Marion Town Administrator Jay McGrail went back before the Finance Committee with articles that had not yet been approved for the May 9 Town Meeting warrant, this time finalized.

            Two key financial articles ask the voters for the next round of funding to support new headquarters for the Department of Public Works and the harbormaster’s new Marine Center, which already has significant grant-funding support from the state’s Seaport Economic Council.

            Article 10 (DPW) will ask the voters to allocate $4,500,000 including the borrowing of $3,000,000 and the remaining $1,500,000 to come out of the town’s “free-cash” account.

            Article 11 (Marine Center) asks the voters to authorize the borrowing of $700,000, Marion’s match of the otherwise-grant-funded, $2,300,000 project. It would be the third time FinCom has been asked to support financial commitments toward the new harbormaster headquarters.

            “Some of the concern we had is what’s going to happen if we don’t get the grant funding?” said McGrail, noting that the article now includes language prohibiting the town from any future borrowing toward the project until all $2,300,000 in grant funding is received.

            Article 13, which would authorize the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District to borrow $7,200,000 to complete the water treatment plant’s conversion over to state-of-the-art filtering technology requires passage by all member towns, also including Mattapoisett where the plant is located, Fairhaven and Rochester.

            Marion’s share is 10 percent, but McGrail told FinCom that he anticipates Marion using less MRV water once the town’s East-West and Mary’s Pond wells go back online. Marion is charged by the MRV according to actual usage.

            “Except for the past summer, it’s always been a great water source for us,” said McGrail, referencing the boil order last fall that was traced to a breach in the wall of Fairhaven’s Tinkham Lane well as a probable cause of the contamination.

            Select Board member John Waterman said Marion would have seven wells when fully operational. He said three are working as of now.

            Article 26 approves the allocation of $50,000 to pay potential assessments for Marion students who may attend Upper Cape Tech in the 2022-23 academic year.

            Four warrant articles crafted by the Marion Assessors were vetted by the committee. Articles 28, 29 and 31 were approved, while Article 30 was considered to have no financial impact and thus no recommendation from FinCom.

            Article 28 supports the BRAVE Act, which allows the Assessors to grant a 100 percent exemption to surviving parents and guardians of soldiers and sailors who die during active duty.

            Article 29 entitles veterans whose properties are held in trusts to the same tax benefits as those whose properties are not held in trusts.

            The committee determined that Article 30, which would require residential solar-energy users to set up a PILOT payment with the town should they exceed 125 percent in energy that can be sold back to the grid, is of no financial impact to the town.

            Article 31 would authorize the Assessors not to tax private properties valuated at $1,000 or less. “I can tell you our Assessors don’t like to leave money on the table so this is a (clerical) nightmare,” said McGrail.

            Two special articles were approved: S1 authorizing $50,000 from free cash to fund snow and ice removal and S2 authorizing $80,000 from free cash to purchase four 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander hybrid SUV’s current being leased by the town. The vehicles average 5,000 in odometer readings and are used by the Council on Aging, the DPW (weekly meter reading,) the Recreation Department (and other) and the Building commissioner (inspections.)

            The next meeting of the Marion Finance Committee is scheduled for Town Meeting on Monday, May 9, at 6:45 pm at Sippican Elementary School.

Marion Finance Committee

By Mick Colageo

            Coming before the Mattapoisett Planning Board on Tuesday night was Mattapoisett resident Hugh Rowlett of 32 Split Rock Lane. Rowlett said he was speaking not only for himself but for some 21 other homeowners living in the Preserve at the Bay Club neighborhood of Split Rock Lane, expressing deep concerns about roadway conditions.

            Stating that he has experience in subdivision development processes and construction practices, Rowlett said that the lane in question is exhibiting advanced deterioration and that the roadway had not been prepared to specifications. Rowlett said not only were layers of gravel and binders constructed incorrectly and thus deteriorating, utility structures were installed unevenly and incorrectly constructed.

            “There is evidence that the binder coat is thinner than (specified) and was applied during the winter when the ground was frozen,” said Rowlett, adding that winter weather events result in heavy ponding and large ice patches dangerous to pedestrians.

            Rowlett provided photographic evidence of the current condition of Split Rock Lane and asked that the Planning Board intercede on behalf of the homeowners before a topcoat is applied. He asked that specific requests be made of the developer such as a redesign of the road, a survey of the road, addressing comments made by peer-review consultant Ken Motta of Field Engineering, and an engineer’s report to the Planning Board once repairs have been made. Rowlett stated, “We are counting on you guys … homeowners need Town Hall to look out for them.”

            Nina Huber and several other residents of the development shared similar concerns, while applauding Rowlett’s efforts to get the neighborhood some help.

            Planning Board Chairman Tom Tucker thanked Rowlett and said that the board would send a letter to the developer and would ask Highway Surveyor Garrett Bauer to investigate the situation. The developer of the Split Rock neighborhood is Aerie Homes, as confirmed by Bay Club spokesman David Andrews, who said that roads within the Bay Club portion of the development are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Andrews said he believed that is also true for Split Rock Lane.

            Also coming before the board was David Davignon of Schneider, Davignon & Leone Inc. on behalf of owners in the subdivision located at the end of Park Lane. Davignon acknowledged several outstanding matters but said all the requests made by the Select Board and the Planning Board had been or would shortly be addressed. Select Board member Jodi Bauer confirmed that the Select Board is satisfied with the updated roadway design and has given conditional approval dependent on the Highway Department’s review. The Select Board’s approval was necessary for the forward movement of the roadway extension planned by the developer at the end of the public way.

            The project was continued until May 2 and extended until May 22 for final Planning Board approval.

            In other business, Tucker acknowledged that member Janice Robbins will not be running for reelection when her term ends in May. He then asked if she would be willing to continue on as a member of the newly created Solar Bylaw subcommittee. Robbins was hesitant to commit at this time.

            Tucker said anyone interested to helping to formulate a solar bylaw is invited to submit their name to the town administrator’s office to join the subcommittee.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, May 2, at 7:00 pm.

Mattapoisett Planning Board

By Marilou Newell

            Such is life. You lose one town official, you gain two more.

            Glenn Cannon attended his first Select Board meeting officially in his new role as town administrator on Monday night and announced a new building commissioner has been hired to replace veteran Building Department head James Buckles.

            Buckles is retiring on April 15 after working 38 years in the Rochester Building Department, 10 of those years as commissioner. Cannon reported that Buckles is being replaced by Carl Bizarro, an Acushnet resident who is currently the building commissioner in Somerset.

            Cannon, 58, became the town administrator on March 28. “The first week has gone great,” he reported. “I am just looking forward to get out more and meet more of the town.”

            Cannon is a resident of South Middleboro. He previously worked as the assistant town administrator in Bourne. The previous holder of his job, Suzanne Szyndlar, who is also the town accountant, will be assistant town administrator until her current contract expires on July 1. She will then assume the new position of Finance Director.

            Of the change in the Building Department, Cannon said a town committee that included Cannon, Town Counsel Blair S. Bailey and Szyndlar interviewed three applicants for the position and unanimously selected Bizarro “because of his experience and demeanor and his knowledge of the subject matter,” Cannon said. “He lives in Acushnet and knows our town well.”

            The Select Board approved the choice and to enter into contract negotiations with Bizarro, and it authorized Cannon and Bailey to negotiate terms with Buckles for him to stay on until Bizarro begins in the job. That start date has yet to be determined.
            In other business, the board approved a new three-year contract for Fire Chief Scott Weigel and Jordan Latham as a new member of the Registrar of Voters.

            The Select Board’s next meeting, in joint session with the Finance Committee, is scheduled for Monday, April 25, at 6:00 pm.

Rochester Select Board

By Michael J. DeCicco