City Council

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Apr 16 2025 10:16 am City of Fitchburg Massachusetts 01420 CITY COUNCIL Councillors at Large President Ward Councillors Anthony M. Zarrella Ward 1 – Bernard J. Schultz III Sally H. Cragin Ward 2 – Paul R. Beauchemin Marcus L. DiNatale Ward 3 – Andrew J. Couture Amy L. Green Vice President Andrew J. Van Hazinga Ward 4 – Andrew J. Van Hazinga Elizabeth R. Walsh Ward 5 – Marisa R. Fleming Anthony M. Zarrella Ward 6 – Derrick J. Cruz 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 April 1, 2025. The meeting was called to order by President Zarrella at 7:00 P.M. The meeting opened with a salute to the Flag led by Councilor Green. The City Clerk called the roll 10 Councilors were present (Councilor Fleming via zoom and Councilor DiNatale absent). Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. PUBLIC FORUM • Paul Gagne, Fitchburg resident spoke in favor of 069-25. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- II. ANNOUNCEMENTS The next meeting of the Widowed Helping Widowed Support Group will take place on Thursday, April 10, 2025 from 4 until 5:30 p.m. in Room 205 at the Fitchburg State University Recreation Center, 130 North Street. Kelley Lynn and Bernie Schultz will co- facilitate the meeting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Lenten Fish Fry continues to take place this Friday, April 4 at Madonna of the Holy Rosary, 118 Theresa Street, from 4:30 until 7:00 p.m. Next Friday, April 11, is the last Friday for the Fish Fry this year. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Stratton Players will be putting on Alice in Wonderland at Christ Church, 569 Main St., Fitchburg, on Fridays, April 4th & 11th at 7:30pm and Saturdays, April 5th and 12th at 2pm & 7:30pm. Tickets are $15 or $10 for students/seniors. Saturday, April 5th, there will be a “Mad Hatter Tea Party Luncheon” catered by Finicky Fork at the theatre. Seating starts at 12:15pm and the show is at 2pm. Saturday, April 12th, there will be a “Dinner and a Show” at Slattery’s, a benefit for the Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation of North Central MA. Email strattonplayers@gmail.com -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  III. REPORT OF THE APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE Appointments Committee Oral Report Meeting of April 1, 2025 New Appointment: Fitchburg Historical Commission (Term to expire April 1, 2028) Brian Gallagher Report read and accepted by roll call vote 10 in favor and 0 opposed. 10 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IV. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RECORDS Regular City Council meeting minutes of March 18, 2025 Report read and accepted by roll call vote 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. Councilor Couture stepped away. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V. COMMUNICATION Her Honor the Mayor Motion and second for suspension of rules by roll call vote 10 in favor and 0 opposed. 10 members present. Board consists of 11 members. 1. New-Appointment letter: Special Police Officers Kerry C. Siomos Timothy M. McDermott Appointments confirmed roll call vote 10 in favor and 0 opposed. 10 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. New-Appointment letter: David De Jesus, as a Member of the Fitchburg Human Rights Commission, for a term to expire April 1, 2028. Appointment stands referred to the Appointments Committee. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VI. COMMUNICATION Council President Anthony Zarrella 1. Re-Appointment letter: Joanna Bilotta-Simeone, as Fitchburg City Clerk, for a term to expire April 19, 2028. Appointment stands referred to the Appointments Committee. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VII. ANNUAL REPORT 064-25. ANNUAL REPORT: Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority for Fiscal Year 2024 and The Audited Financials for Fiscal Year 2023. Memo to City Council FRA Annual Report - Fiscal Year 2024 FRA Audited Financials Report filed in the City Clerk’s Office. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VIII. SPECIAL PRESENTATION Liz Murphy, Executive Director Community Development & Planning to present a Digital Equity Plan Digital Equity Plan ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IX. REPORT OF COMMITTEES Board of Health Meeting of March 6, 2025 BOH Minutes 030-24. Andrew Couture on behalf of the residents of Oak Ridge Condominiums to investigate an offensive odor (Suspected from Greif Paper) (update) Board of Health Director Steve Curry gave an update. Petition to be held in Committee. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Finance Committee Meeting of March 26, 2025 Oral Report 061-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of Mosaic (Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership) grant funds from the Mass DPH Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) in the approximate amount of FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($40,000) for the purpose of said grant, which is to address the opioid overdose crisis by providing medical supplies and connection to services. (Be Adopted) 062-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby appropriate the sum of ONE HUNDRED TWO THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED TEN DOLLARS ($102,210) from RESERVE FOR OTHER MUNICIPAL PURPOSES – Capital Expenses to POLICE CAPITAL – Vehicle Replacement. (Be Adopted) Report read and accepted. Orders adopted by roll call vote 10 in favor and 0 opposed. 10 members present. Board Consists of 11 members. Orders signed by Mayor April 4, 2025 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Legislative Affairs Meeting of April 1, 2025 Oral Report 020-25. AN ORDINANCE: to adopt the provisions of G.L. c.60, §62A as amended by Section 89 through 91 of Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2024. (Be Adopted) 027-25. AN ORDINANCE: the City Council of the City of Fitchburg that the ordering of the prior insertions in Ordinance 009-2024 is hereby corrected as follows: 1. Section 5 is struck its entirety. 2. Section 6 shall now insert a new Article X entitle “Snow and Ice” at the end of Chapter 169 Vehicles and Traffic. 3. A new Section 169-103 entitled “Duty to remove snow or ice from motor vehicles” shall be inserted under Article X and read as follows in Section 6 of Ordinance 009-2024. (Be Adopted) 031-25. The Planning Board is seeking to amend Special Permit Fees and review of updated Planning Board fee schedule as enclosed in the packet. Planning Board Fee Schedule Revised (Be Granted) Report read and accepted. Ord adopted by roll call vote 10 in favor and 0 opposed. 10 members present. Board Consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- X. ORDER – FINANCE 065-25. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($150,000) from RESERVE FOR OTHER MUNICIPAL PURPOSES – Capital Expenses to SCHOOL BUILDING MAINTENANCE – Capital Improvement. Orders stand referred to Finance Committee. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  XI. ORDER – OTHER Order stands referred to City Property: 066-25. ORDER THAT: the City Council does hereby approve and authorize the Mayor to execute a Conservation Restriction by and between Ralph S. Baker, 840 Ashby West Road, Fitchburg, MA 01420, Worcester County, being the sole owner of 24.8 acres, +/-, shown as Lot-1 on a plan of land titled Proposed Plan of Land for Ralph S. Baker Fitchburg, Massachusetts, dated September 10, 2021, by New England Engineering, 601 Shea St. Fitchburg, MA 01420, recorded at Worcester Northern District Registry of Deeds, Plan 531-6, on October 5, 2021, and the North County Land Trust, Inc., 325 Lindell Avenue, Leominster, MA as more fully set forth in the Conservation Restriction dated October 30, 2024 as included with this Order. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- XII. PETITIONS Petition stands referred to Public Safety: 067-25. Residents of Park St., to petition concerns that Midnight Auto Repair shop is taking over Park St. leaving the residents with “No Parking”. (Public Safety) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Petition stands referred to Finance: 068-25. Fire Chief Suarez, to petition for an increase on the annual License fee for the Fire Alarm System monitoring from the current rate of $200.00 to $300.00. This increase will take effect January 1, 2026. We request these funds be deposited into an enterprise fund for equipment maintenance and future upgrades. This fee is charged annually through the City Clerk’s Office for all Fire Alarm Systems that are monitored by the Fitchburg Fire Department Dispatch Center, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. (Finance Committee) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Petition stands referred to Public Works: 069-25. Councilor Andrew J. Couture, on behalf of Paul Gagne and other residents, to change the status of Central Ave. Ext. from a paper road to an actual road. (Public Works) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- XIII. RESOLUTION Resolution stands referred to Legislative Affairs: 070-25. President Zarrella, on behalf of FATV to adopt resolution in support of bill S.41 and H.91 “Streaming Bill” Media Programming as per enclosed in the resolution. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  XIV. OTHER BUSINESS Next Regular Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 7:00 PM The meeting adjourned at 8:04 P.M. ___________________________________ Joanna Bilotta-Simeone, City Clerk