Everett City Council
Tuesday December 26, 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
The public hearing began with the opening of public participation, led by council member Matwesky and City Clerk Sergio Cornelio, who noted 12 sign-ins across two sheets, equating to nine participants due to some duplicates. Initially, Peggy Serino raised concerns about the proposal for an additional ambulance, questioning the rationale behind it while also criticizing the city's expenditure of ARPA funds and the integrity of certain individuals, including Colin De Maria. Wendy Poste then shared alarming statistics on sexual assaults and questioned the financial viability of acquiring another ambulance. Steve Iannaco, on behalf of Johnny Pablo, inquired about the financial details and viability of the current ambulance service. Paula Sterite highlighted the lack of revenue from the existing ambulance service and questioned the financial management within the city. Issues around the city's spending, the need for infrastructure to accommodate growth, and individual cases such as Tony Raymond's were also discussed, with several speakers defending Raymond against what they viewed as unjust treatment by the city's administration. The meeting progressed with further speakers examining the city's legal expenditures, advocating for responsible fiscal management, and expressing support for community members. The session concluded with a motion to close public participation after all speakers had been heard.
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Item 9.
The public hearing focused on discussing updates and changes to the City of Everett's 2024 resident parking program, introduced by Councilor Michael Marchese and prepared by Sergeant Joseph Gaff of the Everett Police Department, along with city officials Chad Lunogo and Adriana Intresano. The presentation covered efforts to address resident concerns by changing parking regulations, including reducing the number of vehicles/passes and adjusting fees for commercial vehicles and residents. They highlighted the enforcement progress, such as the reduction in violations and the introduction of towing to enforce street cleaning rules. Significant changes include increased fees for commercial vehicle parking, elimination of special placards, and adjustments to visitor pass policies to limit their duration and enhance security features. They also touched on future goals to manage residential sticker issuance better and mentioned an initiative to review and potentially remove unnecessary handicapped parking spots. Council members expressed concerns and suggestions, particularly regarding commercial vehicle regulations and enforcement capabilities, to ensure the effective implementation of the new parking program.
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Item 19.
During a council meeting, representatives from The Davis Companies, Mike Cantalupa and Chris Moore, were invited to discuss their plans for the development of the recently acquired ExxonMobil land. Cantalupa explained that the initial contract for the land was terminated in August 2022 due to economic downturns and a reevaluation of the site’s conditions but was later reacquired in December 2022 under different terms. He mentioned that the company’s plan for the site has evolved due to changes in the economic landscape and potential new needs, such as enhancing the electric grid's resilience. The project, which may take up to 20 years or longer to complete, will involve significant site remediation efforts due to contamination, with the Davis Companies bearing the responsibility for this process. Preliminary plans include the development of residential units, advanced manufacturing, and R&D facilities, with the possibility of integrating these residential units more widely across the development site. Council members expressed interest in the potential for a commuter rail stop to support the development and the importance of incorporating traffic demand management strategies. The item was referred back to the sponsor with a request for future updates.
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Item 1.
Council Michael Marchese proposed a request for approval to use a $120,042 grant from the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust and the Department of Environmental Protection. This grant is aimed at assisting with updating or implementing an asset management program for utilities related to wastewater, drinking water, stormwater, or a combination thereof, in addition to helping meet federally required fiscal sustainability plans. Councilor Martins expressed support for the order but highlighted the importance of notifying residents about ongoing work, particularly due to the confusion caused by markings in front of homes, potentially affecting water availability. The motion for approval, along with the request for resident notification by the water department, was unanimously passed with seven ayes.
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Item 17.
At a public hearing, a motion was made to prioritize agenda item 17, which involved a petition for a new open-air parking license for Quick Auto Center Corp at 39 Line Street, offered by Councilor Michael Marchese. Despite preparations, the individual intended to speak on the matter was absent, leading Council Dell Isola to propose postponing the discussion to the first meeting of the new year, given the upcoming new city government. This proposal was accepted, and it was decided that the clerk's office would resubmit the petition on behalf of the petitioner in January. The motion to refer the item back to the sponsor and the clerk's office for future consideration was made, seconded, voted upon favorably, and thus approved.
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Item 16.
Councilor Stephanie Martins and Councilor Vivian Nguyen offered a resolution for the licensing commission to update on scheduling a public hearing regarding the alcohol Nip ban. Councilor Martins noted that a meeting had not occurred that month and suggested referring the item back to the sponsor, with intentions to reintroduce it the following year. The motion to refer the item back to the sponsor was made, seconded, and approved with all in favor.
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Item 18.
Councilor Stephanie Smith proposed a resolution for the Animal Control Office (ACO) to monitor dogs off-leash at local parks and to provide copies of all citations issued throughout 2023. However, due to a lack of response from the ACO, Smith decided to follow up with the office privately and suggested referring the resolution back to the sponsor. This suggestion was motioned by Councilor Matewsky and, after gaining a second, was approved by all present members with no opposition, effectively sending the item back to its originator for further consideration.
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Item 20.
Councilor Stephanie Martins proposed a resolution urging the administration to consider expanding programs to include activities that are inclusive of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Although the resident who intended to speak on the matter was unable to attend due to illness, she communicated her request through Martins, emphasizing the need for the city of Everett to be more aware and accommodating of individuals with disabilities. This includes making recreational activities more welcoming for persons of all disabilities, ensuring the commission includes individuals with disabilities and that it actively advertises its meetings, and engaging parents of children with disabilities in advising on parks and spaces. She also suggested that local activities could include events like an inclusion dance to welcome everyone. The motion was made to refer the item back to the sponsor, and it was approved unanimously for consideration next year.
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Item 21.
Councilor Al Latanzi proposed a resolution to investigate and discuss the possibility of obtaining a second ambulance for the Everett Fire Department, emphasizing the availability of grants to cover the cost at no expense. The department currently has one ambulance, but aims for a more comprehensive emergency response capability. Staffing shortages at Cataldo Ambulance have led to delayed response times, highlighting the need for additional resources. Discussions with EFD leadership and the support from Mayor de Maria for expanding the ambulance fleet were mentioned. The funding for the additional ambulance could potentially be covered by various grants, including those for green energy and electric vehicles, thus offsetting operational costs. The motion to look into grants and the feasibility of acquiring another ambulance will be revisited in the new session, as it was decided to refer the matter back to the sponsor at the end of the year.
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Item 22.
During a discussion led by Councilor Stephanie Martens, the proposal to allocate ARPA funds for a senior home repair rehab program was brought up, aiming to reinstate a similar initiative from the 1980s that provided seniors with home repair assistance, either through grants or low-interest loans. Councilor Smith clarified that the city already sponsors a broader housing rehab program, not limited to seniors, with available funding for homeowners who comply with certain conditions, such as residency requirements and not selling the house within a specified timeframe. Following this, it was suggested that the existing program should be better advertised to ensure residents, including seniors, are aware of and can access these funds. The motion to refer the item for better advertisement of the current housing rehab programs, especially for seniors, was passed unanimously.
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Item 23.
Councilor Stephanie Martins introduced a resolution to improve Haitian Creole communications in the city's Code Red notification system, highlighting feedback from the Haitian Center regarding the poor quality of French translations and the complete lack of Haitian Creole translations. Martins emphasized the importance of human translators over automated services to effectively reach the city's Haitian population, noting that professional translation services would cost no more than $60. The motion to refer Martins' recommendation to Mayor De Maria's office for consideration was made, seconded, and passed unanimously.
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Item 24.
Councilor Martins introduced a resolution for conducting workshops to guide local organizations on applying for ARPA funds aimed at capacity building. He emphasized the necessity of such workshops as organizations need funds not only for specific projects but also to cover operational costs like staff salaries and utilities to sustain the activities they are funded for. The resolution was proposed to be sent to the administration, with the DEI department's assistance. The motion to refer it to Mayor De Maria's office and the DEI department was made, seconded, and unanimously approved by the council members.
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Item 25.
Councilor Vivian Nguyen introduced a resolution to explore adding an additional textile recycling program to enhance accessibility across the city, inspired by a constituent. Highlighting Massachusetts' annual production of approximately 230,000 tons of textile waste and the limited accessibility of current recycling options in Everett, Nguyen emphasized the need for a more accessible, formal textile recycling partnership. Bay State Textiles, a program offering no-cost textile recycling while providing a rebate to participating entities, was suggested as a potential partner. The resolution, aimed at making textile recycling a common practice in Everett, was referred to the administration and the Department of Public Works (DPW), with a request for a written update. The motion was unanimously approved by the council.
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