Haunted New England at the Mattapoisett Library

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On Wednesday, October 30 at 6:30 pm, the Mattapoisett Free Public Library will be hosting Christopher Daley’s “Haunted New England” presentation. Melding historical fact together with legend and myth, Mr. Daley will present an interesting and fascinating new look at events that really happened and the stories of haunting that followed them.

            The topics addressed in his lecture will be “Mercy Brown: The Vampire of Exeter Rhode Island”, “the Cursed Freetown State Forest in Massachusetts”, “the Horrors of the Lizzie Borden House in Fall River Massachusetts”, “Nine Mens Misery in Cumberland Rhode Island”, a haunted forest in the wilds of Connecticut, and more! Join us for a night of mystery and wonder!

            The Mattapoisett Free Public Library continues to host Mad Scientist Laboratory for students ages 12 and up to perform ghoulish experiments in the name of science!  At the last session on Wednesday, October 30, we will learn some anatomy of the human heart before dissecting and manipulating a gelatin heart in Gelatin Heart Science!

            On Tuesday, October 29 at 6:00 pm, we invite students aged 12 and up to scare us at our “Young Adult Storytime: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”. Sign up to read your favorite scary story or one you have written. The best and scariest one will win a prize. Refreshments will be served. Please register for a 10-minute slot; registration will be open up until time of event. 

            All programs are free and open to the public. If you have any questions or need special accommodations, please contact the library at 508-758-4171 or email the Adult Services/Reference Librarian, Michelle Skaar at mskaar@sailsinc.org.

Mattapoisett Special Town Meeting

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To the Editor:

            “A stitch in time saves nine” this is so very true! -very short notice?

            A special town meeting has been called for November 4th for a proposed By-law change on recreational marijuana.  This By-law passed at our Annual Town Meeting in May.  The call to duty is out. If you love your drug free town please don’t be a no-show on November 4th.

            Sincerely, 

George P. Randall, 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.

Broker Inquires About Town Center Property

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            Rochester Town Planner Steve Starrett alluded to a new real estate interest in the Limited Commercial District during the Rochester Planning Board meeting on October 16, forested property that was once the proposed location for a contentious solar farm plan that ultimately failed to come to fruition.

            Starrett told the board with some reserve that a real estate company inquired about the parcel, which is located within the town center Historic District; he did confirm that the business interest was not for a solar farm.

            During a follow-up after the meeting, Starrett said the broker had expressed an interest in the property and asked Starrett, “So, what could we do with it?”

            Whoever it is, said Planning Board Chairman Arnie Johnson, they better be prepared to conduct an archeological survey.

            “That’s what stopped it,” said Johnson.

            Starrett listened with interest, as he assumed the town planner position well after the 2015 NextSun Energy solar project that garnered a wave of opposition from residents.

            “That’s actually turtle habitat over there, too,” added Johnson before giving Starrett a brief history of the rise and fall of the solar project plan.

            As Johnson put it, the “pissing match” between the Massachusetts Historical Commission and the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program was what eventually halted the project. The Massachusetts Historical Commission wanted to dig holes for an archeological survey, but the NHESP opposed the digging due to the presence of endangered turtles and the site being designated as a turtle habitat.

            “They were fighting amongst themselves and it killed it, so whoever… will face the same issue,” said Johnson.

            Starrett explained that as it stands now, very few things could feasibly done with the over 10-acre lot that could be potentially lucrative and also be approved by all the parties involved in the process.

            In other matters, the board reviewed its draft decision to grant approval to Rochester Farms, LLC owned by Craig Canning for a large-scale solar farm off Marion Road. The board will take a formal vote during a special meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 31.

            The public hearing for an age-restricted housing development on Rounseville Road beside Plumb Corner has again been continued until the November 12 meeting at the applicant’s request.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board is scheduled for October 31 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

Rochester Planning Board

By Jean Perry

Pine Wars

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            When you think about the American Revolution, do you think of “taxation without representation,” the Boston Tea Party, and the Boston Massacre as the principal reasons behind the war? They are, of course, the primary factors behind the revolution that we are taught in school, but a deeply rooted unrest among the colonists would grow and branch out during the years that preceded the war.

            There is a whole lot more to the story, says Rochester Historical Society President Mack Phinney.

            Once upon a time, the landscape in which we now dwell was once dominated by ancient, towering Eastern White Pines. As the tallest pine species in North America, the Eastern White Pine has been called the “Sequoia of the northeast”, with some that once stood at 250 feet tall and five feet wide after 400 hundred years of growth.

            To the Native Americans, the White Pine was sacred. To the colonists, the White Pine was vital in the economic development of New England’s original Massachusetts Bay Colony. With its length and girth and, of course, its abundance, the White Pine was unlike anything the explorers to the New World had ever seen.

            “The explorers from Europe, especially England,” said Phinney. “They noticed all the pines and were excited about it.”

            The reason they were excited by the pines, said Phinney, is because the British Royal Navy had cut down nearly every single tree on the British Isles to build ships. The British Royal Navy had to import trees from Norway, but its main enemy of the time, the French, would often intercept the ships and claim the precious resource for its own use.

            According to Phinney, one Captain George Weymouth saw the trees and wrote about them, “And when he went back to England, he went to the king… and the king got all excited about it.”

            This, Phinney said, is part of the reason why the Pilgrims and early colonists were supported in their intent to colonize the New World.

            “A lot of investors saw these resources here and they wanted them, so they… set up the colony so they could get the resources and make money off of it. It was all about the resources and all the money they could make.”

            And when there is money involved, there is inevitably contention.

            The Eastern White Pine, known as the Weymouth Pine in the United Kingdom, was needed badly by the British to keep their thousands of naval ships in working order with tall masts that needed changing every five years.

            “White pines made the best masts of all the trees,” Phinney said. “They were tall, straight, flexible – had to be flexible in the wind… They were relatively lightweight…”

            Lightweight you might ask? Thirty tons is considered lightweight? It is when compared to the weight of an oak. After the White Pine was cut, dried, and processed, it dropped to a weight of a mere 10 tons. And you couldn’t find oaks that were tall and straight enough to make into a sufficient mast. The pines became known as “mast pines.”

            The colonists cut, processed, and, after dragging the masts down wide, long roads miles long (Think Mast Road in Plymouth), they then loaded the pines onto long, cumbersome ships and sailed them to England, where the navy built ships from them.

            The contention began in 1689 when King George decided that he wanted his cut in the economic bounty the White Pine offered.

            “This didn’t sit well with the colonists,” said Phinney. “King George became very unpopular with the colonists because he would claim everything was his – he would make money off of everything.”

            Phinney read a snippet from the 1669 Charter of the Massachusetts Bay, in which King George ordered every tree with a diameter of 24 inches within 10 miles of the coast marked with the “King’s Broad Arrow” – a vertical line topped with an upside-down ‘V’ – with an ax and reserved as the sole property of the British Royal Navy. Anyone found felling a mast tree without a license would be punished.

            Surveyors were sent from England to mark the trees and enforce this new order by seeing that only licensed colonists were felling the trees for the importation to England for naval shipbuilding.

            “The colonists were cutting trees, preparing them to be shipped – they got paid not a lot,” said Phinney. “And if (the trees) weren’t accepted, no money.”

            Phinney said one 24-inch wide, 27 –yard long mast pine was worth 35 British pounds, “And that’s pretty good money back then.”

            Felling, dragging, and processing the mast pines was hard work, said Phinney. There was no exchange of money until the product reached the shores of England where, sometimes, the lumber would be rejected if it failed the inspection of the Royal Navy. Adding to that, the colonists were no longer permitted to use the trees for their own use.

            “I find it hard to believe that lumbermen from Maine, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts… appreciated the king coming into what they considered their land, marking their trees, telling them they couldn’t cut them, and then shipping them off to the navy.”

            So what did they do?

            “They started cutting them,” said Phinney. “And they probably enjoyed it.”

            The colonists were often dressed as Indians when they fell the pines, Phinney said. “The king wasn’t happy with it.”

            There were a number of skirmishes between colonists and British deputy surveyors there to hunt down violators of the king’s charter, ultimately leading to what is known as “The White Pine War” that started in Weare, New Hampshire.

            “The White Pine tree played a great role in the Revolutionary War, before and after,” said Phinney.

            Many flags and state seals featured the White Pine, and even coins dating back to 1652 featured the White Pine.

            “They were very important to these people,” said Phinney.

            Phinney gave a talk titled “Pine Wars” during the October 16 meeting of the Rochester Historical Society. Find out about future RHS events when published in The Wanderer and by visiting its Facebook page “Rochester, MA Historical Society”.

By Jean Perry

Teaching Children About Jesus

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Bring your children! Bring your grandchildren! Invite your friends and neighbor’s children to a special worship service at First Congregational Church of Rochester, 11 Constitution Way in Rochester, on November 3 at 10:30 am! On this Sunday, Linda Summer of the Agape Puppet Ministry will use chalk drawings and other storytelling supplies to deliver the message to children and adults. A church potluck meal will follow the service for additional fellowship with Linda and a love offering will be taken. The Agape Puppet Ministry is a nonprofit ministry whose mission is “to tell the children of the world about Jesus and equip others to share with their own children.” Each year, Linda and her staff share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with over 70,000 children, teenagers, and adults across five continents. For more information, please call the church office at 508-763-4314.

Thoughts on: Transfer Stations, Landfills and Dumps

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My friend Bob tells how his family once lived in the town dump. Bob did not live in the town dump, but his story resonated with me. The 1920 town census listed my grandmother as living in a sand pit.

            Seven houses now sit on the land my friend Bob referred as the town dump. It is directly across the street from the Mattapoisett Town Hall and is known as Mahoney’s Lane. In the early days of Mattapoisett when most everybody lived in the village it was indeed the town dump. As years passed it became evident that a more suitable location had to be found as the depository of Mattapoisett’s trash.

            Before there was a Dunkin’ Donuts and a 7 Eleven hard by Salty the Seahorse there was a Salvation Army store, before that an A&P Supermarket and before that there was infamous town dump of my youth.

            Every Wednesday was burning day when the pile was set ablaze. The smoke would drift across Rt. 6 and engulfed our tiny neighborhood like a dense fog on a summer morning engendering a weekly epidemic of coughing, sore throats and burning eyes not to mention the stench. We could hear the seagulls call as they circled the carcasses of discarded treasures. And then there were the rats.

            In the summer the pile of rubble would swell to massive proportions.  In the fall the summer residents would depart leaving only the refuse of the year-round villagers.

            Before long the village was relieved of its suffering when the dump was moved, again, along with the seagulls and rats, to what in those days were the outskirts of the town. Its new home was alongside the abandoned railroad bed now known as Industrial Drive just west of Mahoney’s store. On weekends my father would let me drive our blue 1955 Chevy station wagon to the dump to make our weekly deposit.

            Currently the dump, or transfer station, as it is now called, where you have to pay to unload your trash, resides farther north into what were once the boondocks. The State closed most dumps and sanitary landfills for all the right reasons. They polluted the ground water, contaminated wells and caused all manner of problems.

            Somehow though, I miss the dump, perhaps because I got my son’s first bike at one. Actually it was a red tricycle in perfect condition. It must have been in someone’s trunk and they left it there by accident when they took it out to get to that week’s trash. They were probably talking to someone and got distracted. You’d meet your friends at the dump. At election time all the politicians, would-be politicians and candidates from selectman to fence viewer (do we still have fence viewers?) would gather with their red and blue signs. Sometimes they would be green if an Irish person was running. Scouts or little leaguers would often accost you requesting a donation.

            Trash is mostly picked up by a commercial service now. The dump, er sanitary landfill, er, transfer station is mostly used for “clean” refuse and broken household belongings.

            Oh, by the way, grandma did not live in a sand pit. She lived in a small house on what is now Driscoll Lane. The sand pit was nearby where now many fine homes have been built to create a nice neighborhood.

By Dick Morgado

Barbara Goodwin Hill

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Barbara Goodwin Hill of Marion, MA devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend to all passed away peacefully on October 23rd, 2019.

            Barbara is preceded in death by her husband John A. Hill, Jr. and two children Gregory Hill and Nancy Hill McLachlan. She is survived by five children John A. Hill, III and his wife Ann of Milton, MA; Martha Horan and her husband Thomas of Dracut, MA; Betsey Christiansen and her husband Terrance of Marion, MA; David Hill and his wife Germaine of Black Mountain, NC; and Jennifer Armbrecht of Panama City, FL, 11 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

            Barbara was born on August 22,1919 in Lowell Massachusetts to William and Eva Goodwin.

            She grew up in Chelmsford, MA and graduated from Chelmsford High in 1937. She graduated from Emerson College in 1942. She went on to work at Oak Grove School in Vassalboro, Maine as the Director of Speech and Drama.

            In 1943 Barbara married her high school sweet heart John and began raising her large family.

            All who knew Barbara will never forget her dramatic style, her melodic voice, and her charm. She loved sewing, cooking, watching sports especially the Red Sox and the Patriots. In her 100 years of life Barbara witnessed incredible changes in the world. She kept active in her children’s and grandchildren’s lives and stayed up with current trends and events by reading avidly, and often engaging in intellectual discussions with her family and friends. She had a great sense of humor and a love of life.

            Now she is at peace and will always be deeply loved by all whose lives she touched.

            A memorial service will be held at Oakland Cemetery in Dracut, MA on Saturday, November 2nd at 11:30 am followed by a celebration of life luncheon. In lieu of flowers an unsolicited act of kindness for someone in need would honor Barbara’s memory. For online guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

OC Football Battles Back, Remains Undefeated

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            Old Colony football almost saw its unbeaten season slip away. But “almost” doesn’t count in football.

            For the first time all season, the Cougars allowed a team to score twice in a half, with Upper Cape scoring 16 in the first half of Saturday’s matchup. Old Colony’s defense adjusted and stood strong in the second half, while the offense woke up and bullied the Cougars toward a 23-16 win.

            As has been the case for the entire 2019 season, Old Colony’s offense was led by Blake Dennison and Thomas Stanton.

            Stanton continued his touchdown streak, scoring one against Upper Cape. Has scored in each of the Cougars’ six wins on the year. He also rushed for 46 yards on seven carries.

            Although Stanton continues to perform on the offensive end and was the team’s dominant back at the start of the season, Dennison has developed into the team’s primary back over the last few weeks. And although Dennison wasn’t able to eclipse the century mark against Upper Cape, he scored twice and pounded his way to 96 yards on 16 carries (six yards per carry).

            His performance on Saturday was the first in which he didn’t run for 100 yards since Old Colony’s second win of the season, when the Cougars knocked off Keefe Tech 6-0.

            Old Colony volleyball continues to dominate the opposition, now having won five consecutive games, securing a Mayflower Athletic Conference Small Vocational Division title in the process.

            Blue Hills was the latest opponent the Cougars were able to knock off, winning in four sets. Old Colony took the first set 25-18, the third 25-22 and fourth 25-20. The lone exception was a 26-24 loss in the second set.

            Kat Kirby had 10 kills in the wing, building off her six kills in the 3-1 win over Tri-County. She also had six kills in the 3-0 sweep of Upper Cape.

            Hope Bagnell served well, logging seven aces in win No. 15 for the Cougars.

Old Rochester Regional

            Old Rochester Regional football managed to survive a high-scoring affair against non-conference opponent Nauset, improving to 5-1 with the 34-26 win.

            More importantly, the Bulldogs’ 4-1 South Coast Conference record proved to be enough for SCC Large co-champions honors with Somerset Berkley.

            In the win over Nauset, ORR saw two players finish with over 100 yards rushing apiece. Jackson Cote was dominant against the Warriors, finishing with 161 yards. He also scored twice. Ryon Thomas ran for 104 yards and also scored a touchdown. Thomas also had a passing touchdown, connecting with Tommy Desrosiers for a 20-yard score.

            Cam Brezinski finished and scored a touchdown on the ground as well, running for 63 yards in the win.

Tabor Academy

            Tabor Academy girls soccer now sits at 7-4 after a tough 3-1 loss to Buckingham Browne and Nichols and a 6-0 win over St. George’s School.

            Jaydah Bedoya scored the lone goal for the Seawolves in the loss. She also had a goal, as well as an assist, in the big win over St. George’s.

            Brooke Ingemi led Tabor with two goals against St. George, while Jess Almeida, Bella Garces, and Claudia Rogers each scored one.

High School Sports Update

By Nick Friar

Mattapoisett Voters Pass All Articles, But Not Easily

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            On October 21, 127 Mattapoisett voters participated in the purest form of the democratic process, Town Meeting, to decide the fate of 20 Fall Special Town Meeting warrant articles.

            Generally speaking, a special town meeting is a time to fill in budgetary shortfalls or other spending needs not known or addressed during the spring Annual Town Meeting.

            The Fall Special Town Meeting on this night was a bit different.

            Finance Committee Chairman Pat Donoghue framed the meeting saying that the main point was to allocate certified free cash to those budgetary line items that fell short. She also stated that “one-time” expense items are also handled at this time of the year, given that free cash has been verified and those items, especially those on the Capital Plan that were put to the side awaiting verification, could now be presented for consideration.

            Donoghue also pointed out that half of all free cash was slated for various stabilization funds via articles in the warrant.

            Before town meeting advanced to financial articles, Article 3, a Home Rule Petition for cost-sharing of the Old Rochester Regional school resource officer was discussed.

            Sponsored by the Board of Selectmen, the article asked voters to approve a Home Rule that would allow Mattapoisett to share the cost of funding a school resource officer at Old Rochester Regional with Marion and Rochester, a $74,000 expense that Mattapoisett has solely born for a number of years.

            That article passed unanimously, 110-0, but earlier that same night the Rochester Board of Selectmen would discuss the validity of the Home Rule Petition and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s determination that the Home Rule Petition was the wrong avenue for splitting the SRO cost between the member towns.

            In a follow-up email with Town Administrator Michael Gagne, he said that regardless of the mechanism utilized to recoup some of the cost from Marion and Mattapoisett, “[I]t’s not unreasonable for the other towns to pony-up”, and that students from all three towns were being protected. He said a verbal agreement that took place some time ago between the three town administrators and three police chiefs should be honored.

            Article 5 asked the voters to allow the Board of Selectmen to establish a seven-member committee for the purpose of evaluating the future space needs of the local schools and the town hall. The committee would be charged with studying the costs associated with having two elementary schools versus one, whether a vacated school might be used as a future town hall, or if the current town hall could be renovated and the costs associated with each option. Public comment was brisk.

            Resident Sarah Storer questioned why the schools were being lumped together with the town hall study and wondered if it was a foregone conclusion that town offices would one day be relocated to a vacated school.

            Liz Milde said this was the first time she was hearing about such a possibility and questioned why this was being brought up at a fall special town meeting versus the Annual Town Meeting, which, historically, would have more voters in attendance.

            School Committee member James Muse said this matter had not been discussed by the school committee, either, and wondered at restrictions placed on the use of schools based on how past renovations and structural improvements had been funded. While admitting that overall school attendance had been on a steady downturn, Muse said that did not constitute “an exodus.” He asked that anything coming out of such a study be “non-binding.” 

            Milde asked for two amendments to the article. One amendment could establish the committee with five members being appointed by the School Committee instead of the selectmen. This was defeated 58-35. The second amendment asked that the study’s results be brought to the voters in May 2021. That amendment carried 78-7.

            There was a move by Michelle Bernier to indefinitely postpone the article to effectively kill it on town meeting floor. That was also defeated. Article 5 was carried with the May 2021 amendment in a vote of 99-28.

            But possibly the biggest surprise of the night was indeed related to finances and spending when Charles “Chuck” McCullough was invited to the podium by moderator John “Jack” Eklund to share his comments on Article 9, an amendment to the fiscal year 2020 budget.

            The article asked voters to approve tax levy spending of $27,500 to increase salaries for the Board of Health by $7,500, the Fire Department by $10,000, and Town Building for $10,000. 

            McCullough said he had spent the weekend reviewing town employee wages and benefits. He said he used FY20 figures and determined that, over the past 10 years, the town’s budget had increased by 42.5 percent, or $9.8 million. He said that equated to an average spending of $90,000 “each day of the year.” He continued on reading from prepared notes, saying that employee benefit costs will hit $4.1 million this year, which he classified as an 82-percent increase over the past 10 years.

            McCullough stated that the $27,500 being asked for in Article 9 would come to $300,000 over the next 10 years. He said he wasn’t questioning the need or value of the request, but instead that the level of spending planned was not sustainable. At this rate, he projected, in the next ten years the town budget would increase by another 42 percent, another $13.5 million, pushing the total budget to more than $46 million or $7,200 annually “for every man, woman, and child residing in Mattapoisett.”

            McCullough ended his comments by asking those in attendance, “Can we afford this article?” As he returned to his seat, there was muted but noticeable applause.

            Gagne responded in a follow-up by saying he welcomed the opportunity to delve into the comments made by McCullough, to sit down with him and the town’s finance team, and come up with data that either supported his comments or otherwise “evaluated the veracity of the data.”

            Diane Perry asked from the floor for the indefinite postponement of Article 9 to grant further study. No one seconded her motion. The article carried 66-8.

            Article 1 carried 89-1 to grant veterans and their families tax relief. Article 2, which carried 95-5, grants board members the right to vote on matters if they are not present at a meeting and certify they have reviewed any and all documents associated with the matters before them and may only be used when one meeting and not consecutive missed meetings.

            Article 4, a Home Rule Petition, carried unanimously and would allow the town to assess as personal property a solar or wind system capable of producing 25 kilowatts. This Home Rule Petition, if approved by the state, would close a loophole in current regulations that might allow alternative energy producers to pay nothing in the way of taxes.

            Article 6 carried 126-1 and allows the town to accept a gift of land from Robert Gingras for property situated near Old Hammondtown School and the Knights of Columbus Hall.

            Article 7 appropriating $500,000 from certified free cash to the Town Stabilization Fund carried 127-0. Article 8 also carried 127-0 to spend $50,000 to fund the creation of a new Master Plan.

            Article 10, to supplement the FY20 budget, carried 89-2 in the amount of $167,000 from certified free cash, with the large sums of $40,000 each going to Reserve Fund and Accrued Liability Funding.

            Several Capital Improvement projects were funded via Article 11, which carried 89-2 for a total of $62,000 with $15,000 going to town building repairs, $25,000 to town buildings and school infrastructure appraisals, and $22,000 to the Highway Department to replace lawn and snow removal equipment.

            Article 12 and 13 carried 85-5 for the funding of waterfront improvements at $75,000, and funding design, engineering, and bidding work for $50,000 for the town landfill proposed to be used for a solar array for municipal purposes, harbor improvements and repairs to Long Wharf, and OSHA Workplace Safety Compliance.

            Article 14 carried 87-2 allowing for library and clerical non-union wage and step increases for two administrative positions and other library personnel.

            Article 15, the American Legion agreement, garnered a bit of discussion as it asked voters to authorize the selectmen to enter into an agreement to acquire the property. Questions were raised as to the current structural condition of the former schoolhouse with Bill Cantor, an abutter, saying that the neighbors did not think those using the building were “good neighbors.” He said that cars were being parked on neighboring lawns, there was trash and noise, and that it’s “an inappropriate use at this location.”

            An amendment from the floor to roll this into a wider study granted earlier in the evening versus accepting the building and paying for a new roof for the sum of $15,000 from free cash was defeated. The article narrowly passed 42-40.

            Easements addressed in Article 16 for drainage systems, and Article 17 for powerlines carried, 80-0 and 79-1, respectively. Another easement, Article 18, for access easements for Tinkham Forest, brought a bit of levity to the proceedings when Gagne said the reason the article was included now was because he had been working on this matter his entire 10-year tenure as town administrator and he wanted it finished before he retired in the coming weeks.

            There was some discussion regarding the trails and a nearly complete rewrite of the article by Gagne after Dave Andrews noted that access by the public into the forest should be as useful as “the original ancient trails.” The article was amended to accept improved language, carrying 70-0.

            Selectman Jordan Collyer cut to the chase on Article 19 when he loudly proclaimed, “We want to put solar up at the landfill.” He said it would be a win-win for the town and at that location was “out of sight, out of mind.” The article carried 70-0.

            And finally, Article 20, Mattapoisett Public Works improvement bond, asked voters to approve $2,535,000 for several big-ticket projects – a bridge replacement on Acushnet Road at $375,000, and infrastructure improvements to Industrial Drive, including pedestrian and bicycling lanes crossing North Street and continuing to the end of Industrial Drive to the Marion line, with the town’s share being $1,665,000. However, the project would not be executed unless and until the town receives grants totaling over $2 million.

            Also included in the article will be the construction of an east entrance for the new fire station, and signal lights on Route 6 at a total of $275,000. Collyer noted that this part of the article could be covered by a grant being sought in the amount of $300,000. Engineering and bidding for roadway improvements were also included for the sum of $70,000, and other engineering and design work for $150,000 for drainage systems needed for Holly Lane, Wildwood Terrace, Knollwood Drive, and subdivisions off North Street.

Mattapoisett Fall Special Town Meeting

By Marilou Newell

Marion Art Center

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Halloween Parade – The volunteer witches of the Marion Art Center have been brewing up plans for the annual Halloween Parade around the town on Thursday, October 31. Costumed characters of all ages are invited to join in for this fun family event! Participants should meet in front of the Marion Music Hall (we’ll line up on Cottage Street) at 4:00 pm. Under the direction of Hannah Moore, the Sippican Elementary School drummers will lead the parade of witches and princesses, goblins and ghouls, wild animals, and spooky spirits. The parade route will head south on Front Street, up Main Street, north onto Spring Street and back down Cottage to the Music Hall. Once back at the Music Hall, the good, kind witches of the Marion Art Center will hand out surprise goody bags. Come one, come all! 

            Announcing Auditions at the Marion Art Center – The Marion Art Center has announced open auditions for all roles in the upcoming production of Emmalina Scrooge, written by Steph DeFerie and directed by Jennifer Palmer. Auditions will be held on Saturday, October 26, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm and on Tuesday, October 29, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Marion Art Center at 80 Pleasant Street in Marion. Performances are scheduled on December 6, 7, 13, 14 and 15.  

            Why is young Emmy Scrooge such a… well… scrooge? Perhaps a visit from Charles Dickens and two ghostly sisters can persuade her to have a change of heart. But when even the spirit of her thrice-great-grandfather gives up on her, things don’t look promising… This is sure to become your new holiday favorite!

            Director Jennifer Palmer will be casting 4 males, 2 females, 12 girls, and 8 boys. Auditions will consist of a cold reading from the script, callbacks TBD. Rehearsal schedule to be determined once the show is cast. For more information, please call the Marion Art Center at 508-748-1266 or contact Jennifer Palmer at jengpalmer@msn.com. 

            The Women of Lockerbie – Final Weekend – The Women of Lockerbie is running for the second weekend at the Marion Art Center, with shows Thursday, October 24 through the final performance on Sunday, October 27.  Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 pm, while Sunday matinees are scheduled at 2:00 pm. The play by Deborah Brevoort is directed by Jennifer Palmer and features Kate Fishman, Jessica Harris, Susan Massey, Frank Mitchell, Linda Monchik, Margo Ruggiero, and Jacob Sherburne. Tickets on sale now at www.marionartcenter.org/events/women-of-lockerbie/

            The Year is 1995. A mother from New Jersey roams the hills of Lockerbie Scotland, looking for her son’s remains that were lost in the crash of Pan Am 103.  She meets the women of Lockerbie who are fighting the U.S. government to obtain the clothing of the victims found in the plane’s wreckage. The women, determined to convert an act of hatred into an act of love, want to wash the clothes of the dead and return them to the victim’s families. The Women of Lockerbie is a poetic drama about the triumph of love over hate.