While the FY24 Operating Budget and Water and Sewer Enterprise funds garnered relatively routine voter approval, projects recommended by the Community Preservation Committee drew the lion’s share of citizen commentary extending Marion’s Annual Town Meeting to nearly two hours.

            The spring-season meeting, held on Monday night at Sippican Elementary School, saw all 34 articles of the Warrant carry, albeit some only after substantial discussion.

            Articles 8-21 were all related to Community Preservation Act funding as recommended by Marion’s CPC, which met on several occasions to vet, sift and otherwise shape and condition proposals in accordance with its mission.

            Resident Jonathan Henry, who has a long-standing involvement in Marion’s municipal government, took issue with the Finance Committee’s abiding stance of “no recommendation” on CPC articles, especially as they cite “no financial impact.”

            Henry’s emerging question was where does the money come from? He knew the answer but insisted taxpayers attending Town Meeting have it spelled out for them. In Marion, CPA funds are generated by a 2% surcharge on property tax after the first $100,000 of valuation. The state matches 25% of the funding.

            Finance Committee Chairman Shay Assad explained that CPC articles, being general appropriations made on an annual basis as dictated by law, pose no financial impact in the context of one year versus another.

            “This is all very murky,” said Henry. “We’re appropriating money, and we’re entitled to know where it’s coming from.”

            Marion Finance Director Judy Mooney said the only way to change the impact is to vote to wipe out the CPC, something that was not on Town Meeting floor.

            “It’s not carte blanche … without the deliberation or exposition … it’s not clear. … It needs to be improved,” argued Henry.

            Resident Andrew Santos asked for the fund’s balance prior to FY24 appropriations and asked if the plan is to use it all. According to Select Board Chairman Randy Parker, the CPC has never emptied the account which, at one point, had $1,000,000 in it.

            Finance Committee member Peter Winters noted that he was among those who at one point attempted to institute a “sunset” plan, but the measure failed.

            “If we want to cease the fund or change the amount of the surtax, we should take action to do that. That’s why there’s no financial impact, because we made that decision long ago,” said Assad.

            More CPC-related articles, including $26,928 to enhance school-based gardens featuring the one at Sippican School and $75,000 for four pickleball courts on a Point Road tennis court that has fallen into disrepair, received comments but carried.

            The FY24 operating budget of $27,516,635 (Article 2), a 4.6% increase over FY23, was approved without dissent, as were Water ($2,494,655, a 2.83% increase) and Sewer ($3,620,404, a 2.79% increase) Enterprise funds (Articles 3 and 4.)

            Mooney explained that public safety went up 5.5%, due in part to Sippican School’s new patrol and the effects of statewide police reform the Harbormaster Department.

            Developer Sherman Briggs asked how the town plans to make up the deficit from Marion Village Estates. Town Administrator Geoff Gorman said the town has started the next round of discussion of Water/Sewer rates with the Select Board and that the Capital Improvements Planning Committee would be the next step. Briggs noted that the town just lost an appeal case that will allow Steen Realty to install 60 water meters at Marion Village Estates. He projected the outcome will result in a shortfall between $120,000 and $160,000 in lost revenue per year.

            Asked to explain Item 210 Police Cruiser, Chief of Police Richard Nighelli told the meeting that historically, the Police Department purchased a cruiser annually or, in some cases, two cruisers every three years, triggered by a mileage threshold when it becomes cost effective to trade it in or declare it surplus equipment.

            Asked if the department was considering an electric-powered cruiser, Nighelli said, “No.”

            Alanna Nelson, a member of Marion’s Energy Management Committee, went to the microphone and simply asked, “Why not?”

            Nighelli said the department has ordered two hybrid cruisers within the past three years. “It worked out well, but I don’t know if we want to go any further with the hybrid,” he said, citing complications with the retrofitting of aftermarket equipment. “We’re not totally opposed, but don’t have equipment.” Nighelli also noted that when he had looked into a solar-powered carport, he was told that was not an “advantageous” project.

            Included was Marion’s acceptance of the Old Rochester Regional FY24 $5,274,891 assessment, ORR’s capital stabilization fund, Upper Cape Tech’s $466,078 assessment and capital stabilization fund. Mooney explained the 28% increase in the FY24 UCT assessment is mainly driven by five additional students enrolled.

            Article 7 Capital projects at $2,879,536 ($2,042,536 from Free Cash, $287,000 from Water retained earnings and $550,000 from Sewer retained earnings) were scrutinized by residents, but the article carried.

            Briggs revisited his long-held argument for better oversight of the Creek Road Water main Replacement, for which $120,000 has been budgeted for FY24. He also addressed the Infiltration and Inflow (I/I) project, comparing Marion’s FY24 investment of $200,000 to using a paint brush to tackle the Bourne Bridge. “The system is over 50 years old … we’ve already had a scare with the force main that let go. … We really have to step up the process to maintain this system,” he said.

            Resident Manny DeCosta said he sought out Department of Public Works engineer Meghan Davis to discuss Point Road drainage issues and insisted he has ideas for solutions that “are extremely less costly.”

            Gorman clarified that the $111,600 in the FY24 budget is earmarked for engineering estimates. “When going to bid, the price we don’t know. We wanted to make sure we had enough money to do it,” he said. “Kicking the can down the road is going to make things more expensive next year.”

            Addressing the $1,200,000 Fire Ladder Truck, resident William Washburn asked if anybody has approached Tabor Academy “to see if they were willing to throw a little in.” Gorman said no but that he would be “more than happy to have that conversation.”

            Article 28 applies the Mullin Rule to all boards, commissions and committees, whereas up until now, only the Planning Board had afforded its members the latitude to miss a single session of a public hearing and not lose their eligibility to deliberate and vote on such a case.

            Requiring a two-thirds majority vote, Article 32 easily passed but with a few nays after residents commented on the authority the Select Board now has “to sell or transfer any taxation possession property held by the Town.”

            The Marion Town Election will be held on Friday, May 12, from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm at the Cushing Community Center on Route 6.

Marion Annual Town Meeting

By Mick Colageo

            Before Town Meeting began on May 8, the Mattapoisett Select Board held a brief meeting which included recasting a vote taken on April 20.

            The vote was for the Select Board’s support of Article 1 Elected Officials’ Compensation, contained therein, a $7,500 raise for the Highway Surveyor Garrett Bauer. It was later determined that since Select Board member Jodi Bauer should have recused herself as a family member, the board recast the vote on this night with Bauer recusing herself. The support of Article 1 by the board remained in place.

            Included in the Article were increases to the Town Meeting moderator up to $290 from $282, Select Board chairman $5,945 up from $5,829, Select Board members $5,358 up from $5,253, town clerk $75,000 up from $71,400, Board of Health members $692 up from $678, Highway surveyor $75,000 up from $71,400, Mattapoisett School Committee members $692 up from $678, Water/Sewer commissioners $692 up from $678, Tree Warden $10,500 up from $10,083 and Herring Inspector $988 up from $968.

            Article 2 General Operating Budget $31,691,197 was moved with nary a comment. Town Administrator Mike Lorenco presented an overview of the ballot and the budget in a video that was posted on the town’s website in the days leading up to the meeting.

            The Warrant contained 31 articles, spanning a wide variety of topics from routine financial matters to whether or not to ban nip-sized alcohol bottles, seen by many as a source of mounting roadside litter.

            Article 29 was a dog-waste removal imperative that sought to amend the town’s General Bylaws by making dog walkers and owners in default if they didn’t have a means to collect their dog’s waste from public spaces. That motion passed with 77 for and 37 against. When the Select Board was queried on who and how the expanded bylaw would be upheld, the answer was “by the dog officer.”

            During the course of the meeting, debate sprang up with Article 17 CPA Funding for the Florence Eastman Legion Post 280. The grant application requested $42,000 for necessary ADA improvement to the historic former Pine Island School built in 1837. Several voters including outgoing Finance Committee member Pat Donoghue questioned why the town should be investing in a structure it had no material interest in, no benefit to the town’s coffers. Committee Chairman Chuck McCullough said, “… because it’s for the veterans.”

            Legion member Ray Andrews, who has been the point person for the Legion’s effort to receive financial support for much needed updates, said that the Legion would be willing to join the town in negotiations to convey the building or give the town the right of first refusal should the Legion need to close due to lack of active members. Article 17 was moved 184 in favor and three opposing.

            Another article garnering considerable effort before being voted down was the elimination of nip-sized alcohol bottles – Ban of Sales of NIPS. Sponsored by Don Cuddy (citizen petition), who said that the prevalence of the bottles littering the roadways has increased over the years and, as an avid runner, sees the bottles not so much as a nuisance but as a commentary on human behavior. Cuddy said changing behavior wouldn’t be feasible, thus taking away the irritant might be best. He urged the voters to stop the sale of nips, a move he believed would result in fewer bottles being tossed out car windows.

            Speaking in opposition to the proposed ban was local liquor store owner Dan Lima, who said that only nine communities in all of the commonwealth have enacted such a ban, the result not diminishing the quantity of litter. A deposit on the tiny offenders might help, he offered, but what would result is a 20% drop in sales.

            “This will have no impact on littering and will put more pressure on businesses,” said Lima, noting that there is legislation creeping through the state and that towns should wait to see what happens with those efforts. “Let the state fix the problem.” Lima presented a list of some 600 signatures from customers in favor of no ban on nip sales. It was not confirmed that the signatures were from Mattapoisett residents. Article 30 was defeated, 83 opposed and 49 in favor.

            Another citizen petition submitted by Russel Chase, Article 31 Exit Agreement for Landfill Solar, asked voters to “move that the Town vote to encourage the Select Board to enter into negotiations with NEXAMP, Inc., to exit the unsigned agreement to place a (photo-voltaic) system on the landfill.”

            Original plans included the development of a solar array on the capped landfill located on North Street for the purposes of generating energy for the municipality’s use. Chase suggested that an understanding between solar vender NEXAMP and the town would not generate revenue, monies the town could benefit from.

            “We can do it ourselves,” said Chase, asserting that the development of a town-owned system would save Mattapoisett $1,000,000 per year and would be paid for in just three years.

            But issues between the state and utilities such as Eversource were touched on when Select Board member Tyler Macallister addressed the voters. “Do we want to own and operate a solar array?” Macallister asked. He said that the solar array on Crystal Springs Road is at least four years out. “They don’t have the land.”

            Chase said that although he probably wouldn’t be around to see the project implemented, he believes it is a better deal for the town as a revenue source. Article 31 was moved, 53 to 40.

            All other articles were moved as written, except Article 26, which was found to have a small typographical error that was fixed on the Town Meeting floor, and Article 25, which was withdrawn. Article 25 would have asked voters to establish a cemetery commission for Hammond and Barlow cemeteries. It was discovered that to do so also required a ballot question. Lorenco said it will be placed on the next election ballot.

Mattapoisett Town Meeting

By Marilou Newell