GRANT-2025-5 : Acceptance of State Earmark for City Hall Front Door in the amount of $40,000

Transcript (~3 min @ 23:38)

Speakers identified by voice; unnamed voices are numbered within this recording. Auto-caption text — verify against the video.

▶ 23:27 Maya Jamaleddine: And, uh, since we have members, uh, of the administration here tonight to speak on the items before us, I'll motion by unanimous consent to suspend the rules before we proceed. Seeing no objection, the rules are now suspended

▶ 23:44 Maya Jamaleddine: For tonight on our agenda, um,

▶ 23:50 Maya Jamaleddine: we have, um, ID number, uh, 12 0 0 7 acceptance of state e mark for City Hall front door, and the amount of $40,000. And we have Madam Mayor with us tonight.

▶ 24:08 Jen Grigoraitis: Good evening, Madam Chair, my and counselors. Thank you for having me tonight. Um, this item is an earmark that was in the FY 25 State budget, um, thanks to the advocacy of Rep Lipper Garabedian in Senator Lewis. And it would fund us to replace the front door of City Hall. The door that, um, opens onto Essex Street. As I think you are all aware, we don't have an existing capital budget. Um, the door has been warping for some time. It's, I've had many conversations about the door in my 11 months as mayor. Um, it doesn't always close depending on the level of humidity, which creates security concerns and access issues. Um, DPW has tried, you know, more temporary fixes. We've also even had some outside contractors take a look at it. And the determination was that it needs to be replaced. Um, this will cover the full cost of the replacement. There's no match required, and we've already gone through the approval process with the Historic District Commission. So upon the approval of the council, we'll be able to execute the purchase of the, an installation of the new door.

▶ 25:10 Maya Jamaleddine: That's amazing. Um, do we have any, uh, questions from my colleagues? Counselor gpe,

▶ 25:15 Mark Garipay: Thank you. Uh, I, um, I was kinda hoping Mr. Troop, uh, would be here or, uh, or the facilities director. Um, not that we're not happy to see you. I'll do you my best. But I had a couple questions. I guess one of them you answered, um, the new doors we're ordering new doors. Correct. Do we know if they're available or We do on back

▶ 25:36 Jen Grigoraitis: Order. Our understanding is that they're available, so we should be able, we very much wanna move this as quickly as possible. Um, partly because obviously the threat of nine C cuts always looms large over earmarks. Um, so we wanna make sure that we have the full funding

▶ 25:50 Mark Garipay: Alrightyy. And so this will all be completed by June 30th.

▶ 25:55 Jen Grigoraitis: I can't speak to that definitively, but that's my understanding.

▶ 25:58 Mark Garipay: 'cause I think that was the, do that was the date, that the dollar dollar amount, um,

▶ 26:03 Speaker 6: Then it will be completed by June 30th. Yep.

▶ 26:05 Mark Garipay: And who will be managing the project if you do know? Uh, internally, uh,

▶ 26:09 Jen Grigoraitis: It'll be Jay McNeil and Jim Troop.

▶ 26:13 Speaker 3: Okay. Um, okay. That's all I had

▶ 26:15 Maya Jamaleddine: On that one. Thank you. Councillor Gpe. Any other questions? Councillor Stewart?

▶ 26:23 Robb Stewart: Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll make a motion to recommend the full

▶ 26:25 Maya Jamaleddine: Council. Second, we have a motion to recommend made by Councilor Stewart, seconded by Councillor Chetty. On discussion. Seeing none, Madam Clerk.

▶ 26:40 Speaker 2: Okay. Council? Yes. Councillor Stewart? Yes. Councillor Karen Chetty? Yes. Councilor Reky? Yes. Councillor Vanair? Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes. President Mli? Yes. Councilor Jamal Ledine? Yes. Motion passes