Minutes
Town Council · from the Town's website · 5 pages · 154 KB
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TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF MARCH 15, 2022 President Letterie calls meeting to order at 6:00 PM and gives Zoom information ROLL CALL Present: Councilor Honan, Councilor Fucillo, Councilor Munson, Councilor Belcher, Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Aiello, Vice President Ruggiero, President Letterie PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Vice President Ruggiero MINUTES Motion by Councilor Honan to accept Minutes of February 15. 2022, as circulated 2 nd by Councilor Fucillo Roll Call Vote: Approve: Councilor Honan, Councilor Fucillo, Councilor Munson, Councilor Belcher, Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Aiello, Vice President Ruggiero, President Letterie Motion Passes GENERAL INFORMATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Interim Town Manager introduces this presentation. Mark Abrams and Ryan Trahan present our Water Study from the Abrams Group. Please see out website For the entire presentation, if anyone would like a copy, please contact the Town Clerks Office Councilor Munson asks about monitors that have to be installed and where leaks are coming from? DPW Director answers that all that are identified are fixed as soon as possible, it is impossible to capture all immediately. There are monitors left to be installed and due to staff shortage the DPW again is doing the best they can. Councilor Aiello is it safe to assume understanding that peoples real experience will not be an average, some meters performing better than others…certain people that are experiencing real spikes, others not. Ryan Trahan replies it the nature of what it is, meters can test differently and spike if there is a leak in home. Close to $60,000,000 to fix all water problems….sense is that there is a 5 year plan and an economic change. Councilor Ruggiero asks when meters are tested are they tested to be accurate and how many times a year are they tested? Ryan Trahan answers that they are done as frequently as MWRA permits. PUBLIC COMMENT Jack Dowd P3-If water pressure reduced, does this affect the quality of the water? MWRA refers to Water Quality Update 8/2020…. Kurt Millar P2-Great better transparency with water study, but feels there is some confusion of separate billing and thought the auditor would be supplying this information, also questions dated meter consumption and was looking at different Enterprise funds, especially the Rink and he could not find a line item. Shannon Poulos would like to hear from our MWRA representative and what has been done to lower some of the fixed costs and if any opportunities to explore additional mitigation. Councilor Honan has a parliamentary inquiry, asks what the procedure is to add an agenda item to the council? Council President answers that agenda items should be sent to the Town Council President no later than the Thursday morning before Tuesday’s meeting and the Town Council President elects to put on agenda or not put on. Councilor Honan states she submitted a non-binding resolution and it was not put on the agenda, and asks if the Town Council President has the sole discretion of what goes on the agenda? Town Council President answers Yes…. Councilor Honan would like to appeal the judgment of the chair regarding the submission of her resolution Councilor President Notes this appeal TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 15, 2022 PAGE 1 CORRESPONDENCE None COMMITTEE REPORTS Public Health & Safety Councilor Flockhart discusses the issue of an additional access road to the Gorman Fort Banks School….please refer to minutes on webpage Finance Committee Councilor Fucillo reports on the meeting and two items on the agenda, both came out of the committee with positive recommendations Town Manager Search Committee Council President reports they did an incredible job and had over 15 hrs. of interviews and discussions. They have 3 finalists that are being reviewed and he is expecting to receive names. He will be asking later in this meeting that during the Town Council training session on March 22, 2022, that a Special Town Council Meeting be scheduled prior to the training. His goal was to have new Town Manager by June. Reports on the construction of the Tennis Courts and the first home match is April 11, 2022 and he would like to do a rededication to the Wallace B. McClean Tennis Courts TOWN MANAGER REPORT Interim Town Manager reports that due to a request from the Town Council president that an emergency blue light is warranted for Delby’s Corner and will be reviewed and done by the DPW director, also the waterway access stairs conditions have been prioritized and will be reviewed for repair by the DPW Director. Met with Mayor of Quincy over Zoom and have come to an agreement that what is owed from last year, $162,000. Quincy has agreed to pay $120,000 due to the ferry being out of commission on certain dates. This amount is lower than what we needed and does not really help the ferry budget. Interim Town Manager, Town Council President, Senator Edward & Representative Turco all met in in reference to budget priorities for the potential coordination of the aspects to maybe include the Ferry and how the MBTA, Revere, Winthrop, E. Boston would be involved. Also priorities of what we need here in Winthrop and how we request from them what we might need. He has received some questions on sub committees and would like to have training on these committees and asks Town Council President permission to set this up with all the committee chairs. Passed out a letter from the MBTA about stops on Taft being changed. Met with Metropolitan Credit Union that offers classes for the town, fraud at the Sr. Center, affordable housing, high school students programs They will submit more proposals. CBD is keeping up to date with schedule . Parks and Rec is having a Spring Fair in May. SCHOOL COMMITTEE REPORT Town Council President reports on this meeting. It was a light agenda with focus on finalizing the budget. OLD BUSINESS Motion by the Finance Committee with a Positive Recommendation that the Town Council vote to approve the Enterprise Fee Study not to exceed $30,000 No 2 nd Needed Discussion Roll Call Vote: Approve: Councilor Honan, Councilor Fucillo, Councilor Munson, Councilor Belcher, Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Aiello, Vice President Ruggiero, President Letterie Motion Passes TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 15, 2022 PAGE 2 Motion by the Finance Committee with a Positive Recommendation that the Town Council vote to authorize $2,290.50 in Unpaid Bills No 2 nd Needed Discussion Approve: Councilor Honan, Councilor Fucillo, Councilor Munson, Councilor Belcher, Councilor Flockhart , Councilor Aiello ,Vice President Ruggiero, President Letterie Motion Passes NEW BUSINESS Councilor President refers to the Finance Committee that the Town Council vote to appropriate $290,000 Certified Free Cash / Shared Expense Lines Motion by Councilor DeMarco to suspend Town Council rules to add a Town Council Meeting for March 31, 2022 for the sole purpose of naming the three candidates for Town Manager 2 nd by Councilor Flockhart Roll Call Vote: Approve: Councilor Honan, Councilor Fucillo, Councilor Munson, Councilor Belcher, Councilor Flockhart, Councilor Aiello, Vice President Ruggiero, President Letterie Motion Passes PUBLIC COMMENT Leanne Foley-Wrote a letter to the Town Council, School Committee, Board of Health and the CDICR expressing support for transgender rights. There are 27 states that have passed Anti-LGBTQ and she is asking town to support this cause, let the families know we are here for them. Also, since she wrote this letter she has been attacked personally by a resident. For her one of the things that she would like to express is that leadership should be stepping up. Mike DiMento asks Town Manager to uphold parking in this town with people that do not have permits. Julia Wallerce –Supports letter from Lee Foley and asks what Councilor Honan referendum was. Comments on safety access for the children at the Gorman School, different ideas, hope they continue and move forward Councilor Honan states that as part of her appeal of the judgment of the Chair regarding the submission of her resolution, she neglected to ask for a second so it could proceed to a vote of the Council, so she would like to ask for a 2 nd . For my appeal. Councilor Aiello, 2 nd this. Councilor Honan asks for a discussion but Council President has contacted the town’s legal counsel and he will be sticking to his original decision, he takes everyone’s remarks into consideration but does not feel this is an agenda item. Councilor Aiello asks if it is possible to get a sense of the council, but it is not on the agenda to be discussed. Councilor Aiello states he will formally request this to be on the next town council agenda. PUBLIC RELATIONS / UPCOMING EVENTS Thursday, March 31 at 2pm . – We will be extending the application deadline for the Senior Citizen Property Tax Work-Off Program Applications are available at the Senior Center and online Saturday, March 12, 2022 at 1:30pm Larsen Rink Boston Bruins Alumni Skate for Children ’ s Hospital March 9, 2022 - Viking Longship Fundraiser - LaSiesta - 10% of all sales will be donated March 30, 2022 - Bon Appetit, Julia - Winthrop Public Library 6:00 PM Friday, April 1, 2022 -Friends of Winthrop Council on Aging “Cash for Gas Raffle” Tickets available at Sr. Center April 26, 2022- Winthrop’s Spring Forum/”Budget & Other Spending Matters” TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 15, 2022 PAGE 3 ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn by Councilor Belcher to adjourn at 8:27PM 2 nd by Councilor Fucillo Passed Unanimously Public Documents used in the meeting are available at Town Managers Office. Documents Used in this Meeting: Handwritten Notes / Committee Openings Documents Roll Call Log Written Motions / Verbal Motion Respectfully submitted Denise Quist Town Clerk Council Clerk TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 15, 2022 PAGE 4