Okay.

Thank you all.

And uh good evening.

I'm Ben Wheeler.

I use he, him pronouns.

I'm a counselor at large and the finance committee chair.

It is 6.07 p.m.

And I'd like to call to order the Tuesday, May 26th, 2026, meeting of the Finance Committee of the Somerville City Council.

This meeting of a city council committee will be conducted via remote participation following chapter two of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' acts of 2025.

We'll post an audio video recording and a comprehensive record of these proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting on the City of Somerville website and local cable access government channels.

We are joined by Clerk Delaney Fisher Cassial.

Clerk, could you please call the role to establish quorum?

Yes, I can.

This is roll call.

Counselor Link.

Counselor Stress.

Got it.

Counselor Strasso.

Present.

Counselor Hart.

Here.

Counselor Scott.

Present.

Chair Wheeler.

Present.

All right.

With that, we do have all members here.

So we have thank you.

So as a general note, if I pronounce your name wrong or I get your title wrong or use the wrong pronouns for you, please don't hesitate to interrupt me.

I want to get it right.

We will be taking up our 16-item agenda in the order posted with at least one exception.

So just at the outset, regarding item 16, ID 26-0378, the 231,635 grant for body word and camera program.

It's been suggested to me by the city's intergovernmental affairs office that it would make sense to take this item up after the council's uh May 28th meeting, where I believe, although I have not seen an agenda yet, that we will be taking up the collective bargaining contract of the police department.

Um Liaison Radassi, do you have any comments on this suggestion from IGA?

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um for the record, my name is Yasmir Adasi, legislative liaison for the intergovernmental affairs team.

Uh yes, we are hoping.

I I'm not sure why the agenda hasn't been posted yet, but we're hoping to have the appropriation for the ratification of the collective bargaining agreement on the agenda for this Thursday, so that we can engage in an open conversation with all of the city counselors as a whole, as a whole body, um, and and discuss everything that's been going on in executive sessions and have that all out in the open to give additional context and inform the decision for this grant.

Thank you, Lia Zi.

Um, I'll just say that timing does make sense to me.

I'm just curious to hear from anyone else on the committee, if there's anybody who feels otherwise.

Uh Counselor Scott.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh and I'm only speaking as one counselor.

Um, but if my city counselor were to vote to ratify a collective bargaining agreement uh on the night that it was submitted, uh, with the attendant cost to the city, as well as bundling in this topic, which has been uh one of great discussion and great discussion by the council up to this point.

Um, I'd be pretty mad.

And as one individual counselor, uh, I absolutely have no intention of allowing a discussion leading to a vote on these two items to happen in a single council meeting.

I think that's wildly irresponsible.

So do as you will.

Uh certainly there's room for discussion, but if there is any attempt to move these items to a vote, um, there will be a problem.

Thank you.

Vice Chair Scott, I think those are great points, and I think Liaison Radasi has a comment on that.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Yes, our intention is not to ask for a vote on the 28th.

I think the intention is to introduce it and then lay it on the table so that we have time to get public comment and then discuss it on the meeting of the June of June 11th uh that's certainly a better uh suggestion.

I am uh curious, Mr.

Mr.

Chair, what is our upcoming meeting cadence given that we have uh budget season going on here?

That is a great question.

So the next finance committee meeting is I believe on Tuesday, June 16th.

The sorry, the next the next one that is a regular finance committee meeting and is not say a departmental presentation.

Um is on Tuesday uh June 16th.

And then my understanding is that may be the final one of the fiscal year.

Um this is a question actually that I am curious to ask uh of the clerks as well.

Um I'm forgetting if I I do not have one on my calendar for the last Tuesday in June, the 30th of June.

And uh I'm just forgetting if that's by design.

Uh if that's sort of because of an expectation of a recess or what.

Um it may just be it may be my own fault for my own calendaring.

Uh yeah, so I'm I'm sorry, the the chair is yours, vice chair.

Uh no, my my uh just just the floor.

I keep saying that word.

That's all right.

That's all right.

I I I paid for the whole chair, but I only use the edge of it.

These meetings are so exciting.

Um I would just say customarily your cadence on that would uh I believe be to have a meeting July 7th, um, which might be good to give a little breathing room.

Um that said, you know, keeping that June 30th open for say the scenario, the unlikely scenario in which uh, for example, the city council uh votes to reject the budget.

Um there will potentially be need to scramble to meet those uh June 30th uh deadlines.

So I'd say keeping that meeting date open makes a lot of sense to me.

Given that our only uh committee meeting, which is not dedicated to the budget season is again on June 16th.

I can understand the desire to have this uh held in city council.

I might just say that um ask asking him for its approval on the 11th, when our uh departmental reviews haven't really started yet, might be a bit of a stretch.

It might get approved on the same night as the budget itself on the 25th, which would seem to be appropriate to me if it was up for approval.

But uh given that the plan is to uh talk about these in front of the whole council at once.

Sure.

I don't have a problem with uh discharging uh discharging this one without a recommendation, if that's uh the desire of the chair.

Thank you.

Thank you, Counselor Scott.

Yeah, I wasn't sure about the two alternatives of uh discharging this without a recommendation or uh keeping it in committee.

Um I guess the the official words would write would be uh postponing it to uh to a known date.

I I never have the the words quite right for these things, but uh we could uh discharge and put it back in the hands of uh the city council um or we could keep it in committee to be discussed in more detail in that uh Tuesday, June 16th meeting in preparation for then going back to the uh June 25th city council meeting.

It's also fine by me, Chair.

Any other members of the committee have a preference?

Then oh yeah, counselor Hart.

Uh I was just gonna say, I if I'm understanding everything correctly, it seems like discharging it back to the council will give us the most flexibility because then uh council, we could send it back to committee if desired.

I in my mind, um, it's really a question of uh if there will be more context to hear a presentation, you know, hear more information from the police department uh on this item.

It seems like the finance committee would be the appropriate place for that, and then we could come back with a recommendation to the whole council.

Sounds good.

Okay.

Well, then I move to um clerk.

Would you please help me with the the correct language for this to postpone this item to the next finance committee meeting?

Um we wanted to keep this in committee.

Oh, sorry, um, Councilor Scott.

I just was gonna say you don't need to postpone for a date certain.

You can simply keep the item in committee, Mr.

Chair.

Okay.

Uh thanks.

Um I'm learning these nuances.

I just met with our new head clerk today to try to ask for a bit more detail uh on some of these.

So uh we will keep this one in committee.

Okay.

Thank you all, and I appreciate your patience with uh the learning curve.

Okay, moving on to the regular scheduled agenda, item one, ID 26-0724, approval of the mean minutes of the finance committee meeting of April 21st, 2026.

Any comments from the committee?

Then this item is laid on the table to recommend approval at the end of the meeting.

Okay, appropriations.

Item two, ID 26-0803, a 182,469 dollar appropriation for health care for the homeless program.

Um I believe we have uh finance manager for health and human services.

Anoop Malik on this call.

Is that the case?

Um and finance manager Malik, uh, do you also have anyone else from HHS?

Uh True Chair, uh, I have my um uh director um as well for the uh HHS Health and Human Services.

Uh wonderful.

Um so finance manager Malik and Director of Health and Human Services, Karen Carroll.

Uh could you please tell us about this appropriation?

Uh true chair.

Umik, uh Health and Human Services Finance Manager, along with uh director of Health and Human Services, Karen Carroll.

Um this item we are requesting approval to appropriate uh 182,004 sixty-nine dollars from the opioid recovery and remediation stabilization fund for the healthcare for the homeless program.

I have a little uh blurb I would like to share as well.

Um the healthcare for the homeless program is a necessary service for the unhoused in Somerville and has been operating since 2020.

The program builds trust and creates pathways for reliable care, including more in-depth assessments at the Somerville-based clinic, access to health insurance, referrals to wrap around services, and direct admits to the hospital when necessary.

A significant percentage of the beneficiaries of this program also suffers from substantial use disorder.

This street medicine program provides life-saving medical care when folks need it the most.

Thank you so much, uh, Mr.

Malik.

Anyone from the council uh from any members of the committee have any comments on this item?

I see Councillor Link.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh, through you.

Uh I guess my my first question is that the it was there's the term the vendor used several times.

Who is the vendor?

Uh through chair, um, counselor link, uh the vendor has yet to be determined because we're working with uh procurement.

Um we want to make sure procurement requirements are uh met and uh fully adhered to.

Um, but a prospective vendor out there is Cambridge Health Alliance.

Okay.

Um that that makes sense to me.

Um I guess my my next question is um while healthcare for the homeless is 100% what we should be doing.

Um, is this um are we sure that this is an appropriate use of the abatement funds?

I know there are restrictions on like what it can be used for.

Um it's you know, specifically that it has to be used to help people who are suffering from substance use disorder.

Uh I don't know.

Um I'm not an expert, but uh it it did like raise a little bit of uh like uh an alarm bell to me.

So I'm just can we confirm that this is an appropriate use of these funds?

Uh through chair, uh counselor link.

Yes, um, over uh the last about two months, um, myself and uh director Karen Carroll and uh Tina Lowe's, uh the director of prevention services that couldn't be here today, um, have been looking uh more closely into it, but particularly Tina Lowe's, um, who has been the lead in ensuring that opioid funds are being used.

Um, we are happy to be able uh, especially that we're meeting the restriction requirements here.

Uh the purpose the funds were given to to the city of Somerville, and it has been determined uh that the funds are being appropriately used.

Um, and so she's been a lot more involved, but I myself happy now as well because we early have to report on uh opioid um to the state as well as part of the spending and whether there is spending or not.

We we we still have to report uh the basically what our plans are for the use of the funds.

Okay.

Um I think that's that's good for me for now.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Counselor Link.

Counselor Hart.

Thank you, Chair.

Um, and through you, I just wanted to you know say I I think that this program is really important, and I'm really glad we have it.

Um I also just have a couple of other questions to want to, because I want to understand the program better.

Um so it's been operating since 2020.

Has Cambridge Health Alliance been the vendor since then, or is this a change in vendors potentially.

Counselor Hart, um my understanding is that they are currently uh providing uh the service.

And uh I would like to look back in our in my notes and together with uh uh confirmation from uh Tina Lowe's, uh the director of prevention services.

I'm happy to uh share back uh the exact response to your question.

Um I believe they have been providing uh for more than a year uh these services, but I'm not 100% sure if they were um since 2020.

Okay.

Uh through the chair, thank you so much.

Um I just have uh uh two more kind of interrelated questions, so I'll just ask them both um at the same time.

So one is I uh I understand the the point that you made um through you, Chair um to uh Mr.

Malik, the about the trust building and the relationship building.

Um I'm wondering if there's a since it is uh you know a contracted vendor, you know, if there's a way that there's a if there's a system for sharing information among other providers um in the city um in a way that can you know be most beneficial to the recipients of the care.

Um and then also wondering there was a uh line in the memo about working with the vendor on a long-term sustainability plan.

And I was just curious if you could tell us more about that and what what that means exactly, what that would look like.

And thank you.

Uh through Chair.

Uh Councilor Hart, uh the long term uh here is uh the hope is that um, and this is the hope for uh director Karen Carroll and Tina Lowe's together with me that we have a successful vendor who can uh um provide the services um in full, but the understanding is that the funds appropriated uh for approval um in this meeting would only cover the year 2027.

Um as we assess this um together with uh you know long-term uh plan, um, we want to be sure that we have a sustainable vendor who can uh fulfill our needs.

Um, you know, if they can also provide the services in the future.

But that that would be a um it would be a testing phase for us for FY27 to be sure that um, you know, maybe the vendor that would provide the services in 27 would maybe the lender in the future years, but we want to be uh sure that we are following the procurement requirements and um we um we we would go from there uh for our future plans, but that is a question we have been assessing internally um for for the Twilio Pops.

Through the chair, thank you so much.

Um and I don't if you have any comments about the the first question about um you know how is care coordinated with other um service providers through chair uh counselor Hart, I will have to get back to you on that cushion.

Um I would love to get uh Tina Lowe's uh the director of prevention services uh uh thought on that.

Um she couldn't make it tonight, uh, but I I would be happy to get back to you on that through IGA.

Through the chair, thank you so much.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, uh Mr.

Malik and also Director Carroll.

Uh, and I appreciate my colleagues' uh questions.

I feel like asking questions about our services is a really important form of support.

Uh and that that's the spirit that I hear these questions being asked in.

Uh I'm glad to have these uh these inquiries and this attention to detail uh on the part of everybody, including the city staff.

Thank you.

Thank you so much here.

Okay, if there's no more discussion on this item, it's laid on the table to recommend approval at the end of the meeting.

Moving on to the next item.

Uh, item three, a mayor's request ID 26-0738 requesting approval to establish an arts council furniture account and to use $2,000 and available funds from the Arts Council Professional and Technical Services Account to purchase new desks and chairs for staff.

Director Strutt, could you please tell us about this request?

Sure.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Very quickly, we have a few staffers sharing a workstation.

And when they both come in on the same day, some of them are part-time.

There's not enough room in our office.

So we're looking to get a couple of desks that are the same size so we can put them back to back and create good workstations.

Historically, we've always used stuff that's come up through the city or even found stuff on the street.

But in this case, we're looking to buy it a few matching um desks.

Thank you.

Wonderful.

Any questions from members of the committee?

Okay.

Seeing none, this item is laid on the table or the desk, so to speak, to recommend approval at the end of the meeting.

And thank you for coming.

Thank you.

Okay.

Item four, mayor's request 26-073 requesting approval of a transfer of $4,000 from the Community Preservation Act on undesignated fund balance to the CPA Historic Preservation Reserve.

Now sometimes, oh yes, there I see.

Sometimes I don't immediately see the person who I think is is here to speak.

I believe that we have OSPCD of Strategic Planning and Community Development.

Thank you.

Through the chair, this is a minor uh budget adjustment correction from uh stemming back a couple years that uh is catching up with us now uh a couple years ago.

We underestimated our uh debt service payment on the uh historical reserve account.

Um it didn't really impact us uh last year uh because the timing of when we had to encumber the contracts, we were kind of on to the next year.

Um, but this year we kind of moved through our award cycle uh a little quicker.

So we have to replenish that historic reserve account uh in order to fully encumber all of uh this year's historic uh awards in the historic uh CPA category.

So with that, I'll uh open it up to any questions.

Thank you, Director Inacio.

Any questions or comments from the committee on this?

Okay, seeing none, this item is laid on the table to recommend approval at the end of the meeting.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Have a good night.

You too.

Okay, contracts and agreements item five, mayor's request 26-0763, requesting approval to enter into a 60-month contract renewal term with waste management of Massachusetts, Inc.

for solid waste disposal.

I believe we have Commissioner of Public Works, Eric Wiseman.

Uh Commissioner Wiseman, could you please tell us about this contract renewal?

Oh, yes, thank you, Chair Eric Wiseman, Commissioner of Public Works.

Um, we are coming to the end of our disposal contract uh with waste management.

Um, and just as a reminder, this is the contract that covers um the tipping of the waste, not the hauling of the waste or the tipping of recycling.

This is specifically tipping municipal solid waste.

And um we were in the process of uh negotiating this contract, speaking to um other uh vendors, and uh they made an offer for a um, I think I we shared a memo, but uh they offered a uh three-year and a five-year deal.

We had subsequent negotiations to lower the cost of the uh five-year deal.

Um it uh it has the potential for significant savings to the city.

So that is why we are requesting uh a five-year deal in this case.

Thank you, Commissioner Wiseman.

Um I want to open the floor to any members of the committee.

Uh Councilor Hart Thank you, Chair.

Um, and thank you, Commissioner Weisman.

Um, I I really appreciate the the savings and um and the work to negotiate that.

Um, I just have a question.

I'm hoping that we're gonna move as a city towards um municipal composting and compost pickup, you know, within the next 60 months, you know, hopefully much sooner than 60 months.

So I just wondered, is there a flexibility in the contract that would allow for you know uh that kind of uh change.

Sure.

Through the chair.

Um, this contract is as long as you're uh following state disposal rules, they don't care.

So um this is a uh per ton rate.

So uh composting, we anticipate will lower the total tonnage.

So we will I think realize additional savings that way.

Thank you.

Through the chair.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

I'm not seeing other hands from other members of the committee.

Um Commissioner Wiseman, uh, you used the term tipping.

Yes.

Would you help me out here as someone?

Thank you, Chair.

Yeah, that's uh that like to I I believe the term comes from when um trash trucks tip out their waste onto a uh uh uh a landfill or a transfer station.

So hauling is moving and tipping is dumping.

Thank you.

Appreciate that.

Um my other question, uh, this is sort of in the spirit of acknowledging how how little I know, just speaking for myself, about some of the items that the city spends you know quite a bit of money on because it's of great value to the city.

Uh I appreciate how this memo breaks down um some of the the reasoning around why we're doing the 60 month term that that offers better better rates than a shorter contract.

Is there anything else in considering this type of contract that we should be considering?

And you know, I'm sure there are many things that your office has considered.

Yes.

Thank you, Chair.

That's an excellent question.

So um I I think one of the key issues we have to look at is the logistics of transporting solid waste.

Um, it's possible in theory, we could get like lower rates up in New Hampshire, but that wouldn't like um it would be very difficult logistically to haul to New Hampshire every day.

So those sort of things are also taken uh into account.

Um I'm trying to think other other issues.

Tipping is sort of um, you know, there's just uh there's limited uh uh variables.

It's really location and um, you know, terms of the agreement.

Um it's a pretty pretty straightforward contract.

Thanks.

And then oh, I'm seeing a hand from Counselor Scott.

Counselor Scott.

I mean, please go continue your questions.

I'll just jump in after you said sure.

Thank you.

Uh I'm I'm always curious.

You know, I imagine there's not a long list of different companies that could provide this service for the city of Somerville or any any surrounding municipality.

I'm curious how we approach making sure we're getting a good price in a situation where there may not be that many possible vendors.

Sure, thank you.

Uh so uh we over the past couple of years have spoken to many haulers um dumping locations.

Uh that you're right that there aren't that many um shops in the area, and many of them um like have had there there are limited locations to to dump at.

Uh there are uh like dumps and then there are transfer stations.

One of the things that we did was talk to um uh a couple of locations and uh looked at whether we could uh include a backup location, things like that.

Um, but yeah, we're we're able to like negotiate directly with uh with uh disposal sites for this kind of contract.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Counselor Scott.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Just uh just a quick one.

So our existing contracts for collection with Boston Carding uh remain in service, and then this is just simply the place that they transfer their pickups to, correct?

Uh through the chair, yes, that's correct.

That's this is where Boston Carding and our own trash trucks uh dump our solid waste.

Yeah, just making it crystal clear, folks.

Uh and there are only so many folks who accept solid waste like this.

Um I I did I will admit I looked into uh just cursorily.

Uh are we aware of whether or not um this waste management or these collection sites, the primary site and the backup site, are those uh do we know if they have any active union contracts.

Uh through the chair, uh I'm not sure.

Uh I I should know this.

I know um Casella's a Teamster shop waste management.

I I'm not sure the answer to that, but um they yeah, I don't I'm sorry, I don't know the answer to that.

I should, but I don't.

I mean, I'd love to find out.

Um yeah, I'd be happy to find that out for you.

Uh that would that would be great.

Waste innovation sagas, I guess, is the the entity in question.

So um yeah, I I think I'd be curious to know about that.

I think it'd be helpful for uh for my colleagues.

Thanks.

Absolutely, thank you.

If there's no other questions or comments from members of the committee, then this item is laid on the table to recommend approval at the end of the meeting.

And thank you, Commissioner.

Okay.

Thank you all.

Uh that takes us to the next item.

Uh Mayor's request ID 26-0740 requesting approval of a time-only contract extension until May 22nd, 2027 for the contract with UEL Contractors Inc.

for the completion of improvements at Junction Park.

And I believe we have Director of Finance Administration, Alan Inassio, to speak on this item as well.

Director Anasio, is that right?

Sorry if there was somebody else who's going to speak on this item.

I'm sorry, Counselor, could you repeat the item?

Uh no problem at all.

Um it uh the junction park item is that.

Oh, yes.

This is just a uh I apologize through the chair.

No, no problem.

This is just a uh routine extension to uh finish up some punch up uh uh punch list items.

The project is uh essentially complete.

There's just some wrap-up items that we need to um tidy up with the uh general contractor, and then uh the contract should be wrapping up well before uh the extension date.

We just don't want to have to come back.

Totally understand.

Um just a reminder to everyone a time-only contract extension is no more money from the city, just more time legally for the contractor to finish.

Any comments or questions on this from the committee?

Seeing none, this item is laid on the table to recommend approval at the end of the meeting.

And thank you.

Umancial districting.

Mayor's request ID 26-0745 requesting approval of an amendment to the assembly square district improvement financial financing district map and program to include the Assembly Square Fire Station, 45 Middlesex Avenue, and improvements to the intersection of Middlesex Avenue and Mystic Avenue.

Uh now I believe we have Director of Finance Edward Bean, Director of Economic Development.

Uh or director of the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, Tom Galligani, and uh director of strategic planning and community development, Rachel Montcarney.

Is that correct?

And did I get anyone's name or title wrong?

Okay, I'm seeing some thumbs up.

Um directors, I'm not sure who wishes to speak first, but please take it away.

Uh I'll take over if you don't mind.

Uh thank you, Chairman.

This is Tom Galligani, executive director of OSPCD.

Tonight we're requesting approval of an amendment to the Assembly Square District Improvement Financing Program and Plan, which was approved first back in 2010.

This amendment reflects two important infrastructure investments that have emerged since the diff was originally established in 2010.

The acquisition of the new Assembly Square Fire Station at 45 Middlesex Avenue, and planned safety improvements at Middlesex and Mystic Avenue intersection.

By incorporating these projects into the diff district, the city will have access to more favorable financing tools that can reduce long-term costs and support critical public infrastructure investments in one of Somerville's most active growth areas.

Members of the committee, I see Counselor Link.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh, through you.

Uh I'm just curious what kind of um, you know, I know that's the look at the intersection of um, you know, Middlesex and uh Mystic.

I feel like that's that's had a lot of work done already.

Uh maybe I'm wrong.

Uh so I'm just curious like what what else is what needs to be done there.

Through the chair.

Yes, you've seen a lot of improvements, mostly related.

Well, there are two different things that are happening.

You see the improvements that the developer has made on that block um that includes the fire station, the parking garage, and the building at 188 Assembly Park Drive.

You've also seen a lot of mobilization and work from Mass DOT as they try to fix that whole massive intersection where Route 2838 and I-93 all come together.

And the concept is to straighten out this specific intersection between the intersection of Mystic and Middlesex to turn it over so it makes a straight a right angle so that it's not this odd um angle that it the approach provides.

So it's really just fixing that specific piece of the of uh the intersection.

Very nice.

Thank you very much.

I see Director Bean.

Yes, I'm sorry, Mr.

Chairman.

My video doesn't seem to be working here.

But one of the advantages of including, let's say, this new Assembly Square Fire Station under the diff district is the law gives us flexible borrowing terms.

In other words, we may be able to borrow on a short-term basis at lower rates over a longer period of time than we would under the general municipal borrowing uh laws.

So we're going out to borrow $7 million in a couple of weeks for the uh assembly square fire station, and we'll be borrowing on a short-term basis, a bond anticipation note.

And we would have the flexibility to uh continue that type of borrowing over five-year period, which we would not have under normal circumstances.

Thank you, Director.

Um I have a follow-up question on that.

I I'm a bit new to the idea of district improvement financing.

And as I understand it, part of the idea is that the incremental tax income from developing that district and and getting more real estate income gets uh sort of specially designated to be used for for further investments in that area, so that the sort of outsized investment the city is making in a particular area is paid for in part by the rising taxes that that development is enabling.

Is that a decent summary or am I missing something?

In theory, that's the case.

The actual increment is actually not segregated, it's still part of the general fund.

But in essence, that is is how the uh the law was conceived.

Um popularly known as TIFF throughout the other parts of the country.

But uh to me, as I said before, the big advantage here is we have flexible borrowing terms.

We can uh borrow at a short-term rate over five years, a lower rate.

The short-term rates now at 2.5%.

If we had to borrow this long term right now, we'd be paid about 3.5.

So you know, we'll save us money, give us some flexible terms here.

We see how the market goes over time and determine how we're gonna borrow it.

And that's because the state's framework for the diff provides for those borrowing terms.

Yes, yes.

The normal framework is this.

You can borrow short term for two years, then you must borrow long term, which means principal and interest payments.

All right.

So we adopted the the diff back in 2010.

It really helped us uh finance the infrastructure pretty quickly.

And the uh development um income came in to uh uh to relieve the debt uh at a pretty quick uh fashion.

Thank you.

Um are there any reasons why a municipality would not want to add more areas on a map to a diff.

I I don't I don't see uh a reason why we wouldn't at this particular point in time.

Assembly square is going to grow over time.

There's gonna be further development down there, further development revenues coming in to expand the tax base.

Okay, thanks.

Any other questions or comments from members of the committee?

Okay, seeing none, this item is laid on the table to recommend approval at the end of the meeting.

And thank you, Director.

Uh okay, bond servicing.

Mayor's request 26-0818.

Requesting approval to appropriate $3,940,95 from the street reconstruction and resurfacing stabilization fund to the street resurfacing bond fund to pay down street reconstruction and resurfacing expenses.

Um Director Bean, uh, I imagine you may be interested in speaking on this item.

Um, and I am also uh seeing there's some other folks, but why don't we go to you to begin with?

Director Bean.

Okay, thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

So, as I noted in the presentation a few months ago, back in April, the city is facing a deficit.

We've we're ready to close that deficit and submit to you a balanced budget on June 4th.

Part of that strategy is to shift financing of these capital projects.

So you'll see a number of appropriations from stabilization funds to finance uh amounts that we would need to borrow in two weeks in June to uh uh recompense these bond accounts.

So these are incured expenses.

These are projects that the council's approved some time ago, and we've paid out and we go we would be going to market the total of all of these monies, not just this one item here, but all of them in front of you would be uh eight million seven hundred and nineteen thousand nine hundred and sixty-four.

If we were to go out and borrow that amount, that would add seven hundred and fifty-one thousand five hundred and fifty-seven dollars into next year's budget by paying cash.

We don't we don't borrow, we save money in next year's budget.

And also importantly, we save money over the life of these loans because the savings will be more dramatic over time, whether they be for 20 years or 15 years or 10 years.

So this is a key strategy that we're employing here.

Um we uh will be drawing more stabilization funds down uh at budget time as well for some other capital projects.

So that's just a general overview of all of these appropriations for each of these uh capital projects.

And uh there may be project managers uh uh who are related to each of these projects that may want to speak on them.

I hope I I hope that uh that explained that the that well, not the questions to be asked.

Uh yes, thank you very much.

And before I go to the committee, I just wanted to check because I know we also have um director of finance and administration for infrastructure and asset management, Michael Richards and director of infrastructure and asset management Rich Raish.

Um so I just wanted to recognize uh them as well.

I'm not seeing uh microphone go off.

So uh why don't we go to our members of the committee?

Counselor Scott.

Chair Wheeler, if I could just very quickly um are we interested in taking all of these items up together, or are we going to be taking them up individually?

Um that seems like a perfectly reasonable suggestion.

Uh, I'm inclined to take them all up together.

Um, shall I read them all in together and with apologies to Counselor Scott?

Okay, thank you.

Maybe just a bit of patience.

Um, in addition to the one we already read, Mayor's request ID 26 0808 requesting approval to appropriate 2,381,625 from the street reconstruction and resurfacing stabilization fund to the Somerville Avenue Streetscape Bond Fund to pay down capital expenses.

Mayor's request ID 26 0810 requesting approval to appropriate $320,000 from the street reconstruction and resurfacing stabilization fund to the Union Square Streetscape and Plaza Bond Fund to pay down streetscape improvement expenses.

And mayor's request ID 26 0807 requesting approval to appropriate $999,000 from the facility construction and renovation stabilization fund to the building improvements bond fund to pay down building renovation expenses.

Okay, thank you for your patience.

Counselor Scott.

Uh thank you, Ms.

Chair.

I was just uh trying to get my head around the existing balances in the stabilization funds.

I know there is one that's posted uh on the finance page.

Uh and I'm just trying to make sure I line up the requisitions here because it looks like just back of the envelope, we're at about uh 4.7 million dollars out of the street reconstruction and resurfacing uh fund.

And honestly, it's tough because it's hard to search this uh this PDF here.

Uh I see the street tree stabilization fund.

Maybe uh Mr.

Chairman for Councillor Scott, I've got I've got it right in front of me.

I can uh read off the the unexpended balances in any one of these.

Uh that'd be great.

What's the current unexpended balance in the street reconstruction and resurfacing?

It is $8,081,843.

All right.

I hesitate to ask, but why can't I find it on this uh sheet of the city of Somerville stabilization cash balances uh that's posted on the I have the latest uh counselor Scott as of today?

So this is unexpended, so maybe a portion of what you have on there is committed.

So I see $3,000 nine thousand nine hundred and twenty-four dollars committed in facility constructions and renovation stabilization and an unexpended balance of 20,797.

I mean I'm sorry, I'm sorry, fit, excuse me, I'm reading the wrong thing.

Committed projects of 3,046,355 and unexpended balance of 8,081,843.

I'm also seeing.

I think if I understand your question right.

Got it.

Yeah.

I so I see that as an 11 point, well, call it 11.2 million dollar balance as of the April uh 2026.

So you're saying it's gone down by No, what it is, what it is, Counselor, is that's the cash balance, but there's encumbrances of three million that are committed.

So the unexpended balance is 8 million eight eighty one thousand eight hundred and forty-three.

Oh, so when you say an encumbrance on a stabilization fund, generally to encumber stabilization fund, it requires a vote of the city council.

Has that already been something that's been approved?

All those votes have been taken, sir.

Yeah.

Oh, okay.

All right, all right.

Just want to make sure.

So that's something that we approved.

It just hasn't gone out the door yet.

That's right.

Uh you know, as you know, these these projects uh, you know, just don't snap your finger, it takes time uh uh to fulfill each of these um these these uh capital projects.

Mr.

Rach can attest to that.

Yeah.

And on the uh $1 million request in item 11, that's from the facility construction renovation stabilization, which the most recent balance I see on that is 23.8 million.

Uh is that encumbered value or post-encumbered value different for you?

Yes, the unexpended balance is 20 million seven ninety-seven two oh three.

This is one that we want to be building up because we have a new elementary school we're gonna need to build uh down the line.

Right.

So this will be about a five percent hit to that fund.

Uh whereas the the hit out of the street reconstruction resurfacing stabilization fund is is significantly higher.

Uh I'm sure there was a shady reason for that.

Um, uh what's the dominant reason here is to net down this potential borrowing.

Yeah.

So that's the key thing to uh provide relief on the fiscal 2027 budget.

Now I would note that at the end of the line here at the budget season, we're gonna be appropriating some free cash uh back to some of these stabilization funds.

So as we normally do.

Yeah, already see the rest of the year.

We haven't quite we have to look at any other expenses that have to be appropriate for for uh free cash, notably the snow removal uh deficit, which is going to be in front of you Thursday night, but a few other matters, and then we look at uh the remaining free cash and see how we can uh get that back into these reserves.

That's right.

And uh I I think I've already seen a raft of uh pre-cash requests starting to come in here at the end of the year.

Uh do we know what our anticipated free cash balance at this point?

Obviously, knowing it's subject to change.

Uh I don't have it in front of me, counselor.

Um we uh, you know, the we probably uh I I don't want to guess I can get that that get that for you, but it will be a rash of uh appropriations or a few that have to go in uh uh for various things.

Uh the snow removal being the big one.

Uh I think there's a few legal settlements that have to have to be submitted and whatnot.

And maybe some closing costs for this seven million dollar purchase of the um assembly square fire station that's still uh in the closing phase.

Right.

I mean, I just as you know, we've had a number of collective bargaining agreements this year.

So it it's incumbent upon us to uh put some money back in the Sally and wage stabilization fund for the future.

Yeah, I was gonna say surely the wage salary wage stabilization fund is being used to uh fund those settlements, but you know, getting ready for the next one that's out.

Uh I do see uh about 1.9 million dollars in free cash appropriations coming up on our meeting on Thursday.

Right.

Um maybe you can give me an order of magnitude.

Are we talking about uh 30 million in free credit free cash or a hundred million?

No, no, no, no, no.

I mean, I the the the overall uh the overall uh certification was like about twenty-three, but we've already paid out as you know, for the uh eminent domain case for the armory, for example.

We paid 3.5 million out on that one.

Okay.

Uh we've had a few others.

I don't have I don't I didn't bring it in front of me here today.

I'll be very happy to go over that with you or with the with the finance committee.

Okay, just just asking questions, director.

I appreciate it.

Sure.

Uh Mr.

Chair, I look, I think this is a fine use of stabilization fund to uh cut down on our borrowing costs and to uh let's say keep our powder dry uh for appropriate borrowing.

But uh I think given all the conversation happening around our municipal finances uh in this particular moment between layoff notices and budget season it's helpful to get that kind of information open.

So I appreciate the conversation and I'm all set.

Thank you, Counselor Scott.

I did see during this conversation uh infrastructure and asset management director Rich Rach's hand go up but then go away I wonder if the moment passed but yeah to the chair just to sort of clarify and and reinforce what Director Bean was saying and uh long counselor Scott's questioning um the we've already appropriated from streets uh reconstruction um that is intended for this year's construction so we won't well it's encumbered this year we won't substantially draw it down until this year next uh and we are eyeing um the balance of building facility stabilization for a number of projects that we have in design um that we're gonna get bid ready um so we'll uh our our longer term strategy is rather than bond for the next um group of buildings which are school facilities um not coincidentally uh we'll be looking at uh stabilization rather than bonding thank you director uh I see your hand up still director bean but I assume that's just from before um and I wanted to check in with counselor Link whose hand also went up and then went down uh Chair uh it's I I I had my questions were all along the same line of counselor Scott's um and just making sure that we're not um drawing down accounts to the point where we're gonna be in trouble later on it sounds like we're not so I'm I'm satisfied thank you counselor Strezzo hi thank you Mr.

Chair okay um through you to director bean um I had a brief conversation with the administration this afternoon on these items and I did not I could not articulate the exact uh phrase I was looking for so I'm going to just describe um the information I'm I'm trying to get uh with these with what we're doing and the strategy we're using uh on this are any of these items um affiliated with um the process that uh some of our our contractors uh not contractors are um utility corporations such as ever source and the strategy they've used remember a couple years back when uh this new strategy uh was going to start uh being emphasized uh used with with road paving and when Eversource did work they were going to be paving the center of the of our side streets and our streets and leaving the um the side uh the outer part of the street unpaved as the work was getting done and that was as I recall completely the obligation of these utility companies doing the work the agreement that the city made with them are any of these items before us on this bond servicing are any of these um connected to that strategy or any of the utility companies or are we going to be paying down any debt where any of these corporations are supposed to be either paying or uh paying the city or helping the city uh pay some of this as some of the work of the what the city does this is really a question for uh for Mr.

Rach Counselor yeah I say generally no because the the way that we use those funds when when Eversource and that grid um pay into our fund we spend that money first as our contractor invoices come in um so we we pay down essentially out of that account that um the utility company has paid into first and then once that account is um exhausted or depleted and that our contractors are continuing to do work we'll then apply those later invoices um to what has been appropriated as bond um authorization from the council so what we're now doing with these actions these are expenses that would have gone to those bonds but we're now instead of uh going out long term on bonds uh spend uh uh reimbursing ourselves out of stabilization for that uh mr chair through you to directoration okay uh so and what what again was that that term of of that that uh procedure of the utility companies doing that because it is just

So what we're now doing with these actions, these are expenses that would have gone to those bonds, but we're now instead of uh going up long term on bonds uh spent uh reimbursing ourselves out of stabilization for that.

Um Mr.

Chair through you to directoration.

Okay.

Uh so and what what again was that that term of that that uh procedure of the utility companies doing that?

Because it is just I can't.

So what what we what we've um done over the past couple years is when a utility company disturbs our pavement, they are um obligated to repair their trenches.

Um and and they they really only do the trench repair uh where they've disturbed.

They don't do the the full width.

Um what we've negotiated with them is rather than them self-performing that trench repair, which requires a whole bunch of our staff time as well to um oversee that.

Uh we have them pay us the cash value of that um of that trench repair, and then we use that uh with our own contractors to do more thorough uh paving, like a wider width of paving um than what they they would uh be repairing.

Um so it's it sort of works out for for both parties.

Um and we're we're pretty happy with the results.

So, you know, it what happens is on an annual basis, we tally up, you know, how many miles of trench that they would have had to repair and we we reconcile those numbers and come to an agreement on the cash value of that.

Um they then pay us, and we have to go to the council to receive those funds and put it into a special account.

Uh, and then engineering has access to those funds in that account.

Uh, and and as our bills come in from our contractor, we draw down those those funds first before we start tapping into anything that we would have to bond for.

We also do the same thing with the um the chapter 90 monies too.

We get we get money from the state, as does every municipality in the state gets chapter 90 monies.

And we always draw those down first on an annual basis before we start leaning on what we would otherwise need to borrow from a bond.

Okay, great.

Um, I'll hop back in line, let my colleagues digest that alongside me, and that's all.

Thank you, counselor.

Um I wanted to step in and make a few comments uh with some help from uh Liaison Radassi and IGA, uh, I took a look at what the um street reconstruction and resurfacing items were that were named in the original appropriation for the bond fund in the first place that we're uh now paying down.

Um and I wanted to just run this by the directors that I have uh to understand I I think for the first one, the 3.9 million dollar uh street item uh that was related to an appropriation request sheet in November 2025.

And um I'm I'm naming these items because uh a few residents asked me, you know, what are what is this money covering?

And even though this appropriation is just covering the bond, it I think it's relevant to name what that bond fund was borrowed in the first place in order to pay for.

And I just wanted to to check if my understanding is right that this involved, and and here I'm just quoting from that appropriation request sheet um design and reconstruction of streets, sidewalks, and ADA accessible ramps on various public roads throughout the city.

Work includes design, engineering services during construction, excavation, gravel borrowing, machine adjustments, drainage inlet reconstruction, curb removal and resetting, curb extensions, median islands, installations of Massachusetts architectural access board slash ADA compliant curb cuts, crosswalk lines, stop lines, double yellow lines, white lines, colored lane markings, and other work as necessary in locations including West Pearl Street, Holy Oak Road, Grandview Avenue, and Aldersee Street.

Does that sound correct, directors?

I don't mean to put you on the spot about every last detail, but uh just wanted to see if I'm in the right ballpark there.

It's uh to the chairs in the right ballpark.

I think um what was about to uh go out to bond that we're deflecting is actually all the rest of what you said would be um what we do, but I think this is actually associated with uh Western Washington.

Um the area near Argenziano and a lot of the traffic improvements through through that stretch.

I believe that was what was about to um go to long-term bond.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

And for you know, to um for the building uh line, the the uh item number 11.

Um a lot of that is associated with the work at Argenziano, um, the kitchen, uh the Argenziano Kitchen, uh, the Kennedy School boil or um chiller uh and some of the employment uh improvements at City Hall.

Uh thanks.

That's the uh the 999,000 dollar.

Correct.

Thank you.

Um that that's helpful.

I did note that uh for a either this exact bond fund or related bond fund um back in 2024, counselors Scott and Said um expressed concern about I guess the timing of that appropriation was that it was known that this money was going to be needed for a variety of different school building improvements and repairs, uh, but it wasn't known yet exactly what it would be spent on.

And I know there was a bit of uncertainty about that.

So I'm glad to follow up and get a little more specifics.

Uh I know sometimes to to quote Director Raish uh at the time, we have to change the tires while the bus is moving.

Um that sounds like me.

But we we we also um take direction from the school bus driver um while changing those tires.

So in in the case of a lot of the school things, we take uh the prioritization from public schools.

And so in this case, it was the Argenziano kitchen um was sort of their priority.

So we we follow their lead on that priority prioritization.

Thank you.

And then uh for the 2.4-ish uh million dollar item.

Um for that one with some assistance from IGA.

Uh it looked like that perhaps was related to uh storm water management, sewer work, trees and plants and bike lanes um along Somerville Avenue east of Union Square.

Correct.

To the chair.

Um and and that you were just talking about the the diff for assembly square, which is director bean described to you, allows us to go short term for a longer amount of time.

Um this was associated with the Union Square death.

Uh, and so this is this is work that was performed.

Um we actually completed it around the time of the pandemic, but we've been short-term um under the the uh you know what's allowable under the diff for that and only need to go long term now.

So rather than go long term and have that you know uh debt service be on our books for a number of years, uh we're gonna use stabilization uh for that.

Thank you, Director.

Members of the committee, any other questions or thoughts.

Okay.

Well, with appreciation for all this work uh and for your presence here.

This item's laid on the table to recommend approval at the end of the meeting.

Thank you.

And moving on to item 12, Mayor's request ID 26-0819 requesting approval to appropriate 545,985 from the Capital Project Stabilization Fund to Fire Pumper Bond Fund 51855 for the purposes of funding a new fire pumper.

And let's go ahead and take this up together with item 13, Mayor's Request 26-0820, requesting approval to appropriate 532,449 from the Capital Project Stabilization Fund to the Fire Pumper Bond Fund 5187 for the purpose of building a new fire pumper.

Uh and then maybe we'll just take those two up together and then and then come back to the next one.

Uh and I believe we have Fire Chief Charles Breen here to speak on these items.

Chief Breen.

I think Ed Bean would probably be best to start off uh on these items.

Thank you very much for the suggestion.

I would love to hear from Director Bean.

Well, same situation as the others we've just approved.

Uh we would be borrowing for these two pumpers in and in a couple weeks.

We want to use stabilization funds to um to jet down the cost.

Thanks so much for that financial context.

And uh if I could pass it back to Chief Breen just to invite you to give any context about the the role of fire pumpers, the importance of a new one.

Um, I think you've all seen uh we're having some, we've been having some maintenance issues on the trucks, they're getting older.

Uh due for replacement.

We have uh one of the pumps will be here in the city, I hope the end of this week or the beginning of next week.

Uh that's been on order since um October of 23.

Uh it's finally going to arrive to us.

We'll have a second pumper that was ordered in uh June of 24, and that should arrive this year in October.

Uh so we'll be in we'll be in much better shape in a in a couple of months, uh year's end.

Thank you so much.

And I saw a hand from Councillor Hart.

Counselor Hart.

Uh, do you still have questions or comments?

Um I think uh I think that answered my question.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Uh Chief Breen, just to ask some very uh uninformed quick questions.

A fire pumper is an entire fire vehicle that is distinct from a ladder truck.

Is that correct?

The pumper carries the water.

Thank you.

They uh they each uh carry uh a tank of 500 gallons of water.

Um, and uh once that runs out, we have to hook up to the to the fire hydrant.

Thank you very much.

You welcome hand from Counselor Link.

Through to uh Chief Freen.

I'm just curious.

Uh you said the first one was ordered in 23 and the other one was ordered in 24.

Is it is it typical for it to take?

Well, was there something that we like?

Did we make it take that long, or is it just typically take that long for uh the pumper to come?

No, the the ever since um a combination of factors since COVID and um there's been buyouts um to all the industry.

Um fortunately for us, uh the company that we buy is a company called Toyne, and they're not part of the uh the the conglomerates uh so to speak.

However, they do the chassis um that they buy is part of they have to buy them off of um a company that is part of the the Rev group.

It's a conglomerate of uh different um different manufacturers.

So they sure they sort of are at the mercy of um when those chassis can be manufactured.

But um they've seen this company here, although they're a smaller company, um, they have seen quite a number of orders also uptick in the last couple of years.

Uh yeah, a combination you have with APA funds available that departments were were using.

Um you had COVID uh whatnot with delayed projects and whatnot.

So it's been a it's been a bunch of different factors um that have caused the delays, but we are uh we are seeing much longer delays than we've been used to.

It's sort of um, you know, caught a lot of uh a lot of us off guard.

Uh and um moving forward, um, we need to take that into consideration now.

Uh when we're going to need a new truck, we have to plan to order it earlier than we would like to.

Yeah, I can appreciate that.

Must be challenging.

Um, and then my my last question is just um, you know, that we we've heard some questions around, you know, like the um the wear that uh sh um safer streets, street calming, um traffic calming uh has on these uh machines.

Is do we think that these newer like the uh it's not lawful me that some of the some of these are you know you I think you said 30 years old.

Um so I'm just curious.

Like, do you think these will um kind of wear better uh on some of those streets?

I'm not totally convinced it's this it's the safe streets that are causing the issues, to be honest with you.

Um I cannot honestly say if it's not uh not the potholes.

I uh you know, and I'm I'm not uh I don't want to throw any shade on the DPW because it's not their fault or anybody else's fault.

But the streets are uh the streets are not in the greater shape right now.

And um, you know, we know that we we know the speed bumps are out there, we know where they are, but when you're going to when you respond to emergency, you can't plan on the potholes.

And um we we hit a lot of potholes, and I think they're causing they're causing a lot of the uh the damage, more than more than the speed bumps and the flex posts or anything like that, to be honest with you.

That's my opinion.

I can't, I don't think we have any data one way or the other that can prove if it's the speed bumps or if it's the bottles.

If the streets were in immaculate condition condition, um I would say it's got to be the speed bumps, but the streets aren't.

And um, I I don't know.

I can't say one way or the other, to be quite honest with you.

Okay, thank you very much, Chief.

Uh third through the chair, thank you very much, Chief.

Thanks so much, Counselor.

Any other comments or questions from the committee?

Okay, seeing none, these items are laid on the table to recommend approval at the end of the meeting.

And that brings us to the next also fire related item.

Mayor's request ID 26-0732 requesting approval to accept and expend an 11,000 dollar grant and a $4,200 grant with no new match required from the Department of Fire Services to the fire department for fire safety education and supplies for school children and senior citizens.

Chief Breen, are you going to speak on this item as well?

Sure, thank you.

Uh to the chair.

This is a grant that we get every year from the state.

It funds two different things.

The safe grant is to go into the schools.

And we teach um school-age children fire safety education.

We also buy um, you know, um fire safety.

Fire safety gifts or whatever you might, I don't know how you um I'm trying to think of the word.

Those uh red flyer helmets that you see that we give out.

Um just to interrupt.

I remember those vividly as a kid going to public schools in Cambridge.

I wanted one so bad.

We have uh we have plenty if you'd like one.

We we'd be glad to share share one with you.

Um, but that's uh that's where we get the money to pay for for things like that.

Pencils, um, stickers, uh anything that promotes uh to school children um fire safety.

Um we have firefighters that go into the schools.

This helps to pay overtime for them to go into the classrooms and spread the fire safety message.

And with the with the safer, uh, it's for the uh senior residents of the city.

It allows us to do uh safety talks.

Uh we worked closely, we worked very closely with the council on aging.

And um we um we are able to go uh work with the council on aging.

We we visit um senior residents' homes.

We're able to we purchase smoke detectors and combinoxide detectors, and we're able to install them for anybody in need.

Um so they're both very, very good and well worth programs uh to keep the residents of the city safe.

Thank you, Chief Breen.

Any other comments or questions from the committee?

Okay, seeing none, this item is laid on the table to recommend approval at the end of the meeting.

Thank you, Chief.

Thank you very much.

Okay, next item.

Uh, and this is the last item in our agenda for today.

Uh Mayor's request ID 26-0707 requesting approval to pay prior year invoices, totaling $6,660 using available funds in the police department maintenance software account for fingerprinting machine software.

Um now, I believe we do not have um Chief Benford or uh Emily Wisdom here to speak on this item today, but uh Liaison Radassi, I think is prepared to speak on it.

Liaison Radassi.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, I will not speak comprehensively comprehensively on this.

Unfortunately, Emily is out on vacation this week.

Um, but I did ask her to prepare a memo, which I shared last week with the committee um to explain some of the circumstances around this prior year invoices.

And Chief Breen did want me to share that the use of this software is for gun license background checks and for private sector employment background checks on request.

Um so just wanted to share.

Thank you, liaison.

Um, and just for anybody tuning in who has not had the chance to read this, you can see the memo on screen.

The story with this uh appears to be that there was a former employee who's no longer with the organization who was sent this invoice, and as a result, the invoice was not seen for many months.

And uh it has been investigated and appears to be valid and uh for services rendered and money owed.

Um, so we are always hoping to not have too many of these and not have surprises.

Um hopeful that there are not many more of these.

Uh any other comments from members of the committee.

Okay, seeing none, this item is laid on the table to recommend approval at the end of the meeting.

And that brings us to the end of our agenda.

Do I hear a motion to recommend approval of the items on the table and then to adjourn?

I'm seeing a nod from Counselor Link.

Counselor Link moves to recommend approval of the items on the table and then to adjourn.

On the motion, Mr.

Chair.

Uh please, Counselor Scott.

I just want to be clear that my uh vote as part of this hold bucket to recommend approval of the waste management contract is uh pending the answer that I'm hoping to get before our next council meeting regarding the union status of the uh waste management innovation saga site.

Uh and hopefully we'll get that answer short.

Thank you, counselor.

I'm happy to sever the item uh if it comes to that when it comes up before the council.

Thank you.

Thank you, counselor.

That makes sense to me as well.

Uh Leah Zamradasi.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

vote as part of this whole bucket to recommend approval of the waste management contract is uh pending the answer that i'm hoping to get before our next council meeting regarding the union status of the uh waste management innovation saga site uh and hopefully we'll get that answer short thank you counselor to sever the item uh if it comes to that when it comes up before the council thank you thank you counselor that makes sense to me as well uh leah samadasi thank you mr chair just through you to counselor scott i've made a note of the request and i will connect with uh commissioner weissman tomorrow morning to get you a response before thursday thank you leaveassi um okay uh could the clerk please read the agenda item numbers on the items up for a recommendation to approve and call the roll on recommending approval of those items and adjournment yes I can and so just confirm are we still good to recommend approval and take these all up um together or do we want to do that one um that counselor scott had a concern about separately uh I think we'll we'll do them together and and sever that one on Thursday if necessary perfect okay so this is recommending recommending approval for items number one two three four five six seven eight through eleven together twelve and thirteen together 14 and 15 as well as for adjournment counselor link yes counselor strezzo counselor Hart yes counselor Scott yes chair wheeler and and yes on me this is counselor strezzo I couldn't thank you always I got you and Chair Wheeler yes thank you all right with that it is 723 p.m and we are adjourned thank you all every good evening