Minutes
Town Council · from the Town's website · 5 pages · 335 KB
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TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF DECEMBER 2, 2025 President Letterie calls the meeting to order at 6:30 PM in the Harvey Hearing Room ROLL CALL TOWN COUNCIL Present: Councilor DeMarco, Councilor Costigan, Councilor Tassinari Councilor Swope, Vice President Belcher, President Letterie Councilor Aiello-Zoom PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Councilor Tassinari OPENS JOINT MEETING WITH WNTHROP HOUSING AUTHORITY ROLL CALL-WINTHROP HOUSING Present: Peter Gill, Frank Ferrara, Roseann Mazzuchelli Absent: Peter Caggiano ROLL CALL TOWN COUNCIL Present: Councilor DeMarco, Councilor Costigan, Councilor Tassinari Councilor Swope, Vice President Belcher, President Letterie Councilor Aiello-Zoom Motion by Peter Gill to nominate Mary Lou Heighton for Resident Position on Winthrop Housing Authority 2"4 by Roseann Mazzuchelli Allin Favor Council President Closed Nominations Peter Gill reports on Mary Lou’s past, present, and future time and dedication to the Winthrop Housing Authority should be congratulated and nominates her proudly. Winthrop Housing Authority Director Peg Lyons-Discusses the membership of the Winthrop Housing Authority Board and Mary Lou has been active for about 15 years. She was nominated and voted for unanimously by the tenants of the Housing Board to continue on this board, Council President thanks Mary Lou for her dedication to this board and has nothing but fantastic things.... ROLL CALL FOR NOMINATION VOTE Yes: Peter Gill, Frank Ferrara, Roseann Mazzuchelli Absent: Peter Caggiano Yes: Councilor DeMarco, Councilor Costigan, Councilor Tassinari Councilor Swope, Vice President Belcher, President Letterie Councilor Aiello-Zoom Council President congratulates Mary Lou on her nomination. TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 2, 2025, PAGE 1 Motion by Councilor DeMarco to close joint meeting 24 by Vice President Belcher ROLL CALL VOTE Yes: Peter Gill, Frank Ferrara, Roseann Mazzuchelli Absent: Peter Caggiano Yes: Councilor DeMarco, Councilor Costigan, Councilor Tassinari Councilor Swope, Vice President Belcher, President Letterie Councilor Aiello-Zoom Motion Passes MINUTES Motion by Councilor Swope to Approve the Minutes of November 18, 2025, as circulated. 2" by Vice President Belcher ROLL CALL VOTE Present: Councilor DeMarco, Councilor Costigan, Councilor Tassinari Councilor Swope, Vice President Belcher, President Letterie Councilor Aiello-Zoom Motion Passed PUBLIC HEARING Public Hearing Opened: Transfer $58,000 from Cap. Stabilization/ Engineering Cost of the storm water system-Tileston, Girdlestone & Pico Discussion Director Calla discusses this is the completion of the drainage design of the Pico/Tileston project. This does not include the seawall. Councilor Tassinari reports that once design completed, approx. May 2026. DPW Director reports it should be done within a year if funding is secured. The easement of the yacht club is still in negotiations. Marci Hamilton P2 asks how much financing will be needed, DPW Director estimates full project 4-Director estimates full project $4-$4.5 million. Celeste Ribeiro P1-Believes the Climate Commission will be reaching out for this information. Requests a full discussion with the Town Council. Public Hearing Closed Councilor Tassinari reports that the Finance Committee met and voted on this motion with a positive recommendation. Also discussed were the telecom upgrades to the Sr. Center and requests an updated estimate on costs. Town Manager will deliver this once received. Councilor Swope reports the easement was also discussed. Motion by Vice President Belcher to take motion out of order of Old Business 2"4 by Councilor Tassinari ROLL CALL VOTE Present: Councilor DeMarco, Councilor Costigan, Councilor Tassinari Councilor Swope, Vice President Belcher, President Letterie Councilor Aiello-Zoom Motion Passed TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 2, 2025, PAGE 2 Motion by the Finance Committee with a Positive recommendation that the Town Council vote to Transfer $58,000 from Cap. Stabilization/ Engineering Cost of the storm water system-Tileston, Girdlestone & Pico No 2" Needed ROLL CALL VOTE Present: Councilor DeMarco, Councilor Costigan, Councilor Tassinari Councilor Swope, Vice President Belcher, President Letterie Councilor Aiello-Zoom Motion Passed PUBLIC COMMENT John Morgan P4-Comments about the Revere St. project with the new crosswalk signals. Asks town if they can do an information campaign to notify all in town. Hopes information will also notify drivers to follow the law with these signs. Jack Dowd P2-Comments that a child fell from a wall during the Christmas Tree Lighting. Comments that it was not a “soft landing” complains the design of French Sq. is wrong, asks it to be changed. Make area soft as it was before. Marci Hamilton P2-Comments on Massport and their impact on Winthrop. Comments on MWRA do not take into consideration the town while using our streets. Asks the new board members to fight for the precincts...Winthrop is in need of funding.... CORRESPONDENCE None COMMITTEE REPORTS Council President reports on the FHBC Meeting and meeting with the architect and asbestos abatement going very well. There will be a Neighborhood Meeting 12-10-25 at 6 PM. As demolition starts, there will be noise and hopefully as little dust as possible. An approx. time frame is 4 weeks. Hoping for a clean site in the middle of Jan. 2026. Presentation will be put on the website of the designs reviewed. SCHOOL DEPARTMENT REPORT Brief meeting, continuing contract negotiations. Dec. 10, 2025, at 6PM at Winthrop Library will be open negotiations for public attendance. Dec. 7, 2025, after 10 AM Mass is Amy’s Breakfast with Santa, a great event. UPDATE POLICY MAKING COMMITTEES- Please see attached.... TOWN MANGER REPORT-Please see attached copy of report. Town Manager Marino highlights that the sidewalks on Revere St. Project are near completion and working on the new solar lights. Water main in Middle School has been complete to separate from the Middle School Gym. Discussed the reader meter boxes on homes that may have caused several of the water bill invoices that have gone out to customers to be incorrect as for actual vs. estimated. If your water bill states estimated, please call the Town Managers Office. Council President asks about the current water pressure at the rink. DPW Director will be reviewing this issue. Councilor Swope comments on the new traffic lights are terrific and the idea of notifying the public of safety is a great idea. She is especially concerned with the safety issue of the e-bikes that are being ridden in the town, and some do not follow safety rules. TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 2, 2025, PAGE 3 Vice President Belcher requests more education on residents realizing “actual” vs. “estimated” water invoices. Councilor Tassinari thanks the Town Manager for working with the residents and their water invoices. He also comments on a great Tree Lighting Event by all involved. NEW BUSINESS Council President Letterie refers this motion to the Finance Committee that the Town Council Adopt that the Town Appropriate $980,000 to Pay the Costs of Replacing Lead Water Service Lines Vacancy-Precinct 6 Councilor-Due to the resignation of Councilor DaRos, we are now asking for a letter of interest from any residents who live on P6- Jan. 20" the Town Council will discuss any applications received. There is also information that will be on the website about what is to be expected of a Town Councilor. PUBLIC COMMENT John Morgan P4-Would like to give DPW Director Calla a personal thank you on the construction on Revere St. and his response he gets immediately from Director Calla and his office. Marci Hamilton P2-Would like to thank Councilor Aiello, Vice President Belcher, Councilor DeMarco, Councilor Tassinari and Councilor DaRos for all they have done for our town. Karin Chavis P2-Discusses the FHBC and that for over 30 minutes they reviewed what the Outside of what the new Fire Station will look like. All were done and accepted for review. Her concern was about what will look best for the neighborhood, and she feels the choice made will be a good fit for the neighborhood. Discusses the new building on Shirley St. and Veterans Rd. and does not feel this building is a good fit for the neighborhood. Does not believe the BOA is doing their job as for the applicant being aware of the neighborhood appearance. Council President reiterates that though 3 designs were reviewed by the FHBC, this is not changing the original design. Congratulations on the Winthrop Football team win over Revere at the Thanksgiving Day Football Game. Congratulates Seth Sacco, who went over 1,000 yards this year. PUBLIC RELATIONS / UPCOMING EVENTS Dec. 7, 2025, Following 10 AM Church at St. Michaels, Amy’s Breakfast with Santa Dec, 14, 2025-Beginning of Chanukah Dec. 17, 2025-Menorah Lighting at Winthrop Highlands Park 7 PM ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn by Councilor DeMarco at 7:20pm 2"4 by Councilor Tassinari 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 MINUTES DECEMBER 2, 2025, PAGE 4 TOWN OF WINTHROP OFFICE OF THE TOWN MANAGER Town Hall, 1 Metcalf Square, Winthrop, MA 02152 Telephone: 617-846-1077 Anthony Marino Town Manager Town Manager Report 12-02-2025 e The Revere Street TIP project will continue as the work on switching over to the new traffic lights and installing solar controls on the streetlights, so they go off during the daytime hours. The curb and concrete work will resume in the Spring of 2026. ¢ The Fire Station work continues as Kestle Boos continues to work on the design plans, and the Asbestos abatement work continues at the Old Middle School and Auditorium. The fencing and the Pest Control System and Controls have been installed. The water utility work has been completed, and the gymnasium and ice rink are now operating on the new water main service installed in the rink parking lot. The existing water main supplying the Old Middle School and Auditorium has been shut off on Pauline Street and will be cut and capped on December 5, 2025. e We continue to meet with residents over their water/sewer bill complaints as we work towards installing new meters and addressing the estimated water bills due to the meter reader devices not communicating with our billing software. We are investigating each complaint and will adjust as warranted. However, some of these increases have been attributed to water leaks in homes and irrigation systems, as well as an increase in the number of occupants in homes and apartments. Often, meter reader devices stop working due to work being done on homes or apartments, wires being inadvertently cut, or normal wear and tear. We also offer payment plans to our residents, allowing them time to get caught up once their water usage is accurately documented. ¢ Special thanks to the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce for a successful and well-attended Tree Lighting Ceremony last Friday. Also, thanks to the Police, Fire, and DPW Departments, who participated in making this event a success. e The dredging work to be completed by Northeast Mosquito Control at Fishermen’s Bend is being coordinated for the Winter 2026 months. The logistics and material hauling costs are being coordinated with the DPW. The Town will have to contribute to this project, as we will be responsible for hauling and disposing of the dredged material. Please contact me directly if you have any questions about the items listed above or any other concerns. Thank you. Anthony Marino Winthrop Town Manager amarino@winthropma.gov