Seekonk Town Administrator Takes Blame for Meeting Snafu

"Hundreds of people" saw the warrant for the special Town Meeting that was supposed to take place earlier this week, but they did not notice the document lacked the required information of the time and place for the session, Seekonk Town Administrator Pam Nolan said Wednesday at the board of selectmen meeting. But she said the ultimate blame for the error that caused the meeting to be canceled goes to her.

"When push comes to shove, it does fall on my shoulders," Nolan said. "I know that … how we missed it, I can't tell you. It was vetted many, many, many times."

Town Meeting was supposed to take place Monday at Seekonk High School. Among the items on the warrant were increased funding for the Banna Fire Station project as well as security improvements for the schools and a temporary move of the senior center. Talk of the warrant error was circulating through the community during the weekend. Hours before the session was supposed to begin, it was canceled.

Selectmen tentatively scheduled a make-up date of March 25. It is expected to be finalized Friday after Nolan speaks with Town Clerk Jan Parker. That date could be a conflict for Jewish Seekonk residents, as it is the first night of Passover, a holiday on which families have a special dinner and religious ceremony called a Seder.

Selectman Dave Parker said he did not see a reason to have the special meeting, and preferred to move the articles to the warrant for the next regular Town Meeting in June. School Committee Chair Mitch Vieira said it was important to have the meeting in March so residents could vote on the request for $127,000 to fix emergency personnel communication problems at the schools.

"We've put these communications issues out there now," Vieira said. "It's well known there is a vulnerability in the buildings and the hope is to get that done sooner rather than later."