conducted as a hybrid meeting you may remotely access the meeting through the digital platforms um that we have listed which is our Facebook Lawrence City Council page and our YouTube Lauren City Council page pursuant to chapter 20 of the acts of 2022 this meeting of budget
and finance committee is being conducted both in person and via remote participation a reminder that persons who would like to listen to listen to and view this meeting while in progress may either attend in person
um or uh in person uh located at 200 Common Street or uh any of uh the following access locations which I have previously mentioned give me one second and I just want to make sure
Left one okay i want to make mention and highlight um that our uh chair of our meeting Stephanie Infante unfortunately she can't make it today which is why I am chairing today's meeting i also want to make mention and highlight that our
city councelor from district B Wendy Lon um she is uh joining us via uh remote um and I I would like to thank her for joining today's meeting considering that she is um out of the country at the
moment um assisting with the families of the victims of the tragedy that occurred at the Dominican Republic uh before we begin today's meeting I just want to uh briefly just uh have a moment of silence for uh the victims that we lost which is
Frey Luis uh the owner of Terral Luna Florinda and Gustavo which are among the other victims um among the other victims that passed away um so if we could please stand up for a moment of silence followed by the
pledge of allegiance okay states of America and to the republic for which it stands one nation one nation under God indivisible liberty and justice for all i would also like to make mention that
um our city council president um and city councelor at large Javanni Rodriguez is also joining us uh via remote uh minutes for council approval uh dated March 12 of 2025 uh can I get a motion to approve
motion to approve second okay all those in favor say I i n and the eyes have it um under new business we have item number 1125 review of Lawrence Redevelopment
Authorities financials um it is conveniently on the LS's end that they are unable to attend today's meeting um so if we can get uh if I can get uh a motion to table this um that way we
could What was that before we table I would like to expand a little more on there on that item okay is that um um before we open up for before we put a
a me put promotion uh to either table or do something else with the item I would like to ask to see if they actually just for the record if they actually provide any type of uh situation as to why they wasn't they
were not able to to come in front of the city council for this item so you are do you want to submit that in the form of a motion um I just wondering to see if they submit anything just for the record with us to have it on the as part of the
discussion i don't have anything on record i spoke with our chair uh due to the fact that she wouldn't she wasn't able to attend today's meeting um and the only details that she provided me with was that they were able to attend
the original meeting that uh the budget and finance was scheduled for which is I believe uh this past Thursday um so due to the rescheduling of this uh meeting for today they are unable to attend uh you
know today's meeting understood it is important to recognize madame by share that uh these item the purpose of uh us evaluating this item is because uh these funds that they are administrating are part of the ARPA funds and out of the
$58 million that the city of Lance received back in 2021 and they were a were $2.5 million we would like to see as as others um I believe they were one of the largest amount that we award parts and um we
would like to see and to get to know more about the details also how they've been managing that those funds uh around the ARPA u and essentially that's going to happen also with um other uh recipients of the ARPA
funds so since they have to be they have to be providing records as of how they manage those funds Essentially that's the main thing as of why we we have this item tonight uh one of them one of the main thing there is others that we're
going to be discussing as well but just for the record madame madame vice chair I would like to put that there so people knows uh why we we bringing them in front of us and um and that's important because I
mean uh we don't want this to be um this this to be sounds as in a specific situation to the lar we are going to do back with every everyone that was awarded or uh some type of fund from the ARPA different type of situation bring
different type of conditions and uh they were one of the largest amount that we uh designated or approved to be managed by the L okay i agree with you uh council president i
I I'm 100% on board in terms of the the L needs to be questioned what was that you can't hear me you can hear me sorry uh what I was saying is that I agree with you 100% um
in terms of the L uh being questioned in regards to their financials um I think it's time that uh we need to kind of put our foot down i think we've been a little bit too lenient um and giving
them how would I call it giving them the the benefit you know benefit of the doubt of properly doing what they should be doing um and I think it's time that um we start questioning a uh things a little bit further um and at this point
I'm I'm wondering are we able to freeze their financials current the current fi the current uh financials that they have uh as of now are do we have any authority to freeze
um to block like is there anything is there any input on your end in regards to what could we do as a as a as a body as a you know city councilors um if they choose to ignore our requests
no I mean I hope that that's not h that doesn't happen i hope that they're going to be able to attend to the next meeting so we can have proper conversations about about this fund ARPA funds that we we we provide to them to manage and to do and designated for the specific
reasons um I hope that that we don't get to that point but obviously yes we have the we have the authority to uh to put conditions and uh request answers of those conditions and and obviously the
the ARPA fund become a free cash back in 2022 and since it become a free cash we we have the the full authority to have it an opportunity to discuss at the at the as an initial point and it's
sequentially if hopefully we don't get to to those type of resolutions i hope that we can uh get together and discuss how they've been managing the funds and if they are according to the guidance and then we should be okay okay but we
definitely the city council have an authority just like we have we authorize those funds for the expenditures once we authorize those funds for expenditure that doesn't mean that we just stay quiet okay i I believe I think it's important
for us to start having some sort of plan of action um given if they continue to decide not wanting to attend meetings when we're requesting their presence so that's something I I recommend that we look into to be prepared um what what will be
our next step um councelor Lone is there is did you want to add to the discussion of this item uh if I may madame chair uh and and I would like uh to hopefully maybe make a motion if it's possible
requesting to request uh to send a letter to Aler uh stating that uh we are expecting uh their present in the next meeting as a uh a committee and I I don't know if it's that is a possibility
madam chair send a letter requesting their presence uh strongly be requesting their present in the next uh budget and finance committee i agree can I can I make that in a form of a
motion can I get a second second all those in favor say I i and the eyes have it madame okay councelor Wendy Lung yes council President Javanni Rodriguez
yes and chair vice chair yes marble yes the motion pass the motion passes the um All right um besides uh now that we've uh done this motion is there anything else um you know we could submit another
motion on any other type of request uh on our end to the L or are we all set with the initial motion with just the letter alone on my end we're good um at any moment I I going to make a motion to table uh if it is no anything else to
discuss okay motion to table can I get a second second second roll call roll call for motion to be tabled the item councelor Wend Lang yes council president Javanni Rodriguez yes
vice Chair Vivian Mar yes motion passes um the next item on the agenda is item number 13825 authorization to expend 54,932.70 of the Commonwealth Transportation Infrastructure
Enhancement Fund we have our engineer Oliver Aguilar on behalf of uh DPW Director Jorge Haime if you don't mind getting into um this item um what if you could give details as to how the these funds
will be used i did see that it will be focused on the downtown area so if you could kind of describe uh to what extent from in down downtown if you could give specific streets so the more information the better all right um I'm Oliver Aguilo
city engineer 16200 Common Street Lawrence um yeah we're going to use those files to uh do a pavement markings we have a a project on Exry and we are working right now on the planning to uh
do a lot of work you know we're going to be doing a sidewalk we're going to be doing a pavement we're going to be doing uh uh markings we're going to be changing signs and all those stuff and we will we would like to use that money for for that project
okay is this all of Essex Street is there is like is there inside streets among Essex Street like Common Amesberry Hampshire that we'll be focusing on or is it just Essex Street for now essex Street from South Union to
um Winter Street south Union to Winter Street winter Street yes okay if I may Madame Chair of course councelor Lone you have the floor are you planning to uh can you go over
the um the project i I just got a two of the things that you mentioned if you please go over what is the specifics of the project well I mean we had a a project that
um Tio already come over here and talk to you guys um but it's going to be a project we're going to be doing a paving from South Union to Winter Street we're going to be mean okay we're going to be fixing the sidewalk from the same area
sidewalk sidewalk we're gonna be um cutting treads that is destroying the sidewalk we're going to be removing roots we're going to be doing a markings we're going to be I mean replacing um signs signs and what else and a few more
things how long if I may Madame Chair how long uh is this project is going to take how long also and I like to know well answer that and I will go uh and ask my second question can you repeat the question please
how long is this project is going to last what's the time frame i mean we on the process of planning right now on the step of planning we are still planning we don't really know how long it's going to take and uh but we're still planning on the time and the budget i'm asking if
I may Madame Chair I'm asking because uh uh I would like to know if this is going to impact the businesses on Exit Street cuz you mentioned paving you also mentioned sidewalks so um knowing that
the summer is already is almost here and I know you have to work uh you also have to take advantage of the summer but I have to um speak on behalf of of the business owners on Ex Street and I would
like to know if this project is going to affect negative uh our businesses on Ex Street i don't want to see it's going to interfere in any way i don't want to say negatively I want to say possibly
because we're going to be fixing sidewalk for the pedestrian and uh you know all those pedestrian that goes to those business but it going to have a a big impact during construction yeah if I may madame chair and and and and I use
the word negative because it can affect uh their businesses uh customers are going to be able to um support their businesses it's summer is coming and summer is when restaurants and other businesss make uh more money
so that's why I'm asking about time frame uh and I know that you are in the process of planning right now yeah but I think it will be important to know uh the time frame and also uh it will be
extremely important to send communication to the business owners so they can be ready and you know that uh and we know that in business uh in summer we use the outdoors uh some of the business owners will be using the outdoors it's this project uh I want to
know if this project is going to impact their businesses not really no cuz we don't going to do the entire sidewalk we're going to be fixing the like a patch right the the bad area the area
that is destroying but uh I would say probably going to replace um probably five% of the sidewalk is going to be um fix it other than that I don't think we're going to close any any sidewalk it's going to be open for pedestrian and
for the people that go to a different businesses um thank you uh thank you Madam Chair if I may Madam Chair I would like to request and I know that he mentioned uh engineer Rosario if I can get if you can send
uh the some information about planning uh just to review it uh and also uh it's important that you communicate this to the business owners once again it's if it's going to
happen during summer it can impact the businesses yeah well I know you what you're doing is great for the downtown yeah don't misunderstand what I'm trying to explain here but communication is highly important
if you can send us details uh the time frame I would I will appreciate it all right we'll do that thank you thank you Madam Chair no you're welcome um council president yes I have a quick question okay you have
the floor um well Mr regulo we we have or councelor Lon have requested send information before and I don't believe that it was sent to us and the other project now this is a secondary project for payment
marking specifically but the other money uh that we approve before she asked the same question around getting information the reason why um me as council at large and and the three of us repres % part of
that part of those uh improvement because council councelor Lon have most of it but uh councelor Marmo also have from Hampshire Street all the way to win all the way to Franklin Street so she have part of it as well and I I
represent the entire city so I I would like to know those information the reason why we want that information is better is because we want to be on your side we want to be on the uh on the DPW side once you guys start working on it we have information so we can get when
we get uh when we get a phone call from business owners or phone call for pedest coming up going around we have the answer and uh and we can tell them uh this is what's happening the time frame is this and they going to be they we're
going to we can hold contractors and DPW accountable in case uh if the time frame is not accomplished so essentially we we want to make sure that we have the most information as we can the previous answer that we get uh from Mr uh Mr
rosario was that uh they don't want over to overwhelm us so but I mean the most information we have is the better because in that way we can we can provide that information to the business owner in case or we can provide that information to acquisitions so don't hesitate to send
us information because we're still waiting and if I miss it you can just forward the email again did any of you counselors wanted to submit any of your requests in the form of a motion or is this just um kind of
leaving it up to um the discretion of DPW to provide that information at their own will l you want to make that as a motion or I can make that as a motion yes please do council President I would like to make a motion to send correspondence to the DPW
department uh on behalf of the city council and this committee to provide u information related to the projects that are going to happen on the downtown areas uh all the way from Union Street to Franklin Street related to uh this $56
million but also the previous uh the previous project that was discussed related to sidewalk and payment uh payment mark payment marking and paving around the downtown second okay and correction it's not till
Franklin it's up until Winter Street right is that Oh yeah sorry winter Street okay not Frank winter Street um okay even longer so just to gain clarity the the motion is to send correspondence to DPW regarding their planning process
the project in general okay including as council lung mentioned time frame related to specific portion or stages of the project okay um council president would you um
would you mind adjusting your motion in adding you know sending correspondence to business owners uh to make sure that they're because I believe councelor Lone wanted that as well yeah we can actually making sure that they're notified that this project is taking place um that
they're given information regarding the the time frame how long this project is supposed to last madam what we can do is have this this motion for the information to the council and then we can actually put another motion right away related to sending correspondent to
the business owners and that way the two are are separate okay okay any further discussions no no okay so what I'll say is I completely agree with uh what each counselor has discussed um not that long
ago I hosted a District D small business forum and they were furious when uh the whole the gas uh you know the the situation with the sidewalks and the roads um a lot of businesses were
impacted to which um it minimized foot traffic um so I'm not sure if you because you said it's still in the planning stages so if you guys could really take into consideration if uh the majority or at
least the bulk of this project could be you know could take place after after 5:00 p.m you know um that way it's not affecting uh daytime hours i know on weekends depending on the businesses on
Essex Street after 5 may not be convenient for them as well um but if you guys could take into consideration you know Monday through Thursday after 5 and then if it's Friday Saturday Sunday where uh Essex Street it's a hub of like
the nightife um and and restaurants um to which uh our residents partake in um this something I just hope you guys kind of like analyze that way we are causing the the least amount of negative impact to those businesses
um I I agree with the notifications need to be sent so although you don't know how long this may take uh for the completion of this project do you at least know more or less what month is this sometime in June July is this something it's approved yeah there's a
high chance to be on June for the month of June we're still planning still planning june June but I mean also Madame Ber we need to know like a little bit about the the scope of the work the scope sometime
what I don't think they want they are going to pave the entire street entire ex i don't I don't think so am I right or wrong mr or are you low are you Say it again say it again i'm sorry uh I don't think that you guys are going to
pay the entire exist do you yeah for now yeah for now is entire access i probably probably over winter street probably we're planning to go up to um um uh street it depends on it
depends on the money yeah all right just just let us know the scope of the work entirely uh also I mean that will be important that I think that the previous motion was unrelated to the scope of the work yeah or this motion actually that will be uh essential so we can u uh we
can figure it out how we will provide that information okay the last thing I'll add is that we all want to work with DPW i think that the work that um the work that's being discussed it's it's work that's essential to the community we need to um
it's certain upgrades that um that the city needs um so we just want to be informed as much as possible that way we are able to kind of get ahead of the game to start notifying them and letting them know how you know if if we could
try to provide any sort of solutions to alleviate uh during this time of of construction um let us be part of the process as well and and keep us informed so um with that being said uh do I have a motion yeah there is a I put a motion
on the table already oh you did can I get a second no it was second second yeah I haven't vote on the previous motion yet oh no we haven't so send the but we get a second from on that okay can I get a
roll call local on the motion correspondence um councelor Wendy Lung yes council President I got it council President Javani Rodriguez
I vote yes and vice chair Vivian Marmal i vote yes motion pass a motion pass madame Basher now I going to end I going to make a motion to actually send correspondence uh once the scope of work has been defined
uh and the time frame is been designed uh I would like to make a motion for the DPW to send correspondence to the business owners um on relationship to this project that can that uh Mr ailo is talking about today and
previously uh to the business owner from ex from on street from Union Street all the way to Winter Street okay there's a motion at the table can I get a second second okay roll call please
councelor Wendy Lung yes council President Gavanni Rodriguez yes vice Chair Vivian Marmo i vote yes the eyes have it motion passes um now madame vice chair I think
that um if there is no more discussion I would like to make a motion to send this item to the full council with a federal recommendation okay can I get a second pending documentation the previous date could you repeat that i couldn't hear that last ending the documentation that
we pre previously request okay uh related to it uh to the time frame and that uh and the project itself not to the communication to the business because that's going to come out later on i understand okay so motion on the
table can I get a second second roll call councelor Wend Lome yes councelor President Javanni Rodriguez yes and vice chair Vivian Marvel i vote
yes the eyes have it the motion passes um did you did you take note of everything just have the director look back at the meeting with all the requests made i will see the video all right thank you
so much for attending today's meeting all right um and there that's all we have for new business unless uh any of you uh have anything um that you want to discuss or
untable no we're all set can I get a motion to adjurnn motion to adjurnn second second uh roll call councelor Wendon yes council president Javanni Rodriguez
i vote yes vice Chair Steven i vote yes the eyes have it at 7:30 motion adjourns 7:34 thank you guys have a good evening thank you Councelor Lon come back home safe
we'll do we'll do all right thank you bye