HAPPY HOLIDAYS from the Town Clerk’s office. We hope you have a wonderful time celebrating holiday traditions with family and friends.
Speaking of traditions, we hope all of you can join us at the Seekonk Annual Holiday Tree Lighting celebration. It is scheduled for Saturday, December 7th from 4-8 pm at the Seekonk Town Hall. This is a fun-filled event that will include ice skating, food trucks, activities, crafts, face painting, balloon art, hot cocoa, popcorn, cotton candy, crafters/vendors, and a very special visit from Santa (transported to the celebration by the Seekonk Fire Department).
Board and Committee Highlight - Parks and Recreation Committee
This month we would like to highlight the Seekonk Parks and Recreation committee. It is an advisory committee that works with the Parks and Recreation Coordinator to help gather ideas for new programing. They also help with the development of the town’s acquisitions and recreational areas. The committee, along with the coordinator, holds monthly meetings with the goal of developing diverse services and programs for the community and to promote citizen involvement. They strive to have programs in all areas of interest for the community to increase cultural, social and physical well-being of its residents. If you have any questions or would like to share your ideas, please contact the Parks and Recreation Coordinator, Erica Harris-Grimes, at 508-336-8772. If you are interested in volunteering, please consider filling out a talent bank form, which can be found online or at the Seekonk Town Hall. Currently, there is a one, three-year vacancy for this committee available.
Annual Fall Town Meeting News
Seekonk held its Fall Town Meeting on Monday, November 18, 2024 at the Seekonk High School. Below is a summary of the meeting and votes. A complete set of minutes can be found on the Town Clerk’s webpage under town meeting minutes.
The Town Clerk called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with a quorum of over 75 registered voters (331 registered voters checked into the meeting). The Town Moderator made a motion to allow the Town Moderator to proceed with all articles, even those that affect him personally.
Article 1 - To receive Town Officers or Committees reports. A report and slideshow presentation was given by Chairperson, Michelle A. Hines, 540 Arcade Avenue Building Committee.
Action on the motion: Motion passed (227Y, 14N, 4A).
Article 2 - To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from available funds in the treasury or transfer from designated funds that have been reserved for appropriation the sums detailed below in accordance with the Financial Policies of the Town of Seekonk adopted by the Select Board, April 2021.
Action on the motion 1: Motion passed (256Y, 40N, 7A)
Article 3 - To see if the Town will vote to accept Clause 56 of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 59, Section 5, allowing members of the Massachusetts National Guard or military reservists who are on active duty to obtain a reduction of all or part of their real estate and personal property taxes for any fiscal year they are serving in a foreign country, to be effective beginning fiscal year 2026, provided, further, that in accordance with said law, the authority to grant abatements under this section shall be for a period of two years after the effective date unless extended by Town Meeting.
Action on Motion: Motion passed (272Y, 18N,4A)
Article 4 - To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from free cash or available funds in the treasury, or transfer from designated funds that have been reserved for appropriation the following sums to be expended for departmental equipment and all incidental and related expenses, including new or continuing leases for such equipment, and further to authorize appropriate Town officials to enter into contracts for more than three years for such purposes, as applicable.
Action on Motion 4/Item 1 (majority vote) - Motion passed (231Y, 46N, 2A)
Action on Motion 4/Item 2 (majority vote) - Motion failed (137Y, 140N, 4A)
Action on Motion 4/Item 3 (2/3rd vote) - Motion passed (195Y, 89N, 1A)
Action on Motion 4/Item 4 (2/3rd vote) - Motion failed (178Y, 125N, 3A
POINT OF ORDER: A request for a revote of Article 4, Items 2 & 4. Town Moderator stated the motion could be reconsider at the end.
Article 5 - To see if the Town will vote to transfer from Free Cash or available funds in the treasury the sum of $110,987 to the School Capital Stabilization Account and $55,493 to the Special Education Stabilization Fund.
Action on Motion: Motion passed (227Y, 61N, 2A)
Article 6 - To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from available funds in the treasury or transfer from designated funds that have been reserved for appropriation, the sum of $24,132.14 to fund the cost elements of the first fiscal year and $50,000 to fund the cost elements of the second fiscal year of a three-year collective bargaining agreement between the Town and the United Steelworkers AFL-CIO, Local 9517-10 (Clerical), for a term covering the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2026.
Action on Motion: Motion passed (213Y, 74N, 8A)
Article 7 - To see if the Town will vote to transfer from the PEG Cable Access and Cable Related fund the sum of $xxx,xxx to Seekonk Cable Access, Inc., the Town’s PEG Access Provider.
Action on Motion: Motion to postpone indefinitely passed (266Y, 22N, 6A)
Article 8 - To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to file with the General Court a petition for special legislation to amend the Town Charter by replacing “Board of Selectmen” wherever it appears in the Charter with “Select Board”, and making such other revisions required to make the Charter gender neutral, all as set forth in a document on file with the Town Clerk and further, to authorize the General Court to make changes of form only to the bill without the approval of the Board of Selectmen and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to approve such changes as are within the public purposes of the petition.
Action on Motion: Motion passed (213Y, 92N, 2A)
Article 9 - To see if the Town will appropriate $39,960,000 to pay costs of constructing, originally equipping and furnishing a new Department of Public Works facility, to be located on the land owned by the Town at 351 Fall River Avenue, and for the payment of any and all other costs incidental and related thereto; to determine whether this amount shall be raised by borrowing or otherwise provided.
Action on Motion: Motion failed (118Y,158N, 2A) (2/3rd vote)
Article 10 - To see if the Town will appropriate $6,970,000, or any other amount, to pay costs to acquire, pursuant to G.L. c. 61B, §9, by donation, purchase, eminent domain or otherwise, the Firefly Golf Course, being land located at 320 Fall River Avenue, and 763 and 769 Arcade Avenue, consisting of approximately 55 acres, of undeveloped land identified as all of Lots 78, 100 and 101 on Seekonk Assessor Map 14, and to acquire portions of Lot 96 on said Assessor Map 14, for general municipal purposes, and for the payment of any and all other costs incidental and related thereto; to determine whether this amount shall be raised by borrowing, appropriation, transfer or otherwise; and to authorize the Select Board to execute deeds and/or other instruments to carry out the purposes of this article.
Action on Motion: Motion passed (271Y,18N, 0A) (2/3rd vote)
Article 11 - To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Bylaws of the Town of Seekonk, Massachusetts by inserting new or amended language.
Action on Motion: Motion passed (156Y, 59N, 4A)
Town Moderator, Peter Hoogerzeil, asked for a show of hands for all those who wanted to continue meeting at 10:39 p.m.
Motion to Continue - Passed
Article 12 – To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning Bylaws of the Town of Seekonk, Massachusetts by inserting new or amended language.
Action on Motion/Amendment 1: Motion passed (128Y, 24N, 6A) (2/3rd vote)
Action on Motion/Amendment 2: Motion passed (130Y, 21N, 4A)
Action on Motion/Amendment 3: Motion passed (135Y, 22N, 4A)
Article 13 – To see if the Town will vote to accept the layout identified and described as follows, Airdrie Court as shown on a Plan of land entitled “Definitive Subdivision Plan Stallard Estates” Assessor’s Map 6 Lot 64 recorded with the Bristol County Northern District Registry of Deeds in Plan Book 393, Page 72, which was approved by the Planning Board of the Town of Seekonk on August 23, 2000, copies of which are on file with the Town Clerk, and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to acquire by gift, purchase, or eminent domain any necessary easements or other interests (Airdrie Court).
Action on Motion: Motion passed (124Y, 13N, 4A)
Article 14 – To see if the Town will vote to accept the layouts identified and described as follows, Stone Ridge Drive and Brady Lane as shown on a Plan of land entitled “Definitive Subdivision Plan of Stone Ridge” Assessor’s Map 24 Lot 625 recorded with the Bristol County Northern District Registry of Deeds in Plan Book 80, Page 99, which was approved by the Planning Board of the Town of Seekonk on October 13, 2015, copies of which are on file with the Town Clerk, and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to acquire by gift, purchase, or eminent domain any necessary easements or other interests.
Action on Motion: Motion passed (128Y, 11N, 4A)
Article 15 – To see if the Town will vote to accept the layout identified and described as follows, Palmer River Road as shown on a Plan of land entitled “11 Lot Definitive Subdivision Plan of Jacob Hill Estates” Assessor’s Map 17 Lot 79 recorded with the Bristol County Northern District Registry of Deeds in Plan Book 495, Page 19-20, which was approved by the Planning Board of the Town of Seekonk on January 15, 2014, copies of which are on file with the Town Clerk, and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to acquire by gift, purchase, or eminent domain any necessary easements or other interests (Palmer River Road).
Action on Motion: Motion to Indefinitely Postpone passed (119Y, 7N, 4A)
Article 16 – Voter Petition: To see if the Town will vote to compensate the assistant town clerk for her efforts in the elections in 2024.
Action on Motion: Motion failed (25Y, 107N, 4A)
Article 17 – Voter Petition: To see if the Town will vote to provide TV17 funding.
Point of Order: No agreement has been made with TV9 and there is no “TV17”; therefore, it is an improper article and is out of order. No vote taken.
Motion to Adjourn and seconded.
Point of Order to reconsider Article 4.
Moderator opened the vote for Article 4 stating he agreed to revisit the article when all other articles were heard.
MOTION TO RECONSIDER ARTICLE 4, ITEM 4
Year One (1) of the three (3) year lease/purchase of one (1) large dump truck for the Public Works Department, to be expended under the direction of the Select Board – ($100,000)
Action on Motion: Motion passed (94Y, 25N, 0A) (2/3rd majority)
MOTION TO APPROVE ARTICLE 4, ITEM 4
Action on Motion: Motion passed (106Y, 25N, 0A)
MOTION TO RECONSIDER ARTICLE 4, ITEM 2
Demolition costs of the old School Administration building on School St - ($400,000)
Action on Motion: Motion passed (80Y, 41N, 1A)
MOTION TO APPROVE ARTICLE 4, ITEM 2
Action on Motion: Motion passed (73Y, 42N, 0A)
Motion was made to reconsider Article 9. Motion determined to be made out of order since no substantial new information was brought forward. No vote taken.
A motion was made to dissolve the Town Meeting at 11:20PM
Action on the motion: Motion passed
Special Election News
Seekonk held a Special Town Election on Monday, November 25, 2024 at the Seekonk High School library from 7:00AM to 8:00PM to answer the following binding question: Shall the Town of Seekonk be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, so-called, the amounts required to pay for the bond issued in order to pay the costs of designing, constructing, originally equipping and furnishing a new Department of Public Works building to be located at 341 Fall River Ave, Seekonk, MA, including the payment of all other incidental and related costs? The Results:
Number of Registered Voters: 12,620
Total Votes Cast: 1,967
Percentage Turnout: 73.04%
Yes: 353
No: 1614
Upcoming News and Reminders for 2025
The Annual Seekonk Town Election 2025 will be held Monday April 7, 2025. Nomination papers for offices up for election will be available in the Town Clerk’s office on December 18th. The deadline to return completed nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s office is Tuesday, February 18, 2025 at 5:00PM. You must obtain a minimum of 50 signatures from Seekonk registered voters. A street address (not P.O. Box) is required from each person signing your papers. Please make sure the signatures are legible, otherwise they cannot be counted.
Elected positions for the April 7, 2025 Annual Town Election
Absentee ballot request for 2025:
Absentee ballot applications are available in our office or on our website. If you want to be put on the permanent absentee ballot mailing list, please fill out the form and check off "for all elections". If you know you will be out of town for a certain election you can request an absentee ballot that election only, as well.
This form can be found on the Town Clerk’s webpage at https://www.seekonk-ma.gov/280/Town-Clerk or by calling our office (508) 336-2920.
To qualify as an absentee voter:
Annual Census
The 2025 Annual Town Census will be mailed to all households by mid-January. Please update and/or make any changes to the form, sign, and return it to us by February 28, 2025. It can be returned by mail, in-person, or leaving it in the drop box located at town hall. If you prefer to send it by email, please forward to townclerk@seekonk-ma.gov.
We are often asked why the census should be returned. The information that is collected is used to prove residency, update voter rolls, veterans’ benefits, birth records, help predict future school enrollment, establish precinct lines, and qualify for state/federal funding. Failure to respond to a census may result in the removal from the active voting list.
Completing a census form does not register you to vote. If you are a registered voter, there will be a party affiliation by your name (i.e. D, R, U, etc.). Updates to your party affiliation can be made in person at our office or by going online to https://www.sec.state.ma.us/OVR/.
Dog Licenses
Dog license forms will also be included in your census mailing. Please remember DOG TAGS EXPIRE ON MARCH 31st. Massachusetts General Law states dogs must be licensed annually, with proof of a current rabies vaccination. Failure to comply may result in a by-law citation fee. You can renew the license in-person or by mail. Please return the completed form to us along with a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check made payable to the Town of Seekonk.
Holiday hours for Town Hall (December/January):
December 24th - Closing at 12:00pm
December 25th - Closed
December 31st - Closing at 12:00pm
January 1st - Closed
As always, please contact us (508) 336-2920 or by email at townclerk@seekonk-ma.gov if you have any questions.
Lorraine and I want to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and safe Holiday Season.
~Kristen and Lorraine
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here