ORDER-2016-103 : Be it ordered by the Melrose Board of Aldermen that the position of Board Member on the Historic District Commission shall be designated as a "Special Municipal Employee" as that term is defined in MGL, Chapter 268A

Transcript (~4 min @ 22:55)

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▶ 22:52 Jennifer L. Lemmerman: Last item on our agenda this evening is order number 2016-103. Be it ordered by the Melrose Board of Aldermen that the position of board member on the historic district commission shall be designated as a special municipal employee, as that term is defined in Mass General Laws Chapter 268A.

▶ 23:13 Jennifer L. Lemmerman: Alderman Mortimer is the maker of the order. would you like to comment?

▶ 23:17 Peter D. Mortimer: Yes, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity.

▶ 23:21 Speaker 3: The order that I have put forth before us

▶ 23:24 Peter D. Mortimer: came to my attention from a member of the Historic District Commission who ran into a conflict with his architectural firm. He's been on the Historic District Commission for 14 years, given his time and talent, and it wasn't a monumental affair, But he just did notice that his firm was barred from submitting a bid for some work for the city.

▶ 23:53 Peter D. Mortimer: This is a practice which we have brought already to the planning board, and I think the zoning board of appeals, definitely the BB estate. There's a couple of coaches at the high school and the middle school who have been designated special municipal employees. So we've had this discussion numerous times in the past few years when those other boards and commissions with volunteer employees who are taking the time to

▶ 24:24 Peter D. Mortimer: give their time and talent to our city shouldn't be disadvantaged from having their particular business precluded from making bids for city work. This isn't Boston or Cambridge where there are giant $5 million projects to be bid on. Most of the projects are very small and I don't think that we want to discourage people like Mr. Sampson, for example, who came in tonight or many others from feeling that they can't volunteer their time and talent, expertise and education to the committees and of the city of Melrose this is something we've done for many other Commission's as noted I spoke to Mike Lindstrom from the mayor's office about this he said he didn't know that Robert Van Campen had any problem with it he said if he if he did have a problem he had sent down a letter in that regard mr. Lindstrom said that so i think this is a good idea in my conversation with mr lindstrom he said maybe this is something eventually that we'll do for all volunteer boards and commissions uh to the city but for now um he said it he thought it seemed like uh a good idea at the time uh that's not a direct quote but that's the general idea that he thought there was no problem with it might be be a more accurate way to say it and again it's not a direct quote but I would think suffice to say he didn't have a problem with it so and as far as he knew City Solicitor Van Kamen didn't have a problem with it either so I would

▶ 26:14 Peter D. Mortimer: hope the board would make a motion to recommend for passage we'll then have two full weeks until the full board meeting on March 7th if there if there is a problem I'm sure we can be notified of it of course this has to go across the mayor's desk for the final signature anyway in the regular course of business so I would ask that the board make a motion to recommend this I mean excuse me the committee make a motion to recommend this order for passage this evening thank you for letting me speak even though I'm not on the committee madam chairman I appreciate it thank you any discussion from the members of the

▶ 26:52 Jennifer L. Lemmerman: committee motion to recommend the motion to recommend by Alderman Boisselle is Is there a second? Second. Seconded by Alderman Inferna. Any discussion? All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Seeing none, the order will be recommended for passage to our next full board meeting.

▶ 27:08 Speaker 2: Motion to adjourn. Second.