The Fall River City Council convened a special meeting on July 21, 2025. The meeting began with a public comment from Mr. Pathway, a resident, who raised concerns about numerous unsecured abandoned properties and mills throughout the city, including Duro Finishing, the Hot Well Street school, and the Bethford Street police station. Mr. Pathway highlighted environmental and safety hazards, stating that he had previously offered to show city officials how people gain access and provide security free of charge, but his offers were declined by Mr. Glenn Hathway and Mayor Paul Coogan.
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Council
Public / Other
City council please come to order. Click will call the role.
0:05Council Kadim here. Dion here.
0:10Kilby here.
0:11Carrera here.
0:12Ponty.
0:13Reposo here.
0:14Tip here.
0:15President Camaro here.
0:17Will everyone in the college chair chamber please rise for a moment of silent prayer?
0:31Please remain standing for salute to the flag. Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
0:48Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit this meeting to any medium.
0:56Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made were perceived or unpersceived by those present and not deemed acknowledged and permissible.
1:05We have one individual who signed up for citizen properties duro finishing. You have three minutes. Mr. Pathway.
1:16Good afternoon. Um, my concern is um dur finishing on other structures, mills throughout the city. Um, anyone can go on the property at any given time and access these properties. Um, I called numerous times about Duro and still it's unsecured, unsafe to this day. Um, also abandon a lot of abandoned properties. I myself took care of an abandoned property at 881 and 891 Rodman Street for over 10 years,
1:55which I no longer take care of it. Um, if you go by there, it looks like a disaster now. Um, like I was saying, the Mills, um, Hot Well Street, I've been in that school.
2:10I've been in the uh local police station that's on Bethford Street. You can gain access into that. Duo, you can gain access to uh Pioneer. You can gain access to them. Pretty much any mill in the city of For River. You can gain access to um it's environmentally unsafe. There's foul order from contaminances from the mills leaking out from these mills. Um, we need some type of security up in
2:43there. Round the clock security.
2:47I'm willing to do it free of charge.
2:53I'm willing to go up there and show you how people are gaining access like I offered to Mr. Glenn Hathway and Mayor Paul Coogan. And they both refuse to work with me on this. So, I'm asking the council and the residents. I'm willing to work with you if you guys are willing to work with me.
3:15All right. Thank you very much.
3:16Thank you.
3:16It's private property. I would stay off of private property though if I were you. All right. No problem.
3:20Thank you.
3:20Have a good one.
3:21Your turn.
3:22Thank you very much.
3:29Thanks. We'll move on to item number two. Madam clerk, will you read the order please?
3:35Committee on Real Estate at a meeting held on July 21st, 2025 voted unanimously to recommend that the accompanying order be adopted. This was the order that relates to the sale of the former Sylvia school and annex.
3:47Motion to adopt.
3:48Second.
3:48Motion to adopt has a move and seconded.
3:51I think a roll call. I don't know. Roll call.
4:00Yes. Council Ponti is not here today, but he did issue a letter and the clerk will read Council Ponty's letter. He wanted his letter read in support of Mr. President and honorable colleagues, I regret that I'm unable to attend tonight's special meeting. I've previously scheduled travel plans made before this meeting, excuse me, the special meeting was called. That said, I want to make my position unmistakably
4:22clear. I fully support the sale of the former Sylvia school to the only buyer we currently have. At our last meeting prior to the matter being referred for procedural reasons, I stated publicly that this is a good project for Fall River and I stand by that position. The proposed developer, Mr. Cado, has a proven and successful track record throughout our city. He his work has revitalized vacant mills, underutilized
4:45spaces, and forgotten properties, turning them into productive community enhancing developments. This project will do the same. And more importantly, it will bring muchneeded housing stock and economic activity to a section of our city that desperately needs both.
5:00Let's be honest with ourselves. The city of Fall River does not have a strong history when it comes to managing or developing real estate. We are not developers. We're a municipality. When we try to hold on to properties and figure it out later, the result is often years of stagnation, lost tax revenue, and blight.
5:17A perfect example is the old police station. years of delays, no development, and no benefit to the taxpayers. We cannot afford to let the Sylvia School become another case study in municipal inertia. This sale represents a real opportunity right now to convert a vacant public building into a privately developed, well-maintained, taxgenerating asset. Mr. Cadiro has already proven that he can deliver on
5:41these types of projects. To delay or derail this process now would be shortsighted and irresponsible. I understand there are concerns in the community about adding market rate housing, but as a full-time real estate broker, I can say this with confidence.
5:55Any addition to the housing stock market rate or otherwise eases demand and creates competition that helps everyone.
6:02This project is in the best interest of Fall River. It's time to move forward. I respectfully urge you to vote in favor of this sale. Again, I am sorry I'm not able to be here in person to discuss this matter on the floor, but I already had plans to be out of town until Tuesday afternoon. I respectfully request your support, City Councelor Cliff Ponti.
6:23Thank you, Madam Clerk.
6:25Motion has been made and seconded. Roll call.
6:27Roll call.
6:30On adoption of the order, Council Kadim, yes.
6:33Dion Hart, yes.
6:35Kilby, yes.
6:36Pereira, yes.
6:37Ponti. Reposo, yes. Tip.
6:40Yes.
6:40President Camaro.
6:41Yes.
6:42The motion carries.
6:43Motion carries.
6:43Motion. Second.
6:44Motion to adjurnn has been made in second. All in favor? I.
6:47Any opposed? City Council is now adjourned.
6:49Congratulations.
7:07over.
7:15Hey hey hey.
7:34Hey hey hey hey.