From the Town Clerk

Posted Thursday, April 6, 2023 11:56 am

by Laura Schwall

Hello All ~ The temperature is warming; flowers blooming; birds singing ~ Happy Spring! March has certainly been crazy busy for the Town Clerk’s Office. During the month of March, we processed thousands of census forms and dog licenses, held a joint Rabies Clinic with the Town of Seekonk and processed hundreds of vote-by-mail/absentee ballots along with certifying numerous birth/marriage/death records. Speaking of death records, unfortunately in March we lost two of our election workers, Lorraine Botts and Carol LeBaron; two lovely ladies who will be truly missed. Thank you both for your service to the town and our voters. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families during this difficult time.

As you know, in March we also are preparing for the April 4^th Annual Town Election, working on the Town Clerk’s portion of the 2022 Annual Report and completing the Town Clerk’s fiscal year 2024 budgets.

ANNUAL TOWN ELECTION
Thank you, Rehoboth Reporter, for extending the deadline to submit my article so we can include the results of the April 4, 2023 “unofficial” Annual Town Election results. Below please find the “unofficial” results for the April 4, 2023 Annual Town Election. Thank you, Rehoboth voters, for voting and congratulations to all candidates who participated in Rehoboth’s 2023Annual Town Election.

ELECTED AND APPOINTED TOWN OFFICIALS
A reminder to our elected and appointed town officials; please be aware that no action can be taken by you in your position until you have taken the Oath of Office. Also, should you ever have reason to resign from your position; your signed notice of resignation should be directed to the Town Clerk as per MGL c41, s109. Thank you!

2023 DOG LICENSES ARE NOW PAST DUE
2023 Dog licenses were due April 1, 2023. You may purchase your dog’s license through Rehoboth’s new online permitting website at https://www.rehobothma.gov/ – click on Online Permitting under the Citizen Action Center and choose Dog Licenses “Renewal” or “New” Dog to start the process. You can also use the direct link to renew your dog’s license @:

https://permiteyes.us/rehoboth/publichome.php.

If you prefer, you may drop off your application and payment in the gray drop box at town hall (340 Anawan Street), or by mail (if paying by mail or drop off, checks should be made payable to the “Town of Rehoboth”). The licensing fees are as follows: Male or female dog $20.00; spayed or neutered dogs $10.00. Whether renewing online, via mail, or in person, dog license applications must be accompanied by a current year rabies certificate (with a vaccination date covering the current licensing year) and proof of spay or neuter [if applying for the $10 licensing fee] unless we already have your documentation on file in the Clerk’s Office. If you are unsure, please give our office a call, and we can provide your dog’s licensing information.

Please renew your dog licenses as soon as possible to avoid late fees coming in June ~ thank you. To date we registered 1,237 dogs, 250 more than last year at this time. However, we still have over 1,000 to still register. Remember, in addition to being a legal requirement, registering your dog assures the prevention of rabies, and provides easy identification to return lost dogs to their owners because they are now in our database. Thank you to all 1,237 residents for renewing your dog’s licenses so promptly.

Also, another reminder to those residents 70 years of age or older . . . if over 70 years old, as per MGL 140§139(c) and town meeting vote, the Clerk’s Office will waive the $10/$20 license fee; however, you must still apply for the license and show the current year rabies certificate.

ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL REHOBOTH-SEEKONK RABIES CLINIC

THANK YOU ALL!
Thank You Seekonk and Rehoboth Animal Control Officers for arranging the event, Seekonk Fire Department for the use of your beautiful facility and the Seekonk Town Clerk Staff for including Rehoboth in your Annual Rabies Clinic. Thank you also, Dr. Trusdale and staff along with all the Rehoboth volunteers and Seekonk Save-a-Pet volunteers who processed the rabies licenses. Even though it was a rainy Saturday, Rehoboth and Seekonk residents showed up with their pets to get them vaccinated. Rehoboth also registered 24 dogs; up 6 dogs from last year. We look forward to participating in the Rehoboth-Seekonk Joint Rabies Clinic again next year mid-March 2024.

ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
Rehoboth voters are advised that the date for the Annual Town Meeting has been scheduled by the Board of Selectmen for Tuesday, May 9^th, beginning at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Francis Farm Community Complex – Museum Building – 27 Francis Farm Road. Town Meeting Warrants, after being approved and sent to the printer by the Board of Selectmen’s Office, should arrive in your mailbox, end of April, 2023. Last day to register to vote, in order to participate in the Annual Town Meeting, will be Saturday, April 29, 2023 from 8:00AM-5:00PM in the Town Clerk’s Office, 340 Anawan Street. Prospective voters are reminded that they may also register to vote online at www.RegisterToVoteMA.com, or by calling the Town Clerk’s Office to request a Mail-In voter registration form, or download a form @ http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/Voter-reg-mail-in.pdf

ANNUAL TOWN CENSUS FORMS ARE NOW PAST DUE
Our Annual Town Census Forms for 2023 were mailed to all households in Rehoboth during the first week of January. As of March 30^th, we have a total of 1,300 households that still need to return their forms: Precinct 1 = 300 households in Precinct 2 = 268 households, 355 households in Precinct 3 and 377 households in Precinct 4. If you haven’t returned your 2023 census form, please send it to the Town Clerk’s office as soon as possible. A friendly reminder, failure to return the completed census form may result in voters being placed on an inactive voting list and as per State requirements, after four years of inactivity you will be removed from the voting list.

I would personally like to thank the 4,280 households that have already returned their census forms or responded to our Registrar’s phone calls. Our Registrars have completed their calls to the residents reminding them to return their census forms. Thank you, Registrars Jennifer Moitoso, Helene Vitale and Kathy Conti, along with Kerrie Perkins, Jennifer Hose and several election workers for your exceptional work with the 2023 Census process.

In closing, every April I am reminded how fortunate I am to be your Town Clerk. I would like to thank the voters of Rehoboth for the opportunity to serve as your Town Clerk for ten wonderful years. I truly love my job and thank all the residents of Rehoboth for making each and every day so very special.

During the month of April, Kerrie, Jenn and I hope you have a wonderful Patriot’s Day, have a most enjoyable Easter, Passover, Earth Day, and Arbor Day. Thank you all for taking the time to read my monthly updates and thank you also, Rehoboth Reporter, for faithfully publishing my article every month. We wish you all a most enjoyable April. As another friendly reminder, taxes are due Monday, May 1^st, annual Excise Taxes were due April 1, 2023, yearly dog licenses were due April 1, 2023, and Annual Census forms were due January 31, 2023. I look forward to chatting with you again in May and hopefully seeing you at our upcoming Annual Town Meeting on Tuesday, May 9^th. We hope you all enjoy the beautiful spring weather.

Thank you,
Laura