2026-06-22 - City Council

0:01and I'll call the city council to order

0:03at 8:00 on Monday evening, June 22nd,

0:062026. This meeting is being recorded.

0:10Please join me in the pledge of

0:12allegiance.

0:13>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

0:16United States of America and to the

0:18republic for which it stands, one nation

0:21under God, indivisible, with liberty and

0:24justice for all.

0:26>> Thank you. We have 15 items on this

0:30evening's agenda and I will ask the city

0:32clerk to please read agenda item number

0:33one

0:34>> minutes of the city council meeting June

0:358th 2026

0:37>> council of vital

0:38>> Mr. President, I'd like to make a motion

0:39to accept and place on file the minutes.

0:41>> Motion's made in second to accept and

0:43place on file the minutes. Any

0:44discussion on the motion? Seeing none,

0:47those in favor? Opposed. The minutes are

0:49filed and the vote is 100. Agenda item

0:51number two.

0:52>> Communication from councilors Aing and

0:54Naven regarding municipal aggregation

0:55June 2026 update.

0:57>> Council Naven.

0:58>> Thank you, Mr. President. Here we are

1:00again. Um I just want to note a couple

1:03of things. Um in the last quarter um the

1:05residents who have signed up for the

1:07municipal aggregation plan um have saved

1:09$274,587.

1:13Um they continue to do so. It's a it's a

1:15modest amount u by comparison to some

1:17quarters, but still we're doing quite

1:19well and that is to make up um that is

1:21with us making up the day ahead

1:23ancillary charges um for ISO New

1:25England. So we continue to do well and

1:27that rate is still below the national

1:29grid um basic retail rate. Um we also

1:32have 100% renewable energy um which is

1:35part of this contract and that is

1:38further um that is further savings for

1:41um by comparison to the national grid

1:43green rate. We have saved to date um

1:4638,636,000.

1:49That's for all residents who are

1:50participating in this program. Um and so

1:52whereas the numbers may seem um you know

1:54relatively modest quarter to quarter um

1:56they certainly are adding up to real

1:58dollars. And then finally, I do also

2:00want to note that um the municipal

2:02aggregation committee will be meeting on

2:03June 30th um for an update and to

2:05discuss pending challenges that we are

2:07facing. So with that, I recommend move

2:10to recommend that we accept and place on

2:11file. Motion remains second to accept

2:13and place on file the communication. Any

2:15discussion on the motion? Seeing none,

2:17all those in favor? Opposed?

2:19Communication is filed and the vote is

2:20100. Agenda item number three,

2:23>> communication from councelor Ducet

2:24regarding additional information

2:25regarding geothermal energy. Order

2:27number 26-1009726.

2:30>> Mr. President Ducet.

2:31>> Thank you very much, Mr. President. Uh

2:34motion to accept and place on file uh

2:36the information. There is a link that is

2:39on this page. I'm going to be building

2:41into a QR code so you can actually scan

2:43it because if I press the here button,

2:45it don't go there yet. So I'll work on

2:47that. Thank you.

2:49>> Thank you, councelor Duz. And it should

2:51work.

2:51>> So it should work on on the PDF online.

2:55>> I I will try it online. And it is on it

2:57is on uh the city clerk and city council

2:59website as well.

3:00>> Excellent. Thank you folks. Appreciate

3:01it.

3:02>> On the motion to accept and place on

3:03file the communication. Any discussion

3:05on the motion? Seeing none, all those in

3:07favor? Opposed? Communication is filed

3:09and the vote is 100. Agenda item number

3:12four.

3:12>> Communication from the mayor regarding

3:14grant acceptance in the amount of

3:15$59,500

3:16from the Mass Division of Conservation

3:18Services awarded to the city to be used

3:20for the preliminary measures needed to

3:22evaluate the potential acquisition of

3:23the Hood Tree Farm property. Councelor

3:26Iris.

3:26>> Thank you, Mr. President. Motion to

3:27approve the grant, please.

3:28>> Motion's made and seconded to approve

3:30the grant. Any discussion on the motion?

3:33Seeing none, all those in favor?

3:35Opposed? The grant is approved and the

3:37vote is 100. Agenda item number five.

3:39>> Communication from the mayor regarding

3:40proposed ordinance amendments to the

3:42city code. Chapter 125 personnel section

3:445 preparation of classification

3:45descriptions and to chapter 125

3:47personnel section 6 salary schedule

3:49relative to the position of recreation

3:51coordinator.

3:52>> Counc.

3:53>> Thank you, Mr. President. Motion to

3:54refer to the finance committee, please.

3:55>> Motion is made and seconded to refer to

3:57the finance committee. Any discussion on

3:59the motion? Seeing none, all those in

4:01favor? Opposed? The item is going to

4:04finance and the vote is 10. Agenda item

4:07number six.

4:07>> Communication from the mayor regarding

4:08the appointment of Aaron Regusa Katon as

4:11city collector assistant director of

4:12finance for a two-year term from the

4:14date of council confirmation.

4:15>> Council Orum.

4:16>> Thank you, Mr. President. I'm going to

4:18recommend that we refer this to the

4:20personnel committee.

4:21>> Motion remains seconded. refer this item

4:23to the personnel committee. Any

4:25discussion on the motion? Seeing none,

4:27all those in favor? Opposed? This item's

4:29going to personnel and the vote is 100.

4:32Agenda item number seven, communication

4:34from assistant city solicitor Jeremy

4:36Mcmanis regarding request for release of

4:38a lowinccome deed restriction on the

4:40unit at 64 Village Drive, excuse me,

4:42unit 4 in proper legal form, order

4:44number 26-1009754.

4:47Councelor Roby.

4:48>> Thank you, Mr. President.

4:51First, I'll push my button back again

4:54and move to accept and place on further

4:55communication. Then I would like to

4:57suspend the ask for a suspension to move

5:00agenda item number 15 up to this item

5:03rather than holding it.

5:05>> Yeah. No, you don't have to suspension.

5:06You just make a motion to move item 15

5:08up with to discuss with number seven as

5:10well.

5:10>> So move motion's been made and seconded

5:13to move item 15 up to agenda item number

5:16seven. Any discussion on the motion? All

5:19those in favor opposed. Item 15 is now

5:21along with item seven. Councelor Roby.

5:24>> Thank you, Mr. President. So, I'm going

5:25to move to approve the release of the

5:29affordable housing restriction which was

5:31the recommendation of committee and

5:33which is in proper form from the

5:34solicitor.

5:35>> Motion's made in second to approve the

5:37deed restriction removal. Any discussion

5:38on the motion?

5:41>> Seeing none of those in favor? Opposed?

5:43It is approved and the vote is 10-0.

5:46You're all set, Mr. Attorney Cypriano.

5:49Agenda item number eight.

5:50>> Communication from assistant city

5:51solicitor Jeremy Mcmanis regarding

5:53proposed salary ordinance amendment

5:54pursuant to chapter 125 personnel

5:56section six salary schedule relative to

5:58the positions of city collector

5:59assistant director of finance city

6:01collector recreation director assistant

6:03recreation director in proper legal form

6:05order number 26-100 967 9697D.

6:10>> Councelor Irish.

6:11>> Thank you Mr. Uh motion to move down to

6:13reports please. Motion made in second.

6:14Move this item down to reports of

6:16committees. Any discussion on the

6:17motion? Seeing none, all those in favor?

6:19Opposed? This item's going down to

6:21reports of committees. And the vote is

6:22100.

6:24Agenda item number nine, application for

6:27junk dealer, secondhand dealer license

6:28by Paulo Dumont, DBA, Amigold Financial

6:31LLC, 257 Simano Drive, Unit Suite 150.

6:35>> Council Pillo.

6:36>> Thank you, Mr. President. Move to refer

6:38the junk dealer license to the public

6:40services committee. Motion made second

6:42refer the junk dealers's license to the

6:43public services committee. Any

6:45discussion on the motion? Seeing none,

6:47are those in favor? Opposed? This item's

6:49going to public service and the vote is

6:5110. Agenda item number 10.

6:53>> Communication from TVI Inc. DBA Savers

6:56regarding a request to amend condition

6:57number four of their junk dealer

6:58secondhand dealer license for the hours

7:00of operation of the store at 222A East

7:03Main Street.

7:04>> Council Fillo.

7:05>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um, after

7:07reviewing the amendment to the

7:08condition, uh, I am moving to approve,

7:12uh, the change in the hours of

7:13operation.

7:14>> Motion's made in second to approve the

7:16hour the hours that amend the current

7:18hours at Savers, which really reduces

7:21them. Uh, gets rid of the what October

7:24set of hours that they had.

7:27>> The motion made, seconded to approve the

7:29amendment to the hours at Savers. Any

7:30discussion on the motion?

7:33Seeing none, all those in favor?

7:34Opposed? The motion to amend the saver's

7:36hours is approved and the vote is 100.

7:39Agenda item number 11,

7:40>> petition to mass electric and Verizon to

7:42install one join pole on Pleasant Street

7:44beginning at a point approximately 250

7:46ft northwest of the center line of the

7:48intersection of West Main Street

7:49National Grid to install a 50ft class 2

7:51pole. The pole will be installed between

7:53pole three and pole four on Pleasant

7:55Street on the same side of the road as

7:57pole 3 and pole 4. The pole will be

7:59labeled P350 on Pleasant Street.

8:02>> Council Fello. Thank you, Mr. President.

8:04I move to set a date for a public

8:06hearing on July 20th and to refer to the

8:08city engineer.

8:09>> Motion made and second to set a public

8:11hearing for July 20th and we refer this

8:13item to the city engineer. Any

8:15discussion on the motion? Seeing none,

8:18all those in favor? Opposed? Excuse me.

8:20The item is approved to have a public

8:22hearing on July 20th and referred to the

8:24city engineer and the vote is 100.

8:26Agenda item number 12. Tition of Mass

8:28Electric and Verizon to install one

8:29joint owned pole on Sedbury Street

8:31beginning at a point approximately 400

8:32ft south of the center line of the

8:34intersection of Carver Hill Carver Hill

8:36Road National Grant to install a 50ft

8:39class H1 pole. The pole will be

8:41installed between pole 36 and pole 37 on

8:43Sbury Street on the same side of the

8:44road as pole 36 and 37 and the pole will

8:47be labeled P 3750. Councelor Fillo.

8:50>> Thank you, Mr. President. Mass electric

8:52and Barzin are keeping us busy. I move

8:54to uh hold a public hearing on July 20th

8:57and refer to the city engineer.

8:59>> Motion's made and seconded to hold a

9:00public hearing on July 20th and refer

9:02this item to the city engineer. Any

9:05discussion on the motion? Seeing none,

9:07all those in favor? Opposed? Motion

9:10carries. This is going to be a public

9:11hearing on July 20th and we'll refer to

9:13the city engineer and the vote is 100.

9:17Agenda item 13.

9:18>> Minutes of boards, commissions, and

9:19committees.

9:20>> Councelor Ducet.

9:21>> Mr. President motion to accept and place

9:23on file the minutes.

9:25>> Motion made second to accept and place

9:26on file the minutes. Any discussion on

9:28the motion?

9:30Seeing none, all those in favor?

9:32Opposed. Minutes are filed and the vote

9:34is 100. Reports of committees. Who would

9:37like to go first? Councelor Irish.

9:41Thank you, Mr. President. Uh finance uh

9:44finance committee met on June 15, 2026.

9:47uh meeting convened at 6:30 p.m. Uh we

9:50had two items on the agenda that

9:52evening. Uh first item was order number

9:5426-1009765.

9:58Uh creation of the Lazot Drive

9:59stabilization account and transfer

10:02request in the amount of $200,000.

10:04Um, on a motion by Council Fillo,

10:07seconded by the chair, uh, the committee

10:09recommends approval of the transfer

10:11request in the amount of $50,000 from

10:13the undesated funds uh, free cash to the

10:15Westside Fire Station stabilization

10:17account. Uh, that carried vote carried 5

10:20to zero. Uh, next was on a motion by

10:22council, second by the chair. Uh, the

10:25committee recommends approval of the

10:27order to create the Lazot Drive uh,

10:29stabilization account. That vote carried

10:31520.

10:34On a motion by council, seconded by the

10:36chair, uh the committee recommends

10:38approval of the transfer request in

10:40$50,000 and $100,000 from the undesated

10:44fund free cash to the newly established

10:46Lazot Drive uh stabilization account.

10:49That vote carried 520.

10:52Next up was uh order number 26-1009697D.

10:57Uh tax salary ordinance for the

10:59following positions. City collector

11:01assistant finance director. city

11:03collector, recreation director starting

11:06at step four and assistant recreation

11:08director. Uh on a motion by council

11:11vital, seconded by the chair, uh the

11:13committee recommends the sevenst step

11:15salary ordinance for the positions of

11:17city collector, assistant finance

11:19director, uh city collector, recreation

11:22director, and assistant recreation

11:24director, which shall be based on 40hour

11:27per week with an effective date of

11:29August 1st, 2026.

11:31uh be sent to the city solicitor to be

11:34placed in proper legal form um which is

11:37attached. That vote carried 5 to zero.

11:40Uh the meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.

11:42Mr. President, that's the end of my

11:43report and I will be asking for two

11:46suspensions. The first one would be on

11:48order number 26-1009765.

11:52>> Motion made and seconded for a

11:54suspension for order number 9765, which

11:56is the lot drive stabilization account.

11:59All those in favor of the suspension

12:01opposed. Suspension is approved and the

12:03vote is 100. Councelor Irish.

12:05>> Thank you, Mr. President. Uh move the

12:06recommendation of committee to approve

12:08the Lazot Drive stabilization account

12:10along with the transfer request. Please

12:13>> motion made and seconded to approve the

12:15Lazot Drive stabilization account and

12:17the two transfers, one for 50,000 for

12:20the Westside Fire Station and the second

12:22$150,000 into that newly created Lazot

12:25Drive stabilization account. Any

12:27discussion on the motion? Seeing none,

12:29all those in favor opposed. The motion

12:32carries. The transfers are approved

12:34along with the creation of Lazot Drive

12:36stabilization account and the vote is

12:38100. Councelor Irish.

12:39>> Thank you, Mr. President. I will also be

12:41asking for suspension this evening for

12:42order number 26-10096-97D.

12:46Please.

12:47>> Motion's made in second to suspend the

12:49rules for order number 9697D,

12:51which is the salary ordinance, sevenstep

12:54salary ordinances for the four

12:55positions. All those in favor of the

12:56suspension 245 10. Uh the mo the

13:00suspension carries and the vote is 10.

13:03Councelor Irish.

13:04>> Thank you. Uh move the recommend move

13:06the recommendation committee to

13:07advertise. Please.

13:09>> Motion made in second to advertise the

13:11salary ordinance for those four

13:13positions. Any discussion on the motion?

13:16Seeing none, all those in favor? Oppose.

13:19The four positions will be advertised

13:22and the vote is 100.

13:24>> Thank you, Mr. Anything else there?

13:26>> Yes. Uh, thank you, Mr. President. Uh,

13:27public service announcement, the finance

13:29committee will be meeting on July 13,

13:312026.

13:33>> And just a quick point of order to Mr.

13:35President, if I may ask, um, doing those

13:38transfer that did include the 50,000 for

13:40the Westside Fire Station.

13:42>> It did.

13:42>> Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you.

13:45>> Who wants to go next? Councelor Roi.

13:49Such a gentleman. Councelor,

13:50>> most certainly.

13:52>> Thank you, Mr. President. So, the Urban

13:54Affairs and Housing Committee met on

13:55Wednesday, June 17th at 7:30. We had two

13:58items on our agenda. The first one was

14:00order number 261009747,

14:04an application for a modification of a

14:06special permit from Matthew Donnelly on

14:08behalf of Target to amend condition

14:10number nine, signage requirements to

14:12increase the wall signage from 3 to four

14:15for the Target located at 423 Donald

14:17Lynch Boulevard. Present for the

14:19applicant was Matthew Donnelly. Uh the

14:22chair read through the comments from the

14:23department heads. No one had an issue

14:25except for the building commissioner

14:27Payton questioning whether we were going

14:29to allow the increase in the maximum

14:33square footage of the signs. I also read

14:36a letter from the assistant city

14:37solicitor stating that the council could

14:39amend the conditions but the planning

14:41board would be required to do a variance

14:44because it was over the 300 foot

14:46allowed. So the applicant was given that

14:48information.

14:51Council Vchilla move to amend the

14:53current permit 9A to read wall signage.

14:56Two signs located over the store

14:58entrances, one pharmacy sign and one

15:00sign to read drive up. All the sign

15:02locations are as depicted on the front

15:04elevation and left elevation as shown on

15:07signs on the plan stated May 10th, 2025.

15:10The motion was seconded and carried. And

15:13then there was a motion to recommend

15:15approving the current signed permit as

15:17amended, which also carried. Um, this is

15:20in proper form, so I can ask for a

15:23suspension to take it up this evening.

15:27>> I don't think it's

15:28>> I'm sorry, it's not I'm confusing myself

15:30with all this. Suspend the rules to

15:32refer to the solicitor to be put in

15:34proper form.

15:35>> Been a request for suspension of the

15:36rules to for the target special permit

15:39to be sent to the solicitor. All those

15:40in favor of the suspension opposed.

15:42Suspension carries 100. Council Roby.

15:45>> Thank you. Move to refer this to the

15:46solicitor to be put in proper form for

15:48the July 20th meeting.

15:50>> Motion made and seconded to refer this

15:52item to the solicitor to be put in

15:54proper format for our next meeting on

15:56July 20th. Any discussion on the motion?

15:59Seeing none, all those in favor?

16:00Opposed. Item carries and the vote is

16:03100 to refer this to the solicitor put

16:05in proper format for our July 20th

16:07meeting. Councelor Roby.

16:09>> Thank you. The second item on the agenda

16:11was order number 261009705,

16:14a communication from attorney Robert C.

16:16Buckley on behalf of Redgate Real Estate

16:18Advisors LLC regarding the proposed

16:20zoning amendment to chapter 650 zoning

16:23to add a new section to create the

16:25Forest Street Residential Overlay

16:27District FSD.

16:30President for the applicant or attorney

16:31Buckley and attorney Christine Hung from

16:34Rhymer Bronstein and Elizabeth Bellow

16:36from Redgate Real Estate Advisors. The

16:39chair read through the May 22nd letter

16:41from the planning board with its

16:43generally favorable recommendation

16:45subject to the inclusion of the board's

16:47recommended modifications.

16:50The modifications included and I listed

16:53what they all are. I'm not going to read

16:55through them. The chair just started

16:58the chair stated we would discuss those

17:01as we went through the draft zoning and

17:03she began reading the amendment to

17:05chapter 650 to add the forest street

17:08residential overlay district.

17:10Again, I'm not going to read through all

17:12of these, but I would like to point out

17:13a couple that I think are important from

17:15the planning board's recommendations.

17:17The first one is the planning board

17:18recommended limiting the number to 400

17:21with the option for 50 townhouse style

17:23units. It was agreed that the maximum

17:26number was what was key and the type of

17:29units would come with the special

17:30permit. Council for Chillo moved to

17:33amend by adding after multif family

17:35dwellings the following provided that

17:36the total number of units within the

17:38entire FSROD shall not exceed 400 that

17:42was seconded and the vote carried 3 to

17:44one. Uh in discussing multif family

17:47housing, there was a discussion on the

17:49ability of the council to vary the 12%

17:52affordable units with suggestion for the

17:54solicitor to strike everything after 80%

17:57of the area media income. That was

18:00seconded and the vote carried. And the

18:02planning board recommended increasing

18:04the required perimeter property setbacks

18:06from 20 to 50 ft. Councelor Press had a

18:09move to amend C by striking 20 feet and

18:12inserting 50 and by striking in D 25T

18:16and inserting 50

18:19and in E by striking 80 feet which is

18:21the height and inserting 60 ft exclusive

18:24of rooftop mechanicals. The motion was

18:26second and carried. Uh again, councelor

18:29Fchillo moved to recommend amending

18:32chapter 650 by adding the forest street

18:34residential overlay district language as

18:36amended and suggested review by legal

18:39department. It was seconded and carried.

18:41So again, I'll ask for a suspension to

18:43refer this to legal to be put in proper

18:46form.

18:46>> Request for suspension of the rules to

18:48report out the uh information for the

18:52Forest Street Residential Overlay

18:53District. All those in favor of the

18:54suspension opposed. Suspension carries.

18:57100 council Roby.

18:59>> So move to refer this to the solicitor

19:01to be put in proper form for the July

19:03meeting.

19:04>> Motion made and second to refer the

19:06amended

19:07Forest Street residential overlay

19:10district to the solicitor to be put in

19:11proper format. Any discussion on the

19:13motion? Seeing none, all those in favor?

19:16Opposed? Motion carries. 100. This will

19:18go to the solicitor put in proper

19:20format.

19:22>> Anything else? Council Roby.

19:24>> No,

19:24>> you're good.

19:25>> Council vital.

19:26>> Mr. President. Thank you. Uh city

19:28council's uh public safety committee met

19:30on June 15th. Voting members present

19:33were myself, councelor Irish, and

19:35councelor Gould. Uh we were talk

19:38discussing order number 26

19:4219773, which is a city council

19:45resolution in support of a nicotine-free

19:47generation policy. I read a resolution

19:49in support of the nicotine-free

19:51generation policy

19:53that I that I researched uh across the

19:56state. My research showed that we had an

19:59annual estimated health care cost

20:01directly attributed to smoking of 4

20:04million 4 billion74.74

20:08billion of which approximately a third

20:10of that goes to public health care.

20:12There's also around $7 billion in annual

20:15productivity losses due to smoking

20:17related illnesses and premature deaths

20:19and about 9,300 Massachusetts residents

20:22died last year from smoking related

20:25illnesses.

20:26My my goal of bringing it up tonight was

20:28I I felt that it was important for us,

20:30this body, to say that once and for all

20:32instead of kicking the can down the

20:33road, father, we've known about the

20:35dangers of nicotine since the 1960s. And

20:38it's about time that we stop and we tell

20:41the young the next generation. We made

20:44mistakes. We don't want you to make the

20:45same mistakes. Um, on a motion made by

20:49councelor Gold, seconded by the by the

20:51chair, the committee recommended

20:53acceptance of the city council's

20:54resolution in support of nicotine-free

20:56generation policy on a vote by two to

20:58one. U council Irish voting in the in

21:01the nay.

21:03The recommendation of the public safety

21:05committee is to approve.

21:07>> Thank you, council vital. Any other

21:09reports of committees?

21:13Hearing none. What do we got left?

21:16>> 14.

21:17>> 14. Mr. President, are

21:18>> we waiting for that one?

21:19>> Mr. President, excuse me, sir. Do we

21:21need to have a vote on the resolution?

21:23>> You didn't ask for a suspension.

21:26>> You can, but you didn't ask.

21:27>> I would like to have a suspension

21:29on the resolution tonight.

21:30>> Motion made and seconded for a

21:31suspension. All those in favor of the

21:33suspension opposed. Suspension carries.

21:3510-0.

21:38>> Council vital.

21:40I would like to move the uh

21:43move the recommendation of the public

21:44safety committee is to approve the

21:45resolution.

21:47>> Motion's made and seconded to approve

21:49the resolution. Any discussion on the

21:51motion? Council Vital.

21:52>> Thank you, Mr. President. And further

21:54research, I found out that Northampton

21:56just recently last week approved uh the

21:59nicotine free generation policy. Theirs

22:01is going to go into effect on July 1 uh

22:04next week and they will become the 26th

22:0726th community in Massachusetts to adopt

22:10this this type of policy. So I thought

22:12that was a more upto-date uh finding

22:15that I found. Thank you.

22:17>> Council vital council ducet.

22:20>> Thank you very much Mr. President. Um

22:23this is really something that uh I am

22:26seriously debating about. I'm not a fan

22:29of prohibition. I know what the issues

22:31are with tobacco. My father smoked most

22:34of his life. Um, and when I went to high

22:38school, there was a smoking section

22:40outside where the kids and the teachers

22:42smoked together. But now we have

22:45dispensaries

22:46>> selling stuff and we're making tobacco

22:48illegal. So, I have a hard time

22:51supporting this. Uh I I respect where it

22:55came from, but I can't in total

22:58conscience uh support this and I

23:00apologize to my associate uh because I

23:04respect him and what he brought to the

23:06council. Thank you.

23:08>> Thank you, Council Ducet. Councelor Arm.

23:11>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um I'll start

23:13off with the fact I don't want to age

23:15myself, but I started interning here in

23:18Marro in 1977. Add up the years, it's

23:20close to 50. But more importantly is

23:23this resolution. Um, Council Vital,

23:26thank you for leading the charge. I work

23:30in a town that's looking at this right

23:32now and the towns near us have already

23:34adopted it. You couldn't have said it

23:37better. We're we're trying to let our

23:40future generations know the mistakes we

23:42made back in our generation. Mr.

23:45President, you and I know there was a

23:47smoking area in Marble High School, too.

23:50But again, it was a norm. And I can't

23:53more than respect the fact that you

23:55brought this to the council floor. I

23:58remember maybe 10 years ago one of my

24:00board members saying we should be

24:02charging $50,000 for a permit because

24:05that's the medical and this was a doctor

24:07on my board. That's the medical cost for

24:10every license we submit. Maybe more.

24:12Maybe he said 500,000 because there's a

24:15major cost to the medical needs that

24:19anyone that smokes faces most likely and

24:23it's sent out to the general public. So

24:26I see that as another issue. So I'm in

24:29support of this resolution and hopefully

24:32the board of health down the road will

24:33consider adopting it. Thank you, Mr.

24:35President.

24:36>> Thank you, Council Orum. Any other

24:37counselors? Councelor Fillo.

24:39>> Thank you, Mr. President. I uh I commend

24:42my colleague Council Vital for proposing

24:43this uh resolution. And although I would

24:46like to support it because I think it's

24:47a strong cause, I do worry about its

24:49infringement on personal liberties in

24:51our community. I also worry about the

24:53potential for black markets to continue

24:54to arise. Right. I I know for a fact

24:57that there are, you know, sad to say,

24:58but children who were born after 2010 in

25:01our community who are already attaining

25:03these products, although they cannot

25:05legally purchase it. Um, so in my mind,

25:07although I I agree with the premise of

25:09this issue, I think that we really um

25:12and not necessarily us as a body, but

25:13the federal government and the state

25:15government needs to hold accountable big

25:16tobacco companies and these lobbies that

25:18for years have done um terrible things

25:20in our community, right? False

25:21advertising. And I know that there's

25:23been years and years and years of work

25:24put into that. And many attorney

25:26generals across the country have sued

25:28these these companies. But um again, I

25:31worry that this resolution um would not

25:34really be be getting us to where we need

25:36to be going, right? That um um it would

25:38only kind of be exact, you know, this

25:40problem will still persist regardless of

25:42this resolution. So um for that reason,

25:44I will not be supporting the resolution

25:45tonight. Thank you, Mr. President.

25:46>> Thank you, Council Pello. Councelor

25:48Irish.

25:48>> Thank Thank you, Mr. President. Um very

25:51commendable resolution. I was a no in

25:54committee um with Council Ducet. is is

25:57on on route to a prohibition. Um what

26:00could happen next is that we're going to

26:02start having a resolution on diet soda.

26:04Um there's a lot of data on that

26:06information as well. I think it's to

26:08personal liberties and our personal use

26:11and I just don't think it's a resolution

26:13that I can support. Thank you, Mr.

26:14President.

26:14>> Thank you, Councelor Irish. Councelor

26:16Preiato.

26:17>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um I actually

26:19am surprisingly in support of this

26:22resolution um despite what my other some

26:24of my other counselors uh have agreed

26:26to. Um but I mean the truth is that you

26:30know these tobacco companies do exploit

26:32people. They exploit people underage um

26:35teenagers even younger. um they exploit

26:38adults as well um by you know making

26:41these products really tempting for

26:44underage users um they may making them

26:47really like like trendy and whatnot. Um

26:50I I can agree that it does sort of

26:53infringe on personal liberties but um if

26:57we are going to hold these tobacco

26:59companies accountable this is I think a

27:01a right step in that direction um since

27:03they are not doing anything to protect

27:05our communities. uh we should be the

27:07ones to be protecting our own community.

27:09Um this does not prohibit, you know,

27:12overage smokers. It does not prohibit

27:14all tobacco products. Um so they are

27:17still able to get those tobacco

27:18products. It just limits what is

27:20available to them.

27:22What is available right now is the most

27:24temp some of the most tempting tobacco

27:25products for for teenagers. Um and I

27:29would like to keep our community safe.

27:31um considering that you know smoking is

27:33a pre-existing condition on a lot of

27:35insurance forms. So that does say a lot

27:37to me and to compare uh to have the

27:40comparison of marijuana to um a tobacco

27:44uh cigarette I think is almost a false

27:48um comparison. Um we have an extensive

27:51amount of data that tobacco products do

27:53contain a lot of um carcinogenic

27:56um ingredients um toxic chemicals. Um so

28:01um to say that one is just like the

28:03other I think is a bit um facitious but

28:06um to each his own. Um but I today I

28:09will be uh in support of this

28:10resolution.

28:11>> Thank you councelor Presiato. Any other

28:13counselors?

28:15>> Council vital.

28:17>> Thank you Mr. President. Um, I think

28:20many of you know that I'm the executive

28:21director of the addiction referral

28:23center. And every day I have to deal

28:24with individuals and help individuals

28:26who have addictions. And we can keep

28:29putting our head in the sand and say

28:31that this doesn't matter. My parents

28:32did. Oh, and by the way, another reason

28:35why I'm having this go forward is my

28:37mother passed away

28:39to cancer attributed to cigarette

28:41smoking. And another reason why I'm

28:44promoting this is that vaping is rampant

28:47in our school systems here in Marro. So

28:50if this body cannot tell our kids that

28:53we're against this, that we put our foot

28:56down and we say enough is enough, we're

28:58going to be the ones who stop it. We're

29:00the ones who are going to tell our kids

29:02that smoking is not acceptable. Now, uh,

29:05I want to address counselor um, the

29:08whole idea of freedoms because freedom

29:11is real important to me, too. But it's

29:13not necessarily freedoms. If I choose to

29:16smoke and I get cancer and I don't have

29:18healthcare, well, now all of you have to

29:22pay for my mistakes,

29:24the the mistakes of that I made doing

29:27cancer. So, it's not just my personal

29:29freedom because I don't want to pay for

29:31that person's cancer. I don't want to

29:34pay for that person's mistakes. Why

29:36should I have to? What about that

29:38freedom of me not having to pay those

29:40taxes?

29:42So, this is this hits home really a lot

29:44with me from many different areas. I

29:46want to be able to tell the kids in my

29:48school, the kids that I coach that I did

29:51everything I could do to keep these

29:53harmful products away from you.

29:57>> Thank you, Mr. President.

29:58>> Thank you, Council Vital. Council

29:59Chillo.

30:01>> Thank you, Mr. President. And I I do

30:02very much appreciate council Presiato

30:05and councelor Vital and I do think you

30:06bring up some strong points. My I guess

30:08my major concern here is that there's

30:11this notion that it will not prohibit

30:13overage consumers, which eventually it

30:15will, right? There will be 25year-olds,

30:1735year-olds, 45 year olds who are not

30:19able to purchase tobacco products, which

30:20I agree on a premise is a good thing.

30:23But I'm very concerned that it creates

30:25this permanent class of consumers who

30:27will not be able to legally purchase

30:29these products and therefore it will

30:31just fuel illicit sales across the

30:33state, across the country. Right? I

30:35think we saw very similar. I know

30:36prohibition's been brought up a few

30:37times, but we saw the same thing with

30:39alcohol when this when this was done

30:40before. Um, you know, I I I'm happy to

30:44come back to the drawing board and

30:45discuss this. I do think it's an an

30:47important issue and it's something we

30:48can address in our community. Happy to

30:50work with the board of health on that

30:51one. But I again, I'm just I am

30:53concerned that this leads um not to less

30:57nicotine use in our schools. I I I just

31:00I I'm struggling to see how this

31:01resolution will will take away these

31:05products from our students. If anything,

31:07I see a a black market of sales

31:09continuing to increase over years to

31:11come. Thank you, Mr. President.

31:12>> Thank you, Council Fillo. Council

31:14Ducette.

31:17>> Thank you very much, Mr. President. Um,

31:20as what councelor Fella was talking

31:22about, um, you know, prohibition was an

31:27issue after it was gone. You know, like

31:32we're slowly notching this away, but you

31:35know, the the issue is that if you can't

31:37get it legally, you'll find a way to get

31:39it illegally. Um, and that's true of

31:43alcohol during prohibition. It was true

31:45with marijuana before it was legalized.

31:47And it will probably be true of tobacco

31:49if it's made totally illegal. And the

31:52problem is that once the stuff is

31:53illegal, you don't know what's in it.

31:56And that's that has big health concerns

31:59because you know what gets diced and you

32:02know put into the stuff is worse than uh

32:05if it was done through a proper

32:08manufacturing process with quality

32:10control which happens in you know in

32:13businesses but don't doesn't happen in

32:16the black market. So um you know I I

32:20ended you know my my father also had

32:24cancer issues and with his uh breathing

32:27and stuff. So it's something with me

32:31it's been serious but I think that uh we

32:34should be doing what we can to keep it

32:36out of school but completely eliminating

32:39from the market I don't think is uh a

32:42long-term win. Thank you.

32:43>> Thank you. Council Ducet. Anyone else?

32:47on the motion to approve the resolution

32:50for the nicotine free generation. All

32:53those in favor, please raise your hands

32:56so I can count them. One, two, three,

32:58four.

33:01All those opposed, one 2 3 four five.

33:05President makes six. The motion does not

33:08carry on a vote of 4-6.

33:12Agenda item 14.

33:16City Council resolution uh commemorating

33:19the 250th anniversary of Malro declaring

33:22independence from the Kingdom of Great

33:23Britain. Submitted by Councelor

33:25Pachillo. Councelor Fillo.

33:28>> Thank you, Mr. President. I've been

33:30waiting for this one. I uh first and

33:33foremost just wanted to give a little

33:34bit of contextual uh background as to

33:37why I'm digging something up from 250

33:39years ago. Uh but for those who do not

33:41know, this is the 250th anniversary of

33:43the United States. And I know we have

33:45many members of Malbro's Revolution 250

33:48committee here in attendance tonight. I

33:50know I see Steve, I see Brendan, I see

33:52the Rose, I see Kathy. Um and I really

33:55appreciate them being here tonight

33:56because about over a year ago, I was

33:58approached by some of the members of the

34:00committee um to help out with some

34:02various events going on to properly

34:04commemorate our city's role in the last

34:06250 years of this nation. Um, some of

34:09you had attended our ghost tour that we

34:11held. I know many counselors came by to

34:13that. Um, we had a really great event

34:15down at the country club to celebrate

34:16the Williams Tavern, um, which was a

34:18real hit. Um, and really saw some great

34:20community buyin over the last year or

34:22so. Um, with that being said, this week

34:24is a big week for the committee. Uh,

34:26there's going to be a large celebration

34:28this Saturday. And to commemorate that

34:29and to also commemorate the town

34:32council's resolution declaring

34:33independence, I wanted to submit the

34:36following. A uh in one moment

34:41told Lindsay I would do this. A

34:44resolution to commemorate the 250th

34:46anniversary of Malro declaring

34:48independence from the Kingdom of Great

34:50Britain. Whereas the city of Malro

34:52recognizes that on May 28th, 1776, the

34:56then town of Malro voted to declare its

34:58independence from the king of Kingdom of

35:00Great Britain. And whereas the town

35:03voted that quote, "If the honorable

35:05Continental Congress shall for the

35:07safety of the United Colonies declare

35:08them independent of the Kingdom of Great

35:10Britain, we the inhabitants of Malbro

35:13will solemnly engage with our lives and

35:15fortunes to support them in the measure.

35:18And whereas the city acknowledges the

35:20importance of this historic milestone,

35:22honors the contributions of all Malbor

35:24revolutionaries, and looks ahead toward

35:26building the future for the next

35:27generation and beyond. And whereas the

35:29city recognizes that a joint volunteer

35:31group known as the Malber Revolution 250

35:33committee has been organizing for over

35:35two years to celebrate the city's

35:37history and role in the American

35:38Revolution. And whereas on June 27th,

35:412026, the Malbor Revolution 250

35:43committee and the city of Malbor will

35:45host a major community celebration

35:47featuring several integrated events

35:49including a patriotic parade, an

35:50old-fashioned muster with food and

35:52music, and a live artillery

35:54demonstration. Now therefore, be it

35:56resolved that the city of Malro

35:58commemorates the 250th anniversary of

36:01the city's independence from the Kingdom

36:03of Great Britain. And before I make a

36:05motion, I did also want to acknowledge

36:06that councelor Sergeant has been a huge

36:08partner in getting a lot of these events

36:10off the ground for us. So, uh, with

36:12that, I move to approve the resolution.

36:14Motion made and seconded to approve the

36:16resolution. Any discussion on the

36:18resolution?

36:21Seeing none, all those in favor?

36:22Opposed? The resolution is approved and

36:25the vote is 100. Well done,

36:29Council Villo.

36:30>> Thank you, Mr. President. Move to

36:32adjourn.

36:32>> Motion made and seconded to adjurnn. All

36:34those in favor opposed. We are

36:37adjourned. The vote is 10. We're

36:38adjourned at 8:36. Have a good evening,

36:41everyone.