Rochester’s Select Board is asking for the public’s ideas on improving how the town celebrates holidays.
At Monday’s Select Board meeting, member Adam Murphy said that after attending the town’s Memorial Day ceremony on May 27, he started thinking, “How could we make it better?” Murphy proposed putting together a committee that will feature guidance from members of the community on what they would like done to improve events such as the Christmas tree lighting celebration in December that is organized by the Fire Department and Amanda Baptiste from the Select Board office and the veterans’ ceremonies held annually in May and November.
“The veterans deserve it,” Murphy said, adding the town does not even have any kind of July 4 celebration right now. “We’ve been relying on town employees to plan these events,” he said. “We should ask the people, can we do more than this? With more involvement from the community, we’ll take the planning off the shoulders of town workers.”
The Select Board quickly agreed to create this committee. “I’d be happy to do it,” Select Board Chairman Paul Ciaburri said.
Murphy invited residents to send in a letter of interest to serve on the new committee. “I will definitely offer to help put it together,” he added.
Elsewhere on Monday’s agenda, the Select Board inched closer to advertising for a new town administrator to replace Glenn Cannon, who became Carver’s new town administrator on May 14. The board set a Thursday, June 6, meeting to finalize the job description and advertisement for the vacant position.
Providing an update on the process to find a new town administrator, board member Brad Morse reported that the search committee planned to put together an advertisement and a job description at its June 5 meeting and would like a Thursday, June 6, meeting with the Select Board, “if we reach our goal Wednesday,” he said. The Select Board agreed to a 2:00 pm meeting on Thursday with the search committee.
In other business, Highway Surveyor Jeff Eldridge showed the board the National Asphalt Pavement Association Award for excellence that his department and contractor PJ Keating recently won. Eldridge said the award is for the High Street paving project and is based on the quality of the asphalt and that 30% is recycled product. He noted his department was the winner in a region that includes Lakeville, Taunton, Middleboro and Swansea. “I didn’t receive it,” he said humbly. “The town did.”
The board granted a one-day liquor license for singer/musician Rebecca Correira to perform at Bennett Farm on August 10 from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
The board continued its pole and manhole-cover hearings for the area of Rounseville Road, Vaughn Hill Road and Hartley Road to July 1 after Eversource officials said they need more time to plan the work after meeting with the Rochester Department of Public Works. In related action, the board approved withdrawal of pole public hearing for 198 Clapp Road.
The board approved new contracts for Conservation Agent Merilee Kelly and Town Planner Nancy Durfee. Kelly’s contract will extend from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027. Durfee’s will extend until June 30, 2025.
The board approved the annual range permits for the Sippican Rod and Gun Club and the Steve Morrell Gun Range and the Cranberry Country PMC Kids Race’s route around Old Colony Regional Vocational-Technical High School scheduled for Sunday, June 23.
The board awarded a volunteer citation to Thomas Flynn for his 13 years of service on the Zoning Board of Appeals.
The board announced a SEMASS PILOT payment to the town of $353.57 for April 2024.
Financial Director and Interim Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar reported the town is looking to change from a “.com” website to a “.gov” website after advice from a cyber security firm that the latter is more secure from online threats. She added that grants are available to complete the necessary work.
Szyndlar reported new town reports are being printed after errors were found in the issue that some have already received. Residents should discard that issue if they have it. She also reported the Silvershell Beach (Marion) stickers, while not yet available, are being printed now.
The board reorganized to install Morse as chairman, Murphy as vice chairman and Ciaburri as clerk.
The next Rochester Select Board meeting will be held on Monday, June 17, at 6:00 pm at the Rochester Senior Center, 67 Dexter Lane.
Rochester Select Board
By Michael J. DeCicco
Help Wanted to Better Celebrate Holidays