Town Council

Shannon L. Hume President David M. Ringius, Jr. At Large Vice-President - At Large Charles B. Ryan At Large Stephen C. O’Brien District 4 Julia Camille Flaherty District 1 Meredith L. Boericke District 5 Steven A. Sciascia District 2 Donna L. Connors OFFICE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL Lawrence C. Mackin, Jr. District 6 District 3 Tuesday, September 21, 2021 MINUTES A meeting of the Town Council was held via Zoom Webinar, on Tuesday, September 21, 2021 beginning at 7:30p.m. Council President Hume was in the chair. President Hume asked for a moment of silence for our first responders and all those serving our military home and abroad. Clerk of the Council, Susan M. Cimino conducted the roll call. Present: Shannon L. Hume, President David M. Ringius, Jr., Vice-President Charles B. Ryan Julia C. Flaherty Steven A. Sciascia Donna L. Connors Stephen C. O’Brien (remote participation) Meredith L. Boericke Lawrence C. Mackin, Jr. Others: James Arsenault, DPW Director John Thompson, Town Engineer Mary Mulroney, National Grid Resident 100 Adams Street COUNCIL MEETING COMMUNICATIONS • Agenda/Documents link to website: https://braintreema.gov/AgendaCenter • Email: towncouncil@braintreema.gov • Meeting Notice Posting link: https://ma-braintree.civicplus.com/calendar.aspx?CID=43&showPastEvents=false • Facebook: Braintree Town Council • “How Do I” sign up to receive meeting/town information: https://braintreema.gov/786/Sign-up-for • To be added to the Town Council Agenda Distribution list please send an email request: scimino@braintreema.gov • Zoom Webinar Questions: If you want to ask a question but cannot access webinar - call direct: 339-987-2726 September 21, 2021 Town Council 1 of 8 ANNOUNCEMENTS • 020 21 Council President: The Nelson Chin Memorial Golf tournament • 021 21 Council President: Family Fun Day in Memory of Nelson Chin • 025 21 Council President: Sprint Super Saturday’s Road Race, September 26 • 029 21 Council President: Diversity Training – KW Diversity APPROVAL OF MINUTES • August 3, 2021 Motion: by Councilor Ringius to approve the Minutes of August 3, 2021 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (9 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O’Brien, Ringius, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (0) OLD BUSINESS • 21 028 Mayor: Ordinance to Establish Anti Blight Program or take up any action related thereto (Public Hearing to Continue to Table to October 5, 2021) President Hume stated the Mayor has requested we Continue to Table Order 21 028 to October 5, 2021. Councilor Ringius made a Motion to Continue to Table Order 21 028 to October 5, 2021 Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Continue Table Order 21 028 to October 5, 2021 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (9 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O’Brien, Ringius, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (0) • 21 041 Town Clerk: Polling Locations or take up any action relative thereto President Hume referred to Councilor Boericke, Chairwoman of the Committee of Ways & Means for a recommendation. Chairwoman Boericke stated the Committee of Ways & Means met last week. Clerk Casey came before us and discussed this topic. The vote for 6 locations failed with a vote of 1 in favor and 3 opposed. The Ways & Means Committee sends this to the full Council with a split vote on the 3 polling locations 2 in favor and 2 opposed. I was in the opposition of 3 polling locations. Since that time however, I have had further discussions with my constituents and the Town Clerk and tonight I will be voting in favor to support 3 polling locations. Reasons to now be in favor are: Mail in voting which quite literally brings the polling location to one’s door step expanding voter access regardless of transportation needs or mobility. Second all State and Federal Elections in-person Early Voting will be available at Town Hall ensuring walkability for South Braintree Square voters. In 2022 there will be multiple days at Town Hall for voters to come and cast their ballot. Third is the recommendation from our School Department who have been advocating to move our polling locations out of our elementary schools and this plan fills that request. By the end of this year we would had 3 elections in the 3 district polling centers and reversing that now I worry could September 21, 2021 Town Council 2 of 8 increase voter confusion. With further reflection and mail by vote in place I will be voting in favor of the 3 polling locations this evening. James Casey, Town Clerk was present to give an overview and submitted a packet of information. Clerk Casey stated he lost 35 election workers this year. 8 of them were Wardens. Most reasons were COVID related. There is much cost savings from 24 shifts to 6 shifts of police. I believe it is in the best interest of the voters to have 3 district polling centers. Clerk Casey stated I am required to notify all registered voters of any change to their polling locations in 2022. The time is to do this now. I can insert a notification with the Census mailings and save $5,000. REVIEW OF PREVIOUS COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS July 15, 2020 • Adoption of District Voting Centers to December 31, 2020 (COVID) November 17, 2020 • Future of Polling Locations (Individual vs District Voting Centers) February 23, 2021 • Future of Polling Locations (Individual/District Voting Centers/District Voting Precincts) April 27, 2021 • Extension of District Voting Centers to December 31, 2021 (COVID) CONCERNS RAISED Several concerns were raised by council members and the general public regarding….. • Ability to maintain a healthy environment during the COVID pandemic for both voters and election works • Voter lines • Voter Access for persons with disabilities • Sufficient parking, both general and handicap parking spaces • Neighborhood polling locations • Transportation to polls o Bus Routes o Seniors o Persons with Disabilities • Consistency with polling locations VOTING OPTIONS Prior to the 2016 Fall Elections, voters had three options to cast a ballot; Election Day, Absentee by Mail and Absentee In-Person. During the 2016 Presidential Election a fourth option was added; Early Vote In- person. And, due to the COVID Pandemic in 2020, a fifth and sixth option provided voters additional choices…Early Vote by Mail and Absentee – Emergency. September 21, 2021 Town Council 3 of 8 VOTING TRENDS 2011 - 2020 A review of the 10-year trend chart below reveals several voting trends. • The percent of registered voters casting a ballot during a Presidential Election has remained flat, at about 78%, since 2012. However, the actual number of voters casting a ballot has risen, by about 2,000 voters, during this time period. o Growth can be attributed to increased registered voters. • A steady decline in Election Day voting has been recorded with the introduction of early voting o Falling from nearly 20,000 voters in 2012 to below 8,000 voters in 2020. The continued decline in the number of voters casting ballots at the polls on Election Day combined with the increased voting options has raised many flags in the administration and fiscal responsibilities on future elections. Barriers for Disabled Voters Drop Dramatically According to a study on voting accessibility commissioned by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, barriers for disable voters has dropped dramatically this past election year. The number of voters with disabilities who reported difficulties with voting dropped from 26% in 2012 to just 11% in 2020. Some of the possible contributing factors cited in this decline are: • Election officials are more aware of barriers and are removing them • Replacement of ancient voting technology with new equipment • Covid…. o It forced many jurisdictions to move polling places from small, enclosed sites to larger, more open ones to facilitate social distancing This study found 11% voters with disabilities reported difficulties in voting; about double the rate reported by voters with no disabilities. The top primary barriers to voting accessibility for people with disabilities remain essentially unchanged: • Insufficient poll worker training • Access to polls (including publicly available transportation) • Access to elections and registration materials ahead of elections • Stigma (including against developmental and psychiatric disabilities) • Limited resources available to election officials Motion was read by Councilor Ringius: MOTION: UPON THE REQUEST OF THE BRAINTREE TOWN CLERK, THE TOWN OF BRAINTREE, THROUGH THE BRAINTREE TOWN COUNCIL, IT IS SOORDERED: Pursuant to M.G.L. C. 54, § 24, that the public convenience would be better served by permanently establishing District Voting Centers as follows: September 21, 2021 Town Council 4 of 8  Establishment of the Braintree High School Voting Center at 128 Town Street to serve as the polling location for District 1A – Marge Crispin Center/Town Hall, District 1B - Flaherty School, District 2A - Hollis School, District 2B – St. Thomas More Church/Hollis School Establishment of the East Middle School Voting Center at 305 River Street to serve as the polling location for District 3A - Ross School, District 3B - Braintree Yacht Club, District 4A- East Middle School/Elder Affairs Building, District 4B - Morrison School Establishment of the South Middle School Voting Center, 232 Peach Street to serve as the polling location for District 5A- Town Hall, District 5B - Liberty School, District 6A - South Middle School, District 6B - Highlands School And it is further order that a home rule petition be filed in the form set forth in the above order for the relocation of District 2B – St. Thomas More Church, currently located in a voting precinct not adjacent to Braintree High School Voting Center at 128 Town Street. Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Approve Council Order 21 041 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (7 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, Ringius, Ryan), Against (2 - O’Brien, Sciascia), Absent (0), Abstain (0) • 21 042 Resident Petition: Gas Installation – 100 Adams Street or take up any action relative thereto President Hume referred to Councilor Ryan, Chairman of the Committee on the Department of Public Works for a recommendation. Chairman Ryan stated the Committee on the Department of Public Works met this evening with the homeowner and national grid. Adams Street is under moratorium having been resurfaced in 2019. These are the situations we need to think about the resident. This is a new homeowner wanting to get gas installation into their home. The Committee voted unanimous favorable recommendation to the full Council. Councilor Ringius read the motion. MOTION: Resident hereby requests petition for the installation of a gas service line to the residence at 100 Adams Street with Staff Recommendations: BELD: BELD has no utility conflicts with this petition Order 21 042. DPW: The DPW has reviewed the subject petition for the installation of a gas service line to the residence at 100 Adams Street. This section of Adams Street is under the moratorium enacted by the Council in 2015, having been totally reconstructed in 2019. For transverse service trenches, the moratorium is 5 years, therefore any excavation made during or prior to 2024 requires waiving of the ordinance. The gas main is located on the opposite side of Adams Street from the property, near the curb September 21, 2021 Town Council 5 of 8  line in the eastbound travel lane. If the Council does elect to waive the ordinance in this instance, our recommendation is that the petition be granted with the following conditions: A temporary patch shall be placed immediately after the work. The street excavation should be saw-cut, backfilled and compacted in 8-inch lifts, paved to match existing asphalt depth (with a minimum depth of four inches) in two-inch lifts to match the existing street grade. After maintaining the temporary patch through one winter, a permanent patch shall be placed the following May. The permanent patch should be milled curb to curb as to provide at least five feet of overlap on both sides from the temporary patch, but for a length no less than fifteen feet, and machine laid with 2-inches of asphalt top course. Tack coat should be applied to milled surfaces and joints prior to paving. Finished joints should be treated with infrared or with a rubberized asphalt sealer, at the Highway Superintendent’s discretion. All thermoplastic pavement markings should be replaced in-kind following the permanent patching, and surety in the amount of $5000 should be put in place to guarantee the satisfactory completion of the repairs. We also recommend that the following requirement be added to the permit, if it is to be granted: “Neither National Grid nor any contractor is authorized to close any street or to close a direction of travel to facilitate their work without authorization from the Director of the Department of Public Works or the Highway Superintendent. The Chief of Police can also authorize a closure for a police or fire emergency. Construction zone traffic safety issues are to be addressed by using appropriate traffic control signs and devices and the use of police officers for traffic control to safely guide traffic through the work zone. If a closure is authorized by the DPW, it shall not be implemented until signs and police officers (where needed) are properly in place in conformity with the written plan prepared by the contractor’s engineer and approved by the DPW and Police Department.” Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Approve Council Order 21 042 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (8 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, Ringius, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (1 - O’Brien), Absent (0), Abstain (0) • 21 043 Mayor: CPA appropriation—Request for Appropriation-Improvement Design Services at Hollis Field and Watson Park or take up any action relative thereto (Public Hearing to Continue to October 5, 2021) President Hume stated this Order will be taken up at our next Town Council meeting on October 5, 2021. President Hume asked is there a Motion to Open the Public Hearing for Order 21 043. Councilor Ringius made a Motion to OPEN the Public Hearing Motion: by Councilor Ringius to OPEN the Public Hearing for Order 21 043 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (9 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O’Brien, Ringius, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (0) September 21, 2021 Town Council 6 of 8  Councilor Ringius made a Motion to Continue to Table Order 21 043 to October 5, 2021 Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Continue Table Order 21 043 to October 5, 2021 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (9 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O’Brien, Ringius, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (0) • 21 044 Mayor: CPA appropriation—Request for Appropriation-Shoreline Stabilization & Flood Control Project at Watson Park or take up any action relative thereto (Public Hearing to Continue to October 5, 2021) President Hume stated this Order will be taken up at our next Town Council meeting on October 5, 2021. President Hume asked is there a Motion to Open the Public Hearing for Order 21 044. Councilor Ringius made a Motion to OPEN the Public Hearing Motion: by Councilor Ringius to OPEN the Public Hearing for Order 21 044 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (9 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O’Brien, Ringius, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (0) Councilor Ringius made a Motion to Continue to Table Order 21 044 to October 5, 2021 Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Continue Table Order 21 044 to October 5, 2021 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (9 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O’Brien, Ringius, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (0) NEW BUSINESS • 21 047 Town Clerk: Call to the Local General Election – November 2, 2021 (Vote to be held at the October 5, 2021 Town Council meeting) President Hume stated this New Business Order 21 047 is a placeholder to avoid asking for same night action at the next Town Council meeting. President Hume asked is there a motion for the following to be referred to Committee(s): Councilor Ringius read the following item(s) for referral to committee(s): Refer to the Committee of Ways & Means • 21 048 Mayor: Appointment of Tom Kent to the Planning Board or take up any action relative thereto Motion made by Councilor Ringius to refer to the Committee of Ways & Means Order 21 048 Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Refer to the Committee of Ways & Means Order 21 048 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (9 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O’Brien, Ringius, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (0) September 21, 2021 Town Council 7 of 8 Refer to the Committee on the Department of Public Works • 21 045 National Grid Petition: 274 Walnut Street or take up any action relative thereto • 21 046 National Grid Petition: Granite St/Forbes Rd or take up any action relative thereto Motion made by Councilor Ringius to refer to the Committee on the Department of Public Works Order 21 045 and Order 21 046 Motion: by Councilor Ringius to Refer to the Committee on the Department of Public Works Order 21 045 and Order 21 046 Second: by Councilor Ryan Roll Call Vote: For (9 – Boericke, Connors, Flaherty, Hume, Mackin, O’Brien, Ringius, Ryan, Sciascia), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (0) Topics the Chair does not reasonably anticipate will be discussed UPCOMING MEETINGS: Next Council Meeting scheduled on: Tuesday, October 5, 2021@7:30pm ADJOURNMENT It was unanimously voted by roll call vote to adjourn the meeting at 8:27p.m. Respectfully submitted, Susan M. Cimino, Clerk of the Council Meeting Documents • Minutes of August 3, 2021 • 21 028 Mayor: Ordinance to Establish Anti Blight Program or take up any action related thereto (Public Hearing) (Continue to Table to September 21, 2021) • 21 041 Town Clerk: Polling Locations or take up any action relative thereto • 21 043 Mayor: CPA appropriation—Request for Appropriation-Improvement Design Services at Hollis Field and Watson Park or take up any action relative thereto • 21 044 Mayor: CPA appropriation—Request for Appropriation-Shoreline Stabilization & Flood Control Project at Watson Park or take up any action relative thereto • 21 042 Resident Petition: Gas Installation – 100 Adams Street or take up any action relative thereto September 21, 2021 Town Council 8 of 8