[Dello Russo]: Council will come to order. Sir, would you please step outside of the rail? Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Clerk]: Councilor Caraviello?
[Caraviello]: Present.
[Clerk]: Councilor Falco?
[Falco]: Present.
[Clerk]: Councilor Knight?
[Knight]: Present.
[Clerk]: Vice-President Lungo-Koehn?
[Lungo-Koehn]: Present.
[Clerk]: Councilor Marks?
[Marks]: Present.
[Clerk]: Councilor Scarpelli?
[Scarpelli]: Present.
[Clerk]: President Dello Russo?
[Dello Russo]: Present. With seven members present and none absent, please rise and join us in saluting the flag. Aye. Mr. Messenger, would you please secure the area inside the precincts here, please? Chair recognizes Councilor Knight for suspension of the rules to take the applicants for board members on the motion of Councilor Knight for suspension of the rules. All those in favor? All those opposed? Motion passes. Communications from the Mayor, 16-384. To the Honorable President and members of the Medford City Council, dear President and Councilors, I respectfully request and recommend that your Honorable body confirm the appointment of Mr. Dean Bruno of 41 Saunders Street Method as a member of the License Commission. This position became vacant with the resignation of Mr. Maurice Del Vendo. Mr. Bruno's resume is attached and he plans to be present tonight at your meeting, Councilor Knight.
[Knight]: Mr. President, thank you very much. It's with great pleasure that I'm here this evening to endorse Dean Bruno and his candidacy. I've known the Brunos for a number of years. They're a long time Medford family, grew up in West Medford and Dean now resides up in the Heights. He has over a 20 year career in law enforcement and prior to that he had worked in government for about five years, Mr. President. So I have absolutely no problem with this appointment and I would move for approval.
[Dello Russo]: On the motion approved by Councilor Knight, seconded by Councilor Falco. On the motion for approval, all those in favor? All those opposed? Motion carries. 16- Congratulations. We're very glad to have you serving your community. On the 16-385, to the Honorable President and members of the Medford City Council, to Mr. President and councilors, I respectfully request and recommend that your Honorable body confirm the appointment of Mr. Nabin Sapkota of 53 Earl Street, Earl Ave, Medford, as Commissioner of Trust Funds, this position became vacant with the passing of Juan Ramirez. Is Mr. Stepcorder here, please? You are welcome. Chair recognizes Councilor Knight.
[Knight]: Mr. President, although I don't know the gentleman personally, I have reviewed his resume and it's rather impressive, and I'd ask that the committee move for approval.
[Dello Russo]: On the motion for approval, Councilor Knight. Second? Second, Mr. President. By Councilor Caraviello on that motion. All those in favor? All those opposed? Motion carries. Congratulations and welcome. We're glad to have you. Thank you. On the motion of Councilor Knight to take from unfinished business number 15-734, loan order addition to the DPW facility project fund of $300,000. This motion began its journey with us on November 10th in 2015 after being tabled and referred to committee a number of times. It finally passed its first reading this past March, second reading on March 31st, and now is eligible for a third and final reading on today, April 12th. So the chair recognizes Councilor Knight.
[Knight]: Mr. President, yes, thank you very much. As noted, this matter has been before the council a couple of occasions prior. It's relative to some surveying problems that were had with the Winthrop Street drainage project. It's my understanding that There is litigation subrogation that's in place relatively. Am I looking at the right one? No, I'm not looking at the right one. 15-734.
[Dello Russo]: This is the DPW facility.
[Knight]: This is the DPW facility.
[Dello Russo]: We just had to tie the up. There was an underestimate on some.
[Knight]: It was underestimated. It was underestimated on the mitigation for the pollution underground, Mr. President. Yes, yes. And we've passed a couple of readings on this. And I would move for approval on the third reading. It has to get paid one way or the other, Mr. President. Very good.
[Dello Russo]: So a motion for approval by Councilor Knight. Seconded by Councilor Falco. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Marks]: Councilor Marks. Thank you, Mr. President. This is the issue that I've had concern with for a number of months now regarding the original estimate that the city hired an outside consultant to come in and give us an estimate on the contaminants at the DPW yard. The estimate was off by, I believe it was 500,000. The estimate was off by 500,000, Mr. President. And I know we had many discussions with Louise.
[Dello Russo]: We have before us Ms. Louise Miller, the Director of Budget and Finance, who can answer any of our questions. She's answered many of them.
[Marks]: She's answered them all. I am in opposition of this paper.
[Dello Russo]: And I want to explain why, for the viewing audience, Mr. President, that I feel... If it's too comcastic tonight, it will be viewable. That's great.
[Marks]: And I want to explain my position, why I'm opposed to this, for the fact that... The city went out and hired a consultant to come in and provide the city with facts and figures on what it would cost to remove the contaminants at the DPW yard. And to be off by $500,000 on a project that was originally estimated at, what was the amount?
[Miller]: It was just about $500,000.
[Marks]: It was about $500,000. So they were off by $500,000. So the project ended up costing us A million dollars, Mr. President. And I'm not sure, would we pay this outside consultant?
[Miller]: It was around $150,000. I don't have the exact figure.
[Marks]: So we paid $150,000 to an outside consultant to ask or to let us know what it was going to cost to remove the contaminants. They said $500,000. We started the project, it was closer to $1 million. So we lost $500,000 on that and we paid $150,000 for a consultant that gave us bogus information. So it's actually $650,000 in net, which I have a real problem with that. And I realize that the remedial treatment of what was under there may have differed based on what they found and so forth. I have a tough time thinking. It's almost like being a meteorologist. You could be right 50% of the time, and you're doing a good job. And I don't understand why we'd pay a consultant to come in over $100,000 and be off by 100%. It just doesn't sound right to me, Mr. President. And for those particular reasons, I cannot support this particular funding for the cleanup, Mr. President.
[Dello Russo]: Thank you, Councilor Marks, for your frankness. So we have a motion for a pull by Councilor Knight, as seconded by Councilor Caraviello. So on that motion, Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Clerk]: Councilor Caraviello?
[Caraviello]: Yes.
[Clerk]: Councilor Falco?
[Falco]: Yes.
[Clerk]: Councilor Knight?
[Knight]: Yes.
[Clerk]: Vice President Lungo-Koehn?
[Lungo-Koehn]: Yes
[Clerk]: Councilor Marks?
[Marks]: No.
[Clerk]: Councilor Scarpelli?
[Scarpelli]: Yes
[Clerk]: President Dello Russo?
[Dello Russo]: Yes, with a six in the affirmative, one in the negative, the motion passes. Congratulations. Thank you.
[Miller]: Thank you, Mr. President.
[Dello Russo]: Loan order passes.
[Miller]: Thank you, Councilors.
[Dello Russo]: Thank you, Ms. Miller. On the motion of Councilor Knight to take up item number 16-309. Again, an item eligible for third reading, amended ordinance on outdoor dining. After much consideration, we took this up at tonight. It is eligible for its third and final reading tonight, April 12th. So on the motion for approval by Councilor Knight. Councilor Knight.
[Knight]: Yes, Mr. President, it's my understanding that this is just a simple clarification of the existing outdoor dining license ordinance that's in place. There was some misinterpretation of the legislative intent that's been addressed through the language in this newly crafted zoning ordinance, and I move for approval.
[Dello Russo]: On the motion for approval, Councilor Marks.
[Marks]: I just wanted to thank the subcommittee that was sent to Councilor Knight and under his leadership on that subcommittee. They vetted this even further, the paper that we received from the administration. And I wanted to thank that subcommittee for their due diligence on this.
[Dello Russo]: Thank you, Councilor.
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