Water Fees

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To The Editor:

            When residents install secondary outdoor water meters, they do so with a practical goal: to avoid paying sewer fees on water used for irrigation. After all, that water never enters the sewer system. On the surface, this seems fair. But beneath the surface lies a deeper challenge; our town carries more than $25 million in sewer debt, and bypassing the indoor meter shifts the burden onto others.

            Municipal utilities are not like private businesses. They are collective systems, funded by all of us, to ensure clean water and safe sanitation. Sewer debt is not optional; it is the cost of infrastructure we all rely on, whether we water our lawns or not. When too many residents avoid sewer fees, the town must raise rates elsewhere, increase fixed charges, or even shift costs onto property taxes. In every case, the debt remains; only the distribution of responsibility changes.

            This raises an ethical question: in a democracy, is it right to sidestep one’s share of a public obligation? Democracy is not only about rights; it is also about responsibilities. Paying for sewer infrastructure is akin to supporting schools or roads. Even if you don’t use them every day, you benefit from living in a community where they exist. To opt out of sewer debt repayment is to ask your neighbors to carry more of the load.

            The League of Women Voters has long championed fairness, transparency, and shared responsibility in public policy. As we consider water and sewer rates, we must remember that equity is not just about paying for what you use; it is about sustaining the systems that make community life possible. Outdoor meters may be legal, but without compensatory policies, they risk undermining the very principle of fairness that holds us together.

            Our challenge is clear: we must design utility rates that balance individual fairness with collective responsibility. Whether through fixed fees, adjusted rates, or broader tax support, the solution must ensure that every resident contributes to the debt we all share. That is not just fiscal prudence; it is democratic ethics in action.

            Eileen J. Marum, MPP, AB in Government, Smith College

            Chair, League of Women Voters SouthCoast

A Winter Wonderland of Song

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Join Sippican Choral Society on Sunday, December 7, 4:00 pm, for a choral tribute to the festive season of winter. Our “Winter Wonderland” program will feature contemporary Canadian composer Sarah Quartel’s anthem, “A Winter Day,” a work consists of five movements, each depicting a different time of day, each telling its own story, and each evoking the composer’s childhood memories of a land deep in snow.

            The program will also include Canada’s oldest Christmas song, “A Huron Carol,” as well as “The Sleigh,” a traditional Russian winter song, and such classics as “In the Bleak Midwinter” and Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.” We will also commemorate National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day by inviting the audience to join us in singing the Navy Hymn, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save.” Come relax, sing along, and welcome winter with us as we share songs guaranteed to chase away the December darkness and lighten spirits as we look ahead to the holiday season.

            The concert will be held at Wickenden Chapel, 86 Spring St., Marion. Tickets are $20.00 general admission, $10.00 for Students, and Free for Children 14 and under. Tickets can be purchased online at sippicanchoralsociety.org or at the door with cash or check.

December Events at the Mattapoisett Library

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The Friends of the Mattapoisett Library are hosting their annual jewelry sale beginning with a Preview Sale for Friends members on Thursday, December 4, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Sale dates for the public are Friday, December 5, 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm and Saturday, December 6, 10:00 am until 2:00 pm.

            Teens are invited to join us on Tuesday, December 9 at 6:00 pm for a Teen Diamond Art craft. Get creative and make some of your favorite Pokémon out of diamond beads – no registration required, recommended for ages 12 to 18.

            The holidays are right around the corner and shopping scams are on the rise. Do you know how to protect yourself? Robin Putnam, from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, will lead a discussion on identity theft prevention at the library on Tuesday, December 10, at 1:00 pm. Registration is required.

            Our Silent Book Club returns on Sunday, December 14, at 1:00 pm in the upstairs Reading Rooms. Participants will enjoy delicious treats, tea, and quiet time to read. Relax with friends, acquaintances, and strangers while learning about your next favorite book. The event is for patrons ages 16 and up – no registration required.

            Join us on Sunday, December 14 at 2:00 pm for A Perky Pairing: Coffee and Chocolate. In this presentation, commercial-licensed chocolatier Kim Larkin of Klassic Kreations Workshops will cover fascinating facts about coffee and chocolate with samples to try. Registration is required.

            Join our next Board Game Club on Tuesday, December 16, at 6:00 pm. This month’s pick is “CLUE,” a murder mystery game where everyone’s a suspect. Collect clues and solve the case. Recommended for 3 to 6 players, but teams can be formed to accommodate more. *If you’ve never played before, please arrive 15 minutes early to review the rules. Registration is required.

            The next meeting of the Friends of the Mattapoisett Library is scheduled for Wednesday, December 17, at 6:00 pm. All are welcome to attend. A Zoom link to the meeting is available upon request. If you have any questions, please contact the library at mfpl@sailsinc.org. We can pass along your message to the Friends.

            Attention teens: Need a break from school chaos? Join us for Sticker and Chill Santa Style at the library on Friday, December 19, at 3:30 pm. Relax, get creative, and build your own 3D sticker scene with one of our soothing sticker kits – yours to customize and keep. For ages 13 to 17.

            The library will be closed for the Christmas holiday on Wednesday, December 24, through Friday, December 26. We will reopen on Saturday, December 27, at 10:00 am.

            The library will also be closed for the New Year on Wednesday, December 31, and Thursday, January 1. We will reopen on Friday, January 2, at 10:00 am.

            Please remember that a library card is required at checkout. If your card is missing, we can replace it. To avoid losing it again, download the SAILS mobile app. It’s an excellent alternative to carrying your physical library card. Please see a librarian if you need help or have questions. Your privacy is important to us. Let’s protect it together.

            As always, our programs and events are free and open to everyone. For more information, please visit us at 7 Barstow Street, browse our website at www.mattapoisettlibrary.org, or call the library at 508-758-4171.

Water Street Culvert Repair Conditioned

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            The November 24 meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission included a Notice of Intent filing by the town for the repair and reconstruction of the culvert that crosses Water Street. The culvert is located at the town beach, crossing from north to south as it empties into the town’s public beach.

            Long an issue of “when, not if” because collapse of the aged culvert was considered imminent, it did just that, making it an urgent repair. Temporary measures were taken to buy time until the town could prepare for this major construction project.

            Meeting with the commission on November 24 was Garrett Bauer, the town’s Highway superintendent. He said the stone culvert conveys water from a perennial stream that flows south. He said the work will be a complete repair with replacement of stones and other needed materials.

            There was discussion regarding whether tides and weather events will impact the culvert’s functionality especially during high tides, thereby causing flooding into neighboring areas. The representative from Greenman-Pederson, the town’s consultant, did not believe that would be the case.

            The plan is to begin construction on Labor Day 2026 and continue through the winter months, but presently the project is being reviewed by the Division of Marine Fisheries. The filing was continued.

            Also coming before the commission on this night was Andy Stackpole of Field Engineering, representing a Notice of Intent filed by Michael and Tiffany Amaral for the construction of a garage with an attached accessory building. The project will impact the buffer zone. The project received conditioning and is located at 3 Harbor Road North.

            Also conditioned was a Notice of Intent filing by Emery Warren and Barbara Johnson, trustees for 6 Waterman Street. The applicant will be installing a lift.

            Continued was a Notice of Intent filing by the town for the repair of Long Wharf. Brian Post of Childs Engineering is the town’s consultant. The project was discussed in terms of what outstanding questions remained from the Marine Advisory Board and the commission. The use of flowable mixtures became a sticking point for the commission as they continued to be concerned over the quality of the mix planned and methods of installation.

            Corrections were made to documents relating to the size of land underwater and shellfish beds.

            Further discussions with the Marine Advisory Board are planned, as the issue of flowable fill remains an open question.

            A Notice of Intent filed by Ladan and Mehran Mestchian for 1-84 Angelica Avenue for three parcels was reviewed. The project includes the construction of a stone revetment, the cutting of dead and dying trees, invasive plants and maintenance of an existing lawn. Creation of walking trails is also planned. The project was continued pending comments from Natural Heritage.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is planned for Monday, December 8.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell

It’s Time to Deck The Halls

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            Finding the right Christmas tree is like finding the right mate. You search far and wide, even consider giving up. And then, out of the mist, it appears and you know it’s the one for you!

            For many the search mode begins just after digesting your Thanksgiving turkey, just when you get a hankering for listening to Christmas music. Over the years I relied on getting a Christmas tree from my father’s tree farm, but with the diminishing number of trees it’s less of an option. There were years when a mature tree was not available at the family farm, so I would find one elsewhere. Some years they were purchased off vendors who had them shipped in from Canada. Too often these shed profusely at the lightest touch. “Locally grown” became my mantra, and I found a few excellent sources. Sadly, some of these have gone by the wayside, but the memory of those experiences are still fresh in my mind.

            I found one as we returned home from the Thanksgiving holiday, unlike the premature and overdone Christmas promotions by many retailers, it felt like a natural progression between the two holidays. Rather than postponing it, we turned off in Marion and swung onto County Road where the once P.T.L. Christmas Tree Farm resided next to the Ansel Gurney House gift shop. I instructed the three children to stay in the car while I got details and followed the Christmas music to the shop to learn the system of selecting your own tree. I’d wanted an 8-footer, not too wide at the bottom, and began looking amidst the assorted sizes and shapes.

            Before I could say “Oh Tannenbaum,” the kids were out of the car and running in three different directions through the trees, resembling the airborne kung-fu fights of the film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. The stumps from the previous year’s cuts soon halted them, refocusing them on our collective mission. We roamed around the field, along with the little birds darting from tree to tree, enjoying the search.

            The moment we found our tree will always be with me. I was chastising the youngest for his usual mischief. I glared at him as he lay on the ground, his arm cocked back ready to launch a pinecone at his sister. Then my gaze fell on the soft green curtain behind him. I knew the search was over. “There’s our tree.” It’s uncanny how you just know when you find the right one. As when Clark Griswold pronounces “there it is,” as he drags his family through the deep woods in search of a Christmas tree in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

            There is something primal about walking through the woods for your own Christmas tree – it’s partly the pine scent and purity of the tree in its natural place. Something any fully fledged New Englander should experience.

            Another of my memories of getting a Christmas tree occurred at the Douglass Farm on Sconticut Neck in Fairhaven. This was a solo venture – my husband was working, and the kids were away at college and work. I pulled up to park on the field of the farm alongside numerous others and quickly began navigating the rows upon rows of assorted trees. It must have been an election year because I can recall humorous political messages hanging on various trees.

            As I wandered the seemingly vast expanse, it began to snow! My humbug vanished and I was suddenly in a real-life snow globe. I felt my heart grow three sizes. What began as a perfunctory task turned into pure magic. Students from Fairhaven High’s Blue Devils did the cutting once a tree was chosen, and hot cocoa was at the ready. The original mission was to use the proceeds to benefit the ALS Therapy Development Foundation.

            After the 2024 sale of the farm to the Buzzards Bay Coalition, the one day “Christmas Tree Flash Sale” serves as a fundraiser supporting the work of the coalition. Trees are $50 and buyers are asked to bring their own netting/rope to secure the tree to your car for transport. The farm is located at 242 Sconticut Neck Road, Fairhaven, and the sale is on Saturday, December 6 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

            Looking for more greenery to deck the halls? The sixth Annual Mattapoisett Woman’s Club Holiday Greens Sale will be held on Saturday, December 6 at the “What the Taco” porch and parking lot on Rte. 6 in Mattapoisett from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm or until items are sold out. The sale will include elegant, one-of-a-kind designs in the form of decorated fresh wreaths, swags, centerpieces and 2025 ornaments, all beautifully handcrafted by the talented women of the Mattapoisett Woman’s Club. Bundled evergreens and holly branches will also be available for purchase. Proceeds from the sale support the club’s scholarship fund and other charitable community endeavors.

            You will find the magic of the holidays in unexpected ways. But it’s a lot more likely if you get out and mix with humanity for a while. You’ll come home to see the old Santa doll with the broken arm isn’t some old, mangled toy, but rather a treasured part of your past.

            “Looks great. Little full, lotta sap.” – Clark Griswold

The Seaside Gardener

By Laura McLean

Pizza with Santa

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Join the Marion Police Department at one of their favorite holiday events, Pizza with Santa, December 7, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center, 465 Mill St. in Marion. Bring a new, unwrapped toy and help us fill a cruiser for kids in need.

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned the Hartley Sawmill which was a successful business for many years and finally closed in 1964. The actual site of that mill now marked only by rocks and a water course has an extensive history all its own. The area around it is historically referred to as the “Winslow Mill Area”, because in 1725, Maj. Edward Winslow developed the site as an iron forge.

            It was a “bloomery ” forge where local bog iron was recovered from the water and then smelted to make iron bars for the nail works in Tremont. It’s believed that the bloomery forge shut down at some point after the Revolutionary War. Many of this type of forge were shutting down around this time, because the supply of bog iron was being depleted. However, the waterpower privilege was too valuable to be abandoned.

            Elisha Ruggles turned the site into a grist mill in 1823 and over the next 65 years the site had many owners, among them; the David Peckhams, both Sr. and Jr., Hiram Waldron, Josiah Pierce, William T. Bryant and Charles and Eudora West. Many of these owners lived in close proximity of the mill.

            Looking at the maps that we have for sale at the museum, the1856 map has the site as a grist mill. By the 1879 map, it is still listed as a grist mill, but box board and shingle mill have been added.

            In 1888 (as mentioned previously), James Hartley purchased the property and from then on it was operated by him and then, his offspring. No doubt when he purchased the mill, it was powered by at least one waterwheel. As time passed, upgrades were made.

            First, a 25 horsepower Acushnet Iron Foundry-built turbine type water wheel was installed to provide more power. By the early 1900’s, a steam engine and boiler were installed. In the late 1920’s, James Hartley, Jr., the 4th child and 3rd son, along with Malachai White replaced the horizontal wheel with a vertical-shaft-drive turbine. These upgrades in power were typical of how small sawmill owners improved their businesses

            The boom years for the Hartley Sawmill were from the 1920’s to the 1950’s. In those years, the mill produced cordwood, house and boat lumber and boxboards and shingles. One of the Hartley Sawmill shingle machines is in George Church’s Museum on Mattapoisett Rd. The output of the mill was hauled by oxen and horse-drawn wagons to harbors like Marion and New Bedford to be loaded onto schooners.

            After the mill closed down, the vacant and decaying mill buildings were removed or burned by the Rochester Fore Dept. However, the office building was left standing. Recently, Rick Miranda, the current keeper of the Hartley Sawmill Trust, has renovated the building which was the office of Hannah Ellen Hartley who both ran the hardware store and kept the records of all the mill transactions. One of her ledgers is part of the current exhibit at the Rochester Historical Society Museum. Anyone interested in viewing the exhibit; “The Tools and Industries That Made Rochester”, can set up time for a visit by calling Connie at 617-750-2818 or Sue at 508-295-8908.

By Connie Eshbach

Robert “Bob” Demeo

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Robert “Bob” Demeo, a long-time resident of Marion, MA, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 30, 2025. Bob was born on October 3, 1931, in Boston to Sophie A. (Bucewicz) Demeo and Pasquale J. Demeo. He was predeceased by his cherished wife of 62 years, Patricia J. (Gannon) Demeo; his two half-brothers, Patrick Demeo and Rick Keith Rickson; and his half-sister, Candice Rickson.

As a teenager during World War II, Bob served in the Massachusetts State Guard, helping combat forest fires on Cape Cod. After graduating from Brighton High School in 1949, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served throughout the Korean War as a Petty Officer Second Class.

Following his military service, Bob earned his Associate’s Degree from Grand Rapids Junior College in 1955 and his Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1959.

Bob met his future wife, Patti, at a gathering of the “Hi Hubbers,” a social club for tall people in Boston. They married in 1961. Originally living in Peabody, they settled in Marion in 1963, where they built their home and raised their family.

Bob first came to Marion after joining Sippican Ocean Systems, and later continued his career at the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, from which he retired in 1997. In retirement, he enjoyed woodworking, computers, and was also proud to serve as Commander of VFW Post 2425. He and Patti enjoyed attending numerous U.S.S. Destroyer Buck 761 reunions of “Tin Can Sailors” throughout the country where he rekindled old friends.

Bob is survived by his four children: Andrea (John) Adriany of San Diego, CA; Martha (James) Turner of Newbury, VT; Kristen Brown of Taunton, MA; and Paul (Michelle) Demeo of Merrimack, NH. He is also survived by his half-sister, Wendy M. Rickson of Grand Haven, MI. His legacy includes five grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and many dear friends and extended family members.

Visitation will be held at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett, on Tuesday, December 9th, from 4-7 PM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Rita’sParish, 113 Front St., Marion, on Wednesday, December 10th at 9:30AM. Interment will follow, with military honors, alongside his wife at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. For directions and the online guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Rain Can’t Stop Santa or The Grinch

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The rain was heavy, but the children’s hearts were light when Rochester held a different than usual annual Christmas Tree Lighting in front of Town Hall on Sunday, November 30.

            For years the entire ceremony had been held outdoors in the evening on the first Monday in December. This year, most of the ceremony took place in the First Congregational Church Hall starting at 4:00 pm. There, residents and their children prepared tree ornaments and consumed cookies and hot cocoa until Santa Claus, chauffeured in an antique jalopy, arrived outside.

            The children were overjoyed to see Santa, a mood that couldn’t be dampened by either the rain or the sudden appearance of the Grinch shortly after St. Nick (at least it was the Grinch who handed out small gifts to the young attendees from his small satchel).

            Back inside, a mix of children from the Rochester Memorial School sang Christmas songs, as Santa and even the Grinch himself joined in until Santa had to leave early because his elves needed him, Events Committee Chair Sharon Hartley told him.

            Before he left, however, Santa spoke to The Wanderer to explain his visit to Rochester this year. “I was invited,” he said. “I heard there were so many good children in Rochester, and I wanted to stop by and say hello.”

            When everyone went back outside, Select Board Chair Adam Murphy introduced First Congregational Church Pastor Colby Olson, who said a prayer blessing the event, then handed Hartley the switch to flick on the tree lights to the children’s cheers.

            Asked why this year’s event was held on the Sunday of Thanksgiving week as opposed to the traditional first Monday in December, Town Administrator Cameron Durant explained, “The (Events) Committee wanted to try something different.” Asked if the switch to the indoor location for much of the ceremony will continue in future years, Durant said that it will be up to the committee. “I hope it does, no matter what the committee decides for next year,” he said.

            Police Chief Michael Assad commented on the Grinch’s sudden appearance and quick disappearance at Town Hall. “We have an active investigation to apprehend him,” he said. “We have a ‘BOLO’ (be on the lookout) out on him. We’ll keep the town safe from him.”

Rochester Tree Lighting

By Michael J. DeCicco

New Santa Hat for Salty

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Salty the Seahorse got a fresh coat of paint in 2024 for the Mattapoisett Land Trust’s 50th Anniversary. In December 2024 Salty’s old Santa Hat was put, but after being exposed to the winds of many winter storms his hat had become droopy and quite dingy. Local Mattapoisett resident, Mary Dermody, decided to take on the project of getting Salty a new Santa Hat for Christmas 2025. Doing some leg work around the area visiting several canvas places and sail makers, Mary was fortunate to discover that Sperry Sails of Marion had made the original Santa Hat for Salty and they were pleased to work on the project once again. Sperry patterned the new hat directly from the old one, sewing it from marine grade canvas and then attaching all the necessary lines and straps to ensure it will stay securely on top of the Salty’s head, no matter what the winter weather. The new red hat features a classic bright white brim and uses the “buoy” pom-pom from the old hat, which must have been repurposed from the waterfront at the time the first hat was constructed. Inspired by Salty’s new paint job in 2024 Mary Dermody managed the project from concept to completion, to ensure Salty’s new Santa hat was finished in time for it’s December debut. The funds for the new Santa Hat were provided by a generous anonymous donor.