We’re busy planning our next event. Last year, we did a tour of the oldest third of Rochester Center Cemetery. This year on June 11 at 1:00, Sue LaFleur and Connie Eshbach will be leading a tour that picks up where we left off last year. We will be meeting people in the middle of the cemetery. We hope to see you there.
The Old Rochester Regional High School Senior Class Events Schedule is as follows:
May 30: Senior Prom 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm
June 1: Senior Awards Night 6:30 pm
June 3: Senior Assembly 9:00 am
June 3: Senior parade 6:15 pm
June 4: Graduation 12:00 pm
A group comprised of 31 Old Rochester Regional Marine Biology students from the junior and sophomore classes converged on Nantucket Monday morning to get a taste of the fieldwork being done by scientists working to find solutions for ecological problems threatening marine life.
What the students are already being taught is that the rubber of those problems is meeting the road of their world. Monday’s field trip provided an opportunity to get an up-close and personal look at what a career in Marine Biology looks, sounds and feels like.
“It’s really cool and interesting how they can clean the water, filter the sand, as well as making algae, and being able to understand which algae is best for their (shellfish),” said Selena Pratt, a 16-year-old ORR sophomore from Marion who had already visited the oyster hatchery on Martha’s Vineyard. “They’re still learning because we don’t know everything about the ocean.”
The trip, arranged by the Mattapoisett Land Trust and attended by representatives Ellen Flynn, Mary Cabral, Colleen Andrews and Cindy Turse, was accompanied by ORR staff, including ORR Marine Biology teacher Lynn Connor, staff Paul Gilbeault, Lindsay Deignan and Jill Grant and parent chaperones Erin Braman and Tom Friedman.
“We live by the ocean, so it’s nice to see that we’re exploring our surroundings a little bit more and digging deeper into those problems like the algae blooming,” said Reese Souza, a 17-year-old ORR junior from Rochester. “I think it’s important to educate the public on the problems with the ocean that are occurring right now … while they’re still in that infancy stage before they take out other populations of fish.”
Shellfish Hatchery, while the other half of the students worked under the supervision of Yvonne Valencourt, director of the UMass Boston Field Station located across town.
Upon visiting a crowded room full of tanks with adult scallops, Freeman told the group, “Anything in science, you need to be okay with being uncomfortable in nature,” and, “You need to get used to bad smells.” She also advised the group visiting the hatchery to get scuba certified, estimating 60 planned dives this year, including 20 over the next two weeks.
Students in the field-station group explored trails, arriving at the beach where they collected water samples and then examined them under microscopes.
“We took water samples from a little pond, a stream and the ocean, and then we measured the ocean for salinity,” said ORR junior Connie Friedman, 17, of Marion. “Everybody got a different sample from the three areas that we went to.”
The point of the closer look was to identify bugs. “There were bugs that could survive pollution and there were ones that couldn’t… I found some of the ones that couldn’t survive the pollution, which was a good sign,” said Friedman, who is looking to attend the University of New Hampshire and has been interested in Marine Biology since she worked with Terrapin turtles as a child.
Connor, who accompanied students visiting the Field Station, said those students took a watershed hike through a stream area before reaching a swamp area with a small vernal pool. After water samples were taken at each location, the walk continued to the beach where Valencourt took a plankton sample.
“It’s good, it’s real good. There are other solutions, but this is definitely a viable one,” said Elijah Batty, a SMEC student from Lakeville who is taking math and Marine Biology at ORR.
While the three hours spent on Nantucket afforded the students a little downtime to walk the town and find some ice cream or pizza, the trip reinforced Pratt’s appetite for more knowledge of the ocean.
“Even if you’re out of school, you’re still learning about the world,” she said. “I would enjoy learning about the ocean, trying to figure out a way to stop human – not just human problems, what we’re causing to the ocean such as adding too much carbon dioxide – and if the algae blooms aren’t growing, they can’t do photosynthesis, therefore they can’t take out the carbon dioxide. … So the (potential hydrogen) levels are higher, and I would find it fascinating to be able to fix that.”
Mattapoisett Land Trust
By Mick Colageo
The May 16 Mattapoisett Town Election found incumbent Tyler Macallister winning a three-year term to remain a Select Board member, defeating first-time opponent Catherine Heuberger.
Macallister received 1,252 votes to Heuberger’s 408. Word on the street was the race would be much tighter, given the third candidate, Brian Connelly, might split the vote, making it possible for Heuberger to win without getting a majority of all who cast votes on this night. With Macallister’s vote advantage, Connelly’s 245 votes did not factor in the outcome.
After the results were announced, Heuberger congratulated Macallister. She shared with The Wanderer, “I’m a bit relieved … it was a lot of work.” When asked if she would try again in the future, she responded with a smile and chuckle saying, “I wouldn’t put my family or coworkers through that again.” Heuberger said it was a good experience, one that she’ll remember for a long time.
Macallister expressed his appreciation at being reelected this way: “I’ll have a chance to continue working on projects such as the wharf,” an improvement project that has been brewing for nearly 10 years. He also said that now that the UMass Boston Collins Center report on school-consolidation options have been released, the material contained therein will be helpful as the Select Board and Mattapoisett School Committee continue to study ways to keep school costs from pushing a tax burden on the residents.
During a 27-hour period that began with the Collins Center’s conclusion that school consolidation won’t save money and concluding with Tuesday night’s successful reelection campaign, Mattapoisett School Committee Chairperson Carly Lavin hasn’t broken stride.
“We have a lot of work (to do) in town. Aging infrastructure is something that doesn’t just affect the non-school community. It affects us in making sure that we have a thriving community so I’m excited about helping continue that work,” said Lavin after garnering 1,270 votes to 657 for challenger David Pierre Jr., who was gracious in defeat.
“Congratulations to Carly … I wish everybody the best. I know that she is dedicated to the students and families in the community,” said Pierre.
Lavin was pleased to learn more than 1,500 registered voters visited Old Hammondtown School to cast ballots.
“To have this large of a voting turnout today tells me that our town is engaged. I think that’s great,” said Lavin. “We don’t all think alike; we don’t all have the same opinions, but I think we all have a love and a care for the town, and I think if we can center around that and try and move forward. I’m hopeful that we can do what’s right to make sure Mattapoisett is as wonderful a place for the future as it is now.”
Comparably, ORR School Committee incumbent Frances-Feliz Kearns won with a 1,169-791 margin over challenger Richard Reilly.
In the only other contested race, incumbent Ruth Oliver Jolliffe maintained her seat on the Trustees of the Public Library with 1,366 votes. William Coquillette, who ran unsuccessfully last year, garnered 996 votes to take the other open seat. Paul Criscuolo received 427 votes, while 1,189 ballots were left blank.
In other races not related to schools, Heuberger will return as the town clerk for another three years, receiving 1,507 votes. Raymond Andrews held his position as assessor for another three years in an uncontested race with 1,527 votes.
Water/Sewer Commissioner Daniel Chase was reelected in his uncontested race, receiving 1,498 votes, and unopposed Board of Health incumbent Carmelo Nicolosi was reelected for another three years with 1,489 votes.
A vacant five-year position on the Planning Board went to William Wennerberg, III, uncontested with 1,354 votes. The Mattapoisett Housing Authority kept John Vaughn for another five-year term with 1,451 votes and Community Preservation Committee members Michelle Hughes and Chuck McCullough won their uncontested bids with 1,422 and 1,348 votes, respectively.
With no one on the ballot for town moderator, the winner among 289 write-in votes was not determined on Tuesday night.
The one question on the ballot asked the voters to provide exemption from proposition two and a half, the amount required to pay for the bond issued in order to pay costs of road reconstruction for the Pearl and Oakland streets roadway, including incidental expenses. The vote was 993 yes to 635 no.
Mattapoisett Town Election
By Marilou Newell and Mick Colageo
Local town leadership threw their support behind Coastline for Older Americans Month, helping deliver meals to older adults in Marion, Fairhaven and Dartmouth. Like Coastline’s regular drivers, they greeted adults on their route by name and handed meals to recipients with a hello and friendly conversation.
After being given her meal by Marion Select Board members Randy Parker and Toby Burr, Marion nonagenarian Marian Treichler, a retired teacher, chatted with the men about the well-being of several town residents and the shops and businesses they operate. Nonagenarian Gabe Ditata also used the delivery opportunity to discuss local issues with the two selectmen, including the motor vehicle traffic near his home.
Both enjoyed the visits and the chance to share and receive local news.
Meals on Wheels is a core Coastline program that supports older adults in living independently by providing nutritious weekday meals and well-being checks. In 2022, Coastline delivered 434,000 meals in seven South Coast communities.
In the past decade, the number of meals Coastline serves has increased 56 percent even as food costs grew by 53 percent. In contrast, federal funding decreased by 2 percent over the same 10-year period from 2013 to 2023. Increases in state funding, while helpful, cover a smaller percentage of program costs and therefore do not make up the financial difference.
Despite the gap, Coastline has made the decision to seek alternative program funding, including fundraising, in order to meet the demand for every older adult who needs meals. Meals are delivered free to recipients with a request for a $2 per meal donation. While some recipients can afford this donation, most cannot.
“Coastline remains committed to serving meals to those who need them, especially those who are unable to leave their home without difficulty,” said Justin Lees, CEO. “We continue to work with the South Coast legislative delegation and other opportunities to improve funding support for this important program.”
“This is such a great program to ensure our seniors get nutritional meals with a safety check in,” said Murphy. “As a Select Board member and president of M.O. Life, I applaud the continuous great work that Coastline is doing.”
Murphy praised program drivers for the relationships they create with recipients and the safety checks they make as part of their deliveries. Drivers are not allowed to leave meals on doorsteps or at neighbors’ homes and must give them directly to the individual recipient for that reason.
“Even that two minutes of saying hello means, ‘Ok, they’ve come to the door, they’re ok,’” Murphy said about that moment of contact.
May is Older Americans Month, a time to celebrate the achievements and gifts of older Americans. This year’s theme is Aging Unbound, a topic designed to encourage increased flexibility in thinking about aging and about the benefits when older adults remain engaged, independent, and included, according to the federal Administration for Community Living.
To find out more or to request meal delivery, call Coastline at 508-999-6400.
To Mattapoisett Select Board,
On December 1, 2022, Sky Development Ltd. submitted a proposal per the requirements of the RFP#22-26 to develop the former fire station at 26 County Road into a full scale grocery store.
Pursuant to the RPF a Purchase and Sale should have been provided by January 31, 2023. On February 27, 2023 I was finally provided a draft Purchase and Sale for review. I sent said Purchase and Sale to my Attorney for review. Per section 10 of the RPF we were already a month past the time to have a mutually agreeable Purchase and Sale Agreement executed. After review I instructed my attorney to send back the Agreement with proposed changes. During this time, I had a hold on my bid funds as I was unsure what was supposed to happen with the funds.
Also while reviewing the Purchase and Sale, several terms were included that were not disclosed in the RPF, which could have caused a issue with financing.
While reviewing the P&S I was informed that the Town tried to cash by bid deposit check and the Town was informed there was a hold. I instructed my Attorney to tell Town counsel the proper deposit would be tendered on the execution of a mutually agreeable P&S. I was informed that unless I tendered a good check for the bid deposit that the Town could cash my proposal would now be deemed non responsive.
Rather than proceed to negotiate the terms of the P&S, Mattapoisett Town Counsel in fact deemed by proposal ‘Non-Responsive’ and has been attempting to sell the building to the next bidder for less than 50% of my proposed offer.
According to M.G.L chapter 30B Section 16, referenced in the RFP the Town of Mattapoisett will need to publish its decision with the state as to why it has decided to sell this property a price less than the value set per the RFP.
For anyone interested in what could have been created with the help and partnership of the Town of Mattapoisett, I am listing here the simple, thoughtful, sensible requests made within the P&S:
-Approve the market buildout.
-Waive the permitting fees.
-Grandfather the existing bathrooms.
-Approve our drawn expanded parking.
-Remediate or accept any mentioned lead paint.
-Approve exterior layout including dining and child play area.
As a commercial Business Taxpayer and property owner in Mattapoisett I am taken aback at how flippant Town Counsel was with the Purchase and Sale negotiation and disregard for a proposal which is netting the Town more than twice the second proposal. I am sure that other taxpayers in Town will not take this information lightly.
As productive member of our community, I am extremely disappointed with the speed at which Town Council has kicked aside a ‘we the people’ project, avoided the opportunity to work with someone clearly interested in citizen oriented development, and has forced the Town into accepting far less for their asset.
Michael Sudofsky
The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence. All letters must be typed and submitted directly to: news@wanderer.com.
There were two races heading into the May 12 town election and incumbents on the Old Rochester Regional School Committee and the local town school committee were successful.
Margaret McSweeny took 469 votes to defeat challenger Jennifer Marie-Zora Stewart, who netted 190 votes.
“I am grateful that Marion reelected me so that I can continue to do this meaningful work,” McSweeny said after the vote. “I look forward to continuing to collaborate with the administration, the staff of our schools and my fellow School Committee members to make sure that our school district is one that is safe, supportive and equitable for all.”
On the Marion School Committee, incumbents Nichole Nye McGaffey and Mary Beauregard retained their seats against challenger Mirian Nawoichik. McGaffey, and Beauregard received 479 and 465 votes, respectively. Nawoichik received 167 votes.
Reached after the election, McGaffey said she was honored to be reelected and working with the “amazing” school administration, parents, staff and other stakeholders. She said she is excited that the committee voted on appointing a school resource officer for the next school year.
McGaffey last year ran as a write-in candidate when no one had stepped up to become an official candidate. McGaffey will start her first full term on the board.
“The parents are really involved, and we appreciate the feedback we get from them,” she said. “Everyone is really involved and super passionate about their children getting the best possible education they can.”
Beauregard was elected in 2020 and now serves on the Policy and Equity subcommittees, the Joint School Committee and as the Marion representative for the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.
“I’m so grateful that Marion voters decided to let me continue serving. Thank you to those who value and support our work,” Beauregard said.
All other candidates ran uncontested.
Norm Hills, first elected in 2017, ran unopposed and will start his third term on the Select Board. He received 532 votes.
The Planning Board will have two new members after Hills and Chris Collings retired from their seats at the end of their terms. Incumbent Eileen Marum received 444 votes, and newcomers Ryan Burke received 460 and William Dale Jones 390. There were three open seats and no races.
On the Board of Health, appointed incumbent Albin Johnson, who is also a founding member of the board, was the lone candidate and received 521 votes.
Incumbent Pat DeCosta took 545 votes as the only candidate for a three-year Board of Assessors position.
Peter Winters, a recent appointee, took 523 votes as the sole candidate for a two-year Board of Assessors post.
Out of the town’s approximate 4,459 registered voters, 671 residents cast a ballot.
Town of Marion Election
By Jeffrey D. Wagner
Up until now, Rochester Memorial School has not been a School Choice destination, and it will remain that way for the 2023-24 academic year after the Rochester School Committee voted against joining the program after its May 4 public hearing.
When the committee deliberated, Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson explained how the School Choice program has worked in Mattapoisett and ORR districts.
Enrollment is a factor, and Nelson deferred to RMS Principal Derek Medeiros, who said the school has been hovering above 500 annually. As of May 4, registration was incomplete for the 2023-24 academic year but had already reached 495.
“I’d say enrollment is pretty consistent,” said Medeiros, who estimated a range of 500 to 520 over the past few years.
Nelson offered his opinion that the lower grades need smaller class sizes and that it becomes a matter of personal opinion with older children.
Committee member Jason Chisholm suggested RMS has room in Grades 3 and 4 and the ability to enrich the community and be enriched by participating in School Choice. He cited Fairhaven resident, recent ORR graduate and Harvard student Eddie Gonet as an example.
Committee member Anne Fernandes agreed on the enrichment piece but found School Choice not to be economically feasible for RMS.
Special Education was also discussed, including as it affects a School Choice scenario in which the school attended is unable to meet all the needs of a particular student. Nelson explained that meetings with the student’s home district would be the next step toward finding solutions.
Nelson said RMS has eight students in Individual Education Plans (IEP.)
No one responded from the public to the invitation for questions or comments, so Committee Chairperson Sharon Hartley closed the public hearing.
Fernandes motioned that RMS does not join the School Choice program, and member Kate Duggan seconded the motion, citing a need to prioritize current challenges faced by Rochester’s own students. The vote was unanimous.
The committee voted to approve the following meeting dates for the 2023-24 school year: August 31, October 5, November 2, December 14, January 25, February 29, April 4 and June 6.
“This district is so completely unique in many ways, but one way that is tough on our school leaders is the fact that we have so many (committees) …,” said Hartley, citing the ORR District and Joint School Committee as well as the three towns’ committees. “It means that there are way less nights and evenings and afternoons that our leaders can do other kinds of work that has to be done. It becomes really complex.”
Nelson said the ORR Administration will be proposing a more-consistent calendar of school-committee and subcommittee meeting dates in an effort to avoid conflicts with other school events and members’ personal planning. He hopes Thursday will become a common day for those meetings.
The committee voted to accept the donation of a saxophone stand from ORR media director Erin Bednarczyk.
On recommendation of the school librarian, the committee also voted to accept the donation of the following 15 books from the Scholastic Book Fair: “A Crown for Corina” by Laekan Zea Kemp; “Star Wars Galactic Baking” by Insight Editions; “The Horse Encyclopedia for Kids” by Ethan Pembroke; “The Official Harry Potter Baking Book” by Joanna Farrow; “Frizzy” by Claribel A. Ortega; “If I Was the Sunshine” by Julie Fogliano; “A Poem for Peter” by Andrea Davis Pinkney; “The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster” by Mo Willems; “Waiting” by Kevin Henkes; “Who Was the First Man on the Moon?; Neil Armstrong” by Nathan Page; “Nature Attacks” by Lauren Tashis; “Who Was the Greatest?: Muhammad Ali” by Gabe Soria; “Cat Kid Comic Club” by Dav Pilkey; “Barakah Beats” by Maleeha Siddiqui and “Room to Dream” by Kelly Yang.
The committee heard updates on finances from ORR Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber and on the district’s literacy initiative from Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. Shari Fedorowicz.
In his Principal’s Report, Medeiros announced RMS will hold its science fair, art show and third-grade concert all in one night, Thursday, May 18, beginning at 5:30 pm. Medeiros thanked Tree Warden Jeff Eldridge and ORR School Committee member Matthew Monteiro for organizing Arbor Day, sending students home with trees. Kindergarten screening will be held Wednesday, May 31, and Thursday, June 1. Preregistered, half-hour slots will be held between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.
The School Committee entered executive session for the purposes of exception Number 3 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining and Number 7 to comply with the provisions of any general or special law or federal grant-in-aid requirements and only returned to adjourn.
The next meeting of the Rochester School Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, June 6, at 6:30 pm at Rochester Memorial School. The next meeting of the Joint School Committee will be held on Thursday, June 8, at 6:30 pm at ORR Junior High School.
Rochester School Committee
By Mick Colageo
Kenneth W. Sienkiewicz, 79, of Mattapoisett died May 13, 2023 at home.
He was the husband of the late Deborah A. (Nash) Sienkiewicz.
Born and raised in New Bedford, son of the late Stanley Sienkiewicz and Doris I. (Moreau) Allen, he lived in Mattapoisett most of his life.
He was formerly employed with New England Telephone for over 35 years until his retirement.
Mr. Sienkiewicz enjoyed family vacations, history and working on cars.
He was a member of the Fin Fur and Feather Club.
Survivors include his son, Marc Sienkiewicz of Fall River; 2 step-sons, Nathaniel Siegel and Jeremy Siegel, both of New York; a brother, Robert Allen of Leominister; a sister, Winifred Allen of New Hampshire; and a niece, Tammy Edwards of Sturbridge.
His Funeral will be held on Thursday, May 18th at 10 am in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett. Burial will follow in Cushing Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Wednesday, May 17th from 4-7 pm. For directions and guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
The Mattapoisett Congregational Church is pleased to announce the winners of our 2023 scholarship awards.
Theodore Carroll, a student at Old Rochester Regional High School (ORR), is the recipient of the $2,500 Coquillette Family Scholarship; Morgan Berry, a student at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School, is the recipient of the $2,500 Memorial Scholarship.
In addition, we have awarded $1,000 Coquillette Family Scholarships to: Reagan Rock (ORR) and Grace Picewick (Bourne High School), as well as $1,000 Memorial Scholarships to: Thomas Berry and Jillian LeBlanc, both students at ORR.