Bertha Mae (Costa) Folger

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Bertha Mae (Costa) Folger, 81, a person with a beautiful soul inside and out, passed away on Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at The Oaks Rehab in New Bedford. She was the former wife of the late Joseph G. Folger.

            Born in Mattapoisett, daughter of the late Antone F. and Thelma (Ellis) Costa, she grew up in Mattapoisett, and had resided in New Bedford and Acushnet for many years.

            She was a graduate of Fairhaven High School and Kinyon Campbell Business School.

            Ms. Folger had worked as an Account Manager for the Department of Employment and Training for 25 years until her retirement in 2002. She had previously worked as a secretary at Aerovox for 25 years.

            Bertha enjoyed working in her yard which she meticulously maintained. She loved family gatherings. She was dedicated to her family, and was also known for being a generous friend to all who knew her.

            She is survived by her sisters, Muriel Shepherd of Taunton, Bernice Clark of E. Providence, RI, and Lois Augustine of Acushnet, many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly, cousins Delia and John Parker, whom devotedly visited weekly. She was predeceased by her sister Charlene M. Cabral and her brother Antone F. Costa Jr.

            In lieu of flowers, a donation in her memory can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association MA Chapter, 309 Waverly Oaks Rd., Waltham, MA 02452.

            At the family’s request, burial will be private. Arrangements are in the care of Waring-Sullivan Home at Fairlawn, 180 Washington St., Fairhaven. For online tributes, please visit: www.waring-sullivan

Lorenco Discusses COVID-19’s Financial Impact

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            With Mattapoisett now placed in the red category of communities that are considered high risk for COVID-19 transmission, Town Administrator Mike Lorenco spoke to the need for everyone to stay the course. “This has to be taken seriously,” he said at the October 27 meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen.

            Lorenco said wearing masks, keeping distance, and other safety measures are necessary. Last week the Mattapoisett Council on Aging shut down all programing except those dealing with providing food or medical rides to residents because of the risk faced by senior citizens if exposed to the disease.

            Town Hall will most likely return to earlier restrictions, Lorenco said, “once early voting is finished on Friday.” He said that Town Hall hours of operation may also be trimmed back. He expressed his desire for the town to “get out of the red,” soon.

            Related to the impact of COVID-19 are revenues both local and state. Lorenco reported that he is presently leveraging Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and economic Security (CARES) Act funding to cover unplanned expenses resulting from the pandemic and cautioned that local revenues may slide. He also cautioned that the state has reported the use of $1,300 billion in “rainy day funding” from an estimated $3 billion, saying, “They’ve used a third.” In wrapping up his financial comments, Lorenco said, “No one knows where we are going to be, and if it goes ’til 2022…” He didn’t finish the thought.

            Selectman Paul Silva suggested Lorenco look at capital plan requests for any items that might be needed on an emergency basis. While the board members had concurred earlier in the meeting that a Fall Town Meeting would not be scheduled, Silva thought it was prudent to be prepared just in case something had to be taken care of over the winter months.

            Continuing on the theme of finances, Lorenco said that the town employees were working to stay within departmental budgets. “We’ll work with what we have.” Finance Committee meetings and other budgetary planning meetings, he said, would begin soon in preparation for the Spring Annual Town Meeting.

            On a brighter note, Lorenco said that the town has recently been awarded $240,000 in Complete Street Grant monies that will be earmarked for improvement to the bike path intersection on Brandt Island Road, sidewalks from the bike path intersection on Mattapoisett Neck Road to Route 6, sidewalks at the intersection of Pearl Street and Route 6 heading south on Pearl, and signage aimed at slowing traffic along North Street north of the Route 195 overpass.

            The selectmen met with Ken Motta and Bob Field of Field Engineering, along with Highway Surveyor Barry Denham to discuss a number of roadway projects in the early planning process. Denham also reported on the state of existing roadways.

            In total, the town has 34.19 miles of dirt roads that require annual grading. Denham reported putting in a capital expense plug for a grading machine for the Highway Department, a piece of equipment that has been on the department’s wish list for a few years. He also said that, of paved roads, 26.7 miles were rated as in good condition, 10.07 miles in fair condition, and 9 miles were rated poor.

            Village street roadway projects were discussed, and Silva was disappointed to learn that state funding known as T.I.P. placed Mattapoisett on a list for 2025 instead of 2021. Denham said, “It was to have been sooner rather than later, but things got switched around and the plans didn’t get to the DOT,” he said. “If we had kept to the plan, it would have been sooner.”

            However, Field added that it had taken longer than expected to get waivers approved, which slowed the final design’s completion.

            Field said that underground drainage systems currently beneath private property are to be rerouted under public roadways. This element added to the complex nature of prioritizing which roadways in the village will be completed first. He said that if drainage systems are relocated Baptiste Street would rise to the top for completion in order to reroute the pipes under the roadway.

            This discussion spun into ways that new revenue sources could be locally raised versus waiting for state funding in these uncertain times. Silva said that the selling off of town-owned properties to raise revenue for roadways had been discussed in prior years. Collyer added that the town owned 24 acres that could be subdivided and sold off.

            In another matter, Denham talked about the need to put policies in place when utilities and outside construction companies have to open up a roadway for underground work. He said that presently the town “didn’t have a mechanism” that would alert the Highway Department when roadway work was taking place, nor was there any mechanism to require bonding for such work. Lorenco said he would work with Motta, who helped to craft such policy for the Town of Rochester.

            Before leaving the meeting, Denham, who is also the Tri-Town veterans’ agent, said there weren’t any plans in place for commemorating Veterans’ Day this year.

            Earlier in the evening, the board voted to appoint Drew Weaver, Aidan Ridings, Rebecca Longworth, and Angelene Petty as probationary firefighters.

            Seth Asser was appointed to the South Coast Bikeway Alliance as the town’s representative, and Mattapoisett’s Treasurer/Tax Collector Kristie Costa was appointed as Tax Title Custodian.

            It was announced that early voting ends on Friday, October 30 at 4:00 pm.

            The selectmen also invited the community to participate in the Mattapoisett Police Department Halloween Drive-by Celebration at Old Hammondtown School on Saturday, October 31 between 4:00 and 6:00 pm. Facemasks must be worn to attend.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for Tuesday, November 10 at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen

By Marilou Newell

Sippican School Hits the Big Screen

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            A critical aspect of making the hybrid learning model work is achieved when the students start drawing connections between what they learn in the classroom with what they learn at home.

            With that in mind, the Marion Scholarship and Education Committee continued a busy fall season by raising funds that any day now will place a large, portable touchscreen in Sippican School to be used for both in-person and remote learning.

            Working with Sippican School Principal Marla Sirois and Assistant Principal Sean Persico, committee members Marthe Soden, Steve Cook, Julie LeFavor, and Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson will be able to provide Sippican School with the item not covered by the school budget.

            All of the teachers at Sippican School will access the new screen estimated to measure in excess of 40 inches. It will have sturdy Gorilla Glass fortifying its durability, allowing children to participate in its use.

            The Marion Scholarship and Education Committee administers two funds: The Education Fund, which provides Sippican School with items such as the new touchscreen, and the Scholarship Fund, which provides monetary awards to applying Marion students entering college for the first time. Both funds are supported entirely by donations from generous Marion residents.

            To make a donation, please send a check in any amount to “The Marion Scholarship and Education Fund”, Marion Town House, 2 Spring Street, Marion, MA 02738.

By Mick Colageo

Plumb Library in Rochester Reopening

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The Joseph H. Plumb Memorial Library in Rochester is open to the public by appointment only. The library will be available for browsing and computer use only. Appointments are for 30 minutes each, and a maximum of 10 people can be in the library building at one time. Facemasks are required in the library.  Curbside pickup will still be available. The hours will be Mondays and Thursdays, 1:30 pm – 7:30 pm; Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10:30 am – 5:30 pm; Fridays, 10:30 am – 4:30 pm, and Saturdays, 10:30 am – 1:30 pm. Books can be returned in the Book Drop, and will be quarantined for three days before being checked in. All programs are virtual or outside until further notice.

Red Status Heightens Caution in Mattapoisett, Rochester

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            Nearly a year since the first warning that COVID-19, the disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus, was advancing across the globe, two of the three towns that make up the Tri-Town area have slipped into the ‘red’ zone, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. With state and federal agency modeling indicating the United States is in for a long difficult slog through winter, local governments have begun to cancel popular programs in the name of safety, while public schools stay the course for now.

            Mattapoisett received notification of its upgraded infectious status on October 23, prompting Town Administrator Mike Lorenco to immediately send out a press release informing the public of the change to a red community.

            “The Town would like to inform the public that Mattapoisett has been upgraded to a RED community on the State’s COVID risk assessment map,” Lorenco wrote. The message goes on to say the change establishes the town’s high risk for disease transmission and that overall the there are now 77 communities in the Commonwealth with increased rates of confirmed infections.

            According to Lorenco, the status change “highlights the need for residents to be vigilant in everyday measures to curb the spread of the virus, [such as] wearing face coverings properly (over the nose and enclosing the mouth) and practicing safe social distancing.” He said that business owners also need to remain in compliance with State orders.

            In a follow-up, Lorenco said that after early voting it appears likely that access to the interior of the Town Hall will return to the March levels, with the public allowed inside by appointment only. Municipal employees could also be rotating schedules, allowing for stay-at-home working arrangements, he said.

            The Mattapoisett Public Library sent out a notification on October 25 that a planned Mindfulness Meditation program that would have required masks, distancing, and a designated number of attendees was canceled due to the category change of the town. The library remains closed to the public, offering remote services only.

            Also closed were both outdoor and indoor activities planned by the Mattapoisett Council on Aging, essentially closing that portion of the historic Center School building used by the COA as its headquarters. Exercise classes that had recently begun inside the Mattapoisett Congregational Church hall in a partnership with the COA were also halted, leaving many senior citizens searching for ways to keep up healthy movement on their own.

            On October 21, Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson sent an email to the entire district. In it he wrote that a fourth case within the Tri-Town school districts, at Center School, had been confirmed. It was the first case for this elementary school and the fourth case reported in a Tri-Town school. Nelson wrote that the person had not been in the school since October 19. Contact tracing had been implemented and no close contacts had yet been identified. Barring any further confirmed cases, “The Board of Health is not recommending that we make any changes to our current hybrid learning model and we will be following their recommendation,” Nelson wrote, acknowledging that confirmed cases had been anticipated as the school year advanced towards the winter months.

            October 25 brought a fresh press release from ORR when a fifth Tri-Town school district case was confirmed on the Old Rochester Regional campus. That individual’s status was confirmed on October 24 and the person had not been in the school since October 23. Contact tracing identified one close contact, the release noted. That contact is now in self-quarantine. Nelson stated that all junior and senior high schools are cleaned every day at the close of school and throughout the day as needed.

            Sippican Elementary School in Marion represents two of the five cases now confirmed. As Nelson had stated in all five confirmed cases, schools were being cleaned according to established standards on a daily basis, and he continued to urge everyone to practice good hygiene, wear face coverings, and practice social distancing.

            Rochester joined Mattapoisett on the same day, entering the red zone as designated by the DPH.

            During the Tri-town selectmen’s meeting held on October 22, Rochester Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar said that Rochester would be reviewing the flow of persons entering the Town Hall and other municipal buildings and implementing more opportunities for town employees to work from home, including the installation of new telecommunications systems. On October 27, Szyndlar told The Wanderer, “Even though we are currently red according to the state formula, … we only have two cases in town. No new restrictions have been implemented for Town Hall/Annex as we are still open by appointment only. The intercom systems have been installed in both Town Hall and Annex.”

            There is a slice of good news for those wishing to utilize more services from their local library, as the Joseph H. Plumb Library located in Rochester has opened, if but a crack. According to Library Director Gail Roberts and Szyndlar, plans to open the library by appointment were moving forward. Up to eight people are allowed inside at one time, and each appointment may last up to 30 minutes. “We sanitize the computer after each use,” Roberts stated.

            While Marion is still listed in the gray category for low transmission rates, it was discussed at the last Board of Health meeting that there were concerns over youngsters gathering together without masks and congregating in close-knit groups. Health Agent Dave Flaherty said during the October 20 meeting of the Marion Board of Health that he was following up with the Police Department. One complaint of masks not being worn in a restaurant was also under investigation.

            Public Health Nurse Lori Desmarais reported that Marion had reached 22 confirmed cases, two of which were still active.

            Marion Council on Aging Director Karen Gregory told The Wanderer that the COA is offering some senior movement classes inside the building, but that masks are required along with distancing. Participants must pre-register and the number of people participating is limited, depending on the type of class being offered.

By Marilou Newell

More Fall Classes at the MAC

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The Marion Art Center has added a second fall session of “Art in the Afternoon” for ages 7-10. The Children’s Art Lab class runs Fridays from 3:00 – 4:00 pm in the MAC studio. Fall Session 2 (4 classes) will run November 6, 13, 20, and December 4. Cost is $80 for MAC members, $95 for non-members. Description: Sculpture Art Lab— Students will explore 3-D projects in this fun and creative class! We’ll use cardboard, tape, clay, paint, and paper to make innovative sculptural artwork! Class will be held outdoors on the MAC lawn if at all possible. Otherwise, students will be indoors in the MAC studio. Students must wear masks and will be asked to wash and sanitize hands before beginning class. Class size will be limited to maintain adequate social distancing in compliance with state regulations. Sippican School students can come directly to the MAC for Art Lab. Parents must provide release forms to Sippican School for children to be walked over by a MAC volunteer or staff member. All other students may be dropped off at 3:00 pm at the MAC. Parent pickup is at 4:00 pm. For more information, or to register, please visit marionartcenter.org/art-lab.

            Instructor Catherine Carter will lead another session of her 5-week course, Botanical Drawing for Adults, on Tuesday evenings from 6:00-8:00 pm, November 10 – December 8. In this class for beginners or intermediates, students will use colored pencils to explore the complex shapes and intricate surfaces of botanical subject matter with a focus on value, color, and composition. The cost is $145 for MAC members and $165 for non-members, including the $10 materials fee (to cover cost of fresh arrangements weekly). Students must wear a mask while inside the building. Number of students will be limited to allow adequate physical space in compliance with Massachusetts safety guidelines. For more information, visit marionartcenter.org/adult-classes. Spots are filling quickly – register soon!

SLT Self-Guided Halloween Walk

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Come visit Sippican Lands Trust’s Brainard Marsh property for a self-guided Halloween Walk during Halloween Weekend from Friday, October 30 through Sunday, November 1. See spooky decorations along the trail and read along to our Halloween StoryWalk titled “The Ghost-Eye Tree” written by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault and illustrated by Ted Rand. There is limited parking here so please carpool with close family or friends and, as always, respect social distancing guidelines! Even incorporate your facemask into your Halloween costume. We hope to see you there!

            Parking for Brainard Marsh is located near the corner of Bass Point Road and Delano Road (look for the Sippican Lands Trust’s Brainard Marsh sign).

            The self-guided Halloween Walk at Brainard Marsh will be open from sunrise to sunset. For directions or further information visit www.sippicanlandstrust.org or call Sippican Lands Trust at 508-748-3080.

Thank You

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To the Editor;

            I would like to thank the Police Department for their expeditious and very professional manner in transporting my wife to the hospital on two recent occasions. Not only were they medically knowledgeable, they had a very calming effect on my wife. We are fortunate to have such a team that we can depend on.

Bill Mansfield, Mattapoisett

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

Good Neighbor Gets His Boat-Storage Building Permit

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            Dan Crete told an abutter to his recently purchased property at 288 Wareham Street that he filled a dumpster with discarded air-conditioners and television sets that had populated land where he wants to build two, temporary boat-storage shelters as soon as possible.

            The willingness to spend a substantial amount of money and time to remove such debris and prior good-citizen efforts has earned the trust of those abutters, and the Marion Planning Board saw fit on Monday night to award Crete the Special Permit he needs to erect his temporary boat shelters and maintain a clientele that was in jeopardy after the town sold the Atlantis Avenue property where he used to rent.

            A 7:05 pm public hearing for site plan review of the land purchased by his company, Saltworks Marine LLC, yielded lengthy discussion and a decision. The case had appeared before the Conservation Commission the week prior with no immediate concerns but was continued per town policy for remote-access meetings. Abutters responded in Monday’s Planning Board meeting, and Crete was forthcoming in his effort to save his boat-storage business.

            Represented by Dave Davignon of engineering firm Schneider, Davignon, and Leone LLC, Crete had introduced his case two weeks ago and, at the time, appealed for a streamlined timeline necessary with boats coming out of the water and going into storage in the coming weeks.

            Abutters John and Paige Hiller of 282 Wareham Road and Sandy Hiller (294 and 282A Wareham Road) had questions about the clearing of trees and the resultant site lines from their properties.

            “People have been dumping stuff out there for a long, long time,” said Crete, explaining his intention is merely to cut out the “underbrush” so he “can clean out the land.” He told the Hillers he will eliminate only some scrub pine and a little bit of white pine but will not disturb any of the majestic white oak trees. “There are no plans to pull anything down behind where you guys are,” he said.

            Sandy Hiller said that, as things stand right now, she can see the existing garage (that would be behind where the two storage buildings are mapped). “If it fills out, that’s wonderful. If it doesn’t, can something be done there, can we plan some arborvitaes?” she asked.

            Planning Board member Chris Collings echoed her sentiment, but members Andrew Daniel and Norm Hills argued that in light of the temporary situation being established by Special Permit it would be better to let the land fill in naturally and reevaluate it when Crete returns to the Planning Board inside of two years with a permanent proposal per the agreement.

            “I hope you’ll be thoughtful about the type of (permanent) structure, I think you’ve done a great job with your structures across the street,” said Planning Board Chairperson Will Saltonstall of Crete’s boat-repair shop across Route 6 from the development site.

            It is stipulated in the Special Permit that the two boat-storage shelters measuring 35 by 80 feet, placed 10 feet apart, and founded upon concrete “Jersey” barriers only be used for storage and light maintenance and that any engine work, grinding of boat bottoms or scraping of paint be done at Crete’s shop across Route 6. They are to stand no more than two years, at which time they will have to be taken down or be amended to fit into a permanent plan that would need Planning Board approval. 

            The Special Permit is good for 180 days, and subsequent applications to extend it must be made. According to Saltonstall, Marion Building Commissioner Scott Shippey will grant extensions beyond 180 days up to whatever the Planning Board sets but not indefinitely – Crete is asking for a two-year window.

            “Before two years gets here, we’re going to be back before the board to say this is what we doing …,” stated Crete.

            The shelters will rest entirely within a flood zone at an elevation of at least 10 feet. Stormwater retention components added include trenches along the sides of the shelters topped with a gravel surface to absorb the runoff.

            Member Joe Rocha asked about the life expectancy of the shelters and if they are safe in a windstorm. Crete said the shelters are made by a company called Farmtek, carry a 15-year warranty and a wind-load and snow-load rated. “I had one for eight years, it’s in wonderful condition,” said Crete, noting that the doors and zippers take a beating but are annually replaced by a company in Rochester.

            Member Eileen Marum asked about traffic on Route 6; Crete said the Atlantic Drive location required the same pathway at a greater distance between the storage and workshop locations.

            Saltonstall confirmed that there will be no site lighting.

            Attorney Robert Perry appeared before the board on behalf of Denise Allard and John Botelho, respective owners of a lot of land covering the addresses 61 and 63 Oakdale Avenue, seeking approval to split their land into separate properties.

            The ANR filing (Approval under the subdivision control law is Not Required) was originally two parcels that were built in 1943, Perry’s research yielded.

            “The idea of splitting them at this point is, after five generations, Botelho (family) wishes to sell and the Allard family wishes to keep their property,” he explained.

            Hills asked if two non-conforming (in size) lots need a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals, and Perry said that under Massachusetts General Law 84 they do not. “I’ve been practicing law for 45 years now, but I’ve probably done 10 of these,” Perry said.

            Town Planner Gil Hilario suggested, in light of Perry’s confidence in his legal interpretation, the Planning Board might consider running the matter by Marion’s town counsel, Jon Witten. Having worked with Witten, Perry was amenable.

            “I want to do it right and want to make sure there are no issues with the title on the property when we go to sell it,” he said.

            Hilario suggested the request might need a special permit from ZBA.

            The case was continued and will appear on the agenda for the Planning Board’s next meeting on November 2.

            Saltonstall reported to the Planning Board that Marion’s bylaw codification is making progress with assistance from the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD). The town is looking to establish a creative open-space bylaw that would facilitate growth including moderate-income housing with density-bonus incentives for developers.

            The Planning Board received an application for a house addition from Katrina Trull at 12 Emil’s Way but, lacking key information regarding square footage, the proposed structure’s location relative to the house or the lot, if it is tied into town sewer, parking, the application was considered incomplete. There was no site plan so there was no recommendation from the board.

            Collings discussed the new Wareham-Marion bridge work scheduled to begin in the fall of 2021 and to expect reduced traffic flow. Hilario expects a more pedestrian-friendly design. The bridge height is undecided.

            The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for November 2.

Marion Planning Board

By Mick Colageo

Elizabeth Taber Library Ornament Sale

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The Elizabeth Taber Library announces its 2020 ornament sale. A stunning crimson lobster claw, hand-blown by the craftsmen at McDermott Glass Works, is now available. Each ornament is signed and numbered. The Lobster Claw is perfect for holiday decoration, a hostess gift or to shine in your window all year. A limited number of ornaments are available. To order, and to arrange for contactless curbside delivery, call the Library at 508-748-1252. Payment of $30 can be made via check or PayPal.