City Council

REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL, NOVEMBER 9, 2015 Meeting was called to order at 7:33 P.M. Attendance was taken by a roll call vote; all members were present. The Committee on Records reported that the records through October 26, 2015 were examined and found to be in order. The records were accepted. A recess was called at 7:35 P.M. to hold a public forum. Meeting reconvened at 7:55 P.M. The following COMMUNICATIONS were received, referred to the FINANCE COMMITTEE and given REGULAR COURSE. C-21 Relative to the appropriation of $250,000.00 to the Fire Department Salary & Wages Account; same to be raised by Fiscal Year 2016 Revenue. C-22 Relative to the appropriation of $32,672.00 to the Fire Department Overtime Account; same to be raised by Fiscal Year 2016 Revenue. C-23 Relative to the appropriation of $2,025.00 to the Fire Department Expense Account; same to be raised by Fiscal Year 2016 Revenue. C-24 Relative to the appropriation of $33,000.00 to the Police Department Capital Outlay Expense Account; same to be transferred from the Stabilization Fund. C-25 Relative to the appropriation of $88,900.00 to the Police Department Salary & Wages Account; same to be transferred from the Stabilization Fund. C-26 Relative to the appropriation of $40,000.00 to the Fire Department Capital Outlay Expense Account; same to be transferred from the Stabilization Fund. The following COMMUNICATIONS were received under SUSPENSION OF THE RULES and referred to the FINANCE COMMITTEE. Vt. 9 “yeas” C-27 Relative to the appropriation of $45,000.00 to the Police Department Overtime Account; same to be raised by Fiscal Year 2016 revenues. C-28 Relative to the appropriation of $30,000.00 to the Police Department Private Detail Fund; same to be raised by Fiscal Year 2016 Revenue. C-29 Relative to the appropriation of 4112,000.00 to the Police Department Salary & Wages Account; same to be raised by Fiscal Year 2016 Revenue. The following PETITION was received, referred to the LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, given REGULAR COURSE and referred to the Mayor and the City Solicitor. 10-16 Wendy R. Wiiks: Amend Section 7.8 of the City Charter to read: No member of the school committee or of the city council shall, during the term for which he or she was elected, receive a salary or other emolument pertaining to said office which is payable from city funds, and concurrently receive a salary or other emolument for any other position which is payable from city funds, but such member shall have the right to choose which compensation he or she shall receive. The following PETITION was received, referred to the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE and given REGULAR COURSE. A hearing was set for November 23, 2015 at 6:50 P.M. Vt. 8/0, Councillor Cormier abstained due to a possible conflict of interest. 11-16 National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. – Oak Street – Relocate 1 jointly owned pole on Oak Street beginning at a point approximately 100 feet south of the centerline of the intersection of Mead Street. The following PETITION was received, referred to the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE and given REGULAR COURSE. A hearing was set for November 23, 2015 at 6:55 P.M. Vt. 8/0, Councillor Cormier abstained due to a possible conflict of interest. 12-16 National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. – Central Street – Install one jointly owned pole beginning at a point approximately 100 feet southeast of the centerline of the intersection of Brook Pond Road. The following APPOINTMENTS were received, referred to the WAYS & MEANS AND VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE and given REGULAR COURSE. Police Department - Patrolman – Permanent Full Time – William C. Taylor III Fire Department –Lieutenants – Seth Augat and Jonathan Campagna  2 REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL, NOVEMBER 9, 2015, continued Upon request of the WAYS & MEANS AND THE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, the following PETITION was given FURTHER TIME. Vt. 9/0 8-16 Raymond Racine: Modify Chapter 16, Section 16-32 of the General Ordinances of the City of Leominster by changing the classification of Engineer – Senior to an S-8, and the Public Works Assistant Director to an S-9. Upon recommendation of the LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, the following COMMUNICATION was GRANTED. Vt. 9 “yeas”. A letter from Greg Chapdelaine was read and is on file in the City Clerk’s Office. C-20 Dean J. Mazzarella, Mayor: Request the City Council authorize the Mayor, on behalf of the City, to petition the Massachusetts General Court for special legislation, to make payment on a certain unpaid bill to D-E Corporation. Upon recommendation of the CITY PROPERTY & PROPERTY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, the following PETITION was GRANTED. Vt. 9/0 9-16 Richard Marchand, Festival Facilitator: Request the closing of West Street from the intersection of Cottage Street to Main Street, the closing of Park Street at the intersection of Main Street, the closing of Church Street but maintain Public safety access. Allow the use of the City Hall parking lot, the parking lot adjacent to City Hall on West Street, the use of the City portion of the parking lot between the First Church Unitarian and the First Baptist Church for handicap parking for the 23rd Annual Johnny Appleseed Arts and Cultural Festival on September 24, 2016 with a rain date of October 1, 2016. Councillor Cormier, Chairman of the Finance Committee, read the Financial Report for the City into the record. Account balances are as follows: Stabilization Account $12,410,765.00 Emergency Reserve $ 100,000.00 The following ORDINANCE was read once, ADOPTED as presented and orders published. A hearing was set for November 23, 2015 at 7:00 P.M. Vt. 7 “yeas”, Councillors Cormier and Nickel abstained due to a possible conflict of interest. 1st Reading Ordinance - Amend Section 16-30 entitled “Leominster Fire Department Salaries” by deleting Schedules (2) (A) through (G) in its entirety and inserting a new Schedule (2) (A) through (C) for F-1 thru F-5 increasing salaries effective July 1, 2015 by 2%, July 1, 2016 by 2% and July 1, 2017 by 2%. (Legal Affairs) The following ORDINANCE was read once, ADOPTED as presented and ordered published. A hearing was set for November 23, 2015 at 7:05 P.M. Vt. 7 “yeas”, 1st Reading Ordinance – Amend Chapter 12 of the Revised Ordinances entitled “Fees- Schedule” by inserting Kennel-Residential $50.00 and Kennel-Commercial $100.00 into item 52. The following ORDINANCE was received under SUSPENTION OF THE RULES and referred to the LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. Vt. 9 “yeas”. The following ORDINANCE was read once, ADOPTED as presented and ordered published. A hearing was set for November 23, 2015 at 7:10 P.M. Vt. 9 “yeas”. 1st Reading Ordinance – Amend Chapter 16-30 Section 16-30 (c) Schedules P(1) through P(5) – Police pay scale by deleting Fiscal Year 2010 (effective July 1, 2009), Fiscal Year 2015 (effective July 1, 2014, and inserting Fiscal Year 2016 (effective July 1, 2015) through Fiscal Year 2018. Under “New Business” the Council President said he received a letter from the Planning Board regarding solar panels and that he had a lengthy conversation with Chairman Souza. They recognized a quagmire the City is in right now without a Planning Director on site and there is a proposal for a second solar farm with nothing in the zoning that allows us to deal with it. He said on November 16, 2015 the Planning Board is going to have a meeting and that night we will have a chance to have some input. He said he will be sending out an email for “Model Zoning for the Regulation of Solar Energy Systems Department of Energy Resources, Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs published December 2014”. A recess was called at 8:36 P.M. to speak with the Planning Board Chairman regarding the situation. Meeting reconvened at 8:42 P.M. MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:43 P.M. ____________________________________ Lynn A. Bouchard, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council