Happy Housewarming for Wanderer

on

On May 19, the treasure chest better known as the Mattapoisett Museum, opened its doors, welcoming George Lowery and his family to the permanent home of his gift – a scale model of the last whaling ship built in Mattapoisett, the Wanderer.

            Though the delivery occurred on January 30, the story of Lowery’s interest began when he was a boy growing up in the Bronx. He was enthralled by all things miniature. A field trip to a natural history museum, Lowery told us in April 2023, inspired him. He began building airplanes and other models from kits. By 1987, the hobby became a career.

            There were intervening years that found the young Lowery enlisting in the Air Force and raising a family, but always fermenting in the back of his mind was model building, not just your run-of-the-mill models but scale models with all the finite details.

            He is a perfectionist, an artist.

            Lowery said he sought out and eventually found an artisan who would help him develop skills in model shipbuilding, one Frank Mastini. As Lowery told us, Mastini didn’t teach, he advised. Students were given models to build, and throughout the process, Mastini would critique and lend guidance.

            Overtime and dedicated effort, Lowery learned what he had longed to know: how to turn raw wood into stunning pieces of maritime art.

            Lowery’s first commission to build a whaling-ship model happened at an art fair in 2017. He was approached at the fair being held near his Arizona home by a gentleman interested in a model of the Wanderer. The gent was planning on opening a business in Mattapoisett and would use the Wanderer model as a showpiece in the establishment.

            Lowery recalled his need to obtain a set of plans in order to build the model. He would reach out to the New Bedford Whaling Museum and the Mattapoisett Museum. New Bedford offered engineered drawings, scant though they were, but coupled with pictures from Mattapoisett, Lowery was able to build the model.

            Lowery would labor for some 2,000 hours building his model of the Wanderer. He estimated a retail price tag of $100,000 would be appropriate based on other crafts and trades. But the gentleman who ordered the ship was not to be found. No money, not even a deposit, had exchanged hands.

            But Lowery isn’t bitter, “My models are my children,” he told The Wanderer. Lowery wants them to be appreciated and cared for.

            With that in mind and having built a long-distance relationship with Mattapoisett Museum Curator Connor Gaudet, Lowery offered the Wanderer model to the museum. Without hesitation, Gaudet accepted the gift.

            The Wanderer sailed into Mattapoisett via a delivery truck in January. No doubt it will enjoy a safe harbor at the Mattapoisett Museum into perpetuity.

Mattapoisett Museum

By Marilou Newell

Wetlands Delineation Draws Crowd

on

Rochester’s Conservation Commission Tuesday had to satisfy a roomful of concerned neighbors as it approved the wetland resource boundary limits for an address on Gifford Lane.

            Land surveyor John Romanelli told the commission that the property’s owners, the estates of James and Sharon Barton, want to come up with a value for selling the property, which abuts Snows Pond, and they want to get the wetland lines correct first.

            Conservation Agent Merilee Kelly said that as a result of her inspection of the property, she approves of the wetlands line that has been delineated. “It’s good,” she said. “I agree with it.”

            Neighbor Michelle Kirby then raised her hand to speak and explained why most of the seats in the meeting room were occupied by Gifford Lane abutters. She said they are concerned that any development of the parcel will adversely affect Snows Pond. Before the property is sold, Kirby said, “more needs to be taken into consideration.”

            Conservation Commission Chairman Christopher Gerrior reassured Kirby that this is just a very basic first step, and no development plans of any kind are being presented.

            “They have had a professional to flag where the wetlands start,” Gerrior said. “From there, they can say, ‘here will be a lot’ or ‘there will be no lots.’ This is just the marking of the lines. This is not even a step toward any kind of planning process.”

            Noreen Hartley wanted to know why the trust did not start with filing a Notice of Intent instead of the Determination of Applicability petition the board was reviewing. Gerrior said that’s because this is just a wetland line being approved. “This is just seeing how much wetlands there is,” he said.

            The commission voted to agree with the limits of the wetlands as shown, with Ben Bailey the only member to abstain. “I don’t we’ve ever had to vote to accept a wetlands line,” Bailey said. “We don’t do that. Registered engineers approve those lines.”

            In other action, Gerrior announced that a letter from the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District has conveyed a “thumbs up” endorsement of the commission’s plan to clear the sometimes-clogged herring-run area from Hartley Farm Pond to the start of the Rochester Memorial Day Boat Race. Kelly said she has started to create a Notice of Intent for the project.

            Kelly then updated the commission on her review of open orders of conditions. She said she has found around 50 of them, some as old as 1985. She said the owners of these properties will be contacted to “close them out” with certificates of compliance.

            The commission approved the Notice of Intent for an address on Bishop Road to permit the construction of a single-family home with on-site septic system within a wetlands buffer zone. Only the machinery to install the project will have to be within the 100-foot buffer, it was explained.

            The commission continued until its June 4 meeting the Notice of Intent public hearing for 96 Wolf Island Road’s plan to install within the 100-foot buffer to a vegetated wetland a gravel driveway, stone patio, walkway and landscaped area for an existing single-family home.

            Gerrior raised concerns about an existing shed on the property 25 feet from the wetlands “no-touch” zone. Consulting engineer Bob Rogers said the shed was there when the current owner, Marc Wilson, purchased it, and he could not say how old the shed was. The commission agreed to schedule a site visit there.

            The Rochester Conservation Commission set its next meetings for June 4, June 18, July 16 and August 7. It will meet next on Tuesday, June 4, at 7:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Conservation Commission

By Michael J. DeCicco

VFW Exhibit at Music Hall

on

On Memorial Day from 9 until noon, stop by the Marion Music Hall to check our pop-up exhibit about the Veterans of Foreign War Chapter of Marion. Active from 1932 though 2017, the Benjamin Cushing Post 2425 brought camaraderie and community service opportunities for those who returned from armed service.

            “It’s amazing to see the many ways that the VFW members contributed to the Town throughout the decades,” said Sippican Historical Society Archivist, Leslie Thayer Piper, who organized the exhibit.

            The archives of the VFW were donated to the Sippican Historical Society and their building donated to the Town of Marion, which continues as the Cushing Community Center.

            Learn about Benjamin Cushing, the social scene and charity work organized by the members throughout the years. The exhibit is open, before, during and after the Memorial Day parade. You can also explore portions of the VFW collection at www.sippicanhistoricalsociety.org.

Schools Take Center Stage

on

The main event at Rochester’s Candidates Night on May 15 was the race for two open seats on the Rochester School Committee.

            The May 22 Town Election sets incumbents Jason Chisholm and Robin Rounseville against two challengers, Matthew Bache and Joshua Trombly, for three-year terms. Old Rochester Regional School Committee incumbent Matthew Monteiro is also facing a challenge from Stacie Noble-Shriver.

            The candidates’ event began with opening statements from these incumbents and challengers, as well as from the contenders for races for the Park Commission and the Library Trustees.

            Park Commission incumbent Kenneth Ross is facing a challenge from Nathaniel Reece. Trustee incumbents Shauna Makuch and Kelley Medeiros are being challenged for one of two open seats by Portia Silk.

            But when the time came for questions from the residents crowding the Senior Center meeting room, most of them lined up at the microphone for the Rochester School Committee race.

            Charles Morgan asked the four candidates about flyers he had received in the mail offering that three candidates can “protect the children,” specifically Noble-Shriver, Bache and Trombly, paid for by Rochester Citizens for Government. “Protect them what?” Morgan said he wanted to know.

            All four candidates said they did not know about these flyers. Rounseville and Chisholm responded to the message within them in a general sense. Protecting the children “is a given,” Chisholm said. Bache added, “I believe all of our students should be protected, physically, emotionally and spiritually.”

            Trombly saw the topic of the flyers as an indication of recent divisions over school policy, an apparent reference to recent disputes over the types of books that should be carried in the school library. He noted that after a recent school committee strategic planning meeting he wasn’t seeing a lot of respect for a variety of opinions, which led him to promise, “If I’m elected, there wouldn’t be a day I wouldn’t treat all parents, students and teachers with respect.”

            The next question also focused on the issue of what books are right or wrong to be in the school library and who gets to decide.

            Resident Sandra Bock asked the four candidates about how they would compromise and decide going forward on what books should stay and not stay in the school library for children “who are not protected at home by a wonderful family, that safety net that they can fall back and ask their parents on how things are?” Bock noted the last such vote to remove a book was 50-50 on whether it should stay or go. She asked how will they address parent rule within this issue and better compromise in the future.

            Chisholm called it a fair but complex question. People are installed in ORR’s Central Office and the school system because of their expertise, he said, and residents need to trust those decisions or find a way to be hired to replace those people. Otherwise, he said, “we have mandates and a process we must follow and stick to it.”

            Trombly said if the vote is 50-50, “There needs to be more compromise, more discussion.”

            Rounseville said, “I believe the compromise is in place. We have a way for parents to opt out of books they don’t want their children to be exposed to. I will agree we need to do a better job of making that known. But we are a public education system. We represent all constituents.”

            “I pride myself on being pro-active, not reactive,” Bache said. “I would have had a special session for all the parents to talk it out so no one would feel slighted.”

            The candidates were then asked how they will enhance communication with the community. Bache said he likes Trombly’s idea to have open comment at the beginning of each meeting rather than at the end, but he added he would like to see more diversity in the chair, switching to a different chairperson every year. “And we could just get every parent to be heard,” he said.

            Trombly agreed that public comment needs to be made before items are voted on. Rounseville said the perception that the board didn’t listen because the vote didn’t go that person’s way is a misconception and unfair. She cautioned that public comment at the start of a meeting could be lengthy and leave less time for the committee to get its important work done.

            Chisholm said he believes a lot of people are being heard but not getting a response to their concerns. He emphasized exercising more transparency, letting people know how things work the way they do, with its state mandates and internal procedures. “We’re a complex, hybrid school district that kind of trips up some of our plans. People need to understand how we work. We need to make the changes that we can.”

            The Candidates Night was held by the Council on Aging in preparation for the May 22 Town Election at the Senior Center, 67 Dexter Lane.

Rochester Candidates Night

By Michael J. DeCicco

Bauer Re-elected to Select Board

on

            Jodi Lynn Bauer, Mattapoisett Select Board member, chairman and candidate won re-election on Monday night, fending off a challenge from Kathleen Costello, former principal assessor for the town.

            After publicly reading the results from four separate counts categorizing the tallies by precincts and early versus day-of-election voting, Town Clerk Catherine Heuberger and her staff were still working late into the evening, tallying up “a handful” of remaining votes from Town Hall believed to be no more than a dozen that would not have swung any of the contested races.

            Based on the addition of the four categories Heuberger announced roughly 35 minutes after the polls closed, the incumbent Bauer outpaced Costello, 952-880, with one write-in vote and 34 left blank.

            Assessor Leonard Coppola lost his seat to Alan Apperson, who won 865-806 with 4 write-in votes and 192 left blank.

            With 1,176 votes, James Muse maintained his seat on the Mattapoisett School Committee, and Jack LeBrun won the other open seat by outpacing Kathleen Ann McArdle-LeClair, 1,091-876.

            Bauer campaigned on a platform that noted a lifelong commitment to her hometown and being a board member that would represent and serve all the people in the community.

            The Wanderer caught up with the two candidates prior to the polls closing to hear how they were feeling and any last-minute thoughts.

            Costello expressed she was a little anxious but looked forward to working collaboratively on matters brought before the board. She said that whether or not she wins, she would offer a helping hand with affordable housing making the top of her list of pressing matters for the town. She hoped that whomever won people would rally around and work together.

            After unofficial results were read by the town clerk, Costello said, “I wish Jodi all the luck in the world. It was a close race, and she ran a great campaign. Anything I can do to be supportive, they just need to let me know.”

            Bauer said before the polls closed that a daunting number of projects face the town from Long Wharf to roadways and drainage and that housing was top on her list. “We need to look at the bylaws, at accessory dwelling units,” said Bauer, expressing hope that voters would give her the opportunity to continue to work on their behalf. Her wish was granted on this night.

            After the count was announced, Bauer said she was ready to “get back to work.” She thanked family, friends and supporters, saying they are “great people.”

            Muse was thrilled with the turnout in Mattapoisett, which he said was of utmost importance.

            “Great election, fantastic turnout, I’m very happy that the people cared,” he said. “We have work to do; doing the job of running the schools is a big-time, full-time job just to be level, just to get it done.”

            “There are issues on our school committee, and I could have said a lot – I didn’t,” said McArdle-LeClair, who said she would like to see the committee be more transparent about how money is spent. She has not ruled out another bid next year. “I might, we’ll see what happens.”

            The Board of Health has a new member in Alexandra Nicolosi, who ran unopposed.

            Several incumbents who ran for re-election unopposed were successful, including Library Trustees Bill Osiers and Elizabeth Sylvia, Town Moderator Lizanne Capper Campbell, Water/Sewer Commissioner Albert Meninno Jr., Highway Surveyor Garrett Bauer, Planning Board member Tom Tucker, Chuck McCullough of the Housing Authority and James Andrew Pierson and Susan Wilbur of the Community Preservation Committee.

            The lone question on the ballot, asking voters if they support a capital request from the Old Rochester Regional School District for facility upgrades, was approved by an 808-647 margin with 412 ballots left blank.

Mattapoisett Town Election

By Marilou Newell

Parker, School Incumbents Re-elected

on

Randy Parker took the seat of the Marion Select Board in the May 17 Town Election held at the Cushing Community Center, according to preliminary figures. Parker won with 572 votes, leaving challenger Diane Lopes-Flaherty well behind with 248 votes. Parker is set to serve another three-year term on the Select Board.

            In a voice call on Monday afternoon, Parker said voters stopped and talked with him outside about the roads.

            “That seemed to be front and center with the people I spoke with on Friday,” he said.

            Parker has served on the Select Board since 2018. During his time, he has helped see through renovations of the Town House, helped secure a school resource officer for Sippican Elementary School and worked on taxpayer credibility.

            Presently, Parker says he is focused on “incorporating the comfort-dog program with the Police Department, reducing the speed limit to 25 (miles per hour) in town (Article 32) and construction of the Department of Public Works facility.”

            Lopes-Flaherty was unable to attend the polls on Election Day due to a family commitment.

            There were 31 blank ballots and two write-in votes for Select Board.

            Marion School Committee members April Nye and Michelle Smith kept their seats with 560 and 413 votes, respectively. Challenger Kristina Callina finished with 389 votes in an unsuccessful bid to unseat one of the incumbents.

            Tom Friedman garnered 14 write-in votes that will result in him being offered the one open seat on the Open Space Acquisition Commission for a three-year term. Friedman presently serves on the Marion Energy Management Committee.

            Uncontested races from the election included the following incumbents re-elected: Dr. John Howard to the Board of Health, Jon Henry and Alanna Nelson to the Planning Board, George TJ Walker to the Board of Assessors and Brad Gordon as town moderator.

            Question 1 on the ballot asked if the town should pay for the final design and construction of the Department of Public Works facility. The question passed with some contention, votes tallying 492-289. Question 2 asked if the town should be responsible for the renovation and repairs costs to Old Rochester Regional High School, passing 483-271.

            According to Town Clerk Lissa Magauran, 838 out of 4,540 Marion residents filled out ballots.

            The Wanderer reported on February 23 that the town had mailed out 644 Vote by Mail ballots, out of which a small percentage had been received by the clerk.

Marion Town Election

By Jared Melanson

Hobby Barn Digested in Joint Meeting

on

Rochester’s Planning Board, Historic District Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals met jointly Tuesday to hear a proposal by Marion resident Mark Briggs to construct two buildings to store and repair collectible automobiles, trucks and other motor vehicles on New Bedford Road.

            The project labeled “Briggs Hobby Barn” will require Site Plan Approval from the Planning Board, a Special Permit from the ZBA and a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic District Commission. Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman David Arancio called the joint meeting more “an ingestion of information” than anything else.

            The public hearing that preceded this summary started with Briggs’ attorney, Karla Chaffee, and architectural and engineering consultants Jason Maurer and Bill Madden explaining the design as it has been refined by over a year of previous meetings with town officials.

            On 3 acres of an 8-acre parcel, Briggs will build a private hobby barn with an attached silo-shaped observatory for a large telescope and a small repair shop. Access will be limited to family members and invitees. The two buildings will have seamless, metal-clad siding, shaded midnight bronze, lit by low-ballard lighting, and the structures will be angled, fenced in and covered by trees to make the complex hard to see from the roadway.

            “The architect will blend into the neighborhood with a barn-like feel,” Madden said.

            From board members, the strongest pushback came from Historic District Commission member Sara Johnson regarding the choice of siding. “In the entire Historic District, there is no precedent for metal siding,” said Johnson. “That’s not something we could easily endorse. I wish you’d explore other materials.”

            Chaffee said no one will see the buildings from any public way because of the shade of the siding and that other siding materials are “astronomically” more expensive. She added that Briggs and company have worked hard to redesign in the name of answering town officials concerns.

            “You have made a great effort in that regard,” Johnson admitted.

            ZBA member Jeffrey Costa pointed to Briggs’ contention that he will need a Class II license merely to get the right insurance but will not sell cars. “You will not be a commercial use but will get a commercial license?” Costa asked. “If it’s a gray area to me, it’s going to be gray to someone else.”

            Planning Board Chairman Arnold Johnson insisted a site-line test be conducted to determine what the public will see from the road, over Chaffee’s objections that this was not necessary.

            The three boards ended the meeting by continuing their parts of the hearing to their next meeting. The ZBA continued to Thursday, May 23, at 7:00 pm. The Planning Board continued to Tuesday, May 28, at 7:00 pm. The Historic District Commission continued to June 5 at 6:00 pm. All three meetings will be held at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Historic District Commission

By Michael J. DeCicco

ORCTV Annual Meeting

on

ORCTV will hold its Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 27 at the ORCTV studio. The meeting will begin at 5:00 pm and will include the election of officers to the Old Rochester Community Television Board of Directors. All current ORCTV station members are invited and encouraged to attend.

            The nominees for 2024 are:

Bill Tilden – Marion seat

Tim Smith – Mattapoisett seat

Nancy Sparklin – Rochester seat

Chris Charyk – Membership seat

Robert E. Mitchell

on

Robert E. Mitchell, 80, of Fairhaven passed away Wednesday, May 15, 2024 in Westview on Main after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was the husband of the late Brenda (Gagner) Mitchell.

            Born in New Bedford, a son of the late Harold and Jeanie (Ciborowski) Mitchell he was a lifelong area resident.

            Bob was a manager at Sears & Roebuck for many years and continued to be a manger in the retail business. Bob was also a part-time Marion police officer for thirteen years. He had a great sense of humor and in his spare time he enjoyed working around cars and woodworking.

            He is survived by his children, Christopher Mitchell of Acushnet, Peter Mitchell and his wife Laura of Acushnet, and Amy DeSantos and her husband Ted of Manchester, CT; four grandchildren, Robert Mitchell, Matthew Mitchell, Ellie DeSantos, and Samuel DeSantos.

            His services are private and under the direction of Waring-Sullivan Home at Fairlawn, 180 Washington St., Fairhaven, MA 02719. In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor may be made to Parkinson’s Foundation New England Chapter, Attn: Donor Services, 200 SE 1st St., Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131 – www.parkinson.org or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 – www.stjude.org. For online tribute: www.waring-sullivan.com

Rocheter Elections

on

Rochester School Committee

            There are two open seats for three-year terms on the Rochester School Committee being contested by four candidates: challengers Matthew Bache and Joshua Trombly and incumbents Jason Chisholm and Robin Rounseville. The Rochester Town Election will be held on Wednesday, May 22, at the Senior Center on Dexter Lane.

Matthew Bache

            My wife, Nicolette, and I have been residents of Rochester for 10 years. We are proud parents of three children, Gabriel, Isaiah, and Aria. I currently hold and operate a local company, Bache’s Plumbing and Heating. Nicolette is currently a teacher at East Fairhaven Elementary School. I am running for a seat on the Rochester School Committee because I firmly believe that parents, guardians, and taxpayers have the right to transparency and accountability when it comes to our children’s education and the use of our tax dollars. I plan on bringing business experience, financial knowledge, organizational skills, blue-collar values, common sense, and the voice of the parents to the school committee. In addition, the current school committee has made it clear it wishes not to hear a dissenting opinion from parents or students. They’ve done their best to isolate themselves from the public’s voice. I believe the current school committee has caused divisiveness and chaos with their stances on subjects such as the books and their use of taxpayers’ dollars. I firmly believe that a compromise could have been made that would’ve appeased all sides and stopped the division that has taken place in the Rochester community. If you’re looking for a candidate who will still uphold the highest moral code, yet understand people’s moral codes are different, I would be that candidate. I believe in being pro-active, not reactive, in all things, especially when it comes to your tax dollars. You will have full transparency with me. I humbly ask for your vote on May 22, 2024. I’m listening.

Joshua Trombly

            My name is Josh Trombly, and I am running for a seat on the Rochester Memorial School Committee. I live in Rochester with my wife Jessica and two children Jaxon and Lila. I am a fiscal conservative and a proud union member with over 23 years of experience in negotiating, compromising, and finding creative solutions to difficult issues. In the last year and a half, I have attended almost all RMS, ORR, and Joint school committee meetings in person. I have studied the process and have been able to identify opportunities for improvement. I have spoken with teachers, parents, and many community members and all seem to share one common issue. They feel they are not being heard. Some teachers feel unappreciated and misrepresented in the community. Some parents feel uninformed about policy, curriculum, and the most effective ways to get information, and many members of the community feel they have no voice whatsoever in how the future of Rochester is shaped through our schools. All of these concerns are fixable, and all can be fixed by an RMS school committee with the right members. Up until now, we have been told that some things are just the way they are, and the committee has a system in place that works.  I do not believe that the system works, and I believe it is time for the system to change. We need to prioritize academic excellence and put our teachers in a position to succeed by ensuring their voices are heard. We need to create a way for parents to access the information they require to remain informed, and we need to be able to hear from the community on agenda items before they are voted on instead of after. If I am fortunate enough to be considered for your vote, I will champion debate and diversity of thought. I will listen to and represent all citizens of Rochester and challenge any attempt to silence your voice or discourage your participation in the education of our children. I respectfully ask for your vote on May 22nd.

Robin Rounseville

            My name is Robin Rounseville, and I am running for re-election to the Rochester Memorial School Committee. My husband Scott was born and raised in Rochester, and we have lived here for 36 years. Next month, we will be celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary. Our four children attended RMS; two went on to Old Colony, and two attended ORR. We currently have four grandchildren enrolled at RMS. Our grandchildren are a big part of our lives, and I love that I am able to watch them thrive at RMS. I have a long history of service to Rochester, including: Story Hour and summer activities at the public library; member and past president of the Friends of the Plumb Library; Girl Scouts troop leader for 6 years; PTO member/president; RMS School Council; and RMS School Committee member since 2000. During my time on school committee, I have served on multiple subcommittees, including as a local representative to ORR, contract negotiations, and S.M.E.C. I currently serve on the Tri-Town Education Foundation, Budget Subcommittee, and the ORR Joint School Committee. I have also been a part of several principal and superintendent searches, and I was on the school committee through the school expansion. There is a huge learning curve to school committee work. Experience does matter, but it doesn’t mean I have all the answers. However, there are some things I know for sure: Children need to feel safe at school, both physically and emotionally; Children need to be challenged and supported academically; Children need to be celebrated for their individuality. Families and constituents need to be heard, not just during open comments but also through emails and interactions in the community. School staff and administration also need to be valued and respected for their dedicated work. School staff need the appropriate resources to help our students succeed. RMS needs a strong budget to support our academic programs and initiatives, maintain our building, and provide the compensation that our hard-working staff deserves. I have worked hard with these beliefs in mind and hope to earn the chance to continue to serve our community.

ORR School Committee

            There is one open seat for a three-year term for a Rochester representative on the ORR School Committee being contested by two candidates: incumbent Matthew Monteiro and challenger Stacie Noble Shriver.

Matthew Monteiro

            Rochester is a wonderful place that deserves dedicated public servants with its best interests in mind. I’ve been very active – serving on the Historic District Commission since 2015, as our representative for Tree City USA since 2016, and on our Land Trust since 2018. This year I was appointed by the Select Board as a representative on the Steering Committee for Rochester’s Master Plan, using input from our citizens to shape a vision for Rochester’s future. I ran for ORR District School Committee in 2021 because nobody had stepped up and I wanted to ensure the work was not left undone. I was (and am) well aware of pandemic related challenges for our students. Mental health strain and loss of learning children experienced were and are priorities for the schools. The good news is programs are in place to address these issues, such as a leadership program to foster belonging and acceleration academies for learning. Our district is catching up to educational standards faster than the state, and we are always looking to do even more. I serve on the Budget, Superintendent Evaluation, and Equity subcommittees, and as our Massachusetts Association of School Committees delegate, voting on statewide policy and advocating for our schools at the State House. I understand the importance of communication and collaboration, and I am the only school committee member to have attended all four parent and community feedback sessions for our strategic 5 year plan. Your feedback was heard. I can think of no skill every student will need in their lives more than personal financial literacy, which is an understanding of how to make responsible fiscal decisions. Developing expertise in monetary matters will serve them as a lifelong skill, and I seek to continue to promote the development of financial literacy education. The three years experience I have means I deeply understand how I can make a positive difference for Rochester. I look forward to continuing in service to its citizens both in my volunteer roles including as your elected representative to the ORR district committee. I hope I can count on your vote on May 22.

Stacie Noble Shriver

            I am Stacie Noble Shriver. I’m running for the ORR School Committee to sit, collaborate and fairly represent Rochester’s concerned residents. I offer common sense concerning curriculum issues and in assisting the Superintendency. I stand for high educational standards, curriculum accountability and fiscal responsibility. Over the next four years, the stated strategy of the ORR District is to develop a Portrait of a Graduate (POG). We are one year into this 5-year timeline. Last year the district purchased this new curriculum from a Massachusetts company, recently reorganized in 2020 with Covid money, or ESSER. Sales incentives guaranteeing a subsidy were set to expire, when the school district purchased this material and it created urgency, I can imagine, for better or for worse. Now our public education has been held captive by a powerful and well-funded industry. The only reason this happened is because the current School Committee goes along to get along… in voting and paying for the program. This may seem like good teamwork, but Rochester’s children deserve not to be guinea pigs. While the current parental notification law provides some level of protection by allowing parents to opt their children out from lectures or lessons dealing “primarily” with human sexuality, we need closer observation. Many agree the “opt-out” law is useless because the transformative Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum infuses sexual concepts into English, Math and Science as well. I support an “opt-in” law where parents have to “opt in” their children to any event where human sexuality would be discussed. This requires transparency. As a physician, I am trained to prevent injury. I look for trends and intervene before damage occurs. Hoping we are doing the right thing is not enough. Most agree we should not be experimenting with our own kids to suit and monetize corporate scholastic global agendas. I stand for knowing and doing what our own individual children need to flourish. Our kids’ futures are at stake, and who will protect them if we don’t? I support restoring the decision-making authority over school policy and finance to parents, locally elected school committees and taxpayers.

Park Commission

            There is one open seat on the Rochester Park Commission being contested by two candidates, challenger Nathaniel Reece and incumbent Kenneth Ross.

Nathaniel Reece

            I am running to advocate for the improvement of the parks in our beautiful town of Rochester. My combination of community volunteerism, experience, and education make me a great candidate for the Park Commission. As a five-year resident, parent of three young children, and volunteer of two youth organizations, I have regularly used the parks. I am the leader of the Rochester Cub Scouts and a board member of the Old Rochester Youth Baseball League. In both roles, I encourage youth enjoyment of the outdoors and participate in efforts to maintain outdoor spaces in our town. These experiences have given me ideas on how to enhance the quality, functionality, and safety of our parks. My professional and educational experience affords me the technical aptitude to be a Park Commission board member. With a Bachelor’s in Engineering and a Master’s in Management, I have the soft skills to listen to the input of others and make logical decisions and the technical skills to make the improvements needed. My highest priority is Gifford Park, which is situated in the heart of the town and adjacent to a land trust. It has incredible potential and is an ideal place for residents to gather and strengthen community bonds. However, apart from the baseball fields, the playground and basketball court do not attract residents. The bathrooms in the garage are nonfunctional. The parking areas are not well defined and are undersized for baseball game attendance. Therefore, I would like to use resident feedback to redesign the park to create a space that people will use and be proud of for years to come. I am excited about improving our town’s parks and creating a better future for our community. Thank you for considering me for the position on Election Day.

Kenneth Ross

            My name is Ken Ross and I’m seeking re-election to the Rochester Park Commission. I was first elected in 2012 and I have tried to do a good job serving. The Park Commission has 3 elected members, and during nearly all the 12 years I have served, David Hughes and David Sylvia have also served on the commission. We have always worked well together, and I believe in working together to make our town parks a point of pride. My wife Sarah and I moved to Rochester in 2004. When I think about Rochester, the first-rate school system for our 2 children was most important. Other reasons we moved would include the overall quiet, healthy, safe, hardworking community that Rochester is. Twenty years after moving here, my family and I feel fortunate to live here. Serving on the Park Commission is my way of giving back to a great town. The Park Commission is responsible for overseeing park use and upkeep, including maintenance and improvements. To be clear, the Rochester Highway Department, led by Jeff Eldridge, is the reason the parks look so good. The Park Commission processes field use requests and responds to any questions or concerns regarding the parks from any individual, youth, or adult sports organizations. Some of the groups and individuals who have interacted with the Park Commission include baseball, basketball, softball, football, skateboarders, K-9 instructors, pickleball, soccer, lacrosse, picnickers, playground users, and walkers. We have always encouraged field use by as many different groups as possible, so that one sport does not dominate field use. Every town resident has access to our town parks. If re-elected, I will continue to show up for Park Commission meetings, address concerns, process requests for field use, and try to make sure the parks continue to look good. The Park Commission will continue to operate within our budget each year. The Park Commission is fortunate to receive donations each year, which are used for park improvements. I appreciate the votes I have received in the past, and I’m asking for your vote for re-election. Sincerely, Ken Ross

Trustees of Plumb Library

            There are two open seats for three-year terms on the Board of Trustees for the Plumb Library being contested by three candidates: incumbents Shauna Makuch and Kelley Medeiros and challenger Portia Silk (Sydney Lewis has withdrawn from consideration).

Shauna Makuch

            The Plumb Library has been a big part of my life for as long as I have lived in Rochester, which will be 17 years this July. My children have, quite literally, grown up in this little library that we lovingly call a second home. I would greatly value the responsibility to continue making sure that the best interests of the library, our staff and the community are a top priority. My goal is for a thriving library with programs and services for all. Your continued support and vote on May 22 would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Shauna Makuch

Kelley Medeiros

            My family, including two children at RMS, is dedicated to the evolution of our library, including supporting me for re-election. Two of the three-year term I served as chair of the board. I take pride in this challenging role, which is surprisingly not about picking books or helping with children’s programs as I naively thought before running. We, the board, have overcome obstacles and gaps that led to great accomplishments in bringing our library up to present-day expectations. We finished updates to the building that were safety related and a new space for our children. We had an amazing, tenured director retire, then embarked on a journey to find a vibrant new director who has been a wonderful partner and face of the library. We revamped our policies/procedures to align with the law and gained clarity on town vs board responsibilities. We began progress on a new, updated website thanks to a partnership with Old Colony RVTHS. During and post-Covid, we continued to drive engagement of our programming. I have been lucky to have a great board, but I do not consider us to be done and ask for your vote to continue this effort. As I look to the next three years, I want to draw your attention to the critical stage we are in. My background is in legal and includes a master’s in public policy, which I have leaned on heavily to drive progress on library issues. After this election, the board will be creating a new five-year strategic plan. Our town deserves a library not only up to par, but I foresee us being a standard for libraries of comparable size. Thinking of long-term sustainability challenges, such as declining funding issues from state grants and small staff, we have work to do. We can improve our engagement with residents and sustainability by having volunteer opportunities, which is something we are currently working to implement. There is so much more I could say, but I implore you to vote for me and visit our library! Thank you for your consideration, Kelley Medeiros.

Portia Silk

            I remember how the floors creaked in my library. I can almost smell the basement we met in for my Brownie troop. The carpet was a soft white Berber where we sat for story times. Santa was there every year. Funny that I also remember signing the book card at checkout and getting the red stamp for the due date. I think most of us have these sorts of library memories. Libraries are cornerstones of communities, and ours is no different. Who helps shape these memories? The Board of Trustees. I made the decision to run for the board out of a sense of service to Rochester. I’ve been a Rochester resident since 2011 and a practicing radiologist in Massachusetts since 2009. Our only child is graduating this year, having attended RMS through ORR. I’m deterring empty-nester syndrome! I know the value of a library in a small town, having grown up in a mountain community smaller than Rochester. I’m a life-long learner like so many of you. I think of the library board as the crew behind a good play. The ones that organize the lights, sounds, and costumes to ultimately produce something amazing for the audience to experience. The mechanics, so to say. So why vote for me? I don’t yet have experience as a trustee, but I’m a fast learner. I’m organized. I’ve been in private medical practice for nearly 15 years, which provides experience with earnings, hiring, workflow, contracts, and collaboration. I show up. I never give less than my all. I’m a fresh face with new ideas. The library needs community support more than ever. I hope you consider giving me your vote on election day. If you would like more information about me, please check out my Facebook page, “Portia Silk for Library Trustee.”