In a reluctant vote, the Rochester Select Board granted the leadership of the town’s Council on Aging its wish by unanimously agreeing Monday night to a mask mandate for the Senior Center on DexterLane.

            Select Board member Paul Ciaburri was most vocal in his hesitancy.

            “I understand where everybody’s coming from, I just don’t like the idea of the mandates. … I don’t know if we really need to mandate,” said Ciaburri. “If the Board of Directors feels that strong about the Council on Aging, I just don’t feel that strongly about mandates. … The finger wagging going on makes people not want to do things. I think we should have a conversation. … We have seniors at risk, I understand that.”

            A December 8 letter from the COA requested the mask mandate for the Senior Center.

            “We’re hoping you would at least consider the Council on Aging. … The numbers (of positive Covid tests) are climbing here in town. We’re hoping that the mask mandate will help control that,” said COA Board of Directors president Pauline Munroe, who represented the council at the meeting along with Mike Cambra, the COA’s vice president.

            “We’re trying to have a program where everybody’s wearing the mask. … Everybody’s looking at it like it’s no big deal. Well it is a big deal,” said Cambra.

            Until December 20, the COA had been posting a sign encouraging people to wear masks.

            “I’m active up there — was there today — they’re concerned. It’s easier for the director if they had our support,” said Select Board member Woody Hartley, who serves on the COA Board of Directors. Noting CDC recommendations, Hartley said, “We don’t want to wait until we’ve lost somebody.”

            Town Counsel Blair Bailey reminded the Select Board that it can authorize protocols for all town buildings. The board was also reminded that at the beginning of the pandemic, the board had said it would respect the Council on Aging’s Board of Directors.

            “It would need the vote of this board and the Board of Health. … I talked to Karen (Walega, Rochester’s health director,) and they said they’d do it as well,” said Bailey. “Given the number of cases in town, they’ve gone up considerably. … That (Senior Center) building was part of the conversation.”

            Karen Thomas, a retired nurse and a senior citizen who attended the meeting, was given the floor and asserted that common practices involving the repeated wearing of and storing of cloth masks are often unsanitary and that requiring people to wear them is against their constitutional rights and in many cases unhealthy.

            “We’re not going to take N95s from the healthcare community,” she said of the industry standard, arguing that the alternatives worn by the general public are failing them.

            Hartley said it is not appropriate for her to say in a Select Board meeting what constitutional law is. Thomas said, “I’m not saying what constitutional law is.”

            “I think the point is at the Senior Center it’s not about having the sniffles,” said Bailey, implying the elevated vulnerability of senior citizens to the coronavirus.

            Hartley made a motion to mandate masks for the Council on Aging at the Senior Center only. “I will second it because it’s at the Senior Center only, I’m against a mask mandate,” said Select Board Chairman Brad Morse. Ciaburri then relented on his opposition and said, “As long as it’s the Senior Center only.”

            All three Select Board members voted “I,” and the mandate carried.

            In her Town Administrator’s Report, Suzanne Szyndlar told the board that March 4 is the deadline for the submission of articles for the May 23 Town Meeting warrant.

            The FY23 budget season has begun, and capital requests are due from department heads by January 17.

            Szyndlar announced a submission of over $100,000 in CARES Act, Covid-related reimbursable expenditures. Rochester’s total to date has reached $904,000, and Szyndlar credited Assistant Accountant Kathy Mchenry for “a great job” in preparing and processing the town’s many invoices for CARES Act submissions.

            Municipalities will transition to the new ARPA funding program with Rochester’s potential apportionment capped at $1,700,000.

            Bailey suggested asking town departments to build in a buffer in their individual requests “because everything keeps going up in costs. … If we don’t use it, we don’t use it.”

            In other public-session business, the board voted to approve the appointment of Travis Lalli to the Rochester Agricultural Commission. Morse abstained from the vote, citing that his and Lalli’s farms are adjacent to one another.

            Before the board entered executive session to discuss negotiations with union and nonunion personnel and did not return to open session, Szyndlar addressed the January meeting schedule, noting that the board’s second meeting of 2022 would fall on January 17, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The board agreed to meet instead on Monday, January 24.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Select Board is scheduled for Monday, January 3, at 6:00 pm.

Rochester Select Board

By Mick Colageo

            When the Mattapoisett School Committee returned from executive session to open its December 6 public meeting, Chairman Jim Muse handed the floor to Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson who promptly announced that Mattapoisett Schools Principal Rose Bowman has submitted her intentions and plans to retire at the end of the 2021-22 academic year.

            Bowman began her career in 1971 teaching second grade in New Bedford schools. She became a preschool teacher in the Music Room in Mattapoisett in 1986. Bowman joined the Mattapoisett School District in 1990. She was a Kindergarten teacher from 1990 to 1993 and a Kindergarten and reading recovery teacher from 1993 to 1998.

            For 10 years from 1998 to 2008, Bowman served as principal at Old Hammondtown School, and she was principal at Center School the next six years (2008-14.) Bowman currently spends time each week in both schools and the town’s overarching principal.

            “Principal Bowman has been an extraordinary leader of our elementary schools for the past 20-plus years and has led with care and enthusiasm,” said Nelson. “She has always worked to build a positive learning environment in Mattapoisett’s elementary schools and in our community as a whole.”

            “She has supported our teachers, our students and families in whatever way she could. She has been a wonderful role model for our district’s administrators and has always been willing to share her wisdom, advice and guidance. She has made many valuable contributions to our district as an educator and principal, and we appreciate her many years of unwavering service and commitment, providing the best education possible to our youngest students. She has been a staple in our school community and will be very much missed.”

            When it was time to report to the committee, Chairman Jim Muse said his report would consist of four words: “Thank you Rose Bowman.”

            “It’s a pleasure and a privilege to have had this position, and I am so grateful to everyone who has supported me,” said Bowman in acknowledging a round of applause in the hybrid meeting. “The staff, the kids, the families, it’s been an extraordinary time. And I love teaching, but being a principal was the position that I loved the most.”

            “I leave with mixed emotions just because I am so thrilled to have been part of this school district, and I thank you very much for your kind words and for all the support that you’ve given to me.”

            Bowman got down to business, as she and Associate Principal Kevin Tavares presented key data from MCAS testing results.

            In introducing the subject, Nelson noted that the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) predicted a statewide dip in scoring due to the disruption in learning brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

            Bowman praised Tavares for his thorough work in the report, framing it in the positive light of a community making the most of a challenging situation.

            Tavares reported off the combined data of Grades 3-6, and Mattapoisett students exceled relative to the statewide average in English Language Arts with 72 percent of students exceeding or at least meeting expectations in that subject matter.

            Center School and Old Hammondtown students did not live up to 2019’s extraordinary 72 percent success rate in Math, but with 7 percent exceeding expectations and 49 percent meeting expectations, the 2021 scores were solid on their own and far exceeded the statewide average that dipped to 34 percent.

            In Science Technology Engineering, 77 percent of Mattapoisett students exceeded or met expectations, again well over the statewide average. While 23 percent partially met expectations, there were none in the not-meeting-expectations category, “an amazing accomplishment” according to Tavares.

            “It shows, again, the hard work of teachers and the students,” he said.

            Muse said his takeaway is that the thorough presentation can once again be used to improve the teaching in Mattapoisett schools. “This isn’t about tests for individual students, this is about the school as a whole,” said Muse. “I’m not a great big fan of large, standardized tests, but the sense you’re able to use this information, use this data, dig into it, work it and make our schools even better is greatly appreciated.”

            In her Principal’s Report, Bowman thanked the high school students from the National Honor Society for their effort to collect books and share in various capacities. Bowman also noted that music performances in Mattapoisett schools will be different this year to ensure social distancing.

            In his Central Office Administrator’s report, Nelson addressed the Covid-19 situation by noting that the state masking mandate continues, and an update is anticipated in January.

            In his report, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber told the committee that Mattapoisett Schools’ budget has approximately $646,000 of unencumbered and unobligated funds, and 83 percent of those funds are related to student instruction.

            Committee member Carly Lavin asked about the low numbers for breakfast in Barber’s report. Tavares said the signage for breakfast is prominent, and Bowman said that children are just choosing to eat breakfast at home.

            The committee voted to approve a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Patricia Cooney to serve as a long-term second-grade teacher due to a leave of absence.

            The committee voted to accept a donation of a book for the school libraries offered by ORR School Committee Chairperson Heather Burke. The book “Monty and Rose, Nest at Montrose” was written by Tamima Itani about piping plovers.

            Nelson also congratulated the ORR girls volleyball team for its MIAA Division 3 state championship.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee is scheduled for January 13, 2022, and the next Joint School Committee meeting will be held on January 20. Both meetings start at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett School Committee

By Mick Colageo

            Marion’s Capital Improvements Planning Committee saved the longest list for last, and the rundown of capital requests from the Department of Public Works is so deep that CIPC Chairman Paul Naiman suggested at the start of Monday night’s meeting that the committee field two categories from DPW Director Nathaniel Munafo and save the third for a later date.

            Munafo presented his FY23 requests (and 10-year plan) for the Highway and Water departments. The Sewer Department will have its own meeting at a date to be determined, and that will push back the CIPC’s scoring meeting originally set for December 15 to January 5.

            Town Administrator Jay McGrail pointed out that the DPW’s purview encompasses highway, water and sewer. “It’s like three different budgets,” he said.

            The good news is the CIPC runs an efficient ship so pushing back a week does not threaten its ability to stay ahead of the town as it turns the page toward the spring’s annual Town Meeting.

            In introducing his three Highway Department requests, Munafo made sure to thank DPW employees Becky Tilden and Megan Davis for their tireless work in preparing the information for the committee’s consumption.

            The three requests are: $4,500,000 for design and construction of a new DPW headquarters at Benson Brook, $230,000 for a new street sweeper;and $85,000 to replace the fire alarm security system at the Wastewater Treatment Plant and DPW office.

            Considered a “bare bones project,” the price tag on the new DPW is based on the last budget that architect Will Saltonstall presented on November 2. Preliminary design includes two mechanics’ bays, a bay to wash vehicles and some covered parking for vehicles to protect from the elements. On the site will be a small lunchroom and bathroom facilities, even in modest designs a significant upgrade over the current setup on Mill Street. The new facility would also be connected to town sewer and include a covered salt-storage structure to the water tower.

            The new DPW would meet OSHA regulations that cannot be met at the current facility, along with the six control-measure requirements of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) permit.

            The majority of cost would come out of the town’s general fund, but Town Administrator Jay McGrail said the cost might be reduced by dipping into free cash.

            Select Board member John Waterman, sitting in on the meeting, said that during the recent public tour of existing facilities and project sites a gentleman offered to donate some money toward the new DPW.

            Munafo told the CIPC he is budgeting eight months to achieve a detailed design, and that may include a net-zero energy consumption. McGrail said that construction will happen in 2023 with plans to go out to bid in March 2023 at the latest. The salt-storage structure is included in the same timeline.

            McGrail said that the wooden buildings at the current DPW site would be demolished with a plan to repurpose the cinderblock building for winter boat work. Waterman said the lot would also be used for overflow parking from Old Landing in the summer.

            If none of Munafo’s 10 Water Department requests were as expensive as a new DPW operations center, Marion’s longstanding infrastructural needs are equally daunting against a double-edged timeline of substantial residential developments planned for Route 6 and the state Department of Transportation’s plans to improve the road.

            Munafo requested $165,000 to design the replacement of 5,700 feet of watermain pipe on Route 6 from Creek Road to River Road. He told the committee that his FY24 placeholder of $2,700,000 can be moved to another fiscal year.

            A July 4 water leak on Jeri Lane led to a dig into a section of 6-inch steel watermain under Route 6 that is estimated to date back to the 1930s. “That was fun,” said Munafo. “We realized a lot of the infrastructure is very bad on this stretch of watermain. Any worse and we would have had to shut off all the way back to Front Street.”

            Anticipating water and sewer needs of Ken Steen’s Heron Cove and Matt Zuker’s projects, Munafo said that once the Massachusetts DOT has done its work on Route 6, Marion would be locked out of excavation on the highway for a substantial period of time so it’s crucial that the town make any infrastructural upgrades ahead of those projects.

            Two engineering firms, Weston & Sampson and Tata & Howard, are studying the situation, according to Munafo.

            Munafo’s first Water Department request was $250,000 to repair 600 linear feet of pipe along Creek Road. Work on a culvert revealed a surprising fact that the stretch of pipe has been offline, and an effort to get it back online revealed pressure leaks. “It’s a mystery to all of us,” said Munafo, who noted that Tata and Howard is helping the town determine if the culvert is the cause.

            A solution for that stretch of pipe, said Munafo, would definitely help circulate water to the Heron Cove site.

            The Water Department requested $50,000 for emergency chlorine injection at the Perry Hill metering station and Wolf Island station. It is believed that Marion’s boil order outlasted Mattapoisett’s because Marion depended on the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District for chlorination. “By the time the MRV chlorine reached Marion, a large percentage had been used up. We ended up having to chlorinate our water tanks a couple of times,” said Munafo.

            Marion and other MRV member towns do not chlorinate their water on a regular basis but only when needed. “I agree with that because I can taste the difference and it’s not as good,” said CIPC member Casey Barros.

            Other requests included: a $75,000 Ford F350 pickup truck to replace an existing same model, $85,000 for an emergency towable/portable generator to provide power for Marion-owned pumping stations and to finish work on the generator at Perry Hill station, $20,000 to evaluate the main pumping station, $20,000 to evaluate the Perry Hill pumping station, $20,000 for security-based, risk and assessment recommendations, $15,000 to conduct an inventory on the watermain gates as to their operating capacity and $40,000 for a unidirectional flushing plan of watermains.

            The next meeting of the Marion CIPC is anticipated by December 23, but a date has not been set.

Marion Capital Improvements Planning Committee

By Mick Colageo

It’s been a year since the Mattapoisett Master Plan Committee began the process of updating the roadmap that will help steer the town toward meeting its goals and expectations for the next decade. No small task on its own, the formation of a think tank during the pandemic has occurred in the virtual world of Zoom meetings, piling onto the hurdles already challenging the committee.

            The December 8 meeting introduced the scaling of another high hurdle as the committee began taking deeper dives into individual town departments’ goals and plans associated with the elements of a Master Plan, in some cases working in conjunction with entities tied to the goals and plans such as the Mattapoisett Land Trust and the Historical Commission.

             On the agenda for this night was Mattapoisett Harbormaster Jamie McIntosh and Carlos DeSousa, chairman of the Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board. The discussion centered around how the Harbormaster Department and the role of the harbormaster has expanded over the last two years along with the positive impact that expansion has had not only for the boating community but for the town and its residents overall.

            McIntosh said that the first goal the town undertook was to have a full-time position for the harbormaster. To that end, McIntosh was hired and began to drill down into the financial condition of the Waterfront Enterprise Fund that was established so that waterways fees paid by boaters would cover the department’s expenses. But it was already known that the fund isn’t sustainable. “We had to look at fees and how we were going to pay for future needs. Waterways fees were recently increased to achieve financial stability of the fund,” McIntosh noted.

            McIntosh and DeSousa spoke to the disrepair of the town’s historic wharves, the need to fund engineering studies, designs and finally construction before the wharf foundations degrade any further. Rough cost estimates put a $6,000,000 price tag on that work, they said. McIntosh talked about grant pursuits he may propose, but even with grant funding the town will be facing costs.

            McIntosh said he wants to find new ways to utilize the wharf at town beach known as Barstow Wharf, including a potential pulley system for skiffs and kayaks. When asked if the town has suitable access to its coastline, McIntosh said a map could be updated and made available online and at the harbormaster’s office, a map that would show resident and nonresident access points.

            McIntosh also discussed the need for a harbor management plan that would map out the department’s own master plan, one that could be added to the overall plan underway.

            The Master Plan process is being organized and navigated with the assistance of the Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD,) which has identified the following Master Plan elements for Mattapoisett: Vision of the Future, Land Use, Economic Development, Housing, Open Space and Recreation, Natural and Cultural Resources, Services and Facilities, Transportation and Circulation, Coastal Resilience and Implementation.

            Faced with the daunting task of looking at every element within the community including numerous subcategories, the MPC has filled its meeting agendas with topics as diverse as economic development to playgrounds, a study of population data and threats posed by global warming to a seaside town.

            Along with DeSousa, MPC members include Bob Burgman, Carole Clifford, Shirley Haley, Colby Rottler, Kate Haley, Donna Shea, Yasmin Flefleh-Vincent, Kate Connelly, David Horowitz, Paul Criscuolo, Nate Ketchel, Mary Dermody, Mike Rosa, Robin LePore, Aaron Smith, Chrystal Walsh, Janice Robbins and Planning Board Chairman Tom Tucker. Pinch-hitting as administrative assistant to the Planning Board and all-around MPC ringleader has been Mike Gagne, the former town administrator. They have all volunteered to help the town and the quality of life for its residents via a Master Plan.

            With a June 2022 completion date just two seasons away, the MPC with the assistance of the

SRPEDD will continue scaling hurdles.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Master Plan Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, January 5, at 7:00 pm, at which time the Historical Commission will discuss its role in the community. The MPC will also take up a long list of incomplete discussion items from previous meetings.

Mattapoisett Master Plan Committee

By Marilou Newell