City Council

HEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 Hearing opened at 7:08 P.M. with Councillor Nickel, Chair of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE, presiding. All members were present except Councillor Freda. The following PETITION was the subject of the hearing: 12-17 National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc.: Hale Street-Install one jointly owned pole on Hale Street beginning at a point approximately 30 feet NW of the centerline of the intersection of Bartlett Street. Rich Nalewski an engineer for National Grid said the guy pole location they are asking for will be taking the place for a tree. This is a sidewalk project for the city. Some of the trees are large and their root system undermines the sidewalk. Councillor Nickel asked if the tree was on private property or city property. Mr. Nalewski said city property and already had its top removed. No one in the audience spoke in favor or in opposition. No Councillors spoke. HEARING ADJOURNED AT 7:10 P.M. ________________________________ Lynn A. Bouchard, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council  2 HEARING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL, SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 Hearing opened at 7:10 P.M. with Councillor Nickel, Chair of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE, presiding. All members were present except Councillor Freda The following PETITION was the subject: 13-17 National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc.: Blossom Street-Install one jointly owned pole beginning at a point approximately 30 feet SE of the centerline of the intersection of Bartlett Street. Rich Nalewski from National Grid said this is a similar situation as the prior hearing. He said there is a guy wire in the tree and the top of the tree has been removed. We need this guy pole and anchor to take the place of that tree. This is for a sidewalk project for the city. No one in the audience spoke in favor or in opposition. No Councillors spoke. HEARING ADJOURNED AT 7:12 P.M. ________________________________ Lynn A. Bouchard, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL, SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 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 September 12, 2016 were examined and found to be in order. The records were accepted. A recess was called at 7:32 P.M. to continue with the updates from the Mayor and to hold interviews with the Human Resource and Cultural Commission appointees. Meeting reconvened at 8:02 P.M. The following PETITION was received, referred to the LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, given REGULAR COURSE and referred to the Police Department-Traffic Division and the Fire Department. 14-17 Officer Richard Shea: Amend Chapter 13, Section 13-34 of the Revised Ordinances entitled “no parking on certain streets” to remove Cross Street (north side) from Lancaster Street seven hundred ten feet to Central Street to allow legal parking on a public way. The following PETITION was received, referred to the LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, given REGULAR COURSE and referred to the Police Department-Traffic Division, the Fire Department and City Solicitor. 15-17 Claire Freda: Adopt Sections 193 and 194 of Chapter 218 of the Acts of 2016 to allow the City to reduce the speed limit in certain areas to 20 or 25 m.p.h. and allow the creation of designated safety zones on any street in the City which is not a state highway with the approval of Mass DOT. The following PETITION was received, referred to the LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, given REGULAR COURSE and referred to the Police Department-Traffic Division and the Fire Department. 16-17 Officer Richard Shea: Install a Stop sign on Lorchris Street against westbound drivers at the intersection of Viscoloid Avenue. The following PETITION was received, referred to the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE and given REGULAR COURSE. A hearing was set for October 11, 2016 at 7:00 P.M. Vt. 8/0, Councillor Cormier abstained due to a possible conflict of interest. 17-17 National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc.: Harvard Street-Install 1 jointly owned pole and anchor to guy pole 22 beginning at a point approximately 20 feet south of the centerline of the intersection of White Street. The following APPOINTMENTS were received, referred to the WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE and given REGULAR COURSE. Disability Commission -Marlene Thibeault – term to expire April 15, 2019 Emergency Management – Logistics Unit - Brian M. LaJiness  3 REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL, SEPTEMBER 26, 2016, continued Upon request of the LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, the following PETITIONS were given FURTHER TIME. Vt. 9/0 2-17 President’s Committee on City Ordinance Review: Request that Chapter 3, Section 3-2 entitled “Injurious Noise Prohibited” be deleted and replace with the following: “No person, partnership, company, corporation or association leasing or controlling any device (or property) shall willfully, negligently or through failure to provide effective available control technology, shall allow the creation of noise that will cause injury, fatigue, interference with the quiet enjoyment of life and property”. 4-17 President’s Committee on City Ordinance Review: Request that Chapter 10 “Solicitors, Hawkers and Peddlers”, Section 10-2 entitled “Definitions” be revised to add “the foregoing definition shall not include political campaigning”. Upon recommendation of the LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, the following PETITION was GRANTED. Vt. 9/0 11-17 Officer Richard D. Shea: Establish No Parking Zones on Nashua Street on the west side across from Pole #27 for 990 feet south ending at Lawrence Street and on the east side from Pole #27 for 990 feet south ending across from Lawrence Street. Councillor Bodanza, Chair of the FINANCE COMMITTEE, read the Financial Report for the City into the record. Account balances are as follows: Stabilization Account $13,958,574.15 Upon request of the FINANCE COMMITTEE, the following COMMUNICATION was given FURTHER TIME. Vt. 9 “yeas” C-20 Relative to the appropriation of $500,000.00 to the School Department Expense Account; same to be raised by Fiscal Year 2017 Revenue. Upon recommendation of the FINANCE COMMITTEE, the following COMMUNICATION was RATIFIED. Vt. 9/0 (Granted with an Emergency Preamble on September 12, 2016, another vote was needed.) C-21 Relative to the appropriation of $5,000.00 to the Building Inspector Salary & Wages Account; same to be transferred from the Stabilization Fund. Upon recommendation of the PUBLIC SERVICE COMMITTEE, the following PETITIONS were GRANTED. Vt. 8/0, Councillor Cormier abstained due to a possible conflict of interest. 12-17 National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc.: Hale Street-Install one jointly owned pole on Hale Street beginning at a point approximately 30 feet NW of the centerline of the intersection of Bartlett Street. 13-17 National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc.: Blossom Street-Install one jointly owned pole beginning at a point approximately 30 feet SE of the centerline of the intersection of Bartlett Street. Upon recommendation of the WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE, the following APPOINTMENTS were CONFIRMED. Vt. 9 “yeas” Election Officers- terms to expire August 31, 2017 Nancy M. Oxner, Sushmita Basu, Karen Gustafson and Susan Sweeney Emergency Management – Rehab Unit- Jeffrey Yalian Human Resource Director Wendy Hurley - term to expire September 27, 2019 Under New Business, Councillor Freda warned that State Revenues are not as high as was expected and it may force budget cuts. She also requested a letter be sent to the Drug Enforcement Team congratulating them on their efforts for the largest drug bust in this area. MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:39 P.M. ________________________________ Lynn A. Bouchard, City Clerk and Clerk of the City Council