Article 30, the first of the Solar Bylaws proposed by the Marion Energy Management Committee, failed by four votes during the final night of the Marion Town Meeting on Tuesday. It would have formalized the process for installing residential solar arrays. After an informative presentation from Jennifer Francis of the Energy Management Committee and a statement from the Planning Board by Chair Jay Ryder, much discussion and questions on the issue came from town residents.

Then, residents voted. David Titus, Town Moderator, asked for a hand count. Residents raised their hands and each vote was counted. Seventy-nine voted for Article 30 and 48 were against it. Because town meeting requires a two-thirds vote to approve the bylaw amendment, it was defeated.

The Solar Bylaws have been a bone of contention between the Planning Board and the EMC. The complex proposal prompted residents to ask various questions, which were addressed by both sides. At issue was the absence of a special permit process and approval by the Planning Board for solar arrays in town with abutter input.

Approved by a two-thirds majority, again by counting a raised hand vote, was a new Municipal Solar Overlay District designating the town dump area as a site for a solar garden. The vote was 82 votes for the article and 31 against. The two-thirds majority requirement was met, and Article 31 passed.

Again, the proposal had the Planning Board and the EMC both presenting reasons for and against the warrant article.

Ryder said that the two committees – and others – would work together to present an “appropriate” residential bylaw to town residents at the next Town Meeting, to be held in the fall.

A request for the purchase of a new pumper engine for the Fire Department for the approximate sum of $595,000 was defeated. Another Fire Department request for $7,500 for the purchase of four thermal imaging cameras was approved. A request for an upgrade or replacement of the telephone system at a cost of $28,500 was not approved. A $35,500 request for replacement of air packs was approved for the Fire Department.

An overhaul of the Council on Aging bylaws was approved and had no financial impact.

Residents approved a sum of $90,000 to upgrade outside and inside lighting with energy efficient lighting. The EMC asked NSTAR to conduct an energy audit at Sippican School, and this was a recommendation. The replacement of the lighting should generate a savings of more than $24,000 annually. Voters also agreed to a sum of $66,000 to replace 10 windows at Sippican School.

The town agreed to requests from the Department of Public Works, which includes water and sewer, for $60,000 to replace an outdated computer system that helps oversee the wastewater treatment plant.

An article on waterfront facilities was approved. $150,000 will be transferred from available funds to replace docks and pilings at Island Wharf and at Old Landing. There will be no cost to taxpayers for this transfer. Harbormaster Mike Cormier and his staff plan to do 30% of the manual work to replace the boardwalk at Island Wharf, reducing the overall cost of the project. Other improvements include replacing the concrete part of the 1991 floats and replacing nine existing pilings at Old Landing and putting in five more to reinforce the area to improve public safety.

The Assessor’s office will purchase an upgrade to their Geographic Information System software for a sum of $25,000, which was approved.

The Department of Public Works got the approval to purchase three new vehicles. The Highway Division will purchase a new one-ton dump truck at a cost of $61,000. A one-ton utility truck 4×4 with plow at a cost of $40,000 for the Water Department was also approved. A $40,000 vehicle for the Sewer Department was also approved, paving the way for a new one-ton utility truck 4×4 with plow.

The Community Preservation Committee got the approval for a $2,000 request for annual administration costs. “This is less than three percent of our operating budget,” said Lori Schaefer, representing the committee.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry

Selectmen met with officials from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to discuss safety concerns that the Board had over the railroad crossing on County Road.

The crossing will be used by the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority’s newly announced commuter rail, which will run between Middleboro and Hyannis.

At last week’s Selectmen’s meeting, officials voiced concerns over the lack of warning markers and the ineffectiveness of the gates that are currently in place there.  The train would travel through Rochester at 59 miles per hour, and the Board said that there are two dangerous S-curves on both sides of the crossing that will be very dangerous unless better safety measures are taken.

Ron Nickle, the Chief Safety Officer of MBTA, was present Monday, and he said that a team would be going to the site tomorrow to assess it and decide exactly what safety measures will be taken.

“We assess each grade crossing and see what the risk factors are,” said Nickles.  “We determine the acceptability and unacceptability of the risk factor.  We have teams going out tomorrow to do that.”

Nickle said that any changes to the site would be completed by June or July at the latest, and if there were changes that were not made in time for the opening of the rail, then they would reduce the speed of the train to 30 miles per hour until they are complete.  The Hyannis to Middleboro train is scheduled to start operation on May 24.

“It’s a major thruway coming off that highway to these communities,” Town Administrator Richard LaCamera said.  “It’s a concern.  It really doesn’t conform with today’s safety standards as far as the commuter rail is concerned.”

By Nick Walecka

On a breezy spring evening and in spite of a low turn out, Mattapoisett voters came out in sufficient numbers to allow the town to move swiftly through its 32 Article Town Meeting Warrant.  With a balanced and very conservative budget to go through, the voters were eager to keep up their record of one night Town Meeting.

All articles were carried with only a handful seeing one or two dissenting votes in the face of overwhelming approval.

Of the two articles brought to town meeting by citizen partition one passed and one was roundly shot down.  Article #31 from Mrs. Shockro of Mattapoisett Neck requested connection to the sewer project currently underway.  She had not previously requested inclusion having missed public notifications and had apparently not found her property within the scope of the original planned work.  Nick Nicholson, Water/Sewer Superintendent spoke against granting her request noting that sufficient notification had been given and that the capacity of the system wouldn’t support additional tie-ins.  However the voters found her petition worthy and found in her favor.

Mrs. Erma Nickelson, however of Brandt Island Road was requesting nearly $450,000 for road improvements on secondary or feeder roadways in the beach community.  Citing that more than 50% of the homes in the area are now year around residences and the tremendous need for safe road surfaces, she requested the monies to come from the Stabilization Fund.

Selectman Collyer said, “If we take that money out of the fund we would be back to 2007.”  He continued that it might impact balancing the budget.  He said it might also negatively impact “our bond rating”.  “I’m telling you right now I’m not voting for it,” he declared.  “It was would be fiscally irresponsible.”

Ms. Pennington of the Finance Committee agreed, “I am strongly objecting to this article…..I have been waiting for years for my road to be repaired…..but the reality is we only have so many dollars each year so feeder roads don’t even compute in my world.”  The motion was defeated.

Another article that generated some conversation was the article for spending money to upgrade the tennis courts at Center School.  Some voters expressed concerned over vandalism and sufficient demand to actually warrant the need for the tennis court.  After the voters learned that the courts at the high school are basically never available for public use and demand is there, it was decided to pass the article.  It was planned that police will be notified to take action as necessary to ensure it is only used for tennis and not skate boarding and other damaging activities.

Ten articles covered various needs from the Water & Sewer Department.  Some of those had to be re-worded during the delivery of the article to the voters.  Although the sums being requested were all correct, the actual wording needed to be tweaked for accuracy and to be legally cogent. Nick Nicholson, Water/Sewer Superintended presented Articles 20 through 30.

Here is a summary of the articles and results:

•Special Town Meeting – Article #1: Free cash to reserve fund:  $45,000 this would allow the town to close out the fiscal year in a balanced manner. There were cost overruns on line items associated with emergency services for storms and related recovery expenses. Unanimously carried

•Article #1:  Elected officers’ Compensation (no funding required).  Moderator $200; Board of Selectmen/Chairman 3700; Board of Selectmen/members 3300; Assessor/each 3300; Town Clerk 59,025; Board of Health/each 400; highway surveyor 71,205; Mattapoisett school committee/each 400; water/sewer commissioner/each 400; tree warden 7145; herring inspector 745… Motion was carried.

•Article #2:  General Operating Budget $21,899,127 – unanimously carried

•Article #3:  Appropriate for OPEB liabilities – $297,720 this is for the future expenses in retirement insurance obligations.  Unanimously carried.

•Article #4:  Departmental Revolving Fund Authorization. Unanimously carried.

•Article #5:  Phase III town Road Improvement Plan Funding – $200,000. 123 for 1 against.

•Article #6:  Appropriation to Capital Improvement Stabilization Fund $229,000. Unanimously carried.

•Article #7:  Capital Improvement Plan – no funding required.  Five year capital improvement plan. Report was accepted.

•Article #8:  Capital Plan Funding – thermo imagining equipment/Fire department $10,000; Police cruiser $32,000; fire rescue tools and air bags $14,500; highway department vehicle wash system $45,000; highway department facility repair $35,000; local schools technology upgrade $30,000; town hall stair lift system $15,000; Town hall equipment replacement $31,870; fire boat pump and radio system $10,000; police storage facility $25,000; recreation equipment/replacement $8,300. 123 for, 2 against.

•Article #9:  Highway Department Sander/Truck $150,000. 124 for, 1 against.

•Article #10:  Cyclical Annual Property revaluation $30,000.00. Unanimously carried.

•Article #11:  Allocation of Revenues Community Preservation Act – administrative expenses $1000; debt service expense #23,970; Transfer from FY 2014 Estimated Annual Revenues for the following reserve accounts:  housing $17,380; historical preservation $17,380; open space $17,380; budgeted reserve $96,692. Unanimously carried

•Article #12:  Hammond Street Tennis Courts $170,000 to rehabilitate the recreation area. 121 for, 4 against

•Article #13:  Funding to remove discontinued fire alarm wiring – $15,000.00. Unanimously carried.

•Article #14:  Stabilization Fund Vocational School. Unanimously carried.

•Article #15:  Acceptance of General Ledger to defer excise tax payments for certain service personnel on active duty. Unanimously carried.

•Article #16:  Facility Assessment Committee Formation. Unanimously carried.

•Article #17:  Special Education Stabilization Fund Contribution – $65,000. Unanimously carried.

•Article #18:  Funding for Electric Service Upgrades on town wharves – $100,000 for phase II of needed electrical upgrades to town wharves. Was carried to approval.

Article #19:  Reserve for Future Appropriation – salaries and wages $189,890 from the Tax Levy as a reserve for future appropriation for salaries and wages. Unanimously carried

•Article #20:  Water land Acquisition – $65,000 to borrow. 19.5 acres of land west of Acushnet Road for open space and held by the board of water/sewer commissioners to protect the land into the future.  To authorize the department to purchase the land for passive recreating purposes and to preserve these spaces.  This is part of the Mattapoisett River Valley and Mattapoisett River Aquifer. Unanimously carried

•Article #21:  Well #2 Refurbishment – $250,000 – this would require the town to borrow some funds – this would be phase II of work that has been ongoing at this site.  The well was originally built in 1920’s and has had not any significant improvement since the 1970’s.  This well site has the potential for future water sources.  Will increase water bills over the period of the loans only about $10.00 per years over the life of the loan. Unanimously carried.

•Article #22:  Water Tank Mixers – $75,000 from the Water Retained Earnings to install submergible mixer into two of the standpipes. Unanimously carried.

•Article #23:  Cove Street Water Main – $250,000 for installing municipal water on Cove Street to authorize the Treasurer with the approval of the Board of Selectmen to borrow money for this project. Unanimously carried.

•Article #24:  Water Department Building Maintenance – $30,000 for Water Retained Earnings for repairs to building for the Water Department. Unanimously carried

•Article #25:  Eel Pond Force Main Study – $30,000 from Sewer Retained Earnings for the purpose of conducting a comprehensive analysis of the performance of the Eel Pond Force Main and formulation of recommendations for addressing the finding. Unanimously carried.

•Article #26:  Sewer Vacuum System – $33,745 from Sewer Retained Earnings and $47,525 from Article #2 of the May 2010 Annual Town Meeting Sewer Extension Project, Mattapoisett Neck Area for the purpose of purchasing sewer cleaning equipment. 104 to 1 approved.

•Article #27: Sewer Reserve Account – $10,000 from Sewer Retained Earnings for unforeseen expenses of the Department in FY2014.  For unforeseen expenses. Unanimously carried.

•Article #28: Water Reserve Account – $10,000 from water retained earnings for the purpose of establishing a reserve for unforeseen expenses for the Department in FY 2014. Unanimously carried.

•Article #29:  Grinder Pump Maintenance and Repairs – $30,000 from Sewer Retained Earnings for the purpose of repairing and refurbishing of and making improvements to Sewer Grinder Pumps. Unanimously carried.

•Article #30:  Water well infrastructures – for #5 pumping station $20,000. Unanimously carried.

•Article 31 – Mrs. Shokro – to allow her to tie-in to the new sewer construction project. In favor:  40, Opposed: 17.

•Article 32 –$447,096 from the Stabilization Fund for the purpose of reconstructing, repairing and resurfacing with permeable asphalt, (Brandt Island Area) Pinehurst Avenue from Highland Avenue to Ocean Avenue to Ocean View Avenue, and Oaklawn Avenue from Highland Avenue to Ocean View Avenue. Unanimously defeated

By  Marilou Newell

Photo by Tim Smith

Marion voters didn’t make it easy on officials during the first of what looks to be at least a few nights of Town Meeting.

Residents approved with minimal discussion on Monday a 2 percent increase in salaries for elected officials and a total Fiscal Year 2014 operating budget of $19,222,999, representing a 2.26 percent jump from FY 13. Instead, they saved most of their scrutiny for Phase 1A of the Village Area Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan.

Phase 1A would address roadway access and utility improvements on Ryder Lane, South Street, and Spring Street. After grants and Chapter 90 funds, the project’s price tag comes to $3,147,400, too high for some voters.

“I’m sick and tired of water and sewer rate increases, and I know others feel the same way” Tom Magauran said. “Our rates are already ridiculous; they’re absurd.”

The project would not increase water rates, but sewer rates for Marion residents would spike by an average of $10. While officials assured voters that approving Phase 1A would not lock the town into future phases, some weren’t buying it.

“This is a down payment on a $20 million project,” said Ted North, who ended up in a shouting match with Moderator David Titus during the night’s most heated moment. Titus ultimately deemed North out of order, earning subsequent chastisement from Magauran for discouraging debate.

Magauran and other voters lamented a perceived lack of transparency on the part of the Board of Selectmen and other officials.

“Nobody can answer the simple question, what is the money being spent on? We’ve dedicated money to this before, and where did it go?” Magauran said. “It’s the same bill of goods with a new title. There’s a lot of semantics and nonsense going on here.”

Finance Committee Chair Alan Minard said he understood voters’ concerns.

“This is expensive, but it’s something we need to do,” he said in recommending Article 13.

After more than an hour of discussion, Marion voters OK’d the project, which is set to begin this summer. Soon after passage of Article 13, they voted to appropriate upward of $4.5 million to the water and sewer enterprise funds.

Elsewhere on the warrant, voters approved:

Article 5, which will transfer $25,000 from the Treasury to the funding of accrued benefits for retiring employees;

Article 6, which transfers $25,000 from the Overlay Surplus Account to the Board of Assessors for the revaluation of property as mandated by the Dept. of Revenue;

Article 7, dedicating $125,000 to the Other Post-Employment Benefit Liability Trust Fund;

and Article 8, which sends $100,000 to the Stabilization Fund.

In addition, Article S1, a special item to supplement the Department of Public Works FY 13 budget with $80,000 after destructive winter storms, passed.

The evening’s other contentious item – and the last that Town Meeting would consider until Tuesday night – was Article 9, which asked voters to appropriate $100,000 to a feasibility study on renovations to the Marion Town House. A similar item failed last year, but squeaked through after significant debate on Monday.

“I think you missed the point last year when you lost the vote,” said Magauran, who tormented the Board of Selectmen throughout night one. “You have to do a broader, better job of looking at the options.”

Resident Annie Hayes, a former contractor, challenged officials to cite specifics in terms of deteriorating facilities, while wondering whether the project was fiscally sound.

Minard agreed, but only to a point.

“I hate it,” he said, “but I think we should move forward.”

In addition to Minard’s testimony, voters appeared to respond to Selectman John Henry’s claim that the town owed “a legacy to Elizabeth Taber,” as well as his even-handed and reasoned approach throughout the proceedings.

Henry will need to maintain that approach, as Marion Town Meeting heads into night two with nary a third of its warrant navigated.

By Shawn Badgley

Members of the Old Rochester Regional Joint School Committee on Thursday night laid the groundwork for updates to its best practices policy via the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, as well as to its Professional Development Plan and administrative contracts.

Christine Winters of the policy subcommittee gave officials a glimpse of the work ahead, as the coming months could require a “policy by policy” review by the ORR Joint School Committee starting as early as its June 13 meeting.

“It’s a major undertaking,” Winters said, “but it’s something we need to do.”

Sharon Hartley, chair of the Massachusetts Superintendecy Union No. 55, expressed some reservations given the policies’ volume and format. All review will be done on hardcopy during a compressed time period.

“I’m concerned about individual members’ time,” Hartley said.

Winters said that there remains the possibility that members may receive only drafts of policies that are put forth for revision, cutting down on the time commitment.

Elsewhere on the Committee’s agenda, members voted to approve Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Elise Frangos’ Professional Development plan, delineating teachers’ areas of academic focus, lesson plans, and in-class methodologies. Science and data literacy, in addition to student writing skills, are chief among the districts’ priorities, Frangos said. Educators will gather for a two-day workshop to get up to speed on evolving curricular approaches, although Frangos said that “two days is almost a misnomer, because it’s constantly happening.”

Next, Winters and Superintendent Doug White presented the Committee with an overview of revised administrative contracts addressing vacation, long-term disability, and sick leave policies for non-union central office employees. Winters said that legal counsel had reviewed the documents, and members approved the agreement language.

Also approved were strategic planning dates for Fiscal Year 2014: Sept. 12, Nov. 14, Jan. 9, March 13, and May 5.

White provided information on the process for the Superintendent’s Evaluation, causing some members to wonder whether they could gather in Executive Session without White in attendance to discuss the subject. According to Massachusetts General Law, however, they must do so in public, with the superintendent present.

The Committee was notified of grants awarded throughout the districts: During the 2012-2013 school year, officials reported that Marion Public Schools received $210,927; Mattapoisett, $391,431; Rochester Public Schools, $262,499; ORR, $599,922.

Finally, Thursday marked the final ORR Joint School Committee meeting for Brad Gordon and Tom Shire, both of whom are stepping down. Hartley called the members “wise and strong individuals.” Gordon spoke of his appreciation for working among “different perspectives, different downs, and different interests.”

By Shawn Badgley