City Council

Capital Plan – City Manager Murphy says the final Capital Plan will be presented to the council along with the budget, but here are some of the highlights; $11.1mil in FY17 will be spent on Capital Plan which will leverage state and federal funds so city contribution will only be…

Order of taking and acceptance of Dowling Drive and Cresta Drive. Passes 8 to 0 with one present. Order of taking and acceptance of portion of Suffolk Street. Passes 9 – 0. Motion Responses: Fact Finding Mission for special event marketing. Director of Providence Water Fire is willing to come…

Election of City Auditor. Bryan Perry elected by 7 to 2 vote (with Councilors Mercier and Elliott voting for John Linnehan). Council then appoints for a three year period and to set the salary in accordance with an existing salary grid for administrators (approximately $96,000 per year). Report that gun…

Report on relocation of Dog Park referred to Parks Subcommittee Petition for an easement on Fairview St. [This has been before the council several times before with the council voting against it last year]. The homeowner/petitioner explains that his lot fronts Mansur Street on one side (where it has access)…

Public hearing on rezoning along Pawtucket Blvd for benefit of Hamil Automotive, a longtime, family-owned business, presented on behalf of the business by Atty George Eliades. Sounds like a preliminary proposal was rejected by the planning board. Proponent wants to make its case to city’s DPD and to the city…

Personnel subcommittee report: On Monday, February 29, three candidates for auditor will be interviewed by the full council. Plain Street Realignment motion response – Councilor Belanger asks about the extent of property takings. Manager Murphy says the city is minimizing the amount of land to be taken from the VFW.…

Update on Auditor selection process: Councilors have each submitted their top three choices from the resumes/applications, so the next step is to schedule interviews with the three top candidates. The three top candidates are Brian Perry, John Linnehan, and Sheila Rouix. Next Tuesday, the council will pick a future dates…

Reports from City Manager: UMass Lowell bus routes thru Pawtucketville. UMass Lowell redirects its buses to avoid traffic. Councilor Samaras suggests this might be causing a problem for the neighborhoods they are driving through. He understands that altering routes to avoid construction might be necessary, but would prefer it not…

Vote to cancel council meetings of December 22 and December 29, 2015. Report on how to change the City Charter. Councilor Belanger asks about raising the number of signatures needed to qualify for a ballot position. City Solicitor Christine O’Connor says the same process occurs no matter what type of…

Public hearing on establishment of the “minimum residential factor.” This is the percentage of the tax levy that is allocated to residential property. Manager Murphy begins by reviewing the financial accomplishments of this council. Foremost is its support of education; the city exceeds the amount required for “net school spending.”…