City Council

HEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, JANUARY 26, 2015 Hearing opened at 7:17 P.M. with Councillor Dombrowski, Chair of the LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, presiding. All members were present. This hearing is continued from January 12, 2015. The following PETITION was the subject of the hearing: 17-15 Robert A. Hodskins and 26 Registered Voters: Amend the Leominster Zoning Ordinance by temporarily rescinding in its entirety the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map that took effect upon the Mayor’s endorsement on March 6, 2013, and by substituting therefor the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map in effect immediately prior thereto, until such time as the City pays its zoning consultant, S. J. Mullaney Engineering, Inc., as authorized by Chapter 192 of the Acts of 2013 pursuant to a Home Rule Petition request by the Mayor and the City Council. No one in the audience spoke in favor or in opposition of the petition. Councillor Dombrowski read the Planning Board recommendation to deny the petition. The recommendation is on file in the City Clerk’s office. No Councillors spoke. HEARING ADJOURNED AT 7:19 P.M. ____________________________________ Lynn A. Bouchard, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council HEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, JANUARY 26, 2015 Hearing opened at 7:19 P.M. with Councillor Nickel, Chair of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE, presiding. All members were present. 20-15 National Grid: Hoover Street - Install a singly owned pole beginning at a point approximately 200 feet south of the centerline of the intersection of Leland Avenue. National Grid to install Stub Pole 8-84 and anchor at side of the road. No one in the audience spoke in favor or against the petition. Councillor Freda asked if there are any poles there now and is this going to be a double pole situation? Councillor Nickel said this is a stub pole which usually is a pole for a wire and an anchor to support a pole that is across the street. Being a stub pole I assume it is going to be opposite at least one pole. HEARING ADJOURNED AT 7:22 P.M. ____________________________________ Lynn A. Bouchard, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council HEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, JANUARY 26, 2015 Hearing opened at 7:22 P.M. with Councillor Nickel, Chair of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE, presiding. All members were present. 21-15 National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc.: Lanides Lane – Install three jointly owned poles beginning at a point approximately 950 feet north of the centerline of the intersection of Hamilton Street and continuing approximately 460 feet in a northerly direction. National Grid’s Pole line extension is to provide service to new business at 80 Lanides Lane.  2 HEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, JANUARY 26, 2015. continued No one in the audience spoke in favor or against the petition. No Councillors spoke. HEARING ADJOURNED AT 7:24 P.M. ____________________________________ Lynn A. Bouchard, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL, JANUARY 26, 2015 Meeting was called to order at 7:30 P.M. Attendance was taken by a roll call vote; all members were present. The Committee on Records reported that the records through January 5, 2015 were examined and found to be in order. The records were accepted. The following COMMUNICATION was received, referred to the PUBLIC SCHOOLS & SCHOOLS FACILITIES COMMITTEE, given REGULAR COURSE and referred to the Superintendent of Schools. C-27 Dean J. Mazzarella, Mayor: Request that the City Council vote in favor of submitting an application to the MSBA for the replacement roof and windows at Johnny Appleseed School. Upon request of the WAYS & MEANS AND VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE a motion to AMEND the following PETITION was DENIED. Amendment was to strike the words “as well as several surrounding communities” from the resolution. Vt. 4/5, Councillors Salvatelli, Feckley, Cormier, Dombrowski and Marchand opposed. Upon recommendation of the WAYS & MEANS AND VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, the following PETITION was GRANTED. Vt. 8/1, Councillor Freda opposed. 18-15 Mark C. Bodanza, David R. Cormier and Robert Salvatelli: Adopt a resolution in opposition of a new charter school. Upon request of the LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, the following COMMUNICATION was given FURTHER TIME. Vt. 9/0 C-24 Dean J. Mazzarella, Mayor: Amend Chapter 6 of the Revised Ordinances entitled “Dogs” by replacing it with a new Chapter 6. Upon request of the LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, the following PETITION was given LEAVE TO WITHDRAW. Vt. 9/0 17-15 Robert A. Hodskins and 26 Registered Voters: Amend the Leominster Zoning Ordinance by temporarily rescinding in its entirety the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map that took effect upon the Mayor’s endorsement on March 6, 2013, and by substituting therefor the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map in effect immediately prior thereto, until such time as the City pays its zoning consultant, S. J. Mullaney Engineering, Inc., as authorized by Chapter 192 of the Acts of 2013 pursuant to a Home Rule Petition request by the Mayor and the City Council. Upon request of the LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, the following PETITION was AMENDED and GRANTED AS AMENDED. Vt. 9/0. Amended to replace “Place a stop sign for southwesterly drivers at Bernice Avenue and Wildflower Road near 64 Bernice Avenue” with the following. 19-15 Gail P. Feckley: Place a stop sign on Wildflower Road at the intersection of Wildflower Road at Bernice Avenue and a stop sign on Bernice Avenue at the intersection of Bernice Avenue at Wildflower Road. Upon recommendation of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE, the following PETITION was GRANTED. 9/0 20-15 National Grid: Hoover Street - Install a singly owned pole beginning at a point approximately 200 feet south of the centerline of the intersection of Leland Avenue. National Grid to install Stub Pole 8-84 and anchor at side of the road.  3 REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL, JANUARY 26, 2015, continued Upon recommendation of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE, the following PETITION was GRANTED. Vt. 8/0, Councillor Cormier abstained due to a possible conflict of interest. 21-15 National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc.: Lanides Lane – Install three jointly owned poles beginning at a point approximately 950 feet north of the centerline of the intersection of Hamilton Street and continuing approximately 460 feet in a northerly direction. National Grid’s Pole line extension is to provide service to new business at 80 Lanides Lane. Councillor David Cormier, Chairman of the Finance Committee, read the Financial Report for the City into the record. Account balances are as follows: Excess and Deficiency Account (Free Cash) $ 70,000.00 Stabilization Account $11,926,907.93 Upon recommendation of the FINANCE COMMITTEE, the following COMMUNICATION was RATIFIED. Vt. 9 “yeas” C-25 Relative to the appropriation of $100,000.00 to the Police Department Overtime Account; same to be transferred from the Police Salary & Wages Account. (Granted with an Emergency Preamble on January 12, 2015; another vote was required.) Upon recommendation of the FINANCE COMMITTEE, the following COMMUNICATION was GRANTED. Vt. 9/0 C-26 Dean J. Mazzarella, Mayor: Request that the Rita (Gallotto) Serafini Scholarship Trust Fund be established. Upon recommendation of the WAYS & MEANS AND VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, the following RESOLUTION was ADOPTED. Vt. 8/1, Councillor Freda opposed. RESOLUTION OPPOSITION TO THE CREATION OF A NEW CHARTER SCHOOL Be it resolved: that the Leominster City Council is opposed to the creation of a new charter school, namely the Academy For The Whole Child Charter School, which is proposed to encompass the City of Leominster as well as several surrounding communities. As reason therefore, the City Council finds that such a new charter school would inappropriately and negatively impact the educational resources of the Leominster Public School system. It is for this reason, and in the best interest of the City of Leominster, that we wish to record against the creation of this new charter school. Adopted by the City Council Approved January 26, 2015 January 30, 2015 /s/ Lynn A. Bouchard, City Clerk /s/ Dean J. Mazzarella, Mayor _______________________________ Under Old Business, Councillor Cormier said at the last meeting there was a question directed to the DPW about street acceptance in the Castleland subdivision. He said what he has been told by Ray Racine is that there is no more issues with those streets being accepted. The mylars are in good order. The only issue is the street lighting. He said he asked Mr. Racine if there are going to be any other hurdles beyond the lighting and he indicated there are no other issues. Once there is an agreement with National Grid, the Mayor and Mr. Barletta we should have a whole package deal down here and he hopes it is soon. Councillor Freda said at the last meeting she requested an update on the POW Chair, the National Chair of Honor. She said we received a response from State Representative Rosa’s Office stating they have been ready for placement for over a year and they are waiting for the Mayor and the City decide on a location. The letter is on file in the City Clerk’s Office. Upon request of the LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, the first reading of the following ordinance was given FURTHER TIME. Vt. 9/0 1st Reading Ordinance Amend Chapter 6 of the Revised Ordinances entitled “Dogs” by replacing it with a new Chapter 6. MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:02 P.M. ____________________________________ Lynn A. Bouchard, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council