City Council - 10.6.2026

City Council Meeting - 10.6.2026

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Agenda (pdf, 411 KB, opens in new window/tab)

Chapters

Meeting Open (00:00:00)
Public Forum (00:01:22)
Announcements (00:01:45)
Report of the Appointments Committee - October 6, 2026 (00:02:21)

III. REPORT OF THE APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE Appointments Committee Oral Report Meeting of October 6, 2026 New Appointment letters: Full Time Student Police Officers For the City of Fitchburg Zackary Legros Karina Rosado Anthony Stowell
Report of the Committee on Records - Through September 15, 2026 (00:10:10)

IV. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RECORDS Joint Convention of the City Council and the School Committee meeting minutes of September 14, 2026 Regular City Council meeting minutes of September 15, 2026
Communication: New Appointments, Re-Appointments, and Promotions (00:11:35)

V. COMMUNICATION Her Honor the Mayor 1. New-Appointment letter: Miatta Edo-Osagie, as a Member of the Fitchburg Agricultural Commission, for a term to expire on October 1, 2029. 2. New-Appointment letters: Fitchburg Cultural Council Abigail Battles, for a term to expire on October 1, 2029. Racheal Xavier, for a term to expire on October 1, 2029. Stephanie Lee, for a term to expire on October 1, 2029. 3. Re-Appointment letter: Dominic Iacopino, as a Member of the Fitchburg Agricultural Commission, for a term to expire on April 1, 2028. 4. Re-Appointment letter: James K. Momanyi, as a Member of the Fitchburg Agricultural Commission, for a term to expire on April 1, 2028. Page 2 Promotion Letter 1. Promotion letter: Captain Ryan Cringan to Permanent Deputy Chief.
Report of the City Property Committee - October 6, 2026 (00:13:29)

City Property Committee Meeting of October 6, 2026 Oral Report + 156-26. Liz Murphy, Executive Director of Community Development & Planning, City of Fitchburg, is requesting that City Council declare surplus and authorize the sale of the following properties through an RFP Process: ++ 465 Westminster St - Assessor's Map W-2-A ++ 0 Westminster St - Assessor's Map W-2-1A + 157-26. Paula Caron, Chair, Fitchburg Planning Board, Petition to designate Ross Street between North Street and Blossom Street, and the entirety of Flat Rock Road, as Scenic Roads. 158-26. [was Paula Caron, Chair, Fitchburg Planning Board] Liz Murphy, Executive Director of Community Development, as outlined in the attached letter and plan of land, request to declare the surveyed portion of Laurel Hill Cemetery, identified as Parcel A, surplus to the City's needs and make the property available for sale and development through an RFP process.
Report of the Finance Committee - September 23, 2026 (00:25:04)

Finance Committee Meeting of September 23, 2026 Oral Report + 152-26. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of FORTY-TWO THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-FOUR DOLLARS ($42,384) same to be charged against RESERVE FOR OTHER MUNICIPAL PURPOSES and credited to the following Personal Services accounts: ++ TREASURER - Parking Officer $1,352 ++ POLICE - Dispatch Salary $33,393 ++ POLICE - Dispatch Overtime $4,010 ++ POLICE - Holiday $2,171 ++ POLICE - Clothing $1,000 ++ EMPLOYEE BENEFITS - Buybacks $458 (Be Adopted) + 153-26. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of FOUR THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED SIXTEEN DOLLARS ($4,716) same to be charged against AIRPORT RECEIPTS RESERVED and credited to the following Personal Services accounts: ++ LABOR - $3,843 ++ OVERTIME - $615 ++ BUYBACKS - $258 (Be Adopted) + 154-26. ORDER THAT: [was there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($750,000) same to be credited to the Fitchburg Public Library renovation and reconstruction project.] there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of ONE MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEEN DOLLARS ($1,880,117) from available funds, same to be credited to the Fitchburg Public Library renovation and reconstruction project. (Be Adopted as amended)
Report of the Legislative Affairs Committee - October 6, 2026 (00:26:42)

Legislative Affairs Committee Meeting of October 6, 2026 Oral Report + 159-26. Paula Caron, Chair, Fitchburg Planning Board: Request to amend Chapter 181 of the Fitchburg Zoning Code to establish a temporary zoning moratorium on Locally Regulated Commercial Battery Energy Storage Systems (LRC-BESS). + 160-26. Paula Caron, Chair, Fitchburg Planning Board, request to amend Chapter 181 of the Fitchburg Zoning Code to add a temporary zoning moratorium on large-scale data centers.
Report of the Public Works Committee - September 29, 2026 (00:28:28)

Public Works Committee Meeting of September 29, 2026 Oral Report + 151-26. Vice President Cruz, on behalf of the residents of Greenhurst Ave. to petition for temporary repairs of a private way as outlined in the enclosed petition. (Be Held) + 161-26. City Councilor Bernie Schultz, on behalf of Wayne Shaw of 508 Milk Street, to install a berm to stop water runoff from damaging the front yard of his home. (Be Granted) + 062-26. Councilor Fleming on behalf of the residents living at 77 Congress St to install a berm in front of the house and around the corner heading toward Lunenburg St. (Be Granted as Amended)
Orders-Finance (00:29:33)

VII. ORDERS - FINANCE + 162-26. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of grant funds from the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, in the approximate amount of TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($20,000), awarded to the city Recreation Program from the DESE After School and Out of School Time Program Grant to cover the cost of weekly STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts Math) activities throughout the school year in collaboration with the Fitchburg Public Library. + 163-26. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of a donation from the Friends of Coggshall Park, in the approximate amount of FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS $15,000, toward the purchase and installation of a new playground at Coggshall Park. + 164-26. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves an expenditure by the Parks Department of FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($15,000) from the Henry F. Coggshall Trust toward the purchase and installation of a new playground at Coggshall Park.
Order-Other: 165-26 - To Authorize the City Clerk to notify the voters of the State Election on Tue., November 3, 2026 (00:30:25)

165-26. ORDER THAT: Authorizing the City Clerk to notify the voters of the State Election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Ordinance: 166-26 - To Amend City Code Sections 3-19 & 3-43 Concerning the City Clerk's Management and Responsibilities (00:31:06)

166-26. AN ORDINANCE: President Zarrella and Vice President Cruz, to amend Section 3-19 and Section 3-43 of the City Code, concerning the management and responsibilities of the City Clerk, as detailed in the enclosed ordinance. (First Reading)
Ordinance: 167-26 - To Repeal City Code Chapter 164 in Its Entirety (00:37:22)

167-26. AN ORDINANCE: That the General Ordinance of the City of Fitchburg, Chapter 164, shall be repealed in its entirety. (First Reading)
Ordinances: 144-26 A, B, & C - To Amend City Code Chapter 169, Sections 59, 76, & 77 (00:38:05)

+ 144-26 A. AN ORDINANCE: Amending Part II General Legislation, Chapter 169, Section 59 of the Code of the City of Fitchburg as outlined in the enclosed Ordinance. (Final Reading) + 144-26 B. AN ORDINANCE: Amending Part II General Legislation, Chapter 169, Section 76 of the Code of the City of Fitchburg as outlined in the enclosed Ordinance. (Final Reading) + 144-26 C. AN ORDINANCE: Amending Part II General Legislation, Chapter 169, Section 77 of the Code of the City of Fitchburg as outlined in the enclosed Ordinance. (Final Reading)
Ordinance: 155-26 - To Prohibit Parking on the North Side of 36-89 Birch Street Passway (00:39:16)

155-26. AN ORDINANCE: by the City Council of the City of Fitchburg that Code of the City of Fitchburg, Chapter 169, Section 24 titled Vehicles and Traffic is hereby amended as follows: That the General Ordinances of the City of Fitchburg, Chapter 169, Section 24, as most recently amended, be further amended by adding the following location to the list of streets, or parts thereof, where parking is prohibited: NAME OF STREET SIDE LOCATION Birch Street Passway North From 36 Birch Street Passway to 89 Birch Street Passway. (Ref. petition 054-26) (Final Reading)
Petitions (00:40:01)

X. PETITIONS + 168-26. President Zarrella, on behalf of Marisa R. Fleming, to petition for Special Legislation relative to the creditable service of Marisa R. Fleming, as outlined in the enclosed petition. (Legislative Affairs) + 169-26. 7 BEEKMAN ST - Unitil petitions to relocate Pole #8 (Salem St.). The proposed Pole #8 would be relocated approximately 26 feet from its original location and would be situated approximately 80 feet from Beekman St. and approximately 415 feet from Spruce St., Fitchburg. (Refer Public Hearing October 20, 2026) + 170-26. 470 ALPINE ROAD - Unitil petitions to install a new midspan Pole #30A on Alpine Road. The proposed Pole #30A would be situated approximately 52 feet from existing Pole #30 and approximately 997 feet from the intersection of McIntire Road, Fitchburg. (Refer Public Hearing October 20, 2026) + 171-26. Councilor Bowen, on behalf of the Crocker Field Restoration Committee, requests that the City investigate and implement enforceable parking controls along Broad Street and Circle Street adjacent to Crocker Field to improve parking availability during Crocker Field events, particularly in light of ongoing long-term occupancy of public on-street parking spaces. (Public Safety)