March 29, 2024

From the Town Clerk

Posted

Hello All – I hope you all had a most enjoyable Memorial Day. I would like to take a moment to pause and remember all the brave men and women, and their families, who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our nation. Thank you for protecting the freedoms that we enjoy today. I would also like to thank Jake Kramer, Rehoboth’s Veterans Agent, for the many hours he spent preparing for the Memorial Day Parade – great job Jake!

The month of May was another busy month in the Town Clerk’s office, Special and Annual Town Meetings, Census finalized and reports printed, Street Listings sent to printers, Town Clerk’s portion of the Annual Report completed, Annual Report printed and distributed, reminder post cards sent out to delinquent dog owners, business certificate renewals mailed and much more.

ANNUAL REPORTS HAVE ARRIVED
Printed copies of the 2016 Annual Town Report of the Town Offices and School Committee are now available at Town Hall (148 Peck Street - Town Clerk's Office; office hours are Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Friday 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon) or for download by clicking the link: https://www.town.rehoboth.ma.us/sites/rehobothma/files/uploads/annual_report_2016_-_final-5-8-17.pdf

SPECIAL AND ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
The Special Town Meeting and Annual Town Meeting commenced on Monday, May 8th, at the Dighton Rehoboth Regional High School convening at 7:00 p.m. with 99 registered voters in attendance for the Special Town Meeting, which dissolved at 7:22 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m., 228 registered voters were present for the Annual Town Meeting (ATM). Through the night the attendance grew to 273 voters out of a total of 8,643 active registered voters as of April 28, 2017 (last day to officially register for the May 8, 2017 Town Meeting). The first session of the May 8, 2017 Annual Town meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m. after voting on Articles 1-7, 11 and 14. The adjourned session of the May 8, 2017 ATM reconvened on Monday, May 15, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at the D-R Regional High School Auditorium with 94 voters present and grew to a total of 134 voters present for the completion of our Annual Town Meeting. Below please find a brief summary of the Warrant Articles voted on at the May Special and Annual Town Meeting sessions.

The Moderator and I would like to thank Boy Scout Troop 13 for collecting canned goods and cash donations for the Rehoboth Food Pantry during town meeting and for leading both sessions of town meeting in the Pledge of Allegiance. In addition to thanking the 273-voters who came out to the May 8, 2017 Special and Annual Town Meetings and the 134 voters who came out for the second session of Town Meeting on May 15, 2017 (thank you all!), I would personally like to thank all those individuals who helped Mr. Cute and I put together and run our town meetings. First of all, thank you Lynn Shaker, Assistant Town Clerk, for preparing the voter lists, and supply bags/materials for town meeting. Thank you Registrars Kathy Conti, Helene Vitale, and Jenn Moitoso for helping run the April 28th, voter registration session. Thanks go out to Derek Rousseau, Richard Barrett, and Brandon Hoderny for setting up, filming, and streaming “live” of Town Meeting along with promoting the town meeting sessions on Rehobothtv.org and the bulletin board on our local cable channel 9. Thank you to our dedicated election workers for working town meeting: Mel & Ed Bliss, Lorraine Gobeille, Charlotte Castro, Jane Daggett, Patty Richmond, Nancy Swallow, and Eve Viau. Our dedicated, helpful, tellers: Cheryl Gouveia, Linda Greaves, Kathy Cooper, Kelly Hathaway, Nancy Muri, Jennifer Rousseau, and Kathy Conti. – thank you all. Thank you also to Helen Dennen for preparing the motions prior to town meeting and faithfully delivering the moderators podium to and from town meeting. Thanks Helen, Cheryl, and Frank for helping break down the Town Meeting materials, we were done in record time! Thank you to the high school custodial staff for setting up and taking down all the tables/seating sections/meeting areas, etc. in the auditorium and foyer of the high school also. Finally, a huge thank you to my daughter Jenn for always being there, at every town meeting session, to help with set up and take down. Without the help of every individual mentioned, town meeting would not be able to take place as efficiently as it does. Thank you all for your continued support.

***THREE UPCOMING UNANTICIPATED ELECTIONS***

So much for a slow election year! As a result of Town Meeting’s vote on Articles 6 & 7 (see above), the Selectmen scheduled a Capital Exclusion and Debt Exclusion Election for Tuesday, June 27, 2017. Last day to register to vote in the June 27, 2017 election is June 7, 2017 from 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Voters may register at www.RegisterToVoteMA.com or at the Town Clerk’s Office (Hours of business: Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m; Friday 8:00 a.m.-12:00 Noon). Polls will be open on Tuesday, June 27th from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. and all three Precincts will be open for voting. The two ballot questions will read:

Capital Expenditure Question – One Year Tax Increase Only
“Shall the Town of Rehoboth be allowed to assess an additional $87,203.00 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of funding the Town’s assessment for the installation of door security systems at Palmer River Elementary, Beckwith Middle School and Dighton Regional High School and for all costs related thereto for the fiscal year beginning July first two thousand seventeen?
Yes ____ No ____”

Debt Exclusion – Tax Increase for the Life of the Bond
“Shall the Town of Rehoboth be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, so-called, the amounts required to pay its assessments by the District to pay the principal of and interest on the bond issued by the Dighton Rehoboth Regional School District in order to pay the costs of roof and window replacement at Palmer River School and window replacement at Beckwith School, including the payment of all costs incidental or related thereto?
Yes ____ No ____”

REMINDER: As we learned from the Municipal Complex Debt Exclusion Election, the State will not permit the Town Clerk’s Office or Election Workers to discuss the ballot questions at the polling site. Therefore, if you are unsure of your vote after reading the questions above, please contact a School Committee representative, Selectman, Assessor’s Office, Treasurer’s Office or the Town Clerk’s Office prior to the June 27, 2017 election. We will try to answer your questions the best we can. We will not be able to answer any questions on Election Day ~ Thank you!

The second and third unanticipated elections were scheduled due to Senator James Timilty resigning his State Senate seat. To fill the vacated seat, a State Primary will take place on Tuesday, September 19th and the State Election will be held on Tuesday, October 17th. Last day to register to vote for both elections is Wednesday, August 30th (9-19-17 election) and Wednesday, September 27th (10-17-17 election).

***CHANGE IN FALL TOWN MEETING DATE***

Please mark your calendars . . . Due to the State scheduling the State Senate Election on Tuesday, October 17, 2017; we will need to move our scheduled Fall Town Meeting Date from Monday, October 16, 2017 to Monday, November 6, 2017. Last day to register to vote will be Friday, October 27th from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

NEW SELECTMEN ASSIGNMENTS

DOG LICENSES WERE DUE APRIL 1, 2017 – 60-DAY GRACE PERIOD IS ENDING
All dog licenses were due and payable by April 1st. After a 60-day grace period, delinquent dog owners will be assessed a $15.00 late fee, per dog, for any licenses that have not been renewed by June 1st. To date we still have 474-dogs that remain unlicensed. Lynn and I have really tried to help the dog owners remember to register their dogs before we were required to charge late fees. We mailed a renewal form in the January census with a return envelope, we held a $12.00 rabies clinic in March, and we implemented an online payment service to pay online. Dog owners who have not registered their dogs also received a postcard in May reminding them of the upcoming late fee deadlines. In addition, a press release was sent to the local newspapers in April, and the town website has also publicized the deadlines under “News and Announcements”, we e-mailed all residents who signed up for e-mail notifications that the June 1st deadline was approaching. We also had a message displaying on the “Bulletin Board” scroll on Cable Channel 9 at RehobothTV.org. If you are one of the 474 dog owners who still need to register their dogs, unfortunately you will be assessed an additional $15.00 per unlicensed dog if the license is not renewed by June 1. We are truly sorry for the added expense; however, it is required by Mass General Law and our Town “By Laws” and it is unfair to those who registered within the prescribed timeframe. Please register your dog before the next deadline (July 15, 2017) to avoid an additional $25.00 late fee and a non-criminal citation. Thank you.

WEBSITE – SUBSCRIBE TO NEWS & URGENT ALERTS
Just a reminder . . . to keep up to date on all the election and town meeting changes, please register online to receive reminders of upcoming Town events. All residents, who subscribed to News & Alerts on the town website, know what is going on in Rehoboth . . . So, Please Don’t Be Left Out . . . Please Sign Up for “Subscribe to News & Alerts” on the town website. Here are the step-by-step directions:
Step 1: Go to our Town Website @ www.town.rehoboth.ma.us & Click on “Subscribe to News” in the “Citizen Action Center (left side of home page).
Step 2: Enter your e-mail address – confirm e-mail address & choose alerts and/or documents you would like to receive via e-mail.
Step 3: Enter the “Re-Capta” code and click on the “Subscribe Me” on the bottom of the page.
You will receive notification of upcoming news, events, meetings, elections, and alerts based on what you select to receive. If you would like to view the step by step visual directions for subscribing to the website’s News and Urgent Alerts, please go to: http://www.town.rehoboth.ma.us/town-clerk/pages/subscribe-news-step-step-directions

THE 2017 CENSUS POPULATION HAS BEEN SET
As of May 11, 2017 the new 2017 population figure is set at 12,568. Our population has consistently been over the 12,000 figure over the past eight years (2010=12,237; 2011=12,017; 2012=12,076; 2013=12,060; 2014=12,175; 2015=12,008; 2016=12,219; 2017=12,568). Thank you to all the residents who returned their census forms, thank you Lynn and Registrars (Helene, Jenn, and Kathy) for helping me process and file the census forms and for the numerous phone calls made to encourage residents to return their census forms.

NON-RESPONDENTS TO ANNUAL TOWN CENSUS
As of June 1st, if you have not responded to the 2017 census your voter status will be changed to inactive, as per State mandates. We are required to mail voter inactivation cards to each non-respondent. Unless you return the voter inactivation card with confirmation that you still live in the Town of Rehoboth you will be placed on the voter inactive list. Individuals who are on the Inactive List (those who have not completed the annual town census or returned the acknowledgment card) will need to provide proof of continuous residency before being allowed to vote in any state or town election and/or town meeting. We still have 176 households that have not responded to our town census. The number of Non-Respondents in Precinct I are 52, Precinct II – 62 and Precinct III – 62.

BUSINESS CERTIFICATES
Business owners are reminded that the application fee for a business certificate and/or business certificate renewal is $50.00 and that your certificate is valid for four years. New business owners must first go to Building Inspector/Zoning Officer, to complete a sign off sheet and then to the Town Clerk’s Office, as your final step, to be issued a Business Certificate. For more information, please go to the Town Clerk’s website and choose Business Certificates (http://www.town.rehoboth.ma.us/town-clerk/pages/business-certificates ).

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
Over the past month, a few very special people, who have dedicated many years of their time to the Town of Rehoboth, have decided to move on and enjoy their retirement. I would personally like to thank Suzanne Withers for seventeen years of dedicated service as an Election Worker and Deputy Warden for Precinct I, Carl Chase for nineteen years of dedicated service as Constable, and Kathy Knight for almost sixteen years of dedicated service as a member of the Board of Health. I wish you all the best as you travel a new path in life; we all thank you for your time and dedication.

In closing, during the month of June, Lynn and I wish all the Fathers a Happy Father’s Day. Please remember to fly your American Flag on June 14th in honor of Flag Day, and as Summer begins on June 21st, we wish you all a happy, healthy, safe, and memorable Summer !

Sincerely,
Laura & Lynn

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