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Raynham Select Board 01/20/2026

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0:00 | 24:30

(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)

A frigid night couldn’t slow a packed agenda that touched permits, public health, licensing, and real community needs. We opened with a straight look at overdue 2026 business permits and why enforcement exists to protect residents and support fair operators. From there, our opioid working group doubled down on prevention by distributing 600 youth-friendly vaping education books alongside a parent letter through local schools, while our town nurse delivered stroke prevention and bed bug sessions and kept blood pressure clinics rolling.

We also took a thoughtful detour into a hot municipal topic: public restaurant grading. Some nearby towns use letters, we use numbers, and we’re weighing transparency against fairness when violations get corrected fast. Expect research and data before decisions. Two public hearings followed—one for Shaw’s corporate officer changes and a new, experienced manager of record, and one for the Raynham IcePlex’s manager change. Both sailed through after clear conversations on ServeSafe Alcohol certifications and our zero-tolerance stance on serving minors. Compliance checks aren’t a threat; they’re a promise to families.

Between votes, we kept the community pulse strong: kennel and barn inspections on schedule, approvals for multiple tag day fundraisers, and a joint meeting set for the regional school district’s preliminary FY27 budget. We thanked DPW for long storm shifts that kept roads safe. We welcomed Old Colony Habitat for Humanity to town, shared food access information for residents, and highlighted affordable senior meals with signup details. Transparency got a meaningful nod as our town administrator earned praise for delivering comprehensive public records quickly and cleanly.

If you care about how local choices keep your family safe, your food secure, and your streets working, this one’s worth a listen. Subscribe, share this with a neighbor, and leave a review with your take: should we adopt public restaurant grading, and if so, how do we get it right?

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SPEAKER_01:

I'm going to call the meeting to order of the Rainham Select Board here on Tuesday, January 20th, 2026, in Veterans Memorial Town Hall at 558 South Main Street here in Rhenium. Call the meeting to order at 7 o'clock PM. Just want to welcome everyone and announce that our meeting is open to the public. It is also being broadcast, broadcast live on the Rhanium Channel, on Comcast Channel 98 and Horizon Channel 34. It is also being recorded by Raycam for replay on the Rhanium channel. Please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. The next agenda item is the acceptance of the minutes. We have the minutes of the regular session of January 13th, 2026. We have a motion to accept the minutes as printed.

SPEAKER_05:

So moved.

SPEAKER_01:

Motion is made and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing then all in favor. Aye. Any opposed? It is so voted. Next we have our department head reports, and we have our health director with us this evening, Paula Rossi Clack, with your monthly report. Welcome, Paula.

SPEAKER_02:

Good evening. An update on what's happening in the Board of Health. I just wanted to make the board aware of the latest on our 2026 permits. We are working on several business permits that are outstanding and late fees have been applied. I just wanted to let the board know that it's possible for temporary closures with hearing before the board, maybe necessary. We're trying not to. We work well with the businesses out there, but we just need to get them to get their 2026 permits in place. An update on the opioid working group. Last month we ordered and received 600 books on vaping education. This is the actual book I brought just to show you. We're working with the Labibity School Administration, and we'll first provide a letter to parents to see if they would like a copy to read to their child. Leftover copies will be available in various locations throughout the town once this program is completed. Our working group is charged with education and harm reduction, and we all decided that the best way to go about it is to help out educating the youth of the population for now. And I've been in touch with the superintendent and the school principals, and they both have sanctioned that. Once they read the letter, the letters will be going out. Town nurse Lindsay Miranda, she did a stroke prevention presentation rather at the senior center on December 9th, and it was well received and well attended. She also did a bed bugs presentation at the Housing Authority on December 11th, and the upcoming blood pressure clinics at the senior center will be tomorrow, Wednesday, January 21st. Animal control updates. The animal control officer has received five 2026 kennel applications and will be inspecting them over the next two weeks. And barn inspections will begin next month and need to be completed by April. And that's all I have for my report this month. Anyone has questions?

SPEAKER_01:

Questions, comments, Mr. B chair. Thank you.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah, Paula, one question. When it comes to food establishments, uh, which I know are the bulk of the work that you do, um, have you given any thought to employing what a lot of other towns deciding to roll out, the grading system for restaurants?

SPEAKER_02:

So I've heard about that, and I've heard about one town in particular. Um, I didn't really know, I wasn't really well prepared on the results. I'm waiting to talk to the town to see how it's been received. And quite frankly, I have I have um different opinions on that by it's almost like a scarlet letter. Um, we're very good at getting in there, and if there are any violations or anything that needs to be taken care of, we're taking care of them within the 10-day mark. Critical violations are taken care of right away. Um, and I really have to say, from the previous, since I've been here uh for the past three years, the previous health inspector and now this new um health inspector, um they have a great relationship with the with the business owners, and we find that most issues are corrected very quickly. So I can certainly research it and bring it back to the board if you'd like to have that happen, but um that is something new that seems to be trending.

SPEAKER_05:

I'd be curious just to get some more information on it in the research that I've done. I know Middlebar has done it, and I think Boston has piloted it. Yeah, uh and I don't look at minor violations impacting the overall score because they're rectifiable to your point. Correct. To me, it speaks to the broader issue and holistically around how they operate.

SPEAKER_02:

Correct. Um, and I know that our system uses a number grading system. And um I Middlebower, you spoke of, they were using a letter system on there, and um, and they will uh retract the the letter grade as long as it's corrected, but it seems to I I don't know. I guess I'd be uh I'd entertain it with the with the board, but I think more research should be done too. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you, Mr. Vachief and Mr. Collins.

SPEAKER_05:

Thanks for all.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you, and I guess just a warning to uh residents out there that we've got some really cold. Well, obviously tonight is really cold, but this weekend it's gonna be brutally cold too, and people just need to be aware and take care.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, I I think Greg probably has a story he could share about how being careful on the ice when you're out there. Make sure you have good footing. Um yeah, be careful out there in the cold weather. So and your animals too. Make sure you bring in your pets.

SPEAKER_01:

So thank you very well.

SPEAKER_02:

Thanks, Paul. Appreciate it. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, next on our agenda we have an appointment, a constable reappointment of Joel C. Thomas, and we do have the recommended approval from our police chief.

SPEAKER_05:

So moved again, seconded.

SPEAKER_01:

Motion is made and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing and all in favor, any opposed? It is so voted. Next, we have a nomination of inspector of animals of for Carlos Alvarado, and I don't know if you want to speak to this second fala.

SPEAKER_02:

I just wanted to let the board know that that your town the town can have as many health inspectors as you see fit. Um, Carlos is going to be performing these duties during his regular hours as an inspector if it can fit within the schedule, because his first priority is of course the board of health inspections. But we do need a little bit more help with the um barn inspections to get those done on time annually, and that's going to be the concentration mostly for uh that his new role.

SPEAKER_01:

So if we approve this, then it goes to the state, and the state has to approve it as well.

SPEAKER_02:

Correct. It's retro to the date that you approve it. Um, so he could he can legally be doing the inspections starting tomorrow if you approve it tonight. Um, but yeah, that that'll go immediately to the state. So, but he'd be he's like the third in line. We still have our regular um ACO animal inspector is number one, I'm kind of number two, and and Carlos is coming in at number three. Terrific.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you, Mr. Pachico. Motion is made and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing that all in favor? Any opposed? Thank you, Paul. All right, next we have a hearing. Or the selectman will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, January 20th at 7.05 p.m. And we're at 7.07 right now at Veterans Memorial Town Hall, 558 South Main Street on the application of Shaw's Supermarkets Incorporating, doing business as Shaw's for change of officer, directors, and change of manager at 300 New State Highway, obviously at Shaw's. So I'm going to call the public hearing to order at 708 p.m. and uh welcome you and please your name and address for a minute.

SPEAKER_00:

Sure. Um good evening, Madam Chair, members of the board, attorney Nick Zuzula, uh, McDermott, Quiltee Miller, and Hanley, uh representing Shaw's Star Market. Uh our office is at 28 State Street in Boston, Massachusetts. It's a pleasure to be back in front of the board again. I was here in March of 2024 for a similar application. Um, and with me tonight is Miss Catherine Hanley, uh, who is of no relation to our Hanley of our office. I just put that together. Um, but we are here for two items, madam chair. Uh, first is a change of officers and directors on the corporate level, and then second is a change of manager of record at the local level at the store itself, of which Miss Hanley is here for that. So, if I may start with the change of manager, um Miss Hanley is uh replacing Jason Perry as the manager of record on the liquor license. Uh, she has over a decade of experience in the industry all with Shaw Star Market. Uh, she actually was the assistant store manager at their Franklin location for four years, which also has a liquor license. Um, so she's very experienced there. Um, she is serve safe alcohol certified. Uh, she is a mass resident. She lives in North Attleboro, uh, and she is a U.S. citizen, so we would suggest to the board that she does uh qualify as a proposed manager of record under a liquor license. Uh, she's also familiar with the rules and regulations for uh the town, uh, for the state, um, in terms of the sale and service uh of alcohol. Um I can pause here, madam chair, if you have any questions for us on the manager, or I can continue. We filed a multiple amendment, so just continue. Okay, yes, ma'am. Um and then for the change of officers and directors, that is just at the corporate level. Um again, I was here I think in March of 2024 for a similar one. In this case, um the corporation is removing uh Robert Backis as president and director, and a Bradley Beckstrom as their secretary, and they are replacing them with a Robert Larson as a president and director, and Marilyn Beardsley as the secretary. So that's why we filed this application as a multiple amendment for both Miss Hanley to be on the license here at the store itself, and she's been at the store for four months now, and then also for the the change of officers and directors. Other than that, there are no changes to the hours, no proposed changes to the operation, um, the rest of the layout, everything will remain the same. Um, and so we're just looking to update our records with the town, and then if approved tonight, obviously with the state uh for these changes. So I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have for either myself or Miss Hanley and appreciate your time as always.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, thank you. I'll go to Mr. Pachico.

SPEAKER_05:

No, Council, nice to see you again. I um trust you could give my speech better than I can at this point, so I'm gonna save you from it other than to say I appreciate you acknowledging uh the way we handle stuff here in Rainham and have confidence that you will ensure your clients continue to abide by that. Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01:

Mr. Vichico, Mr. Collins.

SPEAKER_05:

Oh no additional comments.

SPEAKER_01:

No, I have no comments other than to uh welcome uh Catherine to Rainham and uh and we appreciate you being here. Thank you so much. Okay, um, yes, that's right. Citizen input. It is a public hearing. Do we have anyone who wishes to address the board? Seeing no one, but I'll go back to the board and see if you can.

SPEAKER_05:

Motion to approve. Second.

SPEAKER_01:

Motion has been made and second. Is any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor. I be opposed. So voted unanimous vote. Thank you so much. Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_00:

Thanks for your time. Appreciate it. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you. So then at 7 12 p.m., I will close that public hearing and um open up our next public hearing. The Board of Selectman will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, January 20th. And this is on the application of Facility Management Corporation to uh Rainham Ice Plex for a change of manager at 1568 Broadway, Rainham. Um, and all interested parties will be heard at this time. The end meeting is already all public hearing is called to order, so please your name and address from that.

SPEAKER_04:

Nicholas Valentino. Um, do you need my home address or the address of the location?

SPEAKER_01:

Um location.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, 1568 Broadway in Rainham.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you. And do you have anything to tell us before we ask you any questions?

SPEAKER_04:

Um I've been with the company for almost 20 years. Oh. Um, 2008. I just recently took over the Rainham IcePlex, but I've been in and out of there for years, so I know how everything operates and how that all goes. I am serve safe and TIP certified already. I've been working there since June, give or take. So I have a pretty good idea of how things are supposed to function.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you. Um questions from it's Mr. Chief.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Valentino. Um, you said you've been with the company almost 20 years and in Rainham since June. Outside of your time at the Rainham location, have you managed any uh sites with liquor licenses?

SPEAKER_04:

I've worked at them, okay, but I've never been the manager of them.

SPEAKER_05:

Okay. Um so I I'm sure that you're aware of obviously state law around serving to minors. In Rainham, we conduct our own alcohol compliance checks in addition to random ones by the state. We take those very seriously here in town to the extent that your first violation is a suspension. There's no warnings, there's no try better next time as we take immediate action. And so when a new applicant comes before us who, uh unlike the counselor before you hadn't heard my speech a dozen times, I want to uh make sure that that's on the record and clear uh as day because then if there is a violation, it is what it is. So I just need to get an acknowledgement from you that you understand that Rainheim is his error tolerance policy uh and that you and your staff will abide by that. Yes, I understand. Okay, thank you.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, thank you. Mr. Collins, any questions? Comments? Okay, so you're not anticipating any changes from the regular operation at this point?

SPEAKER_04:

No, not at all. The the uh former manager on low liquor license is uh still currently employed. We didn't get rid of him. He just under me, he's got a different title now. Oh so they put it in my name. So everything's gonna stay status quo without.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, thank you. So then I will open it up to the public if anyone has any comments, questions, then I will go back to the board. Mr. Chicken.

SPEAKER_05:

Motion to approve.

SPEAKER_01:

Motion is remained and seconded it. Any further discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, and opposed. So voted, you're approved. Thank you so much, and good luck to you.

SPEAKER_05:

Thank you, sir.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, continuing with the agenda then. We have completion of old, oh, I'm sorry, close the public hearing at 7.15 p.m. And now completion of old continuing business. Do you have anything, Mr. Pachi?

SPEAKER_05:

Nine, madam chair. Mr. Collins?

SPEAKER_01:

Mr. Barnes, do you have any old or continuing business this evening? Then we go into new business. We have a tax some tag day requests here. Um, this is for calendar year 2026. We have a little um typo there, but it is for calendar year 2026. And first one is from the Bridgewater Rainham Varsity Cheer Leaders, Cheer Organization, and it is for June 20th, June 21st, and July 25th. And all of these dates are available.

SPEAKER_05:

So moved. Okay.

SPEAKER_01:

Motion is made and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing none all in favor, any opposed, so voted. Next we have a tag day request again for calendar year 2026, and this is for the Bridgewater Radium Girls Basketball, and it is for May 2nd, May 16th, June 6th, September 5th, September 19th, October 3rd, and October 24th. And again, those dates are all available.

SPEAKER_05:

So moved, second.

SPEAKER_01:

Hearing and all in favor, opposed, so voted. Next we have tag day request for artistic dance studio, and this is for April 4th, April 18th, April 19th, April 25th, and April 26th. And I believe we have a second one here for May 3rd, May 9th, May 23rd, and May 24th. And again, that is all for Artistic Dance Studio, and those dates are all available.

SPEAKER_05:

So move for you and second.

SPEAKER_01:

Motion is made in the secondary discussion. We not only favor, any opposed, so voted. And lastly, we have a tag day request for Supreme Perfections Studios, and this is for May 30th, May 31st, June 6th, June 7th, June 27th, and June 28th, and those dates are available.

SPEAKER_05:

So moved.

SPEAKER_01:

Motion is made and seconded. Any discussion. Hearing none, all in favor. Aye. Any opposed? So voted. Uh do you have any additional issuing new businesses with a chicken? Mr. Barnes. Then I move to town administrators' report, Mr. Barnes.

SPEAKER_03:

Uh yes, just a reminder to the board there is a joint meeting uh tomorrow night at the school middle school uh library um in in uh Bridgewater to go over the uh fiscal 27 preliminary budget for for the Bridgewater Rainham Regional School District. It sets seven, yes, and it uh also invited will be the the Fincom for Rainham will be there and multiple Bridgewater town officials. Uh I will be there as well.

SPEAKER_01:

Very good, and I believe they're asking that you go in through there is the horseshoe in front of that school, and you go in through that front door there because the library is um close to that. All right, very good. Um select board report, Mr. Did you do that?

SPEAKER_05:

Just one quick item, Madam Chair. Just um I want to give some recognition to Norm Sternovan and his team. Uh it was a busy uh weekend for them with multiple salt and plowing events. Uh, and I had a chance to speak to him over the weekend. I know he was uh stressed and tired, but um I felt like he and his team did a great job. So thank you, Mr.

SPEAKER_01:

Pachico, Mr. Collins.

SPEAKER_05:

Yeah, for sure. Um I have nothing new to report.

SPEAKER_01:

A couple things. We have a new member of our nonprofit community based within our town, and a highly respected one at that. We want to welcome Old Colony Habitat for Humanity, which now has offices located right next door to the Bristol County Savings Bank Branch office location at 108 North Maine Street. Street. That's across from Johnson's Pond. A grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the site earlier this month. I had the opportunity to stop by to welcome them to our town, congratulate them on their wisdom of selecting such a great location, and wish them the best. As you may know, Old Colony Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1989, originally known as the Attleboro Area Habitat for Humanity. It is the locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit housing organization. Old Colony Habitat for Humanity provides resources, guidance, and hope as it aspires to help families build and improve places to call home. The national and now international organization was founded in 1976, and since then, Habitat for Humanity has helped more than 62 million people in 70 countries around the world build their futures. Certainly a very good tradition and a great new addition to our town. Kim Thomas is the director of the Iranium Location, and she can be reached at 508-399-1781 for anyone who wants more information about the organization, wants to learn about volunteer opportunities or donations. As Mr. Barnes mentioned, the joint meeting is tomorrow evening at 7. Also, just a reminder: in these very cold wintry months, some food assistance options that people in our area have. The Rainham Food Basket at 494 Church Street is open to pick up grocery items on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. You must be a Rainham resident to take advantage of this excellent program. For information, you can call 774-406-5612. And the Taunton Area Community Table and Meal Center is located at 378 Bay Street in Taunton in the former St. John's Church. This is a community-based meal center dedicated to providing delicious, healthy meals to individuals and families with no questions asked. Here at our senior center, this month's senior breakfast will take place next Wednesday, January 28th at 9 a.m. The cost is only$5 per senior, and that's for pancakes, eggs, bacon, potatoes, fruit, and coffee. You must sign up one week in advance, which would be tomorrow. The next monthly senior luncheon at our senior center will take place on February 3rd, and that is also only$5 per senior. Sign up is required one week in advance. The February luncheon is Lazy Man's Chicken Pie. And that is all that I have. For select board report, for correspondence, I just have to share this, Mr. Barnes, because from time to time we will receive a request for public information. And there is a gentleman, Mr. Patrick Higgins, I think he actually lives in Alabama, but he considers himself to be the open meeting law enforcer. That's what his email actually says. And back in November, he had requested some of our actually two years worth of our executive session minutes. And just recently he asked for executive session minutes from 2024 and 2025, and all of the regular session minutes from 2024 and 2025, and that's an awful lot of minutes. And Mr. Barnes provided all of those to him. And Mr. Higgins actually responded to Greg saying it's not a surprise, but you're continuing to do a great job as TA. These meeting minutes are perfect. So we appreciate that and congratulate Mr. Barnes because that's not an easy um heads up, hands-up. Good job to receive. So thank you for that, Mr. Barnes. Press time. Do we have anyone from the press? We do not see anyone. Emergency business, Mr. Bachini?

unknown:

Mr.

SPEAKER_01:

Collins, Mr. Barnes, any emergency business? Good. Citizen and community in parts. Performance of administrative duties. Just report that I and our finance director have reviewed and signed the approval of the town of Rainium invoice and payroll warrants dated January 20th, 2025. And with that at 7 23 p.m. I'm looking for a motion to adjourn.

SPEAKER_05:

So moved.

SPEAKER_01:

All in favor? Thank you for joining us. We'll see you here next week.