March 29, 2024

Rehoboth Selectmen Approve Redistricting Plan

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Rehoboth is in the process of redistricting due to a growing town population. The United States Census is taken every 10 years, which mandates changes to voting precincts based on population. The Board of Selectmen Monday approved the plan presented by Town Clerk Laura Schwall. According to the 2020 census, Rehoboth had a population of 12, 502. In 2010, that figure was 11, 608 – an increase of 7.7 percent. During the same period, Seekonk had an even bigger population boom. In 2010, the town had 13, 722 residents. In 2020, the population was 15, 531 – a whopping 13.1 percent increase.

Schwall said the town can only have a maximum of 4000 people in each voting precinct. The boundary lines have been redrawn with input from the Planning Board and the Board of Assessors. As a result, there will be four voting precincts instead of three. “Each precinct that we had were over 4000,” Schwall explained. “We definitely had to move forward to four precincts. The plan will remain in place for 10 years. It will not be changed until a new census happens and the figures are collected and presented as official.” The deadline for the plan to be submitted to the state is October 31.

Selectmen also met with the IT Committee about the implementation of a social media policy for town employees. The committee will have greater oversight over various town departments and the content which is posted online. Selectman George Solas is collaborating with the committee on the policies and procedures going forward. “We very much wanted to have the town website to be hosting all committee websites,” Solas said. Solas explained the committee has two vacancies and encouraged residents to volunteer.

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