ORDER-2014-157 : Acceptance of Melrose Common Grant from the Commonwealth of Mass., Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs; Fund #4010

Transcript (~5 min @ 2:15:50)

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▶ 2:15:49 Speaker 3: no no but it just just the breakdown just shows you that each what each school represents

▶ 2:15:54 John N. Tramontozzi: it was all part of that same okay very good mr chairman yes would you entertain to take order

▶ 2:15:59 Gail Infurna: number two oh one four dash one five seven i think miss gaffey is sitting back there

▶ 2:16:10 Gail Infurna: are you waiting for that one which um the grant yeah the grant the melrose common all right all All right. When I saw her sitting back there, I thought, hmm, that must belong to her.

▶ 2:16:18 Robert A. Boisselle: All right, why don't we take order 2014-157, acceptance of the Merrill's Common Grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, fund number 4010. Mr. Chairman, just a question here on the regional school assessment on 399. We mentioned a budget of $1,029,947, but the budget for regional school is $1,087,974. Does that have to be amended, or is this all one package?

▶ 2:16:54 Speaker 1: It includes Aggie. Is that a yes or no?

▶ 2:16:59 John N. Tramontozzi: No, I rely on the clerk of committees, and she has advised me that we're all set. Okay, good, thank you. you um miss gaffigan do you want to come forward so tell us about this grant i will i i think

▶ 2:17:16 Denise Gaffey: you've heard about it already once before but now i'm officially in front of you to announce that we the city has received this grant from the state environmental agency it's the our common backyards grant program and it's a um 200 000 grant towards specifically towards improvements to the mellows comments so it's really we've heard about this really exciting project um we were thrilled when we saw this uh come across our computers back in january this opportunity which we immediately pursued and um we were successful in getting this grant so we're very excited about it um it's going to allow us to to build all new replace the tot lot equipment at the commons and of course as you know the commons is is any for anyone who has young children here the commons is heavily used it's a great resource the tot lot equipment there is is is great equipment but it's okay it's outdated it's old and so with this grant we're going to be able to replace completely replace both sets of tot lot equipment we will be able to upgrade the seating areas add new landscaping new trees and we're also looking at a possible water feature so we're going to explore the feasibility of that water feature as part of this grant which would be a really nice amenity and nothing that we have a feature that we don't have anywhere else in the city so it's a 200 it's $200,000 grant and it's a two hundred and fifty thousand dollar project we have from fifty thousand dollars that were required to contribute towards this project and the mayor has already allocated the funding from the open space fund for that this is fund these are funds that we already have in place so there's no direct impact on the the city budget for this program which is great so tonight this the language in front of you is the authorization to accept the grant and to allow the mayor to sign contracts and execute the grant program there's specific language in here that the Commonwealth required us to to stipulate it talks about it being a reimbursement grant which is is is very typical as a lot of the grants that we do are funded that way so we pay the bill and then we get reimbursed um but they and they also required language in here that stipulated that this this was a um these were this is a park resource that could not be used for any other purpose which is of course something we're very comfortable with so um we're here to

▶ 2:19:57 John N. Tramontozzi: ask for your authorization for this language very good any discussion what is the will of the uh the committee what should i recommend second all right so we have a motion to recommend by off um seconded by alderman bird on further discussion alderman mortimer i'd just like to thank

▶ 2:20:16 Peter D. Mortimer: miss gaffey because this park is in ward six and it's a great piece of work by your office in the administration, and although it is in Ward 6, I'm sure it's going to be used by the entire city as it is now. It's, aside from Mount Hood, also in Ward 6, it's one of the biggest parks we have in the city. Usually around for lacrosse, soccer, softball, and there's already been kids. But it is getting a little bit crowded up there down in that corner near former Alderman Salamanca's house. So I'm sure with some expansion, it will help to ease the congestion a little.

▶ 2:20:55 Peter D. Mortimer: And there's already some neighborhood meetings planned, so

▶ 2:21:01 John N. Tramontozzi: we can address the parking and make sure that it's a win-win for everyone all around. And thank you once again for your work. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You're welcome, very good. We do have a motion to recommend on the floor. Are we ready for that vote? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed?