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2000-01-03 INAUGURATION CEREMONY CITY OF BEVERLY JANUARY 3, 2000 AT 12:00 NOON WELCOME Daniel Murphy PRESENTATION OF COLORS Vittori Rocci Color Guard PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG Timothy P. Flaherty NATIONAL ANTHEM Mrs. Yvonne Fernandes INVOCATION Rev Charles Hughes, Pastor, St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church REMARKS Rabbi Ste yen J. Rubenstein Temple B 'nai Abraham READING OF THE CERTIFICATE OF ELECTION Rev. Beth Laughhead First Baptist Church Frances Macdonald Beverly City Clerk OATH OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED TO THE MAYOR City Clerk OATH OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED TO THE CITY COUNCIL City Clerk OATH OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED City Clerk TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL OATH OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED TO THE City Clerk NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MUSICAL SELECtiON BHS A CapelIa Octel INTRODUCTION OF THE MAYOR Daniel Murphy INAUGURAL ADDRESS Before I begin my speech, as you are all aware, a very special Beverly person, Peter Fortunato, passed away a few days ago. Peter was a highly decorated war veteran. He was the only person in the history of the City of Beverly to be President of the Board of Aldermen, Chairman of the School Committee and Mayor. He was very fair and even handed, never raising his voice and always setting a fine example. Please rise and join me in a moment of silent tribute to Peter Fortunato. Our entry into the Year 2000 is exciting and represents a time of opportunity for the City of Beverly. We have a new City Council made up of four veterans who were with me from the first day in F)~)4 including the three ladies, Joyce McMahon, Virginia McGlynn and our new Dean, Maureen Troubetaris. I have believed for years that these three ladies have "uncommon" common sense. Jack Murray, the only unopposed Council candidate in the last election rounds out that group. We have Don Martin and our new president, Tim Flaherty, who joined us two years ago, and we have three new councilors, Ran Costa, Paul Guanci and Tim Smith. The newly elected Council, including its leadership, has a strong accent on youthfulness. Frankly, I welcome this emphasis. Youthfulness brings energy, enthusiasm and a willingness to question old ways of doing things. By my observation every member of the new Council is dedicated to making Beverly better, and I look forward to working with Council President Tim Flaherty and his entire team. Likewise, we have new faces on the School Committee, all bright, energetic and also youthful. Under the leadership of Bill Cahill and with the early return of our fine Superintendent, Bill Lupini, I look forward to two years of great progress within our school system. For the past six years the City Council and I have worked together cooperatively to move Beverly forward. I thank the Council for its help and I thank the employees of the City who have worked hard to make Beverly a better place. Lastly, I thank all the department heads whose efforts have contributed so much to our success. Our commitment has been to make government more productive and efficient and to carefully broaden the business tax base thus increasing our stream of annual revenues. Short-term decisions with a one-time benefit might help but could not be the main thrust. The program has not been intended to merely allow us to stay alive for a few years but to create a foundation for decades of prosperity for this community, not only for our children, but for our children's children. The key has been to make progress without sacrificina our future. Let us look at the progress we have made. We have managed fo produce six consecutive years of budget surpluses which have eliminated our deficit and caused our bond rating to increase four times. The progress made is highly visible; a new school, McKeown; a renovated and enlarged school, Ayers; distinct improvements to the High School, Centerville, McKay, Edwards and Briscoe; in shod bringing these facilities to a reasonable physical state as they wait complete renovation and enlargement. This year Hannah is being upgraded, next year Cove and the process will continue until every Beverly school is in first-class physical condition. We all know that facilities alone do not guarantee a good education, but they help set the tone. The State of Massachusetts is demanding performance and accountability from our schools. We are doing everything possible to provide the necessary resources for this improvement with a 9% total increase in operating funds to our schools from last year to this, despite our having to operate under the constraints of Proposition 21/2. While education is our number one priority, we are also determined to improve the quality of life for all citizens of Beverly. Of course, our success in achieving that goal rests on our ability to broaden the City's tax base through new growth. It was indeed pleasant news to learn that new growth for last year exceeded expectations by $400,0D0 leaving us with a modest cushion of levy surplus in the same amount. While industrial and commercial new growth for last year was the second highest in the past six years, an unanticipated but pleasing surprise was the growth in residential--not from new homes which numbered only 14, that is a total of 14 new homes in Beverly last year--but from renovations and additions which accounted for 85% of residential new growth with little impact on services or loss of green space. The good news is that there is reason to believe that this 'positive phenomenon will continue. Our capital expenditure plans are extensive and they will only grow with time. The bulk of the funds to finance these projects must come from industrial and commercial growth. The Cummings Center project, on which we granted a "TIF" to maximize investment, and with great success I might add, will deliver significant new tax dollars in eighteen months; i.e., starting July 1, 2001 when the impact of half the investment made since acquisition by Cummings will be taken into account in determining the assessed value of the site. We need to remember that it is not the amount invested but the value created which counts, and I am very confident that Bill Cummings is a highly competent investor who has created real value well beyond the $50,000,000 he has invested. The first building along Sam Fonzo Drive is nearing completion. This 68,000 sq. ft. building will be the home of Aero Manufacturing. A second building is about to sfad construction. Eaton Corporation is engaged in discussions with the City whereby in exchange for a modest, cosmetic TIF averaging 3% relief on additional real estate taxes over five years, Eaton would designate Beverly as its worldwide semiconductor operations headquarters and invest $44 million in expanding and equipping its Cherry Hill site over the next two years while creating 150 new jobs. This TIF would parallel the one granted C.P. Clare when that company agreed to make Beverly its worldwide headquarters. The new owners of the Commodore Restaurant plan to markedly upgrade their facility. The former Sword & Shield site on Route 1A is progressing nicely. The Loeb Estate Project is exciting, pleasing to the neighbors and will be a source of new industrial fax revenue to the City while protecting open space. The Cooperative Bank Project and the bakery and apadment project on Cabot Street downtown are significant. The Peabody Building on Cabot Street is nearly completely renovated after many years of disuse. So the news of the economic front is good. People are investing in Beverly. The revenues from the activities I have described allow us to do things to improve the quality of life in our City. Some of these are in progress, such as the Chase Street drainage improvements. Others are now complete, including Phase One of the North Beverly water and sewer infrastructure along Route 97, Trask Street and Henderson Road. This project is just completed and for the first time ever the Airport is connected to the City's sanitary sewer system. The dump capping is just completed. Beverly was ordered to cap the dump in 1986 and the job is finally done. We will have to pay a modest fine of $6,000 to the DEP but that amount pales against the threats of many hundreds of thousands of dollars which were on the table earlier in the process. Work will proceed fo determine how best to use the site for recreational needs. We have refurbished and improved many parks and playgrounds. Our Common is a jewel. The list goes on. I won't dwell on what we have done. but I do wish to identify key projects by Ward on which we hope to proceed in the new term. In Ward I, Route 62 is being improved. That work will proceed throughout the year 2000. The money is in place and contracts have been let. Drainage improvements to Beverly residents near the Danvers line will be an important result. We are very interested in building a new road from Bridge Street to the Ayers School for reasons of fire and pedestrian safety as well as convenience. I hope that we can bring this project along quickly enough to allow construction this summer. The intent is to build the road without the taking of any homes. In Ward II the small road from Cabot Street to Summit Avenue is very high on the list. This project wi[l improve access and egress as well as safety. Engineering work is largely complete. Another project is traffic calming improvements to Lothrop Street naw under design. If this effort is successful, traffic calming techniques will be used elsewhere in the community. The intent of these efforts is to slow traffic and improve safety. I believe it would be in the City"s best interests to acquire the 3.6 acre waterfront Ventron site which we have the right to buy for $925,000. We must push forward with our harbor front study in a timely fashion so that we Can see how the pieces of the puzzle best fit together. In Ward III the Chase Street project has a second phase, i.e., the installation of very large pumps near the Bass River which will insure proper drainage when the river is at high tide. We also intend to push forward with the Public Safety facility. Our current police and fire facilities are very substandard, a condition not fair to citizens or employees. The location at Cummings Center is geographically very close to the optimal location recommended by fire professionals for over twenty years. The financial advantages to the selection of this site are obvious. We have the right to two acres of land for $300. In Ward IV the Lawrence Street Brook Drainage Project will move forward in earnest. This project will benefit hundreds of families now subjected to flooding. We will also complete improvements to Brimbal Avenue between 128 and Essex Street. Engineering will be done to design sanitary sewer services for Boyles Street and Cross Lane. In Ward V we will pursue Phase Two of the water and sewer improvements near the Airport along Route 97 from Trask to Henderson and along Henderson. That project will create a low cost option to divert storm drainage from the Vitale site to the Bass River if that is determined to be desirable. Currently the Vitale site drains to Wenham Lake. We will also make significant drainage improvements to the Raymond Farms area and reduce the amount of storm water runoff which currently enters the sanitary sewer system. An extremely important quality of life project in Ward V is the interchange project near the Burger King on Route 128. When completed this project will take significant traffic off Brimbal Avenue, take all Music Theatre traffic off local streets by moving it directly on and off Route 128. It will also decrease air pollution, improve safety and add convenience. It should also allow reasonable access to the beautiful Norwood Pond for all Beverly residents. We would also hope to dredge the pond using private and public funds. As an incidental benefit the project will add value to some existing industrially zoned land. The original idea was to create an overpass. To this end State funds of $5,000,000 were set aside. With time and analysis the idea shifted to that of an interchange. It is true that the interchange concept is more expensive, and we will need more State funds as well as private funds and possibly some City funds to make this a reality, but I believe as people more fully understand the project it will have great appeal and, hopefully, cause no one any pain. In Ward V we also have to conduct drainage studies in several areas. Additionally, the Route 1A Project will be fully active next year. That project will significantly improve traffic flow on 1A by creating turning lanes af Henry's Market, the North Beverly Plaza and the North Beverly train station. This project will no doubt be a source of inconvenience during the course of the year but the improvements will be worth any inconvenience. Lastly, we intend to design and build a second fire station near the Brimbal Avenue and Route 128 intersections. in Ward VI the Chubbs Brook Project will move forward. The State has determined that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR] will be necessary. That will slow the project slightly but make for a better end result. The Grover Street Project contact has been awarded and will proceed. We expect the Loeb Estate Project will proceed expeditiously. Later this winter the new externally readable water meter project will be put out to bid and will include a provision for second meters. As part of the project we will also address the low flow problems of many older homes caused by corroded and partially blocked lines from water mains to these homes. As an overall statement of policy, it is our intention to solve all storm drainage, sanitary sewer and potable water problems wherever they exist throughout the City. We are aware of many of these problems. If any citizen has such a problem and feels we are unaware of same, please drop us a note af City Hall with a copy to your Ward Councilor. Beyond bricks and mortar we have now hired Master Plan Consultants who along with the Planning Director will guide a group of twelve competent volunteers to be named this month to determine what we want the City to look like in 20 or 30 years and to decide how to achieve those objectives. This review will be intensive. It will question our zoning. It will address bike paths, walking trails, etc. One outcome I am sure is that we will pursue every appropriate means to legitimately limit development in our community. These will include acquisitions, sunset provisions, education of the citizenry on the creation and benefit of conservation restrictions, etc. While we cannot buy every piece of land that may come available, we will be active in this regard, and we will create acquisition priorities. At the same time we must find ways to provide sufficient athletic fields to meet the need for active recreation. It is not right that we cannot have sufficient athletic fields in a city which is half forested. Both passive and active recreation are equally noble and the space required to meet active needs is tiny in the overall. The Recreation Commission has said it needs seven new fields. One of these we have courtesy of the Batchelders. One can be reclaimed at Briscoe. The other five would require only about ten acres in a City with over 15 square miles of space or about 1/l O,000th Of the City's area. If the Vifale site of 18 acres on Henderson Road and Cabot Street can be made available for recreation, I believe it can be the home of a skating facility and three of these fields without threat to the environment. Studies by environmental engineers on the Vitale site will be completed shortly. Everything I have seen to date suggests that no remedialion of this site will be necessary. As I mentioned earlier, we will have the option to drain runoff from that site either to Wenham Lake or the Bass River but, importantly, without threat to the water supply in either case. On other fronts the City needs to step forward and significantly increase recycling. We have been fortunate to have low tipping fees, i.e., disposal costs per ton tor our trash, but these will soon increase very significantly. Beyond that more recycling is just the right thing to do. There are problems with condominium trash collection throughout the City. Residents in some condominiums pay separately for trash collection while others receive these services from the City. It appears that in most cases no recycling of condominium trash is Practiced. These questions need investigation and fair resolution in the very near term. While the economy continues fo hum and the unemployment rate is low, there are those less fortunate among us. As you know, we recently took steps to be able to respond to an increase in homelesshess. The use of the McDonald's property is a one-time temporary response for this winter only. If a future need exists it must be met at some other location. We will carefully monitor the use of this shelter in the coming weeks, and I will work closely with the City Council to determine what further actions are appropriate as we get a better handle on the dimensions of this issue. All across our nation communities are looking inward. City governments specifically are getting involved in non-traditional areas such as character education and civil behavior. As we know, character traits such as honesty and respectful behavior are the traditional province of the family. But with certain societal changes in recent years, we find that governments, especially the education and public safety sectors, must become involved for the common good. We need no reminder, rm sure, about how respectful behavior in many areas of community life has deteriorated, whether that behavior is on the highway, on the playing field or at public events. And we have examples such as that of Columbine High School to remind us that we must make every effort to ensure that all of our citizens, regardless of their economic or cultural backgrounds, are included in the life of the community. We plan some specific steps in the year ahead. I have asked members of the Violence Prevention Committee to continue to serve our citizens. They will plan and implement a Youth Summit this year that will include all segments of our community. Participants will debate and write a Youth Charter that will set standards for civil behavior and discourse in our City. In addition, the Committee will oversee the second Rights, Respect and Responsibilities Week and the selection of Beverly's Best Neighbor. I will ask the Police Department to carry out a comprehensive awareness program aimed at curbing traffic speeds on our City streets, including Cabot and Ranfoul Streets. The speed of vehicles and the behavior of their operators is a growing concern of people throughout the City. The Youth Summit is one of several Millennium Year milestone events planned this year. Other events include: The traditional Homecoming Event during the summer. The Beverly Historical Society will open a major exhibit of the Korean War. That conflict started 50 years ago this year and it involved many Beverly citizens. One of those servicemen, Joseph Vittori, was awarded the Congressional Medal for his bravery. George Washington's first ship, The Hannah, was launched 225 years ago on September 5. Washington's Naval Base and the City plan a birthday party for the Hannah later this year. Plans are underway to hold a major Arts and Crafts Festival on Beverly Common involving the City, Beverly Historical Society and the Montserrat College. Also in the works is a think-tank workshop and debate on the future of our City. If I may dream a little bit, I would like to see the land which wraps around the Bass River become more beautiful. Perhaps we could dredge the river despite the presence of pollutants in the soil beneath. I am led to believe that other communities have done so. Perhaps we could engineer a solution which would keep the tide high in the river but allow for sufficient water exchange to prevent stagnation, similar to what happens with the Charles River between Boston and Cambridge. Perhaps we could extend a public walkway along the entire perimeter. On another front, a real estate transfer tax may well be enacted by the State Legislature. If so and if adopted in Beverly, it would create a significant source of funds for acquisition of conservation land, historic sites, waterfront sites and active recreational sites. In yet another arena, I would like to see first graders in our public schools, at least some of them, taking their entire education in a foreign language, perhaps one group in French, another in Italian, another in Spanish. Research shows that anyone can learn any language with little difficulty and no accent if significant immersion takes place early. To make Bevedy all that if can be will require the continued efforts of all of us. It will require a level Of volunteerism even greater than what we have enjoyed in the past, and that is considerable. As we walk through the doors of the year 2000, I urge all of you to carefully consider volunteering to help make Beverly a better place. It's easy to do. Just drop me a note expressing your interest and background. And let me close by thanking all the volunteers who have done so much for our City. It is my intention to have a night of celebration later this year to recognize the efforts of all these good people. In this regard, I would like to take a moment to congratulate the Millennium Quilt Committee for their outstanding work in creating this beautiful quilt which they have given to the City for the enjoyment of all citizens, present and future. Volunteers do make the difference between average and special. Our volunteers do make Bevedy special. As I said at the outset, our entry into the Year 20O0 is exciting and a time of oppodunify. Come be a part of it. CITY COUNCIl MEETING Call to Order RO// Ca//.' All Council Mernber~ were present Communications from His Honor the Mayor Communications from Other City Officers and Boards #2 City Clerk City Hall Bevedy, Mass. 01915 Dear Fran: This is to notify you that I have made the following appointments: Committee on Finance and Property Joyce McMahon, Chair Timothy Flaheri'y John Murray Committee on Leaal Affairs and Accounts Donald Martin, Chair Maureen Troubetads Timothy Smith Committee on Public Service and Aid Virginia McGlynn, Chair Paul Guanci Ronald Costa Very truly yours, Timothy P. Flahedy Receive and Place on File Communications, Applicalions end Pet/lions #3 Communication from Massachusetts Department of I~evenue, Division of Local Services relative fo extension of time for mailing FY2000 actual tax bills from December 3], 1999 fo January 15, 2000 Ch. ] 58 Sec 4 of the Acts of ] 999. Referred to the Committee of the Whole Reporls from Committees.' #3 The Committee of the Whole to whom was referred the matter of communication relative to acceptance of M.G.L chapter 59, Section 4 have considered said matter and beg leave to repod as follows, to wit: Submit the accompanying order and recommend its adoption ORDERED: That the City Council accept MGL Section 4 of Chapter 158 of the Acts of ]999 which extends the time of mailing fiscal year 2000 actual fax bills from December3], 1999 to January ]5, 2000. Order read once and adopted Motions and Orders.' Meeting Adjourned at 1:00 PM 8ened/Ct/O~ ReK George J. Butera, Pastor SL John the Evonge/isl Attest: Frances A. Macdonald, CMC City Clerk