ZBA Closes Bay Watch 40B Hearing

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The end is finally in sight for Bay Watch Realty Trust and its proposed 40B affordable housing project. After three months of hearings on its latest modification of the proposed complex – which includes 60 affordable rental apartments and 36 single family homes off Route 150 – the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals closed the public hearing on April 5.

The ZBA is expected to convene a special meeting on May 10 at the Town House to render a final decision.

The hearing closure stemmed from resolution on issues that had held a series of hearings, which began on January 26. Town Counsel Jon Whitten reported that the developer agreed to greater leniency in the number of affordable single-family homes in the project.

Originally, Bay Watch proposed zero affordable single-family homes – but came back with a proposal to set aside two of the 36 proposed residences as affordable. The Board of Selectmen had wanted 25 percent of the single-family homes deemed affordable. After the developer said that it would lose $500,000 from such a prospect, ZBA Chairman asked for a pro forma to prove this loss.

At the pro forma meeting, the developer agreed to offer two of the homes as affordable at 80 percent of the town’s median income. This could count towards the town’s affordable housing stock. The developer also agreed to set aside two additional homes at 100 percent of the town’s median income, which the state would consider as affordable housing, but it would make the three-bedroom homes more affordable at about $260,000, Whitten said.

In addition to these four units, the developer would be willing to sell two of the lots to the town for $125,000 apiece. The town could build affordable homes on these lots– although Marion residents would have to approve the transfer at a town meeting.

Bay Watch legal representative Ken Steen discussed the financial challenges of the project, which the developer had scaled back from 168 to 96 units last fall.  He said the inability to connect to the sewer north of the property and the necessity of building a pump station added to the cost to build the 40B. In addition, the 75-foot proposed wooden bridge to span the wetlands is especially pricey, he said.

“Those projects set back the project by half a million. That is the main thrust of why we presented two units (as affordable),” Steen said.

Whether school buses could access the private roadway into the project remains unresolved. Wedge noted that the school committee makes that call, and if they deny that request the children would catch the bus along Route 150. Bay Watch representatives said the plans include a three-sided glass enclosure, in a colonial style, for kids riding the bus.

Wedge suggested some fencing to “keep kids and balls out of the street.”

When the discussion came up on a suggestion to move the main entrance into the project to Atlantis Drive, Selectman Jon Henry strongly opposed the idea.

“That is a tremendous change. I absolutely do not recommend doing that. It could tie up the project for another five years,” he said.

Steen said that entering from the south would require approval from both houses in the state legislature because the land has a conservation restriction. Everyone agreed that moving the entrance is a bad idea.

“I think it’s too little too late,” Wedge said.

Although the ZBA closed the public hearing, the board kept the record open for 21 days for any last minute minor changes.

The board’s next meeting is scheduled for April 19 at 7:30 pm.

By Laura Fedak Pedulli

School Dances Fail, Class Olympics Succeeds

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It is the eternal question at Old Rochester Regional High School: what is the difference between Student Government and Student Council, the two organizations for which there are annual spring elections? And, for that matter, what are the duties of each?

Sophomore Class President Ruhi Raje, who is a member of both organizations, said that the difference lies in whom the organizations serve.

“Each grade has a Student Government responsible for raising money and organizing class events such as Junior Semi and Senior Prom. Student Council is responsible for the planning and organization of events for the whole school, like Homecoming,” Raje said.

She added that Class Presidents and Class Vice-Presidents are automatically granted positions on Student Council, although the remaining seats are filled by school-wide elections.

In late winter and early spring this year, both the Student Council and the Sophomore Student Government were hard at work planning school dances and festivities. The Sophomore Student Government prepared a Masquerade Dance for January 21, which was regrettably canceled due to lack of interest from the student body.

School dances are canceled when the ticket sales are extremely low, since the organization holding the dance has to make enough money to pay the disc jockey. Raje said that she and her fellow officers originally decided to have a Masquerade-themed dance because “we thought it would spark interest.”

They found support for their judgment in the success of the first Masquerade Dance, which was held the year before. The original Masquerade Dance served as a replacement for what upperclassmen will recall as the Snow Ball.  he Sophomore Student Government was hoping to make $100 after the expenses for the dance.

Yet the Sophomore Student Government wasn’t alone in having trouble with ticket sales. The Student Council made plans for a Spring Fling that would have been held March 17 had there been sufficient ticket sales.

“The ticket price was $5 the first week and $6 the second,” Raje said. She explained that the Student Council’s intent to hold a school dance was to fundraise for charity, since “the Student Council donates a large amount of money.” Sometimes these funds go to school clubs, other times to charity.

Raje said she isn’t sure why students at ORR High School seem uninterested in late winter or early spring dances, considering the interest that the Homecoming Dance, Junior Semi and Senior Prom receive.

“Sometimes all it takes is one person to say, ‘I’m not going,’ for a whole group of people to lose interest,” Raje explained.

Students were interested in having some sort of spring festivity, however. From March 13 to March 15, students participated in the first annual Class Olympics.

“The Class Olympics was very successful,” Raje said of the event. “Those who were interested represented their class in various events that ranged from athletic to informal to silly.”

The first day consisted of athletic events such as the popular gym class activity, Watusi.  Speedball was also on the agenda, along with other sporty games.

On the second day, the participants had their pick of carnival games, including a pie-eating contest. The Class Olympics ended with traditional events on the third day, which included the high and long jump.

Raje had difficulty estimating the number of participants, although she did note that there was a higher turnout on the first and last days of the Class Olympics. She attributed this to the availability of the late buses on those afternoons. Raje also added that the Student Council looks to expand the Class Olympics in coming years, so underclassmen have a (popular) spring event to anticipate!

By Anne Smith

Group To Revive Marion Block Party

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The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Benjamin D. Cushing Post No. 2425 hosted one of Marion’s favorite events for decades – the Annual Block Party. This event drew residents to the streets for some evening fun, food and camaraderie, and as an August happening it always closed out the summer with some flair.

The Block Party was canceled last year, however, as VFW simply decided it could not harness the manpower to keep it going. The previous year the event was relegated to earlier daytime hours due to the threat of the eastern equine encephalitis virus.

            Despite these setbacks, a trio of Marion residents is determined to resurrect the town’s beloved annual tradition.

On April 2, Steve Gonsalves, Marion Recreation Director (and Selectman candidate) Jodi Dickerson, and Building Commissioner Scott Shippey voted to launch a committee to revive the Party. With Gonsalves as Chair, and Dickerson and Shippey as Co-Chairs – the Block Party now will take place thanks to the Marion Fire Fighters Association and the Marion Recreation Department.

“Sometimes a little missing makes you realize what you’ve lost,” Gonsalves reflected.

He stressed that although the torch will pass to new organizers, the revived Marion Party honors the VFW, Benjamin Cushing Post, “who has given so much to the town and country.”

Recognizing the hard work the VWF had put into hosting the event year after year, Dickerson acknowledged, “It’s tough. Those guys always do so much for the town of Marion – they’ve always been there.”

He decided not to let the Marion Block Party fade away.

“I’d hate to see this tradition die down by the wayside,” Dickerson said of his motivation to get involved.

Although no date has yet been set – the group plans to bring back the event sometime in August. The date of August 18 originally was considered, but a conflict with the Rochester Country Fair prompted the group to reschedule.

According to Gonsalves, proceeds raised at the event will benefit town programs and scholarships.

“It will stay in town,” he said.

Gonsalves, who chaired the Marion Block Party committee in previous years for the VFW, said he is thrilled to get involved again. At the present time, he is seeking out more volunteers to serve on the committee.

In the meantime, the three organizers are looking to bring local bands, typical festival fare, and possibly the Antique Car Show to the event.

“We really want to see a lot of excitement about it,” he said.

By Laura Fedak Pedulli

 

Mattapoisett Faces Quiet Election Season

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This election season, there will be few (if any) signs adorning lawns and fences. Unlike last spring in Mattapoisett – when three candidates actively fought for one coveted seat at the Selectmen’s table – this year there are no major contested races.

With all the papers returned on April 2, the names are in. Selectman Paul Silva is facing no opposition for another three-year term on the Select board, and Leonard Coppola faces no competition for a three-year position as Assessor.

The Water/Sewer Commission does have two candidates for one slot. Christopher Jaskolka and Albert Meninno both are battling it out to serve as a Water/Sewer Commissioner for a three-year term.

Other unopposed races include:

• Gracinda Knox and newcomer James Muse for the Mattapoisett School Committee (three years and two years, respectively)

• Rachel Deery and William Asci as Trustees of the Public Library (three years and two years, respectively)

• Jack Eklund as Moderator (one year)

• Barry Denham as Highway Surveyor (three years)

• Russell Bailey for the Board of Health (three years)

• John Mathieu for the Planning Board (five years)

• Alicia Sullivan for the Mattapoisett Housing Authority (five years)

• John DeCosta Jr. and Jodi Bauer for the Community Preservation Committee (two years)

The election is scheduled for May 22, and the last day to register to vote is May 2. Voting will take place at Old Hammondtown School on Shaw Street from 10am to 8pm.

By Laura Fedak Pedulli

Two Contested Races in Marion Election

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Monday, April 2 marked the deadline for candidates to submit papers for Marion’s Town Election. This year, two races will be contested on the ballot.

Two candidates, Jonathan Dickerson and Edwin North, are vying for one three-year seat on the Board of Selectmen. Roger Blanchette will be leaving his position and is not seeking re-election.

Two three-year spots on the Planning Board are available. Three candidates are on the ballot for this race: John Sweeney, Stephen Gonsalves and Stephen Kokkins. Gonsalves and Sweeney are both incumbents.

Jonathan Howland is seeking election to the Open Space Acquisition Commission after the seat was vacated by Sue Maxwell-Lewis in October 2011.  The term will run three years.

Jay Pateakos and Joseph Scott are both seeking re-election to the School Committee. Both of those positions would be three-year terms.

John Howard and Ray Pickles are seeking re-election to the Board of Health and Board of Assessors, respectively.  Both of those are three-year terms.

Lastly, David Titus is seeking re-election as Moderator for a one-year term.

The Marion Town Election will be held on Friday, May 25, voting will take place at the VFW hall on Route 6 from 8am to 8pm.

By Katy Fitzpatrick 

Police Warn of Veteran’s Scam

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The Mattapoisett Police Department is reporting that they have recently had a rise in reports of a scam that has been going on in the area. The situation involves citizens receiving a phone call from a person who says they are seeking donations for veterans and asks that the donors leave money in an envelope in their mailbox or taped to a door to be picked up. The Police Department reports that the situation is a scam and is not related to any known veteran’s aide group. If you receive a call, which you think is fraudulent, you can contact the Mattapoisett Police Department at 508-758-4141, Marion Police Department at 508-748-1212, or Rochester Police Department at 508-763-5112.

Chowder/Kale Fundraiser A Success

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Ask anyone who has been around the SouthCoast for a while. They will tell you the perfect kale soup includes big leafy swatches of its namesake, soft chunks of potato and crumbly slices of chorizo. Then again, some might tell you it needs beef, bone marrow and a bay leaf to impart a dark, rustic overtone to the dish. To some, chowder has to be thick and rich, something that sticks to your ribs. Others argue the flavor should be light and brisk, perfect for dipping in soft chunks of spongy bread.

Whatever your flavor, the First Congregational Church of Marion had their Second Annual Chowder and Kale Soup dinner on Saturday, March 31, and with about a dozen featured soups on hand, there was something for everybody. The line-up of crockpots housed seven different kinds of chowder and four varieties of kale soup, all created by members of the church.

The dinner, which also featured wine and an appetizer table stocked with everything from shrimp cocktail, guacamole dip, and crackers with cheese, drew a bigger audience this year.

“This event is put on by the Church Life and Fellowship Committee,” said church member Sally Sleeper. “Last year we had 56 people and this year we know 70 are coming.”

The fundraiser, organized over the course of a few months, takes the whole committee to put together.

“We fine tuned it a bit this year, but it was still a lot of work. There are 12 people on the committee and everybody chips in,” Sleeper said.

Karen Maglio, who has been a member of the church for nine years, always comes to the church’s social events.

“I’ve made a lot of friends since coming here. Everybody in this church is so nice,” she said. Maglio had her sights set on sampling the evening’s selection of chowder.

The church’s resident culinary expert, Gene Dalgewicz was on hand, featuring his new, experimental recipe for kale soup.

“This is a blend of some recipes I found, as far as the core ingredients go. But I wanted to try it with a tomato base and I added some of my own ideas,” he said.

All in all, the evening was a warm and welcoming time, offering members of the church and their guests a time for socialization and fellowship. Proceeds from the ticket sales will go to fund other events organized by the Fellowship Committee.

Given the success of this year’s soup dinner, next year’s will no doubt attract even more soup makers and soup eaters. Church member Arnold Briggs attended last year and was quite excited to come again this time around.

“Kale soup is a good, hearty food,” he said. “There’s nothing like finishing off the winter with a nice, hot kale soup.”

By Eric Tripoli

Capital Committee Urges Long Term Planning

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The Capital Improvement Planning Committee went before the Marion Board of Selectmen on the evening of Tuesday, April 3 and gave their input on where the town could see improvement in order to make tax dollars go further in terms of long term planning.

The committee spent the past year making educational site visits to numerous town departments. After their visits, they reached several conclusions.

First, the committee believes that the overall maintenance for town buildings needs to be improved in order to extend the lives of the buildings and other town entities. Part of the problem with the maintenance, as the committee sees it, is that there is a lack of long-term planning for any infrastructure or facility in Marion .Improving the planning for these buildings would help them last longer, ultimately costing the town less money.

Specifically, the Department of Public Works and the Harbormaster’s Office are two sites the committee have deemed inadequate, saying that several expensive equipment items are left outdoors because there is no place to put them.

The committee sent budget forms out to several town departments in town to help prioritize the various projects in town that need work. However, the committee said several departments submitted incomplete forms while others didn’t submit them at all, making it very difficult to begin long-term projects.

Longer term projects will help keep the town budget in check, the committee says.  The group expressed concern at the $27 million project the town is undertaking in order to fix the roads, specifically Front Street. Selectmen Roger Blanchette assured the committee that this number is fictitious.

While the figure might not be quite that high and the board is still trying to get a price on the project, Blanchette assured that there is a lot of work to be done before the roads are even fixed.

According to Blanchette, for 20-40 years residents have been using sump pumps in their basements in order to get rid of excess water from rainfall. The pumps, Blanchette says, are being used every three minutes for 24 hours each day, increasing the normal 500,000 gallons of rainfall in the storm drains to an alarming 1.5 million gallons.

As a result of the excess rain, Blanchette states the storm drains need to be larger; a project that must be completed before any road can be repaved to prevent the road from being dug up twice. The Board of Selectmen said they are still researching all options for the project at a variety of different prices.

“I am very confident we will get a good engineered plan,” said Selectmen Chair Jonathan Henry.

While residents might be concerned at how much these large scale projects might cost, they can feel confident when it comes to the town budget.

Finance Committee Chair Alan Miland presented the budget to the board. Miland said overall the town is in good shape in terms of the budget and the town’s recent bond upgrade to AA+ means good news in years to come.

The proposed budget for the fiscal year 2013 did see a 4.29 percent increase from 2012, however.  This is the largest percentage increase since 2007.

Miland cites education as the primary reason for the budget increase. The budget increased a total of $773,515; $322,135 of that figure will be spent on special education requirements for the Sippican School. Also, the regular day budget and transportation for the Sippican School will receive $54,628 and $34,068, respectively.

Other major contributing factors to the budget increase include group health insurance rate increases ($1214,438), Plymouth County Pension Assessments ($100,766) and the ORR Pension ($86,175).

The town did see a decrease in the budget in certain areas. $17,288 freed up as a result of a fire truck being paid off. A reverse fund adjustment from the Finance Committee gave the town an additional $33,084, and fewer students from Marion are attending Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School which saves $69,192.

Another area where the town could see more revenue is the proposed project that would add two 30-foot floats into the Old Landing Boat Slip. Harbormaster Michael Cormier presented the idea to the Board.

The implemented floats would allow Marion residents to rent a place to keep their boat for an affordable price of $800 each year. Each spot could accommodate one boat up to 20 feet in length and 10 feet in width. The project would earn 80 percent of the cost back in the first year, and the Board thinks it’s an excellent source of extra revenue.

“This is one more time I tip my hat to you,” Blanchette said to Cormier, commending his idea.

Cormier said he will begin taking applications on April 9 and would create a waiting list depending on the number of interested residents.

Blanchette, however, expressed concern that a waiting list was not fair to people who would not hear about the opportunity in time. Instead, Blanchette suggested a lottery idea, which was well-received by both the Board and Cormier. Residents can begin submitting their applications on Monday, April 9 at the Town House.

“We’re trying to make it affordable and to allow residents to have a great spot like that,” said Cormier.

The Board gave Town Administrator Paul Dawson the green light to sign two contracts with CDM Smith for design and permitting infrastructure improvements for South Street, Ryder Lane and a portion of Spring Street as well as for Village Loop Roadway Improvements.

Dawson also proposed the idea of possibly installing a solar garden at the landfill in town. Dawson initially saw the project in Brewster, and it would allow residents to buy individual solar panels. The Board agreed to allow Dawson to formally begin consulting with a company to learn more information.

A large portion of Washburn Park has been cleared of unwanted brush, and while the site may be a bit cleaner, Dawson is concerned because the person or persons who cleared the area did so without consulting the Marion Conservation Commission.  Without the consent of the commission, any sort of cleaning or clearing of town property is illegal. Furthermore, the affected area of Washburn Park is close to a wetland, which Dawson says is a town resource and should not be tampered with. Dawson said the incident is currently under investigation.

Lastly, Dawson confirmed that he will be meeting with contractors in the coming days to begin the project of replacing the exterior lights at the Marion Music Hall.  The project was initially proposed in 2010 but Dawson said it “fell off the radar.”

The Marion Board of Selectmen will meet again on Tuesday, April 17 at 7:00 pm in Marion Town House.

By Katy Fitzpatrick

Mattapoisett Library News

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•National Library Week–April 8-14: Win a Kindle Fire!: Celebrate National Library Week by “liking” the Mattapoisett Free Public Library on Facebook and your name will be entered to win a new Kindle Fire. New Facebook fans of the library between April 8 and May 12, as well as existing Facebook fans of the library, will be eligible to win. The Kindle was donated by the family of Betty Theriault in recognition of her work as a library trustee and member of the library building committee.  Baskets of books for all ages will also be raffled off, during National Library Week, so be sure to stop in and enter your name to win.

•Volunteer Appreciation Reception: The staff, Friends and Trustees of the Mattapoisett Library will honor its many volunteers of all ages at an Appreciation Reception to be held Wednesday, April 18 at 7:00 pm in the Reading Room. Refreshments will be served, and the many contributions of library volunteers will be discussed.

•Friends’ Used Book Sale and Bake Sale: Hundreds of great book bargains for children and adults will be available for sale on Saturday, April 14 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. The Friends will also be holding a bake sale in the library.  Stop by from 9:00 to 10:00 am and support the Junior Friends by bringing in your redeemable cans and bottles.

•Second Annual Writer’s Day: Poets are welcome to register for the Second Annual Writers’ Day Away to be held Sunday, April 29 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.  Following a continental breakfast, participants will enjoy a writing workshop with published poets Scott Withiam and Barbara Siegel Carlson.  Lunch will be served and a poetry reading by the visiting writers will conclude the day. For more information and to register, visit the library or call 508-758-4171. The workshop and reading are free.

Spring Story Times: The Spring Story Time series for toddlers and preschoolers just began. If you would like to register your child, please call the children’s department at 508-758-4171 to learn about days and times.

•Save the Date–May 3: Enjoy “Breakfast for Dinner” at the Library. Join the Friends when we have breakfast for dinner in the library on Thursday, May 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm to benefit library programs and events. Delicious stuffed French toast dinner, complete with scrambled eggs, quiche, breakfast meats, fresh fruit, juice and coffee will be served. Children’s activities will be provided. Suggested donations are $15 for an individual, $10 for a senior/child, and children 5 and under are free. Tickets may be purchased at Panino’s or at one of the circulation desks.

•Teen Art Magazine: Make art together and help create a young adult art magazine at the library! Workshops are held the first and last Tuesday and Saturday of every month.  Students may bring contributions of writing, photography, art and design, or make their own creations at the workshops.  Bring your creative talent and ideas. For more information contact Elizabeth Sherry at 508-758-4171 or esherry@sailsinc.org.

Marion Democratic Committee Meeting

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The Marion Democratic Town Committee will hold its reorganization meeting at the Music Hall, Saturday, April 21 at 10:00 am.  All Marion Democrats are welcome to participate electing a chairperson, vice chair, treasurer and secretary. For more information contact: Eileen Marum at 508-758-9751.