City Council — 2025-09-02
Transcript
▶ 58:58 Leila Migliorelli: And this meeting with the Melrose City Council is called to order in accordance with Massachusetts Open Meeting Law. This meeting is being broadcast and recorded by Melrose Cable Access tv. It will be available for viewing in its entirety on MMTV and through the city website Link. Madam Clerk, will you please call the role Councilor Ro? Here. Councilor Garipay? Here. Councilor Hamilton. Here. Councilor Jamine. Council. Karen Chetty. Here. Councilor Brisky. Councilor Romanul. Here. Council Stewart? Here. Councilor Vanderberg. Here. Councilor Williams. Present. MRE Here. It makes per quorum. Okay. At this time, please rise. If you're able to join in the pledge of the Week, See the flag of the United States of America
▶ 59:49 Leila Migliorelli: into the republic for which it stands. One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. At this time, I will motion to approve without reading and by unanimous consent. The minutes from the singular city council meeting on August 18th. Seeing no objections, these minutes are now approved. Um, at this time I will motion by unanimous consent to open the floor for public comment for the city council meeting. Seeing no objections. We're now open for public comment. Um, per rule 33 A of the Melrose City Council rules, this is a portion of the meeting where the public may speak on any items, on any item on tonight's agenda. Comments expressing any viewpoint on other madams matters are also welcome.
▶ 1:00:43 Leila Migliorelli: Um, just a reminder that public comment period is the opportunity for the public to share comments. Counselors will not respond. Uh, is there anyone here wishing to speak in public comments tonight? Is there anyone online? There's No one online. Okay. I will motion, um, by unanimous consent to close public comments. Seeing no objections. We are now closed on to communications from her honor, the mayor and new city officials. We do not have any. Um, and moving on to new business filings by the Honorable Mayor. Uh, orders ID number 1 2 8 6 4 declaration of city owned vehicles available for disposition. This Will go to appropriations and oversight ID number 1 2 9 4 8 to implement a fee schedule
▶ 1:01:32 Leila Migliorelli: for certain optional services provided by the Treasurer Collector Department and add a postage fee for the mailing of municipal lien certificates. This will go to appropriations and oversight. Now, um, there are no filings by the Honorable City Council, so moving on to the public hearing, which is not scheduled to begin until eight o'clock. Um, so I will motion by you Unanim, consent for a five minute recess. Seeing no objections. Um, I think we can keep going. All right, fine. All right. Maybe, we'll, we'll keep going. That's not a bad idea. Let's see if we can do this and then we can see what we can get done and then we'll, someone cut me off at eight o'clock. All right. Unfinished business
▶ 1:02:17 Leila Migliorelli: appointments and reappointments ID number 1 2 8 8 3. Appointment of Cole LOLer, 34 France, Frances Street to the Conservation Commission. Madam President. This comes from Boards and commissions with a recommendation for approval. And at this time, I make that motion. Second motion, um, for passage made by Councillor Van, seconded by Councillor Ro. On discussion, seeing none. All in favor, a aye. Any opposed? That appointment is now approved ID number 1 2 8 9 5. Appointment of Tamara Charlton as Veteran Services agent. So, uh, Madam President, this comes from appropriation oversight with a recommendation for approval. At this time, I'll make that motion. Second. Motion made by Councillor Repe, seconded
▶ 1:03:09 Leila Migliorelli: by Councillor Firo on discussion. Seeing none. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? That appointment is now approved ID number 1 2 8 9 9 reappointment of Charles Harrick 14 Country Club Road to the Melrose Housing Authority for a three year term. Said term to end on the first Monday of March, 2028. This also comes from the Appropriations and Oversight Committee with a recommendation for passage. And at this time, I motion for passage. Second, Just point of record Boards and commissions. Uh, committee, you said appropriations and oversight, just wanted to correct the, for the record Board and commissions. Excuse. Sure. No, no. Um, motion for, uh, to, for passage made by Councillor Ver, seconded by Councillor Carm,
▶ 1:03:57 Leila Migliorelli: jd On discussion, seeing none. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? That reappointment passes. Moving on to grants ID number 1 2 8 9 8 Requesting acceptance of a Massachusetts Gaming Commission Community Mitigation Fund grant in the amount of 160, 166,800 to address the impacts of gambling related harms in our community. Madam President, this comes from appropriation of oversight with a recommendation for passage. At this time, I'll make a motion for passage. Second. Motion for passage made by Councillor Repe, seconded by Councillor Fero. On discussion. Seeing none, Madam Clerk, will you please call the role Councillor fro? Yes. Councilor Repe. Yes. Councillor Hamilton? Yes. Councilor Jamal Ledine? Yes. Councilor Karen Chetty? Yes.
▶ 1:04:52 Councilor Romanul? Yes. Councilor Stewart? Yes. Councilor Vandiver. Yes. President Moore? Yes. Motion passes. Okay. Next up. Under orders ID number 1 2 8 6 8. Request an appropriation of 124,005 oh, I'm sorry. 124,500,000 to pay costs for design, engineering, construction site improvements, equipping and furnishing of a renovated Melrose Central Fire Station. A new Melrose Highlands Fire Station, a new Melrose East Side Fire Station, and a new Melrose Police Station. Madam President, this comes from appropriation and oversight with a recommendation for passage. At this time, I will make a motion for passage. Second. Motion for passage made by Councillor Repe, seconded by Councilor Carm jy. On discussion, seeing none, Madam Clerk, please, please call
▶ 1:05:49 The roll Council. Councilor Ro? Yes. Councilor Repe. Yes. Councilor Hamilton? Yes. Councilor Jamine. Yes. Councilor Karen Chetty. Yes. Councillor Romanul. Yes. Councillor Stewart? Yes. Councillor Vandiver. Yes. President Re Yes. Motion passes. Alright. Next order. We have one more minute, we can keep going. Mm-hmm. Id number 1 2 9 44 That the city council accept local option statute Master General Law C 39. Section 20 3D for the Melrose Planning Board, zoning Board of Appeals Conservation Commission and the Historic District Commission. Holden. Oh gosh. I was waiting for You. I adjudicatory hearings to allow for members to not be disqualified from voting on a matter solely because of their absence from one hearing date.
▶ 1:06:44 Leila Migliorelli: Madam uh, president, this order comes from the, uh, legal and legislative, uh, committee with the recommendation for passage. And at this time, I would like to make a motion for passage. Second. Motion for passage made by Councillor Aldine, seconded by Councillor Repe On discussion. Seeing none. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? That order passes. All right. So we're eight o'clock. I'm going to go back up to the agenda and open the public hearing, um, for National Grid petitions. Okay. At this time, um, I will motion by unanimous consent to open the public hearing, which hearing is now open. We have a member, um, from National Grid here to speak, um, this evening about these two orders. And our DPW director, uh, Ms. Elena Proles. Thank you.
▶ 1:07:45 Thank you. Good evening. Uh, my name is Rafael, eh, one 70. Met Forest Street in molding from National Grid, eh, the, the, the first petition that was in eh, west Emerson Street, uh, for the church. Eh, the pole relocation actually is gonna be canceled because, eh, the church decide that they gonna be upgrading their service in the future next year. And the bigger size of the survey that we can give them by overhead, eh, is the, the one that they already have. So they're gonna pursue with an underground option that we are gonna be submitting in the future when they decide we receive their, the, their work order in that case. So it's gonna be canceled. Okay. That was everything that, eh, was his decision.
▶ 1:08:41 And we already did different meetings and he decided that, So we had met with the letters and the, um, And the project proponent from the church And National Grid and our engineering division. Um, and the conclusion was that there was a solution that gives them a bigger service underground, doesn't require the new pole. And the neighbor across the street was much happier with not having the new pole. So, um, it seems to make sense. It, the only remaining question was, um, could the church pay the cost to, to do the underground service? And it appears that they're working it into a larger upgrade project that they're doing at the church anyway. I think they wanted the new service perhaps for, um,
▶ 1:09:25 some electrification of their HVEC. So they need the, the bigger service anyway. Okay. And just to clarify for the public, this is, um, the petition. This first part of the hearing was for a petition to install one Jo Poll on Emerson Place. Yes. Um, okay. Yeah. And the, um, the underground project I anticipate will likely require a grant of location anyway, but I think we'll have to work out the details of the, um, ownership. I think if it's an underground service, it's owned by the Yes proponent. So they would be the ones to request the grant of location rather than National Grid. So we'll work that out with the legal department, make sure we're, um, that they're submitting it properly. Okay. So we're canceling this order. Yes.
▶ 1:10:10 Um, I will entertain a motion from council, uh, Councillor Hamilton and President, I make a motion to close Second motion close, made by Councillor Hamilton, seconded by Councillor Romanul on discussion. Seeing none. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? This order is closed, therefore not moving forward. Next in the public hearing is National Grid, um, installation of one J Poll on Mount Zion Road. Yes. Eh, this one actually is gonna be canceled because, eh, I made a mistake to meeting the petition because actually that is a private road, doesn't belong to the city. So usually the, the usual way that I, eh, do the research, I go with mass mapper and also the city assessors map the GIS assessors map.
▶ 1:11:03 Leila Migliorelli: And in this case, this dobel told me, uh, that it was private or city on in that case, but it's a private rule. So actually it doesn't, it's, it is not a, a city issue in this case. Okay. So this order will also be canceled and not moving forward. Um, uh, yes. Councillor Hamilton, Madam President, I make a motion to close. Second Motion to close made by Councilor Ham Hamilton, seconded by Councilor Romanul on discussion. Seeing none. All in favor? A Aye, aye. Any opposed? Okay. Those orders are closed. Um, since this is a public hearing, uh, I don't know if members of the public were wanting to speak these, both of these things are closed and not moving forward, but if you do wish to make a public comment, um, feel free,
▶ 1:11:53 uh, you may approach the table to make a public comment. Um, comment. Jeremy 1 7 6. May I ask you, come to the table Yeah. And speak to the microphone. Thank you. Hi. With Tom and Joni Russell from 1 7 6 Baystate Road, um, on the center of Mount Zion crossing the Street. Yes. And actually we just wanted to ask what does that mean now that it's been canceled and closed? Um, because we received the letter that it was gonna be on the eastern side, and then go over to the western side where we are, and then back over to the eastern side. Right. And there was a question of the tree involved, which is why they were gonna do that. Mm-hmm. Because it had been, um, a work order back in 2008 that it might have been diseased
▶ 1:12:44 and it was never taken down, so that was why it was gonna crisscross. So now I don't, I guess we have a question of what does this mean going forward? Where gonna, is It gonna go straight or Okay. In this little unconventional way? Uh, Ms. Ellis, would you mind answering into the microphone? You could do microphone. Yeah. So by, by removing it from the grant of location process, it doesn't mean that the project won't be proceeding. It just means that the city council doesn't have a, a need to vote because it's not a granting a location within a city property. Um, so where this is a private way, there will still most likely be, um, involvement from the DPW by way of if there's any excavation they would require permits
▶ 1:13:32 from, uh, national Grid would require permits from the engineering division, um, even in the private way. And, um, we do have conservation land that abuts Mount Zion, so we are also in Abutter. So we have an interest in what happens on the private way. Um, so we'll be involved in the discussion of how the project goes forward. Um, so as of right now, there really aren't any changes to how the project was proposed. I understand some of the abutters, and actually I've spoken, um, with the salmon butters, understand that there are some questions about a tree and, and what the fate of that will be. It is a private tree because it's a private way. Um, so that will all have to be worked out with the abutters collectively, um, for anything
▶ 1:14:15 Leila Migliorelli: that happens in the private way. Okay. So there will be no, there's no public process other than what might go through the Conservation Commission. And if people have questions about next steps in the process, should they approach the DPW department directly? Um, and they will, you'll basically restate what you just said, but is, is that just for the public and the recording? Um, yeah, I think the engineering division, the DPW engineering division is the best place, um, for this to land if the public has questions because our acting city engineer is spearheading the, um, coordination, which with National Grid. Okay. Thank you. Is there anyone else from the public wishing to speak? Yes, Francisco.
▶ 1:15:02 I live in 17 months Island Road. I'd like to know what is the definition of the city about private role or public role? What the definition? I don't think the street belong to anyone in the, among all the people who live there. So why we are calling this private role that the city doesn't have any obligation to do anything there. Could you explain me please? That Yes, correct. Uh, DDPW director, this is just clear, this is a very unusual, but we've never had a close public, uh, to close to, um, public hearing poll location, so I'm willing to let this go. Go ahead. Yeah. I'll just let, give a quick answer. So a public way is a road that's been accepted by the city and meets all of the dimensional requirements
▶ 1:15:51 and the like of a city, uh, public road. So Mount Zion is not a road that the city ever accepted as a public way, which means that it's commonly owned by its abuts. So each of the property owners who lives on Mount Zion actually owns the road. That said, the city does have, um, utilities that run under the street. So your water, your sewer run under the street and those are city owned. So we still maintain those utilities in the private ways. We also, we fill potholes, we plow snow, we pick up trash on private ways, but we don't do, um, permanent repairs. That's pretty much where the city's, uh, I requested long ago, maybe two years ago, about the fixing of the road that need to have repayment.
▶ 1:16:37 Leila Migliorelli: And I came here to ask about that and it told me that was a private role robot. What was a private role? We are paying taxes. I don't know Why. Yeah, I would, I would say that that question is better directed outside of this meeting since this is a public hearing for these two particular poll locations. And so you're, and this is not a q and a? Um, no, No. Right. Okay. Right now the, that I want to ask you, do you have a, or, um, national degree has a plan what they planning to do, where they want, they have a drawing that we can look at the project. I think that you can approach that, you can ask the engineering division of the DPW. Will we provide that as Well? Yeah, we can provide the engineering divisions
▶ 1:17:15 downstairs here in city hall. Okay. You can call or come in. We can provide that. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Um, I will motion by unanimous consent now to close the public hearing. Seeing no objections. The public hearing is now closed. Let's do that. Moving on back to our agenda, full council agenda, we are on to ordinances ID number 1 2 9 4 2 amending city ordinance to implement a new schedule of fees for zoning and conservation permits. Um, Madam President, this order comes, this ordinance comes from the, uh, le, uh, legal and legislative committee with the recommendation for passage. And at this time I would like to make a motion for passage. Second, motion for passage made by Councillor Jamal,
▶ 1:18:05 Leila Migliorelli: seconded by Councillor Repe on discussion, see none. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? That passes now on to transfers ID number 1 2 8 5 1, request and transfer of funds from Department of Public Works, parks and Forestry salary accounts to parks and forestry expense accounts for contracted tree services. Um, Madam President, this comes from the finance committee with, uh, the recommendation for passage. And at this time I'll make a motion to pass. Second motion for passage made by Councillor Stewart, seconded by Councilor Aldine on discussion. Seeing none. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? That passes. There's nothing under expiries. Anything to update under rule 53. Okay, I will.
▶ 1:18:56 Leila Migliorelli: Motion by unanimous consent to adjourn. Seeing no objection, we are now adjourned.