The Fall River City Council voted to approve a $6,883,400 loan order for renovations, repairs, and maintenance on the Third Street Parking Garage during its regular meeting on August 11, 2026. After a brief discussion regarding the project’s timeline—expected to finish by November 2026—the council initially adopted the loan order 7-0 in the absence of Councilor Paul B. Hart. Following Hart’s return to the chamber, councilors voted to reconsider and unanimously adopted the loan order 8-0.
In executive business, the council confirmed the appointment of Ann O’Neil-Souza as City Administrator at an annual salary of $145,000, effective August 17, 2026. Councilor Andrew J. Raposo questioned whether the Chief of Staff position vacated by O’Neil-Souza would remain funded, with Council President Cliff A. Ponte noting that the role is vacant but funded in the Fiscal Year 2027 budget. The confirmation passed 7-0, with Councilor Shawn E. Cadime abstaining and Councilor Christopher M. Peckham, Sr. absent.
The council also passed several traffic ordinances and orders, including adopting an emergency preamble and ordaining new handicapped parking spaces across multiple streets. Additionally, the council voted to adopt an order establishing a temporary, one-year Ad-Hoc School Transportation Committee and approved a resolution by Councilor Raposo requesting the Committee on Ordinances to convene with Corporation Counsel Alan Rumsey regarding noise pollution amendments. A proposed resolution submitted on behalf of Councilor Peckham to examine population estimates was granted leave to withdraw on a 7-1 vote.
Key actions
- Confirmed the appointment of Ann O’Neil-Souza as City Administrator (7-0, 1 abstention)
- Accepted and placed on file a communication from Corporation Counsel Alan Rumsey requesting reconsideration of a petition for a Zoning Map amendment (8-0)
- Accepted and placed on file a letter from Council President Cliff A. Ponte to MassDOT regarding the Route 79/Davol Street Corridor redevelopment (8-0)
- Accepted and placed on file an update regarding the demolition of the former Police Station on Bedford Street (8-0)
- Referred Traffic Commission recommendations to the Committee on Ordinances and Legislation (8-0)
- Adopted emergency preamble and passed to be ordained a proposed ordinance inserting handicapped parking on Cherry Street, Palmer Street, Plain Street, St. Mary’s Street, and Tripp Street (8-0)
- Passed through first reading a proposed ordinance removing handicapped parking on Third Street, Hunter Street, Mason Street, Pine Street, South Beach Street, South Bacon Street, and Washington Street (8-0)
- Adopted an order establishing a temporary one-year Ad-Hoc School Transportation Committee (8-0)
- Adopted a resolution requesting the Committee on Ordinances and Legislation convene with Corporation Counsel regarding noise pollution code amendments (8-0)
- Voted to grant leave to withdraw to a resolution requesting the Committee on Finance discuss population estimates (7-1)
- Accepted and placed on file citations for Michael Crane, Divina Grossman, Brandon Gomes, Scott and Monique Lopes, Giuliana Madeira, and Brian Levesque (8-0)
- Approved an auto body shop license for Zaibak Salem Alzaibak, d/b/a Auto Genie LLC at 235 John Street (8-0)
- Approved jointly owned pole location order for Massachusetts Electric Company and Verizon New England on South Bacon Street (8-0)
- Approved curb removal order for Nelson Cabral at 89 McDonald Street (8-0)
- Approved auto body license renewal for Fausto Ortiz d/b/a Auto Rally Inc. at 1033 Pleasant Street (8-0)
- Approved auto repair shop license renewals for Fausto Ortiz and Pablo Dayvid Rodrigues Silvia (8-0)
- Approved Police Chief’s report on licenses for taxicab drivers and private livery drivers and vehicles (8-0)
- Referred eleven claims to Corporation Counsel (8-0)
- Accepted and placed on file a citizen communication regarding taxicab companies (8-0)
- Referred an Open Meeting Law complaint filed by Collin R. Dias to Corporation Counsel (8-0)
- Approved a structure over a public way application for Motta Auto Repair and Service at 830 Globe Street (8-0)
- Approved election banner applications for South Main Street and Pleasant Street (8-0)
- Voted to deny an election banner application for Bedford Street (8-0)
- Approved drainlayer license application for Farland Corp. Inc. (8-0)
- Adopted an order for a $6,883,400 loan for repairs, renovations, and maintenance of the Third Street Parking Garage (8-0)
- Adopted a resolution for the Committee on Public Works and Transportation to convene regarding Arruda Lane access road conditions (8-0)
How each councilor voted
| Motion | Ponte | Cadime | Camara | Canuel | Dionne | Hart | Peckham | Pereira | Raposo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Confirm appointment of Ann O’Neil-Souza as City Administrator (Approved 7-0) | Y | A | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Accept and place on file communication from Corporation Counsel requesting reconsideration of Zoning Map Amendment (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Accept and place on file letter from City Council President to MassDOT re: Route 79/Davol Street Corridor redevelopment (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Accept and place on file communication re: former Police Station on Bedford Street (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Refer Traffic Commission recommendations to Committee on Ordinances and Legislation (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Adopt emergency preamble for Proposed Ordinance – Traffic, Handicapped Parking (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Pass Proposed Ordinance – Traffic, Handicapped Parking through first reading, second reading, enrollment, and ordainment (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Pass Proposed Ordinance – Traffic, Miscellaneous (Handicapped parking removals) through first reading (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Adopt Order – Creation of an Ad-Hoc School Transportation Committee (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Adopt Resolution – Committee on Ordinances and Legislation convene with Corporation Counsel re: Noise (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Grant leave to withdraw to Resolution re: Committee on Finance discuss current population estimates (Approved 7-1) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | — | Y | Y |
| Take items 11 through 16 together (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Accept and place on file Citations (items 11 through 16) (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Adopt order for Auto Body Shop License for Zaibak Salem Alzaibak, 235 John Street (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Adopt order for Jointly Owned Pole Location on South Bacon Street (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Adopt order for Curb Removal at 89 McDonald Street (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Adopt order for Auto Body License Renewal for Fausto Ortiz, 1033 Pleasant Street (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Adopt order for Auto Repair Shop License Renewals (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Adopt order for Police Chief’s Report on Licenses (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Refer Claims to Corporation Counsel (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Accept and place on file communication re: taxicab companies (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Refer Open Meeting Law complaint filed by Collin Dias to Corporation Counsel (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Approve application for structure over a public way at 830 Globe Street (Motta Auto Repair) (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Approve election banner applications for South Main Street and Pleasant Street (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Deny election banner application for Bedford Street (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Approve drainlayer license application for Farland Corp. Inc. (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Adopt Loan Order – Repairs, renovations and maintenance of Third Street Parking Garage ($6,883,400.00) (Initial vote) (Approved 7-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | — | Y | Y |
| Reconsider vote on Loan Order for Third Street Parking Garage (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Adopt Loan Order – Repairs, renovations and maintenance of Third Street Parking Garage ($6,883,400.00) (Final vote) (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
| Adopt Resolution – Committee on Public Works and Transportation convene re: Arruda Lane access road conditions (Approved 8-0) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | — | Y | Y |
Y = yes · N = no · A = abstained · P = present · — = absent. Votes the minutes do not record individually are inferred from the result and the attendance roll.