Items up for discussion at Rochester Town Meeting

ROCHESTER — Voters will be asked to decide on 34 matters at this year’s Town Meeting scheduled for Monday, May 18 at 7 p.m. at Rochester Memorial School located at 16 Pine St. 

Town Administrator Cameron Durant presented the items to the public on Monday, May 11 and explained each item in detail. 

Matters this year include the annual town, school and public safety budgets as well as personnel salaries.

Three separate items on rezoning will be presented. 

Voters will decide the rezoning of 8 parcels of land on County Road and Mary’s Pond Road from residential and agricultural zones to limited commercial zones. 

The rezoning would allow for commercial development along main roadways. 

One item looks to rezone three parcels on County Road. 

Another item looks for voters to approve the rezoning of three parcels on the Decas Cranberry Processing Plant land. 

The final rezoning bylaw looks to rezone two parcels on the bogs at 0 Mary’s Pond Road.   

The commercial development would allow for Rochester to collect more tax revenue. 

“We want to keep Rochester as beautiful and charming as long as possible but we also have the other side of if we do not grow then you know Rochester will suffer,” Durant said. 

Durant explained that after the rezoning, buildings will not immediately appear. The town is just identifying areas appropriate for business. 

Residents will also be asked to approve the payment deficit of unexpectedly high health insurance costs from Old Rochester Regional School District. 

Rochester voters will be asked to approve spending $716,000 on the deficit. 

While it has since changed insurance providers, the district participated in the Gateway Health Group, a self-funded insurance group in which members split the cost of claims, up until this school year. 

A broker from the health group quoted the district a rate the district then budgeted for, but the cost of medical claims this school year were significantly higher than anticipated.

In the meantime, the school said the deficit needed to be funded to ensure employees receive healthcare until the district changes to Mayflower Municipal Health Group in July. 

Voters will be asked to approve the operating budget which is projected to be around $28 million for 2027. 

Residents will also be asked to approve maintenance, repairs and general funding for other public services including the library and council on aging. 

The police department is requesting the leasing of two police cruisers. The fire department similarly is requesting a pickup truck.