Raynham Board Approves Sewer Union Contract, Discusses South School Lease
Planning Board associate member appointment sparks community concern at May 6 meeting
RAYNHAM - May 6 - The Raynham Board of Selectmen unanimously approved a three-year contract with the sewer union during their May 6 meeting. The agreement includes a 2 percent increase each year.
"We're supportive of that. We think that it was a good deal for the union, a good deal for the town," Town Administrator Gregory Barnes said during the meeting.
Selectman Kenneth Collins represented the board on the negotiations committee, which also included Barnes, attorney Joseph Emerson, and Human Resources Coordinator Kelly Usher, along with union representatives.
The board also discussed a potential 99-year lease for the South School building. According to Barnes, the plan involves leasing the property to a nonprofit organization.
"The plan is to lease to a nonprofit. With the idea of the nonprofit, this has to be well procured," Barnes explained. "We will put the responsibility on the upgrading of the building on the nonprofit."
Barnes noted that for the nonprofit to make viable investments in the building, they need a longer lease period than the current 30-year maximum. The proposed lease would include a provision that if the building isn't used for the approved nonprofit purpose, it would revert back to the town.
Community concern emerged during the citizen input portion of the meeting regarding the Planning Board's nomination of an associate member. Two residents expressed disapproval about the Planning Board's decision to nominate a recently voted-out member to serve as an associate member.
Paul Bolia of King Street said, "If the member of a planning board who gets voted out is going to, without notice, be voted in... it's about as black of an eye politically as we could have."
Chairman Pat Riley clarified that while the Board of Selectmen has no jurisdiction over the separately elected Planning Board, the associate member position requires a joint vote of both boards. The selectmen plan to address this at their next meeting by advertising the position on the town website for two weeks, as is standard procedure for board and committee appointments.
The board also reviewed the annual town meeting warrant, which contains 37 articles for consideration at the May 19 meeting at Raynham Middle School.Â
Police Chief David LaPlante provided his monthly report, highlighting 2,362 calls in April, including 459 emergency calls. He commended his department for recent investigations, including narcotics enforcement operations and credit card fraud cases.
Town Clerk Marsha Sylvia announced that the last day to register to vote for the annual town meeting is Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Town Hall.
Riley highlighted upcoming community events, including a Town Meeting Q&A with Town Moderator John Donahue at the Raynham Library on Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m., a newly formed friends group meeting at the Senior Center on Thursday at 3 p.m., and a Memorial Day parade planning meeting on Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the municipal meeting room at Town Hall.
Other business included approval of junk dealer's licenses for GameStop and Rose's Used Autos, a one-day special permit for the Lions Club, and the fiscal year 2026 workers’ compensation renewal.
Watch the entire meeting courtesy of The Raynham Channel.
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