Honoring Howard C. Tinkham

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To the Editor:

Mattapoisett’s community of sharing dates from the time it was a village in the Rochester Township. Legends abound of residents who have shared in the town’s ordinary everyday experiences, its meaningful experiences and in its world of nature.

Howard C. Tinkham has shared as much in Mattapoisett’s experiences as any current resident. Now nearing 91-years-old, he has been part of the community since the turn of the 20th century. And his memories of the community and his gamily date from the time his family settled in Mattapoisett, just after the King Phillips War. Today he can cite the town characters whose travel was by horse and buggy. He relates to when the community acquired the new resources of electricity and the telephone; and when its sources of income were boat building, forestry and agriculture.

Howard C. Tinkham, during his lifetime, has played a large role in the community of Mattapoisett.  In his youth, he and his gamily harvested timber, ran a sawmill, raised vegetable crops and built a cranberry bog. During the 1960’s, Howard served on the Finance Committee and on the Planning Board. In 2008, Howard donated the land with rights of way that now comprise the Mattapoisett River Valley Treatment Plant. Earlier, he granted the use of land to the Boy Scout Troop #53 for what is known as “Camp Tinkham.” He has been a steward of the lands and water resources in the Mattapoisett Village area known at Tinkham Town. In 2008, he received citations from the Governor, the State Legislature and the Board of Selectmen for his contributions to the Water District and his stewardship of the land.

Each year since 1949, Howard has overseen the activities of the Tinkham Town Chapel, the Tinkham Town Helping Hand Society Meeting House and the Ellis Cemetery. Annually, he has stocked the wood fire stove, lit the kerosene lamps, maintained the foot pump organ and seen to the maintenance of the two buildings, all for the use of the community.

These days, he still checks up on the Water Department and the Highway Department, keeps the Chapel and Meeting House going and manages to mow his hayfield, produce a garden of asparagus, beans, cabbage, squash and tomatoes. In addition, he continues to monitor the operation of a 3-acre cranberry bog.

It would be fitting if a lifetime of service award were created to be given in the name of Howard C. Tinkham.

Edward J. Sylvia

Mattapoisett

Questions for the VFW

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To the Editor:

A veteran friend of mine passed through Marion recently on his way to the Cape.

A couple of days later, while we were on the phone, he asked me why that painted VFW wood sign of the American flag in Marion on Route 6 was so uncared for? And also, was it proper to have the letters “VFW” painted across the stars and stripes?

I told my friend that I would look into it and let him know.

Roy W. Wingate

Marion

Marion Planning Board Considers Master Plan

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Concerned about the town’s lack of future vision and coordinated planning, the Marion Planning Board at its June 18 meeting agreed that it may be time to develop a Master Plan.

This decision followed a lengthy conversation on the Planning Board’s role in helping craft a vision for Marion’s future.

“If we don’t watch out, future capital costs will far exceed Marion’s ability to plan, manage and pay for … items,” board member Ted North said in a presentation that evening. He stressed that the “band-aid” approach is not working and the Planning Board could serve as a focal point to integrating input from boards, committees, and taxpayers for a comprehensive plan.

The board discussed how the Planning Board could help town officials make better decisions by fully understanding the town’s long-term needs and how to meet them.

“Right now there isn’t much planning. It is going to be an expensive process if we don’t get involved,” North said.

Board member Steve Gonsalves likewise expressed frustration between the lack of communication between boards and committees.

“Why don’t the chairs of boards sit down in a room and talk about the things going on in town? We are all public servants, there is no room for bruised egos.. What are we doing here? We are complicating the simple. It is a classic example of good intentions: everyone has good intentions but we are all on different pages. It’s frustrating!” he said.

Board member Patricia McArdle said that working on a Master Plan may be the way to galvanize discussion across town boards and residents to develop common goals.

“At least we can get the ball rolling instead of talking about it ad-nauseum all the time,” Patricia McArdle said of pursuing a Master Plan. The board agreed that it would invite members from various town committees to discuss their needs at future meetings.

“The intention is getting a common perspective throughout town by propping up common goals,” said board member Tom Magauran. He stressed that such a plan would require clear and concise goals with definable metrics. The board agreed to tap into the knowledge of SRPPED, a regional planning agency, by inviting one of their representatives to discuss best practices and analytics next month.

North stressed that community involvement is essential to comprehensive planning.

“When there is no ‘buy in’ in the plan, it’s plain dog food,” he said.

Chairman Jay Ryder suggested siphoning off a portion of future Planning Board meetings for its Master Plan effort. But he cautioned that it should not overshadow its day-to-day responsibilities.

“There is a lot of stuff on the horizon right now. I don’t think the town planning aspect is what should get lost in with all the other stuff.. although it is a priority,” Ryder said.

On the agenda also that evening was whether Marion should consider hiring a Town Planner. However, the suggestion did not merit much attention from the board.

In other matters, the board approved the following appointments: Ted North as SRPPED representative, Jay Ryder to the Marion Town House Committee, and Tom Magauran to the Community Preservation Committee.

By Laura Fedak Pedulli

Park Commission Catches Heat from Selectmen

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The Rochester Board of Selectmen met with a member of the Park Commission on Monday, June 18 to raise a multitude of concerns the board has over the commission’s operations. Kenneth Ross was the representative for the Park Commission.

The first issue raised by Town Administrator Rich LaCamera was the misuse of the bathroom facilities at the parks located on Dexter Lane. According to LaCamera, the bathrooms are left open all night and there have been a variety of complaints regarding vandalism and trash in the facilities.

“This has been happening for a while,” said LaCamera. “Some of it’s pretty disgusting quite frankly. It’s causing a lot of problems and complaints.”

LaCamera suggested either having the facilities cleaned on a more regular basis or lock the bathrooms like they do with the bathrooms at other fields in town.

Ross was concerned with the amount of money available to the Park Commission from the town, but LaCamera assured that there was $25,000 available to the board; $15,000 of the money is appropriated by the town and the additional $10,000 is taken from the Beach Sticker Revolving Fund to provide extra revenue. LaCamera said the majority of these funds have not been used and are available if requested.

The Selectmen also addressed their concerns of the process by which the Park Commission goes about updating their fields and having different systems installed. LaCamera cited the issue of a tank that is supposed to be installed at one of the fields by June 30. However, the paperwork the Park Commission submitted for this project is not sufficient for a variety of reasons.

First, the initial proposal was not dated. Since there was no date on the proposal, the selectmen worry that the project will be audited. Secondly, the Park Commission only pursued one bid on the job, when the board said they should have consulted at least three different contractors.

“We cannot give out contracts to people we know,” said LaCamera. “That’s the worst thing that we could do.”

The last issue the board raised was that of private entities using the town’s fields as a way to make money for their own businesses. Rock Buddies, a fitness company that has been utilizing the facilities on Dexter Lane, has been writing checks to the Park Commission for use of the field, and they have not deposited them into an account, leaving the Selectmen wondering what happened to the money. Furthermore, none of the private entities using the fields have submitted insurance waivers to the town.

“I have an issue with this,” said LaCamera. “This is a huge liability for the town.”

Ross, although newly elected to the Park Commission, said that he would address the Board’s concerns with the Commission to make sure they get resolved.

In other news, LaCamera gave an update on the proposed solar project that was approved at Town Meeting.  LaCamera said the pilot plans have been executed, however they are still 2-3 weeks behind on the process as they await the final designs to be pitched to the Planning Board. He anticipates the designs to be ready in mid-July.

The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to appoint both Robert Francis as Chairman of the Adult Day Care Project and Diana Knapp as Assistant Treasurer.

The Rochester Board of Selectmen will meet again on Monday, July 2 at 7:00 pm in Town Hall.

By Katy Fitzpatrick

New Balloon Test Required For Cell Tower

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The Mattapoisett Planning Board convened for their regular meeting on Monday, June 18, to continue the hearing regarding the construction of a 145-foot cell phone tower, proposed to be installed off the end of Jane Lane, near Marion Road.

” The site itself will be 883 feet off of Route 6.  The lease area we have is for a 100 foot by 100 foot compound,” said Kevin Delaney, representing the applicant, Industrial Tower & Wireless.  “At the last meeting, we were asked to conduct a balloon test. We performed that test on Friday May 11th between 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm.  Because of the distance from Marion Road, the visual is minimal.”

Delaney provided photographs to the Board of the test taken from different vantage points around town, but the Board was not satisfied with the conditions of the test.  Planning Board member Karen Field said that she looked for it in the parking lot of Turk’s and from the entrance to Jane Lane, but was unable to find the balloon.

Planning Board member John Mathieu spoke sharply about his discontent with the balloon test.

“We all work.  You flew a balloon when most of us were at work.  As far as I’m concerned, this balloon test was wholly insufficient.  I’m not satisfied with this whatsoever.  Right now I have a real problem with this. I haven’t talked to anybody who saw this balloon,” said Mathieu.

“I didn’t get home until after seven o’clock so I didn’t see it,” said Chairman Thomas Tucker.

“I think you need to provide a longer duration balloon test for the people who work throughout the day,” said member Ron Merlo.  “I would like to see a balloon test for the day on a Saturday, so people coming and going can see it.”

Delaney said that the Board did not provide them with any requirements for the balloon test and the town by-law does not include any specific expectations.

In addition to the concerns over the balloon test, several abutters present at the meeting were not convinced that installing the tower was going to be a benefit to the town.

“We are the closest occupied dwelling to that site. We’re not in the fall zone, but we’re pretty close,” said Jane Lane resident Jack Hillier.  “Go to Shipyard Park and see the flagpole.  It’s over 80 feet.  And this new tower is almost 150 feet.  I think this tower is an industrial intrusion on our neighborhood.”

“At the last meeting of the Board, I came here to remind the Board that in 1998, a cell tower was proposed in the Aucoot area of town,” said Aucoot Road resident Brad Hathaway.  “As a result of the meetings that were held and the opposition of the people, the Planning Board, at the Annual Town Meeting, sent out an article, calling for cell towers to be restricted from around 195.  That particular article did not engender any controversy at all and passed unanimously.  But somehow that action has seemed to slip through the cracks,” he said.

David Pierre, who also lives on Aucoot Road, was supportive of the construction of the tower, citing personal security and convenience.

“My wife, my daughter, and I moved to Mattapoisett a few years ago. It’s just a wonderful place to live.  The one big negative, though, for us, has been the cell phone service.  I can’t even get cell phone service in my own house,” he said.  “I think it’s a public safety issue. I think of what might happen if I were somewhere with zero coverage.  And I think it’s a quality of life issue.”

But Pierre’s service issues aren’t relegated to that part of town.  While the tower would improve cell phone and police radio service over a larger area than what exists, the low-lying Village section of town would not see an improvement.  Member Karen Field asked Delaney if any of the other towns would experience better cell service.

“The town of Rochester would not see any benefit from this tower,” Delaney said.

The Planning Board decided to continue the hearing, so that Industrial Tower & Wireless could run another balloon test, this time scheduled for a concurrent Friday and Saturday, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm so as to give residents a better opportunity to understand the visual impact of the proposed tower.  The continuance will occur at the next meeting immediately after the new balloon test.

In other business, the Planning Board voted to approve an Application for Endorsement of Plan Believed Not to Require Approval to combine two parcels of land at 9 High Ridge Drive, and continued a hearing for a similar application for Sundance Trails, at their request.

The Planning Board also welcomed interim member Mary Crain, who was appointed to sit on the Board for member Robert McNamara.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board will be on Monday, July 2, at 7:00 pm at the Town Hall.

By Eric Tripoli

 

Author Meg Mitchell Moore at Mattapoisett Library

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Novelist Meg Mitchell Moore, of Newburyport, will read from her new novel, So Far Away on Wednesday, June 20 at 7:00 pm at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library.

Just released in May, Moore’s second novel has earned starred reviews from book industry journals and from her peers.  Her first book, The Arrivals, also earned rave reviews.

Meg Mitchell Moore, a former journalist, is a graduate of Providence College and NYU. Her books will be available for purchase and signing, courtesy of Baker Books, after her reading.

The event is free to the public. The library, which is fully accessible, is located at 7 Barstow Street, in Mattapoisett Village.

Disney Concert For Dads At Tabor

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As the red and white pennant flags flew stiffly in the Sunday breeze, fathers and their families gathered in the tent below to enjoy a leisurely afternoon of music.  Celebrating the final concert of their 50th anniversary season, the Tri-County Symphony Band performed a soundtrack that was ripped from the scorebook of some of the most popular films released by the Walt Disney studios.

According to the band’s conductor and musical director, Philip Sanborn, “Three Generations of Disney” was designed to engage families on a wider level.  “We wanted to attract little kids, so Disney music seemed perfect,” Sanborn said.  This was the tenth annual benefit pops concert, six of which have been under the baton of Sanborn.  “I thought that there was such a wide variety of music related to Disney, so I wanted to do a complete concert of Disney music,” he said.

In the past, the concert has been inside during the evening, but the band and organizers felt it was important to include the youngest members of the families during the Fathers’ Day celebration, so they moved it to the afternoon.  “It truly is a family affair,” said event organizer and Tabor Academy Admissions Office manager, Leslie Geil.  She and Lisa Gibson were responsible for organizing the tickets, the catering, and silent auction.  “We have so many more guests this year,” Gibson said.  The proceeds of the event go to benefit music scholarships and special summer classes.  “Last year, we had about $12,000 in scholarships for the tri-county area,” Geil said.

Empty seats under the tent were scarce by show time.  The program did attract the three generations the organizers were hoping to see turn out.  “I like this music a lot.  It’s good that they can make this a kid-friendly event,” said fourth-season percussionist Chris Chambers.  His dad, Stan, was sitting at one of the tables up front.  “I’ve been coming to see them since Chris started playing with them,” said Stan. “I love music, no matter what it is.”

He certainly wasn’t alone.  Each musical transition brought smiles, sighs, clasped hands, and a flood of memories for everyone in the audience.  The program drew from a wide variety of musical source material.

The first section of the show, the grandfathers’ set, featured a medley from “Fantasia” (1940) and a selection of classic Disney songs, including the theme to “The Mickey Mouse Club.”  The fathers’ set opened with a medley of songs from the Academy Award-winning film “Mary Poppins” (1964), “The Jungle Book” (1967), and the classic “Under the Sea” from “The Little Mermaid” (1989).  The third set, for the children in the audience, was comprised of music from “Beauty And The Beast” (1991), Broadway selections from “The Lion King” (1997), and themes from “Pirates Of The Caribbean” (2003).  The classic John Phillips Sousa march, “Stars and Stripes Forever” was their finale.

By Eric Tripoli

Families, Friends Welcome Home Survival Students

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After a grueling week in the woods, the participants of the ORRJHS Survival program received a warm welcome home from their friends and families on Saturday, June 16. Congratulations on a successful trip! Photos by Katy Fitzpatrick.

Summer Reading At Plumb Library

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Now that the school year is a wrap, Plumb Memorial Library is offering their annual summer reading program for local students.  This year’s theme is “Dream Big- READ,” a state-sponsored and nationally recognized program, and it features a three-pronged approach to encouraging children to read.  “I’m trying to promote family programs, so there are three branches to it,” said Lisa Fuller, the Assistant for Childrens’ Services at Plumb Library.  The three parts of the program are age specific.  “Dream Big- READ” is designed for kids ages three to nine, “Own The Night” targets children 10-16, and “Between The Covers” is for readers 17 years old and above.

Here’s how the program works.  Families can register for free at the library or online at www.readsinma.org/rochester on Saturday, June 16, 2012.  Once registered, participants can log the number of books and hours spent reading each week online.  Every week, the library will offer special drop-in activities, which include musical performances and prizes award to the students who demonstrate an appetite for reading.  But the specifics drop-in days will remain a secret each week, said Fuller, who wants to keep the excitement for the program going all summer.

The books the students read will also count toward their summer requirements for Rochester Memorial School.   Fuller is also trying a more self-guided approach, that emphasizes reading for fun, rather than relying on a required number of books for students to finish before coming back to school in the fall.  “The focus is on students doing their best, but also having the freedom to read what they want and having fun in the process,” Fuller said.  “Interest in reading begins to decline around age eight, so we want to encourage strong reading habits from the beginning.”

Due to early registration that was offered, Fuller said she already has students asking her constantly when they can start logging in their books.  “We wanted to get as many kids rolling with this before the end of the school year so they could just jump right into reading and logging their hours.  I’ve got kids raring and ready to go,” she said.

By Eric Tripoli

ORRHS Honors Underclassmen Students

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On Thursday, June 14, an awards night was held at Old Rochester Regional High School recognizing the outstanding underclassmen students. Congratulations to all recipients! Photos by Anne Smith.