HomeMy Public PortalAboutmin 05-24-20_1ELECTED OFFICIALS:
Mark S. Sideris
Council President
Stephen P. Corbett
Vice President
John A. Donohue
Councilor At Large
Susan G. Falkoff
Councilor At Large
Anthony Palomba
Councilor At Large
Angeline B. Kounelis
District A Councilor
Cecilia Lenk
District B Councilor
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr.
District C Councilor
Watertown Town Council
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-972-6470
Town Council Meeting
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 7:15 pm
Richard E. Mastrangelo Council Chamber
Administration Building
DRAFT MINUTES
1. ROLL CALL: A regular meeting of the Town Council was called to order
at 7:15 pm, in the Richard E. Mastrangelo Council Chamber,
Administration Building. Present for the meeting were Councilors Susan
G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., John J. Lawn, Jr., Vice President Stephen P.
Corbett, and Council President Mark S. Sideris. Councilor Donohue was
absent. Also present were the Town Manager Michael J. Driscoll, Town
Attorney Mark Reich and Council Clerk Valerie Papas.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
John J. Lawn, Jr. 3. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES: May 11th. Councilor Piccirilli moved to
District D Councilor accept the minutes, seconded by Councilor Falkoff and adopted by voice
vote with Councilors Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B.
Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., John J. Lawn, Jr., Vice
President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark S. Sideris
voting in the affirmative.
4. PUBLIC FORUM — none noted.
5. PRESIDENT'S REPORT
The Chair indicated that a letter from the Retirement Board has been
received by the Town Council requesting a discussion on COLA increases.
Councilor Piccirilli moved to refer the matter to the Fiscal & Budget
Oversight Subcommittee, seconded by Councilor Kounelis and adopted by
voice vote with Councilor Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B.
Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., John J. Lawn, Jr., Vice
President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark S. Sideris
voting in the affirmative.
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The Chair indicated that he attended a presentation this afternoon along
with Vice President Corbett regarding Watertown's participation as a
Green Community. The Chair recognized the Manager who announced
that the town has received a check in the amount of $192,825.00 to retrofit
street and parking lot lights as part of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and
Department of Energy Resources - Green Communities Division. The
retrofitting will take place this summer.
6. PUBLIC HEARING AND VOTE:
a) Public hearing and vote on proposed amendments to the Traffic
Commission Ordinance. The Chair recognized Councilor Falkoff who
provided an explanation of the two proposed changes to the Traffic
Commission Ordinance; 70.02 which adds the Planning director or
his/her designee to the board membership and 70.05 which authorizes
the Traffic Commission to make suggestion and advise the Manager on
issues regarding the regulation of traffic with a view toward safety and
study and make recommendations on road design projects with respect
to crosswalks, stop signs, traffic signals, measures or traffic directional
changes as outlined in the proposed Ordinance. The Chair opened up
the hearing to the public. There being no comments, the hearing was
closed.
Councilor Falkoff moved to adopt the proposed amendments, seconded by
Councilor Piccirilli and adopted by unanimous roll call vote with
Councilor Falkoff and adopted by voice vote with Councilors Susan G.
Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J.
Piccirilli, Jr., John J. Lawn, Jr., Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and
Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
7. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
a) Committee on Economic Development and Planning report and action
on an appointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals — Stephen P.
Corbett, Chair. Vice President Corbett read the committee report.
There being no questions or comments, Councilor Piccirilli moved to
accept the report, seconded by Councilor Lenk and adopted by voice
vote with Councilors Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B.
Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., John J. Lawn, Jr.,
Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark S.
Sideris voting in the affirmative.
Vice President Corbett moved to approve the appointment of Mr.
Christopher Heep to the Zoning Board of Appeals to fill an unexpired
term ending on February 15, 2012, seconded by Councilor Falkoff and
adopted by voice vote with Councilors Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony
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Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr.,
John J. Lawn, Jr., Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council
President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
b) Committee on Budget and Fiscal Oversight report on Retirement
Benefits — Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Chair. Councilor Piccirilli read the
committee report. Councilor Kounelis moved to accept the report,
seconded by Councilor Lenk.
Councilor Palomba stated that it was his understanding that the town
was not going to worry about paying down OPEB until the pension
liability has been paid down.
Councilor Lenk indicated that setting up a trust fund for Other Post
Employee Benefits (OPEB) liability which is currently at $118 million;
is a good faith effort to at least begin to pay down the liability after the
town has paid off the pension liability. She further noted that the more
the town can control health care costs the better the town can control
OPEB costs. The Chair recognized the Manager who agreed with
Councilor Lenk on the potential trust fund and further stated that he
would like to pay down the $58.5 million in unfunded pension liability
as soon as possible.
Councilor Piccirilli indicated that the primary strategy is to pay down
the pension liability as soon as possible which will free up other
monies. He noted that the three prong approach; GIC; OPEB trust
fund and paying down the pension liability is a good strategy.
Upon a voice vote, the report was adopted with Councilors Susan G.
Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., John J. Lawn, Jr., Vice President Stephen P.
Corbett, and Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the
affirmative.
c) Joint Committee on State, Federal & Regional Government & Public
Works report and action on the MBTA Trackless Trolley System —
Angeline B. Kounelis and Susan G. Falkoff, Chairs. Councilor
Kounelis read the committee report. There being no questions or
comments, Councilor Piccirilli moved to accept the report, seconded
by Councilor Kounelis and adopted by voice vote with Councilors
Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia
Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., John J. Lawn, Jr., Vice President
Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in
the affirmative.
Councilor Falkoff noted that while the Town of Belmont requested
that Watertown and Cambridge discuss this issue, they did not seem to
be in favor of eliminating electric buses.
Councilor Kounelis read an email (attached to the committee report)
from Belmont Town Administrator, Thomas Younger requesting the
discussion on the matter.
Councilor Falkoff moved to request the Manager send a letter to the Town
of Belmont in support of retaining the electric trolley # 71 and 73,
seconded by Councilor Lenk and adopted by voice vote with Councilors
Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., John J. Lawn, Jr., Vice President Stephen P.
Corbett, and Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
8. NEW BUSINESS
a) Human Services report and discussion of a proposed resolution. The
Chair recognized Councilor Palomba who read a draft report regarding
the Watertown/Harvard/O'Neil charitable funds. Councilor Palomba
noted that the committee tentatively established a July 861 deadline for
submission of applications for the funds.
Councilor Palomba moved to accept the draft report, seconded
Councilor Lawn and adopted by voice vote with Councilors Susan G.
Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., John J. Lawn, Jr., Vice President Stephen P.
Corbett, and Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the
affirmative.
The Chair noted that acceptance of the draft report is an informal vote
as the Chair of the subcommittee has not had a chance to review the
report.
Councilor Palomba moved to accept the 2010 charitable guidelines and
process for 2011 and to retain the previous ad hoc membership for this
year, seconded by Councilor Lawn and adopted by voice vote with
Councilors Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B.
Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., John J. Lawn, Jr.,
Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark S.
Sideris voting in the affirmative.
Councilor Palomba read a proposed resolution regarding the use of
funds from the Wheelabrator settlement in the amount of $79,941.00
to be used for the temporary hiring of workers in the Public Works
department to complete work related projects resulting from this past
winter's storms.
The Chair indicated that while the Council is still in the middle of the
budget hearing process, the town would be better served by having the
Council examine all departmental needs and send the proposed
resolution to the Budget & Fiscal Oversight Subcommittee for further
discussion and recommendation.
Councilor Falkoff moved to refer the proposed resolution to
subcommittee for further discussion and recommendation, seconded by
Councilor Palomba and adopted by voice vote with Councilors Susan
G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., John J. Lawn, Jr., Vice President Stephen P.
Corbett, and Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the
affirmative.
9. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE TOWN MANAGER
1. Next Yard Waste Pickup is Friday, May 27tH
2. The Start of Summer Hours is Tuesday, May 24tH
3. The Manager indicated that Comcast will not be closing their
Watertown office as previously stated.
4. The Manager read a press release from the US Attorney General
regarding a law enforcement matter. The Manager noted that the
former police officer in question had been terminated by the Town of
Watertown on November 11, 2010 following a disciplinary hearing for
improperly serving a restraining order and for making false statements.
10. REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION — none noted.
11. ANNOUNCEMENTS — none noted.
12. PUBLIC FORUM — none noted.
13. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to
come before the Town Council, Councilor Lawn moved to adjourn the
meeting at 8:30 pm, seconded by Councilor Palomba and adopted by
unanimous vote with Councilors Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba,
Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., John J.
Lawn, Jr., Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President
Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative. .