Will Tifft of the recently formed Marion Historic District Study Committee appeared before the Marion Select Board during its September 6 public meeting to update the members and the town on the committee’s activities.

            Tifft said the committee was leaning toward a fairly “soft” set of requirements for recommendation regarding a potential Historic District.

            The committee’s fact-finding mission has included a survey of approximately 200 homeowners within the proposed district who were canvassed over related subjects. Tifft also outlined the committee’s intentions for a September 8 public meeting in which the committee would introduce itself in person, update the public on the survey results and discuss next steps.

            Tifft was accompanied by Meg Steinberg, an advisor to the committee and official chairperson of the Marion Historical Commission. Steinberg clarified that the historic survey being done by the Historical Commission is ongoing and operating as an activity separate from the surveying activities of the Historic District Study Committee.

            The Select Board voted to approve the Codification Committee’s list of responsibilities and appointed the following existing members for terms to be determined: Hills, Planning Board member Eileen Marum; Building Commissioner Bob Grillo; Town Planner Doug Guey-Lee; and members at large Mike Sudofsky; Will Saltonstall and Marilyn Whalley.

            After thanking Town Administrator Geoff Gorman and the Codification Committee for its work and noting that the town “got it right this time,” Parker asked if Select Board member Norm Hills, who was not present for the September 6 meeting, approves of the action as prescribed. Gorman assured Parker that Hills is, in fact, on board.

            Until it was discovered that the town’s charter dictates differently, the Codification Committee had operated as a subcommittee to the Planning Board. Now it is directly under the Select Board’s purview.

            Hills was traveling but is anticipated back for the board’s September 19 meeting.

            In his Town Administrator’s Report, Gorman led off by announcing that procurement documents are complete and bids for construction of the new Marine Center (harbormaster building) had gone live as of September 6. The remaining estimated funding shortfall is just under $1,000,000. Bids are due on October 13. Minor site-plan review is in progress.

            The Planning Board’s public hearing for major site-plan review of the new Department of Public Works operations center is scheduled for October 2.

            Gorman was thrilled to report on a successful Marion Town Party held August 26 at Silvershell Beach. He served food at the event and enlisted his daughter’s help to sell tickets. Gorman credited Hemphill, Brooks Wilson, Terri Santos, Kristen Saint Don Campbell, Jennifer Peterson and Sebastian Pawlak.

            Special Town Meeting on Monday, October 23, at 6:45 pm at Sippican Elementary School. Votes on Waterways Account appropriations to fund the remaining construction costs for the new Marine Center and seawall upgrades will highlight the meeting.

            Monday, September 11, was the deadline to submit articles for the warrant. As of September 6, the town had yet to receive any citizens’ petitions. The warrant closes on October 3 and will be mailed out on October 13. Marion will not hold a special election this fall.

            In light of Judy Mooney’s impending retirement, Gorman updated the board on the activities of the Finance Director Hiring Committee. He said 15 resumes were received, from which seven were selected for September 7 interviews, two of those seven dropping out from consideration. The interviews were to yield finalists for the job to be interviewed by the Select Board.

            Gorman concluded his report by recognizing the Energy Management Committee, which over six years has brought about a 24% reduction in energy consumption in Marion.

            Citing 29% energy reduction in municipal buildings and town vehicles and a 49% reduction in traffic lights and streetlights, Gorman said, “not only does this drastically decrease our utility costs and save taxpayer money, it also opens up added grant opportunities and increases our competitive advantage to receive those grants. I wanted to thank the EMC publicly for their hard work and their support of the citizens of Marion. I continue to work with the committee to find other avenues of savings, including several ground-mounted solar projects in discussions and support from Eversource to develop a phased plan for electrifying our vehicular fleet.”

            Jessica Elder of Eversource requested continuance of the company’s public hearings on the installation of underground conduit at Hiller, Front and South streets and the installation of a new FO pole on South Street. They were continued as one public hearing on September 19.

            Debra Watson and Mandy Givens were approved for appointment to the Capital Improvements Planning Committee.

            The board accepted a donation of $500 from Joan Gardner for the Marion Concert Band. Executive Assistant Donna Hemphill said she has seen the band play a couple of times this year and that the band has “an immense amount of talent.”

            At the request of the Plymouth County Suicide Prevention Coalition, the board declared September Suicide Prevention Month for 2023 in Marion.

            Parts of Front, Main and Cottage Streets and Island Wharf will be closed on December 10 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm for Marion’s annual Christmas Stroll.

            The board spoke briefly about the town’s FY24 goals … “This is probably the most aggressive one that I’ve looked at,” said Parker. “It’s a good set of goals,” said Burr.

            In separate votes, the board ratified the union contracts of the Department of Public Works and the Clerical workers that the board had approved in executive session. Updates included sick-time language and a modest cost-of-living adjustment to both salary and longevity, according to Gorman.

            The board was updated on plans to create a Mary Ross Memorial Art Gallery at Cushing Community Center. According to Gorman, Ross was the pivotal force behind the art shows held at the center. The plan is to add a small plaque to the existing presentation of Ross’ artwork at the entry to the center.

            The Marion Council on Aging’s existing emergency fund was named the Susan Schwager Memorial Fund. Under Schwager’s tenure at the COA, the fund was created to support life-sustaining services. Burr and Parker said the legacy recognition is well-deserved.

            The board approved a two-week extension of a Mobile Home Permit at 357 Point Road with the condition of inspection by the town’s Health agent.

            The board approved Water/Sewer commitments of $1,572.28 (final readings August 11), $400 (new water service August 21) and $629.20 (final readings August 25.)

            The board approved two Special One-Day Alcohol Beverage Licenses for the Marion Social Club, 44 Pumping Station Road, one for its Chicken Bake on Sunday, September 17, from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm and the second for its Pig Roast on Sunday, October 15, from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

            The board entered Executive Session pursuant to Purpose 3 of General Law Chapter 30A, Section 21(a)(2) to conduct strategy for negotiations with the town administrator or collective bargaining or nonunion personnel. The board adjourned without returning to open session.

            The next meeting of the Marion Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, September 19, at 6:00 pm at the Police Station.

Marion Select Board

By Mick Colageo

            The Marion Board of Health voted on August 24 to grant a variance to the owners of property at 458 Mill Street, allowing the construction of a bathroom inside the garage without denitrification technology in its septic system.

            When an accompanying house is built at a later date, the garage bathroom will tie into the denitrification septic system planned for the house, as stipulated by the board’s decision.

            In the second of two public hearings held by the board on August 24, Dave Davignon of Schneider, Davignon & Leone, Inc., represented applicants Nancy Lyle Howland and John P. Manning, who recently purchased a five-bedroom home that Davignon described as “dilapidated.” The plan is to demolish the house and construct a three-bedroom, single-family house in the rear of the property.

            “That house would have a denitrification system; we’re proposing a (denitrification) septic tank and a pump chamber, and then a three-bedroom leaching field up by the road where we had good results with soil testing,” said Davignon, noting that the soil testing in the back of the property was not good. “But the front was excellent; we actually had a two-minute, per-inch (percolation) rate.”

            At question was the plan to add a bathroom to a 28×48-foot accessory garage without denitrification technology in a separate septic system. The house construction is not anticipated by Davignon for at least a few more years.

            “They would like to have a bathroom at that location so when they go to work on vehicles or whatever they do with their recreational stuff. … It doesn’t make any sense to them to put in a (denitrification) system that might get the flush of a toilet once or twice a month,” he said.

            Davignon described his solution as a dual system, the house in the future with a denitrification system and accompanying pump chamber and, in the northwest corner of the garage, a two-compartment septic tank with a gravity-based feed into a leaching field.

            The board was asked to consider a variance for the septic system that will serve the garage without denitrification technology and a leaching field to serve just the garage until the house gets built.

            “If we put (denitrification) in, it would be basically a useless component. It’s not going to get enough flow to do anything,” said Davignon, who estimated $8,000 to $10,000 in additional expense should a variance be denied and the applicants forge ahead with the garage bathroom. The hardship that would justify the variance is that no bathroom would mean just that on location until the house gets built some years down the road.

            Board Chairman Dr. Ed Hoffer asked for assurances that the garage bathroom would only be used at the frequency described and that the garage not be converted into an accessory dwelling. Davignon said he did not believe the garage to have a second floor that could be considered for such conversion.

            “I don’t think there would be any issue with stipulating that no living space will be permitted in the building. That would put it to bed,” said Davignon.

            Board member Albin Johnson sought and got confirmation from Davignon that the overall design on the property including the leaching field is tailored for a denitrification system.

            Davignon pitched a stipulation that with the granting of the variance allowing the construction of a garage bathroom without a denitrification system, once the house is built the line coming from the garage could be tied into the denitrification system planned for the house and its own gravity tank abandoned.

            The garage, according to Davignon, is larger than the plan for the house. He called it a “four-stall” garage and explained the applicants’ intention to store a boat as well as vehicles.

            Joyce Kohout, an abutter at 142 Spring Street, had a representative at the meeting who asked the board about an unrelated, stormwater matter. Noting the slope towards Kohout’s yard and issues with flooding when snow melts or during heavy rain, he said, “We’re a little concerned with replacing the house that’s there with two structures that are bigger, and then a driveway that’s paved.” Kohout is concerned about conditions worsening after the planned construction.

            Davignon said, when he adjusts the plan to include the board’s mandate for tie-in to the house’s denitrification system upon its construction, he would also adjust the grade to ensure water stays on the 458 Mill Street property by creating a berm and putting in some infiltration. He told Kohout’s representative that the critical corner of the lot had been completed with “lousy fill.”

            A continued Public Hearing from July 27 was held on variances requested by Richard Hunter at 25 West Avenue, including approval for a leaching field less than 20 feet from cellar walls and less than 10 feet from property lines, a septic tank less than 10 feet from property lines, and approval of one instead of two observation lines in the disposal area.

            Representing the applicant was Carmelo Nicolosi from Charon Associates, who described the septic system as including denitrification technology in a gravity system so there are no pumps. An underground propane tank has been removed and will be replaced by an above-ground tank.

            “That may simplify things if (the system) can be moved to the south, get away from the sideline setback,” said Hoffer.

            Nicolosi followed suit in acknowledging that the unearthed tank paves the way for a change in plans so as not to require the setback variance.

            Abutter Hudson Plumb at 27 West Avenue brought a representative, who clarified his opposition not to the septic system itself but the variance request as it applies to the setbacks.

            While Plumb’s representative acknowledged the quality of the Title 5 system proposed and the new information about the removal of the propane tank, she noted that Hunter also owns the adjacent, “contiguous” lot, indicating his ability to meet all the setback requirements without hardship. Denial of the variance would not create a manifestly unjust situation, she argued, indirectly quoting Title 5 law.

            Johnson asked if the lots are held under the same name, and Plumb’s representative said the properties have been held in common ownership since 1968.

            Nicolosi agreed to a redesign to achieve the maximum amount of setbacks and requested the case be continued to Thursday, September 7, at 4:15 pm.

            In her Public Health Director update, Lori Desmarais reported that August saw one case of babesiosis from a tick bite and eight cases of Lyme disease, down from July. There has been a recent increase in the number of positive mosquito samples, but as of August 24, Marion was still a low-risk town for West Nile Virus and EEE.

            Desmarais also noted Plymouth County’s tick and mosquito August presentations at the Cushing Community Center. Hoffer said, so far, there has been a moderate number of West Nile in mosquitos but not in humans or animals and no EEE.

            Desmarais said Marion is getting ready for flu vaccines in the fall. A clinic was scheduled for Tabor Academy upon the September 3 return of students. A drive-through clinic will be held on September 28 at the Cushing Community Center.

            Another vaccine that Desmarais says has been shown great interest is the shingles vaccine. The challenge has been funding, but Desmarais has worked out a plan. Hoffer called it a very expensive vaccine. Medicare is a key component in coverage.

            A new COVID-19 vaccine is anticipated for September or October, according to Desmarais, who also reported on Marion’s first blood-pressure clinic held the morning of the meeting.

            In her Health Agent update, Shallyn Rodriguez reported that work had begun at 28 Pitcher Street with plans to make a 30-day inspection on September 1. Cooperation was also reported at 8 Pie Alley with intentions to reinspect after the 30-day mark passes on September 8.

            After sifting through an update on tobacco regulations with a state representative, the board decided to hold a public hearing on updated regulations on September 21 with a potential vote to adopt.

            In other action, the board granted a septic permit at 119 Quails Crossing Road on the condition that the property remains a two-bedroom property into perpetuity.

            The next meeting of the Marion Board of Health is scheduled for Thursday, September 7, at 4:00 pm.

Marion Board of Health

By Mick Colageo