ZBA Ok’s New Home in Mattapoisett

on

A new home to be built on Bay View Avenue was approved by the Mattapoisett Board of Appeals at their Thursday evening meeting on August 16.  The vacant lot, owned by Brian Zajac of Mashpee is 21,150 square feet with 180 feet of frontage.  The applicants and proposed purchasers of the property are Peter and Melissa Davies of Tenafly, NJ.  The Davies’ attended the meeting along with Doug Schneider of Schneider Engineering.

The Davies’ requested a Special Permit under Section 6.2.2 of the Zoning By-Laws to construct a single family dwelling on a non-conforming lot and use the pre 1973 zoning setbacks in the construction of the new dwelling.

“They (Davies) want to build and join us in beautiful Mattapoisett,” said Schneider, who presented an aerial view of the property, with homes around the lot being around the same size as the one proposed by the applicants.

According to Schneider, the new home will conform to current setback requirements, with a 35 foot setback from the street, 30 feet from the rear and 20 feet from each side.

“Town sewer is coming to the area now,” said Schneider.  The Davies plan to dig a well.

The board voted to approve the proposal.  “I feel it is compatible with the size and density of homes in the area,” said board member Norman Lyonnais.

The board also discussed an application on behalf of the Estate of Margaret Rochette regarding property located at 4 Wildwood Terrace.  The applicant wanted a Special Permit to address an easement on a non-conforming lot.

At issue is one lot, with a ranch home built in 1972 with an old gravel pit located just behind it with an easement granted to the neighbor.  The owner of the lot, Estate of Margaret Rochette and the adjacent lot owner, Bruce Rocha are mother and son.

Realtor Sue Healy of Conway Realty spoke and said that the property is for sale and that two offers came in on the property, but the easement issue made them both back out of the deal.  “There is a discomfort with the easement issue on the adjoining property,” said Healy.

The board voted to issue a Special Permit to create one lot, with the easement dissolving and creating one lot.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry

 

Constance (Figueiredo) Hopkins

on

Constance (Figueiredo) Hopkins, 82, of Bristol, CT, formerly of Marion died August 12, 2012. She was the daughter of the late Guido and Mary (Daggett) Figueiredo.

She was born in New Bedford and lived in Marion for many years before moving to Bristol, CT 6 years ago.

Mrs. Hopkins worked as a book keeper in the area for many years before retiring.

She graduated from Wareham High School in 1947.

Survivors include her daughter, Susan Delfino and her husband David A. of Bristol, CT; a brother, Edward Figueiredo of Marion; 3 grandsons, Anthony Delfino of NY, David R. Delfino of CT and Daniel Delfino of CT; her nephews and nieces, Steven Figueiredo, Stephanie Harding, Thomas Figueiredo all of Marion and Linda Dronet of Mississippi.

Her funeral service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, August 20, 2012 in the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 2599 Cranberry Hwy., Wareham. Burial will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, Marion.

Visiting hours are from11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Monday at the funeral home.

Joseph Newman Dargon

on

Joseph Newman Dargon, 70, of Mattapoisett passed away on Sunday the 12th of August 2012 at his home, surrounded by his loved ones, after an aggressive form of cancer.

Joseph’s life was full of joy and happiness that included 8 children, 13 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren and his loving wife Lois, who passed away 9 years ago.

He was a man who was always willing to help others, and often put the needs and well being of others ahead of his own.

Joseph had many accomplishments during his lifetime that included serving in the United States Navy, and owning his own landscaping company. One of his more personal accomplishments was that he was practicing Jehovah Witness which is where he placed his faith.

He is survived by his three sons Joseph and Charlie Dargon and Peter Dupuis,and his five daughters, Jeanie St. Onge, Susan Steeves, Christine Sarapin, Mary Dargon and Angela Arruda.

His Graveside Service will be held on Saturday, August 18, 2012 at 10 AM in Cushing Cemetery, Mattapoisett.

Bruce M. Reed

on

Bruce M. Reed, 77, of West Wareham, formerly of Rochester, passed away peacefully, at home on August 15, 2012 after a 4 ½ year battle with cancer. He was the son of the late George M. and Evelyn M. (Howland) Reed.

Bruce was born in Rochester and lived there for many years before moving to Wareham in 1990.

He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Janice (Pope) Reed; 4 children, Brenda Hannon and her husband Mark of Middleboro, Karen Kane and her partner Kevin Johnson of Whitefield, NH, Steven Reed and his girlfriend Tracey of Dartmouth and Wendy Ashworth and her husband Scott of Rochester; 9 grandchildren, Scott, Brian, Eric, Heidi, Kelly, Chris, Derek, Pat and Christina; 12 great grandchildren; his stepsons, John Pope of Wareham, Mike Pope of Bourne and Mark Pope of NH; a brother, Glenn Reed of Rochester; a sister, Catherine Hartley of Addison, ME. He was predeceased by a son, John Reed.

He graduated from Wareham High School in 1954 as an all-star athlete and went on to play AA baseball and semi-pro football. He also played and coached softball on many area teams. His passion in later years was golf. He was a member of Rochester and Little Harbor golf clubs and enjoyed many trips to Florida and Myrtle Beach.

Bruce worked for Barnes Tree Service and after retirement drove school bus for the Old Rochester School District.

Bruce always enjoyed watching the grandchildren play sports and taking trips to golf resorts and historic spots.

His graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 21, 2012 in the Rochester Center Cemetery, Dexter Lane, Rochester.

Visiting hours have been omitted.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Bruce’s memory may be made to the VNA of Cape Cod, 434 Rte. 134, Suite D3, South Dennis, MA 02660.

Herring Counts Improve Dramatically

on

Since 2004, it has been illegal to catch herring in Mattapoisett due to its low numbers.  The moratorium placed on the fish has allowed its numbers to grow slowly and steadily. But from 2011 to 2012, the growth has been incredible.

“The reason for the growth is that we’ve had great weather,” said Mattapoisett Herring Inspector Bob Martin. “We haven’t had a lot of rain.”

Due to the small amount of rain, the gates in the river have been closed so the herring run had a lot of water in it, providing a safe place for herring. According to Martin, the increased herring count has several positive benefits.

“It means a lot for the environment,” he said. “It is a big fish for stripers and whales.”

With increased herring, it will attract more fish to the area so that they can feed off the herring, ultimately providing local fisherman with more fish. Martin said if the herring continues to increase in numbers, fisherman can catch up to 50 bushels of fish when the moratorium is lifted.

The herring are tracked electronically. As they go through the tubes in the herring run, an electronic counter keeps track of all the fish. The counter is located in Snipatuit Pond near the headwaters of the Mattapoisett River.

In 2008, the herring count in Mattapoisett was 10,000 and it has steadily increased to 12,587, which was the count in 2011. However, in 2012, the count increased dramatically to 28,447.

Still, the count must be at least 50,000 before the moratorium is lifted, and Martin said the marine fisheries are doing everything they can to protect the limited fish.

“The herring is getting a lot of play all of a sudden,” he said. “The marine fisheries are doing everything they can to get people to stop catching them. Hopefully they are keeping the boats away from them.”

By Katy Fitzpatrick

ORRHS Swim Team Raising Funds

on

In just a few short weeks, the 2012-2013 school year will be underway at Old Rochester Regional High School and the brand new varsity co-ed swim team will kick off its inaugural season. For the first time in 50 years, the school will have its own swim squad, and the parents and swimmers are looking forward to making history.

At the end of June, the Old Rochester Regional School Committee gave the green light for the school’s first varsity co-ed swim team at its final meeting of the year. For years, many swimmers left ORRHS to attend Bishop Stang High School because they were the only local school with a swim program. But now, swimmers in the Tri-Town will have a chance to represent the Bulldogs in the pool.

“For the swimmers that stayed here at ORR we wondered why not start a grassroots swim program?” said Friends of Old Rochester Swimming Secretary Chrissi Gelson.

Parents of interested swimmers approached ORRHS Principal Mike Devoll and Athletic Director Bill Tilden with a proposal after researching how much it would cost for coaching, travel and other expenses. The team was approved under the condition that the parents would provide the funding for the group for the first two or three years of its existence. After the third year, the school will take over the funding.

The team has until October 1 to raise $7,500 and they have been busy fundraising all summer long. So far, they have held two car washes, collected donations at Harbor Days, sold ORR Pandora beads and recyclable bags and sent out a mass mailing list to collect donations from local residents and businesses. The response, Gelson said, has been terrific.

“I am so overwhelmed with the amount of support we have received from everybody,” she said.

Despite the generosity of the community, the swim team still has money to raise. During the month of August, they will hold two special fundraising events. On Wednesday, August 22, the team will hold a silent auction at the Inn at Shipyard Park from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. The auction will be open to 80 guests and tickets are $25 to attend. Appetizers and a cash bar will be available.

On Saturday, August 25, the team will hold a Swim-A-Thon from 1:00 to 2:30 pm at the Gleason Family YMCA in Mattapoisett. Participants may swim as individuals or relay teams, and pledges can be made as lump sums or per lap.

So far the team has enlisted nearly 20 swimmers and is hoping to draw even more interest once school starts. Gelson’s daughter, Cate Feldkamp, is among the swimmers already committed to the squad and committed to a sport she loves.

“Swimming does tremendous things for her self-esteem,” said Gelson. “It’s also good for health and fitness. It’s so important for them to be able to see the results of their hard work and how far they’ve come from the beginning of the season.”

For more information on upcoming ORRHS Swimming fundraising events or to make a donation, contact orrbulldogsswimming@gmail.com.

By Katy Fitzpatrick

Vote in the Primary Election

on

To the Editor:

Uncharacteristically, primary day this year is Thursday, September 6. All across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, voters will head to the polls on a Thursday. It’s especially important to vote on primary day because several races will be decided based on the outcome of the primary elections.

Unlike many states in the US, Massachusetts makes it easy to cast a ballot for the candidates of your choice. Consider:

• Vote using an absentee ballot if you’re out of town on primary day or Election Day.

• Vote early; visit your Town Hall.

• Vote, even if you turn 18 the day before the Election Day.

One important caveat: only those who are registered with a political party can vote in its primary! So, you must register by August 17, cast your ballot and then un-enroll, if you choose to do so.

Remember, however, you can only vote in the party primary in which you have enrolled.  You cannot register to vote in the Democratic primary, vote, un-enroll and then enroll and vote in the Republican Party primary.

To vote in the November 6 general election, you must register to vote by October 17.

If you have any questions at all about voting, please talk to your Town Clerk or you can visit the Secretary of State’s website at www.sec.state.ma.us.

This is your chance! Your vote counts! Never think that your one vote doesn’t matter!

Respectfully,

Cindy Johnson

Mattapoisett

 

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.

Brad Barrows 3rd Annual Bike Run

on

This year’s Third Annual Brad Barrows Bike Run will take place on Saturday, September 15. The run will start at Rick’s Tavern in Mattapoisett. Kickstands will go up at 12:30 pm and after the run, food will be provided for all the riders. There will be a raffle for donated items and also a 50/50 raffle. The entry fee is $20. Any questions, please call Dick Barrett at 774-263-4596.

The Brad Barrows Second Annual Bike Run was able to donate $5,000 to the Old Rochester Little League. This money will be put toward scholarships for families in need during these trying economic times. A check for $250 was presented to the Fairhaven/Acushnet Little League as well. In addition to the little league donations, money was donated to the Mattapoisett Clock Fund. Many local merchants in our Tri-Town area generously donated the funds.

Marion Concert Band Weekly Performance

on

The Marion Concert Band will present a concert with a nautical theme on Monday, August 20.  The program is as follows:

• National Anthem

• Hands Across the Sea – J. P. Sousa

• Fantasy on American Sailing Songs – C. Grundman

• Seagate Overture – J. Swearingen

• Blue Danube – J. Strauss

• Clarinet Escapade – R. Ward

• Sea Songs – R. Vaughan Williams

• Under the Sea (from The Little Mermaid) – A. Menken

• Washington Grays – C. Grafulla

• Highlights from Victory at Sea – R. Rodgers

• Martinique – R. Washburn

• Parade of the Tall Ships – J. Chattaway

• From Tropic to Tropic March – R. Alexander

The concert, under the direction of Tobias Monte, will begin at 7:30 pm at the Robert Broomhead Bandstand, Island Wharf off Front Street in Marion. All concerts are free and open to the public.

ORR Orientation

on

The 2012 Old Rochester Regional High School Freshman and New Student Orientation will be held on Friday, August 24 from 12:00 to 3:00 pm at the school. Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend.