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City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting P:RIDVi
Public Meeting Minutes
Monday,March 14,2022, 6:30pm t
City Council Chambers, 191 Cabot St. IS P 2. 51
Julie Flowers, City Council President, called the Committee of the Whole meeting to order at
6:32pm.
Members Present: Hannah Bowen, Steven Crowley, Kathleen Feldman, Scott Houseman, Estelle
Rand, Todd Rotondo,Matthew St. Hilaire, Brendan Sweeney, Julie Flowers
Members Absent: None
Order#065-National Grid,New England Power Company Petition for Transmission Line
Franchise. Discussion regarding the process for consideration of Order#065 National Grid
Petition for Transmission Line Franchise and the authority of City Council with respect to the
petition.
City Solicitor Stephanie Williams introduced outside counsel,Attorney Ray Miyares and
Attorney Bryan Bertram. Their firm has experience with situations in Woburn and Needham and
involving the Energy Facilities Siting Board.
Miyares reviewed the grant of location process and stated the Council has the option of issuing
conditions as long as the conditions are not so onerous that the siting board would seek to
override them. The standards to apply are that the public should not be inconvenienced. Miyares
reviewed a memo his firm provided. If the Council wanted to send a letter ahead of the
discussion to request more information, it would be good to do sooner than later.
There was some discussion among Councilors of making sure pedestrians are included in traffic
plans,police details,the depth of digging,repaving, and times of construction. There were also
questions about noise concerns,pest control, drain management, and changing supply costs.
Councilors discussed trying to mitigate impacts to residents. Councilors expressed interest in
getting more information on some items such as rodent control, sequencing,pedestrian access,
archaeological monitoring,post-review discoveries, storm/drainage, and the work around the fire
station.
A motion to approve sending a letter was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion
carried(9-0).
There was discussion on the public hearing and the process of recessing to another date to allow
time for the requested information to be gathered. Miyares suggested that best practice might be
to leave the public hearing open until the Council is ready to vote on a final decision in case
additional questions arise between meetings.
A motion to authorize the City Clerk to send the letter was made and seconded. A vote was
taken, and the motion carried(9-0).
A motion to waive attorney/client privilege for the letter/memo to be released was made and
seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried(9-0).
A motion to adjourn was made and seconded. A vote was taken, and the motion carried (9-0).
The meeting adjourned at 9:22pm.