Watertown City Council
Tuesday February 11, 2025
The order of items in transcripts appear in the chronological order in which they were taken up. Some Agenda items may have been skipped.
MARK14.5 SIDERIS14.5 -14.5 CITY14.5 COUNCIL14.5 PRESIDENT14.5 -14.5 Okay.14.5 I'd14.82 like14.97 to15.13 call15.21 the15.38 meeting15.46 to15.78 order.15.86 This16.18 is16.41 the16.5 meeting16.66 of16.98 the17.05 city17.21 council17.54 of17.86 February18.1 11.18.55 This20.02 meeting20.26 is20.65 being20.82 broadcast21.14 and21.61 recorded21.86 by22.26 Watertown22.41 Cable22.98 Access.23.3 It24.26 is24.49 a24.73 Zoom25.14 meeting,26.02 a26.41 hybrid26.57 meeting.26.98 All27.74 the27.98 information28.06 for29.82 the30.14 Zoom30.38 is30.7 on30.86 the31.02 website31.1 as31.5 well31.66 as31.9 telephone32.06 numbers32.38 and33.02 an33.18 email33.42 address.33.82
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68.81 SIDERIS68.81 -68.81 Thank68.81 you.68.97 The69.22 next69.38 item69.61 on69.86 the70.02 agenda70.17 is70.66 public70.9 forum.71.22 If71.61 there's71.78 any72.02 member72.25 of72.58 the72.66 public72.73 either73.53 here73.94 or74.17 at74.42 home74.58 that75.53 wishes75.86 to76.17 speak,76.33 please76.73 raise77.14 your77.45 hand.77.69 I81.22 don't81.38 see81.78 anyone82.02 at82.42 home.82.66 Seeing93.17 none,93.49 I93.81 close93.97 the94.29 public94.37 hearing94.69 and95.01 move95.17 on95.41 to95.57 the95.65 next95.73 item.96.05 Examination97.47 of97.95 minutes.98.19 Can98.59 I98.83 get98.99 a99.16 motion99.23 on99.95 the100.11 minutes100.27 from100.52 the100.67 city100.75 council101.08 meeting101.39 of101.72 January101.88 14?102.36
103.31 VINCENT103.31 PICCIRILLI103.31 -103.31 CITY103.31 COUNCIL103.31 MEMBER103.31 -103.31 I103.31 make103.47 motion103.72 that103.95 we104.11 approve104.27 the104.59 minutes104.67 as104.99 written.105.23
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106.83 LISA106.83 FELTNER106.83 -106.83 CITY106.83 COUNCIL106.83 MEMBER106.83 -106.83 Second.106.83
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117.18 PICCIRILLI117.18 -117.18 I'll117.18 make117.34 motion117.58 that117.82 we117.98 adopt118.14 the118.3 minutes118.46 of118.78 January119.02 28119.62 as120.22 written.120.38
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121.82 FELTNER121.82 -121.82 Second.121.82
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126.64 SIDERIS126.64 -126.64 The126.64 ayes126.8 have127.12 it.127.28 President's129.12 report.129.68 I130.16 just130.31 want130.56 to130.79 take133.19 this133.44 opportunity133.59 to134.4 thank134.56 the134.96 public135.84 works136.24 staff136.56 and136.88 the137.44 staff137.68 here138 in138.74 helping138.98 with139.54 the139.78 snow140.02 emergency140.26 over140.9 the141.06 weekend141.22 and141.54 the141.78 streets141.86 came142.26 out142.42 clean.142.66 And142.9 we143.54 have143.7 people143.94 that144.18 are144.42 continuing144.58 to144.98 sign145.22 up145.46 for145.54 notifications145.86 through146.58 Everbridge.146.82 So147.54 I147.7 think147.78 that's147.94 an148.26 important148.42 tool148.82 that149.14 we149.3 continue149.46 to149.94 use.150.1 So151.3 thank151.54 you151.78 to152.02 everyone152.26 that152.66 has153.63 participated.156.03 And156.51 we156.51 haven't156.75 had156.91 a157.03 lot157.16 of157.39 snow157.47 but157.63 the157.88 DPW158.03 has158.59 been158.68 out158.83 a158.95 lot159.07 for159.39 the159.72 weather.159.88 So160.28 thanks160.83 to161.16 everybody161.24 down161.72 there.161.96 Next163.39 item163.72 is164.19 motions,164.44 orders,164.83 and165.16 resolutions.166.51 And166.68 6A166.68 is166.68 a166.83 first166.91 reading167.16 on168.13 a168.21 proposed168.37 ordinance168.93 establishing169.41 the170.13 memorialization171.25 committee.172.37 Mr.173.97 Manager.174.93
174.93 GEORGE174.93 PROAKIS174.93 -174.93 CITY174.93 OF174.93 WATERTOWN174.93 -174.93 Thank174.93 you,175.09 Mr.175.25 President.175.49 As175.97 noted,176.13 this176.45 item176.61 is176.85 a177.01 first177.09 reading177.41 that177.65 can177.81 be178.05 scheduled178.13 for178.53 public178.69 hearing179.09 at179.49 the179.57 next179.73 meeting.179.97 This181.15 does181.31 relate181.55 to181.87 item182.11 7A182.91 being183.22 reported183.47 out183.94 of184.11 committee.184.75 And185.39 I'm185.39 sure185.47 that185.71 committee185.87 report186.19 out186.5 will186.67 provide186.83 a187.15 lot187.22 more187.39 detail187.63 on188.34 where188.5 we188.75 landed188.83 with189.22 this189.39 ordinance.189.55 At189.94 this190.11 point,190.26 I190.59 look190.91 forward191.15 to191.55 having191.71 this191.94 move192.19 forward192.34 and192.67 out192.83 for192.99 public193.15 hearing193.55 in193.87 the194.03 near194.19 future.194.43 Thank194.67 you,194.91 Mr.195.31 President.195.92
195.92 SIDERIS195.92 -195.92 Thank195.92 you.196 I196.24 probably196.32 shoulda196.72 had196.96 a197.2 suspension197.36 of197.84 the197.92 rules198.08 and198.4 moved198.48 it198.72 up198.88 but199.04 I199.28 didn't.199.36 So200.16 that200.64 will200.8 come200.96 up.201.12 Next203.52 item203.76 is204.08 a204.24 discussion204.4 and204.88 vote205.04 on205.28 two205.44 proposals205.76 from206.24 the206.4 Community206.56 Preservation207.12 Committee207.84 for208.24 funding.208.4 And209.44 I209.69 don't209.76 know209.93 if,210.09 Mr.210.56 Manager,210.88 you210.88 wanted211.04 to211.28 say211.37 something,211.6 and211.93 then212 we'll212.17 recognize212.41 the212.88 chair213.04 of213.28 the214 CPC.214.09
215.44 PROAKIS215.44 -215.44 I215.44 thank215.69 you,215.84 Mr.216.32 President.216.65 I216.65 just216.72 wanted216.97 to217.6 very217.69 briefly217.93 share,218.41 once218.72 again,219.28 my219.69 appreciation219.69 for220.17 the220.32 Community220.49 Preservation220.81 Committee221.28 and221.6 all221.76 the221.93 hard222 work222.25 that222.49 they222.65 do.222.88 Appreciate223.82 having224.06 the224.22 chair224.46 here224.7 tonight.224.86 Part226.06 of226.3 this226.38 particular226.7 proposal227.26 tonight227.74 is228.3 a228.54 recommendation228.78 for229.66 the230.22 largest230.62 CPC231.66 proposal232.38 to233.26 date.233.42 We233.82 also233.98 have235.26 some235.5 folks235.66 here235.98 from236.22 POAH236.62 the237.1 housing237.26 authority237.58 board237.98 that238.3 have238.46 been238.7 working239.47 on240.5 the240.75 project241.22 at241.54 Willow241.71 Park242.03 that242.34 is242.5 a242.75 key242.99 piece243.22 of243.47 of243.71 this243.87 particular244.11 request.244.5 So,244.91 look245.63 forward245.78 to246.03 your246.19 council's246.34 consideration246.91 of247.78 the248.03 work248.67 of248.91 the249.15 chair249.39 and249.71 the249.87 members249.94 of250.26 the250.43 CPC250.5 this250.99 evening.251.15 Thank251.39 you,251.54 Mr.252.03 President.253.72
253.72
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MARK259.4 KRACZKIEWICZ259.4 -259.4 CPC259.4 CHAIR259.4 -259.4 Thank259.4 you.259.64 As262.28 the262.52 city262.68 manager263 has263.32 pointed263.48 out,263.64 this263.88 will,264.04 in264.2 fact,264.36 if264.76 you264.92 approve265.08 it,265.4 be266.07 the266.24 largest266.56 CPA267.6 grant268.07 we268.31 made268.56 since268.8 the270.07 start270.24 of270.56 the270.63 CPA270.8 in271.12 Watertown.271.27 And272.07 this272.24 will272.48 be272.63 the272.96 10th273.12 project273.44 should273.75 you274 approve274.07 it.274.4 So274.51 it's274.63 quite275.19 a275.51 milestone.275.68 As278.05 you278.29 know,278.37 the278.53 Willow278.69 Park278.93 redevelopment279.17 is279.73 going279.89 to279.97 take280.05 place280.29 on280.45 a280.61 2.2280.77 acre281.41 site.281.65 The282.61 proposal282.85 also283.25 includes283.49 the283.89 acquisition283.97 of284.45 a284.61 tenth284.69 of284.93 an285.09 acre285.25 site,285.57 a286.05 small286.29 house286.61 next286.85 door287.17 so287.41 they287.57 can287.73 expand287.89 the288.77 affordable290.13 housing290.69 complex.291.09 There293.75 are293.9 currently294.14 60294.94 units295.35 in295.67 the295.82 Willow295.9 Park296.23 development.296.46 The297.19 proposal297.35 is297.75 to297.9 more298.06 than298.31 double298.46 that298.79 to299.58 create299.9 138300.31 new302.14 units.302.31 Existing303.99 tenants304.87 will305.35 be305.58 relocated306.23 and307.99 will308.23 then308.39 be308.63 given308.79 the309.03 right309.19 to309.43 return309.59 to309.99 the310.15 refurbished310.71 units.311.35
314.87 The314.87 total315.11 cost315.43 is315.75 $107.5315.99 million317.59 at317.59 this317.67 point.317.91 The320.07 money320.24 that320.48 you321.12 would321.27 approve,322.07 should322.56 you322.71 so322.88 approve,323.04 4323.35 million324.31 and324.31 the324.48 additional325.04 400,000325.51 from326.24 the326.39 Watertown326.48 Affordable326.95 Housing327.35 Trust327.68 for327.92 predevelopment328.15 costs328.79 is329.75 but330.39 a330.71 small330.88 portion331.19 of331.68 that331.83 total332.07 budget.332.39 Nonetheless,333.78 it334.34 is334.5 an334.66 essential334.82 portion.335.22 It335.7 shows336.02 that336.74 the336.98 city337.06 of337.3 Watertown337.46 has338.5 a338.74 commitment338.9 to340.02 creating340.42 affordable340.82 housing.341.3 It's341.94 a342.1 commitment342.26 that's342.82 important342.98 to343.78 the343.94 state344.1 and344.34 federal344.5 funders344.82 of345.22 this345.38 project.345.54 The349.38 project350.65 will350.98 be351.13 carried351.21 out351.45 by351.69 the352.5 Watertown352.65 Housing353.29 Authority353.62 in354.33 association354.57 with355.21 the355.38 Preservation356.57 Of357.06 Affordable357.06 Housing,357.06 whose357.06 two357.29 members357.45 are357.85 here357.94 tonight,358.18 as359.28 well359.36 as359.84 the359.92 they360.64 have,360.96 a361.68 partnership361.92 with362.4 with363.12 Mass363.28 Design,363.68 which364.96 I365.76 don't365.92 know366.24 if366.32 you366.4 read366.56 The367.28 Globe367.44 this367.76 Sunday,367.92 but368.24 there's368.4 an368.64 article368.72 on369.04 Mass369.76 Design.370.08 It's370.4 the370.64 model370.8 of371.12 architectural371.36 saving372.4 society.372.88 A374.04 well374.13 known375.08 outfit375.32 that375.81 practices,376.85 quote,377.64 wellness377.96 architecture.378.61
381.88 The381.88 financing382.13 of382.52 this382.69 project382.85 is383.25 complex.383.4 It385.49 depends385.96 on386.52 low387.45 income387.69 housing388.09 tax388.41 credits,388.73 workforce390.33 housing391.53 funding392.09 from392.57 the392.81 state,392.89 funding394.49 from394.89 the395.05 public395.21 housing395.45 innovations395.77 demonstration396.33 program396.89 for397.29 the397.37 state,397.53 a398.33 construction398.49 loan,399.13 and400.09 mortgage400.33 from400.97 the401.13 Mass401.61 Housing.403.51 I403.51 think403.68 it's404.31 important404.48 to404.88 note405.04 that405.92 of406.24 all406.39 these406.56 different406.8 sources,407.12 which407.6 are407.83 all408 quite408.24 complex408.48 and408.8 all409.04 have409.19 different409.36 requirements,409.75 only410.56 the410.96 mortgage411.04 will412.39 require414 debt414.48 service.414.71 So416.18 the416.42 project416.66 rental417.06 income,417.46 once419.06 completed,419.38 should420.42 be420.66 sufficient420.82 to421.1 cover421.38 both421.78 the422.58 debt422.82 service423.06 and423.54 the424.26 operation424.5 and424.98 maintenance425.06 costs425.54 of426.26 the426.42 new426.66 project.426.82 The429.29 committee429.53 thought430.4 long430.65 and430.88 hard430.97 about431.29 what431.44 funding432 conditions432.4 to432.88 put433.05 on433.29 this433.44 project.433.61 And434.65 you'll434.88 see435.13 in435.29 your435.44 packet435.61 a436.65 variety436.73 of437.21 specific439.05 funding439.44 conditions.439.93 We441.96 ask442.2 that442.44 legal442.68 agreements443 between443.4 POAH443.72 and444.28 WHAP444.68 provided445.48 that447.24 we447.48 show448.04 that,448.36 we448.76 ask449 that449.24 sufficient449.4 findings449.96 would450.36 be450.52 secured450.68 and451.16 shown451.32 to451.56 us,451.72 and452.2 that452.44 revenue452.68 should453.08 be453.24 sufficient453.48 to453.96 cover454.04 debt454.36 service454.52 and454.84 O&M.455.32 We457.36 have458.32 a458.48 condition458.56 that458.96 funds459.12 should459.44 be459.6 available459.76 up460.16 to460.32 40460.4 months460.72 after460.96 city460.96 council460.96 approval,460.96 and460.96 that460.96 that460.96 can460.96 be460.96 extended.460.96 city460.96 council460.96 approval,460.96 and460.96 that460.96 that460.96 can460.96 be460.96 extended.460.96 city461.2 council461.44 approval,461.84 and463.04 that463.28 that463.6 can463.68 be463.84 extended.464