City Council - 3.18.2025

City Council Meeting - 3.18.2025

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City Council Meeting Agenda 3.18.25 (pdf, 400 KB, opens in new window/tab)

Chapters

Meeting Open (00:00:00)
Meeting Open
Public Forum (00:01:30)
Public Forum
Announcements (00:03:26)
Announcements
Report of the Appointments Committee Meeting - March 18, 2025 (00:07:27)
Report of the Appointments Committee Meeting - March 18, 2025

Appointments Committee Oral Report Meeting of March 18, 2025 New Appointment: Fitchburg Cultural Council (Term to expire March 18, 2028) Nancy ?Cie' Morin New Appointment: Fitchburg Cultural Council (Term to expire March 18, 2028) Milagros ?Millie? Whitfield Re-Appointment letter: Fitchburg Council on Aging (Term to expire March 18, 2028) George J. Bourque II
Report of the Committee on Records - Through March 4, 2025 (00:08:29)
Report of the Committee on Records - Through March 4, 2025

+ Council as a Whole Committee Meeting March 4, 2025 + Regular City Council Meeting March 4, 2025
Communication: New Appointments (00:08:56)
Communication: New Appointments

1. New-Appointment letter: Barbara Assimakopolous, to the position of Municipal Hearing Officer, for a three (3) year period, with an evaluation after six months. 2. New-Appointment letter: Brian Gallagher, as a Member of the Fitchburg Historical Commission, for a term scheduled to expire on April 1, 2028. 3. New-Appointment letter: Special Police Officers + Kerry C. Siomos + Timothy M. McDermott
Communication: Fitchburg Retirement Board (00:12:26)
Communication: Fitchburg Retirement Board

Notification that the Fitchburg Retirement Board shall be conducting a public meeting on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 9:50 a.m. in the North Meeting Room located on the third floor of City Hall. The purpose of the meeting is to address the increase to the fiscal year 2026 cost-of-living allowance paid to those receiving retirement benefits from the Fitchburg Retirement System.
Special Presentation: FATV (00:12:58)
Special Presentation: FATV

VII. SPECIAL PRESENTATION Nathan Glenny, FATV, Executive Director
Report of the City Property Committee: March 18, 2025 (00:40:49)
Report of the City Property Committee: March 18, 2025

City Property Committee Meeting of March 18, 2025 Oral Report + 058-25. ORDER THAT: the Mayor be and is hereby authorized to enter into an extension for the Deed Restriction set forth in the deed for the property located at 21 Market Street from the City of Fitchburg dated December 2, 2020 and recorded in the Worcester North Registry of Deeds in Book 9806 Page 155 originally to Y & M Home Solutions LLC and thereafter in a Deed dated April 28, 2022 and recorded in said Registry in Book 10319 Page 351 currently in the name of Luis A. Hernandez, said Deed Restriction requiring the building permit for the rehabilitation of the premises to be obtained within 9 months from the date of the original deed (December 2, 2020) and the complete rehabilitation and constriction of the premises within 18 months of the deed. Said dates to be extended as follows: application for a building permit to be no later than August 20th, 2025; completion of the rehabilitation of the premises no later than August 20, 2026; and that the Mayor be further authorized to enter into any and all agreements to effectuate the terms of this Order. + 037-24. That 84 North St., more fully described as Fitchburg Assessors Map 44, Block 110, Lot 0, be declared as surplus property.
Report of the Economic Development Committee: March 18, 2025 (00:42:55)
Report of the Economic Development Committee: March 18, 2025

Economic Development Meeting of March 18, 2025 Oral Report + 059-25. Liz Murphy, Executive Director of Community Development & Planning, to request approval of a TIE agreement for 533 Main St. + Communication from the Chair
Report of the Finance Committee Meeting: March 12, 2025 (00:50:59)
Report of the Finance Committee Meeting: March 12, 2025

+ 025-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby appropriates from Available Funds, the sum of THIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($35,000), to FACILITIES - Contracted Services, for critical equipment repairs and maintenance at City Hall and the Legislative Building. (Leave to Withdraw) + 033-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of funds from the Department of Fire Services Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant in the approximate amount of FOUR THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS ($4,650) for the purpose of purchasing three AED machines. (Be Adopted) + 034-25. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated from AVAILABLE FUNDS the sum of TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($225,000) for POLICE PERSONAL SERVICES - OVERTIME. (Be Adopted) + 035-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby transfers the sum of FIFTY-SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($57,000) from POLICE PERSONAL SERVICES - Patrolmen to: ++ POLICE EQUIPMENT & REPAIR - Tire Replacement $ 2,000 ++ POLICE EQUIPMENT & REPAIR - Training $16,000 ++ POLICE OTHER EXPENSES - Dues & Subscriptions $ 2,000 ++ POLICE OTHER EXPENSES - Provision for Prisoners $ 4,000 ++ POLICE OTHER EXPENSES - Animal Control $ 2,000 ++ POLICE MAINT OF BUILDING - Electricity $24,000 ++ POLICE MAINT OF BUILDING - Heating Fuel $ 3,000 ++ POLICE MAINT OF BUILDING - Households $ 4,000 (Be Adopted) + 036-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby appropriate and transfer the sum of FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($50,000) from RESERVE FOR OTHER MUNICIPAL PURPOSES - Capital Expenses to POLICE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS - Building Renovation. (Be Adopted)
Orders-Finance (00:52:30)
Orders-Finance

IX. ORDERS - FINANCE + 061-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of Mosaic (Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership) grant funds from the Mass DPH Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) in the approximate amount of FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($40,000) for the purpose of said grant, which is to address the opioid overdose crisis by providing medical supplies and connection to services. + 062-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby appropriate the sum of ONE HUNDRED TWO THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED TEN DOLLARS ($102,210) from RESERVE FOR OTHER MUNICIPAL PURPOSES - Capital Expenses to POLICE CAPITAL - Vehicle Replacement.
Loan Order: 019-25 - Amend Loan Order 160-24 (00:53:09)
Loan Order: 019-25 - Amend Loan Order 160-24

019-25. LOAN ORDER: the Loan Order #160-24, which was ordered by this Council on September 17, 2024 and authorized a borrowing of $12,700,000 for various water projects, is hereby amended by replacing it in its entirety to read as follows: ORDERED: That $11,400,000 aggregate amount is appropriated for the following projects, including all costs incidental and related thereto, which amount may be apportioned to such projects as needed to accomplish the projects: (i) rehabilitation and/or upgrade of the Meetinghouse Gatehouse and Mare Meadow Pump Station, at an estimated cost of $4,300,000; (ii) Main Street water main replacement project, at an estimated cost of $4,500,000, which amount is expected to be used in addition to certain American Rescue Plan Act funds available for the project; (iii) Regional Water Treatment Plant roof replacement and/or weatherproofing project, at an estimated cost of $850,000; and (iv) Water Street water main replacement project, at an estimated cost of $1,750,000; and that to meet this appropriation the Treasurer with the approval of the Mayor is authorized to borrow $11,400,000 under G.L. c.44, Section 8 or any other enabling authority; that the Mayor is authorized to contract for and expend any federal or state aid available for the projects; that the Mayor is authorized to take any other action necessary to carry out the projects; and that the Treasurer is authorized to file an application with the Municipal Finance Oversight Board to qualify under Chapter 44A of the General Laws any or all of the bonds authorized by this order and to provide such information and execute such documents as the Municipal Finance Oversight Board may require for these purposes. (Final Reading)