Residents and others who have loved ones buried in Marion crowded into the Town House’s Annex meeting room on Tuesday night to air their concerns about proposed changes to the town’s Cemetery Rules, Regulations and fees during a public hearing before the Marion Select Board.

            Citing altogether new regulations and changes to most of the 20 existing regulations, Select Board Chairman Toby Burr went through them in order, asking for public response while commissioners Margie Baldwin, Helen Hills and Paul St. Don fielded those responses.

            The result was an emotionally charged, public hearing that lasted over 90 minutes of the roughly 2½-hour meeting.

            When the Number 14 regulation stipulating that plantings be limited to the front side of the gravestone and not at its side or behind except for military markers, resident Sarah Briggs referenced a “derogatory” comment made to her father (Sherman Briggs) about how her late mother had handled the gravesite and said she was disgusted with the comment and heartbroken that a regulation was being proposed that would prohibit her from placing a garden flag honoring her mother’s pastime.

            Commissioner Helen Hills said she looked at the site and said it looks fine and has no egregious problems but just needs to push back more to the stone.

            Similarly, April Nye discussed her family plot and her 90-year-old mother-in-law, who lives for the caretaking of the gravesite including the placement of a little fire truck.

            “The changes seem to be of a personal nature of what some of you would want to see aesthetically,” said Nye. “A grandmother has toys at the site of her grandson. I think a lot of things are subjective to committee members that should not be imposed on us. … I would hate to see this pushed forward.”

            Select Board member Randy Parker clarified early on that no vote would be taken on this night, but that message got lost amidst a long line of impassioned stories and arguments.

            Town Administrator Geoff Gorman listed debated issues on a pair of grease boards that were full of blue ink by the time the hearing was suspended and continued.

            Baldwin, who has served as chair of the volunteer Cemetery Commission for 18 years, opened by stating a personal apology for prior comments on the matter that were considered insensitive to residents.

            She clarified that most of the proposed regulations are not new, that she is a participant among the bereaved in town and willing to listen to any complaints. Baldwin stressed that “decisions are carefully deliberated between the seven of us and not taken lightly.”

            At the crux of the complaints were proposed regulations on plantings and decoration around gravestones that several residents consider subjective and unfair.

            A proposal for a regulation against picnics at the cemetery drew the attention of Mattapoisett resident Carly Lavin, who says she likes to bring her children to the cemetery where they learn to celebrate the lives of their loved ones.

            Residents Bill Washburn and Pat DaCosta both questioned how the town could police the cemeteries, to which Baldwin replied that is not the intention of the proposals or even a reasonable possibility. Washburn thinks 18 inches is more reasonable than 12 inches for a perimeter, and he made a pitch for 4-foot-high shepherd’s hooks.

            Another longtime Marion resident, Joe Zora, articulated his frustration with the proposed regulations, stating that they infringe on people’s rights to grieve on their own terms.

            Later, Marion resident Andrew Kuhl would reference state law in pointing out that the proposed regulations are not enforceable simply because the removal of anything from a gravesite is illegal and subject to imprisonment.

            At the same time, Kuhl applauded the commission’s effort and suggested collaborating on refinement of the proposals so that the commission and the DPW can achieve its goals without encroaching on the rights of the cemetery goers.

            The Department of Public Works is responsible for mowing the cemeteries, and going outside of the 12-inch perimeter with stones and objects, including deteriorating, plastic flowers results in difficult conditions in the cemeteries, according to the DPW and the commission.

            Brian Dunn said he went to the cemetery on Christmas Eve after dusk and has also gone early to watch the sunrise. Helen Hills noted that the vandalism at the cemetery happens at night.

            The public hearing was closed with a plan to formulate a revised set of regulations and fees, but the Select Board has yet to decide whether or not there will be another public hearing prior to the board’s vote.

            The Marion Fire Department has endured a flurry of personnel changes as outlined by Fire Chief Brian Jackvony during his 6:00 pm appointment with the board.

            Assistant Chief Allen Denham is moving on to Senior Reserve status. The town will still lean on Denham’s expertise, and he will work on special projects. Joel Waters, captain of Engine 1 with 10 years on force, has been promoted to assistant chief. Captain Christopher Nye retires with four decades of service with the Marion Fire Department, and Lieutenant Charlie Bradley, with over three decades of service, has also resigned.

            Jackvony offered public thanks and went on to announce the promotions of Lieutenant Adam Novacek and Josh Bardy. New recruit Dalton Ryan is leaving the department for personal reasons.

            Jackvony said the department has successfully met its goal to recruit 20 members over four years; the retention rate over that span is 70%, as many find full-time jobs in other fire departments.

            Amidst manpower challenges, the department received an improvement grant of $105,000 used for personal protective equipment, videos and public relations. Over 60% of recruits come from outside the community.

            Other grant awards to Marion include a brush truck from FEMA valued at $300,000 (bid opening on March 23), a 2022 grant for 25 new apparatus units (town share $9,500 or 10%), 5,000 psi compressors; $15,498 for wearable gear, a 50/50 DCR grant requiring $2,500 from the town.

            The ladder truck has been delayed to September, but Marion is locked into a contract, sparing the town $50,000 (4.5%) in inflation-related costs.

            The Community EMS Program saw 111 home visits last year, and there is a professional-development conference later this month and a training on March 4 at the Cushman Community Center.

            The ISO (public protection classification review) is Marion’s first in 10 years and involves data collection, documentation training, data on structure fires and losses. The total number of runs in 2023 included 1,009 medical calls.

            The department’s expanding radio-box system connects Tabor Academy directly and takes third parties out of the equation.

            In his Town Administrators Report, Gorman said that excavation at the Maritime Center has begun, that the foundation will be poured by the end of the week, that wood framing will commence by March 14 with watertight enclosure by the end of April.

            Bid documents for the new DPW operations building construction are due March 28, at which point the town will have a full understanding of budgetary requirements.

            Gorman reported that Marion has endured double its winter rainfall from 2021, but the town’s catch basins are working and clear. He encouraged anyone who witnesses flooding to contact the DPW and stressed that the purpose of the stormwater system is to remove water from the roads only.

            The town has also received a nonmonetary Cybersecurity Grant for network assessments and free training estimated to be worth $50,000.

            In Action Items, the Select Board approved Police Chief Richard Nighelli’s request to appoint Sommor Cardoso to full-time officer. The board also delegated Nighelli the responsibility to assign police details for all 2024 elections and approved early voting by mail and in person for all local elections (May 17.)

            The board signed and executed the Bill of Sale for the Water Main Infrastructure for 50 Oakdale Avenue. The board rejected a request for a Water/Sewer Abatement at 12 Emils Way. The board approved new streetlights at Quails Crossing and Partridge Place.

            The board approved two Water/Sewer commitments of $1,425.67 (quarterly billing December 14, 2023) and $478.38 (final readings January 22.)

            In a public hearing, the board approved the transfer of an off-premises All Alcohol License from Spirits to MDM Wine5 LLC, dba Vinodivino at 154 Front Street. The boutique wine shop, self-described as high end with four existing stores in Boston, Newton, Needham and Brookline, hopes to open in mid-April.

            The next meeting of the Marion Select Board is scheduled for Wednesday, February 21, at 6:00 pm at the Annex building of the Town House facing Main Street.

Marion Select Board

By Mick Colageo

In spite of a wintery weather mix of freezing rain, snow, sleet and the darkness of 6:00 pm in January, some 40-plus people attended the public meeting held by Mattapoisett’s Holy Ghost Grounds Reuse Committee. The committee chair had used local print media and social media to get the word out that their attendance would help the town plan the future of the 7-acre public land.

            Chairman Mike Rosa, along with volunteers Nathan Ketchel (Planning Board member and committee vice chairman), Freemin Bauer, Nicky Miller, Jack Hill, Denise Conton (clerk), Greta Fox (Recreation Department director) and Aaron Goldberg, had been charged by the Select Board to gather community input and ideas on how the town should use the parcel.

            Before getting into the data details, Rosa gave a brief historical retrospective of the property, noting the 1943 ownership by the Holy Ghost Society, 2016 purchase by the YMCA and the town’s acquisition in 2016.

            Rosa further noted that future plans include the passage of the bike path through the grounds along the railroad easement where restrooms have been restored and made ADA compliant (handicapped accessible.) He also clarified that there is currently no budget for work at the property. A look at the 10-year capital plan does not list any projects on the site.

            The chairman also made it clear that this committee would not be making decisions or offering opinions regarding possible uses. He pointed out the committee’s duties as: identifying a range of potential uses through public input, holding public information session(s) and finally preparing a report for the Select Board to review.

            A survey that generated some 550 responses (primarily from full or part-time residents) was held between August and September. The survey gauged respondents’ positive or negative views on different activities, resulting in a healthy response from a wide range of age groups.

            A dog park and pickleball courts received high positive scores. However, balancing out that number was a nearly equal amount against those purposes. Positively favored activities that did not illicit negative pushback were a playground, picnic area and walking loop, among others.

            Attendees thought it might be best to think about passive activities such as a picnic area or playground before considering others which might cause conflict or high expense.

            Ray Hanks, chairman of the newly formed Cemetery and Memorials Committee, said it is important to maintain Barlow Cemetery, which is located within the property.

            Rachel McGourthy, chairman of the Historical Commission, said that the commission was in the second phase of identifying historical assets in the town and that the Holy Ghost Grounds was on the “priority one” list.

            The next step for the committee is to produce a report for the Select Board, which will complete the committee’s to-do checklist.

Holy Ghost Grounds Reuse Committee

By Marilou Newell

The January 25 meeting of the Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board was the first meeting held since October 2023. The members reviewed ongoing and/or upcoming projects such as dredging between Long Wharf and Holmes Wharf currently reaching completion and the status of designs for renovation work planned for Long Wharf.

            Recently, moon-tide flooding events in the harbor were discussed and the need for Long Wharf designs to take elevations into consideration when engineering the project begins.

            Several members wondered aloud if logs were kept documenting such incidents. Chairman Carlos DaSousa said he would look into that topic. DaSousa also asked the members of the board to bring their thoughts and ideas to the next meeting so that he could provide a framework for upcoming meetings.

            One topic DaSousa said the board should plan on is an updating of the town’s harbor-management plan. He said the current plan was written in 2012 and is overdue for updating.

            An earlier concept presented by the previous harbormaster Jamie McIntosh was to apply for grant(s) and hire a professional to write a plan that could then be certified by the state. However, the Select Board believed the town’s portion for the writing of such a document didn’t equate to value.

            “They thought it would sit on a shelf,” DaSousa said.

            While discussing the importance of having a plan, even one not certified by the state, member Bob Moore said, “Our harbor isn’t big. We need to jealously guard our harbor – this is not the coast of Maine.” DaSousa asked the committee to review Dartmouth’s harbor plan due to the similarities between the two harbors.

            A subcommittee was established to begin the work of editing and updating the current plan with members Moore, Ned Kaiser, Mike Costa and Eric Beauregard spearheading the effort.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board is scheduled for Thursday, February 29, at 7:00 pm.

Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board

By Marilou Newell

            The proposed, solar-array project atop Marion’s capped landfill at Benson Brook, originally estimated to cost $880,000 to connect to Eversource, is now estimated to cost over $1,000,000. Other towns are reportedly in the same boat.

            The Marion Energy Management Committee heard from Maria Marasco, executive director of the Cape & Vineyard Electric Cooperative, Incorporated, via Zoom during its January 22 meeting, and part of her message was that the interconnection costs for a solar array atop the Benson Brook landfill do not make the project worthwhile, at least as its business model is proposed.

            Nonetheless, the CVEC recommends moving forward rather than starting over.

            Marion is a member of CVEC, a government entity that makes no profit as such and acts on behalf of its members to ensure “sound, competitive renewable energy procurements.” The CVEC oversees projects from construction to operation and into management. The Town of Marion paid a one-time procurement fee for this project to cover the CVEC’s expenses.

            Eversource, meanwhile, is said by municipal boards in the Tri-Towns to be taking stock of its entire capacity in light of the many municipalities applying for connections for proposed solar projects.

            What has come out of CVEC’s review of the Benson Brook Landfill solar proposal is a recommendation that under a power-purchase agreement (PPA) in which the CVEC would collect power and resell it to Marion, the project becomes viable.

            For every kilowatt hour of electricity generated, it was calculated that Eversource will pay out 24 cents, adding up to $260,000 per year out of which the town would have to pay the project developer. It was speculated that the developer might charge 18 cents, considered a conservative baseline.

            If CVEC can convert the project to a PPA, the belief is that $60,000 can be earned in net cash from Eversource.

            EMC member Alanna Nelson, as Marion’s representative to CVEC, planned to work on the matter over the next couple of weeks.

            A “cash-out” project means Marion can put the money toward anything, including its General Fund but not in a potential solar project atop the Police Station. Marasco said it’s better for the town to enter a PPA.

            The CVEC has yet to become owner of such a project. “It’s a whole, new wheelhouse of activity,” explained Marasco, noting that the CVEC is deliberating whether to get into solar ownership.

            Elsewhere in town, a group study indicates that Marion needs upgrades to build new projects, but smaller projects (under 15kw) are doable.

            Business projects, not residential, are in the CVEC’s wheelhouse. The CVEC is soliciting projects to put into their Round 7 cycle. The cooperative operates under a statute that allows it to bundle towns’ projects together, which eliminates some redundancies. The CVEC plans to issue another RFP (bid process) in the spring.

            Marasco said the town should only have as many net-metering credits as its usage. Having them sitting on the books is not advantageous. The town had asked to pay one price over four installments that get project oversight. The CVEC will do an overview at no charge. Towns help each other by pooling their resources and have a broader range of competitive bidders.

            In answer to a question from EMC member Bill Saltonstall, Marasco said, while she believes Marion is not in danger of exceeding the usage limits in its contract with Future Generation Wind, she will review the matter and confirm.

            In response to EMC member Jennifer Francis’ question as to why not generate as big a project as possible, Marasco explained that the interconnection is only approved for 1,800,000 kwh per year. Individual projects are approved for a certain amount of capacity.

            The “nameplate capacity” of the photo-voltaic project as originally proposed for the Benson Brook Landfill is 1,493kw. The approximate annual energy production is 1,807,451 kwh; the guaranteed annual energy production is 1,536,333 kwh.

            This project will affect Marion’s capacity; the CVEC’s recommendation (and approval from town leadership) would send cash to the General Fund.

            Town Administrator Geoff Gorman also participated in the meeting, and the CVEC planned to meet with Gorman and Nelson during the next couple of weeks following the meeting.

            The next meeting of the Marion Energy Committee is scheduled for Monday, February 26, at 6:00 pm at the Police Station on Route 6.

Marion Energy Committee

By Mick Colageo