Legal & Legislative Committee — 2022-06-21
Attendance
Christopher Cinella ; Jen Grigoraitis ; Maya Jamaleddine ; Manjula Karamcheti ; Leila Migliorelli ; Robb Stewart
Agenda
Minutes
CITY OF MELROSE LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE CALENDAR● JUNE 21, 2022 Council Chamber, First Floor, Melrose City Hall Committee Meeting 7:30 PM 562 Main Street, Melrose, MA 02176 The public should take notice that the Melrose City Council may, on certain occasions, have a quorum in attendance due to standing committees of the City Council consisting of both voting and non-voting members. Members attending this duly posted meeting are participating and deliberating only in conjunction with the business of the standing committee. Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Leila Migliorelli Chair Present Maya Jamaleddine Vice Chair Present Jen Grigoraitis Present Robb Stewart Absent Manjula Karamcheti Absent Christopher Cinella President, ex oficio Present
ORDER-2022-148 Stabilization Fund Reauthorize the previously adopted Order to Create an Education, Public Safety & Substance Abuse Prevention Stabilization Fund. Recommend as Amended City Council City of Melrose Page 1 6/22/2022 11:52 AM
Transcript
▶ 0:00 Leila Migliorelli: Good evening. The time is 7:30 on Tuesday, June 21st, 2022 and this is a meeting of the legal and legislative committee. I'm chairwoman Lyla migliarelli and joining me our vice chair Maya Jamal Dean and voting members counselors grigoritis and president. Snella exophicio this constitutes a quorum. Serves as notice of a quorum for the record also joining us tonight are non-voting members counselors Eccles. Counselor called. All right, I will motion by unanimous consent to open the floor for public comments. Seeing no objection. We are now open for public comments. This is a portion of the meeting where anyone can speak on any item on our agenda tonight. Believe there's anyone here in person. Is there anyone online?
▶ 0:48 Leila Migliorelli: Okay, if there's no objection, I'd like to close public comments seeing none. We're now closed for public comments since we have members of the administration here tonight to speak on item on the item before us. I'd like to motion by Anonymous consent to suspend the rules before we proceed. Seeing no objection. The rules are now suspended. We have one item on our agenda tonight order 2022-148 reauthorized the previously adopted order to create an education Public Safety and Substance Abuse Prevention stabilization fund sponsored by mayor Broder and tonight. We have city solicitor Philips here to speak on this order. you just a little overview and also our CFO Patrick deller, so thank you and good evening. Good evening.
▶ 1:50 Through the chair this order just a little history to it the council or the previously the board of alderman voted on the creation of an education and Public Safety stabilization fund that has been an effect since July one of 2019 and that was order 2946, which I think some of the documentation is attached to this agenda. I'll let Mr. Dell resource to speak more on this but my understanding is there's a little over 300,000 in that fund currently Patrick. Is that correct? Yeah. It's actually 382,000 as of 621. Okay 22. So what the creation of this fund did was that 50% of any funds received through the local option excise tax on retail sales of marijuana for adult use which is 3% that's imposed by the city 50% of
▶ 2:36 that goes into this fund since July one of 2019. The purpose of the stated fun is to supplement funding to the Melrose Public Schools, and it's Administration Public Safety and Substance Abuse Prevention efforts with priority given to expenditures. Associated with their showing a direct correlation to recreational marijuana or substance misuse. Unlike other stabilization funds when Council passed this one. There's a sunset provision on it where it expires after three years. So if Council decides not to reauthorize the fund the remaining funds which Mr. Del Rousseau just told us is a little over 300,000 will revert back to the city's general fund and the 50% of local option on the excise tax of marijuana will no longer be sent to a special fund
▶ 3:19 Jen Grigoraitis: for that purpose. Hmm, okay. Any questions from committee members? Councilor Grigoraitis. Thank you Jeremy. Zarelli. Thank you both for being here tonight. So just is there any ability to remove the sunset claws or are we just in perpetuity re-upping this every three years? Through the chair. That's a great question. I would suggest you reauthorize it but additional language that this will continue until rescinded Council. I think that would make it clear. And just one more question. We have not to date withdrawn any money from this stabilization account. That is correct. And also through the chair for purposes of information. These stabilization funds are intended to be established and kept
▶ 4:08 in motion for a minimum of three years. That's like the clock the time clock on all stabilization funds. So that they're not created in haphazard way, I believe and also that there's a lot of thought given to it after the three-year period is the council just indicated. Um, you have the ability to resend it the authorization Etc any funds that remain typically would go back to the general fund. But again these this is candidly really no different than any other stabilization fund that we have we have eight of them, but this is one as Council mentioned. Was originally proposed and voted on with that clause in it. Typically you don't see that and the other funds. Thank you. Any other questions?
▶ 5:01 What is the will of the committee? make a motion at this time to reauthorize this stabilization fund removing the clause and until you know, and we're sending in the future if we wanted to. Okay, the second second. Right motion. Bye president sonella to reauthorize the order to create an education's Public Safety and Substance Abuse Prevention stabilization fund with language that recents the three-year clause. All right. Yes, that works. No, no to make it to make it a little more clear. I would say to reauthorize to reauthorize a stabilization fund to remain an effect until rescinded by vote of council. What she just said. All right councilor maladene just walked out the room and we can't take a
▶ 6:07 vote. So let's try that again. So let's say could you repeat that again counselor city solicitor Phillips So that the city council so amending the order that's been okay for the purposes of so at the end purpose of supplementing annual Appropriations there to to continue in an effect until rescinded by vote of council until it correct to continue unless and until you go by accounts. period revoked by revoked by the county. Yes. Okay. That is the motion before us. right all in favor I any opposed. Right. This order will be. on tonight's agenda full Council agenda Thank you, both Mr. Delaroso and city solicitor Phillips. And with that we can do a journey second. Thank you. Very counselor. Gregorite a