The Rochester Select Board met on Monday, August 3, in Town Hall for its regular meeting following an Executive Session. The board appointed a new police officer, heard a presentation on an electronic voting system, and completed other routine agenda items.
Following the approval of minutes from their July 20 meeting, the board moved to appoint Paul Carthas as a full-time police officer. Police Chief Michael Assad Jr. was present to begin the ceremony, saying, “I’m excited to say that tonight, this is the final addition to Team RPD [Rochester Police Department]. This is the first time I think we’ve been fully staffed in many years.”
Assad noted Carthas’ many achievements and accolades, including nearly 10 years of service at the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office as a correctional officer. The chief noted he has attended MPTC Bridge Academy and has received Massachusetts POST certification, K9 Narcotics Detection Handler certification, Mountain Bike Patrol certification, Massachusetts Correctional Officer certification, First Responder certification, and “numerous” others.
Carthas’ family was present as the Select Board voted unanimously to approve his appointment to the RPD.
Next, the board quickly granted a one-day liquor license to applicant Rebecca Correia of Bennett Farm Concert on August 8.
Following that, there was a presentation by Meridia Electronic Voting Systems for the proposed donation of electronic clickers, which the board originally stated could be used for Town Meeting in place of raised placards. Peter Isabel, a representative from Meridia, then spoke on the history of the 53-year-old company, which specializes in various voting equipment in use across the nation. He noted that their main client is the U.S. House of Representatives.
Another representative stated, “For the last 15 years, we’ve been providing town meeting voting systems for the towns of Massachusetts and the entire region of New England. We currently have around 105 towns that we work with to provide town meeting voting.”
To alleviate any worries, the representatives stated that the electronic clickers had never left Meridia’s custody, and Meridia produced them in-house in Virginia, so they could not have been tampered with. The presentation went through various computerized systems that work in tandem with the clickers. Isabel noted that a demo and formal training could be scheduled in the future to help the town representatives learn how to use them, rather than a trial by fire at an actual Town Meeting.
The next meeting of the Rochester Select Board is scheduled on Monday, August 17 at 6:00 pm in Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.
Rochester Select Board
By Sam Bishop