PUBLIC COMMENT
Agenda original PDF
Minutes original PDF
Title Status Arrived Kim Vandiver Vice Chair Present Jason Chen At-Large Present Cal Finocchiaro Ward 6 Present Maya Jamaleddine At-Large Present Manjula Karamcheti Ward 1 Present Elizabeth Kowal At-Large Present John Obremski Ward 2 Present Christopher Park Ward 3 Present Ryan Williams At-Large Present William Bradley Freeman President, Ex Officio Present Member Devin Romanul Chair Present-Remote Attendance II. PUBLIC COMMENT 1 When: Jun 4, 2026 07:45 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Topic: Appropriations & Oversight Committee-Public Hearing for Water/Sewer Rates Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android: https://cityofmelrose- org.zoom.us/j/96549671189?pwd=GekHdGu6NiSY3Wt2l7xGRQNRTp5ANL.1 Passcode:478466 Webinar ID: 965 4967 1189 Motion to Open public comment made by Councilor Williams at 7:57 PM Seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] AYES: Jason Chen, Cal Finocchiaro, Bradley Freeman, Maya Jamaleddine, Manjula Karamcheti, Elizabeth Kowal, John Obremski, Christopher Park, Devin Romanul, Kim Vandiver, Ryan Williams NAYS: None Martin Corona, Executive Director of Melrose Housing Authority, supports the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and read the following email he received. The Affordable Housing Trust Fund, I like to call it workforce housing, that affects not only young people here, but professionals. I got this today. I hope you're doing well. I recently accepted a position with the Melrose Public Schools as an elementary school library teacher. I attached my completed application for affordable housing to this email. Melrose is unaffordable. Please, assist me. Thank you for your help. So, obviously, it's very important. It helps retain teachers, so I just wanted to be here and support the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. There were no comments via Zoom Motion to Close public comment made by Councilor Williams Seconded by Councilor Karamcheti All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] AYES: Jason Chen, Cal Finocchiaro, Bradley Freeman, Maya Jamaleddine, Manjula Karamcheti, Elizabeth Kowal, John Obremski, Christopher Park, Devin Romanul, Kim Vandiver, Ryan Williams NAYS: None III. PUBLIC HEARING FOR WATER/SEWER RATES
Transcript
▶ 1:53:16 Kimberly Vandiver: Motion to open public comment by Councilor Williams, seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro, and Councilor Park has joined us. We'll need a roll call vote on opening public comment.
▶ 1:53:28 Speaker 3: Councilor Chen?
▶ 1:53:29 Speaker 2: Yes.
▶ 1:53:30 Speaker 3: Councilor Finocchiaro? Yes. Councilor Jamaleddine? Yes. Councilor Karamcheti? Councilor Kowal? Yes.
▶ 1:53:38 Speaker 2: Councilor Abramsky? Yes. Councilor Park? Yes. Councilor Williams? Yes. President Freeman? Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes.
▶ 1:53:44 Speaker 3: Chair Vanderberg? Yes. All in favor.
▶ 1:53:47 Speaker 6: Okay. We are open for public comment on the public hearing
▶ 1:53:49 Kimberly Vandiver: for water sewer rates. Would anyone like to comment on that topic?
▶ 1:53:57 Speaker 4: Good evening.
▶ 1:53:59 Speaker 6: My name is Martin Corona. I'm the executive director of the Melrose Housing Authority. I'm happy to be here, and I'm not commenting on the public water and sewer. I'm just here to comment early on the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Is that okay? May I jump out of order?
▶ 1:54:14 Kimberly Vandiver: I believe we can accept comments on any topic. So, if you can limit your comments to five minutes, please.
▶ 1:54:20 Speaker 6: Yep. This will be very quick. As the housing authority executive director, I support the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and I'm going to read an email that I got today, actually. The Affordable Housing Trust Fund, I like to call it workforce housing. That affects not only young people here, but professionals. I got this today. "I hope you're doing well. I recently accepted a position with the Melrose Public Schools as an elementary school library teacher. I attached my completed application for affordable housing to this email. Melrose is unaffordable. Please assist me. Thank you for your help." So, obviously, it's very important. It helps retain teachers. So I just wanted to be here and support the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.Thank you.
▶ 1:55:07 Speaker 4: Thank you. Thank you for your comments.
▶ 1:55:09 Speaker 2: Kim, did we get his name? Did he sign?
▶ 1:55:11 Kimberly Vandiver: Excuse me, did you sign in? And if not, would you write your name, please? I will. Thank you. Thanks so much. Okay. Okay. And is there anyone else who would like to speak at public comment at this time? And is there anyone online?
▶ 1:55:25 Speaker 3: No one online.
▶ 1:55:27 Kimberly Vandiver: Okay, wonderful. So I'll entertain a motion to close public comment. So moved. Second. A motion to close public comment by Councilor Williams and second, was that Councilor- It was me ... Karamcheti? Yes.
▶ 1:55:38 Speaker 6: Okay. And roll call vote, please.
▶ 1:55:41 Speaker 3: Councilor Chen?
▶ 1:55:42 Speaker 2: Yes.
▶ 1:55:43 Speaker 3: Councilor Finocchiaro? Yes. Councilor Jamaleddine? Yes. Councilor Karamcheti? Yes. Councilor Kowal? Yes. Councilor Abramski?
▶ 1:55:49 Speaker 2: Yes. Councilor Park? Yes. Councilor Williams? Yes. President Freeman? Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes.
▶ 1:55:55 Speaker 3: Chair Vandiver? Yes. Well done.
▶ 1:56:00 Speaker 4: Thank you. Okay.
▶ 1:56:01 Kimberly Vandiver: So on our agenda tonight, we have two topics. And we will
▶ 1:56:11 Kimberly Vandiver: at some point probably need to gavel in and out for another public hearing. But why don't we go ahead and get started with fiscal year 2027 water rates?