The Fall River City Council meeting consisted of a public hearing, a Committee on Finance meeting, and a full council session. The public hearing addressed several routine curb removal requests and a license for a secondhand trading card store. The Committee on Finance meeting began with a citation presented by Councilor Peckham to Jeffrey Sarnecki for his volunteer work supporting veterans. During citizens’ input, Ian Tompkins discussed his proposal to rezone a neighborhood to A-2 to allow for a 5-family home at 450 Cambridge Street, while Alex Silva of the Preservation Society raised concerns about the city bypassing its own ordinances in the emergency demolition of the historic Central Police Station at 158 Bedford Street. A lengthy discussion was held on the city’s residential solid waste and recycling contract, focusing on the administration’s decision for a short-term two-year contract, the estimated $5.086 million collection cost, and a proposed ordinance to cease collection for properties with more than four units. The committee tabled the resolution for further information.
The main event of the full council meeting was the contentious debate over the July continuing appropriation budget. The council first rejected and withdrew an old $1.4 million appropriation for fire salaries, replacing it with a new one funded from unexpended departmental balances. The council then rejected the revised July continuing budget in a series of votes (failing 4-4, then passing 6-2 after reconsideration) due to the administration’s and Corporation Counsel’s opinion that the school department’s budget was already funded, despite the council having previously voted for a $0 appropriation. Councilors argued this left the school department without a legal budget. The council also referred a controversial zoning amendment petition to the planning board, which failed on a 4-4 vote, and referred an ordinance on solid waste collection back to committee for amendments. Several other ordinances, appointments, and resolutions were passed, including a $6.88 million loan order for the 3rd Street parking garage which was referred to finance.
Topics discussed
- 0:36 · Public Hearing Opening and Closing
The council voted to open and later close the public hearing portion of the meeting. - 0:36 · Motion to open public hearing. — passed
Motion to open public hearing. - 0:44 · Curb Removal Request – 677 Meridian Street
A hearing was held for Timothy Long’s request to extend a curb opening. The work was noted as having been done prior to receiving a permit. - 1:54 · Curb Removal Request – 46 Bowen Street
A hearing was held for Glenn J. Hathaway’s request to add a 16-foot curb opening. - 2:32 · Curb Removal Request – 840 Rodman Street
A hearing was held for Joshua Rodriks’ request to extend an existing curb opening by 7 feet. - 3:02 · Secondhand Store License – 1665 South Main Street
A hearing was held for Connor Vendellucci’s request to operate Decked Out Trading Cards LLC as a secondhand article store. - 3:31 · Motion to close public hearing. — passed
Motion to close public hearing. - 3:52 · Motion to adjourn the public hearing. — passed
Motion to adjourn the public hearing. - 5:14 · Citation for Jeffrey Sarnecki
Councilor Peckham presented a citation to Jeffrey Sarnecki, a veteran, recognizing his extensive volunteer work supporting other veterans in the community. - 7:45 · Zoning Amendment Proposal for Cambridge Street Area
Resident Ian Tompkins spoke during citizens’ input about his petition to rezone a neighborhood from R-4 to A-2 to allow for the conversion of his property at 450 Cambridge Street into a 5-family home. - 14:48 · Demolition of Former Central Police Station
Alex Silva of the Preservation Society of Fall River criticized the city for bypassing its own demolition delay ordinance for the historic police station at 158 Bedford Street and questioned the basis for the emergency demolition determination. - 17:54 · Residential Solid Waste and Recycling Contract
A detailed discussion on the city’s trash contract, covering the rationale for a short 2-year term, collection costs of over $5 million, disposal fees, waste diversion efforts, and a controversial ordinance to eliminate service for buildings with more than 4 units. The resolution was tabled. - 17:54 · Motion to table the resolution on residential solid waste and recycling collection. — tabled
Motion to table the resolution on residential solid waste and recycling collection. - 43:56 · Bulk Item Pickup and Fees
Councilors discussed allowing commercial properties to pay for bulk item disposal at the Lewiston Street facility and the need to revise the fee structure to ensure the city does not lose money. - 50:05 · Ordinance on Solid Waste (4+ Unit Buildings)
An ordinance to cease municipal trash collection for buildings with 5 or more units was referred back to committee to explore potential exceptions for properties that produce low amounts of trash. - 51:37 · Harvard Pilot Program for Trash
It was announced that the Harvard pilot program for trash was being terminated as it was determined to have no benefit. - 1:32:34 · July Continuing Appropriation Budget (1/12 Budget)
A contentious and lengthy debate occurred over the 1/12 budget. The council ultimately rejected the administration’s proposal because it lacked an appropriation for the school department, despite a legal opinion stating the school budget was already approved. - 1:33:17 · PEG Access and Cable Related Fund
The council discussed establishing a special revenue fund for PEG access fees as required by state law. A concern was raised about the effective date based on DLS guidelines, leading to the appropriation being tabled. - 1:35:48 · Opioid Settlement Fund Appropriation
The council considered and approved a transfer of $331,636.27 from the Opioid Stabilization Fund to the Opioid Settlement Revolving Fund. - 1:36:22 · Fire Department Salaries Appropriation
A $1.4 million transfer from various unexpended FY26 accounts was discussed to cover a deficit in fire salaries, stemming from increased minimum manning after the Gabriel House fire. The sustainability of the new firefighter positions was also debated. - 1:56:55 · Motion to adjourn the Committee on Finance meeting. — passed
Motion to adjourn the Committee on Finance meeting. - 1:58:27 · Grant leave to withdraw an appropriation of $1,400,000 from FY25 surplus revenue to fire salaries. — approved
Grant leave to withdraw an appropriation of $1,400,000 from FY25 surplus revenue to fire salaries. - 1:59:19 · Confirm the reappointment of Joyce Rodricks to the Historical Commission. — approved
Confirm the reappointment of Joyce Rodricks to the Historical Commission. - 1:59:29 · Historical Commission Reappointments
The council confirmed the reappointments of Joyce Rodricks and Maria Connie Sewell to the Historical Commission. - 1:59:29 · Confirm the reappointment of Maria Connie Sewell to the Historical Commission. — approved
Confirm the reappointment of Maria Connie Sewell to the Historical Commission. - 1:59:49 · Reject the original July continuing appropriation budget order (Item 3A). — passed
Reject the original July continuing appropriation budget order (Item 3A). - 2:07:00 · Approve the revised July continuing appropriation budget (Item 3B). — failed
Approve the revised July continuing appropriation budget (Item 3B). - 2:07:06 · Reject the revised July continuing appropriation budget (Item 3B). — passed
Reject the revised July continuing appropriation budget (Item 3B). - 2:49:06 · Accept the PEG Access and Cable Related Special Revenue Fund. — passed
Accept the PEG Access and Cable Related Special Revenue Fund. - 2:49:06 · Table the appropriation from the PEG Access and Cable Related Fund. — tabled
Table the appropriation from the PEG Access and Cable Related Fund. - 2:49:39 · Adopt the order establishing spending limits for revolving funds for FY2027. — passed
Adopt the order establishing spending limits for revolving funds for FY2027. - 2:49:40 · Revolving Funds Spending Limits
The CFO presented the balances and proposed FY27 spending limits for various city revolving funds, which were later approved by the council. - 2:49:52 · Adopt the order appropriating $331,636.27 to the Opioid Settlement Revolving Fund. — passed
Adopt the order appropriating $331,636.27 to the Opioid Settlement Revolving Fund. - 2:50:25 · Authorize the loan order for the 3rd Street parking garage to be published and referred to the Committee on Finance. — referred
Authorize the loan order for the 3rd Street parking garage to be published and referred to the Committee on Finance. - 2:50:28 · 3rd Street Parking Garage Loan Order
A loan order for $6,883,400 for repairs to the 3rd Street parking garage was introduced. Councilors questioned why preliminary work had begun before the funding was approved, highlighting process concerns. - 2:57:21 · Refer the proposed ordinance on solid waste collection back to the Committee on Ordinances and Legislation. — referred
Refer the proposed ordinance on solid waste collection back to the Committee on Ordinances and Legislation. - 3:00:04 · Pass the ordinance amending the salary schedule for the Director of Health and Human Services through second reading. — failed
Pass the ordinance amending the salary schedule for the Director of Health and Human Services through second reading. - 3:00:51 · Department Head Contract Renewal Authority
The council adopted a resolution to have the Ordinance Committee draft an ordinance clarifying the council’s authority to approve or reject renewals of department head contracts for terms less than three years. - 3:04:06 · School Transportation Committee
The council adopted a resolution to explore creating an ad hoc committee with the administration and school department to improve communication and planning for school transportation costs. - 3:06:32 · Stafford Plaza Flooding
The council adopted a resolution to convene a Public Safety meeting with city, state, and federal officials to address the long-standing and severe flooding issues at Stafford Plaza. - 3:10:25 · State Earmark Funding
A resolution was adopted urging the state legislature to restore full funding for earmarks for a sensory playground, the Veterans Kitchen, and the Council on Aging, which had been reduced to $10,000 each. - 3:21:13 · AEDs in City Parks
The council adopted a resolution to have the Public Safety committee discuss the feasibility, cost, and logistics of installing Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in all city parks. - 3:36:42 · Adopt the appropriation of $1,400,000 from various accounts to fire salaries. — passed
Adopt the appropriation of $1,400,000 from various accounts to fire salaries. - 3:37:08 · Refer the petition for a zoning map amendment for the Braden-Warren Corridor to the planning board. — failed
Refer the petition for a zoning map amendment for the Braden-Warren Corridor to the planning board. - 3:43:11 · Salary Ordinances
The council passed ordinances on second reading and final ordination for salary schedules for department heads and political appointments. An ordinance for the Director of Health and Human Services failed on a 4-4 vote.