Four Accepted, One Continued Special Permits

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            The Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals met on March 19 for five agenda items, one that had been continued from a prior meeting and four other cases.

            The meeting began by the hearing on the continued case, that of applicant Russell W. Chase Jr. of 7 Ridgewood Road & Sparrow Hill Road. Chase is seeking a Variance and Special Permit for the property that contains a single-family dwelling build just over 50 years ago in 1974. The applicant sought to un-merge the two properties originally merged in 1973.

            The Sparrow Hill Road lot would be developed further with a new house attached to an existing garage, thus needing a Special Permit. The Variance is due to the 5.4-foot rear setback versus the minimum 30-foot required setback. Chair Susan Akin noted there were no notes from abutters, nor none present to speak for or against.

            Chase noted he plans to sell the new lot, once created, and the proposed house is just a placeholder to give the board a public an idea of what could potentially take up the new lot. Both the Variance and Special Permit were eventually approved with unanimous votes of approval. The Special Permit was accepted with an added notation of an 1,850 square-foot maximum on any future dwelling.

            The next agenda item was the application for a Special Permit by Jeffrey A. and Julia H. Hayward of 18 Nashawena Road for the construction of a two-story garage with accessory dwelling unit on the second floor. It was noted proposed structure would occupy the area of an existing shed and the ADU would have 50% of the living space of the existing home on the property.

            The new garage would occupy 884 square feet, though the board stated there is a 864 square foot limit on garage space, with the board requesting 20 square feet be “shaved off” the proposal. The ZBA agreed to move forward with the addition of an amendment that would limit the proposed structure to aforementioned limited size. The permit was granted with a unanimous vote.

            The next hearing was another Special Permit request, this time from Vera B. Gibbons of 9 Pearl Street. This permit was for the addition of a one-story, 134 square foot addition on to the home’s master bedroom’s western side. The owners want to expand out to the room for renovations on the bedroom and the inclusion of a bathroom. Member Aaron Goldberg mentioned it was a “very modest addition,” with the board accepting the permit request as presented.

            The petition by Patric M. and Sharon J. Costello for 41 Fairhaven Road was heard next. The applicants are not the property owners, with that falling to David A. Greece and Judith Wallace through a revocable trust. The applicants sought a Special Permit to re-divide the property in order to construct a house on the northern side of the existing lot, which would abut Wildwood Terrace. The new lot would be 19,270 square feet, along Wildwood Terrace with the remainder of the existing lot being 45,059 square feet along Fairhaven Road/Route 6. Per the plan, the existing dwelling would be demolished.

            The first question by the ZBA was whether they can grant such a permit to someone who is not the property owner, though it was mentioned that the owners dropped off a letter of support. The current applicants are in the process of purchasing the property. This hearing was continued to next month’s meeting.

            The final hearing was for Patricia and Thomas Lee of 14 Barstow Street for a Special Permit for the construction of a new single-family home with an attached garage totaling 2,834 square feet. The representative of the applicants noted the lot’s narrow, non-conforming nature, jokingly referring to it as a “bowling alley lot.”

            The application was accepted as proposed with a unanimous vote of approval.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for Thursday, April 16.

Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals

By Sam Bishop

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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The lists of Rochester’s Revolutionary soldiers contain the names of Elnathan Haskell, Elnathan Haskell, Jr., James Haskell, and Nathan Haskell along with twelve others that share the same surname. Looking at the elder Elnathan’s family tree, we know that at least three of his and Dorothy Peckham Haskell’s sons fought in the Revolution.

            Two sons, Elnathan, Jr., who was an adjutant to Gen. Washington and followed the war to South Carolina and Nathan, who died at sea, have already been mentioned previously. However, another son, James, also served. He was born in 1757 and died in 1793 at the age of 35 and is buried in the Rochester Center Cemetery.

            James’ Revolutionary War service was more emblematic of the average soldier’s, than was that of his brothers. He enlisted in Rochester as a private in Captain Joseph Parker’s Company, Colonel Ebenezer Sprout’s Regiment for 15 days according to a muster card. Like quite a few other Rochester men who enlisted, he was sent to Rhode Island on a secret mission. For this he was allowed mileage for 70 miles of walking.

            The muster card that details the end of his term of enlistment on Dec.21,1779 has an interesting entry. It states that he was granted both a firearm and a bayonet to replace the ones he lost while retreating from Rhode Island. The muster card shown here is typical of what you can find if you research one of our veterans at MA, Rev War Index Cards to Muster Rolls, 1775-1783.

By Connie Eshbach

RMS Fourth Grader Wins Feinstein Foundation Golden Ticket

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Rochester Memorial School is pleased to announce that fourth grader Tommy Cahill was recently selected as a Feinstein Foundation Golden Ticket winner.

            The ticket earned Rochester Memorial School a $2,000 grant and an additional $500 for Tommy to donate to a charity of his choice.

            Tommy donated his prize to the Forever 1111 Fund, which honors Madelyn Eitas of Rochester, who tragically passed away in February.

            Each Feinstein Jr. Scholar receives an individually numbered Golden Ticket.

            Beginning in October, random drawings are held on WPRI Channel 12, and five student tickets from elementary and middle schools across Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts are randomly selected each week.

            “We are thankful for the Feinstein Foundation’s charitability and the opportunities they provide ticket winners,” said Principal Heidi Letendre. “Our students’ generosity and kindness shines through when they have the chance to make a difference, and that was certainly the case with Tommy. His decision to support a local Rochester family’s cause through the Forever 1111 Fund is admirable.”

            The Feinstein Foundation has also included a $300 grant to fund an End of Year Sixth-Grade Celebration.

            “The Feinstein Foundation’s commitment to teaching the younger generation the values of kindness is honorable,” said Superintendent Michael S. Nelson. “Their work allows students to see the impact good deeds have within their communities and provides them the power to do so in a way that aligns with their own values. Tommy’s choice to donate to the Forever 1111 Fund shows his support and compassion for the Rochester community.”

Everything Starts with Seeds

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            Seed catalogs are like smelling salts for the gardener who has been stifled by the long bleak spell. Seed catalogs don’t just sell plants; they wake up the imagination. Suddenly you’re picturing rows of tomatoes, the smell of basil in the sun, bees drifting through flowers – everything that felt frozen starts moving again.

            There is an implicit promise in a seed catalog. The promise might be of perfect fruit or of an impossible color blossom, or of rapid growth. Some come with generous coupons. This is one time I honestly don’t mind a good sales pitch. Especially with all of the color pictures!

            I’ve learned over the years to use some restraint and sit on things for awhile before placing my orders. Things look different at second glance, like rainbow-colored gladiolas. When planning your garden summer attire, you will want to make numerous revisions before the final selection. It’s OK to daydream, but you need to think your dreams through.

            The first order of business then is to pare down the sources and compare. I do have my favorites, so it’s likely I’ll stick with them, but there are some new companies worthy of a look. I was recently trading information with my dad who dubbed a few of my catalogs as “yuppie” owing to the priciness. He shared some of his with me as well – many of the old established ones and a couple I’d never heard of before.

            Just a smattering of seed purveyors from our collection include: Harris Seeds (established in 1879); Gurney’s Seed & Nursery Co., (since 1866); Jung Seeds & Plants (family owned and operated for 119 years); John Scheepers (since 1908) and Johnny’s Selected Seeds (over 50 years). Seems like a lot of human heritage in the seed business. Each one is uniquely alluring in its own way.

            I enjoy John Scheepers’ sketches and descriptions like this flower: “Hyssop provides a long season of nectar-sipping by butterflies, hummingbirds and bees as it wafts its anise-mint scent through the garden. It’s also a good cutting flower.” Cultural information, zone requirements and all you need to know (it’s deer and disease resistant and drought tolerant) is included with each item.

            Another catalog laced with details and descriptors is Johnny’s Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com). The Maine-based company is named for Johnny Appleseed (after John Chapman – the American pioneer nurseryman) and is run by founder Rob Johnston. Their motto “helping friends and families to feed one another” and their methods are admirable. All varieties of flowers and vegetables are trialed in Maine for performance on an almost annual basis and many are organically bred and produced there under the guidance of a large, expert staff.

            Glancing at the names of their cucumbers spread over five pages it’s fun to take in names that include: Quirk Mojito, Socrates, Demeter and Sashimi among numerous others. Pictures of them as well as detailed descriptions and sowing information is provided and throughout the 206-page catalog, the sheer variety is astounding – especially when you consider choices at the grocery store.

            How about a basil bonsai? I found that offered by the Territorial Seed Company (family owned since 1979/online at territorialseed.com). “This mounded, fine-leaf Greek basil is perfect for growing inside on a sunny windowsill or counter.” It is truly tempting! Their catalog has thorough cultural information with exact instructions for every seed they sell and useful tips.

            Another gorgeous catalog is the non-profit Decorah, Iowa-based Seed Savers Exchange (Seedsavers.org), which “stewards America’s culturally diverse and endangered garden and food crop legacy for present and future generations. We educate and connect people through collecting, regenerating and sharing heirloom seeds, plants and stories.” The gorgeous array of vegetables, flowers and seeds seen online, prompted me to order a catalog.

            I recently learned that our very own library offers free seeds. The Mattapoisett Free Public Library Seed Library first opened in May 2018 composed entirely of donated seeds from the Seed Savers Exchange. It quickly became a beloved facet of the collection. Interest only increased during COVID when patrons requested hundreds of packets of seeds. Today, the Seed Library continues to help patrons kick-start their garden each spring. In addition to seeds, the library loans planting tools including a soil testing kit, two kinds of cultivators and a seed starter kit.

            In a former card catalog you can browse the seed library and find those that you will plant. In turn you can harvest the next generation of seeds to share with the library. Seed sharing is voluntary. I went to investigate after heard about the program from my friend Cecile. In addition to their offerings, I also discovered more catalogs available for patrons to pore over. Looking through them made me even more warm and fuzzy about our local library. I took home four sacred packets of seeds: eggplant, carrot (there’s always a first time!) artichoke and wildflowers.

            It’s really no wonder that we all relish this initial step of reacquaintance and renewal. Each year – as with Paris runway collections – offerings are different and you never know what will flip your switch!  I love to look at the pages and read the promises and be the first to see the new introductions next to tried-and-true cultivars.  Although I order online, I like the process of scanning the pages of catalogs which are nearer to the real things than a computer-image.

            A bit of advice for making selections: you may want to write a shopping list of what you’re looking for before you fall under the spell of so many beguiling plants; that possibly you don’t need or have time to propagate.

            “For gardeners, this is the season of lists and callow hopefulness; hundreds of thousands of bewitched readers are poring over their catalogues, making lists for their seed and plant orders, and dreaming their dreams.” — Katherine S. White, from “Onward and Upward in the Garden.

The Seaside Gardener

By Laura McLean

‘Dangerous’ Dog Hearing Continued

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            On March 24, the Mattapoisett Select Board revisited a case involving a dog that caused grievous damage to a neighboring dog. The case was first heard in January when the dog, named Roco, owners Stella and Mark Brogioli, and the injured pet’s owners, the Maniatises, met with the board to discuss, among other contributing issues, putting restrictions on Roco’s movements when leashed but in the public domain and when contained but loose in his yard.

            At that time, all parties agreed to work together in an effort to find common ground and a solution that would be satisfactory for all concerned. The Brogiolis were not ready to accept all the terms of a drafted agreement.

            Mark Brogioli took umbrage to having his dog labeled “dangerous” and read state regulations he believed supported his contention that the board could not make that determination given Roco’s generally nonaggressive behavior. Brogioli reiterated that Roco was in his own yard at the time of the incident, that the attack was an isolated incident, and that the condition that the dog be muzzled whenever off the property is not warranted.

            Select Board member Tyler Macallister asked if the Brogiolis were in agreement with the terms of the draft agreement. It became apparent they were not when they agreed to postpone further discussion in this matter until April 2. Macallister had offered the postponement, saying he did not want to speak for the missing board member (Jordan Collier) and offered a continuance, at which time a full board would be in attendance.

            In other business, the board met with members of the Bike Path Committee who sought the agreement of the board to change one of the Bike Path phases. It was explained by Steve Kelleher, chair of the committee, that the Town of Marion is likely to complete its end of the pathway that enters Mattapoisett sooner than Mattapoisett will be ready to receive the recreational traffic the path will attract. Thus, they asked if a small portion of Phase 2A could be placed on its own track to completion.

            Kelleher said that grants would be sought to cover costs, which were not noted. The board agreed.

            In other Bike Path news, the committee said that design of Phase 2A has reached 25%, that the project is on track and in place for FY2031 for Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) funding, and asked if they could work with the Harbormaster regarding parking space located at Railroad Avenue.

            The board voted to sign agreements for a solar lease with Nexamp for a solar array located at the capped solid waste site. The 34-acre site will receive panels in early January and will include a PILOT program (payment in lieu of taxes).

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board is planned for April 2.

Mattapoisett Select Board

By Marilou Newell

Geoffrey W. Grainger

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Geoffrey W. Grainger, of Marion, passed away on March 25, 2026 at the age of 70. He was the son of the late Rachel (Stover) and Douglas Grainger.

Geoffrey was born in Boston. His family lived in W. Newton before moving to Sherborn where he spent some of his high school years. He moved to Marion at age 15 and it has been his home ever since. He graduated from Old Rochester High School. Geoffrey was a talented potter starting his career making lamps. He eventually opened his own pottery studio, Grainger Pottery, where he combined his two favorite things, fishing and pottery, and he would made plaster molds from a real fish and then hand-press clay into the molds to make beautiful life-like ceramic fish. His fish were very well known and bought from people all over the country.  Some traveling to far off places, like Japan, England, Sweden and Bermuda.  Geoffrey married Karilon Babbitt on December 11, 1996 and the two settled in Marion.

Geoffrey loved spending time in nature whether it was gardening, bird-watching, fishing, or skiing. He had a great personality and was funny and had a good sense of humor. He was a warm, generous and a loving person. He was an especially good photographer. He learned to fly in light planes and was taught by his brother Douglas, a Marine Corps helicopter pilot.

Geoffrey was the loving husband of Karilon Babbitt-Grainger. Brother of Douglas Grainger, Jr. and his wife Ann Marie, Jacob Grainger and his wife Jody, and Gary Grainger. He was the loving uncle to seven nieces and one nephew and great-uncle of three nieces and two nephews. Geoffrey had a large group of friends who cherished his friendship, and will be greatly missed by all.

Geoffrey’s family wishes to thank the dedicated hospice nurses for their wonderful care.

Relatives and friends may visit on Saturday, April 4, 2026 from 4:00 PM-7:00 PM at Chapman Funerals & Cremations – Wareham, 2599 Cranberry Hwy. (Rt. 28), Wareham.  A celebration of life will be held in the summer to honor him.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Community Nurses Fairhaven, 62 Center St., Fairhaven, MA 02719 or on-line at: www.communitynurse.com/support/donate/.   For directions or to leave a message of condolence visit: www.chapmanfuneral.com

Chief Ronald E. Scott

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Chief Ronald E. Scott, 80, of Mattapoisett died March 22, 2026 at Tuft’s Medical Center after a period of declining health surrounded by his family.

He was the husband of Janet T. (Sears) Scott.

Born in New Bedford, son of the late Earl A. And Carrie (Helliwell) Scott, he lived in Mattapoisett most of his life.

Ronald “Ronnie” was a 1964 graduate of ORR High School. He entered the military following graduation where he served with the US Navy Seabees, PHIBCB2, during the Vietnam War. Upon his honorable discharge from active service in 1968, he chose to continue serving his community in the fire service. Ronnie rose through the ranks finishing a 41 year career as Mattapoisett Fire Chief (1993-2009), retiring in 2009. At the start of his fire career, he enrolled into college to study business at Bristol Community College and Fisher College earning an Associate’s degree.

Throughout his life, Ronnie built an incredible resume for himself. His work was never just a job to him, it was a passion. A dedicated and hard working man, Ronnie worked for everything he had and worked even harder to provide for his family. In earlier years, he owned and operated Scott’s Welding and Scott Brothers Towing. He was a certified welder, and also worked as a tin knocker for Milhinch and Norris Tripp. Ronnie’s true passion has always been cars since he was a teenager, whether it was building them, fixing them, or racing them. He spent almost every summer weekend since the late 60’s at New England Dragway, which later grew to be a family tradition. In his spare time he enjoyed his beautiful garden, and built his own flower and vegetable stand “Tinkhamtown Tomatoes & Flowers”.

Ronnie was a man with an unlimited amount of stories to tell. From his time in the Navy, to working on the skyscrapers in Boston, building cars from scratch, fabricating the copperwork on the ceiling of the Providence Performing Arts Center. You could sit with him for a month straight, and you would only scratch the surface of his life experiences.

Everything he did was for his family. Out of every title he has ever held, a few stand higher than the rest. Brother, Husband, Father, and Upa. Nothing was more important to him than family. While he may never really know or believe it, Ronnie has shaped his family and friends into who they are today and has left a lasting impact on their hearts and souls forever.

Ronnie is survived by his wife Janet; a son, David M. Scott and his wife Jennifer J. Scott of Mattapoisett; a daughter, Jennifer C. Scott and her boyfriend Brian Hiller of Mattapoisett; 3 brothers, Earl “Skip” Scott, Jr. of Mattapoisett and Cape Coral, FL, Peter Scott of Mattapoisett and Barry Scott of Fairhaven; 2 grandchildren, Erin Scott and Andrew Scott; and many nieces and nephews.

He was the brother of the late Bethann Oliver.

His visiting hours will be held on Sunday, March 29th from 1-5 PM in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett. For online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

James Crook

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James Crook, 81, of Mattapoisett, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. He was the loving husband of Karole (Koczera) Crook for 60 years.

            Born in the South End of New Bedford, son of the late Clarence and Bernadette “Boots” Crook, he moved to Ohio to obtain his Masters and Ph.D, then raised his daughters and started his career in California, before he and Karole moved to Florida for a short time, eventually moving “back home” to Massachusetts, starting off in Norwell and ending up in Mattapoisett.

            Jim was an environmental engineering consultant with more than 40 years of experience in state government and consulting engineering, serving public and private sectors in the United States and abroad. He authored more than 100 publications, was an internationally recognized expert in the area of water reuse and reclamation, and was involved in numerous projects and research activities involving public health, regulatory and permitting issues, risk assessment, and water treatment technology. He remained active as a consultant into his late 70’s.

            In his younger days, Jim enjoyed sailing, usually starting off at Buzzards Bay. Later in life, he found pleasure in tinkering around the house and yard and kept in shape by working out at home, which he did well into his 70’s. He loved listening to and dancing to classic 50’s rock and roll, he’d never turn down an opportunity to cheer on New England sports teams, especially the Boston Bruins, and he was always up for going out to a meal of little neck clams, quahogs, or English batter fish & chips, often washing them down with an ice cold beer.

            Survivors include his wife Karole; his children, Cathryn A. Green of Bremerton, Washington, and Paula M. Benone of Richmond, California; his grandchildren, Brianne Jones, Marissa Jones, and Rachel Green; his great-grandchildren, Delilah Ann Frasquillo and Charlotte Renee Frasquillo; and many nieces and nephews.

            He is predeceased by his siblings, Judith Laliberte, Thomas Crook, and George Crook; and by his grandson, Ryan James Green.

            Jim’s funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at 10 am in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Road, Route 6, Mattapoisett. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in New Bedford. His visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 1st from 4-7 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to donate to an animal rescue organization of your choice.

Jim was an environmental engineering consultant with more than 40 years of experience in state government and consulting engineering, serving public and private sectors in the United States and abroad. He authored more than 100 publications, was an internationally recognized expert in the area of water reuse and reclamation, and was involved in numerous projects and research activities involving public health, regulatory and permitting issues, risk assessment, and water treatment technology. He remained active as a consultant into his late 70’s.

In his younger days, Jim enjoyed sailing, usually starting off at Buzzards Bay. Later in life, he found pleasure in tinkering around the house and yard and kept in shape by working out at home, which he did well into his 70’s. He loved listening to and dancing to classic 50’s rock and roll, he’d never turn down an opportunity to cheer on New England sports teams, especially the Boston Bruins, and he was always up for going out to a meal of little neck clams, quahogs, or English batter fish & chips, often washing them down with an ice cold beer.

Survivors include his wife Karole; his children, Cathryn A. Green of Bremerton, Washington, and Paula M. Benone of Richmond, California; his grandchildren, Brianne Jones, Marissa Jones, and Rachel Green; his great-grandchildren, Delilah Ann Frasquillo and Charlotte Renee Frasquillo; and many nieces and nephews.

He is predeceased by his siblings, Judith Laliberte, Thomas Crook, and George Crook; and by his grandson, Ryan James Green.

Jim’s funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at 10 AM in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Road, Route 6, Mattapoisett. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in New Bedford. His visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 1st from 4-7 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to donate to an animal rescue organization of your choice.

Upcoming Events at the Elizabeth Taber Library

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The Elizabeth Taber Library is excited to announce that we’ll be hosting acrobat Li Liu on Saturday, March 28 at 1:00 pm on the Marion Music Hall. Join us to see Li’s performance and to learn about the traditions of Chinese acrobatics. This program is for all ages and is free to attend. This program was funded with the generous support of the Marion Cultural Council.

            Do you like knitting, needlepoint, embroidery, or crocheting? Join our newest club. Meet new people, share fiber art project ideas, work with others, and share some laughs. Fiber Arts Club meets every Friday from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.

            Starting to plan ahead for April Vacation? Keep the Library in mind. We’re hosting Little Sparks Theater on Wednesday, April 22 at 11:00 am for Big Kid Creative Drama – an engaging and highly interactive drama program for kids ages 6-8/grades 1-3. On Friday, April 24, we’re running our very own escape room. Sign up for a timeslot to Escape the Library. Both program require registration and more information can be found at elizabethtaberlibrary.org/events.

            For more information on the Elizabeth Taber Library visit us at www.ElizabethTaberLibrary.org or email the library at ETLibrary@sailsinc.org. 8 Spring Street Marion, MA 02738. 508-748-1252.

The Mother Tree Cries

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            Oh. The solar comes and the trees must go.

            Uncovering hidden stone walls of my great grandfather’s toil years ago.

            But the walls will be smoothed out too- just like the mother trees-

            The wisest, oldest, trees spared by my fore-fathers years ago.

            Tall sentries in the corners of their fields.

            I cry with the mothers as I count their rings. We are all pushed aside for modern things.

            Progress is upon us. Our memories will perish with the coming night sky.

            As I sit and remember the mother tree cries.

By Cheryl Randall-Mach