City Council

Ci:ty of'Taunton 9dunicipa{Council9deetina 9dinutes City 1Ca{{, 15 Summer Street, 'Taunton, ~ In tlie Cliester ~ 9dartin :M.unicipa{Council C!Utm6ers - :Minutes, :May 2023 at 7:43 16, O'cfoc~/P.9d. (J'{ed'ge of.ft_/ap:nce ~gufar !Meeting !Mayor Sliaun:na £. O'Conne{[presitfing (Jlrayer was offeretl 6y tli.e !Mayor (Jlresent at ro{[ ca{[were: Councifors Quinta( Santfers, Coute, f.Pottier, :McCau( (}Jorges, (])uarte anti(J)ooner Councifor (['oste{[ was a6sent. Record of preceding meeting was read by title and approved. So voted. Opportunity for input by the general public. Andrew Knox, 50 Ashland Street, Taunton, stated that he has received paperwork like he has for the last eight (8) years for his daughter to attend the summer program in Taunton. He stated that he always fills the paperwork out, however, this year they are forcing gender issues on it. He stated that he finds it offensive, therefore he chose not to fill that out and the paperwork was sent back to him saying that he has to fill it out. He stated that he does not think that needs to be on there. He stated that he feels children would be better equipped for society if they were taught basic math skills, writing skills and balancing a check book. He stated that he is disappointed that they were not informed that illegal immigrants are here, however, he is in support of legal migration. Janet Cooke, 22 Crane Avenue North, Taunton, stated that she misunderstood the agenda for the Committee's and was under the impression there would be ·a discussion about protecting people who are exercising their right to gather for events, such as a drag queen story hour, and how they will be protected from disruptions. She inquired that if the request has not been acted on to help people gather at the Taunton Public Library in a safe manner that they move forward or that an update on the progress be provided. She stated that the Taunton Public Library and all of the human services in Taunton are a great resource for people, and she hopes this continues to be the case. Jamie Clasby, 30 Bettinson Court, East Taunton, spoke about access to the Taunton Green. He stated that the Taunton Parks and Recreation Commission is going to put limits on the access to the Taunton Green and that they will require permits for protests and sign holding for political candidates. He stated that the Taunton Green is where revolutions were born. He stated that the Taunton Green belongs to the citizens and they deserve full '  2 access. He stated that it is on the agenda to be discussed during a Commission meeting on Tuesday, July 11, 2023 at 4:30pm and that citizens should be notified. Luke Ross, 34 Adams Street, Taunton, stated that he agrees with the statements made by Ms. Cooke and Mr. Clasby. He stated that due to his upbringing in Boston, he felt he was a minority due to the diverse cultures he was surrounded by. He stated that he feels children should learn traditional skills in school, which he believes they are learning, and that the arts should be included in that, and by virtue of that they also will do better in subjects such as math, science, reading and writing. Hearing: Motion was made to open the hearing. So Voted. Upon the petition of Barbara Cleary, 5 Hopewell Street, Taunton, MA 02780 for the issuance of a personal Kennel License per City Ordinance Section 3-24 upon the petition of Barbara Cleary, 5 Hopewell Street, Taunton, MA 02780 to allow a Grade 1 (4-6 dogs) Kennel License for personal use/dogs, not business use, at 5 Hopewell Street, Taunton, MA 02780. The Assistant City Clerk stated they received a communication from Barbara Cleary withdrawing her Kennel License application dated May 3, 2023. Motion was made to allow the withdrawal of the Kennel License application without prejudice. So Voted. Motion was made to close the hearing. So Voted. Communications from the Mavor: Mayor O'Connell invited Jim Howland, Office of Economic and Community Development Office, and T.J. Torres, Grants Coordinator for the City of Taunton and Office of Economic and Community Development Office, into the enclosure for a Grants Presentation. Mr. Howland stated that they will be giving their yearly presentation of where they are for competitive grants this year and what they see moving forward for next year. Mr. Torres stated that they have had a dedicated grants coordinator for the last eight (8) years, and he has been acting as the grants coordinator the last five (5) years. He stated that the alternative would be that each department would do their own grants as projects arise. He discussed that the benefits of having a dedicated grants coordinator include the specialized skill set, better accountability, cross-departmental coordination and that it is cost effective. He discussed the grant data from the last five (5) fiscal years. He discussed supporting programs, which is where Taunton is the issuer of the grant, and a few of the programs involved. He discussed the Rent Rebate Program, which has been around since 2016, to encourage businesses downtown, and in 2022 it was expanded to include the Weir and Whittenton. He discussed the Sign & Fa.yade Program, which is operated by ARPA funds. He discussed the STEP UP Program, with which they were able to help about fifty (50) businesses upgrade their point of sales systems, as well as social media consultation. He stated that both the Rent Rebate Program and the STEP UP Program have won the Kenneth Pickard Municipal Innovation Award at the MMA Conference. He discussed the Downtown Development Initiative (DDI), which they are putting the finishing touches on right now and they are hoping will encourage private investment downtown. He stated that he would like to thank our CFO for the establishment of the Grant Match Revolving Account. He stated that many grants require a match and that Mr. Dello Russo established an account where he puts match money in with each budget cycle so they have this available when they go to apply for grants. He discussed the total grants secured since fiscal year 2019 through 2026, which shows just over ten million dollars being secured. He discussed some of the grants that have been  3 secured over the last year, which include the TDI Quick Win, the Municipal Fiber, the SAFER, Firefighter Safety Equipment, Real Estate Technical Assistance, Shared Streets and Spaces, Safe Routes to School, Housing Choice Initiative, District Local Tech. Assistance, COVID-19 Contact Tracing, Transformative Development Initiative, Greening the Gateway Cities and Complete Streets. He discussed the grant outlook for fiscal year 2024 and the grants that have already been secured, as well as grants that they will be applying for. Mr. Torres expressed gratitude to Mayor O'Connell and the Municipal Council for their support of the grants program and their efforts to attract, leverage, and maximize external funding. Mr. Torres also expressed gratitude to Mr. Howland for the asset he has been to the grants program. Mayor O'Connell expressed gratitude for their presentation and how they highlighted the work they do to secure the extra funding for our community in order to support our businesses and support economic development and activity, grow our communities, and improve the quality of life for people. She stated that over the last few years they have become a lot more aggressive with securing grants and they are thrilled to see that. She stated that she is appreciative of their efforts to expand the Rent Rebate Program, as well as their establishment of the Sign & Fa~ade Program and Downtown Development Initiative. Councilor Pottier that it is outstanding to see millions of dollars coming into the City at no cost to the citizens. He stated that the Council is proud of their efforts for public safety and health, capital improvements, and so on, and expressed gratitude for their presentation. Councilor Dooner expressed gratitude to Mr. Torres for his work and that he continues to get better each year in writing these grants. She stated that this brings millions of dollars to the City and in return that reflects on the taxpayers and that is because of the hard work of both him and the department to fight for these grants. Councilor Coute stated that he is appreciative of the great work of both Mr. Torres and Mr. Howland. Motion was made to excuse the parties with the Council's thanks. So Voted. Mayor O'Connell stated that volunteers are needed to place flags at the Mayflower Cemetery to honor our veterans for Memorial Day on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 9:00am. Volunteers will meet at the cemetery. TCAM is hosting its 15th Annual Free Teen Video Producing Program this summer for children ages 12 to 17. You can sign up by contacting Kim Murphy at kmurphy@tcamtv.com. Appointments: Appointment of Jay Patikas to serve as Executive Director of the Office of Economic and Community Development for a term of three (3) years. Motion was made to approve on a roll call vote. So Voted. On discussion, Councilor Dooner stated that she feels this a great appointment and that Mr. Patikas is going to do a phenomenal job and she looks forward to supporting him. Mayor O'Connell stated that they are thrilled with this choice and Mr. Patikas has a lot of experience as he comes over to us from MassDevelopment. She stated that he has skills in community engagement, budgeting and strategic planning and has worked at MassDevelopment for over twelve (12) years.· Councilor Borges stated that she agrees with comments made by Councilor Dooner and Mayor O'Connell regarding the experience of Mr. Patikas and that he will be a great addition to the Office of Economic and Community Development. On a roll call vote, eight (8) councilors were present, eight (8) voted in favor of Jay Patikas. Councilor Postell was absent. So Voted.  4 Communications from City Officers: Com. from the Treasurer/Collector requesting to advertise all of the tailings (uncashed checks) the City has had since 1999 in the Taunton Gazette. The cost of advertising is $28,870.80. Doing so will allow them to recover up to $750,000 one year from now from the Tailings account and move to the General Fund as revenue. Additionally, they are engaging the services of Coppola & Coppola Law Firm to research many unknown and City properties so they can develop an action plan for each. Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Finance and Salaries. So Voted. Com. from the Chairman of the Taunton Planning Board stating that the Taunton Planning Board is in receipt of a Site Plan Review for a property on Stevens Street, parcel I.D. 119-63 for 10,000 sq. ft. of outdoor storage area and 50 parking spaces to be used in conjunction with the landscape operation on adjacent property, submitted by Cotley Street Realty, LLC. The next scheduled meeting for this petition will be on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at 9:00am in the Taunton Planning Board Office, 141 Oak Street, at which time the application shall be reviewed by the DIRB and again on Thursday, June l, 2023 at 5:30pm at 15 Summer Street, which time petition will be reviewed by the Planning Board. Motion was made to receive and place on fde. So Voted. Com. from the Chairman of the Taunton Planning Board stating that the Taunton Planning Board is in receipt of a Site Plan Review for a property on 262 & 264 Broadway (parcel l.D. 39-204, 39-205, and 39-159) to allow a 120 sq. ft. takeout restaurant and three outdoor picnic tables in conjunction with the existing furniture store (2,250 sq. ft. existing building comprised of 2,130 sq. ft. for furniture store and 120 sq. ft. for takeout restaurant), existing 2 family home and existing food truck, submitted by Omar Cruz. The next scheduled meeting for this petition will be on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at 9: l 5am in the Taunton Planning Board Office, 141 Oak Street, at which time the application shall be reviewed by the DIRB and again on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 5:30pm at 15 Summer Street, which time petition will be reviewed by the Planning Board. Motion was made to receive and place on flle. So Voted. Com. from the Chairman of the Taunton Planning Board stating that the Taunton Planning Board is in receipt of a Special Permit/Site Plan Review from Section 440 Attachment #2 of the Zoning Ordinance to allow an automobile filling station with a 4,000 sq. ft. convenience store, 1,186 sq. ft. restaurant with a drive-thru with 16 seats (8 interior, 8 exterior) within the Business District and a request for 50% waivers of the front, side and rear landscaping buffers on premises situated at 1925 and·1939 Bay Street (parcels 14-19, and 14-18) submitted by BD Management, LLC. The next scheduled meeting for this petition will be on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at 8:30am in the Taunton Planning Board Office, 141 Oak Street, at which time the application shall be reviewed by the DIRB and again on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 5:30pm at 15 Summer Street, which time petition will be reviewed by the Planning Board. Motion was made to receive and place on flle. So Voted. Com. from the Chairman of the Taunton Planning Board stating that the Taunton Planning Board is in receipt of a Special Permit/Site Plan Review from Section 440 Attachment #2 of the Zoning Ordinance for property at 95 Summer Street to allow a  5 5,000 sq. ft. office and 15, 175 sq. ft. of storage for a contracting business, submitted by Charles Robson, Oak Street Development, LLC. The next scheduled meeting for this petition will be on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at 8:45am in the Taunton Planning Board Office, 141 Oak Street, at which time the application shall be reviewed by the DIRB and again on Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 5:30pm at 15 Summer Street, which time petition will be reviewed by the Planning Board. Motion was made to receive and place on fde. So Voted. Com. from the Chairman of the Board of Election Commissioners stating the Board of Election Commissioners has requested that the Municipal Council consider acceptance of M.G.L. c. 41 §1 lOA which states any public office in any city or town may remain closed on any or all Saturdays as may be determined from time to time, in a city by the city council, subject to the provisions of the city charter, or, in a town, by vote of the town at a special or regular town meeting, and the provisions of section nine of chapter four shall apply in the case of such closing of any such office on any Saturday to the same extent as if such Saturday were a legal holiday. This statute allows the Commission and the Commissioner flexibility in the scheduling of registration. After review of the schedule and the patterns of Taunton residents, it appears that acceptance of this statute and adjustment of the schedule will result in savings to the City without any gap in services. Motion was made to refer to the Committee of the Council as a Whole. So Voted. Com. from the Building Commissioner requesting the appointment of David Ingargiola as the Electrical Inspector for the City of Taunton. David has been working as the Electrical Inspector for eight (8) years and has consistently demonstrated deep knowledge and understanding of the electrical code and the permitting process. Motion was made to refer to the Committee of the Council as a Whole in executive session and the Law Department for their advice as to whether or not it would be appropriate to discuss this in executive session. So Voted. Com. from the City Engineer requesting to schedule a hearing to consider accepting the following streets. The collection of streets are located off Williams Street. The streets being considered are Steve Drive, Ashleigh Terrace, Bryan Drive and Manken Road. Motion was made to refer to the Committee on the Department of Public Works and to the City Clerk to schedule a hearing. Councilor Sanders recused himself from the vote as he lives on Steve Drive. So Voted. Com. from the Budget Director regarding the preliminary fiscal year 2024 appropriations for the City of Taunton. The general fund is $260,108,592.69, the Water Enterprise is $9,884,984.04, the Sewer Enterprise is $13,862,016.74, and the Golf Enterprise is $40,000.00. The total preliminary City budget is two-hundred-eighty-three million, eight- hundred-ninety-five thousand, five-hundred-ninety-three dollars and forty-seven cents ($283,895,593.47). Motion was made to move to a first reading. So Voted. Communications from Citizens: NONE. Petitions:  6 Billiard Table License - RENEWAL 1. Taunton Sports Club, Inc., 33 Baker Road, Taunton (1-Table). Motion was made to refer· to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief. So Voted. Junk Collector & Junk Dealers Licenses - RENEWALS 1. Ducharme Trucking Inc. -dba- Liberty Scraps & Recycling, 720 West Water Street, Taunton. Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief. So Voted. Old Gold License - RENEWAL 1. Pacheco's Gold & Gems Inc. -dba- Pacheco's Jewelry, 20 Taunton Green, Taunton. Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief. So Voted. Pawn Broker, Old Gold, Second Hand Article & Antigue Dealers Licenses - NEW 1. Commercial Property Solutions, Inc. -dba- City Pawn, 251 Broadway, Taunton. Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief. So Voted. Second Hand Article License - RENEWAL 1. The Salvation Army, 636 County Street, Taunton. Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief. So Voted. Flammable Storage License Transfer of Ownership Petition submitted by Kayrouz Petroleum, LLC, 16 East Main Street, Westborough, MA 01581 requesting approval of a change of ownership for a Flammable Storage License located at 1095 County Street, Taunton. (Deed on file). Motion was made to move approval. So Voted. Application for a Marijuana Cultivation and Products Manufacturer Application submitted by Greater Goods, LLC for a New Marijuana Cultivation and Products Manufacturer License to be located at 445 Myles Standish Boulevard. Motion was made to refer to the Committee of the Council as a Whole. On discussion, Councilor Duarte stated that this matter should be referred to the Committee on Police and License. Councilor Coute inquired as to whether they need a host community agreement, to which Councilor Duarte replied they already have a host community agreement, this is just for a license. Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Police and License. So Voted. Committee Reports: Motion was made for Committee reports to be read by title and approved. So Voted. Recommendations adopted by this evenings Committee on Finance and Salaries, the Committee of the Council as a Whole and the Committee on Public Property item #2, to reflect the votes as recorded in committee reports. So Voted. On discussion, Councilor Pottier stated that he wishes to break out Committee on Public Properties item #1 as there is disagreement on the vote that was taken. He stated that he defers to the chair on the vote. Councilor Coute stated that the vote was to revise Commissioner Marshall's recommendation related to how people can use the sidewalk area of the Taunton Green. He stated that Commissioner Marshall wanted to limit the  7 activities to four (4) groups of twenty-five (25) people each. He stated that the Committee crune up with a compromise where there would be no limit on the number of groups there and no limit of the personnel but the Parks and Recreation Department would be informed of any activities that are taking place there, and this is the recommendation the Committee made. He stated that the vote from the Committee is only a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Commission and the sole authority lies with the Parks and Recreation Commission. Councilor Pottier stated that he has a challenge with any potential limitation on the sidewalk activity in the Taunton Green. He stated that he has all the respect for keeping the Taunton Green space whole. He stated that having one sidewalk where people can hold signs and another across the street where they can't is a challenge to him. He stated that if there is no limit on the number of permits and no limit on the number of people, he feels it is a fool's errand to enforce any limitation at all. Therefore, he respectfully votes against item #1 and requests a roll call vote on item #1. Councilor Duarte stated that he agrees with the statements made by Councilor Pottier. He also stated that the motion included that it would require 48-hours in advance to apply for the permit with the Parks and Recreation Department. Councilor Coute stated that Commissioner Marshall requested for 72-hours in advance to apply for the permit and the Committee crune to a compromise with Commissioner Marshall for 48-hours. He stated that Commissioner Marshall is trying to balance the fact that the Taunton Green is a public park and the ability for everyone to use the important assets there as they see fit. Mayor O'Connell confirmed with Councilor Coute that the ultimate decision is up to the Parks and Recreation Commission, and the Committee on Public Property is only making a recommendation. Councilor Coute stated that they were told that will be discussed during the July meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Councilor Pottier confirmed with Mayor O'Connell that a yes vote would be to affirm the vote that was taken in the subcommittee and a no vote would be to disagree with the vote that was taken in the subcommittee. On a roll call vote, eight (8) Councilors were present, five (5) Councilors voted in opposition (Councilors Quintal, Sanders, Pottier, McCaul and Duarte), three (3) Councilors voted in favor (Councilors Coute, Borges and Dooner). Councilor Postell was absent. So Voted. The motion did not pass. Unfinished Business: NONE. Orders, Ordinances and Resolutions: Ordinance for a first reading to be passed to a second reading AN ORDINANCE Chapter 105 - Personnel Be it ordained by the Municipal Council of the City of Taunton and by authority of the same as follows: Chapter 105 of the revised Ordinances of the City of Taunton shall be amended to include a new Section as follows: Compensation of Elected and Appointed Board, Committee and Commission Members  8 The Municipal Council shall establish the financial compensation, if any, of all elected and appointed members of committees, boards and commissions. This ordinance shall not apply to salaried or hourly employees of the City. No compensation in addition to the compensation set forth herein shall be paid for serving in those positions subject to this ordinance by the City of Taunton. Any vote to increase the stipend of any committee, board or commission shall become effective on the first day of the calendar year beginning next after the following municipal election. The Municipal Council shall review the compensation of all committees, boards and commissions periodically, at least once every five years following enactment of this Ordinance. Position Annual Stipend Effective Date Board of Health Member $5,000.00 7/1/2023 Board of Health Chair $5,500.00 7/1/2023 School Physician $7,000.00 7/1/2023 Cable Commission Member $1,500.00 7/1/2023 Cable Commission Chair $1,800.00 7/1/2023 City Council Member $10,000.00 711/23-12/31/23 $16,631.08 11112024 City Council Chair $10,000.00 7/1/23-12/31/23 $16,631.08 1/1/2024 Conservation Commission Member $2,000.00 7/1/2023 Conservation Commission Chair $2,500.00 7/1/2023 Election Commission Member $700.00 7/1/2023 Election Commission Secretary $750.00 7/1/2023 Election Commission Chair $850.00 7/1/2023 License Commission $2,250.00 7/1/2023 License Commission Chair $3,500.00 7/1/2023 Planning Board $3,000.00 7/1/2023 Planning Board Clerk $3,200.00 7/1/2023 Planning Board Chair $3,500.00 7/1/2023 Retirement Board $4,500.00 7/1/2023 Retirement Board Chair $4,500.00 7/1/2023 School Committee $12,000.00 7/1/2023 School Committee Chair $12,000.00 7/1/2023 Zoning Board $2,000.00 7/1/2023-12/31/23 $2,500.00 1/1/24 Zoning Board Clerk $2,200.00 7/1/2023-12/31/23 $2,700.00 1/1/24 Zoning Board Chair $2,500.00 7/1/2023-12/31/23 $3,000.00 1/1/24 All ordinances or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall become effective July 1, 2023. Cotincilor Sanders stated that they received a communication from the Law Department on this and requested that he have the opportunity to read that communication. He stated to summarize this communication, one of the stipends was omitted, the TMLP stipend of six thousand dollars ($6,000) for commission members and sixty-four hundred dollars  9 ($6,400) for the TMLP Commission Chair. Councilor Sanders motioned at the recommendation of the Law Department to move this proposed ordinance to a second reading with the amendments as he mentioned. So Voted. New Business: Councilor Borges requested to refer to the Committee on Public Health and Environmental Affairs for a Presentation/Discussion with Clean Water Action about MassSave. Motion was made to move approval. So Voted. Councilor Pottier motioned to refer the dollar amounts of the all of the positions listed in the Ordinance to the Committee on Finance and Salaries for consideration as some of these boards have not had a discussion on their stipend for quite a while. So Voted. Councilor Duarte motioned to refer to the City Solicitor's Office for a written opinion regarding if and when a City Ordinance can supersede the rules and regulations of the Parks and Recreation Commission and who has the authority to determine what is a public park. So Voted. Meeting adjourned at 8:34 P.M. A true copy: Attest: Assistant City Clerk KLDIMAF  10 City of Taunton Municipal Council May 16, 2023 2G23 HAY 22 A IQ: 38.. The Committee on Finance and Salaries The meeting was held at Taunton City Hall, 15 Summer Street, Taunton,-Af:A: 0278a~Yfii:.­ Chester R. Martin Municipal Council Chambers. Present were Councilor Phillip Duarte, Chairman and Councilors Pottier and McCaul. Also present were CFO Patrick Delio Russo, City Auditor Ian Fortes, and Budget Director Gill Enos. The meeting was called to order at 5:33 PM. 1.- Meet to review the weekly vouchers and payroll for City departments. MOTION by Mr. Pottier and secoruied by Mr. McCaul to approve the payroll warrant in the amount of $4, 001, 838.25. So voted. MOTION by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Mr. McCaul to approve the accounts payable warrant in the amount o/$2,070,868.28. So voted. 2. Meet to discuss requests for transfers: a. $4,500 from the Reserve Account (01-132-5200-5784) to Tax Title (01-147-5200-5388) b. $2,000 from the Reserve Account (01-132-5200-5784) to Tax. Possession (01-193-5100- 5119) c. $3,456 from the Reserve Account (01-132-5200-5784) to Animal Control (01-292- 5100-5119) d. $200,000 from the Reserve Account (01-132-5200-5784) to Workers Compensation (84-912-8017-4971) e. $.15 from SRPEDD (01-840-5600-5790) to InterGov-County (01-830-5600-5621) f. $83,778.34 from Water Debt (P) (60-710-5900-5950) to Water Debt (I) (60-751-5900- 5984) Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Mr. McCaul to invite in the interestedparties. So voted. Councilor Duarte read a letter from :M:r. Enos requesting these transfers. Jv.fr. Enos indicated that the transfer for animal control should be amended to $26,000. Motion by Mr. Pottier arui seconded by Mr. McCaul to approve items a-fwith the amendment indicated by Mr. Enos: Transfer $4,500.from the Reserve Account (01-132-5200-5784) to Tax Title (01-147-5200-5388), $2,000from the Reserve Account (01-132-5200-5784) to Tax. Possession (01-193-5100-5119), $26,000from the Reserve Account (01-132-5200-5784) to Animal Control (01-292-5100-5119), $200, OOOfrom the Reserve Account (01-132-5200-5784) to  11 Workers Compensation (84-912-8017-4971), $.15 from SRPEDD (01-840-5600-5790) to InterGov-County (01-830-5600-5621), and $83, 778.34 from Water Debt (P) (60-710-5900-5950) to Water Debt (I) (60-751-5900-5984). So voted. g. $20,000 from Golf Retained Earnings (61-3590-3590) to Golf Tree & Shrubs Grounds (61-940-5200-5469) h. $20,000 from Golf Retained Earnings (61-3590-3590) to Golf Supplies-Building Repair (61-640-5200-5542) Chainnan Duarte read the letter from the Golf Commission requesting a transfer from retained earnings. Motion by M:r. Pottier and seconded by Mr. McCaul to approve as requested and transfer $20,000.from GolfRetained Earnings (61-3590-3590) to GolfTree & Shrubs Grounds (61-940- 5200-5469) and $20, 000 from GolfRetained Earnings (61-3590-3590) to GolfSupplies - Building Repair (61-640-5200-5542). So voted. 3. Meet with the CFO to discuss the internal audit program. Patrick Della Russo and Ian Fortes gave a presentation on the new internal audit program that will be led by the City Auditor. Mr. Fortes covered the details of Mass General Law Chapter 41, Section 50. He explained that an internal audit is a tool used to evaluate controls, compliance, :financial processes and reporting. His intention is to do this quarterly by randomly selecting departments. The six areas to be audited are payroll, procurement, accounts payable, cash handling, inventory, and compliance with policies. The objective is to enhance efficiencies and the plan is to give a public presentation quarterly. Councilor Pottier asked ifthe deparlment has the bandwidth to take this on and Mr. Fortes confirmed. Mr. Pottier stated that he would not be opposed to hiring someone if need be. Councilor DUarte asked how many departments would be audited each quarter and Mr. Fortes said the goal is about 6. Mr. Duarte also asked how this would be impacted if the update to the Charter passed since there is an audit committee outlined in the Charter. Mr. Della Russo stated that this would go on regardless of the Charter. Councilor Dooner stated that she thinks this is a great idea. MOTION by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Mr. McCaul to excuse the parties with the Committee's thanks and adjoum the meeting at 5: 51 PM So voted. CITY OF TAUNTON Respectfully submitted, MAY 1~·:1023 ~)~ . f .U.AcJ-- IN Ml.tNICIPAL COUNCIL !Jr:wu Clerk of Council Committees Committee on Finance and Salaries M~16,2023 !f~~5~~ Affe~~~· RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED. Page2of2 ~~T  12 City of Taunton Municipal Council May 16, 2023 Zl23 HAY 22 A IQ: 38 The Committee on Public Property The meeting was held at Taunton City Hall, 15 Summer Street, T8.'ilfittm:,"""M:A.C!ti7Me Chester R. Martin Municipal Council Chambers. Present were Councilor Christopher Coute, Chairman and Councilors McCaul, Dooner, Quintal, and Borges. Also present were Attorney Peter Winters and Parks, Cemeteries and Public Grounds Commissioner AJ Marshall. The meeting was called to order at 5:58 PM. 1. Meet with the Law Department and the Park and Recreation Commissioner to discuss the permitting process for the use of public property for 1st Amendment protected activity. Motion by Mr. Quintal and seconded by Ms. Borges to invite in the interested parties. So voted. Attorney Winters clarified that 1st Amendment activities are allowed on all public grounds. However, parks require a permit with insurance. He also explained th.at parks and playgrounds specifically fall under the purview of the Park and Recreation Commission. Commissioner Marshall explained that the Park and Recreation Commission has jurisdiction and would need to set the rules. He reviewed the policies of neighboring cities, particularly New Bedford, Fall River, and Attleboro, and found th.at the rules and regulations are very similar and all require the same $1 Million insurance policy. He stated th.at the issue in Taunton beco:i;nes the Taunton Green where folks want to have these types of events but it's a park He handed out an aerial view of the Taunton Green. He suggested an exemption to the policy th.at would apply from the sidewalks to the edge of the road. The inside (checkered section on the handout) would remain a park with norm.al permitting requirements. Activities on the sidewalk surrounding the Green would reqllire a permit with 72 hour notice. No insurance policy would be required in this zone but would require an indemnification agreement. There would be a limit of 4 permits issued with a maximum of 25 people each and th.ere would be no fee for the permit. Requiring a permit would allow th.em to notify police and fire of potential activities. This compromise, he believes, attempts to solve the problem while trying to protect significant assets on the Taunton Green. Attorney Winters described this as a hybrid where it is somewhat treated like a norm.al sidewalk while offering some protection to the Park. Councilor Borges indicated that th.is is a reasonable request except th.at people sometimes want to assemble before 72 hours. :Mr. Marshall indicated th.at this could perhaps be shortened.  13 Councilor McCaul asked about City sponsored events. Mr. Marshall clarified that for City agencies, the City carries insurance. Electioneering was discussed and Mr. Marshall stated that for campaign season this can be dangerous for drivers because sign holding can be a distraction . so limiting it to 100 people might help. Councilor Borges suggested that the Elections Department include this information in the packet provided to candidates. Councilor Dooner indicated that she believes this is a good compr~mise. Councilor Quintal clarified details on electioneering. 1 permit is for 25 people but you could request 2 permits for a total of 50 people. Councilor Borges suggested that candidates could have 100 people at a time and doesn't think it should be limited. Councilor Pottier questioned not allowing the use of the sidewalk around the Green just as a regular sidewalk. He expressed concern with limiting people standing on the sidewalk around the Green. lY.fr. Marshall stated that the assets on the Green should be protected. Mr. Pottier asked if an ordinance could change the sidewalk to no longer be part of the park but he agreed that the Green (the checkerboard on the handout) should be protected. Councilor Coute stated that there haven't been any problems but that removing the sidewalk as part of the park puts assets at risk so Mr. Marshall's policy is a good first step. Councilor Borges indicated that she didn't initially think there would be a limit and Mr. Marshall stated that he believes 100 is an appropriate number. Mr. Borges suggested leaving the number off of it and if it becomes a problem then change it. Councilor Quintal stated that this will be a great year to 1ry this since it's an election year. Councilor Coute suggested no limit on the number of people on the 4 permits. Mr. Marshall stated again his belief that 100 is a good number and would like to leaye that and then increase it if there is a need. Councilor Coute suggested giving Commissioner Marshall discretion. Attorney Winters worried that this could run the risk of being arbitrary and capricious. Councilor Dooner did not like the idea of giving the Commissioner discretion but she would be fine with no number limit. Councilor Sanders stated that he had referred this to the Committee some time ago. The reason was because community organizations, trying to do the right thing, would call the City about a rally or protest they were hoping to do the next day, for example, only to learn. that they needed to have a permit, insurance, perhaps a police detail so would decide not to do it. He wants to make it clear that people exercising their First Amendment rights are able to do so. Mr. Sanders doesn't want people to have to jump through hoops in order to exercise their rights. Committee on Public Property May16, 2023 Page2of4  14 Councilor Duarte stated that this was never about elections or political signs. Rather, this is about their constituents, nonprofit groups, and others advocating for themselves: He asked Attomey Winters what insurance or policies protect these properties during their general use or during an unpennitted rally or event. Jv.fr. Marshall stated that the City has insurance but that the City pays the first $100,000. Councilor Duarte stated that whatever we do th~re is always risk associated with using public property and that the proposed policy seems cumbersome. He agrees with Councilor Pottier and would suggest designating the sidewalks as regular sidewalks. He clarified that this would only be advisory since the Park and Rec Commission has ultimate decision making authority. He asked Attomey Winters if the Council could pass an ordinance that would supersede the rules of the Park Commission and Attomey Winters indicated that he would need to look into it but he didn't think so. Mr. Marshall stated that Park and Recreation Commissions are created by State Law. Motion by Councilor Dooner and seconded by Councilor Borges to recommend Commissioner Marshall's suggested policy to the Park and Recreation Commission but for the sidewalk outside ofthe Green, it would be 48 hour permit and no restrictions on number ofpeople. Mr. Coute asked when this would be on the agenda for the Park and Recreation Commission and Mr. Marshall indicated most likely the July agenda and they meet the 2nd Tuesday of the month. Ms. Borges stated that she will not support something with limited number of permits or people. So voted. 2. Meet with the Park and Recreation Commissioner to discuss the possibility of adding a skate park to the design improvements at Memorial Park. Councilor Coute indicated that many people have suggested that the City have a skate park and he thought that Memorial Park might be a good location. Commissioner Marshall explamed that the Park and Recreation Commission has $3 Million for the improvements at Memorial Park and they have laid out a two-step process. They are going out for an RFP in July and the scope of services includes design and a master plan. Th.ere will be public hearings and listening sessions and they have a file full of suggestions from people. All of this will be passed to the architect to evaluate and they are going to bring back three different plans. He noted that there may be some challenges with the pond. He stated that the Park and Rec Co;IDmission has jurisdiction and will make the selection. He further noted that they will look to the City~ s master plan for guidance. Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Mr. Quintal to invite Commissioner Marshall to return after he has the plans to give another presentation to the Public Property Committee. So voted. Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Ms. Dooner to excuse the parties and adjourn the meeting at 7: 08 PM So voted. Committee on l'Ublic Property · May16, 2023 Page3of4  15 CITY OF TAUNTON Respectfully submitted, MAY l.6 2023 IN' MUNICIPAL COUNCIL '};~['.~ Maggie E. Clarke Clerk of Council Committees REPORTS ACCEPTED. RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED ON ITEM #2. ON ITEM #1, ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, EIGHT (8) COUNCILORS WERE PRESENT, FIVE (5) COUNCILORS VOTED IN OPPOSITION (COUNCILORS QUINTAL, SANDERS, POTTIER, MCCAUL AND DUARTE), THREE (3) COUNCILORS VOTED IN FAVOR (COUNCILORS COUTE, BORGES AND DOONER). COUNCILOR POSTELL WAS ABSENT. SO VOTED. THE MOTION DID NOT PASS. ~fut- Committee on Public Property May16, 2023 Pagel/ of4  16 City of Taunton Municipal Council May 16, 2023 ZQ23 MAY 22 A IO: 38 The Committee of the Council as a Whole The meeting was held at Taunton City Hall, 15 Summer Street, Tatm.to~b~~­ Chester R Martin Municipal Council Chambers. Present were Council President Kelly Dooner, Chairman and Councilors Duarte, Borges, · McCaul, Pottier, Coute, Sanders, and Quintal. Councilor Postell was absent. Also present was City Solicitor Matt Costa. The meeting was called to order at 7: 14 PM. 1. Meet to discuss proposed changes to the form agenda. Councilor Dooner explained that the major change would be adding the consent agenda These changes were proposed to be more in line with the Rules of the Council. She also noted that with the consent agenda, any Councilor at any time can pull something out to be completely read. Additionally, the reading of the record is a little unclear without stating a date. Motion by Mr. Duarte and seconded by Ms. Borges to invite in Attorney Costa. So voted. Attorney Costa indicated that the Council Rules state that it should be listed as ''Reading of the Records from date". Boards should be approving their minutes and it would be clearer if the date was referenced and this would give the Councilors an opportunity to make corrections. Councilor Pottier stated that sometimes the minutes aren't done in a week so the date would need to be correct. He also noted that perhaps the recommendations of the committees should be clear as to the date. Attorney Costa suggested the committee minutes should also be reviewed and approved. Mr. Pottier also suggested that executive session minutes be reviewed and approved. Councilor Dooner asked about the consent agenda. Attorney Costa indicated that the idea is to streamline a meeting where items are routinely approved without discussion. However, any Councilor could pull anything out that they wish. Councilor Coute asked if the consent agenda would include items to be referred to the committees and Mr. Costa indicated that they could be. Councilor Sanders asked if information currently published in the agenda would still be published in the same way. Attorney Costa confirmed. Mr. Sanders wants to be sure that there is an opportunity for a councilor to pull an item out. He suggested that at the beginning of the  17 meeting the Council vote to approve the agenda and then the Councilors would have an opportunity to remove an item from the agenda. He agreed that executive session minutes should be reviewed and approved. Councilor Dooner wanted to be sure that the Clerk's agenda is not changing. Councilor Sanders stated that he could see circumstances where an item would be removed from an agenda. · Councilor Duarte indicated that he likes the idea of the consent agenda and suggested grouping items by what action needs to be taken. He also suggested that the recommendations adopted by the committees be kept outside the consent agenda. Councilor Borges asked about scenarios where something is going to one committee and someone wanted it to go to another committee and Mr. Costa indicated that this type of situation is not likely intended for the consent agenda. Com:icilor McCaul asked who makes the decision for something to be off an agenda. Mr. Costa stated that the Council has rules and there are legal considerations. The Mayor with the Clerk set the agenda but if a communication comes in it is not automatically placed on the agenda. Motion by Mr. Coute and seconded by Mr. Pottier to refer to the Law Department to draft a proposed amendment to the Rules ofthe Council. So voted. Motion by Ms. Borges and seconded by Ms. Dooner to adjourn the meeting at 7:36 PM So voted. CITY OF TAUNTON Respec1fully submitted, IN' MUNICIPAL COUNCIL ~C-~ Maggie E. Clarke Clerk of Council Committees ~~ RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED. CommittBe of the Council as a Whole May16, 2023 Page2of2  18 CITY OF TAUNTON ORDER#l9 FY 2023 ~ ~ (]~ .....................~~~..!.~~.~~:~......................... 20.............. &~!YM THE SUM OF THREE HUNDRED SIXTEEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY EIGHT DOLLARS AND FORTY NINE CEN'I:S ($316,278.49) BE AND HEREBY IS TRANSFERRED AS FOLLOWS: . $4,500 FROM RE~ERVE FUND ACCOUNT NUMBER 01-132-5200-5784 TO TAX TITLE ACCOUNT NUMBER 01-147-5200-5388 $2,000 FROM RESERVE FUND ACCOUNT NUMBER 01'.'"132-5200-5784 TO TAX POSSESSION ACCOUNT NUMBER 01-193-5100-5119 $26,000 FROM RESERVE FUND ACCOUNT NUMBER 01-132-5200-5784 TO ANIMAL CONTROL ACCOUNr NUMBER 01-292-5100-5119 $200,000 FROM THE RESERVE FUND ACCOUNT NUMBER 01-132-5200-.5784 TO WORKERS COMPENSATION ACCOUNT NUMBER 84-912-8017-4971 $.15 FROM SRPEDD ACCOUNT NUMBER 01-840-5600-5790 TO INTER GOV-COUNTY ACCOUNT NUMBER 01-830-5600-5621 $83,778.34 FROM WATER DEBT (P) ACCOUNT NUMBER 60-710-5900-5950 TO WATER DEBT (I) ACCOUNT NUMBER 60-751-5900-5984 ................................................................ Ck£.  19 CITY OF TAUNTON ORDER#20 FY 2023 ~ ~ Co-ruu:i/. .-. . . . . . . . ~~-~--~-~.:.?.:?.?.:~.......................... 20.............. &~!Yhd THE SUM bF FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS AND 00 CENTS ($40,000.00) BE AND HEREBY IS TRANSFERRED AS FOLLOWS: $20,000 FROM GOLF RETAINED EARNINGS ACCOUNT NUMBER 61-3590-3590 TO GOLF TREE & SHRUBS GROUNDS ACCOUNT NUMBER 61-940-5200-5469 $20,000 FROM GOLF RETAINED EARNINGS ACCOUNT NUMBER 61-3590-3590 TO GOLF SUPPLIES - BUILDING REPAIR ACCOUNT NUMBER 61-640-5200-5542 ................................................................ Ck£.