Seekonk Fire Station Plans On Hold

Plans to construct a fire station in the south end of Seekonk remain on hold following a discussion at the March 12 Select Board meeting.

Gary Sagar, a former selectman, urged the Board to approve a Spring Town Meeting warrant article authorizing funding for the project.

Chairperson Michelle Hines declined to hold a vote on the matter, noting more information needed to be released to the public before any action could be taken.

In 2023, the Select Board decided not to place an article on the Fall Town Meeting warrant. The vote was 3 to 2. Chris Zorra and Hines voted in favor. Michael Healy, Pam Pozzi, and Justin Sullivan all voted in opposition.

Sullivan said the Fire Department had been “understaffed” and “overworked.” The potential lack of staffing for a new station was a concern raised by Sullivan before the vote was taken. The $11.2 million cost was another factor.

James Tusino, the chairman of the South End Fire Station Building Committee, aired his grievances toward the board.

“You neglected to say that you wanted to pull the plug, that you wanted to go in a different direction,” Tusino said to Sullivan. “You wasted my time, you wasted the volunteers’ time, you wasted the money.”

Fire Chief Shaun Whalen told the board there would not be enough firefighters to man the new station. There are 10 firefighters assigned per shift. However, with allotted vacation time, the number drops to a minimum of six. Splitting the personnel among three buildings would allow only two firefighters at each station.

“The (South End) building would be vacant up to eight hours a day, if not longer than that,” Whalen explained.

Voters at the May 2020 town meeting allocated $425,000 for the design of the facility at the former school administration building at 69 School Street. The town owns that property. The 8300 square foot building would consist of three components, including dispatch, living quarters, and fire suppression. A debt exclusion, or temporary tax increase, would’ve been required to be approved at town meeting before construction began.