Fall River Council Approves $29.8 Million Loan to Buy Former Bishop Conley High School

FALL RIVER -- June 9, 2026, Fall River City Council approved a $29.8 million loan order to purchase the former Bishop Conley High School, voting 7-1 on June 9. The 55-acre property at 373 Aylesbury Street would be converted into a centralized early childhood education center housing more than 600 children ages three to five by September, up from roughly 300 currently enrolled. Councilor Christopher Peckham was the lone no vote, saying "we just don't have the money to afford this right now" and citing competing needs for fire stations and roads; Councilor Steven Raposo abstained citing his employment with the Roman Catholic Diocese. School officials pegged the worst-case total principal and interest cost at $54.8 million over 30 years at 4.5 percent, but said a 20-year term could save roughly $8.3 million, and that no alternative site capable of housing 33 classrooms exists in the city. The council also voted 6-3 to override the mayor's veto of an ordinance allowing the city council to hire outside legal counsel, the minimum margin required under city rules.

Correction (Oct. 30, 2026): An earlier version of this story gave the date of this meeting as June 10. The City Council met Tuesday, June 9.