Council Marl. >> Yes, Madam Chair. >> Okay, perfect. >> Perfect. My voice is a little off, but um just let me know if uh if I need to repeat myself. >> Okay. Okay. We're about to start. I just wanted to make sure that you that you could hear us.
>> Perfect. Fine. >> Good evening and welcome to the budget and finance committee. Today is Tuesday, Mar uh I was going to say March, July 28th. It is now 711 p.m. Voting members
present. To my right, we have councelor Mark Lelant. >> Um, we have the vice chair, councelor Vivian Marmo on Zoom and myself, councelor Stephanie Infante. Pursuant to chapter 20 of the acts of 2022, this
meeting of the budget and finance committee is being conducted both in person and via remote participation. A reminder that persons who would like to listen or view this meeting while in progress may either attend here in the city council chamber or use any of our or use our Facebook,
YouTube or any of our government channels. Counselors, can you please uh join me? If everyone could please join me in the pledge. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
standy counselors. And I have a motion to approve minutes from our meetings that took place on May 27th, 2026, June 4th, 2026,
June 10th, 2026, and June 22nd of 2026. >> Motion to approve. >> Motion has been made by councelor Plan. Is there a second? seconded by the vice chair. >> Discussion councelor Le >> just uh I made this point last time I was in one of these meetings. Uh we are
a fully functional full committee. We're not a subcommittee. So I just want the minutes in the future to reflect the fact that we are a full committee and not a subcommittee. >> That's it. >> Got it. Yep. >> Nothing major. >> Uh Maria, do we have that? >> Thank you.
>> See anything on the agenda, too? It says a subcommittee. It's not. We're have a subcommittee. >> Thank you. Thank you, counselor. Any questions or com any other further questions or comments pertaining to the minutes? Seeing none, madame clerk, can you please call the role?
>> Sure. Um, vice chair Vivian Marmal. >> Yes. >> Councelor Mark Llan. >> Yes. >> And Madame Chair, Stephanie Fonte. >> Yes. Motion carries. >> Motion carries. >> Oh, and
>> council president Javanni Rodriguez is absent. >> Is absent. Councelor, the first item under new business we have is item 290-26, authorization for police and fire to accept and distribute car seats awarded
through the fiscal year 2026 child passenger safety education and assistant assistance program. Today we have the director of support services from Lawrence Police Department and we also have fire chief Delaney here with us to
talk about this item. Uh you have the floor name and and and just for the record. >> Good evening city councils. My name is Rosa Shepard, director of support services at the Lawrence Police Department and I am here and uh with uh the fire chief to present the um FY26
child passenger safety education assistant program. Uh this is administered through the OGR which is the office of grand research by the national highway traffic safety administration with NIXA. Uh we were both approved for uh to be able to
distribute the car seats through the cities in the the city of Lawrence. >> And is this um is this the program that you guys do every year during the summer? The child safety car seat. Well, it's uh we work together with uh
nonprofit agencies, but we only distribute this card through appointments or referrals. We cannot uh um do it through we cannot announce it through social media or any other platform. >> Uh Chief Delaney, is there anything else
you would like to add or are you all set? Um, no. This is a great a great partnership we're going to do with the police department for the community. And we we were able to receive this grant. I believe the police maybe have about 35.
We have about 20. And um they have to go through an organization to be able to have us install it. We we have some plans how we're going to distribute them and I think it's a very good thing for the community.
>> Thank you, Chief. There's any questions or comments for either um Director Shepard or Chief Delaney? >> Councelor Llant. >> Sure. No, >> I wasn't sure if that was >> No, that was that was that was a delay. Uh I don't want to extend this meeting
longer than it has to. I'm just I'm only voting in favor of it because I do believe this is probably helping potentially if it doesn't save lives, it helps uh uh it reduce it's a helpful but I don't have any stats to prove it. Have we've se I'm just curious
have we seen in our city the impact that these these seats have had in our community? >> I think the police department has has done this a little bit more. This is the fire department's first time in in a bunch of years getting this. But when we do go out, you know, throughout the
community, sometimes we do have motor vehicle accidents where kids are not strapped in and that could cause, you know, harm to to children. Also, when you know, if if Lawren's general, the hospital before you leave the hospital
with the newborn, you must have a a a car seat. That's another that's another avenue. I believe the Lawrence general they have some car seats but it's it's not too many I think between the both of us 35 55 car seats and again they'll be done by
appointment >> 50 all together >> just so we're clear so there's a law that requires that that you that children babies in your in the case you just mentioned are required to be in car seats under I believe a certain weight >> they have to be in a car seat And so
that's required. All this is doing is providing assistance to those families who may not have the financial or maybe it's hard. >> That's what this is for. >> There's different levels. Once you get a little bit older, it goes with weight and age, but you know, some of the
actually bigger kids still supposed to be in what we call a booster seat. So when the strap comes over, it still lifts you up a little bit. And then there's some provisions that if somebody stopped by the firehouse and or the police station and they did not have
one, we may be able to install it. We just have to document that. That's how we gave it out. Otherwise, um other than that, it has to be by an appointment through an organization. >> I just it's it's again I don't want to
keep this long. It fascinates me as some as an academic level that we have a mandate, a requirement for people to use it. And and if you don't have the money to purchase
it, what do you do? >> How do you how do you do it? Do you go to your parents? Do you go to your grandparents? Do you find neighbors to give you the money? Where do you how do you do I'm just I'm just curious academically if you didn't have this program >> true >> what do they do
>> and and a lot of times >> legally and have their kids over there or do they how do they manage >> and and we have some people that are trained to install them for me I have three kids they're all bigger now they're out of they're out of car seats a long time ago but sometimes as you know you you're transferring them
through cars maybe an aunt or an uncle's car but they have to be um installed properly as well. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, >> counselors. >> Madam Chair, real quick.
>> No, the the Lawrence Fire Department and the Police Department do it with this that got it through the grant. >> Yes. >> Hospitals the grant. >> No, for the police department, the fire department is it will be through the office of grant and research. >> Office of Grant research from the mass
from state agency. Yeah. From the state agency. Yes. Okay. >> Thank you, Council Marl. >> Um I I'm I'm understanding that it's 50 car seats and for from what Miss Rosa
Shepard mentioned, it cannot be posted on social media. So, I'm just curious if not already mentioned, my apologies if you have to repeat yourself. Um then what is the process like in like what what if you could walk me through what
is the process of uh the distribution itself? Like how would uh uh a mother in need of this car seat would become aware of this? And is there certain criterias um that they would have to meet in order
to receive this car seat? So I guess walk walk us through the process of how one should um schedule an appointment because that's appointment only. How how would they find out about it one and what is the process to get on the appointment list?
>> Usually is uh we get a phone call from the any nonprofit organization. Um the the person oh sorry they will refer the uh the organization will refer the person to the police department. they will call and make an appointment with the certified technician that is uh um
able to install the car. So they will do an appointment a day and a time they will meet at the police department and they will in the training technician will uh install the car but there is a there is a um a form that have to be submitted through the state
letting them know that uh they you they install the car with the name of the person the way of the baby and the type of car seat that was installed. But there there's an application that it has to be um filled out by the person and the police officer letting the state know that this person receive or ex
person receive a car seat. >> Do they have to meet any financial like burden um in order for them to qualify to receive this car seat? As of right now, there's not any specific criteria to be able to receive the car seat. They need
they will need to have a kid of of course and be able to have the car seat. >> Okay, I'm all set, Madam Chair. >> Any other further questions or comments? Seeing none, at this point, I will entertain a motion.
>> Motion to send the full council with favorable recommendation. >> Second. >> Motion has been made by the vice chair, seconded by councelor the plants. Any further discussion? Seeing none, u madam clerk, can you please call the role? >> Councelor Mark Lan, >> yes.
>> Vice Chair Vivian Marl, >> I think I heard yes. >> Was that a yes, Viv? Um, counselor. >> Yes. Yes. >> Council President Joavanni Rodriguez Mark absent and madam chair Stephanie Infante. >> Yes.
>> Thank you. Motion carries. >> We will see you on the fourth. fifth. >> Fifth, I'm sorry. >> Thank you. >> Yes, on the fifth. Thank you. Next item we have is item 291-26,
authorization to expend 1777,400 U for the intersection safety signal equipment grant, which is part of the vulnerable roads user program from Mass Dot. Um, Director McCarthy is unable to
be here with us tonight, but we do have you have a new title now. Um, remind me of your new title again. >> Director of project management and development. >> Project management and also Chief Delaney here for this item. Director, you have the floor.
>> Hello. Thank you um for having me. Elis Reyes, director of project management and development. So this is 174 sorry 177 and 40 I think it is >> to be exact >> 177,400. Y
>> yes and so we're really excited about this because this ties into the overall vision zero uh safety plan. So Marramac Valley Planning Commission had the
safety plan for the whole region and we fall under the vision zero safety pan plan and this is part of the safety inclusion for specific areas in Lawrence. I can read the street names for you. It's eight city locations. We
have South Broadway and Andover Street, Broadway at Lel Street, Broadway at Manchester Street and Daisy Street, Laurens Street at Maple Street, Lauren Street at Haveril Street, Haveril Street at Jackson Street, South Union Street at
Market Street and Marry Street at Parker Street. This is an initiative where mass dot was able to procure the equipment and the city is responsible for the installation. Um the caveat is that we
have to install within 90 days and so we have the manpower luckily through fire department who will be installing these uh equipment at these eight intersections. So, we're here today to request the
authorization to use the funds for the equipment. >> Thank you. Um, Chief Delane, is there anything else you would like to add pertaining to this item? >> No, not at this time. I'll answer any questions if you have. >> Okay. Thank you. Counselors, any questions or comments? Councelor Llant.
>> Thanks. Uh, good. Uh, needed. Uh, we have we have um from the longest time had to increase our duct tape budget because we've been having to try to fix things on the fly and sometimes those haven't
worked. I will let you know that it might I'm I'm glad that there's some traffic signals that are being set up in some locations. Uh I'm going to put something on your radar screen right now that I think is a total safety hazard. a major portion of in my district there is
an intersection of Salem Street and South Union Street where there used to be a light a traffic signal >> totally blown away. Nothing there. All you can see is nub there. There's probably a few others as well, but that is so flagrant. So such a big one. Uh
it's a major major thoroughare. Uh I don't know where that fits in on this. It doesn't. Um I'm not complaining about it. I it seems like it's all around the city there's places that are getting some attention which is good but I just ask that take take a look at that chief
if you can back me up on that I mean you guys have have to travel through that intersection all the time and and realize how crazy it is unsafe it is to have when you're looking for a light that's traffic sign on one side all you've got is one over here and you're not sometimes
you're at a disadvantage if you're not placed in the right position And are you speaking on behalf of DPW as well? >> No. Yes. No. Maybe. >> Yeah. I have the city engineer here. >> It's it's it's it's it's relative to this. It's it's
>> I'll just pass this along in the springtime when there's growth. Sometimes the the traffic signals and the stop signs are covered by trees >> and we're not able people are driving
aren't able to see it. Um, and so I I just I ask that we be a little more what's the word I'm looking for? Um, attentive uh when those when the growth happens because we're putting all these fantastic signs here because we don't have them. We're also have signs that
are already existing that are covered. So, uh, if we're going to be consistent in trying to get signs out to do the right what they're supposed to be doing, which is warning people, alerting people, or whatever, we should be, this should be an a relatively easy um, demonstration
of what we're trying to accomplish. That's it. >> Thank you, counselor. That's a great point and I will note that we will note that for our overarching plan which is the vision zero uh safety plan for the city of Lawrence which you are all invited to when we have our next
meeting. I promise I will be sending that information out. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other questions or comments? I'm going to take that as Council Marl is all set. I do have a question. I well I have a question and two comments. Um
well before I get into that I'm going to read the um funding breakdown the itemized chart here because sometimes we do get feedback of people who are watching at home that we get we we read the overall
you know amount but folks at home don't know what the money is actually going towards and I think this is a very important project. So I'm just going to take a moment to to identify this to read this. So this will cover the cost will cover signal post and base per
pedestrial 8 foot um signage four of them with a total of costing a total of 12 grand. Visors for 12 in signal. We'll need eight of them totaling 400. pedestrian
signal head countdown um countdown timer. The quantity of fif of that it will be 50 57 totaling 68,400 back plates for 12in signal head. Uh we
will be ordering 13 of those totaling 3,250 reflect reflectorized borders on newexisting back plates for mount for postmounted signal heads. Uh we will be ordering 15 of them totaling 3,750.
Accessible pedestrian sign push button left arrow right arrow dual arrow ordering 57 totaling 85,000 85,500. Extensions extension arm um ordering
seven totaling two thou 2,800. push button for s for walk signal sign again left arrow right arrow dual arrow an additional 57 and that would total 1,140 and lastly warning regulatory and route
marker um we will need eight of those totaling $160 which then ultimately gives us the grand total of 177,400 I want to say thank you to this office and the administration Um the South
Broadway Andover intersection is a nightmare. It has been a nightmare since even before I was a counselor. So to to see that something is is being done, I'm very appreciative as a district counselor. So I want to say that. And
then my last thing was a a question. In the correspondence from Mass DOT, it said that um they stated to please respond by Friday, a April 17th, letting us know if you have the capacity to
install the materials and intent to sign the MOA. I'm assuming we we we wrote back to them. We replied in time. So my question is why is this coming to the council now when this was an early on project? So there's a a lot of moving
pieces that take uh that have to be considered. So not only the city side, mass DOT side. So first we need to let them know if we have the manpower. We let them know. Then they had to put together theou. Then they send over theou then we have to review it. And the
mayor did sign theou on June 23rd. So we didn't want to uh come before the mayor signing that. And so we did put in the agenda. Dan McCarthy did put in the agenda, but uh we are on track as of right now. So, >> Got it. Thank you. >> You're welcome.
>> All right, council. Any final comments or questions? >> Seeing none, I will entertain a motion. >> Motion to send this up to the full council with a favorable recommendation. >> Motion has been made by council of plan,
seconded by the vice chair. Any com questions or comments? Seeing none, madame clerk, can you please call the role? Vice Chair Vivian Marmal. >> Yes. >> Councelor Mark Llan. >> Yes. >> Council President
Joavanni Rodriguez noted absent. And Madame Chair Stephanie Infante. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. >> Carries. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. We will see you on Wednesday. All right. And lastly, we have item
292-26. authorization to expend 250,000 in earmark from representative Frank Moran for supplemental costs associated with city bridge projects. And we have director Reyes and also the city
engineer here with us tonight to discuss this matter. Director, you have the floor. Hello Alis Reyes, director of project management and development. So this is an additional $250 $250,000 earmark from rep. Moran to
help with the like um councelor Leland said like kind of like patchwork for the Daisy Street. Unfortunately, we need a lot of funding to uh replace the entire bridge. And so right now what we're doing with this funds is continuing the
quote unquote patchwork. So this bridge was identified as a critical uh bridge for under Mass DOT and so DPW immediately covered a hole that was by the bridge and so this funds is to continue doing the the minor repairs and
design work for that's needed at at the Daisy Street Bridge. >> Thank you counselors. Any questions or comments pertaining this item? Councelor Ll. >> I was hoping someone else could speak so I could stall. I um
>> it's not and I'm trying to find the name of it. I'm embarrassed to say that I don't remember the name even though I'm the guy that says remember the people's names. It's not the Daisy Street Bridge. I can actually tell you it was a a gentleman who was in the um who worked
in the fire fire department or DPW who who fell into the water during a flood and was killed. And that bridge is named after him. And um I just why I can't get Maybe this is here. Hold on. Maybe I
found it. Maybe I found it. Maybe I found it. I did. Theodore bedul. >> Yes. So, um, he's got his own story. I'm not going to read it here tonight, but, um, it really we should be naming if we're
gonna if someone before us named him after, we should be honoring that person for the work that they've done. So, can we just make a note of that? It's it's it's been it's it's been happening now over and over again. That specific bridge. And I keep bringing it up. I keep bringing it up. So, anyway,
Theodore F. Beduel spelled B D U L located at Daisy and Spruce over the Spit River. >> Thank you, counselor. >> Y and thank you for letting me stall. That's it. I think we these bridges are needed. This they're not sexy. It's
infrastructure. If if if the state is going to give us money for it, we should gladly accept the money, fix them, and and yeah, so it's all good. Thank you. Thank you. Council Mormo, is there anything you would like to add or are
you all set? >> I'm sorry for my delay. It takes me a minute to unmute myself. Uh, no, I should be all set. Thank you for the opportunity to speak though. >> You're welcome. Uh, director, I see here within the correspondence
and only I'm only asking this because I don't see the date on it, but in Representative Moran's initial email, he did state that the Senate was going this was going before the Senate for consideration. Has that vote already taken place? >> I believe so.
>> Okay. Yeah, because I I see we don't have the top part, so I don't know. I I can't um because I know they've been in session but All right. Uh counselors I will there >> go ahead direct
>> through you uh counselor ju just because of uh what you mentioned earlier in terms of like making sure that the community understands or knows um just wanted to state that just because we have these funds it it doesn't mean that we're going to fix the bridge within the
next couple of weeks or months. This is it's if you look at it as different phases and so the the final goal is to put the bridge on the state's bridge funding so that the entire bridge could be replaced. But as of right now, we're
doing the best that we can to get the funding to uh pretty much have it at a place where we can drive and walk through it. >> Thank you. And I do have to say um council of plant
Theodor's name is on in the packet. >> Thank you. Well, the stuff that I saw real quick, you didn't have it. Is it? Well, that's a relief. >> It's it's towards under under the overall EMR scope project scope. It is it is there. The full name of the bridge is there. >> All right. Let's just keep that if we
Thank you, Madam Chair. If we can just keep that consistent throughout because I saw some pages here where it wasn't. So, thank you for catching that. Just keep doing that. And and to your point, is there going to be some sort of when when the time is appropriate, will there be some appropriate signage to designate
that bridge for its proper name? >> We can certainly make a note of that and and see if we can um include that in the expenditures for >> there's one there already, >> right? >> Yeah, we can do that. But you know, Mass
D doesn't u actually classify our name that Theodore Um the name that you said >> it's um so they specifically name it as a number and letter and then uh they say
is um Daisy Street over the Speaker River. Uh so maybe I'm saying this because maybe we can forward uh the name the right name to them and then they can have it in the official documentation that they have.
That would be something that we might do, right? Uh >> yes. >> Yeah. >> So on the last page of the transportation earmark initiation form, um and the and the picture that the
representative's office provided, there is you can't really, but there is a little signage that you can see a little bit here. I don't know if that might be Theodore's sign. >> That's the name. You do see the name there. It's a small sign. It's blue and white. >> Okay. >> So, let's just make sure that that is,
you know, protected and make sure that it's um visible when when construction is done. All right. Counselors. I will now um ex uh entertain a motion for item 292-26.
Motion to send this up to the full council with a favorable recommendation. >> Motion has been made by council of plans. There a second. >> Second. >> Seconded by the vice chair. Any further discussion on the matter? Seeing none, madame clerk, can you please call the role?
>> Yes. >> Vice chair Vivian Marmal. >> Yes. >> Council president Javanni Rodriguez absent. Um Madame Chair Stephan Fonte. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Motion carries. >> Thank you. Thank you.
>> See you next week. >> Um, madame clerk, under tabled items 220 228-26 proposed fiscal year 2027 municipal budget. I thought we sent that up to withdraw. We did
>> uh the 2026. >> Yeah, >> I'm pretty I'm pretty sure we >> we did. Yeah. >> Okay. Can we make make a note just to make sure that it's off the the >> the agenda >> agenda. >> All right. And that is all for today
counselors. At this point, I will entertain a motion to adjourn. >> So moved. >> Motion has been made. >> Second. >> Councelor the plan seconded by the vice chair. Uh discussion. Seeing none. Madam clerk,
can you please call the role? >> Councelor Vivian Marble. >> Yes. Councelor Mark Llan. >> Yes. >> Council President Javanni Rodriguez absent. And Madame Chair Stephanie Infante. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Meeting is a journ.
>> Over. Thank you so much, counselors. Have a great rest of your night. >> Thank you. You too.