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The Raynham Channel
Board of Selectmen 04/08/2025
(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)
A small-town select board meeting reveals the intricate workings of local governance through a tapestry of community concerns, fiscal challenges, and civic engagement. The evening begins with an impressive update from the Senior Center Director, who details a vibrant array of programs from exercise classes and support groups to international travel opportunities for seniors. Despite ongoing bathroom renovations, the center continues to thrive by utilizing alternative spaces throughout the community.
The meeting shifts to regulatory matters as the board approves a seasonal wine and malt beverage license for a local restaurant and adopts comprehensive regulations for body works establishments—filling a gap in oversight that previously existed. Throughout these proceedings, board members demonstrate careful consideration of public safety while supporting local business growth.
At the heart of the meeting lies a critical discussion about educational funding. The select board drafts a letter requesting that the School Committee honor the results of a potential override vote, emphasizing the devastating impact that circumventing voter decisions could have on essential town services. This discussion culminates in passionate citizen input revealing that Raynham ranks near the bottom statewide in educational investment, with one resident suggesting an increase in meals tax as an alternative funding solution.
The proceedings also celebrate community achievements through recognition of local businesses that have made significant investments in town, collectively employing hundreds of residents while beautifying commercial properties. These moments of acknowledgment balance the more challenging fiscal discussions, reminding attendees of the town's resilience and economic potential.
What emerges is a portrait of democracy in action—where elected officials navigate competing priorities, regulatory responsibilities, and fiscal limitations while maintaining an open forum for citizen voices. How does your town balance these same challenges? Join the conversation by attending your next local government meeting or sharing your thoughts online.
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All right, good evening everybody. Call the meeting to order at 7 pm. Inform the public we are being both broadcast live and recorded by the Rainham Channel and I would ask those with us in the audience to join us in the pledge, please. Congratulations to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for its experience, promotion and the power and the discipline for the day of justice. All right, I'll entertain a motion to approve the regular session minutes of April 1st and ask to table the exec minutes of the same day.
Speaker 3:I'll make a motion that we approve as printed the regular session minutes of the regular session of April 1st and we hold on the executive session minutes.
Speaker 1:I will second that motion All in favor, Aye Approved and table. Thank you Department heads Erin Medeiros, Community Service Director Erin.
Speaker 2:Hello, thanks for having me. I did want to say the bathroom renovations have begun on that in the demo stage right now, which is good. I know all the seniors are happy to see it finally started. So right now we are still doing all of our activities and events. We have moved some of them to the gym carna building. We're using that for like our card games, mahjong, stuff like that, and then we're using the Lions Club for larger events and we're still using the front room for our exercise classes as of now. So everything is still up and going.
Speaker 2:We have some new programs since last time I met here. We have a drums alive exercise class, which has been a good hit. We have a caregiver support group. That's twice a month, and then we started a monthly luncheon the first Tuesday of every month. We're going to be finishing up taxes next Monday and we're going to finish up with 151 appointments total, which is great for them, and then have a few events this month. Tomorrow we have Inga, who is a Rainham resident, and she's going to be talking about her unusual story of being a German wolf child during World War II. So she'll be interested and that will be at the Lions Club tomorrow morning at 10. We have a Medicare presentation this month to go over Medicare supplement plans versus Medicare Adv Advantage plans. So for anybody turning 65 and doesn't know the difference between those plans that's also tomorrow at 2 30. We will be having Lindsay, the public health nurse, here later this month, on April 30th for a tick and mosquito presentation and then May 6 we have the Bristol County Sheriff's Department come in for our lunch meet and greet and talk about what's new going on with the Sheriff's Department.
Speaker 2:Last month we also partnered with collect travel and 11 of our seniors went to Ireland for 11 nights and they all came back and they had such a fun trip. They're already talking about where we can go next, where they can go next, so hopefully to plan with them. We also partnered with best of times travel. Um, they do luncheon shows at lake pearl and venus de milo. So you go to the lunch at 11 30, you have a sit down meal and then the show goes on around one for about 90 minutes and it's all tribute bands. Some that we're going to do be brothers, fleetwood Mac, tom Jones, john Denver, tony Bennett and Barbara Streisand. So those are filling up as well as a trip for a lobster bake and a lighthouse tour up in Maine on the cruise. And then we have our regular activities exercise, chair yoga, tai Chi, self-defense, line dancing, card games, single and breakfast.
Speaker 2:A little bit on Shine she finished with 181 Shine open enrollment appointments back during open enrollment and we also have been trying to get the word out for the Mass savings program. Last year they dropped the asset limit for that so a lot more people qualify for the savings program which gives you the $185 back for your Medicare beat. So we've passed out pamphlets all over town. You have some downstairs here. The library, the food pantry has passed them out. So we've been doing a lot of those applications to save that 185 per month for the seniors. The income limit on that for a married couple is three, three thousand nine hundred and sixty six a month and the single person is two thousand nine hundred and thirty five a month and there's no assets which make is making a huge difference for people to qualify.
Speaker 2:We also have friends of the COA. It's an official group. Our meetings are the first, the second Thursday of every month at 3 pm and they did all the paperwork and we can finally start fundraising. We got everything back so we can finally fundraise for the senior center. So I know a lot of people are excited for that and also the save program. We currently have all the slots filled for this year. We have the total of ten participants. We have three at the senior center with us, one at highway, one at Board of Health, one at Town Clerk to Conservation Commission, one at the library and one at town clerk's office. So the departments have been really good at helping out.
Speaker 2:The board of health and highway are new to having a volunteer this year and as far as I know, it's been working out for them, so it was nice that a couple more joined on, and I believe that's all I have.
Speaker 3:I think you guys have anything for me no questions with that excellent, excellent report, aaron. We're so glad to hear about all those other programs, great opportunities. I think our senior center does a great job. I'm serving our citizens and the more activities the better. And it's a great report. Glad to hear all of it, thank you doing very much.
Speaker 1:Aaron, I'm assuming the same program. Correct me if I'm. It runs fiscal year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it starts mid-January and it stops December 5th.
Speaker 1:Oh so calendar year Calendar year yes, okay, and do you have a wait list on that?
Speaker 2:Yes, we have more applications.
Speaker 1:Okay, I asked about that because obviously we've talked about potentially having an override vote and if that were to pass, I'm hypersensitive to the impact it's going to have on our senior population, on fixed income, and I think it's worth asking Erin to look into the logistics of potentially expanding it by a few slides.
Speaker 3:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:It's a great program.
Speaker 3:Yeah, the only. Thing.
Speaker 2:I think it comes out of the assessor's budget. It does, yeah, so we have to get them. But yeah, we do have a wait list.
Speaker 1:Okay, Good, Thank you, Erin. Thank you, Thanks, Aaron. All right, one appointment nomination of inspector of animals. It's our health director, Paula Rossi-Clap. It's the board's pleasure.
Speaker 3:Motion to appoint.
Speaker 1:Second All in favor, aye. It's approved unanimously. Garens. I'll call the first one to order at 7-06,. It's the new seasonal wine and malt beverage license tropical llama, 1470 New State Highway, greenham, and the manager is Sandra Roque. Sandra, are you with us, hi, come on down. Do you want to take a minute, sandra, and just walk us through what you're looking to do with this seasonal license?
Speaker 7:Well, this is my first time License I did last week applied for like the one day license and mainly is just Incorporating beer and wine to the facilities for people who come in and dine. Since we started, I always get the customers asking me oh, do you serve wine, do you have beer? I'm like no, sorry, because in our culture Dominican, bolivian people do tend, when they have a meal, to have either wine or beer for the majority of the night, and that's what I was just looking for. Thank you, ms Riley. Questions for you. Yeah, thank you, majority of the night, and that's what I was just looking for.
Speaker 1:Thank you, Ms Riley. Questions.
Speaker 3:Yeah, thank you. You've had one day special licenses before and that's all worked out well with no problems.
Speaker 7:Sorry, I'm gonna have one. I guess that was approved last week for the end of this month.
Speaker 3:And I think you told us before that you're TIP certified and trained.
Speaker 7:Yes, us before that your tip certified? Yes, I am. My certificate expires February 7th 2028, as well as my older daughter she's. She's gonna be the bartender and she is certified good, no more questions call.
Speaker 1:You're aware of how the seasonal license works and in terms of it shutting off for a period of time every year. I believe.
Speaker 7:The correct me if I'm wrong is between March and December.
Speaker 1:Yes, I believe that's correct. Yes.
Speaker 7:But mine, because I'm going to have an outdoor sitting. I was just going to do it for like six months versus going all the way to December.
Speaker 1:Okay, and we had really gone through this with you before, where you've only had the one days. But I do this with anybody looking to apply for a more permanent license. This board's always had zero tolerance around serving the minors, and so if you're found in violation, you risk fines, suspension or revocation of your license. So I just want to make sure that we're transparent with you as to what our expectations are, and no concerns with that. No, okay, all right, it is a public hearing. Is there anybody here to speak for or against? Seeing none, what is the board's pleasure?
Speaker 3:I'll make a motion to approve. I think our department has signed off on this, with the exception. We're still waiting for the fire chief, so approve, pending the approval of the fire chief All in favor.
Speaker 1:Aye, so, sandra, that is approved pending the fire chief sign off. We'll ask that you check in with Greg at the end of the week. We hope to get that. We have no expectation there will be any difficulty getting it but Is that also for the one day? No, the one days are all set. This is just yes, okay, okay.
Speaker 7:And did you need it? Also the floor plan? Because they told me that you.
Speaker 1:If you want to drop it off in our office, you can okay, yeah all right, thank you so much.
Speaker 7:How about you know?
Speaker 1:close that hearing at 7 o 9. Next hearing is on body works. Really all that to order at 7-09. We have our health director with us. Paula, come on down. This is like a game show, yeah.
Speaker 5:Okay, so good evening. So you have the final draft of the new body work regulation. Both Greg and I have looked through it and as well as had the input from the police department, so this is sort of a team effort. It's a regulation that has not does not have any oversight in the past by either state or local, and, due to it being part of the public and cleanliness and it's very important that we're in there watching over the public for, you know, safety reasons. So a lot of towns have started to adopt this and we didn't reinvent the wheel, you know, made sure we were in line with the other towns that we recommended.
Speaker 1:Thank you, Paula. Ms Riley, questions about ourselves.
Speaker 3:I have no questions. Did you get any input? I know you put it on the website. Did you get any input or questions from anyone?
Speaker 5:I have not had any emails, phone calls or other. No one's come by or anything.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Call just one question on the fee structure which, while it is a separate item. I think I just discussed it today just to get clarity, you're proposing an initial fee, a renewal fee, I'm assuming, even though it's not clearly proposing an initial fee.
Speaker 5:a renewal fee, I'm assuming, even though it's not clearly enumerated yet, is the second one so, yeah, the second one is the initial does take into consideration of floor, floor plans, and we've done that with the other, with the body art as well. We sort of merit those fees.
Speaker 1:I would suggest we just note that that second ones for for renewal purposes we do have it on the application form.
Speaker 5:so we have put two separate applications, initial and renewal.
Speaker 1:Okay, and then is it my is my assumption correct that, let's say, ab Body Works is charged at $300 fee initially and then subsequent year is $225 and every practitioner in a B body works is charged at $100 fee?
Speaker 5:correct.
Speaker 1:Yes, all right, good, all right. It is a public hearings everybody here to speak for or against this. Seeing none, what is the voice pleasure? I'll make a motion to approve. All in favor, and we have to set a date for which this goes into effect. So I'll ask that be All in favor. Aye, and we have to set a date for which this goes into effect, so I'll ask that be a second vote. As I've always said, I like to give folks a little bit of time. I would suggest at least 60 days.
Speaker 3:I'll make that motion.
Speaker 1:Second All in favor. Aye Thank you and. I will adjourn that hearing at 7-12. Thank you, Paula.
Speaker 5:Thank you, paula. Thank you, so the fees are all set. No, I'll take that out of order, though right now so we can vote on that.
Speaker 1:So we have the fee structure at $300 for the initial $225 for renewals and then $100 per year for each practitioner in an establishment.
Speaker 3:Question Paula do you get those that steps? Basically, what other communities are charging?
Speaker 5:It is some or less, some or more, but, as I said, we used our body art regulations and mirrored that for what we're doing with this.
Speaker 3:Okay, I'll make a motion to approve.
Speaker 1:So all in favor, All right, that's approved unanimously. Thank you, pollard. Thank you Thanks Paul. Thanks Pollard. All right, full business. Ms Riley.
Speaker 3:I have none, mr.
Speaker 1:Collins, no New business. We just did A, b. We've received a letter of interest from a Joseph Daddario on North Bain Street to serve on the Capital Planning Committee, and I'd entertain a motion to forward this to Capital for their review.
Speaker 3:I'll make that motion all in favor?
Speaker 1:aye, unanimously, greg. Can you make sure you get that to chairman Loffett, please? And next is to set a hearing date for change of offices direct of stakeholders at Asian Palace on New State Highway. That would bring us to April 22nd make that motion approved. Seasonal Walt. Seasonal wide involved beverage license renewal. Greg, I don't believe we need to have a hair on this one because it's already been issued. Yes, okay, I'm not aware of any issues at this establishment. The chief had done a few months ago the sting operations there were no violations.
Speaker 1:I would entertain a motion to renew I'll make that motion all in favor aye, unanimously. Next on our agenda is a discussion and vote regarding a letter from school committee. Miss Riley, I will turn this over to you thank you, mr chairman.
Speaker 3:After we thought we just I discussed this at our meeting last week and also brought it forward to the school committee's working subcommittee on the budget. We discussed it there. I actually drafted a letter which I will read into the record, and I actually read this at the working subcommittee and I received a unanimous vote of that committee to recommend it to the full committee. I made that motion and Bridgewater council members Sonia Strickles seconded that. So the letter is addressed to Timothy Fitzgibbons as chairman and it reads dear chairman Fitzgibbons and committee members, in the spirit of mutual respect and with the desire to work together as a united front with your committee and with our town partner, we respectfully request that you vote at your April 16th meeting to confirm that your committee will accept the decision of the voters and honor the results, whatever they may be, of a proposition two-andosition 2.5 override vote, if such a vote is taken to support the school committee's fiscal year 2026 budget. As part of that vote, we ask that you also confirm that, in the event that the special election override vote does not succeed, you will not take the option of calling for a joint town meeting for the district, but rather take that option off the table as a possibility now. Please note that we make this request not lightly, but rather out of a deep concern that such a scenario, whereby a joint town meeting could conceivably undermine the decision of the voters, would have devastating effects on both of our communities by forcing them to come up with the funds, either by decimating reserves that are needed for other obligations and critical needs for other obligations and critical needs, and or by causing widespread layoffs, including our essential public safety providers, our police and firefighters, as well as possibly by curtailing services to our citizens.
Speaker 3:We believe that it is critically important that your committee take this action and, in so doing, send a clear and important signal that our school district and our towns are united and are working together. Our school district and our towns are united and are working together for the benefit of our schools and the children and young adults who attend them, but also for the benefit of our communities and all of their residents. We thank you for your consideration of this request and, if approved, I would ask the board members to sign that and forward this to the school committee for their meeting next week. As we mentioned last week, I think it's critically important that we certainly don't want to support the schools at the expense of our communities. And if an override vote were to be failed and then pass at a regional town a joint town meeting, that would have devastating effects on our communities. So I propose that as a motion. Thank you, ms Riley. Mr Fowler, I couldn't agree with you more.
Speaker 1:Pat and just to reiterate what you said it's overly important that we honor the citizens of New York Absolutely I don't want to let them vote and circumvent and go around. So I think it's a well-intended letter. And I circumvented, so I think it's a well intended letter. I'm sending that motion. I'm there with the two of you. I appreciate Ms Riley's work on this and serving as our rep to that ad hoc committee and drafting a letter that I think appropriately articulates the thoughts and feelings of all of us on this board.
Speaker 1:So with that, all in favor aye that's approved unanimously. Any other new business, miss Riley no, we did that yeah, thank you. Time to ministrate his report, mr.
Speaker 6:Yes, just quickly we last Thursday there was a hearing public hearing on the section 3a, mbt communities article which will go to town meeting for their approval. It was unanimously recommended for the planning board to be moved to town meeting for town meetings consideration. And secondly, we have hired a interim veterans agent. Our current veterans agent is on sick leave, as you know. It will be Chris Buck. He is currently the East Bridgewater Veterans Agent. He's doing this on the side. He will have regular hours in the town hall every Tuesday from 6 to 8 pm. 6 to 8 8 pm. We thank him for obviously filling in during this difficult time while our our veterans agent is out on sick, leave no questions.
Speaker 3:Just add Mr Buckley is a Rainham resident, a veteran and previously did an internship in our Veterans Service office.
Speaker 1:Mr Collins, all right, select members of your group. Ms Reilly, just a couple things.
Speaker 3:Last night was a very nice evening. You also attended, and Mr Barnes did that our Economic and Business Development Commission held their annual awards and they presented their awards to their. The new construction award went to Hanush Jewelers, remodeling awards went to barrels and boards and SS services and their individual awards went to Skip Crossman I'm drawing a blank here Lupe Chico and Chad Gregory. Thank you, mr Chairman, and yes, certainly the chairman, john Noblin, mentioned that those three individuals have combined provided over 100 hours of service to our Rainham youth, which is amazing. But I think too, you know, we don't speak enough about the importance of our business community and while we have a lot of great things going for us here in the town of Rainham, for sure, one of our greatest assets is our commercial base and it helps obviously with our tax base, but also helps with jobs. I think with these three new, these three particular businesses that were honored Hanoush Jewelers certainly has invested like $3 million in our town. Barrels and Boards has invested about that amount as well, and they have over 100 employees.
Speaker 3:And SS Services also invested much money I think $1.5 million in our community and they have something like 55 employees and they've done such a great job each one of them, in renovating what was really not a shining example of our businesses in the past, to put it nicely, and, as I said last night, they're really jewels, really just look at what they have done with their you know, with their property is excellent, so want to thank all of them, congratulate the award winners and thank our economic and business development Commission for everything they do, not only with this, but their monthly meetings and always being on the lookout to try to, you know, help our businesses and the people who make them successful.
Speaker 3:So, and the only other thing I have to mention is that we do that, town clerk asked me to mention that we have an annual town election coming up on Saturday, april 26, and just to know that, the last day to register to vote is April 16th and at the town clerk's office, between 8 30 am and 5 pm. The last day to apply for an in-person absentee ballot is April 25th, between 8 30 am and 12 pm In the town clerk's office. That's just the day before the actual voting. Vote by mail ballots will be available for the 2025 annual town election, so there's no excuse not to vote. Last day to apply for a vote by mail ballot is April 18th and vote by mail ballots and absentee ballot applications are available at the town clerk's office and then again, of course, april Saturday, april 26, is the actual vote and the polls will be open from 10 am till8 pm at the Rainham, at the Rainham Middle School that's all I have.
Speaker 1:Thank you, miss Riley. Mr Collins, right? I would just echo the sentiments of you, miss Riley, regarding last night's awards ceremony and again congratulate all of the recipients, who are all well deserving and made significant and unique contributions to the community. No correspondence, press time seeing, none, emergency business, miss Riley, mr Collins, citizen and community input oh hi, how are you? How are you good?
Speaker 8:time for talking. Okay, my name is Lisa Borgini and I'm at 11 to the cut. 2.5 percent, that's how much we invest in our schools compared to every other district in the state. That means almost 98% of the state gives more money to their schools. There are seven districts that give less money than us.
Speaker 8:So I know there's a lot of people out there who will say, oh, we can't afford to give money to our schools, but the truth is is that we can't afford not give money to our schools, but the truth is is that we can't afford not to, and it's the long game we need to think about. So I want to just compare and think about. I know there's people on fixed incomes and people who struggle, but those students that are being educated by our schools are going to be the future nurses, the future health care, the visual social workers, the future bankers, the future future accountants, and we need to invest in those people in order to strengthen our community. And I recognize there's an override vote, but I feel that very strongly. We can't put all of our eggs in one basket. As you've already mentioned that if the vote goes badly, then that means that the students at our I MENTIONED THAT IF THE VOTE GOES BADLY, then THAT MEANS THAT THE STUDENTS AT OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL WILL HAVE NO SPORTS, no AFTER-SCHOOL MARCHING BAND, no ACTIVITIES, because THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO BE CUT FIRST.
Speaker 8:And AS A CHILD GROWING UP, I REMEMBER VERY, very, very VIVIDLY WHEN PROPOSITION TWO AND A HALF DECIM my music program in high school, and I remember watching what happened to my younger brother and how his opportunities and my current husband and his opportunities were decimated.
Speaker 8:The music program that they had was never recovered, and I just wanted to mention that because I feel that there are things we can do, and one of the things I would ask that you, as the select board, consider, after speaking with Senator Dum's office, is increasing a sales and meals tax for the town of Rainham, because it would be a small amount of money for people to pay who are already in hotels and eating out, and if someone can afford to eat out, I would argue they can afford to invest in our schools.
Speaker 8:So I would really strongly encourage you. That is something in your arsenal that you, as the select board, can do to contribute to this fiscal crisis, because that's what this is. This is a fiscal crisis that we are facing. We have one of the lowest investment in our schools in the entire state. That's embarrassing, and I think that we need to do more than just ask for an override vote, and so I would respectfully ask that you, as the select board, strongly consider increasing sales and meals tax to help cover the difference, because we do have people in the community who have businesses, who care about our students and I think would gladly contribute a little bit of money across a lot of people to help this problem.
Speaker 1:Thank you, any other citizen community input. Yep, you've got to come up to the podium, tony, and please state your name and if you are a resident.
Speaker 4:Please, yes, but two questions. I was wondering if there were any activities planned that you know of for birthday activities.
Speaker 1:I hadn't heard anything.
Speaker 4:I haven't seen anything. I was just kind of curious okay second, do they still have the gardening? Are they still gonna have the gardens up near me? Okay, can you plant not just seasonal crops, but can I? Well, not necessarily me, but do a pollinator garden.
Speaker 1:It's a permanent that's a pocket-rec question. We don't have jurisdiction over that. Oh okay, all right. Yep, any other community input seeing none performance of the administrative duties.
Speaker 3:Miss Riley, I'll just to report that I've reviewed and signed the ton of reading voice and payroll warrants dated April 8th 2025 thank you and at this time I'll entertain a motion for adjournment. I'll make that motion all in favor.
Speaker 1:You're adjourned. Have a good evening.