The National Weather Service has issued a couple of warnings for the Tri-Town area. The first warning is for high winds this evening. Residents should expect winds of 30mph with gusts up to 40mph.
The second advisory is for Monday evening into Tuesday as a winter storm moves into the area. Although the exact track of the storm is still unknown the advisory calls for up to eight inches of snow by Tuesday morning.
There few things in this world better than eating and helping the community, especially when one can help the community by eating. For almost a decade that has been the formula at the Marion Fire Fighters Association spaghetti supper, which was held this year on Saturday, January 19.
“They’re coming in droves,” said Marion fire fighter and past association president, Scott Shippey. “Last year we had eight inches of snow and we still sold out.”
Less than an hour into the meal, most of the chairs were occupied with local residents enjoying a dinner of salad, spaghetti and meatballs, with ice cream for dessert.
Proceeds from the dinner go to benefit the Marion Fire Fighters Association, which supports the fire department in a variety of ways.
“The money goes to a lot of things. It goes to help pay for new equipment for the fire department. Sometimes it goes to association members who may be down and out,” said Shippey.
There were about 10 people working at the dinner, but early on, two EMTs were called to respond to a local medical emergency.
“Even though we’re here tonight, we’re still taking care of the community,” Shippey said.
The supper is a win-win for both the town and the fire department. It provides an opportunity for the local emergency personnel to meet face-to-face with the community and offers a way for people to directly help their local fire fighters.
“I think it’s a good effort,” said William MacDougall, who has served as a firefighter for over 60 years and has been a member of the association for over 40 years.
“We’ve put this together a few times and people seem to really enjoy it. It’s good for the association and it’s good for the community,” said MacDougall.
By Eric Tripoli
One of the Mattapoisett Land Trust’s greatest and most appreciated assets is its band of enthusiastic volunteers. Members of our community help out in many ways, from staffing our booth at Harbor Days, to assisting in clean-ups and general maintenance. It is this background activity, probably invisible to many, that keeps protected lands open and available for both the members and the public at large. The MLT would like to invite its members and the public to join together for an convivial evening honoring these volunteers.
We will gather on Saturday, February 9, 2013, from 6:00 until 8:30 p.m. in Reynard Hall of the Mattapoisett Congregational Church, 27 Church Street. A light meal and refreshments will be served including potluck blueberry desserts produced by the directors. Entertainment will be provided by the Mike Bliss Quartet from Old Rochester Regional High School. A donation of $15 per person is suggested.
To make a reservation or for more information you can contact the Land Trust by email at info@mattlandtrust.org or by calling 774-377-9191 and leaving a message.
Two of the Tabor Academy faculty members will be taking the second semester off.
Mr. Howland and Mr. Arnfield are going their separate ways during the second semester, with Howland being awarded a sabbatical and Arnfield taking advantage of the Braitmayer Fellowship.
Howland completed the sabbatical eligibility requirement of being a teacher at Tabor Academy for 17 years.
“My wife helped me see the sense and value in taking a sabbatical, as well as Mr. Becker, who has also done a sabbatical in the past,” Howland said.
Howland also looks forward to “doing something different, something that I have been unable to do in the past. I also want to do some volunteer work or a part-time job during my time off.”
Arnfield will also take a break from teaching, but for another purpose. He has received the Braitmayer fellowship, which gives a faculty member the opportunity to complete a Masters degree or a research project.
Arnfield has gone with the latter, as he plans on building an old-style ceramics kiln.
Since arriving at Tabor Academy in the summer of 1999, Arnfield has been an important part to the visual arts program, as he has taught students ceramics, studio art and art history. He believes the time off will help him enhance his skills, especially as a ceramist.
“Being awarded the time and support to undertake a significant research/creative work project would represent a significant and ongoing learning and growth opportunity for me as a ceramic artist and as an art educator,” he says.
When Arnfield first arrived at Tabor, all of the kilns were electric, and Arnfield classified the results as “homogenous, uniform, and mundane as Levittown suburbia and American cheese.” After Shosuke Idemitsu, ’52, donated a gas-fired kiln in 2002, ceramics became more unpredictable and eventually more popular.
For his project, Arnfield plans on building his own gas-fired kiln. It will be located outside of his home in Rochester. Arnfield plans on taking his future ceramics students to the kiln twice a year, in late October and late April or early May.
“I envision this kiln project providing a significant catalyst for my students and me as we reach toward a greater understanding of the value of disciplined work and community through the transformative power of creativity and art,” Arnfield said.
While both teachers said that they will miss contact with their students, they are as excited as ever to go their own way until September, 2013. We wish them luck and success!
By Nicholas Veronesi
Anita T. (Desrochers) Belanger, 84, of Mattapoisett died January 17, 2013 at St. Luke’s Hospital after a long illness.
She was the wife of Leo J. Belanger.
Born in Dartmouth, the daughter of the late Leo and Marie A. (Guilmette) Desrochers, she lived in New Bedford before moving to Mattapoisett in 1989. She wintered in Fort Myers Beach, FL.
Mrs. Belanger was a communicant of St. Anthony’s Church in Mattapoisett.
She was formerly employed as an inspector at Acushnet Company for many years until her retirement.
Mrs. Belanger enjoyed spending time with her family, playing pinochle, running, walking and going to the gym.
Survivors include her husband; a daughter, Janet Tremblay of Mattapoisett; a granddaughter, Nicole Harrington and her husband Stephen of Mattapoisett; and 3 great-grandchildren, Aiden Harrington, Elizabeth Harrington and Owen Harrington.
Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday at 10 AM in St. Anthony’s Church, Mattapoisett. Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Visiting hours Tuesday from 6-8 PM in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home For Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6) Mattapoisett. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
Louise M. (Rose) Tucker, 92, of Marion, died Sunday, January 13, 2013 in the Kindred Transitional Care at Forestview, Wareham.
She was the widow of the late Charles Tucker and the daughter of the late Harry and Caroline (Rennie) Rose.
She was born in Wareham and lived in Marion for many years.
Mrs. Tucker worked at Raytheon Corporation for many years before retiring.
She was a member of the Marion Social Club. She enjoyed reading, gardening, antique restoration, knitting, crocheting, wallpapering and painting.
Survivors include her sons, Charles E. Tucker of Marion and Franklin A. Tucker of Gaithersburg, MD; 2 sisters, Florence Monterio of Marion and Dorothy Pope of Dartmouth; 10 grandchildren; 15 great grandchlildren; many nephews and nieces.
Her funeral will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2013 at the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 2599 Cranberry Hwy., Wareham. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, Marion.
Visiting hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday at the funeral home.
Whether Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester should reimburse each other when a student takes a space in another Tri-Town Project Grow classroom was one of the topics of discussion at the ORR Joint School Committee on Thursday evening.
Since the 1980’s, the tri-towns have shared a joint grant to help fund Project Grow, which services children ages three to four.
The program’s intent is to mix special needs children with those without special needs to create a healthy interaction of youngsters. Of the 15 slots in each classroom, generally, seven are for students with an Independent Educational Plan (IEP) and eight who do not. Students with IEPs pay no tuition and those without IPE’s pay tuition.
Currently, if all slots are filled in Mattapoisett and a child from Mattapoisett enrolls in the program, the child can fill an empty slot in Marion or Rochester. The committee discussed this transfer of one student to another town’s classroom, which occurs without any tuition payment involved in the transaction.
Several committee members, including Jay Pateakos and Christine Winters, from the Marion School Committee, wanted the committee to think about and discuss whether taxpayer money in each town was being spent educating and providing special needs services to a student who didn’t reside in the town.
Terry Hamm, Director of Special Services for the district spoke and said that the three towns don’t know who will enroll and what the needs might be each year, but the current arrangement seemed to be working, with the goal of having the child gain access to the services they need, such as speech therapy and other needs to help them succeed in the classroom in the future.
Originally, Project Grow had one location, but as the towns grew, each created a classroom. The committee, after much discussion, agreed to keep the current practices in force and send the question to the policy committee for comment and recommendation on the reimbursement issue.
In other business, the committee heard about Governor Deval Patrick’s plan to increase spending per pupil by $25 in the 2013 budget. Regional transit costs along with special education are to be protected by the proposed budget released by Patrick’s budget proposal.
The state also proposes to enforce Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) checks and fingerprinting for every school employee who is with children. The question was whether the cost was to be paid out of district funds and who would do the work.
“In New Hampshire, the local police department handled the CORI check and the fingerprinting,” said Superintendent Doug White.
The 2013-2014 school calendar was voted upon and approved, with a opening day of August 27, 2013 and an end of school date, depending on snow day extension, of June 13, 2014.
A discussion followed regarding the district policy manual, which is now on paper and receives paper updates that school employees must update on a regular basis. Superintendent White recommended that the district consider using the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) handle the revision and updates digitally, with each employee, and the public having access to all policies.
“The current paper system is this high,” said White holding his hands up showing a massive paper stack.
The cost to have MASC handle and update the manual would be $1500 the first year, $3500 the second year, $3500 the third year and after that, an annual ‘hosting’ fee of $950 per year. The committee discussed the options and agreed that bringing the district up to date in compliance and having regular reviews would be worth the time and effort now spent with paper updates.
“I believe it would put us in good stead to be in compliance and offer access to the public, administration and teachers,” said White.
Committee member Charles Motta suggested putting the job out to bid with teaching colleges. The committee agreed to discuss the issue at the next meeting.
Finally, the committee discussed changes to the Field Trip policy and proposed a draft and asked members to comment. Changes to the policy included that siblings not enrolled in the class participating in the field trip will not be allowed to attend, for liability reasons. Also, parents joining a field trip at the destination may only do so if they have the approval of the administration and teacher and have an approved CORI check.
By Joan Hartnett-Barry
After a lengthy application process that began in the spring of 2012, the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals approved a proposal to construct a cell phone tower off Jane Lane and Route 6.
Representatives for Industrial Tower & Wireless gave an in-depth presentation detailing the plan, which they have been promoting for months.
“The area that we’re looking to cover with this facility is Route 6 and the surrounding community. Right now there’s a deficit of coverage for all the major wireless carriers. We’re looking to fill in that coverage gap with this proposed facility,” said company engineer Kevin Delaney.
The company had originally put forth the idea last year, seeking a special permit from the Mattapoisett Planning Board. After months of public hearings, however, it was determined by Town Counsel that since the proposed location of the tower was in a residential area, rather than the designated corridor bordering I-195, the company must instead get a variance authorized by the Zoning Board of Appeals.
The 145-foot tower would be located in the wooded area off Jane Lane, behind the cranberry bog near Turk’s Seafood Restaurant. It would help improve mobile phone and emergency services communications around town.
According to attorney Jeffrey Angley, who spoke on behalf of the company, said that they were seeking two variances: one for the location itself and one because the tower exceeds the town’s maximum structure height of 35 feet for residential areas.
Coverage will not continue down to the edge of the waterfront due to the drop in elevation. Service should improve for much of the village, but the Point Connett section of town will not see signal enhancement.
“It’s shadowed and the coverage doesn’t make it down there. The only way to get coverage down there would be to build a taller tower,” said Delaney. He said a tower closer to 200 feet in height would help improve signal strength in those areas but would not meet town setback laws.
A 12-foot wide gravel driveway with underground utilities leading to the site would be installed. The entire facility, which measures about 100 feet by 100 feet, would be surrounded by a chain-link fence.
“The site would be fully wooded and we’re only clearing around our leased area,” said engineer Richard Voci.
Individual mobile phone carriers will be responsible for supplying their own shelters and back-up batteries or generators in the event of electricity loss.
Choosing the proposed location did not come lightly, as the company had to create a plan that was in compliance with the zoning by-laws, the Wetlands Protection Act, and the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
“As far as we know, this is the only viable, feasible site under the Telecommunications Act for this tower,” said Angley.
Abutter Jack Hillier of 10 Jane Lane was concerned about lighting and the noise created by generators installed by carrier companies.
Delaney said that most generators run quietly and tend to run test programs during afternoons so as to not disturb abutters. He also said that matter could be brought up at a later time once it was known what the individual carriers were planning on installing at the compound.
Hillier took it upon himself to visit other tower sites installed by the company and presented photos of those areas to the ZBA, including a junkyard that bears a tower built by the company.
He was also concerned about the possible health concerns related to content of required signage posted on other tower sites, declaring the existence of certain kinds of radiation. Hillier was also worried about the possible negative hit to property values if the tower is constructed. “This has no place in a residential area,” he said.
Brad Hathaway echoed Hillier’s comment on property values and said that the overlay district was implemented to avoid this kind of situation.
“The people were adamant that a tower not be built in a residential area. This is why we have overlay areas for cellular phone towers outside of residential areas,” said Hathaway. “We made an attempt in this town to forestall any problem like the Fairhaven [wind turbines] and the Dartmouth [solar panel array.] To put an industrial facility in a residential area is far worse than putting a business there. What does this do to the value of the homes along Jane Lane? Is there any consideration for reimbursement of the value for these people?”
Hathaway suggested the field near Old Rochester Regional that was once considered for a wind tower would be a better area for the cell tower.
Delaney said that they had performed studies on the frequency radiation surrounding cell phone towers and that there was no evidence that any negative health effects result from living near such structures.
Angley added that, to his knowledge, property values aren’t affected negatively by the existence of a near-by cell tower.
Other residents were worried about the integrity of the project if major parts of town won’t see improved mobile phone coverage.
“Areas that have significant numbers of homes won’t be covered,” said resident Paul Osenkowski. He was concerned that emergency services would have communications issues.
Delaney explained that the UHF radio system used by the police department operates on a lower frequency that propagates out further than most cell signals so the police would not have signal blackouts in the spotty coverage areas.
Some residents questioned the necessity to put the tower in a residential area 300 feet from local homes.
While there were those questioning the need for the tower, other residents voiced their support for the project, citing their own need for better service and the security that can afford their neighborhoods.
“Times have changed and the need for this cell service around our town is very badly needed. I would urge you to vote in favor of it,” said resident Bill Cantor of Prospect Road, who currently does not have reliable mobile phone service at his home.
The ZBA felt that most of their questions had been adequately addressed during the hearing and voted 3-1 in favor of the proposal.
In other business, the ZBA issued the following decisions:
•Issued a special permit to Paul O’Hara of 11 Beach Street who would like to expand his family’s vacation home in order to accommodate a growing family.
•Voted in favor of an application filed by the Town of Mattapoisett Highway Department to construct an addition to the department’s building at 5 Mendell Road.
•Issued a special permit to Peter and Leigh Hemingway who propose to raze part of the dwelling at 4 Randall Road in order to construct a new in-law apartment.
•Voted in favor of an application for a special permit for Chris Demakis and Vincent Cragin who are proposing to open a general store at 10 Water Street.
•Issued a special permit to Peter Guernsey and Erika Warmbrunn who proposed to elevate the dwelling at 13 Ridge Avenue and to construct an addition, porch, and staircase.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals will be held on Thursday, February,
By Eric Tripoli
The Mattapoisett Library was recently awarded a two-year grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which is administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. The grant, which is in the amount of $15,000, will be geared towards enhancing services for students, pre-teens and teenagers in grades 7-12.
In applying for the grant process, Mattapoisett students at Old Rochester Regional Junior High School were surveyed on their library use. 85% of those students said they do use the library on a regular basis.
Since the fall, the library has been planning a new Teen Space in the library that will make it more appealing to students. Money from the grant will be used to purchase comfortable lounge seating and ottomans, hightop cafe table and chairs, laptops and printer and new Young Adult books, DVD’s and music.
Additionally, Teen Thursdays recently began on January 10. The second and fourth Thursdays of every month, the library will be open for students in grades 7-12 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. No adults will be allowed in the library; just teens and library staff!
For more information, contact the Mattapoisett Library at 508-758-4171
Kenneth C. Hathaway, 85, of Rochester passed away at Alden Court Nursing Care & Rehabilitation Center on January 12, 2013 after a long illness. He was the husband of Clara E. (Weigel) Hathaway.
Mr. Hathaway was born in Northbridge, MA, son of the late William and Ethel (Brightman) Hathaway, and resided in Rochester most of his life. He was a U.S Army veteran of WW II. He was employed, for 42 years, by the Acushnet Company until his retirement and continued to work as a self-employed welder. He served as a Lieutentant for the Rochester Fire Department. He was one of the 1st organizers of the 6th grade school ski trip for Rochester Memorial School. He enjoyed skiing, sailing, swimming, bicycle riding, and roller blading. Most of all he loved spending time with his family.
In addition to his widow, he is survived by 6 sons: Kenneth, Jr. and his wife, Deborah, Mark and his wife, Elizabeth, Robert and his wife, Janet, Stephen and his wife, Michele, Malcolm and his wife, Diane and Timothy Hathaway; 9 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; and several nieces & nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend:
A memorial service at the First Congregational Church of Rochester, 11 Constitution Way, Rochester on Saturday, January 19,2013 at noon.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 480 Pleasant Street, Watertown, MA 02472.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to the nurses and staff of Alden Court for all their care and support.