Special Town Meeting Warrant Signed

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The Rochester Board of Selectmen signed the warrant for the Special Fall Town Meeting Warrant which will be held on Monday, October 22, 2012 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Memorial School.  The warrant was signed at the Selectmen’s regular meeting on Monday, September 24 in Rochester Town Hall.

The bulk of the warrant pertains to multiple capital projects around town that would help renovate numerous town buildings as well as acquire several new pieces of equipment for various town departments.  For the 12 items and renovations the town is asking for, the entire price tag is roughly $897,000.

The largest price tag on the list of capital projects is the total cost for renovations to the Town Hall, which would cost the town approximately $250,000.  According to Town Administrator Richard LaCamera, the roof, trim, and windows all need to be replaced or repaired.  Nothing inside the hall, however, will be fixed.

“We want to protect the envelope of this building,” said LaCamera.  “Nothing inside is going to change.  The most important thing is that it looks the same.”

Looking to preserve the historical presence of the hall but increase its longevity, LaCamera suggested that the town use more durable materials in the same color of paint that the hall presently uses.  Since the majority of the materials used when the building was last updated have a short life span, LaCamera would like to use shingles that are maintenance-free and would lost 40 years.  Furthermore, all 20 windows in the hall would be replaced, and the trim for the entire building would be maintenance-free just like the shingles.

“We’ve been struggling just like everyone else to fund capital projects in this economy,” said LaCamera.  “We think this is a good investment for the town.”

In addition to the town hall repairs, both roofs on the Police Station and the Council on Aging need to be replaced.  Each project will cost the town roughly $40,000.  LaCamera suggested using the same shingles in the town hall renovation for these buildings so they will last about 40 years.  Currently, both buildings are shingled using materials that are only built to last ten years.

“We need to protect our assets,” said LaCamera of renovation town buildings.

If approved at town meeting, the Plumb Library could receive $25,000 to put towards a new lift, that would open up a new room to the public for various uses.  The library has a building downstairs that would provide ample spaces for tutors, reading groups and other library gatherings, however it is not open to the public because it is not handicap accessible.  The lift, which resembles an elevator car but not quite as elaborate, will allow handicapped citizens to use the facility.

Rochester currently has two fuel tanks in town – one diesel and one gasoline.  Both tanks need to be replaced, and the town is proposing a $125,000 tank that would house both fuel sources in a location to be determined. Both tanks are over 20 years old and need be replaced by the time they are 30 years old.

The Fire Department on Hartley Road is also seeking $25,000 in order to update the bathrooms and construct a kitchen area.  Since the department is staffed 24 hours now, the bathrooms are too small for the firefighters with dimensions of approximately 4×4. There is not presently a kitchen area where on duty firefighters and EMT’s can prepare food.

The town is looking for several new pieces of equipment. A one ton truck with plow ($55,000), one ton dump truck ($60,000), Highway mower ($100,000), new fire department radios ($17,000) and a fire chief vehicle ($40,000) are all on the warrant for approval.  Additionally, the town is seeking $120,000 to refurbish two fire engines. Repairing the engines will extend the lives of the engines 8-10 years.  A new fire truck would cost the town over $400,000.

LaCamera urges the town to approve the capital project article at Town Meeting because of the timing of the market.  Right now, interest rates are very low at 3,25% and would be the best choice economically. Also, the town’s bond rating right now is extremely good, making it easy for it to borrow money from lenders.

“At some point in time, everything will have to be done,” he said.  “The market is extremely competitive right now.”

LaCamera also wants to assure residents that there will be no tax increase or override to bay for the cost of the projects.  In three years, some operating debt of the town will expire, freeing up some money to pay for the projects.  In the meantime, money in the town’s stabilization fund will be used to pay. LaCamera would to to go out to bid on these projects before town meeting so he can have finalized figures for residents in time for the vote.

The Selectmen will review the warrant on Monday, October 15 at 7:00 pm in Town Hall.  The public is invited to attend.

By Katy Fitzpatrick

Students Find Pipefish in Marion

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The Marion Natural History Museum’s after school group ventured to Marion Harbormaster’s Beach last week.  The group explored various examples of ocean wildlife, including the largest Pipefish they had ever seen.  Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Leidhold.

Harbor Cruise Benefits Phoenix Rowing Club

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On Saturday, September 22, the Phoenix Rowing Club shoved off from New Bedford State Pier for their first harbor cruise fundraiser.  The regional rowing team has been established since April of 2012 and participated in a number of regattas this summer.

  “They won the top trophies in Rochester this year,” said Janice Foley, vice chairman of the Phoenix Crew Board.  “It’s open to anyone from the surrounding towns.”

The team includes children and adults from the Tri-Town, as well as Dartmouth, Westport, and New Bedford.

“You don’t have to know how to row to join.  It’s a non-cut program,” said Foley.

The club, which is still looking to fill positions, recently hired Cape Cod native and New Bedford resident Stefan Seitler as an assistant coach.  He comes to the team with five years experience, which includes rowing for Boston University in Cambridge.

“It’s really great.  Everybody is very supportive.  The rowers are really quick learners.  It’s a really nice situation we have here,” Seitler said.

The program has already offered opportunities to many of the youth who have participated.  Andrew Pereira of New Bedford started rowing about two years ago with a team out of his home town.  He currently attends Johnson and Wales and rows on their crew team and is a captain of the Phoenix team.

“I love the relationships you build with everybody.  Waking up early, sometimes seeing your team more than your own family.  It’s a real bonding experience,” he said.

“It’s really nice.  It’s a great team sport.  Everybody has to be on the same page for you to win.  It really teaches you how to work together,” said Dartmouth High School senior Rachel Schwarts, another Phoenix captain.

“You can’t not succeed with this group of kids and parents,” said head coach Carolyn McGonagle.  “It’s evolved into this perfect little club.  We have tons of support from the community.

That community turned out by the dozens for the harbor cruise.  The evening, which offered a locally-provided buffet, also featured an auction as the centerpiece of the fundraiser.  Businesses from all over the South Coast donated items from gift certificates to a tennis package.  By the end of the night, the auction had raised about $2,000, which will go to help pay for some of the boats the club recently acquired.

“We’ve purchased three 8’s, we have a four and a single,” Foley said.

Already a team of about 25, the Phoenix crew is set to participate in four more regattas coming up in the fall.  For more information, visit www.phoenixcrewclub.webs.com.

By Eric Tripoli

Guided Mushroom Walk at Church’s Field

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On Saturday, October 6, from 1 – 3 PM, the Rochester Land Trust will be hosting a Mushroom Walk on their property, Church’s Field, Mattapoisett Road, Rochester. This 30 acre property is approximately a mile north of the Mattapoisett/Rochester town line and a mile south of New Bedford Road. There is ample parking along the field’s edge.

Wesley Price of Cape Cod, a member of the Boston Mycological Club, will lead the group, searching for various genus of fungi that can be found in field, woodland and wetland locations. Wesley, an amateur mycologist, is a UMASS Amherst graduate in Microbiology. He has studied under noted mycologists and has grows various cultivated mushrooms. An identification session with questions and answers will conclude the walk.

This event will be held rain or shine, and though the walk will be geared to adults, families are welcome, with the understanding that parents are responsible for supervising their children’s collecting. Dogs on leashes at all times are allowed. Since there probably won’t be a hard frost by then, all precautions for mosquito and tick borne illnesses should be considered. Some other items that may enhance the experience include a basket, knife and wax paper or paper bags for collecting.

Please join the RLT for this informative walk. It will be a great time to get out in the woods!

“It’s A Wonderful Life” Casting

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Marion Art Center Will Hold Open Auditions for “It’s A Wonderful Life” Radio Play Version Adapted from the Frank Capra Film by Anthony E. Palermo. The show dates will be Friday, November 30th, Saturday, December 1st, Friday, December 7th, Saturday, December 8th and Sunday, December 9th (4:00 matinee). Auditions will be held on Tuesday, October 2nd and Wednesday, October 3rd from 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Roles include eleven males, eleven females, and three children parts,  ages six and eight. These auditions are an open call for anyone who enjoys performing in Community Theater. Auditions will include readings from the play.  Tehre will be two or three weekday rehearsals during October and November. For more information call the Marion Art Center at 508-748-1266.

The Lands of the Sippican Lands Trust

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A joint exhibition sponsored by the Marion Art Center and the Sippican Lands Trust entitled “Images:  The Lands of the Sippican Lands Trust” will open at the Marion Art Center on Friday, October 5th.  A reception honoring the artists and their guests will be held from 6pm to 8pm.  The Exhibition will run until November 10th.

In June of 2011, John Howland, a Director of the Sippican Lands Trust, came to the Marion Art Center Exhibition Committee with an idea for a joint exhibition.  In order to further The Lands Trust initiative to encourage visitation and enjoyment of the properties protected by the Trust, SLT would invite artists to visit the properties and create art depicting the many scenic sites that comprise the Lands Trust’s forests and marshes.   The Art Center would then host an exhibition of the resulting works.  The only criteria for the artwork was that it depict views of a Lands Trust property or a view from Lands Trust property.  In February of 2012, a “call for artists” was sent out from the Marion Art Center directing local artists to take a walk on one of the many trails, visit the marshes and forests and be inspired by their beauty.  There were no entry fees and the exhibition is non-juried.  Trail maps were made available at the Lands Trust offices and at the Marion Art Center.  Patty White, a local watercolor artist and Marion Art Center member, led a group of artists out to paint in Brainard Marsh on August 7th.  Many other artists visited and were inspired by the lands for the first time.  By the September 1, 2012 registration deadline, over 45 artists had registered to participate.  All mediums are represented including photography, oil, acrylic, pastel, and watercolor.

The Marion Art Center is located at 80 Pleasant Street, Marion, MA.  Gallery Hours:  Tuesday through Friday from 1:00pm to 5:00pm and Saturdays from 10:00am until 2:00pm.  For more information about this upcoming Exhibition, please visit MAC’s new website at www.marionartcenter.org.

Sky-Dive Fundraiser a Success

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On September 15, Marion resident Tabitha Tripp participated in a sky-diving fundraiser to help support Mercy Meals & More, a New Bedford kitchen that serves free breakfast for the disadvantaged.  In recent months, demand for the free breakfast has dramatically increased, requiring the kitchen to purchase more food.

“The day was beautiful! Clear skies and sun!” Tripp said, via email.

Tripp, who jumped with several members of her Fairhaven church, helped raise $4,331.66, which will go to help fund Mercy Meals as the holiday season approaches.

For more information on Mercy Meals & More, visit www.mercymeals.org.

By Eric Tripoli

Procrastination Habits Examined in Marion

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Over 50 women came to the Sippican Women’s Club on Friday, September 14 to hear a talk about how to overcome procrastination.

“It’s a common problem,” said Maryann Murphy, a professional organizer and time management expert. “The root of it is an obstacle that keeps us from doing the task … and if it becomes a habit, you should get help.”

Murphy is also a hoarding expert and assists the town of Falmouth with hoarding issues when the town deems a residence a fire hazard.

The attendees voiced some of the ways they procrastinate including either not starting a project or starting it and not finishing it. Sorting photographs, filing away paperwork, cleaning, finishing a knitting project and returning phone calls were at the top of the list of the most common chores put aside for later.

“Some people learned early in childhood to procrastinate and it became a habit,” said Murphy. “When a parent asks a child to clean his room and the child asks if he can do it later and finally the parents clean the room for the child, it sends the message that if you put off doing something, someone else will do it for you.”

Murphy listed the different types of procrastinators, including a perfectionist who thinks everything has to be perfect and therefore never finishes a task because it isn’t perfect. Other types include the worrier who avoids making an airline reservation because of the ‘what ifs’ of lower airfare, illness or not really wanting to take the trip.

The defier puts off tasks because she feels she is being pressured to do something she doesn’t want to do. The crisis-maker believes she works well under pressure and will only do a task at the last minute.

The over-doer says yes to everyone who asks them to do something and then feels overwhelmed by all the commitments, which they really didn’t want to do in the first place.

According to Murphy, some of the dangers of procrastination include piles of paperwork, boxes, clothing, newspapers and other items posing a tripping hazard in addition to the lowered self-esteem that goes along with avoiding doing a task.

Suggested strategies for overcoming procrastination included using a timer set for either five minutes or 25 minutes for focusing on and completing a task. Breaking a task down into small chunks and doing one chunk at a time was also suggested. Murphy suggested a ‘to do’ list with no more than five items on it.

“Tackle the toughest task first and do it in the morning when you are fresh and have energy,” said Murphy. “Hire someone to do the task for you or trade off with a friend.”

Another suggestion was to take tasks that regularly show up on your ‘to do’ list over and put them in a file folder. Once a month, review the file and if the task is still important to you, put it back on the daily list. If the task involves unpacking boxes, Murphy suggests opening only one box a day or week, thereby breaking down a monumental task into small pieces.

Using a daily planner and writing in a time and place where you will tackle a task is another way to get organized.

“If you are an over-doer and someone is asking you to volunteer for something and you are busy, you can look at your planner and tell them you already have a commitment, even though it is a meeting with yourself,” said Murphy. “Whatever you are putting off, it does not get easier to tackle it later.”

Murphy gave each woman a ‘to do’ paper pad and urged them to start doing today what they’ve been putting off until tomorrow.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry

Pet Therapy Helps Elders

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Every Friday, residents at the Sippican Health Care Center (SHC) in Marion are treated to a visit from a gentle Scottish terrier who enjoys having her belly rubbed. Abby comes with her owner, Carolyn Moore, and walks around the common areas and individual rooms visiting the many residents who enjoy the weekly opportunity to gush over the tail-wagging purebred Scottie.

A chance meeting brought Carolyn Moore and Abby to the facility. Marion Librarian Madeline Smith met Abby and Moore when they visited the library. Smith visits her mother at the SHC regularly and thought Abby would be the perfect dog to bring in to visit the residents. Smith spoke with Activities Director Anne Bishop O’Connell and asked if they would allow a dog to visit. After meeting Abby and Moore, pet therapy began at the center.

“They love them both,” said Bishop O’Connell. “Everyone gets excited when they visit.”

It’s clear that Abby is well-loved by both the residents and the staff. After spending time going from one wheelchair to another for affection, Abby heads for the individual rooms, visiting one on one with each resident. Moore gives doggie treats to residents who ask Abby to sit, lick, lie down or put her paws on their laps. While Moore talks with her friends, Abby lays down and sleeps until it’s time to move to the next room.

Lillian Corrado, a 97-year-old resident looks forward to Abby’s visit.

“I love dogs and we always had dogs. When I was young, our dog would come in our bed but my Papa wouldn’t allow the dog in the bed … but we let her in the bed and one time Papa came up and asked if the dog was in the bed and we said no, but he could see the tail wagging,” said Corrado as she reminisced about her family.

Scottish terriers were bred to catch rodents and small animals, but Abby doesn’t seem to have any of those traits.

“She loves cats, but cats don’t like her,” said Moore.

“We have some residents who won’t come out of their rooms but they enjoy having Abby and Carolyn visit with them,” said Bishop O’Connell.

When the two make their rounds, it’s clear that the residents enjoy Moore’s company as if she were family. Moore knows the names of both the staff and the residents and their families.

“We gained so much more than a therapy dog,” said Bishop O’Connell. “We also got Carolyn, who is a very patient and loving volunteer who is loved by all of us.”

By Joan Hartnett-Barry

Local Resident to Compete for Miss NB Title

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Mattapoisett resident and ORRHS graduate Jillian Zucco will be competing for the title of Miss New Bedford this Sunday, September 23.  The pageant will be held at Keith Middle School in New Bedford at 6:00 pm.

Zucco is one of many contestants vying for the title.  Zucco is the only contestant from the Tri-Town with the others coming from Acushnet, New Bedford, Assonet, Dartmouth and Fairhaven.  The competition is open to girls between the age of 17 and 24.

2012 marks the 60th anniversary of the pageant.  The 2012 titleholder will replace the reigning Miss New Bedford Marlena Johnson and will also be awarded a $6,000 scholarship.