The Rochester Board of Selectmen OK’d the 17-Article Annual Town Meeting Warrant, which includes a $17,750,036 request for the town’s fiscal year 2013 budget. The board met with the Finance Committee to review and finalize the warrant one last time before the May 21 annual town meeting.
LaCamera said the budget reflects no department increases or standard of living wage increases for non-union employees. Rochester Memorial School’s budget increased from $5,490,438 to $5,573,114 to reflect increases in special education and utility costs (due to building addition). Old Colony’s expenses jumped from $608,465 to $707,698 to account for higher enrollment, LaCamera said.
He said the budget reflects revenues at a marginal increase of $229,000. “This is not significant. Things have been pretty flat with state aid and local receipts,” he said.
The warrant remained untouched with the exception of a small change, requested by Town Moderator Greenwood “Woody” Hartley, to show that certain Board of Assessors monies are not for another position, but for overtime the Assessors themselves may incur.
The Selectmen voted to reject a request from the Assessor John Mello to add hours to their part-time clerk position. That individual had also worked for the Town Clerk’s office as well, but those hours were recently downsized. The assessors wanted to bring that individual on for more hours (at a cost of $7,553) to compensate for the eliminated hours from her schedule at the Town Clerk.
“I don’t think that it’s appropriate at the last minute,” said LaCamera, noting that other departments wanting more hours for their staff were denied that request during the budgeting process.
Selectman Richard Nunes pointed out that such issues require review by the Personnel Board, and granting that request would overlook their authority on the matter.
“We have vacancies on the Parks Commission and the Planning Board. If we leave the Personnel Board members out, we’d be looking for Personnel members too,” he said.
Other articles reviewed included the appropriation of $307,023 in Chapter 90 funds for repair, construction and maintenance of roads (Article 7), the creation of a revolving fund account for summer school programs (Article 8), a deadline extension for Old Colony towns needing to authorize new debt (Article 9) and a housekeeping article to fix a typo in the industrial district zoning bylaw (Article 10).
Also, two articles would authorize the Selectmen to enter contracts – the first being for a power purchase agreement for solar/wind energy that LaCamera said could potentially trim the town’s electricity costs by 25 percent (Article 14). The other would allow the Selectmen to approve and enter into a 20-year Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreement with New Bedford Waterworks, which is seeking to install a solar panel farm in the northwestern section of town, owned by the city of New Bedford.
The new bylaws for FEMA’s revised flood plain district maps also are on the warrant (Article 12). The maps go into effect whether or not the town approves them; failure to approve the new maps would prohibit town residents from purchasing or renewing National Flood Insurance. Laurell Farinon, Conservation Agent, said anyone who needs to double check if their property is affected should contact her office.
For a complete look at the warrant, visit www.wanderer.com. The Town Meeting is scheduled for May 21 at 7:00 pm at Rochester Memorial School.
In other matters:
• LaCamera said that anyone interested in the senior workoff program should visit the Town Hall office for an application.
• The Rochester Memorial School’s Miles for Memorial Walk is scheduled for May 30.
• The Second Annual Joe Monteiro Memorial Tractor Ride is scheduled for July 14 (July 15 rain date).
By Laura Fedak Pedulli
