On March 26, the Rochester Board of Selectmen held its meeting in separate locations as members navigated, called in and, after several attempts, found the way to see and hear each other. It’s a new day in conducting the town’s business, as remote-access meeting platforms are taking center stage. After a bumpy start, however, the board members were ready. The public meeting notice listed the log-in details granting full access to the general public. Once all participants identified themselves, the meeting began.
Chairman Paul Ciaburri called the meeting to order with Selectmen Greenwood Hartley and Brad Morse attending, along with the Town Counsel Blair Bailey and Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar. Listening in were Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon, Chairman of the Rochester Conservation Commission Mike Conway and Town Planner Steven Starrett.
The primary reason for the meeting was to take a formal vote to postpone the annual town elections. The prepared text for the vote stated in part, “Pursuant to Section 1 of Chapter 45 of the Acts of 220 and because of the state of emergency declared by the governor pursuant to executive order 591, Declaration of a State of Emergency to respond to COVID-19, the municipal town election scheduled for April 8, 2020 is hereby postponed and the Board of Selectmen move the following: to postpone Rochester’s Annual Town Elections scheduled for April 8, 2020, to a date before the end of June 2020… to be scheduled with at least a 20 day notice.”
The vote also noted the last day to register to vote would be 10 days prior to the date of the election. The local board of registrars will hold registration session on that same date from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and again between 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm. The motion also included that absentee ballots would be counted, including any additional absentee ballots received by the town clerk prior to the close of polls on the date of the postponed elections.
One final point on elections was that all elected officials would retain their term until a successor is “…elected and qualified.”
After the unanimous vote was recorded, Ciaburri said of the town’s employees under the conditions imposed on everyone due to COVID-19, “Everyone is doing a good job – no grid problems.”
Szyndlar added that town hall would remain closed until at least April 7. She said that work goes forward, however, with many employees working from home. Of the virus, she said to date there were not any confirmed cases.
Hartley said that, if legislation drafted by Governor Baker is passed, residents could look forward to relief in real estate tax payments with a postponement until June.
The selectmen also granted use of remote-access platforms to conduct the town business and to hold public meetings. Bailey said he would work with boards and commissions to assist in the process.
Starrett asked if the 20-day appeal process would also be extended. Bailey responded, yes, if the governor’s package passed.
At press time the next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen had not been posted.
Rochester Board of Selectmen
By Marilou Newell