Rochester Selectman Woody Hartley has been working on potential grant funding to add a three-season room to the Senior Center at 67 Dexter Lane. Simultaneously, Hartley was also looking into a MassDOT Shared Streets grant that would have funded a solar canopy over a parking lot in the area of Town Hall, but that idea was put aside.

            The Board of Selectmen held two meetings in the last eight days, one on December 30 and another on January 4. Hartley laid out the two projects on December 30.

            At the time, Hartley was working to confirm the $165,000 price tag for the Senior Center project while seeking a vote to authorize Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar to sign the grant application. “It’s not visible from the street, so I don’t have a problem with it,” said Selectman Brad Morse, making the motion. The board voted its approval, and Hartley said approval would also be needed from the Rochester Historic District Commission.

            Eric Arbeene from the Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) “did a lot of work on this and put it together,” according to Hartley.

             As Hartley presented under the category “Investments in the Future,” the Senior Center project is meant to address an ongoing effort. Officially, the Rochester Council on Aging seeks to make permanent a pilot program implemented during the coronavirus pandemic to expand upon services, meals, and activities for seniors and the community.

            During the spring and summer months, the COA bought outdoor tents and restarted the Coffee and Conversation program. Citing the program’s success, a prefabricated, three-season room measuring 64 feet long by 12 feet wide would function as a permanent outdoor space. The room would increase the COA’s usable space by 15 percent.

            With the expansion, social distancing requirements can continue to be met while, at the same time, programming could be maintained and even expanded.

            Objections to the solar canopy were more logistical than conceptual, and the location was central to Chairman Paul Ciaburri and Selectman Brad Morse’s concerns. “The other one is more important,” said Hartley of the Senior Center project.

            In other business, Szyndlar told the selectmen that Marion’s Benson Brook transfer station is temporarily closed until mid-January due to the ongoing removal of CMW Refuse Disposal District equipment and the installation of new equipment. Updates will be forthcoming on Rochester’s town website, townofrochestermass.com.

            Morse had said during the December 30 meeting that Benson Brook “will be up and running as soon as they can get some electrical stuff done.”

            Szyndlar said Benson Brook stickers are available for purchase at Rochester Town Hall.

            In the January 4 meeting, Szyndlar publicly thanked Public Health Nurse Connie Dolan. “During this pandemic, she has been extremely beneficial to the townspeople and to our employees. And while I know that’s a big part of her job description, I want to thank her really for going above and beyond and helping people navigate through the COVID-19 requirements and the diagnosis.… She’s been a big help in the process, so I just want her to know that we appreciate her dedication to the town. I’ve heard from residents as well that they have been very happy having her as a resource,” said Szyndlar.

            Ciaburri echoed Szyndlar’s sentiments, noting Dolan’s and Health Director Karen Walega’s successful efforts in gaining state approval for an emergency dispensing site plan. “It went very smoothly, and in record time– two days. It should have taken weeks,” he said.

            In a follow-up, Walega explained that Rochester’s emergency-management team met with state representatives seeking approval for a drive-thru COVID-19 vaccine site at the Department of Public Works barn on Ryder Road. State approval was achieved within two days. “That doesn’t usually happen. It was an awesome undertaking by all who were involved,” said Walega.

            In other matters, the selectmen also voted to accept a SEMASS PILOT payment of $327,830.

            In her December 30 report, Szyndlar told the selectmen that Plymouth County-administered CARES Act funding was extended to December 31, 2021, noting that while Rochester is “almost fully” expended, the extension provides extra time for the town to process invoices and apply for reimbursements.

            Rochester town facilities have a new phone system with upgrades, a new set of prompts, and extensions. Callers must add ‘1’ to any former extension, and it becomes the new one. (i.e. Extension 12 becomes 112). Callers to the Town Hall and Annex buildings will now be prompted to choose by department rather than name.

            “It allows us to answer our phones from anywhere now,” said Szyndlar.

            The selectmen held an executive session on January 4 to discuss contract negotiations with town vendors and contract strategy for negotiations with non-union personnel.

            The Rochester Board of Selectmen’s next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 19, at 6:00 pm.

Rochester Board of Selectmen

By Mick Colageo

            Marion Public Health Nurse Lori Desmarais told the Marion Board of Health on January 5 that COVID-19 vaccination clinics will begin inoculating local first responders from Marion, Mattapoisett, Rochester, and Wareham as soon as next week.

            According to Board of Health Chairman Dr. Edward Hoffer, Marion received 400 doses of the vaccine, which was the number of doses the town had requested. About 385 have signed up to receive the vaccine, he said. “So we should have at least adequate to cover the people who show up,” said Hoffer.

            Board of Health member John Howard said he has already gotten vaccinated in Hyannis, and about 80 percent of the people who signed up for the vaccine clinic showed up. He called it a “pretty good turnout.”

            Desmarais said there are 36 active COVID-19 cases in Marion for a total of 207 since the start of the pandemic.

            “Marion did see the surge that we talked about … after the holidays,” said Desmarais. The majority of the cases are people in the community, and she is actively following them as they recover.

            At Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, Desmarais reported that there are currently four individuals in quarantine awaiting test results with three positive cases in isolation. So far, there have been 12 cases.

            There are 20 in quarantine at the high school, eight confirmed cases in isolation, with a total of 36 confirmed cases so far.

            At Sippican School, nine are in quarantine, and two confirmed cases in isolation. Sippican has had 14 confirmed cases so far.

            Tabor Academy has delayed students’ return to campus tentatively until the end of January. Classes were scheduled to begin on February 2, Desmarais said, but the school will continue to follow the status of the pandemic before deciding to bring students back.

            Over at Sippican Healthcare Center, the nursing home held its first COVID-19 vaccination clinic on December 30.

            “That went well,” Desmarais commented, adding that there are currently two confirmed cases of the coronavirus linked to the nursing home; however, it has been eight days since any new confirmed cases.

            Health Agent David Flaherty reported that his 20 recent COVID-compliance inspections of local establishments had gone well; however, Cumberland Farms on Route 6 has had to temporarily close after one employee tested positive. Flaherty said the store would be deep-cleaned and disinfected, and employees will return to work as they test negative for the virus.

            Overall, though, Flaherty reported that there had been very few complaints in general, except for some complaints about individuals not wearing masks as required. There were several complaints about Little Neck Village residents failing to don face coverings, and Flaherty said he has been in contact with management, who has addressed the situation.

            In other matters, the board was pleased to hear Flaherty’s report on progress at 464 Front Street, which had been cited for safety and sanitation violations. He toured the house with the property owner and commented, “It looks like they’ve done a very good job,” adding that building permits had been issued as required. “The outside looks pretty good … 90 percent better than it was before.”

            Over at 33 Pitcher Street, the situation has not improved after several failed attempts to serve the property owner with notice of the safety and sanitary violations at that site.

            “It’s pretty bad over there,” said Flaherty, although the house is mostly hidden from view. The building has collapsed, he said, and no one appears to be inhabiting the house at this time.

            The next meeting of the Marion Board of Health is scheduled for Tuesday, January 19, at 4:00 pm.

Marion Board of Health

By Jean Perry

            Being a tree warden is no small task. The average tree warden must possess a spectrum of skills, like maintaining public tree inventories, interfacing with the public and town government, and performing physical labor such as pruning, planting, and cutting down trees.

            Since 1899, according to the Massachusetts Tree Warden and Foresters Association, Massachusetts General Law has mandated that all the Commonwealth’s cities and towns employ a tree warden (M.G.L. Chapter 41, Section 1 and 106). As noted, the scope of responsibilities is fairly wide-ranging; however, to summarize, the job requires that the tree warden fill the role of both manager and advocate protecting trees where necessary or protecting the public from dangerous trees.

            While Mattapoisett Tree Warden Roland Cote can present findings on trees suspected of being a danger to the townspeople, he first needs to obtain the Planning Board’s permission to remove them.

            On January 4, during two hearings held by the Planning Board, Cote advocated for the removal of two trees growing along scenic highways. His assumptions were met with some pushback.

            The first tree discussed is located at 9 Ship Street on a corner lot where an ash tree is situated on the Beacon Street side of the intersection. Homeowner Jim Parker had previously sought to have the tree removed from town property due to its proximity to his driveway. The 2013 effort failed when brought before the Planning Board. This time Parker was armed with two letters, one from well-known local arborist David Mendell and the second from local landscaper Charles Dupont. Both held that the tree had become structurally unsound due to a cavity in the tree known as a split crotch.

            Mattapoisett Tree Committee member Sandra Hering spoke in favor of saving the tree, saying it was one of a declining number of ash trees still growing in the U.S. and that so far, the tree did not exhibit any insect or disease issues, including the presence of the dreaded emerald ash borer. Noting that, if and when new sidewalks are constructed along the designated scenic way, “We are going to lose more trees, creating further loss to the canopy.” After some discussion, the majority of the Planning Board agreed the tree should be removed.

            An oak tree located at 177 North Street came up next for the chopping block, but not before Hering expressed that a hollow sound Cote found upon tapping the tree trunk did not constitute disease. Furthermore, she said, removing one of the oaks that forms a cluster could weaken the remaining trees. She advocated for leaving the tree(s) in place.

            The property owner, Ellen Schneider, stated that the tree(s) in question created a blind spot when she and her family exited their driveway; thus, the tree(s) was a safety matter. Cote sided with Schneider, and subsequently, the board members by a majority, once again not by unanimous decision, voted to have the cluster removed, not the singular tree.

            Member Nathan Ketchel inquired about whether or not trees were being planted to replace those the board had approved for removal. It was noted that neither the Tree Committee nor the tree warden has a budget that can support the purchasing of trees. Ketchel wondered aloud about other funding sources. Member Karen Field said she would broach the matter at the Community Preservation Committee’s next meeting.

            A subdivision site plan review hearing for property located at 0 Randall Road, owned by Stephen Randon, was ultimately continued until March 1 when it was ascertained that only a few of the 26 abutters had actually received notification of the public hearing. Representing G.A.F. Engineering, Bill Madden laid out several waivers his client would be seeking. Those included but were not limited to a reduction in private roadway width, use of crushed gravel, no 4-foot utility strips, no sidewalks, and a hammerhead configuration for vehicle turnarounds.

            Continued to February 1 without being reopened were Randall Solar, LLC for a solar array on Randall Lane, Park Lane extension subdivision, and Selha Way site plan modification.

            The Mattapoisett Planning Board’s next meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 1, at 7:00 pm.

Mattapoisett Planning Board

By Marilou Newell