Marion Planning Board Considers New Role

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The Marion Planning Board is exploring taking on a greater role in assessing Marion’s long-term future, with particular attention to the town’s capital assets.

At the Planning Board’s March 19 meeting, board member Ted North spoke of his intention to present a PowerPoint presentation at the board’s April 2 meeting regarding long-term planning of the town and how the board could get involved. This led to an impromptu discussion on whether the Planning Board has statutory rights to get involved in assessing the town’s future, in particular its investments.

“[Marion] has approximately $50 million in debt and $12 million in unfunded liabilities. Right now, as we sit here, we are looking at $60 million in debt. As we go forward with capital projects, we have very little room to incur a heck of a lot more debt,” North said.

The board members expressed interest in exploring the idea, but with caution.

“I’ve been involved in the Planning Board for 10 years, and I’ve never been involved in those discussions,” board member Tom Magauran said. “As a town, we recognize there has been a weakness at looking at our assets, and there is little to no maintenance going on – except at the harbormaster’s office.”

“We need to square away our statutory authority. I don’t want to step on places where we don’t belong, but on the other hand if it is within our jurisdiction we should look at it,” Magauran added.

“It appears to me we are breaking new ground. If it is within our responsibility, then so be it,” said Chairman Jay Ryder.

“We’ve let the maintenance of our town fall apart. From the sewer to the roads to the buildings. It’s obvious. We always make things difficult to get new growth to support our tax base,” Sherman Briggs weighed in.

The discussion touched on the YSI Building, a 18,000 square foot industrial building at 13 Atlantic Ave accepted by the town as a donation at the Special Town Meeting last fall.

“The YSI Building is a great poster child for lack of planning in the town,” North said, comparing it to the “Pascal Principle.”

“The harbormaster has moved boats in there, and then the carpentry shop moved in, and now the natural history museum [will be] asking for space… This is like the old Oklahoma land grab, everyone wants space over there,” he said.

“It could get filled up with stuff that does not necessarily drive costs down in town, but alternatively it could drive costs up,” Magauran agreed, noting that although the building is a donation worth $400,000 it could end up costing the town much more in maintenance and other expenditures.

North said that unlike the Capital Planning Committee – of which he is a part – the Planning Board is more than an information-gathering committee as it has statutory authority.

“We are the guys who should be taking the lead and getting this done,” he said.

Stephen Kokkins, a resident who is running for the Planning Board, said in his research on regulations, assessment of resources is a legitimate Planning Board function – even if it isn’t done for a Master Plan.

“[A Planning Board] can give information on the condition of a city. I don’ t think you have to be weighted down so that a Master Plan has to be undertaken,” he said.

The board also touched on the recent effort to evaluate the Town House. Chairman Ryder, who is also Chair of the Town House Advisory Committee, said that it might disband at its next meeting because it doesn’t have enough authority to be effective.

Ultimately, the board endorsed spreading the word that it is available to town committees and officials to solicit bids for small assessments on projects. It decided to invite town boards, the public and other interested parties to attend North’s April 2 presentation

In other business at the meeting:

• The planning board approved an ANR application to combine two parcels at 80 Piney Point Road, as presented by Christian Farland.

• The board approved an ANR Application for a garage addition at 15 Allen Street, as presented by Paul Matoes. The case had gone to Land Court, and Matoes had provided additional records to settle the matter.

By Laura Fedak Pedulli

Questions Raised about Brandt Island Homes

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No public hearings took place at the Mattapoisett Planning Board’s meeting on Monday, March 19 – however the board did entertain some informal discussions with members of the community.

The Planning Board’s SRPEDD commissioner, Robert Rogers and Randall Kunz –chairman of the regional planners survey – presented Southeastern Regional Planning and Development District maps outlining potential development sites should a commuter rail system service the New Bedford area.

If there was train service from the southeastern coast to Boston, Mattapoisett could potentially see considerable development in business and real estate. They discussed the plans for the Board’s consideration, but due to considerable budget constraints, it is unlikely that Mattapoisett would see this development in the future.

The Board then spoke with town assessor Don Fleming, who raised the concern over the current system for updating assessors’ maps. According to Fleming, the situation often arises where building plans are submitted to the town, but the assessors aren’t able to update their maps in an adequate timeframe in order to reassess the given properties.

“It just puts us in a bind,” he said. He would like to see a provision written in building regulations that would require applicants to provide a disk with the CAD plans to the assessors so they may quickly and easily update their resources.

Last, the Planning Board heard from several residents of Brandt Island Road, who are being affected by the construction of new dwellings by Brandt Island Homes.

There has been a great deal of confusion surrounding the entire project, according to Mike Bouvier, who acted as the group’s spokesperson. They have spoken with a variety of people involved with the construction and fear they are getting mixed messages, and their specific concerns are varied.

Mark and Angela Guttenberger are worried about encroachment of their property lines. Doreen and Todd Philie have concerns regarding the flooding of their property due to the high grade of the new home being built abutting their home.

“We’re all starting to get conflicting statements regarding what was approved. We’re not getting a good sense of what’s going on,” Bouvier said.

“We just wanted to come here tonight to get a better understanding of the process and what we can do to make sure it’s right,” he said. The Planning Board advised the group of residents to speak with the Mattapoisett Building Department and to read over all of the approved plans for the project, and in the meantime, member Ronald Merlo said he would visit the project area to get a better idea of the concerns of the residents.

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

By Eric Tripoli

ORR Facilities Manager Steps Down

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Old Rochester Regional Facilities Manager Steve Murphy resigned unexpectedly on Thursday, March 15 from the district. Murphy said he is moving onto a job in the private industry.

Since he was hired in May 2010, he has spearheaded many projects at the schools – including the installation of Direct Digital Control systems at the ORR Campus, Sippican Elementary School and Rochester Memorial School. Designed to save energy costs, the DDC system networks all of a school’s machinery – including boilers, air systems, lighting and alarms – to a centralized controller.

Murphy also renegotiated several utility contracts, which led to savings at all district schools.

Superintendent Doug White said Murphy’s efforts saved the district money during his time at the helm of  facilities.

“His guidance and support improved the quality of the environment for all students,” he said, and reflected that there was “some laughter” shared as well.

“We wish him the best,” White added.

“I  loved working there and I loved the people, and I’ve had some excellent adventures,” Murphy said of his departure. “But I believe I am heading in the right direction.”

He especially credited White for his efforts to improve the district. “I’ve become a better man for working under Doug White. He is forward thinking and he knows what’s good for everybody. He’s awesome.”

Murphy added that he has laid the groundwork for the DDC Systems and trained personnel – so his successor is in good shape to pick up where he left off going forward. White said an advertisement will be posted soon to find a replacement.

“We hope we can find someone with similar skills sets to bring to the district,” White said.

By Laura Fedak Pedulli

 

 

National Drug Takeback Day

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The Mattapoisett Police Department  will be participating in a prescription drug disposal day. This event is part of a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, (DEA). It will be held Saturday, April 28th from 9:00AM to 2:00PM. The purpose of such programs is to allow for safe, legal, and environmentally-friendly disposal of extra drugs that patients have not used.

This program serves two purposes. First,  this program reduces the risk of prescription drugs being consumed inappropriately—either by accident or through illegal sale. Prescription medication abuse is becoming far more prevalent than common street drugs. Widespread anecdotal and survey evidence indicates that a huge portion of illegal prescription drug use occurs when people raid friends’ and relatives’ medicine cabinets. Second, it reduces the risk of prescription drugs entering the water, potentially harming aquatic life or getting into a human water supply.  If the household waste is incinerated, the drugs are far less likely to pose an environmental problem than if they go into the waste water stream.

This program is being provided as a continuing proactive effort by The Mattapoisett Police Department to prevent drug abuse before it happens in or community. We encourage everyone to collect expired or useless prescription medications and bring them to the Mattapoisett Police Station at 64 County Road on  Saturday, April 28th.

For further information , please contact Captain Anthony M. Days of the Mattapoisett Police Department at 508-758-4141.

Rochester Country Fair Planning Underway

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Rochester County Fair Co-chairman David Souza was pleased to announce that the planning for the 2012 Rochester Country Fair is right on schedule. Souza addressed the Board of Selectmen on the evening of Monday, March 19 at the Rochester Town Hall.

“It’s going very well,” said Souza. “Our main goal is to make everyone as happy as we can.”

Souza said the main change to the fair – aside from its new location on Pine Street – would be the construction of a bathroom and implementation of a septic system. The planning committee would be in charge of digging the well for the system.

The building would be a permanent fixture of the fairgrounds and would likely resemble a barn in order to blend in well with its surroundings. Souza said they are awaiting the final site plans from Charon Associates so they can begin landscaping work and fence building on the area. The Selectmen were pleased with Souza and the committee’s progress thus far.

“Keep up the enthusiasm,” said Selectmen Chairman Bradford Morse.

The Water Commission expressed a desire to start a long-term planning project for how Rochester receives its water. As it stands presently, Rochester gets it water from a combination of places, including lines that run from Marion down Route 105 and into town as well as Wareham and occasionally New Bedford.

The Commission warned that Rochester technically doesn’t have rights to any sources of water, and given the town’s history, most specifically during the 1960’s and 1980’s, there is a possibility of drought. In order to prevent this from happening, the commission would like to study the demographics of the town and start putting a plan into action so Rochester can start putting money aside to gain rights for their own water sources.

The Selectmen are curious to see how the Water Commission does in its inaugural year.

“It’s the maiden voyage,” said Selectman Richard Nunes. “Good luck.”

The Park Commission is looking for another member after the Selectmen approved the resignation of Ben Philbrook. The Old Colony School Committee is also looking for another member. Both positions are appointed, and all interested candidates can get more information at Rochester Town Hall.

Town Administrator Richard LaCamera was pleased to announce that a lock box the town recently acquired has been placed outside of Town Hall. The box will serve as a collection bin for tax payments, including property and excise taxes, as well as census forms. All payments must be paid in the form of a check. LaCamera said the lock box provides a convenient, 24/7 way for residents to pay their bills without having to spend money on postage.

The Rochester Board of Selectmen will meet again on Monday, March 26 at 7:00 pm.

By Katy Fitzpatrick

Rochester Land Trust Plans Annual Meeting

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The Rochester Land Trust will hold its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, March 28th from 6:30 to 9:30 at the Rochester Congregational Church Vestry.

The evening will begin with a potluck dinner. If you plan to attend, bring something for the spread. A short annual meeting, electing the Board of Directors and Officers for next, will follow.

The evening will conclude with a talk by Dick Ward of Carver. Dick is a former teacher in both the Plymouth and Carver school systems. He a bog owner and was instrumental in the creation of the Carver Agricultural Committee. He is now the president of the Massachusetts Association of Agricultural Commissions. His talk is bound to be interesting and informative as he explains how an Agriculture Commission has a presence in a town, and hopefully, giving Rochester’s newly formed Agricultural Commission its needed presence.

Mattapoisett Friends of the Elderly Membership Drive

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The Mattapoisett Friends of the Elderly are currently having their annual membership drive.  Established in 1990, the group has been organizing fundraisers to benefit the Council on Aging and currently has 173 members.  In addition to financial support, the Friends of the Elderly have been responsible for supplying various resources to the Council, including a new copy machine, office furniture, office supplies, and community outreach.

The Council on Aging provides various services and programs to the Mattapoisett community.  They offer clinics, fuel assistance, information on estate planning, as well as classes in gardening, crafts, cardio, and strength training.  Their outreach program works together with several other community groups including the Mattapoisett Elementary Schools and ORRHS.

Members of the Friends of the Elderly volunteer to put together the annual St. Patrick’s Day party, summer picnic, and holiday party. On March 27, 2012, at noon, the Friends of the Elderly will be hosting a free showing of the film “Moneyball” starring Brad Pitt.  The film will be shown at the Council on Aging at 17 Barstow Street.

For  applications and more information on how to volunteer, visit http://www.mattapoisett.net/Pages/MattapoisettMA_COA/

By Eric Tripoli

Taking The Plunge

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The Pacific met the Atlantic this week as students from the American Field Service Club of Sonora High School in California were hosted by the Tri-Town community. The students arrived on Wednesday after taking the red eye from the West Coast. Sonora is located about 60 miles east of San Francisco in the foothills west of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Ryan Carr, a senior from the city of Sonora, noticed the difference in the landscape as soon as he arrived.

“It’s a lot different than the foothills. Out here it’s really flat,” he said. Carr has been in the AFS club for four years, but this was his first time in New England. Northern California has also been having a much milder winter than normal.

“It’s warm out there for us, in the sixties and seventies. Here it’s freezing for us,” he said.  But the cold weather was not enough to deter him from the opportunity to share new adventures with new friends.

“My favorite part is the social experience, seeing how different the world can be,” Carr said.

What he gets out of the club is exactly what ORRHS AFS club advisor Kim Corazzini hopes the students can appreciate about their opportunity to travel and meet new people.

“My hope is that we try to get the kids to gain cultural awareness. We want them to gain a sense about what goes on in the bigger world,” she said.

Sandy Myers, the Sonora AFS club advisor, is in her seventh year in the position and has traveled to each exchange location the program covers.

“This is my second trip to Mattapoisett. We have programs in Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Kansas,” she said. She hopes the students appreciate the different ways their peers around the country learn. “I think it’s good for them to see the different types of school schedules, texts, and curriculum that are available.”

Corazzini, who is also the nurse at ORRHS, was intent on giving the visiting students a true southern New England experience. As soon as they got off the plane on Wednesday, they began their tour of Boston, just in time for the appropriately named Boston Blackout. That didn’t deter them from taking in the sights of the city. They went to the Prudential Center and toured the public gardens.

On Thursday, they toured Old Rochester Regional High School, the style of which was a major culture shock. Sonora High School has an open campus style, where the cafeteria, administrative offices, library, and academic halls are all separate buildings. On Friday they went to the Salem Witch Museum and Faneuil Hall back in Boston. The AFS clubs then drove down to Newport on Saturday, toured the Breakers mansion, and traveled the Cliff Walk.

Along the way, the students forged new bonds with their peers from across the nation.  For Stephanie Hollander, a senior from Jamestown, Calif. and first year member of the club, her first time in New England has been fulfilling.

“It’s like a whole different experience.  I really wanted to meet new people,” she said, as she sat on a couch stuffed between two ORRHS students. Senior Sydney Copello had never been on an airplane before making the trip out to Mattapoisett. She’s a city girl to the core and enjoyed the time they spent at the Hub.

“I really liked Boston. There’s a lot of things you can find in Boston you’ll never find anywhere else,” she said.

The culmination of the day, however, was not taking in the grand opulence of the magnificent architecture and excess of the classic Newport mansions. Late in the afternoon Saturday, the clubs went for a brief swim in the Atlantic before sitting down to a potluck dinner. The air and the water were both about 50˚F. For most of them, this was their first time on the East Coast, and a few were very eager to sink their toes in the icy waters of the Atlantic. In some cases, heads, shoulders, and knees were also submerged, motivated by adrenaline and the urge to create special moments with their new friends.

In April, the ORRHS AFS club will be traveling to Sonora to visit their West Coast counterparts. Mattapoisett senior Jack Thomas is eager to see California.

“It was interesting to see other people find the normal New England stuff out of the ordinary. It’ll be weird being on the other end,” he said. While there, the clubs will visit a re-enactment gold mining town, San Francisco and Yosemite National Park.

“I really hope we get to see the Redwoods,” Thomas said. No matter where they go or what they see, the students of the AFS clubs know they are lucky to have the opportunity to travel and learn from students all over the United States, and for all of them, these adventures are the just the beginning.

By Eric Tripoli

4th Annual RMS Auction

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The Rochester Memorial School PTO is excited to announce its fourth annual live auction which will be held Friday, March 30th, 2012 in the RMS cafeteria, located at16 Pine St, Rochester, MA.  This Olympic themed event will feature a preview of items at 5:30 with the live auction beginning at 6:00pm. $5 will get you a paddle for bidding and many exciting items have been generously donated by the RMS staff and local community to bid on. Items include a signed New England Patriots football, an overnight stay at the Coco Key Water Park, passes to the Duck Tours in Boston, tickets to the Boston Celtics, an autographed Red Sox baseball, passes to F1 Boston, Seekonk Speedway, New England Aquarium and so much more! There will also be a raffle table, crafts and give-a-ways for the kids and yummy food available for purchase. All proceeds from this family friendly event will benefit the new playgrounds being build at RMS. We are encouraging everyone in the community to join us for a night of laughter, fun and excitement!

Rochester Historical Society Bake Sale

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Spring is here and our great cooks are at it again. On Saturday March 31Society members will have a Bake Sale from 10 am to 2pm at the East Rochester Church/ Museum. Stop by for some tasty homemade treats and visit our beautiful historic church at 355 County Road.