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The Raynham Channel
Board of Selectmen 06/10/2025
(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)
The Raynham Board of Selectmen's meeting takes center stage as the town prepares for a pivotal June 24th special election. School Superintendent Ryan Powers makes a compelling case for an override needed to sustain educational quality in the rapidly growing Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District.
With enrollment up by 400+ students over five years and special education needs rising from 16% to 20% of the student population, the district faces mounting financial pressures despite having already cut 24 positions. Powers explains how health insurance costs jumped 15% this year while out-of-district placements for students with significant needs and what the cost is per student annually.
The stakes couldn't be higher: approving the override would prioritize reducing overcrowded classrooms and enhancing special education services, while rejection would force elementary classes to exceed 30 students, eliminate 40 high school electives, and potentially require athletics fees per sport with no family cap.
Finance Director Chris breaks down the numbers for residents, revealing that the average single-family homeowner would see an annual tax increase. To aid vulnerable populations, Town Assessor Jen Oldfield details various exemption programs available to seniors and veterans, though emphasizing these must be applied for annually.
The meeting showcases democracy in action as town leaders transparently present both the educational needs and financial implications, empowering voters to make an informed decision. Early voting begins June 16th, with a town-wide informational mailing approved to ensure all residents understand what's at stake before casting their ballots.
Looking to calculate your specific tax impact or learn more about voting options? Visit the Raynham town website where a special calculator will soon be available, or contact the Town Clerk's office for assistance with mail-in and absentee ballots.
https://www.raynhaminfo.com/
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Good evening and welcome. I hereby call to order at 7 o'clock pm the meeting of the Rainham Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, june 10, 2025, in the Donald McKinnon Municipal Meeting Room at Veterans Memorial Town Hall, located here at 558 South Main Street in Rainham. This meeting is open to the public and it is being broadcast live on the Rainham Channel, on its website and on both Comcast Channel 98 and Verizon Channel 34. It is also being recorded by Raycam for replay on the Rainham Channel. Please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. Join US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE LIFE AND THE AMERICAN STATES AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, for WHICH IT IS RELATIONS UNDER GOD AND INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. Thank YOU. Our NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE MINUTES. The REGUL agenda item is the acceptance of the minutes.
Speaker 1:The regular session of May 27th 2025. Do we have a motion to accept the minutes as printed? So moved. Second, we have a motion and a second. Any additions, corrections or deletions? Hearing none. All in favor, aye, any opposed, so voted. Next we have Department Head Reports, our Police Chief, david LaPlante, with his monthly report. Welcome, chief.
Speaker 2:Good evening, good evening, good evening Chief. So for May of 2025, we had a total of 2,285 calls. 481 of those were 911 calls In 97 were emergency medical dispatch calls. There were 12 arrests and several criminal summons. We had a couple notable incidents last month.
Speaker 2:On May 1st, members of the detective unit assisted FBI with the execution of a search warrant on Gatsby Drive, which resulted in the arrest and seizure of evidence related to a child pornography. Although the defendant is facing federal charges, he was arrested for one count of possession of child pornography by members of the detective unit and transferred to the tongue district court. On may 4th, officers from the midnight ship apprehended four juveniles between the ages of 15 and 17 in connection with motor vehicle breaks throughout the town. Officers investigated several B&Es into motor vehicles and, as a result, all four were summoned to court on numerous charges. I want to commend officers for their prompt response and thorough investigation. This is just another example of the Rainham Police Department's commitment to protecting our community and holding individuals accountable for their actions. On May 17th, members of the ring him fire and police departments responded to Anthony Road for a garage fire. Patrolman Michael Savali was one of the first persons on scene and attempted to distinguish the fire with his fire extinguisher from his cruiser. He was later transported to Morton Hospital as a precaution for smoke inhalation. He was released and is fine. I want to commend him and members of the fire department for their actions during that incident on May 29th 2025, members of the day shift assisted Lakeville PD and preventing a $20,000 Bitcoin scam.
Speaker 2:On that date, a scammer convinced the 73 year old late the woman that her computer was infected with a virus and needed she needed to withdraw funds from her account and deposit them into a Bitcoin ATM. A quick-thinking Lakeville detective believed the woman was likely traveling to Rainham to complete the transaction. Rainham officers quickly began searching for the woman's vehicle at known Bitcoin ATMs in the town and were able to locate it, stopping her from depositing the money into the ATM. I'd like to thank the officers for their hard work and diligence in that incident. And then just a couple community services to note.
Speaker 2:On Saturday, may 17th, patrolman Brian Silver and Zachary D'Andre volunteered their and by participating in the Bridgewater Rainham Education Foundation's touch a truck. I want to thank them for volunteering for this event. I just noticed I spent touch wrong, so I apologize. I want to thank all the employees of the Rainham Police Department for their involvement in the Memorial Day parade. It was held May 24th. Police DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE THAT WAS HELD MAY 24TH. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY AND HOPE IT CONTINUES. There's ONE OFFICER STILL OUT ON IOD.
Speaker 1:SEEMS LIKE A VERY BUSY MONTH. Chief. Questions, comments MR KACHIKO.
Speaker 3:NO, none. Thank YOU, mr CO. As you were reading these, I couldn't help but think this does a good job of demonstrating all the many hats that police officers wear, cooperating with the FBI, dealing with juveniles on the overnight shift, and then the mutual aid with both fire and Lakeville, and then volunteering in the community service. So I appreciate all the work you do, guys, and I believe so.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Yeah, thank you, Chief, and it's the first time seeing you since the parade. Thank you, Chief, and it's the first time seeing you since the parade.
Speaker 3:Thank you personally and Captain Beatrice for your leadership and all the officers that took part in the parade Thank you, thank you, thank you, thanks Chief.
Speaker 1:Thanks, Chief. Next we have our Fire Chief Chief, Brian LeCiveter. It seems like you were just with us, Chief. I think so.
Speaker 5:Things are just working out. Yes, the activity report for the month of May for the fire department we had 87 fire incidents, 211 medical emergencies, motor vehicle crashes and 122 inspectional service calls. Last year we were at 288 runs. This year we're at 307, which brings us to 19 more than last year. I would just like to say we recently held promotional interviews and on Wednesday I promoted Drew Alexander to lieutenant. He'll be taking over for Lieutenant Carr, who retires in August. Hopefully in September we can do something a little formal here before the board for Drew and his family. Drew's a good guy and it's a longstanding tradition with the fire department. His family and his brother is the Eastern Fire Chief. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. I THINK IT'S A.
Speaker 1:GOOD IDEA. I THINK IT'S A GOOD COMMENTS, mr PACHECO, excuse.
Speaker 6:ME NO QUESTIONS BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO DREW. I KNOW, chief, that YOU HAD A LOT OF QUALIFIED APPLICANTS, but IT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO DREW THAT HE WAS ABLE TO SECURE THAT PROMOTION. So THANK YOU.
Speaker 1:YES, mr COLLINS. Congratulations ALSO TO DREW AND THANK YOU FOR. Thank you for Firefighters Memorial Sunday. The memorial ceremony is always very impressive, and certainly the awards afterwards and the VIP award going to the American Legion post-405. As Captain Kelleher pointed out, they do so much for the fire department and for the community. Absolutely so. Thank you to the fire department. You're welcome. Thank you, captain Kelleher. That doesn't happen without Captain Kelleher Exactly Thank you to him as well're welcome.
Speaker 5:Thank you, Captain Kelleher. That doesn't happen without Captain Kelleher. Exactly Thank you to him as well. Absolutely Thank you. Thanks, Chief.
Speaker 1:Thank you. I think we're going to take one more department head, our town clerk Marsha Sylvia, to give us a little update on the election coming up from a voting standpoint. Thank you, marsha. Thank you.
Speaker 4:Thank you, I just wanted to. This information is on the website, but I'm going to read it again anyway. As we know, our special town election is going to be held Tuesday, june 24th at the Rainham Middle School from 10 am to 8 pm. The applications for no excuse vote by mail ballots and absentee ballots are available online or in our office, which we will certainly mail to somebody or email them to if anybody wants them. And some people have the deadline to apply for the ballots. The vote by mail ballot the deadline is Monday, june 16th, which is coming up by 5 o'clock. The absentee ballot the last day to apply for that is June 23rd by noon. The last day to register to vote is this Friday, the 13th, from 9 am to 5 pm at the town hall. So we've also and you have a letter from our Board of Registrars so I'm the clerk of the Board of Registrars and it was we had voted to hold in-person early voting, so the schedule for that is next Monday. It's Monday, tuesday and Wednesday, 9 am to 4 pm in the meeting room in this room. Thursday is a holiday so we're closed, and Friday is 9 am to 12 pm. So that's in-person early voting for anybody that wants to come in here and you have a letter for that. So thank you for supporting that. Because our board, the registrar, is voting unanimously to hold it.
Speaker 4:I think does anybody. I've tried to put ballots up SUPPORTING THAT, because OUR BOARD, the REGISTRARS, voted UNANIMOUSLY TO HOLD IT. I THINK DOES ANYBODY. I TRIED TO PUT BALLOTS UP. I HAVE A SPECIMENT BALLOT HERE, which IS ALSO ONLINE. I TRIED TO MAKE IT GREEN, but I HAVE A COUPLE UP ALL OVER THE PLACE AND IT'S ONLINE THE SPECIMENT B. If anybody has any questions, they can call me or ask me tonight anything.
Speaker 1:And, as you mentioned, masha, all of this information is on the website. It's on the website.
Speaker 4:It's on the home page and it's also on the town clerk's page. Certainly no excuse for anyone not to vote Nope.
Speaker 1:There are so many different options.
Speaker 4:We have everything that's available is available. Thank you Questions comments Mr Pacheco.
Speaker 7:No questions, I just you know.
Speaker 6:Thank you, marsha and your staff. I mean, I think sometimes people are quick to criticize and they lose sight of the fact that Marsha does all this with three employees including herself. She had a September election, a November election in the April election, january special town meeting, a Maytown meeting and now this, and so I think people really need to put that in perspective and recognize what Masha is able to do with again three employees, so thank you thank you, thank you, thank you all right continuing we have no appointment scheduled for this evening.
Speaker 1:We have no public hearing. We HAVE NO APPOINTMENTS SCHEDULED FOR THIS EVENING. We HAVE NO PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED FOR THIS EVENING. Completion OF OLD OR CONTINUING BUSINESS. Do YOU HAVE ANYTHING, MR PETRICO?
Speaker 6:I DO NOT. Thank YOU, mr.
Speaker 1:COLLINS. I HAVE NO OLD BUSINESS. I HAVE NOT NEW BUSINESS. We HAVE A CHANGE OF CORP and family amusement at 115 New State Highway. We need to set a hearing date, two weeks usually would be June 24th, so moved. We have a motion to schedule that hearing for Tuesday, june 24th and a second Any discussion Hearing. None all in favor, aye Any opposed, so voted. Next on our lengthy agenda.
Speaker 7:This evening we have discussion and vote of FY2026 COLA increase for call firefighters. Mr Barnes, what can you tell us about this? Have a letter, I believe? Yes, this is a proposal to increase the pay from $18 per hour to $20 per hour. The call firefighters have not received a increase since 2019, so this is a. If you factor in the number of years, this is less than 2% over that period of time thank you, mr Pacheco yeah, no questions.
Speaker 1:I'd motion to approve any discussion hearing that all in favor, any opposed. It is so voted. Next we have a discussion vote on filling a firefighter position.
Speaker 7:I think our chief has left, mr Barnes yes, we had a firefighter who has resigned and the fire chief would like to fill that position and, consistent with your policy, you need to vote to fill any position thank you, mr Barnes.
Speaker 1:We Barnes, we do have a letter here from Chief LaCivita. I've received a resignation letter from a firefighter who will be relocating out of state for family reasons. I request permission to initiate the hiring process for this replacement position. This position is crucial to the fire department's operational needs and I appreciate your support. Mr P, mr bachica yeah.
Speaker 6:Motion to approve as requested and we have a second.
Speaker 1:Any discussion hearing and all in favor, any opposed. It is so voted. Next we have discussion vote and sign the special town election warrant of june 24th 2025 yeah, I'd a motion to approve as presented.
Speaker 6:We've already reviewed what the text will be. It's out there. The ballots have been printed, so to me this is just a formality.
Speaker 1:I'll second that motion all right, any further discussion, hearing and all in favor. Any opposed. It is so voted. We are going to hold on the informational meeting briefly until our superintendent arrives. I know he was at another meeting so we can circle back to that and hold on E on our new business and go to F discussion and vote on all-town mailing for special town election. Mr Barnes, what can you tell us?
Speaker 7:about this. Yes, we put together mailing. The plan is to send this to all voters in all residencies in town to inform them of the special election of June 24th 2025. If you want, I can read it please. Okay, dear voters.
Speaker 7:On May 19th 2025, voters at the annual town meeting for the town of Rainham approved article 6. This article will raise and appropriate the additional sum of three million nine hundred and thirty eight thousand seventeen dollars required to fully fund rainham's assessed share of the bridgewater rainham regional school district operating budget for fiscal year 2026 and thereby approve the district's operating budget for the year. This appropriation is contingent on the approval of a Proposition 2.5 levy limit override by registered voters. Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 49, section 21CG, the purpose of this special election is to allow registered voters to vote on an override question allowing for the increase in property taxes to provide additional monies for the Bridgewater-Rainham Regional School District Operating Budget from the Town of Rainham. Passage of this override question increases the amount of property tax revenue the town arraignment may raise in fiscal 2026, as well as future years, and is a permanent increase in taxing authority.
Speaker 7:The override question on the special town meeting election ballot will read as follows. Will read as follows shall the town of rainham be allowed to an assess an additional three million nine hundred and thirty eight thousand seventeen dollars in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of fully funding the assessed share of the Bridgewater rainham regional school district operating budget for the fiscal year beginning july 1 2025, with an option to either vote yes or no. A yes vote authorizes the override. A no vote rejects the override. The override question will be approved or rejected by the majority of residents voting on this question.
Speaker 7:Please note this notice is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended as either an endorsement or non endorsement of the override question. The election will take place on Tuesday, june 24th 2025, from 10 am until 8 pm at the Rainham Middle School, 420 Titica Road. All precincts vote at the Rainham Middle School. Mail-in and absentee ballots are available at the town clerk's office in the Town Hall, 558 Main Street, and early voting will occur on June 16th through the 18th and June 20th at Town Hall C. Website for early voting hours. Additional information regarding the override and its tax impact is posted on the town website wwwtownrainhammaus. Thank you, rainham Board of Selectmen.
Speaker 1:Thank you, Mr Barnes, and I believe we did something similar to this the last time we had a debt exclusion. Just to make sure that there are certain people that don't check our website, that may not know, and this way we reach everyone that we possibly can yes, that's correct and and we are restricted in what we can use town resources on.
Speaker 7:So this is meant, again, to be informational only. It's not to provide a opinion for or against. Politically registered groups are able to do that and I'm sure many have seen their efforts throughout town.
Speaker 1:That's very factual, mr Buchica.
Speaker 6:A motion to approve. Mr Collins, I second that motion, any further discussion.
Speaker 1:Hearing none all in favor. Aye, opposed'll second that motion. Any further discussion? Hearing none all in favor? Aye, any opposed. It is so voted Okay. Next we have G special one-day alcohol permits Tropical Llama, 1470 New State Highway. On June 14th. They would like to have a Father's Day barbecue. June 27th and June 28th Latin night July 11th and July 12th Latin night July 26th July 12th Latin night. July 26th salsa night. August 9th karaoke night. August 23rd another Latin night. Yeah, madam chair, I just note on this.
Speaker 6:Some of them are asking for 130.
Speaker 1:We always do one and I see the applicant here yes, would you like to name an address for the minutes? It's.
Speaker 4:Sandra Roke for tropical llama 140. I'm sorry, 1470 New State Highway, unit 12. I did make a mistake. That events and at 1 30 but we stopped selling out one.
Speaker 6:Okay, so I would motion to approve with the 1 1 am. 1 am closing. Second Second.
Speaker 1:Any further discussion. Hearing none all in favor, aye, any opposed, it is so voted, thank you. Thank you, sandra. We have a tag day request Bridgewater Rainium Cheer. July 12th, july 13th, august 1st and August 10th. Do we have a motion?
Speaker 6:Motion to approve.
Speaker 1:Second Any further discussion Hearing. None all in favor, any opposed. It is so voted. Tag day request Rainium Youth Baseball and Softball Association. June 21st, june 22nd and June 29th.
Speaker 6:Motion to approve Second.
Speaker 1:Motion has been made and seconded Any discussion Hearing none all in favor, any opposed. It is so voted. Next we have discussion and vote of line item transfers, which also must be approved by the Finance Committee, which might have happened already, and it has, according to mr Aligi. Thank you, mr Aligi, and let's see. Do we need to read through these mr?
Speaker 7:yeah, so by law, light item transfers have to be approved by both the FinCom and the Select Board. The FinCom did meet earlier. They approved all of them, so the board needs to approve each and every one of these. We tried to have everything available. I know that solid waste highway might have one later on, but this is everything we had today thank you are these any different?
Speaker 6:oh? Mr they're exactly identical.
Speaker 1:Mr Finance Director, would you like to read them for us? Thank you, mr Lavalette.
Speaker 9:Rather briefly Excuse me. So the first request was from Brian Glavlin, who is your forestry superintendent. He's looking for $1,500 to come from his wage account and be transferred to his expense account so he can finish out cleaning up tree trees or doing tree trimming and removal for the remainder of the fiscal year. Second request is from the town library they're looking to. They're looking for one thousand eight hundred seventy six dollars for their personnel expenses to finish out the fiscal year, that money to come from employee benefits. Next request is for $14,830 coming from employee benefits for the library expenses. The primary purpose of that is to make up for the fact that the library spent approximately $14,500 on repairs earlier this year that were not anticipated in their budget. So they still have operations that they have to account for. So this this helps get them to the end of the fiscal year they have to spend a certain percent.
Speaker 9:They have to spend a certain percentage in order to comply with mass border library commissioners rules. Next request is for $5,400 coming from employee benefits going into the selectmen expenses and this is to take care of the Johnson pond weed mitigation. Yes, okay, thank you. Next expense request is for the treasurer collectors budget, coming from employee benefits $2,500, and this is to cover her expense account or her expenses through the end of the fiscal year. Next request oh sorry, postage posted primarily postage yes, so excuse.
Speaker 9:EXPENSES THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. Next REQUEST POSTAGE PRIMARILY POSTAGE YES, excuse ME. Next REQUEST IS FOR $5,600 COMING FROM THE VETERANS PERSONNEL EXPENSE LINE ITEM GOING TO VETERANS BENEFITS. To FINISH OUT THE YEAR, we've ACTUALLY HAD A BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD IN OR, excuse ME, we PAID OUT MORE THAN WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED FOR AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR. So IT'S BEEN A PRETTY ROBUST YEAR FOR THE VETERANS BENEFITS AND THEN LASTLY, $1,938 COMING FROM MY BUDGET AND EXPENSES AND BEING MOVED TO MY BUDGET FOR PERSONNEL EXP to sell my contract for the fiscal year.
Speaker 1:Thank you, Mr Leavitt. Any questions, Mr Pichette?
Speaker 2:No. Motion to approve no questions.
Speaker 3:Thank you, and I'll second that motion.
Speaker 1:Okay, we have a motion to approve the list as read. Any further discussion Hearing none all in favor, Aye Any opposed. It is so voted. Thank you, Mr Leavitt. Next we have discussion and vote to increase maximum spending limits for the before and after school daycare program revolving fund. It almost also must be approved by the Finance Committee and that also has happened.
Speaker 9:thank you mr.
Speaker 1:Lavalette, do you want to?
Speaker 9:yeah, so last time sorry. Last spring town meeting voted to set the spending threshold at three hundred seventy five thousand. Last SPRING TOWN MEETING VOTED TO SET THE SPENDING THRESHOLD AT $375,000 FOR FISCAL 25. We ARE LOOKING TO INCREASE THAT THRESHOLD TO GET US THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR TO $450,000. The PARK AND WRECKS BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY STANDING AT $412,000 IN EXPENSES C, that they have enough money to ensure that they don't exceed their spending threshold, and their receipts have outpaced their expenses by nearly $98,000 for the fiscal year, so they have more than sufficient funds to cover the increase.
Speaker 1:Thank you, Mr Lauer. Motion to approve Motion is made and seconded To approve any discussion Hearing. None all in favor, aye, any opposed. It is so voted Okay, continuing here. Next, we have assigned board member to conduct performance review evaluation of the chief of police. This is something that is included in our police chief's contract. As the chairperson, I would volunteer to do that with the board's approval.
Speaker 6:Do you have a motion to designate you as such?
Speaker 3:I was like that any discussion hearing.
Speaker 1:None all in favor, any opposed. It is so voted. Next we have discussion and vote on filling working foreman position for parks and grounds division in the highway department. Mr Barnes, can you tell us anything about that?
Speaker 7:yes, we had a resignation of our working foreman in the parks and grounds division. We have limited staff in that division and hence we're asking to fill it. Do keep in mind there are several vacancies in the highway already, so this, even if we fill this, we still will have several other vacancies motion to approve second that motion any discussion hearing.
Speaker 1:None all in favor, any opposed, so voted and we have one more item before we get to the big discussion. Mr Howers has arrived. I seea discussion and vote on awarding a contract for a feasibility analysis conceptual plan for a proposed Taunton River access area off of South Street East. Mr Barnes, I understand there are two possibilities and you have been researching this and would be able to make that decision if the board approved motion to delegate that ABLE TO MAKE THAT DECISION IF THE BOARD APPROVES.
Speaker 6:Mr PACHICO, YES, I WOULD MOTION TO DELEGATE THAT AUTHORITY TO THE TOWN ADMINISTRATOR AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIS EVALUATION. Thank YOU.
Speaker 1:ANY DISCUSSION, hearing NONE. All IN FAVOR, aye ANY OPPOSED. It IS SO VOTED. Thank, you ARE WELCOME, and SO WE WILL GO BACK NOW TO SECTION E INFORMATION. Meeting ON SPECIAL TOWN ELECTION WITH THE BRIDGEWATER RENAMED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND RAINHAM OFFICIALS. Earlier IN THE MEETING WE APPROVED THE MAILING WHICH WILL BE GOING OUT TO ALL REGISTERED, actually ALL HOUSEHOLDS IN THE TOWN OF, in the town of Rainham, to spread that word and for discussion purposes. If first we could have our superintendent give us an overview. Mr Powers, if you could do that for us.
Speaker 11:Good evening, great to see everybody. Thank you so much for allowing me to speak this evening. I did want to just provide an update on our current FY 26 proposed budget. I so want to thank the board and obviously the town of Bridgewater for moving forward with placing our budget and the town's budget on the ballot for an override. I did want to just provide and I know certainly you're aware and privy to this information, but just for our residents in the audience and certainly those watching at home some just additional information in regards to what really has brought us here to this point.
Speaker 11:And you know, the school system is not unlike the town or the towns and towns locally, where our expenses are growing faster than revenue and so we find ourselves in a situation where we have several cost drivers and they're really, you know, really causing quite a squeeze on our budget and subsequently the town's budget. You know, just to provide some background and context again, as you know, we are the second largest regional school district in the Commonwealth. We currently have five thousand six hundred eighty two students. We're only second behind Wachusett regional, and what you said is made up of multiple towns, where obviously Bridgewater Rainham is just two. So, as you can imagine, we have seen an increase in our enrollment over the last five years, which is really going against the norm. Many districts and towns. Their enrollment is decreasing, where ours is up over 400 over the last five years. So, as we welcome in more students, obviously our expenses are going up, and I just wanted to kind of get into a little bit more detail about what some of those expenses actually are.
Speaker 11:Obviously, health insurance, certainly and I know again, we're not, you know, the town is not immune to that but we, on an annual basis, are told from our insurance advisor to plan on our health care provider I'm sorry, our health insurance provider to budget for, you know, approximately a 10% increase and this year we were given a 20% increase and really the reason being is the significant increase in our high claims costs. We were looking at about a 2.3 million dollar increase in our high claims costs and health insurance from the previous year. I'm so thankful that we're able to obviously provide health insurance to our employees and clearly, with those high claims costs, we had several individuals and family members that needed that health insurance and so thankfully we were able to offer that. But, uh, unfortunately the you know, the one fallout of that is that our health insurance company looks at that and says well, given your high claims costs uh, significant increase we are going to, you know, raise your rates. And so we were quoted originally at a 20% increase. We were thankfully able to get that down to 15%. We did have to make some concessions and we had to change dental health insurance providers. We had to move over to the Harvard Pilgrim dental plan. We obviously offer Harvard Pilgrim medical to ours, to our staff, and so we had to make that move in order for them to give us that lower rate. But we are locked in for the year and, you know, we're hopeful that our high claims cost don't continue to increase at such a rate every year and that we can get back to, you know, sub 10% increases. We have made every effort to start exploring joining, much like the town of Rainham, a municipal purchasing group. I know the town of Bridgeham, a municipal purchasing group. I know the town of Bridgewater is part of one as well. So our human resources director is really making every effort to look towards FY27, to see if we can get into one of those as well. And then we've also recently changed our health insurance advisors. We feel as though that now is the time to make a change and get sound advice from them going forward. So we have several things in the works in order to stabilize those health insurance increases.
Speaker 11:The next really is I talked about our student enrollment, but what I really want to point out is our increase in our students with disabilities or our special education students. Of the 5,682 students, 20% of our students are considered to be students with disabilities or special education students. And again, because they require specialized instruction and specialized services, those come with a cost. And obviously there are residents, the residents of the town. They have every right to be in our school system. We welcome them into our school system and we, you know, frankly, have a responsibility to educate them and that's not something we take lightly. We want to make sure we're doing it in a way that you know isn't a minimum, that really we're providing the services that they need and the services that they deserve.
Speaker 11:But again, much like we've seen an increase in our enrollment, we've also seen an increase in the number of students with disabilities. When we look back, over the last five years, that number has gone from 16% of our student population up to 20% of our student population. That's a significant increase. So obviously we educate our special education students within the district when we can. So we have all sorts of in-district programming pre-K up through post-grad. But we we do at times have students that unfortunately, because of their significant academic, medical or behavioral challenges, cannot be educated within the district because we just don't have the programming or we can't provide that level of service and so we do have to have students, unfortunately at times, go out of district day programs or residential programs. This past school year we have to have students, unfortunately at times, go out of district day programs or residential programs. This past school year we have 16 more students in out-of-district placements than we did the year prior.
Speaker 11:Now when we look at, obviously, the costs associated with that, as you know, we're responsible for transportation to and from those day programs. We're also responsible for the tuition for those day programs and obviously residential programs as well. So in total we have 47 students currently in out-of-district placements. Forty-two are in day programs and five are in residential programs, so living at a school 24-7. Obviously, when we look at the transportation costs, one van for a student can be anywhere from $65,000 to $75,000. And so we have one student going to a school where no other student is attending, they're on a van by themselves and it's, you know, depending on the distance, could be a cost of $65,000 to $75,000. The tuition at a lot of those day programs mirrors that number as well. Even if we were to round down and say $50,000, and this would be a low end, but just for you know, math discussion purposes $50,000 for transportation, $50,000 for tuition, $100,000 per student, 16 more students this year, obviously, you know we could do the math 1.6, and that's on the lower end. So we're're really looking at 2 million plus when we take in some of those higher tuitions. When we talk about residential schools and residential programs, where we're looking at 250 to, you know, $500,000, depending on those programs, so you can see where those that that area is just such a unpredictable cost driver for us. We try to always budget anticipating that we're going to have students going out of district or student may move into the district, but certainly we can't anticipate 16 additional students and so that, you know, certainly is driving up our, our budget as well.
Speaker 11:I did mention transportation, but I also want to, you know, speak about our regular transportation, the big yellow school as we like to call it. Obviously, if we've added 400 students over the last five years, we really have to take a closer look at transportation. As you know, we are responsible for transporting students in the regional school district who live over two miles. We actually, as a district, have chosen to transport students living a mile and a half because at a mile and a half we're now eligible for regional school transportation reimbursement, chapter 71, and so it just behooves us to start offering transportation at a mile and a half and 400 plus students, you know we do have to take a look at. Do we actually start needing to add additional buses to our fleet? When we look at a three-tier bus, that's almost just shy of $100,000 to add a bus. We have increased our enrollment by 100 students each of the last three years, exactly 100 to start the year and then obviously more have moved in. So again, as we you know, potentially be faced with another 100 students, bringing us up over 500. Over the last six years, at this point that's a significant increase, I think.
Speaker 11:The other thing that I just wanted to point out, because this has been asked and I see this as well as you do you drive by a bus and you see half the bus full. So why can't we eliminate buses in combined groups? Any student that's eligible for transportation? We have to leave a seat for them because at any time their circumstances could change and then they would be eligible or they start taking the bus. Obviously our high schoolers, you know, as they start to get their license, you know they may have a car, maybe they don't have a car, so maybe something could change, maybe the car breaks down and now they have to take the bus. You have to leave a seat for them. Our elementary students that did, driven by their parents or neighbors. Again, even though we assign the scene of the bus they may not take advantage of every day, but we have to leave. So you see a bus drive by and it's half full. I can certainly understand why the questions are raised. They only have half full buses.
Speaker 11:But we, when we schedule our buses, we are scheduling them to capacity, where we can, and then, unfortunately, our ridership does vary and fluctuate throughout the year. And then obviously, much like the town, we are responsible for utilities. We have to make sure our lights are on, our buildings are heated and I think you know, obviously, our schools on both sides of the district. There are hubs for the community. We want them to be that way. They're paid for by the taxpayers. We want our families and students and organizations to be able to utilize them as much as possible.
Speaker 11:But that does come with a cost. We're not able to turn our lights off at 3 o'clock or turn down the heat at 3 o'clock at the end of the school day. Our buildings are used until 10, 11 o'clock at night, and some of our buildings 7 days a week, and so, as much as we're trying to curb costs there, there are just natural expenses that we unfortunately. So those are our obviously big cost riders. You know, we're obviously a people-driven organization as well, so we start looking at salaries and benefits, but we have, you know, obviously entered into contracts with our collective bargaining units. We feel as though that those are mirroring what both towns are entering into with their unions, and so we feel as though that those are sustainable and predictable over time.
Speaker 11:It's really just these other major cost drivers that we, just as as much as we try to project out, we're not always able to do that, and so, uh, you know, as you can imagine, that really brings us forward to ask the voters in both the towns of rain and bridgewater for their assistance, for their approval of our requested budget. I know obviously the town of bridgewater has other items in their override to benefit police and fire and dbw and rain canvas. I just move forward with with our portion of that. So you know, thank you for supporting the schools, thank you to those at home we realize that what?
Speaker 11:we're asking is significant. That's not lost on us. We obviously, many of our administrators and certain school community members are residents, so we know that the burden is going to have not only on us as residents but our neighbors and seniors and so forth, and we realize that it could be a burden. But I have a responsibility as a superintendent I know school community does as well to bring forward a budget that is reflective of what our students deserve and what they need. So that's really what brings us here. Obviously, if an override were to pass pass, our main priority is to make sure our special education program is enhanced and because we feel as though, as we're able to increase our capacity to our special education program and our offerings we will be able to bring some of those students back that are currently out of district placements and
Speaker 11:we also feel as though that we'll be able to prevent any when you know if, when possible, we're always going to have a student or two that we just didn't educate in the district, but it allows us to prevent other students from going out. Obviously our other priority is class size. We want to make sure that our class sizes are manageable for our teachers, our amazing teachers. You know our numbers are high now. We average 20 per student, 20, I'm sorry, 20 per class. He ate on the Bridgewater side, rainham's 26.
Speaker 4:For class K those numbers are high.
Speaker 11:We really should be both 20s. That's ideal. When we talk to other school districts, we hear from parents I know you've heard from parents as well. You know they have neighbors that work in other districts or they themselves work in other districts and they say I'm in the ground, classes are at 20. We have, you know, our professional with us. Our numbers are just not reflective of that.
Speaker 11:So this is an opportunity for us, should the override pass, to be the lower class size and we're going to make every effort to get to those numbers. Certainly we'll be able to do that across the board. Primary focus obviously is on, you know, k-2 to start and then working up throughout the levels. But we want to make sure that we are reducing class size along the way, even at the high school level, that we're able to maintain our amazing offerings at the high school, all of our electives, our placement offerings, the extracurricular and athletic offerings that makes our high school such a unique place to be. We want to make sure all that is intact and unfortunately, if we're faced with a no vote, the override doesn't pass, we are going to see negative impacts. Our class sizes that are going to go up at the elementary level, we are going to see some grade levels 31 plus. Our k-12 numbers are looking at 28 to 31 per class and you know it's I never want anyone to think that that's, you know, a task that our teachers are not up for. Every one of our educators will welcome every student that steps through the door, but the reality is trying to get to 31 first graders, 31 fourth graders. We're going to be in the high 30s, mid to high 30s in middle school. The reality is the teachers are going to be faced with a challenge to get to every student, to be able to provide them the education they deserve, to be able to provide them the targeted instruction. And that's going to be our reality.
Speaker 11:And so you know, I don't think anyone would ever advocate for class sizes in the 30s, but that is what we're going to be facing across the board, even at the high school level, we'll be in the 30s. We are going to have some classes in the 40s. We are going to have to cut up to 40 electives. We're also going to have to look at self-funding, potentially some either of reducing, eliminating the offerings of self-funding, extracurriculars and athletics. Cost of athletics and extracurriculars at the middle school and high school levels is just shy of a million dollars. So when we look at how we self-fund that, we're looking at having to charge our athletes anywhere from $900 to $1,000 per sport. No family cap, families with multiple students with multiple children that's just an unrealistic burden to place on them. But if the override doesn't pass, these are tough decisions that I'm going to have to make, along with the school committee and doing everything we can to preserve what happens in the classroom.
Speaker 11:It's not just teaching and learning. We're making cuts across the board. It should have not happened. We're going to reduce administrative staff. I think you know, obviously, given your history in the towns, you know that we're not heavy in administration. In fact, we've reduced administrative positions over time and unfortunately, we'll continue to do so, but we don't have many to reduce heavy in administration. In fact, we've reduced administrative positions over the over time and unfortunately we'll continue to do so, but we don't have many to reduce. So there is you know there will be an administrative burden. You know we want to make sure that we can still run payroll, but those are you know. That's an example where we have opera. You know operating expenses that we have to make sure continue. So we don't really have many areas to trim from. That's why, unfortunately, burden is somewhat being placed on the classroom, but we're reducing facilities, reducing secretarial, using other support positions. No area will really be important but you know, we're cautiously optimistic.
Speaker 11:I feel as though that I understand those questions out there.
Speaker 11:We have created a website, we have created a tab on our website All things FY26, it's right there on the main page. Any of the information I've shared with you tonight, any of the presentations that we've given, any supporting documents, it's all resourced there so people can log in and look. We're obviously open to any type of conversation, questions that come in. We do have an faq document that we have updated as questions come in, so that's living there as well and I just you know encourage, obviously you know the time to to share their. You know as well, just so that we want our, regardless of how the the vote goes, we want our residents to be informed and have the knowledge to be able to make an informed decision, and we're doing everything we can to get the word out there about what the impacts will be either way, and we're cautious and optimistic that it will be a positive impact and we're just hoping that people do get out a vote Again with power to the vote. We just want to make sure people exercise their civic responsibility.
Speaker 1:Thank you, mr Powers. Any questions, mr Pichette? I do one first.
Speaker 6:Mr Powers, thank you for the work that you've done to educate us and educate the public. I know it's been a lot of hours. You and I spoke during February vacation and I joked to you maybe you'll take an hour off.
Speaker 6:So no, that doesn't go unnoticed there is one area I'd like you to touch upon. Uh, and I'm not gonna surprise you, I've talked to you and chet kane about this um, but it's been critical for me and I'd like you to touch upon it. It's we're aware that the override, if it passes, adds positions. What is the district plans to make sure that the positions added are sustainable after fy 26? Because what I do not want to see, I want to be abundantly clear. It would be unacceptable to me to have any layoffs going into fy 27 if an override passed. So what is the district doing to make sure that does not happen? That's a great question.
Speaker 11:Thank you for asking that uh and that is again you know to your point unacceptable. It's unacceptable for us as well. We don't want to, uh, be back in the situation where we're faced with layoffs. We don't want to be back in the situation three years, five years, we're having to come before the voters again to say we need another override. We understand that that would be irresponsible on our end. Obviously, what we have done is we've really worked to and again, they're projections based on historical trends. So what happens in the future we won't know. We'll have to really analyze that on a year to year basis. But we really looked at revenues that have come in over the last five years, our expenses over the last five years.
Speaker 11:And using those numbers we've been able to obviously predict out over the next five years what those expenses would be, what revenues would be.
Speaker 11:What we're going to do, obviously, on a year-to-year basis, is take those projections and compare them to the actuals, and what we really hope to be able to do is to take a conservative approach, because what we want to be able to do is we want these positions to be sustainable. I don't want an override to pass and, as the globe, you spend all our money in one city and then we like well now what we want to be able to add staff to make an impact. But we also want to make sure that those staff positions are elastic, and so when we look at the number that you know before the voters, we feel as though on paper, a number for number, we could potentially add up to 37 positions. In working with, you know, the administrative staff and school committee, we feel as though that adding 37 right away may not be the best approach in fiscally responsible, because again as we've seen these cost drivers increase in such a high rate.
Speaker 11:We're that if we were to add all 37, that we may find ourselves in a year or two having to reduce some staff or potentially be back in this situation.
Speaker 11:And so when we look at what we've kind of established as year one hirings, we feel as confident right now that we could bring on, as it stands, approximately 25 positions and then work up to our target of 37.
Speaker 11:Obviously, what we want to be able to do is, you know, as we start to prepare for FY 27, look at our FY 26 actuals and say, well, revenues have actually been higher than expenses and so could we hire staff at a faster rate, or maybe the expenses continue to outpace revenues and we have to hire staff at a lower rate or not hire staff for maybe a given year, just so we can maintain what we have. We're continuing to not just make this about staffing. We wanna make sure that operationally, we're still looking to make reductions where we can and put efficiencies in place. So we're looking at all of our operating contracts, our utility contracts. We've started to work with a third party to review all of our just for example we just reviewed all of our waste management, our recycling pickups and by potentially switching providers, providers we may have a you know annual savings, of say, $20,000.
Speaker 11:He's next going to look at telecoms, he's going to look at utilities and so if we can continue to save $20,000 here, $10,000 here, you know, maybe $30,000 here there that adds up and that that allows us in to make sure, okay, we're trimming operating costs.
Speaker 11:We can then sustain these positions that we've asked the voters to approve. And what we'll continue to do is obviously, like I said, we will look at our projections, we'll continue to project out, but we'll obviously compare those projections to our actuals and make adjustments as we do. We won't just say, well, let's hope we get here in five years, we'll make those changes. As we won't just say, well, let's hope we get here in five years, we'll we'll make those changes as we go to make sure that they are sustained.
Speaker 1:Good, thank you mr collins any questions comments?
Speaker 3:would like to make you correct me if I'm wrong, sir, is that you would mention that? You know you don't want to just have a minimum, but I think it's worth saying I really don't think. Your friends you've been working with just the minimum for the past four or five years. This didn't just happen overnight. You've sort of seen this come. You haven't been backfilling positions for a couple of years.
Speaker 11:That's correct.
Speaker 11:So going into this year, Mr Collins, we were actually down 24 positions from the previous year. You know what? We had to not fill retirements, we had to not fill retirements, we had to not fill positions or we had some layoffs. So this has been coming. We decided to see these as these cost drivers that have become more and more evident, clear to us and present that we would probably be headed to this place. So we did everything we could initially to cut costs Again. We reduced our expenses last year, puts in services as much as possible and obviously had to have those 24 positions that is something important people understand, right?
Speaker 3:or you have been trimming yes, for five years, literally nothing else to trim and I would say that that is that is fair to say.
Speaker 11:I'm not sure if we would, you know, just because, again, the cost of operating the school district continue to go up, not just the cost drivers, but just the daily cost. Um, so for us to, you know, try to level, fund those. We just wouldn't keep pace with some of the costs as they have gone up.
Speaker 11:So we I feel as though we've done everything we can based on what we know, but we'll continue to make every effort. If there are other areas that we can reduce or have some savings, we're going to continue to do that.
Speaker 1:Thank you, mr Powers. I noticed we have our school committee chairperson, rachel King. Do you want to add anything, mrs King? Sure, thank you, thank you, chair.
Speaker 12:I'm going to introduce what Mr Powers said. Last May, when we did not fill those 24 positions we had as a subcommittee at budget, talked about what that impact was last year. We immediately started working on this year and having those conversations and I know we had those conversations early with both towns, which we so appreciate. But yeah, we were. We are at a pace right now where, if this doesn't pass, it's going to affect the entire district in such a bad way which will affect the whole community, I believe. So we're we're glad that you're holding this information. We're available. We have information on our website if people have questions.
Speaker 12:Still, we want to have that correct information out there. Whichever way people vote, based on their own circumstance, we want them to have the information that they can to make that informed decision and to know what the impact is. Either way, whether it goes forward or it does not, and we have made a huge effort the past several months to, like he said, look at all of our costs. What can we control, especially right now and going forward to the following fiscal year, we're looking ahead. Mr powers has hired that company to look at all of our contracts to try and control utilities. Waste management is the first one. So we are definitely looking at anything within district where we can control any costs um to try and bring those cost drivers down. So but thank you for this info night, which is so important to the voters to know thank you, rachel.
Speaker 1:Any questions for mrs king?
Speaker 6:no questions, but just, I think, recognition to you as well. I think you and I, the last three months have spoken more than we have the last decade, and I want to acknowledge as well your availability, accessibility and the work you've put in for this. Again, it doesn't go unnoticed, so thank you.
Speaker 12:Thank you. I appreciate that, and I know Mr Powers is the, the SUPERINTENDENT, and HE'S THE VOICE OF THE DISTRICT AND IS OUT THERE. That's HIS JOB. But AS A SCHOOL COMMITTEE, it FALLS ON OUR SHOULDERS. We ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF, and IF WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM THE EDUCATION THAT THEY DESERVE AND THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL, that FALLS ON THE SCHOOL. You feel that burden as well, so thank you mr Collins, any questions?
Speaker 9:finance director, mr lava, let to give us the town perspective what all of this means so behind you are up on the board right now is part of the presentation that the Finance Committee presented to the board last month prior to town meeting. I don't want to. I don't want to believe in the point, but basically I want to spend time on bullets three and four. Town meeting actually approved the fiscal 26 budget at 22 million 175 227. That actually represents a 5.6 percent increase over the fiscal 25 budget and basically what we're left with, or what gets down to article 6 at town meeting, approved by INCREASE OVER THE FISCAL 25 BUDGET. And BASICALLY, what WE'RE LEFT WITH OR WHAT GETS DOWN TO ARTICLE 6 AT TOWN MEETING, approved BY THE VOTERS, is THAT WE NEED. We're ASKING, or THE TOWN'S PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ASKED TO VOTE, to INCREASE THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S CERTIFIED BUDGET AT 106 MILLION. Basically, the TOWN OF RAY basically the town of random voters would need to approve three million nine thirty eight, seven and seventeen dollars to get the town's share up to its required amount under the current certified plan.
Speaker 9:So next slide what you're seeing here, this is from the Department of the Division of local services, which is a division within the Department of Revenue in the state of Massachusetts.
Speaker 9:I apologize in advance that this slide is not bigger so that you can actually you know, so that the folks at home can actually see it.
Speaker 9:But basically the premise, or what the purpose of this calculator is to do, is to determine first what the average value of a single family home is here in the town of Rainham and then what the impact of adding three million nine hundred thirty eight thousand dollars to the tax levy. Right now our excuse me the average single-family home value for fiscal 25 is 589 581. The average single-family tax bill on that property is 7134 and the impact on that average single-family home owner would be an additional 636 dollars and 75 cents. Sorry, this link here, which will be building on the town website tomorrow, is the actual calculator that the residents will be able to utilize to actually compute what the impact will be to their actual real estate tax bill. So so that I this is for demonstration purposes only, but I'm going to use the same average family single family tax bill. Sorry, that's not displaying. I don't know why that's not displaying on the screen yet. I apologize in advance to everyone everyone cut and paste the address.
Speaker 9:Sorry if I would have cut and paste the I. This was supposed to link directly to the calculator that will be on the top website. I wanted to demonstrate for everybody tonight that the single I'm having a difficult time here. This was supposed to link directly to the calculator that will be on the town website. I wanted to demonstrate for everybody tonight that the single-family home value that I took from the state's website, when I post it in the calculator it will compute the same $636.75. I apologize to everyone right now that I can't present that to you on the screen for your view. Again, as Greg had mentioned, that calculator will be available at some point tomorrow. The next page that I wanted to point out in my presentation so that it will make it helpful to the residents this last.
Speaker 9:Try the button on the computer, not the mouse.
Speaker 9:This URL address is directly on the town website right now I think you can find it on the town's homepage. This will take you to the field card or the town's online database from the assessor's office. Basically, you can either type in your street address, you can type in your last name. It will populate for you what your fiscal 25 real estate value or property value is. You can then take it and go back to the calculator unfortunately, which I could not demonstrate tonight for everybody and put in your own value so you can determine what the potential impact is going to be to your tax bill. I have to remind everyone that right now everything is based on what we know. So we know fiscal 25 values, we know the fiscal 25 tax rate. We won't know what the actual impact will be until we set the tax rate for fiscal 26. So it is subject to change, but it will at least give everybody an idea that your tax bill, should you be the average single-family homeowner, is going to go up at least $636.75.
Speaker 1:And that's all I have for my presentation this evening sure, sure, mr level, that I've got some questions that you will have asked what's the difference between a debt exclusion and a proposition two-and-a-half override, which this is? Could you just yeah, so a?
Speaker 9:debt exclusion is a is a temporary increase to the tax base to cover the debt service on some projects. So, for instance, if we'll go to BP for a second, it may be a bad example, but the Bristol Plymouth project that was recently approved project, the bonding period is, I believe is going to be a period of 30 years. So for that 30 year period we'll be adding, basically you'd be adding the amount of debt service on an annual basis to the tax levy beyond what we're allowed to raise under proposition two and a half. At the end of the debt service that increase goes away. So when you have 31 there's no longer an increase as a result to the tax base for that debt service.
Speaker 9:An override is a permanent increase in the tax base. So in this instance of fiscal 26, we want to permanently raise the tax base an additional three million nine hundred thirty eight thousand. So we'll go from approximately 43 million up to forty six point six million and from there, going forward fiscal 27, we'd be adding the two and a half percent levy limit that we're allowed to add and, as we've done in the past here, going forward so that tax base will continue to increase from $46 million rather than from the $43 million right now.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Questions Mr Pacheco. No no questions.
Speaker 6:But just to reiterate some of the stuff Chris said, much of this is already on the Times website. The Administrator has assured us before he goes home tonight the calculator will be up and running this powerpoint presentation. Part of it was provided to us before town meeting in May, so that is also up on the town's website as well, so that information is already on the website thank you questions, mr Collins.
Speaker 1:Thank you Chris actually, we also have and thank you for patience Jen Oldfield from the Board of Assessors, and we asked Jen if she could come in and explain to us. We had some questions about tax abatements for seniors and for veterans. I know it's, it's complicated, that's a lot involved, but if you can give us an overview, jen, that would be awesome. Yes, and a lot of these are pretty involved, so I'm really. I KNOW IT'S COMPLICATED, there's A LOT INVOLVED, but IF YOU CAN GIVE US AN OVERVIEW, jen, that WOULD BE AWESOME.
Speaker 10:YES, and A LOT OF THESE ARE PRETTY INVOLVED, so I'M REALLY GIVING JUST A BASIC OVERVIEW. There ARE SOME EXEMPTIONS THAT ARE ALLOWED. All OF THESE HAVE TO BE FILED ANNUALLY, so IT'S NOT A ONE-TI. Comes in and files it. The next year they're gonna have to come in and bring the same paperwork and fill out the form again. A lot of times people think they've done it once, they don't have to come in every year, but it is something that's done on an annual basis. We have an exemption, the 17 D, for widow and elderly. This is for people who are 70 years old. This one has only an asset requirement and they can get 175 taken off their tax bill. There's the 37 a for the legally blind. That's $500 in. The 41 D for elderly, this one's 70 year, 70 years old and older, with income and asset requirements, and they can get $1,000.
Speaker 10:We have clause 56, which is for the mass National Guardsmen and reservists that are deployed overseas. This allows us to exempt up to 100% of the real and personal property taxes assessed and again there's they'd have to come in. There's a an analysis done on a case-by-case basis. There are deferrals, which much must be filed annually. This is actually a lien that's put on the property, it must be paid back. There's a it's charged interest to on that. There's a clause 18 for a financial hardship. They can get a partial or full amount. Again, this isn't forgiven, this is an exempt, this is just deferred. And there's clause 41 a for a senior deferral for individuals who are 65 and older, and again a partial or a full amount.
Speaker 10:We have a few different ones for disabled veterans. Clause 22 is anyone with a 10 to 90 percent, 90% service-connected disability. The exemption amount is $411.60. We have Clause 22A. This is any veteran who has loss of a permanent loss or permanent loss of use of one foot, hand, eye suffered in the line of duty. If they've been awarded certain medals or a prisoner of war, they can get seven hundred and seventy one dollars and seventy five cents as an exemption. We have clause 22 B. This is a loss or permanent loss of both feet, hands, eyes suffered in the line of duty. That exemption is one thousand two hundred eighty six dollars and twenty five cents. Plus 22. C is total disability in the line of duty and specially adapted housing. That individual could get one thousand five hundred forty three dollars and fifty cents as an exemption. And we have clause 22 D. This is the surviving spouse of a veteran who died as a result of injuries sustained or an illness contracted during active duty. That exemption is the full tax amount their full tax bill is can be exempt.
Speaker 10:Clause 22 e is a hundred percent service-connected disability. That exemption is 1029 dollars plus 22 F is a paraplegic, or if they have a hundred percent disability for service-connected blindness. Again on that, when they get have their full tax, full tax exemption on that. And 22 H is a surviving parent or guardian. That's the gold star exemption and again that's the full tax amount. Again, all of these are filed annually. There's income restrictions on some of these the elderly one, I believe, it's 40,000 a a year, and also assets. Usually I think they're allowed to have $65,000 in assets, not including the residents. So you just have to provide documentation. I would suggest anybody who thinks they may qualify they can contact the assessor's office. You know they can come by any time If you want. It might be a good idea to call and maybe set up a time so that the office staff you know has the time to spend with you and review that and you know anybody that we can help.
Speaker 6:We'd love to not so much a question but a technical point, and Jen feel free to expound upon this. Taking out the abatements for a minute and talking about the deferrals, I just want to make sure folks understand the town is not giving financial advice or counseling, because there are impacts. When you defer attacks, as Jen said, it comes with interest. That compounds the interest, candidly, is not cheap, and so I just want to emphasize that that I would encourage, as I'm sure Jen and her team would. If folks are looking at a deferment, they should strongly talk to their family, their loved ones or a financial advisor and get some of that outside input to understand what the long-term ramifications are of that correct thank you, good point, mr Collins questions.
Speaker 3:Thank, no questions. Thank you, Jen, very much. Thank you Appreciate it.
Speaker 1:Thank you very much, Jen.
Speaker 3:Does anyone?
Speaker 1:else. Do you have anything else, mr Pacheco, on this? Mr Collins, does anybody in the audience have anything they want to add or questions for any of our speakers? I know some members of the financing committee are here. Mr Aligi, do you want to add anything?
Speaker 7:I'll convert what Greg and Chris have said earlier. Mr Alici, do you want to add?
Speaker 1:anything, thank you, and always we want to thank our Finance Committee, all volunteers, for all the efforts that you put into helping us. Mr Barnes, anything you want to add?
Speaker 7:Most of it's been said. The one thing I do want to stress with the calculator, it's for residential rates only. We have a differential rate. The calculator does not take into account what the impact would be for a commercial establishment. So use that calculator only to derive what the impact would be on a residential property, not a commercial property, and if anyone needs any assistance on that, they can give us a call. Use the email that will be mentioned on the website and we can try to calculate it for a commercial establishment.
Speaker 1:Okay thank you, mr Barnes. Anyone else, okay again, obviously the important thing is we want, as Mr Powers said, we want everyone to get out and vote. It's the voters who make the decision on this, so hopefully there's lots of different opportunities how to do that. Just please vote okay. Thank you all for the input. Really appreciate it continuing. Next we have our time administrators report.
Speaker 7:Mr Barnes yes, one item. Last week we were able to apply for a mass works grant. This is a grant that we're eligible to apply for now that we passed the MBTA Act. The grant is for Paramount Drive. We're looking to upgrade Paramount Drive to make it more accessible for pedestrians and more safe. It would be for 500,000 if the town were so lucky to get it. At this point there is no matching component by the town. We're hoping the, the association governing paramount Drive, would put in a little to assist with this. But we put that grant in we. The portal was also used for the water, north rainham water district to put another grant in for five million, so that which would have great benefits to the town if that was ever to be obtained, that's for water piping along 138 thank you, mr Barnes.
Speaker 1:Selectmen's report.
Speaker 6:Mr Pacheco just one quick thing and you build upon your comments earlier, madam chair. The three of us had the chance to go to fireman Sunday last Sunday. Phenomenal turnout at both the ceremony and the breakfast after and, as you said, congratulations to the Legion for their recognition. Just echo your sentiments about the contributions they make. Thank you, mr. Mr Collins, I have nothing new to report.
Speaker 1:Okay, just want to congratulate all the high school graduates from the town of Rainham. I did have the opportunity to attend the Bridgewater-Rainham graduation. It's always amazing how quickly they get through so many graduates In an hour and a half. They do a really good job and that was a great event. Also, our RAVE organization had its annual meeting last Monday, concluding 44 years of service to provide, of providing volunteers and volunteer programs in our schools and serving the town of Rainham. Gearing up for year 45 coming up.
Speaker 1:The committee did award its annual awards to scholarship awards. Ray Volunteer Service Scholarship Award in memory of Shoshana Garshick was awarded to Bridgewater-Rainham Regional High School graduating senior Brianna Brown, and the Ray Volunteer Service Scholarship Award in memory of Kathleen Roberts was awarded to West Bridgewater graduating senior Ryan Corey. The organization also presents annual awards. The Shoshana Garshick volunteer of the Year award was presented to Ellen Fritz and the rave partner in education award was presented to the Liberty elementary school fourth grade teacher Beth Kennedy and the rave award for exceptional dedication. And THE RAVE AWARD FOR EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO THE CHILDREN OF RENUM WAS PRESENTED TO BRIDGEWATER RENUM SUPERINTENDENT RYAN POWERS, and I THINK YOU CAN SEE WHY THAT HAPPENED WITH ALL THE EFFORT HE HAS PUT INTO SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS.
Speaker 1:That's ALL THAT I HAVE FOR SELECTMEN'S REPORT. We HAVE NO ADDITIONAL CORRESPON that I have for selectmen's report. We have no additional correspondence. Press time. Do we have anyone from the press emergency business? Mr Pacheco, mr Collins, I have none. Citizen and community input. Does anyone else want to address? Please just come state your name and address for the minutes. Good, evening.
Speaker 8:Good evening. My name is Alexandra Mastria and I live at 602 Elm Street East. I'm speaking to you today to bring your attention to a project that is being proposed on Route 104 in neighboring Bridgewater. Claremont Companies LLC has submitted a final environmental impact report an FEIR for the Lakeshore Center development to the Massachusetts Environmental Protection Agency, mepa. The proposed project includes new development on lots one, four, six and seven of the Lakeshore Center development and the northern lot on the north side of Pleasant Street and Bridgewater. This is the location of Lake Nipponicket. The project will include the following components a one-story approximately 1,800-square-foot cafe shop, a two-story 80-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital, a four-story 225-unit 55-plus residential community, a five-story 110-room hotel and a 179-seat restaurant on the northern lot. It is expected that the final environmental impact report, the FEIR, will be noticed in the environmental monitor on the MEPA website on June 11th and that comments on the project will be due by July 11th 2025. All Rainham residents are invited to comment on this final environmental impact report, which can be done directly online at the MEPA website.
Speaker 8:Although this project is being developed in Bridgewater, its close proximity to Rainham will mean a substantial impact on Rainham's resources. For example, rainham's zone 2 aquifer is located on the site. Also, rain, ham fire and police will be called to the area to assist Bridgewater. It is also important to consider increased traffic on route 104 due to this substantial project of five buildings, as well as impacts on school enrollment due to the housing development. Additionally, there will be increased strain to Lake Nipponicket, which is a designated area of critical environmental concern in ACEC. The FEIR can be viewed online, but it is recommended that Rainham citizens request a hard copy of the proposal, as the plans are quite detailed and difficult to view digitally. The request for a hard copy of Claremont Company's final environmental impact report for the Lakeshore Center development can be made to CSnowdon at EpsilonAssociatescom, that's CS N O W D O N at E P S I L O N Associatescom. Thank you for your time thank you for the information.
Speaker 1:It sounds like a huge project. Anyone else have any comments they'd like to address to the board? Thank you for your time. Thank you for the information. It sounds like a huge project. Anyone else have any comments they'd like to address to the board? Hearing none um performance of administrative duties.
Speaker 1:Just to report that I have, along with the finance director, have reviewed and approved the town of re and invoice and payroll warrants for last week, june 3rd, and this week, june 10th. With that I am looking for a motion to go into executive session in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 38, section 21A3, to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation If an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigation or litigating position of the public body and the chair so declares. Specifically related to the firefighters union. And also Massachusetts general laws, chapter 30a, section 21a6, to consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property if the chair declares that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the public body and that relates to the board and colonies site. Second roll call vote. Mr Pacheco, mr Collins, the chair, votes aye, all in favor. All right, and so at 816 pm we will go into executive session and come out only with the purpose of adjourning, with no additional business to be discussed. Thank you all for joining us.