Select Board Meeting — July 8, 2026

Like way underneath.

And I just spoke too little.

Good evening and welcome to the Wednesday, July 8th, 2026 select board meeting.

Would you all please rise and join me with the salute to, uh, Pledge of Allegiance and moment of silence.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Under Mass General Law Chapter 30A, Section 20F requires any person recording must notify the chair at the beginning of the meeting.

All select board meetings are recorded via audio and video and are broadcast live on Seacock Channel number 96.

Uh, board and committee openings.

Would somebody please read them?

Sure.

Volunteers are needed in the Board of Health, 1 from select board.

Capital Improvement Committee, 2 from the select board, 3 from the moderator.

Commission on Disability, 6 from the select board.

Economic Development Committee, 3 from the select board.

Energy Committee, 3 from the select board.

Historical Commission, 2 from the select board.

And Veterans Council, 1 from the select board.

Okay, thank you.

Priority matters.

Consider the appointment of Rachel Foster to the Commission on Disability, term to expire 2029.

Uh, Mr. Chairman, my recommendation is that the board appoint Rachel Foster to the Commission on Disability, uh, with a term to expire, uh, 2029.

Uh, so we have the opportunity to interview Mr.— uh, Ms. Foster, and we think she'd be a phenomenal fit.

Do you want to add anything?

No, just as the employee liaison, we're very excited to see the board keep growing, and we thank you for this opportunity.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Would you like to say anything on your behalf?

I don't have anything prepared, but I am excited to contribute to the Disability Commission, and I look forward to lending my skills and my experience to the continuing success of the Commission.

All right, thank you.

Anybody?

I do not.

I liked your statement with what you wrote.

Oh, thank you.

Okay, so the chair, entertain a motion to appoint Rachel Foster to the Commission on Disability, term to expire 2029.

So moved.

Is there a second?

Yes, second.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, consider the appointment of Rashida Taya to the Board of Health, term to expire 2029.

Mr. Chairman, my recommendation is that we appoint Ms. Taher to the Board of Health with a term to expire 2029.

Again, we've had the opportunity to interview her and we think she'd be a great fit for the Board of Health.

Okay, good evening.

Good evening.

Would you like to add anything to— um, it's just that I am looking forward to serving on the Board of Health and lending my skills to improve Seekonk.

Okay.

Thank you.

Any questions for anybody?

All right, will the chair entertain a motion that we appoint Rashida Tahir to the Board of Health, term to expire 2029?

So moved.

Second.

Second.

Moved and seconded.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Consider the appointment of Barry Murphy to the Veterans Council, term to expire 2029.

Mr. Murphy here.

Um, Mr.

Chair, if the board still wants to move forward, my recommendation would be that we appoint Mr. Murphy to the Veterans Council with a term to expire in 2029.

Okay, board members have any questions?

Nope.

So let's entertain a motion to appoint Barry Murphy to the Veterans Council, term to expire 2029.

So moved.

Second.

Second.

Moved and seconded.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

And consider accepting a donation to the Seacock Animal Shelter in the amount of $500 in memory of Joanne Peace.

So moved.

Second.

Second.

Moved and seconded.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Okay, community speaks.

Anybody want to come forward and say anything under Community Speaks?

Nothing?

Nothing?

Okay.

General business, public hearing.

Consider the request for an annual alcohol license for Tavern Optico LLC, doing business as Tavern in the Square, to be located 1125 Fore River Avenue James Corey as manager, and I'll call that public hearing to order.

It's, uh, 5:07 PM.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Thank you, uh, select board, for, uh, hearing us this evening.

I'm Stephanie Boudreau with Ara Law in Brookline, and this is, uh, James Corey, who's the proposed manager of record.

I'm here on behalf of the applicant, Tavern OpCo LLC, doing business as Tavern in the Square, before the board tonight seeking approval of its new, uh, new all-alcohol license and a common Vic and entertainment license license to be exercised at 1125 Fall River Ave. Um, the location is in a commercial district with no residential abutters and plenty of public parking.

The intent is to operate a tavern in the square, with Seacong becoming the 19th tavern restaurant in Massachusetts, I believe.

Yes, with locations also in Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

Um, a legal ad was published in the Sun Chronicle on June 23rd, and notices were sent via certified mail.

And the green return receipt cards have been filed with the town.

The premises will consist of 9,700 square feet.

There'll be indoor seating for 309 and patio seating for 32.

Um, the entertainment— and, uh, sorry, um, OpCo is a wholly owned entity owned by Tavern Holdings LLC, which is part of the Authentic Restaurant brand, a restaurant group operating all of the taverns, and which in turn is indirectly owned by a private equity fund managed by Garnet partners.

They have been in business for many years and have significant operational experience in the restaurant industry.

Stephen D'Souza, who is the CEO and part owner, has and will continue to oversee operations of the tavern— of this Tavern restaurant.

He's been with the Tavern brand since the beginning, and he has been responsible for opening all of the Massachusetts locations.

There is a lease for the premises.

Uh, the landlord is Seaconk 226 Limited Partnership.

The lease is contingent on the approval of the license, and the licensee is preparing for significant renovations and for a fall opening.

All right, uh, I think it's— yeah, early of— early next year.

Oh, okay, early next year opening.

Proposed hours are 10 to 12, uh, Monday, uh, Saturday and Sunday, and Monday to Friday, 11 to 12.

Mr. Corey, who is the proposed manager of record, has been with the restaurant group in a management capacity since 2021.

He's risen through the ranks to general manager and has been in restaurant management since 2008.

He's tips and controls— tips and crowd control certified, and he is here this evening should the board have any questions.

Um, for public need, the Section 12 licenses in Seekonk are not at full capacity, which means the state believes there is additional need in the town.

Also, from a public perspective, Tavern is nut-free, uses gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free— or actually It's not nut-free, but it uses gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and shellfish-free fryers to accommodate people with a range of food allergies.

It focuses on using, using locally sourced food and craft beverages.

We believe that Tavern's presence in Seekonk will also provide an economic benefit to the town, frequently hosts events promoting local charity, charitable organizations, and holds many fundraisers in the restaurants.

And it's excited to enter the town and be a good neighbor.

And if the board has any questions, we're happy to answer them.

Okay, anybody have any questions?

Um, I do not.

Liz?

None.

Michael?

Um, what kind of entertainment are you going to have?

Uh, just piped-in music and televisions.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah, okay.

Chris?

I'm good.

Okay.

Uh, Sean, do you have anything?

No.

Okay, we have to canvass the audience, so is there anybody in the audience that would like to speak in favor of this application.

Anyone in favor?

Seeing none.

Anyone in opposition?

Is there anyone in opposition?

Seeing none.

Anyone with general comments or questions?

Seeing none.

Does the board have any— anything further?

No.

So I would entertain a motion to close the public hearing at 5:09 PM.

Chris or I?

Second, Michael Healy.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

And on the petition— on the application, I should say— what's the pleasure of the board?

I make a motion that we approve the annual alcohol license for Tavern OpCo LLC, doing business as Tavern in the Square, to be located at 1125 Farber Avenue.

James Corey is manager.

I second.

Okay, moved and seconded.

Any discussion?

Seeing none, all in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

We have voted unanimously to grant you the license.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

Good luck.

Good luck.

So if you can accelerate that 27 days, everybody would appreciate it.

It's all about construction.

Yeah, we like the fall time.

Doing your best.

Yeah, thanks for your time today.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

License hearing, consider request of change of LLC manager officer for Outback Steakhouse of Florida, LLC, doing business as Outback Steakhouse, located at 13014 River Avenue.

And you are, sir?

Uh, my name is Dawson Cooper.

I'm an attorney at Upton Connell and Devlin, here on behalf of Outback Steakhouse.

Okay.

So Outback is applying for a change of LLC managers.

I just want to stress that there will be no operational changes at the license location, Likely no one here would notice any change if I wasn't here telling you there was a change.

The specific change applied for is to remove Christopher Meyer and Kelly Lefferts as LLC managers.

Kelly Lefferts and Eric Christel have been appointed as signatories for the licensee, and OSI Restaurant Partners is now the sole LLC manager.

Once again, there are no operational changes at the license premise.

It's just a corporate transaction occurring.

With that, I'm happy to help answer any questions.

Okay, does the board have any questions?

I do not.

Liz?

None.

Chris?

None.

Michael?

All right, do you have anything you'd like to add, sir?

Nope.

Okay, so the chair would entertain a motion to, uh, grant the request for the change on the OLC manager.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Thank you.

Thanks very much.

You're welcome.

Okay, discuss and vote on including a debt exclusion vote for the South Fire Station on the November state election ballot.

I'm the one that submitted this.

We had discussions with, uh, a discussion with the town clerk to either do it during primary in September or the state ballot in November, and it was so much easier to do it in November.

It can appear, I believe, on the last page.

And it really— we're spending the money on an election, so there's no additional cost to, uh, to include it.

And the way projects are typically done in SEACOC, you need— and under a debt exclusion, you need a ballot vote and you need town meeting approval.

So if it survives and it passes at the ballot, then it would be put on the— what could be put on simultaneously like we've done in the past also.

But it takes both votes to move it forward.

Simple majority at the ballot, 2/3 at town meeting.

And that would be November 7th?

Uh, November 3rd.

So September— yeah, September 1st would be the primary, November 3rd would be the general election.

Okay.

All right.

And then just for the board's own notification, so if we held it on, on the primary September 1st, we would have to have a separate ballot.

We would have to have, uh, the ballot boxes would have to be separate.

You're allowed to carry one question on for a general election, so we can put that on for the, uh, the ballots.

I will just say that the November ballot is looking to be multi-ballots.

There's about 9 questions that are coming from, uh, from the state.

So a couple got thrown off.

Yeah, yeah.

So it should, uh, warrant a good turnout.

So that'll be good.

So let's see, our town clerk is here.

Okay, so let's hear— we're going to entertain a motion to place on the November state ballot a debt exclusion vote for the South Fire Station.

So moved.

Second.

A second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Yes, who so moved, right?

What was— yeah, Bob.

Yes.

Okay, all in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Aye.

Aye.

You need a roll call?

Oh, actually, um, yeah, so I guess if we can take it in, if we can just— if the motion can be for November 3rd, just so that we have that actual date, and then if we can actually just read the question in and approve the question.

Shall the Town of Secaucus be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition 2.5, so-called the amounts required to pay for the bond issued in order to fund the design, engineering, site preparation, construction, and initial furnishings and equipping of a proposed South End fire station to be located at 69 School Street, Seekonk, Mass., including all costs incidental or related thereto.

And that'll be November 3rd, 2026.

Yep.

Okay.

So we need a roll call vote.

So if somebody could so move that and so move.

Bob, do you second?

Second.

Moved and seconded.

Okay, roll call.

Mr. Archambault?

Aye.

Elizabeth Dalmatian?

Aye.

Michael?

Michael Hilly?

No.

Chris Zara?

No.

Gary Segal?

Yes.

So it's a 3 to 2 vote.

Okay, consider the appointment of Kevin Nagle as constable, not requiring disclosure, as recommended by Police Chief.

Skip D. Skip D. Oh, skip it.

No, no, you did skip it.

You went over it.

Yeah.

Yes, consider the reappointment of board and committee members Gary Jones Jr. and Jeff Cabral to the Parks and Recreation Committee.

Terms to expire in 2029.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Consider the appointment of Kevin Nagle as constable, not requiring disclosure, as recommended by Police Chief David Ennis Jr. Any comments on this, Mr. Kitty?

Uh, no.

So items D through, uh, G were actually just inadvertently left off the last list, So we're making the recommendation for all these.

Chief.

So if you remember last meeting, we did our annual appointments for traffic constables, constables, matrons, things of that nature.

There was some confusion on what was emailed over for— from my office.

These 3 names did not make it onto the agenda last time, so I'm just rectifying that by adding them this time.

So moved for item E. Second.

Moved and seconded.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Consider the disclosure of Mass General Laws 268A, Section 20F and the appointment of Traffic Constable Gavin Cabral.

And Aaron Bento, you want to do them both together or separate?

Well, we do them both.

And consider disclosure of Mass General Laws Chapter 68 to 68A, Section 20F, and the appointment of Traffic Constable Aaron Bento.

So moved.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Uh, next is to consider the approval of the City of Attucket, Rhode Island Police Department mutual aid agreement and authorizing the town administrator to sign the agreement.

Chief?

So this is just a, uh, renewal, I guess, of some sort.

There's no changes from the past.

We have mutual agreements with, uh, obviously municipalities from out of state that touch our jurisdiction.

Um, this would just, uh, again, just solidify that going forward.

So my, my research included— I had a discussion with former Chief Sharon, and he said he put the 3 Rhode Island mutual aid agreements in place around 2007, 2008.

Correct.

Uh, is there any reason why now Pawtucket wants to amend it or change it?

There are no changes.

They just want maybe an updated copy for For their reasons.

I don't know.

It came to town hall.

It didn't come to us.

This is the first I was hearing about it on the agenda.

I had my captain who handles all our mutual aid agreements.

He went through it.

It's the same agreement.

And we gave a list of other agreements that we have throughout the Commonwealth and the state of Rhode Island.

Doesn't change anything.

So the chief in Pawtucket didn't send it to you?

I did not get a copy, no.

This was in front of us a few years ago.

It was just looking for an updated policy so we had one on record.

From what I remember, probably about maybe 4 years ago.

Yeah, about 4 years ago we had to sign a mutual agreement with them.

Right.

So what are the 3 municipalities?

Pawtucket, East Providence, and Providence?

Barrington.

Barrington.

I don't think Providence wants to come across the bridge.

I don't think it's been working with us all along.

It's not that they work with us a lot.

I would say that we most work with East Providence.

We do have a lot of activity go between departments.

It's just good to have in place.

Obviously, being a border community, things happen all the time where our guys end up in Rhode Island.

And we just want to make sure everyone's covered.

And therefore, when we ask for help at different places in town where a community is coming across another state border, we just want to make sure that we have these things in place for liability reasons and for the assistance that we'll need.

When was the last time the East Providence agreement was signed?

Do we need that updated?

They don't expire, so— okay, so we don't need anything updated.

Like I said, they might not have have that copy with them.

That's probably why.

Or they're redoing, okay, all of them, so they just did a mass.

So there's no time frame?

There's no, there's no, there's no, uh, expiration.

And this particular one, there was no changes from what was in the last one.

Okay.

So, all right.

And we have all the mutual agreements that we, uh, enter vetted through town council.

Um, yeah, no, that's Okay, so the request is that we approve it and have the town administrator sign it, right?

Okay, so we get a motion.

So moved.

Second.

Second.

Movement seconded.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

All right, thanks, Chief.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yeah, I'm gonna jump over, uh, a couple items, and I see that the chairman of the school committee and the superintendent are here, so we'll take them a little out of order so they don't have to stay any longer than necessary.

You know, we greatly appreciate that.

The vice chair is also on the way.

Had a family situation, and we thought we were in the middle of the agenda.

So we're we're chilling if you're chilling.

Okay.

Thank you.

We appreciate it.

All right.

Discussion regarding a possible reduction in tournament fees for Seacock Little League.

Skip by.

Is anybody here?

They skipped by.

Skip by.

Oh yeah, I want to skip over that because the Prison Alliance Club isn't here yet.

He's traveling from Boston.

So we'll go to Jay.

Discussion regarding a possible reduction in tournament fees for Seekonk Little League.

Good evening.

Good evening.

So this is Carrie.

She's the president for the Little League board.

We're here tonight because Little League has asked for this time to discuss tournament fees.

Um, so let me take a moment to cover what the fees do cover so we're all starting from the same page.

Well, Parks and Recreation will honor what is decided here tonight.

Looking at the big picture, there are concerns with not charging the fees, so I just wanted to have a general discussion over it.

Um, I'll outline a little bit what the fees cover and everything into it.

So the fees that the select board had agreed upon and accepted was $350 per day for each day of the tournament.

These fees are charged in addition to any seasonal fees because the season fees do not stretch to cover the full season, never mind hundreds of extra potties at the complex in such a short amount of time.

This will cover the cost of the extra porta-potties on site for the duration of the tournament to take the strain off of the 2 toilets we have at the field in place.

It's a septic place, so using only the restrooms will not work in any situation this big.

I will be the one to secure the porta-potties, the necessary permits and everything, so to— so we do not add any more to what Little League needs to do, um, to get ready for the the event.

It will also cover toilet paper, soap, hand sanitizer on site to make sure they're stocked up for the thing.

And if by chance there is any monies left over after I pay for all of that, it'll just go into covering, you know, the wear and tear of the fields, any repairs that may crop up.

If something accidentally does get flushed down the regular toilet during this thing, you know, we have some money on hand to help cover it.

Last year they had the event, it was 2 age groups we were able to do 4 porta-potties and the supplies on hand.

This year they're looking at 4 age groups, so we've doubled the size of the tournament from last year, and it'll be utilizing most of the fields.

Little League and Parks and Recreation, in compliance with DPW, are working together to actually get one more field prepared so they can add more to it.

We're all working together on that.

So this is going to double up to about 30 teams will be playing in this tournament.

So over 400 kids will be attending.

With the fees, I'll be able to get them 6 porta-potties for the 4 days, supplies for the 4 days, and then like I said, any extras may go.

The concern by not charging the fees for the tournament is just, you know, it'll leave a lot of questions as to who would be need it to pay for any repairs, um, and it would leave a lot of work for the Little League to have— then have to— they'd have to get their own permits for the extra porta-potties because they would not fall under the permits already there.

Um, and it would— the biggest issue would be if the septic fills up quicker, who would then be responsible for, um, doing it since it's usually pumped on a schedule.

Right now, um, for fiscal year '27, we recorded $79,000 just to keep the field where they're at if we move forward with no changes to how we do it.

So then when you talk about adding 400-some-odd kids for 4 days within it, we just get a little nervous.

Part of Parks and Recreation is also arts, culture, and offering different things by using the fees to utilize to help stretch the budget a little bit.

I can keep doing that, and, you know, I don't have to tell anyone no.

So again, we will go with what the select board agrees on, um, but I would request that if we do waive the fees, we sit and discuss exactly who will be responsible for what during the thing and getting, you know, the porta-potties there pumped out and all of that.

I don't know if you have anything you'd like to add.

So last year, I think we only ended up— we got 2 porta-potties, and we actually paid extra for the second porta-potty.

Uh, there— you had 4 porta-potties in total.

The amount that I charged you covered 2.

You paid an extra $100, um, per porta-potty to get you to the 4 because the fees charged would only cover the 2.

Okay.

Um, and again, we're not asking for no fees at all.

Um, I think our biggest thing is the Thursday and Friday night.

Well, I understand the Saturday and Sunday we will have a lot of teams down there Thursday and Friday night we play one set of games, so it'll be 4, 4 games, um, or potentially 5 if we get that— that other field is getting done.

So 5 games potentially Thursday and Friday night.

Um, that's not really out of the ordinary of our normal season fees.

Saturday and Sunday, yes, we will have multiple series of games.

We will have all the teams down there at some point.

So yes, Saturday, Sunday is definitely more Um, our biggest thing is $350 a day, um, for 4 days is just— when we're already paying permit fees and Thursday and Friday really isn't any different than our normal schedule, um, as far as wear and tear and all of that.

Um, so that's kind of just where we are at this point.

So we're not asking for the fees to be waived completely.

We understand that there is porta-potties, and I'd much prefer that Erica continues to take care of the getting the porta-potties and the permits and all of that.

So whatever we need to pay, make sure we cover that.

And, you know, toilet paper.

But Thursday and Friday for us are kind of like a normal day where we have teams down there.

Saturday and Sunday, definitely more wear and tear.

All right, so you're saying Thursday and Friday is the same amount of kids you would have on a typical Thursday or Friday?

We could, yeah, we could, yeah, we could have that many games, practices, all of that down there we could have that many play.

We don't play more than one round of games on Thursday or Friday because of darkness.

We start at, you know, 5:30, whatever, 5:45.

So we only play one round of game on Thursday and Friday.

So you're, you're estimating a total of 400 people over the 4 days over the whole tournament?

We have 30 teams confirmed right now, and each team has 12 kids.

So in addition to the teams coming to play, you will also have parents, grandparents, parents which are not within that 400 number.

And that's why we— the extra porta-potties are helpful, because A, the lines at the bathrooms just get crazy anyway.

So the extra porta-potties on hand, we spread them out on the complex.

I think last year we put a couple up at the top and a couple down at the, like, near the entrance, um, so that people didn't have to walk as far either and try to encourage them to use them.

Do you have a rough estimate of Sounds like you got a pretty good handle on the amount of players.

Do you have a rough estimate on how many people you expect to be there, including the players?

Um, 1 or 2 parents for each one, but, um, it's hard to say how many.

But again, it— they won't all be there at the same time as well, because at any given time we can only have 5 games happening.

So we may have teams there in the morning and then they're not there in the afternoon.

So I don't think there'll ever be a scenario where there's all 400 people there at the same time either.

It'll be in and out throughout the day.

But are these teams traveling?

Do you have a hotel in mind for them?

They're traveling, but they're all local teams.

We have Robichaud, Lincoln, Swansea, I can't think of the others, but they're all local teams.

There will be no travel or no hotel.

Yes, nope, no, no hotels needed.

Now one question I also did have, um, since we are here with learning on how it's going to be bigger on like the Saturday and Sunday and the possibility, um, we didn't know what the select board felt.

Um, again, this is double what we were last year, so it kind of wasn't a conversation last year.

Do you feel this now needs like the special town permit for the one-day event?

Or a detail station there.

Um, you know, wanted some input on that.

I don't think a detail would be necessary.

I don't think— again, I don't think so either, but I just want to, you know, dot the i's, cross the t's to make sure since it's bigger than last year.

I didn't want it to— how was the traffic last year overall?

It was well maintained.

We used, you know, our parking lot and then up, um, the, the school parking lot.

We had somebody kind standing at the parking lot when the, the lower parking lot was closed, we put cones so that people weren't trying to come down, um, so that they knew that that parking lot was pretty much closed.

It seems last year there was not a lot of parking on Newman Ave.

This year we're not positive, but with, you know, the growth of it, how that may look.

So I wanted to double-check before we— the good thing is, is because we have mostly local teams Um, the travel for them isn't so hard, so they may not hang around as well.

Um, so hopefully it will be kind of an in-and-out flow of traffic, not everybody staying the whole day.

Good.

How much you charging a team to be in this?

Uh, $550.

Okay.

Yep.

All right, I'll make a motion, uh, for reduction in the tournament fees for Seekonk Little League.

Okay, to what?

To what amount?

Did they make a request?

I'm sorry, I didn't write it down.

They did.

They want to go from $1,400 down to $700.

They want to cut it in half.

$700.

Is that— that's correct?

Yes.

And I don't think we'll need 6 porta-potties, I think we'll be okay with still the 4.

We— if we had 4 last year, because I'm pretty— I thought it was only 2.

I'll have to double-check, but it was 4.

Um, and then because you did 2 by the back 2 fields, 2 by the trailers, and now we have, um, the thing over there, so we're gonna have to put 2 on this end of the complex and 2 down on the other complex if we only keep it at 4.

Okay, so your motion is— my motion is to reduce the fees to $700.

Second.

Second.

Any discussion?

All those in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Aye.

Sorry.

Aye.

Okay.

It's unanimous.

No, I was too busy writing something down.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Okay.

You are in favor, right?

Is that just clarifying for the minutes?

Just this one time.

Okay, discuss the request of the Seacock Lions Club to name the Cole Street soccer fields in honor memory of Neil Abelson.

Hi.

Hi.

Good afternoon.

We don't stand up anymore, huh?

Sit down.

You can if you want to.

Yeah, I haven't been here in a while.

You want for the record, sir?

I'm Paul Buckley.

I am president of the Seekonk Lions Club.

Yeah, I'm currently in my 3rd year of a 5-year term, um, which was given to me.

Um, I'm here to, uh, formally request that the Seekonk soccer fields on Cole Street be named in honor of the late Neil Abelson, a proud Seekonk native and a longtime community member.

As you may know, Neil was a cornerstone of our town Um, his contributions include 35 years of a member of the Seacong Lions Club.

He was a planning board member for 9 years, uh, zoning board of appeals for 3 years, and of course he was the building inspector for 8 years from 2016 to 2024.

Most importantly, Neil's steadfast commitment to the Seacong Youth Soccer League.

I provided the board with an email from Neil son, which I gave to Sean, Neil's son Kyle, also advocating for his father's name to be associated with the soccer fields in Seaconch.

Just to summarize Kyle's email, I took a few snippets out of it.

Neil was introduced to soccer through his son Kyle in 1991 and quickly developed a passion for the sport.

He began coaching around 1993, dedicating over 20 years of of guiding youth teams in Secaucus, including the traveling Black Goose team, as both a coach and a mentor.

Neil's involvement was driven by a desire to serve his community and positively influence young people.

His legacy endures through the memories he created and the values he instilled in those he mentored.

So a little story.

Last year, at the request of the Secaucus Lions Club, I reached out to former board chair Michelle Hynes.

To inquire about the process for how we go about trying to get this done, naming the field.

She told me that the complex on Cole Street is named after Frank Gallacher, but not sure about the fields, the naming of the fields.

So Michelle directed me to Parks and Recreation for more information.

I spoke with Parks and Recreation from late October 2025 to early January 2026.

My last correspondence I had with the department, she said that town officers are— I learned about it, and they are in the process of creating and finalizing a policy for this.

I followed up to find out which town officers were involved, but I was unable to find out who that was.

So I'm here tonight trying to make another pitch.

I hadn't really gotten too far and I wanted to bring it up to the board, Tom Administrator, and see what could be done.

Or what's the process?

Is there a process to do this?

I believe in the past it's always been the select board or if it's under the authority of the schools, it was the school committee that would do it.

Okay.

I think you're at the right venue.

Okay.

Um, Sean, you had told me you went into some investigating.

Did you find out anything?

So I haven't found anything in terms of, uh, when the facility was actually, uh, named for Frank Gallishore.

1998, was it?

So yeah, so I don't know if it was the entire complex or if it was individual fields, or, you know, I don't know if you have the information.

I look at it from the perspective that it was named the Francis W. Galushaw Recreation Facility.

But after that, the Little League petitioned, I believe it was the select board, and they named the newest field, baseball field or softball field, in the name of, uh, what was the name, Jimmy Whitaker.

Okay, so you have the Jimmy Whitaker Field certainly at the Francis Galushaw Recreation Facility.

We did the same thing at the high school when you have the Connelly Field, which encompasses the whole area, and then we named the track after Frank Mooney.

So you have the Frank Mooney Track at the Connelly Field.

So this would be basically following the same process.

It would be the Neil Abelson soccer fields at the Galway Shore Recreational facility.

Okay, so I don't think we're stepping on anybody's toes or omitting any motion.

Yeah, that would be great if that could be done.

That's the way the process— the way to do it.

I'd be happy.

I mean, the whole Lions Club would be happy.

Neil's family would be happy.

And yeah, if we could do that, name the fields as part of the complex to Neil, that'd be great.

So the way I see that, the recreation field encompasses all.

It's not just a soccer field, it's multiple sports are played on those fields, right?

Um, from frisbee, ultimate frisbee, to school teams, lacrosse, everything.

So I think when they're calling recreational fields, it's so people aren't getting stuck on it's a soccer field.

So I think that's what I'm assuming, that's what it was encompassing, that his name was on all the fields.

Well, I think given what we've done in the past with making— naming a field within, like, at the high school, the track.

I think it's just delineating one certain area of the entire complex.

It's— I don't think it's anybody would object to something else being done on the field.

I think it's more paying— well, I'll say this.

I mean, we've had a lot of people serve this town in the past, those who don't have buildings, fields named after them.

Neal is warranted consideration for Neal, but so aren't the others.

So it's, it's not fair for some to get named and not others who have contributed a lot.

And that's why the selectmen have not done anything in probably the past 12 years.

But have people come to the board to ask?

They have.

It's been shot down.

Can you think of anyone?

Mr. Texiera.

One day, Mr. Texiera passed a few years ago.

The board took a stance He did a lot for the community, but they felt it was not fair to others to name it when we're going to be running out of buildings and space to name after people someone else contributes a lot to.

Then how do you justify what's been done at the other end?

The board— and probably Mr. DeSago was on the board at the time— someone offered, I think it was $100,000 donation, to name a building after them, and the board denied it.

No, but my question is, how do you put aside the precedent that's been set at the other locations?

Well, I'd say the school was the one that chose Mr. Mooney.

It was not a selectman that encompassed that.

And then the other field names would be boards way before our time, I would say.

I would say, because I wasn't here when they pushed for Taxeri— telling me that's, that's news to me, I'm sure it's fact— was anyone here to argue the point that Miss Almeida is making, that we have past precedent already set and we've done this before?

If that argument wasn't made then probably should have been made.

I think it was the same thing I just said, how at the time the board felt that we only have so much facilities and it's not named.

If someone else does more and such, how do you find the name for that person?

Or that's why we took the stance not to name buildings and fields and a lot of stuff.

Well, I'm only one vote, but yes, Mr. Abelson is very wanted.

He was a great guy, but But that's my stance.

We only have so many things, so stop putting names on stuff.

Then all of a sudden you run out of things, and then someone else feels that their name should be on a building.

Then it's like, where do you— what do you do then?

Well, I think like anything else with a new board, people have different opinions about things, um, certainly a number of things.

So I say we take a vote and go from there.

Well, before we do that, can I have a question?

Sure.

My only concern— and the naming of a field doesn't really hold too much weight for me— but my concern is who actually has control of the land.

The reason why I say that is I believe when those soccer fields were built, there was an MOU that said the town would maintain and cut the grass, but I believe that's school property.

Still school property.

Yeah.

So, and I don't think that— I don't think the control of that property— and I don't know this for fact, that's why I'm asking the question— so before we go forward and do something If it's still underneath the school, the school committee should vote to rename it.

That's all.

I don't want to go down the wrong road.

No, no, you want the right venue.

I want something done right for once, possibly.

Um, no, I just want to make sure that if we go down this road and we don't have the authority to rename that field because it's not under the control of the town, it's under the control of the schools still, that would be the way I would go for that.

So I would like that question answered if you have it.

I do.

Yeah, so, uh, it's still, I long story short, it's still under the school jurisdiction.

So the agreement was we were going to split the fields, um, and we had some money associated with that.

So we had surveying done.

Uh, the surveying was going to cost us $30,000 to actually do Form A.

So we didn't think it was worth $30,000.

So we just continued with the agreement that we have in the school.

So I think I don't disagree with you.

It is, uh, a school still technically under the jurisdiction of the school committee.

So the request should go through the, through the school committee unless the school committee is okay with allowing— no, no, they can't.

Well, they wouldn't be able to have that discussion today.

So I'm sorry, was there any truth to the fact that, uh, a procedure was being worked on?

There, there was, and I forget exactly.

There was maybe, and maybe it was Mr.— I think it was Tex.

Yeah, yeah.

So we were going to have it, uh, be part of the bylaws for naming purposes, and then it never made it to town meeting.

I think the board didn't want to proceed with it, or I think they pulled back.

So we never formalized the, uh, process.

Okay.

I don't think they came back either.

Well, what I like to do is this board go on record in support, subject to review by the school department.

Somebody wants to make that motion?

I'll make that motion.

Um, I'll make the motion to name the Colt Street soccer fields that sit within the Frank Galleshaw Recreational Facility after Neil Abelson, pursuant to, uh, the approval of the school committee.

Okay, I'll second that.

Okay, any discussion?

All in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Nay.

All right, 4 in favor, 1 opposed.

Okay, thank you, Mr. Buckley.

Mr. Buckley.

Okay.

A bunch of presentations.

Yeah, uh, seeing as the representatives of the school department are here, we can take them out of order.

So if you'd like to join us at the table, please.

Hi.

And so this is under item N, consider the request to approve the lease of room 236 at the Seahawk High School.

261 Arcade Avenue, the Francis W. Gowershall School at 320 Pleasant Street, and North Elementary School at 2 North Street to the South Coast Educational Collaborative and sign the leases.

So joining us, we have the chairman and vice chairman and the superintendent of schools.

Very good.

So please proceed if you'd like.

Um, you've had the— hopefully the leases were provided to you in your packet.

Ms. LeMation had shared some questions.

Unfortunately, they went to a misdirected email, but I received them thanks to Mr. Cadime's double-check.

So by the time I answered you, it was half an hour prior to this meeting starting, which didn't seem like a very fair amount of time for you to read your email.

So I will pass around a paper copy of the responses to those questions.

Thank you.

And just share quickly that we have the 3 leases before you tonight are already voted for approval by the school committee and by South Cove They represent a 3% increase for each space in the tuition credits that are allocated, and that is about half a million dollars that the schools are counting on in their budget.

We did bring feedback from the Select Board to that negotiation process, and I'm satisfied that the answers that we've gotten from them are fair and appropriate and carefully consider both the short-term and the long-term expenses.

Of maintaining these buildings.

We also approached this with the understanding that at the end of this 3-year term, we were looking to have a more definitive plan for whether the property was kept as assets of town and schools or sold, that we are not interested in just going forward with leases that are not thoroughly considered.

But given that the leases are up right now, the South Coast Superintendency is also in a transition.

During the term of this lease, they will transition from their longtime leader, Dr. David Heimbacher, to an incoming leader who is yet to be named.

So for a number of reasons, and I want you to know that the negotiation process of these leases included myself, the school business administrator, the director of special services for the schools, who's the person who, you know, works with the families and populations that might have students placed there, but also on the South Coast side, not just their outgoing director, but members of their finance and leadership team, as well as the principals of the 2 buildings, just to make sure that we were truly addressing everyone's needs.

We also included Jim Roy, and I'm gonna forget his last name, Shane, who is their maintenance director, to make sure that we were on the same page about things like snow removal and safety, security systems for those buildings, how we interact with our public safety officers.

So I want you to know that it was an extensive, clear conversation about our shared expectations.

And one of those expectations is that within these 3 years, we will together develop a better long-term plan for these facilities so that we're not back with you again in 3 years going, 3%, give us 3 more years.

So that's kind of where we are.

You have markup copies of the lease so you can see what was crossed out and changed.

There are not any significant additions to the terms except for some clarifications of who's responsible for what kind of maintenance, how, And at Seekonk High School, an expectation that their Wi-Fi network also complies with safety and security so that we couldn't have students or staff members joining an unsecured Wi-Fi network that jeopardized our cyber safety.

But otherwise, it's pretty much the same terms that we've had in place.

So happy to answer questions.

And of course, Dr. Girardi and Ms. Field were in discussion with the committee when the committee voted to support this.

Um, and Miss Field was even on the committee, I think, the last time we renewed.

So you probably have more history than the other 2 of us do.

So, so we're here for you, uh, if there's anything we can help with.

How often do we do a walkthrough the town to make sure the building's being maintained since the maintenance is a premises?

Is it— is there a burden?

So, um, we put the entire team that I just mentioned participated in this winter.

Normally that would be Mr. Roy doing most of that.

So I would say at least once a year on Mr. Roy's behalf because he's closely working with them to make sure that we are safe.

But the team, including myself, Mr. Kelleher, and Dr. McGee, all did one this winter in anticipation of the upcoming negotiation.

Any issues arise?

I mean, yes, but no, no issues due to neglect on anyone's No issues due to intentional neglect where anyone is trying to put students in an unsafe situation.

Issues due to the age of the building, the amount of financial capital that we have as a town and that they have as collaborative.

Like, could it be nicer?

Of course.

But is it unsafe?

No.

This is the first time we've been asked to.

Yeah, so I ran it by our legal counsel because we had, we had a leadership meeting that included these 2 and you 2 and Mr. Kadeem, and we talked about who really has control over leasing this property and whether or not it needs to go to a town meeting vote and when, when there needs to be an appraisal and just trying to make sure we were doing everything right.

Running it by our legal counsel, they recommended that the signatories be the chair of the school committee, the executive officer of the collaborative, but also that it go through the select board.

So we haven't done it before, but it doesn't mean we can't do better now, to Mr. Healy's point earlier.

Okay, any questions from the board members?

This pretty much answers the questions that I had emailed I'm good.

Chris?

I'm good.

All set.

All right, so, uh, entertain a motion that we approve the leases as outlined in the warrant for those 3 facilities.

So moved.

Second.

Moving second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

If you're willing, I'll get you a clean copy in the week to come rather than the markup copy for signature.

Okay, very good.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Fourth quarter budget presentation.

You're using— oh yeah, yeah.

So I'll just have Jen, if you want to come up since you're next with the transfers.

So just closing out the fiscal year '26.

So the actual last date for any transfers to be done needs to be completed by July 15th.

So there may still be some adjustments made to this, but this really gives you the overall scenario of where we kind of stand, given the snapshot from the year end.

So projected FY '26 year end, projecting to be about $1.1 million under budget.

Our operating expenses were below budget.

Our salary expenses were also below budget.

Our projected surplus in revenue was approximately $690,000.

So the estimated free cash— and again, this is estimated.

We haven't done any of our balance sheets or certified our— or even started to do the certification for free cash until obviously after July 15th.

We're estimating approximately $2.5 million.

Uh, I was going to say $2.2 million.

Uh, part of that $2 million is the 10% rollover from free cash of FY25, and that was in the amount of $356,000.

For our revenue summary, uh, real estate coming in at 98.9%, that's on target.

And I know if folks will be looking at and say it's not 100%.

So we never receive 100% of real estate taxes.

Rule of thumb is anywhere from 98% and higher is, is really where we want to be.

And then obviously we go through the tax title for delinquent tax payments and we'll receive those in subsequent years.

Personal property, similar to the real estate, but that's probably closer to 100% that we usually see for the personal property, which is, which is good at 99.6%.

For a total of $3.6 million.

Our motor vehicle excise came in ahead of our target at 112.9%, so $3.4 million compared to the just under— just over $3 million that we anticipated.

And that's, that's actually higher than I anticipated.

We were looking at some of the, especially the larger actuals.

I thought that we're going to be closer to our budgeted numbers, so it's nice to see that revenue come in.

And we did budget a little bit higher in FY27.

So just happy to see those numbers where they were because we were really conservative with— or aggressive, I should say, with our motor vehicle for FY27.

Local receipts coming in at just over $2 million.

It's 110.5%, and that's also ahead of target there.

Our mills tax, 105.2% ahead of target, $725,810.

Compared to the $690,000 that we anticipated.

And then hotel tax, for the most part, really on target with our projection.

Hopefully going to see that increase with the new hotel that has opened up with the newer rates.

That's surprising to see it that high.

It is.

That hotel being closed.

Well, that captures some of his— he opened up in April, so we captured some of those numbers.

So we'll have some higher rates in there with the costs associated with those new rooms.

Marijuana tax, 105.6%, uh, coming in, uh, at 8— I'm sorry, this came up.

Yeah, it did.

Yeah, we were— that one was looking a little, uh, like it was going to be below our forecast, but that— yeah, that's excellent.

Yeah, so we came in with that $855,000 for the, uh, 2 facilities that we have in town.

And then, uh, for the budget expenses, uh, just bottom line, as I mentioned, we have both surplus and salaries and expenses.

The only highlight that we will have, and we'll talk about that with the, uh, in the transfers, is the general government salaries.

That's coming in at 100.4%.

So the 2 major components is just the town clerk's office, and again, Jen will speak to it a little bit more, but we about, I think it was $17,000 higher for Lorraine to come in and fill in for the clerk's position to do some transition.

Then we also had the special election for the library ballot question, so that kind of drove that up.

From financial services, Jen's contract, we had a new contract, so there's, uh, her vacation buyback wasn't included in that.

That drove that number up.

Outside of that, everybody else was, was under, on budget or under budget.

Budget with their expenses.

So it was a very, very good year for the budgeted salaries.

96.1% expended, $636,000 surplus for the quarter.

As I mentioned before, the expenses at 96.4%, and that's $872,000.

So again, kudos to our department heads especially from the expense side, not to just spend to spend, but to be cognizant of the expenses that we have, and then also looking for some additional turnback to help provide some additional funding for potential future use and surplus, whether it be stabilization account or municipal capital.

And that's all I have.

Okay.

Very good.

Excellent.

Let's go right into the transfers.

So year-end transfers from MGL Chapter 43B.

You want to go through this, Mr. Cadime?

Uh, yeah, I'll turn it over to Miss Ago.

Yes, so just going down the list, uh, registrar's expense.

This was actually actually a new state requirement that was unexpected.

Um, town clerk has to send out inactivation cards to anyone who hasn't returned their census.

So this is the cost of the cards, the outgoing postage, and the return postage as well.

So this was a new expense, as I said.

The finance director payroll, as Sean said, that was my contract that was renewed during the FY— in the fiscal year.

Town clerk payroll, again, that's Lorraine's part-time to help with transition and coverage.

Police expense, uh, the big ticket item is the fuel cost.

So the last 3 months average was $15,000 versus past years was— I mean, past months was $10,000 a month.

And so that was the biggest cost.

Also, it's the academy.

I believe the chief was expecting lateral hires So he actually got new hires, so those, they had to go into the academy as well as pre-employment exams.

And then also canine expenses we received.

We got a new canine, that's training, vet bills, supplies.

Snow and ice is the remaining expenses from the blizzard that came through.

The streetlight expense is just a pure electricity cost.

It's just the rate.

Veterans payroll, it's a contractual item.

He is eligible, he became eligible for longevity and it wasn't budgeted.

And then insurance is just medical claims and unemployment that came through more than expected.

So you're taking money out of the health insurance account?

Yes, 'cause we have a surplus in that so that I'm just transferring it over.

Now is that legal to do because that is employee employees' money and retirees' money too, is it not?

No, no, no, no, that's us.

That's— we keep trust funds for the employees.

This is the operational budget.

Yeah, this is— yeah, okay.

Yeah, this is all operating.

Yeah, it's coming from— okay, thank you.

So I need a motion to approve these expenditures transferring in and transferring out in the amount of $265,105.

So moved.

Second.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Okay, so ruled.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Let's just get you to sign this so she has a— Thank you.

7.

Okay, thank you.

All right, consider the appointment of KP Loa as town council for a 1-year term per the town charter.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Uh, so per the charter, this is an annual requirement.

So my recommendation to the board, and I did send out an email earlier, would be to appoint KP Loa as town council for a 1-year term, again per the town charter.

Is that on a fiscal year that they work?

Fiscal year, correct.

Okay, motion.

Motion to appoint KP Laws Town Council for a 1-year term per the town charter.

Second.

Second.

Moved and seconded.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Uh, turning over, and we are— Item O, accept the resignation of Carol Ann Days from the position of Assistant Town Administrator, Human Resources Director, effective August 28th, 2026.

Mr.

Pity, uh, excuse me, excuse me, um, just need the board to accept the, uh, 2 resignations that that we typically accept.

Uh, my only comment on— oh, in her letter of resignation, she indicated that her contract requires a 2-month notice.

I know she's moving on to another community.

If she'd like to go earlier, I think we could accommodate that.

Okay, well, I can have a conversation with her.

I know we have a transitional period that we want to go through, that she's dealing with some HR-related issues.

We've got some IOD claims and things of that nature, so we want to make sure that we kind to wrap those up, but we can, we can work with around that.

And so the chair would entertain a motion to accept the resignation of Carolyn Days effective August 28, 2026.

Second.

Second.

Moved and seconded.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Next resignation is of Jeffrey Miller from position of a building commissioner effective July 10th, 2026.

So moved.

Yeah, again, Mr. Melo is moving on, I believe, for another community.

Is there a second?

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Next is to accept the resignation of Timothy Cutler from the position of plumbing and gas inspector effective July 6th, 2026.

So again, I'd entertain a motion to accept that resignation.

So moved.

Second.

Second.

Moved and seconded.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Okay, the next is to discuss— discussion of an Open Meeting Law complaint filed against the select board by Christopher Rizzo, Seekonk Democratic Town Committee.

Dated July 2nd, 2026, received on July 2nd, 2026.

Uh, we should acknowledge receipt of complaint, review and discuss response, and authorize submission of response by town council.

So should I read the entire complaint?

Uh, we've typically done that in the past.

There's no requirement, so it truly is up to the board on how you want to handle it.

I would say if you read the complaint, you should read the response, the draft response, just so we have it on the record.

Okay.

Does the board want me to read it?

You haven't in the past.

It's not required.

Yeah.

No, no.

Okay, so you're good with that, Chris?

Everybody here knows what it is.

Okay, it's up to you guys.

So we do have a draft response from Town Council dated July 8th, and it's addressed to Elizabeth Carnes Flynn, Esquire, Division Director, Division of Open Government, Office of Attorney General, Ashburton Place in Mass., Town of Seacock Select Board, Open Meeting meeting law complaint, Mr. Christopher Rizzo, dated July 2nd— that should be 2025— 2026.

Okay.

Um, dear Miss Carnes-Lynn, please be advised that this office serves as town council to the town of Seekhock.

The town select board— the board is in receipt of an open meeting law complaint sent by Mr. Christopher Rizzo and received by the town On July 2nd, 2026, and in parentheses, the complaint— a copy of the complaint is attached here too.

On July 8th, 2026, uh, the board met at a properly posted meeting to discuss the complaint, which concerns the board's June 24th, 2026 meeting, and consider its response.

The board voted to authorize this office to submit this response on its behalf in accordance with General Law Chapter 38, Section 23.

Well, the complaint makes various allegations against 3 members of the board, specifically the chair Gary Sagar, Robert Archibald, and Elizabeth Dalmatian.

None of the allegations describe or suggest a violation of the Open Meeting Law.

Paragraph 1 concerns a point of order raised by someone attending the June 24th meeting, but the Open Meeting Law does not govern parliamentary procedures at a meeting.

Paragraph 2 refers to inadequate disclosures of Mr. Archambault and Ms. Salmagian and makes allegations purportedly as to conflict of— as to the conflict of interest in our campaign finance laws, but this does not raise any issue under the Open Meeting Law.

Paragraph 3 states the Select Board lacks authority to proceed with approving a design services contract, but again, this clearly raises no issues related to the Open Meeting Law.

In summary, the Select Board submits that the allegations in the complaint do not allege any violations of the Open Meeting Law at its June 24th, 2026 meeting, and the board denies that there were any violations.

No remedial action is required.

Very truly yours, Brian W. Riley, attorney with KP Law.

I think there's only one— yeah, I picked that up— that sentence Oh, I'm sorry, I did the 2026.

Well, yeah, but it says paragraph states that the select board lacks authority to proceed with approving a design of service contract.

That's not, that's not what was alleged in the complaint.

Oh, it was, uh, you have the complaint with you?

Yep.

Yeah, he provided it.

Uh, let's see, as you say that, paragraph 3.

It says right here, finally, the select board doesn't have the authority to perform design— is that what you're reading right here?

Doesn't have the authority to perform design services in accordance with the town meeting vote, Article 10, May 8th, 2023.

They have the authority to direct, but it is not clear that they can perform those actions.

This suggests that the motion that the select board commission a traffic study using the master plan with peer review for the Medeiros Farm project was improper.

Okay.

Okay, so it differs from that last sentence in that— so we need that to— we need that mirror.

Yeah.

Yes, correct.

Yeah, I'll have them take a look at that.

Okay.

Other than that, is everybody satisfied with the letter?

Bob?

Yes.

Yes.

Michael?

Chris?

Okay, so I'd entertain a motion that we adopt the letter from Attorney Riley.

So moved.

With, with the, uh, with the changes.

As the changes.

Yes.

So moved.

Okay, so moved.

Do I have a second?

Mhm.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Okay, consider accepting the open session minute meetings of May 13th, 2026, June 10th, 2026, June 17th, 2026, and then June 24th, 2026.

So I guess we're split on these.

I'll take 2 of them.

Yeah, so I'll make a motion to accept, uh, want to do them individually then?

May 13th, make it easier.

You made a motion, Chris?

Yeah, motion for May 13th.

Second.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Make a motion for the minutes of June 10th.

Second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

June 17th?

I'm abstaining on that, 'cause I wasn't here for that.

June 10th?

For the May— June 10th.

June 10th.

June 10th, okay, you're abstaining, okay.

June 17th and 24th will be mine.

Yep.

Go ahead, Bob.

Did you want to make a motion?

Yes, make a motion to accept the minutes for June 17th.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

And June 24th?

24th.

Make a motion to accept the minutes from June 24th.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

So voted.

Okay, community speaks.

Is there anybody in the community who would like to speak?

All right, sir, you'd like to come up?

Charles Peacham, 127 Allen Avenue.

Uh, obviously, um, could you bring the mic over a little closer to you?

Okay.

Uh, I, I would like Our— I'm a member of Habitat for Humanity in Old Colony Habitat for Humanity.

And Kim would like to— Kim, our executive director, would like to present at the next meeting, get on the agenda to make a presentation to the board.

The 2— there are 2 new members And I believe Chris Zorro was not at the previous presentation.

And so I'm requesting that we get on the agenda for the June 22nd meeting— July 22nd meeting.

July 2nd.

Okay.

Would you— so nope.

Yep.

That also Yeah.

Oh, and will the, will the meeting start at 5?

I, I expected this, today's meeting to start at 6.

Yeah, it'll start at 5.

Yeah.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

Thank you.

Yes.

Good evening.

Doreen Taylor, 101 Forsyth.

I just really like to read a statement into the record.

Um, what I'm about to say may not be welcomed by some, but it is necessary as far as I'm concerned.

It's got to be on record, and it focuses pretty much on the article in the recent Reporter criticizing this board about not following a process.

For those critical of the current select boards for decisions relating to the Madeira Farm project, it is not so important as to what happens next if you do not understand how things began.

Executive session by law has restricted use.

Building a project of this magnitude is not one of them.

Yet on a multitude of occasions, the former select boards did as such when they met as early as 2021 to discuss plans for the property known to many as Lincoln and Elm Street.

Plans in detail including naming the athletic field complex, what was to be historic in value, whether to impose local restrictions such as preserving the buildings for 30 years, parking spaces, ADA compliance, and lighting around the fields.

Also possible field rentals and use of CPC funds for turf.

The public could not read the minutes to these executive sessions in '21, 2021, and 2022 because they were not released until 2025, and that was only due to a FOIA request— mine.

It would seem these discussions not only belonged in open session but would be in the realm of a building committee.

The Madeira's Farm Building Committee had not formed until 2023.

The select board played a deceitful game in portraying this project as a new proposal presented by the CPC chairman with assistance from the former conservation agent at a town meeting.

Of course, people would hear it better coming from CPC in Conservation because the wording itself leads the public to believe in conservation and preserving the land.

It would be pleasing to the ear to know Seacong was actively conserving land and preserving history.

Jump ahead to the town meeting and creating the building committee.

One member chosen from various boards and committees were to be appointed by the select board to begin planning.

Those members were not formally appointed like all others by the select board as written in the article.

Town Council says the article was legal.

It was not.

According to our bylaws, the Board of Selectmen were the appointing authority.

And yet, after the select board representative was no longer on the board, the ensuing or following select board decided to retain the individual's services by a vote of 4 to 1.

Mr. Sagar was against.

The chairwoman at the time in open session claims the article was subject to interpretation.

Ask yourselves, who creates and votes on the warrant prior to presenting it to town meeting?

One, it's reviewed by town council, and 2, it's the select board.

So after the fact, it was determined to be interpretive.

And they decided to keep a former member on the building committee.

Wrong move.

Not with— not what was voted on at town meeting.

There is, there is so much more to this backwards project.

For instance, the select board giving authority to the CPC chairman to negotiate the purchase of the property without a vote and open session.

After reading through the minutes, there was never a vote taken in executive session either.

I still don't know how that came to pass.

There is policy for acquiring real estate.

It's number 14 on your scorecard.

You can look it up.

Administration and/or any selectman in attendance attendance at those executive session meetings could have said they objected to those discussions, but no one did.

Why?

Clearly, the minutes indicate, aside from negotiations, those discussions were inappropriate for that forum.

Deciding on CPC money for the purchase should also have been discussed and voted on on, but it never was.

When the newest board appointed a replacement representative to the building committee in accordance with the original 2023 warrant article, the vote was 3-2.

Mr. Zorra and Mr. Healy were against.

Why, if that's what the people wanted?

If the select board If the select board or the school committee wants the support of the public for major ticket items such as this one and upcoming school projects, the suggestion is to be open and let the public you all serve have the same information you have so they can vote with a clear conscience and know that we're following the law.

When citizens stand before you with viable concerns and questions the— and question the process, do not treat them like it's none of their business.

Do not label someone as spreading misinformation when in fact it was spot on.

Do not claim someone only hears what they want to hear when there is documentation backing the question.

Questions.

Past boards have done that from 2021 until now, 2026, and it stops now with confidence in a new board to do the right thing and abide by our bylaws and charter as written.

Until I am dead and buried, I will not stop asking questions of town administration school administration, the select board, or the school committee.

The advice I offer is to play nice.

The open meeting law that I filed— uh, complaint that I filed in December of 2025 is not closed.

It is still open, and I am waiting anxiously for a decision.

Just because town council gave an extremely strange response to it doesn't mean that it will close.

Thank you.

If anybody wants to see minutes, a timeline that I put together for the project, I'd be more than happy to share it.

Before I filed that Open Meeting Law complaint I wrote an extensive email to then Chairwoman Hines with a copy to Mr. Healy, and I got no response from anybody.

You can't disregard townspeople when they have a concern or a question, even if you're against them or what they're asking.

We all contribute to the operations of this town.

We deserve the attention and not rude attention.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anybody else that would like to speak during Community Speaks?

Anyone else?

I would actually— actually, I'd say that was a great presentation by Doreen.

If you want to say something, sir, come up here.

Yeah, please.

Ken Kazarian, 12th County Court.

I just want to thank Doreen for putting that out there because I was part of that crew that got ignored while I was asking those questions.

I mean, I just want to address last week's or 2 weeks ago's meeting.

Mr. Zorra, Mr. Healy voted for the Madeiras Farm.

I just want to know, what basis did you vote for?

What research have you done?

I've asked this question before.

What research have you done to say this belongs— we need this project?

$16 million project.

I mean, tell the public.

Tell— you're on— we're on TV.

Tell the public why we need to spend $16 million over there for, for this project.

We're going to get into the pockets of the— of these, uh, our constituents here.

Why?

For What research, what evidence do you have that we needed that field over there to spend that kind of money?

Does anybody have an answer?

There was a master plan that said they needed more fields.

No, the master plan, open space and recreation.

It was just reviewed probably 6 years ago, I think it was.

The open space and recreation report did not say that.

It surveyed 640 people and there was no need for any more recreation fields.

Fields.

It said take care of what we have.

Parks and Rec says it all the time, fields are being overloaded, they needed more fields.

There's a lot of things that say that.

There was a special interest group that wanted this so they could have tournaments and expand the leagues.

Didn't belong in the middle of a residential neighborhood.

It went to the vote of the people.

The people voted on— they still didn't know what it was gonna— the people didn't know what it was gonna cost.

There It was right in the minutes of the meeting of the committee, the Medeiros Farm Committee.

Don't talk about the cost.

And that went before the meeting.

People had no idea.

People to this day think that Medeiros Farm was given to us for free.

We paid $2 million for it, which was about $1 million too much.

The property had covenants on it.

It couldn't be anything else but open space.

It couldn't be sold to developers.

All right, so I don't know who made those decisions, but they were wrong.

And I ask again, what research are you guys voting on to say that this is something that the town needs?

Explain it to us.

We don't understand it.

I mean, how can you vote?

The people didn't know what it was going to cost.

Nobody looked into the maintenance of the thing.

You just saw with the, with the, um, with the baseball, was it, was it $29,000 of recreation fields to maintain?

$79,000.

What do you think, you know, those acreage of, of manicured fields are going to cost?

Did anybody think about that before they brought it to the town?

And just to vote yes, let's spend, let's, you know, spend this money.

We don't need it.

The recreation report says we don't need it.

Fix what we have.

Anyway, good job, Doreen.

Nobody has an answer on why they voted that way though, right?

I'd love to know.

So would the rest of the town.

I think there's a lot of other projects this town needs besides that.

Anyway, thank you very much.

Thank you.

Anyone else want to speak?

Last chance.

Anyone else?

Okay, moving on.

Other business.

Discuss other topics not reasonably anticipated by the chair 48 hours before the meeting.

We have none that I'm aware of.

All right, uh, town administrator's report.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I did send out an email, uh, just shortly ago before the meeting, uh, with the project schedule for Arcade Ave for the for the board members to review.

This week, Lynch has been working on the areas that do not require the approval of order of conditions from Conservation Commission.

So they've been removing the asphalt sidewalks and the berms.

Next week, they'll be moving to a 2-man crew— 2 crews.

And then Monday, Conservation will be having a meeting which hopefully will have the approval of the order of conditions, and then they'll be able to do all the work right through the roadway So next week we'll get into the heavier construction portions of the project.

And then final update, just a reminder to the board, we will be doing the closing of 911 Taunton Ave. on July 16th.

Is that all?

That's all I have.

Okay.

Councilmember Lauren is all set, I believe.

TV9 liaison report?

All right, so we met last Tuesday the 30th, so some of this information is kind of old, but the director Kevin gives a report, so I'll go through the report.

So March 12th, they covered a citizens debate for the select board candidates.

The debate was produced and moderated by Paul Buckley.

On March 19th, they did a meet the candidates program very similar to the previous one that was directed and moderated by Michael Dressel.

On April 20th, 20th, they covered the Seekonk Lions Club 14th Annual Fishing Derby at Grissom Pond.

April 24th, they covered Mike Durkee's town meeting information session that took place at the Seekonk Senior Center, and they broadcast it live on Channel 96.

On April 30th, they had Michael Durkee and Sean Kadeem record a TV meeting warrant review video where they went through each and every one of the warrant audits to, to help out people understand what was going on with town meeting.

May 11th, they recorded and broadcast the annual spring town meeting at the high school.

Out of the 11 years working here at TV9, according to Kevin, that had been the least stressful, easiest town meeting we've ever put together in Ventro.

So I will say that's good because a lot of work's gone into making sure the upgrades at the high school work and they work properly.

So it looks like everything went well there.

23rd.

They covered the, the Memorial Day Parade, uh, that took place, and also the Seacunt Veterans Memorial Day at the park.

Um, other business, uh, Aukers came into Town Hall to install the equipment that was purchased on September 2nd, uh, 2025.

The equipment that was installed at Town Hall were 8, uh, desktop gooseneck condenser microphones.

10 were purchased in case of an emergency, uh, backup.

A new audio mixer, additional recorder with a 256-gigabyte memory card and a shelving rack.

Our inventory account shortly has been updated within the tonal equipment upgrades.

The week after the installments, during the recording of the Broadcast Select Board meeting, we noticed a slight feedback noise in our audio system.

Caroline and I did a process of elimination to determine that one of the new microphones was faulty.

Luckily, they had a spare.

They swapped it out, and I believe They're waiting for it to be shipped back to them because it was under warranty, I believe.

And if I misspoke, I'm sure someone will correct me.

Correct?

It went back, right?

That's what I thought.

There was a discussion during the meeting by Michael Dressler.

He'd like to try to put together like a public safety service announcement.

I think he's going to reach out to the police chief and the fire chief and do a show about lithium batteries.

Um, and the dangers of lithium batteries.

So that might be coming out soon.

I don't know how he's moving along with that, but— and then we jumped into their PEG funding report for the year.

So, uh, first meeting in August, according to our agreement, they have to produce an annual report.

So because they only got money for partial, partial year last year from November to June, the question came up— so they have a 6-month month one done, which goes from June 30th, '24 to 10/31/25, I believe.

The money that was given to them, the expense.

During our discussion, they wanted to know, does the board want a current one up to date with the, with the most current 6 months?

So from 11/25 to June 30th, '26.

So when they present it to us, do you guys want— it's going to have a sheet like this, so it'll have 2 sides to it.

This is the, the original budget they got, and then they will add what they— where they're at today, right up to June 30th.

Does the board want that?

They're going to have it available.

It's good.

I think they're going to do— Michael's going to try to do it on a screen, if I remember the conversation correctly.

Um, he'll also have an itemized spreadsheet if you— anybody wants to see exactly what they pay every single month, where all the money goes.

Okay, so the breakdown will be there.

Um, so I'm just asking the question because they did ask me to ask So they're prepared for the meeting in August.

So if you guys want to have both, you just want to have the budget that was already presented to them and what they've expended, and then, or do you want to compare it to what they have, like the 2?

I wouldn't mind having both.

Okay, all right, so we'll make sure that they have both.

Okay, they might present just the first one, then they'll show us the money they got in November through June.

That's fine.

Okay, just so, and then I think that was about it.

There was a brief discussion about the use of Channel 97, which I think we need to discuss at some point, but since it's not on the agenda, I don't want to bring it up, okay?

I think that's it.

I don't think I missed anything today.

Doreen, I didn't miss anything, did I?

No, we are contractually obligated to give the short version of the budget.

That point, but adding the other 2, that was discussed and offered.

And if you want to see the other pages, that's fine too.

Okay.

Bristol County Advisory Board, nothing to report.

Still nothing.

They're a little slow over there.

Really?

They'll get it.

They'll get it.

Well, it's already past the fiscal year, so the commissioners meet, but we don't meet too often.

Yeah.

Yeah, Madeira's Farm committee report, uh, nothing, just the traffic study that's pending, and we don't— you gave us an update on that, so yeah, that's it.

Okay, select board, we'll start with Mr. Healy.

You have anything?

Uh, no.

Chris?

Nothing.

Liz?

Um, I'd like to discuss the Brown Ave situation again next week, I will bring copies of an email, photos that I received of the racing that goes on after hours there.

You mean next meeting, or we could do it the next— yeah, I mean, you said, you said next week.

I'm sorry, next meeting.

Okay, I apologize.

Um, I was gonna say you'd be here a long time.

Yeah, no, yeah, no, just want to make sure.

No, they're pretty— he had mentioned, this resident had mentioned in the past that there's racing that goes on after, like at night, and the skid marks on Brown Ave prove it, and it's pretty bad.

So if we could discuss that again at the next meeting.

Do you mind sending me the photos so I can send them to the chief?

I'll send you the photos, absolutely, yeah.

That's all?

That's it.

Bob?

Nothing.

Nothing.

Uh, one item for tonight, Mr. Cadime.

I'd like you to schedule another meeting with Wheeler School.

Yep.

And if they're not going to be willing to step up to the plate, then I want to make sure we have enough time that if we so choose to maybe bring to town meeting a home rule petition.

Do you want to do— you want to do the 22nd or you want to do an August meeting?

Oh, 22nd.

20 seconds.

20 seconds.

See if they're agreeable.

All right.

Speaking of Wheeler School, the board did a walkthrough of Wheeler a month ago.

You guys didn't know about it?

I wasn't invited.

How about after the fact?

You didn't invite us.

Let me at least— it was, it was It was just— it was internal, and then, uh, it was the chair, and then it was the fire chief, police chief, uh, Parks and Rec.

I would have invited you all, Chris.

Well, I was only there because of the Majerus Farm, um, thing, but you didn't miss much.

Just a salad, and the lunch was cut-up chicken that like was cubed already.

It could have come out of a bag, but we won't talk about it.

Chris, the lobster is overcooked, by the way.

Excuse me.

Sounds healthy.

Yeah, it was very healthy.

That's why the police chief was scarfing down cookies right afterwards.

All right, so if that's all on the regular business, um, are we going to reconvene in open session?

Uh, no, no, no.

Oh, actually, yes.

I'm sorry, yes.

Okay, the chair would entertain a motion that we suspend the open session to go into executive session to reconvene an open session for potential contract approvals.

All right, item A, conduct a strategy session with respect to negotiations with the United Steel Supervisors Unit, Local 9517-09, per Mass General Law Chapter 30A and 21A3, as having the discussion in open session would be detrimental to the litigation or bargaining position of the town.

Item B, to conduct a strategy session with respect to negotiations with the United Steelworkers Clerical Unit Local 9517-10 per MGL Chapter 30A, Section 21A, Section 3, as having the discussion in open session would be detrimental to the litigation of position of the town.

C, to conduct strategy sessions with respect to negotiations with the Seacock Firefighters Union, IAFF Local 1931, per MGL Chapter 30A, Section 21A, Section 3, as having the discussion in open session would be detrimental to the litigation or bargaining position of the town.

Another, to conduct the strategy sessions with respect to negotiations with the Seekonk Public Library Employee Association, MLSA, AFT Massachusetts, AFL-CIO Local 4928 per MGL Section 30A-21A-3, as having the discussion in open session would be detrimental to litigation or bargaining position of the town.

To discuss strategy with respect to litigation pursuant subsequent to MGL 38-21A3, Gowrie Claim Services claim number PO2820250159, is having the discussion in open session would be detrimental to the litigation or bargaining positions of the town.

And then the last item is to consider the approval of executive session minutes of June 24, 2023.

So moved at 6:36.

Is there a second?

Second.

Oh, roll call vote.

Mr. Archambault?

Aye.

Robert Archibald?

Aye.

Elizabeth Belnagian?

Aye.

Chris Avili?

Aye.

Chris Orr?

Aye.

Gary Segar?

Aye.

Okay, thank you, folks.