Raynham Select Board 03/10/2026

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

A full house at Town Hall set the stage for a candid, high-stakes meeting about safety, schools, and the everyday choices that hold a community together. We open with the fire chief’s February rundown and a vivid account of a historic blizzard that buried Route 44 under three feet of snow. With one firefighter on extended light duty and call volumes rising, we vote to begin hiring a replacement, underscoring why shift strength and response times are nonnegotiable for public safety.

The conversation turns to education, where the superintendent and school committee leaders walk us through a cautious, collaborative budget. After losing roughly 72 positions in two years, they aim to restore 10 roles — not new growth, but a critical stop to the backward slide. We dig into class size projections pushing near 30 at the elementary level and even higher in middle grades, and we talk frankly about what can be brought back at the high school after cutting dozens of electives. Health insurance may come in under 10 percent versus the 15 percent budgeted, potentially freeing hundreds of thousands for classrooms, but reduced state aid shifts more pressure to local revenue. We probe the numbers, prioritize direct instruction over administration, and outline a path that leans on retirements, open positions, and careful line-by-line cuts to avoid a repeat of last year’s layoffs.

Policy and community threads tie the night together. We approve a one-day liquor license for the Lions Club and refine the town’s one-day alcohol policy to require TIPS certification, liquor liability insurance, and clearer alignment with state law. The administrator reports better-than-expected health plan figures thanks to a collaborative subsidy, while also noting tighter aid assumptions for the regional school district. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts observe for a citizenship badge, RAVE’s Read Across America brings volunteers to 44 classrooms and an eighth-grade assembly, and we green-light the Memorial Day Parade — traditions that remind us why these budgets matter.

If you care about fire staffing, class sizes, elective opportunities, and the policies that keep events safe and accessible, this is your roadmap to what’s changing and why. Subscribe, share this episode with a neighbor, and leave a review telling us which funding choice you would prioritize first.

Transcript

Opening, Attendance, And Broadcast

SPEAKER_01 0:01

And I'm going to call to order the meeting of the Iranian Select Board here on Tuesday, March 10th, 2020, here in Dutchman Town Hall at 558 South Main Street, and announce that this meeting is open to the public. We have a full house this evening, which is wonderful to see. We have many members of Boy Scout 243, in addition to our fire chief, our Bridgewater Rainham, the school superintendent, our chair and vice chair of our Bridgewater Rainham Regional School Committee, and some members of the public. So welcome all. Thank you for attending. This meeting is also being broadcast live on the Rainham Channel, on Comcast Channel 98 and Verizon Channel 34. It is also being recorded by Raycam for replay on the Rainham Channel. Please join us now for the Pledge of Allegiance. And our first order of business is the acceptance of the minutes of the regular session of our last meeting, March 3rd, 2026, and the executive session minutes of March 3rd, 2026, with the executive session minutes withheld from public release at this time. Do we have a motion to accept the minutes as printed?

SPEAKER_05 1:44

No edits on the exact regarding Aaron McDerry's report. I had uh info request for data on the Shine program. Um that wasn't that we should hear otherwise.

Approving Minutes And Amendments

SPEAKER_01 1:54

So we will include that. Okay. Um further discussion? So then a vote to accept the minutes as amended. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? So voted. Next we have our department head reports, and this evening we have our fire chief, Brian Lasivida, with his monthly report. Welcome, Chief.

Fire Chief’s Monthly Report And Blizzard Response

SPEAKER_03 2:18

Good evening. Um report for the month of February. Uh, we do have one firefighter that's out uh on a light of duty injury, and it's gonna be an extended um extended leave for him, and uh that kind of comes with some unforeseen costs because obviously we don't really plan for that, but that's at$52,919.96. And then uh we did 111 fire calls, 209 amulets calls, and 73 inspectional service calls. Um last year, at this time we were at 304 runs, and this year we are now at 320 runs. And uh the last uh two things, uh the blizzard, I can't thank the police department, the fire department, the firefighters that I worked that night and that the days after, and the highway department for uh everything that we kind of were able to accomplish. Uh it was a pretty historic storm, and uh uh was probably the craziest I've seen in 30 years to be out on Route 44 with three feet of snow is something you don't see all the time. So uh between trying to help cars get out and help people do this their stuff, uh it really is a team effort. So thank my thanks to all of them, uh especially the the firemen. Uh and I think you have a resignation letter, but I think we'll wait for that, I think, if that's what you would like to do. Other than that, I have nothing else.

Vote To Begin Hiring A Firefighter

SPEAKER_01 3:30

Sure. Okay, um, questions, comments, Mr. Pachica? Okay, and again, thank you. Awesome job during the storm. As always, thank all of the members of the department and also thank special thanks to Lieutenant Carnes and our firefighter and Matt McCrae, who uh helped out with the Read Across America, and you Chief for organizing this with us. Thank you so much. Okay, um, we have no appointments scheduled this evening. We have no public hearings scheduled. Um completion of old continuing business. Do you have anything, Mr. Pachica? Mr. Collins, Mr. Barnes? Anything under old or continuing business? All right, then we move to new business and we have discussion and vote on filling that firefighter position. And we do have a letter here from our fire chief. I'm writing to inform you that a member of the Rainham Fire Department has been offered and accepted a position with the Taunton Fire Department. While we are sorry to see him leave, we wish him well in this new opportunity with this upcoming vacancy. I'm in requesting the board's approval to begin the hiring process for a replacement firefighter. The hiring process can be lengthy, and beginning now will help ensure a smooth transition and avoid any disruption disruption in staffing. Maintaining our current shift strength of seven firefighters is important to ensure we continue providing the highest level of emergency service to the residents and businesses of Rainham, and that is from our fire chief, Chief Osivada. Mr. Pachico.

SPEAKER_06 5:05

Yeah, I would prefer the request.

SPEAKER_01 5:07

And Mr. Collins.

SPEAKER_06 5:15

I think the time has come where the rubber's meeting the road and the pain to just felt across town. And I just have an incredibly hard time right now because I just don't know where we're going, and I feel like we're gonna lose more teachers, and if we're gonna lose more teachers, we gotta figure out a new way. I I can't put any positions until I don't know about it. I just think I want to do it. How do you put it?

SPEAKER_05 6:04

No, I mean I mean I can certainly appreciate Mr. Bell's point. Um I I think that at this point right now not filming a little bit more after the time. Uh I've been talking for years now only for us to thank ourselves to that includes um all of the contributions we have. Uh I'm personally not at the point where uh again.

SPEAKER_01 6:28

Okay, um, then I will uh do a call to help?

SPEAKER_05 6:34

Uh my vote is yes.

SPEAKER_01 6:36

Mr. Collins. And I will vote, yes. I I agree, I understand coming from um Mr. Collins, but I agree that it is uh having a full force on a fire button is critical and it um impactful, obviously, as well as your underpartments and not in position and um okay continuing the agenda then our agenda here uh update by Richard from the Bridgewater Mania Regional School District, and we welcome our uh super attendance, Ryan Howard, and our um chairman, this is King, and Vice Chairman Mr. Loche. Thank you for joining us.

SPEAKER_07 7:29

Uh thank you so much for having us. Um I know we don't always do this, and I felt like it was important, especially with the failed override last year and the financial constraints with both towns. I know you have reports from different town departments, and although we are a separate entity as a school district, we are still a town department. So again, we give many updates through budget subcommittee and our full committee, um, and we have a public hearing coming up, but I felt, and we do reach all of our school families and our school um you know network. Um, but this is a whole different part of the community that you reach, so I thought this was really important that we come here, give an update on our budget um cycle, um, where we're looking right now, what is going on, just so we can let you know as a board, which I know you've been in constant contact with us, but I know this is a venue where you will reach um a whole different portion of the community, so I hope they see this and hear this, and there's a lot of people here as well. Um, so I thought this was important. Um, I'll have Mr. Powers give an update, but I just wanted to let you know so where we are right now in our budget. Um, so budget subcommittee has been working on our budget for fiscal year 27. Um tomorrow I will be presenting our public hearing, um, which is where the budget subcommittee as chair, I'll present our budget that we're working on right now. Um, members of the school committee and as well as members of the public will have a chance. Um, it's at the high school tomorrow night at 7, we'll have a chance to ask questions. Um, since it's a hearing, they're able to make comments and ask questions and clarify anything in the butt in the budget that they would have questions or comments regarding. And we do take that feedback. Um, we have a budget subcommittee meeting on March 16th and March 23rd. Well, we'll take that feedback and revise the budget as we feel that it's necessary. And then on March 25th, we'll go back to a full school committee meeting at 7 at the high school again and present that final budget to the school committee for hopefully approval. And we do need a two-thirds vote of the full committee at that time. And then, as you know, we send that budget that's been approved hopefully by the school committee to the town of Rainham and the town of Bridgewater to approve at your town meeting in May, and then at the town council meeting in May. So that's kind of where we are right now. We've been kind of working uh with Mr. Powers' budget that he presented February 4th. Um, and then I will present that at public hearing tomorrow to get feedback from the public and the school committee. Um, so again, thank you for having us here. Um Mr. Loche, do you have anything you want to add before Mr. Powers speaks? Okay, thank you. Thank you.

Class Sizes, Health Insurance, And Tradeoffs

SPEAKER_00 10:10

Thank you, Mrs. King. Good evening, Mrs. Riley, Mr. Pachico, Mr. Collins. It's nice to see you. Uh I do have to take a moment to recognize our audience, right? How special is this tonight? Uh so many familiar faces, and it's great to see all of our uh our uh youngsters here in Rainham. Um I I'm happy to answer any questions. I know obviously Ms. McDougal, my assistant, sent you the preliminary budget presentation after um uh we presented in the beginning of February. And I know uh Mrs. King just shared with you uh a very similar presentation. The the numbers are the same, slightly different formatting um and more concise. Uh but as uh Mrs. King shared with you, uh, you know, the budget that we put forward, uh, we feel as though uh we tried to make an attempt to really uh come in at a reasonable uh request uh in collaboration with Mr. Barnes and Mr. Casanova Davis from the town of Bridgewater. Uh we've had uh several conversations leading up to the preliminary budget and uh you know trying to work with them and and meet their request. While at the same time, uh it's my you know responsibility as a superintendent to advocate for our students and what our students and staff need. And uh I felt as though that this budget was uh somewhat of a healthy compromise. It certainly doesn't address our significant needs, uh, but it's a step in the right direction. So we are initially proposing uh restoring 10 positions. Uh they're not 10 new positions, they are restoring 10 that we've lost. As you know, we're down uh 72 positions over the last two years. Uh not all teaching positions, obviously uh custodial positions, secretarial positions, support staff, uh, but a good number of those are classroom uh direct instruction positions, which as I've shared with you in the community has resulted in a significant increase in our class size. Uh our elementary numbers are high 20s, 27, 28, uh, although we do have you know a few small pockets uh of lower enrollment, but as you start to go up in the grade levels, you see that we start to creep into the 30s and at the elementary level. And obviously middle school remains significantly high. These are based on projections for next year. Uh you can see one of our Rainham middle school grades is projected to be at 37, an average of 37 students per c per grade level. And then the high school, obviously, as you know, we had to eliminate 40 plus electives and 20 plus staff members. Uh so this uh budget is reflective of an attempt to start to restore some of those positions. Uh you know, we had to pick a uh a point where we were gonna draw a line in the sand, and where we did was to say that we don't want to have any K-5 or really elementary classrooms over 30. Um you know, and if and it feels uh Mrs. King and I and Mr. Lois talked about this the other night at Budget Sub. You know, to draw that line feels as though that we're taking a stance, but it still results in class sizes of 28, 29. We're not making significant impact. So it's not really making a huge difference, but a step in the right direction. And then obviously looking to restore some positions at the high school level uh as well to help with the class size and also to bring back some of those electives. Um so we are uh you know continuing to collaborate with uh you know the town leadership with Mr. Barnes and Mr. Casanova Davis uh based on uh you know what uh their early forecasts are for the the budgets uh for both the towns and to see you know what type of revisions we may have to make. I know Mrs. King shared with you that the budget uh school committee intends to present tomorrow night is reflective of the preliminary budget. Uh that is uh the bottom number, including the 10 positions. Uh but we you know we have started to go through the exercise of what if we didn't uh get that budget and what does that look like for us. Um so we are you know obviously going through line by line, um making reductions anywhere we can, uh, as we always start with goods and services. Uh and then unfortunately we you know we do find ourselves having to look at personnel. Um and you know, we start to look at open positions. So, for example, we had two uh administrator positions that were open, uh both of our uh STEM coordinator and our uh family and student support coordinator left after the beginning of the year. Uh we intentionally did not fill those positions, just not knowing what this year would bring. And but when we were obviously building next year's budget, those positions did roll over. But those are positions that we would obviously not fill initially if we do have to make any reductions. We would look at uh next any of our retirees. Are there any positions there that we could possibly not fill before we you know start to consider any uh staff members that are in you know current positions or you know future positions for next year? Um you know, with some potential uh savings uh as we go line by line. We're also anticipating some relief from prior years in our health insurance. Um as you know, uh we were anticipating a fifth uh 10% last year, it jumped to 20, we were able to get it down to 15. Uh, because of our uh you know, we've had a a fairly decent year, staff has remained healthy, we haven't necessarily had high uh insurance costs this past year. We're looking at uh coming in possibly 10 and under, uh which would be great for us because obviously uh that budget that you have there is reflective of a 15% increase. So you know, we do have a couple upcoming meetings uh with our insurance advisor and with our uh PEC committee. So we're hopeful that we'll have some relief there, which obviously then um you know allows us some flexibility. We may not have to reduce as much in goods and services, or you know, we might be able to start to fill some of the retirees. Um and you know, if possible, maybe even you know, if we get to a point to potentially add a position here or there. Um what I don't believe uh that we will find ourselves in a similar situation to last year we were facing massive layoffs. Um I I certainly appreciate your your support and advocacy. So I did want to share that um you know with you. Um you know, again, uh based on the preliminary forecast by Mr. Barnes and Mr. Casanova Davis, we feel as though if we have to make reductions, um we will not necessarily have to go too far into personnel and so that we wouldn't be faced with uh those types of layoffs uh going into next year that we had this past year. Um we really feel as though that we might be able to even just um address it through retirees um and uh any of the open positions that we currently have. That is our whole week of hope. Certainly that could change, but that's really what we're looking at right now. Um as Mrs. King said in public hearing tomorrow night, and then the school committee will take action at the end of the month. We uh will continue and I will continue to you know converse with Mr. Barnes and Mr. Casanova Davis. Um once we have a better sense of uh you know the definitive numbers from both towns, we'll have a better sense of you know where we we fall and and what positions we may or may not be able to maintain or or even potentially add. But uh, you know, as much as we're not making significant improvements uh next year with the budget that uh you're holding, uh again, I uh I can confidently say we're not faced with uh the massive cuts that we had last year. So we are in a better position uh currently. Happy to entertain any questions uh that you may have.

SPEAKER_01 17:23

Thank you, Mr. Powers. Questions, comments, Mr. Chief.

SPEAKER_05 17:26

Thank you. A few comments and then two questions. First of all, um thanks to the three of you, uh specifically to Mrs. King, who failed my calls on a regular basis. Um I I certainly appreciate that and want to make sure I acknowledge uh that. And I will say I think uh last year we worked through some kinks, and my personal observation and interactions have been uh far more um, I would say, productive than last year's. I think the communication's been stronger, uh, and I think the clarity of the information provided has been stronger. So any tweaks that you made from my perspective have worked, so I appreciate that. Um my first question, Superintendent. The new positions, correct me if I'm wrong, but they are all curriculum positions, correct?

Q&A On Positions, Costs, And Priorities

SPEAKER_00 18:12

Those ten positions are all classroom uh positions, yes. Thank you. Approximately six at the uh elementary middle school, and then four potentially at the high school.

SPEAKER_05 18:20

Thank you. I also want to call up for a second um because I think you deserve the credit, uh the decrease in one thousand administration class. Uh as I said last year, I will say again this year for increase in the budget. My opinion is it has to go to the classroom. So again, giving credit with credit to the student, thank you for that. Uh and my final uh question for you is I might have missed it. I don't see it in here, and I didn't see it in what um Judy had sent this, but can you tell us what the health insurance increase is projected to be?

SPEAKER_00 18:49

I guess uh uh it's projected to be uh we budgeted for a 15% increase. Um we have our PEC meeting this Thursday. Uh we're getting favorable responses from uh we did go out to bid this year, uh which I think is you know that competitive bidding process. Uh we're anticipating definitely coming in under 10, uh potentially even possibly under 8%. Um but we will have those kind of final numbers coming up in the next couple weeks. That would be obviously a significant relief for us uh you know to go from you know 15 to 8 percent. We're talking hundreds of thousands of dollars that we we just saved.

SPEAKER_01 19:23

Thank you. Uh Mr. Comments.

SPEAKER_06 19:26

Uh no questions. One thing I would like to say too is just reiterating you said it, but it's important. If we are fortunate enough to get these depositions, they're not new positions. Right. We're they're already even they're a fraction of what we lost 70-something positions. Yes. So we're trying to get 10 of 70s. At best, we're not in the right direction, we're just stopping the leading.

SPEAKER_00 19:53

Correct. That is that's a great way to summarize it.

SPEAKER_06 19:55

Yes, we're just stopping backwards. I appreciate all your hard work, but I you did a real good job of making it sound really rosy. That's what we're going. Oh, we're not getting 10 new positions at the high school. We're just restoring stopping going backwards. Four years. Nobody's talking. It's just hard to say, oh, we're getting 10 new positions after I just hold the fire team, but I didn't get any one position. Right. We're stopping the leading trying to figure out.

One-Day Liquor License Approval

SPEAKER_07 20:21

Yeah, I think to your point, Mr. Collins, the 10 positions we're asking for, like historically, we have asked the superintendent since I've been on for the nine, eight, or nine years. For me, we've always asked the superintendent, present your January budget. Um, what do you need to be perfectly successful? What do you need to execute and have all of your students be perfectly successful when they graduate? And that was often 20, 25% increase. It was 60 positions. Um, and then we cut it down as a budget sub. And after last year we saw like how many positions we cut, how many towns did not possibly provide? They did not have an application for that. People are facing financial crisis everywhere. So he really took that to heart and the budget sub, and he presented a budget that was reasonable that was these are the ten positions that are critical right now to make an incremental change in a positive direction. And that's the budget that we're going to present tomorrow because I feel like that's what's necessary. And to your point, again, it's six positions at K through eight to just address arbitrarily picking no classrooms over third, which is great. I think your point is. So this is the thing that's the change to try and stop that going down the wrong. Because we're what we're asking for is creating like 38 classroom and trying to um safety. We talk about safety with the party and having easy levels, but having that many children in the classroom is also not a safe part and trying to provide our resources for this work more hopeful for this budget. I know both counts. I'm not sure if they're going to be able to financially make part of that. So that's something that we'll have to talk about.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

Thank you, Mr. Collins, and thank you to the school committee and the administration and as a former school committee. Whenever I realize how difficult it is for you because obviously you want to prepare and present the best education that you can for our students. And I see here that the strategy, rather than last year trying to get to where you really want to be and need to be, this is a a multi-year perhaps or a series, a series of years approach to build back to that, with that still being the ultimate goal. So certainly appreciate that and uh thank you for your efforts. And hopefully, if people have questions, they can contact you, go to the public hearing.

Draft Policy For One-Day Alcohol Licenses

SPEAKER_00 23:29

Absolutely. Thank you. Yep, our contact information is on the website. They can certainly reach out. Um, I know we had the opportunity to go to finance committee before, so we we share the same information with them uh and let them know if they have follow-up questions to definitely reach out to us. And certainly Greg knows where to find us, as I know the three of you do, so uh do too. So we're we're always here to answer questions.

SPEAKER_01 23:48

Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_00 23:49

Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_01 23:50

Thank you so much. Thank you. Okay, and continuing with our agenda, next we have a one-day alcohol uh license request for the Ranium Lions Club for their game dinner. Um this comes from the Lions Club. It's a one-day liquor license for their game dinner on March 27th from 5 to 10 uh p.m. And um I would assume usually this goes to the park and recreation um commission first for their approval. I don't see their letter, but Mr. Barnes, have we received this? Must have gone to park and rec already, correct?

SPEAKER_06 24:27

Yes. Yes, okay.

SPEAKER_01 24:30

Motion is made and seconded to approve any discussion. Hearing that all in favor? Any opposed? So voted. And next we have discussion and review of draft form policy on one-day alcohol licenses. Do you want to comment on this, uh, Mr. Barnes?

SPEAKER_02 24:50

Uh yes, one second, please. Uh so this again is a draft uh application, but uh we have uh uh been looking. Um uh my new assistant Kathleen Cotter and myself have been looking at the uh uh procedures involving alcohol, and she uh took some of what she had been doing in Kingston. Also looked at uh best practices and came up with a number of suggestions as to how to improve upon the process. Uh we are in uh uh later from now we will be addressing the the the uh yearly licenses. Right now we're only addressing the uh uh one day. So uh we're recommending a number of uh procedures that weren't uh so codified before. One is that uh uh there be uh evidence of bartender server training certificate tips, uh another that poop of liquor liability insurance for event be provided with town of Rainham listed as additionally insured, uh having sign off by not just police but also buyer, and also making it clear to the applicant that they must uh purchase alcohol beverages from a licensed wholesaler importer. Um that is state law, that is not not our law, but we're obligated to let people know what the what the law is. So we believe this is an improvement from the current procedure. Um and under our uh procedure we'd be uh looking at it as a draft now and coming back with a final after after comment.

SPEAKER_01 26:51

Thank you, Mr. Barnes. Questions, comments, Mr. the Chief?

SPEAKER_05 26:54

Um not questions but comments. Um overall I'm fine with it, but I do think it needs to be tweaked. The first is the tax certification. If it's a nonprofit, I'm not sure whether an individual's uh tax status would why it would be applicable. We would be engaging as to whether that nonprofit is current, but it says here, I certify that I have followed my tax returns. So having run a nonprofit, my tax dollars would not be relevant. It would be my agency's tax dollars. So I think the verbiage should be changed also. Um the second piece, whether it describes an event, um, I think that's redundant because we also have the organization's name and purpose at the top. So to me, it's being asked for two separate locations. And then the third is relative to the um uh full sailing. My suggestion is referencing whatever chapter and verse of the state block to demonstrate the state block because it's implied to have by state of the ABCC, but there's no reason why we can't go over a chapter test general.

SPEAKER_01 28:00

Thank you, Mr. Pachico. Mr. Collins, any input?

SPEAKER_06 28:03

Um I like those three, I didn't have any input, but I like all three of uh Chico's suggestions. Um I think this is the problem over there.

Budget Timeline And Revenue Pressures

SPEAKER_01 28:10

Thanks for the only thing I would add is that when we vote to approve it, we get like 30 days or something before it goes into effect because it is in putting some new requirements that uh might need to be adapted. All right, thank you. So um motion to take that under advice now? All in favor? Aye. All voted. And that uh brings us to the list to the end of the list of listed items. Do you have any other things to Mr. Collins? Um report, Mr. Collins.

SPEAKER_02 28:46

Uh yes, we as we discussed last meeting, we are now on every other week. Uh so next week we will not be having a select board meeting. Uh we will have a meeting um after the week after, and again, that will continue right through the uh summer schedule, which is typically every other week. So just to remind the public on that, uh we are continuing to go through budgets. We now have received most of the numbers for the budgets. We did get health care uh that originally was estimated to be 9.7. It came in at 7.5, but that's because the health collaborative decided to subsidize the number. Just today we got uh Bristol Aggies number, and uh uh I'm meeting tomorrow um Thursday with the uh property liability insurer, so I should have all those numbers by by Thursday. So in short, we um it like every budget process, you have some firm numbers and then you have some um numbers that are uh somewhat uh undefined. Most of those numbers are close to being defined now. Um the like every budget year, the challenge will be trying to balance off uh revenue with costs. The budget you were presented today by the school uh officials uh does represent a higher burden than what was presented at that presentation you were all invited to, and that's because um the amount of expected state aid went down, and uh and say we're trying to make up for it um through the communities. There are uh some um challenges in meeting that. Uh, I know Bridgewater is really struggling with that right now.

SPEAKER_01 30:49

So thank you, Mr. Barnes. Any questions from Mr. Barnes? So we moved to Select Board's report. Mr. Pachico, do you have anything for us?

Board Reports And Community Updates

SPEAKER_05 30:56

Just one item, Madam Chair, just um recognition to all the volunteers at RAVE for hosting another successful raid across America. Um we all got to participate in that last week. I had a fifth grade class, and uh kids were phenomenal. Um so just appreciation to them for having me and um again the volunteers at RAVE for continuing to put on a great program.

SPEAKER_01 31:18

Thank you. Um, Mr. Collins?

SPEAKER_05 31:20

We're lucky to report this.

Memorial Day Parade Approval

Boy Scouts’ Civic Participation

SPEAKER_01 31:22

Okay, and a couple things. I received a call today from Kevin Ellis, the chairman of the town's cable advisory committee, advising us that the ascertainment period has begun for the renewal of the town's contract with Verizon. Accordingly, anyone who has any comments positive or negative regarding Verizon should address their opinions in writing to the cable advisory committee in care of town hall, and those uh that those correspond pieces of correspondence will be forwarded to the cable advisory committee. Speaking of the cable advisory committee, just a reminder that the committee, as well as the council on aging and the Rhanium Cultural Council, have open seats. Anyone who is interested should send a letter of interest and resume to the select board in care of Mr. Barnes, our town administrator, and letters can be emailed. Anyone should also um anyone also can apply or should apply who is interested in serving on the new committee regarding voluntary donations for property tax assistance to seniors who may be facing a critical need. And if you have more any information, if you need more information about that, you can call our select board office. Also, um, as uh you referenced Mr. Pachico, the board of directors of our RAVE organization met last night, and volunteer coordinator Becky George sends her appreciation to all our VIP celebrity guests and RAVE hosts and hostesses who helped make the 29th annual Kathleen Roberts Read Across America program in RAINHAM a great success. In total, 44 classrooms, along with an assembly of the entire eighth grade, welcomed special guests, all of whom thoroughly enjoyed their time with our Rainham students in kindergarten through grade eight. Next on the Rave Docket is the annual Mary Lua Routa Child Safety program held in conjunction with the Rainham police to fingerprint students in kindergarten grade five and new students in grades one through eight with parental permission. And lastly, the recently reorganized Friends of the Rainham Council on Aging will meet this Thursday at 2 o'clock at the Senior Center. The group is still seeking new members to join the group. The annual membership donation is$10, and membership is open to anyone who wishes to support the group. And that is all I have this evening. And we move to correspondence. And correspondence, we happen to have a letter from Rave regarding a Memorial Day Parade. It's addressed to the select board members on behalf of the board of directors of the Rainham Association of Volunteers for Education. And Rave's salute to our veterans committee. We wish to request permission to proceed with plans for the 12th annual Rainham Memorial Day Parade. In keeping with tradition, the date for the parade will be Saturday, May 23rd, stepping off at 10 o'clock a.m. from the Merrill and La Liberty Elementary Schools on Pleasant Street and ending at the Gazebo Park on King Phillip Street, where our traditional Memorial Day ceremony will be held. As you may recall, Rave's salute to our Veterans Committee decided in June of 2012 to expand our efforts to take on two new projects: the Red, White, and Blue Project decorating the center of town with American flags, and the Memorial Day Commemoration Project, sponsoring the first annual Rainham Memorial Day Parade in 2013. With the involvement of many individuals from our community, including community leaders, veterans, and the support of so many residents and businesses, RAVE has been able to raise the funds each year necessary to purchase flags and sponsor the parade. RAVE would particularly like to acknowledge the efforts of the Highway Department in setting up the flags for the patriotic holidays each year, and the fire department for watching over them and then taking them in and packing them away. We also want to acknowledge our Rainham Police and Fire Departments for the amazing assistance they provide each year for the parade, and American Legion Post 405 for their incredible support. Every year the parade just gets bigger and better, and we're hoping the trend continues this year with professional bands, floats, and our local schools, sports teams, and community groups involved. Also hoping that as many town departments as possible will join the effort. Of course, Ray wants to extend a special invitation to our select board and other community leaders to join for this special celebration of Rainham as well as Memorial Day commemoration. Thank you for your consideration. As always, Ray will coordinate efforts with Iranian Police, Fire, Highway, and Park and Recreation Departments and that assigned Robin Burns, Ray for President, and Becky George, a volunteer coordinator. Motion is made and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing on all in favor, any opposed? So voted. Next we have press time. I don't believe we have anyone here from the press. Emergency business, Mr. Vachiko? Mr. Collins? Mr. Barnes, do you have any emergency business? We do not. Then that moves us to citizen and community input. And I would like to invite a representative from our Boy Scouts, maybe to introduce our this group that's joining us this evening and explain a little bit about why we love having you here. Cool.

SPEAKER_04 36:34

Appreciate the chance to be here. Do you want to come up to the podium? So this is Troop 43 Rainum. The new development this year that you might have noticed is we have Boy Scouts and girls. So it's a boy troop and a girl troop. We just became official, it just kind of split, and we've reached a critical mass, and now Troop 43 is both the blend of boys and girls. So we are here participating in one of the bear patches? This is citizenship in the community. There are requirements that have a full catalog. And this is particularly watching the curve, and then we're going to go back and we can discuss the people. Excellent watching that.

SPEAKER_01 37:20

Excellent, just for the minutes your name is.

SPEAKER_04 37:23

Andrew Dalton, Scott Master of Troop 43B. Excellent. Scottmaster of 43P. Excellent.

Warrants, Executive Session, And Close

SPEAKER_01 37:30

Very good. Thank you so much for joining us. We appreciate having all of you here. Anyone else have any public input? Community input? Seeing none, uh we move to performance of administrative duties and just report that I and our town accountant, our finance director, have reviewed and signed off on the town of Rainham invoice and payroll warrants dated state March 10th, 2026. And with that, I am looking for a motion to go into executive session in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 30A, 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 specifically related to our town administrator. We will return to open session for the sole purpose of adjourning the meeting with no additional business to be discussed. Do we have a motion? Motion is made and seconded roll call vote, Mr. Pacheco, Mr. Collins. Chair votes aye. So at 7 38, we'll thank you all for joining us and we will move into executive session. Thank you so much.