2026-10-06 - City Council

02:09already need

02:18>> I have a lot of phone call

02:21to what we are going to do

02:24with that regardless the ordinance is

02:27going to take

02:34Hello. If anybody need translation

02:38uh and the equipment to to translate,

02:42please let us know. We have somebody

02:44here that is going to help you.

02:55Gracias.

03:00We good?

03:05>> Anybody?

03:06All right. Uh if anybody would like to

03:08participate in public participation that

03:11list that is is only for people that is

03:14that is going to speak on public

03:16participation

03:18uh not for your for attendance.

03:22Thank you.

03:39>> Yeah.

03:41>> Uh, roll call. Um, counselor.

03:43>> Not yet. We haven't done none of this.

03:45>> Oh, I'm sorry.

03:47>> Uh,

03:49roll.

03:51Good evening and welcome to the Lawrence

03:52City Council meeting.

03:55Today is Tuesday, October 6, 2026.

03:58Uh pursuant to chapter 20 of the act of

04:012022, this meeting will be hybrid

04:04allowing participation both in person in

04:06the city council chambers as well as

04:08remotely.

04:11The soon link was the Zoom link was

04:13provided to anybody that requested and

04:15it was part also part of the agenda.

04:17This this meeting is also being

04:19transmitted live through the Lawren City

04:20Council uh Facebook page as well as the

04:23YouTube uh uh Lawren City Council page.

04:27>> Madame Clerk, please call the role.

04:29>> Councelor Gonzalez,

04:30>> present.

04:32>> Council Miguel,

04:33>> present.

04:33>> Council Marl,

04:34>> present.

04:35>> Councelor Infonte,

04:36>> present.

04:37>> Councel Reyes,

04:38>> present.

04:38>> Council Del Rosario,

04:40>> present.

04:40>> Council Lant,

04:41>> present.

04:42>> Council Vice President Levy,

04:44>> present. Council President Rodriguez

04:47>> present. Uh, please join me for a moment

04:49of silence, please.

05:18Please join me for the pledge of

05:19allegiance.

05:21>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

05:23United States of America

05:25>> and to the republic for which it stands.

05:28One nation under God, indivisible, with

05:31liberty and justice for all.

05:39Councilors, we have a a minute to

05:41approve uh from June 16, 2026. Can I get

05:45a motion to approve that?

05:47>> Second.

05:47>> There's a motion in front of us properly

05:49second discussion on the minutes.

05:50>> Sorry.

05:52>> I hear none. All those in favor, please

05:54say I.

05:55>> I.

05:55>> The eyes have it.

05:57>> So, we're going to public participation.

05:59We have uh 30 minutes to entertain

06:01everybody that is on this list. uh about

06:0320 22 23 people. Uh the rule the the

06:07rule for public participation is as

06:09follows. You're going to have two and a

06:11half minute to speak. At the two-minute

06:14mark, you're going to hear a indication

06:16that you still have 30 seconds. Please

06:19be aware that there is a lot of people

06:20today and the limit of that public

06:23participation is 30 minutes. So, uh

06:26refer to this council as a whole, not to

06:28any individual counselors.

06:31Um,

06:33the first name that we have is Thank

06:35you.

06:37Javon.

06:38Name and address for the record, please.

06:48Members of the council,

06:51how are you today?

06:54I'm here

06:56in behalf [snorts]

06:58name and address for the record. You

07:00want what?

07:01>> Name and address for the record.

07:03>> Okay. Uh 47 Jav 47

07:09Riverview Boulevard in Massachusetts.

07:17I'm here

07:21in heart of a friend.

07:26I know many of you before you starting

07:29your political career,

07:32I help you get into the power position.

07:37And here I am today

07:41referring as Mayor

07:44Brian Dea

07:46who's been

07:48accused

07:50federal here and there.

07:55This remind me of what happened to

07:58William Antigua

08:0012 years ago. It didn't go nowhere.

08:05Members and citizen of Lawrence, I tell

08:09you one thing. Brian De Pena

08:12is a decent man.

08:16He needs to be respected in his family.

08:21I'm here to ask you and you the press or

08:26fake news and fabricate

08:30whatever it is to destroy us Latinos

08:34one and others

08:36because whatever you throw out there

08:39many of my people believe and is not the

08:42truth and not the fact.

08:45Members of the council, with all due

08:47respect,

08:48I'm here to tell you

08:54Brian Deñena is a decent man

08:58and he should be respected

09:01and he should be

09:07you should be ashamed. You [snorts] what

09:10you have done with our community.

09:14You tried to deceive us. You tried to

09:20That's all I have, Johannie.

09:22>> Thank you,

09:23>> Rodriguez.

09:24The next person is uh Rich Russell.

09:26Councelor Russell name address for the

09:28record, please.

09:35>> Good evening, councilors. Rich Russell,

09:3734 Cross Street. Oh, woe is us. Or

09:41should I say, oh, wo is them. us being

09:43the voters or them being the

09:45politicians. All of Lawrence's problems

09:48began on October 17th, 1983 when an

09:52elected officials voted to make changes

09:54to the city charter creating a 4-year

09:57term of office for mayor. Previous to

09:591986, the mayor served two year terms of

10:03office where they presumably spent the

10:05first year of office proving what a

10:09great mayor they were and spent the

10:10second year campaigning for reelection.

10:12The plus side of this system was if the

10:15mayor turned out bad to be a bad choice,

10:18then you didn't have to have a recall to

10:20vote him out. Just don't vote for him in

10:22the next election. No recall was needed.

10:25Maybe the motto back then was to and

10:28through. Now, with a 4-year term of

10:30office, it's almost criminal the way

10:33citizens have to jump through a bunch of

10:35hoops just to initiate a recall. A

10:38possible replacement system will not be

10:41received happily by people in this uh

10:44building, but uh would be a city manager

10:47system. City similar to what the city of

10:50LOL has a city manager that has

10:52experience and a contract that could be

10:55easily terminated. City councilors could

10:58alternate as the ceremonial city mayor.

11:01I have no

11:03interest in the mayor's present

11:05indictments with the uh the federal

11:07government. My question about the 14

11:10uh the wiretapping charge is the are the

11:1314 recipients that received that

11:16information, are they going to be

11:18charged? As for the witness intimidation

11:21charge, what did the mayor threaten to

11:23do? Kidnap the air from someone's car

11:25tires? to misquote cartoonist Walter

11:30Kelly Pogo. I have seen the enemy and he

11:34is us. As always, thank you for the

11:37time.

11:37>> The next person that we have is Jasmine

11:40Sabinong.

11:43Name and address for the record, please.

11:48>> Jasmine Savinon and six Fairmont Street.

11:55Um, good evening. I would like to

11:59address the ongoing parking situation in

12:02Fairmont Street. Parking has become

12:05increasingly difficult for residents,

12:09especially with the nearby school.

12:13[cough and clears throat]

12:14The amount of non resident parking on

12:18the street have con

12:24>> [clears throat]

12:25>> Excuse me. Sorry, I'm nervous. Um,

12:29[snorts]

12:30I have contacted um my city council

12:34about the issue.

12:36I am also

12:38very grateful that the city clerk is now

12:42helping moving forward to make both

12:45sides

12:46um

12:48resident parking. [snorts]

12:50>> [sighs and gasps]

12:51>> This is especially important for my

12:53family because I have a child with

12:56epilepsy and autism.

13:00Um, physical exhaustion can trigger

13:04seizures

13:06and

13:10we we have to walk

13:13because

13:15of the amount of non

13:18resident parked on our resident street.

13:21We have to walk more than a block

13:25um every

13:28time.

13:29So, I just wanted to

13:33um for you guys to consider the

13:36parking for double side

13:40if that's possible.

13:43>> Thank you. That's

13:44>> Thank you. The next person is uh

13:46Celestee Broadick.

13:49Name and address for the record, please.

13:50>> Uh Celeste Broadnick, 22 Hoffman Avenue.

13:54Um I'm just coming before you today. My

13:56husband and I own a business in Lawrence

13:58and we just want to continue to run our

14:02business um with whatever licensing or

14:04permits that we need to get. Um we just

14:07want you to consider letting us continue

14:10doing what we're doing because we love

14:11it and we love being here.

14:13>> Thank you.

14:13>> Thank you.

14:14>> The next person is Joan Lopez.

14:16>> Juan Lopez.

14:20>> Good evening. My name is Juan Lopez. 425

14:23South Broadway, Lawrence, Mass. Um, as

14:26most of you know me, my name is DJ

14:28Smokey. Uh, just want to come here

14:30before you guys and formally invite you

14:33guys to our first annual Musicians and

14:35Artists Against Fentinel, which is going

14:37to be happening at the Common Park on

14:39the 24th of this month. It's going to be

14:42from 12 to 7:00 p.m. I just wanted to

14:45come up here and, you know, and formally

14:47invite each and every one of you to come

14:49out.

14:50>> All right.

14:51>> Thank you so much. Uh the next person is

14:53Jay Cerello, Lieutenant Captain Cerillo.

15:02Uh Jay Cerillo, 55 Low Street, Lawrence,

15:05Mass. Good evening, council president,

15:07city council. Tonight I'm here to talk

15:09on behalf of Charles Malcolm Sanden and

15:12the Sanden family and to ask you for

15:14your support in the home room petition.

15:17I want to be clear about why we are

15:19here. We are here not asking this

15:22council to re-examine the medical

15:24records, nor are we asking you to

15:26overturn or disagree with any thing the

15:29retirement board has decided. What we

15:32are asking you to recognize is that

15:34Charlie's case presents a unique set of

15:37circumstances,

15:39one where we may never know what the

15:41clear-cut answer or ultimately what

15:43caused his sudden and unexpected death.

15:47What we do know that is that Charlie

15:49dedicated more than 20 years of his life

15:51to serving the city of Lawrence. Those

15:54years were filled with everyday

15:55stressors of policing, but they also

15:58included some of the most difficult

15:59times and crisises in the city of

16:02Lawrence and the Lawrence Police

16:03Department.

16:05We strongly believe that the history of

16:07stress over Charlie's career took a toll

16:10on him.

16:12Those years of demanding work, long

16:14hours, critical incidents, major crisis

16:18crisises weakened his heart, his immune

16:20system, and ultimately his body. It is

16:24for these type of circumstances like

16:26this that the home room petition process

16:29exists. It gives a community and its

16:32elected officials an opportunity to

16:35address extraordinary situations when

16:38the existing law does not provide the

16:40appropriate remedy.

16:42Municipalities across the Commonwealth

16:44have used home room petitions to provide

16:46enhanced chapter 32 benefits for first

16:49responders and their families. Tonight,

16:52we are asking the Lawrence City Council

16:55to do the same for Charlie. Write the

16:57wrong that has been done. Charlie spent

17:00his career standing up for the residents

17:02of Lawrence. Now it is time for city

17:06officials in Lawrence to stand up for

17:08Charlie, Charlie's family, and all first

17:12responders who dedicate their lives to

17:14protecting this command community.

17:17Charlie service mattered. His sacrifice

17:20mattered. And we all will never forget

17:23forget what he has done for this city. I

17:25respectfully ask this council to approve

17:28the home room petition and allow this

17:30matter to move forward to state

17:32legislators for review and approval.

17:35Thank you. THE NEXT [applause]

17:44ORDER [applause]

17:52[applause]

17:53ORDER.

17:57[applause]

17:59The next person is Rafael Guzman. Name

18:02and address for the record, please.

18:07Good evening, counselors. My name is

18:09Raphael Guzman. I live on 38 Beacons

18:12Freakansfield Street in Lawrence, Mass.

18:15I'm here because I was invited to come

18:17here because supposedly this body is

18:19going to take a vote of no confidence on

18:21the current mayor, Brian De Pñena. I'm

18:24here to tell you to remember history.

18:272009 with we Latinos took over the power

18:30here. For four years, we went through a

18:32process where the mayor was

18:38not even charged.

18:40But yet in CNN, he was portrayed as the

18:43most corrupt mayor in the United States.

18:47Here we have Brian who's being accused,

18:51but yet the city

18:54has never done any better than what it

18:56is doing today. It's the best government

18:59that me personally I've seen. I've been

19:00I'm being a businessman here since 94.

19:04The city's on the right path.

19:07All the friends and colleagues we have

19:08out there say, "Wow, what are you doing

19:10in Lawrence?"

19:12When you look at the numbers, what

19:14really matters is the numbers.

19:17The city of Lawrence have been fiscally

19:20responsible

19:22for the last four years, for the last

19:24five actually. That's what it says cuz I

19:26read it. The city of Lawrence is on the

19:29right track. It's never looked this

19:31better.

19:33So folks, concentrate on the development

19:36of the city. We have nine projects with

19:39the L that you guys are taking over. $1

19:42billion worth of investment having been

19:45singing over 50 years in Lawrence.

19:47You're holding that.

19:50You know, legislate.

19:53Let the system work. Let the mayor go

19:55through his process and then we'll deal

19:57with it. In the meantime, he's doing his

20:00job. The city's running.

20:04He's not affecting me.

20:07We already know you don't trust the

20:09mayor. You, the city council, cuz you

20:11have withheld the city budget a few

20:14times.

20:16So, please reconsider. Thank you.

20:19>> The next person is Fabian Lo Roas. Name

20:22and address for the record.

20:34Uh, good evening, council president and

20:36members of the city council. Uh, my name

20:37is Fabian Roas and I live at uh, 50

20:40Greenwood Street. Um,

20:45it's going to be a little different. Uh,

20:47for me, uh, this vote of no confident

20:50confidence is is down to one thing.

20:53public trust.

20:55Uh being mayor of of Lawrence is uh is a

20:58job of entrusted by the people. With

21:00that responsibility comes an expectation

21:02of transparency, good judgment, ethics,

21:06values, and accountability, but most

21:09importantly the leadership. And I

21:11understand the mayor of the PA has uh

21:14the fair for due process and the

21:17presumption of innocence. And I believe

21:20a lot of us respect that. But as a

21:22resident, I also cannot ignore the

21:24reality uh that the current mayor is

21:26facing.

21:28Um these allegations um are not

21:31convictions, but due process in a

21:34courtroom and public confidence in a

21:37government are two different things.

21:39When someone holds the highest executive

21:41position in our city, their judgment,

21:44their ethics, values, and their ability

21:47to maintain a public trust matters

21:50greatly.

21:51This doesn't happen in the

21:54corporate America. You're in a job, you

21:58lost your ethics there, you're out.

22:01I'm not saying that nothing positive has

22:04happened in the in the community because

22:06it has. It's gotten beautiful things

22:09there. There has been a lot of great

22:10things happening, but public officials

22:13can accomplish positive things and still

22:15lose confidence in the necessary to

22:18effectively lead. As a resident, I've

22:22lost the confidence

22:24and

22:26just lost the confidence for now. So

22:28tonight, I really respectfully ask each

22:31and one of you council members to

22:33consider what public trust means and the

22:36responsibility each and one of you carry

22:38as representatives of the people of

22:40Lawrence. I believe Lawrence is just

22:42transparency, accountability, and

22:45leadership. We cannot make this the

22:47norm. Thank you.

22:49Thank you. The next person is Juan Mani

22:51Gonzalez. Name and address for the

22:53record, please.

23:00Good evening, Councelor Rodriguez, Vice

23:02President uh Levy, members of the

23:05council, Juan Manny Gonzalez, One

23:08Colonial Drive, Lawrence, Massachusetts.

23:11Tonight, I'm here because I heard that

23:13there was going to be a vote on no

23:14confidence.

23:16I stand before uh I stand before you for

23:19myself and for those that asked me to

23:20represent them at this important

23:22meeting. I am respectfully asking all of

23:25you counselors, all of you to pay close

23:28attention to what the constituents are

23:30asking for. I personally believe that a

23:32vote of no confidence on Mayor Dea is

23:35well overdue. Let me highlight some of

23:37the reasons other than the federal and

23:40state indictments. The lack of respect

23:42for people and processes that have

23:45resulted against uh in lawsuits against

23:48the city. For example, Officer Scott

23:50Wood. His manipulation of the police

23:53department that resulted in dozens of

23:55vacancies. He brought the morale of that

23:57department to the ground. Think about

23:59it. A total of five police chiefs.

24:02Vasque McCarthy, Castro, Bonia, Aguilar.

24:06I wonder why that is. Wasted thousands

24:09of taxpayers dollars on a necessary

24:11investigation that accomplished nothing.

24:14Example, the Bennett report versus the

24:16Maverick investigation.

24:18Close to $100,000

24:21to defend his friend Mr. Castro.

24:24The disrespect by this administration

24:26towards a majority of the siliceros.

24:30The senior advisor referencing a circus

24:32and clowns on social media.

24:35This mayor has gone through five or more

24:38chief of staff in less than five years.

24:41One is serving jail time and another is

24:44suing the city for millions of dollars.

24:46Let alone that he's gone through at

24:48least five plus personal directives.

24:52Doesn't speak well for the

24:52administration. In regards to the

24:54federal and state indictments, this

24:57mayor believes that we are going to

24:58accept his lousy excuse or reasoning on

25:01why we should not use this federal

25:03indictment against him. It should not

25:06matter whether he was the mayor or not

25:07when that happened. Shame on him for

25:10putting that in writing. Counselors,

25:13Lawrence needs a reset. We need to start

25:15healing from all the craziness that this

25:18administrations have brought to our

25:19city. Let's start by taking a vote of no

25:21confidence on the mayor and hope that he

25:24just walks away. Thank you and God bless

25:26the city of Lawrence.

25:30[applause]

25:54Good evening. It's a pleasure to be here

25:56with you in front of the coun the

25:58counselors. Um uh greetings

26:08and also to all the people that are here

26:10present and also to the news.

26:17>> I've been in this city for 35 years.

26:23>> I've seen um many

26:35I'm gonna say a historical um thing for

26:37Massachusetts

26:39300 um cities

26:51last year.

26:53>> Last year there was a poll that two

26:55cities were in the first places. Wester

26:57and also Lawrence, Massachusetts.

27:16I want you guys to consider in the

27:18transformation, the spiritual

27:20transformation that you guys consider

27:22everything that I am saying.

27:32So that we can claim hope. And what I

27:35can offer, my best offers to you is

27:40>> so that we can profoundly reflect

27:48>> with the community and all the people

27:49that are present here in the city.

27:56The city of Lawrence is um composed of

27:59big intellectual people

28:03>> with four cardinal points.

28:23dealing with dignity and the loyalty of

28:26people.

28:32Respect to everyone else is the best way

28:35to respect everyone here. Thank you so

28:37much.

28:48Hello. Hello, council.

28:53>> My name is David Martinez from 21 Royal

28:56Street, Lawrence, Mass, Tower Hill.

28:59Hello, counselors. You know me as my

29:02stage name as the artist Lo D978, one of

29:04the youth artists in Lawrence. Right

29:07now, I'm here to say I need

29:10recognization for the stuff I put in the

29:12city. Cuz this past July, I performed

29:14for the fireworks in Lawrence High for

29:164,000 people. 4,000 people. Martha

29:19brought me up to perform. I was happy to

29:21perform. But like I feel like I need

29:23something cuz people don't know why I

29:25put in the city in the city of Lawrence.

29:28And this why I put in the city. I

29:29perform at every event in the city that

29:32you can think of in the city of

29:33Lawrence. I strongly believe that

29:35Lawrence should have funds

29:38allocated

29:40allocated

29:42to helping and supporting us. You want

29:45us to stay off the streets. We need more

29:48cityruns events to support and keep us

29:51motivated. Thank you for your time and

29:54opportunity to address you today. Thank

29:55you so much.

29:57[applause]

29:59[cheering]

30:05>> [applause]

30:23>> Good evening councilors and madam clerk.

30:25My name is William Pasquali Colin Tony,

30:2755 LOL Street, Lawrence, Massachusetts.

30:31Uh, I was raised in Lawrence and

30:33attended public schools and for the last

30:3530 years I've been a proud member of the

30:36Lawrence Police Department. I am and

30:39always will be a Lorenian.

30:42Charles Malcolm Sandon was cut from the

30:45same cloth. Simply stated, he was a

30:48Lawrence guy. I am thankful to have this

30:51opportunity to say a few words on behalf

30:53of Charlie and the Sen family.

30:56I knew and worked with Charlie for 20

30:58years. We were like-minded when it came

31:01to the job and family. So, needless to

31:03say, we got along very well. I respected

31:06Charlie a great deal as an officer,

31:10detective,

31:12supervisor, and as a man. Charlie was a

31:15natural leader and prided himself as one

31:18that would lead from the front. He was

31:21the true definition of a street

31:23supervisor.

31:26His last tour was on the midnight shift.

31:29Affectionately known to its members as

31:30the night's watch. The hours are rough,

31:34the work challenging, but Charlie was

31:37committed to his role and did everything

31:39he could to ensure that not only the men

31:41and women under his command were safe,

31:44but the city as a whole was a safer

31:47place to live.

31:48For Charlie, policing was never just a

31:51job. It was his calling. He fulfilled

31:53his duties every day with courage,

31:57integrity,

31:58and compassion.

32:01City councilors, tonight you have the

32:03power to do something right simply

32:07because it's the right thing to do.

32:10Please don't overthink it. Vote yes on

32:13the home rule petitioner.

32:16The extra benefits would help the Sanden

32:18family a great deal.

32:21Symbolically,

32:22it would show that the city Charlie gave

32:26so much of himself to was willing to

32:29give something back. Thank you.

32:31[applause]

32:39[cheering]

32:40>> The next person is council Lelang. Mark

32:42Lelan. Name and address for the record,

32:43please.

32:48>> Thank you, Council President. Mark

32:49Leland, 29 Dur here in Lawrence. As you

32:52all know, uh the Lawrence Square um

32:55project has been going on now for a

32:57little over a year, if you can believe

32:59that. And as a reminder, what this is is

33:02we're not doing new we're not putting up

33:04we're putting up new signs that have

33:06been dedicated many years ago. And

33:09sometimes that's lost. Some sometimes

33:11people are thinking we're just putting

33:12up brand new signs, putting these new

33:14corners up. Um and so I'm very proud of

33:17the partners that I've had working on

33:19this for the last year or so. Um, and

33:21I'm here to remind you that we've got a

33:23couple more coming up um to remember

33:25some of the people who in these two

33:27cases uh were part military and one was

33:29neighborhood association president. On

33:31October 8th, this Thursday, Edward

33:33Parmlo, who was in the army, uh he was a

33:37medic. He uh died uh in the um in in the

33:41Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg. Um we

33:44received the Silver Star for his efforts

33:47uh there. We're going to be rededicating

33:49and putting a new sign up at the

33:51intersection of South Broadway and South

33:53Street. That's October 8th at 4:4 p.m.

33:57And October 15th, here's a name that you

33:59may remember, especially if you're from

34:01uh Mount Vernon. Walter Parmlo, who has

34:04an intersection at the at Beacon Street

34:06and Mount Vernon Street. Walter,

34:09otherwise known as the mayor of Mount

34:10Vernon, uh was a Coast Guard uh

34:14official. Um, but most remember him as

34:16being president of the of the Mount

34:18Vernon Neighborhood Association and we

34:20are going to remember his story, unveil

34:23his new sign um on October the 15th. And

34:26as always, everybody is welcome to

34:29discuss and remember these two

34:31individuals. Thank you.

34:32>> Thank you. The next person is uh Kelly

34:35uh Sand.

34:47She was she put her name for the public

34:49participation.

34:49>> Kelly Sanden, 62 Autumn Road, Drake,

34:52Massachusetts.

34:54>> Thank you for having me back. Um, I'm

34:57here tonight to follow up on my letter

34:59that I submitted for your review and

35:01consideration to be included in your

35:03decisional process.

35:05I'm here to express deep disappointment

35:08regarding how the last council encounter

35:10unfolded. What occurred did not reflect

35:12the dignity or accuracy that my

35:14husband's service in this community all

35:17of this deserves. I'm speaking not today

35:21only as a grieving spouse but as the

35:23sole advocate for my husband and I'm

35:26asking this council to recognize the

35:28financial and human costs placed on

35:31officers and Lawrence and to consider

35:34how these systemic pressures shape the

35:36trajectory of his life and his untimely

35:39death. officers, including those sitting

35:41in this very room, are forced to work

35:43overtime, details, and holidays simply

35:45to afford the basic needs of their

35:47families, never mind any semblance of

35:50stability or comfort. And now they see

35:53that when tragedy strikes, when a family

35:55is already at its most vulnerable, the

35:58very system designed to protect them

36:00instead erects barriers, raises doubt,

36:03and creates further hardships for the

36:05people they left behind. My husband

36:08served this city with unwavering

36:09commitment. He served through several

36:12police chiefs and for eight years he

36:14served without a contract. What that

36:16means, for those of you who don't know,

36:17without a raise, without appropriate

36:19compensation, without any type of

36:22resemblance for inflation that steadily

36:24devalued his decades of service.

36:27Officers in Lawrence are required to

36:28work far beyond the standard 40-hour

36:30week, sacrificing their sleep, their

36:32well-being, and family time just to keep

36:35this city protected. That is not

36:37sustainability. It's exploit. It's

36:40exploiting. When Charlie began his law

36:42enforcement career, he had a clean bill

36:44of health. He ended his career as a

36:46respected staff instructor at the

36:47academy, routinely supporting new cadets

36:50as they built their strength and their

36:52endurance. The reality of this heart

36:54condition is something we only learned

36:55in his death through a full autopsy.

36:58Information the retirement board itself

37:00acknowledged is far more than they

37:02typically ever have. Yet rather than

37:04recognized this, they used it against

37:06him because there in in their eyes, it

37:08wasn't enough. It's horrifying to

37:10witness how far this board is willing to

37:12go to deny a young man who never

37:15faltered in his service to this city the

37:17dignity he earned. I want to make myself

37:19very clear. I do not authorize anyone to

37:21discuss my husband's medical

37:23information. I'm his voice now, and he

37:25would be appalled to know that this

37:27board allowed such disregard for his

37:28long-standing request for

37:30confidentiality. I'm not here to

37:32litigate the retirement board's

37:33decision. I'm here to ask council to do

37:35the right thing.

37:36>> Thank you. The next question is Jim

37:38Samala.

37:43[applause]

37:58Jimmy Salama.

38:01name for the record, please.

38:02>> Good evening. Uh my name is Jimmy

38:05Salama, 525 ASC, Lawrence,

38:08Massachusetts.

38:10I'm here to just uh to be fair with

38:13everybody. I've been here in Lawrence

38:17since 2015

38:2014

38:22and I see that changing in Lawrence in

38:2620145.

38:28No doubt nobody can walk and ask street

38:31downtown without looking around see what

38:34going on. So I've been since Lawrence

38:37wasn't as good as today. So I see all

38:40the changing

38:42uh uh our mayor did a good job. I can

38:46see uh the development the development

38:50happen in Lawrence downtown. I see the

38:53street. I see safe. I see school. I hope

38:59you realize really what today happened

39:02to Lawrence because I'm so proud of

39:04Lawrence and I I feel so good with it

39:07and it doesn't happen overnight. It

39:09happened with our mayor Brian and I hope

39:13you realize that for him. Thank you.

39:15>> Thank you counselor. Can I get a motion

39:16to u extend the public participation?

39:20It's already been uh 31 minutes.

39:22>> There's a motion in front of us

39:24properly. Second discussion

39:25>> discussion

39:25>> councelor plan.

39:26>> How many more do we have on the list?

39:27How many more?

39:28>> Uh we got

39:31seven more about all said 15 minutes.

39:39Any discussion?

39:41I hear none. All those in favor please

39:42say I.

39:43>> I.

39:43>> Any names? The eyes have it. The next

39:46person is uh James Russell.

39:50Name and address for the for the record

39:52please.

40:01Good evening, councils. Jim Razo, 55 Low

40:04Street, Lawrence, Mass. Good evening.

40:07Uh, I'm here tonight to ask you for

40:10support for home petition on behalf of

40:12the family of Lieutenant Charlie Sandon.

40:14Charlie served the people of Lawrence

40:15for more than two decades. He was only

40:1744 years old when he passed away. He

40:20should have had decades more, more

40:21shifts, more birthdays, more rides over

40:24his boats, uh more ordinary and evenings

40:27at home with the people he loved and the

40:29people that loved him. As I understand

40:32it, the city of Massachusetts can't

40:34provide this kind of support on its own.

40:36We need the legislaturator's approval.

40:38And that is exactly why the home rule

40:40petitions asked for. It is a request to

40:42Binkit Hill to let us do what we already

40:45know is right. The legislature has

40:48approved home room petitions like this

40:49before for other families over the

40:51years. We are asking you to extend it

40:54the same consideration to the Sandon

40:56family. The petition tells Charlie's

40:58wife, his young kids, and the community

41:01is off forget. When someone gives a

41:03career to the city of Lawrence and then

41:05it's lost too soon, we take we should

41:07take care of them and not leave them

41:09behind. This isn't charity. It's

41:12gratitude and it's a debt we owe.

41:16We're we're not we're asking you to get

41:18Charlie's foot in the door. This council

41:20has options. Um and we appreciate

41:23council sponsoring this bill and you I'm

41:27not providing a legal opinion, but I

41:29watched the the video from last week and

41:31the retirement board deferred to the

41:33council. The the retirement board wasn't

41:35telling you not to do this. Charlie's

41:38attorney, use common sense. I I know

41:41there's a lot of stuff going on, but

41:43what is the reason we're not giving him

41:45a chance to get it to the next step to

41:48look at everything different set of eyes

41:51and to give him a a fair shot? U I I

41:56don't I don't see a reason why you can

41:58see the support he has tonight and I

42:00would ask you for that. I urge you all

42:02to vote yes. Thank you.

42:04>> All right. The next person that we HAVE

42:06[applause]

42:14THE next person that we have is uh David

42:17Sandones.

42:24Name and address for the record, please.

42:27David Sanden, 62 Autumn Road. I know I'm

42:31young and many people in this room may

42:33think what I say doesn't matter, but I'm

42:36here because my father dedicated his

42:38entire life to serving this city. And

42:41I'm asking you to see him and me as

42:44human beings, not interruptions.

42:47I'm not here to argue. I'm here because

42:50losing him changed my life forever. I

42:52just want you to understand that when

42:54decisions get made or when people are

42:56talked about like their problems instead

42:58of people. It affects real families. It

43:01affects kids like me. I'm asking you to

43:04please listen. Not because I'm

43:05important, but because my dad was. And

43:09because what you choose to do now will

43:11show if this city truly values the

43:13people who served it.

43:17[applause]

43:22>> [applause]

43:33>> The next person is Cas de Sandon.

43:42Name and address for the record, please.

43:44>> My name is Cassidy Sanden, 62 Autumn

43:46Road, Drake at Mass.

43:48Without discussing the details of my

43:50father's medical conditions, I want to

43:52clarify some details that were

43:53incredibly disappointing to hear. My dad

43:56was sick. He was trying to feel better

43:58and he was talking to us throughout it.

44:01On the same day that he had talked his

44:03last words to me, nothing had been the

44:05same. My father didn't know he was

44:07dying. My family and I talked to him

44:08constantly, let him rest. He reassured

44:11me multiple times that he's in fact

44:13okay. On February 21st, my mom and I had

44:16just gotten home with some supplies for

44:18him to help him feel better. When we

44:20went we went home and my mom stayed with

44:22him, my dad's heart stopped beating. My

44:25mom was with him and called 911. In

44:28those times, I sat behind closed doors,

44:30listening to everything. My mom was

44:32screaming for his life and having him

44:34keep his consciousness. His heart

44:36stopped. I let the EMTs in and they

44:39rushed up to the room. His heart was

44:41stopped for what felt like forever. My

44:43father really died on February 21st, but

44:45it wasn't until the 26th we actually

44:47said goodbye forever.

44:50And this time it was his last words to

44:52my mother, his last conscious breath.

44:54And little did I know the last time I

44:56would see him as who I knew my dad to

44:57be.

45:00They pumped my father's heart back to

45:02what they call life multiple times. So

45:05long that anger grew inside of me

45:06because of how long they were taking to

45:08get them to get him out of the house. I

45:11sat behind the store, listening to every

45:13little thing, crying in terror of what

45:15could be happening to the healthiest man

45:17I knew.

45:19Once they finally got him out, I watched

45:21them bring his quiet body out. It wasn't

45:22the same person I saw just that morning.

45:25My dad ended up paying the ultimate

45:26price of his job. And my family and I

45:29sat in hope the next four days in the

45:30hospital room, sitting and praying next

45:32to him. We slept on benches, the floor,

45:34and with him. We watched his body

45:36recover. Over these days, we had hope

45:38until we were told his brain was dead.

45:40His heart was stopped for too too long

45:43and it didn't have enough oxygen. His

45:45body couldn't survive without the

45:46machines hooked up to him. My father did

45:48not die from being sick. His heart

45:50failed him. Everything else was healthy.

45:52His body bounced back and his organs

45:54recovered. A 44year-old man who is

45:57healthy and fit does not just die. The

45:59line of duty death isn't for the money.

46:01It's for the respect of all of his

46:03services he provided day in and day out.

46:05My father was a hero for many. He was my

46:08hero. He knew the job would eventually

46:10kill him. He just didn't know how soon

46:12this would come. The title of him dying

46:13in the line of duty is what we are

46:14fighting for to give another level of

46:16respect to my father's name and passing.

46:19Thank you.

46:19>> Thank you.

46:21[applause]

46:30>> [applause]

46:32>> The next person is Michel uh Penny.

46:40>> Name and address for the record, please.

46:42>> Michelle Feny, 15 Rose Street, Lawrence.

46:46Um members of the council, good evening

46:49and thank you for taking the time to

46:51address the issues surrounding the

46:52mayor's uh through tonight. Sorry, I get

46:55really anxious. Bad at public speaking.

46:57Um, thank you for taking the time to

47:00address the issues surrounding the mayor

47:02through tonight's vote of no confidence.

47:04While the mayor is entitled to due

47:06process and the presumption of

47:07innocence, I have se several serious

47:09concerns regarding his ability to serve

47:12our city effectively.

47:14One, given that the mayor's federal

47:16indictments are related to his personal

47:18matters, how can residents be assured

47:20that official office hours and city

47:22resources are not being used for his

47:24personal legal defense? Are there any

47:26measures of transparency that the

47:27residents will be provided to ensure

47:29this? Two, the mayor's recent statement

47:32addressed only his federal charges

47:34regarding PPP loans. He completely

47:36omitted the state uh charges that are

47:38directly tied to his office and position

47:40as mayor. This omission undermines

47:42public trust and appears to be an

47:44attempt to obscure critical information.

47:47Uh, three,

47:49the mayor's office is act actively

47:51suppressing criticism on his official

47:53social media accounts. Under the Supreme

47:56Court's 2024 rulings in Lini versus

47:59Freed and Okconor versus Garnier, these

48:02actions violate the First Amendment and

48:04expose our city to more costly legal

48:07liabilities.

48:09I've lived in Lawrence all 42 years of

48:11my life. I came home from a hospital in

48:13Cambridge to an apartment building on

48:16Broadway that burned down in the9s that

48:18was next to Pizza. I bought a home in

48:21this city 20 years ago because this is

48:23home to me. Sorry, this gets me

48:25emotional. I get really upset seeing

48:27what can be divisive and when people

48:30don't seem to care about the city in the

48:32same way that I do. Um, I don't normally

48:36feel compelled to participate at council

48:38meetings because I do trust my local

48:39government to make the best decisions

48:41for the residents. However, given these

48:43issues, how can the public maintain

48:45trust in the mayor's integrity and

48:47leadership? And I'm urging all members

48:49of this council to vote in favor of this

48:51no confidence vote tonight. Thank you.

48:54>> Thank you. The next person is uh

48:58Shakira Asunion.

49:05name for the record, please.

49:08>> Shakira Asencion, 19 Mckenley Avenue.

49:10Good evening, everyone. Thank you so

49:12much for your attendance today. I'm here

49:14speaking in defense of the resolution of

49:15the vote to no confidence for the mayor.

49:18I like to vote no confidence towards the

49:20mayor cuz I've never voted for the

49:21mayor. I've always I didn't vote for him

49:23his first term nor for his second term.

49:25And I stand to reason as to why is

49:28what's happening today. He sadly has no

49:30character when it comes to actual

49:32necessities of following through what he

49:33states. PPP loans are meant to help

49:36business owners with their businesses

49:37that then would help help the city in

49:39thriving. He should have invested the

49:41money that he got from the government to

49:43support his business to help us in the

49:46city of Lawrence. At the end of the day,

49:48that money could have been used to

49:49create programs in his tire business to

49:51support low-income families in need of

49:53tire repairs. He could have used that

49:55money to help support his business grow

49:56for more employees in the city of

49:58Lawrence. But he chose to use it when

50:00the illegal allegedly illegally used it

50:03towards his own personal gain of

50:05campaigning to try and argue that he

50:07knows what's best due to him being a

50:09business owner in the city of Lawrence

50:10when he didn't use his own funds for his

50:12own business. And that's not fair to the

50:14city. That's not fair to the government.

50:16And quite frankly, it does not make me

50:18trust any under any additionally any

50:20more confidence quite frankly in the

50:22fact that he can use money in a way

50:24that's actually for the city and not for

50:26his own personal gain of his image

50:28towards the city. A uh I also want to

50:31put a note on the flock safety cameras.

50:33I do not agree nor condone the use of

50:36flock safety cameras in the city of

50:37Lawrence. Uh flock safety cameras have

50:39been known throughout the whole nation

50:40to be dangerous to individuals in city

50:42safety. again that I noticed in the

50:44argument is to make policing easier for

50:46our police staff that are overworked. At

50:48the end of the day, what I feel like

50:50needs to be argued is the restructuring

50:51of what policing can be in the city

50:53without the use of safety cameras that

50:54can also put city citizens in danger.

50:57Again, I'd like to reiterate back to my

50:58point for the city of mayor uh Brian

51:00Deñena. he has not have been able to

51:03gain my confidence as a citizen due to

51:05the fact that he hasn't shown that he

51:07actually cares for the citizens of

51:08Lawrence through his use of his personal

51:10funds not for his business in the city

51:11of Lawrence but his own self. At the end

51:13of the day, his campaigning, his

51:14mayorship in the past four years and the

51:16future has not shown me any terms of him

51:19supporting the youth, him supporting

51:20low-income students, low-income

51:22families, young parents, immigrant

51:24families, undocumented immigrants. is

51:26not fair to us that he gets to keep

51:28having more chain sins where he hasn't

51:29shown in the first place why he deserved

51:31it to begin with. Thank you.

51:32>> Thank you. The next person is Ashley

51:34Asunion

51:42for the record please.

51:44>> Hello, my name is Ashley Asencion and I

51:46live on 19 Mckenley Avenue. I'm here to

51:49discuss in regards of um Brier Brian

51:51Deñena in regards of the no vote towards

51:54his confidence. I believe that since

51:56he's been mayor, he hasn't provided any

51:58evaluation and usage to us as citizens.

52:01As a resident, I feel like he doesn't

52:03really consider what the Lawrence

52:05residents actually need in this time of

52:07the city related to just on what he

52:10perceives is most important in his own

52:12personal agenda. And I feel like it

52:13shows in his actions. And I feel like

52:15there's evidence to show regards the

52:16charges against him that just proves to

52:18his character that he's not as honest as

52:20he believes to show himself as. And I

52:23can't wait to see the investigation

52:25follow through and then we can actually

52:27take residents to realize that maybe

52:29Brian Deñena wasn't considered us and

52:31thinking of us for our own need as a

52:33city and help us encourage us and grow

52:35for the better of our own selves

52:37included students, youth, kids, nurses,

52:40policemen, firefighters, you guys. I do

52:42definitely think we deserve more of the

52:44city and he's probably not the best

52:46person to continue serving and we have

52:48more and better options. So instead of

52:51continue wasting our time and a person

52:53that's going to get evicted

52:54conventionally, might as well waste

52:56someone that can actually help us do

52:57better in the meantime. In that regard,

53:00thank you for your time and I hope you

53:01have a great day.

53:02>> Thank you. The next person is uh Don

53:03Frasier.

53:06>> Name and address for the record, please.

53:15>> Good evening, members of the council.

53:17Thank you for your time tonight. My name

53:18is Don Frasier. A lot of people know me

53:20as Debo Brown, a very loud vocalist in

53:24the city. Always advocating for the city

53:27to do the right thing. Um, I'll take up

53:29a quick portion of my two minutes to say

53:32I can't even believe that the Sandin

53:34family has to stand here and ask you

53:36guys to do the right thing. I'm not

53:38looking at you, but Kelly, your kids,

53:41God bless you guys. Your father was an

53:43amazing man. He's going to live in our

53:45memories and our hearts for a long time.

53:48So, God bless you guys.

53:53To the members of the Lawrence City

53:54Council, I'm here tonight as a member of

53:56this community to respectfully request

53:58that the Lawrence City Council take

54:00action and hold a vote of no confidence

54:02in Mayor Brian A. Dea in light of his

54:05ongoing federal and state indictments.

54:08Excuse [clears throat] me. I'm not

54:10interested in the political games.

54:11Anybody that knows me knows that. I'm

54:12not a politician. I'm a street guy. I've

54:15always been that and I've never changed.

54:17Whether it be for PPE money, for signs

54:20probably bought with that same money

54:21outside this lobby tonight, I'm here to

54:23do the right thing and ask you guys to

54:25do what we elected you to do. As someone

54:27who's lived through enough of what

54:29happens in our community when

54:31accountability is ignored, I understand

54:33exactly what a federal indictment means.

54:35So, please don't listen to people who've

54:37never even been arrested try to tell you

54:38it's not a big deal. [snorts]

54:40Lawrence has once again been thrown into

54:43turmoil because of the mounting legal

54:44issues surrounding our mayor. Regardless

54:47of how many people say it's not a big

54:50deal, again, it really is, especially

54:53when you're dealing with the feds. Take

54:55my word. I know.

54:57Our city deserves leadership that can be

54:59trusted to do the right thing, even when

55:01nobody's looking.

55:03Public office comes with a higher

55:05standard of accountability. That

55:07standard should not apply not only to

55:09how someone conducts the city business

55:11but also to whether they conduct their

55:15own business in the correct form when

55:18again nobody's listening.

55:21We have asked

55:24other public officials who have never

55:26been charged, arrested or indicted for

55:28their immediate resignation for less.

55:32And this is where I have a very simple

55:34question. How can this administration

55:36demand the resignation of the police

55:38chief who was never arrested or charged

55:40with a crime while refusing to seriously

55:42consider the resignation of a mayor who

55:44is currently facing those same charges?

55:46Make it make sense. If accountability is

55:48the standard, then accountability must

55:50be applied consistently across the board

55:53regardless of your elected position. I'm

55:56therefore asking the city of Lawrence

55:58Council to hold a vote of no confidence

55:59in Mayor Brian a dea tonight and send a

56:02clear message that the integrity the and

56:05the credibility of our city government

56:06matter more than the political games.

56:08Thank you for your time.

56:11is the representative of the

56:17next person that we have on uh on the

56:20list is the a representative of the LA

56:22that would like to speak.

56:30[clears throat]

56:34Name and address for the record, please.

56:41Good evening, uh, Council President and,

56:43uh, Councelor, Vice President Levy.

56:47I have my attorney here that's going to

56:49read a letter for the record that we

56:50submitted. Is that what you are

56:52referring to?

56:53>> Uh, yeah. You guys have an opinion, so

56:55this is public participation.

56:58>> I I did not want to speak. I wanted to

57:00submit the letter. Is that Is that part

57:02of the process?

57:02>> Uh, no. That's fine. If you guys submit

57:04the letter, that's fine.

57:05>> We submit the letter. We wanted it to be

57:06added to the record and then you know

57:09taking an opportunity to to discuss.

57:12>> All right.

57:12>> Briefly.

57:13>> Thank you.

57:13>> Thank you.

57:14>> Uh with with with all that said all

57:17these name are going to be submitted for

57:18the record. Uh and we are going straight

57:21to communications.

57:27Communications. We have item uh photo

57:30item 40326 which which is the adoption

57:34of a a board of no confidence

57:36resolutions regarding the mayor Brian

57:38Epena. Uh this item was submitted uh for

57:42the record by council president uh

57:44Rodriguez myself uh council vice

57:46president Anna Levby and councelor

57:48councelor Infante representing district

57:51E. Uh with that said, counselors, this

57:55is a communication that we would like to

57:57read the resolution uh as of uh what is

58:01it that we are uh discussing and the

58:04clerk will in a second will read the

58:06resolution uh uh for this uh

58:12for the record as well.

58:18Council President, if I may.

58:20>> Uh, but before we're going to read the

58:22resolution and then we're going to open.

58:24Okay, great.

58:25>> Um, the resolution is for a vote of no

58:28confidence. And it reads, "Whereas the

58:30city of Lawrence remains dedicated to

58:32fostering an environment of trust and

58:35mutual respect between city government

58:36and the community. And whereas the mayor

58:38of the city of Lawrence is responsible

58:40for leading the city in instilling trust

58:42in the government and the people of

58:43Lawrence. And whereas Mayor Brian Adena

58:46has been charged with both federal and

58:47state crimes. And whereas these charges

58:50send a message of distrust in the local

58:51government to the people of Lawrence and

58:53distract the mayor in his functions as

58:55mayor. And whereas the city council

58:57hereby takes a vote of no confidence in

58:58the ability of the mayor Brian a dea to

59:01continue to govern the city of Lawrence.

59:02And now therefore be it resolved that

59:05the Lawrence City Council does vote with

59:07a majority of no confidence in the

59:08leadership of the mayor Brian A. Dea in

59:10witness whereof we hereby set our hands

59:12and cause the seal of the city of

59:13Lawrence to be aff fixed this 6th day of

59:15October in the year of our lord 2026

59:18that's the resolution before the body

59:21>> so this item is uh it's been on the

59:24agenda as a communication

59:26uh as with that said we're going to open

59:28up this item for discussion or any inter

59:31any any interaction from the mayor's

59:33office we would like to open up as well

59:36the opportunity for them to speak

59:38>> council president Council members, good

59:40evening. Uh Octavian Spanner here,

59:42advisor to the mayor, 200 Common Street.

59:45I have a statement of the mayor that uh

59:48he requested to be read tonight. Um I'll

59:51do it as quickly as possible uh because

59:53I can also share with you, but since

59:56you're going to have discussions, he

59:57requested this to be um read before you.

1:00:02Uh statement from Mayor Brian A. Deep

1:00:05Pñena regarding the proposed vote of no

1:00:07confidence. members and the Lawrence

1:00:09City Council,

1:00:11I want to address you directly regarding

1:00:14the proposed vote of no confidence in my

1:00:16administration and more importantly what

1:00:19I believe this moment means for the city

1:00:21of Lawrence. Let me be clear, I am not

1:00:25resigning as mayor of Lawrence. I remain

1:00:28committed to serving this city, working

1:00:31every day on behalf of its residents,

1:00:32and fulfilling the responsibilities

1:00:34entrusted to me by the people of

1:00:37Lawrence. I respect the role of the city

1:00:40council and the right of every city

1:00:42councelor to express his or her views.

1:00:45This is part of our democratic process.

1:00:48However, I respectfully ask the city

1:00:51council to consider whether a vote of no

1:00:53confidence at this time truly serves the

1:00:56best interest of the people we are

1:00:58elected to represent. Our resident

1:01:02expects us expects us to focus on the

1:01:05issues that matter most to them, not on

1:01:08political division, but on the future of

1:01:11Lawrence. Over the course of this

1:01:13administration, we have accomplished

1:01:15significant things for our city. We have

1:01:18continued investing in infrastructure

1:01:20and neighborhood improvements, pursued

1:01:22economic and community development,

1:01:25focus on fiscal responsibility,

1:01:27strengthen public safety, and advance

1:01:29major projects that will have a

1:01:31longlasting impact on our community. Our

1:01:35administration has also established a

1:01:372026 2020 2030

1:01:41uh strategic vision focus on responsible

1:01:43growth, infrastructure, modernization,

1:01:46economic opportunity, public safety, and

1:01:49stronger city services. These are not

1:01:51simply words on paper. They represent a

1:01:54roadmap for the continued progress of

1:01:57our city.

1:01:59There is still much work to do.

1:02:01Lawrence needs his elected officials

1:02:03focused on creating jobs, strengthening

1:02:06neighborhoods, improving our streets and

1:02:08public spaces, supporting our school and

1:02:11public safety departments, expanding

1:02:14economic opportunity, ensuring that city

1:02:16government continues to deliver

1:02:18meaningful services to residents. A vote

1:02:21of no confidence will not pave a road,

1:02:24improve a neighborhood, create a job,

1:02:26strengthen public safety, or move a

1:02:29mayor, a major city project forward.

1:02:33I believe this agreement is a

1:02:35fundamental part of democracy. We will

1:02:37not always agree and reasonable people

1:02:39can have different differences of

1:02:41opinion about the direction of our city.

1:02:44But this agreement should never become

1:02:45an obstacle to progress. The people of

1:02:48Lawrence elected all of us to serve

1:02:51them. They deserve for us to be put to

1:02:54put our differences aside when necessary

1:02:57and work together on the challenges

1:03:00facing our community. I am proud of what

1:03:03this administration has accomplished. I

1:03:05am proud of the city employees who show

1:03:08up every day and work tirelessly to

1:03:10serve our residents.

1:03:12And I remain optimistic about we what we

1:03:15can accomplish together. I also believe

1:03:17that the best way to demonstrate our

1:03:19commitment to Lawrence is not through

1:03:21the vision but through action. My

1:03:24commitment to this city has not changed.

1:03:27I will continue to show up. I will

1:03:29continue to work. I will continue to

1:03:31continue to listen and I will continue

1:03:34to pursue the goals we have established

1:03:36for Lawrence. I respectfully ask the

1:03:38members of the city council to

1:03:40reconsider the proposed vote of no

1:03:42confidence and to join me in keeping our

1:03:45focus where it belongs, on the people of

1:03:47Lawrence and the future of our city.

1:03:50Whatever disagreements may exist amongst

1:03:52us, our residents deserve elected

1:03:55officials who are focused on solution,

1:03:57progress, and opportunity. My focus

1:04:00remains Lawrence. My commitment remains

1:04:03Lawrence and I will continue doing the

1:04:06work of mayor of Lawrence of the city of

1:04:08Lawrence.

1:04:09>> All right. Uh councilors at this point

1:04:11we um we have read the resolution uh for

1:04:15a vote of no confidence as well as the

1:04:18response from the mayor of the city of

1:04:20Lawrence regarding uh this specific

1:04:23boat. uh any there if there is any uh

1:04:27comments, questions or concerns please

1:04:29this is the time

1:04:34counselors uh if we are going to uh take

1:04:38an action on this matter tonight there

1:04:41is a few things that need to happen.

1:04:44The first thing that need to happen is

1:04:46that u is that we need we need to

1:04:49suspend rule uh rule 12A.

1:04:52Um which

1:04:55uh allow uh this item to be uh uh

1:05:00adopted on the night of it was

1:05:02introduced

1:05:04and six v six votes is needed uh to

1:05:07suspend this vote. The second thing that

1:05:09need to happen is uh declare this

1:05:11document as an emergency.

1:05:14uh this document need to be uh this need

1:05:16to be an emergency u and a vote need to

1:05:19take place uh the night that it was

1:05:21introduced. For that we're going to need

1:05:24six different boat and also uh we're

1:05:28going to need as uh if those uh those

1:05:31vote both of the previous vote uh goes

1:05:33through in [snorts] a positive way uh we

1:05:36need a motion to approve. Uh for that um

1:05:41we're going to need all five vote um

1:05:47five vote because this is not an

1:05:49appropriation of fund. So counselors at

1:05:52this point we can either suspend 12 uh

1:05:55rule 12A if it is a motion for that and

1:05:58declare this item as an emergency or it

1:06:02could be done through the normal process

1:06:06which is send it to a committee and

1:06:09eventually discuss it at that level.

1:06:13>> What is the preference of the council?

1:06:16Motion to suspend rule 12A.

1:06:21>> There's a motion in front of us to

1:06:23suspend uh rule 12A.

1:06:25>> Can I hear a second? Properly second.

1:06:27Discussion.

1:06:30[snorts]

1:06:30>> I hear not. All those in favor, please

1:06:32say I.

1:06:32>> I.

1:06:33>> I.

1:06:33>> Madame clerk, please call the role.

1:06:37>> Council plant.

1:06:39>> No.

1:06:40>> Council del Rosario.

1:06:41>> No.

1:06:42>> Council Reyes.

1:06:43>> No.

1:06:44>> Councelor Infante. Yes.

1:06:47>> Council Mama.

1:06:49>> Yes.

1:06:51>> Council Miguel.

1:06:52>> Yes.

1:06:54>> Councelor um Gonzalez.

1:06:56>> No.

1:06:58>> Council vice president.

1:07:00>> Yes.

1:07:02>> And council president.

1:07:03>> Uh the motion uh uh I vote yes. What's

1:07:07the count?

1:07:08>> It's 54, but it would need to be six.

1:07:11>> Yes. For us to be able to uh take action

1:07:14on any specific item uh we need to have

1:07:18this motion uh with six vote. We only

1:07:21have five which means that this item

1:07:24will go to committee.

1:07:26>> Council president. Oh, so let me let me

1:07:28just finish. Uh we'll go to committee,

1:07:30discuss it at the committee level and

1:07:33then subsequently be here at this

1:07:36council once the committee uh send send

1:07:39it out with an a specific

1:07:41recommendation.

1:07:42This doesn't mean that the board of no

1:07:44confidence uh don't pass because what we

1:07:46are doing we're just uh suspending the

1:07:50rule to be able to take action tonight.

1:07:53That didn't happen. So it will go to

1:07:55committee next week. The committee will

1:07:57meet and discuss this item appropriately

1:08:01on the committee that the city council

1:08:02present decide to send it. Council

1:08:05infant.

1:08:06>> Thank you coun council president. I am

1:08:08clear on the instructions and order.

1:08:12My question is to you would it be an

1:08:15order? We do have this on the agenda

1:08:17already and I do have a statement that I

1:08:19would like to say is would that be in

1:08:22order to make that statement?

1:08:25>> Well, it's under commun it's under

1:08:27communication so usually that would

1:08:31>> uh the councelor in

1:08:33>> Thank you.

1:08:35Please bear with me here.

1:08:42The charges against Mayor Deena are

1:08:45allegations as we all know and as we all

1:08:48know he is entitled to presumption of

1:08:50innocence and due process.

1:08:55Nothing discussed tonight or when this

1:08:57goes to committee

1:08:59determines his guilt or innocence. And

1:09:02we also know as a council we cannot

1:09:06force him to to leave his position.

1:09:11Everything else all the questions we

1:09:13know is a matter of the court and the

1:09:15process will eventually make its course.

1:09:19But I want to remind everyone that

1:09:21tonight is about leadership and whether

1:09:24the council continues to have confidence

1:09:26in the mayor's ability to lead this

1:09:28city.

1:09:29On September 24th, the attorney

1:09:32general's office announced that a

1:09:34statewide grand jury had returned 15

1:09:37indictments against the mayor. According

1:09:39to the attorney general's office, he is

1:09:42charged with 14 accounts of distribution

1:09:45of a wiretapped communication and one

1:09:48account of witness witness intimidation.

1:09:52I want to remind everyone that this

1:09:54matter, this state matter involves city

1:09:58hall and public employees. So, it is

1:10:01under local government jurisdiction.

1:10:05One of the most concerning allegations

1:10:07to me personally as a city counselor is

1:10:10the witness intimidate intimidation

1:10:13portion of this matter, the alleged

1:10:16witness intimidation.

1:10:18This is not the first time that we have

1:10:21discussed concerns involving

1:10:23intimidation

1:10:25concerning this administration during

1:10:28city council meetings.

1:10:30Most notably, this council has addressed

1:10:34previously concerns involving campaign

1:10:37and election activities that also

1:10:40involved intimidation.

1:10:42We also addressed issues pertaining to

1:10:45the police department that ended up

1:10:48being resulting in two independent

1:10:50investigation and also the involvement

1:10:53of the pulse commission.

1:10:58Although those are separate matters with

1:11:01their own facts and circumstances,

1:11:04the point is of me stating this is that

1:11:08the term intimidation is not a new word

1:11:11to the Lawrence City Council.

1:11:15As elected officials, we have the

1:11:18responsibility to ensure that city

1:11:20government functions with the trust of

1:11:23the public and those who work in it.

1:11:26Today we heard from two regular

1:11:29residents, not business owners,

1:11:33normal citizens of our community, urging

1:11:36us to take action.

1:11:40I believe every member of this council

1:11:42wants the best for Lawrence.

1:11:45We may disagree on policies

1:11:48and decisions,

1:11:50but part of our responsibility as the

1:11:52legislative body of this city is to be

1:11:56willing to acknowledge

1:11:58serious concerns about our government

1:12:01even when it's uncomfortable to do so.

1:12:06We cannot ignore the the effect. We also

1:12:09cannot ignore the effect that this

1:12:11situation is having on the reputation of

1:12:14Lawrence.

1:12:16Through my day job, I regularly interact

1:12:20with community leaders, organizations,

1:12:23elected officials throughout the

1:12:26Marramac Valley and across the state of

1:12:28Massachusetts.

1:12:31I constantly hear through my job,

1:12:34through my work, I constantly hear the

1:12:36phrases, your indicted mayor

1:12:40or the indicted mayor of Lawrence.

1:12:43I was even told once that I shouldn't

1:12:46even that I shouldn't even say that I'm

1:12:48from Lawrence right now. And while that

1:12:51statement was being made to me, there

1:12:52was another individual laughing.

1:12:57This is embarrassing. Whether we want to

1:12:59admit it or not, this is embarrassing.

1:13:01And I know I'm not the only resident of

1:13:03Lawrence who has experienced such

1:13:06situation.

1:13:09And also, this is not fair to the

1:13:11working to the hardworking families of

1:13:14our community,

1:13:16to our talented young people, our

1:13:18businesses, or the community leaders who

1:13:21work every day to move this city

1:13:23forward.

1:13:26We all deserve better than having

1:13:28Lawrence defined by the controversy

1:13:31surrounding its government.

1:13:35For me, this vote is not about whether I

1:13:38personally believe Brian Deena is a good

1:13:41person.

1:13:43It's about taking a serious situation

1:13:46that again involved city hall and two

1:13:49public employees.

1:13:52considering what has happened before

1:13:55because again there's a terminology that

1:13:58is not new to the city council.

1:14:01It's about listening to constituents who

1:14:04agree and disagree and putting personal

1:14:07relationships and differences aside,

1:14:10which I know sometimes is difficult to

1:14:12do, but we're not here for personal

1:14:15relationships.

1:14:19What it is about also,

1:14:23it's about taking the situation before

1:14:25us and asking what is truly the best

1:14:28interest for Lawrence and its future.

1:14:32And ultimately, it is about whether

1:14:34there is confidence in Brian Deena's

1:14:36leadership as mayor.

1:14:39And I can say, at least on one

1:14:41counselor, I can say I do not have that

1:14:43confidence.

1:14:45Mayor Deena has chosen to resign and he

1:14:48has stated this twice now and he has the

1:14:51right to do so to stay in his he he

1:14:55stated not to resign twice and he has

1:14:58the right to do so. He also has the

1:15:00right to defend himself against the

1:15:02charges he currently faces.

1:15:07But those criminal proceedings are

1:15:09separate from what we have here in the

1:15:12city chamber tonight and what we will

1:15:14have moving forward.

1:15:18I respectfully believe that remaining in

1:15:21office is the wrong decision for this

1:15:24city.

1:15:27For the good of Lawrence,

1:15:29I believe Mayor Depa should reconsider

1:15:32and resign from his position.

1:15:36And for that, for these reasons, I've

1:15:38been I've been silenced for a while. And

1:15:40now I've I've finally stated my

1:15:43position.

1:15:44And these are the reasons why I'm in

1:15:47support of the no confidence agenda item

1:15:50and why I am also a co-sponsor of the

1:15:52item. Thank you, council president.

1:15:54>> Thank you, councelor. Any other counsel?

1:15:56>> Any other counselor?

1:15:59>> All right. At this point,

1:16:00>> President

1:16:01>> Council Vice President Levy,

1:16:06>> as a vice president of this city

1:16:08council, my primary committee is

1:16:11transparency,

1:16:13stability, and the integrity of our

1:16:15local administration.

1:16:18Leading the governor, our city require

1:16:22total dedication

1:16:24on bridgeman conduct and the full

1:16:26capacity to lead.

1:16:28The effectivity of public management

1:16:31rely on the trust that citizen plays in

1:16:34this authority.

1:16:37Due to the accumulation in serial or the

1:16:39proceeding currently facing the mayor

1:16:42that throws in the ability to effect

1:16:45effectively mar the affair of our

1:16:48municipality

1:16:50have been severally compromised.

1:16:53This ongoing investigation

1:16:56had created a constant distraction

1:16:59reassar our city program and weaken the

1:17:02public face in its institutions.

1:17:07I want to be clear

1:17:10we always respect and defend to process

1:17:14and the presumpusion of innocence in the

1:17:17appropriate forms.

1:17:19My vote

1:17:21does not see the prejudice or the

1:17:24outcome of this proceeding but rather to

1:17:27protect the government.

1:17:30Our city cannot afford to remain

1:17:33paralyzed or have it credibility

1:17:36tarnished. And as a public servant, we

1:17:40must prioritize the collective

1:17:43well-being and our during to our

1:17:46residents above any individual figur

1:18:00the the vote of no confident

1:18:04for the well-being of the institution.

1:18:08and the future of our city. That's why

1:18:12I'm signing the vote on no confident.

1:18:16>> All right. Uh any other counselor

1:18:20at this time? Uh item

1:18:2340326

1:18:26the board of no confident resolution

1:18:28regarding uh regarding the mayor of the

1:18:31city of Lawrence. Brian Edena

1:18:33will go to the committee of the hall.

1:18:37that committee uh will expect to be u

1:18:42scheduled to meet next week and

1:18:45everybody's going to be uh communicated

1:18:48the proper time and date for that.

1:18:51Now councilors, we have item uh 40 uh

1:18:5540426

1:18:57which is a potential discussion uh

1:19:00regarding the complaint of or charges

1:19:02issued by the mass Massachusetts

1:19:04attorney general concerning uh the

1:19:07public official

1:19:09uh the mayor of the city of Lawrence.

1:19:14At this time, councilors, I would like

1:19:16to

1:19:18um state for the record as of uh the

1:19:21charges that we are uh that the mayor of

1:19:23the city of Lawrence is facing. So, we

1:19:26can have it for the record. Madame Cler,

1:19:29please read that uh the different

1:19:32counts.

1:19:33>> Sure. I I do not have the um court

1:19:37document. I apologize, but I'm just

1:19:38going to read you a quick paragraph from

1:19:40the um the Tribune. Um just reads um

1:19:46um Mayor Brian De was indicted on 15 new

1:19:48charges majority for wire tap law

1:19:51violations after clandestine audit

1:19:53recordings were discovered in Lawrence

1:19:54city hall earlier this year. Attorney

1:19:56General Andrea Campbell announced on

1:19:58Thursday September 24th in the afternoon

1:20:00that Deina was indicted on 14 counts of

1:20:02wiretapping violations and one count of

1:20:04intimidation of a witness. Dena is

1:20:06accused of interfering with Lawrence

1:20:07police officer who was delivering grand

1:20:10jury subpoenas to individuals in the

1:20:12city. Police said the indictments are in

1:20:15addition to the federal charges

1:20:16announced late this summer for $ 1.5

1:20:18million on the CO 19 loan fraud.

1:20:21>> All right. Uh councilors, if there is

1:20:23any uh no question or discussion, uh

1:20:25this item will be also sended to the

1:20:27committee of the hall to be discussed

1:20:28next week. Um counselors, any questions?

1:20:33I hear none.

1:20:35So, we're going back to the top of the

1:20:37agenda. U Council Infante,

1:20:42>> I got a question, do we have um is there

1:20:45any back I saw the Eagle Tribune

1:20:47article. Is there anything else besides

1:20:48that?

1:20:48>> Yeah, we'll provide uh that information

1:20:50to everybody.

1:20:53>> If I may, the president, I um have two

1:20:56items I would like to take out of order.

1:20:58One is under budget and finance. I make

1:21:02a motion to take out of order item

1:21:04389-26,

1:21:05authorization to expend

1:21:08767,000

1:21:10of the executive office of health and

1:21:13human services multi-year safe and

1:21:15successful youth initiatives ssy grant

1:21:19and it was sent up as a favorable

1:21:21recommendation and I make that as a

1:21:23formal motion.

1:21:24>> Second.

1:21:24>> There is a motion there is a motion in

1:21:26front of us properly second. Before we

1:21:27continue with the motion, we need to

1:21:29state that uh councelor G Rosario have

1:21:32recused himself due to the potential

1:21:34conflict of interest. Uh there's a

1:21:37motion in front of us properly second.

1:21:38You get that mad clerk.

1:21:39>> Yes.

1:21:40>> All right. All those in favor, please

1:21:41say I.

1:21:42>> I.

1:21:42>> Any nays?

1:21:43>> The eyes have it. Uh what is the motion?

1:21:47>> It's a motion to approve.

1:21:49>> There's a motion to approve.

1:21:52>> That's right.

1:21:52>> That was the motion to approve. Okay. So

1:21:56before we call the roll call because

1:21:58that is a requirement of a roll call. So

1:22:01this is a $767,000

1:22:05uh from

1:22:08the SS YI.

1:22:11So we have uh Rosa Ch uh Chirper from

1:22:15the police department here in front of

1:22:18us and would like to uh offer the

1:22:20opportunity for her to speak.

1:22:25Good evening, city councils. Rosa

1:22:27Shepard, director of support services

1:22:28for the Lawrence Police Department. I am

1:22:31here on behalf of the police department

1:22:34as we apply for the uh SSYI grant. Um

1:22:38this grant is for $767,000.

1:22:41It's a multi-year grant and it is mainly

1:22:44used for the youth at risk in the city

1:22:46of Lawrence.

1:22:48>> So we have also the organization that is

1:22:50running the [snorts] grant. Yes, we have

1:22:52Dan Hillerin and Mark Andrew as well

1:22:54here today.

1:22:55>> Just uh give us an update as of uh what

1:22:58we up to with this grant.

1:22:59>> Sure. And I I know we sent a package

1:23:01over earlier. Dan uh for the record, Dan

1:23:04Howerin, 24 Thomas Road, Lawrence,

1:23:07>> former counselor. Thank you.

1:23:09>> Thank you. It's been a long time. Uh I

1:23:12think uh the KPIs that we've done kind

1:23:15of speak for themselves.

1:23:17uh we've been well over 120% above what

1:23:20the state averages with the 13 other

1:23:23city and towns. I give credit to our our

1:23:26staff but also the detectives that we

1:23:29work with. Uh the last two years,

1:23:32Detective Cio has been our key contact.

1:23:35Uh I always got to give credit where

1:23:38credit is due. He was a game changer in

1:23:41this program the last two years. Our

1:23:43numbers have doubled since this

1:23:44detective has taken over.

1:23:47uh Marco did it for 10 years and did a

1:23:49great job building it and uh detective

1:23:52Seario kind of grew the program even

1:23:54more. Um we are um as again the KPIs

1:23:59which was asked for us last year which

1:24:01is the key performance indicators uh we

1:24:04did send to you but I I will point out

1:24:07uh our occupational training 65% above

1:24:12the state average uh number of eligible

1:24:15individuals people that we get in the

1:24:17door we're 20% above the state average

1:24:21and uh we were able to connect with 70%

1:24:26of the folks that have been, you know,

1:24:28in the court system, uh, getting

1:24:30involved. So, we we're out there doing

1:24:32the work.

1:24:34Questions?

1:24:36>> Council, any questions on this grant?

1:24:38Council La,

1:24:39>> you sent a a packet. What does that

1:24:40packet look like?

1:24:43>> Is it in the packet here? It's part of

1:24:46it. Yeah.

1:24:46>> Yes.

1:24:47>> It's just four three or four pages,

1:24:49which the first three or four pages

1:24:51behind the committee report.

1:24:59paper. They may want I don't have this

1:25:01in my Anyway, I'm not seeing it on here.

1:25:04>> Just pass it over and then we take it

1:25:06take it off.

1:25:08>> One.

1:25:11>> It looks like this.

1:25:15>> It looks like that.

1:25:22Okay.

1:25:32So 15 years ago, this program was

1:25:35budgeted by the state for $4 million.

1:25:37Now it's over 13 million. Uh it's really

1:25:40worked statewide. Uh it's really

1:25:43pressing on the most cities. Low Haveril

1:25:46and Lawrence are the three up in the

1:25:47Northshore. Uh we do edge a little in

1:25:50Maduan with some other grant stuff, too.

1:25:52Any

1:25:54questions? Councelor Le.

1:25:57>> Yeah, just help me. I'm I'm just going

1:25:59through this rapidly.

1:26:01>> Yes.

1:26:01>> Um, you have a ballpark of about eight

1:26:05or nine different indicators. I'm

1:26:06looking at the left hand side. I see

1:26:08you've done it for three years. Good.

1:26:11>> So, I'm trying to very quickly figure

1:26:13out all of these nine, excuse me, which

1:26:17would be um most successful, I guess.

1:26:22the the the thing called contact

1:26:24successful that means you've reached out

1:26:26and met and met with some youth and have

1:26:29got them engaged level right

1:26:30>> so I would say 90% of our um referrals

1:26:34come from the was the detectives gang

1:26:37unit uh or the courthouse and you know

1:26:41it's it's a big list uh most of them

1:26:43have between 100 and 200 referrals uh

1:26:46we've been successful in about 70% of

1:26:48finding I think the state average is

1:26:50probably half of that. [clears throat]

1:26:52>> You defined it. That's not That's

1:26:54>> by finding.

1:26:55>> No, you you might losing my voice. You

1:26:57have defined it. Thank you. Let me just

1:26:59go to one. That's not the one I'm

1:27:01looking for. I guess the one I'd be

1:27:02looking for is enrolled people that you

1:27:04brought into the program.

1:27:05>> So, give me the three going from the

1:27:07oldest to the most recent. Your numbers

1:27:09for that. I know you have it. It's in

1:27:12here. I'm just not getting it quickly.

1:27:15>> Exact numbers is

1:27:16>> you do 2025. I'll help you. Y

1:27:19>> 2025. You got 76.

1:27:21>> Yes.

1:27:23>> Enrolled. In 2026,

1:27:27you have 87. So, you've gone up.

1:27:30>> Yes.

1:27:31>> And in

1:27:342027, which we're not there yet. So,

1:27:36>> fiscal year.

1:27:37>> Um, somehow you have, even though we're

1:27:40not there, um,

1:27:42>> 60.

1:27:43>> Yes.

1:27:44>> So, does that mean for the first couple

1:27:46of months or what is 60?

1:27:48>> That means the first couple of months.

1:27:49Okay. So, you are on track. Then,

1:27:52>> this is what I'm looking for.

1:27:54>> Just to [clears throat] prove my point

1:27:55and I'll get off the topic.

1:27:57>> I want to see measures going up. You're

1:27:59an established organization. You've been

1:28:01around for a while. You have a track

1:28:03record. I want to see the track record.

1:28:05I pulled out one variable that I thought

1:28:07was important. The number of

1:28:09individuals. Why am I losing my voice?

1:28:10Enrolled.

1:28:11>> Yes.

1:28:12>> So, I'm seeing that on the incline.

1:28:14That's a good one. I would I just was

1:28:15like an audit, if you will, to use our

1:28:17nice fancy terms here. Use a little

1:28:19brief audit on that number. So, thank

1:28:21you for doing that. Um, I've heard good

1:28:23things about it, so I'm going to be

1:28:24supporting it this evening. Thank you.

1:28:26>> Thank you. Well, I I think one of the

1:28:27major issues we have early in the fiscal

1:28:29year is once uh once a young adult turns

1:28:3225, they're automatically out of the

1:28:34program.

1:28:35>> Sure.

1:28:35>> Um, so it's kind of building back up. Uh

1:28:39okay.

1:28:39>> As as we get the 17 18 year olds,

1:28:46>> any I'm done.

1:28:47>> Any other questions? Counselors,

1:28:50>> this is the CESU program, right?

1:28:53>> Yes. Lawrence Prosperous. Cisu is our

1:28:55building in in our athletic program.

1:28:57>> That's how people knows it.

1:28:58>> I know. [laughter]

1:29:00>> All right. Any other questions? I hear

1:29:01none. All those in please say I.

1:29:03>> Any.

1:29:05>> Thank you. Uh,

1:29:07>> president of finance.

1:29:09>> I actually I make a motion to

1:29:12take out of order and on table item

1:29:14297-26

1:29:16request for a home rule petition under

1:29:18the heart bill Massachusetts general law

1:29:21chapter 32 section 94 requesting a line

1:29:25of duty death designation for deceased

1:29:28Lawrence police sergeant Charles Sandon.

1:29:31>> So uh there is a motion in front of us

1:29:33properly second. Quick question on the

1:29:35on this matter. Uh did the document that

1:29:38was requested for because we table it

1:29:41due to the fact that we didn't have

1:29:42those documents were those document

1:29:44provided. Madame clerk

1:29:45>> no

1:29:48um

1:29:50I was council plant had asked me he had

1:29:52made the motion to table and he asked me

1:29:54if I could get the motion as drafted. So

1:29:58you want me can may I read this record?

1:30:00So, at the last meeting on September

1:30:0115th, it reads, "Council plant then made

1:30:04a motion to table the item, stating that

1:30:06he believed the city council needed to

1:30:08review the same documentation presented

1:30:09to the retirement board when that board

1:30:11made their determination, adding that he

1:30:13would leave it to the attorneys to

1:30:15determine which reports and to obtain

1:30:17any HIPPA or other releases." His motion

1:30:19was seconded by councelor Frankle Miguel

1:30:20and it passed by a roll call vote as

1:30:22follows. It six vote six councils voted

1:30:25in favor of uh tableabling it. Three

1:30:27voted not to table. Um and that did pass

1:30:30>> and the documents were not why are we

1:30:33having discussion under a table?

1:30:35>> We're not we're not having the

1:30:36discussion. We table it for a reason and

1:30:38and those reasons were not

1:30:39>> There's a motion on the table on the

1:30:41table.

1:30:41>> All right. Uh motion to untame

1:30:45please call the role.

1:30:47>> Let me start with you. Council Gonzalez.

1:30:49>> Yes.

1:30:51>> Council Miguel.

1:30:52>> Yes.

1:30:53>> Councilman.

1:30:56>> Yes. Councelor um Infante,

1:31:00>> yes.

1:31:02>> Council Reyes,

1:31:03>> yes.

1:31:05>> Council Del Rosario,

1:31:06>> yes.

1:31:07>> Council Lant,

1:31:08>> no.

1:31:09>> Councelor um Vice President is noted as

1:31:12absent. Council President,

1:31:14>> I vote negative. Uh what's the count?

1:31:16>> It's um one is missing. So um two

1:31:19opposing and six in favor.

1:31:23>> Motion carries.

1:31:23>> Yeah. Um

1:31:24>> discussion.

1:31:25>> Discussion. Um

1:31:27>> thank you through you council.

1:31:28>> Thank you through you council president.

1:31:30>> So the reason for untabling this matter

1:31:32is that we do have new development that

1:31:35has occurred um since the last meeting

1:31:37and I think it's only fair I know we did

1:31:40hear a bit earlier from Mrs. Sandin but

1:31:43I think it's fair to hear from her as to

1:31:47um the recent developments and also give

1:31:49her a full opportunity uh to speak if

1:31:52she wishes. Um, so that is the reason

1:31:55why I'm on tableabling.

1:31:56>> All right. Uh, let's open up the floor

1:31:59uh for that specific information to be

1:32:02provided.

1:32:10>> Just say your name, your address for the

1:32:12record, please.

1:32:14>> Kelly Sanden, 62 Autumn Road, Drake,

1:32:16Massachusetts.

1:32:19in reference to the previous discussion

1:32:22that happened at the last council

1:32:24meeting at which time I was asked to

1:32:27provide the exact same documents that

1:32:30were presented to the retirement board.

1:32:32I want to clarify for the board and

1:32:37[clears throat] also point out a couple

1:32:38of um concerns that were presented

1:32:40during that discussion specifically by

1:32:42the retirement board. And again, for the

1:32:45record, I did not authorize anybody to

1:32:46discuss my husband's medical conditions

1:32:49or diagnosis in this forum for all to

1:32:54hear, observe, and see. That was not at

1:32:57all part of what I planned on doing

1:33:00before all you. I plan on telling you a

1:33:02story and asking for you to do the right

1:33:05thing and take the authority that you

1:33:08have to allow this request, this

1:33:11position to go beyond you where that

1:33:14board, that governance does have the

1:33:16ability and the authority that you don't

1:33:18have here to make a decision on behalf

1:33:21of Charlie.

1:33:23So, I want to read for the record the

1:33:25letter that I sent in because I'm not

1:33:27sure if you all received it, if you had

1:33:29an opportunity to review it, but I want

1:33:31everybody in the room to also hear what

1:33:33I submitted to this group following the

1:33:37interaction at the last council meeting.

1:33:40Dear Council President Rodriguez and

1:33:42honorable members of the city council, I

1:33:45would like to make a brief statement for

1:33:46the record before the council proceeds

1:33:48with discussion regarding my home rule

1:33:50petition on behalf of my husband,

1:33:52Lieutenant Charles Malcolm Sen. The last

1:33:55meeting had profound emotional impact on

1:33:58my family. The retirement board

1:34:00mischaracterized my home rule petition.

1:34:04I am not asking this council to

1:34:06second-guess their denial of my

1:34:08accidental death benefits application

1:34:10even though I entirely disagree with

1:34:13that decision strongly and am in the

1:34:15process of appealing it. The board

1:34:18publicly created the impression the

1:34:20retirement board I should probably be

1:34:22specific because this is not what I'm

1:34:24referring to. Just for the record when I

1:34:25say the board I'm referring to Lawrence

1:34:27retirement board not this city council

1:34:30just to be clear. I know you're a board

1:34:32of sorts, but that's not what I'm

1:34:34speaking for.

1:34:35>> If you can make that clarification when

1:34:36you when you make

1:34:37>> I'll try. Yes.

1:34:38>> Yeah.

1:34:39>> Very good. Um,

1:34:42the retirement board created the

1:34:45impression that I was seeking multiple

1:34:48or excessive benefits. It's not true and

1:34:51it's quite concerning. The retirement

1:34:54board is a body charged with

1:34:56representing the employees of this city

1:34:58to include my husband.

1:35:00I want closure for my husband's decades

1:35:03of service, his premature death at just

1:35:0644 years old to be acknowledged in a

1:35:09meaningful way with utmost dignity. My

1:35:12children were present during that

1:35:14meeting, hearing their father's medical

1:35:16conditions described publicly and

1:35:18challenged.

1:35:20Disgraceful. Absolutely disgraceful.

1:35:23Causing them to leave the room in tears.

1:35:26Absolutely disgusting.

1:35:30This was extremely difficult for my

1:35:33entire family. My husband was the utmost

1:35:36private person I have ever known.

1:35:39Maintaining his confidentiality has

1:35:41always been paramount. Every encounter

1:35:44since his death.

1:35:47Understanding such confidentiality

1:35:49expectations has been the premise for a

1:35:52continued discussion with me. Observing

1:35:55the behaviors in the council meeting

1:35:56came as a complete shock and incredibly

1:35:59disappointing. I'm sharing this to help

1:36:02this council understand how the process

1:36:04unfolded from my perspective.

1:36:06Before that meeting, I had respectfully

1:36:08requested that any discussion involving

1:36:10my husband's medical information be held

1:36:12in an executive session to pres preserve

1:36:16his confidentiality.

1:36:18Additionally, my sponsor also requested

1:36:21such guardrails. Despite these requests,

1:36:25some of his very sensitive medical

1:36:27details were discussed publicly and they

1:36:31were discussed with such accusatory

1:36:33biases that were completely inaccurate

1:36:37and you all listened to it. Outrageous.

1:36:40Absolutely outrageous. Bonkers to me.

1:36:49I understand that different people may

1:36:52have believed they were acting within

1:36:54their role,

1:36:56but the disclosure of personal medical

1:36:59information in an open broadcast raised

1:37:02significant privacy concerns for us.

1:37:05Federal HIPPA rules and Massachusetts

1:37:07medical privacy laws place strict

1:37:09limitations on the disclosure of

1:37:11individually identified health

1:37:13information and these typically require

1:37:15authorization or clear legal basis

1:37:17before such details are shared.

1:37:20I'm not suggesting anyone intended to

1:37:23violate those standards only that what

1:37:26happened created concerns for us that I

1:37:28hope will be taken seriously moving

1:37:30forward.

1:37:31I'm also also very mindful of the

1:37:34Massachusetts open meeting law which

1:37:35requires deliberations to stay within

1:37:38the topic posted on the agenda and

1:37:40within the council's jurisdiction.

1:37:42When sensitive medical information that

1:37:44was not part of the agenda becomes part

1:37:46of a public discussion,

1:37:48it presents procedural risk that I

1:37:51believe we should all be cautious about.

1:37:53Again, I raise this concern not as an

1:37:56allegation.

1:37:58With that in mind, I would like to

1:38:00restate the legal framework before the

1:38:02council. Under article 89 of the

1:38:04Massachusetts Constitution, Mass General

1:38:07Law, chapter 43b, the council's role is

1:38:10limited to a single question. Whether or

1:38:13not to authorize the filing of a home

1:38:16rule petition with the legislative

1:38:19legislature, this legislative decision

1:38:22is not a medical decision.

1:38:25It's not a review of the retire

1:38:27retirement board's adjudication process.

1:38:29It's not an evaluation of the lion

1:38:32underlying

1:38:33accidental death claim which belongs

1:38:36entirely to the chapter 32 system. This

1:38:39is simply the legislative body. The

1:38:42legislative body's ability to write a

1:38:46wrong.

1:38:59Attached is a list provided by my

1:39:02council of prior home rule petitions for

1:39:05public employees which illustrate the

1:39:08purpose and past practice. Because of

1:39:12these limits, I respectfully request

1:39:14that the council refrain from discussing

1:39:16confidential medical information,

1:39:18medical reviewer notes, or the merits of

1:39:20our line of duty heartbell claim. These

1:39:23matters fall outside of the council's

1:39:24jurisdiction under chapter 43b and are

1:39:28not appropriate for the board's agenda.

1:39:30I also request the president instruct

1:39:31the council and clarify for the public

1:39:34the information that they were privy to

1:39:37was an error, not as fact. The

1:39:41retirement board was acting well outside

1:39:43of the bounds of their role. If any

1:39:45member intends to vote against my

1:39:47requests authorizing to file this

1:39:50petition, I respectfully ask that the

1:39:53reason be clearly stated in terms of

1:39:56permissible legislative considerations,

1:39:59stating reasons clearly helps ensure

1:40:02compliance with article 89, chapter 43b

1:40:04and the open meeting law. My intent is

1:40:07not to assign blame. My goal is to

1:40:09simply ensure that this process follows

1:40:11the legal framework that governs

1:40:13municipal decisions and that my family

1:40:16is not subjected to further public

1:40:18discussion of sensitive medical

1:40:20information.

1:40:22Thank you for listening to me and thank

1:40:23you for helping ensure that further

1:40:25council meetings proceed in a respectful

1:40:27and legal appropriate manner. And the

1:40:31previous case that was submitted can be

1:40:34included for the board or would you like

1:40:35me to read that also? Uh you you say

1:40:38previous case, what are you referring

1:40:39to?

1:40:40>> Home rule petitions that have gone

1:40:41before municipalities.

1:40:44>> No, no. I mean, we can we can have it we

1:40:46can send you can send it to us and we

1:40:48can uh analyze it as well.

1:40:49>> You [snorts] do have it.

1:40:51>> Uh before we we go over there is several

1:40:54things that uh we need to uh discuss.

1:40:57Um,

1:40:58madame clerk, what is on the uh what was

1:41:01on the motion

1:41:03uh that council council plan uh made

1:41:06last time? Can you read the motion?

1:41:08>> Sure. I did

1:41:11>> did read it earlier, but I um yeah,

1:41:13basically the motion was um

1:41:17>> read it again. Um, councelor Llant then

1:41:19made a motion to table the item, stating

1:41:21that he believed the city council needed

1:41:22to review the same documentation

1:41:24presented to the retirement board when

1:41:26the when that board made their

1:41:28determination, adding that he would

1:41:30leave it to the attorneys to determine

1:41:31which reports to obtain and any HIPPA or

1:41:34other releases. His motion was seconded

1:41:36by councelor Frankle Miguel and it

1:41:37passed by council by a roll call vote as

1:41:39follows and the vote was a six to three.

1:41:41>> Yeah. So I just wondering what was the

1:41:43record that was discussed uh dur during

1:41:46last meeting that uh was uh as uh the

1:41:51petitioner call it outrageous

1:41:54>> I don't understand the question is it a

1:41:56question for me

1:41:57>> no we would like to know like what we

1:41:59discuss what we this city council

1:42:02discuss

1:42:03uh out of the medical records

1:42:06>> oh

1:42:06>> so

1:42:07>> you would like to know what you

1:42:08discussed

1:42:09>> yes

1:42:10>> you asked asked questions and your

1:42:13retirement board stood here and

1:42:15presented you with information from an

1:42:18attorney about what he perceived

1:42:21happened or didn't happen to my husband,

1:42:23which was erroneous information that he

1:42:25had no authorization to speak about. To

1:42:27which biased every one of you to be

1:42:30doing your job the way you're supposed

1:42:32to be doing it and look at the

1:42:33procedures and the rules of the chapter

1:42:37related to Massachusetts state law home.

1:42:39you have those specifics because I mean

1:42:42>> yeah it's on it's on recording.

1:42:44>> No no no I mean we can retrieve it. I

1:42:45know I know that we we have

1:42:47>> some of the things he said was E.coli.

1:42:49He didn't have a heart attack. All of

1:42:50these very said that's just a couple

1:42:52that I recall because I couldn't

1:42:54possibly stomach watching the video

1:42:56anymore

1:42:56>> into medical

1:42:59information. So you're going where you

1:43:01said you don't want to go.

1:43:02>> Yeah. Exactly. U Mr. Attorney can you

1:43:06can you please take the mic?

1:43:11Okay. I I am in the worst position you

1:43:13could possibly be. I have

1:43:16>> I have a gre g grieving widow ne I have

1:43:19a grieving widow next to to me and I

1:43:21have to state facts that may not be very

1:43:24comfortable. First of all, let's just

1:43:27review the facts.

1:43:28>> Can you just Hold on. Can you just take

1:43:29a seat, please?

1:43:30>> Can I what?

1:43:31>> Can you just take a seat?

1:43:32>> Sure.

1:43:33>> Sure. Thanks.

1:43:35No one up here has looked at the medical

1:43:37records. So, no one up here commented on

1:43:41the medical records. If you look at the

1:43:43video, and again, I'm not being

1:43:45accusatory. I'm taking no position on

1:43:47this. The first person to mention

1:43:49medical condition was an advocate for

1:43:52the family. It was Lieutenant Cerillo.

1:43:56>> He was the first person to mention

1:43:57medical conditions. He talked about it.

1:44:00It wasn't the city. The second person

1:44:02that talked about the medical conditions

1:44:04were the children. Again, I make no

1:44:06thing. It was brought up. The purpose is

1:44:09the city council asked, "Why are we

1:44:12here?" And there has to be an

1:44:13explanation. Why are we here? There was

1:44:16a decision made by a board not to give

1:44:20this to this officer. Why was that made?

1:44:24You don't know because we're never going

1:44:26to look at it. So, let's let's cut to

1:44:29the chase right now. And again, nobody's

1:44:31going to be happy with me, but everybody

1:44:34has admitted I believe at this point

1:44:37that under the rules of the retirement

1:44:39board, Officer Sand is not entitled to

1:44:41this relief. So what they are asking for

1:44:44is do not go that process. We what they

1:44:48are saying now to you is we want you to

1:44:51give this retirement to him regardless

1:44:54of the facts. Again, he a wonderful

1:44:57officer. We want you to give it to them

1:44:59as a reward. We It is taxpayer money.

1:45:03There is no money in the retirement

1:45:05board. It is money you are going to take

1:45:07out of the taxpayer coffers. I believe

1:45:09the total is almost $1.8 million. So

1:45:12when people say, "Why are you voting?"

1:45:14You are authorizing to take $1.8 million

1:45:17of taxpayer money and use it for this

1:45:19one purpose.

1:45:21>> Yes. Yes. Give me a minute. Yes, you

1:45:23will.

1:45:23>> Okay.

1:45:24>> Yes, you will. again. Um, the retirement

1:45:28board is not here tonight. This is a

1:45:29table matter. The attorney for the

1:45:31retirement board is not here. I think he

1:45:33would like to defend himself on the

1:45:35accusations that he's been heard. Again,

1:45:38I am the city attorney. I don't care

1:45:40whether you vote one way or the other.

1:45:41That's not me. I just have to deliver

1:45:43the facts. The money is coming from

1:45:46taxpayer money. You're voting to give it

1:45:48to them. That's what you're doing today.

1:45:50It has nothing to do with what the

1:45:51retirement board did because the

1:45:53retirement board is not part of this.

1:45:55>> All right. Uh let's uh let's allow that

1:45:58uh

1:45:58>> point of clarification.

1:46:00>> Point of clarification. Councelor

1:46:02Rosario.

1:46:03>> Thank you to your council president.

1:46:04We're not voting to give them the money.

1:46:06We voting to give them the opportunity

1:46:08to go to the state and the state will

1:46:10make a decision. What they asking for us

1:46:13is to vote on the home room petition so

1:46:15they can go and ask the state to try to

1:46:18get what she's asking or what the family

1:46:20is asking. Let's be clear of that once

1:46:23again. They can be put in the position

1:46:25same position that they are now while

1:46:27they go to the state to fight this case

1:46:29go through I I I want you to record the

1:46:32my first word when we were first

1:46:33starting the meeting when they come up

1:46:35and they want to speak about it. I said

1:46:38the point of clarification.

1:46:39>> Yeah. The point of clarification is

1:46:40council president is that we're not

1:46:42approving the money here. We approving

1:46:44the home room petition for them to go to

1:46:45the state and try to find to get this

1:46:47money even if the money is coming out of

1:46:48us.

1:46:49>> Correct.

1:46:49>> We're not approving the money petition

1:46:51process.

1:46:52>> You are voting to send it up. Okay. That

1:46:56means that you have approved it. You as

1:46:58a city council have approved it. Then

1:47:00you send it to the state and they

1:47:02approve it

1:47:02>> to the mayor

1:47:04>> and then it comes back and you pay the

1:47:06money. It is Lawrence money. The state

1:47:08is not paying this money. It is the

1:47:10citizens of Lawrence that are paying

1:47:12this. So when you vote today, the

1:47:14legislature can say no. The legislature

1:47:17can say yes surely. But it just don't

1:47:20anybody be confused. You are saying that

1:47:22we authorize the payment of Lawrence

1:47:24taxpayers money for this purpose and we

1:47:26ask the legislature to approve it. You

1:47:28are saying that that's something you

1:47:29want them to do. Again, I'm not suggest

1:47:32not suggest they can say no, but they

1:47:34that's what you're asking. I I don't

1:47:37there's no trick about it. I think even

1:47:39the proponents will tell you that's what

1:47:40they're asking

1:47:40>> and that's what they asking. But if we

1:47:42approve the home room petition, it's not

1:47:43guarantee that they're going to get it.

1:47:45It's not a guarantee. They got to go

1:47:47over that to the legislators.

1:47:48>> They do, but they have they have heard

1:47:50from the city of Lawrence who's coughing

1:47:51up the money that the city of Lawrence

1:47:53wants to do this. Doesn't cost the

1:47:56legislators a penny. No state taxpayer.

1:47:58So again, I I I'm in an awkward

1:48:02position. I have a grieving widow right

1:48:04beside me. the same as the legislators,

1:48:07they've got to rule against a grieving

1:48:08widow. It's a tough thing to do.

1:48:10>> All right. Uh the home rule petition, a

1:48:12home rule petition is a an instate law

1:48:16that only affect

1:48:18the city that approved it at the local

1:48:21level. So what we're doing today is we

1:48:25are approving a home petition

1:48:28that will at some point potentially

1:48:31become an estate lock. The mayor need to

1:48:34sign it and subsequently need to go

1:48:36through the process at the state level

1:48:39which means that they need the state

1:48:40representative need to uh approve it.

1:48:43The Senate need to approve it and the

1:48:46governor need to sign it and the normal

1:48:49process on a home rule petition

1:48:52the legislator

1:48:55approve what the local authority have

1:48:59decide that's the normal typical process

1:49:03and what we have experience on

1:49:07and that's what we're doing today we are

1:49:10discussing the home repetition

1:49:12on their specific request that this

1:49:15council before he put a seal on have

1:49:17asked. So yes, now you have the floor.

1:49:24>> So in response, I'm sorry, what's your

1:49:26name?

1:49:26>> Attorney say what?

1:49:28>> Attorney

1:49:29>> Hootin. Attorney Hooton. response to his

1:49:32comments. I want to start by saying when

1:49:35I said misrepresentation,

1:49:36that wasn't only of Charlie's medical

1:49:39situation that attorney Sako discussed

1:49:42at length during his

1:49:45address to the council. Also, the

1:49:48misrepresentation of what exactly I'm

1:49:50asking for. What I'm asking for is for

1:49:53Charlie to be awarded line of duty death

1:49:57the same as if anybody under the heart

1:49:59bill would get which they give out many

1:50:02I presented a whole battery of people

1:50:05who have been approved not only by

1:50:07retirement Lawrence Board but across the

1:50:10whole Commonwealth it's routine. I don't

1:50:13know what makes this one more tricky

1:50:15than everything else. Perhaps because

1:50:16he's dead and perhaps because you have a

1:50:18full autopsy report of every little

1:50:20creek and crevice in his body because of

1:50:23that. And that way you have more

1:50:24information to say, well, maybe this or

1:50:28maybe that. The first responders, this

1:50:31law is in place to prevent all of that.

1:50:34It's supposed to be easy. My husband's

1:50:36going to be gone February 26, 3 years,

1:50:40and I'm standing before you asking for

1:50:43something that he's deserving of. that

1:50:45retirement board sent this to one

1:50:48physician who's not even practicing

1:50:51multiple multiple multiple reports that

1:50:54I've done research that I've conducted.

1:50:56He's a nay on all of it. He has the most

1:50:59overturned appeals. Do you know how long

1:51:01the over the that process would be for

1:51:03me? Which they thought they thought they

1:51:05thought it was funny in this room. They

1:51:07thought it was comical. In fact, this

1:51:09attorney was kabitzing with attorney

1:51:11Sako over here, which we all took note

1:51:13of. Everybody took note of it. It's on

1:51:15the cameras.

1:51:17That takes years. And then once they

1:51:19make a decision by way of that Dallas

1:51:22space, then they can appeal that appeal,

1:51:25which can then prolong it even more,

1:51:27which they've told me this. They've told

1:51:28me this in writing. I want to save years

1:51:32of your continued hardship. We want to

1:51:35save that. So, let's just put this to

1:51:36bed one last time. That's why I'm

1:51:39talking to you. That's why I'm talking

1:51:40to you. I want to stop the madness and

1:51:43tell you that I have a battery a battery

1:51:47of documents specialists. The the MPH

1:51:51chair at UMass LOL

1:51:54provided a whole lit review for this

1:51:58physician that I just referred to. One

1:52:00physician by the way, one physician, not

1:52:02three, not five, not even two. And when

1:52:05they sent it back, the multiple times

1:52:08they sent back continued information.

1:52:10And I put air quotes because that's what

1:52:12attorney Sako said he did because he was

1:52:15doing me a favor that they didn't have

1:52:17to do. Sent it to the same physician.

1:52:20How is that helpful? Right? So, I'm

1:52:23telling you that you have the ability to

1:52:27allow this to go to the next level

1:52:30outside of that space that clearly I

1:52:33have no way, no path forward to

1:52:36explaining this. And I'm not telling you

1:52:38that this wasn't a complicated

1:52:40situation. It was a complicated

1:52:42situation. He was sick. But the truth is

1:52:45is that he was so compromised from his

1:52:48occupational hazards that everybody in

1:52:50this room also experiences. And we have

1:52:53no health wellness in place for them. By

1:52:55the way, just for the record, also

1:52:58nothing nothing exists for them. They're

1:53:00just expected to work 70 hours a week to

1:53:03be able to provide the basics for their

1:53:05houses. Never mind if they need child

1:53:07care. Never mind if they need health, be

1:53:08out of work. No big deal. Get back to

1:53:11work. Get back out to the details. And

1:53:13Jay Cerillo, shame on anybody for coming

1:53:16here and telling me that he's the reason

1:53:18why attorney Sako can get into all of

1:53:21these details that he is not qualified

1:53:23to talk about because Jay Cerillo is

1:53:25talking about COVID. Jay Cerillo is out

1:53:28there with the offices giving them N95s,

1:53:31scrubbing the pink room. Does anybody

1:53:32know what that is? Hopefully not. You

1:53:34you don't understand what these guys

1:53:36have been through. It's been hell.

1:53:39Literally hell with no leadership, no

1:53:42consistent leadership in this city, no

1:53:44support for this from this city to do

1:53:46their jobs well. And look at them all

1:53:48here. Look at them all here for Charlie.

1:53:51They haven't left him. Not once. Not

1:53:55once. Because they know they know he's

1:53:59deserving of this. He would be

1:54:01mortified. mortified if he knew that I

1:54:04was standing before you ask him for

1:54:06something that he doesn't damn well

1:54:07deserve. He's not that person. He

1:54:10doesn't take anything from anybody ever.

1:54:14And all I want is to say his sacrifice

1:54:18mattered. His sacrifice I didn't even

1:54:20know money was attached to it. In fact,

1:54:22I told Stephanie that. I'm like, this is

1:54:24like so easy. What is the problem now? I

1:54:27want it all. I want it all to give all

1:54:29back to them. I want to give

1:54:30scholarships out. We have been given

1:54:32scholarships since Charlie died. In his

1:54:34name, we're going to have a scholarship

1:54:36because he's an alumni of Northern Essex

1:54:38Community College. We're going to

1:54:40sponsor criminal justice students to go

1:54:44to the academy. That's what we're going

1:54:45to do because we're going to write this

1:54:48and we're going to continue to honor him

1:54:50one way or another. I'm asking for you

1:54:53to understand your role and allow him to

1:54:56have this process so that we can put

1:55:00closure to this and move on in a

1:55:03dignified way. He doesn't have a

1:55:05headstone. You know why? Because Angel

1:55:07Mahia, one of the most beautiful law

1:55:09enforcement officers we have,

1:55:12does beautiful photography and it's a

1:55:15landscape of this city because my

1:55:18husband was obsessed with it. obsessed

1:55:20with it and I'm questioning whether or

1:55:23not that gets to go on the headstone for

1:55:26my husband who's BEEN DEAD ALMOST THREE

1:55:28YEARS BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE NOT PROVIDING

1:55:32AN avenue

1:55:34to have closure

1:55:36AND TO SAY WHAT THIS IS like seriously

1:55:40give me A GODDAMN BREAK. SO THAT'S what

1:55:42I'm here to tell you. And I'm horrified

1:55:44at the way this went down. And no, as

1:55:47long as I'm here, I'm going to come to

1:55:49every meeting that there's a law

1:55:50enforcement officer. You can count on

1:55:51it. Put me in the back room. Put a name

1:55:54for Kelly Sean on it because I'll be

1:55:55here to advocate for every single one of

1:55:57these guys and ladies because it's not

1:56:00appropriate what we have to do. It's

1:56:03presumptive. The law is presumptive so

1:56:05that it happens swiftly.

1:56:08No delay.

1:56:10And here I am trying to advocate for

1:56:13what's right. One physician looked at

1:56:16his record and I had five reports.

1:56:20The UMass LOL MH chair, Mass Public

1:56:24Health, M PH, Mass Public Health, the

1:56:26chair, that's like the president of the

1:56:29entire program at UMass LOL.

1:56:33>> And I'm sorry you seem like you're

1:56:34getting, you know, irritated by me

1:56:36taking some time.

1:56:37>> Focus on the discussion, please. UMass

1:56:39LOL the Mass public chair. I have a

1:56:42chief of cardiology who responded to

1:56:45that. There is no test. There is no

1:56:48machine you can put somebody through to

1:56:50say, "Yep, you're going to have that."

1:56:52You find out when you're dead in

1:56:55autopsy. Do you know how many times he

1:56:57left the Lawrence Police Department in

1:56:59an ambulance or to the hospital because

1:57:01he was having issues on the job in the

1:57:05dispatch room? Several times. Guess

1:57:08guess what that was in the records for

1:57:09the Lawrence Retirement Board to

1:57:11consider.

1:57:13No big deal. That just happens to

1:57:15everybody, right? 44 years old. No

1:57:17smoking, no nothing. The guy literally

1:57:20works, spends time with his family,

1:57:22works some more, and then dies at 44.

1:57:27So that this is what I'm here to request

1:57:29from you. And the other

1:57:32misrepresentation is that I want all of

1:57:36these benefits. I want a widow. I want a

1:57:38I don't even know what Gina was saying

1:57:40because it was so low. I couldn't hear

1:57:42what she was saying. I you know,

1:57:44attorney Hooton was able to pick out

1:57:461.8. That's the only thing I was able to

1:57:48hear. Also, when you asked to clarify

1:57:51what's the actual difference, I mean, I

1:57:54don't know if I'm going to live to be

1:57:55300 years old. I highly doubt it

1:57:57considering how much I've been through

1:57:58these last two and a half years. But I

1:58:02don't know where that money is coming

1:58:03from. Nobody's ever told me that. It was

1:58:05first brought to my attention in this

1:58:07meeting and in no way, shape or form am

1:58:09I going to be asking to be some whatever

1:58:13double dipping or whatever it is asking

1:58:15for this ridiculous amount. And they

1:58:17well know that. So shame on them for

1:58:19coming here and misrepresenting me at my

1:58:21request to clarify

1:58:25his response. Is there any other

1:58:26questions for me? I'm happy to answer

1:58:28them.

1:58:28>> No, you you were clarifying the the the

1:58:31previous argument.

1:58:33So,

1:58:34>> I those were the only argu Let's Okay,

1:58:38sit down.

1:58:40>> I hate getting up.

1:58:42>> Um, but let's be let's be clear. One of

1:58:45the first things that she said today was

1:58:48she was pursuing her appeal. All the

1:58:51retirement board said is if she gets

1:58:53money from the appeal and gets money

1:58:55that you grant her, it is duplicitous.

1:58:58And we ask for we would ask for language

1:59:00that that not appeal not go through if

1:59:03if this is granted. We also have many

1:59:05other things that would ask. Again, I'm

1:59:07not trying to punish anybody. But what

1:59:09we we just had I'm sorry to say is as an

1:59:12attorney we said this is the one thing

1:59:15we're not going to talk about. We're not

1:59:17going to talk about the medicals. We're

1:59:19not going to talk about the reports. And

1:59:21for the last 10 minutes, we talked about

1:59:23the medicals and the reports. You can't

1:59:25have your cake and eat it too. allow the

1:59:27allow the board to come back if if

1:59:29that's what they want to talk about want

1:59:31to argue about and we'll argue about it

1:59:33but you can't tell me we're not gonna

1:59:35argue about it and then have someone

1:59:37come up here for 50 minutes and give you

1:59:38one side again disparaging doctors

1:59:42disparaging all these people you have no

1:59:44knowledge you don't have a report in

1:59:45front of you you don't know any of these

1:59:46doctors you don't know her doctors you

1:59:48don't know anything and without those I

1:59:50don't know how you look at that but

1:59:52again if it's if it's just a decision we

1:59:56want to give the money. That's up to

1:59:58you. But again, I don't know what more

2:00:01to say. I I I'll defend myself to the

2:00:03end. I'm not trying to hurt anybody. My

2:00:05job as the city attorney is to just

2:00:07state what I know. I take no position.

2:00:10You are you are the elected officials.

2:00:12You are free to do anything you want.

2:00:14>> But I just have to give you the facts as

2:00:16I see them.

2:00:17>> Uh Attorney Hilton, have you uh have you

2:00:21look at the home petition?

2:00:23>> Yes. and uh and offer any uh potential

2:00:26language.

2:00:28>> Yes, I believe there was certain changes

2:00:29that would have to go because you would

2:00:32have to add a um

2:00:40>> it would have to be modified that it

2:00:43would say that he was entitled to only

2:00:45this benefit and no other benefits. Um,

2:00:49there would also have to be language

2:00:50that any money that has been paid so

2:00:52far, because this is go retroactive,

2:00:55would have to be paid back. In other

2:00:56words, if she's receiving, and I'm going

2:01:00to make this number up, $1,200 a month,

2:01:03and now she's going to get $1,800

2:01:05retroactive, she would have to pay the

2:01:0712 back to get the 18 because otherwise

2:01:09it would be duplicitous. I'm not

2:01:11accusing anybody of anything. I'm just

2:01:13saying these are the facts. I'm trying

2:01:14to give you the facts as I know them. So

2:01:17there is some changes that I would have

2:01:18to make to this if you will decide to

2:01:20pass it.

2:01:21>> So do you believe that a a a potential a

2:01:24couple of meetings between attorney need

2:01:26to happen before we the city council

2:01:28make a final determination?

2:01:30>> Well I again I I can amend

2:01:34the thing before you vote on it. But I I

2:01:36it's up to you whatever you want to do.

2:01:38I'm I I can only make suggestion. Again

2:01:40you are the elected officials. You do

2:01:42whatever. If you ask me to do something

2:01:44I'm more than happy to do anything.

2:01:45>> Sure. [snorts] Any counselors?

2:01:47>> Question.

2:01:48>> Councel Rosari,

2:01:49>> I have a question for for the widow.

2:01:55>> Miss,

2:01:56>> can I respond to him first or no? Okay,

2:01:58go ahead. I was just going the fact is

2:02:00one physician. That's clear. We won't

2:02:02say anything disparaging about it.

2:02:03>> Listen, when you cop president and I

2:02:07wasn't going to talk about money, but

2:02:09when they talk about this

2:02:12big lonesome, right? Million something.

2:02:14>> Yeah. Right. you get it now and if it's

2:02:16approved what will be the difference

2:02:18that's that's the most important do you

2:02:20know

2:02:20>> I think that that will be a question to

2:02:22the board

2:02:23>> yeah but there's a number I mean right

2:02:25now how they got to one million

2:02:28something so there has to be a number

2:02:29there

2:02:29>> yeah that's the question to the board

2:02:31>> but I want you I mean I was reading on

2:02:33it

2:02:34>> they provided that

2:02:35>> they provided

2:02:35>> they provided that so I was reading on

2:02:37it if you see it in little numbers you

2:02:39see how little the number is but if you

2:02:40put in one million something it look

2:02:42like

2:02:42>> millions of dollars right

2:02:44>> but if you the difference of what she's

2:02:46actually getting right now and if this

2:02:48go through what she's going to get what

2:02:50the difference is it's about $20,000

2:02:53$25,000 more.

2:02:54>> Uh according to the board in the

2:02:56previous report that they present uh

2:02:58you're currently getting about $40,000 a

2:03:01year.

2:03:02>> Yep.

2:03:02>> And then then it will go all the way to

2:03:05$80,000 a year.

2:03:06>> It's about Yeah, it's about $25,000.

2:03:08>> But your math is wrong.

2:03:10>> Well 25

2:03:10>> 40 plus 25 is 65 $25,000. was an extra

2:03:14$40,000.

2:03:14>> 35 $35,000 $80,000.

2:03:17>> Math is math. Math is not guessing. It's

2:03:20about $40,000.

2:03:21>> Do I have the floor? You're so smart cuz

2:03:23I'm I'm clar I'm clarifying what you

2:03:25requesting. Excuse me. Listen, they

2:03:27talk. I got

2:03:28>> Excuse me. Nope. You You're not I'm

2:03:30clarifying the conversation is through

2:03:31me and you.

2:03:32>> Sure.

2:03:32>> And we having the conversation, right?

2:03:34>> You're not talking to her. You're

2:03:36talking to the city council president

2:03:38and then I referred to her.

2:03:39>> I'm listening to you. Go ahead, Mr.

2:03:40President. So the current number is

2:03:43about 40,000 and the and if this if this

2:03:48will go through

2:03:49>> with the changes

2:03:51>> that is been presented potentially at

2:03:54some point it will be about 80,000 with

2:03:57the current language that we are we are

2:04:00having that could be all the way to

2:04:03180,000 which they will change at some

2:04:06point to only be what is supposed to be

2:04:09which is from 40,000 to 80,000 about

2:04:1279,000

2:04:12>> okay through you council president now

2:04:15>> thank you for the clatification I I I

2:04:17mean I every time I come to this meeting

2:04:18I go a little more smart to my house and

2:04:20it's great

2:04:22>> but we're discussing that amount of

2:04:23money when they put it all together it

2:04:25looks like millions of dollars

2:04:29and you telling those guys back there

2:04:31that if something happened to them the

2:04:34family will be going through that

2:04:36through this again I was going to say

2:04:38earlier that when we first started Ed

2:04:40talking in this meeting. I said I was

2:04:42there at the funeral and what they went

2:04:44through. I went with my mind changed to

2:04:46my house and we were going to put them

2:04:48through talking about everything that

2:04:50happened and again we approve this home

2:04:52petition. They got to go to the state

2:04:53and again revive everything that they

2:04:56went through. We table the matter

2:04:59because medical records we're not

2:05:01doctors.

2:05:03We're not doctors to us. We're medical

2:05:05records. And the medical records that

2:05:06we're going to provide us is the records

2:05:08why they deny this and that's why they

2:05:10here.

2:05:12And again, it's common sense. That's

2:05:15that's what they ask us to do. It's

2:05:17common sense. If none of you had a

2:05:19conversation with Lieutenant Surn in the

2:05:21middle of the night, I did. I didn't

2:05:22know him personally, but I did talk to

2:05:25him on the phone. I got emails from him

2:05:27at the middle of the night when I

2:05:28reported anything. And when the police

2:05:30could not uh take the call, he used to

2:05:34call me back and say, "Counselor, I'm

2:05:35sureanded." But I never seen him that

2:05:38day, you know,

2:05:40service that he provided without knowing

2:05:42who was on the other side.

2:05:46>> And right now, the family is asking us,

2:05:48put yourself in in those families. Put

2:05:50yourself in in her shoes, and their kids

2:05:52shoes. It's you.

2:05:55>> And they asking just for an opportunity

2:05:56to go. We approve all kinds of money

2:05:58here for all kinds of things. Our

2:06:00constituents money goes to everything

2:06:02that we approve here. At the end of the

2:06:04day, we didn't even go and ask questions

2:06:06if they did what they needed to do with

2:06:08that money. And we know what they're

2:06:10going to do, what the family is going to

2:06:11do with that money. Our job is to do

2:06:14that, approve, and then go and make sure

2:06:16whatever we approve with that money has

2:06:17been cut. Do we really do it? And right

2:06:21now what they asking is for an

2:06:23opportunity to go to the state and find

2:06:25out not 100% of the home room petition

2:06:28go through

2:06:30and we're going to put that family

2:06:31through that again and again and again

2:06:33just for a vote of yes cuz we asked for

2:06:35medical records. Who of us are doctors

2:06:36here?

2:06:38I want medical records.

2:06:40>> Why you going to read for medical

2:06:41records? Are you a doctor?

2:06:44>> What medical records are we asking for?

2:06:47>> And and with that said that is a

2:06:49question. And with that said, counc

2:06:58>> if that is the question that the the

2:07:02according to the previous motion and uh

2:07:05and according to that uh the presenter

2:07:10uh the the question is about whether or

2:07:15not and I think that I I prefer to refer

2:07:19refer to the previous motion so I don't

2:07:21have the proper word uh whether or not

2:07:24uh this person was uh declare to die in

2:07:29the line of duty. Correct.

2:07:33>> So if that's that's what she said,

2:07:36right? That's what that's what you do

2:07:37you refer before

2:07:38>> that that is not what is being

2:07:40requested. They are requesting that you

2:07:43you grant this money by virtue of a

2:07:46home. They are not asking you.

2:07:48>> Can you speak to the mic?

2:07:49>> Yeah.

2:07:51>> Again, as it she just as they've just

2:07:53said, they are not that would be granted

2:07:56through the retirement board. It is not

2:07:58going through the retirement board. What

2:08:00they are asking for is a home rule

2:08:02petition to allow what they think they

2:08:05would have been entitled to had they

2:08:06been successful granted by the city.

2:08:11Right. So counselors, I think that at

2:08:13this point uh it I think it will be fair

2:08:16for the board of retirement board to be

2:08:19here. Uh because it was not planned uh

2:08:22to be this this item.

2:08:25>> Why not?

2:08:26>> Council President,

2:08:27>> why not? The question is why not?

2:08:29>> Council President,

2:08:32>> council president,

2:08:32>> why not?

2:08:33>> It's your power. It's your power. It has

2:08:35nothing to do with the retirement board.

2:08:39>> No. If we have a retirement board in

2:08:41place that is supposed to also defend

2:08:45the board for allegation that were made

2:08:47here today, I think it will be fair for

2:08:50them to be here and defend themselves

2:08:52>> because excuse me, police officer.

2:08:55Excuse me.

2:08:56>> We need to respect the law.

2:09:00>> I don't know who is speaking.

2:09:02>> Council president. So I think it will be

2:09:04fair for the process to go through in a

2:09:09fair way

2:09:11to allow the retirement board to be here

2:09:14because we have one side only of the

2:09:17issue.

2:09:18>> Council president.

2:09:19>> So give me one minute. Let me just

2:09:20finish. I going to allow you to speak.

2:09:22Um

2:09:24and also the board the chair of the

2:09:28board have request that if the item was

2:09:32to be on table for them to be present

2:09:37there were allegations against the board

2:09:40that need they need to provide answers.

2:09:44So,

2:09:45>> council president

2:09:46>> uh that's that's what I what I I have to

2:09:49say because it is fair to the process

2:09:51before we discussed this on the previous

2:09:55meeting. Every time that we have a

2:09:57question,

2:09:59the board and

2:10:02the uh and the representative of this

2:10:05case were allowed to speak on the same

2:10:08matter.

2:10:10Today that is not the case.

2:10:15Councelor Lauren Fonte.

2:10:16>> Thank you. I do want to clarify that I I

2:10:19did um mention earlier today that I that

2:10:23I was going to untab this this item to

2:10:26to the city clerk um in reference to

2:10:29giving the opportunity to Mrs. Sandon to

2:10:31speak on behalf of the item since she

2:10:33was not um preview to that last meeting.

2:10:36So knowing that they're supposed to be

2:10:38here for every for every discussion no

2:10:40matter not knowing how the discussion

2:10:43will go then that should have been um an

2:10:45idea to to invite them. Secondly um last

2:10:50meeting the retirement board made it

2:10:52very clear where they stand. I don't

2:10:55think there's any more to hear from

2:10:56them. Um I did unt it because there was

2:11:00one individual that we have yet heard

2:11:02from and that was Mrs. Sanden. We heard

2:11:04from the retirement board's chair. We

2:11:06heard from their attorney. We heard from

2:11:07the family's attorney. We heard from

2:11:10some counselors. You heard from myself

2:11:11as the sponsor of this bill. Um thirdly,

2:11:16we currently have an item

2:11:19um and there's a reason why I'm making

2:11:20this connection. An item in in the

2:11:22budget and finance committee pertaining

2:11:24to another home rule petition.

2:11:28>> No, but there's no there there is a

2:11:29connection. There is a connection here.

2:11:31>> Connected. um when we had and and it

2:11:34it's pertaining to to a situation with

2:11:37with with some public off um employees

2:11:40and when I had that item before the

2:11:43council the retirement board when they

2:11:45were first against it they acted how we

2:11:48saw them last week and now all of a

2:11:51sudden and I don't know why they seem to

2:11:54be in favor of the item that I had first

2:11:58three years ago And during that meeting,

2:12:02the chair claimed that the retirement

2:12:04board does not take any position.

2:12:06However, going through an experience

2:12:08with the retirement board when they do

2:12:10have a position even though they

2:12:12indirectly

2:12:14uh even though they don't they don't

2:12:15directly state it, there were body

2:12:18languages. There there was discussion um

2:12:21um in the gallery between the retirement

2:12:23board chair and the and the petitioner.

2:12:27Very different. And I did ask it to the

2:12:29point where I actually got at one point

2:12:31um frustrated because I asked like where

2:12:34was this when we first had this item

2:12:38before the before the council two or

2:12:40three years ago. So right now I I don't

2:12:42even trust the the retirement board

2:12:45because they will act a certain way when

2:12:48it's not for them and then it could be

2:12:51the same it could be the same item and

2:12:53then whatever reason they they will they

2:12:56they will magically you know change

2:12:58change position. Um, at this point,

2:13:03I believe at least we're we're in a

2:13:06situation where you either know if

2:13:08you're approving this, if you're in

2:13:10support of this or not. And if we're in

2:13:12that position, then I believe we should

2:13:13take a vote and give this family an

2:13:15answer so that they know whether to go

2:13:17to the courts or to go to the state.

2:13:20>> Order.

2:13:22Oh my goodness.

2:13:24>> [applause]

2:13:25>> remember that you guys are here and you

2:13:27represent the enforcement of the law.

2:13:33>> So that is where I stand. Uh council

2:13:35president, um I do believe I I do

2:13:38believe there's a census um by following

2:13:42the questioning at least. Well, let me

2:13:44just speak for myself. I know I'm I'm

2:13:46ready to vote

2:13:48>> and it's and it's either we approve this

2:13:50or not. And if and if it's approved,

2:13:52great. the family moves on and if it's

2:13:54denied then the family needs to figure

2:13:55it out. But let's give them an answer

2:14:05>> just just so I'm clear. Are are we

2:14:08voting on the home rule petition as was

2:14:10presented or we vote is a motion on the

2:14:14home rule petition as is amended?

2:14:17>> I can read it. You want me to read it

2:14:19for the record? I I I'd rather just have

2:14:22it if we do have it and want to make

2:14:24sure that what we're voting on I want to

2:14:25make sure

2:14:26>> I'm voting on the right.

2:14:28>> Do we do we have the current updated

2:14:30homerew petition?

2:14:33>> I don't. Um I have the original one that

2:14:36was provided to me through Mrs. Sen um

2:14:38that I believe was drafted by attorney

2:14:40Lee Panitary. Um I'm saying her last

2:14:43name wrong and I apologize. Um but I

2:14:45know that it's been modified but I don't

2:14:47have the modification. And I do have an

2:14:49email that I gave to all of you. You

2:14:51have it on your desks.

2:14:52>> So therefore,

2:14:53>> it's from um

2:14:56>> the retirement board and it does say

2:14:58that

2:14:58>> therefore

2:14:59>> with amendments.

2:15:00>> We are we are voting on a home rule

2:15:02petition that haven't yet been presented

2:15:05to the council.

2:15:07The amendment has been here and the

2:15:10clerk has it. But the home petition

2:15:13itself is not in front of the council.

2:15:17Just for the record.

2:15:18>> Yeah.

2:15:20>> So, you confirm

2:15:21>> uh give me a minute. Let me just finish

2:15:23on the on the update and then go back.

2:15:26>> Would you like me to read it to you?

2:15:27>> We we [snorts] saw it.

2:15:28>> No, not yet. Let's see what we have

2:15:31received and that way the clerk can

2:15:33actually

2:15:34>> um read it for the record. What we what

2:15:37we have received? What do you have?

2:15:40>> I just said you have the original one

2:15:42and then you have the uh what else? I

2:15:44have the original one that we got um

2:15:47just before your September 15th meeting.

2:15:49Um then I do have an email from this

2:15:51morning or earlier today. Um this is

2:15:55more like 5:00 and it just

2:15:56>> so at 5:00 received the update.

2:15:58>> So okay it up.

2:16:00>> You all have it on your

2:16:01>> and uh and you have and that that was

2:16:03sent to to you Gina or to who? She sent

2:16:06it to the whole city council. Okay. She

2:16:08also copied attorney Hooton, um, Ramona,

2:16:10and myself.

2:16:12>> And she said, um,

2:16:14I think the relevant part reads, "If the

2:16:17home rule petition were amended to

2:16:18provide a benefit similar to an

2:16:20accidental death benefit or granted

2:16:22similar to an accidental disability,

2:16:24current language, and only this benefit,

2:16:26the estimated budget impact." Um, so she

2:16:28didn't actually provide,

2:16:31maybe I'm missing an email. I don't have

2:16:32one. The amounts paid pursuant to Miss

2:16:35Sanden's current survivorship benefit

2:16:38shall be deducted. We saw council at the

2:16:40state house for this language

2:16:42specifically which when they do home

2:16:44petitions they usually modify this

2:16:45themselves at that level in the second

2:16:48step of it after it gets through budget.

2:16:50So

2:16:52>> what was the

2:16:52>> Did you send that to me today though?

2:16:54That's what

2:16:54>> I just resent it.

2:16:55>> Re you sent it now.

2:16:56>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

2:16:56>> Okay.

2:16:58because that would indicate as attorney

2:17:01Hon was concerned that it would re take

2:17:04away everything that I have been given

2:17:06as of this time. So the current

2:17:08survivorship benefits would be deducted.

2:17:12>> Do you want me to read this into the

2:17:14record?

2:17:14>> Uh I mean it's something that we haven't

2:17:16received but you can read the intention

2:17:18of that new home petition

2:17:22>> and and additional words would be and

2:17:24only this benefit. So there can be no

2:17:27other benefits. There can be no other

2:17:29appeals. This is the only benefit that's

2:17:31being received.

2:17:33>> That is that is that's does it does does

2:17:36it says here?

2:17:37>> I don't think so.

2:17:38>> No, I'm just saying that language needs

2:17:39to be included.

2:17:40>> So that another

2:17:42>> I do not have an amended home. I do not.

2:17:45>> Councelor Bl.

2:17:49>> So where I'm sitting it's important to

2:17:52have information. It's important to have

2:17:56the amend if we're what I'm going to be

2:17:57voting on tonight. I'm going to be

2:17:59voting on a measure this evening that

2:18:01has got significant consequences to

2:18:04either the family and or the taxpayers.

2:18:06And that's and I need to know what that

2:18:08is. And right now, right now, I don't

2:18:12have that. I don't have the amended

2:18:15because and the city attorney who I rely

2:18:17on to review the home rule petition to

2:18:19give the numbers making sure that I have

2:18:21that information. I don't have that. So

2:18:25that's a challenge right now that needs

2:18:27to be and it can be but it needs to be

2:18:29overcome. I need to get a piece of paper

2:18:31with that information. We would do that

2:18:33for almost any other thing. We would

2:18:35tell people bring your information here

2:18:38and don't give it to us at the last

2:18:39minute. We want to see it and now we're

2:18:41kind of getting this l literally maybe

2:18:44any moment now.

2:18:45>> So I want to see that. That's

2:18:47>> and there still that need to be updated.

2:18:49>> I

2:18:50>> So that's that's real. Okay,

2:18:52>> that's real.

2:18:53>> Council President,

2:18:54>> uh, give me one minute before you go to

2:18:56you. Let me open up once, uh, council

2:18:58plan conclude, I go to councelor Rees.

2:19:02>> Let me let me just start off with that

2:19:05because everything else falls from it.

2:19:07If we're voting on the home rule

2:19:08petition, anything else that I'm going

2:19:10to be discussing [snorts] needs to

2:19:11emanate from that document. So, I am

2:19:14going to I'm going to relinquish my time

2:19:17until I get that information and then

2:19:19get some advice from I can't see him,

2:19:21but the city attorney for his review. If

2:19:23he can give us a review this evening,

2:19:24that's one thing. If he needs more time,

2:19:26that's something else as well. But get

2:19:28that over to him. Thank you.

2:19:31>> Councelor Review,

2:19:34Council President. have if they also uh

2:19:39emailing to us the the amendment and

2:19:43also we have um Mr. student here with us

2:19:47and he through the beginning mention he

2:19:50do some

2:19:53changes to the language and we already

2:19:55have it but we can do some copit we can

2:19:59review it

2:20:01>> no he said that he doesn't have it

2:20:03>> yeah he say through the beginning he

2:20:05>> do it

2:20:07maybe I can settle this um if someone

2:20:11wants to send me it right now

2:20:15>> I will go up to my office. I will amend

2:20:18it. I will come back down with an

2:20:19amended so we will have it this evening.

2:20:21>> That just go,

2:20:23>> but I need to I need to see it to amend

2:20:25it.

2:20:26>> Um the council secretary has it right

2:20:29now. I just voted her so she could print

2:20:31it out for the council, but she could

2:20:32probably give it to you as a word

2:20:33document. Looks like it's a word

2:20:34document that you sent to me so that you

2:20:36can

2:20:36>> if I I do have a couple other matters

2:20:38here. If you if I'm not here, just

2:20:41realize I'm upstairs.

2:20:42>> Yeah. pretty.

2:20:42>> I'm more than happy to do that if that's

2:20:44>> forward to you. Yeah. Thank you so much

2:20:46because we had time today.

2:20:48>> We here.

2:20:49>> I I No problem. I will check with her.

2:20:52I'm going to leave this meeting and I

2:20:54will see you.

2:20:54>> All right. I understand a motion to

2:20:56table.

2:20:56>> No, I council president

2:20:59we may

2:21:00>> we're going to we're going to wait for

2:21:01the state attorney to go to his office

2:21:03and then come back.

2:21:05>> Well, we can we have other business that

2:21:06we can take care of.

2:21:07>> Can I just can I just ask one clarifying

2:21:10point? So, the modification is one

2:21:13sentence with two additional words and

2:21:16it was presented the last time there was

2:21:18plenty of time. It's the exact same

2:21:21content with this one sentence that says

2:21:25essentially I'm not asking for three

2:21:27different benefits.

2:21:29>> Yeah, but you need to understand the

2:21:30following and I haven't been uh I

2:21:32haven't been vocal about the situation.

2:21:34We need to make a determination based on

2:21:35documentation that we've received. We

2:21:38haven't see the home rule petition with

2:21:40the updates and modifications. The city

2:21:43attorney is give me one minute. The city

2:21:45chie is kind enough to go to his office,

2:21:48get first receive the information and

2:21:51then go to his office, update it

2:21:53accordingly and then present it to us.

2:21:55That will take time.

2:21:57We have all the matters that we need to

2:21:59take care of. And then what I'm asking

2:22:01the council is to a motion to table so

2:22:04we can come back later on on the same

2:22:06matter and be able to have that

2:22:07information.

2:22:08>> Yeah.

2:22:09>> We cannot just think about one side.

2:22:12>> You

2:22:12>> we have all the things that we need to

2:22:14take care of.

2:22:15>> You mentioned that after council Reyes

2:22:17that I would be able to ask my final

2:22:19question.

2:22:21>> I was just saying that it was just one

2:22:23amendment like one sentence. That's all.

2:22:25None of the rest of the content changed

2:22:27>> except the content they asked.

2:22:30He asked me to include

2:22:34councelor.

2:22:35>> Thank you. Quickly, uh, Mrs. Sanden, I

2:22:37have a question for you.

2:22:39>> You had mentioned earlier, Say that

2:22:41again.

2:22:42>> You had mentioned a few moments ago that

2:22:45you were rescending the amended

2:22:49>> home petition language to the city

2:22:50clerk.

2:22:51>> I never got this before. That's not

2:22:53rescending is the wrong word.

2:22:54>> Okay. Well, that's what I want to

2:22:56clarify. What?

2:22:57>> I don't I don't know the question. When

2:22:59when was this sent to the council?

2:23:02>> Um

2:23:04>> the original un amended version was sent

2:23:07back in September before the 15th. So

2:23:09maybe the 13th or the 12th. So these

2:23:12this was sent now around 9 uh

2:23:15>> I just sent it to Yeah.

2:23:20>> Yeah. 9:25 p.m.

2:23:21>> Just to be clear,

2:23:22>> I need you need to be

2:23:23>> That's the first time I got that new

2:23:24sentence. I did not get the two

2:23:26sentence.

2:23:26>> That's what I want clarification. All

2:23:27right. Thank you. That's with the

2:23:28amendment that

2:23:35>> counselors.

2:23:36>> Okay. We're waiting for the

2:23:38>> motion to table and then resume this

2:23:40discussion and after we get

2:23:41>> there is a motion to table

2:23:44>> anything. Yeah,

2:23:45>> there's a motion to table and then once

2:23:46we have the on table matter and then we

2:23:49discuss that we can come back to it.

2:23:50>> Can I get a second?

2:23:51>> Second

2:23:52>> properly second. All those in favor

2:23:54please say I. I

2:23:55>> any ns?

2:23:57>> You guys have it. So, let's go back to

2:23:59um uh budget and finance committee.

2:24:02Madame chair from the budget and finance

2:24:04committee.

2:24:10>> You're not ready.

2:24:11>> Yeah, I'm ready.

2:24:13Item 388-26,

2:24:16authorization to enter into 30year

2:24:19nonavviation

2:24:20land lease with DWSI was sent up to the

2:24:25full council as a favorable

2:24:26recommendation and I make that as a

2:24:28formal motion.

2:24:29>> Second.

2:24:30>> There's a motion in front of us properly

2:24:31second.

2:24:33>> Um item 388 26. Councelor, do you have a

2:24:36chance to review this matter?

2:24:40Yes,

2:24:40>> that's the one.

2:24:41>> That is the one. Yes, counselor.

2:24:44>> Okay. Um councilors, any questions? This

2:24:48is a 30-year uh non-aviation land lease

2:24:52for about 65,000 square feet, right?

2:24:56>> 60,112

2:24:57ft council.

2:24:58>> Yeah. 60,000 about over an acre.

2:25:00>> Correct. Uh that is uh that is basically

2:25:04um around the driveway of the of the new

2:25:08uh recycling facility.

2:25:09>> Correct.

2:25:09>> That is around the aper and a little bit

2:25:12of the parking lot as well.

2:25:14>> Correct.

2:25:14>> Am I correct?

2:25:15>> Correct. All on paved surfaces.

2:25:17>> Uh any questions on this matter?

2:25:21>> Uh the uh monthly payment for the rent

2:25:25will be about you say 60,000 something

2:25:28like that.

2:25:28>> 84,000.

2:25:29>> 84,000 a year. a year. Correct.

2:25:31>> For the year. So, $84,000

2:25:34a year.

2:25:35>> Correct.

2:25:36>> Uh for this piece of land only, not the

2:25:39facility or anything like that. Uh

2:25:41councilors, any questions

2:25:44for

2:25:44>> you,

2:25:45>> councelor Miguel?

2:25:47>> Yes. Uh director, what are we having on

2:25:49that piece of land? What's uh what's the

2:25:52purpose of it?

2:25:52>> Uh currently is a non-avviation parcel.

2:25:55Some of the counselors uh had had the

2:25:57opportunity to tour most recently in

2:25:59preparations for this. Uh but it is an

2:26:01un unpaved surface. It serves currently

2:26:04as an abuing uh uh staging area for the

2:26:09recycling company who would like to

2:26:10lease it for long term to be able to

2:26:12drive their trucks through it and park

2:26:15their trucks there overnight.

2:26:17>> All right. So we are leasing it. So the

2:26:21question is to be able for that company

2:26:24to lease it from the airport.

2:26:25>> Okay.

2:26:26>> Uh and the question at hand is can the

2:26:28airport commission who supports this

2:26:30matter entertain a 30-year lease with

2:26:33said company which went through an RFP

2:26:35as council president mentioned councelor

2:26:37uh there was an appraisal done uh and is

2:26:39full value what the company is offering.

2:26:41>> Good. Thank you

2:26:45councelor Levy.

2:26:51Hi.

2:26:51>> Hello, counselor.

2:26:52>> Okay. Um, thank you for giving the tour

2:26:56around the the airport. So would you be

2:26:59able to explain also that this is like a

2:27:0284,000 but also the problem that they

2:27:05have that they need to install some pie

2:27:08and they going to or they are thinking

2:27:11to pay for the full amount or the

2:27:14installation of the pie and uh for maybe

2:27:1815 year they will not be able like to to

2:27:20pay for correct for that.

2:27:22>> Correct. as part of the terms of the

2:27:23lease. Uh as vice counselor uh uh

2:27:27president mentioned uh this here is a

2:27:29parcel and for those at at behind me I

2:27:31apologize maybe you could look at the

2:27:33screen. Uh this is the parcel in

2:27:35question. This is what we're renting to

2:27:36this company that owns this facility

2:27:38here. This is wetlands here. Uh but

2:27:41currently there is a mandate from the

2:27:44North Andover Conservation Commission

2:27:46that this land be stabilized. This land

2:27:48is not being rented to this company, but

2:27:50because of the pitch of the property,

2:27:52the water is flowing towards the

2:27:54wetlands, we have a mandate to fix this

2:27:57property. $1.2 million as of as of value

2:28:00as of last year is the the cost to

2:28:03repair this this property. Again, we've

2:28:05had three years to to have entertained

2:28:07this. Um, and we're not in a position,

2:28:10we could not find any uh uh attainable

2:28:12grants. Uh, nor did we find any

2:28:15opportunities to be able to do that. One

2:28:18option is to go out to the market and

2:28:20borrow the the monies that we need to

2:28:23fix this. Then we would then put any

2:28:25other future project on hold until this

2:28:27piece of property gets uh uh fixed. If

2:28:30we go there, the only benefit to this

2:28:32company is not the public because

2:28:33there's no road to the access, not the

2:28:35planes because there's no availability

2:28:36to cross these trees to get here. The

2:28:38only benefit is this uh property owner.

2:28:42They also want to do some land

2:28:44improvements, but they know they can't

2:28:45do their land improvements as long as

2:28:47the pitch of the property is in that

2:28:49direction. So, what they're offering as

2:28:52part of their lease is to prepay a

2:28:54million uh $200,000

2:28:57to stabilize, pick up the the remnants

2:29:01of the of the uh land uh debris in this

2:29:05case is is uh recycled glass that washed

2:29:08into the buffer area of the wetlands by

2:29:12hand because that's the mandate of the

2:29:13North Andover Conservation Commission.

2:29:16install some engineered drainage

2:29:20so that the pitch of the water is not

2:29:22going towards the wetlands but towards

2:29:25the uh north Andover uh water uh pipes

2:29:29if you will drainage and uh seed and

2:29:32loom so that the land remains stable and

2:29:36on all that is completed

2:29:39monitoring wells would also be added but

2:29:42also a fence and the land is never to be

2:29:44used again. So that is uh a task that

2:29:49this company is willing to do because

2:29:52they know that they benefit from the

2:29:54work that is not currently in the scope

2:29:56of the airport to do anytime soon. So

2:29:59they're looking to kind of stabilize

2:30:01that and in their aspect every 5 years

2:30:06we look at what the value of the land is

2:30:09and subtract that from the

2:30:11million200,000 that they prepaid for the

2:30:13work. They're not doing the work on

2:30:14their own. North Andover Conservation

2:30:16Commission has oversight. Uh the airport

2:30:18engineers uh who are FA certified would

2:30:22also have oversight as well as their

2:30:23engineers. That engineering plan was

2:30:25provided in the packet uh before you.

2:30:29And I I don't know what other

2:30:31information I I may be able to provide

2:30:32through you uh council president.

2:30:35>> Uh council, any questions in regard to

2:30:37this matter? So essentially when we will

2:30:40pay for the project and uh uh with the

2:30:44uh rent of the specific land

2:30:48and uh they will manage uh the project

2:30:52and the the conservation commission from

2:30:55North and will supervise it. Correct.

2:30:58>> I have council.

2:31:00>> Yes, I have another question. So we go

2:31:03into the agreement. Okay. and we let

2:31:06them to fix the problem right now with

2:31:09the pie. So, how soon they are thinking

2:31:13to start and how long does it take it uh

2:31:17to do the project?

2:31:18>> They would like to start this year

2:31:20obviously weather dependent but they

2:31:21will they are ready to start this year.

2:31:23They they went and and met with several

2:31:25companies that would meet the

2:31:26requirements by the conservation

2:31:28commission's order. They would then

2:31:30proceed. It would take uh from what I

2:31:33understand uh several months and then

2:31:35several months after for the land to be

2:31:37stabilized. Obviously the pipes also

2:31:40need to be engineered. The drainage that

2:31:42needs to be installed. The manhole

2:31:43covers and catch basins need to be

2:31:45engineered for a specific site. Uh and

2:31:48also we need a a growing season or two

2:31:51for the land to to stabilize that grass

2:31:53to start growing uh so that the land it

2:31:57does not erode. There'll be some uh

2:31:59irrigation and stabilization

2:32:02uh components that will be added core

2:32:04logs and other u matters but again

2:32:07that's all part of a construction phase

2:32:10um and the stabilization phase and all

2:32:12again weather dependent so we could get

2:32:14the project uh underway.

2:32:16>> Thank you.

2:32:17>> Thank you.

2:32:18>> Any other questions counselors?

2:32:21Uh I hear none.

2:32:24Madame Clair, please call the role.

2:32:26Council

2:32:28Gonzalez,

2:32:29>> yes.

2:32:31>> Council Miguel,

2:32:32>> yes.

2:32:33>> Council Marmal,

2:32:34>> yes.

2:32:35>> Councilman Fonte,

2:32:36>> yes.

2:32:37>> Council Reyes,

2:32:38>> yes.

2:32:38>> Council Del Rosario,

2:32:40>> yes.

2:32:41>> Uh, Council Vice President,

2:32:43>> yes. Council President.

2:32:47>> I vote present. Motion carries. Thank

2:32:50you.

2:32:51>> Thank you, counselors.

2:32:52>> All right.

2:32:54>> All right. Item 390-26, authorization to

2:32:57expend $139,85

2:33:00from the Massachusetts Department of

2:33:02Public Health grants for active

2:33:05transportation, safe routes to school

2:33:08and parks and open spaces was sent up as

2:33:11a favorable recommendation and I make

2:33:12that as a formal motion.

2:33:14>> There's a motion in front of us to

2:33:15approve this item properly. Second

2:33:17discussion.

2:33:19>> I hear none. All those fail, please say

2:33:20I.

2:33:21>> I. The eyes have it. Item 391-26.

2:33:26>> Item 391-26,

2:33:28authorization to expend $6,000 of the

2:33:32healthc care for all grant for community

2:33:34diabetes education was sent up as a

2:33:37favorable recommendation and I make that

2:33:38as a formal motion.

2:33:40>> Motion in front of us properly second.

2:33:41Discussion

2:33:43I hear none. All those in favor please

2:33:44say I.

2:33:45>> I.

2:33:45>> Any n have it?

2:33:49>> 392.

2:33:50392-26

2:33:52authorization to expend $641,224

2:33:59of the Centers for Disease Control CDC

2:34:03grant awarded to the uh Mayor's Health

2:34:06Task Force/Lence Reach was sent up as a

2:34:09favorable recommendation and I make that

2:34:11as a formal motion.

2:34:12>> The motion in front of us,

2:34:13>> I'm sorry. It was sent up as a committee

2:34:16report. There's a a a motion to accept

2:34:18the committee. Is there a motion to

2:34:20accept the committee report?

2:34:21>> Yep.

2:34:22>> There's a motion to accept the committee

2:34:23report. Properly second.

2:34:25>> Discussion on the committee report.

2:34:27>> Uh discussion

2:34:27>> on the committee report. Um

2:34:30>> Madame Chair,

2:34:31>> thank you. Uh this was sent up as a

2:34:33committee report because we were

2:34:34discussing a situation pertaining to

2:34:37council Marmal's district. We did say

2:34:40that we were looking to see if there was

2:34:42going to be re-engagement between the

2:34:44office of planning and development and

2:34:46the administration and that was pending

2:34:48um that was you know pending the

2:34:50decision.

2:34:52>> Do you have any update? I have an

2:34:53update.

2:34:55>> Uh yes it was a re-engagement between

2:34:57the OPD and that u and uh and the

2:35:00potential project that we were

2:35:01discussing

2:35:03uh and uh it was resolved.

2:35:06>> Okay. So in that case I will make a

2:35:08motion to approve. So let me take a vote

2:35:10first on the motion to approve that

2:35:12committee report.

2:35:13>> Uh on the committee report, all those in

2:35:15favor, please say I. I.

2:35:16>> The eyes have it. Any other motions?

2:35:18>> Motion to approve.

2:35:19>> There's a motion to approve. Properly

2:35:21second discussion. I hear none. All

2:35:23those in favor, please say I.

2:35:24>> I.

2:35:25>> The eyes have it. Item 39326.

2:35:28Item 393-26

2:35:31author bond authorization in the amount

2:35:33of 7 million 861,647

2:35:39for the roof replacement project at the

2:35:41frost school was sent up as a favor

2:35:43recommendation but council president

2:35:45there is a specific motion to be made

2:35:47for this item.

2:35:47>> Yeah, we we will get the language.

2:35:49>> Um I have is this the same language?

2:35:51Well, yeah. At this time though, you're

2:35:53just ordering the public hearing. After

2:35:55the public hearing, you're going to make

2:35:57a order.

2:35:58>> Yeah, there's a motion. Is the motion to

2:36:00order a public hearing?

2:36:01>> Motion to order a a public hearing.

2:36:03>> There's a motion to order a public

2:36:04hearing. Properly second discussion.

2:36:06>> I hear none. All those in favor, please

2:36:08say I.

2:36:08>> I. The Sorry, you did have OP here. And

2:36:12I completely just remember that.

2:36:14[laughter]

2:36:15>> And the last item is item 394-26.

2:36:18Bond authorization in the amount of

2:36:21$9,99,330

2:36:24for the roof replacement project at the

2:36:26South Lawrence East School was sent up

2:36:28to order a public hearing and I make

2:36:30that as a formal motion.

2:36:32>> There's a motion in front of us.

2:36:33Properly second.

2:36:34>> Second.

2:36:35>> Uh discussion. I hear none. All those in

2:36:37favor, please say I.

2:36:39>> The eyes have it. Let's go up to uh to

2:36:42the top of the agenda and open up item

2:36:45uh uh public hearing for item 36226

2:36:50which is the proposed zoning ordinance

2:36:51amend amend to create a new zoning

2:36:54overlay uh district to be known as a

2:36:57highway access 2 overlay district two H2

2:37:03H A2

2:37:05uh six sharing LLC

2:37:09Uh Malang, please read the notice for

2:37:11this for this public hearing.

2:37:14>> Sure. Um

2:37:17>> uh 6.

2:37:20>> Yeah. After

2:37:21>> Yeah.

2:37:22>> Um

2:37:23they will publish together. It's um and

2:37:25notice is here by given that the

2:37:26Lawrence City Council will hold the

2:37:28public hearing on Tuesday, October 6th,

2:37:292026, 7 p.m. in the council chambers,

2:37:31200 Common Street, Lawrence Mass,

2:37:33pursuing to chapter 2 of the acts of

2:37:342023. And in accordance with the

2:37:36recently revised city council rule two,

2:37:38this meeting will be hybrid, allowing

2:37:39precipitation both in person and

2:37:41remotely to accommodate participants

2:37:43with health considerations that prevent

2:37:44them from participating in person. To

2:37:46receive access codes for remote

2:37:48participation, please contact the city

2:37:49clerk at eileen.nal at city.com

2:37:521978-6203230

2:37:55or view the meeting on Facebook and

2:37:56YouTube. The purpose of the hearing is

2:37:58to gather testimony, information, and

2:37:59public input regarding the following two

2:38:01proposals to amend the zoning ordinances

2:38:03and zoning map as follows. Document

2:38:05number 274-26

2:38:07to amend the zoning map for parcel of

2:38:10land on Winthre Avenue known as

2:38:11assessor's map 79 lot 95-1 and further

2:38:15identified as 46 Winthrup Avenue from

2:38:18business 1 B1 to highway access district

2:38:21or HA

2:38:23and document number 362-26 to amend the

2:38:26LR the Lawrence revised zoning

2:38:28ordinances by inserting a new section

2:38:3029-9D

2:38:32establishing a highway access 2 overlay

2:38:35district prren HA-2 and amending the

2:38:38zoning map to apply the HA2 overlay

2:38:41district over approximately 6.65 acres

2:38:44of land located at 6 Chering Street

2:38:46assessor's map 39 lot 4. The complete

2:38:49text and maps relative to the proposed

2:38:51amendments are available for inspection

2:38:53during regular business hours at the

2:38:54office of the city clerk Lawrence City

2:38:56Hall room 107200 Common Street. Lawrence

2:38:59mass and may be viewed upon request

2:39:01during normal city hall business hours.

2:39:02Persons wishing to be heard shall be

2:39:04afforded the opportunity.

2:39:05>> Public hearing is now open for these two

2:39:07items. Um item uh 274 26 and uh 36226.

2:39:16Um anybody from the public that wishes

2:39:18to speak on any of these two items?

2:39:21[snorts]

2:39:24>> I hear none,

2:39:26>> but we are not closing the public

2:39:29hearing on this matter. Well,

2:39:31>> oh, okay. We have somebody.

2:39:34>> Yes. Louis Yep. has

2:39:36>> 10 Buttonwood Drive, Andover,

2:39:38Massachusetts. Uh, we had submitted

2:39:40paperwork earlier today to um continue

2:39:43this to the November meeting and uh just

2:39:46want to make sure that that was

2:39:47received.

2:39:50>> ML, do you receive those items early?

2:39:53>> Um, you all have a copy on the table.

2:39:55It's got the little yellow highlight on

2:39:56it. Um that references document number

2:40:0062-

2:40:02362, excuse me, dash looks like this,

2:40:04but it's got a little yellow on it. Um

2:40:07basically, the petition was asking us to

2:40:10um

2:40:12open the public hearing and immediately

2:40:13table or continue it pending a hearing

2:40:16without testimony um and extended

2:40:19through the November f the first meeting

2:40:20in November, which would be on

2:40:22Wednesday, November 4th due to the

2:40:23election. Um the reason for the request

2:40:27the petition is our examining the

2:40:28possibility of additional adjustments to

2:40:30a proposed zoning amendment in need to

2:40:32additional time to evaluate the same.

2:40:36>> Uh

2:40:39we received those document. Thank you. U

2:40:41counselors any questions?

2:40:42>> I I I what I would like to do and I'm

2:40:44not sure because it's the public hearing

2:40:46is still open.

2:40:46>> Yeah, let's let's have the discussion um

2:40:49if there's any questions. So during the

2:40:51public hearing so we maintain the public

2:40:52hearing open. So what what I would ask

2:40:55is for the purposes of me to make a

2:40:57motion, I will tell you what my motion

2:40:58is. My motion is going to be to ask the

2:41:01city attorney to review the documents,

2:41:03which he has not, to make sure that this

2:41:04is not what they call preferential

2:41:06zoning or spot zoning just to make sure

2:41:08and then have that in time for the next

2:41:10meeting when we do open it. So I would

2:41:12ask that we end end the public hearing,

2:41:16allow for the motion, open the public

2:41:19hearing again, and then allow it to

2:41:21public hearing to be extended in the in

2:41:22November, whatever the November date is.

2:41:24>> Would that would that be in order?

2:41:27>> I think that if you we're closing it up,

2:41:29we're going to have to publish it again.

2:41:30>> Yeah, correct.

2:41:31>> We don't want to close it

2:41:32>> and we don't we don't want to we don't

2:41:34want to do that, but uh we we'll take

2:41:36that suggestion.

2:41:38have the city of Cheney to review the

2:41:41matter and not necessarily close, not

2:41:44necessarily have it as a motion. Got it.

2:41:46>> But as a suggestion,

2:41:47>> right?

2:41:47>> And then the city of Cheney will we'll

2:41:49take uh into that and work on that

2:41:52specific. Any other um question uh to

2:41:57the project?

2:41:59All right. Uh counselors, we are now

2:42:00closing the public hearing and at this

2:42:02point uh if it is any other comments or

2:42:04any anything in the anything else that

2:42:06you want to add,

2:42:07>> I will uh entertain a motion to

2:42:10>> talking about document 362 or

2:42:13>> item 362 only

2:42:15>> 3626.

2:42:17>> So hold on.

2:42:21>> So we we're not closing then we won't be

2:42:23able to take a vote on the other one. So

2:42:27even though I sometimes we do that with

2:42:29uh even the handicap stuff like we'll

2:42:31read the whole notice into the least

2:42:33infected.

2:42:35>> We close the the public hearing and then

2:42:38take a vote ind.

2:42:38>> So I think you need two public hearings.

2:42:40Let's say the first public hearing that

2:42:41we're having right now is only on

2:42:42document 362.

2:42:44>> Uh

2:42:45>> just because we've read the other one

2:42:47doesn't mean you can't have its own

2:42:48public hearing. Do you want it just to

2:42:49be on two separate

2:42:50>> is this item part of this item?

2:42:52>> They're two separate documents. So, do

2:42:54we need this item to be approved now?

2:42:56>> Yeah, he's sitting right there.

2:42:58>> Uh 3 274.

2:43:00>> Yeah.

2:43:02>> So, I just think let's re label.

2:43:08Just Just because we read the public

2:43:10notice doesn't mean that the public

2:43:12hearing can't be two separate public

2:43:14hearings.

2:43:15>> We're going to have to post it again.

2:43:16>> No, no, no, no. Absolutely not. What

2:43:19>> I'm saying is we read we read a legal

2:43:21notice and I read a legal notice into

2:43:22the record.

2:43:24>> It could be part of either public

2:43:25hearing or both. Like we can say I'm

2:43:27going to read the legal notice into the

2:43:28record and it's covering two separate

2:43:31public hearings.

2:43:32>> So okay and then we're going to have to

2:43:34read it again.

2:43:35>> I'm

2:43:37for each item.

2:43:39>> Sure. I mean

2:43:41uh all right we order I mean uh we

2:43:46ordered the public hearing for item

2:43:4827426

2:43:50and 36226.

2:43:52When it comes to that item related to

2:43:5536226 which is the approval zoning

2:43:57ordinance amendment to create the new

2:44:00zoning overlay district. We are going to

2:44:02take the suggestion from councelor La

2:44:03Plan, send it to the city attorney on

2:44:06writing so he can review those specifics

2:44:08and maintain this public hearing uh

2:44:10open. Uh and for that we're going to

2:44:13need a motion table.

2:44:16>> Yeah.

2:44:18on 362 you want to have a motion that is

2:44:20the states that the public hearing is

2:44:22still open but we're going to table the

2:44:24document and and keep the public hearing

2:44:26open through November through your I

2:44:29would just say your first meeting in

2:44:30November because we don't know these

2:44:31>> so can we get can we get that motion

2:44:34>> there is a motion to uh maintain the

2:44:36public hearing open and table uh for

2:44:39item uh 360226

2:44:41>> second

2:44:41>> it's properly second uh all those in

2:44:44favor please say I

2:44:45>> the eyes have it and Now

2:44:47>> thank you Mr. President.

2:44:48>> There's a motion to pass them.

2:44:50>> Second

2:44:51>> properly second discussion. All those in

2:44:53favor please say I.

2:44:54>> I.

2:44:55>> The eyes have it. Now we have item 27426

2:44:58which is the public hearing for I for to

2:45:01that was requested for uh zoning change

2:45:0446 windows window. Uh

2:45:08madame clerk.

2:45:11>> Somebody want to wave the rereading of

2:45:13the

2:45:13>> Yeah, let's let's wave [laughter] that.

2:45:14>> We should to wave the preamble. Yeah,

2:45:16we've been waiting the whole thing.

2:45:17>> There's there's a motion

2:45:19>> properly second. Uh discussion. All

2:45:21those in favor, please say I.

2:45:22>> I.

2:45:22>> The eyes have it.

2:45:24>> All right. When I click

2:45:27>> um with regard to document 274-26,

2:45:30the purpose of the hearing is to gather

2:45:32testimony, information, and public input

2:45:33regarding the following proposal to the

2:45:35amending the zoning ordinance of the and

2:45:38zoning map as follows. to amend the

2:45:40zoning map for a parcel of land on

2:45:42Winthre Avenue known as assesses map 79

2:45:44lot 95-1 and further identified as 46

2:45:47Winthre Avenue from B1 district or

2:45:50business one district to a highway

2:45:52access district or HA district. The

2:45:54complete text and maps relative to the

2:45:56proposed amendment is available for

2:45:57inspection during regular business hours

2:45:59at the office of the city clerk Lawrence

2:46:00Mass um room 107 200 Common Street and

2:46:04may be viewed upon request during normal

2:46:05city hall business hours. Persons

2:46:07wishing to be heard shall be afforded

2:46:08the opportunity.

2:46:09>> Um there's a motion in front of there is

2:46:11a public hearing open. Um the public

2:46:14hearing is now open. Anybody from the

2:46:15public that wishes to speak?

2:46:18Public hearing is now closed. Uh what's

2:46:20the motion?

2:46:21>> Does he want to speak or want to speak?

2:46:23>> Who want to speak? I'm sorry. Uh sorry.

2:46:25Go ahead, sir.

2:46:27>> Uh good evening. My name is Elias Kge.

2:46:30I'm 36 Bell Avenue in Mass. Uh I'm the

2:46:34owner of 46 Winthrop Avenue and I'm here

2:46:38to see if I can do a zoning change from

2:46:40uh B1 uh to highway access like uh

2:46:44Eileen mentioned. I I've been in

2:46:47Lawrence for almost 35 years. I started

2:46:49working in Lawrence and I become a land

2:46:51owner and I owned 46 4850 Winthrop

2:46:55Avenue and other properties.

2:46:57And uh I started with the used car

2:47:00business and I would like to come back

2:47:03into the used car business at my

2:47:05property by uh having it as a used car

2:47:09dealership.

2:47:11Uh the area that's it's uh at it has

2:47:16right next to it Michael Motors which

2:47:19two doors from me and across from me on

2:47:22South Union there is also another used

2:47:24car dealership on the side of the

2:47:26properties. It's all houses which is not

2:47:28going to affect any of the housing that

2:47:30uh run on the side of Winrop Avenue. And

2:47:33the rest of the avenues on uh 114 uh

2:47:37they're all either uh restaurants or

2:47:39automotive uh businesses. So it will

2:47:42will blend right into with the

2:47:43community. And uh we're going to do a

2:47:47major renovation on a building,

2:47:50beautifying the front of it. And I'm

2:47:52going to be running it like uh I ran my

2:47:54own business. Council, any questions? Is

2:47:58>> public hearing still open? Uh

2:48:00>> uh yes, public hearing is still open.

2:48:02Anybody from the public that wishes to

2:48:04speak?

2:48:04>> I'll wait.

2:48:06>> All right. Thank you, sir. Public

2:48:07hearing is now closed.

2:48:09>> Uh motion uh council, what's the motion?

2:48:11I'd like to make a motion that uh that

2:48:13we table this item and send

2:48:15correspondence to attorney hooin to uh

2:48:18to to provide this council uh an opinion

2:48:21on whether or not uh this particular

2:48:23single parcel for specific purp specific

2:48:26p purpose uh tread passes um is a what

2:48:30they known as preferential zoning or as

2:48:33others call it spot zoning. So I make

2:48:35that motion to get some a city

2:48:36attorney's review before taking a final

2:48:38vote on this. That's my motion. Uh

2:48:40counselors I mean there's a motion in

2:48:43front of us and here

2:48:45>> second

2:48:46>> properly second um all those in f

2:48:48please.

2:48:49>> Any nays

2:48:51guys have it. Thank you sir.

2:48:52>> Thank you.

2:48:54>> Um

2:48:56clear. Well we we have the document that

2:49:00we were waiting for. If I get a motion

2:49:01to unt

2:49:05document 297. Motion to unt document

2:49:08297-26.

2:49:10Second.

2:49:11>> There's a motion to unte it. Properly

2:49:14second. Uh all those in favor say I.

2:49:16>> Any nays? The eyes have it.

2:49:20U counselor. We have received it uh the

2:49:24document as of uh 9:30 p.m. today. The

2:49:28city attorney have update the document

2:49:31and we received it about uh 10 minutes

2:49:34ago. Um

2:49:37[clears throat] and uh now madame clerk

2:49:40ple please please re uh read this

2:49:42specific home rule petition for the

2:49:44record.

2:49:48Reads an act providing for certain

2:49:50retirement benefits for the surviving

2:49:52beneficiary of Charles M. Sanden be it

2:49:55enacted by the Senate and House of

2:49:57Representatives in general court

2:49:58assembled by the authority of the same

2:50:00as follows. Section 1A. Notwithstanding

2:50:03section 9 of chapter 32 of the general

2:50:05laws or any other general or special law

2:50:07to the contrary, the retirement board

2:50:09shall provide Kelly Sen, the surviving

2:50:11beneficiary of Lawrence police sergeant

2:50:13Charles M. Sainan, a lifetime allowance

2:50:15equal to the annual rate of regular

2:50:17compensation that would have been paid

2:50:18to Sergeant Sen as of February 26, 2024.

2:50:22Any amounts paid pursuant to Miss Sen's

2:50:24current survivorship benefits from the

2:50:26period of February 24 to passage of the

2:50:28petition shall be deducted from any

2:50:30amounts received under this petition. If

2:50:33not so deducted, it shall be refunded by

2:50:34Miss Sen to the city of Lawrence. This

2:50:37shall be the only retirement benefit to

2:50:38which he is entitled, all other appeals

2:50:40shall be dismissed. The allowance shall

2:50:42be payable as of the date of Charles

2:50:44Sen's death, February 26, 2024. Section

2:50:47two, this act shall take effect upon its

2:50:49passage. Approved and then it's blank.

2:50:51to the approval date.

2:50:52>> Uh councilors, any questions? Mr.

2:50:56Cheney,

2:50:56>> I just I just want to say as I said to

2:50:58Mrs. Sanden, um because at the specific

2:51:02language, I know that Mr. Sanden was

2:51:04pushed

2:51:06promoted to lieutenant, but his benefits

2:51:08would be based on sergeant. So, no

2:51:10disrespect to the officer. That's the

2:51:12only reason it says sergeant.

2:51:18>> Sure. So there's one scribbler error on

2:51:21this just but this is of the petition

2:51:23twice a minor. We'll just correct that.

2:51:25I understand why it is. It's done under

2:51:28some duress to get this thing down to us

2:51:30quickly. So thanks. No no worries. Thank

2:51:31you city attorney for getting this down

2:51:32to us so quickly.

2:51:34>> Um okay that's number one. So now now

2:51:36now that we have this do we know what

2:51:40the cost will be to our our retirement

2:51:45not the board but our our retirement

2:51:47system? Yeah.

2:51:50>> You have a email?

2:51:52>> Yeah. Am I Is that the $824,000

2:51:56figure?

2:51:59>> Uh we have a documentation of report

2:52:01from the from the uh from the board that

2:52:05our retirement system will be uh uh will

2:52:09be the cost of this home petition would

2:52:12add approximately 800 something,000. I

2:52:14don't have

2:52:15>> 824,000. I don't have the number in

2:52:17front of me, but that's about that

2:52:20824,295

2:52:23uh42.

2:52:25That's what that uh what the impact to

2:52:29the retirement system will be. That's up

2:52:32to uh 2036, which we have as a city, we

2:52:37need we we have to satisfy those debts

2:52:40uh before

2:52:42that specific years, right? And so just

2:52:45so we're all talking about facts, I want

2:52:48to And it's the cappo is not here. Is

2:52:50she Is she here this evening? I've not

2:52:52seen her.

2:52:53>> She's not here.

2:52:53>> She is not here. Okay.

2:52:55>> She may be online.

2:52:56>> Who?

2:52:57>> Uh Ramona.

2:52:59>> I don't think she is.

2:53:02She is not. She's not She's not online.

2:53:05>> We all receive it. If she was here, I

2:53:07would ask her to confirm. What my

2:53:09understanding is that our retirement

2:53:11system right now as of this year

2:53:16is $196 million

2:53:18in debt. I want to make sure that's

2:53:20accurate. Um that's the number that I

2:53:23have and that each year we have I think

2:53:26we were all given maybe a a schedule of

2:53:29how much we're going to reduce which is

2:53:30why the council president mentioned in

2:53:322036 we will have be at the point in 10

2:53:35years theoretically this can probably be

2:53:38that's a big number it'll be kicked down

2:53:40the can will be kicked down the road a

2:53:42little bit. we are putting as a city

2:53:44more money into it to try to reduce our

2:53:47obligation. Right? So, it's just

2:53:50important to know that that in this

2:53:53situation that we're looking at right

2:53:55now, we have shy of 200 million. We're

2:53:59we're aggressive and trying to reduce

2:54:01it. We are now adding by the time is in

2:54:05total with the passage of this our

2:54:09recommendation final approval by the

2:54:11state legislature signed by the governor

2:54:12home petition we're looking at

2:54:15approximately and this is numbers can

2:54:18can fluctuate based on inflation and

2:54:20other factors $824,000

2:54:23that's real that's taxpayer money that's

2:54:25coming out of our general fund that's

2:54:28money that we could be putting into DPW

2:54:30we could be putting the police

2:54:31department. We could be putting

2:54:32someplace else, but we are dedicating

2:54:35this money if we decide to for this

2:54:38purpose. So, that's real and I think we

2:54:41need to really consider that before we

2:54:43take the vote based on [snorts] we heard

2:54:46a lot about information this evening.

2:54:47But that should be a factor in whether

2:54:50or not we decide to vote yes or to vote

2:54:54no. That's one. Another another point of

2:54:57another information that you probably

2:54:59missing is that um uh another source of

2:55:02fund that need to be uh produced

2:55:06automatically. this this home petition

2:55:09goes through is that 125 $121,000

2:55:14extra uh that need to be uh a check need

2:55:18to be right uh and check need to be

2:55:21given to the family automatically and

2:55:23that is the total amount of uh funding

2:55:26that uh uh that uh this the sergeant at

2:55:32the moment of uh that he passed uh

2:55:36put into into the system. So all that

2:55:39money also need to be uh given.

2:55:42>> But that's money that they put in.

2:55:43That's his money, the family's money.

2:55:45Now that's I I that's

2:55:47>> But in the current situation, that's not

2:55:49>> I I I I get that. But the that's that's

2:55:53going there anyway. I believe that that

2:55:54money was going I I don't know this.

2:55:56It's good question for their time board.

2:55:58They're not here. I believe that they're

2:56:00owed that money, but again, I don't know

2:56:02that for a fact. Uh so they should just

2:56:04that that's something they should be

2:56:05getting. Um the other thing

2:56:08fundamentally [clears throat]

2:56:12and and and yeah we all know this is not

2:56:15an easy conversation to have in a public

2:56:17setting like this. I I I don't know to

2:56:21me this line is very fuzzy about

2:56:26what we can talk about and what we can't

2:56:28talk about.

2:56:30um this whole the reason why it is even

2:56:35before us is because of medical stuff.

2:56:39Can I even say that? I just did. I I

2:56:41don't even know how far I can go. I

2:56:43mean, can I get some advice from the

2:56:46city attorney as to what where is the

2:56:49line that I as an elected official, a

2:56:52decision maker, sitting city councelor

2:56:54can go to without crossing over?

2:56:58Again, I'm going to state it as simple

2:57:01as possible.

2:57:03You are not

2:57:05voting on whether he is entitled to this

2:57:08as a matter of law. What you are saying

2:57:11is as counselors, you wish to give this

2:57:14money.

2:57:15Not that you are obligated to give this

2:57:17money. You wish to give this money. So,

2:57:20disregard the medical, disregard

2:57:22everything. As of right now, it's come

2:57:23down to two facts. We're not looking at

2:57:25the retirement board. We're not looking

2:57:27at anything. We're looking at do do you

2:57:30wish to give this benefit to this

2:57:33office's family? Plain and simple. Don't

2:57:36don't look at the medical. That's just

2:57:38going to confuse you. It's just not it.

2:57:42There is no entitlement to this money.

2:57:44It is a vote that you make.

2:57:49So what I'm hearing is that

2:57:52even though this is earlier on it was

2:57:55based on those elements. I'm

2:57:58disregarding that now

2:58:00>> that that's what has been requested

2:58:01again before the argument was made that

2:58:05it was a mistake made by the board and

2:58:07we're not going through that right now.

2:58:08We're not going go through the whether

2:58:10it was appropriate uh whether the board

2:58:12made a decision what the medical records

2:58:14we're not doing any of that now. what

2:58:16we're doing right now, and I think again

2:58:18I I'll let Mrs. Sanden speak for

2:58:20herself, is say what what they're

2:58:22looking for the city to do is to grant

2:58:24additional benefits to this officer.

2:58:27Plain and simple. If we were to go ahead

2:58:30and do this, and no one's got a crystal

2:58:32ball here,

2:58:35is this something that other others may

2:58:37expect the city council to do? Are we

2:58:40holding up ourselves? Because this is

2:58:42unusual. I mean

2:58:44>> there there is no there's no precedent.

2:58:46You you get to vote on each and

2:58:48everything that's before you. You can

2:58:50deny it. Now people may say you gave it

2:58:52to Joe, why don't you give it to Bill?

2:58:54But that's not a compelling argument. A

2:58:55compelling argument is each individual

2:58:57case much as you know you you have other

2:59:00things that come before home rule

2:59:01petitions. It is based on what I've

2:59:03heard, do I want to do this? And based

2:59:06on your as being representatives of the

2:59:08city, that's what it comes down to. I

2:59:10this is not this does not set precedent.

2:59:15>> Okay.

2:59:16>> If if if another officer wanted to do

2:59:18this again

2:59:19>> um it would be the same thing. They

2:59:21would they would come before you and

2:59:22again you would say whether you wanted

2:59:24to take the city's money and this this

2:59:26is a use of the city's money.

2:59:29The other thing is Dala the division

2:59:33department division of administrative

2:59:35law I forget what the A the last A

2:59:37stands for administration maybe.

2:59:39>> Yeah.

2:59:40>> Um

2:59:43they the family if it this does not go

2:59:47through here had they have appeal

2:59:50rights.

2:59:51>> Yes. Anything we put here we are not

2:59:53taking away any of their rights. In

2:59:54other words if this is allowed this is

2:59:56what they get. the dollar goes away if

2:59:59this if for again a if you don't vote on

3:00:02it or b if the legislature doesn't vote

3:00:04on it that does not affect their rights.

3:00:06The family still has their rights of

3:00:07appeal. It's their rights of appeal only

3:00:09go away if they are granted this money

3:00:14and

3:00:16the attorney the last time mentioned it

3:00:19struck me as a lot 10 years before a

3:00:23decision would be reached. In your

3:00:25experience, is that is that a reasonable

3:00:27amount of time? Is that is it usually

3:00:29that time? Is it more? Is it less?

3:00:31>> Uh I I believe that she had spoken about

3:00:33appeals, an appeal of the dollar

3:00:36decision to the next court that there

3:00:37would be time and time again. Again, I I

3:00:40can't tell you what it is. I I that was

3:00:42a second appeal. I'm not going to give

3:00:44you it's I don't know when this would be

3:00:47heard. I could find out that

3:00:49information, but I again, it's on a list

3:00:51of a government agency. Who knows?

3:00:54Okay.

3:00:57>> Um,

3:01:01>> I'm I'm going to reserve my time and let

3:01:03my colleague speak. Let me process that.

3:01:05>> Counselors, any other questions?

3:01:07>> I'm ready to vote.

3:01:09>> I'm ready to vote.

3:01:10>> Any other questions, counselor?

3:01:12>> All right, Madame Clair, please call the

3:01:14role.

3:01:16>> I'm just the motion.

3:01:19>> Is it the amended motion or is it the

3:01:21original motion? I ask a

3:01:23>> I didn't hear any word.

3:01:25>> So now we are amending the motion to

3:01:29include

3:01:31the new language um provided to us by

3:01:33the city attorney. We're voting on the

3:01:36language that we received by the city

3:01:38attorney.

3:01:40>> Okay. So I'm going to um

3:01:44>> Is it the motion second?

3:01:47>> Be seconded as an amendment.

3:01:48>> Yeah, you already made the motion. Um,

3:01:51so as the author of the the motion, you

3:01:53can amend your own motion. Um, you it

3:01:56was already seconded. You don't get to

3:01:58unsecend it. Sorry, you did second it

3:02:00the first time. Um,

3:02:02>> I'm going to start with you, Council

3:02:03Gonzalez, just to give you a warning.

3:02:05Um,

3:02:06>> yes,

3:02:07>> I like it. Council Miguel,

3:02:09>> no.

3:02:11[sighs]

3:02:11>> Council Mama,

3:02:13>> no.

3:02:14>> Councilman Fonte,

3:02:16>> yes.

3:02:17>> Councelor Reyes,

3:02:19>> yes.

3:02:20Councelor Del Rosario.

3:02:22>> Yes.

3:02:24>> Council of plant.

3:02:25>> No.

3:02:26>> Council vice president.

3:02:28>> No.

3:02:29>> Council president.

3:02:30>> No. What's the count?

3:02:32>> Count is 54. Um.

3:02:36I have one, two.

3:02:40No.

3:02:41>> Five. No.

3:02:42>> I have five nos.

3:02:44>> Motion fails.

3:02:46All right. And we move on. Top of the

3:02:47agenda.

3:02:52All right, Madame Clair, please read the

3:02:53notice for item 30825

3:02:57as well as 309 uh 25, 345 25, 34625

3:03:03as and uh 4 44625

3:03:07and 464

3:03:0925.

3:03:12>> Um we do have an waving on the preamble,

3:03:14so I'm going to dive right in. The

3:03:16purpose of the hearing is to gather

3:03:17testimony, information, and public input

3:03:19concerning the petitions presented to

3:03:20the Massachusetts Electric Company doing

3:03:22business as National Grid requesting the

3:03:24city of Lawrence, Mass by and through

3:03:26its city council members for permission

3:03:28to locate poles, wires, fixtures, and or

3:03:30underground conduits, including any

3:03:31necessary and sustaining and protective

3:03:33fixtures along and across the following

3:03:35public ways. Document number 408-25,

3:03:38install Joo Pole on Winthr Avenue near

3:03:40Derso Avenue. Reference number is 311

3:03:4397508.

3:03:45Document number 40925, install jail

3:03:47poles on Malboro Street near South Union

3:03:49Street. Reference numbers 31197530.

3:03:52Document number 445-25, Install J. Pole

3:03:56on East Havil Street near Young Avenue.

3:03:58Reference number 31197559.

3:04:01Document number 44625, install J. Oop

3:04:04Street near Lowel Street, reference

3:04:05number 312 04858.

3:04:10Document number 46425, install J. pole

3:04:12on Beacon Street near Anda Street.

3:04:14Reference number is 312 04878.

3:04:17Copies of the relevant plans for the

3:04:19above reference petitions are on file

3:04:21with the office of the city clerk and

3:04:22may be viewed upon request during normal

3:04:24city hall business hours. Persons

3:04:26wishing to be heard shall be afforded

3:04:27the opportunity.

3:04:28>> Public hearing is now open. Anybody from

3:04:30the public that would choose to speak.

3:04:34Public hearing is now closed.

3:04:36Counselors, do you mind taking all as a

3:04:39block or there is any objection? All is

3:04:41oblong. Motion to approve.

3:04:43>> There's a motion to approve item 40825,

3:04:47uh 40925, 44525,

3:04:5044625, and 46425

3:04:54as a block. Uh a motion has been made

3:04:57properly second discussion. I hear none.

3:05:00All those in favor, please say I. Any

3:05:02nays?

3:05:02>> No. Uh madame clair, call the roll,

3:05:05please.

3:05:10Council

3:05:12plant.

3:05:13>> No.

3:05:15>> Council Del Rosario.

3:05:17>> Yes.

3:05:17>> Council Reyes.

3:05:18>> Yes.

3:05:20>> Councilman Fonte.

3:05:21>> Yes.

3:05:21>> Council Mamo.

3:05:23>> Yes.

3:05:24>> Council Miguel

3:05:27is noted as absent. Sorry. [snorts]

3:05:30Council Gonzalez.

3:05:31>> Yes.

3:05:33>> Um, council vice president.

3:05:35>> Yes.

3:05:36>> Council president.

3:05:37>> Yes.

3:05:39Um,

3:05:40now let's go back to personnel. Do we

3:05:42have anybody from personal want to

3:05:44check?

3:05:44>> Yeah, the person from the um I don't

3:05:47know if I see them.

3:05:47>> I don't see her here.

3:05:49>> She might be online. It was the um

3:05:51candidate for the

3:05:52>> Anybody for Anybody see her from uh

3:05:54appointments? Personal appointments

3:05:58>> register.

3:05:59>> No. Okay. All right. I guess we can

3:06:02table those.

3:06:02>> Yeah.

3:06:03>> All right. Um yes. Let's go to personnel

3:06:06uh the personnel committee item 5 4324

3:06:10>> 43-24

3:06:12um this is to a motion to withdraw the

3:06:17personnel director hiring update.

3:06:20All right. There's a motion to withdraw.

3:06:22Second

3:06:22>> properly second. Discussion. I hear

3:06:24none. All those in favor, please say I.

3:06:26I.

3:06:26>> Any nays? There have it. Item uh 37226.

3:06:30>> Item 372-26

3:06:32appointment of Cha Chhattis J. Davenport

3:06:36to the board of registers. I'm going to

3:06:38make a motion to table.

3:06:39>> There's a motion to table properly

3:06:41second. Discussion. I hear no. Oh, no

3:06:43discussion on the table matters. All

3:06:44those in favor, please say I. I.

3:06:46>> The eyes have it. Um

3:06:49so we have an item uh we go back to

3:06:53let's go back to housing and then chair

3:06:55from the housing committee.

3:06:58Uh item 288B-04

3:07:02surplus property 124 Myrtle Street. Um

3:07:06this item is being submitted uh to the

3:07:09full council as a withdrawal and I

3:07:10submit that to you as a form of a

3:07:12motion.

3:07:12>> There's a motion to withdraw item 28

3:07:15288B.

3:07:1704 properly second. Um discussion I hear

3:07:21none. All those in favor please say I.

3:07:22>> I have it. Item 195A

3:07:26from 2008.

3:07:28>> That is a surplus property for seven 7th

3:07:31Florence Street. Uh discussed at uh

3:07:34housing and economic development

3:07:35committee. Uh motion was made to send

3:07:38this up to the full council as a

3:07:40withdrawal and I submit that to you as a

3:07:41form of a motion.

3:07:43>> Second. [cough]

3:07:45It's a motion in front of us properly.

3:07:47Second discussion. I hear none. All

3:07:48those in favor, please say I. I.

3:07:50>> There is have it. Item 69B 09.

3:07:53>> Disposition of three uh 300-306

3:07:57Prospect Street. Um

3:08:00motion was made to submit that uh submit

3:08:02this item as a withdrawal. Submit that

3:08:04to you as a form of um as a form of a

3:08:06motion.

3:08:08>> The motion to withdraw. Properly second.

3:08:10Discussion. I hear none. All those in

3:08:12favor, please say I. I. Yeah, I have it.

3:08:15Item 274

3:08:17>> 364

3:08:18>> 36410

3:08:20>> housing receiverhip program. A proposal

3:08:23to initiate. Um motion has been made to

3:08:26send this up to full counsel as a

3:08:28withdrawal. I submit that to you as a

3:08:29form of a motion.

3:08:30>> Second.

3:08:31>> There's a motion in front of us

3:08:32properly. Second discussion.

3:08:33>> Discussion.

3:08:34>> Council,

3:08:35>> real quick, man. This has been 16 years

3:08:3716 since I put this on the agenda.

3:08:40[laughter]

3:08:42nothing has happened. We thought at one

3:08:44point this was going to be the hot

3:08:45ticket having a receiverhip program in

3:08:48the city of Lawrence that I was going to

3:08:49do and there was a bit of a there was a

3:08:50bit of a move movement on it. There's a

3:08:52lesson here I think that sometimes

3:08:54things are hot and move away. Sometimes

3:08:56things and so um the receiverhip program

3:09:00never did get off the ground as

3:09:01successfully as we would have thought or

3:09:03wanted to. Um but now 16 years later I

3:09:06think we're moving on. Um and so I

3:09:08haven't done anything on it since then.

3:09:09So let's not keep it on the agenda

3:09:11anymore. So that's why it's being with

3:09:13>> that mean plan. Uh there is a

3:09:15receiverhip program at that uh

3:09:18um at the housing core that we have

3:09:22placed properties on under that

3:09:24receiverhip program. Correct. So things

3:09:26have moved.

3:09:27>> It hasn't come before this council.

3:09:29>> No, because I mean it's a it's an estate

3:09:31law.

3:09:32>> So

3:09:32>> through the AG's office.

3:09:34>> So here So anyway, if you want to keep

3:09:36it there and work on it, I didn't think

3:09:38so.

3:09:39I'm saying that things have moved in

3:09:41another direction towards the

3:09:43receiverhip.

3:09:44>> All right. There's a motion in front of

3:09:45us.

3:09:46>> 316 and I don't think that's a good

3:09:47idea.

3:09:49>> Uh there's a motion in front of us

3:09:50properly second discussion. I hear none.

3:09:53All those in favor please say I.

3:09:54>> The eyes have it. I am

3:09:56>> 274

3:09:58>> 27412

3:10:00>> conditions at 77 South Union Street. Uh

3:10:04this was submitted to um the full

3:10:06council as a withdrawal. I submit that

3:10:08to you as a form of a motion.

3:10:10>> Second.

3:10:11>> There's a motion in front of us

3:10:12properly. Second discussion council

3:10:14plan.

3:10:15>> You re you received bunch of bunch of

3:10:17update on that one.

3:10:19>> That's the blooming house, right?

3:10:20>> It it it is the rooming house. Uh it has

3:10:23been at least recently. It's been fairly

3:10:25I haven't heard a lot from it recently.

3:10:27So um

3:10:28>> I guess that based on this item they

3:10:29change because they come in from here

3:10:32bunch of time.

3:10:34like at least four or five times.

3:10:35>> Not recently.

3:10:36>> Not recently.

3:10:37>> Like

3:10:38>> Yeah. Maybe the last 10 years.

3:10:39>> 10 years.

3:10:40>> It's been a while.

3:10:41>> Yeah.

3:10:42>> Yeah. So, nothing's happening. So, let's

3:10:44withdraw it. And if something happens,

3:10:46I'm going to put it back on.

3:10:49>> All right. Uh there's a motion in front

3:10:51of us properly. Second discussion. I

3:10:53hear none. All those in favor, please

3:10:54say I.

3:10:55>> I. The eyes have it. So, if you guys

3:10:57have any issues with roomie house in

3:10:59your district,

3:11:00>> bring it up.

3:11:01>> I fixed it. [snorts] And it worked

3:11:03because I mean LA plan did did it.

3:11:06>> All right. Um item um

3:11:09>> 276

3:11:09>> 276B

3:11:1113-13.

3:11:13>> This is the surplus property of 25

3:11:15Oxford Street tax map 165 lot 52. Uh

3:11:20motion was made to submit this um as a

3:11:22withdrawal. I submit that to you as a

3:11:24form of a motion.

3:11:25>> Second.

3:11:26>> There's a motion to withdraw properly

3:11:28second discussion. I hear none. All

3:11:29those in favor please say I.

3:11:31>> I. The eyes have it. Item 4141.

3:11:34>> 4114.

3:11:35>> 414.

3:11:36>> Item 4114. Acceptance of attorney

3:11:38general grant uh $80,000.

3:11:43J do Barnes. This was discussed. Um and

3:11:46a motion was made uh to submit this to

3:11:49the full council as a withdrawal. I

3:11:50submit that to you as a form of a

3:11:52motion.

3:11:52>> Second.

3:11:53>> So motion in front of us properly

3:11:55second. Uh discussion. I hear none. All

3:11:59those in favor please say I.

3:12:00>> I. Any nays? The eyes have it. Item

3:12:032824.

3:12:05>> Uh, no. 342.

3:12:07>> Okay. 34214.

3:12:09>> Fire station corner of Oxford and Lowel

3:12:12Streets. Discussion on maintenance, etc.

3:12:16Uh, submitting this um, a motion was

3:12:19made to submit this as a withdrawal. I

3:12:21submit that to you as a form of a

3:12:22motion.

3:12:23>> Second.

3:12:24>> There's a motion in front of us

3:12:26properly. Second discussion.

3:12:29Since then, council counselor Marmo.

3:12:32>> Yes, sir.

3:12:34>> Things have changed on that corner.

3:12:36[laughter]

3:12:38>> So, now they have a um a transitional

3:12:42housing on the location,

3:12:45>> which is why it was needed to submit

3:12:47this as a withdrawal. Um

3:12:50>> All right.

3:12:50>> Did we take a vote on this already? No.

3:12:52I'm losing my train of thought.

3:12:53>> No. All those in favor, please say I.

3:12:55>> I.

3:12:56>> The eyes have it. Item

3:12:58>> 28.

3:12:59for the economic development committee

3:13:02update. Uh motion was made to submit

3:13:05this as a withdrawal. I submit that as a

3:13:07form of a motion.

3:13:08>> There's a motion in front of us.

3:13:09Properly second. Discussion.

3:13:11>> I hear none. All those in favor, please

3:13:13say.

3:13:14>> I have it. Item 33225.

3:13:17>> Approval of transfer of city owned

3:13:19parcel to the LRA per the Lawrence TBD

3:13:22urban renewal plan. South Canal phase

3:13:25one Marramac paper. Um this is uh

3:13:31um Marramac paper

3:13:34south uh 7 South Canal Street map 123

3:13:38lot one nine can uh 9 south Canal Street

3:13:41map 123 lot 2 19 South Canal Street Map

3:13:46123 lot 3 by the River Park LLC proposal

3:13:50as approved by the LRA. Uh motion was

3:13:53made to submit this to the full council

3:13:55as a withdrawal and I submit that to you

3:13:57as a form of a motion.

3:13:59>> There is a motion in front of us. Can

3:14:00you hear a second?

3:14:01>> Second.

3:14:02>> Properly second. Now uh before we take a

3:14:06vote, let's be fair to the L board and

3:14:09allow them to u advocate for those item

3:14:13not to be withdrawn. We have the

3:14:15attorney here and also the new the new

3:14:19[snorts] chair of the LAR U Ramon

3:14:21Casada.

3:14:22>> And we also have the executive

3:14:24>> and members of the the former

3:14:28uh chair is here and members of the uh

3:14:33the executive

3:14:35director of the organization.

3:14:37Uh let's keep it like that. And then uh

3:14:40and then members of the uh of the

3:14:43organization are here

3:14:44>> council president.

3:14:45>> Yes.

3:14:46>> Before he is back, can we take all this

3:14:49item as a block?

3:14:51>> Should we?

3:14:54>> Let's talk about one first and then we

3:14:56can uh continue with a reminding so we

3:14:58can probably take the rest as a block.

3:15:00>> Okay. And

3:15:01>> so let's allow them to speak and then we

3:15:03can proceed with one. And for point of

3:15:06clarification, council president, um,

3:15:09regarding submitting all of these items,

3:15:12um, which we did submit it as a block to

3:15:14withdraw, um, it's due to, uh, the

3:15:18completed, um, the completed findings

3:15:23from the judge um, to which um, found it

3:15:28in the city council's favor. Um, and

3:15:32given that reason,

3:15:35it is deemed, you know, and I'll speak

3:15:37for myself, but it was deemed that it

3:15:40would be best not to nitpick and um go

3:15:44into these items on a case-byase basis

3:15:48um considering the the judge's findings.

3:15:52>> Okay, understand. So, now let's open up

3:15:54the uh the floor to uh entertain uh the

3:15:59the L.

3:16:01>> Mr. President, members of the council,

3:16:03my name is Jeffrey Blake. I'm with KP

3:16:04Law and I represent the the LRA. Um we

3:16:08are here before you tonight because as

3:16:10the as the counselor indicated, um we

3:16:13you guys probably recognize every one of

3:16:16these properties because they were

3:16:17before you before and you denied it.

3:16:19There was some um dispute as to how we

3:16:23were able to convey these properties.

3:16:26Specifically, the court said as the

3:16:28counselor indicated that we had to go

3:16:30through the process under chapter 40

3:16:32sections 3, 15, and 15A.

3:16:35>> Yeah. Just before you continue, so just

3:16:37to make sure and clarify that we haven't

3:16:38denied any of those. Uh we haven't taken

3:16:41a stand or take a vote on on any of

3:16:43those. So just just to make sure that

3:16:45for the record, we

3:16:46>> we stay we stay like that. Yes. Did you

3:16:50go ahead?

3:16:51>> You can continue.

3:16:51>> So I I'm sorry. So you you are correct

3:16:54that the superior court indicated that

3:16:56we would have to go through the process

3:16:58under chapter 40 section 315 and 15a

3:17:02which requires us to come to the uh

3:17:04legislative body of the city in this

3:17:07case to get the authority. You would

3:17:09have to vote to transfer these

3:17:11properties and then they could be

3:17:13transferred just like a a town meeting

3:17:15vote.

3:17:15>> I'm having a hard time.

3:17:19All right. I don't know what that that's

3:17:22that's fine. I don't know what you heard

3:17:23and what you didn't hear. So, um I'll

3:17:25start all over again. Um you were

3:17:27correct, counselor, that there was a

3:17:29superior court case. There was a dispute

3:17:31as to the correct process for

3:17:33transferring these properties as they

3:17:35were contained in a um in a

3:17:38redevelopment plan. The courts found

3:17:40that the city council had to follow was

3:17:44was able to follow the process under

3:17:46chapter 40 sections 3, 15, and 15A which

3:17:50requires the legislative body to approve

3:17:54the transfers. Then it would go to the

3:17:56mayor and the mayor would would sign

3:17:58over the deeds. So as a result, we are

3:18:01here tonight asking you to go through

3:18:04that process. I think that um the

3:18:07projects that we've got and and

3:18:10presented to you here tonight are almost

3:18:13shovel ready. We've gone through the

3:18:14RFPs. We're ready to go. I said almost.

3:18:17I'm so I we we have gone down a a a path

3:18:21cons a considerable path and I think

3:18:23that these projects would be wonderful

3:18:25for the city. We're here tonight asking

3:18:28you to approve the transfer of all

3:18:31eight. I of course understand that that

3:18:34may not be something that you want to

3:18:36do, but what we're here to do is we're

3:18:38here to open this dialogue so that we

3:18:41can get these projects, at least some of

3:18:44them uh back online and and and going to

3:18:48try to revitalize the city. Now, before

3:18:51you withdraw, perhaps if you're not

3:18:54inclined to, maybe you could table it

3:18:57and we would certainly be willing to

3:18:59provide whatever additional information

3:19:01or I would be willing to work with the

3:19:04city solicitor to probably get to a

3:19:06point where we can get you to Yes.

3:19:12>> the discussion that we have of the of

3:19:14the housing committee and the intent of

3:19:16this uh to be sent to Pujo. So uh I

3:19:20think they will be fair to bring it up.

3:19:22Councelor Plan uh

3:19:25you can

3:19:26>> you you brought it up for withdraw. So

3:19:28can you express as of why?

3:19:32>> Uh there's several reasons as to why

3:19:35first of all these have been around for

3:19:37a while now. I'm not sure how stale they

3:19:39are uh but they've been around. This was

3:19:42presented to the council in in 2025.

3:19:45That's just last year. But this process

3:19:47started way before then, way before

3:19:50bringing it before the city council. So

3:19:52I don't know which of these have any

3:19:55kind of viability and which are not. So

3:19:59that's one. Number two, um I have as

3:20:04I've mentioned to the board,

3:20:06um whoever would ask me and and this is

3:20:09no secrets to anybody because we c we we

3:20:12we kind it's a ser to me it's very

3:20:14serious but I know people kid around

3:20:15about it a little bit before we start

3:20:17going down the track of adding more and

3:20:20more housing units around the city which

3:20:23[snorts] is what this is going to do in

3:20:25a huge way.

3:20:28I need to see our government which we

3:20:33already had a discussion whether or not

3:20:34we have confidence in it or not

3:20:36strikingly

3:20:38whether or not our government has the

3:20:40ability to go ahead and to process this

3:20:43many significant

3:20:46initiatives and I don't know which one

3:20:48it is. I've I've always mentioned to

3:20:51whoever would listen

3:20:53>> I would be in favor of finding one

3:20:57build on one get a success with one

3:21:02but to go and have 11 10 whatever the

3:21:05number is nine whatever the number is

3:21:07eight

3:21:09>> among friends that's very little um one

3:21:11is a very different number uh to me

3:21:14that's a lot so the reason why I've did

3:21:16this is that and in in in absolute

3:21:19cander and and I tonight is not despite

3:21:23the fact that we had television cameras

3:21:25here for a good portion of the evening

3:21:27and we had discussions regarding

3:21:30confidence no confidence we're going to

3:21:31send it down to the committee I kept my

3:21:33powder dry during that conversation I

3:21:35was ready to discuss it if we had to um

3:21:38people are going to read into the votes

3:21:40however they're going to read into my

3:21:41vote I would say council president those

3:21:44who are reading into my vote should be

3:21:45very wary and not know which direction

3:21:48I'm ultimately going to be going in

3:21:50because I've not said what I'm going to

3:21:52do. But having said that,

3:21:56um,

3:21:57having said that, I don't have right now

3:22:01a lot of confidence that we can pull

3:22:03this thing off. So, I'd rather start a

3:22:05little bit. If you can give me one for

3:22:07me, I'd work with you on one as long as

3:22:09ID is doing their job and our other

3:22:11components of government is doing their

3:22:13job. Right now, I don't see that. So

3:22:16that's a long-winded answer, council

3:22:17president.

3:22:18>> Yeah, you did. But you did. Thank you.

3:22:20>> All right. Anyway, counselors u at this

3:22:22point u what we have regarding to the

3:22:26alarm redevelopment authority we have

3:22:28projects that went through an uh RFP

3:22:31process

3:22:33that uh that uh were they were defined

3:22:38by the RFP

3:22:41and in particular [clears throat]

3:22:43in particular

3:22:46um

3:22:49I will I would love I would love the the

3:22:52the this body and also the launch

3:22:56development authority to go back to to

3:23:00the table and at least at least look at

3:23:03the meeting when we approve that the

3:23:06this plan

3:23:08um it's an hour two hour two hour long

3:23:11meeting

3:23:12uh and and and get the sense of that uh

3:23:16of that urban renewal plan as of how it

3:23:20was presented to this board back then.

3:23:23Um 2000 December 2016

3:23:28uh December December 14 or 15 the second

3:23:31meeting of the of the month of uh of

3:23:34that year. The video is not quite long

3:23:36but I mean it says a lot. Then once we

3:23:40defined that's at least my stand once we

3:23:43define the need of the city and be able

3:23:47and then we be able to put an RP process

3:23:50with those needs and entertain

3:23:52developers that are capable of doing

3:23:55those uh and be able to um

3:24:00uh develop uh the what is what was the

3:24:04desire of the urban renewal plan. Um it

3:24:07is a little bit different than what we

3:24:09have here. Um

3:24:13we we we entertaining uh this this this

3:24:17this item without necessarily discussing

3:24:21the details of it. But fundamentally

3:24:25that was not part of that uh the urban

3:24:27renewal plan that the original urban

3:24:29renewal plan that we approved

3:24:32uh because it was not about housing

3:24:34necessarily. it was more like about

3:24:36economic development. But I think that

3:24:38you know sitting down and and presenting

3:24:40uh what is the need of the city first

3:24:42and defining that it will help

3:24:44tremendously

3:24:46uh when it comes to the uh the the

3:24:48development of the city.

3:24:51Um councilors if there is any questions

3:24:53regarding to one of the of the items

3:24:57that are uh up for which is item 33225.

3:25:01Could I ask a question to just to to the

3:25:04members of the board and to the

3:25:06attorney? Out of all of these, is there

3:25:08one here that that you say, you know,

3:25:11something, this is viable, this is

3:25:13strong. Um, I like it. We can we can do

3:25:17something. Is there one?

3:25:19>> There's a few projects that I we believe

3:25:21are are are very good projects. And what

3:25:23what we're asking for today is the

3:25:25opportunity to slow down the process,

3:25:29sit with the council. We've already

3:25:31gotten feedback from the uh citizens

3:25:33advisory uh committee or council on

3:25:36these projects and let's I'm I'm for

3:25:38getting one project done but let's

3:25:40evaluate them because I guess we don't

3:25:42have an option and now we have a clear

3:25:43understanding of how to proceed with

3:25:44this. I'm not asking to start the

3:25:47process from scratch because we have put

3:25:48a lot of time uh with the CAC members as

3:25:52well as the city councils that appointed

3:25:54some of these members and some of the uh

3:25:56business community as well as some of

3:25:58the nonprofits.

3:26:00We are welcoming the opportunity to say

3:26:02with this body

3:26:04as well as with the feedback again of

3:26:06the of the citizens of the city and

3:26:07figure out which projects make sense.

3:26:10None of these projects are going to in

3:26:13the end once we evaluate might not be uh

3:26:16might be totally different than what was

3:26:17submitted but this is all we're asking

3:26:20for today. And if we're able to read

3:26:21this letter into record I think the that

3:26:23our ask will be clear as what we're

3:26:25looking for. So again not opposed to

3:26:28that. lot of investment made by

3:26:30developers, a lot of interest and this

3:26:31letter will basically express uh my uh

3:26:36the L's position on moving forward. So

3:26:39can I present this so we can be ready to

3:26:42>> more question? Yes sir.

3:26:42>> Are you suggesting all these all these

3:26:44projects are viable all of them?

3:26:46>> Can you say a few? I I don't know the

3:26:48answer to that. I we we did a lot of

3:26:50work with the like I said the CAC which

3:26:54some were the members uh submitted by

3:26:57you guys uh and and and incompassed a

3:26:59whole bunch of different folks from

3:27:01different areas business community

3:27:03nonprofits

3:27:05uh local residents and some of the city

3:27:07councils were there. We feel that

3:27:10there's a few that are better than

3:27:11others but uh we tend to agree with the

3:27:13CAC. the CAC, we basically voted exactly

3:27:17what the community voted on in favor of.

3:27:20So, understanding where we are today,

3:27:23understanding that the process that was

3:27:26kind of vague and unclear from our point

3:27:29of view has been clarified, all we're

3:27:31asking for this body to do is let's slow

3:27:33it down. Let's table this. Let's have

3:27:35some discussion

3:27:37and if we can come to some consensus on

3:27:39some of these projects which you

3:27:41recommended,

3:27:42>> I don't think none of us are opposed to

3:27:43that.

3:27:44>> U not recommended but slowing down the

3:27:47process to try to get one under the belt

3:27:51and learn the process.

3:27:53>> I don't claim to be an expert in this

3:27:54area. I think this is pretty new to the

3:27:56city developing developing properties

3:27:57through the LRA. I don't recall the last

3:27:59time that that occurred. So for all of

3:28:01us, I think it's been a learning curve.

3:28:04>> Yes. Yes. just two things. Uh well, none

3:28:06of these projects were provided uh on

3:28:09proposed by by the city council just

3:28:11just to be clear on that. It was an RFP

3:28:14process and then you guys entertain the

3:28:16different projects and and another thing

3:28:18that I would like to uh also bring up to

3:28:20the discussion u the city attorney. So

3:28:25uh there was it according to your

3:28:28statement Mr. share there was a a a

3:28:32misunderstanding as of how the process

3:28:34should go. It went to court. It was

3:28:36defined. But now let's talk about the

3:28:38appeal. Uh there is an an a potential

3:28:43appeal process

3:28:45to the decision of the court that might

3:28:49you elaborate my argument about whether

3:28:53or not the pro the decision of the court

3:28:55was correct. So when did we receive the

3:28:58letter of intent of appeal

3:29:01>> within the the statutory guidelines? I

3:29:03believe it was was it 30 days or

3:29:06whatever appropriate. So they had to

3:29:09appeal the decision within a certain

3:29:10amount of time. I'll lose their right to

3:29:11appeal. They did file a notice of

3:29:13appeal.

3:29:14>> So the the intent is to appeal.

3:29:17>> Oh, pardon me.

3:29:18>> The intent is the appeal, right?

3:29:20>> Well, they're preserving their rights to

3:29:21appeal. It doesn't necessarily mean they

3:29:22do it. There's a lot of documentation

3:29:24they have to follow up on, a lot of

3:29:25things that have to happen, but they

3:29:27have preserved it. If they did not file

3:29:28that, they would have lost all rights.

3:29:30So, yes, while they're while they're

3:29:32talking, they they again, you can always

3:29:35pursue two avenues at the same time.

3:29:36They're talking to the city council,

3:29:38seeing if the city council would agree,

3:29:40as we originally had proposed so long

3:29:42ago, to present each one, have the city

3:29:46council review it. I mean, that is

3:29:48that's the one thing that has never

3:29:49happened. The city council hasn't

3:29:51reviewed any of these. Really haven't

3:29:53looked at them. You haven't gone into

3:29:55depth. You haven't found out the

3:29:56viability. You haven't seen um you know,

3:29:58is it housing? Is it hotels? Is it

3:30:02commercial? So um again, I think what

3:30:05they're I I feel like I'm the mediator

3:30:08tonight. The L is saying please don't

3:30:10kill us a chance to talk about them and

3:30:14not saying approve them, but if you

3:30:16withdraw them, I believe they're now

3:30:19prohibited from bringing these back

3:30:20before you for a year, which kind of

3:30:23kwashes any of them, even if they were

3:30:25good. But

3:30:27and I make no advocacy on either side. I

3:30:30represent the city.

3:30:30>> You advocate for both sides.

3:30:32>> I I I was the one that said the process

3:30:35was wrong. The process had to go before

3:30:36the city council. The court said yes,

3:30:39that is correct. So I'm happy with that.

3:30:42But yet again, the running of the city

3:30:45again is is you nine people and you

3:30:47decide [snorts] what you want to do.

3:30:49>> All right. Councelor Llan. Yeah. You you

3:30:51finished?

3:30:51>> I'm done.

3:30:53>> Councelor Levby and then councelor Mu.

3:30:57>> Uh to

3:30:59[laughter]

3:31:02sorry. So you said if we withdraw Okay.

3:31:06They are not able to bring it back to us

3:31:08for at least one year. For at least one

3:31:11year from like from today or

3:31:13>> from today.

3:31:14>> Okay. I want to make clear on that. Or

3:31:17from

3:31:18>> No, from today. It doesn't go

3:31:19retroactive because when you make

3:31:21>> Thank you.

3:31:22>> Councelor Mamo,

3:31:23>> attorney.

3:31:25>> Attorney,

3:31:26>> you're being demand

3:31:28>> stay here now. Sorry. I just want your

3:31:30legal opinion in terms of keeping these

3:31:33items afloat, you know, or alive, so to

3:31:36speak. Would you say that it defeats the

3:31:39purpose of why this was sent to

3:31:42litigation to begin with?

3:31:43>> No, not at all. It's exactly would

3:31:45conform to why we sent it in litigation.

3:31:47We sent it to litigation because these

3:31:49things were presented before the city

3:31:51council and then that was abandoned.

3:31:54They abandoned and said, "We don't need

3:31:56that process. We believe that the

3:31:58process in 2016 was sufficient.

3:32:01Therefore, these can remain in limbo

3:32:04forever. We're going to go this way.

3:32:06They went that way. The court said,

3:32:08"Nope. Go back to where you were before.

3:32:10Go back before the city council." So,

3:32:12this is exactly what I wanted again to

3:32:15have this board decide is this good for

3:32:17the city, not good for the city. I make

3:32:20no representations. My only

3:32:21representation was a process was wrong

3:32:23and a court

3:32:25validated that for some time. But

3:32:27>> bless you.

3:32:28>> That's that's all I say. Again, I don't

3:32:30go into whether

3:32:31>> I am not asking you to go

3:32:33>> but I want to make it clear. I don't I

3:32:34don't know which project is good, which

3:32:36project is bad because it's never been

3:32:37presented to you. So I I make a and it's

3:32:40not my job to make a decision. I make a

3:32:42job. I can say whether it's legal, but

3:32:44that's about it.

3:32:45>> Can I ask of course question?

3:32:48>> You miss the chair. remember we

3:32:50submitted I think eight boxes full of

3:32:54projects.

3:32:54>> Yeah.

3:32:55>> Yes.

3:32:56>> Are are those boxes still there?

3:32:58>> Um

3:32:59[laughter]

3:33:03we still have

3:33:03>> them

3:33:05still have them. So as as attorney uh

3:33:09>> sorry

3:33:10>> no I think I think um based on any

3:33:13discussions that we have okay I think I

3:33:16think there's a misunders there was a

3:33:19misunderstanding

3:33:20of what we were what the intent was

3:33:23there was a a dispute

3:33:26between uh well legal advice number one

3:33:29with the city number two the L had two

3:33:32attorneys previously that Both of them

3:33:35agreed that the process that we had to

3:33:38follow and because this is

3:33:40unprecedented. I mean in the sense that

3:33:42this is the first time that did that a

3:33:46process goes before the court

3:33:49because we submitted it as a minor

3:33:52amendment.

3:33:53>> That was not true.

3:33:54>> No, no, no. Minor amendment when we

3:33:56requested the the state to review the

3:33:59changes that were there was submitted as

3:34:01a minor amendment.

3:34:02>> No. Well, to my understand

3:34:06and that's the the whole confusion and

3:34:08that was what part of the problem that

3:34:11and and a strategic way to putting this

3:34:13project forward was that a lot of uh son

3:34:17of you said oh the state approved this

3:34:20process through a minor amendment and

3:34:22what the minor amendment did was adding

3:34:25other properties around the boundaries

3:34:28of the of the of the original map adding

3:34:33extra properties to the urban renewal

3:34:36plant. But that doesn't mean that the

3:34:39urban renewal plant uh doesn't have to

3:34:43go through the process which is well

3:34:45defined through a historical way of

3:34:48transferring property from the LRA and

3:34:50from the city to the L. Correct. And the

3:34:53most recent uh the most recent uh

3:34:56property that was transferred from the

3:34:58la to the city of Lawrence was a parcel

3:35:02that is right behind the Oliver school

3:35:05to expand that project. We just opened

3:35:07that project that school up uh probably

3:35:10less than this is the second the second

3:35:12year of that school being open. So there

3:35:15was a recently a process done through

3:35:18the laid which we entertain the same the

3:35:20same procedures which was approved by

3:35:23the council and so far so on and

3:35:25accepted at that point. So but the whole

3:35:29confusion came around oh minor amendment

3:35:31major amendment and then

3:35:34switch or kind of like switch the the

3:35:37the process as of how those property

3:35:40should be transferred. Council

3:35:42President, the question I asked the city

3:35:44clerk and this is the reason I think

3:35:46councelor Lel plant including during the

3:35:49the uh

3:35:51>> the housing and economic development

3:35:54committee discussed it. There was so

3:35:56many much money number one state funding

3:35:59was invested, city money was in invested

3:36:03uh human resources in terms of uh we had

3:36:06the community involvement. Um uh some of

3:36:10you did participate. Uh I know that uh

3:36:13councelor Leland submitted. We made the

3:36:15copies to submit. And what the the LRA

3:36:19is requesting is that since you have

3:36:22those documents, those documents uh I

3:36:26mean so far that we met with with uh our

3:36:29consultant uh James Caris and and the

3:36:33outgoing chair uh Mr. Peru Tara um

3:36:36communicated with all the rest of the

3:36:38developers and they are still interested

3:36:40in Lawrence. That's the important part.

3:36:44The question would be if there are seven

3:36:47or eight projects that we have on on on

3:36:50the table, you have those documents.

3:36:53There could be an opportunity to have

3:36:54the discussions as you said, review, go

3:36:57back and then look at the willingness of

3:37:01those that were selected if they're

3:37:03willing to um uh willing to make the

3:37:08changes that you so wish and then to

3:37:11start the development. And that can

3:37:13happen based on a dialogue or maybe

3:37:15through a committee of a whole of the

3:37:17whole and then have the discussions and

3:37:19bring each item which you already have

3:37:22and see if you want to change uh let's

3:37:25say if housing is an issue uh mixed use

3:37:29development is an option. If uh mixeduse

3:37:31development is an opt is not an option

3:37:34then which one would be providing

3:37:36housing and which which parcels would be

3:37:39providing

3:37:40uh maybe uh commercial parking or both.

3:37:46>> Yeah. Okay. Uh at this point the the

3:37:49motion that we have is motion to

3:37:51withdraw. Um

3:37:53>> Mr. President, yes. May I

3:37:56>> briefly interrupt you? He sent a letter

3:37:57on October 5th, 2026 that we would like

3:38:01to have read into the record.

3:38:02>> Sure. I think it's it's it's on order.

3:38:05>> The clerk is going to kill me for this.

3:38:07[clears throat]

3:38:07I am so sorry.

3:38:08>> Is that a couple of pages long?

3:38:10>> Yeah, it's a couple of three pages.

3:38:13>> No, no, no. By any means, I mean, u if

3:38:15we have

3:38:17>> It's a long

3:38:23>> um

3:38:23>> Let's read it for the record.

3:38:25>> Sure. It's addressed to you the

3:38:26honorable Giovanni Rodriguez, Council

3:38:28President, Lawrence City Council, 200

3:38:29Common Street, Lawrence, Mass. And it

3:38:31reads, "Re, request to reconsider

3:38:33withdrawal of urban renewal

3:38:34redevelopment projects. Dear City

3:38:36Council President Rodriguez and members

3:38:37of the Lawrence City Council, on behalf

3:38:39of the Lawrence Redevelopment Authority,

3:38:40I respectfully request that the city

3:38:42council reconsider withdrawing the seven

3:38:44redevelopment matters presented before

3:38:46and instead allow the city council, the

3:38:49L, and selected developers an

3:38:51opportunity to determine whether these

3:38:53projects can be advanced, modified, or

3:38:55improved in the best long-term interest

3:38:56of Lawrence. The recent superior court

3:38:59decision revolve resolved an important

3:39:01legal question concerning the process

3:39:03for transferring city-owned property.

3:39:04The L respects that decision and does

3:39:07not presently intend to appeal it. The

3:39:08authority pursued declaratory relief not

3:39:11to defy the city council but to obtain

3:39:13judicial clarification regarding the

3:39:16respective roles of the city and the L

3:39:18following the municipal and state

3:39:20approved approval of the urban renewal

3:39:22plan.

3:39:24The court answered the legal question.

3:39:26The council must now answer the policy

3:39:28question. What is the plan? The urban

3:39:30renewal plan was not developed casually.

3:39:32The city invested substantial time,

3:39:34public resources, professional expertise

3:39:37and community participation in its

3:39:38preparation. It underwent extensive

3:39:40public review and ultimately received

3:39:42both municipal and state approval. It is

3:39:44implement its implementation

3:39:46subsequently

3:39:47involved traffic and parking studies,

3:39:49environmental work, public meetings and

3:39:52hearings, a citizen advisory committee,

3:39:54marketing and outreach, and extensive

3:39:56engagement with the development

3:39:58community. That engagement produced an

3:40:00important result that should not be

3:40:01overlooked. 28 developers expressed

3:40:03interest in Lawrence and ultimately 20

3:40:05responded to the L's RFP process for

3:40:09city competing regionally for private

3:40:11capital and development opportunities.

3:40:13That level of response should be

3:40:14regarded as significant success. More

3:40:17importantly, it sends a clear message.

3:40:18The private development community is

3:40:20interested in investing in Lawrence. The

3:40:23purpose of this entire process was

3:40:24larger than any single parcel of

3:40:26development proposal. was to return

3:40:28blighted and underutilized properties to

3:40:30a reproductive use, attract private

3:40:32capital,

3:40:34sorry,

3:40:36create housing and commercial

3:40:37opportunities, generate employment,

3:40:39strengthen neighborhoods, and expand

3:40:40Lawrence's tax base. The objective is

3:40:42even more important under today's

3:40:43economic conditions. Municipalities

3:40:46cannot substantially absorb increasing

3:40:48costs for public safety, education,

3:40:50infrastructure, employee compensation,

3:40:52and essential services, principally

3:40:54through their higher taxes and fees. A

3:40:56sustainable fiscal strategy must grow

3:40:58the value of the community's taxable

3:40:59property. Redevelopment provides

3:41:01Lawrence with the opportunity to convert

3:41:03underperforming land into productive

3:41:05assets, generating recurring municipal

3:41:08revenues while leveraging private

3:41:10investment rather than relying

3:41:11exclusively on public resources. We

3:41:14should also remember that our own

3:41:15history, Lawrence, has a periods where

3:41:17redevelopment opportunities were

3:41:18available but not fully utilized. During

3:41:20those same periods, other communities,

3:41:22some facing economic conditions as

3:41:23difficult or more difficult than

3:41:25Lawrence's, made strategic decisions,

3:41:27embraced redevelopment and positioned

3:41:29themselves for investment and growth.

3:41:31They move forward because their

3:41:32communities developed a vision, [snorts]

3:41:34the political

3:41:36will to implement it.

3:41:38Lawrence should not allow another

3:41:40economic cycle to pass by. This is

3:41:42particularly important when substantial

3:41:44public resources have already been

3:41:46invested in environmental assessments,

3:41:48remediation, planning, infrastructure,

3:41:50and site preparation. Additional state

3:41:52support is also being pursued, including

3:41:54approximately $5.5 million in proposed

3:41:57funding for further cleanup,

3:41:59which was contemplated as public

3:42:01investment in capital, leveraging

3:42:03significant greater private investment.

3:42:05walking away from the redevelopment

3:42:06without first exploring whether these

3:42:08projects can be improved

3:42:10risk separating those public investments

3:42:12from the private capital necessary to

3:42:14complete the transformation. The L

3:42:16therefore respectfully proposes more

3:42:18constructive alternative to withdrawing

3:42:20keeping the seven matters before the

3:42:21city council and convene a working

3:42:23session with the council, the LRA, the

3:42:26administration and a selected

3:42:27developers. If concerns exist regarding

3:42:30density, design, affordability,

3:42:32commercial uses, parking, community

3:42:34benefits, infrastructure, project

3:42:36economies, or other elements, let us

3:42:38identify them directly and determine

3:42:40whether the proposals can be modified.

3:42:42These projects should not be treated as

3:42:44binary choices between accepting every

3:42:47proposal exactly as submitted or

3:42:48abandoning years of planning and

3:42:50investment. There is a third option,

3:42:52negotiate, improve, and move forward

3:42:55where agreements can be reached. The L

3:42:57is prepared to listen and work

3:42:58collaboratively.

3:43:02However, if the city council ultimately

3:43:04determines that these projects could

3:43:07project should not proceed, the public

3:43:09deserves clarity regarding the

3:43:11alternative long-term strategy for these

3:43:12properties and for expanding the city's

3:43:15tax base. If not redevelopment, what's

3:43:17the alternative? How does Lawrence

3:43:18fulfill its long-term financial gap

3:43:20without increasing relying on taxes and

3:43:23fees? What is the plan for these sites?

3:43:25what replaces the private investment

3:43:27that Lawrence has worked for years to

3:43:28attract. These questions transcend the

3:43:31LRA, the administration, and the

3:43:32individual counselors. They concern

3:43:34Lawrence's long-term economic capacity,

3:43:37and the kind of city that we intend to

3:43:39leave to the next generation. We

3:43:41therefore respectfully ask the council

3:43:43not to close the door, keep these

3:43:45matters alive, bring the parties

3:43:46together, identify what needs to change,

3:43:48negotiate where necessary, and determine

3:43:50whether these whether there is

3:43:53responsible path forward. The

3:43:55opportunity is before us. The

3:43:56development community has demonstrated

3:43:58its interest in Lawrence. The question

3:44:01now is whether Lawrence has the

3:44:02collective vision and political will to

3:44:04turn that interest into an investment,

3:44:06development, and long-term economic

3:44:08opportunity for our residents. The

3:44:10Lawrence Redevelopment Authority stands

3:44:11ready to work with the city council in

3:44:13good faith towards that objective.

3:44:15Respectfully submitted, Ramon, and I

3:44:17always say your name wrong, Ramon. Ramon

3:44:19Quesada.

3:44:20>> Quesada, chair of the Lawrence Ree

3:44:22Development Authority. Thank you. Thank

3:44:23you.

3:44:24Motion pass 11.

3:44:27So motion pass 11 properly. Second

3:44:29discussion. I hear none. All those in

3:44:30favor, please say I. I.

3:44:33>> Nice have it.

3:44:35[snorts]

3:44:36All right. Uh councelors um

3:44:40cheni quick question.

3:44:46If the council would draw this item.

3:44:51Yes. Let me let me let me let me see if

3:44:53I if I I can correctly. If the council

3:44:56withdraw this item, they will join uh

3:44:59the project

3:45:01as it was presented to the council.

3:45:02[snorts]

3:45:03>> Correct.

3:45:05That doesn't mean that another similar

3:45:08project can be uh presented based on the

3:45:11conditions that uh the a right here from

3:45:14us correct within the proper year or is

3:45:16that the property that was

3:45:17>> no I mean again if for instance let's

3:45:21I'm going to make again from whole cloth

3:45:23if the if the project was to build a

3:45:26school on this site and the next one is

3:45:28to build a casino those are two

3:45:30different projects that second one could

3:45:32be presented Should be noted that on the

3:45:36way the LRA has done this, that process

3:45:38would probably take a year anyways

3:45:40because now they have to go back out,

3:45:42put RFPs out, do all that stuff. So,

3:45:44it's

3:45:45>> first identify the needs and then the

3:45:47potential property and then put an RFP,

3:45:49>> right? So, I would say it's a year no

3:45:51matter what you do. If you if if if you

3:45:54want to review these particular

3:45:55projects, you look at them now. If you

3:45:57think they're inappropriate, you do what

3:45:59you're going to do. But I again, it's

3:46:02not just switch. They can't tomorrow

3:46:04come in and say on property number three

3:46:07we want to do this now. They have a

3:46:08whole process they have to follow.

3:46:10>> Gotcha. Uh the thing is is like the

3:46:12reason that I'm bringing this up is

3:46:13because even though the L have a

3:46:15specific project here uh as per the

3:46:18conversation we have uh with it uh with

3:46:21the chair that the the the properties uh

3:46:24the projects haven't been well defined

3:46:26yet as of how they are going to proceed

3:46:29even though we are we we are going

3:46:31through this process. Well, I I think

3:46:33that they have I think it's well defined

3:46:35in the in their mind in the fact that

3:46:37they have said this would be a good

3:46:39project for this particular person. They

3:46:42they've had meetings. They had reviews.

3:46:44Again, I'm not the L attorney. I I hate

3:46:47being in the position to speak. I'm just

3:46:50giving you what they they would say.

3:46:53>> U Okay. Councilors, we have a motion to

3:46:56withdraw.

3:46:58>> President, I I u

3:47:00>> councelor Leland.

3:47:01>> Thank you. I I kind of push for this uh

3:47:03and um councils are independent and make

3:47:06their own decisions. I I think where I

3:47:09stand on this and all on all of these is

3:47:10the following based listening to the

3:47:12letter, listening to the conversation is

3:47:14this. I think number one, which is I I'm

3:47:17going to look that we table these

3:47:19matters eventually. But what I'm looking

3:47:21for what I'm looking for is viability. I

3:47:24want to know, did you contact the folks

3:47:25who were the winners of the

3:47:28South Canal phase one, the South Canal

3:47:30phase two? Let me know which one of

3:47:32these are still in play, which one of

3:47:33them are. If they're not in play, let's

3:47:35get rid of them. If they are in play,

3:47:37then I think we have a discussion on

3:47:39>> What do What do you mean when you say if

3:47:40they're in play? I mean,

3:47:42>> um, a viable. So, let's say, for

3:47:44example, u, the I'm going to make

3:47:46something up here for Methun Street

3:47:48West. maybe the the the the the

3:47:51principles there saying, "You know

3:47:52something? I'm no longer interested in

3:47:53this property. I'm no longer interested

3:47:55in moving forward on this." That's not

3:47:57viable anymore. So, let's get rid of

3:47:59that one because you're going to have to

3:48:00go for another RFP. All that stuff. We

3:48:03can we can shrink this. I think a year

3:48:05is gone, things have happened. That's

3:48:07what I would be looking for. I still

3:48:10stand by my earlier comments is I'm not

3:48:12looking to support nine, eight, six,

3:48:14whatever. It's going to be single like

3:48:16one. So that's what I'm looking for out

3:48:20of this whole thing.

3:48:20>> So can have their own opinion.

3:48:24>> If you ask for any any of those

3:48:26development developers if they are

3:48:29willing to continue all of them are

3:48:31willing to continue.

3:48:32>> Is that true?

3:48:34>> Uh allow me to answer please. Uh first

3:48:37of all thank you uh council president

3:48:39counselors. Let me add a little color.

3:48:44>> I apologize. Uh Pedro Tahada, former

3:48:47chairperson of the L, 21 Westchester

3:48:50Drive, Lawrence, Massachusetts. So uh I

3:48:53I'd like to address councelor Plant

3:48:54directly. You asked some very serious

3:48:56questions and I've walked with you in

3:48:58the park and chewed gum at the same

3:48:59time. It's quite an ordeal. This is what

3:49:02this is because there's time and there's

3:49:06money. Capital deployment about $500

3:49:09million potential in development. Now in

3:49:12an ideal world we can sit back and say

3:49:13yeah let's construct let's develop one

3:49:16property but unfortunately there are

3:49:18time constraints capital deployment this

3:49:20is where this council this aos body

3:49:23needs to come to a determination because

3:49:25one development is not going to make

3:49:28sense in no world because there are

3:49:30parallel considerations there's funding

3:49:34hundreds of millions of dollars at stake

3:49:36and you have to be able to look at this

3:49:38from 30,000 ft and make a decision as to

3:49:43what you want to do and more importantly

3:49:45how you wish to do it and what I mean by

3:49:47that is parallel tracks one two three

3:49:52whichever way you decide to go at the

3:49:54end of the day whether they get done or

3:49:56not at this point it was decided that

3:49:59this body has to make that determination

3:50:02but to answer the question the

3:50:05determinations that were made through

3:50:06the CAC and through the eventually

3:50:08through the eventual L vote

3:50:10Every single one of those projects are

3:50:13ready, but it's a determination as to

3:50:16which one this council decides to

3:50:18choose.

3:50:20>> Please. Thank you.

3:50:21>> Thank you.

3:50:22>> Ramon Gasada 100 Sanders. I don't think

3:50:24I shared that earlier. Uh to answer

3:50:27chair of the L to answer your question,

3:50:28Mr. Llant, we have to revisit that

3:50:31because there was a lot of interest a

3:50:33year and a half ago, two years ago, and

3:50:36economic climate and financing could

3:50:39have possibly changed. I agree with you

3:50:41100%. Let's table the m I would

3:50:43recommend table the matter. Let's go

3:50:45back to these developers, find out which

3:50:47are viable, and then come together.

3:50:50We're asking to come together to

3:50:52negotiate, to sit down and figure out

3:50:54what benefits the community. The

3:50:56community in the end is the one that

3:50:57we're all looking to benefit here.

3:51:00Increasing the tax revenue which we

3:51:01discussed, making sure that we stay

3:51:04solvent when it comes to meeting our

3:51:05obligations. That's all we're asking

3:51:07for. If in the end we decide that it

3:51:10doesn't benefit the citizens of of the

3:51:12community and there's no interest for

3:51:14it, then we move on to the next one.

3:51:18>> All right.

3:51:19>> I'm all for that. Thank you, Mr. um

3:51:21something that I have read on that uh

3:51:23proposals and I just think in top of my

3:51:25head u spent some time reading through

3:51:28every single one of of the project

3:51:31the majority of the projects that are in

3:51:35this on this piece of paper

3:51:38uh

3:51:40they're they are essentially looking for

3:51:44te

3:51:46and tai

3:51:48the majority of

3:51:51and they also looking for a specific

3:51:54amount of dollars that the city is

3:51:56holding for for specific reasons to be

3:52:00transferred over to some of the

3:52:03developments.

3:52:05So that's that was part of the proposal

3:52:08and some of the proposals also include

3:52:11that the city at least one of the

3:52:14proposal that uh it it's also including

3:52:17a letter of intent to buy the property

3:52:21after uh the city

3:52:24uh

3:52:26sell it to them. $10,000 4.5 squad

3:52:30that's 4.5 uh acres of land. Um, and

3:52:35then the city is supposed to on the dead

3:52:38center agreement is supposed to send out

3:52:41to that developer about $900,000 that

3:52:43the city that the city is sitting on for

3:52:46decontamination

3:52:48and essentially right away uh looking

3:52:51for a 30 a 20 years u tax incentive or

3:52:55of forgiveness

3:52:57uh on that specific project. So these

3:53:01projects are

3:53:04great on paper but a lot of things need

3:53:08to happen before we uh before we uh are

3:53:13clear with the entire business or deal.

3:53:17Uh, and yes, I agreed with the board

3:53:20that says we need to look at it from the

3:53:22top,

3:53:23but I also need to understand that the

3:53:27people that bought it for me, they're

3:53:30not there. They're going to look at me

3:53:32and said, "You didn't do your due

3:53:35diligence when it comes to that specific

3:53:38project and that deserve the community."

3:53:41So, I need to look at it from both

3:53:42sides. So I need to look at it from uh

3:53:45from the top end and also from the

3:53:47bottom end because my constituents are

3:53:50uh in the need of explanation and

3:53:52sometime I need to have those um and and

3:53:55and and that's basically sometime what

3:53:59that's a discrepancy.

3:54:00>> Mr. President, if I can respond to that

3:54:03statement. These projects are nowhere

3:54:05near what they might look like,

3:54:08especially now after it's been

3:54:10determined that you guys have the say on

3:54:13whether these projects move forward or

3:54:14not. Adding to uh or adding to the

3:54:17statement I made earlier to Mr. Council

3:54:19Lant, climate has changed, financing has

3:54:23changed, maybe the developers uh

3:54:26interest has changed. So I recommend

3:54:29again with all due respect, let's table

3:54:32the matter. Let's evaluate those that

3:54:34are viable, those that make sense, and

3:54:36let's come to the table, which is what

3:54:38we should have done a long time ago.

3:54:39However, legal minds, legal opinions

3:54:42that we followed led us down this path,

3:54:45and here's where we are today. We are

3:54:47all committed to working closely with

3:54:49you guys to determine what's the best

3:54:51benefit to the citizens of this

3:54:53community. In the end, we all have a

3:54:56stake because we all live here.

3:54:59>> Thank you, Mr.

3:55:00>> President. Council Lamo,

3:55:01>> um, if we're going to entertain to like

3:55:03table this matter, is this as a so I

3:55:06could submit this as a form of a motion,

3:55:08as a block to submit it, are we

3:55:10submitting this back to committee?

3:55:12Because if we're going on a case- by

3:55:15case basis,

3:55:17>> we're doing we're doing it at a

3:55:18committee level.

3:55:20>> All right. Um, so I'll

3:55:23withdraw my original motion,

3:55:25>> send it back to committ

3:55:27>> take all these items as a block.

3:55:30and send it send it as a motion to send

3:55:33it back to council president following

3:55:36following uh through you following the

3:55:38recommendation of uh council marl

3:55:42>> um I would I would instead of sending it

3:55:44to committee I would send it I would

3:55:46recommend send it to the committee as a

3:55:48whole we will give you a document

3:55:51>> no u that's the city council president

3:55:55>> I know

3:55:57>> appreciate your advice

3:55:58>> I'm trying my Yes. [laughter] Uh but we

3:56:01do then we can have the uh number one

3:56:04confirmation or if you send it to

3:56:06committee we can get uh uh letters from

3:56:11um the developers confirming that they

3:56:16are still interested in investing in

3:56:18Lawrence or in the project. uh so you

3:56:20can have proof uh to it which uh which

3:56:24projects are are which developers are

3:56:27still interested those that are not

3:56:29interested then we have to follow the

3:56:31same process that uh

3:56:34>> let's switch it around

3:56:35>> sorry

3:56:36>> well let's switch it a little bit I

3:56:38think that the L uh the the the city

3:56:42together with the L and our

3:56:44responsibility because the intents of

3:56:46the Late since it was formed through for

3:56:49a city council vote and approval by the

3:56:51mayor. It was that uh

3:56:54the the large redevelopment authority

3:56:57will help the city to develop

3:57:01and I think that the intent of the urban

3:57:03renewal plans was originally to develop

3:57:07specifics

3:57:08that they need the city needs. I think

3:57:10that we need to come up to the table and

3:57:13says this is what the city needs and

3:57:16then see what if any of those project

3:57:19fit the definition of the need of the

3:57:21city

3:57:23and after [snorts] that proceed if there

3:57:26is any project that fit the needs of the

3:57:28city

3:57:30and go from there. I mean right now what

3:57:35we have in front of us is the need of

3:57:38how we can develop those those

3:57:40properties in a way that the developer

3:57:45will make sense for the developer and

3:57:48sometime the L doesn't exist for that.

3:57:51So essentially the L exists to develop

3:57:55the need of the city and I I don't think

3:57:57that that was been that was take care of

3:57:59at the original uh request for proposal.

3:58:03So why don't we do that and figure it

3:58:05out what is the need of the city first

3:58:07and then see what projects feed on into

3:58:10those needs

3:58:13to be fair.

3:58:16I think that's that's uh through your

3:58:18process then we need to know exactly I

3:58:21mean we can have that and we can guide

3:58:23our consultant that is doing that and

3:58:25then that is working with us and then uh

3:58:29present it but be mindful that this this

3:58:32project this uh urban renewal plan was

3:58:34built into uh was prepared started in

3:58:372015 as you said or 14 or 15

3:58:40>> 15 that's 12 that's that's quite some

3:58:44time after. So even those project uh

3:58:48those intentions at that time uh we went

3:58:51through precoid postco and also now

3:58:55we're going through another situation

3:58:56with our economy. So we need to revisit

3:58:59and I agree with you if that's the

3:59:00process that you you need to you would

3:59:02like us to follow then we need to talk

3:59:04to the experts in the field uh our

3:59:07consultants to let them know that that's

3:59:09your wishes.

3:59:11All right, counselors. Anything else

3:59:13before we send this up? Council M. Um,

3:59:17and

3:59:17>> the reason why I'm about to ask this

3:59:19question is because obviously next week

3:59:21would be the subcommittee meetings. So,

3:59:24how much time would you say you would

3:59:26need to reach back out to these

3:59:28developers in order for you to get some

3:59:31sort of assessment?

3:59:32>> I think we need more than a week.

3:59:34>> No, no, for sure. Okay. So, I just

3:59:36wanted to make sure that I'm not

3:59:37scheduling. I don't know the exact time,

3:59:39but these, you know, some of some of

3:59:40these guys are very busy. They're big

3:59:42developers, and we have to, uh, see

3:59:43where their availability is to meet with

3:59:45us and discuss these projects.

3:59:47>> All right. If you don't mind reaching

3:59:48out to me or email myself, uh, city

3:59:51clerk and council president, letting us

3:59:53know when you guys are ready, and that

3:59:55way we could add something to the books.

3:59:58>> Sure. Thank you.

4:00:00>> Uh, council president, can I proceed

4:00:03with submitting this as a block and

4:00:04submitting it back to committee?

4:00:05>> Uh, no, no, no. What? I will do that.

4:00:07>> Oh, you will do that better.

4:00:09>> I just want to make sure like uh we we

4:00:12are finish up with the with the

4:00:14conversation about the Ly. We're done.

4:00:17All right. Item uh 3325.

4:00:20Item 333 25. 334 25. 335 25. 336 25. 337

4:00:2725. 338 25. 339 25.

4:00:33I going

4:00:36back to the housing committee.

4:00:39>> Housing and economic development.

4:00:40>> Housing and economic development

4:00:42committee.

4:00:43>> Yes. So,

4:00:46madame chair from the housing committee.

4:00:48Item uh

4:00:50>> this is the last item.

4:00:52>> Item uh 226

4:00:54update on status of litigation regarding

4:00:57the Lawrence Redevelopment Authority

4:00:59property transfers.

4:01:01Uh,

4:01:05a motion was made to submit this as a

4:01:06withdrawal considering that a decision

4:01:08already has been made. Um, and I submit

4:01:11that to you as a form of emotion.

4:01:12>> I think that throughout the discussion

4:01:13of the previous item, we get a lot a

4:01:16good update, but I mean, let's allow um,

4:01:18attorney Hon and the attorney of the LA

4:01:20to give us an update within the limits

4:01:22of that of the statute. We don't want to

4:01:24go over

4:01:24>> No, I I think we've already we've

4:01:26already stated it. Um, they have

4:01:28preserved their rights to an appeal. it.

4:01:30They have other things to do. I'll keep

4:01:32you updated as to what's happening.

4:01:34>> No problem. Anything else do you want to

4:01:35add? You don't have to, but I mean, if

4:01:37you want to add it.

4:01:38>> No.

4:01:39>> No. Thank you. [laughter] No problem.

4:01:40All right. Um

4:01:43I guess that since this item is not yet

4:01:46well defined,

4:01:48um the the the

4:01:50>> of the status of the litigation,

4:01:52>> the litigation haven't been finished

4:01:53yet. They have an an intent to appeal.

4:01:57>> Oh. Oh. They preserve the right.

4:01:59>> Preserve the right.

4:02:00>> Yeah.

4:02:01>> That's not

4:02:02>> No, they

4:02:02>> deserve the right or intent is two

4:02:04different things.

4:02:04>> No, no, no, no.

4:02:05>> They have the right, but Cheney, just

4:02:07say what what they have [laughter]

4:02:09>> that way.

4:02:10>> Is there intention or you just allow him

4:02:13to

4:02:14>> keeping the option open? They have

4:02:16preserved their right. They have filed a

4:02:18notice within the statutory time

4:02:19>> and a notice to appeal.

4:02:21>> Yeah.

4:02:22>> Yes, that's that's the proper word. A

4:02:24notice to appeal.

4:02:25>> Council President. Uh

4:02:26>> councelor Infante. Thank you. Um, I was

4:02:29following everything up until this

4:02:31point.

4:02:33So, what I'm getting out of this is that

4:02:36if we don't play ball or play fair,

4:02:39they're going to have that over our head

4:02:41saying, "Oh, we are going to make uh

4:02:44we're going to to make a a file to

4:02:47appeal." I'm hoping that's not the case.

4:02:50>> So, as the city attorney, finally, I get

4:02:52to speak as the city attorney. I think

4:02:54they're going to lose. So I don't think

4:02:55it's much to be hold over the head but

4:02:57that's my opinion and that was my

4:02:58opinion in the beginning. [laughter]

4:03:01>> I may respond to counselor invant if I

4:03:03may to you

4:03:06let me see if one more thing what I'm

4:03:08learning about these case briefs is that

4:03:10you never know what can happen so but I

4:03:12I like the confidence [laughter] sorry

4:03:14>> we're just preserving the right we we

4:03:18know what the you know best options are

4:03:20which we some of us had an idea but we

4:03:22listened to our legal advice and here we

4:03:24are today. So, we're open to dialogue.

4:03:26We're open to working together trying to

4:03:28see how we can move the city forward.

4:03:30That's all we're looking for right now.

4:03:32>> Thank you, Jon. Can you provide us with

4:03:34the uh timeline as of what is the how

4:03:38the process work when somebody file an

4:03:40intent to appeal?

4:03:41>> More than happy to.

4:03:42>> Thank you. Anything else, counselors?

4:03:45>> At this time, I'll entertain a motion to

4:03:47table this item at this at this point.

4:03:49>> So, move.

4:03:51>> There's a motion to table properly

4:03:53second. Uh all those in favor please say

4:03:54I.

4:03:55>> Any nays? The eyes have it. Ordinance

4:03:57committee. Thank you so much.

4:03:59>> Ordinance committee. Uh madame vice

4:04:01president and chair of the ordinance

4:04:02committee. Item 22526.

4:04:06>> Item

4:04:0822526

4:04:10is a resident park on street was sended

4:04:13with the uh to the full council to order

4:04:16a public hearing and I make it as a

4:04:17formal motion.

4:04:18>> There's a motion in front of us

4:04:20>> properly. Second discussion.

4:04:23I hear none. All those in favor, please

4:04:24say I.

4:04:25>> Any names? Guys have it. Item 5726.

4:04:29>> Item 25726,

4:04:31resident park SX3 from Greenwood Street

4:04:343 to War Street was full to order a

4:04:38public hearing and I make it as a formal

4:04:40motion.

4:04:40>> There's a motion in front of us properly

4:04:42second discussion. I hear none. All

4:04:44those in favor, please say I. I.

4:04:46>> The eyes have it. Item 37426. Item 37426

4:04:51is the creation of fourway stop at the

4:04:55intercession of Bruce 3 and cornius

4:04:58street was sended to the four council to

4:05:00order a public hearing. I make it as a

4:05:02formal motion.

4:05:02>> There's a motion in front of us properly

4:05:04second discussion. I hear none. All

4:05:06those in favor please say I.

4:05:08>> The eyes have it. Item 37526. Iron 3752C

4:05:13is a a stop sign

4:05:16three corner of Highland A was sended to

4:05:19the 4,000 to order a public hearing and

4:05:22now we make it as a formal motion.

4:05:24>> There's a motion in front of us.

4:05:25>> Second properly second [snorts]

4:05:26discussion. I hear none. All those in

4:05:28favor please say I.

4:05:30>> The eyes have it. Iron 38426

4:05:34resident parking west street between

4:05:37Archer Street and Manchester S3 was

4:05:40sended to the forecast to order a public

4:05:43hearing and I make as a formal motion

4:05:46>> second.

4:05:46>> There's a motion in front of us properly

4:05:48second discussion.

4:05:52Have you defined a time on that because

4:05:54we have issues before with the center?

4:05:56Yeah, it's away from the um from the um

4:06:00mechanics and it will be uniform from uh

4:06:03>> 7

4:06:03>> 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

4:06:05>> All right. All right. No problem. So all

4:06:07those in f please say I

4:06:08>> the eyes have it. Item 3856.

4:06:11>> Item 38526

4:06:13resident parking bay estate row was

4:06:16sended to the full council to order a

4:06:18public hearing and I make as a formal

4:06:20motion.

4:06:20>> Second.

4:06:20>> There is a motion in front of us

4:06:22properly second. Discussion

4:06:25I hear none. All those in favor, please

4:06:26say I.

4:06:27>> I.

4:06:27>> The eyes have it. Item 39626.

4:06:29>> Item 39626.

4:06:32The owners of this um

4:06:37and second dealer license. Uh we're here

4:06:41and we send it to the full council with

4:06:43favor recommendation.

4:06:44>> There's a motion in front of us to order

4:06:46this item.

4:06:46>> I ask make a formal motion.

4:06:49>> Uh can I hear a second?

4:06:51>> Second

4:06:52>> properly second discussion. Counselors,

4:06:56let's define this this this a little

4:06:58bit. Uh when it come when they come in

4:07:00front of us uh at the ordinance

4:07:03committee,

4:07:05>> this is a license to allow them to buy

4:07:07gold.

4:07:08>> No, they can no [laughter]

4:07:12>> because it say it said that.

4:07:14>> Yeah. Okay. So that's that's the way

4:07:17that the license is presented or the

4:07:20form is being presented. So it just only

4:07:23one forms you know but uh this is the

4:07:26>> how they use this license to buy and

4:07:29sell what

4:07:30>> magazine

4:07:32>> no trading cards

4:07:33>> trading cards comic books and comic and

4:07:36com magazine or

4:07:38>> they've been at the same address for the

4:07:39longest and now somebody showed up and

4:07:42on the news

4:07:43>> comic magazines

4:07:44>> comics and magazines got it

4:07:47>> all right collective items. All right.

4:07:49>> Yes.

4:07:50>> So they can sell and and and buy. All

4:07:51right. No problem. Counselors, any

4:07:53questions?

4:07:54>> I hear none. All those in favor, please

4:07:56say I.

4:07:56>> I. Have it. Item 30226.

4:08:00>> 402.

4:08:00>> 402.

4:08:01>> H 40226.

4:08:02>> Item 40226 is the prohibition of parking

4:08:06and designated

4:08:08bus stop was sended to the full council

4:08:11to order a public hearing because there

4:08:13is a ordinance. Now is uh we have a full

4:08:17withdrawal. There's a motion to

4:08:19withdraw.

4:08:20>> Yes.

4:08:20>> Second.

4:08:21>> Properly second. Discussion.

4:08:22>> Discussion.

4:08:23>> Councelor De Rosario.

4:08:25>> Thank you through you, Council

4:08:26President. After doing our due diligence

4:08:28and talking to the city attorney, we

4:08:30actually found the ordinance

4:08:3310.32.090.

4:08:37It's a use of bus stop parking. So, it's

4:08:40a cis. And it says it states that no

4:08:44person should park a vehicle other than

4:08:46the bus stop and a bus stop. No person

4:08:48should park the bus open any street

4:08:51waiting a business or whatever uh a

4:08:54business district other than the place

4:08:57bus stop nearby most available. Vehicles

4:09:01parked in violation of this section

4:09:03should be submitted to BTO in accordance

4:09:06to provision of section

4:09:0910.32.10

4:09:13as well as sgest to punishment by fine.

4:09:15So we already have a an ordinance in

4:09:18place uh when it comes to the bus stops.

4:09:21Uh it hasn't been used or hasn't been

4:09:24enforced. So it uh MIVA has been a vice

4:09:28and MIA and us have been on

4:09:30communication with DPW to get signs to

4:09:33to put up. Um this also will be just

4:09:37used when MIA is actually operating. So

4:09:41I will be

4:09:41>> all right. Um motion to withdraw

4:09:43properly second. Um the only thing that

4:09:45may need to do is actually get those bus

4:09:48stop approved by the council first.

4:09:49>> Okay.

4:09:50>> Because they haven't it's a temporary

4:09:53bus stop. Yes, they have some partis.

4:09:57>> It may be a good tense to open the

4:09:59conversation with them

4:10:00>> because I mean that was not the

4:10:02discussion.

4:10:03>> Okay. Council Levy.

4:10:04>> Um, after

4:10:07after the meeting, the ordering meetings

4:10:10that we talk about this

4:10:12item, I had a lot of phone call from

4:10:16different people first asking regarding

4:10:20taking the parking to some of the

4:10:23business on SS street. That's one.

4:10:26So also um

4:10:30I I already because uh that's we send it

4:10:33over here uh to to be sent for uh a

4:10:37public hearing. So they were supposed to

4:10:39come to the next meeting at the public

4:10:42hearing because they so there are people

4:10:44that would like to talk about this item

4:10:47and um not just only that but by taking

4:10:52that parking also they are getting the

4:10:56parking for people that are of the

4:10:59business and they will not be able to

4:11:02get the store or somebody will not be

4:11:04able to to park it around and there is

4:11:07so Any question on this regard?

4:11:10>> Yeah, it is important to recognize that

4:11:12um the temporary bus stop that the MIA

4:11:16has around the city, they are temporary.

4:11:19I don't know if this ordinance that is

4:11:20in place actually apply to them. But in

4:11:23the meantime, I guess that what what MIA

4:11:25is doing is trying out a new system uh

4:11:28that defer from the previous system they

4:11:31have, which is a flagging system. and

4:11:33they people uh raise their hand and the

4:11:36buses stop

4:11:39uh to a another system which is

4:11:42basically having a designated

4:11:44spot so the people can go

4:11:47>> and take the bus

4:11:49uh which another word will be the bus

4:11:52stops

4:11:54um that's another set of another set of

4:11:57conversation that me need to have

4:11:58because I mean I feel like when they

4:12:00were here uh talking at the ordinance

4:12:02committee related to this item. They

4:12:04were u introducing that indirectly

4:12:09uh with the intent of bringing it up at

4:12:11some point to the council. So what they

4:12:14say if you look at around if you are

4:12:16taking like in one side two spot and

4:12:19they're going to stop on the other side

4:12:21also is going to be taking another two

4:12:24>> and that is a very uh difficult for some

4:12:29of the business and how much is going to

4:12:32cost the city and how many pay the city

4:12:35are losing how much money the city is

4:12:38losing also that I was proud of the

4:12:39question that they brought. I know that

4:12:42they also um Miga also mentioned that

4:12:45it's going to be just only during the

4:12:48working time of the of the bus. It's not

4:12:52going to be like the 24

4:12:54>> once they get the project approved.

4:12:55That's what it's going to be. Right now

4:12:57it's temporary stops

4:12:58>> is that

4:12:59>> yeah

4:13:01but I hope that they can uh continue the

4:13:03conversation and bring it up bring it up

4:13:05because they changing the entire system

4:13:07from flagging to bus stops

4:13:10and then we can uh we can have that

4:13:12discussion at some point they will bring

4:13:14it in the meantime they have temporary

4:13:17stops

4:13:19that [snorts] uh

4:13:21>> can

4:13:22they were they they were well they they

4:13:26is supposed to comes not today but uh

4:13:30because like if we say that we uh order

4:13:32a public hearing and they said you know

4:13:35we said that he has to come on on that

4:13:37day not today.

4:13:39>> Understand? So in the meantime we have

4:13:41>> can we can we table and send

4:13:45corresponder or call?

4:13:47>> No council levy because what you

4:13:49discussing is completely different than

4:13:52what this ordinance is all about. This

4:13:54is to prohibit parking in front of the

4:13:56bus stops. There is already an ordinance

4:13:59and what you are talking about is

4:14:01whether or not that bus stop should be

4:14:03there. Uh that's a different topic.

4:14:09At some point MEA have to come because

4:14:11they have temporary temporary uh bus

4:14:14stops.

4:14:15>> At some point they need to come in front

4:14:16of us to make those permanent council

4:14:19president

4:14:19>> councelor Dazari

4:14:21>> and you and you're correct. It's a pilot

4:14:23program what they what they are trying

4:14:26to that that's part of the pilot program

4:14:28trying to get the stuff but it's already

4:14:30there they need to come back to us with

4:14:32with when they define which stop they

4:14:35need and we will be approving if they if

4:14:37they will allow them to stop there or

4:14:39not.

4:14:40So for now uh through you council

4:14:44president for now because I they are

4:14:46putting a lot of sign like ins

4:14:49uh there are some you know um

4:14:54if a car park in the place that I now is

4:14:58being marked as a as a uh a store of the

4:15:02bus can they still get a fine?

4:15:07>> You asking me?

4:15:09>> Yeah. [laughter] Uh if I if you asking

4:15:12me I'll say no they can't they will but

4:15:16that it shouldn't because those bus stop

4:15:19is temporary bus stops they're not

4:15:22permanent.

4:15:23>> Okay well

4:15:25>> for this is for clarification that

4:15:27people can also

4:15:29that they should get like

4:15:31>> the fine

4:15:32>> because right now AMEA is going around

4:15:34and putting a lot of bus stops around

4:15:37>> as a as part of the pilot program. But I

4:15:39mean uh once they become permanent the

4:15:41ordinance apply

4:15:43because I mean uh it cannot be just

4:15:47okay they're trying out this bus stop

4:15:49for for a week or it doesn't work and

4:15:52then they move a 10 ft over

4:15:55>> and then it's another section.

4:15:58So

4:15:59>> just only for clarification that people

4:16:01understand to be honest is a pilot

4:16:03program that is

4:16:04>> the intent of that um of that of the

4:16:09project

4:16:10need the help of a a measure that allow

4:16:14them to try it out. And if they just

4:16:17have cars in front of those bus stops

4:16:20then we're going to be able find out

4:16:22whether or not that's a good spot. So we

4:16:25need to work with them to see if that's

4:16:26going to be uh worth it and then at some

4:16:30point they need to present it as why

4:16:31they changing it with the specific stops

4:16:35that they proposing but that's not the

4:16:37case right now. They haven't they

4:16:39haven't bring anything to the council.

4:16:44>> So the motion right now is for withdraw.

4:16:47>> Yes.

4:16:47>> Okay.

4:16:48>> Motion to withdraw. It is any other

4:16:50questions? I hear none. All those in

4:16:52favor please say I. Any nays? You guys

4:16:56have it.

4:16:58Do we have anything else?

4:17:02>> Next page of the bottom two items

4:17:06with document.

4:17:09>> Yes, sir.

4:17:16>> 387

4:17:17>> 37

4:17:19>> 386.

4:17:20All right. Councilors, can I get a

4:17:22motion to arm table and to withdraw item

4:17:2438726?

4:17:27>> There's a motion in front of us

4:17:29>> properly second discussion. I hear none.

4:17:32All those in favor, please say I. I

4:17:35>> the eyes have it. Um in this

4:17:40>> I think they're online too.

4:17:43>> Counselors, we have a couple of items

4:17:45here that we need uh the council's

4:17:46attention.

4:17:49one item uh the YM the YWCA

4:17:53they have an annual meeting

4:17:56uh that they do for the kids.

4:18:00>> It's a Halloween community event at the

4:18:03company in common that's going to take

4:18:05place in 10 days.

4:18:08Uh and they are looking to uh see if the

4:18:12council can approve this item. For that

4:18:15we need

4:18:20You see it went on.

4:18:22Uh for that we need a motion to declare

4:18:27this item as an emergency.

4:18:32>> And uh the process for that is uh we

4:18:34need to take three votes. One to suspend

4:18:37rule 12A. The other one is to declare

4:18:40the item as an emergency. And if those

4:18:43two those two goes through and then we

4:18:44can take a motion uh to approve if

4:18:46that's the case. The item is for the

4:18:48kids and it's for the Halloween party

4:18:51that take place every year.

4:18:54So can I get a motion to suspend Rule

4:18:5612A?

4:18:58>> There is a motion to suspend Route 12 A

4:19:00property second discussion. I hear none.

4:19:03All those in favor please say I.

4:19:04>> I

4:19:09no. He didn't ask if there was any nos.

4:19:12>> Any nays?

4:19:12>> Nay.

4:19:13>> Okay. Malang clerk.

4:19:17>> Council La Plant.

4:19:18>> No.

4:19:19>> Um, Council Deario,

4:19:22>> yes.

4:19:22>> Council Reyes,

4:19:23>> yes.

4:19:23>> Council Ponte,

4:19:25>> yes.

4:19:25>> Council Marmal,

4:19:27>> yes.

4:19:27>> Council Miguel,

4:19:28>> no.

4:19:29>> Councelor Gonzalez,

4:19:31>> yes.

4:19:32>> Council Vice President,

4:19:33>> here.

4:19:33>> Council President,

4:19:34>> I don't want to see your kid down there.

4:19:36They vote. Yes.

4:19:38>> [laughter]

4:19:39>> All right, then let's declare this item

4:19:41as an emergency. Can I get a motion?

4:19:45>> Motion to declare this as an emergency.

4:19:47>> There's a motion in front of us.

4:19:49Properly second discussion. I hear none.

4:19:51All those in favor, please say I.

4:19:52>> I.

4:19:53>> Any names?

4:19:53>> No.

4:19:54>> Uh, Madame Cler, please call the role.

4:19:57>> Council Gonzalez,

4:19:58>> yes.

4:19:58>> Council Miguel, no.

4:20:00>> Council Mamo,

4:20:01>> yes.

4:20:02>> Councelor Fonte,

4:20:03>> yes.

4:20:03>> Council Reyes,

4:20:04>> yes.

4:20:04>> Council Del Rosario,

4:20:05>> yes. Council of plant.

4:20:08>> No.

4:20:08>> Council vice president.

4:20:10>> Yes.

4:20:10>> Council president.

4:20:11>> Yes. Motion carries. Councilors, what's

4:20:13the motion?

4:20:14>> There's a motion to approve properly.

4:20:16Second.

4:20:16>> Discussion.

4:20:17>> Discussion. Council plan.

4:20:18>> Do they have other paperwork? They had

4:20:20clearance. Is everything all set?

4:20:21[snorts]

4:20:22>> Madame clerk.

4:20:23>> Can you attest that they have

4:20:24everything?

4:20:24>> Yeah. All of the paperwork is filed both

4:20:27through my office and through

4:20:28recreation. Um,

4:20:31[snorts]

4:20:31>> yeah. I and I know the hour is late.

4:20:33Someone give me give me 20 seconds if

4:20:36that long.

4:20:36>> Cancel the plan.

4:20:37>> I'm disappointed in this group.

4:20:39>> The council president himself said

4:20:41they've been doing it every year.

4:20:43>> What happened? Why are they doing it the

4:20:44right way?

4:20:45>> Maybe that's a question that we can have

4:20:46to them.

4:20:46>> But but that's my point. We we expect

4:20:49better from these organizations that

4:20:51have been around for a while. That's

4:20:52all.

4:20:53>> Thank you. Fair enough. Any other

4:20:55questions? Counselor.

4:20:57>> All right. Uh this point I'll call the

4:20:59questions. All those in favor, please

4:21:00say I. I. Any nays?

4:21:04>> Roll call.

4:21:06>> Um, council plant.

4:21:08>> Yes.

4:21:09>> Council del Rosario.

4:21:10>> Yes.

4:21:10>> Council Reyes.

4:21:12>> Yes.

4:21:12>> Councelor Infonte.

4:21:13>> Yes.

4:21:14>> Councelor Marmal.

4:21:15>> Yes.

4:21:15>> Council Miguel.

4:21:17>> Councelor Gonzalez.

4:21:18>> Yes.

4:21:19>> Council Vice President.

4:21:20>> Yes.

4:21:20>> Council President.

4:21:21>> Motion carries.

4:21:22>> Thank you.

4:21:23>> Um, okay. Let's go to new business. Uh,

4:21:26counselors, bear with me. I don't have

4:21:28my glasses. Item 40526, authorization to

4:21:32spend uh $300 gift uh from the state of

4:21:36U. Constance M. Catali

4:21:41and that's going to the uh budget and

4:21:42finance committee. Item 30 40626

4:21:46authorization to spend $70,000 from

4:21:49Catalo ambulance services from Lawrence

4:21:51Firefire EM EM coordinator salary. Uh

4:21:56that's going to the way finance

4:21:58committee. Item photo 4726

4:22:01photo 40726 authorization to spend 400

4:22:05um 43,500

4:22:08from BG BJA fiscal year 2025 Edwan uh

4:22:13Edwan bine memorial justice assistance J

4:22:17grant that's going to the finance

4:22:20committee item 40 photos 40826

4:22:23introducing a pilot program sound

4:22:26thinking plate rangers 's automated

4:22:29license plate re uh recognition.

4:22:33That's going to the [snorts]

4:22:36>> safety.

4:22:37>> I think it's a grant. Oh, no.

4:22:39>> No, it's just a pilot program.

4:22:42>> All right, let's go. Let's send it over

4:22:43to Is any money related to this pilot

4:22:45program?

4:22:48>> Nothing on the memo mentioned money. Um

4:22:50I always state the amount of

4:22:52>> counselors. Uh will you suggest this

4:22:55item which is a license plate rated to

4:22:57go to the budget and finance committee

4:22:58is that okay

4:23:01>> eventually together you know

4:23:03>> will I mean is there's a couple of items

4:23:05together related to money and this is

4:23:07one of them so okay I'll send it to the

4:23:09budget and finance committee item 40926

4:23:12uh net metering electricity offstake

4:23:17agreement 20 years uh electric

4:23:20electricity bill credit agreement with

4:23:23978 uh solar development. That's going

4:23:26to the violent finance committee.

4:23:29It 41026 transfer of fund $2,000 from

4:23:33legal services um account uh 0 10415305

4:23:39to claims 104 uh 4115761

4:23:46that's going to the B finance committee.

4:23:48Item 41126, appointment of uh Bale

4:23:51Kalinet Perez as a OPD director. That's

4:23:55going to personnel committee. Uh 41226,

4:23:58Lawrence Police Department uh flux

4:24:01safety cameras. Uh that's going to

4:24:04safety item 4 uh 413 26 Lawrence Police

4:24:09Department uh shooting statistic

4:24:12uh public safety technology. That's

4:24:14going to public safety item four uh

4:24:1741426

4:24:19contract

4:24:21contractors and development a compliance

4:24:24with the city ordinance and permit

4:24:26requirements

4:24:28that's going to public safety

4:24:30uh 41526 creation on ordinance assistant

4:24:34director of personnel

4:24:37that's going to personnel

4:24:39item 46 uh 41726

4:24:42install a J O Paul and um Mron Street

4:24:46and Brook uh Brooklyn Street that's

4:24:49going to ordinance committee item uh

4:24:5241826

4:24:53one way Orchard Street that's going to

4:24:56ordinance committee item 41926 1 hour

4:24:59parking uh the new city Mara Park and

4:25:03that's going to ordinance committee item

4:25:064206

4:25:07uh resident parking on Fairmont Street

4:25:10both sides from Aurn Street to uh

4:25:13Country Road. That's going to Ordinance

4:25:15Committee. Item 42126, remove handicap

4:25:18parking at 57

4:25:21uh 157 Favia Street, Ordinance

4:25:23Committee. Item 4226, removing and

4:25:25handicap parking 159 Fior Street.

4:25:28Ordinance Committee. Item 43326,

4:25:32remove handicap parking 18 Orchard

4:25:34Street. Uh ordinance committee. Um

4:25:40>> that's duplicative. Okay. Item 42525,

4:25:44uh, child childcare parking 16 Orchard

4:25:46Street, Ordinance Committee. Item 42626,

4:25:51uh, remove handicap parking at uh, 23

4:25:53Alder Street. Ordinance committee item

4:25:5642726, remove uh, ordinance uh, remove

4:26:00handicap parking at 20 21 Walder Street.

4:26:03Uh, ordinance committee item 42826,

4:26:06handicap parking at 195 street. Uh,

4:26:09ordinance committee. Item 429 26

4:26:11handicap parking at 45 MO Street.

4:26:14Ordinance committee.

4:26:16Item 430 26 15 minute parking at 375 X

4:26:20Street. Ordinance committee. And item

4:26:2233126

4:26:2415 minute parking at uh 33 Street.

4:26:26Ordinance committee. Uh, committee

4:26:29meetings. Counelors.

4:26:32>> Well, we have two meetings are the

4:26:35ordinance and the

4:26:36>> committee of the home. the committee or

4:26:39the that could be Tuesday

4:26:42at 6:00.

4:26:45>> She knows I don't know how many times to

4:26:47say it.

4:26:48>> Okay. What is uh what your availability

4:26:51council uh

4:27:00>> for next week?

4:27:02>> Yes.

4:27:04>> Going to have to be Thursday. So we have

4:27:06budget and finance committee and

4:27:08personal

4:27:10>> Thursday

4:27:11>> and do like 6 and 6:30 or

4:27:13>> right Thursday uh for uh those two

4:27:17committees.

4:27:18>> Yeah. 6 and 6:30.

4:27:20>> So personnel is usually faster.

4:27:23>> Personnel is 6 budget and finance at

4:27:256:30.

4:27:27>> Um

4:27:29uh safety

4:27:33>> I'm gonna have to take Wednesday.

4:27:37Oh, Monday.

4:27:38>> Monday is a holiday.

4:27:40>> Oh, sorry. [laughter]

4:27:42>> I didn't I didn't realize it.

4:27:45>> So,

4:27:48>> Tuesday, Wednesday,

4:27:51um public safety

4:27:547:00 is good.

4:27:56>> Safety uh Wednesday.

4:27:58>> How about um Can we do the hole? What

4:28:00time do we say?

4:28:01>> It says 6 and then 7.

4:28:05Mr. President, we didn't like which one

4:28:08is going to be first.

4:28:09>> So you said committee of the house six

4:28:11and then ordinance

4:28:14>> right after 6:00 just in case.

4:28:17>> Okay. Which one?

4:28:18>> Public safety.

4:28:22>> Can we just say when is the committee on

4:28:24the whole

4:28:25>> Mon? Uh Tuesday at 6 p.m.

4:28:28>> It should not be at 6. It should do it

4:28:29after 6. We can sh some of us have got

4:28:32other work responsibilities and 6 is all

4:28:36early.

4:28:37>> So 6:30 would be the earliest.

4:28:39>> The earliest

4:28:40>> you should really have it at seven.

4:28:42What's that?

4:28:42>> Do you want to switch them around to

4:28:43ordinance?

4:28:45>> It's not that much. I mean

4:28:47>> it's not that much.

4:28:49>> Yeah.

4:28:50>> It's all going. It's all the same.

4:28:52>> I think so ordinary can be less less

4:28:54than an hour.

4:28:59What happens just to refer? All right.

4:29:026:30 ordinance or 6:00 or 7:30 committee

4:29:06of the hall.

4:29:06>> Committee of the home.

4:29:08>> Is that okay?

4:29:10>> Is okay. So, what we need to ask

4:29:12>> All right. 6 uh 6 pm for ordinance and

4:29:15then

4:29:16>> I'll be here at 7 for the committee.

4:29:23>> That's that's the problem with

4:29:26>> Okay.

4:29:26>> Did we move it on Wednesday? It's not if

4:29:29we move it to Thursday, it's not. So

4:29:31it's

4:29:32>> what it is is some of our commitments

4:29:34and work and we have worked through our

4:29:36work that 7:00 on Tuesday is when we

4:29:38have available and my work open Tuesdays

4:29:43till late right but for these years I've

4:29:45been working that at 7 o'clock is when I

4:29:47have the meeting and they don't touch me

4:29:48on Tuesdays at that time. But I've been

4:29:51lately we've been changing and switching

4:29:54and guess what? I got to take my time

4:29:56off from work that I don't that I don't

4:29:57get it here and and and vacation time to

4:30:00try to come to the meeting. So I'll be

4:30:02here for the meeting as a committee as a

4:30:04whole at 700. I cannot be here at 6:30

4:30:06for ordinance or 6. I could be here

4:30:08Tuesday at 7. That's my availability for

4:30:11Tuesday.

4:30:12>> President also the secretary. She's

4:30:14working. She cannot be taking time.

4:30:23Um

4:30:28um ordinance. Do you want to put it on

4:30:30another time?

4:30:33>> Wednesday.

4:30:38>> What if you I go up one day?

4:30:42>> I don't have the ability to be in

4:30:43Wednesday.

4:30:44>> Okay. It's day like that. Uh ordinance

4:30:47at 6:30

4:30:49uh committee of the hall at 7.

4:30:52Okay. Any u any other question

4:30:55counselors? Any uh tail of matters that

4:30:58we want to remove? I hear none. Can I

4:31:00get a motion to adjourn?

4:31:04>> Can I hear Can I get a second?

4:31:06>> Second.

4:31:07>> Properly second. Discussion. I hear

4:31:08none. All those in favor, please say I.

4:31:10>> I. Any?