In a bid to get back rent from the Fall River Office of Economic Development and to evict the non profit agency from Government Center, the city administration is taking the matter to court. Fall River’s Corporation Counsel Joe Macy says that a hearing will be held in Bristol County Superior Court in New Bedford on July 27th. Back in May, Macy began eviction proceedings against FROED to have the non-profit agency offices removed from One Government Center, and ordered the agency to pay $113 thousand dollars it owes the city in back rent.
On April 5th, Mayor Jasiel Correia II received an opinion by Macy that FROED owes the money the mayor claims was not paid since July 1st, 2014 when a rental agreement had apparently expired.
Two weeks ago FROED moved from the sixth floor of Government Center where they have done business for the past 39 years to the recently renovated office space at its Cherry and Webb building on South Main Street. FROED’s banishment from Government Center came after wrangling between Mayor Jasiel Correia and FROED President Frank Marchione with the mayor demanding $113 in back rent, while FROED Vice President Kenneth Fiola Jr. alleged that Correia is the center of an FBI and HUD investigation, a claim the mayor has denied publicly.
In addition, Correia redirected $310,000 from Community Development Block grant funding from FROED meant for job creation. Correia has not yet revealed his latest plan, but indicated earlier this month there is a pending announcement. Correia has maintained that he wants to create an city run economic development office.
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