Celebrate Spring with MLT

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Be a Worm, a Bird or a Flower: Celebrate Spring with MLT and storyteller Jackson Gillman on Saturday, April 5 at 11:00 am Mattapoisett Land Trust invites you to bring the kids to “Spring into Action and Song” with Stand-Up Chameleon Jackson Gillman. This is the second show in this quarterly series Celebrate the Seasons in Song & Story and will be held at Dunseith Gardens 36 North Street, Mattapoisett. Come celebrate spring in all of its flowery, song-filled wonder. Everyone becomes worms, flowers, birds, sun, rain and more in this playful romp. This is a free rain or shine event.

            Two other seasonal concerts will follow: Summer at the Beach in July, and Awesome Autumn in October.

New Associate Member Considered

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The Marion Conservation Commission met Wednesday, March 26 and began with two continued hearings.

            Kevin Medeiros of 0 Cross Neck Road (number of address would be assigned after construction) was seeking a Notice of Intent for the construction of a new single-family dwelling. The public hearing’s constant was not present, though after no questioning, the hearing was closed unanimously.

            The next item was another continued hearing, this for Albert Fox of 173 Front Street for a Notice of Intent for the repairs of stone foundations of an existing pier construction. Ben Foley appeared on behalf of the applicant, stating the hearing was originally continued while awaiting comments from inspectors. Due to their being “no adverse effects” cited, the hearing was closed unanimously.

            This meeting’s two actions items were both for certificates of compliance for Cary LeBlanc for 17 Reservation Way. The certificate regards shrubs, bushes, and rocks demarcating the border between the lawn and the nearby wetland. The work was deemed compliant, and the certificate was approved unanimously. The second certificate request was also approved, though it regarded a breezeway addition to the house.

            Tom Drechsler, retired engineer, was considered as an associate member to the commission and spoke in support of himself. Drechsler stated he has been a resident of Marion for about a year and would like to “engage and contribute some of [his] time to the community.” His stated interests are in soil work and gardening. While he admitted these skills may not be needed, he stated he offers a unique skill set to the commission as well as the time and drive to learn. The commission said they would refer him to the Select Board for approval.

            The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for Wednesday, April 9 at 7:00 pm in the Marion Police Department Conference Room.

Marion Conservation Commission

By Sam Bishop

Marion’s New DPW Nearing Completion

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            The new headquarters of the Marion Department of Public Works is nearing completion and will be enclosed for the first time by week’s end, according to the town’s Facilities Director, Shaun Cormier.

            “All the garage doors are getting installed,” said Cormier. “The sheetrock is up. Some of the finish HVAC is going in next week, not this week.”

            Located on the spot originally recommended by former DPW Director Rob Zora, the new building measures 200 feet long, 72 feet wide, approximately 26 feet high, and is divided into three basic segments for operations including vehicle maintenance/wash bay, a mechanics shop, office space and a locker room with showers, along with a large, cold-storage space to protect town vehicles from the elements.

            Waiting now on Eversource, the building is still operating on the temporary electricity and lighting that has enabled the building through the winter months.

            Vetted by the Planning Board in November 2023, the DPW building began construction a year later with the arrival of Morton Buildings prefabricated materials and the digging of piers to anchor the foundation and connection to water and sewer infrastructure.

            “Tractor-trailer trucks, they showed up one after another, all pieces. It’s like a giant Erector set,” said DPW Director Jody Dickerson. “I still have mine,” he joked.

            Soon after, the frame went up quickly. Phase 1 was completed in November with the addition of temporary electricity and lighting to aid indoor work in the winter months.

            Interior trenching and piping for the basis of the wash bays’ radiant heating system under the concrete floor was completed early in winter, and by the end of winter work on office space was well under way.

            General contractor South Coast Improvement is scheduled to complete its mission by the end of April, which will be handed off to the town for finishing work inside and out.

            “A lot of that is town responsibility, just like a lot of the exterior grading is town responsibility,” Cormier explained. The Facilities Department is responsible for detailing the inside of the building, and the DPW will iron out the grading, landscaping and paving.

            The cost of construction approximates $6,000,000, and Town Meeting last voted to allocate funds for the project two years ago. By handling as much as it has rather than farm out work, the town has saved over $500,000, according to Cormier.

            Originally designed as a two-building concept not including the salt shed yet to go up near the water tower, the building was redesigned as one building so as to eliminate infrastructural and other redundancies.

            The building will be entirely powered and heated by electricity, and the south-facing half of the building’s roof is designed to accommodate solar panels.

            “That side gets sun, all day,” said Cormier.

            The salt shed planned for later in the summer is to be located between the building and the water tower at Benson Brook. Cormier said that funding for the salt shed is in the procurement stage.

            Cormier said the builders have not had to deviate from the design. “It’s so simple that there weren’t any major changes,” he said.

            “I’d be happy if I’m in by June,” said Dickerson. “Being realistic, spring is our busiest time.”

            The present DPW site on the opposite side of Route 6 will become the subject of warrant articles for a capital project subject to vote by the Annual Town Meeting. The proposal is to remove the old, wooden buildings and preserve and renovate three of the buildings at the site.

By Mick Colageo

Hello From Plumb Library

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The Friends of Plumb Library are pleased to announce their Spring Book Sale. The sale will take place from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm Friday April 25 and from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm Saturday April 26 in the Library’s Downstairs Program Room. This area is handicapped accessible via a lift. On sale will be gently-used books, CDs, DVDs, puzzles, and games for kids and adults. The Library will be accepting donations for the sale. Please box or bag donations and drop them off only when the Library is open (see hours of operation listed below). Do not leave donated items in the bookdrop or on the steps.

            The Spring Sale is also an opportunity for you to sign up for a Friends Membership or renew a lapsed membership. You can pay by cash or check and Individual Memberships start at just $20. The Friends of the Library are the non-profit, fundraising arm of Plumb Library and are instrumental in keeping programming for all ages coming to the Library. They help fund our Summer Reading Program, bring guest speakers to the building, subscribe to BookPage (a monthly book review publication free for patrons to take), and help stock our Library of Things collection. They are always looking for new members and many hands make light work.

            The Friends will also be holding a Clothing & Book Drive in conjunction with Savers of New Bedford from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm Saturday May 10. A U-haul truck will be in the Library’s parking lot on New Bedford Rd., just drive up and load in your donations. Savers will accept only resale quality clothing, shoes, purses, accessories, soft household goods such as curtains, bedding, and throw pillows, small kitchen items, and books. Please bag the soft goods and box the books separately. All proceeds from this drive and the book sale directly benefit the Friends.

            The Library needs Trustees and Friends Board Members. If you’re interested in the inner workings of your Library, please contact Kristen Cardoso, Director, for more information about possible openings on both boards. Trustee candidates will need to take out nomination papers from Town Hall to get on the spring Town Election ballot.

            Note: the Library will be closed on Monday April 21 for Patriot’s Day.

            Please remember that library cards are required for checkout. If you have lost your card, it can be replaced for a $2.00 fee. Always have your card with you by uploading it to the SAILS Mobile app. It’s quick and easy and we’re happy to show you how it works.

            Library hours are: Mondays/Thursdays 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm; Tuesdays/Wednesdays 10:00 am to 6:00 pm; Fridays 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; Saturdays 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. We are closed on Sundays and Holidays. The Library can be contacted by phone at 508-763-8600 or email at info@plumblibrary.com. Check our Facebook and Instagram pages for information, upcoming events, and more.

Sippican Students Take Home Science Fair Ribbons

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Superintendent Michael S. Nelson and Principal Lynn Dessert are proud to announce that Sippican Elementary School students pulled off a stellar Sippican Science Fair on Wednesday, March 26.

            Enrichment Teacher Chelsey Lawrence organized Sippican’s 2025 Science Fair, which included work from 60 participants who entered about 40 projects.

            “We had an amazing Science Fair this year,” said Lawrence. “It’s so fun to see what students are passionate about and choose to study.”

            Students chose topics, created their projects at home, and presented them during the science fair.

            “We had some incredibly high-quality projects this year, and students had fun while also learning a lot,” said Lawrence. “In addition to completing the project at home, they also presented what they learned to judges, peers, and parents.”

            Students had the option to enter individually or as groups, and projects could be an experiment that followed the Scientific Method, an invention that followed the Engineering Design Process, or, for grades 5 and 6, an original coding project.

            “Coding is a new category for the Science Fair, and some of the fifth and sixth graders worked incredibly hard to teach themselves and figure out bugs along the way,” said Lawrence. “I’m so proud of all of our student participants. We also had an activity station run by Mad Science, which was sponsored by our parent organization VASE, where students could make and fly airplane gliders.”

            The following students took home Sippican Science Fair honors:

            -First-grade student Jolee Woods won a blue ribbon for her project, “How do plant hormones affect plant growth?”

            -Second-grade student Sagan Tomasik-Jones won a blue ribbon for her project, “Plants: Which solution is better?”

            -Third-grade student Hailey Costa won a blue ribbon for her project, “The Dirt on Soil.”

            -Fourth-grade students Amelia Whinnem, Zoe Callina, and Neriah Andrewski won a blue ribbon for their project, “Filtering Water.”

            -Fifth-grade students Aidan Zhou, Matthew Oien, and Rowan Farquarson won a blue ribbon for their Coding project, “Tree Hugger AI.”

            -Sixth-grade student Samuel Becker won a blue ribbon for his project, “Which growing medium helps plants grow best?”

            “Our students demonstrated exceptional scientific rigor and creativity at the recent Science Fair,” said Assistant Principal Greg Thomas. “The projects showcased a depth of understanding and a commitment to inquiry that surpassed expectations. We are incredibly proud of the high caliber of work presented, and it reflects the dedication of both our students and their supportive teachers.”

            “Congratulations to all the winners and participants of this year’s Sippican Science Fair,” said Superintendent Nelson. “Every year, I look forward to seeing our students display their creativity and scientific reasoning. This year’s submissions were impressive.”

            “Our students work very hard on their science projects,” said Principal Dessert. “The results of their hard work did not disappoint. I’m already looking forward to next year’s Sippican Science Fair.”

Old Colony, ORR Present Budgets

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The Rochester Finance Committee started and ended its meeting Monday with presentations of the FY26 school budgets that will be decided on at the May 19 Annual Town Meeting.

            The request for Rochester’s portion of the FY26 Old Colony Regional Vocational-Technical High School budget will be $1,844,044. Superintendent Aaron Polansky shared via a written presentation on the numbers for the next fiscal year that this is only a 1.19% increase for member towns over FY25. He and Business Manager Sarah Griffith said the increase was caused by a 2.93% surge in insurance costs, the addition of $45,000 for an assistant to the director of Technology, and a $20,000 stipend for the vocational director (in lieu of a full-time co-op coordinator). To achieve the minimal increase, Polansky said, the $110,000 request for this coordinator was withdrawn, $51,353 of long-term debt was retired, a vocational instructor position was cut saving another $98,000, and the $75,000 cost of a ballot-vote question was moved from stabilization.

            Finance Committee member David Arancio asked about the future financial impact of Old Colony’s plans for a new building. Polansky responded that this project is in the planning stages, and the school is actively keeping member towns informed. The project’s progress is posted on the school website. The school will hold an Informational Breakfast on April 15 for member town clerks and town administrators, he said, wherein each town may bring along up to four guests such as Select Board and Finance Committee members as well, and he will bring a formal presentation to Rochester officials at a later time.

            Polansky said he knows the results will be a big ask when the plan gets to the schematic stage. “But we want to be completely transparent and open,” he said. “Look at our chronological order of everything that’s been done so far on our website.”

            Next, the Finance Committee approved increasing the town’s Cost of Living Increase factor for FY26 salaries to 2.5%. Finance Director Suzanne Szyndlar said this would have an impact of adding $75,000 to the town budget.

            The panel then re-voted FY26 budget allocations for several town departments, highlighted by the most contentious of these items. Town Administrator Cameron Durant recommended the committee transfer $4,500 from the general fund to the Town Administrator’s account. He explained an assistant in his department, Emily Harding, is already doing a lot of extra work for Town Clerk Marjorie Barrows, and this would be a stipend to compensate Harding for her time with those duties.

            The board approved this motion, but not before Arancio objected that the town clerk should be present for her perspective on this move. It allows the town administrator to act as town clerk, he said. “This muddies the waters a little, and is not as clean as it is being projected,” Arancio added.

            Durant noted that Town Counsel has signed off on this approach. “There’s no more affordable way to do this,” he said. “We have to put at least a Band-Aid on this problem.”

            Szyndlar noted Harding is already handling tax bills and other such duties. “It is in her job description,” she said. “This is like a pay increase, pay for training.”

            The committee finished its business Monday with Old Rochester Regional School District and Rochester Memorial School budget presentations from Superintendent Michael Nelson and Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howard Barber.

            Nelson started his RMS budget presentation by noting the town school gets a minimal amount of state aid, and special education is one of its biggest budget drivers. Its FY25 Sped account is $250,000 in the negative. State aid for FY26 is an increase of $27,900, or 2.3 percent above FY25. His budget solutions for FY26 include no new programs and not rehiring to replace some retirees. The approved budget for FY26 is $7,251,822, a net increase of $78,418 or 1.093% over last year.

            The Old Rochester Regional School District’s assessment against Rochester for FY26 will be $5,671,113 for the operating budget, $33,395 for capital stabilization, and $19,075 for Capital BAN debt. The committee’s final vote of the night was to approve the $5,671,113 assessment figure for the Town Meeting Warrant.

            The Finance Committee’s next meeting will be on Zoom on Monday, April 7 to discuss revisions of the FY26 Fire Department budget.

Rochester Finance Committee

By Michael J. DeCicco

Talking On The Next Harbor Plan

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            The Marion Marine Resource Commission (MRC) met on Wednesday, March 19 and following the correction of a formatting error on the minutes from their last meeting, February 24, the commission began discussions on harbor management, capital projects, and the FY26 budget.

            The group began by talking about the citizens’ petition to remove the Harbormaster from the Police Department, though the Marine Resource Commission stated they were unaware of the exact reasoning for this petition. Said petition made it by the deadline and will therefore appear on the Town Meeting Warrant. Chair Vincent J. Malkoski, Jr. spoke on the history of this, saying, “the decision was made to move the harbormaster onto the police department because they are acting as police officers, and they’re armed. So, the decision was made to consolidate all the folks carrying weapons under one department.” He mentioned the possibility of the two departments re-separating, though he did state the harbormaster would lose some of their enforcement abilities, saying “nobody’s gonna pay attention to them.” Malkoski also said should the warrant pass, a large-scale restructuring would be necessary.

            Next to be discussed was the proposed dingy fees and harbor fee changes. Said proposed changes were withdrawn, though the commission will still circle back and discuss possible changes to be presented at a later date, as specified at the original time of withdrawal. In term of the new Harbor Plan, the chair said, in tandem with fees, the commission must “roll everything into the plan and look at everything.” He stated more analysis and research must be done, but the process for a new Harbor Plan is “a public one.” Meaning MRC will make the recommendation for the public to comment on and for the Select Board to decide.

            Shell fishing and the degradation of the harbor and possible over-collection of resources was also cited as a concern for the Harbor Plan, with the chair saying, “I’s a public process. I don’t know how far we’re going to get, but these are the things that need to be looked at. It’s a finite resource and that’s what everybody has to understand.”

            The last topic for discussion was the upcoming MRC elections, where Vincent j. Malkoski, Jr. was recommended to run again, with current member Cheryl Souza looking into running as Vice Chair. Member Michael Moore was nominated as Secretary, or “scribe.” The slate of officers was approved unanimously by the commission.

            The next meeting of the Marion Marine Resource Commission is currently scheduled for Wednesday, April 16 in the Marion Marine Center Conference Room.

Marion Marine Resource Commission

By Sam Bishop

Mattapoisett Free Public Library

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Visit the Mattapoisett Library at 7 Barstow Street this month.

            The Teen Advisory Board (TAB) meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 1, at 6:00 pm has been postponed. However, interested teens can contact Amanda Lawrence at alawrence@sailsinc.org for information on future meetings. TAB is intended for students between 12 and 18 who seek a leadership role in the library. New members are welcome.

            Longtime New England singer/songwriter Matt York will perform songs and tell stories about the great Willie Nelson on Saturday, April 5, at 2:00 pm. York’s program will focus on Willie’s long and illustrious music career, which has spanned over seven decades. All ages are welcome. No registration is needed. This event is funded by a grant from the Mattapoisett Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

            We’re celebrating “Financial Literacy Month” on Tuesday, April 8 at 1:00 pm. We’re hosting an Economic Empowerment Hour with various resources and tips designed to help patrons aged 18 to 25 take control of their financial futures. No registration needed. Let’s make financial literacy a priority – together. Pizza to follow.

            The next meeting of the Friends of the Mattapoisett Library is Wednesday, April 9, at 6:00 pm. All are welcome to attend. A Zoom link to the meeting is available upon request. If you have any questions, please contact the library at mfpl@sailsinc.org. We can pass along your message to the Friends.

            The Friends of the Mattapoisett Library are hosting their next book sale on Saturday, April 12, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in the library’s meeting room. All proceeds from the event benefit library programs and activities, so please stop by and check it out. Book sale donations can be dropped off at the library on Thursday, April 10, and Friday, April 11, from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

            Spend a relaxing and thoughtful hour in the library’s Reading Rooms with Seaglass Theatre Company and the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra as they present a concert of music for string quartet and voice on Saturday, April 12 at 2:00 pm. The concert is free, and all are welcome. No reservations are necessary, but seating is limited.

            The Sunday Book Club meets on April 13 at 2:00 pm to discuss Alice Hoffman’s Blackbird House. Copies of the book are available at the library. This club is intended for adults. If you have questions, contact Librarian Robbin Smith at rsmith@sailsinc.org.

            Our next Cookbook Club meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, April 15, at 6:30 pm, has been postponed. Interested patrons can contact Amanda Lawrence at alawrence@sailsinc.org with any questions.

            Well-Read Wednesday meets on Wednesday, April 23, at 6:30 pm in the Marine room. The club will discuss The People’s Hospital: Hope and Peril in American Medicine by Ricardo Nuila. Copies of the book are available for pickup at the library. New members welcome.

            Join the New Bedford Arts and Cultural Emporium on Sunday, April 27, at 1:30 pm for an Artistic Accordion Book Workshop. In the two-hour workshop, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the accordion book form as they explore its potential for storytelling, visual narrative, and conceptual expression. Recommended for patrons aged 18 and up. Space is limited, and registration is required.

            The Friends of the Mattapoisett Library are accepting jewelry donations until further notice. If you have gently used or unworn jewelry or accessories you’d like to donate, The Friends would love to take them off your hands. Please drop these items off at the circulation desk. Thank you. Your contributions are appreciated and will help support future library events.

            Friendly reminder that library cards must be present at checkout. If your card is missing, it can be replaced. Avoid losing it again by downloading the SAILS mobile app. It’s an excellent alternative to carrying your physical library card. Please see a librarian if you need help or have questions. Your privacy is important to us. Let’s keep it safe together.

            As always, our events and activities are free and open to all. Visit our website for more information and updates. If you have any questions, please email mfpl@sailsinc.org or call us at 508-758-4171. Happy reading.

Smooth Evening for Conservation

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The Mattapoisett Conservation Commission met on March 24 with an agenda that was straightforward.

            Three Requests for Certificates of Compliance were swiftly dispatched, two were approved for Patrick and Jean Breault, 6 Old Mattapoisett Neck Road, and another for James Stowe, 5 Seamarsh Way.

            A Request for an Amended Order of Conditions was approved for a Notice of Intent filed by The Myatt Family Trust for the conversion of an existing deck into a sunroom.

            Earlier in the proceedings, a Request for Determination of Applicability filed by 12 Highland Avenue Trust to remove and replace a ground level deck and to add a multi-level deck addition received a negative two decision.

            A Continued Notice of Intent filing from Alexandra Ablon, 4 Island View Avenue, for the construction of an accessory garage (possible accessary dwelling unit) and the removal of invasive vegetation with wetlands restoration plan was conditioned. Conditions note that storm water drainage is to flow to foundation drainage system. David Davignon of Schneider Davignon and Leone stated that the project is scheduled to be heard for a Special Permit by the Zoning Board of Appeals soon.

            A Continued Notice of Intent filed by Richard Waterhouse, 0 Bay View Avenue for removal and management of phragmites and other invasive species removal was conditioned with a mandate for professional licensed technician performing the task. Member David Nicolosi advocated for licensed application of herbicides close to shellfish beds. The Commission members were in agreement.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for April 14.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell

Oh, My Aching Back Part 1 – Acute Back Pain

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Most of us have (or will have) experienced an acute lower back pain. Sometimes the cause is obvious – you unloaded six bags of loam from the trunk of your car – while other times “I just bent over to pick up a pencil.” Our back muscles extend over a long distance and stretching them just the wrong way may be all it takes.

            Whatever the cause, it can make for a very uncomfortable time. What should you do?

            First, what you should not do is go to the emergency room. Unless you have one of the “red flags” I list below, you do not need X-rays or CT scans. What you need is pain relief and a short period of rest.

            Pain relief for acute onset back pain takes many forms, no one of which works for everybody. Getting flat with your knees bent and some pillows under your knees may be all you need. Both heat and cold can be very helpful. For acute pain, I tend to start with ice rather than heat, but if you have found a heating pad works, stick with it.

            Note that you should only spend an hour or two lying down. After that, gentle movement such as walking is fine.

            Get some over-the-counter pain relievers: acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen are equally likely to help but each of us has a favorite. If one anti-inflammatory does not work, try a different one.

            When might you need an imaging test? If the pain extends down the back of one leg towards the ankle you might have a ruptured disk, a condition that can be suspected based on clinical exam and confirmed with a CT scan. If you have known osteoporosis or cancer, or have been on long-term cortisone-type medication or the pain comes after a serious fall, you may be dealing with a fracture of one or more vertebra. This can be proven with a plain X-ray.

            Cancer, an unexplained fever, IV drug use or a depressed immune system raise worry about an infection near the spine and suggest you seek early medical attention.

            Assuming none of these uncommon situations fits, your pain should subside within a day or two with rest, pain relievers and ice or heat. Don’t try to ignore it and push through or the pain will last longer.

            Next week: what about back pain that does not go away?

            Edward Hoffer MD is Associate Professor of Medicine, part-time, at Harvard.

What Does The Doctor Say?

By Dr. Edward Hoffer