City Council - 2.17.2026

City Council Meeting - 2.17.2026

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Agenda (pdf, 204 KB, opens in new window/tab)

Chapters

Meeting Open (00:00:00)
Meeting Open
Public Forum (00:01:31)
Public Forum
Announcements (00:01:53)
Announcements
Communication: Promotion Letters (00:02:32)
Communication: Promotion Letters

1. Promotion letter: Provisional Sergeant Mei-Ling Polanco-Diaz to the rank of Police Sergeant 2. Promotion letter: Patrol Officer Colin Banahan to the rank of Police Sergeant 3. Promotion letter: Police Officer Nicholas Garcia to the rank of Police Sergeant
Report of the Appointments Committee - February 17, 2026 (00:12:04)
Report of the Appointments Committee - February 17, 2026

III. REPORT OF THE APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE Appointments Committee Oral Report Meeting of February 17, 2026 Re-Appointment: Fitchburg Assistant City Clerk (For a term to expire February 21, 2029) Elizabeth (Betsy) McNiff
New Appointment: Christopher Deloge - Fitchburg Planning Board, Term to expire February 17, 2029 (00:13:18)
New Appointment: Christopher Deloge - Fitchburg Planning Board, Term to expire February 17, 2029

New Appointment: Fitchburg Planning Board (Term to expire February 17, 2029) Christopher Deloge
Report of the Committee on Records (00:23:43)
Report of the Committee on Records

Regular City Council meeting minutes of February 3, 2026
Communications: New Appointments (00:24:25)
Communications: New Appointments

V. COMMUNICATION Her Honor the Mayor 1. New Appointment letter: Abigail Wolf, as a Member of the Fitchburg Conservation Commission, for a term to expire on January 1, 2027. 2. New Appointment letter: Sabrina La Fave-Saletnik, as a Member of the Fitchburg Conservation Commission, for a term to expire on March 3, 2029.
Communication: Central Massachusetts - Mosquito Control Project (00:24:51)
Communication: Central Massachusetts - Mosquito Control Project

Central Massachusetts - Mosquito Control Project 1. Notice of Preliminary Proposed Budget for FY 2027 Mosquito Control Project
024-26: Monty Tech Annual Report FY 2025 (00:25:08)
024-26: Monty Tech Annual Report FY 2025

VI. ANNUAL REPORT 024-26. ANNUAL REPORT: Monty Tech Annual Report FY 2025 Monty Tech Annual Report FY 2025
Report of the City Property Committee - February 17, 2026 (00:25:18)
Report of the City Property Committee - February 17, 2026

City Property Committee Meeting of February 17, 2026 Oral Report 022-26. Liz Murphy, Executive Director of Community Development & Planning, to enter into a Conservation restriction located at 71 Bennett Road as outlined in the enclosed petition.
Report of the Finance Committee - February 11, 2026 (00:26:10)
Report of the Finance Committee - February 11, 2026

Finance Committee Meeting of February 11, 2026 Oral Report + 019-26. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of FORTY-SIX THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($46,100) same to be charged against RESERVE FOR OTHER MUNICIPAL PURPOSES - Expenses and credited to the following departmental accounts: ++ PUBLIC WORKS - Labor $ 12,027 ++ PUBLIC WORKS - Overtime $ 2,117 ++ PUBLIC WORKS - Stipends $ 22,000 ++ CEMETERY - Labor $ 2,380 ++ CEMETERY - Overtime $ 445 ++ CEMETERY - Stipends $ 4,000 ++ PARKS - Stipends $ 3,000 ++ EMPLOYEE BENEFITS - Other $ 131 (Be Held) + 020-26. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is transferred the sum of NINETEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($19,900) from within DPW Water Division PERSONAL SERVICES to the following accounts: ++ LABOR $ 4,113 ++ OVERTIME $ 751 ++ BUYBACKS $ 36 ++ STIPENDS $ 15,000 (Be Held) + 021-26. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is transferred the sum of FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($5,000) from within DPW Wastewater Division PERSONAL SERVICES to the following account: STIPENDS $5,000 (Be Held)
Report of the Legislative Affairs Committee - February 17, 2026 (00:27:25)
Report of the Legislative Affairs Committee - February 17, 2026

Legislative Affairs Committee Meeting of February 17, 2026 Oral Report 023-26. Building Commissioner Felix Zemel, is seeking to replace Sections 94-1, 94-2, and 94-3 of the City Code relative to Building Dept. fees as enclosed in the packet, following the word 'paid.' In Section 94-1 of the City Code.
Orders-Finance (00:28:36)
Orders-Finance

VIII. ORDERS - FINANCE + 025-26. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of Massachusetts Vest-A-Dog, Inc. grant funds in the amount of TEN THOUSAND EIGHTY-SIX DOLLARS ($10,086) for the purchase of a cruiser insert and Ace K-9 system. + 026-26. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby transfers the total sum of ONE HUNDRED NINETY-ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($191,000) from within the following Police Department accounts: From: ++ POLICE PERSONAL SERVICES - Patrolmen $131,000 ++ POLICE PERSONAL SERVICES - Professional Standards $ 28,000 ++ POLICE PERSONAL SERVICES - Sergeants $ 20,000 ++ POLICE PERSONAL SERVICES - Sick Time $ 12,000 To: ++ POLICE PERSONAL SERVICES - Overtime $125,000 ++ POLICE PERSONAL SERVICES - Clerical $ 35,000 ++ POLICE EQUIPMENT & REPAIR - Contracted Services $ 20,000 ++ POLICE EQUIPMENT & REPAIR-Recruit Academy Training $ 11,000 + 028-26. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of grant funds from the Massachusetts Office of Disability in the approximate amount of SIXTY-SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($67,000) to fund the design of an ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan.
027-26: Grant Fund Expenditure of $667,000 to Acquire the Conservation Restriction at 71 Bennett Road (00:29:42)
027-26: Grant Fund Expenditure of $667,000 to Acquire the Conservation Restriction at 71 Bennett Road

027-26. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of USDA Forest Service grant funds, through the Mass Department of Conservation and Recreation, in the approximate amount of SIX HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS ($667,800) for the purpose of acquiring a conservation restriction at 71 Bennett Road. (Suspension of Rules)
Order-Other: 001-26 - Adopting Amended Rules of the City Council for the Year 2026 (00:32:47)
Order-Other: 001-26 - Adopting Amended Rules of the City Council for the Year 2026

IX. ORDER - OTHER 001-26. ORDER THAT: Adopting Amended Rules of the City Council for the year 2026.
Petitions (00:34:43)
Petitions

X. PETITIONS + 029-26. Councilor Amy Green, to petition for a 20-30-foot space with no parking at any time on Summer Street. Specifically at 401 Summer St. corner of Poplar St. and Summer St. (Public Safety) + 030-26. City Councilor Bernie Schultz, on behalf of Nathaniel Pemberton of 47 Albee Street, to install bollards to protect life and property at the 47 Albee Street location, at the discretion of the Fitchburg Department of Public Works. (Public Works)
Executive Session (00:35:22)
Executive Session

Pursuant to MGL c. 30A, Section 21(a)(3), to discuss strategy with respect to litigation, in the matter of Spectrum Health Systems Inc. & another v. City of Fitchburg and others, Super Ct Civil Action No 2485CV00511, as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the City.