Seekonk Town Meeting Preview

Voters at the May 11 Spring Town Meeting will be asked to approve several expenditures, including Town Administrator Shawn Cadime’s proposed FY’27 budget of $78.7 million.

That figure represents a 3.8 percent increase over the current fiscal year.

The biggest portion of the budget, $37 million, is for education. Chapter 70 funding for Seekonk Public Schools totals $8.5 million, an increase of $174,000 from last year. Foundation enrollment is 2,018 students - a decrease of 22 students from the previous school year.

Superintendent Rebecca Kidwell had been seeking a 4.61 percent increase, but that number has been reduced to three percent after the Select Board agreed to make some reductions on the town side to compensate.

The school department is requesting $725,000 from the Building & Infrastructure Stabilization Fund to purchase and install a specialized HVAC system for the indoor pool at Seekonk High School. The new system is needed to control humidity, maintain air quality, and prevent structural damage and will replace the existing Dectron unit, which school officials claim has outlived its use.

In addition, the school department is also asking for $975,000 to be drawn from the Building & Infrastructure Stabilization Fund to replace the asphalt, curbing, and drainage at the George R. Martin Elementary School, including design and engineering, as well as, the purchase and installation of materials.

Another warrant article proposes to establish a School Building Committee of no more than 20 voting members, each of whom shall be a Town resident over the age of 18. 35 total members to be appointed by the School Committee or the Select Board to oversee the potential school building projects based around Hurley Middle School with consideration for grades 5 through 12.

A proposed amendment to the Zoning-By-laws will establish a Billboard Overlay District.

Other articles include:

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from the PEG Cable Access and Cable Related fund the sum of $149,102 as a grant to Seekonk Cable Access, Inc., the Town’s PEG Access Provider, to carry out its PEG Access Provider functions in FY’27.

To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from Ambulance Receipts the sum of $119,797.25 for the third year of a four (4) year lease/purchase for an EMS/Rescue vehicle for the Fire Department, to be expended under the direction of the Select Board.

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the following sums to be expended for departmental equipment, including Year Three (3) of the three (3) year lease/purchase of one (1) bucket truck for the Public Works Department, to be expended under the direction of the Select Board - $67,945, Year Two (2) of the three (3) year lease/purchase of one (1) large dump truck for the Public Works Department, to be expended under the direction of the Select Board - $110,575, Purchase a trackless tractor for the Public Works Department, with funds to be expended under the direction of the Select Board - $250,000.

The meeting will begin at 6 pm in the auditorium at Seekonk High School, 261 Arcade Avenue. The entire warrant can be found on the town website: seekonk-ma.gov.