The MAC’s Production of Good People

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The MAC Theater will present its newest production, Good People, written by David Lindsay-Abaire and directed by Jacob Sherburne, as an outdoor live theater event in Bicentennial Park, Marion. The seven show dates are scheduled for August 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, and 23. All productions will begin at 5:00 pm. Tickets are just $15 for this special event. In case of rain, dates will not be rescheduled. Guests may choose another date, donate tickets, or receive a refund.

            Attendees will choose from two seating options, Picnic Blanket space or Lawn Chair space, and guests should bring their own blankets or chairs. Blanket space will be located in front of chair space. Guests must also indicate the number of people in a party when registering for the event. No more than six people are allowed in a group. The MAC will space groups according to state safety guidelines. All attendees must follow best practice safety measures including mask-wearing and social distancing. Guests should wear masks when not seated and/or if adequate distance from others cannot be maintained. Guests should arrive no later than 4:45 pm to find their seats.

            Alcohol will be permitted during the event on town property. Guests may bring their own refreshments, and there will be some items available on site. The MAC welcomes donations! To purchase tickets, please visit marionartcenter.org/events/good-people. Call or email the Marion Art Center with questions. Tickets are limited for this production. 

            Synopsis: In South Boston, this month’s paycheck covers last month’s rent, and tough-scrabble single-mom Margie just got fired from another job. Encouraged by her merciless bingo sisters, she looks up her high school sweetheart to see if the dust has cleared, and she can make her escape. A hilarious Boston drama about the intersection of class, gender, and race in Southie and Chestnut Hill, by Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lindsay-Abaire.

            The cast includes John Emmett Pearson, Margo Ruggerio, Susan Sullivan, Paul Victor Walsh, and Mia Vaughn. The crew includes Kaylin Blaney as Stage Manager and Steve McManus as sound technician.

The Man, The Myth, The Legend

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This past weekend Kenneth J. Souza passed away. You may not have known Ken; if not, you wouldn’t know the weight felt by that one sentence. In this edition, you’re going to hear a lot about Ken. I won’t apologize for that, should you not be interested. Ken deserves this and more. In times like this, I would always turn to Ken and say, “can you write up something appropriate for this week?” I’m not the writer, so you’ll need to bear with me, but I think I’m getting ahead of myself.

            Ken Souza was the editor of the school newspaper at UMass Dartmouth back in the early 1990s. He and I worked in offices next to each other, and in 1992 when the opportunity arose to start The Wanderer, Ken was the first person to join me on this voyage. For seventeen years we spent every week figuring out how to best inform our readers about everything they wanted to hear. Ken was instrumental in crafting The Wanderer into what it is today. We spent endless amounts of time trying out new formats, writing columns – you name it – also paying games, watching movies, and listening to music.

            I’ve spent the last couple of days connecting with friends and putting together stories about Ken trying to get a handle on what to do, what can be done, what should be done. The bottom line is apparently a cliché; life is short. Because life is so short, there’s no time to waste in being subtle. You know all those friends you haven’t spoken to in a while? Call them, right now. I’m not going to say they ‘may’ not be there tomorrow; I’m telling you they won’t be there tomorrow, because there isn’t always a tomorrow.

            Thank you Ken, for everything. You will be missed.

-Paul Lopes

Kenneth J. Souza

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Kenneth J. Souza, 55, of Dallas, GA, formerly of Fall River, MA, entered into rest on Saturday, August 1, 2020. He was born on June 5, 1965 in Fall River, MA to the late Manuel and Elvira “Eva” Souza. He worked for more then 12 years as an editor with The Anchor-Diocese of Fall River and was Catholic by Faith. He will be missed by many including a large extended family with nieces, nephews, and godchildren.

            He was a 1983 graduate of Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River, MA and a 1991 graduate of The University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth(“SMU”). He worked many years at The Wanderer Newspaper in Mattapoisett, MA as a reporter, and as a Film and Video Production teacher at Bristol Community College in Fall River, MA. He was also the owner of his own DJ business, KJTunes.

            Mr. Souza is survived by his loving wife, Margie Souza of Dallas GA, and his brother, Robert Souza of Fall River, MA.

            Ken was an avid fan of music and movies. He will always be remembered for his infectious laugh and the everlasting love he had for his family, many friends and dog, Spenser.

            He was preceded in death by his sisters, Linda Mathieu, Geraldine Mathieu, and Rosemary Souza.

            A Funeral Mass was held Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church in Dallas GA. Interment followed at Peaceful Meadows Memorial Cemetery in Dallas, GA. 

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the Homeless Pet Foundation in Ken’s name. 

            The family would like to extend their love and appreciation to everyone who will not be able to attend the service in person due to Covid-19 restrictions. A celebration of Ken’s life will be held at a later date for friends and family in Massachusetts. To leave online condolences for the family, please feel free to visit our website at www.samclarkfuneralhome.com.

Clark Funeral Home, Hiram, GA, is in charge of arrangements.

Fire Boat Out of Water as Isaias Approached

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            Mattapoisett hauled its new Fire Boat out of the water, as the Southcoast anticipated the arrival of Isaias, which by Monday night had been upgraded back to hurricane status. Both Marion and Mattapoisett issued strong cautions for boat owners on Tuesday, the day the eastern-most wing of the storm was expected to touch the area.

            Mattapoisett Harbormaster Jamie McIntosh reported to The Wanderer that the town was taking a “cautious approach,” having removed its floating dock from the Barstow Pier as a safety precaution.

            According to McIntosh, most boat owners in Mattapoisett harbor have just been putting extra line from their boat to the moorings to give their vessels a wider scope. But as of late morning Tuesday, there had been no mass haul-out, although a few have opted to remove their boats from the water.

            Donna Hemphill, administrative assistant to the Marion Harbormaster’s office, said that Island Wharf floats will remain in place, but that the town has encouraged boat owners to check on their vessels and make sure they are properly fendered. Owners of kayaks and skiffs are advised to make sure their vessels are secured in racks.

            Hemphill spoke on Tuesday morning with Marion Harbormaster Isaac Perry, who indicated that there has been some activity from boaters seeking to remove or secure their boats.

            On Saturday, August 8, at 11:00 am, Mattapoisett will be part of a security escort assisting the Army Corps and the Coast Guard as the Mayflower makes its way through the Cape Cod Canal on its way from Newport, Rhode Island, back to Plymouth. McIntosh said heavy recreational boating makes it important that there’s strong presence to ensure recreational boaters don’t get too close and that the Mayflower can make safe passage.

            For more information on emergency plans in Marion, visit facebook.com/marionma1852.

By Mick Colageo and Marilou Newell

Communication Key, as Seasons, Steen Near Settlement

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            Public hearings at the Rochester Planning Board on July 28 were dominated by discussion of planned developments on Cranberry Highway. Phil Cordeiro joined the hybrid meeting, held at the Rochester Middle School and on Zoom, to provide updates on the progress of the proposed plans.

            “Since our last meeting, we have met with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to formalize our intent to file a highway access permit,” Cordeiro told the board. The permit continues to hinge on longstanding discussions with the Seasons Corner Market about the location and parameters of the access point.

            In a previous meeting, the Rochester Planning Board voted to postpone further discussion of the access points until the proposed plans could be independently reviewed by a traffic engineer of the town’s choosing. Town Planner Steve Starrett explained that is has been increasingly difficult to find an independent consultant, as many engineering groups are short-staffed due to COVID-19 or recusing themselves due to conflicts of interest with the Town of Rochester.

            Despite that hardship, Starrett informed Cordeiro that some progress had been made on that front. Three more proposals were sent out and one or two engineering groups have reached out to the town with responses. Starrett hoped that a traffic review could be assigned to one of the groups within three days of the meeting date.

            Andrew Delli Carpini, of Seasons Corner Market, came before the board to voice his concerns surrounding the project. “We always assumed that the only movement with the curb cuts would be near the rear entrance of the property,” said Delli Carpini. “What has come to light is that there is also a proposal to move our side driveway 20 to 25 feet toward the back of the store.”

            Delli Carpini expressed a fear that the movement of the driveway would make it increasingly difficult for customers to access the store and result in a deleterious impact to his business. “At some point, I hope members of the board would look at this plan and ask themselves how this is fair,” Delli Carpini announced during the hearing.

            Cordeiro quickly addressed the conflict by noting that the proposal to move the side driveway was only listed on a set of older plans that are no longer being considered. After Cordeiro shared his updated plans, Delli Carpini explained that it was the first time he has seen this updated proposal. The communication lapse was not the first to stall progress on the development.

            It wasn’t all bad for Cordeiro and the Cranberry Highway development. After successful work with the Rochester Conservation Commission, Cordeiro reported that they have amended their plans to address groundwater mounding and stormwater-related issues. With that, Cordeiro hopes to be only one more meeting away from full approval by the commission.

            With a traffic review in sight and Cordeiro offering to provide his plans to the Seasons Corner Market team, both Steen Realty and Seasons Corner Market were hopeful to see more progress in the next Planning Board meeting.

            Greg Carey, representing a solar development on Sarah Sherman Road, came before the Planning Board to request a Special Permit due to the size of the proposed array. His proposal calls for the construction of a four-acre solar array, which would produce roughly 1 megawatt of solar energy.

            Carey explained that the proposal is making progress. His work with the Rochester Conservation Commission resulted in a clean, peer-review letter confirming that all issues surrounding the potential hazards of the project had been adequately addressed. In addition, Carey has reached a verbal agreement with the abutting property owners for a vegetative screening to shield the array from their view.

            Steve Kohm of Prime Engineering, who is working with Carey, explained that the project is nearly ready to commence. With the Rochester Conservation Commission satisfied, they need only await the peer review of the Planning Board engineer in order to update their plans.

            The Rochester Planning Board showed support for the project and explained that the review would likely be prepared by their next meeting set to take place on August 11. The public hearing was continued in order to give the Planning Board engineer sufficient time to comment on the proposal.

            The final public hearing related to a novel solar canopy system that Peter Beaton, owner of the Eldredge Bogs, hopes to have installed alongside modifications he is making to the outdated canal system that runs through his property.

            Sarah Stearns, of Beals and Thomas Inc., explained that the solar canopy would produce roughly 1 megawatt of solar energy and that the proposal is a unique way to add a solar component to the bogs. “This project is in two phases,” explained Stearns. “We will improve the canals, and then we will add solar functionality to the property.”

            Stearns noted that her work with the Rochester Conservation Commission was completed after she addressed minor comments made during a review of the project.  Her plans were tailored to avoid any of the surrounding natural habitats, and the site is set far back enough from abutting properties that vegetative screening will likely not be necessary.

            Peter Beaton told the board that his primary motivation for the update came from his canals constantly overflowing from heavy rainfall. Beaton saw the need to upgrade the canals as an opportunity to modernize his bog with solar power.

            The Planning Board agreed that a site visit was in order to ensure that the proposed construction was properly shielded from abutting properties. With that, the board voted to continue the hearing until their next meeting.

            The next Rochester Planning Board meeting will be held on August 11 at the Rochester Middle School with remote access provided via Zoom.

Rochester Planning Board

By Matthew Donato

Living with White Sharks

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Please join the Sippican Lands Trust on Tuesday, August 11 at 7:00 pm for an exciting virtual presentation to support the Sippican Lands Trust (SLT). Dr. Greg Skomal, a world-renowned shark-expert, and SLT board member, will give a special presentation titled Living with White Sharks.

            Dr. Skomal is a marine biologist and shark expert currently heading up the Massachusetts Shark Research Program (MSRP) at the Division of Marine Fisheries in Massachusetts. Dr. Skomal serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Massachusetts School for Marine Science and Technology in New Bedford, MA, a guest investigator at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, MA, and an adjunct scientist with the Center for Shark Research in Sarasota, FL.

            Reservations are required for this special virtual presentation about Great White Sharks, and the cost is $15 for members and $25 for non-members with proceeds benefitting the Sippican Lands Trust. To register for this special presentation visit sippicanlandstrust.org/buy-event-tickets-online/.

            Instructions on how to join the Zoom presentation will be emailed to registered participants by noon on Tuesday, August 11.

Dorothy Maybour (Averill) Couet

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Dorothy Maybour (Averill) Couet, age 94, of Mattapoisett, passed away quietly in her sleep Friday, July 31, 2020 at Sippican Health Care in Marion supported by her loving family. She was the widow of the late Donat R. Couet, whom she married in 1949 and enjoyed 44 years of marriage.

            Born in Boston, MA, the daughter of the late Howland and Lillian ( Maybour ) Averill, she spent most of her life in Mattapoisett and was a graduate of Mattapoisett Center School, Fairhaven High School and Modern School of Fashion and Design in Boston.

            Mrs. Couet was an avid reader, and enjoyed tending her gardens, watercolor painting, boating with her husband to the Vineyard on weekends, and playing golf.

            She is survived by her two daughters, Dawne C. Babbitt of Fairhaven, and Vicki C. Mickel and her husband Alan of Scottsdale Arizona; her son, Donat R. “Jay” Couet, Jr. and his wife Linda Rogers of Fairhaven; her grandson, Gregory C. Hunt and his wife Monica Celnar of Lake Oswego, Oregon and their two girls, Abigail and Lillian; along with several nieces and nephews, and grandnieces and grandnephews.

            Dorothy was the sister of the late Richard E. Averill who died in 1997 and the late Beatrice A. Long of Mattapoisett who died in 2010.

            A private family service will be held. Arrangements are by the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Don’t Forget the 2020 Census

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            To say people have been distracted by national and international events for the last six months would be an understatement. As spring turned to summer, everything from civil rights to infectious disease has vied for attention. And each issue merits a tremendous amount of attention, debate, inspection, and introspection as people in the Tri-Town communities and beyond have sought ways to understand, improve communication, or simply make a living while staying healthy enough to do so.

            While all that is taking place, quietly in libraries across the nation directors have not forgotten about another matter requiring the people’s attention – the 2020 Census. Every 10 years, the federal government attempts to count the number of people living in the country.

            Why, you ask? This is done in an effort to determine where monies should be deployed and for what types of projects and programs. It has everything to do with people, the number of people living in the US regardless of citizenship status, age, race, or religion. It’s about where the dollars will go from the federal coffers.

            The Wanderer recently spoke to Luana Josvold of the League of Women Voters South Coast and Mattapoisett Library Director Susan Pizzolato about the census and the level of participation during a year, that so far, has proven historic for the level of stress that has generated.

            Pizzolato said that libraries in the Tri-Town and most of the South Coast had partnered with the league in a push to count everyone, especially those people who typically go uncounted – non-English speakers and children. She said, “Prior to the shutdown we were ready to go, providing assistance in the libraries for those who sought it, using the libraries computers.” She said that library staff had been trained to provide assistance and assurance that the information would not be used for any purpose other than counting people. “It impacts how federal monies are spent on food programs in communities such as WIC or school lunch programs; it impacts our representation in Washington,” Pizzolato stated.

            But the shutdown made the push to get as many people counted as possible nearly impossible. “No one was going door to door,” Jovold said. Instead, it was determined that other approaches had to be found and that those approaches needed to focus on populations where they lived. “We now have posters up in churches and immigrant aid centers as well as laundry mats,” she said. Those posters are printed in several languages. “The fliers reassure people that their voices are essential,” Pizzolato added. She said that they recognized that the children in some households might be the only ones able to read, so some of the posters have used characters from Sesame Street to engage the public.

            As a reminder to anyone who has not yet completed either the paper forms that have been sent to permanent addresses or online, the census is critical in determining where federal money will be spent. Josvold said that even infants impact spending programs, as a year-old child today will be in school before the next census is scheduled and that child, along with millions of others, will need schools, roads, food service, and representation.

            “Every community needs funds,” Pizzolato said, adding to the list of programs impacted by the census count such things as school buses, social services, Medicare Part B, special education, school construction, and healthcare centers. The census numbers are also used to help cities and towns write their master plans. Nearly every aspect of a master plan requires data on the number of people in a community and the ages therein, as plans are formulated for roadways and infrastructure as well as services. “Even open spaces and waterways are potentially impacted by the census,” Pizzolato said.

            “People may still be afraid to be counted,” Josvold commented. She said, “We need to know you are there, it doesn’t matter to the census if you are a citizen or not.” But she said it does matter that people get the services they need.

            Josvold said that, starting July 16 through October 31 across the country, census takers will begin going door-to-door. “They have all been trained in the latest guidelines for health safety,” she added.

            In towns like Marion and Mattapoisett with a summer influx of homeowners, people may not know where to list their primary residence. “We can help them figure that out,” Pizzolato said.

            Both Josvold and Pizzolato were a bit surprised at the current level of local participation thus far reported on the national census website. It lists Rochester at 79.9 percent, Marion at 62.1 percent, and Mattapoisett at 59.1 percent. They both agreed there is work to do done in bringing those numbers up.

            If you or someone you know needs assistance completing the 2020 Census or has questions, you may contact your local libraries: Mattapoisett Free Public Library via spizzolato@sailsinc.org, 508-758-4171; Plumb Library in Rochester via info@plumblibrary.com, 508-763-8600; and the Elizabeth Taber Library in Marion via elizabethtaberlibrary.org, 508-748-1252; or the League of Women Voters South Coast via kriseastman@gmail.com. Or you may visit 2020census.gov.

League of Women Voters South Coast

By Marilou Newell

Marion Garden Group Beautification Efforts

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Have you noticed all of the beautiful planters located throughout the town of Marion?  This is the second year that the Marion Garden Group Beautification Initiative has invested their resources in placing 15 large planters around town. A group of dedicated “Planter Angels” can be seen wearing their pink garden group vests as they carefully tend to planters, working hard, and ensuring the town always looks its best. The town DPW is also helping by providing water to some of the locations.   

            The Garden Group is excited about the improvement of five additional gardens located throughout town. The town reader board garden is the newest addition and can be seen thriving with beautiful colors in its location at the intersection of Route 105 and Route 6. Other garden locations include the island on Spring Street, the Converse Road island, the Welcome to Marion sign at the Captain Hadley House, and the half turnaround on Route 6 and the Mattapoisett line.  We would like to consider this a starting effort, but funding and additional assistance will be necessary in order to take our Beautification Project further.

            Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Garden Group’s annual summer fundraiser had to be canceled this year. The summer fundraiser raises money to pay for the necessary landscaping, plants and flowers, and maintenance that keep these local areas looking beautiful. 

            The Marion Garden Group is hoping that the community will continue to generously support these efforts by making donations to help. Checks can be mailed to the Marion Garden Group, PO Box 403, Marion, MA, or they can be dropped off in one of the pink gardening boots located at the General Store (140 Front Street) or Uncle John’s (350 Front Street). You can also contact Liz Hatch, President of the Marion Garden group at mariongardengroup@gmail.com. All donations will be used to help keep Marion looking gorgeous throughout the summer and into the next year. 

Finance Committee, Board of Selectmen Discuss FY21 Budget

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            In advance of the August 17 Town Meeting, scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm under the big top at Old Rochester Regional High School track, both the Finance Committee and the Board of Selectmen met on July 28 to review slashed revenue expectations and conservative expenditures.

            At 3:00 pm the FinCom members in remote attendance heard from former town administrator Mike Gagne, who had drafted the original FY21 budget at the beginning of the year, and Mike Lorenco the current town administrator. Gagne said that revenue projections had been cut by $668,000. All revenue sources were evaluated and an overall 10-percent cut is planned for New Growth, $100,000; State Aid, $163,000; Overlay Surplus, $75,000; ORR Stability Fund, $85,000; Motor Vehicle Excise Tax, $124,000; and Penalties and Interest, $23,000.

            Year-end transfers were also discussed with the committee members approving $29,929 for legal fees, $15,400 for new computers, $1,133 for the Conservation Commission, $2,765 records management, $10,387 for town buildings, $61,121 street lighting, $33,635 solid-waste disposal, $7,654 public health nurse, $3,218 Veterans benefits, $10,954 parks, and $1,183 employee benefits, for a total of $176,240.

            In support of several line items, Gagne explained that reimbursement from the county for COVID-19-related expenses such as laptop computers for employees who need to work remotely would be applied for and that over the next two years the town would see a decrease in lighting expenses due to lighting upgrades. He did, however, toss a cautionary note into the mix, saying that solid waste disposal costs would continue to climb and that little relief is in sight given the lack of landfill space.

            Both Gagne and Lorenco reiterated the necessity to move forward in measured steps given that no one knows at the present time where revenues or state aid will eventually land. “The state is working off a one-twelfth budget,” Gagne said.

            Staying on the theme of fiscal austerity, Lorenco said that vacant town positions would remain vacant in the near term and that the Council of Aging and the library are not fully open and therefore do not require full staffing at this time.

            Chairman Pat Donoghue questioned a 6.5-percent salary increase for the town accountant. Gagne said that the increase was based on the employee meeting all performance goals and objectives, that the increase was negotiated last February and had been approved by the selectmen at that time.

            The committee members also discussed the Town Meeting Warrant but got stuck on Article One, Compensation of Elected Officials. Speaking up was member Gary Johnson, who questioned the wisdom of increasing some positions given the current economic conditions saying, “It might set a tone.” Gagne said a review of the increases would be done. The proposed increases are $5 for the town moderator, $112 for the chairman of the Board of Selectmen, $101 increase for selectmen, $101 increase for assessors, $1,800 for the town clerk, $15 for Board of Health members, $2,218 for the highway surveyor, $15 for Mattapoisett School Committee members, $15 each water and sewer commissioners, $170 for the tree warden, and $50 for the herring inspector.

            The overall FY 21 operating budget stands at $29,142,067, a $946,865 increase over FY20. Water Enterprise Fund FY21 operating budget is $2,631,250, a $247,100 increase, and the Sewer Enterprise Fund is $2,495,724, a $23,252 decrease from FY20. The Waterfront Enterprise Fund stands at $316,458, a $37,198 increase over FY20. The committee moved to approve the warrant with the exception of Article One, which will be reviewed.

            In the evening, the selectmen met with Lorenco during their regular meeting to discuss the earlier meeting and the warrant among other issues.

            Lorenco told the selectmen that he has been working with Eugene Jones, the facility manager for schools, and Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson regarding Town Meeting and use of space at the ORR facility.

            He said that a large tent would be erected over the track with a capacity for 200 people distanced appropriately. Mosquito control will be used and portable bathroom facilities were planned, he said. Lorenco said that Police and Fire departments have been involved in planning as well.

            Lorenco also asked the selectmen for guidance regarding the number of requests his office has received for weddings and other outdoor events at Ned’s Point. “I’m concerned that the summer influx of people who use that area and then weddings is troubling,” he shared.

            The selectmen echoed his concerns. After some discussion, it was decided that Lorenco would come up with a set of guidelines and select an area at the lighthouse park where an area could be roped off for the exclusive use of special permitted events.

            The Acushnet Road bridge repair was another topic that Lorenco discussed. He said that massive delays brought on by issues related to COVID-19 had pushed the project into September. He said that Nelson would plan changes to school bus routes and that he had had been in contact with town’s legal counsel to determine if the town has financial recourses in the event the contractor fails performance requirements of the contract.

            Before adjourning, Collyer shared the sad news that longtime Finance Committee member Elisabeth “Betty” Pennington had passed away. He acknowledged her many years of service to the community. Pennington was Dr. Elisabeth Pennington. She graduated from Lawrence Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and received her BSN from Boston University, her M.Ed and Ed.D from Teachers College Columbia University. During her long career, Pennington worked in critical care nursing and as supervisor of emergency services at St. Luke’s Hospital in New York. She was an assistant professor at City College of New York and assistant dean for Undergraduate Nursing Education at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. At the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth, Pennington was appointed dean and professor of the College of Nursing.

  

Mattapoisett Finance Committee & Board of Selectmen

By Marilou Newell