Eversource Substation and Subdivision Plan

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Rochester’s Planning Board Tuesday continued its two outstanding hearings to its next meeting after reviewing new information both good and bad.

            It’s hearing into the special permit for a new Eversource Energy substation at 214 Rounseville Road yielded news that the company is cooperating with the abutters to answer their concerns about the development of the site. Eversource representative Dan Higgins reported that he has spoken to the abutters in response to town consulting engineer Ken Motta’s suggestion that the company seek the viewpoint of the neighborhood.

            Higgins said the neighbor at 212 Rounseville Road wants Eversource to get rid of all the existing trees there and put in other plantings that that resident might prefer. The owner at 204 Rounseville Road also has some concerns that Eversource is looking to address.

            Board chairman Arnold Johnson instructed Higgins to submit a new landscaping plan once his work with the neighbors is done. Fellow Eversource representative Heather Sykes asked the board to approve the project on the condition that the company would continue to work with the abutters. The board did not agree to this but instead Continued the hearing to February 11.

            Next, because of a problem with abutters notices, the board continued to that date its Definitive Subdivision plan hearing regarding dividing a 28-acre parcel at 386 Snipatuit Road into a two-acre lot. The plan here is to create frontage on Snipatuit Road containing an existing home and two new lots with frontage on a new roadway to be named Peter Crapo Cartway. Johnson said not all abutters received hearing notices originally. Letters to the correct number of abutters were only sent out the day of the hearing, he said. For this reason, the board moved for this continuance.

            In other action, the board reviewed a Notice of Intent to convert agricultural, Chapter 61A land at Forbes Road and High Street into non-chapter uses and voted to recommend to the Select Board that the town not exercise its legal right to purchase the property.

            Neck Road Solar representative Hank Ouimet reported progress on plans to erect adequate screening for the solar installation being built on that road. He said he is willing to agree to a 14-foot-high fence on top of his berm on Neck Road but that the structure needs to be built of horizontal wood sections not in the form of solid stockade. He said a Federal program granting him permission to combine a solar farm and an agricultural use there wants what is grown there to have sunlight at the right times of day. A fence with lateral slat openings would accomplish this purpose. Johnson said he was amenable to this plan and agreed with Ouimet’s suggestion to begin by putting up a ‘test fence’ of that material.

            The Rochester Planning Board’s next meeting will be Tuesday, February 11 at 7:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Planning Board

By Michael J. DeCicco

Tri-Town Against Racism

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Tri-Town Against Racism (TTAR) is excited to announce upcoming Story Walks in celebration of Black History Month. These events aim to promote diversity and inclusion within our community by featuring children’s picture books by Black authors and illustrators.

            In collaboration with the Mattapoisett Land Trust the Story Walk will take place at Munro Preserve, 1 Main St. Mattapoisett and will feature the book “They Had a Party for Langston Hughes” written by Jason Reynolds and illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey.

            A reception is planned for February 22 at Munro Preserve, weather permitting. All are welcome to attend.

            In collaboration with the Sippican Lands Trust the Story Walk will take place at the handicapped accessible Osprey Marsh, located approximately three miles south of the intersection of Route 6 (Wareham Road) and Point Road. This walk will feature the book “The Vast Wonder of the World: Biologist Ernest Everett Just” written by Mélina Mangal and illustrated by Luisa Uribe.

            Both Story Walks will be up for the entire month of February and are free and open to all.

            In addition to the Story Walk, the Sippican Land Trust and TTAR are hosting a Tidepooling event on February 15, at 2:30 pm with Dr. Carolyn Tepolt, SLT Board member and marine biologist, who will lead participants as they explore ocean life in the intertidal zone at Brainard Marsh, Marion. Registration is required for this event and can be completed by visiting sippicanlandstrust.org/events/

            A Black History Month Story Time with the Excellent family is planned at the Marion Music Hall, located at 164 Front Street, Marion, on February 8 from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm.

            Another Story Time is scheduled for February 22 from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm hosted by Kendall Smiley at the Rochester Women’s Club, located at 37 Marion Rd. Rochester.

            TTAR is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2020. The organization’s mission is to create an anti-racist environment for all citizens through education, positive communication, and fostering inclusion.

            For more information about TTAR and its programs, please visit www.tritownagainstracism.org.

Hello from Plumb Library

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Everybody knows that libraries loan out books, magazines, and movies, but did you know we have things? Nearly all libraries have special collections that are usually referred to as the Library of Things. These “things” range from puzzles to telescopes, wi-fi hotspots to lawn games, and more.

            The Library of Things at Plumb Library currently consist of a tabletop telescope, snowshoes for kids, T-Mobile wi-fi hotspots, a ukulele, a yarn winder, a kill-a-watt kit for measuring electrical use in your home, and MOBY backpacks for outside activities and exploration. All these are available for check out with an adult library card (except the yarn swift). Some items require that you sign a waiver form. All of these items circulate for one week and are subject to overdue fines. We hope to be adding more items to our collection in the coming months, so keep an eye out for that announcement. Feel free to check out other area libraries for even more things.

            Library cards are required for checkout. If you have lost your card, it can be replaced for a $2.00 charge. A great way to make sure you always have your card with you is to upload it to the SAILS Mobile app. It’s quick and easy and we’re happy to show you how it works.

            Library hours are: Mondays/Thursdays 1:00 to 8:00 pm; Tuesdays/Wednesdays 10:00 am to 6:00 pm; Fridays 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; Saturdays 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. We are closed on Sundays and Holidays. The Library can be contacted by phone at 508-763-8600 or email at info@plumblibrary.com. We are unable to respond to email, voicemail, or Messenger outside of normal operating hours.

Mariner Youth Soccer

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The Mariner Youth Soccer Club’s Annual Meeting will be held Tuesday, February 11 at 7:00 pm at the Fairhaven Council on Aging located at 229 Huttleston Avenue, Fairhaven. All members are welcome to attend.

            The meeting will include voting on changes to the organization’s by-laws, elections for board positions and committee appointments. Please address questions or interest to: info@marineryouthsoccer.onmicrosoft.com.

The 2025 Frosty Runner Road Race

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The Frosty Runner Road Race, an annual long-distance run at Old Colony, matched its billing in its 12th year.

            More than 280 participants came to the high school on Saturday, January 25 to complete the 10.5-mile or 5-kilometer circuit through a mid-20-degree chill. “Definitely lived up to the name of the frosty runner,” Robert Norcott, the 10.5-mile men’s winner, said. “Think we’re all a little bit cold, little bit fatigued, but what a great day in January to get a good race in.”

            Norcott, 43, finished in 1:03:45. It was his first time running the Frosty Runner Road Race. “I just love to compete,” he said. “I love running with somebody that’s either chasing me or I’m chasing them.”

            With a cold wind across the route’s hills and flat surfaces, Norcott, of Berkley, said the run was “very challenging.” It was also his first time running a race that was specifically 10.5 miles long. “That .5 you really feel at the end,” Norcott said. “It really tests your kick.”

            Linda Spooner, 50, finished the 10.5-mile race first among women, in 1:10:49. She is a multi-time winner of the yearly winter run through the streets of Rochester. “It’s really everything somebody wants in a race,” Spooner, of Sturbridge, said. “I love it.”

            The event also includes a 5-kilometer route. New Bedford resident Corey Hebert, a multi-time winner, placed first among men with a time of 17:32. The cold made the run more difficult than last year, Hebert, 31, said. It makes breathing harder, and muscles have to be warm to run efficiently. “Once you’re in the race, it’s not too bad, but on a cold, cold day like this, it can get to you a little bit,” he said.

            Westport resident Mary Cass, a previous winner, placed first for women with a 20:29 time. “It takes a hardcore runner to run on a day like today,” Cass, 63, said.

            Bethany Botelho first organized the Frosty Runner Road Race at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School in 2012. “It was really just kind of a local race, and it’s wild to see how much it’s branched out,” Botelho, a vocational director at the school, said.

            The event primarily serves as a fundraiser for Old Colony’s cross-country team. Old Colony staff and faculty volunteer for the event, according to Botelho. “I like that it supports the school here, and that’s one reason why I do it,” Cass said.

            Winner of the men’s 5K section, Hebert, said he loves the run because it’s a local road race that supports a local school.

            Winner of the women’s 10.5, Spooner, said the event is a “great cause” that, with little racing happening in the winter, “comes at such a good time.”

            “It’s everything you want, and I’ll try to do it every single year,” she said. “It’s just so great.”

By Erez Ben-Akiva

New Commissioner Begins

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            On January 27, Tyler Hathaway attended the first meeting if his tenure as a commissioner on the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission. The light agenda granted time for Chairman Mike King to explain a few fine points of the job. One such point was “special conditions.”

            Depending on the type of filing coming before the commission, this determines the type of determination the commission may approve. In the case of Notice of Intent filings, conservation commissions may approve a filing with conditions set to ensure that environmental conditions are protected. King explained that the environmental agent Brandon Faneuil had at the request of the commission, established a set of conditions known as “special standard conditions.” These conditions are standard because they are often used to permit applications, they are also “special” because they are somewhat more restrictive and or, include more conditions than is generally proscribed.

            Receiving an order for conditions on this night was a Notice of Intent filing by KLG Realty Trust, 15 Beach Street for the construction of an accessory garage. The applicant was represented by Matt Leone of Schneider Davignon and Leone.

            Leone said the project includes a paved driveway, flood water vents, and a roof run off system. He also noted for the commission that the owners are considering using the garage as an ADU in the future.

            Standard special conditions were ordered for an NOI filed by Paul V. Walsh Jr., trust. 113 Angelica Avenue for the construction of a new signal family home.

            Also represented by Leone, the new home will be elevated, featuring vents for flood water and storm surges. Roof runoff will be handled with an infiltration system he noted. The demolition of two existing structures was discussed and the need to follow established protocols for waste removal.

            A new septic system was approved for 9 River Road, Ronald Oliveira. The entirety of the project is located in buffer zones and riverfront jurisdictional areas.

            The commission voted to establish the 2025 meeting calendar with the first and fourth Mondays remaining as meeting days held at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell

Winter Wonders

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Come celebrate winter with the Mattapoisett Land Trust and stand-up chameleon storyteller Jackson Gillman at the Mattapoisett Public Library on Saturday, February 1 at 11:00 am. Regardless of the weather outside, everyone can help create an indoor snowstorm. Then in this imaginary winter wonderland, we can all shovel, make snowmen, snow angels, and explore nature in winter. No reservation required for this free event to help celebrate Bring Your Child to the Library Day. Check out the library website for all the day’s other activities.

            Watch for three other seasonal concerts that will follow throughout the year: Spring into Action & Song in April, Summer at the Beach in July, and Awesome Autumn in October.

            These programs are supported by a grant from the Mattapoisett Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Call the Mattapoisett Land trust at 774.377.9191 or email us at manager@mattlandtrust.org with any questions.

Avian Flu, Commonly Known as Bird Flu

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H5N1 or “Bird Flu” is a naturally occurring virus among wild aquatic birds, also known as wild waterfowl, throughout the world and can infect domestic poultry like chickens, ducks, and turkeys. Infected birds may or may not become sick but can infect other fowl. The virus is shed through saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. It is often present in natural water sources frequented by wild waterfowl. Domestic poultry may become infected with H5N1 when natural water sources are frequented, and when in contact with wild waterfowl.

Protective actions include:

            -Avoiding contact with suspected sick wild waterfowl and domestic poultry and observe them only from a distance.

            -Keep backyard domestic poultry away from wild waterfowl and natural water sources frequented by wild waterfowl.

            -Implement biosecurity plans.

            If you find a dead bird (wild waterfowl or domestic poultry), avoid contact. To report dead wild waterfowl or domestic poultry, call 617-626-1795 or online at mass.gov/reportbirds. Other types of birds, like songbirds and backyard birds, are rarely affected and should only be reported if there are 10 or more dead birds.

            Symptoms in wild waterfowl and domestic poultry include sudden death without clinical signs, incoordination, diarrhea, lack of energy or appetite, decreased egg production, purple discoloration of wattles, comb and legs, nasal discharge, coughing, and sneezing.

            It is safe to eat properly handled and cooked poultry in the United States. There are recommendations regarding other products from other animals that may be infected with H5N1 available online at CDC.gov. H5N1 can be found in products such as raw milk. Pasteurized milk is safe to consume.

            More information can be found online at cdc.gov/flu/avianflu, mass.gov/info-details/avian-influenza, mass.gov/orgs/Massachusetts-department-of-agricultural-resources.

Marion Village Historic District

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An open letter to the residents of the proposed Marion Village Historic District:

            This is a follow up to the recent public meetings where several people voiced concerns about the proposed historic district bylaw. As chair of the Marion Historical Commission, the town’s appointed preservation board, I hope I can reassure you that your concerns are being fully acknowledged and addressed by the Study Committee.

There are several key points that bear further emphasis:

            -Preservation projects your investment in your property and adds value to your property and all properties in the district because it prevents offensive new intrusions from changing the character of the area.

            -The purpose of the bylaw is to protect you from developers or others who presently have free rein to demolish, build and alter in any way they chose. Just imagine what could happen to the property next door or across the street from you in a worst-case scenario…multi-unit condominiums or enormous houses that are far larger than anything else on the street. As it stands now, anyone can build anything; it only has to comply with zoning restrictions and those often are not enough to insure suitable scale and massing.

            -Historic district legislation has been in existence since the 1950’s. It is a highly successful planning tool that protects historic villages throughout the state. Our version is extremely generous in terms of the number of specific exemptions it includes, making comparisons to Nantucket or Beacon Hill erroneous and inapplicable. Think instead of the lovely towns of Hingham, Duxbury, or Westport…just a few examples where local historic district bylaws continue to preserve and enhance the aesthetics and value of the community.

            -In response to comments at recent meetings, we will reformat and

expand the Design Guidelines to ensure predictability and accountability in the design

review process. It is intentional that Design Guidelines are included in the bylaw so there will be no uncertainties as to what they are.

            -With the help of these Guidelines, the review process is clearly defined and is not cumbersome or arbitrary.

            -Members of the Review Board will have professional qualifications in design and construction trades and will also receive trainings from the MA Historical Commission. We are also recommending that three out of five members be appointed from within the district. The goal of the review process is not to be an obstruction. It is to reach consensus in a way that preserves what everyone loves about the Village.

            -Now is the time to support a historic district in the Village, BEFORE its character deteriorates any further from additional demolition and oversized new construction.

            -Remember: Historic districting PROTECTS your investment in your property and adds value to your property and to all properties in the district.

Please attend the Public Hearing on February 18 at 5:30 at the Benjamin Cushing Community Center, 465 Mill Street.

            All Marion voters are invited to attend and learn more about the reasons why the Historical Commission and the Historic District Study Committee ask for your support of the bylaw at May Town Meeting.

            Sincerely,

Meg Steinberg, Chair

Marion Historical Commission

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.

ORR Scores Victories in Basketball and Hockey

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Boys Basketball

            The Old Rochester Regional high school boys’ basketball team hosted Dighton-Rehoboth on January 24 and won 68-54. Gavin Martin scored 15 points and had 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals. The Bulldogs are now 7-6 and 5-4 against the SCC. Their next game will be against Bishop Stang (6-5), at home on January 29.

Girls Basketball

            The Bulldogs played Dighton-Rehoboth on January 24 and won 52-26. They’re now 8-3 in the season and continue their winning streak of seven games. Their next game will be at home against Greater New Bedford Voc/Tech (6-9), on January 31.

Hockey

            Old Rochester played Apponequet on January 25 and won 5-2. The win moves their record to 4-7. Their next game will be at Bourne (6-7), on January 29.

Sports Roundup

By Aiden Comorosky