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: Nov 24, 2015 Time: 6:30 PM Location: City Council Chamber 375 Merrimack Street, 2nd Floor, Lowell, MA CITY CLERK 1. - CITY CLERK 1.1. 2015 / 688 - Minutes of City Council Meeting November 17th; Transportation SC November 17th, for acceptance. Roll Call showed 9 present. Mayor Elliott presiding. C. Mercier requested moment of silence in darkened chamber for Albert Hebert. C. Martin requested moment of silence in darkened chamber for Gerald Gilday. C. Leahy requested moment of silence in darkened chamber for John J. Leahy, Jr. M. Elliott recognized the 6 firemen who were awarded the Medal of Valor by the State for their efforts during the Branch Street Fire. (David McNeil, Mike McGuire and Marc Poirier, Lt. Ryan Carroll, Lt. Mary Stelmokos and Capt. Brett Dowling) Chief Winward (LFD) recognized the personnel and their accomplishments. In City Council, minutes read, Motion “To accept and place on file” by C. Belanger, seconded by C. Kennedy. So voted. GENERAL PUBLIC HEARINGS 2. - GENERAL PUBLIC HEARINGS 2.1. 2015 / 359 - Ordinance-Amend Zoning 21 W. Adams St-Extend TMF Zone In City Council, Petitioner withdrew the petition with no objection. City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 2 of 5) COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE CITY MANAGER 3. - COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE CITY MANAGER 3.1. 2015 / 694 - Motion Responses: (A) Assessment of Personal Safety Equipment LPD and LFD (B) Mural Project (C) Coordinating an Art Festival in Downtown Lowell (D) Police Coverage in Neighborhoods (E) Purchase Line Striper Informational: (F) MSBA Letter In Council, Motion “To accept and place on file” by C. Leahy, seconded by C. Martin. So voted. C. Samaras commented on Motion Response A regarding safety equipment questioning plan to assist in purchasing the equipment. Manager Murphy commented on the budget procedure and the capital project requests. Regarding Motion Response C (Art Festival), Motion by C. Kennedy, seconded by C. Belanger to refer report to Arts and Culture SC. So voted. C. Mercier commented on Motion Response D regarding police coverage requesting further information from the police. Supt. Taylor (LPD) commented on the deployment strategy, reorganization, community policing, new gang unit and relationship with Inspectional Services Department. M. Elliott questioned the status of Shot Spotter program. Supt. Taylor noted they are still in process of selecting a vendor who will coordinate program with video element. Manager Murphy noted the funding was in place for the program. C. Samaras commented on issues in Centralville and the need to disperse information when there is a spike in crime. C. Leahy noted neighborhood concerns about the reservoir area in Centralville. C. Kennedy commented on Back Central neighborhood and the coverage for a smaller area. Supt. Taylor outlined the coverage in that area. C. Belanger commented on Informational Response F regarding MSBA letter noting the invite to join second phase of the project which is the feasibility study. Manager Murphy noted the role of the MSBA and the need for them to be part of the process so that grant money is available. C. Belanger questioned the process going forward. Manager Murphy noted the meetings with organization to select project manager. City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 3 of 5) 3.2. 2015 / 695 - Communication- Minimum Residential Factor In City Council, Given 1st Reading, Motion to refer matter to Public Hearing on December 8, 2015 at 7 PM by C. Mercier, seconded by C. Milinazzo. So voted. VOTES FROM THE CITY MANAGER 4. - VOTES FROM THE CITY MANAGER 4.1. 2015 / 687 - Vote-Apply/Accept/Expend Grant ($1,003,103) HUD Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance In Council, read twice and adopted. Motion to “waive full reading” by C. Rourke, seconded by C. Samaras. So voted. C. Milinazzo supported the vote and noted the pressing issue with homeless in the community that needs to be addressed. C. Martin commented on how the City has assisted with the homeless issue for past several years and the conflict is with the pan handling which should not detract for all that is being done for the homeless. C. Belanger commented on the growing issue of pan handling and alternative methods need to be used to combat the problems. Manager Murphy noted resources used in other communities to combat the problem including educating public of alternative methods of assisting. 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 x Mercier, Rita M. x Milinazzo, James L. x Rourke, Daniel P. x Samaras, William x REPORTS (SUB / COMMITTEE, IF ANY) 5. - REPORTS (SUB / COMMITTEE, IF ANY) In City Council, Motion by C. Mercier, seconded by C. Milinazzo for a point of personal privilege to discuss Veteran program. So voted. C. Mercier noted that there was no support for the “Voice of Democracy” scholarship program put on by Veteran Organizations and that the City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 4 of 5) information was supplied to various schools with no response. C. Belanger noted that the organization was upset with the lack of response. Motion by C. Belanger, seconded by C. Leahy to have Mayor inform School Committee of the situation and report back to Council with results. So vote. M. Elliott noted he would do that as he recalls that he had place motion on School agenda regarding the program. PETITIONS 6. - PETITIONS 6.1. 2015 / 690 - Misc. - Tara Manchester request installation of handicap parking sign located at 53-59 Pine Street. In Council, read and Motion to refer to Traffic Engineer as amended for report and recommendation by C. Samaras, seconded by C. Rourke. So voted. Motion to amend to a 60 day trial by C. Mercier, seconded by C. Milinazzo. So voted. 6.2. 2015 / 689 - Misc. - Patricia Donahue (Gallery Z Artist Co-Op) request City Council approval for overhanging sign located at 167 Market Street. In Council, read and Motion to refer to Law Department for report and recommendation by C. Rourke, seconded by C. Milinazzo. So voted. 6.3. 2015 / 696 - Misc. - Karen Maranto request permission to discuss handicap parking sign on Crawford Street. In Council, read and Motion to refer to City Manager for report and recommendation by C. Martin, seconded by C. Leahy. So voted. CITY COUNCIL - MOTIONS 7. - CITY COUNCIL - MOTIONS 7.1. 2015 / 691 - C. Mercier - Req. City Mgr. have proper person or persons visit each school and make a list of items needing to be addressed per request of each schools’ custodian. In Council, seconded by C. Milinazzo, read and referred to City Manager. So voted. C. Mercier noted that the custodians were frustrated with the work being done. Manager Murphy commented that there was just a yearly inspection done on the schools which made note of repairs, big and small, that need to be done and that an action plan will be formulated to City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov  (Page 5 of 5) address all repairs. C. Leahy noted there should be long term and short term goals for the repairs. 7.2. 2015 / 692 - C. Samaras - Req. City Mgr. have proper department assess the need and the condition of street lights in our City neighborhoods; starting with lower Centralville In Council, seconded by C. Rourke, read and referred to City Manager. So voted. C. Samaras noted the concern from the neighborhoods. 7.3. 2015 / 697 - C. Leahy/C. Samaras - Req. City Mgr. have proper department work with Belvidere Neighborhood Group on beautification project for trash cans and electrical light boxes. In Council, no second needed, read and referred to City Manager. So voted. C. Leahy noted the group has funding to complete the beautification project. Motion to suspend rules to allow speaker on the issue by C. Leahy, second by C. Mercier. So voted. Ms. Pitkin of the Belvidere Neighborhood Group addressed the Council regarding the issue. M. Elliott noted the City Lights Parade and Small Business Saturday events for this weekend and that there was free parking in the City. ADJOURNMENT 8. - Time for meeting to stand adjourned. Motion to Adjourn by C. Mercier, seconded by C. Martin. So voted. Meeting adjourned at 7:45 PM. Michael Q. Geary, City Clerk City of Lowell • 375 Merrimack Street • Lowell, MA 01852 • www.lowellma.gov