Rockport voters will soon decide on a $52 million bond for our sewer system, and it's crucial that our decisions are based on accurate and comprehensive information. Unfortunately, the information provided by the Select Board through the Rockport.
By now, Rockport residents are used to seeing the Rockport Resource newsletter arrive in their mailboxes a few times each year. Launched in 2020, the stated intention of the taxpayer-funded bulletin was to provide updates and useful.
ROCKPORT A timeline posted on the Town of Rockport website illustrates a series of hearings and public meetings that is to lead up to a proposed short-term rental ordinance appearing before residents on the June ballot. Meanwhile, the Town Manager has responded to a citizen’s letter taking issue with the use of taxpayer dollars funding a mailing that included Select Board opinion on the ordinance.
William Post, town manager, has countered: “The intent was not to lobby for a particular result. The intent was to be informative.”
See below for full letter.
The ordinance would regulate short-term rentals in Rockport. If enacted by voters, the ordinance would limit the number of short-term rentals allowable in particular zoning districts throughout Rockport, require each homeowner wishing to rent out their property to register with the town Code Enforcement Officer each year and be willing to have their property inspected by the Code Enforcement Officer and the Fire Chief.
ROCKPORT – At their Jan. 11 meeting, members of the Rockport Select Board were read a letter submitted by resident Stephen Bowen, who outlined concerns with how a proposed ordinance that would regulate the operation of short-term rentals was editorially presented in a municipal newsletter. That newsletter, funded by the town, was recently mailed to Rockport households.
The board listened to the bulk of the letter, but no discussion about it ensued.
“I think we will take that up at another meeting or discuss it further, but not tonight,” said Vice Chair Denise Kennedy-Munger, who, during the reading of the letter by Town Manager Bill Post, also asked how long the letter was, and added, “do we need to hear more?”