News Notes

Special Town Meeting to be Held on October 29
The Board of Selectmen will hold a Special Town Meeting on Monday, Oct. 29 starting at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium at the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School. The warrant is open and articles may be submitted to the Board of Selectmen before Monday, Sept. 17 by 4 p.m.

West Nile Virus Found in Rehoboth
The Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health announced on August 22 that West Nile Virus has been detected in mosquitoes in Rehoboth. Health officials recommend that residents protect themselves by taking the following precautions. Avoid peak mosquito hours from dusk to dawn. If you are outdoors during that time, take steps to avoid being bitten by moving indoors; wearing long sleeves, long pants and socks; and wear insect repellant. Recommendations also include mosquito-proofing your home by draining any standing water on the property and installing and/or repairing window screens. To request your property to be sprayed, contact the Bristol County Mosquito Control at 508-823-5253.

State Legislature Wants Schools to Expand Civics Education
The state legislature recently passed a bill requiring middle schools and high schools to expand civics education, according to various media reports. Lawmakers want students to have a better understanding of how the political system works including the electoral process. The bill also creates a trust fund to pay for professional development for teachers and to support hands-on student civics projects. Lawmakers believe that expanding civics curriculum will help increase young voter turnout. The bill still needs the Governor’s signature.

Selectmen Approve Drone Use by SRPEDD
The Board of Selectmen has given their authorization for the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) to use drones to conduct aerial photography to survey the town, according to a Sun Chronicle article. The work began last month and is expected to run through the end of September. One of the things they will look at is traffic flow through the intersection at Route 44 and Route 118.

Rehoboth Breed Expo Held at La Salette Shrine Last Month
The annual Rehoboth Breed Expo was held on the grounds of La Salette Shrine on Sunday, Aug. 5. Unfortunately, torrential rains caused the first All Breed Open Horse Show on Sat, Aug. 4 to close early. RBE President Sherri Savoy said that overall the event was “awesome.” There were many vendors of all types, a full schedule of demonstrators and plenty of spectators. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Rehoboth Food Pantry, Rehoboth Animal Shelter, Rehoboth Senior Center, Friends of the Massachusetts DCR Park Rangers Mounted Unit, LaSalette Shrine and more. The Breed Expo’s founder, Ray Viau, who has been battling health issues, was able to attend with his wife Eve.

New Building Committee Formed to Oversee Municipal Bldg Project
The town has formed a building committee to oversee the project to construct a new municipal government building that will include a town hall, public safety complex and animal shelter, according to a Sun Chronicle article. Members of the committee include Fire Chief Frank Barresi, Police Sgt James Medeiros, Town Administrator Helen Dennen, Richard Panofsky of the animal advisory committee, Carolyn Panofsky of the green energy committee, Scott Meagher of the ambulance committee and Bill Maiorano of the emergency management agency. A representative from the finance committee will also take part, but he/she will be a non-voting member.

Mass Legislature Approves Bill Giving Seniors Property Tax Relief
The Massachusetts Legislature recently passed a bill that allows towns to give seniors a break on property taxes. The relief is needs-based and seniors have to be 65 or older and have lived in their city or town for 10 consecutive years. The relief is based on the amount of tax credit that seniors receive under the Senior Circuit Breaker program and would be set by the city/town. Lawmakers said the bill will help seniors on fixed incomes stay in their homes. The bill still must be signed by Governor Baker.