During Tuesday night’s public meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board, members heard from Town Administrator Mike Lorenco the stages that have taken or will take place from the UMass Boston Collins Center school-consolidation study.
Present throughout the evening was Mattapoisett School Committee member Carly Lavin, who has stepped forward as an active team member for the balance of the study.
Lorenco said that up to September, the Collins team was collecting data. He went on to say that in November, the entire study team that also includes Select Board Chairman Tyler Macallister will be making site visits. During the month of February, the Collins team will begin drafting its report, which is likely to be released in the March-April timeframe.
In the meantime, a survey intended to engage the residents and receive their input on the concept of school consolidation and related matters will be posted on the town’s website (Mattapoisett.net) on Friday, October 21. This data, once collected, will become part of the Collins report. Macallister suggested that those residents needing assistance to complete the online-only survey should use the services of the library or the Mattapoisett Council on Aging.
Lorenco said that at least two public meetings are also planned. The date is Wednesday, November 2, at 10:00 am in the Knights of Columbus Hall and again that evening at 6:00 pm in the Old Rochester Regional High School cafeteria. Lorenco is also planning a remote-meeting option as well, possibly for November 9 or 17. He encouraged the public to get involved in the process and that school-choice families will be allowed to participate.
Earlier in the meeting, the Select Board and Lorenco announced a procedural error had taken place in regards to two appointments to the Finance Committee. In July, it was noted, while processing all appointed positions held by residents for terms nearing expiration, they had failed to have present the town moderator and a member of the School Committee to vote on two expiring appointments on the Finance Committee.
Lavin inquired how the process works. Lorenco and Macallister, along with member Jordan Collyer, said that all appointments have a three-year limit mandated by the state. However, if an appointment expires, the person remains appointed until such time as the person whose term is expiring is reappointed and sworn in or replaced by a new appointee.
It was further disclosed that two Finance Committee members required reappointment following the established process with the town moderator and school committee member present to vote. Lavin asked how appointees are selected. It was explained that all members of the Finance Committee have finance backgrounds.
Lorenco said he would coordinate having all the necessary parties together after November 4 to make the appointments of Colby Rotler and Kevin Geraghty on par with the appointment bylaw.
It was further noted by Lorenco that there is an open seat on the Capital Planning Committee intended to be filled by a School Committee member. Collyer said anyone interested in a committee appointment should send a letter of interest to the Select Board.
The November 14 Town Meeting Warrant was opened with Lorenco saying he didn’t anticipate anything out of the ordinary, just a few finance-related matters and possibly eight or nine articles for voters to hear.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board was not scheduled upon adjournment.
Mattapoisett Select Board
By Marilou Newell