City Council
Regular MeetingTaunton, MA · March 28, 2023
Minutes
City ofrr'aunton
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fPresent at ro{[ ca{[were: CounciWrs ©ooner, ©uarte, (]Jor9es, !McCau~
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Record of preceding meeting was read by title and approved. So voted.
Opportunity for input by the general public.
Paul Ferreira, 74 Mellos Farm Road, Taunton, stated that he is the President of the
Taunton Sports Club and a member of the Taunton Day of Portugal Committee. He read a
letter addressed to Mayor O'Connell and the members of the City Council from the
Taunton Day of Portugal Committee members notifying them that they are working on
the heritage of Portugal activities for the month of June in the City of Taunton. One of
their first events in the month of June of 2023 will be to bring back the tradition of raising
the Portuguese flag in front of the Taunton City Hall as it has been done for over four (4)
decades. He stated that the City of Taunton has been the home for many Portuguese-
American citizens who have come to America and who are proud to be living in a
community that embraces their heritage and culture. He stated it is their goal to have the
return of the flag ceremony in front of City Hall at noontime on Saturday, June 10, 2023,
during the official Portuguese-American heritage month as it is recognized throughout the
world and proclaimed by the Governor of our Commonwealth. He stated they would like
to submit the list of petitioners that have joined and the submission of this letter to be
received by Mayor O'Connell and the members of the Taunton City Council. Teresa
Mello, 1224 Somerset Avenue, Taunton, listed the different members of the committees
and groups that have signed on board as part of the Taunton Day of Portugal Committee.
This includes members of the Taunton Sports Club, members of the Portuguese American
Civic Club, members of the Holy Ghost Society of East Taunton, members of the Holy
Ghost Society of the Taunton Eagles Soccer Club, members of the Taunton Eagles Soccer
Club, members of the Prince Henry Society of Greater Taunton, and the Holy Ghost
Society of Taunton Sports. She provided copies of the letter that was read by Paul
Ferreira to pass out to the members of the Council.
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Hearing:
Remand hearing upon the petition of Jrunes A. Valeriani, The Mensing Group LLC, 100
State Street, 9th Floor, Boston, MA 02109 on behalf of his client Greater Goods, LLC 599
East Broadway, Boston, MA 02109 for a special permit to allow an 11,498 sq. ft.
Marijuana Cultivation and Manufacturing Facility, to be located at 445 Myles Standish
Boulevard, Taunton located in the Industrial District Zone. Motion was made to re-open
the hearing and invite the parties into the enclosure. So Voted. Councilor Duarte
recused himself from the hearing. Councilor Coute stated that this is a remand from the
court and asked to hear from the City Solicitor. The City Solicitor stated that the court
issued an order of remand which requires that the Council consider this matter at a new
hearing, which will be held tonight in regards to the issuance of a special permit. Mayor
O'Connell invited the parties to come into the enclosure. They introduced themselves as
Jordan Shaw, President of Greater Goods; Robert Rudolph, of Rudolph Friedmann in
Boston; Jim Valeriani, The Mensing Group. Mr. Valeriani spoke about how they have
been working with Greater Goods for the last few years regarding licensing with the
cannabis commission. He stated they were in front of the Council in April and May of
2022 for a special permit at 445 Myles Standish Boulevard in the Taunton Development
Corporation Park for a marijuana micro business which allows cultivation and
manufacturing. He stated that ultimately their special permit application did not succeed
by one vote. He stated that attorney Rudolph, of Rudolph Friedmann, has been working
with Greater Goods on the appeal of that decision which was filed on June 17, 2022. He
stated the parties' complaint was filed, attorney Rudolph engaged with Peter Winters of
the City Solicitor's Office, and negotiations to settle were suggested. He stated that a
settlement agreement, although it was not read by the City Solicitor as it was not in this
packet, was reached and voted on by this Council. He stated on January 24, 2023 the
Council went into executive session and then approved the settlement with a vote of six
(6) to two (2) to approve the settlement consistent with the remand order by the land
court. There were three (3) conditions to that settlement. He proceeded to read the
conditions. Mayor O'Connell opened the discussion to the Council. Councilor Sanders
spoke about how he supported them the first time around. He stated that they have been
wonderful in terms of agreeing to everything that the Council has asked, which has been
miles beyond what they have asked of any other business in the City. He gave them
kudos for stepping up to alleviate the concerns of the abutters and the Councilors who
may have been on the fence. He stated that he wishes them well and is looking forward to
getting them up and running. Councilor Pottier expressed gratitude to the City Solicitor's
Office, particularly Mr. Winters as well as attorney Rudolph for working to draft the
agreement that at least six (6) members of the Council were in favor of during executive
session. He thanked them for being amenable to the changes which are beyond any other
cultivation facility in the City and would hopefully alleviate the concerns the abutters
would have. Councilor Postell spoke to confirm that nothing else has changed with their
project. Motion was made to open the discussion for public input. So Voted. No one
was present to speak for public input during this hearing. Motion was made to close
public input and grant the petition with the following three conditions. On
discussion, Mr. Valeriani spoke to include the passing of the petition with the conditions
but in conformance with the special permit that was attached as exhibit A to the
settlement. Councilor Coute proceeded to read the following conditions: Condition #1)
Greater Goods shall install the proposed, closed ventilation system within each flowering
cultivation room, consisting of CleanLeaf CL1250D-CCPHE Odor Mitigating Filtration
Units (the "Ventilation System") in a sufficient number so as to accommodate ventilation
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and odor control for the proposed 11,498 s/f facility. The air in the flower rooms will be
filtered and recycled back into the rooms, only to be exhausted as needed to regulate
Oxygen and C02 levels. Greater Goods shall maintain negative pressure in the hallways
and common spaces of the facility. Any exhausted air shall be treated at the source by
charcoal filtration. Condition #2) Greater Goods shall post a bond in an amount of Forty
Thousand ($40,000) Dollars sufficient to cover the replacement cost of the Ventilation
System. The bond shall be renewed annually for each year that the facility is in operation
and shall be reviewed and subject to an increase in the bond amount consistent with the
increase in the Consumer Price Index; and Condition #3) Greater Goods shall at its
annual license renewal present to the Municipal Council evidence of inspection by a
Massachusetts licensed HVAC technician or a Registered Professional Engineer of the
Ventilation System to have been completed within the prior forty five (45) days with a
certification from the licensed or registered professional that the system is functioning
properly and that the filters have been changed or serviced in accordance with CleanLeaf
manufacturer's guidelines. If Greater Goods fails to present said evidence at the renewal
hearing or within thirty (30) days thereafter, then the Municipal Council may determine
not renew the license. Motion was made to approve on a roll call vote. Eight (8)
councilors were present. Seven (7) Councilors voted in favor, Councilor Borges
voted in opposition. Councilor Duarte recused himself of the hearing. On discussion,
Councilor Pottier requested that the information Mr. Valeriani brought, court cases and
things be available on the City's website or in next week's agenda for the public. Motion
was made to close the hearing. So Voted.
Communications from the Mavor:
Mayor O'Connell stated there was an open house at the Central Fire Station on Saturday,
March 25, 2023 and it was a great success. There will be another open house at the
Central Fire Station on April 15, 2023 at 1:OOpm. The public is invited to attend.
Mayor O'Connell would like to give a special thanks to the Taunton Area Vietnam
Veterans Association (TAVVA) for holding the POW/MIA Recognition Day this past
Sunday. She would also like to thank everyone who attended that meaningful ceremony.
Mayor O'Connell stated that there will be a telephone town hall this Wednesday, March
29, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. She stated that their internal team and project team will
be participating to answer questions. There are three ways to participate. There will be a
call from the Mayor's Office to your landline and you can stay on the line to participate,
you can dial into the meeting, or you can listen via audio stream. All of this information
will be provided on the City of Taunton's website and on the Facebook page. If there are
any questions, you are always welcome to call the Mayor's Office. If you would like to
submit your questions ahead of time, you can submit them to the email address,
safety:first(a),taunton-ma. gov.
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Mayor 0' Connell stated that this Saturday, April 1, 2023 there will be a pancake
breakfast hosted by the Parks and Recreation Department form 9:00am to 11 :OOam
located in the Taunton High School cafeteria. The special guest will be the Easter Bunny.
The cost is seven (7) dollars per person. The tickets are on sale at www.myrec.com or you
can call (508) 821-1415.
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Mayor O'Connell stated that this Saturday, April 1, 2023 from lO:OOam to l:OOpm at
Hopewell Park is the first Easter Egg Drop Event hosted by Christ Community Church in
conjunction with the City. This is a free event.
Appointments:
Reappointment of Amy Kazlauskas as Director of Human Resources for a term of three (3)
years expiring March 24, 2026. Motion was made to move approval. So Voted.
Appointment of Kristian White as Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer for a term
of three (3) years expiring March 24, 2026. Motion was made to move approval. So
Voted.
Appointment of Ally Rodriguez as the Director of Veterans Services for a term of three (3)
years expiring March 28, 2026. Motion was made to approve on a roll call vote. Nine
(9) councilors were present, nine voted in favor of appointing Ally Rodriguez.
Communications from Citv Officers:
Com. from City Solicitor Submitting an Xfinity Correspondence dated March 13, 2023
regarding changes to service. Motion was made to receive and place on file. So Voted.
Com. from Safety Officer which that states at the February 28, 2023 meeting of the
Municipal Council Councilor Quintal made a motion to have the Safety Officer look into
a parking on the sidewalk complaint at Plant Petroleum. The complaint was reported by
Ms. LeMaire. He spoke with both owners, Milad Dbaid and Khalil Dbaid and made them
aware of the complaint. He asked them to advise customers and employees not to park on
the sidewalk. He has monitored the sidewalk in front of their property and has not seen
anyone park on the sidewalk since he spoke with them. He will continue to monitor the
area and enforce any parking violations. Motion was made to receive and place on file.
So Voted.
Com. from Election Director stating at the Election Department meeting held on March
21, 2023, the Election Commission voted unanimously to request a police detail be
appointed at City Hall during the Early Voting period of April 24-26, 2023. The early
voting schedule is Monday, April 24, 2023 from 8:00am to 2:00pm; Tuesday, April 25,
2023 from 8:00am to 7:00pm; Wednesday, April 26, 2023 from 8:00am to 2:00pm. Upon
approval of the details, the Police Department will coordinate the coverage with the
individual officers. Motion was made to approve. So Voted.
Com. from Chief Financial Officer requesting the opportunity to present the Finance
Intem's first work on revenue trends for the City to the Committee on Finance and
Salaries on April 4, 2023. Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Finance and
Salaries. So Voted.
Com. from Superintendent-Director, Bristol Plymouth Regional Technical School
District regarding approval of the FY2024 Budget in the amount of five million, one
hundred ninety thousand, eight hundred fifty seven ($5,190,857). The figures presented
here are based upon the latest available information from the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Motion was
made to refer to the Committee on Finance and Salaries. So Voted.
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Communications from Citizens:
Com. from Joseph deMello, 71 Main St., Suite 2100, Taunton expressing gratitude to
Michael Arruda, Superintendent of the Water Department and his entire staff, especially
the repair crew. Mayor O'Connell stated that she is proud of the water department staff.
She stated that she called Michael Arruda to thank him for their professionalism and the
care they took with this particular situation. He also mentioned that Randy Moniz and
Kenny Aveiro were involved in this situation. Motion was made to refer to the
Department of Public Works and place in their personal files. So Voted.
Com. from Joshua Freeman, 15 Michael Rd., Raynham, MA suggesting the City restore
the Taunton Public Library to its original appearance. He also inquired about putting up
the space force flag at the Church Green. Motion was made to refer to the Committee
on Public Property. On discussion, Councilor McCaul stated that he would like to take
the opportunity to thank Bill Egan and Dennis Proulx for the placement of the space force
flag at the Church Green. Motion was made to approve. So Voted.
Petitions:
Petition submitted by Wilfrido and Marta Decastro, 32 Plain St., Taunton for a new
Second Hand Article License for The Finds Exchange to sell new and used items online
from 32 Plain St., Taunton. Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Police and
License. So Voted.
Joint Petition submitted by Verizon New England, Inc. and Taunton Municipal Lighting
Plant to relocate multiple jointly owned poles, 69, 70, 73, 74 and to place a new push
brace at pole 75 starting at 257 Scadding Street, Taunton. Motion was made to refer to the
City Clerk to schedule a public hearing. So Voted.
Petition submitted by Denise Asack, RDA Property Holding, 96 Sachem Rock Ave., East
Bridgewater, MA for a modification of an existing application for a Special Permit for a
group home to a mixed use building consisting of 36 residential units and 1,938 sq. ft. of
commercial space with a 9 unit density bonus and a waiver of parking from 42 spaces to
11 spaces at 74 Weir Street located in the Central Business District. Motion was made to
refer to the City Clerk and to update the advertising. So voted.
Committee Reports:
Motion was made for Committee reports to be read by title and approved. So
Voted. Recommendations adopted to reflect the votes as recorded in committee
reports. So Voted.
Unfinished Business:
Councilor Sanders spoke to ask that the Chair of the Committee of Military and Veterans
Affairs schedule the item of Taunton having its own Purple Heart Day. He stated that it
was originally brought to his attention by State Representative Carol Doherty and
subsequently referred to a second time to Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs by
Councilor Dooner's motion. He stated that with it coming up in August 2023 he would
like to see Taunton have its own recognition of Purple Heart Day and he would like to see
that come up in an upcoming agenda. Councilor Dooner informed everyone that they
have already gone through the process and it has been approved. She has already spoken
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with Ally Rodriguez, the new Director of the Veterans Department. She will be helping to
get a special day planned to recognize it and it will be happening this year.
Councilor Borges stated that the Committee on Solid Waste will be meeting after the
meeting of the Municipal Council meeting is over.
Orders, Ordinances and Resolutions:
Order (or a second reading to be ordained on a roll call vote
Ordered That,
Special Revenue Account: The proceeds derived from the payment of Rollback
Taxes or Conveyance Taxes that result from the sale or conversion of M.G.L.
Chapter 61 and 61A & Bland located in the City of Taunton and the accumulated
interest shall be segregated in a Special Revenue Account to be used at the
discretion of the Mayor in consultation with the Sustainability Committee for
projects and initiatives. Said account shall not exceed $250,000. Said projects
shall be as follows:
1. Revitalizing or acquiring open, green, or recreational space within the City;
2. Purchasing conservation or recreational use easements on privately-held land;
3. Partnering with area land trusts on projects that benefit the City;
4. Cleaning up and repurposing blighted or underutilized City properties for
open, green, or recreational space;
5. Constructing or repairing stormwater or rainwater management or collection
systems utilizing nature-based solutions;
6. Contracting with consultants to assist the Sustainability Committee with its
analysis, planning, grant-writing, and project management; and
7. Assisting with the administrative costs of the Sustainability Committee.
On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors were present, nine (9) Councilors
voted in favor.
Ordinance (or a third reading to be ordained on a roll call vote
AN ORDINANCE
Chapter 96
Procurement Department
Be it ordained by the Municipal Council of the City of Taunton and by authority of
the same as follows:
That Chapter 96 of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Taunton, as amended,
be and hereby is further amended by changing the title "Chief Procurement Officer" to
"Director of Procurement" as set forth below:
96-92 Established; composition.
There is hereby established a Procurement Department, to consist of a Director of
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Procurement and such assistants as the Mayor may determine.
96-93 Appointment and qualifications of Director of Procurement.
The head of the Procurement Department shall be the Director of Procurement, who shall
be appointed by the Mayor, with the approval of the Council, and shall qualify by oath
before entrance upon the duties of this office for a term of three (3) years. The Director
of Procurement is a management and policy level position as defined by M.G.L Ch. 150E
and is therefore not eligible for membership in a bargaining unit. The Director of
Procurement shall be a person qualified by education, training and/or experience.
The Director of Procurement shall be the chief procurement officer as defined m
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30B.
96-94 Assistants to Director of Procurement.
The Director of Procurement shall have such assistants as the Mayor may determine. The
assistants shall be appointed by the Director of Procurement subject to the Mayors
approval and shall perform such duties as the Director of Procurement shall require.
96-95 Bond of Director of Procurement.
Before entrance upon the duties of his/her office, the Director of Procurement shall
furnish a surety bond for the faithful performance of his/her duties in the amount of
$10,000, with the surety thereon to be approved by the City Solicitor.
96-96 Powers and duties of Director of Procurement.
The Director of Procurement shall:
A. Be responsible for the procurement and disposal of all supplies, materials,
equipment and property for all departments and offices of the City, and including
contracts for the construction, reconstruction or alteration of City buildings and
property, and any services or purchases incidental thereto, and all laws covered
under the Uniform Procurement Act, MGL c. 30, § 39M, MGL c. 30B, and MGL c.
149, §§ 44A through 44J.
B. Have authority to order or make inventories of the supplies, materials, equipment
and furnishings of any and all departments. No department possessing excess or
surplus personal property of any kind or description shall sell, exchange, transfer or
dispose thereof without first certifying such personal property as surplus to the
Director of Procurement ; and, thereupon, the Director of Procurement shall
circularize all departments and agencies as to their need for such surplus personal
property; and if such need is determined, the Director of Procurement may order
transfer of such property from one department or agency to another, and inventory
adjustments between the departments shall be made accordingly. Surplus property
shall be disposed of by the Director of Procurement. In the event surplus property is
to be disposed of and has a value equal to or in excess of $20,000.00, the Director of
Procurement shall obtain approval by the Mayor and the Council for prior approval
before disposing of said surplus property. If the property to be disposed of has a
value of less than $20,000.00 then the Director of Procurement may dispose of it
without prior approval and must submit a report to the Mayor and the Council of the
disposed property.
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96-97 Annual report. The Director of Procurement shall submit before December 1 of
each year a full and comprehensive report on the work of the agent's office to the
Mayor for the previous fiscal year.
96-98 Departmental estimates. All departments of the city shall file with the
purchasing department detailed estimates of their requirements for supplies, equipment,
and services in such manner, at such times and for such future periods as the agent shall
prescribe. This shall not prevent any department from filing with the purchasing
department at any time a requisition for any supplies, equipment, or services the need
of which was not foreseen when the detailed estimates were filed.
96-99 Requisitions.
Except as otherwise provided by Ordinance, requisitions for the purchase of supplies,
equipment, or services for any department shall be received by the purchasing
department prior to the issuance of a purchase order or contract for such supplies,
equipment, or services and shall be signed by the head of the using department, or an
authorized agent. The Director of Procurement shall examine each requisition and shall
have the authority, after consultation with the department head, to revise it as to
quantity, quality or estimated costs, but revision as to quality shall be in accordance
with the standards and specifications provided. The agent shall promptly notify in
writing the requisitioning department head of any such revision.
96-100 Emergency purchases.
Whenever the time required to comply with a requirement of M.G.L.A. c. 30B and this
Code would endanger the health or safety of the people or their property the Director of
Procurement may make an emergency procurement without following the requirement
under the statute and Code and in accordance with the City Ordinance. An emergency
procurement shall be limited to only supplies or services necessary to meet the
emergency and shall conform to the requirements of law and ordinance to the extent
practicable under the circumstances. The Director of Procurement shall make a record
of each emergency as soon after the procurement as practicable, specifying each
contractor's name, the amount and the type of each contract, a listing of the supply or
service provided under each contract, and the basis for determining the need for an
emergency procurement.
The Director of Procurement shall submit a copy of this record at the earliest possible
time to the state secretary for placement in any publication established by the state
secretary for the advertisement of procurements.
96-101 Exercise of authority to conform with all legal requirements.
Nothing in this Code shall be construed to authorize the Director of Procurement to
take any action in connection with any purchase or contract in conflict with the general
laws of the commonwealth or federal statutes; nor shall anything herein contained
authorize the Director of Procurement to take any action in connection with any
purchase or contract in conflict with the provisions of M.G.L.A. c. 43; nor shall
anything herein contained authorize or empower the Director of Procurement to have
any jurisdiction or control over the acquisition, contracts for purchase or sale, transfer
or disposition of real property acquired by or owned by the city.
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All ordinances or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. This
Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon passage.
On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors were present, nine (9) Councilors voted in
favor.
New Business:
Councilor Pottier spoke about the great presentation the Finance Team gave in the
Committee on Finance and Salaries on IT enhancements that the City has done. He would
like to refer to the City Solicitor's Office on the appropriateness of speaking to the same
team on their cyber security efforts in executive session. Matthew Costa, the City
Solicitor, stated that if there is going to be a discussion about the specific measures of
cyber security, this would be a basis to have the discussion in executive session. Motion
was made to refer to the Committee on Finance and Salaries to schedule a
discussion in executive session. So Voted.
Councilor Coute spoke about the recent school shooting in our country. Motion was
made to refer to the Committee on Public Property to meet with the Police Chief to
discuss the budget for schools to make sure there is enough funding for the best
security and the best protocols in executive session. So Voted.
Councilor Sanders stated that it is the last Tuesday of the month of March. He stated that
March is National Social Work Month. He read a statement produced by the National
Association of Social Workers. Mayor O'Connell thanked Councilor Sanders for
bringing this to everyone's attention. She expressed gratitude for the difference social
workers make in our community.
Councilor Quintal spoke about the sign that was made for the TAVV A. He has one more
meeting with the TAVV A along with Karen Pemberton. He stated that the sign has been
made and is at the DPW. He stated that the DPW Commissioner and the Assistant DPW
Commissioner are ready to place the sign. The TAVV A would like to see it on Route 44
near the 99 Restaurant. Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Military and
Veterans Affairs for a meeting on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. On discussion, Councilor
Borges suggested moving the meeting to the following week so that Ally Rodriguez can
be included. Motion was made to approve. So Voted.
Motion was made to adjourn. So Voted.
Meeting adjourned at 7:46 P.M.
A true copy:
JLL/MAF
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City of Taunton
Municipal Council
March 28, 2023
The Committee on Finance and Salaries \ ,-' ~
The meeting was held at Taunton City Hall, 15 Summer Street, Taunton, MA 027,1ro~
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in lie , ..... '•'
Chester R. Martin Municipal Council Chambers. ~ =·· w
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Present were Councilor Phillip Duarte, Chairman and Councilors Pottier and Mccarn. A.Go
present were CFO Patrick Dello Russo, Treasurer/Collector Christine Clyme1' Atfclltor ifin
Fortes, Director of Information Technology Paul Arikian, Chairman- Board it Assesso~
Richard Conti, and Budget Director Gill Enos. - 0
The meeting was called to order at 5:33 PM.
1. Meet to review the weekly vouchers and payroll for City departments.
MOTION: Approve the payroll warrant in the amount of $1,429,459.89. So voted.
MOTION: Approve the accounts payable warrant in the amount o/$5,328,654.36. So voted.
2. Meet with the Finance Department for an update on software and cyber security
improvements and efficiencies.
Mr. Dello Russo and the finance team gave a presentation on software and technology
improvements. Ms. Clymens highlighted the improvements to the payroll system which is being
explored. The intention is to streamline the process, eliminate paper code sheets, and eliminate
the manual tracking of time off. Currently, Police and Fire are live on MUNIS. Mr. Fortes
indicated that the City is currently looking for a vendor for new software for the :financials
package. He stated that they are looking to digitize payments and invoices. Further, he indicated
that the goal is to streamline the AP process and digitize documentation to eliminate paper. Mr.
Arikian indicated that all departments now have access to Permit Eyes and that inspectors and
staff can view permits from the field. Mr. Conti talked about the efficiencies in the Assessor's
Office that have been gained with Permit Eyes. Now, they know before leaving the office what
they are looking for when on site. They have the plans and specs in advance. Mr. Arikian
stressed the improved communication with contractors. He also spoke about the IT
Department's upgrade to the infrastructure or core. This has improved redundancy. They
replicate the data every hour and back it up every day. Ms. Clymens stated that they are
exploring additional payment processing options hoping to accept tax payments with Apple Pay,
Google Pay, Pay Pal, and Venmo. They also hope to be able to take payments over the phone as
well as credit card payments at the office window. Mr. Conti spoke about Nearmap which flies
over the City twice a year to create maps. This provides detailed images that can be used by
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various departments. Two years ago they experienced 6,700 visits on Nearrnap. In 2022, the
assessors re-measured 400 parking lots, adding $160,000 to the levy and capturing more than in
the past. Mr. Della Russo stressed that the team continues to look for areas to improve.
Councilor Pottier asked about cyber issues in the City and suggested that perhaps an executive
session on the topic might be appropriate. He asked if payment processing would be through
City Hall Systems and Ms. Clymens indicated that they have been looking at a different vendor
but learned recently that City Hall Systems could potentially add these capabilities.
Councilor Duarte asked about how permitting was done before Permit Eyes and Mr. Arikian
indicated that it used to be primarily paper driven where everything was manually entered and
everything was in person. Now, most of the data entry falls on the applicant. He also stressed
how more people can access the information more readily. Mr. Duarte asked how other City
departments utilize Nearrnap and Mr. Conti talked about how Conservation can see a river, for
example, over time to see if any of the river has been filled in. He gave some other examples of
uses for the fire and police departments. Mr. Duarte asked how these upgrades might address the
concerns that were brought up recently around reporting purchase orders and Mr. Fortes
indicated that the reporting they have been looking at with different software packages blows
Softright out of the water.
Councilor Postell stressed the importance of including other departments who accept payments.
In particular, he mentioned the City Clerk's office where they are using a cash register.
Councilor Borges stated her hope that procurement documents could be attached like documents
are attached in Permit Eyes.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:03 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
MARI 2 8 2023
IN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
/fut~~-~
Maggie E. Clarke
Clerk of Council Committees
REPORTS ACCEPTED. RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED.
~jf~
Committee on Finance and Salaries
March 28, 2023
Page2 of2
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City of Taunton
Municipal Council
March 28, 2023
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The Committee on Police and License S?
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The meeting was held at Taunton City Hall, 15 Summer Street, Taunton, ~ 0~80 Wthe ~~: fS
Chester R. Martin Municipal Council Chambers. I ':-:> ;~
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Present were Councilor Jeffrey Postell, Chairman and Councilors Sanders and Borges.
The meeting was called to order at 6:05 PM.
1. Meet to discuss the request to conduct a Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 29 at
1:15pm.
MOTION: Refer to the Police Chief Fire Chief and Safety Officer and approve. So voted.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:05 PM.
CITY OF TAUNTON Respectfully submitted,
MAR 2 8 2023 ~C--~~
IN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL Maggie E. Clarke
Clerk of Council Committees
RE ORTS ACCEPTED. RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED.
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13
City of Taunton
Municipal Council
March 28, 2023
The Committee on Public Property w ,-q
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The meeting was held at Taunton City Hall, 15 Summer Street, Taunton, MA 0Zi78Ctin theU ~;:;~
Chester R. Martin Municipal Council Chambers. S
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Present were Councilor Christopher Coute, Chairman, and Councilors McCaul, Dooner, Qnfutal,
and Borges. Also present were Peter Buffington of Taunton Girls Softball, Tyler Doehler of
Taunton West Little League, and John Texeira and Kerri Theriault of Taunton Pop Warner.
The meeting was called to order at 6:07 PM.
1. Meet for a discussion with local youth organizations for the potential reuse of the
Taunton Nursing Home.
Councilor Coute indicated that the reuse of the Taunton Nursing Home has been on the table for
some time. He stated that Taunton Girls Softball and Taunton West Little League abut the
property of the Old Nursing Home. Taunton Pop Warner does not have a home field.
Peter Buffington, the President of Taunton Girls Softball, indicated that the league needs more
fields, more space, and more parking.
Tyler Doehler, the president of Taunton West Little League that is a direct abutter to the
property, indicated that the league's space is very limited. They have roughly 400 kids and the
numbers are growing. They could use extra fields. The parking situation goes all the way to
Norton Ave. and the driveway can't be expanded due to wetlands.
John Texeira of Taunton Pop Warner stressed that Pop Warner technically has no home field.
Currently they play at Coyle field at Hopewell Park which they rent. They also rent a 20x20
storage space which is jammed full. He indicated that the league is all run by volunteers. Kerri
Theriault reported that they pay $3000 for the storage unit and $1000 per game day for the fields.
Councilor Borges expressed her support for this idea and thought this would be a great
expansion. She indicated her thought that the Taunton Nursing Home should be razed and that
this would be a great place for the community to come together. She mentioned keeping the
community garden and looking for other recreation opportunities such as pickle ball.
Councilor Dooner stated that Taunton is a growing community and athletics have been a staple
in the community. She expressed her support.
14
Councilor McCaul suggested that there could be other locations to be considered for such a
complex such as the Bowl property in East Taunton that is not currently being used. He stated
that he believes the City needs more housing for the elderly and veterans. He would like to see
what else could be done with the property.
Councilor Quintal agreed with Councilor McCaul that there is a shortage of housing but stated
that he does not believe this is the place for that. He doesn't want this to turn into another
Leonard School to be abandoned for years.
Councilor Coute agreed with Couniclor Quintal and stated that he does not believe this is the
appropriate place for housing but, rather, this is the place for sports and recreation.
Councilor Borges stated that the Taunton Nursing Home is the center of gravity to bring the
community together. The City will never have the opportunity again to expand the fields and
parking.
Mr. Buffington stressed the buzz that is around the fields during the season. He suggested this
would be a boost to the City and impacts over 700 families.
Mr. Texeira indicated that he has five teams and they are maxed out.
Mr. Daehler stated that they have to increase their roster sizes because of space available since
they don't want to say no to a kid who wants to play.
Councilor McCaul stated that the City is paying money to have a study done on the property.
Councilor Dooner suggested that using this space to expand could allow the City to get ahead of
the game and make room for more participation.
Councilor Quintal stated that the building is decrepit and that this idea should move forward. He
does not believe this is the place for housing. He does not want to see an abandoned building
there for years.
Councilor Borges reiterated that this opportunity will never be there again.
Councilor Sanders indicated that he likes the direction of this conversation and stated that the
City needs more recreational land. He suggested that if the City owns this land, it should be
organized in a way that is flexible so that it can be used by many residents and could include
baseball, softball, football, soccer, the community garden, maybe a BMX track, expanded
playground opportunities, a walking track. Mr. Sanders agreed that there is lots of opportunity
there. He also suggested that if the City is going to be investing in this project, money for
maintenance needs to be included. It is important that the City do what is necessary to make sure
the resources are in place to keep it looking nice.
Councilor Pottier suggested that this could be another transformative development that would
leave a lasting mark.
Committee on Public Property
March 28, 2023
Page2 of3
15
Councilor Postell stated that this could have a positive impact on young folks and could provide
an avenue from the alternatives. Mr. Buffington stated that his league provides fee waivers to
100% of those who apply. 10% of girls receive waivers. Mr. Postell suggested there may be
opportunities for grant funding and other partnerships. He also mentioned how sports are not
just about athleticism, there is also mentoring and the providing of positive role models.
Councilor Duarte expressed his support for this initiative to increase recreational space. He
indicated that part of the ongoing study will include input from the public and encouraged
everyone to get involved in that process. There will be a public input session as well as an online
survey.
MOTION: Meet with the Park and Recreation Director and CFO to talk about their vision and
preliminary financing. So voted.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:02 PM.
CITY OF TAUNTON
Respectfully submitted,
MAR.2 8 2023
IN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
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Maggie E. Clarke
Clerk of Council Committees
REPORTS ACCEPTED. RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED.
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Committee on Public Property
March 28, 2023
Page3 of3
Agenda
MUNICIPAL COUNCIL AGENDA
CHESTER R. MARTIN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
15 SUMMER STREET, TAUNTON, MA 02780
MARCH 28, 2023-7:00 PM
INVOCATION
ROLL CALL Notice of Posting
RECORDS
PUBLIC INPUT
• Comments will be received for the record
• Please state your name and address
• Please limit comments to 3 minutes or less
• Supplemental written comments may also be provided
• Comments should be addressed to the body as a whole and pertain to the business
of the City
HEARING: REMAND- Upon the petition of James A. Valeriani, The
Mensing Group LLC, 100 State Street, 9th Floor, Boston, MA
02109 on behalf of his client Greater Goods, LLC, 599 East
Broadway, Boston, MA 02109 for a Special Permit to allow:
An 11,498 sq. ft. Marijuana Cultivation & Manufacturing Facility,
to be located at 445 Myles Standish Boulevard, Taunton located in
the Industrial District Zone.
• Order of Remand from Land Court
COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE MAYOR
• Community Update
APPOINTMENTS
• Reappointment of Amy Kazlauskas as Director of Human Resources for a term of
three (3) years expiring March 24, 2026
• Appointment of Kristian White as Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement
Officer for a term of three (3) years expiring March 24, 2026
• Appointment of Ally Rodriguez as the Director of Veterans Services for a term of
three (3) years expiring March 28, 2026
COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITY OFFICERS
Pg. 1-2 Com. from City Solicitor - Submitting Xfinity Correspondence
Pg.3 Com. from Safety Officer - Submitting a Response
Pg. 4 Com. from Election Director - Requesting a Police Detail for Elections
Pg.5 Com. from Chief Financial Officer - Requesting to Present Finance
Intern's Work
Pg. 6-11 Com. from Superintendent-Director, Bristol Plymouth Regional Technical
School District - Approval of the FY2024 Budget
COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS
Pg. 12 Com. from Joseph deMello, Seventy-one Main St., Suite 2100, Taunton -
Expressing Gratitude
Pg. 13 Com. from Joshua Freeman, 15 Michael Rd., Raynham, MA- Suggestion
for Taunton Library (Separate Packet)
PETITIONS
Second Hand Article License - NEW
Petition submitted by Wilfrido and Marta Decastro, 32 Plain St., Taunton for a NEW
Second Hand Article License for The Finds Exchange to sell new and used items online
from 32 Plain St., Taunton.
Pole Location
Joint Petition submitted by Verizon New England, Inc. and Taunton Municipal Lighting
Plant to relocate multiple jointly owned poles, 69, 70, 73, 74 and to place a new push
brace at pole 75 starting at 257 Scadding Street, Taunton. (Public Hearing Required)
Modification of a Special Permit Filing
Petition submitted by Denise Asack, RDA Property Holding, 96 Sachem Rock Ave., East
Bridgewater, MA for a modification of an existing application for a Special Permit for a
group home to a mixed use building consisting of 36 residential units and 1,938 sq. ft. of
commercial space with a 9 unit density bonus and a waiver of parking from 42 spaces to
11 spaces at 74 Weir Street located in the Central Business District. (Public Hearing
Required)
COMMITTEE REPORTS
UNFINISHED BUSINESS - NONE
ORDERS, ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
Order (or a second reading to be ordained on a roll call vote
Ordered That,
Special Revenue Account: The proceeds derived from the payment of Rollback
Taxes or Conveyance Taxes that result from the sale or conversion ofM.G.L.
Chapter 61 and 61A & Bland located in the City of Taunton and the accumulated
interest shall be segregated in a Special Revenue Account to be used at the
discretion of the Mayor in consultation with the Sustainability Committee for
projects and initiatives. Said account shall not exceed $250,000. Said projects
shall be as follows:
1. Revitalizing or acquiring open, green, or recreational space within the City;
2. Purchasing conservation or recreational use easements on privately-held land;
3. Partnering with area land trusts on projects that benefit the City;
4. Cleaning up and repurposing blighted or underutilized City properties for
open, green, or recreational space;
5. Constructing or repairing stormwater or rainwater management or collection
systems utilizing nature-based solutions;
6. Contracting with consultants to assist the Sustainability Committee with its
analysis, planning, grant-writing, and project management; and
7. Assisting with the administrative costs of the Sustainability Committee.
Ordinance (or a third reading to be ordained on a roll call vote
AN ORDINANCE
Chapter 96
Procurement Department
Be it ordained by the Municipal Council of the City of Taunton and by authority of
the same as follows:
That Chapter 96 of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Taunton, as amended,
be and hereby is further amended by changing the title "Chief Procurement Officer" to
"Director of Procurement" as set forth below:
96-92 Established; composition.
There is hereby established a Procurement Department, to consist of a Director of
Procurement and such assistants as the Mayor may determine.
96-93 Appointment and qualifications of Director of Procurement.
The head of the Procurement Department shall be the Director of Procurement, who shall
be appointed by the Mayor, with the approval of the Council, and shall qualify by oath
before entrance upon the duties of this office for a term of three (3) years. The Director
of Procurement is a management and policy level position as defined by M.G.L Ch. 150E
and is therefore not eligible for membership in a bargaining unit. The Director of
Procurement shall be a person qualified by education, training and/or experience.
The Director of Procurement shall be the chief procurement officer as defined in
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30B.
96-94 Assistants to Director of Procurement.
The Director of Procurement shall have such assistants as the Mayor may determine. The
assistants shall be appointed by the Director of Procurement subject to the Mayors
approval and shall perform such duties as the Director of Procurement shall require.
96-95 Bond of Director of Procurement.
Before entrance upon the duties of his/her office, the Director of Procurement shall
furnish a surety bond for the faithful performance of his/her duties in the amount of
$10,000, with the surety thereon to be approved by the City Solicitor.
96-96 Powers and duties of Director of Procurement.
The Director of Procurement shall:
A. Be responsible for the procurement and disposal of all supplies, materials,
equipment and property for all departments and offices of the City, and including
contracts for the construction, reconstruction or alteration of City buildings and
property, and any services or purchases incidental thereto, and all laws covered
under the Uniform Procurement Act, MGL c. 30, § 39M, MGL c. 30B, and MGL c.
149, §§ 44A through 44J.
B. Have authority to order or make inventories of the supplies, materials, equipment
and furnishings of any and all departments. No department possessing excess or
surplus personal property of any kind or description shall sell, exchange, transfer or
dispose thereof without first certifying such personal property as surplus to the
Director of Procurement ; and, thereupon, the Director of Procurement shall
circularize all departments and agencies as to their need for such surplus personal
property; and if such need is determined, the Director of Procurement may order
transfer of such property from one department or agency to another, and inventory
adjustments between the departments shall be made accordingly. Surplus property
shall be disposed of by the Director of Procurement. In the event surplus property is
to be disposed of and has a value equal to or in excess of $20,000.00, the Director of
Procurement shall obtain approval by the Mayor and the Council for prior approval
before disposing of said surplus property. If the property to be disposed of has a
value ofless than $20,000.00 then the Director of Procurement may dispose of it
without prior approval and must submit a report to the Mayor and the Council of the
disposed property.
96-97 Annual report. The Director of Procurement shall submit before December 1 of
each year a full and comprehensive report on the work of the agent's office to the
Mayor for the previous fiscal year.
96-98 Departmental estimates. All departments of the city shall file with the
purchasing department detailed estimates of their requirements for supplies, equipment,
and services in such manner, at such times and for such future periods as the agent shall
prescribe. This shall not prevent any department from filing with the purchasing
department at any time a requisition for any supplies, equipment, or services the need
of which was not foreseen when the detailed estimates were filed.
96-99 Requisitions.
Except as otherwise provided by Ordinance, requisitions for the purchase of supplies,
equipment, or services for any department shall be received by the purchasing
department prior to the issuance of a purchase order or contract for such supplies,
equipment, or services and shall be signed by the head of the using department, or an
authorized agent. The Director of Procurement shall examine each requisition and shall
have the authority, after consultation with the department head, to revise it as to
quantity, quality or estimated costs, but revision as to quality shall be in accordance
with the standards and specifications provided. The agent shall promptly notify in
writing the requisitioning department head of any such revision.
96-100 Emergency purchases.
Whenever the time required to comply with a requirement ofM.G.L.A. c. 30B and this
Code would endanger the health or safety of the people or their property the Director of
Procurement may make an emergency procurement without following the requirement
under the statute and Code and in accordance with the City Ordinance. An emergency
procurement shall be limited to only supplies or services necessary to meet the
emergency and shall conform to the requirements of law and ordinance to the extent
practicable under the circumstances. The Director of Procurement shall make a record
of each emergency as soon after the procurement as practicable, specifying each
contractor's name, the amount and the type of each contract, a listing of the supply or
service provided under each contract, and the basis for determining the need for an
emergency procurement.
The Director of Procurement shall submit a copy of this record at the earliest possible
time to the state secretary for placement in any publication established by the state
secretary for the advertisement of procurements.
96-101 Exercise of authority to conform with all legal requirements.
Nothing in this Code shall be construed to authorize the Director of Procurement to
take any action in connection with any purchase or contract in conflict with the general
laws of the commonwealth or federal statutes; nor shall anything herein contained
authorize the Director of Procurement to take any action in connection with any
purchase or contract in conflict with the provisions ofM.G.L.A. c. 43; nor shall
anything herein contained authorize or empower the Director of Procurement to have
any jurisdiction or control over the acquisition, contracts for purchase or sale, transfer
or disposition of real property acquired by or owned by the city.
All ordinances or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. This
Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon passage.
NEW BUSINESS - NONE
Respectfully submitted,
f}::t::1~City Clerk
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
LAND COURT
DEPARTMENT OF THE TRIAL COURT
BRISTOL, ss MISCELLANEOUS CASE
NO. 22 MISC 000326 (RBF)
)
GREATER GOODS, LLC, )
)
Plaintiff, )
)
v. )
)
CITY OF TAUNTON MUNICIPAL COUNCIL, )
PHILIP DUARTE, BARRY SANDERS, JEFF )
POSTELL, JOHN M. McCAUL, DAVID )
POTTIER, LAWRENCE J. QUINTAL, )
CHRISTOPHER COUTE, KELLY A. DOONER, )
and ESTELLE BORGES, )
)
Defendants. )
ORDER OF REMAND
The court, upon consideration of the parties' joint request for remand, hereby orders this
case remanded to the City of Taunton Municipal Council ("Municipal Council") so that the
plaintiff Greater Goods, LLC ("Greater Goods") may submit to the Municipal Council a petition,
in the form of a remand zoning petition, requesting a special permit from the Municipal Council
to allow the use of the property at 445 Myles Standish Boulevard, Taunton, Bristol County,
Massachusetts (the "Property") as a marijuana cultivation and manufacturing facility (the
"Remand Petition").
The Municipal Council shall schedule a public hearing on the Remand Petition as soon as
possible and no later than April 28, 2023. Notice of the public hearing shall be provided
pursuant to G.L. c. 40A, § 11 and sent to all parties in interest. Any costs of advertising the
public hearing shall be borne by Greater Goods. No new application fee shall be charged to
Greater Goods for the Remand Petition.
In considering the Remand Petition, the Municipal Council shall reconsider the evidence
presented in the proceedings on the original petition that is the subject ofthis action along with
the Remand Petition and any new evidence presented as part of the Remand Petition. At the
public hearing, Greater Goods may present evidence and testimony pertaining to the Remand
Petition and the zoning relief requested in the Remand Petition. After the close of the public
hearing, the Municipal Council shall consider all the evidence, including but not limited to the
evidence presented as part of the proceedings of the original petition, the Remand Petition, and
evidence presented during the public hearing. After consideration of all the evidence, the
Municipal Council shall issue a written decision on the Remand Petition, with findings supported
by the evidence, in accordance with the City of Taunton Zoning Ordinance and G.L. c. 40A, § 9
(the "Remand Decision"). The Municipal Council shall issue and file the Remand Decision with
the Taunton City Clerk as soon as possible and no later than 90 days after the close of the public
hearing.
The court shall retain jurisdiction of this matter for all purposes, including, but not
limited to: (1) enforcing the terms and conditions of this Order of Remand, and (2) hearing any
subsequent appeals. Greater Goods shall be entitled to appeal the Remand Decision pursuant to
G.L. c. 40A, § 17. Any such appeal shall comply with the requirements of§ 17, shall be filed as
a Complaint after Remand, and shall be docketed as part of this action.
2
The parties shall jointly report to the court on the status of the Remand Petition no later
than May 31, 2023.
SO ORDERED
By the Court (Foster, J.) Isl Robert B. Foster
Attest: Isl Deborah J Patterson
Deborah J. Patterson, Recorder
Dated: February 16, 2023
3
City of Taunton Ligia M. Madeira, Esq .
CHIEF OF STAFF
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
City Hall Patrick D. Delio Russo, Jr.
15 Summer Street · Taunton MA 02780 CH IEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
(508) 821-1000
Gill E. Enos
MAYOR SHAUNNA O'CONNELL BUDGET DIRECTOR
March 24, 2023
Council President Kelly Dooner
Members of the Taunton Municipal Council
15 Summer Street
Taunton, MA 02780
Dear Council President Dooner and Members of the Taunton Municipal Council,
Please be advised that I am reappointing Amy Kazlauskas to serve as Director of Human Resources
for the City of Taunton for a term of three years expiring March 24, 2026.
Since joining the City of Taunton in 2020, Ms. Kazlauskas has proven to be a critical asset to the
daily functions of City Hall and of the administration of the City at large. Every day, Ms.
Kazlauskas comes to work with a passion for lifting up our City employees.
In her first term as Director of Human Resources, Ms. Kazlauskas secured countless
accomplishments for the City, including:
• creating the City' s first Employee Handbook;
• facilitating the first City-wide Diversity and Inclusion Training;
• developing modern and innovated procedures that improve City employee upward
mobility, wellbeing, communication and culture;
• fostering positive working relationships with the City' s union partners; and
• saving the City nearly $2 million through strategic negotiations on employee healthcare,
workers ' compensation settlements, and COVID reimbursement.
The work done in the Human Resources Department is an essential facet to growing and supporting
the City's workforce. Ms. Kazlauskas ' demonstrates exceptional leadership and is a valued
employee.
Mayor Shaunna O' Connell
City of Taunton Ligia M. Madeira, Esq.
CHIEF OF STAFF
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
City Hall Patrick D. Delio Russo, Jr.
15 Summer Street · Taunton MA 02780 CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
(508) 821-1000
Gill E. Enos
MAYOR SHAUNNA O'CONNELL BUDGET DIRECTOR
March 24, 2023
Council President Kelly Dooner
Members of the Taunton Municipal Council
15 Summer Street
Taunton, MA 02780
Dear Council President Dooner and Members of the Taunton Municipal Council,
Please be advised that I am appointing Kristian White to serve as Building Inspector/Zoning
Enforcement Officer for the City of Taunton for a term of three years expiring March 24, 2026. It
was recently brought to my attention that Mr. White was not officially appointed to the position
after being hired on July 11 , 2022 to fill the vacancy that was left by Mary Jane Benker' s retirement
on January 31, 2023.
Mr. White holds numerous building, zoning, and inspector certifications and has nearly four
decades of experience in building, zoning, and construction design industries. I look forward to
Mr. White's continued success with the Building Department.
Respectfully,
Mayor Shaunna O'Connell
City of Taunton CHIEF OF STAFF
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
City Hall Patrick D. Delio Russo, Jr.
15 Summer Street · Taunton MA 02780 CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
(508) 821-1000
Gill E. Enos
MAYOR SHAUNNA O'CONNELL BUDGET DIRECTOR
March 24, 2023
Council President Kelly Dooner
Members of the Taunton Municipal Council
15 Summer Street
Taunton, MA 02780
Dear Council President Dooner and Members of the Taunton Municipal Council,
Please be advised that I am appointing Ally Rodriguez to serve as Director of Veterans Services
for the City of Taunton for a term of three years to expire on March 28, 2026.
Ms. Rodriguez is a Taunton resident with extensive experience in Veterans Affairs. As a Veteran
of the U.S. Army, Ms. Rodriguez has cultivated a deep sense of compassion, knowledge and
enthusiasm for the Veteran community, and has built up a career as a highly regarded Veterans
Service Officer.
Ms. Rodriguez is currently the Director of Veterans Services for the Town of Foxborough, where
she has earned a reputation as a strong advocate in the fight for Veterans care. During her tenure
in Foxborough, Ms. Rodriguez revitalized the Town's Veterans' events and secured record high
attendance numbers, established and expanded multiple programs for Veterans, and developed an
international social media outreach presence to engage with Veterans throughout the world.
We are excited to bring her energy, personality, and passion to the City of Taunton to deliver the
utmost support and service to our City' s Veterans.
I look forward to working with Ms. Rodriguez, and I appreciate your support in approving this
appointment.
Respectfully,
Mayor Shaunna O'Connell
City of Taunton J,
LAW DEPARTMENT
15 Summer Street
Taunton, Massachusetts 02780
Phone (508) 821-1036 Facsimile (508) 821-1397
Shaunna O'Connell Peter F. Winters, Esq.
MAYOR FIRST ASST. CITY SOLICITOR
Matthew J. Costa, Esq. Thomas P. Gay, Jr., Esq.
CITY SOLICITOR SECOND ASST. CITY SOLICITOR
David T. Gay, Esq.
SP. ASST. CITY SOLICITOR
March 13, 2023
Council President Kelly Dooner
Members of the Municipal Council
City of Taunton
City Hall
15 Summer Street
Taunton, MA 02780
Dear Council President Dooner and Members of the Municipal Council:
Submitted herewith is communication dated March13, 2023 which the
Law Department has received from Comcast regarding changes to services.
Thank you.
Respectfully,
MJC/tmg
Enclosure
~k
COMCAST
March 13, 2023
City Attorney i
' ..J'
City of Taunton
15 School Street MAR 2 0 2023
Taunton, MA 02780
r "" ,..~ ....., ...... """'
.•
Re: Programming Advisory
Dear City Attorney:
We are committed to keeping you and our customers informed about changes to Xfinity TV services.
Accordingly, please note the following change:
• Effective March 31, 2023, Band Internacional is ceasing operations and will no longer be
available through Xfinity. The package Brazilian 4 Pack will be renamed Brazilian 3 Pack and
will include TV Globo, SporTV (formerly PFC), and Record TV. The price of the Pack has been
reduced from $34.99 to $29.99 per month, plus applicable taxes and fees.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions at patrick_shearns@comcast.com.
Very truly yours,
Pa.tricJ;,J Shearn¥
Patrick J. Shearns, Sr. Manager
Government Affairs
The City of Taunton
Police Department
SAFETY OFFICE
23 Summer Street
CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER
Taunton, Massachusetts 02780
EDWARD J. WALSH ARSENIO CHAVES
Telephone: (508)821-1471, Ext. 3014
Facsimile: (508) 828-9315
www.achaves@tauntonpd.com
Honorable Shaunna O'Connell, Mayor
and Municipal Council
City Hall
15 Summer St Taunton MA, 02780
At the February 28th meeting of the Municipal Council Councilor Quintal made a motion
to have the Safety Officer look into a parking on the sidewalk complaint at Planet
Petroleum. The complaint was reported by Ms. LeMaire.
I spoke with both owners, Milad Dbaid and Khalil Dbaid. I made them aware of the
complaint and asked them to advise their customers and employees not to park on the
sidewalk.
I have monitored the sidewalk in front of their property, and have not seen anyone
parking on the sidewalk since I spoke with them. I will continue to monitor the area and
enforce any parking violations.
Respectfully Submitted
Arsenio Chaves
CITY OFTAUNTON
ELECTION DEPARTMENT
15 SUMMER STREET
TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02780
{508) 821-1044
COMMISSION MEMBERS DIRECTOR
[)aniel Mansour Barbour, Chairman Pamela J. Menconi
Frank Biedak
Jason Roomes
Carol A. Welch
March 22, 2023
Council President Kelly Dooner and members of the Municipal Council
City of Taunton
15 Summer Street
Taunton, MA 02780
Dear President Dooner and Members of the Municipal Council:
At the Election Department meeting held on March 21, 2023, the Election Commission voted unanimously to
request a police detail. appointed at C!ty Hall during the Early Voting period of April 24-April 25th. The Early
Voting schedule is as follows:
Monday, April 24: 8 am~ 2pm
Tuesday, April 25: Sam· 7pm
Wednesday April26: 8am-2pm
Having a police detail during the Early Voting period has heen standard practice in the past anytime Early
Voting was held in Taunton. However, due to the new legislation passed underthe VOTES Act, the procedure
has been modlfied to require this appointment be made by the Council at the request of the commission.
Additionally, this new statue amends section 72 of Chapter 59 requiring the Council to act as the appointing
authority forpolice detail coverage for Election Day.
Upon approval of the details, the police departmentwill coordinate the coverage with the individual officers.
Thank you in advance for you time and consideration.
City of Taunton Ligia M. Madeira, Esq.
CHI EF OF STAFF
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
City Hall Patrick D. Delio Russo, Jr.
15 Summer Street · Taunton MA 02780 CHI EF FI NANC IAL OFFICE R
(508) 821-1000
Gill E. Enos
MAYOR SHAUNNA O'CONNEil BUDGET DIRECTOR
March 24, 2023
Dear Council President Dooner and Members of the Municipal Council:
As many of you are aware, the Mayor' s Office has a very active Internship Program. We recently
have expanded the program into the Finance Department. We currently have two interns actively
participating with the Finance divisions.
We would like the opportunity to present the Finance Interns' first work product on revenue trends
for the City to the Committee on Finance and Salaries on April 4, 2023. We are excited to introduce
the program we have created to the Council and to the community.
Thank ~r your considerat-io_n_._ _ __ _
Patrick D. Dello Russo Jr.
Chief Financial Officer
City of Taunton
BRISTOL-PLYMOUTH REGIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
~
207 HART STREET, TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02780-3715
Telephone 508-823-5151, Ext 125 Fax 508-880-7287
www.bptech.org
School Committee Members:
March 17, 2023
LOUIS BORGES. JR.
Chair
TAUNTON The Honorable Shaunna O'Connell
GEORGE L. RANDALL. Ill
City of Taunton
/'ice Chair 15 Summer Street
MIDDLEBOROUGH
Taunton, MA 02780
RICHARD J. SPADA. JR.
BERKLEY Dear Mayor O'Connell:
MARK A. DANGOIA At their regular meeting on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, your Bristol-Plymouth
BRJDGEWATER
Regional Technical School District Committee voted to approve the FY24 budget.
EDWARD F. DUTRA. JR. Prior to the regular meeting, a public hearing was held in accordance with the
DIGHTON notice posted and advertised through a legal notice in The Enterprise.
TIMOTHY J. HOUCK
RAYNHAM Information regarding the approved budget and the assessment to the City of
Taunton, as well as the assessments to the other district communities, is
JAMES W. CLARK
REHOBOTH
enclosed. This information can also be found on our website. The City of
Taunton FY24 total assessment is $5,190,857. Please note that the figures
ESTELE C. BORGES presented here are based upon the latest available information from the
TAUNTON
Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Department of Elementary and
Treasurer: Secondary Education.
DENISE MURPHY
S11peri111e11de11/ - Director:
As in previous years, the FY24 budget reflects community assessments at the
DR. ALEXANDRE M. MAGALHAES minimum required level, regional transportation, and a capital assessment.
These levels are established by the regional agreement, the Massachusetts
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts based on the Governor's budget. Should these figures change,
we will adjust as necessary and notify our communities accordingly.
Please feel free to contact my office if you have any questions regarding our
proposed FY24 budget. Thank you for the continued support of your students at
Bristol-Plymouth.
Sincerely,
~~~/L
Dr. Alexandre M. Magalhaes
Superintendent-Director
AMM/tac
Enclosure
cc: Louis Borges, School Committee Phillip Duarte, City Council
Estele Borges, School Committee/City Council
v.(ennifer Leger, City Clerk Kelly Dooner, City Council
Christine Clymens, Treasurer Jeffrey Postell, City Council
Gill Enos, Budget Director Barry Sanders, City Council
John Mccaul, City Council David Pottier, City Council
Christopher Coute, City Council Lawrence Quintal, City Council
Accredited by rhe Ne11· England Association o,f Schools & Colleges
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. .Assessment Comparison
Page 1 311612023
q
ID
· Middleborough ·
.• RaY,,ham · ·~.·
Rehoboth
Taunton 546
Totals 1320
Page3 311612023
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31.4%
107,801 $ 21.6%
1.133,281 $ 81,032 $ 2541Z1 $ 1,468.434 386.625 35.7%
174 158 -16 1.57Q,252 $ 114.312 $ 35M92 2,052,057 252.443 14,0%
194 11!9 -5 2.203.673 $ 136,741 $ .naB.30 2.769.443 477,097 20,B%
73 74 1,214,727 s 53,539 167,902 1.436,167 239,173 20,0%
Page.If 3/1612023
KRIJO REALTY TRUST
Seventy-One Main Street, Suite 2100
Taunton, Massachusetts 02780
(508) 824-9112
March 21, 2023
Hon. Mayor Shaunna O'Connell and
Members of the Municipal Council
City Hall
Taunton, MA 02780
RE: Taunton Water Department
Honorable Mayor and Members of the Municipal Council:
I would like to publicly thank Michael Arruda, Superintendent of the Water Department
and his entire staff, especially the repair crew. For the past few months a downtown property we
own has been affected by unusual water infiltration. When we first contacted the water
department office, their polite staff promptly put me in contact with Mr. Arruda. Less than 24
hours later he came to the building to personally inspect with some of his employees and kept in
communication with us to find the source of the infiltration. After it was determined to be
municipal water, the water department repair crew took over. They were competent, diligent and
efficient in finding the leak and then repairing it. They also kept us informed to minimize the
interruption of water service during the repair. As a taxpayer and lifelong resident, it is
comforting to see these courteous and professional municipal employees working together to
serve. Their efforts exceed what is expected. Thank you again.
Very truly yours,
.-------t~~r~Ec~
~_/-
Joseph F. deMello, Trustee
JFdM/
13
March 15, 2023
Taunton City Council
15 Summer St
Taunton MA 02780
Mayor & City Council
Hi. Would you consider doing a study of the Taunton Library for renewal. You did a good job
fixing up city hall. The inside used to be much nicer looking. It should be restored to its original
inside and outside appearance. The update in the 1970s destroyed the elegance of how it was
originally built. See attached pictures which are on display in the library first floor near the
checkout and stairs.
I also wonder if you have considered putting up the space force flag at church green per my feb
22 letter. As in Raynham, the pow flag was put under the us flag. The space force flag was put
where the pow flag used to be.
Maybe the Carnegie Corporation of New York would consider reinvesting to help fix up this
library as it's been over 100 years since it was built. I'm a big fan of the classical look.
Thank you
Joshua Freeman
15 Michael Rd
Raynham MA 02767
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March 28, 2023 ::0
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Honorable Shaunna L. O'Connell, Mayor _.'<
Council President Kelly A. Dooner . I fTj
And Members of the Municipal Council .,,
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The following committee meetings have been scheduled for Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at 5:30
PM at the Taunton City Hall, 15 Summer Street, Taunton, MA 02780 in the Chester R.
Martin Municipal Council Chambers.
5:30 PM
THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND SALARIES
1. Meet to review the weekly vouchers and payroll for City departments.
2. Meet with the Finance Department for an update on software and cyber security
improvements and efficiencies.
Please note: A "meeting" of the entire Municipal Council, as said terms is defined in Mass.
Gen. L. C 30A, §18 may occur concurrently with this committee meeting.
THE COMMITTEE ON POLICE AND LICENSE
1. Meet to discuss the request to conduct a Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 29 at
1:15pm..
Please note: A "meeting" of the entire Municipal Council, as said terms is defined in Mass.
Gen. L. C 30A, §18 may occur concurrently with this committee meeting.
THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY
1. Meet for a discussion with local youth organizations for potential reuse of the Taunton
Nursing Home.
Please note: A "meeting" of the entire Municipal Council, as said terms is defined in Mass.
Gen. L. C 30A, §18 may occur concurrently with this committee meeting.
Page 1of2
THE COMMITTEE ON SOLID WASTE
1. Meet to discuss the composting RFP for yard and food waste.
2. Meet to discuss anaerobic digestion.
3. Meet to discuss textile recycling.
4. Meet with the DPW Commissioner to discuss making mattress disposal part of the senior
trash program.
5. Meet to discuss recycling at condominiums.
6. Meet to discuss senior trash bag program.
7. Meet to discuss service challenges with curbside trash and recycling.
Please note: A "meeting" of the entire Municipal Council, as said terms is defined in Mass.
Gen. L. C. 30A, §18 may occur concurrently with this committee meeting.
Respectfully,
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Maggie E. Clarke
Clerk of Council Committees
Page 2 of 2
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