Peanuts, Crackerjacks and Avocado Fries

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            Spring is here! Winter has departed, the daffodils are in bloom and the Red Sox are on their way to a World Series victory. Hope springs eternal.

            It’s true that baseball is not as popular as it once was, surpassed by football, basketball, soccer and, of course, pickleball. Even so, despite the cold, some 37,300 people played hooky from school and work to attend Opening Day.

            My first visit to Fenway Park was with my Little League team. The three-hour bus trip – there were no highways back in prehistoric times – was an adventure itself for a little kid who had never been more than seven miles from home.

            Seeing the city and arriving at the old ballpark was amazing. Exiting the dark bowels of the stadium, walking up the ramp into the bright sunlight to a real field of dreams, was like seeing the Emerald City of Oz, a fantasy awash in green. What 11-year-old didn’t dream of hitting the winning homerun over the Green Monster. The place was spectacular.

            I didn’t attend another game until after college. But I did experience the 1967 World Series … kind of. I lived on Jersey Street, a homerun away from the ballpark. Not being able to afford tickets, my buddies and me set up shop in my living room/bedroom/kitchen. (It was actually a one-room apartment I shared with a family of cockroaches who also loved baseball.) We acquired a keg of beer, opened all the windows, and watched every game on my 14-inch, black-and-white Admiral TV. The crowd’s cheers waffled into the room, mingling with our whoops, hollers and boos. The neighbors didn’t mind because they, too, had their windows open to the din.

            After college and employed, I got married and brought my bride to a game on our honeymoon. We sat in the bleachers – tickets cost a dollar each – and became nauseated at the smell of marijuana.

            Today tickets to a game can cost a fortune. Tickets to a World Series game requires “knowing someone.” I knew someone. I attended two 1975 series games thanks to the generosity of my bride’s uncle and the American League. Good old Uncle Arthur once owned a minor-league team affiliated with the American League. Former Red Sox star Jimmie Piersall was his manager.

            Every major-league team gets an allotment of tickets for players, most of whom never use them. Each morning they are available at the league hotel for the taking by those who know. Uncle Arthur knew. Once in baseball, always in baseball. He’d gather a dozen ducats that he’d share with the family. If you love baseball, it sure pays to marry someone with wealthy relatives.

            Forget peanuts and Crackerjacks, Fenway has become a foodie’s paradise. This year’s offerings include crab-cake sandwiches, caramel Stroopwafels … whatever those are … and avocado fries. Also: Coke-infused, sweet onions (hopefully that refers to Cola Cola) and assorted Asian and vegan delights. You can wash it all down with a Dogfish Head lager. No need to bring your wallet, the place is cashless now. You must pay by app or with a credit card. No kidding!

            Baseball has become a full-fledged, entertainment experience, and the Red Sox are no exception. They have Theme Nights for every interest: educators, law enforcement, Jewish, Greek, Polish, Puerto Rican, India, Italian and Irish celebrations, but no Portuguese nights. The south coast is forgotten again. They have Golf, Taco & Tequila Festivals and Star Wars nights with Storm Troopers mingling with the masses … the force (play) be with you.

            In addition to the usual T-shirts and Boston Strong bucket hats, they’ll also be offering Indiana Jones bobbleheads … heard he was a big baseball fan. They’ll be giving away jerseys with Red Soxwritten in Hebrew. Really. And Alex Verdugo “Grills,” which I believe are imitation, diamond braces for your teeth. You can’t make this up.

            So put down the pickleball racket and get yourself to Fenway Park. Baseball season has begun. Play Ball!

            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.

By Dick Morgado

Church of the Good Shepherd Rummage Sale

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Church of the Good Shepherd Church of the Good Shepherd, 74 High Street in Wareham is having its annual spring rummage sale on Saturday, April 29 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Items include clothing, coats, shoes, domestic items, puzzles, games, toys, white elephant items and small furnishings. The proceeds go towards the many ministries provided throughout the year.

New Counsel Offers Timely Tips

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            The main message that Jason Talerman of New Bedford-based Mead, Talerman & Costa LLC put out to attendees of Monday night’s special Rochester Select Board meeting was that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Division of Open Government is looking for educated compliance with the Open Meeting Law, not to set a trap to snare an unsuspecting community volunteer.

            After all, said Talerman referencing a typical perusal of his inbox, any given day he is bound to trip over a half-dozen Open Meeting Law violations.

            “Email is the biggest trap out there for violations,” said Talerman, whose one-hour PowerPoint presentation at the Senior Center brought out several chairpersons of municipal, adjudicatory boards and dozens of board, commission and committee members.

            The hour spent on Monday night was the prelude to Lisa Sullivan’s appearance on behalf of the state agency Green Communities.

            The Select Board thought it timely to get better acquainted with Mead, Talerman & Costa LLC, Rochester’s new town counsel and, at the same time, refresh and otherwise educate less-experienced elected officials. As Select Board Chairman Woody Hartley explained to The Wanderer, Open Meeting Law is only the first topic of discussion. More topics relevant to public service will be addressed in future meetings.

            Learning how to avoid unintentional violations of the state’s Open Meeting Law (M.G.L. c. 30A, Sections 18-25) was mutually considered an appropriate place to start, and Talerman stressed that the law doesn’t exist for the officials or even the applicants who file with the Planning Board or Conservation Commission, for instance, but the public.

            The law is meant to ensure townspeople have an opportunity to know what’s going on and to comment on it, be it deliberations (any considerations between members of a public board, committee or commission that go beyond general correspondence or fact finding) or actions (votes.)

            Upon Talerman’s examples of email mistakes that constitute Open Meeting Law violations, Planning Board member Ben Bailey suggested using the “bcc” rather than “cc” address function to keep members from being able to view other recipients and then reply-all.

            “Great tip,” said Talerman, who did not stop there. He pointed out more possible email-related infractions of the Open Meeting Law as food for thought. For instance, a singular reply to a chairperson’s email about committee business, followed by the forwarding of the chairperson’s email to another member with a comment, establishes a chain.

            “Now three people are in the discussion,” he explained. “Serial communications through email are a real trap. We’re probably going to all violate at some point.”

            Social media brings its own potential problems.

            Talerman advised elected officials against getting caught up in Facebook discussions, even if a board member read misinformation and stopping short of offering an opinion sought out to set the record straight. Hypothetically, should another board member chime in 10 comments later, then a third, they may not even see that other members posted and be in violation.

            “No good deed goes unpunished,” said Talerman.

            When it comes time to report an Open Meeting Law violation, the Attorney General frowns upon ignorance as an excuse. Learning the law, explained Talerman, is an essential part of becoming an elected municipal official.

            Prior to state supervision, the Open Meeting Law was governed by each county’s District Attorney Office. A lack of consistency in the application of the law led to the state taking over. Now even state agencies are governed by the Open Meeting Law.

            While the state takes into consideration the many volunteers who do not deserve to be discouraged in their effort to serve their communities, proper reporting of Open Meeting Law violations remains mandatory.

            Actual sanctions, reinforced Talerman, target those who show no interest in compliance or repeat the same violations over and over again.

            Talerman went on to discuss definitions of terms such as quorum and examples of what constitutes a deliberation during a site visit.

            He offered the “cautionary tale” of a five-person board, in which two members meet privately to plot strategy. Such a meeting, according to the Attorney General, does not require public posting. But, if that two-person group meets repeatedly, the Attorney General could determine it is actually a subcommittee (requiring public posting.)

            Monday night’s training was posted as a public meeting, but that was not required according to Talerman, providing members of the same board did not huddle and discuss board business.

            Without posting, the Zoning Board of Appeals can attend the Planning Board meeting to listen to the Planning Board discuss a zoning bylaw, but if ZBA quorum present and its meeting is not posted, the ZBA may not discuss what could come before its members for that would constitute deliberation.

            Town Meeting, said Talerman, does not require public advertising, but an informational, pre-meeting does.

            In cautioning against jumping off place-holder agenda items (old business, for instance) into a discussion. Talerman reminded the attendees that the agenda exists for the sake of the public, not themselves, and that the proper action is to identify the subject worthy of discussion and agree to place it on the agenda for that board’s next meeting.

            Attendees learned about how to deal with emergencies, amended agendas and the like.

            “It’s a chair’s world,” said Talerman, emphasizing that agendas fall under the control of the chairperson, who should strive to ensure public access to any discussions.

            Where it concerns the public, Talerman said the right to record a meeting does not give the media, for instance, the license to disrupt proceedings. He gave two examples, one of a camera standing on a tripod at close proximity, shining its bright light directly on the speaker. In the other case, a stenographer, who understandably wanted a complete record of a meeting, interrupted to request participant talk slower and not talk over one another.

            There is also an important distinction between the public’s right to comment during a public hearing and at a public meeting, the latter requiring permission from the chairperson.

            “When you give the public the right to speak, you’re really going to have to allow some counterpoint,” said Talerman. The key is making sure that public comment sticks to the agenda item.

            Open Forum, he said, opens the door “wide open” under the U.S. Constitution. Comment cannot be hateful or disruptive, “but they can be downright rude, and you can’t stop them,” said Talerman, who advises against granting people the right to take potshots at board members. “Put some guardrails up. … There is somewhat of an erosion over the last decade in public forum in terms of civility.”

            School committees in the Tri-Town, for example, confine Public Comment to 15 total minutes, each speaker being given three minutes.

            Confining himself to approximately 55 minutes, Talerman only briefly touched on ethics, recommending board members concerned about a possible conflict of interest to seek guidance before attending the meeting.

            “Generally speaking, we are available before the Open Meeting Law mistake,” said Talerman, encouraging board members and chairpersons to reach out to Town Administrator Glenn Cannon. “Town Counsel will answer on the spot. Most problems can be easily avoided.”

            In a short meeting that preceded the 6:00 pm agenda, the Rochester Select Board voted and signed a contract with Special Town Counsel (Miyares and Harrington, LLP) to represent the town in matters associated with 19 County Road. This was done upon advice that regular Town Counsel has a potential conflict of interest with the property.

            The next regular meeting of the Rochester Select Board is anticipated on Monday, April 17, at 6:00 pm.

Rochester Select Board

By Mick Colageo

An Open Letter

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An Open Letter to Jordan C. Collyer, Jodi Lynn Bauer and R. Tyler Macallister:

            I am communicating with you using an open letter because none of you has responded to the letter I mailed to you on March 13 or even acknowledged receiving it. Nor have you or anyone at Town Hall acting on your behalf responded to the voicemail I left yesterday. I do not think this is the right way to deal with a Town resident you were elected to serve.

            I have lived here since November 2020, when I retired and bought a house with my partner. We are year-round residents and are very happy to be here. But I have a serious concern. I have owned four other houses in my lifetime and have never seen property tax increases as substantial as the ones we have experienced since we bought our house.

            In the past year, our property taxes increased by 19.6%. This followed a 10% increase the year before, meaning that in the two-plus years since we purchased our home, our property taxes have increased by almost 30%. I have reviewed the tax records of other houses on our street and am aware that they all have experienced similar increases in property taxes. I was advised by the Tax Assessor’s office that this is consistent with tax increases levied on properties throughout the Town over the past two years.

            I am aware of no civic emergency or need for public spending since we bought our home that would have required property tax increases like this. I recall attending a Town Meeting in 2021 at which the principal topic of discussion was how to spend approximately $2 million in surplus tax revenues the Town had collected. Votes were taken approving the purchase of a new fire truck and police vehicle, among other things. There was no discussion of returning the surplus tax dollars to the people from whom the Town had collected them, which, of course, is what the Commonwealth of Massachusetts did recently with its surplus tax revenue.

            After we received our new property tax bill, I asked the Tax Assessor’s office to explain the 2023 increase. I was told that the tax rate had not changed but that there had been a substantial increase in the value of real estate within the Town and that when the existing rate was applied to the new property values, taxes would necessarily rise as well.

            The Town chooses how much to tax its real property owners. It seems to me the choice should be based solely on what the Town needs to fund the activities of government. I have no problem with the concept of taxation, and am more than willing to pay my fair share. But at a time of surplus – and with no particular need of which I am aware for a large infusion of new revenue – I find it disturbing that the Town has seen fit to ask its homeowners for all this extra money. Indeed, I understand that at the Town Meeting next month, the Town will propose an increase in its operating budget of only 2.9%. What, then, is the need for all the cash the Town is collecting from all of us?

            Yours truly,

            William D. Nussbaum

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. All letters must be typed and submitted directly to: news@wanderer.com.

Sewer Expansion Carries Sticker Shock

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            Residents of the Peases Point and Hollywoods Road neighborhood were invited to a public presentation hosted by the Mattapoisett Sewer Department on March 29 to learn about possible sewer expansion into the beach community.

            What they received was a shocking revelation, as construction estimates were high above expectations by thousands of dollars – $75,000 per home before interest. Total estimate: $7,500,000.

            Water and Sewer Superintendent Henri Renauld introduced lead engineer Ian Meade of Tighe and Bond, who gave the audience of about 50 people specific information on methods and placement of equipment and piping for the sewer expansion that would service 104 residences. They were told that a new pump station would need to be located near the Second Street area, that piping would be placed in the public right-of-way and be primarily gravity fed with grinder pumps needed for Euclid Avenue and Bay Shore Drive due to their elevation.

            Renauld went over the construction sequencing, noting that any damages to landscaping or structures would be covered by the contractor’s insurance policies and that after the installation of three miles of piping, the extension would be retrofitted to an existing sewer line installed across beach areas and previously prepared for this new sewer expansion.

            About midway through the presentation, the cost estimates were disclosed. Meade said that residents would pay $75,000 and up to $95,000 with interest payments over 20 years. There was a bit of stunned silence in the Fire Station training room.

            Renauld explained that he had only very recently learned of the cost estimates and said that had he known earlier, he might not have held the public-information meeting. He estimated that each homeowner would pay $4,786 per year.

            The reality of the expansion costs pivoted the discussion away from expansion to whether or not it is more prudent to tie into the municipal system or install a new, denitrification septic system acceptable to new Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection requirements being rolled out to coastal communities in the commonwealth and soon to become a state regulation (estimated implementation: Summer 2023.)

            Renauld said that it was unclear if denitrification systems now available would meet the updated DEP standards and that those systems came in around $45,000 before adding in maintenance and other costs such as electrical usage. All attendees seemed somewhat overwhelmed at the price tag. He further stated that there are only two companies in the commonwealth that are currently licensed to sell denitrification systems.

            Dan Chase, chairman and longtime member of the Water and Sewer Commission, said, “[costs] were half this much two years ago … we were unhappy.” He went on to say, “We’ve never seen prices like this.” Renauld stated, “If we knew it was going to come in this high, we may not have had this meeting.”

            Regarding next steps, the group was told that postcards designed to gauge public interest have been mailed to them. Renauld said that two-thirds or 69 homeowners would need to agree to the expansion before it could be brought to Town Meeting.

            Renauld reminded the residents that the plan had always been to expand the Peases Point sewer line recently installed across the barrier beach into the neighborhood, as residents were interested in tying-in at that time. “You asked us for this project, the majority was for it,” he said.

            A few voices rose, saying that these costs would force people out of their homes. Chase responded gravely, “There’s always people that are burdened.”

            One resident asked, “What happens if we wait ’till this is forced on us?” Renauld said, “We have a pipe waiting for you; if five years from now you want it, contact us.” But all were reminded that escalating costs needed to be weighed into their decision.

Mattapoisett Sewer Department

By Marilou Newell

Boating Safety Classes

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Marion Harbormaster’s Office will be hosting two Boating Safety Classes in April and May. The classes are held at the Marion Police Station 8 hours on Saturday and 4 hours on Sunday.

            The classes are as follows:

April 22, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm and April 23, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

May 20, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm and May 21, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

            There will be a half-hour lunch break, bring your own lunch. You have to be 12 or older to sign up for this course.

            You need to go to the website www.mass.gov/take-a-boating-safety-course to register online for one of these courses.

            If you have any questions, please call our office at 508-748-3535 and press #5.

Mattapoisett Woman’s Club Tag Sale

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In these days of minimal spending, who doesn’t like finding a really good bargain?

            If you’re a bargain hunter, come see us to find your treasure at the Mattapoisett Woman’s Club’s Tag Sale on Saturday, May 6. We’ll be in the parking lot between the Ying Dynasty and Harriet’s at 22 County Road (Route 6) in Mattapoisett with all the treasures we’ve collected for the sale.

            The MWC’s Tag Sale will start promptly at 9:00 am, no early birds, please, and will run until 12:00 noon. If it rains, we’ll be in the same spot at the same times, the next day on Sunday, May 7. Cash and/or checks only will be accepted as payment for all the good stuff you find.

            All proceeds from the Tag Sale benefit the Mattapoisett Woman’s Club’s Scholarship Fund. For more information about this event, the Woman’s Club or the MWC’s Scholarship Fund, check the Club’s website at mattapoisettwomansclub.org.

Insect ID Nature Walk with Entomologist

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Blake Dinius is an experienced entomologist with the Plymouth County Extension Office who has spent years researching insects. Blake joined the Mattapoisett Land Trust last year for an informational presentation on ticks and mosquitos. This year, Blake and MLT are taking it outside and getting closer to the subject matter: bugs.

            Join Blake and MLT on Thursday, April 20 at 10:30 am at the Grace Meadow Preserve for an Insect ID Nature Walk. Blake will be teaching us all about the bugs we find on our walk through the meadow. Park at the kiosk at the end of Bowman Road and please dress for the outdoors; long pants and close-toed shoes are recommended. This program is for people of all ages. Please see the MLT’s online events calendar for more details and to RSVP.

Old-Growth Forests Hanging On

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            What is an old-growth forest? As the question implies, it is an old forest with trees of great age. But where does one begin the old-growth clock? What clues lie on forest floors and in wispy treetop canopies? These topics and others related to old forests were discussed on March 31 when Dr. David Orwig, senior ecologist and forest ecologist at the Harvard Forest located in Petersham, gave a presentation hosted by the Marion Natural History Museum.

            Orwig’s work has taken him deep into Massachusetts’ few remaining old-growth forests, including the Harvard Forest, Bish Bash, Wachusett and Mount Greylock. He said most older forests in our region are around 65 to 95-years old with the average being 80 to 85 years of age. Studies have shown that once colonial settlements took hold, virgin forests began to fall. By the early 1800s, 40% of forests in Massachusetts had been felled. Human impact has been profound, and still Massachusetts ranks 11th in the nation for woodlands with some 3,200,000 acres. Orwig said most of that acreage is either in private ownership or in conserved holdings.

            Aging a forest requires a bit of detective work. Orwig said that the biggest tree isn’t necessarily the oldest tree. “We look at the condition of the canopy, the characteristics of the bark” and the scientists taking borings, he said.

            Tattered canopy cover is an indication of age. This clue tells how a tree has been tossed and turned in storms over the ages. Many tree species mature into righteous elders with thick, pleated bark where once-smooth surfaces faced the sun. Orwig said these pleats or bark plates slough off the trees’ surfaces, adding to the rich organic material that feeds the soils.

            “The forest is not a static environment,” he said.

            The main physical clues when dating an area therefore are imperfect tree canopies, old root pits created by dead, falling trees that eventually become pits, and then mounds of organic material covered in bryophytes (moss.) Also, the absence of stonewalls and sawn tree stumps, a lack of human interference, can mean a forest is truly ancient.

            Orwig noted that old-growth forests have been found on steep terrain of primarily hemlock trees. A stunning 90% of old-growth forests in Massachusetts are populated with hemlock. The reason this is the case, he explained, is the trees’ ability to survive in shady spaces. Other species found to a much lesser degree in these areas are Sugar Maple, Red Spruce, Yellow Birch and Ash.

            Of those old-growth forests remaining in the state, Orwig said many people are surprised to learn that the Mount Wachusett area contains one. Known for its ski trails and other winter outdoor recreational activities, Wachusett Mountain resort’s trails are lined with guardians from the past. Established in 1899, it is the second oldest state reservation in Massachusetts, he said. Of special note, Wachusett contains a tree that has been dated to 1670 – a Northern Red Oak.

            Beyond the beauty we mere mortals receive from forests, there are also the scientific realities. Forests are part of what makes our earth inhabitable. The production of oxygen from carbon makes trees a main contributing factor to the survival of humankind. The trees store carbon, which helps to cool the earth’s surface, and they are a main contributor to the biodiversity so critical to all life on our blue planet.

            Hemlocks reign supreme over old-growth landscapes because they have lacked the commercial value placed on other species such as white pine.

            “You won’t find many white pine in old-growth forests,” Orwig commented. And so that which humans have ignored ends up being the winner. “Hemlocks as old as 500 years have been found.”

            Other tough old trees living long lives are Spruce at 400, Black Birch at 300, and Red and Yellow Oaks at 350 and up. But the oldest of all is the Tupelo tree or Black Gum, clocking in at over 555 years of age.

            Like every story from the natural world, there seems to be a dark cloud. Such is the case for old-growth forests. Insects are quickly spreading throughout some old-growth spans, threatening these sentinels from the past. Orwig said ongoing study in how best to protect what remains includes looking at bio-control agents, enemies of the Emerald Borer and other invasive beetles. Their introduction may just make the difference.

            Time is of the essence; there remains a mere .02% of all forests that can be classified as old growth.

            To learn more, visit harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu and marionmusuem.org.

Marion Natural History Museum

 By Marilou Newell

Holy Ghost Committee Begins Review

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            On April 3, the Mattapoisett Planning Board heard from member Nathan Ketchel regarding the establishment and first meeting of the Holy Ghost Grounds Committee, a committee charged with exploring use options for the publicly held acreage off Park Street, formally known as the Holy Ghost Grounds.

            Ketchel is the Planning Board’s representative on the committee, which is currently five members, but Ketchel said two spots remain open. Interested parties should contact the Select Board office. The committee includes representatives from the Recreation and Highway departments, other town boards and members of the public.

            Town Administrator Mike Lorenco gave a brief history and current state of the site at the committee’s initial meeting, which then focused on what might be developed on the parcel. Such possibilities include a dog park, community garden and rental building, which is currently being updated for family parties, such as weddings and showers.

            Ketchel said he’ll draw up a conceptual plan of what might be possible at the site to aid the committee in selecting plans to share with the public for comment. Regarding the dog park, he said that committee members wondered aloud how enforcement of rules would be handled, including the need for all pets to be vaccinated, obey park rules and that waste be removed.

            The public land has also been noted in conceptual plans for the bike path Phase 2a. Ketchel reported that new bathrooms have been installed, and work continues on other updates, making it a viable rest stop for cyclists and others.

            Ketchel also told the board members that the now-complete 2024 Master Plan has not been reviewed by the Select Board, nor by Town Counsel. Ketchel anticipates that work is being conducted before Town Meeting 2024, thus he said it will not appear in the May 2023 Town Meeting Warrant.

            In other matters, a Form A, Approval Not Required, was approved for Lots 70 and 65 on Oakland and Foster streets.

            Before adjourning, Planning Board Chairman Tom Tucker thanked retiring member Arlene Fidalgo for her years of service on the board.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, May 1, at 7:00 pm.

Mattapoisett Planning Board

By Marilou Newell