Public Participation

Transcript (~7 min @ 6:24)

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▶ 6:14 Peter D. Mortimer: United States of America. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. President, I make a motion to open the floor for public participation. Second.

▶ 6:32 Speaker 5: Alderman Mortimer moves that we commence public participation. The motion is seconded by Alderman Boisselle on the motion all those in favor aye aye anyone opposed motion passes this is the portion of our meeting where any member of the public can come forward to the table in the center of the room identify themselves and declaim on any issue that is on our agenda for this evening any member of the public who wishes to speak please Mr. President

▶ 7:11 Speaker 6: thank you for the opportunity Mr. President and board members my name is Robert Bell I live at 173 Ashland Street and I speak to two orders that are on the agenda I am aware that they may or may not be voted on tonight or maybe being referred to other committees but they speak to both the changes to the liquor licensing and the changes to the zoning ordinance and I joined them together as a subject because I think that there is a connection a link between them which is The need for the city to constantly adapt to new and changing circumstances and to continue to attempt to provide or to enable businesses and investments in our community that can fill the changing times and the changing needs that happen. rather than staying static and expecting the world to fit into our framework you know I want to state that I think we all have the same deep shared love for the city in the same goal which is to help make Melrose as good as as it can be within our resources and I think that they alderman have certainly played a a key role in helping to petition Melrose where it is right now, which is very favorable in a highly desired in all aspects by people from outside the city looking to either move in here residentially or to come in and invest in our city and redo properties and bring them into a more fruitful and practical use than what they might be at present. The City of Melrose has positioned itself inside the greater metropolitan area as a very desirable suburb, but we have to also think of our role and what the needs are of the metro area, which is clearly workforce housing and affordable housing for people to work in the businesses that are prospering in greater Boston. And Melrose is not going to be a significant player. We're a built-up community. We only have a certain amount of available opportunity for adaptive reuse. But within those opportunities, we should be as flexible as we can to adapt to what the needs are out there. It's a law of nature that we adapt or die, and it's inevitable that the city is going to evolve. However, that essential Melrose that we all cherish is going to remain the same, because we all know we're here basically a built-out community the uh the regulatory boards that have

▶ 10:29 Speaker 6: been appointed and approved by you have done a really un outstanding job at monitoring and directing the redevelopment of the city over the past 10 15 years and i think the results are obvious that it's a huge success in with the envy of so many other communities but and I think we need to trust that these boards are not going to permit crazy schemes but on the other hand they need authority to to grant careful innovation and this becomes I know that there is some division of opinion or some questioning in relation to the parking regulations that are proposed on the zoning ordinance and I know there's also some feelings about the liquor licensing but I'm just imploring you that they both fit together for the same ultimate goal which is to help the city adapt in a in a effective positive way and bring about change that we're all going to benefit from and I just need to close I use this before but it applies here if it ever applied which is that there's a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood leads on to fortune on such a sea we're now afloat and we must take the current when it it serves or lose our ventures we learned this freshman year at Melrose High but it applies as much to the opportunity that we have before us right now on these two orders and I would hope that you would act on them positively

▶ 12:27 Peter D. Mortimer: thank you thank you sir motion to close public participation let me ask if

▶ 12:30 Speaker 5: there's anybody else here who wishes to speak before we close public participation. Is there anybody else who wishes to speak? Alderman Mortimer.

▶ 12:38 Peter D. Mortimer: Motion to close public participation, Mr. President.

▶ 12:42 Speaker 5: Motion by Alderman Mortimer to close public participation, seconded by Alderman Boisselle. On the motion, all those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Public participation is hereby concluded for this evening. I am compelled to point out that our meeting is being taped and will be broadcast on Melrose cable television in accordance with the laws of the