Name: Quincy City Council meeting, Apr 6, 2026
Start: 2026-04-06
Location: City of Quincy

City Council

Mon, April 6, 2026

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Meeting summaryAI-generated

Quincy City Council — April 6, 2026

This was a busy session that included three separate committee meetings before the regular City Council convened: an Oversight Committee hearing on a school solar energy lease, a joint Public Works and Ordinance Committee meeting on new sewer and stormwater enforcement ordinances, and then the full council meeting. All nine councillors were present throughout.

Oversight Committee: Solar Energy Lease — Squantum Elementary School (Order 2026-017)

Commissioner of Public Buildings Al Hines presented a proposed 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) and rooftop lease with Select Energy for solar panels on the new Squantum Elementary School — part of the city's goal to achieve zero net energy for the building. The city already has solar on 13 schools and six off-site solar fields; Squantum will also use geothermal heating.

Key terms: Select Energy funds all capital costs (approaching $1 million), owns and operates the system, and sells power to the city at a locked-in rate of 4.41 cents per kilowatt-hour for the full 20-year term, with an optional 5-year renewal. By comparison, the city currently pays 12 cents/kWh on its bulk municipal electricity contract and National Grid charges over 19 cents/kWh. Because solar is generated on-site, there are no delivery charges — making the effective comparison closer to 4 cents versus 27 cents per kWh. If production targets are missed, Select Energy must compensate the city.

The agreement was reached through a state-authorized procurement pathway (Chapter 164, Section 137) rather than the standard Chapter 30B process. Commissioner Hines noted he took the additional step, out of an abundance of caution, of seeking council approval to formally declare the rooftop available for disposition. Crucially, the agreement was signed in December 2025, safe-harboring federal tax credits before they expired under recently changed federal law — meaning the panels are already warehoused and those benefits would be lost if the city walked away.

Councillors asked about roof integrity, inverter failures, contractor vetting (consultant Beacon Integrated Solutions reviewed the agreement), and comparisons to other schools' systems. Councillor Riley noted the topping-off ceremony had taken place that morning; occupancy is targeted for fall 2027.

Vote: 9–0 in favor. (The vote also authorizes the Mayor to sign the PPA and lease, as those were contained within the same order.)

Joint Public Works & Ordinance Committee: Sewer and Stormwater Ordinances (2026-010 and 2026-011)

DPW Commissioner Al Grazioso, City Engineer Paul Costello, and consultant Olivia von Denbanken presented two ordinance changes aimed at protecting the city's 208 miles of sewer and 150 miles of stormwater drainage infrastructure from prohibited discharges — particularly fats, oils, and grease (FOG) from restaurants. The city received 800 calls for sewer backups last year and has documented cases of businesses dumping grease directly into catch basins. The EPA can fine the city up to $2,500/day for unresolved sewer system overflows under an existing consent decree.

Chapter 270 amendment (2026-010) adds new Article 4 defining prohibited discharges and creating enforcement authority with fines ranging from $1,000 (first offense, residential) up to $25,000 (repeat commercial violations). The city has already visited 426 of 512 licensed food establishments and identified 34 with active FOG risks and others lacking proper maintenance logs.

Councillor Yuan proposed adding a new Section 270-26 with three parts:

Section A (city outreach and education requirements): passed

Section B (mandatory written warning before any first fine): failed 8–1

Section C (administrative review process before fines become final): passed 6–3

Council President Mahoney then proposed — and the council approved — an amendment to add a written warning as the first step within the fine schedule itself (before the $1,000 first offense kicks in), applying to both residential and commercial categories. This passed 5–4.

Councillor McKee proposed changing "shall" to "may" regarding cost recovery liens against property owners; the motion failed 8–1. Assistant City Solicitor Janet Pickin, present in the room, noted that "shall" creates a mandatory standard while "may" gives discretion, and that any provision tied to state law cannot be altered by the council.

Chapter 300 amendment (2026-011) raises the noncriminal disposition fine for stormwater violations from $300 per occurrence to $5,000 per occurrence — bringing it in line with the actual cost of violations and EPA enforcement exposure. (By comparison, Lowell's first offense is $5,000/day.)

Vote on 2026-010 (as amended): 9–0. Vote on 2026-011: 9–0. Both ordinances were subsequently ratified by the full council on the same votes.

Residents Open Forum

Several residents spoke during public comment:

Deborah Nunziato (25 Boswell Ave), on behalf of 223 petition signers, formally opposed demolition of the Monroe Building at 1227–1259 Hancock Street — a National Register property commissioned in 1929 and named to honor Mary Burbank Monroe. She argued it would be "a failure of gratitude" to demolish a female-named landmark while building an Abigail Adams museum, and called on the Mayor to rescind demolition plans, consider the vacant former Party City site near Hancock and McGrath Highway instead, and commit to protecting existing female-named landmarks downtown.

Sal Balsamo (27 Post Island Road) praised the council's work on firefighters' turnout gear and thanked Mayor Koch for an article defending the council's conduct. He then addressed proposed regulations on kratom sales in smoke shops and gas stations, identifying himself as a clinical mental health professional with inpatient and substance abuse experience. He warned that products marketed as kratom increasingly contain synthetic compounds acting on opiate receptors, and urged the council to address the issue — thanking an unspecified councillor for meeting with him.

Hank Dondaro (65 Manning Street) raised concerns about firefighter cancer diseases, criticized what he called the improper silencing of a firefighter's wife at a previous meeting, and pressed the council on whether they would return their pay raises to the city.

Kylie (42 President Street) thanked Councillor Ash for the fire hydrant shoveling contest and reported that her youth group visited a fire station in Wollaston — where the ladder truck was called out during the visit — and thanked the council for passing the bond for firefighter gear.

Maya Campbell (133 Willow Street) raised road safety concerns at the intersection of Hancock and Albion Road, noting two vulnerable road users had been killed there in recent years and that a pending MassDOT study may increase rather than reduce hazards. She urged council action.

A resident from 922 C Street thanked the council for working on elections and election integrity, and for their work on the firefighters' issue.

Appropriation: Quincy Homestead Exterior Painting and Repair — $325,000 (2026-053)

The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) recommended $325,000 from the historic preservation fund to the National Society of Colonial Dames of Massachusetts for exterior painting and repairs to the Dorothy Quincy Homestead. The DCR (state Department of Conservation and Recreation) technically owns the exterior but has no budget for this work for at least five years. The Colonial Dames maintain the interior and cannot do that work while the building envelope is deteriorating. The CPC approved this on an expedited basis — outside the normal June cycle — because the work is weather-dependent.

Councillor McKee raised concerns: only one bid was submitted (she was told reimbursement grants to outside organizations don't require Chapter 30B competitive bidding); $325,000 represents 20% of available historic preservation CPC funds; and the estimate was $289,250, making the $325,000 request a roughly 12% contingency. Mr. Walker explained the contingency is standard for historic preservation work given unpredictable conditions once work begins.

Councillor Hubley noted the CPA fund is partly state-matched (a surcharge on Quincy property tax bills draws a state match), meaning not all funding is purely local. Councillor Yuan proposed a conditional amendment requiring a legally binding cost-sharing agreement with DCR before funds are released — but given the three-year CPC expenditure deadline and DCR's acknowledged five-year timeline, the amendment was not formally put to a vote. Councillor Jacobs confirmed DCR has no money budgeted for the site.

Vote: 8–1 (Councillor Yuan opposed).

Order: Designation of Polling Places (2026-054)

Routine annual designation of polling places with no changes from the prior year.

Vote: 9–0.

Order: Designation of Early Voting Locations — 2026 Primary and Election (2026-055)

Sets early voting at Central Middle School for the primary (August 22–28, 2026) and the election (October 17–30, 2026), including weekends — required by state law for cities with over 45,000 registered voters. Mail-in ballot applications will go out from the state in early July and early October.

Vote: 8–0 (Councillor Yuan momentarily stepped away).

Resolve: Council on Aging Department Head Theft and Federal Charges (2026-056)

Introduced by Councillors Riley, Jacobs, McKee, Ryan, and Yuan, this resolve calls for a comprehensive review of the city's purchasing, accounting, HR, municipal finance, and IT processes following the March 10, 2026 guilty plea by a former Council on Aging director on federal charges of embezzlement, mail fraud, wire fraud, and interstate transportation of stolen property. The original version of this order was introduced in January 2025 by then-Council President Ian Cain but was held pending resolution of the legal matter.

The resolve requests an independent audit, findings presented to the council within 30 days, and reaffirms the council's commitment to ethical governance. Mr. Walker noted that within hours of the incident being discovered, a forensic auditor was brought in, accounts were frozen, and additional cash-handling controls have since been implemented. He cautioned that legal counsel would need to confirm with the U.S. Attorney's Office what documents and discussions can be made public, as sentencing has not yet occurred.

Referred to Finance and Oversight Committees.

Vote: 9–0.

Resolve: Comprehensive Report on City Property Transactions (2026-057)

Introduced by Councillor McKee in anticipation of the council's consideration of a potential purchase of the Eastern Nazarene College campus in Ward 5. The resolve requests a list of all city property transactions since 2010, including purchase/sale/lease prices, funding sources, revenues, costs, and outstanding debts. McKee noted that Quincy carries more debt relative to tax revenue than any of the 50 largest Massachusetts cities and towns, while holding the least free cash by the same metric.

Referred to Finance and Oversight Committees.

Vote: 9–0.

Consent Items

A gift of $3,250 from various donors to DEER (department unspecified) was approved by voice vote. Meeting minutes from March 16 were approved unanimously; minutes from March 23 were approved 7–2 with a friendly amendment added by Councillor Yuan documenting her questions to the Monocan gear representative about undisclosed flame retardants and protective contract language.

Traffic requests referred to committee: handicap parking at 62 Hobart Street (Ward 3) and 258 Newbury Avenue (Ward 6); a National Grid gas location at 1550 Hancock Street (Ward 5).

Key Takeaways

Solar PPA approved unanimously: The city locked in a 4-cent/kWh electricity rate for 20 years at Squantum Elementary School — roughly one-fifth the current National Grid rate — with no capital cost to the city, and preserved federal tax credits that would otherwise have expired under new federal law.

Tougher sewer and stormwater enforcement: Two ordinances passed 9–0 raising the noncriminal stormwater fine from $300 to $5,000 and creating new sewer discharge enforcement authority, with a council-added written warning requirement as the first step before financial penalties. The city currently faces EPA fines of up to $2,500/day for unresolved sewer overflows.

Quincy Homestead repairs funded despite debate: $325,000 in Community Preservation funds approved 8–1 for exterior repairs to the state-owned historic property, with DCR unable to fund the work for at least five years; new councillors signaled they will scrutinize future CPC requests more closely and requested a formal briefing on how the program works.

Council on Aging embezzlement follow-up begins: Following the guilty plea of a former department head on federal fraud and embezzlement charges, a unanimous resolve sends a formal review to Finance and Oversight committees — though the administration noted legal constraints around document disclosure until sentencing is complete.

Eastern Nazarene College purchase looming: Councillor McKee's 9–0 resolve requesting a full history of city property transactions since 2010 signals the council intends to scrutinize the city's debt and financial position carefully before voting on the anticipated campus acquisition.

AI-generated summary from voice-to-text transcript. Not the official record. Verify important details with the source documents linked above.

What happened at this meeting

Residents Open Forum and Public Comment P resident Mahoney

# Residents Open Forum and Public Comment Summary

During the Residents Open Forum, Deborah Nanziato presented a letter signed by 223 constituents opposing the demolition of the historic Monroe building at 1227-1259 Hancock Street to make way for an Adams Museum and Performing Arts Center, arguing that the 1929 building is a National Register landmark representing Quincy's heritage. Sal Balsamo raised concerns about a proposed ordinance regarding kratom sales in smoke shops, warning based on his clinical experience that kratom use often escalates to more dangerous synthetic forms. Additional public comments addressed firefighter health and safety issues, with Hank Dondaro criticizing the council for limiting public comment and demanding budget transparency regarding firefighter raises; Maya Campbell urged action on dangerous road conditions at Hancock and Albanian Road where two vulnerable road users were recently killed; and residents Kylie and Sudardi thanked the council for organizing community events and addressing election security concerns.

2026-053 – Appropriation - Community Preservation – $325,000 for National Mayor Koch Society of Colonial Dames of Massachusetts - Quincy Homestead Exterior Painting and Repair 2026

# Summary of Item 2026-053 – Community Preservation Appropriation ($325,000)

Councilor Riley presented Item 2026-053, requesting a $325,000 appropriation from Community Preservation funds for exterior painting and repairs to the Dorothy Quincy Homestead (National Society of Colonial Dames property), explaining that the Community Preservation Committee supports accelerating this funding outside the normal cycle due to weather-dependent work and the building's deteriorating exterior envelope. Council member Jacobs reported that while the state Department of Conservation and Recreation acknowledged responsibility for the work, they have no budget allocation for the project over the next five years, meaning Quincy taxpayers would effectively fund work that should be a state responsibility. Council McKe raised concerns about the single bid submitted and proposed a friendly amendment to reduce the appropriation to $289,250, though Mr. Walker clarified that the $325,000 includes standard project contingency, particularly important for historic preservation work where unknown conditions may emerge. Council members debated alternative approaches including cost-sharing agreements with the state, though Councilor Deona clarified that CPC appropriations carry a three-year completion requirement incompatible with a five-year reimbursement timeline. The Council voted 8-1 to approve the $325,000 appropriation, with Councilor Yen voting no.

2 026-054 – Order - Designation of Polling Places Clerk Crispo

The Council voted on Order 2026-054 for the designation of polling places. Clerk Crispo presented a list of polling places with no changes from the previous year. The motion passed unanimously with 9 yes votes via voice vote.

2026-055 – Order - Designation of Early Polling Places for a Primary Election Clerk Crispo Saturday, August 22, 2026 through Friday, August 28, 2026 and Election S aturday, October 17, 2026 through Friday, October 30, 2026

# Summary: Order 2026-055 – Designation of Early Polling Places

The Council voted to approve Order 2026-055, which designates early polling places for primary and general elections in August and October 2026. Clerk Crispo confirmed that cities with over 45,000 registered voters are required to provide weekend early voting, including Sunday voting. Staff clarified that voting procedures are state-mandated and include both in-person and mail-in voting options, with the state sending out mailers in early July and early October for state elections, though the city does not send reminders for city elections due to expense. The motion was made by Councilor Deona and seconded by Councilor Jacobs. The roll call vote passed 8-0, with Councilors Ash, DeBorna, Hubley, Jacobs, McKee, Riley, Ryan, and President Mahoney voting yes, and Councilor Yan absent.

2026-056 – Resolve – Council on Aging Department Head Theft and Federal Councillor Riley Charges Councillor Jacobs Councillor McKee Councillor Ryan C ouncillor Yuan

Councilor Riley presented a resolve regarding the Council on Aging Department Head theft and federal charges, outlining a comprehensive review of city purchasing, accounting, human resources, finance, and IT processes following a former city official's guilty plea on March 10, 2026 for embezzlement, mail and wire fraud, and interstate transportation of stolen property. Councilor Ash asked whether updates from previous discussions would be available now or if the matter should proceed to subcommittee, referencing internal policy changes that had been mentioned when the original order was introduced by President Kaine a year prior. Mr. Walker responded that the internal team handled the situation well, moving quickly to engage a forensic auditor and freeze accounts, with everything conducted correctly in response to the federal investigation. A motion to approve the resolve and move it to finance and oversight committees was made and seconded by Councilor Ryan.

Agenda items (5)

Procedural (1)

1ProceduralResidents Open Forum and Public Comment P resident Mahoney

Residents will have an opportunity to speak during open forum and public comment period, presided over by President Mahoney.

What happened

Appropriation

2Appropriation2026-053 – Appropriation - Community Preservation – $325,000 for National Mayor Koch Society of Colonial Dames of Massachusetts - Quincy Homestead Exterior Painting and Repair 2026

The city is requesting to spend $325,000 to pay for exterior painting and repairs to the Quincy Homestead, a historic property managed by the National Mayor Koch Society of Colonial Dames of Massachusetts.

What happened

Order

3Order2 026-054 – Order - Designation of Polling Places Clerk Crispo

The city will designate which locations in Quincy will serve as polling places for voting.

What happened

4Order2026-055 – Order - Designation of Early Polling Places for a Primary Election Clerk Crispo Saturday, August 22, 2026 through Friday, August 28, 2026 and Election S aturday, October 17, 2026 through Friday, October 30, 2026

Early voting locations and dates are being designated for the primary election (August 22–28, 2026) and general election (October 17–30, 2026).

What happened

Resolution

5Resolution2026-056 – Resolve – Council on Aging Department Head Theft and Federal Councillor Riley Charges Councillor Jacobs Councillor McKee Councillor Ryan C ouncillor Yuan

The council is addressing theft and federal charges involving the Council on Aging Department Head, with the matter being raised by Councillors Riley, Jacobs, McKee, Ryan, and Yuan.

What happened

Verbatim transcript available

593 transcript segments indexed

All right. I'd like to call to order the April 6th oversight committee hearing. I'm going to read the open meeting law. Pursuant uh Mass General Law Chapter 3A section uh 20E. Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person uh may make an audio or video recording of this uh 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. Um I'd like the clerk to call the role.

Council Ash. Council Deona. Council Hubley. Council Mahoney Council McKe pres. Council Riley present. Council Ryan present. Council Jacob present. You have a All right. Tonight we're here to talk about um uh 202617.

It's an order uh for approval of location and lease for solar energy implementation um on the new Squantum um elementary school. It was put into a subcommittee couple weeks ago uh into the oversight committee and I'd like to call up uh Mr.

Hines just to give us a recap of where we are with this uh with this project. Good evening, Mr. Chairman. Good evening, members of the finance council. Um, so as was just represented, we're here to discuss uh the declaration of availability of the rooftop of the new quantum school uh for solar uh PV system.

Uh as we all know, we set the goal of a zero net energy for that new facility. Uh and we're on target to meet that. Uh and I'm actually very proud to say and report here that uh Squatum School design just received uh fire certification.

Uh it's one of few schools in the country and the largest school in the country to date to receive that design certification. Um now with proper commissioning and oversight of the construction uh we will achieve that goal for the actual construction and that's quite a remarkable uh feat for building of this size and this use.

So I'm very proud of that. Uh but again part of that is the solar panel system. Uh as you know we have a a geotechnical excuse me and geothermal field out under the uh the park that will be combined with the uh on-site generation uh to help us to meet our goals.

Uh we currently have uh 13 schools that have solar PV on the rooftops as we speak. um in the department of public buildings in collaboration with the uh Quinsey public schools, we host six solar fields down in southeastern Massachusetts on some closed landfills and a few other facilities like that.

Uh all of which uh the city benefits from lower purchase price for electricity and it is obviously clean electricity. Um so we're proud of that. Uh so it's just part of the portfolio of our clean initiatives and our energy efficiencies.

Uh and this uh PPA is another step in that direction. So under the uh the terms of the agreement, it is a 20-year term with a optional 5-year renewal uh by mutual agreement of both parties uh at that period of time.

And under it, our power purchase rate is uh 4 cents four. It's 0.0441 uh cents per kilowatt hour. Um by way of comparison, um we the Department of Public Buildings went out to bid for all municipal uh electricity use for all departments and uh we did that a couple of years ago.

We have signed that agreement and the rate for that is 12 cents a kilowatt hour and currently national grid is over 19 cents a kilowatt hour. So our PPA rate was 4 cents per kilowatt hour. Um and that's with the developer select energy upfronting all the capital costs of the design and construction and operation of this equipment in this system.

Okay. Um and I will address there was a question raised to me on outside of the meeting uh about the methods of procurement for select energy. So the commonwealth saw obviously the wisdom of uh streamlining clean energy projects uh and it specifically passed a statute which exempts many uh clean energy and energy efficiency projects from uh the standard chapter 30B procurement process.

It's chapter 164 uh section 137. Uh, and the way that's structured, the a nonprofit can uh set up these these entities. Uh, and so the Commonwealth, I believe it's the Department of Energy, partnered with uh the CEC, the Clean Energy Council, and Clean Energy went to bid.

They did a public procurement, and they partnered with Power Options. um and power options to the solicitation for the individual solar providers. So we have fully complied with that statute and that process.

So although we the city of Quinsey didn't individually uh go to bid and p cure select energy for this uh the statutory makeup uh through the exemptions of chapter 30b uh did do the full vetting in the public solicitation.

Uh quite frankly, there's a disagreement in the market on um the extent of the exemption of chapter 30B. Most people are like, "Walk away. You're done with 30b." I'm a little more conservative. There's the procurement aspects of chapter 30b, but then there's also a specific vote declaring the asset available for disposition.

I don't read chapter 167 as being broad enough to exempt us from that uh that step. So that is why we're here tonight. Uh my own B and me, the attorney and me, in the abundance of caution, I believe it's still appropriate to get the the vote of the available for disposition.

So that's one of the steps we have. And then the other is to authorize the mayor to sign the power purchase agreement and the lease. All right. Um at this time, uh we're going to open this up for uh debate amongst the counselors.

I just ask any counselors hold any motions until all questions have been asked. and concluded. So hopefully we can do that. Does anyone have any questions they want to ask? Walter. So thank you. Um you mentioned earlier there are 13 total um solar panels installations on the roofs of schools.

Did I get that right? Are they all of a similar lease structure or did we choose to take a different path on any of them in the past? Um those ones that are that are currently on the schools are about 14 years old at this point.

12 or 14 years old. Um, and it was a different statutory scheme, different tax credit schemes. Um, and so there were obviously signed agreements at the time, but they're really not applicable to today's standards on the Srex and the tax credits and the incentives.

Um, so they're really, you know, almost building to building, they're not even applicable because it's the design costs and the capital structure to install a system on one building is not the same as on another building.

So your cost basis going into it is different. So, you know, your terms and your basics and your tax attributes are all similar, but your expenses and your costs and and ultimately your PPA rate uh they differ, right?

And it does vary based upon whether it's a retrofit or not. And with a retrofit, you have to consider things like other systems that might need roof act roof space and so forth. So, one thing if I might, one thing I forgot to mention was we're currently installing a system on the uh parking garage at the public safety headquarters and that was designed in conjunction with the design team in the building obviously.

So, the vertical steel structure that will support them as part of the parking garage, but they integrate with the panel support system that was part of uh the energy company. So, that's being constructed as we speak.

So, there's another one in the in the portfolio. Yeah. Um, where I work, it's in real estate development, construction for affordable housing, and we work with a a firm that helps us negotiate all the different agreements.

We have solar on like almost everything, and we're doing some net zero stuff in Boston. Um, is there a firm that we've brought in that helps us work through and get the best deal and the best terms and stuff that's makes sense for institutional construction?

Yes, we actually have that protection in two ways. So, we do. We brought in Beacon Integrated Solutions. Beth Greenblood, she's very knowledgeable in this. blows me away many times in our conversations.

Uh but that is what she and her her firm does. Uh but in addition, the way these entities are set up, the select power answering to power source answering to the CEC um any deal that we strike with select has to be reviewed by that that state quasi agency um for its terms for its um fees and stuff.

the cap the the profits of select energy is capped under this program with the CEC and with power options. Um so we have that assurance and that's under the terms of the contracts that they bid and they put into place.

So those eyes are looking at it as well as ours. Um we've been doing this long enough that we're pretty versed in this ourselves as well. Yeah. when we when we first met a couple of months ago uh about you know just kind of get the lay of the land I was surprised to learn how much we've really invested into solar energy so that was pretty eye opening to learn about that um in terms of the timing of this request you mentioned earlier is uh you're if I heard you correctly that you're going through this process out of an abundance of caution in terms of um complying with uh requirements through Mass General Law Um, is this usually the point in time when we go through this process or would it be sometimes earlier?

Like is this the same sort of timing of this project that we've done in other projects? Um, it it ordinarily probably would have been done but sooner, but with the change over the council, the discussion with the mayor's office.

We waited and opted for for this council to Okay. to have a look at it. Um, one aspect of the timing that you mentioned is the calendar year when it ticked to January of 2026. under the big beautiful bill, a lot of the benefits we could get under these programs have have retired.

Yeah. The sun setting. Our agreement is still signed in in December of 2025. So you've hit those milestones. We we hit those milestones. So So Select Energy has already procured the panels and things.

They have them in their warehouse. So that's all safe harbored. So we get the benefit. Oh. If we don't follow through with Select, we do it ourselves, we do it somebody else, we lose that benefit. Yeah.

I mean, I just deal with these things peripherally at work. But it was good to know that you were able to hit those milestones. Um, so where I work is in a non I'm in the nonprofit space and it sounds like I was good to hear that the similar terms for the municipal spaces since we're not necessarily trying to turn a profit.

Power options actually went to the market for municipal and nonprofit. So there be similar benefits uh if you want to sound familiar. Yeah. Um yeah, I think that's all I have for now. Thank you. We'll go to Susan.

Yeah. Okay. Mr. Chairman, so some concerned residents have reached out to the city council regarding this lease and I'd like to raise a few of questions they brought up. So you already mentioned there is open bidding in this process, right?

I'm sorry I can't I've got terrible hearing. Oh uh you mentioned MGL30B and you mentioned there are open bidding process in in this. Yes. So the energy efficiency projects of which this solar system uh falls into the definition is exempt from 30B specifically by chapter 167.

Okay. And second question is who drafted this lease the city or the company? I ask because in the case of the granite links golf club um lease it was written by the company rather than the city. That's essentially like letting a tenant write the lease instead of the landlord and it likely contributed to the controversy around it.

So the the leases are largely set uh by power options and the CEC uh the particular terms are obviously negotiated in each deal uh which we certainly did. Um and there has to be um uniqueness to them to fit the particular deal, the particular building, the size of the system.

um you've got limits with the national grid how much you're allowed to put into the grid before you're required to have battery storage. So there's all kinds of individual components of them. Um but yes, uh we had counsel on that.

So myself, I've done a number of these. I am an attorney. Um I I assure you I spent time on this. Uh Beth Greenblat, our consultant as well, she's reviewed it. We've we've had offlines discussions, she and I, outside of the airshot of select energy.

So the these have been fully vetted. Um and they also went to uh Janet Pekkin up in the law department for review as to form of contract for the municipal requirements. Okay. The third question is has a qualified attorney with experience in similarly reviewed the terms to ensure the city's interests are fully protected?

I missed the first half of that. I'm sorry. Has a qualified attorney with experience in similar leases reviewed the terms to ensure the city's interests are fully protected? I I think you're asking if it's been reviewed by outside council.

Okay. Again, uh Beth Greenblat is not an attorney, but she's versed in this. This is what her firm does. She and I uh collaborate on it. We we discussed it at at agnosium. Um, and this is very similar to the one that we just did at the public safety headquarters as well, but again, it is tailored to Squanum.

Um, I've been doing these for the city for a number of years. Uh, so I'm versed in it as well, but again, much of it is dictated by the power options and the CEC and they will be reviewing it. Their legal team will be re reviewing them as well.

So there's there's multiple eyes on these. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. I'm I'm sorry. I apologize for my hearing. Riley, councelor Riley, thank you. Thank you. Um, I know that there were a lot of questions when we first received this and, you know, it was about 40 pages of legally.

It obviously caused us a little bit of concern and pause, but um, I know that through our conversations, you've been able to answer a lot of the questions about how this came about. Obviously, the the funding for the for the building had happened months and months and months ago, so I assume that the leasing of solar panels was sort of already buil built into that.

That is that true? Uh it it was not into the funding of the school, but the decision to not own the system had been made. Okay. So, Select Energy all the costs and operates it. So, it didn't need to be financed.

So, it didn't need to be financed. Correct. Um the cost of the system with design, engineering, and installation uh approaches almost a million dollars um that we obviously would have to put up front whether it be bonded or however.

and we'd have the debt service on that over the term as opposed to select putting it out of pocket and we just don't make as much on the deal as we go forward. So, it's not on our books, it's on theirs.

Um, and it's an operating cost to us going forward as opposed to a capital cost that we're carrying. Is there any concerns with the uh as far as construction if there were problems with the roof and the solar panels are on there?

How do you how would you manage that if if something were to come up after the fact? Um, this roof will probably be the best one we've ever bought. Um, because of the the stretch code and the fire certification and all the all the eyes looking at the installations.

Um, but that's not to say problems don't happen. We do have roofs that are leaking in some of our road schools where there are panels and we're working to address that and we have in the past. Um, the squandom design, you know, I take great pride in the the appearance of that building.

It's beautiful and I wasn't letting them run pipes up the side and across the roofs and everything. So the select design team met with our architects and our mechanical design team. So all those pipes, all those congruents are integral to the walls uh where they need to be.

That's all in place. Uh weather selector or anybody else, those those conduits are in place. So there will be no need for this system to penetrate our roofs. Um most of the uh the systems, the panels that are on the flat roofs actually sit on it and are ballasted.

They're weighted down against the wind. um those that are on the sloped roofs, uh those roofs are intended to have them and there's fastening points designed into the roof so as to support the solar and keep them down from the wind but not penetrate the roofs.

Okay. So, it's it's all integral to the design of the building. Thank you. Um I know obviously we're well under construction. We had the topping off ceremony this morning. Um we have a very aggressive construction schedule for hopefully a fall 2027 occupancy by the students.

Um, so when you're ready, chairman, I would like to make the motion to approve, but only when everyone else has had their um opportunity to chat. Does any does anybody else have any questions on Yep. Uh, Council Deona.

Um, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, just just um, Commissioner Hines, thank you for all your hard work um, your public buildings team um, throughout this process. Um I know we discussed net zero measures environmental savings at length with the public.

Um you know hopefully uh QAN Quinsey Climate Action Network would be pleased with with our performance so far. Uh many of my former colleagues worked hard uh to ensure these new school had included these net zero measures.

So I'd like to thank them too. It's a long process. Obviously topping off tonight uh today this morning was really nice, but it's a lot of process to get to where we were this morning. Um and you've done a really good job with with the the green space and all those different measures that former counselors um that that wanted to get these type of um initiatives done.

Um you know, obviously um the administration, the mayor had worked with the colleagues of the the council. Uh council Mahoney was on the council at the time too as well. So getting to this point has been a long long little road.

You know, um my 13 years being uh counselor, school committee, this is our third school we're really working on. So um just to elaborate a little bit on um the solar um you said 13 schools. Will you see the savings from the solar um over the course of the year?

Do you know do you have a a a savings amount that you would get based on what we've had previously at the other schools and what you think the measures will be? Yes. Um so each school again is unique.

I do know off the top of my head that Snug Harbor produces 60% of its entire electric demand. Uh we're looking to upgrade that system with part of a project we hope to bring to the council in the near term.

Uh that would make it 100%. Um there's there's again there we have online portfolios in portals that are are visible. Um the percentage of Squantum School that will be solar versus the geothermal. I honestly don't know.

Um the heat is electric. The geothermal will largely be heating the building. But when it's cold enough that the geothermal can't handle that alone, electric heat kicks in, which would be solar powered as well.

Um, so that's not to say there's never an opportunity that we'll be drawing electricity off the national grid. We get a cold spell or a duration of of snow. We likely would be. In fact, I'll say we would be um but standard operating as it would not be.

It would be self-sustained. 12 month process over the summer as well. Yep. So no no time off, right? Even though the kids aren't there, it is well it's anticipated that Squanam will become a summer school location because of the the conditioned air in it.

not air conditioning but conditioned. Um I do know I will say too Brennazani school rolls the meter backwards in the summertime. So we do produce that much on our existing panels and they're not the highest uh grade technology now with being the aged that they are.

So I remember years ago when you put the switch on on some of the schools that we did and you started to see the savings. So I want to thank you for your team. I'm I'm you know um councelor um Riley entertained the motion but uh I'm in full support of this.

Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you. Councelor Ryan, uh Mr. Hines, thank you for coming here tonight. My pleasure. I did have um one additional question on the um the cost of the electricity you had stated that it's 0.04 cents.

4 cents. Okay. So, is that for the whole Okay. So, is that for the whole 20-year term? That is locked in for the full 20-year term. Yes. No matter what happens to National Grid. Okay. And what is the average for the other schools?

Uh I don't know. Okay. Honest God, I don't I can get the information, but No, that's okay. I think you had mentioned 12 cents for uh 12 cents is what we're paying on the contract that all city electricity, the street lights, the buildings, everything we have, my department procured that electricity.

It's not from National Grid, it's from British Petroleum, actually. So we pay 12 cents a kilowatt hour for that as opposed to the 19 cents plus for national grid. Okay. There's one other aspect of it too.

Like the national grid you pay for your kilowatt. You also pay for your delivery charges. So in the 4 cents that we're paying for the electricity at Squano School. We're not paying a delivery charge because it's generated right there.

So it's it's even more significant than 4 cents versus 19 cents. It's more like 4 cents versus 27 cents. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions from the counselors? Can I No. Um, I'm just going to speak.

I also want to just thank you for all your hard work um on this project. I'm a big uh fan of solar energy. I just got solar panels on my house and man, nothing like geeking out when you're watching the thing go backwards, right?

It's at 65 right now because we're coming out of the winter, you know, so I'm waiting for it to get back down to 99999. Yeah. Um but you know, you guys have done a lot of work on this. Um it's great that you know you were able to get this done and then kind of I don't know shelve it you know because things have changed in the federal government.

Uh so that's great and it's a great thing to hear and I will be um voting in the affirm for this. I just have one one question though it's more of um an interesting question for myself. The um inverters for the solar panels are they micro inverters for each one of the solar panels or is it like a string system where like there's a group of them that are on one string?

They're grouped, but these panels have the the rapid shutdown. If there's a defect in one, it shuts the whole system down. Okay. And to my understanding, and I'm not an electrical engineer, that's the difference of them, the micro inverter versus the grouped one.

Yeah. Um so these meet today's electrical code and we'll shut down uh panel by panel as they go when a problem is detected. And if they shut down like the um the people we have the lease with, they will repair it and get And that's the beauty of this to be honest.

We we do own a small one on Quincy High School that the city owns. Yeah, the panels are obsolete. The inverters are obsolete. The company's gone out of business that installed it. The company went out of business that manufactured the parts.

We can't get them. That's one of the real beauties of doing the purchase agreement and it's select problem for the next 20 years. So, when the inverter does go down, which in inevitably will, I mean, um before they come out and replace it or repair it, um we would have to obviously get electricity from the grid.

Do they does the does the lease cover that or we just like we just have to take the electricity from the grid. There's no there's no protection from us if there's a failure. Yeah, obviously the quicker the failure is detected the better.

Uh and that's one of the benefits of the online portal. Uh it's also one of the benefits they have in the PPA because somebody at select is watching that portal because their investors are not making the money they're supposed to be if they're not generating electricity.

So they have a a significant interest in keeping keeping this online. Um there's also there's guaranteed productions in these agreements. So let's say we have an extended period of cold or another M St.

Helens. We don't have a summer and if we don't hit the targets in the PPA um and we have to buy from National Grid, Select writes us a check u based upon uh figures that are already negotiated or in the deal.

Um I I can't imagine an inverter would go down long enough to trigger that scenario. Um but yeah, it's just amazing watching like coming into the spring and just in the last month my kilowatts have tripled, you know, just over the last couple of weeks.

So, Yep. All right. So, anyone else have any other questions about this? All right. W 6 counselor Deborah Riley has a motion to uh approve 202617 the order of approval for location and lease for solar energy implementation on the Squanam Elementary School as presented.

We call make a vote. Council Ash, yes. Council Deona, yes. Council Hubley, yes. Council Mahoney, yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, yes. Council Ryan, yes. Council, yes. Chairman Jacobs, yes. nine recommendations.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Um I think there'd be a second vote to authorize the mayor to sign the documents. Is that a separate order? Within the same to authorize only one order. Okay. That it's in the same.

Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Have a great evening. It's in the order. All right. That closes the what? 656. That closes the uh subcommittee meeting at 656 of the oversight committee on April 6th, 2026. I would like to call the Monday, April 6, 6:45 joint meeting of the Quinsey City Council Public Works and Ordinance Committee meet and ordinance committees to order.

Uh, Madame Clerk, can you please call the role? Council Rash, present. Council Deona, yes. Council Hubley, present. Council Jacobs, present. Council Mahoney, present. Council McKe, present. Council Riley.

Council Ryan. Council Yuan present. I will now read the open meeting law. Um 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.

2026-010 ordinance uh amending chapter 270 sewer and water adding article 4 prohibited discharges and enforcement and 2026-011 ordinance amending chapter 300 storm water management section 14D in enforcement violations and penalties.

um to present on the ordinances this evening. We have commissioner of the department of public works Al Grazioso as well as Olivia Vontenbecken from Granite City Partners and uh Mr. Paul Costello from the engineering department as well.

So uh Commissioner Grazioso if you want to take it away that thank you for coming and um look forward to your presentation. Good evening. Thank you Mr. Chairman, city councilors. Uh tonight the mayor's office and the department of public works with support of inspectional services in the health department are here to introduce two requested ordinance changes to strengthen the department's ability to address sewer and storm water issues caused by prohibited discharges.

These discharges undermine the integrity and operations of the sewer and drain system and have a ne negative effect on our waterways. The ordinances were prepared after significant coordination and effort between DPW inspectional services and the health department.

With me this evening again are city engineer Paul Costello, Rose Develin from my office and Olivia Den uh von Denbankin from Granite City Partners. Uh we'll all they'll all be available for any questions uh after the presentation.

The two ordinances are chapter 270 water and sewer to add new article 4 prohibited discharges and enforcement. The purpose of this new article is to strengthen the language about preventing harmful, hazardous or disruptive substance substances from being discharged to the public sewer system and to establish the use of enforcement mechanisms and penalties.

In chapter 300, storm water management is to modify section 300-14. The purpose of the modification is to make the fines for violations and enforcement orders more in alignment with costs of the violation.

For example, a current $300 fine per occurrence does not compel proper behaviors, timely remedies, or compliance. I want to emphasize that the vast majority of our licensed food establishments operate clean, compliant, and well-run establishments.

The actions in these amendments would be applied after the notification and time to cure provisions of the code are applied. These amendments will strengthen the city's ability to address these few who do not comply or those who choose to neglect their duty to protect the city's infrastructure.

Now, I'd just like to move forward with the presentation. DPW systematically assesses and improves the horizontal infrastructure with an asset management approach now using our enhanced geographic information system GIS tools for tracking reported and reporting citywide.

As most of you know, we have 1,035 roadways totaling 257 mi, 320 mi of sidewalks, 252 mi of water manes, 208 mi of sewers, and 150 mi of drainage system with 187 outfalls, 11 pumping stations, two water tanks, and fixed assets, including 64 tide gates.

This slide briefly describes our 200 plus miles of public sewers. We collect sewage from over two 20,000 structures to the MWR system. The city's sanitary sewer system carries waste water from homes and businesses to the MWR sewer system.

And the primary sources you can see are bathrooms, sinks, and showers and washing machines. We have 200 miles of sewer pipe. That's sewer mains. 8,482 sewer manholes, sewer laterals. Those are the pipes connecting the property to the city's main.

Six pumping stations and force mains. I want to emphasize that uh Quinsey sewer system is a separate uh sewer system. It does not combine with storm drains. You may see in the news that some cities and towns do like Boston.

So they they have a combined system and that's why you see so many uh uh sewer system overflows uh in the city of Boston during heavy rains. This slide briefly describes our 150 miles of storm water drainage.

It's called municipal separate storm sewer system or MS4. The city storm water system collects rain and snow melt and discharges directly into our rivers, streams, and Quinsey Bay. And that consists of 150 mi of drain pipe, 3,178 drain manholes, and 9,14 catch basins.

We also have 187 falls, five drain pumping stations, and force mans and 64 tide gates. So you can see in that brief description what happens. You have the waste water that comes out of the house. It goes to the M MW and then you have our drain system.

This slide describes the work Quinsey has performed to annually improve our sewer system. Some pipes are over a hundred years old. Some are under the high tide uh water line and all are monitored for proper operations.

Um as you can see from 2018 we've uh improved over 70 miles of sewers in 600 plus roadways. Um we've investigated another 60% of all of our sew all of our city sewers. And I have to give uh a shout out to city engineer Paul Costello who's led this operation.

We've been extremely aggressive on uh lining and um repairing our sewer lines. We perform annual improvement to our storm water drainage system. In more recent years, we have repaired four miles of drainage.

We and rebuilt 14 outfalls. We sample all of uh we sample all 187 outfalls in both wet and dry weather to confirm that only rainwater is flowing out. Occasionally there's evidence of liquid other than rainwater and the department investigates what may be flowing from uh the upstream.

And you can see here's some examples of some um outfalls we've actually rebuilt. This side, this slide focus on the heart of the two ordinances we wish to amend. A moni monitoring of the sewer system and sampling of the outfalls occasionally indicate the prohibited discharges that we encounter on rare occasions.

What are they or what they do? Um materials or liquids that may not be released in the city infrastructure. They damage our infrastructure. They may cause a blockage of flow. They interfere with the transport transport and treatment processes.

They pose risk to worker safety or public health. And they violate state and federal environmental regulations and create expensive emergency response efforts and common prohibited discharges hazardous and toxic substances like gasoline, oil, solvents, and pesticides.

and fats, oils, and grease, what we call fog, solids and obstructive materials, and sometimes you'll get trash and construction debris. Um, our roof or surface water into a sewer. In the last two years, a majority of the city's reportable SSOs were caused by prohibited discharges.

Unfortunately, one of the prohibited discharges is called fats, oils, and greases or fog for short. The challenge of addressing fog bridges across the inspectional services department, plumbing inspectors, the health department, sanitarians and inspectors, and my department, sewer and drain division.

Why does it matter? Uh again infrastructure protection, environmental and health protection and blockages result in overflows, storm water quality, regulatory compliance and needless expenses. What is DPW doing?

We have education and outreach, monitoring and inspections and we coordinate this with the inspectional services and the health department. Um, health department also has additional research. It's an education uh information we give out to the businesses.

Um, and we also have additional resources on our website. And again, this is an example of uh something you might see from the DPW page. As I said, we work in uh concert with other departments because sometimes the fog is caused by lack of appropriate plumbing equipment.

Sometimes it's food preparation and disposal choice overseen by the health department. Regardless, once fog has left the building, DPW is in full response mode. So as you can see by this chart um plumbing is involved, health departments involved.

Um then we have the drain division to protect our water quality and sewer division which removes prohibited discharges. So the coordinated team is underway with our first 500 licensed food establishment assessments.

Um we've worked together. We go out and uh we're trying to identify um every single food establishment. We're looking at their plumbing. We're looking at their grease traps. Um we're looking at their health logs.

And um we're we're mapping everything in our GIS system. As of today, we visited 426 out of the 512 licensed food establishments in the city. The next slide of a few photos of rare but unacceptable situations which required emergency DPW cleanup.

We've observed grease being washed directly into catch basins, unclean grease traps which push push grease into the sewer system causing a blockage and fryulated oil being dumped outside eventually washing into our catch basins.

You can see these are some of these are pretty nasty. Here's some more examples. Fog buildup on our sewer pipe that resulted in a sewer system overflow. Overflowing restaurant and grease traps. We've uh found diesel being dumped directly into the town brook.

And we found overflowing grease containers. Coming f uh path forward uh recommended next step uh increase the DPW's ability to address non-compliance or negligent use of public infrastructure by amending the following codes.

Chapter 270 water and sewer and chapter 300 storm water management. We want to continue with the initial licensed food establishment assessments and then expand the program to all commercial establishments.

And at this time we're open for questions. And again, tonight we're really talking about licensed food establishments. Thank you, uh, Commissioner Graioso. At this time I will um entertain questions from my fellow uh colleagues.

Chair recognizes council yuan. Thank you chairman. So I agree enforcement of prohibit discharger is important. It protects our infrastructure, the environment and the public health and it helps avoid the costly repairs.

My question is, besides the fines, are there preventive steps? For example, as one resident suggested, we could inform and help businesses work with the grease and oil recycling services like a grand natural.

They provide containers, trim staff, and connect used cooking oil for recycling so it doesn't end up in the system or in landfields. The city could also consider requiring restaurants to use a grease or oil recycling service.

So is the city going to do that or city has any preventive steps? Well, right now part of the part of the plan we're working on is is really um we're going into the establishments, but it's really our first step is educational.

So, we're giving all of the um food establishments, we give them literature, we explain what fog does to the system. Uh it's in multiple languages. Um we if we see a risk, we notify that uh establishment of the risk.

Then we go back again. Um we've had it we we're set up as tier one and tier two establishments. Um, tier one, uh, establishments with active fog risks. Um, to date, we found 34 of those. Tier two are establishments, uh, that aren't keeping proper logs.

Um, and they need more education. So, the first thing we do is education. Um, and again, I want to emphasize that most of these establishments are doing things properly, but it's a few that we um, you know, quite honestly a $300 fine, which I have no I can't find anyone right now that's a that's a plumbing violation.

Health department gives a $50 fine. Um, so this is just to be able to give us the teeth for those people who violate consistently because right now a $300 fine doesn't mean anything to them that we can um we can stop it.

I mean, um, for instance, if I if I'm in violation of the consent decree, if we have a sewer system overflow and we don't address it, um, the EPA can charge the city $750 a day for day 1 through 10, 1,500 a day for day 11 through 20, and $2,500 a day for 20 uh first and beyond.

Um, so we can be fined if we don't properly uh fix these problems. So we're just looking to be able to um, you know, find someone that's in violation that doesn't, you know, we also have the we're not trying to hurt anybody.

Um, and we give, if you look in the, uh, ordinance, we give people 30 days to rectify. Um, I absolutely understand the struggles of a food establishment. I owned one for eight years, but I also know that you have to follow the rules.

Um, so that's what we're trying to do. Yes. So I, as I understand, all those grease or used the cooking oil has to have a place to store or go somewhere. So do you think the city will consider have like a mandatory requirement like for restaurants have to use grease and oil recycling service.

Do you think the city will do that? Can we and like require restaurant have to use the grease and oil recycling service. Yeah, the health department has those requirements. So it's required they Okay.

And I also have a more technical question. So how do you determine which business or residence is responsible when a blockage occurs? For example, in a condominium building, how do you identify which unit caused the the discharge?

And in areas where restaurants are close to each other, how do you determine which one is responsible? Well, um, we usually there's a we usually find out because there's a we'll get a call for sewer backup and that's when we go in and and try to unblock it.

We'll um um do our investigative work at that time. Um, and uh, you know, our department can pretty much tell where that's coming from. um through our camera work. And then again, that's when we go in, we bring in health, we've been bringing plumbing, and we look and we can tell if there's, you know, if a a grease trap um hasn't been properly maintained.

Um the logs haven't been filled out properly. uh we look at overflows and and you know again we can generally tell who who was at cause and again we give those people time to rectify. Okay. So finally since there is no appeal process and the only option is to go to court I'm concerned about fairness.

Most people are unlikely to go to court over $1,000 to $5,000 fine, even though that amount can still be a serious burden if a mistake is made. And so, Commissioner, could you explain what oversight exist within DPW when these fines are issued and how the department in ensures enforcement is fair and that mistakes can be identified and corrected?

Well, again, um we'll go in there um with all again with health with the plumbing department and uh our own inspectors. Um we give them time to rectify. They have 30 days to rectify the situation. Again, if you look at we've been a 34 establishment with with active fog issues.

We we give them time. we go back again and inspect and make sure they've corrected the problem. We're not going to find them until they have not corrected the problem. Um we um so it's we'll know if they if it's Yeah, I'm just if the if the uh problem persists then they're going to be fined.

I'm just concerned that if if a mistake happen, it can really cause a harm to the Yeah, again, we're not out to hurt anyone. We're just out. We had just for instance, we've had um last year alone, we had 800 calls for sewer backups throughout the city.

Um so it's it's very it's very busy and very taxing on my department. And then um we've you know we're investigating the whole city as we line our sewers and we've had multiple instances where we can you know see grease flowing through our systems.

My men are out there on on routine uh cleaning and and um of our systems and we find grease and fog um throughout the city. So it's a major problem for us. So I would recommend like the city shall provide an administrative review process for any fine issued in this section allowing affected parties an opportunity to request a review and the correction prior to seeking relief in court.

That's my recommendation. Yeah. You this is what this is about to make amendments to this. This is these are our recommendations. Yeah. So, um I don't know if did you want to I would like to suggest the amendment for this.

Okay. And uh what section counselor? We are in Oh, okay. So, at the just follow the last section. So, last section is 270 25th. So I would like to add uh 220-26 it's called the city responsibilities in the fire and the fair implementation and so yeah so A is prevention and education.

The city shall provide outreach and guidance to residents and the business on proper grease and oil disposal and may establish requirements for food service establishments to use approved grease and oil recycling service or equivalent measures.

Um B notice and opportunity to cure for a forced violation. The city shall issue a written warning and allow a reasonable opportunity to correct the issue unless there is an immediate threat to public health, safety or infrastructure.

C. Administrative review. The city shall provide an administrative review process for any fine issued in this section allowing affected parties an opportunity to request a review and correction prior to seeking relief in court.

That's my amendment. Can you give that to me? The first part of that we do through the health department that's already uh part of the process the education piece um just looking at this. So this whole section just because this ordinance is main is um talk about the business and the resident's responsibility to reporting instant to and allow access to the property and paying fines.

So the last section so I would like at a section at the end just say city's responsibility and fair implementation. So A is a prevention and education. B is the notice and opportunity to queue. C is the administrative review.

Is it okay counselor if I pass this to colleagues just so everybody can read? Yeah, sure. I have several Oh, I just just added Oh, you got Well, uh Well, well, I have more if you Oh, we should probably deal with the amendment first.

So, does anybody have questions on this amendment after they've been able to read it? Okay. Um chair recognizes councelor Hubley. Have questions on the amendment. I have questions otherwise. Any does anybody have questions on the on the amendment?

Council Riley. So on the item A prevention and education, you're saying that's already covered by health department policy. So would we be conflicting or redundancy if we were to add this in? Would there be any harm in adding this language in there and making it sort of part of your because it's not in the code.

So we can add, right? So it would it would put it in the code, but it wouldn't conflict with anything that the health department is doing. Okay. And then the first violation uh language here, is that stated anywhere?

I mean, I know you've you've talked about I think you're very generous with people with when there are issues, but this this would make it required, but this we need to change it here. Here is the first one.

So, we need to change. So, so in the ordinance the fines you said the first residential and the large residential um residential mixed use first offense is $1,000. I would like to change this to read.

The first offense is written warning and then the second is remain the same amount of money. Just the first one you give a written warning because I feel education and the prevention is probably more important than punishment.

You you can I would like to councelor you I would like to if we could just deal with the first amendment um your first amendment prior to that. So, the amendment is for a section 270-26 um titled cities responsibilities.

Um has everybody had a chance to look at A, B, and C? Susan's making copies. Okay, Susan's making our auditor um Okconor is making copies of that for everyone. So, we'll just hang on a minute um and wait for those.

Yes, Councelor McKe. Hold on one second. So, um, just to get a sense, it should it should be on now. Um, just to get a sense of the scope of this. Um, so these SSO sewer system overflows, um, we're talking about into the ocean, the the the catch basins, or are we talking about the actual sewer system in this?

We're talking about into a sewer system. Okay. So, if people are it could be Okay. where they put it. And it's and you said last year you got 800 calls for these backups of all kind throughout the city for sewer backups.

Okay. Residents residences and restaurants throughout our sewer system. Is the city responsible for all of those or or are residents responsible for their own backups? It all depends. Okay. It could be caused by anything.

Yeah. Mostly it is caused by uh you know people unbeknownst to a lot of people they may be putting things down the drain that causes a backup. Again tonight we're talking about license establishments.

Um and obviously there's things they can do they should do to protect our infrastructure. The city doesn't cause what they can do not only cause thank you for themselves that system backs up back up into neighbor's home someone down the street.

So, um, it it affects affects the city. Now, if it's a it's a private residence, we could have a sewer backup due to a, uh, roots in our system that we go out and clean. So, it can be it can be anything, but talking about licensed food establishments, um, it's primarily their problems.

Then I just had a separate question about um how these new rules compare to other cities in the area. Have you um we tried to do some research. I know the city of Lowel um they have a their first fine is $5,000.

Their first? Yeah. Oh, that's it for me. Anything further, Councelor McKe? Okay. Yeah. Um, chair recognizes Councelor Hubley. We are going to have to adjourn and open up the the proper uh full council meeting at 7:30.

Uh, but we do have a couple minutes. So, okay. Councelor Huby. Okay. Thank you. Um, so anybody who follows me on any social media knows I go out to eat way too much. um I've improved recently, but then when this um came up, it gave me an excuse to go back out there.

So, I've spoken to a number of restaurant owners that I know and started talking to them just to get that sort of lived experience of this situation and and and and many of them are longtime 20, 30-year restaurant tours.

And um they were surprised that our fees were where they were or fines rather were where they were. They were surprised they weren't much higher. Um I definitely think they should be commensurate with the damage that they're causing and enough to be prohibitive of the actions.

Their words to me was that this is very simple thing. If you've been in the industry, if you've been trained in the industry, this is something you know and do. In fact, some of the recycling I think they refer to them as upycling companies actually pay you to take away their um grease.

So it's a it's a profitm thing for the restaurant. So, I'm a little bit hesitant to um take away the I imagine you would have discretion on when applying fines. Right. Absolutely. Right. So, I I I I'm a little reticent on um point B that might take away from that discretion.

So, I think there's already a built-in discretion once you investigate the claim or the suspicion to go out and you find out maybe it's an education issue, maybe it was just one employee that didn't understand or something like that.

So, I'm a little res reticent on on point B, but the rest of it I'm fine with. And that's what we're doing now. This is part of this um uh this plan we're going through now where we uh visiting every single licensed food establishment.

Um we're investigating, but we're educating. Yeah. And Yeah. And they even told me they said one of the things they suggested that is with through inspectional services when restaurants are starting up is to have that be part of the checklist of like do you have a mitigation plan for this and so forth which I thought was a really good example not in your purview but in inspectional services.

So um that's all I have. I'll be supporting this but I'm I'm reticent to vote number the point B. Uh at this point, we're going to um adjourn the joint uh public util public works and um ordinance committee meetings and open up the city council meeting and we'll come back.

Thank you. Sorry, that's okay. So, we're going to call the city council meeting Monday, April 6, 2026, 7:30 to um to order. Um, madam clerk, could you call the role, please? Councelor Ash, present. Councelor Dana, present.

Councelor Hubley, present. Councelor Jacobs, present. Councelor McKe, present. Councelor Riley, present. Council Ryan, present. Council Yen, President Mahoney, present. Nine members, you have a quum. All right, if we could all stand for a moment of silence.

And if we could turn to pledge of the 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.

Do the recognition of recognition of autism first. Open meeting. Madam clerk, could you read the open meeting law, please? 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. All right. And I'm going to turn this over to um we're going to have the recognition of autism awareness month.

So, I was going to turn that over to councelor Deona. Thank you, Madam President. Um just want to, you know, over the years it's been really good that um the city council's made it uh April is our autism acceptance month, autism awareness month, a time dedicated to fostering understanding and supporting for individuals on the autism spectrum.

Um this month focuses on moving beyond awareness to promote true acceptance improve opportunities. Uh this past Thursday, April 2nd, marked World Autism Awareness Day. In honor of the occasion, many participated in the light it up blue initiative by wearing blue to show their support.

You know, like I says, the the Quincy City Council has proudly recognized April as autism awareness month for many years and we continue to reaffirm our comm commitment to the community. So, thank you uh Madame President.

Does anybody else want to speak on that? I just want to thank Council Jacob Jacobs. He gave us all pins this evening. So, thank you very much. And thank you very much, Council Deona. So, at this point, we're going to open it up to um the resident's open forum for public comment, and then we will go back into um to the to the what what meeting were we just in?

Is anybody here for open forum? If you could state there's a signin sheet, too. Could you just sign in and state your name and address? Sign in sheet. They're not up there. Oh, right here. Sorry. All right.

President, honorable counselors, this is an open letter to uh you all. Could we just start with your name and address? I'm sorry. Deborah Nanziato, resident of 25 BOSVAV. Thanks. We, the underside residents and advocates for Quinsey's history, write to express our formal opposition to the proposed demolition of the Monroe building at 1227 1259 Hancock Street.

While we share the vision of a worldclass Adams Museum and Performing Arts Center, we believe that destroying one worldclass building to build another is a profound disservice to the identity of our city.

The Monroe building is not merely a commercial block. It is a monument commissioned by Henry Monroe Faxton in 1929. It was named specifically to honor his mother Mary Burbank Monroe. It sits on the National Register of Historic Places and represents the genological fabric that allowed Quinsey to even become a city of presidents through the birth of our country on April 19th, 1775 when no fewer than 11 Monroe men were among the n7 minute men standing on Lexington Common at the onset of the Revolutionary War.

Recently, our city gathered to remember the ladies and celebrate the intellectual and moral legacy of Abigail Adams. And is it is a staggering contradiction to honor Abigail's memory by demolishing a landmark that is dedicated to another significant woman of Quinsey's past.

We believe Abigail Adams would be horrified to know that a museum in her name was built through the demolition of a historic building to Mary Burbank Monroe. To truly remember the ladies, we must protect the landmarks that already bear their names.

Infrastructure for a performing arts center belongs where it can thrive without destroying our heritage. The current vacant party city site near the new garage at Hancock and McGrath Highway offers a non-historic, centrallylo alternative.

Utilizing the space would provide the necessary facilities and parking access without erasing a century old testament to the Fax and Monroe families. The Faxon family has given immeasurable amount to the city from Faxon Park to Fax and Field to the very ground some of our homes and community stands upon.

Tearing down the bu Monroe building is a failure of gratitude and a failure of historic preservation. We call upon the mayor to one resend any plans for the demolition of the Monroe building, two re-evaluate the performing arts center location to utilize underused non-historic properties, and three commit to remembering the ladies, a philosophy that protects the existing female named landmarks in our downtown.

Respectfully, Deborah Word Nuniato, as well as 223 other constituents who have signed this petition. Thank you. Thank you. Do I have permission to deliver? Sure. Okay. Okay. So, you can just We'll pass them out this way.

Oh, I I'm not supposed to really let people come back here. I didn't know that. All right. Yeah. Not in a while. All right. Hi, my name is Sal Balsamo. I'm at 27 Post Island Road in Quinsey. I'd like to begin by recognizing all of you for the job that you've done on your first very complex assignment under extremely difficult circumstances.

I also wholeheartedly agree with my wife's mimi letter to the mayor, the Quinsey son, the patriot ledger uh supporting a citizens letter of accommodation. You've truly earned it. I would also like to credit Mayor Ko uh for his article in the Quinsey Sun in which he acknowledged your right to request an additional meeting, expressed his gratitude for your support and purchase of the gear, and addressed the vitriol and the misrepresentation circulating on social media that have had an adverse effect in our entire community.

Tonight I would like to address the proposed ordinance regarding the sale ofratom in smoke shops and gas stations throughout the community. When I first first raised concerns about this issue publicly, my intent was simply to educate.

I was told to mind my own business that I did not understand what I was talking about. Respectively, I disagree. I've spent my career as a mental health practitioner, serving as a clinical director of an inpatient psychiatric unit, a licensed mental health counselor, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and a case manager in both inpatient and substance abuse treatment programs.

I believe that this experience qualifies me to speak of the issue of addiction and substance use. I want to be clear. I understand that some individuals report using effectively the herbal form of effectively to manage opiate withdrawal, mood disorders and anxiety.

Individuals who have tried to prescription who have tried prescriptive drugs and for various reasons including side effects have not found them effective. I would w not want to deny anybody access to something they believe is helping them.

However, what's being sold today is not the natural or always the natural herbal product that people assume it to be. Many individuals begin with the herbal form of but transition to a more concentrated product including those containing a synthetic form often referred to as 70.

This is a highly potent synthetic compact compound that acts directly on opiate receptors and can s can significantly uh stronger that is significantly stronger than the natural plant and is being legally sold.

Health authorities have warned about this potential for dependence and abuse. In addition, research has showed that many products marked simply as cratrum may actually contain these concentrated or altered.

Okay. Um I I just want to thank um councelor for uh sitting down with me and asking for a more detailed and asking for my uh experience in this. So I thank you a lot and hopefully respectfully I hope you address this issue.

Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else for open forum? Hank Dondaro 65 man Quinsey Massachusetts. Uh I want to first address I haven't been around for a while. I will first address the uh issue regarding the uh firefighters health.

uh probably not mentioned which is a list litany of uh items diseases that they've been subjected to in a suffering under kidney cancer liver cancer thyroid cancer thyroid disease uh testicular cancer myel uh meotheloma nonhodkins lymphoma skin cancer prostate cancer brain cancer also studying ALS Parkinson's and Alzheimer's so yeah that you know you can nibble around the uh the outer bits of it, but bottom line is a hell of a lot going on.

Uh second thing regarding the open forum on uh I was watching by the way 3:23 uh there was one woman that came up and was addressing the uh she was the wife of a firefighter. She was uh speaking and addressing the council and she was shut down.

She was shut down by the uh president of the council. uh she was for directing comments directly to counselors. Uh that is a direct violation of article 19 of the mass declaration of rights. It's a violation of everyone's first amendments.

Everyone up there has an opportunity and have that right. Well, this woman was shut down. Whether she pursues it or not, I don't know. That's up to her. If it were me, I would. Now, regarding raises, uh, that seems to have died.

Is anyone doing anything on it? Has anyone written a letter? Has anyone made a donation? What is going on? Are you going to win mass when budget time comes up, stand up, and hand in a letter, turning that money back to the city, or are you going to sit there and hope it quietly goes away?

Well, guess what? It's not. Now third thing uh regarding raises some comments were made uh about it uh when it was voted in specifically it was a terrible disenfranchisement. The process was terrible and have to shed more light on the process.

Uh does anyone recognize that? Anyone? I do because it's captured on social media. It's there. Okay. So you can run but you can't hide. Uh see my time is coming up. All right. Write a letter about the grant sending.

Okay. Uh regarding the uh city's credit rating said it's great city's and I'm only mentioning this now because there are going to be more uh more meetings, more open forums regarding finances uh the budget.

And I just want to make a point that if you start screwing around with the uh budget, you 90 go probably 90% of that budget is uh fixed. The the other 10% you're going to start cutting positions or force force positions to be cut.

Thank you. Thanks. Anybody else for open forum? If you could state your name and your address, please. Hi. Um, Kylie from 42 president staff. Good afternoon. Uh, good night. Um, madam president, fellow counselors.

Uh, I here I was here and spoke last time. I actually forgot to thank Council Ash for putting the kind of like a little contest together to help shovel out uh, fire hydrants. Um, took part in that. My kids and I enjoyed it.

And then I also saw that some of the other counselors uh, put it in the newsletters. So, thank you for that. Uh over the past week I had a chance to go with my youth group to one of the fire stations uh in Wallist.

Uh we had a good visit. They cranked up the ladder and brought up to the um flag. So it was they put on their uniforms and showed us what they did to what they would do in case of a fire. And uh the ladder truck which actually out of hall's neck had to go out while we were there.

So, they all got geared up and went off and did their thing. So, I want to thank you guys for delaying no more and making um the bond passing the bond and uh getting them their uniforms. Thank you. Have a good night.

Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else for open forum? All right. Anybody else for open forum? Okay, if you could just state your name and your address. My name is Maya Campbell. I live in 133 Willow Street and I would like to speak to the council about road safety.

Uh there is an intersection near me. This is a Hancock and Albian road. Uh in this intersection, two vulnerable road users were killed in recent years and I haven't seen any attempts to make the road safer.

There is even a plan by mass dot uh like a study that uh proposes their proposal would possibly increase hazards to vulnerable road users. So I would like to tell the council about this particularly dangerous intersection and urge you to do something about road safety.

Thank you. Thank you very much. All right. Name and address, please. Uh Sudardi, 922 C Street. And um I'm I just really I want to thank you guys for being uh talking about the election places tonight.

I know that's part of what you do, but like one thing I'm concerned about is the climate right now in the country with concerns about elections and disruption to elections and stuff. So, you know, as you're as you're considering that, I just want to encourage you to think about how that, you know, that's something that we might think about in Quinsey because politically right now the country is so we even see it here in Quinzy um is so divided and so it's it seems like a an issue that it may I mean it may be fine here definitely, but I just want to bring that up and thank you guys and also again thank you for your work on the firefighters.

Um uh as a union member um most unions would be have been thrilled with the outcome of that. So anyway, thank you. Thank you. Anybody else for open forum? Okay, I'm going to ask one more time and then we're going to close down open forum.

Anybody else for open forum? All right, so open forum is now closed. So, we're going to turn this back over to Councelor Ash to continue. So, we'll recess this meeting. We'll bring it We'll bring it back after that meeting concludes.

Um 7:49 p.m. on Monday, April 6th, we will reopen the joint ordinance and public works committee meeting scheduled for tonight uh for 6:45 p.m. Um uh Commissioner Graioso gave his presentation on the floor.

We are um vote we are currently uh deliberating over councelor Yuan's um amendments and additions which would um I believe all of us have a copy of now and have been able to review these additions or amendments to um ordinance 2026-011 amending chapter 270 sewer and water uh begin with section 270-26 city responsibilities and fair implementation.

Um so if any of uh the fellow counselors have questions on these particular amendments A, B or C, um I'll entertain those now. And councelor Huby, we were we were in the middle of questions. So if you want to continue.

Yes. Thank you. So, so what I was saying when we concluded the previous instance of this meeting was uh I don't want to take away from the discretion that the DPW already has by kind of forcing them through steps of having to give different um notice and and different remedies.

Um so I'm just offering that if we could maybe not I'm I'm fine with A and C, but B kind of takes away their discretion and we'd like to I don't know if that's a friendly amendment or something like that.

I'm already out of time. Darn. Council, you want I disagree because a written a written warning with the notice saying next offense will be $2,500. That's that's severe enough to want people to be discreet.

So I think even you speeding or something you get caught you you give people the first chance to and I think that's also um can can help people people will be appreciated for for the city. Could I comment on that through you Mr.

Chairman? Commissioner. Um, so just a couple issues. We go back to education and the health department sends out a letter, gives a letter to every food establishment talking about, you know, pest control and other issues.

And they specifically say the grease trap log book must be sh show each invoice a report from the company that serviced it. Grease traps must be serviced every 3 months. Failure to do so may result in a hearing with a health commissioner finds prov violation or review of your application uh in front of the license board.

Kitchen hood vent cleaning they must follow NFPA-96 requirements uh please note that per city ordinance 2015-102 any nontorrm water discharge into the MS4 system is subject to a fine. Um, this is the health department grease log.

So, they're all aware of that. This is the grease trap maintenance form that they get from the health department. Um, so they're very well aware. Um, and as I I just had an opportunity to look at this and under section B, it says, "For first violation, the shi city shall issue a written warning and allow a reasonable opportunity to correct the issue unless there is an immediate threat to public health, safety, or infrastructure.

I would argue that when you have one of these sewer system overflows and the way that it's looked at by D and EPA, it is a public health. It is a safety and it is a infrastructure issue. It's damaging our infrastructure.

It's putting people in a unhealthy situation. So I would say in almost every situation it is one of those it is. So if we know that someone is deliberately doing those and they're not following uh what they're supposed to do, then we give them a warning.

We go in and we find a situation like that. I just don't agree that a warning is at that point I believe that they should be fined. But that's my opinion. Thank you, Commissioner. I'm going to councelor Deona and then councelor Ryan.

And one other thing, the MWR for if we cause a sewer backup into their system, they can fine us as a city $10,000. And if we can't keep these questions solely to the amendment just to keep everything organized.

Thank you, Council Deon. Um, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, just Commissioner Gracios, you've gone over A, B, and C. Have you taken a look at those three? Okay. Yeah, I you know I like how the ordinance is written presented to us to be very honest with you.

We have to put rules in place. 800 calls, a lot of manpower being used. Just follow the rules. Um we had this about short-term rentals some years ago. We put the tools in the toolbox to allow the department heads to make these judgment decisions.

They've already given you, you know, an opportunity with a violation 30 days. Um, I don't want to be going backwards here. We want to be going forward. And tonight, that's why they're presenting this in front of us.

Um, there's a lot of collaboration amongst departments to put these fines and these penalties in place. Um, I like it how it's the ordinance is presented to us. Um, I I don't know what you want to do with A, B, and C.

if you want to do an amendment to each one and have a vote for A and have a vote for B and then have a vote for C. But I'm I'm very happy with what is presented to us from this department in this administration.

So I if you want to vote on it separately A, B, and C, we can do that. But that's just my opinion. It it is it has been entered as one um amendment. However, if councelor Yuan is okay with with separating out each section, I do think for the sake of again of keeping it clean and there are it's three separate three separate headings, right?

So, I would like to be able to vote on each if if um councelor Yan's okay with that. Okay. And I believe councelor Ryan had questions on the amendment as well. I do. Thank you. Thank you for coming tonight, Commissioner Graioso.

Thank you, councelor. So, with regards to item B, as I recall, you give the um establishments 30 days notice to clean up their act. Correct? Okay. So, alls we're doing is we're putting that down on paper that they have 30 days.

And also too, they have to maintain a log of every time a vendor comes in to clean out the um the sewer system and get rid of get rid of the fats and oils. Correct. Correct. And um anytime the health department goes in, they take a look at that log to make sure that they're doing what they're doing.

Correct. Okay. All right. I just wanted to clarify that. That was one of the questions that I had and you actually answered it for me. So I thank you. Thank you. Okay. I'm I have some questions on um the amendment um for first for council yuan for sake of um how just for continuity and how the or how the and and the ordinance as it exists.

Are you okay with changing the city to the department in in your city? Okay. because I believe the rest of the ordinance would be the department. So just for okay for continuity sake the the department.

I'm okay with that. Um so Commissioner Graasioso on SE first section B of this proposed amendment. Um is there an appetite in in the city to keep maybe the first instance you're you don't want to issue a written warning.

want to give the owner the benefit of the doubt, say, "We're going to come back in 30 days and if this isn't cleaned up, you know, we're going to put pen to paper and it will be public record." Is that is is there some appetite there to maybe see if this is one oneoff mistake that somebody really didn't know about and you don't want um you know any negativity against their business or their reputation?

Is that the idea of of waiting those 30 days before issuing a citation or has that been contemplated at all? Yeah, I mean we we give them 30 days to correct. But if we see somebody that you know what if we have an instance where someone in the past have have had these situations like again we have those tier ones where they we know they have some fog issues and we've gone in and we've notifi we've already notified them of that um to clean it up and we go back and it's not correct then we want to be able to to issue that fine.

Um, if we see someone deliberately doing something like if you look at some of those some of those pictures we gave you, people deliberately poured grease down a catch basin that's into our storm water system that's polluting our waterways and our brooks and streams.

Uh, or just dumping it out in the back. Um, those are violations that I really again that's on purpose. So I I think the operative clause for purposes of the amendment and b notice and opportunity to cure councelor Yuan's amendment says for a first violation the city shall issue a written warning.

So my question is around what you have drafted and what you've submitted to to us for deliberation tonight. It seems like the hang-up might be whether a written warning is the first step or whether it's a verbal warning and then we'll come back in 30 days.

So I'm just wondering if that if that operation if the written warning if this is one business who made one mistake and the idea is not to have this part of a record or uh if that is something that the department that your department contemplated with giving a a verbal warning the first time around before you come back.

Sure. I mean it's it's um it's what we do right now. Uh the health department. Yeah. Yeah. It says the department may issue a written order to enforce the provisions of this article of regulations there under which may include abatement mitigation compliance measures for violations.

So the word may versus shall. Yeah. Okay. Um do we have any other questions on this amendment? Councelor McKe. Um I guess it it relates to the amount of the fine. So um just just stay on this with this amendment for now.

Yes. Yes. Councelor Mahoney. President Mahoney. Thank you very much. How are you doing now? Love. I think we're um when I look at your order and it's before the fines. It's not page number. Let me see.

Sorry. Um 270-24 enforcement violation and penalties. Um you have there orders a written a written order to enforce provisions in the article. And then the next section part two it says within 30 days after completing all measures necessary to obey the violation perform that that's where you have your 30-day kind of written in there.

Correct. I think what we what we're seeing over here, and correct me if I'm wrong, council, when you get into the fines, it says residential and large um um large um residential mix um use first offense $1,000.

I think what is what they're looking for is just first offenses or written potentially written and then you go on to the next next level because it's coming it's it's being written 30 days above, but then the fines go right into first defense.

Do you see what I mean? Yep. I think that's if does that does that help clear it up? Is that so first offense? Yeah. So if we could take first offense off and maybe put the written warning first, which would be B, right?

Your bit notice of your prevention and education. I didn't see prevention of education in this. I know it goes from the board of health, but it doesn't hurt to have it in both places, I don't think. So, so per perhaps what may make sense for councelor Yuan's amendment would be for us to vote on A, B, and C and then we can revisit um amendments to 27024 A1 and or or the fine section of of that portion.

Okay. So, I'm going to um separate out A, B, and C of amendment to that's drafted as proposed section 270-26, city responsibilities and fair implementation. Uh first we'll take a vote on section A um which will read the department shall provide outreach and guidance to residents and businesses on proper grease and oil disposal and may establish requirements for food service establishments to use approved grease and oil recycling services or equivalent measures.

Council, no. Council Hubley, yes. Council Jacobs, yes. Council Mahoney, yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, yes. Council Ryan, yes. Council Yuan, yes. Chairman, no. I'm sorry. Yes. Sorry. Okay. Now, for notice for section B, notice opportunity to cure.

Um, this section as proposed will read, "For a first violation, the department shall issue a written warning and allow a reasonable opportunity to correct the issue unless there is an immediate threat to public health, safety, or infrastructure." Council, I didn't get a chance to comment.

I'm sorry on the I didn't realize councelor Riley has has a question on section B. Yeah, just a com couple of comments on it. I I understand the spirit of it. Um, you know, I know that your department is very generous.

You know, they they really do go out of their way, but down the line when you're not here anymore doing this job, I'll, you know, could somebody be enforcing this with a heavier hand? So, I understand the balance of it.

Um, but the the the wording here of allowing reasonable opportunity is very um subjective. It's not clear enough what would be considered reasonable. So, I I don't love the language of it. As it's written, I'm probably going to vote no.

um unless somebody wanted to suggest some other rec you know modification to it. But councelor Jacobs, sorry, I just also want to talk about um B. Um you know, my concern would be is and I think this is what you were getting at.

You know, what if you roll up on a scene and it's like a disaster, right? Like literally, it's an like an environmental disaster. And we've kind of I know it says public threat, health, and safety, but again, those are kind of like broad terms.

And I feel like those could be, you know, hard to kind of quantify. Maybe we could qualify it, but I don't know if it could be quantified. Right. So, uh, you know, because of that, I'd probably be opposed to be just because I mean, some of those pictures that you just showed us, like I want you to take that person and if it's their first offense and they like, oh, you know, they're getting away with it and it's like they shouldn't have gotten away with that.

They knew what they were doing. If they're it's that if it's that bad, they know it's wrong. We have to report those also to the uh EPA. Um those get reported in the consent decree. So I'll take a we'll take a vote now on um section B as proposed of the proposed section 270-26.

I'm sorry, Council Money. I'm not trying to over complicate this, but in section 270-24 enforcement violations and penalties section one for the orders, it says the department may issue a written warning to enforce provisions of this article or regulation.

Therefore, under which may be include an abatement, mitigation, compliance measures or violations of this article. Again, I think it's I think we're getting caught up in the language of what um council UN is putting in front of us.

And then the second part was within 30 days of that written notice there you're going to be looking for action to be taken care of. And if we go into the next section, the fines, the first section says a residential and large residential mixeduse first offenses.

I think we just have to add a above that that says written notice and then progressively go down and we could probably omit section B. You'd be okay with that, Susan? Yeah. So, we'll take a vote on it and then if there's another amendment that stems off of the results, um, we can I just want to make sure we're sure.

We're good. Council Deona, no. Councelor Hubley, no. Council Jacobs, no. Council Mahoney, no. Councilman Key, no. Council Riley, no. Council Ryan, no. Council Yuan, yes. Jim, no. Motion fails. Okay. And now for section C as proposed administrative review.

The this would read, the department shall provide an administrative review process for any fine issued under the section allowing affected parties an opportunity to to request review and correction prior to seeking relief in court.

Any questions on this section of the amendment? Okay, we'll take a vote on that. Council Dona, no. Council Hubley, yes. Council Jacobs, yes. Council Mahoney, yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, yes.

Council Ryan, no. Council Yuan, yes. Chairman Ash, yes. Passes. Okay. And now, um, given this amendment, I believe councelor Mahoney might want to make an amendment or councelor, you want to make an amendment to section B, which is under 270-24.

So we could put section A in there. First first offense written warning. I'm going to follow up within 30 days to rectify and then go to B with residential. The next offense is a,000 then 2500 and then 5,000.

And same thing with non non-residential down there. It should be written warning for non non non-residential and then 255,000. 25,000. Did I say 2500? I'm sorry. I'm going right for it. You showed me some nasty pictures.

Al, you know I'm supportive of you. Okay. Do you want to submit that in the form of an amendment? So, A and B A and E E. That's right. would both contain for residential and large residential or residential mixed and also non-residential the written warning language.

Yep. And we're going to take out first first offense out of the language in what's currently A will be B. It won't be say first offense anymore. Okay. Okay. I will take a vote on that amendment if unless anybody has questions on it.

Council Deona, Commissioner Graciioso, does this change does this this amendment take the tools out of your toolbox anymore than what it is what we're trying to accomplish here tonight. Just keep in mind that if it's not on private property, the city still has to go in and clean and fix this situation.

So, we're incurring that cost would be Okay. Thank you. Questions? Uh, councelor Hubley. Yeah, I know it's probably a difficult question to answer, but can you give us a sort of order of magnitude on what cleanup costs could incur?

I I know it's a bad question. Every situation's unique. U, you know, um, sometimes it I mean, if it's the middle of the night or a weekend, it's overtime, so you're paying for that. Um, sometimes there's multiple crews depending on, you know, how bad the situation is, how how much time it takes to investigate the situation.

So, it is hard to put Yeah. a dollar figure on that. Is there also, but if there's damage, you know, if if it's caused actual damage to our infrastructure where, you know, a broken pipe or something like that, it's it can get costly.

Yeah. And is there also a bit of a ripple effect for some of this? So, not only this isn't just a spillage issue or a contamination issue, I imagine that backup can affect neighbors and residents and Yeah, I mean, up and down the street potentially, right?

We've had situations where situations with fog have cost have caused backups into uh private residences where, you know, there's been thousands of dollars worth of damage. So, um, if anyone's had a sewer backup in their home, um, it's it's very disruptive and it's Yeah, I can speak firsthand.

There was an issue on my street during construction and we had a sewer back up. It was terrible. Had one in my home at one time, too. And it's it's horrendous. It's it's it's an awful thing. Yeah. And and would you already have the discretion when dealing with um instances of this case by case without any added language?

I'm sorry. Would you already have if it were passed as written, would you have the discretion on a case-by case basis to deal with whether it's an education issue, whether it was a Sure. I mean, if if you look at the original says um the department may issue or the department, you know, we we may it it depends on the situation, but obviously we're we're very lenient as far as um trying to educate people, but again, it's just in 99% of residences and businesses do the right thing.

It's that those few that have deliberately u caused some issues. Um yeah, so my concern is we're giving the restaurant owner or mixeduse owner um and their lawyer, you know, something that they can dig into if we do end up finding someone.

So, uh I think because we already have the discretion, I think it's kind of built in. So I I don't know if I'd support the amendment. That's all I have. Council you want. So uh commissioner is those the letter from the health department is also sent to the residential home or only sent to the business.

The res those are for business because those are rules for those establishments. Th that's they're talking about uh those are health conditions with grease traps. Okay. And with rodent control. We um on our city web page and our in our mailings to the residents, we we all we also uh have it here somewhere.

Um it's on this Yeah. What we do from Department of Public Works to all the residences in the city. um we send this information out. Okay. So, and looks like this ordinance main target the really we're really not going after residences.

It's in the ordinance but we we um that's exactly I want to ask that. So for the resident if they didn't get the letter from the health department to for the education and then the first time they made that mistake and then they immediately get a fund probably they they would like to like I think the warning is a kind of education to them if they didn't get the letter from the health department.

Well most of the times if the resident is doing something not not supposed to they're the ones that are going to get in trouble. the backup's going to happen first and they're most likely in their property.

So, they're going to have to, you know, um deal with that. Yeah. Yeah. We'll take a a vote on this, but before that, um I appreciate, you know, given the expertise and and whether you want to put give a written warning or not, or whether it's verbal, I'm thinking of the small business owner that just started out that is getting used to the city, or maybe there's a language barrier or and they're becoming acclimated to the to the ordinances.

Um, I would just defer that that um that uh option whether it's written or verbal to the department. Um I do think that we should take a vote on this particular amendment so that way u we can move on to the deliberations of the the ordinance as a whole.

So for now I'm councelor Mahoney. Okay. So um so now we'll take a a vote on this amendment to add language um under two. It looks like we're at 270-24. Um, section B1, the proposed language would create a first defense would be a written warning.

And then also, uh, that that would be for residential and large residential or residential mixed use, getting rid of the language first offense. Um, subsequently, if you follow that down, there would be another letter E, which would be first offense for non-residential.

um and taking uh getting rid of that that first defense language and and carrying that that down. So, we'll take an a we'll take a vote on this um and then we'll move on to um the the ordinance as a whole.

Council Deono, no. Council Hubley, no. Council Jacobs, yes. Council Mahoney, yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, no. Council, um Ryan, yes. Council Yuan, yes. Councelor Nash. No council. All right.

That amendment passes. Okay. So, now we're going to move on to um questions on the ordinance outside uh notwithstanding um council yan's um a proposed amendment. Councelor McKe. Yes. So um just looking looking at this um the 2027024 enforcement violations and penalties.

So the the it says the department may issue a written order to enforce the provisions of this article which may include abatement mitigation and compliance measures for violations of this article. Um so that is kind of like the the written warning get get your act together.

Um, and then in the second part of that, I guess, um, it's talking about if after 30 days nothing's been done, the city will tell, um, the property owner how much it would cost the city to fix these issues.

Um, and then this the the property owner would be responsible for those costs which sounds like it would be different and in addition to any fines. Is that correct? It would it would be just they have to pay for whatever damage what whatever mitigation has been done by the city.

Um, and then in addition to that, they could have fines um, in the future. I guess if this is their first offense, then they would just have the written warning. So, in any case, they're being they're being made to pay for any damages in our first offense anyway.

Correct. So, that that makes me feel good about the amendment that we just did. Then um what I know that you said that it wasn't possible to really say what the costs would be, but I guess I'm going to go back and and ask again what um councelor Hubley's Sure.

It depends on the damage. Yeah. Depends if um again, every every situation is unique. if it's if it's a cleanup, um just the time we would take to go out and do the investigative work to, you know, try to flush the lines, to camera the lines, to fix a broken line or something that was caused by that damage.

um we get in a situation, what if they cause the backup in a neighbor's house and now we're trying to go into that neighbor's house to help that situation? Um the cost of that and then you get into legal situations because who caused that?

Now you have neighbor versus business, neighbor versus neighbor. So you run into those situations. Um, we as a city, um, I think we go above board to go into if someone has a sewer backup, we'll go into their house and we'll try to help them.

We'll try to clean the line, camera it for them. Um, I don't think there's another city of town that does that. I got a call from councelor Riley last week on a situation. Um, you know, we do that um to the best of our ability.

um try to determine if you know could it be a city problem? Are there roots in the line? You know, we'll clean them. Um but we do that. we go over and above for people because it's an awful situation.

But all those all those it it costs and it's time and it's money and um you know um if we have to bring in if it's above if we can't handle it our department we we'll have to bring in a company like uh you know a situ or someone to go in and and try to shoot the lines if it's something we can't do that's a cost to the city over and above I guess my happens.

Yeah, I guess my concern is it sounds like the way this is written um it's um the cost shall become an assessment against the property owner and shall constitute a municipal charges lean on the owner's property for the amount of set cost.

So given the uncertainties around um you know who exactly is it if it goes into your neighbor's house who exactly is responsible those shells make me a little bit worried that it could even though the city isn't intending to do that and tends to try to help people and do it themselves that that shall I I would like to make a friendly amendment to um change those shells to may um because it sounds like the way it's written now.

Um, you know, someone could get really it in theory there could be some catastrophic cascade of of issues that would would be very very expensive. So, just to let you know, this language we're trying to put in 270 that's in-23 is already in section 300.

We're just copying that. It's been in that section since 2015, I believe, since that was last updated. So, we're taking what was in the storm water section and now putting it into the sewer section, but the language, it's the exact language, just so everyone knows that.

Okay. I guess I'd I'd still like to make that amendment just to just to be on the uh safe side. Um Okay. Yeah, sorry comment to council. Yeah, I totally agree with councelor McKe's concern because since I asked before the technical question like how do you determine which business or resident is responsible for blockage especially in a condominium building?

How do you identify which unit cost the discharge? So you have those technical question exist and then you you means some mistake will happen during the identified process and then you give immediately sh become an assessment against the property owner that's a severe consequence to for something can be mistaken so I agree with council mi and changes the sh to may so we we be more prudent in this process.

Commissioner Grazioso, um do you think that changing shall to may um on page three um section two, fourth lineup, does that change um the the spirit and what you're hoping to accomplish with this provision?

So, I believe it just gives the department a little more discretion. And again, where is that? We're on page three, section two, the fourth line up. So, this um beginning of this sentence, let's see. If the amount due is not received by the expiration of the time in which to file a protest or within 30 days following a decision affirming or reducing the costs or from a final decision of a court competent jurisdiction, the cost shall become an assessment against the property owner and shall constitute a municipal charges lean.

So I believe we're talking about the second shall and changing that to may. So the cost shall become an assessment against the property owner and may constitute a municipal charges lean. Um may for may may become an assessment against the property owner and may constitute a municipal charges lean blah blah blah.

And then in the final sentence as well, interest may begin to acrue on any unpaid costs just because it does sound like already what you're doing is is is not trying to hit homeowners with the absolute, you know, maximum possible uh charge, but just I think just putting those may in I feel helps sort of legally describe what you're already doing.

I would um I'm not an attorney. I might ask the attorney on board what that would mean as far as putting a It sound I mean it it gives the department a little more discretion. Um I don't think it's binding.

It's it's may uh may become an assessment against the property owner and may constitute a municipal charges lean on the owner's property. Um I know we have assistant city solicitor Pkkin in the room. Um I I I don't want that to adversely affect any collections um procedure that we have.

If if changing shall to May could potentially open um the municipality up to property owner um issues or I don't know if if assistant solicitor Pkin has an opinion on it or if we can table it or right here.

So, um without specifically addressing this as this issue was not raised in advance to the solicitor's office, I won't comment directly on this. I can just tell you that in general sha shall versus may uh one is obviously mandatory the other gives discretion to the department whether you think that's good or bad is a personal choice because there are some people who will raise certain issues of well why did this person get the may and this one didn't whereas shall it's like a minimum mandatory sentence you do this and you get that.

Um, so that's that's the difference between shall and may. If there's something that's addressing a state law that says when interest shall acrue, this body cannot change a state law. Uh, if if there's more information that's needed, I would just ask that the question be presented formally to the solicitor's office so we could uh do more research on that.

But that in general is your difference between Shall and me. Understood. and thank you for obliging the the the cold call assistant solicitor pickin. Um so with respect to this ch to this particular change from shall to may in section two um unless does anybody have any further questions?

Council Riley I do sorry um I do worry that the spirit of what you're trying to do here is getting weakened with every one of these amendments. Um I I would consider supporting the first one as a shall and and for some of the reasons um solicitor Penin said um I I think that if they if we keep it discretionary on whether they may become an assessment against the property if they if we choose to exercise that then it shall constitute a m municipal lead and shall um have interest acrew you know if if they choose to do it.

I think that by changing all of the shells to maze, it it just it weakens the whole order um of what we're trying to do here. I mean, we really haven't had a chance to talk. I do have some notes on things, more general comments that I want to make, but in the interest of trying to move this amendment forward, I would say I would support the first shall to a and the others.

No. Okay. Any other questions on the these change? Okay. Um I am I'm I won't be supporting the amendment and that's solely uh because I you know we're looking at every ordinance in the city if every ordinance is shall and now we're changing one to may if inspectional services shall issue a fine but the department of public works may issue a fine.

Um so I that's those are that's my my um two cents on on that. I don't think I do think May just gives more discretion to the department. I don't want that discretion to come back and be uh a negative um a negative when really we're trying to accomplish something positive.

So on this particular amendment, I will take a vote. Right. Council Ash, no. Council Debona, no. Council Hubley, no. Council Jacobs, no. Council Mahoney, no. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, no. Council Ryan, no.

Council, yes. fails. Thank you. Okay. So, now we're gonna um Councelor McKe, do you have any other questions on the on the ordinance? Okay. Um Council Riley, would you like to begin your uh questions?

Yes, please. Thank you. Um I I would like to say that the city, meaning the taxpayers, have invested millions of dollars in our drains and sewers, and so we have an obligation to protect those. And I think that's the spirit of what this this order is that's before us.

um is that if the fines are not uh substantial enough to deter um bad behavior, then people are just going to pay the fine and continue to to not pay to have their grease removed or whatever they're doing.

Um you know, the reality is that the the costs are borne by the taxpayers when there's when these backups happen, right? And I do know that your your department goes above and beyond well within the boundaries of someone's property to try to resolve issues.

So, you know, whether or not that might change when Al Gracioso isn't doing his job anymore, I don't know. But, um, we we really need to protect the taxpayers and the infrastructure that we've invested in.

Um, the other thing I'd like to mention, and I know Al, you've mentioned it, is um, you know, these these are also tied into enforcement by Mass D and the federal level with the EPA. So, we we have an obligation to, and some of this comes from an EPA fine, right?

some of this infrastructure work that's been done because otherwise we're going to get fined and our taxpayers are going to be paying for that. Um and then um you know I've already said that the fines need to be high enough to deter this activity.

So I think it's commendable to think that somebody may inadvertently do something that is they don't know is going to cause harm. But but the vast majority of these I think you're you're trying to address are the ones that are chronic offenders, repeat offenders.

Um, and we need we need substantial fines and we need to be able to recover the costs when somebody causes harm to this infrastructure. It shouldn't be borne on the taxpayers. So, that's my two cents.

Thank you. Anybody else on the on the motion? Oh, yes. Council of Honor. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, just, you know, the photos speak for themselves. You know, they were purposely putting oil and all these other grease and all this stuff into our infrastructure.

I guess I could say it. This is a public safety issue and we're out here in front of you today and I'm glad it's in front of us and um we we have to have the penalties in place. Okay. Um so I'm going to I'm going to I didn't support these amendments, but I'm going to support this measure in front of us from you guys.

So that's my two cents. Thank you. Okay. Um anybody else on the uh ordinance? And right now we are we are on still 2026-010. Um anybody else any questions? Okay. Um so Commissioner Graiosa we had um at least one that came to mind but they were a repeat offender in um you know that that I worked with your department on.

It was like a Saturday morning and subcontractors and and you know you had to chase you had clean harbors out there your department. Um, and I recall it be it coming up again 6 months later. And when we discussed, well, you know, what did they actually get hit with?

It was um a nominal amount of money, a nominal amount of money to a commercial business owner, of course, who has these expenses as part of particularly their overhead. Um, we also just saw um these this this issue with snow removal, right?

is if you don't clear your sidewalk. Um, you know, the commercial property owner, the the fine when you think of a company and and the the list is in, you know, was made public from some companies that got hit with those fines.

Th that money may be a lot to to me, uh, you know, when they're talking about whether I hire a subcontractor to come plow that's going to cost me thousands of dollars or, you know, whether I can let this linger and deal with the fine.

Obviously, it's public safety to us. Um, and that's unacceptable to make for to make those decisions. Um, so I don't want to conflate the two issues, but I look at this as uh very similar to the snow removal issue and the fines need to be commeasured with um with the outcome and and the the potential um detriment to our infrastructure.

Um, I am interested in the the you you did say commissioner that 426 out of 512 businesses have have been visited by the department and how long has has has that been going on? We started this uh a few months ago um that we got all see the problem is DPW we can't find anyone right now.

um we could find the plumbing department could find that was a $300 fine only if it was a plumbing violation and I think the health department was a $50 vi $50 violation. So we got all three departments together.

We formed this group. We started we came up with this plan to go out to educate to um record everything in our GIS system and try to come up with a plan how we could work together to get this this problem which we have out there and that's that's where we've been at.

So we've been, you know, we we identified the 512 licensed food establishments. We said this was our plan. We're going to go out there and um and we again we've hit over 400. Um, some we're going back again, but we're identifying and it's it's it's been mainly an education.

Um, are the establishments given advanced notice or is it is it the department just shows up one day when they're I believe we go in but then we follow up but um you know it's health department go in anytime for an inspection.

Right. Um and when you you mentioned commissioner that there were the other commercial businesses that the next kind of undertaking would be all commercial properties. Is that right? Yeah. Okay. Uh my my substantive question was other other municipalities of our size you know what their fines look like.

I believe you you mentioned LOL. Their first offense is about is 5,000. L's 5,000 a day. Oh wow. Okay. Um okay. And with that, um, unless any anybody has any any quick final questions, um, I will entertain a motion to, um, approve and take this out of ordinance.

As amended, approve as amended. And I'm sorry. 26. We have to vote both of 2026-010 ordinance amending chapter 270 sewer and water adding article 4 prohibited discharges in enforcement. Do I have a motion um to approve as amended?

Chair recognizes councelor Mahoney motion to request funding. Motion to approve 2026-010 with the amend amendments. Okay. Um and then do I need roll call? You could do all in favor. Okay. Uh we'll do uh all in favor.

All opposed. I have it. Okay. And now we will move um on to 2026-011 ordinance amending chapter 300 storm water management section 14D and enforcement violations and penalties. Do we have any questions um on this ordinance?

Council you want. So in the chapter 300 so this you are amending section 14D but on the 14C criminal penalty the fine is no more than $1,000 and the 14D become $5,000. So what's the rationale for setting a higher fine for noncriminal disposition than for a criminal penalty?

I'm sorry. What was the other ordinance that you referring to? So, this is the code, city code, the chapter 300 storm water management I print out. So, um they want to amend the 14D from 300 to 5,000.

But the 14C criminal penalty only find no more than 1,000. So I just want to ask what's the rational for criminal penalty less than the noncriminal penalty. I think I need to see what council yan. Can I see that section?

The 14C item. Yeah. I as far as see I can't I can't enforce a criminal penalty I don't I mean section C is 14 C is titled criminal penalty but it It reads more it doesn't nothing about it reads criminal to me any person who so just basing off off of what um was just provided by council yuan this is section C criminal penalty any it's titled criminal penalty and reads any person who violates any provision of this article regulation order or per permit issued there shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 each day or part thereof of that such violation occurs or continues shall constitute a separate offense.

That that is the existing ordinance. That's nothing we're trying to change. No. So the the um commissioner, so the the revision that you have is for section 14D. Councelor Yuan was asking about section 14C.

I don't know if you if you have I I have it in front of me, but that's that is the again that is the existing ordinance. Um if you so under D noncriminal disposition as an alternative to criminal prosecution and civil action, the city may elect to utilize the noncriminal disposition procedure set forth in mass general laws 4021D in which case a commissioner andor other authorization of city shall be enfor be the enforcing person.

And the penalty for a violation shall be not more than $5,000 per violation each day. Currently, it was $300 and that's what we're asking for. Understood. Is there a motion on this council? You want or was there a question?

Uh, it's a question. I ask a why. Commissioner, if you if you if you have anything further on I mean it reads criminal penalty. I don't see I can't unless it's defined somewhere else. I wouldn't I would think that that's also a a civil um a civil fine.

Yes, Council Mahoney. Is that just language um that was picked up from the the MS4 language? Excuse me. So, it's just it's standardized language that we have to put into into the storm water management piece.

So, it's probably not going to I'm not trying to say anything. It's just it's language that you have to adopt when you're enforcing this. Every city and town has to adopt the MS4 language by a certain point.

My you can correct me if I'm wrong because this is not my area of expertise, but I do know um you have to adopt and you're required to have it done by a certain time. I think it's coming up pretty soon.

If you It sounds like Quinsey is already ahead of that, but a lot of towns are not. So, this is language that towns and cities are having to adopt and put into place and if you don't have it in place and you do not adopt it, you will be fined for it.

So, I think that language is just in there. And what we're trying to do, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, um, um, director Graioso, that right now we have $300, which isn't really, um, holding anybody's feet to the fire.

We want to put it up to $5,000 to to make it a little bit more give you a little more teeth. Yeah. And again, this is this is related on the on the um storm water side. Yeah. So, this is so this is that's a different is an MS floor regulation that we have to have in there.

and what he's and and he wouldn't be able to enforce 14 C, but he would be able to enforce 14D. Thanks. Okay. If there's a motion or anything, council Yuan would um but I believe that that is um the answer to I believe what your qu what your question was with respect to 14C.

Any other questions on um 2026-011 ordinance amending chapter 300 storm water management section 14D? Motion to approve. Motion to approve made by councelor Deona. Um all in favor? I. All opposed. Thank you.

Thank you counselors. Thank you, Commissioner. What time is it? Okay, so it's 8:43 p.m. Um, and a we will um re bring the be bringing these ordinances out of committee at the end of the meeting and voting on them as a whole.

Um, I will adjourn the April 6th, 2026 joint public works and ordinance committee meetings uh at 8:43 p.m. Thank you. And we're coming back into So we're going to bring the city council the regular city council meeting back into session.

And we're going to move on to um item number two. Madam clerk, 2026 053, an appropriation community preservation $325,000 for National Society of Colonial Dames of Massachusetts Quinsey Homestead exterior painting and repair 2026.

Okay. Recognizing. Is it going to go to the to um it says Mayor Cook? Are we going to you Mr. Walker? Walker or Okay. Councelor Riley, thank you. Uh, yeah, we're we are reintroducing this. Um, the community preservation committee met uh last week um and we reviewed and I do believe they provided some additional information.

I know that um um councelor Jacobs had asked for some information from the DCR and um the the committee reaffirmed their support for trying to get this funding a little bit earlier than the normal cycle.

All of the all of the recommendations from the CPC will come to this body in the June time frame um with the budget. But this particular one is um you know it's weather dependent and although the DCR technically is responsible for the exterior maintenance, they do not have the money to do it anytime soon.

So the the property will continue to deteriorate and the interior part that the that the uh Colonial Dames is responsible for and there's no point in doing that work when the envelope of the building is not secure.

So that is the reason that it's come back before here. Um you know there's a lot of new people on the committee and we're working to try to close out a lot of old projects and bring some of that money back in so we have a a really solid um sense of what monies might be available for appropriation in June.

But I would ask my fellow counselors to support this order here tonight or this um whatever we call it um from the mayor because it it did have the full support of the of the committee the first time and it has been fully vetted and um and continues to be a priority for the for the committee.

Okay. Uh I'll have motion to uh to approve it. So we have a motion by council Riley to approve. Do we have a second? Second. second by council Deona and on the motion council McKe. So I just um wanted to discuss some of the things uh councelor Jacobs um had the great idea to to go back and ask the state's um department of conservation and recreation which is responsible for the outside of the home some questions and to see if they could um pay for any of this.

So, um, I want to just kind of go over what we've learned from from that and what I've learned, um, from the city as well. Um, because we're all we're all new and it might be helpful. Um, so the DCR has spent $412,000 on the property in the last five years.

Um most of that is for kind of plans for an accessible ramp. Um and Quinsey has spent $520,000 on the property in the last five years. So 26% more than the DCR. Um and some of that has gone to restoring a chariot and a carriage house and some fence work and um several other things that weren't specified.

Um, one thing that I noted was in the um, application for this funding, there was only one bid submitted. So, I asked the city um, Karen Otul who leads this program for the city about that and um, she said that it if it's a reimbursement program.

So if someone in this case the Colonial Dames has the money to pay for it upfront, they don't need to get three bids for the work even though the city is then reimbursing them. If the city were to pay for it itself, then it would have to follow state procurement laws.

Um this is quite a large uh request and um it it upsets me that only one bid um was was put forward was seems to have been seems to have been sought um for this project. So apparently this is a state rule that um you know it's not required.

Uh, but I would hope that in the future the the for for things of this size there would be more than one bid sought. Would you like to answer that, Mr. Walker? He just put his hand up because he wanted to make a comment on it through you, Mr.

President. Madam President, Mrs. President, uh, Madam President, uh, whatever. That's a a good question, Council Me. And I just want to highlight the fact that it's not necessarily because the city's not in charge of the the payment.

It's because it's not a city project. If it's a city project, the city has to then follow 30b and all the procurement laws it would normally follow. Because this is an outside entity, they're getting a grant from the city.

those requirements are a little bit different but under most circumstances and most of the CPC projects in the end are city projects and they do require going through the 30B process. I think an example to the presidents and the the the tower the bell right am I wrong about that I'd have to go back and look but I know the tower and the bell the clock there's a relationship there the bell I believe is the cities the tower is the churches yeah I think but I think it was kind of mixed so Okay.

Yeah. I guess I'm just um I don't know, Council Riley, as the representative here, I I'm just hoping that maybe in the future you can suggest when you have these meetings, you know, in the fall to sort of give an overview of the project that especially for projects of this size, even though it's um not a city project, ultimately the city taxpayers are being asked to pay for it.

And so it it just doesn't really sit well that there's one one bid for a project of this size um for me. So an excuse me, another thing that I wanted to say is that um so just because this is being pulled out early um I just wanted to get a sense of how much of the total funding for other projects this um this amounts to.

So $325,000 is about 1 of the currently available funds um for the bucket of historic preservation. So the $1.7 million that um currently exists. So just just a sense for the other people voting on this um this would amount to 20% of the money that we have to um to pay for historic pro uh preservation projects this year.

Um, the other thing that I would like I would like to make a friendly amendment um given that I mean the DCR says that they could they could get to this but not for probably 5 years and so you know um I understand this is being pulled forward so that the least amount of damage can be done to the house but I would like to make a friendly amendment that um the amount be lowered to the estimate amount 28 89,00025 $289,250 um because that's the actual amount in the estimate versus the 325,000 that was requested.

I also uh saw thanks to the city auditor that um the Colonial Dames have 7,000 some dollars of unused money um from previous projects. So there's some appears to be some sort of cushion. So, I I'd like to make a friendly amendment that it be lowered to the estimate amount.

So, we're going to look for clarification from the clerk on that because or to Chris Walker. So, it sounds like the amount that you're being asked for 325 the the I'm hearing that the bid came in lower than that and you're looking to lower the number from 325 to the actual bid number.

It was a positive recommendation out of the CPAC out of CPC. So out of CPC. So I guess the question I'm just going to pose the question to councelor Riley. There's the there's a question that you're asking for 3 325 that got approved from CPC and the question is that it's it's higher than what the assessed bid was.

So the the process that um that this goes through is is long and lengthy. Um, and they first of all, they've got to find people to bid these projects out, and they need to be people who can handle historical properties and use the right materials.

It can't just be anybody, right? So, they may struggle to find three vendors that can do this work properly. Um, and and then it's a long time waiting. If you look at the bid, I think it says it expires in 30 days, and we're well past that.

So they they work closely with some of these, you know, vendors that that can do the work that can wait to get paid, you know, wait till this whole process happens. Um I I don't know if we're authorized to to reduce that amount and in the friendly amendment.

I'd be okay with that, but I don't know if that's even proper. It's I guess how much you looking to drop it to? How much? Yeah. Um from 325,000 to 289,000. So 26,000. Could I just make one more comment?

So Mr. Walker through you. Madam President, um you know obviously the council's within its authority to reduce an appropriation. I will say uh my knowledge is that the difference between the estimate and the full appropriation amount is just traditional contingency for a project of this scope.

Is it 20% contingency? But is it I don't have a calculator. That's good. So, it's a typical thing that they put they'll put a contingency on it just in case it goes over so they don't have to come back and ask for more money.

That's that's typically what happens with those types of things. I thought so. I I guess I'm just I'm still feeling like um for something of this size plus they have the extra 7,000. Council Debona. Thank you, Madam President.

On the monies left over, if it was appropriated for a different project, it it really can't legally be used for this project. So, that you kind of have to leave out. And um you know, the 289 estimate, if there's a cost override here, there's got to be some type of buffer in there because they're not going to be able to go back to the committee for the funding if it if it's the case.

Now, the reason why this came in last year is because they wanted a head start on the project because of the snow, because of the rain, and here we are tonight, and weather's still got to break at some point.

Um, so we're back a month here on the project and that's why they came forward early particularly because they usually the projects come in in June and they'll get the money's appropriated until July and that pushes the whole project out.

That's why they're here early. And as for anybody else that was asking about this to be used for other projects, this has to be used for CPC. These particular buckets have to be used for these items in the historical preservation.

So, I know I I I I got a lot of emails about this particular item being used for different things. This is CPC buckets, community preservation committee buckets that go in those those particular items.

So, um I know you want to do your cost savings, but um this is presented to us. It's an 80 vote from the CPC. Our representative from our council, Deb Riley, approved it as well from the council. So, you know, we that's why we have a representative that kind of represents us here.

They they they vote on it as a group. They bring it to us and that's what we go for. So, go to um before I do, I just want to mention one thing. If they don't use the whole $325,000, it stays in the CPC.

So, it's not like they're giving them 325. It will stay in the CPC. So, it's it's just a balance. It's a it's a it's budgeting for the 289. If it goes over, if it comes in at 200, let's say, they'll they'll keep 125.

I think I'm correct on that. And councelor Ash, then it's going to go to councelor Hley and then we'll come back to council. So, council ash. Yeah, that was my question. Uh, President Mahoney, I think it may be a good exercise to to cover how this is how CPC works.

If if we're cutting a check for 325 or if we are earmarking funds and then it sounds like we're earmarking funds and waiting for invoices and paying those. Um, and if it's the latter, uh, of course, uh, you know, this adding in the the percentage for contingency, um, I would, uh, see why that would be necessary.

But if if we can, I think we can confirm that the latter is kind of the process that the these these organizations ask for the money, they're the money is earmarked, and then they still need to prove that it's being spent on what it's particularly earmarked for.

Thank you, Councelor Hubley. Thank you, Councelor Ash. And and so just for the folks at home who or here that might not be famili is familiar with the CPC project and uh process um and I'm sure I can direct this question through you maybe to Mr.

Walker. Um so community preservation just for those who aren't familiar with it. You get a little bit of a added charge on your real estate bill. This was something that was put in place years ago 2006 20077ish.

you get a small sir charge on your real estate taxes that goes directly into funding these types of things. But there's also a state match. So when we're talking about spending Quinsey tax taxpayer money, we're actually talking about spending people from LOL's money.

We're talking about statewide funding. Uh I want to say it's one for one if I'm not mistaken somewhere little less now. Okay. But it's see what I'm saying. It's not all Quinsey funding I guess is where I'm going.

So I just want to make sure I I mention that. Uh, also I agree in terms of the contingency going into these projects, especially on a historic project. Uh, we don't they don't know what they're going to uncover the minute they start removing boards and testing things and and getting into it.

So I I and I would hate to see us in a situation where we didn't have a contingency. We've opened the building up and now we're trying to figure out how to secure the envelope without enough funding to continue with whatever we find under there.

So, I would definitely highly warn against that. I had a long conversation with Miss Pierce, who is one of the applicants, and she kind of explained to me the methodology. The contractor that they're using is one that they've used for a number of other efforts in the previous work.

Um, very specialized work. They know the property. They're very familiar with the grounds. Um, so I I'd be hesitant to, you know, encourage them to go shopping around for more bids. I think um when I saw that the state had already put in a substantial investment over time as has Quinsey with CPA which is in part funded by the state that made me feel a lot more comfortable with this.

So I I'm I'm supporting it. I wouldn't support an amendment. Council Yuan. Thank you. Council Hy. Hi President. I want to be clear. I do care about preserving the Quincy homestead and I understand why this project matters but we also have to be honest about where the city is financially.

Quincy is already carrying a very large adapt burden and at some point we have to prioritize our own stability. There is a reason they tell you on the airplane put on your own oxygen mask before helping others.

That's just a common sense. This is a stateowned property and the DCR. I'm not against helping, but I don't think it's responsible for the city to take this on without any clear commitment from the state.

Right now, it feels like the responsibility is being shifted entirely onto a city that is already financially stretched. We should also be asking basic questions. Does the CPC already have a significant adapt service?

And would this require additional borrowing? Are we insuring more bonds to cover this $325,000? Was there an open and competitive bidding process? And how was this cost determined? Before we move forward, I think we should explore alternatives.

Work with the state, the city, and the nonprofit partners on a shared funding approach. Consider a public or private donation effort to support the preservation. Ensure we are getting the most competitive price through an open bidding process.

So for me, this is not a no to preservation. It's a no to moving forward without a clear plan, shared responsibility and full transparency. Council Ryan, excuse me. Thank you, Madame President. When this um came up for approval back in the end of January, as I recall, I had brought up the fact that there was a discrepancy between the estimate and what they requested.

and I had requested to see if they could add a supplement to the um proposal and I guess it didn't happen. And I just feel that the account that the CPC fund is in the red right now, $4 million, which is a lot of money for um for an account that is supplied by the residents of the city of Quinsey and the state.

Thank you. I'm see um Mr. Walker's hand up, I believe. Um did you want to talk? through you, Madam President. Just that I would defer to the auditor or the uh Department of Municipal Finance, but um I don't know where the CPC would be in the red.

Yeah, that's not possible. I don't have I don't show that it would be in the red. Yeah, we that's a fund. And just to answer a couple of the other points that were made, the fund is specifically designed to pay for projects just like this through the work of the the CPC, the committee.

Um, this money can't be spent for other things. There are certain categories that it could be spent on, but uh the general fund, the general operating expenses, any sort of spending priority that the city council or the mayor may have, um, it's sort of a separate bucket.

Um, as Council Hubley mentioned, this was a voter-approved referendum in 2006 where the voters actively supported by a wide margin. I'll add um adding this search charge to the property tax bills and that property search charge tax bills goes for and only two projects that are meant for community preservation.

And those categories are historic preservation, public facil, public recreation, affordable housing and open and protecting of open space. Um the list of projects that have been accomplished over the last now 20 years is immense.

There are projects that um this body would all very well recognize and a lot of them probably would not have been able to get done uh if not for the voters's willingness to support this fund and support the use of this fund in a way that protects our historic heritage that funds open space and recreation and provides some affordable housing money.

Um, as for the the actual the question, Council Ryan, I appreciate it relative to the deficit, but again, this is a this is an account as are all of our accounts every single year that are are balanced out every year.

You can't spend we're giving we're given a number um from the assessor's office through municipal finance. It's coordinated with the state because of that match. The number is the number. Um, and we do not overspend in that account, nor any other account that has anything to do with the basic operations of the city.

So, if I could just add, um, when we're talking about CPC, it is, you know, the taxpayers of the city of Quinsey get a search charge on your tax bill. I don't know what it's up to at this point, but it's it's what 1% 1%.

And then it's matched. And I think what you're looking at, and I could be wrong, I I'll ask the madam auditor about this, but I think we have borrowed money against the CPC. So, there is some money. So, there is debt that goes out against the the the um borrowing for certain properties that we'll be paying for out until 201.

And I think that's where you might be confusing the red, but it's it's definitely something that you can do. So, we can borrow against because it's a set income. There's a set number that's coming in from the state.

So, we know how we can balance that. But, if you could, Madam Monitor, if you could actually add to that. Yeah. I I would just like to do a little clarification for everybody. Um in the fall every year there are two forms that have to be filled out by the city of Quinsey.

One form is filled out I believe in September of each year. Um the next form is filled out in October. Those forms you you fill it out based on the revenue that is has been received that it can then gets approved by the department of revenue.

What you will notice next is a council order will come before the city council in December and it will be what your estimated revenues are that has been approved by the department of revenue and that is the revenue that you're basing off these projects on.

So, um, like the debt, if you were talking about the debt service, I believe there might be, and I'm just going off the top of my head, maybe five council orders in the past that the council has voted on to use community preservation funds um, to fund that.

All that is configured into your revenue budget when you vote on it in December. If anybody wants to come to my office and I'll I'll do a explan you know a private explanation to them. It's you know it's you just have to go through the whole cycleation.

I do know what the CPA fund is. I see it on my real estate tax um every year. So um thank you. Yeah. So we have a motion on the table and we have a second. Council Jacobs. Sorry about that. So, um you know, I was in contact with um the Colonial Dames.

I spoke with Mrs. Megan Gelardi. Sorry if I didn't get her name correctly. She's the executive director for properties and collections. She was just recently hired there. They hadn't had a position for that.

Um she was she's kind of the one who's leading this even though Miss Pierce's name is on the um application. and she basically you know just said to me that um you know uh the colonial dams asked basically asked her to to do this uh and they were in contact with the DCR.

I did speak with um people folks at the DCR. It was kind of hard to get a hold of them but there some of the questions they asked like the one question was whether the scope of the work described in the application actually falls within the responsibility of the DCR and they said yes.

So they know that this is, you know, that this falls on them. Um, however, they go on to say that, um, exterior repair work of the Dorothy Quincy Homestead is a long-term work plan for the DCI's Historic Properties, the Office of Cultural Resources, which Miss Galunis, I think, is I'm sorry, whoever this person, you know, the woman Priscilla from the DCR, she's the head of that.

Um, cultural resources has a small annual budget. So, they're saying just like everyone else, they have they have a budget. They have one over 100 national uh historic landmarks that they're charged with taking care of and uh you know, they need significant historical resources under our care.

The work proposed for the Dorothy Quincy Homestead is not currently scheduled. There's no plan to do it at all. And even if they were to do it, it would take them five years to to get it done. So, um you know, that's a long time.

I mean, I think that's that is usually, you know, how you do it. I worked at the Adams houses for many years. We'd paint one side of the house, then the next day we paint the other side of the house. You know, uh that's the best way to do it.

But, um right now the building is is in, you know, they say it's in pretty bad disrepair. I I went there. Um there is some disrepair. there's some deferred maintenance things that they could have probably taken better care of to prevent uh some of the things that we're now trying to fix.

But um you know I do think it's an important resource for us to have. Her name was Priscilla Gigas. Sorry. Um you know so I I will be supporting this. Um but I'm really disappointed um in the DCI for kind of sherking their responsibilities.

I feel bad for the taxpayers of Quinsey. They've already paid their estate taxes. is now they've been taxed again and they're paying taxes twice for the same to complete the same task. So, so we have a motion on the floor and we have a second.

Council, may I propose a solution to just to discuss? So, given the city's current financial situation, I can't support using local CPC fund without a clear commitment from the state. Therefore, I propose that any appropriation of CPC funds for this project be conditioned upon a formal written agreement with DCR to be exacted pri prior to the release of funds that includes the following.

First, cost sharing or reimbursement. DCR agrees to reimburse the city of Quincy for the CPC funded portion of the project within a defined period up to five years or provides an equivalent financial contribution.

Second, binding agreement. This agreement must be legally binding and approved by the appropriate state authority to ensure enforcibility. Third, define the scope and accountability. The scope of work, total project cost and the responsibility of each party must be clearly outlined.

Fourth, funding safeguard. CPC funds should not be expanded until such agreement is fully exacted. If these conditions can't be met, I would recommend postponing the appropriation and formally requesting that the DCR take the lead in funding and completing the repairs.

Is that is that in the form of a my proposal to Before we go on, there's a motion and there was a second on the motion. So disconnect and there's a disconnection that's happening. So um are you suggesting this to be a friendly amendment to the to the motion that's on the table?

All right. So I think I'm councelor Deona. Thank you, Madam President. There. So, when you appropriate the funds for the CPC, you have three years to finish the project. If you do not complete it in three years, the money goes back to the CPC fund.

So, you're talking about 5 years. You can't do that. Um, it's a three-year appropriation once we approve it. So, as soon as it goes to this particular item, you get three years to finish that project.

And if it's not finished, whatever funding goes back to the CPC fund. That also pertains to projects that haven't got off the ground. Say they were appropriated or approved two years ago and they're on year three and they didn't complete the project.

The money has to go back. So I know you want to be creative, but you know, there's there's rules, there's laws, there's procedures in place already from the CPC. This is across the state of Massachusetts.

Um, so and there's been monies that have been put back that just haven't been a there's been a few projects that haven't, you know, been approved last year that they're going to get started this year just based on weather and all these different things.

So, just keep that in mind. Five years. So, I I think with the I'm just going to we both be happy to move that into a vote if you want to have as a friendly amendment. We're going to take that as a vote.

And um but I want to explain one thing council council. We you're asking the state who just came back after council Jacobs explained that they don't have it in the budget for the next five years and we have a historic is that correct in the next five does no but and we have a historic building that has been approved from CPC monies and that is appropriate use for those monies and what we're voting on tonight it came out of a committee is to approve this first $325,000 for this particular project.

Now, second to that, what I think is happening is we have a lot of new counselors that are here on the board and we haven't had a real introduction to CPCs and how this money is being um used. And you know, this is an opportunity, I believe, for the administration to bring forward maybe um the director of the CPC and maybe do a presentation to the full board so we could answer many of these questions.

And the reason why many of these questions are coming up is maybe um just because we haven't had the opportunity to have that deep dive. And if you would agree, then what I'd ask is we have a motion on the floor and we have a second on the floor and we're going to take that roll call vote because I don't I I I'm asking because that motion's already gone through and we'll see if it passes.

I I don't think having putting a determent for the state if the state can come up with money, we will certainly collect that money if we can. Is that okay with council? So you request the voter to on this 325 then vote on amendment.

So what I'm saying is councelor Jacobs explained that he went to the DCR and the DCR does not have any money budgeted for this site for the next 5 years. So whether we put three years or five years on it, there will be no money that we'll be able to recoup back potentially for that.

Councelor Jacobs. And in um even in my communication with them, they have a proposed plan for some work that basically says, "Yeah, we want to do it, but they don't even to put in finally put in this ramp after they've spent like $250,000 looking at it." And they're like, "Yeah, we can't afford to put this ramp in." So they don't even have money for that.

So the state doesn't have any money to put into it. So we're just trying to get ahead of the deterioration of a building at this very moment. That's what this is for. So, what I'm asking is if we could table your friendly motion because I don't we're and just going to we're going to vote for there's a motion and a second on the table for the motion.

So, we're going to go ahead and have that vote. Okay. Okay. Roll call vote. Councelor Ash. I'm sorry. Is this on the amendment or on the This is on the vote on the 325. Yes. Council Deona. Yes. Councelor Hubley.

Yes. Council Jacobs. Yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, yes. Council Ryan, yes. Council Yen, no. President Mahoney, yes. Eight members. Thank you. So, what I'd ask is I know that um Councelor Riley is also new to this committee, but maybe we can have before it comes in in June, we can have a little bit more of a discussion so that in June we're more prepared potentially.

Okay. And I assure you, I will bring I will bring all this feedback to the next CPC meeting so that they're aware that the council is going to ask good questions and we need to be prepared to um I need to be prepared to answer them.

Okay. So, moving on. Madame clerk, we're on item number three, 202654 in order of designation of polling places. Actually, we're on number two. Sorry. Okay. And I have um given you all a list of polling places um that um with no changes to last year's and um I would be so happy.

Thank you. So we have a motion to approve order number 2026054 passage designation of polling places. Do we have a second? Second. Councelor Ash on the motion. Anybody have any questions? And um this is a vocal vote.

Council Ash, yes. Councilor Deona, yes. Council Hubley, yes. Council Jacobs, yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, yes. Council Ryan, yes. Councelor Yen, yes. President Mahoney, yes. Nine votes. Okay, moving on to number four.

2026 055 order designation of early polling places for the primary election Saturday August 22nd 2026 through Friday August 28th 2026 and the election Saturday October 1726 through October 30th 2026 according to the codes of Mass General Law 950 CMR 47.

Motion to approve. Motion to approve from councelor um Deona. Seconded by councelor Jacobs. On the motion. On the motion. On the motion. Thank you, Madam President. Um just looking this over um and this is correct.

I think um madam clerk is there's 14 days of early voting before the final election. That's correct. And I see Sunday in here. Is that correct? That is correct. any um city over um 45,000 registered voters um specifically has to um have weekends of early voting as well.

Okay. So, we have 7 days, is it 1, two, three? Yeah, seven days for the um preliminary primary and then we have 14 days consecutively for the final. Correct. with one weekend at um Central Middle School.

Okay. Is this dictated from the state? It is. Okay. Thank you. It gives an opportunity for the folks I mean the voters to go out and vote. I mean it's all in person. That correct? Yes. Or or vote by or vote by mail of course.

Okay. And um on election day. Okay. Thank you. Anybody else on the motion? So, I just have a quick question. So, some of this always always gets asked. Um, and when you have a Quinsey election, we do not send out a mailer to remind people that they need to ask for absentee ballots um or um mail mail and ballots, but for the state, they will send them out.

Yes. Um we got word um that the first round will go out if you haven't already applied um the first week in July and then again if you didn't apply for one in um September they'll be going out the first week in October.

So people should just be paying attention to that and then when we're in a we're in a city election we'll remind people that they have to call because they don't get that mailer because that's an expense of the city.

So on the motion we have a motion to second it and we need a roll call vote. So could we move on to the roll call vote? Councelor Ash. Yes. Council Deborna. Yes. Council Hubley. Yes. Council Jacobs. Yes.

Council McKe. Yes. Council Riley. Yes. Council Ryan. Yes. Council Yan. Oh, she stepped on. President Mahoney. Yes. Eight members. Okay. Moving on to item number five. 2026 056. A resolve for Council on Aging Department head theft and federal charges.

Recognizing Council Riley. Thank you, President Mahoney. I would like to read this order into the record. Um, whereas the city of Quinsey is entrusted with the responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars and the efficient operation of municipal resources.

And whereas the 2025 indictment of a former city official on charges of embezzling public funds highlights the needs for robust safeguards to prevent such breaches of trust in the future. And whereas the legal matter has since concluded in federal court with the director pleading guilty on March 10th, 2026 to all charges including embezzlement, mail and wail and wire fraud and interstate transportation of stolen property.

And whereas ensuring accountability and transparency in purchasing and accounting processes is critical to maintaining public confidence in city government. And now therefore, be it resolved that the Quinsey City Council hereby calls for a comprehensive review of the city's purchasing, accounting, human resources, municipal finance, and information technology processes to identify and address any vulner vulnerabilities or gaps that allowed for misuse of public funds.

Be it further resolved that this review includes an evaluation of internal controls, approval processes, and financial oversight mechanisms to ensure the highest standards of accountability and efficiency.

Be it further resolved that the city council recommends the engagement of an independent consultant or auditor as appropriate to assist in this review and provide actionable recommendations to strengthen and enforce safeguards.

Be it further resolved that the findings and recommend recommendations of this review be presented to the city council within 30 days for consideration and implementation as necessary. And be it further resolved that this Quinsey City Council reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding public resources and ensuring ethical governance on behalf of all Quinsey residents.

This order is actually um slightly updated but is pretty much um taken from order 2025-00009 that was introduced by then president council president Ian Kaine on January 21st 2025. Um the meeting minutes indicate that for the most part um there would be limited discussion until the legal matter has resolved.

And since this legal matter has been resolved by the by the um accused pleading guilty, it is time now to bring this forward for public review. I'd like to make a motion that we um consider moving it to finance and oversight.

So, we need to make a motion fir first to um to approve the resolve and then we move it into Okay, we could do it all at once. So, make a motion. Okay. Motion to approve the resolve and move it to finance and oversight committees, but I'd like to open it up for any discussion from my fellow counselors.

So, we have a motion first. Do we have a second on the motion? Second by councelor Ryan and I think councelor Ash wanted to speak. Yes. Thank you, Madam President. I I recall um you know discussing this when President Kaine introduced it last year.

Um, I know that at that point Mr. Walker um had some uh updates on internal policies um and and whatnot and based on the last I believe it's probably been a year since that was introduced um is this something that we'd be looking to discuss in a subcommittee or is this something that maybe Mr.

Walker can update us on now and then we can do the sub commmittee meeting as well or um that's more a question for him. But I I know when we discussed this a year ago um Mr. Walker had alluded to some internal changes and uh really asking if there's been an update with the department head change and um I know some of the the staffing at the the council on aging as well.

Are you open to that? Certainly. Okay. Mr. Walker Yes. Uh through you madam madame president. Um two two components to it uh councelor Ash and councelor Riley. First I think as we said in when the original resolution uh came up uh last year that uh more than happy to provide the council uh with as much information as we possibly can uh as a very bad situation as it as it was.

Um actually quite proud of how uh the internal team handled it. Um within hours um we had a forensic auditor uh into meet and everything was frozen. Everything was done correctly. Um that forensic audit uh subject to um the federal investigation.

Um I know understand the timing the case has been concluded with the plea. Um but based if upon approval if this resolution is approved um still need to check with legal who does need to ask uh the US attorney's office to what as to what level uh documents can be shared uh discussions can be had uh the case is concluded in one component but there are open ends to it uh an open end to it um as far as I'm have been aware relative to the the solicitor's office and I think that's sentencing so I don't know if the federal government considers the case conclude it's a question we have to ask them whether the case is concluded at sentencing or whether the case is concluded upon the guilty plea and whether or not they're comfortable with us having the discussion releasing the forensic audit and getting to some of the the nuts and bolts that are included in the resolution but as we've discussed before a lot of that work has been done uh we're happy to discuss in the future specific to councelor Ash's question I think I would reserve obviously at the council's behest um talking about that within and that the structure of the committee um as as part of an answer to the resolution, but can say that um specifically that the cash handling policies uh have been augmented with with additional oversight.

Uh there've been a number of of other um mechanisms mechanisms that have been put in place since this incident uh took place. Uh but again, happy to discuss that uh at the appropriate time within the committee.

Okay, so we have a motion and a second by Miss um by councelor Ryan. So is that an all in favor? Oh, there's a roll call vote. Roll call vote. So it's going to go into finance and oversight. Correct. Yeah.

Roll call. Councelor Ash, yes. Council Debona, yes. Councelor Hubley, yes. Councelor Jacobs, yes. Council McCabe, yes. Council Riley, yes. Council Ryan, yes. Councelor Yen, yes. President Mahoney, yes.

Nine members. Okay, moving on to item number six, 2026 057, a resolve request and comprehensive report on city property transactions. Okay. And I'm going to recognize councelor McGee. So, I wrote this resolution because the council will soon be considering sub a substantial property purchase that of the Eastern Nazarene College campus, which lies in Ward 5.

To assess the potential risks and benefits of that purchase, I believe we must understand the kinds of land deals the city has made in recent years and their effect on the city's finances. So, this resolution requests a comprehensive list of all property transactions made since 2010, their purchase, sale, and lease prices, their funding sources, any revenues and costs generated, and any outstanding debts.

This information is especially crucial because of the current state of the city's finances. Quinsey carries more debt when adjusted for tax revenue than any of the 50 largest cities and towns in Massachusetts, while it has the least amount of free cash by that same metric.

So, I move that order 2026-057 requesting a comprehensive report on city property transactions be approved and that the resulting report be discussed at a future joint meeting of the finance and oversight committees.

So, we have a motion. Do we have a second? Second by councelor Riley. And then on the motion, anybody on the motion, council Ryan. Sorry. Okay. Approve. You don't have You're just like waving to me. All right.

So, nobody on the motion. We're going to move to a roll call vote. Oh, wait. Did we do it correctly? Just before we did it correctly, so I just want to make sure we did it correctly. Okay. We're going to move to the roll call vote.

Councelor Ash. Yes. Councelor Debora. Yes. Councelor Hubley. Yes. Council Jacobs, yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, yes. Council Ryan, yes. Council Yen, yes. President Mahoney, yes. Nine members.

All right, moving on to item number seven. 202658, a gift for $3,250 from various donors to deer. Motion to approve. Motion to approve. Second by council by Noon, second by Jacobs. And a letter of thanks.

And all those in favor? I I. Any opposed? Okay, the eyes have it. Then we have communications and re no approval of previous minutes from March 16th. Motion approved by councelor Deona. We don't have a second.

Council. Madame President, I request that this be included in the meeting minutes to accurately reflect a material aspect of the discussion and to protect the city's interests in the event of any future disapport regarding and disclosed the chemicals in the turnout gear.

I understand that in the robot's rule minutes are not intended to be a verbaten record but however however they may include a key points necessary for clarity accountability and the protection of the city.

This request is limited to documenting a material exchange directly related to the city's liability considerations. That said, I make a motion to amend the minute by adding the following paragraph. This is adding to the March 23rd check meeting minutes.

So based on the international So this is the paragraph I want to. So by adding the following paragraph based on the international association of firefighters guidance council Yen requested disclosure of any flame retardants or chemical treatments used to replace ps.

The minican representative declined citing intellectual property concerns. Councelor Yang also requested a protective language in the purchase agreement such as compensation if an disclosed toxic chemicals are later identified.

This request was also declined. Councelor Yan further raised a concern a concern that PAS free turnout deer may increase the risk of physical burns due to reduced oil repellency. The minican representative did not address this concern.

So I want to amend by adding this paragraph in the meeting minute. I would like March 23rd. Okay. Yeah. Right. Could you pass it then? Yes. Could you email it to Richard tomorrow? Can you email it to Jen tomorrow?

What email? Can you email it to Jen? Yeah, I will. Okay. So, we have a motion on the floor and a second for March 16th and March 23rd. So, we're going to have March 16th. will go through and um why don't we just vote on March 16th first?

All those in favor for March 16th? I any opposed? And then moving on to March 23rd with the friendly amendment. Um do we have a motion for that? Motion by council, seconded by councelor Ryan. Um all those in favor with the friendly amendment.

Any opposed? No. No. Okay. Say two nays. Two nays. Okay. Two ns. All right, motion passes. Communications and reports from um from the mayor and other city officials and city boards. I do have um a couple um of requests.

Utility ward 5, grant a location, National Grid Gas at 1550 Hancock Street. I also have um a couple of traffic requests. Ward three, Council Hubley add handicap parking to 62 Hobart Street. Ward six, Councelor Riley add handicap parking at 258 Newberry A.

That's it. All these to be referred to ordinance committee for advertising and public works committee for scheduling and advertising. Okay, thank you very much. Um, moving on to unfinished business and proceeding meetings.

Seeing this is Oh no. So moving on to I don't see any for that. So moving on to reports of committees. We have um oversight coming up first. So oversight. Yep. So, um, on April 6th, 6:30 p.m. to 6:56 p.m., uh, the oversight committee met here in the great hall, and, uh, we talked about, uh, 2026 017 in order to approve the location of the lease for solar energy implementation at the Squanam Elementary School, and it came out of committee of positive 90 vote.

Is that a motion to approve? Yep. Do we have a second? Councelor McKe. Um, is this a roll call vote? Roll call vote, please. Councelor Ash, yes. Councelor Deona, yes. Councelor Hubley, yes. Councelor Jacobs, yes.

Councelor McKe, yes. Councelor Riley, yes. Councelor Ryan, yes. Councelor Yen, yes. President Mahoney, yes. Nine members. So, now we're moving on to ordinance for council McKe. Yes. Um, so this was a traffic request um to add a no left turn on Codington Street in Ward 1 um at the car wash driveway.

Uh, positive recommendation made by the ordinance committee. So motion to approve 2026 052. Motion to approve, seconded by councelor Deona on the motion. All those in favor? I I Any opposed? Okay, the eyes have it.

You have another one. Is that it, councelor? That's it. Okay. So, we're moving on to public works. It was a joint joint meeting and I'm moving this over to councelor Ash. We had um a joint meeting uh between the ordinance committee and the public works committee earlier this evening at 6:45.

Um we had pre presentations and uh deliberations on two ordinances. The first being 2026-010 ordinance amending chapter 270 sewer and water adding article 4 prohibited dischargers and enforcement uh public uh I'm sorry positive recommendation as amended um and we if we can take a vote on um that one.

Okay. So we have a positive recommendation as amended for which order was it? Sorry for 2026- 010 010. Do we have a second? Councelor Ryan and we need a roll call vote. Councelor Ash. Yes. Council Dona.

Yes. Councelor Hubley. Yes. Councelor Jacobs. Yes. Councelor McKe. Yes. Councelor Riley. Yes. Councelor Ryan. Yes. Councelor Yen. Yes. President Mahoney. Yes. Nine members. Okay. And similarly, uh, we heard from, uh, Commissioner Graioso as well as the engineering department and Granite City Partners on, um, 2026-010 ordinance amending chapter 300 storm water management section 14D and enforcement violations and penalties.

Uh, positive recommendation from committee. So, motion made by motion made to motion to approve. Motion to approve by councelor Ash, second by councelor Ryan on the motion. Seeing none, roll call vote.

Councelor Ash, yes. Council Dana, yes. Councelor Hubley, yes. Council Jacobs, yes. Council McKe, yes. Council Riley, yes. Council Ryan, yes. Councelor Yen, yes. President Mahoney, yes. Nine members. Moving on to presentations.

Um, presentations, petitions, memorials, or remmonstrances. Council Dono. Thank you, Madam President. Um it's been a few weeks since we were able to have a full meeting here. So um it's a heavy heart that James Jim Rendle passed away on March 16th.

He was down in Boca Raton. He would did some golfing like like a couple hours couple days before he he actually passed away. But um you know he was a true proud 1966 graduate of Quincsey High School. He was a standout in football, basketball, and track.

He then went to UMass Ammerst on a football scholarship. Um he married his high school sweetheart, Linda. Together they love to travel, dine, watch sports. Um if you know him a long time, um Jim was a recreation director at Quincsey YMCA before owning a successful seafood business.

Um you know, his his true calling really was education. Um he was an unbelievable coach. Um during his decadesl long career coaching girls and boys volleyball and basketball. Um Jim traveled to tournaments nationwide and won multiple division one state championships and guided many player play players to representative athletic college scholarships across the country.

He was a fierce competitive um coach um and he made it clear that you you just had to contribute, you know. Um he also on the back end of his career um he was the athletic director for Quinsey public schools.

I got to know Jim over the years just in general watching him. But um I was on the school committee. He put forward the mites under the lights which is the um you know the young players at second third grade level um playing at halftime for Quinsey High School in North Quinsey High School.

Jim was uh Jim was allowed that to happen back in 15 years ago which was great. Um most of his life Jim and Linda retired in Plymouth and Delray Beach, Florida. They built great relationships. Um many passions and true to his family.

Um many many um children, grandchildren, um they just had a celebration of life at Granite Lakes on March 30th. Um please keep your um thoughts and prayers with the Rendle family. Very instrumental in the city of Quinsey.

Thank you. Thank you, Councelor Jacobs. Yeah. Just want to recognize um Paula Gordon uh from Housck Rock Island Road. Long House Neck family. Uh married to Marty Gordon. Um just a great guy. Um she was involved in scouts.

Uh they they still are involved in scouts. Great family. Um both their grandkids are Eagle Scouts, you know. Um but uh she was, you know, she was always around. She was there. She was quiet a lot. But uh she also worked in Quinsey public schools for many years teaching ESL uh to students.

I know she worked at Athan how because I was there. I'm assuming she kind of worked at other schools too. But um she was just a great lady and uh she passed away uh after a pretty uh tough battle of three years.

So just hope that we can keep her in our thoughts. Thank you, Counc. Thank you, Madam President. It's been a it's been a while since we've done um these meetings. So also want to recognize unfortunately he passed away Frank Mclofflin um Frank of Squanum um passed away on March 11th um his battle with cancer.

He was he was a great guy. I saw him around the community quite a bit. Um you know he grew up um moved to Squanum but he had long lasting relationships over at the posts um the Nickerson posts um and you know he was very influential in the community.

Um, you know, he he had a lot of great great relationships with with people in the community and um he'll be really really missed. So, I just wanted to recognize the Mlofflin family. Keep him in your thoughts and flares.

Bye, Frank. Anybody else? Okay. Moving moving on to emotions, orders, and resolutions. Seeing none, moving on to upcoming meetings. Councelor Riley. Yes. I'd like to um schedule a finance committee meeting for um next Monday, April 13th.

I'll work with um the administration and council president to establish the agenda before Thursday, right? Wednesday. What time are you thinking? Um if there's no others, I mean, I'd like to do 6 6:30.

It is a body of the whole, but 6:30 is a little 6:30 that's fine. 6:30 is better. It sounds like it might be the only the only thing we're doing, the only business we're conducting unless someone else calls it.

Anybody else? Does anybody else have any committee meetings that they'd like to have that night? Okay. So, 6:30 it is. So, 6:30 it is. Any other meetings that are going to be called? Okay. So, we're moving on to adjournment.