City Council - 11.18.2025

City Council Meeting - 11.18.2025

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Agenda (pdf, 385 KB, opens in new window/tab)

Chapters

Meeting Open (00:00:00)
Meeting Open
Public Forum (00:01:23)
Public Forum
Announcements (00:01:45)
Announcements
Report of the Committee on Records (00:04:14)
Report of the Committee on Records
Report of the Finance Committee - November 12, 2025 (00:04:34)
Report of the Finance Committee - November 12, 2025

Finance Committee Meeting of November 12, 2025 Oral Report + 190-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg approve the expenditure of MassTrails Grant funds awarded to the city by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation in the approximate amount of NINETY-NINE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED NINETY-NINE AND 68/100 DOLLARS ($99,999.68) for access and safety improvements at Coggshall Park. (Be Adopted) + 191-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg approve the expenditure of funds awarded to the city by the Friends of Coggshall Park in the approximate amount of NINE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($9,500), to match the MassTrails Grant, for access and safety improvements at Coggshall Park. (Be Adopted) + 192-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg accept a donation of property from the Ron Bouchard Racing Charity and Mrs. Paula Bouchard, in the form of a sculpture memorial, community bench, and story walk installation in Coolidge Park. (Be Adopted) + 193-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg approve the expenditure of an earmark from the Commonwealth of Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation in the approximate amount of FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($40,000) for improvements to Lowe Park. (Be Adopted)
Report of the Public Safety Committee - November 18, 2025 (00:07:43)
Report of the Public Safety Committee - November 18, 2025

Public Safety Committee Meeting of November 18, 2025 Oral Report + 141-25. Councilor Paul Beauchemin, to request two electronic speed-limit signs to be installed on Clarendon Street heading northbound and southbound, near the intersections with Daniel Street and Franklin Street, in order to improve driver awareness, reduce speeds, and increase safety for motorist, bicyclist, and pedestrians. + 161-25. Councilor Marisa Fleming, on behalf of Jessica Demeo of 74 Dartmouth Street., to install a stop sign at the intersection of Montrose St. and Dartmouth St. Every intersection on Montrose St. has at least two stop signs but this intersection does not. + 162-25. City Councilors Amy Green and Bernie Schultz, on behalf of Pat and Don Dwyer of 42 Heywood Street, to request a resident parking space near their exterior stairs on Salem Street. Although Pat and Don qualify for a handicapped parking space, the road grade of Salem Street does not meet ADA requirements so as to prevent them from being issued a handicapped parking space. + 163-25. Councilor Fleming on behalf of Yesenia Renderos of 683 Pearl St. to install a spotlight to enhance the already existing signage or the addition of street level blinking signs to emphasize the 25MPH speed limit. Speeding has always been an issue when drivers transition from White St. in Lunenburg to Pearl St. in Fitchburg. With the recent paving, this issue is expected to get worse. + 179-25. City Councilor Bernie Schultz, in conjunction with Department of Public Works Commissioner Nick Erickson and Police Sergeant Liana Teague, to add a stop sign and stop bar at the end of Valley Street as Valley Street merges onto Canton Street.
Report of the Public Works Committee - October 28, 2025 (00:12:42)
Report of the Public Works Committee - October 28, 2025

Public Works Committee Meeting of October 28, 2025 Oral Report + 164-25. City Councilor Bernie Schultz, on behalf of Louis Cormier of 93 Rainville Avenue, to repair several sections of sidewalk in front of his residence. (Be Granted) + 180-25. Councilor Andrew Van Hazinga, to install a sidewalk on Upland Street along the frontage of 38 Upland Street, to connect an existing sidewalk in front of 26 Upland Street to Dudley Street, approximately 100 feet. (Be Granted) + 181-25. Councilor Andrew Van Hazinga, to install a traffic sign at 16 Prospect Street cautioning drivers about a visually-impaired child living at this location. (Be Granted) + 141-25. Councilor Paul Beauchemin, to request two electronic speed-limit signs to be installed on Clarendon Street heading northbound and southbound, near the intersections with Daniels Street and Franklin Road, in order to improve driver awareness, reduce speeds, and increase safety for motorist, bicyclist, and pedestrians. (Be Held)
Public Hearing: 189-25: Unitil to Petition to Relocate Pole p#31-52 on Mount Elam Road (00:15:42)
Public Hearing: 189-25: Unitil to Petition to Relocate Pole p#31-52 on Mount Elam Road

189-25. Unitil, to petition relocate p#31-52. The proposed p#31-52 would be moved 14' west from original pole and located approximately 275' from Mount Elam Road., Fitchburg as enclosed outlined in the petition. (Requestor asked to move hearing to December 2, 2025)
Orders-Finance (00:17:54)
Orders-Finance

VI. ORDERS - FINANCE + 196-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg approve the expenditure of Municipal Road Safety Grant funds in the approximate amount of FIFTY-FIVE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED SIXTY-EIGHT AND 85/100 DOLLARS ($55,868.85) from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security for Police Department road safety initiatives. + 197-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg appropriate and transfer the sum of FIVE THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($5,000) from Reserve for Other Municipal Purposes to fund temporary administrative support in the Mayor's office.
Ordinance: 188-25 - To Amend Section 111-2 of the City Code (00:50:07)
Ordinance: 188-25 - To Amend Section 111-2 of the City Code

AN ORDINANCE: Chapter 111, Sect. 111.2 of the Code of the City of Fitchburg be amended as follows: That the General Ordinances of the City of Fitchburg, Chapter 111, Sect. 111.2, as most recently amended, be further amended by adding the language denoted in square brackets [ ]: Sect. 111.2 Board officers; quorum. Amend by inserting the following emboldened language: 111.2 In February of each year the Board of Health shall organize by electing one of its members as [Chair] and [by electing] a Clerk, who need not be a member of the Board. The salary of the Clerk shall be fixed by the Board. Two members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Petitions (00:51:01)
Petitions

VIII. PETITIONS + 198-25. As outlined in the attached letter, to authorize the Mayor to negotiate terms of an air rights easement over a portion of the parking garage with a potential buyer of 424 Main St. subject to the final approval of the City Council 412 Main Street Assessor's Map 43-2-0 (City Property) + 199-25. Unitil, to petition for a new proposed stub pole #13-51, approximately 211' from Kilroy St., and 654' from Sheridan St. as outlined in the enclosed petition. (Public Hearing December 2, 2025)