Looking Back on A First

on

On a typical July 4th in the 1970s, a few teenagers were sitting in the sand at Mattapoisett Town Beach and squinting at one another through the sun’s rays when the subject came up.

            “Are you going to run?” was the question. “Has it started?” was a typical counter. “We’d better get up there,” was the resolution.

            If you can’t smell the sea air and hear the gulls laughing as the waves crash, then you can still remember what it was like to be a kid and take every second of summer as it comes.

            “You literally would decide that day whether to run or not,” recalls Chris Cooper, who first asked her father Frank Cooper if she could run in 1972, the second year of the Mattapoisett Road Race. As the first finisher among three girls, a 13-year-old Chris kept going like Forest Gump, right past the finish line at the Town Beach.

            “I ran straight into the water. It was so hot,” she recalls.

            Living in Mattapoisett since 1964, Chris grew up watching her dad help manage what he and Bob Gardner gradually built out of a good idea.

            “I ran track in high school, but nobody really trained for (the race,)” she said.

            The Mattapoisett Road Race had only begun in 1971 and lacked the preparation and pageantry associated with the event 25 years later, much less what it has since become.

            Nonetheless, the Coopers became a family of runners. Chris’s brother Tom finished second to Richard Reilly in the inaugural race, while brother Mike earned a third-place finish in his age category.

            Life would take her away from Mattapoisett, but when she returned in the 1990s, the Mattapoisett Road Race was a different animal.

            “Bob Gardner always mailed me a T-shirt,” said Chris, but she was not ready for what she saw when she visited home. “It is amazing to me what it became in the ’90s.”

            In more recent years, she was happy to offer sideline support alongside her father. “We’d stand with a hose at the corner of Church Street and Mechanic. … They’d say, ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you.’”

            As of Friday, 360 women and girls outnumbered 344 male registrants, but a late surge of postregistration entries, especially among the men, was anticipated for the 50th running of Mattapoisett’s 5-miler.

Mattapoisett Road Race

By Mick Colageo

Town Considers Regional Composting Facility

on

            Mattapoisett Board of Health Chairman Carmelo Nicolosi was admittedly hesitant to accept Andrew Brousseau’s pitch on behalf of Gloucester-based Black Earth Composting on June 29.

            The board, including members Michelle Bernier and Russell Bailey, met with Brousseau and Mattapoisett Health Agent Gail Joseph at the Mattapoisett Transfer Station to discuss Brousseau’s proposal for a customized, regional composting facility at the Tinkham Hill Road site.

            “I’m not ready to give it a vote of confidence,” said Nicolosi, qualifying his remarks to clarify that the Select Board is the town’s ultimate vetting board and the Board of Health would bring a recommendation.

            Nicolosi made it clear he finds the concept attractive but only providing he can protect the interests of Mattapoisett homeowners.

            Brousseau is an earth scientist helping run an emerging business designed to achieve long-range solutions for municipalities running out of space and safe means to dispose of their trash, food waste and land waste. He believes Black Earth can save towns a lot of money over a long period of time, especially as towns anticipate a state mandate that they cut in half their food-waste disposal by 2030.

            What Black Earth does is finance and build a facility on a host town’s property and seek via survey of interest and geography member towns to participate in a regional arrangement. The facility processes food waste into a dry compost that can be used to fertilize yards.

            According to Brousseau, the package is designed to save the town on annual recurring costs that would include paying to incinerate food scraps at the SEMASS plant, paying to grind trees and stumps and paying to dispose of yard waste.

            On the list of services that Brousseau says Black Earth would offer for charge or free depending on how a contract is shaped: residential curbside, commercial and/or school pickup of food scraps; pickup of electronics, yard waste/Christmas trees and textiles and the conversion of the town’s organic waste into high-quality, organic compost.

            Brousseau explained that the pandemic’s drag on the supply chain has created a marketplace for the local manufacturing of compost. “Our fertilizer comes from all over the world, we need local sources,” he said.

            In listening to Brousseau explain the program, Nicolosi’s primary concern was the balance of facility usage by locals as opposed to the participating communities. Nicolosi repeatedly looked for an alternative structure that would put Mattapoisett residents first.

            Black Earth typically seeks a 10-year agreement, but Brousseau told Mattapoisett representatives that the company would consider a five-year deal. He said it takes time for the model to grow.

            The business model he proposed mirrors existing Black Earth facilities hosted by three other towns in Massachusetts. The site plan, however, would be tailored to the individual needs and land capacity of the host town.

            The proposed composting facility would need a footprint measuring between 2.5 and 4 acres of land, and the area suggested encroaches slightly on an area already approved for a solar array at the base of the hill at the site.

            Nicolosi encouraged Brousseau to propose a different footprint as to avoid creating a nonstarter response from the Select Board. After the meeting, Brousseau, Bernier and Joseph walked the proposed site.

            Speeding among trucks was a concern, and Brousseau said GPS control of the Groton facility brought down Black Earth’s trucks to 25 mph; he said the only trucks speeding now are the town’s DPW.

            Brousseau estimates that 177 trucks will go in and out of the facility in a 222-day period. The Groton facility has averaged a truck per day.

            Should Mattapoisett host a Black Earth composting facility, it is presumed that New Bedford would be among the surrounding municipalities using the facility. Black Earth’s Groton facility hosts Lowell, among smaller communities.

            In 1 1/2 years, the Groton facility has built to 300 users, while the facility hosted by Manchester-By-The-Sea has 800 users, approximately 35 percent of the town’s population.

            Participation in the survey is noncommittal, stressed Brousseau, its purpose solely to establish an indicator of measurable interest among any particular town’s residents.

            To reregister for participation in a Black Earth composting facility, visit blackearthcompost.com.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Health was not scheduled upon adjournment.

Mattapoisett Board of Health

By Mick Colageo

Tables of Content

on

Dear Editor:

            Tables of Content Fundraiser a Delicious Success for Elizabeth Taber Library.

            Book discussions were lively and dinners delightful as more than 75 residents and friends gathered at various Marion homes on two evenings for the third annual Tables of Content fundraiser to support the Elizabeth Taber Library. Several book titles were offered; participants chose a book to discuss and joined a dinner party with others similarly interested. Destinations and fellow guests were kept secret until just days before the event adding to the excitement!

            These clever events were great fundraisers and friend raisers. Look for next year’s special books and join in the fun!

            Special appreciation goes to our dinner table hosts and discussion cofacilitators:

Host:  Sandria Parsons, Cohost: Trudy Kingery

Hosts: Joan and Ed Tiffany, Cohosts: Heather and Kitt Sawitsky

Hosts:  Meg and Barry Steinberg, Cohost: Dana Andersen

Host:  Susan Mead, Cohosts: Travis Woolcott and Nan Johnson

Host: Elise Frangos, Cohost: George Ferris

Host: Sally Fallon, Cohost: Kathy Reed

Host: Jennifer and Davis Webb, Cohosts: Ginny and Barry Levenson

            Thank you also to the Elizabeth Taber Library staff for their untiring support and assistance.

            The nearly $4,000 raised will support the Library’s long-range plan to upgrade its collection, technology, furniture and programming. The Elizabeth Taber Library receives 70% of its budget from the Town, and the remainder of the budget is funded by individual and corporate sponsors and patrons’ participation in events like Trivia Night, Tables of Content, the summer book sale and various other fundraising activities throughout the year.

            To participate in the 2023 Table of Content event as a host/cohost or to join the Tables of Content committee, please contact: Elizabeth Taber Library Director, Elizabeth Sherry at 508-748-1252 or Joyce LeBlanc at 508-971-9849.

Joyce M Leblanc, Tables of Content Committee

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.

Summer Activities at the Marion Natural History Museum

on

Coastal Explorations Summer Program: Two sessions: July 11 -15 and August 1 – 5, Hours 9-12, Grades entering 3 – 6, $250 for members, $300 for nonmembers.

            The Marion Natural History Museum is offering its Coastal Exploration summer program again this year. For many years now, we had a lot of fun exploring a variety of habitats in Marion and took a close look at Barrier Beaches, Vernal Pools, Salt Marshes and tide pools. We learned about the Terns on Bird Island, netted the salamanders and tadpoles in vernal pools and netted fish along the coastline. In addition, this year we will be investigating the natural areas on Ram Island! There is still a little room left in our half-day programs. If you are interested in enrolling your child, please go to the Museum’s website: www.marionmuseum.org.

            Wild Encounters date changed to July 27, 2 – 3 pm, all ages, Free. “Help! A bird struck my window…” Have you ever found an injured animal and needed to know what to do? Wild Care, Inc. is a nonprofit wildlife hospital located in Eastham that is dedicated to the rescue and release of injured and orphaned wildlife on Cape Cod. Wild Care operates a Wildlife Helpline and rehabilitates over 1,800 animals per year, everything from Bald Eagles to Deer Mice. Wild Care’s Executive Director, Stephanie Ellis, will cover what to do when you find baby animals in distress, who to call in Massachusetts and will provide tips for living with our wild neighbors. Join us for this fun and informative talk.

            Also, we are open every Wednesday and Friday afternoons for Lego play, crafts, puppet theater and Virtual Reality appointments. Other hours may be scheduled by appointment.

            Please register in advance at www.marionmuseum.org

Why Turtles Cross the Road — and What You Can Do To Help Them

on

On the morning of June 14, three diamondback terrapins were struck and killed by cars while crossing the Weweantic Bridge, the busy Route 6 thoroughfare linking the towns of Wareham and Marion. A concerned motorist, Mike Maurer from Marion, managed to save a fourth terrapin and notified the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA) of the other fatalities.

            It was a shocking tragedy and a clear sign that terrapins and other turtles are in grave danger on our roads. The Weweantic Bridge is a known hotspot for these accidents. Nearby terrapins come ashore looking to nest and are funneled on to it, ending up in the middle of midmorning traffic. NECWA is working with local and state authorities to find a solution to this problem and to increase awareness of the bridge’s safety issues.

            The reality is that adult female terrapins are running out of options when it comes time to nest each year. Urban encroachment, coastal armoring and rising sea levels are eroding their available nesting area on both sides, and their little remaining terrestrial habitat is crisscrossed by dangerous roads. These females have to find a good place to lay their eggs, and they’ll go the distance to do it — even if it means putting their lives at risk. Turtles often cross busy roads during the late spring and early summer of nesting season, and it is our responsibility to keep an eye out for these scaly pedestrians in an attempt to minimize fatalities. Terrapins live long lives, reproduce slowly and suffer from high hatchling mortality rates. Because of this, the death of a reproductively mature female can do lasting harm to the future of a local population.

            Anytime you see a turtle on or near a road, please call NECWA’s hot line at 508-566-0009 for advice and assistance. If the situation is safe for you, move the turtle off the road in the direction it was heading. Never lift the turtle by the tail: this can injure their spine, which is fused to the top of their shell.

            If you find an injured turtle, call NECWA for assistance or take it to a local wildlife rehabilitation center (see list below.) If the animal is dead, you should also give us a call — NECWA can remove the carcass from the road, collect identifying information about the turtle, and record when and where it was hit.

Bike Path’s ‘Quiet Opening’

on

On July 1 without any fanfare, dignitaries, ribbon cutting or people, one-half of the Mattapoisett Bike Path’s Phase 1b was opened for public use. From Mattapoisett Neck Road to Reservation Road, this ready-for-use portion received walkers and bikers alike who marveled at the vistas of wetlands and wildlife now easily seen from an elevated bridge over marshlands.

            A Facebook posting from Representative William Straus announced the opening this way: “Many of you may already have noticed but a couple of days ago, the newest stretch of the Mattapoisett Bike Path opened up to the public. Done quietly by the state on Friday afternoon, the path now extends further east from (Mattapoisett) Neck Road to Reservation Road while crossing the Mattapoisett River and some incredible marsh and coastal areas.

            “There is more to come, but this newest stretch has been worth the wait and reflects years and years of work, town meetings and negotiations. Many thanks to so many in town and the generous contribution of the YMCA in making a portion of its land available for the public to enjoy this newest stretch. I am glad I could be a part of helping this further progress as we continue with construction and another phase of planning to get the path as far as Marion. Enjoy.”

            Over the 4th of July weekend, people who somehow became aware that this portion of Phase 1b had opened were the first to see the massive, winding bridge and the views offered over marshlands. But there is more work to come.

            One major issue to be resolved and is in the works according to Town Administrator Mike Lorenco includes signs announcing to the public that Reservation Road is not the suggested exit or entrance point to this pathway.

            “A soft opening did take place, but we still have things to work out with the ‘Y’-camp and the golf club,” he said on Tuesday. “We really don’t want cyclists and pedestrians using Reservation Road, but it is a public road so we can’t really stop people.”

            Lorenco said the hope is that once the second portion of Phase 1b is opened (the section elevated over the Eel Pond breach and Goodspeed Island beach) users of the recreational path will enter and exit via Railroad Avenue and Depot Street or to the west at Mattapoisett Neck Road, Brandt Island Road or accesses in Fairhaven.

            Reservation Golf Club president Robert O’Brien told the Wanderer, “We were expecting a walk-through before it opened, but that didn’t happen.” He said the town had agreed to posting of signs on the pathway that instructed users to turn around where it intersects with Reservation Road versus exiting onto Reservation Road. O’Brien said that if that did not happen, “We’ll lock the gates.” Locking the gates would force bike-path users to return to Mattapoisett Neck Road versus exiting onto Reservation Road.

            Select Board member Jordan Collyer confirmed that Reservation Road was never the intended entrance and exit point for users of the bike path. He said, while the town is excited to have part of Phase 1b opened, there are still things to be done like signage, trash barrels and doggy rest stations.

            “People need to be considerate of one another, “Collyer stated regarding use of the bike path, and stressed cyclists needed to abide by traffic rules and regulations.

            The Mattapoisett Bike Path has been a work in progress since 1996. Bike Path Chairman Steve Kelleher has noted over the years that he and more recently the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path have labored to work through and control a long list of moving parts including financing the project. Now with at least a half-mile of elevated walkway complete, the finish line is getting closer.

            Still ahead for supporters of the project and the town are issues related to defective material that became evident more than a year ago on the bridge over the Eel Pond breach and Goodspeed Island Beach. That section remains closed. No date on when it might be ready for the public is known at this time, as the Massachusetts Department of Transportation finds acceptable replacement materials.

            And while a small section of the bike path at the end of Industrial Drive to the Marion line was funded by donations and is open, Phases 2a and b are in early planning stages.

            During the FY23 budget cycle, the Bike Path Committee, along with FMBP Chairman Renee Pothier, reported to the Capital Planning Committee that for FY23 $489,000, the town’s match previously approved through Town Meeting for work associated with the Industrial Drive improvements, would be used.

            Another $500,000 would be needed for a portion of the Phase 2b Industrial Drive bike lane, and $150,000 of which $120,000 (received via a state grant after Town Meeting) will require a town match of $30,000.

            Long-range planning offered by the Bike Path Committee and FMBP also noted that in FY24, $285,000 will be needed and is proposed to be secured from grants and town matches for Phase 2a design, project management and soft costs not associated with construction and $1,000,000 proposed to be secured by town matches and grants.

            FY25 was forecasted to need $30,000 from grants and town matches for additional Phase 2a design, project management and soft costs not associated with construction and $1,000,000 from grants and town matches for Phase 2a construction.

            It is currently planned that in FY26 the project will be rolling towards completion while needing $30,000 from grants and town matches for remaining project management and soft costs not associated with construction, $1,000,000 for Phase 2a construction, $752,000 Phase 2b design and construction and $500,000 for final segments of Phase 2a.

            All totaled over the next four fiscal cycles, the financial documents provided by the bike path consortium estimate that Phases 2a and 2b will cost $5,796,000, anticipated to be funded by a variety of grants and town matches. In the meantime, cyclists and other recreators may now enjoy nonmotorized modes of transportation from Mattapoisett to New Bedford without using Route 6 or just taking in the wetland splendor Mattapoisett now showcases from an elevated walkway.

By Marilou Newell

Cold-Food Business Approved

on

The Marion Planning Board Tuesday night granted a special permit to a business that will sell made-to-order, cold-food charcuterie and vegetable and fruit platters out of a Wareham Street storefront.

            Cynthia Servais explained that “Savor the Spread,” the business she plans to open at 119 Wareham Road, will not be involved in cooking any food and will be a retail operation only, not a sit-down eatery. At that location, which is zoned General Business, Servais will prepare platters that customers preorder by telephone, text or email, then pick up. Small orders can be filled in a day, she said, larger orders in 48 hours.

            “I just want to be able to legally serve these platters,” she explained.

            Servais said she will have one refrigerator for storing her ingredients and another to store the platters ready to be picked up. She will have a stainless-steel table for food preparation and a portable sink for washing her hands.

            She will be sharing the retail space of “Right from the Vine.” The front of the space facing the street will be hers, the back will belong to Right from the Vine. She said her interior will include a plexiglass shield to wall off the food, and she will have the use of “Vine’s” three-basin sink to clean her ingredients and her utensils.

            Planning Board Chair Norman Hills asked if there were opinions on the “Savor the Spread” plan from the Building inspector, the Fire Department or the Board of Health. Board secretary Terri Santos said there has been no word from them, but that does not mean they haven’t reviewed the plan.

            Servais elaborated that she has received her food-handler and food-management certificates from the Board of Health. “I am current with the Board of Health,” she said.

            That seemed all the Planning Board needed to hear. The panel then approved the business’s Special Permit unanimously.

            The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board will be held on Monday, July 18, at 7:00 pm.

Marion Planning Board

By Michael J. DeCicco

Genealogy Roundtable

on

Join a Genealogy Roundtable and be a part of history on Wednesday, June 20, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm.

            Are you curious about your family’s history but don’t know where to start? An experienced genealogist willing to share expertise? Seeking like-minded researchers to share stories, tips and sources. Thinking about taking a DNA test but want to know more?

            If you can answer “yes” to any of the above, it’s time to connect!

            Join our first collaborative get-together at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library on Wednesday, July 20 at 6:30 pm. Future meeting times and frequency based on attendee preferences.

            Questions? Contact Patricia Steever pfs@domainsteever.com or 703-898-2179 or Robbin at the Library at 508-758-4171.

Countdown to Taste of the Town Is On

on

The countdown is on, and the members of the Mattapoisett Woman’s Club are busy getting ready to welcome our guests to the celebration of the 17th Annual Taste of the Town! There are only a few days left until it will be 5:00 pm on July 12, and we can open the doors at the Lions Club’s big white Harbor Days’ tent in Shipyard Park in Mattapoisett, and the fun to be had at the 17th Annual Taste of the Town will begin!

            Remember, tickets cost $10 for 10 tickets, and besides some cash or your credit card, all you need to bring to the festivities is your good spirits (and maybe a picnic blanket if you and your family want to spread out in Shipyard Park.) Be ready for an evening of terrific food, wonderful entertainment, a great atmosphere and the highly anticipated opportunity to meet up with family, neighbors and friends from far and wide to spend a delightful evening together! 

            Since parking around the event is sure to be hard to find, keep in mind that we have arranged for a free Shuttle Bus to run to and from the Taste to St. Anthony’s Church’s parking lot and the Town Beaches throughout the evening. 

Coahuila Meteorite

on

Coahuila Meteorite on loan to the Marion Natural History Museum from the Mineralogical & Geological Museum, Harvard University

            The meteorite fell to Earth and was discovered in 1837 in the Mexican state of Coahuila (kow-uh-WEE-la, from which the meteorite got its name.) There is no record of anyone seeing it fall.

Coahuila weighs 317kg (almost 700 pounds!) and is a fragment of a much larger meteor that fell in Coahuila; many other similar fragments have been discovered in that area.

            Why is Coahuila a meteorite and not a meteor or meteoroid? Rocks that come from space are often called meteors, but there is actually a difference between these terms. A meteoroid is a rock flying or floating in space. These range in size from small grains (like sand) to one meter (which is a little more than three feet.) Smaller grains are called micrometeoroids. Larger rocky bodies are classified as asteroids. A meteor is what we see when a meteoroid enters Earth’s atmosphere at high speed. During its descent, aerodynamic heating causes the object to glow and cast off glowing fragments. This streak we see in the sky is a meteor; many people know it as a “shooting star.” When multiple meteors streak through the atmosphere and seem to come from the same place in the sky, we call it a meteor shower. When a meteoroid or asteroid survives its passage through the atmosphere and impacts the ground, it becomes a meteorite.

            Meteorites are classified into three broad categories based on their composition:  Stony, Iron, and Stony-Iron. Coahuila is an iron meteorite with a complex crystalline internal structure caused by heating and cooling during my formation. Indentations on the surface were formed by collisions during Coahuila’s 4.5 billion year journey through space as well as by heating and ablation (melting) as it passed through Earth’s atmosphere.