PUBLIC COMMENT
Agenda original PDF
Minutes original PDF
adley Freeman, Maya Jamaleddine, Manjula Karamcheti, Elizabeth Kowal, John Obremski, Christopher Park, Devin Romanul, Kim Vandiver III. PUBLIC COMMENT When: Aug 10, 2026 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Topic: Appropriations & Oversight Committee Meeting Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android: https://cityofmelrose- org.zoom.us/j/91494962042?pwd=2r6Th3Jt3R4JbQABmpCTlW84jTFmrk.1 Passcode:947646 Webinar ID: 914 9496 2042 Passcode: 947646 Motion to Open public comment made by Chair Romanul at 7:44 PM Comments on the floor: Cris Giles, of a business at 162 Tremont Street, spoke about the proposed kennel licensing ordinance change. She clarified that dogs get licensed at 6 months of age, which is when they can get a rabies shot, not prior to that since they are too small for that shot. The kennel license for 13 weeks has nothing to do with the individual dog license, it handles the building license. Regarding Bordatella, if a dog develops kennel cough, normally they are seen by a veterinarian and usually given antibiotics, whether it's viral or bacterial. The dog could get sicker if it's not treated by a vet, but either way, it gets better whether it is seen by a vet or on its own. If you take care of your dog, it will be fine. There were no comments on line. Motion to Close public comment made by Chair Romanul at 7:47 PM Motion to Recess to return to the Legal & Legislative Committee meeting made by Chair Romanul at 7:47 PM Meeting was resumed at 7:57 PM IV. GRANTS
Transcript
▶ 46:21 Devin Romanul: Good evening. The time is 7:44 on Monday, August 10th. This is a meeting of the Appropriations and Oversight Committee. My name is Devin Romanul. I'm the chair. I'm joined this evening by Vice Chair Vandiver, Councilors Chen, Jamaluddin, Karemčadi, Kowal, Obremski, Park, and President Freeman. This serves as a notice of quorum for the record. In accordance with open meeting law, this meeting is being broadcast live on MMTV. At this time, I'll motion by unanimous consent to approve without reading the minutes from our most recent convening. Seeing no objection, those minutes are now approved. I'll now motion by unanimous consent to open the floor for public comment. Seeing no objections, we are now open for public comment. This is a moment for members of the audience and the general public to comment on any issues on our agenda. Also, other issues are welcome. Commentary on other issues is welcome as well. Does anyone here wish to testify for public comment?
▶ 47:17 Speaker 7: Me. All right, let's rock and roll.
▶ 47:20 Speaker 2: So I can talk about what we were just talking about, right? Mm-hmm. Yeah. Sweet. Okay. So, okay, dog licensing. Dogs get licensed at six months old because it's for the specific dog, because you don't have to have a rabies shot until you're six months old. The kennel license for 13 weeks has nothing to do with the individual dog license. The kennel license handles the building, the dog licenses handle the dogs. So the later you can license your dog is the later you get the rabies shot, because you don't want to give a rabies shot to a dog that's 13 weeks old. It's too big of a shot, too little of an animal. If we can wait longer and you get them all rabies vaccinated and licensed by six months, you're all set.
▶ 48:08 Speaker 2: Other thing, as far as the Bordetella goes, so you guys were talking about a backboard that I don't want to beat a dead horse, but the other problem I have with Bordetella is when the dog actually gets kennel cough, they go to the vet, the vet diagnoses it, and gives them antibiotics. Doesn't matter if it's viral or bacterial, the vet gives them antibiotics, which doesn't do anything if it's viral, only if it's bacterial. That's if the person goes to the vet. If they don't go to the vet, yes, the dog will get sicker, but when they go to the vet, the vet just automatically gives them antibiotics. The dog gets better whether it's viral or not. If you take care of your dog, it's going to be fine.
▶ 48:47 Speaker 2: You need to handle that. So I think that's all I have to say. Thank you.
▶ 48:51 Devin Romanul: Thank you so much. It's a good loophole in the system to have these meetings back to back. Any other folks here for public comment?
▶ 49:01 Speaker 7: Just saying. Do we have any folks online?
▶ 49:04 Speaker 2: No one online.
▶ 49:04 Devin Romanul: All right. Seeing no objection, I'll now motion by unanimous consent to close public comment. Seeing no objection, we are now closed. Since we are in between meetings, I'm going to make a motion by unanimous consent to recess for going back to our old committee meeting. Seeing no objection, we are now in recess. All right. Thanks, folks.
▶ 49:42 Elizabeth Kowal: I don't know, but I like stuff that you... You did a nice job imitating me. Well, you know- We have similar hair. It's good
▶ 49:46 Devin Romanul: ... my Councilor Kowal cosplay is underway. A+ For Halloween.