City Council - 12.10.2025

Updated about 18 hours ago

City Council Meeting - 12.10.2025

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Chapters

Meeting Open (00:00:00)
Meeting Open
Public Forum (00:01:24)
Public Forum
Announcements (00:01:57)
Announcements
Report of the Committee on Records (00:03:24)
Report of the Committee on Records
Communication: Full-Time Student Police Officers for the City of Fitchburg (00:04:05)
Communication: Full-Time Student Police Officers for the City of Fitchburg

IV. COMMUNICATION Her Honor the Mayor 1. Revised Appointment letter: Full-Time Student Police Officers for the City of Fitchburg (Effective January 5, 2026) + Nicholas Gray + Andres Porras
Communication: CY 2026 Budget of the Fitchburg Retirement Board (00:04:26)
Communication: CY 2026 Budget of the Fitchburg Retirement Board

V. COMMUNICATION Fitchburg Retirement System Fitchburg Retirement Board's CY 2026 Budget CY2026 Budget
Public Hearing: 189-25: Unitil to Petition to Relocate Pole p#31-52 Near 463 Mount Elam Road (00:05:15)
Public Hearing: 189-25: Unitil to Petition to Relocate Pole p#31-52 Near 463 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.
Public Hearing: 199-25: Unitil to Petition for a New Proposed Stub Pole #13-51 Near 155 Airport Road (00:08:52)
Public Hearing: 199-25: Unitil to Petition for a New Proposed Stub Pole #13-51 Near 155 Airport Road

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: 195-25: The Planning Board, to Petition for an Amendment to the Fitchburg Zoning Ordinance (00:11:50)
Public Hearing: 195-25: The Planning Board, to Petition for an Amendment to the Fitchburg Zoning Ordinance

195-25. The Planning Board, to petition for an amendment to the Fitchburg Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 181 of the Fitchburg City Code by making the following amendments as outlined in the enclosed petition.
Report of the City Property Committee - December 10, 2025 (00:13:15)
Report of the City Property Committee - December 10, 2025

City Property Committee Meeting of December 10, 2025 Oral Report 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
Report of the Finance Committee - November 26, 2025 (00:14:16)
Report of the Finance Committee - November 26, 2025

Finance Committee Meeting of November 26, 2025 + 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. (Be Adopted)
197-25: Appropriate and Transfer $5,000 to fund Temporary Administrative Support in the Mayor's Office (00:16:36)
197-25: Appropriate and Transfer $5,000 to fund Temporary Administrative Support in the Mayor's Office

Finance Committee Meeting of November 26, 2025) + 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. (Not be Adopted)
Report of the Legislative Affairs Committee - December 10, 2025 (00:56:54)
Report of the Legislative Affairs Committee - December 10, 2025

Legislative Affairs Committee Meeting of December 10, 2025 Oral Report + 092-23. BE IT ORDAINED THAT - Chapter 3, Article IV, section 3-43 O. shall be amended as follows by adding to the end: Attached to said petition shall be a communication from the City Auditor indicating what each salary would be if increased by the ?CPI Adjustment Factor? as defined below, which communication shall be read out or summarized by the Chair at any session in which the Council or a subcommittee thereof debates or votes on such petition. For the purposes of this subsection, the CPI Adjustment Factor shall be defined as the lesser of five percent (5%) or the result of the following calculation: [(CPI-U for January of the then current year minus the January CPI-U for the preceding year) divided by the previous year's January CPI-U] multiplied by 100 equals the CPI Adjustment Factor. But in no case shall the CPI Adjustment Factor be less than zero percent (0%). CPI-U shall mean the Consumer Price Index BostonCambridge-Newton MA-NH (1982-84 = 100) as published by the New England Information Office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (www.bls.gov/regions/new-england/data/ConsumerPriceIndex_Boston_Table.htm). After a review of the proposed increase the City Council shall then vote on the Mayor's salary and the City Councilors' salary. + 167-24. President Zarrella, to designate the Veteran Services Commissioner as a Special Municipal Employee. + 093-25. Joanna Bilotta-Simeone, City Clerk, to review the Mayor's salary and the City Councilors' salary, as required by Chapter 3-43 of the Code of the Fitchburg.
Report of the Public Safety Committee - December 10, 2025 (00:59:17)
Report of the Public Safety Committee - December 10, 2025

Public Safety Committee Meeting of December 10, 2025 Oral Report Committee Review and Approval of the 2026 Dealer License Renewal. + A & P Automotive Group + All Town Collision & Repair LLC + Brownell Auto & Sales + Image Auto Sales & Service + J Motors, Inc. + Paulino Auto Group +PCM Auto Sales + RT Auto Center + Rayco Motors - 1118 Water St. + Rivers Bros, Inc + The Peterbilt Store + Twin City Auto + Rydemore Heavy Duty Truck Parts - Class III + Rydemore Heavy Duty Truck Parts - Class II
Public Hearing: 195-25: The Planning Board, to Petition for an Amendment to the Fitchburg Zoning Ordinance (Continued) (01:00:46)
Public Hearing: 195-25: The Planning Board, to Petition for an Amendment to the Fitchburg Zoning Ordinance (Continued)

195-25. The Planning Board, to petition for an amendment to the Fitchburg Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 181 of the Fitchburg City Code by making the following amendments as outlined in the enclosed petition.
200-25: To Appropriate $97,282.26 from 'Reserve for Appropriation - PEG Access Expenses' (01:02:53)
200-25: To Appropriate $97,282.26 from 'Reserve for Appropriation - PEG Access Expenses'

200-25. ORDER THAT: there be and hereby is appropriated the sum of NINETY-SEVEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO AND 26/100 DOLLARS ($97,282.26) from RESERVE FOR APPROPRIATION - PEG ACCESS Expenses to RESERVE FOR APPROPRIATION - PEG ACCESS Cable Franchise Fee for the purpose of remitting to FATV the third quarter 2025 franchise fee. (Suspension of Rules)
201-25: Grant Fund Expenditure of $23,500 to Support an Overnight Winter Warming Center (01:05:24)
201-25: Grant Fund Expenditure of $23,500 to Support an Overnight Winter Warming Center

201-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg hereby approves the expenditure of grant funds by the Board of Health in the amount of TWENTY-THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($23,500) from the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts/Ron M. Ansin Fund to support an overnight Winter Warming Center. (Suspension of Rules)
Orders-Finance (01:09:20)
Orders-Finance

VIII. ORDERS - FINANCE + 202-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg approve the expenditure of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program Action grant funds in the approximate amount of ONE HUNDRED FORTY-THREE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED SEVENTY DOLLARS ($143,970) to complete the design of pedestrian improvements and Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) features along the Elm Street corridor. + 203-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg approve the expenditure of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Dam & Seawall Repair or Removal Grant funds in the approximate amount of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($250,000) to complete design modifications for the Scott Reservoir Dam. + 204-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg transfer within the Treasurer/Collector accounts the sum of ELEVEN THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS ($11,025) from Tax Title - Continued Appropriation to Contracted Services. +210-25. ORDER THAT: the City of Fitchburg approve the expenditure of a donation from Amazon in the amount of THREE HUNDRED FIFTEEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS ($315,400), to fund engineering design services for infrastructure improvements to Interval Road and Poplar Street to support Amazon's use of its 135 Intervale Road facility.
Order-Other (01:09:36)
Order-Other

IX. ORDER - OTHER 205-25. ORDER THAT: That the City Council does hereby approve the Cannabis Social Equity Policy dated November 14, 2025 as included with this Order. (Legislative Affairs)
Petitions (01:09:48)
Petitions

X. PETITIONS + 206-25. Councilor Fleming and Councilor Walsh on behalf of Elizabeth Keese, I am requesting consideration to move the 'Announcements and Recognition' section to the end of the City Council agenda beginning in January 2026 as outlined in the enclosed petition. (Legislative Affairs) + 207-25. President Anthony Zarrella, on behalf of Liz Murphy, Executive Director Community Development & Planning to change Section 181.647 of the Fitchburg zoning code the allowable hours of operation for Marijuana retail Establishments from 8AM to 8PM to 8AM to 11PM. (Planning Board/Public Hearing January 6, 2026) + 208-25. President Anthony Zarrella, on behalf of Liz Murphy, Executive Director Community Development & Planning, to change the Table of Principal Use Regulations to allow Marijuana Delivery Courier and Marijuana Delivery Operator uses in the Industrial and Adaptive Industrial Districts as outlined in the enclosed petition. (Planning Board/Public Hearing January 6, 2026) + 209-25. City Councilor Bernie Schultz, on behalf of Jean Bien-Aime of 130 Lancaster Street, to install a guardrail to protect life and property at the 130 Lancaster Street location as outlined in the enclosed petition. (Public Works)

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