[0:09] Clerk will call the roll.

[0:29] Condon, Doc Andrew, D. Maria, Kenan, Matheson, Murphy, O'Malley, Sica, Spatafora, Crow.

[0:47] And just a program you know, usually we do not have the council, I mean the committee of

[0:52] the whole televised, but we thought it was important so everybody gets the update on the

[0:58] baseball field of dreams information that was promised so we do have them here tonight.

[1:04] So, thank you.

[1:05] All right.

[1:06] First order of a business.

[1:09] The mayor and Deborah Burke of the Mallon Redevelopment Authority will be here to update

[1:14] us on field of dreams.

[1:24] Thank you, Madam President, members of the City Council. As we discussed in December, we stated

[1:30] that we would back on Tuesday, February 7th to provide an update to you on the project.

[1:37] And so what I'd like to do now is turn it over to Alex Bocke and then let him update you

[1:43] and then we can take questions and answers after that.

[1:50] Thank you, Mr. Bocke.

[1:50] welcome. Thank you. Let's see if we get this. Mr. Mayor, thank you. Madam President, members of the

[1:58] Council. My name is Alexander Bach, and I'm the founder of Maldon Baseball Field of Dreams,

[2:05] our offices are on Pleasant Street. I'm here to provide you with an update on the status of the

[2:11] proposed project. I'd like to start with one of the elephants in the room. I know a number of

[2:17] have been skeptical about this project, given the long time it has taken and been under consideration.

[2:24] And I'm here to tell you that you're right to have had those questions given the lack of a visible public process.

[2:31] I'm sorry that happened, but unfortunately it was necessary under the rules of minor league baseball, as I will explain in a moment.

[2:40] Tonight I'm here to start the process of earning your trust, and to give you comfort through details that this is a real project.

[2:47] with the team of experts on our side that now has a chance of happening, and we believe

[2:53] more strongly than ever that the project will bring economic development, new jobs, and

[2:59] opportunities for Maldon's youth. Most importantly, and I cannot overstate its importance,

[3:06] as you heard from the mayor in December, our group Maldon baseball field of dreams had secured

[3:10] in November the right to explore having an affiliated minor league team here in Maldon. This came

[3:16] about after literally years of on and off discussion with

[3:20] minor league baseball and its many constituents.

[3:25] Obtaining the rights to explore the Maldon Territory for an

[3:29] affiliated team has permitted us to reach out to third parties

[3:33] including team owners with whom we've had discussions and

[3:37] will continue to do so within the framework of minor league baseball's rules.

[3:41] We remain in contact with minor league baseball on our progress.

[3:46] This is a affiliated team opportunity, is a truly a game changer, and sets molded on the path

[3:53] becoming only the second city in Massachusetts with an affiliated minor league team, the other being

[3:58] wool.

[4:00] The benefits of having an affiliated team rather than a team from an independent league, which

[4:06] was the original proposal when this process began, are many and substantial.

[4:12] But you can affiliate a team means that there is a player development contract with one of the 30 major league teams, the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Giants, etc.

[4:23] And those major league teams then supply players, prospects, a manager, coaches to the minor league team, and return for a percentage of the revenues.

[4:32] That's how it works.

[4:34] All the players who play for the POSOX, Portland,

[4:37] will or all employees of Fenway Park, actually.

[4:39] They get their paycheck from Fenway Park.

[4:41] They pay their workers' comp to Fenway Park.

[4:43] And the owners of those teams pay a percentage

[4:45] of their revenue to the major league baseball

[4:47] who then distributes them.

[4:49] So the players who play in a affiliate baseball

[4:51] work for a major league team.

[4:55] Unlike independent league baseball, however,

[4:57] it's not unusual for many of the players on a affiliated

[5:00] minor league team to later play in the major leagues.

[5:05] Our plan remains to build a ballpark with approximate capacity of 6,000 seats that meets minor league baseball requirements.

[5:13] We believe the Maldon market will certainly support that size of a facility.

[5:18] For those who are skeptical about the viability of a minor league team here in Maldon, let me make several points.

[5:25] First, no affiliated minor league team anywhere in the country has gone out of business in the last 30 years.

[5:32] Independent baseball has a number of major success stories along Island Team, St. Paul, for example.

[5:38] But it also has had a number of failures including Lynn, Brockton, and Worcester.

[5:42] An affiliated team in Maldon near the orange line with great parking is in a much better location and strong

[5:48] economic situation in those other teams were, and fundamentally the players are players who

[5:54] most to which will end up in the major leagues and has a greater fan interest.

[5:59] Secondly, the greater Boston market is a baseball-focused market where there are

[6:04] thousands of families seeking affordable family entertainment. Interestingly, one of the most

[6:11] successful affiliated teams in the country is in Frisco, Texas, which is in the Dallas Fort

[6:16] with metro region.

[6:17] The market not known as a baseball market, but as a major football market.

[6:25] The, in addition, is interesting, March, in New York City, itself, about 15 years ago,

[6:32] New York City now has two affiliated minor league teams in Brooklyn and Staten Island,

[6:37] and those teams have done very well.

[6:39] It's the financial stability of having an affiliated team that allows the project to go forward

[6:45] and be financeable.

[6:47] Interestingly, just to give an example of, from a financing and debt perspective, bankers

[6:53] want an assurance that your league will be around in 25 years, that once you have the right

[6:58] to have a team here that right stays forever, but you have to have, you have to have a ballpark

[7:03] and you have to have the assurance that you'll have the revenue to pay off the debt.

[7:07] No minor league team has failed on that, has failed, and that's why the bankers are willing

[7:11] to finance a project.

[7:12] And why interestingly for instance, there's not a the soccer team did not end up in a assembly square

[7:19] because of the city of summerville was interested in building the stadium.

[7:23] Then the soccer team would have paid the debt.

[7:26] But apparently if the league, major league soccer went out of business,

[7:30] summerville appropriately wanted the owner to be responsible for the debt

[7:34] and the revolution owners, the crafts were not willing to take that responsibility.

[7:38] having a league, as minor league baseball has, where it has been around, none of them have gone

[7:43] under, is what allows us to be a financial project using private money, and that's what makes this

[7:49] achievable. Should also note that this project, the projects take a very long time. Both at Huntington Park

[7:56] in Columbus, Ohio, which is a Triple A Park, and at Fifth Third Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which is a

[8:01] single A Park, and they're considered two of the better parks in minor league baseball.

[8:07] The

[8:07] project timetable and how it took over 10 years from the first idea to the first pitch.

[8:13] The request for proposals for this project was issued by the Maldon Redevelopment Authority

[8:18] in 2011.

[8:20] Most importantly, I would ask that you see and evaluate this ballpark, not primarily as

[8:26] a sports venue, but as a venue for affordable family entertainment that will serve the residents

[8:32] and families of Maldon for decades to come.

[8:35] A family of four will be able to come to the Maldon Ball Park by four tickets, food, drinks,

[8:41] and parking, and spend under $100.

[8:44] It is important to note, as you saw in the letter from a minor league baseball in November,

[8:50] that the rules and regulations of minor league baseball prevent at this time any speculation

[8:55] or a discussion by anyone from our group about details on what team or league or affiliation

[9:04] could be in Maldon. But the fact, the go ahead was given by minor league baseball is crucial

[9:09] to the project moving forward. These same rules, unfortunately, have kept our group from

[9:14] discussing our efforts publicly over the past few years. And I cannot overstate where very

[9:21] sorry for the lack of communication around that, but discussing affiliated baseball, why we

[9:26] were applying for the right. If it had ended up in the press would have endangered the entire

[9:31] project.

[9:33] Minor League Baseball is very concerned about people who've gone into cities, said I'm going

[9:37] to bring in a affiliated team, been paid money, has helped build a stadium and then there's

[9:41] no team.

[9:42] So they're very fierce if you suggest that you're getting a affiliated team and talk about

[9:47] it without their permission, people have had people been banned for life from being owners

[9:51] and being involved.

[9:53] So the thing that's unusual about Minor League Baseball, as part of the whole baseball world,

[9:58] it's the only business that will ever come before you.

[10:00] that is exempt from the antitrust statute.

[10:02] Congress and the Supreme Court have decided

[10:04] that the baseball is not subject to the monopoly laws.

[10:07] They can decide how to run their business the way they want to

[10:10] without any of the rules that would apply to any other business.

[10:13] So you have to live with their rules or you aren't in their system.

[10:16] So that's why we're, that's the reality we live in.

[10:19] To get to where we are now has been a highly complicated process.

[10:23] Thanks to the mayor and the MRA director,

[10:25] Along with Maldon's own U.S. Senator Ed Markey, and Save Representative Paul Denado, we thank them for all they have done.

[10:34] These public officials, in addition to their federal and state colleagues, have worked very hard.

[10:38] And as a result, we are now in the process of securing the team, and aiming to break ground later this year.

[10:44] Furthermore, we would not be before you but for the continued attention dedication of many Maldon residents and local elected officials and city workers,

[10:53] including many of you here and people in the room who participate in our first

[10:58] public hearing in 2012 and help shape and improve the project through a public

[11:03] advisory committee that year.

[11:05] For those of you both you and folks who are watching, we want more information.

[11:10] We'd encourage you to go to our website, Maldonballpark.com.

[11:13] Click on the FAQ section to see the video from the 2012 hearing,

[11:18] which is broken into specific sections if you want to see about specific subjects,

[11:21] traffic financing, the variety of issues, stadium design, and also see our most recent renderings.

[11:31] We would suggest that we would love to come back on Tuesday, April 11th, subject to

[11:40] your schedule and what you would want to provide a further update. In addition, we expect

[11:45] that we'll be back here or wherever a public meeting might be held later in the spring, where

[11:50] will bring our full team of experts for questioning as we finalize the details of the project.

[11:57] But the project is in final until you hear it all and have a chance to ask questions

[12:01] in vote on it.

[12:02] Final approvals and reviews by all parties, including the City Council, the mayor, the MRA,

[12:07] State Government, National Grid, investors, the banks, minor league baseball, other affiliated

[12:13] teams, all of their approvals will be based on the specifics of the final project proposal.

[12:19] While working with minor league baseball, we've also been working with the Boston City Football Club, which is a division for soccer team within the United States soccer system.

[12:28] We have successfully adapted the design of the ballpark to enable a soccer playing field that meets international FIFA standards.

[12:35] As a result, there's now an executed letter of intent that the ballpark will be used for the club's youth training programs, and the Boston City Football Club will play its 10 to 14 home games at the ballpark.

[12:48] primarily on Sunday evenings with the games ending by 9 p.m., and occasional exhibition games on other nights.

[12:56] Financially, we're pleased to, please, at both Eastern Bank and East Boston Savings Bank, have indicated their continued strong interest in funding that proposed ballpark.

[13:06] Private investment in the project through equity and debt is estimated at about $60 million.

[13:13] The project will be union-built, we've selected Turner Consort Sports Construction as our contractor.

[13:20] Turner is the leading sports construction company in the United States.

[13:22] It has built many of the leading major league in minor league ball parks.

[13:26] Over the last 10 years, they built the New Yankee Stadium, National Park,

[13:30] the Riggly Field expansion, fifth-third park, the home of the Toledo Mudhens,

[13:34] Huntington Park and Columbus, all of which have won best stadium of the year awards.

[13:40] Turner is a very good firm.

[13:42] They're one of the leading firms in Boston by itself,

[13:44] but they have the best sports group in the country.

[13:47] Another significant issue,

[13:49] question, and we hear very clearly,

[13:52] is the issue of the three adjacent parcels.

[13:55] Now that we have had the formal permission

[13:58] for minor league baseball to move forward,

[14:01] we're working towards the private purchase

[14:03] of the budding parcel owners property owners parcels.

[14:08] Specifically, we've retained Robert LePort of Colliers International to appraise the three adjacent parcels.

[14:15] Mr. LePort is one of the leading real estate appraisers in Greater Boston.

[14:21] Colliers will be providing us with a current market value appraisal,

[14:25] which does not include any deduction for potential environmental cleanup costs.

[14:30] We will provide full market value offers,

[14:35] which include a premium teach of the property owners by February 17th, along with a request to meet in person before the end of the month.

[14:43] We will do everything we can to negotiate private transactions here.

[14:49] We've also reached out to National Grid as the owner of the largest parcel on the site,

[14:53] and will soon and will meet soon to restart our previous negotiations and review the expired 2012.

[14:59] as well.

[15:01] 1226 page letter of intent between our group, National Grid, the MRA, and that served effectively as a lease agreement.

[15:07] It was, in terms of a lease, or in that letter of intent.

[15:12] As others have noted, minor league baseball will not only offer an affordable family entertainment option,

[15:17] but will promote Maldon to families and businesses throughout the Commonwealth.

[15:21] And bring significant economic benefit to Maldon's many outstanding restaurants and other local businesses.

[15:28] The placement of a ballpark, year-round restaurant, related meeting facilities, is an optimal way of putting this environmentally sensitive parcel to use for the community's benefit.

[15:39] We expect a host, concerts, movies, festivals, weddings, and other community events.

[15:44] The ballpark project will complement and spur the larger economic development that has been occurring in the downtown area, and assist with the revitalization of Maldon Square.

[15:52] We are hopeful that a hotel in the immediate area could be the result of our future economic

[15:58] activity, but that effort will not delay our work on the ballpark.

[16:05] With respect to your round activity on the side, I'd also like to announce we're planning

[16:10] to have a bubble over the playing field, not the seats from late November to March.

[16:15] This is not a dome ballpark, it will look just like a regular, minor late ballpark during

[16:20] the season, but the bubble is over the field, not the seeds.

[16:25] It's very similar to what you see if you drive by, it's sometime in the next month by

[16:29] either Harvard Stadium or Boston College's alumni field.

[16:32] Both of those stadiums have, with the same vendor we're working with, have a bubble over

[16:36] the field, not the seeds, so that it can feel can be used during the winter.

[16:41] And we are, that's what we are, the bubble would make it possible for soccer, will cross,

[16:46] and baseball teams to rent, play, and practice in the winter months.

[16:51] The bubble would cover the entire playing field, allowing full scrimmages for baseball teams.

[16:56] We've had significant interest in college baseball teams in the area,

[16:59] who believe that being able to use such a practice facility in the winter

[17:02] would dramatically improve their teams and allow them to recruit a wider range of student athletes.

[17:08] There is a similar facility in Flemington, New Jersey, called Health Quest Sports Dome.

[17:13] If you Google it you'll find pictures of it, we will provide pictures when we come the next time.

[17:18] No such facilities exist in New England, and the additional cost of the dome will be paid by the rental fees.

[17:24] And it will help add to a year-round use.

[17:27] items I want to mention that are unchanged from before.

[17:31] We're not seeking bonding authority or financial assistance from for construction from the city of Maldon.

[17:37] The Maldon High-Golden tornado's varsity baseball team will be able to play its regular season home games at the ballpark.

[17:43] The city of Maldon High School will be able to use the facility for school athletic community activities, such as graduation, celebrations, alumni events, using a discounted fee schedule.

[17:55] Maldon baseball field dreams will voluntarily comply with a Maldon vocal hiring ordinance and make a concerted effort to hire local residents for the construction jobs.

[18:06] They will be over 100 part time jobs at the ballpark during the baseball season with priority given to Maldon residents.

[18:13] Each home team will provide an opportunity for a youth group or other non-profit group to raise money, for example,

[18:18] 50, 50 raffle selling the programs, and there will be a community-wide contest to name the team during 2018.

[18:27] Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't remind you of the very important family and community building opportunity at the ballpark,

[18:34] and minor league baseball will bring them all in.

[18:37] Not only will ballpark provide an opportunity for baseball fans young and old to enjoy the national past time,

[18:42] and catch up with each other in a comfortable and safe environment,

[18:46] but it will serve as a recreation and job center and forge closer ties with Maldon neighbors.

[18:54] As with other minor league teams around the country, our Maldon team will contribute thousands of dollars back to the community,

[18:59] both in terms of tickets and things and also actual contributions.

[19:03] Once the open items are resolved, our projected timeline would be to open for baseball in the spring of 2019.

[19:11] I think in terms of an update, that's what I can give you.

[19:15] Happy to take questions.

[19:17] I do want to just add that my answers will be limited by the rules and guidelines set forth by minor league baseball,

[19:23] so that we don't endanger the entire project.

[19:26] But other than that specific area, looking forward to your questions and say,

[19:29] We would like to submit to your schedule, come back in two months and provide you with additional

[19:35] updates.

[19:37] Thank you, Mr. Valkon.

[19:37] We do have a light, Council of Matheson.

[19:40] Thank you, Council President.

[19:41] Thank you, Mr. Valkon, for coming and giving this update and presentation.

[19:44] It was very informative and comprehensive and I appreciate that.

[19:48] And we will provide a copy of this to you all.

[19:51] So you great.

[19:52] The text of this.

[19:53] I only have a couple of questions.

[19:54] So,

[19:57] one of the questions I had,

[20:02] just kidding, one second.

[20:05] You were previously seeking, I'm sorry, some state funding in order to complete the project.

[20:11] Is that still part of the financial mix that you're seeking?

[20:14] There is the, for there is a, it's a part of the project.

[20:18] There is a state capital budget item that passed in the 2012 legislature.

[20:27] that Paul Donato played, an important role in sponsor, he is the representative for our area and it would provide money to help build the meeting center that is a part of the project and to pay some of the environmental remediation issues that exist as folks know the national grid site has a long history of environmental issues and there is a the legislature's past and Governor Patrick signed a $20 million dollar

[20:56] capital budget item and we expect to seek that and go back to the state government that will be

[21:04] a part of the process. Yes.

[21:06] And have you reconvenicated with the delegates about their willingness to continue to honor that?

[21:12] Do you believe it's going to be wanted so to have that happen? There's no legislative process left.

[21:18] It's been passed. It's not a budget item. It was a capital budget, so it sits there. It requires approval

[21:23] from A and F only. There's no legislative piece to that. And I will let others who are experts

[21:31] on that, speak to it, but I believe it's, we are confident that with the, and the way

[21:38] these, all these things only happen all at the same time. That is, there will be a financing

[21:43] where everybody shows up with their money. We show up with 60 million. The state money is there.

[21:49] Everything that happens happens at the same time. So if one of these things doesn't happen,

[21:53] than the other things aren't spent.

[21:55] So it's all part of one big project at the end.

[21:58] Understood.

[22:00] So we received an update previously from the mayor.

[22:03] There was a letter from my Nileague baseball

[22:06] allowing you until I believe January 31st to negotiate

[22:10] in Sikh and affiliate team.

[22:14] Has, has that been extended?

[22:17] I don't want to delve into anything on that.

[22:19] I don't want to delve into anything on that.

[22:20] I personally dress that in my statement

[22:22] And you'll see that it may have, our,

[22:24] might only baseball has, we are in contact with them.

[22:31] They have indicated, they are reviewing everything,

[22:34] and they've had nothing, and that they will get back to us

[22:36] by the end of the week.

[22:37] But they said, these are our deadlines.

[22:39] Just continue what you're doing.

[22:40] So we expect to hear, we expect to have a revised letter

[22:43] in the next week or so.

[22:44] We will forward that to the council, however that is done,

[22:48] when we get that.

[22:49] But we have used the two and a half months to accomplish what you do.

[22:55] We have, that's gave us the opportunity to talk to a number of potential teams.

[23:00] And we are, we use that time very productively.

[23:04] So we may, the purpose that, that the time granted us, we have used well.

[23:10] So we're, we're, we need to be with relation to that.

[23:13] So I was in the council back in 2012 and there were a couple city elements to this deal coming together and one of those was that the city perform a backstop function.

[23:25] I understand that, you know, these teams don't wind up.

[23:29] There's a very good track record of minor league baseball.

[23:32] But the city was performing a backstop function in the event that that were to happen.

[23:36] And it was also an agreement I believe at the MRA about parking, revenue, split, something to that extent.

[23:43] Are those two pieces still necessary if things were to progress the way you would like them to?

[23:48] They remain as they are and just for those who weren't, then just to give them more explanation on both of those items.

[23:57] The backstop issue comes to the issue is if at some point the stadium had to be torn down, we went out of business,

[24:03] which, again, hasn't happened in minor league baseball, even in very small markets, it

[24:07] then created a scenario where the land, a bunch of the land we will have, we will own two

[24:16] acres of the parcel and the, in fact, the city will own those two acres in this, in this

[24:21] thing.

[24:22] And so the city would have that money to tear it down and then sell the land and pay itself

[24:28] back.

[24:28] So it would be a backstop, but it was, as I said, it was created this scenario where

[24:33] if it had to be torn down and we weren't still around.

[24:36] But that's still a piece of business that you see in the future.

[24:38] That would still be a piece of it to be the answer of the concern

[24:41] of how does this stadium.

[24:43] How do you have an absolute assurance that we'll get torn down?

[24:45] And since the city will own over two acres of land in this scenario,

[24:49] it will have the ability to sell the land and pay itself back.

[24:51] Because at this point, all those contracts and agreements have expired,

[24:54] so you'd be looking at renewing those.

[24:56] As you are looking at renewing with national grit,

[24:58] absolutely, it's the same thing.

[24:59] And then your other question is,

[25:01] Right now there's very little evening paying parking use at the garage.

[25:05] We bring business in.

[25:06] We would looking at a joint revenue sharing agreement.

[25:10] And at this point, and I think you've already addressed this, you have no longer under agreement

[25:14] with National Grid.

[25:15] That's something that you're looking at renewing.

[25:17] Correct.

[25:18] We have agreed with National Grid that we're going to start meeting again.

[25:23] I know that and we National Grid has indicated to us that they are still very interested

[25:30] in the project.

[25:31] Okay. And you'd be looking at updating this update on April 11th to hear that quickly.

[25:37] That's a date. But if you guys come back to say, you'll have to go on and send it on the date that you'd be coming back.

[25:43] Okay. Those are my questions. Thank you very much.

[25:44] I also would say we expect that there would be a full public meeting that we would,

[25:50] that might well be, as a part of, there may be an additional,

[25:54] large two or three hour meeting where the public's invited and there's a whole process of our experts all coming

[26:00] But however you folks decide to run the thing, but we would expect an addition to that to come back on the 11th of April and give you an additional update

[26:07] I would expect as things become more

[26:11] feasible

[26:11] That we would have another public meeting the last one was in 2012, but the genesis of this project was back in 2010, I believe

[26:19] It's not a good one.

[26:20] It's not a good one.

[26:21] It's not a good one.

[26:22] Thank you.

[26:27] Yeah.

[26:28] Constable Malie.

[26:29] Thank you.

[26:30] Thank you, Mr. Buck.

[26:31] I appreciate you giving us that update.

[26:34] So I've been out to the win casino site because I think that's kind of the

[26:37] comparison I'm having in my mind between this project and the casino and

[26:42] average, I mean, it's a contaminated site.

[26:43] We're looking to redevelop it.

[26:45] I've been out to the site and I've seen extensive remediation on that site where

[26:48] are moving upwards of 20 feet of soil because it's been contaminated.

[26:53] The National Grid site is heavily contaminated as we know by National Grid and its predecessors.

[26:58] And I was wondering, will the site be fully remediated, will those contaminants be removed

[27:03] from the site?

[27:04] What's the plan with that?

[27:06] So we are looking to lease the land from National Grid when we started this process.

[27:12] I want to talk to the folks from the simple answer is National Grid has a plan which

[27:18] involves similar to the bank site that's on the corner of commercial in Route 6.

[27:26] Route 6.

[27:27] There's that bank site there.

[27:28] We're in the back behind the bank.

[27:29] You see there's a little thing where they monitor the soil underneath.

[27:37] And the environmentally appropriate solution, as I understand, it is to put a cap on

[27:43] and to monitor if there's any movements that have been no movements there.

[27:46] And I believe that the three of the four biggest environmental consulting firms in the state had

[27:53] been retained over the last 15 years by National Grid.

[27:57] And we had one also, and they all had the same solution, which is to put a cap on with a monitor.

[28:03] And it means you wouldn't put a residential building on the site, but for the purposes we're using it,

[28:08] It's actually the preferred side, John DeVillers, who was a head of the state regional EPA and ran the state environmental area under Governor Dukakis and the EPA under Governor President Clinton.

[28:21] He's one of our advisors and went off and talked to all of his colleagues, came back and said, this the solution that we're proposing for this site with a cap and monitoring is the preferred solution from an EPA perspective.

[28:34] And that's what will happen there.

[28:36] So just so I make sure I understand correctly national grid will continue to own the site, yes, and they've decided that they will not remediate the site

[28:44] They will not be removing the contaminants instead. They will just be capping it. They cap it and monitor it so that if the stuff is

[28:52] They cap it and monitor it and that would be and that's the scut and that's exactly a whole we have in our prior

[28:59] Hearing a whole some testimony about that and we would bring the environmental people that would be part of the public hearing when we come back and we will

[29:06] we will provide you with, there is national grid has spent upwards of 20 million dollars over the

[29:12] last 15 years on analyzing what to do with the site, and they have been doing things with the site.

[29:20] But a cap is the appropriate solution according to the environmental folks.

[29:24] Well I appreciate that. I mean there's also the, in my opinion, I would like to see this site fully

[29:29] remediated. I mean if it's what's happening in ever with the wind casino site where they're

[29:34] moving 20 feet of soil that's been contaminated over decades and maybe even centuries.

[29:39] I think that the modern community deserves this site being remediated fully so that it is safe enough for people to live near it.

[29:46] The other thing is that the modern river actually runs through the site.

[29:50] So I do think there's a little bit of a few additional challenges that you're going to be facing with chapter 91

[29:55] and the people's right to access the modern river that runs through the site.

[29:58] I look forward to hearing half.

[30:00] How you plan on dealing with that and the remediation of the site in the future? Thank you.

[30:04] I would just add that the contamination of the Moncanto contamination on the wind site and the

[30:10] contamination here. That was a superfund site. This site is not a superfund site. It is a dramatically

[30:16] different situation. And we can provide the data on that.

[30:22] Councillor Lerandison.

[30:23] Yes, thank you, Madam President. This is a bark. Thank you for appearing here this evening. I want

[30:30] say that I'm encouraged by what I hear you saying. This has been a long process, and I'm

[30:36] hoping that it will come to fruition. There have been a lot of moving parts, and we need

[30:45] it to know, and I think you've adequately apologized for not being able to share with

[30:50] us, but I think as the questions have come to me, you know, Councillor, do you support

[30:55] activity. My response has been supported if there's movement. You know, we've had what

[31:03] appears from the council of just stagnation. And perhaps there were many, and obviously there

[31:11] were many things that were going on. We were just not apprised of it. So you are being

[31:15] here this evening helped to clarify that. So I certainly will, to give you a more time to

[31:23] I think the idea of having a minor league team here in Walden at that site is a great idea.

[31:30] I think all the things that you've mentioned, the parking, the access to the T, you know, makes that a very, very desirable

[31:39] desirable location and the potential for income coming into Walden and pot time jobs and so forth.

[31:46] So I encourage you to continue on.

[31:51] And I think the elephant in the room has to do, however,

[31:55] with the acquisition of all the land around there.

[31:58] And I think you have probably cleared that there

[32:01] doesn't appear to be a temperament on the part of the council

[32:06] to do anything in terms of eminent domain.

[32:10] So I feel that same way that I hope you

[32:14] to come to terms with those of budding neighbors so that this project can get underway.

[32:19] And so I give you time to come back with more encouraging information,

[32:26] and hope that let's play ball.

[32:29] Thank you.

[32:30] And we are going to do everything we can to have do a private transactions

[32:35] at significantly above way, above market and above market value,

[32:40] and we'll see if we can get that done.

[32:43] Thank you.

[32:43] Thank you, Madam President.

[32:45] Thank you, Congressman.

[32:45] And to some council looking at it.

[32:47] Yes, and thank you, Madam President.

[32:50] And thank you, Mr. Bach, for coming in this evening and explaining the project to us.

[32:58] I look at this as simply a private transaction.

[33:03] Something that the city has curiosity about, certainly myself,

[33:09] But no real part in, as Constellan Anderson has stated, I don't see a place in government

[33:20] to take private property from one entity to provide private property to another private entity.

[33:28] So if that's in the back of anybody's mind, I don't see the appetite for that.

[33:36] But my curiosity is around affiliation and a question, and I could be wrong about this, but does the major league team that's within so many miles have to approve of a minor league affiliate team coming into their domain, if you will.

[34:02] And within 75 miles of a major league team, a major league team has a veto over any team.

[34:09] And including, we've seen it just recently in San Francisco, where the Oakland Athletic spent $30 million

[34:15] to look at building a state even San Jose.

[34:18] And at the end of that process, the San Francisco Giants said, we've changed our mind.

[34:22] You can't move to San Jose, because that's within 75 miles of us.

[34:25] And so the minor league baseball process includes consultation with a very large group of

[34:33] stakeholders, which include the major league team.

[34:36] So, okay, so my next question is the obvious, I think.

[34:42] And do you have that approval from the Boston Red Sox?

[34:46] The process is we have dealt with minor league baseball.

[34:49] They talk to their constituents.

[34:51] But there is no such approval to me.

[34:56] you stated the correct situation, if a majorly team

[35:00] would host a team within 75 miles, it doesn't happen.

[35:03] Minorly baseball.

[35:05] We applied a minorly baseball.

[35:06] They said you are approved.

[35:09] That's how the process works.

[35:12] They talked to the various teams that have roles in the process.

[35:16] Thank you for clarifying that.

[35:18] I have another curiosity question.

[35:24] And that is, you named a number of teams that were successful as affiliates, a big fan of

[35:33] minor league baseball that you're talking to right here, really like it, for the affordability,

[35:40] anybody who has a family, book, you named Columbus, I think it was Huntington Field, fifth,

[35:49] 30 grand rapids, I was talking about ball parks that were built by turner construction.

[35:56] Yeah, but these are successful, that have been recent, the, the, the, I mean, there are,

[36:02] I cited as the one of the most successful ones is in Frisco, Texas, which is an

[36:06] edalist market.

[36:08] And then you, so those three, we're all in second TMI, it's not located within 75 miles,

[36:17] I don't think of a major league team, perhaps I'm incurred.

[36:20] The Dallas team is within 20 miles of the Marangers, and there are in New York City.

[36:25] There are two minor league teams in New York City within 12 miles of the United States, and Chase Stadium.

[36:31] Those were approved by the, those are, so which teams in the United States, within 10 to 15 miles of a major league team?

[36:41] Just the ones in New York, the ones in New York are the closest, there are teams in Bowie, Maryland,

[36:46] that's about 15, 18 miles from Baltimore, there are, but there are most teams, historically

[36:54] major league teams that not wanted, minor league teams near their market, but that view

[36:59] has changed in the last year.

[37:00] Yeah, no, I don't think we're comparable to New York City.

[37:05] I think the population in New York is, you know, compared to probably triple, what it is in

[37:14] So that would be my concern, but you've answered my questions.

[37:17] Thank you very much.

[37:19] Thank you, Councilor Demoria.

[37:22] Thank you, Madam President.

[37:23] And thank you, Mr. Block, for coming in front of us.

[37:26] It's always good to be continually updated.

[37:30] I think there was a big wall there.

[37:33] So that's fine.

[37:34] Thank you very much.

[37:35] So I do have a couple of questions.

[37:37] So, based on the decision as to which minor league team will be chosen, when do you expect

[37:51] to make that announcement?

[37:52] I understand you cannot now, but what's the time?

[37:56] Well, it has to be done before we, that is the idea that we have an agreement to purchase

[38:03] a team, is nobody's going to finance the deal without being announced.

[38:09] So the deal only happens with that, with their being a announcement as to a team from,

[38:18] minor baseball has rules about what you can say.

[38:20] So I don't, but at the end of the day, you have to have a purchase and sale agreement to buy a team

[38:26] and affiliate a team for this financing to happen.

[38:28] So, so basically the first, your continued first priority would be the continuation of the lease with National Grid and the purchase of those private businesses.

[38:41] Correct.

[38:42] Okay. And where are you at with that since you know it's not the...

[38:46] Well, the National Grid we've, as I indicated earlier, we are going, we've dealt with them recently and we're scheduling meetings to resume our discussions.

[38:56] I've spoken to Marcy Reed, who's the president of National Grid and Massachusetts several times,

[39:01] and she is eager to resume this process, and she has constituencies that she cares about,

[39:09] which include the Attorney General.

[39:11] Attorney General Cochlee was a strong supporter of the project, and Attorney General Healy has

[39:17] indicated she is positively inclined towards the project, and we National Grid cares about

[39:23] those things because the right payers, the deal with national great has to be one that's

[39:26] fair for the right payers as a part of the process. But we're resuming our discussions

[39:31] with them. I got a note today there. We're picking up two or three dates in the next week

[39:36] and we'll be meeting with them. And then as I said on the property owners we've retained the leading

[39:41] appraisal firm and greater Boston we will be making Britain above market offers by the 17th of

[39:53] if we can do that with them and start that process.

[39:56] Okay, and so the date of April 11th would,

[39:59] as you come back with further correspondence,

[40:02] hopefully would be some sort of announcement

[40:04] that you are in a purchase and sales with those two.

[40:08] We would hope that would be wonderful.

[40:10] So the national grid piece, when I bind the land,

[40:12] we'd be going to be releasing it.

[40:15] But we expect that by April 11th,

[40:17] we will have significant progress progress.

[40:19] That's about 60 days from now.

[40:21] Okay. And so if let's just think really positive, all goes good,

[40:30] when do we, when do you start,

[40:33] when's the, you know, timeline of the?

[40:36] So backing up we are looking at, fundamentally we look at shovels in the ground this year and opening the spring of 19.

[40:46] That's our, that's our basic schedule.

[40:49] National Grid has some work it has to do.

[40:51] right. They have responsibility to put this cap on. Right. So they anticipate that timeline.

[40:59] Well, that takes their timeline is of three to six months timeline. So they have to get started on that.

[41:06] But that would start once we, but that is part of the construction project. I mean, there will be things done at the same time.

[41:13] So that will start this year building the stadium can take from 10 to 15 months.

[41:18] So we have, we have, and the season starts in the spring of 19.

[41:23] So there's a, there's a cushion in there.

[41:26] Okay, so I look forward to you coming back April 11th and bringing an update to the council.

[41:32] I think that's really important, so thank you.

[41:36] Thank you.

[41:36] And just to be clear, I'm not trying to impose April 11th, if you want it to be a week later,

[41:40] a week earlier, depending on your meeting schedule, I'm just trying to just put a ballpark

[41:44] idea out there.

[41:45] Great.

[41:45] Thank you.

[41:46] Council, Spadafore.

[41:49] Thank you, Madam President.

[41:52] So, let me probably stop with my question.

[41:54] I was going to ask last, Alex.

[41:56] So, you're anticipating coming back into April 11 with the decision to

[42:00] year or nay, at that point, because you'll know from Major League of

[42:03] Monterly Baseball if they got a grant to team, or as April 11

[42:06] is going to be a day just to come in and give us an update, which you

[42:09] might not know.

[42:11] As we've indicated, we're working on the National Grid

[42:16] peace and we would hope to have that significantly concluded potentially concluded or heading

[42:22] in the right direction or not heading in the right direction, but we think that will be.

[42:26] We will have an update on the parcels and I'm working to everything we can to have that

[42:33] happen and I'm not prejudging that.

[42:36] So we only purchase a team if the other issues come together.

[42:41] We have, there are in the Greater New England, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey area.

[42:45] there are a number of team owners who are quite interested in selling their team to us, so

[42:50] the acquiring a team is not the gating issue.

[42:56] I think if you, there are websites, if you type in, there are people who are selling teams

[43:00] today, if you go on the web, you will find there are teams that are available for purchase.

[43:04] It's the real issue is having a stadium to put it in and having the right to put it in

[43:08] that stadium, and that's what we have been working on.

[43:13] Okay, but I don't think April 11th is a April 11th.

[43:17] We will have significant progress to report.

[43:20] But there are, and just to be clear, the project is not final,

[43:24] is in close to being final till we come back to you with,

[43:26] and there's a public hearing and process on that.

[43:29] So there are, one would never presume to say the project is final

[43:33] until you guys have had a public hearing.

[43:36] Yeah, so I think you know, Alex, obviously, I've been involved with this

[43:39] probably since day one, and it's been all, and I think everybody

[43:44] at the hope something happens there, right?

[43:45] I think it would be, for all the reasons you mentioned,

[43:48] the ability to redevelop that area, to get grow,

[43:50] to do all these things that works well, right?

[43:54] But from, I think the difference between all those other cities

[43:58] you mentioned, and it's not your fault, it's just a particular area.

[44:03] And full disclosure, one of my relatives owns a parcel right there,

[44:06] is the only problem I think by having this long tenure we've done here is you have three

[44:12] apostles there that probably can't do anything until we get a decision because if I own one

[44:18] of them, I might not want to invest money into what I can't probably sell it. So just for the benefit

[44:25] of three businesses there, I think we have to come to some finale. That's the first thing

[44:28] I'm going to say. The second thing I have to say is when you came in a more than ten years

[44:32] ago.

[44:37] It's a different city. Meaning we've grown up tremendously, the downtown area has a better

[44:43] nightlife than it had before. So the garage is that we're empty and not as empty as we expect.

[44:48] So what concerns me a little bit is we come forward eight years. There's a casino being built

[44:53] on the street, that whole car had changed for the better.

[44:58] And I think Council Matt is in hit.

[45:00] The need on that, too, is that negotiations that would happen before and we were not part of that. That was the MRA and we were not part of that until the MRA came down to this council and the current mayor was part of it and they showed us the document and they said, hey, if this feels, everything in that document said MRA, until it got to the point where it said, oh, if it feels, the city of Maldon is going to pay, all the revenue was going to the MRA, all that stuff. And I remember being in that council saying, I am absolutely not supporting that because we're the ones

[45:29] going to take care of the infrastructure, meaning commercial streets got to be changed, I think,

[45:33] lighting, the garages need infrastructure help. So there's a lot of things that I think we need to

[45:39] do besides the land. And I know you've come here, you've given us an update and you gave us

[45:48] data that I've never heard before. If the owner's going to hear from them, great. And if you think

[45:53] you can get this in the ground in two years, that'd be even fantastic. But the only reason why I'm

[45:58] little bit pessimistic, excuse me, is nobody up here has seen the contracts, we've got a

[46:06] stop from scratch, you've got to work with National Grid, the only thing I ask is you come

[46:09] back here, we have to come to some decision, you know, the casino down there and this whole area

[46:15] I think is drastically changed and mallman is now building a development down here, redesigning

[46:21] city hall, at a cost of probably $80 million in infrastructure, hopefully that attracts more

[46:27] like, hopefully we have more people.

[46:30] So those garages that we have right now might not even

[46:32] have a accommodate, all the things you just mentioned.

[46:35] And as a council, I've been preaching about, you know,

[46:38] parking, you know, as the council, the war that you're in

[46:41] right now, parking is at a premium now.

[46:44] Again, not that I think it's a bad project, but we need

[46:48] to get some data, because if we have to plan, and we're

[46:51] planning around something this eight years, we have

[46:54] to make a decision along with the mayor's office.

[46:56] and all I ask is hopefully in that daily pro-11 we can come to some folk in a road and if it's

[47:01] if it's the right way to go, we'll be absolutely willing to support it and work aggressively,

[47:06] but if it's not, we've got to make it a decision. Thank you Madam President.

[47:12] Thank you, Councilor. There's no one lights in from the chair. I'm really actually encouraged

[47:17] that we do have some sort of harder deadlines that we'll look at for. I'll talk to the

[47:21] pass the loaners on the couple of the 17th of February and moving that on. So I look forward

[47:28] to having you back again on April 11th, but their votes will be in touch. And thank you very

[47:32] much for your update. Thank you very much. Thank you.

[47:39] So I think we'll take a two minute recess

[47:41] just to let our guests leave.

[49:42] Bench and Richard Sandman, four, four, two, Main Street,

[49:49] on Council of Maths and Motion to Spendock rules all those in favour, post, duck rules

[49:56] suspended. On Council of Maths and Motion to Refer to Claims, all those in favour,

[50:03] all opposed the motion of the deferred to Claims.

[50:08] Under Suspension of Drake of Rules, it is a sense of the city council that the council

[50:13] President of Point Two City Council is to serve with a representative of the mayor's office

[50:19] and human resources to advertise and fill the second engineering position to oversee our

[50:26] road work project in DEP lead mandated on lead pipes identified on both the public and private

[50:35] side of our water system, Councilor Condon.

[50:40] On Councilor Condon's motion to spend

[50:43] up rules all those of favor, I'll post rules of

[50:47] suspended Councilor Condon for the paper.

[50:50] Thank you, Madam President.

[50:54] We've talked about this $92,000 position for a long time.

[51:00] And I know that they're very close to hiring the new

[51:04] Department had up an engineering to replace our former engineer, Mr. Russell, and I've

[51:13] had conversations with the representatives from the mayor's office that it's very,

[51:22] very important to us that we feel that $92,000 position in that vicinity that has been

[51:30] appropriated in the budget,

[51:34] and they expressed a willingness to work with the

[51:36] capacity counselors and the mayor's office and human resources to attack this position,

[51:45] get it out to bid, do the specifications, they've already done the chief engineering with

[51:52] the thought of us having a point person overseeing our roads and if you can come to the meeting

[52:01] next Wednesday on the review of the DPP situation, that person will be kept quite busy

[52:10] also with the oversight of our DPP mandates and what we face as a community.

[52:20] So, I think it's important that we move and fill that position and there's no better way to

[52:26] start than to put two people up there to work with me as I've get it out, get it out,

[52:33] and advertise and filled.

[52:36] Thank you.

[52:37] Councilor Matheson.

[52:39] Thank you, Chair.

[52:41] You know, I don't have, you know, some long drawn out opposition of this.

[52:46] just like for a point of background here, this is the position that we negotiated during the budget

[52:52] process two years ago so that we could bring on another person in the engineering field to

[52:58] oversee the massive roadway reconstruction project that we have going on right now. At the end

[53:05] of last year we referred this job advertisement to appointments committee and for whatever reason

[53:13] we haven't put it out for an advertisement.

[53:16] That is the only thing standing in between us

[53:18] and have an applicants in the engineering field

[53:21] to help us with these projects.

[53:24] We already voted in the finance committee to have a team

[53:29] comprised of counselors and the mayor and his design

[53:32] and the council president or her design

[53:36] to vet the applicants and go through the hiring process.

[53:40] So, I don't know what's being sought here except it sounds to me like we're looking for

[53:47] appointments committee not to work with HR to put out the advertisement.

[53:51] We now is the point of this to have the maize department put out the advertisement.

[53:56] I'm just a little confused in that regard.

[53:59] Through the chair.

[53:59] Oh, here on the council.

[54:02] Council of Condon.

[54:03] The mayor's office showed a willingness to work with the council because that was at the request

[54:08] at the council.

[54:09] If it was up to me, the same way they put out the advertising to post that position, the mayor's office.

[54:20] I would suggest that we let them put this one out also and work with HR in filis position.

[54:29] But if we want some say in it to communicate back to you, as a council,

[54:36] So she could appoint two people to go to those meetings to be involved with it.

[54:44] But we need to move forward and do it.

[54:47] I talk with the head of appointments Council of Demo Rio co-sponsored this with me and

[54:53] she doesn't have a problem to move this forward and if I think it would be better if we

[55:00] have a couple of councils up there and so we'll have some direct line of communication.

[55:05] And my only point, if I may, my only point, is that this is ready to be advertised as job-opening.

[55:14] I don't think you need to put a lot of cooks in the kitchen in order to advertise a job-opening.

[55:18] For some reason, the council has been unable or unwilling to do it.

[55:22] But all we need is a job advertisement.

[55:25] We already have a committee mix that we've decided on in finance committee that's going

[55:28] to review these applicants.

[55:30] And just as background, this is something the council negotiated.

[55:34] it so we could have a role in bringing on a second in Geneva for this massive project.

[55:40] So all that's changing here is that instead of the council putting up the job advertisement,

[55:44] the mayor's department is, and we're going to send a couple of council's over to watch them

[55:49] draft up job advertisement.

[55:51] So I just don't really see this as being necessary.

[55:54] I think it ought to be put out by a Plainman's Committee and I think it ought to be done

[55:57] forth with.

[56:00] Those are my comments.

[56:01] Thank you.

[56:04] we took that resolve a long time ago. Nothing's happened. Nothing has happened at all for appointments.

[56:13] You're no longer the chairman of appointments.

[56:22] It's been at least six months.

[56:27] The mayor's office is express a willingness to put this out, get it out in the street and get the

[56:33] position filled. I think that's the way we should go and I think if you want a couple representatives

[56:38] to go to those meetings that people available can make those meetings during the day.

[56:48] I'm just curious what meetings?

[56:51] Actually, just to the sponsor, what meetings are you talking about?

[56:53] To agree upon the way this should go out to advertise.

[56:57] The way we did it for City Clerk, the way we did it for Clerk or committees.

[57:01] We have H.O. come in.

[57:02] We draft a job posting.

[57:04] We put it in the local papers on the website.

[57:07] Then we interview applicants.

[57:08] Why are we shirking our responsibility?

[57:14] Why would we do that?

[57:17] I'm voting against this.

[57:19] Just for a point of information that I don't think we're shirking our responsibilities

[57:24] because this was a result that said there would be the President, Council, President, and

[57:30] a Councilor, you know, Designee, and someone from the Maya's office, so there was going

[57:36] to be five people.

[57:36] And so it can be put out by the appointments, but we were making this committee and it was really going to be led by the City Council to actually vet do the interviews and then, you know, wearing those people that person for it.

[57:51] So it wasn't the appointments that was actually doing that. It was part of the resolution that there'd be two from the mayor's office, there,

[58:00] I'm Designee's, choose from the City Council in the head of HR.

[58:07] Council, Matt.

[58:07] All right.

[58:08] I think we're confusing two different things.

[58:11] One is in a committee to interview the applicants and make the hiring recommendation.

[58:17] And the other thing, which is the subject of this paper, is to put out the job posting.

[58:21] That's in appointment's committee right now.

[58:25] All we need is HR to come in, consult with us, and we put out the job description.

[58:30] That's it. I don't know why we would be moving that out of our committee. It's sitting there.

[58:35] It's our responsibility. It's long overdue, and we ought to do it.

[58:39] I'm not saying anything about the committee that's going to do the interview.

[58:43] We did agree on that. That's not what this paper is about.

[58:46] This paper is about us not putting the job out for advertising.

[58:51] It's about sending it away from our committee, for someone else to do it.

[58:55] So,

[58:58] in that regard, I'm going to vote against it.

[59:00] I think a point that's committee ought to just put out this job description immediately

[59:03] so that we can get to hearing from applicants and seeing who's best for the job.

[59:10] Thank you, Councillor Condon.

[59:13] Yes.

[59:14] For me, we talked about this position.

[59:16] Prior to even voting for the budget.

[59:19] About nine months ago.

[59:21] Two years ago.

[59:22] Two years ago.

[59:23] nothing has happened. I want something to happen now, and I think this is the best way to do it.

[59:32] It's been in an appointment for two years.

[59:40] We discussed that we were going to fill this position prior to the budget.

[59:44] That was seven, eight months ago.

[59:48] It was discussed that we would move forward to coordinate and do it.

[59:53] It hasn't been done. I think this is the best way to do it.

[59:56] We need this position on board.

[59:58] We need a point personal.

[1:00:00] We need somebody for this DEP situation that we're in. And I don't think I'm looking to take anything away from appointments.

[1:00:09] I've talked with Council of Dima Reyes. She has no problem with this, and I think it will move us forward to fill the position.

[1:00:17] There are already, they finish their interviews today with the top person on that they advertise to fill Jack Russell's position.

[1:00:26] And hopefully we can move on very quickly to fill this position so that we can utilize this person.

[1:00:37] That's the council to approve that.

[1:00:40] Councilor Deemorita.

[1:00:42] Thank you Madam President.

[1:00:43] And I think it's the whoves all of us to move forward with it.

[1:00:48] So it honestly doesn't matter who sends out the posting.

[1:00:52] What I would like to do is to amend that with some timeline.

[1:00:57] that whoever we decide, whether it's through my committee and appointments or through a collaboration with the mayor's office,

[1:01:09] I just would like to get it out there.

[1:01:11] We've been talking about it long enough and that would be my amendment to that.

[1:01:18] With some sort of timeline, say 14 days, seven days, to the time it's posted with a closed window.

[1:01:27] And I, with that amendment, I would second that.

[1:01:32] Move the question.

[1:01:33] Take the amendment up first.

[1:01:38] I'm just moving to move it out of the amendments.

[1:01:41] Yeah.

[1:01:42] The job was.

[1:01:43] And Senator Wea.

[1:01:44] The mayor's office.

[1:01:45] The mayor's office would two committee members to represent this council and I'd be happy to put say a much first date to get the thing advertised

[1:01:55] Can I ask a silly question sure if you're gonna move it out at appointment to send the mayor's I was why did you have them for something from the mayor's office come to the appointment committee?

[1:02:04] What

[1:02:06] I don't want to stop playing the blame game here. No, I'm not I'm just looking to get it done. No, I'm with the cops

[1:02:13] I just don't like it.

[1:02:14] It's been a while, and there's been no movement.

[1:02:18] But is that a thought?

[1:02:20] To me, I'm not saying it to anybody's fault.

[1:02:23] If it was up to me, I tell the people that advertised

[1:02:27] the engineering job to replace Jack Russell

[1:02:32] to advertise this position.

[1:02:34] But if you'd like a line of communication,

[1:02:37] she could appoint two councils to work with them as people

[1:02:40] And get this thing advertised by March 1st.

[1:02:46] So I wish the court her amendment.

[1:02:49] Councillor McKinnon.

[1:02:50] Yes, thank you, Madam President.

[1:02:54] I hear all parties here.

[1:02:58] And you know how on HCIN about the road situation.

[1:03:03] Voted against much of it from the beginning.

[1:03:05] and yet this we are we are all working full-time jobs not in the city and we've had the

[1:03:21] opportunity to go forward and get this done. We have not so as much as I dislike it I

[1:03:32] I think tonight and last week in finance was a perfect example of not having somebody on this

[1:03:47] project, us being baffled.

[1:03:51] I don't know whether we're being told the truth and I'd like an expert in here who just

[1:04:01] on these roads, because God knows we got 42 left. Last week we heard we could only get eight

[1:04:07] done. Now this week we can get more done, and I think it's imperative that that process

[1:04:14] move forward. Now we're at ultimately ends up, this doesn't say the position reports to the

[1:04:21] man. This says, put it on the man's plate with these two counselors, and get the done thing,

[1:04:28] done. Get somebody in here. If we then wanted to report to us, that's how my preference would be.

[1:04:35] But we can't even get out of our own way. And I'm not, I'm part of the problem. I'm working

[1:04:42] 40, 50, 60 hours a week. I don't have time to be in here during the day, into the old candidates.

[1:04:48] And I don't know anybody here who does. So except maybe some of the retirees. And hopefully,

[1:04:56] they get appointed to this committee, but I just wanted to move forward, so I hope people

[1:05:06] move this paper forward.

[1:05:07] Thank you.

[1:05:09] Council of Matheson for the third time.

[1:05:12] Well, since the Chairman of Appointments wanted to interview folks without putting the opening

[1:05:18] on the Board of Health, Alfred Advertisement, I'll make a motion that we refer the Board

[1:05:23] of health, add the ties to that opening to the mayor's office, and we can have a couple of

[1:05:30] questions.

[1:05:30] I think that's a separate topic.

[1:05:32] We're on this particular topic at the moment.

[1:05:37] And I'm council deemory is motion to amend.

[1:05:44] Can you repeat?

[1:05:52] Amendment that the position be posted within 14 days?

[1:06:03] to be posted within one month, to be posted within one month.

[1:06:11] Okay, so the amendment is that the position be posted within one month.

[1:06:17] No, no, no, no later, because I think.

[1:06:19] No later.

[1:06:20] Let's move this along.

[1:06:24] Clerk, call the roll.

[1:06:26] Anderson.

[1:06:26] Yes.

[1:06:27] Condon.

[1:06:29] Dr. Andrew, absent, deemaria, Kenan, Matheson, Murphy, O'Malley, Sika, Spetafora, Crow.

[1:06:46] Yes.

[1:06:48] The paper has been amended.

[1:06:49] on Councillor Condon's motion to approve, second by Councillor DeMaria, the clerk will call the roll.

[1:06:59] Yes.

[1:07:00] Condon?

[1:07:01] Yes.

[1:07:03] DeMaria?

[1:07:04] Kenan?

[1:07:05] Yes.

[1:07:06] Madison?

[1:07:06] No.

[1:07:07] Murphy?

[1:07:08] Yes.

[1:07:09] O'Malley?

[1:07:11] Yes.

[1:07:12] Yes.

[1:07:12] Speaker?

[1:07:13] Yes.

[1:07:20] All right.

[1:07:21] It passes.

[1:07:22] It passes.

[1:07:23] And on that, the docket is clear.

[1:07:28] We do have ordinance and appointments after.

[1:07:31] So please say for that, and on Councilor Deemary is motion to adjourn all those in favour.

[1:07:37] Hang on.

[1:07:38] Hang on.

[1:07:40] Pressure delivered.

[1:07:40] I'm sorry.

[1:07:41] Councilor Kenan.

[1:07:42] Thank you.

[1:07:44] Madam President.

[1:07:44] I know nobody's here, but I would like to congratulate.

[1:07:47] councilor de-Marie or I'm becoming a grandmother and to a beautiful baby. Beautiful baby.

[1:07:54] Thank you.

[1:08:00] You have to take it down to the council of Condon.

[1:08:06] Thank you, our council president.

[1:08:09] We sent something out today to schedule an off night to address the D.P. mandates being placed on the city

[1:08:17] to possibly get the city engineer on board.

[1:08:25] I'm going to have a meeting next Wednesday night at 6 o'clock at this very auditorium.

[1:08:34] Finance committee understands that we're meeting in the seriousness of the situation.

[1:08:41] And also any other councils that can make it, you certainly invited to participate in it and I think it will be a very good informational meeting in the members of the public, too, if they want to find out what this is all about what the lead situation that we are facing.

[1:08:59] And I felt that should have been an off night.

[1:09:03] Thank you.

[1:09:04] Council Statafore,

[1:09:11] we are meeting beyond TV,

[1:09:15] more information, we should probably have that on TV.

[1:09:18] I would put that would be my recommendation.

[1:09:22] So my personal privilege, I just wanted to, the city receives, I want to thank the Council

[1:09:27] for your union of its vote, and I was a long time coming.

[1:09:30] I also wanted to thank the four members of the Energy Officials Committee, Stacey Vandier,

[1:09:35] was a war.

[1:09:35] Six resident draws, Smith was a war.

[1:09:37] Three resident, Molly Smith was a war.

[1:09:39] and then Eric Rubin, city received roughly $340,000.

[1:09:44] The May has some ideas looking at LED lighting,

[1:09:47] but I asked the councils if they have any ideas

[1:09:51] in terms of energy-efficient products.

[1:09:52] A couple of the ideas I want to look at

[1:09:54] are those big mouth barrels,

[1:09:56] the ones that were developed out of MIT,

[1:09:59] they're solar powered,

[1:10:00] and then they radio waves tell them

[1:10:02] when to come pick up the barrels.

[1:10:05] So the DP doesn't have to,

[1:10:07] drive around the parks, once the compact and once recycling, they're about $7,000 each

[1:10:13] on my recommendation.

[1:10:14] It may as we probably get like 10 of those, but it's good news we got the $340,000 and more

[1:10:19] to come next year and it was without the council's vote we wouldn't be able to do that.

[1:10:23] So I appreciate it.

[1:10:24] He's helping that.

[1:10:25] Thank you.

[1:10:27] And can those barrels have pictures cameras on them to see people that are throwing their home

[1:10:32] waste there?

[1:10:33] Okay, now on Council of D. Maria's motion to adjourn all of us in favor.

[1:10:39] Opposed?

[1:10:39] Stand adjourned.

City Council on 2017-02-07 7:00 PM

Agenda

Transcript