MassVoter.com← Fall River City CouncilFall River · Committee on Finance · 6:00 p.m.
September 22, 2026
6 recorded votes, 3 with disagreement.
Sources: Minutes (PDF, in the agenda packet where the council approved them) · Agenda packet · Meeting video
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Attendance
Present: Shawn E. Cadime, Joseph D. Camara, Michael G. Canuel, Michelle M. Dionne, Paul B. Hart, Christopher M. Peckham, Sr., Linda M. Pereira, Cliff A. Ponte, Andrew J. Raposo
Absent: None
Every vote, in order
1 Citizen Input
Minutes, page 109 · Agenda packet · Video
To waive the rules to allow a non-Fall River resident to speak
Yes: Cadime, Canuel, Hart, Joseph D. Camara, Peckham, Pereira, Ponte, RaposoNo: Dionne
From the minutes
“On a motion made by Councilor Peckham and seconded by Councilor Raposo, it was voted to waive the rules to allow a non-Fall River resident to speak, with Vice President Dionne opposed.” (Motion: Peckham, second: Raposo) The minutes name who voted no but give no count; the count shown is from those names.
2 Loan order of $10,000,000 for the construction and/or improvement of City Streets
Minutes, page 111 · Agenda packet · Video
To refer the loan order to the full Council for action
From the minutes
“On a motion made by Councilor Raposo and seconded by Councilor Pereira, it was unanimously voted to refer the loan order to the full Council for action.” (Motion: Raposo, second: Pereira)
3 Resolution — Convene to develop a comprehensive plan for an accurate financial ; analysis of the cost and distribution of solid waste and recycling carts
Minutes, page 114 · Agenda packet · Video
To table the resolution
From the minutes
“On a motion made by Councilor Raposo and seconded by Councilor Cadime, it was unanimously voted to table the resolution.” (Motion: Raposo, second: Cadime)
5 City Council President communication and revised policy to City Council re: outside legal counsel
Minutes, page 118 · Agenda packet · Video
To strike out all sections of the policy other than the text in Section 12 . and to strike out, in the following: "If the request is denied," and to strike out "two-thirds," and insert, in its place, "majority;" and to insert the following: "The total cost of outside legal counsel shall not exceed the authorized budgeted amount during the respective fiscal year," and to insert the following: "This policy shall be effective on September 23, 2026, "
Yes: Cadime, Canuel, Dionne, Hart, Joseph D. Camara, Peckham, Pereira, PonteNo: Raposo
From the minutes
“On a further motion made by Vice President Dionne and seconded by Councilor Peckham, it was voted 8 yeas, 1 nay, to strike out all sections of the policy other than the text in Section 12 . and to strike out, in the following: "If the request is denied," and to strike out "two-thirds," and insert, in its place, "majority;" and to insert the following: "The total cost of outside legal counsel shall not exceed the authorized budgeted amount during the respective fiscal year," and to insert the following: "This policy shall be effective on September 23, 2026, " with Councilor Raposo voting in the negative.” (Motion: Dionne, second: Peckham)
To recommend that the policy order be adopted, as amended
The minutes say this was “unanimously voted … with Councilor Raposo opposed,” which contradicts itself, so no count or individual votes are shown. We will ask the City Clerk to confirm.
From the minutes
“On a motion made by Councilor Peckham and seconded by Vice President Dionne, it was unanimously voted to recommend that the policy order be adopted, as amended, with Councilor Raposo opposed.” (Motion: Peckham, second: Dionne)
Adjournment
Minutes, page 118 · Agenda packet · Video
To adjourn at 8:52 p.m
From the minutes
“On a further motion made by Councilor Raposo and seconded by Councilor Peckham, it was unanimously voted to adjourn at 8:52 p.m.” (Motion: Raposo, second: Peckham)
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.
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