Rochester’s Select Board Monday approved the Board of Assessors’ recommendations for the town’s FY25 tax classification that include a reduction in the tax rate for the next fiscal year to $10.82 per thousand dollars of value.
Rochester’s estimated tax rate for FY24 was $11.06, down 6.82% from FY23. Assessor Jana Cavanaugh told the board Monday the tax rate being recommended for FY25 is a 21.7% decrease from that.
The select board followed the Board of Assessors’ recommendation to keep a factor of one tax rate for FY25, meaning that residential and commercial/industrial property will not be taxed at a higher rate. Secondly, the board agreed with the assessors to vote “no” on offering open space, residential, and small commercial exemptions. Cavanaugh explained residential exemptions are for communities with a high percentage of non-owner-occupied units. Small commercial exemptions are for communities with a high commercial presence, which Rochester does not have.
The town’s total valuation of its real estate and personal property, Cavanaugh said, is $1,578,360,510, a 96.4% valuation increase. She said the average Single-Family-Home assessment for FY25 is $610,247. The average single-family tax bill therefore will be $6,602.87, a 2.25 % increase over FY24.
Next, the board appointed two new full-time Rochester Police officers, Zachary Dupere and Jonathan Domagala. Police Lieutenant Don Kemmett introduced Domagala as a former policeman in Seekonk and Dupere as a former K-9 officer with experience in computer work. Assad said that is a skill the department needs right now. “These are two really great candidates,” Kemmett said.
In other action, the board approved a request of $3,500 in town ARPA funds to ASAP Engineering for police station detention jail cell area design services.
The board approved the purchase of one AED unit for the library for $2,546.18, using $1,183.89 from town ARPA funds and $1,362.29 from SEMASS donation funds. The board also approved purchasing three AED units totaling $7.638.54, one for the Council On Aging and two for the Police Department. For this expense, $6.015.56 will come from County ARPA funds and $1.622.98 will come from SEMASS donation funds.
Tabled, however, was a request of $8,152 for ARPA funds for a Rochester Police Department drone. Board chair Brad Morse requested holding this request because he wanted to hear more from the police chief about this expense.
These votes came even after Town administrator Cameron Durant informed the board that these expenses would max out the town’s ARPA funds for the year.
The board also appointed Sandra Keese to the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District Commission for a term to expire April 30, 2027.
The next meeting of the Rochester Select Board is scheduled for Monday, October 21, at 6 p.m. in the Town Hall conference room, 1 Constitution Way.
Rochester Select Board
By Michael J. DeCicco