City Council - 3.19.2024

City Council

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City Council Meeting Agenda 3.19.24 (pdf, 361 KB, opens in new window/tab)

Chapters

Public Forum (00:01:25)
Public Forum

Public Forum
Announcements (00:08:03)
Announcements

Announcements
Report of the Appointments Committee (00:11:27)
Report of the Appointments Committee

Report of the Appointments Committee III. REPORT OF THE APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE Appointments Committee Oral Report Meeting of March 19, 2024 New Appointment: Fitchburg Airport Commission (Term to expire March 19, 2027) Erik Tkal New Appointment: Fitchburg Airport Commission (Term to expire March 19, 2027) Paul Hathaway New Appointment: Full-Time Police Officers For the Fitchburg Police Department Nathan E. Jorge Benjamin R. Lima New Appointment: Permanent Full Time Firefighter For the City of Fitchburg Benjamin E. Nealon Re-Appointment: Fitchburg Airport Commission (Term to expire March 19, 2027) Clayton R. Raymond Re-Appointment: Fitchburg Agricultural Commission (Term to expire April 1, 2027) Evan Halstead Re-Appointment: Fitchburg Board of Parks Commissioners (Term to expire April 1, 2029) Colby O'Brien Page 2 Re-Appointment: Fitchburg Board of Parks Commissioners (Term to expire April 1, 2029) David C. Brooks
Communication: From Her Honor the Mayor: Route 2 Corridor Study (00:28:53)
Communication: From Her Honor the Mayor: Route 2 Corridor Study

COMMUNICATION From Her Honor the Mayor Route 2 Corridor Study MassDOT - Route 2 Corridor Study
Report of Committee on Records (00:29:30)
Report of Committee on Records

Report of Committee on Records
Annual Report: 080-24 Fitchburg Redevolopment Authority - 081-24 Fitchburg Fire Department (00:29:46)
Annual Report: 080-24 Fitchburg Redevolopment Authority - 081-24 Fitchburg Fire Department

. ANNUAL REPORT 080-24. ANNUAL REPORT: Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority for Fiscal Year 2023 and the Audited Financials for Fiscal Year 2022. Memo to City Council FRA Annual Report - Fiscal Year 2023 FRA Audited Financials 081-24. ANNUAL REPORT: Fitchburg Fire Department for the FY 2023. Fitchburg Fire Department 2023 Annual Report
Report of Committees: City Property Committee (00:30:47)
Report of Committees: City Property Committee

REPORT OF COMMITTEES City Property Committee Meeting of March 11, 2024 City Property Minutes 181-23. After receiving surplus needs survey from the City Clerk, declare as excess the following property and designate it to the Side Yard Sales Program. 12 Park Street 18-93-0 This parcel is a city tax possession, acquired through foreclosure in Land Court. Because it is owned by the city, it is currently exempt from taxation and the city is responsible for any maintenance. Sale of the property through the Side Yard Sales Program will return the property to the tax rolls and shift the maintenance responsibility to the new owner. (Be Granted as Amended) 005-24. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg shall, through its Mayor Samantha M. Squailia, approve and authorize the execution of a Conservation Easement Agreement in form substantially similar to that attached hereto and authorize all other acts which will be necessary, helpful or convenient thereto, in order to effectuate the Zoning Board decision of September 27, 2023 as recorded in the Worcester North Registry of Deeds at Book 10655, Page 369. (Be Adopted) 1341 Rindge Rd. Easement
Report of Committees: Finance Committee (00:42:53)
Report of Committees: Finance Committee

Finance Committee Meeting of March 13, 2024 Oral Report 049-24. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby appropriates the sum of SIXTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($65,000) from Available Funds, crediting as follows: LAW-LABOR COUNSEL $35,000 LAW-DAMAGES PERSONS & PROPERTY $30,000 (Approved) 050-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of SEVENTY-TWO THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED TEN AND 97/100 DOLLARS ($72,110.97) from RESERVE FOR APPROPRIATION - PEG ACCESS EXPENSES to support capital needs at the FATV broadcast location. (Approved) 051-24. ORDER THAT: the sum of Thirty Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($39,500,000) be and hereby is appropriated to pay the cost of various sewer separation projects including, but not limited to, sewer separation project CSO 032, 045 and 083 Separation/Rehabilitation; and that to meet this appropriation, the City Treasurer, with the approval of the Mayor, is authorized to borrow all or part of said amount under and pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 44, Section 7(1) or 8(14), from the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust established pursuant to Chapter 29C, or pursuant to any other enabling authority, to issue bonds or notes of the City therefor, and to file or execute all necessary documents with the Municipal Finance Oversight Board to qualify such bonds under M.G.L. Chapter 44A; and that the Mayor or other relevant City official is authorized to enter into a project regulatory agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection, to expend all funds available for the project and to take any other action necessary to carry out the project. (Approved) 052-24. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of grant funds by the Board of Health, from the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, in the amount of TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS ($2,000) to supplement the Winter Warming Center. (Approved) 053-24. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of State Earmark funds allocated by the Department of Conservation & Recreation in the amount of SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($75,000) for the rehabilitation of the youth soccer field area at Coolidge Park. (Approved) 054-24. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the transfer of $96,349 from CDBG Year 47 Police Department ADA Parking Improvements to CDBG Year 48 Parks/Playgrounds Improvements. (Approved) Community Development Block Grant Year 50 (To be referred to the Finance Committee) CDBG Year 50 CDBG Year 50 ORDERS 055-24 THROUGH 076-24
Report of Committees: Public Safety Committee (00:50:49)
Report of Committees: Public Safety Committee

Public Safety Committee Meeting of March 19, 2024 Oral Report 046-24. Sasha Automotive, LLC, to petition for a Class II Dealer's License located at 285 River St. Fitchburg, MA 01420 221-23. Councilor Beauchemin is requesting a loading area at the Senior Center at Elm Street adjacent to the ramp for loading and unloading food and equipment without receiving a parking ticket. 034-24. Andrew Couture on behalf of Chris Knolls to install a stop sign at the bottom of Stickney Rd. at the intersection of Stickney and Ashburnham. 035-24. Andrew Couture on behalf of Michael Couture to install stop signs on the intersection of Stickney and Sheldon Road. A 3-way stop may be necessary.
Orders Finance (00:53:59)
Orders Finance

ORDERS - FINANCE 085-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED NINETY AND 55/100 DOLLARS ($115,890.55) from RESERVE FOR APPROPRIATION - PEG ACCESS and transferred to INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - FRANCHISE FEE for the purpose of remitting to FATV the fourth quarter 2023 franchise fees. 086-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of THIRTEEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED NINETY DOLLARS ($13,390) same to be charged against AIRPORT RECEIPTS RESERVED and credited to AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS. 087-24. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of SEVEN HUNDRED TEN THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($710,000) from AVAILABLE FUNDS to credit SCHOOL DEPARTMENT - SCHOOL EXPENSES.
Resolution: In Support of Higher Ed for All (00:56:51)
Resolution: In Support of Higher Ed for All

RESOLUTION 082-24. RESOLUTION: in Support of Higher Ed for All Whereas Massachusetts public colleges and universities are among the state's greatest resources; Whereas our public colleges and universities are anchor institutions that are a significant part of the foundation of our state's regional economies and are essential to drive economic growth and provide essential services in our cities and towns; Whereas higher education is an important pathway to economic mobility, and public university graduates are much more likely to remain in Massachusetts after graduation, starting families, contributing to the economy, and forming the fabric of our local communities; Whereas public colleges and universities educate the majority of students of color and first- generation college students, and whereas there remains significant opportunity gaps demonstrated by lower college enrollments and completions, particularly for Latino and Black students; Whereas tens of thousands of students in Massachusetts graduate from high school each year but do not enroll in college, and 700,000 adults in our Commonwealth have earned some college credits but have not completed their degrees; and Whereas new revenue from the Fair Share Amendment gives us the opportunity for transformative investments in public higher education that will remediate decades of underinvestment in public higher education, by providing students with the opportunity to graduate from public higher education debt-free, providing the supports for students that are critical to help them graduate, and investing in staff and faculty salaries so that our institutions can recruit and retain highly qualified educators who will be able to afford to live in the community in which they work. Whereas investing in our public higher education institutions means investing in the students, faculty and staff who are woven into our community and into our local economy. THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Fitchburg City Council urges the Legislature to pass the Cherish Act and support additional funding for public higher education; provided that a copy of this resolution shall forthwith be sent to the state legislative delegation.
Petitons 083-24 & 084-24 (01:24:02)
Petitons 083-24 & 084-24

PETITIONS 083-24. City Councilor Bernie Schultz, on behalf of The Church of God Pentecostal M.I. at 276 Water Street, to request installation of Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at the 276 Water Street crosswalk. (Referred to Public Works)