City Property Committee

Fitchburg City Property Committee Minutes 6-4-19 The meeting of the Committee on City Property was held on Tuesday June 4th, 2019, in the Memorial Middle School Library, 615 Rollstone St, Fitchburg, MA and was called to order by Anthony Zarrella (Chair) at 6:02pm. Committee Councilors Present: Zarrella (Chair), Beauchemin, Green, Squailia, Fleming Others Present (as recognized by clerk): Councilor Dave Clark, Anne Cervantes, Solicitor Pusateri, Jim Walsh, Recording: Councilor Sam Squailia Public Forum: No speakers 139-19 Anne M. Cervantes, Treasurer, to declare as excess the properties listed on the enclosed petition and designate them to the Side Yard Sales Program. Solictior Pusateri: There were 3 properties that were done by land of low value taking; 22 Wood St, 5 Depot St and 55 Bemis Rd. We didn’t run a title search on these properties (hired), but when we looked at the title for these, only 55 Bemis Rd has a current existing lien, so this property is a problem. Councilor Green: 5 Depot St is just an empty lot? AC: Yes CG: Would this affect Reingold School? Councilor Beauchemin: This would have no bearing on Reingold. Solicitor Pusateri: Now is the time to consider if any of these properties are of any value to the city. Councilor Beauchemin: Does not believe there is any value to the city. Councilor Fleming: Is there anything in the building to code? AC: There are no buildings on any of these properties. Solicitor Pusateri: 2005, There is an approximate $83k lien for cost of demolition. Councilor Beauchemin: Wants to remove one lot for 43 Allen Place, believes it will just be a dumping ground for the adjacent property and believes that we can combine it with another city lot. Believes 46 Allen Place has value. Also wants to remove the 6 Hale St property as he believes it has value to the city with the adjacent lot. AC: does agree that there are lots adjacent in tax title and these could be valuable to the city if combined. Councilor Beauchemin notes that the adjacent property to 6 Hale (on Spruce and Hale) has debris and a truck on it. o Motion by Councilor Squailia to amend, Councilor Green Second, 5-0 Unanimous. o Amended petition: to remove 43 Allen Place & 6 Hale St from the Side Yard Sales list o Keep: 22 Wood St, 5 Depot St, 55 Bemis Rd (will likely be going through a more rigorous title cleaning process), 46 Allen Place, 122 Harvard St, 16 Market St, 60 Albee St, 54 Hazel St. o Motion to Approve as Amended by Councilor Green, Seconded by Fleming; 5-0 Unanimous 157-19 James M. Walsh, Friends of the Fitchburg Public Library, Chair-Library Board of Trustees, to install a self-serve bicycle work station on the property of the Fitchburg Public Library. Representing Friends of the Library: Jim Walsh, 161 Boutelle St, President of Library Trustees & Mary Wiloughby, Treasurer of the FoFPL. Bicycles started being loaned the Fall of 2017. In the second year, has 7 bicycles being checked out. Councilor Joel Kaddy looking for more bikes to add, and is looking for someone to tune the bicycles. Wants to donate a self-service work station with the various tools one would need to fix their bicycle. These are common on rail trails and are infrequently vandalized. Going with a ground mounted unit as shown in petition. o Motion to Approve by Councilor Green, Squailia second; 5-0 Unanimous Meeting adjourned 6:43pm Minutes prepared by Councilor Squailia, Clerk, City Property Committee. Submitted 10/22/19 1