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tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 06/23/2008 : 8:57:22 PM
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| Sorry, Massdee, didn't see it. Had something else to do this evening. Planning on catching the replay. |
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Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
 Posted - 06/23/2008 : 8:59:15 PM
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I missed most of it too but I did see when Wayne said what happened to Mrs. Rocketstall from DCR.
LOL!
No wonder why the DCR isn’t doing anything.....while he's busy looking for Mrs. Rocketstall......Mrs. Doctoroff has been transferred to another department in DCR.
Yea okay Wayne………..you’re on top of that situation. Yea right…..I knew this in May, I guess Wayne’s too busy holding signs in the square and holding up traffic in front of the Schiavo Club.
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 06/23/2008 : 9:00:46 PM
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| I guess I will also have to watch the replay. |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2008 : 08:33:17 AM
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ECTV didn't run a replay of the meeting last night, so I still have not seen it.
This is trivial, but someone told me something about a Steak House in Everett Square. What's up with that? Where? The old Bon Saison? |
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tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2008 : 08:41:00 AM
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| Saw the first part of the meeting on tape. According to Wayne, a steak house is going into the old Bon Saison space. Came up because an item was added under suspension for an awning. |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2008 : 08:49:44 AM
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| I am glad to hear something is being done with that building. I hope they do well. There are already many restaurants in that area. |
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Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2008 : 11:24:11 AM
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I really cant see another restaurant in that area there but if it does good business, then it's a good thing, but I also hope it does not hurt the other restaurants there.
I'm sorry but kidding aside, I would think since Wayne put DCR on the agenda, he would have done his homework and knew "who" the replacement contact person in DCR is, and got Christina Doctoroff's name right. He didn't even know she transferred to another department and this was HIS piece. One simple phone call to DCR was all it took to find this information out, and that was in May. What the heck has he been doing? He certainly did not have the time to stay for the entire budget hearings and did not offer any input either. |
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tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2008 : 1:03:49 PM
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It seems as if there was a very concerned effort to stay on topic on the entire agenda last night. Usually, I'd be all for that but, last night, I wanted more detail. Oh, well, I suppose you can't have your cake and eat it too.
#3 - This was prime among the items that I wanted more detail on. I didn't believe that Ms. Deveney could have taken an oath of office for her appointment given the situation as we knew it. It was interesting to "hear" what the administration didn't have to share on this situation. I know it's a "black eye" situation but I thought that the administration might be starting to come around to the notion of providing information so that rumors don't run wild. We'll have to wait and see if the papers have any additional information this week.
#4 - Why can't Mr. Carlisle ever speak in a clear, concise manner? The way I understood this, ultimately, was that was that is a new contract with a new company. Maybe I'm just being paranoid but why would a company even offer more than a three year contract if they knew that they run risk of having their bid turned down by the city council?
#5 - Why don't the City Councilors get copies of everything that goes along with the agenda?
#6 - Glad that this item wasn't as over-debated as it was last week. Alderman DiPerri had a good, new point though. Once a street has been discontinued, is it necessary to accept it again before it can be discontinued again? Or can it just be discontinued again differently? No matter what you feel the eventual outcome of this issue should be, let's hope that, at least, the correct procedure is being followed for this process. I'm not sure that I understood Alderman Van Campen's actions on this item. Go out of your way to let it be known that this was a vote only to send the item to the planning board, not the potential buyer, and you would address your concerns when it comes back before the BOA. Then, you vote against sending it to the planning board at all? His partial explanation of this vote during the discussion of item #24 went back to Wood Waste issues. Where's the logic in that? I hope that Alderman Van Campen doesn't fall into the trap of making "election" votes if he truly is planning on running for Mayor. I'm not so sure that tactic worked out well for the last guy that tried it.
#15 - Is this guy just trying to confuse things? Why didn't he just do it the same way that it was done last year? I get what he's trying to do but he can't explain it worth a hill of beans. Please learn to simplify, Mr. Carlisle. He has a hard time getting his fact right as well; the parking receipt transfer was done last fall, not in February. How can you place any trust in what he says?
#19 - Wow! How can you not be plugged in about why the city is borrowing $250,000?
#24 - I feel bad for the people of Newburyport. Their city government let them down as badly, if not worse, than ours did when they let Mr. Thibeault into their city. Now it seems like the state is going to stick to them as well. Atty. Rossi is trying very hard to say all the right things. We'll see if actions match the rhetoric. The Modern Continental bankruptcy filing is another major complication to this huge mess. Anybody know who the gentleman was that was sitting with Mr. Rossi in the audience?
#37 - Rocketstall? Another shining moment in Everett politics. I guess that Nuzzo and Matewsky aren't GTA supporters.
#38 - Great news.
#39 - A steak house in Everett Square? Really? Not against it at all but has anyone seen the amount of business that the city's existing neighborhood restaurants are doing lately? Good luck!
Did Alderman Matewsky miss any chances to do a little campaigning last night? Not that I could see. |
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Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2008 : 1:18:47 PM
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No explanation on Erin Deveney’s ex-appointment? There should have been one since this situation was unique and our money. Just be open and honest. If I make a mistake, I stand up and say….I’m sorry, I made a mistake. I don’t like when they try and keep things from people secretly. So much for the open book.
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2008 : 2:41:55 PM
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I finally was able to see the tape of the meeting.
It almost appeared (to me) that staying on topic was staged by some to prevent others from asking questions on certain items. I had the distinct feeling RVC would have liked more lead way on item #6. Just my opinion.
#3 It would have been very informative if the findings of the State Ethics Board on Ms Deveney had been disclosed. Would this be public record? Can we contact the state and request the ruling?
#4 It's like pulling teeth trying to get any info from Mr Carlisle. The City Council needs to do their homework on the agenda items in order to ask the right questions. It's becoming more obvious that Mr Carlisle will not be forth coming with needed info for them to make informed decisions.
#6 Let's see what happens when it comes out of the Planning Board. Does the Planning Board have new members appointed by the Mayor when we elect a new Mayor?
#15 I keep getting the feeling we are stuck with a high priced appointment that does not perform his job very well. He has made many errors since coming on board. Much like Ms Deveney not knowing the law for holding the Chief of Staff's position and the City Solicitor's position.
#19 Another 250K the taxpayers will have to pay back. One would think the Mayor should have been better able to explain this to the BOA.
#24 I was also wondering who the gentleman was sitting with Attorney Rossi. Does anyone know if it was Mr Thibeault?
#37 This was Wayne's item, you would have thought he would have known the ladies name. Apparently he hasn't been in touch with the DCR at all. Talking about not doing your homework.
#39 I am also glad the Finance Committee meeting will be aired tonight.
At least the BOA meetings move along better than the CC. |
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tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2008 : 7:11:32 PM
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I think that the planning board is like anything else; a new mayor can replace whoever he wants when he takes office, subject to confirmation.
Section 2-191 of the revised ordinances defines the planning board as consisting of five members, each serving five year terms, unless removed sooner. Normally, only one appointment should expire each year. Appointments to this board are supposed to be confirmed by the city council, not just the BOA. Appointments to this board are supposed to be made before the first Monday in February with the terms commencing the first Monday in March.
One thing that you have to give to the Mayor is that he didn't come in guns blazing and fill up boards with appointees of his own. He appears to be filling slots as terms expire. Not 100% certain of that, but that's the way that it appears to me. In fact, the mayor is probably a little behind on filling these appointments to the boards. I don't recall anyone being appointed to the planning board yet this year. Since it is an appointment that needs approval of the Common Council, it sticks out like a sore thumb. I actually lost an arguement recently that the Common Council approved any appointments. There was one recently but that was for the Housing Authority. So that's my roundabout way of saying that I don't believe that the Mayor has appointed anyone to the planning board since he has taken office. I'll go thru the Common Council agendas for the first part of the year to make sure but that will take a while.
I don't believe that the gentleman sitting with Atty. Rossi was Mr. Thibeault. Mr. Rossi even said that he hoped to talk to Mr. Thibeault later last evening. Mr. Thibeault did appear at city meetings back in 2002 when the sale of the old City Yards was approved and I don't believe that was him last night. |
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Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
Posted - 06/27/2008 : 11:56:19 AM
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AGENDA AGENDA AGENDA AGENDA AGENDA AGENDA
________________________________________
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 14 OF THE EVERETT CITY CHARTER, I HEREBY CALL A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN ON MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008, 7PM, CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: MAYOR CARLO DEMARIA, JR.
PAPERS FROM THE COMMON COUNCIL
1. C0140-08 Order/s/Councilor Lorrie Bruno, as President
Finance Committee Report -To appropriate the amount of $150,000.00 from the Budgetary Fund Balance to the School Department's After School Program; with a recommendation for favorable action.
2. C0141-08 Order/s/Councilor Lorrie Bruno, as President
Finance Committee Report-To appropriate the amount of $60,000.00 from the Budgetary Fund Balance to the Personnel Department-Summer Jobs Program Account; with an unfavorable recommendation.
3. C0151-08 Order/s/Councilor Lorrie Bruno, as President
Finance Committee Report-That the sum of $2,000,000.00 be appropriated from the Fiscal Year 2008 Budgetary Fund Balance to be applied to the Fiscal Year 2009 Tax Levy to lower next year's property taxes; with a favorable recommendation.
4. C0152-08 Order/s/Councilor Lorrie Bruno, as President
Finance Committee Report-To raise and appropriate $35,000.00 to fund the FY 2009 Management Information Services Capital Outlay Account for Hardware/Software Equipment; with a favorable recommendation.
5. C0153-08 Order/s/Councilor Lorrie Bruno, as President
Finance Committee Report-To raise and appropriate $50,000.00 to fund the Fiscal Year 2009 Police Capital Outlay Account for New Patrol Vehicles; with a favorable recommendation.
6. C0154-08 Order/s/Councilor Lorrie Bruno, as President
Finance Committee Report-To raise and appropriate $35,000 to fund the Fiscal Year 2009 Management Information Services Capital Outlay Account for Data Processing Equipment All Departments; with a favorable recommendation.
7. C0160-08 Order/s/Councilor Lorrie Bruno, as President
Finance Committee Report-That up to $2,000,000.00 is appropriated for the design, remodeling, reconstruction, construction, furnishing and making of extraordinary repairs to the Parlin School and grounds; that to meet this appropriation the Treasurer, with the approval of the Mayor, is authorized to borrow up to $2,000,000.00 under M.G.L., Chapter 44, Section 7 (3A), M.G.L., Chapter 70B or any other enabling authority; and that the Everett School Committee is authorized to take any other action necessary to carry out this project; with a favorable recommendation.
8. C0161-08 Order/s/Councilor Lorrie Bruno, as President
Finance Committee Report-To authorize the Mayor to enter into an agreement with the School Committee to make operational by furnishing and equipping the planned Everett High School Cable Studio at the recently completed Everett High School. Further, that $375,000 be authorized for the project be funded as follows: Up to $150,000 be provided from funds available to the City's Cable Television ECTV Account; that a similar amount be provided from the Fiscal Year 2009 annual operating budget of the School Committee; and that the Mayor be authorized to borrow any additional funds to achieve the $375,000 first noted. In addition, the Mayor, may accept additional funds beyond the $375,000 offered by grants, matching programs, and by gifts; with no recommendation pending Mayor's finding on the overall funding for this project.
9. C0167-08 Order/s/Councilor Lorrie Bruno, as President
That the Mayor is authorized to execute an Addendum to the Scope of Services between the City of Everett and The Louis Berger Group, Inc. for the Reconstruction of Broadway from Sweetser Circle to the Boston City Line and expend up to an additional $62,469 for increased planning and design services based upon reviews of the Massachusetts Highway Department of plans for reconstruction of Lower Broadway.
10. C0168-08 Order/s/Councilor Lorrie Bruno, as President
That pursuant to a March 17, 2008 vote of the Everett School Committee, and in accordance with an agreement entered into on June 2, 2004 by former Mayor David Ragucci, that the sum of $85,375.80 be appropriated from the Budgetary Fund Balance ("Free Cash") to be applied to the Everett Public Schools-Special Education Tuition Account. Be it further ordered that upon such appropriation from the Budgetary Fund Balance, the City of Everett shall retain all Medicaid reimbursement funds received by the City for Fiscal Year 2008.
11. C0169-08 Order/s/Councilor Lorrie Bruno, as President
That the sum of $15,000.00 be appropriated from the FY 2008 Budgetary Fund Balance to be applied to the School Department Bleacher Rental Account.
Adjournment
Respectfully submitted: Mayor Carlo DeMaria, Jr.
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tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2008 : 2:17:04 PM
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I'm still trying to catch up with what has gone done while I've been away. I taped the first hour of the special CC meeting, so I missed about the last twenty minutes of it according to the meeting report on the city web site. I caught a replay of the special BOA meeting and joint convention on Sunday morning. I'll combine my thoughts on all of them in this post.
It seems as if the agenda for the BOA meeting was published before the CC meeting took place. This led to items being on the agenda that required no action. Amendments that were made by the CC weren't reflected in the agenda either. The last item on the agenda was missing from the agenda published on the city web. I don't know if some of this was caused by a timing requirement of publishing an agenda for the meeting a certain number of hours before meeting. If the reason for this wasn't something along these lines, it is a pretty sloppy way to do business if you ask me.
It seems like Alderman Marchese has broken away from the "gang of four" in a big way. I wonder if this means anything?
As I have stated before, the after school program should have been funded as part of the budget. Since it was not, I think that level funding it was a fair and wise choice. They may end up being stuck at that amount if the free cash certification result is not good, however.
I've always been on the fence about the summer jobs program. If the city was able to run an effective, results oriented program with a minimum of patronage, I'd be all for it. As was admitted during the debate on the issue, last year's program had some mixed results, at best. I didn't really hear how this year's program was going to improve on that. Just a suggestion for future years. Introduce this measure earlier in the calendar year with enough time to let go to committee. Present to the committee how the program is going to work and accept input from the city council. There might be a better chance to get it done this way rather than waiting until the last minute to try to get it approved.
It was no surprise that the funding for the three capital expense items was approved. Since the source of the funding wasn't mentioned, I assume that they will have to be added to the tax levy. However, if the debacle with the parking meter receipts can be straightened out properly, they should be essentially offset without increasing the budget. It seems simple enough but who knows.
I'm satisfied with the decision to defer applying any more free cash to the tax levy until after this year's free cash gets certified. With some of the things that we have been hearing during and since the budget hearings, I get the distinct impression that the "real" expectation for this year's free cash amount is very bleak. But, as we found out last year, we may not be sure of that until the amount actually gets certified. Having never received a complete explanation of how we got to the free cash windfall of last year, I've always been afraid that things may swing back the other way as things like this tend to even out over time. Even if there is an adequate amount of free cash after certification to apply some to the tax levy, I'd like to see a vigorous discussion of how best to use these funds. The stabilization fund only received a trivial additional appropriation this year. Does more need to added to it? Should the city pay down some of its debt? Should an additional appropriation be made to the retirement fund? At that time, we may also have a better idea of when (or if) the funds from the sale of the Devens School and the old City Yards may be available; so those funds could be included in the discussion as well. As much as I don't want to see real estate taxes go up, the city has to start thinking about the future as well as the next tax bill.
It was a forgone conclusion that the $2 million loan for the upgrading of the Parlin School was going to pass. As I've said before, I don't have a problem with it; but, I'd still like to see a plan for all of the required upgrades for the school be proposed rather than just keep picking away at it piecemeal. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw some upgrades for the Whittier School proposed at some time as well. Let's just get it all on the table so that the appropriate planning for the upgrades can be be done.
Let's face it; if grant money could have been found to build the High School TV studio, it would have been built by now. Whatever money is needed to build and outfit the studio that doesn't come from the ECTV account will be borrowed. Would it have hurt for the administration for be prepared to answer questions about this borrowing? I guess that it's not necessary since the order can get approved without this information being available.
The additional money required to provide the additional design and planning requirements for reconstruction of lower Broadway was a no-brainer too. Greenery and bike lanes?
I really don't get making transfers from free cash on the last business day of the fiscal year for unspecified expenses. Money isn't supposed to be expended until it appear in a line item, is it? Doesn't it just have to come back to the city as free cash? I'm glad to hear the Mayor is open to revisiting the agreement on Medicaid reimbursement if for no more reason than to get a better understanding of it. I agree that it is probably not right to attempt to change this agreement in the middle of a fiscal year. An even better choice would have been to settle the issue before the budget for the next fiscal year gets debated.
Again, until there is a long-term solution for it, the bleacher rental expense appropriation belongs in the budget. I didn't see that part of the CC meeting so I'm not sure what the rational for sending it to committee was.
Things move slower at the State House than they do in Everett. Hard to imagine, but no surprise.
So people on the City Council who voted for charter review are actually against it; no surprise there. Let's hope that these same folks don't use any undue influence that they may have to get the State Legislature to kill this home rule petition. How about just letting the people of Everett decide? |
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billydee
Member
21 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2008 : 09:40:36 AM
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How is everyone? I have been on vacation but was pleased with the decision not to have a Summer Jobs program and to send the $2 million free cash transfer to the tax levy back to the sponsor.
I agree with Tetris on Summer Jobs. Too much patronage and mixed results. So start early in the winter months to discuss how a Summer Jobs Program for Kids will get the results that such a program should have for the Kids and for the Taxpayers.
Carlo should have been ashamed of himself to try to repeat a mistake that Hanlon admitted he made by applying $4 million of the $11 million free cash to the December 07 tax bills. According to "a reliable source in Everett Politics," Hanlon regretted that $4 million transfer last November when he was leaving office. He supported Carlo's decision to apply $2 million of the free cash to this December’s tax bill to make up for half the hole that he created. He also thought that Carlo was going to fill up the remaining $2 million hole with a more "responsible budget," sale of the Old High School and other revenue-generating schemes. Like all taxpayers, Hanlon not only was disappointed with Carlo's first budget, he was furious with the new Budget Director, who tried to rewrite history about the number of "new hires" under the Hanlon Administration. Carlisle, an Everett outsider, tried to convince the Council that Hanlon had 123 new hires when according to Hanlon the number was closer to 40.
The bottom line is that Carlo better learn from the growing tension with his former rival and predecessor. Hanlon was a one-termer. Hanlon would certainly like to be Everett's Richard Nixon and be a come back kid in 2009. If not, Hanlon is ready to support whoever is running against Carlo.
Back to Carlisle, I just learned that he is on a 30-day leave of absence with the City. He is working for FEMA in the Midwest. Not only is he getting paid by FEMA but also by the City of Everett. He left Purchasing in shambles with purchase orders being in arrears. He also did not upload the FY 2009 Budget into the actual system. It is great to be rewarded for incompetence and irresponsibility. I believe that payroll fraud occurs if a person is paid not to do his job. Watch out, everyone. This Carlisle payroll fraud issue is only beginning. It will explode when the proper authorities get wind of this. This could cost the Mayor the election. I never thought that the Hanlon-Vetrano team could have been outdone in incompetency, irresponsibility and patronage. But so far they have. We have the DeMaria-Carlisle team leading Everett into the toilet.
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2008 : 10:13:38 AM
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It appears Carlo is continuing to burn the bridges that helped him get elected. His high salaried out of towner's can not vote in Everett, they won't do him much good come next election.
Billydee,
Are you sure Carlisle is on a paid leave of absence? If so, it must be nice picking up two paychecks. I hope he does a better job for FEMA than he does for the City of Everett. If not, I pity those poor people in the mid-west. |
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BOA 2008
