It may feel like a long and winding road, especially for outgoing Town Administrator Mike Gagne, but Mattapoisett now has three viable candidates to consider as Gagne’s replacement.

            The town’s first solo effort to find worthy candidates ended when it was determined that professional help was needed. The firm of Community Paradigm Associates, LLC of Plymouth was hired to help post the job and assist the town by profiling the community and its needs on various internet platforms and publications, along with the labor-intensive task of screening applicants based against the scope of the job and the skill sets they possessed. Those efforts brought forth 40 applications. Of those, seven semi-finalists were identified after long hours spent interviewing candidates, completed in partnership with the town’s screening committee.

            Mattapoisett’s screening committee members were Don Carlstrom, John Decosta, Jim Turse, Pat Donoghue, and Bonne DeSousa. On January 23, they presented the Board of Selectmen with three finalists for their consideration.

            The Board of Selectmen will publicly interview those finalists on January 28, beginning at 4:00 pm in the Town Hall conference room, with each interview planned to last one hour.

            The finalists for the position are James Duggan, Michael Lorenco, and John Bugbee.

            Duggan, of Dracut, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Westfield State University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Suffolk University. He lists his current position as Town Administrator of Dracut. He was previously the Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Gloucester.

            In his introductory letter Duggan wrote, “Over the course of my tenure of 30 years in public management, I have been fortunate to have been involved in various communities that have enabled me to utilize my strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills. Having examined the impressive solid foundation that has been built and maintained by Mattapoisett’s administration, elected officials, volunteers, and employees, I am confident that my background of directly related experience, appropriate academic qualifications, and management style will fit perfectly in the town’s administration.”

            Lorenco, of Harwich, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bentley College in Corporate Finance and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Suffolk University. His current position is listed as Assistant Town Administrator and Finance Director for the Town of Eastham.

            Lorenco wrote in his letter that his experiences in Eastham, where he had worked on municipal budgets, state public procurement regulations, organization and personnel management, as well as union negotiation and grievance processes, now puts him in position for the next step in his career. He said it was “a natural progression and opportunity for professional growth.” He also noted, “I have vast personal knowledge of Mattapoisett, as it is my hometown for most of my life. For over 30 years my family called Mattapoisett home.”

            Lorenco wrote that his father is a business owner in town and that his brother is a former police officer in the community.

            Bugbee, of Attleboro, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History from Roger Williams University and a Master’s in Public Administration from Bridgewater State University. Bugbee is currently the Chief Procurement Officer for the Town of Franklin and previously held the position of Town Administrator for the Town of Tisbury.

            Bugbee shared in his introductory letter: “As the Town Administrator in Tisbury I was in charge of drafting and presenting the town’s annual budget; overseeing all personnel within the town which included negotiating three separate union contracts, drafting and implementing a personnel manual and performing all employee evaluations.”

            He went on to say that he drafted grants that were successful and worked collaboratively with five island town administrations to develop shared municipal services and countywide collective needs.

            Earlier in the meeting, Gagne had commented that, unlike when he first entered public service, such positions are not learned while study for a bachelor’s degree.

            “It was much harder today to work your way up through the ranks because the job of a town administrator has changed and is changing,” said Gagne. “It’s very complex.”

            Echoing those sentiments, Selectman Paul Silva said of the role of a selectman: “Our roles have changed, department heads have changed, state and federal requirements have changed – these are complex demands.”

            “We have gained a lot of knowledge of the candidates,” said search committee member Carlstrom, offering the selectmen some of his insights. Silva, however, said he would rather “do it raw” as he heads into Tuesday’s interviews, and Selectman Jordan Collyer said, “I don’t want any bias.” 

            With public interviews now scheduled for January 28 at 4:00 pm, the BOS scheduled private one-on-one meetings for January 31 if the individual selectmen wished to conduct such meetings with individual candidates.

            In a follow-up, Silva said that “candidates might be more comfortable” answering questions during a one-on-one interview in a “closed-door environment”.

            Collyer said that, should he feel the need to ask further questions one-on-one, “The door would be open to anyone” who wished to sit in on the one-to-one interviews.

             In another follow-up with The Wanderer, Gagne shared town counsel’s guidance on the matter of individual interviews which read in part: “…there is no violation of any provision in the Open Meeting Law…” if the selectmen wish to obtain additional information. They cannot, however, discuss their “thoughts or impressions outside of an open meeting”.

            The Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is also scheduled to meet on February 4 at 6:30 pm during which time they hope to announce their selection.

            Former Selectman Tyler Macallister had resigned from the Board of Selectmen last fall, stating at that time that he would be pursuing the town administrator’s position. On January 26, he told The Wanderer, “I did apply for the position and I was interviewed.” He went on to say, “I think it’s great that the town has three real good candidates.

            “But it was always my intention, if I didn’t get the job, to pull papers and run for re-election,” continued Macallister. “I talked extensively with the [State Ethics Commission] and they were specific that I had to resign (as selectman) before I began any part of the town administrator process.”

            The Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is also scheduled to meet on February 4 at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen

By Marilou Newell

Scott Snow is no stranger to the permitting process to develop land and build in the town of Mattapoisett, and he has experienced his share of contentious meetings with various town boards along the way; which is why Snow was pleased on January 17 to receive two Certificates of Compliance – one complete and one partial – from the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission for his construction project on 27 Nashawena Road. But as Snow put it last Friday, “It’s always something,” and in this case that ‘something’ was a third certificate of compliance that Snow expected to receive that day.

            Chairman Mike King was absent from the meeting, which was rescheduled after the January 13 meeting was canceled due to a lack of a quorum; Conservation Agent Elizabeth Leidhold was also absent, which left the four commission members that could attend the 12:00 noon meeting without input or recommendations on Snow’s requests.

            The commission moved quickly through the entire agenda granting all the requests before it with no questions or comments amongst the members during the 10 minutes it took to adjourn.

            Snow’s first Certificate of Compliance was for a partial-beam plan for a foundation and included a licensed seawall that was completed and a shed that was constructed. But a proposed deck and staircase were not completed so another Notice of Intent is needed for the remaining work as the permit has expired.

            Snow’s second agenda item included plans for a sloped retaining wall, which has been completed, but the proposed pool, deck, breakaway panels on a column foundation, landscape plantings, and driveway expansion have not been completed.

            “I’m comfortable with it,” commented commission member Chapman Dickerson.

            As per the engineer’s request, the commission issued a partial certificate rather than an invalid certificate, and a new Notice of Intent for the incomplete work must be filed as that permit has also lapsed.

            Snow then asked the commission if it was going to approve a third request for a Certificate of Compliance for a septic system at the same address, but it was not featured on the agenda and the appointed chairman for the day, Trevor Francis, had no knowledge of a third certificate request.

            “That’s all we have is the two,” said Francis.

            Looking ahead to the next meeting’s agenda, the commission found no mention of another certificate request for Snow.

            “ Without [Leidhold] here there’s not much I can do,” Francis told Snow.

            Also during the meeting, the commission granted a one-year permit extension to Samuel Waterston, 13 Shipyard Lane, to reconstruct a groin and build a new walkway, ramp, and float. No work has been undertaken to date.

            Thomas Econopouly, 84A Shagbark Drive, also received a permit extension to build a single-family house. No work has been conducted since the permit was originally approved.

            The commission approved two Certificates of Compliance for Deborah and Carmello Nicolosi, 38 Shore Drive, for a seawall and jetty repair, deck and stairway, shed, concrete slab, septic upgrade, and a 25-by-28-foot addition.

            A Request for Certificate of Compliance filed by Alexander Makkas, 16 Island View Avenue, was continued until February 10.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for January 27 at 6:30 pm at the Mattapoisett Town Hall.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Jean Perry

            Adhering to the advice of town counsel, the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals on January 16 deliberated the Special Permit application filed by Tabor Academy for four 90-foot field light poles to form a consensus so that he can draft a decision for the board to vote on at its next meeting.

            The purpose of the non-binding so-called ‘straw vote’ rather than a definitive final vote was to avoid initiating the 14-day period for the ZBA to file the decision with the town clerk and to allow for enough time for Town Counsel Jon Witten to write up a final decision.

            The ZBA closed the public hearing during its last meeting and solicited the input from the police and fire chiefs regarding concerns about on-street parking during night games when the lights would be used. According to Witten, “As long as the board addresses those issues (parking) they (both chiefs) are fine with it.”

            Witten asked the board to deliberate the criteria of the special permit and if the project would fulfill special permit conditions or whether the board should instead refer to the Dover Amendment.

            The Dover Amendment allows educational institutions to build facilities that exceed the maximum size allowed within the local zoning bylaws if the project directly serves an educational use.

            “I’d prefer the board to articulate where you want to go with this, including any conditions that you would like imposed,” said Witten, specifying that he was not looking for a motion that evening or any suggestion of any promise of approval, just direction for him to draft the decision.

            He advised the board to be specific and to provide legitimate findings to defend its decision should the ZBA leans toward special permit approval.

            “That’s just good practice,” said Witten. “You need to articulate why it met the [special permit] requirement.”

            Witten further cautioned the board that it should “spend a little extra time” that night as it deliberated the case, given that it had been remanded back to the ZBA by a Land Court judge.

            “I feel very strongly that we should be considering the special permit rather than the Dover Amendment at this point,” said ZBA member Christine Frangos, “because I think, considering the Dover Amendment, if we were to rule that this met the requirements of the Dover Amendment [it] would open us up – would be a very slippery slope – open us up to potential other…” 

            “It’s precedent-setting,” ZBA member Margie Baldwin interjected.

            Under a special permit, six conditions demonstrating that the lights would in some way serve the needs of the community and not pose a detriment to traffic and safety, utilities and public services, the character of the neighborhood, the environment, or town services must be met for approval.

            “I don’t think… there are any adverse impacts over… the positive impacts,” said ZBA member David Bramberg. “I would say the proposal is acceptable under [a special permit].”

            Chairman Marc LeBlanc identified traffic and safety as the two main concerns, including parking, which neighbors had expressed as a major concern, especially on Ryder Lane.

            ZBA member Tad Wollenhaupt suggested imposing a condition that Tabor must employ an off-duty police officer during night games when the lights are illuminated.

            “A police detail’s probably not out of the question,” said Wollenhaupt. “I don’t know if it’s unreasonable; I don’t know why it would be.”

            The board agreed with Wollenhaupt’s suggestion.

            “I think Tabor has shown that they’re willing to work with us in the town,” said LeBlanc. “I wouldn’t be opposed to putting something in writing with regards to a yearly review to sit down with Tabor and maybe fire and police and to say, ‘OK, we let this play out, where are we lacking, what could we do better?’ That way we’re not just putting it in a special permit and not revisiting it again.”

            The board’s additional conditions would include a maximum of eight games per season – fall and spring – and a 9:30 pm shutoff time for games, 6:30 pm for practices. Furthermore, Tabor is allowed no more than three “community events” requiring night lighting per spring and fall season.

            ZBA associate member Louise Nadler addressed how the lights might impact the character of the neighborhood, saying, “The first house [I] ever bought was next to a school. My feeling is that if there’s anybody who’s been living there for 220 or 180 years, then they have a dog in the fight; but I think that the school is, in fact, part of the neighborhood – and a wonderful part of the neighborhood – and I understand traffic and congestion can be an issue, but when your property abuts an institution of any sort there are pluses and minuses.”

            “I would agree,” said Baldwin. “It’s a matter of coexistence. Tabor is there, the neighborhood is there, and I think that Tabor has made huge strides in reaching out to the neighborhood for their concerns.

            “I think Tabor is part of the character of the town and we’re pleased to have Tabor be a part of the town,” continued Baldwin, “so I think it behooves us to work with Tabor and move forward with this.”

            Wollenhaupt agreed, saying, “Tabor’s there, Tabor exists; the field is there, the field exists; we’ve all looked at the concrete footings for a year or two now and they exist… Yes, they will exceed what we have for a [height] limit; however, this is the better option and it doesn’t really take away for the character of the neighborhood.”

            LeBlanc pointed out that this new special permit application only featured four light poles instead of the original five.

            “That’s a vast improvement right there, just eliminating that other tower,” LeBlanc said.

            He determined that the project was “not out of the realm of this application,” adding, “It seems like a special permit is the way to go, not the Dover Amendment.”

            Witten felt that the board had covered everything he needed to draft a decision he assumed was leading toward special permit approval, and the board clarified some further conditions including quarterly reports certifying the number of games and events held in addition to the annual report, an annual review of safety, and that the building commissioner, police chief, and fire chief all have access to the program that controls the lights in the case of an emergency.

            No parking would be allowed on Ryder Lane, and that will be enforced by a police detail.

            Any changes to the permit would require Tabor to return before the ZBA.

            The board will take a final vote during its next meeting.

            In other matters, the public hearing for Stephanie and Richard Harding, 52 Ichabod Lane, was immediately continued until February 13.

            The public hearing for Raymond Whitley and Natalia Vartapetova, 534 Point Road, was also immediately continued until February 13. The ZBA closed the public hearing 

            Cynthia Callow also appeared before the board seeking endorsement for appointment to the ZBA.

            The next meeting of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for February 13 at 6:30 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Zoning Board of Appeals

By Jean Perry