The Rehoboth
Reporter
MARCH 2011 VOLUME 23, NO. 3
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Serving the Residents of Rehoboth, Seekonk and Surrounding Communities Since 1989
Spring Home
& Garden
on page 60 annual used
book sale
Blanding Library, April 1-3 Friends’ preview, Fri. 5 to 8 p.m. General sale, Sat. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. plus bake sale, yard sale & silent auction on Sat. only
Book clearance at $2 bag Sun. 9 a.m. to noon
Hummel Report Continues To Pursue The Truth Turn to page 94 for the March 3rd transcript of the most recent investigation in Rehoboth involving the BOS and Chief Enos or view the video at... www.HummelReport.com
Rehoboth Election... Meet The Candidates
Voters will be deciding three contested races in the annual town election on April . Selectman Chairman Kenneth Foley is being challenged by Planning Board Chairman Michael Costello for a three-year selectmen position. Foley is seeking his second term on the board. Both candidates have served the town on several boards and committees for years. Another contest, for a one-year selectmen position vacated by Kevin McBride earlier this year, will have School Committee member James Paon facing planning board member Dr. Joseph Tito. Paon’s term on the school committee expires this year. There are also two seats on the Dighton Rehoboth Regional School Committee available. Incumbent Robyn Balents is seeking a second term and three newcomers - Tiffany Bartholomew, Christopher Cooper and Peter Hebda are also running. The other races on the ballot are uncontested. The candidates, who are all incumbents, are: Robert Moitozo for the Planning Board, William Cute for Town Moderator, Cheryl Gouveia for Tax Collector, Peter Jacobson for Board of Assessors, Robert McKim for Park Commission, and Werner Horlbeck for both the Housing Authority and Water Commission. There will be one open position on the Water Commission. The Reporter requested that the Selectman and School Committee candidates respond to questions and have published their answers in this issue. Turn to page 10 to learn more about the selectman candidates and page 18 for profiles about the school committee.
Board of Selectmen Alleged to Violate Town Laws Chairman Ken Foley, at the Board of Selectman meeting on February 28th stated that the selectmen had an emergency meeting earlier in the day to vote on three non-binding referendums for the April ballot. Mr. Foley went on to state, that town counsel prepared the verbiage and that they did it on behalf of the BOS/town. There was no petition by residents asking the BOS to put these on the ballot. The three non-binding referendum are: increasing the board of selectman from 3 to 5; change the recall by law; require a CORI check on all appointed and elected officials. Town meeting voted down any change to our current recall by law and voted down the CORI check. Town counsel cautioned the Board of Selectman last year that requiring a CORI check may cause litigation and violation of residents civil rights, as well as being unconstitutional. Following Monday’s meeting several complaints alleging a violation of the Open Meeting Law were delivered to the BOS and Town Clerk on March 1. The following is part of one complaint that was presented to the BOS. As of this printing, the BOS had not responded to the alligations or requets of the citizens and voters of Rehoboth.
Description of alleged violation: The BOS had an emergency meeting (on Feb 28, 2011) which does not qualify as an emergency and therefore violated the 8 hours posting notice requirement. The “emergency” in this meeting was to place 3 non-binding questions on the April th ballot. These questions were not sudden, unexpected nor demand immediate action. At least one of those questions was discussed at a few selectmen meetings in December, 2010. All three 3 articles were VOTED on at our Town Meeting in November 2010: either approved or rejected at our special town meeting in November. The one that was VOTED AND APP R OV E D AT T O W N M E E T I N G , a change of 3 to 5 Selectmen, has received NO PROGRESSIVE ACTION by the BOS. This vote was on November 22, 2010 and it is now March 1, 2011! The 2 that were VOTED AND REJECTED AT TOWN MEETING (regarding at mandatory CORI check and changing recall requirements) have now been unnecessarily placed on April’s ballot. Ken Foley and Don Leffort should remove all 3 items from Rehoboth’s April ballot. They should RESPECT TOWN VOTE.