Seekonk to Decide 2025 Budget By Joe Siegel

Voters at the May 13 Town Meeting will be asked to approve a FY’25 budget of $72.1 million. That figure represents a 3.7 percent increase over the current fiscal year’s budget.

$34.3 million has been designated for education. That figure represents a 2.9 percent increase, which includes Tri County Regional Vocational High School as well as Bristol Agricultural High School.

Public  Safety funding, which includes Police, Fire, Animal Control, and the Building Department, will be increased by 8.5 percent for a total of $12.3 million.

The Police Department budget is $5.6 million, a 4.8 percent increase over the current fiscal year. That allows for 44 full time employees including the Police Chief and a Deputy Chief.

The Fire Department budget is $4.9 million, a 13.5 percent increase over the current fiscal year. That allows for 45 full time employees including a Fire Chief, a Deputy Chief, two captains and one EMS Coordinator.

Other articles include:

• To see if the Town will vote to establish a special purpose stabilization fund, to be known as the Dr. Kevin M. Hurley Middle School HVAC Stabilization Account, for the sum of $50,000.00.
• To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into a five (5) year contract, with five one (1) year renewal options, commencing on July 1, 2024 with MTG Disposal to provide curbside solid waste and recyclables collection for Town residential units. 
• To see if the Town will vote to create a PEG Cable Access and Cable Related Fund. Local access channel TV9 suspended operations on April 1 and has been negotiating with the Town on a new Access Agreement.

There is also a number of zoning bylaw amendments on the warrant.

The meeting begins at 7 pm at Seekonk High School. The entire warrant can be viewed on the town website: www.seekonk-ma.gov.