2012 Rochester Country Fair Award

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Thanks to the generosity and support of those who attended last year’s Ponderosa Open Golf Tournament to benefit the Rochester Country Fair Awards, we are happy to announce that we will be able to award $500 for educational expenses, to a graduating senior from both Old Rochester Regional High School and Old Colony Regional Vocational High School.

The deserving students must reside in Rochester, have shown and proven positive leadership, strong work ethics, academic goals and community service.  Applications are now available in each of the school’s guidance offices.

Rochester Women’s Club Veterans Event

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The Rochester Women’s Club is sponsoring a Meet and Greet social event for our local veterans. All Veterans from local towns are invited to gather at The Rochester Women’s Club located at 37 Marion Road in Rochester on Armed Forces Day, Saturday May 19 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. A continental breakfast will be available for all. Free drawings, flags, poppies and more will be a part of us honoring our VETS. Uniforms are encouraged and prizes will be given in various age groups.

Buzzards Bay Coalition Golf Tournament

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On  Tuesday, May 22, South Coast golfers have a unique opportunity to play a round of golf and clean up New Bedford Harbor at the same time.

That is because the Buzzards Bay Coalition and the Bay Club at Mattapoisett are partnering to host a Golf Tournament specifically designed to fund nitrogen pollution cleanup in New Bedford Harbor. Registration is open now until May 14, 2012 at www.savebuzzardsbay.org/golf.

At the conclusion of play, State Senator Mark Montigny will preside over tournament prize awards and a live and silent auction at the Bay Club’s Golf House Restaurant. The auction will feature one-of-a-kind experiences like a guided salmon-fishing adventure in Alaska with Angling Unlimited, a weeklong luxury resort stay in St. Lucia, a week at a 15th-century cottage in Sussex England, a yacht cruise and clambake on Cuttyhunk Island, and an array of special-access Buzzards Bay experiences in addition to golf foursomes, custom-fitted Titleist Metal Wood golf clubs, art, jewelry, and collectibles.

A raffle will give away Red Sox tickets and a Caribbean getaway to Antigua.  Golfers will also win prizes for lowest score, longest drive, and closet to the pin.

Interested golfers can register online, individually or as a foursome, at www.savebuzzardsbay.org/golf. Even if you don’t golf you can still participate in this great event by registering for the reception and auction that follow.

Mattapoisett Community Planting Volunteers

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The town of Mattapoisett supports the volunteers who plant and maintain several focal areas of our community. The public spaces of the Logo at the Town Wharf, the Beach House window boxes, planters at Shipyard Park, and the Veterans Memorial Park next to the Library. Are all planned, planted, weeded and watered by a group of fun loving folks. Our volunteers will be meeting to plan these and possibly more activities and we invite new volunteers to join us on Wednesday, May 9 at 7:00 pm at the Mattapoisett Inn Bed & Breakfast at 23 Water Street. No gardening experience necessary, and people of all ages, including high school students are welcome.  For questions, call Sandy Hering at 508 758-3008.

Marion COA Health Fair

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The Marion Council on Aging will be holding a Health Fair on Tuesday, May 8 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Marion VFW located at 465 Mill St. in Marion.

The South Coast Mobile Van will be on site for health screenings. Nurses will be available for blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol screenings. Bring your medications with you to be reviewed by a pharmacist. Gather information from over 60 local health organizations.

No Injuries for Two Coast Guard Rescuees

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The two people that were rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter late Sunday evening near Brandt Island, sustained no injuries and refused medical treatment, according to Fairhaven Harbormaster David Darmofal.

Darmofal said he received a call around 7:00 pm Sunday evening of a possible sinking of a 20-foot boat carrying two people near West Island.  Shortly after the call, he launched their boat into the water and met up with the Coast Guard near the area. New Bedford also dispatched a boat to aid with the search.

Mattapoisett Harbormaster Horace Field said the boats were not in the water yet, otherwise they would have also responded.

Because of the rough weather conditions, a Coast Guard helicopter was also dispatched to locate the distressed boat.  Around 9:30 pm, the helicopter spotted the boat overturned in the water near West Island.  The two passengers were sitting on top of the sinking boat.

‘The best thing there people did was stay with their vessel,” said Darmofal.  “If they had attempted to swim, they wouldn’t have made it.”

The two people, whose names were not released by either harbormaster, were air-lifted by the Coast Guard helicopter and brought to the Cape Cod Coast Guard Station.

Field, who saw the signal flares launched by the boat from his house in Mattapoisett, wonders what they were doing out in the water that late at night.

“They shouldn’t have been out there period,” said Field.  “Sometimes fishermen will go out in any type of weather in little inadequate boats.”

While there is no confirmation that this boat and its passengers were fishing, Darmofal says there are certain safety precautions everyone in a boat should be taking.

“Please boat safely,” said Darmofal.  “Make sure you have the proper equipment, flares and personal floatation devices at all times.”

By Katy Fitzpatrick

Coats Guard Intercepts Sinking Boat

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Just after 9pm the US Coast Guard received a distress call from a 20-foot cruise craft with two people on board taking on water in Nascatucket Bay just south of Brandt Island, Mattapoisett.  After a quick search the Coast Guard airlifted the two people from the vessel and flew them to the Coast Guard air station on Cape Cod for medical evaluation.

Rochester Cleans Up for Earth Day

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This Earth Day weekend, the Rochester Women’s Club and Rochester Land Trust joined forces to execute the third annual Earth Day clean up around the town.  Volunteers met at the Women’s Club on Marion Road to pick up their big, bright yellow bags, courtesy of the Highway Department, and dispersed to nearby neighborhoods and streets to pick up the loose trash that mars the view and destroys the valuable ecosystems of the town.

“We like people to know we’re here and we want to preserve the open space and beauty of the town,” said Norene Hartley of the Rochester Land Trust.

According to Rochester Women’s Club organizer, Nancy Boutin, there were 14 roads listed to clean up on Sunday’s roster, and for better or worse, the number of bags was getting low.

“I see a lot of people who are interested.  Last year we gave out 45 bags.  Some of the local Girl Scouts received them and 12 girls filled one bag each,” Boutin said.

Out on Mary’s Pond Road, Ann and Mike Cambra of Deerfield Terrace were out collecting the road-side rubbish.

“We walk this road a lot, “ Ann said.  “We are always amazed by the amount of garbage on the road. We are happy to be doing this but we really need to do it more,” said Mike.  They had taken six bags to fill.

The Earth Day clean up is about more than just picking up trash.  It’s a way the Women’s Club and Land Trust bring the community together. Dolores Dernier just moved to Rochester from Brockton in October and decided to pitch in however she could.

“I wanted to meet people today and help out.  This is my first time getting involved, and I thought this was a good way to start,” she said.

After the volunteers filled their yellow bags, they were instructed to leave them by the roadside for pickup by the Highway Department this week.

By Eric Tripoli

This weekend, the Rochester Women’s Club and Rochester Land Trust organized the third annual Earth Day clean up effort, with dozens of residents coming together to pick up trash around their neighborhoods. Ann Cambra reaches to grab a piece of trash alongside Mary’s Pond Road.

Mattapoisett Library Hosts Writers’ Day

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On Sunday, April 29, 2012, the Friends of the Mattapoisett Library will host the 2nd Annual Writers’ Day, an event invites local poets to gather together for workshops and readings with published poets.

“For Writers’ Day, our concept is to give poets a place and time devoted to writing. The library isn’t typically open on Sundays, so the day is all for them,” said organizer Susan Pizzolato.
      
There will be a continental breakfast,and following the workshops, the writers are all encouraged to find a  private space in the library in which to explore the strategies and methods offered by the guest speakers. 

Published poets Scott Withiam and Barbara Siegel Carlson will be heading up the discussions and reading some of their work.

“It’s a fun and inspiring day to work alongside fellow poets and enjoy time away, just for  writing,” said Pizzolato.

For more information and registration, visit the Mattapoisett Free Public Library at 7 Barstow Street, or call 508-758-4171.

61% School vs. 39% Town Budget in Marion

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With multiple projects of various price tags on the agenda, the Marion Capital Improvement Planning Committee met on the evening of Thursday, April 19, with a plan to prioritize the list, before presenting their findings to the Board of Selectmen.

The physical and financial condition of the town indicated revenue of $22.5 million and a ten-year capital expenditure forecast of $57 million. With the total number of taxpayers at 2,471, that leaves a debt and unfunded benefit total of approximately $46,000 to $56,000 per taxpayer over the next ten years.  This figure could double taxes in Marion over the next ten years.

One of the major issues brought out at the meeting was the fact that 61 percent of the town revenue is allocated to education, both at Sippican Elementary School, ORR Junior and Senior High School and the Upper Cape Vocational Technical School.

Committee member Ted North provided a handout showing that 8.5 percent of the town budget was funding Sippican Elementary School which has approximately 467 students, or 8.9 percent of the town population, which is 5,256.

The junior and senior high school and the Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical School, which service 768 students, represent 22 percent of the budget of the town of Marion.

The total school population of Marion is 14.6 percent and represents 61 percent of the town budget.

North discussed the discrepancy between the “per student” costs at Sippican School versus the “per student” cost at the high school.

“Why is the cost per student so high at the elementary level?” asked North.

“The elementary school population is 8.9 percent of Marion’s population, yet it represents 38.5 percent of our total town budget,” said North. “We are spending over 61 percent of our town budget on education,” said Mr. North.

The committee also discussed the upcoming Marion Town Meeting warrant, which includes an approximate $388,700 in expenditures.  The warrant includes $95,500 for boiler control upgrades and repair of a leak at Sippican Elementary School.

In discussing town department issues, the committee wanted to coordinate with Town Administrator Paul Dawson, in submitting and discussing requisitions or any capital improvement with the committee.  The committee discussed the importance of town departments prioritizing requests to go before the town in the warrant.

Other capital improvements discussed included a new town house telephone system with voice mail at $50,000, which will be on the town warrant in May. Committee members agreed that any item that would be proposed for the town meeting warrant should go through the capital improvement planning committee.

Committee members also discussed requests from town departments for various items including a fiscal year 2013 request from the fire department for $62,500 for two EMS life pack defibrillators and $20,900 for a police cruiser.

The committee consists of six members including Chairman Norm Hills, Ham Gravem, Rico Ferrari, Carol Sanz, Ted North and Dick Giberti.

The committee is looking for additional members. The next meeting will be on Thursday, May 3, at 7:00 pm at the Marion Music Hall. For more information, contact Paul Dawson at the Marion Town House at 508-748-3550.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry