1 REGULAR MEETING OF THE AGAWAM CITY COUNCIL Minutes dated February 5, 2018 Meeting was called to order by Council President Johnson at 7:00pm in the Auditorium at the Roberta G. Doering School, 68 Main Street, Agawam. Item A . Roll Call ROLL CALL – 10 PRESENT, 1 ABSENT Roll Call was taken with the following councilors present: George Bitzas, Council Vice President Cecilia Calabrese, Paul Cavallo, Council President Christopher Johnson, Robert Magovern, Dino Mercadante, Joseph Mineo, Robert Rossi, Rosemary Sandlin and Anthony Suffriti. Councilor Letellier was absent. With ten present, there was a quorum. Item B . Moment of Silence and the Pledge of Allegiance . Council President Johnson asked for a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance. Item C . Citizen ’ s Speak Time The following citizens spoke: Jason Herrick - new President of Sacred Heart Softball Association joining with Agawam Little League and needing help to get main ballfield in shape. Largest girls’ softball association in Massachusetts. Opening day TBA. Looking for help to have the girls receive the same as the boys. Brian Halla – honored Jay Berger Corinne Wingard – Also spoke about Jay Berger and spoke in support of the CBDG Mario Tedeschi – asked for support with his reappointments and appreciated the opportunity to serve William Clark – spoke about Agawam Axe House as well as the Storm Water Task Force Item D . Minutes 1. Regular Council Meeting – January 16, 2018 Motion to approve made by Councilor Cavallo and seconded by Councilor Suffriti. Voice vote approved. Item E . Declaration from Council President None. Item F . Presentation of Petitions and Remonstrances 1. TR-2018-1 - A Resolution confirming the reappointment of Mario Tedeschi, 150 Juniper Ridge Drive, Feeding Hills, MA, to the Agawam Municipal Golf Commission for a term expiring on December 31, 2020 (Mayor Sapelli) Motion to approve made by Councilor Suffriti and seconded by Councilor Sandlin. The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Letellier) approving the reappointment. Council President Johnson thanked Mario for his continued service.
Transcript
1
REGULAR MEETING OF THE AGAWAM CITY COUNCIL
Minutes dated February 5, 2018
Meeting was called to order by Council President Johnson at 7:00pm in the Auditorium at the Roberta G. DoeringSchool, 68 Main Street, Agawam.
Item A. Roll Call
ROLL CALL – 10 PRESENT, 1 ABSENT
Roll Call was taken with the following councilors present: George Bitzas, Council Vice President Cecilia Calabrese,Paul Cavallo, Council President Christopher Johnson, Robert Magovern, Dino Mercadante, Joseph Mineo, RobertRossi, Rosemary Sandlin and Anthony Suffriti. Councilor Letellier was absent. With ten present, there was a quorum.
Item B. Moment of Silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Council President Johnson asked for a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Item C. Citizen’s Speak Time
The following citizens spoke:
Jason Herrick - new President of Sacred Heart Softball Association joining with Agawam Little League andneeding help to get main ballfield in shape. Largest girls’ softball association in Massachusetts. Opening dayTBA. Looking for help to have the girls receive the same as the boys.
Brian Halla – honored Jay Berger
Corinne Wingard – Also spoke about Jay Berger and spoke in support of the CBDG
Mario Tedeschi – asked for support with his reappointments and appreciated the opportunity to serve
William Clark – spoke about Agawam Axe House as well as the Storm Water Task Force
Item D. Minutes
1. Regular Council Meeting – January 16, 2018
Motion to approve made by Councilor Cavallo and seconded by Councilor Suffriti. Voice vote approved.
Item E. Declaration from Council President
None.
Item F. Presentation of Petitions and Remonstrances
1. TR-2018-1 - A Resolution confirming the reappointment of Mario Tedeschi, 150 Juniper RidgeDrive, Feeding Hills, MA, to the Agawam Municipal Golf Commission for a term expiring on December31, 2020 (Mayor Sapelli)
Motion to approve made by Councilor Suffriti and seconded by Councilor Sandlin.
The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Letellier) approving the reappointment. Council PresidentJohnson thanked Mario for his continued service.
2
2. TR-2018-2 - A Resolution confirming the reappointment of Mario Tedeschi, 150 Juniper RidgeDrive, Feeding Hills, MA to the Planning Board to a term expiring January 1, 2023 (Mayor Sapelli)
Motion to approve made by Councilor Suffriti and seconded by Councilor Bitzas.
The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Letellier) approving the reappointment. Council PresidentJohnson again thanked Mario for his continued service.
3. TR-2018-3 - A Resolution confirming the reappointment of David Cecchi, 29 Albert Street,Agawam, MA to the Historical Commission to a term expiring January 1, 2021 (Mayor Sapelli)
Motion to approve made by Councilor Cavallo and seconded by Councilor Bitzas.
The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Letellier) approving the reappointment. Council PresidentJohnson thanked David for his continued service.
4. TR-2018-4 - A Resolution confirming the reappointment of Shelby Hall-Gibbons, 49 Anvil Street,Feeding Hills, MA to the Agawam Housing Authority for a term expiring the second Monday inJanuary 2023 (Mayor Sapelli)
Motion to approve made by Councilor Bitzas and seconded by Councilor Sandlin.
The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Letellier) approving the reappointment. Council PresidentJohnson thanked Shelby for her continued service.
5. TR-2018-5 - A Resolution confirming the appointment of Patrick Asta-Ferrero, 71 Birch Hill Road,Agawam, MA to the Agawam Veteran’s Council to an unexpired term expiring April 1, 2018 (MayorSapelli)
Motion to approve made by Councilor Sandlin and seconded by Councilor Magovern.
The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Letellier) approving the appointment. Council President Johnsonthanked Patrick for his willingness to serve.
6. TR-2018-6 - A Resolution confirming the appointment of Marie Kellogg-Izzo, 124 Brookfield Lane,Agawam, MA to the Whiting Street and Thomas Pyne Fund Commission for a term expiring December31, 2020 (Mayor Sapelli)
Motion to approve made by Councilor Cavallo and seconded by Councilor Magovern.
The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Letellier) approving the appointment. Council President Johnsonthanked Marie for her willingness to serve.
Item G. Report of Council Committees
None.
Item H. Elections
None.
3
Item I. Public Hearings
1. TR-2018-7 (PH-2018-1) - A Resolution authorizing the application and acceptance of aMassachusetts Community Development Block Program (Sapelli Mayor) (Referred to CommunityRelations Committee)
Motion to approve made by Councilor Sandlin and seconded by Councilor Cavallo. Council PresidentJohnson declared the Public Hearing open at 7:25pm. Christopher Dunphy of PVPC gave a detailedpresentation of the CDBG. Mr. Dunphy spoke in favor of this item. As principal planner for PVPC, he hasbeen working with Marc Strange with Agawam’s Planning and Community Development Department toassemble a grant application through the Massachusetts’s Department of Housing and CommunityDevelopment’s Block Grant Program. Unlike larger cities that receive this type of assistance directlythrough the Federal government, this proposed FY 2018 CDBG application is a competitive application to beprepared and submitted to the state. He stated that Agawam last received this grant through the FY2013 stateCDBG program and PVPC was able to provide housing assistance to qualified Agawam residents. Inaddition, the grant provided for engineering design plans for Springfield Street sidewalk improvements and atown-wide accessibility Transition Plan. Last year’s CDBG application was not funded. He proposedsubmitting the same application with a few revisions to include Housing Rehabilitation, Aging in Place andan accessibility study for the Town Hall. If funded, the grant would be able to assist approximately nineteenor so households with housing rehab assistance and thirty or so senior occupied homes through the proposedAging in Place program. In addition, this grant could provide for an accessibility study of the Town Hall.The proposed grant application is approximately $799,000 and is due on March 2nd. Meeting minutes andauthorization through a signed cover sheet from the Mayor are also required for the March 2, 2018 deadline.Agawam should know if the grant is funded by July 2018 and work could start by early fall. Cathy Shepard,Corinne Wingard, Henry Kozloski all spoke in favor of the item. Brian Halla spoke in favor in name only.No one spoke in opposition or in opposition name only. Mr. Dunphy noted there was a sign in sheet as wellas requesting the minutes of the Public Hearing that were required to be submitted along with this applicationfor the grant. Council President Johnson declared the Public hearing closed at 7:38pm.
Councilor Bitzas asked about the housing rehab liens which Mr. Dunphy and Marc Strange will look intoand if necessary make an adjustment to the recapture rate so the lien would be reduced at a faster rate forseniors.
The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Letellier) approving the item.
Item J. Old Business
1. TOR-2017-13 - An Ordinance to amend the Code of the Town of Agawam Zoning Ordinances to addsolar energy systems (Sponsored by Councilors Johnson and Rossi) Refer to Legislative Committee andwork with Assessors and Engineering to gather list of potential overlay district areas – no vote taken yet(Tabled 1/16/18) (Re-referred to Legislative Committee)
Council President Johnson officially referred the revised language to the Planning Board so they can set their PublicHearing. He also set the City Council Public Hearing for March 19, 2018. Council President Johnson thanked MayorSapelli and Solicitor Buoniconti for their outreach and assistance in this revision. The item remains on the table untilMarch 19, 2018.
2 TO-2018-1 - Order granting or renewing a PERMIT for Weekly Amusement for N. Liquori, Inc.d/b/a The Back Room, 827 Springfield Street, Feeding Hills, MA 01030 (Clerk) (Referred toAdministrative Committee)
Motion to approve made by Councilor Rossi and seconded by Councilor Suffriti. As Chair of the AdministrativeCommittee, Councilor Rossi provided his report stating that everything was in order with this application. Thecommittee sent a positive recommendation to the Full Council with a vote of 5 Yes, 0 No.
4
The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Letellier) approving the item.
3. TO-2018-2 - An Order granting or renewing a Class 2 Dealer’s LICENSE to Richard Conlon Jr.d/b/a Motor City Car Co., 91 Ramah Circle, Agawam, MA (Clerk) (Referred to AdministrativeCommittee)
Motion to approve made by Councilor Suffriti and seconded by Councilor Rossi. As Chair of the AdministrativeCommittee, Councilor Rossi provided his report stating that everything was in order with this application. Thecommittee sent a positive recommendation to the Full Council with a vote of 5 Yes, 0 No.
The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Letellier) approving the item.
Item K. New Business
1. TR-2018-8 - A Resolution accepting a grant in the amount of $70,999.00 from Commonwealth ofMassachusetts State 911 Department pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44, Section 53Afor Agawam Police Department (Mayor Sapelli)
Referred to Finance Committee, next Agenda.
2. TR-2018-9 - A Resolution confirming the appointment of Corinne M. Wingard, 194 Elm Street,Agawam, MA to the Agawam Housing Committee to a term expiring October 1, 2021 (Mayor Sapelli)
Next Agenda.
3. TR-2018-10 - A Resolution confirming the appointment of Marilyn Curry, 123 Beekman Drive,Agawam, MA to the Historical Commission to a term expiring January 1, 2021 (Mayor Sapelli)
Next Agenda.
4. TR-2018-11 - A Resolution authorizing the dedication of Energy Revenues to the EnergyManagement Project Stabilization Fund (Mayor Sapelli)
Referred to Finance Committee, next Agenda.
5. TO-2018-3 - A Budgetary Transfer of 5,800.00 from Fire Department Regular Temporary (#12201-51020) to Fire Contractual Services (#12202-52360) (Mayor Sapelli)
Referred to Finance Committee, next Agenda.
Item L. Any other matter that may legally come before the City Council.
Councilor Magovern asked the members of his Legislative Committee to let him know of their availability for ameeting on Thursday. He also spoke about the sad loss of Jay Berger. Councilor Bitzas said the Super Bowl was thebest game he’s ever seen even though it wasn’t the best outcome for New England fans. Councilor Calabrese thankedAldo Mancini for his work in collecting candy after Halloween to send to our troops. This year it went to the UnitedEmerates. Councilor Suffriti congratulated all the reappointments and thanked them for their service. They need to berecognized for caring for our town. He also congratulated Steve Buoniconti as being appointed the full-time CitySolicitor. Councilor Suffriti also reminded the residents with sewer issues in Feeding Hills that we have not forgottenthem. Councilor Sandlin informed everyone that Agawam St. Patrick’s Day Committee will be crowing the newColleen on February 11th at 10am at Chez Josef and it is important to support these young ladies. She also noted that itwas a privilege to know Jay Berger and she’s never met a nicer family than the Berger family. Councilor Mineo alsoexpressed sentiments of Jay Berger having worked with him for years on the Democratic Town Committee noting hewas a true gentleman. Council President Johnson stated that since the Mayor has resurrected the Energy Commissionthere are three opening for councilors. He also thanked Mayor Sapelli for inviting him to his meeting with Wayfinders(formerly HAP) who updated him on their proposed timeline for the Mill Street project. Within 1 ½ months they planon coming before the Planning Board for ANR plan and then another month or so later they will be submitting their
5
40B application to the Board of Appeals. If everything goes according to their plan, they are looking at constructionbeginning at the earliest in 2020. He again thanked the Mayor for including him and mentioned the pamphlet ofinformation will be in the Council Office for review.
Item M. Adjournment.
The Motion to adjourn was moved and seconded all around. Meeting was adjourned at 8:01pm.
6
7
Also approved were license and/or permit applications:
