Library Seeks New FT Employee

on

            The Elizabeth Taber Library is seeking a 25 percent increase in funding for Fiscal Year 2021, according to the budget presented to the Marion Financial Committee at its March 4 meeting at Town Hall.

            While Town Administrator Jay McGrail informed FinCom that the library’s original request for funding could not fit into Marion’s balanced budget, what was presented to FinCom on March 5 does.

            “They worked pretty hard to get to where they are today. There was significant give and take… so I don’t want the committee and the board to think this is where we started. We did quite a bit of work to get to what was presented to you,” McGrail told FinCom.

            According to McGrail, the town approves part of the library’s budget and funds a portion of the library’s budget through one line item in the town budget. The library has other revenue sources to establish other parts of its budget.

            “The library employees are public employees, so I think people should be aware… We own the building, too,” said FinCom Chairman Peter Winters.

            “We own the building and we maintain the building, and that’s separate from the (library) budget,” McGrail reiterated.

            Jennifer Jones, the president of the Board of Trustees of the Elizabeth Taber Library, presented the budget to FinCom. Jones said that Library Director Liz Sherry was unable to attend due to illness.

            Jones noted that the Taber Library is among only a handful that are not entirely funded by their towns, heightening the importance of establishing alternative revenue sources. 

            In 2020, Marion contributed $171,090 to library funding and, if approved, will in 2021 contribute $213,460. Together with donations, fundraising events, grants, fees and fines, and investment income, the library projected a total of $303,443 in income for 2021 against $261,837 for 2020.

            Expenses also increased from $261,267 in 2020 to a projected $303,070 for 2021. The lion’s share of the hike in expenses is in payroll and taxes, where the library will spend $211,426 in 2021, an increase of $42,542 over $168,884 in 2020.

            Jones presented comparative data from 2018, demonstrating that the library takes 0.6 percent of the town budget in Marion, which is significantly less than what library budgets take up in other towns.

            The state’s average appropriation in 2018 for towns ranging in population from 4,000 to 6,000 was $357,000; in 2018, the Elizabeth Taber Library received a $163,000 appropriation.

            Marion Assistant Town Administrator Judy Mooney pointed out that the library is better supported than those numbers suggest. 

            “Keep in mind, part of the facilities budget, $14,300, is appropriated for the library,” said Mooney. “The other piece is town insurance… that, too, is part of the general fund. Electricity, that comes out of the town utility budget.”

            Mooney estimates such “extras” raise town support of the library to “a little over $200,000.”

            Jones says the library is up to four fundraising events per year, reinforcing the difference between Marion and other towns.

            “We’ve experienced explosive growth,” said Jones, stating that patronage of the Taber Library has jumped by 100 percent over the past year. Circulation has jumped approximately 30 percent.

            Sherry, according to Jones, has done wonderful things in her first year on the job. Jones listed many library programs addressing the needs of seniors and teenagers. “The public computers are used heavily by seniors,” she said.

            The library’s eight-person staff includes two full-time employees with benefits packages, the library director at 35 hours per week, and the children’s librarian at 30.

            Six part-time employees average 2.5 days per week and are subject to a high rate of turnover due to a lack of career-growth pathways and low wages.

            Staff limitations impact weekends, according to Jones, a safety concern when the library is staffed with only one employee.

            “We have also had incidents with very challenging patrons,” explained Jones. “I think we’ve had two incidents this year. One was an ongoing incident in which we had to put in a restraining order.”

            A library associate/senior technician starts at $14 per hour at Taber, with the potential to eventually earn $16 per hour. In 2018, the average minimum hourly wage across the state for the same position was $18.55. 

            “Now we are just asking for a very modest increase just to stay in step with the increase in minimum wage this year,” said Jones.

            For FY2021, the library is requesting a full-time employee with benefits at $31,915 and raises for part-timers in step with the projected minimum wage increase over the next three years.

            Jones was asked if she could foresee any circumstances, on top of success with the library’s FY2021 budgeting request, coming back in a year with the request for an additional full-time employee. 

            “I would not anticipate that in the next year or two years or so,” she said. “As I said we would be coming back with the requests for the step-up for the part-time employees, but I think having an additional full-time employee would lend tremendous amount of consistency in the services that we offer, our ability to apply for more grants, and we’d be able to hire someone who has had some experience with that sort of thing as well.”

            Winters thanked Jones for all the work done by the Library.

            “The Library, obviously, it’s a great asset to the town and you guys do a wonderful job there,” he said.

            Capital Improvement Planning Committee Chairman Paul Naiman appeared at McGrail’s request, and took the opportunity to explain the CIPC, a committee that has been in place for approximately 10 years.

            “What we do, our role here, we don’t approve capital plans, our role is to organize them,” said Naiman, addressing FinCom. He said that their role was to ask a battery of questions, including project description, cost, funding source, reason (i.e. to meet a regulation, for safety, as a replacement, an improved capability, efficiency), the life of the project, and whether it would fit with Master Plan priorities.

            “It helps us understand as a town what’s coming up. It helps them plan for their upcoming years for what they… need for their capital projects or items,” he said. “We take each project and we evaluate it. The idea is to be as objective as possible… try to take out our opinions.”

            Points are assigned for each question, and the CIPC’s seven members submit scores and an average is created. The idea is to minimize the impact on the rate payers.

            For instance, the Community Center furnace has failed, and electric space heaters were used this winter to heat the kitchen space. It is now in the capital plan.

            McGrail considers the following projects essential: the town’s main street sewer assessment on Front Street; the emergency connection to water in Wareham; an upgraded phone system at Sippican School; and a six-wheel truck. McGrail told FinCom that for the first time Marion is working on including the school resource officer at Old Rochester in the school assessment.

            In its next meeting scheduled for March 11, FinCom was expecting to hear from DPW Director David Willett for a second look at water and sewer expenses.

            Facility improvements at the Council on Aging were discussed.

            The minutes from FinCom’s last two meetings on Feb. 12 and Feb. 26 were approved.

            FinCom expects to meet every Wednesday night at Town House through April 1.

Marion Financial Committee

By Mick Colageo

American Legion: Florence Eastman Post

on

All SouthCoast Active Service Military, Reservists and Veterans are invited to join the monthly meeting of the American Legion: Florence Eastman Post #280, Serving the Tri-Town area and Beyond. We meet on the third Wednesday of every month at 1900 (7:00 pm). Florence Eastman Post located at 3 Depot St, Mattapoisett. Commander: Rachel Perron and Adjutant: Barry Denham. For more information contact Moe Molander at SippicanBay@gmail.com.

            The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow service members and veterans.

Marion Scholarship Committee

on

To the Editor;

            As spring approaches, the Marion Scholarship Committee begins to receive applications from worthy Marion seniors heading off to college. For many of these students, financial aid becomes an important part of the equation. Most of us are aware that the cost of education has increased rather dramatically in the last few years and this is why it is more important than ever to support scholarship efforts.

            Last year the Committee received eighteen applications and made the difficult decision as to whom to award the scholarship. With sufficient funds, multiple award winners will be named. Please think about the Scholarship Fund and please know that we are grateful for your help.

            The Marion Scholarship Fund is supported entirely by the donations from generous Marion residents. A donation in any amount can be mailed to: Scholarship Committee, Town of Marion, 2 Spring Street, Marion, MA 02738, attention Scholarship Fund. Any help, regardless of the amount, is appreciated. Just think: if everyone in town donated one dollar we would be able to help a really large number of students! 

Sincerely,

The Marion Scholarship Committee – Steve Cook, Jessica Govoni, Julie LeFavor, Marthe Soden, Doug White

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.

The Fox on the Fairway Opens

on

This event has been postponed. No new date has been set.

The Marion Art Center is pleased to present its first Theater production of the year, Ken Ludwig’s The Fox on the Fairway, directed by Stephanie LeBlanc. The production opens Friday, March 13 and runs for two weekends with seven performances.

            A tribute from playwright Ken Ludwig (Be My Baby) to the great English farces of the 1930s and 1940s, The Fox on the Fairwaytakes audiences on a hilarious romp, which pulls the rug out from underneath the stuffy denizens of a private country club. Filled with mistaken identities, slamming doors, and over-the-top romantic shenanigans, it’s a furiously paced comedy that recalls the Marx Brothers’ classics. A charmingly madcap adventure about love, life, and man’s eternal love affair with… golf.

            The cast includes Ricardo Aguiar, Alane Carbone, Stephanie Lawrence, Ashley E. Payne, Chris Podrecca, and Ian Vincent. Performances are scheduled Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 15 and Thursday, March 19 through Sunday, March 22. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday performances will begin at 7:30 pm, while Sunday matinees will begin at 2:00 pm. Tickets are available now in person, by phone, or online at marionartcenter.org/theatre. The cost for MAC members is $18 each, while the cost to nonmembers is $20 per ticket. There are a limited number of cabaret tables (seating for four) available. Advanced purchases are strongly recommended.

Thelma C. (Currier) Drake

on

Thelma C. (Currier) Drake, age 93, of Rochester passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on March 7, 2020.

            She was the wife of the late Charles P. Drake with whom she shared 40 years of marriage.

            Born in Malden, daughter of the late Allen Dale Currier and Marion P. (Phillips) Currier she lived in Rochester most of her life.

            Thelma loved spending time with her family, visiting Maine with her family, knitting and reading. She enjoyed teaching knitting at the Robin’s Nest and watching her grandchildren skate at the rink.

            Survivors include her daughters, Cindie Aadland and her husband Magnus of Rochester, Lois Fernandes and her late husband Henry of Waltham; a son, Robert Drake and his wife Anne of Ashland; 5 grandchildren, Sarah Gill and her husband Jimmy of East Providence, Ben Richards and his partner Jenn Black of South Carver, Wendy Malaguti and her husband Dave of Waltham, Todd Fernandes and his wife Jessica of Somerville, and Scott Drake and his wife JoAnne of Waltham; and 2 great-grandchildren Owen and Donald Malaguti.

            She was the sister of the late Madelyn Foresythe and the grandmother of the late Alicia Fernandes.

            Her visiting hours will be on March 26th from 4-7 pm at the Saunders- Dwyer Funeral Home, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Community Nurse Home Care at www.communitynurse.com/donate/

            For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

The Butterfly Man Lands in Marion

on

            The Marion Natural History Museum has been educating and exciting the imaginations of youngster and oldsters since 1867. Mrs. Elizabeth Taber’s generosity is still evident today especially in her beloved Marion, where she gifted the town with a glorious library that also houses a museum on the second floor. (The building is fully handicapped accessible with an elevator located on the first floor.)

            Taber purchased 10 acres from Captain Allen along Spring Street and had a library erected with the second floor dedicated to the display of materials from the natural world. Taber’s own collections of insects, shells and corals was latter added to with collections donated by the New Bedford Young Men’s Natural History Society in 1874. Another collection containing birds’ nests and eggs was purchased for the royal sum of $100 in 1891. Today many rare and interesting objects are still on display in cases donated by Taber.

            Elizabeth Leidhold, MNHM’s director, has been at the helm guiding the museum’s programming for many years. As the headline notes on its website, the museum is, “creating interest, knowledge and awareness of natural history.” As for Leidhold, she takes her job seriously and with joy.

            But in today’s world it’s no small task keeping a distracted public engaged. Museum directors must remain vigilant keeping an eye focused on the needs of the community. And like many small communities in the Commonwealth, Marion is an aging community.

            With a more-senior population in mind, the museum has launched a series of Wednesday morning presentations geared to a more-mature audience. On February 26, Leidhold hosted the “Butterfly Man”, Joe Dwelly.

            Dwelly’s hour-long presentation was filled with all things macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera – aka, butterflies.

            Dwelly discussed butterfly characteristics for such beauties as the Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Monarch, Spice Bush Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, American Copper, and American Lady. Beyond merely displaying vivid images of one of the most breathtaking species of insects on the plant, Dwelly talked about gardening.

            Empathizing the importance of planting native flowering bushes and flowers to attract the butterflies to suburban landscapes, Dwelly also shared that some butterflies “over-winter.” In the northeast, they spin a cocoon around their bodies and hide in leaf piles, or slip under tree bark or house shingles protected from winter weather. To protect the hibernating butterflies, Dwelly suggested not raking up leaves or cleaning garden beds until late spring to give the butterflies an opportunity to awaken. He advised which types of plants to introduce into home gardens, such plants as narrow-leaved mountain mint, Queen Anne’s Lace, milkweed, and a variety of herbs.

            Dwelly’s photographs, many of which he has taken, showed a thrilling array of wing designs and colored patterns that puts stained glass to shame. Only in nature would we find wings that appear like soft fur coats, edged with ivory lace, and dotted with ruby gemstones. It’s interesting to note here that most butterflies have wings that are different from top and bottom. This allows the insects to maintain their glorious coloring from above, while possibly not attracting as much detection from below.

            In tandem with this presentation, the museum scheduled a March 4, 10:30 am presentation on wildflowers, just in time to start planting a pollinating garden for butterflies. To learn more about native plants, visit www.nativeplanttrust.org, www.grownativemass.org or www.nanaps.org.

            To learn more about butterflies, like Joe Dwelly on Facebook. For more information regarding the Marion Natural History Museum, visit www.marionmuseum.org.

Marion Natural History Museum

By Marilou Newell

55+ Subdivision Moving Forward

on

            After many, many hearings, REpurpose Properties, LLC finally received conditions for the construction of 22 duplex units for people over the age of 55. During the Rochester Conservation Commission March 3 meeting, Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon presented a long list of conditions for the commissioners to consider. Nearly 40 conditions, ranging from those related to the construction process to those that will reach into perpetuity, were discussed.

            Chairman Michael Conway added the requirement for keeping logs for various aspects of maintenance. Those logs would cover such systems, as stormwater discharge rates, maintenance of surface infiltration systems and that copies of the logs be provided to the Conservation office.

            The commissioners were unanimous in closing the public hearing and issuing the order-of-conditions. The project has not completed processes related to the Planning Board, but Brian Wallace of J.C. Engineering, the developer’s representative, said that at that board’s next meeting he anticipates receiving a draft decision.

            Also coming before the commission were members of SEMASS/Covanta for an Emergency Certification for tree pruning and removal within a 25-foot “no-touch zone.”

            Daniel Peters, Sr., Environmental Engineer for SEMASS/Covanta, explained in detail the necessity of removing 51 trees and pruning nearly double that number. He said that during plant upgrades, it was found that a critical fiberoptic cable was in imminent danger of being severed by tree branches. He said that discussions with Eversource, owner of the communications cable, uncovered the importance of the line – if it goes down the plant goes dark.

            Peters said that the resource-recovery facility handles more than a third of all waste in the Commonwealth. “…the cable is a critical link between Eversource and SEMASS/Covanta,” he said.

            The 1,500 feet of cable is suspended between utility poles, prompting discussion between the commissioners that it should be placed underground. Peters agreed that in retrospect that should have been considered. However, time was of the essence to protect the cable now, he asserted, while admitting that the last thing anyone wanted to do was work within a no-touch zone.

            “If this facility goes black, it would be a catastrophe for the Commonwealth,” Peters concluded. The work was approved.

            Continued until April 7 was the RDA for improvements to Leonard Pond Recreational Area off Mary’s Pond Road, as well as the NOI filed by Steen Realty and Development Corporation for construction of 208 affordable-housing units off of Route 28 near the junction of Route 58.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission is scheduled for March 17 at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall meeting room.

Rochester Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell

Marion Art Center

on

March Poetry Club – The next meeting of the MAC Open Poetry Club will be on Thursday, March 5 from 4:30 to 6:00 pm at the Marion Art Center. The MAC Open Poetry Club meets on the first Thursday of each month. Laurie Knight, B.A., M.Ed., and former English teacher, leads the poetry group in a workshop format. Bring a poem to share, give and receive feedback, refine your style and contribute to the MAC poetry collection. Get creative and come join us! 

            Adult Classes – Registration is now open for the new five-week Botanical Drawing course. Instructor Jane Bregoli will lead the class on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, March 17-April 14. Description: Capture the beauty of flowers, plants, and fruits in your drawings! We will use colored pencils to explore the complex shapes and intricate surfaces of botanical subject matter, with a focus on value, color, and composition. This class is suitable for beginning and intermediate students. Course supplies: A pad of 9” x 12” Bristol paper (smooth surface), a 2H graphite pencil, a kneaded eraser, and a package of Crayola’s erasable colored pencil set of 24 or Professional Prismacolor colored pencils (not student grade) – pack of 24 or more. Cost: $135 for MAC members (plus $10 materials fee), $155 for nonmembers (plus $10 materials fee).

            Beginning & Continuing Watercolor Painting – Instructor Jay Ryan will teach this course beginning March 12. The session features eight two-hour classes on Thursdays in the MAC Studio, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. After a brief introduction each week, students will explore different techniques while working on landscape, still life, figurative, and/or imaginative painting in a welcoming environment. Cost for the eight-class session: $195 for MAC members, $220 for non-members. (The MAC’s regular instructor Patricia White will return to teach the course in the fall.) Jay Ryan will also teach Continuing and Advanced Watercolor Painting beginning March 13. The session includes eight three-hour classes on Fridays in the MAC Studio, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. This course is a perfect “next step” for those who would like to explore watercolor painting beyond a basic understanding of color and brush strokes. Cost for eight-week session: $280 for MAC members, $320 for non-members. For more information about the instructors or classes, or to register online visit marionartcenter.org/classes/art-classes

            Children’s Art Lab at the MAC – New classes announced for April vacation week – Children’s Art Lab classes continue at the Marion Art Center with the spring schedule. Art + Music is scheduled on Wednesday mornings from 10:00 to 11:00 am in the MAC Studio. The program is for children four and under, accompanied by an adult, and includes music, movement, and creative art exploration. The eight-class spring session runs April 1 to May 27 (no class on April 22) and costs $125 for MAC members, or $145 for non-members. There is also a drop-in option at $20 per day. 

            There will be two spring sessions of Art in the Afternoon. This Friday afternoon class runs 3:00 to 4:00 pm in the MAC studio, and parents can arrange for their children to be walked over from Sippican School. The Art in the Afternoon program is for children ages 5-10. Pricing for each of the four-week sessions is $80 for MAC members and $95 for non-members, with no drop-in option. Spring Session 1: Art Elements runs April 3, 17, and May 1, 8 and Spring Session 2: Art + Nature runs May 22, 29, and June 5, 12. 

            Art Lab April Vacation Week runs Monday, April 20 through Friday, April 24. The camp runs 9:00 am to 12:00 pm daily and is for ages 5-10. The cost is $40 per day for MAC members and $45 per day for non-members. Receive a discount for registering for three or more days! Children will explore a different them each day of camp: Mixed Up and Messy; Art + Science; Moon + Stars; Plants + Flowers; Amazing Animals. Please visit marionartcenter.org/art-lab-at-the-mac for more information or to register.

Women’s Instructional Shooting Clinic

on

The Fin, Fur, and Feather Club of Mattapoisett will host a full day Women’s Instructional Shooting Clinic on May 16. This is an instructional shooting clinic designed to introduce women to the number one participatory sport in the country, namely, the shooting sports.

            The day’s schedule includes a morning session with instruction on gun safety and the Massachusetts Gun Laws. Lunch will be provided. In the afternoon, participants will be divided into small groups and assigned to four areas including archery, trap shooting, pistol range, and rifle range. Club member volunteers will serve as instructors in these areas. Each student receives one to one instruction. The course fee is $100.

            At the end of the day, students receive their certificates of course completion. This certificate is required when applying for licenses. The class size will be limited and tends to fill quickly. Apply early to ensure a spot. Applications are available by contacting Mary Ellen at    508-742-7680. 

Wareham Garden Club

on

The March 2020, meeting of the Wareham Garden Club will be held Thursday, March 12, 2020, 9:30 am at the St. Patrick’s Church Hall, 82 High Street, Wareham. The speaker at the March meeting is Colin Zeigler from the Buzzards Bay Coalition. Mr. Zeigler will speak about some of the activities in which the Coalition has been involved in our area. The Wareham Garden Club encourages prospective new members to attend a meeting and consider joining. For more information, contact Linda MacKenzie, the Membership Chair, at 508-295-2243.