I am calling the committee meeting of the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee to order. The time is 6:35 p.m. on November 13th, 2025. We have three items on our agenda tonight. Um
the first is order number 25-10009415 communication from President Oing regarding proposed change to Malro City Charter relative to section 59A for filling vacancies in the office of mayor and city council. Order number
25-10009414. Communication from city solicitor Gfield regarding procedure to fill vacant ward 7 counselor position and order number 25-1000-9576 proposed lease agreement with South Middle Sex Opportunity Council for space
at the Walker building. I'll take the items up in order beginning with order number 25-1000-9415 the communication from President Oang which I will read
dated April 8th 2025 dear counselors attached is a draft change to the Malro city charter section 59A involving filling vacancies in office of mayor and in council. The current charter has different requirements for filling vacancies in the atlarge counselor
position and the ward counselor position. For counselors at large, if a vacancy occurs at any time during the term, the vacancy is filled by a majority vote of all remaining members to fill the remainder of the unexpired term. Contrast that to how the charter
addresses vacancies in the ward counselor position. If a vacancy occurs before the last 6 months of the term, the city council shall forworth order an election to fill such vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term. The charter is silent on how to handle vacancies in the last six months of the
term. Since 1995, there have been three ward counselors that have died in office prior to the last six months of the term. 1995, 2003, and 2025. the first two cases. In the first two cases, the city council approved a home rule
petition to appoint award counselor for the remainder of the term. In both cases, the legis legislature approved and the governor signed a special act to allow the city council to appoint award counselor to fill the remainder of the term. The rationale for changing the
charter for filling the vacancies and award counselor seat includes city council pass past presidents. City council in 1995 and 2003 approved the request for a home rule petition to appoint award counselor.
It aligns a charter for filling council vacancies. Revising the charter to align the filling of vacancies in a ward council position with the filling of vacancies in an atlarge council position aligns the process for filling vacant
ward and atlarge positions by majority vote of the city council. Election timelines have become more honorous. The new requirements for in-person voting and mail-in voting has potential to extend the timeline to conduct a special election. cost of elections. Allowing
the city council to appoint the vacant council position will save the taxpayers the expense of conducting an election which includes advertising staff time, poll workers, constables, printing ballots, and programming election equipment. As demonstrated in 1995 and
2003 and for the period of November 2024 to April 2025, the atlarge counselors have filled in to address ward issues with no noted concerns to date. I recommend this proposed charter change be referred to the legislative and legal affairs committee for deliberation.
Should the city council approve the charter change, this would then require the solicitor to place the charter change in format to allow the city council to approve a home rule petition for the legislature to approve and the governor to sign a special act approving
the charter change. Sincerely, Michael H. Oing, city council president. and it had one attachment which is the proposed change to the charter section. Um so with that I will open this up to the
voting members of the committee if they have any questions. Councelor Roby. >> Thank you Madam Chair. Uh I don't have questions. I guess I do have some comments. I know councelor Asing had done a lot of research with I believe
the city clerk to look back at the 2003 records which are actually part of the next order. And I believe in 2003 when the council asked for a home petition to
appoint, they actually wound up taking almost a whole year to finally decide to let the election happen in November. and then they had that person take the seat immediately, which is kind of what we were trying to do with the vacancy this
time around. So, I hear his concerns in listening to the tapes that were found and recreated in a format we could listen to. Um, I I personally have the same concerns that those counselors did
back then in choosing a ward counselor. especially in a ward I don't live in. Um, and I I don't know I granted we did not have issues this time around and we were lucky that we never had a five vote
and didn't have somebody to break the tie. Um, but you never know what the future will get us. So, I'm I'm uncomfortable. I'm also curious how we can just allow the legislature
through a home rule petition to change our charter when we tried to make other charter changes and had a charter commission and they said it wasn't worth it. So, can we really I mean considering we have
a home rule petition in front of the legislature now >> and the Senate has taken them up but the House has not. I don't know whether we would ever be able to get
approval of a home rule petition to change the charter um rather than and I I get the cost of elections but the whole idea of having elections is to let the people in the ward or for at large the people at large to be able to vote
on who they want to represent them. And I don't know about anybody else, but I'm not comfortable being the one who says you get to now represent the ward. Um, but that's just me. So, I will see if anybody else has
opinions, but >> thank you, councelor. Um, any other councelor Fchilla? >> Thank you, Madam Chair, and uh, councelor Roby, great points. I think, you know, I in reading some of this, I I share some of the concerns, but I also,
you know, I I feel as though just having had the school committee joint session, um, and I understand that is for a citywide position. Um, but I think we recognize the fact that there's such a quick turnaround in a two-year term, you know, as as councilors, that we were up
against the possibility for this W 7 position that we could have had four elections in the span of seven months. And that kind of strain, I don't think, would necessarily get us the candidate that's the will of the people. We saw how low voter turnout was in the general election this goound. I can't imagine if
we had a special election primary or a preliminary um what turnout would look like. So, I understand the the perspective that yes, you know, this person is elected by the the the people of the ward, but I think, you know, this person would only be serving the duration of that term. um you know at at
the maximum it could be two years but I think you know and it'd be likely less than that if if something were to happen in this case um so I do think it could be a worthwhile endeavor to align the ATL large and the ward counselors um to have the same procedure um I would like to think that we would follow a similar
procedure as the school committee joint um the joint convention um I know in Framingham I'd done a little bit of homework they have some language um where is it that you know we have to provide notice of the counselor vacancy and it's posted for a minimum of 21 days um prior to the meeting at which the
council such select that person. Um then we can set our own rules for that meeting uh to then ensure that you know those people are afforded an opportunity um kind of unlike the school committee meeting where they only had two minutes. We could you know set whatever rules we do you know what we would like to see um in order to pick somebody that we think
could fill the rest of that term. They would still have to run you know in their own capacity on their own merits to then um you know be elected to that seat. they would have a certain level of incumbency, but I think, you know, being such a local election, you know, there's not too much incumbency advantage. You
know, folks have have the ability to run and um run against folks. So, um with that, I think I'd be in favor of giving this a shot. You know, there's obviously no no promises that the city that the uh the state house will approve this, but um I think it's worthwhile. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Councelor Fchillo. Councelor
Rosing. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. So, uh a couple of councelor Roy's points. So, I agree. Home rule petitions may or may not get approved. That that's at the whim of the legislature. We send them. We've got two in there right now. One to basically say
we'll appoint the ward 7 counselor that was elected in November as soon as you know we can, but they the legislature hasn't acted on it, which is their prerogative. We have the second home rule petition that this council's
approved to uh what I call expedite the naming of or the accepting of private ways to streets. So So that's that's in process right now working its way through the legislature. I would mention
that the the the charter for Malro is slightly different than Framingham and all the other 51 cities and towns. Everybody has something different on how they want to appoint whether it's a resignation or a death. I
I would point out we've had three uh ward counselors passing it out of time and we haven't followed the rules yet as a city council. We've opted each time to ask for home rule petition for the legislature to do it. Now the ra you can
watch the tapes the ra the reasons are all different but it was clear to me as we as we went through this that the six that to say okay if you're have going to have an election but anytime up to the six month
mark the sixmonth mark just doesn't in today's world isn't sufficient time so I'm recommending I didn't make it as same as the war as the atlarge for the entire anytime someone resigns or passes, you can appoint them. But I just move that date up to January 1st. So
that if January 1st, if there's a, you know, an issue, you know, we will the council will do just like we would for an atlarge council. You might argue stay at large because you haven't died in office yet. So that might be a good thing for for the at
large gang. I mean, that that has worked out well. Um, but I I'm I just I just saw it as an opportunity to buy us more time. The if if it in the first 12 months of the year, if something happens, hold an election. There's
plenty of time. As Council Villo said, you're not bumping up against two sets of elections and the two that he means are primary and then the preliminary then the election and then the municipal preliminary then the election. You you get out of that window. you'd have it
earlier. After in the second year of the term, this body would support or would conduct a selection process in and council vill's right again just like we did for the school committee. You would we would
post something, we would get applications, we would have them all come up, state their case, and then the council would vote to select someone. But again, I go back to this time around. The vacancy occurred in April.
We were supposed to have an election, but we opted to go the home rule petition, which was okay. We've done the precedent. We've set that before. So, if we're going to do that, why not give ourselves more time and actually say first year something happens, the people get to choose. The second year, if
something happens, the council will select. At large, anytime the council gets to select. So anytime an atlarge council either resigns, moves on, this body chooses it. So it it's a power
invested in us. And then when you go look at all other cities and towns, and I did not look at all of them, but they're all different. They all have different requirements for how they want to do it. And is this a hill for me to die on? No. I just see this is an opportunity for us
to do it a little more efficiently and give the election pro office for uh Mr. Carrian and his staff some time because it's just too the election process now is just tough and and if anybody hasn't been paying
attention the turnout hasn't been actually blowing the socks off of people. Madam Chair, can I just get a clarification from Council Rosing because he's he's now talking about the first year and the second year where his suggestion isn't splitting it. It's
anytime anytime a counselor >> a vacancy occurs at any time. If you're going to go, I actually might support it if it was if a vacancy occurs before the last 6 months, then we could
vote. Otherwise, it's an election. And and I'm good with that because again some of the ones I were just I was trying to dust up on it today and there were a lot that had the election on first six first 12 months an election last 12 months council makes the pick
and and I'm I'm okay with it. I just think the last 6 months really makes it a challenge to get that election in play. So >> and and I would be amendable to within the last six months electing but otherwise I mean it would still be
difficult and I I really had an issue and maybe it's because we didn't make up the rules. I don't think there are any rules for how the school committee is elected except for somebody decided to create rules. I would prefer that we would have had time to do a more thorough interview of those candidates
rather than for them to do a two-minut spiel and then us saying okay or not okay. So, I do like the idea if we're going to do an election to have a definitive time to >> discuss with them um with the candidates
and and to have time for them the word to get out so people are aware. So, I don't know if you want to figure out how to reward this or >> Well, I if I can, Madam Chair, I'll I I'll work on the word. It should be real quick, but I'll let you the
deliberations continue unless council or chairman >> chairwoman Brown has already done that for us. >> So, thank you, councilors. Um I I have the clean version of the proposed change um would then be if a vacancy occurs
before the last 6 months in office of a counselor elected by and from the voters of a ward such vacancy shall be filled for with forth with by a majority vote of all the remaining members of the city council for the remainder of the
unexpired terms. So that would be the wording. I saw um councelor Vital has a stand up. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I was going to get a flag, but that was not not to you. Just that I'm so far away from all the human contact. Um I agree with with
Council Fill and with Council Roby. Um but one thing that council Roby said that that I um as a ward counselor, I kind of disagree with. Um, I feel that I'm blessed as a ward counselor to have four outstanding atlarge counselors and most of my constituents when they have
something that's really upsetting to them, they'll let all the uh counselor at large people know about it as well. So, I would argue that our councils at large and this body knows my ward better than someone who just might be coming off the street and getting a quick
election and then getting selected for the position. Um, I think there's I I would trust this body to represent my ward better in an emergency situation than a quick um a quick election and or multiple elections. And then we also got
to talk about, you know, the cost of putting on an election and so forth and so on. I think that uh you know, I like the way it's written right now. I'm I I would be completely com I'd be com comfortable with either, but I like it the way it is right now. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, counselor.
I'm sorry to belabor the point again, but did you just reread what the current is or did you reread what the clean version? Because if you read the current, then we still need to take care of the last 6 months.
>> Do you mean in what I just read off of the page? >> Yes. Um that was from the clean version of proposed change to vacancies in the >> work something somewhere >> um before the last six. So I I had stricken out at any time and replaced it
with before last 6 months. >> So it's really getting it back to what currently is there. It doesn't take care of I'd rather combine the two. keep keep what's there now and then add if it occurs after the last six months then
it's a majority vote. >> Does that make sense? >> Um council villain. >> Thank thank you Madam Chair. So so my understanding of of our compromise here would be you know if the vacancy occurs
before the last 12 months then we will have an election. If it's after the 12 months then we would appoint. I thought we were kind of because if if we if we leave it where it is now, you know, then then you know, in the last six months of office, I don't think we've ever faced
that before. So So I don't I don't know if there is anything that the charter even says about, you know, what happens in those final six months. >> 12 months could still I mean, if it's January of the second year, there's still time to have an election in January where the six months June makes
it a little harder. So I would say the first 18 months or the first six whatever like doing the math >> so to June of the following year. So >> for the clean version. So
um what you're proposing is if a vacancy occurs I'm going to have you fill in the blank there. A vacancy occurs during the first 12 the first 16 months of the term
>> or do does 12 work I >> madam chair >> president ning >> so based on the feedback I I'm happy to go back and re come back let's if we want to table postpone this we'll I'll come up with some new language and present it to the at the next meeting we
have with LNL instead so they're trying to figure this out on the fly because we usually don't do well in those situations. Thank you, President Ning. So, with that, I will entertain a motion. >> Madam Chair, council >> move to postpone this item. >> Okay, a motion has been made and
seconded to postpone this item. All those in favor three. None opposed. Carries 30. And moving on, we will go to order number 25-1000
9414, which is a communication from city solicitor Gfield. Um, regarding the procedure to fill the vacant ward 7 counselor position. Um, and madame chair, I I I would say we have taken
this up and voted on it. >> We have. >> So, all we're doing is waiting for a response. So, do we I was going to say you don't need to read a letter if that's what you were going to do. I'm not even sure why it's on here because we've taken action. We're just waiting
for the legislature to do something. That is Yep. That is essentially the update. Um I would entertain a motion to accept and place on file the communication from the solicitor, which I think we already did back in
April. >> No. So, we did madam madam chair. So, so we didn't we we actually sent it to committee to discuss. So, >> no, I've got the minutes of the April 28th city council meeting where a report of the legislative affairs from April
23rd is the communication from the solicitor. Order number 9414. And there was a suspension of the rules to approve that a home rule petition be drafted in accordance with section blah
blah blah referred to the city solicitor adopted. So once it went to the city solicitor, I mean, unless it's got to come back from the city solicitor, I don't know that there's anything else we can do.
>> Okay. Um, I will take a motion. Councelor Fillo. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Move to accept and place on file the communication. >> Okay. A motion has been made and seconded to accept and place on file the communication from the solicitor. All those in favor?
Three. All those opposed would be zero. Carries 30. And now for the last item on our agenda, order number 25-1000 9576, the proposed lease agreement with the South Middle Sex Opportunity Council
for space at the Walker Building. Um, okay. So, in a letter from the mayor dated October 15, 2025, dear council president Osing and counselors a few months ago,
Sharon McCollum, program director of the local Wick program asked about available city spaces near our human services department operated by Smok on the first floor of the Walker building. Wick's current mall relocation is being sold and their lease is ending.
For public convenience, Wick proposed relocating to the Walker building to serve residents more effectively, offering easier downtown access and collocation with human services. Pursuant to match general law, chapter 30B, section 16, the city issued a
request for proposals to lease the underutilized space on the first floor of the Walker building. Enclosed for your review is a council order authorizing a notice of award and lease to South Middle Sex Opportunity Council for 1,890 square feet, specifically
Wick. Smok's proposal was found to be responsive, responsible, and well suited to the space complementing the human services department on the same floor, which serves many of the same residents. The lease is proposed at $30,844.80
80 annually, broken down to $2,570.40 per month for a three-year term with the 2-year renewal option consistent with the market analysis completed in July. Please see the attached documents, including a letter from
Crystal Holm, a proposed draft lease, Smok proposal, and a council order to approve the following. Declare the space available for disposition, allow issuance of a notice of award, and authorize the mayor to execute the lease for up to five years. Please not
hesitate to contact me with questions. Sincerely, Jay Christian Dumis, mayor. Um, with that, I will open it up to discussion from the committee. Councelor Fill. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I uh like to
thank the mayor for sending this down to us. I did some homework on uh through masc infants and children nutrition program. They do some fantastic work in Malbor and so it would be very beneficial to keep them here in Malbor. So it's great to um utilize some underutilized space
and to to get them here. So, um I'll leave it up for further discussion, but um if there isn't any, I would move to uh declare the space, sorry, uh move the order which would declare the space available for disposition, allow issuance of a notice of award, and to authorize the mayor to execute the lease
for up to 5 years. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Um a motion has been made and I will second it. I um I share a lot of your sentiments. Um, and for me it's a steady and reliable source of revenue. Um,
fills a vacancy and it really makes our human services more centrally located. Um, and we also did receive a great reference from their current landlord. Um, so with that, is there any further discussion? Councelor Vital.
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, this is a great organization and SMARK. We have done many many um projects with partnering with Smok over the years including Roland's house just locally in the community cupboard and on
and on and on it goes. I checked the rate of the uh of the lease the the monthly rate and it's right on target. So it's a great organization and it's and we're not and we're making some money on this deal but I am not in favor of this project and let me tell you why.
When we put a when we had to choose about putting a very expensive boiler in the building, I asked the mayor, "Do we have a plan as far as what we're doing with our public buildings?" And I heard crickets. And then when we had to put a
roof on the uh Bigalow School, I asked, "Do we have a plan for our public buildings?" And again, crickets. I will not vote for any new tenants in any of our public buildings until the mayor
presents a long-term plan to what we're supposed to do with these buildings. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Councelor Vital. Councelor Roby. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I hear the concerns of councelor Vital, but I know the city council did uh do an
approval of an RFP a number of years ago, and we got, I believe, no responses. If we got any, they were crazy, ridiculous, not to even bother looking at the details. So, I I don't
think at this point um that the Walker building is high on the priority list of the mayor, which I I sort of un unhappy about, but I can understand that the school and the fire station at this point are a priority and that the Walker
building may come back up as an issue in the future. So, while renting the space, if for some reason a decision to do something else with the Walker building comes to fruition, I think we'd have to do the work around
with lease in the building. But at this point, that building is basically empty. So why not let someone who is doing good work in the city get closer to other things that are
happening through um smok so that they can be closer together and um maybe a little more convenient location to the mothers who need the wick services. So I would be in favor of this lease at this point in
time. Thank you, councelor. Any further discussion? >> Madam Chair, >> councelor Fchillo. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Just one quick point and and you know, I agree, Council Vital, we we do need a plan for these municipal buildings. Um, now with them being underutilized, seeing that this is a three-year lease with a two-year
renewal option, I'm very comfortable allowing them to use the space for that time period, knowing that we likely won't have, you know, a full plan and and and kind of an idea of what we want to use the space for as a city. I also in my initial remarks want to take a moment just to let folks at home know Wick their nut uh nutrition program that
provides uh healthy foods, nutritional education and breastfeeding support and other referrals to healthcare um for folks in Massachusetts who do qualify. Also with the federal government shutdown, their services were not impacted at all. So they're fully operational right now. Um and and with that, you know, my motion still stands. So thank you, Madam Chair.
>> Thank you, Councelor Fillo. So we have a motion. It's been seconded. Um all those in favor? three. The vote carries three to zero. And I would also like to ask if um the committee would be favorable to asking
for a suspension for this item um at the next meeting. Thank you. With that, I'll entertain another motion. >> Move to adjourn. >> Okay. A motion has been made and seconded to adjurnn. All those in favor? One, two, three. Motion carries. 30. The
meeting is adjourned at 7:05 p.m. Thank you. Good evening. I call the public services committee meeting to order. The date is Thursday, November 13th, 2025, and the time is 7:10 p.m. We have one item on
this evening's agenda, and that is order number 25-1009577, an application for a junk dealer license from Matthew McDonald Furlong, DBA EcoATM LLC at 240 East Main Street. like to begin the meeting with a communication from police chief David
Georgie uh dated Thursday, November 13th earlier today. Uh uh good evening. I did speak with Christopher Rays of EcoATM on Wednesday afternoon and he advised me that the query request had been submitted earlier in the week, but they were still awaiting the results. At this
time, I have not received a copy of the results, but I will notify you and the council as soon as I do. As you know, EcoATM did previously operate in the city at a location at Solomon Pond Mall, and there were no issues with the business while they operated there. Any questions, please let me know. Thank
you, Chief David A. Georgie. Uh, with that, I know councelor's got some information regarding the business. Um, I know the applicant is not able to be with us tonight. Um, but I will open it up to discussion from members of the committee. Councelor Irish. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, yes, I'm
familiar with this um this this process. I supported this when it was at the Solomon Pond Mall. Um just a couple things. Um the question that came up back then was how secure is uh how the security of it. I know the process is uh contact free and includes ident identity
verification to help prevent any fraud going forward with the product and one of the biggest things was it's eco-friendly. Um, so I I supported it then, I strongly support it now. And uh my motion would be to approve uh order
number 25-1009577 uh subject to the results of the Corey from the uh Chief Georgie. Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> Thank you, Council Irish. Motion is made and seconded. Um all those in favor? Uh any discussion? All those in Oh, councelor Roby.
>> Sorry. >> Yeah. Um, this is inside a grocery store. Is that the current or the plan to have the location >> which is open 24 hours? >> Double check.
>> No. >> Okay. But so people would would know to bring them there to do whatever they used to do at the old one at the mall. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you, uh, Council Roby. And I uh market 32 from what I see here
is 6:00 a.m. to midnight just based on a Google search. But um thank you for that information. So with that any further discussion from counselors? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? Motion carries two to zero with one absent. I will entertain a motion.
Mr. >> Chair, motion to adjurnn. >> Motion is made and seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor? Opposed? Motion carries two to zero and we are adjourned at 7:13 p.m. Good evening. I'd like to call the city
council personnel committee to order. The time is 7:15 p.m. We have two items on our agenda this evening. Um, starting with order number 25-1009588, proposed job descriptions pursuant to chapter 125, personnel. Section five,
preparation of classification descriptions relative to the position of general foreman for fleet maintenance division, forestry, parks and cemetery divisions, and streets division within the department of public works. Uh we're joined by Commissioner Scott. Uh Commissioner, if you want to come up to
the well um while I read the mayor's letter. Um dear Council President Oing and counselors, enclosed for your review and approval is a job description for Sorry, that was the wrong letter. One second. Same beginning. Dear council president
Austin and counselors in close for your review and acceptance are job descriptions for the following positions currently vacant in the department of public works. Department of Public Works Fleet Maintenance Division General Foreman Department of Public Works Forestry Parks and Cemetery Division General Foreman and Department of Public
Works Street Division General Foreman. The purpose of these updated job descriptions is to align with the other job descriptions you have seen come before you. They are based on recommendations from the Collins Center study as we work towards finalizing job descriptions for all non-UN and union positions. Due to the need to commence
with the hiring process, these positions were prioritized to ensure we are using the most current and accurate version available. Please do not hesitate to contact me or my office with any questions. Sincerely, Jay Christian Dumis, Mayor Commissioner. Good evening. >> Good evening. >> Uh would you like to offer something
different than the letter I just read from the mayor? just to reinforce uh uh we're trying to get these down here. Uh these are the same positions that the council uh was gracious enough to allow us for our succession plan to increase
these because they are important. Um so based upon that and why we held out it's been a long it's been a long uh several months uh with the succession plan but now this is the the final piece to the leadership team and uh these positions
one of them has been open for almost two years another one almost one and another for four months. So uh we really need to get this get this going. I appreciate if everything's okay a suspension of the
rules. Um what we did uh because we we did uh if you're if you recall the salary structure was increased because the foremen working overtime were making more money. These uh general foremen are expected to to come to emergencies. So
part of what we did to this um job description uh if you look on page two in the bullet points I can read it off to you. responds to emergencies after regular hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays as needed. So, it was always implied that they did that,
but uh and if you're hiring the right person, they should be doing that, but we wanted to we wanted to make sure it's in the job description going forward. Uh so, that was one of the then there's a couple other uh uh technical things that we put in there, but that was kind of that piece. So, that's why we're down
here. We wanted to make sure that's in here. Uh so the job description is is uh matches what the intent of the salary schedule and everything uh falls into place. So uh if you have any questions. >> Great. Thank you commissioner. Um how
will the position of um forestry parks and cemetery division general foreman uh continue to build on the good work you've already been doing in the cemetery? I know that sometimes in the cemeteries as we've talked about um you know there's obviously a lot a great need and we have to move positions
around really to be able to help everybody out. Will this help um create more availability there for staff? >> Absolutely. So and and again we we have we have a good amount of open positions but to remember these aren't the same positions. We've and we've had an older
workforce and they've retired. These open positions two of them are retiring. And we also had the cemetery foreman retire at the same time. So we're when when open positions people fill in, we have interims uh trying out, but the
more the sooner we can get these uh head positions in to get everything set, uh the better off we'll be. And and it's not just one position, it's everybody working collaboratively. So, when we get all the positions filled, people help one another out and and uh we'll start
filling in at we're still we're still filling roughly um uh we filled a pump station, we filled a junior engineer position just recently. It seems like every time >> something else, someone retires or leaves or um but but having these
positions is critical for the leadership to make sure everybody else is doing their job. Yep. >> Great. Thank you. Um I will open up to uh members of the committee. Councelor Brown. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um so thank you for all of the um the description and
explanation. Um I recognize that its purpose is to align with the other descriptions and it's been prioritized um to move this forward to fill vacancies as you just described. Um, I don't have any questions, but I will,
um, motion to approve the proposed job descriptions. >> Great. Motion has been made and second to approve the job descriptions as submitted. Um, are there any other uh, questions or comments from counselors for discussion? Councelor Roby. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, so
Commissioner, I know that each of the definitions have very specific jobs for the people to do, uh, that are pretty specific to each of the divisions, but then they all state that they may assist in the provisions or personnel or maintenance work across all
of DPW. So, you hire someone to come in and do I mean, I guess I'm re reiterating maybe the question. Somebody from park and wreck. How are they going to know what's happening on a street?
>> They're they're supposed to be the grounds keeper, recreation, trees. What do they know about streets? >> Well, it depends on what So, so say it's uses cemeteries for an example. If it's
if it's Memorial Day, if we need people, we pull them from other areas. They're expected they're expected to do their job and they're expected to fill in just just like now and we have open positions. You're expected to fill in. You're expected to get the job done, whatever it takes. So, you're not this
isn't the old days when it's like that's not my job. I'm water or I'm this. That doesn't fly anymore. we have to be be able to move and and be flexible because we we tend to have open positions or if you have people that are sick or everything uh people need to be
flexible. So that's that's why we have that wording in there. So do they know do they know how to lead? No. But they can they can have instructions for a certain crew and and and help out that way too. And these are the people we we hire can do a lot of things. You might
not have a parks guy know how to pave, but he'll know how to do other things and and tap into the talent and supervise the people that that know how to do it, you know. >> Okay. Cuz I mean I'm I'm reading it says maintenance work across. So that means
to me you're going to tell a foreman to go out and be doing something that they may not know. >> Remember the general foreman's a supervisor. Okay? >> So he's making sure the foreman beneath him runs the crew and that's a little more technical. the general foreman oversees and make sure the foreman has
what he needs, has the right amount, make sure he's moving. Is there a problem? Does he need to to get help from somewhere else or so? It's it's he he's supervising. He should know what he's doing, but in other times, he can just supervise.
>> Much like our snow and ice, everybody comes together, no matter what division they're in, and they all have to work together and learn how to do the job. >> And and I guess that leads me to my second qu. Well, first I was going to ask I'll ask the second. So in two of
the positions they're actually coordinating the snow and ice. The cemetery division is assisting. So you've got two people coordinating under the oposes of their boss. Does
that cause conflict? Why not just have one of them coordinate? >> The streets general foreman is the snow boss. He's he's in charge of the the operation. >> Okay. and the other ones can the parks would be the next one in line and uh um
the the other ones can fall in line. The fleet fleet takes care of the fleet. Um but other ones will assist. They they all will be pressed into service if they have to. So, >> and they all know how to operate the equipment that the city >> they all remember they all have their
CDLs. Uh the people we hire come up from the the the ranks and learn their job. So they know probably better than some how to to operate the equipment. Yeah. >> And other >> not remember they're not operating they're supervising. They're checking on contractors. They're checking are are
they getting the roots done? What's what's Oh, you missed that. Because it never snow and ice never goes easily. Someone calls in sick. Uh some equipment breaks down. A contractor doesn't show up. People that aren't in routes have to switch to other routes. So the foreman
or the general foreman has to oversee and say, "Hey, you missed you missed that street over there or or what have you so that we make sure we don't miss stuff." So it's more of a supervision type thing. >> Okay. >> Than actually doing the work. >> All right. It it just some of these and and I guess it's the fact that they only
have a high school diploma or equivalent and then they have the CDL class which may not mean anything because they're not actually driving the vehicles. They're just supervising. But >> is there some other kind of a degree or training that these people should have?
>> You see the preferred degrees or there are some minimum qualifications. What you don't see is water has a certain type of uh water license. these these not necessarily. Um, >> but if you intermingle them, if you've got somebody who's the fleet division
who might have automotive service excellent certification, but the streets division doesn't mean that they're capable of supervising if they don't know what
they're doing. Well, that the the verbiage is in there so we have the flexibility to and we're the people we hire which we're hiring the right people. That being said, you want the job description to be the safety net
>> and because it is a union position. So you want the latitude in there to and to set the expectation what the job is. >> Yeah. So that when it's when it's a time when the the person doesn't want to do it, you you know you you can refer back to them. This is what you will hide for.
It was all there in black and white, >> right? >> This is the expectation. The expectation is if you need to help out, you help out. If you need to be there in emergency, you need to be there. >> And I I get that. I'm just not sure that a high school graduate coming in as a
general foreman for fleet maintenance would know how to do the reports, including labor and parts, accident reports, damage estimates, fuel consumption. A lot of these things to me seem like it should be the person in charge of them doing
those kinds of things. >> I didn't hear the last part. the person in charge of them doing a lot of the detail stuff that's >> general foreman >> the old general foreman were were were worker bees our general foreman are not anymore they're on munus they do
requisitions they do >> and they're trained on that or they come trained because they have experience >> and again we train them and and and we worked really hard with the this negoti iation. So before it was always
the senior man and now we have that as most qualified with senior as a as a backup. That was a that was a huge thing we got into the the uh union contracts this year. We're picking the best people to be the interim foreman or the interim
general foreman. So these people when if the general foreman is out the current one much like we have now in the vacant positions we have an interim foreman that's been an interim foreman for almost two years. He's learning how to do the job. They periodically learn how to do the job and get trained in it. So, they're not coming in cold. If you get
someone from the outside, they'd have to I mean, during the interview process, we'd have to vet them to make sure they had they know how to do it. Um, and then they'd have to get trained on how we do it, >> okay, >> in house. >> All right. I guess I have to trust you in your ability to fill these positions
with people who know how to do all the things that this says that they're supposed to be doing. But I would say that's that's a lot >> and that's why and that's why the succession plan is so important. Uh so for these positions we will be going
outside just to see what we we can get. Um, but eventually we don't want to do that because the the best the best job interview is every day with the people we have here. You see how they work, you see their motivation, you see and and we
just hire them up through the ranks. The people that rise to the top, that's what you want. Outside, you never know what you're getting. You know, you have a 45 to an hour interview, you can only know so much. And requirements don't always mean everything either. I mean, yep. You
could have someone as a PE that's not any good. So, or or anything. So, or an MBA or it's just a piece of paper sometimes. >> So, >> thank you. >> Thank you, Councelor Roby. I used to think commissioner was the coolest title
you guys had, but snow boss I used to think commissioner was the coolest title you had over there, but uh snow boss might take the cape for a good position. Council Orm, >> thank you. >> I'm boss of the snow boss, so that's better. >> Keep up the good work on the snow. Um, the first thing I had down was what you
just discussed, succession and how important that is and it's good to hear that you're handling it that way and you're looking at in within your department and hopefully people are learning. So if someone was out sick, you'd have someone to help out in
between. Uh, under fleet maintenance, uh, it talks about having a mass hoisting license. Is there a reason for that? >> Yeah, because they drive the equipment. Oh, so they have to go out and test >> move the equipment. You have to test it out. >> So they're just not being >> and and and when we get a new piece of
equipment, fleet will fleet will get the new piece of equipment. It might be a new model. They run it through, make sure it's all right. And if they have to train uh any of our regular equipment operators to show them what's new on something, they train them. Yeah. So they have >> maintaining equipment that also requires
having a hoisting license basically. >> I I wasn't for sure, but that's good to know. Now, one area on all three that I would like to see worded the same way it's worded under your um I believe it's under forestry, parks, and cemetery is
there's a statement in there that says for minimum qualifications must obtain Massachusetts qualified tree warden. I like that language. What I don't see and I I would hope hope that we could change minimum qualifications to have each one
have a notice that must obtain OSHA 30hour certification within 12 months of appointment >> versus having it as preferred. >> I don't know if you can do that but I think that would be important especially >> it was u what night we've been busy so
it was I think Monday night. Yes, Monday night we were talking to our comproller about cost and about the the mass interlocal insurance agency. They have rewards program and the importance of safety. And I even brought up you can't replace an eye when you're dealing with
safety. So I that's how concerned I am that that be moved into minimum qualifications. allow maybe 12 or 6 months, whatever you think is appropriate, but I would like to see that moved into minimum qualifications. >> And and and
we we are we are um improving our safety program. Um in fact, even in the equipment operators negotiation, we we entered into a stipen uh for a they're responsible for safety training. So we
um even even though that you know they got some perks, we got some stuff out of the negot and that was one of them because we do want them we we do offer training in those Maya training and they you know it's it's almost like a class
of high school kids when after after about an hour everybody's glazed over and stops listening. But you got to get them engaged into the the the safety program. Make it their own. make them responsible, not just it's checking a box, something that management wants them to do. Uh, so we are improving that
and and I understand what you're saying, the safety, that's why we that's another thing we added was the OSHA 30. Some of them and a lot of them have gotten it on their own. So when they see the when they see the job have this and it says preferred and it makes them or or
minimum makes them want to go for it to make them a better candidate for the position. So that would be my suggestion to the committee is to uh require that move OSHA 30-our certification out of preferred qualifications to minimum but give it a timeline because if they don't
have it give them the six to 12 months. I would ask the committee to consider as an addendum to these job descriptions. Thank you Mr. Commissioner. >> Councelor Vital. >> Thank you Mr. Chair. Uh 15 years in human resources and I and I've written an awful lot of job descriptions in my
time and these are very very good. So, congrat well done. Um, one thing I always had at the bottom was, you know, all other duties as assigned, right? So, that would that just basically said, you know, wherever you're needed, you got to help us out. And so, that that eliminated them. I was saying that's not
in my job description. One thing I thought was missing though, and and maybe because of the contract, we can't put it in there. But my last job was regional director of HR for uh cable vision and I hired General Foreman and we had a section on the job description
of physical demands like you had to be able to climb a 30ft ladder, you had to be able to carry a 60 lb, you know, toolbox. That's not none of those physical demands are in here. At least they're not separated. I didn't really like it. And the ones that I've always had, they were like its own, you know,
down right above qualifications was physical demands. Uh so there is uh and and and the stuff on the last page is more of the the general HR stuff and it does have like uh sitst stands with intermediate
periods of stooping >> uh office equipment weighing up the so >> do a little bit >> I I think the intent was in HR is to make these more uniform these second pages. >> Okay. We had we had other stuff in our
older that was more job specific, but the idea was to get these more uniform. >> Thank you, M. >> That's Mr. Chair. I I suggest not on the committee, but I suggest we uh not only do we accept these job descriptions as written with with the change that m
council or mentions, but we also have a suspension so that he can get these things filled as fast as possible. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> Thank you, Councelor Rol. Councelor Brown. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you for the discussion of the other fellow
counselors. Um, I am happy to amend my uh motion to um so to add in the addendum as mentioned by councelor Oram for the OSHA piece um to be placed in
>> the one I mentioned about instead of preferred having on a minimum qualifications that they have OSHA training uh within 6 to 12 months is I thank you for that. >> Thank you. So moved. So, I'm sorry. Can you clarify? Is it 6 to 12 or is it
>> Well, >> is it 12 like the other one was? >> I thought it was 12. >> Yeah, it says 12 for the one about the tree warden. I would ask maybe the if I may, Mr. Chair, through you to the commissioner if what he thinks. Do you think they can do it in 6 months or do
you think they need the 12? >> We can have it at 6 or 12. We'll we'll provide it for them. We'll we'll make the opportunity there for them. So >> I would do 12 >> just to give it some flexibility to try to get it better than that.
>> Mr. President, >> thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, I'll note that the amendment has not been seconded just for clarification, but the DPW commissioners worked hard to get these things done and and I don't want to
challenge him on his job description because I just don't know enough to to say add this or subtract that. I mean, if you're comfortable with them, I'm relying on you. We spent a lot of time discussing getting these interim and foreman positions up to a certain pay raise or pay level and then also getting
the job descriptions which is next. You know best what you need. So I can't I'm not going to offer you anything that says change this do that. If you're comfortable with them I'm comfortable with them because you've got to you've got to work with the staff. >> Mr. Chair thank you. I appreciate the
the comment to make them more uniform. I think it's a good idea. Okay. Okay. All right. Well, then the motion has been made and seconded to approve as amended with the OSHA uh with 12 months to do the OSHA training. Um
any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? Motion carries two to zero. Commissioner, thank you very much. >> Thank you everybody. >> Thank you. >> All right. And our last item on the agenda is order number 25-1009589
proposed job descriptions pursuant to chapter 125 personnel section 5 preparation and classification descriptions relative to the position of fire chief. Letter from the mayor dated October 30. Dear council president Aing and counselors enclosed for your review and approval is a job description for the
fire chief position. The purpose of this updated job description is to align with the recommendations from the Collins Center study as we work towards finalizing job descriptions for all non-UN and union positions. Due to the importance of this role and the need to proceed with the hiring process, this position was prioritized to ensure we
are using the most current and accurate versions available. Please do not hesitate to contact me or my office with any questions. Sincerely, Jay Christian Dumis, Mayor. Having read that, I will open up uh to members of the committee. Councelor Brown.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, so this one seemed pretty straightforward to me, especially given um that we will be in the search for our next fire chief of the city. And um that they use the recommendations from the Collins Center
study um for these job descriptions. And um for those reasons, I will motion to approve the do job description as submitted. >> Thank you very much, Councelor Brown. Motion's been made and seconded to approve the job classification and
description um for the fire chief. Are there any additional comments? Seeing none, all those in favor? Opposed? Carries. Two to zero. Uh before >> before we adjourn, just want to get a a uh sense of the committee um for the
suspensions on DPW. We didn't do that, although it's been referenced. Any concerns with asking for a suspension on Monday? >> Um committee has no concerns, Mr. Chair. >> Thank you very much to the entire committee for their comments. Uh having said that, I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. Um I move to adjourn.
>> All those in favor? Opposed? We are adjourned at 7:40. Thanks everybody.