Medeiros Farm Oversight Committee 

One of the warrant articles at the November 9 Town Meeting is a vote to form the Medeiros Farm Legislative Oversight Committee, which would have the authority to overturn votes made by the Seekonk Select Board relating to the Medeiros Farm project.

The membership would include representatives from the Conservation Committee (Nathan Socha), Planning Board (David Sullivan), Community Preservation Committee-CPC (Willit Mason), Historical Commission (Andrea Rosetter), The Select Board, and a Member of the Medeiros Family. Openings on the committee may be appointed by vote of the previously named committee/commission/board and regular town meeting (or moderator for temporary appointments between town meetings).

In addition, members appointed to openings may not have an open Office of Campaign and Political Finance or a MGL Chapter 268A Sections 6, 13, or 19 ethics complaint against them related to the Medeiros Farm project at the time of their appointment.

Another article would allow the Medeiros Farm Legislative Oversight Committee to continuously oversee the Medeiros Farm Project and take action to support the votes taken at previous town meetings.

Committee members would have the power to:

Investigate votes and/or actions taken by any public official related to the Medeiros Farm Project including, but not limited to the power to compel testimony and request records.

Nullify votes taken by any public officials for cause where votes have an impact on a vote(s) at town meeting, including historical votes.

Nullify votes (including proactively) taken by any public officials who do not testify before the oversight committee where the vote has impact to a vote(s) at town meeting, including historical votes

The power to approve contracts, conduct studies, approve designs, or other associated actions related to the project if the associated funds have been approved at town meeting for use by the Medeiros Farm Committee or the Medeiros Farm Legislative Oversight Committee.

The articles were submitted by voter petition.

At the June 24 Select Board meeting, the board rejected a bid award for designer services to CHA Consulting for $549,450.

Chris Zorra and Michael Healy were in favor, with Gary Sagar, Elizabeth Elmasian, and Robert Archambault in opposition.

Elmasian and Archambault were criticized by supporters of the Medeiros Farm project for their votes. A group called Friends of the Medeiros Farm is advocating for the project to go forward.

Last month, the Board approved a traffic study for the project. Archambault recused himself from the vote because he is an abutter to the Medeiros Farm.

Another voter petition article on the warrant is a vote to direct the Select Board to carry out the May 2025 Town Meeting vote appropriating $825,000 for designer services for the Medeiros Farm project, including “authorizing and executing a contract within 60 days of this Town Meeting.”

Approval would also “prohibit the Select Board from using the appropriation or other Town funds or resources to avoid, replace, delay, or otherwise circumvent the contracting of such designer services.”

In 2022, the Town acquired Medeiros Farm for $2 million. At the May 2023 Town Meeting, voters authorized the spending of $150,000 from the Community Preservation Fund to hire a consultant to develop a master plan for the Medeiros Farm. A seven member committee was later appointed to oversee the project.

The project has been plagued by controversy for over a year. Residents on Elm and Lincoln streets objected to multiple soccer fields being placed in their neighborhood. Two citizens’ petition articles were placed on the November 2025 Town Meeting warrant. One was to rescind $825,000 in funding already appropriated for the project. The other was to rescind the appointment of the Medeiros Farm Committee. Both articles failed.

The full warrant can be seen on the town website: www.seekonk-ma.gov.