City Council

City of Somerville, Massachusetts City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, June 28, 2023 6:00 PM NOTICE: This is NOT the official version of the City Council's minutes. While reasonable efforts have been made to assure the accuracy of the data provided, do not rely on this information without first checking with the City Clerk. 1. OPENING CEREMONIES Present: City Councilor At Large Willie Burnley Jr. City Councilor At Large Charlotte Kelly City Councilor At Large Kristen Strezo City Councilor At Large Jake Wilson Ward One City Councilor Matthew McLaughlin Ward Three City Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen Ward Four City Councilor Jesse Clingan Ward Five City Councilor Beatriz Gomez Mouakad Ward Six City Councilor Lance L. Davis Ward Seven City Councilor Judy Pineda Neufeld Absent: Ward Two City Councilor Jefferson Thomas (J.T.) Scott The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM by Ward Three City Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen. The City Council entered Executive Session at 6:18 PM and returned at 6:42 PM. 1.1. Roll Call Call of the Roll. (ID # 23-1123) RESULT: PLACED ON FILE 1.2. Remembrances Remembrances. (ID # 23-1125) RESULT: APPROVED 1.3. Minutes Approval of the Minutes of the Special Meeting, June 1, 2023. (ID # 23-1126) RESULT: APPROVED AYE: City Councilor At Large Burnley Jr., City Councilor At Large Kelly, City Councilor At Large Strezo, City Councilor At Large Wilson, Ward Three City Councilor Ewen-Campen, and Ward Seven City Councilor Pineda Neufeld Page 1 of 6 City Council Meeting Minutes June 28, 2023 ABSENT: Ward One City Councilor McLaughlin, Ward Two City Councilor Scott, Ward Four City Councilor Clingan, Ward Five City Councilor Gomez Mouakad, and Ward Six City Councilor Davis 2. CITATIONS 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS 4. ORDERS, ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS OF MEMBERS 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 5.1. Order By Councilor Wilson (ID # 23-0922) That the City Solicitor appear in executive session pursuant to MGL Chapter 30A, Section 21(a)(3) to update this council on the status of collective bargaining negotiations with all municipal bargaining units. RESULT: LAID ON THE TABLE 6. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES 6.A. FINANCE COMMITTEE 6.A.1. Committee Report Report of the Committee on Finance, meeting on June 27, 2023. (ID # 23-1121) Chair Wilson summarized the actions taken by the Committee. Councilor Davis inquired about the discussion of the salary ordinance, requesting confirmation that the amendment before the Council appears to contain some changes, but the changes to those salaries happened during the previous budget season, and the ordinance is just catching up. Deputy Director of Human Resources Ellen Collins confirmed that all changes happened in the FY 2020 and FY 2022 budgets, and the ordinance was not updated at that time. These revisions reflect the current FY 2024 budget. Councilor Davis expressed concern about this disconnect. RESULT: APPROVED AYE: City Councilor At Large Burnley Jr., City Councilor At Large Kelly, City Councilor At Large Strezo, City Councilor At Large Wilson, Ward One City Councilor McLaughlin, Ward Three City Councilor Ewen-Campen, Ward Four City Councilor Clingan, Ward Five City Councilor Gomez Mouakad, Ward Six City Councilor Davis, and Ward Seven City Councilor Pineda Neufeld ABSENT: Ward Two City Councilor Scott Page 2 of 6 City Council Meeting Minutes June 28, 2023 6.A.2. Order By Councilor Pineda Neufeld (ID # 23-0457) That this City Council discuss data from the FY 2023 budget hearings and assess the budget hearing process for FY 2024. RESULT: WORK COMPLETED 6.A.3. Mayor's Request Requesting approval of a multi-year lease agreement for the East Somerville (ID # 23-0667) Police Station. RESULT: APPROVED AYE: City Councilor At Large Burnley Jr., City Councilor At Large Kelly, City Councilor At Large Strezo, City Councilor At Large Wilson, Ward One City Councilor McLaughlin, Ward Three City Councilor Ewen-Campen, Ward Four City Councilor Clingan, Ward Five City Councilor Gomez Mouakad, Ward Six City Councilor Davis, and Ward Seven City Councilor Pineda Neufeld ABSENT: Ward Two City Councilor Scott 6.A.4. Mayor's Request Requesting approval to accept and expend a $6,781 Student Awareness of (ID # 23-0813) Fire Education (SAFE) grant, with no new match required, from the Department of Fire Services to the Fire Department for fire prevention education for students. RESULT: APPROVED 6.A.5. Mayor's Request Requesting approval to accept and expend a $2,677 Senior Student (ID # 23-0814) Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) grant, with no new match required, from the Department of Fire Services to the Fire Department for fire prevention education for older adults. RESULT: APPROVED 6.A.6. Ordinance By Councilor Scott and Councilor Wilson (ID # 23-0827) Amending Section 2-323 of the Code of Ordinances, Salary Ranges, to provide cost-of-living adjustments for School Committee Members and City Councilors. RESULT: REFERRED FOR RECOMMENDATION FOLLOWUP: Finance Committee 6.A.7. Mayor's Request Requesting authorization to borrow $6,430,638 in a bond, and to appropriate (ID # 23-0844) the same amount for the Assembly Square Fire Station fit-out. RESULT: APPROVED Page 3 of 6 City Council Meeting Minutes June 28, 2023 AYE: City Councilor At Large Burnley Jr., City Councilor At Large Kelly, City Councilor At Large Strezo, City Councilor At Large Wilson, Ward One City Councilor McLaughlin, Ward Three City Councilor Ewen-Campen, Ward Four City Councilor Clingan, Ward Five City Councilor Gomez Mouakad, Ward Six City Councilor Davis, and Ward Seven City Councilor Pineda Neufeld ABSENT: Ward Two City Councilor Scott 6.A.8. Mayor's Request Requesting approval to accept and expend a $24,117.07 grant that requires a (ID # 23-0846) match, from the Metropolitan Mayors Coalition Community Safety Initiative to the Police Department for youth violence prevention. RESULT: APPROVED 6.A.9. Mayor's Request Requesting approval of a transfer of $8,039.02 from the Police Department (ID # 23-0847) Personal Services Overtime Account to the Police Department Special Items Grant Match Account to fund the Metropolitan Mayors Coalition Community Safety Initiative Shannon Grant match. RESULT: APPROVED 6.A.10.Mayor's Request Requesting ordainment of an amendment to Sections 2-322 and 2-323 of the (ID # 23-0925) Code of Ordinances, to update categories and associated salaries for non-union positions. RESULT: ORDINANCE ORDAINED AYE: City Councilor At Large Burnley Jr., City Councilor At Large Kelly, City Councilor At Large Strezo, City Councilor At Large Wilson, Ward One City Councilor McLaughlin, Ward Three City Councilor Ewen-Campen, Ward Four City Councilor Clingan, Ward Five City Councilor Gomez Mouakad, Ward Six City Councilor Davis, and Ward Seven City Councilor Pineda Neufeld ABSENT: Ward Two City Councilor Scott 6.A.11.Mayor's Request Requesting the appropriation of $80,000 from the Community Preservation (ID # 23-0947) Act (CPA) Fund Undesignated Fund to Vida Real for continued restoration of the bell tower at 404 Broadway. RESULT: APPROVED 6.A.12.Mayor's Request Requesting approval to accept the 2023-2024 U.S. Department of Housing (ID # 23-0951) and Urban Development Annual Action Plan for the Community Development Block Grant, Home Investment Partnership and Emergency Solutions Grant programs, totaling $3,321,097. Page 4 of 6 City Council Meeting Minutes June 28, 2023 RESULT: APPROVED 6.A.13.Mayor's Request Requesting approval of the First Amendment to Fiber Optic (ID # 23-1063) Communications Easement Agreement with TOWARDEX. RESULT: APPROVED 6.A.14.Mayor's Request Requesting approval to accept and expend a $500,000 grant amendment (ID # 23-1065) with no new match required, from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services to the Health and Human Services Department for regional youth substance misuse prevention efforts. RESULT: APPROVED 6.A.15.Mayor's Request Requesting authorization to seek funding and enter into related agreements (ID # 23-1088) with the Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities (PARC) grant, appropriate funding, and dedicate 217 Somerville Avenue as open space and recreational use in perpetuity. RESULT: APPROVED 7. COMMUNICATIONS OF THE MAYOR 7.1. Mayor's Request Requesting the transfer of $310,000 from the Health Insurance Account to (ID # 23-1119) the Law Department's Damages to Persons and Property Account to fund settlement of John Doe v. City of Somerville & Josh Wairi. RESULT: APPROVED AYE: City Councilor At Large Burnley Jr., City Councilor At Large Kelly, City Councilor At Large Strezo, City Councilor At Large Wilson, Ward Three City Councilor Ewen-Campen, and Ward Seven City Councilor Pineda Neufeld ABSENT: Ward One City Councilor McLaughlin, Ward Two City Councilor Scott, Ward Four City Councilor Clingan, Ward Five City Councilor Gomez Mouakad, and Ward Six City Councilor Davis 8. COMMUNICATIONS OF CITY OFFICERS 8.1. Officer's City Solicitor requesting to appear in Executive Session with attorneys from Communication Brody, Hardoon, Perkins & Kesten, LLP, to discuss John Doe v. City of (ID # 23-1120) Somerville & Josh Wairi. President Ewen-Campen noted that if there is not sufficient time for all questions to be answered, it can be laid on the table and taken up at the next regular meeting. Deputy City Solicitor Shapiro advised the Council that this Page 5 of 6 City Council Meeting Minutes June 28, 2023 item requires an Executive Session. The Council entered Executive Session at 6:18 PM and returned at 6:42 PM. No votes were taken in Executive Session except the vote to adjourn. RESULT: APPROVED AYE: City Councilor At Large Burnley Jr., City Councilor At Large Kelly, City Councilor At Large Strezo, City Councilor At Large Wilson, Ward Three City Councilor Ewen-Campen, Ward Four City Councilor Clingan, Ward Five City Councilor Gomez Mouakad, Ward Six City Councilor Davis, and Ward Seven City Councilor Pineda Neufeld ABSENT: Ward One City Councilor McLaughlin, and Ward Two City Councilor Scott 9. NEW BUSINESS 10. SUPPLEMENTAL ITEMS 11. LATE ITEMS 12. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was Adjourned at 6:45 PM. 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