Selectmen Approve License Filing Fees

Under the advisement of new Town Administrator/CFO Suzanne Szyndlar, the Rochester Board of Selectmen on August 8 approved a revised commercial license fee schedule, which will now include filing fees for alcohol licenses, Class II/III licenses, flammable fluid licenses, and automatic amusement licenses.

            Selectman Chairman Naida Parker at first was concerned about making the change, saying, “The economy isn’t doing well when people are struggling,” suggesting that instituting a filing fee might have a negative financial impact on businesses.

Selectman Richard Nunes disagreed, suggesting that a $50 fee, for example, for filing for a license for amusement park rides was minimal. He then turned his attention to the ABCC alcoholic beverage license and said, “[For two hundred dollars,] I think you’re going to make your money back.”

“People are waiting and willing to pay these fees right now,” said Szyndlar. “I think we should have something.”

Parker, Nunes, and Selectman Brad Morse all voted unanimously to adopt the new filing fees as follows:

– ABCC licenses require a $200 filing fee for new files, $100 for changes to a filing. The renewal license is $775 for retail, $450 for restaurant.

– A Class II/III license filing fee is $100 and a renewal license is $100.

– The flammable fluid license fee is $50 and $35 for a renewal.

– The automatic amusements license filing fee is $50 and $12.50 each machine for a renewal.

Also during the meeting, the board held a public hearing for Eversource and Verizon for a new push brace installation on Vaughan Hill Road near where it intersects with Rounseville Road.

Resident Frank Cervelli, owner of the land adjacent to where a tree was recently removed from the town and the location for the new push brace, was present to get an understanding of where and what was to be installed at the site. Cervelli was assured by the Eversource/Verizon representative that the simple installation would not interfere with his use of the land and Cervelli was satisfied with the explanation.

In other matters, Szyndlar proposed hiring a part-time administrative assistant to provide support with day-to-day duties within the Town Administrator’s Office.

Szyndlar said that with the two roles as town accountant and town administrator she is now fulfilling, the workload has increased for her, as well as for the assistant to the town administrator, and certain duties Szyndlar is unable to perform with her dual role, such as collect money, as per Mass General Law.

This creates a problem when the assistant is out on a lunch break when there is no one else available to collect money.

“I’ve actually been requiring more of Amanda [Baptiste, the assistant to the town administrator] because of my dual role,” said Szyndlar. “We’re basically getting things done with limited resources.”

The selectmen approved the hiring of a part-time assistant for up to 20 hours per week.

Szyndlar also reported that the Future Generation wind project in Plymouth is now up and running and the town should be receiving credit payments most likely this month.

The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for August 22 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

By Jean Perry

 

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