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Welcome to Raynham Community Access & Media (RAYCAM), where we engage, learn, and create community access media. We are dedicated to providing a platform for all voices to be heard and shared. Join us in creating a vibrant and inclusive media community.

  1. 2D AGO

    Conservation Commission 04/01/2026

    A bridge replacement sounds straightforward until the paperwork becomes the point. We sit down at the Raynham Conservation Commission table and pick up a continued public hearing on the Old Colony Bridge reconstruction over the Taunton River, with the project team from Beta Group and the City of Taunton explaining where the work happens and why they believe they are exempt from filing under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. The tension centers on one deceptively simple question: does this project need a Massachusetts DEP file number to move forward? We walk through the difference between state jurisdiction and a local wetlands bylaw under home rule, why an Order of Conditions needs a clean record, and how “exempt” can still mean “prove it.” You will hear us push for clarity, not conflict, and ask for an official DEP letter on agency letterhead that clearly states whether the exemption applies. It is a real-world look at environmental permitting, compliance, and accountability when work touches resource areas and buffer zones near a river. We also cover a separate request for determination of applicability for a Chick-fil-A site that cannot be heard because of improper advertising and the need to redo abutter notifications, then we wrap up minutes and routine business. If you care about wetlands protection, local government process, Massachusetts DEP requirements, and how infrastructure projects actually get approved, this conversation will feel familiar and useful. Subscribe for more local environmental decision-making, share this episode with someone who deals with permits, and leave a review with your take: should a DEP letter be mandatory before work proceeds? Support the show https://www.raynhaminfo.com/ Copyright RAYCAM INC. 2025

    14 min

  2. MAR 25

    Planning Board 03/19/2026

    (Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy) A planning board meeting sounds routine until you hear what’s actually inside the decisions: a 122-room extended stay hotel proposed on Commerce Way and a Chick-fil-A drive-thru planned for the former Party City site at 600 South Street West. We walk through how projects move from concept to site plan approval and special permit, and why peer review, timing, and even voting thresholds can shape the outcome as much as the plans themselves. On the hotel proposal, we dig into stormwater management and the legacy of the Raynham Woods Commerce Center’s original MEPA-era design, then bring it down to the lot level with retention, detention, and DEP standards. We press on utilities like sewer connections and force mains, parking ratios, fire access, and practical safety items like bollards near first-floor rooms. The conversation also gets candid about what “extended stay” really means, what demand studies look like, and how towns think about edge cases like long stays and school impacts. Then we pivot to the Chick-fil-A hearing, where the big story is circulation and traffic engineering. You’ll hear how a traffic impact study is built using turning counts, MassDOT seasonal factors, background growth, and ITE trip generation, plus how pass-by and internal plaza trips change the picture. We also raise real-world operations questions: drive-thru, entrance re-striping, snow storage, and legacy environmental constraints like an Activity and Use Limitation. If you care about local development, zoning bylaws, traffic, stormwater, and how public process works in real time, subscribe, share this with a neighbor, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Support the show https://www.raynhaminfo.com/ Copyright RAYCAM INC. 2025

    1h 26m

  3. MAR 25

    Raynham Select Board 03/24/2026

    (Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy) 31.8 inches of snow will test any town, and we walk through what it actually takes to keep roads open, sidewalks passable, and public safety moving when the drifts won’t stop. We hear how the highway team shifted from pure survival mode to widening roads, scraping hard pack, coordinating with police and fire, and then turning immediately to potholes, storm cleanup, and the spring project list. If you care about snow operations, DPW planning, and how Massachusetts towns recover after a major winter event, there’s a lot here to learn. We also zoom in on public health at the local level. The Board of Health report covers routine prevention work like trainings, a blood pressure clinic, and a planned update to well regulations with better detail for irrigation wells. We talk through a rise in housing complaints involving trash, mold, and pests, and how inspection work intersects with day-to-day life for residents. You’ll also hear about new educational “little free libraries” aimed at helping families talk with kids about vaping and other addictive drugs, plus a seasonal animal control reminder as kitten season ramps up. Finally, we move through the nuts and bolts of a select board agenda: scheduling hearings for license changes, approving community requests, sharing hazardous waste collection and paint collection dates, and taking a key step toward a culvert replacement grant tied directly to emergency access for police, fire, and EMS. If you like understanding how local government works in public, this meeting is a clear window into the decisions that quietly shape a town. Subscribe for more town meeting coverage, share this with a neighbor who cares about local issues, and leave a review. What part of local government do you want us to explain next? Support the show https://www.raynhaminfo.com/ Copyright RAYCAM INC. 2025

    27 min

  4. MAR 25

    Sewer Commission 03/12/2026

    (Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy) A wastewater system is one of those public services everyone depends on and almost nobody sees. We open the March 12, 2026 meeting with quick approvals, then get into the real-world work of running a municipal sewer department: new sewer connections coming online, the sewer user billing timeline for the July through December cycle, and the behind-the-scenes coordination that keeps operations organized and funded. Next, we talk about resilience under pressure. A recent blizzard tested the crew, the fleet, and the pump stations, including equipment breakdowns and a rare power interruption. We share what went right, what could have gone wrong, and why staffing, preparation, and redundancy matter when roads are unsafe and the system still has to move flow every minute of the day. You’ll also hear a lighter moment around a long-awaited new truck finally arriving and what that does for day-to-day response. The meeting then turns to capital planning and active construction: the FY27 sewer budget submission, the manhole lining project heading into quotes, and a detailed look at the Route 44 pump control upgrade. We explain why controls may go offline temporarily, how manual pump operation is managed safely, and what tools help staff monitor wet well levels during a high-stakes changeover. We close with updates on the Pine Street subdivision build-out and what new development means for sewer infrastructure planning. If you care about public works, local government, wastewater operations, pump station reliability, or how infrastructure projects get done without drama, listen now. Subscribe, share this with a neighbor, leave a review, and tell us: what’s the one infrastructure upgrade you wish your town would prioritize next? Support the show https://www.raynhaminfo.com/ Copyright RAYCAM INC. 2025

    11 min

  5. MAR 11

    Raynham Select Board 03/10/2026

    (Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy) A full house at Town Hall set the stage for a candid, high-stakes meeting about safety, schools, and the everyday choices that hold a community together. We open with the fire chief’s February rundown and a vivid account of a historic blizzard that buried Route 44 under three feet of snow. With one firefighter on extended light duty and call volumes rising, we vote to begin hiring a replacement, underscoring why shift strength and response times are nonnegotiable for public safety. The conversation turns to education, where the superintendent and school committee leaders walk us through a cautious, collaborative budget. After losing roughly 72 positions in two years, they aim to restore 10 roles — not new growth, but a critical stop to the backward slide. We dig into class size projections pushing near 30 at the elementary level and even higher in middle grades, and we talk frankly about what can be brought back at the high school after cutting dozens of electives. Health insurance may come in under 10 percent versus the 15 percent budgeted, potentially freeing hundreds of thousands for classrooms, but reduced state aid shifts more pressure to local revenue. We probe the numbers, prioritize direct instruction over administration, and outline a path that leans on retirements, open positions, and careful line-by-line cuts to avoid a repeat of last year’s layoffs. Policy and community threads tie the night together. We approve a one-day liquor license for the Lions Club and refine the town’s one-day alcohol policy to require TIPS certification, liquor liability insurance, and clearer alignment with state law. The administrator reports better-than-expected health plan figures thanks to a collaborative subsidy, while also noting tighter aid assumptions for the regional school district. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts observe for a citizenship badge, RAVE’s Read Across America brings volunteers to 44 classrooms and an eighth-grade assembly, and we green-light the Memorial Day Parade — traditions that remind us why these budgets matter. If you care about fire staffing, class sizes, elective opportunities, and the policies that keep events safe and accessible, this is your roadmap to what’s changing and why. Subscribe, share this episode with a neighbor, and leave a review telling us which funding choice you would prioritize first. Support the show https://www.raynhaminfo.com/ Copyright RAYCAM INC. 2025

    39 min

  6. MAR 5

    Parks and Recreation 03/03/2026

    (Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy) A winter of deep snow and stubborn ice meets a calendar full of decisions, and we walk through each one with an eye on safety, fairness, and momentum. We start with quick business—minutes approved, rental property steady—then share long-awaited progress on the daycare expansion as the state schedules on-site measurements to finally move the project forward. From there, the weather drives the agenda. With fields still under inches of ice, we set honest expectations for delayed openings to protect turf from lasting damage. We explain why patience now saves months of repairs later, especially at wet sites like Boarding Colony. On permits, we keep things clear and consistent: a clean recommendation for the Lions Club’s one-day liquor license game dinner, returning approvals for the Monday Men’s Church Softball League, and dedicated Saturday field time for Special Olympics of Massachusetts. Soccer brings both excitement and friction. Two outside camps tried to stake the same week as our local program and advertised without approval—so we pressed pause. Resident programs come first, fields need rest, and with talk of a private complex changing hands, we anticipate more club teams seeking space. We map out next steps: firm schedules, stronger communication, and policies that keep the field plan coherent as World Cup buzz swells and demand rises. The community garden gets a people-first refresh. We set opening dates, share rules, and waive the $25 plot fee to boost sign-ups since the revenue doesn’t return to the garden anyway. We discuss practical upgrades—benches, birdhouses, and safer access—while tightening controls to prevent cars from driving onto plots and damaging spigots. We close with event and budget updates: postponing the Easter egg hunt rather than forcing it indoors, adjusting summer program dates after school extends, small price increases to cover rising costs, and a nod to the highway crew for tireless storm work. Subscribe, share with a neighbor who uses our fields or garden, and leave a review with your take: should we open fields earlier or wait for better weather to protect the season? Support the show https://www.raynhaminfo.com/ Copyright RAYCAM INC. 2025

    16 min

  7. MAR 5

    Conservation Commission 03/04/2026

    (Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy) A crumbling bridge and a living river rarely play nice, but they have to. We sit down with the project team rebuilding the Old Colony Avenue crossing over the Taunton River and unpack how a superstructure replacement, scour protection, and safer sidewalks can move forward without harming a protected waterway or getting lost in red tape. From emergency repairs and new load ratings to half-channel coffer dams dewatering, we walk through the engineering choices designed to keep flows moving, protect habitat, and restore the streamed above riprap once the work is done. The conversation gets real where policy meets practice. The City of Taunton partners with MassDOT, qualifying the bridge work for a transportation bond bill exemption from the state Wetlands Protection Act—hence no DEP file number—while still honoring local wetlands bylaws, 401 Water Quality Certification, and Army Corps Section 404. We talk through what “within the footprint” actually means, why essential approach work is included, and where the line gets drawn when projects creep into unrelated corridor upgrades. Along the way, we address stakeholder oversight from the Division of Marine Fisheries due to Atlantic sturgeon habitat and the National Park Service for the river’s Wild and Scenic status. Listeners will hear how dredging limits were set, how sediment will be tested and managed, and why a minimum 2.5 feet of natural substrate will cap the scour protection to support benthic life. We also cover practical street-level gains—new sidewalks, pavement markings, refined drainage, and revegetation—and the strict field rules that matter most: staging on the Raynham side, no refueling near the water, and layered erosion controls to hold fines back from the river. The commission presses for clarity on the exemption and public notice language, and the team agrees to return with written confirmation and continued coordination with Taunton’s hearing. If you care about how communities keep vital crossings safe while respecting rivers and local authority, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a colleague who works on water or transportation, and leave a review telling us where you think the balance between speed and safeguards should land. Support the show https://www.raynhaminfo.com/ Copyright RAYCAM INC. 2025

    27 min

  8. MAR 4

    Raynham Select Board 03/03/2026

    (Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy) A historic blizzard, 2,052 police calls, and a room full of tough questions set the stage for a candid, solutions-first meeting. We open with concrete public health moves—modernizing food regulations, considering a restaurant letter-grade system, and tightening tobacco enforcement as illegal flavored products and new nicotine trends hit local shelves. The health team also flags rising risks with nitrous oxide, pushing for clearer rules that protect kids and inform retailers. Safety and resilience shine as the police chief applauds a seamless multi-department storm response, while Community Services brings the human side: elder watch calls before and after the storm, a free caregiver support series from the Alzheimer’s Association, a men’s exercise class, tech help, and scams education with the district attorney. Seniors also get timely access to fuel assistance, SHINE counseling, and Medicare Savings updates that can put more than $200 a month back into fixed incomes—practical wins that matter. The night’s sharpest exchange lands on school funding. Our state representative outlines recent legislation on financial literacy, higher ed infrastructure, and energy affordability, then digs into Chapter 70 aid, transportation reimbursement, and a push to restore per-pupil minimum aid to $150. Board members speak plainly about overcrowded classes and the strain of sending tuitions, urging a formula that keeps pace with inflation and doesn’t penalize communities already under pressure. It’s a clear picture of how state timelines collide with local realities. We close with local levers that speed service: renewing DPW’s regional contracts and approving a unified permitting platform across eight departments. The new system offers guided applications, references to relevant bylaws, and online payments so residents and businesses can move faster with fewer surprises. To protect staff capacity and improve focus, we’re also testing biweekly meetings this spring, with flexibility for special sessions. Plus, we rally for Read Across America and invite parents and grandparents to grab a book and read with a child. If this kind of clear, forward-leaning local government matters to you, follow the show, share it with a neighbor, and leave a review with the one change you think would help our schools most. Your perspective shapes what we take on next. Support the show https://www.raynhaminfo.com/ Copyright RAYCAM INC. 2025

    58 min
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About

Welcome to Raynham Community Access & Media (RAYCAM), where we engage, learn, and create community access media. We are dedicated to providing a platform for all voices to be heard and shared. Join us in creating a vibrant and inclusive media community.

Information

  • Creator
    Raynham
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    165
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Raynham Channel
  • Show Website
    The Raynham Channel

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