Representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation presented to the Marion Select Board during the latter’s Tuesday night meeting on the future of Route 6 as it passes through town.

            Pam Haznar of MassDOT was joined via Zoom by Rosie Jaswal and Aidee Cira, who are part of the ensemble put together to analyze the stretch of Route 6 that spans from the Mattapoisett to Wareham town lines.

            In referencing the corridor study that the Southeastern Regional Planning Economic and Development District (SRPEDD) previously put together as a Master Plan that spanned from Route 240 in Fairhaven over the bridge into Wareham, Haznar said a new study has emerged after which meetings have been held yielding new information.

            Jaswal gave a PowerPoint presentation based on prepandemic counts of fewer than 10,000 vehicles on the Marion stretch of Route 6.

            In three meetings that included Representative William Straus, Marion town officials, MassDOT and SRPEDD, conditions were reviewed, not only including an analysis of poor pavement but the effect of Route 6 bisecting the town as a barrier, the potential effect of future business and residential developments and the need to accommodate more turning traffic in commercial areas.

            The August meeting looked at options and solutions, and Jaswal displayed hypothetical sections of Route 6 with one lane of traffic each way instead of two and a space for a shoulder as well as a multiuse (bike) path. Other possibilities being explored include two-way center-turn lanes where needed, a tightening up of turns for the sake of crossing pedestrians, further opportunities to tighten up signalized intersections, truck-turning aprons and 130-foot-diameter rotaries.

            Rotaries (or roundabouts) would require more in-depth traffic analysis before being considered feasible, but speed feedback signs and the completion of missing sidewalk connections are virtual certainties in the future.

            Next steps will include a long-term, conceptual layout from Converse to Point Road in coordination with the Wareham bridge project.

            During a question-answer session that followed the presentation, Select Board member John Waterman asked if a proposed reduction from four to two lanes would affect the road’s qualification for a light signal at the intersection of Spring Street.

            “The signal warrants are based on volume … configuration secondary to volume,” said Jaswal, who qualified the comment by noting that an analysis of Route 6 at Spring Street yielded the conclusion that a signal is not warranted. “That could change in the future,” she said.

            Jaswal said the design of pedestrian crossings are customized to each road-design scenario. Not all of Marion’s stretch of Route 6 will be the same.

            Select Board member Randy Parker asked if Haznar is familiar with the 1980s experiment with two rather than four lanes of traffic and the crashes that followed. Haznar said that MassDOT is aware of that history.

            “Our goal is to make it a much more livable street,” she said. “We don’t have a final design at this point, we’re still in the study stage … need to refine alternatives … will be doing a full analysis.”

            Haznar said the project could cost close to $20,000,000, “just based on what we see with other projects.”

            Converse Road to Point Road is the highest priority section in Marion. Haznar confirmed that the surveyors that Select Board Chairman Norm Hills has seen between Converse to Point Roads are MassDOT. She said her group has just received final plans and that the surveying work has been completed and will be forward to design consultant Toole.

            Jaswal segmented Route 6 in Marion according to urban versus suburban. Haznar said that while traffic-signal timing is “pretty straightforward,” road painting is a more-complex matter.

            “Right now, we’re focused on developing a larger-scale project, but there are some things we could look at on the shorter term,” she said.

            Dr. Ed Hoffer asked about Route 6 relative to the proposed residential housing projects near the Wareham town line, the difficulty getting out of there on to Route 6, particularly going westbound. Haznar said signs on either side of Route 6 were installed before the pandemic. “Anything we install would have to meet federal traffic warrants,” she said.

            Jennifer Francis suggested a dedicated left turn into the residential area and a dedicated turn out as cost-effective solutions.

            Town Administrator Jay McGrail thanked the project representatives for their time and said the town is “at a point where we can start some public input to keep this project moving forward.”

            Waterman doubled down on the note of appreciation. “This is an important project for the town,” he said.

            Haznar said she is looking forward to future coordination with the town.

            In his Town Administrator’s Report, McGrail discussed the informational pre-Town Meeting scheduled for Wednesday night at the Music Hall.

            The Select Board voted to not recommend Article 40, the citizen’s petition seeking the town’s acceptance of Fieldstone Lane as a public way.

            In other business, the Select Board voted to approve Harbormaster Isaac Perry’s request to renew the Bryant Brothers Shellfish Company’s Aquaculture license; the board also approved the Aquaculture application of Catherine Brodeur.

            The board voted to approve road closures for the Monday, May 30, Memorial Day parade from 8:30 am, the Monday, July 4, Independence Day parade from 8:00 am, and the Village 5k Race on June 25.

            The board voted to approve one-day liquor licenses for the Marion Firefighters Association Horseshoe Tournament on May 22 and the Tri-County Music Association Pops Concert on July 12 at Tabor Academy.

            The board voted to approve the appointments of Sean M. Givens Jr. and Mandy Givens to the Memorial Day, July 4th Parade and Veterans Day committees.

            The board also approved water/sewer commitments of $950 (new water service April 20) and $320.68 (final readings April 13.)

            The next meeting of the Marion Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, May 3, at 6:00 pm at the Music Hall. There will be no remote-access option.

Marion Select Board

By Mick Colageo

            The action items on the Rochester Planning Board’s April 26 agenda will have to wait until next time.

            The board continued until May 10 its hearing into the site-plan-review application for Industrial Tower and Wireless LLC’s proposal for a 190-foot-tall, monopole-style telecommunications tower facility on High Street. Planning Board Chairman Arnold Johnson reported the zoning panel could not take action on the waiver application because the panel lacked a quorum number of members at its last meeting on April 14.
            Industrial Tower and Wireless LLC seeks a special permit to reduce the required setback distance of 200 feet from other property lines by 50 percent or to 100 feet. The project’s representatives argued in its initial hearing that the tower would sit on land owned by A.D.Makepeace and the closest adjacent property would be 521 feet away. Abutters in the seats filling the zoning panel’s hearing room have continually rebuffed the developer’s assurances.

            The Planning Board also continued until May 10 its hearing into the site-plan review to relocate and install a 5,050 square-foot playground at Countryside Child Care, 565 Rounseville Road. Johnson said this was a request from the project engineer.

            The planning panel also set May 10 for the public hearings on two zoning bylaw articles, including one that is a revision of the large-scale solar installation bylaw, that will be on the May 23 Annual Town Meeting warrant. Copies of said articles are available for public view at the Town Hall Annex, 37 Marion Road, Rochester, Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

            In other business, the Planning Board reappointed Barry Pairaiko as its representative on the Capital Planning Committee. He has been a member of the Capital panel for the past five years.

            The Planning Board will reconvene on Tuesday, May 10, at 7:00 pm in the Old Colony Regional Vocational-Technical High School library, 476 North Avenue.

Rochester Planning Board

By Michael J. DeCicco

            On April 21, Mattapoisett’s Finance Committee voted to withhold recommending the local school line item in the overall FY23 operating budget in a 3-4 decision.

            Center and Old Hammondtown elementary schools are requesting a total of $7,950,000, an amount the majority of the committee believes deserves further research and discussion. The main question that has been raised by committee Chairman Pat Donoghue is why the local schools’ per-pupil costs are some 40 percent higher than the Old Rochester Regional schools.

            FinCom member Paul Amoruso stated in a follow-up that he has long asked the question why the school committee is in favor of school choice when the town is only reimbursed a mere $5,000 per student against costs that average $20,000 per student. “There is a huge disparity between what Mattapoisett pays per student and what Marion and Rochester are paying. Why?”

            Amoruso said questions have gone unanswered, and while he said he isn’t blaming anyone, the questions need to be asked and answered. “This hasn’t been explained enough by the schools. Are they using school choice to offset the shifting population?”

            Amoruso also questioned why expenses have continued to climb, given that teaching positions have been cut by 25 percent. “Have they added support staff?” He also noted one problem is likely the fact that Mattapoisett has two elementary schools. Amoruso said the majority no vote is an effort to “get Town Meeting and the town to think about what we are doing.”

            “For years I’ve tried to get people to think about this,” said Donoghue. She said that at town meetings she has brought up the increasing expenses of the schools, lack of information and cooperation on the part of school administrations but has done so in segments. Now speaking to what has been described by her as “escalating unsustainable costs” at the local-school level, Donoghue said, “I vote no (to recommend) until such time as we get answers. I can’t support it the way it is.”

            At this stage in the FY23 process, Donoghue believes there must be meaningful dialogue with the voters regarding the disparity in per-pupil costs and other financial matters. In her view, one way to inspire the voters to ask questions during the Spring Town Meeting is by forcing discourse via the withholding of the committee’s recommendation.

            To that end, the committee decided to separate the local schools’ budget line item from the town’s overall operating budget. The mechanics of going through that process during Town Meeting was explained by Town Administrator Mike Lorenco, saying a motion could be made to approve the overall operating budget except for the local school line item. Offering that as a separate item to vote on gives voters a focused pathway to engage one another, the Select Board and FinCom on what has become a high-profile topic.

            Speaking to the matter of working with the schools on future budgets, Lorenco said, “I now know where to find the data; this hasn’t been presented in the past. We need to tell the community we are an outlier (regarding per-pupil costs), but I don’t think giving them zero is a solution.”

            Lorenco said that it would not be prudent to make enemies out of the people they need to work with and that cuts would amount to cuts in such programs as music. He said, “Put it out there, open their eyes and give them a year to work things out.”

            The FY23 local schools’ budget now stands at $7,952,394. ORR is at $6,353,695 and Old Colony $875,719.

            On the plus side, Lorenco said that local receipts are now anticipated to be $31,509,793, which includes local receipts of $1,858,000, Cherry Sheet contributions $1,660,241, $70,000 from the new meals tax and the balance from real estate taxes.

            On Monday, the Select Board met to take a final look at and to approve the FY23 budget, the May 9 Town Meeting warrant and the May 17 Annual Town Election ballot.

             Before those votes were taken, the board met with Capital Planning Chairman Chuck McCullough, who appeared to let the board know that the committee moved to remove what it termed a “convenience vehicle” for the Fire Department from the list of capital expenses to be presented at Town Meeting. Although there is sufficient free cash to fund the request, McCullough said the expense is not necessary at this time.

            The motion read: “Move – to eliminate from the FY2023 Capital Plan, the additional vehicle requested by the Fire Department to be assigned to the Fire Inspector. Apparent benefits of this proposed $50,000 expenditure, as detailed by the Chief, include 1) transport of firefighters to offsite training activities, 2) an additional vehicle to dispatch to public safety summons, 3) for use by Fire Inspector to respond to nonemergency in-Town inspections.

            “The Fire Department has a staff of three full-time first responders with two staff vehicles currently assigned for Department use. Based on the information provided, the Committee classifies this vehicle request as a ‘convenience’ vehicle; an addition to the Town’s fleet that will have little influence on the effectiveness of the Department and minimal impact on the safety and security of the Community. The Committee encourages the Fire Chief to negotiate with other Town Department Heads for the occasional use of other Town vehicles during periods of inactivity to fill the Department needs.”

            The Select Board accepted the change to the draft warrant.

            McCullough went on to share that it was the opinion of the Capital Planning Committee that any unallocated free cash should be used for drainage and other roadway repairs.

            Select Board member Jodi Bauer brought up the capital expense planned for a new Police Department motorcycle to replace the Harley Davidson currently in use.

            McCullough said that the motorcycle had been described as needing replacement due to age and high mileage and that it is a fully equipped emergency vehicle. The Capital Planning Committee views it as a necessity, even though it had scored low on the committee’s list of priorities.

            Bauer said that the department’s motorcycle was purchased via a grant and believes a replacement unit should be funded in kind. She said she has also been looking into electric motorcycles called Zero Motorcycles that might be better suited for the conditions such as beaches, bike trails and wooded locations. In a follow-up, Bauer said that if the town decided to move towards becoming a Green Community, vehicles of this sort could be funded via grants including charging stations.

            The warrant was approved with the replacement motorcycle as listed.

            The board also approved the town’s FY23 operating budget $31,880,274 and the annual Town Election ballot.

            Earlier in the proceedings, Lorenco said that empty seats without candidates exist on the Board of Health, Mattapoisett School Committee (two) and Water and Sewer Commission. He said write-in candidates are an option for the voting public.

            In a follow-up, Lorenco said a winner can be decided by a simple majority of the votes cast. “If the write-in candidate does not accept the position, it would go through an appointment procedure which is different for each elected position,” he stated.

            No new meetings were scheduled by either the Finance Committee or the Select Board at the time of adjournment.

Mattapoisett Finance Committee

Mattapoisett Select Board

By Marilou Newell

The Marion Energy Management Committee would like a response from the Select Board as to the former’s request to redefine the committee’s scope to include the effects of climate change as they relate to short and long-range issues facing the town.

            While that implies a name change, the preoccupation of the membership during Monday’s public meeting was rather with its desperation to be heard where it concerns two major construction projects, the proposed Maritime Center and the proposed Department of Public Works.

            The EMC wants net-zero power in both buildings, and a sense of desperation for relevancy beyond the committee’s ongoing efforts to save the town money through many small upgrades is setting in.

            EMC Chairman Christian Ingerslev said he has been told that the proposed DPW operations building is being designed to hold solar panels, but there has been no news about net-zero energy.

            EMC member Eileen Marum said she has been told the same thing, that the floor would have radiant heat, but that may require fossil fuels.

            “You have the building, you have the plan, but you’re willing to use ancient technology to heat the floor. I think we have the opportunity, we should go net-zero,” said Marum. “The governor wants everything net-zero by 2030, at least 50 percent of it, the other half by 2050. Anything … starts from the ground up, it doesn’t start from the top down. As the EMC, we should encourage them as much as possible to go net-zero, not half and half.”

            While the DPW design is budget based in order to gain voter approval at the May 9 Town Meeting, Ingerslev has come away with the impression that “They’re not going to look at anything that’s going to cost more on Day 1. … I think our recommendations are falling on deaf ears, unfortunately,” he said.

            EMC member Jennifer Francis thinks the message may not be getting out as it should, and she suggested writing letters regarding both buildings. Referencing a recent letter to the Select Board, Francis said, “I don’t think the town is moving in the direction fast enough.”

            EMC member Tom Friedman referred to Article 10 of the Town Meeting warrant on the DPW building, noting that the anticipated $4,500,000 budget for design and construction aims to transfer $1,500,000 from free cash and borrow the other $3,000,000.

            Friedman said the impacts on Proposition 2 1/2 are concerning to the Select Board and to the Finance Committee. “If we could perhaps get some input with financial experience on how to spend more now and pay less later, perhaps make an argument on that ground,” said Friedman, who thinks a leader might be hatched on the Select Board or the FinCom.

            Friedman said that “pragmatists who insist I don’t want another dollar coming out of my pocket if I don’t have to, and the future be damned” exist in too high a number outside of the committee.

            With every passing week that the town’s two big construction projects get closer to the construction phase, the frustration among the EMC membership grows.

            “Anything would be better than what we’ve got, which is lots of crickets,” said Francis.

            Ingerslev said he will write a note to the Select Board seeking a written response to the committee’s request.

            Marum recommended that people listen to Laura Gardner, chair of the Climate Realty Massachusetts project who will appear at the Marion Natural History Museum on Wednesday, May 4, from 10:30 to 11:30 am.

            The next meeting of the Marion Energy Management Committee is scheduled for Monday, June 13, at 5:00 pm.

Marion Energy Management Committee

By Mick Colageo