APPRO-2024-10 : An Appropriation from Capital Stabilization (#8405) in the amount of $30,000 (Thirty Thousand Dollars) to Inspectional Services (#241) for an emergency replacement of a vehicle. The balance as of 12/12/23 in the Capital Stabilization fund is $656,475.67.

Transcript (~18 min @ 25:33)

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▶ 25:32 Maya Jamaleddine: The first, um, item on our agenda is appropriation 2024 dash 10 in appropriation from capital stabilization number 84 0 5 in the amount of 33,500 $500, uh, to inspection services number 2 41 for an emergency replacement of a vehicle. The balance as of 12 12 23 in the capital, uh, stabilization fund is, uh, 6 56, 4 75, and 67.

▶ 26:13 Maya Jamaleddine: Um, we have members from the administration to speak on this.

▶ 26:25 Speaker 7: Good. Uh, evening everyone, I new faces around here. I'm a new phase two. Um, so I'm here tonight to request an appropriation for 30,000 for, uh, from the Capital Stabilization fund to replace a 2007 Chevy Blazer that was deemed, um, unrepairable by, uh, by our mechanics. Uh, I think I communicated some pictures, some uh, emails and, um, some background as far as what we use the vehicle for, uh, daily operations. Um, mainly it, it's, it's inspections. Um, just to give you a little brief, um, history on the Chevy Blazer, since I've been here, I think we've brought it several times to get repaired on one occasion. Um, while on inspection myself, I had to have it towed. Um, and I had to get someone to gimme a ride back to city Hall. So it was in bad shape. Um, what, uh, what I'm asking, uh, originally I, I asked for 33 5. Um, I can say that that number has come down a little bit. I did, um, when I put the, uh, budget together for the vehicle, I did add sales and registration costs. Um, since we're, uh, tax exempt, from what I'm hearing from my fi uh, finance department, those, those fees are waived. Um, so the vehicle cost will be $30,000. And that's what I really, I think I need. Um, I want to change the amount to,

▶ 28:05 Maya Jamaleddine: Okay. So, so you're asking to amend the order for 30,000,

▶ 28:10 Speaker 7: 30,000 even. Okay. The vehicle is two, uh, uh, two, uh, 20,999. So, okay. Figured I rounded up a dollar or penny. Um, I did want to share the fact that, um, um, the vehicle is that we are looking at is a fully electric vehicle, which, um, is compliant with, uh, Melrose Electric First Policy. I did apply for a state grant for 7,500, which, um, i, I was approved for. So we will be getting 7,500, uh, $7,500 back after I complete the paperwork showing the, um, department of, uh, uh, environmental protection that I purchased the vehicle. So essentially we're getting the vehicle for 22,500, uh, which I feel is, uh, a pretty good deal for brand new electric car. So, with that, if anybody has any questions,

▶ 29:17 Maya Jamaleddine: Um, counselor, um, Karani.

▶ 29:21 Manjula Karamcheti: Hi. Thank you for being here. And thank you for sharing with us all the legwork in regards to the electric vehicle following the policy. Um, my question might be a little strange, but I saw the pictures of the current vehicle and the state of which it was in. And I guess I'm just curious, what is our maintenance, um, in regards to the vehicles that we have to sort of make sure they're not in this condition and deemed unsafe to drive while one of our employees is driving them?

▶ 29:56 Speaker 7: That's a good question. Um, we only, uh, as far as, uh, you know, what, what I'm aware of is we would take it in when there was some sort of issue with the car, not that we go and check them. Um, you know, which is, which it is a little bit, you know, usually you go down and get your inspection sticker so you figure someone's checking it out. But this is underneath the frame. I'm not sure. Um, just a, a regular inspection that kind of eyeball the fact that there's that, that much damage until you put it on a lift. Um, and that's what happened, uh, when, when we took this, uh, to DPW.

▶ 30:36 Speaker 1: Okay. But I think I heard you say also that you were driving it another time.

▶ 30:40 Speaker 7: I was driving it when IF uh, last, uh, last year during the summer, uh, up street. And, uh, it just died. And, uh, we had to get it towed. So there was numerous issues with the vehicle. It didn't get checked out right then and there. They just looked at what the problem was and, and kind of addressed that without, like over, uh, looking at every, everything that was wrong with it.

▶ 31:06 Manjula Karamcheti: Well, I'm glad you were safe in those two on those circumstances. And I just, you know, hope we are thinking about with all of our vehicles, how do we make sure that we're having them inspected and we're doing regular maintenance, um, specifically for the priority of keeping city of Melrose employees safe. So,

▶ 31:26 Speaker 7: Well, thank you. Thank

▶ 31:26 Speaker 1: You.

▶ 31:28 Maya Jamaleddine: Um, next I have counselor, um, Garey.

▶ 31:32 Speaker 2: Thank you Madam Chair. Um, just a couple quick questions.

▶ 31:35 Mark Garipay: Um, going from a trailblazer to the Chevy Bolt, I think it was a Chevy. It was a Bolt. It's a bolt, right? I dunno if it was a Chevy or not. Chevy Bolt. Yeah. Looks small. Is it gonna be big enough for you?

▶ 31:47 Speaker 7: It is. And and the reason I, I really took my time to thinking about what I needed. Um, I mean, we had some options, which, um, I think, uh, one of the options was the, uh, Ford Lightning. It was a truck. Um, but we have a second vehicle that we use right now. It's a little, it's a Chevy, uh, Ford Ranger. It, it, you know, between those two vehicles, it can accommodate what we needed to do. Um, we needed something just to get around for inspectors to go on their inspections for, for, for the other vehicle that we have, we're required to have. Um, since my electrical inspector slash weights and measures inspector goes out, he has all this equipment that he needs and it can't be, uh, inside a vehicle, it has to be outside in the cab. So the, the Ranger kind of facilitates that, that side of it.

▶ 32:38 Mark Garipay: Okay. Um, you mentioned we looked at a Ford. Um, who's gonna be doing the maintenance? Are we doing it in-house? Uh, DPW gonna do the maintenance on this new vehicle or warrant after warranty will handle it.

▶ 32:50 Speaker 7: So they do have the, there is a, um, a significant warranty on the vehicle. Um, I'm glad you asked me that question 'cause there was, it's in the proposal that maintenance, uh, it that, um, it does cover, um, certain aspects on the warranty. I can give you all those details. I'll kind of figure it out later. But they, they do have, uh, when it, when it's a new vehicle, as you know, they, they warranty them to a certain mileage or, um, uh, lifespan on, uh, 10 years, something like that.

▶ 33:25 Mark Garipay: And when we purchase a new vehicle, do we get the DPW involved? 'cause if we run a lot of Fords, one would assume it would make sense to maybe potentially look at a Ford. 'cause we're familiar with it. Parts, maybe availability. We may have stock parts. I know it's an electric vehicle, but, um, was it just not the Ford Not an option?

▶ 33:46 Speaker 7: I really didn't look at that. I went through the list of, uh, available, um, cars. First thing that I looked at was budget. I really didn't want something that I didn't need. Mm-Hmm. Um, I, I didn't wanna, uh, overburden, you know, by asking for too much. Um, so I, I thought of it. I picked out a vehicle that was in, uh, you know, in the, uh, state's list. Um, and that's the one that I picked out. Thought it, it, it met our needs. And it was a, uh, it was, um, it was short money.

▶ 34:20 Mark Garipay: And just a couple of other questions that sparked with, uh, some of the, some of your answers. Um, $7,500 grant we're getting back. Will that money go? I don't even know if you know the answer. Will that money go back into capital stabilization at 7,500?

▶ 34:36 Speaker 7: I do not know that. Okay. I, I think I asked finance and they were supposed to get back to me, but I wasn't sure. It might, it might come back as a check and it, depending on who it gets paid out to, um, you know, general fund or maybe it could be allocated for the, um, stabilization fund.

▶ 34:58 Mark Garipay: Okay. Um, I, I'll support this order and, um, I will, uh, the 30,000, do you think that's gonna give you enough 30,000 is the number? Or should we keep it at the same? Well, I just to make it a little in case something comes up.

▶ 35:11 Speaker 7: Yeah. I went back and forth. That's why I put that cushion on there just in case. Um, and I went back and forth with McGovern and I told him I want bottom line number. What's going on? Am I gonna need anything else? And they told me that, uh, I think they've worked with TPW before, so they've worked with cities and towns and, and, and know that, you know, I'm gonna be asking these questions. This is the first time I'm doing this, by the way. Yeah, yeah. Um, so what he relayed to me was, this is the bottom line number. This is 2 99. It's everything in there. Uh, as far as registration and plates, we, um, you know, I guess we're tax exempt. We don't have to pay for that. Um, insurance, um, that goes through, uh, the, um, solicitor's office. I am taking one vehicle off. I'm putting another one on. So I'm not sure what, what the cost on that is.

▶ 36:07 Mark Garipay: I'll, uh, I mean, I'll more than happy to make the motion to amend, amend it. I just wanna make sure we're not short changing it and something comes up. So if you feel comfortable that 30 30 is the number, then, then I'm more than happy to make that, to amend this order.

▶ 36:22 Speaker 7: Yeah, I'm, I'm pretty sure, I mean, I went back and forth so many times. I just wanted to make sure myself. So, uh, 30,000 is, is the number

▶ 36:31 Mark Garipay: At this time. Uh, Madam President. I'll, I'll make a motion to amend the, um, this appro I'm sorry. Please

▶ 36:37 Maya Jamaleddine: Go ahead. Um, we just have, uh, questions from others. Do we have any, uh, other, I'll withdraw my motion Questions or motion counselor? Uh, vice Chair Williams.

▶ 36:50 Ryan Williams: Thank you. Um, I was looking through the packet and I noticed that the first letter that you sent about this vehicle was December 1st, 2023. Right. So it's substantially later in the calendar year than December 1st. And, um, I'm sorry that it took so long, but I'm glad to see it land, uh, quickly in the new administration. And I'm just wondering what you've been doing to make due, uh, in the last two and a half months while this vehicle's been outta service,

▶ 37:18 Speaker 7: I've been begging and, uh, persuading my inspectors to take, take their vehicles that it wasn't gonna take that long. And they've been, uh, so good. Um, typically as other cities and town Zoo, they, they get a stipend using their own vehicles. Um, we haven't gotten to that and, uh, to that point, but, um, they've been using their own vehicles and there, there's maybe something i I can look at to kind of compensate them somehow, but, um, but they haven't asked for anything.

▶ 37:53 Ryan Williams: Well, that's, that's very good of them. Um, I noticed also that your initial request was for you considered F two 50 F three 50 Yes. Are big vehicles. Um, what I, and it would, I would love to hear your kind of thought process about how you talked yourself down from a gigantic, extremely heavy truck. The kind of truck, by the way, that makes it very difficult to accomplish our, our traffic calming goals in the city. And you brought it down to this, what seems like a right sized small and electric vehicle.

▶ 38:26 Speaker 7: Well, I, like I said, I have, we have another vehicle that we could use for, um, if, if need be for any other situation. So we do have a truck. Yeah. Um, uh, and it was purchased I, I believe, uh, maybe four years ago. So it, it's, it's fairly new. Um, I really didn't think that we needed to splurge on, not splurge. Let me change my, I I really didn't think that it, we needed it. I, I really didn't think we needed it. And, uh, the cost between those two vehicles is I think like $25,000. Yeah.

▶ 38:59 Speaker 4: It's like two for one. Yeah.

▶ 39:00 Speaker 7: Um, for what we need it for, which is going to inspections, you know, uh, bringing some tools, some, some, some other equipment with us. It's not, it'll, it'll fill our needs.

▶ 39:13 Ryan Williams: Yeah. Um, are you gonna, do you have charging infrastructure?

▶ 39:18 Speaker 7: We, we are gonna be using the one in the, um, In the lot. Multiple parking

▶ 39:23 Speaker 4: Lot. Cool. Very good. Good to see. Okay. One

▶ 39:24 Speaker 7: Thing I did like about this, uh, and I think the charging between the two vehicles, this would charge quicker. Mm-Hmm. Just because it's a smaller vehicle than, than than the lightning wheel. Mm-Hmm.

▶ 39:37 Speaker 4: Cool. Alright. Thank you very much.

▶ 39:42 Speaker 5: Um, councilor Romanul. Well, uh,

▶ 39:44 Devin Romanul: Councillor Williams had one of my questions, so that's good. And as a current driver of a 2007 vehicle, uh, I commend you for keeping on the road as long as you did. Uh, my goodness. Uh, my mine has all kinds of maladies, but we, this is not the subject of today's discussion. Um, I want, I just wanted to ask, um, uh, are you gonna have an opportunity to sell the old vehicle for scrap or, you know, for whatever purposes you need? If there's,

▶ 40:08 Speaker 7: I'm not sure. I mean, that's goes back to DPW. Um, I'm not sure what, what we do with that vehicle. Okay. If it goes to scrap or not.

▶ 40:19 Speaker 4: Typically auction. Auction. Okay. Excellent. Thank you.

▶ 40:22 Maya Jamaleddine: And next we have Counselor Ro.

▶ 40:26 Cal Finocchiaro: Hi. Hey, how are you? Thanks for doing all the leg work here. Um, just kind of on, um, councilor Karen's questions. Um, where do you store the vehicles when they're not being used?

▶ 40:38 Speaker 7: It's stored right in the parking area. Okay. Yeah. That's what we keep, uh, um, that's where we kept both of them. Okay. The laser and the arranger.

▶ 40:49 Speaker 6: Okay. Just wondering if they would last longer if they were stored like in like a garage or something, but we probably don't have that.

▶ 40:55 Speaker 7: Yeah. Um, well, it's convenient because when the inspectors park here, they pick up the vehicles and Right. Where we don't take those vehicles home. Right. Um, they've gotta stay in the city. Yep.

▶ 41:10 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Um, councilor Gpe.

▶ 41:13 Mark Garipay: Thank you, Madam Chair. At this time, I'll make a motion to, uh, reduce the appropriation that the recommendation of Mr. Teleco from 33,500 to 30,000 out of the capital stabilization fund.

▶ 41:29 Maya Jamaleddine: Second. So we have a motion made by Counselor Garey to amend, um, um, appro, um, appropriation 2024 dash 10, um, from, um, an appropriation from Capital Stabilization 84 0 5 in the amount of 33 500 and reduce it to 30,000, um, uh, dollars to, uh, inspection services for an emergency replacement of a vehicle. Uh, and seconded by President, uh, Mali.

▶ 42:06 Speaker 5: Um, uh, is that wrong call Mr. Clerk?

▶ 42:11 Speaker 2: Vice Chair Williams? Yes. Councillor Repe. Yes. Councillor Carcetti. Yes. Councillor Vandiver. Yes. Councillor Romanul. Yes. Councillor Finocchiaro. Yes.

▶ 42:24 Speaker 2: Uh, president Oli? Yes. Uh, chair Jamine? Yes. That is eight. Yes.

▶ 42:34 Maya Jamaleddine: Okay. So we have, um, uh, the, uh, the order to amend, uh, the motion to amend passes, uh, by eight votes. And, um, councilor Carpe Gpe. Yeah.

▶ 42:48 Mark Garipay: Um, Madam Chair, uh, I'll make a motion, uh, to recommend this for passage to the full board. Second,

▶ 42:56 Maya Jamaleddine: We have, uh, a motion to, uh, recommend to the full counselor for passage made by Counselor Gpe, seconded by counselor, uh, Karen Sheti.

▶ 43:07 Speaker 5: Um, Mr. Clerk

▶ 43:08 Speaker 2: Vice Chair Williams? Yes. Councillor Repe? Yes. Councillor Carrara Shetti. Yes. Councillor Vandiver. Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes. Councillor for Naro? Yes. Uh, president Elli? Yes. And Chair Aldine? Yes. That is unanimous. Yes. Okay. Thank you.

▶ 43:26 Speaker 3: Thank you much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank

▶ 43:27 Speaker 5: You. Thank you. Thanks.

▶ 43:31 Maya Jamaleddine: Next up we have appropriation 2024 dash 11 and appropriation from, uh, capital stabilization number 84 0 5 in the amount of $70,000 to DPW, uh, number 4 0 1 for an emergency replacement of a fleet vehicle. The balance as of 12 12 23 in the capital stabilization fund is 6 56 475