Everett City Council
Monday September 25, 2023
Clickable Transcript Printable Transcript Agenda
The order of items in transcripts appear in the chronological order in which they were taken up. Some Agenda items may have been skipped.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
In a public hearing, Peggy Serino questions the transfer of $150,000 from ARPA funds for hiring a project manager for school modular projects, highlighting past decisions against such projects, and concerns over tearing down Pope John, a valuable city asset. She critiquizes council decisions and relationships, and discusses the impact of urban development on Everett, emphasizing a loss of community and need for infrastructure planning. Margaret Cornelio opposes modular classrooms due to impact on parking and voting, stressing community preference for utilizing Pope John as a school. David Fortin raises zoning amendments and local safety concerns, accusing city officials of neglect. Sandy Juliano questions continued discussions on modular classrooms despite prior rejections, pointing out potential safety risks and urging council to adhere to previous decisions. Paula Sterite speaks on the need for enforcement in various city issues, criticizing council actions on animal testing and biotech industry opportunities. Janice Lock raises concerns about religious advertisements on public channels. Joetta Yutkins shares personal hardships from city infrastructure issues, pleading for faster resolutions and expressing concern over the safety of modular classrooms for children. Residents express frustration over city management, proposed projects, and call for greater accountability and community-focused decision-making.
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Item 9
In a discussion about improving public transport in Everett, Vivian Nguyen from the Everett City Council inquired about the progress on an on-demand shuttle service for areas lacking current service. Joseph Monty from the City of Everett responded, mentioning the city's previous enhancements like TMA shuttles, bus, and bicycle improvements but acknowledged the on-demand service was not budgeted, estimating a need for a $50,000 allocation and a six-month timeline to get started. He outlined the process from funding acquisition to operationalizing such a service could be extensive. The conversation then shifted towards integrating ride-share apps and the potential inefficiency of adding another shuttle service outside the TMA. There was a focus on whether existing shuttle services, particularly those operated by entities like Wynn for their developments, could amend routes to better serve community needs over specific interests. Monty indicated plans to transition the operation of certain shuttle services to the TMA by next year, which would allow for route optimization and rebranding to better reflect the City of Everett, aiming to enhance community access and satisfaction.
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Item 10
Mayor Carlo DeMaria presented a proposal to address overcrowding in schools by introducing modular classrooms as a cost-effective and efficient solution. He emphasized that modulars are not substandard structures but are similar to permanent classrooms and are widely used in educational institutions, including colleges and universities. DeMaria also highlighted ongoing efforts to build a new high school with vocational programming, which would alleviate overcrowding in the long term. This plan involves discussions with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) and legislative efforts to increase funding for cities like Everett. The modulars, costing around $14 million, would temporarily relieve overcrowding except at the high school. DeMaria stressed the importance of this initiative for both immediate relief and the city’s future educational infrastructure. The discussion also touched on concerns about aesthetics, outdoor space, and financial implications, with city council members expressing diverse opinions and emphasizing the need for long-term solutions alongside the temporary fix of modular classrooms.
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Item 7
Erik Swanson, the Engineering Director for the City of Everett, briefed the city council on the status of various park projects, including completed, ongoing, and planned work. A notable topic of discussion was the condition of Florence Street Park, which had been questioned for its suitability for youth baseball programs due to alleged contamination. Swanson indicated a lack of awareness about any restrictions preventing the park's use for such programs and suggested that the contamination present might not pose a significant risk to children. This sparked a broader discussion about the park's contamination, how it arose, notably from storm-related activities, and the broader implications for community health and safety. Council members expressed surprise and concern about the contamination issue, prompting a commitment from Swanson to investigate further and clarify the situation, including plans for remediation and renovations intended to make the park safe for use.
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Item 11
During a public hearing, discussions focused on the anticipated impacts of a new large development project by Wynn, comprising 600 parking spaces and 600 units, on the local infrastructure, especially concerning stormwater management. Councilor Costa expressed concerns about the project adding strain to the existing infrastructure and the risk of flooding, particularly on Air Force Road, despite ongoing and planned stormwater system improvements. Swanson clarified that while the improvements cannot guarantee the elimination of flooding, especially during heavy rainfalls, they are expected to significantly reduce its frequency and severity. The improvements include the installation of a large culvert to better manage stormwater, slated to begin construction in the spring. There were also queries about the potential for further system upgrades and how the new development's stormwater management plans would integrate with the city's efforts to mitigate flooding risks. The conversation also touched on how the new stormwater infrastructure would function, directing water away from flood-prone areas toward the river, with construction bidding expected in the fall.
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Item 2
Sabrina Firicano, Director of the Public Health Department for the City of Everett, addressed the council regarding the request for five full-time nurses from Cataldo to work in several schools, presenting a solution to alleviate the current strain on school nursing staff due to existing vacancies and budget approvals for additional nurse positions. The discussion also covered efforts to resolve salary issues with the union, ways to manage administrative workloads for nurses, and strategies to ensure adequate nursing coverage for school operations. Council members expressed support for the request and the need to address salary and labor rate inequities, as well as potential union concerns regarding the hiring of non-union nurses from Cataldo. The city's financial strategy for supporting these positions, including budget appropriations and the use of taxation, was explained by city representatives, highlighting the ongoing challenges in managing healthcare resources within the educational system.
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Item 6
Council member Isola expressed appreciation for the ongoing developments within the city, highlighting the significant number of housing units being constructed at various sites, including over 700 units near a Stop and Shop and approximately 500 units at Rivergreen. Noting the importance of transparency and awareness of such projects, Isola praised the availability of a comprehensive list detailing these developments for council members and encouraged colleagues to consult this list for any questions or concerns. Additionally, requests were made to Mr. Lattanzi for the provision of updated information regarding projects with more than 10 units, specifically the number of affordable housing units included. The City Council Clerk, Sergio Cornelio, suggested directly referring these requests to Mr. Lattanzi for action and updates, streamlining the process and ensuring council members receive the necessary project information and updates on affordable housing inclusion.
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Item 8
In the discussion, Marchese inquires about the total funds collected from linkage fees, which Demas responds to, noting a collection of $198,717 from two properties with respective payment schedules over five and seven years. The total expected fees from these properties are discussed, with specific amounts allocated for each. The conversation then shifts to future fee collections and the completion of buildings, with Demas explaining ongoing coordination for these estimations. Questions about the use of linkage fees and the specific ordinance governing them lead to clarifications on the fee structure and the need for city council approval for spending from the linkage fee account, indicating no current expenditures from this fund.
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Item 3 & 4
Cornelio addressed the committee about a zoning ordinance that needs to be deleted, suggesting it should be sent to the planning board for review, similar to a previous case. He emphasized the importance of the planning board's recommendation before the committee could make a final decision, mentioning that this process also applied to another item, number four. Smith expressed confusion about locating the specific section intended for deletion but agreed to forward the matter to the planning board for their consideration. Smith also mentioned the possibility of sending item four to legislative affairs, pending the planning board's review.
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Item 13
Costa expressed concerns during a committee meeting about the politicization of city services in Everett for political agendas. He emphasized the need to ensure the city remains impartial and conducted business properly by referring to the installation of speed tables or bumps as a specific case in point. Costa requested confirmation from Mr. Monty and Mr. Swanson in Transportation and Engineering that these traffic calming measures would indeed be installed as previously agreed upon, after the school year ended. Additionally, he asked Mr. Megan to document and share an email exchange with Miss Monte, affirming the installation timeline, and to include an overview of all planned infrastructure improvements aimed at reducing speeding.
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Item 14
Martins proposed to move the discussion of the allocation of funds for lead pipe replacement from the CIP budget to an upcoming government operations meeting, where the engineer is already scheduled to attend. He highlighted the urgent need for pipe replacement in Ward 2, indicating a specific concern for that area.
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Item 5
In the discussion, Smith reveals a conversation with a legislative aid and mentions a team member, Jenkins Sullivan, could not attend the current meeting but is willing to discuss matters in the next session, particularly concerning National Grid and its station projects. This response is in an effort to address Councilor Costa’s request about project management and other concerns related to National Grid. Lattanzi emphasizes the necessity of referring the matter to the council to grant permission for street openings by National Grid, highlighting the council’s role in such decisions. Cornelio clarifies that the council previously conducted a public hearing about this issue but has yet to approve it, noting that the approval process has been delayed and is now being postponed for the third time due to outstanding requests for further information.
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