[Fred Dello Russo]: Council will come to order. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Clerk]: Councilor Camuso? Present. Councilor Caraviello? Present. Councilor Knight? Present. Vice President Leonard Kern? Present. Councilor Marks? Present. Councilor Penta? Present. President Dello Russo?
[Fred Dello Russo]: Present. Seven members present, none absent. Please rise to salute the flag.
[Adam Knight]: 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.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Chair recognizes Councilor Camuso for suspension of the rules.
[Paul Camuso]: Councilor Camuso? I'd like to suspend rule number 33 to take papers 15-693 and 15-694 out of order. On the motion of Councilor Camuso, suspension of the rules to take
[Fred Dello Russo]: Set papers out of order. All those in favor. All those opposed. Matt is before us. We have, um, we are roll call vote has been requested. Mr. Clark, please call the roll. Thank you.
[Paul Camuso]: Can we explain what we're voting on? I didn't hear the council.
[Fred Dello Russo]: A motion to suspend the rules to take those two papers out of order. Yes.
[SPEAKER_06]: Yes.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Four in the negative, three in the affirmative. The rules are not suspended. Motions, orders, and resolutions offered by Councilor Alango-Kern. Be it resolved that a resident be allowed to speak with regards to three issues a missing stop sign, a painted stop line on Yale Street, the installation of protective metal bollards on Harvard and Yale Street sidewalks at corners of Main Street, and the replacement of a curb cut. Vice President Lungo-Koehn.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, and thank you to my colleagues for allowing this to move forward first, since there's a child that's in the audience, young, who needs to get to bed. We do have a couple people here today from this Yale Street neighborhood who have concerns. I think the council hears about the concerns going on in that area on almost a daily basis through email. And I know these three are of particular concern, and we'd be happy to hear you discuss, you know, what's been going on. I know there's a timeline. I know the city has approved a few things, but as far as moving forward, it's time that we need to discuss it.
[Ann Fretts]: 15 Harvard Street, overlooking Yale Street. And we bring with us today Ryan, who is a four-year-old who lives at 43 Yale Street. And it's a question of safety for him and everyone else in the neighborhood. You've also received many emails. Many emails from me and many pictures from me about sidewalks on Harvard Street, and it's now extending on both sides of Harvard Street. The main issue that we have is we can't traverse on a sidewalk. We can't walk on a sidewalk. We cannot conduct ourselves down Harvard Street, and it's extending over to Yale Street and Main Street as well. Neighbors have been asking everyone associated with Medford City Hall for assistance since 2011 with this issue. The situation has worsened since Captain Bob closed in 2013, and the advent of online food delivery has exacerbated the situation with Oasis. Oasis serves a good product, as does Bocelli's, and together they have 240 seats in a small area filled on a Saturday or Sunday night, wreaking havoc on the South Medford Square neighborhood. We have about 1,000 residents within a football field of both locations, if you draw a circle around it. All of us are impacted. If you take a look at 240 seats divided by an average of three people per car, that brings 80 cars into our neighborhood. The Yale Street residents permit parking only is ignored. And we have people carousing in the public parking lot outside our bedroom windows until one in the morning at times. The DPW has had open traffic commission work orders for the following protective bollards to be installed at Harvard and Main Street corner, the one corner, which is approved by the traffic commission on January 13th of 2015. Unfortunately, that was nine months ago, and there are reasons for this that I'll get to in just a moment. They're also supposed to replace a curb cut in a driveway entry with the granite full curb at 363 Main Street. That was again approved by the Traffic Commission on January 13, 2015. An installation of a second stop sign at the Yale and Dartmouth streets on the south side of Yale was approved in October 14th, 2014. That has not been installed as of yet. The painted stop lines that were approved on October 14th were installed on Saturday and throughout the neighborhood in addition to the crosswalk on Yale Street being repainted. Back on October 7th of 2014, Chief Sacco and Councilman Carol Viello and myself spoke with all the businesses on Main Street. We walked the entire neighborhood and watched the cars pulling in and out of the driveway. Excuse me, it's not a driveway. Pulling in and out of the handicap access ramp at Oasis. In here, and they would drive out through the sidewalk. This is while people are walking through the business area. I'm sorry for the people behind me, you can't see it. Our Medford City school bus drops off children right next to it. So they're dodging cars immediately after exiting the bus. There are now, you can see one van parked next to the building. There's always been a van or a truck parked next to that building, no matter who owned it. And having been a lifetime visitor to South Medford Square, I can vouch for this, having seen it as a child. And there are now as many as six cars parked there at times. I've sent you pictures of trucks that have parked there who have driven right across my feet almost and left eight inches of walking space. If Ryan wants to take a walk with his mom or come home from school, how does he get there? It's a ridiculous, illogical situation. We've got cars driving. and parking on sidewalks. We've got trailer trucks blocking the entire sidewalk. This is in front of the condominium next to Oasis. This is a M&M Transport Company van towing a Goodwill Industry bus. They left the truck running, and the two guys went in and got breakfast at Oasis. This just doesn't make sense to me at all. And this has been going on for years, and it's escalating. October 17th of 2014, Jim Silva conducted a safety walkabout with Chief Sacco and Michael Marks, Councilman Caraviello, and 40 South Medford Square neighbors. The need for bollards became obvious then as the Oasis driver sped through us, drove over the curb, and we were all aghast. And the chief said, we'll deal with it. And I believe at that point, Jim and Anita And a few other residents approached the traffic commission, and they approved the bollards being installed to prevent cars from accessing this location area. The simple fact is that Oasis is its own worst enemy. They've grown huge amounts. 240 seats are quickly turned over. Sometimes they take up to an hour and a half to turn, but they're always busy. If you walk down Main Street, if you're able to survive the bicycles and now the motorbikes that ride on the sidewalk to be chained up out in front of the restaurant, you'll see that it's busy. We, the 110 people that moved into 215 Harvest Street, didn't notice this until the online food industry started growing in our area. We found that we were having Trailer trucks pull into our property, parking in our fire lanes. We're having Oasis residents park in front of our homes and parking in our parking spaces, which is a very small area. We have very little green space. Main Street customers and business owners use the space next to 363, the jewelers, as a parking lot, constantly zipping out in and out past pedestrians, including the steady stream of Oasis customers who park in the Yale Municipal Lot or illegally park on the permit-required spaces on Yale Street. Oasis vehicles, including multiple Grubhub, Foodler delivery or catering trucks, delivery trucks and trailers, and their customers park on Main and Harvard Street sidewalks. They access them by driving through the ramps and It's an open invitation for any of us to be hit by the cars, whether you're going into lunch there or you're just trying to get over to Arthur's to get a cannoli. It's as simple as that. We can't even get to La Casha to get a loaf of bread. I think I wrote that to you a year and a half ago. How do I cross the street? We can't cross the street to go walk on the opposite side of the street because cars are parked on the sidewalks. And the simple fact is that because Oasis cars are parking on the sidewalks, driving on the sidewalks, citizens who live there or visit there, feel it's now okay to do that. And there's very little enforcement unless we call the police to do so. The reason there is little enforcement is because there are two cars in Sector 8, two Medford police cars that patrol the area. Their predominant work is, according to the captains that we've spoken to, is neighbor-to-neighbor calls and domestic abuse calls. or traffic accidents. So looking at what they would view as a minor parking issue becomes a life-threatening issue for us who live in the area. It's constant. It's chronic. It starts at 4 in the morning. We can't get down to the square. We have to drive down and then try and fight for a parking space to be safe. And even then, we're still not safe on the sidewalks. We've got an Oasis employee who parks and chains his motorbike out in front of the store. He thinks it's okay, and the owner thinks it's okay to have his customers chain their bikes up there as well. He told me that the state said it was okay for him to park there, which is in contradiction to what the state policeman told me Saturday and suggested that we bring in the Medford police to monitor the situation and ticket, as well as the people parking on the sidewalk. He moved it across the street to the other side, chained it to a gas pipe, and then the next day changed it to a lamppost. The Oasis customers and provision suppliers are now using our driveways and private roads. We have toddlers who are out and about in our driveway because it's the only place that they can walk and play. We have one family that walks 24-7 or 18 hours a day. constantly walking these two toddlers because they're so very active. I got involved again, and I said I was never going to come in front of the council, but I got involved again when I watched one of Oasis's meat delivery trucks back in, as it always does, back into our driveway to do a three-point turn and go back to Route 93 and almost hit this family. Just called it a point at that time and just said, this is unacceptable. The police department can't do much about people trespassing on our property. That's for us to handle. But it's pretty difficult when you can't control the entire neighborhood of trucks and deliveries. We've got Oasis commercial vehicles, huge pickup trucks, their van, and SUVs being stored overnight in the Yale Municipal Lot. It's like a little rodeo of cars going through. No business permit in the city allows for an overnight commercial vehicle or a business permit vehicle to be parked in the lot overnight. There was only one that was allowed in the Yale Street lot, and that was for Mr. Caraviello. What was the name of the company that was associated with Barletta? Gilbane. Gilbane had one truck there.
[Paul Camuso]: Point of information, Councilor Camuso. Um, if it's okay with Ms. Fritz, um, she knows that this city council has been very active, particularly in the South Medford area to get things done. Uh, I would suggest we send this to the transportation subcommittee because nine out of 10 of the issues that she's presented our, um, transportation issues, number one, and number two, uh, like the, the spots next to Oasis, we have to get a ruling from the city solicitor. If it's private property, if we can restrict them from parking there, and all of these issues. So I would say I'd like to make a motion to send this to the Transportation Subcommittee if we could meet within a week or so. What is that feedback?
[Ann Fretts]: I have a question, Mr. President.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Motion of Councilor Camuso to send to the Transportation Subcommittee.
[Ann Fretts]: I have a question. Would that not have been handled by the Traffic Commission since they've already approved this?
[Fred Dello Russo]: Well, you've told us, you've testified to us tonight that all of these things have been dealt with in the Traffic Commission and a number of measures have been approved. And though they weren't dealt with in a speedy manner, they continue to be under consideration.
[Ann Fretts]: I'm sorry, I don't understand. If the traffic commission has approved and filled out the work order for the DPW department to install the bollards, does it now have to go to the traffic subcommittee?
[Fred Dello Russo]: Point of information, Vice President Margot Kern.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: appropriate places for us to hear the rest of the information she has for us. I think you are here because it already went to the Traffic Commission, got approved, whether that was in October of 2014 or January of 2015, and yet we have no resolve. I think it's the bollards and signage, what is the reasoning they're giving us? Obviously, it's... Nothing. Yeah, so I think we need just some answers from the Traffic Commission. It's an administrative matter.
[Fred Dello Russo]: You'd like to continue?
[Ann Fretts]: Yes. Thank you. Some of these issues were created for the abutters and the people that live in the neighborhood by licensing two expansions of Oasis and not completing what seems to be, now in retrospect, necessary analysis to support a second 120 seat restaurant in a densely populated and rapidly expanding neighborhood. We only focused on the growth of Oasis and not the impact There was no impact study done despite trying to communicate that before the expansion of the cafe in 2014.
[Paul Camuso]: That's one of the busiest businesses in South Medford right now, though, by Medford residents.
[Ann Fretts]: It is, but it's quite too big for our neighborhood, unfortunately.
[Paul Camuso]: But if you talk to the gentleman that runs that business and some of the other businesses, they say maybe the condos were too much for the neighborhood. So you hear both. I mean, I understand your concern. But that whole block has predominantly been a C2 and a C1 district, commercial.
[Ann Fretts]: So what do we do? No, no.
[Paul Camuso]: My thing is, if Oasis didn't go in there, it may be another bakery or another business. It's not going to be a rental unit for housing or something. That's zoned, commercial zoned.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Point of information, Vice President Lungo-Koehn.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I think there is a business, there are businesses there, there are homes there, there are condos there. I think the main issue is enforcement, and I think the main issue is follow-through. When the Traffic Commission votes in favor of certain things, work order should be put in place, the signage should be made and put up, or the bollards should be ordered and put up. I think that's our problem here. Whether, you know, the businesses are the businesses and the condos are the condos, but I think Mainly, the concern is the enforcement, which seems to be the lack thereof, and the follow-through.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you, Madam Vice President, for your point of information. Ms. Fritz, if you'd like to continue.
[Ann Fretts]: Thank you. Those of us who have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in Medford or have stayed in Medford and lived in the houses we grew up in are deeply impacted by this. Some of us had absolutely no control whether there was a public parking lot put next to us. It wasn't finished. We had no idea what it was going to look like. And we certainly had no idea that the growth of Oasis would take over our neighborhood. And right now, it's casting a negative pall on us. It's not safe for us to walk on the streets. We haven't done the traffic studies. We can't do a traffic study. We don't have a radar car that works in the city of Medford, nor can we borrow one from another city. A new radar speed car would cost us, at a minimum, $6,000 for one that would have the software that we could track cars in the area, the volume, and the speeds. We have Yale Street speeders going right through every stop sign that's been posted, even the painted lines. We thought that would help. It has made it worse. There's a 20% compliance over the past year since the stop signs were installed last October. We cannot get enforcement down at Yale Street during rush hour, nor during the hours from 6 to 9 a.m. because there are two cars available and they're at the schools helping crossing children. We have at least 25 people who will cross Yale Street at any given time from 8 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. I've tracked them, I've counted them, I videotaped them. We have people who walk their dogs. There's got to be 50 dog walkers who cross Yale Street, dodge cars. We have cars on Yale Street who can't get out. We have speeders all day long. We can't get enforcement. We have minimal enforcement of people at stop signs. Paul Giordano's been great coming down and trying to stop as many cars as they can, but he gets called away for domestic issues or neighborhood issues or an accident. We just don't have enough staff. And the whole thing narrows down to Steve Tenagli doesn't have staff. He doesn't have funding. And there's a communication issue where things are decided upon and they don't get to him. He just found out about stop signs being painted on the street. Even though we may list them or email asking where they are or call, it doesn't get to him. And we can't bother him. He's up to his armpits and trying to put out fires everywhere, literal fires. The water department had to cover for him last night. They managed to come out, and I want to thank Peter and Brian for coming out and taking care of some major issues that were going on at 10 o'clock last night. The police department can't come out. They're busy. They're busy. They'll come out, and they get called away quickly. We're stuck there managing and policing our own area. I'm 65 years old. This is not how I expected to spend my retirement. And it's something we do just to stay safe. We can't even keep our heads above water at this point. We need to fund the police department. We need to look at our area and take a look at the traffic studies and work with Oasis and find a way to work together. Their delivery cars are all over our neighborhood. We have a picture of one here, parked right next to the fire hydrant. When he's not parked there, he's parked on the sidewalk, across the street, or any sidewalk. We don't have anywhere to walk. It's as simple as that. I'm too old and too lame to dodge motorcycles on the sidewalk. Sorry, lost my place. We have other concerns. We've got DPW lot signs that are secondhand, It makes our area match the descriptions that are in the HUD reports, calling our buildings and our South Medford Square area dilapidated and run down. This type of environment that we're promoting by allowing it to continue, the driving on the sidewalks, the parking on the sidewalks, on both sides of that strip of mall, brings down our area, degrades our area, diminishes our value and quality of life. It hasn't affected our property value, It hasn't affected my neighbor's property value yet. It will. And if you look on some of the Yelp sites, you'll see that the things that they say and the compliments they have about Oasis, it's a rowdy, jumping place. Well, that rowdy, jumping place continues down Yale Street into the public parking lot where they park. It's just not a safe environment. And the owners are focused on taking care of themselves. They're not available to talk. They did say that they would ask their motorcycle driver to park his bike somewhere else, but he moved it across the street. If he moves it across to Bocelli's, I don't think Nick's going to be too happy. This is our neighborhood. We need some help, and we have some suggestions. We would like to ask that the city council meet with the mayor and contract a company to install the bollards. Steve can't do it. Can you? You can do it. You can do it.
[Adam Knight]: Can you do it? Mr. President, I think Councilor Camuso came up with a great suggestion. We refer this matter to the Subcommittee on Transportation for further investigation. These matters that the woman is speaking of have been before this Council before. The Council supported them wholeheartedly. These three issues that were before the traffic commission relative to the bollards, the stop signs, and the stop lines were as a result of Councilor Marksley's community walkthrough. It came by way of a resolution to the traffic commission from the council, Mr. President. So I think Councilor Longo-Kearns is absolutely right. There is a concern. relative to enforcement, and there's a concern relative to lack of follow-through. And I think that it would be appropriate due course for the council's Subcommittee on Transportation to further investigate the matter to determine what's going on. We put a resolution forward. The resolution went through the Traffic Commission. Okay, we're in agreement. The Traffic Commission thinks it works, and we think it should work. Now the question is, where is it? And I think that the Subcommittee on Transportation would be the appropriate venue for which we can figure that out, find that out, and report back to the body as a whole. Or maybe not at all, because it might get taken care of before then, Mr. President. It might be able to be handled right then and there. So on the motion by Councilor Knight, seconded by Councilor Camuso, Councilor Caraviello.
[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, Mr. President. I agree with Councilor Knight and Councilor Camuso about that. But at the meeting, I'd like to have Chief there, Chief of Police, someone from Republic Parking to address the parking concerns of the neighbors, along with somebody from the DPW. And hopefully, maybe even Luciano from Oasis, so maybe we can all get together in one room and hopefully work out a plan that's equitable to all parties. I mean, unfortunately, Oasis is a victim of their own success over there. They are one of the busiest businesses in Metro right now. So I would say maybe if we can get everybody into one room in the next 14 days, we could hopefully work out some type of deal to make everybody happy, Mr. President. Very good.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you. So as amended by Councilor Caraviello, Thank you, Councilor Caraviello. Keep in mind there's a child here.
[Ann Fretts]: Mr. President, if I may.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Yes.
[Ann Fretts]: We have had a meeting, and you were present at the meeting, as was Mr. Penta and Mr. D'Antonio, with the Oasis Group and some of the other neighbors. That was in December of 2012. Nothing has changed since then. It's only worsened as far as the conditions that we have to live under. It's unsafe. It's increasingly unsafe as they add delivery trucks, as they add more customers bringing in more provision trucks coming through. It's now a regular thing to find the sideways block. It's not acceptable. It's not something we can delay on. And I have to confess that very few Councilors have responded to my emails over the last year regarding this. So in fairness, thank you.
[Fred Dello Russo]: The chair recognizes Councilor Penta.
[Robert Penta]: And with all fairness, I'm going to disagree with my colleagues because the Traffic Commission has already made their decision, and the decision has been made and should be going forward. The responsibility is in the Chief Executive Office because he appoints those people to that commission. All this council will be doing is delaying it with more time and kicking the ball around. You deserve an answer. It's been voted upon, and it's the city administration that should figure out when and how to put that thing up. It shouldn't take a citizen to keep coming down here and presenting your concerns, public safety, and shouldn't have a lady come down here with her child at nighttime to present this argument or this issue all over again. So I'm going to disagree with my colleagues. And I'm going to move that this matter be referred to the mayor for immediate action. And the action should be absolutely immediately. If the board of the commission voted for it, and the city has to figure out how to fund it, well, let them figure out how to fund it. But they voted for it.
[Paul Camuso]: Do you actually have the minutes with you, Ian, that we can take a look at of the votes Because I know one thing that you stated regarding refurbished secondhand signs. I don't believe that is 100% accurate, because Steve Tanaglia does the signage.
[Ann Fretts]: Sorry, if you go down to the head of Main Street, Yale at Main Street.
[Paul Camuso]: They reuse signs and re-letter them, but we don't purchase them secondhand.
[Ann Fretts]: It's a Rube Goldberg, and it looks horrible. And there's one right under my condo that's horrible. It's got white duct tape on it and letters. Stick on letters. I could have done it after a few beers. Yeah, but to say that we're using... That's secondhand to me. I'm a big recycler. I don't mean to disagree with you, but it's my neighborhood. It's my home. And we've asked for a new sign. All it would take is municipal parking with an arrow this way. I wanted to buy one and Chief Sacco said, no, deal with it through the city. We have, my husband and I have spent about $300 on signs. for the public parking lot out of our own pockets because we couldn't wait for signs and we didn't want the fence being damaged. So we posted our own signs after we went to the traffic commission. After we got the permission, we asked for hash lines to be painted along our fence. That hasn't happened. That fell off whatever list was created by the special assistant to the chief of police, Alva Erickson. Alva was kind enough to share me, share these things with me, but any changes, We've gone through Alva. We've played things through the way we should. We did not deviate. We didn't go out and paint stop lines on our own because it's destruction of public property. We're good citizens. We deserve better than what we're living with.
[Fred Dello Russo]: There's a motion on the floor to send this to the subcommittee on transportation and there's a contrary motion before us. So we're going to dispose of the first motion for before we take up the second. Chair recognizes Councilor Marks.
[Michael Marks]: Thank you, Mr. President. I want to thank Anne for coming here tonight and her due diligence over the last couple of years on behalf of her neighborhood, as well as the D'Antonio's and a number of other people from South Method. I agree that I don't think at this point, this has been an ongoing issue for several years now. And at this point, to send it to the Subcommittee on Transportation, to me, defeats the whole purpose of trying to get some immediate action. And that's what we need right now. We need immediate action. What the neighborhood is asking for, they're not trying to move mountains. They're asking for a painted crosswalk. They're asking for some signage. They're asking for bollards that were already approved. And I sent an email to Mr. Geer, and I have a lot of respect for Mr. Geer and the work he's done over the years. But at the end of July, he told me the balls were going to be installed within a week to 10 days. That was at the end of July. I sent him a recent email again, and I have yet to get a response. I realize he's a busy man, but I think this is part of the frustration is that if residents knew, hey, this is going to be done, And they were given a date. It doesn't have to be exact, but a date. Say, we'll have this done by October 20th. Then I think the residents and people in the neighborhood would say, at least we know something's going to happen. And part of the frustration that I feel from getting the emails is it's this ongoing that, you know, you never fully get an answer or a full response. And I'm equally as concerned. And I was hoping tonight that this council, rather than send it to subcommittee, and I don't think that's a bad idea, but I think on this particular issue, where it's been bantered around for several years now, we had neighborhood walkthrough with 50 or 60 residents with the chief that were well past sending this to a subcommittee to be reviewed. And we want action immediately. And if that calls bringing the chief up here to respond, Mr. President, or Mr. Geer up here to respond in front of that podium, to the people that are paying his salary, Mr. President, then that's what we need to do. Also, Mr. President, you know, back some years ago, we used to have neighborhood policing. What a great idea to have an officer, maybe Sergeant Carroll, who leads the traffic division, to spend three or four days a week for the next two months walking around that particular business district and let him come up with a list of suggestions on improving public safety. and let him follow through like they should be doing. And I'm not taking the emphasis off Chief Sackle. Chief Sackle, the recommendation from the Traffic Commission, they should be hounding DPW saying, when is this going to take place? Not the residents, not the council. Once something is approved by the Traffic Commission, there should be some standard set in this community that we expect something to happen. And I realize they're busy. And I know Steve Tanaglia and Mike Nestor, they're working hard. And they're doing their right. They're putting out fires constantly, and they can't get to the meat of what needs to be done. But really, Mr. President, this is extremely frustrating. You know better than anyone else. You live directly across the street from all this, so you must see it on a daily basis. Mr. President, you must be equally as frustrated. But, you know, this can't go any further. You know, subcommittee, that's great. You can have a subcommittee at another time. This council needs to take a vote tonight to request, Mr. President, as what Anne was coming. Anne, I think you were giving your list on what you'd like to see. And you were cut kind of short on that. But, you know, I think that's what we need to do tonight, Mr. President. Make up a list of requests. and get action immediately on this, and have responses by next Tuesday. So if you're unable to come up again, at least we can notify people of what we were told. So I want to thank Councilor Alongo-Kern for putting this on. And that's my thought, Mr. President, on this. And I do think the community policing would go a long way. Last week, we heard about Haines Square. The residents that came up here, they weren't angry with the business. And these residents aren't angry with the business. They're angry with the lack of results they're getting from the city. And the residents that were in Haines Square last week, 80 percent of their complaints wasn't with the extended hours. It was with the drug activity and everything else that's going on, the broken sidewalks in their neighborhood. And that's what we need.
[Fred Dello Russo]: We need the outreach, Mr. President. Well, if I could, Mr. President. The President I'm just concerned for the safety of the child.
[Michael Marks]: We need to — we need to — I'll be quick, Mr. President. I appreciate that. I'll be quick, Mr. President. But this is extremely frustrating, Mr. President. We have so many things going on in this city. And to revisit the same things over and over, like Groundhog Day — you wake up and it's the same thing, day after day after day, gets frustrating. And it's a wonder why we can't move this city forward, Mr. President, because we keep on revisiting the old issues over and over and over again. And the mayor can have as many dedications in the next two months that he wants, Mr. President, and ground breakings. But the issue is that residents are unable to get their answers resolved in a timely fashion, and they're unable to get results. And that's the answer that the mayor should be looking for, Mr. President. Thank you.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you, Councilor Marks. Chair recognizes Councilor Knight.
[Adam Knight]: Mr. President, I certainly can understand Councilor Mark's frustration, and I think that's why it's important that we work together with the administration, with the residents in the neighborhood, and we bring this issue to the table at the subcommittee. I think that if we have a group and subcommittee that's committed and willing to work on this issue, we have three members of the council that are appointed to the subcommittee. We should take ownership of the issue and get the answers to the questions that we need answered.
[Michael Marks]: Point of information, Mr. President.
[Fred Dello Russo]: The point of information for Councilor Marks.
[Michael Marks]: I don't know how much, with all due respect, I know you're new to the council, but I don't know how much more ownership we can take when we do a neighborhood walkthrough and residents are told that this is going to be done, this is going to be done, this is going to be done. And a year later, nothing is done. So I'm not sure about the fact that it's us that has to take control of this or responsibility. It's clear to me that the administration has been unable to impact or affect any of these changes. And that's the issue. And whether it's us meeting with them again, I already went through this three or four times. The neighbors went through it a dozen times. So, at what point are we going to say enough is enough? I think this has come to a head tonight. I really believe that. And I realize that maybe these issues are somewhat new to you, but they're not new to the rest of us that have been around some time.
[Adam Knight]: And that's the frustration. I certainly think that our job here is to solve problems. If there's a problem in the neighborhood, then it's incumbent upon us to take care of it. And we need to determine what course of action is best for this council in addressing the issue. Me, personally, I think bringing everybody to the table and sitting down and hashing out the issues that are of concern is the appropriate approach to take, Mr. President. I don't think that it's going to take do this and do it now. How about why isn't this happening? Is it a funding issue? What can we do to help? encourage the funding? What can we do to move some pieces around? Is there something that's going to need to come before the council for us to release money? Are we supportive of that? These are the questions that we need answered, Mr. President. Why isn't it happening? We can address that in subcommittee, and then we can come up with a course of action as to what we want to do to make it happen. But we have to solve the problem, Mr. President. The problem is presenting itself time and time again before this council from at least 2007, according to the Speaker. With that being said, it's still not resolved. So the course of action that we've been taking isn't working. So why don't we try something different? That's all I'm saying.
[Fred Dello Russo]: If I may also are in the transportation subcommittee chaired by council of Penta joined by Councilors, Mark and level current. Thank you. Councilor Knight. Ma'am, if you'd like to speak.
[Ann Fretts]: Yes.
[Fred Dello Russo]: The speaker would like to speak please.
[Robert Penta]: Point of information. Counsel Penta. You know, when we talk about taking ownership, the ownership of the matter has already been taken place. It's gone through a public meetings. It's gone through the walking with the chief of police. You have residents. They've discussed this. They've talked about it. They've been before this council. She's given you a litany, time, dates, and places of what's taken place. It's gone before the Traffic Commission. They've taken a vote, and it's gone. It's obvious that the city administration doesn't know what its departments are doing, what its boards and commissions are doing, because if he did, or she did, who's ever running that show over there, this wouldn't be a subject matter that's before us right now.
[Fred Dello Russo]: We don't need—wait a minute.
[Robert Penta]: Do you mind if I finish, Mr. President? The fact of the matter is this, you don't deserve to be here tonight because the problem should have been resolved, or you guys should have been spoken to and given a time, date, and a place. This is not a yesterday issue. This goes back for many, many months, if not years, as it relates to it. Mrs. Fritz and the folks that she lives with, they've spent hundreds of hours not only cleaning up the place, but trying to work with the city to make that particular spot workable, livable in that particular neighborhood. No, I don't think this is anything that belongs in the city council. I don't think, if I'm going to finish it, do you mind, Mr. President?
[Fred Dello Russo]: I don't think this belongs before the council in any subcommittee. This belongs, this belongs. The chair recognizes Ms. Fretz. I am not councillor. You've overextended a point of information.
[Ann Fretts]: Actually, I would have continued with what Mr. Pinto was saying because it is valid. If you'd like to continue, then Ms.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Fretz, thank you.
[Ann Fretts]: And I would like to throw out, has anyone asked why when the mayor was doing the ALS bucket brigade, he called my name out first and challenged me first. It's because I've been in front of him so many times addressing these issues. Since 2011, you were a participant in so many of the meetings, one-on-one, where we gathered everyone together. And it's just gone downhill since then. And I don't think any more meetings are going to help meeting with the mayor, meeting with, we conducted meetings with Stephanie Burke, with Lauren DiLorenzo, Mark Grumley, and I consulted with Mark Grumley a year ago when I was almost run over, going through the stop, the crosswalk, and a truck came flying through the access ramp. Is this something that we want to see continue? What's the city's liability if I get hit? since I now have a dog, if my dog gets run over in that area. We can't walk with a friend with a stroller, even single file, down either one of the sidewalks at any given point during the day. And it's not just Oasis. It's the lack of enforcement because they don't have the staff or the funds. It's the lack of parking because there are too many people parking. There are too many illegal apartments being thrown in. Mr. Bonsignori's place has had two bedrooms added. Did anyone know that? That's brought in four more cars. There's cars all over the place. They're encroaching on each other's lawns. They're encroaching in our lives. But they're all speeding. They're all flying down. I had the pictures up of the trailers. I have a collection of panels off the back of the trailer trucks, the flaps, that are left in our driveways, and the ones that are left in from cars going through. But I never come before the board without having a solution to the problems we're presenting. And what we would like is exactly what you said. Sorry, pointing my fingers here, Councilor Mark, and that was to have a detail officer patrolling the South Medford Square, including the Lake Yale Street lot, which no one goes through, not even Republic Parking. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, all day, and Yale Street, and take a look at what's going on and enforce things. Things will stop. The behaviors will stop. I shouldn't have to stand out there and ask people to please lower your voice. Turn your music down as you're driving through. It's great to be happy. The music's lovely. But please close your windows. You're awaking 200 people at 7 o'clock in the morning on a Sunday. We need to provide something for Oasis, and that's a designated loading space. That means moving the MBTA bus. That was discussed a year ago. Nothing has happened since then. We need to put a designated parking space for Bocelli's because they will eventually get into delivery of hot food. They can see across the street how much it's increased their business. May's needs a place to park their car. They're not going to be able to park it next to the jeweler's building anymore. And you need to park places for Oasis.
[Paul Camuso]: Chair recognizes Councilor Camuso. There's two motions. I think we've heard the complaints at this point. We want to get action. There's two different ways that people think would be the best possible way to go about doing this. One is through the subcommittee process where you can actually have the DPW commissioner in front of us and the city solicitor that can tell us if the bollards are legal. The building commissioner can be there as well. Because right now, I don't know if the spots next to the jewelers and next to Oasis are legal spots or illegal spots based upon zoning. And these are the questions that I'd like to know, because the traffic commission may have taken a vote on it. And I do see that, and I appreciate the minutes of the meeting. And they have taken an affirmative vote to put the ballads up. But are we going to get people that are property owners to come after the city now? because it's taken up a pocket spot that goes along with the building. These are the things I don't know. So my recommendation is to still send it to the transportation subcommittee. And, um, and, and I know there's another recommendation on the floor, but at this point I suggest we take a vote and whatever way it goes.
[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you. Counsel. Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, no one's worked out of these people than myself. I mean, I've, I've worked with these people since my first, almost my first week on the council. Um, I've helped, I helped craft the deal with, uh, Gilbane to get them the trees and everything down there. Um, I asked councilor Penta, you'll call your committee for next, next, next Tuesday, get every, get all the proper people in the room rather than do the questions back and forth back. What do it this week? Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, either by the end of the week or by next Tuesday's meeting, get everybody in the room, get everybody in the room and let's get, let's get the questions and answers done now. rather than ask, excuse me, just get everybody in the room now, as soon as Councilor Penta wants to call that, he's the chairman of that committee, and rather than even submit them, and we don't know where everything is, all the proper department heads will be there, we can ask the questions, get answers, and I think that's the best way to go about it, rather than send it to the mayor, it's gonna get lost on the mayor's desk once we send it over there.
[Fred Dello Russo]: The motion for approval by Councilor Knight is seconded by Councilor Camuso. Madam Vice President.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, President De La Ruzo. I look at it a little differently. I think we need to do both. I think we need to ask the administration, you know, why, if so, the Traffic Commission has voted in the affirmative for many of these things. What is the deal? We've discussed it. We've approved it. We've talked about it year after year. The Traffic Commission has approved it. I think we need to move forward and ask for a resolution immediately. Now, with regards to the additional public safety issues that have not been voted on, then yes, let's meet in committee, let's bring the parties together, and let's follow up and see what we can get done to make it even safer than it would be if these things have been implemented that have been voted on. So I think we should do both.
[Fred Dello Russo]: We have a motion to send it to committee, Councilor Camuso. We have a motion before us that's been seconded and amended to send it to committee. An easy solution for us is to have an additional amendment that also sends a paper to the mayor asking for swift response and an answer to why it hasn't been done.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: An implementation.
[Paul Camuso]: Does the chair have a motion?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: and move for the implementation of everything that's been voted on in the affirmative to be, to be done immediately.
[Fred Dello Russo]: As amended by Councilor Lungo-Koehn. On the motion for approval by Councilor Knight, seconded by Councilor Camuzo, as amended by Councilor Caraviello and Vice President Lungo-Koehn. There's a few. There's two people that would like to speak in.
[Ann Fretts]: I'd like just to close and then allow my compatriots to speak as well, but this is pretty straightforward. There's people driving on our sidewalks. We don't have a safe place to walk. Do you really want the responsibility of watching someone get hurt? Because no action was taken. It's been nine months since the actions were approved. Minimal activities were approved and not done.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Point of information, Councilor Camuso.
[Paul Camuso]: And over the past, I've been working with you over the past five or six years, I would say. I've only lived in Medford five years. So five years. And oftentimes I say, have you called the police?
[Ann Fretts]: Yes.
[Paul Camuso]: And when the police are notified of a specific situation, they do send someone. It may not be instantaneously based upon other stuff going on in the city, but they eventually do.
[Ann Fretts]: Sometimes they don't. And you have to understand that because I'm the one calling, because I'm the one that can see these things or have any experience. and vocal enough and assertive enough to speak up and say this isn't right, this isn't logical, this isn't what I expected, this isn't safe. This is public safety and they don't come or they blow me off the phone.
[Paul Camuso]: I can tell you right now it's not that. They may be tied up with other stuff, they eventually do come.
[Ann Fretts]: No, I've had conversations with the chief. I'm sorry to disagree with you, Mr. President.
[Paul Camuso]: If you have a truck parked on the sidewalk, and they don't come, then I expect you to call one of the members of this council, any of the seven sitting here, or the mayor's office. She has. And I can assure you. I have. Well, I can assure you. I call him. If he didn't get a hold of someone to get down there, shame on him.
[Richard Caraviello]: And I've called the chief of the police department and had someone go down there.
[Paul Camuso]: Yeah, the police department has someone go down there. No. They haven't when you called? No.
[Richard Caraviello]: They have, but they may not be in the same frame.
[Paul Camuso]: This is an enforcement issue. If this was going on on my sidewalk, I'd call the police, or anybody else in this city would call the police, and they would be down.
[Ann Fretts]: I'm sorry. I was standing next to a car that was parked on the sidewalk, leaving eight inches of space for us to walk.
[Paul Camuso]: And that's a problem. We're acknowledging that.
[Ann Fretts]: And the police came. They spoke to the driver. That was it. And that's the Mr. Knight. I sent you the information on that driver. Thank you. Appreciate your time. I appreciate it.
[Unidentified]: Anita D'Antonio, 14 Yale Street.
[Anita Dantonio]: Medford. It was a year ago we took the walk. The issue to me is, you know, in terms of these issues, there are three things. We want to prevent cars from parking against the building on Yale Street, which presents a hazard. We want to prevent cars and trucks from parking against the building on Harvard Street, which presents a safety hazard. and we want to get some loading zone for the businesses, and we suggested moving the bus stop. Well, we got the two. The council resolved to have the curb restored on Yale Street and the bollards or some form of obstruction put on Harvard Street. That was resolved. The council voted on it. I believe it was unanimous. It went to the Traffic Commission. We went to the Traffic Commission hearing. It was approved. Both things were approved. Now we're here. They should have been done at least, if not, it should have been within the year. We didn't ask them to be done within a week or two weeks, but we're going on almost a year since we started discussing the problem and since January when it was approved by the Traffic Commission. So it would be lovely to have subcommittee upon a subcommittee upon a subcommittee, but we're going It's a merry-go-round. Round and round and round we go, and we go nowhere. All we want to know is, when are you putting the curb back? When are you going to put the bollards in? And let's move on and get the bus stop moved, if we can do that, and get the business as a loading zone. Then we can have a big party at a subcommittee and discuss all the other safety issues in South Medford. And I'm sure, as with the rest of the city, there are plenty of issues that need to be addressed that haven't been addressed for many years, and this has been going on for many years. It's not a joke when people have to decide whether to go out into the street or try and traverse the sidewalk and avoid cars that may be backing out from against a building. I mean, last winter was horrendous. We are now approaching another winter. Let's get this done before the winter arrives. That's all we're asking. Then we'll move on and discuss the other issues. But really, to bring it to another committee and delay it a few more days and have another meeting and go here. We've already been approved. It's already been approved. Why are we waiting?
[Adam Knight]: Mr. President, I think that there's a certain, I don't know why everyone's so scared of subcommittee. I don't know why it's such a scary place. Ultimately, a year ago, certain people came before this body. They asked for something. We responded to those individual citizens that came here. We passed a resolution. We sent that resolution to the Traffic Commission. That resolution went through the Traffic Commission. Everybody behind this rail wants to solve this problem. I think we're just having a disagreement as to what the best way to get it done is. Me, personally, I think the best way to get it done is to have the subcommittee meet bimonthly until the issues get taken place. And when issues arise up like this, let's say, why isn't this done yet? Bring them in. Why isn't this done yet? Bring them in. If there's a need not to meet in one month or in two months, that's okay. But let's keep this thing rolling, Mr. President. It's very easy to take a piece of paper and send it across the hall and wait for it to get a response back. We got a response back. It said it was going to be done 10 days into July. It's not done. So it's not throwing it into a black hole, which is a subcommittee. It's put into a subcommittee so that we can work on the issue, and we can keep it alive, and we can breathe life into the situation, and we can come up with a resolution for the people that are in this neighborhood, Mr. President, so that not just Ann Fretz and Ms. D'Antonio and Mr. D'Antonio and your sister can come up and talk about some of these issues, which you guys have, when there are other people in the neighborhood, too, that might be able to come to a subcommittee meeting once in a while and hear some of these issues that come up, as they're called. I'm not saying we need bimonthly subcommittee meetings on the Yale Street lot, Mr. President. What I'm saying is we have a resolution before us. We requested action. The Traffic Commission approved the action. The action hasn't taken place. Why isn't our subcommittee meeting to get the answers to the questions we need answered and to push for implementation on a basis that's quicker than every nine months? And I think that this would work out better, because we'd be meeting more frequently. We'd keep it on the front burner. It wouldn't get buried in a pile of paperwork somewhere. So when I hear that, you know, put it in another subcommittee and nothing's going to happen, the subcommittee is only as effective as the belief that you put in it and the willingness to work that you're willing to put into it, Mr. President.
[SPEAKER_06]: Thank you, Councilor Knight.
[Adam Knight]: I'll rest with that.
[Anita Dantonio]: May I just respond? It's difficult enough to get people to attend a city council meeting, let alone a traffic commission hearing at 2 PM in the afternoon when people are working, then to ask people to come and appear before a subcommittee hearing. I mean, this has been resolved as far, you know, as far as we are concerned, we have a resolution. We have a resolution. We are now waiting for the action to take place. So we don't have to revisit this particular problem. This is a very discreet problem. We've presented it to you. And the other issues, perhaps, would be great for subcommittee on safety or whatever. But right now, these are the very discreet issues, the restoration of the curb, the installation of the bollards. That's it. When? That's it. Thank you.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you, Anita. We have a motion for approval. The chair recognizes the gentleman, citizen, to speak. Please state your name and address for the record. Welcome.
[Michael Ruggiero]: Thank you. My name is Michael Ruggiero. I live on 18 Pembroke Street. The issue of broken roads is endemic throughout Medford. Every single road that I have walked down in this city has serious problems. From Evans Street, which hasn't been repaved in any of the neighbors' memories,
[Fred Dello Russo]: We're speaking about Yale Street, so.
[Michael Ruggiero]: Yes, I understand. But the issue of this idea that the committee, oh, if we just bring it to the committee, this issue will be solved, is, at this point, I think we can see that's a failed thought. It has failed throughout the entire city.
[SPEAKER_06]: Point of information, Councilman Knight. Can the gentleman tell us when the last time the subcommittee met on this very issue and whether or not there are any results that came out of it?
[Michael Ruggiero]: I believe the gentlewoman who just spoke on the issue can clarify that issue. The issue, beyond that.
[Adam Knight]: It hasn't met, Mr. President, is the answer.
[Michael Ruggiero]: On the issue with the balls in front of Oasis or the pavement signs that we just go through this?
[SPEAKER_06]: No, our subcommittee on transportation has not met once.
[Michael Ruggiero]: So beyond this idea that if we just have a committee.
[SPEAKER_06]: Point of information, Councilor Camuso.
[Paul Camuso]: There's also a request to move a bus stop. Councilor Penta chairs the subcommittee on transportation. There's several items in there that the meeting hasn't been called. So this is, a lot more has to be done. The bus stop moving has to be done at that level as well. That's our, we said it a few weeks ago about moving the bus stops in Medford Square. That falls under the city council's domain. So if nothing else, we should have the subcommittee. Vote on it right now.
[Michael Ruggiero]: If it falls under the city council's domain, do it. Just do it.
[Paul Camuso]: You don't have to send in some mystery committee. Sir, don't interrupt the council, please. So as I said, the chairperson should call a meeting to discuss some of these other issues that are present in itself.
[Fred Dello Russo]: If we have a motion for approval on the floor, if we could just tidy things up.
[Michael Ruggiero]: I've spoken for hardly a minute, sir. Thank you. The issue, as the city council can remember, we had something like 30 residents from all over Medford talk about this very issue of rotting roads right near their house. If the city had someone who was directly responsible for these issues, like a transportation engineer, then we wouldn't have to continually play this game of hot potato. Thank you. Thank you very much.
[D'Antonio]: I promise I'll be sharp. At least Antonio 41 Dartmouth street. I can't understand why any member of the council would be more concerned with a subcommittee meeting when they are thinking about the health, the wellbeing and the safety of people. And I would think the most important thing to do would be to unanimously approve.
[Richard Caraviello]: Point of information. Councilor Caraviello. What we're trying to do is we're trying to get everybody into the same room at the same time.
[D'Antonio]: But that already happened.
[Richard Caraviello]: So why does it need to happen again? We've never done that.
[D'Antonio]: I've been to every meeting that we've had down in South Medford.
[Richard Caraviello]: And everything's been approved. Let's get everybody into the same room.
[D'Antonio]: Yeah, but that's a wonderful idea for future problems. But there are two things that need to be done. It's been voted on.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Let's direct our remarks to the Chair.
[D'Antonio]: All right. Excuse me, Councilor. Thank you.
[Fred Dello Russo]: I apologize.
[D'Antonio]: President Dello Russo, I don't understand why there is the delay. Since it was already gone through the correct process, it's incredible because There must be a different agenda in some people's minds other than representing and providing for the safety of the citizens of Medford. Subcommittees can go on and on, just like people that come to the podium like myself and go on and on. That's a wonderful idea, Councilor Knight, for future, not just for South Medford, but for West Medford, for the Fellsway, for Salem Street, wherever. But those two things have gone through the correct process. What is the big deal?
[Fred Dello Russo]: Precisely. Thank you. And thank you all. We have a motion for approval before us. The chair recognizes on that motion, Chair recognizes Councilor Penta, Chairman of the Subcommittee of Transportation.
[Robert Penta]: Mr. President, I'd like to move to sever the motions. And the reason why I'd like to sever them is I would like to take that for which has already been voted and approved upon by the Traffic Commission, which would be the curb cut, the paulets, and the sidewalks as a separate issue and vote that go to the mayor for an immediate response and resolve, an immediate response and resolve in a time that it's going to be resolved. And all the other issues regarding the South Medford area that are ancillary to that, I've got no problem um, supporting that and a subcommittee meeting. But, um, as far as anything else goes that, Oh, okay.
[Fred Dello Russo]: I read, I'm sorry.
[Robert Penta]: So we have seven.
[Fred Dello Russo]: So on the main motion by council night, uh, seconded by, uh, councilor Camuso as amended by councilor Caraviello on that motion councilor.
[Paul Camuso]: The role is called. I would ask respectfully that chairperson Penta holds a subcommittee meeting to discuss the bus stop and the rest of the papers that have been lingering in that transportation subcommittee for some time, uh, fought with so that we can take up the stuff that actually has the domain here at the city council.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Very good. So that would be a C paper on the main motion by Councilor Knight. All those in favor with severance. So the seventh motion comes first. My apologies. So on the seventh portion that the, uh, the, previously approved matters from the traffic commission that were forwarded for execution to the executive that those be reported back to the council for a report as to when they are going to be completed and that immediate action be taken on the remaining matters. On that motion, all those in favor, All those opposed? The C paper passes. On the main motion by Councilor Knight, seconded by Councilor Camuso, as amended by Councilor Garaviello, all those in favor? All those opposed? The motion passes. Thank you all very much for your, the C paper is what?
[Paul Camuso]: That the chairman holds a meeting. He's stuck lingering in there for a long time.
[Fred Dello Russo]: That the chairman, I think that was part of the. I have a motion, Mr. President.
[Michael Marks]: Point of information, Councilor Marks. I'm not sure what stuff the Councilor is talking about. Maybe if he can clarify what he means by stuff. Well, I think on the main motion was a request... The ballad issue is not lingering in any subcommittee. So, I'm not quite sure what he's talking about.
[Fred Dello Russo]: So, Councilor, if I could clarify that in the main motion, in the main motion there was a call for They're not lingering before any subcommittee. The main motion was a call for a subcommittee meeting. So the subcommittee meetings will be called. So there's no need for a seat paper.
[Michael Marks]: We'll wait for the president to call for that meeting.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Right, there's nothing lingering in that. There was a call in the main motion for the subcommittee meeting. So the matter is all settled. We hope. Thank you all for coming down. Thank you for all your input and all of your help. Motion for suspension of the rules by Councilor Knight.
[Adam Knight]: Motion to take unfinished business off the table relative to the DPW contract, Mr. President.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On the motion of Councilor Knight to take paper out of order for settling the contract. All those in favor? All those opposed? The motion carries. 15-693, amendments to chapters 63, personnel, public works revised, and 15-694, transfers $71,126 to Public Works and Building Services personnel. The Chair recognizes at the podium Louise Miller, the Director of Budget, Finance, Personnel, Purchasing, et cetera. Thank you very much. And local magistrate.
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: Pardon me?
[Fred Dello Russo]: And local magistrate.
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: Well, that's not going to be taking place. Well, thank you. Yes, you have before you two papers to change the ordinances to reflect the new pay scale for DPW workers, which also includes the two employees in the electrical department. And in addition to that, you have a paper before you to transfer the funds.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On the motion. Councilor Penter asked that an explanation of the process be presented to the council.
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: An explanation, I'm sorry, of the?
[Fred Dello Russo]: The contract.
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: Of the contract. So what we're asking is an amendment to the ordinances for the compensation plan for the Department of Public Works employees, which includes public work employees as well as two electrical department employees. It includes more positions than that, which are set forth in the paper. The raises would be the first raise would be effective January 1 2016 and would be a 2% raise effective January 1 2017 would be a 2% raise for each step as well and effective January 1 2018 it would be two and a half percent of each step for each of the grades and
[Robert Penta]: Louise, real quick.
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: Yes.
[Robert Penta]: Starting January 1st to December 31st, 2016, it's 2%.
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: Yes.
[Robert Penta]: And January 1st to December 31st, 2017, it's 2%. And January 1st, 2018, it's 2.5%. That's correct. OK. Now, you said this was for the Department of Public Works and two employees, did you say, of the electrical department?
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: Yes, two employees currently in the electrical department. It's for positions that are grade PW3 through PW21, which are public works job descriptions, and then B2, B4, and B4.5, which are in the electrical department.
[Robert Penta]: That's a total of many employees altogether that this package encompasses.
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: I believe the grand total is 44 employees. 46 plus 2, sorry.
[Robert Penta]: And is that the total complement of employees that we have or is that that's all that showed up for the vote on that day?
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: Oh no, the number of employees who showed up for the vote on that day were 34 employees.
[Robert Penta]: Yes.
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: Okay.
[Robert Penta]: Move approval.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Motion for approval by Councilor Penta as seconded by Councilor Camuso. And we have a motion to waive the three readings as well. So on that motion, Mr. Clerk, please call the roll as this is a contractual matter.
[Clerk]: Councilor Camuso? Yes. Councilor Cavanaugh? Yes. Councilor Knight? Yes. Vice President Lanaquer? Yes. Councilor Matz? Yes. Councilor Penta?
[Fred Dello Russo]: Yes. President Dello Russo. Yes. With the vote of seven in the affirmative, non-negative and three in the waived, the motion passes. Congratulations. Thank you. 15-694, transfers of $71,126 from public works and building services personnel. Ms. Miller.
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: So this paper is to actually provide for the funding for the raises for the public works employee and the building department. So it requires a transfer from a negotiated salaries account, which was money that was set aside by this council for this very purpose. And it's a transfer of $43,441 from that account, and then a transfer of $16,182 from water retained earnings to cover the water department employees, and $11,503 from sewer retained earnings for the employees who are currently working in the sewer enterprise fund.
[Robert Penta]: Mr. President? So, Louise, what is the actual increase in cost with this pay raise? To transfer all these monies over, what does that come to in an actual increase in cost for the year?
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: I actually didn't total it out for all the departments, but I do believe it was on One of the papers that was before you. So it was 43,441 plus 16,182 plus 11,503. And that includes everything. It included all budgeted out-of-grade pay, all budgeted overtime pay, and the snow and ice as well.
[Robert Penta]: So that's approximately $71,000 of thereabouts. Now, is that $71,000 in this year's budget? Or is that something that's going to have to be found to add the $71,000, because what you did Did you transfer the money?
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: We are transferring just the $43,000, because the water and sewer are separate funds. So those will have to be incorporated into the water and sewer rates, which I believe are being revised currently. And then as far as the $43,441, that is 2% is well within the revenue growth of the city. So at this time, I do not have any concern with meeting this appropriation next year.
[Robert Penta]: So the negotiated salary portion that's in the budget was how much for the year total?
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: No, no, no.
[Robert Penta]: What was voted upon by the council when they voted for the negotiated salaries?
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: Oh, I don't have that number in front of me. I apologize.
[Robert Penta]: But this $43,000 would come from that account?
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: Yes, it would.
[Robert Penta]: And you don't know what the, could you just, you don't have to do it now. Could you just, Tell us what the dollar amount is and what the balance is now that you've taken the $43,000 out. Just report back.
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: OK. I could do that.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Point of information, Councilor Camuso.
[Paul Camuso]: Yes. If you refer to our budget on page 13, we funded the negotiated salaries account, which was line item 5110, for $265,000. That's a number that we all should know.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you for that point of information.
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: Thank you.
[Fred Dello Russo]: I don't know. Chair awaits a motion of approval. Councilor Knight for approval. Seconded by Councilor Camuso. Councilor Caraviello seconded. All those, we need a roll call on this please. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Yes.
[Robert Penta]: Yes, vote is seven in the affirmative. None in the negative. Motion carries. One quick question before you leave. Yes. The bids came in. When are we going to have that ceiling fixed? Can we answer the question, please?
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: The bids didn't come in. The report was forwarded to me last week, which I have reviewed. Paul Moki, as well, has a copy of it. And we are going to be meeting with the mayor regarding the course of action to be taken.
[Robert Penta]: And how much did the bids come in for?
[X_nYXZZ4ChY_SPEAKER_04]: For just this portion was under $50,000 for the council. How much? Under $50,000 for the council chambers, but we looked, that was an estimate by the architect. We would still have to go out to bid, but we were looking at the entire project. There's other work that needs to be done around city hall and that totaled over $1.5 million approximately.
[Robert Penta]: Okay.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Motion for a council on night to take suspension of the rules to take a 15 dash 7-0-3. All those in favor? All those opposed? 15-7-0-3. To the Honorable President and members of the Medford City Council, City Hall, Medford Mass, dear Mr. President and Councilors, I respectfully request and recommend that your Honorable Body confirm the reappointment of Mr. Alan K. Moderana of 25 Blakely Road, Medford as a member of the Medford License Commission for a three-year reappointment which will expire on June 1st, 2018. Mr. Moderana is in attendance this evening, very truly yours, Michael J. McGlynn, who we've all received in our packets last week, as is our new custom, a copy of the curriculum vitae. Motion for approval. Motion for approval by Councilor Camuso. On the motion. Chair may recognize Councilor Marks.
[Michael Marks]: Thank you, Mr. President. Alan was kind enough to come up tonight, and I was wondering if he can come to the podium, Mr. President.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Chair invites Mr. Materano to present himself before the podium.
[Michael Marks]: Mr. President, where I was kind enough to come to us tonight, I was wondering if he can just speak on his experience as a commissioner. And if there's any thoughts that you have, uh, that you'd like to share with the council.
[SPEAKER_16]: Um, thank you. Uh, Councilor Marks. Um, first of all, I can't believe it's been three years, um, that have been on the commission. I've learned a great deal from Chairman Jim Flynn and my other associate, Maurice Delvando. We, in the three years, we have seen a number of instances for licenses. We've also implemented, I don't know if the council remembers, we've instituted a pilot program where we would have restaurants come before us or looking for entertainment licenses. That, we call it a pilot program and we decided to let that run for a year so we could see all seasons rather than holding it to three months or six months and making a decision. The year has passed. It is on the table. We need to discuss whether this is something The city truly needs a body overlooking or issuing licenses for entertainment. So this is something that Jim, who's the chair, will look at. But again, I do thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak.
[Michael Marks]: Mr. President, just if I could. Allen, I've known for a number of years. He's very active in our community. As you can see, a very qualified person. And at this point, I would move approval, Mr. President.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On the motion of approval by Councilor Musil is seconded by Councilor Marks.
[Adam Knight]: Chair recognizes Councilor Knight. Mr. President, we can move for approval. I don't think there's any need for us to go tell Mr. Maturana how wonderful he is. He already knows. I'd be happy to support him this evening. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to do the same. He does a great job. Fair, impartial, qualified, committed. He rounds out a great board, probably one of the best boards that we have here in the city, Mr. President, so I move for approval.
[Robert Penta]: Very good. Councilor Fenton, did you have something? Likewise. Alan, quick question. This is your first time serving on the board?
[SPEAKER_16]: Yes, my first three years, yes.
[Robert Penta]: The only thing that it doesn't say in here, it says it expires on June 1st, 2018. Did your last term expire on June 1st of this year?
[SPEAKER_16]: No, I think it was May to May, so we're a little behind.
[Robert Penta]: Oh, okay. And just for the purposes of edification, do you notify the board, the city or does the city notify you about for reappointments?
[SPEAKER_16]: The city notified me. This was my first time being reappointed.
[Robert Penta]: So how did you get notified to be reappointed?
[SPEAKER_16]: Uh, the city notified me through email.
[Robert Penta]: Yes. Through an email.
[SPEAKER_16]: Yes.
[Robert Penta]: Okay. Other than that, I think you're doing a great job and the board's doing a good job as well. Thank you.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you. Motion for approval. All those in favor. All those opposed. Congratulations. Thank you. Approved. Thank you. I'll motion the Council of Knight to revert back to the regular order of business. And we have exhausted our regular business. No, we haven't. We invite petitions, presentations, and similar matters. 15-702. Petition by John Veneziano, 65 Crocker Road, Medford, to announce to the citizens the Medford Chamber of Commerce is hosting the great debate On Thursday, October 15, 2015, at Chevalier Auditorium, doors will open at 6 p.m.
[UdTpFX1NL7M_SPEAKER_04]: Thank you, John Veneziano, 65 Crocker Road, Medford. You know, for many years I've heard the passion of this city, and now there's a great opportunity to express that passion at the polls. So I'm very fortunate, and we all should be, that the Medford Chamber of Commerce has allowed the Government Affairs Committee, which I chair with Don Kamara, to have a great debate this Thursday. The doors will open at 6 o'clock to get everybody in their seats so the debate can begin and the introductions can begin at 7 o'clock promptly. The goal also is to televise this on your local government channel being cable I believe 22 and Verizon is I think it's 43 or 45. For those folks that cannot make it that evening because of children or for sickness or the elderly, But for those of you that can make it, and those of the people that are watching, it would be great to get you into Chevalier Auditorium, not only to show your support for the candidates who are putting their hard-earned money and time in to do what they feel is necessary to keep the city moving forward, and also to get in to see Chevalier, a great opportunity, a great auditorium that we have in the city that is the sixth largest in the state. So we're trying to accomplish two goals at once. So again, 6 o'clock, the door's open. At 7 o'clock, the program begins. And the goal is to have it all finished by 9.30 and give everyone a half hour to go home or go to the restaurant. So I appreciate the time.
[Fred Dello Russo]: John, thank you very much.
[UdTpFX1NL7M_SPEAKER_04]: Thank you.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you very much. Thank you for coming down. We just want to be careful, folks, that we're not delventerious. We shouldn't.
[Michael Marks]: Oh, I just, I just, if you can clarify, John, and I appreciate your participation with this. I've had a lot of people ask about if it's going to be televised life. And I know you just mentioned that it may be picked up.
[UdTpFX1NL7M_SPEAKER_04]: It is it right now. We are scheduled to go live on John Coster and a group have done a great job and making this happen. But you know what happens with live TV and all the other things that's going to take to get it shown from, from here to Chevalier. So, I don't want people to be disappointed, but yes, it is scheduled to go live and also it will be taped so it can be rerun for those that miss it that evening.
[Michael Marks]: And on the government channel?
[John Costas]: That is correct. It will be on the government channel, both Comcast and Verizon. However, we're still going to have it webcast live. So right now we're webcasting on a couple of links. One of them is going to be on YouTube. So the way we're working it out is go to the Chamber of Commerce website. And there will be two links, a general link and a backup link. So if you did want to watch it on your tablet, your computer, or something, or something should happen to the feed, because we're getting it over here via a live web stream to here, converting it here to send it out the government channel. So Method of Commerce website, and there will be a link that will take you right to the place you can watch it. Thanks. Thank you all very much. Thank you. Thank you. Councilor?
[Paul Camuso]: Yes, I'd just like to thank Mr. Veneziano, as well as the chamber. And also, if we could send a acknowledgment and a congratulations to Margaret Weigel, who was just appointed by the mayor to a three-year term on the Chevalier Auditorium Commission.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Congratulations.
[Paul Camuso]: If we could make that as a motion, please.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you. So on that motion of Councilor Camuso. Hi, welcome.
[Robert Cappucci]: Please state your name and address for the record. Robert Capucci, 71 Evans Street. Thank you, Mr. President. Just while we have the folks here for the benefit of those who are here in the audience tonight and those folks who are watching home, I have a question in terms of seating. Is the Chevalier going to be opened up fully or is the number of audience members going to be limited? Thank you, Mr. President.
[UdTpFX1NL7M_SPEAKER_04]: I hope I have standing room only. Okay. But yes, we're going to fill the theater from the front to the back. And if we had to open up the balcony, that would be a great issue. So again, yes, the whole theater is open.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you. Chair recognizes Madam Vice President Lungo-Koehn.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, President de la Rousseau. The debate is obviously Thursday, and there's also people tonight. Mr. Vizina, I'm sorry, I just chopped your name. Mr. Veneziano, there's people at your store making signs to get out and vote. And they asked me, I said, oh, I think that's a great idea. I wish I could be there, but we have a council meeting. And they said just to publicize it, that make sure people get out and vote on November 3rd. And to also ask the city, you know, maybe we can ask through the clerk what the city is going to do to publicize the election. That's a complaint I got for the primary. People didn't even know that it was, you know, day to vote. We're going to obviously do the reverse 9-1-1, but is there any other, we're going to notify the papers, is it going to be in the paper? How are we going to publicize the election?
[Clerk]: The papers? Yeah, online. So we're on our third robo call, I think, already. Just went out today.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: The Medford Community Coalition's working hard to get the people are to vote to, so I wanted to make that public.
[Adam Knight]: Mr. President, on that note, if the clerk would be so kind as to tell us when the last day to register to vote in the municipal election is. Over, correct? Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Close of business tomorrow? Close of business tomorrow. 3 o'clock. 3 o'clock. 3 o'clock tomorrow.
[Fred Dello Russo]: Thank you very much. So on the motion by Councilor Camuso, all those in favor? And we'll take matters under suspension. And in the hands of the clerk, under suspension, 15-704 offered by Councilor Caraviello. Be it resolved that the Medford City Council have the Mayor and Office of Community Development contact the management of CVS in regards to its High Street property being put on the market for sale. Councilor Caraviello.
[Richard Caraviello]: Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, what I've been told that the CVS property on High Street is being marketed for sale. And I think for that store to close would be a major devastation to Medford Square, especially in that part. I request that the mayor and the OCD office get in touch with CVS to see what their plans are on that property and maybe work with them to, if possible, keep the store open. I mean, I know it's a busy store. The seniors all depend on that store. And I'd say that would be a major, major hit to have that close up. Thank you, Mr. President.
[Fred Dello Russo]: On the motion of Councilor Caraviello, Mr. Veniziano.
[UdTpFX1NL7M_SPEAKER_04]: I'm Veniziano, 65 Crock Road, Medford. I brought this attention to the Medford Chamber of Commerce for business reasons. I got a call in my office from a downtown Boston broker asking me what I thought the highest and best use for 15,000 square feet on High Street would be. When I asked him to identify the property, he wouldn't do so. So through deduction of questions, it turned out to be CVS, because I looked at my computer and saw that it appeared that it just sold on September 15 for $2.5 million. What I can't figure out is if it's a Berkshire Hathaway Capital Investment Group who packaged a bunch of properties, or CVS bought it themselves. The concern I have is the questions I was asked of what I thought highest and best for the area for that store would be. And I asked the gentleman over the phone that if he has that listing of property to do something with, that he should take a trip to Medford, take a look at what's around, and then speak with the Medford Chamber and the council, and try to get an idea what the highest and best use would be for that corner. They try to speculate maybe a supermarket, another pharmacy, You know, we — you know, there was mention, you know, we could go there. How about a trade at Joe's? I don't know. I mean, you got traffic issues as well. But I think it's a concern. I tried to call CVS corporate office today, real estate division, and I left a message. But if you find it imperative, I think that you should get very involved and see what's going to happen with that, Conor. Thank you.
[Adam Knight]: Mr. President. I think that this is a great resolution, and I thank Councilor Caraviello for bringing it forward. I think that it's important for us to also find out that if we're going to be talking about best and highest use, we have a discussion about the arts in our community and the effect that they have on our downtowns and revitalizing them. If, in fact, CVS is gone and it's going to be an impact to our neighborhood, we might be able to replace that impact with something that's going to revitalize our square. So I'd ask that a home for the arts would be part of the discussion, Mr. President, moving forward.
[Fred Dello Russo]: As amended by Councilor Knight, all those in favor? All those opposed? Motion carries. Offered by Councilor Marks, be it resolved that a moment of silence be held for longtime Medford resident Angelo Serboni on his recent passing. Angelo was a founding member of the Boston Association of the Carabinieri, which is an elite military police force in Italy. Serboni is the father of Phyllis, who works in our Department of Public Works office. If you would all join me in a moment of silence, please. Chair recognizes Councilor Camuso.
[Paul Camuso]: Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to announce This Sunday, October 18th, 2015 at 2 p.m., there's going to be the groundbreaking in the coalition AFTA that's going to feature entertainment, and it's going to be a somber day in memory of Crystal Campbell, but it's also going to be a great day. It's the beginning of keeping her memory alive forever in our community. The mayor has worked very, very hard to get us to the point we're at. in collaboration with the Medford City Council, where there were several votes last year that were before us to move the project forward. And it's just going to be a real nice day to keep Crystal Campbell, Lingzi Liu, Officer Collier, and Martin Richard, to keep their memories alive. So I want to just announce it's Sunday at 2 PM, right here at the corner of Riverside Ave and Ring Road. And everyone is invited. I hear the Givino sisters are going to sing. Yes, they are. And they were beautiful the other day at Mr. Scarpelli's funeral up at St. Francis Church. And the Giovino sisters, they always nail it. Voce Angelorum.
[Adam Knight]: Chair recognizes Councilman. Mr. President, in the spirit of making some announcements, Saturday the 17th, At 7.45 AM at the Medford Elks, Team Timothy Brennan is going to be stepping out to fight diabetes. And as we all know, Timmy was one of our firefighters here in the city of Medford and we lost him just several months ago. So I'd like to announce that if anybody's interested in participating in the walk, to give a call down to the Elks Member Lounge and they'll be happy to sign you up. Be there sharp. 745, and they'll be hitting the road at 9 o'clock. And about 12, 31 o'clock, everybody will be back there to celebrate Timmy's life. So Mr. President, with that being said, I'd like to thank you for indulging me.
[SPEAKER_06]: Thank you, Counsel.
[Robert Penta]: Madam Vice President.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, President Dello Russo. I just wanted to bring up an issue that we've talked about many times in the past with regards to the planes flying too low. I've received, I don't know if any other council has received complaints, but three or four complaints over the weekend in the Salem Street area. So I know we did ask the mayor if he appointed anybody to the board. I believe our one position that we have has been vacant. I know that a couple of councilors tried to reach out to the old board member. She no longer sits on the board. So if we could send that to the mayor's office again with regards to the planes.
[Fred Dello Russo]: So moved on to suspension by Vice President Lungo-Koehn that the mayor appoint someone to the advisory board to Logan Airport in Massport. And furthermore, that he report back to the council on his progress in that matter. Thank you, Madam Vice President.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yeah, I think it's creating a disruption of the quiet enjoyment of the Salem Street neighborhood as of lately. I know it was Gaston Street for a while there. I know my neighborhood got hit. It wakes you up from a dead sleep. And to go to neighborhood to neighborhood, it's just unfortunate and something that we need to really look into, which would be much help to have somebody that we can talk to from the board. So hopefully the new mayor or the current mayor will appoint somebody so that we can get some headway on that.
[Robert Penta]: Also, Mr. President, I believe we received inquiries from some citizens as it relates to cats in the city of Medford. And since we have a dog officer, is it possible that we can get a report back either from him or for the board of public health? If there are any type of audiences that reflect upon responsibility of cats, if in fact they leave their domestic homes and who they're, you know, the people out there to take care of them. And also, could we get a report back on just where are we on the dog park? Because we really haven't heard anything as to where we're going. This has just been months hanging around.
[Fred Dello Russo]: At the administration, we pulled back to the council vis-a-vis efforts by the animal control officer in dealing with cats and- For- Yeah, where are we with the dog park? On that motion, all those in favor? Aye. Opposed? So moved. Records handed to September 6th, October 6th, handed to the Vice President. Madam Vice President, how did you find those records? I find them in order and I move approval. On the motion for approval by Vice President Legold-Kern, all those in favor? All those opposed? The records are approved. Motion to adjourn by Councilor Knight. All those in favor? All those opposed? Meeting adjourned. Thank you.
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