Governor Baker’s expanded executive orders have been in place since September 15, orders that mandate the wearing of masks whenever someone is out in public, including taking a walk in one’s neighborhood. The Governor’s updated mandate, viewable at mass.gov, requires that masks be worn at all times when people are not in their homes, regardless of the ability to maintain 6 feet of separation. Yet how to achieve compliance is an issue that is plaguing cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth, including Mattapoisett. The issue was discussed during the December 2 Mattapoisett Board of Health meeting.

            The Board of Selectman had sent a letter dated November 16 to the BOH requesting the establishment of a fine structure for repeat offenders who are found to be in “blatant disregard” of the facing-covering order. The letter reads in part: “The stricter measures are in response to rising coronavirus case counts and hospitalizations statewide.… The Town’s confirmed case count as of November 15 was 91 cases, which represents a 98-percent increase when compared to the 46 confirmed cases reported just two months ago on September 15.”

            The letter explains that exemptions to the mandate remain in place, such as for persons unable to wear a face-covering “due to a medical or disabling condition.” It also grants an exemption to people who need to communicate with a person with a hearing disability.

            The BOS does not have the governing authority to impose fines. However, in matters such as these, the BOH does. Thus, the selectmen sought to “work collaboratively … as we progress through this unprecedented pandemic,” they wrote. The selectmen suggested that first offenders receive a fine of $50, graduated up to $150 for second offenses, and $300 for a third offense. The letter explains that “the board’s goal is not to burden average law-abiding citizens, but rather to penalize repeat offenders or others who have a blatant disregard for the face-covering order and consequently present a health risk to the residents and visitors within Mattapoisett.”

            Public Health Nurses Amanda Stone and Emily Field believed that it was good to be prepared with a fine structure, but that educating the public was, at this time, the better course of action. “What more could we be doing?” queried Stone. She also asked, “Who would get the money” generated from fines collected and who would keep track of the offenders? Stone said, “We (the public health nurses) can’t be involved in any of these administrative tasks.” Kayla Davis, Board of Health agent, said that the Police Department would be responsible for enforcement, but that her office should be contacted if residents had concerns of non-compliance to report.

            BOH member Ken Dawicki said he disagreed with establishing fines at this point, saying, “This comes close to a police state.… We can re-educate people.”

            Agreeing with Dawicki was board member Russell Bailey, who angrily responded, “We should not be grabbing people off the street making a mountain out of a molehill. Let’s be positive.” Bailey also questioned the science behind masking at all times.

             In a follow-up Bailey said, “I’m 110 percent for wearing masks, but I’d rather have a conversation with someone than fine them.” He said that guidelines are changing quickly and that residents need to be informed.

            Town Administrator Mike Lorenco, speaking on behalf of the selectmen, said that the fining process could be handled similarly to actions taken against non-compliant businesses. “We wanted to spark a discussion with the Board of Health to make everyone accountable,” he explained.

            The mass.gov website states: “Even if you are outside in a private setting, wear a mask if you might be closer than 6 feet, and always wear a mask in public settings regardless of distance from others (it’s required!).” Also: “Wear a mask anytime you are indoors and around other people. Masks are required to be worn in all spaces open to the public, indoors or outdoors.” Field confirmed that her own children are wearing masks when playing outside in their own yard.

            In the end, the BOH voted to table the matter until its January 2021 meeting.

            In other COVID-19-related matters, Field and Stone discussed the fast pace of spread, with Field noting the amount of time spent in contact tracing. She said the work is “time-sensitive.”

            Chairman Carmelo Nicolosi asked about the severity of confirmed cases in the community. Field responded that symptoms ran the gamut from very mild to “not being able to pick your head up off the pillow.” The conversation then moved to incubation periods, with Stone saying that current data indicates it can take up to nine days to test positive after exposure. “People are supposed to stay away from others while waiting for test results,” she stated.

            Field said that most transmissions are being identified as generating from family members and small group gatherings. When asked how groups of juveniles not wearing masks would be handled, Nicolosi said it is difficult to find out where these children live and that parents need to be part of the solution. He also said that anyone with concerns should contact the BOH office.

            On the matter of what constitutes a “close contact,” Field said, even with a mask on, if one is indoors for more than 15 minutes and less than 6 feet apart, the transmission is possible. She said the more informed people, the better, and that “slowing the spread” is the goal. Complete guidance is available at CDC.gov.

            Rounding out the COVID-19 discussion was when and how vaccine distribution would take place in Mattapoisett. Many uncertainties remain according to the nurses regarding when the general population would have access to a vaccine and issues with the specialized refrigeration it will require. But they said systems would be in place once the two-dose inoculations begin. The team also stated that the most vulnerable people with health problems or age-related status and essential healthcare workers would be the first to receive the vaccine.

            In other BOH business matters, Davis reported that she had inspected a local motel and found “multiple violations.” She noted smoking in rooms, pets, and lack of trash removal as primary issues. Davis said that the property owner felt at a loss to bring renters into compliance with rules and asked for assistance in doing so. Davis said that she requested the owner draft a document for the residents and that the BOH would assist in addressing problems.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Health is scheduled for January 13.

Mattapoisett Board of Health

By Marilou Newell

            The Rochester Board of Selectmen agreed to sign off on the inter-municipal agreement with the Town of Marion to use its Benson Brook Transfer Station during the former’s December 7 Zoom meeting.

            As Selectman Brad Morse explained, with Marion having left the disbanding Carver-Marion-Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District, Marion invited Rochester to use its facility off of Route 6. Morse said stickers would cost Rochester residents $70, and seniors will get them for $60. Rochester residents will be able to pick up stickers at Rochester Town Hall, most likely by January 1, 2021.

            “We are also working on the possibility of using the Route 28 facility,” Morse told the board. Morse noted that, although the Route 28 facility will be run by Wareham, Rochester is still negotiating for a rate for Rochester residents preferring to use that facility.

            Selectman Woody Hartley sought and got clarification on a couple of details for the residents’ sake, noting that Rochester residents will pay a little more than Marion residents to use the Benson Brook facility and also that Marion’s senior-discount classification starts at age 70 and also includes veterans.

            Rochester residents will follow the same age and military classification standards as Marion has set forth to its residents, but the former can go to Rochester Town Hall starting January 1, pending the arrival of stickers.

            In concert with Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar, the selectmen voted unanimously to schedule the next Town Meeting for Monday, May 24, 2021, with the Town Election set for Wednesday, May 26. Memorial Day is May 31.

            In her Town Administrator’s Report, Szyndlar told the selectmen that the 2021 real estate tax bills are out and are due on December 31. FY22 budget requests are also out to department heads.

            To date, Szyndlar said Rochester had submitted $165,000 in invoices to Plymouth County, which is administering the distribution of reimbursements for non-budgeted, COVID-related expenditures via the CARES Act. Rochester has received slightly over $33,000, according to Szyndlar.

            This is only a fraction of what has been spent and will presumably be reimbursed to the town for 2020. Szyndlar said she has finished the paperwork for a $270,000 submission scheduled to go out this week, followed by approximate amounts of $150,000 and $160,000 as the town expects $740,000 to be reimbursed via the CARES Act.

            The new phone/intercom system inside Town Hall has been completed, and Szyndlar told the board that the town is finalizing its switch to a new internet provider.

            Green Communities has finished all of the town’s lighting projects, and there will be a final walkthrough with the company, paving the way for a look at a second year of Green Communities projects.

            There is a January 21-22 trade show, an interactive virtual conference that Szyndlar recommended to the selectmen.

            The board voted unanimously to authorize Szyndlar to sign on behalf of the town on documents that netted Rochester a $20,946 reimbursement grant.

            Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon explained that the town’s Conservation Commission has collaborated with the Buzzards Bay Coalition, which will take ownership of property at Decas Cranberry’s Stuart bog. The projects, via an agreement with Decas Cranberry, will protect 232 acres, including woodlands abutting Rochester Conservation Commission land and an estuary to the north of the bog. Farinon said that private fundraising would make up the difference in acquisition costs.

            Farinon also told the selectmen she would bring a draft for the board’s approval rewriting the town’s Flood Plain Bylaw to be consistent with the state model bylaw.

            The selectmen also voted to sign off on annual license renewals for 2021 under four separate categories. Class II licenses include EB Auto Sales at 654 Mary’s Pond Road; C&C Auto Brokers 601 Mary’s Pond Road; The Custom Shop at 45 Pine Street; Vaughan Hill Motors at 227 Vaughan Hill Road; and Debalsi Auto Sales at 203 High Street. Class III licenses include High Street Auto at 56 High Street; and Murphy’s Auto Salvage at 35 County Road. Outdoor World at 90 Stevens Road was granted an Automatic Amusement license, and the following establishments received liquor licenses: Adrian’s Package Store at 711 Mary’s Pond Road; Costa’s Family Market dba Lloyd’s Market at 8 Hartley Road; Plumb Corner Market and Matt’s Blackboard, both at 565 Rounseville Road; and Rochester Golf Club at 323 Rounseville Road.

            The selectmen voted not to exercise the town’s Chapter 61 Right of First Refusal for Lots 8 and 8A on Map 12 and Lots 6, 12, and 13 on Map 13. Morse recused himself from that discussion and vote.

            The board accepted a SEMASS $337,837 PILOT payment for October 20.

            The board began with a 12-minute executive session to discuss town vendor contract negotiations and strategy to prepare for negotiations with non-union personnel. The session yielded no action in the public portion of the meeting.

            Chairman Paul Ciaburri reported attending a Plymouth County Advisory Committee meeting, and Hartley reported attending a SRPEDD meeting.

            Ciaburri praised Eversource for the utility company’s job during the weekend storm that threatened power outages amidst heavy rain and high winds. “I got calls every six hours; they’ve been fabulous the last two storms,” he said, adding that Eversource did “a great job” on the tree trimming.

            A public hearing scheduled for 6:05 pm regarding a street name change was continued to 6:10 pm on December 21, at the board’s next meeting.

Rochester Board of Selectmen

By Mick Colageo

            The Mattapoisett School Committee voted on Monday night to approve a full, in-person return of school children in Grades K-2 effective at a date to be determined in January, 2021. The proposal and approval came late in a lengthy meeting of the committee that included heated public comments by frustrated parents.

            “The concern about literacy started for our children who were in kindergarten and first grade in the spring, and they are presently our Grade 1 and Grade 2 students,” said Mattapoisett Schools Principal Rose Bowman, who together with Assistant Principal Kevin Tavares introduced a plan that identifies three large rooms in two Mattapoisett elementary schools.

            Grade 1, as Bowman explained, can return to full, in-person learning while maintaining 6 feet of social distancing by using Center School’s Music Room, Library and Art Room. Grade 2 can do the same by using the large spaces in Old Hammondtown’s Instrumental Music Room, General Music Room and Library. A Powerpoint presentation detailed plans for each grade under the categories Facilities Impact, Staffing Impact, Associated Costs, and Impacts on school community.

            “In order to do this … all of these decisions that have been brought forward maintaining the staff we presently have working. The costs that I have brought that would be additional are mainly tech,” said Bowman, the exception being a paraprofessional that would need to be brought aboard to support the schools.

            A full-remote option will remain in place for parents of K-2 students, but Bowman said the hybrid model will no longer remain an option for those grades.

            Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson reasserted that the 6 foot social distance is a part of that equation. Nelson said the close-contact definition will continue to influence district plans vis-a-vis the learning model. “This will be a big task for our facilities,” he said. “We’ll also need time to look at the food-service needs.”

            Students in quarantine situations are also affected so preparation in all areas of school support systems makes waiting until mid-January necessary, said Nelson.

            Member Shannon Finning told the meeting that she has received offers from parents to volunteer their services to offset budgetary impacts.

            Early in the meeting, public comment began with a push in the direction that the meeting would ultimately go, albeit without the vitriol that entered in as the comments piled up.

            Juliet Xifares, a nurse not working very much because she is spending her time as a hybrid-out teacher to her twin first-grade sons, began the discussion on reopening during the early stages of open comment.

            “I would like to support the push to get our earliest learners back into school five days a week,” she said, adding that all four members of her family have tested positive for COVID-19 and that her seven-year-old Thomas had made two emergency-room visits and a trip to Boston Children’s Hospital.

            “I still feel really strongly that our children should be in school five days a week. I don’t regret choosing the hybrid model (two in-days per week). I know that school really is one of the safest places for children. I know that my child did not get COVID-19 at school,” said Xifares. “I feel that it’s important because, as somebody who experienced this on a more significant level, I still feel strongly that our children deserve to be in school five days a week and that the benefits outweigh the risks in my opinion.”

            Xifares believes that parents should decide which level of risk they want to take.

            Alison Costa spoke, alluding to a request she emailed to the committee and to Nelson that the committee meet twice per week in an effort to accelerate an full in-person plan for the youngest school children. Costa cited Acushnet, Fairhaven and Westport as towns that have brought back their youngest learners. A local nurse practitioner said she recently received 55 calls from parents who had been referred to her practice because their children were suicidal, depressed and anxious.

            Other parents offered harsher criticisms, one accusing the committee of representing the teacher’s union rather than the community. Chairman Jim Muse asked both Kearny Klein and Michael Kwoka to avoid personal attacks.

            Sara Jacobson, a teacher at Old Hammondtown School, told the meeting attendees for clarification that Acushnet residents had just received a letter saying the town would return to full remote learning due to COVID-19. “We don’t have a community around us that has a perfect answer,” she said.

            Stephanie Clarke said it’s very difficult to pose meaningful questions and said it’s been a month since Governor Baker changed regulations. “I’d like to think that we’ll come away from this meeting with an actionable plan,” she said.

            Bowman commended all the children, their families and school staffs for their dedication and effort. “The collaboration amongst the teachers to provide grade-level opportunities has been strong,” she said.

            Muse said the Mattapoisett School Committee received a complaint that was made by Stephanie Clark to the state’s attorney general about a violation of Open Meeting Law. “We will be responding within 14 days in writing as is mandated by the law,” said Muse, who said he shared the complaint with the committee as soon as he received notice. Member Shannon Finning asked when the 14 days expire. Muse said the 14th business day will have been marked on Tuesday, December 8. Clarke said the response was due on Monday, December 7. She continued to assert that Muse was sharing “bad information” and was muted because she had not been recognized in concert with the rules of public comment at the meeting.

            Bowman said all Mattapoisett school students will break beginning December 24 and return on January 4, 2021. Bowman further indicated that a virtual open house is likely for the third week of January.

            In other business, the Mattapoisett School Committee voted to approve a Tech Replacement fee schedule as proposed by Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber.

            The committee also appoint Wareham Pediatrics as Mattapoisett’s official school physician for the 2020-21 school year. Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Mendes, co-owners of Wareham Pediatrics, attended the meeting via Zoom. Both are Marion residents.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee was not scheduled at the time of the meeting.

Mattapoisett School Committee

By Mick Colageo

An unrelenting theme of COVID-19 has been the necessity of strict adherence to safety precautions.

            At the local level, no town board is more involved with the pandemic than the Board of Health.

            Media coverage and minutes of the BOH December 2 meeting memorialize that the BOH tabled a request made in a letter dated November 16 from the Board of Selectmen asking them to consider a graduated fine structure for people not in compliance with wearing face masks in public.

            Board of Health members Ken Dawicki and Russell Bailey, during the board’s December 2 meeting, agreed that fining people is not the way to handle non-compliance of Governor Baker’s updated executive orders,  saying more education is needed instead. Emily Field and Amanda Stone, the two public health nurses, while understanding that being prepared with a fine structure was prudent, also thought education was the better way to handle transgressors.

            Selectman Paul Silva reported that the request had been tabled by the BOH and, “Anyone who wants to know about their meetings can now attend, they are available.” He made that statement in the belief that the BOH meetings, much like other boards, aired via a remote public platform and recorded for posterity. Silva was surprised to learn that is not the case.

            The town’s videographer and webmaster, Dan White, replied when asked why the meetings weren’t recorded. “They don’t like us recording their meetings.” He also said that since the meetings were being held in a room at the Council on Aging, his equipment could not record the remote meeting. White said he would, however, check with BOH Agent Kayla Davis to learn whether or not the meeting had been recorded on Zoom.

            Silva remarked of the lack of taped coverage: “That’s a real shame.”

            In a follow-up to the December 2 BOH meeting, Field wrote on December 8: “On behalf of the Board of Health, I commend the Board of Selectmen for their efforts to safeguard the Mattapoisett community from the pandemic. As a community, we all need to address this complex task of persuading naysayers that wearing a face-covering is in everyone’s best interest, especially the vulnerable population. The sad narrative of COVID-related illness and loss is affecting all of us. Listen to the state and local mandate: Wear a face covering and maintain physical distance when you are not in the privacy of your home. Please respect your neighbors and wear a mask.”

            Town Administrator Mike Lorenco commented on Baker’s latest restrictions to roll back opening businesses and other public venues and return to Phase 3-1, saying, “These come with a lot of stipulations, but the public should be aware.” The restrictions will be implemented on Sunday, December 13.

            In other related matters, the selectmen approved a 25-percent reduction in permit costs to some establishments, “inns and clubs,” and those serving only wine and malt products. Silva thanked businesses for their efforts in following the state’s COVID-19 guidelines, saying, “Maybe this will help them through these tough times.” Earlier in the meeting, the selectmen voted on all licenses and permits for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

            Lorenco reported that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has recognized the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District for its top water-quality compliance scores. In a letter received by Henri Renauld, superintendent of the Mattapoisett Water Department and also a member of the MRV committee, it was noted, “Your system has achieved one of the top compliance scores in the Consecutive System category of the 2020 Public Water System Awards Program.” The MRV Water District covers the towns of Marion, Mattapoisett, Fairhaven, and Rochester.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for December 22 at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen

By Marilou Newell