Rochester’s Select Board on Tuesday night approved a Special Town Meeting warrant with a wider variety of articles than most annual town meetings have.
The first of the 10 articles on the January 22 warrant (7:00 pm at Rochester Memorial School, 16 Pine Street) will accept a law that mandates the town boost the pay of any town employee who is away serving in the military “to receive pay without loss of ordinary remuneration as a public employee” during this service.
Police Chief Robert Small said he has one employee now serving in the National Guard at the United States’ southern border. Accepting this provision will allow him to pay that town employee to make up for what money he is losing as a military employee. Finance Committee Chairman Kris Stoltenberg said his board is also recommending this article.
Article Two will seek to amend the town’s senior tax work-off program by increasing the amount of tax liability that may be abated through a work-off to $1,500. The previous limit was a $750 abatement.
Article Three would transfer $400,000 from the town’s Stabilization Fund to “improve various roadways in town.” Stoltenberg said the Finance Committee favors the move but would like to know about what the Highway Department will spend the funds on.
Article Four would transfer $54,380 from Public Safety Facility Feasibility Study funds, as this part of the planning process has been completed, to Public Safety Facility design funding.
Article Five would transfer $30,000 from free cash for the cost to hire a temporary employee or a consultant to fill unexpectedly sudden vacant positions. Town Administrator Glenn Cannon explained people have been hired in this fashion to cover vacancies in the treasurer’s and town clerk’s office through other town funds. The purpose needs its own funding source.
Article Six would transfer $21,270 from Capital Improvement Funds for a variety of town expenditures, including $7,000 for Counsel on Aging walkway repairs, $5,000 for a Council on Aging walk-in cooler and roof and $3500 to hire a consultant to review and revise Planning Board rules and regulations.
Article Seven will authorize the Select Board to file a Home Rule Petition to allow Fire Chief Scott Weigel to remain in the position past his mandatory retirement age. Weigel turns age 65 in April. Cannon said the chief wishes to stay on to see the completion of the Public Safety Facility project.
Article Eight will change a town bylaw so that the Select Board has greater control over Council on Aging hiring decisions. The bylaw currently reads the COA shall appoint its employees. The change will allow the COA to follow the same hiring procedures and policies as other bylaw employees. Cannon explained that police patrolmen, librarians and the COA workers are the town’s only non-bylaw employees.
Article Nine would add one parcel to the town’s Smart Growth Overlay Distinct, which covers the Routes 58 and 28 end of town and must be altered because the owner of a liquor store there wishes to move his establishment to land that the overlay district does not yet encompass.
Article Ten would authorize the town to seek legislative approval to grant a liquor store license for that new Smart Growth Overlay Distinct property. Cannon explained the town was granted one more liquor license than the town was allowed for the district. Now that license must be deemed allowable on the additional parcel.
In other action, the board voted not to exercise its right to purchase land being taken out of 61A agricultural land protection at 0 Bishop Road. The property is being planned for a two-lot subdivision.
Cannon announced a Tri-Town Selectmen’s meeting will be held at the Mattapoisett Fire Station next Tuesday at 5:30 pm and will begin with a tour of the station.
The next regular meeting of the Rochester Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, January 16, at 6:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.
Rochester Select Board
By Michael J. DeCicco