After a third and final interview for the one-year appointed position to the Marion Board of Health, the Marion Board of Selectmen on August 13 chose Dot Brown as the one who will fill the seat left vacant by Betsy Dunn, who resigned from the board some weeks ago.
Brown made an impression on the board with her extensive knowledge and experience in water protection, in particular her knowledge of the impact failing septic systems have on water quality and her direct experience assisting in the drafting of a comprehensive wastewater plan.
Brown is currently involved with the Buzzards Bay Coalition’s “Baywatcher” program as a water sample collector both on shore and in the harbor.
She also possesses science and engineering skills, research skills, … “and I have a desire to help Marion come up with workable solutions.”
“I think you’d be a great asset to the Board of Health because I agree with you that septic systems are a real problem and we need to get a handle on them,” said Selectman Norm Hills.
Selectman John Waterman commented that Brown would also be valuable in the area of developing more contemporary septic system guidelines and help address the issue of nitrogen from fertilizers released near the water.
“Both of those are things that we’re hoping to move ahead,” said Waterman.
“You provided me with everything that I need to know,” Hills stated just before motioning to appoint Brown.
“She brings a perspective and an interest particularly in this area of septics and geology … and the other candidates didn’t seem to offer this,” said Waterman, although he did remark on the strong qualifications of the other two candidates, both former Board of Health members, Albin Johnson and Jason Reynolds.
On another topic, the Marion Garden Group continues in its efforts to beautify the town even further with the donation of another sign.
The new sign, designed to match the ‘Welcome to Marion’ sign the group donated last year, will replace the town reader board at the corner of Front Street and Route 6 where the town routinely posts news and event dates throughout the year.
That sign sits on state land, not town-owned land, so no vote to approve was required of the selectmen, Town Administrator Jay McGrail told the board. All that was required was a “blessing” from the board.
“You’re blessed,” said Hills.
Marion Garden Group member Liz Hatch said the cost of the sign is $7,000, and the associated landscaping is $2,000, all paid for by funds raised by the group.
The current sign will be refurbished and given to the Council on Aging to use outside the community center near Route 6.
In other business, the Fall Special Town Meeting has been scheduled for Monday, October 21, with a deadline for article submissions set for September 10. Selectmen will close the warrant on September 20, post it September 23, and have the printed version in the hands of voters on October 7.
There are already 20 articles slated for the warrant, including one for a harbor-related feasibility study, the selling of the town-owned Atlantis Drive building, and several bylaw codification articles.
Also during the meeting, the board met with two candidates for appointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals: Michelle Smith, ZBA member of five years up for reappointment, and Ted North. The board grilled the two candidates on their knowledge of the town’s zoning bylaws and their experiences related to all matters of the ZBA. Current ZBA Chairman Marc LeBlanc will attend a reappointment interview with the selectmen during next week’s meeting.
In other matters, the board gave final approval for the aquaculture license for Shea Doonan’s Hammetts Cove aquaculture farm. The board granted approval for Doonan’s application to move forward through the rigorous state permitting process in December of 2017 and then approved the license on September 4, 2018. After that approval it was discovered that Doonan’s filing with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was incomplete. Doonan has since satisfied those requirements. Marion Harbormaster Isaac Perry was present to recommend approval.
The board gave its approval on an updated town administrator job description, which was built from a draft provided by the Collins Center and completed with the assistance of town counsel. The job description spells out the direction and roles and responsibilities of the town administrator, “and where I fit in the chain here,” said McGrail.
“So I think we have a pretty good document … to really lay out what I’m really here to do and how I fit into the puzzle in the Town of Marion.”
Town Planner Gil Hilario presented the board with an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) grant opportunity, but before submitting an application the town must have satisfied three prerequisites: conduct a self-evaluation of town-owned buildings for handicap access non-compliance, draft a transition plan, and prioritize projects into an action plan. The board reviewed and approved all three, allowing Hilario to move ahead. The deadline to apply for the grant is October 8.
The board accepted a grant for $1,000 from the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts for Music Hall landscaping maintenance.
McGrail’s office will be moving upstairs to the second floor of the Town House adjacent to the finance director’s office, and the office of the Board of Selectmen’s administrative assistant, Debbie Paiva, will also be relocated to the second floor. The current town administrator’s office will remain vacant for most of the time, except for when the town administrator uses it during the day to meet with anyone unable to climb the stairs to the second floor. It will be reassigned as a “Board of Selectmen’s Office” where selectmen will occasionally meet with constituents and for other boards wishing to utilize the space to hold meetings.
Meg Steinberg was appointed to the Marion Historical Commission.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen will be held on August 20 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town Hall.
Marion Board of Selectmen
By Jean Perry