Marion residents looked to the future on Oct. 24 during a well attended master plan workshop held from 9 a.m. to noon in the Music Hall.

Townspeople, elected officials and representatives from the Old Rochester Regional School District discussed two issues: transportation and the state of town services and facilities.

A master plan is a community’s development blueprint for the next 10 years. It must be updated per state law.

Officials from the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District hosted the event and facilitated the discussion.

A high priority for residents was wastewater management. There is a possibility that anywhere between $20 to $30 million dollars worth of upgrades will be required to meet new state and federal guidelines for the wastewater treatment plant.

That project would siphon money away from other projects, such as Town House renovations.

Questions about the town’s drinking water supply were also raised.

Residents noted that no one qualified to speak about that issue was present at the workshop.

“To me, this seems to be a major issue in town, and there’s a disconnect between what’s real and what’s not,” said Don Sullivan, SRPEDD’s community development director.

Sullivan also gauged participants thoughts on the state of town facilities.

Renovating the Town House and library ranked high for some, while others stressed the need for a new Department of Public Works garage on Route 6.

Residents asked if Sippican School was equipped to handle an influx of students with 36 homes slated for construction in a new affordable housing development.

Principal Lyn Rivet said there is adequate space and staff for additional students.

Junior High School Principal Kevin Brogioli said at the higher grades it’s important for the town to develop a capital plan for improvements.

Superintendent Doug White agreed.

White said in previous years administrators have relied on funds taken from the district’s excess and deficiency account to offset capital costs.

White said the account now holds less than $300,000.

“If anything major were to happen at the regional district we would be in dire straits,” White said.

SRPEDD officials will compile the comments made during Saturday’s workshop.

That information will be used by the members of the Planning Board when drafting the master plan in the coming months.

A previous workshop held on Aug. 1 focused on land use, economic development and climate resiliency.

For more information about the master plan, visit www.srpedd.org/marion-master-plan.