Earlier this month, Chief Scott Duffy held an open meeting to discuss the Town’s plans for a new fire station location.
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Chief Duffey gives a fire station update
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The firehouse on Union Street dates to 1939 when President Franklin Roosevelt’s Work’s Progress Administration (WPA) built 325 new stations across the country. The WPA was part of FDR’s New Deal to lift America out of the Great Depression that ended just a few years later when America’s manufacturing produced the Arsenal of Democracy that helped win WWII.
Jump forward 39 years to 1978 when more Federal funds were used to add three new bays to, and modernize the firehouse.
Now, 44 years later, the old building is outdated for the needs of state-of-the-art firefighting in the 21st century including vehicle clearance, storage needs, training and meeting space, staff and visitor parking, as well as firefighter and employee health and safety, and meeting Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards requirements.
To properly determine our firehouse needs, the town hired architects who specialize in fire station design to study the needs and space requirements for the fire department. Programming and space needs were studied and determined over numerous meetings with the architects, Chief Duffey, Deputy Chief Tom Heaney, firefighters, and the Fire Department’s Executive Assistant, Mary Ryan. From there a conceptual fire station design was created and measured against available station locations that meet three critical criteria of a centralized location, a town-owned Property to minimize overall costs, and a lot size to accommodate a modern fire station. The sites under consideration include the current firehouse, the McKinley School on Union Street, and the Lincoln School on Church Street.
The next steps in the process include:
- Public meetings with the Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee
- Continuing to engage with residents
- Town Meeting and Town Ballot approval
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Meet the Fire Station Building Committee
- Fire Chief Scott Duffey
- Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Heaney
- Fire Lieutenant Charles Williams
- Jeanne Blaney, Rockland Resident/Director of Rockland Recreation
- Christopher DeFilippo, Rockland Resident/Architect
- Susan Egan-Tasker, Rockland Resident/Rockland Highway Department
- James Killinger, Rockland Resident/Retired Deputy Fire Chief
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Summer in New England Means Farmers' Markets!
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The Rockland Farmers’ Market opened on June 11th and is being held Saturdays Noon to 4:00 PM through October 22d at Hartsuff Park, 146 Hingham St.
The market’s hours have changed this year to start at noon to accommodate town residents who have family activities or work on Saturday mornings. The first market day this year saw over a thousand visitors! “We almost couldn’t keep up with the crowd! But the pace evened out over the day," Said Alyson Le-Phipps, Marketing Manager and Events Coordinator at the Rockland Recreation Department.
If the food and crafts weren’t enough to attract you, the Theme Days will! The July 9th Market will feature a petting zoo, and on August 20th the kids get a chance to “greet” 😉😉 teachers and coaches at the Dunk Challenge.
You’ll find everything you’ll need to know on the Market’s Facebook Page! @farmersmarket02370
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HOW TO DISPOSE OF PET WASTE
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It's summertime, and the Rockland Highway Department wants to remind you of the importance of properly disposing of your pet waste. As our friends at the Neponset River Watershed point out...There is no #poopfairy that picks up after you. Throw your dog waste bags into trash cans or take it home with you to dispose of.
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Firehouses are not the only things that have to be modernized in municipalities. In June 2020, Town Meeting began reviewing our Town Charter when it approved updates pertaining to the Town Administrator, the Assistant Town Administrator, and changing titles in other departments and of commissions to reflect the true nature of their work.
Now the Town is looking to move on to Phase II of the review and we want all residents to be aware of this and actively participate. If you are interested in serving on the Charter Review Committee, you can fill out an application and return it to the Board of Selectmen/Town Administrator's Office.
The Rockland Town Charter was adopted in 1969, so that “the affairs of the Town of Rockland may be carried out in a democratic and efficient manner and that the duties and responsibilities of the officials of the Town of Rockland may be clearly established and responsive to the will of the people of Rockland.” It goes on to say the Charter, “may from time to time be amended, to provide an organizational framework within which the Town can govern itself.”
 To amend the Charter, the Town must first appoint a Charter Review Committee that makes recommendations for change to the Board of Selectmen for its approval. Changes then must be approved, in turn, by Town Meeting, the State Legislature, and the Governor, before they can take effect. This means the process takes a while from beginning to end.
We will be informing and updating town residents on the Charter Review process in upcoming Newsletters, so please stay tuned and stay informed!
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Last month we let you know Rockland and the rest of South Eastern Mass was under a State Level 1 (mild) drought warning. That has now been elevated to State Level 2 (significant) declaration.
 Remember, there are some simple things you can do to help, including:
- Be mindful of their overall water use
- Limit outdoor watering to no more than one day a week (before 9:00 am or after 5:00 pm only).
- Collect rainwater for outdoor watering.
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The 5th annual Rockland Day was a success! Thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated with us.
Pictured above is our Rockland Days Committee with Living on a Bad Name, a Bon Jovi tribute band.
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