1.27.2026 Fall River City Council

This for city council public hearing will now be called to order. Madame clerk, roll call, please.

Council Scadim here.

Camarra here.

Canuel here.

Dion here.

Hart here.

Peekom here.

Pereira.

Raposo here.

President Pontia here. Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make a audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.

Attendees are therefore advised as such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

Motion to open the public hearing.

Motion to open the public hearing has been made by councelor repos. Seconded by councel discussion hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it. First item uh on our um public hearing is by the Massachusetts Electric Company doing business as National Grid for one new pole location as follows on Miller Street. The petition is proposing to install one new solely owned pole

30-20 between existing pole 3 located on Whitman Street and existing pole 30 3-30 located on Miller Street. Proposed pole 320 will be located approximately 70 ft southeast of pole 3 and will be up against curbing in the sidewalk in accordance with the plan number 31222 619.

Calling all proponents wishing to speak on this item. Calling all proponents.

Welcome to state your name and address for the record please.

[clears throat] Good evening, city council president, city council members. Uh my name is Aaron Roy representing National Grid uh this evening. Um this first project uh is a customer project uh for Maple Gardens. Uh they're upgrading their uh service in three locations. Uh this location um they're installing a new uh pad mounted transformer to to service a handful of buildings in this um in this

area. Um, this new poll, poll 3-20, uh, will be that riser pole to feed that pad motor transformer. Um, that sums it up. Any questions?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you. [clears throat] Calling any additional proponents wishing to speak on this item? Hearing none. Calling all opponents. All opponents wishing to speak on this item.

Hearing none. Is that will do it for item number one. [clears throat] Thank you.

Item number two, Massachusetts Electric Company doing business as National Grid for an underground conduit location as follows. On Pleasant Street, National Grid is proposing to install underground facilities on Pleasant Street. National Grid will be installing a new switchgeear manhole and PME9 switch gear in parking lot number 277 on Pleasant Street. National Grid will also be installing four to 5 in of concrete

conduits from manhole MH5-1 to manhole MH6-1 to new switch gear in accordance with plan number 31134152.

Calling all proponents wishing to speak on this item.

Let's again just state your name for the record please.

Aaron Roy, 1250 Brighten Point Road, representing National Grid. Uh, this project um is a National Grid um proposed project um this area of Pleasant Street. We have old facilities.

Uh Primacare is um helping us out by by having us uh by letting us install a new above ground uh switch and module um that helps our um our circuits and our overall infrastructure. Uh but in order to do so um we have to install new new uh conduits in the in the rightway of Pleasant Street. Um so we're using existing manholes 5-1 and 6-1 uh but installing four 5 in conduits between

the two um the two locations um conduit being uh encased uh this type of work typically is contracted out to uh body construction which uh which we use um the city the city's uh familiar with uh with body um but um whatever work they do they repair and they bring back to uh as new as possible. Any questions?

No. Thank you.

Thank you.

Calling any other proponents wishing to speak on this item? Hearing none.

Opponents. Any opponents wishing to speak? Hearing none. Motion to close the hearing would be appropriate. Has been made by councelor Raposo. Seconded by councelor Canuel. Discussion. Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed?

The eyes have it.

We got to go. Our committee on finance.

You guys ready?

Mhm.

Great.

This forever city council committee on finance meeting will now be called to order. Madame clerk, roll call, please.

Council Scadm here.

Camarra here.

Can here.

Dion here.

Hart here.

Heckham here.

Pereira.

Raposo here.

President Ponti here. Just for everybody's edification, councelor Pereira did have another engagement and will not be joining us uh this evening.

Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.

Attendees are therefore advised to such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible. First item on our committee on finance agenda is citizens input. Madame clerk hearing nobody signing up for citizens input.

Next item on our agenda on the committee on finance is a resolution uh motion to lift from the table.

Second.

Uh is a motion motion to lift the item from the table has been made by council vice president Dion, seconded by councelor repos. Discussion hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed? The eyes have it.

Item number two on our committee on finance is a resolution that was filed by councelor Kadeim and councelor Tith.

It's a resolution to convene with the city engineer uh director of engineering and planning and administration to develop a comprehensive funding strategy to match or supplement the city's annual chapter 90 allocation to increase investment in roadway improvements. Mr.

Aguiar, anybody else would like to join on this item, please come to the table.

As you know, just state your name and roll for the record for the public document.

Good evening. Dan Aguiard, director of engineering and planning for the city of Ful.

Emily Arpi, director of financial services.

I'd like to go acknowledge Mr. Aguiar.

Maybe you can give us a brief uh update uh in terms of where things are at. So, back in August, we had a great discussion with the council regarding potential supplemental funding sources for the reconstruction of our roads. Uh, we had a discussion about what we are being supplied with through Mass Dot through the chapter 90 program, recent increases in that uh that number that Governor Hilly had implemented this

year, which was very much appreciated.

In that discussion, we [snorts] um talked about potential matches or increase in municipal funds to either match completely or some mechanism of number to supplement that number so that we could more aggressively start chipping away at our depleting and deteriorating roadway structure. Um, since that time in September, I did include a capital improvement plan that included a request for some

additional street funding. Uh, since that time, we haven't had any correspondence from the administration about that until this this uh request to come down tonight.

So, if I if I may, um, out of the integrity of the resolution that's before us, Miss Arkkey, uh, I believe the councelor's purpose where it says, "Be it resolved a comprehensive funding strategy to match or supplement the city's annual chapter 90 allocation with a goal of significantly increasing investment in roadway improvements and addressing approximately hundred million dollars in backlog identified in the

pavement management report." So, what Mr. Agia are eloquently mentioned. I'm curious to see what your team or you have done from a comprehensive funding strategy since August regarding this.

So um it is incorporated into the capital plan that I know has not been published yet. Um it should be published tomorrow by before end of day. So it has been included in there. It is I think in regards to um what we discussed back in August um on this item and also what was submitted um in Mr. Aguar's capital needs assessment. So, we have um included that, but the full look of how

that comprehensive funding strategy looks like it'd be best explained through the the full documents of the capital improvement plan that shows um the funding sources and the amounts um for the next five years.

So, again, just to be clear, it's going to be in your 5-year capital plan that you're you're going to be sending to the council at the next meeting.

Correct.

Roadways and infrastructure and everything along So, it'll it'll actually be published tomorrow. I know that we won't obviously be discussing it tomorrow, but it will be published for everybody to start reviewing um at that time.

Thank you. Councelor and C4 council vice president Dion.

Um do you have um a round, you know, roundabout number that you're looking at?

Yep. So um from the meeting um that we had back in August, um Mr. Argar talked about um being able to handle at least $5 million um in I'm going to say generic roadway um improvements and reconstruction. So not including the special projects. Um so it is about that number. So it slowly increases from um I believe the first year which is next year it's just about 4.6 million and

then it goes up um upwards of like 5.3 by the fifth year of the plan.

So I know um it's it's in our agenda packet here. Um we we got a print out from u Mr. Aguia are in terms of roads that are um slated to be done um future roads would that money go towards would that increase the number of streets that we're going to be able to do as opposed to just supplement those roads?

No, absolutely. And I think in that document that's what we're that's was submitted just recently, correct? That you'll be discussing later on. So I think there's a line in that that says these are the roadways being contemplated. So y we don't do all of those but those are the streets that are being assessed and we cannot decide on a final list of what we will be doing until this

mechanis mechanism has been resolved. If it's determined that we just have chapter $90 to spend then we work off of that just that original correct.

Yep.

Okay. Thank you. With that I yield.

Thank you councel in seat one council.

Thank you. So, I guess [clears throat] my my question and I and I can wait for the discussion on the capital, but is is that the administration is anticip anticipating that we are going to be moving with the 4.6 and the $5 million or however whatever that projection looks like in the capital because I I recognize, you know, capital plans are there, right? But at the end of the day,

there's going to be limited resources, right? So, are we are we committing I guess that's what I'm trying to get. Are we are we committing to additional funds going over for the roads?

Yeah. Yes. So, the the plan itself, I know that the capital plan has not been necessarily utilized in the way that um I think we agree that it should be. So, this is all factored in um and it shows a full funding financing schedule for every project in there through all different sources, sources that have been confirmed, the amount of debt that we could take on to make all of it

happen. So, um the goal is that we will be sending it down. There will be financial orders to follow almost immediately that stay in line with the plan that show that it's not just a planning document that's required to be submitted, but it's a full plan that we intend to follow. So, um the one that's in there for the roadways, it that almost $5 million includes the chapter 90. So, we're saying that we'll commit

to about 5 million a year and then whatever doesn't come in from chapter 90, we will fill the gap with um debt service at that time. at this point in time.

You mean maintaining the chapter 90 levels? Is that we say when when you say when you say filling the chapter 90?

So the goal is to do about $5 million of road work a year regardless of how much chapter 90 is within that.

Yeah. So so it' be 5 million total including chapter 90 and then we will supplement whatever else it takes to get to that 5 million.

Okay.

All right. Um All right. I I'll wait till the capital item. I'm good.

Thank you.

Thank you, counselor. Um, anything else for the counselor in seat six? Councel Peekom.

Um, just as far as the funding, um, the local tax, the 3% community impact fee from the mar marijuana dispensaries. I know in a lot of cities and towns, that goes to the chapter 90 to take care of the roadways that the dispensary sits on as long as well as public safety. When we take in that tax money, the 3% local, and then I believe we get 3% back, right, from the state, state kicks us 3%

and we get 3%. Correct?

Not anymore.

Not anymore. Okay. Thank you.

No, I'm sorry. Yeah.

All right. So, in a nutshell, any of the money that we receive in taxes from the marijuana dispensaries, does any of that get earmarked for chapter 90 or is it all going to the general fund and just spend it? Yeah, it's it's all right now for the general fund that um I'm gonna say host a community agreement that you were kind of referencing that additional funding. That's what has legally been

revoked at this point. So, so no. So, everything in there right now is just a part of the general fund.

So, it's just a local tax that we collect both of it unfortunately.

Okay. Thank you. I appreciate it. I yield.

Thank you, Councilman C2. Council, thank you, Mr. President. Are we doing full reconstruction or are we doing overlays on these streets?

Every street is is looked at differently. Um, so whichever one needs the full reconstruction will get done.

Yeah. So we we make an assessment of existing pavement quality, gravel quality, granite curb, sidewalks. Um, most of the streets need granite curb resetting. We don't we fill in with new curb when we need to, but most need new sidewalks. We don't tend to go into a street unless it needs a lot of work.

Um, just because those are the streets that that we try to hit first. Um, very rarely do we do full depth reconstruction, which would be pulling out gravel. Sometimes all of the asphalt comes out. Sometimes it's just a mill and an overlay. So like on Bedford Street, it was a mill and an overlay. So we mill first. Leveling course goes down first. That sits for about a year and

then they come in and do two inches of top after that.

So it all depends on the on what the street conditions are.

I'm sorry.

It all depends on what the condition on the condition of the street is. most I haven't seen anything that's really required full depth.

Okay.

Um are we following the gas company what they're still doing there?

We are 100%. So I think in that memo again we're working with Liberty and with the department of community utilities to determine what streets are eligible. So there are a number of streets. You look at the excuse me the payment management plan that um we supplied councelor Rapo with back in September.

We have to do something to narrow down the streets. We can't just stop picking them willy-nilly of that one needs to be paid. So, if gas hasn't been done, we try to stay out of it. If it needs water or sewer work in the next 5 years, we try to stay out of it unless it's completely falling apart and we have no other option.

Okay. Um, there's one more question I had.

Was it

No it [snorts] was just I didn't write it down. Um, with regards to the street, what was the question? I'll come back to it when I think about it. I thank you.

If you don't remember, feel free to give me a call. [clears throat] No, no, I'll remember it.

Constant C1, Council Kim.

Thank you. So, you I remember I'll take it back over too. Go ahead.

Thank you. [clears throat] Any vacant lots on any of these streets?

Are we notifying the owners that we're going to be paving the streets if you want to put the laterals in and make 100%. We notify every land owner whether it's a vacant lot or not that this is the time to replace your water sewer gas right?

If you want to alter your make sure we're doing you want to alter your existing curb opening, now is the time to do it. So yes, that all goes out um regular mail to every landowner.

Perfect. Thank you. With that, I yield.

Thank you. Councilman Sewan, you have the floor. Um, so my question is regarding the pavement management report and I know you just made mention of it.

Um, so the last report we have is 2014, correct?

Correct. So is that useful? Is that a useful tool?

It's useful. I honestly don't think it needs updating.

Okay.

To be honest with you, I mean, if we were at the point where we were searching out streets to reconstruct, then it might be worth the effort to go in and redo it. Um you could really just throw a dot at a dart board and because there's so many and find streets. Yeah, there's all right.

I was just going to ask there is no there is no lack um of streets that need reconstruction.

Okay. I was just going to ask if it was it would be beneficial to have a new updated pavement management report, but which which might just move some streets ahead of others, but I it might do some ranking um differences, but we we still utilize that document to create our overall list and then we start looking at the qualifiers like gas, like water, sewer. Um, so we've also been

very lucky with some grant opportunities that we've been able to to get over the last year or two that help supplement this as well. And that's some of that documents uh was in that memo that I sent you as well. So, a lot of the times if we're able to get a grant that kind of steers us into, okay, well, now we have [snorts] to do that street. We just

got $ 1.5 million to do the street.

We have to [snorts] do that street, you know. So, it's uh that kind of directs us as well.

Okay. I yield. Thank you. Anything further on this item hearing? None. Is there a motion to uh table?

Motion to table.

Motion to table has been made by councelor Pekham, seconded by councel kadem. All those in favor?

Opposed? The eyes have it.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Agier.

Next item on our agenda. Are you here for this too, Mr. Aguier? Regarding the uh Okay. Uh resolution to convene with the administration and the director of city operations, Malivera. And um anybody else who wants to speak on this item, please come down to the table at this time. Item three, it convene with the administration the director of city operations to present a definite action

plan for the repair of the Pearl Street and Third Street parking garages.

That item has been in committee and we will hear from you now. If you can please state your name and your role for the record, please.

Ala, director of city operations.

Stephanie MacArthur, director of traffic and parking.

Alan Ronti Corporation Council.

Okay. Well, welcome. Um, this sponsor of this resolution was consent seat one.

Councelor Kadim, uh, Mr. Oliver, I'd like to turn to you first. Can you please give us an update since we last discussed this item?

Yes. At this time, we uh I I'll give you a a quick chronological uh update of what we're we're currently doing.

I I would like to also mention that part of the team that we're working with internally, we have other other tasks to do, but these are some of the things that we work on daily when it when the situation arises. Mr. Glenn Hathaway, the building commissioner is not here with us right now. Uh Stephanie MacArthur, the director of traffic, and myself, we [clears throat] pretty much

um work within the team to try to figure out the next steps and then we work with the administration.

Currently, last last Friday, I met with the appraiser. Uh the appraiser is going to be uh appraising the third street lot, the Pearl Street lot, and then the Third Street I I take it back. Third Street garage, Pearl Street garage, and the Third Street lots.

This appraisal will assess will give us a market value for each garage and lot.

And this value will be able to uh plan the next steps. The appraisal will be uh expected within two weeks.

On June 20 27th, 2025, the city hired Ty and Bond designers and engineers to perform a structural concerns report of the third and the Pearl Street garages.

October 2nd, 2024, city hired Tyen Bond engineers to perform a conditions assessment of the Pearl Pearl and Third Street garages.

the status in the current plan. The city has currently designed the total the total repair of the Pearl Street garage with the possible procurement to bring the garage to full capacity. This appraisal will assist the city with the potential repairs in the poss or possible sale.

Third street garage. The city has informed its designer to complete the design of the third street garage. The city would procure these repairs to bring the garage to full capacity. Once the repairs are completed and at full capacity, the occupants of the lot, adjacent lot will be moved over to the third street garage. Once the open lot is prepared, the city's plan is to add an additional level of a parking garage

or additional levels to that open space.

Recently today, we had a meeting with the structural engineers regarding the Pearl Street garage. There was some verbal concerns of the garage. There was some chips that fell. We brought the structural engineers over again today to determine the condition of the garage.

Visually, they had no concerns. However, they're doing a a more in-depth report, and we'll have that report within a week. There are during that last investigation that they did in 2024, they actually had points within the garage to determine if there's any shifts or or any cracks in the in the garage. And there's no cracks or or visible uh concerns at this point. We did uh cordon off some areas of concern

and the only reason why we cordined off those areas was specifically to uh spalding and some cracks of of chips falling down and potentially hitting cars or anything like that. But structurally of that garage, everything's okay to utilize right now.

Just be clear, we're talking about the third street garage, the Pearl Street Pearl Street.

Pearl Street. Okay, very good.

And that is an update that we have at this point. Any questions?

Um to Councilman C4, Council Vice President Dion.

So we'll have the results of two reports within two weeks.

So we'll have a structural report that from this walkthrough that I had today and then we'll have the appraisal in two weeks. Yes.

Okay. Um, I mean, obviously the garages need to be repaired. They need to be brought to a useful life so that we can start um [clears throat] incurring more revenue.

Do you anticipate that you will be coming down sooner than later uh to bond to that end?

Once we have the appraisal, we'll have the next steps of what we're going to do with each garage. And the plan is is to move forward with the repair of the third garage. So yes, we will be coming down for some financial issues.

Okay, I'll yield for now. Thank you.

If I may ask, can you please elaborate for my edification and the edification of the council and the public? What is the appraisal going to do from a cost analysis in terms of how you are going to determine how much both of those garages need in terms of work? Are we talking about an appraisal by an appraiser is going to then get you to begin your process to bid out the necessary repairs?

No. Right now, right now we have the Pearl Street uh ready for procurement.

It's been ready for few months now. Uh the procurement for what, Mr. Aliver?

Oh, I'm sorry. For the repairs for the repairs that was determined by the tie-in bond engineers.

Okay. So those repairs we we put together a specification specification with repairs we're uh the plan is is to procure that repair it and make full occupancy.

Okay.

So, just speaking to the appraisal part of it, there was um some questions and concerns brought up with um I think from some members of the council or former members of the council that wanted to know what the garages were worth and if it was worth the amount of money that we were going to be putting into them to make them whole again. So, having this appraisal will just kind of hopefully

proof out the cost um to repair and maintain the garages moving forward. And be before I acknowledge I Carly can see one. How much money are these parking garages generating, Miss MacArthur, in terms of income per month?

Just the parking garages or are you asking about the open lot as well?

Um let's stay parking garages for now.

Uh both parking garages we're looking at about $50 to $60,000 a month each or collectively?

Collectively.

Thank you. Consul C1. Consul Kadim.

Thank you. Uh, [clears throat] so you're you're saying so we've got the appraisal that's going to come back. So that's going to be a costbenefit analysis whether or not it makes sense to move forward with repairs, right?

You're saying that Pearl Street, as I understand it, and correct me if I'm wrong, is ready to go out to bid.

That is correct.

So what is the anticipated cost for Pearl Street?

I know we're going to go out to bid, but do we have an estimate?

So, when I mentioned that we we were looking at having the building uh the garages uh fully um occupied, the third street garage is looking at 6,000 6 million uh 716,000 and then the Pearl Street is 4,255,000.

So when I when we say fully that that's there's three phases that they designed this uh these garages for. The first one was to make sure that every every space would be occupied. That's the first phase. We thought that would be important just to make sure that everyone is able to get in there, drive into a space and be safe. The second phase was little minor constru concrete that was chipping because this this

building is built in the 70s. There may be some rebar that's rotted through and has some some structural issues. That that's phase two. Those repairs would happen as well. And then the third one is we're build we're renovating this. We're occupying this. Let's manage this by maintaining preventative maintenance. So that's the full scope that we added to this. At any point in time, the

administration or the council can say, "Hey, listen, let's just go with number one. Let's go with number one and number two.

This is making that parking garage 100% usable, stairwells, safety, everything. So those are those are the costs that we have for that.

So the 4.2 million for Pearl includes all three phases.

Correct.

So when you say preventative maintenance, would what do you mean?

Wouldn't we carry preventative maintenance in the operating budget?

Well, when we say preventive maintenance, it would be to make sure that uh we have that inspected annually.

We have um repairs that just pop up during the preventative maintenance. uh just to make sure that that those places are ready to go.

So, and I I don't want to go down this road, but I I guess when I look at the 4.2 million, I'm looking at a complete renovation of the parking garages.

Correct.

Right. Soup to nuts. No other. And so, I would I would think preventive maintenance would be built into the operating budget. I would I would think that you're either looking for a bond or one time like either Yes. So, stabilization account money. So I like how are you how are you building in the preventive [clears throat] maintenance into that number?

So the preventative maintenance in in the last phase from what I'm understanding is more of um like a step ahead of preventative maintenance. So rather than the the annual 10020,000 that we would be spending to put into it. It's to get ahead of some of the bigger things that could be coming in the couple of years or doing things that would make sure that more of that doesn't need to be done is the way

that I was reading those plans. So it's it's not as much of that number that you're hearing. It's it's probably just a small portion of it to kind of get it ready to be maintained through the operating still major I guess major repairs or not necessarily minor repairs that you correct. So so the prevent the the normal prevented maintenance would be in our operating budget. That is correct.

But this is a step above that.

Okay. And so then I I I guess my question is if if we're ready to go out to bid, there was no structural evaluation done from the the architect.

There was there was a structural for for all all of them.

Yes.

There Okay. So what's what's the structural evaluation for now then? I guess.

So how's how's that different compared to what we did for the bid documents?

So the structural what we what we did is there was some concerns counselor that we there was some chips falling down.

So, we actually met with the with the engineers about a week ago. We're meeting we met with them again today. There was some concerns about uh maybe the maybe the building shifting with all this snow load with with with some frost happening. And once that happened, we brought the structural guys in, assessed it. We did a quick visual around and they kept after we left, we showed them

the areas and they were doing their report. They were measuring things. they were making sure that we we shore up certain areas in that uh the areas that we're not occupying right now. So the first question that I asked is please let me know if this is safe or not.

Right? And without a doubt they they did we did a full walkthrough of that and then they said to what we see right now there is no concern. We'll do a full report and we'll tell you what other things we'd like to do. Last time we met with them, probably six months ago, there was some concern against some some concrete falling off again, and that's why we cordined off some areas. The ma

the major thing to me is making sure that everyone's safe, that parks in there, right? I I think that goes without saying. I I guess what I'm trying to figure out is is that you put construction documents together without an instruct what you're saying a structural analysis was completed. But I guess what's changed?

There was concerns that something had changed is why we kind of called them back out. We I think internally felt like the documents we had said everything was safe, but because there was new chips that were following, there was a concern that our structural assessment from six months ago was no longer still true. And so there was just it's just a reassessment. So, it's not holding anything up right now. It's just

another checkpoint while we're waiting to move forward.

[clears throat] There aren't actual additional concerns for none of that's none of that's going to be in the specification.

I guess why why wouldn't it why wouldn't it be in the specification though? Like if you come back with changes in structural like the report shows that there's a structural change like why why would that be in the specifications?

Well, the what they're basically saying is we we just wanted to make sure that those chips were not Oh, you're you're saying they said there's not going to be any change.

Yeah, there won't be any Yeah, there won't be any change. So, I mean, what the specifications are right now, the only thing that's if we procure that today, the only thing that's going to change is the dates.

I misunderstood what you were saying. I I thought you were saying that there was the the structural report was not going to be included into [snorts] No, no, not not included.

Okay. Um, and then structurally the the third street garage, there's no structural issues there.

It's it's almost the same. It's just that pearl with the pearl is this is the concrete. Um, if you look at the body, if there's if you just just little minor cuts and scrapes, that's basically what the pearl looks like. It's just some of the concrete that's that's spalding and and it looks bad, but every time we show the the design the uh designers and structural engineers, they always say it looks good. Looks good.

So then in terms of so we get the appraisal back um and I'm not sure what evaluation is going to be done by the administration. So if if the decision or the outcome is is that we're going to move forward with the parking garages, are we taking both parking garages at the same time? We phasing them in. What are we what are we doing?

The initial plan was to phase them in.

Um but then we we determined let's get an appraisal to make sure that we we're doing the right thing. And now once that happens, the plan would be the plan would be to move forward with both of those at the same time.

At the same time, if that if that's what the the plan would be to do, the the design documents are written so that we can be doing these repairs while they're occupied. So, um I think but at the same time, you're not going to take one first. You're not going to take Pearl Street first and then wait on third.

We were only going to do one first because it was ready first because it needed less. So the only reason that we would semifase them is just whenever it's ready, we're going to try and move forward. So all right. So we're looking at close to, you know, $11 million. Is that So the first the first immediate to get all spaces occupied is between the two is just under 6 million. So that's

really the step one that we're going to be taking financially right now. The goal would be for year one. So within this next calendar year that we would be looking for the funding for that six million to start. So you would be looking at a phased approach then just just for that initial I think the phases after that you know we could also talk about adding them in then but I

could tell you if you ask me today we can handle taking that six million today and I think that the goal would be to start there and move and then if we want to add to that within even the next six months that's fine I think it's just to not delay this any further we want to get moving on the most important parts would I guess um from a cost save saving

measure. I guess would would it make more sense just to get the authorization from the council for the all three phases put in the construction documents that it's going to be phased so that the work obviously can be phased so we can get everybody in there. Um but just have one GC bid it all. Then they know they got I don't know three years worth of work that they got to do

on the parking garages and then in minimizing mobilization going out to bid again things of that nature. And I mean you got control of the you know when we go out to borrow so we don't need to go out for the entire amount. I'm just I'm just thinking long term what makes the most sense especially if you're going to phase it.

Yeah. I mean to be honest with you it might the initial thoughts um I'm going to say six months ago was that we were going to be doing this with free cash the first portions of it with free cash um now given this timeline that's probably not going to line up well. So that's kind of where that shift is coming from right now.

All right I yield.

Thank you. Just as a followup to councelor Ladims you you keep mentioning preventative maintenance. Um Miss MacArthur where in your budget do you have preventative maintenance for the parking garages? That would actually be under director Alivera council. That would be facilities. Yes.

So under you don't have it line item under traffic and parking. It's elsewhere.

No, we don't.

Where is it?

And facilities budget. So facilities has a repair and maintenance budget of about $2 million.

Got it. Conc.

Yeah, that was actually there. It goes. Um, that's what I was gonna ask because I was actually looking through the budget book just a minute ago to see where that lined as far as the garages are particularly, but it's not just particular garage, it's overall facilities preventive maintenance and and we've talked about adding that line in, I think, in the budget conversations we've had once these

repairs are done. So, at this point, that level of you know, preventative maintenance is honestly kind of a waste there at this moment. So, as the repairs are done, so within probably fiscal year 28, um, we would have additional funds allocated into that, um, we do have the breakout of detail of what we're kind of putting in for repairs and maintenance.

So, we could put a line in if you guys would like to see it that way at that point in time to show specifically what's being done to these garages, but until these main repairs are done and brought up to um the standard that we need it to, that general preventative maintenance line is not really fruitful.

Yeah. Which make uh down the road that's what you want to see. Um, and I think during budget time I mentioned that the idea of that the $60,000 coming in per month from traffic is going to the general fund as opposed to being reinvested in the long-term maintenance of the garages themselves.

Council, we've had numerous discussions about that yet. And you're you're right.

It makes sense. It does. We will make sure that when those revenues increase, the the preventative maintenance is also increasing in the budget, whether it's in the general fund budget, whether it's in a special fund, but we will make sure that funds are very clearly designated um to be going towards this preventative maintenance to to not end up back here.

Okay. And just hypothetically speaking, if let's say tomorrow the garage fully opened, would it be met with capacity at that point? Is there is there a demand for it?

Absolutely. I have a waiting list for both garages.

Okay. Excellent. Um and then the last question is on the the terms of the uh appraisal. Is there any conversation or position of the administration to sell anything or is it just more of a just to see what it's worth?

So there is there is an appetite um to look into it right now and that repraisal will will will direct us to what where we can go with that.

But is it safe to assume that the primary objective is to repair?

Currently the primary objective is to repair.

Okay. I yield. Thank you.

Thank you. Council C4 council vice president Dion.

Yeah. In terms of revenue and return on investment, how many more parking spaces will we gain if we bring both um up to code, so to speak.

In the Pearl garage, it would be 150 spaces and in the third garage it would be 120.

So a total of 270 parking spaces.

Correct.

When we bring the garages to 100%.

At that point, we would also be able to increase the cost of parking. Correct.

Which would also increase your revenue.

Correct. Other than the individuals we're in contract with.

Correct.

But any of those other parking spaces, we could be renting them at today's rate as opposed to what we're doing now. Correct.

So, council, yes, that is correct. We've had nu numerous discussions about that as well. But the appraiser is also going to have the fair market typical rates in this area what we should be asking for which I'm sure is still going to be more than what we're charging now.

Correct.

Okay. Thank you. With that I yield.

Thank you councelor councel in seat three. Councel [clears throat] thank you. Uh first question is there an estimate from for phase one once that money gets authorized how long that would take to complete?

So it would normally normally be around 10 months. However, we're going to be occupied at that time. Um so it's going to be probably an additional three three months or so. Um plus.

Okay.

And then Miss MacArthur, you stated that we're getting I annualized it 600 to 720,000 annually for the two garages. uh assuming these repairs are made and we get to full capacity since the demand is there. How much additional revenue would we be taking in as a result result of these repairs?

Um I don't have that number on me. Um I can get that for you though counselor.

Okay. Thank you.

And that's also going to depend on if we do increase the rates as well.

Sure.

I think just and the other thing I just want to comment on is regarding a sale of these. You know, I would be very concerned, you know, the city would obviously lose uh a revenue generator for us and particularly control of the rates that people pay. I've seen many times uh places privatize parking and maybe get a little bit back from that, but those rates suddenly get jacked up

and I'm worried about the impact to our businesses, especially downtown. If those rates were to go too high, it could deter business. So, with that, a yield. Thank you, councelor. Before I acknowledge our colleague in seat six, just to be clear, when you say preventative maintenance in the operating budget, you're talking about in the facilities department having $2.2 million of expenses.

Correct.

There's not a line item for $2 million for preventative maintenance in facilities.

Correct.

Okay. I just want to make it clear. I don't want people to think that we can try to find a line item of $2 million in facilities for operations. The facilities department has a budget approved of I guess it's a little over, you know, $2.3 to $3 million or something like that for facilities.

Correct.

And you you're able to transfer within your own department without council approval if you have some surpluses and some funds for preventative maintenance.

Correct.

He doesn't necessarily transfer it. He's the one that's responsible for taking care of the work being done in all city facilities. So, okay. I just want to make it clear because a a representation was made to this council that we have preventative maintenance accounts and I want to make it clear it's not like we have an individualized preventative maintenance account for anything in facilities. You

have facilities expenses. You don't have line items for facilities for preventative maintenance.

Just want to make it clear out of curiosity if Miss MacArthur can or somebody can answer. Why wouldn't preventative maintenance for traffic parking garages be in the traffic department? I only oversee the enforcement and the revenue part of the parking garages.

You don't foresee any of the expenses?

Nope.

Counselor in C6, Councelor Peekham.

Miss MacArthur, with the Pearl Street Garage, um is there you mentioned contracts a little while ago, contracted spots.

How many contracted at the Pearl Street Garage?

Pearl Street Garage, just one.

Okay. Um how many parking spots have they contracted to have?

250 with the option to have with a reservation fee being paid an additional 200.

So 250 now.

Mhm.

And then they have the option for 200 more.

Yep.

How many spots does that garage hold?

374. So, he's contracted or she's contracted for 450 spots and we don't even have enough spots in that building.

So, ultimately, we're repairing this building for a contractor, a contract.

Contract. Yeah, seems like it.

And that that's the reason that we have been at all entertaining a conversation on potential sale of the Okay.

garage.

And with that contract, can we increase the parking fee in that contract? Can we up the cost of or the price of what we charge him monthly or is that set in the contract as well?

Yeah, there's just an annual percentage that we're allowed to and he So ultimately at this point out of the 450 contracted spots we have less than that. So we might not see any revenue increase from that garage. Correct.

Just wanted to put that on record. With that I yield. Thank you council president.

Councilman seat one. Council Ladim.

Thank you.

Um so in in in terms of the preventative maintenance have we talked to the structural engineers in terms of what we should be doing for preventive maintenance or I don't know if the architect has provided like just a checklist of yearly tasks that we should be doing. Do we do we have Yeah. So that's part that would be part of the the agreement that we had with them. We just to make sure that they

guided us to what we needed to do after the fact after all this construction. I mean making sure all the joints are are taken care of annually and inspected. So those are all things that were inclusive of that. So they would give us a checklist. Absolutely.

That that's inclusive of the [clears throat] going out to bid for the phases.

Correct.

I mean can we is that something we can get in advance just to know you know on a yearly basis you got to you know test concrete you got to test rebar you got to I don't I don't know power wash. I don't I don't know what goes into the preventative maintenance for parking garages. So, I I'd like to just I guess see, you know, what what that task looks like, right, that on a yearly basis,

make sure that we're following it, and then at that point, we can get a a better estimate of what the yearly preventative maintenance costs associated with the parking garages would be.

I'm just I'm just curious to know what that that looks like. And then we just have a a schedule of tasks that that need to be completed on these garages.

But I just don't want to get to a point where, you know, we're spending $12 million and then we're just, you know, letting them just sit there without doing the preventive maintenance ourselves internally.

That's a great question, council. That's the reason why I I phased it in. The first one is occupy. The second one is to repair and the third one is to make sure there's a preventive maintenance schedule and and plan at at all those we could pick any one, two or three or all three.

Okay.

So that was the plan.

So is that I mean is that a significant cost to like to phase it?

It's really to fix it.

No, no, to phase it, right? You're saying the main Okay. So, so we so when we when we when we put the the phases, we can include all that as one, but just to know that what what work is going to happen in each phase.

Yeah, I I guess I would be looking for the report in advance to any construction taking place so that we already have it, you know, so we we know whatever phase we're dealing with, you know, we still have to go in there and do some type of I think that's the plan. When we submit a full financial order and plan, it we will include all of those documents that we've been looking at to make these

decisions so that you all have that same information that we are making our decisions based off of.

All right. I just want I just want to and that's a great question, Council, but because we don't want to be here again because if we repair this and we put the funds into this, we don't want to come back and have a condition typical to this or any close to this.

Yeah. I just I know we're not all experts in parking garages, but I just want to make sure that you know I know elevators need to be inspected on a yearly basis is that that's what's needed on parking garages. Is there any type of you know specialty maintenance that needs to take place that would might have to you know sub out to to a vendor to come in and do it for us and

just get on a annual basis. That's all.

Thank you. With that with that I yield.

Thank you council to council Camara.

Yeah it's just like bridges. It's very similar to what same maintenance they do with bridges and overpay over sightes, anything. There just they'll check for cracks, structurally sound, how strong it is and that type of thing. Same inspection at the bridge.

The joints hap joints happen to be one of the the top ones that they have to inspect. Just don't get the providence firm. [snorts] I yield. Thank you.

Thank you, councelor. Councilman seed 88. Councelor Reposo, just quick [clears throat] question. I don't know if you said it or not. When is the appraisal coming back on the two grounds?

In two weeks.

You're going to share that with us once you have it?

Absolutely.

Thank you. I yield.

Thank you. If I could offer a suggestion, um I think a lot of the discussion here tonight um had a lot to do with real estate and facilities. So, if it if we could refer this item, if it's the will of the council to the full council so that the real estate committee and facilities committee would be able to discuss this in length and if there are appraisals come in, vet that

there and then come back to the council if if it's the will of the committee.

And if you're worried about getting a financial outlook, um, we're going to capture that by Miss Arkkey is telling us in our capital plan.

Motion to refer to full counsel.

Motion to refer the item to full counsel has been made by councelor Raposo.

Second.

Seconded by council vice president Dion.

Is a discussion on the referral?

Hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed? The eyes have it.

Motion to adjurnn finance.

Motion to adjurnn finance has been made by councelor reposo. Seconded by councel pekkham. All those in favor opposed. The eyes have it. Thank you.

Heat. Heat.

Heat. Heat. N.

Heat.

Heat.

This forever city council meeting will now be called to order. Madam clerk, roll call, please.

Here, here.

Daniel here.

Here.

Here.

Heck here.

Carrera.

Rapos here.

President here. If everybody in the chamber can please rise for a moment of silent prayer.

[cough] [clears throat] Thank you. And a salute to the flag. I 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.

Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.

Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made, whether perceived or unpersceived by those present, and they're deemed acknowledged and permissible.

First item on our agenda, Madam Clerk.

[clears throat] Mr. President, the first item before you is the fiscal year quarter 2 budget report.

Motion to refer the committee on finance. Second motion to refer the quarter 2 budget report to full coun uh to the committee on finance has been made by councelor reposo seconded by councel pekkham. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it. [snorts] Item two is a communication from the council president uh to the corporation council and the director of human

resources regarding the executive summary of a recent internal personnel investigation into the public record and the corporation council's reply. Motion to accept and place on file.

Motion to accept and place the item on file has been made by council vice president Dion, seconded by councelor reposo. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

Item three is a communication from the council president to the mayor in support of proposed renovations to the city clerk and council offices and the city council chamber lobby.

Motion to accept.

Motion to accept and place on file has been made by councelor Pekham, seconded by councelor reposo. Discussion. I just want to let my colleague in the colleagues in the community know I did draft this letter only because um for a couple of reasons uh there is quite a bit of work needed in the city clerk's office uh even from a um from a perspective of weddings and some of the

things that they do in that office for handicap accessibility for the main room in addition to the council chamber um outside of our council chambers the floors are in terrible condition there's schools that come here for field trips and we're often uh dealing with deleg allegations uh and it needs to be a little bit more acceptable. A discussion was had with the city clerk, myself and

Mr. Alivera prior to our first meeting and I just wanted to be totally transparent with [clears throat] the council on our efforts to make sure that we clean some of these things up and make sure that our support staff, the clerks have a uh environment that is conducive to working conditions. So that that was the purpose of that. I just wanted my colleagues to know. Motion hearing. No further disc 8 council

repos. Yeah, I guess there's a question I'll probably have and and maybe it can get answered later, but essentially I know there was discussion about some of the improvements that were being done, ADA compliance for example. We talked about that a few years ago. I don't I don't know at this point where that stands and if that was included a part of this because I know there was some

work that was done. Madam clerk, I don't know if you can speak to any of that.

Would you be referring to the counter?

Yeah, that is complete.

That is all complete. Was there any other work to be done outside of what that was going to happen within the private offices of the city clerk um for the public to enter our conference room? There are some ADA limitations um because of the way the um the pathway to the conference room.

So it does we've had some issues over the years to to say with that to to just be to be more uh direct with you on that disrespect. Um, if somebody with a wheelchair comes into the side uh of the city clerk's office and tries to go around that door, it makes it extremely challenging to make that turn.

As well as it's also um a challenge for the staff to get behind that individual at times to help move move to get into that hearing room for a wedding or whatever they're there for. So, the discussion was had in that hallway that leads to the city council office is to hopefully see if we can put a door in there that would be accessible to access the city clerk's hearing room so that

they could adequately do that without that additional strain.

Okay. So, I guess my I guess my bigger question is the status of the ADA um improvements that were slated to be done in city hall. I guess my my larger question is is that if that's part of it. So, I guess Mr. president threw you to the clerk if we can get a update on that um to see if that's actually a part of it and if not probably should have that conversation. Um

are you talking about ADA compliance counselor in the city clerk's office in the council room or all of city hall that and of all of city hall because that in that committee we talked a few years ago when I was chair of that we discussed that um but I haven't heard anything since on it. So maybe an update would be helpful. All right, we'll certainly um get that update for you. Uh

madame clerk, if you can send that email on behalf of councelor reposo tomorrow to Mr. Oliver to get an update on all of city hall, that'd be great. If you want to file a resolution at the next meeting, we'll do find it appropriate to do so. Any further discussion? Hearing none. Motion to accept and place on file has been made and seconded. All those in favor?

Opposed? You guys have it? [snorts] Item four is the communication from from the director of engineering and planning regarding reconstruction projects under contract.

Motion to accept and place on file.

Motion to accept the item and place it on file has been made by councel Pekom, seconded by councelor reposer. Is there discussion? I will be the only one to tell you that um this is also a communication that I've had with Mr.

Aguar due to a number of individuals that have reached out to the council office and through our emails about when is their street getting done. I had a conversation exchange with Mr. Aguar. He um clearly let me know what locations and streets are planned getting done at various times and I wanted the council to be aware of that. But I also asked Mr. Aguar if on a quarterly basis he

could send this communication to the city council office so that we can be shared with all of you in a transparent manner. Hearing no further discussions.

All those in favor?

Opposed? The eyes have it.

Item five is a communication from the director of city operations regarding the inspection of the central fire station.

Motion to accept.

Motion to [clears throat] accept the communication and place it on file has been made by councelor Pekham. Second.

Seconded by councelor Canuel. discussion hearing none constency 2 just want to clarify in that report there was no mention of asbestous blowing up there was no quicoan river in the basement I didn't see it you asking me I can tell you that the letter says at the base at the basement I found suspicious white product inside of a pipe scattered on the floor This looks like uh clarification classification.

Yeah. Whatever that word is byproduct inside of a cut cast pipe, right?

I didn't see the word asbestous.

Correct.

On it to answer your question.

Yeah. I didn't see the word asia though.

And as far as the quick shan river flooding out that basement is that I didn't see in the report as well. There was no mention of that.

You're correct. Was not in Mr. Olivera's report.

Okay. All right. Thanks. Thank you.

Council consent seat one. Council Kadim.

Thank you. Just to piggyback on my council's uh my colleagueu's questions.

So, do we know has the testing come back? Well, number one, I guess, has there been testing for that? And I'm looking at that first picture that's in this letter where it says, "As I enter the basement, I found a suspicious white product inside of a pipe and scattered on the floor. This looks like a calcification byproduct inside of a kite, a cut cast pipe." I guess can we get clarification because it doesn't say

if it was tested or not tested and what did the test come back as because there's clearly white material that's that's there that could be it could very well be but I I guess I just want confirmation that it's not asus right so if we can through the clerk get if you would like concert do you want to keep it you want to accept a place on file or refer the item to a subcommittee

sure we'll uh we'll we'll send it to the uh chairs committee. Uh what's it called now? Real estate and facilities or uh public safety, whatever you prefer.

No, we'll just do real estate facilities.

I think the questions are valid. I don't have any of the answers. I haven't been briefed by the mayor or Mr. Olivera on this. So to your point, counselor, I think we should uh certainly send it to the most popular committee by far in these last two weeks.

Is that a motion by council?

So moved.

Motion to refer the item to the committee on real estate has been made by council kadem, seconded by councelor reposer. Is there any further discussion on the referral council in seed 8 uh six council?

Negative on the referral just the uh the topic itself.

That's okay. I'll let you speak on it.

Um so I just want to touch upon what council Kadim said. If it was suspicious, you wouldn't know what it was. So I would like to get it tested.

Um and as far as the Crican River running under the station, I've seen it.

If nobody, if you're down there and you don't see it, better get your eyes checked. There's a big square in the floor that's cut out and the water's running right under the station. Um it's a Oh, I I I know. I'm sorry. Go ahead.

Just let I'll acknowledge you next council.

Yeah. And I know they have other issues such as rodent issues and whatnot in the basement and it appears to be uh that cut out in the floor with the water running under the building seems to be a big uh contributor to that. Um but I just wanted to add that as well. Thank you council president.

Thank you council conscency too council.

Yeah. No I I I get that the river shank the quicker shank river flows under those buildings goes under chamber of commerce building as well but I don't want it I was told was flooding the basement.

That's different. So I mean if we just want to say in a report I didn't say what says you get no of course from flooding the basement.

So if I may counsel I was only referring to the fact of what was reported to us that there was no mention of it at all but it's it's right there.

No no I know the building's under the shan and so is the chamber of commerce.

A lot of buildings are but I want to make sure it's not flooding the basement there. Yeah the basement in the chamber of commerce building. It's not flooding any of the basements that I know of. So I don't want to take So I wanted to make sure he wasn't flooding the basement to the fire station.

Valid concern.

You yield, counselor?

Yes, I do.

Thank you. Counselor in seat six.

Council Pekkham.

Just to touch upon that, I can tell you I've seen video to where [clears throat] it backs up and it blows guises out of the sinks.

Wow.

And the grease trap, something you would see in the movies.

So, thank you. I yield.

You want to make a motion to wave the rules? Motion to wave the rules uh to bring Mr. Alive down. Mr. Salivary, you just welcome to the chamber. We're talking about the fire station. Your letter has been made by councel Kadim.

Is there a second a wave of the rules?

Seconded by councelor repos. All those in favor? I oppose. The eyes have it.

There is some follow-up questions. Mr.

Oliver, I know you weren't in the chamber regarding um the fire station that you inspected in your letter. The motion is on the floor right now to refer it to the real estate and facilities committee so we can have a more broad discussion about it.

Counselor in seat one and counselor in seat two are asking questions about if you saw asbestous and if the basement was flooding.

If you could just uh let the council know because that was not in your letter. If it was tested the suspicious material uh in the suspicious suspicious material if it was tested or not or if you plan on it.

Al Oliver, director of city operations.

So there were two reports that uh materialized regarding this asbestous.

The first one was every time we have any renovation, older building older than 1972, you typically have to test. It's not typical. I It's a mandate. So, you test every product that may be interrupted. Wall plaster, ceiling plaster, ceiling tiles, floor tiles, the mastic, pipe insulation, anything that could potentially be asbestous. That report was done and completed and I shared it with the uh the house captain.

The only thing that they found that was asbestous that they have potentially interrupting during the construction was the pipe insulation.

Uh very rare that um I'm I'm surprised that that was the only thing that came up asbestous. A lot of times your mastics under the 12 x 12s come up asbestous. Um ceiling tiles can sometimes but council in C2 council commander.

Thank you Mr. Alvare. My concern is this. Where's there asbestous along the floor that is airborne?

So there was in the basement. So I did that. That was the second inspection that I did. I actually went down there and I saw this white dust.

It to me it's calcium. It's a calcium product and because it was cut in the pipe. So if you cut a pipe it was clogged in. So, it was some type of a calcium product.

I also saw a holding tank, a water holding tank in the back underneath the large holding water tank that was cut at the uh pipe itself, not the asbestous.

It was placed there. Those were the two potential that it could be. I walked a contractor in last week. I'm going to be getting all that cleaned up to make sure that So, there was asbestous on the ground all over the place. Is it? No, it's not airborne. No, no, that is a different No, that's not what happened. So, when someone walks in, they I saw I took a picture of it.

It looks like it's a white product. It looks like it's a calcium product that they insulate pipes.

Okay.

That was inside cut within the pipe.

I understand that. My question is very simple. It's not complicated. Very simple. Absolutely. Just Just hold on one second. Is there asbestous all over that floor that is airborne that can be airborne by any unless you unless you get in a leaf blower and this could potentially be something.

Oh, they're not the same thing. Anyways, what about is there the Quickershan River flood the basement? Did you see any signs of the Quickers River flooding?

So, I did talk visually it's not it's not flooding the basement. There's a sump pump there. So, there is a flow underneath that building.

I I asked the house captain how many times he's seen it. He said he's seen it once. I've witnessed it. I didn't witness it, but there was a flood prior to me coming on board in 2004.

There is a pump. Once the pump fails, there could be a back backflow into that.

So, that's the only concern that there was I think councelor Pekkham mentioned that there was a uh a grease trap backing up and we repaired that and that's that's in that situ.

I'll tell you if that's the case, I don't think we should be fixing anything in that building. We should knock it down and build a new one.

to have the quick river flood that building. I mean, it just makes no sense.

I I've council I've been I've been in numerous buildings and I've managed numerous buildings with water flowing underneath.

Water flow is one thing, but to have a river flow through it because when you get torrential 100year storms, it's going to cause major structural damage to that building. And we haven't had one in a while. So, if it's flooding now and you haven't had a hundred-year storm in a while, once you get one, that building is going to be the basement's going to be full of water from the Quick Shane

River. When that river starts to overflow, it's going to cause havoc, especially in that building. With that, I yield.

Thank you, counselor. In seat one, councelor Kadina.

Thank you. So, you said you went in there and you said it's not as speestous. Did we test to see if it was a speestous or are you just saying based on your visual inspection of it that you're saying it's not asus?

Well, that in that holding that little small holding tank there was in the corner underneath the hot water tank that I I believe is asbestous. So, what I did the next day, I brought in a contractor. We're going to schedule a time with the with the fire department to make sure that we can go in there, clean that up. Even if even that white stuff, if it's calcium, if it's asbestous, we're going to clean that up

one way or another. That's what I would normally do if I was inspecting that building. The other thing we're going to do is there is in the second in the main floor. [clears throat] It's been repaired once, but there's some openings like microscopic openings. We're going to have that repaired with what they normally call a wrap. So, those we're going to make that building safe moving

forward if there's any concerns. And the house I I walked it with the house captain. He was not concerned at all with any of those those issues.

But I guess you would have an environmentalist come in and and or a hygienist, I should say, not environmentalist, hygienist come in and look at this, right? Because even if you're going to clean it up, you got to know whether or not it's a asbestous because if it's asbestous, you got to treat it differently, right? So even just the disposal piece. So I guess why haven't we tested the the white material

that looks suspicious?

I to make a determination one way or the other, it's a speestous, it's not as um you know, the accusation is is that we have a speestous all over the floor. So one, I I think obviously we've got to clean it up. And again, as I mentioned, if it's a speestous, we've got to have it removed properly, right? So, so the company that I brought in, that's what they do. Uh, it I asked, they

didn't test it. But what I asked to do is the company that was testing this, I asked them to test it. They didn't test it. So, the next day when I went in, I actually brought in a contractor just to do a vacuum and and wash that wash that down. It would be minimal.

So, I can still test it, but it's not going to tell me anything that I No, but it would it would tell us whether or not we had firefighters in the basement that were We're kicking up asbestous and things.

I'll have that tested first thing in the morning and I'll have it 24 hours. But to me, I was I was trying to be proactive with that. No, normally what I would have done.

I I appreciate the proactiveness and I'm I guess I'm also just trying to make a determination whether or not it was a speestous right on on the floor. And and again, I I don't I mean, listen, I I know the protocol is we can't just go vacuum and clean things up if it's a speestous, right? So, it would be a heavu. Yeah. Right. So, it would be these were licensed licensed contractors that do that. So, council.

Normally that's what anyone would do with as a as an inspector just get it. But even even the I guess my concern is is even the vacuuming even if it's hepoilters and all this other stuff like you would have to you know once you have to cordon off right you would have to cordon off the plastics no one no one would be allowed it's just it's just what they call it's it's a um

it's a a preventive maintenance that they call it's shortterm it's DI allows that to happen they spray it with water and then just ho vacuum and they wash it down if that's what it was I'm going to sample that first thing in the morning, counselor. Right. I really am. I don't believe it is because it's within the pipe and it's calcium product and it's it would make it would make you feel a

lot better if it wasn't asbestous and you come back to the council and say it wasn't as everybody was just a little worked up about calcification as opposed to whether or not I mean listen the media already have it like I I just think we need some type of response as to whether or not it was asbestous or isn't as just to put you know that uncertainty to

to rest as to whether or not it is and and um if we're rectifying it That's fine. And then obviously as as you're going through the windows, they they test the caulking as well that there's no asbesus in the caulking.

I don't believe there's any cocking in that. It's just it's within it's within the frame. So, but that that once that gets in into the design factor, they'll they'll come back and and inspect that.

All right. Perfect. I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you. Council consul 3. Consul.

Thank you. Uh so you'll conduct a test of whether or not that's asbestous.

The accusation was that it's airborne.

Is there an air quality test? Something that we could test the air to also for going through the step of testing what's on the floor. Something to check the air as well. Put us all at ease.

I can get that tested as well again. So the proactive was to get it done, but I can get that tested with no problem.

Thank you. I you yield.

Council in seat six. Councelor Pekham.

Uh Mr. Aloa, has there been any asbestous uh remediation done at all yet? Like in the recent like in the recent past?

No, since I've been here. So, what hap anytime anytime we have to interrupt that, we will we will have that taken care of. We'll have an asbestous company come on in, get it tested. But the last time we had anything at central, it was that um pipe that was an issue. They cleaned up that pipe with at the level um there was a major walkth through and I wasn't able to walk through my uh

maintenance manager told me the next day we brought someone in and we corrected the issue. So, and that was recently, correct? Sometime probably last year or the year before it was cuz I was told re I was told recently that at the end of last year there was some pipes removed. One of them being up in the back south corner second floor there was a pipe removed that had some asbestous concerns and then a pipe

wrapped in the bathroom. There was some work done because I was there last week and I saw that there was some wrapping I believe you called it put on the pipe in the bathroom. council. It was a preventive maintenance. And once that uh happens, that's what that you wrap it. It's like a cast. You you put the water on it and you cast it. You mold it.

Now, who came in and did that?

That was a licensed contractor. Okay.

ERS.

Okay. All right.

So, the other one that you're probably looking at, it was it was a an air cell, which is cardboard that has asbestous woven into it. They put a glove bag in there and they removed that because there was a concern that there was a potential um for asbestous and it wasn't a and it was a crazy area that normally you wouldn't have asbestous in.

Okay.

But so we we weren't sure. We just had it done that way.

And the tiles on the second floor that have kicked up because I've seen quite a few and one of them's a leather floor cuz they used leather back then. Um what about the subfloor under that because that floor is extremely damaged. So, councelor, in the report, you'll find that that's what they call battleship lenolium.

Um, they have that in battleships, and it's like a um a like a like a bag underneath that, like a a like a woven bag underneath that. There's usually potential mastic beneath that. That was tested. The mastic and the product itself was negative.

Okay. I appreciate I yield, council president.

Thank you. Um, just for our own edification, I I can acknowledge my counselors who want to speak. The item is being referred to the real estate subcommittee, but if we want to continue this conversation, that's okay. But I just want to remind us we're in full counsel. Uh, and uh, we want to keep this full council meeting going. Council in seat 8, councelor Rapo, I yield.

Council seat one. Council Kadim, I just quick clarification then we can discuss it in subcommittee. But you had just told me that you had a company come in to vacuum and then council Pekkham asked you if there was any asbesus removed that you had to get a licensed contractor to come out and take care of it. So did we have a licensed individual come to vacuum or No. No. There's been no vacuuming counselor

because we don't know if it's a speestous. We I had a plan to come to have the guy come on in once we once we got a proposal from him to come on in and clean that up because there was a potential that it could be.

So the only thing I'm looking for an explanation because again not my area of expertise but if you need a required or you're required to have a licensed company to come in for any type of asbestous removal why would you not need a licensed individual to come in and do asbestous cleanup? It's the same company that we would use. We would not use any anytime there's the word asbestous. You

don't use any other company except someone who's licensed.

So the individual who came with the vacuum is a licensed asbestous.

No one came with the vacuum. I I actually walked them through.

Just to be clear, Mr. Oliver, you you indicated that to councelor Pekkham.

That's why two different events. That's why talking about before just want to make it clear this is no no I I understand there's two different events but the question the line of question that council Pekkum asked was was there any asbestous removal and then he said yes he had a licensed contractor who is licensed to do asbestous removal come in and I was questioning the most recent one which

last week or whatever it was so we're fast forwarding I don't know how many years to the present day right where we have potentially white substance on the floor and we were told that somebody came in with back and just started vacuuming it.

Council, I actually brought the person in to walk through to give me a proposal. No one did any vacuum. No one did any testing.

The thought was is to get the contractor in to get a proposal. I would not put it this way. If I walked someone through and they did that work, we would be breaking the law. They still need to get a an authorization.

That's that's where I'm getting confused because I ass that's why I was asking you, did we tape up the doors? cuz I I assumed Well, I guess what I understood was that you had people come in and vacuum it up.

Absolutely not. All right. Absolutely not. Just a proposal to get that work done.

Understood. Okay. That clarifies everything. Thank you. Thank you, council, for the clarification.

Councilman C4, Council Vice President Dion.

Yeah. Just one question. I just want to make sure that I understood correctly.

You said that the uh caulking on the windows tested negative for asbestous.

We didn't we didn't test any any caulking. That wasn't that wasn't part of the plan on that one yet so far. So you have no reports at all on asbestous testing anywhere in that building?

We do. We have the report. The report with all the interior work right now.

That's the only thing that was tested right now.

What was the only thing that was tested?

The only thing that was tested was any material. The wall plasters that I mentioned, the ceiling plasters, the ceiling tiles, the concrete baseboard, the concrete mastic, the floor tiles, the um battleship lenolum, and then pipe insulation.

There's interior door that they they tested that they tested the glazing on the interior door.

So anything that within the interior there was no testing on the exterior or or anything like that yet and those because that's not the plan and all of that list that all come back negative or positive.

Everything came back negative with exception to the known asbestous piping.

Okay. Thank you. I yield and for again just to be clear to our colleague in C4's question the testing that was done that was at a prior event that hasn't been recent and tomorrow you said you're going to go start go downstairs with the house captain and start getting that white stuff tested that's in the basement. Correct.

So yes the the one that I just mentioned was was to get ready for the construction project.

Okay. All right. Thank you. Anything further hearing? Now there is a motion to refer the item to the committee on real estate and facilities that has been made and seconded. All those in favor? Opposed?

The eyes have it. Thank you, Mr. Oliver.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Item six is uh the traffic commission recommending amendments to the traffic ordinances.

Motion to refer to the committee on motion to refer the item to the committee on ordinances and legislation has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councel Pekkham. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

The committee on real estate at a meeting held on January 20th, 2026 voted unanimously to recommend that the accompanying order be adopted with councelor Hart absent not voting. This is the order for the sale of the site of the former Deval school located at 112 Flint Street to Contractors Lending LLC for $150,000.

Motion to adopt.

Motion to adopt. The order has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councelor Pekkham. Is there discussion hearing? None. All those uh roll call [snorts] on adoption.

On adoption, council kadim, yes.

Camara, yes.

Can yes.

Dion, yes.

Hart, yes.

Peekom, yes.

Pereira.

Raposo, yes.

President Ponti, yes.

Whereas the city of Fall River currently contracts with easy disposal for residential solid waste and recycling collection and that contract is set to expire in the upcoming fiscal year. And whereas the city of Fall River historically provided residential solid waste and recycling collection inhouse through municipal operations prior to the 2016 decision to privatize these services.

And whereas the city is expected to seek external bids for a new solid waste collection contract with a multi-year term. And whereas the city council has a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that all major expenditures are evaluated in a transparent datadriven manner to secure the best possible value for taxpayers.

And whereas the only option currently under discussion is the solicitation of external bids and the city has not publicly publicly presented a recent comprehensive analysis of the cost to provide residential solid waste and recycling collection in house. And whereas the cost of external bids is not known until proposals are received and market conditions including labor, fuel, equipment, and disposal costs have

materially changed since the original privatization decision. Now therefore be resolved that the city council hereby requests that the administration in coordination with the director of financial services, the director of city operations and any relevant parties prepare a full cost analysis of providing residential solid waste and recycling collection inhouse and fur and be a further resolved that

this analysis shall cover the same contract lengths being contemplated in the upcoming solicitation for external bids.

include all associated costs included but not limited to staffing equipment, acquisition or leasing vehicle replacement schedules, maintenance, fuel benefits insurance administrative overhead, and long-term capital obligations.

Clearly identify all assumptions used in the analysis. Be structured in a manner that allows for a direct comparison to external bid proposals when received.

And be a further resolved that this cost analysis shall be for formally presented to the committee on finance within 90 days of adoption of this resolution. And be further resolved that the completed analysis shall be presented as a viable option for consideration by the city council prior to any vote authorizing a new solid waste and recycling collection contract.

Motion to adopt.

Motion to adopt. And I don't think it's necessary to refer to the committee on finance because the resolution does that. So motion to adopt has been made by councelor repos. Is there a second?

I seconded by councelor Canuel.

Discussion the sponsor of the resolution. Councelor in seat three.

Councelor Canuel.

Thank you. I just filed this resolution because about a decade ago under Mayor Jel Korea, the city privatized the trash and since then uh I know we're still paying for the trucks. And right now, as far as I've seen, the only discussion item is uh an extension of external bids. And at this point, I just want to make sure that prior to us taking a vote for any potential contracts that we have

an applesto apples comparison of what that would cost to bring it in house.

I'm not saying that we have to do that.

I'm not saying that's the best one. I I think the numbers will speak for themselves what the in-house cost would be versus the external bids. And I just want to make sure, especially for my uh colleague right next to me, Vice President Dion, that you know, the council doesn't have their backs up against the wall without a choice when bids come in. That there could be uh another option on the table by having

this potential analysis completed and what those are. You know, when I think about private companies, they are for-profit companies. And you know, I just want to see what those numbers line up to be side by side so that we can make the best decision. With that, a yield.

Thank you. Just I'm just curious. You mentioned paying for trucks. Which trucks [clears throat] did I hear you say we're paying for? The old trash trucks.

The old trash trucks. Correct.

We're still paying for those.

All right. I just we'll we can we can certainly find out. I I believe those trucks got auctioned under the Jel Carrera administration. Um the mayor made that comment to me the other day.

Okay. And I'm I'm not calling you out on it. I'm just I because if we're still paying for trucks, I'd like to know more about that. So to your point, thank you councelor. Any further discussion?

Councilman C4, council vice president Dion.

Um I do know that yes, there was a balance that we were still paying on. I don't know if we still are at this moment, but yes, that part through our debt through our debt service.

Um I don't know.

It is. It is. It's they didn't they didn't auction off enough money to pay the debt service.

Understood. We're still paying those.

Okay.

With that, I yield.

Thank you, Councilman Seat 1. Council Ladim, thank you. And and I'm just going to say I I fully appreciate and I'm professing my love to councelor in C3. I I'm not trying to beat him up. However, however, I just we just need to understand our role. And I know I I sound like a broken record.

We are a legislative body, right? So there is nothing wrong with asking for this information. However, the resolution is basically telling the administration to consider bringing in-house the services of trash that we just privatized. And we went through this entire um analysis 10 is it 10 years ago? Uh six years ago, whatever how many what whatever years how many years it was um and not not for nothing

like that that's up to the administration to make that determination. There is a lot that goes into this. Uh you want to go back I mean there's workers comp. I mean, there are people that we're still paying for uh just because of either deaths or loss of limbs or things of that nature when we had this service in house. And I don't know of a community who has privatized trash and then decided to bring it back

in because the um liability and the cost associated with it. It's not a business we want to be in. Um so I I I don't mind the question of what the cost and the costbenefit analysis that's that's done.

I think I think those conversations should be had when a contract comes down before us uh to approve a contract uh for any type of future services whether it be solid waste or or even um recycling um even if this gets approved to think and and listen I'm I'm the first one that beats up Miss Arky when she's down here and but I'll also be the first one to say and and try to protect

her when if we honestly think that this can get done in 90 days amongst everything else that's getting done.

This type of analysis doesn't happen in 90 days. There there is absolutely no way if you if you're looking for for the right analysis. She's in the middle of putting together a capital plan. We need to do that. She's already started her uh FY27 budget outlook that's not even completed. And then we're going to start throwing in additional stuff where probably there is never any consideration to go in and bring these

trucks back in. Then you got to go get bids um or or at least a cost estimate for what it would cost to get trash trucks in here. And then how many individuals you would have to be then you'd have to have to talk about whether or not the maintenance uh associated with it, the routes that are associated with it, how many people, you know, there there's uh economies of a scale

when you have a company who does this for other other municipalities, right?

They they don't not held to the same standards that a municipality is. I I just there's a lot here, but I I I think we need to slow our role a little bit.

We are legislative, right? We we can't dictate to the administration the direction we want to go in in terms of how he provides, and I say he because Mayor Kouan, how the administration uh provides these services. I mean, we can stop questioning some of the the decisions when they come back down before us, but we have nothing before us to to really discuss. I mean, if we want to talk about an ordinance, whether or

not we want to stop, you know, collection to businesses, then that's that's within our purview in our in our um jurisdiction for for ordinances. And and again, and I appreciate uh the proactiveness of trying to get it, but again, we are legislative. We do appropriations. We do ordinances. We can't get involved in day-to-day operations, and this is clearly getting in uh involved with day-to-day

operations. And and and quite frankly, there's a lot here. This is this is a lot this is a lot of work that goes in just to provide the documentation that's that's requested. And I know we only meet every two weeks and and I know the mindset of elected officials like okay we meet for two weeks we don't think about this stuff. We go back and we do our day-to-day business and then we come

back in two weeks and we think everything's going to be done right and we we don't understand or appreciate the day-to-day activities that take place in running a municipal government. There's there's no way that that that can be done in 90 days. Not even close. Even if we wanted to have it like we're just setting people up for failure. Um so with that I yield.

Thank you. Council point of clarification. Can we bring Miss Arkkey to the table? Wave the rules.

Is there is that a motion?

Yes.

Motion to wave the rules has been made by councelor Canuel. Is there a second?

No second to the motion. Council seat 8.

Councelor Raposo.

Yeah. Just out of [clears throat] curiosity, what is the timeline of the trash contracts right now? Do we know when they expire?

I don't know. What? What is it? Just say it.

June 30th.

June 30th of this year.

This year.

Yeah. June. Thank you.

Thank you. Anything further on the resolution?

Hearing none. There is councilman seat 3. Council annual.

I just want to go back that the decision to privatize uh we were promised an $8 million savings when that was done. I don't think I've ever seen an analysis that actually showed that we achieved that savings. Um, again, I I'm concerned that our this council's only option if we don't have this type of analysis will be the external bids and we won't have a reference point as to whether or not

that's a good deal. You could come you could have one bidder for a billion dollars, right? And we have no alternative on the table. Easy hired all of our uh laid off city workers when they took over. uh that was my understanding at least we could easily if we did not have a contract with easy go and look to hire those individuals uh back. I do fully appreciate that there

are a lot of cost and things to consider. Um I do believe uh that Miss Harpy has completed a some type of analysis about a year and a half ago uh I think when uh easy was threatening to walk away uh from their contract. I think they did that analysis through the end of the contract as I understood it.

Um, so there are some basics in there, but obviously if you're only going from a year and a half out of what's remaining in the contract, the numbers are not going to make sense. But if you put it over a 10 year, 12-year period, which is what this contract would likely be, uh, I just don't know. There could be a significant savings. I think when we think about the things that will

directly impact the taxpayers over the next decade that one of the biggest ones is going to be this trash contract and how much that costs and all. I'm not directing the administration telling them what to do that this is the best deal. I think the numbers will speak for themselves. I just would like the numbers to be completed because I'm not convinced that this was a good decision

a decade ago. I haven't seen the numbers to prove that. And with that, I yield.

Thank you. Uh the motion on the floor has been Can I dismiss the president?

I'm sorry. Council C1 council.

So if my colleague hasn't seen the information to suggest that it's not working, what information does he have to say that it isn't working, right? So it works both ways. So you either have information or you don't have information. But we we've done the analysis 10 years ago like we've already gone through it. the liability.

I again there are reasons why there are communities [clears throat] leaving the industry.

This is not a business we want to be in nor should we be in the cost savings alone. You don't need to have all the detail that's there. Just liability exposure, the liability exposure alone for workers comp. You go ask ask corporation council the number of people we are carrying for the for the remainder of their lives that we've got to pay workers comp because they've got lost the limb or there was a death

associated with the trash collection. It is significant. That alone in itself would tell you that the liability for this this job itself should be outsourced and not part of what we need to do. And if there's only one bidder that's bidding, that's what the market is driving. Like there there are there are companies out there that are constantly I you know I I just went out for for Secon last year. We had three

bids that came in. It's a smaller community. You know, when you're talking about the size of the city of Forever, you're going to have more than three companies coming in to to put a bid.

Just just the tonnage alone is going to drive it. Just the tonnage alone. Um I don't know. And and when you say you're not directing it, you're directing them to complete an analysis, a full analysis, a full scale analysis that they don't currently have. So I don't know how you could suggest that it's not directing, right? Be it further resolved that well be it further resolved that this cost

analysis shall be formally presented. So you told them to submit a cost analysis of benefit and that the complete anal analysis shall be presented to us. So you just directed them to do a complete analysis of you know our trash program to bring it in house.

This council asks for analysis of books all the time.

C1 we we ask for analysis on trash things that we're currently doing. Right. We're not saying to go backwards and start redoing an entire analysis on, you know, bringing bringing trash in the house.

Listen, I'm good to I'm good to to go.

It's it's just not legislative. I I would suggest, you know, that that folks really learn what the legislative body is is responsible for. That that's all I'm saying. We we we are walking such a blurred line. And I said this to the administration. I said it to you, council president. Like there is a lot that's going on. I mean, a lot. Like there are city councilors overstepping

their responsibilities. And I don't know how the administration hasn't pushed back on it. And I've said it from day one. Listen, Mr. Arkkey, I had a conversation with Miss Arkkey, you got to stop pushing back. This is going ary.

and it's going to arrive really quick and you're not going to be able to come back and push people back and into their direction. We are a legislative body.

That's what we are. We took an oath to be a legislative body. I didn't run for mayor. I don't want to be mayor. I'm good with that. Right? That's not what I want. So maybe there's eight other councils that want to be mayor. I don't.

I'm here as a legislative body. I am here to do appropriation ordinances and have conversations and obviously, you know, ask tough [clears throat] questions with regards to what is being presented to us doing financial analysis. I'm good with that. But directing the administration in terms of a direction that they're going to go in, like you would never see that from a legislative body. I I would ask you to

go attend a town meeting in another community where the legislative body is the voters where the voters are going and telling the administration what direction to go in. That's what the board of selectmen do.

With that I yield.

Thank you Councilman C2. Councelor Lamar.

Thank you Mr. President. So yeah 10 years ago we made the switch. Why?

Because the trucks were falling apart.

He talks about liability. Good point.

Just the maintenance just to keep up of the fleet that was old and you know the quickest thing that goes in trash business is the trucks. You know how expensive those trucks are? Then you have to maintain them and you got to store them inside to make them last longer or to keep them out in the street so they can get full of snow today like last weekend. It's just they deteriorate

so quick. You got to get there's so many issues that take place as council once said when you're running a trash business.

It's beyond anything the city can can take care of. And it's just we have a tough time taking care of a couple of bobcats and a couple of lawnmowers and it's just gets no maintenance to those things and they fall apart and we can't maintain them and we have people operating properly. It's just it's it's difficult. But the fact that my colleague in C3, which I respect his resolution, you know, listen, if we can

change the world, we will and we'll help you do it. But some things like this I just can't be a part of. But the fact that he said we might get one bidder for a billion dollars. Now, honestly, like let's be let's be fair, right? We're going to get one bidder for a billion dollars. Maybe the one bid is going to be like $2 billion, right? Three billion dollars, four, who knows what the bids

are going to come in. And if we get one bidder, as my KC once said, that what that's what the market bids. There's only one person interested in doing it.

A lot of a lot of companies, we've had it before when we put it out to bid, they gave us different bids, different options, and we chose one that went with it. So, I I can't support this.

Therefore, I'm out. With that, I yield.

Thank you, council seat 8, councelor reposo.

I I [clears throat] guess my my larger question I'm sure there's some historical data that could be made made available to the councelor regarding the days we did do trash in the city and give them some baseline of of what you're thinking about. Maybe that would be a good start here. Um because we have that I'm sure we have that financial information because you know we are there's a lot of historical conversation

going on here but I'm sure some numbers from the past would probably help and then obviously add inflation what have you. So maybe if that's something that's available, it could be shared with with council Canuel. I yield council in seat one, council kadim.

Yeah, listen just go back and do research. I mean there's discussions that were had like you can go watch the meetings 10 years ago. You can hear the presentations that were done. You know, we talk about the $8 million savings. You know why we didn't save $8 million? Because we were also supposed to lay off all the people that did trash, but we kept half of them.

They are now currently in working in uh community maintenance, right? So, are we now suggesting that we're going to take those individuals? I mean, is is there anybody saying that community maintenance is not busy doing what they're supposed to be doing? I mean, because I I would suggest that there are more complaints saying that they should be doing more, right? So, knowing that,

so the people that used to pick up trash are now doing something else. They're preoccupied with it. So, so we're going to have to hire way more individuals, right? And so, we only eliminated half of what we said we were going to eliminate because they said, "Well, you know what? We actually need these individuals to do other tasks." and they reassigned folks. So, you didn't get the

complete savings that you thought you were going to get. That that's just Yeah. I mean, we can go on all night, but with that, I yield.

Thank you. You're out. Councilman Seat 3, Council Canuel.

Yeah. I just want to remind my colleagues that this is just to get the numbers to make sure that we are making the best decision for the residents of F River. I think 10 year old data is very outdated. Uh I feel like this, you know, should be something that, you know, the administration should have already considered as this contract comes up upon us at the end of the fiscal year.

And again, I am just looking for the numbers on that and and what they would be in today's dollars.

Thank you. You yield.

Hearing no further discussion, motion to adopt has been made and seconded. Roll call.

On the motion to adopt the resolution, council scaven.

No.

Chamra, no.

Canuel, yes.

Dion, no.

Hart, no.

Heckham, no.

Perro, no.

President Ponti, no.

Next order of business.

Whereas the city of Fall River through its community development agency, CDA, has worked diligently to secure and administer grant funding to support public safety, mental health, and addiction outreach services for vulnerable residents. And whereas the FA the Fall River addiction support and treatment fast team currently operates on the federal connect and protect grant and plays a critical role in connecting

individuals experiencing mental health crisis, substance use disorders, and homelessness with appropriate services and supports.

And whereas the city has been advised that several federal addiction and mental health grant programs have been reduced or eliminated, placing increased strain on local agencies attempting to maintain continuity of care and outreach services. And whereas CDA has made good faith efforts to identify and secure alternative grant funding to sustain the fast team, but reports that maintaining

this funding has become increasingly difficult. And whereas the potential loss or reduction of fast team services would have a direct and negative impact on public safety emergency response and the well-being of residents most in need of assistance. And whereas the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has demonstrated a strong commitment to addressing mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness through state

level funding partnerships and legislative initiatives. Now therefore be resolved that the city council formally request assistance from the commonwealth of Massachusetts to help identify potential funding sources to sustain the fast team and related mental health and addiction outreach services and be a further resolved that the city council send a letter to Senator Michael J. Rodri, chairman of the Senate

Committee on Ways and Means, requesting guidance and consideration of state funding options or bridge funding to support these essential services. And be a further resolve that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the mayor, the director of financial services, the executive director of the CDA, and the Fall River State Legislative delegation for their awareness and support.

Motion to adopt. Motion to adopt has been made by councelor Rapo, seconded by councel Canuel, the sponsor of the resolution. Council in seat 3. Councel Canuel. [snorts] Thank you. I offer this resolution because we are seeing significant challenges from a federal level with cuts and I really would like to see the state step up particularly with our chairman, Senator Michael Rogers, who's

in a very good position to potentially help us find ways to fund this. So um I know I understand sometimes the answer is no but I also know I also know that if you don't ask the answer is always no. So with that I yield.

I agree with you. Motion to adopt has been made and seconded. All those in favor?

I opposed.

Council did you want to speak?

Negative.

Sorry I didn't see that. U motion to adopt has been motion to adopt has been made by councelor Raposo. Seconded by councel Canuel. Hearing no further discussions. All those in favor? I opposed. The eyes have it.

Item 10 is a citation for 911 emergency dispatchers as me council 93 local 3177 for their service to the city of Fall River on the night of July 13, 2025 during the Gabriel House Assisted Living Residence Fire.

Motion to adopt.

Motion to adopt a citation has been made by councel Canuel, seconded by councelor Raposo. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

The next item is an order from the Massachusetts Electric Company EVA National Grid for one new pole location on Millish Street.

Motion to adopt.

Motion to adopt has been made by councelor Raposo. Seconded by councelor Peekham. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

Item 12 is an order for an underground conduit also from National Grid to install underground facilities on Pleasant Street.

Motion to adopt. Motion to adopt has been made by councelor Pekham, seconded by councelor Hart. Is there discussion?

Hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed? The eyes have item 13 is the renewal of an auto repair shop license for Richard Artori's DBA Empire Hyundai at [clears throat] 428 street.

Motion to adopt has been made by councelor Peekom, seconded by councelor Raposo. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it. Item 14 is the police chief's report on licenses.

Motion to adopt the Motion to adopt the police chief's report has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councelor Pekham. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

Item 15 is an order from Fall River Taxi Service, Inc. for new taxi cab vehicle applications license number 6, 111, and 16.

Motion to adopt.

Motion to adopt has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councel Pekham. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? opposed. The eyes have it.

Item 16 is a number of claims.

Motion to refer to corporation council.

Motion to refer the claims to corporation council has been made by councelor Pekham. Seconded by councelor reposer. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

Item 17 are zoning board of appeals minutes for the December 18th, 2025 meeting.

Motion to accept, place on file. Second.

Motion to accept the zoning board of appeals minutes and place it on file has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councel Pekkham. Is there discussion?

Hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed? The eyes have it.

Motion to take items 18 through 20 23 together.

Motion to take items 18 through 23. City council minutes has been made by councelor Raposo. Seconded by council vice president Dion. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed?

Read 18 through 23.

She's going to his motion is taken together has been made and seconded. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it. Madam clerk read for the approval.

Motion.

City council minutes for the public hearings. um held on December 23rd, 2025. Committee on finance held on the same day and committee on finance held January 13, 2026. We also have regular meeting of the city council minutes for December 23rd, 2025 and meeting of the city council and organization of city government held on January 5th, 2026. And lastly, regular meeting of the city council minutes for

a meeting held on January 13, 2026.

Motion to adopt. Motion to approve has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councelor Beckham. Discussion hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

[snorts] The committee on ordinances and legislation at a meeting held on January 27, 2026 voted unanimously to recommend that the accompanying proposed ordinance be passed through first reading with council Pereira absent not voting. This is the proposed ordinance for the city council committee. Title changes. Motion to pass through first reading.

Motion to pass the item through first reading has been made by councel Pekkham.

Second.

Seconded by councel annual. Is there discussion?

Hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed?

The eyes have it.

Motion to And the one more item if I could. Um the committee on finance at a meeting held on January 27, 2026 voted unanimously to recommend that the accompanying resolution be referred to the full council for action with council Pereira absent voting. This is the resolution for the Pearl Street and Third Street parking garages.

Motion, that's the mo uh motion, madam clerk, to be clear, to refer that item to the committee on real estate and facilities.

Uh the motion was to refer to full counsel, but you can that would be that would be the appropriate motion.

Motion made.

Motion to refer to the real estate and facilities committee has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councel Pekkham. Discussion on the referral hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed?

The eyes have it.

Motion.

That's all we have, Mr. Motion to adjurnn has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councelor Hart. All those in favor oppose the ice. Good night. Thank you all.

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hey.

black color.

Black [crying]

We're coming back.

pain.

Hey pain, pain.