Rehoboth Approves Budget, Rejects Ban on ‘Nips’

Voters approved a $36 million budget at Tuesday’s Town Meeting.

The total town government budget is $13, 783, 975. This year’s budget represents a 9.45 percent increase over FY23.

The total education budget is $22, 967,952. $21, 259, 072 is for the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District. That figure represents an increase of 4.4 percent over last year.

 $1.4 million is for Bristol/Plymouth Vocational Technical School, and $272, 000 is for Bristol County Agricultural High School.

A proposed ban on the sale of bottles of alcohol which are 100 ml or less, known as ‘nips’, was defeated with 83 in favor and 155 opposed.

Jennifer LeComte of Keep Rehoboth Beautiful said banning the ‘nips’ would protect the environment and discourage drunk driving.

Opponents, including the owners of liquor stores in town, said they would lose customers to establishments in neighboring communities.

A new bylaw regarding helicopter operations permits, was approved with 164 voting in favor and 82 in opposition.

Tish Vadnais, a member of the town’s Agricultural Commission, said the bylaw would protect farms and livestock. Vadnais noted there had been “too many close calls” with helicopters landing too close to horse stables and farms.

Selectman Michael Deignan was opposed to the bylaw, stating the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had the authority to ban helicopter landings, not the town of Rehoboth.

Resident Alana Greene explained the FAA hadn’t been able to do anything about the helicopters.

“We’re at risk of our horses bolting,” Greene said, adding animals were also at risk of “grave bodily harm.”

A bylaw which was to adopt a Wetland Protection Zone was tabled by a vote of 162 in favor and 64 in opposition.

Article 30 read in part: “To approve a 35-feet Preservation Zone area around wetlands. This article is not designed to limit development but, to give additional protections to our wetland resources helping to limit the impacts of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and sunlight encroachment drying out the wetlands.”

Selectmen Chair Skip Vadnais said the bylaw was “problematic” because it left no room for exemptions.

Other articles which were approved:

• 90 Pond Street Solar PILOT Agreement - authorizes the Board of Selectmen to enter into a “Payment in Lieu of Taxes” Agreement with REHOBOTH RENEWABLES, LLC for a period of up to 20 years for the proposed construction and operation of a Large-Scale Ground Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Installation.
• An amendment to the Bristol-Plymouth Regional Vocational School Agreement to include the addition of the Town of Freetown as a new member to the District.
• The appropriation of $125,000 for security cameras and door access controls for Beckwith Middle School and Palmer River School.
• Street acceptances of Francelina Way, Veader Farm Road, and Layla’s Way.
• A sum of funds from the Historic Preservation Reserve of the Community Preservation Act (CPA) for the moving and restoration of Rehoboth Historical Commission’s three Farm Museum Buildings at Francis Farm to a new location at the complex in order to provide better parking for the Senior Center.
• The expenditure of $225,000 for the purchase of 30 acres, off 165 Fairview Avenue, to support preservation and passive recreational use, and to authorize the Town to convey an appropriate conservation restriction in such property. Funds will be drawn from the Community Preservation Committee undesignated funds.