Friday, January 25, 2013
Goals focus on municipal building projects and local economy.
Establishing goals is a common feature for municipal staff, but this year in Seekonk the elected leaders will set them as well. The Board of Selectmen, minus Bob McLintock who was not in attendance, announced their goals Wednesday night. The goals from each selectmen will be consolidated into one list (with duplicates eliminated) at a future meeting. Selectmen disagreed Wednesday whether accomplishing these goals was the responsibility of the board or Town Administrator Pam Nolan. Selectman Francis Cavaco's Goals Selectman Nelson Almeida's Goals Selectman Gary Sagar's Goals Selectman Dave Parker's Goals
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
The Board of Selectmen's agenda includes a vote for the next chief and to set the installation ceremony.
No suspense is expected tonight when the Seekonk Board of Selectmen vote to appoint the next police chief. It is the town's worst-kept secret that selectmen determined behind closed doors two weeks ago that the department's second-in-command, Capt. Craig Mace, would be promoted to the top post. The agenda for tonight's meeting states selectmen will vote for a new chief and specifics on the installation ceremony. Mace will replace Ronald Charron, who will retire March 15 after serving more than three decades on the Seekonk Police Department. He has been the chief since 2006. Various sources told Seekonk Patch that selectmen voted to promote Mace two weeks ago behind closed doors during an executive session that followed the public portion …
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Word on the street is a new chief has already been chosen behind closed doors.
Board of Selectmen Chair Francis Cavaco said a vote would take place at next week's meeting in open session on the hiring of a police chief to replace Ronald Charron, who will retire March 15. Cavaco would not say if that vote would be to hire a replacement or to determine a selection process. Various sources told Seekonk Patch a vote took place last week during executive session to hire Capt. Craig Mace for the job. "All I'm going to say is that a vote will take place at the Jan. 23 meeting," said Cavaco in an interview Monday with Patch. Charron said at last week's selectmen meeting that Mace should be appointed as his replacement, and that there was no reason to seek a person from outside the department. Mace is ranked second on the …
The board should not meet in secret to select a police chief.
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Tuesday, January 15
The Jan. 11 issue of The Sun Chronicle reported the Seekonk Selectmen met in executive session last Wednesday and chose a new permanent police chief without advertising the opening, searching for other qualified candidates or seeking community involvement. What is the damn hurry to choose a new chief? Past practice has always been to appoint an interim police chief until a search committee could be selected and dozens of candidates could be interviewed. Seekonk has previously sought assistance from the Massachusetts Municipal Association, advertised in professional journals and used head hunters to select the best qualified individual. Pamela Nolan, Seekonk's town administrator, has done our entire community a significant disservice by not…
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
No details have been released to the public.
The Seekonk Board of Selectmen will meet for the first time in 2013 on Wednesday. Among the items on the agenda is "discussion on criminal investigation." Board Chair Francis Cavaco declined to tell Patch what specifically the item is regarding. The "criminal investigation" topic is on the executive session portion of the agenda. Executive session items are discussed behind closed doors after the public portion of the meeting has concluded, and are usually regarding personnel, legal and real estate matters. Also included on the executive session portion of the agenda is "discussion on Bristol Superior Court issue with building inspector." Cavaco said he also could not discuss that item. During the public portion of the meeting, the …
Thursday, December 20, 2012
The Board of Selectmen's failure to take action on notifying him about whether he will keep his job means he will keep his job, the town's legal counsel says.
It appears Seekonk Superintendent of Public Works Bob Lamoureux's job is secure through June 2014. This status could only be changed if the board of selectmen holds a special meeting before the end of the year and the two selectmen opposed to keeping Lamoureux aboard are able to convince a third colleague to see things the way they do. Last week, the board voted 2-2 on whether to begin contract renewal negotiations with Lamoureux, whose current contract expires at the end of June 2013. Selectman Gary Sagar voted "present." The town's legal consultant, attorney Joseph Fair, told the board Wednesday that the deadlock meant the selectmen took no action. Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox …
Thursday, December 13, 2012
The Board of Selectmen deadlocks with a 2-2 tie on whether to renew Bob Lamoureux's contract. Selectman Gary Sagar refuses to vote.
Whether Public Works Superintendent Bob Lamoureux will work for the town of Seekonk past next June may be determined by an attorney. With Gary Sagar voting "present," the Board of Selectmen was unable to break a 2-2 tie Wednesday night on whether to begin contract renewal negotiations with Lamoureux, who has held his position for nearly eight years. Town Administrator Pam Nolan said this meant his contract was automatically renewed for a year. Selectman Bob McLintock said he wanted to hear an opinion about what the voting result meant from the town's legal consultant. A large crowd, made up mostly of Lamoureux supporters, attended the meeting. Several times they let their emotions loose with cheers, jeers and critical comments. Let Patch …
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
It will take place during the Board of Selectmen meeting on Wednesday. Also at the meeting, selectmen will determine whether to begin contract negotiations with Public Works Superintendent Bob Lamourex.
Seekonk residents have an opportunity Wednesday evening to share their opinions with town leaders on the 2013 property tax rate and what the split should be between commercial and residential owners. A public hearing on the tax rate is scheduled to take place during the Board of Selectmen meeting, which is expected to begin at 6 p.m. at Town Hall. The Board of Assessors will also attend the hearing. A vote on the tax rate will take place at the Dec. 19 selectmen meeting. Other items on the agenda include decisions on whether to begin contract renewal negotiations with town Engineer David Cabral and Public Works Superintendent Bob Lamoureux. Some Lamoureux supporters are concerned about whether a majority of the selectmen wants him to …
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Carol Bragg says she had failed to see the goodness and kindness in Francis Cavaco. She presents him with a rose and apologies.
Former Seekonk Selectwoman Carol Bragg offered an olive branch in the form of a rose to Board of Selectmen Chair Francis Cavaco on Wednesday. She apologized for being insensitive toward his feelings in the past and said she no longer harbored ill will toward him. Speaking during the Community Speaks portion of the selectmen meeting, Bragg noted that she and Cavaco have had a strained relationship. "I have been careless of your feelings and insensitive," she said. "And because I'm committed to a kinder and gentler community, I feel I need to apologize to you for that." Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone everyday with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here. She added…
Monday, December 3, 2012
Board Chair Francis Cavaco says a selectman who will not be at the meeting on Wednesday had asked for the item to be removed.
A vote by the Seekonk Board of Selectmen on whether to begin contract negotiations with Public Works Superintendent Bob Lamoureux will not take place Wednesday as originally planned . Board Chair Francis Cavaco removed the item from the agenda prior to its publication Monday afternoon at the request of Selectman Bob McLintock, he told Seekonk Patch. "Mr. McLintock will not be attending the meeting this week," said Cavaco on Monday. "He asked me today if I could put this on the agenda when we have a full board." Lamoreux's contract expires at the end of June. He must be notified by the end of this month whether selectmen plan to renew it. The board has meetings scheduled for Dec. 12 and 19. Supporters of Lamoureux told Patch last week …
Amy
10:20 am on Friday, January 25, 2013
Deb, everyone of them conceded to Mrs. Parker. A simple request that would benefit the entire town and cost 11 cents per voter. Just a simple thing right? Nope, always drama and infighting in Seekonk. more ›