Tabor Academy Reopens with Focus on Safety

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            With the start of the school year upon us, the Tabor community is excited for an educational and healthy academic year. To mitigate the risks surrounding COVID-19, Tabor Academy in conjunction with our state and local government, has been hard at work strategizing and reorganizing our facilities to keep our community, and the community at large, safe. Many of these changes are available for viewing in our recent informational videos. These videos include changes to the Health Center, the Dining Hall, our academic rooms, residential life, and more. 

            Tabor has made countless changes to adapt to best practices laid out by the Board of Health, the Commonwealth, and other agencies. Some of these changes are, but not limited to, the following: 

            • Students, faculty, and staff will be tested for COVID-19 upon return to school for the new academic year and then again 14 days later. 

            • All community members will be required to wear masks unless they are in their dorm rooms with the door closed. 

            • We will provide COVID-19 rapid antigen testing through Southcoast Health for all students who may be ill. Students living four hours or less will return home if they become sick. Students living four hours away or more, will be cared for in our Health Center. 

            • Our Health Center has been expanded to include a Health Center Annex which will provide quarantine space for COVID positive patients and persons under observation. 

            • Students, faculty, and staff will use a phone app every morning before school to identify any symptoms that might have arisen overnight. 

            • Our large venue meetings and events will go virtual (i.e. weekly chapel talks, all-school meeting, etc.) 

            • All spaces including classrooms, the dining hall, and common spaces have been organized for social distancing. As well, we have decreased the number of students in each classroom setting. 

            • The Dining Hall will have Grab ‘n Go options and seating available across our campus in tents, picnic tables, and other areas, all designed for physical distancing. 

            • All classrooms are equipped with webcams and microphones, allowing students who are remote to join their class in real-time.

            • All students, faculty, and staff will be asked to sign a social contract. If the contract is not adhered to, they will be required to study and work remotely. 

            • We have increased outdoor seating for students, faculty, and staff to access throughout the day. 

            As you can see, Tabor will look to de-densify our spaces wherever possible, restrict movement about campus, and adhere to state guidelines. Additionally, Tabor has put in place several contingency plans to help stop the spread of illness should any case arise. We are in a unique position as a school to have a successful year: our class numbers are naturally small, our campus is vast – giving us the ability to socially distance, and most of our facilities are separated from one another. 

            As always, the health and safety of our students and community are paramount. This year has seen an increase in changes due to COVID-19; however, we believe the plans put in place will make our community as safe as possible. We are proud of the work that our Plant Ops department, and our community as a whole, have done to re-shape our school to fit the current climate. We would also like to thank Marion Public Health Nurse Kathy Downey, and Jim Feen, current parent and Senior Vice President and CIO at Southcoast Health for their involvement and guidance as we went through the planning stages. Although life at Tabor may look a little different this year, we are steadfast as ever in delivering the same quality educational experience in a healthy and safe environment.

Despite Opposition, Eldredge Bogs Will Get Solar

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            The Rochester Planning Board moved quickly in their meeting held on August 25 after the majority of public hearing applicants submitted requests to continue their proposal reviews until the next scheduled meeting.

            The continuances included the hearings on the Cranberry Highway development, which still require work with the board’s review engineer before any progress can be made.

            Sarah Stearns of Beals and Thomas Inc. came before the board to discuss the finalized plans for a proposed solar canopy over the canals located at the Eldredge Bogs. After numerous meetings, Stearns and the board were able to amend the plans according to the desires of both parties.

            The new plans feature changes to the design structure of the proposed canals in order to more adequately generate power from the proposed solar canopy. Stearns explained to the board that the proposed changes will not substantially impact design or conflict with any of the town’s bylaws.

            Despite the board and Stearns coming to a general agreement surrounding the proposal, community members arrived at the meeting to express some of their concerns surrounding the project. Mainly, concerns about the value of nearby homes after the construction of the solar array were relayed to the board.

            One community member brought a petition to block the construction of the solar panels; this petition was signed by 28 households in the surrounding neighborhood. The general concern put forth by area residents was that the solar construction would be unattractive and decrease the value of surrounding homes. In addition, there were concerns that, even if this particular site was screened from the view of the abutting properties, the construction may set a precedent that would permit similar solar sites on more visible properties.

            Despite the dissent, there was some support from town residents. One participant argued that the solar project would be beneficial to the bog and that, even though he lives next to the bog, he has no problem with the solar canopy. To him, anything that could potentially benefit the struggling bogs would be a benefit to the town.

            Chairman Arnold Johnson explained that there is little that the Planning Board can do in order to stop the project even if its members wanted to. The site in question falls into an agricultural zone, meaning that it is exempt from a vast majority of regulations that other projects have to address. Moreover, Johnson explained that solar sites have a kind of protective status under the law that means they cannot be blocked by the town without significant justification.

            The Planning Board did address concerns surrounding screening by making it clear to town members that the board will do everything it can to ensure proper measures are in place to prevent the view of the site from abutting properties and nearby roads. Johnson also revealed that the site would be low impact, requiring no tree cutting or clearing of any kind. All of this would mean that minimal construction vehicles would be needed to complete the project.

            After Johnson’s explanation, the board voted to close the public hearing on the proposal and await a draft decision to be reviewed in its next meeting. The Rochester Planning Board will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, September 8, with remote access through Zoom and in-person access at the Rochester Memorial School.

Rochester Planning Board

By Matthew Donato

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church

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St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, next to the Town Beach in Mattapoisett, will have 8:00 am services August 30 with the Rev. Marc Eames, Rector, The Church of the Advent, Medfield, MA.  Masks are required and all other safety precautions will be in place at the church. All are welcome.

Town of Marion Hires Lori Desmarais As Public Health Nurse

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Town Administrator James McGrail, the Marion Board of Health, and Council on Aging Director Karen Gregory are pleased to announce the hiring of Lori Desmarais to the position of public health nurse as well as the relocation of the office of the public health nurse to the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center.

            Desmarais has over 25 years of experience as a registered nurse, including as a medical-surgical nurse and private duty/home care nurse, as well as experience in staff education, infection control, and public health.

            Desmarais has worked as the public health nurse at the Town of Dighton since June 2019, the Town of Lakeville since April 2018 and the Town of Freetown since December 2014. In these positions she coordinates communicable disease investigations, case management, immunization clinics, collaborative wellness programs with community groups and more. She has also performed COVID-19 case investigations and contact tracing in her service areas. Desmarais will serve in a similar capacity in her new position administering the public health program for the Town of Marion.

            Desmarais holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is a licensed registered nurse. She is a licensed emergency medical technician and has served as a call firefighter for the Freetown Fire Department since March 2019.

            “We are very pleased to welcome Lori to the town and look forward to seeing the knowledge, skills, and abilities she will bring to the public health nurse position,” Town Administrator McGrail said.

            The office of the public health nurse will also be relocated from Marion Town House to the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center, 465 Mill St. Desmarais will be located in the Community Center when she begins in her new role on Tuesday, September 8.

            The public health nurse provides a variety of services to Marion’s senior population. As the Council on Aging is currently located at the Community Center, the new office location will be more convenient for seniors and will enhance the level of service already provided by the public health nurse.

            “We are excited for the opportunity that the office transition will offer for the continued collaboration between the Board of Health, public health nurse, and the Council on Aging,” Director Gregory said.

2021 Goals and Objectives Discussed

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            On the heels of the 2020 spring Town Meeting, Mattapoisett’s Board of Selectmen now turn their attention to other pressing matters: setting goals and objectives for Town Administrator Mike Lorenco and making their work more transparent to the public they serve.

            Each selectman, as well as Lorenco, came prepared to the August 25 meeting with a list of objectives that could be crafted into goals. After much discussion, the list contained four major areas deemed in need of improvement or reorganization. 

            First on the list was a complete review of all boards and committees including current members, vacancies, and the responsibilities or “charges” of each group. Lorenco said there was a 30-page list for boards and committees, but whether or not the volunteer entities were all still active and, if active, whether the member list was accurate was in question.

            Selectman Jordan Collyer said, “This should be in an Excel spreadsheet so we can filter as needed.” He also said, “There are too many vacancies, and keeping track of the voids is important. This data should be more state-of-the-art.” Selectman Paul Silva said it would be helpful for the public is see where vacancies are and possibly how they might help as a volunteer. The selectmen discussed how best to document what the committees and boards are charged with doing on behalf of the community, and Lorenco suggested that each group draft what they believe are their areas of responsibility as a starting point.

            Selectman John DeCosta, along with Collyer and Silva, expressed concern over vacancies on the Capital Planning Committee, a seven-member board with two vacancies. It was determined that by the next meeting Lorenco will provide the beginnings of a spreadsheet list and the charges for each group with a completion date of early October.

            The second priority brought to the fore was emergency planning and response. While the town does have emergency planning, the board believes that the COVID-19 pandemic has proven challenging, especially in terms of continuity of town hall business.

            Collyer said, “We need a written continuity plan. We have a general idea, but we need to plan for who should work from home, what staff may be curtailed, and when. We need a document we can implement at a moment’s notice. There’s an emergency plan, but not one for business continuity.”

            Spring-boarding from this plan was the need for reorganization of the administrative office staff, suggested by DeCosta. Lorenco said he had thoughts and has had conversations with staff members and would provide a written proposal for the board’s review by October 31.

            They also agreed that such documented plans should be available to the residents and discussed having it posted to the town’s website. Silva asked that Lorenco work with the Police and Fire departments to create a video on emergency planning with plans posted to the website.

            The third area that is on the goals and objectives list is the reorganization of the shellfish officer’s role. Collyer said this was number one on his list and included moving this to the Harbormaster office. “They have the right equipment and manpower. We are at a good point to make a transition. It’s a game of efficiency,” he said.

            The board members were in agreement and plan to have a full transition completed by April 15, 2021. Silva said, while they were reorganizing this department, the animal control agreement with Rochester also needs a review and a written agreement.

            Turning their attention to local receipts as number four on the list, the selectmen discussed the municipal transfer station. Lorenco said that nearly since he was hired six months ago, there had been conversations with the Board of Health over the transfer station’s operation. He said they needed a scale to ensure accuracy when collecting fees for dumping. Collyer commented, “We have been subsidizing people.” Silva said, “We need to figure out the revenue… if we can pick up $25,000 to $50,000 for the operating budget, that is a big number.”

            Collyer stated, “We need to talk to the Board of Health. Kayla (Davis, director) doesn’t have much interest in managing it. Can it reside with someone else? I think Kayla could do wonders, but is that what we want her spending her time on?”

            Silva responded, “We have to look at a lot of things. We have to review our policies with respect to local receipts. If we can pick up $100,000, that’s a nice number.”

            Moving on to other matters, Lorenco said that the Master Plan about to be studied and updated with the assistance of South Eastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) was to kick off with two Discovery Workshops airing remotely on August 26 at 7:00 pm and August 29 at 10:00 am. There is also a Master Plan Survey, which Lorenco said anyone could complete. All details are available at mattapoisett.net.  He said the selectmen’s involvement in the process was important. “The board should be heavily involved in the process for the next year.”

            Collyer said, “What I’d like us to do is full transparency.” He said objectives should be available to the residents, including tracking the board’s progress towards achieving goals.

            The board had high praise for Lorenco and his team in pulling together many working parts to ensure that the recent outdoor Town Meeting was a safe and productive environment for the residents. Silva noted a comment made by one resident regarding the lack of visibility regarding the schools’ budgets. He said they should get the data out prior to the public hearings held for the schools’ budgets so that residents can review the line-item budget versus just being asked to approve a single appropriation.

Lorenco said he could work with the ORR District business manager.

            In other business, Lorenco sought and received approval to pursue a Mass Works Grant in the sum of $450,000 for a new traffic signal and crosswalk at the site of the new Fire Station. He said cost estimates for the equipment and installation hover around $498,000.

            The Acushnet Road bridge-replacement project is slated to begin in mid-September, Lorenco said with an October completion. Unforeseen delays have pushed the project from its original start date of June.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for September 8 at 6:30 pm by remote access.

Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen

By Marilou Newell

Theater En Plein Air and the Visual Arts

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            What do you get when your stage play has to move to the great-out-of-doors, it rains, a cement mixer accents pre-performance run-throughs and you have to replace two actors with very short notice?! Oh, and let’s not forget the Zoom auditions.

            You get the Marion Art Center’s production of “Good People,” the Tony Award-winning dark comedy starring south coast actors John Emmett Pearson, Margo Wilson Ruggiero, Susan Sullivan, Mia Vaughn, Paul Victor Walsh and Jacob Sherburne (cross-dressed as a female character, which became necessary when the female actor slated to play the part became ill). Sherburne also directed the production.

            The Wanderer caught up with several of the actors and the art center’s director, Jodi Stevens, to get their reactions to the many challenges they faced.

            Stevens said that she worked in partnership with the Marion Board of Health and Recreation Department as it became abundantly clear that the production could not be reasonably held inside on the petite stage while providing adequate distancing between audience members. “We were watching what the state requirements were and we had to be careful with the number of people we could have in the outdoor space,” she shared. The outdoor space, Marion’s Bicentennial Park comfortably located across the street from the center, lent itself wonderfully to the event. “The actors and Jacob bent over backward to get this off the ground,” Stevens remarked.

            Stevens said the process of selecting performing art productions begins with a committee (MAC members) who research materials and reads scripts. Democracy reigns, the committee members vote and the majority wins.

            Stage manager Kaylin Blaney said of the production, which closed on Sunday, August 23, “Everything happened at once,” in terms of having to find two new actors and the technicalities of moving four sets around the grassed parkland. But the payoff, “It brings happiness,” she said.

            Susan Sullivan, who played Jean, said that moving outside was a new experience for her. She also shared that her character, like all the characters in the play, is from South Boston. “I’m from New York so I understand the dynamics.”

            Margie, played by Margo Wilson Ruggiero, offered her thoughts. “It was an opportunity to stretch. I loved being immersed in the audience.” She also confided that the sheer volume of dialog she had to memorize was daunting. “Theater is an outlet for life; with every role, every play I learn more about people and myself.” Ruggiero will be directing Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” in March 2021 at Your Theatre in New Bedford.

            Sherburne added his reactions to everything that had taken place in the production. “My greatest challenge was getting my actors to attack their lines with adequate ferocity.” From the reaction of the audience on the afternoon that The Wanderer attend, his creative directives worked. Of having to step in and play one of the most engaging characters in the play, a senior woman named Dottie, Sherburne said, “It was a dream scenario for an actor-director, to join my actors onstage.” He also had his own personal make-up artist, his wife. Sherburne said that he hopes to lead an ORR Drama Club production in a “…public health-conscious theatrical endeavor one way or another this fall.” During the past school year, Sherburne was a special education teacher at ORR.

            But the MAC is so much more than one astounding cultural experience, it is the sum of its many parts, and one of those parts now on view is the Annual Summer Members Show. Opening on August 21 and running through the end of the month, this yearly extravaganza showcases the MAC’s members creative abilities in a wide-ranging variety of mediums. And the number of pieces on display this season brings to mind the historic Paris Salons at the Louvre, where the walls would be covered like wallpaper with paintings. The MAC’s event features 98 pieces in its two galleries and another six on display in the Marion General Store windows.

            The works demonstrate the creative abilities of the human mind and its ever-present desire to express itself in ways traditional or surprising.

            It wouldn’t be a MAC exhibit without the presence of seashore scenes, scenes of cresting waves, vibrant horizons, tranquil shorelines, marshes, sea birds – the images, some executed en plein air, breathe life into our collective, quarantined souls. There’s Barbara Healy’s oil on canvas Marion Harbor, Janet Smith-Flaherty’s watercolor Marion Water View, and captured images from surrounding locations such as Thomas Geagan’s watercolor Sandy Neck or Jill Law’s pastel Padanaram Marsh.

            John Magnan returns with several wood sculptures that take utilitarian concepts to a new level with such works as Mayflower Shovel or, on the second-floor gallery, Day Lily with Fork.

            Jennifer Wolf-Web’s Raven, mixed media, brings an evocative moodiness where three-dimensional construction draws the viewer into the very center of a private space of mystery. Nearby Salt Pond Sunset by Alanna Nelson in fiber brings another element of artistic expression, one that incorporates hand-painted fabrics with embroidery and quilting, a trifecta of beauty.

            Works from longtime supporters of the MAC, artists in their own right such as Alice Shire, Diana Parsons, Barbara Geagan, Peter Stone, and Sarah Brown, to name just a few, have all contributed to this important exhibit of the visual arts.

            Visiting the MAC now more than ever before may be the refreshment needed as we continue to face uncertain times. Making the time to visit the MAC is the gift and self-help you may have been seeking. Seek and ye shall find at the MAC. For gallery hours and other events visit www.marionartcenter.org.

By Marilou Newell

Rochester Lions Club Dinners To Go

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The Rochester Lions Club is offering Dinner to Go through November 12. Meals are available in single or family-sized servings and are hot and ready to serve upon pickup. Meals can be picked up in the parking lot of the Rochester Library, 17 Constitution Way between 4:30 to 6:00 pm on the dates indicated below. Orders must be pre-paid and placed before the deadline. Please call or email the following with any questions and/or to place your order: Lorraine Guy 508-728-7767; Cyd Ryle 508-207-3971, lioncyd@comcast.net; Cheryl Costeira 774-263-5706, lioncheryl62@gmail.com

            Individual meals are $12 and family-sized meals are $40 (feeds four)

            September 10 – Meatloaf and gravy served with baked potato and green beans; Order deadline is September 4.

            September 22 – BBQ Chicken dinner (1/2 chicken each) served two sides (individual) or four sides (family) Available sides: Potato salad, macaroni salad, baked beans, garden salad; Order deadline is September 16.

            October 8 – Stuffed peppers, garden salad, and garlic bread; Order deadline is October 2.

            October 20 – Chicken Pot Pie, mashed potatoes with gravy and cranberry sauce; order deadline is October 14.

            November 12 – Spaghetti with meatballs, garden salad, and garlic bread; order deadline is November 6.

            All meals are prepared in a certified commercial kitchen by Servsafe-certified staff.

Family Apartments Require ‘Trust and Honesty’

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            During the August 20 meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals, the members held a hearing for the Special Permit application filed by John Houlihan of 6 Hi Ona Hill Road. Remotely sitting on the board this night were Colby Rottler, Norman Lyonnais, Tony Tranfaglia, and Jordan Rodrigues. Also in attendance was Chairman Susan Akin. Assisting the board through the hearing process and the remote access platform was Director of Inspectional Services Andy Bobola.

            Bobola opened the hearing by saying, “This is a simple renewal due to a change of ownership.” At issue was the transference of a Special Permit that would grant the Houlihans permission to have a family member live in an attached addition with private access.

            Abutters who were not asked to identify themselves were also on the remote meeting voicing their concern that they needed assurance the apartment would not be used for just “anybody” to rent but would, in fact, be occupied by a family member. They also asked Bobola how he ensures that occupants are family members.

            “Sometimes we’ll get wind that a family apartment is being rented,” said Bobola, responding that he relies for the most part on the honor system. In a follow-up, Bobola stated, “All we can rely on is a person telling the truth.”

            Bobola said his office does receive complaints that are investigated, and if a homeowner is renting a family-related apartment their Special Permit is voided. Other legal actions may be taken when the Zoning Bylaw is breached. “That would make it an unpermitted, two-family home,” he stated. “We rely on trust and honesty.” Bobola said that his office is currently investigating a zoning bylaw breach to bring the property into compliance.

            Mattapoisett’s zoning bylaws allow under a Special Permit the construction of a 700-square foot family-related apartment, including the space above a garage if the garage is attached to the dwelling unit.

            There was no one present at the August 20 meeting to represent the Houlihans, but Bobola said his office had received an email clarifying that a senior member of the family would be occupying the apartment in question and was, in fact, one of the property owners. The request was unanimously approved.

            A hearing for a variance for property located at 13 North Street owned by Deborah Smiley and Sam Ogle was withdrawn with prejudice. The application was for a new two-car garage with a driveway that included a turn-around on the property. Issues between the architect and the property owners need to be resolved, Ogle said, before the project can move forward.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals will be scheduled pending hearings. 

Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals

By Marilou Newell

Tabor Receives National Recognition from Special Olympics

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Special Olympics Massachusetts has announced that Tabor Academy, a Special Olympics Unified Champion School, is receiving national banner recognition for its efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities for students with and without disabilities. A Special Olympics Unified Champion School has an inclusive school climate and exudes a sense of collaboration, engagement, and respect for all members of the student body and staff. A Unified Champion School receiving national banner recognition is one that has demonstrated commitment to inclusion by meeting 10 national standards of excellence. These standards were developed by a national panel of leaders from the Special Olympics and the education community. Tabor is receiving this honor as a result of meeting these standards of excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy and respect.

            During the school year of 2019-20, Tabor showed impressive determination and helped Special Olympics Massachusetts move towards their collective goal of creating a truly ‘Unified Generation’ of young people who embrace differences and lead social change. The students, coaches, volunteers, teachers, staff, and administration at Tabor all played key roles in creating a social climate where everyone feels included and respected for who they are. Tabor is redefining the future as we make our community more inclusive of people with intellectual disabilities, and in doing so, making the world a more accepting place for all. Patti Doherty, Special Olympics Massachusetts’ Vice President of School and Community Development, states, “We are honored to have such a strong and fully inclusive school be recognized for the hard work and determination you have demonstrated to grow your program to the outstanding one it is today, and we look forward to new heights you all will reach tomorrow and years to come!”

            Tabor is one of only fifteen schools in Massachusetts and among 155 schools nationwide to achieve this status for the 2019-20 school year. Special Olympics Massachusetts has a selective list of 41 high schools that have now reached this impressive level. Tabor will be presented with a banner to hang in our school and be included on a list of other schools around the country who have achieved this distinguished status. Congratulations, Seawolves, for reaching this distinction!

Academic Achievements

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Roger Williams University is proud to announce that Megan Feeney, of Mattapoisett, graduated with a B.S. in Forensic Science in May as part of the Class of 2020.