Watertown City Council
Tuesday February 13, 2024
Clickable Transcript Printable Transcript Agenda
The order of items in transcripts appear in the chronological order in which they were taken up. Some Agenda items may have been skipped.
3. PUBLIC FORUM
At the public forum, Ryan Bonassar, a resident of 12 Sweets Court, addressed the council regarding issues with snow plowing on his street, which he discovered is a private way. He expressed concerns about the ownership of the land on the street, noting that it appears not to be included in the deeds of any of the five townhouses located there. Ryan inquired about the possibility of the city adopting the street as a public way to resolve the snow plowing and land ownership issues. The council chair thanked him for his input and asked him to send his contact information to the city council clerk for a response.
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4. A.
At the city council meeting, Sideris called for an examination of the minutes from January 23rd, seeking any motions. Vincent Piccirilli, a Watertown City Council member, responded by proposing a motion to adopt the minutes as they were written.
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5. A.
The section outlines a discussion during a city council meeting where the members are informed of the current auditor, Megan Langan's, upcoming maternity leave. To fill her position, it was suggested and approved to bring back former city auditor Tom Tracy on a part-time basis, after a recommendation from both Megan Langan and the city attorney. The council voted on this decision, with at least one member, identified as SIDERIS, voting affirmatively and expressing gratitude toward Tom Tracy for his willingness to assist.
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5. B.
The agenda item discussed involves a request by Sideris for a referral to the Committee on Personnel and City Organization. This referral aims to explore the establishment of an external blue ribbon committee for advising on city council salaries, a matter revisited from a previous motion that increased council salaries. The Committee on Personnel previously endorsed the idea of formulating an external committee for salary recommendations. Doug has been proactively collecting relevant data from other municipalities regarding council salaries to aid this prospective committee. The intent of the referral is to deliberate on the composition and appointment process of this advisory committee within the Personnel Committee.
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6A.
During a public hearing, Eversource presented a petition requesting a grant of location to install approximately four feet of conduit on Arsenal Street, which is aimed to facilitate providing electrical service to 101 Walnut Street. This infrastructure upgrade is specifically designed to serve five electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the parking lot serving that address. After opening the floor to public comments and receiving none, the council moved to approve the petition. A question was raised by Lisa Feltner regarding the accessibility of the EV charging stations to the public, to which Steve Magoon confirmed that they would be publicly accessible, albeit without a formal easement. Joanne O’Leary from Eversource described the project duration as brief, post-approval. Additionally, John Gannon inquired about Eversource's efforts to reduce double pole locations, but the absence of the relevant Eversource representative meant the question went unanswered.
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6B.
Eversource petitioned for a grant of location in Bond Street, Westerly, to install approximately 11 feet of conduit from poll number 515 at the intersection of Bond Street and Osmond Street to a new traffic control cabinet at the city's request. This installation is intended to support a new traffic control system. During the public hearing, no members of the public expressed a desire to speak on the matter. Following the closure of the hearing, a motion was made and likely approved by the city council to grant Eversource the requested location for the underground conduit installation essential for the traffic control signals at Bond and Arsenal Streets.
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6C.
The discussion revolves around a proposed loan of $10,359,500 for the renovation of Arsenal Park, including a plethora of improvements like a new playground, splash pad, skate park, and courts for tennis, pickleball, and basketball. City Manager George Proakis emphasizes the project's significance, noting a budget recalibration and capital plan adjustments to support this and future projects. Assistant City Manager Steve Magoon outlines the project's expansive scope, detailing the inclusion of a community garden, park upgrades, and a revamped parking lot, highlighting its connectivity to broader regional trails. Various officials, including Peter Sentola from Recreation, express strong support for the project, emphasizing its benefits and the importance of timely execution. Concerns about construction oversight costs, soil testing due to the park's historical industrial use, and potential project contingencies are addressed. Questions regarding the project's timeline, specific design elements like fencing and amphitheater restoration, and financial management of surplus funds are also discussed. The dialogue underscores the project's anticipated community benefits, the meticulous planning involved, and the strategic financial management to accommodate this significant park overhaul.
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7. A.
The agenda item discussed was a request from the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Oversight to reschedule the presentation of the conceptual recommendations for the FY 25 to 29 capital improvement program from February 27, 2024, to March 12, 2024. Sideris called for a motion to approve this request during the motions, orders, and resolutions section.
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7. B.
In a public hearing, discussions were held regarding two proposed memorials: a bench dedicated to Nazar Ohannessian, a survivor of the Armenian genocide, and a Little Free Library at Phillip Ella Park. The City Manager, upon reviewing a lack of formal processes for such dedications outside of honoring decorated veterans, suggested the formation of a memorialization committee to develop and oversee memorial installation policies. Despite this forthcoming structure, these specific proposals were advanced due to prior developments. Ohannessian's bench comes at the behest of his grandson, who shared stories of his grandfather's resilience surviving the genocide and Nazi occupation, his immigration to Watertown, and his contributions to his family and community. The city council was urged to approve these dedications as fitting tributes to individuals with deep connections to Watertown.
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7C.
The resolution discussed involves the acceptance of a Memorial Little Free Library in honor of Eliza Ruth Aidoo, who passed away at 17 months old and loved to read. The library, purchased by Eliza's uncle, James James Monroe Ellis, is to be placed in Phillip Ella Park, across from where Eliza's grandparents live. The family, particularly Eliza's grandmother, has committed to maintaining the library and keeping it stocked with books. The discussion also covered the efforts to secure a location for the library in the park, an initiative supported by prior conversations with city officials. The council members expressed their support for the installation, acknowledging the time taken to realize this memorial and thanking the Monroe Ellis family for their patience. The sentiment was echoed by Watertown City Council member John Airasian, who also acknowledged the city's role in facilitating such memorials and looked forward to supporting the project.
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8. NEW BUSINESS
The section introduces a segment on new business, where SIDERIS calls for a vote and opens the floor to any new business that needs to be addressed by the City council.
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9. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE CITY MANAGER
Proakis discussed the challenges city managers and school superintendents face in making closure decisions due to weather, emphasizing the importance of safety while maintaining city services. He detailed efforts to improve decision-making processes for inclement weather closures, mentioning a recent storm that prompted a reevaluation of when and how to close public facilities like the library, city hall, and senior center. Proakis highlighted that regional discussions had led to insights on meteorological models, specifically the reliability of the European model for snow predictions. Additionally, he announced that city buildings would be closed next Monday in observance of President's Day, resulting in a delay in trash and recycling services for the week. Proakis expressed a desire to refine policies on closures and communications, thanking the council and staff for their patience as these improvements are made.
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11. ANNOUNCEMENTS
In a recent public hearing, Gannon announced a meeting of the committee on rules and ordinances scheduled for February 20th at 6 PM to discuss potential changes to the city council's rules for the current term, urging fellow counselors and the public to provide their input. Following that, Centola highlighted a concurrent meeting set for the same day at 6:30 PM at the school, aimed at discussing the reallocation of resources for appellate courts and finding a permanent solution for pickleball, thanking Councilor Gardner and others for their contributions to the pickleball study and expressing eagerness for the discussion.
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