Watertown

Watertown City Council

Tuesday May 9, 2023

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The order of items in transcripts is the chronological order in which they were taken up. Some Agenda items may have been skipped.

Section 1

So the poles themselves have come down. And we've been waiting for the removal of the foundations, and that will take place likely in July. So if you're in the square, you'll see that the poles themselves have come down. FELTNER - Thank you. I appreciate that. SIDERIS - Any other discussion? So, I did, I am an attorney with Eversource, and I will be recusing myself from this vote. I'll turn the gavel over to Councilor Pitingarelli. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - I think we can just done all download this and cast them and then we'll do it by hand for the minutes. Correct? SPEAKER6 - Yes. So let's let's start with the role call vote. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - Yes. Lumon Pitingarelli. Yes. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - Councilor Bay. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - Yes. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - Councilor Feltoner. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - Yes. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - Looks like I've lost part of my screen. Counselor Feltner. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - Counselor Feltner. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - I'm not going to be able to get that done. Counselor Gardner. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - Yes. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - Counselor Izzo. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - Yes. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - Counselor Palumbo. VINCENT PICCIRILLI - WATERTOWN CITY COUNCIL - Council

Section 2

The FELTNER city council meeting began with Speaker FELTNER thanking everyone for being present. Speaker10, Constsel, then spoke up. The meeting continued with city council member JOHN GANNON asking about Eversource's double poll list. ST. LOUIS from the Public Works department responded, saying that they support the application due to the removal of numerous catenary poles and that they are continuing to address the double poll issue. GANNON then asked if this was a message for Eversource, to which ST. LOUIS confirmed it was. SIDERIS added that if Eversource does not want to communicate with the council about the issue, they will not be placed on the agenda for future meetings. The next item on the agenda was a public hearing and vote on a proposed ordinance to modify the hours of operation for the Administration Building and the Senior Center during the summer months. City Manager GEORGE PROAKIS requested support for the modification of hours, which would shift to 8:30am-2:30pm on Fridays and 8:30am-7pm on Tuesdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The council approved the change. The meeting then moved on to motions, orders, and resolutions. The first item was a resolution authorizing a transfer of $40,000 from the FY23 city council reserve account to the FY23 city attorney litigation and technical support account. PROAKIS explained that this transfer was necessary due to the high legal expenses incurred this year from complex real estate deals. The council approved the transfer. The next item was a first reading and referral to the planning board of a petition requesting a set of zoning amendments. This item was automatically referred and did not require a motion. Under new business, there was no new business to be discussed. The next item was communications from the city manager, which included a request for confirmation of the reappointment of Earl Smith as chairman of the Board of Assessors. The main event of the meeting was the submission of the fiscal year 2024 budget. PROAKIS explained that this budget book was organized into 11 sections and presented some changes from previous years, including the use of OpenGov for online budget plans. The budget was also broken down into four main sections, with the individual department budgets in section E. PROAKIS assured the council that all necessary information was still included in the book but in different locations for easier access. He also thanked the council for

Section 3

The budget includes a list of items that will be made available online, and some items will be added as the online package is completed. The importance of community values and goals is emphasized in the framing of the budget. The progress made on key priorities since October is highlighted, such as enhancing the leadership team, building an effective organizational structure, and commitment to planning. The budget is based on sound business practices and includes investments for the future, such as the high school and other schools. However, there are concerns about potential financial headwinds in the future, including public construction cost escalation and increased borrowing costs.

Section 4

The Watertown city government is facing budget challenges due to rising costs for things like public construction and solid waste management. They are committed to building a new high school and providing services to the community, but are also focused on fiscal stability and long-term planning, including making buildings more energy efficient and addressing affordable housing. The city manager is proposing some changes to the organizational structure to better handle these challenges.

Section 5

This content discusses a proposed version of the city organizational plan and the changes it would bring to the current structure. It highlights the new positions and divisions that would be created, as well as potential funding sources for these changes. The focus is on improving communication and efficiency within the city departments. There is also mention of a human resources study that may result in further adjustments to the organization in the future.

Section 6

The city manager discusses plans for organizational change to make things easier for department heads. He proposes adding a deputy city manager or assistant city manager as a liaison for direct reports to the city. He also highlights proposed changes and additions to city staff, such as a community engagement specialist and assistant building inspector. He mentions ongoing negotiations with labor groups and the need for a reserve to fund potential contracts and studies. The budget includes funding for education, insurance and employee benefits, debt and capital projects, and a reserve for land acquisition and affordable housing.

Section 7

The City Manager is proposing a high school stabilization fund of $3,000,000, which was previously set at $2,000,000. This change is due to adjustments and trends in the budget over the last six months. The budget also includes a miscellaneous items line of $655,000 for various studies and commitments to pension, OPEB, and school buildings. The City Manager has committed to reaching a total of $28,000,000 for these numbers, with plans to keep it at $31,000,000 in future years unless another building project is added. However, there is concern about the increasing high school debt, which is projected to reach $12,262, 771 in fiscal year 2026. This may require additional borrowing or delaying other capital projects. The City Manager also provided an update on the high school project, stating that the bids for general contractors came in $14,500,000 over the previous cost estimate. This brings the total budget gap to approximately $33,000,000. The City Manager proposed several options to cover this gap, including additional borrowing, delaying other projects, slowing down on solar panels, or seeking ARPA funds. The City Manager emphasized the importance of not sacrificing the educational program in the building. The budget also includes a forecast for revenue and expenditures for the next few years, with a projected deficit of $1,900,000 in fiscal year 2025. This is based on a projected new growth of $4,000,000 in fiscal years 2025 and 2026, which may be affected by delays in new projects. The expenditure forecast includes a 3.5% increase in school spending and a 2.5% increase in general government spending. The budget book includes a description of each department's role and changes from the previous year's budget. The City Manager also plans to hold department and division reviews on May 25th and June 6th.

Section 8

The city manager presented the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which includes a reorganization plan. The budget is balanced and based on sound business practices, and the goal is to provide the highest level of services to residents while using taxpayer dollars efficiently. The budget also focuses on long-term financial management and reflects community values and goals. The manager thanked his team and the council for their work on the budget. The council voted to refer the budget and reorganization plan to the committee of the whole for discussion. The public forum speaker expressed frustration with poor audio quality during the meeting. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn.