Resident Bob Tavares Raises Concerns Over Early Morning Trash Noise and AC Rules
Housing Authority Pledges Fines for Trash Haulers Violating Morning Noise Ordinance
Board Awards $460,000 Contract for Security Cameras and Closes Out Smoke Detector Project
The Fall River Housing Authority held a regular meeting on September 14, 2026. During resident input, Bob Tavares of Cape Dune Park raised concerns regarding Republic Services waste trucks operating as early as 6:00 a.m. in violation of the city's noise ordinance, as well as questions about seasonal air conditioner removal and billing fees. The board noted that formal complaints and fines would be pursued for ordinance violations and clarified the spread-out billing schedule for air conditioning. The Executive Director provided departmental updates, noting the hiring of three management clerks, one plumber, and a temporary Clerk of the Works for the upcoming federalization of Bishop Ead and Corky Rowe. The director also announced upcoming flu and COVID-19 vaccination clinics, rescheduled the October board meeting to October 8, and led a moment of silence for deceased 23-year maintenance employee Ed Ferreira. In business actions, the board approved several major procurement and contract items. These included awarding a $460,000 contract to American Electrical Construction, Inc. for security camera installation at Maple Gardens/Maple Bottoms, approving a certificate of completion for MV Electrical Contractors, Inc. for $218,865 regarding smoke detector replacements at Father Diaferio Village, and awarding 6-month supply contracts for electrical and plumbing inventory not to exceed $50,000 per vendor.
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Public / Other
This board will come to order at 4:31.
0:08Roll call.
0:12Commissioner Long?
0:13Yep.
0:13Vice Chairman Underhill is absent.
0:15Commissioner Burns?
0:16Present.
0:17Commissioner Bentley is absent.
0:18Commissioner Medeiros?
0:19Here.
0:20Counselor, open meeting law, please.
0:24Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
0:26The language for the open meeting law is as follows.
0:28Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting, or may transmit the meeting through any medium.
0:37Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made, whether perceived or unperceived by those present, and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.
0:56Is anybody here for citizen input?
0:58You're a resident?
0:59No?
1:00You're next.
1:01You're a resident.
1:04That's the citizen.
1:06Yeah, no, resident input.
1:07Come on up, have a seat.
1:10So what are we doing?
1:13Is he a citizen or a resident?
1:15Mr. Tavares, you want to state your name for the record?
1:17State your name.
1:17State your name and where you're from, and we'll get going.
1:22Bob Tavares, 94 Mitchell Drive, Cape Dune Park.
1:27So I come before the board this evening, and thank you for allowing me to speak here.
1:31I come before the board because I have this problem with Republicans They're at my, my, uh, front of my apartment at 6 o'clock in the morning.
1:43So Kevin has helped me, I can't tell you how many times.
1:45Todd, I don't know if Todd's here, but Todd has helped me.
1:48And they do, they do good for about 3 or 4 days, then they're back again, 6 o'clock in the morning.
1:53And I thank you, Kevin.
1:54You told me at one point in time, it keeps happening, let you know.
1:57So yeah, anyway, that's, that's my biggest issue.
2:01And I, I don't think this is on, but we can hear you.
2:05Yeah, yeah.
2:05So that's my biggest issue.
2:07Right.
2:08And one other small— well, it's not a small thing.
2:12The air conditioners.
2:14Why are they taking them away from us?
2:17The portable ones, they're taking them.
2:18They want them out of the window.
2:20But the big ones can stay.
2:23So if you have a portable one and you don't have a reasonable accommodation to keep it in all year long, it's easy enough to remove.
2:33You roll it away and you put it away.
2:35The ones that were grandfathered in were permanently installed professionally, so obviously those would stay.
2:43We would just want you to put a cover over in the winter because now we're entering the heating season.
2:51So after all these years, they want them to take them out?
2:54I don't understand that logic.
2:55No, if it's permanently installed, right, I understand that, you don't have to take it out.
3:01I know, but if someone who puts an air conditioner in, whether they were grandfathered in with one that goes in the window or a portable where you take it in and out Now, you have, we're approaching the winter season, and you're paying for the summer for that.
3:20You're not paying for the whole year.
3:23So you wouldn't use an air conditioner in November unless you had a medical reasonable accommodation.
3:31So they're not gonna charge us if we take it out.
3:33They're still not gonna charge us?
3:35No, you get charged, what is it, $100, I believe?
3:39No, $94 a year.
3:40$94.
3:41And they spread it out over each month, correct?
3:45Right, but that's the season is June, July, and August.
3:49Correct, so if I take it out, am I still being charged?
3:52No, because you're paying for those 3 months, Bob.
3:56Oh, okay.
3:57We're just spreading it out for you over the year.
3:59I gotcha, I gotcha.
4:01You know what I mean?
4:02Yeah.
4:02So it used to be a burden on some residents to pay it all at once, so we decided when we worked with the Joint Tenants Council to spread it out so it would be more affordable to the residents.
4:15I got you.
4:16But you don't get charged more, you don't get charged less.
4:22Okay.
4:22So, what is my next step about the Republic?
4:25Okay.
4:25I didn't really wanna come here.
4:27Right, I asked you to come.
4:29Yeah.
4:29I told you this is the place to be.
4:30God's helped me, Steve.
4:32Yep.
4:32So what I'm saying, what I'm trying to tell you is now there's a formal complaint in front of this board.
4:36Right.
4:37Okay?
4:38And it makes a difference.
4:41But you need to understand a couple different things.
4:44One is we're a landlord.
4:46We're not the police, not any of that stuff.
4:49There is a city ordinance, I got it right here, it says— let me get my cheaters on.
4:57It says, all noises that menace the health or interrupt or disturb sleep of residents in the city between the hours of 10 and 7 AM on weekdays and 10 and 8 AM on Sundays is hereby prohibited Without limiting the generality of Section A, et cetera, blah, blah, is intended by this section that the following noises are prohibited.
5:26Those caused by trucks, loading or unloading trucks, all types of mechanical devices including lawnmowers, animals, and birds.
5:36So that's the ordinance.
5:37The penalty for that is $300 for each incident, all right?
5:42So right now, let me just shut this off.
5:48You've given it to us.
5:49It has nothing to do with us right now contractually.
5:52As far as going after the contract, we can't touch that.
5:56But we can, as an organization, tell them that we have a formal complaint and we have to deal with it.
6:06And we will deal with it.
6:07And we will get in touch with them and say, look, we're going to look at you, we're going to be at you every single time.
6:13Okay, and anytime you show up before 7 o'clock, you're getting a fine of $300, 'cause we'll have a police officer give you the freaking ticket.
6:22Is that— that's the way you wanna go?
6:24Either that or just stay off the property.
6:27It's the rule.
6:28Just do this, Bob, too.
6:29Same driver too, all the time.
6:30Yeah, going forward, just write the date and time that the violation happens, and then you can text us, email it, Take a movie and we'll, we'll, we'll follow up with them.
6:44Yeah, yeah, it should only be on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, right?
6:48Yeah, but we'll, we're going to follow it up.
6:51Let us know if it continues to be an issue.
6:53I gotta say, it will stop a few times and they stopped for a while.
6:57Well, but they're back again.
6:59So now Todd, equal, they're like mosquitoes.
7:06We're going to spray him a little bit and see what happens.
7:08Well, I thank the board for letting me speak.
7:11Not a problem.
7:12Absolutely.
7:14Thanks, Bob.
7:23Okay, minutes.
7:25Minutes of the, uh, regular meeting.
7:27I'll entertain a motion to accept the minutes.
7:29I'll make a motion to accept the minutes, uh, from the July August meeting.
7:36Second.
7:37Motion made and seconded.
7:38Any discussion?
7:40All those in favor?
7:41Aye.
7:41Opposed?
7:43Bills and Communications vouchers.
7:46I'll entertain a motion to accept the vouchers.
7:50I'll make a motion to accept the vouchers.
7:53Second.
7:54Motion made and seconded.
7:55Any, any discussion?
7:57Seeing none, all those in favor?
7:59Aye.
7:59Opposed?
8:03Management reports, applications occupancy reports, tenants accounts receivable, work order report, monthly Section 8 voucher activity report, monthly personnel count report, Director of Modernization monthly report, bank investment and bond debt balance reports.
8:20I'll entertain a motion to accept the management reports.
8:24I'll make a motion to accept the management reports.
8:29Second.
8:30Motion made and seconded.
8:31Any discussion?
8:34Next on the agenda is the financial reports, the monthly financial reports for July of 2026.
8:39Gotta take the vote for the, uh, we didn't take the vote.
8:42I can't hear you.
8:43You did a motion and a second.
8:44I don't think we voted.
8:45We didn't do the vote for the management reports.
8:48Yeah, we got a motion and a second, right?
8:52We got a vote.
8:52Yeah.
8:53All right, we did the vote.
8:54Okay.
8:55Financial reports, monthly financial reports of July 2026.
9:00I'll entertain a motion to approve the, uh, monthly financial reports.
9:06I'll make a motion to approve the financial reports.
9:08Second.
9:09Motion made and seconded.
9:10Any discussion?
9:13All those in favor?
9:14Aye.
9:14Opposed?
9:17Update from our executive director.
9:22Glasses.
9:24Oh, sorry.
9:25I am— Bob, is that you?
9:31Good afternoon, everyone.
9:34A few things on my update for September.
9:38Under Human Resources, we hired 3 new clerks for the management department.
9:45We hired 1 plumber for the Facilities Department and a temporary Clerk of the Works for the Modernization Department in preparation for the federalization of Bishop Ead and Corky Rowe.
10:01So that's what happened for Human Resources.
10:06Resident Services— we will be collaborating with the city's Emergency Medical Service St. Anne's Hospital, and Brown Health to provide flu and COVID clinics at all of our elderly sites, uh, September through November.
10:25So if you check your monitors, you'll see the dates that are assigned for Doolin, and that will be on for all of the sites.
10:37Board meeting for October.
10:39October's meeting lands on the Columbus Day holiday.
10:43So just a couple of suggestions, if it works for our commissioners.
10:49We could do the Monday prior, which would be the 5th.
10:53The Monday after is the 19th, or another convenient day.
11:00I, I can do the 5th.
11:01I can't do the 19th.
11:03I think I'm away the 5th.
11:0419th works.
11:09Either or for you?
11:11Yeah, I'm fine with either one.
11:12But wait, let's see, the 5th is a Monday.
11:19So I'm sorry, um, the 19th I'll be away at a wedding.
11:25Okay, I'm actually all set the 5th.
11:29You're on the 19th?
11:30I'm clear the 5th.
11:32Oh, you can do the fifth.
11:33Yeah, yeah.
11:33And you can do the fifth.
11:34I can do the fifth.
11:35I'm sure there's no conflict with David.
11:38Joanne, I think we'll be okay.
11:40So we'll put it for October the fifth, Jay.
11:43Yeah.
11:45Yes.
11:48Martha, you have that.
11:49So the fifth it is.
11:55The last thing I have.
11:59We unfortunately lost one of our maintenance leaders unexpectedly last month, Ed Ferreira.
12:08He was a great worker, happy, happy-go-lucky attitude.
12:14He was here at the Housing Authority for 23 years, so I just wanted to acknowledge Ed and have just a brief moment of silence in his memory.
12:33Thank you.
12:33Thank you all.
12:35He'll be missed.
12:36And that is all I have.
12:40Correction.
12:41I return on a flight the 5th.
12:42I don't return until like 5:00 p.m. in Boston.
12:47We could do the same week.
12:49If you wanted to do a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.
12:537th, 8th work good for me.
12:55That was— that all— 7th or 8th.
12:58Do the Thursday.
13:00Sure, I can do that.
13:01That's good for you?
13:02Well, no, the 7th is Wednesday, right?
13:05Yes.
13:05Is that what you're talking about?
13:06The 8th.
13:08Either one, 7 or 8 works.
13:10Wednesday or Thursday, Jack?
13:13Uh, Thursday would be better than a Wednesday for me.
13:16Okay, does that work for you?
13:17Yeah, so October 8th.
13:21Okay, Martha, October the 8th.
13:25You got that in pencil, right, Martha?
13:26That's it, it's in pen.
13:29No more changing your mind, honey.
13:31So same time, what we'll do, the Thursday the 8th.
13:35Got it.
13:35Okay.
13:41Thank you all.
13:41That is all I have.
13:46Under new business, we have modernization contract award for the security camera installation project at Maple Bottoms, 200-2 EOHL-C number 095185.
14:00Recommended action is to award the contract to the low bidder, American Electrical Construction, Inc. WBE in the amount of $460,000.
14:10I'll make a motion to award the contract to low bidder American Electrical Construction Inc. in the amount of $460,000.
14:18Second.
14:19Motion made and seconded.
14:20Any discussion?
14:22All those in favor?
14:23Aye.
14:24Opposed?
14:25We got a certificate of completion consolidated for replacement and addition of smoke detectors at Project Father DeFario Village.
14:34Mass 6-3.
14:36General contractor MV Electrical Contractors, Inc. completed all work items and the final contract amount was $218,865.
14:46Recommended action is, uh, I'll entertain a motion to approve.
14:50I'll make a motion to approve the completion for MV Electrical Contractors in the amount of $218,865.
15:01$2,865.
15:02Second.
15:04Motion made and seconded.
15:05Any discussion?
15:07All those in favor?
15:08Aye.
15:09Opposed?
15:11Under procurement, electrical inventory supplies, recommended action is to award a 6-month contract to the low— lone and low bidder, Electrical Wholesalers, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $50,000.
15:24I'll make a motion to award a 6-month contract to the Loanbidder Electrical Wholesalers, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $50,000.
15:32Second.
15:32Motion made and seconded.
15:34Any discussion?
15:35All those in favor?
15:36Aye.
15:38Under plumbing supplies, award a 6-month contract to Wynn Supply of Fall River, Plumbers Supply Company, Supply New England, Seacock Supply, Inc., and Republic Plumbing Supply in an amount not to exceed $50,000 each.
15:53I'll make a motion to award a 6-month contract to Wind Supply of Fall River, Plumbers Supply Company, Supply New England, Seaconk Supply Inc., and Republic Plumbing Supply in an amount not to exceed $50,000 each.
16:11Second.
16:11Motion made and seconded.
16:12Any discussion?
16:15Hearing none, all those in favor?
16:17Aye.
16:18Opposed?
16:20That's it, right?
16:25That's it.
16:26Nothing under miscellaneous.
16:29There's other miscellaneous.
16:30I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.
16:33Motion to adjourn.
16:34Second.
16:34Motion made and seconded.
16:36Any discussion?
16:37All those in favor?
16:39Aye.
16:40Opposed?
16:41This meeting is adjourned at— what time does that say?
16:44448.
16:46448.
16:46448.