Good evening everyone. Call the city council to order at 8:00 on Monday evening, May 19th, 2025. This meeting is being recorded. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. 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. Thank you. We have 23 items on this evening's agenda and I will ask the city clerk to please read agenda item
number one, minutes of the city council meeting May 5th, 2025. Councelor Brown. Thank you, Mr. President. Move to accept and place on file the minutes. Motion's made and second to accept and place on file the minutes. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, those in favor? Opposed? The minutes are filed. The vote
is 90. Agenda item number two. Now is the time for the public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2026 operating budget in the amount of 215,32,846, which represents a 9.91% increase over the fiscal year 2025 appropriation. Order number 25-1009439.
All right. This public hearing be taken up in four stages. First with the public speaking in favor. Second, questions from the public. Third, public speaking in opposition. And then fourth, questions from the city council. Speakers will have three minutes to state their position. And I will ask
name and address so that I can hear it. With that, we'll open the first part of the public meeting with the public speaking in favor. Mr. Clerk. Uh yes, councelor President. Uh just to for the record, we have received uh four emails in regards to the budget which have been
distributed to all councils. Thank you, Mr. Carrian. Those wishing to speak in favor of the budget, please step up to the microphone. Yep. If you if you wish to speak, please step up to the microphone. You feel free to get a line. Okay. Ask Okay. Gentlemen, there's
no talking in the chamber, so we can hear, please. Thank you. No, not yet. Members speaking, public speaking in favor. Name and address for the record, please. Good evening, councilors. My name is Denise Ryan and I live at 10 Grove Street. Thank you for your
continued dedication and service to our great city. I'm here tonight wearing several hats. As a parent, a resident, a voter, and a longtime member of the school committee. As a parent who has had children in the Malbor public schools for the past 18 years and with two more years still ahead, I've seen
firsthand the dedication of our the firsthand the dedication of our teachers. Every day they work hard to educate, inspire, and support our children. As a resident and voter, I understand that no one enjoys seeing taxes increase, but some investments are
essential, and education is one of them. Supporting our schools is supporting the future of Malro. And finally, as a school committee member for the past 11 and a half years, I take seriously my responsibility to advocate for all students of our district. We've already
asked a lot from our teachers, staff, and administrators. And time and again, they've done more with less. But we are at a point where making it work isn't enough. Our students deserve more. So tonight, I respectfully urge you to approve the school department budget
before you. It is an investment not only in our children, but in the continued success and strength of our community. Thank you. Thank you, Denise. Any other members of the public speak in favor? Good evening, councilors. My name is Michelle Bowden Hettinger. I live at 279
Robert Road. I come before you in favor of the mayor's budget as presented, in particular the school department budget. I am a 30-year resident and homeowner, the parent of two young adults who attended the Malboro public schools from kindergarten through graduation. And I
am in my 20th year on the Malboro school committee. For years, I have watched our community grow and diversify and have been proud of the collaboration and support that is developed between the city and the public schools. Investing in our students is an important
investment in the future of our community. The budget before you reflects the costs of maintaining the level services that our students need and deserve. I respectfully ask that you approve the school department budget as presented and continue to support the work that
our teachers, school personnel, and students do every day. Thank you for your service and dedication to the residents of Malbor. Thank you, Michelle. Any other members of the public speaking in favor? Hello, my name is Michael Hennessy, 199
Sterns Road, and I rise today in support of the school budget, too. Um, looking for council's help to pass the the budget that was proposed by the mayor and the school committee. Um, when I think about the budget and where we are right now, Marorrow is behind the last two or three years per pupil spending. We're actually below the state level of
funding. And when I think about below the average, I I don't like to be below average in anything except my lawn, so don't tell my neighbors, right? But we're at a point now where we're below and we're falling behind. And if we need to be competitive in the marketplace, we need our schools to be funded correctly.
And I think about it, it comes down to value houses, right? Why do we care? If if if we have people want to come here, the value house will will stay. If people want to come here, they're going to pay more taxes, have more economic activity. We're going to remain competitive. The first thing people do is look at how where our schools are to
come here. And if they see that our schools are not funded, we're below the state average for two to three years. That means we have to we have to catch up. So they look to other places to go. So the first is economic reason. The other reason as a dad, my three kids
graduated Marorrow public schools. Both have done phenomenal. My girl just graduated from L Massachusetts mechanical engineering masters. It can be done. I'm thanking the teachers for all the work they've done along the way to help educate her go forward. But again, as a parent, I'm standing here
saying, "Wow, look at what this school has done. Look what this community has done to invest in our kids going forward." I'm standing up today because I want that for every family. I want every family to be proud of where we are today. And you have a tough decision today. What I'm saying is we have to
increase taxes to support our kids. So, I'm helping you right now. We will increase taxes. But to do that, we we put our kids in front of us. We put our future in front of us. We have to do that to stay competitive and for the kids. And then what I think about are the families who are not well off as we
are having a wife and and helping our kids be successful. It's those singles moms, the singles dads, the special needs kids, the kids that look for English as a second language. They need our help. And we can do that with the right funding level. And I'm grateful for what you've done. Tough decision
now. Mayor made an incredible tough decision. He sits on the school committee. Made the first cut. Right. He's sitting at the point of knowing a lot about the schools and what the challenges are for the uh for the city. Again, challenging budget. He cut it. I propose that we keep that budget and
fund the kids going forward. Again, we can't be below average. We're better than that. Marorrow's better than that. Every time we go to the football, someone's throwing 20 bucks up raffles. We're better than this. Okay. I look for this this committee to rise up and support the budget going forward. Thank you. Thank you, Michael. Any other
members of the public speaking in favor? Any other members of the public speak in favor? Any other members of the public? Hi, my name is Darina Griffin. Sorry, I just ran up the stairs so I'm catching my breath. I'm a resident of Marorrow. I
live on Kings Grant Road and I have two children that have both attended Marorrow Public Schools and I think that the school system is a place in the budget where you will see returns on
your investment. I urge you to invest in developing a more dynamic city where our residents are enriched by the education that they
receive in our school system. I think that the city has a financial issue and it's not the only city. If you read the newspaper, other cities are faced with the same issue. But I just think that cutting budgets and tightening belts,
especially in the areas of like school departments and first responders, that's not the way to solve some of these dilemmas. And I understand that there are limitations on what can be done. But
I think that you don't want to cut those types of things just like you wouldn't want to cut infrastructure. You wouldn't want to cut public works. After a while, if you cut budgets and you keep tightening belts, there'll be no more notches in the belt. There'll
be no more tightening to do. And I want to live in a city that attracts communities and attracts families and attracts hardworking people. I want to live in a city where we're
having people come to it, not people leave it because they don't like the school system and they don't like where their tax dollars are going. I think I wouldn't mind a tax increase if
it's going to things like first responders, infrastructures, roads, public works, and schools. That's not something I would ever say, "Oh, I don't I was going to to actually educate our kids." I want Marorrow to be bustling
and filled with kids who become engineers and electricians and plumbers and first responders and doctors and lawyers. I want them to be workingclass citizens and citizens that are educated. And I want them to
raise families here. And I just don't think they're going to do that if they know that their kids are going to be graduating from a school where the reading rates are low, where the graduation rates are low. On my street, the houses are going
for $500,000. These aren't mansions, but in order to buy a house in my like really regular neighborhood, it's a nice neighborhood. 15 seconds, Joan. $500,000. So, who wants to buy a house for $500,000 and then put their kid in a
school who's going to be in a school that has a low graduation rate or a rate where kids aren't getting into four-year colleges. They're definitely not getting into Ivy League schools because the schools that they're coming from aren't funded. Okay. Thank you very much, Joan.
Any other members of the public speak in favor? Any other members of the public speak in favor? Hi, I'm Charles Griffin. I live on Kings Grant Road in Marorrow. I feel disappointed that we're at this
point and that we're asking children to walk to school that we haven't thought about the process of what you guys are asking for the children to do. These are
5-year-olds. And I've had the privilege of coaching 5-year-olds and trying to get 5-year-olds to um listen and to stand in the line and to pay attention. And now we're asking
them to walk a mile down very busy streets and to um not put each other in a headlock or throw each other in the streets. And I think that I think somewhere along the line with the leadership that you guys have
here, you're missing something. I think that we need to look at helping these kids, protecting them, getting them educated, making the city grow, making it a place for people to
want to come. I just really feel there needs to be more into it. You guys have found ways to get grants for the senior center for building
beautiful baseball fields and softball fields and football fields. Why can't we look at ways of getting grants, getting the city to go to the state to get money for whatever funds that we're missing to figure out a way to increase
my taxes a little bit. Maybe we built all this infrastructure here. They're improving the roads. Maybe they could improve on the school systems. You know, like I I'm not the person with the answers, but like figure it out. Come up with some ways. Increase
the the tax on um the meal tax. I don't know. I don't know what the answer is, but that's why you guys were voted into the office and that's why you guys are here. I need you guys get creative. come up with more ideas. Come up with other ways. I don't know if you could increase
the cannabis tax and collect money from that. Whatever it is, you know, get grants, get money, get fundraising. You know, this we're we're better than this. It's a big city. It's growing and you're
going to have to find ways of getting money to support it. Thank you, Charles. Any other members of the public speak in favor? Hi, my name is Meg Manning. I live at 193 Dartmouth Street. I'm sorry, I
didn't I didn't catch the name. Me Manning. Meg. Thanks, Meg. Um, I would also ask the committee to um support and fully fund the school district. I have um an eighth grader and a fifth grader. And as a parent who's very involved in the schools, um been u president of the
PTO over a good now. Um, I have so many parent friends who are sending their kids to schools outside of Malro. Um, you know, many people are going to private schools. They're trying to get into AMSA. Um, the public schools are really already suffering and losing a lot of really great students and
families. Um, and I fear that if the schools are not funded adequately, that it's only going to continue. We're going to keep losing um, you know, really great students and families to other schools, moving to other towns. Um, and it's very upsetting and stressful as a parent to have that happen and not feel
confident in our school system. So, I really strongly urge you to fully fund the school district. Thank you. Thank you, Meg. Any other members of the public speaking in favor? Any other members of the public speak in favor? Dan Caruso and Violet Wood Circle. um
longtime educator and a member of the school committee. Um I wish you all had the opportunity I had today to visit three of our schools as we presented our annual uh teacher appreciation gifts. You can see what we were appreciating, what we're asking to appreciate as well.
Um so many good things going on in our school. Everything that these teachers asked us for that they transmitted that request to our administrators who then sent it to us. everything they asked for is something they know they need so that every child that was in front of them
today, whatever their situation was, was going to be able to succeed now until the end of their school career in Malbor, whether it was this year or 5 years or 10 years from now, whenever it is. Um, it was a great opportunity to really get an idea of what they were
asking us to do. My job as a school committee person, I think, is to just basically look at that information, look at what they're saying, and now having opportunity to observe it firsthand. You know, they're not they're not asking for pie, they're asking for potatoes. That's what they're asking for. The things we
need to keep these schools where they belong. And I think what we're concerned about a lot is treading water. We don't want to tread water. We want to swim. We want to get across that goal line. We want to get the gold medal. And I think the city of Malber is ready for that. And I think we need that. And um I I'm a
a proud uh taxpayer. I've been doing it now for 20 some odd years. And I'm so happy to be able to say that I do that now. Um I have no students of my own school, although I do have quite a few of them that play basketball across from my house every day. Um and um I'm just I'm just so supportive of the budget. To
me, it's I I would not be here supporting that budget if I thought when I was sitting in that meeting room that anything was there that was not necessary. And that's the that's where I look at things. I'm an educator. I've done these budgets before. I've dealt with budgets that were cut to the point
myself when the budget of mine was so small, I never spent it because I couldn't buy anything with the money they gave me to for the number of students I had to deal with in the school system I worked with. So, I'm urging you, please keep the budget the way it is, at least the way it is. Thank you. Thank you, Dan. Any other members
of the public speak in favor? Any other members of the public speak in favor? Hi, my name is Emily Welton. I live at 250 William Street. I've been teaching in Malbor for over 15 years now, and I support the budget. Um, and I support
spending the appropriate amount of money in the public school system. Um, every year I get more and more students in my class with whatever type of need that I need to accommodate them with. Um, former English language learners. Um, I have more of them in my class now than
ever. And I have zero aid in my class this year. I probably have about 15 to 20 students who are fl formerly English language learners. Um, and probably six or seven who is their first time in a social studies class. And I am teaching
students who are like on NJHS at the top of the scale with kids who are their first time in an English um speaking social studies classroom. No aid, no support. And I feel like I'm failing these kids every day because I cannot go at the pace that this child needs and
this child needs down here. And it's like I feel like it's a balancing act all the time. So, just like um somebody who came up here earlier said, if we don't spend the money on education to buy million-dollar homes and half million dollar homes in the city, they're not going to want to send their
kids to the public schools because we can't do our jobs when more and more is asked of us every year and the money's not there. The teachers are extremely overwhelmed. Thank you. Thank you, Ellie. Any other members of the public speaking in
favor? Any other members of the public speaking in favor? Any other members of the public speak in favor? Hearing none, I close that portion of the public hearing. Questions from the public? Any questions from the public?
I do have a question. It's procedural. Name and address. Allesio. A L E S I O. Thank you. 155 Anderson Road. I do have a question, but can I speak again when you call for folks opposing the budget? Absolutely. Okay. First question. Will
we see a line by line, not a complete line by line every item, but a summary of the budget being Yeah, it's on the city's website. Yes, it's it's on the city's website. We won't see it tonight. Not tonight. No, this is a public hearing. Yep. I understand. Thank you. That's okay. Any other questions from
the public? Questions from the public? Hi, I'm Joyce Lyman. I live at 212 Elm Street, Arbor. Uh, I guess my question is, um, I recently got a letter in the mail saying, um, because of property taxes, my mortgage house has
compensating go up a little bit more. So, to hear fiscal year 2026 that my property taxes can go up $700 plus, does that mean $700 per household? like me by myself, one person in my home would be paying $700 on top of what I'm already
paying now with this increase. So the average house is based on a $559,000 home. So, if that's I don't know what your house has assessed at, but if it's at 559, the projection, and it will change in November, but what they're
projecting based on what's been presented by the mayor is a $769 increase to what you're currently paying for your taxes. So, you if you're below $559, it'll be less. If you're above $559, it'll be more.
Yearly. Yearly. That's correct. Yes. Yep. All right. Thank you. You're welcome. Any other questions from the public? Bob Rosselli, 40 Cosmo Street. Just want a clarification. Is that increase 769, is that just for
fiscal year 26 or is this for is this going to be per year for a number of years? No. So again, I'll try to make as simple as I can. Let's just assume you pay I get that. Yes. $10,000 a year in taxes. this year or with this budget's approved, you'll be paying
$10,769 in taxes. Yep. So, just just that's just for this year. So, next year's budget, we'll do it all over again. Okay, that's all. Thanks for clarifying. You're welcome. Any other questions from the public? Questions from the
public? Darina Griffin, Kings Grant Road. Um, on page 54 of your proposed budget, which is publicly available, there is a 70% increase or a 71% increase for fiscal year 26 for other
general government is what it's listed as. It's a reserve for salaries and benefits. Can you explain why there's a 70% increase? Yes. Yep. So, the mayor's got we have contracts that have not been settled. So, we have to fund what we anticipate
the cost of the contracts are. And we had uh monies for salaries to uh nonUN employees that we were anticipating adjusting. And then the potential retirement of firefighters or just union
employees that comes out to that the council or the finance committee recommended a $700,000 reduction in that line item. Yeah. So, it's reduced to basically just cover what we anticipate for union contracts.
And that amount will be just a little over a million dollars. Yeah, a little less than that, but yes, that's correct. Yep. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you, Joanne. Any other questions from the public?
Hello, Harmony Larson, 173 Barnard Road. Um, I have two questions. Will the residential tax rate be the only tax rate increasing to cover the budget or would the commercial tax rate also be increasing? Commercial tax rates increasing as well? That's correct.
What's the split there? Well, right now it's still set at 145. That that'll come before the council in November to adjust that. that could help alleviate some of the increase uh to the residential tax rate. We can only go up to 1.5 and then when you go up to 1.5, every increase
from the year after that is all on the backs of the residential. So, it's important to leave some wiggle room to maneuver the budget so that you have some room to spread out the taxes. Got it. There's a very small increase in the city council budget. I might have
missed something, but is there a a increase in the salaries for city councilors or a new staff person? The city council's salaries are adjusted the same as all union and non-union employees on the city side of the budget
which is a 3% increase which wasn't in last year's why it shows 6% is it wasn't in last year's budget. It was in was Jo in the reserve for salaries in last year's budget and it got moved over. That's why you'll see the council at 6%
along with every other uh union and non-union member whose contracts have been settled in the budget. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome, Harmony. Any other questions from the public? Charles Griffin, Kings Grant Road. Um my question is
um the lodging and the meal tax rate is that something that comes back to the city and is there also a tax on the cannabis for the cannabis stores that we have here? Is that something that come do those taxes go directly to the city? Yeah. So all those are set by state and
local regulations. Cannabis is set by the cease cannabis control commission. We the city takes in about a little under $400,000 a year in cannabis. We can't increase that. That's the 3% on their sales that is required to come back to the city. The meals tax is what
you what you pay when you go out to eat. Um so that that 2% comes but that the city passed an ordinance that's dedicated to improving all the fields. So all the turf fields that you see at the Woodcomb, the high school, we've bonded all that money right now. So we have a million dollar bond payment to
cover all that. So the mill money, mill tax money that we're taking in, it's about $1.2 million a year. Our bond payment to pay for all those synthetic fields is about $1 million a year. So we'll slowly build up on that, but right now we're basically even on the meals
tax. On the hotel tax, that's for people that show up to stay at our res at our hotels. We get again 2% of the the this uh hotel tax that's dedicated for specifically for economic development. majority we take in about a million
dollars of that a year. 800 800,000ish 850,000 goes to the Marbor Economic Development Corporation which is responsible for trying to bring in businesses to help stabilize our tax rate. So it's not something that we can take those funds for Charles and just
put them over towards the residential tax base. The the rules don't allow that. But um when they were and forgive me, but when they were arguing that the reason to get these cannabis stores into Massachusetts, I thought part of it was for it to go to schools into the So say
that one again. The the cannabis stores and the tax on the cannabis stores like I thought the taxes were supposed to go to the school. Yeah. No, it's it goes to the municipalities to spend it. It goes into what's called our general fund and it basically goes as revenue to help offset uh the taxes that come in that
well that we are going to decide here with a budget. Thanks Charles. Any other questions from the public? Questions from the public? Any questions from the public hearing? None. I close that portion of
the public hearing. Public speaking in opposition. Public speaking opposition. Please go up to state your name. Thank you, Mr. President. Paul Pharaoh, 53 Edinburghough Street, uh, fifth generation mobile resident. Uh, Mr.
President, many, many moons ago, more than I like to admit, I had the pleasure of serving on this body. And I mentioned that only because my first year on the council back in 2004, uh, my our first budget was the first
hund00 million budget the city of Marorrow had. In fact, that budget, I pulled out my budget packet from those many years ago, blew the dust off, and it was 100,643,000. So, it took from 1660 to 2004 to get from the city of Marble coming into existence or the town at the
time to get to $100 million. And now, 21 years later, we've not only gone over 200 million, we went past 205, past 210, and we're barreling towards 215. uh in 21 years. To give that a little
perspective, the inflation rate in those 21 years has been 69.8%. So if you took that $und00 million budget, you plugged it into inflation, it'd be $171 million, which is $44,300,000 less than the what the mayor
is asking uh the city council to approve in spending. It's I understand it's not fun to reduce a budget, but counselors, don't be fooled. Giving the city a 6% increase or
a 5% increase is not a budget cut. It's a budget increase. Do you think if the mayor had come down with a 9% increase in the schools instead of 11% that anyone who said anything here would have
said anything differently? If you came down with a 15% increase, do you think they would have come down and said anything differently? Of course not. They want more funding for the schools. Who doesn't? But it has to be a reasonable amount year-over-year. The inflation rate from 2024 to
2025 is 2.3%. inflation rate inflation calculator.com. Uh if you just doubled that and rounded it up to 5%, that would still leave $9.6 $.6 million uh in the city budget that you could reduce and still give a healthy year-over-year
increase. Uh $769. You know, Mr. President, I have to admit, uh I may have been the one telling people it was $700. And I apologize. I was wrong. I was short by $69. That's not an inconsequential
amount. um many many years you and I would have um trench warfare over trying to reduce a million dollars to cut the cash bait by $50. And I understand what you're trying to explain that $769 increase. But do you think that $769 is
going to go away next year? Of course not. The the whatever is passed tonight or sometime in the future is going to be the basis on which future increases will be built. 15 seconds. I'm sorry. 15 seconds. Oh, for there's three new
counselors on here. Um, is this what you ran on? Increasing taxes by $1,000 in your first two years? I hope not. AAA bond rating is not a given. Uh, as the federal government found out, you're burning through pre-cash. You haven't paid off your OPED. You need to keep spending in check. The only person who
is a check on the mayor, who the president and governor wish they had as much actual real power as the mayor, is the council. the taxpayers and the residents were replying reply relying upon you to keep spending in check. I encourage you send this budget back to
the finance committee and find more cost savings tonight. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Paul. Any other members of the public speaking in opposition? Again, my name is Bob Allesio. A L E S I O 155 Anderson Road.
Um, not sure where to start, but let me be as professional as I appear seem to see all of you. And I, this is my first city council meeting after living in Mororrow for 13 years now. I lived in three other states and three other
cities where in I did I was more active politically and boy scouts, scout master in every one of those cities and coaches, etc. But first, I'm here. Um, I I thought we would see a line
somewhat line by line uh review of the budget and where the money is going. Um, that I guess we won't see it and I don't bring did not bring a copy with me, although I did scan it uh online. Um, my main concern, I'll be very
candid, is down the street at the Holiday Inn, we have had illegal immigrants occupying the and I'm going to ask you to kind of focus it on the budget. Okay, let's not make this political. All right. Thank you. No, no, this is not political. This is factual.
Um, my concern within the budget is is question. What percent of the budget is aimed at funding? It's not political act factual illegal uh immigrants at the anywhere in in Marorrow right now.
Nothing. The state pays state picks up the tab. State picks it all up. So you still pay for it. You just don't pay for it out of your property tax. Out of Marbor property tax. That's correct. Um is there any other funding that Marboro has provided for the security of the
illegals? So I I'm going to ask let's focus on the budget. Not I don't want to get into a debate on what's going on at the holiday and to put you at ease. August 31st the holiday in will be done being a homeless shelter. All right. So all your concerns
that you have now are going to be gone on August 31st. Thank you very much for that information. I did not know that. Um I I was a little confused for those who rose in favor of support for the budget. It seemed like they were
concerned that education, which I strongly recommend, we we ought to keep on funding education, teachers, programs, etc. But I kind of heard them say that maybe, I don't know, percentage- wise, it isn't enough. Uh, but they support
the budget. I clearly want to see more funding. Maybe, as Paul, as Mr. Pharaoh stated, um, it goes back to the finance committee. Can we get more money for education? And is there a way to find more money for education? [Applause]
[Music] Um, that's basically it. I I would hope that Marro takes care of its citizens, legal American USA citizens, and takes care of its
students and the roads, too. Thank you very much. Thank you, Bob. Any other members of the public speak in opposition? Hello, my name is James Evers. I live at 141 Bigalow Street, Marble, Mass. Um,
I'm a product of the Marble Public Schools. I went to St. Mary's for eight years with the nuns, which was great. I went to Marble High School for four years, got a degree. I worked tirelessly to get myself educated. I I took a a a
variety of different college courses to get the job that I wanted, perseverance, and I got it. And I was happy I got it. And it was all because what I did as an individual. So I just retired. I've been retired a year and it's been great. I
love living in Malbor. I realize that teachers have to they need their increases as they work hard. They got a lot of kids to take care of. But being retired and seeing the budget go up that much in one
year. I'm fortunate enough where I can I can take that on with my wife. We got a beautiful home. We want to stay in Malbero, but if this keeps happening and the it goes up and up and up, like that $9 million, that's a lot of money for it's going to take a lot of retirees and
they're going to say, "Hey, I got to sell my home. I got to get out of here cuz I can't afford it. I can't afford these taxes." Um, that's my main point. Retirees, senior citizens cannot take this hit. They just can't. I don't know
if there's anything in that uh the the thing that's coming forward here, the program that's coming forward for senior citizens or I don't know. I don't know what's what's that about. But I'm just speaking for all senior citizens because I love my home and I
want to keep it. I want to stay there. But I do realize teachers and people have to get increases. Things increase. I understand that they all everything increases. But that's quite an increase. It's just it's it's a big one for our
senior citizens. Thank you. Thank you, James. Any other members of the public speaking in opposition? Scott Barry, 612 Elm Street in Malboro. I've been in town for 20 years and a lot of the people that came up here tonight
have said some really important things and the foundation of a strong community starts with kids, right? in the schools and and sadly our own elected uh state representative doesn't even realize that our schools are underperforming significantly. So remember that the next
time you choose to vote. Um but although my kids don't go to school in the public school, a 9.9% increase is not sustainable. The taxes will not go down next year. If we can afford $300,000 dog
parks and find funding for that, we can dig a little deeper in the budget. I come from a family of educators. My mother, my sister, my stepmother, my stepsister. That's all they ever did. I'm in the I'm a businessman. I donate my time. I donate my money back to my community. It It all
starts with the kids. But we've got a se, if I heard the number correctly, a 70% increase in salaries is on the table. No, no, sir. That that that was a budget line item that increased that, but that wasn't all for salary increases. It's for anticipated contract
settlements, but it's 70% only because OPED and there's other things that make up that account. So, in in my and again, pardon me because I am not in the U public sector, but there is fat in the budget at the highest levels. Some of
these people make a lot of money in the town and in the state. And if the state is paying for some of these expenses that they're getting paid an awful lot of money and that money should be going back to the communities because a lot
9.9% isn't going to change my lifestyle and I'm fortunate for that. But for a lot of people it's a game changer because next year it's going to be this you're going to have the same amount or it's going to be piled on more. So in 3 years time you'll be looking at a 25% increase in your property taxes. And to
and to think that there's a 1.4% increase to the businesses, you need to send this back to the committee and rework the numbers. Thank you, Scott. Any other members of the public speaking in opposition? Any other members of the
public speaking in opposition? Hi, uh, Chase Lyman, uh, 212 Elm Street. Uh, this is my first town hall meeting. Um, so new experience. um kind of nervous, but I'll say I bought my house at 26 as a single female
homeowner and it was the proudest accomplishment of my life. Um my parents grew up on section 8 poverty, food stamps, wick, um I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for government spending and I was always for government spending. But for government spending, it has to come from somewhere and it's
trying to figure out the appropriate place it comes from and again a percentage that is sustainable. I am still a single person 4 years later being in this town at 30 years old. I thought I would have met someone put some roots and I I still want children.
I do. Um can I think about having children despite having a home? I cannot. Um when I first bought my house to fill up my oil tank, it was about $600. This past winter it was about $850, close to 900 sometimes. Um with
one paycheck. I have a state job. Um, I'm a corrections officer. I get paid somewhat decently. And I bought in Marboro because I worked at MCI Conquered. I was 25 minutes away. Conquered's a much different um price range to live in. Let's be honest. Um, my friend pays four grand to live there
in apartment. It's ridiculous. Um, so I loved Marboro because it had that accessibility, but when Conquered closed and my job got relocated as a state employee, um, based on seniority, I didn't get the the best pick closest to me. um as well as only getting a 4%
raise these past 4 years. 4% raise with my bi-weekly paycheck after union dues and taxes. It really isn't much. So to ask for more increases after already 400 years, and the cost of oil every winter has gone up a few hundred. My mortgage
has gone up over $400 since I've moved here. I won't say the exact number, but over $400 my mortgage has gone up to. Um, I'm basically paying the same as base average rent for apartments. I am still one income, one paycheck. I shouldn't have to look into renting
every single available. I only have one single available room. I have a two-bedroom, one bath. People hate one baths. They want two bathrooms. All right, that's a big thing that brings down real estate. I shouldn't have to think about renting out my room to complete strangers to just to keep afford to live here. I shouldn't have to think about trying to get a second job
while I'm already a first responder who's technically on call constantly to try to keep affording to live a home. I want to have children. I can't even think about having children because I am working a state job as a and a second job doing gig work, doing karaoke and music because I can't think about having
children. I can't think about affording cuz every time I look around, I'm getting an increase. Recently, this past week, again, I have to pay another $100 on top of my mortgage. And again, $100 seems like nothing, but when you look at the cost of gas, groceries, people complain about the cost of eggs, you
can't assume everyone has two people living there, two incomes coming in. Sometimes these people in apartments or homes, they're one single person. And so a huge increase even just starting in 2026, even if again, I don't have a half a million dollar home. I'm not going to
pretend I have more than I don't, but I'm still probably going to be paying a few hundred extra. And I don't think I can consider that. There's houses around me. Sorry. There's houses around me being listed for sale. And I hate to say it, but I have contacted my realtor to list my house because I don't know if I
can afford to stay in Marbor even though I love it. And I wanted to put kids in roots here, but I don't think I'm going to be able to cuz I don't even have money to go out to meet Mr. Wright to think about having kids. I'm just scared about my electricity staying on. I'm scared about paying for oil. So, I'm just speaking for the heart. You got to
look at every household and we our paychecks might not be keeping up with our the increases that and I want kids to have education. Believe me, I do. But maybe everyone in Marboro, we can use that boardwalk and we can enjoy our recreational. But everyone who doesn't
live in Marboro, maybe we charge them $5 for parking to go use that boardwalk or go use the rail trail or something. Thank you, Joyce. You know, thank you. I appreciate it. Any other members of the public speak in opposition? Any other members of the
public speaking in opposition? Members of the public speaking in opposition. Hearing none, I close that portion of the public hearing. Questions or comments from the city councilors? Questions or comments from the city councilors? Question or comments from
the city councilors? Council Vital. Thank you, Mr. President. My my question is is a rhetorical question and I love I love our teachers here in town. I think they do a wonderful job being a past teacher of Marble Public
Schools and a graduate from Marble Public Schools and I want to support them as best we can. Um, but I talked with one of my constituents today, 90year-old woman that lives off of Hemingway Street, and she has 13 extra dollars every She has 13 extra dollars
every single month. And she said, "With my 13 extra dollars, how am I going to afford this property tax?" She goes, "I've lived in this house since 1962, and I don't want to sell it." And I and I talked with her and listened to her the best I could for about 20 minutes.
And it's almost like a Solomon decision, you know, do we do we keep our taxes down and hurt the schools or do we support the schools and hurt our
retirees? It's not an easy uh an easy question to answer and I struggle with it every day. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Council Vital. Any other council? If I can find my microphone. My desk is loaded here. Uh, thank you, Mr.
President. I'll just lead off with Council of Vital just left and my mother lived in Marro for since ' 66. Same exact problems and I've been on this floor trying to support more affordable
housing for our seniors. So hopefully we'll continue to look and seek out what we can for people who have lived here most of their life and it's that's a tough story to hear and very close to what my mother's story was and uh
hopefully they can move on to housing cuz we have a great community that we live in. We have to agree and I'm so glad to see many of our community members in the audience. Uh we have a lot of opportunity in Maro. We do have, if you want to look at some other
surrounding communities, we've had lower taxes than the majority of the communities around us. But what we don't have is the spending for our students. When you look at 18.4 and FY23, I had the page open and you look at Framingham. Framingham pays more than
MRO and they have the same issues. So, I'm not disagreeing with the opposition, but I've heard a couple things that I was really impressed with. Let's find ways to raise money. Now, right now, the hotel tax 2%, our hands are tied. The
previous council before me created an economic development package, but that doesn't mean we can't look at our hotels. They enjoy our city, too. We have one of the best skating rinks in the whole country, Canada even. looking at ways maybe to increase that tax for
our needs, not just for economic development, which is a critical need, but also for the needs of our residents. I like the idea of the $5 uh payment if you're not, you know, for a to walk in that. But we'd have to check that to make sure that balances out with the
federal grant that we received. But Memorial Beach, at one point it was wide open and it got crazy down there. So, I'm sorry I'm turning around. I'm trying to talk to everyone at once, and I'm not in any way disregarding the council, but
we as counselors need to look at other ways to increase what we bring in. It might be too that a senior can't do much on a limited budget, but a business could raise the cost of bread to 2 cents
and make more money. We got to look at that split tax rate, which I will support forever as long as I'm here because a business can make additional money by raising what they need to raise. And I went to a mass municipal conference once and you know what they said about businesses? They don't care
about the taxes. They want access, water, and sewer. So, I don't think they'll be too upset if they see our situation. I'll call it our financial situation. Mr. President, I'm very sorry I called it the other way before, but we as counselors will need to look at ways
to raise and increase funding and at the same time be observant to the residents of the city who are on limited budgets. I'm on a limited budget and I'm close to retirement. I feel the pain. So, I get it. I get it. But we need to look at other ways to raise money because we
need to support our schools. When you go to sell your house, ask the real estate agent what's going to be the number one question. It's going to be how are your schools? We have got to make sure we keep up with educational needs. Thank
you, Mr. President. Thank you, Council Orum. Any other comments or questions from the counselors? Comments of council. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, first I'd just like to say a thank you to everybody who came out tonight. It is no easy task to come before the council and to speak one way or the other about
a particular issue, especially something as large um as the budget that we've been working through. Um there's a few things I'd like to say just from some of the comments I heard um specifically around the schools. Um I had mentioned this during the finance committee meeting. Um and I want to reiterate
this. That's when we went line by line and and discussed what the spending would be and and what cuts or adjustments needed to be made. During that meeting, I noted that for the last eight fiscal years, this body has not touched the school budget. We have not cut the school budget. The city council
has not made that cut. So, I think it's important when we're understanding where we are now to really think about that. That this body itself has taken what's been presented by the mayor year in and year out and approved it for the schools. So, now this body has made a slight reduction and that is not
something that I take lightly. That reduction is extremely difficult to me as somebody who goes to our schools regularly, who goes to afterchool programs, who goes to plays, who goes to athletic events. And so I really understand where our teachers and our students are coming from. But those decisions about spending, I have zero
say in. It's up to the superintendent and the school committee to decide how they're going to spend their budget. And so I really urge the superintendent and the school committee to think critically about what needs to be done to solve some of the issues we're hearing, right? Busing, that's been one of the biggest issues that's been presented to us. I
really hope that they take a concrete look at this and use the $6.9 million increase they're getting from last fiscal year from this body and to really address some of those problems. It was also mentioned that our first responders are not being properly supported. Um in this in the finance committee we reduced
between police and fire $41,000 in overtime that was not being expended to which both the police chief and the fire chief said they were okay with those reductions. So, I don't know where the the rhetoric comes from that, you know, we are we are slashing money from from our first responders. That is just not
true. We continue to support them year in and year out. My two years on the council, we have done what we can to support our police and fire. And so, with that being said, I I'm in strong support of what the finance committee did at our last meeting. We made a lot of difficult decisions and I appreciate my colleagues and I appreciate the
disagreements that we've had as well. This was a long process and um you know I stand by what what the finance committee's done and I look forward to hearing this reported out of committee later tonight. Thank you Mr. President. Thank you councelor Pillo. Anyone else? Any other counselors? Any comments from the counselors? Comments from
counselors? Councelor Presiato. Thank you Mr. President. Um thank you members of the public for showing up and uh letting us know your concerns and um giving us your questions. It's um uh it's really great to see the room filled and
um it would be great to see it filled every meeting. Um unfortunately, we are here to discuss the budget um and to either approve or deny um you know I um I said a lot during the finance meetings about supporting our
schools and what that would mean. um you know in terms of supporting our working class um I think it's it's one of the most important things that we can do right now um you know supporting our schools is a large investment in our city and other
people have mentioned it before um a lot of people come here and when they search for houses their first thoughts are what kind of schools are my children going to go to you know are they competitive are they going to produce you know people that are going to be um
successful in life. And right now I think that Marro schools are really struggling with that aspect. Um and you know having this budget uh that they proposed presented to us um is merely just to keep them running at the
capacity that they've been running. Um it would be great to have them increase their budget even more, but I know that that will cause an even bigger burden on the taxpayer. So, um I wouldn't want to do that either. Um as uh councelor Fuchilo mentioned that
this budget has not been cut before in the previous years, it has also not um um risen at the same rate as other school budgets in neighboring towns. Um, and you could clearly see in the school budget presentation that we are spending
less per pupil than Framingham um and other surrounding neighborhoods and and comparable neighborhoods. Um, that's really unacceptable. I think that's that's completely unacceptable. Um, with a city this large, um, with the amount of amenities we have, with the amount of
money we spend on other things, I think, um, we could use a small tax or a rather large tax increase. Um, but it's it's for something that's incredibly important, I think, to everybody. We're all students. We've all
gone through public schools, or most of us have gone through public schools, and and a lot of us here have gone through Mombra public schools. Um, and, you know, we've we've come this far and to say, you know, I don't want to fully support something like this kind of
feels like, you know, kicking the uh ladder behind you. As a as a resident, um you know, I I I want to do the best for everyone um as much as possible. And I know this is going to
burden some of the taxpayers, especially people living on on uh retired income. um single parents. Um it doesn't come lightly. This decision is is definitely not an easy one. As counselor Vital said, it has also kept me up um because
I I I sympathize with the working class. I sympathize with people that that cannot afford um you know, just day-to-day living. Um, but to say we're just going to fail the schools and and not fully support them is really for me
feels like we're not supporting the educators that work there, the students that work there or the students that attend there, um, facilities that work there, you know, our departments work there. You know, there there's a lot that relies on on this department. So,
um, you know, with just that being said, I I would support this budget as is currently. Thank you. Thank you, Council Presiato. Any other comments from the councils? Council Naven. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I will make this as quick as possible. Um, I
spoke a little bit about the the during the finance committee hearing the other night. Um, and I don't want to repeat a lot of what I said, mostly because um, I spoke from the heart and I was really really excited for kind of how I put into words um, how I felt about the school budget. Um, and then as soon as I
was done, I received a message and the question was, "So, do you support it or do you not support it?" And so, um, I think we can all sympathize here when we try to speak from the heart and try to say something intelligent. Often, um, it comes out a little bit jumbled. So, um, I will be very quick. I will be very,
um, brief and I will try to be clear. Um, I do support this budget um that the finance committee has put forward. Um, I was disappointed that the um council and the committee um had cut the $250,000 um out of it. Um I have a three and a
half-year-old child at home. Um I am a proud graduate of the MA public schools. As I said last week, um I was not that proud in 2000 when I graduated. Um and I was not because the schools were headed in the wrong direction. Um and years later um they have turned around. Um we
were pay we were charging kids to play sports um charging kids for buses. We were charging kids and we were not even an accredited high school. Um and that was something that really bothered me. Um and it was something that was embarrassing. Um and the schools have really really improved. Um the council
did um do a lot of work to reduce this budget. This is a very highcost budget. um that is not lost on anybody in this room. Um $769 as an average house is expensive. Um I we happen to be a single family living in a two family home and
year-over-year um I assure you those costs um are larger than the average single family home. Um and so I I very much recognize that um a lot of work has been done to reduce that impact. I do I said it the other night. I want to credit the mayor. Um the budget that originally came from the school
committee um was reduced by the mayor when he sent it here um by a substantial portion of over a million dollars which did reduce the average um cost of taxpayer by about $63. Um in my opinion that is enough of a reduction. I think we need to continue to fund our schools
um at this rate. Um it is a hard thing to ask. In my opinion the $250,000 that the finance committee cut is about $13 to the average taxpayer. And I don't say that that's not worth anything. Um, when you are dealing with inflation on your electric bills and your gas bills and
your water bills and all of the other bills and the grocery bills that we face on a daily basis, every dollar counts. Um, for me personally, um, looking at this from, um, a parents standpoint who wants to send their child through our public school system. Um, you know, for
me, that $13, um, is money well spent. Um, so I hope that we will continue to do that. But regardless of not, and I just want to be clear, we are talking about the finance report budget of the $250,000. Um, I am very supportive of what this budget does, of what this
budget prioritizes. It is not cheap to run a city of this size. I do not want to minimize what that impact is, but over 40,000 people, the amount of businesses we have, the amount of students we have, the residences we have, the infrastructure that it takes
to make a city like this run when every single right, every single homeowner has large increases on electricity, on gas, on water, on groceries. The city has those same bills across every department and it is very expensive. Um, so I don't take this lightly, but I do support this
budget. Um, and I hope that this council will support it. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Council Naven. Any other comments from the counselors? Comments from the counselors, comments from the counselors? Hearing none, I close that portion of the public hearing and the entire public
hearing. So, thank you very much for attending. Appreciate everyone uh all the input tonight and I'm sure the council will take all that under consideration. So, thank you everyone. Agenda item number three, communication from Council President Osing regarding the reappoint of Steven Carrian as city
clerk for a three-year term to expire on May 20th, 2028. Hey folks, we're still conducting a meeting, so I've asked if you quietly you, if you want to stay, you can, but if you want to talk, please take it outside. Uh, agenda item number three,
communication from Council President Osing regarding the reappoint of Steven Carrian as city clerk for a three-year term to expire May 20th, 2028. Councelor Naven, thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, normally I would ask the clerk to read this letter, but it
may be a bit embarrassing for him to do so. I will take pleasure in reading some of the most interesting excerpts. Um, this is a letter from you, Mr. President. um dated May the 7th, 2025, submitting for the reappoint of the clerk. I would just like to highlight
that you stated on paper, so it is in part of the public record that it has been a pleasure working with Steve and his dedicated staff, Wilson Chu, Melissa Peltier, Melissa Peltier, and Ian McIntyre. They worked tirelessly during our local, state, and federal elections to ensure that voters in Malber have
every opportunity to cast their ballot. Not an easy task with mail-in voting, early voting, and the multitude of new election requirements. Visitors to the city clerk's office are treated with respect and courtesy. Is that and are always welcomed by its
employees led by Mr. Carrian. Whether residents stop by for marriage intentions, a dog license, a birth certificate, or other vital record, they are greeted with a smile by Steve and his dedicated staff. Finally, Steve continues to work handinand with the city council employees to ensure the
smooth flow of information between our two offices. Your approval of his reappointment this evening would be greatly appreciated. Well said, Mr. President. I could not agree more. All joking aside, um Steve and his team do a great job day in and day out, and the amount of things
that we send to the clerk's office are quite extensive. So, with that, I would move to approve his appointment this evening. Motion's made and seconded to approve the reappoint of Mr. Carrian as a city clerk. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? The city clerk is reappointed.
The vote is 9 nothing. Congratulations, Mr. Carrian. Thank you all very much. I appreciate it. Agenda item number four. Uh c certification from sex counselor Trey Filler as required in master general law chapter 39 section 23D regarding the application for a special permit from
attorney Brian Faulk on behalf of Malber hospital and UMass Memorial Realy Inc. to allow for a proposed 8,000 foot expansion of the emergency department, a new multid-disciplinary clinic and pro proton therapy center order number 25-100 9418A. Councelor Fillo. Thank you, Mr.
President. Move to accept and place on file. Motion's made and second to accept and place on file the communication. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? The communication is filed. The vote is 90. Agenda item number five, communication from the mayor regarding year-end transfer requests in the amount of
$393,500, which moves funds from and to various accounts for the Department of Public Works, public facilities, and the legal department. And in addition uh to a transfer transfer request totaling 1,340,719 from free cash to open space stabilization and snow and ice. Council
Irish. Thank you, Mr. President. Motion to refer to the finance committee, please. Motion's made and seconded to refer to the finance committee. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed. This item's going to finance. The vote is 90. Agenda item number six. Communication from the
mayor regarding revolving fund spending limits for the water and sewer revolving fund, parks and recreation revolving fund, council on aging revolving fund, and the public safety revolving fund for fiscal year 2026. Councelor Iris. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, make a motion to approve the revolving funds for
FY2026, please. Motion made second to approve the four revolving funds for fiscal year 26. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed. Revolving funds. All of them are approved. The vote is 90. Agenda item number seven, communication from
the mayor regarding grant acceptances in the amount of $130,410 and $139,725 from the Executive Office of Elder Affairs awarded to the Council on Aging for fiscal years 24 and fiscal year 25 respectively to be used by the
Council on Aging for senior programming. Council Irish. Thank you, Mr. President. Motion to approve the grants, please. Motion made a second to approve both grants. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? Both grants are approved. The vote is 90-0. Agenda item number eight.
Communication for the mayor regarding proposed ordinance amendments to the city code. Chapter 125 personnel section 5 prepar Section 5 preparation of classification descriptions and chapter 125 personnel section six salary schedule relative to creating the position of deputy chief for the police department. Councelor Irish. Thank you,
Mr. President. Motion to refer to the finance committee and to advertise. Please. Motion is made and second to refer this item to the finance committee and to advertise. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed. The motion to send to finance and advertise carries and the vote is
90. Agenda item number nine. Communication from the mayor regarding the reappointment of police chief David Georgie as keeper of the lockup for a one-year term. Council Naven. Thank you, Mr. President. Move to approve. Motion made second to approve the appointment. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed?
Motion carries. The vote is 90. Agenda item number 10, communication from city solicitor Jason Gfield regarding the application for amendment to a special permit for Green Meadows Farms LLC to allow for medical marijuana sales in addition to adult use marijuana sales at a facility to be located at 239 Boston
Post Road West in proper legal form or number 25-100 9378A. Council Naven. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh move to accept and place on file the communication and move this item to number 23 on the agenda. Motion's made and second to accept and place on file the communication and move the item down
to agenda item number 23. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, those in favor opposed, this item is going to be moved to agenda item number 23 and filed and the vote is 90. Agenda item number 11, petition of Comcast to install new
underground conduit starting at pole 55, excavating to place one 3-in PVC conduit 158 ft plus or minus at a proposed 2x3 vault to provide service at 634 street. Councelor Fill. Thank you, Mr. President. Move to set a public hearing
on June 9th and to advertise. Motion made second to set the public hearing for June 9th and advertise. Any discussion on the public on the motion? All those in favor, just one question, Mr. Sure, Mr. I'm sorry. I just if everyone looked
at this, the last paragraph says, "Wherefore your petition praise P R A Y S. Praise." I've never seen that in my entire career on the city council. But outside of that, I'm glad it's going to committee. Thank you. As Mr. Carrian says, it's an old English
term. Thank you. But uh on the motion to set a public hearing for June 9th and advertise. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? This is going to be advertised for June 9th public hearing and the vote is nine in favor, zero opposed. Agenda
item number 12. Communication from Charles Zamudo, manager of 272 Lincoln Street LLC, regarding a request for approval of change of building color pursuant to special permit condition number four, incorporation of submissions. or number 2223-100879D for the property at 272
Lincoln Street. Council Naven. Thank you very much, Mr. President. Um this is for um for folks at home who may not know, this is for the um property, the 12 condos that have been um built on the corner of Cashman and Lincoln Street. Um the building is up. the siding um is
already on and this requests um some um an approval of this body because it does make a slight difference in what was shown to us on the um on the actual application and the presentation that we received of the corresponding documents. So, um it is already done. Um I will say
I think it looks nice. I think it keeps in character with the neighborhood. Um, and I am very grateful that they changed the color of the mulch from bright fluorescent orange to black and really blends in nicely, um, in that part of the city. Um, with that, um, I don't see any need to send this to committee. So,
I will move to approve this tonight. On the motion, it's been made and seconded to approve the color change at 272 Lincoln Street. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. Vote is 90. Agenda item 13 application for renewal
of a junk dealer secondhand dealer license an Antoine Betar DBA Hous jeweler 601 Donald Jynch Boulevard council fill thank you Mr. President, seeing that this is a renewal, I move to approve. Motion made second to renew the junk dealer license at Han Jewelers. Is any discussion on the motion? Seeing
none, are those in favor? Opposed? The junk deal license is approved. The vote is 90. Agenda item 14. Application for renewal of junk dealer secondhand dealer license TVI Inc. DBA Savers at 222A East Main Street. Council Fillo. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh move to approve with
the same conditions and waiverss we applied last time um for counselors. Uh I do have a copy of those same conditions uh back from May 22nd, 2023. Happy to pass that around if needed. Motion to approve with conditions. Motion's made and seconded to approve the junk deals license for savers with
the same conditions that we had last year. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed. The junk deal license for savers is approved with the conditions from last year and the vote is 90. Agenda item 15. Communication from the Department of Public Utilities regarding
notice of public hearing and request for comments on the 2025 climate compliance plan of Eversource Company, DBA Eversource Energy, and NStar Gas Company, DBA Eversource Energy. Council Brown. Thank you, Mr. President. Move to accept and place on file the communication. Motion made in second to
accept and place on file the communication. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, those in favor? Opposed, the communications filed is is filed and the vote is 90. Gen item 16, communication from the Department of Public Utilities regarding notice of filing and request for
comments on the petition of NStar Electric Company, DBA, Eversource Energy, for approval of its revised 2025 energy efficiency reconciliation reconciling factors for effect July 1, 2025. Councelor Brown,
thank you, Mr. President. I'm laughing because I generally vote in favor of his reappoint because of his reading abilities. Um that aside, uh I move to accept and place on file the communication. Motion made in second to accept and place on
file the communication from the DPU. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? The communication is filed. The vote is 90. Agenda item 17, communication from Central Mass Mosquito Control Project regarding personnel will be in the community responding to residents concerns about mosquitoes on various
dates in June 2025. Council Orum. Thank you, Mr. President. You know, I I will rise to say we should accept and place this on file with one comment as long as the as long as our city clerk has it on file. What they're saying is that they will be around in Marro on Wednesdays in
June, but you need to reach out to them. It's individual request. So, but it'll be the four Wednesdays in June. I would request we accept and place on file and make sure it's posted at the clerk's office, which I'm getting a nod. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Thank you, Mr. President. Motion made second to accept
and place on file the central mass mosquito communication. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Oppose. The communication is filed. The vote is 90. Agenda item 18. Communication from attorney Brian Faulk on behalf of Gutierrez Company and the Malro North Realy Trust regarding
proposed zoning amendments to chapter 650 zoning to create the Ames Village overlay district. Council Naven. Thank you, Mr. President. Move to refer to the urban affairs and housing committee. So we'll set to urban affairs and the planning board since this is zoning change. That's right. Uh we'll set date
for the public hearing of June 9th and advertise. So motion's made and seconded to send to urban affairs the planning board. We'll set a June 9th public hearing and advertise. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor opposed. Motion carries. Items going to
urban the planning board public hearing June 9th and advertised. The vote is 90. Agenda item 19, minutes of boards, commissions, and committees. Mr. President, councelor Ducat. Thank you very much, Mr. President. Motion to accept and place on file the minutes. Motion made, second, accept and place on
file all the minutes. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed. The minutes are filed. The votes 90. Agenda item 20 claims. Councelor Brown. Thank you, Mr. President. Move to send the claims to legal department. Motion made in second
to send the claims to the legal department. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? The claims are going to legal and the vote is 90. Reports of committee. We'll start with Urban. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I
want to assure everyone that I will not be reading this very lengthy report this evening. Um however, the uh city council committee on urban affairs and housing met on Tuesday, May 13th, 2025 um at approximately 6:30. Um we had one
item on our agenda. It was order number 25-1009369. Um, application for special permit from attorney Brian Faul on behalf of GR Development LLC DBA Washville car wash for a proposed state-of-the-art car wash to be located at 223 East Main Street former Bank of
America location. Um, we opened up um with Attorney Faul who introduced members of his team um and gave a we went over the special permit. Um when we were done, quite a bit of discussion was had um by the committee um and um four
four of the five members um had voiced concerns regarding the traffic impacts of the um of the proposed car wash and what it would mean to East Main Street and Route 20. Um councelor Ducet um spoke in favor of the
development as well as the fact that he did not believe that the traffic would be an impact. Um, council president Oing also um raised concerns that voting to deny the permit um could cause legal issues for the city um and that it may not be a strong case for it. Um that
said um the members of the committee voted um after the vice chair moved to recommend denying the application for a special permit. Um and that vote was 4 to1 with councelor Ducet voting um against. Um we also announced that we
would submit um a request for suspension of the rules in order to um send this to city solicitor to put in proper legal form. So there's been a request for a suspension of the rules. All those in favor of the suspension opposed. Suspension carries 90. Council Naven. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh move to
refer um order number 25-100 9369 um to the city solicitor to put in proper legal form for the next meeting. Motion's made and second to refer this item to the legal department to put in proper form for our next meeting. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? This item's
going to legal and the vote is 90. Next up, finance. Thank you, Mr. President. Finance committee met on May 12th, 2025. Uh the meeting convened at 6:00 p.m. Uh we had one item on the agenda
that evening. Uh it was order number 25-1009439 uh proposed fiscal year 2026 operating budget from Mayor Dumis uh in the amount of $215,32,846. Uh, Chair Irish read the May 1st, 2025 letter from the mayor
submitting uh submitting the budget for review and approval in the amount of $215,32,846 representing a 9.91% increase over FY2025. Uh the significant increase is primarily due to increased funding for uh Marro
public schools, Asabet Valley Regional School, funding for city union non-UN personnel, funding the health insurance trust, long-term debt service, and reserve for salaries. Uh the mayor indicated the projected tax impact uh of
this budget would increase the taxes on the average single family home by $769. Um, the finance committee reviewed each department budget with the mayor and municipal department heads and proposed adjusting the mayor's budget by
1,481,5 on a motion by council Brown, seconded by the chair. The finance committee voted 4 to one. Council or opposed to reduce the FY2026 budget by 1,485 1,481,05 as listed in the below table
and resulted in an amended fiscal year 2026 municipal operating budget in the amount of 213,821,841. This represents an increase of 7,928,6687 or a 9.15% increase. Uh these adjustments are
anticipated to reduce the mayor's projected increase to the average single family tax bill by approximately $90. Uh the meeting adjourned at 10:18 p.m. That's the end of my report. Mr. President, you want to suspend? Yes. and
I will be asking for a suspension this evening on order number 25-1009439 the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget please request for suspension of the rules on the budget all those in favor of the suspension opposed suspension carries the vote is
90 Mr. Chair thank you Mr. President move the recommendation of committee to approve the FY2026 municipal operating budget in the amount of 213 million
821,841. This represents an increase of 17928,687 or a 9.15 increase. This adjustments are anticipated to reduce the mayor's projected increase to the average single family home by approximately $90. Motion's made and seconded to approve
the budget reported out by the finance committee of over $213 million. Any discussion on the motion? Council Orum. Thank you, Mr. President. And everyone was here when I uh voted not to support the budget only because out of the 18
line items, which I'm in support of 17 of them. The only one I wasn't in support of is the $250,000 to the school. So, if the motion gets approved, so be it. But if it doesn't, I would support an amendment
to restore the 250,000. Thank you, Mr. President. Councelor Irish. Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to make an amendment to uh motion to amend the FY2026 budget order number 25-1009439 approved by the finance
committee. uh restore funding to the senior clerk line item, which is 15410002-50770, which adds $49,448 and reduce funding for the Director of Elders Affairs line item 15410001-50312 to reduce by
$49,448. The new total would be $45,056. Please. Motion is made and seconded to approve the amendment. Any discussion on the amendment? Hearing none. All those in favor of approval of the amendment? Amendment carries. The vote is 90. Any other
amendments? Councelor Irish. Motion to approve as amended. Thank you, Mr. President. Motion to approve the FY 2026 operating budget as amended. Motion made second to approve the fiscal year 26 budget as amended. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor?
Eight opposed. One. The budget is approved for fiscal year 26 in the amount of 213 million821,841. And the vote is 8 to1 with one counselor in opposition. Councelor
Irish. Thank you, Mr. President. Uh finance committee uh met on May 14th, 2025. Uh we had three items on the agenda that evening. Uh first order was uh order number 25-1009410. Uh communication from the mayor proposed tax increment financing
which is a tiff agreement with BHGRP TCAM owner which is great land reality partners uh and the commonwealth of Massachusetts for the proposed construction and leasing of a new crime laboratory uh for Massachusetts state police at 100 Martinelo Drive. Uh, Chair
Irish read the mayor's letter into record. Uh, Kevin Shien addressed the TIFF uh, distributing to council's copies of his presentation. Uh, the proposed new crime lab for the Massachusetts State Police will contain approximately 200,000 square ft uh, to
be built on a vacant site at 100 Martinelo Drive uh, with $200 million investment uh, bringing 300 jobs to the city. Uh, the period of the tiff is 20 years. Uh councilors expressed general support of the tiff. Uh council or was
opposed due to the 20-year term. Uh on a motion by council vital, seconded by the chair, the finance committee recommends approval of the tax increment financing agreement and the city council resolution. The vote carried 4 to1. Uh council Orum did oppose. Uh next item
was order number 25-1009404. Uh communication from the mayor. uh grant acceptance for the various projects outlined uh in the mayor's letter as part of the fiscal year 2025 state budget airmark funding. Uh DPW Commissioner Scott addressed the two airmarks that were recently tabled.
Uh for more information, uh the pavilion at Galoney Park, which was a $35,000 airmark funds allocated toward the pavilion uh for Galoney Park will be used to pay for the pavilion materials excluding the concrete. Uh the Department of Public Works will perform
the labor involved in construction of the pavilion excluding the uh placing and finishing of the concrete floor slab. Uh in the estimated that the additional $65,000 in funds will be needed from the parks and recreation revolving account uh to pay for the
concrete and the contractor to place the finish to the concrete. Uh on a motion by council vitals, seconded by the chair, the finance committee recommend approval of the funds for the pavilion at Galoney Park. The vote carried 5 to zero. Um, next on the air marks was the
uh mobile town hall. Um, this uh this was a $50,000 airmark funding intended to support the city of Malber's efforts to increase accessibility and engagement with residents through mobile outreach. Uh the earmark is not restricted to a
single department and may be utilized by any city department as appropriate to fulfill the purpose or of the operating and mobile town hall vehicle. On a motion by council or seconded by the chair, uh the finance committee recommends approval of the funds with the stipulation that the vehicle will be
not limited to one single department. Uh the vote carried 5 to zero. Last item on the agenda that evening um was order number 25-1009412 uh communication from the mayor. A proposed amendment to the city code
chapter 125 personnel section six uh uh salary schedule relative to various leadership positions in the department of public works including head treatment plant uh operator uh general foreman head mechanic and assistant city engineer. Uh the chair Irish read the
mayor's letter in into the record and the DPW commissioner Scott addressed the proposed ordinance explaining and starting uh explaining in integral parts of the succession plan uh noting the new salaries would be effective 712025 and the starting at the beginning
step on a motion by council Brown seconded by the chair. Uh the finance committee recommends approval of the proposed amendments to the salary schedule relative to various leadership positions in the department of public works with the effective date of July 1st, 2025 and starting at the beginning
step. Uh that carried 5 to zero and the meeting adjourned at 7:42 p.m. Mr. President, that's the end of my report and I will be asking for three suspensions this evening as well. All right. You want to list them all? Yes. So on the uh first order for suspension
would be order number 25-9410 and that is the tiff agreement and the city council resolution. All those in favor of suspending the rules for the crime lab tiff. All those in favor opposed. Crime lab tiff suspension carries. The vote is 90.
Councelor Irish. Thank you Mr. President. Uh motion to refer to the city count uh to the city solicitor uh to put in proper legal form. Please motion made second to send the tip to the solicitor to put in proper legal form. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Oppose.
The tip is going to legal to be put in proper legal form and the vote is nine in favor, none opposed. Council Irish. Thank you, Mr. President. I will also be asking for a suspension on the grant earmarks order number 25-1009404 uh for both from Mr. President. One for 35,000, the other for 50,000. Please a
motion to for a suspension for both ear marks. Again, this is both of the ear marks. All those in favor of the suspension opposed. The suspension for both ear marks carries. The vote is 90. Council Irish. Thank you, Mr. President. Move the recommendation of committee to approve the uh earmarks in
the amount of $35,000 and in the amount of $50,000. Please. Motion made and seconded to approve the two earmarks. One for $35,000 for the pavilion and the other for $50,000 for the vehicle. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none,
all those in favor opposed. Both ear marks are approved and the vote is 90. Council Irish. Thank you, Mr. President. I will be asking for a suspension on order number 25-1009412 uh which is the proposed amendment to the city code chapter 125. Please
request for suspension of the rules. All those in favor of the suspension opposed. Suspension carries 90. Councelor Irish. Thank you, Mr. Move the re recommendation of committee. I move the a motion to refer to the city solicitor to put in proper legal form. Motion's made and seconded to refer the
DPW salary ordinance to the solicitor to be put in proper legal format. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? It's going to legal and the vote is 90. Council Brown. Thank you, Mr. President. Um the city
council legislative and legal affairs committee met on May 14th, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Um we took up order number 25-1000 9430 communication from Flying
Dreams Brewing and order number 25-10009417 communication from Melinda Gallagher on behalf of Lashu Brewing and Roasting. Um, for the first order that we took up from Flying Dreams Brewing, it was regarding a request to expand
outdoor seating to use parking spaces on Rollins A adjacent to the existing sidewalk seating. David Richardson, owner of Flying Dreams Brewing, addressed his request to expand outdoor seating. Four parking spaces would be impacted by the expansion. Counselors
had some concerns regarding the placement of seating in the road. Police Chief Georgie was consulted by Councelor Roby. In the police chief's May 13th, 2025 email to councelor Roby. He noted, "While looking at exhibit A, if Flying Dreams were looking to add chairs to the
smaller tables, which currently only have two chairs or add a larger table like the ones with four chairs in order to add more seating, then I wouldn't really be concerned. However, it is more concerning if they are moving tables/chairs into the roadway and parking spaces without adding better
lighting and barricades to prevent a vehicle from driving through the setup. I'm not sure how many parking spaces they are looking to use if that is their plan, but I would suggest that significant stable barriers need to be in place to pro protect the seating which may be in the roadway spaces.
After lengthy discussion and on a motion by councelor Fillo, the legislative and legal affairs committee recommends approval of the request by Flying Dreams Brewing Company LLC to expand the existing outdoor seating on Rollins Avenue subject to the following three
conditions and to refer the request to the city solicitor to draw the new license in proper legal form. The three conditions were the addition of improved lighting and barricades to protect the seating which may be in roadway spaces
as recommended by the police chief, inclusion of language in the new license to encroach to protect the city from liability as a result of the expanded outdoor seating and inclusion of revised plan showing existing sidewalk seating
and expanded seating in parking spaces. Um the vote had carried 30. And on the second item, order number [Music] 25-1000 9417, which was a communication
from Melinda Gallagher on behalf of Lashu Brewing and Roasting regarding a request to expand outdoor seating to include public areas, including the new plaza behind city hall. Melinda Gallagher addressed the request to expand outdoor seating for Lashu Brewing and Roasting, explaining that without
the expanded license to encroach, she would need 71-day pouring licenses to serve beer. Under the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission regulations, businesses are limited to 31-day pouring licenses. Committee members were concerned about street closings behind
city hall during outside events and the request for exclusive control of the new plaza behind city hall. On a motion by councelor Roby, seconded by the chair, the committee recommends the approval of a license to encroach for Lashu Brewing and Roasting to use a sidewalk area next
to the park and garage setup with tables and chairs in the sidewalk area in front of Lashu Brewing and Roasting. Um the vote was made and it carried by um two to one with councelor Fillo opposing on
a motion by councelor Fillo seconded by chair meeting adjourned at 6:48 and I will be looking for two suspensions tonight. Okay. The first suspension is for order number 9430 which is flying dreams and request for suspension of the rules. All
those in favor of the suspension opposed. Suspension carries. The vote is 90. Councelor Brown. Thank you, Mr. President. Um move to send this item to legal to put be put in proper legal form. Been a motion made and second to
send to the legal department. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? This item's going to legal. The vote is 90. Councelor Brown. Thank you, Mr. President. I would also like to ask for a suspension on order number
25-1000 9417. There been a motion made or there's been a motion for a suspension of rules for order number 9417 which is Law Shoe Brewing Company. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, all those in favor of the suspension? Suspension carries. The vote is
90. Councelor Brown. Thank you, Mr. President. Um move to send this item to legal to be put in proper form. Motion made and seconded to refer this item to the legal department. Any discussion on the motion? Councelor Fillo. Thank you,
Mr. President. Motion to amend order number 25-1009417 to include the following. Expand outdoor seating area to include the plaza behind city hall as originally submitted in order number 25-1009417 and lost shoe letter dated
March 28th, 2025. uh to include the city hall city hall courtyard hours are from Friday at 5:00 p p.m. through Sunday at 8:00 p.m. on a weekly basis and that Law Shoe acknowledges that should another venue want to use the city hall courtyard law will give up that weekend
with at least 4 weeks advance notice. Motion made and seconded to approve the amendment. Any discussion on the amendment? Councelor Ducet. Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Uh Mr. Chair, um Mr. President and uh councelor Fuchello, thank you very much for
putting this together. Um this was a heated discussion. I think this you know described the issues that were going on. So thank you for bringing this up. Thank you, Council Ducet. Any other members of the Council Naven? Thank you very much, Mr. President. Um I was sadly unable to
make this committee meeting. Um we finally have a meeting about two breweries and I'm not able to attend. Um it was uh it was a disappointment for me. Um, I don't want to understate how much, um, I support both of these businesses,
um, both financially, um, and in spirit. Um, there are probably, aside from Word on the Street, there's probably no other main street businesses that I, um, try to frequent more. Um, and I credit both Flying Dreams and especially Lost Shu, um, with and not only cuz then I'll get
the folks from the VIN bin yelling at me, but really creating an an atmosphere downtown um, where people want to come. Um, it's something that we work on here. It's something that MEDC works every single day um, at doing. And so I don't want to understate how important it is and how personally I think it's critical
that government help these businesses kind of continue to create this atmosphere. Um that said, I do want to flag and speak on just behalf of a few of the concerns um that I have heard from people um regarding the um exclusive
what has been described as exclusive use behind city hall. Um uh specifically um I was at the veterans council meeting um last week and this was raised and is an issue that they were quite concerned about after having named the city um in honor of the gold star families. Um, one
of their concerns is that there would be exclusive use for this and it wouldn't be allowed for any others. I want to commend council fill for trying to find a way to thread the needle. Um, that said, um, this still um is is an issue that's concerning for several residents that it would be um more of a gift or or
give um to business, one particular business um as there may be a lack of equity and fairness here. Um, so I I will not support um this amendment, though I do commend the goal of it um for trying to support our businesses downtown. Thank you, Council Naven.
Council Vital. Thank you, Mr. President. Um being the only one on this council that actually is a Gold Star family member. Um in memory of my brother, I think that he would want to see businesses thriving down here in
downtown Marorrow. um you know he gave his life for his country um and that that country and you know is a big part of that is is promoting how great Marble can be. And I at the uh meeting I was talking about
Lohee and how committed they are as far as making Marbor a better community um and all the philanthropy that they do and all the nonprofits that they support. Um, I think it would be only it would behoove this council greatly um to
to allow them to come in and if someone else I don't believe there's going to be anyone else that's going to take you know want to go into that um patio. Um but if they are if they do all they have to do is give a month's notice and they be I'm sure law will roll out the red
carpet for them. So I am very much in favor of this. Thank you Mr. President. Thank you councel vital. Any other comments or questions on the motion? Councelor Irish. Yeah. Thank you, Mr. President. I support Council Fill. Uh, thank you for making the amendment. Um,
you know, a lot was said at the meeting and I know I don't want to echo verbatim, but council vot mentioned it about the whole idea of the downtown is attracting businesses and you know, personally with JP and Melinda and Lashu, the motto is it's all about
community. And I think this is a fine point. It's a great establishment. I get so much great feedback from even from neighbors that are completely from out of Malro supporting our local businesses. Um so after you know seeing this amendment I would support this
100%. Uh thank you Mr. President. Thank you councelor Irish council. Thank you Mr. President. Um thank you councelor Patil for filing this. Um unfortunately I cannot support this. This kind of just throws back um what we were discussing at legal. um it will still give
exclusive control to LSU regardless of whether they ask people ask for permission or not. Um they are still the final say in it and I don't I don't believe that that um that business should have control of city property. Um, another point on the Gold Star families,
um, Plaza. I think it would honestly be a disservice to create a space of to honor and remember our soldiers and our fallen heroes and just use it as a revenue source. Um, and that's all I want to say about that. Thank you. Any other comments from the
counselors? Comments from the counselors? Council Nan, can I have you come on up? Any comments from the counselors? Councelor Oing. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, so council vital, you're
spot on. I mean, we named it after the gold star. We didn't reserve it for the life for just the gold star use. So, I think that's all due respect, council president. I think you're a little misguided on that point. That's not the point. Think if you ask most veterans, they're going to want to say, "I want to
see it thriving and have the community come together and celebrate back there." I think this is a dynam wanting downtown to be vibrant. Well, here's your chance. We can do this. This is a
one-year license. And guess what? We're starting June in about a week. They're only going to have a handful of weeks to pull this off, assuming we can get it out of legal before the council to vote
on. You just heard how much taxes are going up. Let's bring in some revenue. All right. So, I encourage councilors to support this amendment. This is the right thing to do. That the exclusivity is not, you know, there's I
call them bumping rights. They'll give it up if someone wants it. I don't know if it was councelor Ducet or councelor Vital. I haven't seen the line out the door yet looking for use in the back hall city hall plaza. Let's try it this year. See how it works and we adjust for
2026. So I think it's the right thing to do and I encourage my fellow councilors to support the amendment. Thank you Mr. President. Thank you m councelor ing. Thank you sir. Any other comments or questions from the
council or president? Thank you. I'm torn between this one. I really am. I respect everyone's comments on this. Um, and I understand the sunset clause. What worries me is how many people may know
about this opportunity in Malboro and what if they missed the opportunity and they're wanted to do something in two weeks, not four. uh great opportunity to set some language, but I'm torn behind uh between great business running in
Marro. Very respectful at the same time making sure it's a level playing field. So, at this time, until we work out the details, I cannot support this. I hope we can work out details that will allow an equal playing field for all. Thank
you. Thank you, Mr. President. Council Det. Thank you very much, Mr. President. I haven't been doing my counting, but it's going to be aite tight vote. Um, I think that this is a reasonable first attempt at this
time to put in structure for one year, one season. And we can learn from this for next year, but I think it's more important we act now. And this provides still some background
information you know and there may be some bumps in the road but at least we have a framework to work by. There is a framework to work with within this uh to figure out what we can learn from for next year. So I think this is a reasonable step for f you know for the
first year more importantly gets activity down in the courtyard which otherwise it's going to be quiet and I'd rather see activity than quiet cuz it's beautiful courtyard and people need to take you know need to see people taking
advantage of it so they can think either a month ahead or next year hey maybe we use it next year or whatever but they got to see it being active. I think that's the critical part here. Thank you. Thank you, Council Ducet. Any other comments or question? Council Villo. Thank you, Mr. President. I uh don't
want to echo too many points, but one thing I will say, especially regarding the four weeks of advanced notice, no business is planning to do anything there in the next four weeks. And I know that other than Lashu, I should say. And I know that because they would be before us already if they were
planning to do something in the in the next four weeks in this property. Nobody would be doing this a week in advance, two weeks in advance. They would be doing it months in advance. Kind of like what we're seeing with Law Shu. And and so for that very reason, like council Ducet said, we have to give Lshu an opportunity to prove that this is a
space that people will come to and that businesses can thrive in. Mr. President, you hit the nail right on the head with the fact that we campaign on making downtown a destination and this is a chance to add something to downtown that will bring people together. And so I I I
like I said, I don't want to be up here too long, but I strongly encourage councils to support this amendment. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Council Pello. Council Preiano. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, thank you everyone for your comments. Um, essentially what this is to me is a um
issue of creating revenue or uh promoting community. So, it seems like we can do both, but we can't do one or the other. We can't promote community with independent or individuals because the space is going to be reserved. It
does not allow for spontaneous creativity. It does not allow for spontaneous performances. It does not allow for families to come in and enjoy the plaza as a quiet place to just relax. It leaves it as a place that's always busy, that's always doing something to benefit a business. And I
don't think that's very equitable for any other businesses that are around the city. Um, the business is great. We, you know, we have no issue with the business itself, but I think that it still is overreaching in in in terms of what they want to do and and what this amendment
um also adds. Thank you. Thank you, Council Presado. Council Vital. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, last year we we have a track record with this with this fine establishment. the farmers market last year which was on Saturday
mornings down on Weed Street um was Rockwell Americana. I saw families down there. I saw and lost Shu is the one who was organizing this. I saw families down there with their dogs and yeah, there might have been a few people having a
cold beer, but what's wrong with that? Their their children were playing cornhole while the dad's having a beer. And you know what? That's okay because everybody was having fun. It was America the way I grew up. And and that farmers
market was awesome. And I think that by allowing them to come off into the courtyard, they're going to be bringing entertainment that families will be able to enjoy. They're going to be bringing in other activities that everyone in the city can benefit from. We already have a track record with LSU. Why wouldn't we
want to continue that? Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Council Vital. Any other comments or questions from the councils? Council Presiato, thank you. Why are we relying on a just one business though? Um, shouldn't we have maybe the MEDC or maybe the recck department host some events? Maybe they
can take over the farmers market. That would be great. It would be great if the city really supported a farmers market or outdoor events like that instead of relying on a business to piggy back on. Thank you. So, I I'll, as a point of information, I will state that ME's job is not to run the farmers market. That's
not an MEEDC function. All right. If the city wants to do it, guess what? City doesn't do anything for cheap. Costs money. All right. Here you've got someone that wants to do it. There is nobody waiting for this. Play the scenario out. If the council approves the amendment and allows them to use it,
they can't use it until the second or third weekend cuz it hasn't come back before us till June 9th. Assuming the council approves it on June 9th, it then's got to get approved by the mayor, signed and in. They won't be having anything on that common until early
July. So, you're going to sit there and say we're not going to do this but two months? Really? Any other comments from the councils? Seeing none, on the motion to
amend as stated by councelor Villo. All those in favor, please stand. One, two, three, four, five. Does not carry. The amendment doesn't. The amendment doesn't carry. Yep. What was
the count to get the amendment to carry? You need six votes to approve an amendment. Huh? There's nine council tonight. There's four that doesn't count. Once again, everybody stand that. Let's approves the amendment.
1 2 3 4 I make five, right? And four. Yeah. Five and four. Right. Right. Doesn't get You got to get to six. You haven't got to six yet. It's not the It's not the nine. No. Okay. It's the number of the bottom. Yeah.
You need six votes to approve an amendment on anything, whatever we're doing. Okay. Nope. That's okay. Councelor Brown. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, move to send this item to legal to put in proper
legal format. Motion's made and second to refer this item to the legal department to put in proper format. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, are those in favor? Opposed, it's going to legal. The vote is 90. Any other reports of [Music]
committees? Seeing none. Agenda item 21. Order number 25-100 9383B proposed ordinance to add to chapter 250 animals a new section relating to rodents. Recommendation legislative and legal affairs committee is to approve as amended and the proposed ordinance was
properly advertised on May 5th, 2025. Council Piano Council Browns, you're going to defer to council. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, first of all, I'd like to thank Alysa Jankinto. is actually here in the crowd for all
her support and dedication to all our wildlife especially in Malboro. This ordinance will save will likely save many many raptors, many many um uh you know wildlife essentially um from getting poisoned using those those
redenticided bait traps. Um so this is a great step in the right direction to get our rodent control our rodent population under control. Um so I just want to thank this body if they do approve. So, someone's got to make a motion.
Oh, go for it. Motion to Mr. President. Councelor Brown. Councelor Brown. Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you, Councelor Presiato, for a well said bit there. Um, I move the recommendation of committee
to approve, please. Motion's made and seconded to approve the ordinance change. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none, since this is an ordinance change, it has to you guys are all set. Since this ordinance change has to go through the four stages. All those in favor suspending the first reading and approving the second, please signify.
90. That is approved. All those in favor of the passage to be enrolled, please signify. 90. That is approved. All in favor of the passage to be ordained. All those in favor? Opposed. It's carried. 90.
Is there any objection to passage in one evening? Hearing none, the ordinance is is approved. Votes 9 nothing. Congratulations, Alyssa. Well done. Not many people here left to clap, but well done, Alyssa. Uh, agenda item
number 22, order number 25-100933A, proposed zoning map amendment from Ray Mundo Netto, owner of 36 Jefferson Street to reszone 36 Jefferson Street identified as map 56 parcel 153 from residence B to neighborhood business. Recommendation of the Urban Affairs Committee is to deny.
Council A. Thank you, Mr. President. Move the recommendation of committee. Motion made second move the recommendation of committee which is to deny. So, a yes vote is to deny. Is everybody clear? Any discussion on the motion to deny? Seeing none, all those in favor of
denying? 1 2 3 4 5. The motion to deny carries and the vote is 90. Agenda item 23. War number 25-100 9378C. An application for a special permit from Green Meadows Farms LLC to allow for a sale of medical marijuana in addition to the existing sale of adult
use marijuana at a facility under construction at 239 Boston Post Road West. Recommendation of the urban affairs committee is to approve. Council Naven. Thank you, Mr. President. Move the recommendation of committee. Motion's made and seconded to move the recommendation of committee. Is there any discussion on the
motion? Don't see any. So with that, I'll have the clerk please read the conditions/ changes. City council, pursuant to its authority under Massachusetts general law, chapter 48 in the zoning ordinance of the city of Malbury, hereby grants the applicant an amendment to modify the original special permit as follows. one by deleting
findings of fact number three in its entirety and inserting in place the following in accordance with article 6 section 65017 section 6501845 and section 6501846 and section 65032 of the zoning ordinance of the city of Malro the applicant proposes to operate a
co-located medical marijuana treatment center and adult use marijuana retail establishment at the site the use two by amending finding D1 D16 by inserting the following sentence at the end of the existing sentence further the signage shown in attachment B is appropriate for the use and the applicant shall comply
with the sign ordinance without variance. Three, by amending condition number five by A, inserting after the words section 651846 C the following, and section 6501845 C and B inserting after the words adult use marijuana retail
establishment, the following, and a medical marijuana treatment center. Four, by amending condition 6A by inserting the following paragraph at the end of the existing condition number 6A at the site. The applicant shall maintain a secure entrance waiting area providing a physical separation between the exterior door of the unit and
interior areas of the unit where marijuana and marijuana infused products are disposed and sold with security personnel available during operating hours to screen individuals arriving at the unit. To ensure the interior areas of the unit are only accessible to qualified patients caregivers and to ensure that no individual poses a direct
threat to the health and safe or health or safety of others, the applicant shall maintain a secure pickup drop off area for patients and products at the site. Five, by deleting condition number eight in its entirety and inserting in place the following. Condition 8, hours. The maximum hours of operation of the use at
the site shall be Monday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Six. By inserting the following new condition is condition number 17. 17, partial use. The applicant at successes and/or assigns is not required to operate all portions of the use simultaneously. The
applicant at successes and/or assigns may commence the medical marijuana treatment center or adult use marijuana retail establishment portion of the use upon receipt of all local and state permits and licenses for that portion of the use. If either the medical marijuana treatment center portion of the use or the adult use marijuana retail
establishment portion of the use ceases either temporarily or permanently, the applicant successes and/or signs may operate the other portion of the use. All other conditions of the original special permit shall continue in force in effect and are incorporated by reference as part of this decision. And finally, number seven, in accordance
with the provisions of Massachusetts General Law, chapter 48, section 11, the applicant at its expense shall record this special permit in the Middle Sex South Registry of Deeds after the city clerk has certified that the 20-day period for appealing the special permit has elapsed with no appeal having been filed and before the applicant is applied to the building commissioner for a building permit. Upon recording, the
applicant shall forth with provide a copy of the recorded special permit to the city council office, the building department, and the city solicitor's office. Councilors, you've heard the conditions and changes. Any comments on the conditions or changes to the special permit? On the motion to approve the
special permit, it is a roll call vote. I will ask the clerk to please call the role. Councelor, yes. Councelor Brown, yes. Councelor Fillo, yes. Councelor Presiato, yes. Councelor Vital, yes. Councelor Oro, yes. Councelor Naven,
yes. Councelor Det, yes. Councelor Roby is absent. Councelor Irish, yes. Nine, sir. The motion to approve the special permit for Green Meadows is approved by a vote of 90. Councelor Naven. Thank you very
much, Mr. President. Before we adjourn for the evening, um a quick public service reminder. Um this weekend is Memorial Day weekend. Um Malro, as we are all um very well aware, is a city that honors its veterans. Um and there are several opportunities if members of the public would like to do so this
weekend. Um, starting Friday at noon, um, TJX, uh, members of the veterans community and Mayor Dumis will be at, um, the IC cemetery placing flags at graves. Saturday morning, May 24th at 9:00 a.m., the Amvets are running the
flag decoration at Evergreen Cemetery. Sunday, May 25th, starting at 9:00 am from the ITAM, the Malber Veterans Council, um we'll be traveling to the 13 outlying cemeteries and monuments to decorate um both um the monuments um
that honor our fallen veterans as well as the gravestones in the outlying cemetery. Then Monday morning um for all of those hearty folks who would like to get a little exercise in with their remembrance um at 7:00 a.m. at the Hilder School, Matt Sergeant will be um holding his annual run. They will run
from Hilder School down to Main Street um where the group gathered will then read the names of all those who have given the ultimate sacrifice um from Malbor in all of our armed conflicts. Um and then at 10:00 a.m. departing from the American Legion and running up Main
Street is our annual Memorial Day parade um sponsored by the Malbor Veterans Council and the city. Um so hope um folks will be able to join us at um one or all of those events. And with that motion to adjourn. Motion made in a second to adjurnn. All those in favor
opposed. We are adjourned at 958. Have a good evening everyone.