ORDER-2019-25 : Calling a Special Election on Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Transcript (~6 min @ 16:52)

Speakers identified by voice; unnamed voices are numbered within this recording. Auto-caption text — verify against the video.

▶ 16:47 Speaker 10: please read the orders. Order 2019-25 calling a special election on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019. Mr. President, I make a motion to suspend the rules that

▶ 16:55 Peter D. Mortimer: we may hear from her honor, Mayor Gail Inferna.

▶ 17:01 Michael P. Zwirko: The motion to suspend the rules made by Alderman Mortimer has been seconded by Alderman Lemmerman to suspend the rules. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? The motion passes. We are now in suspension of the rules. I call on Mayor Inferna who is here to come before us and speak on the orders that are on our agenda. Greetings, Mayor Inferna.

▶ 17:22 Gail Infurna: Thank you very much. It's always an honor to be here back in the chamber

▶ 17:27 Speaker 11: with my brother and sister Alderman.

▶ 17:30 Gail Infurna: Dear Alderman members of the Board of Alderman, I am here tonight to ask you to do two things that will allow the people of Melrose to make an important decision. The first is to call a special election for April 2nd, 2019, and the second is to place an override question

▶ 17:47 Speaker 11: on that ballot.

▶ 17:48 Gail Infurna: I am asking for a special election because we need to know by the beginning of the spring budget cycle whether or not we will have these additional funds. We will present the voters with summaries of two possible budgets, one with the override and one without. The choice will be very clear. The override question is based on the most pressing needs of the city and the priorities stated by the public in the listening sessions, via the questionnaires, and in emails and letters to my office. We heard loud and clear that the people of Melrose wanted to know exactly how the money would be used they wanted to override they wanted the override to truly solve the problems that have been set forth and they wanted to see that there this is part of a long-term plan we have taken their advice to heart when constructing this override this override addresses students staff and space and through the next few months you will hear me call them the three S's as you know our student population is increasing and that means quite simply that we need enough teachers for our growing number of students this override would pay for that as for space we are fortunate to have held on to the BB school and now we want to reclaim it rather than continue to rent it however this means we will no longer receive the rental fee for that building a portion of the override money will go to cover the lost revenue we are working with superintendent a more to plan how to accommodate our growing student body and the BB school will play an important part in these plans if the override passes this part of the proposal also addresses the needs for more curriculum materials supplies textbooks and technology for our students as you know for several years we have some supplemented the school budget with an additional appropriation using one-time money to fund the operating budget is not an ideal situation but we have had no choice this override would allow us to do the responsible thing and provide enough money for the schools upfront that would make our budgeting process more accurate and more transparent we could then use those one-time monies for one-time expenses such as repairs and new equipment rather than putting them into the school operating budget and finally the staff this override will give us the funds we need to keep our best teachers in the Melrose schools we have many good teachers who leave after a few years because they can earn more in another district this override will allow us to offer our teachers competitive salaries it will also encourage these teachers who have benefited from our training and professional development to stay in the district the total amount of this override is 5.18 million this is the amount we need to fix the problems I have outlined a lower amount would not do this this override is the responsible thing to do we have cut costs look for additional sources of revenue and run on a tight budget for years and we will continue along that path however that is not enough we must increase our property tax revenues overrides were designed for communities like Melrose which are mostly residential with little commercial and no industrial property if you approve these two orders you will allow the voters to choose how much they want to invest in themselves every dollar of this override stays in Melrose and it will make our city better this money is designated for the schools the Commonwealth of Massachusetts establishes a set amount we must budget the schools and we barely meet that minimum each year because of this we have given the majority of new revenue to the schools for years at the expense of other departments a successful override would take the pressure off departments that have been underfunded for years and allow us to make needed improvements i am not here today to ask you to endorse this proposal i am simply asking you to vote to put the override on the ballot this will affect every member of our community so i want all the voices to be heard if we do not offer our residents this opportunity we will have to make drastic cuts to the budget without their input therefore i am asking you to call the special election for april and place the override question on the ballot so we can allow the voters to choose for themselves i am asking you to trust the residents of melrose to make the best choice for our city and our future thank you for your consideration this evening thank you mayor inferna

▶ 22:51 Michael P. Zwirko: order 2019-25 calling a special election on tuesday april 2nd of 2019 will be sent to the