Coming before the Mattapoisett Select Board on Tuesday night was Finance Committee Chairman Pat Donoghue to advise the board members of her intention to speak out about raising local school budgets and the research she has undertaken to more fully understand why the per-pupil costs between the high school and the town’s two elementary schools is so vast.

            Donoghue began by telling the Select Board that as of April 19, the Finance Committee had not yet voted on the matter of whether to support the local school budget. “I’ll be dissenting from approval of the budget,” she said, telling the Select Board members she does not want them to “be surprised” at the May 9 Spring Town Meeting.

            As she had at the April 14 meeting of the Finance Committee, Donoghue explained that her research found the elementary schools’ per-pupil costs have risen over 60 percent since 2002, while the high school for the same period has risen 20 percent.

            When she inquired during previous budget cycles why costs were escalating, she said she was told by school officials that it costs more to educate elementary school students than high school students. However, when she contacted state officials, she was told the opposite was true.

            “That’s a 36-percent difference,” Donoghue said, reiterating that single issue, per-pupil costs, remains a burning question that needs an answer.

            Donoghue said that in conversations with both Old Rochester Regional District Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson and Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howard Barber, she was told that teachers’ salaries cannot be trimmed until there are retirements. But she pointed out that when a retirement came at the elementary-school level, a new principal was hired. Donoghue also said that both Nelson and Barber have received raises in their compensation, reaching 7.6 percent for Nelson and 6.6 percent for Barber.

            “The more I look, the worse it gets,” Donoghue told the board. “I’m losing sleep.”

            Select Board Chairman Jordan Collyer said, “We do know that having two elementary schools complicates things.” Donoghue responded, “The issues have to be studied in detail.” Board member Jodi Bauer agreed, saying, “We can’t sustain this.” Board member Tyler Macallister said, “We need people to understand and support us on Town Meeting floor.”

            “I need to make a strong enough statement. I don’t think people understand the costs,” Donoghue said.

            Town Administrator Mike Lorenco said, “Schools should be finding ways to save money. There are plenty of empty classrooms. I’ve tried to talk to the superintendent about possibly working out an agreement with Acushnet – they don’t have a high school.” Continuing on, he said, “The task is a multiyear plan which they have to start … they need to do more homework … this is not sustainable, there will be an override very soon.”

            Collyer stated, “My focus is I don’t want to degrade the quality of the education, but we need to look at operational efficiencies. I think there are a lot of things we can do.”

            “I’ve got to get people to listen. I’m concerned,” Donoghue concluded. “We are all concerned,” echoed the board members. “I appreciate you looking at the numbers objectively,” Collyer added.

            Earlier in the meeting, Tree Committee Chairman Sandy Hering met with the board to give a report and to discuss the committee’s desire to have a seat at the table when discussing the future of existing trees and new plantings associated with the village streets redevelopment project.

            After Collyer read the Arbor Day Proclamation and announced that April 29 is the official tree-planting holiday, he also shared that Mattapoisett has been a Tree City for 14 years. Hering said that the mission of the committee is to increase the number of trees in the community, while also protecting the trees in place for future generations.

            In the last few years while the committee has planted approximately three new trees each season, Hering said that as many as 25 trees in that same timeframe have been removed. “The street tree canopy is disappearing,” she warned. Bauer, a former Tree Committee member, said, “It’s important to preserve trees, especially along the water.”

            Segueing to the village streets project, Hering said the plans for improvements to the roads throughout the village area including Main, Beacon and Water Streets and Marion Road currently call for the removal of 13 trees and that she has not seen a plan for replanting. She said the committee would be looking to plant trees in the town’s easement, which may include the use of structural soils, a newer material that aids trees planted along roadways.

            Hering asked if the committee should start looking for sites for new plantings. Collyer said they have until the first week of June and that once contract negotiations with the engineering group VHB are completed, work will begin on the 75-percent design completion, a point at which the planting plan would be essential.

            The possible need for a professional arborist was noted by Hering. Collyer said that since the roadway construction project would be funded by the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), it would have to be determined who would be responsible for hiring an arborist.

            Hering said that on April 29, the committee would be planting four trees in front of the Police Department. She told the board, “Future generations will be grateful for our actions.”

            Collyer said that the village streets project, which will include upgrades to all utilities including water and drainage systems, is slated for 2026 grant distribution at a cost of approximately $28,000,000 of which the town’s portion is approximately 20 percent.

            The board also reviewed the draft warrant containing 28 articles. Lorenco said that the article possibly inspiring the most comments and questions will be Article 23, Mattapoisett River Valley Water District Filter Replacement. The article would approve $7,200,000 in indebtedness for the purpose of financing the construction of water treatment facility upgrades. Mattapoisett’s portion will be 20 percent, Lorenco said.

            The FY23 budget was also touched on and now stands at $30,766,000. Total receipts are $31,500,000 of which 80 percent comes from property taxes. He said that the tax rate will decrease by 7 cents to $12.33 and that approximately $2,000,000 is currently sitting in the stabilization fund. The warrant may be posted as soon as Tuesday, April 26.

            In other matters, Lorenco said that Richard Vacca has declined the position as conservation agent and town planner. He said that position, along with administration staffing and assistant to the town accountant, would be posted.

            Collyer took a moment to remember former herring inspector Robert Martin, who passed away in recent weeks. “On behalf of the town, we extend our condolences to the family. He always had the best interest of the community in mind and did his job well,” said Collyer.

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

Mattapoisett Select Board

By Marilou Newell

            Mark Rasmussen and Brendan Annett from Buzzards Bay Coalition attended the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee’s Tuesday afternoon Zoom meeting, where they proposed that the MRV member towns and Acushnet share in a $6,025,000 conservation restriction of the 240-acre Mahoney Lands.

            The property is situated mainly in Mattapoisett and also on 100 acres across the street running into Acushnet. The Mahoney Lands include Red Brick Farm and Longplain (Winterbottom’s) Field.

            A state-sponsored grant would fund $4,500,000 of the purchase, and the BBC would raise $1,000,000, leaving $525,000 to be funded locally. Acushnet and MRV member towns Fairhaven, Marion and Mattapoisett would each contribute $85,000, and Rochester would contribute $35,000 under the proposal.

            Annett told the committee that since almost all of the land is in Chapter 61, a limited amount of property tax would be saved by the committee’s rejection of the coalition’s proposal. A positive vote would most affect Mattapoisett at an annual loss of $7,596 in estimated property tax. Acushnet would lose an annual $1,665 and Rochester $417.

            All parties would hold the conservation restriction, and the committee’s approval would preserve the towns’ right to have future wells on the property.

            Annett explained that the decision is subject to each municipality’s Town Meeting so the article would be included in the budget.

            To comply with the grant deadline, letters of support would have to come from the committee and from each of the purchasing towns.

            To expedite a decision and potential action, the MRV members agreed to meet on Tuesday, April 26, at 3:00 pm.

            That meeting is one of two special meetings that were scheduled by the end of Tuesday’s MRV Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee and Water District Commission meetings. Those are in addition to the regular May 10, back-to-back meetings now on the schedule.

            A Friday, May 6, 10:00 am meeting of the MRV Water District Commission will take place in person at the Fairhaven DPW office, where MRV members will authorize the Water Treatment Plant Upgrades Project that legal counsel Blair Bailey drafted for Town Meeting warrant articles.

            Jon Gregory of Tata & Howard said the draft will be updated with finalized language and will go out as a draft to the members in advance of the May 6 meeting.

            Under time pressure to meet the deadlines of the member towns with a hard schedule to close their Town Meeting warrants, the May 6 vote will be accompanied by letters addressed and ready to mail to the select boards in each member town. In response to Marion DPW Director Nathaniel Munafo’s question, Bailey said Rochester must be represented at the May 6 meeting.

            In his Tata & Howard Report to the MRV Water District Commission, Gregory said the engineering firm is continuing work on preliminary design report and reviewing it internally. Tata & Howard is also incorporating state Department of Environmental Protection information gleaned from a recent meeting. Ultraviolet disinfection is part of the project, and Gregory said he wants to make sure UV manufacturers are on board.

            Nick Nicholson noted that Wareham’s Maple Springs Road water-treatment facility is the only four-log, UV-approved disinfection plant in the state.

            In his Treatment Plant Operations Update, Henri Renauld said the MRV plant is running “fairly well” but that age is also catching up. Recent replacement of valves cost $1,000 to $1,500 depending on the size of the valve. There have been power surges during storms, and it takes a citrus soak to clean manganese and iron that cannot be eradicated by regular cleaning.

            It its meeting, the Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee determined that an Approval Not Required plan for 253 Hartley Road on the north side of the street in Rochester will make no impact to the MRV District. Seeing it as a basic lot-line adjustment, the committee voted to approve a letter from John Levy Consulting to Walter Hartley declaring no issues for the MRV.

            Approvals to contract an auditing service and outside bookkeeping in general were briefly discussed by the committee. Proposals on both items will be sent out to the members to be addressed at the committee’s May 10 meeting.

            In her Treasurer’s Report to the commission, Wendy Graves itemized $181,073.85 in invoices paid in April. Those included two invoices over $9,000 each from chemical company Univar Solutions, the Town of Mattapoisett at $45,871 and Tata & Howard at $12,971.

            MRV Facilities Manager Henri Renauld explained that several invoices owed Eversource dating back to November 2021 had not been paid due to a billing problem with the parent company and the MRV’s association with solar. Renauld took action to call and learned that the utility company was soon to send the MRV a shutoff notice.

            Bailey asked if Eversource had attached penalties or interest to the current billing. Renauld said no such surcharges were on the bills.

            In his Treasurer’s Report to the committee, Jeff Furtado announced a total balance of $275,627.83 as of April 1. He reported in excess of $73,600 in total income. He reported invoices paid to Tata & Howard at $2,803.29, $251.72 to Dave Watling for data collection, $68 to Megan McCarthy for graphs and $50 to Bailey for legal services.

            Renauld said that since April 7, Matheson Gas has begun charging the MRV an additional 14 cents for oxygen.

            Vinny Furtado sought and got the committee’s approval to pay invoices of $2,778.36 and $2,479.52 to Tata & Howard, plus $238 to McCarthy, $251.72 to Watling and $50 to Bailey.

            The next meeting of the MRV Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, April 26, at 3:00 pm. The next meeting of the MRV Water District Commission is scheduled for Friday, May 6, at 10:00 am in person at the Fairhaven DPW. On Tuesday, May 10, the committee and commission hold their regular meetings beginning at 3:30 pm.

MRV Water District Commission/Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee

By Mick Colageo