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Minutes -- Thursday, June 18, 2020Special Meeting of the Beverly City Council MINUTES — Thursday, June 18, 2020 @ 7:00 PM Remote Meeting on Google Meet/Hangout Called to Order @ 7:00 PM Confirming Member Access: Council President: As a preliminary matter, this is Paul Guanci, President of the Beverly City Council. Before beginning the meeting, I would like to announce that this meeting is being recorded by the City of Beverly and livestreamed by BevCam on both Channel 99 and via BevCam's YouTube channel. I am confirming that all members and persons anticipated on the agenda are present and can hear me. • Members, when I call your name, please respond "Here" • Staff, when I call your name, please respond "Here" • Anticipated speakers on the agenda, please respond "Here" Introduction to Remote Meeting: Guanci: Good evening. This Open Meeting of the Beverly City Council is being conducted remotely, consistent with Governor Baker's Executive order of March 12, 2020, due to the current State of Emergency in the Commonwealth due to the outbreak of COVID -19. In order to mitigate the transmission of the virus, we have been advised and directed by the Commonwealth to suspend public gatherings, and as such, the Governor's Order suspended the requirement of Open Meeting Law to have all meetings in a publicly accessible physical location. Further, all members of public bodies are allowed and encouraged to participate remotely. The Order allows public bodies to meet entirely remotely so long as adequate alternative public access is afforded so that the public can follow along with the deliberations of the meeting. Ensuring public access does not ensure public participation unless such participation is required by law. This meeting may feature public comment. For this meeting, the City Council is convening by telephone and video conference via Google Hangouts as posted on the City's website identifying how the public may join. Please note that this meeting is being recorded and televised live, and that some attendees are participating by video conference. Accordingly, please be aware that other participants or viewers may be able to see and hear you, and anything that you broadcast may be captured by the recording. You have the option to turn off your video if you are participating via computer. All participants should keep their microphones or phones muted unless recognized me to reduce background noise and feedback. Please wait until the person speaking has finished before speaking so we can clearly hear all participants. • Finally. each vote taken in this meeting will be conducted by a roll call vote. Guanci: Meeting called to order at 7:04PM Roll Call: Stacy M. Ames, Kathleen M. Feldman, Timothy P. Flaherty, Julie R. Flowers, John P. Frates Jr., Scott D. Houseman, Todd C. Rotondo, Estelle M. Rand, Paul M. Guanci Also Present, Mayor Michael Cahill, Finance Director Bryant Ayles, Budget Analyst Gerry Perry, Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag: Councilor Houseman Mayor Cahill: Thanks to everyone who has been doing a great job during this pandemic. Thanks to Finance Director Mr. Ayles for doing such a great job to really work with all department heads reign in the budgets. We have all done this very well together. We will be able to sustain our services. We dipped in to our reserves in a responsible way. We have kept our employees and we know with all the services we provide, we need our employees to be here for that. Our Police department is not a budget that is not at all bloated and there is not a lot of areas to look to there. They really need our support. Community Impact Unit have 2 officers strong, always envisioned 3 in that position, but they are out in the community reaching out. We have a mental health Councilor who is officially a Beverly Hospital employee who goes out on calls in the community and does follow up. We have a similar position in our domestic violence Unit. We have a training budget that has a line item of 85,000 fy14 to 215,000 in fy21. Along with funds from the state we have increased funds for training in out police department and have many programs. Some of the trainings include, help mental health challenges and autism spectrum training. We continue to do that as we go on. Mr. Ayles and I will manage the budget what every it is passed at and our hope is to come back to you this fall with 150,000- 200,000 for a recommendation of racial justice and equity inniciative. Before we make this recommendation, we need a community dialogue and some investigation, but it is an important dialogue to have and we look forward to speaking with all of you. Mr. Ayles: Highlight major components in the FY21 budget. 1.16 percent increase. We had an increase of pensions 561,000 School department is 1.4 million Essex Tech 58,000 Health Insurance 190,000 potion city pays for. State assessments 118 thousand. Municipal department going up 85,000 all that quite a feat estimate revenue loss 4.6 to 4.7 million dollars. Reduction will be in state aid, excise tax, meal and room tax and building related permits. We are relying on a 1.1 million dollar draw on out stabilization 2 funds. For this year and the near future. We respectfully ask that you pass this budget next week when you take your votes. Guanci: Anyone who would like to speak from the public. Visnick: I would like to thank my fellow elected officials and to the City as being as fiscally responsible in the past so that we do not have to lay off anyone as other communities have. And having a responsible budget for FY21. Just want to say Thank You. Guanci: Any Councilors have any comments? Houseman: What it means to have the tax increase or have not in the budget. We want to let our constituents know why it is important for them to go to the 2' /z percent. Ayles: We talked about this the last meeting and it important for the tax papers to know. In municipal government you tend to have cost increases each year. Whether its office supplies, salaries for employees or asphalt. Municipal government is a service oriented organization that has significant costs of payroll that go up that we are obligated to, so we need to and have built a budget that supports that. With the Tax increase that helps us keep a balanced budget and continues services that we supply to the Community. Guanci: A lot of people reach out and they do not understand the 2 '/z percent raise of taxes that we do every year to fund necessary services. Feldman: I have brought this up before and now I am convinced why we need to take this 2 '/z percent, looking to the next few years when we may need to look into more and looking at other communities that have had to ask for an override of the 2 '/z percent and Beverly has now. I understand the reasons now for the increase. It is the more responsible thing to do the increase. Guanci: Anyone else? I close the public hearing. Communications from the Mayor: Order #137 - Easement for National Grid for Electric bus charging station Barrett: Electric school bus product, we have been working on this for a year now. We are leasing this bus for 5 years, it is on schedule to arrive next month. There will be a charging center at the middle school. It will get charged each night. The School Committee approved the easement last night unanimously 7 -0 Collins: Very easy and straight forward installment, will not affect school in session. Guanci: Motion to accept a LATE FILE Order #139 motion 2" Ron can 9 -0 3 Order # 139- Mayor's request and recommendation to Appointment Ms. Stephanie Tall to serve on the Council on aging Guanci: Refer this to the committee on Finance & Property. Communications, Application and Petitions #138- Petition from Axis Engineering Group -to install PVC communication conduit eastside of Sam Fonzo Drive to private property at 75 Fonzo Drive. Guanci: Motion to Set a Public hearing on June 29, 2020 at 6:15PM Motion 2nd Roll call vote A 9 -0 Motions & Orders #121 - Ordinance Amendment —Chap 24 -Sec 46 Thirty Minute Parking" Final Passage Motion to approve 2nd Approved Roll Call Vote 9 -0 #128 - Ordinance Amendment -113 -2 Possession of Alcohol Final passage Motion to approve 2nd Approved Roll Call Vote 9 -0 #129 - Ordinance Amendmanet- 192 -61 Sandwich Board Signs Final Passage Motion to approve 2nd Approved Roll Call Vote 9 -0 Motion to adjourn- Motion 2nd At 7:46PM Approved Roll Call Vote 9 -0 11