City Council

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK May 07 2025 3:08 pm 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 15, 2025. The meeting was called to order by President Zarrella at 7:02 P.M. The meeting opened with a salute to the Flag led by Councilor Schultz. The Assistant City Clerk called the roll 10 Councilors were present (Councilor Fleming absent). Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. PUBLIC FORUM No one spoke during Public Forum. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- II. ANNOUNCEMENTS The next meeting of the Widowed Helping Widowed Support Group will take place on Thursday, April 24, 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 City of Fitchburg Health Department will hold a Community Narcan and Overdose Prevention Training on Thursday, April 17, 2025 at the Fitchburg Legislative Building. Resource tables from area providers will be available at 5:30pm, along with refreshments. The training will begin at 6:00pm. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The City of Fitchburg Health Department will again partner with the Fitchburg Police Department to hold Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 26, 2025 from 10am-12 noon in front of the Fitchburg Legislative Building, 700 Main Street. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Second chance is hosting a low-cost pet vaccine clinic in Fitchburg on Saturday April 26th for dogs and cats! Fitchburg Fire Headquarters, 33 North Street, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon. Available Vaccines and Microchip: Distemper Vaccines $18, Rabies Vaccines $18.00, Microchipping $22.00. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Save the date for the Love Our Pet Festival on Saturday, May 3, 2025 from 10am to 2pm at the Crocker Playground. Vendors pet care and information will be at 1:00pm. Well-behaved dogs on non retractable leashes are invited to participate in the pride of Fitchburg promenade. It is free, open to kid’s families and adults and sponsored by Ward 3 Councilor Andrew Couture, be positive therapy pets and Fitchburg Parks and Recreation Department. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Councilor Couture will be hosting a Ward 3 Community meeting at 6:00 PM at the Legislative Building, 700 Main Street, Fitchburg, on Thursday, April 17th, 2025. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- III. REPORT OF THE APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE Appointments Committee Oral Report Meeting of April 15, 2025 New Appointment: Fitchburg Human Rights Commission (Term to expire April 1, 2028) David De Jesus (Be Held) Re-Appointment: Fitchburg City Clerk (Term to expire April 19, 2028) Joanna Bilotta-Simeone Report read and accepted by unanimous consent 10/0. 10 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IV. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RECORDS Regular City Council meeting minutes of April 1, 2025 Report read and accepted by unanimous consent 10/0. 10 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V. COMMUNICATION Her Honor the Mayor 1. New-Appointment letter: Christopher Deloge, as an Associate Member of the Fitchburg Zoning of Appeals, for a term to expire on May 6, 2027. Appointment stands referred to the Appointments Committee. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  VI. REPORT OF COMMITTEES Finance Committee Meeting of April 9, 2025 Oral Report 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. (Be Adopted) Report read and accepted. Order 068-25 adopted by unanimous consent. 10 members present. Board Consists of 11 members. Orders signed by Mayor May 1, 2025 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 a enterprise revolving fund for equipment maintenance and future upgrades. This fee is charged annually through the City Clerk’s Office Fire Dept. for all Fire Alarm Systems. This system is maintained and monitored by the Fitchburg Fire Department Dispatch Center, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. (First half of petition granted, second half to be held as amended) Report read and accepted as amended. Petition 068-25 was divided into two petitions 068-25-1 and 068-25-2. Grant 068-25-1 for rate increase $200 to $300 and hold 068-25-2 in Committee by unanimous consent 10/0. 10 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VII. ORDERS – FINANCE Waive reading. Orders stand referred to Finance Committee. 071-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby transfers the sum of NINE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($9,500) from HEALTH – Travel & Meetings Expense to HEALTH -RUBBISH REMOVAL – Cleanup Funds. 072-25. ORDER THAT: there be and is appropriated from AVAILABLE FUNDS the sum of TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($20,000) for HEALTH – RUBBISH REMOVAL – Cleanup Funds. 073-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of grant funds from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Complete Streets Funding Program, in the approximate amount of FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY-SIX THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE DOLLARS ($456,121) to support pedestrian projects on Summer Street and at Electric Avenue and Rollstone Road. 0074-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of earmark funds from the Executive Office of Housing & Livable Communities in the approximate amount of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($250,000) to support the conversion of vacant upper-story space in downtown into housing. 075-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from Round 2 of the Department of Fire Services Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant in the approximate amount of FIVE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY-TWO AND 33/100 DOLLARS ($5,452.33) for the purpose of purchasing handheld thermal imaging cameras. 076-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby appropriate and transfer the sum of THREE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($350,000) from Available Funds to the Stabilization Fund. 077-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby appropriate and transfer the sum of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($250,000) from Available Funds to the Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Trust Fund. 078-25. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($400,000) same to be charged against AVAILABLE FUNDS and credited to DPW ADMIN/ENGINEERING EXPENSES – Stormwater Contract Services. 079-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby transfers the sum of TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($10,000) from TREASURER PERSONAL SERVICES – Clerical to TREASURER EXPENSES – Temporary Services. 080-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby transfers the sum of EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS ($8,000) from TREASURER PERSONAL SERVICES – Assistant Department Head to TREASURER EXPENSES – Training. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VIII. ORDINANCES 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. (First Reading) Ordinance was sent to a first and second reading and ordered to be advertised by unanimous consent 10/0. 10 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. (First Reading) Ordinance was sent to a first and second reading and ordered to be advertised by unanimous consent 10/0. 10 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IX. PETITION 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. 081-25. Liz Murphy, to adopt the final draft of the Digital Equity Plan, as detailed in the enclosed material. (Suspension of Rules) Digital Equity Plan Motion and second to grant petition by unanimous consent 10/0. 10 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- X. OTHER BUSINESS Next Regular Meeting Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 7:00 PM The meeting adjourned at 7:26 P.M. ___________________________________ Joanna Bilotta-Simeone, City Clerk