Raynham Select Board 06/16/2026

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

A town’s biggest wins often look like small, specific decisions and this Select Board meeting is full of them. We start with the work you can literally drive on: Highway updates on completed road projects, fresh line striping, rubberized chip seal streets, and the follow up steps that protect new pavement. We also talk about the kind of safety fix most people only notice after it is done, replacing a repeatedly damaged asphalt berm with a stronger granite and concrete island that is easier to see and harder to destroy.

Then we get into the heart of local support systems with an update on Raynham’s Elderly and Disabled Tax Fund. We explain how donations work, why the town needs a committee and a written policy, and how an application based approach could offer one time property tax relief for low income residents. If you have ever wondered how a well intentioned program becomes something fair, usable, and accountable, this is a clear window into the process and the practical constraints.

We also move through key votes and announcements: reappointments, a revised statement about public comment and open meeting law expectations, a Planning Board associate member vacancy, and a preview of building, electrical, and plumbing fee schedule changes. On the operations side, we approve renewals and contracts, support early voting logistics for the September primary and November election, and hear an important update on the public safety building procurement process, including the request for qualifications for contractors on a major project. We close with community recognition, upcoming local events, and timely summer health reminders about triple E and ticks.

If you care about roads, taxes, public safety buildings, early voting, or how decisions get made when the cameras are on, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a neighbor, and leave us a review so more residents can follow along and get involved.

Transcript

Call To Order And Minutes

SPEAKER_03 0:07

Alright, call the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Uh remind the public that we're being both broadcast live and recorded by the Rainham channel, Comcast Channel 98, Verizon Channel 34. I would ask those with us to join us in the pledge, please. Congratulations to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic of Nation underground and the distance justice for all. Thank you. Next uh motion for approval of the minutes for both our regular session and executive session, which are being withheld on 62, 2026.

SPEAKER_05 0:48

Motion to accept the minutes as printed.

SPEAKER_03 0:51

Second. All in favor. Aye. Those are approved.

Highway Projects And Road Updates

SPEAKER_03 0:54

Uh next up, department heads, Norm Sturdevan or Highway Superintendent Norm.

SPEAKER_01 1:02

Good evening. I have some updates from the highway department for last month to present. I'll start with road projects are now complete. That got completed a couple of weeks ago. Line striping included for King Phillip Street and Britain Street. The other roads that were complete via rubberized ship seal include Richards, Wayne, Sylvain, Laurel, and Wilbur Streets. So the road crew, they have been busy with the construction-related work. They just completed on Monday the backing up of the new paved newly paved roads with loom and dense grade as needed. They also assisted parking grounds for the removal of the fence, another project that we just completed along King Phillip Street, where Olson's grows their mums. And thanks to Clive, he's gonna do some sprucing up over there. He's very happy to have a new fence. So it's a nice ad terrain hammering. It is functional as well. Solid waste, we were able to get that brush panel chip. It was very large from all the storms that we had uh in 25 and the start of 26. Uh so now people have folks have plenty of room now to dump the brush. It was getting really tight on Saturdays. Foxing grounds, they're busy mowing that's starting to burn out now, so they're working on some irrigation repairs to get those on screen again for those fields that are irrigated. Uh we also were able to replace and update the island at Rasha Street and King Phillip Street. Uh that was a was a loaf berm, they call it out of asphalt. It was hit several times by plows and the trucks coming out of waste management and uh etc. Uh we used to have to paint that yellow often because the asphalt berm blends in with the road that was hit again often, and I would have to go paint it as a yellow maintenance item. We no longer have to do that. We upgraded it to granite, which is stronger, with a concrete middle. Uh it aesthetically it's much better and it's stronger, and it looks great. Um that is all I have.

SPEAKER_03 3:13

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05 3:15

No, great work is always on King Phillips Street. I haven't been down the other streets, but King Phillip Street was going to street.

SPEAKER_01 3:21

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05 3:21

Great job.

SPEAKER_01 3:22

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 3:23

Yeah, I mean the monetary streets. I drive I call the dump road. Every time I drive down that ton of times, I've almost hit that corner of that island with my truck, so first thing I noticed when I came around that corner was the thing was had nice curving and everything.

SPEAKER_03 3:39

Awesome job.

SPEAKER_01 3:39

Yeah, thank you. Thanks. Thank you, Noah. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 3:42

All

Elderly And Disabled Tax Fund

SPEAKER_03 3:43

right, next up is Jessica Thomas, our treasurer collector. Jessica is here to speak to us uh and give us an update on the elderly and disabled uh tax fund that uh last year the town meeting voted to adopt. Jessica?

SPEAKER_00 3:55

Hi. Um so right now we have an elderly and disabled fund that you can donate to when you pay your taxes. Um that fund we need to create a policy. Um we have to create a committee, so it will be two residents, me, along with the chairman of the board of assessors, and then we create a policy on how we use these funds. Um you can donate no less than a dollar, anything more than that. Um, you would send a separate check along with um your tax bill. Um I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 4:34

Jessica, do you want to talk a little bit about um what uh potential policies would be when when I had proposed this and the board approved it, we left it out that was almost two years ago. Some of the scenarios that might be applicable when we get funds in there for folks to avail themselves of.

SPEAKER_00 4:52

So basically, um the this would be to the purpose of defraying the real estate taxes for elderly or disabled um people of low income. Um so when we do create the policy, we probably would talk about that a little bit more, um, and then you guys would accept the policy that we create. So if we have any residents that want to donate their time, um there is two positions on that committee that we could use them.

SPEAKER_03 5:23

Ms. Riley, questions, comments?

SPEAKER_05 5:26

Umunds great. Again, we would just need to see if anybody out there wants to serve, any residents want to serve on that to let us know. I think we had said when we spoke about it originally that because it's not really a large amount of money, it would probably be something, you know, that would be a on a one-time basis, like someone had a particular need that year. It wouldn't obviously be something you could pay for for years going to work.

SPEAKER_00 5:49

Exactly. Yes. Yeah. They would put an application, then the committee would decide on how much and and who would get the funds. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 5:57

So we need a committee first, and then the committee would propose the policy. Yes. Yes. That's the answer to the question.

SPEAKER_02 6:03

Yeah, I mean, it sounds like a great great thing to do. I mean, I would say that you probably haven't decided how often the committee would meet or anything like that yet.

SPEAKER_00 6:12

Um we so we haven't even created the committee yet. So that would be our first step, and then we probably would meet once and then we would talk about all of those things.

SPEAKER_02 6:20

Decide if it's monthly or yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

I would I would guess probably once a year we'd probably meet. Okay. Um we'd probably like say application deadlines at a certain amount of time, and then we'd talk about you know how much money we had in the fund. Yeah, and then at that time we would decide who would get the money. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 6:40

Awesome. I think it's a great cause. Yeah. Thank you. Great. Thank you, Jessica. We appreciate that.

SPEAKER_04 6:46

One one uh point to reinforce. Uh it's very important if people wish to donate, that they do it through a separate check. Do not combine your regular tax bill with with the uh donation on the same check.

SPEAKER_00 7:04

Yes, for um technical reasons, um we asked for the separate check. Just because of processing, um, most of the tax bills are processed through lockbox. So if you could send the separate check, that would be great. And make sure you're clear on what the check is for, so we're not trying to um figure out what the check's for. That's all. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 7:27

And Craig, you'll make sure that the vacancies get posted on our website so folks are aware.

SPEAKER_04 7:32

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 7:33

Thank you. All

Reappointments And Annual Roles

SPEAKER_03 7:34

right, appointments. Uh, we have the reappointment of Norm Stern event to the joint transportation planner group. Do I have a motion? Motion to appoint. Second. All in favor? Aye. That is approved. We have an um item next to reappoint Mr. Barnes to the JTPG as the alternate member.

SPEAKER_05 7:51

Motion to appoint.

SPEAKER_03 7:53

Seconded. All in favor? Aye. That is approved. We have a constable reappointment at David Dicenso, and it's been signed off on by the police chief.

SPEAKER_05 8:01

Motion to reappoint.

SPEAKER_03 8:03

Seconded. All in favor? Aye. That is approved. Uh, next is our yearly appointments. I'm not going to read them all because they were attached to our agenda and it's accessible on the town's website. But this is an annual process where folks whose terms are expiring uh come up for reappointment, and they range from the finance committee to on-call building inspector, the capital planning committee, uh senior center renovation committee, and the like. What's the board's pleasure?

SPEAKER_05 8:27

Motion senior requests.

SPEAKER_03 8:28

Seconded. All in favor? All in. Aye. That's approved. No other appointments this evening, no hearings.

Public Comment Expectations Clarified

SPEAKER_03 8:35

Old continuing business discussion and vote on revising standing agenda language. Uh, we had brought this up last week. Uh, you with the board was looking for a little bit more time uh since then and trying to incorporate in Ms. Riley some of the um productive feedback you provided. I is in your packet of proposed revision from me um slightly that says, uh, and I'll read it, uh, while the board welcomes public input, the open meeting law discourages public bodies from discussing topics not listed on the agenda. The public should therefore not expect the board to respond to questions or statements made during the public comment portion of the meeting. And again, just to reiterate what I said last week, this isn't meant to discourage or otherwise stymie public input. It's simply meant to set the expectation so when folks come to us, there's not confusion or a false sense of uh expecting a response from us. If it's an agenda item, uh that's one thing. If it's not an agenda item, then we should not uh be commenting on it.

SPEAKER_05 9:32

Absolutely. Well, I appreciate the um the revision, Mr. Pacico, and um obviously the board always has the opportunity, if warranted, to report back, to research something, to discuss it at a later meeting when it's on the agenda. So I'll motion to approve. Great.

SPEAKER_03 9:49

Second, and all in favor, aye, that is approved. Any of the old business, Ms. Riley?

Planning Board Associate Vacancy

SPEAKER_05 9:54

I just have one. I guess it would come as old business, but um Mr. Andrade mentioned this at its first meeting. There's a vacancy for the associate member of the planning board. Um, I know the planning board has advertised that. I think that according to our policy, it's supposed to be advertised by both this board and the planning board. So I know it is on our website, but just to reiterate, that the town of Rayne has an opening on the planning board for an associate member. The associate planning board member is a two-year position that shall be appointed by joint vote of the planning board and select board as the position is vacant due to resignation. The term will constitute the remaining balance of the term which is found July 21st, 2027. The chair of the planning board must designate the associate member to sit on the board for the purposes of acting on a special permit application or site plan approval in the case of absence, inability to act, or conflict of interest on the part of any member of the planning board, or in the event of a vacancy on the board. Anybody who is interested should apply on either to a morning McKenna Planning Board to our town administrator. And hopefully we get some.

SPEAKER_04 11:06

We we have, I know, gotten at least one afterwards.

SPEAKER_03 11:09

Excellent. Thank you, Ms. Riley. Mr. Andrade, any old business? Uh none at the moment. Okay. New business. Uh

Fees Software Contracts And Early Voting

SPEAKER_03 11:17

first up is discussion and vote on a revised fee schedule for building, electrical, and plumbing. Mr. Andrea, I know this was your item, so I'll turn it over to you.

SPEAKER_02 11:24

Um so I know that I had sent all the information over to Greg. Um, I think you guys probably all had received um what was, I guess, a drawn-out packet of different building fees, how they compared to adjacent towns and everything like that. Um, Bob was not able to come in tonight, so we're gonna have him in at the next meeting, so then he can kind of go over his recommendations for fee increases. He did give some um some different types of numbers on what he felt maybe Rainhams could go to. I would say that at the next meeting, if you both have any type of recommendations on what you feel the fees should increase to, we'll bring them at that point and then bounce our ideas off of Bob and try and come up with a new fee schedule that's more reflective with the times, they'd say.

SPEAKER_03 12:17

Would that be a motion on the table? Yes. Okay. Um we'll second that. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? Aye. Thank you, Mr. Andrade. Uh discussion and vote on the renewal of Vadar. Vadar is our financial management software and it comes with the recommendation of the town administrator.

SPEAKER_05 12:32

Motion to approve.

SPEAKER_03 12:34

Seconded. All in favor. Aye. Aye is approved. Next is discussion and vote on approval of the FY27, FY28 contract with hand up for mattress recycling. That comes with the recommendation of our highway superintendent.

SPEAKER_02 12:47

Motion to approve.

SPEAKER_03 12:48

Seconded. All in favor? Aye. That is approved. Next up is discussion and vote on change order seven with GPI for design and permitting services, regarding Godness Street Bridge, and again comes with the recommendation of the highway superintendent.

SPEAKER_05 13:01

Motion to approve.

SPEAKER_03 13:02

Seconded. All in favor, aye. That is approved. Uh next is discussion and vote on non-union employment agreement extension for our highway superintendent, Norm Sturderman. It's a two-year contract with two percent increases each year and the ability for up to an additional one percent each year in merit based upon an evaluation. What is the board's pleasure?

SPEAKER_05 13:22

Motion to approve.

SPEAKER_03 13:23

Seconded. All in favor? Aye. Aye. That is approved unanimously. Next, discussion and vote on line item transfer for sewer enterprise personnel expenses, and this will also require finance committee approval. What's the board's pleasure?

SPEAKER_05 13:35

Motion to approve.

SPEAKER_03 13:36

Seconded. All in favor? Aye. That is approved. Uh next is a request from the Board of Registrars seeking to use this room for early voting in both the September primary and the November general election. Uh, there will be Saturdays through Fridays in August, and then again uh in October leading up to the November election. What is the board's pleasure?

SPEAKER_05 13:59

Uh motion to approve with um and then a discussion with um notice for our town administrator to make sure that all of the boards that meet in this room are notified in advance because they will need another meeting location. As we will, so as we will.

SPEAKER_03 14:14

Yes, yeah, yes. I'll second that. All right, all in favor? All right, that is approved. Next is a tag tag day request from B. R. Vroxly Chair for June 26th.

SPEAKER_05 14:25

Motion to approve.

SPEAKER_03 14:27

Second it. All in favor? All right, that's approved. Any of the new business, Ms. Riley. I have none. Mr. Andrew. Um no. Okay. Time

Public Safety Building Bid Qualifications

SPEAKER_03 14:36

of minutes raised report, Mr. Barnes.

SPEAKER_04 14:39

Uh yes. Um as part of the uh public safety building uh procurement process, the town has to go out and do what's called the request for qualification. This is for uh general contractors and subcontractors. We they have to prove their qualifications before bidding on the project. Actual construct estimated construction cost is $41 million. So this is a very large project uh for for the town. But any case, uh there advertisements gone out on central register, uh, come bys uh in the newspaper. You must be DCAM certified. Um that means you must be certified by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance. Uh in addition to the general contractor, they're looking for subbid categories in quite a number of uh areas, uh masonry, metals, waterproofing, roofing, metal windows, glass and glazing, tile, acoustic tile, resilient flooring, painting, elevators, fire protection, plumbing, HVAC, and electrical. Um to learn more about this, and again, stressing you need to be DCM uh certified, uh you should uh consult the website bid docs b I d s dot com and go under bid listing solicitations. Uh all statement of qualifications will only be electronically accepted through bid.coms. Uh the deadline for response to this request for qualification is uh July 2nd. That's a Thursday at 12 noon. Uh and if you have any questions, you should uh contact the owner's project manager, which is Pomroy uh Associates. Um their phone number is 508-456-4232.

SPEAKER_03 17:04

Anything else, correct?

SPEAKER_04 17:05

Uh that is it. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 17:06

Any questions, Ms. Riley? Mr. Andrade. No. All right. Uh

Community Events And Local Recognition

SPEAKER_03 17:11

uh select board report, Miss Riley.

SPEAKER_05 17:13

I have a couple things. I had um, along with uh Matt Mr. Andrade had the opportunity to attend the annual firefighters memorial ceremony on Sunday, where our Iranian firefighters remember and honor their former firefighters who have passed on. It is a simple but very respectfully, which is followed by a gathering at American Legion Post 405 for some fellowship and a delicious buffet breakfast, followed by the awarding of service pins. Recipients of this year's service pins included for 20 years of Lieutenant Drew Alexander, and for 25 years of service, firefighter Gary Santos, Lieutenant Jason Carnes, and Lieutenant Bill Trotman. Then the firefighters VIP award was presented to a very deserving Peter King, who after retiring many years ago as police chief remains active in the community, often seen at important events as he was on Sunday with camera in hand to record the mom the moment for Iranium's history. Chief King also every year assists with our planning committees for the annual Randy Memorial Day Parade and Iranium Community Celebration Day event, as well as overseeing Ray's Mary Lou Aruda Child Safety Program, which he originally proposed over 45 years ago and still assists with ever since. A true living legend in our community, Chief King is very deserving of the Firefighters Award. Kudos to everyone involved in Sunday's special event, especially Captain Jeff Kelleher, who every year coordinates the event. Also on Sunday, the first congregational church family and friends gathered to honor Reverend James Tilby, who is retiring at the end of July as the pastor of the Stone Church after 35 years of service. Jim and Nancy offered our community, and I know this board joins the Stone Church community in offering our thanks to them and wishing them all the best in the next chapter. Of course, we honored Jim as well by dedicating last year's annual time report to him, and our Economic and Business Development Commission also honored him recently with one of their community pride awards. And speaking of our Randy Community Celebration Day, our Abe organization is holding its first planning meeting next Monday, June 22nd, beginning at 6.30 here in the municipal meeting room for the annual Rainham Community Celebration Day. The date for the event is Sunday, September 27th from 12 noon to 4 p.m. with a rain date of Sunday, October 4th. And that takes place at the Gordon Colony Complex on King Phillip Street with exhibitors and entertainers set up in and around the Gazebo Park area and the adjacent senior center. Anyone who is interested in participating in the event, an exhibitor, entertainer, or sponsor, or who wants to volunteer to help plan the event, or just wants more information is invited to attend the planning meeting next Monday. For more information, you can contact rayvolunteercoordinator at gmail.com. And finally, town administrator Greg Barnes joined me today to represent the board in accepting flag and with bottle from uh Taunt Area Chamber of Commerce with congratulations for 25 years of membership and support of the TACC. Those in attendance included TACC president and CEO Chris Silva and membership coordinator Elizabeth LeBrec, along with board members Amy Briggs from Mr. County Savings Bank, and Jen Oldfield, who happens to be celebrating her birthday today, so wish her happy birthday. It says TACC member Mike, presented to Tony Rayman in recognition of 25 years, as a member of the Continaria Chamber of Commerce, signed by Chris Silva as our president, as their president and CEO. And then we'll be with the forum of public, which I think Mr. Pichiko, you and I were just thinking about this and thought maybe we should perhaps donate this to a nonprofit as a raffle item or something like that would be the best use of that as our.

SPEAKER_03 21:29

Thank you, Miss Riley. Mr. Gandry.

SPEAKER_02 21:31

Um to echo a bath like I did get to attend the firefighters memorial. Awesome service put on by Jeff. Um breakfast was great. We got to uh celebrate all the firefighters that came before and able to recognize those who continue to give their service for many years. It seems like every time there's more and more that give up 20 to 25 years and more. So awesome ceremony, but um that's pretty much it.

SPEAKER_03 21:58

Good. Thank you, Mr. Andrew.

Triple E Ticks Correspondence Adjourn

SPEAKER_03 22:00

Uh just one quick thing for me with the warm weather comes triple E. Uh, so I do my annual reminder to folks to make sure that they uh protect themselves. Uh long sleeve shirts, DEET, triple E repellent, although I did read the study that they think mosquitoes can now adjust to DEET, and it might not be as effective as it once was, but uh also draining standing water on property. So I always like to put that reminder out as the boards of weird. We lost a valuable Ranium member a few years ago uh having contracted triple E Mr. Newfield, so uh it's always something that we take very seriously here.

SPEAKER_05 22:35

So and the um the ticks too. Yes, those are unbelievable this year. I I actually know of Iranian resident who got a tick bite and was almost died from it because now there's some strange diseases they're carrying. So actually, yes, definitely what you said used to potentially go back to mosquitoes and ticks, those before. Yes, thank you.

SPEAKER_03 22:56

All right, correspondence. We have correspondence from the ABCC letting us know of legislation that was recently passed allowing local licensing authorities to extend uh pouring ability of liquor till 3 a.m. And then we also have correspondence from uh the State's Department of Telecom and Cable letting us know that our license or cable expires on July 6, 2029, and outlines the process for us to go through uh what we're going through right now, the ascertainment hearing with Verizon. So we appreciate that correspondence. Uh we have no other correspondence, no press time, no emergency business, citizen and community input. Seeing none. Uh notify the board that I have signed along with the finance director our invoice and payroll warrants, and with that I will entertain a motion from uh the board to adjourn.

SPEAKER_05 23:46

I make that motion.

SPEAKER_03 23:48

Second. All in favor, we are adjourned. Thank you.