ORDER-2020-89 : City of Melrose Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2021 in the amount of $88,397,961.08 (Eighty-Eight Million, Three Hundred Ninety-Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred Sixty-One Dollars and Eight Cents).

Transcript (~19 min @ 38:08)

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▶ 38:12 Jen Grigoraitis: yes 11 yes 11 yes and the motion carries all right moving on quarter 2020-89 city of melrose

▶ 38:16 Speaker 2: operating budget for fiscal year 2021 in the amount of eighty eight million three hundred ninety seven thousand nine hundred sixty one dollars and eight cents hey counselor sanella

▶ 38:32 Christopher Cinella: yes this comes from appropriation uh where all bottom lines have been moved it comes with a recommendation of passage but i'm sure there'll be some discussion so

▶ 38:46 John N. Tramontozzi: i will hold my motion yes counselor tram and cozy yes uh thank you madam president um As you know, from the start of our budget deliberations, I have raised concerns about the potential for the city not recognizing the revenues anticipated to support the budget. I think there's pretty clear that the state of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is going to and will experience a shortfall of somewhere between $6 and $8 billion, which means that they will be going into the rainy day fund that the state has. It's uncertain as we go through the budget process, like many other cities and towns, what the state would send back to the cities and towns to balance their budgets. My concern is that if we don't make some changes that are desperately needed, that we may end up in a situation where the administration and the mayor will come before us with some sad news in that there'd be potential layoffs. As a result of that, I've been requesting, as we've heard from the department heads with their individual budgets, to help us out.

▶ 40:09 John N. Tramontozzi: to help us out to give us some room to move in the budget. Unfortunately, I have not received the cooperation that I was hoping for. I have reviewed the budget and I believe you all have in your possession as part of the record a spreadsheet where I itemize out 21 line items department, um where i can respectfully suggest that we can fund at the fiscal 2020 level these are discretionary line items uh they're not uh representative of any union or contractual obligations the city has and um and i will make a motion at this time uh to so move to cut the individual line items which uh we're required to do i'm certainly um incapable and uh will and can read each individual line item but if i'm in my motion make reference to this spreadsheet i think that's sufficient uh to cover um the uh the the motion um and um and and i also do uh if anybody has any questions about any particular line item we can go over it but uh so i will at this time make a motion to change the line items the 21 light up line items that are reflected on my spreadsheet which give us a total of savings of a hundred and sixty five thousand one hundred and fourteen dollars and thirty four cents making the new bottom line for the fiscal year 2021 city budget of eighty million two hundred and thirty two thousand eight hundred and forty six

▶ 42:04 John N. Tramontozzi: dollars and seventy four cents second yeah pursue it to my yes spreadsheet so

▶ 42:08 Jen Grigoraitis: we have a motion by councillor Tramontozzi seconded by councillor McMaster to cut 21 line items in the proposed FY 21 budget as outlined in the spreadsheet that was provided to the council I think was yesterday is there Any discussion? Councilor McMaster.

▶ 42:28 Shawn M. MacMaster: Thank you, Madam President. Just briefly, we heard from the mayor and from the auditor on prior occasions over the last couple of months that we're going to have a revenue shortfall as Councilor Tramontozzi alluded to. We will have a reduction in state aid, we know that. What we also know is that we'll be taking in less consumer-based revenue with losses in males tax, occupancy tax, and the marijuana tax. To me, the financially prudent step here is to reduce the operating budget. By not funding discretionary salary increases. Or the sick leave incentive, this would amount Madam president to a cut that would result. In a per capita savings of 5 dollars and 89 cents. In other words, the cup would amount to 5 dollars and 89 cents. Per resident, which an aggregate we can hold in reserve and allocate is needed. In the new fiscal year to fund essential city services. So I will be. Voting in favor of consulate chairman motion.

▶ 43:37 Speaker 6: Thank you, Madam president. Thank you. Council McMaster. Councilor Stewart.

▶ 43:49 Robb Stewart: Stuart, you're on mute. Thank you. Madam president. I'm getting the senior moments already. So, I just did a little math on this and the reduction that's been asked is 1, 10th of 1%. Of the budget that's been proposed to us. And I look at this as a very. Minuscule amount compared to the whole budget. If we're going to have real issues, it's going to be more than 1, 10th of 1%. And because we're dealing with the salary and wages of people in this, that I have to rely on the judgment of the administration that are making the fair call for whether these people are due their increases. I have a difficult time rationalizing this kind of amendment to the overall budget. I think where we have real issues to the budget is where we're going to need to step up and help the administration going forward. I don't think this is going to help the administration in terms of preparing for any anticipated major shortfalls. And for these reasons, I struggle and will not be supporting this amendment. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Councillor Stewart. Are

▶ 45:18 Jen Grigoraitis: there any other Councillors wishing to speak on discussion? Seeing none, Madam Clerk,

▶ 45:31 Speaker 1: can you please call the roll? Councillor Sanella? No. Councillor Eccles? No. Councillor Garipay? No. No. Councilor DeMoledine? No. Councilor McMaster? Yes. Councilor McNaught? No. Councilor Migliorelli? No. Councilor Stewart? No. Councilor Thomas? No. Councilor Tramontozzi?

▶ 45:57 Speaker 3: Yes.

▶ 45:59 Speaker 1: President Grigoraitis?

▶ 46:01 Speaker 6: No.

▶ 46:03 Speaker 1: Two yes and I know.

▶ 46:05 Jen Grigoraitis: Okay, two yes and I know the motion fails. So we currently have the budget before us. Is there any, Councilor Cinella?

▶ 46:14 Christopher Cinella: We'd like a motion to approve the fiscal 2021 budget at this time.

▶ 46:18 Speaker 10: Second.

▶ 46:19 Jen Grigoraitis: We have a motion to approve the fiscal 2021 budget made by Councilor Cinella, seconded by Councilor McNaught. Is there any discussion? Okay, Madam Clerk, can you please call the roll?

▶ 46:39 Speaker 1: Councilor Cinella. Yes. Councilor Eccles. Yes. Gara pay yes councillor Jamala Dean yes councillor McMaster yes

▶ 46:55 Speaker 1: McNaught yes councillor Migliorelli yes councillor Stewart yes councillor Thomas yes so Tremont ozi no president Grigoraitis itis yes yes and yes

▶ 47:13 Jen Grigoraitis: the motion carries madam clerk of committees Oh councillor I'm sorry

▶ 47:23 Shawn M. MacMaster: councillor McMaster Thank You madam president at this time I would just like to make a motion to attach two letters that we received or one letter I should say that I sent another letter that I received I mentioned them momentarily to Order number twenty, twenty eighty seven, and this is better dated June. Second, two thousand and twenty two director of human resources. Marianne long regarding questions about the sick leave incentive as well as her response stated. June, 3rd, 2020, but this time again, Madam president, I make a motion to attach this to the order that we just passed. Thank you.

▶ 48:09 Jen Grigoraitis: 2nd, we have a motion made by Councilor McMaster. 2nd is by Councilor Garipay pay to add 2 letters to the record related to leave incentive. Is there any discussion? Madam clerk, can you please call the roll?

▶ 48:22 Speaker 1: Sinella, Eccles, Garipay, Jamaleddine, McMaster, Knott,

▶ 48:37 Speaker 1: Migliorelli, Stewart, Thomas, Montozzi,

▶ 48:42 Speaker 3: Yes.

▶ 48:45 Speaker 1: President Krueger-Reyes.

▶ 48:48 Speaker 11: Yes.

▶ 48:50 Speaker 1: 11 yes.

▶ 48:51 Jen Grigoraitis: 11 yes. The motion carries. Thank you, Councilor McMaster. did i see sorry did i see a hand counselor are you raising your hand uh yeah i wanted to make

▶ 49:00 Christopher Cinella: a motion to join um the remaining orders i realize the city clerk will be reading these committees just for efficiency and less roll call votes to join orders 2020-90 91 92 93 94 95 104 104, 105, 107, 109, 110, 112, 113, 114, 115, 117, 119, 121, 122, and 123 together for purposes of in a block instead of having to do 20 roll calls. from each department and has come before us there will be some some discussion on each item but

▶ 50:02 Jen Grigoraitis: either way so we have a motion made by counselor sanella to combine the i believe it's all the remaining orders on our agenda for purposes of voting in a block um i my do we i will if do we have a second to that motion and then i i do have a question on discussion second okay we have a second by Councilor McNaught on discussion. I'm unsure if we can combine orders that are being recommended by different committees. I think that included orders from appropriations as well as health, education, welfare, protection and license and legal and pledge. So I'm would feel more comfortable if we could just do the appropriations. Councilor Stewart, you're on mute.

▶ 50:47 Robb Stewart: So when the orders were being read order number 106 was skipped and I don't know if that was for any specific reason oh that's right yes that was out of order thank you so we do have a motion

▶ 51:06 Jen Grigoraitis: and a second before us to combine these orders I believe I just want to clarify councillor Sinella that the clerk of committees would still read each order into the record but we would then avoid having to do individual roll call votes on each order.

▶ 51:23 Speaker 6: Councillor Sonella.

▶ 51:25 Christopher Cinella: Just a point of order. I did discuss this with the city solicitor and it is okay to do all. I mean, we can block it off by committee, but it is okay to do.

▶ 51:39 Jen Grigoraitis: Thank you. That's helpful to answer my question. I appreciate that. Is there any other discussion before the roll is called? Councillor McMaster.

▶ 51:47 Shawn M. MacMaster: Thank you, Madam President. I certainly understand that there may be an appetite to do this. I think, however, my colleagues are aware that I tend to be reticent about conjoining orders, especially orders that aren't necessarily all related, as well as orders that do not come before the full Council with unanimous votes having occurred in committee. An example of two was I was the dissenting vote on the water and sewer enterprise funds. I raised concerns in committee that the lack of transparency around how we calculate indirect costs is something that I think we do need to address as a city. I understand we're not going to address that before passing what's before us tonight, but out of possible and I did put on the record in Council Determination, you may recall this last year this time, the same concerns and I signaled to the administration that come next year meaning where we are now that I would be reluctant to to vote unless we had some clarity on those indirect costs again as I said in committee and fairness to mayor Broder you know he has come in to office he's experienced a number of issues that perhaps has not allowed him to get to this I don't know if it is going to be a priority of his but until I know more about what the intentions are until some affirmative steps have been made on it I'm not inclined to vote to conjoin these orders thank you thank you

▶ 53:20 Jen Grigoraitis: councillor McMaster else on counselor Thomas Thank You madam president through

▶ 53:29 Cory Thomas: the president can we ask council Sunilla to amend his recommendation and bundle

▶ 53:43 Jen Grigoraitis: Yes, so there's a request to withdraw the existing motion and then re worded. So that we're doing them by that's correct. Thank you. I wanted to speak on session before we get that council.

▶ 53:55 John N. Tramontozzi: Yeah, thank you. Madam president, like council of McMaster. I had also raised issues. We got in the water and sewer enterprise funds. I mean, I get the fact that we need to vote on them this evening, but there was some, some discussion in the council. And I also had some reservations about those indirect costs. And I, and 1 thing I mentioned was, I thought that it would be appropriate to start for the administration to start looking into those indirect costs and see if it's if we can make changes. And I know the administration is new, but but I would, I have the same reservations about the water and sewer funding as a council and McMaster. What I would suggest is I'm okay with everything else. If we can just pull out from the co-joined order, order 2020-93, the water enterprise operating account, and 2020-94, the sewer enterprise operating account, and co-join those for a separate vote, then I'd be okay with co-joining everything else.

▶ 55:07 Jen Grigoraitis: Thank you, Councilor Tramontozzi. Anyone else on discussion of the motion currently before us to conjoin all the orders? So we do have a motion. Councilor Stewart.

▶ 55:16 Robb Stewart: Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, I would tend to support that most recent suggestion to conjoin two separate areas to satisfy certain councilors' interests. Thank you, Madam President.

▶ 55:32 Jen Grigoraitis: Thank you, Councillor Stewart. So we've had a couple different suggestions from the council. We do have a motion that's been duly seconded before us. Councillor Sinella, are you wishing to withdraw or rephrase your motion?

▶ 55:44 Christopher Cinella: I will amend my motion and withdraw 93 and 94.

▶ 55:54 Jen Grigoraitis: I'll withdraw my second. Okay, so we have a new motion before us made by Councillor Sinella and seconded by Councillor McNaught to join all orders with the exception of orders 93 and 94. Is there any discussion on that as the motion? Okay, seeing none, Madam Clerk can you

▶ 56:22 Speaker 1: please call the roll? Councilor Sinella? Yes. Councilor Eccles? Yes. Councilor Garipay? Yes. Councilor DeMoladine? Yes. Councilor McMaster? Yes. Councilor

▶ 56:36 Speaker 1: McNaught? Yes. Councillor Migliorelli? Yes. Councillor Stewart? Yes. Councillor Thomas? Yes. Councillor

▶ 56:50 Jen Grigoraitis: Ciamantosi? Yes. President Grigoraitis? Yes. 11 yes. 11 yes. So we have conjoined, I've honestly lost count of how many orders. Madam Clerk of Committees, for the purposes of the public and for the record, could you just read aloud each of the orders that we've just conjoined before we move on to discussion? Sure.