HomeMy Public PortalAboutmin 12-09-2013_201401060952334066ELECTED 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
Kenneth M. Woodland
District D Councilor
Watertown Town Council
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-972-6470
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013 @6:00 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 6:00
pm, in the Richard E. Mastrangelo Council Chamber, Administration Building. Present
for the meeting were Councilors John A. Donohue, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B.
Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President
Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark S. Sideris. Also present were the Town
Manager Michael J. Driscoll, Town Attorney Mark Reich and Council Clerk Valerie
Papas. Councilor Falkoff arrived shortly after the call of the roll.
2. EXECUTIVE SESSION: 6:00 pm:
a) To discuss the deployment of or strategy regarding security personnel.
b) To discuss strategy with respect to litigation.
Councilor Woodland moved to go into executive session for the above noted matters, as
discussing the matter in public would have a detrimental effect on negotiation strategy,
seconded by Councilor Donohue and adopted by unanimous roll call vote with
Councilors John A. Donohue, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and
Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative. It was noted that the
Council will return to open session following the adjournment of the executive session.
3. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION — 7:15 pm
4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
5. EXAMINATION OF MINUTES: November 26TH
Councilor Piccirilli moved the minutes, seconded by Councilor Woodland and adopted
by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A. Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony
Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth
Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark S. Sideris
voting in the affirmative.
6. PUBLIC FORUM:
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Anna Clark; Trees for Watertown — spoke for the need to prune trees that have been
planted over the last several years and the need for the Town to look into the planting of
new trees by a contractor. She noted that those trees may have been planted too deep.
7. PRESIDENT'S REPORT:
The Chair announced that the Council Inauguration will take place on Tuesday, January
2"d at 7:00 pm at the Tufts Health Plan cafeteria. The public is welcome.
The Chair announced a proclamation will be read and presented at the end of the
meeting.
8. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
a) Committee on Budget & Fiscal Oversight report and action on Recommendations
for the FY 2015 Budget Policy Guidelines and 552 Main Street Park renovations -
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Chair. Councilor Piccirilli read the Committee report.
Councilor Kounelis moved to accept the report, seconded by Councilor Lenk and
adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A. Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff,
Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr.,
Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark S.
Sideris voting in the affirmative.
ACTION ITEMS:
1. Councilor Piccirilli moved to recommend to the Town Council to add the
requirement to conduct two internal audits per year to the Town Auditor's Performance
Objectives and Annual Performance Review, seconded by Councilor Lenk and adopted
by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A. Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony
Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth
Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark S. Sideris
voting in the affirmative.
2. Councilor Piccirilli moved to recommend to the Town Council to proceed with the
proposed bid for 552 Main Street Park with the two alternatives subject to written
confirmation from the police department the revised design meets their parking needs
and presentation of the revised design to the police station neighborhood , seconded by
Councilor Kounelis and adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A.
Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and
Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
3. Councilor Piccirilli moved to recommend to the Town Council that the noted issues
which were contained in the FY 2014 Budget Policy Guidelines Attachment A, be re -
referred to the Public Works Committee as noted in the report, seconded by Councilor
Lenk and adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A. Donohue, Susan
G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli,
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Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark
S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
4. Councilor Piccirilli moved to amend the words under II (G) (H) from "School
Administration" to "Watertown Public Schools" in order to be more inclusive,
seconded by Councilor Lenk.
Councilor Falkoff moved to have a friendly amendment to change the words "School
Administration" to Watertown Public Schools Community", seconded by Councilor
Palomba and defeated by a 3-6 roll call vote with Councilors Falkoff, Palomba and
Corbett in favor and Councilors Donohue, Kounelis, Lenk, Piccirilli, Woodland, and
Council President Mark S. Sideris voting against.
On the first motion to change the wording from "School Administration" to
"Watertown Public Schools" it was adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors
John A. Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia
Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett,
and Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
5. Councilor Piccirilli moved to recommend to the Town Council adopt the attached
FY 2015 Budget Policy Guidelines as amended, seconded by Councilor Lenk and
adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A. Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff,
Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr.,
Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark S.
Sideris voting in the affirmative.
6. Councilor Piccirilli moved to recommend to the Town Council adopt the attached
resolution titled "Watertown's Ongoing Capital Project Budget Guidelines", seconded
by Councilor Donohue and adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A.
Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and
Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
Councilor Piccirilli requested that Councilors complete the ranking sheet and email
back to him prior to December 16tH
b) State, Federal & Regional Government report on Airplane noise in Watertown
attributed to Massport/Local Airport and FAA changes to Runway 33L. Councilor
Kounelis read the Committee report. Councilor Palomba moved to accept the report,
seconded by Councilor Falkoff and adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors
John A. Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia
Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett,
and Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
ACTION ITEMS:
1. Councilor Kounelis moved that the Town Council recommends that the Town
Manager determine the number of representatives Watertown can have on the Logan
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Airport Community Advisory Committee (CAC) and then appoint the maximum
number of individuals to the CAC through an application process presently used for
appointees to other committees and advisory boards, seconded by Councilor Palomba
and adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A. Donohue, Susan G.
Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli,
Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark
S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
2. Councilor Kounelis moved that the Town Council recommends that the Town
Manager involve the Health Department in addressing the issue of airplane noise
attributed to Massport/Logan Airport and FAA changes to Runway 33L and the effects
of this noise on the quality of life for the residents of Watertown, seconded by
Councilor Palomba and adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A.
Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and
Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
3. Councilor Kounelis moved that the Town Council recommends that the Town
Council send a letter to State Senator Brownsberger, State Representative Hecht and
State Representative Lawn requesting that they continue to research the issue of
airplane noise attributed to Massport/Logan Airport and FAA changes to Runway 33L
and advise the Town Council and the Town Manager on how best to address the issue,
seconded by Councilor Palomba and adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors
John A. Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia
Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett,
and Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
4. Councilor Kounelis moved that the Town Council recommends that the Town
Council send a letter to Watertown's representatives in Congress requesting that they
arrange a public meeting with representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration to
discuss the issue of airplane noise attributed to Massport/Logan Airport and FAA
changes to Runway 33L and the effects of this noise on the quality of life for the
residents of Watertown, and that the letter be copied to Watertown's State Senator and
Representatives and the appropriate officials at Logan Airport and Massport, seconded
by Councilor Palomba and adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A.
Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and
Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
c) Committee on Education & School System Matters report and action on
appointment/reappointments to the Cable Access Corporation Board of Directors —
Kenneth M. Woodland, Chair. Councilor Woodland read the Committee report.
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Councilor Woodland moved to accept the report, seconded by Councilor Lenk and
adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A. Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff,
Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr.,
Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark S.
Sideris voting in the affirmative.
ACTION ITEMS:
1. Councilor Woodland moved the reappointment of Mr. Kaprielian, seconded by
Councilor Lenk and adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A.
Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and
Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
2. Councilor Woodland moved the reappointment of Mr. Airasian, seconded by
Councilor Lenk and adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A.
Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and
Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
3. Councilor Woodland moved the appointment of Ms. Piantedosi, seconded by
Councilor Lenk, and adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A.
Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and
Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
9. NEW BUSINESS — none noted.
10. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE TOWN MANAGER — none noted.
11. REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION — none noted.
12. ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Councilor Lenk announced that Watertown is now part of a Solarize Massachusetts
program.
Councilor Kounelis announced that at a revised plan for Greenough Boulevard will be
presented by Herbert Nolan at a Town Council meeting in January.
13. PUBLIC FORUM:
Mr. Peter Centola, Recreation Director thanked Councilor Donohue for all his efforts,
guidance and support of the Recreation Department.
The Chair read and presented a proclamation honoring Councilor Donohue. Vice
President Corbett presented Councilor Donohue with a framed rendering of the Town
Hall.
Councilor Donohue thanked his colleagues for their participation in the Turkey Trot. He
wished everyone the best of luck in the New Year.
Vice President Corbett moved to accept the proclamation, seconded by Councilor Lenk
and adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A. Donohue, Susan G.
Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr.,
Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and Council President Mark S.
Sideris voting in the affirmative.
The Manager thanked Councilor Donohue for his very hard and tireless work for the
community. He applauded Councilor Donohue's diligence and dedication over the years
which, he noted, is very much appreciated.
Councilor Lenk thanked Councilor Donohue for his work on the Technology
Committee. She noted that he brought a great deal to the community on a variety of
issues that were important to the community. She noted that he will be missed.
Councilor Falkoff stated that Councilor Donohue came to her house to assist in trouble
shooting her computer and provided a job for her daughter when she needed one. She
thanked him for all his help and noted that she will miss him on the Council.
14. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Town
Council, Councilor Woodland moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 pm, seconded by
Councilor Donohue and adopted by unanimous voice vote with Councilors John A.
Donohue, Susan G. Falkoff, Anthony Palomba, Angeline B. Kounelis, Cecilia Lenk,
Vincent J. Piccirilli, Jr., Kenneth Woodland, Vice President Stephen P. Corbett, and
Council President Mark S. Sideris voting in the affirmative.
Addendum