Council, can I have a motion to approve the budget minutes from our meeting that occurred on May 29th and June 11th? So move. Motion has been made by council normal, seconded by councel. Discussion on the
minutes. Seeing none, I will call the roll. Council Marl. Yes. Council. Yes. Council President Rodriguez. Yes. And I the chair votes in the
affirmative. All right. Council new business. The first item we have under new business is item 310-25. The authorization to expend $381,287 of the FAA grant fund for federal projects.
Our WY 5 and drainage program brought to us by our airport manager Francisco. Thank you very much counselors here and those at home Francisco Lawrence airport and on behalf of the Lawrence airport we
have a project. This is a federal project long in the process in the works. Um is for $381,287. Uh this is a drainage project for runway five, the end of runway five. Um water,
we're trying to contain the water so it could remain within the drainage area and and drain towards the Marramac Valley. And so we were awarded a federal grant. And so what I am asking tonight is your authorization to expend those
funds and therefore we could create a fund uh in paper to be able to uh deposit those monies and expend those monies. Council, any questions for Mr. President, you have any questions or are
you all set? still muted. Madame chair, if I may, uh, through you, Madam Chair, um, director Urinia, so this will be the second phase of the project. Are you using this to cover the
second phase of this project? Essentially it is. Yes. Right. Because there was one for design and then this is for the actual next phase of the project. Correct. Um thank you. But just for for future
reference um would you mind sending more details? Sure. Happy to provide that. I didn't know how indepth we needed to get into this but um I was just following the guidance of hopefully for for the full council meeting. Okay. Just to get a little bit of more details. Um sure. Um that will be very
Thank you madame chair. Thank you. President, you have any questions or comments. All right. If there are no further questions or comments at this point, I'll entertain a motion. Motion to send to full counsel with a
favorable recommendation. Motion has been made by council normal. Is there a second? Second. by council zone discussion. Seeing none, I will call the role. Council president Rodriguez. Yes. Council Marl,
yes. Council Lone, yes. And the chair will be affirmative. Stay right there. Thank you, councelor. All right. Next item. Item 311-25. Approval to file bond authorization
application for construction phase of airport administration building project brought to us by Yes. Thank you very much. And so on on the aspect of details um this is new to me this process of trying to go out to bond. Um, we were gr awarded uh some
five years ago a in in a commitment from Massd Aeronautics to replace our airport administration building. That's where the offices of the airport are located. That's where the restaurant space is located and a tenant space. Um that was
five years ago counselors and we were just last week finalizing design numbers for a potential replacement project of said building and it comes up to $9.6 million. So, the state is firmly committed to $7 million. And what we're
asking for on behalf of the airport is to be able to have a conversation with bond council and finance department to be able to bond the difference of that project so that we could be able to um find a way to fund it and and proceed
and and move forward. I am happy to provide any and all details that you would like on this. ITE like I said is very preliminary on my aspect of this ask and trying to see how we could walk a path forward.
So essentially what exactly is the project I have a quick question president sure So I can't I can't I can't I I'm able to hear the podium but not the counselor.
So I don't know if I have the floor. I guess he said he can't hear me but he could hear you. So are you looking for Mr. Urana to repeat his presentation? President. Yes. Uh just quick question in regard to
this to this item. Is the item is related to the funding that Masot is committed to or the funding that is the extra the the other amount that is not quite committed by the state. So to be able to u
uh get a bond for that extra $2 million. So can you clarify on that? Sure. I'm happy to clarify. So the question is is the it would be the difference ultimately um and because the state reimbures on a
monthly quarterly basis. So we would be able to support the project as we are able to pay the bills and and reimburse. But at the end of that project, we would have a delta of at this point $2.6 million that we would like to close. And therefore, that is the amount we would
like to bond unless some, you know, Mass DOT is able to find any more monies and they're they don't seem to to be committed in this environment to to that latter uh topic. So therefore, yes, we we would like to bond or borrow
with with terms of repayment to be able to proceed with a a similar size building of what we have now with the same amenities of what we have now, office space, rental space of a restaurant and and a and rental space of an office that we could be able to uh
maintain uh a a level of of services at the airport. All right. So I guess that based on that you're not we're not talking uh to authorize uh the spend the shortcoming from us. So I can stay within this item
on the discussion. Okay, there are any other questions or comments? Council Mar um through you council president. The only comment that I wanted to make is that I recently took a trip and a tour at the municipal
airport. So I was able to see firsthand all the work that that's being conducted and I was able to also get all the details um through our director um that entails this project. So um I'm okay with moving forward with a favorable
recommendation. I submit that in the form of a motion. Madame chair motion has been made by council. Is there a second? Second the motion discussion. Um it looks like this is going to be a
huge project. It will be. Yes. It will be. Yes. So I think we should take in consideration uh local companies um when it's time to bid. Oh no. with absolutely uh we are
committed to diversity first and foremost in this project. Um it was tough in the phases that we have done. The first phase was the OPM the owner project manager very niche type of uh commitment and even the responses that we had did not meet those standards. So we went with somebody who had that level
of experience who has done these buildings in the past and continues to do that. So that was the first phase on the engineering. uh it is a similar commitment we're finding and we're trying to but I think on construction is when we are really going to uh put a focus locally on local standards, local
aspects and opportunities here in Lawrence. Yes, thank you for uh for that and make sure that the community is aware uh if you can post or organize a information section. We have
businesses in the city that are capable in to do this type of job. We just need to open the communication. Um we need to be part as a community uh part of this type of projects.
I'm personally committing to that uh counselor. I believe that not only the aspect of of all those things that matter, but I think just bringing more people from Lawrence to the airport in North Andover, which is part of the city of Lawrence will get us to close a lot of gaps when it comes to just awareness.
Uh, you know, the experience that that councelor Marl had is one that very few people choose to not cross under 495 to make it into the airport. And I'm actively trying to change that. I I understand they may not want to do that. Maybe that's something for community
leaders and counselor, but they will love to have an opportunity to bid and to make some money as other companies. Absolutely. From Boston. Sure. And on any other town are doing. Sure. But thank you so much for extending uh
that invitation to the community. Yes. So community pay attention. The director is just invited all of you to stop by the airport and we could start as early as Sunday when we're having our open house at the airport from 11 to 3. We received today to you. We receive an
invitation today. I appreciate it. Thank you for an event and I will share that. Thank you so much. Thank you counselor. Thank you. Any comments? Seeing none, I will call. Yes.
Yes. Council President needs to recuse himself. Yes. Okay. President is recused and the chair votes in the affirmative. Thank you counselors. Appreciate it. Have a great evening and hope to see you Sunday. Thank you much. Be well. All
right, our last item of green item 312-25, authorization to pay prior year bills in the amount of $947 with60 brought to us by director of
veteran services and director. Uh good evening, counselors. uh Victor Ortega, director of veteran services, seeking authorization for 94760 cents for uh last fiscal year uh bill.
Uh we got a lot I went to a conference back in June for uh the association for veterans veteran services officers and had a lot of back and forth with the hotel staff about like take off the taxes, leave off the taxes and uh we missed the deadline for submission. So,
I'm seeking authorization to submit the paperwork so I can uh get that reimbursement back. [Music] Uh I just want you to share how is the department how are you doing? How's the department going? I I saw you in one
event at the companion at the at the disability. Oh, the disability uh community fair I rename the uh please chair in two minutes or one
minute how is uh the department doing? So we are uh right now we're on the process of uh doing reertifications for chapter 115 which we do uh twice a year January and July. Uh we are closing up
for uh this uh fiscal year 2026. Uh in regards to uh uh things in the community, we are we are doing our best to attend every funeral uh for veterans in the city. uh in the past three four
weeks uh I attend uh five funerals. I got one more coming up and two more next month uh trying to uh find ways where uh we can uh uh increase our outreach uh to the community. I've been getting a lot
of uh calls and a lot of uh comments when it comes to uh veterans in the city not knowing where the office is located. So that is something that I'm looking to uh to tackle like in the next couple months to make sure that veterans have all the information and not only veterans but their widows and dependents
as well uh to so they know where to go uh when it comes for benefits or uh for widows where to come when their spouses pass uh where they need to come for uh for help. So
thank you for sharing that. Um, thank you madame chair. Any questions or comments? Seeing none to send to full counsel with favorable recommendation. Second [Music]
by council discussion. See none. I will call it The chair's mic is difficult to hear. Really loud in here.
Yes or or no? House president. On the motion. On the motion. I'll vote yes. Thank you. Councelor Marmal, yes. Councelor Luzon, yes. And the chair votes in the affirmative. Thank you, director. Thank you.
councilors. Before we before we have a motion to adjourn, uh quickly, I originally planned ahead of time to have the um the the company or the organization that
does our the city's annual audit here for this meeting when it was when I thought the meeting would be for Wednesday. Um, I know our CAF tried, our acting CAF tried to get them for today's meeting. Um, but I'm assuming that they couldn't make it. Be prepared for that
for the next budget and finance meeting if they're available. Um, this item did slip through the cracks a little bit. It came to us while we were in the middle of budget hearings and everything that was going on with budget. So, um, I reconnected with our capital on this and
hopefully we will we will get this squared away for our next budget and finance meeting. Okay. Now, at this point, I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. Motion to adjurnn. Motion has been second.
Properly seconded by councelor Luzon. Um, roll call. Council President, yes. Councelor Marmal, yes. Councelor Luzon, yes. And the chair votes yes. Thank you so much everyone. Have a great evening.