced myself to continue the training that had begun for Harry, and after a while I was able to control myself enough to focus on doing the best I could for him. Harry decided I needed him, and he followed me everywhere never letting me out of his sight. He soothed my heart and mind, he demanded my undivided attention, he commanded nothing less than my devotion. I obeyed.

When our granddaughter is blue or taciturn as only teenagers can be, Harry makes her smile and laugh. When winter days have cast my husband and me into long silences, Harry drops his toys at our feet, encouraging us to see the joy in his playfulness. Harry is just what we need. No, he is not a replacement for our beloved lost Max. He is just himself, a dog claiming ownership of the humans in his pack and finding a secure place in the pecking order. A year later Harry comforts, cajoles, and confirms that he is, in fact, a therapy dog – he is our therapy dog.

By Marilou Newell

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Mattapoisett Library to Open on Sundays

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The Mattapoisett Free Public Library will soon offer Sunday hours from 1:00 to 4:00 pm, hoping to make library resources available to patrons who might not otherwise find time to visit the library during the week.

In addition, the library is planning a number of Sunday afternoon cultural and musical events, something the library has not done before. Library Director Susan Pizzolato says she hopes the events will give families a chance to come out and enjoy the library together.

“There have been lots of focus groups and conversations in the community to find out what people needed,” said Pizzolato. “It’s an experiment to see if the community responds to the opportunity.”

Pizzolato said a significant population of the library’s patrons has to work during the week, making it difficult to find time to come to the library. Pizzolato added that older patrons are sometimes reluctant to come to the library when it approaches dark, limiting their accessibility to the library even further.

The library is currently open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:00 am until 8:00 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm on Thursday and Friday, and from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm on Saturday, for a total of 40 hours. The library will add three more hours on Sundays, beginning March 2 up until Memorial Day weekend, when the library will return to its regular Tuesday through Saturday schedule.

“When it’s summertime in a seaside community, people are more social and tend to use Sundays more for a day at the beach,” said Pizzolato, “so [Sunday hours] are less needed.”

Pizzolato said the Town supports the idea of opening the library on Sunday, but she said she wants to see Town resources utilized responsibly, so they will be monitoring Sunday attendance numbers. She stated that if the turnout is less than they had anticipated, they might reconsider offering Sunday hours again in September.

“But so far there’s been a lot of excitement,” said Pizzolato. She said many library patrons have posted comments on the library’s Facebook page, expressing excitement and enthusiasm for the new Sunday hours.

The library’s first Sunday afternoon event will be on March 9 when Michael Ponsor will read from his first novel, The Hanging Judge. In 2001, Judge Ponsor presided over the first death penalty case in Massachusetts in over 50 years. The event is free and begins at 2:00 pm.

By Jean Perry

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Marion Republican Town Committee

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The Marion Republican Town Committee will conduct its next monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 4 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Music Hall, 164 Front Street, Marion. The public and new members are welcome.

Second Annual Beach Party

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The Marion Fireworks Committee will hold the Second Annual Beach Party on Saturday, April 5 at the Marion Music Hall. There will be music, refreshments, auction, and raffle items. Tickets are only $25 per person and are available at Marion Recreation, Top of the Hill Liquors, Serendipity by the Sea and the Marion General Store. In order for the fireworks to return for the summer of 2014, your support and donations are needed. All donations are 100% tax deductible. Please make checks payable to Marion Fireworks Committee, 13 Atlantis Drive, Marion, MA 02738. Any questions or if you would like to volunteer, please contact the Marion Fireworks Committee at 774-217-8355 or info@marionrecreation.com.