November News Briefs

Town Administrator Pulls Papers in Fall River Mayor Recall Election

The Sun Chronicle reported that Town Administrator Shawn Cadime has pulled candidacy papers to run in the recall election of Fall River Mayor Will Flanagan. Thirteen other candidates, including Flanagan, have also taken out papers. Cadime, a native of Fall River, served as the City Administrator in the city for several years. Cadime started the position in Seekonk in March.

School Committee May Vote on Controversial Jobs Policy This Month

At its November 3 meeting, the school committee is expected to discuss revisions to a controversial policy that reclassifies several employees to “at will,” which allows the employees to be terminated at any time, with or without cause. The committee may decide to take a vote on the policy after the discussion. The new policy has been controversial. Former Seekonk High School Athletic Director Ray Grant, who was one of the employees that the policy would affect, opposes the new rules and filed an Open Meeting Law complaint against the school committee. Grant recently retired as Athletic Director.

Voters to Decide Fate of Old Town Hall

Voters at the November 17 town meeting will decide whether the town should turn over the deed for the Old Town Hall on Taunton Avenue to the Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe. The Tribe proposes to renovate the building to serve as a cultural and community center, using grant money. The article on the warrant gives selectmen the authority to dispose of the building and land, but does not mention the tribe specifically. Last December the town and tribe signed an agreement for a 30-year lease on the property. Under the proposal, the building would house the tribe’s regional headquarters and the offices of the Historical Commission as well as provide meeting space for the community. A presentation on the proposal, “Bringing History into the 21st Century” is scheduled for Thursday, November 13 at 6 p.m. at the Seekonk Public Library for anyone who wants more information.

Town Considers Getting Rid of Blue Trash Bags

Selectmen discussed the possibility of eliminating the town-designated blue trash bags. Selectmen Gary Sagar proposed either eliminating them altogether in January or getting rid of them over time. Sagar proposed increasing the annual trash fee to offset the loss of revenue from the sale of the bags. He said it would save residents money because store-bought bags cost less. Town Administrator Shawn Cadime said that may not be the case, especially for residents who live alone and only dispose of one bag of trash per week. The board is planning to research the issue further.

Selectmen Considering Legal Action on Banna Fire Station Delays

Late fines have been assessed against Nadeau Corp., the general contractor for the new Banna Fire Station and selectmen are reportedly considering legal action against the company due to construction delays, according to an article in the Sun Chronicle. The town signed a contract with Nadeau last September and the building was erected in May but there is still work that needs to be done, according to the article. A groundbreaking ceremony was held last October. The project to refurbish the 74 year-old building on Pine Street, named for firefighter Richard Banna, began in 2009 and has been delayed many times for various issues. The new station is now expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Study Ranks Seekonk in Top 100 Schools in State for Best Education Value for the Money

Seekonk High School was ranked 77 out of 266 school districts by the website Nerdwallet.com, a consumer advocacy site, for offering parents the best “bang for their buck.” According to an article in the Sun Chronicle, nerdwallet.com used census and state education data to identify high quality schools in affordable communities. Schools were defined as “high quality” by looking at standardized test scores, college readiness and class size and then weighing that information against affordability metrics. Several other school districts in the area were ranked in the top 100, including Mansfield which came in fourth; Dighton-Rehoboth, 98; King Philip School District (Norfolk, Wrentham and Plainville), 19; North Attleboro, 82; and Foxboro, 65.