AI-generated transcript of Medford, MA City Council - Jan. 31, 2017 (Unofficially provided by MT)

[Richard Caraviello]: Can you come in and congratulate him?

[Clerk]: Give him a citation. Give him a citation.

[Richard Caraviello]: Josh, I'm going to recommend that you come in for a citation. Bedford City Council, fifth regular meeting. Bedford Mass.

[Clerk]: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[Richard Caraviello]: for all. Hearings, 17-043, Grants of Location, FMS. You are hereby notified by order of the City Council, a public hearing will be given at Alden Memorial Chambers, 85 George B. Hesler Drive, City Hall, Medford, at seven o'clock on Tuesday, January 31st, on a petition of national grade gas for permission to construct a location of mains for the transmission and distribution of gas under the public streets, lanes, and highways in places of the city of Medford and off the pipes, valves, and governors, manholes, and other structures, fixtures, and appurtenances designed or intended to protect or operate said mains and accomplish the objects of said company and the digging up and opening of the ground to lay our place the same. Set underground, located substantially in accordance with the plan filed herewith marked 11120680. The following are the streets and highways referred to. Sales reinforcement, the installation of 950 feet of eight-inch PL25 seat, PSIG Main in Boston Avenue, starting from the 12-inch CI 25 PSIG Main in Warner Street and extending 950 feet to 640 Boston Avenue. The relay of 100 feet of 6-inch CI LP 1917 Gas Main in Boston Avenue from 640 Boston Avenue to Broadway with 100 feet of 4-inch PL25 PSIG main in the relay of a hundred feet of six inch BSCILP 1912 22 inch 69 gas main at the intersection of Harvard Street in Walnut Street with a hundred feet of six inch PLLP main approved by the city engineer based on review. No city-owned or private utilities or other structures are adversely impacted. National Grid shall ensure that all sewer water and drain lines are marked prior to any evacuation. National Grid will provide payment to the city in lieu of final trench paving. as built shall be provided. The contractor shall utilize City of Medford regulations and standards for restoration as well as remove all debris related to the work. Before beginning the work, the contractor shall notify DIGSAFE and shall obtain the applicable permits from the engineering division. The contractor shall utilize City of Medford regulations and standards for restoration as well as remove All debris is related to this work. Call 781-393-2425 for any accommodations. Plans can be reviewed at the city clerk's office. This is a public hearing. Do we have anyone from National Grid here?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Name and address of the record, please. Matthew Carmody, construct supervisor, 170.

[Richard Caraviello]: And you're here and speaking in favor of this project?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Yes, sir, from National Grid. Thank you. 170 Medford Street, Malden.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. Is there anyone else here speaking in favor of this project?

[SPEAKER_17]: Hi, my name is Alex Garcia-Mendoza. I'm the project manager for 640 Ball Square.

[Richard Caraviello]: And you're speaking in favor of this project? Yes, sir. All right. Anybody else? Hearing and seeing none. This part of the hearing is closed. Is there anyone here that is not in favor of this? Hearing and seeing none, that portion of the hearing is closed. National Grid.

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: As you previously stated, this is a reinforcement for a new building going at 640, and we are on Boston Ave. We actually made considerations and it came to agreement to actually abandon our low-pressure main, so only one of our mains on that section will be abandoned and relayed with the new high-pressure. All services will be transferred over to the high-pressure main. So that will make sure that there's not multiple or congested area within that section. Um, the low pressure main certainly can not handle the load that is required for this new establishment and certainly for that area with what is required. Um, we've reviewed the plans with engineering, which they have certainly have approved to make sure that this will accommodate all parties and every, all as bills will be submitted to the, uh, city once we're done. Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Councilor Scarpelli. If I can, Do you have the papers? How do you find them?

[George Scarpelli]: I find them all in order. If I do have a few questions, Mr. President. Just real quick. Is there any work being done down Warren Street? Is it just down Boston Ave?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Just the intersection of kind of Warren and Harvard, which would be the intersection and just the abandonment of that low pressure intersection. But the tying itself will come off of Harvard down.

[George Scarpelli]: OK, it looks like you've contact all the abutters and I appreciate that. And that looks great. Um, again, I know it's just, the only thing that looks different to me is that, um, that the city will provide instead of paving that, um, we'd be compensated painfully quick.

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: This is a pre-pave. You guys did water work going down that Boston area. Um, that'd be something that we can also certainly discuss at future time to the engineering, but this is also making sure there's no leaks or any future issues. Uh, their road you already paved. Excellent. Okay. I find everything in order, Mr. President.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Councilor Dello Russo. Uh, Mr. President, if I can, through the chair, to the representative of National Grid. Sir, so this is a new pipe, a new main that is being put in that's a high pressure one. And then if I understand this correct, and the citizens understand this correct, that any other pipes that are carrying gas in there are being removed?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Yes, sir. Any elite prone pipe or any, uh, existing piping will be replaced with new, uh, plastic material to ensure safety to community and reliability to our residents.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you. Uh, Mr. President, uh, I move approval on this and, uh, with the conditions that in the process of construction, uh, particular retention, uh, is paid. to public safety matters and deference to the operation of St. Clement's schools, and also whatever religious exercises are being conducted within St. Clement's Church, and that none of those operations be impeded or distracted during this time, and also to the adjacent businesses. Due to the large amount of work that was done in preparation for the extension of the Green Line in that area over the past two years, people have suffered tremendously. There were also three major construction projects undertaken by a local university in that area, and they created some disturbance and distress, as any project does, to the neighbors in that area. So we want to be particularly sensitive to the long period of duress that these people have existed under. Thank you, Councilor Dela Rousseau. Councilor Langlois-Grant.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, President Caraviello. Could you let us know when you're going to start the work, when it's going to be done during the day or at night, and how long it's going to take?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Um, we are currently waiting the MWRA permit, which we're hoping to receive in about a week to two weeks. Um, once that is done, I'll meet with the engineering department to confirm when work can begin. Um, I do know the, the building itself right now cannot withstand the heat that they're required to on the temporary line and low pressure. So we'd certainly like to start as soon as possible. I'd say it's about a month, a month and a half week project. Um, just to not underestimate the duration of work. Um, In regards to the time restraints of when work can start and with John, that would also be something that would be coordinated with the city. I do want to let you know that every letter does get my cell phone number and also our city councilman's number. So if there's any issues, something that needs to be coordinated, a special date or something with the school or also the church, they can call me directly and we do coordinate with the crews and make sure there's no issues going forward.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And in that area, will there be any disturbances with regards to homes and blocking people's driveways? Or how far is it going to extend?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: There's an issue, say, for that day. We do have to cross people's driveways, obviously, do trench and cross. My foreman on site does put the no parking signs, does leave a letter to let them know. And we can certainly plate the need to get out. But we do let them know the day before. We will be starting at this time. If you can move your cars prior so that we would have no issues.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And how are the residents told the day before, just by a letter on their door?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: We usually give a two-day notice, but we also do put no parking signs, along with they do try to knock on the door, notify residents, so forth. If we also can't get in touch with them, I do call them directly.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. I echo Councilor Dello Russo's sentiments. They've been doing work, whether it be water work or construction in that area, several months now and I've received complaints in the past with regards to people's driveways being blocked. So I just would ask that you do give that two day notice so people are aware and they can make other arrangements and not be inconvenienced.

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Certainly. We'll do so. Thank you.

[Adam Knight]: Councilor Knight. Mr. President, thank you very much. Um, as previously noted, the similar matter was before the council, um, relative to electric lines, uh, several months back. And this council actually tabled that matter. based on concerns that we've had with National Grid and their ability to repair our roads into the proper fashion and as well as to repair private property in proper fashion. Mr. Camardi and I have had some dealings in the past relative to the trench work that was done on Doonan Street, and my level of satisfaction was limited in terms of the response that I got from National Grid and the steps that I needed to go through in order to get the private property that was damaged during that trench work repaired, and I'd hate to see the situation happen again. I'd ask Mr. Camardi if national grids actually performing the work, if they have a contractor performing the work, or if the work is gonna be performed through the developer's contractor?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: It'll be a contractor performing the work. In regards to the industry, we did do a ground inlay for curb line to center line, and also the respectful homes that you're speaking of, we do have preliminary foot by videos and photographs taken along with post videos and photographs taken along with that. It was also reviewed with the engineering department, construction department in the city of Medford.

[Adam Knight]: I'd agree that that is the fact. Uh, however, I'd also agree that it took two and a half years to get the private property that was damaged fixed. Mr. President, that's a concern of mine. Um, in regards to this project, um, we've approved similar matters in the past. Um, I'm glad to see that a national grid is going to be, uh, in lieu of doing the final trench paving, um, handing the money over to the city so that the city can ensure a curb to curb, uh, pave when this construction project's done, Mr. President. So, um, as such, I rest my case and I move for approval.

[John Falco]: Thank you. Councilor Falco. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, But I have questions about the, uh, the actual group will provide payment to the city in lieu of taxes in lieu of a final trench paving. Um, how do you come up with the amount that is being paid to the city?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: It's really, it depends on every project, sir. Um, for this one in general, it's something that we'd have to discussed, um, pre, you know, prior to construction myself in the city of engineering, the engineering department for the city. Um, normally we'll do it for a prepaid project or something in regards to, and set us in lieu of doing our final restoration. We come to agreement for the certain amount, but that's something that has to come with my manager and not myself. So I'd have to meet with the city engineering department, um, for that amount and how the numbers comes about.

[John Falco]: And so you have not met with the city with regard to this yet?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: We want to first go through the grain and location, get them debris permit prior to anything with any agreements for that.

[John Falco]: So if we can find out from the city engineer, if they're going to be requesting curb to curb paving, because I would think that that amount is going to be.

[Adam Knight]: One of the information council and I, um, I do believe that the project is going to be curb to curb. I do believe that some linkage funds were, um, appropriated, uh, relative to some water main, uh, replacements. And this is all part of that.

[John Falco]: Thank you. If we could get, but if you could get official word back from a city engineer that it is actual curb to curb and sits, um, sits, uh, you're providing payment in lieu of final trench paving. If, uh, if say for a year from now, the paving sinks. So sometimes it sinks, you know, over, over time. Are we responsible for that?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Currently city's doing full depth reconstruction on the city and it's Boston app. That's why we, Certainly it would be on. It's on the city. Do the final paving. We do restore any trenches during that duration before you guys do your work, but that's for this. Why this is a different circumstance of us having to give Lou a paving because of the city's paving prior to this 30 planning on this. So that's why we're trying to do our work prior to your guys work. So it's not a week later that we're digging it up, digging up a leak. If there's any situations later, sir.

[John Falco]: Okay. Thank you for the clarification. Thanks. Councilor Scott Belli.

[George Scarpelli]: If I can, I know we had one resident that just had a couple of questions. Um, uh, he came in a little late that just, just, uh, he wanted to ask the gas company a couple of questions. So if you can, um, Mr. Richard, if you can.

[Richard Caraviello]: Name and address of the record, please.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_07]: Ron Richard, 603 Boston Ave. I just have a couple of questions for, Is it N-Star or National Grid? National Grid. Okay. Is it your people that are going to be doing the work?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Our contractors.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_07]: So it's sub-del?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Yes, but I'll be on site every day, sir.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_07]: There'll be someone on site every day. And I see the street already has the mock-outs out in the street. So you're going on the even side of the street?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Same side as our main is currently, sir.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_07]: I believe that's the even side, because just before Thanksgiving, they had the whole street dug up to replace water mains for this project. And you've got half the street, it's got a channel all the way up the side now. Now you're going to have another channel on the other side of the street. At least the city sent us a paper and said that they're going to repave in the spring. Now, you know, I'd just like to know is this going to be it on the street or a couple of months down the road is some other utility going to come in and say they want to come up and dig now, which you get some nice street that's done and repaved over again and then all of a sudden you see another pothole because someone comes out and digs, you know. If we could get everyone on the same page to get there and do all the work because it's going to be an inconvenience for us. for one thing, because just that little four-week, three-week project we had for the little water main, you know, that was really a headache for all of us. In the same regard, once you're ready to tie into the houses, how much notice are the residents going to have to get into the houses? Yeah, people are going to have to get in, correct?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Yes, sir. Our contractor foreman on site will set up an appointment that works for both parties, obviously the resident and also the crew on site. What they'll do is give you about 48 hours, 72 hour notice, looking when they're trying to perform the work. If it has to be a week later, that's certainly acceptable. What he'll do is he'll leave a letter on your door, say you're at work, with his number, cell phone number. You call him, he'll schedule an appointment with yourself for the work to be performed.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_07]: Can it be turned on, the service be activated with the new system from house to house? Yes. So it should not really affect the house digging towards the house at all.

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: There'll be about a three to four hour delay. So a contractor will form the piping work to your home. Yeah. Then a national group representative will do the piping work inside and the relay to your appliances. Okay. So normally during that time is a three to four hour delay.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_07]: And that'll mostly be a daytime operation, right? As far as would you extend till cause people work. And you know, if they're not going to have a gas service for their heat, hot water and cooking, you know, that's, that's going to be a hardship for some people if they don't get home from work till like five, five 30 or something like that.

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Depends on the circumstances, sir. We account, you know, we understand that people work during the day and we always make it work.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_07]: Okay. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Richard.

[Richard Caraviello]: Councilor Marks.

[Michael Marks]: Uh, thank you, Mr. President. And I think Mr. Richards raises a great point about a coordination of efforts, uh, because far too often he's correct. You see a project go on, uh, they repave the street and within, uh, a few months period of time, they're re-digging the street for another utility, which to me doesn't make any sense. My question is, when will a bulk of this construction work take place? Is it during the day? Will you be doing any digging at night? Can you explain the construction period?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: We plan to do all work during the day. There might be the intersection of Boston or Harvard. They might want the tying performed during the evening, but that's something that's coordinated during a pre-construction walk with the city. With the way it looks for construction, we keep the lane open, so there shouldn't be a traffic issue. Might be delayed permanent restriction time to make sure that the commuters can get through. And then we'll start work, but there shouldn't be any too much night work that will be done before this job.

[Michael Marks]: So, so one of the lanes will be closed down during, during this construction.

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: We would have to meet with the, uh, the captain and everyone for the, and the engineering department to confirm the traffic management plan at the start of work with my foreman on site.

[Michael Marks]: Okay. Um, when, when you do get confirmation of that, can you pass that on to this council?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: We certainly will go in the letter that sent out to all the butters for the startup work and also the council itself.

[Michael Marks]: Okay. And also, uh, we had a project, uh, I think it was a few years back, uh, something very similar to this. And, uh, lo and behold, uh, a lot of residents had concerns after hours, you know, seven, eight, nine o'clock at night of the smell of gas and so forth. Things that may be typical for this type of work, but we're concerning, uh, will you have someone that's on call that, uh, can be at the site, uh, to address issues of concern, uh, even after hours?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: I've had multiple residents call me at 9, 10 o'clock, sir, for multiple projects, and I always pick up my cell phone and respond to those calls. A lot of times, it's just because we are replacing the leak-prone pipe that has multiple leaks on there. That's the reason why we're replacing it. And once you start to excavate, the smell or odor of gas does come up in the atmosphere.

[Michael Marks]: Right. So your number is available. You name a number to the residents in the area?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Unfortunately, yes, sir.

[Michael Marks]: OK. Thank you.

[Adam Knight]: Mr. Carmody, in no way are you saying that people that smell gas should call you. I think you're saying they should call the fire department, but if there are construction related issues that they should give you a call, correct?

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: I get calls for multiple incidences. It's maybe the smell of gas. It could be the, you know, the relay guy got there a bit late. You know, they had to clear, they had to insert a new pipeline through. There might be a bit of residual gas inside a home. It could be I smell gas on the street. It also could be the so forth. There is a number that I always give for emergency hotline for them to call immediately first, because it has to come from them. But I understand each home, the work that was performed each day and the situation that is at hand.

[Adam Knight]: I just hate to have individuals in the community calling the project construction coordinator, if they do smell gas in the street and there is actually a gas leak, I think that that would have to go to our first responders as well, Mr. President.

[Richard Caraviello]: Move approval. On the motion by Councilors, Chairman Scarpelli. Motion to move forward. Second? Second. Second by Councilor Falco. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? None. Motion granted.

[-8Uy-JvGvpg_SPEAKER_22]: Thank you, John. Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: 16-044, location of poles, attachment of fixtures, and underground conduits at the Massachusetts City Clerk Office. You are hereby notified by order of the Medford City Council, a public hearing will be given at the Howard F. Alden Memorial Auditorium, 85 George P. Hassett Drive, City Hall, Medford, Massachusetts, 7 p.m. On Tuesday, January 31st, 2017, on a petition by National Grid of North Andover, Madison, Verizon, New England, for permission to locate poles, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures along and across the following public way. Lambert Street. National Grid to install a one J.O. Guy stud pole and anchor opposite in a northerly direction from the existing J.O. pole 2482 to be called pole 2482-84 in the sidewalk at the intersection of Lambert Street near House 24 and Sheridan Avenue. Where is it? Wherefore it prays that after due notice and hearing as provided by law, It be permission to excavate the public highways and run and maintain underground electric conduits together with with such.

[Michael Marks]: Wave the wreath.

[Richard Caraviello]: brief synopsis here is they are putting up some new poles there. Uh, no city owned public utilities, uh, should be, uh, should be, uh, uh, severely impacted in the national grid in Verizon will, uh, maintain all the city's standards and regulations. Uh, councilor Scarpelli, chairman Scarpelli.

[George Scarpelli]: Thank you, Mr. President. I see that, uh, Both, uh, organizations done, um, all the work that's needed. Uh, all the departments have been approved and, uh, I move forward to, uh, to move in place.

[Richard Caraviello]: All those in favor of this project.

[SPEAKER_22]: Name and address of the record, please. Tim Leifert, National Grid Electric, 170 Medford Street, Malden, Massachusetts. and you are in favor of this project? Yes, sir. Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Anybody in opposed, opposed this project? Hearing and seeing none. Are you opposed?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_17]: I'm not sure if I'm opposed. I want to fully understand what's going to happen around my property because if I'm going to be inconvenienced to have to like.

[Richard Caraviello]: Okay. So, well, this is, this is the public hearing part.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_17]: Okay. My first time.

[Richard Caraviello]: So you're opposed to the project?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_17]: For now, until I learn a little bit more.

[Richard Caraviello]: Name and address of the record, please.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_17]: Kara Tucker, 18 Lambert Street, Medford, Mass. So I just found out that this was happening and I'm kind of concerned like where these poles and the construction work is gonna happen, because I reside right at this intersection, so the time of day.

[Richard Caraviello]: Okay, you can come, we'll get, you can come back after.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_17]: Okay.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. We close that portion of the hearing. Councilor Scarpelli. Chairman Scarpelli, do you have a recommendation there?

[George Scarpelli]: Yeah, no, I think if we can hear from the residents, I think that'd be the most important piece right now. Okay. Ms.

[Richard Caraviello]: Tucker, if you wanna- Ma'am, would you like to come back and voice your opinion now?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_17]: Yeah, so my opinion is trying to understand, I guess, where the polls are going and the time of day that this is gonna happen. So is my whole street gonna be shut down?

[Richard Caraviello]: Excuse me, did you answer the young lady?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: So as previously stated, um, we are going to be national grid electric. That is, it's going to be setting one new, um, wood pole and anchor, um, adjacent to the curb in the sidewalk on, um, I believe it's actually technically Sheridan street, but at the intersection of Sheridan and Lambert, um, The pole itself is going to be replacing an existing tree fixture that we currently have in place that is a support for an existing pole across the street. As far as how it may impact the neighborhood, I don't believe traffic will be shut down completely. I do believe this type of construction will allow for a lane of traffic to remain open while the construction is being done. Pedestrian traffic in that area of the sidewalk, I believe, will be temporarily closed due to public safety while the pole is being installed. But I don't anticipate construction of this type to take more than an hour or two, something along those lines. Pedestrian traffic will have to be rerouted to the other side of the street during that time. As far as your particular address, 18, I don't anticipate there being much impact to that particular address. The pole itself I believe is going to be adjacent to 24.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_17]: But are you running wires from this pole? Are you running wires from this pole that are going to go diagonal this way? Because there's a, there's a telephone pole right here at the corner of my driveway of 18. So I possibly will be impacted depending on, you know, we park in that vicinity and everything. So getting in and out of.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: Certainly. So there, there won't be a wire installed directly in that direction. The wire is going to be installed from, um, the existing pole, which is directly adjacent to number 21 and it will be installed to the new pole location. Um, and this wire will be higher than, um, telephone wires, communication wires, it will be well above, uh, that, that minimum height.

[Unidentified]: Okay.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: And it will not answer your question. It will not be on that side of the street.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_17]: All right.

[George Scarpelli]: Are you happy?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_17]: Yeah.

[George Scarpelli]: Thank you. Okay. Uh, again, so just so it won't affect any, uh, visual site. It's not in the corner if people take in. So that's not, that won't, that that's not going to affect it, correct?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: I don't believe so. No, it won't affect visual sites and it won't affect any type of large commercial traffic that may be going down that street. Okay. Nothing of that sort. No. All right. Thank you. Councilor.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. President Caraviello. You said the work in total is only going to take about one to two hours.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: Installations of this type generally can be completed without any problem within that time frame, yes.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And that's going to be done during the day?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: Yes, I believe it's planned to be done on a regular work day. Do we know when that's scheduled for yet? I don't have that particular time. If that is requested by the council, I can certainly forward that information along when it's available to me.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And the reasoning for putting the pole in, is there a safety issue with the existing, what is it, tree pole you said?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: I believe it was actually a request put in by the city to have the tree guy removed along with a number of other tree locations that we had fixtures into.

[Richard Caraviello]: Okay.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Yep.

[Michael Marks]: Vice President Mox. So is it my understanding that we're not replacing an existing pole? We're just moving a guide to a pole?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: That is correct. Yeah. It's, it will be an entirely new pole installation and will not create a double pole situation.

[Michael Marks]: So it's not replacing a pole then?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: No, sir.

[Michael Marks]: Okay. So it's definitely not creating a double pole.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: Correct.

[Michael Marks]: Okay. And, uh, what utilities do expect to be on this pole?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: It will just be National Grid, most likely. It came in on the petition as a joint-owned pole location because Verizon has not officially refused the pole location. But most likely it will only be National Grid, Guy Wire, on the new pole.

[Michael Marks]: So you don't expect any other utilities other than National Grid?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: We don't anticipate any other utilities, no.

[Michael Marks]: Okay, thank you.

[Adam Knight]: Councilor Nice. Mr. President, thank you very much. As we look through our packet and we see the petition here, um, the petitioner is also seeking permission to lay and maintain underground laterals, cables and wires in the above or intersecting public ways for the purpose of making connections with such poles and buildings as each of said petitioners may desire for distributing purposes. Is there any plan whatsoever to do underground work with relation to this project?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: Not in relation to this project or this specific location. No.

[Adam Knight]: So I would question, Mr. President, if that language is necessary and if that's something we need to approve. I don't think anybody has a problem giving them the poll to hide there.

[Richard Caraviello]: I think it may be just standard language. It's just standard language.

[Adam Knight]: Is it? Because with the approval of it, we're also granting them the permission to lay and maintain underground cables.

[Richard Caraviello]: That's the standard.

[Clerk]: The plan that's before us, which is just OH guy, why a location?

[Adam Knight]: If that is the case, Mr. President, I move approval.

[Richard Caraviello]: Mr. Chairman, do you find everything in order? I find everything in order. I motion for approval. Thank you. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed, none. Hearing none. Motion passes. Thank you. One more. 17-045. Location of poles, attachments, fixtures, and underground conduits. You are hereby notified by order of the Medford City Council, a public hearing will be given at Halden Memorial Auditorium, 85 George Street, George Behasa Drive, City Hall, Medford, on seven o'clock on Tuesday, January 31st, on a petition by National Grid of North Andover Mass with permission to locate poles, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures along and across the following public way. Rivers Edge Drive, National Grid to install 60 feet of one, one dash three PVC conduit from MHA six to one in the street at river's edge driving cabin road in a north easterly direction to customers hand holds number six to one dash one in the sidewalk at 10 cabinet road and rivers edge drive to feed a traffic signal. Wherefore, it prays that motion by Councilor Marks to waive the reading. What they're putting in, it looks like a light fixture there. It's been approved by all the necessary departments. Councilor Scarpelli.

[George Scarpelli]: Thank you, Mr. President. We find all the paperwork in order right now and it doesn't look like this is a new project and No one will be impacted, no business or private resident will be impacted with this project, so we move forward.

[Richard Caraviello]: All those in favor of this?

[SPEAKER_22]: No. Anyone speaking in favor of this? Again, Tim Leifert, National Good Electric, 170 Medford Street, Malden.

[Richard Caraviello]: That motion of the hearing is closed. Anyone opposed to this? Hearing and seeing none, that portion is closed. Councilor Scarpelli.

[George Scarpelli]: Again, I find that every department is signed off and approved. And again, this project is on the new Rivers Edge project and does not impact residents or any businesses. So I move forward to approval.

[Richard Caraviello]: Second? Second? Second by Councilor Dello Russo.

[Michael Marks]: Councilor, uh, vice president marks. If, if the gentlemen, I wouldn't mind just giving us a brief synopsis on the work that's going to take place, the length and time of the work and so forth.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: Certainly. As previously stated, national good is petitioning for approximately 60 feet of one three inch, uh, PVC electric conduit from existing manhole six 21, towards the property of 10 Cabot Road to service a new traffic signal. Installations of this type can be done within, I would say, two days, barring any problems along the way. And traffic should be able to remain open with at least one lane during construction.

[Michael Marks]: Yeah. How long is it? How long is it going to take installations of this type?

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: Usually two days. Two days.

[Michael Marks]: Yeah. Mr. President, just if I could. That's an extremely busy road, actually. I'm not sure if you're I am very familiar with it.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: And over the past couple of years, yes, it's become it's become very busy road.

[Michael Marks]: Is there any way we can do some of this work at night and not impact? Because I could just imagine around rush hour. uh, that gets very busy there and could block traffic, uh, well past that area.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_15]: Yes. Um, I can, I can certainly request that the, um, the work be done at night and, um, and get back to you directly.

[Michael Marks]: I would ask Mr. President that be part of the approval that the work take place at night based on, based on, or at least not during rush hour. That, that, that would be fine too, based on the traffic impact in that area.

[Clerk]: Okay.

[Richard Caraviello]: Not during rush hour or at night. On the motion by Councilor Scarpelli, seconded by Councilor Dello Russo. All those in favor? All those opposed? Motion granted. Thank you. Thank you. Motion by Councilor Falco to take report of committee 16574. Councilor Falco.

[John Falco]: Thank you, Mr. President. Um, this is, uh, basically, uh, uh, report from, uh, the ad hoc subcommittee on education. Uh, we met last week, uh, for the purpose of the meeting was to, uh, review and discuss the university, uh, accountability ordinance, uh, the members, uh, on the sub committee. I'm the chair, uh, uh, also Councilors, uh, Scarpelli and call console Lungo-Koehner on the committee as well. Uh, at the meeting we had city solicitor Mark Brumley, code enforcement officer John Babuso and we had Barbara Rubel and Rocco DeRico from Tufts University. Um, and we probably had about 10 to 15 residents from the surrounding neighborhood. Uh, the president, the, um, residents were actually a very happy and pleased with the ordinance. Uh, they were pleased to, uh, see that something was being done and, um, they felt that, and actually we all felt that this would be a tool that the code enforcement officer, John Babuso could use to help prevent overcrowding and to keep the neighborhoods that surround Tufts University safe. So I looked that we adopt the committee report tonight and move for the first reading.

[Richard Caraviello]: Motion by councilor Falco to take this first reading.

[Adam Knight]: Councilor Knight. Rule 35A of the Medford City Council rules governing the operations of this body would indicate that the council president shall review all committee papers in the committee of the whole meeting. I personally have no problem with the ordinance. I feel as though the ordinance is a strong ordinance. It's a measure that I brought forward and sponsored at one point in time during this last session, Mr. President. Um, and whereas the rules are under suspension, I don't think that approval thereof, uh, will be harmful. However, uh, if there are other members that might want an opportunity to review the ordinance and to see, uh, what it includes before they vote on it, um, I raised the issue.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Councilor Lungo-Koehn. Thank you, President Caraviello. I just want to, um, I echoed Councilor Falco's sentiments. It's something we've worked on in committee. Two or three meetings, we met with directors from Tufts University. They will be the largest institution that's affected by this ordinance. It will require Tufts University to report to the city twice a year with regards to, not by name, but by residential address, residential address each one of their off-campus students reside at. Code enforcement officer John Mavuso did state that it will be a helpful tool within the city to, when he does get a complaint, it will be an extremely helpful tool to him. I also, I know the committee is looking for the city to do more than just have it as a tool. We're looking for enforcement of other ordinances that will help with enforcement of our other ordinances to keep the city and the units safer. Um, we did have some recommendations that were made and hopefully, um, Tufts university is looking to possibly looking into possibly helping the city with regards to some male manpower that we are down in the community. Uh, the building department, John Babuso, it does an amazing job, but he's only one person. So to be able to enforce this the way I think the committee and the neighbors, especially in that area want it done, we do need more personnel.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Um, so hopefully some of the recommendations I believe that we made is that Tufts point of information council Dela Rosa, I think a year and a half ago to two years ago at the request of this body, uh, the mayor finally hired an additional inspector, uh, to assist Mr. Thank you.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And as our code enforcement officer said last, Tuesday night when we met in committee, there's still not enough manpower to do the enforcement that should be done with getting this information on a bi-yearly basis. So that is a concern and that is an issue. And we did ask that Tufts report back if the university can inform the students and landlords of the potential violations and fines by the city. If there are four more non-related renters, that the mayor report back on what assistance the administration can do to provide assistance to our code enforcement officer. And that on section 2644, second paragraph, that superintendent of the office of inspectional services be eliminated and in its place code enforcement officer be inserted. So I'm very hopeful. I'm glad that we got the opportunity to work on this and meet with the appropriate personnel. I thank my colleagues for working on it. Um, I, I understand if people need another week to, to review it, but as far as I'm concerned, I have reviewed it. We went over it in depth with our city solicitor last week with regards to in committee and I'm ready to move approval tonight.

[George Scarpelli]: Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Council Scarpelli.

[George Scarpelli]: I can. Uh, thank you Mr. President. Again, thank uh, uh, council, uh, council night bringing this up. uh, some time ago, but I think that, uh, our ad hoc subcommittee, um, has worked diligently with the neighbors and, uh, and from what I gather with the neighbors and their discussion. was the fact that getting this move forward quickly, um, and spending more time and getting them, uh, and waiting for what, what has been some issues and, uh, their response, even in emails today, this evening, thanking us, this committee to actually go out and, and work toward this, this endeavor. And, and, and again, you, you see what a great partner Tufts University is and Barbara and Rocco and the, the, the, open communication that they have, know each other from first name basis and understanding when there are issues that Tufts is there to support our neighbors and working together with them with this situation. So again, I appreciate the hard work and I also appreciate my colleagues understanding and looking into this a little bit further because it is a, it is in a very important endeavor, but we worked very, very diligently on this and We heard from a lot of people and, um, asked a lot of questions. And, um, I know that councilor Falco chaired that committee and, uh, I thought that, um, I'm, I personally am ready to move forward and with, with the vote. And, uh, again, thank you for everybody's hard work.

[Adam Knight]: Thank you. Councilor Scott, probably. Councilor Knight. Um, yes, Mr. President. Um, if the chairman of the subcommittee would be so kind as to maybe explain to us the differences between the initial proposal and the paper that's before us. Councilor Falco, would you like to address that?

[John Falco]: The, uh, the, the, the, the, the paper that originally came to our subcommittee, um, basically did not have, uh, that many, we didn't have that many changes. I mean, that, uh, we met a few times, went over the, the language of the city solicitor Romley and, um, the, the residents had a lot of questions. Um, you know, and actually one of the things I wanted to point out was, towards the end of the meeting, they were curious as to how our process works here. And they asked about, you know, the timing and whatnot, because they want to see something sooner than later. And we completely understand that. I mean, they live in a neighborhood with a lot of students, and there's a lot of concerns. And so we explained to them how it has to go through three readings, and we told them basically how, you know, explained to them how customarily we do not waive the three readings, and we go through that process. And they were completely on board with that. They were fine. They agreed that it should, you know, go through its process and, uh, but they just wanted to see something sooner than later. Um, but I think, uh, you know, the changes, one of the big changes was to, uh, that council Longo current had mentioned was, uh, to basically, um, change some of the language on section 26 dash 44. Um, and, uh, we did reach out to Tufts to see if they could help us enforce this as well. And, um, And I'll also just ask if the mayor could report back to see if there is a further assistance, um, to, uh, get some help with regard to, uh, an additional code enforcement officer, even if it's someone on a temporary basis to help us go through this process.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. Councilor Falco. Mr. Councilor, are you happy with that explanation?

[Adam Knight]: I am very happy with the explanation, Mr. President. Now move for approval. Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Vice president mocks.

[Michael Marks]: Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I had the opportunity. I didn't intend the last meeting, but I attended the one prior to that. And, uh, I just want to say that this subcommittee has done yeoman's work in putting together an ordinance that makes sense for our community. Uh, I know the city of Somerville and the city of Boston has, uh, an ordinance that's very similar to this. They also have a department of code enforcement that, uh, would make our department look peel in comparison. Uh, Mr. President, And the one concern I did have with this ordinance, and I don't see it addressed in the ordinance, and I brought it up at a meeting some time back, was the fact that Once we receive information from Tufts University that a list of, not student names, but where students are living with addresses, and once the city is on record that they are aware that there are a number of addresses that are in violation of our occupancy ordinance, which is no more than three unrelated people in an apartment, that requires us as a city to act. And as we heard tonight, and I've heard in the past, that we as a community probably do not have the capability to address all the issues that are gonna be confronted with this particular ordinance. And I have yet to see a list from Tufts University, and I'm not sure, it might be just a few cases that are clearly in violation of occupancy ordinance, but there may be, Hundreds, who knows? We don't know yet. And my question at the beginning was that Boston and Somerville don't put a timeframe on when the issue needs to be addressed. But I think in our community with a depleted staff in our billing department, and in particular code enforcement, we need to put some type of timeframe so that we know when the city of Medford gets this report, that they have to act within a period of time. I also believe if they don't act, Mr. President, that there could be potentially a liability issue on behalf of this city, because once we received the list from Tufts University, the city is on notice that a particular apartment is in violation of city ordinance, and they need to act, Mr. President. So I did request at the meeting that the subcommittee had some time back that we put a time frame. It didn't find its way into the ordinance, which is fine, I'm not a member of that committee, but I still believe strongly to have an ordinance that's gonna work effectively in this community. And we don't create ordinances just for the sake of creating ordinances. We want to make sure this ordinance has the teeth to back up the concerns that we're trying to address by enacting this ordinance. So, I would ask, Mr. President, I know the residents are looking to push this forward, and I don't blame them. They've been dealing with issues of this type of issue for many years now. But I still think, at some point, we need to create some type of language in here that puts the city on notice and requires the city to act within a particular time frame. That's my first point. The second point is that under section 26-44, section 5 it goes on to say that The information that we're receiving from Tufts University will be given to the city clerk and that will be forwarded to the mayor and the city and code enforcement The code enforcement officer it then goes on mr. President, and this is what I had a problem with several months back It says the clerk also should docket the report and include the docket on the agenda of the next occurring meeting of the city council. Now, I know there's no names associated with this, but I think there's a privacy issue. I don't think we should be putting on a public record where every off-campus tough student lives in the city of Medford. I personally have a problem with that. I don't think, first of all, it's anyone's business, other than maybe code enforcement or someone that's the regulatory body, but I don't think we, as a community, should be publishing that in any type of record that goes out to this community. uh, Mr. President. So I would respectfully ask that, uh, the language be removed that States, uh, and, uh, section 26 dash 44 paragraph five. The clerk also shall dock at the report and include the docket on the agenda of the next occurring meeting of the city council. Um, so I would respectfully ask that that be removed, Mr. President. And just my last point, um, this is an issue. for the entire community. And I realize it's an issue up around Tufts University, but I can speak firsthand about issues that I see on my street alone of illegal apartments throughout the area. And it's not just on my street, it's throughout the entire community. And it's a real problem, Mr. President, that presents itself. And some communities are handling it by what they call a disclosure statement. So if you're going to lease your apartment or even if you sell your property and you're going to rent an apartment, whatever it might be, that you or the city creates a disclosure statement and you have to state who you're leasing to or renting to and that it conforms to the occupancy ordinance. And it's signed off by the owner of the property. And it goes on record, and they keep it on record. And I think it's an important tool. It may not solve all our problems with illegal apartments or too many people living in an apartment, but I think it goes a long way to address the issue as a citywide issue. Right now, we're addressing it as a university issue, and it is somewhat of a university issue. And I'd say the larger problem is citywide. And at some point, I'd like to see this council work on potentially moving forward a disclosure statement for anyone that's renting or leasing that would disclose the fact of how many people are in the apartment and sign off on that, Mr. President. So those are the two of the things that I'd like to see worked on. But immediately, I think if we remove that language in Section 26-44, I could support that tonight with that language removed and then potentially work on a timeframe down the line. We can always get together as a subcommittee and work on a timeframe to put some teeth into the ordinance regarding the city inspection, Mr. President, in a timely fashion.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Councilor Dello Russo. Mr. President, thank you. And I want to thank the members of the committee who have worked so hard on this. I think we had a draft ordinance or regulations presented to us some couple of years ago that never took off for whatever reason, and that this measure here is quite a good start. As my colleague to my right so aptly pointed out, an ordinance designed to deal with a particular situation in many ways, even though it's written in a manner that gives it broader scope to any university or college. that provides housing. He brings up a couple issues that I share and have me concerned. I attended the subcommittee meeting last week, but was only casual in my attendance and did not speak as to the substance of this, thinking that it would be, as procedure would mandate, brought to the committee of the whole for further decision. I'm concerned about placing a timeframe on the inspections as creating an undue burden on the inspectional services in the community and making it an almost too difficult of an ordinance to enforce. I share the council's concerns and see the point he's making, but I think that will need some further discussion with a member of the inspectional services present. I'm also concerned about the piece that the councilor is asking us tonight to delete from this. There was some discussion and I forget the substance of it, but the city solicitor made some salient points as to what we can conceal from the public and what we can't. And again, I think before we acted on that, it would be wise for us to have him present to guide us in that. I share the council's concerns about creating this list and allow it to be in the public Because then people can get it and it's identifying people for a particular nature or an occupation that they have and it allows them to be sought out and So I have some concerns there and So those would be two of my concerns that I have. And finally, as Councilor Marks so aptly pointed out again, which I wanted to bring up, is that this is not an issue confined to one neighbourhood in our city, nor is it an issue confined to one occupation or social subset within our community. There are people all over Metfit who are in overpopulated apartments and we can, one instance was, explained to us where there were some dozen people living in a reconfigured two-family, second-floor apartment in the city of Medford. That's alarming. They were living in virtual cubbyholes, like they were living in births in a Pullman car, and that was their only living space. Very unsavory, very dangerous, and I'd describe it as primitive. Our housing codes and laws have come a long way from the hideous tenements in which the first people who arrived in our nation had to live in until they could establish themselves. And many of them died in those conditions, Mr. President. Um, this, uh, in this same question presents itself, uh, throughout, uh, uh, cities and towns, cities of particular, uh, adjacent to us, even those cities, which have very robustly populated inspectional divisions. So, um, uh, I think some sort of disclosure on the part of landlords would be helpful to explore and, uh, add me to some type of, uh, ordinance that we, uh, have in the future. I have concerns with this, as does my colleague to my right. I know that the neighbors, they express their desire to receive some relief and that this is an ordinance that will give them that relief. and that's important and I understand their concern. I see many of the, where I live so close to, where I live in a neighborhood that's populated by many students, I understand what goes on and I see it and I certainly see it at the end of each semester, the problems that present themselves. when people vacate these apartments. So, Mr. President, I don't know what I want to do with this. I'd prefer, Mr. President, that this — and I don't want to hold this up. It's not my intention to hold the work of this committee up, nor is it my intention to upset the neighbors who are suffering because of these — these incidents, but I'm wondering, uh, that it would be the wisest thing for us to address these issues that have been, uh, uh, presented here in this committee, in a committee of the whole meeting with, uh, Mr. Buvuso, uh, or Mr. Moki present and most certainly with the city solicitor present.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Councilor.

[Richard Caraviello]: Councilor Lungo-Koehn.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Um, thank you. I just wanted to point out, I think that's fine, the deletion of 26.44-44. I think that is something we discussed back in August, so I understand. And I think my colleagues probably agree to strike that. I do know that John Bavuso said he has no ability to take this list and go and force everything. He just does not have enough time in the day. So I think that is something that we need to address down the line, and we need to request that the administration either hire him an intern, I think we talked about interns, or another part-time person to work on this. We also asked Tufts University to go back and discuss possibly helping in different ways. So I know we have, I'm sorry to bring you up here, but we have Miss Barbara Rubell from Tufts University here. Maybe she can come up and just see what, if they've had any talks in the last week and what Tufts is able to help with.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thanks. Thank you. Name and address of the record, please.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_11]: Barbara Rubel, I'm Director of Community Relations at Tufts and 21 Bellevue in Medford. We were asked at that meeting last week to go back to the Dean of Students and others and see if we could do more to share with students to make sure they're aware of what the regulation is in Medford, that the city ordinances require that no more than three unrelated people live together in a unit. And we've begun that conversation, but we don't have an answer for you yet. But we recognize that anything we can do to make sure students are well informed when they go to look for apartments and when they sign leases would be helpful towards supporting the city's regulations and also their own personal safety. So we're willing to do that, we just have to, we have to, as you might imagine, we have to consult with a number of other people in the university before we can make that commitment.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, ma'am. Councilor Luther, do you have any other questions?

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: No, I just want to thank Mr. Bell for attending all the meetings and being there and hopefully having more conversation with regards to that. I'm all for one, to give people more time, but I think the main issue is striking that one sentence from 2644 and the other two issues with regards to enforcement, full enforcement of this ordinance, not just for what John Bavuso wants it for, and also talking about a new ordinance with regards to what Councilor Mark stated. John Bavuso said an ordinance to enforce all of our neighborhoods with regards to three or more people There is an ordinance out there with the disclosure statement, and that's something, you know, that's entirely different, separate from this, and that's something he would love to see us work on. So I do have an ordinance that I pulled up, and then I can forward to my colleagues if we could try to get that talked about at a later time. But other than that, I think this ordinance has been addressed, and I'm ready to move forward. I assume my colleagues feel.

[John Falco]: Thank you. Councilor Falco. Thank you, Mr. President. And I want to thank my colleagues for their input because it's very valuable and everyone should definitely give their opinion on this. Um, and it's, it's the ordinance. I mean, I know myself, I feel like I'm ready to move forward as well. Um, and I understand, um, while there might be some apprehension, it's, it's interesting because it's really, it's a balance between public safety and, you know, having an anonymous list. But I did do some research with regard to the cities that also had this type of ordinance. And if you look at the city of Boston, if you look at the city of Somerville, the language is the same that we have here in this ordinance. And it's basically, you know, if I read the city of Somerville, it's the mayor of the city and the superintendent of office of inspectional services. The clerk also shall docket the report and include the docket on the agenda at the next occurring meeting of the Board of Aldermen. And it's the same thing for the City of Boston. So the language is exactly the same as it is here in the proposed ordinance. If you want to look at it, I can definitely send it down. And I believe during our meeting, when City Solicitor Rumley spoke, I believe he said, by nature of City Hall, any document that comes in here is public record. So that list that comes in is a matter of public record because we're receiving it. It's here at city hall. Um, so it's, it, it is what it is. It's basically a public document that the public can't access. Um, because it's, it's by the nature of what we do here at city hall and it's, it's covered under the public record law. So I just wanted to clarify a few things. Thank you. Thank you. Also a knife.

[Adam Knight]: Mr. President, at this time, I'd like to withdraw my motion for approval. I think that based upon the debate and discussion we've had here this evening, that there are certain individual councils that have some questions. And upon my further review of reading the proposed ordinance, I have some questions, too. For example, as we look into the violations section, it says that it's unlawful for many facility to fail to comply with these requirements, that each violation of the provision of this section is a separate and distinctive offense. In a case of continuing violation, each day that the violation continues constitutes a separate offense. The imposition of penalties herein shall not be precluded the city from instituting other remedies. So I have some concerns about that as well, Mr. President. I think that it would be good if the council as a whole had an opportunity to sit down and bounce some questions off the city solicitor and the building commissioner as well. I don't think that this is an effort to delay the matter at all. I think it's an effort to be sure that we put out an ordinance that's operational and that's strong and that actually meets its intent and its purpose.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. Also Scarpelli.

[George Scarpelli]: Um, again, I appreciate that. It's something that I wanted to share with the council that the, and the community that we found very alarming that, uh, Barbara brought to our, our, um, our privy that, What we're seeing is our real estate agents really don't understand what our laws are in our community, because as they're moving forward and bringing residents in and renters in, they're actually pushing the more people, the better the rate would be in rent. So I think there's gotta be something too that we, I know that separately as part of a future discussion that we talk about making sure that we contact our real estate agents that are working within Medford and making sure they are familiar with our ordinances on residence requirements. So I just wanted to share that. I know that everybody has shared their information their input and I can respect it. I just, uh, again, I think this is, uh, something as a ad hoc committee that, um, works together and met with that city solicitor who, who, who asked, who asked us questions and we asked those prudent questions back and, um, and we, as this body's subcommittee, um, felt pretty strong in what we brought forward. So, but, can understand that we move forward. But I was ready to move forward with it as faith. Thank you. Thank you.

[Michael Marks]: Vice President Max. Thank you, Mr. President. And the reason why I brought up the section which dealt with reporting this information out on the council agenda was was not to hide information, because once this is sent from Tufts, to Mr. Finn, it becomes public record. This ordinance takes it one step further and says it shall appear on the council agenda that by no means by appearing on the council agenda all of a sudden means it's a public document. It's already a public document once it arrives at City Hall and is in the clerk's office. That's when it's a public document. So putting it on the agenda has nothing to do with anything other than the fact that maybe Somerville and Boston wanted to put it on their agenda. I still feel strongly, Mr. President, that we should not be reporting addresses of students from Tufts where they live off campus. I feel strongly about that, Mr. President. And I will not support an ordinance that has that language in it. And I thought at the time, Mr. President, that when I brought this issue up and Solicitor Rumley was in the room, I thought we were all in agreement saying, you know what, we can remove that language easily. And I'll be quite frank, I thought it was being removed. So I was kind of surprised when I read this over to see it's still in there. But again, I didn't go to the last meeting. And my last point, Mr. President, that if we're going to create an ordinance, that residents want to see and feel that it's going to assist them in providing some relief in their neighborhood, it has to include some teeth to it. And, you know, I can see what's going to happen. We push through an ordinance. Neighbors call up and say, hey, I noticed that the house next door to me is on your list for having more than three unrelated people. When are you going to get to it? Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am. We're tied up for the next eight months. We may not be able to get to it right now. What do you mean? We have an ordinance. The ordinance does nothing to the effect, Mr. President, which would put this city on notice to get out to the House. I'm not saying they have to go out the next day, but we have to set a time. For this to work, we have to set a timeframe, because if we don't set a timeframe, we're going to be back at step one again with an ordinance that has no teeth, Mr. President, a department that has lax in manpower, that can't address these issues. And maybe if we put a time frame on it, we'll force the hand of the administration to hire another code enforcement officer, which is sorely needed. I appreciate what Councilor De La Ruza mentioned, but even having another code enforcement officer in a city this size, we're still severely undermanned in that department. And we hear it over and over again. It's not me saying it. It's the people in the department saying it. So, you know, we could push the audience forward without a time frame in there. The city must address these issues. But honestly, I think we're doing the neighborhood and the people of this community injustice because it doesn't address their issue, Mr. President. So, those are my comments. Like I said, I will vote for this tonight with that language taken out about appearing on the city agenda, city council agenda, and at a future date if we want to put a time frame on this, you know, I think we can go back and do it. So, I'm not going to hold it up for that, but I think in order to have a meaningful piece of legislation, it has to include a time frame.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you. Councilor De La Rosa. Mr. President, I move that a Committee of the Whole meeting be held, called with the city solicitor and code enforcement officer to discuss this paper before us and that this paper be sent to Committee of the Whole for further consideration to clean it up, come to agreement so that we can present an ordinance that's gonna help the community. Thank you. Name and address of the record, please.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_11]: Uh, Barbara Rubel, community relations at Tufts through the chair. I just wanted to clarify one point. Um, the ordinance says based on my experience submitting these reports to the city of Boston and to the city of Somerville, um, the, the, um, issue at the end where it says there's a fine or there could be a penalty is really to find the university. If the report is not submitted on time. And I think the reference to putting it on the agenda of the respective local government board is just to acknowledge that the report was submitted on time. Um, in my experience with Somerville, anyway, the report has never been discussed on the agenda of the board of aldermen or presented publicly. There's no, while the document does, you're absolutely right. It does become public.

[Michael Marks]: One information. I appreciate that fact. We're a legislative body. We're not the enforcement body. So the people that would be finding isn't this council. So to be quite frank with that, I don't care if the report came a day early a day late, it's not up to me. It would be up to code enforcement. in that arm of city government. So to have it on our agenda is meaningless, to be quite frank with you. And whether Boston does it or Somerville, I don't think we should just follow suit.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_11]: I just wanted to explain. Thank you.

[Michael Marks]: I know. But I don't see Boston or Somerville as any better legislative body than this body. And I'm not going to just follow suit what they do.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_11]: With all due respect, I didn't mean to suggest that there was any.

[Michael Marks]: I know you didn't.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_11]: I just wanted to explain why I think that's there. And that is what Somerville requested, what Boston requested. You certainly are within your rights to take it out or leave it in as you choose. Right.

[Adam Knight]: Thank you. Councilor Nice. Mr. President, motion to end debate on the topic. Thank you.

[Robert Penta]: Name and address of the record, please. President, my name is Robert Pence, zero summit road, and that's what mass from a member of the sluggish party. Uh, there might be a compromise to this situation that's being presented. So I know the committee did some hard work and I know this has been a subject matter of concern when I was serving on the council, but maybe rather than having the idea of submitting a document to the city clerk, um, I think you need to look at this at two points. Number one, what the university does on its own land, with its own campus provisos for the students, it's no interest of us. But what they do off-campus by having off-campus locations for people to provide those locations is a concern to the city, and I believe the concern to the city should be placed on the homeowner or the landowner of where these students might be. Councilor Marks alluded to the idea of a violation. If in fact you get a document that gives you these locations of where these students are, I think it's incumbent for the purposes of enforcement and having your teeth on the landowner who's collecting the rent from that student to have that student who's going to Tufts University be one of the students that's sitting in an off-campus position. I think that could bring you to the compromise of saying, rather than having your code enforcement officer go out, it's upon the landowner. And once that landowner is found in violation, then the city has its own teeth. I don't think anybody of you were on the council at the time, but we can go back a few years ago, and I think Barbara will remember this, where there was a student living in the garage roof in a particular location off campus. And I think that there was a huge settlement, and to the hundreds and thousands of dollars, I believe to the family of the student, unfortunately, who died there, but it was the city's responsibility, or should have been the city's responsibility, if we follow this train of thought, that the location did not provide the safety and the security for that particular person. I offer that out as a compromise. I think it would work, and I think it would be beneficial not only to all you folks, but to the community as a whole, because you're now putting everybody on notice that if you are going to take in campus students or off-college students off-campus, it's going to be their responsibility to adhere to all the rules and the regulations. And any violation would be found right in the teeth of the, excuse me, in the teeth of the ordinance. And I think that's satisfied making the presentation before the clerk. They make the presentation to the city building department on an annual basis. And from there, the city is on notice where these locations might be. And then it doesn't become a, a matter of public record. It becomes a matter of a public safety issue that the building department has the responsibility for. So I offer that out there as a compromise.

[Richard Caraviello]: Councilor Lococo.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I move approval.

[Richard Caraviello]: Do you want to move approval that we, the paper be referred to the council of whole council for further discussion? a motion for the paper to be take its first reading. It's first reading also night.

[Adam Knight]: Um, Mr. President, where the council rules clearly say that the council president shall review the papers of the subcommittee and the committee of the whole meeting and the debate has been contentious. I think that, um, at this point in time it would be prudent course to refer the matter to the committee of the whole and would motion a contrary motion, uh, the matter be referred to the committee of the whole. I concur.

[Richard Caraviello]: On the motion that we send this, we adopt this paper and we send it to the committee of whole for further review. No, no, no, no. Send it, send it, send it right to the committee. The whole heart goes to frustrating on council. Don Russell made a motion that we, that we send the paper to the council hall for further discussion. All those in favor. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

[Clerk]: Councilor Dello Russo. Yes. Councilor Falco. No. Councilor Knight. Yes. Councilor Long-Term. No. Vice President Mox. Yes. Councilor Scarpelli. No. President Kaviolik.

[Richard Caraviello]: Yes. The vote of. Four in the affirmative, three in the negative, motion passes.

[John Falco]: Councilor Falco. Since this has been referred to committee the whole, could we do our best to move this to committee the whole soon?

[Richard Caraviello]: I will, I will do my best. I will look, we have some other things in the council hall. I will do my best to get it there as quick as possible. Thank you. And if we haven't maybe on a, I know we'd have to have it maybe another night, but do the best we can.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Mr. President, I know the matter has been disposed of, but I want to once again state that my intention in moving this to Committee of the Whole was in no way to delay this any further. But where there was such a significant delay, and this is such a significant ordinance, I think we would be well advised to have the presence of pertinent parties in a further discussion. So I understand that uh, handful of neighbors who were present at that meeting, uh, uh, pressed upon the committee members, uh, to act swiftly. But I think prudence dictates otherwise.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. Councilor Longo. While we're on the suspension, Councilor Lungo-Koehn. 17-055. 17-055. While we're on suspension, 17-055 offered by Councilor Lungo-Koehn. Be it resolved. When a blatant mistake is made by Park Medford, the ticket will be immediately voided. It's bad enough that one has to take the time out of their busy schedule to go to Park Medford office and let them know of their mistake. They should not have to fill out the appeal paperwork and waste more time at a hearing. Councilor Lungo-Koehn.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, President Caraviello, and thank you for setting up a meeting with Park Medford, which will be held next Tuesday at 5.30 in room 207 for anybody that wants to attend. I think we've all sent a number of questions that we have for Park Medford, and I know that there'll be an hour and a half discussion with them with regards to a number of things on Tuesday night, next Tuesday night. But I brought this up, different issues with regards to Park Medford the last couple weeks, and I'm bringing it up again because every time I do bring it up, I get more calls and more emails with regards to people that are unhappy for certain reasons or people that have other stories that they want to tell on how they feel things aren't going the way they should, and it really caught my attention. I did get one call with regards to somebody that had got five separate tickets. This wasn't within the last three weeks where we've been noticing a serious problem, but it has been within the last six to nine months. They got five tickets for not having a permit, when in fact they did have a permit. So five different times they had to go to the Park Medford office, fill out the necessary paperwork, and then go for an appeal. And I just feel like maybe it's something we will discuss next week, but I feel like if there is a blatant violation or blatant improper ticket that is issued, whether that be, I got a ticket at 10 o'clock and I paid the meter at 9.30 for one hour, or I have a parking permit, I got a ticket for not having a parking permit, simple, blatant mistakes maybe whether there be a list of different things. I think each person that works in that Park Medford office should be trained to say, we apologize, give me the ticket, let me take some proof, and this ticket will now be voided. I feel like to make somebody go, we have working families in Medford, and to make somebody take time and go to the Park Medford from nine to five to fill out the paperwork and then wait for an appeal come to City Hall and have to sit through an appeal is a true waste of somebody's time. Nevermind having to do it for this person, one person that called five separate times. There's obviously something going wrong in Park Medford that's been discussed the last few weeks. This is just something else I wanted to offer that I think would be very beneficial to the system as a whole and to our residents who are parking on our streets trying to traverse our businesses. I think it's something necessary that needs to be implemented. And like I said last week, somebody from the mayor's office has to oversee changes, and this is one that would be of great interest to many residents, especially those who are getting tickets unnecessarily. So this goes along with all my complaints over the last few weeks, and hopefully it will be discussed next week. And I just would ask for your approval so that we can go in next week saying this council approved 7.0, the blatant incorrect, tickets should be automatically voided with us either with, with showing of proof. Um, that's, that's something that I think is a no brainer and that is going to improve this whole system dramatically. Thank you.

[Robert Penta]: Name and address for the record. Robert Pinto zero summit road metron mass. It's quite obvious that this is not a new topic before this council. When I had served on this council some years back, I mean, this topic when Park Method first came in, had many, many flaws and many, many, how can you say? Many things did not make people happy. We have heard week after week that there are concerns that need to be addressed. Councilor Lungo-Koehn has just brought up a few. But you also have the ones that basically tell you that common sense needs to take place. Two particular instances, a gentleman with a handicapped plate gets parked in the spot, provided for handicap and gets a ticket. And the argument is you were there more than the two hours. Now there is nothing in any of these rules that say a handicapped person is relegated to two hours. Person goes down to Park Medford, explains the case. It doesn't make any difference. You have to go and do an appeal. That's number one. Number two, something similar to Councilor Lungo-Koehn alluded to, There was a lady in Medford Square. She came with her baby, parked her car. Now, in some of these locations, you'll know there may be two or three or even four car lengths apart. So she parked maybe approximately four car lengths ahead of where the meter stand was. She gets out of the car. She hasn't even got to go get her ticket and come back. And the gentleman is there giving her a ticket, OK? And while she's giving the ticket, she said, I'm just, I had to go get the, had to go pay the meter to park the ticket. Doesn't make any difference, you don't have a ticket. Now, it's the common courtesy of common sense understanding. And I think it was you, Councilor Marks, that might have alluded to in the beginning, there should be some sense of maybe of a 15 minute leeway when somebody goes to go and park, by the time they go park their car, go get a ticket and what have you. I don't see anywhere, anything that even says that. The position that I think you folks have should be the following. You know, the company's been sold, It's a new company that's come in. I think you folks have asked for a copy of the contract and I don't think you've gotten the contract yet. It's been well over a year and you haven't even gotten a copy of the financials. How many tickets have been issued? How many tickets have been resolved? You know, how much money's coming in? Where did the $250,000 in the first year, where did that go? City hasn't even reported back to you on where that might be. I think Park Method has done quite a bit on this new parking scheme to really hurt to hurt the taxpayers and the business people of this community. We've been told that seniors can park for nothing, but you have to pay $25 to park for nothing to get the permit for once a year. And you can't transfer it from one car to another, which, again, doesn't help a senior in that particular case. You can go down to Haines Square any time in the morning, and you can see just many, many more blank spaces than there have ever been before. Go to Medford Square in the morning, and the same situation happens. I think the problem here is that Park Medford is just not doing for the city as what the city thought it would do for its taxpayers and more importantly for its business people. So I would suggest when you folks have your Committee of the Whole next meeting, I think it would be more appropriate to have a subsequent meeting here before the council where all the taxpayers can hear and see what's going on. Because a lot of people can't come to a Committee of the Whole meeting or a subcommittee meeting for whatever you want to call it. This is their public forum. This is something that has an impact on the entire city of Medford. Every single business person and every single person that drives through this community has to be confronted with those stupid kiosks where you're supposed to go and pay, okay? with situations as Council Member O'Connor had. You had a lady who gave me her ticket, and she had 10 minutes left on her ticket, and she still got a parking violation. And having to go, having to go give up her time, having to take time off from work, which means it could possibly be paid, vacation time, what have you. This isn't right. And with the age of computer technology that we have here right now, if they can't resolve something that simple by going into the Park Medford office that can be resolved, this doesn't make any sense at all. I think it's an insult to the taxpayers and it's an insult to this council who unfortunately has to bear the burden of all these complaints because this is the situation that you're in right now. Thank you.

[Michael Marks]: Name and address of the record.

[Joe Viglione]: Good evening. Joseph Villione, 59 Garfield Avenue, Medford Mass. To better monitor parking tickets and their alleged value to our city, I propose that Republic Parking, or the new name for whatever, be ordered to publish a list of dates and addresses where tickets are issued. No names, but just list the fees. and how much goes to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and how much money goes to Medford, Massachusetts, so that we people, we the citizens of Medford, will have a better idea because there's no clarity on this. All we know is all of a sudden from out of nowhere this Frankenstein's monster erupted. And I pay $0.25 into it. I pay every week in Somerville when I do my radio show, I pay $0.25 over near Donato's office once because I had to go to the hardware store. I walk. I just refuse to pay to this system. We need some clarity. They should publish a website, and on that website we know every ticket that's issued, if it's been reversed, how much money it was, what address it was, and then we can monitor them instead of them monitoring us. We are not cattle to feed this piggy bank. I don't think it is of any value to Medford. You know, we have 600 grand for public access hidden away, we got water and sewer, and all of a sudden now there's this new monstrosity where our money goes out, and we have no idea, citizens have no idea what's going on, and we got what, 13 people were here at the city council, now we're down to nine, last week was 14. 60,000 people need to rise up, They need to watch these broadcasts. They need to come down here and complain. They need to be there at room 207 next week. Thank you.

[Cheryl Rodriguez]: Name and address for the record. Hi, Cheryl Rodriguez. I live at 281 Park Street. It seems that we have a lot of issues with Park Medford. I know that when we first installed it, we couldn't read the screens. We had a lot of broken meters. We were supposed to have free Saturdays in December and the meters were taking money. The meters were taking money at seven and eight o'clock at night. Those are all contract breaches. So everyone says we can't take out the meters because it'd be a breach of contract and we'd have to pay a million dollars to have the meters taken out. But is there a point that Park Medford is breaching the contract and we can get out? I feel like there are more negatives to Park Medford than positives. As someone else said, when you go down to Haynes Square, it's a ghost town. I talk to people that I used to meet for coffee at the Dunkin' Donuts down there and they say, let's go somewhere where we don't have to pay to park because it's just not worth it to pay and linger over a cup of coffee and have to worry about the meter. So, I mean, this is definitely hurting our businesses. It's hurting our citizens. If all you have to do is go on Facebook to see people talking about, let's not go there, let's not go there. And I really would like to see the opinion from the city solicitor on whether we can break this contract because of all the problems that we've had. Because I think that if we want meters that maybe this isn't the way to go and we need to look at it again. Thank you.

[l57EqMhB2JU_SPEAKER_01]: Good evening. My name is Stacy Stewart. I live at 106 Harvard Street here in Medford. I've been a Medford resident for about 23 years. I'm a self-employed attorney. I work out of my home. I've had my UPS delivery box at Riverside Avenue since I opened my practice. I just closed it. A big part of the reason was to park Medford. I parked on the street and the meter was out of order. and unreadable, and I left a note on my windshield showing the error message that I got. I sent the appeal. The ticket that I got actually on my window said the address, the zip code was 02115. It wasn't even the correct address for Park Medford for me to even send the violation fee to. I did dispute it, put the correct address, correct zip code, since I know that Medford only has one. was immediately denied, and I was told there were other kiosks. On that side of Riverside Avenue, between the CVS and the health station, there is one on that side. Nowhere else in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts do I have to cross a busy street to pay a parking kiosk. They're all over Boston. I'm in Suffolk Probate Court all the time. There are multiples of them along the street. If one's not working, you can go to another one. It's a couple of car lengths away. I don't have to cross a street. It's not intuitive that I would cross a street to pay a fee for that side of the street. There's nothing, no signage on the meters themselves, nothing to indicate that there are alternative pay stations. I think it's very poorly managed. I don't like the tone of the letter was a flat-out denial. As Councilor Keene has addressed, perhaps Park Medford needs to Perhaps do some do some training with their staff in terms of handling things And as I said, I've had my UPS box at the Riverside Avenue station since 2008 it is now I have now moved it to Somerville I will no longer be doing business at the CVS when I run in to pick up my mail I will no longer be buying lunch up across the street from in Medford Square I will now be doing business in Davis Square and a big part of that is Park Medford. I hope it gets addressed Thank you.

[Michael Marks]: Thank you On the motion

[Richard Caraviello]: Mr. President. Yes. Mr. President. Thank you. I, I thank a council member for bringing this up. And, um, that's, this is a big part of the reason we're having the meeting next week, uh, with park Medford. Um, but I see it as part of the biggest problem they have is, uh, they, uh, have, uh, minimal training of the people that they hire. There's been a lot of turnover of people in their, uh, turnover ownership, but I say, but I, but I think the biggest issue, that they have is this, I think it's just an out note, lack of training. Again, simple issues that should be resolved, can't be resolved. The people that they hire to even go out on the streets don't know what they're doing. And I say, I've had several problems with myself. I've helped people on the street with problems. So, again, I think one of the biggest issues I'll bring up next week is the lack of training of their employees. And I urge, you know, to say the meeting is scheduled for 530. So we won't be pressed for time. And hopefully we'll have a lot of these issues discussed next week. Thank you, Mr. President.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Councilmember Kerr. Thank you, President Marks. And I agree with President Caraviello. I 100 percent the last The complaints I've received in the last four to six weeks have to do with lack of training of personnel, whether it be the actual people that are giving the tickets or people in Park Medford. Lack of training is a huge problem, and it's increased the volume of complaints for sure. I would just ask my council president if we could also request a copy of the new contract, if we could take a look at that before next week as well. I know there's a list going around through email of things we want. Park Medford to provide to us beforehand and that would be pretty important.

[Richard Caraviello]: Um, I will make that part of the report next week.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. Thank you.

[Michael Marks]: On the motion of council Lungo current, all in favor. Roll call has been requested. Councilor Knight, would you like to speak?

[Adam Knight]: Um, I just like the record to reflect that I'm in opposition. I find that it would be impossible to administer such a pro policy. Number one and number two, we are meeting with Park Medford next week. So I'd like the record to reflect that I'm in opposition. for those reasons.

[Michael Marks]: Duly noted. Clerk will call the roll.

[Clerk]: Councilor Delval and Ruscio. Councilor Falco. Yes. Councilor Knight. No. Councilor McCurran. Yes. Vice President Mox.

[Michael Marks]: Yes.

[Clerk]: Councilor Scarpelli. Yes. President Caput.

[Michael Marks]: Yes. Six in the affirmative, one in the negative. The motion is adopted. Is there a motion to revert back to the regular order of a business?

[Unidentified]: All in favor?

[Michael Marks]: Opposed? The ayes have it. We revert back to the regular order of business. Paper 17-052 offered by President Caraviello. Be resolved that the Medford City Council have the Mayor demand that the contractor who paved Willis Ave and Governor's Ave grind and repave both streets due to shoddy work. Council President?

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, I don't know if many people have had a chance to drive down Willis Avenue. I received numerous complaints from the residents there. This is a street that was recently paved, and if you go by, you'll see it's coming up on many spots. I know we have a a resolution from the mayor that they will return in the spring and correct the situation. I don't know what they call correct the situation. My version of correct the situation is to rip it up and repave it. Governor Zab, the same thing. You see around the sewer covers and the manholes, it's coming up. There's a major divide right in the middle of the road. Every time it's paved, especially right now with the plows coming down. it's coming up and we haven't even, we haven't even got to the weather and we've had a light winter. So, uh, again, um, I know the mayor says, uh, they're going to return to the spring and correct the situation. Um, I hope that correcting the situation means repaving, uh, grinding and repaving those two streets, Mr. President.

[Michael Marks]: On the motion by council president Caraviello, all in favor. Opposed? The ayes have it. The motion is adopted. Paper 17-053, offered by Vice President Mox, whereas pop-up community spaces create a positive energy by driving investment and community spirit, and whereas the idea that short-term pop-up community spaces can create long-term, wide-reaching transformation in both business districts and neighborhoods, then be it resolved that the City of Method implement a pop-up community space plan transforming empty storefronts and vacant lots into usable community space. Council Vice President Michael Mox. Councilor Marks. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. I offered this resolution tonight to address a number of issues that have been in this community for a number of years. Ideally, the issue of vacant stores, Mr. President, and vacant lots within this community. All you need to do is traverse any of the business districts or go into any of our neighborhoods and you'll see what I'm talking about throughout this community. To turn a vacant lot and storefront into a usable community space, benefits not only the owner of the property, but also residents of this community. And working with property owners to establish a public-private partnership, which would, in my opinion, go a long way to addressing some of the issues that we're seeing right now throughout the community and I think it builds a sense of community and pride and it also in an important time as we see right now with people divided I think this is a way of bringing people in the community back together again. So the resolution tonight with the purpose of offering this olive branch to the administration to ask that they develop a program to deal with pop-up community space. And the development of pop-up community space will change and redirect derelict properties with the opportunity to enhance an area and to provide an opportunity to build community. What I mean by derelict areas is you may have a vacant lot in the community. And this is being done, I might add, not only in this state, but across this country, the concept of pop-up community space. And it's an ingenious way of taking a piece of property that's underutilized and creating an area that people want to flock to. Some of the ideas is to create a garden space. We all know that this community has a waiting list of, I think it's four or five years to be put on the garden list. And we have the fortunate aspect of having, I believe it's 26 parks in this community, and it would be great to have pockets within this community and neighborhoods where these parks exist that we can create a small pop-up community gardens. It also, Mr. President, would go a long way to what they refer to as seed balming. I'm not asking anyone to do any bombing. This is seed bombing. And what happens is in a vacant lot, you know, groups get together with all sorts of variety of seeds and they go and they bomb a lot with seeds. And it creates an area that you may not want to throw a can or a piece of trash on because there's flowers that are popping up and there's grass popping up. And it creates a sense of pride in a community. And that's one aspect that other communities throughout this country have done called seed bombing. I also spoke a while back about having a particular park or maybe several parks that have a performance stage, a very inexpensive proposal to build a stage, maybe 10 by 10, you know, a foot off the ground that would allow performances in the nice weather. So it would allow artists and performing arts and anyone else that would like to display their art on a stage in a particular park. And that draws the community back into the park, which I believe are being underutilized right now. We spoke over the last several years in the winter about having ice rinks at some of our parks, bringing the fire department in and flooding the park out and creating a makeshift pop-up ice rink. You know, what better aspect to have if you live up the heights, or you live in South Medford, or in West Medford, or at the hillside, to be able to go to your local park 50 yards away, throw on your skates, and skate around with your kids or your friends at very minimal cost. And it's a great way to meet your neighbors. It's a great way to get back involved in the community, Mr. President. We could do a luge down Fulton Street if Councilor De La Rosa would like to do that. You know, when we talk about community-public-private partnership, you know, I talked about lots, and some of them are lots that are owned by the city. We have a lot out here in back of City Hall where the buses park. You know, you come out here during any given time, it's a filthy, dirty lot, riddled with puddles and dirt and debris. Wouldn't it be great to put a small little putting range where you can have a green that's, you know, maybe 25 by 25 with a plastic fence around it and have four or five little putting greens where people come down and putt? I mean, it's just, again, an inexpensive way to put something together, bring some interest into the community, you know, give it a sense of community pride and a sense of ownership. And those are the thoughts regarding public space. Now, when you deal with private space for an empty storefront, any owner of property knows that foot traffic is vital to a property owner. And when you have a vacant property, you don't get as much foot traffic. as if there's business in the area. And I think it would be prudent for this city to devise a policy where they give a tax incentive to business owners that might have, or landowners that might have, a vacant piece of property that could be used, Mr. President, as a storefront to maybe house someone's art, or maybe have, Mr. President, art classes that are given by Cachet in the city at free cost to the residents of this community. And I know I've spoken with members of Cachet and they'd be very interested in this concept. And I think it would also bring the art community back together with the community and show what can be done with the arts throughout this entire community. So I think the issues that face this particular thing from happening, pop-up community gathering spaces, is the fact that the city has to develop a template on the criteria for what type of activities would be acceptable in this community and for what uses. Also, Mr. President, there's a liability issue and safety issue, and that's something that needs to be addressed with the city solicitor, and the Chief of Police, but it's something that we can overcome and something that's very doable in this community. I wanted to just call to everyone's attention an article I read in the Boston Globe. It was April of 2016 and the city of Somerville has a very similar pop-up plan and they had a gentleman that, if you would indulge me, I'd just like to read a paragraph or two. The article goes, where others may have seen nothing but a vacant auto body shop, Chase Wagner saw an opportunity to create a temporary place for people to showcase their artwork play sports, and gather for events. Wagner, a Pittsburgh native who moved to Boston area nearly four years ago, is in the midst of transforming the former unlimited auto body and corp, a building on Somerville Ave in Somerville, into what he's dubbed the clubhouse, a multi-use space that features an outdoor basketball court, Wagner would be occupying the space until the fall of 2017. He envisioned scheduling pop-up events like basketball tournaments with food trucks, outdoor spin classes, indoor art gallery, yoga classes, movie nights using a projector and a shop wall with a big screen. The garage is slated to come down to make way for condos, and Wagner thinks this is a unique opportunity to take the space for the time being and turn it into a usable community space. So he went to the city of Somerville and talked to the property owner and apparently they're moving forward with that particular initiative, Mr. President. That's one of many, many things that are going on in other communities in this state and across the country. And I think it would be a great fit for this community, and I think it would be a doable fit for us, and it would provide for areas that currently right now are vacant and not being totally utilized for a great gathering space. and potential usage for residents of this community. So I would ask, Mr. President, that this paper be sent to the administration so they can start developing a template and possibly put together a coordinator of this to get the ball rolling and start the initiative, Mr. President, on moving forward on a pop-up community space plan for this entire community.

[Adam Knight]: Thank you. Councilor Knight. Mr. President, thank you very much. And vice president marks. I think this is a great resolution. Um, in your speech, you did mention a few items that, uh, my whole heartedly support such as a tax incentivizing, uh, vacant storefronts to begin to, uh, partner with our community to fill that space so that we don't have blighted squares and downtowns. Um, you also mentioned about, um, our underutilized parks and opportunities that we have at our parks and, uh, After reviewing the minutes of the parks board meeting that I attended last week, you'll note that the minutes reflect that the administration is looking into potentially putting up temporary skating rinks at some of our parks, and they're also seeking grant funding to put in a water and spray park at Harris Park, Mr. President. So those are a couple of things that are coming down the line. Hopefully, they come to fruition. But I think this is a great idea. I think that we're all on the same page in this regard, us here on the council and the administration, in terms of what direction we want to see happen with our open space. We don't want it to be open and underutilized. We don't want it to be open and not utilized at all. We want it to be open, accessible, and be an asset and a value to the community. So I thank Councilor Marksley for bringing this measure up, and I move for approval.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. On the motion by Councilor Marksley to send this paper to the Mayor for further review. All those in favor? Aye. Roll call vote has been requested. Excuse me, Mr. Capstan, did you want to speak? May I? Name and address of the record, please.

[Andrew Castagnetti]: Very brief. Andrew Cushion Street, Method Mass, Castagnetti. This pop-up idea is a good idea, I believe, by Councilor Marks. I believe a friend of mine on Charles Street does it during the November, December holiday seasons on Charles Street in Boston. And I think it's a great idea if we have vacancies. I'm not sure of any around Method Square itself right now. But of course, the landlord's gonna have to okay it. And as a councilor has said earlier, if the concern is also about liability, that concern would have to be satisfied somehow, I'm sure. And as far as the open fields, I think councilor said something about palm seed or something. Seed balms, that's a great idea. I think we should plant a lot of seeds and plant a lot of grass. And then after we're all done, maybe we could take care of our streets, too, and fix some of the holes, the potholes, as Councilor LaRusso says. Thank you for this. Here's some tar bombs.

[Richard Caraviello]: On the motion by Councilor, name and address, I reckon.

[Cheryl Rodriguez]: just real briefly show Rodriguez 21 Park Street. Um, it's, it sounds like an interesting idea and I hope that it will go hand in hand with possible blight tax for the many businesses buildings that are remaining vacant for years on end for tax purposes. That's how we should fund this. And hopefully the project will go bankrupt quickly as these businesses learn that it's not beneficial to remain empty and the square and the surrounding areas can become vibrant and wonderful and Medford can blossom. Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. On the motion by Councilor Mark, seconded by Councilor Knight, roll call has been requested.

[Clerk]: Councilor Dela Rousseau.

[Unidentified]: Yes.

[Clerk]: Councilor Falco. Yes. Councilor Knight. Yes. Councilor O'Connor. Yes. Vice-President Marks. Yes. Councilor Scarpelli. Yes. Vice-President Caraviello.

[Richard Caraviello]: Yes.

[Michael Marks]: On the motion, seven in the affirmative, none in the negative, the motion is adopted. Paper 17. O dash O five four offered by council Lungo-Koehn be resolved at the Medford city council be provided with the historic district commission's opinion regarding the potential development on Salem street parcel council one go current.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. Um, vice president Mark's just looking for approval of the paper to get a copy of, um, the historic district commission's opinions and concerns regarding the potential development of the Salem street parcel. And just to amend it to also get the comments, concerns, and recommendations from the engineer's office with regards to the same parcel, and I move approval, the roll call vote.

[Michael Marks]: On the motion of approval, all in favor? Aye. Opposed? I'm sorry, roll call vote has been requested. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

[Clerk]: Councilor Dela Rousseau? No. Councilor Scalzo? Yes. Councilor Neill? Yes.

[Michael Marks]: Yes. Yes.

[Clerk]: Yes.

[Michael Marks]: Six in the affirmative. One of the negative. The motion is adopted. Uh, is there a motion motion to spend the rules committee of the whole report relative to the, uh,

[Adam Knight]: appointment of the city council representative to the Cormel stadium commission.

[Michael Marks]: Do we have that committee report? Mr. Clerk. Councilor Dello Russo.

[Fred Dello Russo]: The Committee of the Whole met this evening at six o'clock. They entertained a previously submitted candidate. In the intervening time where that candidate was made known to this body, no other applicants presented themselves to the clerk or to the mayor's office, nor were we forwarded any additional information. After a careful examination of the background of the candidate, uh, an opportunity for each of the Councilors to ask questions and engage in attorney Gliona's background and acknowledge his commitment to athletics. The committee, the whole, uh, voted unanimously, uh, six in the affirmative, one absent, uh, to, uh, submit to the council approval, uh, for the appointment of Mr. Gliona, attorney Gliona as the council's representative to the, um, Hormel Commission.

[Michael Marks]: Do we have an appointment term?

[Fred Dello Russo]: A term to complete Cosimo Volpi's, Mr. Volpi's term, which will end in 2018 or 19? February 16th. 16th, 2019. Move approval, Mr. President.

[Michael Marks]: So the motion of approval by Councilor Dello Russo that Attorney Lenny Galeano be appointed to the Hormel Commission to complete the term to February 16th, 2019. Second, Mr. President. The committee reports adopted. And I would ask that, I believe we have to take a vote in this council. So I would ask that it be done by a roll call vote.

[Adam Knight]: Point of clarification, Mr. President?

[SPEAKER_06]: We're taking a roll call vote to adopt the committee report. Is that correct?

[Michael Marks]: Yes. And then we need to take a vote on the appointment. Then we need to vote on the appointment. Let's do this first. Let's adopt the committee report.

[Fred Dello Russo]: We can do it with a simple yay or nay. I believe roll calls have been rather superfluous.

[Unidentified]: That's why I vote no.

[Michael Marks]: Okay, so a motion to take paper 16-795 off the table, the appointment of Leonard A. Gleona at Hormel Stadium. The committee report was adopted tonight, and there was a motion by Councilor De La Rosa to move approval. All in favor?

[Fred Dello Russo]: Aye.

[Michael Marks]: Opposed? The ayes have it. The committee report was adopted. Now to take the appointment of Lenny Gliona to the Haumel Commission, I believe requires a vote of this council.

[Adam Knight]: Motion to take paper 16795 off the table for a vote, Mr. President.

[Michael Marks]: So the motion by council tonight to take paper 16-795 for a vote of this council. So I would ask that it be done by a roll call vote, Mr. President, with the name of the person that was nominated. The name of Lenny Gleona was, was offered. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

[Clerk]: Someone in the affirmative. Uh, Mr. Lenny Gleona has been appointed as the council's,

[Michael Marks]: representative to the Hormel commission. Congratulations. Mr. President motion to take papers in the hands of the clerk. Motion by council light to take papers in the hands of the clerk. Mr. Clerk. Often by president caveat will be resolved that the method city council commend and congratulate Reverend Noah Evans, on his recent promotion by the Episcopal Church. Council President Caraviello.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, thank you, Mr. President. I was informed this week that Noah Evans has been elevated in the Episcopal Church to a higher status, and I wanted to commend and congratulate him. The Reverend has been instrumental in this community in many ways, and I would hope that We could bring him up here for a thank you for all the work that he's done within this community. And I think his last sermon will be on March 5th. And if everybody could go, that would be a great testament to him. I say the reverend has done great work in this community, and I hope whoever replaces him is half as good as him, we'd have a winner. So again, I'd ask that we bring him up here for some type of thank you or commendation before he leaves Medford.

[John Falco]: Thank you, Mr. President. Councilor Falco. Thank you, Mr. President. I also would like to congratulate Reverend Noah on his new assignment at Pittsburgh. I talked to him on Sunday, and he's very excited about the new opportunity. But I'd just like to say thank you to him and his family. They have done a tremendous amount of great work in our community. The great Episcopal Church and Noah have been a great community partner. a great job growing the interfaith community group. And he's just been a significant contributor to everything that occurs in our city. And I'd just like to say thank you for his time and effort.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you, Counsel.

[John Falco]: Counsel Del Russo.

[Fred Dello Russo]: I've also would like to extend my congratulations and best wishes to Noah Evans and family. Father and I have collaborated in work regarding my own personal profession, as well as through mutual friends have collaborated in matters of social justice. It's been always a pleasure working with him. He's brought growth to the community and to his parish, and we're very grateful to him and wish him well.

[Michael Marks]: Thank you, Councilor. Councilor Scarpelli.

[George Scarpelli]: I, too. I appreciate not only for Reverend Noah's ability to reach his congregation, but reach outside and get to the people that don't particularly belong to his church. And one thing I can hold true is understanding that his message of peace and community is so evident. So we're going to miss him. And again, we just want to thank him and wish him luck.

[Michael Marks]: Thank you. Councilor. Councilor Knight.

[Adam Knight]: Mr. President, I've had the distinct honor and pleasure of living next door to the grace Episcopal church for a number of years now. And I'm very happy to call father Owens, my neighbor, I'm sorry, father Evans, my neighbor, and I'm going to certainly miss him. Um, he's done a great job with the facility, with the property. with the landscaping upkeep and with the flowers, Mr. President, so much so that I've seen individuals pull over in their car and actually pull the flowers out of the ground and put them in their own. So with that being said, he will be sadly missed, and I do wish him a happy and prosperous career.

[Michael Marks]: Thank you, Councilor.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Councilor Lungo-Koehn. I would also just like to congratulate him and wish him good luck. He will be sorely missed. The outreach is probably one of the best with regards to that charge, and that's due to him. My children go to school there. So it's just an amazing community that's, that's there and that's due to him. And I wish him good luck.

[Michael Marks]: Thank you. And just from the chair, if I could, uh, Reverend Noah has been an outspoken member of this community for a number of years and has been an active, uh, participating resident as well as reverent. And I wish him well in his future endeavors on the motion, uh, often by council president, uh, Caraviello that, an accommodation be sent to Reverend Noah and request his appearance at the council meeting. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. The motion is adopted. Paper 17-056 offered by President Caraviello. Be resolved that the Medford City Council have the code enforcement develop some rules for Airbnb in light of the recent fire at the Airbnb in Somerville. Council President Caraviello.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, last week there was a very serious fire in Somerville, and I say fortunately nobody died in that. But again, this house was an Airbnb, and this is like the Uber of hotels now. I mean everybody that has a house now is gonna make it a hotel. I think it's time that we develop some type of rules, whether it be the code enforcement or our own council to start policing or regulating these homes to make sure that they have, that the fire department knows that these are being rented out so if they go to your house and they're not just expecting the Caraviello family in there, and all four or five people are out, but there may be other people in there that they don't know about. To make sure that these houses have proper sprinklers and fire extinguishers, and as well as let the police department know that people in the neighborhood, there's gonna be strangers in the neighborhood to be aware. So again, it's better that we be a little proactive on this than wait till there's an accident, something happens, So, Mr. President, I ask that we, whether in our group or the code enforcement officer, develop some type of rules to regulate these Airbnbs before there's an accident and somebody gets hurt.

[Michael Marks]: Thank you, Mr. President. Councilor Scarpelli.

[George Scarpelli]: I thank Council President Cabell for bringing that up. And I think that what's key to this is that they were registered in that city and, uh, the credit goes to the fire inspector and, um, the people that walked out of that, that building safe. It was because of the notification with the fire department and the notification for the residents of that evening that they had a clear understanding of where fire extinguishers, our exits were, and, um, and so on. So I think that's very important that we follow suit. And, um, we as a council also look into our ordinances, uh, with, uh, these Airbnbs that are now popping up everywhere. So thank you. Thank you.

[Michael Marks]: Councilor. Councilor Knight.

[Adam Knight]: Um, Mr. President, thank you very much. And thank you. Councilor Caraviello for bringing up this topic. Um, as we're all aware, this has been a topic of discussion before the council on a number of different occasions in the subcommittee on zoning and ordinances, um, has been reviewing it. Um, presently there has been some discussions about, uh, putting together a short term rental ordinance, uh, that would require certain notifications to be made to the city and to the neighbors in the area as well as a certain permitting processes, Mr. President. So. I'd anticipate that the subcommittees work on that topic should be complete within the next 30 days or so. And I look forward to reporting out a paper with my colleagues for full council deliberation on the motion of council president Caraviello.

[Michael Marks]: All in favor. Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. The motion is adopted. Paper offered by Councilor Knight and Scarpelli be resolved that the Medford city council extended sincere condolence to the family of Chrissy fields, Cedroni, on her recent passing?

[Adam Knight]: That is correct.

[Michael Marks]: Councilor Knight.

[Adam Knight]: Mr. President, thank you very much. Chrissy Fields Cedroni passed away recently from a very public battle with cancer, a 2001 graduate of public high school. She was a fighter. She was tough. She was an inspiration to many. She's going to be missed. And she was well-loved, well-liked, and well-respected in the community. And I offer my deepest condolences and ask that my colleagues join me in doing so. Counsel Scarpelli.

[George Scarpelli]: Again, I echo my condolences. I know her family will miss her forever, but I know she fought this fight and a public fight that most of us know about and may she rest in peace. So thank you.

[Michael Marks]: All rise for a moment of silence. Offered by Councilor Knight and Scarpelli, be it resolved that the MCC extend its deep and sincere condolence to the family of Kenneth Bascom on the recent passing. Councilor Knight.

[Adam Knight]: Yes, Mr. President, Kenneth Bascom was a 1995 graduate of Medford High School and someone who I was proud to call a friend and a teammate. We played basketball together. He was the point guard on the 1994-95 Medford High School team that went to the Division I North Finals, losing to the ultimate state champion South Boston. I don't want to relive the glory days of sitting on the bench and clapping, Mr. President, while I sat there and watched Kenny put up some good points and have some great games. Kenny was a public servant. He was a corrections officer at the Framingham State Penitentiary. And after another long and public battle with cancer, Mr. Bascom succumbed to his illness, Mr. President. So I'd like to offer my condolences to the Bascom family. He was someone that was certainly a leader in our community and someone that will be greatly missed.

[Michael Marks]: Thank you. Counsel Scarpelli.

[George Scarpelli]: I remember Kenny as a young man at Morrison Park that he was truly a fighter then and a little undersized, but the heart of a lion. And when when faced with this battle of cancer, Kenny fought it with that same strength and he will be missed. I know his teammates and classmates and the Morrison Park family that he played for, mourn his loss. And he's a great young man. And I wish his family much prayers and condolences. So thank you.

[Michael Marks]: All rise for a moment of silence. Records. The records of the meeting are January 24, 2017. Yes, Councilor Falco.

[John Falco]: I just wanted to congratulate the Medford Human Rights Commission. This weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Medford Conversations kickoff at Medford High School. They had over 100 people that attended. And it was just to talk about diversity, race, different cultures within our community. It was a very successful event, a lot of participation. I know a lot of hard work went into it, so I just wanted to congratulate them for their hard work and thank them for their hard work and congratulate them on a successful event.

[Michael Marks]: Thank you for the update. Thank you. The records of the meeting of January 24th, 2017 were passed to council Lungo-Koehn. How do you find the records?

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And move approval.

[Michael Marks]: Go Patriots.

[George Scarpelli]: Second go Patriots.

[Michael Marks]: Mr. President. Thank you. Uh, council Lungo-Koehn.

[John Falco]: Councilor Falco. If I may really quick, uh, you also wanted to mention, uh, tomorrow night is the community police meeting. Uh, this, uh, tomorrow night we will be heading to, uh, the hillside neighborhood. We will be at a breed hall, which is the old sacred heart church, um, at the corner of Boston Ave and Winthrop street. Uh, so we will be there tomorrow at 7pm. Everyone is welcome no matter what neighborhood you're from. It's a community police meeting. with Chief Sacco and members of the Medford Police Department to talk about any type of law enforcement or safety issues that you want to talk about.

[Michael Marks]: Everyone is welcome. 7 p.m. Thank you. There was also a reverse 911 call that went out alerting the residents of this meeting, so thank you. Thank you. We have a gentleman at the podium. Name and address of the record.

[Andrew Castagnetti]: Thank you, Council Vice President Marks. Um, before you adjourn this honorable body, I, Councilor Brianna must've read my mind. Um, I, I've often heard the separation of church and state, whatever that means and how it applies and not apply to this, uh, public type of meeting. However, um, for the sake of, uh, pulling New England closer together, economically more viable and, to put more smiles on the people's faces and have the psychiatrists sell less Prozac. I wish the Patriots well. Let's pray.

[Michael Marks]: Thank you. As we all do. On the motion of President Caraviello for adjournment. All those in favor? Opposed? Meeting is adjourned.

Richard Caraviello total time: 16.7 minutes total words: 1329	George Scarpelli total time: 7.25 minutes total words: 581	Fred Dello Russo total time: 11.09 minutes total words: 686	Breanna Lungo-Koehn total time: 10.44 minutes total words: 753
Adam Knight total time: 8.34 minutes total words: 887	John Falco total time: 7.29 minutes total words: 715	Michael Marks total time: 30.99 minutes total words: 1158	Robert Penta total time: 6.96 minutes total words: 134