February 14, 2025

Seekonk May Vote for South End Fire Station

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Seekonk residents may have a chance to vote to fund a new fire station for the South End of town.

Gary Sagar, a former Selectman and member of the Zoning Board, requested the Select Board place a warrant article on the Spring Town Meeting warrant.

“It will be five years in June since this board requested town meeting voters allocate funds for the design (of the building),” Sagar said at the board’s January 8 meeting.

“The project has just been shelved,” Sagar continued. “As of this year, we will be paying $40,000 a year in interest on the money we borrowed for the design of the building project.”

In 2022, the Board of Selectmen voted to enter into a contract with Galante Architecture Studio to design the new facility. The firm was to be paid $321,000 for their work. Voters at the June 2020 town meeting had allocated $425,000 to pay for the cost of an OPM and design services leading up to construction of the project, according to Town Administrator Shawn Cadime.

In 2023, the Select Board had voted against placing a warrant article before the residents.

Board members cited a possible lack of personnel to occupy the new facility based on the current shortage of firefighters. “I don’t know if I can support an $11 million building when we’re having staffing issues (in the fire department),” said Chris Zorra.

“For $11.2 million, that’s an awful lot of money to have an empty building,” member Pam Pozzi said, adding there were other building projects in the works, including a new Department of Public Works facility.

“The staffing issue has been ongoing,” said Justin Sullivan. “After holding discussions with the Fire Chief and the (firefighters) union, we want to try to get to manning levels that can sustain the units we have right now.”

“It is our job to provide the personnel for that project,” member Michael Healy said, noting 12 new firefighters would need to be hired if the station was to go ahead.

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