[Fred Dello Russo]: Meeting of the Medford City Council will come to order. Madam Clerk, would you kindly call the roll?
[SPEAKER_04]: Councilor Caraviello. Present. Councilor Falco. Present. Councilor Knight. Present. Councilor Montgomery. Present. Councilor Montz. Present. Councilor Schell-Pelley. Present. Councilor De Lucia.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Present. Seven members present, none absent, please rise to salute the flag. Aye. 16-555 offered by Vice President Longo-Curran. Be it resolved that the Metro City Council requests that the city solicitor assist the council in changing the six month demo delay for historic properties to a one to two year demo delay. Madam Vice President.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, President Dello Russo. During our budget deliberations, we had the historic commission and the historic district commission before us and we had a couple nights of discussion with regards to a number of issues, one being this six-month demo delay that we have on the books currently. Discussion was had with regards to extending that and asking for their opinion on it. I think that was the historic commission. We asked Ryan Haywood for his opinion, and I think that will be coming to us shortly with regards to how we can go about and why we should go about extending this. demo delay. I believe that a number of cities and towns have a one and some even a two-year demo delay, and I think that's something that the city of Medford definitely needs to look into. We were told point blank that six months is not enough time to hire a consultant and prepare a report, and I think we need to give our historic commission more time to do the work that needs to be done so we can preserve these historic homes. So I ask that while we're awaiting Mr. Haywood's report. We also request that the city solicitor begin, because I know he's busy and we are coming upon the summer months, so I ask that we begin making the change to our ordinance so that we can move forward on that sooner than later. I know we have a number of historic properties that ran into this issue. I know there was one on Toro Ave. Obviously, South Street has some historic I'm sorry, not South, yeah, South Street, Toro, in that neighborhood, and there's a number of homes that would qualify for this six-month demo delay. So I ask that the city council go on record requesting that the city solicitor create an update to our ordinance so we can pass that and create a longer time frame for this demolition delay.
[Adam Knight]: On the motion by Vice President Lagucurne, Councilor Knight. Mr. President, I too had a conversation with Mr. Ryan Haywood relative to this very same matter. And he and I sat down and he pointed out what sections of the metric code of ordinances he was referring to. Whether this is a matter that would be a change in our city ordinances, I'd recommend that the matter be referred to our zoning and ordinance subcommittee for a draft piece of paper that can be put together for the council to review.
[Fred Dello Russo]: We have two contradictory motions.
[Adam Knight]: We can have the solicitor's input at that point as well, I think. He's always more than willing to help out with that stuff. But it seemed very remedial, Mr. President. It was a matter of crossing out six months and replacing it with the appropriate figure that we deem is proper at this point in time as a body. Thank you. So, on that motion, Madam Vice President.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I think we combine the two. We vote that we do want to increase the demo delay, and then we send it to subcommittee to make that change.
[Fred Dello Russo]: That's a wise decision, Madam Vice-President. So on the motion of Vice-President Algo-Kern, seconded by Councilor Knight. All those in favor? All those opposed? Motion carries. 16-556 offered by Councilor Knight. Be it resolved the city administration adopt and implement a trench identification system where markers would be placed on trench work performed by public utilities for the purpose of holding contractors and public utilities accountable for work performed on our roadways.
[Adam Knight]: Councilor Knight. Mr. President, thank you very much. I think this is a pretty self-explanatory resolution. It came out of our budget meetings two Saturdays ago when the city engineer explained to us that this is a process and a procedure and a policy in other communities, and it's been met with success, Mr. President. I think it'll allow us the opportunity to identify the trench work that's being done by what public utility, and then we'll be able to hold them accountable. If neighbors have a concern or a question, they can go out and look at the trench identification number. The trench identification plates are coded by color so that you know what type of utility it is, whether it's electricity or water, and it allows a little bit easier quality of life issues in public service, Mr. President. So I think that this is a good measure. I also believe that it can be done at little or no cost to the taxpayer. So I'd ask my colleagues to support it, and I move for approval. On the motion approved by Councilor Knight, seconded by Councilor Marks.
[Michael Marks]: Councilor Marks. Mr. President, I think that's an excellent suggestion. trying to solve an issue that this council has been trying to address for a number of years in, uh, addressing utility contractors that come into this community and do digging and don't put back, uh, the road, uh, the way they found it. And I think this is a wise suggestion and I support it wholeheartedly.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Sure. Thank you. Councilor chair recognizes council Scarpelli.
[George Scarpelli]: Thank you, Mr. President. I too commend my colleague to bring this. In front of us again, I think that it's important. I got two phone calls this week on some public utility work that was done over the last year by National Grid. And now there are two open sinkholes. So we forwarding that off to Mr. Cairns in the morning. And again, I hope this helps us give us an indication in who's not fulfilling their responsibilities as a utility company. Thank you.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On the motion for approval by Councilor Knight, seconded by Councilor Marks. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion passes. 16-557 offered by Councilor Knight. We resolve the Park Commission explore possibilities to further diversify recreational opportunities provided at our public parks. including, but not limited to, horseshoe pits, bocce courts, volleyball courts, shuffleboard courts, street hockey rinks, canoe launches, pitch and putt areas, and body weight exercise equipment, and report back to the council the feasibility of expanding the offerings at our public parks.
[Adam Knight]: Councilor Knight. Mr. President, thank you very much. One thing I noticed when I drive down the streets of our city is that we have some beautiful parks, some very large parks that take up quite a bit of acreage. But quite frequently, we don't see anybody utilizing them. Quite frequently, we don't see anybody there. And I think that part of that has to do with the fact that we don't have diversified options for the residents of this community to participate in. And I think some of these items are low-cost items, like a horseshoe pit or a bocce court or a shuffleboard court, Mr. President, that may bring people to our parks to utilize our open recreational space. I think that it's important that we provide opportunities for the members of our community, children and adults alike. to utilize these public open spaces, Mr. President. And I also think it's important with the discussions that we have here going on with childhood obesity and addiction that we provide opportunities for our community to utilize the services and amenities that we have in place. I'd ask my colleagues to support the resolution. I'd ask for it to be taken in a roll call vote, Mr. President.
[George Scarpelli]: Thank you, Councilor. Councilor Scarpelli. Thank you, Mr. President. This is a great initiative and I think that it's something that's needed when you have an organized recreational program that we can identify in our community. And I think that the mayor has put together, I believe from what I hear is a task force looking into recreation in our community. I think that's been echoed throughout our streets and neighborhoods and our parks. And again, I'd like to, make an amendment to follow that up to the mayor's office and where we stand with a recreation task force to see initiatives like this follow through with. So if we can make an amendment to that motion.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On the motion of Councilor Knight as amended and seconded by Councilor Scarpelli, Madam Vice President.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. President Dello Russo, I think it's a great idea to look into some options, additional options for our younger people that are using the park and, oh, well, everybody, I guess. Just looking to see if we can maybe amend it just to get some cost estimates as well. Feasibility costs, I think, will help us, you know, figure out what we can add to our parks. I think it's a great idea.
[Fred Dello Russo]: As amended by Vice President Long and Kern. All those, we have a roll call request. If Councilor Marks wants to speak. Councilor, I'm sorry.
[Michael Marks]: Thank you, Mr. President. And I agree that our parks are underutilized. I believe there's 23 parks We have the luxury of having a number of open spaces in our community. However, they are not being used to full capacity. It was probably about maybe six, seven months ago, I offered a resolution similar to this with involving the arts and how do we get the arts throughout the community and not just centralized in one particular area. And I know the city of Lowell has done a tremendous job in refurbishing some of their old parks that were considered drug dens and brought in performing stages at very minimal cost and had artists do wrought iron work around the park and other things to attract residents back into the park. And they're really a success story. And I would like to, if my council colleague wouldn't mind, amending his particular, I know you didn't limit it to what you put out there, but I think arts would be a great addition to the community. We already have a vibrant arts council and movement in this community, and I think it would go a long way in soliciting their support also. So I would ask if my council colleague doesn't mind to also involve arts and the performing arts within our parks.
[Fred Dello Russo]: So on the motion for approval by Councilor Knight, seconded and amended by Councilors, uh, uh, Councilor Scarpelli, further amended by Vice-President Lalo Curran, Councilor Marks,
[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, Mr. President. As I drive around during the summer, I see two or three park instructors with two or three kids. Maybe if we could look into maybe combining the program into maybe fewer parks, fewer parks so we could get more children there rather than having two kids at a park or three kids at a park. If we get them all into maybe one or two or three parks, and with these things, maybe that will be more successful. And Mr. President, do you know if we'll be getting that grant from the East Cambridge Savers that we've gotten in the past to help fund the park instructors? Is that coming forward? I have no information on that, Councilor.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Point of information, Madam Vice President.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: We do have a paper before us. I did read there's $10,000 from the same bank, correct, coming this year. Yes.
[Fred Dello Russo]: OK, thank you. Mayor McGlynn was instrumental in securing that over the years. Good man. Chair recognizes Councilor Knight.
[Adam Knight]: Yes, Mr. President. I certainly have no objection to the amendments that were made. I think Councilor Marksley's amendment is a great idea and it made me think about something that he brought up several months ago relative to graffiti walls where in certain areas and communities they put up graffiti walls and they allow people to write graffiti on them to focus their energies and efforts on that site as opposed to on other pieces of property. And I think that that's just a perfect example of how that could come into play. It takes a village, Mr. President. I think the more heads that are at the table, the more minds that get together to see what offerings we can extend to our community to ensure that our parks are operating in the capacity is going to be helpful and it's going to improve our quality of life. So I certainly have no problem with any of the amendments that were made, Mr. President. I'd move for approval.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On that motion, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Read the amendments, please. Madam Clerk, could we just read the amendments? I didn't know. Can you read the last couple of amendments? Councilor Caraviello, are you making that an amendment or you just were talking? Okay, I just want to make sure that was an amendment because I just disagree. Okay, thank you.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Please call the roll, Madam Clerk. Yes.
[John Sardone]: Yes. Yes. Yes.
[Fred Dello Russo]: With the vote of seven in the affirmative, none in the negative, the motion passes. 16-558 offered by Councilor Knight to be resolved that the police department increase the visibility and enforcement of posted speed limits along Arlington Street during the weekday morning and afternoon rush hour periods.
[Adam Knight]: Councilor Knight. Yes, Mr. President, I've gotten a number of calls and complaints, and I actually was walking down the Arlington Street area just a couple of days ago, and several residents in the area have requested that we see more visible enforcement of the posted speed limits. I don't think this is a problem that's exclusive to Arlington Street. I think this is something that's citywide, and I think we could all probably sit here and amend this paper over and over and over again to include all, I don't know, 100 plus miles of street here in the city of Medford. However, there is a need down there, Mr. President, and I've been contacted by individuals in the neighborhood that would like to see some increased visibility, and I am asking for it. So, with that being said, I'd ask that the council move for approval.
[Fred Dello Russo]: The motion is approved by Councilor Knight, seconded by Vice President Logan Kern. Madam Vice President.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I second that. That's fine. I do have... I don't believe we received an update. I know we have piles of information to probably still read, but with regards to the speeding, Stepping up enforcement is definitely the main way to do it. We want to see, you know, our police officers traverse in different streets where we know there's extra amount of speeding going on, which is a number of streets. But also questions were asked to the chief of police with regards to the speed limit tracker, the signage. I know we have permanent ones on a few of our roads, which are working great. I know Elm Street is one that definitely I see speeding being curbed. Definitely speeding slows down when people hit that sign. But we have that movable sign that the chief of police did tell us at our Thursday meeting, I believe two weeks ago, stated it was broken. We did ask for how much it would cost, and we asked that the mayor put at least one in the budget so that we can move that around to streets like Arlington Street. I know the last street I got complaints on was Highland Ave, excessive speeding. So I think that's an extremely important tool that the city can use and that we have been without because it's been broken. So I just want to reiterate that, that we purchase one and get the one we have fixed, if possible, if it's worth the cost of fixing it versus buying one or two. I think it's something that the council brings up. Once a month, we have a few different streets that are having a speeding problem, and that's something that definitely does help without the additional manpower or officer to sit there eight hours a day. So I would ask that we again, ask those questions and purchase one. I don't, it is not in the budget to purchase one this year and I think that, you know, we did request that and I hope that is changed by next week.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On the motion of Councilor Knight, seconded by Vice-President Legault-Kern. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion carries. 16-559, offered by Councilor Knight, be it resolved that the public utility contractor performing work on Lincoln Road, underground infrastructure project be required to perform weekly sweeping of the affected roadways. Be it further resolved that all construction equipment, debris, and materials be removed from said affected roadway during the period of time that work is not being performed.
[Adam Knight]: Councilor Knight. Yes, Mr. President. Thank you very much. If anybody's familiar with the area, Lincoln Road would run from Lawrence Road up to Pilgrim Road, and there is a trench that extends probably that whole length, as well as a trench that extends halfway down Crocker Road, Mr. President. And they're doing some infrastructure repairs up there, which is all well and good. However, the work's been going on for an extended period of time. There's dirt and debris and sand and dust all over the vehicles. And in a period of time where the weather is finally getting nice, individuals in this neighborhood are having a difficult time opening their windows during the weekends, Mr. President. Because come Friday around 3 o'clock, the construction crews pack up in their trucks and they drive away, but they leave some pipes, and they leave some bobcats, and they leave some big piles of dirt on the side of the road, Mr. President. This is a dense residential neighborhood with very small sidewalks, and it's really becoming a quality of life issue, Mr. President. I'd ask that the city administration take the appropriate steps to have the public utility contractor beautify the area while the construction work is going on. We already know that we're going to ask them to leave it in the same pristine condition that it was in before they came here, Mr. President. But I think it's an issue that needs to be addressed. Neighbors are complaining the neighborhood looks atrocious with the amount of dust and dirt debris that's on the road. Something that needs to be done is the least that the contractor could do based upon the disruption that they're causing the residents in the neighborhood.
[Richard Caraviello]: On the motion of Councilor Knight, Councilor Caraviello. Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, this is not a problem that's unique to Crockett Road. This happens on many of the other streets in the city where work is being done. And I don't know why either our code enforcement officer isn't out there staying on top of this or why we don't have a clerk of the works who should be doing this and staying on top of these projects and staying on top of these gentlemen who are doing them to make sure that When they leave at night, the rotors are proper, and so the neighbors don't have to, it's bad enough that the work is being done, but they don't have to suffer the dust and everything, especially now during the summer when they're out in the yard. So if we could find out if this is something that our, we have two code enforcement officers, if this is something that our code enforcement officer can handle. Mr. President.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On the motion of Councilor Knight, all those in favor? All those opposed? 16-560, offered by Councilor Caraviello, be it resolved that the Medford City Council send its condolences to the family of Robert Sarabian, Councilor.
[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, I've known Mr. Sarabian for many years, and maybe some of our younger people in the room may not know him, but he's a gentleman who was in the community for many years as the president of the Co-op Bank. He's a former citizen of the air, and I know he's fell ill over the last few years. But again, he was a good man for the city of Medford for many years, and his presence in this community has been missed for many years. So if we could hold a moment of silence for him.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Please join in standing for a moment of silence of this deceased Medford citizen. We have a number of papers under suspension. Councilor Knight, suspension of the rules. On the motion of Councilor Knight for suspension of the rules, take papers that were issued under suspension. All those in favor? All those opposed? Before us is a communique from the mayor, and here to present on the matter is the finance director, Ms. Ann Baker, 16-568 under suspension. To the Honorable President and members of the Medford City Council, City Hall, Medford Mass, 02155. To Mr. President and city councilors, I respectfully request and recommend that your honorable body approve the following end of the year transfers for fiscal year 16. There's a sum total amount of $1,112,000 in various accounts, which I will enumerate, unless someone stops me, to pay deficits of that same amount in various accounts that are in deficit. So, the brief synopsis is that we are taking money from salary, executive department, salary finance department, salary assessment department, non-contributory pension, salary signal department, salary fire department, salary library, salary health, fringe compensations, salary forestry, salary highway, salary registrar, interest on debt, utilities, DPW, utilities building, utilities fire, cash aid for veterans, street lights, and canine services. So those all of those accounts had monies left over them, some substantial, the two most substantial, salary fire, $255,000, and fringe wage compensation, $270,000. So those all amounted to $1,112,000. They're going to supplement shortfalls in budgets Salary Council, $1,800. Treasury Department, $4,200. Salary Law, $2,500. Overtime Police, $416,000. Salary Veterans Office, $1,500. Printing in the Registrar's Office, $11,000. Health, Dental, Life Insurance, $500,000. Medicare Imbursements, $150,000. and insurance for police, $25,000. Here to explain any questions that the Councilors may have is Ms. Baker of the City Auditor. Yes?
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: If you have any questions, I'd be glad to answer them if I can.
[Michael Marks]: Mr. President.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Counsel Max.
[Michael Marks]: Thank you, Mr. President. I think for the last, jeez, several months, I've been asking in this budget process that we receive a budget from the administration that not only details the previous fiscal year and the proposed fiscal year, but also has a comparison, line by line, whether each line is in a deficit or surplus. And this is the exact reason I've been asking this, Mr. President. And I was promised last year by then-Budget Director Louise Miller that it would be incorporated in this year's budget. And I, as one person, I don't know how my colleagues feel. When I look at a budget, it's helpful to look and say, well, you're asking for an appropriation. Last year, did you spend this full appropriation? If not, why are you asking for the same appropriation? And every year, and we were just at a meeting, that we had a Committee of the Whole meeting, and before we received this correspondence from the mayor, I brought it up again, and I said, every year, there's roughly a million dollars in transfers at the end of the year, every year without say. And sure enough, we get a paper from the mayor, it's $1,112,000. So I was off by $112,000. There is something inherently wrong with the budget every year that has a surplus of the same dollar amount. That leads me to believe that these particular accounts are, you know, there's a buffer in certain line items. And I don't know why the administration is so opposed to providing another line. I mean, the budget, if you look at it, is three or four lines, three or four columns. It's not complex to add another column. And you have this information, whether a particular line would be in deficit or not. And that would be helpful as a member of the council when we're deliberating. And I still don't know why we can't get that in the budget process.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: I actually thought one was prepared for you. I didn't deliver myself, but I thought one was prepared for you. So if you didn't get it, I'm not sure why you didn't get it. That showed comparison from this year, 16, to last year, 15.
[Michael Marks]: We received something, but it wasn't line by line. So in going through it to try to figure out what that applied to is next to impossible.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: Well, let me just say a couple of things. For instance, look at the line for workers' comp. It shows a $270,000 surplus, right? This year, we've had other years where we've had to supplement that budget. It just depends on the claim. So we funded that again this year for the same amount. Even though it was $270,000, we may have, because we only had one small workers' comp claim. Next year we may have five large workers' comp claims. So that changes. So we fund that the same.
[Michael Marks]: And I appreciate that. And I know in a $162 million budget, when you're doing line by line, there's going to be some deficits and surpluses. But to arrive at the same million dollar figure every year, that's a concern. And I've been doing this for a lot of years. And all I'm asking for the administration, not to move mountains, but to provide another column that shows me to date. So, if we started the budget a week ago, I want to see, as of June 15th, that line item, are we in a deficit or a surplus? That's all we're asking for.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: You can get that at the end of every month. We can give you a report at the end of every month.
[Michael Marks]: I know. Coulda, woulda, shoulda, woulda, coulda, shoulda. Yeah, we can do that. Yeah, right.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: It never happens. Right, yeah. OK. Right. I mean, so I mean, the health insurance budget this year, we have to supplement it by $500. Last year, we had a surplus in that line. So it's just circumstances based on rate increases and people that change plans. And we don't always have that information of budget time. So we make an allowance to try to account for the increase in the budget, and we make an estimate of the budget, and sometimes we come in closer than other times. But we don't change our budget every year based on the fact that this year we had a surplus because next year it could be a deficit.
[Michael Marks]: You don't, but any wise person would say if every year you're in a deficit in a particular line item, there's a concern with that particular line item. But I don't think it is every year we're in a deficit of that particular line item.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: Other than the police overtime, which is probably always a deficit.
[Michael Marks]: We don't know that because every year, all we get is a list saying, OK, we're going to transfer a council. And for the most part, we ask questions, but we transfer.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: So if you'd like to see a list now of every line item, I can give you that list.
[Michael Marks]: Well, it's late now because I'm not going to vote for this tonight until we do get a list. And I haven't asked this just recently This is probably the last couple of budget sessions that I've asked. And we were told by the budget director, the former budget director, that that would be included in this year's budget. And I realize it was a change in administration, but when you make an agreement, you should follow through.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: Like I said, I saw the documents prepared for you. I didn't realize it was not exactly what you were looking for. I didn't prepare the documents, so I thought it was what you wanted.
[Michael Marks]: I could show you the document. If you could make heads or tails, that document to the budget.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: If it wasn't what you wanted, obviously, you know what you wanted and what you didn't. Right.
[Michael Marks]: It doesn't suffice.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: But if you have any questions about any particular line, I mean... Just to go over them briefly, a lot of line items had utilities were in surplus because the oil prices were so low. That's why a lot of those utility lines were over budget. The health department was over budget because the health director left. The library was the same. The library director left, replaced by a lower paid person. My office, the finance department, the procurement director left. That's why there was surplus there.
[Michael Marks]: What about the salary for fire?
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: That's probably, I think they're unfilled positions.
[Michael Marks]: Unfilled positions.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: Yeah. I got that number right from the fire department. So I think it's, uh, right.
[Michael Marks]: So here we go again. Uh, you know, uh, in a budget process, we say we're going to hire new police, new fire. It goes unfilled. And at the end of the year, without any public fanfare, we take the money that should have been for six firefighters. And we transfer it to overtime.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: But I think there are extenuating circumstances of why sometimes positions don't get filled.
[Michael Marks]: And it's not the first time.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: Oh, I know.
[Michael Marks]: This happens all the time. And that's why I asked in the budget. I said there were a number of vacancies more than the last previous five years in this year's budget. And I asked for a breakdown. Why do we have so many vacancies? Because in my previous experience with vacancies is if they're not filled, that is also used as a buffer to take that money, transfer it, and use it for one of your other pet projects or something else that you might have funded in the budget that didn't have enough money.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: Well, I think when the budget is prepared and they put in money for vacancies, the intention is to fill them. If it doesn't get done, there's other circumstances that have prevented that. I don't think it's the intention to leave the position unfilled. That's my take on it.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Counsel Max.
[John Falco]: Chair recognizes Counsel Falco. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Ms. Baker, for your report. Right here.
[Unidentified]: OK.
[John Falco]: Oh, yeah. You had mentioned about getting the report on a monthly basis. Right. And I think that's what we need. I know when I was in the school committee, that's what I recommended, because there was virtually no budget reporting until we got to the budget time of year, which was in May, June time frame. And I think what we should have here is we should have budget to actuals on a monthly basis. It makes complete sense. We should be monitoring the budget on a monthly basis to see, you know, how things are, you know, unfolding as we progress through the year. The budget process shouldn't be just in June. It should be in a monthly basis where we follow it, each of us, so we can see where is money being spent, how the accounts are being spent down, and, you know, whether or not, you know, we should be allocating things differently in years, next year or the year after that. So, I think I'd like to see budget to actual reporting that we get on a monthly basis. I think it'd be beneficial to all of us to actually keep our eyes on the numbers. and to see which way we're going and to see how we end up at the end of the year when we actually get the budget.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: It's very easy to do.
[John Falco]: OK, great. I definitely think it's the way we need to head. The budget process should be a process that we look at every month. It can't be just in that May, June, or sometimes just June time frame. So if we could get that on a monthly basis, I think that's something that we desperately need.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: OK.
[John Falco]: Thank you.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: Very easy.
[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, Councilor Falco. Councilor Caraviello. Thank you, Mr. President. And I agree with Councilor Marks. I mean, this was something that I've asked for from my first budget over here. And I didn't ask for it this year, because Louise Miller said that the budget would be adjusted to that. But every other year, I've asked for an actual budget. So we know, again, we shouldn't have to be doing this. I mean, these numbers are, like I said, these numbers are here every year. They should be factored into the budget, so we know they allocate more money at departments that need them, so we don't have to play this game at the end of the year. So I agree with Councilor Falco. Also, we should get something on a monthly basis showing where we're either overspending or underspending, so we know how to react.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: Sure, I understand.
[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you, Councilor Caraviello. Vice President Longo-Kurt.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, President Del La Russo. Miss Auditor, I just want to say that every time we've asked for actuals, you've always provided them to us, and I think that's what you were talking about. We did receive actuals, but it is very hard to make heads or tails of it. It's in probably six font, and then it has original budget, budget adjustment, net activity, reimbursement balance. So it is very hard to comprehend. So I, too, would like to see an actual for 2016. It's great we have the appropriation, the actual for 2015, but in a budget we probably should see, whether it's a monthly basis or at least at the budget time, we should see an actual for 2016, so we know where we're going. We even know in advance what transfers will be made. With regards to that, if we could make a motion that we always get our final budget book sometime over the summer, usually in July. In that final budget book, Ms. Clerk, if we could have If we could have in our final budget book the actual for 2016, that would be the close of the year, so then we'll have that one extra column in our budget book come July. I think that will help us for next year. With regards to this, when you do look at the actuals that were provided, I believe five to 10 days ago, if you look at the overtime for the police department, which we're making a transfer either tonight or next week $416,000. That is the biggest deficit that we're seeing on the two, you know, where we're transferring that $1.1 million to. We have that $416,000. But on the actuals, it shows that we're actually in a deficit of $606,000.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: When I request the transfer, we just request it to one of the salary lines. So that's the net of all of their salary lines, $416,000. So if you look at all the salary lines together, that's what it comes with. The overtime was the biggest portion of that, which was $760,000, I believe. But they had surplus in other salary lines. So we only have to cover—your vote is salary and expense when you vote the budget, so we only have to transfer it into salary. And then—so we just voted to show one line salary. So the other couple hundred thousand is being transferred within the department itself? Within the department. We'll make transfers within the department to cover the deficits and take it from where they have surpluses. They may have had surplus in court time and other items. Okay. Thank you.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you, Madam Vice President. Councilor Knight.
[Adam Knight]: Mr. President, thank you very much. Ms. Baker, thank you very much for your work on this budget and for preparing this document. Are there any other accounts other than those listed on this list that are in deficit?
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: No, we have to cover all the deficits. If we don't cover the deficits, we'd be required to raise them on the next tax rate. So these are all the deficits.
[Adam Knight]: These are all the accounts that have a deficit.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: So we had to cover the $1,112,000, and we were fortunate enough to have enough surpluses in other accounts. I wasn't sure we were going to have that when we started.
[Adam Knight]: Are there any other accounts that have a surplus in them other than these? Oh, sure. Do you know offhand what the figure is for that surplus? Less than $1.1 million?
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: I mean, they have other accounts that have surpluses?
[Adam Knight]: Yeah, the total amount of a surplus account minus one, if you'd like us to translate it.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: There may be some surplus. I mean, the overall police budget may be a surplus. The overall operations of police may be in surplus. There may be surplus in some of the DPW divisions that we need to use to cover the deficits. I don't know. Off the top of my head, I don't know which ones.
[Adam Knight]: Thank you very much.
[Fred Dello Russo]: I'm sorry, I apologize. Thank you, Councilor Knight.
[Michael Marks]: Councilor Marks? If Ms. Baker is able to get us that information that we requested, I would respectfully ask that we table this until next week, until we get the responses back from the administration. My other point is also, Mr. President, these are the ones that the transfers that are coming before us because it's a requirement under the state statute, right?
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: We can't end the year in a deficit, right?
[Michael Marks]: Right.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: Except for snow and ice, we can end the year with snow and ice and a deficit. court judgments we get in.
[Michael Marks]: Right, but there are certain accounts within the budget that you can do transfers without coming to the council.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: I can transfer within operations or within salary.
[Michael Marks]: Right. So we're not even seeing the list of other things that may be year after year transferred. And that's why it's important to have that actual in there. So we're being presented a list of maybe 15, 20 transfers. There may be another 50 or 60 transfers that are taken.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: We make transfers all year.
[Michael Marks]: Right. And that would be helpful for us to know as a council.
[Unidentified]: Yeah.
[Michael Marks]: You know, the mayor sets the budget and we actually sign off on the budget. So that's why this is so important. And we've been sold the bill of goods. We're going to see it year after year. And, uh, you know, so I would ask that a motion to table until we get, uh, the budget, uh, call line item column that we asked for with actuals. Uh, then the, any other, no, if we table it, no questions, go out, go out right there with miss Baker. but she knows what we asked her.
[L9vF4yM-fUc_SPEAKER_20]: So if she wants it next week, every department, every department's budget by line item, right?
[Fred Dello Russo]: So motion the table on the motion table by Councilor Marks. All those in favor. All those opposed. 16-five 66 offered by councilor night. You've resolved the city administration contact the Department of Conservation and Recreation, for the purpose of having a pedestrian crossing sign at the corner of Route 16 and Boston Avenue repaired. Councilor Knight.
[Adam Knight]: Mr. President, this site is actually outside the jurisdiction of our community. However, I believe it does lie on the Somerville and Ireland, I mean the Medford and Arlington line. So I'd ask that DCR be stricken from the resolution and we replace that with our state delegation, Representative Garvely and Senator Jalen.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On that motion. All those in favor? All those opposed? Carries. 16-564 offered by Councilor Marks. Be resolved that the report of the first special meeting of the Magic City Council held on Saturday, June 18, 2016 at 7 a.m. be approved. Councilor, there's no need to approve a report because they were minutes of the meeting. And we've just received those minutes. There's no committee report. It was a special meeting of the Medford City Council. So if you want to have the minutes approved, we've just received them on our desks, I hope, today. And so we have actual minutes of the first special meeting of the Medford City Council that are on our desks.
[Michael Marks]: I didn't offer this. I don't know who offered this on my behalf. I didn't offer this. Under suspension? I didn't offer anything under suspension. Okay.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Receive 16-567-64 to receive and place on file. We do, councilors, have that were received on our desks from the meetings on Saturday and yesterday, records of both of those city council meetings. So we have actual records of the meetings, minutes of the meetings, and then they'll be placed for approval in a subsequent meeting of the Medford City Council. We have one more, Madam Vice President, 16-567 offered by Vice President Lungo-Koehn. Be it resolved that the Metro City Council take a vote to move forward and appeal the decision made by the Metro Board of Appeals on the Locust Street project. Madam Vice President, oh, I forgot about that. I'm sorry, go ahead.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, President De La Ruzo. I think Councilor Marks was going to offer this as well with regards to meeting yesterday. We did meet in executive session, and then after executive session at our special meeting, we voted to choose an attorney, which was attorney Gavin Cockfield. We voted seven in the affirmative. The mayor did approve $20,000 to be put into the budget with regards to initially hiring that firm that he works for and that attorney. We also voted for point people, which would be President Dello Russo and myself to be in communication and to advise the Council on the steps moving forward. Everything else, I believe, has to stay in executive session, so we really can't comment on, you know, our deliberations. But we do need to take an official vote to actually appeal the ruling of the Board of Appeals, and I'd like to move that forward. I think that's something that's been discussed in length over the last two meetings. I brought it up two weeks ago, and then for it to be discussed and we can allow residents to speak, and then we had a full public meeting last week where we heard testimony for hours, and I think it's very clear how the council feels on that and how the residents, obviously they have to, the residents and the abutters have to file their own appeal, but as far as the council's concerned, I'd like to move forward and take a vote with regards to the city council, the Medford City Council filing an appeal in land court against the ruling of the City of Medford Board of Appeals on the decision relating to Locust Street.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On the motion of Vice President Longo-Curran, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Yes, with a vote of seven in the affirmative, none in the negative. Motion carried. Offered by Councilor Falco, be it resolved that the street paint at Duggar Park and surrounding streets be discussed. Councilor Falco.
[John Falco]: Thank you, Mr. President. That's actually street paving.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Paving, I'm sorry.
[John Falco]: Sorry, I scribbled it quick, my fault. I received a call last night, or actually a number of calls and messages regarding paving that was done last night in a bottle, actually, They were actually digging up the road over by dug our park last night about 11 o'clock. And it seems rather late to be doing any type of road work. But no one in the neighborhood seemed to know anything about it. So if we could get a report back from the administration as to why the work was being done so late, basically why it's being done, when it's going to be finished, and why the residents did not receive any type of notification regarding the road work. I mean, to be doing road work at 11 o'clock at night seems to be unacceptable. So it'd be nice if we could get some answers from the administration or from the Department of Public Works with regard to why that work is being done.
[Fred Dello Russo]: I know someone else who was recently serenaded by a jackhammer.
[George Scarpelli]: So on the motion of Councilor Falco, Councilor Scarpelli. Yes. Thank you for bringing that up Councilor Falco. I believe I brought this up a few weeks ago with public utilities and doing work And one of the questions that I had, if we can, if we could just add to that, the engineering office and Mr. Caron's office, because from what I've been told, it has to go through their office to get approval. And I'd like to know if they are getting approval, because I still haven't heard yet from that original request that who approved that work on a school night at 1030 at night from National Grid. Thank you.
[Fred Dello Russo]: So on the motion of Councilor Falco, as amended by Councilor Scarpelli, that we also request a reply from the engineering department and also the director of public works, Karen's office. Correct. Thank you. Thank you. Chair recognizes Councilor Caraviello. Thank you very much. So on the motion of Councilor Falco, all those in favor. All those opposed, as amended by Councilor Scarpelli, motion passes.
[Richard Caraviello]: While we're on to suspension, somebody would like to make a statement. All right. There he is. Thank you, Mr. President.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Welcome. Please state your name and address for the record.
[John Sardone]: John Saldana, 197 Spring Street, Medford. I'm before the city council tonight for myself and the members of the community and taxpayers of the city of Medford. Supposedly, February 15th of 2015, I pick up students at different locations, but somehow never received a ticket parking in Medford Square. I was never given a ticket or never cited. I got a notice today in the mail, 18 months later, that it was overdue. on February of 2015. This is June of 2016. Okay. There's a scam going on with this parking things here. Okay. I asked to see a picture and stuff like that. There was nothing there. I sat in reference square numerous times and watch people pull up, not paying parking. And these guys are walking or girls are walking right by cars. Okay. In 1976 I took every parking meter down in this city. working for the city, okay? Parking meters were gone in 1976. We stored them all down the city yard, and they were gone. A few years later, they built a parking garage, which was deplorable and poorly constructed. But I was the gentleman that went through the parking garage. seriously hurt, hip replacement, hand surgeries, back surgeries, and shoulder surgeries. And never once, any city official except one, Robert Penta, asked me how I was. Mayor McGlynn, Paul Gere, nobody ever asked me. Everything come out of my pocket. I could have sued the city for big money, but I saved the taxpayers a lot of money, okay? All right, but this is what's going on. This is a scam with this parking thing. I tell the people in the city of Medford and outsiders, don't pay these tickets because they got nothing to do with the registry of motor vehicles, okay? I work as a driving instructor. I own a driving school. So I know the laws of the registry and everything. I'm out there seven days a week. teaching the youth of this city and other cities, okay? It's a scam that's going on with this parking thing. They were very arrogant today too, okay? I've been down to the police station numerous times complaining about this also, but this is what's going on in this city. I'm hoping some officials are not getting kicked back from this parking garage, I mean parking situation that's going on because it's just a scam. And the senior citizens are getting taken left and right in this city. I see it every single day out there, okay? I just appreciate your time taking me the time to speak tonight, but something's got to be done about this. Get rid of it, okay? The taxpayers lost three times, all right? Three times they lost. Got rid of the parking meters years ago. You built the garage which had to come down. They built it. Taxpayers' money had to come down. And three, now they're doing with these parking meters again, okay? So something has to be done. I mean, you guys are the city officials, the mayors, there's a new mayor in the city, I don't know if she's gonna do anything about it, but it's a shame what's going on, okay? You people gotta park in the square too from time to time. If the meter runs out, you're gonna get a ticket yourselves, okay? Some of them, they give out tickets left and right, and let me tell you, even judges have to pay their tickets over there, okay? Because I worked out of the court system for a while, too. And judges asked me to see if I can go straighten tickets out. And I says, you can't do it. You can't do it. They gave me the money I had to pay. All right. So this is what's going on. I hope this is a wake-up call tonight with this pocket leaders, because it's a deplorable situation. Thank you very much.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you very much. Thank you. On the motion of Vice President Lungo-Koehn to return to the regular order of business. All those in favor? All those opposed, motion carries. 16-561, petition by Robert C. Cappucci, 71 Evans Street, Medford, Mass., to address the council about Evans Street, et al., repairs. I'd like you, Yusuf, et al.
[Robert Cappucci]: Very nice. Thank you, Mr. President. It's Robert L. Cappucci. But, Mr. President, if I could, there is another citizen, Mr. Eric Reed, who wants to speak, and it's a similar issue that he wants to speak on, so if he could go first, if I could request that, and then I'll speak after him, if that's possible.
[Fred Dello Russo]: No, you're up on the agenda next, and we need to follow the agenda items. All right, Mr. President.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you very much. Unless somebody will table it and take it off the table.
[Robert Cappucci]: President Lungo-Koehn, did you have an alternative?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Just if somebody would table it, and then you take it off the table. But, motion to table. All those in favor?
[Robert Cappucci]: I'm going on the table and off the table. Off the table. Thank you, Madam President. All those in favor?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: All those opposed? Motion matters, tabled. Paper 16-562, petition by Eric Reid, 158 Jerome Street, number one, Medford, Mass., to address the council on his petition on Medford infrastructure.
[SPEAKER_01]: Good evening, everybody, city council. I was wondering if you had received a response from the engineering department regarding our petition. You passed the motion requesting a response. No. Is that right?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I don't believe we have, no.
[SPEAKER_01]: All right. So a couple of weekends ago, it was mentioned over here, there was a committee of the whole budget hearing, right? And I'd like to So here's some salient points made by the head of the engineering department at the meeting. She said, there are no construction projects this summer. Winthrop Street and South Street were bid, but will not be done because the bids came back too high. So they're not going to be done. There's a group of seven streets that are going to be done, but have not been advertised for bid yet. The engineering department head will provide city council with a list of seven streets proposed for work. Boston Ave was mentioned. The head of the engineering department informed city council that Gurley will wait because it's not urgent. Pinkerton, Paris have been designed. These streets need gas work and need Chapter 9T funding, but no money is in the budget. And the complete streets program is being developed. So my comments is, amazingly, the first point above says it all. There are no construction projects this summer. The next line mentions Winthrop and South Streets, which were bid but will not be done. It would be interesting to find out the work planned for these streets because streets like Evans are clearly falling apart and will not withstand another winter. This is not a small matter as it concerns daily access to essential life services, like getting to work, being able to drink, bathe, and being protected from fires. The third line mentions seven streets that are going to get done, and that a list of these streets will be provided to Brianna by the engineering department. Boston Ave was mentioned, which is curious because it was done last year. And the commitment to do road work contradicts her first statement that there are no construction projects this summer. Gurley and Dwyer and Evans have been waiting for a long time. If they were urgent last year, why are they no longer urgent this year? I believe Paris and Prinkert are the streets being designed by a consultant, which were due for construction in 2014. Now we are being told the design is finally complete after three years or more of delays, but we don't have Chapter 90 money to fund the construction. If we don't have Chapter 90 money for Prinkert in Paris, How are we going to do the seven streets to be listed by the engineering for city council? Sidewalks are important, but they're a small fraction of what needs to get done. We cannot abandon the big picture for the sake of sidewalks. Sidewalks also need implementation. So the answers actually leave more questions. What this actually means is that all the work that I was doing Last summer was stopped, and engineering has spent almost a year to hire somebody full-time, I guess to not work, because they're not planning on doing any constructions this season. It doesn't make any sense. And you are the Councilors to City Hall and the mayor. It's extremely important to get answers now before the season is a total loss. It doesn't look like engineering has made any preparations for construction yet, in spite of having all winter to do so. The construction season is flying by now and nobody seems to be concerned. We must grapple with this issue and stop sidestepping it if we want good planning and construction from City Hall. Now is the time because another season lost is a travesty to the taxpayers. It's a pretty sad state of affairs, especially for me, because I know we can still get a lot done if we start now. I know I can make a difference, and I've offered to help the situation. I was hired as a temp engineer last summer, and we got a lot of work accomplished. I now had to get much of the essential implementation done. I'm available and willing to work as a private consultant temp work, that is, not permanent employee, on essential engineering tasks. There is no reason we can't get a lot done this summer if we start now. To complain, for my part, gratuitously is one thing, but I have also offered to help engineering work on implementation. And if you read the offer I submitted to the mayor, At no cost to city taxpayers. As a resident and taxpayer, I do care about Medford. My offer is still on the table. If we work as a team, we can make a big difference. And now I'd like to let Rob talk. And if you want, I can come back after and explain a little bit about my offer and the implementation part of it.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you.
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
[Adam Knight]: I'm confused about what's going on. So is papal 16562 now being stopped and papal 16561 being started? I'm confused about what's going on here right now.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Mr. Capucci, are you speaking on Mr. Reid's paper?
[Adam Knight]: Is that what?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Or you want to bring that?
[Robert Cappucci]: I'm speaking directly to Evans Street.
[Adam Knight]: Okay, so you have your paper that's still, you want removed from the table then?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yeah, Mr. Reid, if you'd like to finish,
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, you want me to finish the whole thing? What I have to say next?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yes, please.
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay. So I mentioned, you know, I can help engineering work on implementation at no cost to city taxpayers. So some of you, you know, some of you may be under the impression that I was angling for a full-time position at City Hall. That is not my intention at all, and it never has been. What I propose is, I offer to perform engineering services related to planning and construction of water, sewer, drainage, and roadway systems as a private contractor to the city of Medford, as any other of these contractors operate. Hiring me as a private contractor, and I've checked this with the MWRA, hiring me as a private contractor for planning and construction services enables City Hall to build the state funding sources directly for my services. It's a simple matter for me to keep track of the time I spend on different projects. And invoicing is normal operating procedure for all eligible engineering projects. This is not something unique. I'd like to mention again, the INI budget of $5 million is 75% grant, the Chapter 90 funding is 100% grant and there's a million dollars sitting there waiting for us to propose eligible work to get that funding, Evans Street would be a perfect example. And so what I want basically is to get all this work started and have a successful construction season so we don't have streets falling apart. people really being put at risk. And the benefits are clear. I can start working tomorrow if the mayor gives a go ahead. I know what needs to get done and how to do it efficiently with Mark, Mark Shane. The city gets an engineer using state funds. I mean, I was trying to be creative to resolve these things and not impinge on your budget requirements. And I came up with this proposal, which I think is very beneficial to the city. You do not have to make long-term commitments, as I will be part-time. And you get 100% utilization, no downtime, no sitting around without any work to do. And these are all very important, visible tasks. Water, roads, sewer, drainage, they're indispensable for for any municipality. The mayor will get good projects completed this season. And if we accomplish what we need to get done, you know, the mayor will be very popular. It'll be good for her. I also have, I'd like to point out, I have strong connections with the community and I'll be able to bring the mayor a lot of support and goodwill and foster communication and cooperation between the community and City Hall. I mean, I can go on, but at the end I see a lot of good being generated if you accept, you know, this proposal. I would much rather be working hard serving you well than being stuck complaining. I hope I have expressed myself clearly It would be an honor for me to serve City Hall loyally in all engineering activities that are needed in Medford at virtually no direct cost to city taxpayers. I apologize if I have said anything that may offend anyone and hope you consider my offer positively. I'm looking forward to meeting with you to discuss what I have presented here. Thank you very much.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Eric. Councilor Knight.
[Adam Knight]: Yes, Madam President, Mr. Reed, thank you very much for your well thought out comments. However, the fact of the matter is this, Madam President, the Medford City Council isn't the personnel department for Medford City Hall and the Medford City Council is not the procurement office for Medford City Hall. So we don't have the ability, even if we wanted to, to hire an employee in the engineering office, nor would we have the ability to issue an RFP for a contract that's required under the public bid laws in order to get a contract that'll work for the city, Madam President. So as such, I can certainly appreciate where the gentleman's coming from, but it's really a matter that's outside council purview. It's really a matter that the council has no ability to effectuate any change on in terms of our vested powers, Madam President. So as such, I'd move that the matter be received and placed on file.
[SPEAKER_01]: Can I make a statement? If you have I mean, city council is basically here to counsel city hall. So you do have the ability to make a recommendation to them. I know you don't have the ability to do the hiring yourself, but that would defeat the purpose of your existence. If you say you have no obligation to make council, that's what I would have to say to that statement.
[Adam Knight]: Remark. My rule would be that the Medford city council is the legislative body of the city of Medford. The administration is the executive name and address for the record.
[Robert Penta]: My name is Robert Penter, I live at Zero Summit Road, former member of the Sarkis party. I want to thank Mr. Reid for coming forward here, because I think he's bringing to the attention of our public the fact that our streets and the needs of our streets, whether they be sidewalks, whether they be curbings, whether they be the underground infrastructure, is in a desperate need of, how can you say, a revisiting. You folks haven't seen this, and not to digress, but I will digress, going back to last year during the campaign, this was a big issue. People in this community are very concerned about their streets, the potholes in their streets. The people are not getting any response back. I mean, the city now signs on to this quote, unquote, complete streets program. Do a street. Get a street done. Don't get it to the point that it is right now that people are coming up here. And I know there's going to be another gentleman that's going to come up here and he's going to talk about a street that the city owns that they haven't done that was part of a $14.4 million project. And it just doesn't make any sense. You know, the council has asked, and you, acting president Marks, you would ask for an annual monthly go along to see where the budget's going. And I think last year Louise Miller said, she said it twice, right here at this podium, she would have never presented the budget the way it's been, as it's been in the past. and she would put your wish list in there, and she would show the cost and where and how it would go. Well, I think you folks do have an obligation as city councilors, because I know I accepted it when I sat on that side of the rail, to have monthly meetings. So have meetings with your department heads to find out exactly what's going on. The rumor around this building that the city engineer, she's on a six-month to a one-year review for her job performance. True or false or indifferent, I don't know, but that's the rumor running around the building. But whether it's a rumor or not, the fact of the matter is this. The streets in this city are in desperate need of not only repair, but a review. The public works department. Their short chains would help, but at the same time, their direction is not being geared into the purpose of what it's there for. What's the most important thing that's affecting this community right now on a daily basis? All of a sudden, they just got through painting the stripes, the crosswalks and the stripes. School is out and the stripes are done. This should have been done when school was in. Prime time of the year. It used to be done twice a year. It used to cost $60,000 a year when Mayor McGlynn was here. Now he's only been out a year. $60,000 a year. paint the crosswalks and the stripes, okay? Twice a year, it's a public safety issue, why not? But look at your streets, look at your sidewalks, look at your curbing. Mr. Reed brought, I think, some excellent points forward. not to sit here and advocate for him to be an employee of the city, but he did work for this city, and he did do a good job, and he did bring these attentions to the engineering department, and we're still talking about him. After the fact, still talking about him. It's just symptomatic on how this entire administration operates. After the fact, no public acknowledgement, and this council, you know, I don't know what this mayor thinks of this council, but it's quite obvious. She doesn't have you in high regards at all, because you folks have absolutely no idea as to what's going on outside this building. You do the best you can. You read it in the newspaper. You talk amongst yourselves. But unfortunately, if this city keeps going in the direction it's going, it'll have no direction to go in. It's going to be out of control. And it is out of control right now. Locust Street is the best example of telling you what's happening in this community. An out-of-control situation. Just think of it. You folks had to go hire your own attorney to sue the Board of Appeals. and for which this mayor thought this was a great project here in the city. It's going to add a wonderful new neighborhood and we're excited about it. We are so excited about it, it's going to cost you hundreds and thousands of dollars because now the council is going to sue your board of appeals that your city solicitor has to defend. And the neighbors have to go out and get their lawyer for they have to pay for it because they're not going to get pushed around by city hall who never asked them to be part of it or to be included. It's like a bad street. If you don't fix it, it gets worse. Well, it's the public relations of this administration. It's worse now than it was when it started, and it's not getting any better. And I would hope that this Medford City Council puts its foot down and tells this mayor that before you do anything and go forward, we want to be a part of it, and our city streets, we want to be a part of it. Thank you.
[Michael Marks]: Thank you, Councilor Penta. I'd like to recognize Council President, Vice President Lungokur.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, President Marks. I want to thank Mr. Reed. I believe you were here a few weeks ago, and you gave us a large packet. And I have been able to review that and go through it. And I think it's kind of educated me personally. And I know some of my other councils have reviewed it. It's educated me on different problems in the city, different streets that either have been started or went out to bid or have been reviewed. that I was unaware of. So we were able to ask, I think, better questions when we did meet with the engineer a couple weeks ago. I think one of the main things the engineer's office is working on, which I believe is a great initiative and it's something that we should be proud of, is the complete streets. But I am extremely concerned with regards to the lack of construction projects or any at all this construction season. I mean, you can do construction from April, May, until October, maybe November, if the weather holds up. And when you talk about Dwyer and Gurley, who had, I believe, two water main breaks in the last year, we obviously have some issues there that need to be fixed, but then we get the response that... There's no money. No, that we got the response on Dwyer that it wasn't urgent. And I find an issue with that. And then I was able to question more on Evans, Pinker, and Parris Street. I know Councilor Scarpelli had issues with Parris Street. That's where he grew up. So he was questioning on Parris Street. And to have those streets, people know those streets need to, we know those streets need to be redone. And we know they were evaluated multiple years ago. And those construction projects, probably should have been done two, three years ago, and now we're still at a place where they're not going to be done this year, pushing us to 2017. That is, for me and for the residents, extremely, extremely frustrating. You know, we need to pass a budget next week, but it's going to be very hard for me to pass a budget after driving down Evans Street maybe two weeks ago after the residents spoke and kind of going down Evans Street nice and slow. I mean, it is down to the bare bone rock.
[SPEAKER_01]: imagine if snow is on that street and they try to plow it.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: It's not safe. It's, it's should have been done. I don't, I think it's been 65 years since it's been done. And I believe I got an email from somebody, a resident from Pinkett street today, same type, same type of situation. So for construction projects and chapter 90 funding to be available enough, us not to take advantage of it. Number one, we need to spend some more time to get these done. or were understaffed in the engineer's department.
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, what you need is people to get the paperwork ready and run the streets and measure everything up to apply for the eligible funds.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yeah, and I think that's, in the past years, it's information that I, you know, wasn't privy to even know to ask. And I think it's even, after reading your packet and reading some of the work that has been, you know, has been in the works and needs to be done over the last four or five years, it's very discouraging and it's very upsetting. It's too bad for, you know, I keep telling people when they email me about streets lately, because this is kind of catching on to the residents. Multiple people from Evans Street have now contacted me. I keep saying it's a shame. It's really a shame that we have Chapter 90 funding. We should be putting our own money into construction projects to repave streets. You can't go 65 years without being repaved. We have a safety issue, and it's really unfortunate. So I'd make the suggestion that the mayor, before we meet next week to review the budget, we take a look, she sits down with the engineering department and take a look at the lack of construction jobs this season. Because like you said, I think there is still time. We have four or five good months to do construction. There is some time that we can get a few projects underway and try to, we should be working on, if the funding is tough or the personnel isn't there, but we should still be working on multiple streets per construction season, because like water pipes, like sidewalks, we need to put money into our infrastructure. We need to. It's extremely important, and now we're dealing with a safety issue.
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: There is. The mayor, Councilor Knight, yes. I'm asking for a motion that we ask within the next weeks, we ask the mayor and the engineers department to sit down and discuss projects that should be done this construction season and see if we can get Evans Street, whether Evans, Pinkett, Paris, Dwyer, Gurley, we need to get some of these roads reconstructed, the water mains redone and these roads reconstructed for the benefit of our residents.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Your resolution is contradictory to receive and place on file.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: So I guess we can take a vote on which one people want to vote on. I was at the chair. Nobody had anything to say. I wanted, so that was, Councilor Knight moved to receive in place on file. I respectfully ask him to withdraw that. I don't think there's any harm in the mayor and the engineer sitting down, and since those answers have come out since our council meeting, it is concerning, and it's something that the mayor needs to talk to engineering about, whether it's lack of staff or funds, If there's Chapter 90 funding to do some streets and sidewalks, we need to push to get that done. We need to.
[Fred Dello Russo]: And I think... So what is your motion, Madam Vice President, that the mayor sit down with the city engineer to discuss the construction projects for this coming season? The lack of... To work on... Yes. And that's an amendment? You're amending a motion to receive in place on file?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: However you'd like to put it, yes.
[Fred Dello Russo]: All right. That is contradictory and cannot be accepted with the main motion.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I've asked my colleague to withdraw, then his motion to receive.
[Fred Dello Russo]: And the colleague has indicated to me that he's unwilling to do so.
[Adam Knight]: The paper's a personnel issue, not a procurement issue. I'm not going to do anything as far as the matter before us.
[Unidentified]: Isn't that fine?
[Michael Marks]: I wish that the second motion, Mr. President, is taken.
[Adam Knight]: We're going to be employed as a contractor. Anything over $10,000 must be subject to public bid law.
[Fred Dello Russo]: The motion of Council Marks and Seva. Madam Vice President, we're going to take the second motion, the amendment, into two motions of Madam Vice President. that the mayor consult with the city engineer to review the feasibility of construction projects. So on that motion, all those in favor?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: On those four, at least on those specific roads too. Evans, Pinkert, Paris, Dwyer, Gurley, if they could especially speak about those five roads and we can try to get at least two projects underway this season.
[Fred Dello Russo]: four roads be considered, Evans, Pinkett, Gurley, and Paris. On that motion, all those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? Councilor Knight is in opposition. The ayes have it. On the main motion that the paper be received and placed on file, all those in favor? Aye. All those opposed? The ayes have it. Councilor Marks, Councilor Lungo-Koehn in opposition. Mr. President motion to take paper number one, six, five, six, one from the table on the motion of constantly to take paper 16, five, six, one from the table petition by all those in favor. All those opposed. Motion carries petition by Robert C Capucci, 71 Evans street method to address the city council and Evans street at Alia regarding repairs.
[Robert Cappucci]: Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, it's actually Robert L Capucci, uh, of 71 Evans street, if I could just submit this petition that I collected from my fellow neighbors on Evans Street and on the corners of the street as well, Central and Lawrence Street. Basically, we, the undersigned residents and abutters to Evans Street, demand our water pipes fixed and street repaved as promised by the City of Medford. I got 50 signatures from fellow residents. The reason You folks might have received some emails today from Pinkett Street. It's because, you know, with time constraints, I couldn't go down that street and get their signatures as well. But I did go down that street and I put out a flyer with everybody's email and the mayor's as well. If I could submit that to the city messenger. Please submit that to the messenger who will submit it to the city clerk and make it part of the public record. Okay, Mr. President. No, thank you. But, you know, a couple of weeks ago, A fellow neighbor of mine, Shauna Smith and I came up, and we discussed this street, and it was, what's the word? It was mutually agreed that Evans Street, I mean, I don't wanna rehash everything that was already said here tonight, but Evans Street is in one of the top five of direly needed repairs. Council Vice President Lungo-Koehn is exactly right, that this street, I mean, let's put that into perspective. 65 years it's been since this street has been repaved. You know, with the water pipes underneath them, who knows if we're drinking lead. It's way past time, Mr. President, which, you know, we were told that bids would go out, they would be decided on in the best possible. At this point now, my understanding is that None of these bids were decided on, which brought to me to go out, you know, after being told one thing, to go out and get these signatures. In relation to other things like, which I'm 100% for, park improvement and bringing things in there, we need to fix what we, I mean, I don't mean to be disrespectful. I think maybe a tandem project could be done to do it, but, you know, if you go out and you fix the parks, it, quite frankly, it's putting lipstick on a pig, Mr. President. It's more than just the infrastructure work that needs to be done. I took my first steps of my life on Evans Street. We have residents on that street right now. diagnosed with cancer who will be dead, at least one, within a year. We need people taking our first and our last steps. This is our home, Mr. President. Our excise taxes, our sales taxes, our property taxes, our surcharges on these taxes go towards keeping our home, our lives. We come home after a hard day of work to see potholes as big as the mouths of an alligator with rocks all over the street. I mean, You wonder why that sometimes, you know, people... I don't want to say it's a direct correlation, but it doesn't help when there's an opioid and a drinking problem to come home after a hard day's work and see our existence in total shambles, with streets falling apart and sidewalks falling apart. It doesn't help. These things are related. Not a direct cause and effect, but it is related. It's more than just the infrastructure projects that are not being done. And when we pay all this to actually see government governing over the will of the people, we can't wrap our minds around it. You should have heard some of the comments I heard coming down the street, my neighbor across the street. Her SUV two years ago sank in the sewer draining because the street around it fell apart. And she had to call AAA to get it out. Mrs. Natola told me a bunch of years back, a whole chasm opened up on Evans Street, and a whole truck fell into it. And that's another thing. It's wear and tear on our police vehicles, and our fire engines, and other infrastructure. plowing trucks and everything else that we're also paying for as taxpayers. I mean, it's at a critical point, and I want to thank this council for bringing it up. I want to thank Mr. Reed and Mr. Penter, who spoke before, and I hope that something can be done expediently, because we're tired of paying to be told something and then not having it done. It's beyond comprehension. It's beyond incompetence. And it's an affront to people that have lived on these city streets in their whole lifetime. I mean, with kids playing there, with their pets and everything else. Mr. President, please use the power of this body to inspire this mayor to do what we all know has to be done, or do something when the budget comes up, to jar the system and make it work for the people that you represent, who voted for you, who put you on this august body, as Mr. Penta likes to say. I think another member of the community wants to speak. And I hope that, you know, I get a little passionate, but I'm not speaking up here just for myself, speaking on these for these other 50 people and all around the city of Medford to people who who don't have the time to come out to this podium. I'm fortunate to have the time, and I'm trying to articulate their passion and, quite frankly, their rage. Thank you, Mr. President.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you, Mr. Capucci. Good evening. Welcome. Please state your name and address for the record.
[Ray Scarfo]: Ray Scafoe, 9 Sunset Ave and also 100 Hicks Ave as a business owner. I'm going to kind of read from a prepared statement that I had made. It's a similar matter basically, but I think it's a little bit more serious. I would like to bring up the hazardous condition of Swan Street as a business and a homeowner of the city. I'd like to report to the city council that last winter, As I was traveling Swan Street, the main rear spring of my oil truck snapped, and a small section, a small iron section from the spring protruded through the shroud, which was the actual fender of the truck, and came within one quarter of an inch to the tank, which is a 3,000-gallon tank, which was full of home heating oil at that time. This could have caused a very serious hazardous condition. There are numerous oil trucks that travel Swan Street throughout the year, especially in the winter months. The trucks are coming and going from Swan Street constantly. The street is in dire need to be paved. With 20 tons of weight and traveling at a slow speed, you're bouncing like a rubber ball. I totally believe that Swan and James Street were part of that new DPW yard project and it was made to be paved and never got done. So I'm asking the city council to look into this matter before a serious hazardous condition occurs. Maybe you all just should take a ride down Swan Street in your vehicle, five miles an hour, and you'll see how bad you'll bounce, okay? So instead of just waiting to see what's going to happen and continuous trucks going up and down there, it could be a grave situation where something could happen where we could have a big spillage and then we're in some serious trouble. Okay, thank you.
[zSHhVpiqwJA_SPEAKER_09]: Good evening. Please state your name and address for the record. David Chamby, 35 Greenhalgh Street, Medford, Mass. Didn't want everybody else in the truck. City streets are falling apart. We don't have the crew, the personnel to maintain them, let alone fix them. We wanted to fund a bubble for $2 million. Why not bond?
[George Scarpelli]: So Scarpelli, just so you know that it wasn't, it wasn't to be funded by the city of Metro, just so they're so eclectic. So I don't want you.
[SPEAKER_12]: It wasn't being funded by the city. No, it wasn't. Is the an RFP for someone to do RFP for someone to do it. Who would pick up the bond on that? They would pay for it.
[Unidentified]: Thank you for your point of information.
[zSHhVpiqwJA_SPEAKER_09]: Well, thank you for the clarification. But really what I came up here for was to apologize for last week. My behavior was somewhat nasty, according to some people. My apologies, Council President. Some people think I offended you personally. And I would have apologized to Mr. Rumley had he been here tonight. But people, we got to start waking up. Don't forget, you work for us. We don't work for you. It seems that way because we're giving you our money. We're not getting anything in return. So you were voted on to represent the citizens for a reason. Let's stop living up to that. Take care of the citizens first. And just one big suggestion. I think the council should take a vote to put a moratorium on building in the Wellington area for new residential units, no matter what their size, until we have a further impact. Because like I said last week, Riverside and Locust already been sold. Some of the buildings are already being cleared. The Locust Street report, I take it from what I read by their traffic consultant, didn't consider the MGM new traffic study that's going to be required. They're saying everything's going to remain the same. Well, 490 units, 720 parking spaces, whatever. Local street and riverside, another complex of equal size, another 700 and say 20 cars just to keep things, you know, smooth. Where are you going to put them all? And don't forget, our schools are basically at capacity, which is a really good thing, because there's... According to... Point of information, Councilor Knight.
[SPEAKER_08]: I do believe that statement is contrary to the presentation that was given to us by the school superintendent today, and the schools are not at capacity. They actually have some room for growth.
[zSHhVpiqwJA_SPEAKER_09]: Well, that's good, because the superintendent also told you tonight that you had 4,600 public school students. Did the superintendent also tell you you got more than that? that many students in the city of Medford that aren't going to public schools?
[Adam Knight]: I believe the question that was asked to the superintendent was how many students are enrolled in Medford high school, fy15, fy16, fy14, fy15. I believe the superintendent said he doesn't have those figures offhand. However, it's about flat. 4,600 is the estimate that I would give, I believe was the answer that he gave to that question, Mr. President.
[zSHhVpiqwJA_SPEAKER_09]: Right. And I'm just telling you under chapter 72, section one, I believe it is. for the State Department of Education. City of Medford, as of May 1st, is supposed to send in to the DOE a report on all students living in Medford and where each one of them is going to school. Point of information, Councilor Knight.
[Adam Knight]: I do believe Councilor Scarpelli, at a subcommittee meeting, asked whether or not the City of Medford School Department was in all aspects of compliance with state law. I believe that the response that the superintendent of schools gave us was yes, the City of Medford school department is in compliance with all aspects of state law, including reporting requirements.
[zSHhVpiqwJA_SPEAKER_09]: All right, then maybe you should ask him for that report because technically it is the responsibility of the school committee. And I'd hate to see Mr. Romney have to do it. And what I was trying to get at last week with Mr. Romney is faced a similar situation back in 85 86 where the city solicitor could not represent the police department for a matter. Court case, well, there's a ruling. It wasn't directly related to this case, but I brought it up there. And the city solicitor is responsible to provide legal representation to any and all units of the city of Medford. If he is in conflict, he must, the city still must provide, city solicitor must still provide alternative representation. Thank you. Have a wonderful night.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you. Chair awaits motion. Councilor Knight.
[Adam Knight]: Ultimately, Mr. President, this paper started out as a matter related to Evans Street and the paving thereof. And there was some talk that the Evans Street project wasn't going to get done, that it wasn't going to go out to bid, so on and so forth. So when that information was brought to my attention, I picked up the telephone and I spoke with Mark Shea over in the engineering division. And I'd like to just briefly read an email that he sent back to me. My question was, Mark, what's going on with Evans Street? It's my understanding that the project's not going to go forward and the bids have been rejected. Mr. Knight, I'm unaware of that news. It's my understanding that the contract review is complete and has been approved for award. The procurement office will be issuing an award letter. When received, the contractor needs to put together the required paperwork, bonds, insurance, construction schedules, et cetera. They need to sign the paperwork and return the contract to the city. And after these requirements are complete, the city will sign the contract, allowing the contractor to start the work. This project may take more than a couple of weeks, but once you receive the work schedule, we will pass this information along to you. Also, if you'd like to review the copies of the contractors' bid sheets, you can pick them up in the procurement office. They are kept on file there. I believe four contractors submitted a bid for the Water Works contract. Signed, Mark Shea, Assistant City Engineer, City Hall, Room 300, 85 George B. Esset Drive, Medford, Mass., Mr. President. So it appears to me that the process of the reconstruction of the water infrastructure on Evans Street is still undergoing. It's also apparent to me, Mr. President, based on that correspondence from the engineering department, that there taking the affirmative steps to make sure that this gets done in fast track. So with that being said, that was just for the record, Mr. President, so that we could get back to the item that was on topic and to provide the most up-to-date information. That was an email from Mr. Shea at, oh, about 3.30 this afternoon. Upon receipt of that email, I picked up the telephone and I spoke with Brian Cairns, Mr. President. And Mr. Cairns also got back to me, and Mr. Cairns' exact words to me were, and I wrote them down because I wanted to be sure I wasn't misquoting him this evening, was, The water main and service is then repaved. That is going forward. Procurement will be issuing an award letter. Then the contract is signed. It's all on schedule. So it's apparent to me, Mr. President, that this matter is going to be moving forward. It might not be in the schedule that we all would like to see it on, but it is on a schedule. And it's my hope and my wish and my desire that this gets done before the close of this construction season. And as such, I will continue to pick up the phone and continue to contact the individuals that are responsible for ensuring that this project goes out to bid appropriately and the construction work starts. But I did want to be sure that I shared that with the neighborhood, Mr. President.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you. Chair recognizes Vice President Logan Kern.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. That's great news. I think Cassandra did mention that at our meeting, that it needs full construction after the water main, hopefully getting the water main done this year. And I believe she said reclaiming it, which I assume is repaving it next year. So I think that's something that we just keep keep the residents keep being told the last two years. So hopefully we are on the right track and I would love to see it get repaved after the water main this construction season rather than next construction season, which is what Cassandra Kudularis, our engineer told us two Saturdays ago. I'd also like to just ask, make a resolve that we ask the mayor's office with regards to Swan Street. I too believe we, that bond, I thought Swan Street was gonna get repaved. If we could get a question to the administration with regards to Swan Street and, you know, if and when that's going to be repaved.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On the motion of Vice President Long and Kern that the letter be sent to the administration and they report back to the Medford City Council on the the progress towards paving Swan Street. On that motion, all those in favor? All those opposed? Motion carries. The records of the tabled records of the meeting of May 31st, 2016 will pass to Councilor Knight. Mr. Councilor, how do you find those records?
[Adam Knight]: Mr. President, I addressed the clarifications that I needed to be addressed. I find the records in order and I move for approval.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On motion for approval of those records by Councilor Knight, all those in favor? All those opposed? Motion carries. The records of the meeting of June 14th, 2016 will pass to Councilor Marks. Mr. Councilor, how do we find those records?
[Michael Marks]: Motion to table, Mr. President.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On the motion of Councilor Marks to table the records of June 14th, 2016. All those in favor. All those opposed. Uh, the motion granted on the motion of councilor Scarpelli to adjourn. Huh? Uh, they have to be signed to someone to read on the motion to adjourn by council Scarpelli. All those in favor. All those opposed. Meeting adjourned.
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