Mattapoisett Select Board Chairman Jordan Collyer told the other board members and the public that discussions with Old Rochester Regional School District Superintendent Mike Nelson had taken place. Included in that discussion was Finance Committee Chairman Pat Donoghue, who had previously urged her committee not to support the FY23 local school budget as drafted but to seek a zero budget increase and a plan from the Mattapoisett School Committee that would bring school spending down.

            Collyer said, “They understand our displeasure with the increase and now have a 2-percent decrease. It’s not ideal but going in the right direction.” Collyer said that Nelson agreed to work closely with the town throughout the year with the ultimate goal of “complete transparency of per-pupil costs.” He said that Nelson wants full transparency as well. Collyer added that during the year-long process “…we’d look at a whole bunch of stuff.” Collyer said Nelson understood, “where we need to be.” Collyer also shared that the topic of school consolidation was touched on.

            In March, the draft local school FY23 budget stood at $8,039,560. A 2-percent decrease cuts $160,791 off the bottom line.

            The Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path came before the board seeking and receiving authority to apply for a $6,400,000 federal grant. FOMBP members Robin Lepore and Rene Pothier said they had just learned of the grant opportunity in mid-March and that the last day to apply is April 14, thus time is of the essence. Lepore said as she waited to come before the board she had begun writing the application and on this night was ready to answer questions while hoping for the green light to move forward.

            The federal grant is part of a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure program, Lepore said. She said that the group had applied previously for similar funding but was passed over. Now, with more fully fleshed out designs and some shovel-ready elements, Lepore believes the town’s chances are good this time around. She said that the town’s match would be 20 percent or $1,200,000 but that those costs might be covered by state grants and monies already earmarked for grant matches.

            Present via Zoom was state Representative William Straus who said that he has focused his efforts at the state level and Phase 2a easements but believes, “The more the merrier … why not federal monies? It might help getting state grants in the future, and it doesn’t conflict with the state’s efforts to get the bike path to North Street.”

            If this large federal grant is secured, it would cover all design and construction costs associated with Phases 2a and 2b, the last two segments linking Mattapoisett to the west with Fairhaven and to the east with Marion.

            Select Board member Jodi Bauer expressed her concern that the town would have to pony up more than $1,000,000. Town Administrator Mike Lorenco said that presently the town has over $600,000 for grant matches. “I’m less concerned about grant matches than about federal requirements,” he said.

            Collyer added that on Friday, April 8, he would be meeting with members of the engineering and management teams from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to walk Phase 1b, which has been held up due to defective planking installed on the bridge over the Eel Pond breach and barrier beach along Godspeed Island.

            Collyer said the meeting would include going over a construction punch list with the intent to try and open one section soon. A recent fire that damaged an older existing wooden span over Eel Pond River would have to be repaired, however, before considering such an option. He said that new planks were being tested, and if all goes well replacement could take place, but timing was still unknown. Collyer added that MassDOT will pay all the costs associated with the planking issues.

            In other business, Lorenco said that VHB, the engineering firm engaged to design roadway improvements for the village streets project, was seeking an additional $41,107 for an additional 150 hours needed to bring the project to 75-percent design completion. Collyer said he wants to speak directly with the VHB team to find out exactly where the project stands and what benchmarks remain.

            Lorenco reported on several ongoing projects. He said that Child Engineering has completed some evaluations including diving around Long Wharf. He anticipates a preliminary report in May. The UMass Boston Collins Center team that has been evaluating school space and the transfer station will provide reports in May, he said. Complete Street funding has been used to purchase signage for the intersection of Mattapoisett Neck Road and the bike path, Lorenco said, and that those signs along with others planned for North Street would be installed this spring. The contract for the roadway improvements planned for Industrial Drive has been signed, he confirmed, but no construction start date has been set. He also reported that work is about to begin on infrastructure improvements to upper Pearl Street.

            Good news for those who enjoy a walk in the woods; Lorenco said that the Tinkham Forest Trails would be opening now that legal work has been completed. This open space, part of early negotiations with the developers of the Bay Club will grant access to all Mattapoisett residents through several access points around the subdivision.

            Town Meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 9, at 6:30 pm at the ORR High School auditorium. Lorenco said there will be 24 articles, seven or eight of which are related to the Water and Sewer departments. Lorenco said that one article would ask for funding for the Police Department accreditation, a process that can take several years. He said of Town Meeting, “It should be pretty straightforward.”

            The Select Board approved a wine-and-malt license to Mike Sudofsky for a new market at the Ropewalk plaza called Poi Market. Issues that had slowed the progress of construction were now resolved, all agreed.

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

Mattapoisett Select Board

By Marilou Newell

The Rochester Conservation Commission on Tuesday night approved a commission member’s project to construct a driveway on Gerrish Road near cranberry bogs.

            Commissioner Ben Bailey recused himself for the hearing that endorsed the Order of Conditions for the plan to place the driveway within the 100-foot buffer zone to a bordering, vegetative wetlands to access a single-family building lot at Snipatuit Pond Estates. But Bailey defended the proposal by noting he is deed-restricting it so that the lot can only be for one home, and the driveway must remain exactly where it is being placed now.

            Brian Grady of GAF Engineering explained to the Conservation Commission that he and Bailey have spent a considerable amount of time with the Planning Board revising the original proposal, which was to build a road to access the lot. He noted the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals has approved, allowing the insufficient frontage that the plan requires. He acknowledged that the neighbors’ concerns over and disapproval of the first plan contributed to the new configuration, which will now “preserve much of the wooded area.”

            “The revised plan is a much simpler project,” Grady said.

            The strongest objection to the current proposal came from commissioner Dave Gagne, who was attending via Zoom. Gagne said he was concerned the driveway could evolve into a roadway to a solar project in the area of the cranberry bogs.

            Bailey quickly countered that suggestion. “The ZBA is restricting it to a single-family lot,” Bailey said. “I want to deed-restrict the lot for the next owner so the driveway stays where it is and has an impervious surface. I want to protect the neighbors. A solar project? That’s a very abstract question.”

            Grady noted any changes to the plan by a new owner of the property would have to come before town boards for additional permitting.

            The commission’s approval vote was unanimous, and it included two previous orders of conditions previously placed on the property.

            In other action, the commission endorsed a plan proposed by the Rochester Land Trust and the Library Trustees to place Trail Tale poles at the Doggett Brooks conservation restriction off of Dexter Lane. This project will post storybook pages on the poles so young readers may read and hike a nature trail at the same time. The program will take place between June and July and possibly August.

            The commission also approved a change to post its meetings as in-person only with an option to attend by Zoom. Chairman Chris Gerrior explained the commission will now be able to hold a meeting with or without a secure Zoom connection. The commission set its next meeting for Tuesday, April 19, at 7:00 pm.

Rochester Conservation Commission

By Michael J. DeCicco

            Energy Management Committee member Tom Friedman could have been Ray Kinsella looking out at his financially endangered Iowa cornfield, calling Marion “a Field of Dreams situation. If we build it, they will come,” he said, provoking laughter during Monday’s meeting of the members who are otherwise dead serious in their pursuit of green energy.

            Friedman’s remark was in response to the town’s lack of adequate charging stations for electric vehicles. While there are opportunities for people to choose battery-powered cars, a scarcity and sometimes efficiency of charging stations has created an incentive problem.

            EMC member Eileen Marum said charging stations belong at locations such as Silvershell Beach, Harbormaster headquarters, along with an increase of stations at the Cushing Community Center and the Town House, where its one operational station runs slowly according to the members. Council on Aging and town vehicles typically occupy those two locations, according to Marum, who also recommended charging stations for Little Neck, Marconi Village and the proposed residential developments along Route 6 near the Wareham town line.

            EMC Chairman Christian Ingerslev said, once the Town House gets its new power grid up and running, the charging station on site will be upgraded. EMC member Alanna Nelson cautioned that the charging station can do the whole 40 kilowatts required, “but the electric panel can’t handle it.”

            Member Bill Saltonstall suggested that businesses may be able to access incentive programs, and the committee would do well to educate them on such financial opportunities. Nelson said she would write a note to introduce businesses to the prospect of electric cars.

            Reporting on the Mass Energy Insight program, Saltonstall told the committee that he has received a note from Lisa Sullivan, Southeast Regional coordinator for the state’s Green Communities Program.

            Having looked at Marion’s annual report, Sullivan had questioned a home construction project that had not fallen “a little shy of meeting the requirement” of the air test. But that problem was alleviated after Saltonstall’s visit to the Building Department confirmed a new report indicating compliance “by a couple of points.” Green Communities accepted the updated information.

            “I think our report from last year is in good shape,” said Saltonstall, who has figures from the first half of FY22 and only needs Friedman’s help to upload the information.

            As Saltonstall has scoured Marion for unbothered rocks to turn over in hopes of finding new opportunities for upgrades to cleaner energy, he has been flummoxed by the wall restricting pursuits of solar projects. “It isn’t clear to me with why there is a problem with the town leasing panels,” he said.

            Friedman, who discussed the matter with colleagues at Trinity Solar, said any town structure would have to go out to public bid, and few installers are interested in building municipal projects. Saltonstall said he would look into if CVEC has any contractors that work with towns.

            Nelson said that while a number of contractors work with CVEC, the matter of who gets the credit has become a sticking point in some cases. She noted that the parking lot at the Captains Golf Course in Brewster is covered with solar panels, and the income from the lease arrangement is financing a staff person. Saltonstall said he believes My Generation Energy built the array at the Captains Golf Course in Brewster and would follow up. Friedman suggested that the Sippican Elementary School parking lot would offer 100 percent sun exposure.

            Nelson said that solar installers are hitting their market, using as an example one that works exclusively with nonprofit organizations and that CVEC has been building relationships with providers. “If we can just clasp-bond to one of those, that would be great,” she said.

            Completion of the Taber Library project is important to the EMC, which cannot apply for another grant in the fall until that project is completed and paid for.

            In reporting on Marion’s Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan status, Marum discussed a potential educational session with Laura Gardner, the Dartmouth Public Schools librarian who has spoken before on issues and impacts brought about by climate change. Marum suggested transitioning into phases or a series of programs that would lead into the Hazard Mitigation Plan.

            In her report on reducing Marion’s carbon footprint, Nelson said the increase in efficiency of the Green Communities base code has rendered the stretch code in need of an update and hold implications for Marion’s building projects.

            After Marum reported on a regional decarbonization meeting, Ingerslev agreed with the findings and said, “The lifetime cost of a building is what people should be looking at.”

            “If you plan for it ahead of time, it’s actually not that much more expensive,” asserted Nelson, citing the improvement in technology.

            Ingerslev told the members that he has sent three letters to Marion officials, including the committee’s push for a moratorium on the usage of fossil fuels in any new municipal construction projects, the EMC’s interest in changing the committee’s scope and name and its request to the Select Board to approve full voting membership for alternate member Jennifer Francis.

            The next meeting of the Marion Energy Management Committee is scheduled for Monday, April 25, at 5:00 pm.

Marion Energy Management Committee

By Mick Colageo