Appropriations & Oversight Committee — 2022-12-19
Attendance
Christopher Cinella ; Jack Eccles ; Mark Garipay ; Jen Grigoraitis ; Maya Jamaleddine ; Manjula Karamcheti ; Shawn M. MacMaster ; Leila Migliorelli ; John Obremski ; Robb Stewart ; Ryan Williams
Agenda
- Call to Order
- Public Comment
- Orders
- ORDER-2023-41 : Acceptance of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Recycling Dividend Program Grant in the amount of $15,600
- ORDER-2023-43 : An Appropriation from the Peg Access Cable Fund (#2922) in the amount of $281,947.54 (Two Hundred Eighty - One thousand, Nine Hundred Forty-Seven Thousand and Fifty-Four cents) to MMTV and Melrose Public Schools.
- Adjournment
Minutes
CITY OF MELROSE APPROPRIATIONS & OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE CALENDAR● DECEMBER 19, 2022 Council Chamber, First Floor, Melrose City Hall Committee Meeting 7:00 PM 562 Main Street, Melrose, MA 02176 Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Jen Grigoraitis Chair Present Leila Migliorelli Vice Chair Present Shawn M. MacMaster Absent Jack Eccles Present Mark Garipay Present Maya Jamaleddine Present Robb Stewart Present Manjula Karamcheti Present John Obremski Present Ryan Williams Present Christopher Cinella President, ex oficio Present
ORDER-2023-41 Grant Acceptance of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Recycling Dividend Program Grant in the amount of $15,600 Ought to Pass City Council
ORDER-2023-43 Appropriation An Appropriation from the Peg Access Cable Fund (#2922) in the amount of $281,947.54 (Two Hundred Eighty - One thousand, Nine Hundred Forty-Seven Thousand and Fifty-Four cents) to MMTV and Melrose Public Schools. Ought to Pass City Council City of Melrose Page 1 12/29/2022 12:37 PM
Transcript
▶ 0:00 Jen Grigoraitis: Good evening. It is Monday December 19th, 2022 and the time of 7 PM. This is a meeting of the Appropriations and oversight committee. I am counselor gregoritis your chair and joining me tonight our vice chair. Migliarelli and counselors Eccles garapay. Jamala, Deen Stuart Carm Shady obremski Williams and president sonella exophicio. I want to wish a very happy second night of Hanukkah to all those celebrating and also want to note that this provides a notice of a quorum for the record and that in accordance with the open meeting law. This meeting will be recorded and we broadcast on mmtv both cable access channels and live streamed as well as on the city of Melrose portal at this time. I will motion by unanimous
▶ 0:42 Jen Grigoraitis: consent to open public comment. Seeing no objection public comment is now open don't believe we have anyone with us in person Mr. Clerk. Do we have anyone online? They're no participants online at this time. I will motion by unanimous consent to close public comment. Seeing no objection public comment is now closed. We have two matters before us tonight. The first is order 2023-41 acceptance of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection recycling dividend program Grant in the amount of 15,600 and I believe we have some guests who are joining us tonight. So while you're getting settled at the table, I'll entertain a motion to suspend the rules. We have emotions to suspend the rules made by counselor Stewart seconded by President. Sonella all in
▶ 1:25 favor. The rules are now suspended good evening and floor is yours if you can introduce yourself, good evening. Thank you very much. I'm Jim troupe. I'm the deputy director of the DPW Administration and finance. Happy holidays to everybody thank you for letting us be here tonight and seeing this order. I've brought with me our environmental Outreach coordinator Alison buchler. It is her tremendous work. That is the reason that we're here tonight accepting this grant. I will turn it over to her and we'll be happy to answer any questions pretty much the memo that you have in front of you is explains exactly what we do on an annual basis and what this grant means to us. Good evening. My name is Allison bugler. I am
▶ 2:09 the environmental Outreach coordinator. I Am brand new to this role. So forgive me if I share any misinformation, but we have been selected to receive around fifteen thousand dollars in RDP or recycling dividends program funds to help support our current operations with Recycling and trash and solid waste and also expand on more Recycling and solid waste practices within the city. So we have gained points for our Organics household hazardous waste charm Center and plenty more including textile recycling waste prevention and Outreach yard, waste drop off reuse programs. And those are you know, what we have gained points for and of course, there's room for opportunity to gain other points in other categories as well
▶ 3:06 and we are looking to again expand and are very proud that we have received These funds. And are hoping to get the get the funds accepted. Thank you both very much for being here any questions from the council? Seeing none. What is the will of the committee? Motion to recommend to the full Council second. So we have a motion to recommend made by Council William seconded by Vice chairmagliarelli Mr. Clerk. Can you please call the roll? Ice chair Mickey really? Yes counselor Eccles. Yes counselor garpy. Yes counselor Jamal Dean. Yes. Counselor Stewart. Yes counselor Carm Shady Yes counselor bremsky. Yes. Counselor Williams. Yes, president zinella. Yes and chair goodness. Yes, that's 10. Yes Tanya so that passes and that will be recommended to the full Council
▶ 4:05 Jen Grigoraitis: later tonight for final vote. Thank you both for being here. We wish you a very happy New Year great work. Thank you. Next up. We have ordered 2023-43 inappropriation from the peg access cable fund number 2922 in the amount of 281,947,000 and 54 cents to mmtv, and the Melrose Public Schools and joining us tonight. We have former counselor Mary Beth mcintyremortgolis from mmtv and Melrose Public School Superintendent, Dr. Julie cucumber. Welcome to you both. You know good evening. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the Hanukkah wishes. My husband appreciates it. He's home with covid and hence the mask. apologize, but here we are. So what what can we tell you? Are there questions from the council?
▶ 5:02 Mary Beth McAteer-Margolis: Council Garrett I think the last time we did the appropriation it was some discussion about maybe upgrading the city the council chambers. Yes with. We still in the works. It is in fact, and we in fact have just sent in in the last. Couple of I think about the last month, let's say a little bit less. We've had the company that we work with that does all of our upgrades in not only the studio but throughout the city. Come down. Look at the chamber. Give us an estimate. We have made a deposit of about 50% which is about I don't know $20,000 for equipment. Unfortunately, like many things that are technology related. The equipment is on backorder. So it will probably be about three months to four months until that actually arrives and I
▶ 6:04 Mary Beth McAteer-Margolis: think the consensus from our point of view was that you would all probably prefer this to take place when you are have less meetings like in the summertime as opposed to you know, the end of the year when you're doing you the budget the end of the fiscal year. So yeah, we expect that that will be happening this summer. In what type of Technology when you say the new technology? What is it going to what are they doing? What's the equipment that's going to be on order? Well that is on order. There's going to be new cameras. They'll be new speakers. There'll be more speakers. There'll be some. I I think there'll be new new microphones that will hopefully be LinkedIn in perhaps a better fashion. We do here from constituents that
▶ 6:57 Mary Beth McAteer-Margolis: sometimes it's difficult to hear what people are saying in the chamber and we are intending to address that as well. Okay, and just one of the question I always ask it what percentage of the 281,000 will be going to the school department. So the 281,000 is the total that's being. Appropriated and the way that that has been split traditionally which really goes back to about 2006 initially, but the most recent documentation. with was from mayor Dole and in 2012, and that's we get 5% that that amount that you're appropriating tonight represents five percent less fees less blah, you know people who don't pay and whatever five percent of the revenue from the customers who pay for cable television
▶ 8:04 Mary Beth McAteer-Margolis: and that five percent is split 80% to the mmtv one on 20% to the schools. in addition to that we have kind of a memorandum of agreement, but nothing really official a statement of support whereby mmtv has taken on responsibility for purchasing and upgrading any equipment at the high school and we hope to do that kind of get the the middle school program going again also, so we've we've talked with the superintendent and staff about that. So hopefully that will happen next year as well. But all together in addition to what the schools get from that 1% We figure between what we pay for like the Huddle system and their cameras and we pay for the FiOS line for them and just like our we have a couple of Staff members who go down and help out
▶ 9:07 Mary Beth McAteer-Margolis: occasionally, and we also lend them a lot of equipment. We've probably invested in another $30,000 approximately this year in that program. I would be remiss if I've said it every time you've been in front of us, but I'd like to see that percentage. You know adjust a little bit more towards the schools. I understand you guys mmtv does do a lot for the schools. But I've said it every time you've been in front of us and I will continue. Well, I will tell you that the contract is really between the licensing licensing seeing Authority which is the mayor and the cable companies so as much as we would all like to see funds perhaps distributed in a different way and as I say, it's really it's been tradition and
▶ 9:59 Mary Beth McAteer-Margolis: we did just renew renew both contracts. So Verizon I think is five years in Comcast will be 10, but but our Our investment will definitely increase next year. We're going to add new cameras for them and their studio and as we've discussed with the superintendent, hopefully bringing back the middle school program. In the the new you just said it was a 10-year contract. We just ten years for Comcast and five years for Verizon and the percentage that we get there was negotiated is very similar to other communities. Is it a standard one for everybody? The five percent is the maximum by law. That they are required to provide. And and part of the reason we did get it up to the 5% was because of the commitment to
▶ 10:49 Leila Migliorelli: the schools. prior to that it was 4.25 or the questions. Thank you Vice chairman. Glorelli. Thank you madam chair. Thank you both for being with us tonight. I guess just picking up on counselor garapay's questions. So the use of the licensing licensing Authority is the mayor and that agreements with the cable companies for that's the five percent that comes to the break down goes to the fund right five percent. What portion goes to mmtv. And what portion goes to schools is not part of that contract, correct? That's right. It is not part of the contract. Okay. So if for the counselor or anyone who want to advocate for a greater split between the two or greater split for the schools, that would be on the mayor to talk to
▶ 11:37 Mary Beth McAteer-Margolis: talk with him about whether he wanted to change that next time the contract comes around. Yeah, so no, I guess what I'm saying. So is is the amount of the five percent that's allocated for mmtv in the schools. That's in the contract. Or no. Yes, okay. Yes. So it is the 80% that goes to mmtv in the 20% that goes to schools is in the contract with the cable companies or is that split it? It is split out it is. there is a the contract just specifies five percent okay, but it doesn't specify within that 5% which percent goes to mmtv. That's correct. Okay, it does however specify that all of the proceed all of the funds need to be spent on cable television and programming and access productions for
▶ 12:33 Mary Beth McAteer-Margolis: the community basic right? So if the schools had a greater need for that or if they I don't know what the need is for the schools. And I mean, I think they could I'm not sure that there could be a change in that. Distribution mid contract however, because the amounts are agreed upon I think without actually being part of the contract. That's something you'd have to check with the legal department. Okay, but as far as I know it's never the only time it ever comes up is when we are. Doing the new, you know contract renewal time. Okay, and I guess just carry out of curiosity. Since this Peg access cable funds only been around since 2019 and we've you know, we continually appropriate or approve the appropriation of
▶ 13:22 Mary Beth McAteer-Margolis: money for out of the fund for mmtv. Are there like do you have have you ever or would consider going forward sharing just a list of like what the things that you're using that appropriation for with the council is that has that ever been part of it? I guess prior to this now because it's basically there's no oversight for the from the council. It's just a straight appropriation the monies come from the cable company by law the state of Massachusetts established. This oversight funds had to be in effect for three years prior to that for 23 years. I think we receive the money's directly. There's no. Requirement anywhere for that it's a pass through account. It's not Municipal funds. It's not taxpayer dollars.
▶ 14:16 Thank you. I just thank you for entertaining my questions. I think just with the economic environment that we're in. We're trying to be a little bit more inquisitive about money. Yeah. Well, that's your that's your job. Counselor Stewart, thank you madam chair and thank you both for being here this evening Dr. Cucumberger. I like to give you the opportunity to share some of the programs that you see that will be anticipated with this money but is being pretty good. Sure. So as Mary Beth mentioned up keeping the studio making sure that we have, you know, fresh working equipment that's you know, kind of current and state of the art is a huge part of that that goes into many of our classes that are taught during the day, but then also
▶ 15:02 after school during the pandemic when we were able to go completely live with all of our events that was huge and that was solely in part because of mmtv support so that initial installation I think was like 11 or 12,000 dollars and then there's there's the annual fees that we have to pay to keep that up, which I think continues to be a value add to the entire Community but also relatives that aren't in Melrose can you know Tap in and see different events, including the morning announcements. So at the high school they do a great job with the morning announcements, but we would like to as Mary Beth is saying bring that back to the middle school because we have that studio space there in the
▶ 15:44 Jen Grigoraitis: middle school and I think it could be really great elective. As you know, our kids are very good with technology and videoing and all of that. And so I think that's a nice way for us to meet them where they are and also create some passion points for students. Thank you madam. Chair, I'll motion to recommend the sort of full Council second. So we have a motion to recommend made by counselor Stewart seconded by counselor Eckles. Is there any discussion I just wanted to briefly thank you both for your work. And also just highlight in particular that this Council to my knowledge is the first body in the city to successfully run a hybrid meeting which happened in no small part things to the work of mmtv the IT department in our Council staff.
▶ 16:25 Jen Grigoraitis: It looked pretty Flawless when it was broadcast, but I know it took a lot of effort. So thank you for helping us to continue to make city government and public events accessible to everyone. Absolutely that's that's our role and we are really honored to be able to work with the all of the committee people in the city to to be able to provide that kind of information to the community. It's vital. So without any other discussion all in favor. Oh, I'm sorry. I apologize Mr. Quick. Can you please call the roll? I forgot it's incorporation Vice chair Migliorelli. Yes. Counselor Echols, yes. Counsel, gerepe. Yes counselor gemology. Yes. Counselor Stewart, yes. Counselor Carm Shady. Yes, sir. Bremski. Yes counselor
▶ 17:11 Jen Grigoraitis: Williams. Yes, president sonella. Yes and chair greatest. Yes, that's 10. Yes, and yes, so that will be referred to the full council with the recommendation for passage later tonight counselor. Karaoke. I'll make a motion. So we've emotion to adjourn for the last time this year by Council the Bear seconded by counselor Stewart all in favor. I we are adjourned. Thank you both very much and happy. Thank you very much. Good evening. Everybody. Today is Monday December 19th. And the time is 7:30 pm. This is a meeting of the Public Works Committee of the city council of Melrose. I'm Vice chair of the committee Ryan Williams. I'm filling in for trishon McMaster and I am joined by voting members counselors Eccles