The Marion Select Board met Tuesday, March 18 to go over ten action items and some various correspondences. Less than twenty minutes into the meeting, 9-out-of-10 of the action items had been discussed and the board moved on to number 10, discussing the draft of the Town Meeting Warrant.

            Before we get to that, the board’s first actions were to approve the minutes of five separate meetings: January 30, February 19, a different special meeting February 19, February 25, and finally a public hearing on March 4. All were approved unanimously without question. Next was the approval of a change of officers at Kittansett Club for Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC).

            The board then discussed an anonymous $800,000 donation from the Marion Library Association doing business with the Elizabeth Tabor Library. The donations are for renovations to the latter. “I’m not going to question an $800,000 donation. I appreciate it very much” Select Board Clerk Randy L. Parker stated with laughter from the room.

            In discussions on the Waterways Regulations, it was reiterated by Chair Norman A. Hills that there will be “no billing changes from last year.” Statements from Harbormaster Adam Murphy were read, where he said regarding discourse around the proposed changes: “I would also like to ensure that residents understand that we will continue to make decisions in a transparent and public manner, ensuring we use public input to inform the decision-making process. With that said, I also want to make it crystal-clear that no public, personal attack of my staff, no matter the role or level of responsibility, is ever appropriate.” He continued, “Personal attacks only enflame this discourse, escalate our emotion, and cloud our ability to make long term and strategic decisions for the town.”

            The next item was the approval of the nominations for the Inspectors of Animals, where Adam Murphy and Susan Connor were confirmed and approved. A few road closures were then approved, including the annual Memorial Day procession Monday, May 27, the annual Independence Day parade on Friday, July 4 and a request for the Marion Art Center to use Bicentennial Park and road closures for “Arts in the Park” on Saturday, July 5.

            The board then approved a $866.03 for a water/sewer commitment for final readings from March 14. Finally, was the presentation and discussion on the draft of the Town Meeting Warrant. During the sorting out of minor but recurring technical difficulties, Executive Assistant to the Town Administrator Donna Hemphill said the Marion Town Party was moved to July 26, though all other party plans remain the same.

            The Town Administrator, Geoffrey Gorman, having sorted out the technical issues, then began the presentation of the 59-page draft. All articles currently in the draft are not placed in their final location, Gorman explained, so all are labeled “Article X” until they can be sorted. The draft begins with an outline of the FY26 budget, but as the budget is not yet complete, a placeholder of FY25’s budget was used. It was also stated the water and sewer enterprises had yet to be finalized, though, Gorman said they would be completed this week to be presented to the Select Board at their next meeting. One article discussed was for the town’s finance department and its payroll system, which Gorman said were manual and through the Munis system. $40,000 is requested to update timekeeping software. The Town Administrator said, “we di timekeeping and payroll manually. Surprisingly enough, the timesheets are paper and are filled out manually and are presented to the payroll benefits person who then has to put it into a spreadsheet and upload it to Munis.”

            Next was the discussion on work throughout Holmes Woods, which saw disagreement within the board. $60,000 is requested to draft plans for the work. Vice-Chair Burr stated, regarding the town’s resources to maintain all current trails, “we are spread thin.” Parker later said, “we should have public meetings on Holmes Woods.”

            On roadwork, Gorman affirmed all monies to cover roadwork comes from Chapter 90, with no local taxes going to the endeavor. He said if the town continues this practice, “our roads will continue to decline.” The Department of Public Works (DPW) seeks $300,000 on top of the existing Chapter 90 funds to improve roadways and sidewalks. The Select Board requested a list-of-importance of roadways in need of renovation and maintenance to be presented at their next meeting.

            $2.2 million in debt service is requested to upgrade the Town House with a fire suppression system, Gorman says the building does not possess, ADA compliance additions like a ramp, doorknobs, brail, and wheelchair accessible bends, and to have the outside stairs be code-complaint, which they currently are not. An HVAC system is also requested.

            At this point in the meeting, Chair Hills emphasized they are not open to questions at this point, but a public hearing will be available at the next meeting. The Town Administrator also said the current draft is not available online, but the final one will be.

            The Historic District Bylaw and the Short-Term Rental Bylaw final drafts were briefly discussed, both of which are currently available to the public. Regarding the Short-Term Rentals Bylaw, Chair hills stated, “I have severe concerns about this whole thing, but we can keep going.”

            The next meeting of the Marion Select Board will take place on Monday, March 24 and will involve further discussions on Town Meeting with the floor open to questions. The annual Town Meeting will be on Monday, May 12.

Marion Select Board

By Sam Bishop

The March 17 meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board was a continuation of meetings with department heads to review all things budget. On this night, they met with Highway Superintendent Garrett Bauer, Health Agent Gail Joseph and Fire Chief Andrew Murray.

            Joseph reported that the public health nurse was requesting administrative assistance due to the avalanche of paperwork and reports she is required to manage. Joseph wondered if a senior tax work-off resident with appropriate skills might be possible to fill the request. The board took that under advisement.

            The line item for recyclable material pick-up is $315,000 and SEMAS is $346,057. There is an overall increase of 1.80-percent Joseph reported. Joseph also noted that cardboard is recyclable as are water bottles (most plastics are not acceptable for recycling.) Rubbish pick-up stands at $404,710.

            Regarding stickers for use at the Transfer Station, there was a discussion about updating that process now with a possible link up with stickers used for beach and parking purposes. Further exploration was generally agreed.

            Murray’s operating budget is $974,560. He said that gear containing PFAS (known carcinogens) must be replaced in the coming months. He is requesting $18,000 for several sets and plans to seek grants for other purchases.

            Bauer said his capital requests include $350,000 from free cash for annual roadway repairs, $1,300,000 for Oakland Street upgrades to be financed via a bond, $75,000 for a roadside mower from free cash, $3,200,000 upgrades to Highway Department Building via debt, and a flatbed aluminum pickup truck bed $25,000.

            In a follow-up with Lorenco he provided the following update. Debt is rolling off in FY27 and FY28.

            Water Department Water Well #2 Refurb $168,100 annually, Village Water Main Replacement $42,025 annually (FY28) Water Tank Rehab $103,200 annually.

            Sewer Department, Sewer Brant Beach $176,146 annually, Sewer Matt River Basin $6,200, annually, Sewer Treatment Plan (UV System) $7,725 annually.

            In FY28 several other large expenses will roll off including Fairhaven water improvement at $11,500 annually.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board was not announced upon adjournment.

Mattapoisett Select Board

By Marilou Newell

Rochester’s Select Board Monday learned the details of a proposal to turn the plan for a new playground at Gifford Park into a larger renovation that expands space for travel lanes, pedestrians, and parking at the ball field.

            The 3,649 square-foot playground will be placed in the park’s northeast corner. Displaying a concept sketch of his ideas for the western border, resident Nate Reece said Monday that the car lane along the area of the ball field is a single path ending in a choke hold at Mary’s Pond Road. With land from abutting Wildlands Trust property, he suggested that lane could be expanded by 30 feet for safer passage of cars and pedestrians and expanded parking.

            This renovation would add handicapped accessible parking for the entrance to nearby Wildlands Trust trails, he said. He noted he has already had conversations with the Wildlands Trust, which agrees a deed transfer or land swap could make this plan happen. That cooperative effort would be the next step of this plan, he said.

            He explained this renovation would improve safety and accessibility for park and trail users. The widened access road would allow for two-way traffic flow and better distance between baseball game spectators and moving vehicles (current access is single lane, in close proximity to bleachers). There would be 50 additional parking spaces, which would remove the need for cars to park along the road, as they do now during the busy baseball season.

            He said he has spoken to Dave Hughes of the Park Commission, and that board would be willing to take the design plan ‘under advisement’. This, Reece said, “is what my goal was from the start, to provide something for the town, Park Commission, Wildlands Trust, and residents to use as they see fit. The focus of the plan is on what could change beyond the current scope of changes at Gifford Park, primarily collaborating with the abutters, the Wildlands Trust.”

            Town Administrator Cameron Durant agreed to start that initial conversation with the trust. Select Board Member Adam Murphy praised Reece for the approach he was taking of consulting the interested parties on his own. “The transparency and buy-in present here is huge,” he said.

            In other action, Durant reported an update on the review of the FY2026 budget. Though the budget planning is still in process, at present, he said, the town is seeing a $740,000 deficit. Current plans to reduce this deficit include removing full-time from the Finance Director’s position, reducing hours for the new town planner, and removing a full-timer’s weekend coverage of the fire department.

            Durant reported the State Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance’s request to area towns for 8,000-13,000 square feet of warehouse space. He said interested parties in town should answer the invitation to bid.

            Durant announced the SEMASS Pilot payment for February 2025 of $380,000.

            The board approved the Buzzards Bay Coalition 19th Annual Watershed Ride’s route through town on October 5, 2025.

            The board signed a new three-year contract with Building Commissioner Paul Boucher.

            The board approved Memorial Day Parade road closures. The roads will be closed at Dexter Lane, Town Hall, and Mary’s Pond Road, and Gifford Park. The parade will be on May 25 from 11:30 am and go until 1:00 pm.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Select Board is scheduled for Monday, March 31 at 6:00 pm at 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Select Board

By Michael J. DeCicco