Happy June Everyone! June is the official beginning of summer and also the start of summer break for students. We would like to congratulate and wish all the 2026 Seekonk Graduates success and happiness as they begin their new journey.
We were honored to attend the Memorial Day Parade and would like to say thank everyone who made the parade and ceremony such a success. The town had a wonderful turnout and both were beautifully conducted to honor our fallen heroes.
ANNUAL SPRING TOWN MEETING NEWS
Seekonk held its Spring Town Meeting on May 11, 2026 at the Seekonk High School. Below is a report summarizing the meeting and votes. The complete set of minutes can be found on the Town Clerk’s webpage.
The meeting was called to order at 6:11PM. The turnout represented 1.7% of the town’s 12,834 registered voters, with 212 registered voters in attendance.
Article 1 - To receive Town Officers or Committees reports.
Action on the motion: Motion passed.
Article 2 - To see what sums of money the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds or borrow for Operating Expenses and the Sanitation Fund of the Town for the Fiscal Year commencing July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2027.
A motion was made and seconded on Town Meeting floor by the Board of Selectmen to increase line item 56 Section D-Education by $173,000 (Chapter 70 money). The total number for line item 56, Section D-Education totaled $35,045,158.
Action on the motion: Motion passed.
Motion was made and seconded on Town Meeting floor by the Select Board to appropriate the sum of $76,847,160 to defray charges and expenses of the Town for Fiscal Year 2026 for the purposes and amounts set forth in Budget Schedules A through J in column titled Select Board Budget 2026.
Action on the motion: Motion passed.
Motion was made and seconded on Town Meeting floor by the Select Board, that the Town appropriate the sum of $2,039,084 to defray charges and expenses of operating the Sanitation Enterprise Fund for the Fiscal Year 2027 for the purpose and amount set forth in Schedule K in the column titled Select Board Recommended Budget 2027: the sum of $2,039,084 to be provided from revenues of the Sanitation Enterprise Fund.
Action on the motion: Motion passed.
Article 3 - To see if the Town will vote to fix the salary and compensation for the elected and appointed officials of the Town as provided by GL c 41, s108 for their services for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2026, provided that any part-time elected official may waive receipt of compensation.
Action on the motion: Motion passed
Article 4 - To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from the Municipal Capital Stabilization fund 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. The following sums to be expended as follows:
- Year Three (3) of the three (3) year lease/purchase of one (1) bucket truck for the Public Works Department, to be expended under the direction of the Select Board $67,945
- Year Two (2) 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 $110,575
- Purchase a trackless tractor for the Public Works Department, with funds to be expended under the direction of the Select Board $250,000
- Purchase a MCC7500s Radio Console for the Communications Department, with funds to be expended under the direction of the Select Board $63,000
- Purchase two (2) administrative vehicles for the Fire Department, with funds to be expended under the direction of the Select Board $144,000
- Purchase the Jaws of Life for the Fire Department, with funds to be expended under the direction of the Select Board $65,000
- Replace the servers for Animal Control, IT Utility software, Domain controller and Assessor at Town Hall, with funds to be expended under the direction of the Select Board $41,660
- Purchase a LED Color Sign for the Human Services Department, with funds to be expended under the direction of the Select Board $15,000
- Purchase fifty-one (51) body worn cameras for the Police Department, to be expended under the direction of the Select Board $64,727
- Purchase fifty (50) Ballistic helmets for the Police Department, with funds to be expended under the direction of the Select Board $65,000
- Purchase & install additional cameras for the Animal Control Department, to be expended under the direction of the Select Board $15,000
Action on Motion: Motion passed
Article 5 – To see if the Town will authorize the appropriate Town officials to enter into a five-year contract to purchase body worn cameras and the bundle pack.
Action on Motion: Motion passed
Article 6 – To see if the Town will authorize the appropriate Town officials to enter into contracts for three years or more for new or continuing leases for police vehicles.
Action on Motion: Motion passed
Article 7 – To see if the Town of Seekonk will vote to act on the report of the Community Preservation Committee on the Fiscal Year 2027 Community Preservation Budget and to appropriate from the Community Preservation Fund, pursuant to G.L. c. 44B, § 6, a sum of money to meet the administrative expenses and all other necessary and proper expenses of the Community Preservation Committee for Fiscal Year 2027; and to reserve for later appropriation monies from the Community Preservation annual revenues or available funds in the amounts recommended by the Community Preservation Committee for open space, historic resources and community housing purposes, as well as a sum of money to be placed in the Fiscal Year 2027 budgeted reserve for general Community Preservation Act purposes.
Action on Motion: Motion passed
Article 8 - To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to dispose of surplus property or material, exclusive of buildings and land, but including compost, no longer needed by the Town.
Action on the motion: Motion passed
Article 9 - To see if the Town will vote to transfer a sum of money from the Stabilization Fund to the FY 2026 Town Meeting Operating Budget Line Item #69 (Snow & Ice Expenses).
Action on the motion: Motion passed
Article 10 - To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from Ambulance Receipts the sum of $119,797.25 for the second year of a four (4) year lease/purchase for an EMS/Rescue vehicle for the Fire Department, to be expended under the direction of the Select Board.
Action on the motion: Motion passed
Article 11 - To see if the Town will vote to transfer from the PEG Cable Access and Cable Related fund the sum of $149,102 as a grant to Seekonk Cable Access, Inc., the Town’s PEG Access Provider, to carry out its PEG Access Provider functions in FY 2027.
Action on the motion: Motion passed
Article 12 - To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from the Building & Infrastructure Stabilization fund the sum of $725,000 to purchase and install at the Seekonk High School pool a specialized HVAC system designed for indoor pool rooms to control humidity, maintain air quality, and prevent structural damage, including all incidental and related expenses, to replace the existing Dectron unit, to be expended under the direction of the School Committee.
Action on the motion: Motion passed
Article 13 - To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from the Building & Infrastructure Stabilization fund the sum of $975,000 to replace the asphalt, curbing, and drainage at the George R. Martin Elementary School, including design and engineering, as needed, the purchase and installation of materials, and all other incidental and related expenses, to be expended under the direction of the School Committee.
Action on the motion: Motion failed
Article 14 – To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from the Building & Infrastructure Stabilization fund the sum of $100,000 to fund the third phase of updating door locks at the Dr. Kevin M. Hurley Middle School, and all assembly areas across the district, including all incidental and related expenses, to be expended under the direction of the School Committee.
Action on the motion: Motion passed
Article 15 – To see if the Town will vote to establish a School Building Committee of no more than 20 voting members each of whom shall be a Town resident over the age of 18, and 35 total members to be appointed by the School Committee, or in the case of employees and representatives of Town departments other than the schools, the Select Board, to oversee the potential school building projects based around Hurley Middle School with consideration for grades 5 through 12.
Action on Motion: Motion passed
Article 16 – To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of General Law Chapter 41, Section 110A, which statute allows Town Hall to remain closed on any and all Saturdays to the same extent as if Saturday were a legal holiday.
Action on the motion: Motion passed
Article 17 – To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of General Law Chapter 53, Section 9A, which statute establishes the final date for obtaining blank nomination papers as 48 weekday hours prior to the hour that such nomination papers must be submitted to the Board of Registrars of Voters for certification.
Action on Motion: Motion passed
Article 18 - To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning-By-laws of the Town of Seekonk to establish a Billboard Overlay District by inserting new language. – Motion made on floor to INDEFINITELY POSTPONE
Action on the motion to indefinitely postpone: Motion passed
Motion was made on the floor to reconsider Article 13 – To see if the Town will vote to conduct an engineering study to replace the asphalt and curbing at George R. Martin Elementary School in the amount of $100,000.
Action on motion: Motion failed
Meeting dissolved at 8:59PM.
We would like to thank the poll workers, town hall staff, high school staff, police, fire, DPW, and voters for their participation in town meeting.
DOG LICENSES AND TOWN CENSUS ARE PAST DUE
Thank you for all those who applied for their dog licenses. To date, we have processed 1,250 dog license applications.
DOG TAGS EXPIRED MARCH 31st. A late fee of $25 will be added to all dog license renewals beginning June 1st. Per MGL Chapter 140 Section 137: All dogs 6 months or older must be licensed annually with proof of a current rabies vaccination. Failure to comply will result in issuance of MGL violation & fine.
All dog licensing requires online registration. Payments can be made in-person or by mail, but the licensing process requires online registration. If you have any difficulty completing your application online, please call us and we are happy to walk you through the process over the phone OR you can stop by our office with your valid rabies certificate and valid email address, and we will assist you at our kiosk station.
ANNUAL TOWN CENSUS
Thank you for all those who have returned their 2026 Town Census/Street Listing form. Pursuant to Massachusetts General Law, any registered voter who has not responded to the Annual Town Census/Street List by the first Monday in June will have their voter status changed to inactive.
Confirmation notices will be mailed to 3,414 residents who did not complete their Annual Town Census. State law requires these notices to be mailed to all non-respondents, resulting in an additional expense to the Town. To avoid an interruption in voting status and unnecessary mailing costs, we strongly encourage you to return your Annual Town Census.
REMINDERS FROM THE TAX COLLECTOR’S OFFICE
If you have any questions concerning any of the following, please call the tax collector’s office directly at 508-336-2930.
Did you know the Registry of Motor Vehicles issues motor vehicle excise tax bills throughout the year? The majority are issued in February and due in March (tax commitment #1-2026). If you have not received your bill by March 1st please contact the Tax Collector’s Office at 508-336-2930.
If you no longer have the vehicle, please see the reverse side of the excise tax bill for instructions and provide the information to the Tax Assessor’s Office.
- Motor Vehicle Excise Tax commitment #7 (2025) is with the Deputy Collector
- Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Commitment #1 (2026) is with the Deputy Collector
- Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Commitment #2 (2026) was issued April 7th and due May 7th
- Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Commitment #8 (2026) was issued April 7th and due May 7th
- Motor Vehicle Excise Tax Commitment #3 (2026) is due July 2nd
FY 26 Disposal Bills were mailed on September 18, 2025 and were due October 21, 2025 ($315.00 per unit). Demand notices were mailed November 18th and were due December 2nd. For your updated balance, please contact the collector’s office.
Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes:
- Further collection notices will be issued for any unpaid Fiscal Year 2025 balances.
- Fiscal Year 2026 Preliminary Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Bills were mailed the first week in July.
- The first quarter payment was due by August 4, 2025. The second quarter was due by November 3, 2025.
- Actual Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Bills were mailed at the end of December.
- The third quarter was due February 2nd and fourth will be due May 4th
- Demand notices for Fiscal Year 2026 unpaid Real Estate Taxes are due June 11th
- Fiscal Year 2027 Preliminary Taxes will be mailed the first week of July 2026
If you are wondering how much you paid in real estate taxes last year, the information can be found on the Collector’s webpage on the Town’s website under “How Much Did I Pay in Real Estate Taxes Last Year.”
Please note: The Tax Collector’s office does NOT process the Water Department’s bills and cannot accept payments for the Water District. Please mail or drop off your payment to Seekonk Water District, 50 Water Lane, Seekonk, MA 02771
We wish you a happy, safe, and memorable Summer! As always, please contact us (508) 336-2920 or by email at townclerk@seekonk-ma.gov if you have any questions. Thank you for taking the time to read the Town Clerk’s Office monthly update.
~Kristen and Shandra
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