CPC Set for Friday Vote

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            Having engaged in more intense scrutiny of 10 applications for FY22 Community Preservation funding on February 26, the Marion Community Preservation Committee heads toward its March 5 public hearing. CPC votes will determine which projects are taken to Town Meeting floor this spring and in what amounts.

            Applications include seven made by the Town of Marion and one each by the Sippican Historical Society, Sippican Women’s Club, and Elizabeth Taber Library.

            Before beginning the public hearing, the committee will, according to its March 5 agenda, review and vote to support the selectmen’s request for a Town Meeting article allowing CPA funds previously approved for waterproofing the front part of the Town House basement to be used for its entire basement.

            Marion is looking to use CPC funding to nearly complete its Town House renovations, including $90,000 for the Annex building exterior and Main Street entrance, which have been supported thus far by public and private sources. If successful, the only remaining related project will be the outdated concrete steps to the Main Street-side doors.

            The Main Street-side project was originally estimated at $221,000 but was lowered to a $90,000 request. It still bids for $21,000 in design-and-bid documents, $22,000 for mahogany doors, and $21,000 for windows, with the remainder paying for paint, siding trim, and related construction.

            The town has declared the entire structure a historic preservation restriction, an application that sits with the state for approval, according to Town Administrator Jay McGrail. The goal, McGrail told the CPC, is to move all employees to the first floor and potentially rent out the upper floor. The construction will strive to replicate the original design, and handicap accessibility will remain the same.

            CPC member Margie Baldwin asked if the committee should anticipate future requests, noting that there are four already. McGrail confirmed that to be the case, citing the removal of the vault in the Town Clerk’s Office and related work. “We’re exhausting every funding source we can to get this done,” said McGrail.

            The town has also applied for $5,375 for veterans’ graves markers in an effort to finish an ongoing project. Jody Dickerson explained that the town purchased 550 markers in 2020 for the five cemeteries in Marion, but more graves were missing veterans’ markers than originally thought, going all the way back to the Revolutionary War. The goal is to start the job when funds become available on July 1 and finish it by November 11, Veterans Day.

            At least in its current form, the application least likely to succeed is a $30,000 request by the Recreation Department to purchase equipment to help fund the Marion Rec’s Community Sailing program. The reason is that CPA funding is limited in scope to permanently anchored items, which rules out boats, kayaks, and the like.

            Recreation Department Director Jody Dickerson told the committee that the town’s learn-to-sail program started in the 1980s and has been funded over the years by the Friends of Marion Recreation.

            CPC Chairman Jeff Doubrava noted himself as a ground-floor member of the program and encouraged program representative Chris Collings to resubmit a more applicable pitch next year, calling it “maybe a great idea that’s not quite ripe yet.”

            Marion Historical Commission has applied for $30,000 in CPA funding to continue with the town’s historical and cultural inventory. In commission chair Meg Steinberg’s absence, Will Tifft told the CPC that the project conforms exactly to Marion’s Master Plan.

            Judy Rosbe of the Sippican Historical Society said that, while the society did the last such survey, she considers it “more appropriate for the commission to do it, though we support it greatly.”

            Doubrava articulated concern that the project’s annual reappearance among CPA funding applications takes on the look of maintenance, but Tifft assured Doubrava that CPA funding is common for such a project. The state matches funding, and each application represents a different area of the town to be surveyed.

            Leslie Piper appeared on behalf of the Sippican Historical Society to request $25,000 to support the society’s ongoing archival catalog, specifically to hire a professional archivist to hopefully complete the archives’ digitization of all Marion’s history. “They are of no value to the town if they’re not available online,” said Piper. “Most research is done online these days.”

            The $27,000 application filed by Candy’s Tavern to restore the 1812-built stage-coach stop acquired by Sippican Women’s Club in 1923 is limited in consideration to approximately $4,200, considered a loose bottom line for the restoration of the building’s front and kitchen doors. Gable vents were also sought; however, not being part of the original design, they do not apparently qualify.

            Silvershell Beach is looking for $10,000 to replace the split-post and rail fence originally installed in 1991 after Hurricane Bob. The fence, located along Front and Lewis Streets, is considered to be beyond repair.

            Taber Library requested $4,866 to complete a project, 70 percent funded by the town and partly by the library, to add four granite books under the benches that will reflect diversity among authors.

            Randy Parker’s suggestion for an estimate on concrete, as opposed to the asphalt proposed for a walking path on the grounds of the Cushing Community Center at the cost of $3,500, yielded $18,000 more, according to Harry Norweb’s research. Besides, Norweb received feedback suggesting walkers prefer the lower impact of asphalt.

            The next meeting of the Marion Community Preservation Committee is scheduled for March 5 at 5:00 pm.

Marion Community Preservation Committee

By Mick Colageo

Flagpole Gets a Facelift

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            Some of the repairs made in 2007 that set the 90-foot high flagpole in Shipyard Park in solid stead finally yielded to the elements last week, resulting in an upper section being disassembled for further examination.

            “There was a problem with one of the pulleys at the top of the pole,” said Mattapoisett Highway Superintendent Barry Denham.

            “Unfortunately, it became bound, so it wasn’t able to go up any further a month ago – we had to take it down,” said Mattapoisett Harbormaster Jamie McIntosh, who began overseeing the maintenance of flags for the town last summer. “There was nothing left in the bearings in the metal that holds the pulley together; it was binding on the line. It was able to go down but not up. We were able to take it down, a relatively quick fix, all in one day running around to different vendors in Mattapoisett and New Bedford.”

            Last week’s repairs removed the flagpole one more step from the flagpole’s initial days at Shipyard Park, originally a second life for the old wooden mast from the whaling ship Wanderer. A segment of that original mast hangs in the Mattapoisett Museum barn that stores several other artifacts, including other Wanderer wood found in commemorative pens issued by the Mattapoisett Historical Society and on the gavel used by the town’s Board of Selectmen.

            According to McIntosh, former Selectmen Ray Andrews and Freddy Brownell helped build the flagpole to what it is today. They created the base, the cylindrical portion of the mast that was once struck by lightning.

            The lower half of the replacement mast is steel. The cross tree where the upper and lower portions join together is made of wood, but not original wood from the Wanderer, as was the original flagpole that once stood only a dozen feet away.

            It turns out modern technology was still no match for Mother Nature.

            In 2007, Frank Linhares donated a giant American flag that was showcased on July 4 of that year. But according to Andrews, it was left flying for too long. “We had a beautiful Fourth,” said Andrews, who said the flag stayed up until a windy day later that year when the mast cracked.

            Tommy Brownell, Fred Brownell’s son, lowered the flag down and trucked the wooden upper piece down to a company in Connecticut that carbon-wrapped the upper mast. Andrews did the painting, and Brownell reassembled the pole. The carbon-fiber wrapping now on the pole is exponentially stronger than fiberglass, almost like a steel upper, according to Andrews, who says the lightweight material is also used on America’s Cup racing yachts and on F-16, 22, and 35 fighter jets.

            In warmer weather, more maintenance will be performed as the flagpole shows heavy wear, including rusted steel requiring an application of two-part epoxy paint that cannot cure correctly in winter temperatures.

By Mick Colageo

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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At the museum, we have many old documents and pictures, memoirs, and family trees, all of which give us insights into Rochester’s past. We also have many items that contribute to that insight. When we finally feel comfortable fully opening the museum, many of these items will be on display in our Curator’s Show, which is funded by the Rochester Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Many of these items are connected to families or individuals who have contributed to Rochester over their lifetimes.

            One such individual is Samuel Corse, who is no doubt remembered by many residents today. Samuel was born in Rochester in 1888. He was educated in Rochester schools, attending both the Waterman School and a school in the town center. He then attended the Oliver Raymond School in North Easton for a year and a half before moving on to Tabor Academy, from which he graduated in 1906.

            Following graduation, Corse began his career in the fields of surveying and civil engineering. In 1908-1909, he did surveying in the branch of construction engineering. From 1910-1914, he was inspector of construction engineering for work done in Providence for the New Haven Railroad and the Rhode Island Railroad. Later, he opened his own company with an office, first in New Bedford and then in his hometown of Rochester.

            Surveying is the art of determining the shape and area of a piece of land, and it traces its origins to ancient Egypt. The basic fundamental of surveying is geometry, with angles and triangles being key to measurements. Surveying site work can be arduous, particularly when working on rough land and land thick with underbrush. Along with the surveying went chart and map-making. In his later years, Corse let his younger employees do the outside work while he focused on cartography.

            Corse also spent many years giving back to his community. Elected to the School Committee, where he served 26 of his years there as chairman, he focused at first on building upkeep that had been neglected. During his time on the committee, he saw many changes. In 1932, the town appropriated $25,000 to be used to run the schools. At that time, there were 228 pupils in the Waterman, Stuart, and Center Schools. The average teacher salary was $1,162 per year. By 1953, four years before his retirement from the committee, $55,869 was appropriated and, there were 268 students. Later, Corse served on the first Zoning and Planning Committee, where his surveying knowledge was needed.

            It’s interesting to think of all the changes that Sam Corse saw in his 75 years in Rochester. Sam Corse died in 1963 and is buried in Rochester’s Center Cemetery.

By Connie Eshbach

911 Network Expands to Include Hanover

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            The Rochester Board of Selectmen likes how it’s going as a member of the Duxbury-hosted Regional Old Colony Communications Center and anticipates a renewal of its inter-municipal agreement (IMA).

            ROCCC provides 911 police, fire, and EMS emergency dispatch service for six towns, as Director Michael Mahoney told the selectmen during their March 1 hybrid meeting that Hanover is joining the group that also includes Halifax, Hanson, and Plympton.

            Mahoney proposed a six-month extension of the current contract in order to synch its expiration with the end of Fiscal Year 2021. Mahoney said the IMA, a five-year run drafted to expire on January 1, 2022, is “an oversight on our part; we should have carried it through to July.”

            ROCCC is hoping to bring all its members into synch, establishing a new IMA for all six towns on July 1, 2022, the start of FY23. Mahoney anticipates two- or three-year agreements.

            “Most of the towns start doing their budgets mid-fiscal year for the following year,” said Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar. Mahoney said, “I’m open to whatever it takes…. We’re not waiting to the last minute by any means…. My concern is we land on that uniformity…. This way, we’ll be able to address them all at the same time. I’ll make sure everybody has what they need, so they’re not up against any budgeting deadlines.”

            Selectman Woody Hartley noted that Rochester had targeted a budget date around April 1.

            Mahoney updated a new receiver at the site in the Braley Hill side of Rochester priced out at $50,000. Mahoney also pointed to a $4 million competitive development grant and said he wouldn’t know if ROCCC is awarded that grant until July or August.

            “Anything up at that end of town would be helpful,” said Rochester Chief of Police Robert Small, who also noted that switching to Motorola equipment has helped mitigate problems.

            Mahoney said he expected the project would have been completed by now if not for the coronavirus pandemic.

            In her Town Administrator’s report, Szyndlar discussed the assessment that Rochester received last week from Bristol County Agricultural High School. Rochester is not a member town, and the town is dissatisfied with an interpretation of a 2018 legislation that non-residents pay for Bristol Aggie’s debt.

            “The response is because we’re not a member, and they’re trying to pass on costs. Passing on the debt strikes me as double-dipping,” said Town Counsel Blair Bailey.

            Szyndlar told the selectmen she had asked Bristol Aggie for its agreement with its member towns. “They claim it reflects school choice. I do not know what they charge for the [member-town] students,” she said. “I don’t recommend that we put in any appropriation.”

            Hartley explained that member towns pay a county assessment, then pay the school a smaller cost. “The costs are well hidden. It’s even hard to research their budget,” he said, crediting Szyndlar for her effort trying to research the matter on Rochester’s behalf.

            In a 6:05 pm appointment, the selectmen voted to approve a street name request made by the Village at Plumb Corner, a new 55+ residential development with new public ways to be called Sarahbeth Lane, Katlyn Circle, and Hayley Circle.

            Rochester has learned that FY21 annual Chapter 90 state funding for road projects will be set at $308,083 pending final passage, an increase over last year’s $302,161 total.

            SEMASS Covanta will distribute $10,000 this week in FY21 outreach money per the agreement. The selectmen annually review requests and appropriate funds for various community projects according to departmental needs. Last year, the money was put on hold at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

            The selectmen voted to accepted public safety donations from the Annie Maxim House, Inc. for $100 each for the Police, Fire, Highway, and Ambulance Departments.

            Szyndlar told the board she would attend the Massachusetts Municipal Accountants and Auditors Association meeting on Wednesday and Thursday of this week and next to maintain her annual certification as a governmental accountant. The meeting is virtual this year.

            In a 6:00 pm appointment, the selectmen voted to approve Small’s recommendation that Brian Delmonte be appointed as a full-time police officer.

            Delmonte, a Bridgewater resident and 2016 graduate of Bridgewater-Raynham High School, recently graduated from the full-time police academy. He joined the Marines and was deployed to Southeast Asia. He is an active participant at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Bridgewater and volunteers at Bridgewater’s Senior Center. Delmonte graduated last month from the state police academy in New Braintree and is working toward a degree in criminal justice.

            Bailey said that an in-person ceremony with Delmonte and his family would be held when possible.

            Selectman Brad Morse said that, while Rochester’s new association with Marion in the use of its Benson Brook transfer station has been successful, he is still meeting with the Board of Health on a Plan B. “We’re still talking about getting land surveyed just to see if we could do something,” he said. The survey would be funded through the town’s recycling revolving fund.

            Hartley told the selectmen that The New York Times recognized 2020 Wanderer Keel Award winner Kelsey Robertson as one of the nation’s kids who make a difference. The selectmen responded to the news by exclaiming, “Well done. Kelsey!”

            The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for Monday, March 15, at 6:00 pm.

Rochester Board of Selectmen

By Mick Colageo

Marion on Hold for Second COVID-19 Vaccine Doses

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            The Marion Board of Health learned on March 2 that a shortage of COVID-19 vaccine in Massachusetts has resulted in the town having to cancel its March 5 vaccination clinic to administer a second dose to residents that received their first dose last month.

            Marion was authorized back on January 30 to receive 100 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to administer to Marion residents 75 and older and held a vaccination clinic to inoculate the town’s oldest citizens in descending order on February 5. A month later, the state says there isn’t enough vaccine at this time for Marion to complete the vaccination series, forcing Marion to cancel its clinic for Friday, March 5, and wait to hear when the next shipment of doses will be ready before rescheduling another.

            “Oh, Lori, I’m so sorry,” BOH member Dot Brown told Public Nurse Lori Desmarais. “That’s terrible.”

            Desmarais said the state still promises to deliver Marion its 100 doses for round two of vaccinations, but when that will be is unknown right now. When she receives word from the state saying when those next doses will arrive, she will contact those residents who were scheduled to attend the March 5 clinic and inform them of the new date. She anticipates that vaccine recipients would maintain their scheduled times, with the only change being the actual date of the vaccination clinic.

            Desmarais was pleased, though, that she was able to administer the vaccination to homebound residents of Marion with the help of the Fire Department before the vaccine shortage.

            BOH Chairman Dr. Edward Hoffer commented on the recent CDC emergency authorization for the Johnson & Johnson version of the vaccine, but commented that Massachusetts had only received a “very small shipment” of the anticipated “game changer,” as Hoffer put it, and won’t receive another shipment for another four weeks.

            “At least in Massachusetts, it’s not much of a game charger, unfortunately,” said Hoffer.

            Desmarais gave a COVID-19 case update for the board and reported that Marion currently has 11 active cases for a total of 385 since the beginning of the pandemic.

            Sippican School has two positive cases currently in isolation, with two people in quarantine awaiting test results. There have been 31 confirmed cases linked to Sippican School so far. Old Rochester Regional Junior High has zero in isolation or quarantine, with 24 cases so far in the pandemic. ORR High School currently has three positive cases in isolation, two in quarantine, and a total of 77 cases.

            Over at Tabor Academy, ongoing routine testing has not resulted in any positive cases so far.

            Sippican Healthcare Center has gone 20 days without any new confirmed cases, and only some residents or staff are still waiting to receive their second vaccine dose for the state.

            Health Agent David Flaherty said he has responded to four COVID-19 compliance complaints in Marion establishments over the past week, with none of them resulting in a temporary shutdown.

            Flaherty is leaving his part-time health agent position in Marion to join Fairhaven as its full-time health agent, and Anna Wimmer was introduced during the board’s meeting as Flaherty’s replacement.

            The Marion Board of Health meets again on Tuesday, March 16, at 4:30 pm.

Marion Board of Health

By Jean Perry

Tri-Town Clean-up

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On a recent sunny Saturday afternoon, the ORR Community Service Learning Club, the ORR Environmental Club, and Mattapoisett Boy Scout Troop 53 came together to help the Mattapoisett Land Trust. Four students from the clubs and eight Boy Scouts met up at the MLT Santos Farm Property at the end of Bowman Road to help clear the property of vines and branches.

            The property had recently been a pig farm and is being transformed by the MLT into an open space with trails leading to Grace Preserve and through the Old Aucoot District leading out to Route 6, Angelica Ave, and Prospect Road. It will eventually have benches, picnic tables, and a handicap accessible trail, but it is currently a mess of mud, debris, and brush. Clearing out the brush was very hard work and MLT greatly appreciated the assistance of the Community Service Club and the Scouts!

            The students and scouts didn’t mind the hard work and appreciated the overall goal to transform this property and return the area to a natural environment that can be enjoyed by all. Many even volunteered to return another day to lend a hand!

            “I’ve always been passionate about the protection of natural lands for public use. Working with the land trust allows me to help preserve these outdoor spaces for the benefit of our community” said ORR junior Julia Sheridan.

            Emma Carroll, an ORR senior, said “I love nature, and I love lending a helping hand! I heard about the opportunity to volunteer at the Santos Preserve through our school’s community service club, and I was so excited to be out in nature and help a good cause. Being around other people who want to help simply because it brings joy makes me feel complete. I want to help out in the future for sure!”

            It was a tremendous community effort, and we at the MLT would like to thank the ORR Community Service Club and Mattapoisett Troop 53 for their efforts.

ORR, Old Colony Set for Fall II Season

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            After successfully maneuvering through the winter sports season, the first since the beginning of the pandemic, Old Rochester Regional High School is set to take on another challenge: hosting winter sports in the middle of March. Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School will also have student-athletes playing football, soccer, and field hockey instead of prepping for baseball, softball, and lacrosse this month, but the Cougars were among the Mayflower Athletic Conference schools that did not take part in the “winter” sports season.

            “It felt like something was missing in all of our lives,” Old Colony Athletic Director Matt Trahan said. “Sports are a big part of what we do here, and it’s strange to cancel a season. There’s certainly a buzz at the school now. There’s a fuse of excitement.

            “It’s been tough — I feel bad for the kids, I feel bad for the adults. They’re definitely getting educated, but the things around it are important, too, whether it’s sports or other extracurricular activities.”

            Football practice is already underway at both schools, but other sports won’t get rolling until the second week of March — ORR on Monday, March 8, and Old Colony on Wednesday, March 10. There is still more time for more students to register to participate in Fall II. Old Colony football is right around 60 players. ORR, however, has seen a slight dip in its registration across all fall sports, dropping from a typical 330 range to roughly 290 fall student-athletes.

            “I do think there are some kids that are nervous about playing,” ORR Athletic Director Bill Tilden said. “We’ve still got some kids that aren’t even back at school yet, they’re still doing fully remote — which I get. If they have concerns at home that somebody might be a higher risk, then they should do a remote.”

            Old Colony football kicks off its regular-season slate of games with the Cougar Cup on March 19 against Tri-County at New Bedford High School. That game is typically played at the end of the season on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving.

            All other Old Colony fall sports begin regular-season games on the week of March 22. There will be a Mayflower Athletic Conference postseason. The league has been broken up this year into North and South divisions, so representatives from those divisions will face off at the end of the season. All Fall II play from the Mayflower Athletic Conference will wrap up on April 30.

            Spectators will not be allowed to attend games at Old Colony; Trahan and the school are working to stream games on YouTube and other platforms.

            ORR and the South Coast Conference will conclude all play on May 8. There will be postseason play within the conference, including an eight-team football tournament. ORR football kicks off with a home game on Friday, March 26, at 4:00 pm against Dighton-Rehoboth. Both boys and girls soccer teams, field hockey, and volleyball begin their game schedules the same week as football. Golf does not start play until April 8.

Sports Roundup

By Nick Friar

Gail Eleanor (Muren) Stetson

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Gail Eleanor (Muren) Stetson of Fairhaven, MA, passed away on February 27, 2021 due to the neurodegenerative effects of Frontotemporal Dementia, at age 60. She was born August 8, 1960, to the late Albert and Irene Muren, in New Martinsville, WV. She is survived by her beloved husband, Jon Stetson, of Fairhaven, MA; cherished siblings, Andrea Muren Shanahan, of Medford, MA, and brother Clifford A. Muren, of Ipswich, MA; loving auntie to nieces Elise Muren, Alison Shanahan, and nephew John C. Shanahan. She was devoted mom to her beloved pups: Clive, Milo, Molly, and Tucker, all now deceased, and to the ever exuberant, Olive Grace Stetson. The loss to family and friends is profound and everlasting.

             Gail was a dynamo. Energetic, unflappable, upbeat, and unbelievably accepting, she made a lasting, positive impact on all those around her – family, friends, students and colleagues at Old Hammondtown School (where she worked as a paraprofessional for 24 years), and even distant acquaintances, are unanimous in remembering her as a very funny, affectionate, kind, amazingly special person. Whether singing to her favorite music, catching up with friends, doing hilarious impressions, making balloon animals, watching (or attending) a Red Sox game, or walking her doggies to Fort Phoenix, memories of Gail are precious, and indelible. Exceptionally close with her family, she delighted in spending time with them at holiday gatherings, birthday celebrations, or really, any occasion. Similarly, her ties with friends were indestructible. Once her friend, always her friend. A more loyal and trusting person is hard to find. Gail made everyone feel welcome, included, and cared for. And boy could she make people laugh! At her 60th birthday party, severely disabled by her illness, she whispered to her husband, “I want a beer.” The house went wild. That was Gail.

            Gail was a sparkling presence in the world; a sadder, lonelier, and less hospitable place without her. Good night, baby Gail. Sleep tight, and rest in peace. Love you forever.

            Family and friends are invited to attend the visitation at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett on Friday, March 5, from 4:00 – 7:00 pm and/or the memorial service for Gail at 9:00 am, Saturday, March 6, at the Funeral Home followed by burial at Acushnet Cemetery. Due to the pandemic, masks must be worn. Guests will be permitted to pay their respects and depart to allow the next guests to enter. Capacity at the funeral home will be limited so there could be wait times outside the funeral home. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

            Any financial contributions may be made to: The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration 2700 Horizon Drive Suite 120, King of Prussia, PA 19406.

https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=16451

Mel Will be Missed in Mattapoisett

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            An era is ending as Melody Pacheco, assistant to the town administrator since 1991, is retiring on March 17. If you’ve had any dealing at all with Mattapoisett’s Town Hall, then you probably know Pacheco, aka ‘Mel.’

            Before holding down the fort in the Selectmen’s office, she worked in the Clerk’s Office, the Building Department, Conservation Commission, and the Zoning Board of Appeals. She’s been a woman for all seasons, literally, as she’s planned numerous community events dependent on the weather’s cooperation.

            Pacheco’s commitment to Mattapoisett and its residents goes beyond a formal job description. Her drive to assist and improve things for all involved has also included volunteering at the Council on Aging, Agriculture Commission, and collecting non-perishable food for food banks.

            Monday through Friday for 35 years, Pacheco has been navigating the Town Hall operation, through good times and bad, as the “can-do” person for every job she was assigned. Now, as she counts down the days to her retirement, Pacheco is ready to hand over the coffee pot. Her words, not ours.

            “I don’t feel happy or sad – it’s just time,” Pacheco waxed when asked how she feels about this milestone in her life. Giving credit where she believes credit is due, Pacheco told The Wanderer about the people who helped her along the way versus her achievements.

            Lois Ennis, the former town clerk, hired Pacheco in 1987 as a part-time assistant. “I was re-entering the workforce, and I was not very confident I could do it,” she haltingly began. As it turned out, when Ennis called offering the job, Pacheco initially turned it down. But after further consideration, she called Ennis back. “Is the job still available?” It was, and the journey began.

            Yet Pacheco remained uncertain that the path she had chosen was the right one for her. “I left and went into the medical field for about 10 months. I hated it!” she said. A quick call to Ennis and she found herself back in the Clerk’s Office and a Town Hall building that would become her second home.

            If Pacheco is anything, she is grateful. She recalled her first supervisors as people who helped her develop into a municipal employee, not just an employee. Former Selectman Jack DeCosta and Executive Secretary Carol Adams were two key people in her professional development who impressed upon her that the role meant always representing the town in the best light possible. That not only included carrying out the responsibilities of her job to the best of her abilities but in comporting herself, her best self, at all times.

            “They taught me that when you do these jobs, no matter what, you are here for the residents,” said Pacheco, recalling how DeCosta took her under his wing and how Adams taught her how to present herself in a positive light every day no matter how she was feeling, striving consistently for excellence.

            We reached out to a few of the many people Pacheco has worked with over her long tenure at Town Hall. Their voices all rang with high praise. Former Town Clerk Lois Ennis: “She was always eager, anxious to learn, always very pleasant, you don’t always get that in an employee.… Mel has the same personality today that she did back then and really a strong work ethic.”

            Director of Inspectional Services Andy Bobola: “We go all the way back to Rochester Memorial School.” During the years that he lived in Rochester, Mel was a childhood pal. “Fast-forward, we came back together at Town Hall,” said Bobola. For a time, one of the positions Pacheco held was administrative assistant to the Building Department. “She was my right hand,” he recalled. “She was always, always the consummate professional.” Bobola went on to say that the person we see today is the same person Pacheco has always been, cheerful and ready to help where needed. “She has always been willing to help. In town government, you can’t ask more than that; she’s accomplished so much,” Bobola said.

            Barry Denham, former selectman, and soon-to-be-retired highway surveyor, said with a laugh, “Mel’s leaving is making it easier for me to retire, too.… It’s been a good run for both of us.” He said that Pacheco was a good person to work with. And he should know, having worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Pacheco the entire length of her career. “Ever since Mel started, we have worked together in one capacity or another every day.” From decorating the Town Hall to setting up for community events such as Holiday in The Park and numerous other community occasions, together they got the job done. “We’ll meet again out on the sidewalk,” Denham said with a smile.

            Mike Gagne, former town administrator, agreed with those sentiments, adding, “We worked together for 12 years. She was unbelievable.” Gagne said that being the new town administrator and not from the local area could have been doubly difficult. Still, he said of Pacheco, “She was a guide, a tremendous asset, with the ability to resolve a lot of things that come through the Selectmen’s Office. I was extremely fortunate to have her.

            “Many people don’t know what a compassionate heart Mel has. Many times she helped people when they needed it, quietly assisting others in need.” Gagne said that the wealth of knowledge Pacheco has after three decades in Town Hall is nothing short of “amazing,” and her ability to move with the times over those decades speaks to her capacity to adapt and accommodate to change. “She is one of the best assistants for a town administrator on the south coast,” he said, acknowledging again how lucky he was to have her seated just across the hall.

            Town Administrator Mike Lorenco shared his thoughts in the short time Pacheco has been assisting him. “It is crazy to say, but Mel has been an employee for Mattapoisett for as long as I’ve been alive! We joke about that a lot, but it really is a stunning actuality that is a rare sight today. To provide service to the town for so long is a testament to her ability to make herself indispensable. She has been the face of Town Hall for over three decades and has served all three of Mattapoisett’s town administrators.

            “Mel is very much the giant cog of the machine that drives much of Mattapoisett. She is the first face residents see when they come into Town Hall and is at the forefront of planning many of the town’s annual events. She is driven by her love for the Town of Mattapoisett and all those that reside in it. I am going to greatly miss Mel and her strong desire to do whatever is necessary to serve the town.”

            When we asked Pacheco what she enjoyed the most during her many years at Town Hall, she first commented it was the residents; with a bit more consideration, she said it was the annual Holiday in the Park event. “It brought me more joy than anything.” She said the idea of a holiday event grew over time, beginning as a simple tree lighting ceremony. “But I wanted something bigger like a holiday stroll.” She said she was an elf during the tree lighting ceremony, a memory that made her laugh out loud. “It took place at night around 6:30, but as the town grew, I wanted it to grow.” She said the outpouring of support from the area merchants, especially the restaurants and the inclusion of the Lions’ Club toy drive, came together to make it a full afternoon of family-oriented fun.

            “When you work this job, you never know what’s coming next,” Pacheco stated. “I have no remorse, no complaints. There have been a lot of good times and tough times, but you make it what it is. I’m appreciative of the opportunities I was given. It was a great era.”

By Marilou Newell

Mattapoisett Library, Town Hall to Reopen

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            With active COVID-19 cases standing at 15 and the town’s infection status in the green zone, the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen discussed the reopening of at least two town buildings, the library and Town Hall.

            Coming before the board during its March 2 meeting was Library Director Jennifer Jones, who offered a phased approach to granting access to the public. Her detailed plans call for allowing interior building access to 30 people over a one-hour period. For the purposes of contact tracing in the event disease spread becomes a factor, Jones said names and telephone numbers would be recorded. Masks and social distancing will remain a critical component to the reopening of in-person services as well. Calling it a “slow opening,” Jones also said that a limited number of computer stations opened, and that staff would assist patrons with other office equipment.

            In the second phase of reopening, Jones proposed allowing up to 60 people into the building, again for no longer than one hour, and Phase 3 would be a complete return to normal scheduling.

            Selectman Jordan Collyer asked Jones to evaluate staying open for longer hours so that more people could enter the library while still limiting the number allowed inside at any given point in time. But Jones hesitated to extend hours to include a Sunday, given that staff members who work those hours have expressed concern as they await vaccinations.

            The library is planned to reopen on Saturday, March 13, with state and local guidelines implemented.

            The selectmen also discussed reopening Town Hall. Presently residents and others with business requiring face-to-face interactions are allowed in by appointment only.

            Town Administrator Mike Lorenco said that the building could accommodate five visitors at a time, and state guidelines for the wearing of masks and social distancing would be maintained. He said that the building is currently sanitized three times per week. He said that someone would be stationed by the front door to collect names and telephone numbers for contact-tracing purposes. He proposed opening the building on Monday, March 8. The selectmen were in agreement on both proposals.

            Regarding the Council on Aging and Recreation Department, the selectmen asked that those department heads submit a reopening plan, but most likely, those departments would not reopen to public access until sometime in April.

            In other business, Police Chief Mary Lyons came before the selectmen with her department’s proposed FY22 budget. Step increases, which are part of the department’s employment agreement, represent the budget increase, Lyons said. A year-over-year increase in salaries of $100,544 was noted as a 4.9 percent increase. The total FY22 budget stands at $2,400,028, or a 4.6 percent increase over FY21.

            Collyer said after Lyons’ presentation, “You need to find a way to reduce your budget.” He suggested backing out the cost of one of two new cruisers that the department was seeking, representing a cost of $55,000. Collyer thought that monies could be found in free cash to cover the cruiser. A second cruiser is planned for purchase in FY22 in the department’s Capital Planning proposal.

            On the topic of the cost of hiring officers to cover shifts when sick and vacation time are used by officers, Lyons said that she had taken $40,000 slated for part-time employees and spread that across other line items that were falling short. She said that reserve officers had been deployed as one way to cover shifts and keep costs in hand but that it is getting hard to recruit anyone these days. “People don’t want the job the way they used to,” Lyons said. She added that new police reforms would require that part-time officers take full-time training, directly impacting the department and staffing. Lyons said a state-level meeting next week would produce more answers on the reforms being planned by the state government.

            Collyer asked Lyons to review the budget further and bring the total increase closer to the 2 percent mark as possible. He also said he wanted to work with the chief and department management on a succession plan, adding that he thought if a part-time reserve officer knew they were next in “pecking order,” they might be inclined to stay in Mattapoisett.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for March 9 at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen

By Marilou Newell