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Kevin Dumas

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Dumas Signs Letter to Obama on Guns

The letter calls for the president to put forward an agenda "that will make it harder for dangerous people to possess guns, and easier for police and prosecutors to crack down on them."

Attleboro Mayor Kevin Dumas was among more than 750 American mayors to sign a letter submitted Wednesday to President Barack Obama urging him to get tougher on gun control in the United States. The letter from a group called Mayors Against Illegal Guns features lead signatures from Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "Together, we urge you to put forward an agenda that is rooted in common sense and that will make it harder for dangerous people to possess guns, and easier for police and prosecutors to crack down on them," the letter states. The mayors urge Obama to create an agenda on guns that includes: Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone …

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Jonathan Friedman

8:41 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012

Ted's comment has been deleted. Ted, if you have proof of the allegations about which you wrote, please give it to me, and I'll look into it. Perhaps there is a story there. This thread has gone way off-course. If you have an opinion on gun control or specifically the letter signed by Kevin Dumas, feel free to post about it. This is not a thread to discuss whether or not you like the Attleboro …   more ›

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Councilors Spar over Revising Attleboro Laws

Councilor Shannon Heagney wants a committee to review the city's ordinances for possible revision. Council President Frank Cook says he needs to talk to the mayor about that first.

A proposal for a City Council committee to review Attleboro's ordinances and determine if any could be removed because they are out of date or conflict with state laws turned into a 30-minute debate Tuesday night between two councilors. Councilors Shannon Heagney and Jeremy Denlea proposed that a council subcommittee review the municipal laws for possible changes. Usually when a councilor makes a proposal, Council President Frank Cook determines which committee (whether it be an existing one or a new one) should review it in preparation for a possible recommendation to the full council. However, this time he said he wanted to refer the item to the city's administration, which means Mayor Kevin Dumas and Budget and Administration Director …

Jerry Chase

4:05 pm on Sunday, March 10, 2013

The rationale presented by F. Cook makes about as much sense as trying to make a parachute out of concrete! The irony is that when I started my term on the Council in Jan., '08, it was Brian Kirby who urged me to pursue such a project . . . without the least suggestion that I consult with anyone other than fellow Ordinance committee members. Frank's irrational "defense" is "the emperor with no …   more ›

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Councilor to Host Meeting on Landfill

The session will take place at Bristol Community College on Sept. 19.

Attleboro's Ward 4 residents will learn more about the plan to cap the landfill on Peckham Street, at least from the point of view of City Councilor Jonathan Weydt, at a session planned for Sept. 19 at the local Bristol Community College campus. Weydt represents Ward 4, an area where thousands of trucks would travel six days a week over a three- to four-year period if a version of the capping plan approved by Mayor Kevin Dumas (it is the only version known to feature his signature, but he recently said it's not his first choice) becomes a reality. Weydt recently criticized the plan in a commentary that appeared on Patch. Dumas called the piece "political grandstanding." "This meeting will provide us with the information on a proposal …

Roxanne Houghton

4:32 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Correction: It is 650 THOUSAND cubic yards of contaminated waste slated to come to Attleboro. Also it is 70.5 MILLION already spent to clean up that area - tax dollars Oh....and regarding the Holden St. area......think of your air quality with 35-70 18 wheelers cranking and sitting in front of your homes fron 7-4:30 - 6 days per week. Dont you like to breathe? Think of what the color of the …   more ›

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Mayor Proposes 2 Percent Increase to Budget

Kevin Dumas' plan includes higher costs for water and trash services.

Attleboro residents would see no reduction in city services, but have to pay more for trash pick-up and water in Mayor Kevin Dumas' $125.7 million spending plan for fiscal year 2012-13, which begins July 1. Dumas presented the proposed municipal budgets to the City Council during a rare Friday evening meeting. The proposal includes $110.2 million for the general government budget (2.11 percent increase from 2011-12), $6.3 million for water service (2.32 percent decrease) and $9.2 million for wastewater service (2.38 percent decrease). Dumas' plan calls for the cost of annual trash service to go up $5.68 and for a a 50-cent hike on bag fees. This would be the first increase in four years. Dumas told the council it was needed because of "…

Jerry Chase

11:30 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012

Note that the infamous "Indirect Costs" in both water and wastewater (sewer) are about 14% of their entire budgets. This is too high. "Indirect Costs" are a means, an accounting sleight-of-hand, to charge certain expenses---some dubious---to the water and/or wastewater accounts. Because these two 'enterprise' accounts are NOT limited by the Prop. 2 1/2 law, such accounting transfers create more …   more ›

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

In Inaugural Address, Dumas Highlights Accomplishments, Looks Toward Future

Mayor's speech highlighted Inauguration for City and School Elected Officials

  "Doing more with less" was a sentiment Mayor Kevin J. Dumas touted in his fifth inaugural address Tuesday night in the Attleboro High School Auditorium. "The past eight years have proven to be a tremendous challenge - yet with many great rewards," Dumas said. ".. We continue to move forward in these tough economic times." Dumas' address took place during an inauguration ceremony for city and school officials. The night was packed with celebration and entertainment including performances by the Attleboro High School Color Guard, Police Honor Guard, Attleboro High School Marching Band and choir, the Attleboro High School jazz band and Saint John The Evangelist Choir. The various Attleboro High School musical groups made Superintendent of …

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

VIDEO: Candidates Plead With Attleboro Residents to Get Out and Vote

Voter turnout was slow on Tuesday morning and early afternoon.

After many debates and months of campaining candidate in Attleboro's Mayoral, City Council and School Committee election all agree on one thing–to get voters of Attleboro to polling locations to cast their votes.  Signs were peppered throughout the city as reminders to get Attleboro residents to one of the city's six polling locations.  Ward 6 Elk's Lodge #1014 887 South Main St. (Rt. 152) Attleboro, MA 02703

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Letter to Editor

Red Sox and Use of City Hall to Blame for Debate Snafu

Debate organizers say playoffs and permissions got in the way of debate planning.

To clarify the facts of the proposed debate between Mayoral Candidates. Mike Kirby (editor of The Sun Chronicle) and myself have been communicating for sometime about the Mayoral debate being sponsored by the Sun Chronicle and the United Regional Chamber of Commerce. Historically, the Sun Chronicle and the Chamber of Commerce have co-sponsored a Mayoral debate for many, many years. When the original discussions started about a date for the debate, the concern was if the Red Sox made it to the playoffs and we scheduled the debate for a night that they scheduled one of the playoff games, we would not have many people attend or watch the debate. When the Red Sox did not make the playoffs, I started the process of reserving the City Council …

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Letter to Editor

When and Where to Debate, a Point of Contention Between Candidates for Mayor

Mayor Kevin Dumas is asking his opponent for Mayor, Ronald Churchill to commit to "several substantive debates."

To The Editor: In the Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011 Sun Chronicle, Candidate for Mayor, Ron Churchill, again writes another rambling simple Letter to the Editor, wanting to express his opinion on issues facing the City. This letter is another perfect example why the Citizens of Attleboro deserve several substantive debates prior to casting their votes on November 8. As a mayoral candidate, it is inexcusable for Mr. Churchill to lob sound bites on complex issues by way of a letter to the editor, and then take cover and refuse to participate in public debates on those very issues. In July, I personally challenged Mr. Ron Churchill to the first in a series of at least three debates aimed at educating the public on the issues that impact our City’…

Mark Ambrose

1:15 pm on Thursday, October 6, 2011

Isn't the bottom line really what can be done to keep these obscene water and sewer bills down? Who can afford to water their lawn anymore? How about people with swimming pools? If I'm going to pay through the nose, I at least want something to show for it. I can even stand drinking it.   more ›

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Many Faces of Attleboro Join New Hope's Mission to End Domestic and Sexual Violence

Hundreds gathered to show support for New Hope, a group for victims of sexual and domestic violence.

Just over the Attleboro border in North Attleboro, hundreds gathered to show their support in ending sexual and domestic violence.  More than 300 people attended the Moonlit Wine, Beer and Food Tasting fundraiser at Briggs Nursery.  “The number of people in attendance tonight speaks to the importance of our mission of ending sexual and domestic violence in our community,” New Hope Board of Directors President, Rich Terry said.  The number of people who supported the Saturday night was "truly heart warming," Kimberly Thomas, executive director and president of New Hope, said.   “In this economy to have achieved more than our goal is a credit to all of our community supporters including Briggs Nursery, which provided us with this beautiful …

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Redevelopment Authority Under Pressure to Fill Attleboro Industrial Park's Vacant Lots

Attleboro Redevelopment Authority took shots from officials on the empty Industrial park on Commerce Way.

The Attleboro Redevelopment Authority has its hands full with filling an empty industrial park, restoration projects and dealing with a lawsuit.  ARA Chairman and former Attleboro Mayor Judith Robbins was under fire by City Assessor Stan Nacewicz during the ARA's Thursday night meeting. Nacewicz said he foreshadowed a gloomy outlook  and dire forecast regarding the fate of various parcels in the city's 189-acre industrial park on Commerce Way.  Nacewicz said  “time is slipping by” to bring businesses to the park, which is still missing power lines and continues to be in severe debt. Ron Dubuc, assistant superintendent of operations for the city of Attleboro, reported that “electrical lines are “going in slowly but surely." “Some of those …

Daniel F. Devine

5:15 am on Monday, December 10, 2012

As we approach 2013, I think it's time to CUT OUR LOSES on the "INFAMOUS INDUSTRIAL PARK". I see that the one & only prospective tennant, A Warwick Seafood Company is attempting to sell it's ALBATROSS now. Former Mayor Robins wants to make the deserted wasteland "more attractive" for sale by blasting ledge, preparing sights and designing roads. Haven't we WA$TED enough money on this grand mistake…   more ›

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