Rehoboth Select Board Approves Deep Cuts Ahead of Thursday Budget Town Meeting

REHOBOTH — August 4, 2014 — Rehoboth Select Board approves more than $700,000 in departmental cuts ahead of Thursday's special town meeting to close a $1.65 million fiscal year 2015 budget gap. Meeting Monday at the Senior Center, the board voted line-by-line reductions across nearly every department, including a $368,902 police cut, a $210,214 highway reduction, and a $36,500 fire department cut — the last drawing concern because Fire Chief Bob Prey retires October 1 with no full-time successor in place. After all Monday votes, Finance Committee member Mike projected a remaining deficit of roughly $633,000, with the other-expenses column, including $734,408 in group health and life insurance, left for a follow-up session Wednesday. Town Clerk Laura Schwall warned the board that if the August 7 town meeting at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School fails to produce a balance, a September 12 override election would require renting election equipment — because town equipment is committed to the September 9 state primary — potentially wiping out any financial gain. The board also unanimously appointed Zoning Board of Appeals associate member Richard Barrett, who has served since 2009, to a full voting seat, and tabled the appointment of non-resident pharmacist Kevin Rima to the Emergency Management Agency pending a personal interview.