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20240102 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes City of Beverly R c C i`; _ j ,-.r_D Regular City Council Meeting C i_+ ` Public Meeting Minutes 2024 JAIL - t� p 3 4 u Tuesday,January 2, 2024, 12:OOpm Beverly High School Auditorium Julie Flowers, City Council President, called the meeting to order at 12:40pm. City Clerk, Lisa Kent,took attendance by roll call. Members Present: Hannah Bowen, Steven Crowley,Kathleen Feldman, Scott Houseman, Todd Rotondo, Danielle Spang, Matthew St. Hilaire, Brendan Sweeney, Julie Flowers Members Absent:None Presentations,Awards and Memorials City Council President Flowers "Happy New Year, and welcome to all those gathered here. To my fellow City Councilors; to our School Committee colleagues;to you, Mr. Mayor, and to members of your administration and team;to our wonderful City Clerk, Assistant Clerk and their team;to BevCam(thank you for always being with us to ensure that people can access what is happening in their community);to our School Department for hosting us here on this day; to Representative Parisella, Senator Lovely, District Attorney Tucker, Sheriff Coppinger, and our Governor's Councillor Eileen Duff; and to all those in attendance with us this day, welcome and thank you for being here with US. As I begin my remarks, I would like to open, as I did at our last City Inauguration, on January 3rd, 2022,with a Land Acknowledgment statement,that we might pause to recognize, consider, and honor the native and indigenous peoples on whose land our City is built and whose stories are integral to the story of this place,with my thanks to Thomas Green of the Massachusett Tribe for his work and partnership with me and with fellow Councilors over the past term. As we gather here in this place,we acknowledge and honor the original Indigenous inhabitants of this land: The Naumkeag and Pawtucket bands of the Massachusett Tribal Nation, which continues today through the membership of the Massachusett Tribe. We acknowledge their ancestral and continued connection to the land. We also recognize our obligations to this land: to better environmental care and stewardship,to which the Indigenous people who care for it have long called us. As we work toward diversity, equity, and inclusion,we acknowledge the importance of lifting up and inviting in many voices, including those of Indigenous people, and of including those voices and perspectives in our discourse, in our decision-making, and in our actions. In the two years since we last gathered together here in this place and for this occasion, I have been grateful for the community conversations we have had about the depth and breadth of our history and of all the people whose stories are a part of our collective story. I have been moved and inspired by the many residents—of all ages—from elementary age students all the way up, who have signed up for one of the resident speaker sports in our Regular Council Meetings, week after week,to read a Land Statement aloud in our meetings. The power of hearing those varied voices in our Council Chambers is profound. As we look ahead now toward Beverly's 400th anniversary celebration, I look forward to the many opportunities this celebration will provide for us to embrace that breadth and depth of our history and of all the people whose stories are and have been part of our shared story. Today, we,together, mark the start of this next chapter in our shared story, as we enter together into this new term of office. With that new chapter, we welcome a new Ward 2 City Councilor, Danielle Spang,to the City Council. Councilor Spang, it is a joy to have you here, beginning this, your first Council term. As we welcome you, I share with you advice that was given to me when I began my first term on the Council, advice that served me well then and that bears repeating for all of us who strive to lead and to serve the people of Beverly well, not only for Councilor Spang: never be worried about asking questions; never be hesitant to ask what we do not know, nor hesitant to use our own unique voice, even when what we have to say might be different from what others might think or say. Our ability to represent the people of Beverly is strongest when we hear that wide variety of ideas and questions expressed; so it is my hope that over these next two years, we will, each one of us, continue to bring our own unique ideas, our passion, and our dedication into the mix. Over the past two years, it has been my profound honor to be able to serve as your City Council President, and I am grateful to the people of Beverly for the confidence you have placed in me with another term as President. Thank you for your trust in me—and, collectively, for your trust in this group of leaders here on this stage. In my remarks two years ago, I confessed to being both excited and nervous as I stepped into the role of President,knowing that taking on a new role always comes with learning, making mistakes and learning from them, and growth. During this past term, I am proud of the learning, growth, and strong work our Council has done together, and I look forward to that strong work continuing together in the term ahead. Together,the Council worked to represent the residents who live along the route for National Grid's Regional Reliability project which is now underway, with an extended Public Hearing process to ensure that residents' voices were heard fully and to ensure that National Grid was accountable to hearing and responding to resident and Council concerns. Here, it is important to pause and give great thanks to the many members of the public whose voices were a part of this process and who worked and advocated to ensure the best and most fair and accessible process possible. Thank you to everyone who played a part in this work and whose voice was in this conversation. Ultimately, due to the current process in our Commonwealth for the siting of utilities, we found that the best way to advocate for and to protect residents was not to deny permission for the route that the State had approved but, rather, to attach our own conditions when granting that permission, in order to hold National Grid and its subcontractors accountable. Together, in a series of public meetings, the Council worked on a list of thirty conditions to strengthen protections and recourse for residents along this project route, among them the establishment of a Citizen Advisory Committee, open to all residents, with whom National Grid is required to meet twice monthly to hear concerns and questions and to address problems or come up with new solutions to problematic impacts of living along this route. There is no doubt that the impact on residents in parts of Ward 2—specifically on Goat Hill and along Broadway, and now extending into Ward 4 and toward Ward 6 on Lothrop St. —has been significant, with a great deal of difficulty and disruption from the scope and duration of this project. The work that the Council began in the last term to advocate for and to best represent and protect residents must continue in the term ahead, and I am committed to ensuring this is the case. National Grid representatives have been asked to attend an upcoming meeting to share updates on progress and to take questions from the Council. This is a process that we will continue until this project is fully completed. Beverly City Council Meeting Minutes—January 2,2024 page 2 of 5 Likewise, the work of the Council to join our voices with that of Mayor and his team, as well as with those of our partners and representatives in both State and Federal government,to advocate for and to hold the Massachusetts Department of Transportation accountable for prompt, effective, and efficient attention to the Hall-Whitaker Bridge project, as well as to ensure attention to the Kernwood Bridge, will continue into this next term. The impact on residents of Ward 1, Ryal Side, since the Hall-Whitaker Bridge was closed has been extensive, and it will remain our shared work to advocate for them (with great thanks to Ward 1 Councilor Todd Rotondo for his leadership on this issue)—both in terms of ensuring regular and accessible communication about the project, as well as working on traffic mitigation and safety due to the bridge closure now and in terms of project end-date acceleration in the future—until both the Hall-Whitaker and Kernwood Bridges are safe, open, and fully functional. Together, over the last term,the Council worked with the Planning Department and Mayor, as well as with members of the public,to address zoning and building height changes for Cabot and Rantoul Streets, as well as to make changes to our City's Inclusionary Zoning to ensure deeper and more meaningful affordability in the housing created by any new residential building in the City. Additionally, as the last term drew to its close,the Council voted into effect the proposed Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance filed by the Planning Department. This change to our zoning is another important step forward in Beverly's part to address the housing crisis in our State, as it allows for the creation of additional housing in or on existing homes or lots. Smaller, in-fill housing development like we see with ADUs has a positive impact on the environment (as it allows for the creation of additional housing without the need to develop open green space), as well as a positive impact on communities, both for those who can find housing by living in an ADU and for homeowners, such as some of our Beverly seniors, who may find an ADU makes it possible for them to remain in their homes in the community they love. In the term to come, I look forward to continuing that track record of strong work together; work from the Council such as advocating for infrastructure work and support, including continued work with the Mayor's Administration to identify needs for new sidewalk construction and infrastructure on some of our existing and ever-higher-trafficked streets where sidewalks were not originally included when the street was built; working with the Mayor to share with residents a more easily accessible roadmap for which of our City streets are slated to be paved in the next year,two years, or three years; work to better and more fully address the needs of our neighbors in Beverly who are housing insecure or who are experiencing homelessness—and if you have had the opportunity to follow journalist Yvonne Abraham's excellent recent series in the Boston Globe highlighting the brokenness of our State's "right to shelter" system through the lens of the struggle of families and the work of the staff of Family Promise North Shore, a local non-profit working right here in Beverly to address family homelessness,then you know that the need is great and that those experiencing homelessness in our community span age, gender, type of employment, and family structure, and addressing this deep need calls upon us all and, I believe, on our City to not only rely on our outstanding community partners and non-profits but, also,to take steps as a municipality to offer support, access, and care; work with our Superintendent and School Committee colleagues to ensure that our students and families, as well as our outstanding educators and school leaders, are supported in their needs and in their work; work to keep dreaming,together, what yet can be for our community and for our world. Poet Naomi Shihab Nye writes in her work Honeybee, `I am looking for the human who admits [their] flaws/who shocks the adversary/By being kinder not stronger/What would that be like?/We don't even know.' Beverly City Council Nfeeting Minutes—January 2,2024 page 3 of 5 We have much good work to do together over this next term; we: all of us, together, City Councilors, School Committee Members, Mayor, and the people of Beverly. May we, in remembering Nye's words,make part of our shared work that of being kinder, not stronger in the traditional sense of that word... and what if, in so doing, we discovered that kindness in our work and leadership and to and for one another was itself our strength? Here on this day, we embark together into this new term,these next two years, this next chapter of our shared story. May we do it with the strength of open hearts, eager minds, an attitude of service, kindness, and collaboration, and with an ethos of love as our guide. Thank you." Election of Vice President of the City Council Flowers asked for nominations for the role of Council Vice President. Councilor Houseman nominated Councilor Crowley. Feldman seconded the nomination. No other nominations were made. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (9-0). A motion to take the agenda out of order was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(9-0). Communications from His Honor the Mayor Order#001-Grant-$15,000 Cultural District Incentive grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council to be used to support the Beverly Arts District Referred to Committee on Finance and Property. Order#002-Reappointment-Dave Gendall,to serve on the Salem-Beverly Water Supply Board Advisory Committee Referred to Committee on Public Services. Order#003-Reappointments-Susan Gabriel, Richard Dinkin and Mayor Michael P. Cahill to serve on the Affordable Housing Trust Referred to Committee on Public Services. Order#004-Reappointments-Kevin O'Reilly, Margaret Altman, Mary Behrle, Marshall Handly and Ivy Mahan to serve on the Trustees of the Public Library Referred to Committee on Public Services. Order#005-Appointment for Barbie Papalios to serve on the Waste Reduction Committee Referred to Committee on Public Services. Order#006-Appointment for Edward Horack to serve on the Commission on Disabilities Referred to Committee on Public Services. Order#007-Appointment for James M. Muse to serve on the Economic and Community Development Council Referred to Committee on Legal Affairs. Beverly City Council Meeting Minutes—January 2,2024 page 4 of 5 Communications from other City Officers and Boards Order#008-Council President Flowers-Appointments to Standing City Council Committees A motion to approve was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (9-0). Order#009-Council President Flowers-Appointment-Ward Three Councilor Steven M. Crowley and Councilor At Large Hannah L. Bowen to serve on the Beverly Police Department Community Advisory Board A motion to approve was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (9-0). Order 4010-Council President Flowers-Appointment-Councilor At Large Brendan S. Sweeney as Representative to ECDC A motion to approve was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(9-0). Order#011-Council President Flowers- Appointment-Ward Four Councilor Scott Houseman to serve as the City Council liaison to the Clean Energy Advisory Committee A motion to approve was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (9-0). Order#012-Council President Flowers-Appointments of Ward Five Councilor Kathleen M. Feldman(Chair) and Ward Six Councilor Matthew J. St. Hilaire to serve on the Financial Forecast Committee A motion to approve was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (9-0). Order 4013-Council President Flowers- Ward One Todd C. Rotondo and Ward Two Councilor Danielle M. Spang to serve as the City Council representatives to the Harbor Management Authority A motion to approve was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(9-0). Order#014-Council President Flowers-Appointment-Ward One Councilor Todd C. Rotondo and Councilor-At-Large Julie R. Flowers to serve as the City Liaisons to the Beverly School Committee A motion to approve was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (9-0). Order 4015-Council President Flowers-Standing Designation of a Substitute Chairperson in Joint Meetings with the Committee of the Whole A motion to approve was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (9-0). Order#016-Sergeant Nicholson-Request to add a Handicapped Parking Sign at 3 Columbus Avenue Referred to Committee on Legal Affairs. Comments by Citizens Bob Mason, 30 Folly Pond Road#21, spoke about the attacks in Israel and the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. Mason asked that elected officials issue a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. A motion to adjourn was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (9-0). The meeting adjourned at 1:14pm. Beverly City Council kleeting Minutes—January 2,2024 page 5 of 5