FALL RIVER, Mass. (WPRI) — Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia delivered his second State of the City address Tuesday night.
The mayor focused on the progress the city has made in the past year, while looking at plans for the future.
Correia praised the new Southcoast Marketplace, which brought a Market Basket, several new stores, restaurants, and a movie theater to the city’s south end.
He also touted the success of the new Amazon fulfillment center and other new businesses, which have created thousands of jobs.
Just last week, the King Philip Mill project was approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Correia said one of the historic buildings in the complex will be preserved and one of the buildings will be demolished to open up the neighborhood to Cook Pond. There will also be the addition of 26 new single family homes.
The mayor said his administration has secured more than $560,000 to make streets and sidewalks more pedestrian friendly.
On March 6, voters approved building a new B.M.C Durfee High school. Taxpayers will be on the hook for $98.5 million of the $265.5 million project.
On Tuesday night, Mayor Correia seemed pleased about the outcome of the vote.
“Our community has demonstrated to the state, our willingness to invest in ourselves, we only ask that we are regarded in return by our state and I’m happy about the new Durfee High School project moving forward and I can’t wait to see the outcome.” Correia said.
Looking to the future, Correia says the city will continue increasing staffing of the police department with updated vehicles, new radios, mobile camera systems, etc.
The mayor said $400,000 has been put to upgrading Fall River Parks, including Pulaski, Maplewood, and Kennedy Park. Improvements have already been made to Griffin Park.
Correia also vowed to make good on one of his campaign promises, to eliminate the “Pay as You Throw” trash program, which requires residents to dispose of their using certain purple trash bags.
