A highlight of the Marion Select Board’s February 19 meeting was a two-fold recognition of the successful rescue of a young man who came perilously close to death in Marion Harbor on January 20.
At about 8:00 am that day, 19-year-old Jordan Haims and a friend were duck hunting. Haims was on a boat approximately 200 yards out from Silvershell Beach while his pal was on shore nearby. When his friend saw that he was no longer on the boat, he called 911. Haims had fallen into the water.
Harbormaster Adam Murphy and Police Sergeant Larry Savery arrived on the scene. Haims had managed to pull himself onto the vessel, weakened as he was by severe hypothermia – from the 34-degree water and 21-degree air temperature. Murphy took off his coat and other clothing and put them on the young man. Once he was ashore, firefighters provided warming blankets and IV warming liquids and took him by ambulance to Tobey Hospital.
Just after the event, Fire Chief Brian Jackvony and Chief of Police Richard Nighelli credited the 17-year-old friend who called 911 with saving Haims’ life.
On Tuesday night, Murphy and Savery were themselves credited with saving a young life. They were honored with a Board Citation of special recognition for “performing above and beyond duties in conducting the life-saving rescue.” Chairman Norm Hills called their actions a credit to themselves and to Marion residents, and a “display of the highest standards of public safety professionalism and service.”
After thanking the Select Board and acknowledging outstanding support from colleagues who assisted, the honorees welcomed a guest from the audience to the microphone.
Rachel Haims, mother of the rescued young hunter, came forward. “The thought of losing our son was unimaginable,” she said. “This gift cannot fully captivate the gratitude we feel, but we wanted very much to express it,” she said, gesturing to include husband Russ Haims and Jordan.
Their gratitude took the form of a gift to the town of $10,000.
Haims went on to say that the money is intended to enable responders and other personnel to find a moment to “share in some joy” with people who matter in their lives. She urged them to use it to take a colleague to tea, or dinner, or whatever they enjoyed, implying activities that build bonding and mutual support needed in their critical work.
Russ Haims also expressed gratitude, urging them to “please share this donation with everyone that matters to you because that’s what’s really important.” Jordan smiled shyly as he greeted his rescuers.
The gift was gratefully accepted as the recipients, family, board members and others in the room shared a very uplifting moment.
Then it was back to business as the board moved to the remaining agenda.
Before devoting time to a detailed presentation on the proposed town budget for Fiscal Year 2026, the board moved through a number of items with minimal discussion, including: accepting a donation from the Friends of Marion Recreation toward flooring for the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center; appointing Ms. Taryn Munroe to a three-year term on the Energy Management Committee; approving a request from the town clerk to add to the ballot for May 16 a vacant position on the Open Space Acquisition Commission; and delegating Nighelli the responsibility for assigning police details for all elections in 2025. Discussion of approving early voting by mail and in-person was tabled.
Additional approved items included extending use of the Music Hall by Taber Library until March 25 due to minor delays in its renovations; two one-day alcoholic beverage licenses to the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra at Tabor Academy on the evenings of March 14 and 15; and two water/sewer commitments for $735.70 and $2,771.34 for recent final readings.
Updating the board on construction at the Department of Public Works building, Gorman reported the framing of the mezzanine has been completed, that the project is “on track,” and the site looks good. As to the now-completed harbormaster building, a celebratory Open House was scheduled for February 22.
The timeline for the Annual Town Meeting was reviewed and is also available on the town website. The meeting will take place on Monday, May 12, at 6:45 pm at the Sippican Elementary School. The deadline to submit warrant articles, including citizens’ petitions, is Friday, March 14. The warrant closes Tuesday, April 1, and will be posted the next day, April 2. Gorman noted that the upcoming municipal election will be on Tuesday, May 16.
The minutes from January 14 and January 22 were approved as written.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Marion Select Board will be held on Tuesday, March 4, at 6:00 pm in the Town House Conference Room, 2 Spring Street.
Marion Select Board
By Mary McCann Fiske