[Bears]: The reading of the Medford City Council January 2022 is now called to order, Mr. Clerk, please call the roll. I split it up there.
[Unidentified]: Motion to suspend the rules from Councilor Knight, seconded by? Seconded by Councilor Tseng. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll. Yes. Yes. Yes.
[Bears]: Yes.
[Unidentified]: Yes.
[Bears]: Yes. Yes. I mean, the affirmative zero and the negative. The motion is passed and the rules are suspended. Paper 2240. Can we... Motion to take up papers 20 to 040 and 20 to 047. Is that a motion to join. Seconded by second, seconded by a motion by Councilor Scarpelli seconded by Councilor carb yellow. Mr. Please call the roll.
[Hurtubise]: Yes, Councilor Collins.
[Unidentified]: Yes.
[Hurtubise]: Council night. Councilor Scarpelli.
[Bears]: Vice President Ferris. Yes, 70 affirmative, zero in the negative, motion passes. 22-040 offered by Councilor Knight, be it so resolved that the city solicitor appear before the council in executive session for the purpose of discussing impending litigation relative to permit denial for BJ's wholesale. And 22-047 offered by Councilor Caraviello, be it resolved that the Medford City Council ask Solicitor Scanlon to attend the meeting on Tuesday to brief the council on the matter of BJ's permit and where it stands at this point. Councilor Knight.
[Knight]: Yes, Mister president, I do think this paper is rather self explanatory. We do a pending litigation right now with BJ's wholesale. And for that purpose, I'd call for executive session for us to get an update from the city. So where we stand the status of negotiations and the such. Thank you. Councilor Knight. Councilor Kirby.
[Bears]: All right. Executive session was listed as a topic for discussion on this meeting notice, including detail about the purpose for the executive session. We have convenient open session. I am publicly announcing the purpose of our executive session is to cite purpose three, to discuss strategy with respect to litigation. And the specific purpose is the ongoing case of BJ's Wholesale Club versus Metro City Council. We will reconvene an open session after the executive session. Mr. Clerk, on the motion to enter executive session by Councilor Knight, seconded by Councilor Caraviello, please call the roll.
[Unidentified]: Councilor Caraviello? Yes. Councilor Collins? Yes.
[Hurtubise]: Councilor Knight? Yes. Councilor Scarpelli? Yes. Councilor Tseng? Yes. President Morell?
[Unidentified]: Yes.
[Bears]: vice president bears. Yes. I've been the affirmative zero and the negative motion passes. We will be entering executive session. If you're viewing online, please bear with us. So we will be away for a few minutes. All right. Hi everybody. Motion to revert to the regular, well, just before we do that, just FYI to anybody who is currently on Zoom, we're having issues with the TV broadcast, so we will be broadcasting on Zoom and a recording of the meeting will be posted on Medford Community Media, but the TV feed is currently not working. On the motion of Councilor Scarpelli to revert to the regular order of business, seconded by Councilor Caraviello, Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Unidentified]: Councilor Caraviello? Councilor Collins? Yes. Councilor Knight? Yes. Councilor Scarpelli? Yes. Councilor Tseng? President Bears?? Yes. President Morell? Yes.
[Bears]: Yes, I'm in the affirmative, zero in the negative, the motion passes. 22.024, petition for grant of location, National Grid, North Andover, Massachusetts. Location of poles, wires, and fixtures. You are hereby notified that the Medford City Council will hold a public hearing in the Howard F. Alden Chambers at Medford City Hall, 85 George P. Hassett Drive, Medford, and via Zoom. on Tuesday, January 18th, 2022, a link to be posted no later than Friday, January 14th, 2022, on a petition of Massachusetts Electrical Company, DBA National Grid, and Verizon New England for permission to locate. Motion to waive the reading for a brief synopsis by the applicant by Councilor Knight, seconded by? Seconded by Councilor Caraviello. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Unidentified]: Councilor Caraviello? Yes. Councilor Collins? Yes. Yes.
[Bears]: Yes. So many affirmatives here in the negative motion passes. I opened the hearing first, right?
[Unidentified]: Public hearing is now open. Is there anyone in favor of the petition?
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you very much, Councilors. My name is Sterling Ortiz. I work for National Grid Electric. We're located at 170 Medford Street, Malden, and I'm here to speak about the proposed installation of pole labeled 4626-50 on Woodruff Ave.
[Bears]: I see Mr. Ortiz in favor of the position. Is there anyone else in favor of the petition? This portion of the hearing is now closed. Is there anyone in opposition to the petition? Seeing none, this portion of the hearing is now closed. Mr. Ortiz, if you could give us a brief synopsis of the project.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, the purpose of the pole is right now the current configuration involves what we call a feeder tie where two circuits come into one pole and you're able to be energized one or the other. The same pole you also have an underground feed that comes right off the substation that's right behind that pole. And the reason for the new pole is to separate all that equipment into its own sole pole. That will create a safer environment for our crew and also add reliability for the future. If anything happens and we need to work, it doesn't create a dangerous environment for our crews.
[Unidentified]: Thank you, Mr. Ortiz. Councilor Scarpello.
[Scarpelli]: poll just to be clarification for for all the residents, you're actually talking about another poll that upright in our community in a city location, correct?
[SPEAKER_00]: That is correct.
[Scarpelli]: Okay. Are you familiar with any double poles that are still left through national grid in the city of Medford?
[SPEAKER_00]: So I myself don't handle the seat of Medford myself, but I do work with my colleague, who is Moses. I could certainly talk to him if there are any polls in question that you would like us to take a look.
[Scarpelli]: We've asked for years to eliminate all the double polls for the fact that one, it's a safety hazard. poses problems for ADA accessibility, and aesthetically, it looks disgusting. This is only gonna be to erect one pole, correct? There's no other pole near that?
[SPEAKER_00]: That is correct. That is just to erect one pole, and also just to add a little bit of information. When you see double poles, usually what happens is if we need to replace a pole, National Guard comes out, we replace the pole and we move all our assets to the new pole. Usually when you have double poles is because Verizon and other telecom, whatever other attachments and other companies that might be on that pole, they have to follow through and make sure that they move their assets to the new pole. And Verizon is usually responsible for removing that pole that is the one that's attached to the pole that was just installed.
[Scarpelli]: Thank you, I can I can understand that but at the same time, with all the public utility companies that are doing work in Medford. a lot of either your brother companies have erected these poles and walk away and then point to each other to say whose pole that belongs to to be taken down. So that's my biggest, one of my pet peeves right now is that I still think we still have poles through National Grid that haven't been taken down, whether it was YAR doing or Verizon's doing. And I say this all due respect, Mr. Ortiz, I truly don't care. We need to see action. Sometimes the only way to see action, if we talk to representatives like yourself, that you can go back to your supervisors and say, listen, Medford's really gonna hold back on allowing X, Y, and Z until we fix this these issues. So, um, like again, I'm sorry, you know, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm shooting the messenger per se, but, um, I know this isn't probably all we are doing, but you have to understand where I'm coming from as a Councilor, the, the issues we have when they're at double pole. So, uh, like I said, it's not in this, this, this location, but, um, I'd like to see how my polls by national grid. So thank you.
[SPEAKER_00]: No problem, I will certainly pass along that message. I will talk to my supervisor to make sure that we start proactive action to start looking at double poles out there and take all necessary measures. I appreciate that. You're welcome.
[Caraviello]: Councilor Caraviello. Thank you, Mr. President. I second Councilor Scarpelli's remarks on the double poles. I mean, there's many left around the city, and again, I know it's not your fault, At some point, you know, someone's gonna have to address these double polls that are just left there for years at a time and, you know, hate to start denying permits until that gets done, but someone's gonna have to step up in this. When do you plan on putting this poll in?
[SPEAKER_00]: So usually we'll go through this hearing petition and then once it is granted or not, we hope that it's granted. We then normally jump into scheduling, but I really don't know when that will happen because I don't control the schedule. But it'll depend, I really don't know. But if you guys really wanna know, I can certainly get somebody's information and then reach back and let you guys know.
[Caraviello]: I'm reading what you have here, and I've got concerns on number five, six, and seven. Because I guess Steve Paul is in an area where there's grass. So you're gonna have to replace the loom and cede it to the approval of the public works. And there's also a tree on there. So are you going to be, is this tree going to be rerouted and National Grid's gonna replace the tree? I don't know.
[SPEAKER_00]: And- That's a good question, councilor. I will make an inquiry about that. I don't believe is in our intention to remove a tree. but I can certainly confirm.
[Caraviello]: He is removed, you won't work with the tree warden to replace it with a new tree?
[SPEAKER_00]: That is correct. However, I believe that if we were to do anything with the tree, we would first, you know, make sure that we include that verbiage in the petition. And also, of course, make contact with the city in regards to touching any city-owned trees.
[Caraviello]: Okay, so when it says here, I guess you don't have a final location of the pole, am I correct? It's in, what's it called, a furniture zone?
[SPEAKER_00]: Outside the limits of the- Go ahead, I'm sorry.
[Caraviello]: It says here, the final location of the pole shall be in the furniture zone, outside the limits of the existing driveway entrance. So obviously this pole is not going back to where the other one was, correct?
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, there is no existing poll. There's going to be a brand new poll that's going to be added in between, as you see on the sketch here, in between those two polls. I am looking at Google Maps right now. There is a driveway there. I don't think we utilize that driveway. I'm not sure if the intent is to put it somewhere in between this driveway. Usually what happens is the pole is staked and then that will mark the location of the pole. But again, this is something that I could certainly chime back to you guys if I have someone's contact and I could stake it in the ground and then have your engineering group come out and confirm that location.
[Caraviello]: Yeah, I'd like if you'd work with a tree warden prior to this, to make sure that any tree that's there won't be damaged. And if the tree, if the roots are there, are gonna be damaged, that the tree warden make sure that a proper tree is planted in that spot there.
[SPEAKER_00]: Understood.
[Unidentified]: Councilor Collins.
[Collins]: Thank you, and thank you, Mr. Ortiz, for being on the call and answering our questions. I was wondering, and I apologize if you're not the person to whom this question should be directed, but I was wondering if there's a standard protocol that you follow for informing the residents that are adjacent to your work site of the work that you're doing, work schedule, what they should expect from the work being done on their street. if that's something that is usually farmed out to your city liaisons, sort of what the residents can expect if the permit is to be granted and if work goes ahead.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you, Councilor, for your question. So in regards to notifying the residents in the neighborhood, For a petition for this hearing, I'm sure the letters go out to them to make sure that they also are able to participate and their voices are heard in case they are opposed to having this poll installed. In regards to National Grid notifying them directly when we're going to be out there, I don't have an answer for that, but I can certainly, again, it's one of those things that I could bring back to my colleague and tell him, or also the scheduler and also the liaison, to let him know if there's a way that we can notify everyone. But we always set up perimeters to make sure that the environment, the area is safe, the working area.
[Bears]: Councilor Cronus, the clerk is also reminding me that the clerk's office will notify our monitors as well.
[Collins]: Thank you.
[Knight]: Mr. President. Councilor Nait. I see this is no more than a request to put a 20 foot trench in and to put a pole in and I move for approval.
[Bears]: On Councilor Nait's motion to approve, seconded by. Seconded by Councilor Caraviello. I don't believe I have anything on this, so. Oh, just on the, Mr. Ortiz, it was requested by the council that you provide a report back to us on double poles. Would it be possible for you to send a written report to our city clerk's office on that matter?
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes, I could certainly do that. I don't know if maybe there's a way that I could get that info, an email that I could just directly send that in and be in contact with that person.
[Knight]: Yes, that would be the. Sorry, what was that?
[Bears]: If you email it to the city clerk and the superintendent of wires, that would be sufficient. Okay, sounds good. You can give a phone call to, if you have a pen, I can give you a phone number to call in the morning.
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I'm ready.
[Bears]: It's a 781-393-2425. Thank you very much. Thank you. On the motion of Councilor Knight, seconded by Councilor Caraviello to approve this petition. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Unidentified]: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
[Bears]: Yes.
[Unidentified]: Yes.
[Bears]: Yes. So any affirmative and the negative, the petition is approved.
[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you guys have a good night.
[Bears]: Thank you, Mr. motions orders and resolutions 22 to 038 offered by Councilor Knight, it's a result of Medford City Council congratulate former Metro Police Detective Michael holding on his recent retirement as chief of the Western Police Department Councilor Knight.
[Knight]: Mr. President, thank you very much. So the Goulding family of fixtures in the Lawrence Estates neighborhood of Medford. find Mrs. Goulding at St. Joseph's Parish every Sunday morning, praying for his son, Michael, who was a police officer for the better part of three decades. He served here proudly and admirably in the city of Medford, starting off as a patrolman and rising through the ranks to that of lieutenant, at which time I had the opportunity to become the chief of the Western Police Department maybe, what was it, four years ago? And he left us. Mike left us and he went over to Western and me finished off a great career there. He's sent him on that had given a lot to this community meant a lot to a lot of people in this community me being one of them. And I'd asked my council colleagues to join in and not congratulating him in his retirement, it's not too often that we see one of our own rise to the level of chief. These jobs don't come up too often, there's only 300. somewhat cities and towns here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and for one of our homegrown talents to achieve such a great accolade and finish off his career at the pinnacle of where it could be is something that's admirable so I'd like to congratulate him on this achievement.
[Caraviello]: Thank you, Mr. President, I think constantly put this forward. Congratulations to Chief Goulding on his retirement. I know many people in Western who've worked with him and nothing but compliments for his job as chief. And it's like Councilor Naitz said, it's a shame that we lost him, but it's good to see a homegrown talent move up and do good things for the other community. So again, just wanna thank Michael on his retirement and hope to see him around town.
[Bears]: Sorry, thank you, Councilor Campbell. Any further discussion? On the motion of Councilor Knight to approve, seconded by Councilor Caraviello-Viello. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Hurtubise]: Councilor Caraviello-Viello. Yes. Councilor Collins. Yes. Councilor Knight. Yes. Councilor Scarpelli. Yes.
[Unidentified]: Councilor Tseng.
[Bears]: Yes. Yes, seven affirmative, zero in the negative. The motion passes. 22-039 offered by Councilor Knight, whereas Council Paper 20-328, Progress Report on Requested Draft Ordinances, has gone unanswered. Be it so resolved that the City Solicitor direct the outsourced legal counsel to provide the council with Draft ordinances on the following matters approved by the council during the 2020-2021 term. One, $50 minimum wage for all city and school department employees. Two, sick leave bank for all city and school department employees. Three, city beautification advisory committee, 20-006. Four, housing stability task force, 20-300. Five, affordable housing trust, 20-024. Six, commercial leaf blowers, 21-057. And seven, youth commission, 21-351. Councilor Knight.
[Knight]: Mr. President, thank you very much at the risk of repeating my entire speech from last week, I will move for approval as amended, I'd request that this be added on to the reports to section of the council agenda 30 days time.
[Bears]: On the motion of councilor Knight to approve as amended by signing them by councilor Caraviello as amended by councilor Knight to place us on the reports due section of the agenda for 30 days, correct? Yes, sir. Any further discussion?
[Morell]: Mr. President, if I could.
[Bears]: President Morell.
[Morell]: Thank you, Mr. President, have Councilor Knight with so obliged, I would just like to add two more papers that we were seeking draft ordinance on which is the polystyrene ban. 20078 and then the gender equity commission, not a draft ordinance but just we've been waiting on an update for that for a while and I have the number on that as well.
[Knight]: Able to hold up these very important items of one through seven. However, I would be happy to put them on.
[Morell]: I mean I can ask them separately I don't I. Yeah, I'm fine. I can ask them separately. Oh, I don't know. I'm. It's a little loss of resume I apologize. So yeah, so the, the number for the gender equity commission is 19-312.
[Bears]: On the motion of Councilor Knight seconded by Councilor Gabriella as amended by Councilor Knight and Councilor Morell. Mr. Clerk, please call the role.
[Unidentified]: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
[Bears]: Yes, having affirmative zero, the negative motion passes. 22-041, offered by Councilor Knight, be it so resolved that the Medford City Council request that the School Department seek a determination on eligibility for funding from the Community Preservation Committee for the purpose of addressing physical plant requirements to provide hot water to the locker rooms outlined in Council Paper 21-607, and be it so resolved that the City Council request the School Department seek a determination on eligibility for funding from the Community Preservation Committee for the purpose of resurfacing the field of dreams as outlined in council paper 21-606, and be it further resolved that the Medford City Council request the Hormel Commission seek a determination on eligibility for funding from the CPC for the purpose of addressing physical plant requirements regarding hot water in the MHS pool locker rooms as outlined in council paper 21-605. Councilor Knight.
[Knight]: Mr. President, thank you very much. This was a several papers that came up at the close of last session. But as we have CPA discussion starting tomorrow I thought it would be prudent for us to keep this on the forefront of the front burner. Ultimately, we do have some physical plant requirements at Metro high school and in Last week's packet, if you went through it, you would have found in there a petition from a number of individuals that utilize our pool facilities at the high school complaining of lack of hot water when they use the facilities, aside from the fact that that is probably the grossest thing in the world because there's probably a violation of What about standards. It's something that needs to be fixed we have a state of the pool, we have a state of the art science lab state of the art fields, but we don't have hot water in the locker. This is something that should have been fixed long ago. And the funding is an issue. Why don't we seek an eligibility determination from the CPA to see if in fact we can use those funds to address this very basic and simple maintenance request. In terms of the resurfacing of the field of dreams, there was discussion regarding the condition of the field of dreams and I know Councilor Scarpelli is far better versed at this than I am, but there is need for maintenance and upgrades at the field, and we've discussed a need for funding. And again, CPC is an opportunity for us to pursue funding for that. And lastly, in our packet last week we also received a report from the home of the mission, aligning the physical plant requirements of one else stadium, and what we need to do an updated press box being one of the things they're right concessions them being another. projects that we want to undertake. We have a funding mechanism that's available for us in the CPC, so I'd ask that they also pursue an opportunity to see if they have eligibility for funds to pursue these endeavors. So with that being said, I ask my council colleagues to support the measure, requesting that these entities take the appropriate steps to determine whether or not they're eligible for the funds.
[Bears]: Thank you, Councilor Knight. On the motion of Councilor Knight, seconded by Councilor Scarpelli. Is there any further discussion?
[Morell]: Mr. President, if I could. Thank you, Mr. President, I think Council night for bringing this forward and I have no issue with this paper but I do see from a November 15 meeting of the school committee. They did approve funding for the repairs for the high school pool locker showers. I don't know if there's been an update on that work sense but that's from their November 15 meeting, but I, I see no issue with also seeking if this type of work qualifies for CPA funding.
[Unidentified]: Any further discussion? On the motion of Councilor Knight, seconded by Councilor Scarpelli. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll. Councilor Caraviello? Yes. Councilor Collins? Yes. Councilor Knight? Yes. Yes. Councilor Tseng? Yes.
[Bears]: Vice President Farage?
[Unidentified]: Yes.
[SPEAKER_00]: Vice President Paris?
[Bears]: Yes. I have an affirmative zero and a negative. The motion passes. 22-042, offered by Councilor Knight. Being so resolved that the city solicitor provide an opinion on the following question, colon, does the contract for the provision of body cameras fall under the requirements and provisions of Massachusetts general law, chapter 30B, section 12. Councilor Knight.
[Knight]: Yes, Mister President, thank you very much. That chapter of the general laws is what limits a municipal contract to no more than 36 months. Just recently, we heard that the city administration had entered into a contract for police body cameras, which is something I'm sure we're all very excited about. However, it was also brought up that this contract was a 60-month term, which raised the question as to whether or not this type of program would fall under Chapter 30B section 12. So I'd like to ask the city solicitor whether or not this paper would require council approval to enter into a contract that exceeds the statutory term of 36 months.
[Bears]: Thank you, Councilor Knight. Any further discussion? Councilor Collins.
[Collins]: Yes, just wanted to thank Councilor Knight for bringing this up. I also have questions about how this contract overlaps or intersects or otherwise with the provisions laid out in 30B section 12. What's changed by it being grant funded? What parts of that provision apply or not? So I'm looking forward to receiving a determination on that.
[Bears]: Thank you, Councilor Collins. On the motion of Councilor Knight, seconded by Councilor Scarpelli. Any further discussion?
[Unidentified]: Seeing none, Mr. Clerk, please call the roll. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
[Bears]: Yes, 70 affirmative, zero in the negative, the motion passes. 22-043 offered by President Morell. Be it resolved that the Medford City Council meet in committee of the whole to discuss council priorities for 2022. Councilor Morell.
[Morell]: Thank you, Mr. President. Yes, this is a self-explanatory resolution and I move approval and with Councilor's support, look forward to scheduling.
[Unidentified]: Yes. Yes. Yes.
[Caraviello]: Yes, I'm in the affirmative motion passes. 22044 offered by vice-president Beers be resolved with Medford city council that the city administration provide full support to the efforts of Trees Medford in creation of a memorial grove to honor and memorialize the lives of Method residents lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. Be a further resolve that the state administration provide an update on Council Paper 20665 regarding COVID-19 Memorial Commission and how these efforts could be continued. Vice President Biss.
[Bears]: Thank you, Mr. President. This resolution comes after I was able to see a report in the Medford transcript about the efforts of Trees Medford to establish a memorial grove to honor and memorialize the lives of over 100 Medford residents who passed away due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A little over a year ago, I proposed a similar resolution in spirit that the city to have a commission to determine what a memorial may be. So the purpose here is to say that the council asked the administration to support the efforts of Trees Medford and also to report back to us on if they plan to have any sort of commission or other sort of group to figure out what this memorial could look like. Thank you, Mr. Vice President.
[Caraviello]: Any further discussion? So on a motion by Vice President Bears, seconded by Councilor Knight, Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Unidentified]: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
[Hurtubise]: Seven affirmative motion passes. 22045 offered by Vice President Bears.
[Caraviello]: be it resolved that the Medford City Council meet and committee as a whole to discuss support for our animal control officers' staffing needs in city rules and regulations. Vice President Betz.
[Bears]: Thank you, Mr. President. You know, in having several discussions with members of the community, you know, folks over at Brooks Estate, folks who utilize our parks, and Mr. Hogan, you know, it's become very clear to me that Mr. Hogan's, the workload on Mr. Hogan is very significant. Many communities have multiple animal control officers here in Medford. We have Patrick Hogan who does an amazing job. We got an email from him earlier this month about what he had done in the year 2021 and I think that was a very impressive amount of work. And then we have one other person who's certified to be an animal control officer who is in the health department but is so overworked with the responsibilities of their job, but they're mostly not able to also assist with animal control. So I think it's worth bringing in our animal control officer to discuss both suggestions or support the council might have to provide additional resources to the office, as well as if there are any potential legal changes or provisions of state law that the city may be able to accept to improve his ability to do his work. Thank you, Mr. President, any further discussion?
[Caraviello]: The motion by Vice President Bears, seconded by Councilor Knighton. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Unidentified]: Vice President Bears. Yes. Yes. Yes.
[Bears]: Yes. Seven in the affirmative, zero in the negative. Motion passes. 22-zero four six offered by councilor Caraviello. Be it resolved that the Medford city council request the mayor and veteran service director engage in talks with the town of Winchester to regionalize their veteran service with our department. Councilor Caraviello.
[Caraviello]: Chester has reached out to us. I guess they don't have a veteran service officer there anymore. And they've inquired about having Medford take over their veteran services for them. Not that they have a large amount of veterans in Winchester, but I think this would be a good thing for our office. It would help, obviously, boost our office with recognition of taking over two cities. Obviously, Winchester would help pay for the salary of Mike or maybe another person to help out in the office. So I think, again, I think this is a good thing for us. I think it helps out another town with veterans in another city. And again, now, when we were in trouble, other cities stepped up to help us out. So I think it's time, you know, maybe we step up and help someone else out. So again, I just let the mayor talk with the people from Winchester. If we can get some of his salary paid, cuts down on our budget and increases our visibility.
[Bears]: Thank you Councilor Caraviello.
[Knight]: Councilor Knight. As I stated when we went through the whole entire situation, fiasco, whatever we want to call it, with the administration's actions to the Veterans Service Director, I took a position and that position was that I opposed the regionalization of the Veterans Service Office. I felt as though the City of Medford deserved to have a dedicated representative for the veterans, and I feel as though Winchester's veterans deserve no less. I can understand where Councilor Caraviello is coming from. I understand that Winchester has a personnel problem, but they can't staff their position. I certainly have no problem with the City of Medford helping out, but I do want to be sure that the City of Medford remains the number one priority. So with that being said, regionalization is not something that I support. I'm very weary of hearing the word regionalization. When I hear the word regionalization, it makes me think county government we all know how well that worked out. So with that being said I will be opposed to this measure this evening, but I can certainly respect and appreciate where the council is coming from and why he's bringing this measure forward. This is more about a philosophy on government than it is about anything else.
[Caraviello]: Mr. President? I think Councilor Mayne, maybe that was the wrong word for me to use, but maybe merging of two offices. So that's really what, it was an intent, the intent wasn't to bring in like multiple other states, but they have reached out to us. So that's really the intent of the motion. Is that an amendment? No, no amendment, yes. Maybe the word isn't the right word, but again, the only intent is, is to bring in maybe the few veterans of Winchester-Terraz, and so they get services that they need. If I may have a question, would... How do I phrase it?
[Bears]: Would this come back to us in the future? Would we have to agree to this merger as a council?
[Caraviello]: No, I think this would lie strictly with the mayor. I don't think we have anything, but again, I would assume that Winchester would help fund the office. So sort of, you know, take a little bit of the burden off us and, you know, and if they pay for, you know, maybe we could staff it with another person. Well, that's really the whole intent. Got it. Further discussion, Councilor Sharp.
[Scarpelli]: Thank you, Council President. Councilor Caraviello, I understand, I appreciate where you're going with this, but at the same time, I didn't realize that this would be followed up with, this is what we're asking for with a lot of what ifs, and that's what I'm a little nervous about. If it's going to the mayor's office, you know, I don't want to go the other way and say, well, let's share, let's send our stuff over to another community. And I hope that doesn't happen.
[Caraviello]: By law, we are supposed to have a veterans office in the city. So we're not shifting guys. They have nobody and they don't have a large veterans office there.
[Scarpelli]: But I also think, like you said, the work The workflow, he does a lot right now in the city of Medford for our veterans. And I think I wanna help the veterans in Winchester. If it's raised to work with a partnership with the city of Winchester while they're continuing to find solutions, I would support that. But to do this, I know that it's just a word, but regionalizing means that you know, oh, hey, that's great. So, you know, let's, let's have Maldon jump in. And then, you know, Mr. Durham now, who's phenomenal in his job, is really picking up a heavy load. And not to say that they don't need support. But I think the veterans in Medford are first and foremost. So I think that's my, that's my, my my hesitation with this, but I appreciate bringing forward. I understand where you're coming from and every intention that you have, Mr. Caraviello, is always support the veterans in both our community and across Massachusetts. So it's not a slight to that at all. I just think that, you know, I'd rather, you know, I'd like to see it maybe word a little bit differently, but.
[Caraviello]: I may have used the wrong word, but I did talk to Mike on this. And he didn't think the extra workload would be because of the small amount of veterans they had in Winchester.
[Scarpelli]: Is there any way we can maybe bring to him just a quick meeting, a subcommittee meeting, or a committee of the whole? I don't want to vote against it, but maybe to talk to Mike and ask him. I'd like to know what the numbers are. If the numbers are 300, we don't know. But if the numbers are 10, I can't see why.
[Caraviello]: Yeah, if you want, I'll call a subcommittee meeting with the veterans.
[Scarpelli]: If we can do that, I'd rather do that. I don't want to vote against it, because I have questions. For instance, if the mayor is in charge and we're taking in 10, what would we could petition Winchester to say they pick up 10% of Mike's salary, if that's a way to work this partnership with Winchester. But I'd appreciate if you did that.
[Caraviello]: I will take care of that. I will talk to Mike, and we'll have a subcommittee meeting on the Veterans Affairs. However, I don't know who's on that. I know I'm the chair of that committee. I don't know who else is on that committee with me.
[Bears]: On the motion of Councilor Caraviello to refer this paper to the Subcommittee on Military and Veterans Affairs, seconded by Councilor Scarpelli. Any further discussion? Seeing none, on the motion to refer to the Subcommittee, Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Unidentified]: Councilor Caraviello? Yes. Councilor Collins? Yes.
[Hurtubise]: Councilor Knight? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
[Bears]: 7 in the affirmative, 0 in the negative. The motion is referred to subcommittee 22-048. Be it resolved that the Medford City Council thank all the people who supported our fight with Encore that hopefully had some influence with wind pulling back on their expansion plans. Councilor Caraviellollo.
[Caraviello]: Thank you, Mr. President. I think this is something we talked about a few weeks ago. And if anyone's been following the story, wind has pulled back on their plans to develop their 1800 seat entertainment theater. And I would hope that all the pressure that the other communities along with us obviously had some influence on the Encore, realizing they were wrong, trying to backdoor this. So just want to thank people. And again, this fight's not over. It's still gonna, it's still gonna, it's gonna rear its head again. But again, let's not, let's, again, we have no legal representation on this at the moment, but let's not let this die and keep fighting this until that project is stopped. Thank you, Councilor Caraviello.
[Unidentified]: Councilor Collins.
[Collins]: Thank you, and thank you, Councilor Caraviello for bringing this forward. As you said, you know.
[Unidentified]: Yeah. I believe we lost our, the audio is off on Zoom. I can't hear anything. Thumbs up on the screen.
[Bears]: All right. Now I can hear. The motion passes.
[Morell]: Sorry, blame the baby.
[Bears]: I think we're blaming Shane.
[Unidentified]: We're good? All right.
[Bears]: I know. Oh, do we have papers in committee? We report to committees. Representative committees 22-025, January 12th, 2022. Committee of the whole report. This was on the flooding at high street and Woburn street intersection. Is there a motion? Motion to approve by councilor Knight. Seconded by councilor Cabriello.
[Unidentified]: Mr. Clerk, please call the roll. Yes.
[Bears]: Yes.
[Unidentified]: Yes.
[Bears]: Yes. Negative motion passes records, records of the meeting of January 11th, 2022 were passed. Councilor Knight, Councilor Knight, how'd you find the record on the motion of Councilor Knight to approve the record seconded by Councilor Scarpelli. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Unidentified]: Yep.
[Bears]: Yes, 70 affirmative, zero in the negative, the motion passes. Any further business? Any motions on the floor? Motion to adjourn, Councilor Knight, seconded by? Second. Seconded by Councilor Caraviello. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Bears]: Yes, I mean affirmative is there a negative motion passes and the meeting is adjourned.
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