The Marion School Committee received an introduction to the school district’s fiscal year 2021 budget on January 15, a budget that, with additional funding from state special education reimbursement and grants, will cost the town a mere one-tenth of a percent more than last year’s budget.

            “So it’s pretty good,” commented Superintendent Doug White.

            Overall, general education is up $138,030 and special education is down by $43,504, for a total budget increase of $94,526.

            White pointed to social-emotional support, funding for computers, and professional development as the “three big areas” where funding was added in the draft FY21 budget.

            The budget includes a .4 FTE (full-time equivalent) social worker to address growing needs for social-emotional support; a position that White said was eliminated a few years ago.

            “But as we look at our student body and our student needs, we feel that that’s an area that we need to bring someone back and we also feel that we can do that gradually over time,” said White.

            The second area that merits concern, White said, is funding for computers that for years was covered by donations no longer available to Sippican School. That line item will call for an additional $20,000 to manage the existing Chromebook leases and other computer-related costs.

            There is also an additional need for professional development specifically addressing literacy, White said.

            “Everything else has pretty much either been driven by contract adjustments… and maintaining and sustaining our work that we’re doing,” White said.

            White pointed to the transportation line item for Bristol County Agricultural High School that was held separate from the Sippican School budget at the request of the Marion Finance Committee, totaling $117,949.

            “The town understands that it is an educational cost,” White said, but he stated that it does not affect the Sippican School budget.

            White reminded the committee that this was a draft budget that won’t be complete until the governor’s budget is approved and made public on January 22. White added that new education legislation called the Student Opportunity Act, a major overhaul of the state’s Chapter 70 funding formula, might bring new dollars to the school district over time.

            “But without knowing what the budget numbers will be, it’s tough to make any final decisions on this,” said White, adding that new funding would be dispersed most likely over a period of seven years or so and is contingent upon the school district submitting a written plan on how it would use the funds to close student achievement gaps.

            “That’s work that’s going to be happening,” White said, “but on the other side of this, we don’t know how much money we’re getting yet; therefore, we don’t know how big a plan or how little a plan [we’ll need] to develop.

            “We have been doing a lot of work with less money,” White continued. “We have a good strategic plan that set us up to close our gaps already, and I think that we may be able to tap into some of the things we’re already doing and use some of those dollars to offset [the budget].”

            White again emphasized that any additional funding will be spread out over time.

            “You’re not getting the whole enchilada in one swoop,” he said.

            School Committee Chairman Michelle Smith said the budget subcommittee has already met with town officials and received some positive feedback.

            “They were very receptive and it was really nice,” said Smith. “They did a really great job with the budget… I think it’s going to address the needs of our students, especially when adding the additional social worker.”            The committee will take a vote on the FY21 budget during the next meeting of the Marion School Committee, which is scheduled for March 4 at 6:30 pm at Sippican School.

Marion School Committee

By Jean Perry

            Marion Finance Director Judy Mooney is officially the town’s new assistant administrator.

            Mooney’s full new title, approved by Marion’s Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, January 21, is Finance Director and Assistant Town Administrator.

            Marion Town Administrator Jay McGrail said in a previous meeting that he had been angling to give Mooney the position for quite some time.

            “Now I know Judy and she’s exemplary,” said Selectman Randy Parker. “But I know that if she was sitting in my seat, she’d ask, ‘So what’s this going to cost?’”

            “For the time being, nothing,” McGrail told him. Mooney is currently under contract with the town; her contract expires on June 30. She and McGrail have been negotiating a raise, McGrail explained. He noted that there were no dramatic changes in Mooney’s pay rate within the discussions.

            “Well, she’s filled in capably as the town administrator before, I have no problems with this,” Parker said.

            The selectman approved Mooney’s new position unanimously.

            Marion also has a new town engineer. Meghan Davis, currently employed by engineering company Tata and Howard, will begin on February 3.

            Davis, a UMass Amherst graduate, lives in Bourne and has been previously involved with engineering projects in Marion.

            “One of [Davis’] very first jobs with Tata and Howard was working on a water main expansion in Marion,” Parker noted.

            Also during the meeting, the selectmen approved the expansion of two Marion community boards. Marion Historical Commission member Meg Steinberg attended the meeting to discuss expanding the board from three regular members to five, in light of several exemplary applications.

            “I don’t see why we should only have three members if we could have five,” Steinberg said. “We have five people who are all enthused and bring different skills to the table.”

            “Three regulars with two alternates makes for an easier quorum if you need to vote on anything,” Parker advised Steinberg.

            “I know,” she replied, “but I’d rather just wait and have more people overall.”

            Her request was unanimously approved. The new members of the Historical Commission are V. Jane Tucker, Bryan McSweeney, and Sydney Bowen.

            The size of the Marine Resources Commission also grew after commission members found themselves loathe to choose between two highly-qualified candidates. The commission requested to add both candidates as applicants, and the request was approved by the selectmen.

            Board of Health member Dot Brown also approached the selectmen for a discussion on denitrification septic systems. The board did not have comments on the presentation, as it was simply informational. 

            Brown pointed out that water with an overflow of nitrogen means plants and animals will starve for lack of oxygen; she is currently discussing potential sewer regulations with her fellow Board of Health members to avoid this scenario.

            Brown and the Buzzards Bay Coalition have been studying the state of Marion’s water for several years, and according to Brown, nitrogen levels are continually growing worse.

            “If the new sewer systems installed in town in 2018 had been alternative systems, for denitrification, the amount of nitrogen introduced into the water would have been halved,” she explained.

            There are about six different types of alternative septic systems, Brown told the board. All of them require yearly monitoring. She said loans are available for these newer technology septic systems, and Barnstable County is willing to take over sewer monitoring for residents should they upgrade their sewer system.

            Although Marion isn’t a part of Barnstable County, Brown explained that the county is heavily invested in the health of Buzzards Bay and is offering the service to towns whose water flows into the bay.

            There is another plus to the alternative systems, according to Brown. Residents who upgrade their systems, she explained, do not immediately have to hook their sewer up to the town sewer should a town sewer line be constructed near their house.

            “Normally, that’s an immediate requirement. But, if a resident has recently upgraded their sewer, they are allowed to defer hooking up to town sewer for 10 to 20 years,” she said.

            The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for February 4 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Board of Selectmen

By Andrea Ray

The Rochester Board of Selectmen on January 21 accepted the resignation letter from longtime Town Clerk Naida Parker, effective February 7.

            Parker has been the town clerk for 38 years.

            Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar thanked Parker for her many years of service at Town Hall, adding, “Her intuitional knowledge was phenomenal, she was a great resource… she was very well known, very well-liked.”

            Szyndlar said the next step is to appoint an interim person to fill the position.

            “The Town Clerk’s Office will obviously still need to run,” Szyndlar said. “The Board of Selectmen is required to appoint a temporary town clerk to fill that position until the Annual Town Election (in April).”

            In April voters will be asked to vote to adopt Town Meeting’s approval of an appointed town clerk instead of an elected town clerk.

            “I’ve been working on it,” Szyndlar said. “I expect the office to continue to run smoothly going forward.”

            “[Parker] was part of this town government for a very long time and her service is greatly appreciated,” said Selectmen Chairman Paul Ciaburri.

            In other matters, Szyndlar said she was pleased to announce that the town has been awarded a $100,000 Housing Choice Grant to install a wheelchair lift to provide handicap access to the lower level of the Plumb Library.

            Facilities Director Andrew Daniel said in a follow-up that although the grant is intended for municipalities to use the funds toward housing-related projects, towns with a population of under 7,000 can use the funds for capital improvement projects.

            The plan to install a lift for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessibility, Daniel said, has been in the works for about 14 years.

            “This roll of plans was in my office when I started the job six years ago,” said Daniel. “It should take me two years to complete but I’m sure – I hope – I’ll be ahead of that.”

            Creating access to the downstairs area will open up space in the upper level of the library by allowing the library to host its more “loud and noisy” children’s activities downstairs and reserving the main library space for a computer area and shelves of library books. Restrooms will be upgraded and town committees may also use a new meeting space that will result from the renovation.

            Plumb Library Director Gail Roberts added that the library has saved up roughly $20,500 from donation sources to contribute to the project.

            “We’ve been saving away like a good Yankee just squirreling away [money],” Roberts said.

            “Hopefully there will be a little more money left over to do some other improvements to the building,” said Daniel.

            In other news, the board approved a Class II Used Car Dealer license for Tony DeBalsi, 203 High Street.

            DeBalsi said he hopes to sell three vehicles a month that he will purchase from dealer-only auctions. The vehicles will be parked and on display in the rear of his property.

            One set of abutters attended the public hearing only to ask about the sign that DeBalsi would want to display – its size and location – and DeBalsi said he would display the sign viewable only from the rear of his property and outside of view from the road.

            DeBalsi said he has no intention to turn his operation into a fully functioning used car lot and would keep his business in harmony with the characteristics of the neighborhood.

            “As long as… the abutters are happy with the placement of the sign, I have no problem with granting the license,” said Ciaburri.

            Earlier in the meeting, the board appointed Elijah Vicente-Roberts as a part-time police officer.

            Christopher Peck was appointed to the Capital Planning Committee.

            The board appointed Building Commissioner Jim Buckles as the town’s 40R-related Smart Growth Overlay District reporting officer and appointed Szyndlar as the Smart Growth Overlay District municipal officer responsible for filing.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for February 3 at 6:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

Rochester Board of Selectmen

By Jean Perry