AI-generated transcript of Medford City Council - November 18, 2014

[Paul Camuso]: The clerk will call the roll.

[Clerk]: Vice President Caraviello. Present. Present. Councilor Dello Russo. Councilor Knight. Councilor Lungo-Koehn. Present. Councilor Marks. Present. Councilor Penta. Present. President Camuso.

[Paul Camuso]: Present. Six members present, one absent. Please rise to salute our flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Chair recognizes Councilor Knight.

[Adam Knight]: Mr. President, I'd like to move for suspension to take paper number. Bear with me, please. 14-000.

[Paul Camuso]: On the motion of Councilor Knight to take paper 14-000. All those in favor? All those opposed? The ayes have it.

[Adam Knight]: Yeah. I'm sorry. I got it off the wrong sheet there. Uh, 14 7 4 3.

[Paul Camuso]: Okay. On the motion to take paper 14 dash 7 4 3 out of order. All those in favor. All those opposed. The ayes have it. And for the record, councilor Penta is present. Seven members of the Medford city council present and accounted for item 14 dash 7 43. To the Honorable President and members of the Medford City Council, City Hall, Medford Mass, 02155. Dear Mr. President and City Councilors, I respectfully request and recommend that Your Honor will broadly approve the appropriation of certified free cash in the amount of $1,386,000 for the following. City Hall parapet, wrapped for the winter, $20,000. Mausoleum study, $30,000. Equipment yard, year one of four payment lifts, lease plus $50,000 various, $91,000. Three retaining walls, Governor's Ave, Morgan and Gaston Street, $250,000. Stumps and sidewalks, $300,000. Bucket truck, year one of a four payment lease, $65,000. Victory Park Tennis and Basketball Courts, repair and sale $18,500. Morrison Basketball Court, Morrison Park Basketball Court, pulverize and redo $29,000. Playstead Park Tennis Courts, repair and sale $29,000. Morrison Park Tennis Courts, repair and sale $39,000. Duggar park, basketball court, pulverize and redo, $48,000. Duggar park, tennis courts, repair and seal, $77,000. Harris park, basketball and tennis courts, pulverize and redo, $80,000. City hall fire alarm, upgrade to the system, $12,000. Pads for fire alarm install citywide, $22,000. LED light conversion for Medford square, $30,000. Year one of a four payment lease, $10,500. Historical matching grant, $35,000. Upgrade to the city computers, $30,000. Bicycle lanes, $25,000. public arts, funds for the Medford Public School student projects, $25,000. Security cameras for commercial street, et cetera, $10,000. Plans for the police department headquarters renovation, $17,000. Portable speed humps, speed bumps, humps, bumps, whatever the mayor wants to call them, $23,000. uh, police cruises, $40,000 in new plaques for Veterans Memorial Park, $30,000 for a grand total of $1,386,000. The balance and certified free cash prior to this vote is $7,594,183. Sincerely, Michael J. McGlynn, mayor and the original signatures on file with the city clerk and On the motion of approval from Councilor Dello Russo, Councilor Penta.

[Robert Penta]: Mr. President, before we move approval for what you can't, you have to take each item one at a time. That's required by state statute. Also, earlier tonight at 445, I believe that there was a linkage committee meeting that took place. And I think you should read the agenda items that were passed on there to put the entire total to close to $1,800,000. I think it's important. I think it works hand in hand.

[Paul Camuso]: Would you like me to read that? Please. Okay. Item number one was request funds to pay for two year, for year two of the lease on four trucks for water and sewer division. Year one payment previously approved in 2013, approved $26,000 from water slash sewer available linkage funds. Item two, request funds to pay for stumps and sidewalk repairs caused by pipes, leaks, shutoff repairs. That line was amended to read water and sewer um, water and saw repairs rather than pipe leaks and shut off repairs. Approve $100,000 from water and saw available linkage funds. Item three request funds to pay correct various flooding issues in the city. $250,000 from the water and saw available, available linkage funds. Item four request funds to pay for year two of lease on two trucks for the highway division. Year one payment previously approved in 2013. Approve $22,000 from the roads available linkage funds. Item five, request funds to pay for year one lease on Bobcat for the highway division. Approve $10,000 from roads available linkage funds. Request funds to pay for signage throughout the city for highway division. Approve $8,000 from the roads linkage funds. Item seven, request funds to pay for year one lease on two F-250 trucks with snowplow package for the highway division. Approved $26,000 from ROADS available linkage funds. The balance in the water slash sewer linkage fund prior to the vote is $675,815. The balance in the ROADS linkage fund prior to vote is $75,649. Mr. President, having had these items read, and I think it's important that the taxpayers know that we're talking well in excess of $1,700,000.

[Robert Penta]: Um, and as required by law, uh, we should be discussing each one of these, uh, one at a time. So there's a complete understanding as to what it is. I'd like to just jump to the link. Did you attend the meeting this afternoon or not? I did. Um, I'm concerned over two of the items that are on there, Mr. President. Um, the first one is, um, why are we leasing two trucks for the highway division, uh, for $22,000 a year? Uh, how much were those trucks each if you had to buy them? And once again, second of all, um, the one-year lease for an F-250 for $26,000. There's no paperwork that's supplied with this explaining the difference between the leasing and the buying. And also, leasing the Bobcat for one year at $10,000 a year, how much would that cost if we were to buy it? We're out there now building a brand new $14 million public works building, state of the art.

[Paul Camuso]: Point of information? Councilor DelaRosa.

[Fred Dello Russo]: My question to the chair is, is, uh, the agenda and expenditures of linkage accounts under the purview of the city council.

[Paul Camuso]: It's, uh, under the purview of the committee, according to the whole new petition that was established years ago.

[Robert Penta]: Plus the fact, Mr. President, since you as the chairperson of the council sit on that committee, I believe it is pertinent and it's relative to the issue at hand. Um, can we have some explanation, um, from you? Cause you're the only one either that or is miss Baker here?

[Paul Camuso]: or the mayor, um, council Burke is here. And just for the viewing public, it was an open meeting that was publicly posted. So any member of the community, as well as city council, a school committee or anyone else could have attended.

[Robert Penta]: So, um, could Ms. Baker, please be here. I'd like to have her. She was, she's a member.

[Paul Camuso]: Baker is not here.

[Robert Penta]: Oh, she's not here. Well then can you, on behalf of the council and likeness, why the committee of three voted to lease rather than by the funds.

[Paul Camuso]: What was the reason agenda item? It's year two of the lease. These were already purchased by the city of Medford in previous years. And at this point they have to be paid for. for year two of the lease. It's pretty self-explanatory.

[Robert Penta]: No, I'm going to item number seven, Mr. President. You asked about the two trucks. Yeah, the two trucks, the two F-150s, two F-250s. And I just answered that.

[Paul Camuso]: No, you didn't.

[Robert Penta]: It's year one of the lease.

[Paul Camuso]: That's year one. Number seven. You also asked about number four.

[Robert Penta]: I didn't say number four. Well, anyway, all right, I apologize. It's number seven. Why are we leasing?

[Paul Camuso]: Why aren't we buying? The city administration asked us to lease these two vehicles. If we recall during budget time, they talked about several trucks that were destroyed last year because of, uh, I don't know if it was actual fires or it was a very bad snow removal year. And, uh, as far as why they chose to go this route, you'll have to ask the city administration that.

[Robert Penta]: Well, since you're a representative and it also talks about a one year lease. So we're just leasing them for one year or for many years. It's to pay for one year lease.

[Paul Camuso]: So we're only going to use these trucks for one year at $26,000 each. No, this is the first year we're getting the two trucks for the first year payment of $26,000. I don't understand why we're leasing. This is payment for year one. When year two comes around, I'm sure there'll be another funding mechanism in place that will either be budgeted through the next fiscal year's budget or the mayor would be coming back to us for funding for year two of the lease, similar to what he did in item number four.

[Robert Penta]: Is our budget director, can she answer the question please? Number seven. How many years is this lease for?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It would be four payments over the course of three years.

[Robert Penta]: Four payments of $26,000. Correct. So almost $100,000 for this one truck.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: They're in the 40s with the snowplow package and the lift in the back.

[Paul Camuso]: For the edification, Madam President, if I may interject, it's not for one truck, Councilor. As the agenda item says, it's for two trucks. So the $100,000 is divided by two. Correct. So I don't want to be misleading to the public. OK, so why aren't we buying them?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Because the mayor had requested of the linkage committee to lease these trucks, which has been a standard. We have done that in the past. We've leased vehicles. Instead of going out and purchasing them outright.

[Robert Penta]: What does the city get out of leasing them at the end of two years? Three years?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It's just an option instead of outright buying them on day one. It's an alternative that many people do. Many people take loans out. Many people lease and purchase at the end. It's an option.

[Robert Penta]: Would it be cheaper for the city?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: The interest rates right now are so insignificant that it doesn't make a big difference whether you purchase them outright or you lease them, just like some of the personal vehicles that are out there at 1.5%. I mean, it's very low interest rate.

[Robert Penta]: And if you jump to number five, why are we renting a Bobcat for $10,000?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It's a similar situation. We're leasing the Bobcat.

[Robert Penta]: How much does that go for, Brando?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: That's about $40,000, a little under $40,000.

[Robert Penta]: And how long are we paying that out for?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It'll be the three-year payment, three. More payments over the course of three years.

[Robert Penta]: The last part of the question to this is why this didn't come out of free cash?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Because this is the way that the Mayor requested the money be expended, and we put it before the linkage committee, and they voted earlier this evening.

[Paul Camuso]: Can we get a copy of the official minutes forwarded to the Council once they are written up, please?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: And once the committee approves it. And they'll go to your next meeting.

[Paul Camuso]: You all set Councilor Penta? Yep. Thank you. Councilor Lungo, Kern, and then Councilor Marks.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I was on the same issue, if you don't mind, Councilor, um, President Camuso, with regards to leasing, I mean, we're going to have to give it back after four years. What's the lifespan of these vehicles? I just want to know the pros of leasing versus us buying it outright.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Actually, with the way that we structure it, we'll own it at the end of the lease term. Oh, OK. That's what I thought. So they'll be ours, lock, stock, and barrel. You'll see some of the trucks that we have on the road are in excess of 10 years old. So we do, with the maintenance division, with Timmy McCarthy and the work that his team does, they really keep the lights on these trucks. And there's just some that are just, they've reached their end life. And as Council President Camuso mentioned, one of them during the blizzard last year actually overheated and caught on fire. So one of the trucks would be replacing that vehicle as well.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: So with regards to the four years that we are leasing, the pros, what kind of pros, if something happens to the vehicle? I mean, just like if you lease a car.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: They're ours. We're responsible for them. It's really just the payment structure.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: So if one breaks down, we are responsible.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: We have the warranty that would come with a purchase. It would be the same.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Same as a purchase.

[Michael Marks]: Councilor Marks? I also have a question on that, too, if you wouldn't mind. So the $26,000 for year one, that includes the eventual buyout after year four?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yes.

[Michael Marks]: And what percent is that?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It's an equal. It ends up being the four payments. So on delivery, you make the first payment, and then 12 months later is the second. So it ends up being within a three-year period, but it's four payments. Just the final payment is the buyout.

[Michael Marks]: So the buyout's roughly $26,000?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It's roughly a fourth, correct.

[Michael Marks]: And you're saying we've done this for a lot of pieces of equipment in the past?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yeah, we've done this with several, and we did it recently with some of the police cars, and then we've done it for a host of different vehicles. Since the 80s. Yeah, we've always, we've done it quite frequently.

[Paul Camuso]: Just to keep the upfront costs low.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yeah, just balances it, spreads the payments versus putting it all out at once.

[Paul Camuso]: Councilor Dello Russo.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you, Mr. President.

[Paul Camuso]: Councilor Penta.

[Robert Penta]: Mr. President, let's go to number two, request funds to pay for stumps and sidewalks, $100,000. Now I'm confused because in the mayor's other request from free cash, he wants 400,000. Why this didn't all just come from one account?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: $300,000 is actually the paper was changed. The total was supposed to be $400,000, $300,000 for free cash, and the $100,000 from linkage, which is attributable to water issues. So if a main, when you pull out a main and you dig up the sidewalk to get to it, those sidewalks would be repaired through this account.

[Robert Penta]: So the $400,000 in free cash should be free?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Which is changed in your, I believe, in your documents.

[Robert Penta]: No, I didn't get that.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: The total is correct. It should be just three in the bottom of it.

[Robert Penta]: The bottom line number of 1, 3, 8, 6 is still correct.

[Paul Camuso]: Stumps and sidewalks has been amended to read 300 in the council paper.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Correct.

[Paul Camuso]: On the motion of councilor Dello Russo for approval. For approval of what?

[Robert Penta]: Uh, paper 14-743. That particular paper has to be voted on individually. Each item, Mr. President, that's what the law reads. It's a cost factor.

[Paul Camuso]: This is one paper submitted by the administration and it has items broken down and it's broken down. That's correct. Um, name and address for the record.

[Jeanne Martin]: Gene Martin 10 coming street. Um, there are some items here that I see is non essential. Um, and the reason why I bring that up is because we have an essential need in this city and it's the police station, which is nowhere to be found as seven years from now is too long. It's not acceptable. Seven years from now is not acceptable for a new police station.

[Adam Knight]: Point of information, Councilor Mayne. If we look at the text of the paper, we'll see that there is an item in there, plans for HDQT renovations. And I believe that that is an appropriation of $17,000 to take a look at a design for a female locker room for our women officers. I did see that. There's also some other.

[Jeanne Martin]: But wait a minute now.

[Adam Knight]: Commitment in there for, if you can let me give me a second to take a look at my notes.

[Jeanne Martin]: There's a couple others too that are essential.

[Adam Knight]: The evidence as well. That's going to include the evidence room and moving the fire engines out. You're correct.

[Jeanne Martin]: Hang on a second. You are correct. I see some things that are not essential. I don't see all things that are non-essential. But I see a bike lane. I see, believe it or not, and I know you're going to be against me on this, playgrounds. These are non-essentials. If you're going to put pressure on the mayor, who has all authority to change this, to sign off on this, and you've got to build up pressure in this city. I'm sorry, but you do. If you don't build up pressure with the citizens to get them in here, to get them angry, then you can explain to them that the police station needs to come first, and then they can have their playgrounds. Because if you keep on doing this one million at a time, you're never going to see a police station. You're going to give him what he wants. So if there's a bucket truck, that's a necessity. If there's a plow, that's a necessity. But if it's a bike lane, it's not a necessity. If it's a playground, I understand they can be dangerous, but you're going to have to do something. So you guys can disagree with me if you want, But this is the only time that you're going to be able to have leverage over the mayor. And it's up to you. It's your call. It's your vote. But when the police station doesn't get built, don't come looking for me. Thank you. Thank you.

[Robert Penta]: Mr. President. Councilor Penta.

[Paul Camuso]: Can we take the items one at a time and just... If the council wishes, you can press us. You can ask for a severance. But the ruling of the chair is if the council can ask for a severance. But as far as this paper, it's not individually going into separate accounts. It's one paper from certified free cash for a specific purpose. It's not actually putting it into one account to another at this point. So that's the ruling of the chair. But if the council wishes to sever each one and there's a majority of members that want that, we certainly can do that.

[Robert Penta]: Well, I think the taxpayers are owed the obligation of knowing how this money is going to be spent, whether it's severed or not, whether the total stays the same, or whether it's lessened by some amount. I think it's important that each item is discussed, and the Council can take its vote.

[Paul Camuso]: You can make a motion to sever?

[Robert Penta]: I make a motion to sever every one of the items.

[Paul Camuso]: There is a motion to sever, Councilor Dello Russo.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Okay, Councilor Lungo-Koehn. Thank you, President Camuso. Since we are severing, I was... Well, we're going to take a vote to sever it.

[Paul Camuso]: If it passes, we'll sever it. If it doesn't, we won't sever it.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: The first two items, if we could just get an explanation on the first two items that were discussed earlier, but if we could get it discussed also.

[Paul Camuso]: The parapet and the mausoleum.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mr. President, councilors, thank you for entertaining these free cash appropriations this evening. As you know earlier, tonight at 5 o'clock we had a meeting to go over some of the papers, well, all of the line items that are included in the two papers that are before you this evening. The mayor went into detail on. I will try to do my best to explain any questions that you may have. But I know the first one is the City Hall parapet. If you look up at the roof of this building, to me it almost looks like a concrete fence that goes around the top of the facade. We've been having inspections done. There's a plan. We're trying to get some estimates to see whether we need partial roofing repairs because obviously we have a little leak in this building. An engineer came out and walked the roof with Mr. Moki, the building commissioner, and he said that in order to get through the winter for safety purposes, we should wrap it. It's similar if you took notice, you may not have even noticed it, but the firehouse on Salem Street, before they were able to actually do the brickwork on the clock tower, They covered it with a like a black mesh wrapping and it kind of blended in I think after a few days people probably didn't even take notice that it was up there. But it's a protective measure to hold everything in so that nothing comes over the side. So that's what we got an estimate from the engineering company on what it would cost to wrap the building for the winter and that's the $20,000.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: So that wrapping would be along the fencing or along the whole top of the

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It would, all of the parapet, which is the decorative feature at the top, it would go around the top.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And that would last just for this one winter?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It's just a temporary measure to get us to the spring.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And in the spring, we're going to have to take that off, and if we don't do anything next year, we're going to have to do another wrapping?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Well, we would take it off in order to fix it. We wouldn't take it off if we weren't fixing it. What are the estimates to fix it? Like they told us at the fire station, they said that some people, it's supposed to be a temporary measure, but some end up leaving it up for 10 years or so. That's not the intent here. It really is to get us through the winter. We have an engineering firm looking at the roof at present, along with a roofing company is going to do a They have the guns, the guns that see through to see where there are leaks present. They're conducting that as well. So it's in process and hopefully we'll have some estimates in the very near future.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: So we have no idea what exactly is needed or how much it would cost?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: If it's limited roofing, it's not going to be that tremendous of a cost. If it's major, then that's a whole other... And the parapet itself, there are pieces, sections of it that are weaker. A lot of it is very strong, but there are sections that are weaker. So what we've been talking to in order to compare, we want to have the original is a terracotta actually. So we want to look at what the cost is to do it that way, and we're getting others that are telling us to be wise and for, so there's no maintenance free, is to go with some of the acrylics that they're putting together now that look aged and look appropriate. But that hasn't, those are just people discussing different options that we'll have. So we're in the preliminary stages of that.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And if we don't happen to do something for two, three years, you will leave the wrapping up?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: We would leave the wrapping up. That is not the intent. Hopefully the council feels the same way once we get our estimates in.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And then I don't know if anybody else has questions on that one. If we're going to go through this one at a time.

[Paul Camuso]: Well, if it votes that way, we will. Is there a motion to SEVA? There is a motion to SEVA that's been submitted. Are you all set, council?

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I'm all set with that one, yep. Councilor Knight.

[Adam Knight]: Thank you very much, Mr. President. I was able to speak with some members of the administration prior to tonight's committee of the whole meeting. And I also attended the Committee of the Whole meeting this evening. And based upon what's presented, I think this is a very good plan. I think if we look at what's before us here, we have a paper that provides for 15 vehicles. It provides for a number of equipment upgrades and a number of infrastructure upgrades. It addresses some flooding issues that are really bothering some residents and creating some problems for their personal property. Technology upgrades, there's some parks and recreation upgrades, public safety upgrades, a commitment to, a continued commitment to the arts, Mr. President. Overall, I think this is a great package. I can understand how some of the councils would want to go through this one by one. However, my view after attending the two meetings, having discussions with it prior to tonight, And taking a look at the comprehensive package, I really think it's a nice deal for the community. It's a great way to invest in the community. I mean, we're looking at 15 vehicles. We're looking at security cameras, which this council has requested before. Movable speed bumps that can be placed in certain areas of concern. Mr. President, LED conversion to lights that are going to be more energy efficient and brighter in our square. So I really think that this is a good plan, Mr. President. I'm going to be supporting it.

[Paul Camuso]: All right. At this point, there is a motion to sever. clerk will call the roll and this is to sever each item on this individually for a vote of approval. Yay or nay?

[Robert Penta]: Councilor Penta for the voters call. And since there are a lot of items in here that will have an impact in certain parts of the community and especially for which a rate payers and taxpayers in this community aren't aware of. And as Councilor Knight is just alluded to, he thinks it's a great package. So I would assume there'd be no problem discussing it. and letting the taxpayers know what they're getting by dollar amount to each and every one of the items. So I support the, uh, I support the, uh, severing of the motion.

[Paul Camuso]: Okay. Clerk, we'll call the roll. Yes. Vote is to sever a no vote is to not sever and vote on the package as presented. 14 dash seven, four, three.

[Clerk]: Vice-president Caraviello. Councilor Dello Russo. Councilor Knight.

[v8c6yqLwu5E_SPEAKER_17]: Yes.

[Clerk]: Councilor Marks.

[v8c6yqLwu5E_SPEAKER_17]: Yes.

[Clerk]: Councilor Penta. Yes. President commercial.

[Paul Camuso]: No, by three yeses for nose. The paper is going to be voted on as presented.

[Robert Penta]: Point of information, Mr. President point of information under rule 20 of our city council talks about items appearing upon the council agenda. Point number four, any financial paper appearing on the council agenda for the first time shall be automatically laid on the table for one week when such action is requested by any Councilor. I am the Councilor and I'm making that action that the paper lay on the table. according to our own rules.

[Paul Camuso]: You can take a vote.

[Robert Penta]: No, it's automatic. Lays on the table. Roll number 20.

[Paul Camuso]: It's right there.

[Robert Penta]: I don't think there's any problem discussing, and I don't know why four colleagues would not want to discuss some of this matter. And pardon me.

[Paul Camuso]: We had a meeting.

[Robert Penta]: Well, you were at a meeting that the public couldn't see. It was a private meeting. With all due respect. It was a committee of the whole meeting. Yes.

[Paul Camuso]: That's correct. Yes. To say the public couldn't see it is disingenuous and not truthful. There was members of the public there. But this is the public right here. There was members of the public at the meeting. You just said that members of the public couldn't be there. That is wrong. It's not true. And I'm correcting it.

[Robert Penta]: Well, some members of the public was put there. No, no, no, no, no, no. Some members of the public, which would be the people who watched this.

[Paul Camuso]: All members of the public were able to attend the meeting. were able to attend the meeting. So let's not say that. I said some. You said, councillor. And I just corrected myself. And I corrected it for you.

[Robert Penta]: You didn't correct it for me.

[Paul Camuso]: So we do have rule number 20 that says any finance paper appearing on the council agenda for the first time shall be automatically laid on the table for one week when such action is requested by any councillor. The councillor has requested that. There's a motion to table. All those in favor? It's automatic, Paul.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It's automatic.

[Paul Camuso]: It's automatic. You're asked to lay on the table. No, it's laid on the table. We'll see that next week. Madam president. Madam vice director.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Thank you.

[Paul Camuso]: Well, the motion of council Dello Russo to revert back to the regular order of business council Lungo-Koehn.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: There was another paper as well.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: If we're tabling it, I mean, can I just ask some questions?

[Paul Camuso]: That paper has been tabled. There is another paper, which 14, 7-4-4. Mr. President, members of the City Council, I respectfully request and recommend that your honorable body approve the appropriation of certified free cash in the amount of $90,000 for structural repairs to the Carriage House, in addition to various roofing and sprinkler repairs at the Brooks Estates, a representative from M-Belt, will be in attendance to answer any questions you may have.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: If I may, if I may first, I know if I may through the chair, Councilor Custo, I'm assuming that somebody is going to move to possibly table this as well to keep in line. But if I could just, if we could get a specific breakdown of the 90,000, what, what the estimates have come in, um, for the, for the sprinkler system. I think there's, I think Mr. Lincoln named about five different, areas that have improvements that will be used with this 90,000. So if we could get a breakdown specifically on a dollar figure for each, each portion and what estimates came in.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you.

[Fred Dello Russo]: My effort to intervene here was to make a motion for approval.

[Richard Caraviello]: We have a motion for approval on the floor. can't, it's been laid on the table. You asked what to be laid on the table? It's on the table, rule 20.

[Unidentified]: It's two separate papers.

[Richard Caraviello]: There's two separate papers. Are you asking for this paper to also be laid on the table? Yes.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Rule 20.

[Richard Caraviello]: Rule 20. Councilor Penta has asked for rule 20. So this paper will be tabled to next week. Sorry, Tom. Sorry, Mr. President. Okay. Motion by Councilor Dello Russo to revert back to regular business. 14-733, hearing, vocational poles, attachments, affixures, and underground conduits. City clerk, you are hereby notified by the order of Medford City Council of public hearing given at Howard F. Walderman Auditorium, 85 George B. Hassell Drive, City Hall, Medford, Massachusetts, 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 18, 2014. on a petition by Comcast of Southern New England Inc. for permission to lay and maintain underground conduits, manholes, handholes, vaults, laterals, wires, cables to be placed therein under surface of the following public way. Said locations will be placed in accordance with the plans filed by Comcast Conduit Installation P1725 Hall F. Place one two-inch PVC conduit from P1725 Hall F across Hall F number 30 West to a Comcast vault to be placed on the private property of 75 Gaviness Avenue. Also, for permission to lay and maintain underground conduits, manholes, handholds, vaults, laterals, cables, and wires in the above are intercessing public ways for the purpose of making connections with such poles and equipments and buildings as are made desire for distributing purposes. Approved by the city engineer. No city owned or private utilities or other adverse impact. The applicant shall ensure that all water, sewer, and drain lines are marked prior to any excavation. Two, for road restoration, the applicant will match the existing pavement thickness with asphalt base course for the following 2014-2015 winter season. Grind and install permanent trench pavement Number three, tracer pipes shall be placed over the conduit, as such plans shall be delivered to Method Engineering. Before beginning work, the applicant shall notify DIGSAFE and shall obtain applicable permits from the Engineering Division. The contractor shall utilize city of Medford regulations and standards for restoration, as well as remove all debris related to its work. Approved by the Superintendent of Wires. Call 781-393-2425 for any combinations. Plans can be reviewed In the City Clerk's Office, 781-393-2425. We have a motion. Who has those papers? All those in favor? Anyone want to speak in favor of this motion?

[SPEAKER_12]: Name and address of the rector, please. Good evening. My name is Earl Lawson. I'm the project coordinator for Comcast 9B Forbes Road in Woburn. This is to install a conduit across Hall Street that serves a residential home at 75 Governor's Ave. They presently have an aerial drop that goes across the street, but they want to go underground. So this is to take care of that aerial drop for this customer.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. Thank you. Any more in favor of this project? Hearing none, seeing none, anyone opposed to this project? Hearing none, seeing none, motion passes. Motion to approve by Councilor Rossell. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Opposed?

[Paul Camuso]: Ayes have it. Thank you, Vice President Caraviello. Uh, I want to apologize as the chair, the last paper that we're just tabled. Uh, if there's a motion to bring them back before us, uh, we will entertain them this evening. Is that a motion council Dello Russo on the motion of council Dello Russo to take the papers back to us. All those in favor. Councilor Penta. We were under suspension of the rules. All rules were suspended at the time of the vote. The paper can be back before us. Yes, there was a vote of suspension of the rules by Councilor Knight. That is the chair's ruling. The paper is back before us if the council wants to see it. You can doubt the ruling of the chair. The ruling of the chair is in doubt. The ruling will be called if a yes vote will be to Um, a yes vote will be to say that we were not under suspension of the rules and a no vote on the challenge of the chair will acknowledge that we were indeed under suspension of the rules and therefore the rules were out. So a yes vote is for Councilor Pinter's motion. A no vote is the ruling of the chair to support the chair. The clerk will call the roll. You want a question before the roll is called? Well, we have to find out if it's back before us first. So we have to rule on the chair. All right, I'm going to explain this. When we first opened up the order of business, a member of the Medford City Council asked for suspension of the rules. All members of this council acknowledged that we would go under suspension of the rules. Therefore, rule number 20 in every other rule of the Medford City Council is suspended. It's clear as day when you think about it. This is, uh, we suspended our own rules. So I actually ruled wrong on the paper. Council Dello Russo asked for the paper to be back before us as a result of being under suspension of the rules. And we're here now. So a yes vote is to Uphold Councilor Penter's motion. A no vote is to stand by the chair that we were indeed under suspension of the rules originally when these papers were before us. Yes?

[v8c6yqLwu5E_SPEAKER_17]: We never took an official vote on that to lay it on the table for one week.

[Paul Camuso]: We did. We didn't. It was a mechanism of the rules.

[Michael Marks]: call for reconsideration. It's not reconsideration. He wasn't on the prevailing side. We never took a vote. We didn't.

[Paul Camuso]: Right. So ruling of the chair originally was wrong. We were under suspension of the rules council. We're going to take the vote.

[Robert Penta]: Councilor Penta. One thing further under rule 20, number one, all items of business appearing upon the council agenda shall be taken up in the order of their appearance and be fully in. And the appearance was under suspension and be fully and openly debated and disposed of by a vote of the council previous to consideration of any other item of business. And then we jumped to rule four for which is mine. So it lays on the table. The council took this no matter how it appeared before the council.

[Paul Camuso]: It doesn't make any difference. Councilor. We're going to take a vote on your challenge. It's simple. If we were under suspension of the rules, your rule would be valid, would not be valid. If we were not under suspension of the rules, then we would be standing by your rule. The chair will call the roll. A yes vote is for Councilor Penta. A no vote is to uphold the chair. The clerk will call the roll.

[Michael Marks]: Before the roll is called, Councilor Marks. With all due respect, Mr. President, there were 25 items on the list that the mayor was asking for approval. If we went through them one at a time, we would have been done by now. We would have gone through them all by now.

[Paul Camuso]: We're going to take a ruling on the chair, and then we're going to proceed. Because if your ruling is upheld by Councilor Penta, the clerk will call the roll on the chair. There's going to be no debate. The debate, the point is moved. If Councilor Penta prevails, you'll be the first one to speak after the call. Call the roll, Mr. Clerk. It's not before us. Can you call the roll?

[v8c6yqLwu5E_SPEAKER_17]: A yes vote?

[Paul Camuso]: There's a challenge to the chair. A challenge to the chair. A challenge of the chair. stops debate until we take that challenge and rule on it. We're taking the vote right now. Clerk will call the roll.

[Robert Penta]: Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. You can't do that. You don't make up these rules. You challenged the rule. I challenged, you're challenging me. That's what you're doing. No, no. And I'm telling you on the section rule number four and under rule 20, section one, this paper was presented by Mr. Knight and the council discussed it.

[Paul Camuso]: That's the proper, listen, under suspension, just call the vote, a yes vote. I'm gonna move, you know something?

[v8c6yqLwu5E_SPEAKER_17]: I won't let you speak, but.

[Michael Marks]: Thank you, thank you for letting me speak. Before the roll is called, Mr. President, we should not be governing this body, Mr. President, by people leaving their position. speaking to people outside of the chambers, and then coming back with options on votes that just took place. Because that's exactly what happened, Mr. President. You left your seat to get some opinion outside of this chamber and come back. And you're deliberating not before this body,

[Paul Camuso]: You're on your own, Mr. President. You're absolutely right.

[Michael Marks]: And that should not be taking place. With all due respect, Mr. President, I know you're new to the presidency, but you should not be doing that, Mr. President. With all due respect.

[Paul Camuso]: It hasn't happened. I'll call it as I see it, Mr. President. Councilor, can we take a vote on the ruling of the chair, and then are we going to debate the paper, or it's going to be up before us next week?

[Michael Marks]: It's easy as that, because the ruling is what we're talking about. Well, your ruling should have taken place at the podium rather than outside of the chamber. Well, it wasn't. Because that's where it took place. Mr. President.

[Paul Camuso]: Councilor, I don't know why you would... Well, I think we all know what took place, Mr. President. Let's take a vote. If we were under suspension of the rules... Can we just take a vote? Because we might... Oh, she had a comment. When you challenge the chair, you're supposed to take precedent over everything. Councilor, what are we going to do? Debate the whole issue and then take a ruling on your challenge? You can't do it.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I think we should debate this.

[Paul Camuso]: I mean... Oh.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: We suspend the rules every meeting. We sometimes take almost the whole agenda out of order. So are you trying to say that none of the council rules should be followed on any paper we take? out of suspension.

[Paul Camuso]: Councilor, if you realize, um, if you realize lately, members of this council have been asking for a suspension of rule number 33, specifically to take agenda items out of order because of your exact point, you're an attorney. You should know that once you suspend the rules, it's all the rules. You're suspending the rules for the item that's on the agenda. You're suspending the council rules. It's clear as day. It's clear as day.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I don't think it's clear as day.

[Paul Camuso]: Well, let's take a vote in the majority of members of the council.

[Richard Caraviello]: Mr. President.

[Paul Camuso]: Could you read Rule 20 again, so everyone understands it? Rule 20 is a very straightforward rule. Councilor Pender read it, I will read it again. But as I stated, if all the rules are suspended, that includes number 20, number 33, and everything else in between. So Rule 20, would you like me to read it from the top? Well, I mean, if I understand it correctly, the tables have been weak. It certainly does, but if all the rules are suspended, then all the rules are up. Look, if we want to table it for a week, I have no problem doing that. We just did it. I understand that. Listen, you'd be the first one to jump down my throat if I made a mistake. I'm acknowledging that I made a mistake, and now you're still jumping down my throat.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Who told you you made a mistake?

[Paul Camuso]: Who told you? Because when I came back in and I noticed that Tom Lincoln's paper was being talked about, and I noticed that's at the end of the agenda, I said, we're still in the suspension of the rules. So that's the bottom line. So we're going to take a vote.

[Robert Penta]: That came up as a separate paper on the suspension. We're going to be here all night discussing. This is a circus. I know this is a circus. Mr. President. You challenge the chair. Let me tell you something. Let me just say this too. I don't know what any of the seven of us or any of the four who didn't vote for this, would be afraid to discuss these matters one at a time. Councilor, that's a different point right now. No, it isn't. That's the whole issue. You don't want to discuss it, because Councilor Dello Russo brought that up in the beginning. He just wanted to move to approve the paper. That's how this all started. Now, you have the budget director here, who's ready, willing, and able to answer any question that's going to be presented as to what took place in the Committee of the Law. What is everybody afraid of to talk about? Councilor, nobody said you could ask that. Well, then that's it. Then let it go. Just let us have our discussion. Of course.

[Paul Camuso]: Then that's it. You can ask any question on the whole paper. The whole paper. Then let her come up and answer these questions. Absolutely. So let's take a vote on the chair first. Chair for what? Do you withdraw your challenge to the chair? No. Then we have to take a vote on that before we proceed. It's a ruling. So we're going to take a vote on the challenge of the chair. The question before the council is if we were under suspension of all the rules, or we were not? No. Was the paper taken up when the city council was under suspension of the rules? And we're going to take that vote now. A yes vote says that we were not under suspending all the rules. A no vote will be that we were under suspension of the rules. And we'll move forward either way.

[Robert Penta]: No, Mr. President, you know, you've got to read 33 that you're alluding to. Okay. Read it, read 33 if you want to have suspension of the rules and make this become operative. It talks about a roll call, a salute to the flag, examination of the records of a previous meeting. It talks about hearings, presentations of petitions and similar papers, motions, orders, and resolutions, communications from the mayor, communications and reports from city office and employees, reports of committee, public participation papers in the committee, unfinished business and approval of records in previous meeting. You move suspension on one of these items. It's just that one particular paper. You took it out of order.

[Paul Camuso]: It doesn't negate the rules of the council. Councilor, we're going to take a vote. If Councilor that made the motion said we're under suspension of the rules, it's all the rules. And if it was under rule 33 or any other rule, it would be that rule that was suspended. We're going to take a vote and we're going to move forward. and we'll do the people's business. So the vote is a yes vote is for the challenge of Councilor Penta. A no vote is to acknowledge that we were under suspension of the rules and that all the rules were suspended. And this is easy. We can all watch the tape tomorrow and find out exactly what happened. We have a tape with us. It does not matter. Councilor Knight moved suspension of the rules. The rules. Correct? Correct.

[Robert Penta]: He moved suspension of the rules. He didn't move suspension of the rules for all the rules of the Council.

[Paul Camuso]: The rules of the Council are the rules of the Council.

[Adam Knight]: as opposed to, I move for suspension of the rules. In hindsight, looking at it now, I probably should have move for suspension of Rule 33. However, I didn't. So we can take a vote, whatever you guys want to do about a vote as to what was under suspension and what wasn't. The motion that I put forward was a motion to suspend the rules. That's what I put forward. In hindsight, would I have liked to put a motion to suspend Rule Number 33?

[Paul Camuso]: Absolutely. Is that what I did? No, it is not. Exactly. And Councilor, I thank you for that. And I, as one member of the Council, I made a mistake, and I'm bringing the mistake back to the Council, which created this controversy. So we'll take a...

[Robert Penta]: Good. I'll be willing to withdraw my, and if council agrees to talk about these items, one at a time, I'm telling you, I'll be willing to withdraw that if the council acknowledges. discussing these matters one at a time.

[Paul Camuso]: If you're willing to, listen, just so you know, the whole paper was before us, the whole paper, you asked for a vote on each individual item. That's what we took a vote on. So the paper, if, if, if you withdraw your motion, the paper back before us, you can ask any questions out of the $1.638 million, any of them that we talked about at the committee of the whole, I just, at this point, we're wasting too much time. We're not getting any business done for the last 20 minutes. So I, Point of information.

[Adam Knight]: There was a motion to sever that failed, correct? Yes. So now, if this item comes back onto the table, that motion is still in play. It's already failed. The motion to sever has already failed. So are we going to be able to get to our, you know, is the council going to be able to get to his end result at the end of the day, if he even does withdraw? I mean, are we still going to be able to go back now and undo that vote?

[Paul Camuso]: What I would ask is someone that was on the prevailing side of that, I would ask that someone on the prevailing side of the severance, which would be myself, yourself and the two gentlemen over here, I would ask that one of them move reconsideration so that the whole paper can be back before us, all the questions can be asked to the budget director, and we can either vote yay or nay, and if that motion is presented again, we'll take another vote. So, on the challenge of the chair, or do you withdraw it, Councilor? What do you want to do? We have to move forward one way or the other. Wait a minute, wait a minute.

[Robert Penta]: Now what you're saying is if somebody on the prevailing side is willing to move reconsideration so we can discuss these items one at a time, then roll. to take a vote on them. I'm not taking that gamble because I can't trust this council.

[Paul Camuso]: Well, that's your opinion. It is. All right. We're going to take a vote on the chair. There's a challenge to the chair by Councilor Penta. A yes vote is for Councilor Penta. A no vote is that we were under suspension of all the rules and tomorrow morning I'm going to be the first one at the clerk's office grabbing the tape because, because this is pretty straightforward. Clerk will call the roll. Yes for Councilor Penta, a no vote opposed the chair.

[Clerk]: Vice President Caraviellola? Councilor Dello Russo? No. Councilor Knight? No. Councilor Lohengrin? Yes. Councilor Marks?

[Michael Marks]: Yes.

[Clerk]: Councilor Penta?

[Paul Camuso]: Yes. President Camuso? No. By a vote of four noes, three negatives, we were under suspension of the rules, the challenge of the chair fails, and I apologize as the president for making a mistake. on the interpretation on rule we're under. And the paper, now by Councilor Dello Russo, is still before us. And the budget director's here to answer any questions you want, any councilors. Who would like to go first? I'd like to ask Councilor Dello Russo a question.

[Robert Penta]: Well, you can... I'd like to ask Councilor Dello Russo a question. Councilor Dello Russo.

[Paul Camuso]: You're here to talk about... I want to talk about this paper.

[Robert Penta]: You said anybody can ask the budget director any... Councilor Dello Russo, first, a question before we go forward. Since you moved, Councilor Dello Russo, to vote for this paper, would you be good?

[Paul Camuso]: No, we're not going to, Councilor.

[Robert Penta]: I'm asking Councilor Dello Russo, and you're speaking from the chair.

[Paul Camuso]: The questions have to be addressed through the chair. You've been around a long time. You understand the process more than I do. Yeah, you're right. I'm asking my colleague a question. Do you want to entertain this question? Let's hear the question, Mr. Chair.

[Robert Penta]: Very simply, Councilor Dello Russo, you moved approval on a paper without having an opportunity be given to discuss each and every one of these items. Would you be willing to withdraw that so we could discuss these items?

[Fred Dello Russo]: I think the reason why I presented, uh, the approval was first, I had attended the meeting, uh, that, uh, the committee of the whole meeting, Mr. Chairman, that you presided over with mayor, the budget director and various department heads were able to be present and, uh, entertain any questions that we may or may not have had. And having received a sufficient explanation of the items present before us, Mr. President, I was satisfied at that meeting. My questions were answered. I personally would have loved to have seen expenditures of money at Carr Park. I had an intervention on that matter. It was an answer to my satisfaction. However, this is all good. These are improvements for the community. And I'm in favor of improving the community. That's why I'm here. And so I think it's a good measure, and it has my support.

[Robert Penta]: Why would you not want to let your colleagues have an opportunity to ask further questions to Mrs. Burke?

[Fred Dello Russo]: Mr. President, there were plenty of opportunities, and it had begun.

[Paul Camuso]: Councilor Penta, you've got the floor. Can you ask any pertinent questions to the budget director on this paper, please? Yes. Stephanie, please.

[Robert Penta]: Let's go to the issue of the three retaining walls, Governor's Ave, Morgan, and Gaston. Now, Governor's Ave was done back in the early 2000s. What part of Governor's Ave in particular? Because residents have called, and they want to know what's going on.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: If you were looking at the part that we corrected years ago, it's farther up towards South Quarter.

[Robert Penta]: Going toward Lawrence Road?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yes.

[Robert Penta]: OK.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Closer to the hospital.

[Robert Penta]: And when you write Gaston, what's that, Gaston Street?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yes.

[Robert Penta]: What wall in Gaston Street? What end?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Up in North Medford.

[Robert Penta]: OK. And these prices of $250,000, do these come from, I won't use, well, not legitimate.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Estimates from outside engineers.

[Robert Penta]: You have, yeah, OK. These aren't city estimates. These are from definite contractors.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: They're not from contractors. They were from an outside engineer.

[Robert Penta]: Outside engineer, OK. The next question is, you corrected the stumps to $300,000, and the bucket truck for $65,000. Again, the bucket truck for $65,000, and then we have the trucks that come under linkage. Is there any reason why it just all didn't stay out of one account?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Oh, well, linkage is for certain purposes. Um, the bucket truck is for our forestry division that really doesn't fall under any of the specific linkage, um, areas that are like citywide linkage accounts. So that's why it is before you in this manner. I'm trying to give them so much.

[Unidentified]: All right.

[Robert Penta]: Next one is, um, the tennis courts at victory and the basketball, um, horizon, the basketball play stood tennis courts, Morris and the tennis courts, basketball courts at, um, at Duggar tennis courts at Duggar Harris. A lot of these parks through the years, as you know, and even when you were on the council, have seen upgradings through the years. Some of these parks are in their third iteration of being upgraded. And I just want to hold that aside as, as Ms. Mott indicated a little bit back there. The city hall fire alarm system, the upgrade to that,

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: If I remember correctly, actually, if I could interject that city buildings, it's really not just city hall, it's city buildings. So we had a fire alarm company come through all of the city owned buildings and they said, this needs to be replaced. This needs to be replaced. You have to repair this part. So when they comprehensively put them all together to Mr. Hurley, the superintendent of wires, this was the estimate that they provided.

[Robert Penta]: So these are all citywide buildings. When you say city, we, including the school department or not?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: No, no, no, no, no library.

[Robert Penta]: Okay. The pads for the fire alarm installation citywide.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: As the mayor explained, the council appropriated funds and wanted for us to use the solar battery communication system for our new fire alarm boxes throughout the city with the intent that our DPW department would actually be pouring the pads that you bolt the fire alarms into. their workload has just been so immense that they weren't able to get to it. So we do want to get these pads poured ASAP so that we can get these alarms hooked up and be done with all the city properties so we can get off that old system, the Christmas tree light system that we currently have.

[Robert Penta]: On the LED conversion, I believe, even though Medford Square is on there, I believe all the squares were supposed to be taken into consideration.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: We paid a few thousand dollars, was it a couple of years ago, last year to change all the lenses. We did, and that's already been done. Those were just like the glass. That's actually where the light emits from.

[Robert Penta]: The animal van, OK. Historical matching grant, current $15,000. and pending is 20. What is the one that's pending?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Historical Society has just received notice that they had applied for a grant for this year, which is the first one, the 15. That's the match that the city would have to put up, and that is to finish off Medford Square, all the historical sites. The one they are applying for at present is the $20,000, and that is for Magoon area. The Glenwood area.

[Robert Penta]: Glenwood, okay.

[Paul Camuso]: Point of information, Councilor Dello Russo.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Can it be also noted that at the Committee of the Whole meeting that several councilors took the opportunity to attend for this discussion. The question was asked by myself for an update regarding the lack of lighting in the parking lot on Mr. Delatatwe, often referred to as behind St. Joseph's. I asked that and was told that the matter was put towards the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

[Paul Camuso]: Thank you. That's a very important issue that's been before this council.

[Robert Penta]: I think Mr. President, I brought that up 13 times, if not 14. I know. City Hall computer refresh.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Those are the actual computers that are at all the stations for all the employees in this building. And as you know, Windows just underwent, basically, they're not supporting some of the older computers any longer. So we want to switch them out, get us all on the same platform with the same software, et cetera. So that's what the goal is with that line item.

[Robert Penta]: On the issue regarding bicycle lanes, where are they going to be?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: We have a member of the bicycle commission that's present here. The mayor spoke earlier this evening in the committee. They have proposed a few different locations that added bike riders and that use their bike as their mode of transportation. Placestead Road, I believe, is one of the major, the primary area that they want to attack. Parts of Winthrop Street, Placestead Road, and Boston Ave. Those are the three main ones that they want to get the markings on so that people that do use bicycles for transportation are safer.

[Paul Camuso]: Name and address for the record, please.

[Bruce Kulik]: Bruce Kulik, Grove Street. I am the chairman of the Medford Bicycle Advisory Commission. One of the additional areas that I believe was on the docket was the stretch from Magoon Square into Medford, which has just been recently repaved and either recently re-striped or about to be re-striped.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: If I may, while we have Bruce, a point of, can I ask? You want to say, Councilwoman? No. Just to, on this bicycle lane issue, it was asked in the committee meeting, Mr. Kulik, with regards to these four or five streets that are going to be done at the beginning. They're not going to consume the full $25,000, so is the bicycle commission involved at all of what streets would be, you know. you would want done next in Medford and so on and so forth so that we are just on top of it.

[Bruce Kulik]: Yes, we're developing a master plan that involves basically a staged approach starting very conservatively to begin with until people become accustomed to them and working our way towards additional streets. Also in conjunction with the mayor as far as, you know, what he believes to be the best applications.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And any idea on, I mean, has the bicycle commission done any, research on what it costs to actually pay for one of these, one street at a time.

[Bruce Kulik]: Right now, we've worked with the DPW, gotten some estimates from them, and we have a sense of how much per mile, per bike lane things cost, but I don't recall what those numbers are.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Anyway, you could forward that to the council?

[Bruce Kulik]: Yeah, for sure.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thanks. And who will, will this, this will be going out to bid, Director Burke? Thank you.

[Paul Camuso]: Councilor Penta has it.

[Robert Penta]: Also, on the $25,000, can you just explain to the people what actually these lanes are going to do? I mean, how are they going to interact with people on the street with cars?

[Bruce Kulik]: There are basically two types of pavement markings that can be applied depending upon the width of the street, traffic considerations, and so forth. The first and one of the most common is referred to as a SHARO, which is basically just a reminder regarding state law which permits bicycle operation within a full lane at any time at the discretion of the bicycle operator. So those chero is basically look like a bicycle symbol with a couple hats on top of the large chevrons is what they're actually called. And you can see them in some of the neighboring communities, particularly on College Avenue is one of the closest ones within Somerville near Tufts. The other pavement markings are actual bike lanes, which are generally five feet wide, and depending upon whether parking is permitted on the street and how wide the street itself is, might be outside the parking lane, or rather, it might be between the parking lane and the traffic lane, or might be all the way against the curb, again, depending upon whether parking is permitted. In the case of Winthrop Street, we will be looking at exactly where those go. I don't recall whether parking is permitted on that stretch of Winthrop Street or not, or whether parking is generally used in that area. On Playstead Road, certainly parking is permitted, so likely the bicycle lanes will be between the parking lane and the general traffic lane.

[Robert Penta]: You're not entertaining Winthrop Street. from Boston Avenue down to the bottom of the hill?

[Bruce Kulik]: No, we're referring to the stretch between the Winchester town line and approximately Wildwood Street, which is near the high school.

[Robert Penta]: OK. Now, you used the word five feet wide. Is that the minimum? It has to be at a minimum for bike lane, five feet?

[Bruce Kulik]: The absolute minimum is four feet wide, and that is only to be used in places where it's permissible, depending upon the width of the lane. We've recently gotten some standards that are being used by the town of Arlington regarding decisions as to where bicycle lanes, how wide, whether share or should go in or whether there should be no markings at all, depending upon traffic volumes and width of the street. And that was really well put together for them. And we hope to adopt that at our next general meeting, which will be December the 3rd, so that we can have some guidance as to what other towns have done, where lanes have been put in. But generally, five feet, to answer your question, five feet is the preferred minimum.

[Robert Penta]: And one last point on this issue. Who's going to make the signs? Who's paying for the signs? Is this part of the $25,000? What was the question? Signs. The signs.

[Bruce Kulik]: Bicycle signs. I believe that's part of the $25,000, and I don't know whether they're manufactured locally or purchased.

[Robert Penta]: OK. If we can go on, Mr. Thank you. If we can go on further, where you have public arts and funds uh, for student project of $25,000. Um, is this for the citywide public school system? Just the high school or what? Could we get a report back from the superintendent on this one? All right, please. Can you move that Mr. Clark to get that? I report from the superintendent on the public arts funds, the 25,000, how it can be expended and how do you become eligible for it? Now, we have to talk about security cameras at $10,000. I believe it was Councilor Lungo-Curran who brought this issue up a while back with the Chief of Police. And I don't know what we're buying for $10,000, but why are we only picking Commercial Street? And how much are these cameras going for?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Actually, it's Commercial Street, et cetera. What's that mean? Councilmember Kern actually suggested trying to get a portable camera that we could place in different locations, and we're certainly going to look into that. But the estimates that I received were about $2,500 each for a stationary one, and that would be four different locations. But it's all subject to The next item plans for the police department headquarters a renovation that's 17,000 and that's left over from there was it

[Robert Penta]: $80,000 of the police and fire head.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: There's 63,000 remaining and we estimate about 80,000 for an architect to come up with the plans that would actually go out to fit once the electrical division is moved into the DBW yard and the repair bays are being done at the DBW yard. So we're hoping April 1st would be when the DBW is scheduled to open and shortly thereafter we would be able to reuse the space that is being exited.

[Robert Penta]: next issue on speed bumps, which are movable, I believe this was Councilor Markswell's issue for a long period of time, and movable, I'm getting the opinion that means it's convertible? And before when that was brought up? We were told, no, they can't do that. Now they can do it?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Well, the mayor spoke earlier, and the people want them. So he is looking into options. What is really neat about this product, I don't know if Councilor Marks subscribes to Traffic Logic. I don't know if you get their regular. It's a really neat publication that comes out probably monthly with all kinds of traffic calming ideas. And that's where I first saw this this item and it's they call them humps because they're They're wide enough that a vehicle can't cast to go over it But a fire apparatus or a large truck can actually go around it. So that's that's why there are traffic humps as opposed to bumps and speed bumps and things like that. But they have a litany of different options that we can utilize. And of course, the police chief will be involved. But these are bolted down. So your own DPW department can actually, once you purchase it, it comes with everything needed. You can bolt it down, do a test run, see if it really works in the area or that particular location on the street. Maybe it's in the wrong spot. And then you can better gauge whether or not a permanent structure is needed. And if and when that determination is made and you go with a permanent structure, these can be moved somewhere else to be, to do more test cases.

[Robert Penta]: There was three locations, I believe, once again, when Councilor Marks had brought this up and Morrison Park.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: And that's the, if you see the dimensions, the 28 and the 32, those are the actual street widths of those two locations. And the estimates were based off of those, um, those dimensions for the temporary.

[Robert Penta]: Next one is you have cruises here for 40,000.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: That, again, would be a four payment lease term for four vehicles.

[Robert Penta]: Four payment lease for four vehicles, right? Correct. And then we have the new plaques for the Veterans Memorial at $30,000. Now, I know the mayor had mentioned at the Veterans Day at the VFW about adding on to Memorial Is this a new name, Veterans Memorial Park? I mean, I don't know. Is this the one by the high school?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: By the high school, correct. It's names that were inadvertently left off of the plaques that are up there now. There's currently about 23 names of individuals that should have been on one of the plaques and are not. So this would get a plaque done depending on the walks, because obviously in the middle where, you know, the center of the park, If it was a World War II veteran that was left off, it would go on that wall, that base of the wall. And if it was a different wall, like Rocky Freedom, it would be on a different base.

[Robert Penta]: So these names are running about $1,200 a piece?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: This is actual, the brass plaque itself is probably the most expensive part, and that is, it's getting it large enough that it can accommodate additional names, and then the mayor's plan at some point, when and if we know we have every name, would be to melt down a plaque one alphabetical one. But that's into the future.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Point of clarification on that, though. The mayor mentioned that this money is for now and in the future. So money will be put aside to melt these plaques down and redo them.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: There are members in the armed services in these particular laws that are still out there. And when they come back, they would be added.

[Robert Penta]: Mr. President, looking at all these issues, they sound good. My, my concerns would be the parks, knowing that the parks have been done numerous times over and over and over. I'll just speak for myself. I was never asked about any one of these items and I was never asked by the city administration as to, is there something that I would like to have in there? You can't use the argument about the LED lights in Medford square cause that's just nothing more than a public safety issue. And as councilor Dello Russo alluded to, it's public safety for the St. Joseph parking lot on route 16. Tonight it was just announced by the Wynn Casino people that they're giving the city of Medford $250,000. Tonight, okay? I believe it was on the 5 o'clock news. Giving it to Medford, they're giving it to Everett, they're giving it, and I believe it's Malden. So that's another $250,000 that now comes into the mix as it relates to what is the city gonna do with it. I don't see anything in this piece of paper, this document, It talks about streets, or sidewalks, or potholes.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yes. It does stumps and sidewalks.

[Robert Penta]: No, that's stumps. I'm talking about potholes.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Stumps and sidewalks.

[Robert Penta]: Yeah, I'm talking about potholes. Potholes. Oh, OK.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Potholes are still being, if I could?

[Robert Penta]: Yeah.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: The potholes are still being attacked from some of the pothole money that we had with the Chapter 90, that special funding that the state came up with. And also, our Chapter 90 funds, which the engineering office is working on streets that need to be done. It takes a lot of effort to get these things done. And as you know, there's a lot of projects going on in the city that need to close up before you can start new ones. And we are looking at, of course, we're looking.

[Robert Penta]: I mean, that- Well, I don't see anything in here, to be honest with you, as it relates to the city going out through the Office of Community Development as it relates to the business district. I don't see anything like that there at all.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: That wouldn't fall under the CDBG program.

[Robert Penta]: It might fall into that. But if we're sitting on almost $7.5, $7.8 million in free cash, something needs to be said, I think, as far as that part goes. Also, when we talk about signs, and I think it was our chief that was seen on Channel 7 last week as he relates to signage in the city of Medford and his remarks, we don't have enough money. We don't have any money to do the signage. And I don't understand we don't have enough money to do the signage when we have almost $7.8 million in free cash. And then when I look at the fact that under the linkage program, you're requesting, I think it's $8,000? What is the linkage? $8,000 to do signs. And it's my understanding, if I'm reading the contract correctly, from Tennessee, what's the name of the place?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Those aren't parking signs. Pardon me? Those signs for linkage have nothing to do with parking. Those are actually street signs.

[Robert Penta]: Right.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: They're not parking signs. They could be stop signs.

[Robert Penta]: So you're talking about a street name sign?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Stop signs.

[Robert Penta]: Oh. We'll see. I think that needs to be more specific. And also, we were supposed to be getting a report back as a follow-up, because I've spoken to some of the business people as it relates to Republic going into some of these certain business folks, and there's still some concern over who was going to be gifted with the free 30-minute parking spaces, who was going to be gifted with the sign and the repair of the signs that they're supposed to be putting up, who was going to be exempt in the business districts from not having it. Again, I think the council had asked for that type of information to be forthcoming, and we haven't seen or heard anything.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: That plan is not finished yet. I know on Friday, the Republic people and the chief of police did a walkthrough of their suggestions. And from that, they were going to actually get it onto a map and show us where everything would be laid out. So it was all subject to walking with the police chief to find out where it made sense. So, that has not been finalized. As soon as it does, we will get you a copy of that map.

[Robert Penta]: Mr. President, I'd like to move that the $250,000 that was announced tonight by the Wynn Casino Group, that they may report back and respectfully ask of the council of what particular projects they might be interested in that this $250,000 could be used for.

[Paul Camuso]: Mr. President, I- Just if I can be clear, I've asked for some guidance from the city clerk. The paper is back before us, so the sever, And everything would have to be brought up again. So this is the first motion with this paper. OK? Second. This is the first motion. Second. I gave him another one. Well, the second. I'm sorry. I apologize. OK? So before we get into it. The motion is to ask the mayor what the council would like to see, some of the $250,000 that the city's getting from Wynn Management. Mr. President.

[Robert Penta]: No, it doesn't. No, no, it'd be a B paper, whatever you want to call it.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mr. President, if I could, I don't have the agreement in front of me, but I think if you, even if you go up to the gaming commission site, you can download the city of Medford's agreement with Wynn. If I'm not mistaken, $200,000 is actually been earmarked for the Peace Garden from Wynn.

[Robert Penta]: Well, we had asked before, since you've digressed over there.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Oh, I didn't digress. No.

[Robert Penta]: Oh, yeah, you're responding, right. But the mayor indicated that he's had all kinds of money coming in fast and furious. This is a million dollar peace garden. And we haven't seen anything as a report. Just itemize where the money's coming from. It's coming from linkage. It's coming from community block grant funding. It's coming from city finances. It's supposedly coming from private finances. And now you're saying Wynn has given another $200,000.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: We can give you the detail to allocate. We'd like a report on that.

[Paul Camuso]: Yeah, OK.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Mr. Clerk, did you?

[Paul Camuso]: Yep, we got that. What the $250,000 would, and what the council would like to see.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: No, no, no. Well, you got $50,000 left. $50,000 was their original. They've already paid us $50,000. They already cut a check for $50,000 for the Peace Garden.

[Paul Camuso]: The Peace Garden.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: 90 days post their getting their license. Which is January. With another $200,000 is set to come in while the Peace Garden is in the surrounding community agreement, which is online for all to see. And has been provided. No, it's the whole $250,000.

[Robert Penta]: Has the whole $250,000 been earmarked?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It was in two pieces. 50 was on licensing. 200 was 90 days later. If I'm not mistaken, this is off the top of my head. So. So how are we going to, if it's already.

[Robert Penta]: Well, I guess we, I guess we.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: You want a breakdown of the full million?

[Robert Penta]: Yes. You want a breakdown. I want a breakdown of the money, therefore brought in.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: All funding.

[Robert Penta]: All funding.

[Paul Camuso]: All right.

[Robert Penta]: Okay.

[Paul Camuso]: All right, so we got two amendments, public arts and where the superintendent is gonna go with the rules slash regulations and who's eligible for the funding. And then the second one is to get a breakdown of the wind money that is coming into the city of Medford based upon the recent agreements and the signing of the law that wind got their license, correct?

[Robert Penta]: No, no, and the breakdown of the money, the funding thus far. Correct, okay.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: And the linear cost for the bike lanes.

[Robert Penta]: Yes.

[Paul Camuso]: The bike lanes, was that a motion with the bike lanes? Councilor Karygiannis. You have the floor on the entire paper.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yes, the parks, Victory, Morris and Playstead, Duggar and Harris, how did we come up with these figures? I know we discussed this in the committee meeting, but not exactly how those figures came to.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: We actually got an estimate from contractors that do the paving. They do parks. So we got estimates on what it costs to do repair of cracks and sealants and all that and repainting versus if the pulverizing ones are basically taking it all out and putting on new asphalt.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And then did those contractors decide which parks to do?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It didn't come from them. It came from our parks department, came in and said these parks are really used heavily, especially like Placestead is our high school tennis team. So they came in and they did an analysis of all the different parks and what issues are we seeing. Like Harris was used a crazy amount of kids play at Harris Park. So that had to be addressed. So it was really looking at the usage and the need to get these parks safe, and the ones that are used for tennis, to get them so that they can play on them, as opposed to some tennis fields. I went by one today. It looks like a dog park to me, but it happens. And some aren't really used for the purpose that was intended, and they've gone circle with the residents how they want to use their facility. But this is a quality of life. I mean, our parks, as we all know, are very important to our quality of life.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: No, I agree. And I always talk about maintaining our parks. My concern is why are Carr Park and Barry Park and the parks that were left out, why are they left out? That's my concern.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: I think Barry was recently done. This is based upon the need, the assessment of the condition they were in and the use that they get for these particular purposes.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And the DPW Parks Department is the one who?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yes, exactly.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And can you just explain a little bit about the mausoleum study?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: The cemetery has been talking for several months now about trying to get a study going. Because right now, with the actual estimate is on the land that we look at that we think is the cemetery, there's about 10 years left. Then there is the pile, and there's also land within the Brooks Estates, what you would think is the Brooks Estates area, which expands the life expectancy of the cemetery. So they have been talking about doing a study to determine if it makes sense, how do you finance it, where would it be if it was in our cemetery. So the only way you can come up with that information is to have a study performed. So that's what the objective is and the cemetery commissioners had requested that we attempt to do this.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Is that through a specific company or?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: No, this is, we'd have to go out to bid.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Oh, out to bid on this one too, okay.

[Paul Camuso]: just point of clarification. Point of clarification, Councilor Penta. Did you just say there's only 10 years left?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: That's not the- 10 in what we visualize that we look at.

[Robert Penta]: I believe we were told it was approximately 30 years left.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: No, no, no, no. We were told 10, and if you incorporate the other areas that we really don't look at, that we don't, it doesn't look like it's per se the cemetery, it could go up to 20, but that's it.

[Robert Penta]: Well, you have the new growth over there that's taking place now. You have six and a half acres on the opposite side from the Brooks Estates area.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It's the estimate that we've been given.

[Robert Penta]: From who though?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: From the Cemetery Commission.

[Robert Penta]: Could we further amend that? Tell us to give us a breakdown, a layout, what they anticipate and for the years, how they made that determination. Anticipated? Yes. Locations. The actual physical locations at the cemetery.

[Paul Camuso]: Of the 10 year projection.

[Robert Penta]: Of the 10 year. And many people are dying per year.

[Paul Camuso]: Yeah. Half of them may already own a plot.

[Robert Penta]: Oh, they could, but that doesn't mean that it's going to be used.

[Paul Camuso]: No, exactly. So we'll ask how they get to that. That's fourth amendment from Councilor Penta.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yeah. Um, and then on top of that, I want a second Councilor Penta's, um, motion that the public arts funds be broken down and we understand how that is going to be spent. Um, my, if I could motion to make sure Ms. Burke, Director Burke, you said the 10,000 for the cameras, it's about 2,500 for a stationary one. I would just, recommend and ask my colleagues to make it mandatory that one portable camera be purchased.

[Paul Camuso]: Mandatory? We'll make a recommendation that one of them is mandatory, right?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: I think that would be amenable if we can accommodate it with the estimate. One would be portable.

[Paul Camuso]: One portable camera. Okay. You have the floor, Councilor. Anything else? Councilor Lungo-Kerr.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: That's it for me. Okay.

[Michael Marks]: Councilor Marks. Thank you, Mr. President. Regarding the mausoleum study, this council voted back several years ago. And actually, we just recently, Mr. President, took it off of unfinished business after being on the agenda for a number of years. But I wholeheartedly agree with that particular study. It'll extend the life of the cemetery for a number of years for Medford residents if we were to build a mausoleum at the cemetery. So I wholeheartedly support that. A couple of questions I had. The first one is regarding the speed bumps that were mentioned. In order to put a speed bump on a road, you need approval by the Traffic Commission. Have they voted on allowing speed bumps?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: This would have to go to them for direct locations. So they would have to approve the locations once they purchase. They've obviously been in the discussions on the two streets that you have raised in the past.

[Michael Marks]: But we don't know whether or not they'll approve speed bumps on our roads. We currently don't have any portable or ever had any portable speed bumps. So it's your opinion that this will go through the traffic commission without a problem.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It's more of the location. It's more than our meeting earlier this evening.

[Michael Marks]: And the reason why I say that is, uh, since I've been on the council, we've had a number of residents that have come up before us requesting these movable speed bumps on particular roads, uh, to calm traffic and calm speed is down. And we were always told that you can't impede traffic and so forth by the chief of police. And now it seems on a major thoroughfare, two major thoroughfares, we're looking at installing these. So I just don't know what the change of mind is all of a sudden, when before it was always just a dead no to the council when we asked.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Well, I think they've seen the raised crosswalk. and what that has done. So obviously there's evidence now in the city.

[Michael Marks]: Race crosswalks have been around for 25 years. We haven't created the race crosswalk. I mean, they've been using the cities for years, but okay. You know, I just don't like to approve money when we don't have an official vote of the traffic commission purpose.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: So if this purpose was not, it would come back. I couldn't go to something else. It's this perfect purpose.

[Michael Marks]: Okay.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: But my inclination is that it's more the location that would have to be voted on.

[Michael Marks]: Okay. Um, I agree with all the different park work. Uh, I think that's long overdue. Uh, I would also just ask if we could amend this paper, Mr. President, uh, Harris park as a council, um, a budget, uh, director Burke just mentioned is, is a park that's used, uh, 12 months out of the year. It really is. And it's a heavy traveled park in the taut lot. I've brought up on a dozen occasions. It no longer is a tot lot. It is a lot where animals go and do their business because it's mulch. And it's in awful condition. If people went down to the parks, as you mentioned, that would have been the first thing. We've asked that a rubberized flooring be put in, like many of the other parks, first of all, for safety purposes in a tot lot. and also to keep animals from going in there and making that their little place where they dig and do their business. And that's what it's coming to, and people aren't using that tarp lot anymore. So I would ask that that area, it's not a giant area to be rubberized, I think would suit its purpose and also benefit many people in that area. And the other issue, and I had a discussion with the mayor this afternoon regarding all these items, I asked him about the number of stumps that were going to be removed, and if the 400,000, which includes the water, if there was some water damage and so forth from flooding. He said it would cover, or he hopes it covers all the stumps. And my response is that I believe that the current city stump list underestimates what we have out in the city. No fault of the city, but if they claim there's 180 stumps, I say there's 280 in our community. And what I would ask is really the only legitimate way of doing this, because we've asked that a complete audit be done. I don't know if that's taken place or not. And I know there's other priorities, but if we spent a lot of time actually, well, we probably did, but there's some stumps that they're Browning on top. That's how long they've been there. And you know, you can see they're really aging. And I would ask that we put the stump list on the city website. So if you have a stump in front of your house, you don't have to say, well, I called five years ago. I don't know if it's still on there. I don't know what's happening. You can actually look at the stump list and say, I'm not on this list. I think I should have been on. And then contact DPW or send an email, call a Councilor, and get yourself on the stump list. And I think that's an effective way of managing what's currently out there. And I think we're going to find that the 180 is probably not 180. It's more like 280. That's my own personal opinion. from traversing the city. So I would ask that as part of this paper, Mr. President, that we ask that the full stump list be put on for review for residents. On the city website? On the city website. And the only other question I really had was regarding the lead conversion. Any idea how long that's going to take?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: I think it's a very quick process, actually. So I know Joe has been dying to get this going. I don't know if you've all heard, he is retiring in January. So I don't know if he'll get to see this to fruition, but it will probably be over the springtime.

[Michael Marks]: So we're looking at the springtime? Springtime.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Do we have to go out? I'm not sure if they would do this in-house or it would be bid out through an electrical-type company. So I'm not quite sure on that process yet.

[Michael Marks]: And are they still currently changing the lenses?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: I believe he said earlier tonight that he's finished changing the lenses.

[Michael Marks]: I've, I'll spot them out to him, but I've seen a number of them in the school.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yeah. The ones that they've ordered have all gone in. So there are a few and you want to send me an email. Right.

[Michael Marks]: I don't think it's completed as of yet.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: I think he's used all the ones he's ordered.

[Michael Marks]: Okay. And also, uh, up the hillside, I had a business owner that called me. I went up, uh, last week actually. And, uh, the side where the liquor store is on up the hillside, that whole area is completely dark at night. And it looks like it's actually missing, not that streetlights are out, that it's missing streetlights. The liquor store up the hillside, right across from Hillside Hardware. That whole section over there is completely dark. And someone needs to take a look at that. If I could, Mr. President, when we're talking about light conversion. Other than that, I support everything that's on this paper. It all makes sense to me. I appreciate the fact that we're able to go through it and ask questions, not just for our ratification. You know, it's easy for a councilor to sit back and say, I'm well aware of this. I attended a meeting. I talked to the mayor, and this is great for the general public. But it's interesting to hear, and that's why people tune in, to listen and hear what's going on and be able to ask questions. and it's great to have meetings that are open to the public, but we all know, I mean, we have a meeting up here every night, and if you get 10, every Tuesday night, if you get 10 people, you're lucky. A Committee of the Whole meeting, if you get three people, you're lucky. Of a city of 57,000 people. So I don't buy into the fact that just because there's a Committee of the Whole, that everyone else in the community's on board, and I think this is very helpful to sit and go through it. It didn't take long to do, and I thank Councilor Penter bringing this up, because it's an important issue that we go through and get the answers, not only on behalf of the council, but on behalf of the people of this community.

[Robert Penta]: Councilor Penta. Stephanie, go back to the retaining walls on Governor's Avenue. You just jogged my mind. When we did those walls back then, we had to go and get permission from the abutting residents that abutted the wall. And the purpose of doing that was to cut the trees down that were having their roots pushing the wall out. Now, nothing's been done since then to go back on the wall that we spent a few hundred thousand dollars on and now you're adding on. I'm just, can we get a report back as to why the city has not kept up with stopping those trees from regrowing?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Yeah.

[Robert Penta]: Well, not only that, it's the trees that maybe three to four feet, you know, you have the wall and then there's three or four feet going back on the land over there. And that was the, uh, That was the thing that was negotiated by the city and the residents, making sure that you weren't on their property. It was the city's property. And they cut those trees down, making sure that the growth of those trees were not pushing the wall out. But since that wall has been fixed, the trees have regrown. You have new trees. And they're doing the same thing with the new addition of the wall. And the second thing, Mr. President, just jumping back onto the Peace Garden. I think this was brought up, and I don't know who brought it up, but if and when this thing is finally built, who's going to take care of it?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: City of Medford.

[Robert Penta]: City of Medford. Highway department's going to take care of it?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Parks department.

[Robert Penta]: Parks department's going to take care of it.

[Michael Marks]: Point of information, Councilor Lachs. We were told by the mayor himself that fountains were going to be maintained by an outside group.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: I mean the mowings and things like that, the everyday stuff. We don't fix fountains.

[Michael Marks]: Right. So, so the maintenance will not be done by the city.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It'll be done by cleaning. I meant the everyday maintenance.

[Michael Marks]: Right. I mean, there's not much moment to do.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: It's the size of a match book.

[Michael Marks]: So there is going to be an expense that a perpetual care fund will have to be set up to maintain just the fountains.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: The hope is once everything is all said and done, there will be excess funds that can be put into one of the trust accounts that the commissioners of trust maintain right now. And that would be used to, um, similar to the cemetery special care for those, those things, but not for everyday. Thank you. Thank you.

[Robert Penta]: Mr. President, could you explain further, um, if the 250,000 from when what's the next payment after that?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: I think it's a year after they're in operation. Once they open their doors, then that's when you're going to see payments come through for a multitude of different purposes. But that's not until they open their doors.

[Robert Penta]: So that's not going to be the same as Everett getting millions of dollars each and every year, even before they open? Not until the doors open. And maybe you can answer this question, and then I'm done. Um, with these new kiosks that are coming in, um, that the council never had a final vote on, but that's beside the point. How is the city going to, we have educated drivers out there and speaking to a couple of the people right now that from Winchester that are parking here, once they realize they're going to get tagged, they're not going to stay here. So who's going to make up that difference of the $2 million per year? You think Medford residents are gonna go out there and get themselves tagged for $2 million a year? I don't think so.

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: No, I don't think it's gonna come from Medford residents being tagged. It'll be from people paying for their parking. You'll lose some of the scofflaws that are out there now that have been abusing our city, coming from external areas. If they still wanna come in and be able to walk to the train, they're gonna have to pay to park. And it's just gonna be the way it is. They're gonna have to go along with the rules.

[Robert Penta]: But there is a provisional in the contract that if they do less than $2 million a year, it gets prorated down as to what the city gets, correct?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: There's two elements to the contract. There's the fixed piece, which is the guarantee, and then there's the above a break-even point. So anytime you reach that break-even point, then it splits off where the city gets the big chunk of the overage. So it's not a $2 million number. I think it was $900. $975,000. Anything above that, I think we're at 83 percent. So it's not a million dollars. That's not the number.

[Robert Penta]: And lastly, Mr. President, we were supposed to have gotten an update, and we never got it, regarding the West Method parking lot, where we stand, what's the cost factor going to involve, what's the process, how is this contamination going to be eliminated? But isn't the city putting any money aside because they're going to have to come up with some money for this?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: Right now, it's all been through the federal grant that the... Yeah, but if this has to get into the millions of dollars... Right, but we're not there. They're doing all this work right now to determine the scope and how far it extends, and it's all been covered through the EPA grant thus far.

[Paul Camuso]: All right. Is there a motion on the paper? on the motion as amended, and then Ms. Martin will give them the opportunity to speak. I'm going to read the form, actually, Ms. Martin, and then I'll read the amendments. Name and address for the record.

[Jeanne Martin]: Gene Martin, thank you, 10 Cumming Street. I'm glad you brought it up again, and I'm glad you went through it line by line. I do still think that the police chief shouldn't have to get up here at the podium and ask for a basic thing, like the building. He shouldn't have to. Nor should the union representative have to come up here and beg for a decent building to work out of. I just don't think so. I think that the parks are luxuries. I do. The schools are not, but the parks are luxuries. Yes, they add to the quality of life, and yes, the memorial does. Speaking as a veteran, it's still a luxury. Some of the other issues are still luxuries. The bike, everything's done in piecemeal again. I just hear, you know, a bike path, you know, just on Winthrop Street, and the bikers are here to stay. I don't think it's safe personally to have bikes on the streets, but they are here to stay. So we need to work with the bike community, but we need to do these things as a full city project, not piecemeal. enforcement that's out of control. There's illegal parking here, there, and everywhere. So how can you make a plan for where the lines are going to go when the parking isn't straightened out yet? Everything's done in piecemeal, and I just hear that resounding in my head as you went line by line. I want to see the arts community, and we need them. I need Mr. Lincoln. The city needs Mr. Lincoln. I know sometimes I'm hard on him. I'm hard on Mr. Koenig, or whatever his name is, the bike guys. I'm hard on all of these people. Okay? We need them. I'm inviting them up here. I want them to speak up. But I also want them to come up here and speak on behalf of the police chief and the police union and get this building done. I want to hear them petition for the police department before all of these other extras come in. And if they can do that, then maybe I'll be able to have more peace about allowing more money for the old house or the arts community or something that I consider a luxury. Because one day you're going to need the police station here, and maybe sooner than you think. And it's not going to be there when you need it to be there for you. We have a lot of crime. We have a lot of need for detective space in the building. The police building was not designed for 2014. We all know that. So I feel like I'm pounded on the same door over and over and over again. And I know you're sick of seeing me come up here and pound in on that door. But I don't think that the police chief should have to come up here, nor the police union representative. I think it should be the people. And if we have to close down all of the playgrounds and the football field to get the attention of the people, you want to do that, I know you'll never do it. But it's a radical idea. But it would work because the people would be in here the next week saying, why did you close down my football field? Well, because we need something. We need your participation in the city's business. So thank you very much for listening. Thank you. Name and address for the record, sir.

[Robert Cappucci]: Bob Capucci, 71 Evans street. Please forgive me if I'm speaking out of turn. I came late and I didn't hear everything. But, uh, with the passage of this new casino bill, and it's definitely coming here now and Everett, I don't know if a concerted effort between the city council and the mayor can be made to press upon the wind people to, to, I don't know if they have provisions, But let's try to get some funding from them to do infrastructure improvements here in Medford because we're going to be impacted by this wind casino that's coming in. And I believe they have it in their plans to help communities like ours get funding we need for a stronger police force and things like that. So we don't have to do drastic things like lose the parks and things like that. But I would hope that this city council and our mayor is going to press upon the wind people to fortify before that thing comes in here. And we've got 10,000 cars out there in Wellington Circle Plaza and all sorts of stuff. That's my two cents. Thank you very much.

[Paul Camuso]: And part of one of the amendments this evening by Councilor Penter on this paper is regarding that very item. All right, so I'm going to read the four amendments from Councilor Penter first. The first one is to get a report back on bike lanes, the location, the width and the signage. The second one is regarding the public arts funding and correct me if I'm wrong, rules and regulations and how the money is going to be dispersed by the superintendent of schools. Number three is the breakdown of the monies from the Wynn Casino development, encumbered money and unencumbered money, correct? And the locations and how they came up with the 10-year projection, the cemetery board, of saying there's 10 years left of burials at Oak Grove Cemetery, correct? And then we have, Councilor Lungo has an amendment, mandatory, one of the cameras is a portable camera, correct? Councilor Marx has three amendments. The first one, Harris Park Tot Lot rubberized due to the severe condition of it, correct Councilor? The second, to put the stump list on the city website. That's Councilor Marks as well. And then last but not least, Councilor Marks, to repair the lighting on Boston Avenue in front of the liquor store and that block of stores. And you'll furnish the clerk with the number, Councilor, of Boston Avenue, at least the number. Okay. From college down to the end of the stores. Okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right.

[Paul Camuso]: On the main motion of approval by Councilor Dello Russo, as amended by several amendments of the Medford City Council, The clerk will call the roll on passage of paper 14-743. And once again, not to belabor the point, I apologize for making the wrong ruling earlier. I'm glad all our questions were answered and we can move this city forward. And I thank my council colleagues. And so on 14-743, the clerk will call the roll on approval as amended of the total amount 1.386, million dollars out of the certified free cash.

[Robert Penta]: Councilor Penta. We have another paper that's due next.

[Paul Camuso]: The other one that was? Yes. We can probably take that up next. Do you want to make a motion for that?

[Robert Penta]: Yeah. What account did that come out of?

[Paul Camuso]: What account? The $90,000?

[Robert Penta]: Same account? Free cash? Why isn't it on here?

[Paul Camuso]: I wouldn't be able to. I support that and the administration, not support it, but I have a financial interest in the area. All right. So not me, I'm up. I'm sorry.

[v8c6yqLwu5E_SPEAKER_17]: Motion for approval.

[Paul Camuso]: Second.

[Clerk]: Second as amended. What? Vice President Caraviello. Yes. Councilor Dello Russo. Yes. Councilor Knight. Yes. Councilor Curran. Yes. Councilor Martz.

[Unidentified]: Yes.

[Clerk]: Councilor Penta. Yes. President Camuso.

[Paul Camuso]: Yes, by a vote of seven in the affirmative, zero in the negative, the paper is passed as amended.

[Robert Penta]: The chair recognizes Councilor Penta. Mr. President, I move that we take the paper as it relates to the Berks Estates, paper number, which one is it? All those in favor, hear that paper? All those opposed, the paper is back before you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. Yes, Mr. President. Yes. Motion for approval by Councilor Dello Russo. Can you read it, please? One second. Let me get to it. 14-744 to all honorable members of the president and members of the Medford City Council, so they all have been masked. Dear Mr. President and City Council, I respectfully request and recommend that your honorable body approve the appropriation of certified free cash in the amount of $90,000 for structural repairs to the carriage house in addition to various roofing and sprinkler repairs at the Brooks Estate. A representative from MDOT will be in attendance to answer any questions you may have. Michael J. McGlynn, Mayor. Councilor Dela Rousseau.

[Fred Dello Russo]: You have a motion to approval? If I could move approval, Mr. President. Move approval by Councilor Dela Rousseau.

[Richard Caraviello]: Mr. President. Councilor Penta.

[Robert Penta]: Once again, it would be nice to have how $90,000 is going to be expended. Even though Councilor DelaRosa moved approval, I think it's important for people to know how their money is being expended and its purpose.

[Tom Lincoln]: I'm on. Okay, thank you.

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

[Tom Lincoln]: Tom Lincoln. I'm losing my voice. It's been a long evening. I reside at 27 Pleasant Street here in beautiful Medford. I'm the president of the Medford Brooks Estate Land Trust. As we hope you know, we are the all-volunteer community nonprofit that has spearheaded the protection and restoration of Medford's beautiful Brooks Estate. This request has been built bottoms up from some of our inquiries and concerns. As you know, this project has been going on a long time. We've made tremendous progress. And we have contributed or secured almost $1.5 million. It's been applied to the Endeavor. We spent a lot of our own money and from donations. We've paid already for a variety of restoration projects, the boiler portions of the roof, the alarm system furnishings, drainage, landscape, bathrooms, et cetera, et cetera. We've also raised and spent money and labor on the habitat, trails, and natural landscape, and we hope everyone appreciates our efforts. We've been working at this for over 15 years, playing a lot of catch-up ball. I also want to thank the council. for its ongoing support, particularly by supporting various CDBG resolutions. A portion of the CDBG money is earmarked for historic preservation, and this has been an important source of ongoing funding. We have reached the end of that rope because CDBG money is only available for slums and blight. That's not my term, okay? Much of what's been done has been in place now for over 10 years. A certain amount of wear and tear has set in. And there are areas that have been proven to be ongoing maintenance problems. I think, frankly, one of them has probably been a maintenance problem for 134 years since the building was built. Again, the Brooks estate has never had a maintenance budget. And so this is somewhat of a maintenance and critical repair budget. I'll just go over what the items are. The costs here are based on some previous costs. Frankly, some of these are obviously going to have to be bid to get more exact costs. The other thing is these are old buildings, and there can be hidden contingencies. It is typical in work of this sort to allow for a 10% contingency for historic preservation, maintenance, and repairs. The two biggest items, the first one is the carriage house roof. This was mentioned extensively in our discussion of Brooks & Sade master plan. The roof was, the back half of the roof was rebuilt in about 1990. which is almost a quarter century ago. It has been repaired in pieces several times since then. The last repair, as I recall, and again, there's been so many items, I don't have perfect recall, was about $11,000, and I was about a third of the area. So we're estimating a cost of about $35,000 for this work. There's been so much snow and so much weather that one of the cross joists has given way, and you're starting to see some sag. This, like all these expenses, is an investment in the future, basically, and frankly, on the carriage houses as a holding action until the time comes in which we have secured, and the city has secured, sufficient funding for the complete restoration. The second piece here is a good group of needs based on the conditions at the front center of the Shepherd Brooks Manor. If you know the building, it has a front center entrance with a very, very steep roof above it. There's a massive roof on this building, over 6,500 square feet. Part of this roof is now slate, part is copper. It collects a tremendous amount of snow and ice. That ice and snow generally sits there most of the winter because it's on the north side, doesn't get any sun. And when it does let go, it comes down and whacks the small porch overhang that's below. I dare say this has been a design flaw for well over... So the overhang has been damaged. There is some infiltration of water from This upper part of the roof, there are some missing slates, et cetera. This will have to be, the porch overhang will have to be removed to see what's behind it, and some more investigation has to be done here. But we think this, based on other roof costs that have been paid for over the years, and also the estimate for the addition of what are called snow guards, Snow guard is a rack, basically. You put across a roof, and it prevents the snow from doing this. It breaks up the snow. Should have been done earlier, but for whatever reason, it was not. So it has to be retro installed. We think that's about $30,000, but it will have to be spec'd and bid. The other thing I should mention, Doug Carr, who's not here this evening, was at the Committee of the Whole meeting, who is the architect and restoration expert on our board. has always provided specs and drawings, et cetera, for this kind of work, which has, I frankly, saved the city a great deal of money over the years, and we expect him to do the same thing for this. The sprinkler system, the building is fully sprinklered. We had some repairs done about a year ago, and we're told at that time that the sprinkler heads, which apparently last 50 to 55 years, who knew? need to be replaced, and it's always better to replace them before they go. This is a dry supply sprinkler system, which means that the sprinklers have air, and there's a compressor that's been rehabbed in the basement that keeps the water out until it's called for when the sprinkler head goes. They're about $80 to $100 a piece, and there are about 65 or 70 of them in the building. There are also a couple drainage I don't even know what to call them, drainage parts that probably need to be replaced. So that's about $7,000 there. We've paid for a new boiler about three, four years ago. I think it was $14,000 or $15,000. One of the boiler circulator motors is starting to fail. It's a two-zone system. So that needs to be replaced. And we've talked to Thompson, who's the guy that company up there in North Medford that did the work originally, and that's probably about $1,000, but that would probably also include a tune-up. The furnace is an oil furnace. There's no gas yet at the Brooks Estate. The portco share, which is a fancy word for the front main entrance where the carriages used to come, has needed pointing on the brick supports. I'm sure you've all been there, but it's a very beautiful, but rather fancy piece of brickwork, so we think that's about $5,000, more or less, for pointing there. We've actually paid for other pointing on the front of the carriage house and at the veranda end. There has been a lot of discussion about the alarm system, the city's replacement, the move towards a wireless or Wi-Fi alarm system. The city has installed the antenna on the building, but some of the internal hardwired system needs to be tied into that. Frankly, I don't know all the technology. And I also don't know, frankly, we've been trying to find this out, whether this is going to be part of the larger alarm upgrade that has been discussed here tonight. But I've put $4,000 in. for that, and then a 10% contingency of $8,000. So that's how that adds up. The idea here is to stabilize – the carriage house is actually in pretty good shape, but the roof certainly needs attention, very much so. We've been talking about this for probably about a year. I think the sprinkler system is sort of a no-brainer in terms of nothing is worse than a sprinkler system that goes off in an empty building, without a fire, obviously. We really would like to solve this problem in the front at once and for all. It's really the major external problem left on the exterior of the building. The Brooks never had to worry about this because they never were there in the winter. It was only a summer residence. So that's what we're hoping for here. We've been working hard. We've made progress on a number of fronts. on the project, and this is really critical stuff. It's kind of a varied list, but it's critical items that really need to be addressed in order to move the project forward overall. Thanks.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, Mr. Lincoln. Councilor Lungo-Koehn.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: My question was going to be to break down the figures, so thank you, Mr. Lincoln. The roof, you said it has to be, about two-thirds of it has to be redone. Why so high for $35,000?

[Tom Lincoln]: Well, it's based, doing a third of it was about $11,000 the last time around. It's not just putting tar paper or whatever you put on a roof. It's the, some of the truss system inside on the back half of the roof has been compromised, and that'll need to be I don't know what the word is, rebuilt or restrung. These are big buildings. A carriage house is about 50, 55 feet square. And it's a great big mansard roof. This also will protect the internal structure of the roof. There are beams there, probably 14, 16 inches wide. It's actually a thing of great beauty. computer drawing of the eventual carriage house interior that will all be exposed in a sort of a cathedral fashion. It may be less, but it needs to be spec'd out some more, but the clock is ticking on that.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And then Director Burke, who from the City of Medford has gone out to just inspect these five things just to make sure, you know, it's necessary?

[Stephanie Muccini Burke]: The building commissioner has been out there. Yes.

[Tom Lincoln]: Karen Rose has been out there. Lauren? Yes, yes. And we talked when the sprinkler system, previous repair was done, we had the city sprinkler person, I think it's Alpha Sprinkler if I'm right, down there on, I think they just moved, they were down on Boston Avenue. And people from the, fire department. We've had a lot of experience on roofs, and the entire manor roof was redone in two stages. The veranda roof has been redone. And some of this is just pure observation. If you take one look at the porch overhang, you can see that it's not long for this world.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: and all these projects, director Burke will go to bed through the city. Absolutely.

[Michael Marks]: Yeah.

[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. Councilor Marks.

[Michael Marks]: Thank you, Mr. President. And, um, I, I agree with many of these, uh, structural improvements and, uh, fixes to the roof and so forth of, uh, this historic property. I think the larger issue that remains and we're all aware of is the access road. leading up to the manor and the carriage house. And it's been just probably several months since you've been before us. Has there been any update?

[Tom Lincoln]: We have met with the mayor and the fire chief, Paul Gear, several other people, forgive me if I don't remember at this point, basically getting issues out on the table. But it's pretty clear to us, as we have said, The road, the access drive, which has now been declared a drive, as you recall from Mr. Rumley, that there's an intersection between the design issues and utility issues, et cetera. And we certainly feel that we need, I think the city needs to have a professional uh, design engineering, uh, input there. And the funds for that are not forthcoming at this point.

[Michael Marks]: What are we talking roughly for?

[Tom Lincoln]: Well, generally my understanding, I'm not in the business, but my understanding is that, uh, the, and we've talked a little bit to the council about this, at least theoretically, uh, that the, an RFP for a design, uh, that would have input, uh, from all interested parties, including the conservation commission, the people that run the conservation restriction, et cetera, might be $100,000, something like that. But that would give you, we've had discussions on and off with the city water people about the water supply running the pipe up the road. You've heard all this, I think. And we had an estimate via Alicia Hunt, just for fun, on a gas line to replace the oil burner. at the manor, and that was $47,000. But it makes sense to have one package for efficiency designed to have one package to decide on these issues.

[Michael Marks]: So is EMBEL prepared to make a request to the administration?

[Tom Lincoln]: Yes, we're thinking about the best way, we've been doing lots of things, the best way to move this forward. So I think it's high on our list in terms of, because it's obviously, you know, the buildings are getting better and better, but the road has pretty much stayed the same. There were some repairs done on the road this fall by the DPW.

[Michael Marks]: in terms of potholes. Right, but the study would be the first step in the process. Yeah, it's... It'd answer a lot of questions that are lingering right now.

[Tom Lincoln]: Yes, absolutely. I think that's the logical conclusion we reached.

[Michael Marks]: And if I had $100,000 to contribute to pay for the study, I would do it, but I don't, so... Well, you know, there seems to be a lot of money floating around from wind management, from free cash, and all other avenues around the city. And to me, this would be an issue I think we all can appreciate the fact, whether you agree with funding for the Brooks Estates or not, that the access road is extremely important and is vital to the success of the Brooks Estates, even in its current condition. And I, as one member, would hope that EMBELT approach the administration. We will do that, absolutely. And get this moving.

[Tom Lincoln]: This is a project, as I've said many times, that has only grown. And we're all volunteers, not looking for sympathy here, but we've spent a huge amount of time on this. And I'm certainly no expert on road design. I mean, I know a little bit about lots of things, but that's not one of them in terms of details. But I appreciate the nudge here.

[Michael Marks]: The city has embarked on feasibility studies for the parking garage in Governor's Ave that never came to fruition, a feasibility study about a water taxi on the Mystic River. And here we have an historic piece of property, as we all know, if not attended to, is going to end up vanishing into the ground eventually. And I would hate to see that happen. And I think for the amount of money we're talking about, it only makes sense to move forward on that very basic issue of the access road. I appreciate that. Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Other questions? That's it for me. Thank you, Mr. Slingan. Name and address of the record, please.

[Jeanne Martin]: Jean Martin, 10 Cummings Street. I know you're sick of me. Again, it's not personal. It's just that the principle is that I'm looking over here and this building could use $3.3 million to. I mean, it's $90,000 today to hold it over so that in the future, hopefully, there'll be this cash flow of $3.3 million to renovate it so that it's actually a usable lot, a usable house, unfortunately. So I just want you to be prepared and know all the facts that I'd rather see the money go to the library for a $15,000 bathroom that never came to fruition because that money was used for an air conditioner someplace else, whatever. You know, there are other needs in the community, in the city that are more pressing than this house, and it's not against the house. And in fact, I like Mr. Lincoln. The fact that he's saving the green space I mean, I couldn't do what he does. I couldn't organize people like him. And we need him in this city. The house itself, to me, just isn't a big priority. But the green space, the Middlesex Fells, he's on all of those boards and committees, and we need him. So I don't want to – it's not against him. He's a great guy. But it's that house doesn't serve a purpose where, you know, we have the auditorium that should be up and running. We have other things that need to be up and running. I'm sorry, because I know that it's just going to hold it over the 90,000. It's just going to hold it over. And if you guys don't act, the police building will be a historic building by the time you guys get a new one. So I know I'm being sarcastic there. But it's not personal. It's just the principle. So thanks for all your patience out there. Thanks.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, Ms. Martin. We have a motion on the floor by Councilor Dello Russo for approval. Roll call vote has been requested.

[Clerk]: Councilor Dela Rousseau. Councilor Knight. Yes. Councilor Lungo-Koehn. Yes. Councilor Marks.

[v8c6yqLwu5E_SPEAKER_17]: Yes.

[Clerk]: Councilor Penta. Yes. President Camuso, Vice President Caraviello. Yes. Six, one absent.

[Richard Caraviello]: Six in the affirmative. One absent. And one absent. Motion is passed. All right. Thank you, Mrs. Burke. All right. Motion to revert back to regular business. Well, that's what we're going to do. We're going to see if we can pick up the pace a little bit here. Okay. Location of poles attached with fixtures of underground conduits. You are hereby notified by order of the City Council, a public hearing will be given at Howard F. Hall Memorial Retirement, 85 George P. Henson Drive, City Hall, Bedford, Massachusetts, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 18th, for a petition by Comcast of Southern New England, Inc., for permission to lay and maintain underground conduits, vandals, handholds, false laterals, wires, cables, to be placed therein, under the surface of the following public way. Said locations, to be placed in accordance with the plan titled Proposed Comcast Conduit Installation P2634 Almond Street to Salem Street. Place one three inch PVC conduit from P2634 Almond Street along Almond Street, 150 feet south to Salem Street, then 150 feet east on Salem Street to the front of 360 Salem Street, also for permission to lay and maintain underground conduits, manholes, handholds, vaults, lateral cables and wires in the above are intersection public ways for purpose of making connections with such poles, equipment and buildings as it may desire for distributing the purpose. Approved city engineer with the provision that no city owned or private utilities or other structures be solely adverse. The applicant shall ensure that all soil, water, and drain lanes are marked prior to any excavation, prior to commencing works. Test pits must be dug at each crossing of the Verizon Communications duct bank and the engineering division consulted for the directions regarding the depth of the conduit. Three, for road restoration, the application will match the existing pavement thickness with asphalt base course and following the 2014-2015 winter season. Grind and install permanent trench pavement. Tracing tape shall be placed over the conduit, and plans shall be delivered to Method Engineering. Before beginning work, the applicant shall notify DIGSAFE and obtain all applicable permits from the engineering division. The contractor shall utilize city of Medford regulations and standards for restoration, as well as remove all debris related to this work. Superintendent Wise, call 781-393-2425 for accommodations. Plans can be reviewed in the city clerk's office. The hearing is open for anyone who wants to speak in favor of this.

[SPEAKER_12]: Name and address of the record. Earl Lawson, project coordinator, Comcast, 9B Phillips Road, Woburn. This is installed conduit for Allmont Street to Salem Street and then to number 360 through 366 Salem Street. This is a block of four businesses that have requested service for our Comcast.

[Richard Caraviello]: Okay. Is there anyone else that wants to speak in favor of this project? Hearing none, seeing none, this part of the hearing is closed. Anyone in the audience want to speak in opposition to this project? Hearing none and seeing none, This portion of the hearing is closed.

[Adam Knight]: Councilor Knight. Mr. President, thank you very much. I had the opportunity to sit down and speak with Mr. Lawson a little bit earlier. He's well aware of the requirements that the city of Medford has in place relative to the restoration of the grounds that are in repair work. I just have a couple of questions. How long do you think this project is going to take?

[SPEAKER_12]: Well, as soon as we pick the permit, we have to notify DigSafe. DigSafe has 72 hours to respond. So I'm looking at probably starting both of them probably next week.

[Adam Knight]: Both of them next week? Yes. And how long from start to finish do you think it will take once you break the ground over?

[SPEAKER_12]: One governor's hour is probably a day, and Salem Street is probably three days.

[Adam Knight]: Excellent. Do you have a traffic management plan? Yes, submitted to the city. Excellent, thank you very much. Mr. President, I move for approval. Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Papers with President Camuso, have you reviewed them?

[Paul Camuso]: Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Motion for approval. All in favor. Aye. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. 14 7 3 8 petition for reversal of sign denial By Cambridge ReproGraphics, Lupita DeSisto, Avalinos, 313, Mr. Gavin, OCD application 2014-32, second primary sign. Name and address of the record, please.

[SPEAKER_01]: My name is Craig Murphy from Cambridge ReproGraphics, 21 McGrath Highway, Somerville, Mass. This property actually is, Evelina's is opening up, Evelina's a restaurant in Medford, it's been around for a long, long time. Right next door, they're gonna open up a function room. And the property's actually set back quite a bit from the streets, so they need the signage to be just a little bit bigger to be seen. You can actually see in your picture, there's a green awning on the left-hand side of the picture, and the words are so small, you really can't even see it so well. into, in this drawing here. So that's the petition just to allow the sign to exist as drawn.

[Richard Caraviello]: Councilor Marks, you have the paper.

[Michael Marks]: I have the paper in front of me. Mr. President, everything appears to be in order. Uh, this seems to be a simple request of, uh, an awning. This, as the gentleman mentioned, Avelinos has been a long established business in our community with a fantastic reputation. And I would motion for approval tonight and wish them well.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, Mr. Fox. Councilor Del Rosario.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Mr. President, I want a second approval on this. A good family owns this restaurant. They're decent people in our community, large extended family of good people. They're very good people. And the food is excellent, I must say.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. We have a motion for approval. Second. All in favor? Aye. Motion passed. Thank you. Awesome. Thank you very much. All right. 14, 738, petition for a taxi operator license by Ishmael Tseng, 157 Pleasant Street, Malden, driving for MassCab, 121 rear, Mr. Gavin Umecha. Mr. Camuso, President Camuso, you have the papers in front of you. Have you reviewed them?

[Paul Camuso]: Reviewed the papers and move forward.

[Richard Caraviello]: Move forward. All in favor?

[Robert Penta]: Mr. President, move. Councilor Penta? Is the gentleman here in the audience? No. He's not here. Lay the paper on the table, Mr. President.

[Richard Caraviello]: He's not here. Okay. We'll table that. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Councilor Dello Russo is in favor of tabling that. All right. 14, 7, 4, 0 petition for a taxi operator licensed by Kilsoy P. Glaude, 32 Lyden Street, apartment 1, Method Mass, driving for Citywide Taxi, 40 Canal Street, Method. Is Mr. Glaude here?

[Robert Penta]: Lay it on the table.

[Richard Caraviello]: He's here. He's here? He's here. You were hot? Councilor, uh, President Camuso, have you reviewed his file? Good.

[Paul Camuso]: Chief of police signed off.

[Richard Caraviello]: Approval. All in favor? Mr. President, I'm in favor of approving this bill. Okay. If you please note that Councilor Pinter is in opposition, Councilor Marksley is also in it. If I could just state, Mr. President.

[Michael Marks]: Yes, you may. I'm in opposition, uh, uh, waiting and anticipating, uh, the much, anticipated revamping of our taxi ordinance. And until then, I'm gonna be consistent with my vote. In opposition.

[Richard Caraviello]: So there'll be... Who are you? Councilor Pinter also asked to be put in with Councilor Marksley. He's voting against this. There'll be... Okay, all right. So it'll be a five yes and two no. License has been granted. Happy driving. Happy driving. Thank you. I'm sorry, six of us. 6-1, 6-2. I'm sorry, 4-2. Happy driving. Thank you. Thank you. 14, 741, petition, taxi apparatus by Nicholas Fritz, 42 Rock Valley Ave, Everett, driving for Citywide Taxi, 40 Canal Street, Medford. Is Mr. Fritz in the audience? He has gone home. Please lay that on the table. Lay that on the table. All right, what do we got left here? Okay, if we can revert back to regular business. Okay, we have... 14, 735, offered by Councilor Pentland, be it resolved that the Christmas nativity scene be returned to its Royal House Park location for the Christmas New Year season. Councilor Penta.

[Robert Penta]: Mr. President, I've been asked by many people, and I forgot to do this last year, so I'm doing it this year, well in advance. And as a result of what's been going on throughout this entire country of ours, between atheists and people of non-Christian Judeo faith slamming the Christmas season, wanting to take Christ out of Christmas, and just absolutely have an atheistic type of an attitude as it relates to you know, what this country should be rather than what it really is. I think we as a city need to step up to the plate and let people know that we are a Christian-Judeo community, born on the principles of a country that was founded on that religious belief, and not be subject to threats or intimidation from folks who are either atheistic or are not our religious persuasions. At the same time, Mr. President, I think, you know, when we have our Christmas holiday season, and I think it's next week we're going to be having, or two weeks from now, we're going to be having a Christmas bonanza here out in City Hall. You're going to have Santa Claus, which is Saint Nicholas, which stems from some type of religious connotation from being a saint, I believe, from Scotland, dating back to when this whole situation started. Why should we be subject or letting ourselves as a community be subject to anything by way of threat or intimidation. I think we should just stand tall, put the nativity scene back. If nobody wants to honor it, so be it. But it's part of our American heritage. It's part of our city of Medford's heritage. And to start letting go of these things slowly but surely, it makes no sense. I don't know if any of you folks read it, but there was an article written by a pilot from American Airlines. And he also was a pilot that flew flew on the day of September 11th, when we were attacked crazily by a group of fanatical Muslims, Arab Muslims. And he writes a very interesting story, as was presented in the news media. He has seen all kinds of people. He has flown all kinds of people. And he has no problem with all kinds of people that have been flying and coming into this country, whether they legally, as immigrants. But those that are here, have a responsibility to stand up for people of their nations, not of American, that are destroying us. And I think a couple of weeks ago on 60 Minutes, there was a story relative toward the Islamic jihadist. This is after, I think, the third American was killed or beheaded. And basically saying, we're going to get the Americans, and we're going to get the French, because those are the two that he singled out, and we're going make you become under our way, and we will behead you if we have to. Those type of people of that particular faith are living in this country. And I think they have a responsibility to stand up and saying that they are not part of it. They need to stand up and say, you know, we are good Muslims. We have come here to this country, and we have subscribed to the American way of living. And part of our American way of living is our holidays. Now, you have in Maryland, you have one parent who is an atheist. who has now stopped all the holiday season in the Maryland school district only because of the reason that they're an atheist and they don't want their child to be subject to the Judeo-Christian way of having a Christmas. So what the school system did in Maryland, what they did is they got rid of all connotations and any names relative toward the Christmas season and just calling it a holiday. Well, what kind of a holiday is it, if anybody can explain it? The holiday has always been representative of Christmas. And it's always been tolerant of the Judeo-Christian background. And I think it's been tolerant of every other type of religion that this country has allowed to have their expressions of freedom of peace and freedom of speech. But to turn around and take away something that's a main staple of this country is wrong. And people need to start speaking up. And news media needs to start speaking up and not going along and coddling those people who just plainly are indifferent to our American way of living. If they don't like our American way, then move out. Get out of here. Why does everybody want to come to this country? They come here to get their welfare. They come here to get their housing. They come here to get their illegal driver's license. And they come here to get sometimes an illegal education at the expense of those people who pay for it, whose families have paid for it, who have earned it through the years. So all I'm saying, Mr. President, and anyone who might be watching — and I don't know if the news media is here — Christmas is a very happy time of the year. Sure, to some folks, it has a sacred connotation. And if you don't want to accept it, you don't have to buy into it or believe it. But don't be so stupid enough to get rid of it because we're offending somebody. What about the people that they're offending by asking us to get rid of it? That doesn't make any sense. And no kid and no child should be died what Christmas, what the New Year's is, what St. Nicholas is all about, and what their religious holiday is during this time of the year. If not, then we should just abolish holidays and just not have a Christmas or a holiday season. It had to be there for some reason. It's a multi-million dollar market for corporate America. For games, for toys, for clothes, just put on the television and you'll see it. And you'll see Santa Claus. And I'll tell you one thing, I give credit to the people who are advertising now on television, they're using the word Merry Christmas. They're using the word Merry Christmas, and that's the way it should be. It is a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And I'll repeat, if you don't like it, then move out. And I would hope that this city does nothing, does nothing to follow suit of some of these other cities and some of these other towns who are being challenged by folks who are so indifferent to our American way of living. So I move the question, Mr. President, and ask that the mayor put for this holiday, Christmas season, for the Christmas, New Year's, the nativity scene that sits at that Royal House Park as it did for so many years.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, Councilor Penta.

[Adam Knight]: Councilor Knight. Thank you very much, Mr. President. I think it would be important to point out that I think it was three years ago the nativity scene was removed from Royal House Park. And the reason that the nativity scene was removed from Royal House Park was because people kept stealing the caricatures that were there with the nativity scene. So I think it's very important that if we are going to in fact have the nativity scene put back out that we also ask the residents in our good city to respect it and to leave it alone and to leave baby Jesus in the manger and to leave the three wise men in their position. Point well taken. you know, providing their gifts, Mr. President. Thank you. Point well taken.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Councilor De La Rosa. Maybe we could amend this, Mr. President, to ask the members of the American Civil Liberties Union to fund the security measures to keep the crash in place.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, Councilor De La Rosa. Name and address of the record.

[Jeanne Martin]: Jean Martin, 10 Cummings Street. I'd just like to say, touchy subject, folks. And I have neighbors. I live in a two-family neighborhood. And so we have a lot of immigrants in my neighborhood. I have a lot of Asians. I have Buddhists, and I have Muslim neighbors. And I'd just like to speak up for them for a minute and to say that I was invited to their Buddhist wedding and their breakfast ceremony. And so it's a different way of life. But it's not a bad thing. The other thing is that I don't know, all I know is that I helped my Arab neighbor with her car and At Christmastime, she gave me a gift. Now, we don't know if she is here because she was a translator in Iraq or Afghanistan, put her life on the line, and her family put her life on the line to come into this country because they translated for the U.S. troops. So we don't know. I know this is a touchy, touchy subject. I'm a Christian, and I respect that. And any private property in this city can have the biggest glaring crash on the planet. It is when the government sponsors the crash that it becomes an issue. And it becomes an issue. And Catholics were discriminated against when they came here from the Protestants. The Jews were discriminated against. Every, every, there were Protestant denominations that were hung, women that were hung on the common because they weren't Puritans. So this tradition is something. But I don't want to get into all of that. I do want to say that I have neighbors that come from different religious backgrounds that aren't Christian or Jewish. And the city is changing demographically. So I'd say keep it religiously neutral. But if you have private property, You can put the biggest cross on your—oh, that sounded terrible. You can put a crucifix any place you want, and you can put a crush any place you want. And you can put as many lights and trees as you want. In fact, the tree seems to be a neutral thing. But I just—I don't want to be, you know, I just have to say that because it's terrible because we do miss out on our childhood memories of Christmas and school and holidays and Easter eggs. And some of those traditions have been taken out of the schools, which is kind of sad for the kids because they can't do what they used to do, but they're going to have to come up with new traditions. That's just the way it is today. Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you.

[Robert Penta]: Councilor Penta, uh, Jeannie, you know, our country was founded on two specific beliefs, um, numb freedom of speech and freedom of religion. And the doors to the Supreme Court of the United States, you know what they have on them?

[Jeanne Martin]: Yes, the Ten Commandments.

[Robert Penta]: They have the Ten Commandments.

[Jeanne Martin]: That is correct.

[Robert Penta]: And when you go to court, what do you do? You put your hand on the Bible to tell the truth. That's true. Correct?

[Jeanne Martin]: You don't have to today, though.

[Robert Penta]: You can say I affirm.

[Jeanne Martin]: But you know something? I believe, so I don't have a problem.

[Robert Penta]: OK, so you believe.

[Jeanne Martin]: But you can say I affirm.

[Robert Penta]: And you just indicated, and you alluded to the fact that your neighbor gave you a Christmas gift. And whether it's responsive to something maybe that you did, or she's just honoring you because this is what we do here in this country. then so be it. But I'm not talking about her. I'm talking about the crazies that are out there, the people that don't like us, don't like our country. I'm talking about the people that are extremely irrational and don't and won't accept our American way of living. But they're here in this country and they're doing everything in their power while they're here in this country to lessen the freedoms and everything that we've enjoyed, as you just indicated as a child growing up. And I don't think there's anything wrong with the nativity scene, just like I don't think there's anything wrong with having a Christmas party out there. But if you're not going to have the nativity scene, then don't have St. Nicholas, because there's a religious connotation that goes with it. So what are you going to tell the kids? Oh, it's just a winter holiday. You can come out here and we'll have hot dogs and donuts and popcorn, but we're Santa Claus. What are you going to tell all these kids, three, four, five, six, and seven, eight years old, or whenever they believe and they don't believe? What are you going to tell the parents? This is part of our American tradition and our heritage. And this is not saying it's religious. If you don't want to buy into it or believe in it, you don't have to. Nobody is stopping anyone else from having their type of religious holiday. But when someone tries to destroy ours, either by being an atheist or being someone from a foreign country who just doesn't believe in our way of living, and they're hearing this country, then get out of here. If you don't like it, go. Nobody's telling you to stay here. But they must seem to like it enough. They must give enough perks. OK, to get what they want. I'm not backing off. I'm going to ask for a roll call vote on this, because I think this is very important. It's been part of the city of Medford's history. And if you read the history of the city of Medford, it's in that book, Lock, Stock, and Barrel.

[Jeanne Martin]: Oh, one second. I'd just like to say, commercialism has stolen Christmas. I agree with you there.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. President Camuso.

[Paul Camuso]: Thank you, Mr. Vice President. And I encourage all of Medford people to continue believing what they believe in, their spirituality, their religion. And quite honestly, that's what our community is built upon. It's the diversity of all the different faiths and all the different denominations throughout the community. You know, we have schools in this community that children are speaking 10, 15 different languages. I think we have to be inclusive and we have to continue sending a message that the city of Medford, We are proud of our heritage, but we are also very inclusive of all denominations and all religions. And quite honestly, I don't think it's our job as a city council to take a stance one way or another on this particular matter. Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, President Camuso. Uh, we have a motion on the floor to send, uh, Councilor Pinter's, uh, motion to the mayor. Roll call board has been requested. Well, if we have one, we'll make sure we'll get it out there. Roll call vote has been requested by Councilor Benta.

[Clerk]: President Camuso.

[SPEAKER_00]: No.

[Clerk]: Councilor Dela Rousseau.

[Unidentified]: Yes.

[Clerk]: Councilor Knight.

[Unidentified]: Yes.

[Clerk]: Councilor Kern. Councilor Montz. Yes. Councilor Penta. Yes. Vice President Caraviello. Yes.

[Richard Caraviello]: Motion of 6-1, the motion carries. All right.

[Fred Dello Russo]: Motion for suspension to take items number 14-739 and 14-741. The petition is submitted.

[Richard Caraviello]: Okay. Suspension has been requested by Councilor Dello Russo. 14-739, petition for taxi operator license by Ismael A. Hussan. 157 Pleasant Street, Malden, Mass. Driving from Mass Cab, 121 Rea. Medford, Mass. Is he in the audience? Name and address for the record.

[SPEAKER_00]: My name is Smail. Let me see.

[Richard Caraviello]: President Camuso, have you reviewed his application? Thank you. Motion for approval by Councilor Dello Russo. All in favor? I will mark Councilor Marks. is in the opposition, and Councilor Penta is in the opposition. And the same reason as before. So motion passes 5-2. Happy driving. Thank you. Thank you so much. Was that 7-4-4-1? Yes. OK. 14-7-4-1, petition for taxi driver license by Nicholas Fritz. 44 Rock Valley Avenue, Everett, Mass. Driving for Citywide Taxi. 40 Canal Street, Medford. President Camuso, have you reviewed the gentleman's records?

[SPEAKER_00]: My name is Fritz Nicholas. I live in 42 York Valley Avenue in St. Stanton in nine years, so eight years, eight months. So I would like to drive for CityWalk Taxi and make further. Thank you.

[Richard Caraviello]: Motion by Councilor Tarullo for approval. If you can record Councilor Marks and Councilor Penta in the opposition. Is there anybody from before? All in favor? Aye. Motion passes 5-2. Okay, if we can revert back to regular business now. While we're under suspension. If we can revert back to regular business, 14-736 for Vice President Caraviello. being resolved, the city council offered consolations to the family of Chris Travis, who passed away last week after his long battle with ALS. Chris was a good member of this community, a high school athlete, a good man on the soccer field, talking to a good family. He suffered for many years, the last four years, and I see him every week, never once complained about So ALS is a terrible way to pass away. We have several others, so if we could do one moment of silence and I'll read them all off. 14, 745 offered by Vice President Caraviello, be it resolved that the City Council offer condolences to the family of Frederick W Roach, who passed away last week. Mr. Roach was a World War II veteran and a former City of Medford employee with the Water and Sewer Departments. 14, 747, offered by Councilor Knight, be it resolved that the City Council offer its deep and sincere condolences to the family of Bernie McGovern on his recent passing. Offered by Councilor Locks, be it resolved that a moment of silence be held for the long time ever resident, John Murphy, on his recent passing. Councilor Marks.

[Michael Marks]: Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to speak briefly on the passing of Mr. John Murphy. For any of us that know Mr. Murphy, he was a family man, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a very active parishioner at St. Joseph's Parish. He also was a worker at Verizon for 44 years. And he will be sorely missed by his three children and six grandchildren and many residents of this community. Here is a man, Mr. President, that has always put his family first and, after retirement, had some health concerns and never really bothered anyone, kept it to himself, as you mentioned, Mr. President. you know, for several years, um, fought diligently, uh, and succumb to his illness. And I wish the family well, uh, along with the children and the grandchildren. And he will be sorely missed. Mr. President.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. Councilor Marks. Key 14, seven, four, eight offered by Councilor Knight. He resolved that the Medford City Council extended deep and sincere condolences to the family of Vincenza Sincardi on her recent passing. Offered by Councilor Dello Russo, be it resolved that the Medford City Council offer sincere condolences to the family of Deborah Gaglione, who passed away this past week. She was a long-time Medford resident. If we could all stand for a moment of silence for all these fine residents of our city of Medford. Office 14, 746 offered by Councilor Knight, be it resolved that the City Engineer move forward to the Medford City Council a copy of the regulations and standards for restoring governing road work and repairs thereof. Councilor Knight.

[Adam Knight]: Thank you very much, Mr. President. I bring this resolution forward after driving down the streets of Medford and seeing a lot of work being done by private contractors. by sitting here and approving a number of permit requests for private contractors to go and tear up our streets. If we read item one underneath the city engineer's comments on a number of these requests for petitions for permits, it will say that the roadways are going to be restored back to city of Medford standards based on the rules and regulations that are in place. Mr. President, I'd like the council to have a copy of those so we can hold these contractors accountable so that when they put the ground back in place and they pack up their tools and that they leave, that they're leaving the city in pristine condition just like they were when they found it.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. Councilor. Nice motion to send those papers to the city engineer, the Florida Montrose offered by Councilor Camuso be a resolved that the DPW replaced the old slow children's sign at 24 Walter street in the interest of public safety. President Camuso,

[Paul Camuso]: Thank you. This sign that's currently there is, um, very old and it's a popular neighborhood with a lot of children. So if they could replace the sign, um, even if it's after the first of the year, most of approval, send it on and have it replaced.

[Richard Caraviello]: Okay. 14 7 4 2 petition by Jovi Joseph big learning, 59 Garfield Avenue, Medford to address the council. on reverse 9-1-1 fees. Name and address for the record, please. Thank you. Good evening.

[Joe Viglione]: My name is Joe Villione, 59 Garfield Avenue, Medford, Mass. When some citizens receive the system we call reverse notification, formerly reverse 9-1-1, it is an important emergency system from City Hall, with good work from Captain Barry Clemente of the Medford Police Department. Our excellent budget director, who was here earlier, informed me that we pay about 39K a year, with 20,000 of that annually coming from a grant. Now that's good news, because we're paying, maybe the taxpayers are paying about 19,000. My request to all elected officials, starting with the city council, is twofold. One, to enhance this system that we have, and number two, to keep it to emergency calls only. There are a lot of messages coming from City Hall which are not of an emergency nature. And what that does is if you're dashing across the room to grab the phone and you're hearing about something that isn't a snow blizzard coming, or even an election, and I consider an election a very important item that should be on reverse notification. If it's something else, there are other ways of getting that information out to the public. And combining the other options is going to enhance reverse notification and make it more effective and put non-emergency items where they belong. Now, for example, Captain Clemente could have a show on the high school and government channels and on public access where City Hall can have its issues that are coming over this reverse notification system. on television, we can have a low-power AM radio station, we can have an online radio station, we can contact Inside Medford, the Medford Transcript, the Medford Mercury, and whatever's left of this on theboston.com. But all of the sites that are out there, combine everything, have everything as an emergency system in one area and another area, information from City Hall. Now, one of the councilors brought up the police chief Sacco being on Channel 7 on Friday night. My sports host advised me of that and I went online and on Channel 7 you can see the discussion is right there. If you go to the Channel 7 website and put in Medford and you will see what aired on Friday night last week. People were getting tickets last year. Not enough people are aware of the street sweeping. Very important issue. So if we had a number of other entities out there, not just this reverse notification system, but other ways of getting it out there, the government channel, the educational channel, Captain Clemente having a show, word of mouth, just getting the word out there, people won't be parking their cars and interfering with street sweeping. Again, it's twofold. It's very simple. I want to enhance the system we have. We're paying a lot of money for it. And by combining the monies that we have for public access that we're not using, let's open an access station and work with the captain to get this information out there and make sure that as many people in this community as possible are getting this information and to keep reverse notification for emergency calls only. Thank you.

[Robert Penta]: Councilor Penta. I'd like to ask you a question. It's obvious that you put an awful lot of time into it, and you're very positive as it relates to public access and stuff like that. But something came across my desk, and I don't know if it's true or false. I don't know if anyone's aware of this. I think it's of the city of Detroit, I could be wrong, or if it's a city in California, but one of those two, where the community had brought an action, a class action, against the administrator of the city for not having public access. Have you heard about that?

[Joe Viglione]: There are two different cities I'm aware of. California, yes. And in Philadelphia, 19 years without access. Now, every major city in America has access, except for Philadelphia, about 10 years ago. So the citizens got together, and they did fight to get access to TV. So it's a similar situation in Medford. For 19 years, they had no access. So finally, the citizens, you know, worked on it. And it's litigation. That's the only way they can make things happen.

[Robert Penta]: If I remember correctly, and this is way before you, Joe, this is taxing. There's nobody on the council that would remember this. I think it was 1982 or 1983 when we had a city manager form of government and we had signed the contract with Warner Cable, I believe it was Time Warner, whatever the name of the company was back then. Then city manager, John Galloni, I believe, through Dan Riley, this is taxing my mind, Dan Riley, he was a city solicitor at the time. A lack of better words, either challenged Time Warner or demanded from Time Warner because they lacked, I believe, the broadcasting, the clarity in the broadcasting. There was an issue regarding, I believe, public access or city access here in the city of Medford. There were four things that they went after at that point in time. And they responded. And I couldn't help but think, and I came across this the other day, and I should have brought the paper with me. It was a memo that was sent out at that point in time. What a difference back then, and this was in the early years of when cable was in the city of Medford. I think there was no more than a year, year and a half. The black and white shows were kind of like fuzzy and a whole bunch of other things that they put in there. So different then as compared to what it is right now, how this city administration is handling the concerns of not only cable television, public access, but you have Comcast and you have Verizon here in the city of Medford. And both of those stations that are supposed to be delivering community access, public access, are charging people each and every week, each and every month on their bills, and they're getting nothing. We have in excess of over $303,000, according to the city coffers, that the city is sitting on. So right now, I believe the contract terminates in April of next year, 2015? April 20th. April 20th, okay. And the way the contract was written in the last time, within six months prior to the ending of the contract, public hearing needs to take place. Now, I'm not aware of any public hearing taking place. We've gotten no information regarding a public hearing. We, there's a gentleman by the name, I think his name was Peter Epstein. He gets paid $325 an hour. He comes from the city of Newton. He's the city's legal representative for cable access. Absolutely nothing. I put a call in once and I will, I will put another call in, but I just really think if the mayor of this community does not want to have public access, he needs to return the money and end it. instead of having this facade take place. We've gone through two experiments, so to speak. One with a former Judge Jackson, we spent almost $15,000, where a report was written. And then most recently, as of this past year, with three community members sitting together for three and a half, four months, and they put together a report for which the mayor said he would be reviewing that or getting into the gut of that after July 4th, and this is now November. So it's obvious that something is going on. The city just doesn't want to participate Maybe the mayor just thinks he can take that money and use it, and maybe he can't. I don't know. But, Councilman Marks, you made a remark two weeks ago. Maybe it's about time that we bring a class action suit in behalf of the ratepayers of this community. I want to check in. You said it was Detroit? Detroit was another one.

[Joe Viglione]: Detroit was where the mayor sued the city council over access.

[Robert Penta]: Over access. Okay.

[Joe Viglione]: Yeah, the mayor sued the city council in Detroit over access.

[Robert Penta]: I want to see that. You said Philadelphia and Detroit. Philadelphia and California are the class action suits.

[Joe Viglione]: Okay.

[Robert Penta]: If that's the case, and I think if there are enough, 10 people out there who are rate payers within this community who are willing to go forward, I think we need to do that. This is crazy. You keep coming here each and every week. We talk amongst ourselves, we take these votes and the mayor is doing nothing about it. So if he's not going to do anything about it, maybe Councilor Marks, you're right. Maybe we just need to take this upon ourselves, you know, file a class action suit and let's just see where we're going with this because This can't keep going. You can't keep doing this. You can't keep charging the ratepayers and giving them nothing. This isn't like only three or four or five or six months. This goes back to December of 2012. This is not making any sense. So I thank you for bringing forward that. But I knew there was something out there. But now you're saying the mayor sues the council, and then we have one where the council sues the mayor. In Detroit.

[Joe Viglione]: OK. And I'm ready to litigate in January. But I'd much rather a class action suit. But I am in discussion with lawyers. And my game plan, and I think Mr. Rumley knows it, By January, nothing happens. I will be personally litigating. I'd much rather a class action suit.

[Robert Penta]: Well, we have something, I believe, on our agenda at the very end that goes back to July of last year, waiting for Mr. Rumley to give us an update, because I believe at that point in time, he gave us a full document of what Channel 3 and its corporate offices were all about, what they were supposed to do. They were supposed to file the appropriate papers with the, I believe, the Attorney General's office. I don't know about the Secretary of State, but I know the Attorney General. So maybe we should get an update. Maybe we should get an update, Mr. Clerk. Maybe we should get an update. Have Mr. Rumley present himself before the council as it relates to just where does the city stand on its lawsuit and where does the city stand on renewing the contract?

[Joe Viglione]: And again, the reverse notification I think is essential in its public safety. And I thank the council for hearing me.

[Robert Penta]: Records. Records. You can take a vote. Take a vote on that. No, I have a motion on the floor. You're not listening. To have the city solicitor report back to the council since July of this past year, what further information he has or what further has the city progressed? And second of all, what is our standing relative to the cable contract, which comes up April 20th? What are we doing?

[Paul Camuso]: All those in favor? Roll call vote. Roll call has been requested.

[Clerk]: Vice President Caraviello? Yes. Councilor Dello Russo? Yes. Councilor Knight? Yes. Councilor Lungo-Koehnan? Yes. Councilor Marks? Yes. Councilor Panza? Yes. President Camuso?

[Paul Camuso]: No. Six in the affirmative, one in the negative. The motion passes. And on the motion, revert back to the regular order of business. All those in favor? All those opposed? Item 14-737, offered by Vice President Caraviello. Be it resolved that the city council discuss the upcoming tree planting by the city of Medford. Vice President Caraviello.

[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, Mr. President. I don't know if many people know, but right currently the city is in the process of trying to replant over 100 trees to hopefully replace some of the trees we lost over the past winter. So if you look around, there's about five or six different species of trees being planted, different parts of the community. And I also want to thank the business members of the community who participated in our tree program, where for every tree that was bought, the city matched the tree. So I say if you keep an eye out, you'll see them, and it's not too late if you give her a call. There may be a few trees left.

[Paul Camuso]: Thank you. Thank you for the announcement. What do you want to do with it? Receive and place on file?

[Richard Caraviello]: Receive and place on file.

[Paul Camuso]: On the motion of Vice President to receive and place on file, all those in favor? All those opposed? The ayes have it. The records.

[Robert Penta]: Councilor Penta. We had made a request a couple of weeks ago as it relates to the Curtis tough school. We'd asked for a response to come back. We never got the response back, but what we did get was a newspaper story. Once again, this council has to read things in the newspaper. And unfortunately, um, Councilor Marks, I believe for the last two to three budgetary cycles had been asking about the Curtis tough school, what's going on over there and some of the concerns that were taking place. And then we read in the news article, nicely written, that superintendent of schools said that he has noticed in recent years that there has been a program leveling off. And it also indicates that we began to think that the Curtis had developed such a regiment that it really wasn't adapting particularly well to the change in the students' needs. We began to feel in the last several years we were not getting the kind of mix and coherence between the program and the people coming down there. Now, when you say, between the last several years, and Councilman Knox has been asking, and it's been brought up during our budgetary process, what's going on? All we were getting for a report back was, well, we're working on it. There's some problems, and they're addressing it. And then they hired an outside consultant in 2013 called the Walker Partnership Company. And their report included 14 recommendations to correct the problems. of high absenteeism, lack of administrative oversight, and other predominant issues. But the big shakeup came during the summer for which this council was never apprised of. It was never apprised during the budgetary process in June and in July when they went forward and they replaced Mr. Volpe as the headmaster at that particular school. And they replaced him with a gentleman by the name of Mr. Toomey. Now the question is, You're paying for one principal to be over there. But you found another job up at the high school for Mr. Volpe. And that's what we asked for. What is this job? What's he getting paid? And what's the pay of the gentleman that now took over his job at the school? This doesn't make any sense. make some changes, and you know that the council had an interest in it, and it's part of our budget responsibility when we vote on the school department side, it should have been forthcoming. We shouldn't have to once again read something in the newspaper. And I commend you again for doing a great job, Alex, for writing the story. But Alex isn't the administration. He's a news reporter. We make resolutions and ask for responses, and every time we either ask for a response or want to know what's going on, you have to read the newspaper. This administration, on both sides of the street, is just completely ignorant to the fact that there needs to be a cooperation, there needs to be a conversation, there needs to be some sense that what's going on makes sense. Not just makes sense for him, the mayor, it makes sense for the council. Perfect example, you just got through voting tonight for in excess of a million three hundred thousand. Not one council, I'll speak for myself, I don't think any one council was asked for any particular pet project they might have that could have been included in there.

[Adam Knight]: I believe that every week we send resolutions forward to the mayor asking him to do certain things that we'd like to see done, which I think would serve as a benchmark. or an understanding as to where the council is coming from, what type of initiatives that they'd like to see done, what direction that they'd like to see the mayor's office move in, in terms of this type of expenditures. We'll look at LED lights. That's something that the council put forward. We look at security cameras. That's something the council has put forward. We've looked at the issue of crosswalks and speed bumps. That's something the council has put forward. So I just wanted to make sure that we're all clear about that. Mr. President, I rest.

[Robert Penta]: And to be further clear about it, Councilor Knight, I'm glad you brought it up. Look at the length of time before this action was taking place. So, Some of these issues have been years in the making, never mind weeks or months. But I just think it's kind of like interesting. And once again, Mr. Clark, you have the res—I'm going to move the resolution again, that we get a report back as to Mr. Brian Toomey, who's the new principal at the Curtis Tufts School, what's his pay? And also, Mr. Volpe, who's up at the high school, what's his job and what's his pay? This is all municipal. It's all municipal business. And this is something that the council has been asking about for years. You've been asking council Max for years on this.

[Adam Knight]: God.

[Paul Camuso]: All those in favor.

[Robert Penta]: Roll call vote. Mr. President, what's the matter before us and what is the actual resolution? The resolution is to have, what is Mr. Brian to be the new minister, the new principal at the Tufts Curtis school? What's the salary? And Mr. Volpe, who's there no longer, who's up at the high school, what's his job and what's his salary? Isn't this the same resolution we just sent forward a couple weeks ago? We never got an answer, did we?

[Paul Camuso]: It was referred to the superintendent schools from the mayor's office, I'm assuming.

[Robert Penta]: You can refer it to the school committee if you want.

[Michael Marks]: Councilor Marks. Thank you, Mr. President. As we're probably all aware, and maybe some of us aren't, Curtis Tufts was created many years ago to suit a need in the community for students that, for one reason or another, weren't able to attend the high school in that particular setting. Some of it was for learning reasons, some of it was for discipline reasons, and the alternative high school, which is Curtis Tufts, was created for Method students. and allowed them to move forward to eventually get their diploma. And over the years, if you want to track it, it's out there. The number of students that are being serviced in that school has decreased. And the number of Method students has been severely decreased. And at this particular time, we're looking at a few dozen students. and primarily from outside of this community. Now, I realize there is a tuition that we gain from these outside communities, but as Councilor Penta mentioned, year after year I've been asking during the budget process that we should be taking a look at the per pupil expense and also compare it to the revenue we're receiving and see whether or not this particular program, which was all good intentions when it started out is still suiting the purpose of ultimately what it's for, the students of this community. And I would say if that no longer is taking place, then the school committee and the administration have to take a long hard look at this particular program. I've also mentioned over the years, because as we all know, The high school was built to house some 3,000 students. It's probably a third of the capacity right now. And it was mentioned that maybe we could use portions of the high school for this particular program. Because now you're maintaining a separate building. You're maintaining heat, electricity, physical maintenance of the property. Last year we had asbestos tiles removed in the building at a great expense. And these are the things I think we have to explore. And I think what Councilor Penta alluded to tonight, the changing of the guard, if you want to call it. Mr. Volpe was up there for a number of years as the head of the Curtis Tufts. I think speaks volumes at what's going on with that program. And I think really the need for the program needs to be explored. I'm not against students that may have certain problems and need additional help. I think that's great. I've attended their graduation in the past, and I think they do great things there. But I think, like all programs, this needs to be explored to see if it's still financially beneficial for students and for the taxpayers of this community. And I hope to get back that information as well, Mr. President, on the per-pupil expense and the current revenue that's being generated from outside placements. If my council colleague wouldn't mind, I'd like to amend his paper to include those figures also. And hopefully we'll get an answer. I know you didn't get an answer a couple of weeks ago, but hopefully we'll get an answer on this paper.

[Paul Camuso]: Roll call has been requested as amended.

[Clerk]: Vice President Caraviello. Yes. Councilor Dela Rousseau? Councilor Knight?

[Unidentified]: No.

[Clerk]: Councilor Alan Kern?

[Unidentified]: Yes.

[Clerk]: Councilor Marksley? Yes. Councilor Pantano? President Camuso?

[Paul Camuso]: No. By a vote of four in the affirmative, three in the negative, the motion passes. Records were passed to Councilor Alonzo Kern. How'd you find the records? On the motion for adjournment. All those in favor? All those opposed? The ayes have it.

Paul Camuso total time: 25.88 minutes total words: 2644	Adam Knight total time: 4.91 minutes total words: 577	Robert Penta total time: 38.3 minutes total words: 2908	Fred Dello Russo total time: 2.56 minutes total words: 198
Stephanie Muccini Burke total time: 20.22 minutes total words: 2166	Breanna Lungo-Koehn total time: 4.57 minutes total words: 492	Michael Marks total time: 15.9 minutes total words: 966	Richard Caraviello total time: 18.71 minutes total words: 1422
Robert Cappucci total time: 1.19 minutes total words: 107