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Fall River City Council
How the Fall River City Council voted, from the City Clerk's official minutes. 9 councilors, all elected at-large. Elected November 2017; organization meeting January 2, 2018. Covers 49 meetings, January 9 to December 16, 2019.
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
What does the City Council do? It is the city’s lawmaking body. It passes local laws (ordinances), votes on the yearly budget, and approves borrowing and zoning changes.
The mayor runs the city day to day and proposes the budget.
Sources: Mass. General Laws c. 44 § 32 (city budgets)Your Fall River ballot: 16 quizzes, about a minute each.
Start my ballot →Council sessions
Coming up
MassVoter can’t read Fall River’s meeting calendar automatically yet. See upcoming meetings on the official site →
Councilors
PresidentCliff A. PonteCouncil President · At-large · at 42 of 42 meetings · until Sep 2019
Vice PresidentPamela S. LaliberteCouncil Vice President · At-large · at 47 of 49 meetings
Shawn E. CadimeCity Councilor · At-large · at 48 of 49 meetings
Joseph D. CamaraCity Councilor · At-large · at 42 of 49 meetings
Bradford L. KilbyCity Councilor · At-large · at 42 of 49 meetings
Stephen R. LongCity Councilor · At-large · at 45 of 49 meetings
Leo O. PelletierCity Councilor · At-large · at 47 of 49 meetings
Steven A. CamaraCity Councilor · At-large · at 48 of 49 meetings
Derek R. ViveirosCity Councilor · At-large · at 46 of 49 meetings"At X of Y meetings" counts the roll call at the start of each meeting in this record. Councilors who step out are listed on each meeting page.
Meetings
About missing minutes
Not here yet: the City Clerk has not posted minutes for the January 2, 2018 organization meeting or the October 8, 2019 executive session, and the city’s link for the February 11, 2020 minutes opens the agenda instead. For 2016–2017, the posted minutes for July 12 and August 16, 2016 are agendas marked with the action taken (they don’t list who attended), the city’s link for the October 24, 2017 minutes opens the agenda (we used the minutes the council approved in August 2018), and Committee on Finance and Public Hearings minutes for some 2016–2017 meetings were never posted. A few older minutes have possible errors (noted on those votes); we will ask the City Clerk for the missing minutes and to confirm those votes.
Votes where councilors disagreed
Most council votes are unanimous. These are the ones where at least one councilor voted no or abstained, newest first.
Dec 3Communication from city resident regarding the feeding of stray…Motion: to refer the communication to the Committee on Ordinances and LegislationPassed 7–1 · No: Long
December 3, 2019 · Item 15: Communication from city resident regarding the feeding of stray cats
To refer the communication to the Committee on Ordinances and Legislation
Yes: Cadime, Joseph D. Camara, Kilby, Laliberte, Pelletier, Steven A. Camara, ViveirosNo: Long
From the minutes
“On a motion made by Councilor SCamara and seconded by Councilor Cadime, it was voted to refer the communication to the Committee on Ordinances and Legislation, with Councilor Long opposed.” (Motion: Steven A. Camara, second: Cadime) The minutes name who voted no but give no count; the count shown is from those names.
Nov 19Citizens' Input Time — Marie Estacio, 120 Willow Street…Motion: to adopt the tax factor of 1.71Passed 6–1 · No: Steven A. Camara
November 19, 2019 (Special meeting) · Item 1: Citizens' Input Time — Marie Estacio, 120 Willow Street — Whitefield Street lot Bill Teixeira, 1019 Montgomery Street — Whitefield Street lot Bill Teixeira stated that Marie Estacio purchased two…
To adopt the tax factor of 1.71
Yes: Cadime, Kilby, Laliberte, Long, Pelletier, ViveirosNo: Steven A. CamaraAbsent: Joseph D. Camara
From the minutes
“On a motion made by Councilor Cadime and seconded by Councilor Kilby, it was voted 6 yeas, 1 nay to adopt the tax factor of 1.71 with Councilor SCamara voting in the negative and Councilor Camara absent and not voting.” (Motion: Cadime, second: Kilby)
Nov 19AdjournmentMotion: to adopt the FY2020 tax levy shares for each class of…Passed 6–1 · No: Steven A. Camara
November 19, 2019 (Special meeting): Adjournment
To adopt the FY2020 tax levy shares for each class of property
Yes: Cadime, Kilby, Laliberte, Long, Pelletier, ViveirosNo: Steven A. CamaraAbsent: Joseph D. Camara
From the minutes
“On a further motion made by Councilor Kilby and seconded by Councilor Long, it was voted 6 yeas, 1 nay with Councilor Steven A. Camara voting in the negative and Councilor Joseph Camara absent and not voting, to adopt the local tax levy to be borne by each class of real property and personal property for Fiscal Year 2020.” (Motion: Kilby, second: Long)
Sep 24Veto of proposed ordinance to limit number of marijuana…Motion: to override the veto of the MayorPassed 6–1 · No: Steven A. Camara
September 24, 2019 · Item 1: Mayor and veto of proposed ordinance to limit number of marijuana licenses (Laid on the table in accordance with Sec. 3-7 of the City Charter)
To override the veto of the Mayor
Yes: Cadime, Joseph D. Camara, Kilby, Laliberte, Pelletier, ViveirosNo: Steven A. CamaraAbsent: Long
From the minutes
“On a further motion made by Councilor Cadime and seconded by Councilor Kilby, it was voted 6 yeas, 1 nay to override the veto of the Mayor, with Councilor SCamara voting in the negative and Councilor Long absent and not voting.” (Motion: Cadime, second: Kilby)
Sep 10Emergency PreambleMotion: to adopt the orderPassed 8–1 · No: Steven A. Camara
September 10, 2019 · Item i: Emergency Preamble
To adopt the order
Yes: Cadime, Joseph D. Camara, Kilby, Laliberte, Long, Pelletier, Ponte, ViveirosNo: Steven A. Camara
From the minutes
“On a motion made by Councilor Kilby and seconded by Councilor Cadime, it was voted 8 yeas, 1 nay to adopt the order, with Councilor SCamara voting in the negative. ii.” (Motion: Kilby, second: Cadime)
Sep 10Emergency PreambleMotion: to adopt the orderPassed 8–1 · No: Steven A. Camara
September 10, 2019 · Item i: Emergency Preamble
To adopt the order
Yes: Cadime, Joseph D. Camara, Kilby, Laliberte, Long, Pelletier, Ponte, ViveirosNo: Steven A. Camara
From the minutes
“On a motion made by Councilor Kilby and seconded by Councilor Cadime, it was voted 8 yeas, 1 nay to adopt the order, with Councilor SCamara voting in the negative.” (Motion: Kilby, second: Cadime)
Sep 10Emergency PreambleMotion: that in the event counsel for Mr․ Correia seeks the issuance…Passed 8–1 · No: Steven A. Camara
September 10, 2019 · Item i: Emergency Preamble
That in the event counsel for Mr․ Correia seeks the issuance of a temporary restraining order to prevent the City Council President from acting as Mayor in accordance
Yes: Cadime, Joseph D. Camara, Kilby, Laliberte, Long, Pelletier, Ponte, ViveirosNo: Steven A. Camara
From the minutes
“On a further motion made by Councilor Kilby and seconded by Councilor Cadime, it was voted 8 yeas, 1 nay that in the event counsel for Mr․ Correia seeks the issuance of a temporary restraining order to prevent the City Council President from acting as Mayor in accordance with the preceding vote and Section 3-8 of the City Charter, the City Council authorize it's attorney to agree to the imposition of such order for the purpose of establishing an agreed upon date for the holding of a preliminary injunction hearing and any related scheduling matters and that the Mayor step aside and give the keys to his office to the City Clerk by this Friday at 5:00 p.m., with Councilor SCamara voting in the .” (Motion: Kilby, second: Cadime)
Sep 10Emergency PreambleMotion: to adopt the resolutionPassed 8–1 · No: Steven A. Camara
September 10, 2019 · Item i: Emergency Preamble
To adopt the resolution
Yes: Cadime, Joseph D. Camara, Kilby, Laliberte, Long, Pelletier, Ponte, ViveirosNo: Steven A. Camara
From the minutes
“On a motion made by Councilor Kilby and seconded by Councilor Cadime, it was voted 8 yeas, 1 nay to adopt the resolution, with Councilor SCamara voting in the negative.” (Motion: Kilby, second: Cadime)
Sep 10Veto of proposed ordinance to limit number of marijuana…Motion: to lay the veto on the table in accordancePassed 8–0 · see note
September 10, 2019 · Item 1: Mayor and veto of proposed ordinance to limit number of marijuana licenses.
To lay the veto on the table in accordance
The minutes record the count as 8 yeas and 0 nays but do not make clear how each councilor voted.
From the minutes
“On a motion made by Councilor Pelletier and seconded by Councilor Laliberte, it was voted 8 yeas to lay the veto on the table in accordance with the Charter.” (Motion: Pelletier, second: Laliberte)
Aug 12Order appropriating $1,000,000 from Employer Trust Fund (FY19) to…Motion: to table the matterFailed 3–5 · No: Joseph D. Camara, Long, Pelletier, Steven A. Camara, Viveiros
August 12, 2019 (Special meeting) · Item 2: Mayor and order appropriating $1,000,000 from Employer Trust Fund (FY19) to General Fund - School Appropriation
To table the matter
Yes: Cadime, Laliberte, PonteNo: Joseph D. Camara, Long, Pelletier, Steven A. Camara, ViveirosAbsent: Kilby
From the minutes
“On a motion made by Councilor Cadime and seconded by Councilor Laliberte, it was voted 3 yeas, 5 nays to table the matter, with Councilors Cadime, Pam Laliberte and Cliff Ponte voting in the affirmative and Councilor Kilby absent and not voting and the motion failed to carry.” (Motion: Cadime, second: Laliberte)
Committees
Much of the council’s work starts in committee. Each committee’s members, meetings and the recommendations it sent to the full council.
From the official minutes kept by the Fall River City Clerk (agendas and minutes). The minutes are scanned documents; we read them with text recognition, check every vote count against the councilors named, and quote the exact sentence for each vote. MassVoter never grades officials; votes and attendance are shown exactly as the minutes record them. Councilor photos: the nine 2026–2027 councilors from the City of Fall River's official councilor photos (Contact the Council page, fallriverma.gov); earlier councilors cropped from the 2024–2025 council group photo and the 2022–2023 council group photo (as published by Fall River Reporter, September 2022). Trott Lee: from his campaign Facebook page (facebook.com/trottlee4cc). Ricky Tith: from Fall River Reporter (April 2025). 2018–2019 councilors (Steven A. Camara, Stephen R. Long, Derek R. Viveiros) and the 2018–2019 group photo: from the City of Fall River’s FY2019 budget book. Richard Cabeceiras, Raymond A. Mitchell and the 2016–2017 group photo: Herald News photo by Jack Foley (January 2016), provided by the Fall River City Clerk. The 2020–2021 and 2022–2023 group photos: provided by the Fall River City Clerk.
How to read these pagesWhere the votes come from, how we check them against the official minutes, what isn't included yet, and how to report a mistake.About city pages →