Could Rochester bring its police and fire emergency response dispatching department back to town?

            Town Administrator Glenn Cannon told Rochester’s Select Board on January 17 that this is one of the options townspeople are discussing after recent problems with the Regional Old Colony Communications Center in Duxbury that it joined in 2017.

            He said the options currently being talked about are creating a town-based emergency response dispatching department again or joining a different regional dispatching center. (The Rochester Select Board put out feelers to its Marion and Mattapoisett counterparts to gauge such interest when the three boards recently met to tour the Mattapoisett Fire Station.)

            Fire Chief Scott Weigel said the discussion about a potential change started after the Old Colony center had problems responding in a timely fashion to emergency calls during a recent storm event. He said the source of the difficulty was a failure of the center’s Highway Department broadcast bands.

            It was a high-volume night with 800 calls within a 24-hour period, but the Old Colony center closed down the Highway Department band that night because the center serves a six-town region, and the system would otherwise be overwhelmed.

            “But they are trying to learn from their mistakes and correct the problem,” Weigel said.

            Still Rochester Select Board Adam Murphy agreed the town should find a way to explore options. “If we don’t look at our options,” Murphy said, “we won’t be able to fix something that’s become a problem.”

            In January of 2017, the town’s Select Board members approved joining the Regional Old Colony Communications Center that also serves the towns of Duxbury, Halifax and Plympton. The move made the town eligible for state funds that upgraded the town Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Services departments’ communications equipment. But it meant the local dispatch center had to vacate the Dexter Lane station.

            Under Old Business, Cannon referenced a recent meeting with the Rochester Council on Aging to discuss Article Eight of the Special Town Meeting agenda, which with voter approval would change a town bylaw so that the Select Board has greater control over the COA’s hiring decisions.

“There was a lot of concern about the language there in Article 8,” Cannon told the board during its January 17 meeting. He told COA leadership that he would bring the matter back to the Select Board and did so with the recommendation that while the Special Town Meeting Warrant has already been voted its approval by the board and cannot be altered, the board not make a motion on Article 8 at Town Meeting.

            The town bylaw currently reads the COA shall appoint its employees. The change would require the COA to follow the same hiring procedures and policies as other bylaw employees. Cannon explained that police patrolmen, librarians and COA workers are the town’s only non-bylaw employees.

            In other action, the Select Board approved a change of plan for the hydrological study that will gauge the health of the waterflow between Snipatuit Pond and Great Quittacas Pond.

            Following Town Planner Nancy Durfee’s recommendation, the board agreed that one of the two gauges that will be installed to test Snipatuit Pond’s flow rate will be placed at 0 Forrester Road rather than the original plan of planting it on Old Colony Regional Vocational-Technical High School property.

            Durfee explained that Old Colony Superintendent-Director Aaron Polansky recently told her the school location is too close to the eastern end of the parcel, and the project would interfere with the school’s renovation and expansion plans. That is why she is requesting use of a town-owned lot on Forrester Road instead. She said the alternative site is directly off Northern Avenue and very wooded. Yet she hopes that placing it there won’t destroy many trees. The Select Board endorsed the plan with minimal discussion.

            The other gauge will be installed at the town forest across from the Northern Avenue cemetery. The goal, Durfee said, when she proposed the plan last fall, is “to get a better understanding of the complex’s aquifer.” The flow gauges are being installed with ARPA funds totaling $20,000, and it will be the town’s responsibility to monitor their data.

            Also, the board approved Diane Knapp as the new assistant town treasurer. Knapp is also a member of Board of Assessors.

            Anticipating the January 22 Special Town Meeting, the Rochester Select Board set its next regular public meeting for Monday, February 5, at 6:00 pm at the Senior Center, 67 Dexter Lane.

Rochester Select Board

By Michael J. DeCicco

On January 22, the Mattapoisett Select Board began the process of interviewing candidates for the open position of Building Commissioner. The sitting commissioner, David Riquinha, tendered his resignation, opting to focus on his business ventures.

            On hand as the board poised pertinent questions to Kevin Greiner of Acushnet (working for the Town of Easton) and Christopher Canney of Westport (working for the Town of Sherborn) was Building Inspector Nathan Darling, inspector for the Town of Lakeville.

            The board asked the candidates to describe not only their managerial style but also to share what a typical day at work looked like.

            Greiner stated that he primarily focuses on the documents associated with permits, “desk work,”  and supports the Zoning Board of Appeals through review of filings, providing comments, but not generally attending their meetings. Regarding his management style, Greiner said he oversees nine mostly part-time staff members in a hands-off manner.

“I let them do their job,” he said, noting that his office processes approximately 30 permits per day. Greiner also shared that he believes in enjoying one’s work. “I want them to have some fun.”

            With respect to interacting with Easton’s boards and the Fire Department, Greiner attested to good working relationships. He said he understood the requirements of CMR 521, a specialized building code regarding access for persons with disabilities for buildings in the commonwealth. He also acknowledged full understanding of the Insurance Services Office (ISO) process, which creates ratings for fire departments and their communities, calculating the readiness of the department for fire suppression and other incidents.

            When asked about FEMA regulations, especially related to flood plains, Greiner conceded that this was likely his weakest area of expertise, having worked primarily in areas of uplands versus coastlines. But he added that the codes governing construction in such areas was specific, and he was confident he could come up to speed quickly.

            Greiner’s resume lists previous employers as the Town of East Bridgewater, Town of West Bridgewater, Modern Continental Construction and Greiner Electric. He holds an associate’s degree from Massasoit Community College, is a Massachusetts Certified Building Commissioner and is a journeyman electrician.

            Canney began his interview by noting that he has been working in construction from a very young age in his family’s business. Today he holds licenses and certification as a building commissioner and inspector, Massachusetts Construction Supervisor and Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor. He received a bachelor of arts from Bard College.

            The candidate also said that like Greiner, most of his work has occurred in uplands areas not necessarily governed by FEMA; however, there were major riverfront areas that required specific oversight.

            Canney’s management style was typified as “we are all a team. … I still do inspections, so they understand I’m doing the same things they are doing – I’m a working commissioner. … This is a public service job.” He said he believes in treating people with respect.

            On the topics of ISO and CMR 521, Canney stated he had good working relationships with the Sherborn Fire service and had worked with CMR 521 for years.

            When it came time to switch places and grant the candidates the opportunity to ask the board questions, Greiner passed. Canney said Mattapoisett didn’t seem to be screaming for growth but wanted to assist with solar or 40B housing.

            Canney’s resume noted working as the building commissioner for the Town of Sherborn since 2017, also as a part-time inspector for the Town of Dartmouth, former commissioner for the towns of Holliston and Medfield, as well as Concord and Framingham and owner of Canney Construction. Canney has also taught construction-supervisor classes for the Construction Certification Institute.

            Both candidates said they work with on-line permitting platforms and GSA systems. Both also felt it is important for Mattapoisett to maintain its charm.

            The board noted that there were other candidates scheduled to appear at a future meeting and that the board will be holding some Monday (versus Tuesday) weekly meetings that will include budget review ahead of the Spring Town Meeting.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board is scheduled for Monday, January 29, time TBA.

Mattapoisett Select Board

By Marilou Newell