3.24.2026 Fall River City Council

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This Far City Council public hearing will now be called to order. Madame clerk, roll call, please.

Council Kadim, here.

Camarra, here. Daniel here.

Dion here.

Hart.

Peekom here.

Pereira here.

Raposa here.

President Ponty here. 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 are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

Motion to open the public hearing.

Motion to open the public hearing has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councelor Peekham. Discussion hearing none. All those in favor? I opposed. The eyes have it. And just as a point of information, councelor Hart is under the weather and will not be joining us um this evening.

First item on our agenda uh to open the public hearing which has already occurred is a item number one.

Massachusetts Electric Company doing business as National Grid and Verizon New England Inc. for one jointlyowned pole location as follows. It's on Alden Street. One new jointly opened owned pole location. This petition is proposing to install one new jointly owned 45 ft class 2 pole P1 on Alden Street beginning on the point approximately 85 ft southeast of the center line of the intersection of

Quicoan Street and Alden Street. That is in accordance with plan number 31135482.

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

As always, just state your name and address for the record, please.

Good evening. My name is Aaron Roy representing National Grid 1250 Braen Point Road in Somerset. Uh tonight, uh I believe there are a total of six hearings. um all which are uh asset um work for national grid all improvement work. Um so to begin with this first one um poll this new poll poll one Alden Street that we're proposing is to uh reconfigure our underground system on the corner of

Quicoan Street and Alden Street. Um this feeds down towards um the Tower Mill um building which is an old service. So we are replacing that old uh primary cable.

Um and this poll one is allowing us to uh reconfigure that. So thank you. And for the record uh there is a restriction. This pole shall be set back of walk to ensure adequate Americans with disabilities act path with just for the record. I did not read that as I uh open that uh public hearing. Is that it Mr. Roy on this item? Thank you.

That is it. Yeah, I can I can touch on that real quick. So, the existing poles that are on um Alden Street right now are set back against um the fence line.

Um and this new pole will be in line with those with those polls set back on the sidewalk. So, very good. Thank you very uh councelor in seat seven. Councelor Pereira, I have a question. Mr. Roy, it's a joint poll location. There's already a poll there. So, you're adding another poll.

Adding an additional poll.

And when are they going to take the other poll down?

That is a pet peeve of mine, right? We can't even get other people to come to the table to talk about it. We got double polls all over the place.

So I I Do you know? I I can't I can't answer that. So I I know looking at the the list I think I mentioned back when when we had that discussion um we have a list where uh it's a progression list you know um each utility company notifies each other um and pretty much it's like an Excel sheet kind of that notifies each other um when they're off the poll the next is to go

in order. I looked at that list today and National Grid is off of every single double pole in the city. We have none.

So that falls on all the other utilities, you know. So not I mean to speak for National Grant, we're we're the ones that set the polls in in the city. So we set all the polls and we're the first ones to change it over. So that leaves all the other utilities fiber Comcast Verizon you know, on this list. So, um there are some polls that we have to remove, but

in this case, all of our all the polls, all our responsibilities right now are um are taken care of and it falls on the other.

Thank you, Mr. Roy.

You're welcome.

We may need to try to reach out to them again but sure.

They couldn't come.

We can try.

Thank you.

You yield, counselor.

Ridiculous.

Counselor, you yield.

I yield.

Great. Uh thank you, Mr. Roy. I'll call you down in a moment for other proponents of the calling opponents. Any opponents on item one?

Hearing none, Mr. Roy, come on back.

Massachusetts uh item number two, Massachusetts Electric Company doing business as follows with National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. for one jointly owned pole location as follows.

This is on Olden Street. One new jointly owned pole location. This petition is proposing to install one new jointly owned pole 4581 pole P25-50 at 434 Alden Street beginning at the point approximately 137 ft north of the center line of the intersection of Alden and Marino Street and continuing approximately 12 ft in the easterly direction. This is in accordance with plan number 31243528.

There's a restriction here. Call for um the poll shall not impede existing driveways. Note, many utilities are in this area. Calling all proponents wishing to speak. Mr. Roy, again, state your name and address for the record, please.

Aaron Roy, 1250 Braen Point Road, representing National Grid, uh, Somerset. Um, this is another new new pole in line with an existing pole line on Olden Street, um, between Ross Street and Marino Street. Um, there is, um, I believe it's a it's a wider driveway opening here. Um, this pole will be set to the, uh, to the right of that driveway. um out of out of any way uh restriction uh any car over the um into

that driveway. So there won't be any issue. Um and with the other restriction of there are many utilities um whenever we run into um a situation where there are existing utilities on the ground, we use um we contract a vac truck out there so we don't stick an augur in the ground. We don't we don't take that chance of um you know running into more situ more issues. That's all. Thank you.

Any other proponents wishing to speak on this item? Hearing none. Any opponents wishing to speak on this item? Hearing none. Thank you. Item number three, Massachusetts Electric Company doing business as National Grid in Verizon New England, Inc. for one jointlyowned pole location as follows. This is on Brighton Avenue. One new jointly owned pole location. This petition is proposing to

install one new jointly owned 45 foot 81 midspan pole, pole 33-50 on Brighton Avenue, northeast on the center line of the intersection of Brighton Avenue and Aberdine Street between existing poles 33 and 34. This is in accordance with plan number 31243532.

There is a restriction. The pole shall be set back at the curb and shall not obstruct any existing driveways. Calling all proponents wishing to speak. Mr.

Roy. Yes. Should I state my name?

Yes.

All right. Aaron Roy, 1250 Braen Point Road, Somerset, representing National Grid. Um, another feeder uh improvement um project for National Grid. Um, this new pole allows us um to set um a mainline device which will help the reliability of our system in the city.

Um, at this at this location, I believe this is like a mechanic shop at 703 Brain A. There's two entrances into the parking lot there um with a a curb median uh between the two entrances and this pole will be installed directly in the middle of those two entrances right on the curb.

Any other proponents wishing to speak on this item? Hearing none. Any opponents wishing to speak on this item? Hearing none. Item number four, Massachusetts Electric Company doing business as National Grid and Verizon, New England for one jointly owned pole location as follows. This is on Eastern Avenue. One new jointly owned pole location. This petition is proposing to install one new

jointly owned 45- ft H1 pole, pole 16-50 on Eastern Avenue southwest on the center line of the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Holden Street between existing poles 16 and 18. Pole 16-50 will be used to hold a new load brake switch in accordance with plan number 31243 uh 31243531.

There is a restriction noted in this application. Poll shall be set back to the curb to ensure adequate American with disabilities path with calling all proponents wishing to speak. Mr. Roy Aaron Roy 1250 Braenpoint Road Somerset representing National Grid. Um just as you said um and just like the last one um we're installing um a mainline device on a new um jointly owned pole between

pole 16 and pole 18 and a half. Um this pole will be set up against the curb. um and out of the way of any uh any driveways.

Thank you. Any other uh proponents wishing to speak on this item? Hearing none. Calling all opponents wishing to speak on this item. Hearing none. Item number five, Massachusetts Electric Company doing businesses National Grid and Verizon New England Inc. for one jointly owned pole location as follows.

This is on Rhode Island Avenue. One new jointly owned pole location. This petition is for proposing to install one new jointly owned pole P uh P9-50 on Rhode Island Avenue at the point approximately 70 ft southerntherly of the center line of the intersection of Orswwell Street and Rhode Island Avenue and continuing approximately 17 ft in the easterly direction in accordance with in accordance with plan number

31243520.

Calling all proponents wishing to speak.

Mr. Roy, I'll take this one. Um Aaron Roy 1250 Brighten Point Road, uh Somerset, representing National Grid. Um another um intermediate pole in an existing pole line. Uh this one will be sent uh set in front of um the dental office um there at um 210 Rhode Island A. Um this poll will be set up against the curbing and out of the way of any uh any driveways there.

Thank you. Any other proponents wishing to speak? Hearing none. Calling all opponents. Wishing to speak on this item. Calling all opponents.

Hearing none. Item six. Massachusetts underground conduit. Massachusetts Electric Company doing businesses National Grid for an underground conduit location as follows. This is on Alden Street. The petitioner is proposing to install 102 feet of two 2 to 5 in underground conduit from pole 2 to manhole 7 on Alden Street. This is in accordance with plan number 31135482.

the restrictions. Sidewalk uh sidewalks were recently replaced in this area.

Restoration shall be a complete from curb to layout line backline. Calling all proponents right here. Aaron Roy 1250 Braen Point Road Somerset representing National Grid. Um this project actually coincides with the first one we spoke about tonight um about the the new pull one Alden Street. Um like I said back back um on the first one um we're reconductoring some underground uh primary to feed Tower Mills and along

with some other uh primary and Alden and Quicoan Street. So we will be trenching um from that new pole pole one um into an existing manhole on the intersection of Quashan and Alden Street. So there will be digging because that pole is going to be set back off the sidewalk against the fence. Um there will be about six feet of um sidewalk that will that will be u interrupted but most of

the digging will be in the street. Um but everything will be repaired um back to the way it is.

Thank you Mr. Roy. Calling all proponents wishing to speak on this item. Hearing none. Any opponents?

Hearing none. Item number seven. Not even close to being done. Curb removals.

Daniel Gonzalez of 150 Hancock Street.

Thank you Mr. Roy. We'll miss you.

Daniel Gonzalez, 150 Hancock Street, unit 203 Quinsey, Mass 02171 for the removing of curbing as follows. This is on 160 Franklin Street. The existing parcel is served by an 18 ft curb opening. The applicant proposes to close the existing 18 ft curb opening and construct a new 23 ft curb opening and a new 24T 6in curb opening. The opening for the location will be 47 feet 6 in.

Calling all proponents wishing to speak on this item.

Hearing none. Any opponents wishing to speak on this item? Hearing none. Item eight, J&M Development Group Corp. 263 Gford Road, Westport, Mass 02790 for the removing of curbing as follows.

This is on 215 to 219 Earl Street. The existing parcel is served by 20 foot curb opening on Earl Street. The applicant proposes an additional 12- foot opening on County Street. The total opening for the location will be 32 feet. Work has already been completed.

Calling all proponents wishing to speak on this item. Hearing none, calling all opponents wishing to speak on this item.

Hearing none. Item nine, Tucker Dashand Realy LLC, 88 Earl Street for the removing of curbing as follows. This is on 25 Rhode Island Avenue, Laurel Street area. The existing parcel is served by an 18 ft curb opening on Rhode Island Avenue and a 25- ft curb opening on Laurel Street. The applicant proposes extending the existing Laurel Street opening by 11 ft and creating a new 28t

curb opening on Laurel Street. The the total opening for location will be 82 feet. Work is already completed. Calling all proponents.

Hearing none. Calling all opponents.

Hearing none. Item 10. Brookfield Terrence. This is a street acceptance.

Brookfield Terrence extending from the southerntherly side of Fieldstone Lane westerly to its terminus. Calling all proponents.

Hearing none. Calling all opponents.

Hearing none. That's item number 10.

Item number 11, Field Zone Street, extending from the southerntherly terminus of Hayfield Lane to Courtney Street in Fall River. Calling all proponents.

Hearing none, calling all opponents.

Hearing none. Item number 12, Stone Brook Circle extending from the westerly side of Fieldstone Lane to its terminus.

Calling all proponents.

Calling all opponents. Hearing none.

Item 13, Draper Street extending southerntherly from Globe Mills Avenue to Terminus and Norly. Northerly from the Globe Mills Avenue to terminus.

Calling all proponents.

Hearing none. Calling all opponents.

Hearing none. Item number 14 is the capital improvement plan. This is a five-year capital improvement plan.

Calling all proponents.

That's you.

And you state your name and roll for the record, please. We are still in our public hearings.

Emily Arpi, director of finance. Al Oliver, director of city operations.

Do you have a a presentation, Miss Arkkey?

I do not have a presentation. So, what I have is just a copy of the capital improvement plan that was published and that was um put out for everybody um just so that we can kind of follow along. People at home or the people in audience can just keep on track with the books that everybody has in front of them.

Fair enough. And for the council's own edification, there were corrections in the capital improvement plan that are on your desk. Yes.

Um there is a fiscal year ending June 30th through uh June 30th, 2027 through 2031.

So just to be clear, those corrections, they're they're limited to minor presentation inconsistencies in the data. It's not impacting any of the underlying um conclusions or the items that were actually included. It's just very minor spots that the data had kind of shifted except for that first um category. It just was totaled wrong. But everything else um it was just presentation errors.

Understood. Thank you. Councelor in seat seven. Councelor Pereira.

I can I can accept that some things were totaled wrong, but I'm going to tell you we just got handed this correction just now. I got my I received my agenda. I picked it up on Friday. Went over everything that I had questions about.

Now to get this, I have not had time to look at these figures over what we had initially received and I resent that and think that this should be tabled until all of my colleagues have a time to review because if we just received it 15 minutes ago, 20 minutes ago, we haven't had time to look at it. Where do these changes come from in comparison with what we received as capital

improvement? I mean, there's some things like fleet, you know, to buy new automobiles. $80,000 year after year after year. I don't know about everybody else, but every year things go up. The price of vehicles will go up. I did see in here um that there was money for OPA, but when I look, the skate park was supposed to be opera money and it wasn't.

Right. So, that's the note that wasn't in there.

That's the note. that's right there is that it was supposed to be listed under ARPA and it's listed under external right but even the park the uh all-incclusion park that they're building a lot of that money came from CPC gave money other people correct none of that is listed in here I haven't had a chance to go over it if this council doesn't want to table it and you want to

go on with it I'm telling you that I'm going to vote present because I have not had an opportunity to really review this given this 20 minutes ago with that I yield Mr. president.

Thank you. Thank you, counselor. And to our colleague in seat 7's point, we want to try our best as a as the administration to avoid um having these last minute changes. I respect that things happen. Um and I respect the fact that you identified the corrections, but this capital improvement plan has been essentially in the city council office since before the blizzard. Uh if we are

all aware of this, we were supposed to have this public hearing prior to the blizzard, but I had to cancel that meeting. So we had to republish this. So this hard copy has been on everybody's desk for quite a bit quite some time. So um I just wanted to point that out. I can understand your appre the appreciation but our colleague does make a good point with the respect of being

tabled. We are in our public hearing session right now and the only action this council will have um council is in full counsel under item six where at that point we'll either accept it and place it on file and accept the report.

You have the right to vote at your leisure but I just wanted you to know that we're still in public hearings.

Um, you yielded council on C8 council repos.

Thank you. I yield.

Thank you. So, three questions. Uh, first is MIS. I know the MIS director's here, so I don't know if we can invite him.

Absolutely. Come on down.

Just take the microphone to your left.

That's the other one. The other one.

Tyler Antaya, director of management information systems.

Tyler, grab the other microphone.

Grab the other one.

There you go. Thank you. Thank you, Tyler, for being here. I was more of a I wanted to ask you directly versus kind of going through the ranks here. I noticed there's no capital for MIS, which I guess is a good thing, but I want you to give some rationale where MIS stands currently. Um, I guess outside of subscriptionbased services that we have, there's really no hard capital that the department needs at all.

Correct. So, a lot of our uh refreshes were taken care of with the ARPA money.

Um between physical servers for police, fire, and city hall all being um refreshed, there's really not a lot that I can foresee in the next five years that we're going to have to upgrade. uh especially with the whole move to cloud um when the time comes uh when that hardware is suns setting um whether we want to replace that hardware or just push to move everything cloud is uh isn't really something I can stand on

right now so uh and in terms of hardware for end users with the recent Windows 10 end of life we've refreshed the majority of the computers here so uh as I was saying before there's nothing that I could really foresee to uh upgrade.

Awesome. That's all I had for you. I appreciate you. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Um next is the veteran service office.

Tell us VSO is here.

Mr. Tell us. Just state your name and occupation for the record. Role for the record please.

Taylor Ferris, excuse me, that's really loud.

Yeah, it is.

Taylor Ferris, director of veteran services.

Thank you. Um, so I just want to talk a little bit about Pine Street for a minute. Um, so I noticed that the capital plan doesn't really equate anything to the improvements that will have to happen to Pine Street after the VAC vacates to the new location. And so I'd like to see um what are the current what are some current thoughts about allocation of money to fix that building

up. I know the future planning is still up for conversation, but any any information anyone can provide would be would be excellent to this.

Yeah. So I can start by saying that when we first put out the um capital improvement plan, the capital needs assessment that this began with that was put out in August. And so the timing of when this was initially kind of the information was gathered, the information about the vac the vacating of the property was really unknown, especially the timeline. So as that has developed, um I know this was published

in January and we did have a more firm timeline at that point. Um it we didn't have enough information about what was needed in there, what the timeline would look like. So at this time it it just didn't we didn't have enough information to include it. Um it will be included in the next one. um we plan to do them in the fall each year and then um if we need anything before then we'll we'll

obviously come down for funding or um support at that point in time with full information and plan.

Okay. Mr. Oliver, do you have a sense or any analysis of what what the price tag would be to get that building rehabed internally?

Have you had any any sort of estimates looked at? Anything of the sort?

We we've we've we've performed a survey of the building. We know that there are some um maintenance issues, common maintenance issues such as your LBT, such as some painting, some minor uh touch-ups here and there. We just don't know who's going to occupy that space.

So, we just can't forecast what the uh the construction uh difficulties are going to be, but we have a good idea of once that place is occupied, we can maintain what is there. um such as replacing some of the flooring, making sure that there's no trip hazards, making sure that uh we we're 100% on ADA. We're in great shape with ADA, but there's still a few minor things that we want to take care of.

So, I think what the conversation spent is those very basic minor things that don't matter. No, you know, regardless of what goes in there as the end use, we have enough, you know, internal operating that we can make those um improvements and changes as we need and then as we develop a plan for occupation. um at that point in time, you know, that's when those more capital needs costs will kind of come into play

and we'll we'll come down with that at that time.

Doc, do you want to add anything to that?

I really don't have anything to add to it. I mean, we've sat down a couple of times to discuss this specific topic. Uh and no one wants to put the cart before the horse when it comes to this building and uh what its next use is is or is not going to be. But at a minimum, we've all agreed that there are basic things that need to happen in the building. leveling

of floors, upgrading certain areas of the building once the reefers and the freezers and things like that come out of it that belong to the DA uh that belong to the VABC. Uh and then once we get a real idea of what that looks like, we'll be able to better plan.

Okay. And has and there's been conversation with the mayors regarding that building staying in veterans hands, being a veterans building.

Yes, that has been the one firm decision we have is that no matter what, it'll come out with a veterans end use.

Okay. Do you have a sense of a timeline of when we'll have a better idea of number-wise?

As far as when be turned over, you mean?

No. And I think we know when the building is be turned over generally, but as far as when do you think you'll be able to report back to us about how much it's going to cost to get that building to a a level place?

I think we need them to vacate to be able to tell that. And that's the part where we keep running into this, you know, hard description to give because some of it is once they pull that equipment out, we can really see what's needed. But we don't we only have a range of when that'll happen. So it's it's really hard to gauge the timeline right now. And that's kind of why we we

want to do something. We want to be proactive, but we're a little stuck.

Okay. So we we'll have more information probably in the fall without Yeah. Hopefully in summer we'll have especially the base part ready to kind of share and and be moving on whether we need funding support or not.

We'll be ready to at least share what's going on.

Okay. Excellent. Thank you. That's all I have for the VSO. Other counselors have questions for the VSO. Do you mind yielding at the moment so he doesn't have to keep going back and forth?

I will. I yield to you. Thank you.

Constitency 7.

The only thing that I'd like to say is that we have spent a lot of money on that building. They've had all new windows. Um the bathrooms have all been redone so that they're handicapped, etc.

The floors do need to be done. There is a trip hazard, but a lot of the work that needs to be done, I think, can be done in-house by our own painters and um our own carpenters. Just like a lot of the work here, the flooring, it was all done by in-house when we did it. So, I think we should look to see how much we have in-house. And I know that that

building was made spec specifically for veterans. And a lot of the veterans when they got thrown out of the armory, when the armory was closed down, they had to have quarters. Every organization needs to have quarters. And some of them don't have quarters. There's plenty of rooms there for people to be able to share it and figure out and let it be an outreach center or whatever for veterans, but

everybody would be able to have their quarters there, too. I don't know about the kitchen if they need um a kitchen there if that would be something that you'd like to upgrade. Not that they're going to have big banquetss or big dinners there, but I know they didn't have the Ansel system and things that they needed. Maybe that some of that might have to be outsourced, but it would specifically stay for veterans. I

wouldn't vote for it to go any place else but for veterans. That was done many years ago when Al Herren was a state representative and Jay Clarken they started that and Jay Clarken the attorney is still around and if that went somewhere else I think you'd hear from attorney Clarken. I have no doubt with that I yield.

Thank you. Uh additional questions for our VSO councilman C2 now. Any other questions for our VSO before we let him go? Thank you. Council incidiate councel propos.

Yeah. And the only thing I I want to say and I I think I want to just kind of make a public call to the mayor. I think we have an opportunity to be a leader in a situation like this with that building now being vacated by the VABC. I think there's plenty of opportunity where we can make that a resource center like council Pereira said, but really double

down on that because a lot of cities and and towns don't have that. And I think we could be the first in the area we could really put a place where services can happen for our veteran community because I mean I'll say it it's it's no one no unknown doing services in government center for veterans is not the place to do it. So I think if we had an off-site location we have a prime

opportunity to do it. I would hope that the administration the mayor particularly can look at that and maybe start something first instead of being behind it. So that would be my public call as as those plans come together. I yield. Councelor, you should certainly file a resolution to that effect, too.

Oh, I will. Thank you.

I'd like to add something if possible.

Sure.

Um to councelor Pereira's point, uh yes, a lot of work has been done in that building, and we do have $25,000 a year that's been allocated in our budget uh to continue to maintain and upkeep that building. Uh there are trip hazards, which is one of the reasons why we're looking to redo the floors and things like that. Uh, and the idea for some sort of veterans resource center is

actually what was on my mind, but again, we didn't want to put the cart before the horse.

Thank you. Uh, counselor in C6, councelor Pekom, I just want to sign on to what council reposo said. Um, out in the community, I do hear often from the veterans that coming to the government center isn't the most convenient place to do it. So, I think a community resource center, as council Perever and Councelor Repzo just stated, would be fantastic. So, I'd like to see that moving forward. I yield.

Thank you.

Great. Looks like we have two co-sponsors of a resolution.

Outstanding. Anything else for our VSO?

Thank you very much.

Thank you, councelor in seat 8, councelor Rapos, your Thank you. You're all set. You're all set.

Thank you, sir. Um I'm just going to move over to fire if I could.

Chief

Jeffrey Bacon, former fire chief.

Thank you, sir.

So, I I expressed this to you a few weeks ago when we got this and I'm thrilled that the plan for ordering of apparatus is is on this list, which is fabulous. I guess my question becomes when when this capital plan is approved, when do we click the order button for our first apparatus?

Uh well, we just met with uh procurement today. Um that apparatus will be ordered by the end of this fiscal year.

So by June 30th.

Yep.

Okay.

Yeah. We'll go as quick as we can. Um and uh and and and we we have actually have um an apparatus committee. So that'll be engine two at the center station. We have the apparatus committee from engine 4 working concurrently with the apparatus committee from engine 2 so that they'll be able to order the engine 4 as soon as possible once uh once next year's capitals are approved.

Okay. And going forward in the next fiscal years after that is the plan going to be June 30th or around June 30th to order?

No, I would say that's because of how long it took to get this in front of you. will order as soon as as soon as they tell us to order. Given the the the delay currently in in receiving these apparatus of being two years plus, we're going to want to get these ordered as quickly as we can.

For the avoidance of doubt and confusion, I want to just make a point.

The capital improvement plan that's before us tonight does not mean when we accept it that we're clicking it and spending all of this money. Just so we're clear, the administration does need to come down to us with appropriation orders and the city council still needs to approve of it.

This is just accepting the plan.

Correct.

And and to be clear, we did send down the free cash order for this first fire truck um a couple months ago as soon as it was available and we were ready to go just to make sure that of the things that are in this that take the longest, it was really going before this was even put in front of you.

Yeah. And that's fine. I I think and I don't want to speak for my colleagues, but I think all of us would agree that we would be supporting an aggressive approach to get apparatus ordered because we've talked about it for so long that if you know we have the ability I think this council would be willing to support it. Let's let's be aggressive on it to make sure we know the time delay it's taking. So let's

let's not sit back on it and be aggressive. That's my only call to all of you would be my my thing. So I yield, Mr. President. Thank you.

Thank you. Anything for our fire chief?

Councelor in C3 council.

Thank you. Just a quick question around the turnout gear. Yep. I was recently reading up uh that the Quinsey City Council approved um funding for new gear that is free from PIFA and I want to know if the gear listed here in the replacement schedule over the next five years is free from PAS or not.

It all has to be in this in the state of Massachusetts. So yes, every gear we actually already have PA fast- free gear on order for the um for the 117 plus the nine that will be starting next month.

They will all be in PASF free gear. And what you're seeing on this is the replacement cycle. In 2017, the city purchased gear for the first time for the firefighters. Prior to that, we we had to purchase our own gear. That gear is good for 10 years by NFBA standards.

So what you're seeing is the the replacement cycle of that first generation of gear. Um so by the time all of that is replaced everybody will be in PAS free gear.

All right. Thank you for our fire chief council and seat for council vice president Dion.

Um actually I have a couple of comments.

Well I'll ask this first and then I'll give my other comments.

So, the apparatus, is that the $926,250 that's listed in this capital improvement plan under external sources?

No, that's the um the breathing apparatus replacement, the 926.

Okay. So, when I go through this capital improvement plan, so I I I need to make these comments before we move on. Um it's supposed to be a forecast, correct?

It's supposed to be what we need down the road, correct?

So anything under OPRA is already in progress and it's a funding source that's born as of December. For me, I don't think anything in OPA belongs in a capital improvement plan because the work is being done and it has a deadline. Um, as far as anything listed in here as external source, I really would have liked to have the external external source identified because again, we have, for

instance, an EMS. We have a bond. Uh, we have some the central fire station repairs in here. They're going to be covered by that bond. The we've already identified who's going to pay the bond.

So, that actually belongs in active projects, not in a capital improvement plan. Um, so I think it it it just kind of added a lot of information to this that really didn't have to be here. Just my opinion. Nobody has to agree with me, but that's my opinion. Um, and that my only question was was that what that $900,000 was and what is the external source that's going to fund that?

So, the assistance of firefighters grant that we apply for every year through FEMA um will uh we've we've purchased SCBA utilizing that grant in the past.

um in 2027 uh we will be our 10 years removed on our SCBAs and uh able to apply for that grant again.

Okay, great. Thank you. With that I yield.

Thank you counselor. Anything else for our fire chief hearing? None. Thank you chief. You're dismissed. Council in seat 8. Councelor Reposo police department please.

Deputy chief.

Thank you.

JT deputy chief of police for the police department.

Councelor, thank you. Good evening, sir.

Uh, three questions. I think they're probably easy ones anyway. Um, I know Chief Fado talked a little bit about a subcommittee meeting the firearms upgrade, correct?

So, is it my understanding you guys are switching over to whole new handguns?

Yes, completely different uh handguns and caliber.

Okay. And is that long-term? Is there a net savings on all of that ammunition and all that?

Ammunition is cheaper. There's obviously um we're investing in uh red dot optics which will help with liab liability issues, but also uh reduced training and followup. Uh we're seeing that uh we did test one of these firearms at our range qualifications last year and we saw a marked improvement with some of the the people that had some trouble with the qualification course. So uh we feel that

the ammunition being used will be less and overall 9 millimeter is cheaper than the 40 cals that we use now.

Okay. On on the capital plan the last line notes decorative lighting restoration correct citywise for $200,000. Can you explain a little bit more about that please? So, I believe councelor Pereira brought this up in a previous meeting around the lights downtown being too dim. That is specifically that. So, uh Chris Hathaway of the signal division has identified that that particular funding will help

fix those lights and bring them back to the illumination that we're used to. So, that would be also the area down near the boardwalk. Uh Mr. Hathaway had explained that you had some concerns about that. So, that is part of that plan.

Part of that. Excellent. That's what I was looking for. Uh and the third part is the fleet replacement and and that is pretty self-explanatory. I guess my question revolves around what happens when a vehicle a police vehicle is is part of an accident and let's just say that vehicle is totaled.

Is there a mechanism in which that vehicle is replaced outside of the annual fleet replacement? Can you can you touch on that a little bit more?

It it is there is a mechanism depending if we're at fault at the accident because we're self-insured. Uh we are running into some challenges sometimes with some of the insurance companies uh with the insurance level. They want to settle for a lower price than the actual amount of the cars. We actually have one car that was uh significantly damaged in an incident and it was nearly brand new

and that's been in litigation now for close to a year and trying to get a settlement with that.

So what what do you guys do at that point? The fact you're you're down a car. Do you do you have the ability to get another one in the short term or how does that operate? It would depend on if we get the if we end up getting the settlement and we get the money. Um we obviously have a little bit of leeway where we can order a cruiser ahead of schedule, but ultimately we're building

our fleet now with the idea of having some hot spares, if you will. Uh so in years past, over the last 10 years, we've not had the support of getting cruisers. So what you're seeing here in this plan is to give us the ability to effectively replace a car with a hot spare. And and how long is the turnover time to get a new cruiser in?

Uh about five to six months uh from procuring it to having it uh allotted to us and then reaching the point where it gets upfitted and and put to us. That would be for a frontline car.

Okay.

Excellent. Thank you. I yield.

Thank you for uh deputy chief for counselor and C6 council.

I just want to touch upon the firearms that council repos. Which company we going through? Are we switching companies or staying with the same?

We're moving to the Glock 47 platform with red dot optics from the Smith 40. Is that good? Yep.

Now, with Glock, is there a um I was told there wasn't, but then I was told there was. Is there a trade-in incentive for our firearms to Glock and what does that come out to?

Uh there is a supplement to that amount.

I can bring it up to you right now. Um we had an initial proposal that we had.

The amount included in the plan does factor Okay.

that estimate in. I can't tell you what the amount is, but it it is factored in in part.

That's fine. Yeah. Um, and holsters, because obviously when you change firearms, you got to change holsters. Is that included in this figure as well?

Yes. So, that amount that is we're asking for the funding gives us the ability to not only get the red dot optics, but to add, uh, opt um, sorry, lights to all the firearms. So, uh, investing in that will also improve our our equipment in the sense of reliability in low light locations and the ability to, um, upgrade to the holsters as well. So, it's a whole new platform. Uh, so we are getting the

credit depending on what vendor we go with. Um, there's a significant savings with turning in those guns.

Okay. In my opinion, Glock's a better firearm anyway for what you guys do.

But, yeah, after shooting it, I mean, I went out there, it's a really good platform.

Yeah, I appreciate it. Thank you. With that I yield.

Thank you councelor in C3 council.

Thank you. Uh I have a question and uh around the police station itself and the roof. Um so this kind of half police half facilities question. My question is particularly around the notation that the roof in fiscal 27 is at end of life and there's a lot of work to be done whether it be windows whether it be uh a um replacement of the glass blocks and the stairwells replacing the deteriorated ceramic tile on the first

and second floors and then a metal roof waterproof coating to extend the useful life. And my question is specifically, why if the roof is already at the end of its 30-year life, are we spending more money to try and extend it and then do actually replace it in fiscal 31 versus just doing that upfront and making sure that any of those other investments to work uh isn't ruined later if there were

leaks or anything like that.

Mr. Olivera.

Yes. Uh councelor, we uh there are there are two roofs in that building. So, we have a regular uh flat roof and then we have the metal roof. The metal roof we just it's just part of our maintenance component that we're looking to maintain that. Um it's very expensive if we replace all that metal roof. It's it's already past uh it's already past it getting getting ready to go past its

useful life. So, we're already expecting it in the 2028 to to get that work done.

Okay. But the tar roof is at year 30 of a 30-year life and we're not going to do that till fiscal year 31.

We we've been maintaining it. We've been maintaining that tar and gravel. Yeah.

Chief, are there any deput chief? Are there any leaks? Anything of concern that would um question whether or not you know delaying and doing maintenance right now and delaying that would be okay. Uh to your point, I look at that in the same aspect of, you know, pushing it forward to try to do it sooner because if we wait, who knows what could happen. But um not I'm not a subject

matter expert in that area, but I think you make a valid point.

Okay.

So I think five years is a long time to wait for doing this. I I think it would make more sense to do this sooner. Um, is there a way that we could reshuffle these so that we address this tar roof sooner than it's already life?

I can tell you just specifically within the police station, obviously we could look at everything in the plan in entirety, but I know that within the police station itself, the items that were prioritized are the more um important and more detrimental needs that exist in the building um at this time. And that's why it was kind of shifted in that way um because we felt like it could be maintained. Obviously,

if something starts to change, um, you know, this this is a plan, as we keep saying, it's a plan. So, if it needs to be adjusted and moved up, if more funding is available earlier, we will absolutely, you know, address it sooner.

It's just at this point in time what what we feel we need and with the knowledge that we have. And again, if it if it can be adjusted or if it needs to be adjusted, we will when it is time.

So, we're going to begin doing replacing chillers and HVAC equipment in FY28 before we do a roof that could then damage that equipment potentially.

So, the chillers are outside, counselor.

Okay. We we've we've assessed the roofing at this point and we feel that this is a perfect time to to push that off a little bit. It's not something that is leaking per se. And if on a tar and gravel, if there's something that's leaking at that point, we can just do quick repairs and and extend the useful life of that. It's not a vital component, per se, as as you're probably thinking. Regular regular residential um

shingles, that's a different story.

Sometimes they blow up, sometimes they they've reached the useful life. With a tar and gravel, we could extend that to that point, but we'll re we'll review it. And if you feel that uh if we feel that there's a a major concern with that, we'll we'll push that up.

Okay. And if you could um consult with uh deputy chief and others just on their opinion, I think you know deputy chief says I make a valid point and waiting five years may be too long. So I think um maybe they can help guide that. Thank you. I'm with yield.

Thank you councelor in seat one.

Councel.

Thank you Mr. President. So uh two questions with regard to the uh fleet replacement. So the 26. That's what we already put forth at the last. Right.

Correct.

So the the question I have, how many vehicles are we looking to replace it?

So that $4 million, is that all?

So it's it's nine cruisers per year.

Um, no, sorry. It's 11 per year.

Correct.

It's 11 per year, right? So the seven marked, two unmarked, and then two additional unmarked.

So that's just Does that replace all the vehicles that we have and then just we're getting back on a rotation? So every 5 years?

That doesn't replace all the vehicles.

It doesn't, but I think to your point, you've been here long enough, uh, counselor, as far as creating the ability to get the frontline cruisers replaced and then kind of moving those out. I think once we get into the next fiscal year, we'll kind of be in a place where like every year when we get 11, I know they're earmarked in a certain way, but we can kind of assess our needs and

say, "Okay, because right now we're running 12 frontline cars." So, if we make those new every year, we can then kind of downgrade those other cruisers for other purposes.

Okay. So, then my other question was, are we buying them straight out? So, that six 656,000 was purchasing the 11 vehicles, wasn't we? We weren't doing a lease. Correct.

No.

And just just for the audience, I'm not talking about a typical lease that we would see, but it's a it's just a financing.

Correct.

So, have have we given it any consideration just to try to do a lease over a three-year period and then just leverage to get instead of 11, we're potentially doubling the I think we risk the risk we run with that assessment is because we're self-insured. If one of those cruisers is total, then we own it. there's there's no benefit, I guess you could say, to the lease because we're taking

the full we're taking the full liability of that vehicle. So, uh, Sergeant Dez did an assessment of that and we we looked at it as we're paying for them straight up anyway. So, we're assuming the full liability as No, no, I I recognize that, but but even so, what I'm saying is as opposed to to paying for one vehicle, right, we we go and we get a three-year lease payment, right? So, we're we're spreading it over

a three-year period. So, the payment itself is lower. So all we're doing is having the ability to instead of buying one, we're able to buy three for that that price, right? And just do it. And and I understand being self-insured if if hopefully, you know, I mean there's there's we still pay for insurance and there's there's a policy hopefully we get we get the money for those cruisers that that get

total. We don't for police cruisers. We don't have insurance like that. Um it's only when there's an accident with an outside person who has insurance that covers it. It's not.

So we don't we don't do any of insurance on selfinsured any of our vehicles.

Not for the general fund at this point in time.

It's for school department I believe has some and then um the enterprise funds do.

Is there a reason for that? Have we looked looked at it? I mean I we are starting to have conversation.

It's it it's a new conversation to have.

Okay.

I mean, I I know most mun municipalities are self-insured, but they they do still have liability insurance that covers We have some liability insurance, but it's not to that extent. It's more about the other people that are harmed. It's not about our vehicles being harmed at that point.

Okay. That that's a I guess that's a separate conversation. I guess when we come down, my my ultimate question is is that you folks are going to come back down with a funding plan for this capital item because as obviously as as the council president said, I mean there are probably hundreds of millions of dollars of capital needs for FY26. So, we'll see what the priority is.

Obviously, police and fire have already received theirs.

Yeah, they've already received their fleet ones. We will have um my goal was to kind of get through this meeting to make sure that everybody's on track with at least what's in here for the current plan to make sure we're not having any major shifts before sending down um orders that were going to then be talked about before this plan was talked about.

So in the next meeting we'll have um a lot of free cash orders down. Um the 26 funding it it is already all in place or will be done with free cash at this point or in the operating budget. Um there isn't um other than the school, there isn't really anything in that would be new funding for 26. And then yes, moving forward, we'll be sending down orders um kind of as appropriate.

And I don't want to say necessarily as described in the plan because it's the plan for right now for 27 to send them down that way. But we'll adjust as we go and be sending down, you know, appropriations each year that need to happen. Then the I guess the only thing I' I'd still reiterate that you know I would ask the administration to strongly consider a lease purchase and then if

it's not in this total purchase and we're going to build in uh some vehicle purchases in the operating budget maybe that makes more sense so that we can just kind of leverage the additional and I I know we're committing money three years out right so I recognize that. So if the councils are in support of it you're just getting a lot more vehicles upfront than you are just waiting year

over year. So to me it just it's it's a just a costbenefit analysis. It makes sense and it just gives you the vehicles that you need. Um but again we we need to have be on that same page because we are committing funding for three years on that. So um the second thing I just had the second question I had was with regards to the um the armory or the

firearms. Uh so tasers are we doing the tasers or do we have a program to have the tasers?

So tasers is part of uh Axon kind of has the market with that. Our contract is coming up, I believe, in the next year and a half. So, we're looking at negotiating with them. There's some deficiencies in the current contract that we have with them, and we've added to that. So, our body one cameras are going to be renewing in the next couple years as well. So, what we're trying to

do is get to the table with Axon so that we can discuss a bigger package, but those are technically a lease.

So, the contract, they replace them if they break.

They do. Um the only issue we're running into is around training cartridges. On our initial agreement, there was an aotment that they had uh stated they would give us uh which pretty much in the first year of the contract was exhausted. So it wasn't something that carried yeartoear. So we've then uh the standards have changed uh with Axon as it relates to certification and MPTC has

adopted that which has caused us to have a higher burn rate on trading cartridges but the uh contract didn't scale with that change. So essentially, Axon made it a higher demand in training cartridges and the contract doesn't support it. So it's put more out of pocket out of our budget. Uh so we're looking at as leverage obviously when we re reach a negotiation for a new contract.

Okay. All right. Thank you. I yield.

Thank you. Anything further for our deputy chief?

Thank you, chief.

Thank you, Councilman Seed 8. Councelor Reposo, for public schools, please.

Representative from the forum, Mr. Pico.

Okay, he's there. That's great.

Since he's there, I fig I talk to How many more departments do you have?

I think that's it. Okay, I promise.

Mr. Pico, Ken Pachico, chief operating officer of Forville Public Schools.

Hello, Mr. Pico.

Hello. So, first questions is is regarding camera upgrades. Um, yes. So, I know in the capital plan it talks it's just a general conversation about Here comes Mr. Cabraw too. Come on down. Um, if you want to introduce yourself, Mr.

Cabraw, go ahead.

Scott Cabraw, chief information officer for public schools.

Thank you. Um, so as we currently stand, are all all the schools in the for public schools have cameras currently?

Yes.

Okay. So, what do we're essentially just upgrading and adding? Is that what we're kind of doing? Uh so basically the quality of the cameras is it's changing by the day. Um so what we have uh on there now are state-of-the-art. They're 4K. They're all cloud-based. Um but they're coming out with upgrades daily.

So this will just allow us to um keep up with the technology. It also will integrate with our card access system.

Uh, and we will get to the point where, um, it will work with the card access system, with the visitor management system. So, it'll flag anybody that should not be in the building. Um, it won't allow access to the person. Um, and then as far as outside, um, the quality of the cameras now, uh, is good.

Um, but I'd like it to get better. um we can zoom in to a license plate, but I'd like to be able to see, you know, um a much closer resolution picture. Um so that's what we'll be doing. Um we are constantly changing out cameras. Uh we're in the northeast. The blizzard did a job. Uh I lost about 15 cameras throughout the district. Um they've already been replaced. We do keep um a

good amount of spares. Um the only difficult piece with these cameras are the licensing. Um, so a cloud camera has a five-year license. Um, and it isn't cheap because it also, um, incorporates into that license, uh, repairs, so I can send it out to the repair depot and it'll come back. Um, and in the meantime, we've replaced it with spares on hand. Um, so we could get into a long conversation about the cameras, you

know, as well from the school. Um, but our ideally, um, we're looking to increase the amount of cameras per building. um by about 30% in the next five years.

Excellent. Thank you, Mr. Corell. Mr.

Bico, um the Nagel Auditorium at what I'll call Dery number two, I guess.

Yes.

Um so the sprinkler system is an ongoing project is what else what else needs to be done at the Nagel to get that auditorium back to be being functional again?

So the roof is completed.

Okay.

Um the uh fire suppression is completely completed. uh fire alarms now are being worked on um for probably 60% of the building. The final 40% is the auditorium um proper and the music wing which is currently occupied by the National Guard. um they have a lease till the end of this year. Um probably be moving out before that. Uh and then when the building on that particular side is vacant, then we can move forward

with the next steps um for renovations on the inside of of the auditorium. U putting in the fire suppression um was difficult because of the shape um that some of the uh ceiling was in over the years with the roof leaks. So some work will need to be done to reopen that and then um we will be finishing that last phase of fire alarm and then the in theory that would be ready to um open up

again.

So is there any estimated timeline when when reality would be to open those doors again?

I would I would think it's it's a minimum of of a year away. It could be a year and a half away from getting to that point.

Okay. And is there are there any plans as far as what the building what will happen from there?

I school department building correct.

So it's we use it I mean we've got a lot of administrative services going on in that building now. Um the ultimate goal would be to look for someone who's willing to operate name possibly um to generate uh some you know uh reoccurring revenue and then completely um remodel that that whole lobby outside inside of that building uh to make it very um pleasing to the eye but also very functional.

Okay. It does seat 1,200 people. It's a large auditorium. Um larger than the our current auditorium, 750 at at the new school, which is an MSBA piece um on size, and that is the largest auditorium we currently have.

Okay.

Watson Elementary School.

Yes.

Are all those all those repairs, the project that was done there done?

Everything's finished.

Everything's finished. Yes.

And then lastly on on the RPA building, um it's probably the largest one on the list. Um can you touch on um what's happening there and what kind of the future plans are because there's clearly a lot of money going to be put into that building over time.

So the the um the building has had two MSBA projects. Uh major one um with the boilers um roof uh and the secondary one which we're doing right now is is the window um replacement project. And with that project, um, basically with a little bit more of a pointing of the building, um, small items like that, that building will be tight. Uh, and then the in interior, depending on the

use of the building, um, will take next steps. Um, but we do have, you know, a, um, 500 seat auditorium there.

Yeah. So that that that piece there, we've got some options. I think that we may look for help um maybe from CPA. We may be looking for some historical um help from um from Mass Historical Commission. So, I think there's there's some options on that auditorium to uh reopen that. We do have a uh elevator um piece that would need to be replaced as part of using that um particular building.

Yeah, that's my that's going to be my next question. There's an There is an elevator.

There is an elevator.

Yes. But the auditorium hasn't been used in a long time. Correct.

I've been there for 10 years. I've It's never been used while I've been here.

Okay. So, is the idea is to keep it an auditorium or or repurpose into a practical?

Yeah, it would it would be the the um the man murals that are on the walls in the auditorium are uh very important.

Um and we would like to keep it as an auditorium um and the public would be able to view that number one. But but second, it is um the size of the auditorium would be great and in a nice location downtown.

Okay.

Thank you. I yield, Mr. President.

Thank you. Uh questions for Mr. Pico, Council C4, Council Vice President Dion.

Um as far as the RPA, we are utilizing that at the present time. Correct.

We are. Yes.

Okay. So, in reading this, I have some serious concerns. Um the fire suppression system, uh 4.2 2 million.

Um, it's slated to start the work in 27.

Then there would be more work done in 28.

Yes.

What concerns me is the description installation of fire suppression system.

This will bring the building closer closer to full compliance of a building this size which is occupied as a school.

So that leads me to think that it is not in compliance at the present time. Even after 4.2 million, it's not going to be fully compliant.

How do we utilize it as a school?

So it's pre-existing non-conforming. The building passes its fire inspections. Um it has a a alarm system in the building, but we do have a few buildings in the city that don't have fire suppression.

We're we're working on obviously the um the building we just finished at at um 367 Ray Street which is the old auditorium. Um we do have work um doing chapter 34 studies on that building. Uh we're also doing it at Tanzy and we're doing it at um Talbet. So those are the three buildings left in the district that do not have fire suppression.

However, fully fire armed with the exception of Talbet which is partially okay. And then my second concern is um the plumbing upgrade that the work was uh 27 but only 160,000 out of 3.8 million. And then it's 2029 and 2030.

And again, I'll read you what's in front of me. So upgrade plumbing and drainage system throughout the building. The majority of the plumbing system in this building is original equipment. The building does not meet the current sanitary or plumbing code.

Exactly. So again, pre-existing non-conforming. Kind of like this building. Pre-existing non-conforming.

Every building has was up to code when it was built, but as the codes changed, some of those codes we automatically would upgrade and others we would do it as we could. So, what I'm with with the plumbing particular piece, um, it may not meet all of the standards. We do have handicap accessible bathrooms in that building. Um, but we do have some gang bathrooms, um, some in use, some

not in use that do not meet all those standards. Um, that's the kind of items we're talking about with plumbing.

So, the ones that you're not using, um, my assumption would be, and you correct me because I'm hopefully I'm wrong, the ones that you're not using is because they really truly shouldn't be being used.

We're not using because we don't have the capacity there right now. So, we if we had the capacity, then we would do quick renovations. Um, but we haven't had the need right now. So, what we will tackle in that building, depending on the funding source, um, would be peace meal, so to speak. Okay, thank you. With that, I yield.

Thank you. Councelor C2 for Mr. for the school department. Mr. Council C2 D um former Bristol uh Bishop County High School.

Yes.

Do we know what the final cost is going to be when we move into that building?

Have you done Do we have to the final cost? I so um we had a quick um sit down last week, the end of last week um with council president and mayor on um moving forward. We do have um a presentation that we're working on right now for um for the council so that we can show um both maybe some kind of cost share on um getting that price tag um to

be something we can live with as far as our uh yearly debt service. Um but we do have um we do have a presentation that will be very informative. It'll touch upon all of those items. It's a large piece of parcel of land um which makes it very valuable. It's also um already being used by us. So we are very familiar with the building right now and we will be um adding um extra classrooms

to that building. Um so in the fall we will have 33 prek classrooms uh in that building occupied. Um how much work how much work do we need to do in that place to bring it up to code? Is it all up to code? So the the building was when when it closed down, it was in very good shape and the dascese took very good care of the building. We are doing some

modifications age- wise. Um it was a high school, so we're we're doing some modifications to the building to make it um both accessible and also um manageable, you know, for the smaller students.

There will be work to do in that building and and in the plan. Um, one of the funding sources obviously it will be a a very good candidate for an MSBA project somewhere down the road. Um, but but the building is a 1960ish uh building. So, it has um it has the wear and tear of of a building that old.

Um, but it does have, as we usually say in construction, it has good bones. Um, the building is is definitely a building that is worth investing in.

We're going to have to put a roof on it someday.

Windows.

Yes.

Heating system, AC, probably heat pumps in that building.

Ground source heat. There's a lot of um there's a lot of money floating around for projects like that.

Asbesus removal at all?

There will be some, but we do asbestous removal in some of our buildings now as well. So, there is. Yes.

Any idea what the cost is going to be?

My initial question as far as as far as the re what the what it's going to be when you we're also so an MSBA project again the city's eligible for 80% of reimbursement on eligible items on on a used building already it's 80% on any building that's RPA is all is 80% paid for okay um with MSBA project so I didn't think they would do that they do it's a it's called accelerated repair program good

so there is money available good I just want to make sure we're not you know I know you're looking at this very carefully, but I just want to make sure that we have at least a grip of what that bill is going to call cost us by the time we turn the key and move in.

Sure, it's completed.

All right. With that, I yield. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, councelor. In seat seven, council par.

That's the question I had. I was going to ask about Bishop Conley, but my colleague in seat number two did it, so I don't have any questions. Thank you.

Thank you, council. Anything further for the uh school department?

No.

Hearing none. Council in seat 2. Council Camaro, did you have other questions regarding this? I heard you. Not this next another item. Not this one.

Anything with capital?

Yes.

The school department's done. Nobody has any further. You have questions for them? Thank you.

Constant C2. Council Lamar. You have four.

Mr. Oliver. Um, first Emily, the changes that you made are just these four changes here.

Yeah, it's nothing substantial and it's literally just in like one part says it correctly and then on the total it doesn't. So, it's not like I said in total anything changed. We didn't change any description.

sometimes just and it and on the total summary tabs they're not different. It's just sometimes the numbers got inversed.

So you would you would categorize this as insignificant changes money.

Yes, absolutely.

But you just wanted to make sure that the details are in place.

Yeah. I wanted to be clear on which number was correct because sometimes it was you know conflicting.

Sometimes we get changes and there significant changes and sometimes they're we would have resubmitted a full document if that was the case.

Mr. Aloe vera, you're looking at the library.

Yes.

You're looking at 1.130,000 to do the repointing on the three sides of the building there.

Yeah. So, we we're currently working we're mobilizing now as we go with the uh with the a grant that we have right now for the back of the building and the thought process is we could wrap that the back corner where it's leaking.

Correct.

Right. And is the rest is there leaking through the pointing anywhere else in that building? Is there any other leaking going on?

So there is there is slightly it's it's I was in that building. I was in the attic years ago before they put the roof on there and there I saw one area where it was leaking from that needed to be pointed.

I didn't see I didn't wasn't told or heard of anywhere else that there was having issues.

So councelor we we we're doing the pointing on the back side.

Yeah. Which and it's mainly wind driven.

Yep.

So, what we're going to do is we're going to have the contractor just do a quick assessment. He's going to have all the heavy equip, all the lifts up there just to see what the condition is. Years ago, what they would do is they would point it with a cocking and that's what you don't do. We're not What kind of caulking?

It would be just a regular standard cocking. And with the with the granite uh exterior that you have, you really has you have to be at some type of a mortar. And they will have to do that.

We just did a quick test.

Most cing most most caulking now for this type of is a mortar mix caulking that works excellent.

This was years ago, right? This was years ago.

Maybe 20 years ago, if not and and you can you can visually see on the lower ones. You can visually see the delamination of that cocking because it wasn't it was it was junk. That's what they had back then. But now the technology is different. Caulking is is much better.

Absolutely.

I'm not telling you just to the place up. I I'm okay with the pointing, but I don't think we need to be doing pointing of the areas. That's not it's not damage at all.

We're not we're going to be doing a quick assessment with with the equipment that we have out there. We'll just do a quick assessment and make sure that we have we know that there is some issues, smaller issues that we we've witnessed uh due to some uh plaster uh damination.

So, we'll we'll we'll make sure that we have that that place buttoned up with the rest of the the funds. Yeah.

What does it cost to do the corner that's leaking right now? Do you know?

We we received the with the the the price that we have for a contractor.

Mhm.

It was $880,000 to do that little corner there.

Not the corner, the whole back side.

So, they're going to power wash it from the first floor to the third floor.

All the way up and and then they're going to do the capstones.

It's only leaking at the top next to the top. Not only that, there is there if you if you take a quick peek, you'll see that there's some damination of the cocking around the whole backside.

And is it leaking there?

There is.

Okay.

All right. I'll go take another peek because I I looked at it years ago and that little corner that was needed to be get done, they did the roof instead and they didn't fix that part and the drain was done and now we're going to have fixed that part that should have been done the first time.

So, under the under this contract, what they're going to do, if you look at the backside, you can see it's all water.

It's all black. They did a power test.

They washed it. They're going to wrap around just to make sure that they get the ends, which is a vital vital transition.

And they're going all the way from top to bottom.

All the way top to bottom.

All right. With that, I yield. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, councelor. And Cat for Council Vice President Dion.

Yeah. Just one question. Um, of the 1,130,000, how much of that is from the mass historic is mass historic preservation money and how much of that is ARPA?

So 80,000 is from the mass historic and then um the 825 which some of it's actually already been spent but 8.25 is from ARPA.

Okay. So, so that's the base of the contract and then the additional potential additional money from free cash would be to do any repairs that or extra needs that we find on the other three sides.

So basically, so you said 800,000 or 820 820,000 and then the external source that wasn't identified was the 80,000. That brings it to 9 uh 900,000. So basically you have two 330,000 put aside that's going to be paid with free cash potentially if there's extra work needed. So, we have essentially what was contracted and bid out um originally as those funding sources were applied for

for that one side. So, those funding sources are secured and we're saying that we would like to kind of finish the job that we're starting with free cash um potentially if needed. So, we'll be sending that down probably not in the next order with everything else um but as we kind of get better idea of what we really need for that.

Yeah. In fact, if I could just add, sure.

Having the equipment out there and already having the contractor mobilize is is a key savings if if we can capture anything that needs to be touched up at that point. So, that was the mindset of let's just do a quick survey while the machinery is out there. Instead of having to rent that or instead of having to get that back in there, we can do a quick assessment and if there's

something that's crazy that we we really need to look at a little further, then we will. But just we we feel that there will be some pointing that's needed around the building. But um th this it's a great it's a great thing for the build for the library.

I don't I I don't have any issues with the repairs. I don't have any I mean it's great that we're going to be proactive for a change instead of reactive because nine times out of 10 we're reactive and that backfires and it's always more costly. My question was because again the external source isn't identified. How much money was from the preservation wasn't identified. So that

the balance is where the free cash where our expense comes in and that's what I was trying to get at.

Correct.

So thank you. With that I yield.

Thank you. Councilman C1. Council Lady.

Thank you. Just in terms of facilities.

Uh so just a couple things. The first so the fire station citywide need $1.7 million. So there's no breakdown by stations or the work that's involved.

We don't have that yet to be honest with you. It's it's a general list and we're we're just committing money to putting into the fire stations and we'll prioritize need as it is prioritized between facilities and the fire department.

So I would assume there was some anticipation because I mean you got you know FY26 150,000 then 27 is 500,000 28 is 750,000 and then it drops to 100,000 for 28 to 31. So yeah. So, there was a list um I think that we've talked about many times that was kind of submitted that we've been working off of. Um I say we the city's been working off of the repairs that the

fire department gave. So, that 150 is what um facilities has been working on internally. All of the work that could be done that isn't a major project that can be done in house that's being done citywide, but there are things on the list that will need to be, you know, greater funded and kind of outsourced.

And so with some time to plan since we've been, you know, working on the center station and then all of those other in-house projects, we're going to next year start working on those bigger items. And then I think at this point in time, the estimate is that after those couple of years of bigger funding um influxes, we can get down to a better general maintenance inhouse that's done,

you know, annually at that lower level.

So if I could just add to that council, we we received a list from the fire chief and in that list there was a few several there was several pages and what we did is we we we in-house completed a lot of that list as you know there are things that are greater than the work that we can do and that's the those are the items and we can I can supply that with no problem.

Yeah. So I I guess that's what I'm looking for. I you know when we start again this is just a plan, right? So, and I appreciate the plan and the plan is just a tool for us to make a determination when you come back before us uh with a a funding plan for capital needs to be able to look at this and say whether or not we agree with the priorities that are listed before us.

The challenge becomes that when we look at, you know, if we're looking at facilities and we're committed to improving our facilities citywide, we look at the fire station and we don't know what those improvements are. So, it's it's difficult for us to make an assessment if the priority should be at the fire stations versus the police department or should we be buying vehicles for DPW or whatever the case

may be. So, I just in order for us to make an educated vote, I just think that, you know, if we can get a list um of what some of those larger projects are just so that we know what the needs are because again, we've we've been hearing uh a number of complaints about the fire stations and and again, I don't I don't know, you know, what the capability is for us to do in-house and

what needs to be outsourced and, you know, what the costs associated with those projects are, if there's any additional funding sources or anything like that. So I just for me when we come down I just want to be able to see that and identify you know whether or not we can do it.

The other thing I just noticed I I and I I know that there are other facilities that have been identified here but government center I mean that's just left off and I know we're talking about the police department that was what 1998 that was built government center was built in 1970. So, I I would assume that we need some some type of repairs in here, whether it's windows or I know

we've done the HVAC, but there's nothing here to identify any type of capital for city hall. So, so a lot of the items that we're referring to is the windows. Absolutely.

But those are lot some of the things that we can start doing um within within our budget. uh like carpeting, uh windows, uh a lot of the uh buildouts, uh we've renovated just about every floor. Um and we've done that a lot of that in-house, but we don't we don't have that listed here, right? So, government center is just excluded from the capital plan, right? So, we and the funding sources are external sources,

free cash, operating budget, debt, opera. Um so, even if we plan on putting in the operational budget, it it just again we don't know what repairs need to be had and I I know my colleague in in seat 8 has um been working on the ADA projects that have been going on. So I know there are significant projects just to get this building up to ADA compliance. So I just you know I would I

would assume that we would want to start capturing that into this plan so that we can also make sure that we we understand what that looks like.

Yeah, absolutely. We'll make sure it's included in the next one.

Okay. And my final question and then we can just move on. I'll I'll support my colleagueu's recommendation just to have this tabled because I I figure you're going to have to come back before us anyways. So as opposed to tableabling it maybe refer to finance committee. When do you expect to have I guess a plan before us or a recommendation for funding of this?

Um so the next meeting I was definitely going to start sending some of them down. Again a lot of what's in there for FY26 isn't a financial need at this point. it's either already been committed um or it's not ready to be committed to. So most of what's in here for 26 that actually needs to be funded is free cash. So we'll send down um a number of those orders the next

meeting. Like I said, I just wanted to make sure that nothing was a a glaring disagreement before we started sending it down um or sending it down before you had a full picture planned. So we'll start sending them down the next meeting and then um we can I can discuss more at that point, you know, why some of them maybe aren't ready yet at that time. And do you have you have an estimate on how

much you think you're going to request for spending on on free cash or um is that still to be determined?

Nope. That that's in there. So um it's about 3.4 million for this year from free cash.

Okay.

In this um budget. So again, some of it's been sent down between the fire um and police vehicles which are obviously about 1.5 alone. Um but it is a total of about 3.4 for the general fund for So what you provided us on that Page six, the general fund. So that free cash of the 3.4, that's what you're actually looking to spend on capital items this year. Correct.

Okay.

The other ones again should already be in there. ARPA is obviously already secured and committed. Um some of the external funding if it's included in 26 um is likely already completely committed. Otherwise, we wouldn't have included it in 26. Um and then the free cash obviously we have to send on those orders. The operating budgets are already in there. And then the debt um part of it's already authorized debt so

we don't need an authorization. And then the other part is um Connley. So obviously that will be coming down when we're ready to send that down. And we're hoping it's in 26.

And then you're not anticipating any further debt for any other capital items.

Not this year. 26.

Not this year. No, we don't have enough time to really get things out the door at this point. So a lot of the projects are already underway.

Okay.

Thank you. I yield.

Thank you, councelor. In C7, councelor Pereira. Uh, Mr. Olivea, the third street garage and the Pearl Street garage.

Last time you were here, I believe you said Pearl Street garage would be about six million to repair.

So, council, when when we had the assessment, we had the assessment in a high, medium, and low. And again, so there's several pockets that we can go into. And at that point, uh, we selected the, uh the first two and we could have gone into the fir into the third. So, we're just we're just trying to get that o that place uh repaired and um occupied at that point because the third street garage it says

6 million and Pearl Street it says 4 million.

Correct.

Pearl Street where they have the Jenga thing holding it up. So, are they the same size?

roughly they're almost the same size. It just depends on the repairs that we we selected at that point in time.

Has there been any discussion about selling one of the garages?

I heard through the grape vine that there might be some discussion. Have you heard that or there's been talk about uh what we're going to be doing with the parking garages and um we're moving forward with the third right now. council, we're exploring what the best financial option and feasibility is for um repairing versus m and maintaining these garages um and what our best options are

to continue to provide safe, you know, sound parking downtown for residents as we um are able to. So, we are working through that um and we'll have more I'm hoping in the next couple of months. We we've been meeting on the parking garages probably every other week at this point. So, it's a very active conversation. We're we're trying to be very active and moving forward. We just

we'll submit, you know, information and updates as we have them to you guys.

Well, thank you. But Mr. Alivera, you would guesstimate that they would be more or less the same amount. You you did get a survey done on what needs to happen there.

We did. We've had some engineering reports. We we've had assessments completed. We've had uh periodic assessments. If there was some issues, we'd bring in a structural engineer to make sure we we had as we do that have can you share those with the council?

Absolutely.

On what you have and when those assessments were done. I think they were done a while ago. Um, and we need to we have moving because I saw what we have sent some information and we will uh we're in communication right now council and very shortly I have a feeling that we're going to be able to uh share with the with the council very shortly because when they came it came down and

did the assessment there were other flaws that were deemed that you really shouldn't be parking cars there. Both garages are in both garages. Correct.

So we're losing money on that and the safety is a concern of mine as well. I hate something. But if whatever you could share with us by the end of the month, Third Street, we'll we'll we'll start we'll stop bidding that out.

Okay. With that, I yield, Mr. President.

Thank you, councelor. And Cat for Council Vice President Dion.

Yeah. Um I agree also with my colleague that at some point we should table this tonight. Um so my request would be on so we have page seven uh undersea operations cemeteries and trees page eight community maintenance and page 12 parks fleet replacement there's numbers but nothing identified as to what is going to be replaced and the reason I bring that up is through our funding we are replacing 16 vehicles

and six pieces of other types of equipment. Um, some of the list has been completed. It's my understanding we only have till September to actually finish expending and acquiring all this uh all of these uh uh all this equipment. And at this point, we still have one, two, three four five six seven no, I'm sorry, one, two, three, four, four vehicles and six other pieces of equipment that have not been um delivered yet.

Correct. So, the numbers that are included in here under fleet replacement with ARPA funding for those departments you just mentioned are part of that exact um project that you're talking about that hasn't been completed. So, we put them in here because it hasn't been completed yet, but they are in progress.

So, we know that they'll be completed this year because they they ultimately have to be. So, if you look on page 12 um for fleet replacement under parks at the very top, it's $85,000 from ARPA. Um and then there's in DCM community maintenance um I should say, sorry, on page 8, there's 380,000 in there um for FY26 as well. So, we do have some of those remaining amounts left in there.

Some of them might have already even been ordered. I know that Cara sent you a list of the updated vehicles. So, again, from the time that we gathered this, it may be a little bit, some of it may have already even been starting to be ordered, but the amounts that were included in here, we know are outstanding in that specific project to be utilized as part of this. And there's nothing listed under opera funding under

cemeteries and trees, but yet we had uh and it's been completed uh truck/crew cab and a front end loader that were purchased with opera funding.

Yeah, because those were well completed before this plan.

Okay.

Was developed and that's why.

Okay. So, yeah, if you could just identify what what uh vehicles in the fleet anticipating that you need to replace.

We'll get a schedule like we have in here for police, fire, and EMS. Um, we just didn't have I didn't come up with that idea quite in time to get it for their departments as well. So, um, we will include that moving forward, but we can also try and get it for the next meeting if not within the next couple of months just to have.

Okay. And also, if there is an external source that's funding something, if you could identify that as well.

Okay. All right. Thank you. With that, I yield.

Thank you, counselor. in seat six.

Councel Pekham.

Thank you, Council President. Mr.

Alivera, I want to touch upon what council Kadim said, the fire stations in general.

Um, do we have a running list?

Yes.

Of what needs to be done?

We do.

For each station, all of the stations.

So, the list that we were working off of was presented to us by the chief.

Uh, there were some concerns. We tackled those inhouse. We we took care of the the quick the quick items and then we've been adding to that internally. We've been adding to that and we do have a list of what started and what's been completed and then the other component was what's going to go into the capital.

Okay.

Larger items per se and I'll have I'll share that with you. No problem.

Now these items are they based off work orders what was reported from the fire department to you?

No work orders are that's a whole different list. Those are just maintenance issues.

Uh if those were work orders that were we could not complete they were probably added into that list. But that list is as as I mentioned capital maintenance and then completed items.

Okay. All right. I I yield. Thank you.

Thank you. Councelor C3 council annual.

Thank you. Uh quick question since we're talking about parking. Uh there's an item under planning father Kelly Parking facility for 500,000. The construction of a new parking facility. Is that just a parking lot or are we actually talking a building of sorts?

That's a parking lot.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you. All right, that I yield. Thank you.

You yield.

Thank you, Councilman Cat 2. Council Kamar, thank you. I'll be brief because I know there's a lot of people outside want to come in for their citations, but I just have a couple of things I want to mention. Um, Mr. Aliver, Councilman Seven asked a very simple question. Are there discussions about selling one of the parking garages? We just want to know, are you guys talking about it, not talking about it?

Council, everything's on the table right now and we're trying to make the best decision and we'll present those decisions to the council um very shortly. So, is that a yes or a no that you're talking about it?

Yes, we are talking this time.

Absolutely. Thank you. Because I mean before I asked what the final cost is going to be at Bishop County High School and I got the mayor's meeting with the president of the council and school department and we'll make a presentation to you guys later and now we got the same kind of answer when she asked a question. Well, we're talking about it.

We'll tell you later on. We just want to know if you're talking about selling that.

There just isn't a decision and we don't want to ask for decision. Her her question was very simple. Is that one of the discussions that we're going to sell it?

Yes. that we're exploring every option for all of it to make sure that we're doing the best we can.

Just just want to make sure that when we ask a question, we just get the yes or the no or the maybe. With that, I yield.

Thank you.

Thank you, counselor. In seat seven, council prayer.

Uh, council president, you were in this meeting when they discussed the possible sale.

Uh, is that what you just said?

No, no, no. I've been briefed by the mayor because we've been holding the administration accountable on these garages and the mayor's indicated to me that they're exploring all options like Mr. Oliver said and selling them.

Selling one of them is one of those options.

Okay, with that I yield. Thank you.

No formal update to provide the council at this time. Constant C6 council.

Just one other thing Mr. Oliver forgot to ask. Pearl Street is there an issue with one of the entrances where it's uh sunken I guess a little bit. So everything that's been cordoned off, we've had it. It's not sunken in. And what what happened was the um we cordoned off some area only because some of the concrete was starting to spalled and some of the rebar has has deteriorated, concrete just fell off. So

to make sure that there no one was injured or anything like that, we cordoned that off until we we and then we had a report right after that to make sure that the s everything was structurally sound and I think I presented that to the committee.

Okay, I appreciate it. Thank you with that.

Thank you. Just a couple quick things as a point of information. Um to my colleague in C2 um regarding Connley, I just want to make the record clear. Uh we did get I did get briefed on Friday um by Mr. Pico, Miss uh Mr. uh the acting superintendent as well as um Mr. Almeida brought to my attention that they have an anticipation to possibly pursue Connley. I advise them that I'm expecting the council to get

briefed on this. I would like them to have a presentation readily available to you. I express what some questions might be of the council so that the council's fully aware of what's going on whether they get briefed by the mayor or not or presentations had before this council.

So there hasn't been any um loan orders or anything else to be discussed. I'll acknowledge you in a moment, but I just wanted you to be aware that I needed the council to have a presentation so they know what's going on. Councilman C2.

Yeah. Thank you, Mr. President. I didn't say you did anything wrong.

No, I know. I just wanted you to know.

I just want to ask a simple question. Do we have a total what that's going to finally cost us when we're all said and done and we move into the building?

Because I think it's going to be a lot more money than what people think. And I was just wondering at what point are they going to tell us, hey, this is what the final cost is going to be.

Totally.

You know, and all those things I mentioned to the administration at that time because I I want them to be able to answer questions.

The 80% reimbursement is not for everything and some of it might be on the city side. So, we we might be like the other two schools in for it for more than what we think if it's not reimburseable items that we're putting into that building. I just want to make sure that we know what we're getting ourselves into as early as possible.

Understood.

So, it is moving ready in the sense to that we're already occupying it and what's listed in the capital plan. It is detailing out that there's about $300,000 to bring it to um some of like the signage and the you know full um current standards of the Fall River Public Schools. But otherwise, those other items that he was talking about are much longer term capital items that happen when you own a building that um

are reimbured. And I and I know it's already moving ready because we're there. But you're going to need a roof sooner than you think. You're going to need window replacements and that's what's included in the capital.

That's why I'm asking what the final price is going to be and council. Those those are ARP.

It's included though.

Those are ARP projects that they can get. Boilers, roofs, windows, that's all ARP.

Right. Good. Thank you.

Thank Thank you. Thank you, counselor.

Um, also I wanted to let the council know we are still in our public hearings. Um, I know there's been some discussions about possibly tableabling this item in full counsel. I just want the council to know item six, all it reads is attached is the capital improvement plan and is hereby approved by the city council. So we have it. It's in our records. If you want to table it in full counsel, that's fine. But

there's really nothing to table other than the resolution that we accepted it, we reviewed it, and we have it. So whatever the council wants, if you want to refer it, we can. But we just had a long extensive conversation. But to your point, to a lot of the council's points, there was some missing items and questions. So, if it's the will of the council to refer it to the committee on

finance for them to get the corrections, that's certainly within our authority to do that. I just want to make everybody clear. We're still in our public hearings. Any further questions on the capital improvement plan concern seat one council.

Uh just one quick question with regards to the fire stations. Have we ever done an assessment uh needs assessment for the buildings? So, has any professional, whether it's an architect or an engineer, actually walked through the buildings to identify repairs that need to be done on our various stations?

All of the buildings?

Yeah. all all the fire stations.

We haven't done that since I've been here. Oh, no.

All right. Thank you. I yield.

Thank you, council. Anything further on the capital improvement plan?

Hearing none. Thank you. Hearing calling all additional proponents wish. Thank you, Miss RPK. Mr. Oliver, you're you're good. Calling any other proponents wishing to speak on item 14, which is a capital improvement plan. Hearing none, calling all opponents wishing to speak on the item. You're looking to oppose it.

Welcome.

Members of the council, this isn't my big thing, but this is just on this.

Mr. Mr. Branco, we're sorry. No problem.

We're in our public hearing. Just state your name and address for the record, please. It's part of the process.

Um, my name is Richard Branco. I'm currently unho unhosted. Unhoused. My last address was 1375th.

Thank you, sir.

I still Thank you.

Okay. The reason why I'm propon proponent to this is not only what you two counselors brought up, but how much of this is funded by free cash?

How much of this is funded by overt taxation of the people? Not only that, well, it's great for you guys and everything, you know. What about for the people? What about for the kids? There's nothing in here for a way for the city to move forward to help the people with not only alternate housing but just a general way where we can blow off steam and for that I'll yield on this matter.

Thank you sir.

Calling all other proponents wishing to speak on this hearing none.

Motion to close the public. Motion to close the public hearing has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by council vice president Dion. Discussion hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes haven't motion to public hearings will be appropriate.

No, not necessary.

No.

No. Okay, great.

Well, our public hearings have been completed and closed. Thank you for everybody's attention. We're going to go to the committee on finance at this time.

For city council committee on finance will now be called to order. Madame clerk. Council Kadim here.

Camarra here.

Can here.

Dion here.

Hart.

Peekom here.

Herrera here.

Rapo here.

President Ponty here. Pursuant to the open meeting, Laura. Any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or 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 are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

First item on our agenda is the uh citizens input. First person assigned to speak, Richard Branco, regarding leadership.

Three minutes. Mr. Branco.

Yes, sir. Back.

All right. Uh long story short, uh leadership, uh this isn't to yell at anybody. This is maybe hopefully to coach some people up. Um I was taught in the military leaders follow lead by example.

Leaders also hold other people accountable.

Leaders don't manage people. From what I've been seeing on this little app here the last couple of weeks, you guys aren't acting like leaders.

I mean, don't get me wrong, you're all public servants and that's where you guys should stand and that's where you guys should be. For me personally, I am a leader. I'm a leader of homeless veterans that are living in their vehicle trying to better their life by setting the example. I'm a leader of anybody that's gone through any kind of childhood trauma that didn't fall to addiction and is still trying to make

something positive of their life.

I'm also a leader of veterans who are not dealing with their war council and I just personally think you guys can do a better job. A couple of years ago, I made the bottom page of the paper because I called out two of you at a city council forum of the front page.

Last year, I made the top half of the fold because I called out the whole city council and I called out um the shelters about the fact that we had people who were not being housed. With that being said, the city did move forward through the year. It was said during the public uh state of the city that 175 homeless people got services during the blizzard.

So, I'd like to think that my public input back in that March hopefully triggered something. And I want to think that my public inputs nowadays and anybody's in the public will come and trigger you guys. You guys are not our leaders. The leaders are the people in the community that are dealing with this chaos of life. You guys are the public servants. You have a budget coming forward. How much of

that budget is predicted on free cash?

All free cash is is overt taxation.

What's overt taxation? Theft. That's money that should go back to the people, whether it be excise taxes. We live in a community where nobody can afford rent unless you're one of the elites. Okay. I brought up conversations, tried to bring up conversations about alternative housing, campgrounds, a way to bring revenue into the city.

Anybody, there's no leader here in this whole government building that doesn't want to hear it. And I just want to end with this. I agree with what you guys said about veterans should not be doing business in city hall because we are passionate. We are on a different level.

But at the same time, if you're not a veteran, you shouldn't be involved in veterans business. It's for us, by us.

Help us, support us, but don't try to tell us what to do with our stuff. We did stuff that you guys couldn't do. We went into the recruiting office while you guys stayed outside. Thank you, Mr.

Branco.

Thank you.

Next person to sign up to speak, Ben Coleman, Goss Street, regarding Pleasant Street.

Hi, uh Ben Coleman, 57 G Street. Um I noticed on the way uh driving down here tonight how many people were walking home from work. You know, um Fall River is a very walkable city and uh it's one of the best cities I've ever lived in.

Um but I have to bring to your attention um so the situation on Pleasant Street.

Um 1616 Pleasant Street has been closed for more than 5 years, the sidewalk.

And um they've fenced off the sidewalk in such a manner that uh you you can't get by if there if there are cars parked adjacent to the fence. You have to walk in traffic to get around the closed sidewalk. I've spoken to Mr. pathway about the situation between six and 16 times uh and and gotten nowhere. Um now uh recently they closed um 14 1458 Pleasant Street and that has now

been closed I think almost eight months.

And it's the same situation if their car is parked adjacent to the fences. They c the car that's parked can't even open their passenger door. There's no way to get by. So pedestrians have to walk in traffic. Um I is that appropriate um for a city like ours to force people to walk in? I have pictures of people in wheelchairs uh in in traffic on Pleasant Street.

Yeah. I walk my dog three times a day uh down this street and we're in traffic um every time. And I'm hopeful that you folks, you brilliant folks will could come up with a solution um to do something about uh creating some sort of accommodation for pedestrians um or or to get more serious about time limits on closing sidewalks. I mean, we we make we make homeowners shovel their sidewalks.

Why are building owners allowed to just close a sidewalk for five, six years? It doesn't make sense. Anyway, that's all I've got.

Thank you. Councelor in seat 8.

Councelor Raposo. Councel in seat 8.

Council repos.

Yeah. So, sir, I would agree with you and this is actually something I've I've asked the administration myself being I spent a lot of time in that neighborhood being down the street at the school. Um, I will tell you that I got a very similar answer of crickets. Um, so Mr.

President, if it's possible, can we send a message to the administration to get an update regarding the sidewalk situation on Pleasant Street because like the gentleman says, those those fences have been up for quite some time and nothing has happened. I know the building may have changed hands at one point, but the fact that the fences remain and at this point they're actually even pushed in closer to the

building so somebody could actually walk somewhat on the sidewalk which is still not a ideal situation. So if we could send a message to the administration maybe get some feedback on that I think that would be appreciated. If if madam clerk, can you just note for the record that council seedate council repos would like you to send a letter or an email or a letter to the administration, maybe

copy the building inspector uh to get an update on this facility.

And then when we have that update, we can also update the gentleman as well.

Yes.

Thank you, Mr. Coleman. Thank you. Before you leave, Mr. Coleman, Councilman Seven, Councelor Pereira, Mr. Coleman, yes, I live in the Flint, so I understand your your situation. Just so that you know, on March 31st on a Thursday at 5, we'll have a meeting here. I chair the committee on economic development and tourism. And one of the things that I'm bringing up is the Flint revitalization.

As a matter of fact, I want to reach out to the president of the Flint Neighborhood Association to let her know so that she can share that with the association in the Flint. But I do have um individuals coming down and Mr.

Hathaway is one of them along with the redevelopment and um Mr. Dion to come down. Where are we at with revitalizing that and you talk about that, but we also can look at the police station that's had a fence around there as well and we owned that building. Y so you know when is that going to be demolished or what are they going to do um with that? But thank you for bringing

that forward and you are more than welcome to attend that meeting.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. With that, I yield.

Thank you, Council to Council Chimera.

Yeah. Thank you, Mr. President. I think we should send a letter saying that we'd like the fence taken off the drive off the sidewalk and onto the property and give us a reason why they can't do that.

We can note that, Madam Clerk. Um, can I think it's because the bricks?

Yeah, the point of information. I think councelor Camarra, it's because of the bricks that need along the entire property or just with the building. The top of the building's unstable. There are cracks. If you go on YouTube and search I've driven by it. I've seen it.

I have a drone video on there. The roof has caved in. It's it's it's a it that building is coming down whether we take it down or not. Okay. Yeah.

We will be making sure that that letter goes to the building in uh inspector who would be able to certainly opine on that.

Anything further? Thank you, Mr.

Coleman. Councilman C3. I just kind of thank the gentleman for emailing us to uh reference to what he was talking about.

Yeah. Thank you, councelor.

Thank you.

Uh hearing no other individuals assigned to speak during citizens input, the next item on our agenda is a communication from the mayor requesting the purchasing agent for the city council's approval to conduct public online auctions for surplus property. I know this was our colleague in seat 7 had a number of questions. If the purchasing agent and a member of the administration can come

down, please. And I'd like to um acknowledge our colleague who initially had the questions. Councelor in seat 7, Council of Pereira, would you like to speak on this item first?

I would.

Thank you.

Hi. You have to state your name for the record. I'm sorry.

Uh Trevor Kuillo. Well, that is really loud. Trevor Killo, purchasing agent.

Hi, Trevor.

I want everybody to hear me. That's why Arkkey Emily Ary, director of finance.

Councelor, um the only thing that I see is that when you do auctions online, it's difficult for people. years ago, we had an auction where they held it at DCM and everything went there and people came down, they bid on it, they saw things and I don't know why that's not being done again. If you want to do some online, but I think that we should first do it where people from the city, our

residents are able to go and look at it because we got rid of some stoves that were manufactured in Taton. Those stoves went from Sylvia School to the Armory and then they sold them for peanuts.

Couple of hundred bucks. Those things were worth a couple of thousand. You could have given them to the the the museum even and they were in pristine condition that we took out of some of the old schools. And you know, had people known that they were for sale, you might have had antique dealers or people in the city that would want to buy it and refurbish it. And the opportunity wasn't there. Nobody could

find that website. That's just my opinion. I don't like online. I know that I don't know what generation you are, but I'm not of that generation that I don't really have that techsavvy. Uh so maybe let's have an option for both.

Yeah. So I I agree and I understand where you're coming from. I like to work with all generations to be honest.

Good. Me too. But I got to keep catching up.

For sure. No. and like and that and that you bring valid points. So, what I will say is that we've changed our auction company, our online company. Um, we just had a different experience with the last one. So, we've um looking to this company, Gov Deals, and they have been phenomenal to deal with and they help with the advertising and everything. And one thing I can do as well to your point

is we can make sure that it's advertised on the city website where to find this information with the link on how to find all all the things that are going to be auctioned. Um, my main concern with a live auction compared to a online auction is cost. So for an online auction for the city, $0.

It's how much?

Z. Okay.

Because all they get they charge is a buyer's premium where compared to a live auction, there's a hefty cost there because in this particular surplus, we have 76 items. Um, 11 being vehicles that need to be towed. You have items all over between I think it was seven different departments that we have to get to one central location. So it's the manual labor, it's the towing, it's then

hiring an auctioneer. All that is cost on top of then they also charge a buyer's premium. Those buyers premiums go to they have because if we have a live auction they have to have people there to sign people up getting ready.

They have the auctioneer. They also have a legal team on board with contracts and stuff like that. All that is a heavy cost that by going online it cost the city zero. The the other part of it too is the items that we have that need to be relocated.

Um if they're not sold they need to be relocated again out of wherever we decide the central auction is. Um and I think we we understand the benefits of the live inerson auction. It's just that the current items that we have at this point we don't think really warrant the value that we'll get in a better you know live auction situation. We definitely agree that there are certain

items and times that a live auction will be more fruitful. This current um section of items just doesn't really meet a high.

Well, you know, you talk about the vehicles. If I'm going to buy a vehicle, I want to see it. I want to know how many miles are on it. I want to know if I it needs a transmission, if it needs something. But if you're not going to get the money for it, bring it to Mid City. Scrap it yourself.

They're all inoperable.

So, they're all inoperable. Yeah.

So, get the cash. Get a tow truck and bring them up there one at a time and cash them out.

We can't do that. We have to go through this.

I lock an auction.

No, you can go. They did it before.

So, you can't So, you have to go through the auction.

Jesus.

And then after So, at after the auction is done, then at that point in ordinance, I can then Right. So, if it doesn't sell in in the auction at that point, we're able to dispose of it in in the scrap way. But that's that's kind they don't sell. Now, you can bring them up there.

That's exactly what we will do.

I don't like online. I'm going to tell you I don't like online.

And I hear you. And I think that what I can give people the opportunity in the city to be able to go and purchase, but we can make sure we advertise to give people the most ease of access.

I yield, Mr. President. They don't want to hear me. I yield.

Thank you, Councilman. Seat one, Council.

Thank you. I I don't think it's Nobody wants to hear you. I I think the ultimate question is, do you have the authority to say no to a bid if it comes in lower than we anticipate in terms of value? So, even online, right, you have the ability to say no, we're not going to accept that bid, right? Okay. So, I think one is trying to get the advertising out there so there's more

people seeing it. But the biggest piece is making sure we're just not giving away the the property, right? That has some significant value because I think that that tends to be the counselor in C7's concern, too. There's a number of items that have that are very, I guess, valuable in terms of what could be sold and then we tend to see during these purchasing or these bid online bids that they go for, you know,

$100, $200 and that's because there's only one bidder. So I just want to make sure that we have that safety net in place. That's all.

Yeah, we do.

I yield. Thank you.

Thank you, Constency, too. Council Kamar, just real quick to wrap it up. I know she's not a baby boomer.

She's what?

She's not a baby boomer.

No, I know we are. I just s her, not me.

Counselor in C3 council.

Thank you. Uh, so when I look at this, it says that all money will go back to the general fund.

And typically the council is only in a position to approve, reject or reduce money. Um I think through this public auction we have an opportunity to actually give money back to the police and the fire. Uh I would um under section 2972 the um when it talks about the sale or disposal uh it says that under such terms and conditions as the city council shall by order determine. So, uh, what

I'd like to see specific to the police department, um, items that the 11 vehicles and the 13 lots of other equipment, whatever money is generated from this public auction go back to the police department. And for the fire that the 13 lots for the center street and 26 HQ lots, any money generated from those go back to the fire department as well.

I'd like to see that as a condition so that we can give you know this these whatever value these assets have uh that we were previously allocated to those departments we give back to those departments.

So sorry Miss Ari uh do you have um revolving accounts in both of those departments?

Yes, but not for not for this. They're they're set up with specific revenue sources and and how money comes in and how it's supposed to be spent. um you know the idea of dedicating it to those departments. So it everything that is funded in those departments is being funded out of the general fund. So by the revenue returning to the general fund, it is then going back to their needs. Um things like free cash, things

like the debt service, things like the operating items that we're putting into the um capital plan to fund in their departments are all funded by the general fund and those needs. So, um, we could do something specific, but again, I think I I understand where you're coming from and the idea behind it, but again, the value of what we are discussing in these items is, you know, a couple hundred to a couple

thousand dollars. It's it's not even nothing's over $10,000 of value, otherwise we wouldn't be going about it in this way. So, we're talking about, you know, dollars going back to them. Um but again everything that's in the general fund is supporting their budgets um and their capital needs and their you know debt costs that we're doing to meet their needs as well. So we could absolutely you know put it into set up a

special fund but I mean we're potentially setting up a special fund for $500.

I mean I think every dollar is important to them. I I I don't know how much we're going to generate. Um and I don't think it for me it matters. I think every dollar that was previously a police cruiser or other police equipment should go back to police and everything that was fire department should go back to fire. So I do understand that it's being funded but that would be um do I make a

motion? I guess what would be the guidance here? Um uh that would be uh we are going to see this item in full counsel. Okay.

So we can refer it. You can do whatever you'd like in full counsel.

Sounds good. Thank you.

Thank you. Consency one council.

I appreciate what my colleague is trying to do but at the end of the day then we're gonna have to break down free cash, right? So that means police the police department may not be generating free cash. The fire department may not be generating free cash. And then we run into situations where there are departments that don't that don't even generate revenue, right? So then what are we looking at? So we're going to

have departments that don't have any any ability to have the free cash and then like it it just to me it just doesn't make any sense. I understand what he's trying to do. From my standpoint, we just need to continue to advocate for the appropriate funding, whether it's free cash or um you know, debt service going through these these departments to make sure that they get the infrastructure and the resources that

they need for the capital needs item.

But when when we're just doing surplus like to the amount of work that it's going to take from an administrative standpoint to really kind of divvy up this money and find out, you know, where it goes and where it belongs and then you need to figure out the origin of where the free cash came from and, you know, then give the appropriate allocation to that department that generated the free cash. It it's it's

just too convoluted. But I appreciate it. Uh my stance is we got a capital that's coming before us. I think we need to take a hard look and a hard stance as how we how we're going to allocate the monies to the various departments. Um I for one want to see public safety get what they need. We've been talking about the fire department for a very long time. We've got a number of stations

that are again dilapitated and I'll say that. So we need to figure out how we get them the money to to repair that. I I don't know that these auctions are going to solve our problem. So with that I yield.

Thank you. Anything further?

Motion to full counsel.

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

Seconded by councelor Peekham.

Discussion on the referral hearing.

None. All those in favor?

Opposed. Fin.

The eyes have it.

Thank you.

Motion to adjourn. Finance has been made by councelor Camaro. Seconded by councelor Pekham.

All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

We're going to get going.

Citation.

Ready.

Go.

I don't know.

This horror city council meeting will now be called to order.

Madame clerk.

Council Kadim here.

Camar here.

Daniel here.

Dion here.

Hart.

Peekom here.

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

Thank you. And a salute to the flag to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. 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 are deemed acknowledged and permissible. Two housekeeping items before I acknowledge our colleague in seat seven. Uh

counselor uh in seat five councelor Hart is informed us he's under the weather will not be joining us uh tonight. Also um as a an announcement and a welcome, our uh city clerk did have uh her baby uh last week. Um we are uh joined by our assistant city clerk Pachica will be uh in the clerk's chair for a while and uh she's very excited and not a bit

nervous. So I told her we'd be very good to her like we are to Inz as well. So uh just wanted to point that out. Welcome Miss Pico. Miss Council Pereira

There are a lot of good things happening in Fall River. There are a lot of unsung heroes. And it is my pleasure tonight to tell you about a gentleman who's done the treelighting at Government Center for 2008 to 2021.

about $50,000 worth of work. Donated a living room sap and dining room sap to the Stanley Street Fire Department.

That cost about four grand, donated the material and the labor for the Dery football concession stand and had help of other people putting it together.

donated a hundred children's winter jackets to the Boys and Girls Club and students of the city of Fall River school system.

I gave Chowain sandwiches to the homeless people.

I will tell you I worked with him when he did all of the lighting, the labor, the electrical, and the video all at the Vietnam Memorial Wall for free.

Additionally, he's provided all of the city employees, state reps, counselors, the mayor with any needed traffic light or city light.

We talk about city lights being dim. You had a light out. You call Brian Bishop.

He came in and fixed it right away.

He donated the bucket truck.

It's public works. They could use it whenever they wanted. And his equipment is really good equipment.

Bryant, I can't thank you enough. Oh, he's also a championship softball player and he talks about for river when he travels around. If only we could get a nice softball field here so you could get games here for us that people would come in, spend money at our restaurants and shop in our stores.

But a sincere thank you from all of my colleagues for all that you've done. You are an unsung an unsung hero.

So in recognition for all of the service that you have provided to the city of Fall River, we present you with this citation and we thank you very much. Thank you.

My family's been working in the electrical industry 115 years in Massachusetts. My grandfather is probably the first licensed electrician in Massachusetts and they always told me take care of where you live. My father was the president of the union of for IBW 437 and a lot of reasons I do what I do here is because of the people like this here.

We all we all should take care of everybody. That's what my father did.

You know, you should always give back where you live. It's a great city. A lot of great people work here. And I'm I I'm overwhelmed with what they're doing cuz I don't do it for this. And you got a lot of bunch of heroes here. A lot of old school guys I went to school with, firemen, police officers, you know. We never had to ask us twice to do anything. We just did it, you know. But

it's because you got a great bunch of people. You got a lot of people I went to school with. They're still on the board. This is why we do things for this city. If everybody just did a little, my father did said it'd be a great place to live. Just a little bit or each one person. But I just want to say it's a great city and I'm honored and I

appreciate being a part of this city.

I'm glad I had a chance to work here for 35 years. Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm still

okay.

Tonight

I have five uh city citations for our public service uh departments. Police, fire, EMA, EMS, and dispatch. Um the night of the Gabriel House fire, I had the opportunity to go up and and be there at the scene and watch. And I'm going to tell you, there was no time in my life where I saw that many first responders running around in person in one place trying to figure things out.

Um, and try to figure out a a situation that was extreme um, for lack of a better word. Um, between the police officers, I saw them on roofs trying to break windows with their flashlights to get people out of the buildings, firefighters running around in their civilian clothes, um, because they had showed up off duty to help. Um, and then the EMS was amazing. And then if you listen to the the radio, the

dispatchers, they're an unsung hero here in the city of Fall River because as we watch each one of these individual departments, you have that one dispatch center that's in charge of all of them.

And without them, nobody would go anywhere and we wouldn't receive any help. So tonight, um, if I can have all representatives of the police, fire, EMA, EMS, and dispatch come down to the floor, please.

Well, once again, I thank you guys and I know the city council uh we think very highly of all the work that you do. um the city would not be as safe as it is today um without your dedication and your desire to keep people safe. Um and I commend you personally for that. So official resolution, be it resolved that the city council hereby extends its accommodation to the police, fire, EMS,

EMA, and dispatch for your steadfast service to the residents of the city of Fall River on the night of July 13th, 2025 during the Gabriel House Assisted Living Residence Fire. Thank you guys.

dispatch.

Yeah, that's

Thank you guys.

Thank you guys.

Thank you.

Ready?

I went out once,

huh?

Yes.

Next. Just bring them all up.

I don't know which channel.

Who you want up next?

Who are you going to call?

Uh can Where's CUS? That way.

Where's CUS?

We have the CUS basketball team. CU basketball team.

Come on down, guys.

Yay. And they have that trophy.

Come on down, guys.

I know.

You can line up right in front right here.

counselor.

So, a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity I went to the middle school basketball championships.

And I'm a huge proponent of a, you know, athletics in the city. I was a baseball player. I played CIO basketball. Um, and I'm a firm believer that if the leaders of this city, be it the mayor, the city council, whoever, um, recognize our youth when they do great things, such as win a championship, it uh, pushes you to want to do better in the f in the future, if you know what I mean. The

recognition um, to recognize our youth and especially in athletics. You guys were excellent. I watched the game and good job. Um, so on behalf of the Fall River City Council, I have an official resolution. Be it resolved that the city council hereby extends its commendation to the Matthew J. Cus Middle School boys basketball team for winning the 2026 Forever Boys Middle School basketball

championship. Congratulations, guys.

All right, guys. Smile.

Smile so I can get your picture with Chris. Smile.

Great job. Love the trophy.

Where you going to school?

Just for the cus boys, I heard the uh Martin girls said that they could take you one-on-one.

They did. They told me that earlier before the meeting.

Just saying we should probably do that in some type of a fundraiser or something. If if the Morton girls basketball team can join us.

Morton girls.

console.

So again, like earlier with the uh with the boys, I just want to recognize uh the Morton girls basketball team, middle school basketball team for your championship this year. And from what I was told at the game, it's the 10th year in a row that you guys have won it. So congratulations. Yes.

Um, I went to Talbet. Give them a break next year.

So, on behalf of the city council, I want to uh recognize you guys because again, if we recognize you when you do great things in your younger years, it we hope that it pushes you to do even greater things when you become adults and move into uh uh your futures. So, official resolution, be it resolved that the city council hereby extends its commendation to the James Madison Morton

Middle School girls basketball team for winning the Fall River girls middle school basketball championship for the 10th year in a row. Congratulations.

Yeah.

Good job.

Congratulations.

All right.

Next order of business, Madame Clerk.

First on the agenda, we have a communication from the mayor on proposed fiscal year 2027 enterprise fund budget for one.

Just give it a moment. Madam clerk, just give me one moment.

Done a lot.

One minute.

Okay.

Sorry, the first time you're speaking and I can't hear you, so we're just going to have a give it a little moment.

No problem.

All right. You're good, madame clerk.

First item on the agenda is the communication from the mayor. Proposed fiscal year 2027 enterprise fund budgets for water and sewer divisions.

Motion to refer the committee on finance.

Motion to refer the item to the committee on finance has been made by councelor Raposo.

Second.

Seconded by councelor Pereira.

Discussion. Hearing none. All those in favor? I opposed.

The eyes have it.

Next we have traffic commission recommending amendments to the traffic ordinances.

Motion to refer the committee on ordinances.

Motion to refer the item to the committee on ordinances and legislation has been made by councelor reposo.

Seconded by councelor Canuel. Discussion hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed? The eyes have it.

We have proposed ordinance for traffic miscellaneous for second reading in enrollment regarding Lindsay Street east from Corey Street to Breman Street.

Lindsay Street east from Ballard Street to Breman Street. And handicap parking removals for George Street south 146 west feet west of Oregon Street. Grove Street West 126 feet south of Walnut Street. Oliver Street north 151 feet s um east of Broadway and Pitman Street East 110 ft south of Webster Street.

Motion to pass through second reading enrollment.

Second.

Motion to pass the items second reading and enrollment has been made by councelor Raposo. Seconded by council vice president Dion. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed. The eyes have it.

Next we have proposed ordinance for salary amendments for the commissioner of municipal buildings and code enforcement inspector of buildings.

Motion to pass for secondary enrollment as amended.

Second.

Motion to pass the item through second reading and enrollment as amended has been made by councelor reposo. Seconded by council vice president Dion. Is there discussion?

Hearing none. All those in favor.

Opposed. The eyes have it.

Okay. We have a resolution. Whereas the fall river residential solid waste and recycling collection contract is approaching expiration. And whereas the city council seeks to ensure that future decisions regarding waste collection are informed by current information, planning considerations and fiscal impacts. Now therefore, be it resolved that the committee on finance convene with the director of financial services,

the director of city operations, and the interim director of community maintenance to discuss updates on the administration's planning for residential solid waste and recycling collection, including general information regarding anticipated procurement timelines, planning considerations, and any options under review for future service delivery.

Motion to adopt.

Second. Motion to adopt has been made by councelor reposo, seconded by councelor Pereira. Discussion with the sp one of the sponsors of the resolution, councelor in seat three, councel.

Thank you. I'd like to thank my colleague in seat one for his collaboration on this resolution. Uh just with the uh trash contract coming to an end at the end of the fiscal year.

Uh just looking for an update on where we stand and what the options are. With that I yield.

Thank you. Councilman Sewan, can I speak? Council Kadim.

Yes. I I just want to recognize councelor NC3 for his due diligence and trying to make sure that uh number one we know what we're going to be doing moving forward with the uh the trash and the cost associated with it. So uh we had a conversation and I was more than happy to co-sponsor it with him. So we're looking forward to to seeing the information that's going to be provided

and making sure that uh we can identify some of the costs associated with the trash and trying to reduce that and make sure that it's uh good for the city.

With that I yield.

Thank you councelor. Uh motion to adopt has been made and seconded. He hearing.

No further discussions. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

Next we have the capital improvement plan to be approved by the city council.

Motion to refer to the committee on finance.

Motion to refer to the committee on finance has been made by councelor reposer. Is there a second?

Is there a second?

Second.

Seconded by councel kadem. Is there discussion?

Harry not. All those in favor?

Opposed.

Counselor in seat seven is opposed to their referral.

Present or opposed?

Present.

Present. Just to be clear, councelor in C7's present.

Motion has uh hearing no further discussions. All those in favor? I oppose. Constit. Thank you. Next order of business.

Motion to take items 7 through 12 together. Second.

Motion to take items seven through what number, counselor?

15.

Oh, 12.

12.

Okay. Motion to take items 7 through 12 together has been made by councelor Camar. Is there a second? Seconded by councelor opposer. Is there discussion?

Hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed?

The eyes have it. Madam clerk, read them into the record, please.

We have numerous jointly old pole locations for the Massachusetts Electric Company, DBA, National Grid, and Verizon New England, Inc. One for Olden Street.

Um, another one's 434 Olden Street.

another for Brighton A, another one for Eastern A and Rhode Island Avenue. And then we also have a underground conduit for Massachusetts Electric Company, DVA National Grid to install an underground facilities on Alden Street.

Motion to adopt.

Motion to adopt all of them. Has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councelor Peekham. Is there discussion?

Hearing none, all those in favor? I oppose the eyes.

Next, we have curb removals from Daniel Gonzalez, 150 Hancock Street, Quincy Mass 02171 for the removal of 47 ft 6 in of curving and an addition of 18 ft of curving for a total opening of 47 feet 6 in at 160 Franklin Street. Motion to motion to adopt has been made by councelor Chimera, seconded by councelor Raposo. Discussion hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

We have another curb removal from J&M Development Group Corp. at 263 Gford Road Westport Mass 02790 for the removal of 12 feet on County Street of curbing for a total opening of 32 feet at 215 to 219 Earl Street.

Motion to adopt has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councelor Cabar. Discussion council seel Pereira.

Yeah, I I do have issue with the last the two um Earl Street and the work has already been completed in Rhode Island Avenue. The work has been completed. So now you're asking for permission. What happened and what are we getting? Were they fined? Were I don't know. I think they should both go to the committee on regulations. I'd like to know more. I mean, these are developers, I believe. Well, this one here from

Westport, a development group. Wouldn't they know that you have to reply and before you remove curbing? I can understand if it was a homeowner didn't know, cut a piece off. That's one thing.

But you just can't keep coming. We're getting these curb cuts and people are having problems parking.

and I'd like to know what happens when someone cuts a curb without city approval. Um, I want to know more about it. So, I would refer it to the committee on regulations.

Motion to refer the item to the committee on regulations has been made by councelor Pereira, seconded by councel Pekkham. Is there discussion?

This is only for item 14. That's the only item that's been introduced at this time. Hearing no further discussions.

All those in favor?

Opposed?

The eyes have it. Item 15. Madam clerk, we have another curb removal from Tucker Dashound LLC, 88 Earl Street for the removal of 39 feet of curving on Laurel Street for a total opening of 82 feet at 25 Rhode Island A.

Motion to refer to the committee on regulations. Councelor, yes.

Has been made by councelor Pereira, seconded by councel Pekkham. Discussion hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed?

The eyes have it.

Next, we have a number of claims. Motion motion motion to refer the claims to corporation council has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councelor Pekham. Discussion hearing none. All those in favor? I opposed. The eyes have it.

Next we have a letter from the city engineer for street opening less than 5 years at 1216 to 1218 Stafford Road.

Motion to approve.

Motion to approve has been made by councelor Pekkham, seconded by councelor Raposo. Is there discussion?

Hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed? The eyes have it.

Next we have final reports for the acceptance of the following streets.

Brookfield Terrence extending from southeast side of Fieldstone Lane Wesley to terminus. Motion motion to approve.

Motion to approve has been uh 18A has been made by councelor Raposo. Seconded by council vice president Dion. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor opposed. The eyes have it.

Another for fieldstone lane extending from the south of the terminus of Hayfield Lane to Courtney Street.

Motion to approve. Motion to approve has been made by councelor Camarra, seconded by councelor Raposo. Is there discussion on 18BB? Hearing none. All those in favor? I opposed. The eyes have it.

Lastly, we have Sony Brook Circle extending from the Wesley side of Phil Stone Lane Wesley to terminate.

Motion to approve has been made by councel Camarra. Seconded by councel Pekham. Is there discussion on 18C?

Hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed? The eyes have it.

We have a final report for the acceptance of Draper Street extending sidly from Globe Mills Avenue to Terminus and Northerly from Globe Mills Avenue to Terminus.

Motion to approve has been made by councelor Camarra, seconded by councelor Raposo. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

Next, we have an application for a license to conduct a one-day bingo from We Love the Children Fund organization to operate on May 2nd, 2026 at 20 Star Street. Motion to approve. Motion to approve has been made by council Camarra, seconded by Council Canuel. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

We have a drain layer license from Naragansa Improvement Company, WC Escalation.

Approved. Second. Motion to approve narroagans at improvement company and WC Excavation Inc. has been made by councel Camarra seconded by councel Canuel. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

We have some planning board minutes from February 11th on file.

Second.

Motion to accept the item and place it on file. The planning board minutes has been made by councelor Camaro, seconded by councelor reposo. Discussion. Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? You guys have it. We now have a notice of casualty and loss at 452 Adam Street.

Second.

Motion to accept the item and place it on file has been made by councelor Camarra. Seconded by councelor Raposo.

Is there discussion?

Hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed? The eyes have it.

We have a department of environmental protection notice of waterway license application number 26-w01-00006-app.

Captain Joseph J. Okonnell Company, Inc.

at 180 River Street in the 30-day public comment period beginning on March 5th, 2026.

Motion to accept the place.

Motion to accept the item and place it on file has been made by Councel Pekham, seconded by Council Camaro. Is there discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

We have another Department of Public Utilities notice of filing and request for comment for petition of Massachusetts Electric Company and Nucket Electric Company each DBA National Grid for approval of their 2026 Energy Efficiency Reconciling Factors for effect May 1st, 2026 with a comment deadline for April 8th, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

Motion to accept and place on file.

Motion to accept and place on file has been made by councelor Pekkham, seconded by councelor Raposo. Discussion hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed? The eyes have it.

We have a communication from the mayor and request for the confirmation of the reappoint of Amber Burns to the board of park commissioners.

Motion to confirm.

Motion to confirm the appointment of Amber Burns has been made by councelor Pekham, seconded by councelor Raposo. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? Opposed. The eyes have it. We have another from the mayor to request for the confirmation of the reappoint of Bernard J. McDonald to the board of park commissioners.

Motion to confirm.

Motion to confirm the appointment has been made by councelor Pekham. Seconded by councelor Raposo. Is there discussion hearing? Councelor in C8. Councelor Raposo.

Just a quick question on the reappoints for both Amber and and BJ McDonald. The terms and expirations are different. Is that was that intentional?

Yes.

They have different timelines.

Yes.

Okay. They do that because so you don't have one out at the same time, more than one out at the same time. So they kind of stagger, right?

Thank you.

Thank you, councelor. Motion to confirm the appointment has been made in seconded hearing. No further discussions. All those in favor?

Opposed? The eyes have it.

Thanks. We have the mayor and the request for the confirmation of the reappoint of Mark Nisf Jr. to the retirement board.

Motion accept and place on file.

Motion to confirm would be appropriate.

Motion to confirm. Motion to confirm the appointment has made by councel Canuel, seconded by councel Pekkham. Discussion councelor in seat 88 council repos.

Just to clarify, is it a reappointment or an appointment?

Reappoint.

Reappoint.

Because the agenda item doesn't say reappoint, it says appointment.

The agenda item says reappointment.

Well, on the I'm sorry, on the agenda it's reappointment, but on the actual um documentation it says appointment.

Yes, that's because his term previously expired.

Okay, I yield. Thank you.

Thank you, counselor. Any further discussion on this item? Hearing not.

All those in favor? post. The eyes have it.

We have communication from city council president's letter for updates from the administration on the current status of the civil service process for the hiring of a police chief.

Motion to accept and place on file.

Motion to accept and place on file has been made by councelor Pereira. Seconded by councel Pekkham. Is there discussion?

Hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed? The eyes have it.

We have proposed ordinance requiring city council approval for certain employment contract obligations.

Refer to the committee on ordinances legislation. Motion to refer the item to the committee on ordinance and legislation has been made by councelor reposo seconded by councel pekkham. Is there discussion council seat three council?

Yes. Uh this is in relation to the item that uh president ponti then council ponti uh sent to the council in December and for which there's an item in committee on ordinances right now. Uh but we haven't had too much movement on the actual writing of the ordinance. So I took a proactive step to write it and uh looking to review that in the ordinance further.

Thank you, councelor. You yield.

I yield.

Thank you, Councilman Seat 7.

That's what I was going to say. This is already in ordinance.

That's correct. But we don't have an ordinance written yet or draft of an ordinance.

So to to be clear, I I just to be clear, um this was sent up maybe to corporation council or somewhere in the ether of the world. Uh or not, maybe it isn't. But you you decided to draft this ordinance and you're referring the ordinance written already to the c uh to the committee for their discussion. Correct.

Correct. Yeah. The resolution that the council had adopted in December was so that the committee on ordinances would draft a resolution text. Uh so far, corporation council has given an opinion that it doesn't feel the council has the authority to do that. So I've took the initiative to at least get a text written of what an ordinance could look like.

Thank you. Draft ordinance is what's being referred to the committee.

Okay. Thank you. Anything further for discussion on this item? No.

Hearing none. All those in favor?

Opposed?

The eyes have it. Thank you.

Can I just cons quickly just on that that that discussion? I I know we have corporation council that's actually going to be drafting this ordinance. I just think it's a conflict of interest because he is one of the contracts that come back down before us. So to have him draft an ordinance to me doesn't make any sense. Um that's just my take. I mean he's given us an illegal opinion. I

I I think we should get an outside uh legal opinion from this second opinion on on this matter. So with that I yield.

Constant C8 councelor Raposo.

Yeah and as the chairman of ordinance just to be clear to the committee that we are in the at the moment waiting on a written legal opinion from corporation council. Um and I think that's kind of the rationale here that I agree with you. I agree with my colleague in C1 that uh it's kind of a conflict to be writing that ordinance. So I think this actually works both ways. So we are

still waiting on the written opinion and we'll hope to have that at a future ordinance meeting.

Thank thank you councelor. Anything further hearing none. All those in favor? I oppose. The eyes have it. Actually, I did that twice. My apologies.

Next order of business.

Whereas section 2-7A of the Fall River City Charter authorizes the city council to investigate the conduct of any department, office, or agency of the city. And whereas recent publicity publicly report quoted information has raised concerns regarding actions taken by the Fall River Police Department involving the use of a search warrant to identify the individual behind an anonymous social media account. In

whereas such reporting alleges that the warrant was sought in response to critical online commentary directed at members of the department rather than clearly defined criminal activity. And whereas the affidavit supporting the warrant reportedly cited generalized concerns regarding harassment and officer safety without identifying a specific underlying criminal offense.

And whereas it has further been reported that no criminal charges resulted from the investigation and that the warrant, excuse me, the warrant returned may not have been filed with the time frame required under Massachusetts general laws. And whereas these circumstances raise legitimate concerns regarding the potential misuse of investigative authority, the protection of first amendment rights and the appropriate

threshold for establishing probable cause. And whereas maintaining public trust in law enforcement requires transparency, accountability, and strict adherence to constitu statutory standards. Now therefore, be it resolved that the city council hereby exercises its authority under section 2-7A of the city charter to initiate a formal investigation into the actions of the Fall River Police Department related to

this matter. And be it further resolved that the city council president, vice president, and chair of the committee on public safety are hereby authorized on behalf of the full city council to ret to retain independent outside legal counsel or a qualified investigative firm experience in conducting governmental investigations and witness interviews for the purpose of ensuring a thorough impartial and independent

review of the facts. And be it further resolved that the scope of the investigation sa shall include but not be limited to the basis for establishing probable cause in the application for the search warrant. Whether the warrant was sought and executed in accordance with applicable laws and conditional protections. Whether any city resources or authority were used in a matter that

could con constitute an overreach of m or misuse of power. Compliance with security requirements regarding the return and filing of the warrant and any internal communications, policies or directives related to the investigation on subsequent actions taken by the department. And be it further resolved that the city council may request documents, testimony, and cooperation with the re from the relevant parties

including but not limited to the police department, legal council and any other appropriate entities. And be it further resolved that the findings of this investigation shall be reported publicly along with any recommendations for policy changes, disciplinary action, or referral to appropriate state or federal authorities if warranted.

You can breathe now.

Great job on your first resolution.

Thank you very much. The longest one in the history of resolutions. Sorry about that.

Is there a motion?

Motion to make.

Motion to adopt has been made by councel Pek. Is there a second?

Second. Seconded by councelor Kadim discussion one of the co-sponsors of the resolution council seat six council peek okay so probably the most difficult resolution I've I've had to file ever um as to the why so the why is if you want to go in chronological order um we get a report that is you know making accusations um to an astron a astronomical scale and within that same day I received receive

a call from the mayor telling me he's given the police chief a 2-year contract. Um, no conversation about the article, no conversation about the in investigation, no conversation about the accusations. Um, but t in typical fall river faction uh fashion, it's move on and keep a blind eye to everything. Um, and I can't operate that way. uh this city has a a long-standing history of not

addressing certain things and we end up in lawsuits, litigation cost us more money. Um that report was absolutely scathing the accusations in that report and I just want to let people know that we didn't make the accusations. The accusations were made and I do not have any trust in this administration to address these issues. Hence the city council uh putting forward this resolution. Um, I feel that if we don't

step up and take the lead in this, this is going to continue to happen and continue to happen. And it's all about transparency accountability and keeping the public trust up there. We leave stuff like that hanging around out in the open. We do not address it, what do you think the public thinks of us?

We've already had many issues over the last few few years um that went unressed and ended up in civil rights violation lawsuits. Um, so something like this that's put right into our purview. We talk about purview. this is right in our faces and if we as a city council and the oversight of the ad administration don't trust him enough to handle this and make sure that it's rectified

appropriately then we have to step in and do it. Um and that it's a good leadership uh trait to have to be able to pick up where somebody else is slacking and the slacking is pretty immense at this point. So, we have to come down and we have to address this to make sure that the public has no questions due to this uh the accusations that were made. Um, and I'm just going

to say one other thing. I got this thing from Corporation Council Ramsey saying that he does not think that we have the ability to do this. Well, I don't care because if attorney Ramsey would have spent more time and effort investigating what we're here for today, he wouldn't have had to write this. So maybe he should have taken the time he took to write this thing and looked into the

matter at hand so we don't have to. With that, I yield. Thank you.

Uh co-sponsor the resolution, President Ponti.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. So I just want to make a couple things clear.

Um to my colleague who also co-sponsored this resolution, who chairs the public safety committee, I'm taking this position that this isn't something that's about politics, right? This isn't this isn't what it's about. Um, reading what I read and reading the warrant and everything that went about here, I think this is more about an abuse of power.

Um, reading the report, reading what I read, the report certainly suggests, in my opinion, that a search warrant, a search warrant may have been used after a critic, somebody who's on social media criticizing the police department. Okay, that is not criminal.

That is not a criminal matter in my opinion. And if somebody has an opinion that doing something like that is criminal, we have to have a discussion about what criminal really means. That's number one.

If it is true from what I read, I think it's a serious violation of the public's trust. And I'm being completely candid and transparent about it. We don't abuse power. None of us, a mayor, a department head, or anybody for that matter, should be abusing the power, especially abusing the power of a badge.

Okay?

You don't stretch probable cause out, by the way, because you don't like what somebody said.

That's not policing. That's not what police officers are supposed to be doing in this community. That's a complete overreach.

And I'm not making it up. This isn't, oh well, there's a bad article written by a reporter. That's not what it's about.

Because the search warrant is right there for you to read. This isn't an opinion. Somebody didn't create a documentary about it. A search warrant was signed. Making that clear. And it's irresponsible for the council to ignore something like this. And if we do not launch an investigation, I don't know who will.

So, we need to get the facts. This is the reason I co-sponsor this resolution.

We need to make the facts public. If it's a personnel matter, I know maybe we can't, but we need to make those facts public.

And if this crossed the line from policing into targeting a critic and it's proven, we have a problem.

Okay. Now, I want to I want to bring this into perspective for a moment.

Okay. Number one, as I indicated before, a warrant in all my research, not chat GBT or whatever, normal research tells me a warrant is not a tool for retaliation. Correct? A warrant is not a tool for intimidation. Correct?

A warrant is not a tool to unmask critics who might be disrespectful to a department head.

I mean, how many times as elected officials being here for almost 10 years, people said things about me. Am I now going to go to the police department and ask them to open an investigation about a person who has a fake profile who might be a police officer or might be somebody else talking about me? Do I have the right to go to the cler the the chief's office tomorrow and ask them to

to go get a search warrant on that individual who has a fake profile?

That's not policing. That's a bad use of police time.

And by the way, after the search warrant, no criminal charges came of this. None whatsoever.

So we the city has a the police department has a responsibility to protect the entire department. The purpose of this resolution isn't to go after the police department, but what it is to do, it's to protect good police.

I think my colleague who co-sponsored the resolution would agree with me on that. It's not an anti- police resolution because most officers come to this city, if not all, most of them come to this city every single day doing a job and they want to do it the right way.

But ignoring this would hurt the new police officers, would hurt morale in the department, would hurt everything that that department has stood for for decades and centuries.

And the accountability that we're trying to do here, even though it might not be politically popular, which I also don't care, protects the integrity of that department in this city.

I was honored to have attended an event and I'm almost done swearing in new police officers with a couple of my colleagues just recently.

What an honor that was to see young upand cominging police officers that are going to hit the streets and protect and serve this city. That was a great moment for the city. I was happy to stand by them with a number of my colleagues. We have an obligation to protect them and every officer. Okay. Why does this motion matter? Why does this resolution matter?

We are bringing an inter and in initiating if my colleagues support this, which I asked them to do, a formal investigation.

We're bringing in an independent company to do it. I don't want to send a acting city administrator or somebody else or a law somebody in the law department to go down to do that. We've already tried that. There was an issue that occurred several years ago with an officer who who didn't do the right thing in the detective unit that we had an outside firm come in and complete an investigation if you recall. I remember

that vividly that happened. It wasn't done internally. We had an outside firm do it. And the reason we want an outside I would suggest the outside firm is it's not it's not going to be bias. There's not going to be any influential decisions being had.

and the public should trust the outcome of it.

So, I know that this isn't popular.

Quite frankly, I wasn't elected to do what's popular. I was elected to do what's right. So did all of us. Okay?

The findings need to be made public. If something was done wrong, there needs to be consequences.

Accountability in this city for everybody is not optional.

And the public trust isn't something that we should negotiate either.

That's on the merit of my resolution which I ask my colleagues to support.

Now I want to just make one quick comment about the letter that we received from our corporation council who I have a tremendous amount of respect for.

While he did say in his letter that he as which I didn't ask for an opinion. I don't know who did but maybe somebody did. Well that's okay. that the caveat of his letter, which by the way questions section 2.7 of the city charter that gives the council the authority to have investigations into the city affairs. He's kind of indicating in his letter maybe what I read here is that we don't have that ability

and I don't understand how anybody could question the city charter under section 2.7.

It's very clear. There's nothing about this that is confusing.

The city council may make investigations into the affairs of the city and into the conduct and performance of any city agency under section 2.7 of the city charter. Clear as day. Period. It's not but if only. But if maybe, but if this happened. It's a clear sentence that ended. And then it goes to another section. subsections B, subsection C, subsections D. But none of that limits the city council's authority in my

opinion to provide pro to carry out any kind of an investigation because if the city council doesn't have the ability to do an investigation, why didn't it say that in the city charter? We don't need to go into a long saliloquy about the city charter. We already know the problems with that. But this is clear.

There's no ambiguity here. It's clear as day in my opinion. The city council makes may make investigations into the city's affairs and to and into the conduct and performance of any city agency period. So, while I appreciate our corporation council, who again I have tremendous respect for, to my colleague who also co-sponsored the resolution, whether I care about his opinion or not doesn't really matter

because what my interpretation of the of the charter doesn't have anything confusing about it and we don't need to muddy the waters. So, as I conclude, I I'm sorry to belabor the point, but this is just something that we have a ethical responsibility to have a discussion on and to debate and I I ask my colleagues unanimously to support doing the right thing. I yield.

Council in seat one.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. Um so one I I applaud my colleagues for their passion in moving this uh resolution forward. So I personally will be supporting it. Um one because the only facts and information I have is what was reported in the for reporter and not to say that it's inaccurate. That is the only information I have. So, if I am going to make a judgment based on those

facts alone, I would say and agree with my colleagues that um I have significant concerns and I would say if those are the that's the only information I have that it was an abuse of power. I don't think there's a anybody in law enforcement that would suggest anything other than that. Um, and I don't really want to go down the road of elaborating more than what my two colleagues have

said, but at the end of the day, I think all we're looking for is to hire an outside agency to come in and do a fair and unbiased investigation, one that was conducted with integrity and provide the facts. So maybe everything that was submitted in the for reporter, uh, there is a good reason as to why it transpired. there might be a good reason as to why the um clerk of the courts

issued the search warrant. Uh maybe there was probable cause. I I I don't know. Uh but again, the information provided suggests otherwise. You know, I know there was uh discussion about an officer being outed uh for being undercover. I'm not sure if it was a Donnie Bras kind of operations or if it was a special unit. But at the end of the day, the individual, you can Google the individual's names. they were they

were provided like there's there's no secrecy behind it. So if there was a true concern about that then I support moving forward to make sure that the officers were safe in whatever responsibility they were performing for the for the for police department. If it wasn't I also agree with my colleagues that this profession has taken a beaten especially in Massachusetts from bad policing. We have the police

reform law that came in. We have post and I I think this profession has gotten a very bad uh light shed on it because we have some great officers throughout the state throughout the state. Our training is second to none when you compare us to other c uh other other states in the in the country. We're ahead of of these other other states. So from my standpoint, I think it's

important for us to make sure that we are providing uh some support to these officers who day in and day out go on the streets because the individuals that are named in these reports will not be in the streets. But the patrol officers who patrol our streets will have to live with the perception that the for police department operates with misuse of uh abuse of power. So, I think this

investigation will clear it whether it's true or not true and then we can move on from that.

I'll move on to the I guess the legal opinion because I don't I don't know what what's more criminal this legal opinion or what is purported in for a reporter because quite frankly we received the legal opinion and yet corporation council isn't here. I don't understand that. I've got a lot of questions as to what's in this. It doesn't even make sense for me to me. I think anybody who reads the charter

would look at this and laugh that you could even try to attempt to make an argument that we don't have the authority to to perform an investigation.

It is mindboggling to me. But okay, so we'll move forward.

I don't think there's anything in in section two, which is the legislative body, that gives us the control and the authority to operate as a city council, that this corporation council agrees with all the powers and duties that we receive this always. Yeah, but you have to read this. But yes, yes, you've got that authority, but this this section negates everything. And again, here we

are, right? So, we're not doing any confirmations for reappointments. that's out the window even though the charter says that we have the authority to do that. Now we got this and I'm supposed to believe that section 2-7A one sentence very clear.

The council may make investigation into the affairs of the city and into the conduct and performance of any city agency. The police department is a city agency. We are the city council and we can make an investigation. But yet we have no authority to hire or retain an outside investigator.

So you mean to tell me that the charter commission then in all their wisdom suggested that no, you cannot hire an outside agency. So we're going to conduct the investigation. Okay. Is that what cooperation council wants? So you want us to investigate? So we're going to call everybody to this table. Because now what he's suggesting is that section 2-7B limits our ability. And he says the

council may require a city employee to appear before the city council to give any information that the city council may require. So we require answers.

So now we're going to call the chief, we're going to call Mendes, we're going to call Auburn to the table and we're going to have a conversation and then whatever they say then we're going to call all those individuals to the table.

public meeting, by the way, and we're going to continue to ask all these questions and then we're going to call the the clerk of the courts to this table and say, "Please come down because we're still conducting an investigation.

Let's have let's have a conversation."

So, this is how it's going to happen.

It's going to happen out in the public.

That's what that's what corporation council is suggesting.

And if that's and if that's and if that's what he's suggesting, that's fine because you know what's going to happen?

We do have the right to hire an outside attorney. We've done it in the past.

There was no challenge whatsoever. So then we'll hire outside legal to assist this city council in doing an investigation.

And then from my standpoint, I'll make a motion to that that our legal council ask all the questions of all the employees that we asked to come before us. And they have to come before us.

And then my question to the administration, and I think one of my colleagues brought this up, why are they not doing the investigation?

Why is it the legislative body that needs to do the investigation?

The mayor had no issue calling the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to do an investigation on the school committee because they terminated the superintendent.

He did it immediately.

But we've got concerns that there was abuse of power from the police department. And if you want to dispel that, why would you not just perform an investigation? If you don't believe that there was an abuse of power, perform the investigation, provide the information, and give the report. That's all we're looking for. I don't think anybody's looking to lay blame on somebody unless

unless the report comes back and says that the police department with whoever with whatever names are involved in that report, abuse their power, then we'll have to address it. But until then, we we don't know. We we're looking for more information, which is is outlined in section 2-7A.

And then we go to two- section C. The council may request specific information from the mayor on any any municipal matter. Okay. Then I would like to request formally why the mayor is not investigating the police department based on these allegations. That's a formative a motion right now. That motion second any disc any discussion on the motion councelor in seat before I vote on anything I'd like to say what I think

well I haven't yelled yet that's why so you're putting out a motion but he hasn't yielded so um so first of all the motion can you Repeat what the motion is for the clerk.

Yeah. I I am requesting through section-2-7 C under mayor where the council may request specific information from the mayor on any municipal matter. I am requesting that the mayor come down before the city council to address us, the city council, and explain to this council why an investigation is not being conducted by the administration, the executive branch, which falls under section one of the charter.

So motion was made by council Kadim, seconded by President Ponty.

Any discussion on the motion?

All in f I'll yield on that that motion.

Okay. Okay. So for discussion purposes councelor and see two two you were next waiting to speak.

Oh he's using on the motion on the motion. Oh on the motion just on the motion.

Okay.

I want to speak.

I haven't I haven't finished on the other stuff but the motion if people want to talk on the motion.

No one's going to discuss on motion.

No no discussion on the motion. So so continue. when it comes.

So, so at the end of the day, I I just I just don't understand where Corporation Council comes down with a legal opinion and then is not before us to answer any questions. It it just doesn't make any sense. Again, I I'll I'll say this again. I don't think he he has read anything in the charter with regards to the legislative body that he likes or thinks that we have the authority to do.

I mean, it goes back to contracts. I mean, it's just a number of things. And to to suggest that this section which has four separate sections, one of them limits the other one like it's in general is an investigation.

B talks aboutformational requests and how you go about getting theformational requests. C is request from the mayor and then D is notice. So I don't know how B, C or D applies to A.

So with that, I will be supporting the uh resolution before us. Um and then once we take a vote, if that passes, I'll also make another resolution because uh I mean another motion that if if the investigation is going through uh to be consistent with how investigation should take place, I would ask that the three major uh individuals who have been named in the for reporter be placed on

paid administrative leave leave. I know we don't have the authority to do that as a legislative body, but that we make a request to the administration to place them on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of this investigation uh which is consistent with how investigations are handled uh to ensure the integrity of the investigation. Uh to ensure that witnesses and are not subject to any any

undue influence and that we get an unbiased report that's before us. Uh so that would be a motion that I'll make later after if and when just a point of clarification. Did you say paid administrative paid? Okay.

Thank you.

Yep.

With that, I yield.

Thank you. Uh for the record, the motion that is on the floor um by council Kadim that has been made and seconded uh to invite the mayor down to the city council as per section 27C uh has been made and seconded. Is there any discussion on that motion that has nothing to do with the resolution? It's just a a a motion that has been made.

Council in seat three council.

Yes. I believe the full reading of 27C uh allows the mayor to send someone on his behalf. I would ask my colleague is the request specifically uh that the mayor himself come down here or uh would you allow a pointy to come down? I think council in seat one.

Yeah. Three you Mr. President. I'm sure corporation council will tell you that I don't have the authority to request the mayor to come back before us. So it probably doesn't matter. Uh but the charter does says or his designate. So I don't really have the authority to mandate that the mayor could come before us because because I will live by the charter that is written whether I agree with the charter or not.

The charter says that the mayor can choose a designate to come before us. So um I would just hope that the mayor come down before us if we request him specifically to come before us.

Constant C3. I yield.

Thank you. Constant C2. Council Camarra.

Yeah. I just have a question as far as the letter itself that did come down from corporation council. I certainly didn't request a letter to come down.

for his legal opinion. And I'm just curious to the chair. I don't want to know who did if they did, but was there a request from what counselor to get the legal opinion? Do we know?

I don't think the clerk's office had anything about it or any No.

So, I just want to check and see, you know, he I guess he just took it upon himself to send his legal opinion without anyone requesting it.

Interesting.

With that, I yield. Thank you.

Thank you, Councelor Councel C7.

Councelor Pere, is this still on the motion?

Yes, this is just on this motion.

No, it's on the resolution.

This is just on the motion.

Not as amended motion. This is just hold on. This is just on councelor Kadim's motion to ask the mayor to come down or his designate. That's all that this is.

This is nothing to do with the motion.

We are not voting in favor of the resolution at this time. Let's clear that motion out and let's get back to the resolution. Coun motion has been made by councelor Kadim. It's been seconded. Hearing no further discussions. All those in favor?

Opposed?

Opposed.

Councelor in seat seven opposed. The eyes have it. Back to the resolution.

Any further discussion on the resolution?

Councelor in C7. Councelor Pereira, is it you?

Nope. You you Let me tell you what my perspective is on this. If an a search warrant was obtained, it's because an affidavit was written. When an affidavit is written, it goes to the courts. It is then up to the court to look at that affidavit and see if there's enough to deny or approve a search warrant. That's how it's done.

You say that maybe it's never been done before. It has been. When Jasel Carrer was mayor, there was an individual who was doing things on Facebook and saying things on Facebook and a search warrant was gotten and their phone they have the you have to send a letter to the legal department of Facebook and you have to have a search warrant for Facebook's legal department to retrieve the IP address. The IP address was re

retrieved and it was an individual who's still in political stuff here and there was a magistrate's hearing. Maybe Jasel didn't want to press charges or do it was resolved there. However, it was resolved. When you say that the charter says that we can do this investigation, what does state law say?

because no matter what our charter says, state law supersedes our charter. So I think you need to look at that. Second, the last thing I want to say is point of order.

Con counselor in seat three a point of order.

Does councelor in seat seven have specific pieces of state?

I do, but unfortunately I left it at home, but I did write it down because I talked to an attorney today about this.

Okay, I'll share it with you. Uh, council Daniel.

Thank you. Now, and then lastly, if you do an investigation and you find something, what can you do to police officers?

Point of information.

Can you fire them? Can you discipline them? Or are they protected by civil service? If anyone feels that something was done illegally that shouldn't have been done, then write to Post. That's what Post does.

checks into things like this.

That's what I believe. And when I look at the at the resolution that was filed, um, and we didn't get a copy of it. We got a copy through email, which isn't a good thing for me, but it says recently publicly reported information has raised concern regarding actions taken by the Fall River Police Department.

It's not the whole police department. If it's somebody, put who it is. You just put a black guy on the police department. You got cameras here. Come on.

Come on. If you don't like it, write to post. You did an investigation on on John Perry. Where did that go? Where did that go? We did another investigation because somebody came here. I was investigated. They found nothing. Yet, when the dentist came and said something, there was going to be an investigation. But all of a sudden, nothing was done on that. Depends, I guess, on who it is. Come on, Madam Vice President.

I just think that those questions were legitimate questions that people have, but all of a sudden there's a whole thing done here led to do an investigation. And I personally think the question that was asked should have been asked. It was legitimate.

With that, those are my feelings on it.

And I yield. Thank you.

Sorry.

It's true.

Councelor in seat six. Council can uh council Pekkham. Sorry.

Everybody gets me wrong from up there.

It's not just you.

Since you've been sitting there all the time the first tenure, too. You couldn't figure it out. All right. So, at least I had the number right.

In rebuttal to councelor Pereira's uh statements, which I appreciate. I It is what it is. whatever investigation we would do with the outside investigator would be sourced out afterwards to, you know, whatever agency would be the right agency to forward it to. Um, secondly, since you brought up John Perry and I did not, if you would like us to really push that, we can. Um, this popped up

and I believe this is pertinent. Um, but we can look into the John Perry thing. I came down here twice and asked for it and your response was, "Why now?" So, I wouldn't expect your response to be any different to this. Um, you spoke last meeting about us having our head in the sand.

We don't agree to this. There's nobody else's head in the sand except for yours. Um, this is blatant blatant from this report. The accusations are I got the floor. The accusations are tremendous. If we let this go, we are setting a very a path we're not going to want to go down because how do we come back from this? How do we explain the next time there's an accusation that it didn't

happen when we let all the other ones behind us go through without looking into them? We have to set a precedent now that anything that comes through this city, anytime a staff, a resident makes a complaint or has an issue with the city of Fall River, that it's addressed. And right now is the time to do that. This is too big of an issue to blow off. With that, I yield. Thank you, Council President Ponty.

Thank you, Madam Vice President. So, just to to make the record clear uh be clear on a couple of items that our colleague in C7 brought to our attention. Number one, I want to just make one thing clear. The DCM investigation was told to stop.

Okay, so we're all clear.

What DCF?

The DCM, not DCF. The DCM D department of community maintenance investigation was told to stop.

Why? Because there was too many people who may have been impacted at the completion of such investigation.

That was why the DCM investigation was stopped. The former city administrator publicly stated that. Number one. Number two, I believe separate and apart. We're not picking and choosing what we're going to decide to do and what we're not going to decide to investigate on. That is just ridiculous. Okay. What we have before us is the law enforcement and and to be clear, it's not the entire for a

police department because I started my dialogue today pretty much saying this isn't about politics. This isn't about every officer. We're here to protect the overall police department in general.

But if we are going to allow the leader of the department with a person who's in charge of in in eternal affairs and in addition to that the person who's in charge of whatever the other department it is I don't even remember and we're going to allow them to just do this kind of stuff when we have people and police officers getting shot at 2:00 in the morning.

Is that really what our priorities are going to be? Is this community really this safe that we're going to put resources for our police department into social media critics?

It is asinine to me that we would not even consider doing this investigation.

And I'm going to tell you I'm going to tell you anybody who doesn't who doesn't who questions doing an investigation not post because the municipality is responsible for conducting their own investigations and then post jumps in most in most cases.

is crazy to me. And I'll tell you, if anybody, including the mayor or anybody here, feels that it's not appropriate to do an investigation after something like this, that creates even more speculation in my mind what's going on in that department and who we're trying to protect. That is not good business.

That's not good government. That's not giving the community straight answers.

That's not good.

I want to make that crystal clear. I yield and I'm done speaking about this.

Councelor in seat six, councelor Pekkham.

I y I my time. Thank you.

Councelor in seat one. Council Kadim.

Thank you. Uh I just want to clarify the statements that were made by my colleague in C7. So just in terms of you know state law versus the charter, obviously the charter can't circumvent or supersede the state law. So there's obviously no conflict because we obviously have the authority to do the investigation and um the resolution before us I mean the very last line in terms of are we going to do firing or

anything like that it says be it further resolved that the findings of this investigation shall be reported publicly which is important along with any recommendations for policy changes disciplinary action or referral to appropriate state or federal authorities. if warranted. So if upon completion of the investigation there are violations in policies, there's going to be a recommendation for

policy changes which we would just forward to the administration. If there are disciplinary actions, we would then forward that to the administration to take action uh because obviously we can't discipline. And then if there was um a belief that there was any criminal or vi state violation or uh federal violations then they would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities based on

a recommendation. So again we are just looking for information and I I think I would I would highlight exactly what my colleague Mr. Mr. president just stated like if we just take the fall for a reporter with the only information that is what's before us because that's the only information we have unless there are other people that have information that I'm not privy to.

Which counselor is not concerned about that report?

Is there a counselor who is not concerned about that reporting?

It may not be true that this is the point of the investigation is to come to the truth of what really transpired. But with only that information, I can't imagine that there is a counselor who is not concerned about what was written in that report. Because if the statements are true, it is very concerning. If the statements are not true, then the investigation will show that and then we

can go back and we can create and have media come down before us, have them re review the investigation and correct the information. And I'm sure uh Mr. Sylvia would would correct the information as well when he gets the report, but the only information that's before us is what was reported. And and we see the comments and and it it really is as I read it, the search warrant was based on somebody

being critical of police officers and the for police department.

We are criticized on a daily basis. The police department is criticized on a daily basis. And I understand we talked about uh a prior administration, Jasel Carrera. I'm not sure that that's one who I would I would highlight because talk about a moral compass, right?

Think about the abuse of power that was had. I mean, what counselors were in meetings with him and we were threatened.

So, I I don't I don't know that's the case. All I'm saying there is nothing negative that comes out of an investigation if it is done appropriately. It is done with a firm uh that has a good reputation and experience in conducting these investigations and then at the end of the day we get a report one way or another. It's either good, bad or there are recommendations for for improvements. There are always

opportunities to improve. So if nothing else, maybe we get we get an investigative report that says we might have to correct some of our policies.

What's wrong with that? I don't I don't quite understand. What I am a little concerned about, and I agree with you, the fact that corporation council provided a legal opinion prior to anybody asking for that just even from a perception standpoint looks terrible.

Looks like we are trying to protect individuals.

And for me, I'm trying to avoid that.

Let's clear out the air. Let's hit a reset button. Let's get the information.

and let's see what the report provides, what the investigation provides. None of us, unless unless corporation council wants us to be involved with it, and we're going to have it here in public.

We're not going to be involved with it.

It's going to be an outside agency, an independent agency, and they'll conduct it in a professional manner, and then we'll just see what that report says.

Like, there's there's nothing wrong with this. I I don't know why we have to have this back and forth. It's not like we're all trying to point fingers and put blame on on the police department. There are just information that was reported that is concerning and we want to get to the bottom of it which is what we have the authority to do under the charter.

So with that I will be supporting it.

I'll ask my colleagues to support it as well. I yield. Thank you. Council C7 council per well when attorney Ramsey came down here today he said as he gave it to us we were both here um and he said I just got a copy of this and I did a little bit of research. If you guys want me to do more I can do more. And I think it's in the

letter if additional stuff wants to be done. My question would be you have the, you know, a blogger putting stuff on Facebook.

Did they talk to anybody from the police department? Because then you have the police department defending what was put out on Facebook.

That drives me crazy.

I've never seen Facebook stuff like that, you know.

like I want to know was there a conversation with the police department or whatever. And I still say that if you got a search warrant, there had to be enough whether you agree with the warrant or not. There had to be enough for the courts to allow a search warrant. And I will tell you, it was done before. And do I care about the police department? Absolutely I do. Do I

think they're doing a great job? Yes, I think they are. I mean, they just pulled a bunch of guns off the street on Davis Street, my neck of the woods. They're doing a good job. I have no problem with that. But I just think this is how we're governing by what's on Facebook.

I just don't feel it. I, you know, we're not going to do anything, but you want to put people on paid administrative leave like they you're already assuming they did something wrong. Like I don't know. Everybody has a right to vote the way they want. and I'm going to vote the way I want. But having wr written and you know been a part of affidavit to get search warrants, believe me, you can't just get a search

warrant without that affidavit explaining why. And if it was because somebody was mentioned and they work for a specific unit. We have officers that work in DEA in AFT. They work all over and sometimes their names change and this and that because they're undercover. You certainly don't want to put somebody at jeopardy.

That's all I have to say on the matter.

I mean, I just think the police department should have been talked to, too. I don't know.

I just don't agree with uh my job in doing and I did investigations for almost 30 years both at DSS and at the police department. I mean, at the district attorney's office. And I just find that it's really hard to believe that a search warrant would be given on an affidavit that wasn't accurate. That's all. And it's from my background that I'm making these statements. With that, I yield, Mr.

President.

Councelor Councelor C6, Councelor Pek.

Okay. Um, again, just to clarify, we would know the answers to them. Um secondly, uh it's why there's even an argument to this or a back and forth to this or any discourse whatsoever when we're just exercising a right that's given to us per the charter, per questioning. Again, we didn't put this on Facebook. The city council didn't go out there and do this.

A journalist did. and probably and the most far-reaching journalist in our area, regardless of what people want to think or if they want to give him the credit for that, forever reporter reaches more people around here than anybody.

They just do. Yeah, I don't know what to tell you. Um, but it to take that and then not show any concern to it. And I just want to for the record here, I get along with Chief Atado. I talk to her often. I've I know both detectives that are involved in this. But you have to put that aside, right? put your friendships aside when you take jobs like this or your personal relationships

and do an investigation. It's cut and dry.

Again, scathing report. You do something about it and that's why we're here. I yield. Thank you, councelor. Thank you, councelor in seat one. Councelor Ladine.

Uh I just want to clarify because I you know councelor in seat 7 basically said that I you know paid administrative leave and it's it's not disciplinary action. So, Sherm, which is the Society for Human Resource Management, the largest HR uh certification and association that you can possibly be of be part of, actually recommends that you place individuals who are being investigated on paid administrative

leave. Anybody who has ever conducted a personnel investigation knows that you should place somebody on paid administrative leave, not for disciplinary purposes, but to ensure that the integrity of the investigation is maintained. I don't understand it. We we sat here as a council requesting that the former superintendent, Matt Malone, be terminated because of sexual harassment. And we said while he was

being investigated, he should have been placed on paid administrative leave. We all agreed with it at that time, but now all of a sudden, we want to use the paid administrative leave as if it's a some form of discipline. It's not. It's to ensure the integrity of the investigation. And in fact, if we hire an outside agency to come in, the first question they're going to ask us is, are the individuals placed on paid

administrative leave?

So whether we do it now or we do it later, that's fine. I'm just saying we don't have the authority. We should, if we're going to do this process, and we're going to do it right, we should put a letter requesting that the administration place the individuals on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. So there is no question about whether or not witnesses were intimidated or anything

like that because you know exactly what's going to happen. There are going to be people talking in the department saying this and we're going to go back and forth and trying to figure out whether or not it's true. So if you remove the individuals until the investigation takes place, then that's fine. And I would imagine that half the investigations that take place from uh internal affairs and professional

standards, those individuals are are placed on paid administrative leave, right? So why wouldn't we do anything different?

But I would ask through you, Mr. Mr.

President, to my colleague in C7, and I understand she doesn't want to support the investigation as the report exists, are you concerned with the accusations that were made? And that's just a yes or no answer. I just I just want to understand it.

I haven't seen I haven't seen the whole report. I read part of what No, that's what I'm saying.

Mike wrote and part of what the other one wrote. I just don't think it's our job to be doing investigations. I think it's up to the mayor if he thinks you have to do something or go to post.

I I don't disagree.

I don't think it's our job.

I I wish the mayor would have conducted an investigation, but it is our authority because it's in chapter it's in in the charter section 2-7. It is within our scope. I'm just I'm just trying to make sure that we are all in agreement because I I just want to make sure I'm not missing something because the accusations that are made are significant accusations and I think we should all be concerned about that. So

that's all I'm saying. It it with that I yield. I'm not going to speak on this matter anymore. I think we've talked talked this to death. So is there anything further on the resolution?

There has no motion has been made and seconded. Roll call on the resolution being adopted.

Roll call for a resolution to be a um to be adopted. Kadim, yes.

Camar, yes.

Canuel, yes.

Dion, yes.

Park.

Peekom, yes.

Here, present.

Reposa, yes.

President Ponty, yes.

Mr. Mr. President, I'd like to make a motion that we send a letter to the mayor requesting that he put the three individuals that were named in the forward reporter article on paid administrative leave, which is not to be interpreted as any disciplinary action.

uh but to protect the integrity of the investigation uh pending the outcome of the investigation.

Motion has been made by councelor Kadim to send the mayor and human resources probably would be appropriate um um to put the three individuals on paid administrative leave in terms of a letter has been made by councelor Kadim.

Is there a second to the motion?

Second.

Seconded by councel Pekkham. discussion.

Conser seat 2 council cle just curious we going to put him on the paper during the investigation or right now without an investigation or we're not we're not putting anybody we're just sending the letter I don't anticipate him putting anybody on paid administrative leave but I would say uh that'd be effective immediately.

I mean we're going to go out looking for uh law firms. So I mean to protect the integrity of the investigation You shall have the floor.

No, I know. I'm trying to think of um you know, I don't I don't think we should put someone on pay administrator to leave if we're not even sure we're going to be investigating them. They might be out of work or they might be getting they'll get paid, but they might be not doing their responsibilities for two weeks, three weeks, two months.

When's the investig investigation going to take place? So, how long do we put someone on administrative leave with pay? Um so, I don't think I can support that part of the motion. Thank you.

Thank you, counselor. Do you yield?

Councelor Camaro, do you? Thank you.

Constant C3. Council Canuel.

Thank you. Uh while I do agree that 27A gives us the authority to make the investigation, I don't feel that the subsequent motion that's being made for uh paid administrative leave is appropriate for the council to make. Uh I would leave that to the investigators that we're looking to uh obtain. So with that, I will not be supporting this particular part.

Thank you. Just so we're clear for the council, this is only a letter to the mayor. We don't have the ability to put anybody.

We understand. I We got it.

I'm just I'm just making sure we're clear on that. No problem. Thank you, counselor. You yield.

I yield.

Council in seat six. Council Pekkham, I just had a question in regards to the letter. Council Kadim, um I know if that were to take place, Chief Fat, so I had an idea with this and it was something I was thinking about today. um was a reassignment of position because if the accusations were made or the accusations were made um against these officers in their current employment um doing the job they they

were doing in internal affairs, if we were to do anything, I would recommend to have them removed from that unit and placed in another admin position with no public contact. Um I'm either way I'm okay with it. it shows action. But um I'm not a fan of sending home people home and paying them to sit on their couch. And secondly, um there's a mental health component to this with people

that are sent home under investigation.

They're stuck in their house and can't leave. Specifically, the police department when they're at home, they're not allowed to leave. They got to call in. So the mental health component to this um I I have an issue with. So maybe a reassignment if we could recommend a reassignment. Um but that's up to the the will of the council. I yield. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Seatwan. Council Gadine.

Thank you. I I appreciate what my colleagues trying to suggest, but the intent of putting somebody on paid administrative leave is that they have no interaction with anybody in the department. That's that's the purpose of it, right? So, if you reassign somebody, that doesn't stop. And I'm not suggesting that that's what takes place.

This is just common practice and good practice in terms of in personnel investigations. I don't know I don't know many communities or agencies that do not put individuals on paid administrative leave when those individuals are being investigated. You take away the ability for somebody to interact with a potential witness. You don't know what's going on, access to information. Listen, do I think the

mayor's going to put anybody on paid administrative leave? No. He's not even investigating. So, he's not going to place anybody in paid administrative leave. All I'm saying is if we want a very thorough investigation and we want to do things correctly, then the only correct thing to do is place the individuals on paid administrative leave pending the outcome. my colleague in C3 wants to say it's not within our scope,

then that's fine. Then every resolution he submits requesting the mayor to do something that's not in our scope, then I'm just going to reject it because you can't say it in one in one uh sentence in one breath and then go and request the administration on all kinds of stuff that's outside of our scope that we do all the time, right? Like it doesn't make sense. So you either want this

investigation to be done properly. So So we'll wait for the investigator to come back and say, "Hey, did you place anybody on paid administrative leave?"

You know what? It's been two weeks. No, we haven't. So, everybody's been having the opportunity to go have the run of the department, talk about how they're going to answer questions and all this other stuff. So, fine. I'm okay. Just either vote whether or not your conscience you feel like somebody should be placed on paid administrative leave and that is the appropriate process for

an investigation or don't. And then if things go south and the firm comes back and says, "Did you place anybody on paid administrative leave?" No. But now that you recommended it, we'll we'll do it because my colleague who has actually done and performed investigations from a personnel standpoint suggested it but we didn't listen. With that, I yield.

Anything further?

Councilman Seed 88 council repos.

So the I guess the only question I have, what is the HR policy of the city when somebody is being investigated? Are they put on administrative leave automatically?

I don't know.

I'm sorry. I don't I don't I know. That would be a Nick Molini question through you to counselor NC1.

Oh my god. I I don't know how how much clearer I can say this.

I have had personnel investigations done. I have had KP law on the side of me recommending that you place the individual on paid administrative leave.

The administration doesn't do investigations, number one. Number two doesn't put out people on paid administrative leave. I don't the city doesn't do a majority of the things properly. So, I mean, if we want to look at what the past track record is, then let's leave the people in the place they have and let's just conduct investigation and let them figure out how they're going to I'll take the answers. No,

how they're going to answer all the questions.

I don't have the answer.

Okay, I yield. Thank you. Councilman seat four, council vice president Dion.

Correct.

I yield.

This is a letter. Thank you. Any further discussion hearing? None. On on the motion to send Mayor Kugan and HR a letter to put the individuals discussed on paid administrative leave effective immediately subject to the investigation being completed. Has been made by councelor Kadim. Has been seconded.

Hearing no further discussion. Roll call for the motion. Kadim.

Yes.

Camarra.

No.

Can no.

Dion, yes.

Peekom, yes.

Herrera, no.

Rapos, yes.

President Ponty, yes.

Motion carries.

Motion carries. Next order of business.

Okay. We have a committee. We have a committee report from the committee on finance at a meeting held on March 10th, 2026 who voted unanimously to recommend that the attached communication be referred to full counsel for action.

This is just introduce the item. Which item is this? Is this regarding Oh, sorry. Um the mayor request from purchasing agent for approval to conduct a public online auction for subplus.

Motion to I apologize. Motion to approve has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councelor Dion. Is there discussion? Hearing none. Council seat three. Councel Canuel.

We're talking about the purchasing one.

We are.

Uh I would like to make a motion to amend the item to require that the lots pertaining to the fire department, any proceeds be provided back to that department. And any items or lots uh pertaining to the police department, any proceeds be uh deposited back to that department.

Motion has been made to file a mo make a motion that all proceeds from the police and fire department proceeds of the auction be delivered directly to those departments.

Correct. In accordance with section 2972 which allows the city council to dictate the terms of the public auction.

Motion has been made by councel. Do I hear a second?

Hearing no second on the matter.

Motion to approve has been made. Is there any further discussion on the motion to approve? Hearing none. Roll call on approval.

So there um vocal for approval. Kadine, yes.

Camarra, yes.

Can yes.

Dion, yes.

Hart, Pekkham, yes.

Perr.

Yes.

Yes. President Ponty.

Yes, Mr. President, if I may, Mr.

Councel in C8. So, just to point to my colleague in C3, I think there's a if you have a question on the ordinance because how it's written and as far because the ordinance does read as far as where public auction funds go. So, that would be something we could also discuss an ordinance if you wanted to file that.

Yeah, I think um we had the opportunity to give police and fire a few extra dollars, whatever those whether it's $500 or a few thousand. And uh I would have liked to seen it but u I believe we had it in accordance with section 2972 that authorities do that just now.

Understood. Thank you. Thank you. We acted on that item like that.

Yes.

Yes. Recess has been made uh in um yes if I haven't said yes. We're going to take a two-minute recess. Okay.

Heat. Heat.

former city council meeting is now back in session. Madam clerk, good evening.

Good evening. We have proposed ordinance for traffic miscellaneous to be passed to be ordained for Lindsay Street East from Cory Street to Breman Street.

Lindsay Street East from Ballad Street to Breman Street and handicap parking removals for George Street, Grove Street, Oliver Street, and Pitman Street.

Motion still made.

Motion passed to be ordained has been made by councelor Raposo.

Second.

Seconded by councel Pekkham. Is there discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? I opposed. The eyes have.

Lastly, we have a proposed ordinance for salary amendments for the commissioner of municipal buildings and code enforcements, inspector of buildings.

Motion made as amended. pass as ordained as amended has been made by councelor reposo seconded by council vice president Dion. Is there discussion hearing? none. All those in favor?

Opposed? The eyes have it.

And that is all we have for tonight.

Motion to council seat two. Council kamar.

Just before we adjurnn, I just want to congratulate Chelsea and Lauren for picking up the slack. Now the is not antic. You did a wonderful job for your first meeting.

I second that. You did a wonderful job.

Thank you. Thank you.

And sorry for the longest resolution in the history of resolutions.

No, I'm not.

No, there was one that was five pages.

Oh, the length of it.

Motion to adjurnn has been made by councelor Raposo, seconded by councelor Kadim. All those in favor oppos. The ice have a good night. Thank you.

Have a good night.

Good night.

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