It took substantial discussion, but the Marion Planning Board voted on Monday night to continue the public hearing on a two-lot definitive subdivision plan filed by Danielle Realty Trust, Wareham Street, with the confidence that a conditioned approval will be forthcoming on December 19.

            According to project representative Bob Rogers of G.A.F. Engineering, the only substantive change to the site plan as of December 5 was an increase in the pavement rift around the cul-de-sac, expanding the width of the pavement from 18 feet to 22 feet.

            Rogers told the board he received an email from Fire Chief Brian Jackvony stating that the applicant’s revised site plan was reviewed and that Marion’s ladder truck would be able to enter and exit without restriction.

            Test pits were also added on the hill on the property and displayed on the site map, and more could be added based on need or desire.

            Erosion-control will be supported by soil-stabilization practices during construction.

            Planning Board member Andrew Daniel posed the question as to snow potentially clogging the “beehive” at the front side of the cul-de-sac as opposed to the center or the rear. “Because all the snow from Danielle Drive is going to be pushed into that first,” he said.

            Daniel, the Facilities manager for the Town of Rochester, explained that a snowplow would clear the straightaway first, pushing the lion’s share of snow at the front of the cul-de-sac, leaving the rear with the least amount of snow.

            Rogers acknowledged that the center catch basin can be moved 5 or 6 feet toward the center of the cul-de-sac but maintained that plowing would tend to push to the right side and not push snow directly at the front of the island as Daniel suggested.

            “It’s not really a beehive; it is a standard catch basin,” said Rogers.

            Daniel insisted a storm could result in an 8- to 10-foot pile of snow at the center of the cul-de-sac and stuck to his suggestion that the center basin be moved 5 feet backward toward the center or even the rear of the cul-de-sac.

            Town Planner Doug Guey-Lee asked if relocation of the catch basin poses ramifications for access for maintenance purposes. Rogers said no and agreed with board member Eileen Marum that the two homeowners would be responsible for the maintenance of the road.

            Marum talked about increased rainfall due to climate change. Rogers said the systems being proposed are designed for 100-year storms.

            When the floor was opened to comment from outside the board or town staff, self-recused Planning Board member Chris Collings, 13 River Road, identified himself as an abutter and asked if a marking at the downslope property line on the site plan is a vegetative barrier.

            Rogers identified the marking in question as a tree line vertical and a no-disturb line horizontal below. Collings suggested the board request such a barrier to give abutters “the privacy they want.”

            Daniel asked if the board faces liability charges should the plan prove damaging to the abutters.

            “I have no worries whatsoever about this runoff going across the road,” said Rogers, but he did state that maintenance is an issue for the two drains on River Road at the bottom of the swale. Failure of those drains could impact the area, he acknowledged.

            “We are used to screening solar farms from residential areas, screening a single-family house from another single-family house. That works both ways,” said Rogers.

            Referencing the covenant he filled out and submitted to the town, Rogers said that before the board’s December 19 meeting, he would revise the site plan to move the catch basin in the middle of the cul-de-sac. “My expectation is that we’ll be drafting a decision with conditions for the board’s review,” he said.

            As Daniel proposed tweaks along the tree line, board member Tucker Burr sought clarification on the drainage network. Rogers explained the catch basins on the perimeter of the cul-de-sac move the runoff to what begins as a 12-inch pipe that finds a low point near the beginning of River Road.

            Citing that the board was moving toward approval of the project, Guey-Lee recommended any substantive issues “be brought to bear now rather than later.” He said he would like the board to be talking at its next meeting with a draft decision in hand.

            Rogers said the waiver requests have not changed since being submitted.

            Regarding the covenant being reviewed by the board, Guey-Lee asked how the median in the case of a private way is split up between the two prospective property owners. “I’m just wondering who would mow it, etc.,” he said. Rogers explained that both owners would be responsible for the common land.

            Hills indicated that Rogers can expect a decision to be written for the board’s review, and the members voted to continue the case to December 19 at 7:05 pm.

            In other business, Marum volunteered to produce an initial draft of the board’s annual report due February 1, 2023.

            The board voted to approve a 2023 meeting schedule that due to holidays falling on Mondays will include six Tuesday meetings.

            The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, December 19, at 7:00 pm at the Police Station, also accessible via Zoom.

Marion Planning Board

By Mick Colageo

The November 17 meeting of the Rochester School Committee was a straightforward and streamlined one, mostly spent covering recent MCAS test results and how the Old Rochester Regional School District measures up to the state. As with other recent committee meetings, it was announced at the beginning that there would be no open public comment section due to recent concerns over safety.

            The meat of the meeting was taken up by Principal Derek Medeiros’ presentation regarding the results of the most recent MCAS tests.

            “The MCAS is not new to us, but we do know that the last two and a half years of school have not been typical,” said Medeiros.

            The committee noted that the Covid pandemic made a large impact on recent MCAS scores compared to prepandemic times, but that the overall comparison to scores across Massachusetts still indicates the ORR District’s commitment to excellence.

            “The good news and what the committee will hear tonight is that our students and their families should be proud of the MCAS results produced here at Rochester Memorial School. Although MCAS is one of the many pieces of information to help inform the teaching and learning experiences of our students, we can use this information to assess areas of strengths and also opportunities for our students,” said Medeiros. “Tonight, you’re going to hear many of those strengths that our data shows and more importantly, some action steps on how our team plans to move forward. From a big-picture standpoint, we will use this data to help inform future academic programming and needs in conjunction with all available data points for MCAS.

            Medeiros reminded the gathered members that 2022-23 is the first normal year of school for Rochester’s third-grade students.

            “We know that there’s been learning loss, and we’ve done a lot here in our district that we’re very proud of to help our students close those gaps. But you’ll see throughout this presentation that our students are performing above the state in almost every category. So we’re very proud of that,” said Medeiros, who pointed out consistently higher percentages of students performing at or above the expected level compared to the state. “And then again, the average scale score of 498 for our students, like I mentioned, right, they are so close to that 500 average scale score, as we’re typically seeing, but (it’s) 493 for the state.”

            In his financial report, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber told the committee that the annual budget maintains its course. He said meal participation continues to grow, as simultaneous, nationwide supply-chain issues continue to disrupt and impact the food program. ORR School Nurse Beth Oleson was credited for the training she provides on kitchen first aid, EpiPen use and choke safety.

            At the beginning of the meeting, Chairperson Sharon Hartley publicly aligned Rochester’s with other district school committees that have taken precautions in the wake of threatening conduct at the November 7 Joint School Committee meeting.

            “As a result of the threatening, disruptive and disorderly conduct of a few members of the public during the open comments’ portion of the Joint School Committee meeting held on Monday, November 7, which forced the abrupt adjournment of that body before the business of that meeting even began, I have made the decision not to allow public comments at tonight’s business meeting of the Rochester School Committee,” announced Hartley. “A school committee meeting is a meeting at which school committee members must transact portions of their business in public. There is no requirement for public comment. It is entirely at the discretion of the chair.

            “Each member of this elected body has been and will continue to be open to hearing or reading public comments from our constituents or any kind of comments from our constituents and our citizens. However, when members of this committee need to be escorted to their vehicles for fear of their physical safety due to the hostile, disorderly conduct from members of the public … I am forced to prioritize not only for our safety, but also so that we can conduct the business of this body. Is my sincere hope that respectful, civil discourse will soon return to the Tri-Town.”

            ORR Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson took time towards the end of the meeting to remind those gathered about meeting conduct and regulations, reading directly from the handbook as he did so. Nelson emphasized that respect is a two-way street, and committee members need to treat community members with the same respect they themselves expect and deserve.

            The next public meeting of the Rochester School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, January 5, at 6:30 pm at Rochester Memorial School and accessible via Zoom.

Rochester School Committee

By Jack MC Staier

During the December 5 meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board, former member of the town’s long-defunct Open Space and Recreation Committee Bonne DeSousa raised the need for a committee to develop plans for the use of the former Holy Ghost grounds off Park Street.

            DeSousa noted that during the Fall Special Town Meeting, questions were raised when Article 8 came up. The article asked the voters to approve $150,000 for restrooms at the structure situated on the town-owned property.

            Town Administrator Mike Lorenco conferred with Old Colony Regional Vocational-Technical High School, which ultimately agreed to do the carpentry work. He said at the time that if Mattapoisett could not commit to a schedule, the students would be assigned to another project, possibly terminating Mattapoisett’s opportunity for a cost-effective way to get the work done.

            Finance Committee member Colleen Trahan lodged a “nay” for Article 8 when the warrant was being discussed during the committee’s meeting leading up to Town Meeting. Her reasoning was straightforward, a plan for the property was needed before money should be spent on improvements. The majority of voters at Town Meeting thought otherwise. Article 8 passed 41 yes to 18 no.

            On Monday, DeSousa urged the Planning Board’s involvement in possibly developing a committee that would report to Town Meeting in the spring. She also pointed out that the town has not had an Open Space and Recreation Committee since 2016. In the absence of such an entity, DeSousa said the town cannot develop plans, and in the absence of a committee and a fully vetted plan, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation grants cannot be sought.

            Planning Board member John Mathieu said the Select Board is the body that should convene a committee, and in his opinion, “The town shouldn’t own property except for recreation.”

            The Select Board’s December 6 agenda lists discussion of the Holy Ghost grounds.

            In other business, the board approved the Form A request submitted by Next Grid Solar for the creation of three lots on Bowman Road. Before ending their discussion on the application, member Karen Field pointed out that the solar array on Bowman Road owned by Next Grid was “not tidy.” Rich Riccio of Field Engineering, representing Next Grid, said, “I don’t have anything at all to do with that project, but I’ll pass along the information to the owners.”

            David Andrews of the Bay Club came forward to share that letters from the Mattapoisett Highway Department and the Mattapoisett Water and Sewer Department indicate no issues with roadways now ready for paving. There was some discussion as to whether it was prudent to pave roads with winter bearing down. Andrew will return to the board on December 19 to confirm the Bay Club’s decision to either finish paving now or ask for an extension and pave in the spring.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, December 19, at 7:00 pm.

Mattapoisett Planning Board

By Marilou Newell