Welcome to the Monday, November 10th, city council meeting at 6:30 p.m. We'll call this meeting to order. Madame clerk, please call the role. Councelor Ash, Councelor Campbell, present. Councelor Divine, Council Deon, pres.
Council Harris, Council Leang, present. Councelor McCarthy present. Councelor Minton present. President King present. Eight members. You Thank you, Madam Clerk. Uh, please stand to observe a moment of silence.
Please use this moment as you will. Please turn to the flag for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Madame clerk, please read the open meeting law. Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.
Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible. Thank you, Madam Clerk.
First item on the agenda 2025119 order our home rule petition an act relative to the maintenance of pre-employment physical examination records for the public safety personnel at the city of Quinsey. Thank you madam clerk.
The president recognizes the mayor's representative Chris Walker. You Mr. President. Thank you. Uh thank you councilors. I did send out a brief memo um before the weekend relative to this home rule. Uh it's a highly processed issue, but I'll walk through it for the benefit of the full body and uh folks watching.
Um so this home rule relates to what's been a a pretty stubborn issue over the last several years that has affected a number of cities and towns in Massachusetts. Quinsey is not the only one. Uh this has happened in the city of Boston and a number of other places as well.
Uh and it's caused some real problems for some of our public safety personnel who are entitled to full accidental disability benefits from the state retirement system uh what we call PARK. Um prior to about 15 12 15 years ago uh the city did not maintain pre-employment medical records uh the pre-employment physicals of police and firefighters which are a prerequisite to getting hired.
Um it wasn't a requirement that they be maintained. It was not something that was um it was not part of any process at that time. Um a few years ago, PAR act didn't require these as a condition for approving these kinds of disability benefits.
Um the understanding was of course that uh any police or police police officer or firefighter who was hired uh would have to have shown that they were free of any pre-existing conditions um that would be ultimately potentially be related to a disability.
uh at some point I would say within the last five or six years uh PARK uh began requiring uh evidence of the pre-employment physical um and this has caused some issues because uh the retirement board uh does not have them.
We don't have the city doesn't have them uh up until that certain point I think again about 12 or 15 years ago where the city started maintaining as part of the record. Now, the city wouldn't maintain medical records for its employees um in any great degree anyways, but um and we don't know, you know, doing the research on this and talking to folks whether this was a formal policy.
Um it it we don't there's no one that recalls getting a formal notice from from the state that this is the way it was going to be and it's a new thing or if they're just tightening, which is fine if they're just tightening up existing policy.
Um that's when you know the issue started when police officers and firefighters that have been otherwise deemed disabled and entitled to these benefits have been denied by PARK um on multiple occasions even after being approved by the local retirement board for the disability pension.
These eligible employees have had to jump through hoops. The city's had to jump through hoops trying to convince PARK that um these eligible employees were indeed healthy at the time of hiring. Um this home rule what it will do it will allow a sworn affidavit by the city or the employee stating that the um employee did not suffer from any pre-existing condition related to the disability upon which he or she is retiring um at the time of their hiring.
And this largely relates to what's called the heart bill um uh heart disease uh and and things like that. Um, as as this body knows, police and firefighters are entitled to um disability uh accidental disability um for various um maladies that we believe that they they obtain while on the job while working in heart disease is one of them.
Um, we developed this home rule petition in conjunction with the lawyers for our local 792, our firefighters union, and I see President Bose with us, uh, in the audience this evening, and the two police unions, um, who are also here with us this evening.
Um, we worked with their lawyer who has been working on this issue in other cities and towns across Massachusetts, and it has worked um, effectively in those places to date. There is a uh statewide bill, I believe, pending um that would would solve this issue, but that has not um come to fruition.
And um we think this is a a appropriate way to move forward to ensure that our police and firefighters who are 100% entitled to accidental disability um get through this process uh in a way that without confusion, without getting muddied.
Thank you, Mr. President. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Walker. Any questions, comments from colleagues? President recognizes councelor Leang. Thank you, Mr. President. I mean, I think u thank you for the explanation of this and walking us through um what has been effective in other communities.
I think uh we all know that, you know, our first responders are the ones that put their lives on the line every single day to make sure that ours are safe. And I do not see why we wouldn't want to move forward to um reduce the barriers for them to get uh proper compensation and care when they need it the most.
And so I would like to make a motion to approve this. Motion to approve made by councelor Leang, seconded by councelor Divine. On a motion. Okay. Uh madam clerk, please call the role. Councelor Ash, yes.
Councelor Campbell, yes. Councelor Divine, yes. Councelor Deon, yes. Council Lee Yang, yes. Council McCathy, yes. Councelor Mitten, yes. President Kane, yes. Eight members. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Next item, please.
2025-120 a resolve regarding the electrical explosion incident at Southern Ottery and Broad Street demanding accountability from National Grid and Riley Leaf Brother inc. President recognizes councelor Le.
Thank you, Mr. President. Speaking of um our first responders responding to incidents, unfortunately a few weeks ago during some of the utility work that was getting done over on Southern Armory and Broad Street, uh there was an explosion that so far um I don't think we can deem as as tragic yet.
The the person who was injured is unfortunately still at the hospital fighting for their life at this point. Um and many more could have been injured because of this one incident. And I think given the amount of work being underway in the city right now, you know, we need to make sure that the standards that the city sets specifically through I want to mention um the Department of Public Works or our commissioner, we all know from working with him how high his standards are um and how that ripples throughout his entire department.
you know, when we work with contractors like National Grid, um, who then work with their contractors like Riley Brothers, the expectation is that those those standards that we set that that our commissioner sets, uh, trickles down, right, to those contractors.
And this incident shows, I think, that unfortunately, it's not the only time that National Grid continues to fail to follow the standards set forth by our commissioner in the city. And so what happened uh was that National Guards contractor Riley Brothers had some folks on site doing utility work.
Um and the supervisor on site told the employee, "Oh, that that line isn't alive. You're fine. Go ahead and keep doing the work." And that line unfortunately was live. And when it was struck, it created an explosion where actually there was a power outage throughout the city um in that area as well.
And again, this this employee is now still in the hospital weeks later fighting for his life. And it's it's something that could have been so much worse, but still in and of itself is something that is still completely unacceptable.
And so I think it's important that we as a council and as a city hold these contractors accountable. And I think we're owed an explanation, right? Like what's the training process? What was the person on site even instructed to do?
Right? The employees that are working for these contractors trust those supervisors to keep them safe. And again, this could have been an issue where our first responders could have been injured as well.
And so, just all around, it's like we can set the standards, but we need to make sure contractors are meeting them. And a company as large as National Grid should not be one that we're concerned with.
And again, it's unfortunate this is not the first time that something has happened. And so I'm submitting this resolve uh to really call them to task and and come and explain to us what the procedure and policy was leading up to this, what the training process was, um what their process is working with their contractors, right?
Like what's the screening process when they bring on their contractors? We need to make sure again that whatever conditions we set forward for safety measures are being met. And so that's what this resolve is is to call both National Grid and Riley Brothers to come to the council and explain again what the proper safety protocols are, what the training process is.
And um the second half of the resolve is to have DPU um the Department of Public Utilities for the state initiate a comprehensive investigation as well because National Grid and Riley Brothers doesn't just operate in Quinsey.
Of course, I'm always selfish when it comes to Quinsey. I want to make sure that we're doing everything we can to keep folks here safe. But um it can't be ignored that National Grid and Riley Brothers does work across the Commonwealth and they need to be held accountable for that as well.
And so with that, I'd like to make a motion to not only pass this resolve, but to put it into committee so that um hopefully at a future hearing, maybe in December, National Grid and Marley Brothers can come and explain themselves.
Um so with that, I'd like to make a motion to approve and to move into ordinance committee. Uh thank you, Council Leang. Motion to approve and seconded. Um motion approved by councelor Lang, seconded by councelor Dubona.
On the motion, president recognizes councelor Ash. Thank you um councelor Leang for submitting this resolve. My question would just be what happens if uh we don't get representatives to come to that ordinance committee meeting.
um in cases like this. Obviously, this is the first um resolve um that's drafted in this fashion, you know, that I've been that I've reviewed in my time on the council. So, my question really would just be in cases like this, what happens if we don't get somebody from National Grid or Riley Brothers to come to that meeting?
Um are there any ramifications say that that would draw them here to give this presentation to us? Yeah, I think that's a really good question. I think that, you know, as of right now, the resolve is giving them an opportunity to do the right thing and to show up.
Um, should they not, I believe the second part of this is still pertinent where we really lean on the state to do a full investigation for their work statewide, not just in Quinsey. Um, following, you know, should they not show up, which to be frank with you, you know, they've done them some things in the city where we've tried to call them to task before and they haven't.
I'm hoping this time given the severity of it, they will. Um, but it's an opportunity for us to reconvene and decide again, you know, in conjunction with our commissioner, of course, to figure out what else can we do to try to hold them to task and hold them accountable, frankly, to explain themselves to the residents and and to the family of the the injured employee.
Um, as of right now, I'm not trying to put anything detrimental in here with like their licensing or permitting because I do want to, you know, me, right? I'm always thinking positive, trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.
But certainly, um, and given that it happened, um, I believe I maybe it crosses over your ward, right? But this is something where as counselors, we always have the opportunity to submit a resolve uh future piece of legislation.
You know, whatever we see fit as a body to to take as next steps should they ignore this if it passes. Um so that's a really long-winded way of saying like there's nothing specific outlined in here as I guess um like a punishment if they don't show up because I want to give them the benefit of the doubt here, but that doesn't mean that that's not on the table should they decide not to come.
Got it. Thank you. Um, we, you know, we don't have subpoena powers, but we've called, um, we've called National Grid here before for power outage season that took place a couple years ago. And I remember council, former counselor Palucci asking some people to come to I don't remember what that was about, what the issue was, but um, they never came, but National Grid at least came last time.
So, I'm sure um if this passes, we'll have uh madam clerk reach out to the appropriate community representatives to get some people to come. Okay. Uh motion to approve by councelor Leang, seconded by councelor Deona.
Madam clerk, please call the role. Council Ash, yes. Councelor Campbell, yes. Councelor Divine, yes. Council Dona, yes. Council Leang, yes. Council McCarthy. Councelor Mittton, yes. President King, yes.
eight members. And madam clerk, will you please make sure that those letters go out to both National Grid and to uh DPU? Thank you, council. Um Madame Clerk, next item on the agenda number three, 2025121, a gift for $2,750 from various donors to DARE.
Motion to approve by councelor Divine, seconded by councelor Campbell. Madame clerk, please call the role. Councelor Ash, yes. Councelor Campbell, yes. Councelor Divine, yes. Councelor Dana, yes. Council Leang, yes.
Council McCarthy, yes. Councelor Mittton, yes. President Kane, yes. Eight members. Thank you, Madam Cler. That concludes our regularly scheduled agenda for the evening. Approval of previous meeting minutes.
Motion approved by councelor N, seconded by councelor Campbell. All those in favor? Those opposed? Eyes have it. Communications and reports from the mayor and other city officers and city boards. Madam clerk.
Yes, I do have uh two traffic requests to refer to ordinance committee for advertising board two. Councelor Ash remove no left turn on court Curtis A at Washington Court. Add two stop signs on Arnold Street at Fifth A creating a four-way stop.
Thank you, Madam Clerk. Unfinished business and proceeding meeting. Seeing none. Reports of committees. Seeing none. Presentation of petitions, memorials, and bremonstrants. President recognizes councelor Campbell.
Thank you, Mr. President. I I just wanted to make sure we acknowledge um someone whose uh daughter has been a a worker at the city of Quincy for a long time, Michelle Dacto. Her mom, Anna, passed away on November 1st.
Um if I'm sorry, I believe actually October 30th. Um, and uh, I just wanted to make sure that that we at least acknowledge it was she was a wonderful lady, someone she was born in Abbruto, Italy. Uh, she came here in 1965 at the age of 25.
Uh, and she started in in Dorchester and then she finally made the the perfect move over to Quinsey. Uh, where she she has lived here uh, ever since. Um, uh, until a few years ago she moved out to Situit.
She was a dedicated homeworker, a homemaker I should say, and um worked at the original uh Montilio's bakery for in Quincy Center for a little bit. Um she was the mom of uh Rose Grata, uh Maria Fin Fiti.
Oh, my Italian heritage is really taking a hit right now. Uh Michelle Deceto and um the grandmother of Juliana Sullivan. uh uh her husband Davis, Joseph Grata uh and his wife uh Kimberly and uh Emily Anthony, Felicia, Gabriella, and Daniel.
Um she was the cherished great-grandmother of Ellie and someone who I know we all know, Michelle. She's worked in the health department now for a bunch of years. I graduated high school with her. She's a wonderful lady and and obviously she was a great extension of a mom.
So sending the Placido family the best best of wishes as as you move forward. Thank you, Council G. Okay. Uh motions, orders, and resolutions. Seeing none, scheduling of committee meetings and public hearings.
Our next regularly scheduled council meeting is Monday, November 17th at 6:30 p.m. Be there or be square. Motion to journ by councelor Leang, seconded by council McCarthy. All those in favor? Those opposed?