The Rochester Board of Selectmen agreed to sign off on the inter-municipal agreement with the Town of Marion to use its Benson Brook Transfer Station during the former’s December 7 Zoom meeting.
As Selectman Brad Morse explained, with Marion having left the disbanding Carver-Marion-Wareham Regional Refuse Disposal District, Marion invited Rochester to use its facility off of Route 6. Morse said stickers would cost Rochester residents $70, and seniors will get them for $60. Rochester residents will be able to pick up stickers at Rochester Town Hall, most likely by January 1, 2021.
“We are also working on the possibility of using the Route 28 facility,” Morse told the board. Morse noted that, although the Route 28 facility will be run by Wareham, Rochester is still negotiating for a rate for Rochester residents preferring to use that facility.
Selectman Woody Hartley sought and got clarification on a couple of details for the residents’ sake, noting that Rochester residents will pay a little more than Marion residents to use the Benson Brook facility and also that Marion’s senior-discount classification starts at age 70 and also includes veterans.
Rochester residents will follow the same age and military classification standards as Marion has set forth to its residents, but the former can go to Rochester Town Hall starting January 1, pending the arrival of stickers.
In concert with Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar, the selectmen voted unanimously to schedule the next Town Meeting for Monday, May 24, 2021, with the Town Election set for Wednesday, May 26. Memorial Day is May 31.
In her Town Administrator’s Report, Szyndlar told the selectmen that the 2021 real estate tax bills are out and are due on December 31. FY22 budget requests are also out to department heads.
To date, Szyndlar said Rochester had submitted $165,000 in invoices to Plymouth County, which is administering the distribution of reimbursements for non-budgeted, COVID-related expenditures via the CARES Act. Rochester has received slightly over $33,000, according to Szyndlar.
This is only a fraction of what has been spent and will presumably be reimbursed to the town for 2020. Szyndlar said she has finished the paperwork for a $270,000 submission scheduled to go out this week, followed by approximate amounts of $150,000 and $160,000 as the town expects $740,000 to be reimbursed via the CARES Act.
The new phone/intercom system inside Town Hall has been completed, and Szyndlar told the board that the town is finalizing its switch to a new internet provider.
Green Communities has finished all of the town’s lighting projects, and there will be a final walkthrough with the company, paving the way for a look at a second year of Green Communities projects.
There is a January 21-22 trade show, an interactive virtual conference that Szyndlar recommended to the selectmen.
The board voted unanimously to authorize Szyndlar to sign on behalf of the town on documents that netted Rochester a $20,946 reimbursement grant.
Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon explained that the town’s Conservation Commission has collaborated with the Buzzards Bay Coalition, which will take ownership of property at Decas Cranberry’s Stuart bog. The projects, via an agreement with Decas Cranberry, will protect 232 acres, including woodlands abutting Rochester Conservation Commission land and an estuary to the north of the bog. Farinon said that private fundraising would make up the difference in acquisition costs.
Farinon also told the selectmen she would bring a draft for the board’s approval rewriting the town’s Flood Plain Bylaw to be consistent with the state model bylaw.
The selectmen also voted to sign off on annual license renewals for 2021 under four separate categories. Class II licenses include EB Auto Sales at 654 Mary’s Pond Road; C&C Auto Brokers 601 Mary’s Pond Road; The Custom Shop at 45 Pine Street; Vaughan Hill Motors at 227 Vaughan Hill Road; and Debalsi Auto Sales at 203 High Street. Class III licenses include High Street Auto at 56 High Street; and Murphy’s Auto Salvage at 35 County Road. Outdoor World at 90 Stevens Road was granted an Automatic Amusement license, and the following establishments received liquor licenses: Adrian’s Package Store at 711 Mary’s Pond Road; Costa’s Family Market dba Lloyd’s Market at 8 Hartley Road; Plumb Corner Market and Matt’s Blackboard, both at 565 Rounseville Road; and Rochester Golf Club at 323 Rounseville Road.
The selectmen voted not to exercise the town’s Chapter 61 Right of First Refusal for Lots 8 and 8A on Map 12 and Lots 6, 12, and 13 on Map 13. Morse recused himself from that discussion and vote.
The board accepted a SEMASS $337,837 PILOT payment for October 20.
The board began with a 12-minute executive session to discuss town vendor contract negotiations and strategy to prepare for negotiations with non-union personnel. The session yielded no action in the public portion of the meeting.
Chairman Paul Ciaburri reported attending a Plymouth County Advisory Committee meeting, and Hartley reported attending a SRPEDD meeting.
Ciaburri praised Eversource for the utility company’s job during the weekend storm that threatened power outages amidst heavy rain and high winds. “I got calls every six hours; they’ve been fabulous the last two storms,” he said, adding that Eversource did “a great job” on the tree trimming.
A public hearing scheduled for 6:05 pm regarding a street name change was continued to 6:10 pm on December 21, at the board’s next meeting.
Rochester Board of Selectmen
By Mick Colageo