The Rochester Board of Selectmen needed only seven minutes of executive session at the beginning of their Monday night meeting to discuss non-union personnel negotiations.
Once open session began, it quickly became open season in town, as a sleepy summer gives way to a busy slate of activities.
In her Town Administrator’s Report, Suzanne Szyndlar noted that the Rochester Health Department, in concert with Southcoast Health, will hold a COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Wednesday, September 8, from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Plumb Corner, 565 Rounseville Road.
The clinic, which will distribute the Pfizer vaccine, is free of charge and available to all Massachusetts residents ages 12 and older.
Neither provider affiliation with Southcoast nor an appointment is required, but participants are asked to preregister at 844-297-2952. Second-dose appointments are scheduled for September 29 from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Minors must have a parent or legal guardian sign the consent form at the clinic.
The draft warrant for Rochester’s October 18 Special Town Meeting will be reviewed by the selectmen on Tuesday, September 7. Szyndlar told the selectmen that the certification of free cash certified is in process so that figure was not available at the time of the August 30 meeting.
The selectmen signed off on the appointment of Nancy Durfee as Rochester’s new, full-time town planner and voted to approve the appointment of Carl MacDermott to the town’s Agricultural Commission.
The board approved Fire Chief Scott Weigel’s request and waive the fee to use the Pine Street facility for the Saturday, October 2, Touch-a-Truck/Harvest Celebration event, and approved the CRW Cranberry Harvest Century request to host a bike ride on Sunday, October 3.
Selectman Woody Hartley brought a few items to light, as construction has started on the shed at the Senior Center on Dexter Lane, where on August 26 a luncheon was held and James Dexter was presented an honorary Old Rochester diploma. Dexter would have graduated in 1964.
Hartley said he attended a public safety meeting in which right-of-way access around Town Hall past the adjacent church once again has become a topic. Hartley said the church wanted to be part of the discussion, and addressed the matter to ensure its representatives have that opportunity.
Right across the village common at 7 Marion Road, Hartley noted the presence of numerous vehicles.
The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for Tuesday, September 7, at 6:00 pm.
Rochester Board of Selectmen
By Mick Colageo