New Vault at Rehoboth Town Hall

A new vault at Rehoboth Town Hall will be used to store valuable records by the Town Administrator Deborah Arruda and Town Clerk Laura Schwall.

Selectman Lenny Mills credits Assistant Building Commissioner Mark Arruda, Mike Viveiros, the Buildings and Maintenance Supervisor, and Selectman George Solas for their work in creating the vault. The contract for the construction cost was $195, 600.

“It was really a group effort,” Mills said. “It’s a beautiful building so we take a lot of pride in it.”

The land and 7300 square foot building at 340 Anawan Street was purchased for $995,000 after voters approved a warrant article at the May 2021 Town Meeting. 

The new vault features a fire suppression system and is climate-controlled. Arruda explained all permanent files will be stored, including birth certificates, business licenses, records from the Treasurer’s office, Assessors office, and election data.

Employee records will be stored in another part of the building.

Currently, the records are being stored in the vault at the former Town Hall on Peck Street. Arruda said the staff had “outgrown” the facility.

Schwall noted some town records date all the way back to 1633. Her staff has been transporting documents from Peck Street to 340 Anawan Street and then back again for the last few years.

“It’s really going to be nice to have it right in our backyard,” Schwall added.