Marion is close to making a real promise to preserve the historic Town House with a preservation restriction currently in the works that would preserve the historical character of the Town House – the exterior, at least – into perpetuity.
As a requirement for the Community Preservation Act funds allocated by Town Meeting this past May, the Town House must be placed under a preservation restriction to maintain the exterior character of the historical building.
Town Administrator James McGrail said the Sippican Historical Society offered its assistance in applying for the preservation restriction and agreed to hold the restriction under its name.
McGrail presented the Marion Board of Selectmen on October 15 with a draft of the preservation restriction that he said was necessary in order to process the CPA funding to pay for a number of renovations to the building’s exterior.
The Community Preservation Act, while requiring a preservation restriction for the purchase of historical real property, does not require a preservation restriction for renovations to a historical property, but towns are allowed to require preservation restrictions whenever CPA funds are expended on a historic preservation project.
The preservation restriction will also qualify the town for further grants related to the rehabilitation and preservation of the Town House.
McGrail said he forwarded the draft restriction to counsel and had hoped to have the final draft that night for the board to sign, but it was sent to the Historical Society for final approval and McGrail had still not yet been given the OK.
McGrail specified, though, that the Town House Annex, the rear building constructed not long after the original building was built, would also be part of the preservation restriction, and therefore, could not ever be demolished.
McGrail said he expects to have that final draft ready for the selectmen’s signature for the November 5 meeting.
The Historical Commission, according to M.G.L. Chapter 184, must approve the preservation restriction.
Also during the meeting, Department of Public Works Director David Willet presented his summary of the status of 16 infrastructure projects already in the pipeline. After, McGrail gave selectmen more information about a plan to hire an assistant to Willet, the board voiced its support for the idea.
McGrail said the position that has yet to be graded but is anticipated in the $80,000 range could be funded equally by the three different DPW budgets: sewer, water, and public works.
McGrail said there has been a savings in the wastewater department due to the ongoing inability to fill various positions with qualified candidates. In the public works department there has been savings, McGrail said, because the need for seasonal workers has decreased since the town outsourced its curbside trash service.
“My hope is to reduce some of the consulting costs that we currently incur,” said Willet. “Balancing outsourcing and in-house, Marion’s just got to find its niche in the spot… and I’m trying to find those balances and I think this is one of them that would pay for itself.”
According to Willet, the DPW this year spent $100,000 on a consulting engineering firm for just one single project.
“It makes sense to me that that will save us money over time,” said Selectman John Waterman.
McGrail will submit the idea to the Collins Center for Public Management at UMass Boston to grade the position and then advertise the position.
In other business, the board reviewed and approved the prepared list of non-union job descriptions for Marion non-union town employees.
The selectmen approved the Tri-Town veterans’ agent’s request to establish a Veterans’ Fund to hold donations for additional services for Marion veterans in need of further assistance. The director of finance would approve any disbursements of funds from the account that McGrail said would be nearly identical to the COA Emergency Fund.
“We have a successful program for the COA for emergency assistance,” McGrail said; said program is managed by the Treasurer’s Office.
Former Planning Board member Steve Kokkins has expressed an interest in an appointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals for the seat left vacant from the resignation of Bob Alves. McGrail advised the board to hold off on the appointment until he again heard from Kokkins.
Casey Cole Vieira was reappointed to the Marion Affordable Housing Trust.
A meeting of the Tri-Town Selectmen has been scheduled for Thursday, October 24, at 6:30 pm at the ORR Junior High School media room.
The Fall Special Town Meeting will be held on Monday, October 21, at 6:45 pm at Sippican School. All non-football fans are especially encouraged to attend given that there is a Patriots game beginning at 8:30 pm and McGrail regrettably admitted the oversight when he suggested the date months ago.
“Poor planning on my part,” he said. “But Mattapoisett has theirs as well, so we’re not alone in this.”
“If the Patriots lose, then it’s going to be your fault because we didn’t watch,” said Waterman.
McGrail urged the selectmen and everyone else planning to attend to “bring their cell phones” in case a quorum of 50 proves difficult to meet.
McGrail did promise regular updates on the game if Town Meeting exceeds 8:30 pm, but he is optimistic that Town Meeting might be run efficiently and everyone will make it home in time for the game.
The next regular meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen has been scheduled for November 5 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.
Marion Board of Selectmen
By Jean Perry