Cadime Discusses Seekonk Building Projects

Town Administrator Shawn Cadime discussed the current building projects at the October 15 meeting with the Select Board, School Committee, and Finance Committee.

The Seekonk Public Library is undergoing a complete renovation. A debt exclusion, which is a temporary tax increase, for the $10.4 million project was approved at last July’s Special Election. Cadime said once a building committee is formed, an OPM (Office of the Project Manager) will be hired and then a search for designer services will be conducted. The entire project will take two years to complete.

The average homeowner (based on a home valued at $541,000) will pay approximately $100.55 per year. Repairs costs account for 86.5 percent of the project.

A feasibility study was conducted in late 2023/early 2024 and the final report was issued last November. Advocates for the project said the library, which was built in 1978, is in desperate need of repairs. There was a heating system failure last winter, which caused the library to close its doors.

The Medeiros Park Farm project is also moving ahead. $825,000 has been appropriated from the Community Preservation Fund for the design phase. Cadime said any additional funding for the project would need to go through town meeting.

The Medeiros Farm Recreation and Park Master Plan outlined four objectives: active recreation, passive recreation, historic preservation, and a Community Park.

“While Seekonk has been successful in preserving open space, establishing trail access and opening their 1st community playground, demand exceeds availability,” the plan states.

Other town projects include a new facility for the Department of Public Works and a South End Fire Station.

“It is out there that we need a new facility for DPW,” Cadime said.

The two projects were supported by town officials but met with resistance from residents.

Voters at the November 2024 Town Meeting rejected a proposed $40 million building for the DPW. The facility would have been located on Town-owned land at 351 Fall River Avenue. The proposed design was for a 61, 815 square-foot building. Opponents said the cost was too high and criticized the choice of location.

A proposal to authorize $9.5 million in funding for a South End fire station was rejected by voters at the September 15 Town Meeting, following a defeat at the May Town Meeting.  The Select Board rejected a request from member Gary Sagar to hold another vote on funding for the station at the November Town Meeting. Some officials have expressed concerns about staffing for the new station.

Cadime added there are also multiple building and infrastructure needs for the schools. The MSBA (Massachusetts School Building Authority) Building Feasibility Study is in the works. The faulty heating system at Hurley Middle School is “a major item we need to stay on top of and keep in our sights.”