City Council

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Sep 03 2025 2:16 pm City of Fitchburg Massachusetts 01420 CITY COUNCIL Councilors at Large President Ward Councilors 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 July 15, 2025. The meeting was called to order by President Zarrella at 7:38 P.M. The meeting opened with a salute to the Flag led by Councilor Walsh. The Principal Clerk Lilian Suarez called the roll 9 Councilors were present Councilor Cragin via Zoom, (Councilor DiNatale and Van Hazinga absent). Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. PUBLIC FORUM • Maryanne Shepard, Fitchburg resident, spoke in opposition of 270-23 & 140-25. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- II. ANNOUNCEMENTS The next meeting of the Widowed Helping Widowed Support Group will take place on Thursday, July 24 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have a business in Fitchburg, or if you’re to start a business in Fitchburg or looking to grow a business or if you have a home-based business or are looking for rental space. You can join a Small Business Information Session at City Hall, 3rd Floor, 718 Main Street. on Thursday, August 21, 2025 between 6:30 – 8 PM. NewVue Communities, Economic Development Director, Mary Jo Bohart, North Central Chamber of Commerce, and others will be participating in this informative session. You can meet other Business owners and share best practices for marketing, finance, staffing, and expansion plans and meet speakers from those organizations and as well as other business professionals. RSVP: mbohart@fitchburgma.gov ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Councilor Couture will be hosting a Ward 3 Community meeting at 6:00 PM at the Legislative Building, 700 Main Street, Fitchburg, on Thursday, July 17, 2025. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- III. REPORT OF THE APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE Appointments Committee Oral Report Meeting of July 15, 2025 New-Appointment letter: Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority (For a term to expire July 15, 2030) Joseph S. Bowen New Appointments: Poll Workers For the period of September 1st, 2025, through August 31st, 2026. (To be sworn in during training sessions) New-Appointment letter: Fitchburg Cultural Council (For a term to expire July 15, 2028) Sarah Beth Wheeler Re-Appointment letter: Commissioner of the Department of Public Works (For a term to expire July 3, 2028) Nicholas J. Erickson, PE Report read and accepted. Appointments confirmed with the exception of Joseph S. Bowen by roll call vote of 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IV. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RECORDS Council as a Whole minutes June 11, 2025 Council as a Whole minutes June 17, 2025 Regular City Council meeting minutes of July 1, 2025 Report read and minutes adopted by a roll call vote of 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  V. COMMUNICATION Her Honor the Mayor Motion and second for Suspension of Rules by a roll call vote of 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. 1. New-Appointment letter: Full-Time Student Police Officers for the City of Fitchburg Nicholas Gray Andres Porras Diandra Boddie Traer Wilson - Withdrew Appointments confirmed by a roll call vote of 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Motion and second for Suspension of Rules by a roll call vote of 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. 2. Re-Appointment letter: Joyce Jacobs, as a Member of the Fitchburg Conservation Commission, for a term to expire on August 1, 2028. Appointments confirmed by a roll call vote of 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VI. COMMUNICATION Board of Health 095-25. City Councilor Bernie Schultz, in conjunction with Fire Chief Dante Suarez and Director of Public Health Steve Curry, to address public safety issues at 240 Water Street, the former St. Bernard's Church. The church spire is no longer straight up and down and presents a falling danger. In addition, homeless people frequently have broken into the church buildings and present an ongoing fire hazard for the city. A more permanent securing of the buildings at this address is necessary. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  VII. REPORT OF COMMITTEES Finance Committee Meeting of July 9, 2025 Oral Report 136-25. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is transferred the sum of SIXTY THOUSAND ($60,000) from EMPLOYEE BENEFITS – Health Insurance to the following HEALTH DEPARTMENT accounts: SANITARY LANDFILL – Contracted Services $ 45,000 RUBBISH REMOVAL – Clean up Funds $ 15,000 (Be Adopted) 137-25. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is transferred the sum of TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($10,000) from LAW – OTHER EXPENSES – Labor Negotiator to the following accounts: LAW EXPENSES – Damages Persons & Property $7,500 LAW EXPENSES – Registry & Other Fees $2,500 (Be Adopted) 138-25 ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is transferred the sum of TWO HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($238,500) from EMPLOYEE BENEFITS – Health Insurance to the following accounts: EMPLOYEE BENEFITS – Workers Compensation $ 15,000 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS – Unemployment Insurance $150,000 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS – Medicare $ 57,000 MISCELLANEOUS – Medicaid Billing Commissions $ 16,500 (Be Adopted) Report read and accepted. Orders adopted by a roll call vote of 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. Orders signed by the Mayor July 29, 2025. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Legislative Affairs Committee Meeting of July 15, 2025 Oral Report 270-23. Marisa Fleming on behalf of Ward 5 residents to relocate the election polling site either back to Saima Park or any other suitable location where traffic is not so dense. (Leave to withdraw) 139-25. Josiah Richards, request to raise a Disabilities Pride Flag in front of the Legislative Building from July 21 through July 28. (Granted) 140-25. The City Clerk, petitions the City of Fitchburg to relocate the polling places for the following wards to more suitable, accessible, and publicly owned locations: 1. Ward 1 Current Location: Knights of Columbus, 165 Electric Avenue Proposed Location: South Street Elementary School, 376 South Street 2. Ward 2 Current Location: St. Joseph’s Church Hall, 49 Woodland Street Proposed Location: Reingold Elementary School, 70 Reingold Avenue 3. Ward 5 Current Location: Rollstone Congregational Church, 199 Main Street Proposed Location: Crocker Elementary School, 200 Bigelow Road These relocations are proposed to: • Improve accessibility for voters with disabilities, in compliance with ADA standards • Utilize public buildings that are already familiar and regularly accessed by the community • Enhance security, parking availability, and site control for city staff and election workers • Reduce reliance on private or religious venues for public electoral functions (Granted) Report read and accepted. Petition 139-25 and 140-25 granted by a roll call vote of 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VIII. ORDERS – FINANCE Motion and second for suspension of rules by roll call vote 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. 144-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby transfer the sum of FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($40,000) from PARKS PERSONAL SERVICES – Labor to PARKS CAPITAL – Parks & Playgrounds. (Suspension of Rules) Motion and second to adopt Order by roll call vote 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. Order signed by the Mayor July 29, 2025 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Motion and second for suspension of rules by roll call vote 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. 145-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby transfer the sum of TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($20,000) from RECREATION PERSONAL SERVICES – General to RECREATION EXPENSES – Building & Grounds. (Suspension of Rules) Motion and second to adopt Order by roll call vote 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. Order signed by the Mayor July 29, 2025 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Motion and second for suspension of rules by roll call vote 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. 146-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby transfers within the following Fiscal 2025 Departmental Budgets, the respective sums set aside each account: INFO TECH: TO – Personal Services – Clothing - $300 INFO TECH: FROM – Expenses – Dues & Subs - $300 CITY CLERK: TO – Expenses – Dues & Subs - $325 CITY CLERK: FROM – Personal Services - Overtime - $325 ELECTIONS: TO - Personal Services – Overtime - $3,000 ELECTIONS: FROM - Personal Serv – Election Workers - $3,000 FACILITIES: TO – Personal Services – Overtime - $800 FACILITIES: TO – Personal Services – Clothing - $250 FACILITIES: FROM – Expenses – City Hall Supplies - $1,050 FIRE: TO – Personal Services – Overtime - $35,000 FIRE: FROM – Personal Services – Holidays - $35,000 (Suspension of Rules) Motion and second to adopt Order by roll call vote of 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. Order signed by the Mayor July 29, 2025 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IX. ORDINANCE 147-25. AN ORDINANCE: by the City of Fitchburg that the Code of the City of Fitchburg, Chapter 23, Section 36, titled Fire Alarm System Monitoring License Fee is hereby amended as follows (bold and underlined is new): §23-36 Fire Alarm System Monitoring License Fee  The following rate is to be the fee charged annually for the City Fire Department to issue a license to monitor fire alarm systems: $300. This section shall take effect January 1, 2026. (First Reading) Ordinance was sent to a first and second reading and ordered advertised by roll call vote of 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- X. PETITIONS Motion and second for suspension of rules by roll call vote 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. 143-25. Community Development & Planning, to accept Project Implementation services for Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations at no cost to the City of Fitchburg through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center's On-Street Charging Solutions Program. (Suspension of Rules) Commonwealth Electrical Technologies MassCEC - Presentation Motion and second to grant petition by roll call vote of 7 in favor and 2 opposed (Councilor Couture and Fleming). 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Motion and second for suspension of rules by roll call vote 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. 148-25. Jeremy Roche, to obtain a final Council approval of the Crocker solar array and to authorize the Mayor to execute all documents which may be reasonably necessary to effectuate the said project. (Suspension of Rules) Motion and second to grant petition by roll call vote of 9 in favor and 0 opposed. 9 members present. Board consists of 11 members. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- XI. OTHER BUSINESS Next Regular Meeting Tuesday, September 2, 2025 7:00 PM The meeting adjourned at 9:28 P.M. ___________________________________ Joanna Bilotta-Simeone, City Clerk