City Council

City ofrtaunton 9.1.unicipa[Council9.1.eeting 9.1.inutes City 1fa[[, 15 Summer Street, rtaunton, ~ In the Chester~ 9.1.artin 9.1.unicipa[Council Cfiam6ers - 9.1.inutes, ©ecem6er 5, 2023 at 7:06 O'cCoc~/P.9.1.. <Pfetfge ofJl.ffegiance ~gufar ;Meeting :Mayor Sfi.aunna L. 0 'ConneClpresitfing <Prayer was offerea 6y tne :Mayor <Present at roCl caClwere: CounciCors ©ooner, ©uarte, (Borges, 9dcCau~ <Pottier, Coute, Q!linta(anti<PosteCl CounciCor Satufers was a6sent. CounciCor Coute arri:veaat 7: 32pm. Record of November 28, 2023 meeting was read by title and approved. So Voted. Opportunity for input by the general public. No one spoke during public input. Motion was made to go out of the regular order of business to Communications from the Mayor. So Voted. Communications from the Mayor: Mayor O'Connell invited A.J. Marshall and the Parade Committee into the enclosure for the Christmas Parade Basket Raffle. Mr. Marshall stated that the Lighting of the Green was a success, however, the weather unfortunately did not cooperate for this year's Christmas Parade. He expressed gratitude on behalf of the Parade Committee to the City employees who donated over $4,000 in basket prize items. He stated that this raffle raised over $10,500 for the Christmas parade. He stated that this is the highest they've had and this is a testament to the quality of the baskets, the donations that the City employees provided and the citizens who came to buy raffle tickets. He stated that he wanted to recognize the Parade Committee as they are volunteers who go above and beyond to put together the best parade. He stated that the Parade Committee consists of Sandy Kingsbury, George Mendros, Ally Webster, Renee Menard, Allison Cardoza, Sue Barber, Lizette Miranda and Maggie Clarke. He stated that Ms. Clarke and the Mayor's Office have sold raffle tickets for the entire month of November at City Hall. He stated that 100% of the donations are put towards the Christmas parade, as well as entertainment for the parade. The tickets for the twenty-two (22) baskets were pulled and the names of the winners were announced. Mayor O'Connell expressed gratitude to the Parade Committee for their work, as well as the Departments for their basket donations and the community for their strong support of the raffle.  2 Mayor O'Connell stated that there will be a presentation by the Taunton Development Corporation. Motion was made to invite the interested parties into the enclosure. So Voted. Richard Shafer, Executive Director, passed out a packet with a copy of their annual report to the Council. Louis Ricciardi, President, stated that it was on December 21, 1973 that the City Council officially accepted the petition to establish the articles of the organization for the Taunton Development Corporation as a 501(c)(6) Land Development Corporation and its had a series of volunteer board members for the last fifty (50) years and two (2) presidents, including Joseph I. Quinn. He stated that here with him this evening is Dan DaRosa, Vice President of the TDC, Mike Mitchell, Project Manager with Mass Development, and Victor Santos, Vice President/Treasurer. Mr. Riccardi stated that there are over 8,653 jobs and 22.1 million dollars of annual revenue to date. He stated that they have given out over 150 scholarships. Mr. Santos stated that the TDC is a volunteer based organization and by virtue the Mayor and the Council President are also members of the board. He stated that the TDC has been involved in the development of Myles Standish Industrial Park and Liberty and Union, as well as a partnership with Mass Development in the development of the expansion of the business park of Myles Standish. He reported that the vacancy rate at Myles Standish Industrial Park is 10.2%, which is because 4,079 square feet of new construction is factored into this, therefore the true vacancy is only 3.2%. There is only one building up for sale at the Myles Standish Industrial Park. He stated that the TDC has spent about $200,000 in the last year for park maintenance. He stated that the assessed values of the properties at Myles Standish Industrial and Business Park is an excess of $656,000,000 dollars, at the current rate, that brings in over $18 million dollars in real estate taxes. He stated that the Myles Standish Industrial Park consists of 1100 companies, providing over 7900 jobs. He stated that Liberty and Union only has one small lot to sell and one other small property for sale. He stated that they were not able to get grants for that development because at the time the economy was not doing well and the government wasn't allowing grants. He stated that they spent $2,000,000 in road construction, $1,500,000 was spent in water pressure improvements, and $1,926,000 was spent for the construction of O'Connell Way, which at some point may be a casino. He stated that the current vacancy at Liberty and Union is 16.8%, which is only because 234,000 square feet is a large vacant building. He stated that the assessed values at Liberty and Union and $106,000,000, of which $18,000,000 is held in Trust by the United States for the benefit of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. Mr. Ricciardi stated that the Old Dever campus had continued to not be developed due to contamination with asbestos and PCP. Ms. Mitchell stated that the private industry was not interested in investing in the Old Dever campus because the contaminated land did not bring in any revenue. She stated that this is why Mass Development partnered with the TDC, who has been very successful with the first three phases. She stated that Mass Development has used Taunton and the Myles Standish Industrial Park Phase 1 through 3 as an example of how things should be done. She stated that it was 220 acres and all of the property has been sold, they have demolished everything and there is all new infrastructure. She stated that the project has been sold out, with the exception of two developable acres, which are at the entrance of the park and are set aside for the Life Science Legislation and will eventually be an education facility. She stated that Phases 4 and 5 have brought in 8 new companies and 1,769 new jobs to the area, which is 2.2 million square feet of new development that was brought in and 147 million dollars of private development. She stated that in FY23, Phases 4 and 5 brought in $2,100,000 in new tax revenue and preliminary tax revenue estimates for  3 FY24 are projected to be $3,200,000 annually. She stated that the City's resolution and their partnership within the District Increment Financing involved designating this district where no taxes were coming in and the resolution stated that for 20 years, which expires in the year 2031, 35% of any new tax revenue will be put aside into a DIF fund and of that 35%, $3,600,000 dollars were to help pay off some of the demo for this project. She stated that the City would receive $275,000 for the Field Design and an additional $1,400,000 for Field Construction. She expressed gratitude to the Council for their support and to the TDC for 50 successful years. Mr. Ricciardi stated that himself, Mr. Santos and Mr. DaRosa have sat on the TDC board for 30 years and that the board has met every month for the last 50 years. Mr. DaRosa stated that they underestimated the DIF and that by 2031 the revenue for the City would likely be $10,000,000. He stated that this is one of the biggest revenue partnership that the City has ever been involved in for the Industrial Park. He stated that they gave lot 77E to this project, which was 25-26 acres of land, in order to make this project work. Mayor O'Connell stated that the TDC board is comprised of volunteers and the benefits of the TDC are tremendous. Mayor O'Connell asked for an update on the two (2) acres that still need to be developed and how the City can help to make that happen. Ms. Mitchell stated that everything is ready to go, however, there is legislation tied to it and there are other opportunities for development. She stated that although it is envisioned to be the Life Science Training Facility, they continue to work with Senator Pacheco for any upcoming opportunities for the best gateway into the business park. Mr. Ricciardi stated that the legislation indicates if the land is not used for purposes intended in five (5) years, it would be reconsidered as to whether this was the best use and purpose of the land, which would involve engaging with the legislative delegation from this area. He stated that there is additional land near Watson's Pond that could be developed without infringing on the barrier around the pond. Ms. Mitchell stated that in the meantime, if something comes along that would be a good fit for that location, they will continue to work with the Senator to make that happen. Councilor Pottier stated that he remembers how Mayor Crowley expended much political capital to make sure that there were votes were there for the DIF when it came before the Council for consideration. He stated that he cannot imagine what Taunton would be without the work of the TDC. Councilor Borges expressed gratitude to the TDC for their work and that one of her best years as a Councilor was when she spent a great deal of time with them and saw all of their accomplishments. Councilor Coute stated that the City owes a great deal of gratitude and debt to the volunteers of this organization and all of their work and success is inspiring. He stated that $10,000,000 towards recreation will go a long way. He stated that the City does a lot for many organizations and he would like to see a big push towards the youth. Mr. Santos stated that this was also the wish of Bob Studley. Councilor McCaul expressed gratitude to the TDC for their hard work. Mr. Ricciardi stated that they would like to engage in a conversation in 2024 with what is possible regarding the DIF as there will be a lot of great opportunities. Motion was made to refer this matter to the Committee on Finance and Salaries. So Voted. Appointments: Reappointment of Andrew J. Marshall as the Director of Parks, Cemeteries and Public Grounds Commission for a term of three (3) years expiring December 15, 2026. Motion was made to approve. So Voted. Reappointment of Richard Conti, Assessor for a term of three (3) years expmng December 5, 2026. Motion was made to approve. On a roll call vote, eight (8)  4 Councilors were present, eight (8) Councilors voted to appoint Richard Conti. The motion passes. Councilor Sanders was absent. Appointment of Todd Castro to serve as Executive Director of the Taunton Emergency Agency for a term of three (3) years expiring December 2026. Motion was made to approve. So Voted. Motion was made to revert to the regular order of business. So Voted. Hearing: Continued Hearing: To discuss the possible revocation of the Tow Service Contract between the City of Taunton and Scott Souza, Tony's Auto Wrecking located at 303 Broadway, Taunton under Section 2 of said contract. The City Clerk stated that she received an email from the Police Chief requesting to continue the hearing to a date certain. Motion was made to continue the hearing until December 12, 2023. So Voted. Continued Hearing: On the petition submitted by Annisa Reed, 72 Whitehill Street, Taunton, MA 02780 for the issuance of a personal Kennel License per City Ordinance Section 3-24 to allow a Grade 2 (7-12 Dogs) Kennel License for personal use/dogs, NOT BUSINESS USE, at 72 Whitehill Street, Taunton. Motion was made to re-open the hearing and invite the interested parties into the enclosure. So Voted. Councilor Borges inquired if the City Clerk has the motion that was made last week regarding this hearing. The City Clerk stated that she does not have the motion with her but believes the motion was made to continue the hearing in order to get further information from the Law Department. Attorney Costa stated that since the last meeting, he has not received any additional specific requests, other than a few questions that arose during the last hearing. He stated that the basic jist of the questions included the scope of the Council's authority to impose conditions on the approval. He stated that he spoke with the City Clerk about the licensing process. He stated that the Council has broad discretion to impose the conditions that it would seek to impose on this type of approval. He stated that there were several questions about conditions that could be imposed and he recommends that the Council votes to impose conditions on the approval. Councilor Coute requested that Ms. Reed recap her petition and the reasons that it be granted. Ms. Reed stated that she would like an extension until next week, if possible, or hopefully it can be resolved today. She stated that she only has four (4) dogs now. She stated that she can provide proof that three (3) of the dogs are gone. She stated that she has a complaint against the condo as someone was throwing dogs at her dogs in an attempt to provoke them and that she needs to pick up the police report. She stated that she got signatures from her surrounding neighbors in support of the fact that her dogs have not been a problem to the neighborhood. Councilor Coute confirmed with Ms. Reed that her intention is to have a kennel license for four (4) dogs only. Councilor Coute requested that Ms. Reed state the breeds of her dogs and their ages. Ms. Reed stated that the four (4) dogs on the property will be a Rottweiler, a Malshi and two (2) French bulldogs. She stated that the Rottweiler is eleven (11) years old, the Malshi is five (5) years old, one of the French bulldogs is two (2) years old and the other is a one (1) year old. Councilor Coute questioned if Ms. Reed has had any issues with the dogs regarding the Police. Ms. Reed stated that she was blindsided by the complaints during the last hearing, as she has  5 not received any complaints from Animal Control nor the Police Department. Councilor Coute inquired what Ms. Reed's reason would be for a continuation until next week. Ms. Reed stated that she was not sure if the Council was going to make a decision today, however, she is hoping this can be resolved today. Councilor Coute stated that the advertisement is for a kennel license of 7-12 dogs and asked the City Solicitor is changing it to a kennel license for up to 4 dogs would require a continuance of the hearing. Attorney Costa stated that this will not require a continuance of the hearing. Councilor Pottier confirmed with the City Solicitor that she will convert application from a Class II to a Class I kennel license. He stated that the Ordinance states that the Council may authorize a Class I kennel license if the premises where the dogs will be kept contains 0.5 acres or more and is 150 feet from the nearest abode. Councilor Pottier asked if Ms. Reed's intention is to keep the dogs in the outside fenced in area. Ms. Reed stated that her dogs are inside dogs and they only go outside to use the bathroom. Councilor Pottier stated that the Council would have to suspend the rules regarding the acreage and the fence line. Councilor Pottier stated that they have the Ordinance for a reason, however, the Council can take into consideration the applicant and overrule the stipulations. Councilor Pottier stated that there are letters on the record in opposition. Ms. Reed stated that she is not sure of the proper steps to take, however, she has the names and addresses of the residents surrounding her home confirming that her dogs have never been a problem to them. Councilor Pottier inquired if they signed her petition and how many names are on the petition. Ms. Reed stated that they signed her petition and there are five (5) names on it. Councilor Pottier stated that it would be helpful for her to get a copy of this to the City Clerk for the record. Mayor O'Connell stated that there were letters in addition to people who came in person for public input regarding this hearing. Ms. Reed inquired if this can be resolved today. Mayor O'Connell stated that the Council can approve the petition today if they would like to, however, she is giving them the opportunity to ask questions right now and then they will make their decision. Councilor Postell stated that he applauds Ms. Reed for taking the steps to minimize the concerns and be a good neighbor. Councilor Borges asked the City Solicitor if the Council has the authority to cap the license at four (4) dogs. Attorney Costa confirmed that this is correct. Motion was made to open public input for this hearing. So Voted. Kathleen Campinario, 171 Highland Street, Taunton, stated that she is thankful for the changes that have been made and they have a better understanding as to what will happen to that property. She stated that at this time, she does not have a problem. Motion was made to close public input and approve a Class I kennel license with a limit of four (4) dogs. On discussion, Councilor McCaul asked if the Animal Control Officer will need to inspect the home to make sure there will only be four (4) dogs living on the property. Councilor Coute stated that his motion was to only approve four (4) dogs, therefore, if she has more than four (4) dogs, it would be a zoning violation. Motion was made to close public input and approve a Class I kennel license with a limit of four (4) dogs and to waive the Council rule of acreage and setback. On a roll call vote, eight (8) Councilors were present, eight (8) Councilors voted in favor. The motion passes. Councilor Sanders was absent. Motion was made to close the hearing. So Voted. Continued Hearing: On the petition of Edmund J. Brennan, Jr., Esq., Brennan, Recupero, Cascione, Scungio, McAllister LLP, 174 Dean Street, Unit B, Taunton, MA 02780 on behalf of his client 12 Porter Street Development, LLC, c/o Edmund J. Brennan, Jr. Esq., 174 Dean Street, Unit B, Taunton, MA 02780 for the issuance of a Special Permit to allow a 28 unit multi-family development at 10-18 Porter Street,  6 Taunton, located in the Urban Residential District. Motion was made to reopen the hearing. So Voted. The City Clerk read a communication from the City Planner stating that this petition will require a Site Plan Review approval. The site received variances from the ZBA in case #3 741. He stated that he has no recommended conditions. The City Clerk read a communication from the City Engineer stating that in reviewing the plans and associated documents for the Special Permit, the following comments are listed for discussion: There is currently a "No Parking" Ordinance in front of the site on Porter St. from the railroad tracks to Mason St. The site will need to accommodate all of the parking for tenants and their guest as on street parking is limited. The sewer system on Porter St. was constructed in 1899 and is showing its age. Veolia recently videoed the line and has the report available. The applicant needs to calculate the proposed daily flows for the project to determine if the existing 8" sewer main can handle the increase flows. All of the proposed storm water controls will be evaluated during Site Plan Review. The City Clerk read a communication from the Conservation Agent stating that there are no Conservation concerns regarding the request for a Special Permit for a 28- unit multi-family development at 10-18 Porter Street, located in the Urban Residential District. The City Clerk read a communication from the Water Superintendent stating that City Water is available from the existing 12" city water main on Porter Street. Plans are required and need to be submitted to DPW for water services, fire service line, gate valves and curb stops. DPW Permits are required including: City licensed contractor, road opening, and/or trench. DPW Specifications apply including: Pressure testing, fire flow test, materials, installation, new water meter with an updated radio frequency unit, inspection and approval. DPW Specifications apply including: Any backflow devices must be inspected by the Plumber Inspector or City Inspector. City reserves the right to change these terms and conditions at any time. The City Clerk read a communication from the Fire Inspector stating that he has reviewed the plans for the proposed 28 unit multi-family development and determined that sufficient fire department access exists. The City Clerk read a communication from the Board of Health stating that the property is serviced by municipal water and sewer. All dwellings must comply with the Minimum Standards of Fitness for Human Habitation, State Sanitary Code, Chapter II. The City Clerk read an additional communication from the City Engineer stating that the Engineering Office has been reviewing the proposed development of the former M. M. Rhodes & Sons Company on Porter Street, in an effort to determine the viability of the sewer system, Beta Group and Veolia were tasked with inspecting the current conditions. Beta Group reviewed the proposed increase in volume and determined that the existing 8" clay pipe can accommodate the additional flows of the proposed project. Veolia used CCTV camera to inspect the sewer main on Porter Street at the beginning near the railroad tracks to the connection to the sewer manhole on Winthrop Street. Due to the age of the system, as it was constructed in 1899, it is recommended that the main be lined from the beginning on Porter Street to the end at Winthrop Street. Motion was made to receive the above listed communications and place on file. So Voted. The parties introduced themselves as Attorney Ed Brennan, 174 Dean Street, Taunton, Hannah Cassidy, CEO and principal of 12 Porter Street Development and David Clymens, major partner in this project. Attorney Brennan stated that they are seeking a Special Permit to allow a multi-family development in an Urban Residential District. He stated that they first went to the Zoning Board of Appeals, where they received certain zoning relief for dimensional issues they had in order to make this project work. He stated that they received everything they needed from the Zoning Board and now they are seeking the Special Permit from the Council. He stated that the final step if they get the approval of  7 the Council this evening will be to the Planning Board for a Site Plan approval. He stated that the property has a lot of history tied in with the City of Taunton and was in disrepair, but his clients have great plans to revitalize the property. He stated that it is also in part a Brownfield Development due to the extent of contamination that was on the site, all of which has been cleaned up by his clients. He stated that this has allowed a bonus on the number of units of density they can request. He stated that they are currently at twenty- eight (28) units, which is about six (6) units above where it would be if it wasn't a Brownfield site. He stated that certain Councilors asked for more information regarding aspects of the development, as a result his clients have put together a slide presentation to address these questions. Ms. Cassidy used a slide presentation to further discuss the project. She stated that the property is currently located between 8 and 14 Porter Street. She stated that they will be calling in 12 Porter Street, as that was the number on the door and they wanted to embrace the history of that. She stated that this property was formally the M.M. Rhodes & Sons Factory that was in production up until six (6) years ago. She stated that her partner noticed that the property was for sale and within four (4) days they had toured the property and decided it was something they wanted to take on. She discussed the history of the property, which include its past use as an umbrella factory and shoe button factory. She stated that the property is registered on the state and federal Register of Historic Places. She stated that their goal at the beginning of this project was to preserve as much as they possibly could, however, they had to keep safety in mind. She stated that there are seven (7) buildings on the property, four (4) of which were in the state of collapse. She stated that they met with the Taunton Historic Commission and their suggestion was that they hold onto as many of the buildings as they possible can, in addition to the smoke stacks that were there, as the smoke stacks contribute to the skyline of Taunton. She stated that as they got further into the due diligence of the project, they found that several of the buildings were already collapsing and they could save only one of the smoke stacks. She stated that it was their goal to hold onto one of the smoke stacks and was also requested by Dr. Charles Thayer. She stated that they wanted to hold onto as many of the artifacts as they could to use them as design elements going forward in the property to capture some of the history. She stated that they discovered cobble stones under the buildings, which they will be holding onto in order to potentially repurpose. She stated that when they bought the property, they were told it was 1.86 acres with seven (7) buildings on it, however, once all eight (8) parcels were surveyed, it was determined to be only 1.27 acres. She stated that the factory was only in production until 2014 and was sold by the heirs of the company creator who themselves had worked there for their whole lives. She stated that this was the longest family owned factory in the United States until they purchased the property two years ago. She stated that there was nefarious activity in the buildings that was concerning the neighbors that they were hoping to take care of, in addition to suspected soil contamination and asbestos and lead paint in the buildings. She discussed that they are preserving building # 1, which was the Main Factory, and #3, which was the Rattler Building, and demolishing the other buildings. She stated that there is a barn on the property, which they will dismantle and move to another location. She discussed building #4, the Boiler Room and #5, the Paint Shop, which were both demolished. She stated that the red X's on building #5 were placed by the local Fire Department and are indicative that in the event of a fire, do not enter the building as it isn't safe. She stated that some of the local artists tagged the buildings. She stated that the neighbors are appreciate of their presence as it has helped reduce hazardous behavior that was occurring. She stated that they submitted a petition that was signed by twenty (20) neighbors in support of their project when they met with  8 the Zoning Board. She stated that they hired a Licensed Site Professional, who gave them an assessment and a remediation plan for the soil clean-up process. She stated that they hired a Licensed Environmental Hygienist to come and oversee the contamination in the buildings. She stated that they tested the entire site and the Licensed Site Professional developed the RAM Plan for the soil cleanup and the Hygienist developed an Asbestos Abatement Plan. She stated that the filed all of the necessary reports with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. She stated that once they cleaned up the site, they had no AUL (Activity and Use Limitations). She stated that there was a Foundry built on the site in 1900 and demolished in 1925, however, they left behind residual contaminants, which included lead, asbestos and arsenic. She stated that they had 600 tons of contaminated soil that needed to be dug up, tested and shipped to Massachusetts and Vermont, while Ohio reserved residual soil. She stated that they removed 100 scrub maple tree in order to allow the soil to be excavated and shipped to Western Massachusetts and Coventry, Vermont to licensed waste disposal sites. She stated that they hired the Hygienist who was able to test for asbestos, lead and other contaminants and they came up with an asbestos remediation plan. She stated that they determined that they could do a traditional asbestos remediation plan for buildings #1, #2 and #3 and a non-traditional asbestos remediation plan for buildings #4 and #5. She discussed traditional asbestos removal, which includes wrapping the asbestos in plastic, removing it and disposing of it. She discussed that they used the nontraditional asbestos removal on buildings #4 and #5 and treated both of the buildings as fully contaminated, which increased the debris to over 200 tons to remove. She stated that they had to build a truck wash on site and load the debris in order to be trucked out. She stated that the trucks were washed down after loading, but before leaving the site to Ohio. She stated that they discovered an underground storage tank and it was still sealed, so there were no contaminants that came from the underground storage facility. She displayed the site plan that was submitted and approved by the Zoning Board. She stated that the new buildings will not be any taller than the existing buildings and they will have brick facades on them to emulate the existing architecture with a modem twist. She stated that they would like to restore the main building, with the first floor consisting of four (4) one-bedroom, one- bathroom units and six (6) two-bedroom, two (2) bathroom units. She stated that they would like to restore the Rattler Building into two (2) one-bedroom rental units. She stated that they plan to restore the remaining chimney as a historic marker with the logo of M. M. Rhodes & Sons painted on the side with uplighting. She stated that the new construction will consist of sixteen (16) townhomes, with two (2) banks of six (6) units and one (1) bank of four (4) units. She stated that each townhome unit will consist of three (3) bedrooms, three (3) bathrooms, a two-car garage, rooftop balcony and a balcony off the kitchen. She stated that all of the units in the main building will be handicap accessible. She discussed the basement of the main building, which will have the same footprint. She stated that the first floor of the main building which will consist of four (4) units and a communal hallway. She discussed the second and third floors of the main building, which both have two (2) bedroom, two (2) bathroom units. She stated that the center units on the second and third floors will have a balcony facing the courtyard. She discussed the Rattler Building, which will consist of two (2) rental apartments. She stated that the first floor will have a one (1) bedroom, one (1) bathroom unit and the second floor will have a one (1) bedroom, one (1) bathroom unit with a roof deck and a first floor garage. She stated that the townhomes will have solar roofs. She discussed that they are planning to do solar power systems throughout the site and buildings #1 and buildings #3 will have roof panels that go to a common battery. She stated that the townhomes will  9 have their own roof panels with individual batteries. She stated that they will be doing all electric power, heating and cooling, and there will be no gas. She stated that they are planning on doing LEED certified appliances and systems. She discussed the green roofs on building #1 and building #3, which will reduces the water run-off into the sewer system, keep the building cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, and the roof life is doubled on average. She stated that the green open space will consist of recycled materials. She discussed the amenities of the rental units, which include in-unit washer/dryer, elevator access where required, two parking spaces per unit and select units will have Juliette balconies. She discussed that the common space amenities will include a dog park, green space and brick framed gardens. She discussed the amenities of the townhome, which will include individual, private roof decks, two-car enclosed garage, off kitchen balcony, solar roof to battery setup, in-unit washer/dryer hook-up and an individual street side garden area. She stated that they anticipate each family will spend $200/week at local restaurants, stores and businesses, which equates to $300,000 per year. She discussed that the current abandoned factory is paying taxes at a rate of $8,000 per year, however, with the completed units, they are looking at a tax increase of $140,000 per year. She discussed the on-site security, which will include cloud based security cameras, secured entrances and site and pathway lighting. She stated that management will be off-site, however, they will consider an on-site supervisor for keeping things clean. She stated that they have no plans for preferences for elderly nor veterans. She stated that there will be two (2) parking spaces per unit and no street parking will be required. She stated that 12 Porter Street is located in an economically challenged area of Taunton and currently lower than market rate housing is a block away. She stated that market rate housing increases economic diversity and will increase the value of the surrounding neighborhood. She stated that the townhomes will start in the high $500s. She stated that the rental unit pricing is speculative, however, at this time they are suggesting that the one (1) bedroom, one (1) bathroom units are rented at $1,800 per month and the two (2) bedroom, two (2) bathroom units are rented at $2,500 per month. She stated that they received a Mass Development loan to conduct environmental assessment and testing and the creation of a remediation plan in the amount of $100,000. She stated that they received a Brownfields Cleanup Revitalization Loan Fund from OECD for $950,000 to clean up asbestos and contaminated soil. She stated that they received a grant from Mass Development's Underutilized Property Program (UPP) for pre-development costs. She stated that the rental unit development is proposed to be funded through Mass Development's partnership with private financing. She stated that the townhome construction will be privately financed. She stated that the total project investment will be $12,000,000 to $15,000,000. Mayor O'Connell stated that this is a beautiful project and her office, as well as the Office of Economic and Community Development have been pleased to work with them. Councilor Dooner stated that this was an impressive presentation and this will be a fantastic addition to the City. She inquired as to whether there will be a homeowners association. Mr. Clymens stated that they are working with an attorney to prepare the paperwork, however, there will be a master home owners association to take care of the property. Councilor Dooner asked what the projected time frame of the project will be. Mr. Clymens stated that they hope to start construction in April or May of 2024 and conclude the project in 2025. Councilor Duarte stated that this was a very thorough presentation and is happy to see they are utilizing different types of funding. He stated that there is a lot going on in terms of the layout of the site and questioned what their plan for snow removal. Mr. Clymens stated that there was a site plan prepared, however, it was not a part of the presentation, and on  IO that plan the snow storage has been identified. Attorney Brennan stated that the Planning Board always requires that this is shown on the site plan. He stated that this is a productive use of the property and they did their due diligence with the Taunton and Mass. Historic Commissions to preserve as much as possible. He stated that he is very interested and supportive of all sustainability measures and is happy to see all of the energy efficiency and renewable energy components included. Councilor Borges stated this was one of the best presentations that she has seen as a member of the Council and the Zoning Board. She stated that it is an incredible property and the additional twenty- eight (28) units of market rate housing is needed. She stated that she is impressed by their sustainability plans and is looking forward to this project. She asked if they are utilizing tax credits. Mr. Clymens stated that there are two (2) tax credits they are looking at, which includes the historic tax credit, which they have not heard back about yet, and the other is a Brownfield tax credit, which they are pursuing, however, that will be about eighteen (18) months to two (2) years away. Councilor Borges stated that she is in support of this project. Councilor Pottier stated that he echoes the sentiments of the other Councilors and feels this was the most thorough presentation that he has seen as a Councilor. He inquired what the square footage of the townhomes will be. Mr. Clymens stated that they are approximately 2,400 sq. ft. He stated that this project reminds him of brownstones found in the Boston area. He stated that this project will upgrade this part of the City. He stated that Taunton has an abundance of historic buildings and gave kudos to them for working to preserve the history of the site. He stated that he is looking forward to this project and expressed gratitude for their investment in the City. Councilor Coute expressed gratitude for their investment in Taunton. He stated that he is very impressed with the plans and that this is a labor of love. He stated that he is appreciative of their thoroughness with the project and that this project is exactly what this site needs. He stated that they are cleaning up a blighted property using many different forms of financing and sustainability. Mayor O'Connell stated that she is thrilled with their historic preservation of the property. Motion was made to make the presentation a part of the record. So Voted. Motion was made to open public input for this hearing. So Voted. JP Marcoux, 40 Summer Street, Taunton, inquired about plans low-income housing for families. Mayor O'Connell stated that they touched on this during their presentation when they talked about this being a diverse neighborhood with market rate housing and the need for this type of housing. Motion was made to close public input and approve the project as presented with the Departmental comments. So Voted. Motion was made to close the hearing. So Voted. Communications from Citv Officers: Com. from the Chief Financial Officer stating that the Finance Department would like the opportunity to provide an update on Free Cash and retained earnings on December 12, 2023. Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Finance and Salaries. So Voted. Com. from the Chief Financial Officer stating that the Finance Department would like the opportunity to provide an updated Consolidated Financial Policy and Procedure for the City which Mayor 0' Connell has adopted. As the Council is aware, they will be preparing to issue debt service in the coming months and to place the City in the most advantageous position ahead of our ratings call with Standards and Poor' s the Finance Department has spent considerable time putting together comprehensive additions to this  11 working document. Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Finance and Salaries. So Voted. Com. from the Director of Procurement stating that the Finance Department would like to present to the Municipal Council an update on the Marketable Properties Program. He requested that the Director of Procurement and the Chief Financial Officer be allowed to present the MPP update to the Committee on Public Property on December 19, 2023. Motion was made to move approval. So Voted. Com. from the Director of Procurement stating that the Building Department has three plastic dividers from the COVID-19 Pandemic response several years ago and no longer has any need or use for these supplies. The Building Department has received a request from a local Charitable Organization within the last month for these supplies. There is a nominal value to these supplies and listing formally on the City's auction website would likely not generate must interest. He recommends proceeding with the donation of these supplies to the local Charitable Organization in accordance with state procurement law. Motion was made to approve. On discussion, Councilor Borges requested that this matter be referred to the Committee on Public Property. Councilor McCaul withdrew his motion. Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Public Property. On discussion, Councilor Coute stated that these are supplies and is fine moving forward with this. Councilor Borges retracted her motion. Motion was made to approve. So Voted. Com. from the Golf Course Commission stating that on November 16th, they held their monthly Golf Commission meeting and during that meeting, there was a unanimous vote to support the continuation of Ed Keyes (Keyes Golf) as the operator and manager for the next five years according to Article One of the current contract. This extension would expire on December 22, 2030. Motion was made to refer to the Committee of the Council as a Whole, Law Department, Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Procurement Officer. So Voted. On discussion, Councilor Borges stated that there are many members of the Golf Commission present and she is open to inviting them into the enclosure if they had something to discuss with the Council. Mayor 0' Connell stated that if this matter is being referred to Council, they can do that at that time. Communications from Citizens: NONE. Council President Dooner began presiding. Petitions: Class II License RENEWALS: 1. A T.N.T. Auto Sales, LLC located at 391 Winthrop Street, Taunton • Petition Submitted for Transfer of Ownership to Nickola Dobeib, Sole Owner 2. Acme Fabrication & Equipment Leasing, LLC at 91 Arlington Street, Taunton 3. Amaro Family Auto Sales at 503 Middleboro Avenue, East Taunton • Com. from City Planner - Submitting Comments & Special Permit/Site Plan Review for Amaro Family Auto Sales 4. Breno's Collision & Sales Inc. at 408 Winthrop Street, Taunton  12 5. G. Lopes Construction Inc. -dba- Lopes Used Truck and Equipment Sales at 565 Winthrop Street, Taunton 6. Happy Bear, Inc. located at 54 Cottage St., Taunton • Change of Ownership to Annette Snigier, Sole Owner 7. Jaime's Auto Body, Inc. at 111 Arlington Street, Taunton 8. Rt.138 Auto Center, Inc. located at 182 Broadway, Taunton 9. Taunton Service Center, Inc. -dba- Taunton Service Center Auto Sales at 48 Broadway, Taunton 10. Taunton Tire & Auto Service, Inc. at 491 West Water Street, Taunton 11. Winthrop Street Motors, Inc. at 34 7 Winthrop Street, Taunton Motion to refer list as read items 1 through 11 to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief. So Voted. Class IV License RENEWAL: 1. ET Auto LLC -dba- Euro Tech Auto at 420 Broadway, Taunton Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief. 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 Pottier stated that he referred the issue of parking on Charles Street a few weeks ago because at certain times of the day residents are unable to get out of their driveways, especially when there is school or if there is a large wake at the funeral home. He requested that the Safety Officer investigate the issue of parking on Charles Street, especially when there is activity in the area. Orders, Ordinances and Resolutions: City of Taunton FY2024 Supplemental Budget to be ordained on a roll call vote A RESOLUTION OF APPROPRIATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TAUNTON: THAT THE FOLLOWING SUMS BE AND HEREBY ARE GRANTED AND VOTED FOR THE PURPOSE AND OBJECTS HEREINAFTER STATED; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT NO PORTION OF ANY AMOUNT HEREINAFTER SHALL BE DEVOTED TO ANY OTHER PURPOSE THAN THAT DESIGNATED IN THIS RESOLUTION EXCEPT BY VOTE OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL. TOTAL NEW EXPENDITURES ............................................... $284,563,392.47 Motion was made to approve. On a roll call vote, eight (8) Councilors were present, eight (8) Councilors voted in favor. So Voted. Councilor Sanders was absent.  13 Ordinance (or a third reading to be ordained on a roll call vote AN ORDINANCE Chapter 405 Sec. 405-64-Tow-away zone regulations. Be it ordained by the Municipal Council of the City of Taunton as follows: That Chapter 405, Section 405-64(E) of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Taunton, as amended, is hereby further amended by adding the following: Name of Street Side Location Bay Street West From Lakeview Avenue to the Norton Town Line. Bay Street East From the Norton Town Line to Perra's Lane. All ordinances or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon passage. Motion was made to approve. On a roll call vote, eight (8) Councilors were present, eight (8) Councilors voted in favor. So Voted. Councilor Sanders was absent. Ordinance for a third reading to be ordained on a roll call vote AN ORDINANCE Chapter 202 - Boating Be it ordained by the Municipal Council of the City of Taunton as follows: That Chapter 202, of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Taunton, as amended, is hereby further amended by striking the words "powerboat" and "powerboats" and replacing said words with "watercraft" throughout said Chapter. That Chapter 202, Section 202-1 of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Taunton, as amended, is hereby further amended by striking said section and replacing the same with the following: § 202-1. Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated: WATERCRAFT Any boat or personal watercraft powered by an electric or internal combustion engine permanently or temporarily affixed to such boat.  14 That Chapter 202, Section 202-4 of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Taunton, as amended, is hereby further amended by adding the following new paragraph: D. No person, except a public safety official in the performance of their duties, shall operate a watercraft on a lake within the City in excess of twenty-five (25) miles per hour. All ordinances or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon passage. Motion was made to approve. On a roll call vote, eight (8) Councilors were present, eight (8) Councilors voted in favor. So Voted. Councilor Sanders was absent. Ordinance (or a second reading to be passed to a third reading AN ORDINANCE ARTICLE III. STOPPING, STANDING AND PARKING Sec 405-53. Prohibited parking places. Be it ordained by the Municipal Council of the City of Taunton as follows: That Section 405-53 of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Taunton, as amended, be and hereby are further amended by adding thereto the following: Howard Street, the South Side (right side) for its entire length. All ordinances or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon passage. Motion was made to pass to a third reading. So Voted. Ordinance (or a second reading to be passed to a third reading AN ORDINANCE REGARDING WAGES FOR SPECIAL POLICE OFFICERS Chapter 19 - Police Department Be it ordained by the Municipal Council of the City of Taunton and by authority of the same as follows: That a new section shall be added to Article I of Chapter 19, immediately following §19- 27 "Civilian Traffic Control Officers", as follows: § 19-28 - Wages for Special Police Officers 1) Retired employees appointed as special police officers pursuant to Chapter 150, of the Acts of 2017 shall be compensated as follows: a. For "detail" work, the same rate of pay, including any stipends, minimum hours or overtime detail pay that an active police officer  15 working under the Taunton Police Patrolmen's Association collective bargaining agreement would receive. b. For court and other non-detail work, the rate of pay that would be applicable under the current collective bargaining agreement for the rank and step that the special police officer retired at, if that officer was still an active police officer and subject to the appropriate collective bargaining agreement based on their rank. There shall be a three-hour minimum pay for all work up to three hours; thereafter, work shall be compensated in quarter-hour minimum increments. That all numbered sections following the above new section shall be renumbered so as to sequentially number all sections of Chapter 19. That all ordinances or parts thereof inconsistent are hereby repealed. This ordinance shall become effective immediately upon passage. Motion was made to pass to a third reading. So Voted. Ordinance for a first reading to be passed to a second reading AN ORDINANCE ARTICLE III. STOPPING, STANDING AND PARKING Sec 405-53. Prohibited parking places. Be it ordained by the Municipal Council of the City of Taunton as follows: That Section 405-53 of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Taunton, as amended, be and hereby are further amended by adding thereto the following: Turner Street, Both Sides of the Street from 13 Turner Street to 126 Turner Street. All ordinances or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon passage. Motion was made to pass to a second reading. So Voted. Ordinance for a first reading to be passed to a second reading AN ORDINANCE CHAPTER405 ARTICLE V. SIGNS, SIGNALS AND MARKINGS Section 405-94. Designation of stop intersections Be it ordained by the Municipal Council of the City of Taunton as follows:  16 That Section 405-94 of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Taunton be amended as follows: Insert the following two lines in the appropriate alphabetical order under the respective column headings as indicated: Stop Sign on Direction of Travel At Intersection of Fremont Street Southerly Tremont Street All ordinances or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon passage. Motion was made to pass to a second reading. So Voted. New Business: Councilor Borges requested to meet in the Committee on Public Property with the School Committee in executive session on January 16, 2024 as requested by School Committee Chairman Gregory DeMello, to discuss the best use of the former Coyle and Cassidy High School located at 2 Hamilton Street, Taunton. Motion was made to move approval and refer this matter to the Law Department to see if this warrants an executive session. On discussion, Councilor Duarte stated that this motion does not fall under any of the ten (10) reasons for executive session nor does he feel such an important issue to the community should be in executive session. He stated that the use of this building should be discussed in a public session, whether they have the ability to do it in executive session or not. He stated that this is being requested by the School Committee Chairman, with no actual motion from the School Committee. He stated that they have not had any meetings with the School Committee recently. He stated that if the School Committee would like to meet with the City Council, the appropriate course of action would be for them to make a motion at a public meeting requesting a meeting with the City Council and for that to come to the full Council to then be addressed through the agenda in a Council meeting. Councilor Coute stated that he agrees with Councilor Duarte. He stated that if the School Committee as a body has interest in meeting with the City Council, he would be happy to meet with them in a public session as he does not feel this qualifies as an executive session. Councilor Coute asked the City Solicitor if he feels this matter qualities for an executive session. Attorney Costa stated that this matter would not fall under any of the basis for an executive session. He stated that the decision regarding the use of a public building that is owned by the City would be a discussion in an open session. Councilor Coute stated that he will not be supporting this motion as the School Committee should take a vote on this and one individual should not operate alone. Councilor Pottier stated that Mr. DeMello expressed to him that he wishes to meet with the Council to discuss this important issue. He stated that he will support the request of his colleagues to receive a vote from the School Committee, not just the Chair, to meet on this important issue and looks forward to this discussion. He stated that he would like to have a meeting sooner rather than later to discuss the use of this facility for the citizens of Taunton. Councilor Borges withdrew her motion as the City Solicitor stated that this matter does not fall within the executive session guidelines and out of respect to her colleagues who feel that this matter should be a School Committee vote coming before the Council. Councilor Pottier withdrew his second of the motion. Councilor Borges stated that a problem she has with putting items on the agenda in advance is that the Administration and the Legal Department review these motions in New Business and  17 she feels that she should have been notified out of courtesy that this matter did not meet the guidelines for an executive session so that it was not placed in the agenda. Attorney Costa stated that he attends the meeting to provide legal advice to the Municipal Council and this item is on the agenda and he provided his legal advice. He stated that he was not contacted about this question and does not feel there is any basis to ask the Law Department to preemptively contact individual Councilors with legal advice regarding public business of the Municipal Council. He stated that he does not believe there is any courtesy that hasn't been extended to any Councilor. Councilor Coute stated that it is disappointing that he has to continue to defend his actions and his integrity due to one (1) Councilor continuing to question them. He stated that this matter is clearly on the agenda, he responded publicly and that one (1) Councilor has been disrespectful to him and other City employees. Councilor Borges stated that she respects the City Solicitor very much, however, there have been many occasions where she has received a phone call to reconsider placing an item on the agenda. She stated that if this did not meet the executive session guidelines, or if the Administration did not feel that this should be on the agenda, then she could have been notified. Attorney Costa stated that the agenda is published at noontime on Friday, therefore, there is no courtesy call that could be made to prevent this from being on the agenda. He stated that he does not understand the accusation that there was a courtesy that was not granted to a Councilor. Councilor Duarte stated that the Attorney General's Office has a very thorough explanatory guide on the open meeting law and includes an explanation of the ten (10) reasons for an executive session. Councilor Borges requested to refer to the Committee on Police and License for a discussion on the current Tow Contracts and invite the Police Chief and City Solicitor for the December 12, 2023 Committee meeting. Motion was made to move approval. On discussion, Councilor Coute asked Councilor Postell if this was already done. Councilor Postell stated that there have been discussions about the contract, however, if there are other questions by members of the Committee, then he will recognize their interest in carrying the conversation on. Councilor Borges stated that she has an email from the Police Chief indicating that they do need to revisit some of the tow contracts, therefore, she requests that the motion moves forward. Motion was made to move approval. So Voted. Councilor Borges motioned to refer to the Committee on the Department of Public Works regarding the DPW on-call contracts for a discussion and invite the Procurement Officer, the Commissioner of the DPW and the Chief Financial Officer. So Voted. Councilor Dooner voting in opposition. On discussion, Councilor Pottier inquired what the purpose of the DPW on-call contract is. Councilor Borges stated that it is in regards to anything that happens on the street that needs to be repaired as they call in other contractors. She clarified that it does not have to do with snow removal. List of Documents and Other Exhibits: • Agenda • Mayor's List of Upcoming Community Events-December 5, 2023 • Presentation from the Taunton Development Corporation- Packet of Annual Report • Presentation from 12 Porter Street Development LLC  18 Meeting adjourned at 9:14 P.M. A true copy: Attest: JLL/MAT  19 City of Taunton Municipal Council December 5, 202}-- Members Present: Councilor Estele Borges, Chairman Councilor Kelly Dooner Members Absent: Councilor Christopher Coute Also present: Paul Arikian, Director of Technology The meeting was called to order at 5:42 PM. 1. Approve minutes from November 14, 2023. Motion by Ms. Dooner and seconded by Ms. Borges to approve. So voted. 2. Meet with the Director of Technology to discuss the new initiatives in the IT department. Mr. Arikian acknowledged his team of Matt Bums and Steve McDonald. He gave a presentation highlighting the key updates from his department. He spoke about efforts towards cyber security which include regular phishing campaigns, antivirus software, secure email, network monitoring for suspicious activity, semi-annual cyber security audits, and end user training. Mr. Arikian detailed security cameras that have been deployed to multiple locations and noted that the police have access to these cameras. His department has also installed upgraded software and networks for water metering and he spoke about the forthcoming AMI (advanced metering) which will be able to detect a leak or continuous consumption. He spoke about the managed print program where printers have been consolidated under his department. Mr. Arikian highlighted the online permitting, "Permit Eyes" that was rolled out and noted that the next department to be added will be Conservation. He noted the "See Click Fix" program which now has 60 categories for people to make requests internally and externally to the City. Last year alone there were 12,000 requests. Mr. Arikian spoke about the time clocks and payroll upgrades that are being rolled out by January 1. Finally, he noted some projects that are coming soon including upgrades to GIS, Scada network, and WAN, and a new phone system at the wastewater treatment facility.  20 Mr. McCaul asked about the "See Click Fix" pro gram and asked if it has increased every year. Mr. Arikian indicated that with increased categories, there has been increased use. Mr. McCaul asked which categories get hit the most and Mr. Arikian indicated that pot holes and requests for street sweeping are the most common requests. Mr. Pottier asked if any of the cameras are publicly accessible and Mr. Arikian stated that they are not. Mr. Pottier asked for protocols that may be in place regarding access to those recordings and Mr. Arikian indicated that it is limited to who can log into the system and only 4-5 people have access. Mr. Postell echoed Mr. Pottier's point regarding protocols surrounding the retention of the recordings. He asked about new fobs and Mr. Arikian indicated that eventually the fobs will be phased out. Mr. Arikian noted that everything his department does is the result of an overall team effort. Motion by Ms. Dooner and seconded by Ms. Borges to make the presentation part of the record, dismiss Mr. Arikian, and put the presentation on the website. So voted. 3. Meet to discuss small cell coverage. Motion by Ms. Dooner and seconded by Ms. Borges to dismiss from the Committee. So voted. Motion by Ms. Dooner and seconded by Ms. Borges Dooner adjourn at 6:07 PM So voted. List ofDocuments and Other Exhibits Used: Presentation - IT Update CITY OF TAUNTON Respectfully submitted, DEC 05 2023 ~t~.L-- IN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL Maggie E. Clarke Clerk of Council Committees REPORTS ACCEPTED. RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED. ~fl/;£ "·7-- v:ITY/,t':LERK Committee on Economic Development and Technology December 5, 2023 Page 2 of2  21 City of Taunton Municipal Council I I >! c: z ·~ tj c:::i n-i . (""") CJ --1 -< c;;JJ r-G r-r10 -i December 5, 2023 -~ C) -.J ~l"TJ :::t;:!...:_: z -< c.,<)< n r 3: u Cl fTl The Committee on Solid Waste rri :::c ::x: > -.. C> -,,o ..,., (J rri U1 The meeting was held at Taunton City Hall, 15 Summer Street, Taunton, MA 02780 in the Chester R. Martin Municipal Council Chambers. Members Present: Councilor Estele Borges, Chairman Councilor David Pottier Councilor Kelly Dooner Councilor Jeffrey Postell Members Absent: Councilor Christopher Coute Also Present: Patrick Dello Russo, CFO Zachary Donahue, Veolia Tim Muirhead, Veolia John Marcin, Veolia, Kathryn Nunes, DPW Director of Capital Projects The meeting was called to order at 6:09 PM. I. Approve minutes from July 11, 2023. Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Mr. Postell to approve. So voted. Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Mr. Postell to go out of the regular order and move to #4. So voted. 4. Meet to review matters in the file: Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Mr. Postell to table items a-h. So voted. a. Discussion on the orange trash bags as the vendors seem to be out of the trash bags b. Discussion on the most recent Republic Contract c. Discussion on the increase of trash fees in light of the five year outlook d. Discussion on the composting RFP for yard and food waste e. Discussion on rolling trash bins f. Discussion on trash and recycling contracts and trash bag sales  22 g. Service Challenges with Curbside trash and recycling h. Special employee status for Board of Health hearing officer Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Mr. Postell to return to the normal order of business. So voted. 2. Meet with the CFO to discuss the Aries project. Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Ms. Dooner to invite in the CFO and interested parties. So voted. Mr. Della Russo stated that there are no external relationships with any vendor associated with the landfill and there is no update on any gasification project to speak of. There is no new information to discuss with the Committee. The Aries project is under MEP A review with DEP so there is nothing to report. Ms. Borges clarified that there is no contract with Aries and Mr. Della Russo stated that, as of right now, they are not under agreement and there is no physical document that has been signed. Motion by Mr. Postell and seconded by Mr. Pottier to keep this topic in file. So voted. 3. Meet to discuss anaerobic digestion with the CFO and a representative from Veolia. Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Mr. Postell to invite in the interested parties. So voted. Mr. Dello Russo began by stating that the priority of the City is to finish the DEP consent order at the wastewater treatment plant. While working on that, they are looking at options. In 2024 they expect to be looking to complete the wastewater treatment plant build out. They are looking at not just elimination of PFAS but also at cost reductions. Mr. Donahue explained that the conversation has picked up steam as the construction has progressed at the treatment plant. He indicated that this is a decent time to have conversations regarding bio-solids management such as anaerobic digestion. Mr. Donahue clarified that anaerobic digestion does not eliminate PFAS but yields a financial benefit by reducing the quantity ofbio-solids to be disposed. He noted that with the construction at the treatment plant, there may be some tanks and space that will be taken off line and some infrastructure could potentially be reused. Mr. Marcin stated that it is becoming increasingly challenging to dispose ofbio-solids due to regulations. The approach that many states are taking is volume reduction so they can be more easily transported to where it is acceptable to do land application. Technologies such as anaerobic digestion, pelletization, and drying come into play. One issue is transportation costs and new rules continue to drive up the costs for this. He also stated that anaerobic Committee on Solid Waste December 5, 2023 Page2of3  23 digestion yields volume reduction but there is no real data to indicate that this process destroys PFAS. Generally, PFAS are destroyed with incineration technologies and not biological processes. Mr. Muirhead stated that the goal is to stabilize the materials so there is a potential beneficial use. He noted that in Michigan, five original landfills are now down to zero. With good infrastructure, the process reduces mass and creates energy. Biogas production can be used for tank heating or thermal drying. Thermal drying is a process whereby the initial material is reduced. To eliminate PFAS, compounds are broken apart into something non-hazardous. Anaerobic processes may even concentrate PFAS. Mr. Dello Russo stated that any and all potential anaerobic projects will be submitted through the CIP likely next summer or next fall. Mr. Pottier noted that trucking out of state isn't globally environmentally friendly and doesn't help us as a society. Ms. Borges asked about Veolia's involvement with the Yarmouth project and Mr. Muirhead indicated that they had made a proposal there. Mr. Pottier asked if water is tested regularly for PFAS and Ms. Nunes confirmed. Mr. Marston indicated that it appears that Mass DEP standards will require that leachate at these sites meet drinking water standards. Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded Ms. Dooner to excuse the parties with thanks. So voted. Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Ms. Dooner to adjourn the meeting at 6:34 PM So voted. CITY OF TAUNTON Respectfully submitted, DEC O'.·~ 2023 )~f.~ IN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL Maggie E. Clarke Clerk of Council Committees RE ORTS ACCEPTED. RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED. ERK~ Committee on Solid Waste December 5, 2023 Page3 o/3  24 I ~ ("") City of Taunton t:::1 Municipal Council I :;:;: -! -< { c:: ...., 0 n:::D December 5, 2023 z c-') rrr1 ~n L) --1 -; 0 _,; xrq :z: -< u)< The Committee on Finance and Salaries " :r U ofrl ·~ :::0 :t> - .,,-.-,o () The meeting was held at Taunton City Hall, 15 Summer Street, Taunton, MA::X-02780 in~ rn Chester R. Martin Municipal Council Chambers. Members Present: Councilor Phillip Duarte, Chairman Councilor David Pottier Councilor John McCaul Also Present: Patrick Dello Russo, CFO Christine Clymens, Treasurer/Collector The meeting was called to order at 6:39 PM. I. Approve the minutes from November 28, 2023 Motion by Mr. McCaul and seconded by Mr. Pottier to approve. So voted. 2. Meet to review the weekly vouchers and payroll for City departments. Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Mr. McCaul to approve the payroll warrant in the amount of $1, 686, 476. 73. So voted. Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Mr. McCaul to approve the accounts payable warrant in the amount o/$7,888,055. 72. So voted. 3. Meet with the CFO to discuss the request to establish a "Municipal Building or Property Rental Fund" revolving fund. Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Mr. McCaul to invite in the interested parties. So voted. Mr. Duarte read a letter from Mr. Dello Russo and made it part of the record. Mr. Dello Russo explained that this would allow funds received from BCC and any other lease at 2 Hamilton to be deposited into this fund to then be applied to the costs of maintenance, upgrades, and personnel as appropriate.  25 Motion by Mr. McCaul and seconded by Mr. Pottier to approve the request to establish the revolvingfund So voted. 4. Meet with the Finance Department to discuss the request for Bonding for the TMLP in the amount of $12,000,000. Mr. Dello Russo reported that he, TMLP, and Ms. Clymens have been in discussions for several months. Ms. Clymens indicated that they are planning to do a 20 year term on the bond with level debt service payments. She will be going for an extended coupon on this bond and there will be no funding this year. · ( Mr. Duarte read the cover letter from Mr. Robert Frank explaining that this is for a new sub- station and made the packet part of the record. Mr. Dello Russo explained that this would allow for the pooling of resources when combned with the loan order for the public safety building. Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Mr. McCaul to proceed with a.first reading tonight. So voted. Motion by Mr. Pottier and seconded by Mr. McCaul to excuse the parties and adjourn at 6:51 P.M So voted. List ofDocuments and Other Exhibits Used: The Committee on Finance and Salaries Meeting Minutes from 11/28/23 Payroll Warrant #89 Bill Invoice Warrant #88 List of items over $100,000 Letter from Patrick Dello Russo dated 11/21/23 Letter from Christine Clymens dated 11/17/23 Letter from Robert Frank dated 10/19/23 CITY OF TAUNTON Respectfully submitted, IN MUNICIPAL COUNCIL ~r-~ Maggie E. Clarke Clerk of Council Committees S ACCEPTED. RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED. Committee on Finance and Salaries ;(~NA. December 5, 2023 Page2 of2 1· E~7-