Since its inception, I have followed the Medeiros Farm Project with increasing distress at public meetings, at Select Board sessions, and online. The Select Board’s rejection of the design services contract in June was especially upsetting, because moving from conceptual design to final design is the standard next step in municipal building projects like this one.
It’s worth remembering how we got here. After the death of Anthony J. Medeiros Jr., Paul Medeiros, executor of the estate, began discussions with the town, working with then-Conservation Agent Jennifer Miller. Anthony had wanted the land to remain open. To honor that wish, the estate turned down offers of more than $3,000,000 from developers and sold the property to Seekonk at its appraised value of $2,000,000.
The project is a natural fit for the Community Preservation Act, which Seekonk adopted in 2009. The Community Preservation Committee funded the independent appraisal and recommended the purchase, and in November 2021, Town Meeting approved using CPA funds to buy the farm by a vote of 145 to 6. Because the CPA does not allow a town to pay more than appraised value, the estate’s choice cost the family more than a million dollars.
Anthony Medeiros, and through him Paul as executor, gave this town a gift of great magnitude. Instead of offering our thanks, we responded with contentious debate and procedural maneuvering.
The Medeiros family still lives in Seekonk and wants to see this project thrive. Let’s show our appreciation and honor their gift by working together to create a beautiful space for everyone to enjoy.
Sincerely,
Susan R. Waddington
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