The Marion Select Board met on Tuesday to tackle various action items at a time when local focus begins to draw towards the Annual Town Meeting, the Town Election, and the FY26 budget.
Present in the audience was Planning Board Chairman Andrew Daniel. The board also welcomed Kaylan Valadao, the town’s new treasurer/collector, to her first Select Board meeting. Following the approval of minutes and the approval of various bonds, some stretching to 2045, the board looked on to other items.
The Select Board unanimously approved early voting by mail as well as in-person early voting for local elections. Voting begins Wednesday, May 7, and ends Wednesday, May 14, during regular business hours. It was said that more information can be found on the town clerk’s webpage at marionma.gov.
The next item was a review of potential Town Meeting Warrant articles. There was no voting being done on these, but Town Administrator Geoff Gorman presented them with the floor being open for questions and comments. The Select Board must approve said articles for inclusion in the warrant and make recommendations during their April 1 meeting.
Members from the Historic District Study Committee spoke on the proposed Historic District Bylaw. There were two members of the committee present to clarify features of the bill as well as disagreements over the effects the bill will have on property values and the desire of some to have an “opt-out” of the district. A committee member said, “just because a design meets a zoning law or obtains a zoning variance, doesn’t mean it fits well in a historic neighborhood.” The committee stressed that studies show housing value rises, rather than diminishes.
Following the committee’s time, resident Joe Vergoni of 62 Pleasant Street aired his concerns. He emphasized potential negatives of increasing town bureaucracy, saying, “I feel another level of bureaucracy as a homeowner in Marion, Mass., will be costly and restrictive and is unnecessary.” Vergoni said homeowners should go through existing channels, rather than that of another created body. Committee members stressed the district exists to protect the town’s current nature and to not allow for “anyone to come in and do whatever they want.”
Select Board member Toby Burr told committee members the Select Board would not advance the bylaw to Town Meeting unless certain buildings are excluded, such as the Cushing Community Center.
Next was discussion on the construction of the new Department of Public Works (DPW) building. The Energy Management Committee requested funding for a roof-mounted solar array. The approximate cost of this addition would be approximately $96,000.
Argument soon erupted between Select Board Chairman Norm Hills and Daniel due to the proposed MS4 bylaw similar to one blocked by the Planning Board. Hills said the bylaw is a “general bylaw,” though Daniel countered that it is a “zoning bylaw” and therefore must go through the Planning Board.
Daniel said “because the first attempt failed in Planning, which would have been the proper steps to take. This is a way of circumventing the proper channels.” After further argument, Hills requested “we can discuss this someplace else at this point in time.” Select Board member Randy Parker agreed with Daniel, saying “they started on it, and it’s a slap in the face to pull it away from them.” This was the conclusion of the discussion on MS4.
Daniel discussed the last meeting of the Planning Board the night prior and the extensive discussion on proposed short-term rental (STR) bylaw. He said the changes discussed at the meeting had been made and the new draft had been sent to Town Counsel, where they returned it with “minor changes, mostly wording.” Daniels said they had “piggybacked off what other towns had done and added a touch of Marion to it.”
In his Town Administrator’s Report, Gorman thanked the Select Board, the Planning Board, and the locals who all visited and contributed to a successful open house at the new Maritime Center.
Further talks on the DPW building’s construction saw Gorman say it was on time and on budget, adding the recent talks for the addition of an old-oil burner/recycler. This addition would allow town vehicles to recycle their oil, creating heat for the previously unheated segments of the build. This addition would cost around $48,000, per Gorman. Daniel, who works for the Town of Rochester as its facilities manager, added Rochester does things similarly and allows locals to also bring their own oil to recycle.
Finally, the Select Board discussed spots for the informational prelude to the Annual Town Meeting. As the Music Hall is busy with meetings, the board said there is a possibility to hold the informational session in the Community Center.
The next meeting of the Marion Select Board will be held on Tuesday, March 18, at 6:00 pm in the Marion Town House.
Marion Select Board
By Sam Bishop