City Council — 2026-07-20

City Council Meeting 7/20/26

This meeting starts at 56:36 in a recording that covers several meetings.

Attendance

Jason Chen present · At-Large; Cal Finocchiaro present · Ward 6; Bradley Freeman present · President; Maya Jamaleddine present · At-Large; Manjula Karamcheti present · Ward 1; Elizabeth Kowal present · At-Large; John Obremski present · Ward 2; Christopher Park present · Ward 3; Devin Romanul present · Ward 7; Kimberly Vandiver present · Ward 5; Ryan Williams present · At-Large

Agenda

Minutes

City Council Regular Meeting Monday, July 20, 2026, 7:45 PM City Council Chamber, 1st Floor 562 Main Street, Melrose, MA 02176 MINUTES I. CALL TO ORDER Jason Chen Cal Finocchiaro Maya Jamaleddine Manjula Karamcheti Elizabeth Kowal John Obremski Christopher Park Devin Romanul Kimberly Vandiver Ryan Williams Brad Freeman, President Pledge of Allegiance Meeting was called to order by President Freeman at 7:57 PM Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Jason Chen At-Large Present Cal Finocchiaro Ward 6 Present Maya Jamaleddine At-Large Present Manjula Karamcheti Ward 1 Present Elizabeth Kowal At-Large Present John Obremski Ward 2 Present Christopher Park Ward 3 Present Devin Romanul Ward 7 Present Kimberly Vandiver Ward 5 Present Ryan Williams At-Large Present William Bradley Feeman President Present 1 II. MINUTES APPROVAL A. City Council Meeting June 15, 2026 7:45 PM Special City Council Meeting June 29, 2026 7:45 PM Motion to Approve the minutes by unanimous consent without reading made by President Freeman All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] AYES: Jason Chen, Cal Finocchiaro, Bradley Freeman, Maya Jamaleddine, Manjula Karamcheti, Elizabeth Kowal, John Obremski, Christopher Park, Devin Romanul, Kim Vandiver, Ryan Williams III. PUBLIC COMMENT When: Jul 20, 2026 07:45 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Topic: City Council Meeting Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android: https://cityofmelrose- org.zoom.us/j/98110960996?pwd=npHsIYHSeQxLV1MmzhiaAH86iDhuZe.1 Passcode:096980 Webinar ID: 981 1096 0996 Motion to Open public comment made by President Freeman at 7:59 PM Comments on the floor: Councilor Kowal read an email from Eugenia Gibbons of 54 Upham Street, regarding the renewal of the parking lot lease at St Mary's Parish on Myrtle Street. She stated that the renewal of the parking lot lease creates an opportunity for the City and the Chamber of Commerce to explore more sustainable long-term revenue strategies to offset the ongoing costs of maintaining the parking lot. She encouraged the city to put in place a funding mechanism that is both durable and equitable. She proposed establishing a business improvement district in the surrounding area, which would allow nearby businesses and property owners who benefit most directly from the parking capacity to share in the cost of its upkeep, and instituting a registration fee for commercial parking permitting. Mike Festa of 127 Boston Rock Road is a long-term resident of Melrose and commented on the improvement of the downtown area over those years, with the addition of multiple restaurants and businesses, contributing to its beautification and vibrancy. He encouraged council to consider the large number of elderly residents with reduced mobility that frequent the downtown area and require ample parking spaces nearby. He urged council to renew the St Mary's parking lot lease, stating it's the right thing to do. Richard Solari of 109 Altamont Avenue and owner of Giacomo's Restaurant, commented that he heard about the lease renewal discussion 2 weeks ago and urged council to approve the lease. Those parking spaces are vital to businesses, and he is open to being a part of the long term 2 solution and to possibly help financially. He asked for council to sign the lease today. Andrew Barson of 39 E Foster Street commented on the 2 "hoarder" houses at 32 and 42 E Foster Street which have the red X hazard sign on the door. Both homes are abandoned, and the fire department had been called to them multiple times in the past. He is concerned that this is a hazard to the entire neighborhood and no action is being taken to remediate it. He urged council to be aware of it and do what they can to fix this situation. Alex Rodriguez of 45 Appleton Street commented on the St. Mary's lease proposal and thanked certain councilors for voting no on its recommendation at a prior meeting. He stated that it's a very bad lease with its current proposed terms, that the city needs the parking spaces, and that they need to negotiate a better agreement to be fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars. Patricia Boni, owner of Cuts and Such Hair Salon at 465 Main Street, urged council to renew the parking lot lease at St. Mary's on Myrtle Street. She has owned her business for over 44 years and this business-friendly parking helped her be successful. She is happy with the current set up, it's a busy lot, not well-maintained, and stressed that the elderly clients really need this parking, especially in winter. Melrose gets a lot of tax money and the lease amount is not extravagant compared to the benefits it brings, which attract employees and keep steady business flowing. There were no comments via Zoom Motion to Close public comment made by President Freeman at 8:18 PM All were in favor and motion passed IV. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE HONORABLE MAYOR & OTHER CITY OFFICIALS V. NEW BUSINESS A. Filings by the Honorable Mayor i. Appointments/Reappointments

1. (ID # 2026-1415): Appointment of Dionysios Kaskarelis, 116 Walton Park, to the Human Rights Commission for a three-year term, said term to expire on the last day of February 2029. Motion to Refer to Boards & Commissions Committee made by President Freeman All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] TO: Boards & Commissions ii. Grants

1. (ID # 2026-1529): Acceptance of the FY2025 Emergency Management Performance Grant in the amount of $5,850.00 Motion to Refer to Appropriations & Oversight Committee made by President Freeman All were in favor and motion passed 3 RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] TO: Appropriations & Oversight iii. Orders

1. (ID # 2026-1530): Amending Article II, Section 93 of the Melose Code of Ordinances to allow for a licensing and inspection process for kennel licensing in Melrose. Motion to Refer to Legal & Legislative Committee made by President Freeman All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] TO: Legal & Legislative

2. (ID # 2026-1531): Acceptance of Revised Easement at 105 Walton Park in Melrose Motion to Refer to Appropriations & Oversight Committee made by President Freeman All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] TO: Appropriations & Oversight

3. (ID # 2026-1533): Grant of Easement for 204 Tremont Street Motion to Refer to Appropriations & Oversight Committee made by President Freeman All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] TO: Appropriations & Oversight B. Filings by members of the Honorable City Council C. Orders

i. (ID # 2026-1520): Informational Order - Warrant for 2026 State Primary to be held at Melrose Middle School Gymnasium on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 from 7:00am to 8:00pm for Ward 1, Precinct 1 and 2; Ward 2,Precinct 1 and 2; Ward 3 Precinct 1 and 2; Ward 4, Precinct 1 and 2; Ward 5, Precinct 1 and 2; Ward 6, Precinct 1 and 2; and Ward 7, Precinct 1 and 2 to notify the inhabitants of the City of Melrose that can cast a vote in the State Primaries. Motion to Refer to Finance Committee made by President Freeman All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] TO: Finance 4

ii. (ID # 2026-1521): Informational Order - The Board of Registrars has agreed to the following dates, times and location for the State Primary In Person Early Voting: Saturday, 8/22 9am-5pm; Monday, 8/24 through Thursday 8/27 8:30am-4pm and Friday, 8/28 8:30am -12:30pm in the City Council Chamber located on the first floor of Melrose City Hall 562 Main Street Melrose MA. Motion to Refer to Finance Committee made by President Freeman All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] TO: Finance Motion by unanimous consent for Recess made by President Freeman at 8:21 PM Return from Recess at 8:24 PM VI. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Appropriations

i. (ID # 2026-1334): Appropriation from Peg Access Fund #2922 in the amount of $167,277.80 to MMTV and $55,759.27 to Melrose Public Schools (#1803). Motion for Passage made by Councilor Romanul Seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] AYES: Jason Chen, Cal Finocchiaro, Bradley Freeman, Maya Jamaleddine, Manjula Karamcheti, Elizabeth Kowal, John Obremski, Christopher Park, Devin Romanul, Kim Vandiver, Ryan Williams NAYS: None Councilor Chen asked when we can renegotiate this and what is the benchmark for PEG access funds and what other towns are getting. Councilor Finocchiaro suggested that he contact Ms Margolis for any information, including the possibility of renegotiating the allocation amounts in the future. B. Orders

i. (ID # 2026-1376): Report on results of the Municipal Surplus Buildings Study for the Police Station and Ripley School Sites Motion to Place on File made by Councilor Romanul Seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] 5 AYES: Jason Chen, Cal Finocchiaro, Bradley Freeman, Maya Jamaleddine, Manjula Karamcheti, Elizabeth Kowal, John Obremski, Christopher Park, Devin Romanul, Kim Vandiver, Ryan Williams NAYS: None

ii. (ID # 2026-1382): Authorization to Amend Solid Waste Facility Operating Agreement by and between the City of Melrose and Waste Management of Massachusetts. Motion for Passage made by Councilor Romanul Seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] AYES: Jason Chen, Cal Finocchiaro, Bradley Freeman, Maya Jamaleddine, Manjula Karamcheti, Elizabeth Kowal, John Obremski, Christopher Park, Devin Romanul, Kim Vandiver, Ryan Williams NAYS: None Councilor Chen praised the city's proactive approach in negotiating market rates and gathering good competitive data.

iii. (ID # 2026-1508): Approval of Lease Agreement with the Archdiocese of Boston for the Lease of the Parking Lot near St. Mary’s Church at 41 Myrtle Street, Melrose MA President Freeman gave a brief update on what has occurred since the Appropriations and Oversight Meeting on July 9th. Following that meeting, the City and Archdiocese agreed on a new, revised, 3-year lease that will be before the Council this evening. This revised lease replaces the one previously submitted by the Mayor with this order. A Yes vote tonight will be to approve the revised lease as submitted by the Mayor on July 14th. Councilor Romanul stated that this order comes to us from the Appropriations and Oversight Committee with a recommendation Not for Passage. As President Freeman stated, there have been some substantial changes since our most recent meeting, including the dollar amount, with an escalator clause, as well as an end date of June 30th, 2029, instead of June 30th, 2027. Councilor Romanul was not happy with the previous one-year timeline since it doesn't give us a lot of time to proactively plan for the future of our downtown. His goal was to force a longer-term discussion and to have these conversations concurrently with the police station surplus building proposal. He is very sensitive to the success of our business owners, wants to make sure that our downtown is thriving, and to make sure that we have adequate mobility to parking spaces, and he understands that Melrose has a parking shortage. Motion to Approve the revised lease statement as submitted on July 14th, 2026 made by Councilor Romanul Seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro Motion Passed 9 to 2, with Councilors Vandiver and Williams voting No RESULT: ACCEPTED [9-2) 6 AYES: Jason Chen, Cal Finocchiaro, Bradley Freeman, Maya Jamaleddine, Manjula Karamcheti, Elizabeth Kowal, John Obremski, Christopher Park, Devin Romanul NAYS: Kim Vandiver, Ryan Williams Councilor Williams shared that based on prior parking studies conducted in 2012 and 2025, roughly 300 parking spaces were open during peak times, with these spaces not all in front of individual businesses, but were collective throughout the area of the city. He does not believe that Melrose has a major shortage of parking. Rather, it's a physics problem, which is that two people can't park in the same parking space, and sometimes one must park further away from the intended stop. He is encouraged to hear some business leaders willing to participate more in this. Residents ask what you can do to increase the commercial property tax base so that residents are not carrying as much of the tax levy. He believes that parcels like this deserve to be buildings instead of just parking, and that we can manage our parking situation better in the city. He hopes that the conversations that we've generated by not just rubber-stamping this, like we have in years past, are going to lead to better decisions, better engagement, and better outcomes for all of us. Councilor Kowal shared that there were a lot of conclusions being drawn, and assumptions being made, about the No vote, and why we took it, particularly on social media. She thanked everyone who reached out to her about this issue. She explained that the one-year deal was not fiscally responsible for the city. By voting No, the city got leverage to negotiate a better deal, and she is happy with the end result, which puts all parties in a better place. Councilor Karamcheti stated that she is happy with this better deal and believes that the property owner (the church) should be responsible for maintaining it, not the city of Melrose. Councilor Vandiver is more comfortable with the new favorable terms and the improved understanding between the parties. She believes spillover happens between the lots, with some lots full but spaces still available elsewhere, and that customers would still frequent the businesses. She suggested that the city look at some paid parking, not for the purpose of generating large amounts of money for the city, but for the purpose of moving people through those most in-demand spaces that are closer to where we want to go. She thinks we're in a better position now than we were and would love to eventually see this space be used for something besides parking, Councilor Jamaleddine shared that this lease is not a new issue and that it has been discussed over many years. The Mayor's office had shared with council that the church would not allow any negotiations and that it was a bad deal for Melrose. She understands that it looked bad when she voted No at the last meeting, but she could not vote Yes without hearing both sides of the story from both parties. After her No vote, the church contacted her directly and stated that they wanted a negotiation when they made their first offer and were waiting for a counteroffer with another number from Melrose, which they say did not occur. The church was too busy with repairs, closing for the summer and short-handed to initiate more dialog and declined to share a public email with their explanation since they did not have the time or capacity to do so. She is happy that we pushed back, which led to a better discussion and solution, and will vote Yes for the current proposal. Councilor Obremski stated that preserving the 53 spaces makes sense, it supports the downtown, and he thinks they need the parking spaces and always will. He plans to vote Yes. Councilor Finocchiaro cautioned against pointing fingers and said that there were two parties involved in this. St. Mary's has been a great partner of the community for many years. They could have been charging the city a lot of money for many years, and it's been well under market value, what they've charged us. These parking spaces are much needed by our residents and businesses, and she is happy that an agreement will be reached. Councilor Chen stated there are four things to be aware of. We need to continue to be frugal with our taxpayer dollars as we spend our way to another override, and possibly without the confidence of a 7 lot of taxpayers. We can improve parking, as Councilor Vandiver and Councilor Williams suggested, and we can pilot ideas, and this doesn't require paying for a $70,000 study. These negotiations ran off the rails pretty early, and they didn't have to, and they became a crisis, and we got to a good result. But he suspects all parties learn from this and the chances of it happening are hopefully less. He appreciated the civil way this got resolved since so many different parties with varying interests were involved.

iv. (ID # 2026-1509): Appropriation in the amount of $7,000.00 from contract stabilization (#8404) to Account #012962-527950 for rental expenses for the St. Mary’s Parking Lot Lease. Councilor Romanul stated that this comes to us from the Appropriations and Oversight Committee with a recommendation Not for passage. Since the last meeting, the mayor sent changed terms, an updated revised order changing the number from $7,000 to $4,000. We've already appropriated $35,000 as part of our annual budget for the first part of our rental agreement. Given this information, Councilor Romanul made the following motion. Motion to approve the order in the revised amount of $4,000 as amended by the current mayor's request made by Councilor Romanul Seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] AYES: Jason Chen, Cal Finocchiaro, Bradley Freeman, Maya Jamaleddine, Manjula Karamcheti, Elizabeth Kowal, John Obremski, Christopher Park, Devin Romanul, Kim Vandiver, Ryan Williams NAYS: None

v. (ID # 2026-1507): Request that the City Council Approve the Written Determination that the Lease Transaction of the St. Mary’s Parish Parking Lot is a Unique Acquisition of Property pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30B. Councilor Romanul stated that this comes to us from the Appropriations and Oversight Committee with a recommendation Not for passage. However, given the new terms and the aforementioned approved agreement (the Mayor has submitted an updated determination for our July 20th meeting), I make a motion to approve the revised written discrimination for this order submitted on July 14th, 2026. Motion to approve the revised written discrimination for this order submitted on July 14th, 2026 made by Councilor Romanul Seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro All were in favor and motion passed RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] AYES: Jason Chen, Cal Finocchiaro, Bradley Freeman, Maya Jamaleddine, Manjula Karamcheti, Elizabeth Kowal, John Obremski, Christopher Park, Devin Romanul, Kim Vandiver, Ryan Williams NAYS: None 8 VII. REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES VIII. EXPIRIES IX. RULE 36 REPORTS X. ADJOURNMENT Motion to Adjourn made by Councilor Romanul at 8:57 PM Seconded by Councilor Kowal All were in favor and meeting was adjourned 9 June 9, 2026 Dear Josh and Members of the Melrose Human Rights Commission, Thank you for considering my application to serve on the Melrose Human Rights Commission. I would be honored to contribute to the Commission's work. My interest in human rights and inclusion comes from my own experiences. I grew up in a Greek foreign service family, living in nine countries across Europe and the United States by the age of twenty-four. Some of my earliest memories are from Cyprus, where I witnessed a society divided by conflict. Later, I lived in Berlin while the Wall still stood. As a child, I saw how governments could either separate people or bring them together. I came to admire the role the United States played in creating a more united Europe. My perspective was also shaped by my Greek values: eleftheria (freedom), demokratia (democracy), filotimo (honor), and filoxenia (hospitality). Through our extended Ethiopian family, I learned about Ethiopian history and culture and came to appreciate the many similarities between our cultures. Meaningful connections begin when we approach each other with openness. My own immigration journey further strengthened these beliefs. After arriving in the United States as a student, it took over six years to become a citizen. While I was fortunate to have resources and support, the process was often stressful, uncertain, and at times embarrassing. It gave me a deeper appreciation for the challenges many of my peers face while supporting families, learning a new culture, and building a life in a language that is not their own. America's story is, in many ways, a story of immigration. Generations of newcomers crossed oceans, took extraordinary risks, and worked under difficult conditions to build better lives for themselves and their families. In doing so, they helped build the communities, businesses, institutions, and infrastructure that continue to strengthen our country today. Ultimately, we all play a role in shaping our country's future, whether directly or indirectly, and that is one of the reasons I feel a responsibility to contribute to the institutions that serve our community. My wife and I moved to Melrose in 2023 to raise our family. We were drawn by the schools and quality of life, but what convinced us to stay were the people. Neighbors welcomed us. Our children play together. Melrose became home because of its sense of community. If appointed, I hope to contribute my experiences to the Commission's work and help strengthen the sense of inclusion, belonging, and community that makes Melrose such a special place to live. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Dionysios Kaskarelis DIONYSIOS KASKARELIS Melrose MA • • • LinkedIn Profile PROFILE Finance professional with over 20 years of experience across private, public, and international roles. Registered as an Investment Adviser Representative in Massachusetts under fiduciary obligations and regulatory oversight. Currently manages a real estate advisory, investment, and operating platform active in Greater Boston. Additional experience includes development finance and investment banking. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Access Properties — Melrose, MA Founder & Chief Executive Officer | 2022 – Present • Lead investment management activities including capital formation, analysis, financing, and asset management through a Massachusetts-registered investment advisory practice. • Oversee the operations of a private real estate investment vehicle. • Advise clients on acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing transactions and provide project management services for renovation, new construction, and development activities. • Develop and manage a technology-enabled investment platform designed to expand access to real estate opportunities through simple and transparent processes. European Investment Bank (EIB) — Luxembourg Senior Banking & Strategy Officer | 2018 – 2019 • Advised management regarding strategic planning and institutional lending initiatives. Head of Trust Funds & Donor Relations Unit | 2016 – 2018 • Managed grant-funded investment programs exceeding €1 billion supporting infrastructure, economic development, and technical assistance initiatives. • Directed fundraising activities resulting in over €100 million in donor commitments. • Led relationships with governments, international organizations, development institutions, and private-sector stakeholders across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. • Chaired investment committees responsible for project selection and resource allocation. Global Relationship Manager | 2008 – 2016 • Managed relationships with financial institutions participating in intermediated lending programs supporting small and medium-sized businesses in Greece and Cyprus. • Structured and negotiated financing agreements withgovernments, international organizations, and commercial banks, expanding access to finance from €250 million to more than €1 billion. • Supported financial-sector stabilization initiatives during the European sovereign debt crisis. • Conducted financial due diligence and risk assessment for investment operations. Funding Officer | 2005– 2008 • Led international capital market bond issuances across multiple currencies, supporting local market development in emerging European economies and annual borrowing programs measured in the tens of billions of euros. Investor Relations Office Assistant | 2004 – 2005 • Supported investor communications, reporting, and stakeholder engagement activities. Earlier Career • Held financial advisory positions with Atlantic Bank and Prudential Securities in New York. PUBLIC SERVICE • Public Diplomacy Volunteer, Consulate General of Greece — Boston, MA | 2020-2021 • Member, Joint Committee on Equal Opportunities, EIB — Luxembourg | 2011 – 2014 • Aircraftman, Hellenic Air Force – Tripoli, Greece | 2002 EDUCATION Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University — Medford, MA • M.A. International Relations Bayes Business School, City University of London — London, UK • M.Sc. Finance, Shipping, and Trade Carroll School of Management, Boston College — Newton, MA • B.S. Finance LICENSES & LANGUAGES • Investment Adviser Representative (Series 65) • Massachusetts Real Estate Salesperson • Languages: o Fluent — English & Greek o Conversational — Italian & French COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS | STANDARD CONTRACT FORM This form is jointly issued and published by the Office of the Comptroller, the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, and the Operational Services Division as the default contract for all Commonwealth Departments when another form is not prescribed by regulation or policy. The Commonwealth deems void any changes made on or by attachment (in the form of addendum, engagement letters, contract forms or invoice terms) to the terms in this published form or to the Standard Contract Form Instructions and Contractor Certifications, the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions, the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions for Human and Social Services, or the Commonwealth IT Terms and Conditions which are incorporated by reference herein. Additional non-conflicting terms may be added by Attachment. Contractors are required to access forms at macomptroller.org/forms or mass.gov/lists/osd-forms. CONTRACTOR INFORMATION COMMONWEALTH INFORMATION Contractor Legal Name Department Mosaic Department Code d/b/a Contract Manager Name Legal Address Business Mailing Address As entered on Form W-9 or Form W-4 Contract Manager Name Billing Address If Different Phone Fax Phone Fax Email Email Vendor Code Mosaic Transaction ID(s) VC Vendor Code Address ID RFR/Procurement or Other ID Number e.g. “AD001”. AD Note: The Address ID must be set up for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) payments. NEW CONTRACT CONTRACT AMENDMENT Procurement or Exception Type (Check one option only) Current Contract End Date Amendment Amount PRIOR to Amendment Or Enter “No Change” Statewide Contract (OSD or an OSD-designated department.) Amendment Type Collective Purchase Check one option only. Attach details of amendment changes. 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Total maximum obligation for total duration of this contract (or new total if contract is being amended): Page 1 of 2 Updated 2/23/2026 Mosaic Transaction ID(s) PROMPT PAYMENT DISCOUNTS (PPD) Commonwealth payments are issued through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) 45 days from invoice receipt. See Prompt Pay Discounts Policy. Contractors requesting accelerated payments must identify a PPD as follows: Payment issued within: 10 days % PPD. 15 days % PPD. 20 days % PPD. 30 days % PPD. If PPD percentages are left blank, identify reason: Statutory/legal Ready Payments (M.G.L. c. 29, § 23A) Agree to standard 45-day cycle Only initial payment BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CONTRACT PERFORMANCE or REASON FOR AMENDMENT Enter the Contract title, purpose, fiscal year(s) and a detailed description of the scope of performance or what is being amended for a Contract Amendment. Attach all supporting documentation and justifications. 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The Department and Contractor certify for this Contract, or Contract Amendment, that Contract obligations: 1. may be incurred as of the Effective Date (latest signature date below) and no obligations have been incurred prior to the Effective Date. 2. may be incurred as of , 20 , a date LATER than the Effective Date below and no obligations have been incurred prior to the Effective Date. 3. were incurred as of , 20 , a date PRIOR to the Effective Date below, and the parties agree that payments for any obligations incurred prior to the Effective Date are authorized to be made either as settlement payments or as authorized reimbursement payments, and that the details and circumstances of all obligations under this Contract are attached and incorporated into this Contract. Acceptance of payments forever releases the Commonwealth from further claims related to these obligations. CONTRACT END DATE Contract performance shall terminate as of , 20 , with no new obligations being incurred after this date unless the Contract is properly amended, provided that the terms of this Contract and performance expectations and obligations shall survive its termination for the purpose of resolving any claim or dispute, for completing any negotiated terms and warranties, to allow any close out or transition performance, reporting, invoicing or final payments, or during any lapse between amendments. CERTIFICATIONS Notwithstanding verbal or other representations by the parties, the “Effective Date” of this Contract or Amendment shall be the latest date that this Contract or Amendment has been executed by an authorized signatory of the Contractor, the Department, or a later Contract or Amendment Start Date specified above, subject to any required approvals. The Contractor certifies that they have accessed and reviewed all documents incorporated by reference as electronically published and the Contractor makes all certifications required under the Standard Contract Form Instructions and Contractor Certifications under the pains and penalties of perjury, and further agrees to provide any required documentation upon request to support compliance, and agrees that all terms governing performance of this Contract and doing business in Massachusetts are attached or incorporated by reference herein according to the following hierarchy of document precedence, the applicable Commonwealth Terms and Conditions, this Standard Contract Form, the Standard Contract Form Instructions and Contractor Certifications, the Request for Response (RFR) or other solicitation, the Contractor’s Response (excluding any language stricken by a Department as unacceptable, and additional negotiated terms, provided that additional negotiated terms will take precedence over the relevant terms in the RFR and the Contractor’s Response only if made using the process outlined in 801 CMR 21.07, incorporated herein, provided that any amended RFR or Response terms result in best value, lower costs, or a more cost effective Contract. AUTHORIZING SIGNATURE FOR THE CONTRACTOR AUTHORIZING SIGNATURE FOR THE DEPARTMENT Signature and date must be captured at time of signature. Signature and date must be captured at time of signature. Signature Date Signature Date Print Name Print Title Print Name Print Title Page 2 of 2 Updated 2/23/2026 Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Emergency Management Grants Unit FFY 2025 EMPG Special Conditions and Reporting Requirements Parties The Contractor/Subrecipient is an eligible public or private not-for-profit entity that has applied for grant funding to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and has received an approved award under the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) Emergence Management Performance Grant (EMPG). The subrecipient must be represented by a duly authorized official(s) of the Contractor/Subrecipient whose signature(s), authorization(s), and/or certification(s) legally represent and bind the Contractor/Subrecipient. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, acting through the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Emergency Management Grants Unit (EM Grants Unit) is responsible for administering this grant program. Agreement The Subrecipient and MEMA will execute a Commonwealth of Massachusetts Standard Contract Form through which the subrecipient agrees to perform all activities as described in the approved application within the budget, dates of service, and other conditions set forth below. MEMA agrees to reimburse the Subrecipient for all allowable costs incurred within period of performance as stated in the executed state contract and to provide technical assistance and support required to carry out the purposes of the grant. Special Conditions 1. Communication. Primary communication regarding this contract shall take place between the subrecipient’s primary point of contact and MEMA’s EM Grants Unit. 2. Press. Subrecipient agrees to proactively notify EM Grants Unit of any interactions or planned media outreach regarding activities funded under this grant program. 3. Release of Information. All records, papers and other documents of any kind related to the funded activity in any manner and kept by subrecipients of these funds shall be made promptly available upon request to any person authorized by MEMA for inspection and copying. 4. Pass Down Requirements. If a subrecipient proposes to engage in sub-sub-granting activities, it shall ensure its sub- contractors/sub-subrecipients adhere to all applicable contract conditions and pass down requirements. 5. Reporting. Subrecipients agree to submit timely and accurate reports as needed and directed. Failure to comply with this condition may result in the withholding of subrecipient funds until the delinquent report is received. See Reporting Requirements below for details. 6. Contractor/Consultant Rates. Compensation for individual consultant services is to be reasonable and consistent with the amount paid for similar services in the marketplace. Consideration can be given to compensation, including fringe benefits, for those individuals whose employers do not provide the same. Time and effort reports are required for consultants. 7. Project Point of Contact. Subrecipients are required to notify EM Grants Unit of any project point of contact changes within 30 days following the change. Notification must include the following: a. Name b. Title c. Email address d. Phone number 8. Internet Access. Subrecipients must have Internet access. 9. Email addresses. Subrecipient’s project point of contact for this subgrant must have individual email addresses. 10. Subrecipient Non-compliance. Subrecipient is subject to the federal and state regulations and related requirements set forth herein. 11. Non-compliance. Subrecipients that are found to be in non-compliance may result in an audit finding and subsequent repayment of funds. a. Approval of a project, project costs, contract, or payment by MEMA does not exempt the Subrecipient from requirements to repay funds. b. Should a state, federal, or local audit reveal that actions taken by the Subrecipient, or any of its contractors, regardless of previous approval by MEMA, do not comply with policies, laws, or regulations, the subrecipient agrees to repay the required amounts in the manner and timeframe determined by MEMA. c. Repayments not made as expected will be considered debts and addressed under the Commonwealth’s Debt Collection and Intercept Regulation (815 CMR 9.00). 12. Monitoring. Subrecipients agree to cooperate with MEMA’s EM Grants Unit monitoring and site visits. 13. Records Retention. The Contractor/Subrecipient shall retain all related records for a minimum of six years from the date of the Close-Out Report Submission. In cases of similar requirements at two or more levels, the more stringent of the requirements must be followed. 14. Award Acceptance. Prior to acceptance of Federal Articles of Agreement and MEMA Special Conditions and Reporting Requirements, subrecipient must evaluate its policies, procedures, and management systems for risk of non-compliance with any of the above terms and conditions, inclusive of all requirements of FEMA and 2 CFR 200. Any identified areas of risk must be brought to the attention of MEMA’s EM Grants Unit prior to the execution of the contract in order to determine and implement the appropriate remedy. 15. Project Revisions. Subrecipients are required to notify MEMA’s EM Grants Unit if they need to revise their approved projects. a. Project revision request should be emailed to EM Grants Unit at EM.Grants@mass.gov and include removal of old items, additional items and justification for the revision b. Failure to request and receive prior approval for revisions will result in disallowable expenses and possible closing of project with no activity. c. MEMA is not obligated to reimburse activities that were not part of subrecipient’s approved project. d. Only EM Grants Unit can approve project revisions, Reporting Requirements 1. Subrecipients are required to submit quarterly reports. Failure to submit required reports will result in MEMA terminating contract for cause and without reimbursement of activities. Reporting periods and due dates are listed below: a. April – June report is due July 15, 2026 b. July – September report is due October 15, 2026 c. January – March report is due April 16, 2027 d. April – June report is due July 15, 2027 2. Subrecipients are required to submit final reimbursement no later than August 16, 2027. a. Reimbursement requests must be emails to EM.Grants@mass.gov and include MEMA’s EM Grants Unit Reimbursement Request Form, b. Invoices for all items under reimbursement and match documentation. c. Failure to submit proper documentation within required due date(s) will result in closing subrecipient’s project with no activity and no reimbursement. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CITY OF MELROSE John J. White – Director Fire Headquarters – 576 Main Street, Melrose, MA 02176 Ma ____________________________________________________________________________________ _________________ To: Mayor Jennifer Grigoraitis CC: Kerriann Golden, City Auditor Date: July 13, 2026 RE: Acceptance of FY2025 EMPG Grant Dear Mayor Grigoraitis, I respectfully request the acceptance of the FY2025 Emergency Management Performance Grant in the amount of $5,850.00. Funding from the grant will be used to procure a laptop computer and two dedicated workstations to support activation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Annual dues for membership in the Mystic Region Emergency Planning Committee will be paid with funding from this grant. Respectfully submitted, John J. White Emergency Management Director Amending the Code of the City of Melrose, by deleting Section 93-5, renumbering, and amending Section 93-9 as follows: A. DOG LICENSING (1) Any and all persons who are owners or keepers of dogs residing within the City of Melrose shall register each dog which is six months old or older with the City Clerk and shall cause said dog to be licensed, numbered and described. The licensing period shall be on an annual basis commencing on January 1 of each year and ending on December 31 of each year. (2) The City Clerk shall not issue a license to any dog unless the owner or keeper thereof provides the City Clerk with a veterinarian's certification that said dog has been vaccinated in accordance with MGL c. 140, § 145B, or has been certified exempt from this provision due to a finding of the Board of Health that, due to infirmity or physical condition of said dog, inoculation is deemed inadvisable, or has a notarized letter from a veterinarian that a certification was issued or a metal rabies tag bearing an expiration indicating that said certification is still in effect. (3) The City Clerk shall charge the following fees for the issuance of dog licenses. Said fees shall not be reduced or prorated in the event that the license is issued for less than one calendar year. Spayed or neutered dog: $20 per year; an intact dog: $23 per year. A late fee of $15 is to be imposed if not licensed by March 15 annually. No fee shall be charged for a license issued for a service animal as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act or regulations promulgated thereunder. [Amended 12-17-2012 by Ord. No. 2013-69; 8-21-2017 by Ord. No. 2018-4] (4) The owners or keepers of the dog shall cause the dog to wear a collar or harness, of leather or some other suitable material, to which shall be attached a tag issued by the City Clerk at the time of licensing. Said tag shall contain the name of the City of Melrose, the license number and the year of issue of said license. B. KENNEL LICENSING (1) In accordance with G.L. c. 140 Section 137A of the General Laws, any and all persons maintaining a kennel in the City of Melrose shall obtain a kennel license from the Licensing Authority, who is the City Clerk. A Kennel is defined as a pack or collection of 5 or more dogs on a single premises. The licensing period for all kennel licenses shall be on an annual basis commencing on January 1 of each year and ending on December 31 of each year. (2) There are three types of kennels that may be licensed in Melrose: i. Personal Kennel (5-6 dogs): Anyone wishing to keep more than four dogs, three months (13 weeks) or older, kept under single ownership for private personal purposes, shall apply for a personal kennel license. The maximum number of dogs allowed to be kept under a personnel kennel license is six. The City Clerk shall charge the following fees for issuance of Personal Kennel Licenses: Fee: 5-6 dogs - $75.00. Copy of a Rabies Certificate for each dog over 6 months must be provided with any license application or renewal. ii. Commercial Boarding or Training Kennel: An establishment used for boarding, holding, day care, overnight stays or training of animals that are not the property of the owner of the establishment, in exchange for consideration and in the absence of the owner of any such animal. These facilities do not include animal shelters or pet shops licensed by the state Director of Animal Health. It also does not apply to a facility operated solely for the purpose of grooming animals. The City Clerk shall charge the following fees for issuance of Commercial Kennel Licenses: up to 5 dogs - $75.00; 6 to 10 dogs - $100.00; 11 to 20 dogs - $125.00; 21-25: $150.00; 26+- $300.00. iii. Domestic Charitable Corporation: Any facility operated, owned or maintained by a domestic charitable corporation registered with the Department of Agricultural resources, an animal welfare society, or other nonprofit organization incorporated for the purpose of providing for and promoting the welfare, protection and humane treatment of animals. No fee shall be charged for domestic charitable licenses per MGL c. 140, s. 137A(c). (3) General License Requirements i. Any application for a kennel license shall be submitted to the City Clerk’s office on a form provided by the City Clerk. Before a kennel license can be issued or renewed, the kennel must be inspected by an Animal Control Officer to ensure that it is being maintained in a sanitary, safe and humane manner in accordance with standards and requirements set by the Animal Control Officer, and that all records are up to date and on file as required by law. All dogs within a personal kennel shall be vaccinated for rabies and certificates must be produced for inspection when requested. All dogs within any commercial kennel shall have current vaccinations for rabies, distemper and Bordetella. If, in the opinion of the Melrose Animal Control Officer or the Director of Public Health, additional vaccinations are necessary due to animal or public health concerns, additional vaccinations may be required. If additional vaccinations are required, license holders will be notified in writing by the Animal Control Officer or Director of Public Health. ii. No new kennel license will be issued unless the Melrose Animal Control Officer, Melrose Building Department, and City Clerk review and approve the application. iii. The City Clerk, as the licensing authority, shall specify on every kennel license the maximum number of animals that may be maintained by a licensee following an initial inspection, and each annual inspection thereafter. Such number shall be determined by the City Clerk and Animal Control Officer following the required inspection. For commercial boarding or training kennels, the number of animals shall be determined following the required inspection and in accordance with regulations promulgated pursuant to section MGL c. 140, § 174G of the General Laws to ensure the property can support the number of animals while ensuring their health and safety. iv. A kennel license may not be used in lieu of individual dog licenses. All dogs in a private kennel must have individual dog licenses and tags. v. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, all kennels shall comply with all other provisions of Chapter 140, Sections 136A through 174G of the General Laws. vi. The City Clerk shall deny a kennel license until a kennel has passed inspection by the Animal Control Officer. If the City Clerk denies a Kennel License application or renewal, the Applicant may request a reinspection of the Kennel after reasonably demonstrating to the Animal Control Officer that the proposed Kennel has been brought into compliance with the requirements of this section and applicable state statutes. The Animal Control Officer shall then make a report to the City Clerk, who shall, within a reasonable time, review the application and make a determination. (4) Inspection Authority. i. The Animal Control Officer may at any time inspect any kennel located in the City of Melrose. If, in the judgment of the Animal Control Officer the kennel is not being maintained in a sanitary or humane manner, or if records are not being properly kept as required by law, the Animal Control Officer may by order, revoke or suspend the license for the kennel. ii. Depending on the severity of the offense, a license may be suspended or revoked on a first violation of applicable laws or this Ordinance. iii. If a licensee or applicant refuses to allow the Animal Control Officer to enter and inspect a kennel, the refusal shall also be grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation of a license. (5) Resident Complaints. i. Twenty-five residents of the iC ty may file a petition with the Mayor, to the attention of the Melrose Board of Health, stating that they are aggrieved, or annoyed to an unreasonable extent, by one or more dogs at a kennel maintained in the City, because of excessive barking or vicious disposition of said dogs or other conditions connected with such kennel constituting a public nuisance. ii. Within seven days after the filing of such petition, the Board of Health shall give notice to all parties in interest of a public hearing to be held within 14 days after the date of such notice before the Board of Health. iii. Within seven days after such public hearing, said Board shall make an order either revoking or suspending such kennel license or otherwise regulating said kennel, or dismissing said petition. (6) Penalties; violations; appeal rights. i. Any person or entity who violates this section shall be assessed a fine by the City Clerk of $500 for a first offense and a fine of not more than $1,000 for a second or subsequent offense, or otherwise be subject to an order revoking or suspending their license. ii. Any person or entity maintaining a kennel after the license to maintain a kennel has been revoked or suspended shall be assessed a fine by the City Clerk of $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second offense and by a fine of $1,500 for a third or subsequent offense, pursuant to allowable fines under Chapter 140, Section 137C of the General Laws. iii. Within ten (10) days after issuance of any Order revoking or suspending the license, further regulating the kennel or dismissing the petition, licensee may file a petition in district court seeking review of the Order, as outlined in MGL c. 140, § 137C. The decision of the court shall be final and conclusive upon the parties. iv. This ordinance may also be enforced through appropriate criminal or civil process under Massachusetts General Laws. CITY OF MELROSE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DEDDDDDEPTDEPARTMENT DDEPARTMENT HERE Board of Health Health Director City Hall, 562 Main Street Frank Brincheiro, MD Anthony Chui, MPH Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Lillian Kelly R.N. Telephone - (781)979-4130 Dawn Jacobs R.N., MPH health@cityofmelrose.org To: Melrose City Council From: Anthony Chui, Health Director Date: July 15, 2026 Subject: Updating Melrose Code to Comply with Ollie’s Law Ollie’s Law1, first enacted in September 2024, was created in response to serious safety failures in dog boarding and daycare facilities, including the fatal incident involving “Ollie,” a dog killed in a dog fight at a doggie daycare, whose death highlighted gaps in statewide kennel oversight. For the first time in Massachusetts, this law has established state oversight of commercial kennels, including daycare and boarding facilities by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (“MDAR”). The law also required MDAR to adopt regulations related to standards and enforcement, which are expected sometime in 2026. The Melrose code of ordinances currently has no process for the licensing of Kennels (currently only a “Special License” exists to allow for licensing of more than three dogs- and no one currently has a “special license” allowing for 5 or more dogs which would now be a private kennel under state law). Ollie’s Law now requires that cities and towns develop local processes for licensing and inspecting of any operating kennels within their municipality. There are generally five types of kennels now acknowledged by this new law: 1) Personal Kennel, more than 4 dogs on a single premises for personal use; 2) Commercial Boarding or Training Kennel; 3) Commercial Breeder Kennels; 4) Domestic Charitable Corporation Kennel; and 5) Veterinary Kennel, a vet hospital or clinic that provides boarding for reasons other than medical treatment or care. After review by our new Animal Control Officer (“ACO”) and my department, we do have existing businesses in Melrose that now meet the new definition of “commercial kennel” under these new state regulations and we need a local process for our ACO to inspect and the City Clerk to license them. As mentioned above, this law expanded the definition of “kennel” under state law, and now includes doggie daycare and training facilities which currently exist in Melrose. The City needs to ensure these facilities are following the regulations and inspections required under state law which is why this ordinance is coming before you now for your review and approval. As with dog licensing, under state law, the City Clerk is the licensing authority. All kennels- including dog training, daycare, boarding facilities- must now be inspected prior to any license being issued or renewed, and are subject to inspection at any time by the ACO to ensure they are being maintained in a sanitary and humane manner and that records are being kept as required by state law. They also must be reported to the state on an annual basis, once licensed, by the City Clerk. 1 Signed into law as “An Act to Increase Kennel Safety” – Chapter 213 of the Acts of 2024. The attached ordinance was developed by myself and our new Animal Control Officer, with assistance from the City Solicitor. The City Solicitor has reviewed and confirmed this amended Ordinance meets the requirements of the state law for kennel licensing and the City’s responsibilities. Passing this Ordinance will ensure compliance, improve local safety measures, and position us to adopt the forthcoming state standards of MDAR related to Kennel safety- expected sometime this year- without delay. Our ACO already has a draft application she has worked on to send to the City Clerk for review and approval, and has begun to develop an inspection checklist and requirements for these types of Kennels moving forward in the Melrose community. For these reasons, I respectfully request Council approve the amended section of Melrose Code of Ordinances, Chapter 93 Animals, Article II Dogs, as set forth in the text provided. Sincerely, Anthony Chui Regional Health and Human Services Director achui@cityofmelrose.org (781) 979-4130 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Administration–Engineering–Water–Sewer–Facilities Parks–Forestry–Highway–Sanitation–Cemetery–Fleet CITY OF MELROSE Elena Proakis Ellis, P.E., BCEE City Yard, 72 Tremont Street Director of Public Works Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Telephone – (781) 665-0142 E-mail: eproakis@cityofmelrose.org MEMORANDUM To: Mayor Jennifer Grigoraitis From: Elena Proakis Ellis, P.E., BCEE, Director of Public Works Shannon Phillips, City Solicitor Jay Coy, P.E., PMP, City Engineer Date: July 14, 2026 Re: Acceptance of Easement at 105 Walton Park Please accept the following relative to the attached easement revision documents and plans. The property at 105 Walton Park, owned by Kevin Collins and Britt Wedenoja, contains an existing easement that the City of Melrose utilizes for drainage purposes. The documents indicate revisions and slight modifications to the location of said existing easement. These revisions are desired to accommodate the approved and permitted home improvements by the owners at 105 Walton Park. As part of this agreement, the owners constructed upgrades to the drain system with the installation of new drainage pipe and manholes within the proposed relocated easement. This work was engineered, constructed and managed solely at their expense. The City of Melrose reviewed the proposed project and offered comments and conditions which were incorporated in the final design and construction. The installation of the drainage infrastructure was inspected by the City and a registered as-built plan will be provided to the City of Melrose and registered at the Registry of Deeds by the homeowner at their expense. The easement documents have been reviewed by our City Solicitor. Neither she nor I have objection to the request being approved under the terms and conditions listed in the attached documents. Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions or concerns. EASEMENT This GRANT OF EASEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of __________ ___, 2026 (the “Effective Date”), is hereby made by and between Kevin Collins and Britt Wedenoja, husband and wife as Tenants by the Entirety, having an address at 105 Walton Park, Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 (collectively, hereinafter, the “Grantor”) and the City of Melrose, a Massachusetts municipal corporation, having a usual place of business at 562 Main Street, Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 (hereinafter, the “Grantee”). For good and valuable consideration of Ten and 00/100 Dollars ($10.00) and other valuable considerations provided, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged under seal, Grantor hereby grants to Grantee a perpetual right and easement as set forth in Section 1 below (the “Easement”) in, under, through, over, across, and upon the Grantor’s land, as more fully described in Section 2 below (the “Grantor’s Land”). 1. Description of the Easement. The easement granted by the Grantor to the Grantee consists of MA 02176 Melrose a perpetual easement and right-of-way (the “Easement”), with the right, privilege, and authority to access, construct, reconstruct, repair, replace, maintain, operate, inspect, and, at a r k , its pleasure, abandon or remove an underground drainage line (collectively, the “Facilities”), which the Grantee shall require now and from time to time, under that portion of the Grantor’s Land described in Section 3 below (the “Easement Area”), and utilize the Facilities within the Easement Area for the purpose of providing drainage through the Facilities (the foregoing, hereinafter, the “Easement”). All rights of Grantee conveyed by this Easement are subject to the reservation of rights and restrictions set forth in Section 5 below. 2. Description of Grantor’s Land. Grantor is the fee owner of certain land recorded with the Middlesex South Registry of Deeds in Book 84542, Page 75 (the “Grantor’s Land”) as more particularly set forth in Exhibit A, attached hereto and recorded herewith. Address: 1 0 5 W a l t o n P Property 3. Location of the Easement Area. The Easement Area shall consist of a portion of the Grantor’s Land, 8 feet in width throughout its extent, as defined as “8’ Wide Drainage Easement” shown on the plan entitled “Plot Plan of Land in Melrose, 105 Walton Park, Melrose, MA” prepared by PJF & Associates dated February 9, 2026 being attached hereto as Exhibit B, and recorded herewith. 4. Facilities Ownership. It is agreed that the Facilities shall remain the property of the Grantee, its successors and assigns.5. Reservation of Rights and Restrictions. Grantor reserves the right to make improvements upon the surface of the Easement Area, provided that said improvements do not materially impact the Facilities. Grantee shall have the right to reasonable access to the Easement Area and the right to excavate for the purposes of repair, replacement or maintenance of the Facilities, provided that Grantee shall restore the Easement Area to the same condition as immediately preceded said access or excavation. 6. Extinguishment of Existing Rights. This Agreement shall extinguish any existing easement rights, whether obtained by explicit grant or acquired by prescription, in favor of Grantee, related to any existing or previously existing drainage pipes in or across the Grantor’s Land, to the extent said drain pipes will no longer be utilized and more particularly shown on the plan hereinabove referred to a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “C”. By its signature hereon, Grantee hereby releases all rights in and to said existing easement. 7. Authority. Both parties represent and warrant that they have the authority to execute this Agreement and each individual signing on behalf of a party to this Agreement states that he or she is the duly authorized representative of the signing party and that his or her signature on this Agreement has been duly authorized by, and creates the binding and enforceable obligation of, the party on whose behalf the representative is signing. Witness our hands and seal this day of _____________, 2026. Grantor: By:______________________________________ Kevin Collins By: __________________ Britt Wedenoja Grantee: CITY OF MELROSE By:____________________________________ Its: COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Middlesex, ss. _______ ____, 2026 On this day of __________, 2026, before me, the undersigned notary public, personally appeared Kevin Collins, proved to me through satisfactory evidence of identification, which was a , to be the persons whose name is signed on the preceding document, and acknowledged to me that he/she signed it voluntarily for its stated purposes. Notary Public: My commission expires: COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Middlesex, ss. _______ ________, 2026 On this _______day of __________, 2026, before me, the undersigned notary public, personally appeared Britt Wedenoja, proved to me through satisfactory evidence of identification, which was a ____________________________to be the persons whose name is signed on the preceding document, and acknowledged to me that he/she signed it voluntarily for its stated purposes. _______________________________________ Notary Public: My commission expires: COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Middlesex, ss. March ____, 2026 On this _______day of __________, 2026, before me, the undersigned notary public, personally appeared __________________________, Mayor for the City of Melrose, and proved to me through satisfactory evidence of identification, which was a _________________________________ to be the person whose name is signed on the preceding document, and acknowledged to me that he/she signed it voluntarily for its stated purposes on behalf of the City of Melrose. ______________________________________ Notary Public: My commission expires: EXHIBIT A A certain parcel of land, together with the buildings and improvements thereon, situated in Melrose, being now numbered 105 Walton Park and being shown as the parcel containing 9194 square feet of land on a plan entitled "Plan of Land in Melrose, Mass., belonging to George F. Macdonald", dated March 3, 1931, by John F. Rand, Civil Engineer, and recorded with Middlesex South District Deeds at the end of Record Book 5542, bounded and described as follows: EASTERLY: by said Walton Park, eighty-three and 75/100 (83.75) feet; NORTHERLY: by land now or formerly of Plant, eighty (80) feet; WESTERLY: by land now or formerly of Moore, seventy-six one-hundredths (0.76) of a foot; NORTHERLY: again by land or formerly of said Moore, thirty and 05/100 (30.05) feet; WESTERLY: again in part by land now or formerly of Harwood and in part by land now or formerly of White, eighty-two and 99/100 (82.99) feet; SOUTHERLY: by land now or formerly of Spencer, one hundred ten and 05/100 (110.05) feet. For title, see deed of Nancy Jean Montgomery dated August 25, 2025 and recorded with Middlesex County (Southern District) Registry of Deeds in Book 84542, Page 75.EXHIBIT BEXHIBIT C OFFICE OF PLANNING AND CITY OF MELROSE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT City Hall, 562 Main Street Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 LORI MASSA Telephone - (781) 979-4190 Director and City Planner Fax - (781) 979-4290 MEMORANDUM To: Melrose City Council From: Denise Gaffey, Project Manager Date: July 14, 2026 Re: Grant of Easement for Underground System at 204 Tremont Street, Fire Engine 2 Enclosed please find a Grant of Easement prepared by National Grid to provide an easement to install, operate and maintain an Underground Electrical Distribution System to support the new Fire Station at 204 Tremont Street. The Easement document has been reviewed by the City Solicitor and will be signed by Mayor Grigoraitis upon approval of the City Council. Previously, by Order #2025-216, the Council approved a National Grid Petition at the same location to install a new pole and steel conduit riser to feed the new pad-mounted transformer which will be installed as part of the construction project. Enclosure: Grant of Easement for Underground System at 204 Tremont Street (4 pages) GRANT OF EASEMENT The CITY OF MELROSE, a Massachusetts municipal corporation and body politic having a mailing address at 562 Main Street, Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 (hereinafter referred to as the “Grantor”), for consideration of One ($1.00) Dollar, grants to MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY, a Massachusetts corporation with its principal place of business at 170 Data Drive, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451 (hereinafter referred to as the “Grantee”) with quitclaim covenants, the perpetual right and easement to install, construct, reconstruct, repair, replace, add to, maintain and operate for the transmission of high and low voltage electric current and for the transmission of intelligence, an “UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM” (hereinafter referred to as the “UNDERGROUND SYSTEM”), consisting of lines of buried wires and cables and lines of wires and cables installed in underground conduits, together with all equipment and appurtenances thereto, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, but specifically including the following equipment, namely: manholes, manhole openings, bollards, handholes, junction boxes, transformers, transformer vaults, padmounts, padmount transformers and all housings, connectors, switches, conduits, cables and wires all located over, across, under and upon a portion of the Grantor’s property in Melrose, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, for the purpose of serving the Grantor’s property and others. Said “UNDERGROUND SYSTEM” is located in, through, under, over, across and upon a portion of that certain parcel of land situated on the southwesterly side of Melrose Street and the westerly side of Tremont Street, being more particularly shown on a Plan of Land recorded with the Middlesex South District Registry of Deeds (the “Registry”) as Plan No. 973 of 1928. And further, said “UNDERGROUND SYSTEM” (locations of the electrical equipment and other facilities on the hereinbefore referred to Grantor’s property) is approximately shown on a sketch entitled: “EASEMENT; Owners: City of Melrose; Address: 204 Tremont St, Melrose, MA 02176; SKETCH TO ACCOMPANY EASEMENT: Proposed Installation +/- 21 ft of 2-4” PVC SCH 40 Concrete Encased Conduit with 3-#2 CU EPR UG Cable, and 3PH 500 kVA Pad Mounted #1798-51 XFRM 277/480V,” dated October 22, 2025, a reduced copy of said sketch is attached hereto as “Exhibit A” and recorded herewith, copies of which are in the possession of the Property Address: 204 Tremont St, Melrose MA 02176 (Middlesex South) Grantor and Grantee herein, but the final definitive locations of said “UNDERGROUND SYSTEM” shall become established by and upon the installation and erection thereof by the Grantee. WR# 31174939 Address of Grantees: After recording return to: Mass. El., 170 Data Drive, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451 Jessica White National Grid USA Service Company, Inc. 170 Data Drive 05 MELRMA GEN Waltham, MA 02151 Also with the further perpetual right and easement from time to time to pass and repass over, across and upon said Grantor’s property as is reasonable and necessary in order to renew, replace, repair, remove, add to, maintain, operate, patrol and otherwise change said “UNDERGROUND SYSTEM” and each and every part thereof and to make such other excavation or excavations as may be reasonably necessary in the opinion and judgment of the Grantee, its successors and assigns, and to clear and keep cleared the portions and areas of the Grantor’s property wherein the “UNDERGROUND SYSTEM” is specifically located, as shown on the sketch herein referred to, of such trees, shrubs, bushes, above ground and below ground structures, objects and surfaces, as may, in the opinion and judgment of the Grantee, interfere with the efficient and safe operation and maintenance of the “UNDERGROUND SYSTEM” and other related electrical equipment. However, said Grantee, its successors and assigns, will properly backfill said excavation or excavations and restore the surface of the land to as reasonably good condition as said surface was in immediately prior to the excavation or excavations thereof. If said herein referred to locations as approximately shown on the sketch herein also referred to shall become unsuitable for the purposes of the Grantee or the Grantor, its successors and assigns, then said locations may be changed to areas mutually satisfactory to both the Grantor and the Grantee herein; and further, said newly agreed to locations shall be indicated and shown on the sketch above referred to by proper amendment or amendments hereto. The Grantor, for itself, its successors and assigns, covenant and agrees with the Grantee, for itself, its successors and assigns, that this Grant of Easement and the location of the “UNDERGROUND SYSTEM” may not be changed or modified without the written consent of the Grantee, its successors and assigns, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Any relocation so requested shall be at the sole cost and expense of the requesting party. It is the intention of the Grantor to grant to the Grantee, its successors and assigns, all the rights and easements aforesaid and any and all additional and/or incidental rights needed to install, erect, maintain and operate within the Grantor’s property an “UNDERGROUND SYSTEM” for the transmission of intelligence and for the purpose of supplying electric service to the Grantor’s property, including, without limitation, to the building, buildings or proposed buildings shown on the last herein referred to sketch or amended sketch and the right to service others from said “UNDERGROUND SYSTEM”. Following such installation, Grantor may, at its sole cost and expense, prepare and submit to Grantee for review and approval an “as-built” plan in recordable form showing the permanent locations of the “UNDERGROUND SYSTEM”, following which Grantor and Grantee, at Grantor's sole expense, may enter into an amendment to this easement to establish such permanent locations with such plan attached. The easements herein granted are non-exclusive, however, it is agreed that the “UNDERGROUND SYSTEM” shall remain the exclusive property of the Grantee, its successors and assigns, and that the Grantee, its successors and assigns, shall pay all taxes assessed thereon. [Signature Page Follows] WR# 31174939 For Grantor’s title, see deed dated April 27, 1928, recorded with the Registry in Book 5299, Page 588. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the City of Melrose has caused its corporate seal to be hereto affixed and these presents to be signed in its name and behalf by JENNIFER GRIGORAITIS, its Mayor, being thereto duly authorized this _______ day of ____________, 2025. CITY OF MELROSE ______________________________ By: Jennifer Grigoraitis Its: Mayor Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of ______________________ ss. On this the _______ day of _____________________, 2025, before me, the undersigned Notary Public, personally appeared Jennifer Grigoraitis, proved to me through satisfactory evidence of identity, which was/were _____________________________________, to be the persons whose name is signed on the preceding Grant of Easement and acknowledged to me that she signed it voluntarily for its stated purpose, as Mayor of the City of Melrose. ____________________________________ Signature of Notary Public ____________________________________ Printed Name of Notary My Commission Expires_______________ Place Notary Seal and/or Any Stamp Above WR# 31174939 N NOT TO SCALE 224 TREMONT ST 159-161 MELROSE ST 220 TREMONT ST +/- 21 ft of 2-4" PVC SCH 40 Concrete Encased Conduit 204 TREMONT ST LEGEND Date: 10.22.2025 3ph Pad Owners: EASEMENT Designer: RAFA OH Existing Mounted Address: Wires KERGUELEN XFMR City of Melrose 204 Tremont St, WR #: 31174939 Proposed Melrose, MA 02176 UG Proposed Riser Conduit/Cable SKETCH TO ACCOMPANY EASEMENT: Existing Pole Proposed Installation +/- 21 ft of 2-4" PVC SCH 40 Concrete Encased Conduit with 3-#2 CU EPR Property Line Proposed UG Cable, and 3PH 500 kVA Pad Mounted Pole #1798-51 XFRM 277/480VBoard of Registrars Meeting Location: Held in Council Chamber Conference on June 24, 2026 at 9:00am Attendance: Fritz Sanzone, Tanji Cifuni, James Harris, Alison Boone and Greg Pagnini Motion to open the meeting made by Fritz at 9:07 AM and Seconded by Alison Boone all were in favor First agenda item – 2026 Confirmation Card Update: 6000 mailed out in April and 2000 have been returned and we will run an extract and send out to vendor to have the 2026 street listing book printed. Next agenda Item: Vote and Approval of Early Voting Time and Locations for all 2026 Elections Early In-person voting for the State Primary will take place at the Melrose City Hall Chamber on the following dates and times: Saturday, August 22 9am to 5pm, Monday 8/24 through Thursday 8/27 8:30am to 4pm and Friday 8/28 from 8:30am to 12:30pm State Primary Election Day will be on Tuesday, Sept 1st at the Melrose Middle/HS Gymnasium 7am-8pm November In-Person Early Voting Hours will take place at the Melrose City Hall Chamber on the following dates and times: Saturday, October 17 9am-3pm, Monday 10/19 through Friday 10/23 8:30am to 12:00pm Saturday, October 24 9am-5pm, Monday 10/26 through Thursday 10/29 8:30am to 4pm and Friday 10/30 8:30am- 12:30pm State Election Day will be Tuesday, November 3 at the Melrose Middle/HS Gymnasium 7am-8pm Next meeting will be held on July 23rd at 9am Motion to adjourn the meeting made by Chair Greg Pagnini at 9:12am Seconded by Member Greg Pagnini and all were in favor. Meeting was adjourned. CITY OF MELROSE Auditor’s Office City Hall, 562 Main Street Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Telephone - (781) 979-4110 To: Melrose City Council From: Kerriann Golden, CFO/City Auditor Date: June 9, 2026 Re: Appropriation 2026-1334 The requested appropriation is requested semi-annually to distribute fees collected from Comcast and Verizon. The grant agreement executed 6/24/25 distributes 75% of the cable revenues to MMTV and 25% to Melrose Public Schools. Date Received Company Total Payment 75% MMTV 25% Melrose Public Schools 2/12/2026 Comcast 60,542.17 45,406.63 15,135.54 3/3/2026 Verizon 50,835.74 38,126.81 12,708.94 5/13/2026 Comcast 63,565.88 47,674.41 15,891.47 5/15/2026 Verizon 48,093.28 36,069.96 12,023.32 Total to be appropriated 167,277.80 55,759.27 STUDY OF POLICE STATION + RIPLEY SCHOOL SITES City of Melrose 07.20.2026 City Council Meeting Melrose, MAMUNICIPAL SURPLUS BUILDINGS STUDY 56 West Foster Street and 94 Lebanon Street TEAM CITY OF MELROSE Lori Massa, Planning Director The goal of this study is to identify viable Maya Noviski, Senior Planner redevelopment opportunities and develop consensus Adam Forrester, Assistant Planner of future use case(s) for 56 West Foster Street and MASSDEVELOPMENT 94 Lebanon Street based on community engagement Alejandro Lopez, Vice President, Planning and Predevelopment and a market analysis completed by RKG. The Martin Luis Serrano, Assistant Program Manager study includes comprehensive documentation of programming scenarios to inform the future use STUDIO LUZ ARCHITECTS and potential Request for Proposals for possible Hansy Better Barraza, Principal Sophie Nahrmann, Associate, Community redevelopment at each parcel. Engagement Liaison Leechen Zhu, Project Manager, Designer RKG ASSOCIATES Eric Halvorsen, Vice President, PrincipalAGENDA 1. INTRODUCTION + SITE OVERVIEW 2. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY 3. PROPOSED SITE SCENARIOS 4. NEXT STEPS Melrose, MA CONTEXT OVERVIEW 0.25 mi. radius MELROSE/ CEDAR PARK 56 WEST FOSTER STREET POLICE STATION WYOMING HILL 94 LEBANON STREET RIPLEY SCHOOL City of Melrose map diagram by Studio Luz Architects with information from Melrose Public GIS MapsOnline. Melrose, MA | Municipal Surplus Buildings Study 4 1. Introduction1. Context Overview SITE ANALYSIS Studio Luz analyzed the zoning, land uses, and market conditions of the area surrounding the two properties in order to make programming recommendations in concert with community feedback. These considerations ensure that the programming visions fit within the existing fabric of the neighborhood, meet the market needs, and align with the desires of the community. Economic demand for 2000-2150 new housing units through 2050, based on projected population growth. MELROSE/ MELROSE/ CEDAR PARK CEDAR PARK Economic demand for no more than 27,000 SF of small professional and medical office space through 2035. WYOMING HILL WYOMING HILL Current unmet economic demand for up to 123,000 SF of retail, particularly in smaller- format, neighborhood-serving concepts. ZONING LAND USE MARKET ANALYSIS Melrose’s zoning code is considered in this analysis in Analyzing existing resources in the area surrounding both Market viable uses are considered to ensure that the order to inform the selection of programming at both sites. sites is important so that proposed programming fits visioning for the potential redevelopments supports the While continued city use would be exempt from the zoning within the social, economic and environmental fabric of economic landscape of the City of Melrose. code, parcel dispersal to a developer would require the the current neighborhoods. future developed use to align with zoning regulations. City of Melrose zoning diagram by Studio Luz Architects with information from the 2017 Updated Melrose Forward Master Plan, p. 127 and the 2024 Melrose Zoning Ordinance, 235-4.1 Districts. City of Melrose land use diagram by Studio Luz Architects with information from the 2017 Melrose Forward Master Plan, p. 124 and the Massachusetts Interactive Property Map displaying FY2025 Assessors information Market analysis summary by RKG Associates Melrose, MA | Municipal Surplus Buildings Study 5 1. Introduction1. Analysis Site SITE OVERVIEW PROPOSED REDRAWN PARCEL LINES REFLECTING CURRENT USE WEST FOSTER ST. BOUNDARIES OF THE WYOMING CEMETERY AND RIPLEY SCHOOL LEBANON ST. MYRTLE ST. FOREST ST. EXISTING PARCEL BOUNDARY 56 West Foster Street 94 Lebanon Street LOT SIZE: 0.38 AC (16552 SF) LOT SIZE: 2.09 AC (91040 SF), which would remain the same ZONING HEIGHT LIMIT: 50’ or 4 stories with proposed redrawn parcel lines reflecting current uses 35’ or 2.5 stories OPPORTUNITIES: ZONING HEIGHT LIMIT: • Half a block from Main Street OPPORTUNITIES: • 7-min. walk from two Commuter Rail stations • Proximity and access to existing green space such as Pine • Existing parking space in nearby municipal lots Banks Park CHALLENGES: • Wide corner lot with high visibility • L-shaped lot with constrained widths • Existing tree cover on ~60% of the site • Significant accessibility upgrades needed for reuse CHALLENGES: • Sloped ledge terrain at the rear half of the site • Significant upgrades needed for reuse • Need for on-site parking Aerial views from Google Earth Melrose, MA | Municipal Surplus Buildings Study 6 1. Introduction1. Overview Site COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS 1/29 SITE WALK 3/4 DEPARTMENT JULY SHARE-OUT The project team walked HEADS MEETING The results of the both sites alongside Mayor The project team joined engagement process, Grigoraitis and representatives the monthly City of Melrose market analysis, and from the Melrose Chamber Department Heads meeting development scenarios are of Commerce, Wyoming to receive feedback shared via this presentation Cemetery, and the Department regarding municipal needs to the City Council and of Public Works as a form of and ownership models to the City of Melrose project early stakeholder engagement. consider for each site. webpage. 3/4 SURVEY OPENS Over 2 months, 221 responses were collected. This was 3/24-3/25 WORKSHOPS advertised through the City of 30 participants attended the in-person Melrose website, the Mayor’s workshop at the Melrose Public Library e-newsletter, and flyers to and 10 participants joined the virtual abutters within 300’ of each workshop. Workshop attendees were property. Responses from those asked 2 additional questions per site who also attended workshops beyond those in the survey: What were subtracted from totals to would you NOT like to see and which avoid double-counting. ownership model would you like to see? Melrose, MA | Municipal Surplus Buildings Study 7 2. Engagement Public Process Overview COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RESULTS 56 WEST FOSTER STREET 94 LEBANON STREET Top workshop choices Top workshop choices In-person workshop: Housing and Community Use In-person workshop: Housing and Park/Recreation Virtual Workshop: Housing and Small Retail Virtual workshop: Park/Recreation and Community Use The market analysis presented at the workshops identified the recommended The market analysis presented at the in-person and virtual workshops use as a mixed-use redevelopment with residential units above a ground floor identified the recommended use as lower-density housing, with minor with smaller, neighborhood-serving commercial use. There is minor potential potential for commercial use that functions as a regional destination. for professional office use, as well as city interest in satellite municipal offices. RESTAURANT / CAFE PARK / RECREATION 1 #1 Response from Survey + Workshops 1 #1 Response from Survey + Workshops COMMUNITY USE COMMUNITY USE 2 #2 Response from Survey + Workshops 2 #2 Response from Survey + Workshops PLAZA / PARK HOUSING 3 #3 Response from Survey + Workshops 3 #3 Response from Survey + Workshops SMALL RETAIL HOUSING RETSTAURANT / CAFE SMALL RETAIL 4 #4 Response from Survey + Workshops 5 #5 Response from Survey + Workshops 4 #4 Response from Survey + Workshops 5 #5 Response from Survey + Workshops Melrose, MA | Municipal Surplus Buildings Study 8 2. Engagement Public of Results Summary SCENARIO OVERVIEW 56 West Foster Street The proposed scenario envisions a mixed-use, adaptive reuse development in alignment with municipal and community needs, as well as market analysis recommendations. The existing facade is preserved at the West Foster Street frontage, creating a visual distinction from the residential addition at rear. With its high visibility and tall interior spaces, ROOF TERRACE this reuse portion is suitable for public-facing uses SHARED OR RESIDENT-ONLY AMENITY, SET BACK FROM such as a cafe, a small retail store, or a community FRONT FACADE arts organization. A one-story addition above, identified in blue, is envisioned to serve professional, healthcare, or municipal office uses. The proposed 3-story height at both frontages aligns with existing context, preserving continuity in the pedestrian experience. The Myrtle Street facade is set back from the street to match that of its neighbors. FACADE SET BACK TO MATCH NEIGHBORS’ GROUND-FLOOR ACTIVATION RESIDENTIAL: 28,700 SF / 22 units (9x Studio/1-bed, 8x 2-bed, 5x 3-bed) RETAIL / CAFE / COMMUNITY USE WITH EXTRA CEILING HEIGHT OFFICE: 1,170 SF (10-person office) SHELL REUSE FOR RETAIL/CAFE/COMMUNITY USE: 2,340 SF ACCESSIBLE LOBBY OPEN SPACE: 790 SF TO BRIDGE EXISTING AND NEW FLOOR LEVELS SCREENED + COVERED PARKING: 22 (6 compact) FLOOR AREA RATIO: 2.0 Proposed scenario diagram by Studio Luz Architects Melrose, MA | Municipal Surplus Buildings Study 9 3. Design Scenarios Foster56 Street West SCENARIO PERSPECTIVE Main rendered view of proposed scenario by Studio Luz Architects, showing preservation of existing building entry and new accessible lobby to all levels Melrose, MA | Municipal Surplus Buildings Study 10 3. Design Scenarios Foster56 Street West SCENARIO OVERVIEW 94 Lebanon Street The proposed scenario envisions a mixed-typology, low-height residential development that preserves and improves access to the site’s forested trails with a new green area adjacent to the Wyoming Cemetery. Blasting is proposed to be only as needed for parking at rear. This approach minimizes site ATTACHED TOWNHOUSES disturbance while balancing market feasibility with TRAIL CONNECTION TO PINE BANKS the community’s desire for open space. APARTMENTS FOR 1-2PERSON HOUSEHOLDS Gabled 2-bedroom townhomes (and a 3-bedroom WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO ACTIVE ACTIVE GREEN GREEN AND COMMUNITY ROOM FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION corner unit) are proposed along Forest Street with / EVENTS 2-car garages at the rear, suitable for small families, PARKING IN REAR COMBINATION OF COVERED couples, or those looking to downsize. For those AND SURFACE PARKING desiring smaller 1-bed or studio units, also proposed is a low-rise apartment building along Lebanon Street with an integrated community room and direct access to the active green. RESIDENTIAL: 14,188 SF / 7 townhomes (6x 2-bed, 1x 3-bed) NEW DRIVE ACCESS 8575 SF /10 apartment units (all 1-bed) TO REAR PARKING COMMUNITY ROOM: 850 SF COMMUNITY ROOM OPEN SPACE: 18,595 SF, excluding wooded trails TRAIL CONNECTION RENTABLE BY THE PUBLIC TO PINE BANKS PARKING: 14 for townhomes (2 spaces per unit) + 18 for apartments (2 spaces PAVED PLAZA per unit for 8 units, 1 space per unit for 2 units) PROVIDES A SECOND TYPE OF OPEN SPACE + FIRE TRUCK ACCESS AREA OF BLASTING: 3300 SF for new driveway + parking Proposed scenario diagram by Studio Luz Architects Melrose, MA | Municipal Surplus Buildings Study 11 3. Design Scenarios Street 94 Lebanon SCENARIO PERSPECTIVE Main rendered view of proposed scenario by Studio Luz Architects, showing gabled townhomes wrapping the Lebanon / Forest Sts. intersection and low-rise apartment building with community room in the background Melrose, MA | Municipal Surplus Buildings Study 12 3. Design Scenarios Street 94 Lebanon Parcel Recommendations Based on the market analysis and proposed design scenarios, both sites would be suitable for dispersal to a developer, although 94 Lebanon Street may be split into two parcels if the city prefers to retain ownership of the proposed recreational green space. The primary municipal benefits of dispersal would be the removal of assets requiring maintenance, the receipt of new sale proceeds, and the receipt of new ongoing property taxes. The most common method for implementing new programming at the site would be to issue an RFP to local developers. If the city elects this route, it is important that the city establishes strict criteria for the evaluation of each proposal prior to issuing the RFP to ensure that the proposal meets the city’s vision for the redevelopment of the site. The city can also seek assistance for issuing the RFP by means of a consultant or an advisory committee. A consultant could be hired to help the city develop an RFP along with an advisory committee to help ensure that the RFP aligns with the needs of the city’s vision for the site. Upon receiving proposals, an evaluation committee can also be appointed to aid in the review process. At 56 West Foster Street, an driveway easement is recommended as shown in the proposed scenario to preserve garage access for the abutter at 70 West Foster Street. At 94 Lebanon Street, the Ripley School’s parking lot currently occupies a corner of the abutting Wyoming Cemetery parcel; in return, a rear portion of the Ripley School parcel has been carved out for Wyoming Cemetery use as an additional outdoor seating area. A redrawing of parcel lines is recommended as shown in the proposed scenario to reflect these current use boundaries. Melrose, MA | Municipal Surplus Buildings Study 13 4. Next Steps Next 4. Parcel Recommendations THANK YOU! Melrose, MA FIRST AMENDMENT TO SOLID WASTE FACILITY OPERATING AGREEMENT This first amendment (“Amendment”) is made and entered into as of May ___, 2026 by and between the City of Melrose (the “City”) and Waste Management of Massachusetts, Inc. (“Contractor”). WHEREAS, City and Contractor have entered into an agreement titled Solid Waste Facility Operating Agreement, dated September 6, 2019 (the “Agreement”); WHEREAS, City and Contractor desire to modify certain terms of the Agreement through this Amendment to reflect a longer term commitment to allow for Contractor to construct and operate a new SWF at a new location on the Premises (“New SWF”); WHEREAS, Contractor intends to begin the process necessary to construct a New SWF at a new location on the Premises as contemplated in Section 3 of the Agreement, to modify the existing site plan for the New SWF to allow for a more efficient use, expansion (permitted SWF tonnage limits and hours of operation) and operation of the New SWF while maximizing the City’s use of the property surrounding the New SWF to allow for alternative uses. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and promises contained herein, the parties agree as follows: 1. Section 2.1. Conveyance of SWF. Section 2.1 is amended by adding new paragraph 2.1(a) as follows: 1. If Contractor completes construction of the New SWF on the Premises, Contractor shall convey title in the New SWF to the City upon Contractor’s receipt of the Authorization to Operate as issued by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. 2. All other terms and provisions in Section 2 of the Agreement shall apply to the New SWF. 2. Section 3. Cooperation Between Contractor and City. Section 3 is amended by adding a new paragraph as follows: 1. Contractor and the City agree that Contractor shall seek required permits, licenses and necessary government approvals to advance the construction of a New SWF at a new location on the Premises for the acceptance, processing, loading and outbound transfer of solid waste in accordance with said permits and governmental approvals. In connection with the construction of the New SWF, Contractor intends to demolish and remove the former SWF and return the area of property for the City’s use. Given the uncertainties of the permitting and governmental approvals process, the Parties’ obligations under 2. The City may terminate this Agreement and Amendment for cause pursuant to the conditions and process outlined in Section 10. 5. Section 5.2. Host Fees. City and Contractor agree to continue Host Fee increases of 3.5% annually throughout the Term of the Agreement through September 5, 2049, effective July 1 of each year, pursuant to the terms of the Agreement. Upon receipt of the “Authorization to Operate” the New transfer station, in the event Contractor’s Additional Payments set forth in Section 5.4 exceeds $75,000 in a fiscal year, adjusted annually by 3.3%, the amount of such excess above $75,000 shall be applied as a credit against, and shall reduce dollar-for-dollar, the Host Fee payments otherwise payable by Contractor to the City during that same fiscal year. In no event shall any credit be taken against the Host Fee payments when the year-over-year increase in payments as set for in the Agreement fall below 3.3%. 6. All other terms and provisions of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall apply to the operation of the New SWF. 7. This Amendment may be executed in counterparts, and each counterpart shall be deemed an original, and all counterparts shall constitute one and the same instrument. 8. This Amendment constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous understandings, whether oral or written. This Amendment may not be amended or modified except in writing signed by both parties. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the date first above written. CITY: CONTRACTOR: CITY OF MELROSE WASTE MANAGEMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS, INC. By: ________________________________ By: ________________________________ Name: Name: Title: Title: LEASE AGREEMENT This Lease Agreement (“Lease”) is entered into as of __________, 2026, by and between Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston, a Corporation Sole, (“Landlord”) with its principal office located at 66 Brooks Drive, Braintree, Massachusetts 02184-3439, acting on behalf of St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish, Boston, Massachusetts (“Parish”), and the CITY OF MELROSE, (“Tenant”) with its usual place of business located at 562 Main Street, Melrose, Massachusetts 02176. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual conditions, agreements and covenants set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the adequacy and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows: SECTION 1: REFERENCE DATA & DEFINITIONS: Each reference in this Lease to any of the following subjects shall be construed to incorporate the data stated for that subject in this Section 1: 1.1 Landlord. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston, a Corporation Sole 1.2 Landlord’s Address. 66 Brooks Drive Braintree, Massachusetts 02184-3439 Attention: Chancellor’s Office 1.3 Tenant. City of Melrose 1.4 Tenant’s Address. 562 Main Street Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Attention: Office of the Mayor Telephone: (781) 979-4440 1.5 Premises. Approximately 53 parking spaces in the St. Mary’s Parish Parking Lot located at 41 Myrtle Street, Melrose, Massachusetts all as further described in Section 2.1 hereof. 1.6 Commencement Date. July 1, 2026. 1.7 Term. As defined in Section 2.2 hereof. 1.8 Termination Date. June 30, 2027. 1.9 Lease Year. “Lease Year” means each consecutive twelve month period during the Term commencing on the Commencement Date for the first Lease Year, and commencing on the anniversary of the Commencement Date each Lease Year thereafter, and ending on the day immediately preceding the anniversary of the Commencement Date. Page 1 of 22 1.10 Annual Base Rent. “Annual Base Rent” means payments by Tenant to Landlord as follows: Lease Starting Date Ending Date Annual Base Rent Monthly Rent Year ($) ($) 1 July 1, 2026 June 30, 2027 $42,000.00 $3,500.00 1.11 Rent. “Rent” means the Annual Base Rent plus all Additional Rent. 1.12 Additional Rent. “Additional Rent” means those additional amounts payable to Landlord as provided throughout this Lease. 1.13 Rent Payment Date. As defined in Section 3.1 hereof. 1.14 Permitted Uses. “Permitted Uses” means use of the Premises as more fully described in Section 7 hereof. SECTION 2: PREMISES & TERM. 2.1 Premises. (a) Lease Premises. Subject to the provisions of this Lease and all matters of public record, Landlord hereby leases to Tenant, and Tenant leases from Landlord, the Premises, consisting of approximately 53 designated parking spaces in the St. Mary’s Parish Parking Lot located at 41 Myrtle Street, Melrose, Massachusetts as depicted on Exhibit A attached herewith. (b) Condition of Premises. Tenant acknowledges that it has inspected the Premises and agrees to accept the Premises "AS IS." Tenant agrees that Landlord has no obligation to perform any work whatsoever to prepare the Premises for Tenant’s use under this Lease. 2.2 Term. The term of this Lease (the “Term”) shall be the period commencing on the Commencement Date and ending on the Termination Date, unless sooner terminated in accordance with the provisions of this Lease. SECTION 3: RENT, INSURANCE, REAL ESTATE TAXES AND OTHER CHARGES; PAYMENT. 3.1 Rent. Commencing on the Commencement Date, Tenant shall pay Rent without any offset or reduction (except as made in accordance with the express provisions of this Lease) in advance on the first day of each and every calendar month during the Term of this Lease in an amount equal to one-twelfth of the Annual Base Rent plus any unpaid Additional Rent then due and payable; provided, however, that if the Commencement Date falls on a day other than the first day of a calendar month, (i) Tenant’s first Rent payment will be made on the Commencement Date and will be in an amount equal to one-twelfth of the Annual Base Rent, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of days remaining in the Page 2 of 22 partial calendar month, and the denominator of which shall be the total number of days in such calendar month, plus any unpaid Additional Rent then due and payable and (ii) Tenant’s Rent payment for the final calendar month of the Term will be made on first day of the last calendar month during the Term and will be in an amount equal to one-twelfth of the Annual Base Rent, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of days remaining in the partial calendar month, and the denominator of which shall be the total number of days in such calendar month, plus any unpaid Additional Rent then due and payable Each date on which Rent is payable hereunder is referred to as a “Rent Payment Date.” 3.2 Insurance, Real Estate Taxes & Other Charges. (a) Tenant Insurance. Tenant shall, at Tenant’s expense and at no expense to Landlord, procure and maintain, in full force from the date upon which Tenant first enters the Premises for any reason, throughout the Term of this Lease, and thereafter so long as Tenant is in occupancy of any part of the Premises, (1) policies of comprehensive general liability insurance and casualty/property insurance (including broad form contractual liability coverage to cover any liabilities assumed under this Lease, insuring against all claims for injury to or death of persons or damage to property on or about the Premises or arising out of the use of the Premises, including products liability, and independent contractor’s hazard and completed operations liability) with initial limits of $1,000,000 each occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate (combined single limit) for property damage, bodily injury or death or such greater amounts as Landlord in its reasonable discretion shall from time to time request, under which Tenant is named as an insured and Landlord, and, at Landlord’s request, Landlord’s property manager, any mortgagee, and such other persons as Landlord reasonably may request are named as additional insureds; and (2) medical payment insurance with limits of $5,000.00 each person and $10,000 per occurrence, under which Tenant is named as an insured and Landlord, and, at Landlord’s request, Landlord’s property manager, any mortgagee, and such other persons as Landlord reasonably may request are named as additional insureds. Tenant may satisfy such insurance requirements by including the Premises in a so-called “blanket” and/or “umbrella” insurance policy, provided that the amount of coverage allocated to the Premises is pursuant to a “per location” endorsement and shall otherwise fulfill the requirements set forth herein. The policies of insurance required to be maintained by Tenant hereunder shall be issued by companies domiciled in the United States and qualified and licensed to conduct business in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and shall be rated A+ or better in the most current issue of Best’s Key Rating Guide (or any successor thereto). At all times during the Term, such insurance shall be maintained, and Tenant shall cause a current and valid certificate of such policies to be deposited with Landlord. If Tenant fails to have a current and valid certificate of such policies on deposit with Landlord at all times during the Term and such failure is not cured within three (3) Business Days following Tenant’s receipt of notice thereof from Landlord, Landlord shall have the right, but not the obligation, to obtain such an insurance policy, and Tenant shall be obligated to pay Landlord the amount of the premiums applicable to such insurance within ten (10) days after Tenant’s receipt of Landlord’s request for payment thereof. Such policies shall cover the use and occupation of the Premises and all operations and activities conducted at, on or from the Premises by Tenant, its agents, employees, servants or invitees. Tenant’s insurance shall be primary to, and not contributory with any insurance carried by Page 3 of 22 Landlord, whose insurance shall be considered excess only. Each such policy shall provide that it must not be canceled and that its limits must not be reduced without at least thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to Landlord and its designees, and that the interests of Landlord and its designees thereunder or therein will not be affected by any breach by Tenant of any policy provision. Evidence of these policies, in the form of insurance certificates reasonably satisfactory to Landlord, must be submitted to Landlord no later than the earlier of thirty (30) days prior to the Commencement Date and thirty (30) days the commencement of any Improvements by Tenant in or about the Premises Tenant shall, if requested, submit the actual policies of insurance to Landlord within ten (10) days of a request therefor in writing. Tenant shall also submit to Landlord renewal certificates of any expiring policy hereunder within ten (10) days of expiration thereof. If Tenant fails to have a current and valid certificate of such policies on deposit with Landlord at all times during the Term and such failure is not cured within three (3) Business Days following Tenant’s receipt of notice thereof from Landlord, Landlord shall have the right, but not the obligation, to obtain such an insurance policy, and Tenant shall be obligated to pay Landlord the amount of the premiums applicable to such insurance within ten (10) days after Tenant’s receipt of Landlord’s request for payment thereof. Landlord shall have the right from time to time to increase such minimum limits set forth herein upon reasonable notice to Tenant, provided that any such increase shall provide for coverage in amounts similar to like coverage being carried on like property in the greater Boston area. (b) Waiver of Subrogation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Landlord and Tenant each hereby waives any and all rights of recovery, claim, action, or cause of action against the other, its agents, employees, licensees, or invitees for any loss or damage to or at the Premises or any personal property of such party therein or thereon by reason of fire, the elements, or any other cause which is covered, or would have been covered, by the insurance coverages required to be maintained by Landlord and Tenant, respectively, under this Lease, regardless of cause or origin, including omission of the other party hereto, its agents, employees, licensees, or invitees. Landlord and Tenant covenant that no insurer shall hold any right of subrogation against either of such parties with respect thereto. This waiver shall be ineffective against any insurer of Landlord or Tenant to the extent that such waiver is prohibited by the laws and insurance regulations of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The parties hereto agree that any and all such insurance policies required to be carried by either party shall be endorsed with a subrogation clause, substantially as follows: “This insurance shall not be invalidated should the insured waive, in writing prior to a loss, any and all right of recovery against any party for loss occurring to the Premises described therein,” and shall provide that such party’s insurer waives any right of recovery against the other party in connection with any such loss or damage. (c) Tenant’s Risk. Tenant agrees to use and occupy the Premises and to use such other portions of the property owned by Landlord as Tenant is herein given the right to use at Tenant’s own risk and Tenant assumes liability for any and all injury, loss or damage to any person or property on the Premises or other such property, whether covered by insurance or not. Landlord shall not be liable to Tenant, its employees, agents, invitees or contractors for any damage, injury, loss, compensation, or claim (including, but not limited to, claims for the interruption of or loss to Tenant’s business) based on, arising out of or resulting from any cause whatsoever, including, but not limited to, Improvements to any portion of the Premises or other Page 4 of 22 property owned by the Landlord, any fire, robbery, theft, mysterious disappearance and/or any other crime or casualty, the actions of any other tenants of the Premises or of any other person or persons, or any leakage in any part or portion of the Premises, or from water, rain or snow that may leak into, or flow from any part of the Premises, or from drains, pipes in or near the Premises, unless due to the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Landlord or Landlord’s agents, contractors or employees. Any goods, property or personal effects stored or placed in or about the Premises shall be at the sole risk of Tenant, and neither Landlord nor Landlord’s insurers shall in any manner be held responsible therefor. Landlord shall not be responsible or liable to Tenant, or to those claiming by, through or under Tenant, for any loss or damage that may be occasioned by or through the acts or omissions of persons occupying adjoining premises or any part of the premises adjacent to or connecting with the Premises or any part of the other property owned by the Landlord or otherwise. The provisions of this Section 3.2(c) shall be applicable from and after the execution of this Lease and until the end of the Term of this Lease, and during any additional period as Tenant may use or be in occupancy of any part of the Premises. (d) Tenant’s Other Liability. Tenant further covenants and agrees to restore, repair and replace any fixtures or equipment of Landlord on the Premises which may be lost, damaged or destroyed during the Term of this Lease, except to the extent of Landlord’s negligence. (e) Taxes, Levies and Charges. Real estate taxes and all other government levies and charges, general and special, foreseen and unforeseen, assessed against or levied on the Premises or any betterments and attributable in whole or in part to the Term of the Lease with respect to the Premises, to the extent there are any, shall be imputed to the Tenant. Landlord shall present to Tenant copies of the statements for such real estate taxes and all other government levies and charges promptly after they are received. Tenant shall pay to Landlord, as Additional Rent, an amount equal to the full amount due under such statements on the Rent Payment Date next preceding the date on which such amount is due and payable in accordance with such statements. If Tenant desires to have proceedings instituted for an abatement of any real estate taxes or other such levies or charges upon the Premises and so requests in writing, Landlord may but is not obligated to institute such proceedings, provided, however, in any event, that all costs of such proceeding shall be borne by Tenant. If any abatement is received in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3.2(e), the proceeds thereof, to the extent they represent payments actually made by Tenant to Landlord in accordance with this Section 3.2(e), shall be distributed to Tenant. All remaining proceeds shall be paid to Landlord. Nothing herein shall prevent Landlord, on its own volition, from applying for an abatement of said real estate taxes, levies or charges. SECTION 4: PAYMENTS 4.1 Payments Accepted. All payments of Annual Base Rent and Additional Rent shall be made to St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish by check or to such other person as Landlord may from time to time designate in writing. 4.2 Account Information. As indicated above, all payments hereunder shall be Page 5 of 22 made by check payable to the Parish and sent in care of the pastor at the notice address for the Parish provided in Section 14.1 hereof. 4.3 Late Payments and Fees. If Tenant pays any installment of Annual Base Rent or Additional Rent more than ten (10) calendar days after the due date, then Tenant shall pay to Landlord as Additional Rent a late payment charge of two and one-half percent (2.5%) of such overdue amount, which will be due and payable on the next succeeding Rent Payment Date. 4.4 Default Interest. Any Annual Base Rent, Additional Rent or any other amounts due and payable under this Lease that have not been paid within thirty (30) calendar days of the due date thereof will bear interest from the original due date until paid in full at an annual rate equal to the prime rate then in effect as announced from time to time in the Wall Street Journal, or if the Wall Street Journal shall no longer exist any comparable financial publication, plus three percent (3%) (the “Default Rate”), which will be due and payable as Additional Rent. Such amounts will accrue on a daily basis. SECTION 5: SECURITY DEPOSIT. [This Section intentionally deleted] SECTION 6: UTILITIES; CERTAIN OTHER CHARGES. [This Section intentionally deleted] SECTION 7: PERMITTED USES 7.1 Operations. Tenant shall use the Premises solely for the purposes of public and municipal parking and in accordance with the terms and conditions of Section 11.4 of this Lease (the “Permitted Uses”). Tenant shall not use the Premises in any other manner. Tenant shall not use the Premises for any other purposes or in any way which could reasonably be considered to cause discomfort or annoyance to Landlord. It is expressly agreed and understood by and between Landlord and Tenant that only Tenant has the use, as set forth in this Lease, of the Premises leased hereunder for the purposes and uses herein stated. 7.2 Cancellation. Notwithstanding anything in this Lease to the contrary, it is understood and agreed by Landlord and Tenant that the Landlord has the right to cancel this Lease in its sole discretion upon giving thirty (30) days notice to Tenant. Upon receipt of said notice Tenant agrees to vacate the Premises on or before thirty (30) days from the date of the notice. SECTION 8: IMPROVEMENTS 8.1 During the Term of this Lease, neither Landlord nor Tenant is obliged by this Lease to make any repairs, replacements, modifications, improvements, alterations or additions of any nature (“Improvements”), other than those specifically provided in this Lease. 8.2 Tenant shall make all essential repairs to the Premises necessitated by Page 6 of 22 Tenant’s occupancy and shall keep the Premises in good repair, excepting only ordinary wear and tear. 8.3 Except with respect to necessary repairs for which Tenant is obligated to perform under Section 8.2, Tenant shall make no Improvements to the Premises without the prior written consent of Landlord, which consent may be withheld in its sole discretion. All such Improvements will be made solely at Tenant’s cost and expense (which Tenant agrees to pay promptly when due) and must be performed in accordance with plans and specifications approved in writing by Landlord, in its sole discretion, prior to being commenced. All such Improvements will be performed in such manner, and by such persons as will not cause any damage to the Premises. Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, such work will be performed by general contractors first approved by Landlord, which approval will not unreasonably be withheld or delayed. Tenant shall secure and pay for all licenses and permits necessary for any of the foregoing Improvements. Before any such work is started, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord a statement of the names of all its contractors (as approved by Landlord) and the estimated cost of all labor and material to be furnished by them. Tenant shall cause each contractor to carry (i) workmen's compensation insurance in statutory amounts covering all the contractor's and subcontractor's employees and (ii) comprehensive public liability insurance with such limits as Landlord may reasonably require, but in no event less than a combined single limit of $1,000,000 (all such insurance insuring Landlord and Tenant as well as the contractors), and, upon request by Landlord, to deliver to Landlord certificates of all such insurance. Landlord may, at its discretion and at the request of Tenant and at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, make such Improvements requested by Tenant. All costs associated with such Improvements shall be billed to Tenant and shall constitute Additional Rent. 8.4 If any Improvements are consented to as provided in Section 8.3, Tenant shall, if Landlord notifies Tenant in writing at the time Landlord approves of an Improvement, at the end of the Term remove the same and restore the Premises to the condition and state of construction and arrangement in which they were at prior to the installation thereof, ordinary wear and tear, damage by fire and casualty only excepted (other than to the extent that such casualty is caused by Tenant, its agents, servants, employees and invitees). Landlord may, at its discretion, waive this requirement in writing upon written request from Tenant. SECTION 9: LANDLORD'S COVENANTS DURING THE TERM 9.1 Quiet Enjoyment. Tenant, on paying the Rent and performing its obligations hereunder, shall peacefully and quietly have, hold, and enjoy the full possession and the use of the Premises throughout the Term. The foregoing covenant of quiet enjoyment is in lieu of any other covenant, express or implied. SECTION 10: INTERRUPTIONS 10.1 Landlord will not have any liability for, nor will there be any reduction in Rent on account of (a) any power losses, shortages, or any other interruption in the provision of any utilities not caused by Landlord's negligence, (b) Landlord's entering the Premises for any of the purposes authorized in this Lease, or (c) repairing the Premises or any part thereof to the Page 7 of 22 extent permitted in this Lease. In case Landlord is prevented or delayed from making any Improvements, or furnishing any service or performing any other covenant or duty to be performed on Landlord's part, by reason of any cause beyond Landlord's reasonable control, Landlord shall not be liable to Tenant therefor, nor, except as expressly otherwise provided in this Section 10 or in Section 12, shall Tenant be entitled to any abatement or reduction of Rent by reason thereof. 10.2 Landlord reserves the right to stop any service or utility system when necessary by reason of accident or emergency or until necessary repairs have been completed. Except in case of emergency repairs, Landlord will give Tenant reasonable advance notice of any contemplated stoppage and will use its commercially reasonable efforts and all reasonable diligence to avoid unnecessary inconvenience to Tenant by reason thereof. 10.3 Notwithstanding the foregoing, if as a result of negligence of Landlord, the Premises are rendered untenantable to such an extent that Tenant is unable to, and does not actually, occupy and use the Premises or a portion thereof for the operation of its business, and if such problem continues for a period in excess of two (2) consecutive business days, Tenant, as its sole remedy, will be entitled to an abatement for Rent to the extent such Rent is attributable to both the portion of the Premises rendered unfit for use and the period for which it is unfit. SECTION 11: TENANT'S COVENANTS DURING THE TERM. Without limiting any other covenant of Tenant under this Lease, Tenant covenants, during the Term and such further time as Tenant occupies any part of the Premises: 11.1 Tenant's Payments. To pay when due (a) all Rent; (b) all taxes which may be imposed on Tenant's personal property in the Premises (including, without limitation, Tenant's fixtures and equipment) regardless to whomever assessed, and (c) all other payments required to be made by Tenant under this Lease. 11.2 Yielding Up. At the expiration or termination of this Lease, to peaceably yield up the Premises, and all alterations and additions therein, in good order, repair and condition, reasonable wear and tear, casualty and condemnation only excepted. Prior to yielding up the Premises, Tenant shall remove all goods and effects of Tenant and all of Tenant's Trade Fixtures and any Improvements specified pursuant to Section 8.1 and shall repair all damage caused by such removal and shall leave the Premises in broom clean condition. 11.3 Occupancy and Use. (a) To use and occupy the Premises only for the Permitted Uses; (b) not to injure or deface the Premises; (c) not to use or permit any use of the Premises which will (i) make voidable the insurance covering the Premise, or (ii) increase the premiums for any insurance on the Premises (Tenant hereby agreeing that if such premiums are increased due to Tenant’s use of Page 8 of 22 the Premises, Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for the costs of all such increased insurance premiums and all such amounts will constitute Additional Rent and will accrue immediately) or (iii) require any alteration or addition to the Premises; (d) not to dump, flush, or in any way introduce any hazardous substance or any other toxic substances into the septic, sewage, or other waste disposal system serving the Premises; not to generate, store or dispose of hazardous substances in or on the Premises without first submitting to Landlord a list of all such hazardous substances and all permits required therefor and thereafter providing to Landlord on an annual basis Tenant's certification that all such permits have been renewed with copies of such renewed permits) or dispose of hazardous substances from the Premises to any other location without the prior written consent of Landlord and then only in compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended 42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq., the Massachusetts Hazardous Waste Management Act, G.L. c. 21C, as amended, the Massachusetts Oil and Hazardous Material Release Prevention and Response Act, G.L. c. 21E, as amended, and all other applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations; (e) If the transportation, storage, use or disposal of hazardous substances anywhere on the Premises in connection with Tenant’s use of the Premises results in (i) contamination of the soil or surface or ground water or (ii) loss or damage to person(s) or property, then Tenant agrees (1) to notify Landlord immediately of any contamination, claim of contamination, loss or damage, (2) after consultation with and approval by Landlord, to clean up all contamination in full compliance with all applicable statutes, regulations and standards, and (3) to indemnify, defend, and hold Landlord harmless from and against any claims, suits, causes of action, costs and fees, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, arising from or connected with any such contamination, claim of contamination, loss or damage, Tenant hereby agreeing that this provision shall survive the termination of this Lease and that no consent or approval of Landlord shall in any way be construed as imposing upon Landlord any liability for the means, methods, or manner of removal, containment, or other compliance with applicable law for and with respect to the foregoing and that it is the specific intent and purpose hereof to ensure that Tenant takes no actions on or at the Premises that would result in either the Premises or Tenant's activities therein failing to comply with any applicable governmental orders or regulations. ("hazardous substances" shall have the meaning as defined in the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §9601 and regulations adopted pursuant to said Act); (f) to notify Landlord of any incident which would require filing of a notice under applicable federal, state, or local law; and (g) without limiting its obligations pursuant to Sections 7 or 8, (i) to conduct its operations under this Lease in strict compliance with, and not to permit any use or activity contrary to, the laws of the United States (including, without limitation, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act if applicable to Tenant’s use of the Premises), the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the ordinances, standards, rules, and requirements, if any, established by the City of Melrose or any other state or municipal agency having jurisdiction; (ii) to comply with the orders and regulations of all governmental authorities with respect to zoning, Page 9 of 22 building, fire, health and other codes, regulations, ordinances or laws applicable to the Premises and not to be contrary to any codes or standards from time to time established by the National Fire Protection Association (or any successor organization), (iii) to make, at its sole cost and expense, all Improvements to the Premises required by such codes, regulations, ordinances, or laws as a result of Tenant’s use of the Premises, and to keep the Premises equipped with all safety appliances so required (Landlord may, if it so elects, make any of the Improvements referred to in this section that affect the Building structure or the Building systems, and Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for the cost thereof on demand, such amounts constituting Additional Rent); at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, to procure and pay for all licenses, certificates, and permits necessary for the conduct of its operations hereunder and its occupancy of the Premises (including, without limitation, payment for any Improvements of any nature which are necessary in order to obtain and maintain all such licenses, certificates, and permits); 11.4 To: (a) maintain the Premises in a clean, orderly and sanitary condition; and (b) keep Tenant’s designated parking spaces and access to and from the Premises free and clear of ice and snow. 11.5 To not: (a) permit accumulations of garbage, trash, rubbish or other refuse within or without the Premises; (b) commit, or suffer to be committed, any waste upon the Premises or any public or private nuisance or other act or thing which may disturb the quiet enjoyment of any other tenant or occupant of the Premises. 11.6 Rules and Regulations. To comply with rules and regulations, as may be reasonably promulgated in good faith and in writing from time to time by Landlord, for the care and use of the Premises and their facilities and approaches and provided such rules and regulations do not unreasonably interfere with the Tenant's use and enjoyment of the Premises or impose any unreasonable additional costs on Tenant and are not applied or enforced in a discriminatory manner. 11.7 Landlord’s Right of Entry. To permit Landlord and Landlord’s agents, contractors, and employees entry: (a) upon reasonable notice (except no notice is required in the event of any emergency), and at reasonable times, to make repairs, alternations or substitutions for the protection and maintenance of the Premises or any part thereof; (ii) to examine the Premises upon reasonable notice (except no notice is required in the event of any emergency), at reasonable times in the company of a Tenant representative; (iii) upon not less than five (5) calendar days’ prior notice, to remove, at Tenant’s expense, any Improvements, signs, shades, awnings, aerials, flagpoles, or the like required to be approved by and not approved by Landlord; and (iv) to show the Premises to prospective tenants during the six (6) months preceding the Page 10 of 22 expiration of the Term and to any prospective mortgagees at all reasonable times upon written notice to Tenant. 11.8 Tenant's Property. All the furnishings, fixtures, furniture, equipment, inventory, effects and property of every kind, nature and description of Tenant and of all persons claiming by, through or under Tenant which may be on the Premises during the Term of this Lease or any occupancy of the Premises by Tenant or anyone claiming under Tenant, as well as all property that may be brought to the Premises by Tenant (“Tenant’s Property”), will remain the personal property of Tenant or such other person and will be at the sole risk and hazard of Tenant, and if the whole or any part thereof is destroyed or damaged by fire, water or otherwise, or by the leakage or bursting of water pipes, steam pipes, or other pipes, by theft, or from any other cause or in any other way or manner, no part of said loss or damage is to be charged to or to be borne by Landlord in any case whatsoever unless and to the extent, subject to the provisions of Section 14.19 hereof, due to the gross negligence of Landlord, its employees, agents, contractors or other representatives. 11.9 Security. To provide, at all times and under all circumstances during the Term of this Lease, adequate security to the Premises and its own personnel. 11.10 Labor or Materials Liens. To pay promptly when due the entire cost of any work done on the Premises by Tenant, its agents, employees, or independent contractors, unless Tenant is disputing such items in good faith; not to cause or permit any liens for labor or materials performed or furnished in connection therewith to attach to the Premises; and to discharge or bond off any such liens which may so attach within thirty (30) calendar days of notice of the same. 11.11 Holdover. To vacate the Premises immediately upon the expiration or sooner termination of this Lease. If Tenant retains possession of the Premises or any part thereof after the expiration or termination of the Term without Landlord’s express prior written consent, Tenant shall pay Landlord Annual Base Rent at double the monthly rate specified in Section 3.1 for the time Tenant thus remains in possession and, in addition thereto, shall pay Landlord for all damages, consequential as well as direct, sustained by reason of Tenant’s retention of possession. The provisions of this Section 11.11 do not exclude or be deemed to constitute a waiver of Landlord’s rights of re-entry or any other right hereunder, including, without limitation, the right to refuse double the monthly Annual Base Rent and instead to remove Tenant through summary proceedings for holding over beyond the expiration of the Term of this Lease. Such holding over shall not be deemed to create any tenancy, but Tenant shall be a tenant at sufferance only. 11.12 Signs. Not to erect any signs visible from the exterior of the Building, excepting the existing sign(s) which have already been approved by Landlord, or in any way alter the exterior of the Premises without Landlord’s prior written consent. Tenant agrees to remove signage on religious holidays and during summer months when Tenant’s school is not in operation. 11.13 No Transfers. Not to assign, sublet, underlet, mortgage, pledge or encumber all or any part of the Lease or any of Tenant’s rights or obligations hereunder. Page 11 of 22 11.14 Indemnity. (a) Except to the extent arising from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Landlord or its agents or employees, to defend, with counsel approved by Landlord, all actions against Landlord, any trustee, manager, member, beneficiary, agent, employee, representative or any other affiliate of Landlord (collectively, "Indemnified Parties"), and to pay, protect, indemnify and save harmless all Indemnified Parties from and against any and all liabilities, losses, damages, costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses), causes of action, suits, claims, demands or judgments of any nature owed to or asserted by any third party arising from or related to (a) injury to or death of any person, or damage to or loss of property, occurring in or on the Premises or connected with the use, condition, or occupancy of any thereof, unless caused by the negligence of Landlord or its servants or agents; (b) violation of any of the provisions of this Lease by Tenant; (c) any act, fault, omission, or other misconduct of Tenant or its agents, employees, representatives, contractors, licensees, invitees, assignees or sublessees; (d) any violation of any federal, state, or local statute, ordinance, or bylaw, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act arising from or related to this Lease; (e) any charges assessed under state, local, and federal statutes and ordinances governing the use, occupancy, or both, of the Premises; or (f) Tenant’s use and occupancy of the Premises. (b) To indemnify Landlord for all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the reasonable enforcement of the terms and provisions of this Lease. This Section 11.14 will survive expiration or earlier termination of this Lease. SECTION 12: DAMAGE; DESTRUCTION; CONDEMNATION 12.1 Fire or other casualty. (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 12.1(b) hereof, in the event during the Term hereof any portion of the Premises shall be partially damaged (as distinguished from "Substantially Damaged" as such term is hereinafter defined) by fire, explosion, casualty or any other occurrence covered or as may be required to be covered by Landlord's insurance as herein provided; Landlord shall forthwith proceed to repair such damage and restore the Premises (or provide, if possible, alternative parking spaces) but exclusive of Tenant’s Property and leasehold improvements installed by Tenant, to substantially its condition at the time of such fire, explosion, casualty or occurrence. Landlord shall not be responsible for any delay which may result from any cause beyond Landlord's reasonable control. (b) In the event of a casualty which renders the Premises unfit for use or occupancy by Tenant, then Landlord will make a determination in its reasonable judgment as to whether or not Landlord, using its commercially reasonable efforts, and proceeding diligently, can repair or restore the Premises (exclusive of Tenant’s Property and leasehold improvements installed by Tenant) to their condition prior to said casualty within a period of ninety (90) days from the date of such casualty. Within thirty (30) days of any such Page 12 of 22 casualty, Landlord shall provide Tenant notice of its intent to repair or restore the Premises to their condition prior to such casualty within such 90-day period. If, however, Landlord, exercising its reasonable judgment, determines that said repair or restoration cannot be completed within a period of ninety (90) days from the date of such casualty (in which case the Premises shall be deemed to be “Substantially Damaged”), then either Landlord or Tenant, upon ten (10) calendar days’ prior notice, may terminate this Lease without further obligation on either party's part, except for the return of any pre-paid Rent, pro-rated to the time of the casualty. If this Lease is not terminated pursuant to the terms of this Section 12.1(b), then Landlord shall perform such repairs set forth in Section 12.1(c) hereof and Tenant shall perform such repairs as set forth in Section 12.1(d) hereof and the Term shall continue without interruption and this Lease shall remain in full force and effect, except as otherwise expressly provided herein. (c) If this Lease is not terminated pursuant to the terms of Section 12.1(b) hereof and if Tenant is not then in default of any of its obligations under this Lease beyond any applicable notice and cure period provided for herein, Landlord shall, provided there are insurance proceeds available for restoration, reconstruct the Premises using such insurance proceeds only (it being understood by Tenant that Landlord shall not be responsible for any reconstruction of leasehold improvements constructed by Tenant, which reconstruction is the sole responsibility of Tenant) to substantially its condition at the time of such damage, but Landlord shall not be responsible for any delays which may result from any cause beyond Landlord's reasonable control. In the event the repairs and restoration are not completed within said period of ninety (90) days from the date of such casualty, then, at any time thereafter, Tenant may terminate the Lease at its sole election. (d) If this Lease is not terminated as provided in Section 12.1(b) hereof, Tenant shall, at its own cost and expense, repair and restore leasehold improvements constructed by Tenant in the Premises in accordance with the provisions of this Section 12, including, but not limited to, the repairing or replacement of its merchandise, Trade Fixtures, furnishings and equipment in a manner and to at least a condition equal to that prior to its damage or destruction. Tenant agrees to commence the performance of its work when notified by Landlord that the work to be performed by Tenant can, in accordance with good construction practices, then be commenced and Tenant shall complete such work as promptly thereafter as is practicable, but in no even more than ninety (90) days thereafter except for causes beyond the Tenant's reasonable control, including governmental permitting. (e) All proceeds payable from Landlord's insurance policies with respect to the Premises shall belong to and shall be payable to Landlord. If this Lease is not terminated as provided in Section 12.1(b) hereof, Landlord shall disburse and apply so much of any insurance recovery as shall be necessary against the cost to Landlord of restoration and reconstruction of the Premises referred to in Section 12.1(c) hereof, subject to the rights of any holder of any mortgage liens against the Premises. (f) In the event that the provisions of Section 12.1(a) or Section 12.1(b) shall become applicable, the Annual Base Rent and Additional Rent will be abated or reduced proportionately during any period in which Tenant may be required to discontinue in whole or in part its business on the Premises, and such abatement or reduction will continue for the period Page 13 of 22 commencing with such destruction or damage and ending with the completion by Landlord of such work of restoration or reconstruction as Landlord is obligated to do hereunder (exclusive of any of Tenant’s fixtures, furnishings, equipment and the like or work performed therein by Tenant and the prompt completion of any required Tenant leasehold improvements). 12.2 Eminent Domain. (a) If after the execution and before termination of this Lease, access to the Premises shall be materially reduced as a direct result of a taking by eminent domain or in the event of conveyance in lieu thereof, or more than ten percent (10%) of the Premises is so taken or conveyed or such lesser amount, if such taking or conveyance otherwise materially interferes with the Tenant's use and enjoyment of the Premises, then, at the election of Tenant, the Lease shall terminate as of the day possession shall be taken by such authority, and Tenant shall pay Rent up to that date, with a pro-rata refund by Landlord of such Rent as will have been paid in advance for a period subsequent to the date of the taking of possession. (b) If after the execution and before termination of this Lease, as a direct result of a taking by eminent domain or in the event of conveyance in lieu thereof, access to the Premises is not materially reduced or if less than ten percent (10%) of the Premises is taken or conveyed, or if such taking does not otherwise materially interfere with Tenant's use and enjoyment of the Premises, then, at the election of Tenant, this Lease will terminate only as respects the portions so taken or conveyed, as of the day possession is taken, and Tenant shall pay Rent up to that day, with an appropriate refund by Landlord of such Rent as may have been paid in advance for a period subsequent to the date of the taking of possession, and thereafter the Annual Base Rent will be equitably adjusted. Pending agreement of such Rent adjustment, Tenant agrees to pay to Landlord the Annual Base Rent in effect immediately prior to the taking by eminent domain, reduced pro-rata by the square footage taken. Landlord shall, at its expense, make all necessary repairs or alterations so as to reconstitute the remaining portion of the Premises a complete architectural unit and in substantially the same conditions as prior to the taking. (c) If after the execution and before termination of this Lease, as a direct result of a taking by eminent domain or in the event of conveyance in lieu thereof, access to the Premises is materially reduced or more than ten percent (10%) of the Premises is taken or conveyed (or if Tenant otherwise has the right to terminate this Lease pursuant to Section 12.2(a)) and Tenant has not elected to terminate, the Term will cease only as respects the part so taken or conveyed, from the day possession is taken, and Tenant shall pay Rent to that date with an appropriate refund by Landlord of such Rent as may have been paid in advance for a period subsequent to the date of the taking of possession, but Landlord will have the right to terminate this Lease upon notice to Tenant in writing within thirty (30) calendar days after such taking of possession. If Landlord does not elect to terminate the Lease, all of the terms herein provided shall continue in effect except that the Annual Base Rent and Additional Rent will be equitably adjusted, and Landlord shall make all necessary repairs or alterations so as to constitute the remaining portion of the Premises a complete architectural unit and in substantially the same condition as prior to the taking. Page 14 of 22 (d) All compensation awarded for any such taking or conveyance, whether for the whole or a part of the Premises, except as expressly provided below, will be awarded to Landlord. Tenant hereby assigns to Landlord all of Tenant's right, title and interest in and to any and all such compensation except as provided below. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, the Tenant will be entitled to seek a separate award for Tenant's leasehold improvements, leasehold interest, Trade Fixtures, relocation expenses and any other claim permitted by law. In the event of any taking of the Premises or any part thereof for temporary use, this Lease will be and remain unaffected thereby and Annual Base Rent and Additional Rent will be equitably adjusted. SECTION 13: DEFAULT 13.1 Events of Default. If any default in the payment of Annual Base Rent, Additional Rent or any other monetary obligation due to Landlord by Tenant (a “Monetary Default”) is not cured within fourteen (14) calendar days of written notice of such Monetary Default from Landlord to Tenant, provided, however, Landlord shall not be required to give more than two (2) such written notices during any twelve (12) month period, in which case Landlord may exercise its remedies under this Section 13 immediately upon any such Monetary Default; or if any other default under the terms hereof continues for more than thirty (30) calendar days following written notice thereof from Landlord to Tenant plus such additional time, if any, as is reasonably necessary to cure the default if the default is of such a nature that it can be cured but cannot reasonably be cured in thirty (30) calendar days and Tenant is diligently and continuously endeavoring to cure such default; or if Tenant files a petition under any chapter of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. 101 et seq., as it may be amended, or if any such petition is filed against Tenant and is not dismissed within ninety (90) calendar days; or if Tenant commences any dissolution, liquidation, composition, financial reorganization or recapitalization with creditors, makes an assignment or trust mortgage for benefit of creditors; or if a receiver, trustee, custodian or similar agent is appointed or takes possession with respect to any property of Tenant and such appointment as ordered is not dismissed within ninety (90) calendar days; or if the leasehold hereby created is taken on execution or other process of law in any action against Tenant; then, and in any such case, Landlord and the agents and servants of Landlord may, in addition to and not in derogation of any remedies for any preceding breach of covenant, immediately or at any time thereafter while such default continues and without further notice, at Landlord’s election, do any one or more of the following: (1) give Tenant written notice stating that the Lease is terminated, effective fourteen (14) calendar days after the giving of such notice or upon a date stated in such notice, as Landlord may elect, in which event the Lease shall be irrevocably terminated as stated in such notice without any further action, or (2) with an execution for possession issued by a court of competent jurisdiction, enter and repossess the Premises as of Landlord's former estate, and expel Tenant and those claiming through or under Tenant, and remove its and their effects, without being guilty of trespass, in which event the Lease shall be irrevocably terminated at the time of such entry, or (3) pursue any other rights or remedies permitted by law. Any such termination of the Lease will be without prejudice to any remedies which might otherwise be used for arrears of Rent or prior breach of covenant, and, in the event of such termination, Tenant shall remain liable under this Lease as hereinafter provided. In any such event, Tenant hereby waives all statutory rights (including, without limitation, rights of redemption, if any) to the extent such rights may be lawfully waived, and Landlord, without notice to Tenant, may store Tenant's effects and those of any person claiming Page 15 of 22 through or under Tenant at the expense and risk of Tenant and, if Landlord so elects, after not less than thirty (30) calendar days' written notice without Tenant's having removed its property from the Premises, may sell such effects at public auction or private sale and apply the net proceeds thereof to the payment of all sums due to Landlord from Tenant, if any, and pay over the balance, if any, to Tenant. 13.2 Tenant’s Obligations after Termination. In the event that this Lease is terminated under any of the provisions contained in Section 13.1, Tenant shall pay forthwith to Landlord, as compensation, the excess of the total Rent reserved for the residue of the Term over the fair market rental value of the Premises for the residue of the Term. In calculating the Rent reserved there shall be included, in addition to the Annual Base Rent and Additional Rent, the value of all other considerations agreed to be paid or performed by Tenant during the residue of the Term. As additional and cumulative obligations after any such termination, Tenant shall also pay punctually to Landlord all the sums and shall perform all the obligations that Tenant covenants in this Lease to pay and to perform in the same manner and to the same extent and at the same time as if this Lease had not been terminated. In calculating the amounts to be paid by Tenant pursuant to the preceding sentence, Tenant shall be credited with any amount paid to Landlord pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 13.2 and also with the net proceeds of any Rent obtained by Landlord by re-letting the Premises, after deducting all Landlord’s reasonable expenses in connection with such re-letting, including, without limitation, all repossession costs, brokerage commissions, fees for legal services, and expenses of preparing the Premises for such re-letting, it being agreed by Tenant that Landlord may (i) re-let the Premises or any part or parts thereof for a term or terms that may, at Landlord’s option, be equal to or less than or exceed the period that would otherwise have constituted the balance of the Term hereof and may grant such concessions and free rent as Landlord in its reasonable judgment considers advisable or necessary to re-let the same and (ii) make such alterations, repairs, and decorations in the Premises as Landlord in its reasonable judgment considers advisable or necessary to re-let the same, and no action of Landlord in accordance with the foregoing or failure to re-let or to collect rent under re-letting shall operate or be construed to release or reduce Tenant’s liability as aforesaid. 13.3 Nothing contained in this Lease will limit or prejudice the right of Landlord to prove and obtain, in proceedings for bankruptcy or insolvency by reason of the termination of this Lease, an amount equal to the maximum allowed by any statute or rule of law in effect at the time when, and governing the proceedings in which, the damages are to be proved, whether such amount be greater, equal to, or less than the amount of the loss or damages referred to above. 13.4 Landlord shall in no event be in default in the performance of any of Landlord’s obligations hereunder unless and until Landlord has failed to perform such obligations within thirty (30) days, or such additional time as is reasonably required to correct any such default, after notice by Tenant to Landlord specifying Landlord’s defaulted obligation. SECTION 14: MISCELLANEOUS 14.1 Notices from One Party to the Other. All notices required or permitted hereunder must be addressed to the respective addresses of Landlord and Tenant indicated in Page 16 of 22 Section 1 hereof and must be sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested or by a national overnight carrier, with copies in each instance as follows: With respect to Landlord: Archdiocese of Boston 66 Brooks Drive Braintree, Massachusetts 02184 Attn: Chancellor Archdiocese of Boston 66 Brooks Drive Braintree, Massachusetts 02184 Attn: General Counsel With a copy to: St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish 46 Myrtle Street Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Attn: Pastor/Administrator With respect to Tenant: City of Melrose 562 Main Street Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Attn: Office of the Mayor All notices will be deemed received on the day immediately following the day on which such notice is deposited with the U.S. Postal Service or national overnight carrier, as applicable. 14.2 Bind and Inure. This Lease is binding upon and inures to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective authorized successors and assigns, except that Landlord named herein and each successive owner of the Premises will be liable only for the obligations accruing during the period of its ownership. No officer, trustee, manager, member, beneficiary, employee or any other affiliate of Landlord will be personally liable or subject to levy, execution or other enforcement procedure against their personal assets for the satisfaction of the remedies of Tenant against Landlord. The reference herein to authorized successors and assigns of Tenant is not intended to constitute consent to assignment from Landlord to Tenant, but has reference only to those instances in which Landlord may later give consent to a particular assignment as permitted by the provisions of this Lease. 14.3 No Waiver, Etc. The failure of Landlord or of Tenant to seek redress for violation of, or to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant or condition of this Lease, or, with respect to such failure of Landlord, any of the rules and regulations referred to in Section Page 17 of 22 11.6 hereof, whether heretofore or hereafter adopted by Landlord, shall not be deemed a waiver of such violation nor prevent a subsequent act, which would have originally constituted a violation, from having all the force and effect of an original violation. The receipt by Landlord of Annual Base Rent or Additional Rent with knowledge of the breach of any covenant of this Lease shall not be deemed a waiver of such breach by Landlord, unless such waiver is in writing and signed by Landlord. No consent or waiver, express or implied, by Landlord or Tenant to or of any breach of any agreement or duty will be construed as a waiver or consent to or of any other breach of the same or any other agreement or duty. 14.4 No Accord and Satisfaction. No acceptance by Landlord of a lesser sum than the Rent then due shall be deemed to be other than on account of the earliest installment of such Rent due, nor shall any endorsement or statement on any check or any letter accompanying any check or payment as Rent be deemed an accord and satisfaction, and Landlord may accept such check or payment without prejudice to Landlord's right to recover the balance of such installment or pursue any other remedy provided in this Lease or at law or in equity. 14.5 Cumulative Remedies. The specific remedies to which Landlord may resort under the terms of this Lease are cumulative and are not intended to be exclusive of any other remedies or means or redress to which it may be lawfully entitled in case of any breach or threatened breach by Tenant of any provisions of this Lease. In addition to the other remedies provided in this Lease, Landlord may seek injunctive relief regarding any attempted or threatened violation of any of the covenants, conditions or provisions of this Lease or to a decree compelling specific performance of any such covenants, conditions or provisions. Tenant shall immediately reimburse Landlord for any expense incurred by Landlord in curing Tenant’s failure to satisfy any of its obligations (notwithstanding the fact that such cure might be effected by Landlord following the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease). 14.6 Landlord’s Right to Cure. If Tenant defaults at any time in the performance of any obligation under this Lease beyond the applicable notice and grace period or cure period, if any, then, if Tenant has failed to cure or to have commenced to cure such default within five (5) calendar days following an additional written notice to Tenant (but in cases of emergency, no notice will be required), Landlord will have the right, but not the obligation, to enter upon the Premises, if necessary, and to perform such obligation, notwithstanding the fact that no specific provision for such substituted performance by Landlord is made in this Lease with respect to such default. In performing such obligation, Landlord may make any payment of money or perform any other act. All sums so paid by Landlord (together with interest at the Default Rate and all necessary and reasonable incidental costs and expenses in connection with the performance of any such act by Landlord) shall be deemed to be Additional Rent under this Lease and shall be payable to Landlord immediately on demand. Landlord may exercise the foregoing rights without waiving any other of its rights or releasing Tenant from any of its obligations under this Lease. 14.7 Estoppel Certificate. Tenant agrees, from time to time, upon not less than thirty (30) calendar days' prior written request by Landlord, to execute, acknowledge and deliver to Landlord a statement in writing certifying that this Lease is unmodified and in full force and effect; that Tenant has no defenses, offsets or counterclaims against its obligations to pay the Page 18 of 22 Annual Base Rent and Additional Rent and to perform its other covenants under this Lease; that there are no uncured defaults of Landlord or Tenant under this Lease (or, if there have been modifications, or if there are any defenses, offsets, counterclaims, or defaults, setting them forth in reasonable detail); and the dates to which the Annual Base Rent, Additional Rent and other charges have been paid. Any such statement delivered pursuant to this Section 14.7 shall be in a form reasonably acceptable to and may be relied upon by a prospective purchaser or mortgagee of the Premises or any prospective assignee of any such mortgagee. 14.8 Acts of God. In any case where either party hereto is required to do any act and delays are caused by or result from causes beyond such party's reasonable control, these delays will not be counted in determining the time during which the work or cure must be completed, whether such time be designated by a fixed date, fixed time or a "reasonable time" and such time will be deemed to be extended by the period of such delay. 14.9 Submission Not an Offer. The submission of a draft of this Lease or a summary of some or all of its provisions does not constitute an offer to lease or demise the Premises, it being understood and agreed that neither Landlord nor Tenant will be legally bound with respect to the leasing of the Premises unless and until this Lease has been executed by both Landlord and Tenant and a fully executed copy has been delivered to each of them. 14.10 Service of Process; Jury Trial Waiver. (a) TENANT AND LANDLORD EACH HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION (I) ARISING UNDER THIS LEASE OR (II) IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN RESPECT OF THIS LEASE OR ANY AGREEMENT OR TRANSACTION RELATED HERETO OR THERETO IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY OR OTHERWISE. TENANT AND LANDLORD EACH HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT TENANT OR LANDLORD MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS LEASE WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY. (b) Tenant and Landlord each hereby consents to the service of process in the manner provided for notices under this Lease. 14.11 Severability. If any term, covenant, condition or provision of this Lease or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is declared invalid or unenforceable by the final ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction having final review, the remaining terms, covenants, conditions and provisions of this Lease and their application to persons or circumstances will not be affected thereby and will continue to be enforced and recognized as valid agreements of the parties, and in the place of such invalid or unenforceable provision, there will be substituted a like, but valid and enforceable provision which comports to the findings of Page 19 of 22 the aforesaid court and most nearly accomplishes the original intention of the parties. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, it is expressly understood and agreed by Landlord and Tenant that if Section 7.2 is severed, found invalid or unenforceable for any reason, this Lease Agreement will terminate upon written notice from Landlord, such termination to become immediately effective upon Landlord giving notice thereof. 14.12 Integration. This Lease supersedes all prior oral or written agreements or understanding concerning the terms hereof and constitutes and represents the complete and final agreement between the parties hereto. 14.13 Headings. The titles of the several Sections contained herein are for convenience only and must not be considered in construing this Lease. 14.14 Unless repugnant to the context, the words "Landlord" and "Tenant" appearing in this Lease shall be construed to mean those named above and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and those claiming through or under them, respectively. 14.15 Amendments. This Lease may be amended and the provisions hereof may be waived or modified, only by instruments in writing executed by Landlord and Tenant. 14.16 Authority of Tenant. Tenant represents and warrants to Landlord (which representations and warranties shall survive the delivery of this Lease) that: (a) Tenant has the power to execute and deliver and perform its obligations under this Lease; and (b) (i) the execution, delivery, and performance by Tenant of its obligations under this Lease have been duly authorized, and will not violate the organizational documents of the Tenant or any indenture, agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound; and (ii) the signatory to this Lease is duly authorized to execute this Lease on the Tenant’s behalf. 14.17 Authority of Landlord. Landlord represents and warrants to Tenant (which representations and warranties shall survive the delivery of this Lease) that: (a) Landlord (i) is a Corporation Sole, established and maintained as a religious corporation pursuant to Chapter 506 of the Massachusetts Acts of 1897, (ii) has the power and authority to carry on businesses now being conducted and is qualified to do business in Massachusetts, and (iii) has the power to execute and deliver and perform its obligations under this Lease; and (b) the execution, delivery and performance by Landlord of its obligations under this Lease have been duly authorized by all requisite organizational action and will not violate the organizational documents of Landlord or any indenture, agreement, or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound. 14.18 Brokers. Landlord and Tenant warrant and represent that, they have not dealt with any broker or agent in connection with this transaction. 14.19 Mutual Waiver of Claims. Insofar as and to the extent that the following provisions may be effective without invalidating or making it impossible to secure insurance coverage from responsible insurance companies doing business in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts (even though extra premium may result therefrom): Landlord and Tenant Page 20 of 22 mutually agree that with respect to any loss which is covered by insurance then being carried by them, the one carrying such insurance and suffering said loss releases the other of and from any and all claims with respect to such loss; and they further mutually agree that their insurance companies will have no right of subrogation against the other on account thereof. In the event that an additional premium is payable by either party as a result of this provision, the other party shall reimburse the party paying such premium the amount of such extra premium. If, at the written request of one party, this release and non-subrogation provision is waived, then the obligation of reimbursement will cease for such period of time as such waiver will be effective, but nothing contained in this Section will be deemed to modify or otherwise affect any releases elsewhere contained in this Lease. Notwithstanding the forgoing, each party reserves any rights with respect to any excess of loss or injury over the amount recovered by such insurance. 14.20 Counterparts. This Lease may be executed in any number of counterparts, but all of such counterparts will together constitute but one and the same agreement. In making proof of this Lease, it will not be necessary to produce or account for more than one counterpart thereof signed by each of the parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Lease by facsimile or other electronic method of transmission will have the same force and effect as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Lease. 14.21 Limitation on Damages. Neither Landlord nor Tenant will be liable to the other for any consequential damages, including, without limitation, any so-called “lost profits”. Nor shall Landlord be liable to Tenant for any reason for any losses resulting from any computer or electronics failures, including, without limitation, any losses or damages suffered in connection with a loss of data. 14.22 Enforcement Expenses. Unless prohibited by applicable law, Tenant agrees to pay to Landlord the amount of all fees and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and costs) incurred by Landlord arising out of or resulting from any act or omission by Tenant with respect to this Lease or the Premises, including, without limitation, any breach by Tenant of its obligations hereunder, irrespective of whether Landlord resorts to litigation as a result thereof. [Remainder of page left blank intentionally; signature page to follow] Page 21 of 22 14.23 Interpretation. Unless indicated otherwise, the term “or” in this document is used in the inclusive sense. 14.24 Survival. In addition to those provisions specifically noted as surviving termination of this Lease, the following provisions will survive termination of this Lease: this Section 14.24 (Survival), Section 11.11 (Holdover), and Section 14.1 (Notices). In addition, if the Lease is terminated because of a breach of the Lease by the non-terminating party, the terminating party’s right to pursue all legal remedies will survive such termination unimpaired. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Lease to be duly executed as an instrument under seal and delivered as of the day and year first above written. ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF BOSTON, A CORPORATION SOLE, as Landlord By: ____________________________________ John Straub, Chancellor / Assistant Clerk CITY OF MELROSE, as Tenant By: _________________________________ Title: _________________________________ Page 22 of 22 CITY OF MELROSE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR City Hall, 562 Main Street Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 JENNIFER GRIGORAITIS Telephone - (781) 979-4440 Mayor To: City Council From: Mayor Jen Grigoraitis Re: Approval of Lease Agreement Renewal with the Archdiocese of Boston Date: June 25, 2026 CC: Shannon Philips, City Solicitor Kerri Golden, CFO Lauren Grymek, Chief of Staff The City of Melrose currently leases 53 parking spaces in the St. Mary’s Parish Parking Lot located at 41 Myrtle Street in Melrose MA. The lease has been in place since 2017 and allows for the 53 parking spaces to be used as a public and municipal parking lot. This lease is set to expire on June 30, 2026. The City’s lease of this property provides a significant benefit to residents and merchants. Before you for your consideration and approval is the proposed renewal of the lease agreement between the City of Melrose and the Archdiocese of Boston. The City Council has previously approved the FY 27 budget for this agreement, in the amount of $35,000; the renewal increases this amount to $42,000 for a period of one year. City Hall, 562 Main Street Shannon Phillips City Solicitor Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Sphillips@cityofmelrose.org Telephone - (781) 979-4184 July 14, 2026 Via electronic mail Melrose City Council 562 Main Street Melrose, MA 02176 Re: Order ID #s 2026-1508 (St. Mary’s Parking Lot Lease) Order ID # 2026-1509 (Appropriation Request) Order ID # 2026-1507 (Approval of the Draft Written Determination of the Lease Transaction of Parking Lot) Dear Honorable Council Members: Please accept this correspondence as a request to amend the above-referenced orders prior to anticipated final City Council vote on July 20, 2026. By way of background, these orders all relate to the continued lease of the parking lot owned by the Archdiocese at 41 Myrtle Street in Melrose. These orders are coming before City Council for an anticipated final vote on July 20, 2026, with a recommendation of “ought not to pass” from the Appropriations and Oversight (A&O) Committee. Following the July 9th A&O meeting where votes were taken rejecting all three orders with a recommendation of “ought not to pass”, the City contacted the Archdiocese to let them know of the Committee’s votes, that 8 votes were needed on the lease and appropriation for final passage, and that an anticipated final vote would be taken on these Orders on July 20, 2026 by full Council. In response, the Archdiocese reached out to the City on July 13, 2026, and proposed a new revised three- year agreement (attached) with annual rent in year one at $39,000, $41,000 in year two, and $43,000 in year three. These are substantial changes from the one-year agreement at $42,000 voted down by A&O on July 9, 2026. As discussed at the Committee meeting, during negotiations the Archdiocese rejected any proposals made by the City for a three-year lease term for below $54,000 per year. In order to move these negotiations forward, the parties agreed to a one-year lease at $42,000. This new proposal from the Archdiocese, following the Committee vote not to recommend the one-year lease, provides the City with a longer lease term at a lower cost than what was previously agreed to. As such, the mayor is willing to accept these new terms, and the City is appreciative of this more favorable lease agreement from the Archdiocese. In light of this new proposal, the Mayor is requesting City Council’s approval of Order ID # 2026- 1508 in consideration of the attached revised lease and its new terms. This revised lease replaces the one previously submitted by the Mayor with this Order that was voted down by A&O. To vote in favor of this revised lease in Order ID # 2026-1508 a motion can be made in Council “To approve the REVISED lease agreement as submitted on July 14, 2026 relative to the Parking Lot near St. Mary’s Church at 41 Myrtle Street in Melrose”. Given this change requested by the Mayor to this Order, a “yes” vote by City Council on July 20, 2026, will be an approval of this revised lease (not the previous one submitted by the Mayor and rejected by A&O). A “no” vote will prohibit the mayor from entering into a new lease agreement with the Archdiocese for the use of this land for public and municipal parking. As previously discussed, the Council does not have the authority to amend the terms of the agreement; the Council’s authority resides in its ability to authorize the mayor to execute the revised lease. In conjunction with these lease changes, the Mayor is also making an amendment to Order ID# 2026-1509 (an appropriation relative to the lease agreement) to appropriate $4,000 instead of $7,000. If Council approves the revised lease agreement in Order ID # 2026-1508, it should be taking a vote to also approve Order ID # 2026-1509 as revised by the Mayor in the amount of $4,000 so the necessary funds can be appropriated to fund the first year of this lease - July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 (as part of the FY27 budget process, Council already appropriated $35,000 relative to this lease for FY27 (housed in budget 296 Parking). As previously highlighted by the CFO during the revenue presentation of the budget process, the City funds the parking department budget with funds obtained from parking receipts (parking permits). Given that the lease terms were finalized after the passage of the budget, for FY 27, $4,000 will need to be approved from the Contract Stabilization Fund to cover the difference. For passage of this revised Order, a motion can be made in Council “to approve this Order in the revised amount of $4,000 as amended by the Mayor’s request.” Finally, as explained at the A&O committee meeting, and in my previous communication submitted with Order ID # 2026-1507, should City Council vote to approve the above two Orders, Council must also vote on a written determination of the unique location of the property (Order ID # 2026-1507). Approving a written determination that can be published in the Central Register, is a requirement under G.L. c. 30B before the Mayor can sign. I have attached a “Revised Proposed written determination…” for your consideration that addresses the newly revised lease terms. To vote in favor of this proposed written determination on July 20th, a motion should be made in Council “to approve the “REVISED” written determination for this Order submitted on July 14, 2026.” Unfortunately, I cannot be present at the City Council meeting on July 20, 2026 as I will be out of state. However, I am happy to discuss any of the above with any Councilors who may have questions or concerns this week prior to next Monday’s meeting. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly. Best Regards, /s/ Shannon T. Phillips Shannon Phillips cc: Mayor Jennifer Grigoraitis (via e-mail) Kerri Golden, CFO (via e-email) Tanji Cifuni, City Clerk (via e-mail) LEASE AGREEMENT This Lease Agreement (“Lease”) is entered into as of __________, 2026, by and between Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston, a Corporation Sole, (“Landlord”) with its principal office located at 66 Brooks Drive, Braintree, Massachusetts 02184-3439, acting on behalf of St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish, Boston, Massachusetts (“Parish”), and the CITY OF MELROSE, (“Tenant”) with its usual place of business located at 562 Main Street, Melrose, Massachusetts 02176. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual conditions, agreements and covenants set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the adequacy and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows: SECTION 1: REFERENCE DATA & DEFINITIONS: Each reference in this Lease to any of the following subjects shall be construed to incorporate the data stated for that subject in this Section 1: 1.1 Landlord. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston, a Corporation Sole 1.2 Landlord’s Address. 66 Brooks Drive Braintree, Massachusetts 02184-3439 Attention: Chancellor’s Office 1.3 Tenant. City of Melrose 1.4 Tenant’s Address. 562 Main Street Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Attention: Office of the Mayor Telephone: (781) 979-4440 1.5 Premises. Approximately 53 parking spaces in the St. Mary’s Parish Parking Lot located at 41 Myrtle Street, Melrose, Massachusetts all as further described in Section 2.1 hereof. 1.6 Commencement Date. July 1, 2026. 1.7 Term. As defined in Section 2.2 hereof. 1.8 Termination Date. June 30, 2029. 1.9 Lease Year. “Lease Year” means each consecutive twelve month period during the Term commencing on the Commencement Date for the first Lease Year, and commencing on the anniversary of the Commencement Date each Lease Year thereafter, and ending on the day immediately preceding the anniversary of the Commencement Date. Page 1 of 22 1.10 Annual Base Rent. “Annual Base Rent” means payments by Tenant to Landlord as follows: Lease Starting Date Ending Date Annual Base Rent Monthly Rent Year ($) ($) 1 July 1, 2026 June 30, 2027 $39,000.00 $3,250.00 2 July 1, 2027 June 30, 2028 $41,000.00 $3,416.67 3 July 1 2028 June 30, 2029 $43,000.00 $3,583.33 1.11 Rent. “Rent” means the Annual Base Rent plus all Additional Rent. 1.12 Additional Rent. “Additional Rent” means those additional amounts payable to Landlord as provided throughout this Lease. 1.13 Rent Payment Date. As defined in Section 3.1 hereof. 1.14 Permitted Uses. “Permitted Uses” means use of the Premises as more fully described in Section 7 hereof. SECTION 2: PREMISES & TERM. 2.1 Premises. (a) Lease Premises. Subject to the provisions of this Lease and all matters of public record, Landlord hereby leases to Tenant, and Tenant leases from Landlord, the Premises, consisting of approximately 53 designated parking spaces in the St. Mary’s Parish Parking Lot located at 41 Myrtle Street, Melrose, Massachusetts as depicted on Exhibit A attached herewith. (b) Condition of Premises. Tenant acknowledges that it has inspected the Premises and agrees to accept the Premises "AS IS." Tenant agrees that Landlord has no obligation to perform any work whatsoever to prepare the Premises for Tenant’s use under this Lease. 2.2 Term. The term of this Lease (the “Term”) shall be the period commencing on the Commencement Date and ending on the Termination Date, unless sooner terminated in accordance with the provisions of this Lease. SECTION 3: RENT, INSURANCE, REAL ESTATE TAXES AND OTHER CHARGES; PAYMENT. 3.1 Rent. Commencing on the Commencement Date, Tenant shall pay Rent without any offset or reduction (except as made in accordance with the express provisions of this Lease) in advance on the first day of each and every calendar month during the Term of this Lease in an amount equal to one-twelfth of the Annual Base Rent plus any unpaid Additional Rent then due and payable; provided, however, that if the Commencement Date falls on a day other than the first day of a calendar month, (i) Tenant’s first Rent payment will be made on the Page 2 of 22 Commencement Date and will be in an amount equal to one-twelfth of the Annual Base Rent, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of days remaining in the partial calendar month, and the denominator of which shall be the total number of days in such calendar month, plus any unpaid Additional Rent then due and payable and (ii) Tenant’s Rent payment for the final calendar month of the Term will be made on first day of the last calendar month during the Term and will be in an amount equal to one-twelfth of the Annual Base Rent, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of days remaining in the partial calendar month, and the denominator of which shall be the total number of days in such calendar month, plus any unpaid Additional Rent then due and payable Each date on which Rent is payable hereunder is referred to as a “Rent Payment Date.” 3.2 Insurance, Real Estate Taxes & Other Charges. (a) Tenant Insurance. Tenant shall, at Tenant’s expense and at no expense to Landlord, procure and maintain, in full force from the date upon which Tenant first enters the Premises for any reason, throughout the Term of this Lease, and thereafter so long as Tenant is in occupancy of any part of the Premises, (1) policies of comprehensive general liability insurance and casualty/property insurance (including broad form contractual liability coverage to cover any liabilities assumed under this Lease, insuring against all claims for injury to or death of persons or damage to property on or about the Premises or arising out of the use of the Premises, including products liability, and independent contractor’s hazard and completed operations liability) with initial limits of $1,000,000 each occurrence and $2,000,000 in the aggregate (combined single limit) for property damage, bodily injury or death or such greater amounts as Landlord in its reasonable discretion shall from time to time request, under which Tenant is named as an insured and Landlord, and, at Landlord’s request, Landlord’s property manager, any mortgagee, and such other persons as Landlord reasonably may request are named as additional insureds; and (2) medical payment insurance with limits of $5,000.00 each person and $10,000 per occurrence, under which Tenant is named as an insured and Landlord, and, at Landlord’s request, Landlord’s property manager, any mortgagee, and such other persons as Landlord reasonably may request are named as additional insureds. Tenant may satisfy such insurance requirements by including the Premises in a so-called “blanket” and/or “umbrella” insurance policy, provided that the amount of coverage allocated to the Premises is pursuant to a “per location” endorsement and shall otherwise fulfill the requirements set forth herein. The policies of insurance required to be maintained by Tenant hereunder shall be issued by companies domiciled in the United States and qualified and licensed to conduct business in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and shall be rated A+ or better in the most current issue of Best’s Key Rating Guide (or any successor thereto). At all times during the Term, such insurance shall be maintained, and Tenant shall cause a current and valid certificate of such policies to be deposited with Landlord. If Tenant fails to have a current and valid certificate of such policies on deposit with Landlord at all times during the Term and such failure is not cured within three (3) Business Days following Tenant’s receipt of notice thereof from Landlord, Landlord shall have the right, but not the obligation, to obtain such an insurance policy, and Tenant shall be obligated to pay Landlord the amount of the premiums applicable to such insurance within ten (10) days after Tenant’s receipt of Landlord’s request for payment thereof. Page 3 of 22 Such policies shall cover the use and occupation of the Premises and all operations and activities conducted at, on or from the Premises by Tenant, its agents, employees, servants or invitees. Tenant’s insurance shall be primary to, and not contributory with any insurance carried by Landlord, whose insurance shall be considered excess only. Each such policy shall provide that it must not be canceled and that its limits must not be reduced without at least thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to Landlord and its designees, and that the interests of Landlord and its designees thereunder or therein will not be affected by any breach by Tenant of any policy provision. Evidence of these policies, in the form of insurance certificates reasonably satisfactory to Landlord, must be submitted to Landlord no later than the earlier of thirty (30) days prior to the Commencement Date and thirty (30) days the commencement of any Improvements by Tenant in or about the Premises Tenant shall, if requested, submit the actual policies of insurance to Landlord within ten (10) days of a request therefor in writing. Tenant shall also submit to Landlord renewal certificates of any expiring policy hereunder within ten (10) days of expiration thereof. If Tenant fails to have a current and valid certificate of such policies on deposit with Landlord at all times during the Term and such failure is not cured within three (3) Business Days following Tenant’s receipt of notice thereof from Landlord, Landlord shall have the right, but not the obligation, to obtain such an insurance policy, and Tenant shall be obligated to pay Landlord the amount of the premiums applicable to such insurance within ten (10) days after Tenant’s receipt of Landlord’s request for payment thereof. Landlord shall have the right from time to time to increase such minimum limits set forth herein upon reasonable notice to Tenant, provided that any such increase shall provide for coverage in amounts similar to like coverage being carried on like property in the greater Boston area. (b) Waiver of Subrogation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Landlord and Tenant each hereby waives any and all rights of recovery, claim, action, or cause of action against the other, its agents, employees, licensees, or invitees for any loss or damage to or at the Premises or any personal property of such party therein or thereon by reason of fire, the elements, or any other cause which is covered, or would have been covered, by the insurance coverages required to be maintained by Landlord and Tenant, respectively, under this Lease, regardless of cause or origin, including omission of the other party hereto, its agents, employees, licensees, or invitees. Landlord and Tenant covenant that no insurer shall hold any right of subrogation against either of such parties with respect thereto. This waiver shall be ineffective against any insurer of Landlord or Tenant to the extent that such waiver is prohibited by the laws and insurance regulations of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The parties hereto agree that any and all such insurance policies required to be carried by either party shall be endorsed with a subrogation clause, substantially as follows: “This insurance shall not be invalidated should the insured waive, in writing prior to a loss, any and all right of recovery against any party for loss occurring to the Premises described therein,” and shall provide that such party’s insurer waives any right of recovery against the other party in connection with any such loss or damage. (c) Tenant’s Risk. Tenant agrees to use and occupy the Premises and to use such other portions of the property owned by Landlord as Tenant is herein given the right to use at Tenant’s own risk and Tenant assumes liability for any and all injury, loss or damage to any person or property on the Premises or other such property, whether covered by insurance or not. Landlord shall not be liable to Tenant, its employees, agents, invitees or contractors for any Page 4 of 22 damage, injury, loss, compensation, or claim (including, but not limited to, claims for the interruption of or loss to Tenant’s business) based on, arising out of or resulting from any cause whatsoever, including, but not limited to, Improvements to any portion of the Premises or other property owned by the Landlord, any fire, robbery, theft, mysterious disappearance and/or any other crime or casualty, the actions of any other tenants of the Premises or of any other person or persons, or any leakage in any part or portion of the Premises, or from water, rain or snow that may leak into, or flow from any part of the Premises, or from drains, pipes in or near the Premises, unless due to the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Landlord or Landlord’s agents, contractors or employees. Any goods, property or personal effects stored or placed in or about the Premises shall be at the sole risk of Tenant, and neither Landlord nor Landlord’s insurers shall in any manner be held responsible therefor. Landlord shall not be responsible or liable to Tenant, or to those claiming by, through or under Tenant, for any loss or damage that may be occasioned by or through the acts or omissions of persons occupying adjoining premises or any part of the premises adjacent to or connecting with the Premises or any part of the other property owned by the Landlord or otherwise. The provisions of this Section 3.2(c) shall be applicable from and after the execution of this Lease and until the end of the Term of this Lease, and during any additional period as Tenant may use or be in occupancy of any part of the Premises. (d) Tenant’s Other Liability. Tenant further covenants and agrees to restore, repair and replace any fixtures or equipment of Landlord on the Premises which may be lost, damaged or destroyed during the Term of this Lease, except to the extent of Landlord’s negligence. (e) Taxes, Levies and Charges. Real estate taxes and all other government levies and charges, general and special, foreseen and unforeseen, assessed against or levied on the Premises or any betterments and attributable in whole or in part to the Term of the Lease with respect to the Premises, to the extent there are any, shall be imputed to the Tenant. Landlord shall present to Tenant copies of the statements for such real estate taxes and all other government levies and charges promptly after they are received. Tenant shall pay to Landlord, as Additional Rent, an amount equal to the full amount due under such statements on the Rent Payment Date next preceding the date on which such amount is due and payable in accordance with such statements. If Tenant desires to have proceedings instituted for an abatement of any real estate taxes or other such levies or charges upon the Premises and so requests in writing, Landlord may but is not obligated to institute such proceedings, provided, however, in any event, that all costs of such proceeding shall be borne by Tenant. If any abatement is received in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3.2(e), the proceeds thereof, to the extent they represent payments actually made by Tenant to Landlord in accordance with this Section 3.2(e), shall be distributed to Tenant. All remaining proceeds shall be paid to Landlord. Nothing herein shall prevent Landlord, on its own volition, from applying for an abatement of said real estate taxes, levies or charges. SECTION 4: PAYMENTS 4.1 Payments Accepted. All payments of Annual Base Rent and Additional Rent shall be made to St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish by check or to such other person as Page 5 of 22 Landlord may from time to time designate in writing. 4.2 Account Information. As indicated above, all payments hereunder shall be made by check payable to the Parish and sent in care of the pastor at the notice address for the Parish provided in Section 14.1 hereof. 4.3 Late Payments and Fees. If Tenant pays any installment of Annual Base Rent or Additional Rent more than ten (10) calendar days after the due date, then Tenant shall pay to Landlord as Additional Rent a late payment charge of two and one-half percent (2.5%) of such overdue amount, which will be due and payable on the next succeeding Rent Payment Date. 4.4 Default Interest. Any Annual Base Rent, Additional Rent or any other amounts due and payable under this Lease that have not been paid within thirty (30) calendar days of the due date thereof will bear interest from the original due date until paid in full at an annual rate equal to the prime rate then in effect as announced from time to time in the Wall Street Journal, or if the Wall Street Journal shall no longer exist any comparable financial publication, plus three percent (3%) (the “Default Rate”), which will be due and payable as Additional Rent. Such amounts will accrue on a daily basis. SECTION 5: SECURITY DEPOSIT. [This Section intentionally deleted] SECTION 6: UTILITIES; CERTAIN OTHER CHARGES. [This Section intentionally deleted] SECTION 7: PERMITTED USES 7.1 Operations. Tenant shall use the Premises solely for the purposes of public and municipal parking and in accordance with the terms and conditions of Section 11.4 of this Lease (the “Permitted Uses”). Tenant shall not use the Premises in any other manner. Tenant shall not use the Premises for any other purposes or in any way which could reasonably be considered to cause discomfort or annoyance to Landlord. It is expressly agreed and understood by and between Landlord and Tenant that only Tenant has the use, as set forth in this Lease, of the Premises leased hereunder for the purposes and uses herein stated. 7.2 Cancellation. Notwithstanding anything in this Lease to the contrary, it is understood and agreed by Landlord and Tenant that the Landlord has the right to cancel this Lease in its sole discretion upon giving thirty (30) days notice to Tenant. Upon receipt of said notice Tenant agrees to vacate the Premises on or before thirty (30) days from the date of the notice. SECTION 8: IMPROVEMENTS 8.1 During the Term of this Lease, neither Landlord nor Tenant is obliged by this Lease to make any repairs, replacements, modifications, improvements, alterations or Page 6 of 22 additions of any nature (“Improvements”), other than those specifically provided in this Lease. 8.2 Tenant shall make all essential repairs to the Premises necessitated by Tenant’s occupancy and shall keep the Premises in good repair, excepting only ordinary wear and tear. 8.3 Except with respect to necessary repairs for which Tenant is obligated to perform under Section 8.2, Tenant shall make no Improvements to the Premises without the prior written consent of Landlord, which consent may be withheld in its sole discretion. All such Improvements will be made solely at Tenant’s cost and expense (which Tenant agrees to pay promptly when due) and must be performed in accordance with plans and specifications approved in writing by Landlord, in its sole discretion, prior to being commenced. All such Improvements will be performed in such manner, and by such persons as will not cause any damage to the Premises. Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, such work will be performed by general contractors first approved by Landlord, which approval will not unreasonably be withheld or delayed. Tenant shall secure and pay for all licenses and permits necessary for any of the foregoing Improvements. Before any such work is started, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord a statement of the names of all its contractors (as approved by Landlord) and the estimated cost of all labor and material to be furnished by them. Tenant shall cause each contractor to carry (i) workmen's compensation insurance in statutory amounts covering all the contractor's and subcontractor's employees and (ii) comprehensive public liability insurance with such limits as Landlord may reasonably require, but in no event less than a combined single limit of $1,000,000 (all such insurance insuring Landlord and Tenant as well as the contractors), and, upon request by Landlord, to deliver to Landlord certificates of all such insurance. Landlord may, at its discretion and at the request of Tenant and at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, make such Improvements requested by Tenant. All costs associated with such Improvements shall be billed to Tenant and shall constitute Additional Rent. 8.4 If any Improvements are consented to as provided in Section 8.3, Tenant shall, if Landlord notifies Tenant in writing at the time Landlord approves of an Improvement, at the end of the Term remove the same and restore the Premises to the condition and state of construction and arrangement in which they were at prior to the installation thereof, ordinary wear and tear, damage by fire and casualty only excepted (other than to the extent that such casualty is caused by Tenant, its agents, servants, employees and invitees). Landlord may, at its discretion, waive this requirement in writing upon written request from Tenant. SECTION 9: LANDLORD'S COVENANTS DURING THE TERM 9.1 Quiet Enjoyment. Tenant, on paying the Rent and performing its obligations hereunder, shall peacefully and quietly have, hold, and enjoy the full possession and the use of the Premises throughout the Term. The foregoing covenant of quiet enjoyment is in lieu of any other covenant, express or implied. Page 7 of 22 SECTION 10: INTERRUPTIONS 10.1 Landlord will not have any liability for, nor will there be any reduction in Rent on account of (a) any power losses, shortages, or any other interruption in the provision of any utilities not caused by Landlord's negligence, (b) Landlord's entering the Premises for any of the purposes authorized in this Lease, or (c) repairing the Premises or any part thereof to the extent permitted in this Lease. In case Landlord is prevented or delayed from making any Improvements, or furnishing any service or performing any other covenant or duty to be performed on Landlord's part, by reason of any cause beyond Landlord's reasonable control, Landlord shall not be liable to Tenant therefor, nor, except as expressly otherwise provided in this Section 10 or in Section 12, shall Tenant be entitled to any abatement or reduction of Rent by reason thereof. 10.2 Landlord reserves the right to stop any service or utility system when necessary by reason of accident or emergency or until necessary repairs have been completed. Except in case of emergency repairs, Landlord will give Tenant reasonable advance notice of any contemplated stoppage and will use its commercially reasonable efforts and all reasonable diligence to avoid unnecessary inconvenience to Tenant by reason thereof. 10.3 Notwithstanding the foregoing, if as a result of negligence of Landlord, the Premises are rendered untenantable to such an extent that Tenant is unable to, and does not actually, occupy and use the Premises or a portion thereof for the operation of its business, and if such problem continues for a period in excess of two (2) consecutive business days, Tenant, as its sole remedy, will be entitled to an abatement for Rent to the extent such Rent is attributable to both the portion of the Premises rendered unfit for use and the period for which it is unfit. SECTION 11: TENANT'S COVENANTS DURING THE TERM. Without limiting any other covenant of Tenant under this Lease, Tenant covenants, during the Term and such further time as Tenant occupies any part of the Premises: 11.1 Tenant's Payments. To pay when due (a) all Rent; (b) all taxes which may be imposed on Tenant's personal property in the Premises (including, without limitation, Tenant's fixtures and equipment) regardless to whomever assessed, and (c) all other payments required to be made by Tenant under this Lease. 11.2 Yielding Up. At the expiration or termination of this Lease, to peaceably yield up the Premises, and all alterations and additions therein, in good order, repair and condition, reasonable wear and tear, casualty and condemnation only excepted. Prior to yielding up the Premises, Tenant shall remove all goods and effects of Tenant and all of Tenant's Trade Fixtures and any Improvements specified pursuant to Section 8.1 and shall repair all damage caused by such removal and shall leave the Premises in broom clean condition. 11.3 Occupancy and Use. (a) To use and occupy the Premises only for the Permitted Uses; Page 8 of 22 (b) not to injure or deface the Premises; (c) not to use or permit any use of the Premises which will (i) make voidable the insurance covering the Premise, or (ii) increase the premiums for any insurance on the Premises (Tenant hereby agreeing that if such premiums are increased due to Tenant’s use of the Premises, Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for the costs of all such increased insurance premiums and all such amounts will constitute Additional Rent and will accrue immediately) or (iii) require any alteration or addition to the Premises; (d) not to dump, flush, or in any way introduce any hazardous substance or any other toxic substances into the septic, sewage, or other waste disposal system serving the Premises; not to generate, store or dispose of hazardous substances in or on the Premises without first submitting to Landlord a list of all such hazardous substances and all permits required therefor and thereafter providing to Landlord on an annual basis Tenant's certification that all such permits have been renewed with copies of such renewed permits) or dispose of hazardous substances from the Premises to any other location without the prior written consent of Landlord and then only in compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended 42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq., the Massachusetts Hazardous Waste Management Act, G.L. c. 21C, as amended, the Massachusetts Oil and Hazardous Material Release Prevention and Response Act, G.L. c. 21E, as amended, and all other applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations; (e) If the transportation, storage, use or disposal of hazardous substances anywhere on the Premises in connection with Tenant’s use of the Premises results in (i) contamination of the soil or surface or ground water or (ii) loss or damage to person(s) or property, then Tenant agrees (1) to notify Landlord immediately of any contamination, claim of contamination, loss or damage, (2) after consultation with and approval by Landlord, to clean up all contamination in full compliance with all applicable statutes, regulations and standards, and (3) to indemnify, defend, and hold Landlord harmless from and against any claims, suits, causes of action, costs and fees, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, arising from or connected with any such contamination, claim of contamination, loss or damage, Tenant hereby agreeing that this provision shall survive the termination of this Lease and that no consent or approval of Landlord shall in any way be construed as imposing upon Landlord any liability for the means, methods, or manner of removal, containment, or other compliance with applicable law for and with respect to the foregoing and that it is the specific intent and purpose hereof to ensure that Tenant takes no actions on or at the Premises that would result in either the Premises or Tenant's activities therein failing to comply with any applicable governmental orders or regulations. ("hazardous substances" shall have the meaning as defined in the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §9601 and regulations adopted pursuant to said Act); (f) to notify Landlord of any incident which would require filing of a notice under applicable federal, state, or local law; and (g) without limiting its obligations pursuant to Sections 7 or 8, Page 9 of 22 (i) to conduct its operations under this Lease in strict compliance with, and not to permit any use or activity contrary to, the laws of the United States (including, without limitation, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act if applicable to Tenant’s use of the Premises), the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the ordinances, standards, rules, and requirements, if any, established by the City of Melrose or any other state or municipal agency having jurisdiction; (ii) to comply with the orders and regulations of all governmental authorities with respect to zoning, building, fire, health and other codes, regulations, ordinances or laws applicable to the Premises and not to be contrary to any codes or standards from time to time established by the National Fire Protection Association (or any successor organization), (iii) to make, at its sole cost and expense, all Improvements to the Premises required by such codes, regulations, ordinances, or laws as a result of Tenant’s use of the Premises, and to keep the Premises equipped with all safety appliances so required (Landlord may, if it so elects, make any of the Improvements referred to in this section that affect the Building structure or the Building systems, and Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for the cost thereof on demand, such amounts constituting Additional Rent); at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, to procure and pay for all licenses, certificates, and permits necessary for the conduct of its operations hereunder and its occupancy of the Premises (including, without limitation, payment for any Improvements of any nature which are necessary in order to obtain and maintain all such licenses, certificates, and permits); 11.4 To: (a) maintain the Premises in a clean, orderly and sanitary condition; and (b) keep Tenant’s designated parking spaces and access to and from the Premises free and clear of ice and snow. 11.5 To not: (a) permit accumulations of garbage, trash, rubbish or other refuse within or without the Premises; (b) commit, or suffer to be committed, any waste upon the Premises or any public or private nuisance or other act or thing which may disturb the quiet enjoyment of any other tenant or occupant of the Premises. 11.6 Rules and Regulations. To comply with rules and regulations, as may be reasonably promulgated in good faith and in writing from time to time by Landlord, for the care and use of the Premises and their facilities and approaches and provided such rules and regulations do not unreasonably interfere with the Tenant's use and enjoyment of the Premises or impose any unreasonable additional costs on Tenant and are not applied or enforced in a discriminatory manner. 11.7 Landlord’s Right of Entry. To permit Landlord and Landlord’s agents, contractors, and employees entry: (a) upon reasonable notice (except no notice is required in the event of any emergency), and at reasonable times, to make repairs, alternations or substitutions for the protection and maintenance of the Premises or any part thereof; (ii) to examine the Page 10 of 22 Premises upon reasonable notice (except no notice is required in the event of any emergency), at reasonable times in the company of a Tenant representative; (iii) upon not less than five (5) calendar days’ prior notice, to remove, at Tenant’s expense, any Improvements, signs, shades, awnings, aerials, flagpoles, or the like required to be approved by and not approved by Landlord; and (iv) to show the Premises to prospective tenants during the six (6) months preceding the expiration of the Term and to any prospective mortgagees at all reasonable times upon written notice to Tenant. 11.8 Tenant's Property. All the furnishings, fixtures, furniture, equipment, inventory, effects and property of every kind, nature and description of Tenant and of all persons claiming by, through or under Tenant which may be on the Premises during the Term of this Lease or any occupancy of the Premises by Tenant or anyone claiming under Tenant, as well as all property that may be brought to the Premises by Tenant (“Tenant’s Property”), will remain the personal property of Tenant or such other person and will be at the sole risk and hazard of Tenant, and if the whole or any part thereof is destroyed or damaged by fire, water or otherwise, or by the leakage or bursting of water pipes, steam pipes, or other pipes, by theft, or from any other cause or in any other way or manner, no part of said loss or damage is to be charged to or to be borne by Landlord in any case whatsoever unless and to the extent, subject to the provisions of Section 14.19 hereof, due to the gross negligence of Landlord, its employees, agents, contractors or other representatives. 11.9 Security. To provide, at all times and under all circumstances during the Term of this Lease, adequate security to the Premises and its own personnel. 11.10 Labor or Materials Liens. To pay promptly when due the entire cost of any work done on the Premises by Tenant, its agents, employees, or independent contractors, unless Tenant is disputing such items in good faith; not to cause or permit any liens for labor or materials performed or furnished in connection therewith to attach to the Premises; and to discharge or bond off any such liens which may so attach within thirty (30) calendar days of notice of the same. 11.11 Holdover. To vacate the Premises immediately upon the expiration or sooner termination of this Lease. If Tenant retains possession of the Premises or any part thereof after the expiration or termination of the Term without Landlord’s express prior written consent, Tenant shall pay Landlord Annual Base Rent at double the monthly rate specified in Section 3.1 for the time Tenant thus remains in possession and, in addition thereto, shall pay Landlord for all damages, consequential as well as direct, sustained by reason of Tenant’s retention of possession. The provisions of this Section 11.11 do not exclude or be deemed to constitute a waiver of Landlord’s rights of re-entry or any other right hereunder, including, without limitation, the right to refuse double the monthly Annual Base Rent and instead to remove Tenant through summary proceedings for holding over beyond the expiration of the Term of this Lease. Such holding over shall not be deemed to create any tenancy, but Tenant shall be a tenant at sufferance only. 11.12 Signs. Not to erect any signs visible from the exterior of the Building, excepting the existing sign(s) which have already been approved by Landlord, or in any way alter the exterior of the Premises without Landlord’s prior written consent. Tenant agrees to Page 11 of 22 remove signage on religious holidays and during summer months when Tenant’s school is not in operation. 11.13 No Transfers. Not to assign, sublet, underlet, mortgage, pledge or encumber all or any part of the Lease or any of Tenant’s rights or obligations hereunder. 11.14 Indemnity. (a) Except to the extent arising from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Landlord or its agents or employees, to defend, with counsel approved by Landlord, all actions against Landlord, any trustee, manager, member, beneficiary, agent, employee, representative or any other affiliate of Landlord (collectively, "Indemnified Parties"), and to pay, protect, indemnify and save harmless all Indemnified Parties from and against any and all liabilities, losses, damages, costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses), causes of action, suits, claims, demands or judgments of any nature owed to or asserted by any third party arising from or related to (a) injury to or death of any person, or damage to or loss of property, occurring in or on the Premises or connected with the use, condition, or occupancy of any thereof, unless caused by the negligence of Landlord or its servants or agents; (b) violation of any of the provisions of this Lease by Tenant; (c) any act, fault, omission, or other misconduct of Tenant or its agents, employees, representatives, contractors, licensees, invitees, assignees or sublessees; (d) any violation of any federal, state, or local statute, ordinance, or bylaw, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act arising from or related to this Lease; (e) any charges assessed under state, local, and federal statutes and ordinances governing the use, occupancy, or both, of the Premises; or (f) Tenant’s use and occupancy of the Premises. (b) To indemnify Landlord for all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the reasonable enforcement of the terms and provisions of this Lease. This Section 11.14 will survive expiration or earlier termination of this Lease. SECTION 12: DAMAGE; DESTRUCTION; CONDEMNATION 12.1 Fire or other casualty. (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 12.1(b) hereof, in the event during the Term hereof any portion of the Premises shall be partially damaged (as distinguished from "Substantially Damaged" as such term is hereinafter defined) by fire, explosion, casualty or any other occurrence covered or as may be required to be covered by Landlord's insurance as herein provided; Landlord shall forthwith proceed to repair such damage and restore the Premises (or provide, if possible, alternative parking spaces) but exclusive of Tenant’s Property and leasehold improvements installed by Tenant, to substantially its condition at the time of such fire, explosion, casualty or occurrence. Landlord shall not be responsible for any delay which may result from any cause beyond Landlord's reasonable control. (b) In the event of a casualty which renders the Premises Page 12 of 22 unfit for use or occupancy by Tenant, then Landlord will make a determination in its reasonable judgment as to whether or not Landlord, using its commercially reasonable efforts, and proceeding diligently, can repair or restore the Premises (exclusive of Tenant’s Property and leasehold improvements installed by Tenant) to their condition prior to said casualty within a period of ninety (90) days from the date of such casualty. Within thirty (30) days of any such casualty, Landlord shall provide Tenant notice of its intent to repair or restore the Premises to their condition prior to such casualty within such 90-day period. If, however, Landlord, exercising its reasonable judgment, determines that said repair or restoration cannot be completed within a period of ninety (90) days from the date of such casualty (in which case the Premises shall be deemed to be “Substantially Damaged”), then either Landlord or Tenant, upon ten (10) calendar days’ prior notice, may terminate this Lease without further obligation on either party's part, except for the return of any pre-paid Rent, pro-rated to the time of the casualty. If this Lease is not terminated pursuant to the terms of this Section 12.1(b), then Landlord shall perform such repairs set forth in Section 12.1(c) hereof and Tenant shall perform such repairs as set forth in Section 12.1(d) hereof and the Term shall continue without interruption and this Lease shall remain in full force and effect, except as otherwise expressly provided herein. (c) If this Lease is not terminated pursuant to the terms of Section 12.1(b) hereof and if Tenant is not then in default of any of its obligations under this Lease beyond any applicable notice and cure period provided for herein, Landlord shall, provided there are insurance proceeds available for restoration, reconstruct the Premises using such insurance proceeds only (it being understood by Tenant that Landlord shall not be responsible for any reconstruction of leasehold improvements constructed by Tenant, which reconstruction is the sole responsibility of Tenant) to substantially its condition at the time of such damage, but Landlord shall not be responsible for any delays which may result from any cause beyond Landlord's reasonable control. In the event the repairs and restoration are not completed within said period of ninety (90) days from the date of such casualty, then, at any time thereafter, Tenant may terminate the Lease at its sole election. (d) If this Lease is not terminated as provided in Section 12.1(b) hereof, Tenant shall, at its own cost and expense, repair and restore leasehold improvements constructed by Tenant in the Premises in accordance with the provisions of this Section 12, including, but not limited to, the repairing or replacement of its merchandise, Trade Fixtures, furnishings and equipment in a manner and to at least a condition equal to that prior to its damage or destruction. Tenant agrees to commence the performance of its work when notified by Landlord that the work to be performed by Tenant can, in accordance with good construction practices, then be commenced and Tenant shall complete such work as promptly thereafter as is practicable, but in no even more than ninety (90) days thereafter except for causes beyond the Tenant's reasonable control, including governmental permitting. (e) All proceeds payable from Landlord's insurance policies with respect to the Premises shall belong to and shall be payable to Landlord. If this Lease is not terminated as provided in Section 12.1(b) hereof, Landlord shall disburse and apply so much of any insurance recovery as shall be necessary against the cost to Landlord of restoration and reconstruction of the Premises referred to in Section 12.1(c) hereof, subject to the rights of any holder of any mortgage liens against the Premises. Page 13 of 22 (f) In the event that the provisions of Section 12.1(a) or Section 12.1(b) shall become applicable, the Annual Base Rent and Additional Rent will be abated or reduced proportionately during any period in which Tenant may be required to discontinue in whole or in part its business on the Premises, and such abatement or reduction will continue for the period commencing with such destruction or damage and ending with the completion by Landlord of such work of restoration or reconstruction as Landlord is obligated to do hereunder (exclusive of any of Tenant’s fixtures, furnishings, equipment and the like or work performed therein by Tenant and the prompt completion of any required Tenant leasehold improvements). 12.2 Eminent Domain. (a) If after the execution and before termination of this Lease, access to the Premises shall be materially reduced as a direct result of a taking by eminent domain or in the event of conveyance in lieu thereof, or more than ten percent (10%) of the Premises is so taken or conveyed or such lesser amount, if such taking or conveyance otherwise materially interferes with the Tenant's use and enjoyment of the Premises, then, at the election of Tenant, the Lease shall terminate as of the day possession shall be taken by such authority, and Tenant shall pay Rent up to that date, with a pro-rata refund by Landlord of such Rent as will have been paid in advance for a period subsequent to the date of the taking of possession. (b) If after the execution and before termination of this Lease, as a direct result of a taking by eminent domain or in the event of conveyance in lieu thereof, access to the Premises is not materially reduced or if less than ten percent (10%) of the Premises is taken or conveyed, or if such taking does not otherwise materially interfere with Tenant's use and enjoyment of the Premises, then, at the election of Tenant, this Lease will terminate only as respects the portions so taken or conveyed, as of the day possession is taken, and Tenant shall pay Rent up to that day, with an appropriate refund by Landlord of such Rent as may have been paid in advance for a period subsequent to the date of the taking of possession, and thereafter the Annual Base Rent will be equitably adjusted. Pending agreement of such Rent adjustment, Tenant agrees to pay to Landlord the Annual Base Rent in effect immediately prior to the taking by eminent domain, reduced pro-rata by the square footage taken. Landlord shall, at its expense, make all necessary repairs or alterations so as to reconstitute the remaining portion of the Premises a complete architectural unit and in substantially the same conditions as prior to the taking. (c) If after the execution and before termination of this Lease, as a direct result of a taking by eminent domain or in the event of conveyance in lieu thereof, access to the Premises is materially reduced or more than ten percent (10%) of the Premises is taken or conveyed (or if Tenant otherwise has the right to terminate this Lease pursuant to Section 12.2(a)) and Tenant has not elected to terminate, the Term will cease only as respects the part so taken or conveyed, from the day possession is taken, and Tenant shall pay Rent to that date with an appropriate refund by Landlord of such Rent as may have been paid in advance for a period subsequent to the date of the taking of possession, but Landlord will have the right to terminate this Lease upon notice to Tenant in writing within thirty (30) calendar days after such taking of possession. If Landlord does not elect to terminate the Lease, all of the terms herein provided Page 14 of 22 shall continue in effect except that the Annual Base Rent and Additional Rent will be equitably adjusted, and Landlord shall make all necessary repairs or alterations so as to constitute the remaining portion of the Premises a complete architectural unit and in substantially the same condition as prior to the taking. (d) All compensation awarded for any such taking or conveyance, whether for the whole or a part of the Premises, except as expressly provided below, will be awarded to Landlord. Tenant hereby assigns to Landlord all of Tenant's right, title and interest in and to any and all such compensation except as provided below. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, the Tenant will be entitled to seek a separate award for Tenant's leasehold improvements, leasehold interest, Trade Fixtures, relocation expenses and any other claim permitted by law. In the event of any taking of the Premises or any part thereof for temporary use, this Lease will be and remain unaffected thereby and Annual Base Rent and Additional Rent will be equitably adjusted. SECTION 13: DEFAULT 13.1 Events of Default. If any default in the payment of Annual Base Rent, Additional Rent or any other monetary obligation due to Landlord by Tenant (a “Monetary Default”) is not cured within fourteen (14) calendar days of written notice of such Monetary Default from Landlord to Tenant, provided, however, Landlord shall not be required to give more than two (2) such written notices during any twelve (12) month period, in which case Landlord may exercise its remedies under this Section 13 immediately upon any such Monetary Default; or if any other default under the terms hereof continues for more than thirty (30) calendar days following written notice thereof from Landlord to Tenant plus such additional time, if any, as is reasonably necessary to cure the default if the default is of such a nature that it can be cured but cannot reasonably be cured in thirty (30) calendar days and Tenant is diligently and continuously endeavoring to cure such default; or if Tenant files a petition under any chapter of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. 101 et seq., as it may be amended, or if any such petition is filed against Tenant and is not dismissed within ninety (90) calendar days; or if Tenant commences any dissolution, liquidation, composition, financial reorganization or recapitalization with creditors, makes an assignment or trust mortgage for benefit of creditors; or if a receiver, trustee, custodian or similar agent is appointed or takes possession with respect to any property of Tenant and such appointment as ordered is not dismissed within ninety (90) calendar days; or if the leasehold hereby created is taken on execution or other process of law in any action against Tenant; then, and in any such case, Landlord and the agents and servants of Landlord may, in addition to and not in derogation of any remedies for any preceding breach of covenant, immediately or at any time thereafter while such default continues and without further notice, at Landlord’s election, do any one or more of the following: (1) give Tenant written notice stating that the Lease is terminated, effective fourteen (14) calendar days after the giving of such notice or upon a date stated in such notice, as Landlord may elect, in which event the Lease shall be irrevocably terminated as stated in such notice without any further action, or (2) with an execution for possession issued by a court of competent jurisdiction, enter and repossess the Premises as of Landlord's former estate, and expel Tenant and those claiming through or under Tenant, and remove its and their effects, without being guilty of trespass, in which event the Lease shall be irrevocably terminated at the time of such entry, or (3) pursue any other rights or remedies permitted by law. Any such termination of the Lease will be without prejudice to any Page 15 of 22 remedies which might otherwise be used for arrears of Rent or prior breach of covenant, and, in the event of such termination, Tenant shall remain liable under this Lease as hereinafter provided. In any such event, Tenant hereby waives all statutory rights (including, without limitation, rights of redemption, if any) to the extent such rights may be lawfully waived, and Landlord, without notice to Tenant, may store Tenant's effects and those of any person claiming through or under Tenant at the expense and risk of Tenant and, if Landlord so elects, after not less than thirty (30) calendar days' written notice without Tenant's having removed its property from the Premises, may sell such effects at public auction or private sale and apply the net proceeds thereof to the payment of all sums due to Landlord from Tenant, if any, and pay over the balance, if any, to Tenant. 13.2 Tenant’s Obligations after Termination. In the event that this Lease is terminated under any of the provisions contained in Section 13.1, Tenant shall pay forthwith to Landlord, as compensation, the excess of the total Rent reserved for the residue of the Term over the fair market rental value of the Premises for the residue of the Term. In calculating the Rent reserved there shall be included, in addition to the Annual Base Rent and Additional Rent, the value of all other considerations agreed to be paid or performed by Tenant during the residue of the Term. As additional and cumulative obligations after any such termination, Tenant shall also pay punctually to Landlord all the sums and shall perform all the obligations that Tenant covenants in this Lease to pay and to perform in the same manner and to the same extent and at the same time as if this Lease had not been terminated. In calculating the amounts to be paid by Tenant pursuant to the preceding sentence, Tenant shall be credited with any amount paid to Landlord pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 13.2 and also with the net proceeds of any Rent obtained by Landlord by re-letting the Premises, after deducting all Landlord’s reasonable expenses in connection with such re-letting, including, without limitation, all repossession costs, brokerage commissions, fees for legal services, and expenses of preparing the Premises for such re-letting, it being agreed by Tenant that Landlord may (i) re-let the Premises or any part or parts thereof for a term or terms that may, at Landlord’s option, be equal to or less than or exceed the period that would otherwise have constituted the balance of the Term hereof and may grant such concessions and free rent as Landlord in its reasonable judgment considers advisable or necessary to re-let the same and (ii) make such alterations, repairs, and decorations in the Premises as Landlord in its reasonable judgment considers advisable or necessary to re-let the same, and no action of Landlord in accordance with the foregoing or failure to re-let or to collect rent under re-letting shall operate or be construed to release or reduce Tenant’s liability as aforesaid. 13.3 Nothing contained in this Lease will limit or prejudice the right of Landlord to prove and obtain, in proceedings for bankruptcy or insolvency by reason of the termination of this Lease, an amount equal to the maximum allowed by any statute or rule of law in effect at the time when, and governing the proceedings in which, the damages are to be proved, whether such amount be greater, equal to, or less than the amount of the loss or damages referred to above. 13.4 Landlord shall in no event be in default in the performance of any of Landlord’s obligations hereunder unless and until Landlord has failed to perform such obligations within thirty (30) days, or such additional time as is reasonably required to correct any such default, after notice by Tenant to Landlord specifying Landlord’s defaulted obligation. Page 16 of 22 SECTION 14: MISCELLANEOUS 14.1 Notices from One Party to the Other. All notices required or permitted hereunder must be addressed to the respective addresses of Landlord and Tenant indicated in Section 1 hereof and must be sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested or by a national overnight carrier, with copies in each instance as follows: With respect to Landlord: Archdiocese of Boston 66 Brooks Drive Braintree, Massachusetts 02184 Attn: Chancellor Archdiocese of Boston 66 Brooks Drive Braintree, Massachusetts 02184 Attn: General Counsel With a copy to: St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish 46 Myrtle Street Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Attn: Pastor/Administrator With respect to Tenant: City of Melrose 562 Main Street Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Attn: Office of the Mayor All notices will be deemed received on the day immediately following the day on which such notice is deposited with the U.S. Postal Service or national overnight carrier, as applicable. 14.2 Bind and Inure. This Lease is binding upon and inures to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective authorized successors and assigns, except that Landlord named herein and each successive owner of the Premises will be liable only for the obligations accruing during the period of its ownership. No officer, trustee, manager, member, beneficiary, employee or any other affiliate of Landlord will be personally liable or subject to levy, execution or other enforcement procedure against their personal assets for the satisfaction of the remedies of Tenant against Landlord. The reference herein to authorized successors and assigns of Tenant is not intended to constitute consent to assignment from Landlord to Tenant, but has reference only to Page 17 of 22 those instances in which Landlord may later give consent to a particular assignment as permitted by the provisions of this Lease. 14.3 No Waiver, Etc. The failure of Landlord or of Tenant to seek redress for violation of, or to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant or condition of this Lease, or, with respect to such failure of Landlord, any of the rules and regulations referred to in Section 11.6 hereof, whether heretofore or hereafter adopted by Landlord, shall not be deemed a waiver of such violation nor prevent a subsequent act, which would have originally constituted a violation, from having all the force and effect of an original violation. The receipt by Landlord of Annual Base Rent or Additional Rent with knowledge of the breach of any covenant of this Lease shall not be deemed a waiver of such breach by Landlord, unless such waiver is in writing and signed by Landlord. No consent or waiver, express or implied, by Landlord or Tenant to or of any breach of any agreement or duty will be construed as a waiver or consent to or of any other breach of the same or any other agreement or duty. 14.4 No Accord and Satisfaction. No acceptance by Landlord of a lesser sum than the Rent then due shall be deemed to be other than on account of the earliest installment of such Rent due, nor shall any endorsement or statement on any check or any letter accompanying any check or payment as Rent be deemed an accord and satisfaction, and Landlord may accept such check or payment without prejudice to Landlord's right to recover the balance of such installment or pursue any other remedy provided in this Lease or at law or in equity. 14.5 Cumulative Remedies. The specific remedies to which Landlord may resort under the terms of this Lease are cumulative and are not intended to be exclusive of any other remedies or means or redress to which it may be lawfully entitled in case of any breach or threatened breach by Tenant of any provisions of this Lease. In addition to the other remedies provided in this Lease, Landlord may seek injunctive relief regarding any attempted or threatened violation of any of the covenants, conditions or provisions of this Lease or to a decree compelling specific performance of any such covenants, conditions or provisions. Tenant shall immediately reimburse Landlord for any expense incurred by Landlord in curing Tenant’s failure to satisfy any of its obligations (notwithstanding the fact that such cure might be effected by Landlord following the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease). 14.6 Landlord’s Right to Cure. If Tenant defaults at any time in the performance of any obligation under this Lease beyond the applicable notice and grace period or cure period, if any, then, if Tenant has failed to cure or to have commenced to cure such default within five (5) calendar days following an additional written notice to Tenant (but in cases of emergency, no notice will be required), Landlord will have the right, but not the obligation, to enter upon the Premises, if necessary, and to perform such obligation, notwithstanding the fact that no specific provision for such substituted performance by Landlord is made in this Lease with respect to such default. In performing such obligation, Landlord may make any payment of money or perform any other act. All sums so paid by Landlord (together with interest at the Default Rate and all necessary and reasonable incidental costs and expenses in connection with the performance of any such act by Landlord) shall be deemed to be Additional Rent under this Lease and shall be payable to Landlord immediately on demand. Landlord may exercise the foregoing rights without waiving any other of its rights or releasing Tenant from any of its Page 18 of 22 obligations under this Lease. 14.7 Estoppel Certificate. Tenant agrees, from time to time, upon not less than thirty (30) calendar days' prior written request by Landlord, to execute, acknowledge and deliver to Landlord a statement in writing certifying that this Lease is unmodified and in full force and effect; that Tenant has no defenses, offsets or counterclaims against its obligations to pay the Annual Base Rent and Additional Rent and to perform its other covenants under this Lease; that there are no uncured defaults of Landlord or Tenant under this Lease (or, if there have been modifications, or if there are any defenses, offsets, counterclaims, or defaults, setting them forth in reasonable detail); and the dates to which the Annual Base Rent, Additional Rent and other charges have been paid. Any such statement delivered pursuant to this Section 14.7 shall be in a form reasonably acceptable to and may be relied upon by a prospective purchaser or mortgagee of the Premises or any prospective assignee of any such mortgagee. 14.8 Acts of God. In any case where either party hereto is required to do any act and delays are caused by or result from causes beyond such party's reasonable control, these delays will not be counted in determining the time during which the work or cure must be completed, whether such time be designated by a fixed date, fixed time or a "reasonable time" and such time will be deemed to be extended by the period of such delay. 14.9 Submission Not an Offer. The submission of a draft of this Lease or a summary of some or all of its provisions does not constitute an offer to lease or demise the Premises, it being understood and agreed that neither Landlord nor Tenant will be legally bound with respect to the leasing of the Premises unless and until this Lease has been executed by both Landlord and Tenant and a fully executed copy has been delivered to each of them. 14.10 Service of Process; Jury Trial Waiver. (a) TENANT AND LANDLORD EACH HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION (I) ARISING UNDER THIS LEASE OR (II) IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO IN RESPECT OF THIS LEASE OR ANY AGREEMENT OR TRANSACTION RELATED HERETO OR THERETO IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, EQUITY OR OTHERWISE. TENANT AND LANDLORD EACH HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY AND THAT TENANT OR LANDLORD MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OF A COPY OF THIS LEASE WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY. (b) Tenant and Landlord each hereby consents to the service of process in the manner provided for notices under this Lease. Page 19 of 22 14.11 Severability. If any term, covenant, condition or provision of this Lease or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is declared invalid or unenforceable by the final ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction having final review, the remaining terms, covenants, conditions and provisions of this Lease and their application to persons or circumstances will not be affected thereby and will continue to be enforced and recognized as valid agreements of the parties, and in the place of such invalid or unenforceable provision, there will be substituted a like, but valid and enforceable provision which comports to the findings of the aforesaid court and most nearly accomplishes the original intention of the parties. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, it is expressly understood and agreed by Landlord and Tenant that if Section 7.2 is severed, found invalid or unenforceable for any reason, this Lease Agreement will terminate upon written notice from Landlord, such termination to become immediately effective upon Landlord giving notice thereof. 14.12 Integration. This Lease supersedes all prior oral or written agreements or understanding concerning the terms hereof and constitutes and represents the complete and final agreement between the parties hereto. 14.13 Headings. The titles of the several Sections contained herein are for convenience only and must not be considered in construing this Lease. 14.14 Unless repugnant to the context, the words "Landlord" and "Tenant" appearing in this Lease shall be construed to mean those named above and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and those claiming through or under them, respectively. 14.15 Amendments. This Lease may be amended and the provisions hereof may be waived or modified, only by instruments in writing executed by Landlord and Tenant. 14.16 Authority of Tenant. Tenant represents and warrants to Landlord (which representations and warranties shall survive the delivery of this Lease) that: (a) Tenant has the power to execute and deliver and perform its obligations under this Lease; and (b) (i) the execution, delivery, and performance by Tenant of its obligations under this Lease have been duly authorized, and will not violate the organizational documents of the Tenant or any indenture, agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound; and (ii) the signatory to this Lease is duly authorized to execute this Lease on the Tenant’s behalf. 14.17 Authority of Landlord. Landlord represents and warrants to Tenant (which representations and warranties shall survive the delivery of this Lease) that: (a) Landlord (i) is a Corporation Sole, established and maintained as a religious corporation pursuant to Chapter 506 of the Massachusetts Acts of 1897, (ii) has the power and authority to carry on businesses now being conducted and is qualified to do business in Massachusetts, and (iii) has the power to execute and deliver and perform its obligations under this Lease; and (b) the execution, delivery and performance by Landlord of its obligations under this Lease have been duly authorized by all requisite organizational action and will not violate the organizational documents of Landlord or any indenture, agreement, or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound. Page 20 of 22 14.18 Brokers. Landlord and Tenant warrant and represent that, they have not dealt with any broker or agent in connection with this transaction. 14.19 Mutual Waiver of Claims. Insofar as and to the extent that the following provisions may be effective without invalidating or making it impossible to secure insurance coverage from responsible insurance companies doing business in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts (even though extra premium may result therefrom): Landlord and Tenant mutually agree that with respect to any loss which is covered by insurance then being carried by them, the one carrying such insurance and suffering said loss releases the other of and from any and all claims with respect to such loss; and they further mutually agree that their insurance companies will have no right of subrogation against the other on account thereof. In the event that an additional premium is payable by either party as a result of this provision, the other party shall reimburse the party paying such premium the amount of such extra premium. If, at the written request of one party, this release and non-subrogation provision is waived, then the obligation of reimbursement will cease for such period of time as such waiver will be effective, but nothing contained in this Section will be deemed to modify or otherwise affect any releases elsewhere contained in this Lease. Notwithstanding the forgoing, each party reserves any rights with respect to any excess of loss or injury over the amount recovered by such insurance. 14.20 Counterparts. This Lease may be executed in any number of counterparts, but all of such counterparts will together constitute but one and the same agreement. In making proof of this Lease, it will not be necessary to produce or account for more than one counterpart thereof signed by each of the parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Lease by facsimile or other electronic method of transmission will have the same force and effect as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Lease. 14.21 Limitation on Damages. Neither Landlord nor Tenant will be liable to the other for any consequential damages, including, without limitation, any so-called “lost profits”. Nor shall Landlord be liable to Tenant for any reason for any losses resulting from any computer or electronics failures, including, without limitation, any losses or damages suffered in connection with a loss of data. 14.22 Enforcement Expenses. Unless prohibited by applicable law, Tenant agrees to pay to Landlord the amount of all fees and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and costs) incurred by Landlord arising out of or resulting from any act or omission by Tenant with respect to this Lease or the Premises, including, without limitation, any breach by Tenant of its obligations hereunder, irrespective of whether Landlord resorts to litigation as a result thereof. 14.23 Interpretation. Unless indicated otherwise, the term “or” in this document is used in the inclusive sense. 14.24 Survival. In addition to those provisions specifically noted as surviving termination of this Lease, the following provisions will survive termination of this Lease: this Section 14.24 (Survival), Section 11.11 (Holdover), and Section 14.1 (Notices). In addition, if Page 21 of 22 the Lease is terminated because of a breach of the Lease by the non-terminating party, the terminating party’s right to pursue all legal remedies will survive such termination unimpaired. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Lease to be duly executed as an instrument under seal and delivered as of the day and year first above written. ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF BOSTON, A CORPORATION SOLE, as Landlord By: ____________________________________ John Straub, Chancellor / Assistant Clerk CITY OF MELROSE, as Tenant By: _________________________________ Title: _________________________________ Page 22 of 22 From: Sarah Thain Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2026 1:32 PM To: City Council <CityCouncil@cityofmelrose.org> Cc: Mayor Grigoraitis <jgrigoraitis@cityofmelrose.org> Subject: Request to support downtown businesses CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Dear Members of the Melrose City Council, I have recently learned that the lease agreement between the City of Melrose and the Archdiocese of Boston for the parking area located behind my business is up for renewal. I have owned a business at 444B Main Warning: Unusual sender <klippingssalon@gmail.com> You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. Dear Members of the Melrose City Council, I have recently learned that the lease agreement between the City of Melrose and the Archdiocese of Boston for the parking area located behind my business is up for renewal. I have owned a business at 444B Main St. for 26 years and have depended on this parking lot for my business’s success. These spaces are essential to local businesses and help keep Main Street a vibrant town center—one that many nearby communities admire. Many of our clients come from surrounding towns for our services and often visit other businesses in the area during the same trip. Without accessible parking, they will go elsewhere. While I can appreciate that the city is trying to address budget constraints, I would urge the council to approve the revised lease. This parking lot brings business into our city and is a valuable financial asset. If additional financial support to cover the increase would help make the lease renewal possible, I would be willing to contribute toward that effort. Please consider the broader impact this will have on our businesses, our employees, and the long-term health and vitality of our downtown. Thank you for your time, your service to our community, and your thoughtful consideration of this important matter. Sincerely, Sarah Milliner Thain Klippings Salon From: To: Cc: Subject: A Downtown Business Owner"s Request for Your Support Date: Monday, July 13, 2026 6:54:14 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Warning: Unusual sender > You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. To the Members of the Melrose City Council, I am writing to you as a longtime Melrose business/restaurant owner to express my strong support for approving the revised lease agreement between the City of Melrose and the Archdiocese of Boston for the parking area located behind our business. These parking spaces are not simply a convenience, they are essential to the survival of our business and many others in the downtown area. The lot is directly adjacent to the main entrance of our restaurant and serves as the primary parking area for our customers. Within a two block radius, I estimate that 15 to 20 local businesses rely heavily on these same spaces every single day. Without them, many customers would simply choose to dine, shop, or conduct business elsewhere. I understand that the previous lease expired and that the Archdiocese sought a significant increase in rent. While I appreciate that both parties have worked to negotiate a more reasonable agreement, I respectfully urge the City Council to approve the revised lease. Maintaining this parking lot is critical not only for my business but also for the vitality of our entire downtown business district. I also want to offer a spirit of partnership. While I cannot speak for every business owner who benefits from these parking spaces, I can say that I would be willing to explore contributing financially if doing so helps bridge the gap and ensures that this lease is finalized. I believe many of us would rather be part of a solution than risk losing such an invaluable asset to our businesses and the community. Our restaurant has proudly served Melrose for over 10 years. We have always believed in giving back to the community through charitable donations, sponsorships, fundraising events, and support for local organizations. We take great pride in being more than just a business, we strive to be a community partner. We hope to continue supporting Melrose for many years to come, but maintaining accessible parking is a vital part of ensuring that our business remains strong enough to do so. I respectfully ask that you consider the broader impact this decision will have on the many small businesses that make downtown Melrose a vibrant destination. Approving this lease is an investment in local businesses, local jobs, and the continued success of our downtown. Thank you for your time, your service to our community, and your thoughtful consideration of this important matter. Respectfully, Richard Talieri Giacomo's Ristorante****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.****From: To: Cc: ; ; Subject: Comments about parking Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 4:02:35 PM Attachments: Artboard 1 copy.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Warning: Unusual sender < > You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. Dear City Council, SDM Foundation is a nonprofit located at 406 Main St. We provide free technology help and education to members of our community, many of whom are older adults. Our services are free. The loss of the St. Mary's parking spaces in the Larrabee parking area would have a significant adverse impact on both our organization and the people we serve. Many of our clients are unable to walk to our shop from their homes. Even now, there are days when finding parking near our office is challenging, creating an additional barrier for those seeking our services. Reducing the number of available parking spaces would only worsen this problem. We would like to encourage you to approve the proposed lease. We understand that there may be changes to the parking in the future but this would, at the very least, allow the city to plan and minimize the impact. Although it is unfortunate that the cost of the lease has increased substantially, we believe the continued availability of these parking spaces is essential at this time and justifies moving forward with the agreement. . Thank you for considering our opinion in this matter. Kristin Thorp and Sara Murray SDM Foundation 406 Main St Melrose MA 02176****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.**** From: To: Cc: Subject: Fwd: Parking lot lease Date: Thursday, July 16, 2026 12:26:53 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Warning: Unusual sender > You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. Begin forwarded message: From: Date: July 16, 2026 at 12:24:29 PM EDT To: Subject: Fwd: Parking lot lease ============ Forwarded message ============ From: Patti Boni > To : < >,, < > Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:11:43 -0700 Subject: Parking lot lease ============ Forwarded message ============ Hello, I have just been made aware of the issue of the lease for the parking lot in back of my business. I have owned Cuts& such hair salon for 44 years. Parking is an extremely important issue for businesses to be successful in this area. If you take away 53 parking spots, it is going to be a serious damaging problem for my business and my neighbors all around the downtown Melrose Square. It will overflow all the other lots, which are already busy all the time. My employees and customers depend on good parking within a reasonable amount of walk to Main Street. If that is taken away, especially in the winter months, you are going to cripple the downtown businesses. It’s a very serious situation, and I support my neighbor Richie Talieri owner of Giacomo’s restaurant in his effort to bring this to your attention.Please vote to keep this lease. Sincerely, Patti Boni Cuts&Such ****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.****From: Subject: Municipal Parking Lot Date: Thursday, July 16, 2026 1:01:41 PM Attachments: CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Warning: Unusual sender < > You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. Members of the Melrose City Council: As an employee at Eastern Bank, like all my colleagues at Eastern Bank, I have a City of Melrose issued parking sticker for the municipal parking lot. As employees we are encouraged to park in the lot behind the VFW down Larrabee Place to allow our customers to access the spaces behind the bank, in the municipal lot off Grove Street. Obviously if we cannot use the lot it will add to the congestion in the Grove St lot. Attached please see the letter from Richard Talleri of Giacomo’s that I’m sure most downtown businesses support. Please vote Yes to support the new lease and maintain the current parking situation. Thank you for your consideration. Peter LeSaffre Service Associate Eastern Bank Eastern Bankshares, Inc, (NASDAQ: EBC) 781-598-7997 – Fax 781-665-9077 441 Main St Melrose, MA 02176 ======================================================= The information contained in this electronic communication is intended to be sent only to the stated recipient and may contain information that is confidential, privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or their agent, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of the information is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender and delete all copies. ======================================================= ****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.****From: To: Subject: Parking - archdiocese lot Date: Monday, July 13, 2026 8:35:30 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Warning: Unusual sender > You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. Hi council members, As a constituent of the city of Melrose, I urge you to vote in favor of a one year extension of the parking lot lease. Then please use the next year to realistically figure out a way to keep those parking spaces. As someone who uses that lot regularly, and routinely can’t find a spot, it would be a huge loss for the residents of Melrose and the surrounding businesses. Thank you! Meghan Walsh Sent from my iPhone ****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.****From: To: Subject: Parking Spaces Date: Saturday, July 11, 2026 9:02:03 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Warning: Unusual sender < > You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. Good morning Councillors, I saw the post on FaceBook about the parking spaces St. Mary's leases to the City and wanted to send along my endorsement to sign the one year lease. As many pointed out in the comments section, those spaces are valuable to the businesses and economic growth in our downtown area. Our downtown area attracts residents and out of towners to spend money which we all know is good for our community in many ways. Businesses flourish and help our youth sports and programs, they have charity events to help local non-profits, the taxes they generate help pay for city services which then attract new buyers to Melrose, and so on. I have not researched current market value for parking spaces but I think it's common knowledge that parking is valuable whether it's in downtown Melrose, the MBTA, or in downtown Boston. It seems fair that the cost would rise, and as has been the case over the last several years, everything has gone up from food to real estate to rent. The terms of the contract seem to be a source of concern, specifically that DPW services the spots. That's just a term of the contract. You either do the work using DPW or the landlord hires a private company and that cost gets passed on, as with any rental. The city needs to do due diligence to determine what's cheaper. This is a nornal part of business. I think the city either needs to keep leasing these spaces or come up with something to replace the spots. Whatever that looks like we can't lose parking downtown. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Respectfully, Shannon Stamegna ****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.****From: To: Subject: Parking Date: Saturday, July 11, 2026 7:13:08 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Warning: Unusual sender You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. Hi I’m writing to strongly encourage the council to extend the lease on the parking spaces behind giacomo’s. The city is pressed for parking downtown, and it will get worse… especially with all the ridiculous construction going on. Please do not get rid of these spaces! Thanks ****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.****From: To: Cc: ; Subject: Request for Support – Renewal of Lease for St. Mary’s Parking Spots Date: Thursday, July 16, 2026 10:34:25 AM Importance: High CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Warning: Unusual sender < > You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. Good morning, We are writing to respectfully request your support in renewing the lease with St. Mary’s for the 53 parking spots currently available. These spaces are vital—not only to the success of neighboring businesses but also to the well-being and accessibility of our community. Adequate parking is a cornerstone of Melrose’s economic vitality, helping local shops, restaurants, and services thrive while ensuring residents and visitors can easily enjoy all our city has to offer. Thank you for your time, consideration, and commitment to supporting our community’s needs. Kristin Thorp, Chamber Board President Gail Infurna, Government Affairs Committee Chair Stephanie Nelson, Executive Director Stephanie Nelson Executive Director Melrose Chamber of Commerce 781-665-3033 www.melrosechamber.org The Chamber CONNECTS…. Join today! CHECK OUT OUR UPCOMING EVENTS! ****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that theMassachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.****From: To: Cc: Subject: Request to support downtown businesses Date: Thursday, July 16, 2026 1:32:46 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Warning: Unusual sender < > You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. Dear Members of the Melrose City Council, I have recently learned that the lease agreement between the City of Melrose and the Archdiocese of Boston for the parking area located behind my business is up for renewal. I have owned a business at 444B Main St. for 26 years and have depended on this parking lot for my business’s success. These spaces are essential to local businesses and help keep Main Street a vibrant town center—one that many nearby communities admire. Many of our clients come from surrounding towns for our services and often visit other businesses in the area during the same trip. Without accessible parking, they will go elsewhere. While I can appreciate that the city is trying to address budget constraints, I would urge the council to approve the revised lease. This parking lot brings business into our city and is a valuable financial asset. If additional financial support to cover the increase would help make the lease renewal possible, I would be willing to contribute toward that effort. Please consider the broader impact this will have on our businesses, our employees, and the long-term health and vitality of our downtown. Thank you for your time, your service to our community, and your thoughtful consideration of this important matter. Sincerely, Sarah Milliner Thain 444B Main Street Klippings Salon ****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.**** From: To: Subject: St Mary’s Parking Lot Lease Date: Monday, July 13, 2026 12:25:09 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Warning: Unusual sender < > You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. ,City Councilors I ask that you vote to approve the proposal of paying a one year lease for the St Mary’s parking lot and then using the time to review next steps. Parking in downtown Melrose is already at a premium. Losing these parking spaces would be detrimental to the business owners and customers. Further, as the city continues to approve developments without parking or sufficient parking, the situation will continue to worsen. If you are truly interested in having a vital and vibrant downtown, pay the lease. It would be irresponsible not to do so. Do not lose these spaces. Thank you, Kathy Cotter Ward One Resident Sent from my iPhone ****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.****From: To: Subject: St Mary’s Parking Lot Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 7:46:04 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Warning: Unusual sender < > You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. To all City Councillors, I’m sending this email as a life long Melrose resident and an active commercial real estate broker, to voice my strong support for the city’s lease of the 53-space parking lot from St. Mary’s. Over the past several years I’ve worked on a number of downtown Melrose leases, including Hannah’s Brewing, Molly’s Bookstore, Bangkok Bar Shi Thai Tavern, Big Fin Poke, Planted Organic Cafe, Pediatric Health Care Associates, and AP Derm, and I’m currently leasing the new construction commercial space at 12 Essex St. I also sold the former Whittemore Hardware building and the current Eastern Bank building. Parking availability comes up constantly in these transactions - it’s one of the first questions any prospective tenant or investor asks, and it directly affects both leasing success and the rents these spaces can support. Melrose has one of the most successful downtowns in the surrounding area, and that success depends in part on the parking that supports it. This end of downtown would be immediately impacted if those 53 spaces went away. The city should move forward with this lease. Based on my experience valuing commercial property in this market, the proposed rent is well below market value, even accounting for the church’s continued use of the lot and the city’s maintenance obligations. But beyond the terms of this one-year lease, the bigger priority is what comes next: the moment this lease is signed, the city should immediately begin discussions with St. Mary’s toward a long-term solution that secures lasting control of this parcel. A one-year term buys time, but it doesn’t protect this end of downtown from the real risk here - permanently losing these spaces. Thank you for your consideration Jason Madden Jason R Madden Pondfield Commercial Group 441 Main St- Suite 203 Melrose, MA 02176Sent from my iPhone ****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.****From: To: Subject: St. Mary"s Church Lease Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 7:39:16 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. External sender < > Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. Good morning Councilors, I am writing to day to urge you to support the three orders related to authorizing the lease renewal between the City of Melrose and St. Mary’s church. The potential disruption to residents and business by losing more than 50 parking spaces in the downtown area with little notice is both bad economic and public policy. I took the time to watch the A&O meeting and found the conversation fascinating. I was particularly heartened by the thoughtful and pragmatic comments made by Councilors Finocchiaro and Park. As an aside, with so many comments focused on wanting more information about the utilization of parking in the downtown area, I hope the Councilors that voted against the proposal for a parking study last month take a moment to reflect on how shortsighted that vote was. Regards, Eric Wildman ****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.****From: tammy duong > Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2026 10:51 PM To: City Council < > Cc: Mayor Grigoraitis Subject: A Downtown Business Owner’s Request for Your Support CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. To the members of the city Melrose City Council, I am writing to you as a longtime Melrose business owner to express my strong support for approving the revised lease arrangement between the City of Melrose and the Archdiocese of Boston for the pa Warning: Unusual sender < > You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. To the members of the city Melrose City Council, I am writing to you as a longtime Melrose business owner to express my strong support for approving the revised lease arrangement between the City of Melrose and the Archdiocese of Boston for the parking area located behind our business. The parking spaces are not simply a convenience, they are essential to the survival of our business and many others in the downtown area. The lot is directly adjacent to the main entrance of our business and serves as the primary parking area for our customers. Within a two block radius, I estimate that 15 to 20 local business rely heavily on these same spaces every single day. Without them, many customers would simply choose to dine, shop, or conduct business eleswhere. I understand that the previous lease expired and that the Archdiocese sought a signiﬁcant increase in rent. While I appreciate that both parties have worked to negotiate a more reasonable agreement, I respectfully urge the City council to approve the revised lease. Maintaining this parking lot is critical not only for my business but also for the vitality of our entire downtown business district. I also want to offer a spirit of partnership. While I cannot speak for every business owner who beneﬁts from these parking spaces, I can say that I would be willing to explore contributing ﬁnancially if doing so helps bridge the gap and ensures that this lease is ﬁnalized. I believe many of us would rather be part of a solution than risk losing such an invaluable asset to our businesses and the community. I respectfully ask that you consider the broader impact this decision will have on the many small businesses that make downtown Melrose a vibrant destination. Approving this lease is an investment in local businesses, local jobs, and the continued success of our downtown. Thank you for your time, your service to our community, and your thoughtful consideration of this important matter. Respectfully, Tammy Duong Anna’s Nails Spa 442 Main Street Melrose MA 02176 781-665-1383 From: Stephanie Nelson < > Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2026 10:34 AM To: City Council < > Cc: Kristin Thorp < >; Gail Infurna < > Subject: Request for Support – Renewal of Lease for St. Mary’s Parking Spots Importance: High CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Good morning, We are writing to respectfully request your support in renewing the lease with St. Mary’s for the 53 parking spots currently available. These spaces are vital—not only to the success of neighboring businesses but also to the well-being and accessibility of our community. Adequate parking is a cornerstone of Melrose’s economic vitality, helping local shops, restaurants, and services thrive while ensuring residents and visitors can easily enjoy all our city has to offer. Thank you for your time, consideration, and commitment to supporting our community’s needs. Kristin Thorp, Chamber Board President Gail Infurna, Government Affairs Committee Chair Stephanie Nelson, Executive Director Stephanie Nelson Executive Director Melrose Chamber of Commerce www.melrosechamber.org From: Patti Boni < > To : < >,, < > Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:11:43 -0700 Subject: Parking lot lease ============ Forwarded message ============ Hello, I have just been made aware of the issue of the lease for the parking lot in back of my business. I have owned Cuts& such hair salon for 44 years. Parking is an extremely important issue for businesses to be successful in this area. If you take away 53 parking spots, it is going to be a serious damaging problem for my business and my neighbors all around the downtown Melrose Square. It will overﬂow all the other lots, which are already busy all the time. My employees and customers depend on good parking within a reasonable amount of walk to Main Street. If that is taken away, especially in the winter months, you are going to cripple the downtown businesses. It’s a very serious situation, and I support my neighbor Richie Talieri owner of Giacomo’s restaurant in his effort to bring this to your attention.Please vote to keep this lease. Sincerely, Patti Boni Cuts&Such From: Eileen McAnneny < > Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2026 10:40 AM To: City Council < > Subject: Parking lease CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Dear City Council, I write to indicate my strong support for renewing the parking lease with St, Mary’s parish. Melrose has had a shortage of downtown parking since I moved here 26 years ago and that shortage has grown more acute in the past few years with the building of hundreds of new housing units that don’t have sufficient parking spaces. One of Melrose’s key features is its vibrant downtown. If we want to keep it that way, we need sufficient parking to support local businesses. Not all customers are local residents. And even those customers who are local have difficulty ﬁnding parking routinely. While it would be nice for everyone to walk everywhere, that notion is not realistic for a number of reasons, disabled, carrying groceries, ill, etc. I would like to know each of your stances on the parking lease issue with a brief explanation so I can understand your position. Thank you Eileen McAnneny, Esq. From: Jana Gimenez < > Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2026 2:49 PM To: City Council < > Cc: Mayor Grigoraitis >; Liane Cassavoy < > Subject: Requesting Your Support for the Larrabee Municipal Lot Lease Agreement CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. To the Members of the Melrose City Council: I’m sending this note to share my strong support for approval of the revised lease agreement for the parking spaces in the Larrabee Municipal Lot behind Main Street. These parking spaces are absolutely vital for the success of our downtown Melrose businesses, since they serve as the primary parking lot for the community members (like me!) that enjoy and support them. In particular, I’m writing representing The Food Drive to express the importance of these parking spaces for Giacomo’s Melrose. The loss of the spaces would detrimentally affect business at Giacomo’s, which would thereby affect their ability to continue their incredibly generous donations to so many of our local charities. Giacomo’s regularly hosts events that raise both funds and awareness for a wide range of nonproﬁts, including The Bridge, Follow Your Art, Friends of Melrose Drama, the Melrose Farmer’s Market, Melrose Kind, and The Food Drive, plus many more. For The Food Drive speciﬁcally, Giacomo’s is the cornerstone of our Hot Meals program, which provides hot restaurant meals for low-income housing residences and shelters. Since Richie Talieri jumped in as our ﬁrst restaurant donor ﬁve years ago in 2021 (just after The Food Drive’s formation), Giacomo’s has donated 50 free hot meals every month, resulting in over 3000 meals to date. Our volunteers drive a short three-mile distance straight from the kitchen at Giacomo’s to the Housing Families Broadway Inn motel shelter in Malden, which provides unhoused individuals with the resources they need to transition to permanent housing. The impact of these meals is enormous: “These meals are our residents’ favorite. They are grateful for everything we receive, but these are the only meals that are made just for them and that they receive while the food is still hot.” - Manager, Broadway Inn Motel Shelter I respectfully ask that you vote to approve the lease agreement in support of Giacomo’s and all of the local businesses that rely on these parking spaces. Many thanks for your consideration. Sincerely, Jana Jana Gimenez Executive Director TheFoodDrive 25 Sargent Street Melrose, MA 02176 www.thefooddrive.org (781) 214-1030 - THE FOOD DRIVE cell From: Stephen Spencer < > Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2026 1:36 PM To: Romanul, Devin < > Cc: City Council < > Subject: City Council meeting - Archdiocise parking lease CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Good Afternoon Councilor Romanul: I'm writing on behalf of myself and my wife as registered voters of ward 7 regarding the upcoming vote on the renewal of the parking lease with the Archdiocese for the parking area off Myrtle St. I understand as the Appropriations and Oversight Committee Chair that you did not support the renewal of the lease. We urge you to reconsider your position on this action and to support the renewal of the lease for the following reasons: The nonrenewal of the lease would exacerbate an already difficult parking and congestion situation in the downtown area. The downtown area is growing at a fast clip with the construction of several larger residential apartment, condominium, and townhouse structures. • We support the Mayor's petition to appropriate funds to study the parking and traffic situation downtown as the current traffic study from 2012 is out of date and does not account for the downtown development of the past 15 or more years. • We do not wish to see the small business community in our downtown area squeezed for parking. • Allowing lease renewal will allow the city and the Archdiocese more time to study and negotiate a better solution for both parties. • Melrose, unlike many other municipalities in this area, does not assess any parking fees at any of its lots. Consider this as an alternative solution to discouraging excessive congestion and offset to the cost of parking lot maintenance. • The rejection of the lease will force the Archdiocese to seek other solutions for the land in question and may result in an undesirable outcome for businesses in the area and the community. Thank for your attention to this matter. The favor of a reply is requested. Respectfully, Stephen and Bridget Spencer Melrose. From: Stephen Spencer < > Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2026 12:59 PM To: City Council Cc: Romanul, Devin < > Subject: Extending St Mary’s Lease CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Good afternoon, We are writing to ask to the City Council to continue the parking lease with St. Mary's Church for one more year. This will give the city and the Archdiocese the opportunity to negotiate further. We are also concerned about the small businesses that this lot serves and the impact of not having these spaces would have on these businesses. We frequently park in one of the St. Mary's parking spaces when we go downtown after driving around without luck to ﬁnd a parking space. The municipal lot is frequently full, along with the Shaws parking lot. We are registered voters of Ward 7. Thank you. Bridget and Stephen Spencer Melrose, MA 02176 From: To: City Council Cc: Cifuni, Tanji Subject: Typo Correction: 7/20 Public Comments - Parking Lot Lease Renewal Date: Monday, July 20, 2026 7:08:12 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Warning: Unusual sender < > You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. With typo corrected...please read these instead. Sent from my phone. Please excuse any typos. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: mail.com> Date: Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 7:04 PM Subject: 7/20 Public Comments - Parking Lot Lease Renewal To: City Council <citycouncil@cityofmelrose.org> Cc: <tcifuni@cityofmelrose.org> Good evening, Council members. My name is Eugenia Gibbons. I reside at Street. I'm unable to offer these comments in person this evening, but I appreciate the opportunity to submit them in writing and would ask that they be read into the public record. The renewal of the parking lot lease creates an opportunity for the city and Chamber of Commerce to explore more sustainable, long-term revenue strategies to offset the ongoing costs of maintaining the parking lot at the property owned by the Archdiocese — a 53-space lot that continues to require public resources to maintain. Rather than relying on ad hoc or short-term fixes, I encourage the city to put in place a funding mechanism that is both durable and equitable. If not already happening, two options that are perhaps worth serious consideration are: 1. Establishing a Business Improvement District (BID) in the surrounding area, which would allow nearby businesses and property owners who benefit most directly from the parking capacity to share in the cost of its upkeep. 2. Instituting a registration fee for commercial parking permitting, which would ensure that commercial users of the lot — who generate ongoing wear and demand — contribute proportionally to its maintenance rather than placing that burden solely on the city's general fund.Either approach — or some combination of the two — would help move the city away from reactive maintenance spending and toward a model that is financially sustainable over time. I ask the Council and Mayor Grigoraitis to explore the feasibility of these or other options over the next year, report back to the public, and put forth a proposal before the lease renewal is up again. Thank you for your time and consideration. Eugenia Gibbons Sent from my phone. Please excuse any typos. ****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.****From: To: City Council Subject: St Mary’s Parking Lot Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 7:46:04 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. Warning: Unusual sender com> You don't usually receive emails from this address. Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. To all City Councillors, I’m sending this email as a life long Melrose resident and an active commercial real estate broker, to voice my strong support for the city’s lease of the 53-space parking lot from St. Mary’s. Over the past several years I’ve worked on a number of downtown Melrose leases, including Hannah’s Brewing, Molly’s Bookstore, Bangkok Bar Shi Thai Tavern, Big Fin Poke, Planted Organic Cafe, Pediatric Health Care Associates, and AP Derm, and I’m currently leasing the new construction commercial space at 12 Essex St. I also sold the former Whittemore Hardware building and the current Eastern Bank building. Parking availability comes up constantly in these transactions - it’s one of the first questions any prospective tenant or investor asks, and it directly affects both leasing success and the rents these spaces can support. Melrose has one of the most successful downtowns in the surrounding area, and that success depends in part on the parking that supports it. This end of downtown would be immediately impacted if those 53 spaces went away. The city should move forward with this lease. Based on my experience valuing commercial property in this market, the proposed rent is well below market value, even accounting for the church’s continued use of the lot and the city’s maintenance obligations. But beyond the terms of this one-year lease, the bigger priority is what comes next: the moment this lease is signed, the city should immediately begin discussions with St. Mary’s toward a long-term solution that secures lasting control of this parcel. A one-year term buys time, but it doesn’t protect this end of downtown from the real risk here - permanently losing these spaces. Thank you for your consideration Jason Madden Rd Jason R Madden Pondfield Commercial Group 441 Melrose, MA 02176 jason@pondfieldcommercial.comSent from my iPhone ****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.****From: To: City Council Subject: St. Mary"s Church Lease Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 7:39:16 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the city's domain. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. If you believe that this message is spam, please use the "Report Spam" button in Outlook to report it. External sender <e @comcast.net> Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. Good morning Councilors, I am writing to day to urge you to support the three orders related to authorizing the lease renewal between the City of Melrose and St. Mary’s church. The potential disruption to residents and business by losing more than 50 parking spaces in the downtown area with little notice is both bad economic and public policy. I took the time to watch the A&O meeting and found the conversation fascinating. I was particularly heartened by the thoughtful and pragmatic comments made by Councilors Finocchiaro and Park. As an aside, with so many comments focused on wanting more information about the utilization of parking in the downtown area, I hope the Councilors that voted against the proposal for a parking study last month take a moment to reflect on how shortsighted that vote was. Regards, Eric Wildman Street ****CITY OF MELROSE PUBLIC RECORDS NOTICE: Please be advised that the Massachusetts Attorney General has determined that email is a public record unless the content of the email falls within one of the stated exemptions under the Massachusetts Public Records Laws.**** CITY OF MELROSE Auditor’s Office City Hall, 562 Main Street Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Telephone - (781) 979-4110 To: Melrose City Council From: Kerriann Golden, CFO/City Auditor Date: June 25, 2026 Re: Appropriation 2026-1509 The current balance in the Contract Stabilization Fund is $580,858.28, if order 2026-1509 is approved for the St. Mary’s Parking lease the balance would be $573,858.28. City Hall, 562 Main Street Shannon Phillips City Solicitor Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Sphillips@cityofmelrose.org Telephone - (781) 979-4184 July 14, 2026 Via electronic mail Melrose City Council 562 Main Street Melrose, MA 02176 Re: Order ID #s 2026-1508 (St. Mary’s Parking Lot Lease) Order ID # 2026-1509 (Appropriation Request) Order ID # 2026-1507 (Approval of the Draft Written Determination of the Lease Transaction of Parking Lot) Dear Honorable Council Members: Please accept this correspondence as a request to amend the above-referenced orders prior to anticipated final City Council vote on July 20, 2026. By way of background, these orders all relate to the continued lease of the parking lot owned by the Archdiocese at 41 Myrtle Street in Melrose. These orders are coming before City Council for an anticipated final vote on July 20, 2026, with a recommendation of “ought not to pass” from the Appropriations and Oversight (A&O) Committee. Following the July 9th A&O meeting where votes were taken rejecting all three orders with a recommendation of “ought not to pass”, the City contacted the Archdiocese to let them know of the Committee’s votes, that 8 votes were needed on the lease and appropriation for final passage, and that an anticipated final vote would be taken on these Orders on July 20, 2026 by full Council. In response, the Archdiocese reached out to the City on July 13, 2026, and proposed a new revised three- year agreement (attached) with annual rent in year one at $39,000, $41,000 in year two, and $43,000 in year three. These are substantial changes from the one-year agreement at $42,000 voted down by A&O on July 9, 2026. As discussed at the Committee meeting, during negotiations the Archdiocese rejected any proposals made by the City for a three-year lease term for below $54,000 per year. In order to move these negotiations forward, the parties agreed to a one-year lease at $42,000. This new proposal from the Archdiocese, following the Committee vote not to recommend the one-year lease, provides the City with a longer lease term at a lower cost than what was previously agreed to. As such, the mayor is willing to accept these new terms, and the City is appreciative of this more favorable lease agreement from the Archdiocese. In light of this new proposal, the Mayor is requesting City Council’s approval of Order ID # 2026- 1508 in consideration of the attached revised lease and its new terms. This revised lease replaces the one previously submitted by the Mayor with this Order that was voted down by A&O. To vote in favor of this revised lease in Order ID # 2026-1508 a motion can be made in Council “To approve the REVISED lease agreement as submitted on July 14, 2026 relative to the Parking Lot near St. Mary’s Church at 41 Myrtle Street in Melrose”. Given this change requested by the Mayor to this Order, a “yes” vote by City Council on July 20, 2026, will be an approval of this revised lease (not the previous one submitted by the Mayor and rejected by A&O). A “no” vote will prohibit the mayor from entering into a new lease agreement with the Archdiocese for the use of this land for public and municipal parking. As previously discussed, the Council does not have the authority to amend the terms of the agreement; the Council’s authority resides in its ability to authorize the mayor to execute the revised lease. In conjunction with these lease changes, the Mayor is also making an amendment to Order ID# 2026-1509 (an appropriation relative to the lease agreement) to appropriate $4,000 instead of $7,000. If Council approves the revised lease agreement in Order ID # 2026-1508, it should be taking a vote to also approve Order ID # 2026-1509 as revised by the Mayor in the amount of $4,000 so the necessary funds can be appropriated to fund the first year of this lease - July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 (as part of the FY27 budget process, Council already appropriated $35,000 relative to this lease for FY27 (housed in budget 296 Parking). As previously highlighted by the CFO during the revenue presentation of the budget process, the City funds the parking department budget with funds obtained from parking receipts (parking permits). Given that the lease terms were finalized after the passage of the budget, for FY 27, $4,000 will need to be approved from the Contract Stabilization Fund to cover the difference. For passage of this revised Order, a motion can be made in Council “to approve this Order in the revised amount of $4,000 as amended by the Mayor’s request.” Finally, as explained at the A&O committee meeting, and in my previous communication submitted with Order ID # 2026-1507, should City Council vote to approve the above two Orders, Council must also vote on a written determination of the unique location of the property (Order ID # 2026-1507). Approving a written determination that can be published in the Central Register, is a requirement under G.L. c. 30B before the Mayor can sign. I have attached a “Revised Proposed written determination…” for your consideration that addresses the newly revised lease terms. To vote in favor of this proposed written determination on July 20th, a motion should be made in Council “to approve the “REVISED” written determination for this Order submitted on July 14, 2026.” Unfortunately, I cannot be present at the City Council meeting on July 20, 2026 as I will be out of state. However, I am happy to discuss any of the above with any Councilors who may have questions or concerns this week prior to next Monday’s meeting. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly. Best Regards, /s/ Shannon T. Phillips Shannon Phillips cc: Mayor Jennifer Grigoraitis (via e-mail) Kerri Golden, CFO (via e-email) Tanji Cifuni, City Clerk (via e-mail) MELROSE CITY COUNCIL ORDER Written Declaration Regarding the Unique Qualities and Location of the 53 parking spaces located at the St. Mary's Parish Parking Lot at 41 Myrtle Street in Melrose WHEREAS, the City of Melrose ("City") desires to enter into a new lease with the Archdiocese of Boston for use of the parking lot on their property near St. Mary's Church for the purposes of providing public and municipal parking space near the downtown area; WHEREAS,this lot provides 53 parking spaces solely for municipal and public parking lot use in very close proximity to area business and Main Street where parking lot is limited; WHEREAS, the proposed annual lease price for the unrestricted use of these 53 parking spaces as a municipal and public lot is $42,000 for a one-year lease term; WHEREAS, the City ofMelrose has a beneficial interest in this property; WHEREAS, M.G.L. c. 30B, section 16(e)(2) provides that the City may acquire (including by lease) an interest in real property without issuing a formal Request for Proposals (solicitation of bids) if "the governmental body determines in writing that advertising will not benefitthe governmental body's interest because of the unique qualities or location of the propertyneeded" and that such determination must be published in the Central Register not less than 30 days beforethe Cityexecutes a binding agreement; and WHEREAS, this Order is solely for the purpose of meeting the requirements ofM.G.L. c. 30B, section 16(e )(2) and is not for the purpose of appropriating funding for or approving the proposed lease, which will be filedas a separate Order; NOW THEREFORE, it is ORDERED that: In accordance with the requirements ofM.G.L. c. 30B, § 16(e)(2), it is hereby determined that the 53 designated Parking spaces in the St. Mary's Parish parking lot located at 41 Myrtle Street in Melrose, Massachusetts as depicted on Exhibit A, attached herewith, is a real property asset in the City that is unique in its location and qualities in that, among other things the location provides a significant benefit to the City ofMelrose by providing a public and municipal parking lot near the downtown area. Parking is in high demand in downtown Melrose. It is hereby determined that adve1iising will not benefit the City because there is no comparable sized property available within this area for a public municipal parking lot in close proximity to the downtown area; the location of this public parking lot helps significantly reduce pressure on the downtown lots; and the location and number of spaces available for lease provides a significant benefit to local merchants. City Hall, 562 Main Street Shannon Phillips City Solicitor Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 SPhillips@cityofmelrose.org Telephone - (781) 979-4184 June 24, 2026 Melrose City Council 562 Main Street Melrose, MA 02176 Re: Order requesting a Written Determination of Unique Acquisition of Real Property Dear Honorable Council Members: This correspondence is being submitted in connection with the above-referenced Order. As Council members may be aware, this Order has been submitted by the Mayor's Office requesting Council approve a written determination of a unique acquisition of real property relative to the St. Mary's Parish Parking lot lease in Melrose. Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws c.30B, § 16, cities and towns in Massachusetts generally must solicit proposals when seeking to acquire real property (including by way of lease) costing more than $35,000 during the term of the lease. An exception to this is when the jurisdiction has determined that the transaction meets the definition of a "unique acquisition" of real property given the property's unique qualities or location. Id. at§ 16(e)(2). Given the location and size of the parking lot in question (53 public parking spaces provided to Melrose) located at 41 Myrtle Street in Melrose, and its proximity to Main Street serving as a direct benefit to the residents of Melrose and area businesses, this transaction meets the definition of "unique acquisition" of real property.1 Prior to entering into a lease agreement with the Archdiocese of Boston relative to the St. Mary's Parish Parking Lot, City Council as the "governmental body" under M.G.L. c. 30B § 16 is charged with approving the lease and making this determination. 1 See OIG Bulletin, Volume I Issue 4 (November 2020) Frequently Asked Questions (opining that If a small piece of property adjacent to town hall is the only property that could meet the town hall's parking needs, this transaction could be considered a unique acquisition). A proposed written determination relative to the classification of this transaction as a "unique acquisition" has been attached to the relative Order for City Council's vote and approval. Should a vote in the affirmative be made by Council on this Order, and the separate Order relative to approval of the Lease, the City will publish a copy of this Written Determination in the state Central Register for 30 days as required under M.G.L. c. 30B. After that time, the Mayor may sign the lease agreement. I will be present at the relative Committee meeting where this Order will be discussed to answer any questions Council may have in this regard. Thank you. Very Truly Yours, /s/ Shannon T. Phillips Shannon T. Phillips cc: Mayor Jennifer Grigoraitis (via email) City Hall, 562 Main Street Shannon Phillips City Solicitor Melrose, Massachusetts 02176 Sphillips@cityofmelrose.org Telephone - (781) 979-4184 July 14, 2026 Via electronic mail Melrose City Council 562 Main Street Melrose, MA 02176 Re: Order ID #s 2026-1508 (St. Mary’s Parking Lot Lease) Order ID # 2026-1509 (Appropriation Request) Order ID # 2026-1507 (Approval of the Draft Written Determination of the Lease Transaction of Parking Lot) Dear Honorable Council Members: Please accept this correspondence as a request to amend the above-referenced orders prior to anticipated final City Council vote on July 20, 2026. By way of background, these orders all relate to the continued lease of the parking lot owned by the Archdiocese at 41 Myrtle Street in Melrose. These orders are coming before City Council for an anticipated final vote on July 20, 2026, with a recommendation of “ought not to pass” from the Appropriations and Oversight (A&O) Committee. Following the July 9th A&O meeting where votes were taken rejecting all three orders with a recommendation of “ought not to pass”, the City contacted the Archdiocese to let them know of the Committee’s votes, that 8 votes were needed on the lease and appropriation for final passage, and that an anticipated final vote would be taken on these Orders on July 20, 2026 by full Council. In response, the Archdiocese reached out to the City on July 13, 2026, and proposed a new revised three- year agreement (attached) with annual rent in year one at $39,000, $41,000 in year two, and $43,000 in year three. These are substantial changes from the one-year agreement at $42,000 voted down by A&O on July 9, 2026. As discussed at the Committee meeting, during negotiations the Archdiocese rejected any proposals made by the City for a three-year lease term for below $54,000 per year. In order to move these negotiations forward, the parties agreed to a one-year lease at $42,000. This new proposal from the Archdiocese, following the Committee vote not to recommend the one-year lease, provides the City with a longer lease term at a lower cost than what was previously agreed to. As such, the mayor is willing to accept these new terms, and the City is appreciative of this more favorable lease agreement from the Archdiocese. In light of this new proposal, the Mayor is requesting City Council’s approval of Order ID # 2026- 1508 in consideration of the attached revised lease and its new terms. This revised lease replaces the one previously submitted by the Mayor with this Order that was voted down by A&O. To vote in favor of this revised lease in Order ID # 2026-1508 a motion can be made in Council “To approve the REVISED lease agreement as submitted on July 14, 2026 relative to the Parking Lot near St. Mary’s Church at 41 Myrtle Street in Melrose”. Given this change requested by the Mayor to this Order, a “yes” vote by City Council on July 20, 2026, will be an approval of this revised lease (not the previous one submitted by the Mayor and rejected by A&O). A “no” vote will prohibit the mayor from entering into a new lease agreement with the Archdiocese for the use of this land for public and municipal parking. As previously discussed, the Council does not have the authority to amend the terms of the agreement; the Council’s authority resides in its ability to authorize the mayor to execute the revised lease. In conjunction with these lease changes, the Mayor is also making an amendment to Order ID# 2026-1509 (an appropriation relative to the lease agreement) to appropriate $4,000 instead of $7,000. If Council approves the revised lease agreement in Order ID # 2026-1508, it should be taking a vote to also approve Order ID # 2026-1509 as revised by the Mayor in the amount of $4,000 so the necessary funds can be appropriated to fund the first year of this lease - July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 (as part of the FY27 budget process, Council already appropriated $35,000 relative to this lease for FY27 (housed in budget 296 Parking). As previously highlighted by the CFO during the revenue presentation of the budget process, the City funds the parking department budget with funds obtained from parking receipts (parking permits). Given that the lease terms were finalized after the passage of the budget, for FY 27, $4,000 will need to be approved from the Contract Stabilization Fund to cover the difference. For passage of this revised Order, a motion can be made in Council “to approve this Order in the revised amount of $4,000 as amended by the Mayor’s request.” Finally, as explained at the A&O committee meeting, and in my previous communication submitted with Order ID # 2026-1507, should City Council vote to approve the above two Orders, Council must also vote on a written determination of the unique location of the property (Order ID # 2026-1507). Approving a written determination that can be published in the Central Register, is a requirement under G.L. c. 30B before the Mayor can sign. I have attached a “Revised Proposed written determination…” for your consideration that addresses the newly revised lease terms. To vote in favor of this proposed written determination on July 20th, a motion should be made in Council “to approve the “REVISED” written determination for this Order submitted on July 14, 2026.” Unfortunately, I cannot be present at the City Council meeting on July 20, 2026 as I will be out of state. However, I am happy to discuss any of the above with any Councilors who may have questions or concerns this week prior to next Monday’s meeting. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly. Best Regards, /s/ Shannon T. Phillips Shannon Phillips cc: Mayor Jennifer Grigoraitis (via e-mail) Kerri Golden, CFO (via e-email) Tanji Cifuni, City Clerk (via e-mail) MELROSE CITY COUNCIL ORDER Written Declaration Regarding the Unique Qualities and Location of the 53 parking spaces located at the St. Mary's Parish Parking Lot at 41 Myrtle Street in Melrose WHEREAS, the City of Melrose ("City") desires to enter into a new lease with the Archdiocese of Boston for use of the parking lot on their property near St. Mary's Church for the purposes of providing public and municipal parking space near the downtown area; WHEREAS,this lot provides 53 parking spaces solely formunicipal and public parking lot use in very close proximity to area business and Main Street where parking lot is limited; WHEREAS, the proposed annual lease price for the unrestricted use of these 53 parking spaces as a municipal and public lot (three-year lease term) is $39,000 in year one; $41,000 in year two, and $43,000 in year three; WHEREAS, the City ofMelrose has a beneficial interest in this property; WHEREAS, M.G.L. c. 30B, section 16(e)(2) provides that the City may acquire (including by lease) an interest in real property without issuing a formal Request for Proposals (solicitation of bids) if "the governmental body determines in writing that advertising will not benefit the governmental body's interest because of the unique qualities or location of the property needed" and that such determination must be published in the Central Register not less than 30 days before the City executes a binding agreement; and WHEREAS, this Order is solely for the purpose of meeting the requirements ofM.G.L. c. 30B, section 16(e )(2) and is not for the purpose of appropriating funding for or approving the proposed lease, which will be filed as a separate Order; NOW THEREFORE, it is ORDERED that: In accordance with the requirements ofM.G.L. c. 30B, § 16(e)(2), it is hereby determined that the 53 designated Parking spaces in the St. Mary's Parish parking lot located at 41 Myrtle Street in Melrose, Massachusetts as depicted on Exhibit A, attached herewith, is a real property asset in the City that is unique in its location and qualities in that, among other things the location provides a significant benefit to the City ofMelrose by providing a public and municipal parking lot near the downtown area. Parking is in high demand in downtown Melrose. It is hereby determined that adve1iising will not benefit the City because there is no comparable sized property available within this area for a public municipal parking lot in close proximity to the downtown area; the location of this public parking lot helps significantly reduce pressure on the downtown lots; and the location and number of spaces available for lease provides a significant benefit to local merchants.

Transcript

▶ 56:36 Bradley Freeman: Like, this will be a good one to watch back. Just going to go to . Good evening. The time is 7:56 on Monday, June 20th, 2026. I am Council President Freeman. This meeting of the Melrose City Council is called to order. In accordance with the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, this meeting is being broadcast and recorded by the Melrose Cable Access TV, and will be available for viewing in its entirety on MMTV and through the city website. Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll? Councilor Chen? Yes. Councilor Finocchiaro? Here. Councilor Jamaleddine? Here. Councilor Kareem Chetty? Here. Councilor Kowal? Here. Councilor Obremski? Here. Councilor Park? Here. Councilor Romanul? Here. Councilor Vanderberg?

▶ 57:19 Bradley Freeman: Here. Councilor Williams? Here. President Freeman? Here. Let's look for a quorum. Thank you. At this time, please rise if you're able to join in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. At this time, I will motion by unanimous consent to approve without reading the minutes from June 15th. Seeing no objection, those minutes are now approved. I will now motion by unanimous consent to approve without reading the minutes from June 29th. Seeing no objection, those minutes are now approved. Moving to public comment. I will now motion by unanimous consent to open the floor

▶ 58:06 Bradley Freeman: for public comment. Seeing no objection, we are open for public comment. Per Rule 33A of Melrose City Council rules, this is the portion of the meeting where the public may speak on any item on tonight's agenda. Comments expressing any viewpoint on any other matters are also welcome. Seeing that we have a number of people here for public comment, I just want to remind everyone that public comment period is an opportunity for the public to share comments and councilors will not respond. The public has up to five minutes for comments. I will notify you when you have 30 seconds remaining. As you approach the table, please state your name and address for the record. Is there anyone here who would like to offer public comment?

▶ 58:42 Elizabeth Kowal: Councilor Kowal, we'll start with you. I know you have a constituent comment to read. I do. I have a constituent comment to read. So this is from Eugenia Gibbons. She also sent it via email, but she sent it late, so she wanted me to make sure that it got onto the record. So, good evening, council members. My name is Eugenia Gibbons. I reside at 54 Upham Street. I'm unable to offer these comments in person this evening, but I appreciate the opportunity to submit them in writing and would ask that they be read into the public record. The renewal of the parking lot lease creates an opportunity for the city and the chamber of commerce to explore more sustainable long-term revenue strategies to offset the ongoing costs of maintaining the parking lot at the property owned

▶ 59:20 Elizabeth Kowal: by the archdiocese, a 53-space lot that continues to require public resources to maintain. Rather than rely on ad hoc or short-term fixes, I encourage the city to put in place a funding mechanism that is both durable and equitable. If not already happening, two options that are perhaps worth serious consideration are, one, establishing a business improvement district, BID, in the surrounding area, which would allow nearby businesses and property owners who benefit most directly from the parking capacity to share in the cost of its upkeep. Two, instituting a registration fee for commercial parking permitting, which would ensure that commercial users of the lot who generate ongoing wear and demand contribute proportionally to its maintenance rather than

▶ 1:00:04 Elizabeth Kowal: placing that burden solely on the city's general fund. Either approach or some combination of the two would help move the city away from reactive maintenance spending and towards a model that is financially sustainable over time. I ask the council and Mayor Grigoritis to explore the feasibility of these or other options over the next year, report back to the public in that time, and put forth a proposal before the lease renewal is up again. Thank you for your time and consideration. Eugenia Gibbons. Thank you, Ms. Gibbons, through Councilor Kowal. Is there anyone else who would like to offer public comment? Good evening. This chair is back. My name is Mike Festa. I live at 127 Boston Rock Road.

▶ 1:00:55 I have for 63 years. I wanted to speak about the parking issue. I can't recall the last time I spoke publicly on any matter of this nature since I was in office, but this is important enough to me to come and share some thoughts. Let me just start by making this observation, and I think it is important to look at the history very briefly. I have a personal history of being in elected office starting in 1974, on the school committee, and I served on this wonderful group in its previous iteration for eight years. And I appreciate genuinely that sometimes there are tough issues that come before the council, and the initial reactions to some pretty important questions can often be not the best long-term reaction, if you will, or long-term

▶ 1:01:53 action to be taken. When I read the comments, in the "Melrose Messenger," I believe is where I saw these comments, I was frankly taken aback because of a couple of things. Consider the fact that the parking situation in Melrose has never been an easy issue for previous city councils, boards of aldermen, and mayors. I remember, and I'm going to go way back machine on this one, but I remember when we went to the federal government and said we need support to transform downtown Melrose to what at the time when I was going to high school was not a very attractive place, and it became a Victorian downtown. That happened through leadership. It happened through an intentionality, and I'm going to tell you,

▶ 1:02:46 there was a time, and again, I saw it personally, where the downtown and the businesses of the downtown and the lack of restaurants and the lack of the vibrancy that we see today, it was a very different world. The struggle to get an adequate parking arrangement has always been here because we're a small city and there are only so many places you can go. And the fact that the archdiocese happens to have ownership of these 53 parking spaces is, to me, a complete irrelevancy. I just want to make that clear. I'm not a member of the parish. I was, I'm no longer. But I realize that, I think you just have to say, what if it were a completely different organization of, say, a private owner? It really doesn't matter. What matters is

▶ 1:03:40 that the challenge of finding adequate parking in a city that has struggled with it, and now if you look around that downtown, I just came from dinner at Rising Eagle, little plug, but you know what? I looked around that room because I knew I was going to be here. There are a lot of senior citizens with their grandkids, in some cases. All of us want to encourage the livability that comes with walking down Main Street and going to shops and just getting on a bike or doing whatever you can do for alternate transportation. But the fact of the matter is, and I'm speaking as former director of AARP in Massachusetts for over 12 years, seniors can't just say, "You know what? I think we'll go downtown and we'll walk from wherever we

▶ 1:04:32 are in Melrose and have dinner and walk home." That's not real. You know what is real? Is the struggle to figure out where do we park because we want to go not just to Giacomo's or that section where this parking is serving, but any other part of the city where you might want to go to a restaurant, and there are a lot of them now. Right? So, the good news is we have created through your vision and for the vision of, frankly, others before you, of a community that is extremely desirable at pretty much every level of analysis. But when it comes to the downtown, I urge you to take what you see before you, which is you've got a chance to renew the lease and you need to do it, and I say that with all due respect.

▶ 1:05:18 I don't think you're going to do it with a shotgun to your head. I think you're doing it because you know that, on balance, it's a very sensible thing to do as opposed to creating the uncertainty- 30 seconds left, Mr. Festa ... of pulling out 53 spaces in a place where every space is at a premium. So, I'm going to make that suggestion that you take that initiative and go forward with that proposal that's before you. And then to the extent that there are genuine questions, and there are, about long-term viability of this, then maybe you should revise the parking study, and maybe that should be part of the analysis, too. So, those are my thoughts. I apologize. I'm a recovering politician, so-

▶ 1:06:05 ... I can take too long. Well noted. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Mr. Festa. Okay. Would anyone else like to offer public comment this evening? Oh, go for it. Sorry. Good evening. My name is Richard Solari. I live at 109 Altamont Ave, and I'm the owner of Giacomo's Restaurant. I believe everybody got a letter that I sent. And in addition to that, as I know some people still might be leaning no, I think that we should have the opportunity to sign the lease now ... and figure out how we're going to go forward in the next year, whatever the lease is, two years or three years. Because this was really just, I didn't even know about it until two weeks ago. And I think as I've talked to a bunch of other business owners, my neighbors,

▶ 1:06:59 that we're all in it to find solutions. But with such a short window to do it, it's nearly impossible. I did not even know that there was a lease back there until two weeks ago. So, I'm pleading with you to sign the lease today, and we are open to help financially, to do other things, but to be part of the solution in the year that we can talk about it down the road. But it is vital to our businesses. Please. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Cleary. Thanks. Well, okay. Yeah. Go ahead. Okay. So actually, let me just ask if anybody else has a comment on the parking lease, if you guys want to talk about- We can take anyone out of order. It's fine if you just want to come up and just so we can go back to the parking.

▶ 1:07:47 Okay. So I'm not here to talk about the parking. My name's Andrew Barson, I'm at 39 East Foster Street. And honestly, I'm not sure if this is even the appropriate forum to raise this, but I thought I would because, I haven't had any luck in the almost four years now that we've lived at that address getting some resolution to this issue, which is the two, and for lack of a better word, hoarder houses that are on East Foster at 32 and 42. Both of which I believe now at least one of them has the red X hazard for emergency personnel to enter. So those homes have been like that since I moved in. My next door neighbors and across the street say they've been like that for as long as they can remember.

▶ 1:08:36 As far as I know, the owner lives out of state, comes by every once in a while to drop off more junk that is spilling into the parking lots, has filled up both of those houses, the garage, vehicles there. About 18 months ago, over the holidays, fire department was called three times, I want to say, to one of those houses, I think it was the one at 42 East Foster, because of smoke that was maybe coming out of the basement. So these are two homes that are in a fairly dense neighborhood, separated by just a driveway from neighboring houses. They're right across the street from us. They are completely full of fuel. They are abandoned. There is no one who lives there. They are attended, when it snows, somebody will come

▶ 1:09:23 down and shovel so they don't get a fine, I guess. And then every once in a while, somebody will come and do a really slapdash job trimming the hedges in front and just leaving the trimmings there. I'm concerned that this is a hazard to the entire neighborhood, and I'm concerned that 18 months after emergency personnel went there multiple times, put up a red X on the home, there doesn't seem to have been any movement forward in terms of those properties. No for sale sign, nothing. So anyway, I just wanted to bring that to the attention of the council that this is a problem and honestly, if I lived in one of the houses right next to it instead of across the street, I'd be extremely concerned

▶ 1:10:10 that I was living next to just a pyre. So, I don't know what you guys can do in terms of city council about that, but I just wanted to bring that to your attention. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you so much for letting me speak to you tonight. I'm Alex Rodriguez. I live at 45 Appleton Street. I just want to take a few minutes to thank Councilors Chen, Kowal, Vanderburg, Ramalho, Jamalooddin, and Williams because of their positions on the vote last time about renewing the lease. That is fundamentally a bad lease at one year with a 20% increase. I used to teach strategy and economics for a living. If you look at this through the lens of an economist, fundamentally, the church does not have any negotiating power as it

▶ 1:11:09 relates to the leasing of this lot. I agree with the previous speakers. We need the parking. We absolutely need to have the parking. But there is a better deal to be had, and that deal is here with a multi-year lease. Right? And I think when we think about this in the context of what it means, especially at the local level, to be a councilor or to be an elected official of any kind, is to be the ultimate steward of the taxpayer dollar. And if we cannot recognize the negotiating leverage that the city, who is fundamentally the only customer of the church, any agreement that is not within the city's favor is money left on the table for the city. That's just the economic reality. Now, we all want to be good neighbors with our community partners.

▶ 1:12:07 I don't think anyone would disagree with that statement. But I do think that the current alternative is something that is agreeable, that is a win-win, that is something that incentivizes the relationship to continue. I think a one-year lease with a 20% increase in the rent is not ideal in any way, shape, or form for the city. I realize we're negotiating with the church at that risk. I hope I'm not struck by lightning on the way out of here. But I think to a certain extent, we need to be responsible, or you all are being responsible stewards of the taxpayer dollar ... in previously voting no to this and going back to the negotiating table. You do not have to take the first offer. You never have to take the first offer, and I really

▶ 1:13:04 want to tip my hat, that I'm not wearing, to those who voted no or present the last time, who are trying to force a better negotiation here that is beneficial for small businesses, beneficial for taxpayers, and at the end of the day, it is a victory for Melrose. So, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez. Yeah. Is there anyone else who'd like to offer public comment tonight? Please. Hello. Do I have to speak into this? Yes, please. Yes. My name's Patricia Boni, and I own Cuts & Such Hair Salon, 456 Main Street, Melrose. I've owned it for 44 years, so I have seen Melrose Square for 44 years. And I know how the parking and how the businesses have come and gone, and pretty much what my neighbors and

▶ 1:14:06 I find is important for our clients, and to be able to keep them happy and continuing to come to the downtown, to eat, to get their hair done, to get their nails done, whatever services. And part of that that has helped me be successful for 44 years has been the parking has been business friendly. Not only for the clients that come down, but when I'm hiring people, one of the first things they ask me is about the parking. I came to the meetings a few years back when they were doing the studies about the parking and what the businesses needed. We were all told way ahead of time about these meetings. It was a big turnout, and we told the council what we needed. The people that did the study did a great job, in my

▶ 1:14:54 opinion. I don't want to waste my five minutes on all that, but we are very pleased with the way the parking's set up, with the permits for the workers and the merchants. And that lot is not only utilized by the immediate businesses, but all the lots in Melrose overflow from other businesses. If there's a funeral service at Gately, everything fills up, and people spill over into all the lots. And I think it's important, the Larrabee lot, it's been a very busy lot. It's not well-maintained, as far as there's more potholes in that lot than I've ever seen anywhere. I don't know whose responsibility that is, but I just learned that it was leased and only in three-year terms. But if we didn't have access to that in the winter, like Michael was saying, the

▶ 1:15:53 elderly clients, they're going to go to malls. They're not going to come downtown. And a lot of people, if they can't find a place to park and they're driving around for a long period of time, we lose business to the malls because they just park there and they can stay there all day. So, I think it's really important to keep the feel of the community that we have in Melrose. It's always been like a small town in a way. 44 years, I have clients that I'm doing their grandchildren's hair now. It's a repetition of people, and it's a nice feel. And I don't think it's a good idea to let that lot go over some money. Which, I think Melrose gets a lot of tax money, and I don't think that the lease is

▶ 1:16:40 an extravagant amount. I think it will really hurt the downtown businesses if we don't continue to have access to that. And it will hurt the elderly, because it's not summer all year long, and when the winter comes, we lose quite a few parking spots due to snow banks. And it's really hard for people to get around that aren't young and healthy. Not everybody can walk two blocks. And, I just think it's really important for the businesses to attract good employees and to keep steady business coming through. So, I hope that you will vote to help us out on this. And that's it. Thanks for your time. Thank you very much. Is there anyone else here who'd like to offer public comment? Seeing none, Madam Clerk, is there anyone online?

▶ 1:17:37 Bradley Freeman: No one online. Okay. With that, if there's no objection, I seek unanimous consent to close public comment. Seeing none, we are now closed for public comment. There's no communications from the honorable mayor, so moving on to new business. Filings by the honorable mayor. Appointments and reappointments. ID number 2026-1415, appointment of Dion-- Oh, I'm so bad. Dion? Cascarellas. Cascarellas. Just try it. Cascarellas. 116 Walton Park to the Human Rights Commission for a three-year term, said term to expire on the last day of February 2029. This will go to Boards and Commissions. Grants. ID number 2026-1529, acceptance of the fiscal year 2025 Emergency Management Performance Grant in the amount of $5,850.

▶ 1:18:33 This will go to Appropriations and Oversight. Orders. ID number 2026-1530, amending Article 2, Section 93 of the Melrose Code of Ordinances to allow for a licensing and inspection process for kennel licensing in Melrose. This will go to Legal and Legislative ID number 2026-1531, acceptance of revised easement at 105 Walton Park in Melrose. This will go to Appropriations and Oversight. ID number 2026-1533, grant of easement for 204 Tremont Street. This will go to Appropriations and Oversight. Filings of the honorable-- slide number eight, honorable City Council. Orders ID number 2026-1520. This is an informational order. It's a warrant for 2026 state primary to be held at Melrose Middle School gymnasium on Tuesday,

▶ 1:19:27 September 1st, 2026, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. for Ward 1, Precinct 1 and 2, Ward 2, Precinct 1 and 2, Ward 3, Precinct 1 and 2, Ward 4, Precinct 1 and 2, Ward 5, Precinct 1 and 2, Ward 6, Precinct 1 and 2, and Ward 7, Precinct 1 and 2, to notify the inhabitants of the city of Melrose that can cast a vote in the state primaries. This will go to Finance. ID number 2026-1521. This is an informational order. The Board of Registries has agreed to the following dates, times, and location for the state primary in-person early voting: Saturday, August 22nd, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday, August 24th, through Thursday, August 27th, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday, August 28th, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the City Council

▶ 1:20:16 chamber, located on the first floor of the Melrose City Hall, 562 Main Street, Melrose, Mass. This will go to Finance. Point of order. Is that a oversight issue or a finance issue? Election matters are referred to Finance. At this time, I'd like to seek unanimous consent for a brief recess. Seeing none, we are in recess. All right. We are returning from recess now. Thank you very much. Moving on to unfinished business, Appropriations. ID number 2026-1334, appropriation from PEG Access Fund number 2922 in the amount of $167,277.80 to MMTV, and $55,759.27 to Melrose Public Schools, number 1803. Mr. President, this comes to us from the Appropriations and Oversight Committee with a recommendation for passage, and at this time, I'll make a motion for

▶ 1:21:11 Cal Finocchiaro: passage. Second. Motion for passage made by Chair Romanul, seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro. On discussion. Councilor Chen. Question to my colleagues. Does anyone know when we can renegotiate this and increase the amount that goes to Melrose, MMTV, and the schools and MMTV? Has anyone seen that lease agreement or that-- And I'm wondering, what is the benchmark for PEG Access funds and what other towns are getting? Councilor Lucero? Yeah. Through the Chair, if you contact Ms. Margolis, she can explain everything to you. In years past, I don't remember exactly but why the school gets less, but if you email her, she'll be able to explain it to you. Okay. There's a formula, and the school runs their own sort of TV unit there, but

▶ 1:22:08 Jason Chen: the MMTV gets the bulk of the money. Sure. Yeah. Through the Chair, I'm less concerned about the split between who gets what and more about, is that total percentage that we're getting the right amount and competitive- Hmm ... for cable TV? And when do we have the opportunity to reopen that with whoever we're negotiating with here? Any other further discussion on the motion at hand? Seeing none, Madam Clerk. Councilor Chen? Yes. Councilor Finocchiaro? Yes. Councilor Jamaleddine? Yes. Councilor Karamcheti? Yes. Councilor Kowal? Yes. Councilor Obremski? Yes. Councilor Park? Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes. Councilor Vandiver? Yes. Councilor Williams? Yes. President Freeman? Yes. That motion passes.

▶ 1:22:54 Moving on to orders. ID number 2026-1376 , the report on results of the Municipal Surplus Building Study for the police station and Ripley school sites. Mr. President, this comes to us from the Appropriations and Oversight Committee with a recommendation to place on file, and at this time, I'll make a motion to place on file. Second. Motion placed on file, made by Councilor Romanul, seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro. On discussion. Seeing none, Madam Clerk. Councilor Chen? Yes. Councilor Finocchiaro? Yes. Councilor Jamaleddine? Yes. Councilor Karamcheti? Yes. Councilor Kowal? Yes. Councilor Obremski? Yes. Councilor Park? Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes. Councilor Vandiver? Yes. Councilor Williams?

▶ 1:23:36 Devin Romanul: Yes. President Freeman? Yes. That motion passes. ID number 2026-1382, authorization to amend solid waste facility operating agreement by and between the City of Melrose and Waste Management of Massachusetts. Mr. President, this comes to us from the Appropriations and Oversight Committee with a recommendation for passage, and at this time, I'll make a motion for passage. Second. Motion of passage made by Councilor Romanul, seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro. On discussion. Councilor Chen. Thank you. I think this is a good example of where the city and one of our departments, and Jim Troop was really proactive in managing this, and expert, and got market rates, and a few of us that went to meet

▶ 1:24:15 Jason Chen: with him, he was pretty thorough about it, and we have good relations with the service provider and are able to negotiate a long-term, which does reflect market rate, and he did look at all the options. So, I think it is possible to do that, and I'm not sure what happened with our parking lease, but it's a good example of what we should be doing. Seeing no further discussion, Madam Clerk. Councilor Chen? Yes. Councilor Finocchiaro? Yes. Councilor Jamaleddine? Yes. Councilor Karamcheti? Yes. Councilor Kowal? Yes. Councilor Obremski? Yes. Councilor Park? Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes. Councilor Vandiver? Yes. Councilor Williams? Yes. President Freeman? Yes. That motion passes ID number 2026-1508, approval of

▶ 1:25:00 Devin Romanul: lease agreement with the Archdiocese of Boston for the lease of the parking lot near St. Mary's Church at 41 Myrtle Street, Melrose, Mass. Before we move into discussion on this item, I want to provide a brief update on what has occurred since the Appropriations and Oversight meeting met on July 9th. Following that meeting, the city and archdiocese agreed on a new revised three-year lease that'll be before the council this evening. This revised lease replaces the one previously submitted by the mayor with this order. So a yes vote tonight will to be approved the revised lease as submitted by the mayor on July 14th. With that, Councilor Romanul. Thank you, Mr. President. This order comes to us from the Appropriations and Oversight Committee with a

▶ 1:25:40 Devin Romanul: recommendation not for passage, as originally scripted or as originally intended. As you alluded to, there have been some substantial changes since our most recent meeting, including the dollar amount with an escalator clause, as well as an end date of June 30th, 2029 instead of June 30th, 2027. So, since I was chairing the meeting, I didn't get an opportunity to opine, so just if you'll indulge me, I'll say that during that discussion, the one-year timeline rubbed me the wrong way. It doesn't give us a lot of time to proactively plan for the future of our downtown. And my goal was really to force a longer-term discussion, and I'm so pleased that the conversation has evolved to the degree that it has.

▶ 1:26:29 Devin Romanul: I'll say that my secondary goal here was to have these conversations concurrently with the police station, which the timelines will start to line up more readily given the lease that's before us, and that contiguous space can be of great value to our community and to our businesses. And I'm very sensitive to the success of our business owners, making sure that our downtown is thriving. Making sure that we have adequate mobility to those spaces is paramount. I also want us to be cognizant of the conversation as it evolves to mobility of people and not necessarily vehicles. And I get that we also have a parking shortage for what we have now, and those ideas are intentioned, but I'd like to hold those together

▶ 1:27:10 Devin Romanul: as we think about future planning. So, I'd like us to move more towards long-term planning and some thoughtful mobility studies for the future. So this buys us a little more time, and with that, I will motion to approve the revised lease statement as submitted on July 14th, 2026, relative to the parking lot near St. Mary's Church on 41 Myrtle Street in Melrose. Second. There's a motion to approve the revised lease agreement made by Chair Romanul, seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro. Going to Councilor Williams on discussion. Thank you very much. I wanted to take a minute to put some of my thoughts out there on the record, especially since we have some of the folks who have reached out to us and emailed

▶ 1:27:50 Ryan Williams: us here today, and they've given us some very thoughtful emails and thoughtful comments. And I always appreciate the engagement from the business community in particular, who we don't see much of here in the council chamber, and from residents as well. I want to put some of the reasoning and the data behind my vote out on the record, and continue the conversation that Councilor Romanul just opened up with regards to how we measure parking, how we define success in the city, and where I'm getting some of my ideas from. So we all know that there was a 2012 parking study in the city. It counted about 400 plus open spaces downtown at peak. These spaces are not in front of individual businesses. They're collective throughout the area of the city.

▶ 1:28:30 Ryan Williams: So while some smaller lots can become overwhelmed and you can give the perception of a parking crisis, other lots nearby will have spaces available. What people haven't commented on is that that study was redone. Another study was redone in August of 2025 for the building that's right across the street from us as part of their application to the city planning website. They found roughly the same usage of the parking lots. It was a little bit lower, so instead of 400 plus spaces at peak, it was 300 spaces open. This further cements my understanding of the city's parking situation and how dynamic it is. I do not believe that we have a parking crisis. I don't believe that we have a major shortage of parking.

▶ 1:29:14 Ryan Williams: I believe we have sort of a physics problem, which is that two people can't park in the same parking space. I acknowledge that some of the business owners in the room disagree with that logic, and I'm not dismissing the experience that people have when they say they can't find a place to park. That's exactly what the parking studies predict and what psychological studies predict, that people, when they go to park in front of a business and they can't park right in front of it or nearby it, their perception is that there's nowhere to park, and sometimes they leave, and we don't want people to leave Melrose. I think that there's opportunities that we have to think more critically and carefully about how we manage this parking,

▶ 1:29:49 Ryan Williams: especially in the Larrabee lot. All 53 spaces in this lot are part of the merchant business and employee permit program, and the charge for that program is $0, despite, for instance, charging $600 annually for the floating permit where a person can park at any lot. The 2012 study had a great series of recommendations about how to manage employee parking. I'm not convinced that it's being rolled out effectively. The land itself, whether you've got parking spaces or people living there, you're still bringing people around to utilize businesses downtown. I'm glad to hear some of the business leaders tonight talking about being willing to participate a little bit more in this. I think it really speaks to the problem that we have, that mostly

▶ 1:30:33 Ryan Williams: nobody knew that this was leased property. I'm sure that people also don't know that the church has a 30-day exit clause, which means that if they decide that they don't like something the city's doing, they can just back out with 30 days notice. So anyway, the point I want to make, the line I want to close with is that residents ask us all the time, "What can you do to increase the commercial property tax base? What can you do to help put more property on the rolls so that residents aren't stuck carrying so much of the levy?" And the honest answer is that I believe that parcels like this deserve to be buildings instead of just parking, and I believe that we can manage our parking situation better in the city.

▶ 1:31:12 Elizabeth Kowal: And I hope that the conversations that we've generated, by not just rubber-stamping this like we have in years past, are going to lead to better decisions, and better engagement, and better outcomes for all of us. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Councilor Williams. I next have Councilor Kowal, followed by Councilors Karamchevi, Van De Berg, Jamaleddin. Thank you. I actually wrote down what I wanted to say because I wanted to make sure that I got out what I wanted to get out. I thought hard, actually, about what I wanted to say tonight and how I wanted to say it. As it has for many, this issue consumed a lot of my time this past week, and it didn't need to. There were a lot of conclusions being drawn,

▶ 1:31:59 Elizabeth Kowal: and assumptions being made about the no vote and why we took it, particularly on social media. I'm not someone who uses social media in that way, so this is why I'm speaking tonight. And I don't use it for a variety of reasons, some personal and some professional. But first, I do want to say this, and I mean it sincerely, I want to thank everyone who reached out to me, whether it was by the phone or by email. And to everyone who spoke tonight, your voices are valuable and it really means a lot for people to take their time, and to come and speak to us, and I know it's not easy. What this came down to for me on my initial vote was, am I being a good caretaker of taxpayer dollars if I am not putting

▶ 1:32:48 Elizabeth Kowal: this city in a position to negotiate the best possible deal for the city and for the taxpayer dollars? And that answer for me, in the initial vote and the initial lease, was no, and that's why I voted the way I did. The one-year deal that was put in front of us was not a fiscally responsible deal for the city. It just wasn't. A one-year deal with a 20% increase was not the best that we could do. And as we've now learned, there was in fact a better deal to be had for everyone, but the city needed the leverage to get to that better deal. As elected officials, we need to be careful with our words and our actions. We're elected to be analytical, to act with judgment, with diligence, with patience, and

▶ 1:33:38 Elizabeth Kowal: strategically. The no vote was that, and it allowed the parties to get together and work out a better deal. I'm really thrilled to see the new deal that came forward a mere three days after the initial vote, and I'm glad that the city and the church were able to understand that the no vote was in fact that. It was a chance to give them the opportunity to come to a place that benefits everybody, all parties, the city, the church, the local businesses, and the residents. And for that reason, I will be voting yes tonight. Thank you, Councilor Kowal. Councilor Karamcheti. Thank you so much. My comment will be brief. As I wasn't at the meeting in Appropriations where the conversation and everything took place.

▶ 1:34:37 Manjula Karamcheti: And a lot has transpired since I watched the video, like many others, on MMTV. I think the only thing on my mind, this is a better deal on the table to us now, and things needed to happen in the way that they did to get here, and I'm definitely appreciating that. It's something that one of our public comment folks shared about the condition of the lot that we're leasing, and that it is full of potholes, and that it is not in good condition. And so I was looking through the lease, and I know from the conversation last week that Melrose, the City of Melrose, is responsible for the plowing, is responsible for all of the different upkeep. And I guess I'm just wanting to name that the owners of this property should be taking care

▶ 1:35:42 Manjula Karamcheti: of it. I don't feel like it's the City of Melrose's responsibility to put more money into not only leasing, but also taking care of it. And is it then up to the City of Melrose to replace those potholes? And so I just want to name it as something that I'm wondering about as we think about deals and being stewards of our city's finances and resources. I'm just curious about that piece, so I just wanted to name it here. That's it. Thank you. Councilor Van De Berg. Thank you. I also took some notes about what I wanted to say tonight. I'll try to speak to them in a brief fashion. So I really appreciate everyone's immense amount of work over the past weeks, my fellow councilors, the mayor's office, the archdiocese,

▶ 1:36:35 Kimberly Vandiver: people who've come and commented. And I think if this passes today, I think it's likely to pass today. It's under more favorable terms and with an improved understanding between the parties, and that's a wonderful outcome. And I feel more comfortable with it after all this has transpired. I also feel like despite all of the furor around this, that both the city and the community and the archdiocese would come through this okay if we did not approve it. I haven't heard anything that I haven't heard an answer for or found an answer for. And at this point, there have been pre-discussions, I'm sure, on all sides about what do we do if, that have outlined some contingencies. I know it's a tough issue.

▶ 1:37:29 Kimberly Vandiver: About parking, I think it is the case. Spillover happens between the lots. A lot gets full, but the parking as a whole is not full. We have quite a number of spaces. I think I want to be sensitive to the business owners who spoke tonight, and I mean this in the best way. I think you're selling yourself a little bit short if you think people would leave if the parking was slightly less convenient. I think there's a lot more value that the businesses in Melrose add that would keep people coming here for the businesses, and not going to a mall and not going somewhere else. But I do think the parking studies that we've had, I voted to refresh it. I was in the minority, but the ones that we have, I believe, speak to the fact that

▶ 1:38:18 Kimberly Vandiver: we could manage through this. And there were a lot of other good ideas that came up in the past week as well. We have a variety of solutions, commentary about elderly, and transportation. We have various public and private ways that people can get around. I also wanted to invite people to just consider for a moment a crazy idea. If we really think we need more parking. What if we tore down Giacomo's to make more parking? That would be crazy. Because we love it. It's a good business. What if we tore down Mary Foley Park to make more parking so we'd have more convenient parking for everything else? That would be crazy because it's a nice park that people enjoy. And I really think that maybe not this year, but maybe in 10 years, but

▶ 1:39:03 Kimberly Vandiver: I think at some point that space could be better used than parking. And we need to do the appropriate planning around that, but I think that we could have a better amenity there for everyone. And the last thing I just wanted to highlight is that somebody had brought up to me this idea related to, regardless of whether it was parking lot or not, how we manage demand for parking. That if people are concerned about freeing up the prime parking spaces, that we really should be looking at some paid parking, not for the purpose of generating large amounts of money for the city, but for the purpose of moving people through those most in-demand spaces that are closer to where we want to go. And that there are technologies out there now that can even

▶ 1:39:55 Kimberly Vandiver: let you do this in a very automated way, license plate readers, you can sense utilization and update the prices. It's like a little too parked up, you would raise the price a little. If not parked up, drop the price, whatever it is. But all that said, I think we're in a better position now than we were. I would love to eventually see this space be used for something besides parking. But I appreciate that there would be concerns with that as well as I do think we'd muddle through them. So, that's what I've got. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Vander Zalm. Councillor Gelormini. Thank you, President. I wanted to share some of the thoughts. I didn't write anything, but I would like to share my observation

▶ 1:40:45 Maya Jamaleddine: for tonight and from the past weekend. So, for the past seven years of my service, I've never been that happy and pleased discussing an order, seeing the engagement, and also getting to this result. It's really rewarding. I'm going to give some of the details that we went through. This is not a new issue. This lease has been discussed for so many years, and every year we push it for the next year. So just for the record, what we've been hearing was only from the mayor's office. We've never heard from the church what's going on. After all what we heard from the mayor's office, that they weren't able to have any kind of negotiation. And that made me personally feel, I'm not going to speak for

▶ 1:41:51 Maya Jamaleddine: my fellow councilors, but it's not a healthy relationship between the both of them. And we felt that it has to be a very constructive communication and discussion between both of them so that we can advocate for a better lease and a better agreement for both the city and our constituents and the businesses as well. Did we look bad when we voted no? Absolutely. I can say if I'm not on this horseshoe, I'm not sitting here and I'm looking at my vote, I would say this councilor is horrible. But knowing what we know from listening to only from one side of the story and not understanding what's going on, I can't vote yes and say, "Yeah, we're going to carry on with those lease," not having a tangible lease and

▶ 1:42:54 Maya Jamaleddine: good lease for all of us and especially for the businesses. So, last week after we vote no, I heard personally from the church, and they were able to explain their stories and they said, and I'm going to repeat what I heard from them, that they were hoping for negotiation, so they throw a number ... hoping that the city would give them another number, and the city just said no. They didn't give them a number. So they stopped, and they did not do any kind of negotiation after that. When I asked, "Why you didn't reach back since you didn't hear back from the city?" They said they were busy with a leak in their roof and a window that was broken. So they didn't have the time and the capacity to do this negotiation. And this

▶ 1:43:48 Maya Jamaleddine: is not our problem, with all due respect. And I did share my thought that they do need more support if they don't have the capacity to negotiate a contract. That's one. Second, when I asked to share their thoughts in an email for public record, so the public will have their side of the story and they would understand it and would go on record, they said they don't have the time and the capacity. They're going on vacation. So I wanted to share that to also be very transparent with all of you. I'm a new business owner, and a new restaurant owner, and I know exactly how important and crucial is to provide parking for our customers, but I also wanted to make sure that this is sustainable and that we're not going to

▶ 1:44:43 Maya Jamaleddine: wake up one day and say, "This is not going to work. We have potholes. We have no maintenance." Some kind of incidents happen, and we don't have any tangible lease and any strong lease that can make us feel comfortable to provide that parking for our customers on a long term. So my conclusion is that I am happy that we were able to push back, so that both sides are able to negotiate and be able to have really mature conversation and a better conversation and discussion. So, I do hope on a long run, we will be able to learn from that lesson and be able to have a better conversation for the next lease if we're going to renew it, and be able to think for a better solution for our customers and be

▶ 1:45:42 Maya Jamaleddine: able to provide a better solution for them. And for that, for now, I will vote yes because I will never want to hurt any kind of businesses in our community. But I also urge every single person who spoke today, and that I heard from them over the past week, to continue this conversation and try to push the city and the church to have a better agreement that will not hurt you on the long run. Thank you so much. Thank you, Councillor Jamaleddine. I now have Councillor Abramsky, followed by Councillor Finocchiaro. Thank you. I, too, was absent from the appropriations meeting the other night. My apologies. My kid had a baseball game. I'm missing the baseball game tonight. They won 15 to two. For me, preserving the 53 spaces makes sense,

▶ 1:46:36 Cal Finocchiaro: and it supports the downtown. I think they need the parking spaces. I think they're always going to need the parking spaces. I park there a couple of times a week. And for those reasons, I'll be voting in favor of the lease. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Abramsky. Councillor Finocchiaro. Thank you. I just think, without sort of pointing fingers, I think it's important to remember that there were two parties in this agreement and these negotiations. And so yes, maybe the church sent a number out to the city, but I don't think we should sit here pointing fingers at who should've responded and who shouldn't have. They didn't come to agreement together. But I do know that I'm not a member of St. Mary's, but they've been great partners of the community

▶ 1:47:22 Cal Finocchiaro: for many years. They could've been charging the city a lot of money for many years. It's been well under market, what they've charged us. And frankly, these parking spaces are much needed by our businesses and our residents. So, I am also happy with the new lease. Obviously, it's something that I think the church wants and that also the city wants. Financially, it makes the most sense. I was, and still am, supportive of the one-year lease, just because I wasn't willing to play Russian roulette and have a fence put up . Whether that was going to happen or not, it was just important to me to get a lease on the books. So I just want to just reiterate that I think the church has been a good community partner to us,

▶ 1:48:13 Jason Chen: and I think we just need to have a little bit more communication going forward, both parties. And now that this is sort of in the forefront more, we can all be integral partners as well and kind of ask more questions about the leases going forward. Thank you, Councillor Finocchiaro. Any further discussion on the motion at hand? Councillor Shen. Thank you. I think four things can be true about this. I will support the three-year lease. The four things are, we need to continue to be frugal with our taxpayer dollars as we spend our way to another override, and possibly without the confidence of a lot of taxpayers. Second, we can improve parking, as Councillor Vandiver and Councillor Williams suggests, and we can pilot ideas, and this doesn't

▶ 1:49:02 Jason Chen: require paying for a $70,000 study. There's plenty of studies in towns that have already been done, and there's a lot of great solutions out there that we can pilot. And many towns are dealing with this and at different stages in dealing with it, and we can learn from them. The third is these negotiations ran off the rails pretty early, and they didn't have to, and they became a crisis, and we got to good results But I suspect all parties learn from this, and the chances of it happening are hopefully less. The last truth here is that I realize we represent business owners. Some of us represent St. Mary's in our roles as councilors as well, and we also represent people with limited mobility and the elderly, sometimes not the

▶ 1:49:49 Jason Chen: most vocal, or it's not the easiest to advocate for themselves. But I appreciated the conversations and the people that came up to me. I know that those weren't always easy things to admit. I generally appreciate the civil way that this went about, and I think this helps us deal with a lot more issues of those four categories. We're better for it. Thank you, Councilor Chen. Any further discussion? Seeing none, Madam Clerk. Councilor Chen? Yes. Councilor Finocchiaro? Yes. Councilor Jamaleddine? Yes. Councilor Karamcheti? Yes. Councilor Kowal? Yes. Councilor Obremski? Yes. Councilor Park? Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes. Councilor Vandiver? No. Councilor Williams? No. President Freeman? Yes. Yes, have it. It passed.

▶ 1:50:43 Devin Romanul: Thank you. That revised lease passes as submitted on the 14th. Okay. ID number 2026-1509, appropriation in the amount of $7,000 from contract stabilization number 8404 to account number 012962-527950 for rental expenses for the St. Mary's parking lot lease. Mr. President, this comes to us from the Appropriations and Oversight Committee with a recommendation not for passage, given the changed terms. The mayor has sent an updated, revised order changing the number from 7,000 to 4,000. We've already appropriated 35,000 as part of our annual budget for the first chunk of our rental agreement. So with that, I make a motion to approve the order in the revised amount of $4,000 as amended by the current mayor's request.

▶ 1:51:38 Second. Motion to approve the order as amended, made by Councilor Romanul, seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro. On discussion. Seeing none, Madam Clerk. Councilor Chen? Yes. Councilor Finocchiaro? Yes. Councilor Jamaleddine? Yes. Councilor Karamcheti? Yes. Councilor Kowal? Yes. Councilor Obremski? Yes. Councilor Park? Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes. Councilor Vandiver? Yes. Councilor Williams? Yes. President Freeman? Yes. That motion passes. ID number 2026-1507, request that the City Council approve the written determination that the lease transaction of the St. Mary's Parish parking lot is a unique acquisition of property pursuant to Mass General Law C30B. Mr. President, this also comes to us from the Appropriations and Oversight

▶ 1:52:31 Devin Romanul: Committee with a recommendation not for passage. However, given the new terms and the aforementioned approved agreement, the mayor has submitted an updated determination for our July 20th meeting, and I would like to make a motion to approve the revised written determination for this order submitted on July 14th, 2026. Second. Motion to approve the revised written determination made by Councilor Romanul, seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro. On discussion. Seeing none, Madam Clerk. Councilor Chen? Yes. Councilor Finocchiaro? Yes. Councilor Jamaleddine? Yes. Councilor Karamcheti? Yes. Councilor Kowal? Yes. Councilor Obremski? Yes. Councilor Park? Yes. Councilor Romanul? Yes. Councilor Vandiver? Yes.

▶ 1:53:12 Bradley Freeman: Councilor Williams? Yes. President Freeman? Yes. That motion passes. Thank you very much. Moving towards the end here. Reports from committees. Seeing none, there are no expired EREs. Any reports under Rule 36? Seeing none. At this time, I will entertain a motion to adjourn. So moved. Second. Second. Motion to adjourn made by Councilor Romanul, seconded by Councilor Kowal. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? The ayes have it. We are adjourned.

City Council — 2026-07-20

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