Mayoral Election Could Be Rematch

Former Fire Chief Ronald Churchill pulls papers for a possible challenge against Mayor Kevin Dumas in the fall election. He also appears to be considering a run for city council.

Mayor Kevin Dumas could have a familiar opponent as he attempts to win a sixth term in office. Former Fire Chief Ronald Churchill, who lost to Dumas in the 2011 mayoral election, has pulled papers for this year's mayoral contest. He also pulled papers for the at-large city council contest. Dumas defeated Churchill in 2011 with 59 percent of the vote. Churchill, who retired the previous year after 26 years as fire chief, had been considered a worthy opponent by many people and Dumas' landslide win took some observers by surprise. Churchill's wife Natalie told Attleboro Patch Wednesday afternoon her husband was recovering from surgery and could not answer questions.  Dumas did not directly respond about his possible opponent when questioned …

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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

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Buck Farack

3:38 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Vote early & vote often!   more ›

Letter to Editor

Letter: Secret Endorsement for Mayor from Firefighters Speaks Volumes

Attleboro Fire Capt. Allan Murrant not happy with backdoor politics.

In the last Mayoral debate current Mayor Dumas states that the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts (PFFM) has endorsed him. That is true, however it was done without the knowledge of the Local membership. The reason is that TWO & only TWO members of Attleboro Fire Department Local 848, and in secret asked for that endorsement at the September PFFM meeting. Then these TWO people met and communicate what went on at that meeting, Except for the fact that they got the endorsement for the Mayor. Neither one of these individuals said a word to other members of the Fire Department. Most members first heard of this from Mayor Dumas at the end of the Mayoral Debate. These TWO members also knew that in local politics the PFFM Local 848 has …

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Mayoral Candidates Spar About City's Present, Future in First Debate [VIDEO]

Wednesday was the first public debate between Attleboro mayoral candidates.

A large crowd packed the council chambers at Attleboro City Hall on Wednesday to witness the first public debate between Attleboro's two mayoral candidates: current mayor, Kevin Dumas, and his opponent, Ronald Churchill. The debate forced both candidates to answer tough questions about the city's viability, the controversy over the Attleboro Redevelopment Authority and what their vision is for Attleboro if they were to be elected as mayor. Both candidates started the debate with a clean slate, after Dumas apologized to Churchill for calling the retired Attleboro Fire Chief and Vietnam veteran's actions "cowardly." Churchill told the crowd that not all of what they read in the news is true. In his introduction, Churchill talked about his …

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Mayor for a Day: Make Trouble Makers Pick Up Trash

What would you do if you had the power?

If you had the chance to sit in the corner office at Attleboro City Hall, what changes, if any, would you make to the way in the City? We recently spoke with Jeff Hillman, an Attleboro resident of 11 years, who was was having lunch with his daughters Janie and Olivia at Capron Park. Hillman said he'd like to see trouble makers do community service that would benefit the city's recreational and industrial parks. "I'd take people who have to do public service and make them clean up trash as punishment," Hillman said. "The (Attleboro) Industrial Park on County Street is full of trash. There's litter everywhere." "I know other towns do it, but I never see it around here," he added. "They always keep this park and the one in Dodgeville clean." …

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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 …

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Mark Ambrose

10:12 pm on Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Welcome to Hooterville!!!   more ›

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’…

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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 ›

Letter to Editor

Mayoral Candidate: Overhead Costs, "Just a Million Dollar Shell Game"

Mayoral Candidate Ronald Churchill asks Attleboro Mayor Kevin Dumas to make his case on water and sewer rate increase to tax payers.

My opponent has asked for a clarification of my position on the allocation of City Hall overhead expenses (sometimes referred to as indirect costs) to the water and sewer enterprise funds. It is really quite simple. The water and sewer rates are higher than they should be, because an unjustifiably high amount of City Hall overhead expenses is being charged to these two enterprise funds. How much is being charged? In the fiscal year 2012 budget, the total amount is $1,198,157. By charging these overhead costs to the enterprise funds, they don’t appear in the city budget, and therefore they don’t impact the tax rate. It creates the illusion of fiscal responsibility and tight budget control, but it’s really just a million dollar shell game. …

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Mark Ambrose

1:46 pm on Thursday, October 6, 2011

FINALLY, we agree on something.   more ›