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1994-01-03RECORDS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERlVlEN CITY OF BEVERLY INAUGURATION CEREMONY - BEVERLY HIGH SCHOOL, JANUARY 3, 1994 at 12:00 NOON WELCOME: Mr. Daniel Murphy, New England Newspaper Association pRESENTATION OF COLORS: Beverly Fire Honor Guard PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG: Mr. Edgar DeLeon, Co-President, BHS Student Council NATIONAL ANTHEM: After Hours Choir, Beverly High School INVOCATION: Rev. George J. Butera, Pastor, St. John the Evangelist Church TRIBUTE IN MEMORY OF A. PAUL OFIESH: Rev. Lisa D. Schoenwetter, Pastor, I~anuel Church READING OF THE CERTIFICATE OF ELECTION: The City Council of the City of Beverly, having canvassed and compared the returns from the several wards and precincts of the votes cast at the Municipal Election held on the second day of November in the year of Our Lord one thousand nine hundred andninety-three, said election having been held by authority and under the provisions of Chapter 238 of the Acts of 1951 as amended by Chapter 112 of the Acts of 1962. It appears from the returns of the votes cast at said election, that the following persons have been elected officers of the City of Beverly for the terms specified in the Charter. Mayor, for the term of two years, from the first Monday of January, 1994. WILLIAM F. SCANLON, 3R. Councilor at Large, for the term of two years from the first Monday of 3anuary, 1994. BRUCE F. NARDELLA A. PAUL OFIESH PETER H. GILMORE Councilors from wards, for the term of two years from the first Monday of January, 1994. WARD 1MAUREEN A. TROUBETARIS WARD 2 RUSSELL W. ROLLINS WARD 3 30YCE A. GOLIN WARD 4 VIRGINIA D. MCGLYNN WARD 5 WILLIAM J. COUGHLIN WARD 6 3OHN W. MURRAY It is further certified that it appears from said returns of votes cast at said election, that the following persons have been elected as members of the School Committee for a term of four years. Members at Large NANCY F. LEVIN JUDITH L. GILLESPIE Members from wards Ward Four Ward Six Constance C. Krueger Stella Mac Seamans Attest: Constance E. Perton City Clerk OATH OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED TO THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, pRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE:City Clerk MUSICAL SELECTIONS: After Hours Choir, Beverly High School INTRODUTION OF THE MAYOR: Mr. Daniel Murphy CITY COUNCIL MEETING ,~,~ CALL TO ORDER: By Council President Bruce J. Nardella COMMUNICATIONS FROM HIS HONOR THE MAYOR: January 3, 1994 RECORDS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN Honorable City Council City Hall Dear Honorable Coucil: I hereby submit for your approval: Bruce F. Nardella, Chairman of the Committee of the Whole FINANCE AND PROPERTY COMMITTEE: William d. Coughlin, Chairman Bruce F. Nardella John W. Murray LEGAL AFFAIRS AND ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE: Maureen A. Troubetaris, Chairman Peter H. Gilmore William J. Coughlin PUBLIC SERVICE AND AID COMMITTEE: Russell W. Rollins, Chairman Joyce Golin Virginia D. McGlynn Very truly yours, William F. Scanlon, Jr., Mayor Received and Placed on File January 3, 1994 Honorable City Council City Hall Dear Honorable Council: I hereby appoint, subject to your confirmation, Mr. Marshall Handly, 6 Clark Avenue, Beverly, Ma 01915, to serve as City Solicitor for the year 1994. Very truly yours, William F. Scanlon, Jr., Mayor Laid over for confirmation. January 3, 1994 Honorable City Council City Hall Dear Honorable Council; I hereby appoint Mrs. Linda Giallongo, 31 Home Street #1, BevelryMA 01915, to the position of Executive Secretary to the City for the year 1994. Very truly yours, William F. Scanlon, Jr., Mayor Received and Placed on File RECORDS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN January 3, 1994 Honorable City Council City Hall Beverly, MA 01915 Dear Honorable Council: I hereby appoint, subject to your confirmation , Robert D. Hobbs, to serve as a Constable for the limited purpose of serving Civil Process in the City of Beverly. Attched is a letter of recommendation from Police Chief John Finnegan. Mr. Hobbs' appointment to be effective until December 20, 1996. Very truly yours, William F. Scanlon, Jr., Mayor Laid over for confirmation. January 3, 1994 Honorable City Council City Hall Dear Honorable Council: I hereby appoint, subject to your confirmation, the attached list of Beverly Hospital Security Personnel to serve as Special Police Officers for the year 1994. Attached is a communication from Dana A. Fraser, Security Sergeant concerning these appointments. Very truly yours, William F. Scanlon, Jr., Mayor Laid over for confirmation. January 3, 1994 Honorable City Council City Hall Dear Honorable Council: I hereby request a transfer of Six Hundred Sixty-One Dollars ($661.00) to account "Sealer of Weigh~ and Measures" #01-239-5110 from account "Veterans Service" #01-452-5160. Said sum of money to be expended under the directin of George M. White, Director of Veterans Services. Said funds to be used to pay Ralph O'Brien for training on oil truck sealing. Very truly yours, William F. Scanlon, Jr., Mayor. Referred to the Committee on Finance and Property MOTIONS AND ORDERS: By Councilor Rollins and Councilor McGlynn ORDERED: That the thanks of the City Council of the City of Beverly be, and the same are hereby extended to His Honor the Mayor for his Inaugural Address and that the City Clerk be, and the same is hereby requested to record the address in the records of the City Council Order read once and adopted. RECORDS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN INAUGURAL ADDRESS Good Afternoon to all of you. With very few exceptions, you are here because you wanted to be here. You have decided to take the time to attend these inaugural ceremonies and on behalf of the City Councilors, School Committee memebers and myself, I thank you for Joining us today in this exercise of democracy. As the seal on the program you received as you entered the hall indicates, 1994 marks the centennial of Beverly's becoming a city. I would like to think that this year will be a little bit special. We enter 1994 with a very different group of city leaders. You elected six new city councilors, four new School Committee members and a Mayor who has no history in politics and who, even as recently as a year ago today, had no intention to run for office. Why did this happen? It happened because you, the citizens of Beverly, got fed up. You who are paying the bills got tired of paying ever more and getting less and, in fact, being the laughing stock of the area. Now the big question: Will it change: Will it really Change, or will we Just have different faces running around? Some have said that running the city isn't brain surgery, and I believe them. Some have said our present charter makes it impossible to run the city well and I disagree with them. Don't get me wrong, I welcome the efforts of the Charter Commission. But I believe, I truly believe, that if we work together we can make much progress. I am delighted with the city councilors, new and veteran. Since the final election every one of them has artended every meeting of the Board of Aldermen and it is clear that these folks simply want to make Beverly better. To them I pledge openness, rational and reasonable dialogue, and a willingness to compromise. From them, when the going gets tough, I expect support on issues crucial to our future. It is no accident that today's ceremonies are being held in the high school. We have no obligation more important than the education of our children. Half our budget is spent on education and we cannot accept anything by excellence in this arena. Established members of the School Committee are seen as divided into two camps. While there is room for homest disagreement, we must put the children first and decide what is best for them. We must remember that not everything is broken, not everything must be fixed. And let me say that me must all - right across the city - give the new superintendent some room to do a Job. There is absolutely no point in further comments about his salary package. Let's do all we can to support him and help him do a Job. Cities today all face difficult challenges. Additional responsibilities are regularly being placed on the cities but without sufficient additional funding. In concept, these burdens are ver~ reasonable. The education reform bill says, among other things, that a child should not be penalized because he/she goes to school in a poor city or town. There should be a minimum expenditure per pupil. Seems reasonable, doesn't it? The South Essex Sewerage District secondary treatment plant is about to be built so that we can have clean harbors. Who could aruge with that? In addition to these outside influences, we have in our city insufficient police coverage, major concern about fire coverage, a dirty city cluttered with weeds and litter, and many unhappy municipal employees as evidenced by the teachers recently taking a strike when their contract specifically contains a no-strike clause. We have all these negative signs and a multi-million dollar deficit too. Sounds pretty bad, doesn't it? Some wise person once said that unless we understand the lessons of history we are condemned to repeat the mistakes of the past. The past mayoral administration lasted 10 years selling the fantasy, which obviously people bought, that Beverly was a Wenham or a Manchester and essentially nothing but a bedroom community. You have chosen me as your mayor; but without your help I am nothing. If you forget that a city, this city, must be a diverse place with a balance between places to live , to go to school, to worship, and yes, to go to work - if you, through your actions or your inactions leave us with a situation where only 5 percent of our tax revenues continue to come from industry and 15 percent from commerce, then we will not progress. We get nearly all our money today from the homeowner and the homeowner is tapped out. He/she simply hasn't got it. In life there are invariably trade-offs and we must find a way to increase our commercial/industrial tax base and that will not be a painless process. Danvers and Peabody have done it and what do they have - lower tax rates and no deficits, which, I suggest, is a pretty good start. But the revenue side is only half the batt.e. The other side is how we spend our money and what we get for it. Later this afternoon when I meet with the major department heads at City Hall, we will begin to work on that subject. Let me say this. We, the workers of the city, are here to serve you - that goes for me, the executive secretary, the policemen, firemen, public works, personnel, City Hall employees, teachers, administrators - every city employee. We are public servants. And I ask every city employee to refect on that. City employees have chosen to do Just that - to work for the city. RECORDS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN As a city employee, you have the right to quit, to walk away if you so choose. But as a city employee you have an obligation to do the best darned Joy you can for the people who pay your salary. Certainly, we expect the citizens of Beverlyt obe courteous in their encounters with city employees, but we must do the same and take the extra step. And to the citizens of Beverly, if you encounter behaviour from city employees which is less than the best, please let me know. In the area of communities and development, Beverly has bungled things badly, and that action has lost us funding eligibility from the state. It is essential that we get that sorted out. We will be looking at Job applications tomorrow to fill necessary positions and get us back in the game. In this and any other arena where grants are possible, we must get our fair share. It is as simple as that. We have to get our fair share. I am a believer in solving our own problems by doing our own thing, but in today's world we are sometimes dependent on others. I will not shirk from trying to solve our problems, but there is one place where we will need much help. I direct these comment to Fred Berry and Mike Cabill, but especially to Peter Torkildsen, our distinguished representative in the United States Congress. The problem to which I refer is the secondary treatment facility of the South Essex Sewerage District, which as planned, will add $1,000.00 annualy and for 30 years to the water and sewer bills of every Beverly household. Did you hear me? The secondary treatment facility will cost every Beverly household an additional $1,000 per year for 30 years. Plans are to go out for bids in early '94 and award the contracts by mid '94. Even Peter Torigian, the well-known mayor of Peabody, has called this project a "region breaker" While the objective of this facility is noble and good, Beverly residents simply have not got the resources- If this project is to go forward we must get substantial grant money, both federal and state, but especially federal. When I say substantial, I mean Just that - to dramatically lower the burden on Beverly residents (as well as those of Salem, Peabody, Danvers, and Marblehead). We must examine our alternatives, We simply cannot allow the project to go forward on its present schedule with its projected cost without relief. I can's overstate the importance of this matter. As I have already pointed out, the time frame is short. Congressman Torkildsen, we look to you for strong guidance and support and I pledge our support. If you need 1,000 of us to knock on someone's door, perhaps in Washington, we will do it. Turning back to those areas where we have more control, it is clear that for Beverly to improve in an environment where our needs exceed our resources we must have many private/public partnerships. My recent request for volunteers to serve on boards and commissions, I am excited to report, has already resulted in nearly 100 volunteers, many of whom are extremely qualified. Going forward we should not have to ask anyone to serve in more than one capacity because we have so many solid volunteers. You have heard a lot about one-stop shopping regarding industrial and commercial permits and approvals. Ted Lehne, president of the Beverly Chamber of Commece, has agreed to my request that he draft a proposal for one-stop shopping. He asked only the full cooperation of the various departments and department heads involved - which I hereby pledge and will confirm with the department heads later today. Tomorrow, the building inspector and I will work on a procedure whereby any party with an industrial or commercial building permit who has a gripe is guaranteed a hearing within 24 hours wi~h me or my designee to air the problem. This procedure is taken directly from Peabody where it works well. I could go on to mention many things, but I will only mention five. The USM property. I will take special interest in the USM property. I have long believed that it hidden strength lies in its ability to deliver low-cost energy, electricity, steam for heating stem for process use and most water at below-market rates. Governor Weld wants a competitive Massachusetts. Energy is Massachusetts' largest competitive disadvantage. Here we have will over 1,000,000 square feet of manufacturing space with highly attractive enerty costs. BACK TAXES: The city has over $3 million in uncollected taxes. The city has taken no one to land court in 20 years I am told. While the city will try to be considerate of hardship, all those with overdue tax heills be warned. We will immediately begin work to collect these taxes, plus penalties and interest using all possible legal remedies. If you remember the old Fram oil filter ad, "Pay now or pay later!" - and later will be more expensive- EARLY MORING AND LATE EVENING OFFICE HOURS: Within two weeks, we will begin this program. Starting at 6:30 a.m. until 9 a.m. and again from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. one day per week, my secretary will havr a sign-up sheet - first come, first-served - 15 minutes per person. MEETING ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT: I plan to start this process next week with individual discussions with every department member. I want a Police Department we can all be RECORDS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN proud of and I intend to take a special interest in the Police Department. CLEANING AND BEAUTIFYING OUR CITY WILL BE AN IMPORTANT SUJECT. Each of us can make sure that the area around our living spaces is neat, clean and attractive. Perhaps some of you will come for- ward with ideas on how to restore Beverly's image as the Garden City. Bruce Nardella, president of the City Council, has come forward with an excellent idea; namely, that by using a public/ private partnership we restore the Beverly Common located right outside the new library to its former beauty. I am sure Bruce will have more to say about this, but if you want to help, let Bruce know. In closing, I ask for your help and your patience. Beverly did not get where it is in a day and it wont= get better in a day. It will take all of us working hard and listening to each other to make real improvement. But it can be done, and I believe it will be done. And now Isve done enough talking. It is time to get to work. Let us move forward together. Thank you. By Councilor Coughlin and Councilor Murray ORDERED: That the Rules and Orders of the Board of Aldermen for the years 1988-1990, as amended, be and the same are hereby adopted as the Rules and Orders of the City Council for the years 1994-1995. Order read once and adopted. By Councilor Golin and Councilor Troubetaris ORDERED: That the thanks of the City Council of the City of Beverly be, and the same is hereby extended to Reverend George Butera of St. John the Evangelist Church, Reverend Lisa Schoenwetter of In~nanuel Church and to Rabbi David Abramson of Temple Abraham for their part, so acceptably rendered, in the inaugural meeting of city government for the year 1994. Order read once and adopted. By Councilor Gilmore and Councilor Nardella '~ORDERED: That the gratitude of the City Council be, and the same is hereby extended to the participants in today;s Inaugural Ceremony - Mr. Daniel Murphy, the Beverly Fire Department Honor Guard, Mr. Edgar DeLeon and the Beverly High School After Hours Choir- for their gracious and fitting assistance. Order read once and adopted. By Councilor Bruce F. Nardella ORDERED: Under the authority granted by Chapter 330 of the Acts of Nineteen Hundred Ninety- Three, be it hereby ordered that the City Council call for a special election to be held on March 15, 1994 for the purpose of electing a councilor at large to fill the vacancy which currently exists on the city council. Be it further ordered that this election be held without a preliminary election, with the candidates to be from the qualified voters of the city. Be it further ordred that the Registrars of Voters take every cost saving measure possible and reasonable in order to administer the special election in a cost effective manner. Referred to the Committee of the Whole. Motion made for brief recess to Committee of the Whole for discussion - seconded and passed. Brief recess and Council reconvenes REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES RECORDS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN The Committee of the Whole, to whom was referred the matter of an order calling for Special Election on March 15, 1994, have considered said matter and beg leave to report as follows, to wit; Recommend adoption of the order. Order read once and adopted 8-0 (Clerk's note: Because of Inaugural Ceremonies, roll call was not taken. Note is hereby made that eight councilors were present - the vacancy due to the death of A. Paul Ofeish on November 16, 1993 will be filled by Special Election.) Motion to adjourn: 1:05 p.m. Attest: Constance E. Perton City Clerk