2026-09-15 - City Council

Summary

Built from the official minutes. No video is posted for our records, so there is no transcript or timing.

Regular meeting, 7:02 to 9:52 PM, called to order by President Zarrella; all 11 councilors present.
Seven residents spoke in public forum, all about the proposed trash fee; the Board of Health then presented five options and no option was chosen.
Override of the Mayor's veto of the FY2027 pay grade steps ordinance failed 7-4; the veto stands.
New petitions: surplus property and scenic roads, battery storage and data center moratoria, tobacco ordinance repeal advanced.
Recess 9:13 to 9:22 PM.

Public forum: Stephens, Wethje, Sullivan Godin, Raabe, Knight, Couture and Joseph spoke; all but Stephens opposed the fee or raised cost concerns (details on the issue page).
Presentation by Health Director Curry, Leblanc and Congdon; April 5, 2027 discussed as a possible start; no final option, more outreach expected.

Override vote 7-4 (opposed: Councilor Beauchemin, Councilor Bowen, Councilor Starr, Councilor Van Hazinga); two-thirds not reached.

Westminster Street Surplus Property Sale, Laurel Hill Cemetery Surplus Parcel and Scenic Road Designations: petitions from Caron and Murphy referred to City Property.
Battery Storage Zoning Moratorium and Data Center Zoning Moratorium: referred to Legislative Affairs.
Residential Berm Petitions: 161-26 referred to Public Works.
Supplemental Personnel Appropriations and Public Library Renovation Funding: orders 152-26, 153-26 and 154-26 ($750,000) referred to Finance.
Police Dispatchers Union Agreement: Memorandum of Agreement with Local 492 submitted by Fish and referred to Finance.

Appointments Committee report accepted 11-0: five Fitchburg State University officers as special police officers and Robert J. Talbot to the Trustees of Public Burial Grounds (term to September 2, 2029). Five full-time student police officer appointment letters and a communication on Sandra Charton HR Consulting LLC were received.
Minutes of the September 2 meeting approved, 11-0.
Announcements included the September 17 community meeting on trash and recycling hosted by Councilor Schultz, a Historical Society annual meeting and talk, a small business marketing workshop, and a low-cost pet vaccine clinic on October 3.
Next regular meeting: Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 7:00 PM. Minutes signed by City Clerk Bilotta-Simeone.