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Raynham Select Board 03/03/2026
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(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)
A historic blizzard, 2,052 police calls, and a room full of tough questions set the stage for a candid, solutions-first meeting. We open with concrete public health moves—modernizing food regulations, considering a restaurant letter-grade system, and tightening tobacco enforcement as illegal flavored products and new nicotine trends hit local shelves. The health team also flags rising risks with nitrous oxide, pushing for clearer rules that protect kids and inform retailers.
Safety and resilience shine as the police chief applauds a seamless multi-department storm response, while Community Services brings the human side: elder watch calls before and after the storm, a free caregiver support series from the Alzheimer’s Association, a men’s exercise class, tech help, and scams education with the district attorney. Seniors also get timely access to fuel assistance, SHINE counseling, and Medicare Savings updates that can put more than $200 a month back into fixed incomes—practical wins that matter.
The night’s sharpest exchange lands on school funding. Our state representative outlines recent legislation on financial literacy, higher ed infrastructure, and energy affordability, then digs into Chapter 70 aid, transportation reimbursement, and a push to restore per-pupil minimum aid to $150. Board members speak plainly about overcrowded classes and the strain of sending tuitions, urging a formula that keeps pace with inflation and doesn’t penalize communities already under pressure. It’s a clear picture of how state timelines collide with local realities.
We close with local levers that speed service: renewing DPW’s regional contracts and approving a unified permitting platform across eight departments. The new system offers guided applications, references to relevant bylaws, and online payments so residents and businesses can move faster with fewer surprises. To protect staff capacity and improve focus, we’re also testing biweekly meetings this spring, with flexibility for special sessions. Plus, we rally for Read Across America and invite parents and grandparents to grab a book and read with a child.
If this kind of clear, forward-leaning local government matters to you, follow the show, share it with a neighbor, and leave a review with the one change you think would help our schools most. Your perspective shapes what we take on next.
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Opening, Minutes, And Pledge
SPEAKER_08Okay, I'm going to call the meeting to order of the Iranium Select Board here on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026, at Veterans Memorial Town Hall at 558 South Main Street in Rhanium. Call the meeting to order at 7 o'clock PM. Just want to welcome everyone who is here and who is watching us. This meeting is open to the public. It is also being broadcast live on the Rhanium Channel, on Comcast Channel 98, and Verizon Channel 34. It is also being recorded by the Rhenium Channel. Please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the Clark, the United States of America, and to the Republic, Border Students, One Nation, Underground, Indivisible, Liberty and Justice Roll. Thank you. First order of business is the acceptance of the minutes of our last meeting, the regular meeting of February 17th, 2026. Do we have a motion to accept the minutes as printed?
SPEAKER_05So moved. Second.
Health Updates: Food, Tobacco, And Safety
SPEAKER_08The motion is made and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing then all in favor? Any opposed? So voted. Next we have our department head reports, and first up, we have our health director, Paula Rassi Platt, with her monthly reports.
SPEAKER_00Welcome, glad to see you all made it through the blizzard. Great blizzard 2026. Um, okay, so under the Board of Health for that update. Retail food inspections are going well. Carlos is doing a good job educating management on what is expected per the food code. We're working on updating the town food regulations, and I'll be presenting to the board an amended version for consideration in the near future. On that same topic, we are in research stage and I'm gathering information for the board to consider the restaurant letter grading system for consideration next year. I will provide the board with some solid feedback and data from towns who have adopted this approach. Once we have our food regulations updated, we will be in a better position to consider using the grading system. And just to note to the board and the public, we have 138 food retail establishments that do require multiple visits throughout the year, so our health inspector is very busy with just food regulations. The town tobacco regulations are once again being passed out to the 23 current permit holders. We have the managers sign that they were receiving a copy and it will be emailed to the business owner on the application that we have on file. We need them to have a clear understanding that flavored tobacco sales are not allowed and fines will be issued. We're beginning our tobacco inspections this week with the assistance from the Public Health Excellence Grant Collaborative, where we have the use of a regional health inspector. Annual and follow-up tobacco inspections have become increasingly time-consuming as more illegal products are hitting the shelves and spotting them can be challenging. We recently received information from the state, which I've included in my packet to the board, regarding upcoming changes to their guidelines. We're giving the tobacco permittees an informal draft letter, which you also have in your packet, just as a courtesy heads up. I will be coming back to the board with the recommended amendments to our current regulations once the state has finalized their FDA authorization requirements. The changes will pertain to the sale of electronic cigarettes and oral nicotine pouches. In addition, I will be coming to you with information regarding the sales of nitrous oxide and cratom products that are becoming an increasingly uh an increased health hazard, particularly to our youth, and they are in colorful kid-friendly packaging, so more will come on that. And just to inform the board that all frozen dessert permits were received on time, that expiration date was February 28th. There are no current public health concerns to report by the town public health nurse. And I did not add to my report, but I wanted to just share that I did receive a correspondence from the Amrise Asphalt Corporation updating the board on where they stand with the improvements that they need to make. So I'll just read the email response. We are busy preparing for the 2026 season. We have restructured the management of our Rainham site, and we are excited to implement the changes we discussed towards the end of the last season. The sign will be up prior to opening day, which is weather dependent, but we expect our first liquid asphalt delivery in late March or early April. The carbon filtration system is pending delivery and will also be operational before startup. I will update you more with more concrete dates as we get closer and as we complete these tasks. Thanks for checking in with us. So that was received on February 20th, so I'll bring it to the board once I receive more. Now on to animal control for that update. One dog still remains due to the owner being in uh in a personal situation, uh, and we will be releasing that dog back to its owner when the time is um we are able to. Numerous other calls pertain to animal neglect and emergencies requiring the ACO assistance, with some requiring humane resolutions. And that is all I have to report for the board.
SPEAKER_08Thanks. All questions, comments, Mr. Pacifica?
SPEAKER_04No, no questions. Thank you for the updates. Okay. Um Mr.
SPEAKER_08Carl.
SPEAKER_04I have no questions. Thanks, Paula.
SPEAKER_08Very appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you as well.
Police Report And Blizzard Response
SPEAKER_05Martin. Thank you.
SPEAKER_08Okay, next up we have our police chief, David LePlanche, with his monthly report. Welcome, Chief.
SPEAKER_01Uh good evening. Good evening, Chief. Good evening. So for the month of uh February, uh we had a total of 2,052 calls. Uh 440 of those were emergency 911 calls. And there were 97 emergency medical dispatch calls. We had 11 arrests and uh several criminal summonses. Uh we had no significant incidents last month, um, but I want to acknowledge uh all the members of the police department and the fire department who worked throughout uh last week's blizzard, their commitment to ensure everyone in the community was safe during the storm, did not go unnoticed. Um everyone stepped up and worked together to get through the storm, and I I thank all of them for that. Um I also want to recognize the hard work of the highway department for the incredible job they did throughout the blizzard. Um I want to thank them for all their efforts. And we currently have one person on IOD.
SPEAKER_08Thank you, Chief. Questions, comments, Mr. Pacifica? Thank you. Mr. Collins?
SPEAKER_05Uh no questions, Chief. The only comment, I mean a relatively simple report, but what I liked is the storm, everyone stepped up and worked together, and that was you, the highway department, and the fire department, everybody. So just just the fact that everyone made it to where it was. It was one of those stories I was just waiting, like, all right, when's the call coming? Something's happening, and never got a call from a department. Which says a lot about the departments in the town. So thank you very much.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, I would echo that. Obviously, it was great. Police and fire, and now we did an amazing job.
SPEAKER_01It was the worst of my career. Yes, no doubt.
SPEAKER_08And hopefully we won't see another one like that. Thank you, Chair.
SPEAKER_05Thank you, Jude. Appreciate it.
SPEAKER_08And next we have um Erin Madeiris, our community service director with her quarterly report. Welcome, Erin.
SPEAKER_02Thank you.
SPEAKER_05Good evening, Erin.
Community Services: Programs And Senior Support
SPEAKER_02Good morning. Um, so I want to give you some updates. Um, February is a slower month for us in general this time of year. Um, never mind. Um, this month, I think you guys know we had a pipe burst in the front of the room. Um, so that's all fixed, the closet's fixed, um, as well as the snowstorms. Um, so I wanted to give some numbers. For our February month, we had um 276 participants, and the duplicated participants who came to multiple events was 639 for the month of February, and then if we go back a few months, January, we had um 275 with um the duplicated number of 870, and then our better months. I went back to like October, September got away from the holidays. Um back in October we had 374 participants, and the duplicated number was 1,238, and September was 312 with the duplicated um attendance of 1,095. So you can tell this is a little bit of our slower time of year with the weather and all that. Um but our usual classes are still going. We have our exercise classes, lightweights and structions, self-defense classes, tai chi, line dancing, chair yogurt, watercolor, knitting, singing group, LCR whist, mahjong hand-knee and foot card game, 45 card game, and we bowling, and then our monthly events that occur. There's our monthly lunches, breakfast, movie. We have drums alive twice a month, caregiver and support group twice a month, bereavement group twice a month, and then our most popular event, which is the lunch and singo, which is a musical bingo. Um, we'll be doing that one again um across the street at the Lions Club come um this month, March, um, just because we go up to 80 people. Um for um November, December, January, and February. We had it twice a month at the Senior Center to split up the group. Um so we could house them all. And then some new programs we are offering coming this month, starting March 10th. We have Caregiver Support Series. Um, this is a three-week series can help any caregiver in the community. This program is put on for free through the Alzheimer's Association that will be starting as three months, three sessions the 10th, the 17th, and the 24th. And um, they don't have to come to every session. You can come when you can make it. But they have good resources for any caregiver. Um, also starting this Thursday, we'll be having a men's only exercise class, trying to get some more men out. And then it's actually been um, I think people are interested in it. We've got a few calls, a few guys come in and sign up for the class. So Thursday, I'm hoping for a good turnout, and we'll see how it goes. But that's something new we're gonna try every Thursday. Um, we have a St. Patrick's Day party on March 10th. Um, we're getting food from Bristol Plymouth, and then we also got Cultural Council Grant, um, who's gonna sponsor our entertainment. Um, the entertainment's Jackson Gilman, and it's called Get Your Irish On. Performance. We also have the Registry of Deeds coming in May to the Senior Center for a presentation. Um I'm working with the SS's office. I know it's their busy season. Um I talked to Jessica, and we're hoping that after the busy season she can come and talk about the tax abatements for seniors so that they can be more prepared for next year for what they can, what they may be eligible for. Um I've also been working close with Kerry and the police department, as well as Mike McCrae, who has been great, especially through the snowstorm. I want to thank both of them. They called, we have an elder watch list, a list of seniors that may be alone or are disabled, and they called them all twice. The fire called them, and then before the storm, police called them after just to check on them, make sure they're okay. And I know the fire went to a few places and shoveled some doors out for them. So they were extremely helpful with our seniors, and we've been working on this list. We've been gathering new names across the board, especially with Carrie and Dawn, who's been going out. We're also gonna have Carrie and Dawn come to the Senior Center on March 30th, um, just to say, so that Carrie can introduce herself with her new little position with Dawn as the social worker so that people know who they are and what they do for the community. We're also having a technology class coming in March where anybody can bring their tablets, phones, and computers. Um, also in May, we have District Attorney Tom Quim coming for scams for seniors, and then we'll be preparing for our fire prevention cookout in July with the firefighters, which everybody always looks forward to. Last year we had such a large crowd, we actually did at the Lions Club as well, so we didn't have to have a wait list or anything like that. Um, another thing we're working on, um we've been having monthly meetings with the Board of Health for the opioid funds. Um, I have a little table now at the senior center, mostly for kids with the kids' books, the I am vape and the coloring books. Um, and seniors have been taking them for their grandkids or showing their children to maybe start the uncomfortable conversation about the vaping and all that, starting it younger. Um, as well with the Board of Health. We have Lindsay come once a month for broad blood pressure. She comes the third Wednesday of every month, um, which is great. What else do I have? Um, so the Senior Center brochure. Um, thank you guys for looking at it. And I talked to BP this week, and I'm gonna get it printed, and I want to put it all over town. I think it will be a good little guideline, a little resource for people to go to one spot um when they need services or help or they don't know where to go. Um, I think it's good for everyone to have a one spot um brochure, um, as well as that. We also have um fuel assistance applications for anybody in town, do not have to be seniors. I have the applications um at the senior center. We can fill them out. The last time to apply is April 30th for the fuel. Um I touch on Medicare a little bit as well. Um, Lari, who is our shine counselor, she had 130 open enrollment appointments this year, um, as well as she had open enrollment for Medicare Adventures plans, which their open enrollment ends um the end of March, so I can get you that number her total number probably next time I come. And we also want to get the word out about the Medicare Savings program. Um that program just um upped their income limits. Um they upped it from the singles, so the single income limit now is 2,993 a month, and the married is 4,058 a month, and that just went up starting March 1st, and that will help pay for Medicare Part B premium for people who qualify so they would be able to get the 202.90 back in their social security check, um, as well as it could possibly pay for some co-pays and other premiums. So we're trying to spread that out. I know there's flyers downstairs, I'll be switching those out with the new numbers, and we pass them all out, we have them at the American Legion, the housing. So we really think a lot of people actually qualify for that, and save it will in the end it will save them a lot of money, the$200 a month. So we like to spread that word around. Um, I also wanted to give an update on the save program. Um, we currently have 11 participants in the program for this year. Um, we're the goal is we're shooting for 13 and gradually increasing the number yearly. Um, I have four applications still. I am trying and hoping I can place them for this year at the department head meetings. I have been announcing it at every meeting. Just if anything comes up, any kind of project, that I have a few applications if anybody needs some extra help. But right now we currently have three at the senior center, one at the highway department, two at the library, two at the board of health, one at the town clerk, one with the town administrator, and one in conservation commission. So we're hoping and we can get a few more of the applications that I have positioned for this year. Um, one last thing I would like to mention is um we have a new Friends of the COA group um which finally formed last month. Um so they're a full group again. We're hoping that they'll be able to start fundraising. Their next meeting is next Thursday, March 12th at 2 o'clock. And we're just hoping if anybody can pass the word around, we're trying to get it. Um, this group provides financial support in the form of fundraising to renovate or enlarge the building currently at the Rainham Council and Agent Senior Center, promotes programs that benefit and assist the 55 plus um population of the town of Rainham, um encourages and stimulates the social and economic lives of 55 and plus. So it would be really good if we can really get the program going, fundraising. We have more activities where they can sponsor, and so we're trying to get that word out as well to get that group going. But um thank you for having me tonight, and I would continue to look for new programs. And if anybody ever has a program they think I could bring to the senior center, please send it my way. So thank you. Thank you. Questions, comments, Mr.
SPEAKER_04Two things, Aaron. I'm assuming you don't have it today, but uh for the next time you come in. Yeah. Um you gave the number on Shine Folks Council. If you could bring us the beneficiary savings, because I know that's data we typically capture. I think that would be good for the board to see as well.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_04Uh and the second piece, I'm assuming it's still going on. We used to offer the AARP tax program.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, I didn't mention that. That is going on. Yep, it started um early February and it's going to um April. I I don't know what the day is, 13th. Um it's on Mondays. Um, with the snowstorm last week, we were able to schedule everybody, so for the next two Wednesdays, um, they all got rescheduled. Um, I believe there's 130 slots for the AARP. But yes, that program is to run. I've completely forgot about that one.
SPEAKER_05Thank you.
SPEAKER_02Thank you. Um Mr. Collins.
SPEAKER_05Well, of course, Thursday, the men's workout. What time is that?
SPEAKER_029 15.
SPEAKER_05All right.
SPEAKER_02All right, come check it out. Hey.
SPEAKER_05I'll read and read across the board. Maybe next third.
SPEAKER_02Well, it'll be every Thursday, 9 15. All right.
Legislative Update: Schools, Energy, And Aid
SPEAKER_08All right, thank you, Erin. There's an awful lot there going on, so appreciate all your efforts. Thank you. Okay, and that concludes our department head reports. We have no appointments scheduled this evening. We have no public hearings scheduled. Completion of old or continuing business. Do you have anything, Mr. Pachu? Mr. Collins, Mr. Barnes? Then we move on to new business. And first we have a legislative update by our state representative, Representative Dennis Gallagher. Welcome. Dennis, the floor is yours.
SPEAKER_07Good evening, Madam Chairman, Chairwoman. How are you doing tonight?
SPEAKER_08Thank you.
Board Debate On School Funding Strain
SPEAKER_07Good evening, everyone. Um, I want to give a uh a brief legislative update on several things that have been happening up there, and I'll kind of end with the budget, but I want to go through some of the other things that we have been doing up there. Um since I last here we passed three major pieces of legislation. One of them is the Financial Literacy Financial Literacy Um Act, which um will require um all graduates to complete a financial literacy course before they graduate. That I think is in the Senate now. I don't think it's it's come out of the Senate yet. But we passed that last fall. Um also more recently we passed the Bright Act, and I think the Senate, well the Senate did pass it last last week. The Bright Act is to it's a bond bill that will allow local universities and colleges to upgrade their infrastructure because a lot of the universities, particularly ours, our ours locally, uh, Bridgewater State University, Massasoit, and others, that they need a lot of infrastructure improvements. As we know, um dealing with town buildings, it's important to keep and maintain them so you don't need to build new ones. So that is an act that was passed, and Bridgewater State will will certainly get their fair share of funds, as will Massasoit and others. Most recently, last week, we passed the energy affordability legislation was passed. That was a more of a controversial one where there were several amendments that went to the floor. And as you know, and you've heard it probably from your from your constituents, as I have heard from my constituents, energy has really gone through the roof. And bill uh electric bills and And gas bills are very, very high right now for everybody, particularly in the this winter and it being cold. So, what the energy affordability bill does that passed the House, and that is now in the Senate, it'll return 70% of the ACPs back to the suppliers, which is the alternative compliance payments, and it will reduce Mass Save. That was this was the most controversial one. We reduce Mass Save by a billion dollars. And what that will do also is have the Inspector General review Mass Save because there's been a lot of discussions about what they're doing with the money. MassSave is not a governmental agency. It's a program that's administered by the utility companies. And they were getting uh five billion dollars from the state. The governor cut it down to 4.5, and we cut it down another billion to 3.5 at this, and it's a pause. It's a pause for the IG to look at them, and they've been spending an awful lot of money on advertising and administrative expenses. And we wanted to take a look at that because there's been a lot of increase in that. Now I know advertising is important to reach out to the customers so they know that they have this program, but there have been other avenues that they could they could use to try to save ratepayers some money on their bills. So those two things alone will help uh do that. It'll also protect uh people that are with TMLP will also protect some of their employee benefits and spread uh and support MLP when providing energy services. So it's all about affordability. We kept hearing the word affordability, affordability, affordability. What this bill will do will help relief, give ratepayers a some relief. Um it's not gonna happen tomorrow, but it'll it'll happen eventually if this if the Senate uh passes it. We expect there to be differences between the two bills when it gets to the Senate for debate, and hopefully come out with a compromise bill that helps the people with their with their bills. So those are three poor three major pieces of legislation I we have passed uh since um I was last here. You have two pending home rule petitions that I've been working on at the legislature. One is them for the um the lease for the South Street East uh cable studio that had their hearing today, actually, uh March 3rd. It'll be they have 30, they have 60 days to report it out. So that's moving along through the process. So it had its hearing today through municipalities and regional government, right? Are you happy about that? Okay. Um, and the other one is the additional liquor license that the the town meeting approved through a home rule petition. Um then next step for that one is go to a third reading. Um, so those two things are moving moving forward. Um we've also passed since the fall two supplemental budgets. Um, unfortunately, the state has been hit with some federal cuts this last fall that have been detrimental to some of our agencies. One of them is the SNAP benefits that you've all heard about. Um we had to cover that. We have been made whole since since we um appropriated that money, but the money was on hold, and there were a lot of there was a lot of anxiety amongst those that received that SNAP benefits the week, so we had to appropriate the money to release it to provide, particularly during the holidays, as you know. This all happened around uh November. Um, so we provided the the immediate relief for those people that have SNAP benefits. We also had a supplemental budget passed that took care of our hospitals and community health centers because some of them were on the verge of closing because it's not being reimbursed with their Medicaid and Medicare expenses from the federal government. So we had to appropriate some money to cover them. I don't know if we've been fully uh made whole on those pieces yet. So as we prepared for the fiscal, as the governor prepared for the fiscal 27 budget, she had to keep in mind that things like that might happen again. Um so we're also happy that I did host a couple office hours this fall and uh last winter, this this current winter, and I'll continue to do that, but I'm happy to also to meet with any constituent anytime, any place, but I will be holding regular office hours. Our office handles an awful lot of unemployment issues for our constituents here in Rainham and in Bridgewater. We also get some calls relative to some help people that need housing and um and job-related, other job-related um requests for people to how to guide them in certain avenues. So our my legislative aide here, Evan Francis, has been very, very diligent, particularly with unemployment claims, that he's he helps with, helps our residents with, and usually they do reply with a thank you because usually what we do somehow, division of unemployment, once they see a legislator, sends them an email, usually they act on it. It shouldn't be like that, but when people we want people to come to us if they're having an issue getting their payment, particularly their first payment, because it does take a while to get that, and it's a long time where they're not paying their bills or um getting food. So now let's talk about the budget. As you know, I'm uh as many of you are, I'm very disappointed that the um the in the governor's budget she reduced uh the pre-approval expenditure back to$75 per student. Um, talking to some of the people in her staff, that's not unusual, that that's usually the starting point in the budget. It's simply the formula that they plug in and put that in there. Um last week I met with Chairman Mike Lowitz and about our priorities for this year, and I'll get into those in a second. But I did start out by saying chapter 70 is probably the most important thing in my district. Schools are very important to this and and infrastructure needs as well. We now have the budget, the House has it, we will be debating it uh very soon and hope to have a budget over to the Senate uh by the middle, towards the end of April. But he I believe there will be a big effort to bring the per approval expenditure back to$150 per student. When the superintendent made his first presentation a couple weeks ago, and I believe March 11th is the next one, um he did indicate that the district lost about 250 students this this um school year. So that affects your chapter 70 money because that's less students that are gonna get, whether it's$75 or$150. However, the Chapter 70 money did increase by about$400,000. The biggest problem that I saw, or the thing that we should all be concerned about, is the sending tuition amounts. We lost a lot of money in sending tuition, either to other schools or to uh charter schools. That isn't gonna change. We are gonna lose as you look at the last three three years, we we haven't lost a lot of that uh of sending tuition money. It's been pretty flat. But this year we lost quite a bit. That isn't gonna change. Hopefully the chapter 70 will. Chapter the school transportation, as you know, the governor put uh put it back to uh 88 percent. Uh that's not helpful either. So we're gonna look at that in the house to try to bring that back to 95 percent. So it's a moving, it's a moving target. A little disappointing that we have to we're gonna be have to fight for that, but I think all particularly a regional school district, what we were promised for transportation. Um the circuit breaker program has been fully funded, again at 75% reimbursement. So there was no uh uh effect on that. And as I've been talking to a couple constituents relative to what can we do to fix this, because we shouldn't have to go through this head heartache every uh budget process. There are several pieces of legislation that are floating around on on Beacon Hill about looking at the at the Chapter 70 formula and uh including adding an inflationary component. You don't want to replace the formula with an inflationary component because that you know inflation is could be zero, it could be could be high. You don't want to just do that. So we want to try to add an inflationary component to Chapter 70. That's what needs to be done. Whether the formula itself, if changed, would help Bridgewater reign here or not, I we don't know that. So careful what we wish for because it could hurt us. Uh whether we're an affluent community, whether we're you know not so much an affluent community, might not be the most beneficial to us. But adding an inflationary component to it would help all the school, all school districts. This past uh one thing that the House did in this year's budget is we required DESI to do um informational sessions throughout the state. Last fall in October, the one in our region was in Lakeville. And I know many uh people, many parents and proper educators went to that uh to address their concerns about the funding formula, school aid, and so forth. DESI is required to report, have a report to the legislature by June 30th, and that'll be probably um referred to the education committee where they'll take that up. So there are several moving parts taking a look at uh the school funding formula and other avenues of the of school transportation. Your local aid, your chat, your um unrestricted government went up a little bit. Um that's was like a 2.4 percent. It was kind of it was kind of small. Um so in addition, I know that probably even before this blizzard we had last week, most communities were already in a snow and ice deficit. There's a lot of discussion up there to provide some relief. Since we did declare a state of emergency, there should be some federal funding that we can apply for. In addition to how Plymouth County and I think Bristol County and Bonstable County are also on an extended, you know, do not drive period. Um, I believe there will be some effort to provide some relief for communities on this uh winter winter season for your snow and ice accounts. So keep I'll keep you posted on that, but I believe there's a big push-up there to provide some of that, and that'll all be something that the the town would have to like apply for through you know mileage of roads and all that stuff. It's not a flat number, it would be based on um road mileage in the community. So that's a brief update, and I'm happy to uh to say there's a lot of things happening. I'm I'm happy to answer any questions, and I'm also looking forward to reading to the eighth graders on Thursday morning at the middle school. I love to read across America. Read across America. Right.
SPEAKER_08Questions, comments, Mr.
SPEAKER_04Pachito. No questions, just uh to echo what the rep said in a couple areas. I think uh he and I share the same sentiment that the priorities of cycle are roads, uh bridges. We have a bridge problem here in town, as you know, uh, and schools. Uh and I think your point about um the inflationary component on chapter 70 is critical because we've seen you and I uh a host of different changes at the state level over the years uh that helped certain communities, but we get left in the dark. And uh Mr. DuPont was here last week and referenced the comment I had made about a decade ago where we got a uh general fund unrestricted local aid increase of$2,000 while other communities were getting five and six figures. So I think it's important the devil is in the details uh and not to be distracted by the shiny thing in front with these reforms because they don't always have the intended impact universally that um they might be meant to. So I certainly appreciate your attention to that in particular. Thank you.
SPEAKER_08Thank you, Mr. Mr. Collins.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, um the only comment I have, and I I don't mean this like personally or anything, but I am sort of not sort of, I'm really disappointed with the state, and you had mentioned how you know, oh, you know, we're over with snow and ice, and there's all this that's gonna happen, so we're gonna address it and help reimburse, but for two years our school's been drowning and nothing's getting done, and you just pretty much said that nothing's gonna get better this year. It's really sad. I mean, I don't know what else we have to do at our school to prove that we are completely upside down. I'm gonna say it, my wife's a teacher, and she's probably gonna get mad at me. Our school is more like a prison than it is a school. My wife has 34 kids, fourth graders, in our class. 34. Like, you can't teach 34 people. There's no way. And it this isn't like a one-time thing. This is we have been getting worse and worse and worse and worse for a period of like four or five years, and yeah, we're losing kids in our schools because of some people in Rand could afford to go to private schools, which is good for them, but then it just makes it even worse for those of us who can't. Our public school system is turning into a junk, to be honest with you, and nobody's doing anything about it. I hear you. Really, really sad that nobody at the state level is helping out. And again, this isn't just Bridge Water and I'm crying broke. Like, we're getting killed. I mean, you you saw the presentation from the superintendent. I haven't found a single thing where I think they're overspending somewhere or where they're asking. The guy's trying to get like level funding, and he can't even get that. Like, he can't even get par. Like, it's really sad when your superintendent's aiming for par. Like, he's not shooting for the stars. He's like, I just want to get like my my third and fourth graders below 30. Like, that's his goal. I've I I coached the high school. We have 50 or 60 kids in a study hall. My daughter sits on a heater, like a radiator heater at the window. There's no seat. That's where she sits for study hall. And what do they do? They sit there and dump through their phone for an hour and 20 minutes. Because we don't have enough teachers to put them in a classroom. Like that's real. It's not being made up, it's not exaggerating. I can my daughter sits on a radiator heater and looks at her phone for an hour and a half because there isn't enough teachers in the high school for her to take a class. But we're worried about snow and ice. It's hard for me to take. It's really, really hard for me to take.
SPEAKER_07But I do think that the house budget will put more money into education. Not to the levels I agree. I'll say it's not to the levels.
SPEAKER_05We're all arguing in town because we're trying to guess what the state's gonna do. And they they they string it out to the very end. Yeah, and then what? Then we're all of us still fighting with each other. Like it it it just doesn't work. You've got to change this process. It's not, I'm not right. No, I mean you're not, I don't disagree with it. It's all of us. I'm part of it too. It's my town, it's my community. Yeah, so I'm not please don't. I'm not I'm venting, I'm not blaming you. I know. I hear you. But it just it's hard. It's really, really hard to not advance for people.
Licenses, Tag Days, And Policy Tweaks
SPEAKER_08Thank you, Mr. Collins. And you know, uh it what's frustrating too is its priorities. You know, it's great to fund um some of the junior colleges so they're tuition free. But I think the focus needs to be on getting to the children to that point.
SPEAKER_05Let's get there.
SPEAKER_08You know, so I have an issue with that, and not to take away from anything that you said, Mr. Collins, but just want to make sure we are that the teachers that we do have are doing an amazing job. Oh, yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. But um, and then again, frustrating too, is that when a district is having a difficult time or a department's school department, and so they're losing students because of that, and then the funding goes down because the money goes with them, it just makes the situation. Yes, it does. Of course, it almost should be the opposite because the district is having the difficulty, they should get more. But you know, then we're not telling you anything you didn't know. But coincidentally, your being here today just got a legislative alert from the MMA, and it says, you know, urgently call your state legislators and make sure you let them know. So you being here is perfect. Um ask your legislators to um emphasize the need for a targeted boost to the unrestricted general government aid and describe how important it is, and that a 2.5% increase is not going to meet the needs in our community. Fully fund the Student Opportunity Act, you made reference to that, and increases at the$150 level, and obviously we'd like more than that, and um anything, but also to oppose outside sections threatening municipal revenue collection. Strongly oppose, and it's in dark print, capitalized, so it must be important. Strongly oppose proposed outside sections that change the RMV marking process and jeopardize critical municipal revenues. We can't lose any of the money that we're getting right now. So if you could keep that on your list of priorities as well, Dennis, we appreciate it. And thank you so much for listening to us. Thank you. Okay, um, continuing on now on the agenda. Next we have Kennel license renewal, Jillian's Pooch Paradise at 890 Broadway. And this comes uh based on the inspection and approval of our animal control officer, Ari Ariel Howard. Do we have a motion to approve?
SPEAKER_05So moved. Second.
SPEAKER_08Motion's made and seconded to approve the renewal for Gillian's Pooch Paradise at 890 Broadway. Next, we have discussion and vote on upcoming select board meeting schedule. And we bring this forward. This is something that we've been discussing for a while. We meet every week. We are probably one of the only committees that do meet every week, and sometimes our meetings are very short. We put a lot of pressure on a town administrator to do so much, and he spends a lot of his time getting ready and um recuperating from these meetings. So um during the summer months, June, July, and August, we meet every other month. And I think when that started, it was because things are slower during the summer, but actually they're just as busy now as they are during the rest of the year. So the thought was maybe for a trial period we should try March, April, and May, heading into the summer months to also meet every other month. We could always have a special meeting at any time. So I just throw that out for consideration, Mr. Chico.
Contracts: Regional Services And Permitting Software
SPEAKER_04Yeah, no, I think, manager, thank you for that. I I don't have any objections. I know this is something that goes back a number of years as we've made some refinements to staffing. We've entrusted our TA with some additional responsibilities. We've brought in a full-time finance director who is also our assistant TA now. And as you said, some of our meetings are very short. There's nothing that would preclude us from going and having a special meeting, and I think we would all agree we would keep those on Tuesdays at 7 should the need arise to make sure folks are not out of the exactly. Um and it to your point, I think it's about efficiency as well. Um it takes our office staff, which is two people full-time uh and uh maybe a.20 part-time employee, uh, quite a bit of time every week to prep our agenda, um, packets, deal with phone calls from the three of us, so we're all educated as to what we're uh heading into for these meetings. And so I uh would support the the trial period with our ability to evaluate it as we go and um see if it works, but also to emphasize your point, I I think in Massachusetts we're one of the few boards that still had met weekly, and it was something that was talked about years ago and and never acted upon.
SPEAKER_08So and obviously we would not want this to happen like immediately. Yes. So did you have a proposed schedule?
SPEAKER_04Yes, my thinking, Madam Chair, is we have obviously meet tonight. We will would meet next week under the proposal, and the first off week would be March 17th, and we would move forward every other week from that, which works around how we typically schedule our summer schedule, avoiding the holidays as those are challenging as we want our staff to take some well-earned time off as well.
SPEAKER_08Okay, so if that if the motion is approved this evening, then we will certainly post the schedule for March, April, and May on the um on the website. And it would be every other week with the option that if we need to meet on that off week, we will, you know, make the announcement in advance as always and schedule that. And again, it would just be a trial basis, March, April, and May, and then we head into June, July, and August, and then we see if we continue it or if we need to go back. Mr. Collins, do you have any input?
SPEAKER_05I have no objections. I like the idea, and it may help too with recruitment going forward, maybe less intimidating is not the right word, but it might open up the people to consider running for select board if they don't have to meet every single week. So I have no objection to it. And like Joe said, you know, a lot of our meetings ended up being 25, 30 minutes for yeah, everyone. And that's amongst the max. Yeah, we could have combined that with another meeting as either, but yeah.
SPEAKER_08Um do you want to make a motion?
SPEAKER_04Yes, so move, madam chat.
SPEAKER_08One second. Um Mr. Barnes, do you have any input into this since it um affects you, obviously?
SPEAKER_03Well, the thing I would like to stress is I think you're going to the standard in the state. Um I uh it's been mentioned that there are very few communities in the state doing everything.
SPEAKER_08I'm trying to say we're the exception to the rule on this standard.
SPEAKER_03And uh I I think it I think it can work. I actually was in one community that went from one week to two weeks, and um again, we we left the opportunity if needed to meet in between. And I think in the three and a half years after we made the change, we only had to do that. Once. So and as uh was mentioned by Joe, I really do think it will allow us to be more efficient. Um time that we're spending toward the agenda, we can spend toward other things like the the the school budget.
SPEAKER_08So we certainly have a long list. You and your list of goals and objectives was very lengthy, Mr. Barnes. And our partners over in Bridgewater meet every other week, and it seems to work for them. So all right. Um any further discussion? Hearing none, all in favor? Aye. Any opposed? So voted. Uh next we have tag day requests for calendar year 2026, and from the Taunton Youth Football and Cheer, we have a lengthy list of requests. August 1st, 2nd, 9th, 15th, 16th, 22nd, 23rd, 29th, and 30th, September 6th, 12th, 13th, 20th, 26th, 27th, October 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th, and 25th, then 31st. November 1st, 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th, 21st, 22nd, 28th, and 29.
SPEAKER_04Motion to approve.
SPEAKER_08Motion is made and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing on all in favor. Any opposed? So voted. Next we have a tag day request. And this comes from Adult and Teen Challenge, Southeastern New England. And their long lengthy list is March 6th, March 18th, April 1st, 2nd, 13th, 15th, 22nd, May 20th, 27th, June 3rd, 4th, 19th, July 17th, 18th, 29th, 30th, August 12th, 13th, 26th, September 2nd, 3rd, 16th, 30th, October 1, October 28th, October 29, November 11th, 12th, 25th, 12th, December 2nd, 3rd, 16th, and 23.
SPEAKER_04So moved.
Storm Operations And Department Kudos
SPEAKER_08Motion is made and seconded. Any discussion. Hearing that all in favor. Aye, aye. Any closed, so voted. And probably should have said this before, but under discussion, you know, we many communities don't have a tag day policy. I think we have one basically to preserve some tag dates for our local nonprofits, basically, and sports groups and so forth. Um, because we are very fortunate to be one of the few places, if any, that has has two Walmart besides, you know, Market Basket and Shaw's and uh many people like to come here for their tag days. Um and we tried to do the tag day policy, and that perhaps needed to be maybe adapted a little bit because we talked about maybe putting a limit on out-of-town, um, which is maybe something we should consider for next year. Because obviously we do give our local rain ham, and that would involve Bridgewater Rainham or Bristol Plymouth groups, um, an option early in the year to pick the dates they want, but things can come up. I mean, our robotics team, for one, at the high school is always seems to be competing nationally. And if suddenly that they're, you know, they have a national meet to go to and they want to raise some funds to help pay for our travel expenses. You know, we want to have some dates that are available for them. So perhaps at a future meeting we can, you know, consider maybe tweaking our tag day policy a little bit to limit the numbers for out-of-town members. Okay. Moving forward, next we have discussion and vote of DPW services award contracts for March 1st, 2026 until February 28th, 2027, through Surcidge, which is the Southeastern Regional Services Group. Thank you.
SPEAKER_04Hasn't happened in a while.
SPEAKER_08That meeting is a little longer than usual. Um anyway, so this is just uh a normal renewal, Mr. Barnes?
SPEAKER_03Uh yes, uh, this is a normal renewal. Um, and uh we use this uh service quite frankly for many of our uh highway related contracts.
SPEAKER_08Obviously, buying by involved the state's um state's money.
SPEAKER_03Motion to approve.
SPEAKER_08Hearing it all in favor, any opposed, so voted. Next we have discussion and vote of contract with Gov Well for permit license licensing software. Mr. Barnes.
Read Across America And Community Notes
SPEAKER_03Yes, um, we have uh one of the um programs we use is license permit software. Uh we currently have specialized license permit software for three departments. Um we wanted to expand that to include five more. Um it uh after a lot of uh review, we decided to um go with a new vendor that will uh the the three that we currently have building um fire and town clerk will migrate over to the new platform and we will add the following departments uh health, conservation, zoning, planning, and in our office. Um this will be uh integrated uh program. Um we like the program we're choosing because of its functionality. It allows you to directly contact the company as opposed to go through us. It also has uh very advanced AI capabilities. Uh it will actually help point out the bylaws and regs relevant to when you're filling out an application and such. Um so uh I'm recommending we go along with this um um vendor. We looked at four different vendors um uh before we decided to go with this one, and um we think this will be uh uh an effort to make government more efficient and effective. People can also um pay for their permits online in addition to filling them out online um for all the permits involved.
SPEAKER_08Excellent. Thank you. Other questions, comments, Mr. Cheaper?
SPEAKER_04No, I mean I think this is the perfect um example of cheaper is not always better. Um and so I you know give a lot of credit to Mr. Barnes for putting the work in to test a host of different software companies and find one that he thinks is going to improve the delivery of services. So I would motion to approve.
SPEAKER_03Any discussion Aaron Holton in particular should get a shout out. She put a tremendous amount of effort into this.
SPEAKER_08Very good. Um, any further discussion? Hearing none all in favor, any opposed? So voted. That brings us to uh do you have any other new business, Mr. Chico, Mr. Collins? To Mr. Bonds, then your town administrator's report.
SPEAKER_03I am sure that uh many of you will probably reinforce this theme, but um obviously we had a historic storm, and I can't tell you how grateful I was to the staff for their efforts uh toward the storm. Uh you could expect there would be problems, and there were problems, but compared to I think a lot of communities, uh we did we did quite well. Um I think that uh roads were in better shape quicker than many of our uh other communities within the region. I think I praise the work the highway did, I praise the work the police did, I praise the work the fire did. Um I think um we were uh it was a team effort, and again I'm not saying there weren't issues here and there, but uh overall uh given the severity of the storm, I think uh the staff really did a great job, and I just want to publicly reinforce that.
SPEAKER_08Thank you, Mr. Barnes. Um, questions, comments? Nothing like that. Okay. So that takes us to select reward report, Mr. Bachman?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, just to echo Mr. DeBarnes's comments um about in particular the highway department. I know Norm and his team, there was a period worked for 36 hours consecutively, and I think some of us can lose sight of the work that is involved in in undertaking the operation that was required to get us to where we were in the days post-storm. Um, at the conclusion of snowfall, every street had been plowed, uh, and then Norm and his crew methodically um set up an operation to clear sidewalks and widen roads, um, and that was going on through this weekend, and as Greg said, I think very successfully. But I also want to take a moment and thank our residents and businesses because uh unlike other communities where we saw a host of different things, including very unfortunate um violent action as a result of the weather, I think by and large our residents and businesses were uh respectful and understanding and very appreciative of everything that was put forward to make the roads as safe for them as they could. And so I think they all deserve that um appreciation as well because this was uh something I've never seen before. Norm said he's never seen before, our chiefs have said they've never seen before. Uh it was really that significant, uh, and I'm proud and pleased with how we came out of it. So thank you.
SPEAKER_08Well said, Mr. Pacifico. It's not only a nor'easter, it was a nor'easter button cyclone visit.
SPEAKER_05Well, I mean I can't say anything about it that Joe did. I don't want to repeat everything, but obviously, huge appreciation and thanks to all the departments, the department heads, um, everybody in this building, even the day after I'm very proud and um humble for everybody's effort to bring it. It's great.
Elections, Admin Wrap, And Executive Session
SPEAKER_08Absolutely, I would agree with all of that. And um the only thing else that I have to say is obviously it is Read Across America week this year being celebrated across the country. Um National Education Association um initiative originally in 1998, believe it or not, so it's been going on for a long year, and our RAVE organization has been involved everywhere, even during COVID. We recorded um readings and provided them to the classrooms. So um, yeah, so it's a great effort. We will be doing that again, and all of us here on the board will be participating, as well as our town administrator, um, as our state representative mentioned, Mr. Gallagher will be visiting La Liberty. We will be at the La Liberty Elementary School on Thursday for grades two, three, and four. We'll be at the Rainier Middle School Friday morning for grades five, six, seven, and eight, and at Merrill in the afternoon for kindergarten and grade one. So every classroom, kindergarten through eighth grade, will have a special celebrity guest visitor from our, in addition to those I mentioned, from our Rainier Police Department, we have Police Chief David LePlant, Captain Peter Beatrice, Sergeant Joshua O'Brien, and Patrolman Sam McKellop from our Randy Fire Department. We have Deputy Chief Barrett Johnson and Lieutenant Jason Carnes, and um just many of our local officials and um retired teachers participating. So it will be a great effort, but we also encourage parents, grandparents at home to uh grab a book and uh read with uh a child. So that's what it's all about, and that is all that I have for this. Um correspondence, we have none. Press time. I don't believe we have anyone here from the press. Emergency business, Mr. Pacific, Mr. Collins, Mr. Barnes, no emergency business, citizen and community imports. Anyone wish to address the board at this time? Um, performance of administrative duties, just to report that IN, our finance director, have reviewed and signed off on the town of Ranium invoice and payroll loans. One last reminder tomorrow at five o'clock is the deadline to take out papers, nomination papers for our annual town election. So if anyone is interested in that, check with our town clerk's office. And that brings us to executive sessions. So I'm looking for motion to go into executive session in accordance with Mass General Laws, Chapter 38, Section 21A2, to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-union personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non-union personnel regarding non union employees with expiring contracts. Do I have a motion?
SPEAKER_06So moved.
SPEAKER_08Motion second. Roll call vote, Mr. Pacific, Mr. Collins, Chair votes aye. We are going into executive session at 7 57 PM. Thank you for joining us, and we will uh see you next week.