City Council

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Dec 27 2021 3:28 pm City of Fitchburg Massachusetts 01420 CITY COUNCIL Councillors at Large President Ward Councillors Anthony M. Zarrella Ward 1 – Bernard J. Schultz III Marcus L. DiNatale Ward 2 – Paul R. Beauchemin Amy Green Ward 3 – Andrew J. Couture Thomas C. Hughes Vice President Elizabeth R. Walsh Ward 4 – Andrew J. Van Hazinga Samantha M. Squailia Ward 5 – Marisa R. Fleming Anthony M. Zarrella 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 December 21, 2021. The meeting was called to order by President Anthony Zarrella at 7:04 P.M. The meeting opened with a salute to the Flag led by Councilor Walsh. The Clerk called the roll and 11 Councilors were present. President Zarrella noted that Councilors Elect Derrick Cruz and Sally Cragin were present but not participating. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. PUBLIC FORUM This meeting will be open to the public. Persons who wish to participate remotely in the Public Forum portion of the meeting may request a remote attendance link by contacting the City Clerk at cityclerk@fitchburgma.gov. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- II. REPORT OF THE APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE Appointments Committee Oral Report Meeting of December 21, 2021 The Appointments Committee recommended the following Appointments be confirmed: Re-Appointment Chief of Police for the City of Fitchburg (Term to expire December 3, 2024) Mr. Ernest Martineau New Appointments Fitchburg Cultural Council (Term to expire January 1, 2025) Ms. Shara Osgood (Term to expire January 1, 2025) Mr. Samuel Luxama Report accepted. Appointments confirmed by unanimous consent 11/0. 11 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- III. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RECORDS The Committee on records reported the minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 7, 2021 were correctly recorded. Report accepted and minutes adopted. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IV. COMMUNICATION His Honor the Mayor Appointment Letters Re-Appointment Fitchburg Council on Aging (Term to expire June 1, 2023) Mr. Jorge Rodriguez New Appointment Commissioner of the Department of Public Works (To complete the term of the former DPW Commissioner, Nicolas Bosonetto, which expires July 3, 2022) Mr. Nicholas J. Erickson, P.E. Appointments read and referred to the Appointments Committee. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Promotion Letter 1. Police Officer James S. McCall to the rank of Permanent Police Sergeant. 2. Sergeant Daniel K. Bellofatto to the rank of Permanent Police Lieutenant. Appointments read and placed on file in the City Clerk’s Office. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V. COMMUNICATION Fitchburg Retirement Board 2022 Calendar Year Budget Communication placed on file in the City Clerk’s Office. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VI. PRESENTATION Representative Michael Kushmerek Representative Kushmerek thanked the Council President for allowing him the opportunity to present at the meeting. He expressed his gratitude to everyone that serves their community, especially those that step forward to elected office. He personally thanked Council Walsh and Council Hughes for their service to the community. He then presented them with citations from the House of Representatives. Mayor DiNatale also thanked both Councilors for their hard work and service and presented them with a citation from the City of Fitchburg. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  VII. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES Finance Committee Meeting of November 14, 2021 The Finance Committee recommended the following Orders be adopted: 208-21. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of SIXTEEN THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($16,750.00) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to HEALTH EXPENSE, WEIGHTS & MEASURES CHARGES for the purpose of covering expenses associated with the annual testing and sealing of commercial weighing and measuring devices. 209-21. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of THIRTY- ONE THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED TWENTY AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($31,320.00) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to LIBRARY TRUST FUND, WALLACE FUND. 210-21. ORDERED THAT: The City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the MEMA Emergency Management Performance grant in the approximate amount of $20,150.00 (TWENTY THOUSAND, ONE HUNDRED FIFTY AND 00/100 DOLLARS) for the purpose of said grant, which is to purchase four imaging cameras, including battery and charging systems. 211-21. ORDERED THAT: The City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the U.S. Department of Justice, office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), Cops Hiring Program grant in the approximate amount of $250,000.00 (TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS) for the purpose of said grant, which is to hire two additional police officers whose focus is on community policing and crisis intervention. 212-21. ORDERED THAT: The City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Sustainable Materials Recovery Program grant in the approximate amount of $36,000.00 (THIRTY-SIX THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS) for the purpose of said grant, which is to continue to provide residents with more robust information about waste disposal and recycling, purchase additional carts for the curbside program, expand the current program, and reduce , reuse, and recycle in school cafeterias. 213-21. ORDERED THAT: The City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners grant in the approximate amount of $50,000.00 (FIFTY THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS) for the purpose of said grant, which is to purchase mobile shelving units for the Youth Library, self-check-out stations for the Adult Library, and other equipment needs. Report read and accepted. Orders adopted by unanimous consent 11/0. 11 members present. Board consists of 11 members. Orders signed by the Mayor December 23, 2021. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Finance Committee recommended the following Petition be granted: 214-21. Jaquelyn Poirier, Cemetery Superintendent, to approve the enclosed price increases as approved by the Cemetery Trustees at the November 18, 2021 Board Meeting. Enclosed: Present price list and proposed price list. Report read and accepted. Petition granted by unanimous consent 11/0. 11 members present. Board consists of 11 members ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VIII. ORDERS-FINANCE The following Order was referred to the Finance Committee: 218-21. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of NINE THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($9,000.00) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to FACILITIES REPAIR & CARE, TAX POSSESSION MAINTENANCE. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IX. ORDINANCES 181-21. AN ORDINANCE: Amending Chapter 44, Section 10 of the Code of the City of Fitchburg, re: Fire Chief (Matrix) Ordinance was sent to a third and final reading and adopted to be enrolled and ordained by roll call vote of 11 in favor and 0 opposed. 11 members present. Board consists of 11 members. Ordinance signed by the Mayor December 23, 2021. https://ma-fitchburg.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/9328/181-21-ch44-s10-matrix ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 182-21. AN ORDINANCE: Amending Chapter 44, Section 10 of the Code of the City of Fitchburg, re: Fire Chief (Table) (Amended to add Police Chief) Ordinance was further amended to: move Police Chief from Step 10 to Step 11 by a roll call vote of 10 in favor and 1 opposed (Beauchemin). Ordinance, as amended, was sent to a third and final reading and adopted to be enrolled and ordained as further amended by roll call vote of 10 in favor and 1 opposed (Beauchemin). 11 members present. Board consists of 11 members. Ordinance signed by the Mayor December 23, 2021. https://ma-fitchburg.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/9329/182-21-ch-44-s-10-table ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The following Ordinance was referred to the Finance Committee: 219-21. AN ORDINANCE: Amending Chapter 44, Section 10 of the Code of the City of Fitchburg, as most recently amended, be further amended by adding thereto the following: Under positions paid hourly Effective 12/1/2021 Epidemiologist $50.00 Contact Tracer Supervisor $48.00 Contact Tracer/Case Investigator $32.00 Contact Tracer (Part-time) $30.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- X. PETITION The following Petition was referred to the Public Works Committee: 220-21. Councilor Marisa Fleming, to install barriers or guardrails at all culverts along Billings Road to mitigate any vehicles sliding into them. Markers have been placed, but once it snows, these markers are no longer visible. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- XI. ANNOUNCEMENTS President Zarrella announced that Ward 1 City Councilor Bernie Schultz is hosting a Ward 1 Meeting on Monday, January 10, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. in the Fitchburg Legislative Building, 700 Main Street. Police Chief Ernie Martineau and Health Department Director Steve Curry will make presentations and answer questions. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mayor DiNatale announced that the Fitchburg City Hall Project is being awarded a 2021 Boston Society for Architecture Design Award. This award honors projects that represent critical values that advance architecture. The City Hall Project architects, Icon Architecture, are being recognized for “Accessible Design”. “Early on, Icon came up with the tagline, “A City Hall for All” based on my administration’s goal for an open and inviting building for constituents, residents, and visitors. This award reflects that the project team not only achieved that goal, but exceeded it. This award compliments the prior two prestigious awards the City Hall Project was honored with, the Massachusetts Preservation Award, and the New England Construction Management Award for Renovation/Modernization. Our thanks go out to Icon Architecture, Bond, and Colliers and we all have a great deal to be proud of. XII. OTHER BUSINESS The meeting adjourned at 7:50 P.M. ___________________________________ Amanda K. Alford, Provisional City Clerk