Mattapoisett Votes Today

In addition to many uncontested town races, Mattapoisett decides on two key town issues today. Polls will be opened tonight until 8 p.m. as the town decides whether or not to approve the building of a $9 million fire department and restoring athletic fields and sound and lighting equipment at Old Rochester Regional High School.

Firefighters laid out a comprehensive proposal last week at Mattapoisett Town Meeting that demonstrated why they needed the upgrade in their facilities. One important new amenity would be showers for the firefighters to clean up before bringing home contaminants to their families.

Mattapoisett will also decide whether or not to support the grassroots effort to replace the current main field at Old Rochester Regional High School with a new technology artificial surface. The new field would not be of the "crumb" variety, which some have pointed to as a health concern. The restoration project would also replace the track and field and upgrade the sound and lighting in the main auditorium.

One ORR senior told the Rock and Fox Show this morning that the annual Mr. ORR pageant needed to be canceled after the auditorium spotlight system was deemed inoperable and there were no lights available for rent.

If approved by Mattapoisett, Rochester will have the final say on the project during a special ballot that is expected to take place in July.