City Council

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Jun 03 2021 11:37 am City of Fitchburg Massachusetts 01420 CITY COUNCIL Councillors at Large President Anthony M. Zarrella Ward Councillors Marcus L. DiNatale Ward 1 – Bernard J. Schultz III Amy Green Ward 2 – Paul R. Beauchemin Thomas C. Hughes Vice President Ward 3 – Andrew J. Couture Samantha M. Squailia Elizabeth R. Walsh Ward 4 – Andrew J. Van Hazinga Anthony M. Zarrella Ward 5 – Marisa R. Fleming Ward 6 – Elizabeth R. Walsh The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Fitchburg was held at the Legislative Building at 700 Main Street and over the Zoom meeting platform and live streamed at FATV Studios, Fitchburg, on June 1, 2021. The meeting was called to order by President Anthony Zarrella at 7:01 P.M. The Clerk called the roll and 11 Councilors were present, with 10 Councilors present in the Legislative Building and 1 Councilor logged in remotely (Schultz). The meeting opened with a salute to the Flag led by Councilor DiNatale. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. PUBLIC FORUM The public is invited to participate in the Zoom webinar of Jun 1, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time Topic: Fitchburg City Council Meeting Register in advance for the Public Comment/Hearing portion of the Agenda by going to: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xZGg7n2RQbOpRFyBW3zHVA After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about logging in to join the webinar. II. REPORT OF THE APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE There is no report of the Appointments Committee at this time. III. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RECORDS The Committee on records reported the minutes of the Regular Meeting of May 18, 2021 and Council as a Whole Meeting of May 25, 2021 were correctly recorded. Report accepted and minutes adopted. IV. COMMUNICATION Pension Reserves Investment Management Board Reading waived. Report placed on file in the City Clerk’s Office by unanimous consent 11/0. 11 members present. Board consists of 11 members.  V. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES Finance Committee Meeting of May 25, 2021 The Finance Committee recommended the following Orders be adopted: 091-21 ORDERED THAT there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of SIX THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($6875.00) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to CITY COUNCIL EXPENSE, ORDINANCE CODE SUPPLEMENT. 092-21 ORDERED THAT there be and hereby is transferred from within the sum of FORTY THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($40,000.00) same to be charged against RESERVE FOR OTHER MUNICIPAL PURPOSES, CAPITAL EXPENSES and credited to LIBRARY CAPITAL, BUILDING RENOVATION for engineering to design new heating and cooling systems. 093-21 ORDERED THAT there be and hereby is transferred from within the sum of SIX HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($625,000.00) same to be charged against RESERVE FOR OTHER MUNICIPAL PURPOSES, CAPITAL EXPENSES and credited to SOUTH STREET SCHOOL ROOF & BOILERS CAPITAL PROJECT. Report read and accepted. Orders adopted by unanimous consent 11/0. 11 members present. Board consists of 11 members. Orders signed by the Mayor June 3, 2021. The Finance Committee recommended the following Loan Order be adopted: 094-21 LOAN ORDER: Appropriate FOUR MILLION DOLLARS ($4,000,000) to pay costs of various Wastewater Infrastructure Projects as outlined in the enclosed Loan Order. (Be Adopted) Report read and accepted. Loan Order was sent to a first reading and ordered advertised by unanimous roll call vote. 11 members present. Board consists of 11 members. Finance Committee Meeting Minutes of May 25, 2021 http://www.ci.fitchburg.ma.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05252021-2404 Public Works Committee Oral Report Meeting of May 25, 2021 The Public Works Committee recommended the following Petitions be granted: 072-21. Councillor Andrew Van Hazinga & Peter Johnson, to install a streetlight at the intersection of Prichard Street and Wallace Avenue. 089-21. Councillors Sam Squailia and Elizabeth Walsh to install a berm at both sides of the existing storm drain at 506 Wanoosnoc Rd to prevent further erosion. Approx. 37ft on one side and 63ft on the other side to meet existing asphalt berms. 090-21. Councillors Sam Squailia and Marisa Fleming to install a berm at 76 Richardson Rd to prevent further erosion. Approx. 70ft long connecting from the existing berm to the existing driveway. Report accepted. Petitions granted by unanimous consent 11/0. 11 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HELD petitions for review: The Public Works Committee recommended the following Petition be given leave to withdraw: 046-20. Councillors Marisa Fleming and Marcus DiNatale, to declare Ethier Street a Public Way. Report accepted. Petition given Leave to Withdraw by unanimous consent 11/0. 11 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Public Works Committee recommended the following Petition be held in Committee: 089-20. Councillor Bernie Schultz, and resident Alex Freeman of 70 Rainville Avenue, to remove the “No Turn on Red” sign at the intersection of John T. Cetrino Memorial Drive and Water Street. Report accepted. Petition Held in Committee by unanimous consent 11/0. 11 members present. Board consists of 11 members. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Public Works Committee recommended the following Petition be given leave to withdraw: 177-20. Councillor Paul Beauchemin, to petition the City to add a berm in front of 78 St. Joseph Ave., in order to address water and sand issues faced by residents in the winter. Berm should be placed from the start of the sidewalk to the berm on Daniels St. Report accepted. Petition given Leave to Withdraw by vote of 10 in favor and 1 opposed (Beauchemin). 11 members present. Board consists of 11 members. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Public Works Department Engineering Division The following Order was referred to a Continued Public Hearing on June 15, 2021: 025-21. ORDER: Laying out a portion of Tibbett Circle as a public way as outlined in the enclosed Order. (Be Adopted) Refer to Continued Public Hearing June 15, 2021 The full report may be viewed here: https://ma-fitchburg.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/8095/Tibbett-Circle_Street-Acceptance-Memorandum VI. ORDERS-FINANCE Reading waived. The following Orders were referred to the Finance Committee: 110-21. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is transferred the sum of SEVEN THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED TWO AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($7,202.00) same to be charged against RESERVE FOR SNOW & ICE REMOVAL and credited to the following DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, SNOW & ICE accounts: PERSONAL SERVICES, OVERTIME EQUIPMENT RENTAL $7,202.00 PLOWS & BLADES SALT 111-21. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of FIFTY THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($50,000.00) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to OTHER POST EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS (OPEB) TRUST FUND. 112-21. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of FOUR THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($4,000.00) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to BUILDING-CONTRACTED SERVICES for the purpose of digitizing Building Department paper documents. 113-21. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($280,000.00) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to LIBRARY CAPITAL, BUILDING RENOVATION for construction of new heating and cooling systems. 114-21. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is transferred from within the sum of TWO HUNDRED TWENTY THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($220,000.00) same to be charged against RESERVE FOR OTHER MUNICIPAL PURPOSES, CAPITAL EXPENSES and credited to LIBRARY CAPITAL, BUILDING RENOVATION for construction of new heating and cooling systems. 115-21. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is transferred from within the sum of ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($135,000.00) same to be charged against RESERVE FOR OTHER MUNICIPAL PURPOSES, CAPITAL EXPENSES and credited to AIRPORT EXPENSES, REPAIR & MAINTENANCE OF BUILDINGS for reconditioning of the hangar roofs and replacement of the hangar doors. 116-21. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is transferred from within the sum of TWO THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($2,500.00) same to be transferred from AIRPORT, PERSONAL SERVICES, LABOR and credited to AIRPORT, PERSONAL SERVICES, OVERTIME. 117-21. ORDERED THAT: The City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the Federal Aviation Administration, Airport Coronavirus Response Program grant in the approximate amount of $23,000.00 (TWENTY-THREE THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS) for the purpose of said grant, which is to cover airport expenses. 118-21. ORDERED THAT: The City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the Federal Aviation Administration grant in the approximate amount of $333,333.00 (THREE HUNDRED THIRTY-THREE THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED THIRTY-THREE AND 00/100 DOLLARS) for the purpose of said grant, which is to develop an Airport Master Plan. 119-21. ORDERED THAT: The City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the CARES Act, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, CDBG-CV Program in the approximate amount of $9,000.00 (NINE THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS) for the purpose of said grant which is for Pandemic Related Legal Assistance. 120-21. ORDERED THAT: The sum of NINE THOUSAND, NINE HUNDRED NINETY- NINE AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($9,999.00) be appropriated, same to be credited to the Pawlak Playground Project and charged against the CDBG Year 47. 121-21. ORDERED THAT: The sum of ONE THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY- SEVEN AND 20/100 DOLLARS ($1,857.20) be appropriated, same to be credited to the Small Business Financial Assistance Program and charged against the CDBG Year 47. 122-21. ORDERED THAT: The sum of TWO THOUSAND, SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY- TWO AND 80/100 DOLLARS ($2,682.80) be appropriated, same to be credited to CDBG Administration and charged against the CDBG Year 47.  VII. PETITIONS 123-21. Councillor Marcus DiNatale, to erect "no parking" signage along Canton Street in front ofthe FHA apartments (just across from the Meadowbrook Lane entrance). Cars parked on this side ofthe street are encroaching on the narrow road and are causing safety concems. MOTION: To amend 123-21 to add "Bemard Schultz" to the Petition, passed by unanimous consent 11/0. 11 members present. Board consists of 11 members. The amended Petition was referred to the Public Safety Committee: 123-21. Councillors Marcus DiNatale and Bemard Schultz, to erect "no parking'" signage along Canton Street in front ofthe FHA apartments (just across from the Meadowbrook Lane entrance). Cars parked on this side ofthe street are encroaching on the narrow road and are causing safety concems. (Public Safety Committee) VIII. ANNOUNCEMENTS President Zarrella reminded the Councilors that all budget cuts were due to the City Clerk's Office by 4:30 PM on Thursday, June 3, 2021. He also recommended that they reach out to specific Departments ifthey had changes in mind. There will be a press conference to celebrate completion, or near completion ofphases 1 and 2 of Fitchburg Abolition Park's three phase development on Junteenth, Saturday, June 19, 2021 from 10:00-11:00 AM at the future home ofthe Fitchburg Abolitionist Park, 42-50 Snow Street, vacant lot. Councilor Schultz will host a Ward 1 meeting in the Legislative Building on Thursday, June 17, 2021 at 6:30 PM. Interested residents are encouraged to attend. President Zarrella stated that at the next regular City Council meeting on June 15, the Legislative Building would finally be open to the public. He recommended that each person relied on their own bestjudgment regarding wearing a mask and their health, in general, when attending. He also noted that Councilors had the option, at that time, to remove the Plexiglas barriers on the dais, with the understanding that if a particular Councilor wished to keep theirs, both sides would stay in place. The meeting adjoumed at 7:17 PM ^. Mary^le Alder^te,