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, reminder letters sent out to delinquent dog owners, business certificate renewals mailed and much more.

STREET LISTINGS HAVE ARRIVED
Printed copies of the 2018 Street Listings 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) the cost is $15/copy.

SPECIAL AND ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
The Special Town Meeting and Annual Town Meeting commenced on Tuesday, May 15th, at the Dighton Rehoboth Regional High School convening at 7:00 p.m. with 109 registered voters in attendance for the Special Town Meeting, which dissolved at 7:45 p.m. and at 7:55 p.m., 283 registered voters were present for the Annual Town Meeting (ATM). Through the night the attendance grew to 300 voters out of a total of 8,517 active registered voters as of May 4, 2018 (last day to officially register for the May 15, 2018 Town Meeting). The first session of the May 15, 2018 Annual Town meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m. after voting on Articles 1 and 2. The adjourned session of the May 15, 2018 ATM reconvened on Monday, May 21, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at the D-R Regional High School Auditorium with 113 voters present and grew to a total of 253 voters present for the completion of our Annual Town Meeting.  

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 300-voters who came out to the May 15, 2018 Special and Annual Town Meetings and the 253 voters who came out for the second session of Town Meeting on May 21, 2018 (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. Thanks go out to Derek Rousseau, Richard Barrett, and Brandon Hoderny for setting up, filming, and streaming “live” 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: John Biello, Andrew Carden, Charlene Cunha, Lorraine Gobielle, Ellie Horton, Lisa Milich, Mary Beth Moriarty, Ray Olivier, Patty Richmond, Nancy Swallow, and Eve Viau. Our dedicated, helpful, tellers: Kathy Conti, Helen Dennen, Cheryl Gouveia, Linda Greaves, Nancy Muri, Sandy Parris, Jennifer Rousseau, and Susan Taylor. – 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, Kathy, Richard, 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 and husband Gerry 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.

*** UPCOMING ELECTIONS***
As a result of the Town Meeting vote on Articles 3, the Selectmen scheduled a Proposition 2½ Override Election for Tuesday, July 17, 2018. Last day to register to vote in the July 17, 2018 election is June 27, 2018 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, July 17 from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. and all three Precincts will be open for voting. The ballot question will read:
Shall the Town of Rehoboth be allowed to assess an additional $2,115,992.00 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of funding the expenses of the Dighton Rehoboth Regional School District for Fiscal Year 2019?

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 the Selectmen, Assessor’s Office, Treasurer’s Office, a School Committee representative or the Town Clerk’s Office prior to the July 17, 2018 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!

***CHANGE IN SEPTEMBER PRIMARY ELECTION DATE***
Please mark your calendars . . . The State has rescheduled the State Primary Election for Tuesday, September 4th; the day after Labor Day. All three precincts will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Last day to register to vote will be June 27, 2018 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

DOG LICENSES WERE DUE APRIL 1, 2018 – 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 236-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, we sent out reminder postcards in March and a reminder letter in May. We even implemented an online payment service so dog owners could renew online if their dogs are current with their rabies shots. 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 236 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 Bylaws and it is unfair to those who registered within the prescribed timeframe if we don’t assess the late fee. Please register your dog before the next deadline (July 15, 2018) 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 2018 CENSUS POPULATION HAS BEEN SET
As of April 24, 2018 the new 2018 population figure is set at 12,664. Our population has consistently been over the 12,000 figure over the past nine 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 and 2018=12,664). 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 2018 census your voter status will be changed to inactive, as per State mandate. We are required to mail voter inactivation cards to each non-respondent, which have already been sent out. 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 211 households that have not responded to our town census. The number of Non-Respondents in Precinct I are 59, Precinct II – 84 and Precinct III – 68.

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 AND CONGRATULATIONS
I wanted to let you know that several wonderful Rehoboth Residents were awarded the honor of several 2018 Rehoboth Lions “Citizen’s Recognition Awards” on Wednesday, May 9th at Hillside Country Club. The Award Winners are:

  • Cathy Potter – Joseph DeRoche-Outstanding Service Award
  • Michael Koussa and Abby Abrahamson – Outstanding Youth Award
  • William (Bill) Maiorano – Public Servant Award
  • Educator of the Year – Michelle Deschenes and Angela Pimento
  • The Randall P. Silveira – Public Safety Award – Syd Bauman (Ambulance) & Chief Frank Barresi (Rehoboth Fire)
  • Community Service Award – David Katseff
  • Raymond G. Dyer Humanitarian Award – Peter Amaral
  • Good Neighbor Award – Bonnie Meagher

Wow, do we have an amazing town with so many dedicated individuals. The Rehoboth Lion’s 17th Annual Recognition Night is such a wonderful way to honor those who go above and beyond for our Great Town. Thank you Russ Latham and the members of the Rehoboth Lions for recognizing these wonderful individuals. To all residents, please be thinking of who you could nominate for the 18th Annual Citizen’s Recognition Awards next year. Above is a great photo that was taken of the Firemen who were present to honor Chief Barresi at Hillside at the Lions Recognition Night.

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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