Music from Across the Pond

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The Marion Concert Band continues its summer concert series with a program of music from the British Isles on Friday, August 4. The program features several classic British Brass Band pieces as well as the music of Petula Clark, Gerry and the Pacemakers and the Beatles. There may even be an appearance by members of the Cape Cod British Car Club, LTD (CCBCC). The program is as follows:

Colonel Bogey – K. J. Alford

Crown Imperial – W. Walton (start at 16)

English Suite – C. Grundman (movts. 3&4)

The Wren – E. Damare; Wendy Rolfe, piccolo

Country Gardens – P. Grainger

Prelude, Siciliano & Rondo – M. Arnold

Sòlas Ané – S. Hazo

The Liberty Bell March – J.P. Sousa

Pop and Rock Legends: The Beatles – M. Sweeney

Irish Tune from County Derry – P. Grainger

Doctor Who: Through Time and Space – M. Gold

The British Are Coming – arr. J. Bocook

Knightsbridge March – E. Coates

            Marion resident Wendy Rolfe earned her bachelor’s degree from the Oberlin Conservatory and earned her master’s and doctor of musical arts degrees from the Manhattan School of Music. She is Professor of Flute at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and performs regularly with the Handel and Haydn Society, Boston Baroque and the Cape Symphony Orchestra. Recordings include performances with the Toronto Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, H & H and Boston Baroque, as well as recordings for Ken Burns and Disney. She has been guest artist at music festivals in Brazil, Ecuador, China, Finland and elsewhere. Ms. Rolfe has been a member of the Marion Concert Band since 1999.

            The Cape Cod British Car Club, LTD (CCBCC) is a Massachusetts not-for-profit corporation whose membership annually exceeds 250. While members come from all over the world, most members are residents of southern New England. CCBCC members enjoy driving and displaying their English automobiles. Throughout the year, the CCBCC participates in events and raises funds for scholarship purposes. Annually the club provides scholarships to automotive and auto body students at the Upper Cape Regional Technical School, the South Plymouth High School and the Cape Cod Regional Technical School. The club also provides funds towards a specific scholarship program available to Falmouth High School students.

            The concert, under the direction of Tobias Monte, will begin at 7:00, weather permitting, 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.

Upcoming Events at the Elizabeth Taber Library

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Summer Yoga on the lawn – Every Thursday, 9:30 am to 10:30 am. Elke Pierre will be leading summer yoga classes on our shady lawns Thursday morning all summer long.

            Professor Bugman Bug Petting Zoo Saturday, July 29, at 11:00 am – Join us for a show and tell and touch of Professor Bugman’s collection of incredible arthropods. Right here at the library. Call to sign up.

            Professor Bugman Hide-a-Bug program August 5 at 11:00 am. What do insects need from their shelters? Can you design and build one that passes the test? Build a home for bugs and let them be the judge. Call to sign up.

            For more information on the Elizabeth Taber Library, visit us at www.ElizabethTaberLibrary.org or call us at 508-748-1252.

Good News and Bad News

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The good news is that the Mattapoisett Town Clerk’s Office has licensed almost 1,100 dogs for 2023.

            The bad news is that, according to our records, there are over 300 unlicensed dogs running around town. Please help by either coming in to license your furry friend or letting us know that you have moved, or they have passed away. As of June 1st, a late fee of $10 has been added to the annual fees of $9 or $12, depending on whether your pet is spayed or neutered. If you are unsure of your canine’s license status, please call the Town Clerk’s Office at 508-758-4100, extension 2. Late fees increase to $20 on September 1.

MAC Theater Auditions

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 The Marion Art Center announces open auditions for its October production of These Shining Lives, written by Melanie Marnich and directed by Pippa Asker. Auditions will take place on Saturday, August 5, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and Sunday, August 6, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the MAC, located at 80 Pleasant Street in Marion.

            These Shining Lives chronicles the strength and determination of four women considered expendable in their day. The beauty of Catherine and her friends’ relationship with one another and with those they love is a story of survival in its most transcendent sense, as they refuse to allow the company that stole their health to kill their spirits — or endanger the lives of those who come after them.

            The director will be casting the following main roles: four females (various age ranges, 20-40), two males (age range 25-35 and 25-65); secondary roles: several small (male) roles may be filled by main cast, or the director may cast one to two additional actors to play multiple small parts. To learn more about character roles and schedule, visit marionartcenter.org/auditions. Please contact director Pippa Asker at pasker@comcast.net with any questions.

Marion Village Historic District Study Moving Forward

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The Marion Village Historic District Study Committee recently sent a questionnaire to all property owners in the Marion Village area under consideration for inclusion in a local historic district. The purpose of the questionnaire was to assess owners’ interest in measures to protect the village’s historic architecture. The next step will be a public meeting in September to discuss the questionnaire results, explain how local historic districts operate, and gather additional resident feedback.

            The Committee and our historic preservation consultant Eric Dray (a former Marion resident) have concluded that Marion Village is the most intact, historic village on the south coast. The consultant’s report, summarized below, has noted that the village retains a remarkably intact collection of over 100 buildings that contribute to Marion’s maritime history and evolution into a summer colony.

            Marion was first settled in 1679 as Sippican, a district of Rochester, and was not incorporated as a separate town until 1852. The construction of the First Congregational Meeting House in 1799, now Marion General Store, helped make Sippican Village the center for spiritual and civic life. The great majority of buildings in the village are connected to Marion’s illustrious maritime development beginning in the late-18th century. With the rise of saltworks, shipyards and whaling, maritime activity increased dramatically into the mid-19th century, as did residential development in Marion Village.

            In addition to the many historic houses built during this time, there are intact examples of buildings and structures associated with that maritime industrial activity, including a chandlery, sail loft, cooperage, and wharves.

            Starting in the mid-19th century, maritime activity declined significantly, and was eventually replaced in the late-19th century by Marion Village’s emergence as an elite summer resort – ushering in Marion’s Gilded Age. The arrival of train service in 1854 helped facilitate this new seasonal economy. Summer visitors, including nationally known politicians, businessmen, artists and writers, were drawn to Sippican Village’s beauty and tranquility.

            During this period, Marion Village saw the addition of high style, architect-designed summer cottages and recreation resources along the harbor front.

            Around this time, local resident Elizabeth Taber left an outsize imprint on Marion Village, including gifting to the town her original Tabor Academy campus on Spring Street (now Marion Town House and Elizabeth Taber Library), the Marion Music Hall on Front Street, and the Congregational Chapel (now Penny Pinchers Exchange) on Main Street.

            As documented in our consultant’s research, Marion Village remains a remarkably intact historic town center, including a compact collection of historic dwellings, along with a few churches, schools, commercial, institutional and recreational buildings. Historic resources date from the late-17th to early-20th centuries and include well preserved examples of Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Shingle, and Colonial Revival styles. Taken together, these buildings represent the physical embodiment of Marion Village’s fascinating history.

            “I knew it was a beautiful village when I was a kid in Marion, but I didn’t know the fascinating history, the stories represented by those buildings. Now, as a preservation consultant fortunate enough to work with the committee and research those buildings, I’m struck by how unique Marion Village is as a highly intact example of a 19th century maritime community and summer colony. Our hope is that, through our educational efforts, the owners in the village and the residents of Marion will also gain a deeper understanding of the village’s significance and recognize the value of enacting some form of protection.” Eric Dray, M.A., J.D.

Compliance Debated after Decision

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            A seemingly routine piece of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission’s Monday night business, a request for a Certificate of Compliance filed by Howley Living Trust, 1 Waterman Street, was objected to by abutter Diane Simonelli. However, before Simonelli could ask questions, the commission had approved the certificate. Supporting the request and certifying its compliance was David Davignon of Schneider, Davignon & Leone, Inc.

            Simonelli asserted that the project did not comply, as fill used on the site exceeded the Order of Conditions. She also pointed out that roof drains and air-conditioning units encroached on her property. She asked that a scan be completed on the site to either confirm the fill levels are correct or not. She questioned Chairman Mike King on whether it is in the purview of the commission to ensure such matters as reported are in compliance.

            King said he had driven by the site and, to his eye, everything looked to be in order. Simonelli said that the human eye could not discern the level accurately and again requested a laser measurement be employed.

            King said the board was not going to make the property owner spend money, that it was satisfied all was well, and then asked Simonelli, “Where have you been?” He said she had been added to the agenda at her request for a month but never appeared.

            Simonelli’s request was on Monday night’s meeting agenda but listed after the hearing for the Certificate of Compliance; it was listed under Walk Ins/Oral briefings, 1 Waterman Street, (Map 5.a, Lot 218) (Simonelli) (SE44-1439) – drainage discussion.

            Simonelli said she was concerned that with too much fill water would drain onto her property. Christian McCullough, the general contractor for the project, confirmed that the fill amount was correct and that a laser level had in fact been used. Simonelli continued to question King on the matter, prompting him to say she could appeal the commission’s decision. He also said that the commission did not have to open COC requests for public vetting. “We are moving on,” said King.

            In other business, Mike Esposito, 18 Ned’s Point Road, received a Negative Box 2 decision for his Request for Determination of Applicability for improvements and repairs to an existing seawall.

            A Notice of Intent for a restoration plan submitted by Peter Franceshina, 58-60 Pico Beach Road, received an Order of Conditions. The applicant was represented by LEC Environmental Consultants.

            A continued NOI for 80 Mattapoisett Neck Road, owned by Lisa Mueller Trust Declaration, for the construction of a residential pier was also conditioned.

            David Monteiro, 35 Mattapoisett Neck Road, was granted a Certificate of Compliance.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for Monday, August 14, at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell

Traveling with Reservations

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Summer is a great time to travel, but not for me. I’m not much of a traveler. I prefer to stay close to home. The number of times I have ventured far from my humble abode can be counted on two hands. My son, on the other hand, thinks nothing of hopping on a plane and flying to California or Las Vegas to visit friends and attend a wrestling match or two. Not my thing.

            My first flight was an adventurous one, it was on a small, six-passenger Learjet. It was a business trip to meet with a client in Philadelphia. I was in my twenties and, still being a country bumpkin at heart, I was naturally apprehensive. Little did I know that planes of this type take off pretty much straight up, much like my breakfast which was heading in the same direction.

            Once we leveled off and, being saved from embarrassment, my companions suggested we all have a stiff drink from the mini bar. I was beginning to think this might not be a bad way to travel.

            The pilot informed us that we were flying at 41,000 feet when suddenly he turned the plane 90 degrees so we could get an unobstructed view of a commercial jet flying 10,000 feet below us. Try explaining a Bordeaux stain on your suit in a meeting with an important client.

            It was a while before I flew again, preferring ground-level travel.

            Even a road trip can be an adventure. Back in college, three friends and I drove to Canada for Expo 67, an international exposition in Montreal. We all squeezed into my friend Bob’s Corvair. Somewhere in Vermont, we had a flat tire while going at 120 mph. We might have gone to college, but clearly, we were not very bright. But I digress.

            Luckily, it was a rear tire, so we survived. We made it to Montreal, where we had reservations at the Hotel Bonaventure, which turned out to be a hole in the ground! They had barely started construction. We had been scammed! (What did I say about not being too bright?)

            We spent the first day in Montreal looking for a place to sleep, finally finding a rooming house with a vacancy sign. They had only one small room available because of the Expo, but the very nice landlady with a keen profit motive let all four of us stay for three days.

            On the way home, we had to go through customs, where they did an inspection. Luckily, they did not find the license plate Bob stole (for what reason I don’t know). I guess, because of the volume of tourists, they weren’t as thorough as the agents you encounter now. Today you can’t get over the border without a passport and giving up your first-born child. The Hotel Bonaventure is now a four-star hotel near downtown Montreal. Wonder if they still have our reservations.

            Sometimes travel can be weird. After my bride and I were married, friends invited us to join them on a road trip along the Maine coast, where we arrived at the town of Bucksport. Our friends had an ulterior motive for inviting us. They were chasing a ghost and were afraid to go alone. It seems the town’s namesake, one Colonel Jonathan Buck, was cursed by a witch whom he had burned at the stake. When the good colonel died, an image of the witch’s foot appeared on his gravestone, an image that kept returning despite efforts to remove it. Our friends insisted on visiting the monument. Seeing the stain … ’er footprint … without incident, took about 30 seconds.

            Naturally, I have traveled since, but no trips were as “exciting” as that.

            Editor’s note: Mattapoisett resident Dick Morgado is an artist and retired newspaper columnist whose musings are, after some years, back in The Wanderer under the subtitle “Thoughts on ….” Morgado’s opinions have also appeared for many years in daily newspapers around Boston.

Thoughts on …

By Dick Morgado

Farmers Market Coupons

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Farmers Market coupons are available and can be used at any participating Farmers Market in Massachusetts. Each community’s Council on Aging has coupons for their residents. Call your local COA: Mattapoisett, 508-758-4110; Marion, 508-748-3570; Rochester, 508-763-8723; or you may learn of the nearest availability by calling Coastline Services Nutrition at 508-999-6400. To be eligible to receive Senior Farmers Market Coupons, you must be: 60 years of age or older or disabled and living in senior housing, or your income must be lower than the established income limits. What can you buy with the coupons? You can use your coupons to buy fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, and fresh-cut herbs. Seniors can also use their coupons to buy honey. Other items available for sale at the market cannot be purchased with farmers’ market coupons. Fruit and vegetable choices may differ from market to market and at different times during the season. Not every market will have the same items. A list of local farmers’ markets are available when you receive your coupons. Coupons expire October 31.

Academic Achievements

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Dylan Pallatroni of Marion has been named to the Champlain College Dean’s List for the Spring 2023 semester.

            The following students were named to the Dean’s List at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for the Spring 2023 semester:

            From Marion: Jacqueline Elizabeth Barrett, Mikayla Chandler, Rachael Fantoni, Daniel Yunhui Hartley, Amaya Catherine McLeod, Ariana Marie Miranda, Sawichaya Phimolmas, Maxwell Cooper Richins, and Isabelle Grace Tse.

            From Mattapoisett: Michael Thomas Barry, Danya Hildreth Bichsel, Adam Joseph Breault, Mary Clare Butler, Sophia Kelley Clingman, Danielle Elizabeth Craig, Abigail Sarah Horan, Meghan Mary Horan, Ryu Bao Huynh-Aoyama, John William Jahn III, Paul Herbert Kippenberger III, Victoria Lynne Kvilhaug, Jack Landry LeBrun, Morgan Luisa Mendonca, Samantha Nicolosi, Aurora Pereira, Ethan Samuel Perez-Dormitzer, Marc Francis Pothier, Gregory J Schneider, Joseph Patrick Sheridan III, and Julia Catherine Sheridan.

            From Rochester: Colby Ryan Alves, Amelia Ann Isabelle, Colin Michael Kulak, Christian George Noble Shriver, Hannah Faith Stallings, Ryan Steven Vieira, Jennifer Lynne Williams, and Raymond Walter Williams.

            Tufts University recently announced the Dean’s List for the Spring 2023 semester. To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must earn a grade-point average of 3.4 or greater. Leighton Gray of Marion, Dylan Keenan of Mattapoisett, Rosemary Loer of Mattapoisett, Grace Russell of Mattapoisett, and Emma Vivino of Marion earned Dean’s List honors.

            More than 2,800 students across all schools graduated from Tufts University on May 21 during a university-wide commencement ceremony including Leighton Gray of Marion with a degree in History (BA); Rosemary Loer of Mattapoisett with a degree in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), and Grace Russell of Mattapoisett with a degree in Psychology (BA).

Bylaw Committee in Works

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Town Planner Nancy Durfee offered the Rochester Select Board a proposal on Monday to create a By-Law Committee that would rewrite and refine the town’s complicated zoning regulations.

            The board informally agreed to this plan but stopped short of taking a formal vote until Durfee discusses the idea with other town boards.

            Durfee said she envisions this as a small, four-member committee working to revise and correct problems within town zoning regulations. It could include a member of the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals, herself and the building commissioner, she said. This could be the town’s best course of action, she said, “to get the changes we need for addressing problematic and confusing zoning regs such as those regarding accessory apartments.”

            Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman David Arancio noted fellow Zoning panel member David Cutler has already served as a bylaw review committee chair. Arancio said he, too, is interested in revising to improve these regulations. But he asked the Select Board to not act on creating a bylaw panel so quickly.

            The ZBA will be meeting with Durfee on Thursday, July 27, to discuss her plan, he said, adding it would be helpful to also have an at-large member who would look at town regulations through a different lens. “I’m concerned we’re not ready for this yet,” Arancio said.

            All three Select Board members said they liked the idea of such a committee. However, they agreed they wanted Durfee to meet first with both the Planning Board and ZBA to refine her plan. Durfee said she intends to do just that.

            Next, Health Director Karen Walega urged the Select Board to sign the Southcoast Public Health Collaborative Inter-Municipal Agreement and the Public Health Shared Services Grant that will allow the town to join the agreement.

            Walega and the town’s public health nurse, Connie Dolan, explained the pact will allow Rochester to share healthcare resources across six area towns: Rochester, Westport, Mattapoisett, Marion, Lakeville and Freetown.

            The initial grant was $300,000. A total of $132,000 has been added to that amount for 2024. A Shared Services coordinator, an administrative position, has already been hired. Shared inspectors will also be hired. The grant will fund salaries and other expenses.

            The town, Walega said, will be able to hire a food inspector to replace one who is retiring. “We are a full-time department with a part-time staff,” she said. “We need this grant.”

            The board agreed to sign the contract agreement after Walega explained the due date for documentation was technically July 1. But the town did not receive documentation until late June; then Town Counsel had to review it. “If we don’t execute this agreement soon, we’re out of the grant,” Dolan said.

            “There is no downside here,” Select Board Chairman Paul Ciaburri said before the board signed on. “There’ll be no cost to the town.”

            In other action, the Select Board approved a one-day liquor license for a Friends of the Rochester Senior Center fundraiser to be held on Thursday, August 24, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Senior Center on Dexter Lane.

            The Select Board set its next two meetings for Tuesday, August 8, and Tuesday, September 5, both at Town Hall at 6:00 pm at 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Select Board

By Michael J. DeCicco