City Council

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Jul 08 2022 8:19 am City of Fitchburg 3:05 pm, May 26, 2026 Massachusetts 01420 CITY COUNCIL Councillors at Large President Ward Councillors Anthony M. Zarrella Sally H. Cragin Ward 1 – Bernard J. Schultz III Marcus L. DiNatale Vice President Ward 2 – Paul R. Beauchemin Amy Green Andrew J. Van Hazinga Ward 3 – Andrew J. Couture Samantha M. Squailia Ward 4 – Andrew J. Van Hazinga Anthony M. Zarrella Ward 5 – Marisa R. Fleming Ward 6 – Derrick J. Cruz COUNCIL AS A WHOLE COMMITTEE MEETING Legislative Building, 700 Main Street, Fitchburg, MA Tuesday, May 31, 2022 Immediately following the Legislative Affairs Committee Meeting Which is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. 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. The Council as a Whole Committee Meeting was called to order by President Zarrella at 7:17 PM. The meeting opened with a salute to the Flag led by Councilor Couture. The clerk called the roll and 9 Councilors were present (Fleming, Schultz, Van Hazinga participated remotely) Councilor Cragin arrived at 8:40 PM, Councilor Green was absent. Also present where members of the Finance Team: Chris Parquette, Chief Assessor, Anne Cervantes, Treasurer, Calvin Brooks, Auditor, Natalia Oliver, Chief of Staff, and Hon. Mayor Stephen DiNatale. The agenda will consist of the following: Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale and the finance will formally present in detail the FY2023 budget to the City Council followed by Public Forum and Public Comment. Public Comment: Jacquelyn Wehtje, , addressed the Councilors in regards to agenda item number one to defund the Board of Health. The Budget and related Orders and Petition to be addressed are as follows: FY2023 BUDGET ORDERS 154-22. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2023 Operating Budget: General Fund: $149,593,920.00 Water Enterprise: $6,574,270.00 Wastewater Enterprise: $13,047,314.00 Airport Fund: $695,331.00 155-22 ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($700,000), same to be credited to the Fiscal Year 2023 TAX LEVY and charged against OVERLAY SURPLUS. 156-22. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of SIX HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($675,000), same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credit to the Fiscal Year 2023 TAX LEVY in order to reduce the tax rate. 157-22. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED THREE DOLLARS ($180,703.00), same to be charged against PARKING METER/GARAGE RECEIPTS and credited to the Fiscal Year 2023 accounts as follows: Treasurer Personal Services $59,703.00 Treasurer Expenses $121,000.00 158-22. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($25,000), same to be charged against PEG ACCESS AND CABLE RELATED FUND RECEIPTS and credited to the Fiscal Year 2023 accounts as follows: Information Technology, PEG Expenses $25,000.00 159-22. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($15,000), same to be charged against CEMETERY SALE OF LOTS AND GRAVES and credited to the Fiscal Year 2023 accounts as follows: Cemetery Personal Services $15,000.00 160-22. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of SIX MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED SEVENTY- FOUR THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY DOLLARS ($6,574,270.00), charging $6,322,000.00 against WATER ENTERPRISE FUND RECEIPTS and $252,270.00 against WATER ENTERPRISE RETAINED EARNINGS,  and crediting to the Fiscal Year 2023 WATER ENTERPRISE FUND accounts as follows: Personal Services $1,860,830.00 Expenses $1,818,000.00 Indirect Costs $1,110,000.00 Debt Services $1,415,440.00 Capital Expenses $370,000.00 161-22. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of THIRTEEN MILLION, FORTY-SEVENTY THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED FOURTEEN DOLLARS ($13,047,314.00), same to be charged against WASTEWATER ENTERPRISE FUND RECEIPTS and crediting Fiscal Year 2023 WASTEWATER ENTERPRISE FUND accounts as follows: Personal Services $2,558,886.00 Expenses $2,929,345.00 Indirect Costs $1,210,000.00 Debt Services $5,799,083.00 Capital Expenses $550,000.00 162-22. ORDERED THAT: There be and hereby is appropriated the sum of SIX HUNDRED NINETY-FIVE THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE DOLLARS ($695,331.00), same to be charged against AIRPORT RECEIPTS RESERVED and credited to the Fiscal Year 2023 AIRPORT FUND accounts as follows: Personal Services $313,131.00 Expenses $382,200.00 163-22. ORDER THAT: The City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the following REVOLVING FUNDS authorized by city ordinance up to the amount available in the fund or $100,000.00 (except Public Health Sustainability which shall have a limit of $700,000.00 for FY2023), whichever is less as listed in the enclosed order. Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Mayor DiNatale addressed the Council with the following remarks: Dear Honorable Councilors, I am pleased and hereby submit my Fiscal Year 2023 Budget for the City of Fitchburg which breaks down as follows:  General Fund $149,593,920  Water $6,574,270  Wastewater $13,047,314   Airport $695,331 After the city had to endure two years of pandemic, this budget reflects the return to regular business. There is some recognition of the pandemic and its effects, especially in the continuing Covid-related work being done by the Board of Health, but the majority of the budget is looking forward. This budget seeks to maintain services while also absorbing the increased costs of health insurance, pension assessments, and collective bargaining agreements. As in the past, we will be using current Available Funds to cover part of next year's Snow & Ice costs. The budget also continues to add capacity for future debt service in order to cover the costs of borrowing for the new Crocker School and the library renovation. I would like to offer a special thank you to the Finance Team for their valuable expertise, as well as all Department Heads and City Staff for their cooperation and effort. I look forward to working closely with the City Council as we engage in a formal discussion of the budget. I am confident that together we will produce a budget that is fiscally responsible while providing critical services to the constituents of the City of Fitchburg. Respectfully Submitted, Stephen L. DiNatale Mayor FATV Audio of Meeting https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/yycCAZPb0NN3zj2o5qio- YFMNC43NjCG/media/723677?autostart=true&showtabssearch=true The meeting adjourned at 11:17 P.M. Respectfully Submitted, Joanna Bilotta-Simeone, City Clerk