May 10, 2020 ~ Building Community One Positive Story at a Time
A Master Plan can be many things. It is a narrative document describing the story of Raynham’s history and the experience of living in town today. It is a technical document that considers population trends and land use changes over time in order to chart where we are now and where these trends may be taking us tomorrow. It is a policy document that lays out an optimal vision for Raynham and articulates the strategies, actions, and decisions that will assist the town in arriving at that future. In short, it is a long-range plan that helps guide the town, that builds trust by making transparent decisions, and that bases those decisions on accurate information and public input. For more detail, please see  Elements of a Master Plan .  
The Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) Launches  Raynham Master Plan 2032

SRPEDD is pleased to announce the launch of the Raynham Master Plan. This long-range municipal planning document helps manage future physical growth and provides guidance for public policy and decision-making. As part of these efforts, check out the Raynham Master Plan Website .

Given the unique circumstances presented as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Town of Raynham and SRPEDD have provided for a wide range of options to stay up to date and involved throughout the process. Offering interactive guidance, SRPEDD highlights the enhanced public engagement efforts during the pandemic to guide members of the public in how best to use the resources available to get involved and stay informed throughout the process.

SRPEDD encourages the public to visit the website, sign up for updates, and reach out with any questions. 

May 11 - 17...you decide who wins $100
in these good news stories from Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Raynham, West Bridgewater and Whitman.

Historical Tidbit:  

Industry in Raynham

During the 1800s and well into the 1900s, Raynham had several small cottage industries that included: a tack factory, a grist mill powered by a dam on Johnson's pond, sawmills, a bleachery, a straw hat factory, and several shoe "manufactories."
  
Prior to the advent of the mechanization of the shoe industry, shoes were frequently made in small shops that were sometimes located adjacent to the owners' homes. Raynham had several of these small shoe shops.
  
A box factory, owned by George Williams, was located very close to the saw mill on Richmond Street. That site is now occupied by industrial property. The boxes that were manufactured there were used to store fish. Each day, trucks delivered the boxes to fishing ports such as New Bedford, Provincetown, Plymouth, Boston and Sakonnet and Newport, RI. At some point in the mid 1900s, fish was no longer packaged in wooden boxes. Around this time the factory lost its profitability.
    

From A Brief History of Raynham, Massachusetts,
by Kathleen Roberts, Raynham Historical Commission

Get Your Word Out!

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All buildings are closed to the public. Please phone or email for business assistance.


Town Hall
Monday – Thursday 8:30a - 4:30p
Friday – 8:30a - 12Noon
 508-824-2707

 
Public Library
508-823-1344


Council on Aging
Building remains closed.
Director will be in the office Monday, Wednesday and Thursday to process bills, stay in touch with state agencies and attend to phone messages
508-824-2740
COA


Food Pantry
2nd and 4th Thursday of the month
9:00a - 11:00a
494 Church St, Raynham
774-406-5612
Congratulations!
Wendy Gillen
 won a
$50 gift certificate to Beauty Counter products through Independent Consultant Christine Harkins. The clean revolution facebook.com/cleanbeautycorner.

You should play our
Historical Tidbit Trivia Game
at the bottom of this newsletter.

You could win a
$15 gift certificate to Pinches & Pounds
Candy Store Rt 18, Whitman!
Selectmen’s Meeting
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
7:00p Regular Meeting – Tele-meeting 
Please click on "Join My Meeting" from your computer, tablet or smartphone.


You can also dial in using your phone.
(For supported devices, tap a one-touch number below to join instantly.)

United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679
- One-touch: tel:+18668994679,,220595605#

United States: +1 (669) 224-3318
- One-touch: tel:+16692243318,,220595605#

Access Code: 220-595-605 
*Announcement: Pursuant to Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §18, and the Governor’s March 15, 2020 Order imposing strict limitations on the number of people that may gather in one place, this meeting of the Raynham Board of Selectmen is being conducted via remote participation. Every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings as provided for in the Order. For real time access, residents can utilize the call-in information listed above, and the Town will post a record of this meeting on the town’s website as soon as we are able.  
1.   Call to order - Chairman
2.   Approval of Meeting Minutes 
3.  Department Heads / Committees
  • Matt Tanis, Board of Health
  • Bryan LaCivita, Fire Chief – Monthly Report
4.   Appointments
5.   Town Administrator’s Report
6.   Selectmen’s Report
7.   Emergency Business
  • COVID-19 Related Items 
8.   Citizen & Community Input
9.   New Business
10. Completion of Old Business
  • Barrels & Boards – Alteration of Premises (Set Hearing Date)
  • Discussion: The respective roles and responsibilities of the Board of Selectmen, the Town Administrator, and how the new job description of the Town Administrator impacts town operations
11. Performance of Administrative duties
  • Approval of Town of Raynham Invoice and Payroll Warrants dated May 12, 2020
  • Approval of Raynham Police Invoice and Payroll Warrants dated May 12, 2020
Executive Session
  • (M.G.L.C. 30A, Section 21) (S2) Consideration of employee leave carry forward
Adjournment
Raynham Laliberte Parent Organization had a great Spirit Week
Your Buzz Around is committed to sharing positive news, tips & ideas, to help us all through!
Bee Kind & Shop Local!
What you Need to Know About COVID-19 Testing and Contact Tracing.
  • The more people that get tested the better. Then we have a better count and can effectively track the spread of the virus.
  • Massachusetts plenty of tests available. At this time, testing is readily available for free to all essential workers and people showing symptoms. A drive-up testing site in the parking lot of Brockton High School, located at 470 Forest Ave is open weekdays from 9a to 4p. Patients must call in advance to a hotline at 1-844-483-7819 to book an appointment. (A collaborative effort between The City of Brockton, Signature Healthcare and the Brockton Neighborhood Health Center.)
  • If you test positive for COVID-19, the MA COVID Team will reach out by phone to connect the confirmed case with support and resources necessary for quarantine, and to identify any close contacts that may have been exposed. As MA continues its contact tracing work to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, it is critical that Massachusetts residents answer the phone when a contact tracer calls or texts. Contact tracers will only reach out from phone numbers with 833 or 857 area codes, and the phone’s caller ID will say MA COVID Team.
Tens of thousands of Massachusetts residents have participated in contact tracing. Staffed with more than 1,600 tracers, the Tracing Collaborative has reached nearly 14,000 confirmed cases and established more than 7,500 of their contacts since calls began on April 12.

To learn more about the MA COVID Team and the Community Tracing Collaborative, visit mass.gov/MATracingTeam .
Stay home and dress up your gardens!
Order your mulch online today!
We have wood pellets, feed & grain and
we're open for essential items!
Please call with your order and drive up.


 1000 Plymouth St (Rt 104) Bridgewater 
(508) 697-0357

BTV interviews Bridgewater-Raynham Superintendent of Schools,
Derek Swenson

Topics covered:
School Closure
Virtual Learning
Graduation Backup plans
Resilience of B-R school district
Upside down frown challenge
Message from superintendent

Video Courtesy of BTV
Early/Absentee Ballot Applications for June 27, 2020 Town Election are Available
Early/absentee ballot applications for the annual town election being held on June 27, 2020 are available from the town clerk's office. Voters are encouraged to vote early by mail due to the current public health emergency please note: an application must be submitted to the town clerk's office in order for a ballot to be mailed. Please contact the town clerk's office at 508-824-2700 with any questions.

Please note municipal election early ballot applications may also be obtained by  clicking here (then click on absentee ballots and recent early voting updates)
Four Deep Sports Talk: BR Girls B-Ball Interview (May 3rd, 2020)
Video Courtesy of BTV Access Corporation
FOOD4VETS - Massachusetts Military Support Foundation
Pickup: Friday, May 15th
10a - 2p
Raynham Senior Center, 2215 King Philip St.

The Massachusetts Military Support Foundation is proud to partner with Raynham Veterans Services Officer and United States Marine Corps Veteran Micaila Britto and other local Veteran and Military Family supporters as we provide another 100 Meal Kits for Raynham area Veterans, Military, and Gold Star Families in need. 

You are required to complete the form HERE and will be provided with specific instructions for safe pickup in a confirmation email.

You will be picking up a box of non-perishable food supplies which should be sufficient to cover meals for 10-14 days (2 adults).
Teen Extreme Summer Program
Who?: Students entering 7th, 8th & 9th grd this fall

When?: Monday-Thursday   8:45a - 4:00p       

 Session 1  July 6th - July 9th
 Session 2  July 13th - July 16th
 Session 3  July 20th - July 23rd 

Dropoff/Pickup: Merrill School
$225/participant/week

How?: Registration begins Monday, March 2nd at 9:00a online at raynhamrec.com .
Please call 508-824-2743 or email tmcrae@town.raynham.ma with any questions.
BEAUTY COUNTER
CHRISTINE HARKINS
GRANTS RENTAL




Grant's sends out support & care to all of our communities.
We're all in this together.




10 Bedford Park, Bridgewater
 (508) 279-0950

“Ramadan in Dunkin Donuts”
by Adnan Onart

Listen
From his asking about the time
and double-checking his watch,
I understood:
he was about to break his fast.
Selamün Aleyküm, I said,
the only Arabic I knew
for all practical purposes.
Aleyküm Selam, he replied.
He was setting his table:
two donuts, one Chocolate Glazed,
the other Boston Kreme
and a thick lentil soup
he had apparently brought
from the grocery store
across the street.
Do you want to sit down
and share?
I thanked him, no.
Aren’t you fasting?
I explained:
my high blood pressure,
my medication.
He pointed to one of the donuts:
Still, he said, let’s share.
The collapsing Twin Towers,
the beheaded hostages,
and the jumpy look on people’s faces
hearing my name.
We already do, I said.
Highway Dept./Transfer Station
Update as of 4/28/20
Transfer Station will be open to Raynham Residents ONLY as follows:

Hours of Operation:
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday – 7:00a - 4:15p
Closed Sunday, Monday, Wednesday & Friday

GLASS RECYCLING IS CLOSED, OTHER RECYCLING MAY BE RESTRICTED OR CLOSED at any time to reduce the time required for residents to unload trash and vacate the premise. Please be diligent in reducing the time of your visit to the greatest extent possible. Practice good hygiene and social distance by maintaining at least 6 feet from staff and other residents!

BRUSH PILE: Open begining May 2, 2020 - Saturday's ONLY 8:00a - 1:00p

Please check the Town Website and Highway Department Voicemail (508-824-2718) for updates. The Highway Department Office is closed to the public. Available during normal business hours via phone, voicemail, email, and USPS monitoring. Mon - Thurs 8a - 4:30p, Fri 8 - 11a. Email: landerson@town.raynham.ma.us

DIAL 911 FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY

Thank You for your anticipated cooperation.
MAMA DEB'S
SWEET ITALIAN SAUCE
Mama Deb's Italian Food Truck is now on the road!

Your Italian Favorite Meals plus Mama Deb's Frozen Pizza and retail sauce.
Check out our menu and locations at www.mamadebs.biz

Check out our Facebook  www.facebook.com/mamadebsauce
We are pleased to announce the "Raynham Strong" Yard Sign Fundraiser. Let's give our thanks to our first responders and medical staff, who are on the front lines battling this horrible virus.
As we approach Memorial Day, the red, white, and blue adorning these signs reminds of the sacrifices of our fallen heroes.
All proceeds will benefit the Raynham Food Basket. Food pantries across the nation are under tremendous strain. With so many families facing economic uncertainty, organizations like the Raynham Food Basket need our support now more than ever.


Cost: $20 per sign (includes stand)
How to Purchase: Click on the order form link below. PayPal (preferred) and checks will be accepted.
Quantities are limited!
Delivery: All signs will be delivered to your home by RAVE.

*Please note that according to the town's sign bylaws, signs can be displayed up to 30 days at a time. One suggestion is to display these yard signs during the months we celebrate Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day.

Thank you for your support!
Please email ravevolunteercoordinator@gmail.com if you have any questions.
WEEKLY TRIVIA GAME

Have fun with us and bee entered to win a
$15 gift certificate to Pinches & Pounds Candy Store Rt 18, Whitman, MA!


Historical Tidbit Question:
Prior to the mechanization of the shoe industry where were shoes frequently made?


Please submit your answer through our website here . It's easier for us to run more contests & distribute prizes this way.
We are looking forward to giving you more opportunities to win!

By entering, you give us permission to announce your name in next week's Buzz Around Bridgewater.
On May 13, 2020 we will randomly pick a winner from the correct answers.
The Buzz Around is brought to you this week by: Jen Bellody, Janice O'Brien, Jacquelyn Rose, & Gregory Venezia
For Our Planet: 20 years ago, when my kids were little, I looked at my life, analyzing everything I spent money and time on, making sure that all decisions pointed toward caring for the earth and myself. My emotions could not be trusted when making decisions, nope, I needed to think it through.
Where I worked, what I ate, what I spent my time doing. How is our house heated? Where did our electricity come from? Where were our clothes made? All decisions were for the purpose of caring for our planet, caring for our health, and nurturing our community relationships. These were the seeds that lead to the creation of your BuzzAround...

“Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.” ~Unknown

“It is our collective and individual responsibility … to preserve and tend to the world in which we all live.” ~ Dalai Lama

“It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little. Do what you can.” ~ Sydney Smith

“Because, underneath all of this is the real truth we have been avoiding: climate change isn’t an “issue” to add to the list of things to worry about, next to health care and taxes. It is a civilizational wake-up call. A powerful message—spoken in the language of fires, floods, droughts, and extinctions—telling us that we need an entirely new economic model and a new way of sharing this planet. Telling us that we need to evolve.”~ Naomi Klein
“What is the use of a house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on?”
~ Henry David Thoreau

Publishing the BuzzAround is the most miraculous career I could ever imagine. I hope that we all can take some time and look at how we impact our earth, how we care for ourselves and community relationships, because miraculous things do happen. ~ Jacquie
Copyright 2020 Buzz Around Raynham.   You have our permission to share and copy this issue in its entirety as much as you like. If you take it in part, please give credit: ("Buzz Around Raynham 5/10/20")

Disclaimer: At the Buzz Around, we promote community and family. There will be links to town committees and other non-profit groups, as a way of sharing local information. Individual groups are responsible for how they represent themselves on their websites and in their promotional materials. The Buzz Around is not responsible for their website content.