Rochester’s Planning Board Tuesday approved the Special Permit and Groundwater Protection District permit for Blue Wave Solar and BWC Snows Pond LLC’s plan to build a solar-energy array at 0 Cushman Road.

            The 12.55-acre operation on a 31-acre parcel will be built in a Residential/Agricultural District and a Mattapoisett River Valley Watershed and Groundwater Protection District.

            The board signed the project’s draft decision to include altering a previous condition that its construction equipment use only bio-hydraulic fluids. Board Chairman Arnold Johnson noted this condition is being changed to allow nonbiodegradable oils.

            In a previous meeting, the petitioner’s advocates successfully argued that such a relatively small operation would have to frequently drain all its hydraulic equipment. It would be a burdensome, expensive process that would lead vendors to not even bid for the job, they said, noting the size of the operation would not make it worth the effort.

            The Planning panel also agreed to create a draft decision for JPF Development’s plan to construct a 15-acre, self-storage facility with seven storage buildings and a total of 300 units within the Industrial District at Kings Highway and Route 28.

            Here, too, a waiver became the main topic of discussion.

            JPF Development’s engineering consultant, Bill Madden, complained that the Town of Wareham is not allowing the applicant to access water by connecting to an existing line and hydrant on private property, the applicant’s previous plan. JPF is being asked instead to move its proposed water line to beneath Cranberry Highway, he said, which will add to the project cost.

            Plus, Madden said, the town’s consulting engineer, Ken Motta, has requested JPF build a 30-foot utility easement rather than the company’s plan of a mere 10-foot easement. Ten feet is all that the project will need, Madden argued.

            “That’s a pretty big ask, given that an access road that big won’t be needed,” Madden said. “We are agonizing over this now. The hard and soft costs would be huge. And we won’t need much water.”

            He elaborated that separate water access will be needed only for the restroom that will be installed in the office and for the five to 10 commercial bays planned for the project.

            The board agreed with Madden that a larger easement is not necessary and approved his request to add the waiver for a 10-foot easement to the decision conditions.

            Johnson said the town has no money or Water Department to support such a water line. “There’s no other project being planned that could tag into that line,” he said.

            The board closed the public hearing and said the draft decision will be ready to be signed at the second meeting in May.

            In other business, the board reviewed the issue of solar-panel toxicity. Johnson said recent YouTube videos have shown solar-array panels shattering and catching fire. Should this happen in Rochester, the materials and chemicals that fall to the ground could create hazardous and groundwater-contamination waste, board members said.

            Johnson concluded solar-array companies should add an insurance policy on this issue, and the town should add this condition into the town’s solar bylaw.

            Town Planner Nancy Durfee said it is too late to make such a change in time for the May 13 Annual Town Meeting. Johnson said the board should make ready this change for the fall Town Meeting.

            The Rochester Planning Board will meet next on Tuesday, April 23, at 7:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Planning Board

By Michael J. DeCicco

The Marion Board of Health has updated its food-inspection fee schedule, and Marion Health Director/Nurse Lori Desmarais told the board at its April 4 meeting that Marion’s fees remain lower than area towns in some aspects.

The goal, according to Desmarais and Marion Health Agent Shallyn Rodriguez, was to sharpen up the fee structure to be more tailored to specific establishments, be it according to size, its status as a permanent versus seasonal establishment, or a specialty establishment.

Marion has added a Miscellaneous category to address food inspections more specifically, and Desmarais explained the need for an inspection for when new businesses come in and inquire with the town about properties of interest for prospective projects.

Seasonal restaurants are a new category, defined by being open for business less than six months of the year. Marion’s Temporary fee schedule is based on three days or less, while the state Department of Health uses 14 days as its definition of temporary.

Some food establishments are required to follow extra-stringent guidelines for preparation such as sushi.

There will also be a fee schedule for smaller establishments.

Board members Albin Johnson, Dr. John Howard and Chairman Dr. Ed Hoffer were all present to vote their approval.

In a septic update at 38 Rocky Knook Lane, Rodriguez reported on a meeting with the installer and engineer and was anticipating (by April 5) an analysis result. Desmarais received an email stating that the home remains unoccupied.

There are new businesses opening up for which Rodriguez is planning food inspections.

In the Health Director’s report, Desmarais told the board that MassDEP that Ansel’s Café is connecting to Marion’s Public Water system.

Board administrator Maureen Murphy is registering residents for a COVID-19 booster clinic to be held the week of April 15 (date and time TBA). The vaccine has been purchased by the town.

Desmarais is working with Marion Community EMS on a stroke-education-awareness grant application and working with Council on Aging Director Karen Gregory on a May 1 event at the Cushing Community Center.

The South Coast Public Health Collaborative has postponed an April 11, in-person meeting to May (TBD).

The next meeting of the Marion Board of Health will be scheduled for Thursday, April 18, at 4:30 pm at the Town House Annex Building.

Marion Board of Health

By Mick Colageo

            The Old Rochester Regional School District needs to find a replacement for Sippican Elementary School Principal Marla Brown, who has cited health challenges with her decision to step away, and a new vice principal, as Peter Crisafulli plans to relocate after the school year for family reasons.

            In speaking to the Marion School Committee during its March 14 public meeting, ORR Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson offered public thanks to both Brown and Crisafulli for their impactful leadership at Sippican and expressed support for them in their future. He indicated that the hiring process for the 2024-25 school year is underway.

            ORR Early Childhood Coordinator Doreen Lopes, who is filling in as acting principal for the rest of the 2023-24 school year, called the experience of day-to-day work with Sippican students and teachers “a gift” and thanked the faculty for its support.

            Committee Chairperson April Nye expressed appreciation for Brown, noting that she had worked inside the building with VASE when Brown was new on the job.

            In the FY25 operating budget public hearing held on March 26, ORR administration presented a level-services operating budget of $7,080,780 for FY25, an increase of $414,587 (6.22%) over FY24 ($6,666,193). The budget was unanimously approved.

            Nelson explained that the drivers in the FY25 budget process included tradition ones such as contractually driven aspects dealing with collective bargaining, but the highest departmental increase is a new bus contract with Amaral that will drive up annual costs by 34% in the first year of the new deal. The FY24 figure of $518,500 rises in FY25 to $719,414, an increase of $200,914.

            Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber broke down the budget process for the committee during the March 26 public hearing, identifying approximately $320,000 in budget offsets and then noting how those offsets can be used.

            On March 14 while still engaged in the budget process, Nelson said that while the ORR District is working within “a level-services ideology,” the district continues to advocate for “what Sippican needs” had prohibitive challenges in the process not existed. That would include the addition of full-time special-education and reading teachers and a full-time math interventionist.

            In her March 14 report, Nye recognized the arduous work done by Barber and Nelson during a difficult budget season. Nye also thanked Marion Finance Committee Chairman Shay Assad for recognizing needs at the school. She thanked Town Administrator Geoff Gorman and Finance Director Heather O’Brien for listening well to the school’s needs. Select Board Chairman Toby Burr, in attendance at the meeting, was also recognized for his support.

            The Transportation Contract was approved at the committee’s March 14 meeting, at which Nelson emphasized the rise in busing costs and that contract’s effect on the overall FY25 budgeting process.

            The current, five-year contract with Amaral expires at the end of the 2023-24 school year. It was originally a three-year deal that was extended two additional years on an optional basis. Coming off two extensions at the same cost, Barber characterized the new bid as essentially a three-year increase. At his recommendation, the board voted unanimously to award the new contract to Amaral.

            Barber said the original bidding process was meant to put all four school districts under one contract, but that scenario was not successful. The revised bidding process was based on a town-by-town basis.

            Nelson called the new negotiations “a difficult process.”

            In other business conducted on March 14, the committee voted to accept a $10,000 FY24 Safe and Supportive Schools Continuation Fund (grant) aimed at supporting social, emotional learning curriculum.

            Nelson used his administration’s report for lighter news, saying that Sippican has made progress on $19,000 in funding for a comfort dog for the school. He also discussed the renovation of the gardens outside the music room and the flagpole area near the bus loop, recognizing the efforts of Jody Dickerson at the Marion Department of Public Works.

            Dr. Shari Fedorowicz, ORR’s assistant superintendent of Teaching and Learning, updated the committee on the ongoing literacy program.

            The next meeting of the Marion School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, April 25, at 6:30 pm at Sippican Elementary School.

Marion School Committee

By Mick Colageo