Time Capsule

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As the Rochester Historical Society was preparing for its anniversary celebration, we discovered in the meeting minutes from 1986, that a time capsule had been created for the town’s 300th anniversary of incorporation. The 1990 minutes stated that the capsule was placed in the basement of the Rochester Town Hall by the 1990 Historical Society Board of Directors. There was no mention of where it had been for those four years. There was no mention of what was included in the time capsule, and it is not to be opened until 2086. 

            When checking with Andrew Daniel, the town’s Facilities Manager, we found there certainly was a time capsule in the basement of the Town Hall, surrounded by cement blocks, and was now secured behind a protective water barrier but with no explanation of what was behind the blocks. The Historical Society had a sign made explaining the reason for the time capsule and its location. 

            The Historical Society thanks Andrew Daniel for helping locate the capsule and for affixing the plaque. Hopefully, the individuals opening the capsule in 2086 will enjoy seeing or reading whatever was put in the capsule. If anyone has any first-hand knowledge of this time capsule, please let the Historical Society know: 508-295-8908.

BOH Condemns Home After Police Raid

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            The Marion Board of Health held an emergency meeting on December 12 to vote to condemn a Front Street house where police on Monday found animals suffering from neglect and unsanitary conditions in and around the home.

            In a memorandum written by Marion Health Director Karen Walega and read into the record, Walega said she was asked to accompany Marion Police and Marion Building Commissioner Scott Shippey on a site visit on December 11 after police obtained a search warrant to enter 464 Front Street.

            Walega said she observed at least one dead animal on the property, trash throughout the house, animal feces in beds and on the floors, rodent droppings in the basement, a pervasive odor throughout the house, inadequate egress in rooms, and the house was infested with insects.

            Walega also submitted some photos she took with her phone to the Board of Health, photos offered to The Wanderer, which we declined to publish.

            “Based upon the above-noted observations and as the Health Agent… I concluded and remain of the opinion that the dwelling unit at 464 Front Street… is unfit for human habitation, is unsafe, and is a threat to the health and safety of the occupants…” said Walega. “It is further my opinion that the level of risk posed by the condition of said dwelling unit requires me to order the condemnation of said dwelling unit, effective immediately…”

            The property owner will be allowed to enter the property between certain specified hours for the purpose of remedying the public health threats Walega described.

            “These pictures are very self-explanatory,” said Board of Health member Dot Brown, before motioning to condemn the house.

            The Town reserves the authority to demolish the home if after one year the property owner has not brought the home into compliance with the minimum standards of the Sanitary Code of Marion.

            Police have charged property owner Lauren Fisher with two counts of animal cruelty, and was also charged with interfering with a police officer and resisting arrest.

            During her arraignment at Wareham District Court of December 13, Fisher pleaded not guilty and was freed on bail and told she is not allowed to possess any animals at this time.

            The search warrant resulted from an investigation that began with a December 9 report that multiple animals were being neglected and dead animals had recently been removed from the property, according to a press release the town issued on December 11.

            Dozens of animals were found inside the house and on the property, including several miniature horses, potbelly pigs, ducks, rabbits, turkeys, chickens, dogs, cats, and exotic birds.

            According to police, at least five people were living in the home on December 11 when police arrived, including children who have since been relocated and placed with relatives.

            The children were not present during the time of the investigation of the property.

            In 2000, Fisher was charged with 48 counts of animal cruelty after police raided her home and took custody of over 80 animals and six children.

            Her next court date is scheduled for January 24, 2020.

            The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Marion Board of Health will be January 7 at 3:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Board of Health

By Jean Perry

Recreational Cannabis Proposal Presented

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            A West Coast cannabis dispensary company is considering opening a recreational adult-use marijuana dispensary in Marion, the town’s Board of Selectmen heard on December 17.

            Marion Town Administrator Jay McGrail made it clear before the appointment that the meeting with Lighthouse Dispensary was simply informational and an exchange of ideas rather than anything solid.

            To put forward a formal application, he noted, interested parties would need to file an application with the Marion Planning Board.

            Ericca Kennedy of the Cannabis Control Commission’s Economic Empowerment Program is seeking to install an adult-use recreational marijuana dispensary at the site of the former Christie’s on Route 6. The lot would maintain its current curb cuts and have entrances on Wells Street and Spring Street, as well as Route 6, and would offer valet parking on a 50-car parking lot. To manage the parking overflow in the busy location, Kennedy assured the selectmen that a full-time parking coordinator would be hired.

            Kennedy is seeking to partner with Lighthouse Dispensary in the project. Lighthouse currently operates two dispensaries in Coachella and Palm Springs, California, and is looking to expand into additional states. Alongside Kennedy was Brad Davis, Lighthouse Dispensary’s chief operating officer.

            The current Lighthouse Dispensary locations showcase art from the local community, Davis said, something that Kennedy wants to continue in a possible Marion location.

            “I want this store to have an immediate and meaningful impact,” Kennedy said. “We would dedicate 100 hours per year to positive impact, including educational workshops and addiction services, including veterans, the elderly, and the disabled.” 

            Kennedy also noted that the store would maintain a boutique feel, and would respect Marion’s established aesthetic by using soft tones.

            Davis noted that Lighthouse uses a different approach to customer service than many other dispensaries.

            “We focus on education by informing our consumers so they can make the most appropriate buying decisions, and also by training and creating professional consultants,” said Davis. “When we have a customer leave a store, they should be educated on their product, excited about their purchase, and comfortable enough to enjoy their experience.”

            Davis also pointed out that Lighthouse only sources the highest quality national and local cannabis. Highly selective in its quality process, the company will only accept product that exceeds Cannabis Control Commission regulations, as well as any additional local regulations.

            Kennedy estimated that the dispensary would fill a minimum of 20 employment positions at a minimum of $18 per hour, as well as being clean, safe, and inclusive for all.

            McGrail planned to put Lighthouse on a future Board of Selectmen agenda for discussion amongst the board, while Kennedy noted that she intends to follow up with the Planning Board, as well.

            The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen will be on January 7 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Board of Selectmen

By Andrea Ray

Sippican Historical Society

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In 1998, the Sippican Historical Society commissioned an architectural survey of Marion’s historic homes and buildings. The survey was funded half by the Sippican Historical Society and half by the Massachusetts Historical Commission. Due to the limits of funding, not all of the historic buildings were surveyed, but over 100 were cataloged and photographed. The results of the survey are in digital form on the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s website and in four binders in the Sippican Historical Society’s office (and at the Marion Town Clerk’s office).

            Marion (Old Rochester) is one of the oldest towns in the United States, and the Sippican Historical Society maintains an extensive collection of documentation on its historic buildings. The Sippican Historical Society will feature one building a week so that the residents of Marion can understand more about its unique historical architecture.

            This installment features 273 Converse Road. On the corner of Allen Street and Converse Road, the rambling house at 273 Converse Road presides over the sweeping curve formed by Converse Road’s intersection with Pleasant Street. Built in 1820 for a branch of the Blankinship family, this Cape Cod home stands on high ground that was called Christian Hill during the 19th century. Blankinship is said to have paid a local carpenter $75 to build the initial portion of this house. By 1855, J.B. Blankinship, a farmer, owned this house and in 1879, Allen and Hadley are listed as this house’s owners. By 1903, Mrs. L.W.R. Allen is listed as the owner.

SRPEDD Route 6 Study

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To the Editor,

            Residents, business owners and public officials should learn about and comment on the SRPEDD Route 6 study (Fairhaven to Wareham) currently in the public hearing phase. On Dec 11, 2019, SRPEDD presented four alternative strategies for developing this important, historic and scenic road so it meets the region’s needs decades into the future. Another hearing will happen Monday – January 6, 2020 6:00PM – 8:00PM Sippican Elementary School 16 Spring Street Marion, MA 02738.

            SRPEDD is looking for consensus in strategy based on numbers of lanes. None of the alternatives presented, however, appear to address concerns raised by residents in summer 2019.  

            Any alternative, as presented, is completely inadequate if implemented as a uniform strategy for all road segments in all Towns. This is because land use characteristics are different along the length of the road.  Any strategy should be first and foremost context sensitive.

            Residents should fill out comment cards and ask for a fifth, context sensitive strategy that demonstrates locations at regular intervals for crossing the road and walking alongside it while balancing vehicle user concerns, especially left hand turns and narrow shoulders. If this fifth strategy includes design exceptions to the standard guidelines, that’s how it needs to be.

            Please attend the January 6 meeting and/or contact SRPEDD (Email comment cards are available here: www.srpedd.org/Route-6-Corridor-Study#HowtoParticipate. The address for all letters is c/o Jed Cornock, Project Manager, SRPEDD 88 Broadway Taunton, MA 02780 jcornock@srpedd.org.

            Please tell transportation planners at SRPEDD to offer a fifth, descriptive, context-sensitive strategy that obviously addresses resident concerns.

            Sincerely,

Bonne DeSousa, 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.

Marguerite “Peggy” Kent Repass

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Marguerite “Peggy” Kent Repass gently passed from this life on December 7, 2019 at her home in Vero Beach, Florida.  Born in Newton, Ma. Peggy was the daughter of Robert Willard Kent and Dorothy Elkins Kent.  Peggy attended Newton High School and the University of Rhode Island where she was captain of the rifle team.  Active throughout her life, Peggy regularly practiced yoga, Tai Chi and Qui Gong, enjoyed tennis, biking, sailing, and golf. She hit a hole-in-one in her ninetieth year. She was a member of The Kittansett Club, The 200 Club, Beverly Yacht Club, and the Moorings. Peggy volunteered as a Librarian in Norwell, and later in Marion, Ma. Peggy took many courses in watercolor, printmaking, collage, book binding, calligraphy, gardening, genealogy, and Japanese flower arranging, among others. She loved complex solitaire games and puzzles. Peggy loved to read and was a founding member of the Marion, Ma. book club. “Reading, she said, inspires the imagination.” At 95, she embarked on a project for the Elizabeth Tabor Library in Marion Ma. to make the access to the entrance easier for young and old alike. Her vision was to create a community gathering place with a reading circle garden, and to enable ADA access while keeping the integrity of this historic building. She was awarded Marion Woman of The Year in 2018 to acknowledge her quiet philanthropy.  Her legacy of protecting the earth and its’ oceans is reflected in the naming of the Marguerite Kent Repass Ocean Conservation Center at Duke University.  Her no nonsense, practical approach to life has earned her life-long friendships and the deep respect of her adoring family. She was predeceased by her loving husband of seventy-one years, George Herbert Repass and her daughter Wendy Suozzo. She is survived by her son Randy Repass, and daughter-in-law Sally-Christine,  son George “Jay” Repass, and daughter-in-law Trish, son-in-law James Suozzo, Grandchildren, Elizabeth, Randy Jr., and Kent-Harris Repass, Christopher, and Matthew Suozzo, Great-Grandchildren Gardner, George and Quinn Holmes, and Mukunda, Puspasara and Balaram Repass, and her care giver Vilma Bryan.  A remembrance gathering will be held at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Elizabeth Tabor Library garden fund Marion, MA.

Sippican Says Farewell to ‘Queen of Kindergarten’

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            Sippican School staff, administrators, and School Committee members honored the retiring “Queen of Kindergarten” during the meeting of the Marion School Committee on December 4.

            Karen Santos has been a kindergarten paraprofessional at Sippican School for 25 years. She will be stepping down at the end of December.

            To commemorate her years at Sippican School, School Committee Chairman Michelle Smith dedicated a copy of the book Extra Yarn, by Mac Barnett, to Santos.

            Several School Committee members and Sippican School teachers honored Santos for her hard work and kindness, noting that Santos has always encouraged her students to be kind and make good choices. She also, they reported, is a “wonderful spirit,” helping others in need, keeping watch over her coworkers, and making sure they are well fed.

            Sippican School Principal Marla Sirois dedicated her own choice of book to Santos: Pass it On, by Sophy Henn. Sirois then old the story of how the Queen of Kindergarten received her distinctive moniker.

            “The new student asked who Mrs. Santos was,” Sirois reported, “and without hesitation, another student told him, “‘She’s the queen of kindergarten!’”

            “We’re holding you to your promise to come visit us,” Sirois said to an emotional Santos, who laughed.

            “I’ll be back here and there as a substitute,” she promised.

            “Thank you so much for all of the time you’ve spent with our young ones,” Old Rochester Regional School District Superintendent Doug White told Santos. “Whenever I needed a pick-me-up, I knew exactly which hall to go down. Because of you, there are many, many Sippican students doing well today.”

            Santos tearfully thanked the staff at Sippican for their support.

            “I really don’t know what to say, which is unusual,” said Santos. “I love this job. I could probably keep doing it for another five or six years, but my family is changing. My kids are having kids. And guess what, Nana’s going to help. But I don’t want to say goodbye.”

            During the meeting, Sirois also announced an upcoming ‘Toys for Tots’ drive. The drive will begin in the next week or two, once official letters come home with Sippican School students, she said.

            “There will probably be boxes to collect toys in the front entryway area,” she explained. “We want that area to be a place where the community shows kindness.”

            The school’s “kindness crew” does a Toys for Tots drive every summer, and the school will hold an all-school meeting soon for the drive soon.

            The next meeting of the Marion School Committee will be held on January 15 at 6:30 pm at Sippican School.

Marion School Committee

By Andrea Ray

Helping Hands and Hooves Christmas Day Swim

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Please join us for a fun family tradition that helps those in need. Helping Hands and Hooves will host the 16th annual Christmas Day Swim at 11:00 am at the Mattapoisett Town Beach. 

            Each swimmer is asked to give a donation of $15 (payable on the day of the swim) and the first 75 swimmers will receive a festive long sleeve t-shirt. 100 percent of the proceeds will go to Helping Hands and Hooves – a non-profit (based in Mattapoisett) that is dedicated to providing therapeutic horseback riding lessons for adults with disabilities.

            If you would like to learn more about Helping Hands and Hooves, visit www.helpinghandsandhooves.org. If you have any questions, please call Debbi Dyson at (508) 758-4717 or email info@helpinghandsandhooves.org.

The Bay Club’s ‘Luncheon Ladies’ Pay it Forward

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            While she takes no credit for pulling together a committed group of women who enjoy breaking bread together as well as bringing joy to others, Wendy Russo is without a doubt a natural organizer.     Russo has been the prime mover behind the Bay Club lunch group, a group of women, friends, and neighbors who meet each Friday for lunch at the club. It is an informal group brought together by their desire to enjoy each other’s company while also planning activities that benefit others. And although the group doesn’t really have a name, per se, its efforts have helped many organizations.

Most recently, they have partnered with the Veterans Association of Bristol County, located on Pine Street in Fall River.

            Russo explained that several members of the lunch group go to the VABC once a month to engage the veterans in social activities, such as the game Left-Right-and-Center, while also visiting with veterans who drop in for a cup of coffee.

            “Many of the veterans are lonely,” Russo quietly acknowledged. The group brings along door prizes comprised of items the vets might need such as razors, clothing, and gift cards to various retail stores. They also provide boxes of hot coffee and a special homemade banana bread baked by one of the volunteers from the Samaritans, another group Russo has helped over the years.

             At the lunch group’s December 6 gathering, each of the more than 30 women brought $25 gift cards, enough for every veteran they serve to have two gift cards each.

            An important aspect of the group’s outreach to the veterans is the dissemination of information.

            “We share information with them about services and how to obtain them; things they might not be aware of,” Russo explained. She believes that veterans oftentimes have a hard time asking for help, so the group’s monthly outreach is an avenue for the veterans to receive important information along with a cup of friendship.

            But as much as the group gives, Russo believes they also receive. Of the veterans, she said, “They become friends we look forward to seeing.”

            Russo is not a novice when it comes to volunteering; she spent 26 years on the phones as a Samaritan. She is currently on the board of directors. Russo was careful in sharing experiences she’s had in her capacity being on the frontlines with the Samaritans, but she also doesn’t shy away from the rougher edge of life where people are in abject emotional turmoil. It could be that her calm gentle demeanor was at times all the caller needed to hear.

            As for the ladies of the lunch group, they too have aided untold numbers. They have taken such projects as providing sanitary products to young girls through a partnership with the YMCA in New Bedford, and putting together care baskets for babies of addicted mothers – babies who oftentimes are not going home. As women and mothers themselves, the lunch group understands the needs of both teenage girls and tiny babies.

            Russo beamed as she explained her recent acceptance as a “cuddler” at a local hospital, a program of volunteers who embrace and rock newborns.

            In addition to many things, Russo is an organizer in possession of a wide network of contacts. When a food pantry noted its need for a new commercial refrigerator, Russo’s network came through.

            “We were able to provide them with the unit and the installation,” she said with a big smile.

            Though the lunch group is indeed an informal gathering of women, they are most assuredly like-minded. When asked to point out who among them stands out as most helpful in the various projects, all pointed to Russo.

            With another smile, Russo said in response to her fellow luncheon ladies: “They all support the projects we take on.”

By Marilou Newell

Developers Dust Off 30-Year-Old Plans

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            Thirty years ago, friends and business partners Steve Napolitano and Ralph Cotellesso purchased lots along Brandt Island Road. After developing one of the three lots with a single-family home now listed as 126 Brandt Island Road, Napolitano said soon after “the economy tanked.”

            Time passed and the partners tried again in the early 1990s to develop the remaining two lots. However, the Board of Health did not approve septic plans and an issue of a stream running between the lots presented other problems, Napolitano explained. The pair withdrew plans and the years passed.

            On December 9, they were once again rolling out concepts on how they wished to develop the two lots when the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission met.

            Napolitano said that modern-day septic technology would most likely make it possible to secure building and BOH permits for the lots. He said they needed to secure permission from the commission to cross jurisdictional wetlands in order to perc test the uplands portions of the lots. He also said that recently the properties had been delineated.

            Commission Chairman Mike King said that the property owners had the right to cross their land to access uplands and suggested that they file a Request for Determination of Applicability to do so. He said that such activity could be conditioned and that this was the best time of the year to perform such testing.

            The informal meeting concluded with Cotellesso, saying they wanted to do everything by the book and thanked the commission for its assistance.

            Earlier in the meeting, James and Joanella Cannell, 3 Water Street, received a Negative determination (no Notice of Intent [NOI] required) on their RDA filing for the conversion of a porch space into 8-by-12 feet of living space. Also receiving a Negative determination was Alan Meyers and Barbara Attianese, 26 Silvershell Avenue, to replace an existing sunroom and two deck spaces with a new deck structure.

            An NOI filed by Samuel and Diane Kinney, 107 County Road, was heard by representative and engineer Doug Schneider. Schneider said his clients planned to construct a new garage after removing existing carports and other outbuildings. The project would also require the extension and improvement of an existing driveway. He said that the entire lot is within the riverfront area of Pine Island Brook. After assuring the commissioners that the project met the performance standards for construction in the riverfront location, the project was approved and conditioned.

            Continued until February 10 was an NOI filed by the Mattapoisett Land Trust and Georgia Glick, Noyes Avenue and Dyar Road, for the removal of invasive species, and an RDA filed by Jesse Davidson, 22 Pine Island Road, for changes to an existing plan of record. Also continued was a request for a Certificate of Compliance filed by Alexandar Makkas, 16 Island View Avenue.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for December 23 at 6:30 pm in the Mattapoisett Town Hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell