Upon the retirement of longtime public servant David Pierce from his final role as chairperson of the Marion Water Committee and the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District Commission, the Marion Board of Selectmen voted to dissolve the water committee and take on its responsibilities.
The Board of Selectmen in Marion also acts as water and sewer commissioners, so it will now divvy up duties associated with the water committee and interact with the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Preservation Advisory Committee and Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply District Commission while keeping its relationship with Rochester intact as well.
Marion Board of Selectmen Chairperson Randy Parker and Department of Public Works Director David Willett already sit on the District Commission, so the transition is expected to flow smoothly.
According to Town Administrator Jay McGrail, this new responsibility will entail quarterly meetings with Rochester Water Commission representative Fred Underhill. McGrail told the meeting that the Water Committee voted unanimously to move forward pending Board of Selectmen’s approval.
Upon hearing this news and engaging in discussion, the selectmen went straight into reconstruction mode. Parker suggested that the quarterly meeting dates follow MRVWSPAC/MRVWSDC meetings so that he and Willett can properly inform with the latest information.
Selectman John Waterman cited the opportunity to include periodic updates on the wastewater treatment plant and Route 6.
Selectman Norm Hills asked if the water committee had a clearly laid-out mission, McGrail said no. Waterman added that the agenda was always the same and suggested the selectmen develop a mission statement to keep the reorganized group on task.
A motion to dissolve the water committee passed, and after discussion, McGrail said the new schedule would be set according to the final Wednesday of each quarter at 4:00 pm. He will invite Underhill and engineers Tata and Howard if appropriate.
As part of McGrail’s Action Item list, a May 19 credit memo Water and Sewer commitment of $1,808.28 was approved.
The board approved the reappointment of Zoning Board of Appeals Chairperson Marc LeBlanc following a one-year term. Potential rotation of the role was discussed as is the case in Marion’s other boards including the Board of Selectmen.
Waterman asked that it be written into the record that the Board of Selectmen waived the standard requirement of an interview and also suggested that Marion get some Tabor Academy people on the town’s committees, be it faculty or administrators. “It’s a way of connecting us better with Tabor,” he said.
Board of Health Chairperson John Howard is a Tabor alumnus and has had children and grandchildren attend the prep school.
In his Town Administrator’s Report, McGrail opened by thanking Pierce for many years serving on Planning Board, Energy Management, Housing Authority, the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply committee and commission and the Board of Selectmen, in several cases serving as chair.
Dave Flaherty was officially introduced as the town’s new, part-time health agent. “Dave is actually the first… in a really long time… health agent who actually works for the town,” said McGrail.
Flaherty has worked for Wareham, Raynham and Yarmouth in health and town administration. Flaherty began working at 10:00 am on May 29, less than an hour after agreeing to a contract. Parker noted prior positive experience working with Flaherty.
McGrail also introduced Caleb White as the town’s summer intern scheduled to work one day per week. White, whose role may expand later in the summer, worked in the Planning department last year in Sandwich. He will be a senior in the fall at Western New England University.
Action items also included a review and approved a new policy for town vehicles that will become effective January 1, 2021.
On Monday, June 15, Marion will hold a public hearing from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm to walk the Board of Selectmen through the 58-article warrant for the June 22 Town Meeting. McGrail will assign articles with each of the three selectmen according to their levels of involvement with those articles so that they can be best prepared for discussion.
As of now, McGrail sees it as a Zoom meeting. “The question part is a little challenging. If we have 15 people, it will be manageable via the chat function or the raising of hands; if it’s 50, that’s more of a challenge. Zoom is not super friendly (for questions),” he explained.
Hills suggested having attendees register so the board can respond with answers. Waterman suggested a moderator categorize questions according to immediate versus prepared, written responses and to set a time limit of 90 minutes for questions and answers.
Parker said the warrant needs to be out to the public beforehand or the hearing doesn’t make a lot of sense. McGrail said the warrant went to the printer over a week ago.
The board authorized McGrail to move on the Mary’s Pond well-field pump-station upgrade. After Tata and Howard estimated costs, $600,000 was budgeted for the projects, and bids came in below that amount. D&C Construction was the low bidder.
McGrail told the board that restaurants will be requesting outside seating areas and that on June 16 there will opportunities for discussion.
Town Meeting’s RSVP process has yielded 30-40 registered attendees; Marion’s quorum is 50. McGrail will know on June 15 if the town needs to use the Tabor Academy fieldhouse as a fourth location.
Asked at adjournment by The Wanderer, McGrail said that the town had planned for the “Kneel for Nine” peaceful protest set for the night of the meeting, June 2, at the Music Hall. “We have staffing plans in place with the Chief of Police (John Garcia); he will be down there to oversee the event.”
The protest remained peaceful, and Garcia kneeled with participants in acknowledgment of last week’s tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the need for healing across the nation.
Marion Board of Selectmen
By Mick Colageo