City Council

Office of the City Clerk City Hall • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 P: 978.674.4161 • F: 978.970.4007 www.LowellMA.gov Lowell City Council Michael Q. Geary City Clerk Regular Meeting Minutes Date: Mar 31, 2015 Time: 6:30 PM Location: City Council Chamber 375 Merrimack Street, 2nd Floor, Lowell, MA MAYOR’S BUSINESS 1. - MAYOR'S BUSINESS 1.1. 2015 / 181 - Citation - Recognizing Yu Zhou, owner of Mandarin Asian Bistro, as a new business in the City. Roll Call showed 9 present. Mayor Elliott Presiding. M. Elliott presented citation to Mr. Zhou who thanked the Council. CITY CLERK 2. - CITY CLERK 2.1. 2015 / 168 - Minutes of City Council Meeting March 24th; Arts and Culture SC March 24th, for acceptance. In City Council, minutes read, Motion “To accept and place on file” by C. Belanger, seconded by C. Kennedy. So voted. GENERAL PUBLIC HEARINGS 3. - GENERAL PUBLIC HEARINGS 3.1. 2015 / 133 - Ordinance-Amend Ch. 56 entitled Personnel In Council, Given 2nd reading. Hearing held. No Remonstrants. Hearing closed. Adopted per Roll Call vote. C. Belanger questioned the use of a bi-weekly payroll. Manager Murphy noted the language in the ordinance and commented that it would not be implemented until all City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 2 of 7) employees agreed to it happening. C. Leahy questioned if the school employees were close in accepting the procedure. Manager Murphy commented they were not close but they would continue to press the matter as it is more efficient. C. Milinazzo noted the payroll language and also noted that City Hall would be closed day after Thanksgiving under the new ordinance. M. Elliott commented on the sick leave language and how it is long range budget assistance. VOTING Committee Member YES NO ABSTAIN RECUSE MOTION SECONDED Elliott, Rodney M. x Belanger, Corey x Kennedy, Jr, Edward J. x Leahy, John J. x Martin Jr., William F. x Mercier, Rita M. x x Milinazzo, James L. x Rourke, Daniel P. x Samaras, William x x COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE CITY MANAGER 4. - COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE CITY MANAGER 4.1. 2015 / 183 - Motion Responses: (A) Motion Response - Explore Use of Social Media Monitoring Tools (B) Motion Response - Two for Lowell Program (C) Motion Response - 60 Day Trial Handicap Parking Sign at 43 Whipple Street In Council, Motion “To accept and place on file” by C. Martin, seconded by C. Leahy. So voted VOTES FROM THE CITY MANAGER 5. - VOTES FROM THE CITY MANAGER 5.1. 2015 / 174 - Vote-License Agreement Top Donut (use of Parking Lot) In Council, read twice and adopted. C. Samaras questioned the amount of spaces that were leased. Patricia Lucken (DPD) commented that there was a limited amount of space that would fit about 14 vehicles. City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 3 of 7) VOTING Committee Member YES NO ABSTAIN RECUSE MOTION SECONDED Elliott, Rodney M. x Belanger, Corey x Kennedy, Jr, Edward J. x Leahy, John J. x Martin Jr., William F. x Mercier, Rita M. x x Milinazzo, James L. x x Rourke, Daniel P. x Samaras, William x 5.2. 2015 / 177 - Vote-Sidewalk Seating License Agreement-Mandarin Asian Bistro (24 Market Street) In Council, read twice and adopted. Motion to “waive full reading” by C. Milinazzo, seconded by C. Rourke. So voted. VOTING Committee Member YES NO ABSTAIN RECUSE MOTION SECONDED Elliott, Rodney M. x Belanger, Corey x x Kennedy, Jr, Edward J. x Leahy, John J. x Martin Jr., William F. x Mercier, Rita M. x Milinazzo, James L. x Rourke, Daniel P. x Samaras, William x x 5.3. 2015 / 178 - Vote-Sidewalk Seating License Agreement Bishop's Legacy Restaurant (143 Merrimack St) In Council, read twice and adopted. Motion to “waive full reading” by C. Kennedy, seconded by C. Leahy. So voted. City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 4 of 7) VOTING Committee Member YES NO ABSTAIN RECUSE MOTION SECONDED Elliott, Rodney M. x Belanger, Corey x Kennedy, Jr, Edward J. x Leahy, John J. x Martin Jr., William F. x x Mercier, Rita M. x Milinazzo, James L. x Rourke, Daniel P. x x Samaras, William x 5.4. 2015 / 179 - Vote-Auth CM request minor plan change to Acre Plan (include Lord Overpass Project) In Council, read twice and adopted. Motion to “waive full reading” by C. Mercier, seconded by C. Milinazzo. So voted. C. Belanger questioned the changes. Craig Thomas (DPD) noted the changes and commenting they were needed to comply with State funding mandates. VOTING Committee Member YES NO ABSTAIN RECUSE MOTION SECONDED Elliott, Rodney M. x Belanger, Corey x Kennedy, Jr, Edward J. x Leahy, John J. x Martin Jr., William F. x Mercier, Rita M. x Milinazzo, James L. x x Rourke, Daniel P. x x Samaras, William x ORDERS FROM THE CITY MANAGER 6. - ORDERS FROM THE CITY MANAGER 6.1. 2015 / 175 - Order-60 day trials (various) In Council, read twice and adopted. Motion to “waive full reading” by C. Kennedy, seconded by C. Martin. So voted. City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 5 of 7) VOTING Committee Member YES NO ABSTAIN RECUSE MOTION SECONDED Elliott, Rodney M. x Belanger, Corey x Kennedy, Jr, Edward J. x Leahy, John J. x x Martin Jr., William F. x Mercier, Rita M. x x Milinazzo, James L. x Rourke, Daniel P. x Samaras, William x 6.2. 2015 / 176 - Order-Discontinue a portion of Eaton Street In Council, Given 1st Readin. Motion to “refer to public hearing April 14, 2015 at 7 PM” by C. Samaras, seconded by C. Rourke. So voted. REPORTS (SUB / COMMITTEE, IF ANY) 7. - REPORTS (SUB / COMMITTEE, IF ANY) 7.1. 2015 / 172 - Neighborhoods SC March 31, 2015. In City Council, C. Leahy gave report noting the attendance and commenting on the parking issues in the city neighborhoods including the Back Central neighborhood which included use of placards, compliance with the ordinance and out of state plates. Motion by C. Mercier, seconded by C. Milinazzo to refer to City Solicitor to amend parking ordinance to allow for relaxing restrictions for parking in school buffer zone during school hours. So voted. C. Rourke requested a second look at the report regarding the width of streets and to continue to search for additional parking in the University area. Motion to accept the report as a report of progress by C. Kennedy, seconded by C. Belanger. So voted. PETITIONS 8. - PETITIONS 8.1. 2015 / 170 - Claims - (5) Property. In Council, read and Motion to refer to Law Department for report and recommendation by C. Leahy, seconded by C. Martin. So voted. City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 6 of 7) 8.2. 2015 / 169 - Misc. - Rosael Colon request (1) handicap parking sign installed at 68 Liberty Street. In Council, read and Motion to refer to Traffic Engineer for report and recommendation by C. Mercier, seconded by C. Milinazzo. So voted. 8.3. 2015 / 180 - Misc. - Corey Robinson, President Local 1705, request permission to address Council regarding Collective Bargaining Agreement. In Council, read and Motion to delay to allow process to move forward by C. Milinazzo, seconded by C. Rourke. So voted. Manager Murphy noted the issue regarding overtime pay and that a grievance had been filed by the Union and that process was still developing and that public discussion of same is not in order. Solicitor O’Connor noted the current grievance and the efforts being made to settle the matter through the process. M. Elliott noted that the information is being exchanged and the process is moving forward. Mr. Robinson spoke briefly on the matter. Solicitor O’Connor noted a meeting among the attorneys on the matter is scheduled. CITY COUNCIL - MOTIONS 9. - CITY COUNCIL - MOTIONS 9.1. 2015 / 171 - C. Mercier - Req. City Mgr. explore the possibility of upgrading the traffic lights to allow a left turn signal onto French Street from Bridge Street. In Council, seconded by C. Martin, read and referred to City Manager. So voted. C. Mercier noted the need to ease the congestion at that light. C. Milinazzo noted the need to upgrade that intersection. 9.2. 2015 / 182 - C. Belanger/C. Samaras - Req. City Mgr. convene a meeting with UMASS- Lowell officials to discuss the procedure for seeking corporate sponsorship for school buildings. In Council, no second needed, read and referred to City Manager. So voted. C. Belanger noted the trend across the country to name the buildings and he commented it will be used to defray the costs to the taxpayers. C. Samaras noted the process has been used and there is a need to hit all of the targets. Motion to suspend rules to allow discussion of drug task force meeting by C. Mercier, seconded by C. Rourke. So voted. Motion by C. Mercier, seconded by C. Belanger refer to Law Department to support resolution put forward by the drug task force to expand the number of beds at Tewksbury State Hospital to allow for increased treatment of drug addiction. So voted. City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 7 of 7) M. Elliott noted the success of the drug court in Lowell and its use of treatment. Supt. Taylor (LPD) endorsed the resolution and the need to increase the number of beds in the area for treatment. C. Belanger commented on the meeting and that it was a good step forward on dealing with drug addiction. ADJOURNMENT 10. - Time for meeting to stand adjourned. Motion to Adjourn by C. Rourke, seconded by C. Samaras. So voted. Meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM. Michael Q. Geary, City Clerk City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov