Plumb Library Director Jennifer Woodward has resigned after only one month in the position.

            The Rochester Select Board on Monday night announced that Woodward quit the town job effective August 5. Reading from the letter of resignation, Select Board Chairman Woody Hartley quoted her as saying “the transition has been rocky,” and she thought it best to resign as a solution.

            Retiring head librarian Gail Roberts had introduced Woodward to the Select Board in late June, and Woodward began the job in early July. A resident of Bourne, Woodward had previously worked as assistant director of the Falmouth Library District and had been a librarian for 30 years.

            Hartley said all questions regarding the sudden resignation should be directed to the Plumb Library Board of Trustees, which conducts the hiring and firing for the Library department as an independent entity. Town Administrator Glenn Cannon said the trustees have already started to search for Woodward’s replacement.

            Hartley later in Monday night’s public meeting introduced under New Business the topic of improving the town’s human-resources activities: how the town hires new people and trains its existing employees. “Bad marriages aren’t good,” Hartley said, explaining he wants the town to research how to better handle its job hiring and other human resources practices.

            Selectman Paul Ciaburri agreed with this idea, saying the town has periods of hiring people, then a time when no one new needs to be hired, followed by a load of retirees and the need to be replaced. Hartley said he wants to see how practices can be improved for both employee hiring and training.

            “We need to attract more people to our personnel board,” Ciaburri suggested. The selectmen currently serve as the town’s personnel board.

            Hartley and Ciaburri agreed Cannon should research these issues.

            In other action, the selectmen chose not to exercise the town’s right of first approval for 529 Snipatuit Road, which is being taken out of 61A agricultural land protection for development.

            The Select Board voted to approve Police Chief Robert Small’s recommendation to appoint Catherine Connolly as a new, full-time department officer. Small, appearing remotely via Zoom, said Connolly has approximately five years of police-work experience. She is academy trained and holds multiple certifications. “She will fit in well with our department,” he said.

            The board issued a citation congratulating local scout Audrey Blanchard for earning her Eagle Scout badge. Her Eagle project was to build picnic tables for the local YMCA campsite.

            The board also approved the use of the town for the Charles River Wheelers’ Cranberry Harvest Country Road Race on Sunday, September 18, at 8:30 am.

            The Rochester Conservation Commission needs two new associate members. Hartley instructed those interested to contact commission Chairman Christopher Gerrior or Conservation Agent Merilee Kelly or contact Town Hall.

            In his Town Administrator’s Report, Cannon announced that the deadline for work bids for the proposed Public Safety Building Feasibility Study is Thursday, August 18. One potential bidder has dropped out of the running because of the company’s workload, Cannon said, but approximately 10 contractors continue to show interest in bidding.

            Cannon also announced the paperwork to receive the $117,430 Green Communities Grant is in and must be signed by the Select Board members.

            He also noted that the town’s Comcast license expires on August 31, 2025, but municipalities are advised to start planning the renewal process early. Selectman Brad Morse, attending the meeting via Zoom, reminded the board that the renewal negotiations are a Tri-Town effort because the Rochester, Marion and Mattapoisett contracts all expire at once. The board then requested Cannon initiate discussions with Marion and Mattapoisett.

            The warrant for Rochester’s Special Town Meeting will be closed on Monday, August 29, presumably during the Select Board’s next public meeting.

Rochester Select Board

By Michael J. DeCicco

To set the stage for what transpired at the August 15 meeting of Mattapoisett’s Complete Streets Committee, let us first take a look back at the town’s policy regarding the implementation, expectations and goals or the program’s deliverables.

            On the state website Mass.gov, the Town of Mattapoisett’s Complete Streets Policy reads, “…will focus on developing a connected, integrated network that serves all road users…will integrate into policies, planning and design of all types of public and private projects, including new construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, repair and maintenance of transportation facilities of streets and redevelopment projects. As practicable, recommendations from the Complete Streets Policy will be carried out cooperatively within relevant departments in the Town and to the greatest extent possible, among private developers and state, regional and federal agencies.”

            The policy goes on to state that these principles shall include, “…the development and implementation of projects in a context-sensitive manner in which project implementation is sensitive to the community’s physical, economic and social setting.” The policy talks about projects that enhance the livability of the community for all residents using a consensus approach to ensure that scenic, historic and environmental resources are maintained or improved.

            On Monday, the committee was comprised of Bonne DaSousa, Police Chief Jason King, Sergeant Justin King, Highway Surveyor Garrett Bauer and Bob Burgmann. The group went through the list of projects previously identified through public meeting and funded by the Complete Streets Program. Those programs included: traffic calming (radar feedback for speed-limit adherence) on North Street, sidewalks from the intersection of Mattapoisett Neck Road to Route 6, Brandt Island Road speed signs, and fencing at entry points to bike path at Brandt Island and Mattapoisett Neck roads.

            Of the remaining 21 possible projects, the future is not so clear due to scope of work involved and costs. Remaining on the list are such line items as street connections for improved pedestrian access and use of Bayberry, Holly Hollow, Melisa Anne Lane, Crooks Way and Deer Run to name a few. There is also an item titled meandering paths (suggested for parts of North Street) that would give pedestrians the ability to walk along the roadway but away from traffic. Safety, as a catchall term, is the over-arching theme for all related projects.

            An interesting sidebar to the meeting was Chief King’s report of data gathered from the radar-speed devices. He said that the average number of vehicles utilizing North Street from the Route 195 overpass to the intersection at Route 6 (south) was 8,000 per day, while the number of vehicles from Snowfields Road to the Rochester line per day was 3,000 (north.) While no personal data is collected from the radar units, King said rates of speed were. He noted the average rate of speed for vehicles in the south category was 33 miles per hour and for the north category 37 mile per hour.

            Town Administrator Mike Lorenco, also in attendance, said the town plans to apply for more grant funding once other projects are chosen from the list for the April grant deadline. When the group touched on Phase 1b of the bike path, Lorenco confirmed that Reservation Road is a public way with the golf club retaining a small access across the roadway at approximately the 9^th-tee area.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Complete Streets Committee will be announced at a later date.

Mattapoisett Complete Streets Committee

By Marilou Newell

Monday night’s public meeting of the Marion Planning Board was going nowhere fast after the Department of Public Works requested another continuance on the “Hybrid-Y” public hearing.

            But, with Public Outreach on the August 15 agenda, Chris Collings was able to switch out his Planning Board member’s hat for a concerned citizen’s hat and sought some answers for his River Road neighbors regarding the construction taking place at the corner of River Road and Route 6.

            Last Collings knew, the owner of the former Gilda’s Stone Rooster at 27 Wareham Road had gone back to the drawing board in an effort to present a revised parking plan for renovation of the eating-and-drinking establishment. That was several months ago.

            Now he says he doesn’t know what to tell River Road residents asking him what’s going on there. “It seems like the cart is before the horse with so much work taking place,” said Collings. “I’m disappointed we don’t know more, and people are knocking on my door asking questions.”

            Planning Board member Jon Henry concurred with the optics of the situation in full view of Route 6 commuters. “We’re a long way into the project without (information),” he said.

            According to Town Planner Doug Guey-Lee, bar owners John Mello and Joe Sauro were scheduled to meet on Wednesday with town officials. “Really it’s for the building commissioner (Bob Grillo) to administer those rules. … I don’t think the owners have misguided us in any way; they’re fully aware … They’re doing it at their own peril.”

            Planning Board Chairman Norm Hills agreed with Guey-Lee, saying that Collings’ concern sounds like a question for the Building Department.

            Collings said he’s fine if it’s a repair issue that came up, but “it just looks like an awful lot of work … Now they’ve got a new foundation, they’re a little bit into it.”

            Any business on the site cannot open without going through a full vetting and permitting process.

            The continued public hearing regarding changes to the Subdivision Rules and Regulations with respect to the use of the Hybrid-Y in place of the Hammerhead under Section 300-2.1 through 300-6.1 of the Rules and Regulations has been continued to September 6 at 7:00 pm.

            The matter is part of a much larger set of revisions that were poured over by Hills, the DPW, Town Administrator Jay McGrail and select other stakeholders. None of those revisions can be approved apart from a decision on the Hybrid-Y, but some Planning Board members are not persuaded and have said they see no reason why such a widely approved design as the hammerhead should be written out of the town’s Rules and Regulations.

            Earlier this year, Fieldstone Lane residents launched a campaign to get their subdivision road accepted as town property so it would fall under town management including the plowing of snow. Citing the hammerhead design and a dangerous slope at the end of the road, the DPW recommended against making Fieldstone Lane a town road. The measure failed at Town Meeting.

            The Marion Planning Board will reconvene on the night after Labor Day, Tuesday, September 6, at 7:00 pm in the Police Station conference room with a remote-access option.

Marion Planning Board

By Mick Colageo

            The Marion Select Board’s appointment Monday night with Department of Public Works engineer Meghan Davis and Police Lieutenant Jeff Habicht was not meant to culminate in a vote, but the follow-up on the Pedestrian Safety Advisory Working Group’s recommendations indicates a groundswell of support for a new townwide speed limit of 25 miles per hour.

            The exceptions would be state roads and so-called speed zones, but the expectation is that following further public feedback, the town will soon have signage, speed bumps and more speed indicators along the roadsides.

            This will not be limited to the village area, and some speed limits will be lower.

            Town Administrator Jay McGrail said that solicited public feedback drew “a ton of emails,” after which the group met with consulting engineering firm GPI, looked at Marion’s posted speed limits and drew up a concept. McGrail said the public is “almost unanimously” supportive of lowering the townwide speed limit.

            Among considerations for Converse and Point Roads are painted transverse markings and speed bumps. Costs will play a role in the strategy, as dynamic speed indicators are said to cost $20,000. The Town of Marion owns only one, which is located on Front Street near the Music Hall. Tabor Academy has some, and the state locates two of its own in Marion.

            Habicht studied the plans enacted by Mattapoisett and Fairhaven and reported no complications with implementation. There was no information on enforcement.

            Front Street resident Janet Barnes attended the meeting to offer her support. She suggested a special sign in the area where Front Street meets Route 6 that would say something akin to “Entering Historic Marion,” the idea being to grab drivers’ attention.

            According to McGrail, Tabor Academy has indicated a willingness to help pay for the signs. They will otherwise be funded out of the DPW budget. According to Davis, a sign costs $47, and a pole costs $55.

            Select Board Chairman Randy Parker said the project needs a financial plan and a funding source.

            McGrail told the board members he will be looking for a vote sometime in September, with a plan to implement the new speed limits when signage is ready.

            Select Board member Norm Hills reminded the meeting that the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) has been conducting a parking study for the village that is due soon.

            After reporting that Mattapoisett and Rochester Select Boards endorsed the selection of former Mattapoisett Town Administrator Mike Gagne to conduct an audit of its performance, Old Rochester Community Television (ORCTV) ran into some disagreement from Hills, who would not move off his disagreement due to Gagne’s history with the nonprofit cable-TV station.

            ORCTV representatives Robert Chiarito (general manager) and Phil Sanborn (board liaison to Marion) tried to persuade Hills as to Gagne’s credentials as a capable third-party review who would ensure that ORCTV is adhering to the rules and regulations of cable access according to the state.

            While Parker acknowledged that ORCTV is under no obligation to produce an auditor that would satisfy Hills, he did request that ORCTV consider other candidates.

            In reporting to the board on its activities and objectives, Chiarito said that ORCTV has been permitted to install permanent equipment in the new Old Rochester Regional High School football press box to telecast games and graduation. ORCTV donated $5,000 to the new box, which he said will pay dividends in money saved by not bringing an operations truck to the site. Th only thing holding back installation of the television equipment is the installation of the elevator.

            ORCTV is also looking into expanding its programming to include podcasts via an internet radio arm, but a studio location became uncertain after the pandemic leverages building-use changes.

            The board and McGrail noted the work ORCTV did to retro-design the Music Hall and the Police Station for the telecast of municipal government meetings and thanked Chiarito and Sanborn for their efforts.

            In a 6:15 pm appointment, the board voted to approve the application of Ansel’s Cafe for an amendment to its on-premises, All-Alcohol Beverages License. Representative Liz Carter explained that an 8×3-foot bar will serve three seats.

            In his Town Administrator’s Report, McGrail indicated that there is no pressing business at this time that would necessitate a Special Fall Town Meeting.

            The proposed Marine Center that will house the Harbormaster Department is still $1,000,000 short in construction funding after the last grant from the Seaport Economic Council. Representative Bill Straus included the final $1,000,000 in the Economic Development Bill, but McGrail reported that the bill has stalled on Beacon Hill.

            The plan is to apply for another grant opportunity this fall with the SEC. Once design is complete, he said, Marion is hoping to bid out construction in Summer 2023 and hoping to break ground later in Summer 2023.

            Marion will continue until Labor Day to advertise for candidates to fill the Board of Health seat vacated by Dot Brown. The board is currently comprised of Dr. Ed Hoffer and Dr. John Howard.

            The Marion Town Party is scheduled for Saturday, August 27, at Silvershell Beach (rain date Sunday, August 28.)

            The DPW Committee held its first meeting, revising the location of the proposed new DPW operations center while also considering wood and steel as potential types of construction in one rather than two operational structures. The committee is moving forward with Saltonstall Architects, which means Will Saltonstall will help prepare the project for the bidding processes.

            In what McGrail openly hopes is his final Lagoon update, he said September 15 is the targeted “substantial completion” date, and November 5 is the “final completion” date. Methuen Contractors is applying additional sealing, while testing and commissioning the aeration system. McGrail said the final steps to making the lagoon completely operational is not about money at this point but rather engineering solutions.

            McGrail thanked The Wanderer for recognizing Merry Conway, Dianne Cosman and Harry Norweb with the 2022 Keel Award for their volunteerism applied to the park development at the Cushing Community Center. “Without their leadership, none of it would have happened,” he said.

            Under Action Items, the board approved of and congratulated new full-time Marion Police officers Mark Norman and Patrick Adams, both on one-year probationary periods.

            The board voted to accept a donation from the Friends of Marion Recreation of swim float to the Marion Recreation Department.

            The board voted to sign the Warrant for the 2022 State Primary and approve police detail for Primary and Election duty per state requirements.

            After Parker raised several questions, a discussion on the town’s developing Memorial Policy was tabled.

            Per IRS mandate, the board approved a midyear increase in the mileage rate for town employees to $0.625 per mile (over $0.56.)

            Rick Trapilo, who is running against Straus in the Democratic Primary for State Representative, attended Monday’s meeting and briefly explained his candidacy to the Select Board.

            Monday’s scheduled special meeting of the Select Board was scrapped after an effort to set up an adoption plan for David and Jennifer MacDonald’s dog did not pan out. The dog, ruled dangerous on June 9 by the board after a May 17 attack on another dog out of state, has been euthanized.

            The next meeting of the Marion Select Board is scheduled for Wednesday, September 7, at 6:00 pm at a location to be determined.

Marion Select Board

By Mick Colageo

Jon Gregory of engineering firm Tata & Howard is helping the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District Commission get its ducks in a row for the meaty next steps of the long-planned upgrade of the water-treatment plant.

            In his report to the commissioners on Tuesday afternoon, Gregory said that Tata & Howard has completed its final preliminary design report, and he has forwarded copies of that report to member towns Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Marion and Rochester.

            Because of a particular technology involved in the upgrade to Koch Company’s Puron filtering system, Gregory is somewhat hopeful that the MRV will, unlike last year, qualify for SRF funding (the Clean Water State Revolving Fund that through a federal-state partnership lends money to municipalities at low interest for water-related projects.)

            “We hope the (Department of Environmental Protection) sees it that way,” said Gregory, who announced a due date of Friday, August 12, at 12:00 pm for the report. “Fingers crossed we can get that funding this time.”

            The MRV Water District has $7,200,000 in place via town-meeting appropriations and the debt-authorization vote taken by the district prior to those town meetings.

            With an eye on full-scale design, the Tata & Howard team recently met with Plant Manager Henri Renauld to conduct a full review on the plant and take measurements. Gregory said Tata & Howard has been in contact with the key vendors, including Koch Systems and Advantium (disinfection.)

            Gregory will provide an update at the MRV’s September meeting.

            In his Treatment Plant update, Renauld said, “We’re producing a lot of water,” estimating a consistent treatment of close to 4,000,000 gallons of water per day. Renauld noted the possibility of restricting service. Internally, he said the plant has been having problems with its humidifiers, having spent over $14,000. “The plant is a puddle as we speak right now,” he said, noting that three of the four compressors in the plant are not working.

            Other challenges have been related to delivery and price increases. A locksmith, he said, was brought in for repair of one of the doors.

            Renauld referenced a letter from Matheson Gas forecasting a 20 percent increase in cost that he considers “par for the course with the other chemicals we’ve seen.” Delivery will also cost more, Renauld indicated.

            In his Treasurer’s Report to the Water District, Renauld said this month, the MRV owes Tata & Howard $23,625. Gregory explained that it is the first invoice for the full-scale design of the filter-program upgrade at the water treatment plant. Renauld said the MRV owes $15,173 for citric acid and also for electrochemically activated (ECA) water, plus $3,600 for the annual Town of Mattapoisett bill for the dam. He said the MRV will be spending more on chlorine. The total for August is $86,928.83.

            The MRV Water District Commission voted to accept Renauld’s report.

            Vinnie Furtado explained to meeting attendee Lori Bardwell that the commission spends substantially more money than the Water Protection Advisory Committee, which focuses on getting the water to the customers, while the MRV Water District Commission focuses on the treatment plant proper.

            At the bequest of the commission, Bardwell, a candidate recommended by Marion Finance Director Judy Mooney for the MRV’s contracted position of outside bookkeeper, agreed to stick around for the MRV Water District meeting after the position was thoroughly discussed during the MRV Water Protection Advisory Committee meeting that immediately preceded.

            While the majority was ready to act on Bardwell’s availability and vote to contract her bookkeeping services, Water District Treasurer Wendy Graves introduced Ann Carreiro, who was not present, to the discussion.

            A lengthy discussion ensued regarding the eligibility of Carreiro because she was last known to be currently working as the auditor for the Town of Fairhaven. “There would be a conflict,” said Rochester Town Counsel Blair Bailey, explaining that “the intent not to supplant. … this is a position we’ve never had.”

            Although a vast majority of members agreed that the idea of hiring a professional outside bookkeeper is to take work off the hands of volunteers Graves and Jeff Furtado, it was not assumed that Carreiro is not interested in the job so both the committee and commission agreed to table the matter until the MRV’s September meeting.

            A class-action lawsuit is being brought against the state by “many communities” over its water-sampling requirements. Fairhaven and Marion representatives confirmed no interest in participating in the suit. Bailey said participation would require damages, of which there is none. Besides, the MRV is admittedly preoccupied with bettering its relationship with the state amidst the major filtering-systems upgrade at the water treatment plant.

            In addition to voting to accept Jeff Furtado’s treasurer’s report, the committee also voted to appropriate $1,500 (50 percent of the $3,000 total as a down payment) to Deb Nettles to “resurrect the MRV website” that crashed last year.

            The next meeting of the MRV Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, September 13, at 3:30 pm with the MRV Water District Commission meeting to immediately follow at 4:00 pm on the same Zoom call.

MRV Water District Commission/Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee

By Mick Colageo