2026-10-26 - City Council

00:35Welcome to the

00:37October 26,

00:402026 meeting of the Revere City Council.

00:43All rise and salute the flag, please.

00:46>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

00:48United States of America, and to the

00:51republic for which it stands, one nation

00:54under God, indivisible, with liberty and

00:57justice for all.

01:01>> Roll call of the members, Councillor

01:02Genzale.

01:03>> Here.

01:03>> Here, Councillor Coggliano.

01:05>> Here.

01:05>> Here, Councillor Jannino.

01:07>> Here.

01:07>> Here, Councillor Guinasso.

01:09>> Here.

01:09>> Here, Councillor Haas.

01:10>> Here.

01:11>> Here, Councillor Kelly.

01:12>> Here.

01:12>> Here, Councillor McKenna.

01:13>> Here.

01:14>> Here, Councillor Macario.

01:15>> Here.

01:15>> Here, Councillor Novoselsky.

01:18Is absent. Councillor Silvestri.

01:20>> Here.

01:21>> Here, and Council President Zambuto.

01:22>> Here.

01:23>> Here, quorum is present.

01:25Approval of the journal of the meeting

01:27of October 5th.

01:29>> All in favor, all opposed, so ordered.

01:32>> Calendar item number two, the Revere

01:33City Council will present a certificate

01:35of commendation to Thomas G. Ambrosino

01:38in recognition of his retirement after

01:4037 years of exemplary public service to

01:42the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and

01:44the cities of Revere and Chelsea.

01:47>> [applause]

01:54[applause]

02:01>> Ashley.

02:02Ashley.

02:14Okay.

02:19Good evening, everyone.

02:21It's a privilege to recognize and honor

02:23Tom Ambrosino for an extraordinary

02:25career devoted to public service.

02:29Tom's commitment to Revere began long

02:32before he was elected to office.

02:36A proud graduate of Revere High School,

02:38he went to earn degrees from Boston

02:39University and Harvard Law School before

02:41returning to serve this community that

02:43helped shape him.

02:45Over the course of 22 years,

02:48Tom served Revere in several important

02:51leadership roles. Six years as a member

02:54of the school committee, four years as a

02:56city councilor-at-large,

02:58and 12 years as mayor.

03:01In each position,

03:04he led with intelligence, integrity, and

03:07a deep understanding of municipal

03:09government.

03:10His steady and thoughtful leadership

03:12helped modernize Revere, strengthen our

03:15city, and place us on a path towards

03:18continuous progress.

03:21Tom carried those same qualities beyond

03:23Revere, serving for 7 years and

03:277 and 1/2 years as city manager of

03:30Chelsea, and later as administrator of

03:34the Massachusetts Trial Court,

03:37where he oversaw 94 courts and

03:39approximately 6,500 employees. No matter

03:43how great the responsibility, Tom

03:45remained known as a quiet, hardworking,

03:49and effective leader.

03:51Someone who did not seek attention, but

03:54always gave his full effort to the

03:58people he served.

04:00Although his career took him the

04:02Commonwealth, Tom never lost his special

04:05connection to Revere.

04:07His record represents nearly 44

04:11decades of distinguished public service,

04:14and his influence can still be seen

04:18today.

04:20>> [applause]

04:24>> Tom.

04:26Certificate of commendation

04:28in acknowledgement of your retirement

04:31following 37 years of exemplary public

04:34service to the Commonwealth of

04:35Massachusetts and the cities of Revere

04:37and Chelsea, special recognition is

04:40hereby accorded to Thomas G. Ambrosino.

04:43The city the Revere City Council proudly

04:45honors your distinguished career and

04:47unwavering dedication to the city of

04:49Revere, where you served for 22 years as

04:53school committee member, city council,

04:54and mayor. During your 12-year tenure as

04:57mayor, your visionary leadership and

05:00commitment to public service helped

05:02transform Revere through the

05:04construction of new high new schools,

05:07revitalization of Revere Beach, and the

05:10Wonderland area, improvements to

05:12critical infrastructure, and the

05:14advancement of economic development

05:16opportunities. Your integrity, tireless

05:19work ethic, and steadfast commitment to

05:21improving the quality of life of Revere

05:24residents has left an enduring legacy

05:26that will benefit generations to come.

05:29The city of Revere the city the City

05:31Council extends its deepest appreciation

05:34for your exemplary

05:36contributions to our community and

05:39congratulate you on a remarkable career

05:42in public service with best wishes for a

05:44happy and fulfilling retirement. The

05:47certificate of commendation is prevented

05:49by presented by the City Council of the

05:51city of Revere, Massachusetts on behalf

05:53of its citizens this 26th day of October

05:56in the year of our Lord 2026

05:59and of the independence of the United

06:01States of America 250th.

06:04Congratulations.

06:05>> [applause]

06:06>> Thank you very much.

06:07>> I would like to stutter.

06:10>> [applause]

06:12>> But, I'm I'm only going to say a couple

06:15a couple of quick words about my dear

06:16friend Tom Ambrosino. We served together

06:19for a lot of years. What some people

06:21might not know, they see the beach and

06:23all the new apartments over the years

06:25and how it can it went from desolate to

06:28a city.

06:30And

06:31Tom spent 12 years trying to get that

06:33land transferred from DCR and it was no

06:37easy task and I watched him work

06:39tirelessly for 12 years.

06:41I'm only going to say one other thing

06:42that I said in a quote from the paper. I

06:45think Terry Schumann called me when

06:47it was announced that Tom was retiring.

06:50And I said,

06:52"He's a terrific public servant

06:55and a wonderful human being. And I I

06:57don't say that about a lot of people.

07:00This is truly a wonderful human being. I

07:02love him."

07:03Thank you.

07:04>> [applause]

07:11>> Well, first thank you, councilors. This

07:13really is an honor. I'm very touched.

07:16Those were extremely kind kind words.

07:19Um

07:20it really is nice to be back here. I

07:22spent a lot of time in this room.

07:26Uh

07:27I have a lot of memories of working

07:30here.

07:31Not all of them are fond memories.

07:33>> [laughter]

07:34>> I do I do vaguely recall a lot of

07:37shouting in this room.

07:39Uh much of it directed at me.

07:42Uh but uh I really did uh love being a

07:46leader in this community. And uh I

07:49really enjoyed working with the council.

07:51Despite the fact that we didn't always

07:53see eye to eye.

07:55Uh I enjoyed our spirited interactions

07:59and uh you know, despite what people saw

08:01on TV, us fighting back and forth with I

08:04don't think any exceptions, I got along

08:07personally well with just about every

08:09single counselor that was up here.

08:12When the cameras were off, we were

08:15good colleagues and often good friends,

08:17and Tony just being one example. And if

08:19you saw us fight back and forth on TV

08:22>> [laughter]

08:22>> you would be some might be surprised at

08:24that.

08:25Um

08:27Anyways, I I you know, that

08:29you know, that tough question by the

08:30council I thought made me a much better

08:33mayor. [clears throat]

08:34First of all, it ensured I had to be

08:36super prepared every time I came up here

08:39because I knew I was going to be subject

08:41to some really tough questioning. And

08:44sometimes it made a difference. Like I

08:47they would raise issues I hadn't thought

08:48of and occasionally I would change my

08:51mind on things and that's not

08:52necessarily a bad thing.

08:54I'm really proud of what we did here

08:57together collaboratively with the

08:59council

09:00in those early years of the 2000s. Those

09:02were difficult financial years, a lot of

09:05them. Uh but I really feel good about

09:07how we worked to advance collaboratively

09:11the interests of the city. So I will

09:13gratefully accept this commendation, but

09:15I will say a lot of my success was due

09:18to having great councilors to have as

09:22colleagues. So thank you all.

09:23>> Thank you.

09:25>> [applause]

09:28>> Mayor Keefe, can you come up here?

09:31Come up for a picture.

09:31>> We got to take a picture, Tom.

09:33>> Tom, one picture. I want the mayor up

09:34here though.

09:37Come on, get in the middle.

09:41Should I move it?

12:15>> Mhm.

12:51>> Calendar item number three.

12:53The Revere City Council will present a

12:55certificate of commendation to the

12:56Revere Society for cultural and historic

12:59preservation in recognition of its

13:02dedication to preserving and promoting

13:04the history and culture of the city of

13:06Revere.

13:11>> Can I Can I have the members that are in

13:13the audience Barbara and Toby come up

13:17for this certificate, please?

13:26>> [applause]

13:34[applause]

13:37>> Congratulations.

13:38>> much.

13:46>> So, anytime we can

13:49honor the Revere Historic Society is a

13:52big day for me cuz I've been around so

13:54long I was around for the founding or or

13:58when when we were just a a seed

14:01and now it's become uh

14:04really the history of the city of

14:05Revere.

14:06And it I I know a lot of people still

14:09have not gone down to this museum and

14:12still have not seen the uh

14:14the fruits of the labor of their work.

14:17It It is a a wonderful uh

14:20piece of history. It tells about the

14:22city of Revere.

14:24There's things there that you wouldn't

14:25even imagine or you've forgotten if

14:27you're old like me. But uh

14:30it's uh it's a wonderful organization

14:32and it's all done out of the labor of

14:35love. Uh

14:36Bob Upton told me are are two of the

14:39people that keep it going. And uh we're

14:42very pleased that you continue to

14:45uh do that. And they are historians and

14:48in the true uh

14:50form of the word. So,

14:52without further ado,

14:54a certificate of commendation

14:57in grateful appreciation of the

14:59organization's steadfast commitment to

15:02preserving and protecting and promoting

15:05the rich history and cultural heritage

15:08of the city of Revere. Special

15:10recognition is hereby accorded to the

15:12Revere Society for Cultural and Historic

15:15Preservation.

15:18Through its continued stewardship of the

15:20Revere Museum, its dedication

15:23to preservation and care

15:26of historic Rumney Marsh Marsh Burial

15:29Ground, and its ongoing education and

15:32community efforts,

15:34the RSCHP

15:36has played an invaluable role in

15:38safeguarding the people, places,

15:41artifacts, and stories that have shaped

15:44our community and further ensures that

15:47Revere's

15:49the city of Revere's history is

15:51preserved for the benefit and

15:53appreciation

15:55of present and future generations.

15:58This certificate of commendation is

16:00presented by the

16:02City Council of the city of Revere,

16:04Massachusetts

16:05on behalf of its citizens, this 18th day

16:09of

16:09September. Well,

16:12the date's a little wrong, but it's my

16:13fault because I was supposed to to this

16:16at an event for the historic society.

16:19So, to keep everything honest up here,

16:21we will

16:22uh

16:24in the year of our Lord 2026

16:27and the independence of the United

16:29States of America 250th.

16:32This certificate is signed by the city

16:35clerk Ashley Melnick and Melnick and the

16:38city council president Anthony T.

16:41Zambuto. I think I pronounced my name

16:43correctly, anyway.

16:45Congratulations.

16:48>> [applause]

16:53>> Thank you very Thank you very, very

16:55much. You know, I I sincerely appreciate

16:58uh this recognition, uh this

17:00acknowledgement uh of all the work

17:02that's been done at the Revere History

17:04Museum by uh not only our board members,

17:07but by so many of our volunteers who

17:09have worked so hard. You know, the

17:11mention has been made about Toby and the

17:13hard worker that she is. She's a

17:15physical hard worker. She puts

17:17everything into everything at that

17:19museum, lifting boxes, setting up

17:21displays. She is a professional in the

17:24truest sense of the word. I got to tell

17:26you, if it wouldn't wasn't for Toby, the

17:28place wouldn't look as beautiful as it

17:30looks. But, there's so much there have

17:32to be seen, and we hope that you'll take

17:33the chance to come and see the museum

17:35because it really is a wonderful place

17:37and it's developing uh to be even more

17:39than that. You know, Revere Beach is the

17:41shiny object. I'm the Revere Beach

17:44enthusiast, but I'll tell you, it's not

17:46only the beach, there's a lot of history

17:47that this rich history of Revere has.

17:50The Rumney Marsh Burial Ground is just

17:52one of those. But, uh you know, we

17:54wouldn't be able to do it without the

17:55full support of the city of Revere.

17:57Mayor Keefe, we sincerely appreciate

17:59your ongoing and continued support. The

18:02city council as well. Everyone has been

18:04helpful supportive to us and encouraging

18:06us. And, you know, this is my

18:07opportunity to say thank you very much

18:09for all of your support, and I welcome

18:11you to come to the museum. Hopefully,

18:12you'll come and visit with us. Thank you

18:14again.

18:15>> [applause]

19:30>> That was nice. Okay.

19:38>> Calendar item number four, public

19:40hearings. Hearing called is ordered on

19:42an ordinance establishing a unified

19:44rental registry and inspection program

19:47and amending and restating the

19:49regulation of short-term rentals.

19:53>> This is This is a public hearing. We'll

19:55hear from proponents, people in favor.

20:04>> Chair, there is a letter on file from

20:06Fire Chief Cullen in favor of the

20:10>> Okay.

20:11Uh

20:13>> Mr. President,

20:14may we have Chief Cullen's letter read

20:17into the record, please?

20:17>> Absolutely.

20:19Madam Clerk.

20:20>> I'll open it up for you.

20:21One second.

20:38>> Dear Revere City Council President and

20:40members of the Revere City Council, I am

20:43writing to express my strong support for

20:45the proposed ordinance change to

20:47establish a unified rental registry and

20:49inspection program in the city of

20:50Revere.

20:51Implementing this program is a vital

20:53step forward for our community

20:55by allowing the fire department and city

20:57inspectional services to actively

20:59monitor rental properties and rooming

21:01houses, the city can ensure proactive

21:04oversight rather than reactive

21:05enforcement. This ordinance introduces

21:09crucial safety and health protections

21:11for our local renters

21:12ensuring that all housing units meet

21:14modern code standards.

21:16Furthermore, this registry is necessary

21:18for first responder safety. When our

21:21firefighters and police officers are

21:22dispatched to a scene, having access to

21:24accurate, up-to-date information

21:26regarding these types of occupancies

21:29can prevent tragedies and save lives

21:30during an emergency. I urge the City

21:33Council to vote in favor of this

21:34progressive ordinance to protect both

21:36our residents and our first responders

21:38who serve them. Sincerely, James E.

21:40Cullen, Chief of the City of Revere Fire

21:42Department.

21:44>> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Any other

21:47proponents, people in favor?

21:52Name and address for the record, please.

21:55>> Good evening, Michael Tucker, 9 Elton

21:57Street, Revere. I'm in total favor of

21:59this. I think it's going to be a great

22:01thing and it will streamline so all

22:03departments will know this information.

22:05Thank you.

22:06>> Thank you.

22:08Any other proponents,

22:10people in favor?

22:12Hearing and seeing none, we're going to

22:13close that side of the hearing.

22:15Opponents, people opposed.

22:37>> Thank you.

22:39Thank you. Uh

22:40>> Good evening. Name and address for the

22:41record, please.

22:42>> Joanne Janina. I'm sorry, I lose my

22:44voice a lot. I'm 14 Sigourney Street,

22:47Revere.

22:49Mr. President, council members, I'm

22:51opposed to this. Not all of it, but a

22:53lot of it.

22:54>> [clears throat]

22:56>> And I wrote it down.

22:57And if anyone who is in favor of this, I

23:00hope they read

23:02all these pages because

23:04that's how many pages it's Did you read

23:06that, Mr. Tucker? All right, 25 pages.

23:09If everybody read everything and really

23:11understands it, that's a great thing.

23:14>> [clears throat]

23:15>> I wrote this down because I could never

23:17just get up here and talk.

23:19I am thankful to have a city council

23:21that

23:22prioritizes the best interest of Revere

23:25residents and work to protect us from

23:27unnecessary government overreach.

23:29However, in this particular situation, I

23:32do not believe that is what is

23:33happening.

23:35Revere landlords deserve

23:37a meaningful opportunity to understand

23:40an ordinance and ask questions

23:42and [clears throat] explain how it would

23:43affect their properties and finances.

23:46This is especially important because

23:48this proposed ordinance will affect all

23:51landlords, not just property large

23:53property owners, but also small property

23:55owners who may have only one or two

23:58rental units.

24:00I read all 25 pages of the proposed

24:02ordinance before you multiple times, not

24:06just once.

24:07And I don't know if anyone else did

24:08that.

24:10Carefully I read them. When a proposal

24:13is this lengthy, it's difficult to

24:14understand. Important provisions can

24:16easily be overlooked.

24:18I'm 85 years old. This ordinance may not

24:21affect me for many more years,

24:24but it would affect senior homeowners

24:26and their families for a very long time.

24:28Many old residents rely [clears throat]

24:31only on rental income from an apartment

24:33in their home to be made financially

24:35financially independent and to afford

24:38the rising cost of home ownership.

24:41I'm sorry.

24:43The proposed fees are outrageous.

24:47At a previous meeting I heard was said,

24:49"We know they are getting rent for these

24:50apartments of 1,000, 2,000, or 3,000 a

24:54month."

24:55But even $3,000 a month is not simply

24:58extra money. It is $36,000 a year before

25:02expenses. For an elderly or retired

25:05homeowner, that income may be needed to

25:07pay property taxes, water, electric,

25:10gas, heat, insurance, repairs, and every

25:13other cost that comes with maintaining a

25:15home. After those expenses, very little

25:17is left.

25:19That is why the proposed fees matter.

25:22They would not necessarily be paid by

25:24landlords with large apartment

25:25buildings.

25:26They could be imposed on senior citizens

25:29who rent out an apartment in their own

25:31home and depend on the income to stay

25:33there. Requiring homeowners to pay

25:36additional fees to the city simply

25:38because they have an apartment could

25:39make it harder for seniors to afford

25:41their homes and remain independent. And

25:43it's not only seniors, it's anyone in

25:45the city who has

25:47an apartment, three-family, two-family,

25:49whatever.

25:50They they they have they need this money

25:52it costs so much to survive today

25:54anyhow. If our senior citizens are

25:57fortunate enough to still own their

25:59homes, why should they be penalized for

26:01using part of their home to help pay

26:03their expenses?

26:05Before imposing new costs, the council

26:07should be sure to understand who will be

26:09at them and how it will affect those

26:11least able to absorb them.

26:13Most importantly,

26:15I positively do not want to put my name

26:19on a registry, my name, address, phone

26:22number, email address, and other

26:23personal and private informations that

26:25can be listed, that can be accessed by

26:28anyone who wanted you on this registry.

26:30I think it's a disgrace and I feel

26:32really strong about this and I just hope

26:35that

26:35before you vote on this,

26:37you really do read it and consider how

26:40this will affect the people who own

26:42two-family, three-family. Think of your

26:44areas that you live in.

26:46You know who

26:48will be affected the most.

26:50It won't be the big apartment buildings.

26:52Thank you.

26:54>> Thank you very much.

27:03Any other opponents, people opposed?

27:13Anybody else opposed? Here we go.

27:16Name and address for the record, please.

27:19Now, you got to press the button.

27:22>> Oh, there we go. Marsha Vergouria, 29

27:24Romney Road. Um, I also am not

27:28totally against it, but there's a lot of

27:31things that have to be rewritten. Um,

27:34the one thing that's missing is a

27:35cost-benefit analysis.

27:38How much is this going to cost the city?

27:40And, um,

27:42we'd like to know how it's going to be

27:44implemented. A bureaucracy is what I

27:47see. And

27:50it's a lot of this is subjective.

27:53However, I'm still open-minded to having

27:56discussion. This shouldn't be the last

27:58time we have this meeting.

28:00>> Thank you very much. Any other

28:02opponents?

28:04And I would ask the opponents to come to

28:06the legislative affairs meeting before

28:08uh

28:09when this is discussed further.

28:11Um

28:14Any other opponents? Hearing and seeing

28:16none, we're going to close that side of

28:17the hearing. City councilors, Councilor

28:19Argenzio.

28:21>> Thank you, Mr. President. I just have a

28:23brief statement here today I'd like to

28:24read.

28:25>> Go right ahead.

28:26>> The city has experienced a significant

28:29increase in rental properties extending

28:31beyond large apartment buildings to

28:33include individual rooms rented by

28:35residents seeking to supplement their

28:37income, as well as makeshift unpermitted

28:40apartments operating without the

28:42required permits or inspections.

28:45Unfortunately, many of these living

28:47arrangements fail to meet state sanitary

28:50code requirements and can pose serious

28:53health and safety risks to tenants.

28:56This proposed ordinance will replace an

28:58ordinance that has been in place for

29:01approximately 50 years.

29:03While I cannot speak on behalf of every

29:05member of the City Council, many of us

29:07have contacted Inspectional Services on

29:09behalf of constituents who have raised

29:11concerns about potential rooming houses,

29:14illegal apartments, and unsafe housing

29:17conditions.

29:18The new ordinance will provide ISD with

29:20a more effective means of identifying

29:22rental properties and establishing a

29:25reasonable inspection schedule to help

29:28ensure that these properties meet

29:30applicable safety and sanitary

29:32standards.

29:33The intent is not to displace tenants or

29:36unfairly penalize landlords. Rather, it

29:40is to promote safe housing, protect

29:42residents, and establish a consistent,

29:44proactive approach to rental property

29:47oversight.

29:49Under the existing ordinance, each

29:51rental unit is subject to a $75 fee for

29:54inspection,

29:56with an additional $75 fee required each

29:59time a unit turns over and is inspected.

30:02The proposed ordinance would reduce this

30:05financial burden by establishing an

30:08annual registration fee of $25,

30:12with no additional charge for the

30:14inspection itself.

30:16This approach offers landlords a less

30:19expensive and more predictable process,

30:23while allowing the city to better

30:25identify and monitor its rental housing.

30:28Many municipalities have maintained

30:31rental registries for years, and fire

30:33departments in those communities have

30:35recognized the value of these programs

30:38in promoting public safety.

30:40Our own fire chief James Cullen supports

30:42this initiative as reflected in the

30:45letter that was just read.

30:47We must also recognize the importance of

30:50taking preventative action before

30:52tragedy occurs. In Worcester,

30:54discussions surrounding a rental

30:55registry continued for more than a year

30:58before a housing related tragedy

31:00resulted in the loss of several tenants'

31:02lives.

31:03The city council subsequently voted on

31:05the registry.

31:07We should learn from such circumstances

31:10and take reasonable steps to address

31:12potential housing hazards before lives

31:15are put at risk.

31:16In closing, this ordinance does not

31:19create an entirely new system of

31:21inspections, fines, or municipal

31:24enforcement obligations.

31:26These requirements already exist.

31:30What this ordinance establishes is a

31:32rental registry that will help the city

31:35identify rental properties,

31:37implement a reasonable inspection

31:39schedule,

31:41and more effectively carry out its

31:43existing responsibilities.

31:46Ultimately, this is about protecting

31:48tenants, promoting safe and sanitary

31:51housing,

31:52supporting reasonable supporting

31:55responsible landlords, and giving the

31:57city the tools it needs to address

31:59unsafe housing conditions proactively.

32:04And I just like to respond. I know uh

32:06one of the residents got up and said a

32:08cost analysis, what this would cost the

32:10city.

32:11The idea of a registry is to collect $25

32:15as people register, and that money stays

32:18in a fund, and that

32:21um

32:22pays for inspections and inspectors. So,

32:25this is no direct cost to the taxpayer

32:29other than a $25 fee per year

32:33for each rental property.

32:35Thank you very much.

32:36>> Thank you, counselor. Counselor Kelly.

32:40>> Thank you.

32:43>> Thank you, Mr. President. I want to

32:44start out by saying that there are

32:46aspects of this ordinance that I do

32:48like.

32:49But after comparing it to our existing

32:51ordinance, there are also aspects that I

32:53have serious concerns about. Under our

32:55existing ordinance, a certificate of

32:57fitness is required whenever a long-term

32:59rental unit turns over at a cost of $75.

33:03This proposal eliminates that

33:04requirement, making turnover inspections

33:07voluntary at the owner's request. As a

33:10result, owners of rental properties

33:11would no longer be required to have

33:13their units inspected when tenants

33:15change.

33:16While the proposed While the proposal

33:18introduces periodic inspections, I'm

33:21concerned about eliminating an existing

33:23inspection requirement intended to

33:25protect tenants. Also, owners can

33:27actually add together all the rental

33:30units they own across multiple buildings

33:33throughout the city to reach 200 units.

33:36Once they reach that 200-unit aggregate

33:39number, their total annual registration

33:42fee is capped at just $5,000, no matter

33:45how many units above 200 they own. That

33:48means larger property owners could pay

33:50substantially less per unit than smaller

33:54property owners.

33:56Further, seniors on fixed incomes could

33:59face devastating costs if inspections

34:02require substantial property

34:03modifications with no city financial

34:06assistance available, and could be faced

34:09with the added risk of fines ranging

34:11anywhere from 300 to $490

34:14a day.

34:16Lastly, I also have a concern about the

34:18short-term rental provisions. Under our

34:21existing ordinance, short-term rentals

34:23are generally limited to owner-occupied

34:25properties. This proposal would allow

34:28owners of qualifying non-owner-occupied

34:31apartment buildings to use up to 10% of

34:34their units as short-term rentals.

34:38We've heard concerns raised by

34:39counselors in the past about short-term

34:41rentals, including complaints from

34:43residents about strangers coming into

34:44their neighborhoods and also parking

34:46problems. Yet, this ordinance could

34:48actually increase the number of our

34:51short-term rentals in Revere. So, I'm

34:53not sure that's such a good idea.

34:55I recognize that this ordinance is

34:57intended to strengthen public safety and

35:00recover administrative costs. However,

35:02it also eliminates an existing

35:03inspection requirement, places

35:05additional burdens on smaller property

35:07owners who may be least able to afford

35:10them, and creates an opportunity to

35:12increase the number of short-term

35:14rentals in Revere. Therefore, I can't

35:16support it as currently proposed. And

35:19also about the um

35:21funding of this, I just want to respond

35:23to the fee being held in an uh in a fund

35:27and it would actually um

35:29serve to fund and the implementation of

35:32this program, but it's been said that we

35:34don't actually know how many rental

35:36units we have in the city. So, we can't

35:38possibly know how much revenue this

35:40would generate and how many more

35:42inspectors, if any, that we would need

35:44and how many salaries we would have to

35:46cover. So, I don't know if we can

35:48accurately say that this would be a

35:51self-funding program. Thank you.

35:54>> Thank you, Councillor Silvestri.

35:59Councillor McKinnon.

36:00>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um last night

36:02at 2:20, we had an incident on Winthrop

36:05Ave.

36:06Um

36:07I have

36:08on one side, I have an illegal rooming

36:10house. On the other side, I have an

36:12Airbnb.

36:13We don't know where this man came from,

36:15but this man came in. He He was from

36:18either

36:19the illegal rooming house or the Airbnb

36:22and went into someone's apartment. Uh

36:26got in uh with a credit card. Was

36:29standing over the people while they were

36:31sleeping and they have a baby. And the

36:33um the the guy woke up and

36:37and the police were called and he was

36:39arrested. But, I'm just saying that

36:42we need to do a better job and I know

36:45this might not be um uh a part of this,

36:47but we need to do a better job in

36:49vetting

36:50uh people in Airbnbs and we need to

36:54address illegal rooming houses.

36:58Because no one's getting vetted in that.

37:00They're just coming in with mattresses

37:02and they're sleeping there. You don't

37:04know who your neighbors are. So, last

37:06night it could have been uh detrimental.

37:09It you know, it could have been worse

37:10than it was and it wasn't, thank god.

37:13But I just that's what I had to uh shout

37:16out my piece. Thank you.

37:20>> Any other counselors?

37:22Legislative affairs.

37:27>> Calendar item number five, hearing

37:29called to order on the application of

37:30Nixon Peabody LLP, 53 State Street,

37:32Boston requesting approval from the City

37:35Council pursuant to Mass. General Laws

37:37Chapter 41, Sections 81G and 81I and

37:41Chapter 12.12, Public Street Dedication,

37:44Changes and Discontinuance of the Revere

37:46Revised Ordinances to lay out the

37:48portion of the proposed rerouting of

37:51Overlook Ridge Drive as shown on Parcel

37:52A1 on the plan, plan of land in Revere,

37:56Malden, Mass. dated July 1st, 2025

37:59prepared by Hancock Associates.

38:03>> This is a public hearing. We'll hear

38:05from a proponents.

38:08Proponents.

38:14Name and address for the record, please.

38:16>> Uh Jennifer Schultz, an attorney on

38:19behalf of the proponents from Nixon

38:21Peabody. Uh address in Boston for my

38:23office is 53 State Street in Boston,

38:25Massachusetts.

38:28>> Do you want to introduce yourself?

38:31>> Marshall Tycher, Knupp Brook, address 75

38:34Eisenhower Parkway, Roseland, New

38:36Jersey.

38:44>> I do that.

38:47We'll keep this very brief.

38:52Do I do?

38:55Oh, I do. Wrong side.

39:07Okay, here we go.

39:09Um so um I you'll only hear from me for

39:13just about a minute. Um I'm here to sort

39:15of introduce the context of about 23

39:20years, I think, of this project, give or

39:22take.

39:23Um and so just on the screen in front of

39:25you tonight, shown in yellow, um is sort

39:28of what we're talking about here this

39:30evening. And uh even though this is

39:33itself a small portion, relatively small

39:36to the entire Overlook Ridge Drive uh

39:39redevelopment that has, as I said, been

39:41in process for multiple decades,

39:44um what's really significant about our

39:46ask this evening is that this is step

39:49one in bringing the traffic and roadway

39:53mitigation and improvements uh right at

39:55the doorstep, uh the entryway to this

39:59long-developed uh parcel of land in

40:02order to improve the public experience

40:05and the public safety uh at this

40:06integral intersection of what will be uh

40:10Overlook Ridge Drive as it will be

40:11rerouted and Salem Street. Um just the

40:15boring stuff. Uh this ask is only about

40:183 and 1/2 years in the making. Um and

40:21began when the Joint Planning Task

40:24Force, about 3 and 1/2 years ago,

40:26approved the um new location of this

40:30terminus or entrance of Overlook Ridge

40:32Drive at Salem Street, depending on how

40:34you look at it. And from there from

40:37there um the proponents went through a

40:39process with MEPA, the Environmental

40:42Protection Agency,

40:44um to work through necessary mitigation

40:48for the impacts of this project. Um

40:52as part of that process because a um

40:55highway access permit is required or

40:58from the Massachusetts DOT, uh we went

41:02through the MEPA process with MassDOT's

41:04input um

41:06all all the way back and actually well

41:08before this 2024 date, but this is what

41:11is relevant for this evening. Um and

41:13really just the remainder of this slide

41:15is to point out that as the proponent

41:18has been going through this process, it

41:20has been hand in hand not only with the

41:23MEPA office, with MassDOT, but also with

41:27the city of Revere um as we have been

41:30going through and discussing the designs

41:32and the details of all of this. And so

41:35I'll pass the microphone over to

41:37Marshall for um to to talk about some of

41:40the higher level items and really to um

41:44you know, go through the details of what

41:46it is we're talking about, but it really

41:47is to say that this is step one and

41:50there will be multiple steps thereafter,

41:52but this is what will unlock the ability

41:55to do road work and improvements

41:57including a signalization um at that

42:01intersection of what will be Overlook

42:02Ridge Drive and Salem Street. So

42:05Marshall, just press the space bar to

42:07move forward. Just the space bar.

42:08>> technology. Okay, great. Thank you. Good

42:11evening everybody.

42:12>> Good evening.

42:13>> So this is kind of an interesting

42:14administrative step of of a law that I

42:16still don't understand how it bounces up

42:18and back for this, but the reality is

42:20this is the long-awaited traffic light

42:22for the relocation of of uh of Overlook

42:25Ridge Drive on the other side of the

42:26firehouse

42:27uh where we'll be straightening out the

42:28drive, installing a new light,

42:30installing new MBTA um bus stops on both

42:34sides of the road, connecting the

42:35pathway from the marsh up through the

42:37property. And uh we take this step

42:40first, then we go

42:42back, and then we come again, and then

42:45we finish. So this uh this illustration

42:47in front of you shows what we're doing

42:49about tonight. And tonight's just the

42:52the pink

42:53and the purple right below the pink that

42:55we're asking for the city council to

42:57approve in the city layout. We'll come

43:00back in the future for the purple down

43:03below, which is really the improvement

43:06for the northbound exit ramps as they

43:08come off of Route 1.

43:18The layout of parcel 1, what it does is

43:21it agrees that this will become a public

43:23way. This is what step we have to take

43:25in order to get MassWorks funds, which

43:27have already been allocated to us. We're

43:28already starting to spend MassWorks

43:30funds on engineering, but we can't begin

43:32the work on the road until all the

43:33MassWorks funding is

43:35it moves forward, and this is a step one

43:38in getting that accomplished.

43:40This does not have the town accepting

43:42the road. This has nothing to do with

43:43any process other than just unleashing

43:46MassWorks money. And it's a mandatory

43:48step. We will get this underway. We'll

43:51start doing the work and and then come

43:53back to the council for further action

43:55as and when it's needed.

44:01We've talked about the benefits to

44:03Revere for a lot of years as far as the

44:06this work at this intersection.

44:07Obviously creates a significantly safer

44:09intersection than it does than exists

44:11today with a light. As we said, it

44:14connects the trail connecting the open

44:15space.

44:17We've met with both fire chiefs

44:18extensively to make sure everybody's

44:20comfortable with the with the turning

44:22radiuses and the play for trucks to come

44:23in and out. This requires no city funds,

44:27and I guess the bus stops new bus stops

44:29installed on both sides of Salem. So,

44:31it's pretty much a win across the board,

44:33and it's something we've worked towards

44:34now for a lot of years to get done. And

44:37once again, MassWorks and MassDOT are

44:39now funding the bill to get this

44:41accomplished. We'll have to write a

44:42small check along the way, but we've

44:44written a lot of checks along the way.

44:46That's really it. I mean, our engineers

44:48are here tonight to answer any

44:50questions.

44:51There's really no engineering involved

44:53in the step tonight. This is literally

44:54just a city acknowledging the layout

44:56plan to proceed to the next step. So,

44:58I'm glad to answer questions. I don't

45:00have many answers cuz this is kind of a

45:02a process that

45:04that I'm not that familiar with.

45:06>> Thank you.

45:07>> Thank you.

45:07>> Any other proponents, people in favor?

45:18Name and address for the record, please.

45:21>> Travis for 10 Leduc Road, Revere,

45:23Massachusetts.

45:25I um I recently actually spoke in

45:28opposition of some of the work uh that

45:29was done at Overlook Ridge. So, I just

45:31wanted to note that. Um

45:34but I'm I'm in favor of this. If it's

45:36going to put a light there, if if people

45:37are going to be pulling out of this

45:38complex where

45:40you know, there's a thousand units and

45:42they're coming around a curve and not

45:43seeing what that intersection looks like

45:45in advance, this is safer. If DOT's

45:47going to pay for it, if they're going to

45:48pay for it and we're going to have a

45:49light and better traffic flow and

45:51safety, I I think it's a good thing.

45:53Thank you, guys.

45:54>> Thank you for your comments. Any other

45:56proponents, people in favor?

45:59Hearing and seeing none, we're going to

46:00close that side of the hearing. Any

46:02opponents,

46:04people against?

46:08Hearing and seeing none, we're going to

46:09close that side of the hearing. City

46:11councilors,

46:12Councilor Giannino.

46:15>> Thank you.

46:16I had some questions at first, but

46:18at um Strowski clarified my problems I

46:21had.

46:23I might have worked with him several

46:24times in the past.

46:25There's several meetings we had. He

46:27always came through on issues we had and

46:29I'm totally in favor of it now. Thank

46:31you.

46:32>> Great. Thank you, counselor. Any other

46:34councilors?

46:35Councilor Mercurio.

46:37>> Thank you, Mr. President. Just a couple

46:38of quick questions. So, this will be the

46:40main entrance into this uh into the site

46:43now?

46:43>> Correct. This is relocating what has

46:45been the main entrance on the east side

46:47of the firehouse, flipping it over the

46:48west side, and this will be the main

46:49entrance with the with the traffic

46:51signal.

46:51>> So, the signalization will be on the

46:53lower end uh so, the fire department

46:54will come out, take a left, and get on

46:56to uh Salem Street. Is that correct?

46:58>> Correct. We're adding control lights to

47:00the fire chief who the one can enact to

47:03stop all traffic to allow them to come

47:04and go.

47:05>> Will that stop stop the traffic before

47:07they get into the intersection or

47:08>> Yeah. Stop them or drive itself.

47:10>> Okay.

47:12All right, that was my question. Thank

47:13you very much.

47:14>> Thank you, counselor.

47:15Counselor Novaselsky.

47:17>> Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President,

47:19uh

47:20through you to gentlemen, uh

47:23I was with this project

47:25involved in this project from day one.

47:27You know, almost what, 19 years ago.

47:30When they when they came aboard, uh

47:33what's going to happen to the property

47:35of the current

47:37entrance?

47:38>> It just it gets filled landscape and and

47:41and completed.

47:43Pardon?

47:46Well, above it, but not to the to the

47:47west of it.

47:48Lot one, which is the retail site, a

47:50portion of that loop curve becomes a lot

47:53one commercial site for uh uh

47:56uh retail. To the east of it, it just

47:58gets filled and with parking lot for the

48:00retail.

48:02>> We don't know yet. We haven't We have to

48:04market it.

48:05>> Yeah, we'll talk about that later. Thank

48:07you.

48:08>> For another evening.

48:10>> Any other councilors?

48:13>> [snorts]

48:17>> Madam Clerk.

48:19Roll call.

48:21>> [clears throat]

48:22>> Shall the City Council approve the

48:23layout of Overlook Ridge Drive?

48:27>> Yes, it's a public hearing.

48:30No, not necessarily.

48:33You have any questions that can be be

48:35asked now, uh you know.

48:38>> If I may, Mr. President, I didn't

48:40realize that I didn't

48:41put in committee.

48:42>> I apologize. I should have probably,

48:44you know, told you we could vote on this

48:46tonight.

48:47>> Okay. Um

48:50way back when,

48:52okay, before you even

48:53took over the property, you know, we

48:55were promised a hotel

48:58up in Overlook Ridge.

49:01It's impossible to put one in where the

49:02retail is going.

49:05>> I know we we we did dis-

49:07we did discuss this last time. I mean, I

49:09just you know, over the years it's just

49:11has not become a use that was

49:13viable at this site.

49:15>> Yeah.

49:16Well,

49:17you know, cuz I'm just going to see what

49:19advantage all this is going to be to the

49:22city.

49:23You know, if you're going to put retail

49:24in there, what exactly

49:26that's going to be

49:27plus plus plus,

49:29not just a plus. You know, and I think,

49:31you know,

49:32a hotel would be an enormous impact to

49:36our income.

49:38So, you know, if

49:39>> I understand.

49:40>> If you can do it, you know, a small

49:42hotel something like Avid or something

49:44like that.

49:45>> We did spend years talking to hotel

49:46companies and never developed any

49:48interest in a hotel.

49:49>> Really?

49:50>> At that location.

49:51>> Yeah, cuz we we know, we've been given

49:53the shaft on this project right from

49:56year year nine.

49:58You know, when we were supposed to widen

49:59the roadway and

50:01you know, make everything easier going

50:02up to Route 1 rather than two lanes to a

50:04three lane.

50:05Like so,

50:07you know, I'm I'm a little upset that,

50:08you know, nothing nothing was brought

50:10forward to you guys,

50:12you know, to try and interact with all

50:14that all those promises that we had.

50:16>> I understand.

50:17>> So.

50:20>> Councilor Cogliandro.

50:24>> Thank you, Mr. President.

50:26The last time that you all came up here

50:27asking for the zoning change,

50:29we were talking about uh I believe you

50:32called it a bodega.

50:34That was one of the, you know, selling

50:36points that you were going to have a

50:38smaller grocery store up there to supply

50:41that area. That was going to cut back on

50:43traffic going to Northgate.

50:46Where is that? So, now we're talking

50:47that there's no interest in a hotel. We

50:49re-zoned for that. There's no bodega

50:51coming. We re-zoned because of that,

50:52too.

50:53>> That

50:53Sorry.

50:54That's still our hope for that retail

50:56space to get a a uh bodega in that

50:58location.

50:59We just haven't We haven't begun the

51:01development of the site yet. So, until

51:03we can

51:04get approvals, begin the plan, and get

51:07out to market to look for a tenant, but

51:09that is the idea for that location.

51:11>> I understand the process, sir, but when?

51:14>> Well, we have to get through We've been

51:15doing this for years just to get the

51:17transportation arranged with Mass

51:20with MassDOT. So, this has been a

51:22I wish this was 3 years sooner. It's

51:24It's It's just takes It's taken us

51:264 years just to get through this this

51:28process with with MEPA and MassDOT.

51:31>> You have a And we're still not there.

51:32You have potentially and

51:34I won't hold you to it, but some sort of

51:35estimation of when the commercial side

51:38of hotel, everything is going to be

51:40>> We're hoping that the that um

51:44that some point by the

51:47I don't want to say this, I'm going to

51:48be wrong, but but second or third

51:50quarter of next year that we have

51:52MEPA and MassDOT done and can get

51:55underway. We're now drawing the working

51:57drawings to finish those up and get to

51:59run those through the system and

52:01and you know, with this each each of

52:02these steps gets us closer to be able to

52:04have a fully permitted project to start

52:07this work. But it's just taken as you

52:09saw in that list, it's taken us

52:12It's now almost 4 years just to do these

52:14these things on the transportation side.

52:17It's frustrating.

52:18>> Understood. Thank you very much.

52:20>> Councilor House.

52:21>> Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you for

52:23being here tonight. I just had one

52:24question. Um what was the impetus or the

52:27or the reason for the change? I'm just

52:29hearing tonight that the the current

52:31entrance is just going to be filled with

52:32landscaping. Um

52:34>> Was I'm sorry.

52:35>> That Oh, so go ahead.

52:36>> I I missed I miss misspoke. There's the

52:39end of it gets landscaping. The rest of

52:40it is the parking lot for the retail.

52:42You have the retail above

52:44the firehouse and then parking heading

52:46towards Salem Street.

52:49>> And I was happy to hear that a traffic

52:51light will be installed cuz that corner

52:53is very treacherous. I've There's been

52:56tons of accidents there. So, definitely

52:58a safety concern for a driver getting

53:00used to the the traffic light in that

53:02spot and also for the apparatus that's

53:04pulling out.

53:05Thank you.

53:06>> You bet.

53:07>> Thank you, counselor. Counselor McKenna.

53:09>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um

53:12Is it Marshall?

53:13>> Yes.

53:13>> Marshall, we've had so many broken

53:15promises um in this development. Would

53:19you be willing to um put in writing that

53:21we will be getting a bodega?

53:24>> I'm not in the bodega business, so all

53:26we can do is build the space and look

53:29for the tenant. So

53:31>> you be willing to put that you

53:33>> We will We will put our best efforts. I

53:35can say best efforts. I don't I can't

53:36commit to a business that I'm that I'm

53:38not in.

53:39>> Okay.

53:40>> It wouldn't be my bodega.

53:42So, but

53:44>> Just asking.

53:45>> You bet.

53:49>> Okay. Um

53:51Madam Clerk, now I think we can call the

53:53roll.

53:58>> Shall the City Council approve the

53:59layout of Overlook Ridge Drive as shown

54:01on parcel A1 as indicated on the plan of

54:05land in Revere, Malden, Mass. dated July

54:071, 2025 prepared by Hancock Associates.

54:10Counselor Ajanel.

54:12>> Yes.

54:12>> Yes. Counselor Coggliano.

54:14>> Yes.

54:15>> Yes. Counselor Giannino.

54:16>> Yes.

54:16>> Yes. Counselor Greenough-Swig.

54:18>> Yes.

54:19>> Yes. Counselor Haas.

54:20>> Yes.

54:21>> Yes. Counselor Kelly.

54:22>> Yes.

54:22>> Yes. Counselor McKenna.

54:23>> Yes.

54:24>> Yes. Counselor Macario.

54:25>> Yes.

54:26>> Yes. Counselor Novoselsky.

54:27>> No.

54:28>> No. Counselor Silvestri.

54:29>> Yes.

54:30>> Yes. And Council President Zambuto.

54:32>> I'm recused.

54:33>> Recused.

54:35The layout has been approved.

54:38>> Thank you, everybody. Have a good

54:39evening.

54:40>> Thank you.

54:43>> Calendar item number six, hearing called

54:45as ordered on a bond authorization in

54:47the amount of $16,500,000

54:50for the Wonderland eminent domain taking

54:52agreement for judgment.

54:58>> This is a public hearing. Proponents.

55:03Mr. Mayor.

55:04>> Mr. President, um

55:06Mayor Keefe,

55:07Uh 44 Kilburn Street.

55:10Obviously, I'm in favor. We We We struck

55:12a good deal with the former landowner of

55:15Wonderland and we're asking for the bond

55:17authorization for $16.5 million

55:19for the eminent domain taking. Later on

55:22this evening, you will see the legal

55:24fees that are associated with that. Uh

55:26and Rich can explain our CFO can explain

55:28that um

55:30this all will still come

55:32beneath the $493 million that was

55:36already bonded for the whole high school

55:38site. But, because of the language in

55:41each bond, the use of each bond needs to

55:43be specific to what we we tell you that

55:46we're borrowing it for. So, the $493

55:48million was borrowed for the

55:50construction of the the new high school.

55:53Of course, of that $493 million, about

55:56half of it is being paid for out of the

55:57MSBA grant. Um

56:00and then we went further and took a

56:02budget reduction of $10 million

56:05to take the estimated cost of

56:07construction to $483 million. Since

56:10then, we've also seen cost savings with

56:12bid bids coming back relatively lower

56:15than anticipated. And so, the total

56:18anticipated anticipated savings is

56:20around $24 million

56:22off of the original $493.

56:24You factor in the 16.5,

56:27and then you factor in the later on

56:28we're going to be asking for about

56:29$900,000 for the legal expenses, we're

56:32still below that original 493. But, each

56:34has to have a specific bond. And just to

56:37make it clear to everyone, when Rich or

56:40myself or anyone comes up here asking

56:41for a bond authorization, that doesn't

56:43mean we go to the bank and say, "We want

56:45$493 million tomorrow." We take it out

56:48in increments as we need it or in what

56:50we think we may need it in a certain

56:51period of time. We go and make sure we

56:53get favorable rates. Uh and then of

56:55course, we do the right thing with all

56:56of that money. So, we will be we will be

56:58beneath the $493 million in total that

57:01we originally anticipated for the cost

57:03of the high school, and that will

57:04include the additional price of the land

57:07that we uh we settled on. So, I hope

57:09that answers most of the questions for

57:10both, but we're here. I'm a proponent.

57:13Thank you.

57:15>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Any other

57:17proponents? Mr. CFO.

57:21>> Good evening. Richard [clears throat]

57:22Viscay, CFO, 21 Broadway. I'm here in

57:25support of this bond authorization. I

57:28don't want to repeat what the mayor

57:29said, but essentially we've been

57:30planning for building a contingency

57:32within this budget. Um

57:35being that one's for purchase of land

57:36and one's for construction.

57:38Uh bond counsel thought it would be

57:39cleaner for us to come up here and get

57:41our own separate bond authorization for

57:42that.

57:43And uh

57:44>> [snorts]

57:44>> like the mayor said, any savings we

57:45realize, we're up to about 24 million

57:47now, we'll rescind that authorization

57:49once the project's approved. So, uh

57:51happy to answer any question on that,

57:52but I'm in support of this bond

57:54authorization. Thank you.

57:55>> Thank you.

57:56>> [clears throat]

57:57>> Any other proponents? People in favor.

58:02Hearing and seeing none, we're going to

58:03close that side of the hearing.

58:05Opponents. People [snorts] opposed to

58:08this bond.

58:09>> [cough]

58:10[clears throat]

58:12>> Seeing none,

58:14close that side of the hearing.

58:16Councilor Cogliandro.

58:19>> Thank you, Mr. President. I also

58:21[clears throat] sit on the building

58:22committee for the high school.

58:24And I think uh where Mayor Keefe said

58:27pretty much everything about savings, I

58:29just want to reiterate that

58:31we have saved money throughout this

58:32project. We are not using what we

58:35thought we would need from the

58:37contingency funds. We are not using

58:38that, and this additional money for the

58:41eminent domain costs is not going to

58:43cost the city any more money.

58:46Uh I was one of the people who assumed

58:48that our cost was going to be much

58:49higher than it was,

58:51>> [snorts]

58:51>> and I am very pleased that it is not.

58:54Um good job to everyone that was

58:55involved in doing that. Mayor Keefe,

58:58CFO, the legal team, everyone. Thank

59:00you, and I will support this tonight.

59:03>> Thank you, councilor. Uh Councilor

59:05Silvestri.

59:06>> Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. Mayor,

59:08thank you. And the team, thank you very

59:09much. Um

59:11some of us had faith in this from the

59:13beginning and uh we we always thought

59:16that the number would be right where it

59:17was.

59:18Um

59:19but it could have been a lot higher and

59:21and I think it was a a positive decision

59:23um on the on the neighborhood and the

59:25school itself. Huge victory for the

59:27city, so congratulations.

59:29>> Thank you, counselor. Counselor Kelly.

59:34>> I just have a question for um Mr.

59:36Viscay.

59:37Um

59:38was there a So, this 16.5 million

59:41Does that include Was there a previously

59:44withheld

59:45um 541,000?

59:51>> There was um

59:53money was withheld for um

59:56revenues that were owed to the city from

59:57the initial sale, so there was a 500

1:00:00There was I I don't have the exact

1:00:01number, but about $500,000 was

1:00:04>> I can answer that question. When we took

1:00:06by eminent domain,

1:00:09I think we all know most of us that that

1:00:111 building was using that as

1:00:13a business for parking. They never had

1:00:15any permits. They never paid any of the

1:00:17licensing fees, so that 541,000 was a

1:00:19reflection of that money that would have

1:00:21been paid had we authorized the parking.

1:00:24And that's what we withheld at the time

1:00:25of the taking, so although we bought it

1:00:2729.5, we paid 29, I think. I I forget

1:00:31the exact number.

1:00:32>> figure is added into the 16.5?

1:00:34>> That's where the 0.5 is.

1:00:36That was [clears throat] part of the

1:00:36settlement.

1:00:37>> Okay. And um of the savings that have

1:00:41been discussed for construction costs um

1:00:43anticipated construction costs and

1:00:45things like How much of that savings has

1:00:46been confirmed?

1:00:49Is it all confirmed at this point that

1:00:50we know

1:00:52100% we're saving it?

1:00:53>> $10 million initially, so that savings

1:00:55has to be had because we reduced the

1:00:57budget by $10 million

1:00:59during the school building committee.

1:01:01So, has it been realized? I mean,

1:01:02nothing's been realized until the

1:01:04project's complete, but that budget has

1:01:06been reduced $10 million and we've

1:01:07realized about $14 million on our bids

1:01:10that we've got for our five sub bids, so

1:01:12again, that's $24 million, but as

1:01:15projects go on, sometimes there's things

1:01:17that happen that cause them to go up,

1:01:19but as of today, that's $24 million

1:01:21savings as we stand right now.

1:01:23>> Thank you.

1:01:24>> You're welcome.

1:01:26>> Councilor Mercurio.

1:01:27>> Thank you, Mr. President. Mr.

1:01:28Viscarrondo, just a couple of questions.

1:01:30Have we secured that bond yet for the

1:01:32$16.5 million? Because I know where

1:01:34there's sometimes constraints within the

1:01:37agreement.

1:01:38>> I can't secure any bond until you guys

1:01:39vote favorably.

1:01:40>> That's right.

1:01:41>> All right.

1:01:41>> But

1:01:42but it's

1:01:42>> question, we won't go out and bond that

1:01:44tomorrow. We we have all fiscal year. Uh

1:01:48we pay that debt, and then by June 30th,

1:01:50I'm required to um get those funds in

1:01:53place, whether it be with the short-term

1:01:55interest-only note or to bond it

1:01:57long-term. So, once we get the bond

1:01:59voted, I'm able to pay off um the

1:02:02the lawsuit, [snorts] and then I have

1:02:04until the end of the fiscal year to um

1:02:06to plan for the bond in short-term or

1:02:07long-term for those funds.

1:02:08>> And we'll recoup that $8 million that

1:02:10you paid out for the first payment,

1:02:11right?

1:02:12>> Right. Yeah.

1:02:12>> Okay. And the

1:02:14the first payment of $29.5 million, that

1:02:16that bond is a 15-year bond?

1:02:19>> It's a 20-year bond. It's one sold

1:02:20already, yes. It's already part of the

1:02:22um it's it's part of the debt service of

1:02:24the city now. So, what we'll do now is

1:02:26we'll we'll layer in this new 16 and 1/2

1:02:28million. I'll revise the forecast, and

1:02:30I'll come before you later on this year

1:02:32to uh

1:02:32>> Okay. What is that costing the taxpayers

1:02:34right now?

1:02:36The bond per year.

1:02:38>> Which one?

1:02:38>> The $29.5 million. That's what the city

1:02:41paid for it, but the taxpayers paid the

1:02:43interest on it. So,

1:02:45>> Um I didn't bring the debt service

1:02:46schedules with me, but I'd say it's

1:02:47probably about a million and a half a

1:02:49year, but that's like I said, that's

1:02:50embedded in the appropriation that you

1:02:51voted for fiscal year '17 already.

1:02:53>> Okay.

1:02:54>> And then the new the new bond will

1:02:56depending on interest rates, will be

1:02:58somewhere between a million a million

1:03:00two, depending on where the rates are

1:03:01at. Rates are up a little little bit

1:03:03right now. We hope they come down, so we

1:03:04just kind of

1:03:05watch [snorts] the market. If the rates

1:03:06come lower, we may sell long-term. If

1:03:08they stay high, we may sell short-term,

1:03:10and hopefully those rates will

1:03:13decline.

1:03:13>> Hopefully we can see all the schedules

1:03:15of of bond bonds that are being

1:03:17bought for the school project. Uh I hope

1:03:20for in the future I know there will

1:03:21>> Well, every single amortization schedule

1:03:23is in the budget that you got. So, you

1:03:25can look at them all. The only thing you

1:03:26don't have is anything going forward.

1:03:28So, as we get the authorizations, we

1:03:30update the budget every year. So, within

1:03:32the debt service schedule in the budget,

1:03:34you have every single bond in in the in

1:03:36the amortization schedule. But, I can

1:03:38certainly get it to you.

1:03:39>> If we can just separate the high school

1:03:40bonding

1:03:41of the land cost and the construction

1:03:43cost cuz sometimes you mix and mingle it

1:03:46all in one report and it's kind of tough

1:03:48to read the reports that you submit to

1:03:50us. Yeah, we can sort it in any way you

1:03:51like. I would appreciate it. And great

1:03:53work to the mayor and

1:03:55the city solicitor

1:03:57on the cost savings to the citizens of

1:03:59Revere and look forward to the project

1:04:01moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

1:04:03>> Sure. Thank you.

1:04:07>> Any other counselors?

1:04:10I think I'll give my two cents from the

1:04:12chair if that's acceptable.

1:04:15Uh

1:04:18Only if it's positive? I don't I don't

1:04:21think I can commit to that.

1:04:23>> [laughter]

1:04:23>> But, I will be pretty positive. I'm I'll

1:04:26say at the outset I'm going to vote for

1:04:27this bond because it's uh

1:04:31part of keeping my word that I I said I

1:04:33would. And

1:04:35I said it was a

1:04:36great settlement considering the bad

1:04:39situation we were in.

1:04:41So, I'm never going to I'm never going

1:04:43to praise the fact that we paid 45 and a

1:04:47half million for land we shouldn't, in

1:04:49my opinion, have taken off the tax

1:04:51rolls. But,

1:04:53uh it could have been worse and we all

1:04:55knew that. And I was expecting it to be

1:04:5975 or 80 million.

1:05:02Um

1:05:03and in fact, I'll say publicly that I

1:05:05had advised

1:05:07uh

1:05:08the administration [clears throat]

1:05:09to settle for 50 million after they

1:05:11decided to go to Wonderland cuz I knew

1:05:14what was coming. So,

1:05:16enough of all that. Uh Uh bottom line is

1:05:20uh

1:05:20this is an important vote and I'm going

1:05:22to vote for it, uh but it doesn't take

1:05:24away the fact that we made the biggest

1:05:27fiscal mistake in the history of the

1:05:28city.

1:05:30So, uh

1:05:31now on the vote on the on the bond.

1:05:39We got to tell it like it is.

1:05:43It's my opinion. Yeah, and just as long

1:05:45as you don't say God rest his soul, we

1:05:46should all listen to Tony Zambuto.

1:05:51Roll call.

1:05:53>> Shall the city council approve a bond

1:05:55authorization in the amount of

1:05:57$16,500,000

1:05:59for the Wonderland eminent domain taking

1:06:01agreement for judgment? Counselor

1:06:03Agostino.

1:06:04>> Yes.

1:06:04>> Yes, Counselor Cangiano.

1:06:06>> Yes.

1:06:06>> Yes, Counselor Giannino.

1:06:08>> Yes.

1:06:08>> Yes, Counselor Grasso-Sannella.

1:06:10>> Yes.

1:06:10>> Yes, Counselor Haas.

1:06:11>> Yes.

1:06:12>> Yes, Counselor Kelly.

1:06:13>> Yes.

1:06:13>> Yes, Counselor McKenna.

1:06:14>> Yes.

1:06:15>> Yes, Counselor Macario.

1:06:16>> Yes.

1:06:17>> Yes, Counselor Novoselsky.

1:06:18>> Yes.

1:06:19>> Yes, Counselor Silvestri.

1:06:20>> Yes.

1:06:21>> Yes, and Council President Zambuto.

1:06:22>> Yes.

1:06:23>> Yes, the bond authorization has been

1:06:24approved.

1:06:27Calendar item number seven, hearing

1:06:28called as ordered on an ordinance

1:06:30repealing section 2.12.030

1:06:33regular meetings of the Revere Revised

1:06:35Ordinances.

1:06:39>> Public hearing, uh

1:06:41we'll hear from proponents. Anybody in

1:06:44favor?

1:06:47Hearing and seeing none, we'll close

1:06:49that side of the hearing.

1:06:51Opponents, anybody opposed?

1:06:54Hearing and seeing none, we'll close

1:06:55that side of the hearing. Counselor

1:06:57Cangiano.

1:06:58>> Finally, something important. Uh

1:07:02so [snorts]

1:07:04uh we're repealing or attempting to

1:07:06repeal this ordinance. Uh this is

1:07:08regarding the delivery of our packets

1:07:10and I'm kind of glad the chambers are

1:07:12full today so I can talk about how much

1:07:14we need to do this.

1:07:16I don't know if you guys know that when

1:07:17we get packets, I'm the only paperless

1:07:20counselor, by the way. Oh, me.

1:07:24Hey, yeah.

1:07:25Saving trees, Councillor Meissner.

1:07:29So

1:07:30we get them emails and you still have

1:07:32the ability to pick them up in the

1:07:34clerk's office, but what most people

1:07:35don't know is that the DPW is summoned

1:07:38to the clerk's office to pick up the

1:07:40packets. They then bring the packets to

1:07:42the police department and then the

1:07:44police department hand delivers them to

1:07:46the homes of the councilors.

1:07:48Now, I'm sorry. This is the ordinance

1:07:51that instructs them to do that and I

1:07:53want to remove it because I personally

1:07:55think that the people that we count on

1:07:57the most,

1:07:58we ask for more enforcement here, more

1:08:00more this from the police, but then

1:08:01we're going to ask them to stop and

1:08:04deliver our council packet or we ask the

1:08:07DPW to put signs up or fix a pothole or

1:08:11get a down tree, but then we're going to

1:08:12tell them to stop and come get the

1:08:14packets from the clerk's office. So,

1:08:16it's not stopping you from getting a a

1:08:18paper packet, it's just stopping this

1:08:20ridiculous delivery of this packet and

1:08:24half the time they drop it in the

1:08:25mailbox anyway because they're on their

1:08:27way to, you know, something more

1:08:28important. So,

1:08:30um

1:08:32did

1:08:35This is clear it's right in the

1:08:36ordinance. If I hope everybody read it.

1:08:38It's a one paragraph.

1:08:40I can read it if everyone would like.

1:08:43Sure.

1:08:43>> Why don't you read it?

1:08:44>> Thank thank you, Mr. President. I will.

1:08:48Uh regular meetings, section 2.12.030,

1:08:51regular meetings of the city council

1:08:53shall be held in the council chamber on

1:08:55the first, second, and third Monday

1:08:56evening of each month commencing at the

1:08:58time designated by the council. The

1:09:00clerk of the council shall notify the

1:09:01councils of all meetings of the council

1:09:03by notice delivered personally or by an

1:09:05officer or sent by mail. The council may

1:09:08by a majority vote dispense with any

1:09:10regular meeting or change the day and

1:09:11hours of holding or adjournment of any

1:09:14regular meeting.

1:09:15So,

1:09:17it's clearly the delivery is clearly in

1:09:19there.

1:09:20And I want to repeal this whole thing

1:09:22cuz it I find it ridiculous. Thank

1:09:24>> Thank you, Councillor. Councillor

1:09:25Argenzio.

1:09:26>> Uh thank you, Mr. President. I

1:09:27completely agree with uh Council

1:09:29Cogliandro. Although, I'm not paperless,

1:09:32I do pick it up, but I pick it up

1:09:33myself.

1:09:35Um this ordinance was before the

1:09:37internet.

1:09:38It was before email. So,

1:09:41you know, take that as it is, that how

1:09:43ancient it is. Uh so, it it served its

1:09:45purpose.

1:09:47And I know there's some

1:09:49you know,

1:09:51trying to stick with tradition, but uh

1:09:54at this point having the police and DPW

1:09:57do this uh exercise is is really uh not

1:10:00necessary. Thank you.

1:10:03>> Thank you, counselor.

1:10:04Um

1:10:06Councilor Silvestri.

1:10:07>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um

1:10:10I agree with Councilor Cogliandro.

1:10:12Actually, when we both got elected back

1:10:13in '21,

1:10:15um

1:10:16I was very surprised when the police

1:10:17department showed up my house to deliver

1:10:19me the the envelope. And I think that

1:10:22went on for about a week, and then I

1:10:23stopped it uh to just pick it up on my

1:10:25own.

1:10:26Um but I do think it's it's

1:10:29we we we get email, we get it um

1:10:31electronic. I think it's time, you know,

1:10:33it back in the day it might have been

1:10:35necessary. The tradition is is nice for

1:10:38for the counselors that have been around

1:10:39for for a long time.

1:10:41Um but I think it's uh past its time.

1:10:44Thank you.

1:10:45>> Thank you, counselor. Councilor McKenna.

1:10:48>> Thank you, Mr. President. I totally

1:10:50disagree with this uh ordinance, and I'm

1:10:52sorry. Um I had Sergeant Pham come

1:10:56Friday. I didn't even think we were

1:10:57going to get a uh

1:10:59uh a packet. And I told him that they

1:11:01were, you know, the councilors were was

1:11:05um

1:11:05thinking about stopping them to deliver,

1:11:08and he couldn't believe it. He said

1:11:09because that that is his chance to talk

1:11:13to the councilors, and and see what the

1:11:16councilors are at. And he said it's good

1:11:20for the the um recruits to come with

1:11:23them and get to know the councilors,

1:11:25too. So, he couldn't believe that we

1:11:27were going to stop it. And I've asked in

1:11:30the past, I've asked, "Okay, what's

1:11:32what's your biggest fear in the city?"

1:11:34And you know, they would tell me, "Well,

1:11:37rooming houses, illegal rooming houses,

1:11:39going into that." So, there is a

1:11:41communication there between

1:11:44the police department and the

1:11:46councilors. And I think it's wonderful

1:11:48because there's not there's no

1:11:52transparency is is leaving. It's going

1:11:54to be It's not going to be a word

1:11:56anymore because we don't talk to each

1:11:58other anymore. You know, everything's by

1:12:01email,

1:12:02whatever. And it was so nice to him to

1:12:05come up. I talked to him for half an

1:12:06hour. Asked him if he wanted a water.

1:12:09Then I tell him to be safe and he goes,

1:12:11"Thank you."

1:12:12Um so, I think it's it's crucial that we

1:12:14have this.

1:12:16So, and we have to we have to print the

1:12:18paper out anyway. So, whether you go and

1:12:20get it or we have a communication with

1:12:22the police, I think having a

1:12:24communication with the police is is

1:12:27vital. Thank you.

1:12:29>> Thank you, Councilor Novoselsky.

1:12:32>> Thank you, Mr. President.

1:12:35It's just through you to

1:12:36Councilor Cogliano.

1:12:38Was this also about the dates of

1:12:40meetings?

1:12:43Because if I remember correctly, that

1:12:45night you were only talking about the

1:12:47because we only meet twice a month. And

1:12:49it says in the ordinance that we have to

1:12:51meet three times a month.

1:12:53>> I'm happy to meet three times a month if

1:12:55you like.

1:12:55>> You have a piece. Let me have my

1:12:56>> Let's let's wait till you go through the

1:12:58chair.

1:12:59>> So,

1:13:01that was that was the main thing that

1:13:02night when you spoke and brought it out.

1:13:05And

1:13:06it's a Meetings are at the call of the

1:13:08chair. You know, if we don't have enough

1:13:10business to cover for three three

1:13:12meetings a month, there's no sense in

1:13:15having it that way. We can only do two

1:13:17meetings a month. Next month we plan on

1:13:19having three meetings cuz again, it's

1:13:20the call of the chair.

1:13:22As far as the packets are concerned,

1:13:25listen, I've been here for 26 years.

1:13:28And I've been getting packets ever

1:13:30since. I enjoy getting a packet. Yes, I

1:13:34do get it on email, but to me reading it

1:13:37is boring.

1:13:38I like to be able to make my notes on my

1:13:40packets

1:13:42and do what I want to do and be able to

1:13:43say what I'm going to say and put it

1:13:45down in writing so I could I can

1:13:47remember. I'm not as young as I used to

1:13:49be.

1:13:51You know, sometimes I forget some of

1:13:53people's names here.

1:13:54But uh

1:13:56Yeah, I'm I'm against this and I think

1:13:58we ought to keep everything going way

1:14:00and as I said the last meeting, the cops

1:14:02enjoy coming to our houses and my

1:14:05neighbors enjoy seeing the cops come to

1:14:07the houses knowing that there's a sector

1:14:09car around to protect them

1:14:12immediately.

1:14:14And we have a good good rapport with the

1:14:16Revere police and they do a good job and

1:14:18I thank them for it. Thank you.

1:14:20>> Councilor Guarino Salwaya.

1:14:24>> Thank you, Mr. President.

1:14:26Um if we repeal this entire section,

1:14:28what provisions will govern our regular

1:14:31meeting schedule, notification

1:14:33requirements, and changes to the

1:14:34meetings?

1:14:35Um I do not support eliminating home

1:14:38delivery of our council packet.

1:14:40Having a printed packet helps me review

1:14:42the information carefully and come to

1:14:44the meetings prepared to present to my

1:14:46residents.

1:14:48I like I cannot look at a computer and

1:14:52write my notes in a computer. I need to

1:14:53go from page to page, put it all over my

1:14:56dining room table, and do what I want to

1:14:58do with my council packet.

1:15:00Councilors own uh earn about maybe

1:15:03$30,000 a year, give or take.

1:15:0732 to be exact, right?

1:15:11And our responsibilities extend well

1:15:14beyond attending meetings. We respond to

1:15:16our residents, attend community

1:15:18meetings, and

1:15:20attend regular meetings, other meetings,

1:15:22whatever they they can be. They work

1:15:24through neighborhood concerns. I do not

1:15:26believe we should add another

1:15:27responsibility of picking up our own

1:15:29packets as well or printing our meeting

1:15:33materials when a delivery process is

1:15:35already in place.

1:15:37I also appreciate the personal contact

1:15:39as Councillor McKenna and Councillor

1:15:42Nowosielski have said with the police

1:15:44department.

1:15:45I enjoy talking to the officers and

1:15:47knowing what their concerns are and and

1:15:49things that they may want to talk about.

1:15:52Those brief conversations are a

1:15:54connection that I value.

1:15:56I'm open to discussing ways to make the

1:15:58delivery more efficient because I

1:16:00understand it goes through two different

1:16:01departments,

1:16:03but I support keeping the home delivery

1:16:05available for counselors who rely on it.

1:16:08Um

1:16:10I do not support combining the two

1:16:11ordinances. The provisions repealing the

1:16:14dates of the city council should be

1:16:15separated from the provisions concerning

1:16:18delivery of council packets by the

1:16:20police department to the counselors. Um

1:16:22the council meeting

1:16:24should still be held. Uh they need to be

1:16:26held and the questions of whether the

1:16:27police department personnel should

1:16:29continue delivering the packets to the

1:16:31counselors is a separate issue. These

1:16:33matters should be considered

1:16:34independently and decided by separate

1:16:37votes and that's what I'm requesting

1:16:39tonight if that's possible. Thank you.

1:16:41>> Thank you, counselor. Councillor

1:16:42Mercurio.

1:16:43>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um

1:16:46I have to disagree with this also also.

1:16:48When I got elected to this seat, uh I

1:16:50didn't know what to expect. But when I

1:16:52got that first ring of the bell at my

1:16:54door

1:16:55door house my house, um

1:16:57an officer handed me a package and I

1:16:59said I thought I was getting summoned to

1:17:01court. But he says, "This is your

1:17:02package. This is your council package

1:17:05and we deliver this to you every 2

1:17:07weeks."

1:17:08Not only did I get to meet the fine

1:17:10officers,

1:17:12several fine officers, six, seven,

1:17:14eight, and I met two or three rookies

1:17:16that just got signed on to the police

1:17:18department. I got the vibe of the city,

1:17:21what was going on in the city. I got to

1:17:23sit on my front stairs and talk to this

1:17:25police officer for a good half hour, 30

1:17:28minutes, offered him coffee, drinks.

1:17:31Yeah, it's an old school way of doing

1:17:32business, but you know what? It works.

1:17:34It's effective. The neighbors like to

1:17:36see the police officer's car in front of

1:17:38my house and me sitting out there

1:17:40chatting to see what's going on in the

1:17:41city. Sometimes I get more information

1:17:44from these gentlemen,

1:17:45the men in blue, than I do

1:17:48every anywhere else in the city. So, I

1:17:51like this I like the old school. I I do

1:17:53read the packet online. I am a techie. I

1:17:57do a lot of work on my computer, but

1:18:00this is a great way of communication. I

1:18:02think it should stay.

1:18:04>> Thank you, Mr. President.

1:18:05>> Thank you, Council. Council Coglianese.

1:18:08>> Thank you, Mr. President. Not only were

1:18:10was the internet not available back when

1:18:12this ordinance was created, neither were

1:18:13cell phones. And now we have both.

1:18:16So, if you ever want to talk to a police

1:18:18officer, you can pick up the phone and

1:18:20call them. I'm sorry, but wasting

1:18:22resources to

1:18:23bring paper packets to our homes is just

1:18:27uh

1:18:28I stopped it

1:18:29a long time ago just like Council

1:18:31Sylvester did. And just for the record,

1:18:34Mayor Chief tried to stop that when he

1:18:36was the Ward 4 councilor in my first

1:18:38year on the council. And it got voted

1:18:40down because

1:18:41you know, people liked talking to the

1:18:42police officers.

1:18:47>> [laughter]

1:18:47>> Listen, you don't sit front row, all

1:18:49right? That's

1:18:50Um and I just want to reiterate that I

1:18:53received letters of support for the

1:18:55removal of this from the Chief of Police

1:18:58and from the Superintendent of the DPW.

1:19:01So, if you want to pick up we all drive

1:19:03our vehicles. Come here, half of you are

1:19:05in this building every day. Just come

1:19:07here and pick the packet up. No one's

1:19:09taking your paper packets away. I

1:19:10understand highlighting, I understand

1:19:12turning pages. If you want to talk to a

1:19:14police officer, you can get their phone

1:19:15number and call them like I do so that

1:19:17they can continue driving around and

1:19:18doing their job.

1:19:20Um I don't understand wasting resources

1:19:22so that we can sit home

1:19:23comfortably while they're on the streets

1:19:26protecting us and then they have to stop

1:19:27and deliver us paper. The idea is crazy.

1:19:30So,

1:19:31thank you.

1:19:32>> Thank you, Council. Council Kelly.

1:19:33>> Thank you. Um I just want to say leaving

1:19:35it as as the ordinance stands right now

1:19:38and not repealing it, does allow for

1:19:40choice. So,

1:19:42there are we can choose to go in and

1:19:44pick them up, but I also think from a

1:19:46logistic perspective, if those of us

1:19:48have full-time jobs or other jobs, City

1:19:51Hall's only open until noon, I believe,

1:19:53on Friday. The packets are available on

1:19:56Thursday. It doesn't allow for a whole

1:19:58lot of time if you want the weekend to

1:20:00review the packet and have a paper, um,

1:20:03copy. It doesn't allow a whole lot of

1:20:05time for you to get in here and and pick

1:20:07it up. So, I think it's great for those

1:20:10councilors who have the time and their

1:20:12schedules allow for them to come in and

1:20:14pick it up, and I think it's great, but

1:20:16I think we also need to be mindful that

1:20:17there may be some councilors here that

1:20:19have other commitments and other jobs,

1:20:21and logistically just may not be able to

1:20:24find to have the time to get to City

1:20:26Hall, um, especially due to the short

1:20:28hours on Friday that it's it would be

1:20:30available. Thank you.

1:20:34>> Thank you, counselor.

1:20:36Uh, any other councilors?

1:20:38All right, so I think I'll, uh,

1:20:39take a shot at this.

1:20:42Um,

1:20:45I'm in favor of repealing this

1:20:47ordinance.

1:20:48I've been here 26 years.

1:20:52I

1:20:53mostly read the

1:20:55council package online because I'm not

1:20:57around. I have a full-time job,

1:21:00and

1:21:02I think and what I've heard here

1:21:04tonight,

1:21:05I think it's wonderful that some of my

1:21:07colleagues are speaking with police

1:21:09officers for a half hour or 45 minutes.

1:21:12I don't think that's what the taxpayers

1:21:14are paying for. To sit to send our, uh,

1:21:17to send our packet and and and take the

1:21:20police time. So,

1:21:22I'm positively in favor of going all

1:21:25electronic, even though I'm not a

1:21:27techie, that but I found it necessary to

1:21:30read online because of my other jobs and

1:21:34and and so forth. So, I think it I think

1:21:37it's a waste of taxpayers' money. It's

1:21:39inefficient. It's

1:21:4150 years old.

1:21:43It's time to repeal this ordinance. Now,

1:21:45I may be

1:21:47not

1:21:48in the minor the majority, but I think

1:21:52that's the common sense of this.

1:21:54That's what I have. Thank you.

1:21:57Madam Clerk, call the roll.

1:21:59No.

1:22:01That's right. We can't vote. That's

1:22:03right. I apologize.

1:22:05So,

1:22:06um

1:22:12Where am I? What number are we at?

1:22:18Okay, so on

1:22:21So, what do we What are we doing with

1:22:23this? We vote on this?

1:22:26Uh it has to go to a committee. It has

1:22:27to go to a committee. Okay. So, uh

1:22:38No, this is uh

1:22:40This is going to ledge affairs.

1:22:45>> Calendar item number eight,

1:22:47special permit application C2614.

1:22:50Hearing called as ordered on the

1:22:51application of Abby Adams, The Doggy

1:22:53Port at 646 Ocean Ave, requesting a

1:22:56special permit for a kennel use within

1:22:58the Wonderland Transit Oriented

1:23:00Development District to enable the

1:23:02appellant to operate a dog daycare

1:23:04business at 646 Ocean Ave.

1:23:08>> This is a public hearing. Proponents,

1:23:10people in favor.

1:23:15Name and address for the record, please.

1:23:17>> Hello. Uh my name is Katerina Chang, and

1:23:20it's 133 Boardman Street in East Boston,

1:23:22Mass.

1:23:25So, um

1:23:26I am one of the owners of The Doggy

1:23:28Port, just showing up here.

1:23:31Um we opened the business about 6 years

1:23:33ago in East Boston. It was our first

1:23:35location. Um

1:23:37Revere is our fourth. And we are very

1:23:41well-versed in dog daycare. It's

1:23:44primarily a grooming business and then

1:23:46we do offer daycare, walking, um and we

1:23:50have a boarding facility in West

1:23:52Roxbury. So, I do want to stress that I

1:23:54think some concerns uh were that we were

1:23:57boarding within the facility, but that

1:23:59is completely not true. Um our marketing

1:24:02had an issue with that because we do

1:24:03offer boarding across all fronts, but we

1:24:06transport the animals to our West

1:24:08Roxbury facility that is a 50 dog kennel

1:24:11um there. So, I think that it's a great

1:24:15business for the community. I was a

1:24:16Revere resident for years on the beach.

1:24:19Um I think that with all the new

1:24:21construction, there's so many dogs and

1:24:23there's so much opportunity for

1:24:24community. Um we like to host community

1:24:28events with local animals and we like to

1:24:31touch base with Revere residents. So, I

1:24:33do hope that we can implement um the

1:24:36special permitting for daycare at the

1:24:37facility.

1:24:39>> Thank you very much.

1:24:40>> Thank you.

1:24:41>> Any other proponents, people in favor?

1:24:48Name and address for the record, please.

1:24:49>> Abby Adams, 360 Revere Beach Boulevard.

1:24:52Um I filed for the uh special permit. Um

1:24:57everything that Katerina said. Um

1:25:00we really try to work within the

1:25:01community, become part of the community,

1:25:03and

1:25:04join different events that are in the

1:25:06area. Um

1:25:08and with all the new high-rises, all the

1:25:11there's a lot younger crowd coming into

1:25:13the area and there are a lot of

1:25:16especially small dogs. Tons of small

1:25:18dogs coming into the area and so I think

1:25:21being able to help the community in that

1:25:22way as well.

1:25:23>> Great.

1:25:24Thank you very much.

1:25:26Any other proponents, people in favor?

1:25:31What's that?

1:25:35>> Chairman, there's a letter on file from

1:25:36Tom Skrowronski, chief of planning, in

1:25:38favor of the special permit.

1:25:40>> okay, great. All right. Uh any other

1:25:42proponents? Hearing and seeing none, I'm

1:25:45going to close that side of the hearing.

1:25:46Opponents, people opposed.

1:25:50Hearing and seeing none, we'll close

1:25:52that side of the hearing.

1:25:54Council Silvestri.

1:25:56>> Uh thank you, Mr. President. Um

1:25:59I think this is a a great business uh

1:26:02for the beach, especially in that area.

1:26:04I think it's a much-needed one for the

1:26:06city at this current time.

1:26:08Um and to have a daycare, walker, dog

1:26:11grooming all in one spot it is something

1:26:14that I think the residents of the city

1:26:15is really looking forward to and um

1:26:17could really use. So, I'm in favor of

1:26:19this tonight. Thank you.

1:26:20>> Thank you, Council. Council

1:26:22Guerrino-Sawaya.

1:26:24>> Thank you through you, Mr. President.

1:26:25May I ask them a question?

1:26:27>> Say that again.

1:26:28>> May I ask them a question through you?

1:26:30>> Yes, sure.

1:26:31Could you come up again, please?

1:26:36>> Yes.

1:26:37Hi. Um how long have you been operating

1:26:39on the beach?

1:26:40>> Um since February of this year.

1:26:42>> Um have you already had the dog grooming

1:26:44as well as doggie daycare in there?

1:26:47>> So, we've had We started um with both

1:26:50services offered and then we realized

1:26:54that the general manager that we had in

1:26:56place, unfortunately, we thought that

1:26:58all the permitting had gone through

1:27:00um

1:27:01and it it was not. It was an oversight

1:27:04on our part and Abby stepped in to his

1:27:06position about 4 months ago. So, she was

1:27:10the one that decided we have to, you

1:27:12know, go through the proper channels to

1:27:14get the daycare permitting set um but we

1:27:17have been operating as a grooming

1:27:18business and walking business.

1:27:20>> Okay. Um I'm dog owner um and where

1:27:24would if my dog were to come to you,

1:27:26where would you be walking the dog?

1:27:27>> Um so, we walk the dog off the beach. We

1:27:30do group walks or solo walks depending

1:27:32on the dog's temperament. So, it's

1:27:33really individual depending on the care

1:27:35of the dog. Um but we do have the inside

1:27:38facility that's fairly large that we do

1:27:41segregated play. So, we have small,

1:27:43large um depending on temperament, that

1:27:46type of group placement um for the

1:27:48daycare. But, the walks are along the

1:27:50beach.

1:27:51>> Along the beach?

1:27:52>> Mhm. Like on the sidewalks or on

1:27:54>> And they do their business outside along

1:27:55the beach as well?

1:27:57>> Uh yeah. I mean, we we practice safe

1:27:59clean up. We're very cognizant of that.

1:28:02Um like I said, this is our fourth

1:28:03location and we are well versed in dog

1:28:06walking and taking care of everything

1:28:08and cleanliness, so

1:28:10>> Now, I'm I'm going to be honest. I'm

1:28:11really concerned about this um

1:28:14daycare being operating because it was

1:28:17operating without a permit to begin

1:28:18with. And and I have um

1:28:21I wouldn't have a problem if

1:28:24it was said up front that you guys were

1:28:26a daycare as well as a groomer.

1:28:29But, I know you have been operating as a

1:28:32daycare.

1:28:33And I have a problem with you not

1:28:35getting the proper permits to begin

1:28:37with. And And I'm being really honest

1:28:39with you.

1:28:39>> No, definitely. That's why um

1:28:41>> I'm glad that you're trying to approve

1:28:43you know, get the the proper permits

1:28:44now. But, I just

1:28:48Do you have like the proper licensing

1:28:50and all the inspections and everything

1:28:51to already operate the daycare?

1:28:53>> Um we have

1:28:54>> We have to apply for a kennel license

1:28:56with Revere after this.

1:28:59But,

1:29:00as far as like all of our other

1:29:01facilities, yes, we have all the proper

1:29:03licensing, kennel license, all of that.

1:29:06>> And do you need a special permit to

1:29:09to let the dog go out on the state

1:29:10property like that or not?

1:29:12>> Um there are in control is what I'm

1:29:14saying.

1:29:15>> Not as I mean, I know that if I were to

1:29:16walk my dog and that my dog would do its

1:29:19business on on the grass and everything

1:29:21like that. I'm just a regular person,

1:29:23but you are a business.

1:29:24>> Mhm.

1:29:25>> Do you need certain permits from the

1:29:27state to do that?

1:29:29>> permitting to walk the dogs that are

1:29:31>> And you're also allowed to have it with

1:29:33the building right above you?

1:29:35>> Yes.

1:29:36They're they're fully aware. The Revere

1:29:37is fully aware of our business.

1:29:39>> Thank you.

1:29:40>> You're welcome.

1:29:41>> Thank you, Mr. President.

1:29:43>> Thank you, counselor. Any other

1:29:45counselors? Counselor number Salski, I'm

1:29:47sorry. Didn't see your name.

1:29:49>> Thank you, sir.

1:29:50Uh

1:29:51Mr. President, you I'm for this. You

1:29:53know, they they're a good group of

1:29:55people down there. It's a great

1:29:56facility, and sometimes things happen.

1:30:00You know, there's oversights, and I

1:30:03understand that. And I I am I understood

1:30:05that right from the beginning.

1:30:07And when I heard that they were planning

1:30:09on doing things and didn't realize how

1:30:11we deal works,

1:30:14it happens. And I see dogs on the beach.

1:30:18And there're plenty of dog walkers on

1:30:21the beach that don't work for them that

1:30:24are walking the multiple dogs

1:30:27on their own and but in their own

1:30:29private business.

1:30:31So, you know, this

1:30:33doing the thing on the beach is not an

1:30:36issue as far as I'm concerned cuz I see

1:30:38you all

1:30:39business people, regular people doing

1:30:42walking their dog. And everybody abides

1:30:45by the September 1st rule and the April

1:30:471st rule, you know, about keeping the

1:30:49dogs off the beach during the summer.

1:30:52And I see that to everyone when I you

1:30:55know, I used to hang around Santorini's

1:30:57a lot, and I saw dogs, I mean, multiple

1:31:00dogs every single morning.

1:31:02And I have no problem with them being

1:31:04there. It's needed with the amount of

1:31:05people that we have on Ocean Ave.

1:31:07You know, I think they were saying

1:31:09there's a thousand units

1:31:10uh

1:31:12in the 65 and 600 block.

1:31:14And these people need something like

1:31:16this. Just like they need a little

1:31:18convenience store down there, which they

1:31:19don't have. Nobody wants to put in.

1:31:22But

1:31:24I'm for this, and I hope it goes

1:31:26through. Thank you.

1:31:27>> Thank you, counselor. Any other

1:31:28counselors?

1:31:30So, I'll put my two cents in if it's

1:31:32acceptable.

1:31:35Um I'm glad that you came up to legalize

1:31:39this business. I I I was at your grand

1:31:42opening. I told your old manager

1:31:45how I felt that he

1:31:48needed to get a special permit.

1:31:50Um I I might not have even said that. I

1:31:52I just said, "You can't

1:31:55do what you

1:31:56what your business advertises you're

1:31:58going to do. And so, uh

1:32:00I I

1:32:02I'm I'm thrilled that you're up here for

1:32:04a special permit because you do run a

1:32:06great business, and it's certainly

1:32:08needed in that area. Like you said, all

1:32:11these

1:32:12young yuppies, whatever you want to call

1:32:14them.

1:32:14>> [snorts]

1:32:15>> I'm I'm a dinosaur, so I can say that.

1:32:18I'm allowed I'm allowed to say that.

1:32:21>> [laughter]

1:32:22>> But, uh

1:32:24That's not It's a term of endearment.

1:32:26That's a term of term of endearment.

1:32:30It is to me.

1:32:33>> [laughter]

1:32:33>> Anyways, aside from that, I am thrilled

1:32:36that this is going to be

1:32:38legalized, and um

1:32:40cuz it's it's certainly needed in the

1:32:42area, and you do run a great business,

1:32:45and um

1:32:47I'm certainly going to support this, and

1:32:49uh I'm glad you finally did this. Thank

1:32:51you.

1:32:53This will be referred to zoning.

1:32:58>> Calendar item number nine, special

1:33:00permit application C2515, hearing called

1:33:03as ordered on the application of Mazen

1:33:04Saleem, Lama Company LLC, 25 Moore

1:33:08Street, Chel- Chelmsford,

1:33:10requesting a special permit to operate

1:33:12an automotive rental storage facility

1:33:14for 20 vehicles within the Ted district

1:33:16at 14 Fur Long Drive.

1:33:19>> This is a public hearing. Proponents,

1:33:21people in favor.

1:33:29Name and address for the record, please.

1:33:30>> Mazen Saleem, 25 Moore Street,

1:33:33Chelmsford.

1:33:35>> Mario Chicalallo, 3 Recco Chicalallo,

1:33:38Winchester.

1:33:41Thank you.

1:33:42>> Tell me what you got.

1:33:44>> So, we're applying for a special permit

1:33:46to get uh

1:33:48uh we have a satellite car rental, and

1:33:50we want to uh lease the place in 14 Fur

1:33:54Fur Long Drive to have our cars stored

1:33:57there in the facility of Mario.

1:33:59>> I'll be the owner.

1:34:00>> Yeah.

1:34:04>> Got anything else you want to tell me or

1:34:05is that good?

1:34:06>> Uh

1:34:07well, our business is online. So, it's a

1:34:09tool app. I'm not sure if you know about

1:34:12it or not. So, we don't need a location.

1:34:14We don't have office. Everything is

1:34:16online. So, we're going to use the place

1:34:19as just a storage facility for the car.

1:34:22Yeah.

1:34:23>> Yeah.

1:34:23>> Okay.

1:34:24Did you say these are electric vehicles

1:34:27or did you say that No.

1:34:28>> No, just regular vehicles. Yeah.

1:34:30>> So, you're going to need a

1:34:31>> All type of vehicles.

1:34:32>> gasoline license

1:34:34storage license. No.

1:34:37Is it outdoors?

1:34:39>> It's outdoor. Yeah.

1:34:40>> Oh, okay. I I apologize. I thought it

1:34:41was inside a building. Okay.

1:34:46Any If you

1:34:48Yeah, any other any other proponents,

1:34:50people in favor?

1:34:55Hearing and seeing, now we're going to

1:34:56close that side of the hearing.

1:34:58Opponents, people opposed.

1:35:01Hearing and seeing, now we're going to

1:35:03close that side of the hearing.

1:35:05City councilors.

1:35:08Councilor McKenna.

1:35:10>> Thank you, Mr. President. So, I've dealt

1:35:13with Mario a couple of times.

1:35:16I you know, we had a couple of

1:35:18businesses down there that were

1:35:21horrendous. And he went down, he cleaned

1:35:24them up.

1:35:26The only thing I worry about is there's

1:35:28a creek there.

1:35:31There's wetlands there. And I would not

1:35:33want to see the cars near the wetlands

1:35:36like you had, you know, we we talked

1:35:38about this a couple of years ago. They

1:35:40put haystacks or whatever they put.

1:35:42That's That's my only concern about

1:35:45there because there's no really For a

1:35:46long drive has no

1:35:49neighborhood. It's just businesses. So,

1:35:53you know, so as long as it's clean, it's

1:35:56kept nice and you stay away from the

1:35:58wetlands, that's I

1:36:00I'm in agreement with this.

1:36:01>> I promise you that.

1:36:02>> I I know you do. You're very good with

1:36:05that. Thank you.

1:36:06>> Thank you, counselor. Counselor

1:36:08Mercurio.

1:36:09>> Thank you, Mr. President. Just a couple

1:36:10of questions. You Your permit is for 20

1:36:12vehicles,

1:36:14but your design shows 27 on the site.

1:36:17>> It is for I think

1:36:19>> I think it's 18 18.

1:36:2218 vehicles.

1:36:23>> 18?

1:36:25Okay.

1:36:25>> I think we updated that that drawing

1:36:28many times

1:36:29based on the

1:36:31like the notes we should uh

1:36:34take into consideration when I sent to

1:36:35Ashley and he sent to the engineer. So,

1:36:37I think the last updated one is 18

1:36:40vehicles.

1:36:41>> 18 vehicles instead of 20. Okay.

1:36:43What about the building that's on that

1:36:45site? What's going to happen with that?

1:36:46>> We don't do nothing with that right now.

1:36:48>> I'm a little concerned about that

1:36:49because it's a covered building.

1:36:52Uh these these vehicles are going to

1:36:54need oil changes, tires changed. It's

1:36:57easy enough to slip one of these

1:36:58vehicles into that building and do auto

1:37:01repair to it. You say no, I understand

1:37:03that. You say no,

1:37:05but with that being said, there is a

1:37:07covered building there. I'm a little

1:37:09concerned about you running a repair

1:37:11shop there for your vehicles.

1:37:13>> No.

1:37:14>> I'm asking the question to the man

1:37:15that's on the permit, please.

1:37:17>> Uh to me? Okay.

1:37:18>> Yes.

1:37:19Not the owner.

1:37:19>> Yeah, it's it's it's not inside the

1:37:22lease. So, we're not going to do

1:37:23anything about it.

1:37:25>> So, the building's going to sit empty?

1:37:27>> Yeah, yeah. We're not going to even

1:37:28access the building. That's what Mario

1:37:29said. So,

1:37:30>> else going to rent that building in the

1:37:32future?

1:37:32>> I keep it for myself.

1:37:34I'm not going to rent it to nobody.

1:37:36>> I'm a little skeptical about that, to be

1:37:38honest with you.

1:37:39>> [laughter]

1:37:40>> He's going to need to repair these

1:37:41vehicles. They If they're storage rental

1:37:43facilities, these vehicles are going to

1:37:45need oil changes, tires, and

1:37:47maintenance. Are you going to send it

1:37:49off to a different facility? Are you

1:37:51going to do the

1:37:52uh the repairs on site?

1:37:53>> No, we have our mechanics in Quincy and

1:37:55Lawrence. Yeah, yeah. They do the like

1:37:57everything for the

1:37:58>> So, you're not going to do no oil

1:37:59changes and no tire service there.

1:38:01>> No, no, no. Of course.

1:38:02>> Okay. if we allow this permit, we're

1:38:04going to put that into the permit that

1:38:06there can no be no oil changes, no no

1:38:08service of vehicles whatsoever.

1:38:10>> Of course, yeah.

1:38:11>> Okay, and we're going to limit to you

1:38:12the 20 vehicles that you applied for.

1:38:15>> Sure.

1:38:15>> All right.

1:38:16Okay, this is my ward, so we try. You

1:38:18just clean that property up. You did a

1:38:20wonderful job cleaning the property up.

1:38:22We'd like to keep it like that because

1:38:24down the road there's a a big apartment

1:38:27complex being built, and we need to keep

1:38:29that area

1:38:30somewhat clean.

1:38:32>> Definitely.

1:38:33Sure.

1:38:34>> That's all, Mr. President. Thank you.

1:38:35>> Thank you, Councillor. Councillor

1:38:37Silvestri.

1:38:39>> Thank you, Mr. President.

1:38:41Mario, I'm happy you finally got a a

1:38:42tenant down there and it seems that

1:38:44there's going to be a solid business.

1:38:47Just through you, Mr. President, to the

1:38:48business owner,

1:38:50where are the cars

1:38:52registered and insured?

1:38:54>> So, most of my cars are registered in

1:38:58Chelmsford where I am.

1:39:00And some some cars are registered in

1:39:02Quincy as well.

1:39:04>> Would you think about registering and

1:39:05insure them in the city of Revere?

1:39:06>> Yeah, of course.

1:39:07>> Okay.

1:39:07>> Yeah, yeah.

1:39:08>> I I hope that we can do that.

1:39:09>> change the garaging address to Revere,

1:39:11so this way I can pay all the excise tax

1:39:13to Revere. Yeah.

1:39:14>> That would be awesome. I appreciate

1:39:16that. Thank you very much.

1:39:19Councillor Arrigo Arrigo Arrigo Arrigo

1:39:20Arrigo

1:39:21>> Thank you, Mr. President. It sounds like

1:39:23a great business. I know Mario

1:39:25personally. He has a business here in

1:39:27Ward 4. Always, you know, very

1:39:30responsive. It runs an excellent

1:39:32business, so I'm sure he'll do the same

1:39:33thing

1:39:34on for a long drive. So, I fully support

1:39:36it. Thank you.

1:39:37>> Thank you.

1:39:38Thank you, Councillor.

1:39:40Councillor Novoselsky.

1:39:42>> Thank you, Mr. President. Mario, this

1:39:45one's for you. I know you said you're

1:39:47not going to do anything with the

1:39:48building.

1:39:49>> Okay.

1:39:50>> What was in the building before?

1:39:52>> Uh Majestic Motor.

1:39:54>> Majestic.

1:39:55>> Yeah.

1:39:55>> Okay, cuz

1:39:57if per chance as Councillor McKinnon was

1:40:00saying, if per chance you do rent it

1:40:05where would the people of using the

1:40:07building park their vehicles?

1:40:08>> Oh, they're still parking.

1:40:09>> In front Well, the way you have the

1:40:11layout I I haven't seen a new layout of

1:40:14the cars.

1:40:15But I I would say that you don't put

1:40:17them up against the building. And you go

1:40:19go against the fence in the front of the

1:40:21building.

1:40:23Just to be safe.

1:40:24I I haven't seen it. I don't know if the

1:40:26clerk has it.

1:40:27>> Have you seen it?

1:40:28>> Yeah.

1:40:28>> Give it to the clerk.

1:40:30>> I I'll give it to the

1:40:34>> I just sent that to everybody.

1:40:43>> Looks like we have some divided too.

1:40:46>> Yeah.

1:40:47>> But I know it's one lot.

1:41:06>> Would Would Would you uh

1:41:10revise the car layout

1:41:12to keep park cars away from the building

1:41:14and use the fences even in the back of

1:41:17the building?

1:41:17>> No, you can't

1:41:18because that's what the law

1:41:21>> Okay. Well, then the front of the

1:41:23building. You know, use the fence line

1:41:25for the 18 cars rather than put them up

1:41:27against the building. Just just in case.

1:41:30That's what we have to do.

1:41:31>> building, there won't be no cars. I

1:41:32think on the plans there is only about

1:41:34six cars on the front.

1:41:36>> Uh

1:41:37Well, there's four in the front and two

1:41:39four six seven along the outside fence.

1:41:42>> That's it.

1:41:43>> And then the other ones is seven or

1:41:45eight in front of the building.

1:41:46>> On the back of the

1:41:47>> I would ask to keep them away from the

1:41:49building.

1:41:50>> Yeah, they can be separated.

1:41:51>> To be safe. Okay?

1:41:53>> We stay away from the wetland.

1:41:55>> Yeah. Okay.

1:41:56>> Got you. Thank you.

1:42:02>> Um

1:42:06Any other counselors?

1:42:09Mr. Council Mercurio. Mr. President for

1:42:11the leeway.

1:42:12I think we should put in the ordinance

1:42:14that the 20 cars that are going to be on

1:42:16site need to be registered in the city

1:42:17of Revere for the excise tax.

1:42:20Is this is like a Zipcar type of

1:42:22business?

1:42:23>> It's It's a Turo business. It's like

1:42:25It's like the Uber of the rental

1:42:27business. So, everything is online and

1:42:29it's a third-party platform. It connects

1:42:32the car owner to the people renter. So,

1:42:35that's what it does. So, it's everything

1:42:37is contactless and online. That's why we

1:42:39need a storage to park the cars between

1:42:42rentals. That's what we wanted.

1:42:44>> Okay.

1:42:45I'm not sure that's legal. We'll work

1:42:47this out in zoning.

1:42:48>> Okay. Thank you.

1:42:50>> Council Mercurio.

1:42:53>> Thank you, Mr. President. So, who Who

1:42:55actually owns the vehicles that are

1:42:56going to be there?

1:42:58>> I own the vehicle under my LLC company.

1:43:00>> Okay. So, you have the power

1:43:02>> Yeah.

1:43:03>> You have the power to register these

1:43:05vehicles wherever you want.

1:43:06>> Yeah. I think if I will I will be able

1:43:09even to change the garaging address

1:43:11because Yeah.

1:43:11>> Okay. We We have done this before.

1:43:14Enterprise, Avis, [snorts] we have We

1:43:17have done this. So,

1:43:18>> Well, we've done We've made We've made

1:43:20deals. You made a financial agreement

1:43:22with them. You didn't force them to

1:43:24>> Those were conditions on the special

1:43:25permit for Enterprise. So, as long as

1:43:28>> it out in zoning.

1:43:29>> Yes, sir.

1:43:30>> We'll We'll get us an opinion from the

1:43:32solicitor.

1:43:33>> Thank you.

1:43:33>> before we do anything.

1:43:35This is going to zoning.

1:43:38>> Hey.

1:43:38>> Calendar item number 10, special permit

1:43:39application C2616.

1:43:42Hearing called as ordered on the

1:43:43application of Carmela Chella Delcore

1:43:46and Dana Marie Delcore, 1027 Winthrop

1:43:49Ave,

1:43:50requesting a special permit to modify

1:43:52and extend an existing non-conforming

1:43:54two-family home by constructing an

1:43:56approximately 560

1:43:59sq ft addition

1:44:00to the third floor consisting of two

1:44:02bedrooms and one bathroom at 1027

1:44:04Winthrop Ave.

1:44:06>> This is a public hearing. We'll hear

1:44:08from proponents, people who are in

1:44:10favor.

1:44:17Take your time.

1:44:19Name and address for the record, please.

1:44:22>> Carmela Dioguardi, 1027 Luther Ave.

1:44:25I'm here for a special permit to add

1:44:28a a third floor to an existing

1:44:30two-family dwelling to add two bedrooms

1:44:33and a bathroom. Approximately 560 sq ft.

1:44:39Height of the building will now become

1:44:4135 ft.

1:44:44>> Okay.

1:44:45Uh any other proponents, people in

1:44:48[snorts] favor?

1:44:49We have a a woman with a hand up in the

1:44:51audience. So, put that on the record.

1:44:54You want to get up?

1:44:55Go ahead.

1:44:59>> I don't know. Proponent or opponent?

1:45:00>> Hi, Ellen Deichmann,

1:45:02295 Endicott Ave.

1:45:05Carmela is a long-time resident. Her

1:45:06mother was a long-time resident, and

1:45:10I don't understand why her permitting

1:45:12has just not gone through. It's just

1:45:14such a simple fix for a family that

1:45:17needs the space.

1:45:18>> Well, she's applying for a special

1:45:19permit here tonight. That's That's what

1:45:22we're doing. It's part of the process.

1:45:24It's part of the process.

1:45:25>> Well, it's been How long has it been?

1:45:29Yeah, it's been like she's had work done

1:45:32on her house now for

1:45:33It seems like a year and trying to get

1:45:36the process going has been

1:45:38>> Well, she's got it going now.

1:45:41Thank you for your comments.

1:45:44>> So, there's no problem.

1:45:45>> No, thank you.

1:45:49We're still in the public hearing. Yeah.

1:45:51Any other proponents, people in favor?

1:45:57Hearing and seeing none, we'll close

1:45:58that side of the hearing. Opponents,

1:46:00anybody opposed to this project?

1:46:03Hearing and seeing none, we'll close

1:46:05that side of the hearing.

1:46:08Councilor McKenna. No, Councilor

1:46:10Mercurio, I'm sorry.

1:46:11>> Thank you, Mr. President. I've known the

1:46:13family all my life. They've lived in

1:46:15this house [clears throat] uh

1:46:17uh since I've been born. I've known the

1:46:19mother. Uh she was a very lovely lady. I

1:46:22know Camilla very well. I know you know

1:46:23the the her daughter very well. Uh this

1:46:26is this is an easy yes for me because

1:46:28what she's going to do is she's going to

1:46:29take the lower floor and the daughter's

1:46:31going to take the second and third floor

1:46:32and put the two bedrooms up on the

1:46:34second floor with a bathroom. So, this

1:46:35is a this is an easy yes on my side and

1:46:38I wish you well and let's move this

1:46:40project forward, okay?

1:46:41>> Great. Thank you.

1:46:43Councilor McKenna.

1:46:45>> Thank you, Mr. President. I've known

1:46:46Camilla since we were little kids. We

1:46:48used to hang around together. Her

1:46:49daughter was my student and her mother

1:46:51was just the best woman. She used to

1:46:54cook me cookies.

1:46:56Give me cookies during the holidays. She

1:46:58was the best.

1:46:59Um I really can vouch for her. She

1:47:02they're good people and I just want to

1:47:04say that they're got they're going up.

1:47:06They're not going to disturb the

1:47:07neighborhood um at all. They're just

1:47:10they're going up uh same uh height as

1:47:13some of the houses that are already on

1:47:15the street. So, this is a a no-brainer.

1:47:18So, I'm totally in agreement with this.

1:47:21Thank you.

1:47:22>> Thank you. Councilor Silvestri.

1:47:24>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um

1:47:26I'm in favor of this as well. Very rare

1:47:29do you have neighbors come up and and

1:47:31speak in favor for something like this.

1:47:33And I think this is exactly what the

1:47:35special permit is for is for

1:47:37uh residents like this that that are

1:47:39going to have family move in and and

1:47:41advance their home and and make it a

1:47:42livable spot for everyone. So, all in

1:47:45favor.

1:47:46>> Thank you. Councilor Anybody else?

1:47:50Zoning.

1:47:57>> Calendar item number 11.

1:48:00Zoning amendment CZ 2605 hearing called

1:48:03as ordered on the application of Laura

1:48:04Christopher, director of redevelopment

1:48:07on behalf of the Revere Housing

1:48:08Authority, 70 Coolidge Street,

1:48:10requesting an amendment to the zoning

1:48:12ordinances of the city of Revere as

1:48:13follows: a zoning ordinance further

1:48:15amending chapter 17.29

1:48:18establishing a Coolidge Street Smart

1:48:21Growth Overlay District.

1:48:24>> This is a public hearing. We'll hear

1:48:26from proponents.

1:48:49Name and address for the record, please.

1:48:51>> Dean Harris, executive director for the

1:48:53Revere Housing Authority, 70 Coolidge

1:48:55Street, Revere.

1:48:56>> Thank you.

1:48:59Looks like you're going to have a a

1:49:01PowerPoint here.

1:49:02>> We'd like to have a quick PowerPoint. I

1:49:03know it's been a long night, but we'll

1:49:04go through it as quickly as possible.

1:49:07>> Um

1:49:08like to good evening, uh President

1:49:10Zambuto, and thank you to the of the

1:49:12members of the City Council.

1:49:14Um

1:49:15tonight we have the opportunity

1:49:17uh to go over our our creation of a of a

1:49:19a 40R zoning initiative. Um it is a

1:49:24proposal uh

1:49:26that directly aligns with the Revere

1:49:28Housing Authority's master planning

1:49:30and our long-term goals for affordable

1:49:33housing redevelopment in the area.

1:49:35Um

1:49:40We'll go through it quickly.

1:49:43So, why we're here

1:49:47Revere Housing Authority uh is is is

1:49:50being tasked with with creating a a new

1:49:54uh additional affordable housing in the

1:49:56Coolidge Street area.

1:49:58Um the the basis for it is we're we're

1:50:01looking to expand our 400 um units there

1:50:06of affordable housing, a little bit

1:50:08more, uh get closer to 800 affordable

1:50:10units,

1:50:11add some market rate units in there,

1:50:14uh all on approximately 40 acres of

1:50:16land, which are over there.

1:50:18Um back in 2000

1:50:21in 2013 the Revere Housing the Revere

1:50:23City of Revere

1:50:25operated two smart growth districts on

1:50:27Green Street and Shirley Ave.

1:50:29Um here we're looking to add language

1:50:32into that which would create a

1:50:35smart growth overlay district in the

1:50:39Coolidge area.

1:50:40>> Can you shut that thing off?

1:50:41>> Um it would be an overlay district

1:50:43meaning the underlying zoning would

1:50:45remain in place.

1:50:46Uh to be eligible for this overlay a

1:50:48project must include at least 20% deed

1:50:50restricted affordable housing units or

1:50:53be below a certain size threshold.

1:50:56Uh for example, eight units or less. Uh

1:50:58as I just stated we're looking to kind

1:51:00of obliterate those numbers and almost

1:51:02double our affordable housing numbers

1:51:03there.

1:51:04Um

1:51:05this is part of the process. Uh this is

1:51:08a local zoning district but it does

1:51:10require state approvals

1:51:12um and as well as the city to adopt the

1:51:15ordinance and we'll hope to come back in

1:51:16front of you in about a month.

1:51:20Um

1:51:21as you can see in our timeline these are

1:51:23all the steps that we've had to go

1:51:24through. Uh currently we're at the the

1:51:26zoning and the public hearings and

1:51:28that's why I'm in front of you all

1:51:29tonight.

1:51:31Um smart growth encourages housing near

1:51:33commercial districts.

1:51:35So the proposed district is less than

1:51:37200 feet from Broadway which is zoned

1:51:39general business. Uh it serves as the

1:51:42city's main street and is Revere's

1:51:44primary commercial district.

1:51:46And it

1:51:47encourages growth in study in studied

1:51:50highly suitable locations. Uh

1:51:53the Revere Housing Production Plan

1:51:55states that this area is undeveloped

1:51:57relative to surrounding neighborhoods

1:51:59and identifies it as an area the city

1:52:01should pursue for additional housing

1:52:03development. Uh the Housing Production

1:52:05Plan calls on the city to partner with

1:52:06the Revere Housing Authority to increase

1:52:08density and grow its portfolio. And

1:52:11that's exactly what we intend to do

1:52:13here. I know you all voted

1:52:14[clears throat]

1:52:15um on that HPP a while ago.

1:52:18Um and also

1:52:20the zoning in a 40R district encourages

1:52:22uh growth near transportation options

1:52:25such as the MBTA which we have the 119

1:52:27bus.

1:52:28We have nine stops within that district

1:52:31and there are 10 additional bus stops in

1:52:33that area. The 110, 116, 4, 411 all

1:52:37within two blocks of the proposed

1:52:39district.

1:52:44So, this district would have would

1:52:47encourage affordability. Cities are

1:52:48required to have at least 10% of their

1:52:50housing stock be considered affordable.

1:52:52Currently, Revere is at that 7.2%

1:52:55threshold. Um,

1:52:5840R developments are required to have at

1:53:00least 20% affordable rate. Again, this

1:53:02will be much higher than that.

1:53:04And we align with the recent

1:53:07housing production plan.

1:53:09Uh,

1:53:09the benefits to the city.

1:53:11So, the city may be eligible for a

1:53:14zoning incentive payment of up to

1:53:16600,000

1:53:17when this district is approved.

1:53:20There's also a density bonus payment.

1:53:23The city is eligible for up to 3,000 per

1:53:26unit of newly created, I believe that's

1:53:29what it is, housing above the existing

1:53:32zoning. So, on those I think additional

1:53:35about 400 units about 3,000 per unit.

1:53:39Um,

1:53:41the city would retain that.

1:53:44As you can tell, it's kind of the

1:53:46overlay of the area uh, in the middle

1:53:49in relationship to the rest of the city.

1:53:53Um, that Coolidge Constitution area is

1:53:55probably the most sparsely dense land in

1:53:59the city which is, if anyone pulls out

1:54:01one of those GIS maps and you take a

1:54:03look at it, um,

1:54:05there's a ton of green space over that

1:54:0740 acres.

1:54:08Um,

1:54:09that that we need to build some

1:54:10affordable housing on. It's one of it's

1:54:12the number one issue

1:54:15in the city

1:54:17and in the state right now,

1:54:18uh, affordability.

1:54:20Um,

1:54:30parking issues.

1:54:31So, I don't know if Selena will have to

1:54:33get to the rest of that. All right, so

1:54:34the dimensional requirements. So,

1:54:37these are kind of the dimensions that

1:54:38we're looking to build to within the

1:54:4040-R district. Um

1:54:45you know, maximum building height of 85

1:54:47ft, about seven stories approximately.

1:54:50Um there's some setbacks. Um and those

1:54:5510 ft, 20 ft, 15 from the interior. Um

1:54:598,000 sq ft um minimum lot area per

1:55:02square foot.

1:55:07And those are the parking requirements

1:55:09um that you'll be voting on. Um they've

1:55:11been looked at by um our parking people

1:55:14with with Stantec Engineering. Uh they

1:55:16they seem to uh fit in with the um

1:55:21the local uh governments and what what

1:55:23they're looking for now. Um we don't

1:55:25want an abundance of parking spaces

1:55:27there. We want to uh promote commuter

1:55:29spaces. Um the development will will add

1:55:33hopefully over 220

1:55:36um

1:55:36one-bedroom elderly housing units, uh

1:55:39few hundred additional family units. So,

1:55:41we're not anticipating uh a tremendous

1:55:44impact on parking in our in our area.

1:55:50Do you have any questions?

1:55:53>> We get we we got to move on to public

1:55:55hearing. So, any other proponents?

1:56:00>> Anyone else?

1:56:03>> Name and address for the record.

1:56:05>> Travis Halpert, 10 Leonard Road, Revere,

1:56:07Massachusetts.

1:56:10Good evening, Council.

1:56:11>> [laughter]

1:56:12>> I've been coming here for years. Uh

1:56:15you know, under the Coolidge Street

1:56:17address for for representation uh for

1:56:19people in that neighborhood to know that

1:56:21they can show up at City Hall um and

1:56:23advocate uh for themselves in in what

1:56:26happens in the neighborhood and the

1:56:27needs of the neighborhood. This is

1:56:29something that is super close to my

1:56:31heart. This is the reason I I moved to

1:56:33Revere, um,

1:56:35was, uh,

1:56:36this neighborhood. And one of the things

1:56:38that I I wanted to talk about was the,

1:56:40uh, the mixed-use development plan that

1:56:42this allows for. I I think that's

1:56:44awesome because instead of having a a

1:56:46pigeonholed area, a pigeonholed poverty,

1:56:48you can have mixed-use. And but if

1:56:50somebody's going to do mixed-use, they

1:56:52can contribute to the community. The

1:56:54back of this neighborhood, which is the

1:56:55furthest part from Broadway, is actually

1:56:57where the

1:56:59ADA units are with the ramps. They are

1:57:01the furthest away from the convenience

1:57:03store. Um, other people who are

1:57:05disabled, uh, have a disability.

1:57:08Um, and so I I think that that this plan

1:57:10not only making more affordable units,

1:57:13more low-income using, but also making

1:57:15access, um, to places, um, like a

1:57:18childcare facility, um, institutions.

1:57:21They They mentioned a library in the

1:57:22paperwork that I've reviewed. I would

1:57:23like to maybe consider a community art

1:57:25space.

1:57:26Um, but I'm I'm very huge in favor of

1:57:28this and, uh, I'm just really

1:57:30appreciative of all the hard work, uh,

1:57:31that Laura has, uh, done. Thank you.

1:57:33>> Thank you for your comments. Any other

1:57:35proponents, people in favor?

1:57:40Mr. Director.

1:57:42>> Good evening, councilors. Tom Skroski,

1:57:43Chief of Planning and Community

1:57:45Involvement, speaking in behalf, uh, on

1:57:47uh, support of this development. Dean

1:57:49Harris and Laura Christopher at the

1:57:52Revere Housing Authority have been great

1:57:53partners in this effort and I think

1:57:55they've put together, um, a master plan

1:57:57that, um, accomplishes a number of

1:57:59important objectives for the city. First

1:58:01and foremost, it adds to the affordable

1:58:03housing stock when we really need it

1:58:05most, as Dean had alluded to earlier.

1:58:08Um, secondly, it really adds to the

1:58:10diversity of both income, um, and

1:58:13housing typologies as well. Um,

1:58:16this is a site that will have many

1:58:18different types of housing, emphasizing

1:58:20gentle density where it's appropriate,

1:58:22but also townhouse style development

1:58:24where it's not, and sort of easing into

1:58:26the, um,

1:58:27edges with the neighborhood around it.

1:58:29Um and it also offers a number of

1:58:31important public benefits, and this is

1:58:33where they've really been most helpful

1:58:35in this process working with the city to

1:58:37identify how can we build roads within

1:58:39this development that are walkable, that

1:58:41are friendly for kids and seniors. Um

1:58:44from 8 to 80, anybody can walk safely

1:58:47through the neighborhood streets that

1:58:48they they've developed. Um secondly, the

1:58:51um programming of real public space that

1:58:55is not just green space, but it's green

1:58:57space that, you know, includes

1:58:59playgrounds, parks, um dedicated space

1:59:01for community, not just for the

1:59:03residents within this development, but

1:59:05for everybody in the neighborhood and in

1:59:06area I think we really need it. Um and

1:59:09then we're also looking with them on a

1:59:11partnership to develop uh an indoor

1:59:13space. You know, we'd like to say,

1:59:15although we can't commit to it being a

1:59:17YMCA, but a community center akin to

1:59:19that, which I think is something we

1:59:21desperately need in the city as well.

1:59:23Um and then, of course, the financial

1:59:24benefits are important. Um Dean had

1:59:26mentioned some of them related to the

1:59:2840R development, but those uh

1:59:30developments within this master plan

1:59:32that are going to be market rate will

1:59:34also be pro- properties that are brought

1:59:35back onto the tax rolls as well. So,

1:59:37there's, you know, big financial,

1:59:39social, and housing benefits to this

1:59:41project that aligns with housing

1:59:42production plan, our um Broadway master

1:59:45plan, and our walk-bike road planning

1:59:47efforts. So, um I um commend their role

1:59:49in this work, and it's a great project.

1:59:52>> Thank you.

1:59:53Any other proponents?

1:59:56Hearing and seeing none, we're going to

1:59:57close that side of hearing. Opponents,

1:59:59anybody opposed?

2:00:02Hearing and seeing none, we'll close

2:00:04that side of hearing.

2:00:06Councilor Silvestri.

2:00:07>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um

2:00:10this is actually like a

2:00:11once-in-a-lifetime project to be part

2:00:13of, and and it's really exciting to be

2:00:16on the council at this time. Um

2:00:1974 years ago, we were opening the the

2:00:21housing authority, bringing um combat

2:00:24veterans back to give them housing

2:00:25opportunities, and um soon we'll be

2:00:28doing the same here. So, exciting time.

2:00:30I'm fully in support of this. Dean,

2:00:32Laura, great job doing what you're

2:00:34doing. And uh I'm excited to be part of

2:00:36this. Thank you.

2:00:37>> Thank you, counselor.

2:00:39Counselor Kelly.

2:00:41>> Um I just have a question probably for

2:00:43Dean I or maybe Tom, I'm not sure. Um

2:00:46so

2:00:48I heard you mention 220 elderly units

2:00:51with with elderly housing units. Would

2:00:53that be Is that what you said?

2:00:55I'm sorry.

2:01:01>> Yes, we would create additional 220

2:01:04um

2:01:05elderly units.

2:01:05>> Okay. And that's that's within the 790

2:01:09total, right?

2:01:10>> Correct.

2:01:10>> And then we've got approximately 910

2:01:14market rate

2:01:15for about 1,700 total, right?

2:01:19>> Um is that 1,700

2:01:22the required a limit? Could that

2:01:24increase or is that the limit?

2:01:27>> Well, that

2:01:30It's not necessarily a limit, but that's

2:01:31what we're looking to do. We've we've

2:01:33looked to increase as much affordability

2:01:35as we can

2:01:36while limiting the market rate on there.

2:01:40I think we've had discussions with

2:01:41several people that

2:01:42on this side site,

2:01:44you could fit more and more there. We're

2:01:47not looking to do that. That's why we're

2:01:49limiting kind of the the height to I

2:01:51think we asked for seven stories instead

2:01:53of 12 and 14 and things like that. And

2:01:56as I said [clears throat] before in

2:01:57front of the council, that Bunker Hill

2:01:58redevelopment has about 10 less acres

2:02:01around 30 acres

2:02:03and they fit 2,700 units on there. We're

2:02:05looking for 1,700 units. That gives us

2:02:08that that gentle density that that we're

2:02:10talking about on the outside as a kind

2:02:12of a buffer area. Um and then creating

2:02:15the the bigger buildings in the middle.

2:02:17And the topography of the of the the

2:02:19land over there is tremendous for that

2:02:21because we have the you know, the great

2:02:22big hill coming off of Cushman down

2:02:23Adams

2:02:24>> [clears throat]

2:02:24>> and going up on the other side to up

2:02:26towards the

2:02:27Proctor.

2:02:28So, the even though they're they're

2:02:29bigger buildings in the middle, they

2:02:31don't have that that eyesore from from

2:02:33around like where did this big building

2:02:34come from? So

2:02:35>> So so that's my next question. So

2:02:36although this is considered a commercial

2:02:38district being 200 ft from Broadway

2:02:41at the outset

2:02:43um the rear of the land is very

2:02:46residential. It's located in a very

2:02:48residential neighborhood. So this would

2:02:50be developed cohesively taking that

2:02:52residential neighborhood into

2:02:54consideration.

2:02:55>> Yeah, we're going to we actually have I

2:02:57brought kind of the master plan here,

2:02:58too. So so at least you can have a view

2:03:01of the the density and how the buildings

2:03:02would form within the the

2:03:22So currently

2:03:24the way we look at that that stretch.

2:03:26Remember how dense how sparsely

2:03:28populated was earlier? Um the beginning

2:03:31buildings um

2:03:33towards the end of of So Broadway's on

2:03:35your right.

2:03:37>> Yeah.

2:03:37>> Coolidge is kind of in the middle.

2:03:39Cushman runs parallel to Coolidge up at

2:03:41the top.

2:03:42>> Yep.

2:03:42>> Um

2:03:44So

2:03:46at the very beginning

2:03:48you'll see they're they're townhouse

2:03:49style construction. And those townhouse

2:03:52style are for our family units.

2:03:54All right? So the the family units we

2:03:56wanted to keep in those two three-story

2:03:58buildings. We didn't want to put them in

2:03:59in in you know, multi-story high-rises

2:04:03because we didn't think that that kind

2:04:04of housing works. So so public housing

2:04:06affordable housing will be more on those

2:04:08for the family units in the townhouse

2:04:10style units which are kind of laid at

2:04:12the very beginning in the very end

2:04:15uh up towards uh

2:04:17What's up there? The school Wayland

2:04:19schools in your top uh left corner.

2:04:21>> Okay.

2:04:22>> All right?

2:04:22>> Yep.

2:04:22>> Now the the elderly building

2:04:26I don't know if I can move my mouse in

2:04:27here.

2:04:29It's kind of in the middle here. All

2:04:32right? And you've got that that you

2:04:33know, four-story type building elevated,

2:04:36spaces for community rooms, things like

2:04:38that.

2:04:40Um that's more of your four-story uh

2:04:42building there. On the on the buffer on

2:04:44the bottom here, you can see where all

2:04:46the amenities are. So, this this

2:04:48building here is what Tom alluded to is

2:04:49that that

2:04:51I almost did one up. Um

2:04:54indoor space. Well, that that community

2:04:55building, great slide,

2:04:58uh it is right there. We're looking for

2:04:59like an indoor pool, uh walking track

2:05:02indoors, things like that, not just for

2:05:04housing authority residents, but for the

2:05:05whole community.

2:05:07Uh and then and then we've got like

2:05:09soccer fields and outdoor stadium and

2:05:11basketball courts, kind of as a buffer

2:05:13um with with these trees between the

2:05:15other residents and and and within the

2:05:18housing authority development. The

2:05:20taller buildings, kind of in the middle

2:05:23here, and they're offset by the the big

2:05:26hill up on Cushman

2:05:28uh that comes down and it's almost like

2:05:31in a in a little bowl there. Again, so

2:05:33you might be driving down Cushman Ave,

2:05:35you look to your left to see something

2:05:36maybe two or three stories high, but

2:05:38it's actually, you know, five or six

2:05:40because, you know, the rest of it's down

2:05:42below the grade of the Cushman Ave area.

2:05:45Um

2:05:47>> Okay.

2:05:48>> And that's kind of how it lays out. As

2:05:50you can see the units on the outside,

2:05:53you know, two, three stories, the ones

2:05:54in the middle a little bit bigger.

2:05:56>> Okay. And regardless of the number of

2:05:58bedrooms, there will just be one parking

2:06:00spot per unit, correct?

2:06:03>> What I had in the slide, yes.

2:06:05>> Okay.

2:06:06Okay.

2:06:07All my questions. Thank you.

2:06:09>> Thank you, Council Councilor Genzale.

2:06:13>> Thank you, uh Mr. President. I'm I'm

2:06:14fully support this project, although

2:06:16it's not in Ward 4, it borders Ward 4. I

2:06:19know we all talk about uh affordable

2:06:21housing and developers come up here and

2:06:24we try to squeeze two or three units out

2:06:26of them and it's not working. It

2:06:29uh if if they do offer us some, that's

2:06:31great, but this is the only real

2:06:32tangible project that I see that's

2:06:35that's going to

2:06:37uh infuse a large amount of affordable

2:06:40housing. So, I think it's great. I love

2:06:42the design and I fully support it. Thank

2:06:44you.

2:06:45>> Thank you, counselor. Counselor

2:06:46Cogliano.

2:06:47>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um I do have

2:06:49two questions, Dean, if I may.

2:06:51Um and I have sat down with you to to go

2:06:55over this as well.

2:06:56Um and I'm excited about it. I do have

2:06:59two questions. One is have you received

2:07:01any

2:07:02uh of the current residents that are

2:07:05living there now, have you received

2:07:06feedback from them? That's question one.

2:07:08And my second question would be can you

2:07:11discuss the potential displacement, if

2:07:14it's even going to exist when we start

2:07:16building? I'm sure going to knock this

2:07:18down, where you going to put those

2:07:19people? So.

2:07:20>> So, the main concern for the residents

2:07:22were

2:07:23"Where am I going to put all my stuff?"

2:07:25Um because right now they if they have

2:07:27bigger units with full-size basements,

2:07:30um

2:07:30amenities that most people in private

2:07:33apartments and even condominiums don't

2:07:34have. Um so, we've talked to them about

2:07:37the the downsizing. The other

2:07:40um

2:07:41their other main concern was that they

2:07:43would have laundry facilities in within

2:07:44their unit.

2:07:46Um and but they seem to be

2:07:49uh very excited about the amenities that

2:07:51are there.

2:07:52Again, these people have to live in

2:07:53these places that are

2:07:5570 years old, but but we're still

2:07:57working on some of the siding now,

2:07:59knowing that and we'll talk about the

2:08:00phasing that, you know, some of these

2:08:02won't be torn down for about 10 15

2:08:04years. And we see some of these people

2:08:05standing in their living room and they

2:08:06can feel the breeze coming through the

2:08:08walls because there's there's gaping

2:08:09holes within the siding. The the the

2:08:11units are obsolete. And while they do

2:08:13miss, you know, some of their outdoor

2:08:15spaces, we're offering a lot of

2:08:17amenities there for them to use. Um

2:08:20these units are just old and they really

2:08:22need to be torn down and and rebuilt.

2:08:25And that's that's kind of what I heard

2:08:26from. I mean, the main concern is and

2:08:28the other concern is is how we're going

2:08:30to move, all right? And so so, what

2:08:32we've decided to do is is kind of phase

2:08:36the project. So, the beginning of

2:08:37Coolidge Street, those townhouse

2:08:39buildings, uh there's approximately 16

2:08:42to 20 units that are there. We're going

2:08:44to knock those down first. We're going

2:08:45to move those people within the within

2:08:47the development. We'll keep some some

2:08:49places vacant for them.

2:08:50Um

2:08:51at that point, we'll build a building

2:08:54there, which will have much greater

2:08:55density. So, we'll move those people

2:08:57back and then move other people into it.

2:09:00And it'll kind of be, you know, five

2:09:01phases out, six phases out. So, the only

2:09:04people that get displaced um more than

2:09:07once are those people in the initial

2:09:09moving, where they have to move out and

2:09:11then they get to move back in. Other

2:09:13than that, everybody will be moved once.

2:09:15>> And that was a concern is And so, those

2:09:17people are going to be moved within that

2:09:19area. They're not going to have to

2:09:20change where their [clears throat] kids

2:09:21go to school. They're not going to have

2:09:22to move to a different city.

2:09:24>> You know, prior to to shovel going in

2:09:25the ground, keep some units available

2:09:28vacant there, so those people can move

2:09:29right into them and and, you know, we

2:09:31would supply them to the move and work

2:09:33with movers to to get that done. Part of

2:09:35a relocation plan that we'd have to

2:09:37submit with the EOHLC.

2:09:39>> Thank you very much.

2:09:40>> Thank you, counselor. Counselor

2:09:41Mercurio.

2:09:42>> Uh thank you, Mr. President. Thank you,

2:09:43Mr. Harris, for being here.

2:09:45Uh this is a great project. I'm in full

2:09:47support of it, and I look forward to

2:09:49working with you on this. It's a very

2:09:51ambitious project.

2:09:53Um

2:09:53the undertaking is almost going to be

2:09:55like the high school building building a

2:09:57big project. This is a big big project.

2:09:59What's your anticipated timeline for a

2:10:02project of this scale?

2:10:04>> Well,

2:10:05I think I think we're talking, you know,

2:10:07our goal is 4 to 5 years have a shovel

2:10:10in the ground, and then and then phase

2:10:12that out over over 15 years, another 10

2:10:15years after that. And and it's just a

2:10:17process, right? So, we're going to going

2:10:19for the zoning.

2:10:21All right, then then once we have the

2:10:22zoning done, then we have to have the

2:10:23architecturals in place, so then we can

2:10:25go get financing, and then we get the

2:10:27financing, then we have to go to bid for

2:10:28the contractor. So, I think

2:10:30realistically, if things keep

2:10:31progressing, you're talking 4 to 5 years

2:10:34to get that first phase done, and then

2:10:36and then, you know, 2 years per phase

2:10:39maybe after that to get us to that

2:10:4010-to-15-year year from from when we

2:10:43start.

2:10:43>> Do we anticipate any government funding

2:10:45for the low income housing?

2:10:47>> Yes.

2:10:48Yes, so we we'll be after all sorts of

2:10:50different grants and it's kind of a

2:10:51hodgepodge of different funding from

2:10:53from light tech to to hope grants to

2:10:56different funds that go into it. There's

2:10:58there's many different funding sources

2:10:59that will go into this.

2:11:01>> Uh

2:11:01that will be all for now. I

2:11:03I'm on board with this and I I wish you

2:11:04well. Thank you very much.

2:11:05>> Thank you, Council McKenna.

2:11:08>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um a great

2:11:10example of a redevelopment of a uh

2:11:14of you know, housing is um East Boston.

2:11:18Uh it was deplorable. It was in really

2:11:20bad shape and they just went in and they

2:11:23redeveloped it and it's beautiful now.

2:11:25So, that's a great example of what is to

2:11:28come for Revere. So, I'm in definitely

2:11:31in support of this. And thank you very

2:11:33much for coming up tonight.

2:11:35>> Thank you.

2:11:36>> Any other council Council Argentzio?

2:11:38>> Uh thank you, uh Mr. President. I just

2:11:41thought of something. The The city

2:11:42doesn't generate uh property tax from

2:11:45this. It What's it called? A payment in

2:11:47lieu of tax?

2:11:48Pilot. So, will that continue?

2:11:51And and what about the market rate

2:11:52buildings? Will they

2:11:53>> So.

2:11:54So, there will be different agreements

2:11:56that will have to be addressed at the

2:11:57time of of when when it gets developed,

2:12:00uh renegotiating pilot agreements. But,

2:12:02there'll definitely be the ability to

2:12:04recoup um

2:12:06taxes from the market rate development.

2:12:08>> Okay. Thank you.

2:12:11>> Any other councilors?

2:12:12Zoning.

2:12:14>> Thank you.

2:12:18>> Public comment pursuant to chapter 402

2:12:20of the acts of 1965.

2:12:22>> Marco.

2:12:23>> Revere residents, Revere business

2:12:25owners, or city of Revere employees

2:12:27only. Revere residents, please provide

2:12:29your name and residential address.

2:12:31Business owners, please provide your

2:12:33name, your business name, and the

2:12:34business address.

2:12:36Employees, please provide your name and

2:12:38department. 2 minutes per person. And

2:12:41indicate which council order number you

2:12:43are speaking on.

2:12:45>> Okay, this is the public comment period.

2:12:48Name and address for the record.

2:12:50And please tell us what you're going to

2:12:52be

2:12:52>> is Marco Chavez. I live in 98 Usti

2:12:54Street.

2:12:56And uh

2:12:57my point is about talking about for that

2:13:01uh Usti Street

2:13:03they make it one way for Harriet Street.

2:13:05I live it there for a long time and they

2:13:07make it worse and worse traffic.

2:13:10Not even when I come in home from my job

2:13:14you know I come in home from either way

2:13:16from that way or that way the beaches

2:13:18street is is is the worst

2:13:21and worse now that make it one way the

2:13:23Harriet Street.

2:13:25And another thing is you know

2:13:27uh

2:13:28I want to you guys maybe if you pay

2:13:32attention for that because this uh

2:13:34people's for

2:13:36uh around on the street

2:13:39you know they they park in many car

2:13:42there and they don't leave it there.

2:13:44But I hope you guys you know uh take

2:13:47care of that one that's the issue for

2:13:49the

2:13:50for the uh Harriet Street, you know.

2:13:53Make it

2:13:54like the same way I live it in Riviera

2:13:57for more than 30 years and I know

2:13:58everywhere the street was good. The

2:14:01thing is

2:14:02many people coming to live in Riviera,

2:14:04more building

2:14:06and more car.

2:14:09You know everywhere. It's a lot of

2:14:11traffic. I understand for you know if

2:14:13you tell you a back that Harriet Street

2:14:17like the way they have it no one way

2:14:19like they do right now it's not the way

2:14:21we can work.

2:14:22Thank you. Thank you very much.

2:14:23>> Thank you.

2:14:25>> Mr. President, just a FYI for Marco, Mr.

2:14:28President.

2:14:30Just a FYI, he's talking on item number

2:14:3222.

2:14:34Okay, thank you.

2:14:39>> Yes, for the 22. Yes, it is. Thank you.

2:14:41Thank you very much.

2:14:41>> you.

2:14:42Thank you. Thank you for your comment.

2:14:44>> Thank you. Thank you.

2:14:44>> Any other people on public comment?

2:14:47>> Mr. President.

2:14:50>> I'm I'm sorry.

2:14:51>> I wish to comment

2:14:52>> He has a trespass order. He should not

2:14:54be in the building, let alone this room,

2:14:56or speaking. Calling for a recess.

2:14:58Respectfully.

2:14:59>> on an excellent

2:15:01>> Respectfully calling for a recess.

2:15:03To follow the law.

2:15:04>> compliment you on doing an excellent job

2:15:08in listening to the public and the

2:15:10public concerns.

2:15:12>> Thank you for your comments.

2:15:24>> I'm not in a police state.

2:15:29>> Calendar item number 12, unfinished

2:15:30business. This was This matter was

2:15:32tabled from the meeting of October 5th

2:15:34of '26, communication from the CFO

2:15:37requesting an appropriation in the

2:15:39amount of $125,000

2:15:41from the capital improvement

2:15:42stabilization fund for the Garfield

2:15:44School elevator design.

2:15:54>> Mr. Mayor.

2:15:55>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um I just

2:15:57wanted to come and speak in favor on

2:15:59behalf of the School Committee. I know a

2:16:00few of the members were not able to

2:16:02join. I I believe I speak in consensus

2:16:05that we're asking that the City Council

2:16:07help appropriate this from the

2:16:09stabilization account.

2:16:11And just to give a little bit of

2:16:12context,

2:16:13um

2:16:14to be quite honest, I didn't think there

2:16:15was going to be a whole lot of debate on

2:16:16this, but I do appreciate the view of

2:16:19the Council, and I do appreciate that

2:16:21the Council has always

2:16:23been very good to the School Department

2:16:26and provided the resources to our

2:16:28students and to to our teachers and

2:16:29educators and staff. Um this request is

2:16:32to repair the elevators. We typically

2:16:34use city funds to

2:16:37uh

2:16:38to deal with capital improvements across

2:16:40the city, whether it's a city building

2:16:41or a school building. As we all know,

2:16:43they're all the same. They all do come

2:16:44out of the same pot of money.

2:16:46Um

2:16:47resources to educate the students come

2:16:49out of Chapter 70 money, and typically

2:16:52they would not be counted towards uh net

2:16:54school spending. So this money would not

2:16:56apply

2:16:57and I just wanted to kind of clear the

2:16:59air. There was some questions in the

2:17:00last meetings about SR funding or the

2:17:02upper funding. SR funding was very much

2:17:05like American rescue plan funding but

2:17:07designated towards schools. Those could

2:17:09go into capital expenses and a lot of it

2:17:11was put towards capital expenses and of

2:17:13course some of it was put towards things

2:17:15like PPE and all that. Um the remaining

2:17:17SR funds were were distributed to the

2:17:20McKinley school.

2:17:22So that's why they did go through a

2:17:24to a capital improvement. And the SR

2:17:26funds have been exhausted as you know as

2:17:27of 2020

2:17:29December 31st, 2026 all SR funds need to

2:17:32be encumbered. So again, I'm asking that

2:17:36you support this. I know that there's

2:17:38and I'm not and I'm not faulting anyone.

2:17:40I know there's a little animus towards

2:17:42how the

2:17:44pie gets broken up but it is all coming

2:17:47out of city funds regardless. So if this

2:17:50go comes out of if this is

2:17:53even able to come out of a school

2:17:55district reserve it would it may not be

2:18:00legitimate and ultimately it's really

2:18:03going to just come down to when that

2:18:05district reserve is needed for staff at

2:18:08the schools. It's going to incur

2:18:11potential reductions in staff at our

2:18:14schools. It's not going to

2:18:16change any capital improvements. It may

2:18:18just delay them further. So this is for

2:18:20our students. This is for our staff.

2:18:22This is for our faculty. This is for our

2:18:23members of the school and I'm just

2:18:25asking that you support this tonight.

2:18:26Thank you very much.

2:18:27>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

2:18:31No. No. No.

2:18:32>> Mr. President.

2:18:33>> No.

2:18:35>> Mr. President.

2:18:37>> That's it.

2:18:38That's it. No. That's it. You're not

2:18:41That That's it.

2:18:43>> Mr. President, may I read a letter from

2:18:45count

2:18:46school committee woman Aisha

2:18:48Milbury-Ellis into the record?

2:18:52>> Councilor Guerrino Sarai.

2:18:53>> Thank you, Mr. President.

2:18:55>> I

2:18:56I gave

2:19:28Thank you, Mr. President.

2:19:31This letter is from

2:19:49All right, we're ready to proceed,

2:19:50right?

2:19:51>> [laughter]

2:19:52[gasps]

2:19:52>> All right, this

2:19:53>> Councilor Gerena Soria will read a

2:19:56letter from Councilor Milbrey Ellis, uh

2:19:59School Committee Woman Milbrey Ellis.

2:20:02>> As a member of the Revere School

2:20:03Committee, I'm writing in support of the

2:20:06proposed capital improvement project for

2:20:08the elevators at Garfield School.

2:20:11Maintaining safe, reliable, and

2:20:13accessible school facilities is

2:20:15essential to supporting our students,

2:20:17staff, and school community.

2:20:19Failure to address the elevator issue

2:20:21may create accessibility barriers for

2:20:24individuals with disabilities and could

2:20:26raise concerns regarding compliance with

2:20:29applicable disability access

2:20:31requirements. I respectfully ask the

2:20:34City Council to support the necessary

2:20:36funding to move this important project

2:20:39forward and ensure that Garfield School

2:20:41remains accessible to all students,

2:20:43staff, and visitors. Thank you for your

2:20:46consideration and your continued

2:20:48commitment to Revere schools.

2:20:50That's from

2:20:52School Committee Woman Aisha Milbrey

2:20:54Ellis.

2:20:54>> Thank you for your comments.

2:20:57Councilor Silvestri

2:20:58>> Thank you, Mr. President.

2:21:00I want to thank the mayor for coming up

2:21:02tonight. I know there's disagreement

2:21:04about this

2:21:05this funding, but in speaking with some

2:21:08of the faculty and and staff at the

2:21:10Garfield School,

2:21:12they are asking for our support in this

2:21:14motion.

2:21:16The kids, the students, and and just for

2:21:19a fun fact, we have the most

2:21:21physically disabled children that go to

2:21:23the Garfield School in the city of

2:21:25Revere. So, I think it's beyond us to to

2:21:28take this in in a positive light and

2:21:30take it up with the school committee

2:21:31after, but the kids need this. Thank

2:21:33you.

2:21:36>> Thank you, councilor. Councilor McKenna

2:21:38>> Thank you, Mr. President.

2:21:41Councilor Silvestri took my words. We do

2:21:44have the most disabled kids in the

2:21:47Garfield School, and they need the

2:21:49elevators. So,

2:21:51I'm going to vote for this. Thank you.

2:21:54>> Thank you. Councilor Carbone Leandro

2:21:57>> Thank you, Mr. President. It's nice to

2:21:59hear from the mayor. It's nice to hear

2:22:01from a school committee person,

2:22:03and it's nice to hear from faculty that

2:22:06they would like to work with us and

2:22:08asking us for this funding to help with

2:22:09those elevators instead of just, you

2:22:11know, no communication whatsoever. And

2:22:13that's really all we wanted. We've given

2:22:15them so much, just a little

2:22:17communication back and forth is all we

2:22:18ask for. So, I will support this this

2:22:20evening. Thank you.

2:22:26>> Councilor Gerino Squeglia

2:22:28>> Thank you, Mr. President. I support

2:22:29allocating the $125,000.

2:22:32Um

2:22:33At first, I didn't, but I would also

2:22:37like to encourage better communication

2:22:39among the school department, school

2:22:40committee, city council when funding

2:22:42requests come before us. We are all

2:22:45elected officials serving the same

2:22:47purpose, representing the people who

2:22:49elected us. Having someone

2:22:51present to explain this project

2:22:55and answer questions would have helped

2:22:56us work through this together. And I

2:23:00would like to fulfill our shared

2:23:01responsibilities and make informed

2:23:03decisions. So, I'm ready to move forward

2:23:05with this and next time something like

2:23:07this does come up in front of the

2:23:09council, I would appreciate somebody

2:23:11either from the school department, the

2:23:13mayor's office, um school committee to

2:23:15come up and talk to us because we are

2:23:18all elected official and we serve the

2:23:19same purpose and our kids are what

2:23:21matters. Thank you.

2:23:23>> Thank you, Councillor Guerrino Suluai.

2:23:26Councillor Harris.

2:23:27>> Thank you, Mr. President. I was happy

2:23:28enough to support this originally.

2:23:31Happy to support it tonight. Anytime you

2:23:33talk about the safety of the children,

2:23:35the the teachers, the admin,

2:23:38um

2:23:39school lunch workers, custodians, it's

2:23:41something we really need to

2:23:43to put the other stuff aside, work on

2:23:45the funding after the fact. We'll figure

2:23:47that out for future, but anytime we talk

2:23:49about the safety of the school the

2:23:50school members, it's something we have

2:23:52we should really support. Thank you.

2:23:59>> Thank you, Councillor Councillor Kelly.

2:24:01>> Thank you. I just wanted to thank the

2:24:03mayor for coming up and giving us that

2:24:05clarification because it was my

2:24:07recollection, I think when this was

2:24:09first brought up, there was an issue as

2:24:11to whether or not this was a capital

2:24:13expenditure under Chapter 70 and

2:24:16therefore, whether or not it would be

2:24:18paid for out of our budget. So, um I did

2:24:21watch the last school committee meeting.

2:24:22There was some clarification given there

2:24:24and I just wanted to thank the mayor for

2:24:25coming up and giving that clarification

2:24:28and um therefore, I I am in full support

2:24:31of it. Thank you.

2:24:35>> Councillor Mercurio.

2:24:37>> Thank you, uh Mr. President. Uh

2:24:40just a quick question for Mr. Viscay

2:24:42since he is here. The reserve fund for

2:24:45the school department, um

2:24:47how much is in that reserve fund?

2:24:51>> Off the top of your head.

2:24:53>> 6 million.

2:24:53>> Maybe

2:24:55we have a

2:24:58>> The school district's

2:25:00has a district [clears throat] reserve

2:25:01of about 5.6 million dollars in their

2:25:04budget.

2:25:04>> Okay, what is that reserve fund normally

2:25:06used for?

2:25:09>> Um

2:25:11I don't really work with the school

2:25:12budget. So, they they prepare their

2:25:14budget every year. Maybe Mr. May can

2:25:16speak to it.

2:25:17>> school committee member here. Why don't

2:25:19uh

2:25:19>> Well, you can ask him. You asked me,

2:25:21right?

2:25:22>> I asked you, but you don't know. So, I'm

2:25:24going to ask

2:25:25Let's let's kick the can down the road.

2:25:27>> Mr. President, through you to the

2:25:28counselor

2:25:29>> The um the district reserve uh was over

2:25:32the since

2:25:34since the Student Opportunity Act, uh

2:25:36the city of Revere benefited heavily

2:25:37from the Student Opportunity Act. That

2:25:39was giving more state funds towards

2:25:42schools alike Revere that had uh more of

2:25:44an urban atmosphere and lot of language

2:25:47learners and environmental justice

2:25:49communities.

2:25:50Um so, the school was receiving

2:25:53sometimes more than they could spend.

2:25:54And just to give you a little bit of

2:25:56clarification, if the school at the

2:25:58beginning of the year, they say, "We

2:26:00need a hundred I'm just going to use the

2:26:01roundest numbers. We need a hundred

2:26:02million dollars to operate our schools

2:26:04for the next fiscal year, the new next

2:26:06school year."

2:26:07Um

2:26:08and let's just say

2:26:10um 10 10 um positions stayed open. The

2:26:13good news is they those positions, if

2:26:14they average out at 70,000 each, there's

2:26:16700,000 dollars left that wasn't spent.

2:26:18They don't just say, "Hey, let's burn

2:26:19that money and use it." Some districts

2:26:21would say, "Let's spend it down. Let's

2:26:23buy a bunch of stuff." Uh the the school

2:26:26uh administration said, "You know what?

2:26:27We're going to be prudent, and we're

2:26:29going to try and hold back some of that

2:26:30money that what that we didn't spend

2:26:32because of a shortfall in employees uh

2:26:35or or maybe uh a window didn't break or

2:26:37maybe they they didn't need you need as

2:26:39much paper that year. Maybe maybe things

2:26:40like that didn't happen." Um you know,

2:26:42think about

2:26:43facility needs that are not capital

2:26:46improvement, like regular janitorial

2:26:47needs or whatnot. So, they were able to

2:26:49save some of that money. Um and then

2:26:52they knew there were going to be lean

2:26:53years when we start weaning off Student

2:26:55Opportunity Act, which is coming next

2:26:57year. And they wanted to bank that so

2:26:58there were wouldn't weren't massive uh

2:27:01staff reductions. Because And so, the

2:27:03last two years, they that was set of

2:27:05that $10 million

2:27:06we've used about 2.7 each year to fund

2:27:10the gap in what the state says is that

2:27:13net

2:27:14minimum requirement to spend

2:27:17and we've used some of that money to

2:27:18help bridge that gap. So it was 10

2:27:21and it was always intention to spend it

2:27:23down the 3 years following the end of

2:27:25student opportunity act. Because the

2:27:28enrollment decline over the last few

2:27:30years since 2020 actually the student

2:27:32the state funding has actually been

2:27:34dropping

2:27:35and we've been using this funding a

2:27:37little pre little prematurely. So we're

2:27:39going to actually going to look to it'll

2:27:41probably be exhausted in the next 2 plus

2:27:43years after this current year

2:27:45about a year earlier than we were

2:27:47hoping.

2:27:48So ultimately saying is that money is

2:27:51used for staff. It's used for teacher

2:27:52salaries. It's used for facility needs

2:27:55like day-to-day facility needs. It's

2:27:57used for custodial expenses. It's used

2:27:59for um

2:28:01you name it. School uniforms or or or

2:28:04security that we've we've asked for that

2:28:06increase in different schools. So mostly

2:28:08staff though. I'd say 80% of our costs

2:28:10in our schools are people.

2:28:13Whether it's administration down to the

2:28:15the lowest level educator or staff

2:28:17member.

2:28:18>> Did we have layoffs last year?

2:28:19>> Yeah.

2:28:20>> Quite a few.

2:28:21>> Did we have teacher layoffs last year?

2:28:23>> There were there were there were staff

2:28:25reductions. Most of those were

2:28:28um

2:28:29most of those were

2:28:31positions that were not being replaced.

2:28:33So a lot of those were empty positions.

2:28:35They may not have been filled. So those

2:28:37were were not replaced and or

2:28:39if we needed three

2:28:41third grade math teachers in one school

2:28:44and the enrollment was 70 people last

2:28:46year and it went to 50. We only made it

2:28:48if needed two or usually right around

2:28:50that 25 per pupil

2:28:53student to to teacher ratio. If it drops

2:28:57then we say hey we don't need to have

2:28:58three math teachers if there's only 40

2:29:00enrolled students. And we've seen an

2:29:03actual number of all of our classroom

2:29:05sizes have dropped over the last few

2:29:07years. So, we just kept up with the need

2:29:10for front-facing positions.

2:29:12So, it wasn't there were there were some

2:29:15professional whatever the term is, I I

2:29:18apologize, but

2:29:20within that 3 years, they may not reach

2:29:22professional teacher standard and also

2:29:24maybe they didn't get their certificate

2:29:26of from the Board of Education, so they

2:29:28were non-renewed.

2:29:30And that did happen. And there were some

2:29:32positions that were because of the

2:29:34amount of enrolled students were not

2:29:36needed. But that was very minimal. Most

2:29:38of it was just positions eliminated

2:29:40rather than than layoffs.

2:29:43But there were there were a few, yes.

2:29:45And I'd say there was probably close to

2:29:4750

2:29:48positions

2:29:50last year that were not needed.

2:29:52Going back to the pandemic,

2:29:54the height of our

2:29:57employment at the schools was right

2:29:59around 2022. That has come down over the

2:30:02last 4 years and uh

2:30:04but it's all relative to the amount of

2:30:06students going to school. Our largest

2:30:08enrollment in the city was in 2016. So,

2:30:12just more facts, since 2016, our student

2:30:15enrollment has declined.

2:30:17Since 2016, we are at an all-time low in

2:30:20the last decade this current year.

2:30:22So,

2:30:24you know, I know the popular opinion is

2:30:25the schools are busting at the seams. We

2:30:27have almost a thousand less students

2:30:29today than we did 10 years ago.

2:30:32>> Great.

2:30:32Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Mr.

2:30:33Viscarrondo. I appreciate that.

2:30:35>> Councilor Argentino.

2:30:38>> Uh thank you, Mr. President. I I fully

2:30:40support this and I did the first time.

2:30:42It was clear to me that it was a capital

2:30:44expenditure.

2:30:45Um I believe we work in partnership with

2:30:48the school committee. Um

2:30:50I don't know what all this this seems

2:30:53like there's an adversarial type

2:30:55situation developing between us and the

2:30:58school committee.

2:30:59Uh they're they're another department

2:31:01just like any other department, police,

2:31:03fire, DPW, uh school department. So,

2:31:07uh however we can support each other, I

2:31:09think we should do that and um

2:31:11and that's all I have to say. Thank you.

2:31:13>> Thank you, counselor.

2:31:15Counselor Novasielski.

2:31:18>> Thank you, Mr. President. Uh

2:31:21I appreciate the mayor coming up today

2:31:23and

2:31:24helping re-support this after uh the

2:31:26first

2:31:27denial by this council and uh

2:31:30I know Garfield School is, you know, not

2:31:33in my

2:31:34district, not in my ward,

2:31:36but it's still considered my school.

2:31:40You know, it's uh it's it's in ward one

2:31:42and but most of the people that attend

2:31:44it

2:31:45are from ward two.

2:31:48And uh

2:31:50you know, I tried hard to keep this

2:31:51alive up to now and I want to thank

2:31:54those counselors that are re-addressing

2:31:56this and reconsidering their votes on it

2:31:59to make this happen cuz it is,

2:32:02believe it, a safety issue.

2:32:04And if there's something we want to deal

2:32:06with later, let's deal with it later.

2:32:08Let's get this thing

2:32:10moving. Here's down the road,

2:32:13they they're going to ask us for money

2:32:15to build it, put these new elevators in.

2:32:18That's going to come to us.

2:32:21So, we have to look at the positive part

2:32:23of what it's going to do for this

2:32:24school. The school is over uh 40 years

2:32:27old.

2:32:29I remember working on the building and

2:32:31helping build it.

2:32:34And uh 30? Okay. I stand corrected.

2:32:38I don't remember that far back.

2:32:41But uh

2:32:43I you know, I I want to thank thank

2:32:44everybody for reconsidering and thank

2:32:46the mayor and uh for coming up and to

2:32:49over-explaining it.

2:32:51The way things are between, you know,

2:32:53the school committee, how they're

2:32:55working, what their reserve account

2:32:57does, and what our reserve account does.

2:32:59We would work in in the same manner,

2:33:02but with different funds. So, I want to

2:33:05thank you and I look forward to uh

2:33:06passing this and moving on with this

2:33:08project. Thank you.

2:33:10>> Thank you, counselor. If there's no

2:33:11other counselors want to speak,

2:33:13um

2:33:16I still

2:33:17feel

2:33:19and I may be wrong, but uh my opinion

2:33:21still stands that the money from the

2:33:24stabilization or the excess fund could

2:33:27have paid for this study. We obviously

2:33:30are going to pay for the elevators when

2:33:31that comes due. So, my position isn't

2:33:34changed, but I'll probably be in the way

2:33:37minority, maybe the only person that

2:33:39doesn't vote for it. But, as you know,

2:33:42my opinions are strong and they I stick

2:33:44to them. Thank you.

2:33:47Madam clerk, call the roll.

2:33:50>> Shall the city council approve an

2:33:51appropriation from the capital

2:33:52improvement stabilization fund in the

2:33:54amount of $125,000

2:33:56for the Garfield School elevator design?

2:33:59Councilor Agenzio?

2:34:00>> Yes.

2:34:01>> Yes, Councilor Cogliano?

2:34:02>> Yes.

2:34:02>> Yes, Councilor Genito?

2:34:04>> Yes.

2:34:05>> Yes, Councilor Greenough-Swigert?

2:34:06>> Yes.

2:34:07>> Yes, Councilor Haas?

2:34:07>> Yes.

2:34:08>> Yes, Councilor Kelly?

2:34:09>> Yes.

2:34:09>> Yes, Councilor McKenna?

2:34:11>> Yes.

2:34:11>> Yes, Councilor Mercurio?

2:34:12>> Present.

2:34:13>> Voting present.

2:34:15Councilor Nowosielski?

2:34:16>> Yes.

2:34:17>> Yes, Councilor Silvestri?

2:34:18>> Yes.

2:34:19>> Yes, and Council President Zambuto?

2:34:21>> No.

2:34:21>> Voting no, the transfer has been

2:34:23approved, appropriation has been

2:34:25approved.

2:34:26>> Thank you.

2:34:29>> Next up is the appointment subcommittee

2:34:31report.

2:34:34>> Thank you, Mr. Oh, thank you. Uh

2:34:37Thank you, Mr. President. Uh tonight we

2:34:40had four reappointments. Uh two came by

2:34:43and two had really good reasons, valid

2:34:46reasons to not to come. So, I would like

2:34:48to uh have a roll call and move these

2:34:51reappointments uh forward.

2:34:54In favor. Thank you.

2:34:56>> So, roll call on all four appointments.

2:34:59>> Shall the city council confirm the

2:35:01appointments as reported by Chairwoman

2:35:02McKenna? Councilor Agenzio?

2:35:04>> Yes.

2:35:05>> Yes, Councilor Cogliano?

2:35:06>> Yes.

2:35:07>> Yes, Councilor Genito?

2:35:08>> Yes.

2:35:09>> Yes, Councilor Greenough-Swigert?

2:35:11>> Yes.

2:35:11>> Yes, Councilor Haas?

2:35:12>> Yes.

2:35:13>> Yes, Councilor Kelly?

2:35:13>> Yes.

2:35:14>> Yes, Councilor McKenna?

2:35:15>> Yes.

2:35:15>> Yes,

2:35:16>> Councillor Macario.

2:35:17>> Yes.

2:35:17>> Yes, Councillor Waseleski.

2:35:18>> Yes.

2:35:19>> Yes, Councillor Silvestri.

2:35:21>> Yes.

2:35:21>> Yes, and Council President Zambuto.

2:35:23>> Yes.

2:35:24>> Yes, the appointments have been

2:35:24confirmed.

2:35:29Council item number 17, communications.

2:35:32Communication from the CFO regarding the

2:35:35amortization of the FY26 snow and ice

2:35:38removal deficit in the amount of 1

2:35:40million 22,000

2:35:42$901

2:35:44over fiscal year 27 through 29.

2:35:48Mr. CFO.

2:35:50>> Good evening. Richard Viscay, CFO, 21

2:35:53Broadway.

2:35:54>> [clears throat]

2:35:55>> Before you tonight is um something that

2:35:58was passed at the legislator.

2:36:01Um an act making appropriations for

2:36:04fiscal year 2026 for supplementing

2:36:07certain appropriations, one of which was

2:36:09the snow and ice um

2:36:11uh deficit that most communities have

2:36:13for last winter season. We did

2:36:16um receive $221,992

2:36:20to apply toward our deficit. And um we

2:36:24also have the option of amortizing

2:36:27that um delta of um 800,000 over 3-year

2:36:32period. The amortization is before you.

2:36:35It's um a 3-year, so after we apply

2:36:38221,992

2:36:41to the million 22,901

2:36:43deficit, that leaves us with 800,909,

2:36:47which is required to be amortized over 3

2:36:50years.

2:36:51Uh roughly 266,970

2:36:53would have to be raised on the fiscal

2:36:55year tax rates 27, 28, and 29.

2:36:59And for those of you don't understand

2:37:01what that means, if we were required to

2:37:03um

2:37:04we can overspend when we have snow and

2:37:06ice um emergencies, we can overspend.

2:37:08It's it's legal, but it doesn't mean the

2:37:10money's free. The next year we have to

2:37:11provide for that deficit. So,

2:37:13um without this law or without this um

2:37:16supplemental appropriation, we'd be

2:37:18looking at [snorts] a million dollar

2:37:19deficit in our snow and ice.

2:37:21We applied the 221 to that and that

2:37:23800,000 they let us amortize over 3

2:37:25years. So, I'll have to raise on the

2:37:28next three recaps 266,970

2:37:31to make up that deficit.

2:37:33We certainly have the

2:37:35ability to raise it all at once if if we

2:37:37so choose, but um essentially what we're

2:37:40talking about is an interest-free loan

2:37:41and that helps us give us some relief on

2:37:43where creating these out-year budgets.

2:37:44So, in difficult times they often pass

2:37:47laws like this that help communities. Um

2:37:50this particular law requires the

2:37:51amortization schedule to be approved by

2:37:53the council.

2:37:55So, I'm here to uh

2:37:56describe what that process is and help

2:37:58answer any questions on that. So, happy

2:38:00to do so. Thank you.

2:38:08>> Any questions?

2:38:12Oh, okay.

2:38:14Madam Clerk.

2:38:16>> Shall the City Council approve the FY26

2:38:19snow and ice removal deficit

2:38:20amortization schedule covering fiscal

2:38:23years '27 through '29? Council Argenzio.

2:38:27>> Yes.

2:38:27>> Yes, Council Cogliano.

2:38:28>> Yes.

2:38:29>> Yes, Council Ginino.

2:38:30>> Yes.

2:38:31>> Yes, Council Greenough-Savoya.

2:38:32>> Yes.

2:38:33>> Yes, Council Haas.

2:38:34>> Yes.

2:38:34>> Yes, Council Kelly.

2:38:35>> Yes.

2:38:36>> Yes, Council McKenna.

2:38:37>> Yes.

2:38:38>> Yes, Council Macario.

2:38:39>> Yes.

2:38:40>> Yes, Council Nowbilskey.

2:38:41>> Yes.

2:38:42>> Yes, Council Silvestri.

2:38:43>> Yes.

2:38:44>> Yes, and Council President Zambuto.

2:38:46>> Yes.

2:38:46>> Yes, the schedule's been approved.

2:38:51Council item number 18, communication

2:38:53from the CFO requesting an appropriation

2:38:55from the transportation fund in the

2:38:56amount of $156,000.

2:38:59I'm sorry, $156,626.90

2:39:04to the

2:39:05Department of Planning and Community

2:39:07Development Transportation Outlay

2:39:08Account for addressing traffic calming

2:39:11and infrastructure.

2:39:14>> Good evening.

2:39:16Um [clears throat] this law was about to

2:39:18sunset. This is where we

2:39:20get uh 10 cents per every ride that

2:39:22originates in the city, whether it be

2:39:25um Lyft [snorts] or or um

2:39:28any of the other ride share services.

2:39:31Um [snorts]

2:39:32$156,626

2:39:36basically represents about 1.56 million

2:39:39rides that originate in Revere.

2:39:41So, um we were happy to get this money

2:39:44back um

2:39:45through the legislator. And now um as

2:39:48the law states, it's uh

2:39:50required to be appropriated by this body

2:39:52to put towards the um

2:39:55road improvement, traffic calming

2:39:56measures, and uh the types of things

2:39:58that qualify for this money. So, we've

2:40:00decided as a um policy that we give that

2:40:02money to our planning and community

2:40:03development who then take it and address

2:40:06the safe routes to schools, some of the

2:40:08speed issues, etc. in the city. So, um

2:40:11requires the appropriation of this body.

2:40:13So, happy to answer any questions on

2:40:14that. Thank you.

2:40:16>> Pretty self-explanatory. Are there any

2:40:18questions on that?

2:40:20No.

2:40:24On the

2:40:26All in favor, all opposed. So ordered.

2:40:30>> Calendar item 19, communication from the

2:40:32parking director relative to the 2026

2:40:35Toys for Tickets Amnesty program and the

2:40:37Stay and Shop Local Saturdays

2:40:39initiative.

2:40:43>> All in favor, all opposed. So ordered.

2:40:48>> Calendar item number 20, communication

2:40:50from the CFO requesting an appropriation

2:40:53from the high school stabilization fund

2:40:55for the legal bills associated with the

2:40:57eminent domain taking in the amount of

2:40:59$916,000.

2:41:02>> Any questions on this?

2:41:05On the roll Call the roll, please.

2:41:08>> Shall this

2:41:11>> I just had one question.

2:41:13>> Oh.

2:41:14Councilor MacCurtain.

2:41:16>> Thank you, Mr. President. So, that was

2:41:17the final bill for the the

2:41:19uh Do we have a bill prior to this one?

2:41:22The uh 900,000. Was there

2:41:24>> I mean, we we were paying originally

2:41:26paying as we went when we first took the

2:41:28land just dealing with the lawsuit, but

2:41:31once we started preparing for trial, the

2:41:33bills piled up pretty quickly and um

2:41:35these are all the bills in total for for

2:41:38up to including today. So, we may have

2:41:40some some trickle down and that's why we

2:41:43asked for a little more money than the

2:41:44the total here, but uh pretty much we

2:41:46believe that 95% or

2:41:49or more have been taken care of. Now, we

2:41:51just have to, you know, cross some tees

2:41:53and dot some eyes.

2:41:54>> day one we took the land

2:41:55>> The yeah, the majority was Foley Hoag

2:41:57prepared and then we had some

2:41:58specialists, but um

2:42:00yeah, I mean, $900,000 is is a lot of

2:42:02money, but

2:42:04um happy that we didn't have to go to

2:42:05trial cuz the trial would have been

2:42:06triple that, [clears throat] but um

2:42:07yeah, this should this should get us

2:42:09square and you know, these are fees that

2:42:11we could borrow for, but we have been

2:42:12put money aside in the stabilization

2:42:14account for the high school and and not

2:42:17to incur another million dollars and

2:42:18that I think would be good to keep this

2:42:20clear and really not capitalize

2:42:22expenses. So, prefer to pay it with the

2:42:24one-time money we have.

2:42:25>> Great, thank you very much for that.

2:42:26>> Just to clarify, this was for the final

2:42:29law firm Foley Hoag, all right?

2:42:31>> Uh 730,000 was for Foley Hoag. We also

2:42:34had John Leonard at Epsilon and Howard

2:42:36Stein Hudson for some smaller things.

2:42:38Sometimes we need some specialty work

2:42:40done, but the majority was Foley Hoag.

2:42:43>> we also had a a law firm

2:42:45>> Yeah, John Leonard yeah, we

2:42:46>> Yeah. So, okay,

2:42:48this is not the only bill. This is the

2:42:50final

2:42:50>> No, I I kind of bullet pointed them on

2:42:52the memo if you want to see them, but

2:42:53mostly Foley Hoag was our primary firm.

2:42:56>> want to make sure everybody understands.

2:42:58All good.

2:43:01>> Call the roll, please.

2:43:03>> Shall the city council approve an

2:43:04appropriation from the high school

2:43:06stabilization fund in the amount of

2:43:08$916,000

2:43:09for legal bills associated with the

2:43:11eminent domain taking? Councilor Genzio?

2:43:14>> Yes.

2:43:14>> Yes. Councilor Cogliano?

2:43:15>> Yes.

2:43:16>> Yes. Councilor Gagliano?

2:43:17>> Yes.

2:43:18>> Yes. Councilor Greenleaf-Suaya?

2:43:19>> Yes.

2:43:20>> Yes.

2:43:20>> Councilor Haas?

2:43:21>> Yes.

2:43:21>> Yes. Councilor Kelly?

2:43:22>> Yes.

2:43:23>> Yes. Councilor McKenna?

2:43:24>> Yes.

2:43:24>> Yes. Councilor Macario?

2:43:25>> Yes.

2:43:26>> Yes. Councilor Novoselsky?

2:43:27>> Yes. Yes, Councillor Silvestri. Yes.

2:43:30Yes, and Council President Zambuto. Yes.

2:43:32Yes, the appropriation has been

2:43:33approved.

2:43:36Calendar item number 21, communication

2:43:38from the city assessor requesting that

2:43:39the city council hold a public hearing

2:43:41for the purpose of establishing the

2:43:43minimum residential factor and setting

2:43:45the tax rate for fiscal year 27.

2:43:49>> Ordered to a public hearing on November

2:43:5230th.

2:43:59>> Motions, calendar item number 22, motion

2:44:01presented by Councillors Coggliano and

2:44:03McKenna that the mayor request the

2:44:04traffic commission, city engineer, and

2:44:06Revere Police Department to review the

2:44:08recent traffic pattern changes

2:44:10implemented on Harris Street and the

2:44:12resulting impact of those changes are

2:44:14having on Eustis Street, Beach Street,

2:44:15Library Street, John Mooney Road,

2:44:18Thurlow Ave, Janvrin Ave, Payson Street,

2:44:20Shirley Road, East Mountain Ave, and the

2:44:22surrounding neighborhood. Residents have

2:44:24reported increased wrong-way driving,

2:44:26speeding, and cut-through traffic on

2:44:28residential streets, significant backups

2:44:30approaching the rotary, inconsistent

2:44:32signage, and increased difficulty safely

2:44:35entering and exiting the neighborhood.

2:44:37Further, that the Traffic Commission

2:44:39review possible modifications to

2:44:41alleviate these conditions including

2:44:43traffic flow and signage, parking near

2:44:45the mouth of the rotary, access to John

2:44:47Mooney Mooney Road, and increased

2:44:49enforcement of wrong-way driving and

2:44:51speeding, and meet with affected

2:44:53residents to hear their concerns and

2:44:55discuss measures to improve safety,

2:44:57reduce congestion, and provide

2:44:59reasonable access to the neighborhood.

2:45:01>> Councillor Coggliano.

2:45:03>> Thank you, Mr. President.

2:45:06I have one part of my ward that's

2:45:08incredibly happy with the change to

2:45:09Harris Street, but as we've known from

2:45:12the past when we change things around,

2:45:14it helps one section of the city and

2:45:17then it causes havoc in another, and

2:45:19that's exactly what we're seeing here

2:45:22all because of a re-configuration of

2:45:24that intersection that nobody wanted.

2:45:27Okay? So, we fixed Harris Street, that

2:45:30whole Immaculate Conception area. They

2:45:32are super happy.

2:45:34From everyone that I've heard from is

2:45:36very happy with what's going on over

2:45:37there. Obviously, you can upgrade safety

2:45:39and things like that for speeding, but

2:45:41uh now

2:45:42cross starting with Beach Street and

2:45:44crossing all the way down to East

2:45:45Mountain Ave

2:45:46and all those side streets that are

2:45:48located there.

2:45:49Uh in Eustis, I mean, people are cutting

2:45:52through Eustis Street going the wrong

2:45:54way so that they can speed down there,

2:45:56not get caught, and speed down Harris

2:45:59Street the wrong way so that they can

2:46:00then go to the intersection that has no

2:46:03lights where they're not supposed to go

2:46:05and still cut through to get to where

2:46:06they need to.

2:46:08I I also

2:46:10seeing the the uh I don't want to talk

2:46:12off topic, but the slip lane looks like

2:46:16what's already there just with a little

2:46:17concrete. So, um but that's a whole

2:46:20'nother story. So, I am just I don't

2:46:23know what it's going to take for someone

2:46:26to go to to actually stop making

2:46:28decisions that push one problem from one

2:46:31section

2:46:33to another.

2:46:34That configuration is the root of all of

2:46:36this.

2:46:38All of it.

2:46:40The root The root of all evil,

2:46:41counselor. Yes, okay. But you know, that

2:46:44I just, you know, they need to take a

2:46:46look at this area now.

2:46:48And then maybe we can predict which

2:46:50area, when they fix this area, which

2:46:52area is going to get messed up after

2:46:54that.

2:46:55So that we can bring them up right away.

2:46:57Thank you.

2:46:58>> Thank you, counselor. Counselor McKenna.

2:47:01>> Thank you, Mr. President. As a ward

2:47:03counselor, I never wanted this to

2:47:05change. I never wanted the pattern to

2:47:07change. I wanted Harris Street to stay

2:47:10the same. They could have decided to do

2:47:14different things than to create havoc

2:47:17havoc for a neighborhood.

2:47:19I just want to say Beach Street

2:47:22is ridiculous. You can't even take a

2:47:25left a right to go to Winthrop Ave to

2:47:28get I can't get to get home.

2:47:31Um

2:47:31they need two lanes. They need one to

2:47:35for the left a left lane to go to

2:47:37Shirley Ave and a right lane to go to

2:47:40um Chelsea so they can take a turn to go

2:47:43to Beachmont. It's ridiculous. I don't

2:47:46know and

2:47:47I don't know and now it's going to be

2:47:49Bennington Street. So I mean they they

2:47:52just do whatever they want to. They

2:47:53don't listen to us and I'm just so

2:47:56frustrated with this.

2:47:58So thank you. Um

2:48:00um Councillor Coglin Leandro for putting

2:48:02this motion in.

2:48:05>> Anybody else on the motion? All in

2:48:07favor? All opposed? So ordered.

2:48:12>> Council item number 23, motion presented

2:48:14by Councillor McKenna that the mayor be

2:48:15requested to convene a meeting with DCR

2:48:18Commissioner LaChapelle, Rep Turco, and

2:48:20Rep Janino to address the deplorable

2:48:22condition of the pavilions on Revere

2:48:24Beach and the seawall on Winthrop

2:48:26Parkway. There have been multiple

2:48:27requests from the Revere City Council in

2:48:29an attempt to address these important

2:48:31issues.

2:48:32>> Councillor McKenna.

2:48:34>> Thank you very much, Mr. President. So

2:48:36up on the um screen you're going to see

2:48:39what I took last week. I just couldn't

2:48:41believe what I saw.

2:48:43I just want everybody to see these

2:48:44photos. You might drive by this every

2:48:47day and not notice the severity

2:48:50of these two major icons. First, let's

2:48:52address the pavilions down on Revere

2:48:55Beach. I put a motion in several times

2:48:57and not one thing has been done in

2:49:00probably about 6 years. I understand

2:49:03money is tight, but these

2:49:06but this is the watermark of Revere

2:49:08Beach and when people come to visit,

2:49:11this is what they see. The conditions of

2:49:13these icon landmarks are falling apart.

2:49:18As you can see, I'm going to wait um

2:49:20until the seawall comes up, but this is

2:49:23Okay.

2:49:24The seawall on Winthrop Parkway is

2:49:27compromised like never before. I noticed

2:49:30it when I was taking pictures of the the

2:49:32the nor'easter a couple of weeks ago. I

2:49:35couldn't believe the seawall. It's a

2:49:37matter of time the seawall is going to

2:49:39fall and I'm afraid of the devastation

2:49:42it's going to cause to the neighborhood.

2:49:45No matter what the situation is with

2:49:47money, it is imperative that we get

2:49:49these two major issues fixed as soon as

2:49:52possible, no matter how. Both are

2:49:54deteriorating in rapid speed. Jeff

2:49:58Turco,

2:50:00Jeff Turco, Mick Keefe and I

2:50:02have met on several occasions in the

2:50:04last 3 years with DCR and the engineers

2:50:07to address the seawall.

2:50:09Last year being the most recent.

2:50:12But

2:50:13we never got any communication since.

2:50:16Nothing has been done. The sidewalk has

2:50:19separated 6 inches from the seawall as

2:50:22you can see from my photos.

2:50:24It's like when a road is dangerous and

2:50:26everybody complains about it but nothing

2:50:28is done until a tragedy strikes.

2:50:31And then the problem is addressed or

2:50:33resolved. It is crucial that we

2:50:36we coordinate a meeting with DCR and the

2:50:39governor. Um

2:50:42Get the governor here. Let's look at the

2:50:44wall to get some answers on this and how

2:50:47to move forward as soon as late.

2:50:52Thank you.

2:50:55>> Thank you.

2:50:56Councilor Silvestri.

2:50:57>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um

2:51:00Councilor McKennedy, this is an amazing

2:51:02motion. Uh I commend you on it. It's um

2:51:05much needed time and including the

2:51:07governor, Congresswoman Clark, Senator

2:51:10Markey, please if you're listening, this

2:51:13is the first public beach in the country

2:51:16and it needs uh repairs fast.

2:51:19>> Fast.

2:51:21>> Thank you. Councilor Novaselski.

2:51:23>> Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President,

2:51:25uh

2:51:26no question this

2:51:28work has to be done.

2:51:30Uh I happen to bump into the uh

2:51:33assistant commissioner of DCR a couple

2:51:36weeks ago at an event

2:51:37and I mentioned to her about mostly

2:51:40about the

2:51:41about the pavilions.

2:51:43And I told I was very stern with her and

2:51:47that was the first time I ever met her

2:51:49and I told I said you know

2:51:52we have the first public beach in

2:51:54America.

2:51:55It's a historic site

2:51:57and DCR has let this go

2:52:01to pot

2:52:02to say the least.

2:52:04And she said to me

2:52:06we're aware of that.

2:52:08We plan on doing something next summer.

2:52:12Now

2:52:13that's what she said to me. Now whether

2:52:14it happens or not is another thing.

2:52:16But this is what she told me that

2:52:18something will be done with the

2:52:19pavilions next summer.

2:52:21As far as the wall is concerned not only

2:52:24DCR and the city

2:52:27and and other state agencies that have

2:52:29to be we have to get the Army Corps of

2:52:31Engineers involved in this thing.

2:52:33So I would hope that any meetings that

2:52:35are held we invite the Army Corps of

2:52:37Engineers

2:52:38to join that meeting to talk about it

2:52:41cuz they're the ones that are going to

2:52:42end up doing the work.

2:52:44So I agree with this and uh

2:52:47I look forward to positive things

2:52:48happening. Thank you.

2:52:50>> Thank you Councillor Councillor Kelly.

2:52:52>> Thank you Mr. President. I just want to

2:52:53thank Councillor McKenna for putting

2:52:55this motion in. I know that there have

2:52:57been multiple motions regarding this um

2:52:59in the past. I put a motion in

2:53:02in 2 2025 I believe and um I kept in

2:53:06communication with Representative Turco

2:53:08and as a result we did have a call with

2:53:12um members of DCR and we did discuss the

2:53:14pavilions and maintenance work. That

2:53:17call took place January 2026.

2:53:20Um and we were supposed to get updates

2:53:23and

2:53:24I there's nothing's been done and so um

2:53:27I think we just need to

2:53:29push until this gets done and make it an

2:53:31absolute priority because it is

2:53:33deplorable, it's embarrassing.

2:53:36Um I know we all care about the beach

2:53:38deeply and we we need to do better.

2:53:40Thank you.

2:53:42>> Thank you, Councillor. Councillor

2:53:43Greenough-Shuwaya.

2:53:45>> Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I truly

2:53:48support Councillor McKenna's motion and

2:53:50as Councillor Kelly just said uh

2:53:52previously I I she did put in a motion

2:53:55regarding the light post and we did

2:53:57discuss the pavilions um during that

2:54:00meeting.

2:54:01But what bothers me is the fact that

2:54:03nothing has been done yet.

2:54:06Nothing. I mean we we had the Zoom

2:54:08meeting, we we had the phone call. I as

2:54:11well have been in contact with um

2:54:15Rep. Turco regarding it and I know

2:54:18Councillor Kelly has been in contact

2:54:20with it with him and other DCI members.

2:54:23Something needs to be done. We can't

2:54:25wait anymore and I really really

2:54:27appreciate Councillor McKenna for

2:54:29bringing this up and those walls are

2:54:31awful. They are deplorable.

2:54:34It it's it's a it's a disgrace. We are

2:54:37the first

2:54:39public beach in the country. We should

2:54:41be treated

2:54:43with so much more respect than we are.

2:54:45This this is very important. This is the

2:54:47gateway to our city. Like I

2:54:50Something needs to be done. Something

2:54:52needs to be done.

2:54:54Now.

2:54:56Thank you.

2:54:58>> Thank you.

2:55:00Councillor McKenna.

2:55:01>> I just I would like to just say that

2:55:03Jeff Turco and I have been on the phone

2:55:05constantly uh trying to get DCI to come

2:55:09up with some sort of solution. So he has

2:55:11been working uh diligently on this and I

2:55:15just I just want to give him the kudos.

2:55:18Thank you.

2:55:18>> Thank you. On the motion.

2:55:20Oh

2:55:21Councillor Greenough-Shuwaya.

2:55:23>> I'm sorry, Mr. President. I completely

2:55:24agree with you. Rep. Turco has been

2:55:26spectacular. It's not him. He's He's

2:55:29come to look at our walls as well. It's

2:55:31crazy. Thank you.

2:55:33>> On the motion. All in favor, all

2:55:35opposed. Shuwaya.

2:55:37>> Calendar item number 24, motion

2:55:38presented by Councillor

2:55:39Greenough-Shuwaya.

2:55:40That the mayor request the Department of

2:55:42Public Works in coordination with the

2:55:44city engineer to conduct a city-wide

2:55:46seasonal inspection of catch basins and

2:55:48clear accumulated leaves and debris as

2:55:50needed with particular attention to

2:55:52flood prone areas including the Point of

2:55:54Pines, Oakhaven, and Riverside. Further

2:55:57that recurring drainage problems be

2:55:59identified for follow-up and residents

2:56:01be reminded how to report blocked catch

2:56:03basins and street flooding.

2:56:06>> Councillor Green-Sawayah

2:56:08>> Thank you, Miss President. Um our DPW I

2:56:10want to start by saying does a great job

2:56:12staying on top of these issues and I

2:56:14appreciate the continued work. With the

2:56:15leaves now falling, I have received a

2:56:17few calls from residents concerned about

2:56:19the catch basins becoming blocked and

2:56:22for the potential flooding particularly

2:56:23in the flood

2:56:25flood

2:56:26flood prone neighborhoods. I'm sorry.

2:56:28Um I know our DPW is already proactive

2:56:32and I want to bring these residents'

2:56:34concerns forward so we can work together

2:56:37to address any trouble spots and give

2:56:39our neighbors some peace of mind. And

2:56:41thank you so much for the DPW for being

2:56:44proactive and doing everything that they

2:56:46can, but let's let's get on it now so

2:56:49residents feel better. Thank you.

2:56:52>> Councillor Novaselski

2:56:53>> Thank you, Miss President. And thank

2:56:55you, Councillor, for that for that uh

2:56:58request. Uh I know it is a lot of work

2:57:00for our DPW guys and they are, believe

2:57:03it or not, overworked. There's a lot to

2:57:05do in this city.

2:57:06Uh but I would hope and I know I do I I

2:57:10have a catch basin in front of my house.

2:57:12I clean in front of my catch basin. And

2:57:15and I have a lot of neighbors on some of

2:57:18the various streets that do their own

2:57:20catch basin cleaning. So hopefully you

2:57:23can request some of your residents and

2:57:26constituents to do that. You have a

2:57:29catch basin in front of your house, use

2:57:30a rake and throw it into a bag and put

2:57:32it out on uh

2:57:34uh waste day.

2:57:36So you know, that takes some pressure

2:57:38off our guys and doing the work. So

2:57:40that's my recommendation, but good job.

2:57:43>> Thank you. the motion. Oh. Councilor

2:57:46Rotunno.

2:57:47>> Thank you, uh, Mr. President. I know

2:57:49that, uh, new sweeper that we voted on,

2:57:51uh, several weeks ago. Uh, the selling

2:57:53point of that thing was, uh, it has an

2:57:55arm on it to, uh,

2:57:57go out and clear off catch basins. So, I

2:58:00I think that was a good vote we made.

2:58:02Thank you.

2:58:02>> Where is it? Did we get it yet?

2:58:04>> Not yet, no.

2:58:04>> Okay.

2:58:06On the motion, all in favor, all

2:58:08opposed.

2:58:09So ordered.

2:58:10>> Calendar item number 25, motion

2:58:11presented by Councilor Green-Ruiz that

2:58:13the City Council present a certificate

2:58:15of appreciation to Jay Morocco, the

2:58:17Boston Guido, in recognition of his

2:58:19contributions to the 2026 City of Revere

2:58:22Italian Heritage Celebration.

2:58:25>> Councilor Green-Ruiz.

2:58:27>> The motion speaks for itself. I'll hold

2:58:28my comments. Thank you.

2:58:30>> On the motion, all in favor, all

2:58:31opposed. So ordered.

2:58:32>> Calendar item number 26, motion

2:58:34presented by Councilor Green-Ruiz that

2:58:36the City Council present a certificate

2:58:38of appreciation to Steve DeMarco, the

2:58:40Wicked Snapper, in recognition of his

2:58:42contributions to the 2026 City of Revere

2:58:45Italian Heritage Celebration.

2:58:48>> Councilor Green-Ruiz.

2:58:49>> Same.

2:58:50>> On the motion, all in favor, all

2:58:51opposed. So ordered.

2:58:59Where are we?

2:59:05Oh, okay. 26 was the last motion?

2:59:10All right. The City Council will

2:59:13stand adjourned. Oh, wait a minute. I

2:59:17got to I got to back up a little bit

2:59:19here.

2:59:20Uh,

2:59:23I got to I got to remind all our

2:59:24constituents to vote on November 3rd.

2:59:32Uh, thank a veteran on November 11th.

2:59:36In honor of Veterans Day, of course. We

2:59:38all know that.

2:59:40And, uh,

2:59:41this City Council now stands adjourned

2:59:44until November 16th.

2:59:47Thank you.