Protection & License Committee — 2025-11-17
Attendance
Cal Finocchiaro ; Mark Garipay ; Ward Hamilton ; Leila Migliorelli ; Kimberly Vandiver
Agenda
Minutes
Protection & License Committee Monday, November 17, 2025, 7:25 PM City Council Chamber, 1st Floor 562 Main Street, Melrose, MA 02176 MINUTES I. CALL TO ORDER Cal Finocchiaro Vice Chair Mark Garipay Ward Hamilton Kimberly Vandiver Leila Migliorelli President, Ex Officio Member Devin Romanul Chair Meeting was called to order by Chair Romanul at 7:27 PM Councilors Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, and Williams (all non-voting) were also present. Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Cal Finocchiaro Vice Chair Present Mark Garipay Ward 4 Present Ward Hamilton At-Large Present Kimberly Vandiver Ward 5 Present Leila Migliorelli President, Ex Present Officio Member Devin Romanul Chair Present II. MINUTES APPROVAL A. Protection & License Committee Meeting October 6, 2025 7:15 PM A. Protection & License Committee Meeting October 6, 2025 7:15 PM Motion to unanimously Approve the minutes made by Chair Romanul RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] AYES: Cal Finocchiaro, Mark Garipay, Ward Hamilton, Kim Vandiver, Leila Migliorelli, Devin Romanul III. PUBLIC COMMENT Motion to Open public comment made by Chair Romanul at 7:27 PM There were no comments on the floor or via Zoom Motion to Close public comment made by Chair Romanul at 7:28 PM 1 When: Nov 17, 2025 07:25 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Topic: Protection & License Committee Meeting Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android: https://cityofmelrose- org.zoom.us/j/98343307574?pwd=YCveZqQzuw7mBImb2ttik8DNF9RS01.1 Passcode:850048 Webinar ID: 983 4330 7574 IV. LICENSES
A. (ID # 2025-214): Common Victualler Renewals for 2026 Motion to Recommend for passage made by Councilor Garipay Seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro All were in favor and motion passed RESULTS: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] TO: City Council AYES: Cal Finocchiaro, Mark Garipay, Ward Hamilton, Kim Vandiver, Leila Migliorelli, Devin Romanul NAYS: None
B. (ID # 2025-215): NEW Gasoline and Storage Application 288 Main Street Motion to Recommend to Place on File made by Councilor Garipay Seconded by Councilor Vandiver All were in favor and motion passed RESULTS: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] TO: City Council AYES: Cal Finocchiaro, Mark Garipay, Ward Hamilton, Kim Vandiver, Leila Migliorelli, Devin Romanul NAYS: None
C. (ID # 2025-229): Motor Vehicle Class I and II License renewals for 2026 Motion to Place on File made by Councilor Finocchiaro Seconded by Councilor Garipay Chair Romanul requested that a councilor make a Motion to Place on File for Revere Auto Repair and DeVales Enterprise DBA Certified Automotive, and make a Motion to Hold Cesar Cars Auto Sales 2026 Renewal for staff purposes and community engagement reasons for deeper consideration of the license for the coming year. The primary motion was withdrawn. Motion to Place on File for Revere Auto Repair and DeVales Enterprise DBA Certified Automotive and to Hold Cesar Cars Auto Sales in committee for further consideration made by Councilor Hamilton. Seconded by Councilor Garipay All were in favor and motion passed Councilor Hamilton asked if there was a timeline issue with the Cesar Auto Sales renewal. The 2 license expires December 31 of this year and will require a public hearing to resolve the issues with previous violations. The public hearing will allow for questions and answers with residents and will provide assurances to the community. RESULTS: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] TO: City Council AYES: Cal Finocchiaro, Mark Garipay, Ward Hamilton, Kim Vandiver, Leila Migliorelli, Devin Romanul NAYS: None V. ADJOURNMENT The City of Melrose does not discriminate based on disability and is committed to hosting accessible meetings and events. Individuals with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication, written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, in order to access the programs and activities of the City of Melrose or to attend meetings, should contactthe City’s ADA Coordinator, Polina Latta platta@cityofmelrose.org. Motion to Adjourn by unanimous consent made by Chair Romanul at 7:33 PM Meetng was adjourned 3
Transcript
▶ 21:41 Devin Romanul: as non-voting members, Jamine Karen Shady in Williams. This serves as a notice of Quorum for the record in accordance with the Open Meeting law. This meeting is being recorded and broadcast live on MMTV. I'll now motion by unanimous consent to open the floor for public comment. Seeing no objection, we are now open for public comment. This is the portion of the meeting where the public may speak out on any item on tonight's agenda. Comments expressing any other viewpoint on other matters are also welcome. Do we have any public comment? Do we have anybody online? There's No One online. All right. If there's no objection, I'll motion by unanimous consent to close for public comment. Seeing none, we are now closed for public comment.
▶ 22:21 Devin Romanul: And at this time I'll also motion by unanimous consent to approve without reading the minutes from the October 6th meeting. Seeing no objection, those minutes are now approved. We have three items on tonight's agenda. First up, ID number 2025. Two 14 Common Vic Renewals for 2026. There are a number of applications that are in there for various establishments throughout the city of Melrose. I I wanna personally thank, uh, uh, the entire clerk, staff for, um, curating, answering any all questions, putting together all of the application materials. I know that is an enormous lift for the staff, so I'm just incredibly grateful. Thank you for, for doing that. Um, happy to answer any, entertain any questions
▶ 23:07 Devin Romanul: for my colleagues about the Common Vic renewals. Councilor Gareg motion to Recommend for passage. Second, Motion to recommend by, uh, councilor gpe. Second by Councillor Feno G**o F ooh, excuse me. Feno G**o. I apologize. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. All those opposed the ayes have it. Well, that will be recommended. Uh, oh. Recommended to place on file. Um, item number two, ID 2025. Two 15. New gasoline and storage applications, uh, for three, uh, oh, excuse me. For one establishment on 2 88 Main Street. We will entertain any questions, Councillor eg. Make a motion to place on file. Motion to re, a motion to place on file by Councillor, eg. Second. Second by Councillor Occhio on discussion.
▶ 23:56 Devin Romanul: VER oh, uh, Vandiver. I'm sorry. I just Wow. Having a red letter day here. Um, on discussion. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. All those opposed the ayes have it. That will be recommended placed on file full counsel. And last but not least, um, ID number 20 25 2 29 Motor vehicle Class one and class two license renewals for 2026. Any questions? Uh, from, uh, my colleagues, Councillor Feno G**o, I'd Like to make a motion to place on file Second. Um, Oh, I do have one, uh, one item. Uh, if a moment of privilege, I was hoping to entertain a, uh, motion to place on file for, um, Revere Auto Repair and veil's Enterprise DBA certified automotive and hold the Cesar Cars auto sales, um, for consideration for, uh, for staff purposes, as well
▶ 24:57 Devin Romanul: as community engagement for, um, just deeper consideration of that application for the coming year. If, uh, if my colleagues would entertain such a motion. Do you need me to make that motion or second? It? Um, I, I'm point of order. There's a motion and second. Yeah, I withdraw the second. I withdraw my, The second and the primary motion have been withdrawn. Motion And I Oh, make that Motion. Uh, counselor Hamilton has made a motion to, uh, place on file Revere Auto Repair and veil's enterprise DBA certified automotive and holds Caesar cars auto sales in committee for further consideration. Second. Sorry. Councillor Hamilton. Just a thought, is there a timeline issue? If I make that motion?
▶ 25:50 Devin Romanul: I believe it would just be considered at the next, um, at the next committee meeting as scheduled. Or is, does it have to be done prior to the end of the year For that license? Yes. You need to have a public, you should be having a public hearing on that license. Okay. So we can have a public hearing and You can have, you can set that at any time with me. Like when you wanna have that public hearing. And it doesn't affect any, uh, does it affect the renewal date at the start of The year? His renewal, his his license expires December 31st. Okay. So we'll have to expedite that, that hearing. So as long as we have that hearing in December, we should be okay. Um, just a council chair. Pay. Yeah.
▶ 26:22 Devin Romanul: Is there, uh, is there an issue with his paperwork or, Um, there was an issue with, uh, previous violations, uh, with, uh, comm of the previous license. And, uh, just this would be for assurances from folks living in the surrounding. It's a residential neighborhood on Lebanon Street. And so this would be allow to allow for, um, sort of question and answer of past violations as well as folks in the community to weigh, weigh in on, on that license. Well, I, I keep my second to Council Hamilton's. Okay. Motion. Thank you. Um, motion made by, uh, councilor Hamilton. Uh, second made by Councilor Garate on discussion. All those in favor a Aye. Aye. All those opposed the ayes have it. Um, those two will be recommended for, uh,