Carlton M. Viveiros papers

Carlton M. Viveiros was born in Fall River, MA in 1938 and grew up in the Portuguese community of Fall River. He became a prominent public figure in Fall River and was elected to the Democratic State Committee in 1968 and served as a Presidential Elector of Hubert Humphrey. While serving as a Democratic State Committeeman he was the Co-chairman of the Bylaws Committee of the Democratic State Committee. In 1971 he was elected to serve as State Representative in the Massachusetts House where he was Vice Chairman of the Legislative Committee on Human Services and Elder Affairs and Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Elder Affairs. As a Representative, he was a member of the Social Welfare Committee and a member of the Special Legislative Commission on Corrections. In 1977 Viveiros was elected as the Mayor of Fall River, which began his 13-year tenure.

Mr. Viveiros is the longest serving Mayor in Fall River’s history and garnered many awards and accomplishments as Mayor. As Mayor he was a member of the Fall River Democratic Committee, the State Legislative Association, the National League of Cities, the Massachusetts Municipal Association Task Force and the Mayor’s Community Development Committee, U.S. Conference of Mayors. In 1982 he served as the President of the Massachusetts Mayor’s Association. Many of his awards include being named “Portuguese-American of the Year” in 1978 by the Journal de Fall River. In addition to that he was named “Outstanding Public Administrator of Massachusetts” in 1980 by the American Society of Public Administrators. He was also appointed to the “Order of Prince Henry” in 1983. The Order of Prince Henry is named for the famed Portuguese explorer Prince Henry, responsible for opening the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas, and it is the highest civilian commendation by the Government of Portugal. In 1986 he was cited as “Friend of Education” by the Fall River Educators Association. In 1987 Viveiros was awarded the Paul E. Tsongas award for Exceptional Leadership in Preserving the Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Commonwealth by the Massachusetts Democratic Committee. In 1988 Viveiros was named “Outstanding Citizen of the Year” by the Fall River Chamber of Commerce and was also named a “super delegate” to the Democratic National Convention by Governor Michael Dukakis. In 1990 he was appointed to the Clerk Magistrates Office of the Southeast Housing Committee ending his long and remarkable tenure as Mayor.

As Mayor of Fall River Viveiros established the Office of Economic Development, an industrial expansion assistance program between big business and the private community, transforming Fall River from a run-down mill town to a viable economic community. He essentially put the “city’s financial house” in order and during his tenure, Fall River won 16 Urban Development Action Grants worth $12 million. These grants, coupled with the Office of Economic Development, launched a $40 million Revitalization Program which coordinated the developers from both the public and private sector.

As a result of his dedication to public service and education Mr. Viveiros is being honored by the city of Fall River by renaming the newly-constructed Slade Elementary School the Carlton M. Viveiros Elementary School. The school will reopen with his name in Fall of 2008.