Joan C. Wing

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Joan C. Wing, 93, of Marion died Thursday July 13, 2023 at Tobey Hospital in Wareham unexpectedly. She was the wife of the late Robert I. Wing and a generous matriarch of the Wing family.

            Born in Marion, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of the late Bessie Sherman (Corse) and James Reid Dougall. Joan graduated from Tabor Academy and attended Bridgewater State University and UMass at Dartmouth.

            Joan worked for a while raising her family as a commercial fisher woman. Once while quahogging with a bull rake, she found a Tabor class ring on one of the tines of the rake. Everyone was surprised to find it to be the lost ring of her sister Rita. Later Joan worked as an Office Manager and Bookkeeper for many local businesses including Brewer Engineering, Gault Transportation, Gunschel Building, Harriet’s Catering, and Sperry Sails.

            An active community member of Marion, she served as a dedicated E.M.T. for the town for 37 years. Joan was past Vice Chairman of the Marion Emergency Medical Services. At the time of her death, she was the long standing and current treasurer of the Town of Marion EMT Association (a public charity). Most recently, Joan was usually the driving force of finding needed equipment for the Marion Emergency Services in coordination with the Fire Department Chief. She was a long-term member of the Marion Fireworks Committee.

            Joan loved sharing her vast knowledge on many subjects with others. She especially loved teaching her grandchildren and great grandchildren, all about everything, especially mathematics and geography. During the 1970’s Joan studied multiple computer languages and used the huge main frame computer at Sippican Corporation to do her homework. She was a long term and current member of American Mensa, Ltd.

            The Wing home has always had a variety of animals such as “hosses”, goats, sheep, dogs, cats, geese, rabbits and her chickens that she loved to watch. She bred AKC English Springer Spaniels for many years. Joan and Bob’s love of animals extended to their travels to Alaska and the Yellowstone National Park area.

            Joan and Bob traveled to many foreign countries but repeated trips to the European Alp’s for skiing were particularly enjoyed with friends and family. They were former members of the Middleborough Ski Club. Joan and Bob were active participants of The Congregational Church Couples Club, frequently enjoying meals with others. Joan and multiple family members enjoyed trips to Walt Disney World in Florida. Joan loved to listen to Classical music especially that of Strauss. Her favorite orchestra was that of Dutch leader and violinist, Andre Rieu.

            She is survived by her children, Linda J. Ward of Wareham, Robert D. Wing, Deborah J. Thompson and Patricia R. Rowley and her husband Kevin, all of Marion. Her sister Cornelia R. Dougall of Marion; her grandchildren; Geoffrey Rowley, Nicole Flannery and her husband Cash, Gregory Rowley, Corinna Grota and her husband Justin, Jessica Thompson and her husband Andrew Lunt, Kevin Ward, Katherine Kestenbaum and Bella Casino; her great grandchildren, Landon, Rowan, Grayson, Natalie, Brian, Kelly, Alex, Madeline, Titi, and Nevaeh; her nephew Mark J. Sylvia of Florida. Also survived by her cats, Mickey and Minnie, many cousins, multiple generations of nieces and nephews and a few close friends.

            Relatives, friends and acquaintances are invited to a graveside service on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at 10 am in Evergreen Cemetery, Marion which will be immediately followed by a celebration of life and reception at the Marion Music Hall, 164 Front St., Marion. Visitation is omitted.

            Donations in Joan’s memory may be made to The Marion EMT Association, a 501 (c)(3) Public Charity in c/o Cornelia R. Dougall, PO Box 6, Marion, MA 02738.

            Arrangements by Chapman Funerals & Cremations – Wareham. For directions, to leave a message of condolences or to view a video tribute visit: www.chapmanfuneral.com

John (“Jack”) Watson Braitmayer

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John (“Jack”) Watson Braitmayer, of Marion, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Friday, July 14, 2023. Jack was born in Ridgewood, NJ to Otto E. Braitmayer and Marian Schoeffel Braitmayer on February 2, 1930 and grew up in Marion alongside his twin sister Anne.

            He was a graduate of Tabor Academy and Wesleyan University. He was working at IBM when he met a young woman named Nancy Foshay who would soon become his wife of 66 years.

            Jack had a fulfilling and impactful career as the President and owner of MONA Industries in Paterson, NJ. He and Nancy raised their three children living in Darien, CT and spending summers in Jack’s beloved Marion, MA.

            Jack was always active in his local community. His generosity towards his favored institutions is legendary. He took on trustee positions at both of his alma maters and was a tireless supporter of the New Bedford Whaling Museum. He always said that his first visit to the Whaling Museum at 10 years old changed his life forever. The NBWM held a very dear place in his heart.

            He had a giving and inclusive nature that brought out the best in people around him. He had a wry sense of humor and a twinkle in his eye that lit up any room. He was maniacally positive. Very few lived closer to the objective to say something nice or say nothing at all.

            But you can’t write about Jack without talking about sailing and boating. A lifelong sailor, Jack was well known for his pride in his boats, his technical prowess on the water, his enthusiasm for encouraging non-professional sailors to safely find the joy in offshore sailing and deeply held belief that nothing in life is better than messing about in boats. He had a series of sailboats that progressively got larger, some built to his exact specifications. He raised his three children to think that a sunny day just called for a picnic lunch and a sail and that all families took vacations by cruising New England coastal waters. He and Nancy ultimately shifted to powerboating to experience more distant harbors and get there quicker, but Jack was always truly a sailor at heart.

            Jack was a stalwart supporter of institutions that supported his love for the seas. He was a leading advocate for the sail training program at Tabor Academy. He was a former commodore of the Beverly Yacht Club and was also a member of the New York Yacht Club, the Cruising Club of America, and the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club in Bermuda.

            Jack is survived by the love of his life, Nancy, and his three children Karen Braitmayer (David Erskine), Kristina Hewey (Bo) and Eric Braitmayer (Jack Haney); three grandchildren, Anina Hewey (Roger Hernandez-Lanuza), Mary Hewey (Jen Bagley), and Anita Erskine; two great-grandchildren, Emilia Hernandez-Hewey and Enzo Hernandez-Hewey. Jack was predeceased by his twin, Anne B. Webb, and his four older sisters Margaret Braitmayer West, Kathleen Braitmayer Shaw, Josephine Braitmayer Demarest and Jane Braitmayer Howell Smithers.

            In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Nancy & Jack Braitmayer Fund for Innovative Educational Excellence at the Southcoast Community Foundation (www.southcoastcf.org). A service to celebrate Jack’s life will be at a future date. Arrangements are by the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Road, Mattapoisett. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Cushing Looking at Solar

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            Heretofore, the name of the game for the Marion Energy Management Committee has been patient, thorough research, interaction with state agencies and grant organizers, presentations on energy-related matters and a lot of waiting.

            Be it a utility company like Eversource or responses from town government on the committee’s initiatives and proposals, the EMC is accustomed to meeting to check its messages, share any new ideas and try again in a couple of weeks.

            There has been major progress in the mission to cut electricity consumption in accordance with the state’s prescribed 20% goal that triggers greater grant opportunities, but regarding the EMC’s efforts to get a solar project built at Benson Brook, for instance, it’s been a slow go.

            The tenor of the committee’s conversation was noticeably different on Monday night as the members tried to organize a response to a request that Chairman Christian Ingerslev said has come in from Town Administrator Geoff Gorman.

            Thus, a special meeting to discuss a potential solar array at the Cushing Community Center. It was hoped by the membership that Gorman would attend the Zoom-only meeting.

            “I think he’s looking at the new extension (of the senior center) and Parking Lot 2. He wants some advice fairly quickly, so we need to agree on what we think is most viable. We really need to get some estimates coming in,” said Ingerslev.

            The committee, comprised of Ingerslev, Jennifer Francis, Tom Friedman, Eileen Marum, Alanna Nelson and Bill Saltonstall, has been relentless in its pursuit not only relative to energy and cost-saving opportunities for the town but with a view toward future-is-now technologies, such as electric vehicles, charging stations and conversion of fossil-fuel furnaces at municipal buildings to electric-powered heat pumps.

            Climate conscious and mindful as to rising tides, the committee has been diligent in its effort to research and present the town’s decision makers with the most up-to-date information possible as the Marion builds two major facilities, a new Department of Public Works operations center and the new Marine Center (harbormaster.) The EMC was very public but unsuccessful in its effort to influence net-zero energy designs in the two projects.

            A solar array at Cushing Community Center, it turns out, is more about logistics both in terms of what to do (or not) and how to make it happen.

            Saltonstall, who was in attendance Monday night, along with Ingerslev, Francis and Friedman, told the committee he has contacted PowerOptions, Inc., a Boston-based, nonprofit energy-buying consortium that “delivers savings and predictability on energy costs to nonprofits and the public sector across New England.”

            “I was a little late getting the gas news out to them, but they now have all the town data on electrical and gas accounts,” said Saltonstall, referring to the Mass Energy Insight program.

            Financing is one aspect of such a project, the one is equally daunting because the senior center off of Route 6 is surrounded by trees that can easily block direct sunlight from maximizing the potential of a roof-solar installation.

            “We have to be careful not to place where they will be shaded, obviously, and I hope the job is completed in one step with one company,” said Saltonstall, who had two companies install different parts of his home array and wound up needing separate meters, etc. “I heard they’re planning a new roof for the Community Center, we should coordinate with that … get plans and budgeting done beforehand. I think it’s a great idea, and we should help Geoff any way we can.”

            While Saltonstall said PowerOptions is eager to work with Marion, negotiating the best lease arrangement would likely involve letting other companies make their own pitch.

            “It’ll be hard to make specific recommendations (to Gorman) until we have a couple of proposals,” said Francis. “I think we can be pretty sure that the payback time … is in the six, seven-year range. It would not include structure for the canopy to which the panels would apply.”

            Whether the design favors roof solar or a parking-lot canopy, Saltonstall reiterated that the tall trees at the property line to the former Lockheed Martin property throw substantial shade that has to be avoided to be a successful project.

            Ingerslev raised the question as to whether a ground-mounted solar array would require the changing of a bylaw. “I don’t think the bylaws allow that at the moment,” he said, noting he has suggested a change in the bylaws.

            According to committee members, the removal of trees is not only a costly enterprise, it can nullify the benefits of solar panels because their ability to sequester carbon cannot be easily replicated by new plantings.

            “The relative environmental value of a large tree versus the panels it might shade, I tried to figure it out several times,” said Friedman. “Depending on the estimates you use, it can go one way or another. A large healthy tree is one way of fighting CO2.”

            Ingerslev said he researched the effect of taking down a tree on his property and learned that “the payback is eight to 10 years … it’s just not worth it.”

            “If you’re talking about replacing the carbon from that tree, it takes decades. Taking down trees is a pretty bad idea,” said Francis.

            “New trees just can’t sequester carbon as well as a healthy, mature tree,” agreed Friedman.

            Wherever a solar array goes at the Community Center, it will need strategic placement working within the confines of the tree-lined property.

            While the center is aged, Saltonstall noted it is a truss-type structure and might be receptive to reinforcement.

            Friedman suggested that Nelson’s expertise in funding matters and her communication with the Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative (CVEC) would be helpful.

            It was agreed that Saltonstall will craft a letter, to be reviewed by Ingerslev before going to Gorman, summarizing Monday’s meeting, the EMC’s overall support of a solar project at the Community Center and suggestions on actions Gorman can take to get the committee’s involvement into a higher gear.

            The next meeting of the Marion Energy Management Committee is scheduled for Monday, July 24, at 6:00 pm.

Marion Energy Management Committee

By Mick Colageo

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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            As I’ve written before, the Marion and Mattapoisett sections of Rochester were involved in shipbuilding. Many of these ships were whalers beginning in 1771 with the “Defiance” and ending in 1878 with the “Wanderer.” Most were built in the years prior to Mattapoisett and Marion separating from Rochester.

            While many of the whalers built in this area were destined to sail from other ports, others set sail from Marion and Mattapoisett harbors. For the most part, these voyages didn’t bring in a lot of profit for their owners. The trips tended to be shorter than those of other whalers and a “good catch” for these vessels was 300 -400 barrels, rather than the thousands brought home from longer trips.

            Mary Hall Leonard in her book, “Mattapoisett and Old Rochester”, suggests that a reason for the lower numbers was that the ships were “outfitted too well.” The crews for these voyages were local men and boys of the village. The owners may have spent more on stocking meals for the crew because they would have to face them once they returned home. The people of Nantucket and New Bedford were said to refer to these whaling expeditions as “Plum Pudding Voyages.”

            In our files at the museum, I found an interesting paper that detailed signals that were sent from the bark, John A. Parker. The John A. Parker was a 342 ton bark built by W. Barstow in 1852.

            Out on the ocean, once the whaleboats were launched, the only way for the mother ship to communicate with them was with her sails.

            Here are the details of that communication: 

            One of the head sails down- whales ahead of the ship

            Colors at masthead forward-whales 4 points on weather bow

            Colors half mast -whales 4 points on weather lee

            Colors at masthead to the main-whales on the weather beam

            Colors at half mast-whales on the lee weather beam

            Colors at masthead to the mizzen – whales on weather quarter

            Colors at half mast-whales on lee – weather quarter

            One of the sails down-whales to stern of ship

            Colors: up and down to main – boats heave up

            at masthead – one boat stove

            to the fore and main – one boat fast

            to the main and mizzen – one boat go to the fast boat

            to the mizzen and peak – boats come on board ship

            to the mizzen and forward – one boat come on board

            I definitely think I might need a cheat sheet to remember all of that, but the importance and life and death aspects of the signals probably made them easy for the crew assigned to the boats to remember.

By Connie Eshbach

Susan Gilbert Ford

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Susan Gilbert Ford, 78 of Marion died peacefully on July 10, 2023, after a hard-fought battle against pancreatic cancer. She was the wife of Dr. Lincoln Edmond Ford who predeceased her in 2019.

            Susan was born in Cuthbert, Georgia on June 2, 1945, to Marjorie Warner Gilbert and James Frank Gilbert, Jr. Life was beautiful for a couple of years until her parents ruined everything by producing one, then two, then three little sisters, each of whom she loved dearly.

            A 1963 graduate of Blakely High School, Susan graduated summa cum laude from Presbyterian College and obtained her master’s and doctorate degrees in physiology at Emory University. She served on the faculties at Georgia State University and the medical schools at Morehouse College and at SUNY (State University of New York) in Stonybrook; held research positions at University of Massachusetts Medical School and at IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis); and conducted research supported by fellowships in London, Plymouth, and Brussels.

            Susan was an avid reader of history, biography, natural history, and detective fiction, and a fierce bridge player. She was active in the Sippican Choral Society and the Sippican Woman’s Club for several years, and enjoyed skiing, horseback riding, gardening, and cooking. She was a highly talented knitter specializing in Aran sweaters, happily creating custom garments for friends and family members lucky enough to wander into her sweater zone.

            Susan’s and Lincoln’s first loves—after each other—were the grandchildren and sailing. They enjoyed bare boat charters in the Caribbean most winters and eventually retired to Marion and joined the Beverly Yacht Club. In the summertime Susan raced regularly in the Ladies Thursday Afternoon Series at the helm of her classic H-12 Suzie Q.

            Susan was predeceased by her husband and her parents. She is survived by her sisters Beverly (Seagrove Beach, FL), Phyllis (Columbus, GA), and Anne (Henrietta, NY), brother-in-law Lorentz Ottzen (Seagrove Beach, FL), and grandchildren Ilaria and Alec Stewart and Malcolm, Oliver, and Thomas Nelson. A cousin, Royce Calhoun (Cincinnati, OH) also held a special place in her heart.

            Private arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Road, Rt. 6, Mattapoisett. For the online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com. In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to honor Susan’s memory might consider a contribution to the ACLU, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Southern Poverty Law Center, or NARAL Pro-Choice America.

Bringing Her Subjects to Life

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            There is a tender touch to artist Jane Egan’s work. Quite possibly, it stems from her perspective that all subject matter rendered by her hand is portraiture. It is also possible that this artist is in tune with all her subjects, animal and otherwise. Egan’s paintings are featured on exhibit now at the Mattapoisett Library through the end of July.

            Classically trained, Egan spent a number of years teaching art at the elementary school level, but Egan has been creating art nearly her entire life. She spent some years being rather famously noted as, “the lady who paints children,” in the Crescent Beach neighborhood where she grew up. “I painted the local children until my own babies came along, and then I painted my babies,” she shared with a little smile in her voice.

            Egan trained in the use of oil paints, as well as water colors and others at the Boston University School for Art. But once she found pastels, she never looked back. Using pastels gives the finish works texture, and the crystals in the pigments reflect light, she explained. “I never smooth it out. I leave it to reflect the light. It’s vibrant.” It has been many years since Egan began working just about exclusively in pastels.

            A little research tells us that pastels were first developed in the 16th century in Italy by taking pure, powdered pigments and mixing them with enough gum Arabic and fish or animal glue to bind them. Today, instead of animal glue, gum, clay or resin are used to bind the color. Artists Jacopo Bassanoo and Federico Barocci are credited with being some of the first to embrace the use of pastels during the Renaissance.

            By the 1800s, pastel meant “soft shade.” In French, it meant “crayon.” The main pastel hues are blue, pink, yellow, green, purple and orange. It is sometimes referred to as Dry Painting. Egan is in rarified company. Edgar Degas’ famous Dancers painting was done in pastels.

            For Egan, painting animals and especially close-ups of faces might be called her signature pieces. We’ve seen horses, donkeys, cows, oxen and at least one gorilla lovingly captured in pastels. On exhibit, however, are also boats, as well as a lion, a horse and yes, a cow that seems to want to smile back at the viewer.

            “I do portraits,” Egan stated. She believes that portraits are more than just faces of living beings. A portrait can be any subject matter. Yet Egan’s animals do seem to speak to us. She captures their emotions and using the technique of having their eyes lock onto the eyes of the viewer sharing a secret, a wish, a hope. “I hope my animals say ‘… love.’”

            Egan wants humans to understand the plight of animals their near total reliance on humans. She shared that some time ago while watching a documentary about animal intelligence she learned that “…even an earthworm makes decisions. … They have feelings, they think.”

            This artist isn’t slowing down anytime soon. She continues to find inspiration in the natural world, on the shores of Crescent Beach, in the horse paddocks of Rochester and in her vivid imagination that is full of joie de vivre.

            Take a moment and stop by the Mattapoisett Library to see Egan’s “portraits.” Maybe the lion will whisper in your ear.

By Marilou Newell

‘Junk’ Yards Running out of Time

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            After inspections sparked by complaints of rodents in the area, Rochester’s Board of Health is giving the owners of 373 and 375 County Street 30 days to clean up their litter-filled properties or face court-mandated penalties.

            Rochester Health Director Karen Walega reported to the board at its July 5 meeting that 373 County had a junk-filled yard that included 13 or emptier propane tanks. The owner of 375 County Street suffered from a similar problem but also included two pet rabbits that had to be taken away by the animal control officer.

            Walega said her department sent out 30-day notices on June 30. The Board of Health will determine the next step after 30 days have passed, at its August 2 meeting. If the cleaning does not happen by then, Walega said, we’ll have to go to Housing Court.”

            Health board member Sarah Tisdale Eby noted there is so much junk that it is blocking the entrance to the house.

            Referring to the owner of 373 County, board member Dale Barrows added, “He’s a junk man. But it’s a public-safety issue.”

            Next, the board discussed communication issues with town counsel during these kinds of cases. Walega said it has been difficult communicating with representatives of Mead, Talerman & Costa, LLC, which replaced Blair Bailey as the town’s legal counsel this year. She said that when she sends emails to the firm with documentation important to a case, she cannot be certain it has been received as it takes days to get a response. When she went to court on a case, the firm’s representative could not attend.

            “I’m not happy with the representation of this firm,” Walega said.

            Town Administrator Glenn Cannon agreed, saying he, too, has seen less response from Mead, Talerman & Costa, LLC, than the town’s prior legal counsel, who often worked within Town Hall. Cannon said he will speak to the law firm’s representatives about that. Our response times from them are unacceptable. We need our response times to be better,” he said.

            In other business, the board tabled action on a request to install a proposed compost toilet at Tree Talk Natives, a native tree and perennial nursery at 157 Vaughn Hill Road. Health board members said they need more information and that a better plan for the new business would be a porta-potty trailer costing $1,500 and up to rent.

            In other meetings with town boards, Tree Talk Natives owners Jennifer and Charles Anderson have expressed wanting to simplify their business plan as much as possible and not spend too much money. Health board members said they might be out of luck if they’re hoping to skimp on this detail of their plan. “For the public, for children visiting there, they will need working toilets,” board member Glenn Lawrence said.

            The board then discussed adding new provisions to the town’s tobacco regulations. Barrows said the board needs a conversation with Megan DeCosta, its consultant on tobacco regulations. The board agreed to invite DeCosta to its next meeting on August 2.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Health is scheduled for Wednesday, August 2, at 4:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Board of Health

By Michael J. DeCicco

Photography Walk at Dexter ‘Tub’ Mill

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Mattapoisett Land Trust will be joined by experienced nature photographer, Jonathan Sharlin, for a Photography Walk program on Wednesday July 19. Jonathan is from Rhode Island and has been a professional photographer for 45 years. Come meet at 10:00 am at the Dexter ‘Tub’ Mill Park (parking in the lot on Mendell Rd) for a casual photography walk. This is perfect for experienced photographers as a chance to get outdoors and practice their craft, as well as newer photographers who would benefit from hearing some of Jonathan’s tips and tricks for photographing nature.

            It is recommended to bring a tripod, a cable release and neutral density filter if you have these items. This program is free and will happen rain or shine, within reason. Contact manager@mattlandtrust.org with any questions.

Margaret M. “Maggie” (Coucci) Crowe

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Margaret M. “Maggie” (Coucci) Crowe, 88, of Mattapoisett died July 15, 2023 at Masconomet Healthcare Center, Topsfield, MA following a lengthy illness with her loving family at her side.

She was the wife of the late Michael J. Crowe, Jr., mother of the late Kathy Crowe and sister of the late Paul Coucci.

            Born and raised in New Bedford, daughter of the late Guido and Mary (Borghi) Coucci, she lived in Mattapoisett for over 40 years.

            Maggie’s passions were her family, being a nurse, life, and her beloved dog. She was fun-loving and compassionate. She enjoyed spending time with the people she loved, the beach and making puzzles in her sunroom overlooking the water.

            She chose a career in nursing and was capped at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital School of Nursing in Brighton in 1954. She worked at St. Luke’s Hospital for many years, as a nurse, IV specialist and educator. Her friends and co-workers, Dottie, Jan, Caroline, Doran, and Helen, remained close even after retirement.

            Mrs. Crowe was a communicant of St. Anthony’s Church.

            Survivors include her 2 sons, Dr. Michael J. Crowe, III and his wife Carmen of Wareham and Matthew P. Crowe of Edgewater, FL; a daughter, Mary F. Crowe and her wife Kathy A. Cumella of Ipswich, MA; a brother, John Coucci and his wife Kathleen of Mattapoisett; sister in law Gertrude Coucci of New Bedford, MA; 7 grandchildren, Jenna, Jessica, Mychel, Matthew Jr., Erin, Sean and Hannah; 10 great-grandchildren, Koby, Jordan, Saphiyre, Kaydence, Connor, Lucas, Zeyna, Idris, Mason, and Lukas; and several nieces and nephews.

            In lieu of flowers, Memorial donations can be made to the Masconomet Healthcare Center Employee Fund, 123 High Street, Topsfield, MA 01983 or Care Dimensions Hospice, 75 Sylvan Street, Danvers, MA 01923 in gratitude for their exceptional and compassionate care.

            Her visiting hours will be held on Friday, July 21st from 9-11 AM in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett, followed by her Funeral Mass at St. Anthony’s Church, Mattapoisett at 11:30 AM. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

2022 Drought Had Lasting Effects

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            In a river-monitoring data review that Tata & Howard engineer Jon Gregory provided the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee on Tuesday, a slide presentation illustrated that the 2022 drought, combined with high pumping time, had lasting effects on area water supply for six to eight weeks.

            It wasn’t until September when local rainfall finally picked up.

            Gregory displayed graphs showing that one of the two wells south of the Mattapoisett Water Treatment Plant stayed at the 25% level through the drought while the other well did not. In comparison to groundwater levels in the fall of 2020, there was a similar drought with similar reaction. In October 2021, unusually high rainfall affected the groundwater level. Gregory said the FY23 Annual Report is almost ready to get out to the committee members.

            MRV member David Pierce noted that Marion has a summer restriction on water usage, while member John Furtado said that member town Fairhaven held a voluntary ban. “We did okay, considering we didn’t get a lot of rain,” said member John Furtado.

            Vinnie Furtado, John’s brother and chairman of the MRV commission and committee, said that Fairhaven typically starts with a voluntary ban.

            The MRV is almost at the end of a flushing program that has been adding 250 to 350 hundred gallons to district usage. John Furtado estimates that the flushing will end in mid-August.

            Member Nick Nicholson asked Gregory about Well Number 1; the answer is that it came back to proper levels.

            Pierce asked if the recovery can be traced to seasonal visitors leaving the area and usage going down as a result. Gregory answered in the affirmative, noting that in mid-to-late September usage trails off. That and the increase of rainfall, he said, contributed to less pumping at the Water Treatment Plant.

            Customarily meeting 30 minutes before the MRV Water District Commission, the heavily overlapped Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee also heard from Gregory that he plans to go out with David Watling next week and download data and inspect level loggers.

            There are still a couple of original level loggers, maybe three or four, according to Gregory, who is close to swapping them all out for new ones. He said they are supposed to have a 10-year life.

            In his Treasurer’s Report to the committee, Mark Furtado reported $62.48 in interest from Rockland Trust, along with two months’ worth of paid invoices including for May: Watling $251.72, Blair Bailey $50, and Tata & Howard $2,684.78 for an ending balance of $149,399.30. For June, Watling $251.72, Bailey $50, and Tata & Howard $3,493.02. An encumbered $150,000 was taken out and left out for an ending balance of $145,667.05.

            Jeff Furtado told the committee he does not yet have a year-ending balance. When he receives notice of Rockland Trust interest for May and June, then the committee can close out FY23.

            In Renauld’s absence, the committee voted to authorize Vinnie and Jeff Furtado to sign invoices for this month so the committee can make its payments.

            Vinnie Furtado gained approval to pay the following invoices: Bailey $50, Tata & Howard $5,261.50, Watling $251.72, and for Meagan McCarthy’s graph work over two months (17 hours) $578.

            The Annual Calendar and assessment letters to member-town water officials will be addressed at the committee’s next meeting.

            The insurance overview that Vinnie Furtado was to give the commission will be on next month’s meeting agenda.

            During the District Water Commission meeting that immediately followed, Vinnie Furtado told the commissioners he had in his possession signed invoices including individual amounts of $6,300, $4,285 and $5,000. The commission voted to approve paying the invoices as signed by Water Treatment Plant Manager Henri Renauld, who could not attend Tuesday’s meeting.

            Marion representative Meghan Davis reported that she has received information that as a result of PFAS litigation, the MRV can participate in a nationwide Pollution Remedial Expenses case by registering for the cost-recovery program without any cost to participate.

            The ensuing discussion yielded no defects in Marion or Rochester. Davis said that Marion conducted sampling last year. The next round of sampling comes up later this month. No details on a timeline for recoveries were available; Davis will keep the commission up to date.

            Vinnie Furtado reported having met with Brian Murphy of HUB regarding Water Treatment Plant insurance and went over the imminent facility upgrade. He said HUB may wish to increase the premium. An invoice has been received on the new fiscal year.

            The commission approved a $21,000 amendment to the Engineering Agreement for the Water Treatment Plant Upgrade per out-of-scope work that Gregory reported, primarily in working with the emergency SRF funding, getting submittals to MassDEP, preparing the application, satisfying water requirements and related procurement matters.

            In his Water Treatment Plant Project Update, Gregory reported that procurement docs are currently out to bid. Tata & Howard is presently working through an addendum for exceptions and questions. Originally scheduled for July 12, the bid is opening scheduled for Wednesday, July 19, at 1:00 pm. Gregory said Tata & Howard is also working on the permitting piece.

            In his Tata & Howard Report, Gregory said the FY24 Water Treatment Plant chemical bid process yielded responses regarding citric acid and sodium hydroxide, but no bids were received for liquid oxygen or propane. Renauld will proceed with the awards.

            Pierce asked what happens if there are no bids. Gregory said it would become a negotiation with the vendor.

            The next meetings of the MRV Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee/District Commission are scheduled for Tuesday, August 8, at 3:30 pm and 4:00 pm, respectively.

MRV Water District Commission/Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee

By Mick Colageo