City Council

By City Clerk at 3:31 pm, Apr 01, 2025 City of Amesbury Office of the City Clerk 62 Friend St. Amesbury, MA 01913 City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, March 11, 2025 City Hall Auditorium- 62 Friend St. 7:00 PM President Mandeville called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM Pledge of Allegiance – Councilor Rinaldi Roll was called, and present were: Councilor Anthony Rinaldi, Councilor Steve Stanganelli, Councilor Nick Wheeler, Councilor Claudel Frederique, Councilor Pamela Gilday, Councilor Amanda Haggstrom, Councilor Michael Hogg, Councilor Jessica Redfern, and President Scott Mandeville Also Present: City Clerk Jennifer Smith, Assistant City Clerk Jess Manning, Mayor Kassandra Gove, Chief of Staff Ann Marie Casey, OCED Director Nick Cracknell ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Act on Minutes – February 25, 2025 Councilor Stanganelli moved to approve the minutes from February 25, 2025, as presented. The motion was seconded by Councilor Haggstrom and passed 8-0-1 with Councilor Wheeler abstaining. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mayoral Appointments – 2025-025 Reappointment of Adeline Matton to the position of member of the Board of Registrars for a term to expire February 29, 2028 Councilor Stanganelli moved to approve 2025-025. The motion was seconded by Councilor Gilday and passed unanimously (9-0) 2025-026 Reappointment of Richard Joltes to the position of member of the Historic Commission for a term to expire February 29, 2028 Councilor Stanganelli moved to approve 2025-026. The motion was seconded by Councilor Frederique and passed unanimously (9-0) 2025-027 Reappointment of Mel Webster to the position of member of the Community Preservation Committee for a term to expire February 29, 2028 Councilor Stanganelli moved to approve 2025-027. The motion was seconded by Councilor Redfern and passed unanimously (9-0) 2025-028 Reappointment of Joel Nice to the position of member of the Community Preservation Committee representing the Planning Board for a term to expire February 29, 2028 2025-029 Reappointment of Michelle Faucher to the position of member of the Community Preservation Committee representing the Open Space, Natural Resources and Trails Committee for a term to expire February 28, 2028. Councilor Wheeler moved to withdraw without prejudice 2025-028 and 2025-029, as those appointments are the responsibility of their respective committees. Motion was seconded by Councilor Rinaldi and passed unanimously (9-0). 2025-034 Appointment of Kristen Costa to the position of member of the Amesbury Cultural Council for a term to expire February 29, 2028 • Ms. Costa spoke to her appointment, emphasizing her support of the arts since moving to Amesbury in 2018. • Councilor Haggstrom said that Ms. Costa is awesome Councilor Haggstrom moved to approve 2025-034. The motion was seconded by Councilor Gilday and passed unanimously (9-0) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Monthly list of licenses – March Councilor Stanganelli moved to approve the license list for March 2025. The motion was seconded by Councilor Hogg and passed unanimously (9-0). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Correspondence ∙ President/Vice President Communications • Gilday shared information from the meetings last night (3/10) – Planning Board and School Committee. Planning board focused on 2024-096 and proposed amendments. The hope is that the subcommittees will discuss it next week and have something for the City Council in time for their next meeting. ∙ Communication from Elected Officials, Boards and Commissions - None ∙ Council Communications, Announcements and Committee Reports • Stanganelli noted that tomorrow afternoon (3/12) at 4:30 PM will be Amesbury Housing Trust meeting. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Public Comment • Jillian Cody (7 Lake Street) Requested installation of a crosswalk light at Sparhawk near Little Sprouts Daycare, mentioning that she frequently sees vehicles failing to stop for children and parents who are trying to use the crosswalk. Council Response • Councilor Haggstrom spoke to City Engineer and believes a bill must come down from the Mayor. • Councilor Gilday – Personally very supportive, when one goes to City Website it directs residents to DPW and the Police Department, and the next step is to take it to the Planning & Development Subcommittee. • City Clerk Jennifer Smith shared that – in her experience - the proper way is through an ordinance, referred to the Police Department and the Administration. • Councilor Stanganelli shared that traffic issues are near and dear to his heart, and he is sympathetic to vulnerable road users. Multiple places for potential danger. Should start by informing police chief and he will work with DPW. • Mayor Gove shared that the Main question is whether it belongs as a traffic ordinance. Many new sign/light installations are funded with grants. She also shared that installation depends on infrastructure nearby, proper space on either side of the street, etc., but the administration hasn’t yet done a deep dive on this location. This location will be noted in case the city can find a funding source in the future. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Second Readings 2025-017 An Ordinance to amend the Amesbury Code of Ordinances by inserting therein Chapter 397, entitled “Outdoor Dining Ordinance”, to regulate the temporary private use of City-owned property and establish a usage fee schedule therefor. – Mayor Sponsor • Councilor Gilday shared positive recommendation from O&A with some minor edits requested. Redline received dated March 4, 2025. • Councilor Stanganelli shared the positive referral from B&F. Approved with the caveat that there be some input by Chamber of Commerce and OCED. Councilor Stanganelli moved to substitute the original version of 2025-017 with the redline dated March 4, 2025. Motion seconded by Councilor Hogg and passed unanimously (9-0). Councilor Gilday moved to approve 2025-017 as amended . The motion was seconded by Councilor Haggstrom. • OCED Director Nick Cracknell shared his input from the Chamber of Commerce. Certain aspects were clarified to their satisfaction, did not require significant alterations. No expressed concerns from others who had an outdoor dining license previously. • Councilor Wheeler asked if this will affect Flatbread? No, they own the space and Bakehouse will only need to apply if they want use of the area below. A vote was held on the main motion via roll call, which passed unanimously (9-0) 2025-021 An Order to appropriate $500,000.00 from Free Cash for the purpose of funding site construction services for Amesbury High School 90’ Diamond Ball Field Improvements.- Mayor Sponsor • Councilor Haggstrom shared the positive recommendation from P&D • Councilor Stanganelli shared the positive referral from B&F. Councilor Stanganelli moved to approve 2025-021 as presented. The motion was seconded by Councilor Hogg • Councilor Frederique requested an update on next steps from the administration. The Mayor responded that bids went out but is unsure where we are at in this process. Construction to happen after spring season and in time for fall to ensure field hockey is not displaced. Is an issue that has been discussed for a few years and was put back a year last year due to ongoing construction on the town park diamonds. • Councilor Redfern shared that there are many challenges during budget season, especially concerning the school budget. Unsure how to close the gap without using free cash and is concerned that appropriating cash for this issue may affect how much money the school will get. • Councilor Stanganelli noted that during B&F a discussion was held on free cash. The City is still within the positive range for our financial policies. Even if funds are appropriated then there will still be sufficient amount for policy • Mayor Gove – Free cash needed for one-time expenses, recreation is important in lives of young people, need to use that and manage operating budgets. The use of free cash on this one-time expense is not going to provide additional free cash for operating budgets. Forgoing using this cash for facilities will not generate cash for the school. • Councilor Stanganelli noted that talks with constituents reveal that students are leaving partly because of poor condition of athletic facilities. Both issues of school budget and field improvements can be tackled in the same time period. Councilor Stanganelli also asked if this vote requires a 2/3 majority to pass. **President Mandeville called a 5-minute recess at 8:06 PM, returning at 8:11 PM** The motion passed unanimously via roll call (9-0) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ First Readings 2025-030 An Order to transfer $65,000.00 from Police Personal Services to Police Other Expenses. Councilor Stanganelli moved to refer 2025-030 to Budget & Finance and set a second reading for March 25, 2025. The motion was seconded by Councilor Hogg and passed unanimously (9-0). 2025-031 An Order to authorize the Mayor to accept and expend a grant in the amount of $15,000 from the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA) Wellness Grant program to be used by the Amesbury Police Department. Councilor Wheeler moved to refer 2025-031 to Budget & Finance and set a second reading for March 25, 2025. The motion was seconded by Councilor Hogg and passed unanimously (9-0). 2025-032 An Order to authorize a transfer of $30,000.00 from the FY25 Budget Reserve account to the Legal Consultant Services account. Councilor Stanganelli moved to refer 2025-032 to Budget & Finance and set a second reading for March 25, 2025. The motion was seconded by Councilor Wheeler and passed unanimously (9-0). 2025-033 An Order to authorize the Mayor to accept and expend a grant in the amount of $9,020.00 from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to be used by Amesbury Emergency Management Agency, which is managed by the Amesbury Fire Chief. Councilor Wheeler moved to refer 2025-033 to Budget & Finance and set a second reading for March 25, 2025. The motion was seconded by Councilor Hogg and passed unanimously (9-0). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Councilor Stanganelli moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:15 PM. The motion was seconded by Councilor Rinaldi and passed unanimously (9-0). Respectfully submitted, Jess Manning  Pubtic comment / Pubtic Hearing speaker's Request Form of this form. In order to be recognized to speak on any matter you must complete all sections Name: Address: City: state zir-f$,\3- Home Phone 6 \Vl -\$- , Matter(s) on which you would like to speak: L please disclose any relationship as well as any direct or indirect financial interest you or a farnily member, may have with this matter: r I have read and understand the rules of decorum printed on the reverse of this form' Signature: _ D"t.,3it+s**" Addendum N: Public SPeaker Form