From the Town Clerk

Hello All ~ I hope you are enjoying your summer!  A friendly reminder, real estate taxes were due Tuesday, August 1, 2023.  You may process your tax payment online @ https://www.invoicecloud.com/rehobothma, drop them off at town hall (340 Anawan Street) in the outside drop box (24/7), drop off at the Collector’s Office (hours Monday-Thursday 8-4 and Friday 8-Noon) please ring button #1 for service or mail to Treasurer/Tax Collector via US Post Office ~ thank you.  If dropping off in the outside drop box, please make sure you put your invoice and payment in a sealed envelope to the attention of Treasurer/Tax Collector.  Thank You 

MASSACHUSETTS TOWN CLERKS ON THE HILL – 6-28-23 PHOTO UPDATE
As promised in last month’s issue of the Rehoboth Reporter, Kerrie and I are located on the bottom left of the Statehouse photo – Kerrie is behind the gentleman in the suit on the left and I am behind Kerrie, third row left side.  We had a wonderful time visiting with our legislators.  We hope our meeting will make the 2024 Elections much better for all involved. 

2023 STREET LISTINGS ARE AVAILABLE
If you would like a copy of the 2023 Street Listings, there is a charge of $15.00.  You may order one online @ https://www.invoicecloud.com/rehobothgovsvcs; request a copy by mail, drop box outside of Town Hall-340 Anawan Street or visit us at the Clerk’s Office.  If paying by check, please make your check payable to:  The Town of Rehoboth ~ thank you. 

2023 DOG TAGS – NOW PAST DUE
To date we have registered 1,830 dogs this year, unfortunately, we still have 590 dogs that remain unlicensed; 138 more than in 2022.  In January we provided every household a copy of the dog license registration form (2023 Census mailer) so they could register their dog prior to the April 1^st annual deadline. We sent dog owners two reminder post cards and offered dog owners a 60-day grace period prior to assessing the $15 late fee per dog in June.  We also held our annual rabies clinic / license renewal event with Seekonk in March of this year where owners of all unlicensed dogs were notified of the event by our office.  During the month of July, our Animal Control Officer called delinquent dog owners and reminded them of the $25 non-criminal citation and $8.53 certified mail fees, which will be imposed soon. Please license your dog as soon as possible to avoid any further action involving the Animal Control Officer.  Currently a $10 dog license renewal is now $25/dog and soon to be $58.53 or more if the $50 daily fee is imposed.  The State authorizes all Animal Control Officers to fine delinquent dog owners $50/day until the dog owner renews their dog’s yearly license.  Please do not let that happen to you.  If you are one of the 500+ dog owners (590 unregistered dogs) who received reminder postcards, letters and phone calls, please register as soon as possible either by mail, stopping by town hall to drop off your payment and valid rabies certificate or by paying online at: https://permiteyes.us/rehoboth/publichome.php

Please let us know if your dog is ill and can’t receive a rabies shot, has passed away or moved.  We will not know unless you notify the Clerk’s Office 508-252-6502 x-3109, x-3112 or x-3110 ~ thank you.  Unfortunately, if we do not hear from you or receive your dog’s license renewal, we are required by law to charge not only a $15 late fee for each unregistered dog, but file non-criminal citations of $25 plus certified mail charges. If you are over 70 years old, registration fees are waived; however, you still must keep your dog’s rabies vaccinations current and register your dog every year.  Thanks so much for renewing your dog’s 2023 license as soon as possible. 

SCHOOL RESIDENCY FORMS
As we prepare for the upcoming School Year (2023-2024), the Clerk’s Office, in both Dighton and Rehoboth, has received numerous phone calls regarding the School District’s residency forms requiring the member town’s Clerk sign off on the residency forms.  That requirement was eliminated by the District effective April 2, 2020.  Here is a link to the online student registration portal on the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School website:  https://www.drregional.org/page/student-registration .  Please enjoy your 2023-2024 school year!

REAPPOINTMENTS & OATH OF OFFICE
Since the end of June 2023, the Board of Selectmen has been steadily reappointing individuals to new terms as of the new fiscal year.  As a reminder, once the Board of Selectmen reappoints you to a particular position, and you receive a copy of the signed appointment slip, you must by law take your oath of office prior to any action taken by you in your position.  By doing so it protects you and the town.  Please stop by so Kerrie or I can swear you in as soon as you receive your reappointment slip(s).  Thank you ~ we look forward to seeing you!

Rehoboth 2023 Census Reports Past Due – Confirmation Cards – State Mandated Voter Inactivation
As you may know, every first week of January, the Town of Rehoboth is required by law to mail out yearly census forms to each household.  The census forms must be reviewed by each household, updated, signed and returned by January 31^st of each year.  In February, we send out second notices to our non-respondents, followed by phone calls made by our Registrars in March to those households who have not returned their census forms, reminding them to please send in their signed census forms.  April is the cutoff to finalize the Town’s current population (2023 is 12,916 residents) and run the printed Street Listings and required yearly reports. 

The Commonwealth gives voters until the first Monday in June to either respond to the Town’s January census mailing, vote at a town meeting or election that year (January-June) to remain an active voter.  If a voter does not respond by that date, as per State Law, our office is required to inactivate any voter who has not replied to the yearly census or voted.  To date, we still have 871 non-respondent households to the yearly census and as a result, we were required to send out 1,991 Confirmation Cards to voters who were inactivated in June.  The stamped reply cards are required to be signed by the voter and returned so they may be reactivated, if they are still living in Rehoboth.  2024 is a very important election year with the Presidential Primary in March, Town Election in April, State Primary in September and Presidential and State Election in November.  Please keep your voting status active by returning your confirmation card.  Most important, please remember to send in your January census forms once you receive it so the Town does not need to go to the considerable expense of mailing monthly reminders and having the Registrars call every unresponsive household.  If you would like to check your current voting status, please go to:  https://www.sec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch/MyVoterRegStatus.aspx

In closing, Jenn, Kerrie and I wish you all a safe, happy, most enjoyable summer, and a wonderful Labor Day holiday. I look forward to talking with you next month.  Please stay healthy and safe ~ Laura