From the Town Clerk

Posted Monday, January 8, 2024 10:39 am

by Laura Schwall

Hello All ~ Happy New Year ~ I wish you all a safe, HEALTHY, happy, peaceful, and prosperous New Year. By now you should have received your 2024 Annual Census form or it should arrive during the first week of January. The 2024 census mailing includes a 2024 town calendar and town services directory. This is the eleventh year the Clerk’s Office has provided a calendar in the census mailer. Over the past few years, we have received many compliments on how helpful the calendar has been during the year. In fact, residents have already called our office to see if the 2024 calendar was available yet. If you would like another copy of the calendar, please let us know; we will gladly share an extra copy, while supplies last. Thank you all for your kind comments and appreciation of the yearly town calendar. We hope you find the 2024 Town calendar addition to your census mailing a beneficial and time saving tool ~ Happy New Year and thank you for sending your completed census forms back to us as soon as possible! Due date is January 31^st ~ thank you!

Continuing my goal of making town government more accessible to the residents, it is my hope that the calendar provides you with key information right at your fingertips. You will note, the calendar signals residents of upcoming due dates such as real estate tax payments, census forms and dog license renewals, which are highlighted in green; upcoming election and town meeting dates, which are highlighted in blue, and town department holidays that are bolded in red (whole day) and purple (half day). On the reverse side of the calendar, you will find a directory of the Town of Rehoboth’s departments, employees, and phone numbers. Also, included on the directory side of the calendar, you will find information and websites, which residents may find useful such as transfer station hours, burning permit information, school and library phone numbers, etc.

This year’s calendar features the Veterans Memorial and Gazebo on Redway Plain. The Rehoboth Veterans Memorial serves as an area where the Town of Rehoboth honors all veterans who served our country. Dedicated on May 25, 2015, the memorial was constructed by The Town of Rehoboth Veterans Memorial Committee and funded by the sale of custom bricks, cash donations and in-kind service donations from residents and local businesses totaling approximately $150,000. Currently maintained by the Veterans Service Officer along with the Rehoboth Parks Commission, the Memorial features bricks, on its outer walkway, for each conflict dating as far back as the Revolutionary War with names of veterans who served our country while being a resident of the Town. Its location on Redway Plain is fitting given the field was once a part of Redway Farm in Colonial times and was used as a training ground for the militia during the Revolutionary War. I don’t know about you but every time I go by the gazebo, I see people enjoying the beautiful tribute to our Veterans along with individuals who are also honored in the beautiful brick walkway leading up to the memorial. My daughter and I had fun trying to capture the gazebo in the perfect sunlight this fall. After taking hundreds of photos, we settled with the photo you see of the sun setting on the gazebo with a John Deer tractor cutting the hayfield on Redway Plain. We felt, since Rehoboth is a “Right to Farm” community, it was the perfect photo for our 2024 calendar. Thank you all for a beautiful tribute to our Veterans! For Brick applications and Gazebo reservations, please visit the town website: https://www.rehobothma.gov/park-commission to complete the required documents.

ANNUAL TOWN CENSUS
As mentioned in last month’s article, the Board of Registrars is required to conduct an annual street listing (Census) of residents as of the first of January each year. In addition to the name, address, date of birth, occupation, veteran status with “war era” noted, and number of dogs, the form includes a section for school information required by the school department. Results of the census are used to prove residency for a variety of reasons. The data is used for state college entrance applications, veterans’ benefits, amending and establishing birth records, locating missing persons, establishing precinct lines, predicting future school enrollment, state and federal funding to the town, police and fire protection, updating the voting list, and other legal purposes. Please remember to add your alternative phone number and e-mail to the census forms so we may contact you if needed ~ thank you!

Please review the pre-printed Census Form, make corrections, and return it no later than January 31^st. You may choose to return the Census Form via the postal service or utilize Census drop off box at Town Hall – 340 Anawan Street or the drop off boxes also located at the Blanding Library, Bristol County Savings Bank, and the Senior Center located at 27 Francis Farm Road. Additionally, if you prefer, you can scan in your signed and completed census forms and email them to TownClerk@RehobothMA.gov .

This year’s census mailer has six inserts: the household census form, the 2024 Calendar, the Annual Dog Licensing form, voter information on the upcoming March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary Election with a vote by mail application, Police Department – Code Red informational flyer and Ambulance subscription information for those individuals who are interested. Please note the Annual Rehoboth-Seekonk Rabies Clinic is scheduled for Saturday, March 16^th, 2023. For more information, please see the bottom of the Dog Licensing Form in the census mailer or under the Dog Licenses and Rabies Clinic sections of this article. Updated information will be shared on the Town Website at www.RehobothMA.gov Finally, new residents may receive a blank 2024 census form, which they are asked to complete and return. If you do not receive a Census Form by the second week of January, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office 508-252-6502 X-3112, 3109 or 3110. Blank Census forms are also available on the town website @

http://www.town.rehoboth.ma.us/town-clerk/pages/census-information

Failure to return the completed census form may result in voters being placed on an inactive voting list or being removed from the voting list.

Residents are requested to please send in their census forms as quickly as possible regardless of whether or not they license their dogs at this time. Census forms are due no later than 1-31-24

MARCH 5, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY – VOTER OPTION GUIDE

The information below outlines the multiple options available to voters to participate in the Presidential Primary Election. Vote by Mail, Vote Early In-Person or Vote In-Person on Election Day

VOTE IN-PERSON ON ELECTION DAY: March 5, 2024 Francis Farm Museum Building 7 AM - 8 PM

DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE: February 24, 2024

VOTE IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING:

February 24, 2024 – March 1, 2024 - Francis Farm – Museum Building – 27 Francis Farm Road
Saturday, 2/24/2024: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM;
Monday-Thursday 2/26- 2/29/2024: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM;
Friday 3/1/2024: 8:00 AM – 12:00PM

VOTE BY MAIL & ABSENTEE VOTED BALLOT DEADLINES · February 27^th at 5:00 PM – All mailed ballot requests must be received by the Town Clerk’s Office by the 5:00 PM deadline. Voted ballots returned in the secure ballot drop box (340 Anawan St.) must be received by 8PM on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 · Ballots returned by mail must be RECEIVED by the Town Clerk by 8PM on Tuesday, March 5, 2024

SELECTION OF BALLOT TYPES – (PRIMARY ELECTIONS ONLY)

In a primary election, a voter who is NOT registered in a political party must choose a party ballot type on the application to vote by mail or in person voting (early or on election day).
We are unable to process applications for Unenrolled (commonly known as Independent) voters who do not select a party ballot type on their application.
Unenrolled voters who select a party ballot type do not become registered in that party - they remain Unenrolled/Independent voters.
Voters who are registered in one of the 3 political parties (Democratic, Republican, Libertarian) MUST take that party ballot and are not given a choice of party ballot type.

HELPFUL LINKS:

Verify your party enrollment: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch/MyVoterRegStatus.aspx
Change your party enrollment: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/OVR/ (prior to the deadline to register to vote & before applying for a mail in ballot)

VOTE BY MAIL - All registered voters qualify to vote by mail. A single application is available on back of the Presidential Primary census flyer form or you can wait for the State “Vote by Mail Postcard” arriving mid-late January.

MASSACHUSETTS 2024 POSTCARD APPLICATION: The Secretary of the Commonwealth is required to mail ALL voters who have not already applied for a vote by mail ballot, a postcard application – this is usually mailed out 45 days prior to state elections. This postcard application will allow you to apply for a vote by mail ballot for all elections this year or for individual elections this year. Postcards will be mailed January 20^th.

Applications can be returned by mail (postage is pre-paid on the post card application mailed to you) or placed in the ballot drop box outside of the Town Offices (340 Anawan Street). A signature is required to process your application. Questions can be directed to TownClerk@RehobothMA.gov

APPLY EARLY to allow ample time for processing your application and for the postal services to deliver your ballot to you. All mailed ballot requests must be received by the Town Clerk’s Office by the 5:00 PM deadline on February 27, 2024. Any voter who has returned a vote by mail ballot (or voted early in person) cannot vote on Election Day.

TRACK YOUR APPLICATION AND BALLOT: http://www.trackmyballotma.com Please allow at least one week before checking the status of your application and allow a minimum of ten days to receive your ballot from the date of mailing.

RETURN OF VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS: Place voted ballot in the sealed, signed ballot envelope in the postage paid white return envelope and return by U.S. mail or place it in the secure ballot drop box at Town Offices, 340 Anawan Street. All ballots must be received by 8:00 PM on March 5, 2024.

2024 DOG LICENSES
The 2024 Dog Licenses are now available and may be purchased through the Town Clerk’s Office. Again in 2024, residents will be able to renew their dog licenses online with a Debit/Credit Card or Electronic Check (ACH/EFT). Those dog owners who registered their dogs on our new online dog licensing program “Permiteyes” in 2022 and 2023, know they were able to register their dogs online through the town’s permitting program on the Town Website @ https://www.rehobothma.gov/home/pages/online-permitting - please look for the Green “Dog Licensing” button and search for your dog’s record. Instructions on how to use the online permitting program can be found online at:

https://www.rehobothma.gov/town-clerk/pages/dog-licenses .

Whether renewing online, via mail, in person, through the outside drop box or census drops around town, 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 tell you how up-to-date our information is or you can simply search the information on the Permiteyes Dog Licensing program located on the town website: https://www.rehobothma.gov/home/pages/online-permitting . Dog owners should note that the license(s) will not be returned unless a stamped, self-addressed envelope is included (the current postage is 63¢ for one dog tag, 87¢ for two or three dog tags and 1.10¢ for four dog tags).

Reminder, all residents 70-years old or over do not need to pay the $10 or $20 yearly dog licensing fee. As you may remember, I submitted an article at the May 8, 2017 Annual Town Meeting (Article 15) requesting Town Meeting vote to accept MGL CHAPTER 140 SECTION 139(c), which states “No fee shall be charged for a license issued under this section for a service animal as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act or regulations promulgated thereunder. No fee shall be charged for a license for a dog owned by a person aged 70 years or over in a city or town that accepts this provision”. Town meeting did approve the acceptance of MGL Chapter 140 Section 139 (c), which permits the Town Clerk’s Office to waive dog licensing fees for service animals and for dogs owned by any Rehoboth resident 70 years of age and older. Proof of rabies vaccinations for each dog and proof of the dog owner’s age (70 or older) is required. As per Town Counsel, the waiving of fees does not include Kennel Fees.

THE ANNUAL TOWN ELECTION
The Annual Town Election for the Town of Rehoboth will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, with the polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. – Polling Location for all four precincts is Francis Farm Community Center (27 Francis Farm Road) – Museum building. If you would like to review the facility and layout of the polling location, please visit the Town Website at: https://www.rehobothma.gov/home/news/rehoboth-changes-its-centralized-polling-location-francis-farm-community-center-museum Additional details will be communicated as we get closer to the election. As always, the Town Website will have updated polling information when available.

Nomination papers are now available for any registered voter in Rehoboth wishing to run for election on the Town ballot and who chooses not to seek a nomination through their registered party’s caucus process. Nomination papers may be picked up by prospective candidates, at the Town Clerk’s office (340 Anawan Street/Route 118) beginning January 2, 2024, and must be returned, signed by a minimum of 50 registered voters. All signed and completed nomination papers are due back to the Board of Registrars at the Town Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m. on, or before, Tuesday, February 13^th.

Positions to be elected on the ballot for 2024 are Moderator (one for 1 year), Board of Selectmen (two positions for 3 years), Assessor (one for 3 years), School Committee (two for 3 years), Housing Authority (one for five years), Planning Board (two – one for 5 years and one for 3 years), Park Commission (one for 5 years), Tree Warden (one for 3 years), Town Clerk (one for 3 years) and Water Commissioner (one for 3 years).

I will make available the date, time, and location of the Annual Town Election Caucuses once my office is notified by the respective Town Committees.

The final voter registration date, to be eligible to vote in the Annual Town Election, is scheduled for Saturday, March 23rd from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prospective voters are reminded that they may also register to vote online at www.RegisterToVoteMA.com , 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

ABSENTEE & MAIL-IN BALLOT REQUESTS
Applications for absentee ballots are available as of January 2^nd and may be obtained from the Town Clerk’s Office or online @ https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/absentee/English-Absentee-Ballot-Application.pdf

An absentee ballot may only be obtained by written request and with the voter’s original signature. Most voters do not qualify to receive an absentee ballot to be sent to them. Massachusetts allows voters that QUALIFY to vote by absentee ballot if the voter is one of the following:

Will be absent from your city or town on election day.
Has a physical disability that prevents voting at the polling place.
Cannot vote at the polls due to religious beliefs.

If you do not qualify for an “Absentee Ballot”, you can vote by mail by completing the “No Excuse” Vote by Mail ballot application detailed below this paragraph.

NO EXCUSE EARLY VOTING BY MAIL – “VOTE BY MAIL”
The 2022-Votes Act legislation approved in June of 2022, allows voters who do not qualify for an Absentee Ballot to vote by mail by completing the “Vote by Mail” application @

https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/download/vote-by-mail-applications/vote-by-mail-paper-application-2023.pdf

Applications for both absentee and vote-by-mail must be received by the Town Clerk by 5PM on the 5th business day before an election. We recommend applying earlier than the deadline as the US Postal delivery services outside of Rehoboth are not consistent and can range from 2 to 11 days.

BUSINESS CERTIFICATES
Business owners whose business certificate will expire from January through June of 2024 should have received a reminder for renewal. The renewal fee is $50.00 (certificate renewal is good for four years) and checks should be made payable to: The Town of Rehoboth. If you prefer to renew online, you may use the debit/credit card/ ACH/EFT payment method on the town website. However, your signature must be notarized on the business certificate renewal form then scanned and e-mailed to the Town Clerk’s office. Free notary services are available in various offices at Town Hall. Debit/Credit Card or Electronic Check (ACH/EFT) transactions may also be processed through the Town Clerk’s office, in addition to online.

Questions or suggestions regarding any of the above topics may be directed to the Town Clerk’s Office, Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, 508-252-6502, X3109, X3112 or X3110.

THANK YOU – REHOBOTH GARDEN CLUB!
Thank you again, Rehoboth Garden Club for decorating our Town Hall with another beautiful wreath. We thank you all for all you do for so many! Thank you for making our holidays so special!

In closing, Kerrie, Jenn and I wish all of our town residents a happy, safe, peaceful, healthy, and prosperous New Year. Please all stay healthy and prayerfully our 2024 will be a happier and healthier year without the pandemic. Final reminders, Town Offices will be closed on Monday, January 15^th in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Real Estate Taxes are due February 1, 2024 ~ thank you. Please stay safe and I look forward to talking with you in February.

Sincerely,

Laura