Good financial news during very trying economic times is precious, but it was a good news kind of day on February 23 for the Marion Board of Selectmen as Town Administrator Jay McGrail was pleased to announce Marion has received $250,000 from the state for the lagoon cleanup project via the Environmental Bond Bill.
McGrail publicly thanked Representative Bill Straus and the state Department of Environmental Protection.
“This is a great relief. Literally from my first day on the job, this is something I’ve been working on with you guys,” he said, noting that while there is no formal commitment for 2022, the outlook remains positive. “At Town Meeting, we’ll be looking for more appropriation, but every penny will help us, that’s for sure.”
McGrail and Marion Finance Director Judy Mooney also had a positive report after vast improvement on the preliminary budget figures they had received from the Old Rochester Regional School District. McGrail told the selectmen he met with ORR Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson and Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber, sharing Marion’s $170,000 budget deficit with those numbers. “After listening to our concerns … I’m happy to say both ORR and Sippican School Committees both have a budget in front of them” that can work for both sides, said McGrail.
ORR will increase its assessment number by 3.2 percent for FY22 and Sippican School just under 2.5 percent.
“I thanked both for listening to our concerns,” said McGrail, who intended to present a balanced budget to the Marion Finance Committee during its February 24 meeting.
The budget season outlook is for the selectmen to meet with FinCom and the Marion School Committee in a joint session on Wednesday, March 3, and McGrail said he would by then have a capital plan recommendation for the selectmen to consider.
Noting the latest information indicating a trend toward lower enrollments, Selectman John Waterman referenced his 2019 suggestion for an analysis. “Their costs are fixed in the short run, (but) they’re not fixed in the long run,” he said. “They can’t assume school choice is good without looking at enrollment and capacity.” Waterman suggested a five-year outlook, noting that while FinCom is historically against school choice, “I am not.”
McGrail is looking to see FinCom vote on the budget at its March 10 meeting.
“Our overall growth is around 2.5 percent, the lowest it’s been in a long time,” said McGrail.
Another way the town intends to recover costs in a way it hasn’t been is via a substantial hike that the selectmen approved in wastewater Infiltration/Inflow mitigation fees from 60 cents per gallon to $13.80 per gallon. McGrail said the new rate reflects Marion’s actual costs of I/I mitigation and that the former fee was antiquated and never updated.
While the fees collected go to the Sewer Enterprise Fund, Waterman suggested strongly that they be tracked in a separate account to ensure they get used for I/I reduction. “If we could see it in the financials,” he said, also suggesting the $10,000 sewer hookup fee, “which technically isn’t just I/I should go in there, too.”
Waterman stressed for those who might consider the hike unfair that $13.80 per gallon is the average price it costs the town. “Sometimes, it actually costs more,” he said.
Marion hopes to exponentially increase its number of septic users via proposed developments in town, and the selectmen discussed a citizens’ petition for an annual Town Meeting warrant article seeking Zoning Classification for property owned by Matthew Zucker.
McGrail, who met with Zucker and Board of Selectmen Chairman Randy Parker, reported that Zucker has indicated he is willing to have a pretty serious discussion with a density cap, “similar to where we are with Henry DeJesus.”
Waterman suggested representatives put it right out there that the town needs assistance from developers in upgrading undersized water mains, so he is “not blindsided with it.” McGrail told the selectmen that he encouraged Zucker to come before the Planning Board to share his ideas.
Attorney Patricia McArdle attended the Zoom meeting and indicated that Zucker reported to her a very positive meeting with Marion’s representative and has also talked with developer Ken Steen.
In a 4:15 pm appointment, Chief of Police Richard Nighelli recommended the appointment of two new full-time officers, Stephen Dawson and Randy Jacob, to fill two of the department’s vacancies. The selectmen approved both recommendations and welcomed Dawson and Jacob to the town.
From New Jersey with family connections in Massachusetts, Dawson is a graduate of the police academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and has worked for the Broward County Sheriff’s Department. He met Massachusetts’ Municipal Training requirements through his work in Florida and brings experience as a therapist and a degree in psychology that Nighelli said would help the town on a regular basis and especially with individuals amidst mental health crisis.
Jacob, a Westport native living in Fall River, graduated in 2019 from the MPTA in Randolph and has been working for the Fall River Police Department in its Environmental Division patrolling the city’s watershed and forest area, focusing on illegal dumping, regular service, domestics, and alarms.
Both officers are appointed effective February 28 to one-year probationary periods.
The Board of Selectmen holds a special meeting on Thursday, February 25, at 6:00 pm via Zoom to review concepts and receive feedback on the strained parking situation on Hiller Street. The selectmen resume their regular schedule next week, meeting on Tuesday, March 2, at 4:00 pm, and will also join the Finance and School Committees for a joint session on Wednesday, March 3, at 7:00 pm.
Marion Board of Selectmen
By Mick Colageo