The September 14 meeting of the Marion School Committee kicked off a few minutes behind schedule, as members of the committee went on a tour of Sippican Elementary School, meeting some of the new staff and checking out the setup for the recently started school year. Once everyone had settled in, the meeting was called to order.

            The meeting opened with a presentation to welcome new staff members, with short bios and fun facts presented in a PowerPoint format. Among them were Michelle Ennis, the school adjustment counselor who had moved to America from Ireland when she was 18. She’s had a photograph published by National Geographic and Parade magazines and has performed in professional bands for over two decades.

            The next newcomer was Taylor Nelson, a Grade 6 teacher who grew up on Martha’s Vineyard. She has a five-month-old daughter and traveled to Australia as part of a soccer tournament when she was 12. Then came Maggie Francisco, the school psychologist, with a birthday on New Year’s Eve and an affinity for cornhole; she has even helped design and build cornhole boards! Debra Smith is a Grade 4 teacher who started her career as a high school English teacher. An adopted child herself, she’s previously worked for an agency providing services for adoptive families as well as having volunteered for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, remaining in contact with her Little Sister to this day.

            Rounding out the pack was Katie Pike, the new art teacher, who has previously dyed her hair “every color of the rainbow.” She taught ceramics at a youth summer camp in Bridgewater for two years and loves to explore the outdoors in New Hampshire.

            After a warm group welcome, the approval of the minutes was raised. A brief debate ensued over details some members felt were missing with revisions suggested and reviews agreed upon. With that settled, the committee went into a brief Executive Session.

            Upon return, the members discussed the opening day of the school and the celebrations and events therein. Much praise was heaped upon the keynote speaker, Liz Kleinrock. She gained national attention after appearing in a short documentary produced by Fluid Film, as well as news outlets such as CNN, The Washington Post, NPR and BBC.

            Having worked as an AmeriCorps volunteer teacher, a classroom educator and a diversity coordinator, Kleinrock works around the nation to make sure students are getting the support they need in the classroom. She received the Teaching Tolerance Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2018 and has published articles with Heinemann Publishing and Teaching Tolerance on topics such as destigmatizing privilege, trauma-informed teaching and cultivating relationships with students and families.

            After an approval of the Student Handbook, the committee gave an update on the School Resource Officer. Given the year’s budget, hiring a SRO was not considered feasible, though it was noted that additional funding was being sought out and would likely be attained. There was also mention of a pilot program to increase the police presence in the building. Committee members wanted to stress the fact that this was something being actively worked on.

            The committee confirmed that there would be a free breakfast and lunch program for students for the 2022-23 school year and celebrated the announcement while going on to note that there had been and could continue to be supply-chain issues and subsequent cost concerns as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

            The installation of an ADA-compliant electric door in the Sippican Elementary School entrance is ongoing, as is the reinstallation of the rear playground to ensure students have ample opportunity for positive exercise and play.

            During the Central Office Administrators Report, the potential need for a literacy assessment for the student population was discussed. The goal would be to identify literacy needs within the school system. Funding has been sought through various grants and partners, though currently the status is “fingers crossed.” Details will come when more concrete plans have been identified.

            The Principals Report came with praise for all the new staff members, reminding those present how lucky they were to have a full clinical team including a school adjustment counselor and psychologist. Also mentioned was Marion Public School’s partnership with Tri-Town Against Racism in order to decorate the bulletin boards across the building, along with monthly classroom activities based around things like Black History Month or Autism Acceptance Month, “touching on all of the people who are in our community and celebrating who we are as a school.”

            After brief discussion of the fourth graders’ upcoming instrument selection, which apparently heavily favors the trumpet, the microphone was turned over to the School Committee reports, which commented upon a number of routine goings-on, including upcoming subcommittee meeting dates and potential future agenda items.

            The meeting was then opened for public comment, during which a Marion citizen took issue with ORR’s selection of Kleinrock as a lecturer to faculty. She claimed that Kleinrock, a Korean-American woman, was forcing a political narrative into the education system with her antiracist teaching. She claimed that a book that was recommended on Kleinrock’s website, “Not My Idea” by Anastasia Higginbotham, was racist against white people, before stating that Kleinrock’s endorsement of the book was further proof of Kleinrock’s political agenda.

            The second public comment was from another Marion citizen who wanted to raise concern against the lack of a School Resource Officer. The committee reminded them that they had previously addressed this issue and stated again that there isn’t room in the FY23 operating budget. After confirming that no further comment was raised, the committee adjourned the public meeting.

            The next meeting of the Marion School Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, October 26, at 6:30 pm at Sippican Elementary School and via Zoom. The next meeting of the Joint School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, September 29, at 6:30 pm at Old Rochester Regional Junior High School and via Zoom.

Marion School Committee

By Jack MC Staier

            Brian and Beth Keane received a Negative Box 2 Determination of Applicability for their plan to raze an existing house and garage and construct a new home with an attached garage, driveway, retaining walls, landscaping and utilities 8 Pie Alley, but the decision made by the Marion Conservation Commission on September 14 was made with respect to abutters concerned about flooding in their neighborhood.

            Bill Madden of G.A.F. Engineering, representing the applicant, explained stormwater-management improvements. Madden said he was asked by Will Saltonstall to add features to mitigate the runoff situation.

            “That’s what we did,” said Madden, who noted the work is in the flood zone so the mission is to capture roof runoff and store it and infiltrate it through a series of “filtration beds.”

            Other commissioners indicated they are satisfied with the plan.

            Abutter Michael Moore, who owns the adjacent property to the north, told the commission that the new garage will sit much closer to his lot line than the existing structure. Seeing that the applicant’s representatives reported on a 2-foot dig, Moore said he dug 4 feet down on the abutting property close to the lot line and found a layer of clay that he suspects lies beneath both properties. As a result, he articulated concern that the drainage plan next door will not be sufficient and will in the end add to the flooding problem there.

            In conceding a lack of rights where it concerns the specific project, Moore said there is a “regional problem” at Pie Alley and Lewis Street that the commission needs to address. He recommended pits be dug to 4 feet.

            Emil Assing, acting as chairman in the absence of Jeff Doubrava, discussed the limitations of the commission and sought corroboration from Conservation Agent Doug Guey-Lee and former commission chairman Shaun Walsh. Both gave it.

            Guey-Lee said the ConCom’s purview is only to approve the project if installed as permitted.

            Walsh agreed with Guey-Lee, adding that the Conservation Commission is reviewing a RDA in which the only resource area subject to the Wetlands Protection Act is land subject to coastal-storm flowage.

            “There are no performance standards associated with that resource area, but typically what we look for is we want to ensure that structures that are structured on land subject to coastal-storm flowage are not going to result in, sort of, creating these … areas that will increase the velocity of flood waters. This is … not a (velocity) zone,” said Walsh, reiterating the 10-day appeal period for abutter dissatisfied with a commission decision.

            Acknowledging the nuance in Moore’s question, Walsh said that, for instance, six months down the road if there is flooding, the commission is without recourse.

            “In my opinion, this project may result in an improvement over current site conditions,” said Walsh, noting the slope being put into the land and the introduction of stormwater structures that do not yet exist. “I don’t think it’s going to exacerbate the situation. … Not the answer I think you wanted to hear.”

            “It was the answer I expected,” said Moore, who graciously thanked the commission for hearing his concern.

            In his motion, Assing suggested erosion-control plans in the event a situation develops. Walsh agreed heavy rain could increase the problem. The commissioners conditioned the negative determination with erosion control, suggesting straw wattles as an example.

            The Enforcement Order for Unpermitted Activity at Marion Golf Club, 10 South Drive, is drawing toward a conclusion. Guey-Lee called the latest plan “a great step forward.” Walsh recommended that the club respond quickly to final suggestions with an eye on a September 28 vote to approve. “I think we’re 98 percent there, that’s my feeling, maybe even 99,” said Walsh.

            The representative for the Marion Harbor Trust, owner of the club, noted that the revision presented on September 14 was based on the commission’s recommendations and that the case has dragged on since June throughout the summer. She sought assurance that “a happy conclusion” was, in fact, being achieved.

            Assing said he anticipates the end of the process at the next meeting but did not want to speak for other commissioners. Guey-Lee furthermore noted that the chairman (Doubrava), not being present, should not be spoken for.

            Thomas Heiser’s Notice of Intent for beach nourishment at 5 Island Court was approved with an Order of Conditions.

            James Connolly received an Order of Conditions to construct a single-family house and associated utilities at Dexter Road.

            Tucker Burr was issued a Negative 2 and 3 Determination of Applicability, green-lighting his plan for general landscaping off Route 6.

            Michael Craffey’s NOI to repair an existing seawall and remove invasive phragmites was continued to October 26.

            The commission approved a three-year extension of the town’s permit to manage an overgrowth of invasive plants at the Sprague’s Cove retention pond.

            The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for Wednesday, September 28, at 7:00 pm.

Marion Conservation Commission

By Mick Colageo

The plan to finance construction of Marion’s new Marine Center at Island Wharf was predicated on two $1,000,000 grants from the state’s Seaport Economic Council, which first granted Marion $300,000 before adding the first of the aforementioned $1,000,000 grants.

            “I don’t have high hopes for the final installment,” said Harbormaster Isaac Perry, who said he will send in the final grant application, “but … I’ll believe it when I see it.”

            All three harbormasters, Perry, Adam Murphy and David Wilson, were on deck for Monday night’s public meeting of the Marine Resources Commission at the Music Hall.

            Boat maintenance will be expensive this year, as Perry noted problems with the lower unit on the Harbormaster Department patrol boat. Having budgeted $10,000 for maintenance and repair, Perry said $11,000 has already been spoken for, and all three department boats still need to be winterized.

            Until Marion’s facilities are completed, boats like town vehicles have no sheltered storage. Perry said he will take funds from Marine Supply budget and told the commission the department has a spare 300 horsepower motor if something goes wrong.

            A motor for the town’s pump-out boat was ordered on September 1, 2021; Perry anticipates its delivery in January. “The Clean Vessel Act hopefully will cover some of those expenses,” he said. There are 1,600 hours on the current motor.

            Overall, Fiscal Year 2022 revenue is just shy of $467,000 against expenses coming in slightly over $466,000, so the Harbormaster Department is putting away approximately $10,000 into the Waterways Account.

            Perry’s perusal of social media indicates a lot more boaters are using the Bird Island dock, which was designed for center-console (smaller) vessels, but large ones are also docking there. That has prompted Perry to get that float out of the water earlier in the season than in the past. In October, the Harbormaster Department will remove many of the channel speed markers.

            The extra efforts put forth by the department thanks in large part to Perry’s experienced and knowledgeable staff will require some serious reinvention should the town not figure out a way to fiscally manage the effects of the national Police Reform Act of 2020.

            According to Perry, Chief of Police Richard Nighelli was scheduled to meet on Tuesday with other area police chiefs. “We’ll have a lot better idea of what that will entail … next couple of months we’ll know more,” he said.

            Centralized, standardized training will, on one hand, authorize the Harbormaster Department to act more confidently knowing it will have union backing in the wake of incidents or arrests, but the reconfiguration of leadership will come with financial leverages.

            “Day-to-day operations will run the same way,” said Perry, noting the added level of oversight. “The overriding concern is, if we don’t do this, the law-enforcement duties will fall to the Police Department rather than us. There are a lot of costs associated with that. … This police reform has been shaky at best … there are many, many questions. If we can get ourselves under the Police Department, then the Harbormaster Department continues as known … but if not, it changes drastically.”

            Core responsibilities would remain the same, stressed Perry.

            MRC member Scott Cowell asked the three harbormasters if they think that they should go under the Police Reform Bill. “Too many questions out there for the town to just accept it,” he said.

            “Absolutely,” answered Perry, noting that their training is right in line with police officers. “We have to maintain this for our certification to remain law-enforcement officers. … There is no other training.”

            What concerns Perry is, should the Harbormaster Department not become part of the Police Department, the resulting effects will have harbormasters seeking “better opportunities out there.

            “I’m not worried about civil service. I’m worried about the operations that I run. We need to get through this and get on with it.”

            According to Perry, police reform has far-reaching economic effects beyond harbormasters to campus police, hospital police, sheriffs, etc.

            MRC Chairman Vin Malkoski said, “If a town decides to go it alone, I don’t see the incentive. The town does all the problem solving.”

            “It’s a huge expense. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel,” agreed Perry. “Remember, we’re employees at will. (Once harbormasters become part of the Police Department), we will be afforded the protection of the union.”

            Murphy looks forward to the change and to be equipped with a body camera.

            “The Cape and Islands and North Shore are so far apart,” he said. “The North Shore is all going police … the Cape is holding strong at the bridge … ‘We’re not cops, we’re harbormasters.’ But now with police reform and no reserve academy … it’s going to go that way, it’s just a matter of time. We’re always going to do what Marion does and that’s the right thing.”

            A growing concern of entitlement among boaters has Marion’s Harbormaster Department looking forward to all the tools and protection of the Police Department.

            Finally, Malkoski noted that the Select Board has received the MRC’s recommendations and is interviewing candidates for commission membership.

            The MRC set its next meeting for Monday, October 17, at 7:00 pm, at the Music Hall.

Marion Marine Resources Commission

By Mick Colageo