EMC: Canopy Solar Will Best Serve COA

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Members of the Marion Energy Management Committee are convinced that the town wants a solar installation at the Cushing Community Center.

            The question remains whether it will be a rooftop project or a parking-lot canopy. The EMC indicated during Monday night’s public meeting at the Police Station that it believes a canopy is the more-feasible design.

            EMC member Bill Saltonstall reported that the non-profit company PowerOptions has received requested information on a full year of electrical and gas usage by all town accounts. PowerOptions reportedly wanted to talk with the town about doing a solar project for the senior center. A subsequent discussion with Town Administrator Geoff Gorman indicated to Saltonstall that the town is also interested.

            Saltonstall estimates that such a grid would measure 40 feet wide and as long as the town wishes to make it, perhaps 120 or 140 feet.

            “That’s a lot of panels,” he said, noting that PowerOptions figures it could get most of the solar power for the Community Center by going on the rooftops. “They can’t get it all, but they can get most of it. That would be a real messy job.

            “If they’re going to use that much of the roof, I think they’ve got their eyes on the trees in the rear of the building … that would make a significant cut into the output.”

            Reporting PowerOptions’ interest in meeting with town officials, Saltonstall believes the EMC’s input should not end here. He also thinks the Friends of the Cushing Community Center Working Group should be at the table discussing the matter. The Friends have been front and center, spearheading and procuring funding for pivotal projects such as the walking path and pavilion.

            Nonetheless, Saltonstall reiterated the importance of Gorman’s involvement especially because of the amount of money involved in such a project.

            EMC member Jennifer Francis pointed out that a parking-lot canopy would not be dependent on construction projects related to the building itself.

            “The place where you’re least susceptible to shading is the middle of the parking lot,” said Saltonstall. “I was a little put off by the fact PowerOptions suddenly wanted to barrel ahead with this project (as a roof solar).”

            Francis said the EMC should have some hard numbers before discussions can get serious.

            According to Saltonstall, PowerOptions said the roof is where the most economy is. But he said it’s fair to go back to PowerOptions and ask for rough numbers on a canopy installation. “We can also talk about rooftops, but our major interest is in a canopy,” he said.

            EMC Chairman Christian Ingerslev suggested the committee seek out three ballpark numbers for a canopy installation, a roof-top installation, and a combined scenario.

            Complexities abound when capacity is discussed, in part because of net-metering limits per the town’s contract with Future Generation Wind. Saltonstall said that number is a “moving target.” Ingerslev noted that the Community Center was not originally in the budget for the Green Communities equation.

            According to Saltonstall, Marion used 2,601,000 Kilowatt Hours (KWh) in FY18 and had net-metered 2,585,000 KWh or 90%. That percentage has been up and down since (91.6% in FY19, 75% in FY20, back to 80.7% in FY21, and now a little higher).

            It’s expected that, with heat pumps approved for two Fire stations, the Town House and the Community Center, Marion’s electricity usage will only increase.

            Large residential developments approved for construction in Marion will indirectly drive up electrical usage by generating sewage.

            Saltonstall said EMC member Tom Friedman, who was not present for Monday’s meeting, learned about another company doing municipal solar projects as canopies and would like to see that company submit a competitive proposal. He said PowerOptions has indicated there is some way around competitive bidding. “I’m not really comfortable with that,” said Saltonstall, calling it a “hurry-up approach.”

            “If they want to hurry up, they can hurry up and give us an estimate,” said Francis. “We’ve got to have some concrete numbers to bring to them.”

            It is believed that a solar project at the Community Center would power car-charging stations on the site.

            The EMC requested that the new Marine Center be constructed as solar-ready, and member Eileen Marum reported that architect Tim Sawyer recently told the Marion Planning Board that the building is designed to be solar ready including wiring in the attic.

            Green Communities grant funding is on hold, pending more knowledge about the planned DPW and Marine Center constructions.

            The committee discussed Rochester’s recent decision to drop the Stretch Code and become the state’s first municipality to resign from the state’s Green Communities program.

            While EMC members believe Marion has significantly benefitted from its commitment to Green Communities, they are not committed to pushing for the town’s adoption of a more-strict Stretch Code available next year.

            Nelson asked if the EMC should heed the pushback against its efforts to take away fossil fuels as an energy source for all new constructions in Marion.

            Ingerslev suggested asking the town to inform developers that, given the town’s commitment to electric energy, usage of propane or gas in a property should come with the capacity to convert to electric when that becomes mandatory.

            Nelson told the committee that she talked with CVEC last week about the Benson Brook capped-landfill, solar project and was told they are in negotiations.

            “The goal earlier this year was that they would be coming to the Planning Board in the fall,” she said, noting the possibility that the project could go back out to bid.

            The next meeting of the Marion Energy Management Committee is scheduled for Monday, August 28, at 6:00 pm at the Police Station.

Marion Energy Management Committee

By Mick Colageo

2023 Herring Counts

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This year’s count of herring in the Mattapoisett River was 4,050, an increase of 1,718 over the 2022 total of 2,332.

            Counting conditions were ideal this past spring, the counter appears to have functioned without errors.

            Alewives Anonymous, Inc. also set up an electronic fish counter on the Sippican River at Leonard’s Pond for 2023, the count up, being adjusted to 65. The low counts recorded, most days zero and seldom more than five, are unlikely to have been herring but pond and river fish. The one day of a significant count, 401, could not be corroborated with Buzzards Bay Coalition and their counter at Hathaway’s Pond, which had shown no counts for the same time period. Therefore, it has been disregarded.

            The moratorium against the taking or possession of herring from the Mattapoisett River and the Sippican River, as well as many other rivers in Massachusetts, remains in effect. Over the years that the moratorium has been in effect, the herring population in the Mattapoisett River had increased to just over 55,400 in 2014, then was followed by some years of declining counts. The counting effort will continue and provide the necessary information to manage a future harvest in the Mattapoisett River; however, continued improvements in the counts are needed to support a sustainable fishery plan and to justify an opening. Once the herring population reaches a point where a sustainable harvest plan can be formulated, filed with Division of Marine Fisheries, and approved, harvesting could be resumed.

Down to the Sea in Ships

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The Marion Concert Band continues its Friday evening concert series on July 28, with a program of music inspired by the sea. The program is as follows:

Hands Across the Sea – J.P. Sousa

Parade of the Tall Ships – J. Chattaway

Fantasy on American Sailing Songs – C. Grundman

Variants on a Nautical Hymn – M. Williams

Sea Songs – R. Vaughan Williams

Selections from South Pacific – R. Rodgers

Montego Bay – S. Nestico

Highlights from Victory at Sea – R. Rodgers

Under the Sea (from The Little Mermaid) – A. Menken

Martinique – R. Washburn

From Tropic to Tropic March – R. Alexander

            Guest conductor Philip Sanborn resides in Marion. He was chairman of the Music Department at Tabor Academy for 34 years and is in his 18th season as the music director and principal conductor of the Tri-County Symphonic Band. Mr. Sanborn was recently appointed music director and principal conductor of the Bay Colony Brass in Boston. A trombonist and euphonium player, he is a member the Southcoast Jazz Orchestra and has also performed with the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra, New Bedford Symphony Orchestra and the American Band of Providence, R.I.

            The concert will begin at 7:00 pm at the Robert Broomhead Bandstand, Island Wharf off Front Street in Marion. All concerts are free and open to the public. “Like” us on Facebook at “Marion Town Band” for up-to-date announcements and rain cancellation notices.

River Road Residents Seek Protection

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            Immediately after the Marion Select Board voted on July 19 to approve Automatic Amusement (arcade games), Common Victualer – All Alcohol licenses and a doing-business-as Name Change for Stone Rooster Hospitality to The River Junction, River Road resident Chris Collings stepped to the podium to address the board.

            Representing several abutters to the revived establishment, Collings asked about plans he says River Road residents have yet to see regarding a parking plan as requested since the beginning of the project’s vetting process.

            Town Administrator Geoff Gorman interjected that, because the residents’ issues were not on the Select Board’s meeting agenda, the state’s Open Meeting Law prohibited the board from holding “a deliberative process,” but he referenced a conversation that morning with Collings.

            “As I said to him, I’ll say to everyone in the room, we will have a follow-up meeting to discuss your concerns, and if there’s a plan that’s put in place it will be presented to the Select Board,” said Gorman.

            Collings clarified that the residents are not concerned about the approved parking plan for the Route 6 lot, they’re concerned about overflow parking on River Road based on prior experience when the establishment was known as Gilda’s.

            “These aren’t imagined concerns, and it only takes two cars at the entrance of River Road to make it almost impossible for any vehicle, much less a safety (or) emergency vehicle … to come down,” said Collings. “What we want to make sure is that that is handled in an appropriate way so that it’s fair to everybody. … We’ve had great assurances provided, yet right now at this very moment, we’re being told, ‘Actually, oh well, that’s something we haven’t gotten around to … “

            Collings said no-parking regulations to the first property line is a common practice in Marion, citing “a dozen” such occurrences in the village.

            Select Board member Randy Parker suggested a trial parking sign facing Route 6 that says, “No parking for the next 500 feet” and a similar sign adjacent to the corner for vehicles “going in,” to which Collings said, “that’s a great way to start it.”

            Gorman reiterated that, under the provisions of Open Meeting Law, Marion will hold a public meeting with Fire and Police representation and Marion Department of Public Works for further exchange of ideas.

            The board agreed with Gorman that, theoretically, such a meeting could be set up for the residents with town officials, after which the Select Board could include the item on its first agenda following the emergence of a plan.

            River Road resident Jack Beck expressed his dissatisfaction at the limits of the discussion.

            John Mello represented the new ownership of the Stone Rooster. The business is licensed to open until 1:00 am, but Mello said it will open at 12:00 pm and likely close at 12:00 am. “The building’s almost done,” said Mello, who has not yet had final inspections.

            In presenting an update on the Shared Use Path and Point Road Bike Path, Pathways Committee/Marion Open Space Acquisition Commission Chairman John Rockwell announced that all the design and layout work for the Shared Use Path has been completed by the project’s engineers.

            Delays in completing the path that will connect to an existing path out of Mattapoisett, cross Route 105 at the intersection of Front and Spring streets, wind through Washburn Park and end at Point Road near Route 195, Rockwell said, are due in part to many state agencies commenting on the project. He said the engineers are presently reviewing approximately 270 pages of such comments.

            “Once these are all done, I’d like to say we’re all done. No, then there’s a 60-day review period by DOT, and I’m sure there will be mark-ups,” said Rockwell, who says he has been working on the project since 1997. “It’s been a long process. This project has taught me humility, patience, it made me realize that one step forward is one step forward and, if you want to take 10 steps forward and all you get that day is two, that’s all you get. Be happy with it. So progress is being made.”

            Select Board member Norm Hills asked about the timeline of the engineering review phase. Rockwell said he stopped asking for deadlines to be met. Community Preservation Act funding for construction was approved in a 2018 Town Meeting.

            Rockwell said MassDOT has estimated the project costing the state approximately $5,000,000. The engineering work, he said, is a $500,000 project including oversight. The bid received was for $340,000. No funds will be needed for additional environmental work.

            The Town of Marion has paid for land acquisition and engineering, according to Rockwell. Once the DOT accepts Marion’s plan, right-of-way and six additional easements that are needed would be next steps.

            “The tricky thing on the easements and the appraisals is that you can’t do the appraisal before you do the taking, and you can’t do the taking before you have approval of the right of way by DOT,” Rockwell explained. “The reason for that is, if you do the appraisal early and there’s a time lag, appraisals can go stale.”

            Temporary easements can expire, said Rockwell. He said establishing a timeline will be more fruitful once the town gains its environmental approvals. As a simple project, he remains confident but doesn’t know how long the state government agencies will take.

            Hills said the easements is something the town will have to budget for. Rockwell said there are six landowners and eight easements. He said all landowners elected to get an appraisal as provided by the federal government for oversight purposes. He anticipates paying at least two of the landowners because those properties carry liens.

            Hills sought to confirm the 2025 schedule anticipated by the Southeastern Regional Planning and Development District (SRPEDD). He asked Rockwell is he thinks that is doable. Rockwell said it is but considers his to be “two cents worth of an opinion … I’m not predicting anymore, I’ll just give you a progress update.”

            Rockwell also gave an update on the Point Road Bike Path, an 8-foot-wide gravel path with a 2-foot shoulder and 1-foot no obstruction. He called it a “standard, bike-path design.”

            Slowed by COVID-related delays and other obstacles, Rockwell said MOSAC focused its efforts on the stretch between Jenna and Joanne Drive.

            He said that Eversource was working on site and agreed to cut down trees that the town needed to take down for the path. That saved the town a lot of money, said Rockwell, noting that he had underestimated the number of large trees that had to come down.

            A bid process just completed for grinding stumps and grubbing out topsoil has MOSAC ready to contact the low bidder. A retaining wall is needed to achieve a level path.

            The original budget of $223,000 in construction costs (Creek Road to Jenna Drive) had a $44,000 construction contingency. There are also related values, he said, of permitting $10,000, 30B administration $5,000, survey work $65,000, and design engineering $37,000. Rockwell told the Select Board that these are all “in-kind services provided by the committee … as a match to our grant.”

            The Select Board approved a Common Victualer License application filed by Josh Naughton of J. Naughton Seafood, LLC, 173 Wareham Road.

            Naughton told the board he is going to take over the old Seahorse Seafoods location and rebrand the business as J. Naughton Seafood. “It’s going to be same purpose, I’m going to operate it as it has been prior, just updating it a little bit and putting my touch to it …”

            Naughton said he would start with full retail and maybe next year get into the wholesale side of the seafood business. Naughton said he will steam lobsters for customers, but the market will not have dining on the premises. He said the market will sell 90% fresh product.

            The board approved moving a NSTAR Electric Company (dba Eversource Energy) utility pole on Spring Street (FO Pole 100/26-A) approximately 20 feet north/northwest. Tabor Academy, the lone abutter, did not comment.

            In his Town Administrator Report, Gorman updated the board on the new Marine Center, noting that front-end documents have been legally reviewed, and the remaining funding shortfall of $1,200,000 will be brought before voters at the October 23 Special Town Meeting, funded from the Waterways account. The town is also researching seawall repair as it is linked to the new construction in both footprint and function.

            The new Department of Public Works building has reached the beginning of the construction phase, and the goal is to hold the final Planning Board public hearing by early September.

            Marion has the option to acquire an additional 1,600 feet of cold storage with two modular buildings from the Lockheed Martin site that would be free of charge to the town. The structures need new skin and roofing. Parker said they are made of red iron and steel frame. Gorman believes they could become storage opportunities for smaller items.

            The October Special Town Meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 23, at Sippican Elementary School, and the Special Town Election will be held on October 27.

            Items anticipated at Special Town Meeting include the Marine Center, a potential debt exclusion for the Town House (ADA compliance and sprinkler addition), and any shortfalls from collective bargaining.

            Gorman recommended a warrant cutoff date of October 3 (Select Board meeting), posting the warrant and sending it to the printer on October 5 and mailing it out to voters on October 13. The deadline to submit articles for the warrant would be September 11.

            Zoning Board of Appeals Chairperson Cynthia Callow said she wants to put in an article for Town Meeting.

            Gorman said Marion’s speed-limit changes have been delayed. The authority to alter speed limits, said Gorman, does not necessarily lie with the municipality, and the state has requested more data and information that is outside the scope of the engineering study the town paid for.

            To mitigate a potential $44,000 in additional costs to satisfy the state, Gorman said the town will try to add to the study on its own. Gorman said the town has the authority to set a single speed limit. Select Board Chairman Toby Burr noted that Mattapoisett has done that.

            The Select Board approved Marion’s participation in the Southcoast Public Health Collaborative Inter-Municipal Agreement (IMA). Lori Desmarais, the town’s health director, explained the benefits of the program. The Town of Westport is hosting the partnership and managing the FY24 $432,769 grant, which funds a full-time manager and inspector and would hold liability insurance.

            Gorman said KP Law reviewed the IMA, and the Board of Health approved.

            In addition to benefits towns would derive on an as-needed basis, Desmarais explained that Marion Health Agent Shallyn Rodriguez’s required course work for Sole Evaluator and Health Inspector, items formerly funded by the town, will be covered by the collaborative under provisions of the IMA.

            Katrina “Tinker” Saltonstall was reappointed to the Music Hall Advisory Committee, Alex Hansell was appointed as an associate member of the Conservation Commission, and Eileen Marum was appointed as a member of the Affordable Housing Trust.

            In other business, the board approved election workers.

            In discussing bringing back the swap shed at the Benson Brook Transfer Station, Parker said Marion representatives will visit a swap shed in another town. A volunteer training session will be held.

            Vine Street resident Mindy Pasco-Anderson addressed the board, complimenting Needham’s swap shed and noted that residents there work off a portion of their taxes by working at the swap shed. Parker explained that Marion has a workoff program for seniors.

            He added that Carver-Marion-Wareham Regional Landfill Authority owned the prior swap shed in town that shut down. He said Marion is looking at Hingham’s swap shed as a model and noted the importance of a time limit.

            Parker invited Pasco-Anderson to the thinktank for the project.

            The board approved acceptance of three donations: $1,000 from the Procter family; $6,988.91 from the Friends of Marion Recreation for a merry-go-round at Silvershell Beach; and $1,000 from the Friends of the Marion Council on Aging for two years of irrigation-system maintenance.

            After DPW engineer Meghan Davis informed a discussion on a requested water connection at 124 Aucoot Road, Mattapoisett, the Select Board voted the connection’s approval.

            Davis said three homeowners will share in the service, and all the infrastructure will be on the Marion side of the town line. Only the 1-inch water line will extend into Mattapoisett to the property in question. The homeowner estimated 50 feet from the meter pit to his proposed, single-family house.

            In response to a Water/Sewer Abatement request of $1,058.66 at 28 Pumping Station Road, the board voted to approve an abatement $1,017.19 based on the account average for this quarter. A since-repaired leak in the crawl space led to abnormally high charges. Hills recused himself from the case.

            Acting on the DPW’s recommendation, the board disapproved a $2,023.23 Water/Sewer Abatement request at 45 Parkway Lane.

            The board approved Water/Sewer commitments (final readings) of $722.76 (June 23) and a credit of $855.67 (July 13).

            Gorman acknowledged the research of the town’s Energy Management Committee regarding the proposed solar project at Benson Brook Road Landfill.

            Gorman has received his Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official (MCPPO) designation.

            The Beverly Yacht Club will hold its Junior Regatta August 15-16 and has reserved Silvershell facilities.

            The Marion Town Party will be held August 26 from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm at Silvershell Beach.

            The next meeting of the Marion Select Board was not announced upon adjournment.

Marion Select Board

By Mick Colageo

Artificial Intelligence 101

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            So what’s all the hype over AI? Hasn’t the tech world been heading towards a time when humans could and would create electronic circuits that mimic the functioning of human brains? The short answer is yes. The longer answer is we mere mortals now need to understand the implications and benefits of having computers more deeply entrenched into our lives.

            Enter David Wheeler, an educator whose services are geared towards the senior population, who rolled out his newest SeniorU program on artificial intelligence. On July 18, the Mattapoisett Library hosted a presentation given by Wheeler to expand our understanding of this now fully emerged technology.

            Wheeler began by explaining what AI is and how we are already interfacing with it but probably were unaware.

            Artificial intelligence, simply put, is a computer program’s ability to act on data through statistical analysis. Through faster-than-lightning processing, it takes the analytics and through specific algorithms, “learns” from the data. It can remember patterns and adapt responses. The most critical aspect of artificial reckoning is its ability to machine learn (ML), conduct deep learning and conduct natural language processing known as NLP.

            Confused? Me too. But to clear things up a bit, have you ever used a BOT (as in virtual chatting) to answer questions for you? Maybe you thought live chatting meant you were chatting with a human being – not! Oh no, it was a chatbot able to understand and cognitively interpret your NLP into something it’s running through established algorithms.

            When you shop online, it likely is no surprise that somewhere, maybe in a cloud, your buying behaviors are being stored so that the retailer can suggest more items you might want to toss in your shopping cart (virtually, of course.)

            The group of about 15 senior citizens attending the July 18 session were amazed to learn from Wheeler the extent to which AI can be used for everyday things like dinner-party planning, construction estimating, or foreign-language translations.

            Delving back into the development of artificial reasoning, Wheeler reminded the audience of that time in 1997 when the chess champion Gary Kasparov lost the chess game to IBM’s Deep Blue or when in 2011 IBM’s Watson defeated all the Jeopardy champions.

            Fast forward to 2022 and artificial intelligence includes ChatGPT, DeepMind (AI that uses ML or neutral pathways to solve problems as diverse as playing games to mapping the movement of proteins), and DALL-E (computer-generated art from ML directives.)

            Wheeler said that AI is highly trainable but only through the use of facts known as prompts and that collected data used stops at the year 2021. Yet, in spite of data limitations, AI can and does help humans with learning, reasoning, problem solving and even decision-making.

            Common industry uses for AI include customer service (remember those chatbots), lead generation, fraud detection, quality control and data scraping (think gathering.)

            And what about medicine? Wheeler shared that medical-imaging analysis, decision support for diagnostics, remote monitoring and, of course, administrative tasks are all commonly handled by computers.

            Other everyday uses for artificial intelligence are virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri, GPS and navigation, facial recognition, in-home smart devices and social-media monitoring.

            While we ponder all the ways we use AI, presently there are newer frontiers being forged as I type, I mean key. Wheeler said those frontiers are creativity, empathy, emotions, common-sense reasoning, moral and ethical decision and even sensory experiences.

            It seems like a cautionary tale: humankind creating something for the greater good like television, only to have it used for capital gains. So how do we, on the one hand, use and take from AI what helps while, on the other hand, stave off losing our brains to a computer that ultimately controls humans?

            Wheeler shared, “From the Center for AI Safety recently released this statement, ‘Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.’”

            An audience member worried about her grandchildren’s future ability to earn a living.

”What would you suggest young people should pursue as a career?” she asked.

Answer: “I’d tell them to learn a trade.”

By Marilou Newell

RHS Yard Sale Drop-off Schedule Change

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Due to the many generous people who have already donated to the Rochester Historical Society August 5-6 yard sale, we are rapidly running out of room and are canceling the Tuesday, August 1, drop-off date. We will not be taking any more items after Friday, July 28, at 12:30 pm.

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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An interesting fact I happened on the other day was that, in its earliest incarnation, our part of the New World was considered part of the Mississippi Territory. This was later changed to the Massachusetts Territory. I would guess that the change came about as the English explorers learned more about the country.

            Today’s Massachusetts once consisted of two colonies: the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which had a charter from the King of England, and the Plymouth Colony, which was founded by a group of English merchants. For many years, the two colonies were in competition with each other over land, residents, fishing and trading rights until 1692 when England issued a new Province Charter which united Plymouth to Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Bay Colony was the larger of the two and, until Maine became a state in 1820, claimed counties along the Kennebec River and in the Penobscot region.

            From the beginning, the colonies had both towns and counties. County government continues today mostly in Southeastern Massachusetts. Eight of the 14 counties of Massachusetts were abolished between 1997 and 2000 primarily due to fiscal mismanagement. The counties in southeastern Massachusetts are Barnstable, Norfolk, Dukes, Bristol and Plymouth.

            Now, back to Rochester’s beginnings. The towns of Plymouth Colony were divided into three counties, Bristol, Barnstable, and Plymouth, and in 1685 the judicial departments of town government were transferred to each county.

            Rochester was first placed in Barnstable County, perhaps because of the 20 towns in the Colony only six, counting Rochester, were in that county. I recently found a copy of a 1707 document in our files. It is addressed to his “excellency Joseph Dudley, Esq., Governor Council & Representatives assembled in General Court.” It is a petition from the inhabitants of Rochester in the county of Barnstable and it “Humbly showeth that it is a great burden to the poor inhabitants of (this) Town that we are annexed to the county of Barnstable and would be a great ease to us were we annexed to the County of Plymouth.”

            What follows are the reasons for the desired change: “that Rochester is adjacent to Plimouth where cows are held for the county and Plimouth is where most of the towns people go to market with that little that they raise.” Also, “the distance to Barnstable was 12 to 15 miles further than the distance to the Plimouth court” and “indeed for those who need to go to Barnstable they pass through Plymouth 5 or 6 times.” They also referenced the fact that Barnstable was no longer the “the least county” but had grown.

            The document ends, “At a meeting of its inhabitants of this town of Rochester regularly assembled to together on the 13th day of March 1707 this above-mentioned petition was publicly read confronted to and approved of by the major part of … inhabitants as acted by them freely.”

attest: Peter Blackmer, Clerk

In the House of Rep. Nov. 4, 1707

            Their petition was granted and the transfer to Plymouth County was made in 1709.

            Another petition was sent to Boston in 1735 from Rochester and Dartmouth requesting a new county. However, nothing came from it and Rochester has remained a part of Plymouth County for 314 years.

By Connie Eshbach

Media Lab Open at the Mattapoisett Library

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The Mattapoisett Free Public Library has an exciting update to our technology services. To support the needs of budding and seasoned makers and artists, the Media Lab is now open and ready for use. Building upon an existing 3D Printer and worktable, the Media Lab is now equipped with tools to help users design and produce innovative and original projects with ease. Details about equipment and rules for usage are located on the Media Lab page on our website, mattapoisettlibrary.org.

            The purpose of the Mattapoisett Library’s Media Lab is to provide library users with a space where they may use various digital media, creative software, and associated technologies that support their educational, professional, and personal goals and endeavors. Within the Mattapoisett Media Lab, users will be able to utilize tools like the Media Lab computer, 3D Printer, 3D Scanner, Cricut, Cricut Smart Heat Press, Animation Studio Kit, and more. Software that users can take advantage of includes the Corel Suite and the Adobe Creative Suite.

            If you would like to learn more about the Mattapoisett Media Lab or reserve a time to use it, please call the library at 508-758-4171 or email Michelle Skaar at mskaar@sailsinc.org.

Carrig Appointed ORRHS Athletic Director

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            Superintendent Michael S. Nelson and Principal Michael Devoll are pleased to announce that Christopher Carrig has been appointed as Old Rochester Regional High School’s new athletic director. He started the new role on Monday, July 24. In addition to Athletic Director, Carrig will also serve as the school’s Campus Aide.

            “We are excited to welcome Chris to our Old Rochester Regional High School community and look forward to working with him to continue enhancing the opportunities and experiences we are able to provide for our student-athletes,” said Devoll.

            Carrig comes to ORRHS from Fairhaven High School, where he was the athletic director. He directed numerous improvements to the operating procedures for the department and oversaw a $2,100,000 stadium field and lighting upgrade. Furthermore, he worked to improve the branding of and communication by the program through social media and a new website.

            He also encouraged student-athletes to participate in leadership opportunities such as the Fairhaven High School Captain’s Council, and Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) initiatives that include the Student Ambassadorship, Women and Girls in Sports Day, and Sportsmanship summits.

            From 2009 to 2018, Carrig worked at Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth and was the assistant athletic director from 2017 to 2018. He scheduled athletic seasons, coordinated transportation, completed inventory of apparel and equipment, databased statistical records, and more.

            “Athletics are a valuable tool we can use to teach life lessons and create opportunities for growth for all students,” Carrig said. “Old Rochester has a very successful athletic program, and I look forward to carrying on that tradition.”

            “Participation in athletics helps our students learn the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship and a positive attitude, know-how to overcome challenges, grow their self-esteem and leadership skills and more,” said Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. Shari Fedorowicz. “These values and experiences support the whole child by contributing to students’ development and setting them up for success in the future.”

            Added Nelson, “I am confident that, with Chris’ background and passion, he will thrive in this new position and have a positive impact on our students and the community as a whole. We are happy to have him join our team.”

            Carrig holds a Master’s of Education degree in Athletic Administration from Endicott College, and bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and biology from Roger Williams University.

            Carrig leads the Old Rochester Athletic Department following the retirement of Bill Tilden in June.

Added Pilings Will Stabilize Boat

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            Dale and Laura Briggs on July 12 received an Order of Conditions from the Marion Conservation Commission, allowing them to install three 16-inch diameter piles on the south side of their dock at 23 Dexter Road. Now their boat won’t get pushed around by the wake of other boats passing by.

            Representing the Briggs, David Davignon of Schneider, Davignon & Leone, Inc., appeared July 12 via Zoom to report that the letter sought from Natural Heritage Endangered Species program had been issued on July 3 and stated that the work at the site will not result in an adverse effect on the wildlife-habitat area.

            “With that last document, we can now close the public hearing,” said Davignon.

            Commission Chairman Emil Assing confirmed that the Natural Heritage letter is the state Department of Marine Fisheries document that the case had been awaiting. Conservation Agent Doug Guey-Lee, attending the meeting via Zoom, noted that the town had also received comment from DMF via email acknowledging the NHESP letter. With that, the commission voted to close the public hearing.

            Later in the meeting, a unanimous vote of the three-member quorum of Assing, Jeff Doubrava and Matt Schultz would seal the deal.

            The property has been the subject of multiple filings, including an open Order of Conditions for the construction of a single-family house and certificates of compliance for seawall, pier and boardwalk work at the Dexter Road address.

            Davignon said the new pilings will align with existing piles on the north side of the dock.

            According to Assing’s motion on the case, the interests of the act for the project are fisheries and land containing shellfish, and the scope of work is to construct the boat-mooring piles and associated work on the existing pier.

            Special Condition 35 will apply, prior to the commencement of the work the applicant shall arrange an onsite meeting with the Conservation Commission or its designee, the contractor and applicant to ensure all the conditions of the order are followed. The Order of Conditions shall be part of the contractor’s written contract.

            The commission voted to approve two requests for certificates of compliance, first to Paul Lugten, 18 Pinehill, in what was described by Doubrava as “a pretty old case,” the original project having been approved for a 1990s subdivision.

            According to Doubrava, the houses in the subdivision have changed hands a number of times but, over 40 years, never received relief from the original Order of Conditions. “We do one of these a year,” said Doubrava, noting that the commission has been averaging the issuance of one COC per year for the project for the last 10 years.

            The other COC was awarded to Scott Rassoulian, who had moved some trees at 195A Converse and made an access path to the water. Doubrava and associate member Millie Seeberg visited the site. Doubrava reported no inconsistencies with the Order of Conditions.

            In an update on 882 Point Road, Guey-Lee told the commission he visited the address on July 8. The commission determined that the work had been done at what Assing described as an uplands site.

            The members agreed that the hybrid meeting format should continue, but how that is sustained has yet to be confirmed since town officials recently indicated the intendion to let the town’s Zoom subscription expire.

            A permit granted to Sprague’s Cove last year was discussed, and Guey-Lee encouraged anyone with questions to reach out to the Department of Public Works.

            The Marion Conservation Commission was scheduled to reconvene on Wednesday, July 26, at 7:00 pm at the Police Station.

Marion Conservation Commission

By Mick Colageo