City Council - Regular Meeting

Going to give a minute for Commissioner McGimmer and Vice President Lazaro to arrive and then we'll get started. Looks like Council Callahan's taking full advantage of the president's seat.

That's a fine seat. Just don't lean don't lean back. I thought this was my meeting, but apparently it's not. It got hijacked. It will be partially your meeting. And Tim, I'm going to make a co-host as well, correct? Yes.

Okay, everybody should be in now. All right. Medford City Council Committee of the Whole, April 1st, 2026 is called to order. Mr. Clerk, please call the role. Councelor Kelly present. Councelor Lemmy present. Council me present. Councelor Scott Pell present. Councelor Sing present. Vice President Lazaro present. And President Beers

present. Seven present non-absent meeting is called to order. Thanks everyone for being here. Sorry, Councelor Callahan, but just adjusted the um forum a little bit because we have a couple of other items to discuss. But I will um turn it over to you um to discuss papers 26028 offered by councelor Scarpelli, the resolution requesting a report regarding the January 2026 snow response and 26029 offered by councilors Melain and Sang on the resolution to evaluate city snow removal and improve service delivery. And we do have DBW Commissioner McGyvern here as well. So I'll recognize you councelor Calhan since this was originally going to be public works and facilities and then you know you can you can handle this part of the meeting and then I'll I'll take it over when we move to the other two items.

Thank you. Um wonderful. So uh this is uh while it is also a committee of the whole this is the uh public works and facilities meeting of uh April 1st 2026. And we have a couple of uh resol or yeah a couple of resolutions that are related to uh snow removal that happened this winter. Um I'm not going to read the entire text of the resolution, but I will say that the the first one I will I think what I'll do is I'll mention both um at this at the top before we get into discussion. But I know that the first one is about um a report that I believe um Commissioner McGyvern will talk a little bit about and the second one is more of a discussion. So, um the first one is uh 26-028. Um, and essentially it asks for a um written report detailing the city's response to the January 2026 snowstorm, including things like um a total cost summary, the city equipment used, the contracted snow removal operators, ticketing and towing activity, operational challenges and findings, and next steps um and ongoing snow removal efforts. So that's the the uh first one and I'll go ahead and just briefly uh mention the second one as well. Um the second one is a little bit more about just ensuring that we have a good plan going forward. Um and so it really is uh that the uh city council um recognize that um in coordination with state managed roadways and snow removal work, the performance and timing of those operations can directly affect our residents. Um and that uh this committee conduct a posttorm evaluation of snow and ice removal um including an assessment of the service provision equity and accessibility staffing

equipment and capacity constraints snow storage and disposal limitations coordination with state managed roadways and crews and communication with residents before during and after major snowstorms. So I think um once we hear from uh Commissioner McGyvern then that'll really give us a lot of uh information to use in our discussion. And with that I am going to turn it over to uh Commissioner McGyvern.

Thank you Councelor Kellan. So, um I did respond to the city council request in report form. Uh and it was turned into the mayor's office. So, um I'm not sure if you guys have had a chance to see it or received it yet. I don't believe so. At least I haven't seen it. I don't know if the clerk's office hasn't. Sorry. Yeah. Yeah. I think I think what would be the most helpful if you can give us some sort of a presentation here because also we make sure that the public uh gets to you know hear about it as well. Thank you.

Yeah. Um so the I'll just go through what was in the report um and I'll give a brief synopsis and I can pull out some of the numbers that I may think are relevant and uh you guys can ask me for other numbers that you want to see or whatever. We can go from there. So basically what the report includes is everything that you asked for. Um a a total cost which includes a breakdown. The total cost includes the OT, the regular hours worked, the amount that we paid contractors and the amount we bought bought for salt. Um so those are the major cost items. There are others but those are the major ones. And then I also provided the uh we also provided the commercial contract rates uh as well as non-commercial contract rates provided a breakdown of uh departments and divisions for storm overtime and storm regular pay. We provided a list of the contractors and how much we paid each contractor. And we provided uh a uh snow equipment dispatch list which are the um uh 55 or so pieces that the uh city deploys. And then I provided a uh uh two invoices for salt that we used during during that particular event. Uh so that's the information that I provided and then uh there was a request for some narrative in regards to challenges. So I'll just talk about that a little bit and then we can kind of go where you guys want to go. Um the first question was about operational challenges and um actually that was really the only question. Um, so anyway, I I provided an answer to that question. Really, the operational challenges this year uh included a low relatively a relatively low availability of plows just in the

region in general. Uh we typically have between 30 and 40. Previous years, we've had up to 50 contractors or more. This January 2026 storm, we had 24. We don't have a definitive reason as to why, but the major speculation really is uh amongst folks like myself in Massachusetts is that we had a couple of winters with almost no plowing needed. Uh and that really resulted in less folks available to provide that service. Um we even had some different things this year because we anticipated this. So uh we initiated an effort to get contractors on on board early with an early signup bonus. Uh it it we did get a few to sign up early, so that was good. Uh we also advertise on our trucks this year, which we don't normally do, to see if we could get a few extra phone calls. I'm not sure if that worked. They may have. Um we also had a we have two sidewalk machines. One of them broke down uh during this storm and it was a a long repair. So that set us back as far as sidewalk clearing. Um so that's another operational challenge. That particular machine, as folks know as Luke Side Walker, uh is close to retirement, so we're looking at the end of life actually for that particular machine. Um and we're looking to replace it. So, it will become a backup until it breaks down forever, but we will keep it in good repair uh and buy a new one to replace it. That is the plan. A better one actually to replace it. Um so, that was that was another one. And then, of course, the obvious challenge was the amount of snow that fell. and then the lack of thaw afterwards. Um that it it was really an anomaly. That storm was an anomaly. Typically when you get a large amount of snow, there's typically a thaw after the storm. Um there was no thaw after the storm. So we had to deal with every single snowflake that had fallen for weeks thereafter. Um which is not typical. Um and then we did have some new employees and we had some new contractors. So,

that's always a challenge with every storm um is making sure that the new employees know protocols and new contractors know where they're going and know what to do. Some next steps and recommendations that I included uh is to um support the CIP. We have two snow removal pieces on there. One of them has been pushed back um for a a few years and it's really just because I we haven't really received much snow. I'd like to get a a snowblower loader attachment. It's a very large snowb blower that goes on a loader. Um the problem with that piece of equipment, you end up using it maybe, you know, a couple times a year if you get some big storms. You don't use it for small storms. So it's a piece of equipment, hydraulic equipment that would sit in our yard for most of the year. Um, so it's a large purchase to to to have in a place like Boston since we don't, you know, if we were in Buffalo, we'd use it 12 times a year and that would be, you know, much more worth it. Uh, but, you know, I think the demand is there. Um, my workers want it and, um, it's it's on the capital plan. So, I think, you know, I think that's something that we should look at very closely. Um, and let's see. What else did I write in here? Oh yeah, and just this was a uh just so you guys realize you know what we do as part of the operation. So after major storms um any in fires and whatever major storms we always debrief uh we have lessons learned incorporated into operations. So the next storm we get better basically and this mostly revolves around root assignments and communication between uh foremen and and operators. Uh but other things are discussed too, equipment failures, whatever. Um and uh you know a good example of this

and I I put this in my report is uh in our January storm um we did not have detailed mapping for root assignments. We've never had detailed mapping for root assignments but after this January storm we actually uh created root assignment maps with detailed root assignments on them through our GIS department. Um, so we have that now which we've never had before and we used those during the February storm and everybody seemed to think that they helped out um with assignments. So that was a positive and um let's see. Yeah. So anyway, so that all that information I gave you and then uh that information just uh in regards to the narrative and wherever you guys would like to take it, I'm on board.

Great. Before I call on uh my fellow counselors, let me just um if I may, I'm curious because I can't find that report and so I don't know whether you or um I don't I don't see it at all or if the clerk can because it's it's really helpful if we can actually review the report itself. So, um between you and the clerk, do you have any idea of like where is it under something that is not searchable? Is it, you know, listed? What's the the title of the email? What day did it come? Um

I so I don't send council resolution responses directly to the city council. I send them to the mayor's office. And this one I believe had multiple departments uh on the request. So I'm not sure the status of those reports. So um the protocol is that the mayor's office will um respond to the council resolution.

Okay. Um great. I will now go to my fellow counselors. Let me call on uh councelor Lazaro. Thank you. I have a question that's very specific. I would uh if this is in the report, um I apologize, but there's a section of uh Salem Street along the Salem Street burial ground that wasn't um shoveled or uh plowed at all uh during any of the storms. And um I have noticed it over and over again. I've actually spoken to a um a uh the uh Andrew from the Chamber of Commerce who uh you know is with the shalier um because they've had patrons that have complained about that stretch of sidewalk. There's parking over there and then people walk on the sidewalk but when it's not plowed it gets really icy, can be really dangerous. I can't think of who else would be in charge of that stretch of sidewalk and I was wondering if you could uh speak to why that might not have been plowed or if that is part of the uh the plan for the future. Um uh just I think that's an important it's a it's a really hightraic area in Medford Square. Um Salem Street that's leading right into where the bars and restaurants, the chioalier uh pretty much you know doctor's offices. It's right by city hall. Um there's a lot of there's just a lot of reasons why we would want to maybe make that safer. It's close to the um senior center. So uh you know I know that the one side of it is a cemetery but the parking is right there next to it. So just wanted to ask about that specifically.

Sure. Yeah. That that's our per view. So um we should be clearing that. It's low priority I will say. Um, so, uh, and I can't I don't have an explanation as to why besides, uh, there was some issue, um, that I don't know about. Uh, I believe the Riverside side was done, but, uh, cuz I remember seeing that. So, I think, I'm just speculating here. I don't really know, but the assignment is to do those sidewalks, and the route includes those sidewalks, the brick one on Salem Street as well. I I don't think it's getting done. I think they're doing one side, and I'm not sure if they're doing River as well. So, um I think it it may have been you or someone else brought this up. Um and this is uh another correction that we're doing. So, we have a sidewalk uh list that's on paper of what we're supposed to do. Uh just written out in text. Uh so, that is uh they may actually be done with it by now. But for next winter, the plan is to have a full sidewalk scope map similar to our route assignments. It's just a more complicated map to draw because um of the different limits of all the sidewalks that we do. But in general, the rule of thumb is that whoever is in control of the parcel should be clearing the sidewalks. So that's a city-crolled parcel. Uh it's owned by the city of Medford and um it's just happens to be historic parcel. So

totally. I think that what happens is a lot of the time in situations like that when it's I mean the default being that people who own it's either the businesses or the the residents who live there need to clear their sidewalks and then that one just it's like well it's a graveyard. I mean, obviously, yeah, it's the city, of course. So, but and because it's not um you know, there's access to the cemetery, of course, but it's not about access to the cemeteries, it's about access to everything around it. And if you if if your car is parked there and also just the other thing being um access for people getting to the doctor's office uh uh disability accessibility generally it to the square I just think it needs to be not low priority and and if there's any way any process for adjusting that I think it should be adjusted.

What I mean by that is uh in comparison to um basically first responder type stuff. So like uh we have a hierarchy uh the the first thing on the hierarchy list is during storm, keep roads clear for emergency vehicles. That's number one. Number two is keep roads clear after the storm for emergency vehicles and cleanup. Um and then we start getting into things like parking lots for schools, parking lots for public buildings. Um and sidewalks is in there too. Um and then sidewalks, the there's a a hierarchy for sidewalks as well. So um it's nothing that you wouldn't want it. So we we do the sidewalk routes that are uh usually associated with the school and school bus stops first usually uh and then we move on to city parcel parking lots and sidewalks which tend to be the parks mostly. So all the sidewalks adjacent to parks for example and really this uh parcel should fall into that category like a park. Yeah. Exactly. So I wasn't trying to say that it's not a priority. What I'm saying is that on sort of our hierarchy, that's the better word, is hierarchy of uh snow clearing. It's it's down. It should be down with, you know, sidewalks along parks,

right? And it it fell through the cracks. It wasn't supposed to never have been cleared. But what happened was it never got cleared. It became impacted. it became ice. And then people who park near there and walk to a restaurant and then patronize the businesses in Medford are walking in the street on one of the most dangerous streets that we have where people drive really fast and they're like all kinds of people of all walks of life walking in the street trying not to get hit by cars in the dark in the winter or they're slipping on the side. So it shouldn't have happened and I think they like it's whatever it was a mistake but it should be you know prioritized in the future and it happened last year too you know like it happens all the time.

Yeah. Right. Right. Right. So I don't have a good explanation for it. So I think the best fix I think is what we're doing. Um cuz I can say to those guys oh do this do this a million times but unless it is not just written down but we show them. Uh I'm hoping that just solves all these. It's not the only sidewalk that has been missed. when the sidewalk machine gets deployed to a location to clear a sidewalk. Do they do all of the sidewalks? Not all the time. And then we're trying to chase it later on and it gets compacted on ice. And then we're kind of like, well, now there's not a lot we can do. So, I hear you loud and clear. And hopefully the sidewalk sidewalk um uh map just changes this for good. So, there's no excuses basically.

Great. Sounds good. Thank you. Thank you. I will call on councelor Scarpelli.

Uh thank you, Madam Chair. Uh Tim, thanks thanks for being here. I know it's not easy, but I I you know, and I agree with you. I think uh the last storm, the first storm was uh difficult and it was an anomaly. I mean, and uh me and you uh had a conversation. We talked about um eliminating any of the uh rumors that were going around and understanding the process um of why we had such low turnout of support. Um, I know that uh the just to be clear with everybody, we talked to Tim and um had conversations with some um former former contractors who stated that the process that's now implemented is too daunting for them. um uh was told that um that the um the uh that that the new the contractors now would have a separate would need a separate um insurance binder for liability and uh talked with Tim. Tim uh dispelled those rumors to make sure they were um that's not the case. Um um but I I I've spent a lot of time with your team uh during the storm actually. Um um see how hard they've worked. I want to first publicly again commend them. Um the the team with Boots on the Ground were amazing. They went above and beyond considering the lack of equipment, lack of um contractal support, and the low number of uh DPW employees. That's nothing. That's not that's nothing new. So, I appreciate everybody doing their due diligence. So, um but I think that there's some glaring questions that we need to we need to correct as we move forward. Um I'm not going to talk about what corner hasn't been done or what has

been done. I think that's something that should be done over an email so we can document it and understand with the gaps that we've had. But um I'm a little confused because as of I think last year and the year before when I've been involved with talking with your team and everything and talking with contractors, you said that that the roots have never been mapped. They've always been mapped. I I think I can pull up some of the some of the roots that was shared with me maybe last year or the year before just to understand who who I needed to contact when I was getting phone calls. And like I said, this first storm I received 54 phone calls and emails. So, we broke a record. And as we went forward with that, I started knowing, I started talking and listening and um I I found some some some issues that really were a little confusing and bothersome to me. Um the contractors, we know that we have to get to understanding where were people informed, staff informed, were they giving their roots or not? um because that's something new what you said today. Second, understanding the contractor's numbers that are low. Can you provide us with um the the um any processes used to train these um contractors? Because I think that was like you said one of the one of the concerns and even with some of the newer DPW employees that were in a plow for the first time possibly that were they were they um trained in any way and um going through the process. I I I I'm very familiar with this because I'm part of my snow removal team and snow prepared team in my municipality that I work with. Um I'd like to ask also if

you can um when I'm done with this list is is do we do a pre uh storm prep meeting? Um we do that in in in Somerville. um we talk with everybody involved and we know exactly what's going on, who's going what, where, what's going to happen, um and who's going to support that. I think that's important that if we're doing that. Um one of the biggest things, Tim, that you know, I know I know that you this isn't anything that you need to worry about. I was hoping someone from the mayor's office, maybe you can you can um share this with uh the mayor's office, but we have a pretty robust communication team and the communication before and the communication after the storms were horrible. That's probably one of the biggest concerns and issues and reasons why we had such negative feedback uh publicly, so through social media uh personally through phone calls and emails is that people really weren't informed. Um, you know, the business district really suffered. We heard a lot about their issues where they weren't they didn't know what was going on. And again, like I like I said, I don't this isn't on you, Tim. I think that we need more of a comprehensive plan with the whole team. And um and I and I don't think we see that. I I I will be honest with you in in my profession where we are uh we have a group of 60 people and the communications team is on the forefront of that because they're listening and they're relaying everything that discuss in the pre pre-torm meeting to be shared with the community. So we know everything from when the the cars have to be off the streets and when the um when the parking is lifted plus the process of how we're going to eliminate snow if needed or so on and so forth. we can get deeper into that. Um, one one thing I I I've realized I I I'

I've heard and I just need to know this. I I and again don't want to be critical with you because I think you're being your hands are being tied and you can maybe clarify this during the storms if it's outside of regular work hours. Is our leadership team there? Are you there? Is our assistant there present? Um because I think that's important. Also, I I talked to some of my friends and teammates and in my community and they were saying that's one of the issues that Medford has and I said, I don't know where they heard that from, but I said that's I want to make sure that's another rumor because I think that, you know, we we when we talk about, you know, I was in I was in the process with the prior mayor when we had a DPW director come on and one of the biggest issues why the person that they wanted didn't accept the job is because the administration at the time wouldn't allow either comp time or flex time or overtime during during snowstorms or after snowstorms or after they've worked past their 40 hours because I think that's important that we have to know if that is the case because that has to be corrected. Again, that's not your fault, Tim, if that's the case, but I want to make sure that's identified. Um and then I think as we move forward I think we're really it'd be it would help this counselor understand that what training is done and you know what what reports are done before and after. So, whatever we can do when it comes to budget time that when you know I I I hear you with the with the the big snowblower and even if it's one one storm, if it helps us make our streets safe and our sidewalks safe, if it's something that we and we we can make work in the capital plan, I'm going to support a thousand%. Even if it's just one storm every two years, I think it's that important because we saw what happened. You weren't ready. Nobody was

ready for the first storm. And I think that to your credit, the second storm was drastically better everybody. I thought that we really you really pushed your team together and it really showed. I think the second storm that you didn't you didn't hear anything. You didn't you you we didn't enter I at least personally I didn't entertain any negativity with anybody understanding that the team was out there working night and day and it got done in a in a better format. And I think that the last thing is is do we do you have um um a process where you're in in communications with our state partners because as we know we have um uh a lot of state roads that intersect and and making sure that we're you know that you know because we have a lot of state roads that intersect. So state will take care of one sidewalk then all of a sudden there'll be another sidewalk that's not being touched. And I will tell you, our two code enforcement officers did. I thought they were phenomenal. They any any call I received, they were out there sending me pictures with big orange tickets on people's doors. So, they really did their due diligence making sure that our streets, our sidewalks were passable and safe for our pedestrians, especially our our seniors and our uh students as they uh walked to school. And um and then I I know we also talked about this, Tim. I think that people have to also hear this publicly that um you know uh well we're hearing that the city isn't plowing um um private private roads anymore because um they they're not part of the system and I think that if that is the case in places I think we need to know as a council and we need to prepare. I know that I've I've I've asked that um and you've presented as well when it comes

to getting more of a a community meeting with people that reside in a private way and having them understand the protocol of what their responsibilities are. Now, I know that the mayor is moving forward with more of a um detailed plan or rule of what can be done and can't be done on private ways. So, I think that if if it was a mistake that some of these private ways just were missed or we're really not doing them, um that'll be interesting to know as well. So, I know that's a lot, Tim, and I appreciate you coming out and listening and and responding, but I just wanted to make sure that I asked all these questions because these are the questions that were um posted and presented to me during the storm. So, thank you

and I will absolutely give Commissioner McGvern the opportunity to respond. All right. Thank you very much. So, uh, I'll just go in order. The contractor apps, that's the rumor. So, we've been doing it the same way for about three years. So, we have two applications, two ways to become a contractor uh, with the city. One of them is the full legal way that it should be done, which is they have a full insurance writer. They are prepared to work in the public way with all the protections in place

that they get paid more money. And those are the larger landscaping companies typically or whatever the larger larger plowing companies that have that corporate setup and they can do that. Then there's the guy with a guy or gal with a a pickup truck and a plow blade. Usually they're just plowing for the city. They don't have general liability insurance. They don't have an LLC. They they just want to plow and get paid. So that that's you know we do still do that. Okay.

Uh it is an option. they don't get paid as much. Um, and just I'll tell you what the rates are. Um, it's basically if you have commercial uh a commercial setup and you have the proper insurance, you're getting for that pickup truck, you're getting $110 an hour. But if you are just um non-commercial guy or gal with a pickup truck and a blade, you're getting $98 per hour. Those are competitive rates.

Yes. Yeah. And if you and we encourage folks to get insurance because it protects everybody involved. I don't want to be in a situation and neither do you folks where a uninsured plow driver for the city uh hurt somebody badly. We don't want to be in that situation. So, you know, um there's that. All right. Uh root foreman. Sure. We have a map and you've seen a map before. It's a map. It's a root foreman map. It's a map that tells the foreman what they're responsible for, but that map never has gotten into the granular as to, hey, these are the streets that we are obligated to plow.

We we had them generally on there, but now what we can hand out in 11 by7s, we can hand out to the root foreman an 11 by7 sheet that has all of their root streets on it that they can then make copies of and and give to contractors. Perfect. That's that's the difference. So, sure. Yeah, you did see a foreman now. Uh so it's just an improvement to the system that already was in place and the reason for that improvement um I can talk a little about a little bit more about because the next item is training. So new drivers, new contractors, yes, they do need to be trained. Okay,

typically the way we do that is that the root foreman or someone else who knows the route goes with them the first time. That's typically how it's done. Uh if we have a new employee that has never done a route before, they will follow someone else who has done that route for the first time. Uh and then the kinks are worked out. Um typically before um so that's the training part and then that leads right into the pre-torm prep meeting. So we do have a meeting before all of our storms. Um sometimes they're up in my office. This one was down in the yard and the police always come uh you know or someone talks to the police. But this meeting, the police, you know, were there. Uh, and we talked about all of the things that that you brought up. Uh, Council Scarpell, all the things that needed so, so what everybody sees, the only way that can happen is if we have a premeating. Um, and it's Yeah. So, so, so that definitely does happen. Um, you know, the the comm's piece of that uh is another set of meetings and another set of communications. So, you know, we're doing our operations prepar prep preparation with the police and we're doing our equipment preparation and we're, you know, making sure we have enough salt. So, we're doing all of those things and at the same time I'm also communicating with the department heads and the mayor, uh, the chiefs, uh, the comm's director, everybody that would need to be involved in a snowstorm emergency first responder type response. Um, a lot of that is done over text message, group text message. It's we found, especially this last couple years, it's a very effective way to do it. So, we'll have an initial meeting and then we all continue communication via a group text message. Um, seems to work out really well. I I appreciate it. Um,

so I I sign up actually for all of the notifications of our surrounding communities and other ones.

So, I I know what they're putting out for communications on their systems. Um, Medfords is is comparable. Sometimes we give more information. Uh, we have a regular person giving the robocalls as opposed to a robot. Um, and and we tend to point folks in in I think uh to the website in better direction than just some of the some of the other uh towns and cities, but everybody does it a little bit differently. So, we can learn from what our neighbors do. So, you know, that's always there. And I agree, it's more of a a comms thing. But I will tell you that um that person in that department is involved uh usually at the very beginning when we start talking about storm prep.

Um and then what happens after that, you know, that that really doesn't have anything to do with the DBW, we're going to we're going to be our be the first responders and do our best at that point. Um once we decide there's a snow emergency, then that's we go into full emergency mode. Um so I think I addressed all those leadership presence. Um, so you know, me and the deputy, we don't get paid any overtime. We're salary. Uh, but we we do, it's either me or him. We do show up for the storms. Um, if he's not going to go, I go. Uh, he actually has been uh plowing as well for the storms with the with approval from the from the unit. So, I'm not doing any work at the unit, but but for sure he's there. Um, and there was I think it was the February storm deputy wasn't available. Scott wasn't available. So, I went in at the all-in. Um, and you know, I don't know what rumors are going about, but you know, I think we're different actually than other DPWs.

Um, the leadership does go in at Storms. Sometimes it's just for morale. Just so yeah, the workers can see our face, see my face. Um, they joke around with me, why aren't you plowing, you know, and stuff like that, right? And, you know, I'm not getting paid overtime like they are, right? So, I usually at that point want to get home and, you know, go see my kids. But getting getting the plow drivers out the door um and and seeing it happen is something that we do try to do. Um

so then as far as communication with state partners go, uh yeah, we do that. We have to we we we um you know, we don't really have a choice. So, and I'll give you just a few examples. We coordinate with them on bridges. So, uh, you know, obviously we don't lift our plow blades up when we go over bridges. We also have to deal with underneath bridges, sidewalks, and on top of bridges. Sidewalks on top of bridges. So, we're doing those. Um, you know, we're also doing the MBTA bus stops. Uh, that's usually kind of last, but we do do them even though personally I think the TE should do them, but I agree. Yep.

Whatever. Um but we do it and we also have to uh forward complaints to both uh DOT uh DCR um and anybody else at the state who's listening. Um yeah so so you know that's constantly happening. Um DCR is uh the the owners of a lot of the parks on the river but we actually operate those parks. So you know there's you think that we'd have a lot of coordination with DCR. We don't have that much. It's usually mas dot that we're according coordinating with district 4.

Um, and then as far as private roads and driveways, so our policies, I know that there's a lot of, you know, chatter out there. So, our policies have not changed. Uh, we we we plow all the public ways. We also plow all the private ways. Private ways are different from private driveways. Driveways are on bu building parcels and they are they are privately owned. Um, you know, and You know, people pay taxes on the land that they're on. Private ways are are parcels of land that are right ofways that people don't pay taxes on. They're usually derelct, which just means that there's no clear title to them. Um, the city does plow those in the interest of public safety, and it is kind of on that line of is the city is the public city using public resources to plow private property. We are, but we're doing it in the interest of public safety because the alternative in Medford um I don't think would be a good situation. Uh it would have if we were to ever not plow private ways, it would be a multi-y year long transition to get from point A to point B. Uh I I don't see that happening. I mean there's there's a huge topic here to talk about.

Yeah, I agree. I agree with you. Yes. Yeah. But we don't need to delve into it. Right. But as of right now, status quo, and I don't see this changing for anytime, you know, soon is the city plows public ways and private ways, but we don't never have plowed private driveways. Okay, that's that's perfect. All right. I think I got all your questions, Councelor Starell. No, that's right on. For those people who don't know, if you don't lift your blade or going over a bridge, that's how you bury the people on the other side. I learned that because that was my first mistake when I was applying for DOT one year. So, I got yelled at. Oh, gotcha. Gotcha. Yeah. You got to when you go over bridge, you're supposed to lift the blade. Blade.

Yeah. Yeah. Because they they have those expansion joints at either side and they try to protect those. So,

yeah. Well, I know it. So, but Tim, that was I appreciate it and I like I said, I think the team has to be commended. I think especially from storm one that was an anomaly to where we were the second storm um was drastically different and again like I said the clarification the communication you're right it's not you guys I think that um what the team has to what the city has to really what I want to see from the mayor's office is making sure that everybody's informed as much as possible with all the process so they they they're not having to call us to call DPW for on something that's very simple. And I think that that's important. I think that uh and and to be clear, uh it was some of the employees in our neighboring community that said, "Hey, what are you guys doing?" Uh A, B, and C. These are just, you know, so that's why I wanted to share with you. So, you know, I think that I've been very, you've been great. Me and you have talked many of times, and when I hear a rumor, I call you right away. And that's why I wanted to bring these out to you publicly. and I appreciate all of the uh answers and the time he took to answer those questions. So, I really appreciate it, Tim. Thanks.

Absolutely. Yeah, I'm always available if you guys have questions. Thank you. Uh thank you. I'm going to recognize councelor Sang.

Thank you. Uh thanks, Tim, for being here with us today. Um before I say anything, um very grateful to the staff at DPW for all their work clearing all this snow from this year. I mean, it was an incredible amount of snow that I don't think uh many of us were expecting and certainly a lot of hard work. I um heard staff on the roads at all times um of the day during the storms. And I think a lot of residents, you know, despite what you know, complaints we we may have heard um a lot like a lot if not most uh if not all of the residents that I talked to, I think recognized that it was a really tough storm and that people were working really really hard. I also want to just thank you for um your responsiveness during the storm in terms of the roads that I was sending in the communications about state roads helping pass that on to uh NASDAQ. It was very helpful to residents um in the city as well. Um I think a lot of the questions I have um there's significant overlap with other counselors who've already asked questions before. a lot of uh council scarfelli's questions um councilar's questions about uh like public sidewalks and um accessing businesses and I mean hospitals and clinics stuff like that. I think a lot of people found it difficult to um to get to their appointments and so it's it's good to know that we'll have the side uh more of a plan for the sidewalks for the next year going forward as well. Um, and I think you've also uh anticipated some of the questions I had um about equipment um that we might need as well. But um I guess going through I I just have a few more um questions if that's okay with you, Tim. Um I think I I'm a bit curious about just the the

staffing um and kind of the need for contractors. Of course, I think you noted that we're seeing a lot fewer contractors available than in the past. Um, reasons for that, you know. Uh, but I'm curious about u whether there are any like there were any capacity gaps that required more contractors than usual besides this like taking this the large volume of snow out of the question compared to maybe where we were 10 years ago. Is is there kind of fewer staff at DPW that requires us to kind of fill more of a gap than before?

It's a good question. Um I should wait for go. I recognize you can

Okay. Um so it's a good question. So uh so just so folks are aware so the DPW just in general over time decades has been getting smaller. So there was a time people tell me I haven't gone and looked at annual reports but I have looked at some annual reports from back in the day. Uh people say that we were 120 people um which I wouldn't be surprised. Right now we're at 70. So if uh there was a time that they tell me about we were double um you know I've looked at annual reports from uh the the the different time periods uh and certainly the DPW has been a lot bigger than it is today. We as I think many of you know we effectively get a cut almost every single year. Uh and as you can imagine over time uh that you know you just lose kind of one position at a time and we go from 120 to so here we are at 70. Uh you know as you know I'm working on sort of right sizing each division. I talk about it a little bit almost every time at budget budget season. Um, and you know, highway is better than it was last year, uh, because we got three more positions there. Um, but it's a it's a really a matter of time. If if you doubled the amount of pieces that we had on the road from 50 to 100, then we're going to clear the roads twice as quick. Um, so that math is pretty simple and it's real. So when we have uh 50 or so of our own pieces and then we get 30 or so contractors, we're talking 80 pieces of equipment out of the road. So that's still less than our peak days of an internal DPW. Um so you know if we may if we had 120 people in DBW and and highway uh had you know 100 plows to their disposal in-house then we probably don't even need to call any contractors. Uh but then of course you have to support that staff all year round. Um so

hopefully that kind of sheds a little bit of light on on on that. Uh there's it's not necessarily you look at the amount of snow and the size of the city and say oh well we're going to need 100 pieces of equipment for that. It's more like we have 50 so it's going to take you know x amount of hours to clear the streets. I would say if we had less than than you know I don't know 70 or so 70 would be our 50 plus another 20 contractors you know we're starting to probably get on that border of it's not big enough there's not enough um and we talked about that this year like what is not enough uh and I don't know the answer to that but you know if we didn't have contractors if we didn't have those 24 contractors come in and it was just 50 or 54 you know plows that we have, then it's just going to take longer and it increases the risk during the storm that an emergency vehicle is not going to be able to get to go where it needs to go. And then of course we all will know what happens if that's the case. So um you know that those are the games we're kind of playing here. They're very real. Um and I think you know when this body is thinking about the size of DPW and um future services then I'm always willing to talk about that. Uh I' I've been trying to do a lot of work as city engineer and DPW commissioner to understand what right sizing of a DPW is and what that means and how do you apply it and there's lots of good information out there and lots of different opinions.

Thank you. I mean I think with this question right I mean I think um what the council has has been interested in in the last few years is what is that right size and it's a very difficult question to answer. I'm sure we've had a lot of conversations about it, especially during budget season, but I mean, as the next budget season is like is approaching, it's a question I think that a lot of us might have in our heads. And, you know, I think on the council generally, we've made some progress with the override, but still there's I think, you know, the concern is that the 50 and the 30 are both shrinking. Um, and I think it it sounds like we've turned around or starting to turn around when it comes to the 50 component of it. I know we're just taking a random number for the 50. Um, but that, you know, I think it's uh it's something for us to pay attention to as we

budget for future years. It's to make sure that we're keeping the DPW part of the the pie kind of there. um especially as it seems like maybe the contractor number is is getting smaller and smaller. Um so thank you for that answer. Um I appreciate the answers about um equipment. Uh I'm curious about the the snow the snow blower loader attachment that you were talking about. Um of course it's like it's hard for us to predict what winter's coming up will will be like. Um I I I guess where there are kind of two different questions I'm I'm interested in. First one being is this um is this a formal budget request that's been made to the mayor to incorporate either in this budget or through a um a capital fund or or is this just kind of an idea that we're talking about right now? Like what stage are we at in that? Um, and then on top of that, let's say it doesn't really snow this this much in the next two winters, but it is, you know, it's it's equipment a piece of equipment we really could use this in an inventory. Um, is it a piece of equipment that deteriorates even when it's not being used or is it the use of it that really makes it deteriorate?

Good question. So, I'll go in reverse. um all equipment just starts deteriorating immediately when you buy it. Uh and if it just sits around uh it's this uh it has um diesel fluid in it that uh can crystallize if it sits around too long. So we would need to exercise it, turn it on every now and then. Like anybody who owns a diesel truck and doesn't drive it all that much, I think knows that. Um you got to turn it on and run it every now and then. So you know, we would need to do that. So there's some responsibility there. Uh so there's a risk, you know, that it sits around, doesn't get used, then all of a sudden, you know, we go to try to start it up one year and it doesn't work. Um so that's then that's really the concern and also the capital cost because we're talking about a piece of machine uh machinery that's well over six figures and is that the right purchase for this uh climate and this weather? And you know, I have an opinion on that. Uh, you know, but I think it might differ from others opinions. It would be a very handy piece of equipment. Um, and I would like to have one and, uh, you know, we'd have to take the proper precautions and treat it as an investment and we'd have to all understand that it may not get used for multiple years in a row.

I mean, it definitely makes sense that this is like you can't foresee it, right? But once you need it, you need it. So,

um I'm curious, I guess I Oh, I guess there's still the component of the question about whether the the formal ask has been made, but I'm also curious generally how our equipment kind of equipment inventory compares to the municipalities around us would like maybe comparing it by mileage or the mileage that we have to plow as a city or a sidewalk equipment at that as well. I know a few residents have have kind of complained about um sidewalk snow removal, which we've kind of addressed at this point already, but I'm curious how the number of pieces of equipment that we have for that compares to say the municip municipalities around us.

Sure. Uh yeah, you're right. I didn't answer your question. So, we do have the snowblower attachment on the CIP. uh it's been on there for a number of years, but we keep pushing it back uh because it's a large purchase that um isn't necessarily an immediate need. It's more of a nice to have. So, uh anyway, uh and then as far as surrounding communities and what they have, I I don't actually know what they have specifically for numbers. Um but, you know, we can only really we have the capacity really to operate two sidewalk machines. So, that's what that's what we have. So we actually have the amount of machines uh for the size of our workforce. Um and then I can talk about one other thing the uh the right sizing of highway. So I did a calculation um in uh before the override to compare the size of our highway highway division to other highway divisions um as far as number of people compared to road miles managed. Um and we were on the lower side of uh most of it then you know but there was the biggest takeaway was that there's a huge disparity. The Brook lines and Camidages of of Massachusetts have larger highway divisions more people to take care of their their roads but not necessarily more roads than us. Uh and and we have less I think ours was like 0.1 per road mile or 0.1 people per road mile and you know other places were 2. I ended up being that we should be somewhere in the middle. I don't know still what that right number is and I'm not sure anybody knows what the right number is. Um, but it I think it should be a little bit higher than what it currently is. So, you know, we got 50, we're just talking winter, right? So, in the context of winter, 50 50 plows out there that are in-house plows. um that if that was 70 like we talked about, which would be 20

more pieces of equipment, 20 more people, then we're starting to strip the line of well, do we even need contractors for most storms, you know? So, so that to me feels like more of an appropriate size if you would just to look at winter. Um because contracting in all aspects of public works, contracting is usually more money at the end of the day than to do it in-house. But you have to pick and choose what gets done in-house and what is done by a contractor. So anyway, hopefully that sheds some light. Yeah. No, it definitely does. Um, well, I was going to ask actually, how do we choose what gets done in house versus what gets done by a contractor?

It has a lot to do with regularity. That's one of the variables. So, if it's something that we're going to do every week uh or every month, then you know, you start to say, well, that maybe that should be in-house. A lot of that already is in-house. So, like for example, um one of the things that we had to decide in-house or contractor somewhat recently is uh how to deal with sidewalk repairs. We have thousands of sidewalk repair requests. We have to prioritize them, figure out what we're going to do with them. uh if if uh if they're categorized as a uh that street's going to receive a capital improvement, then highway is not going to go do spot repairs there. Um highway is going to do spot repairs that are not going to be um problematic from like a mobilization standpoint. And a good example is if we hire a contractor to do spot repairs on sidewalks, which we have in previous years, you're basically paying a contractor to move their equipment from one place to another. Um, so you know, that's not a good use of money. So that would be something that you say, well, we should we need to do that in-house because why are we spending 80 cents on the dollar on moving a machine to another spot in the city? So that's just an example, one example of how you make the determination. Is that going to be in-house or is that going to be, you know, outhouse contractor? There are more. I guess in the in the context of winter storms um is there a difference between like what what they're doing on the on the road or not really?

No, no, we have a uh it's 3 in it's written down in our contract. So 3 in if the forecast is for 3 in and above then we set a contractor call in time. Uh and that's when the the contractors come in. It's after DPW allin. So we do highway first and that's where you see Salters out and then it's uh DBW allin. So all members of DPW come in and then usually a couple hours after that is when contractors come in. So that by that time all the foremen have their um route assignments worked out, how many contractors they need, etc.

Got it. Um thanks for thanks for that. Um I I I apologize to my fellow counselors and for my volume of questions but this is a great opportunity and I think we're all learning a lot. Um uh something that came up I think between all of us uh of months ago but also in conversations with private contractors is just that the fact that it was really hard to find places to put snow um at with this storm. I guess what what are our current snow storage and disposal constraints? Um what happens operationally when that capacity is maxed out and are there any plans for I mean any kind of ideas about what we can do about that problem.

I don't think we've maxed out yet. We have some locations for snow storage. The biggest hurdle for uh snow storage is the hauling loading and hauling of the snow. It's not usually finding a location. We have a few. Writes Pond is one of our main locations. So, the parking lot, not the pond. We don't put in the pond. We put it in the parking lot. Um, and then there there are there's uh, you know, we we used uh uh which we don't usually use the the the high school practice field uh this year because we didn't have any place to put the snow that was there. Um, so we get creative. Um, but yeah, like I said, it's not necessarily the location, it's usually the hauling of the snow. We can haul it ourselves. It just takes a long time. Um, if we decide to haul a street, then we're at that street all day hauling. We're not doing other things. Um, and we will usually try to hire a contractor so it frees us up to do other things usually. Uh, and it's a defined set of work that we can say, "Hey, contractor, go load and haul that spot. Thanks. Um, thanks for that uh answer. Um, with regards to communications, we've already I I know councelor Scarpell, you already asked. Um, I think it's good to hear that um in many ways that our our city's communications are um more accessible than um than others. But I, you know, I think with with anything comms related, you bump into the problem of everyone just takes in information differently. Um, sometimes uh a statement that's put out or phone call that's put out is too much information for some people and too little for information for others. I guess has been has there been any thought to kind of different types of communication putting out like

different different kind of way like different summaries or different depths of summaries I guess is what I'm trying to get at. Um, I mean it's hard to hard to do that for example, but um or per se, but just uh I guess a more robust communication strategy that way cuz I think it's easy to say like point to the website, but I think for some people that doesn't isn't necessarily the way the information reach uh reaches them the best.

Um I can't I can't speak for for the communications office. Um, but I do know that they definitely talk about this stuff. Um, the the level that I've been involved has, um, um, you know, has been kind of run it by Tim, see what he thinks. Um, I know that we do robocalls to everybody who signed up. Uh, and that's the one that I think most people are familiar with and it's, you know, you know, it's the snow emergency call to to announce the parking ban and to tell people what to do. Um, I'm not sure what else they do for Snow Communications, but I'm sure they do other things. Um, but yeah, I can't it's hard for me to speak to speak to that. Uh, so

yeah. No, that I mean I think that's fair. I don't want to put this completely I don't want to put this on you either because it's on on on uh communicate the city's communications at large. Um but you know I I there were a lot of residents I think who called or emailed in were like they just don't really understand the priority kind of hierarchy that we have set in the city and I I think with the second storm there was something put out so that would that on social media so that got clearer. Um, but I think in the future being proactive about the information I'm just putting this into the ether hoping that someone is listening.

Yeah, I'm listening. I am helpful. Yeah, I think I think there's there's a a process where they select what information is going to be put out there and I know there's a method behind that. I just can't speak to that method.

Right. Yeah. No, I think that's fair. Um, and I guess my last question, um, is just about the coordination with state, the state. I mean, the MBTA really should be clearing their bus stops and, um, uh, and there, you know, certain lanes and like big kind of traffic centers like Wellington Circle, um, that weren't cleared. And I guess what's the best way for all of us to to make sure that that work gets done? Like what's the best way for us to support you guys um in pushing them to do more? Um we could do

Sure. We're in District 4, so Mass Dot's District 4. Um so if there's Wellington Circle is a good example. If Wellington Circle is having problems, um you certainly can call the city and we will route your complaint to District 4, but you can also call District 4 or contact District 4 directly. I know they have um contact information if you have complaints. Um but calling the DPW and telling us about it is always an option too if you don't want to go through that uh website search. So um you know, feel free to do that. We I think there were oh you know a handful at least that I was involved in. I'm sure there were more of complaints having to do with uh state roads even 93. Um I think councelor Lemming maybe made me aware of some work on 93 that wasn't done. So we submitted that. Um I think they got it on their second round, you know. So stuff like that. Uh always um always happy to help pass those along. Um but uh if folks want to call directly, it's district 4.

Um I I know other counselors have questions and the public have questions. I have just one short one which is a a resident complaint I got a lot. Um just in terms of uh contractors and kind of dumping snow on the sidewalks that they've already plowed. Of course, the snow ordinance um kind of says that's not a huge problem, but I think a lot of residents are still worried about that. Worried about, you know, they maybe they didn't take pictures before, so they can't really prove that they had cleared it. Um is there anything you'd have to say to that?

It's a it's a challenge. um because it's almost impossible to plow a road without creating a wind row which blocks or fills in plowing or shoveling that a resident has already done. Um but you know I I also have a driveway in Medford and I also deal with the same exact problem. I snowblowed my entire driveway and the contractor came by and left a wind row there. Um and I'm the DBW commissioner so I have to deal with it as well. Um, it's just something that is part of a storm. Uh, try to time your snow removal in your private driveway to line up when with the plow pass if you can. Um, you know, you shouldn't be pushing or plowing or snowblowing your snow from your driveway into the road. Uh, that usually just makes things worse for your neighbor. Um, so you know, and if we do, and this happens, if we if we do plow snow from, say, one street that's teed into your street and we plow that snow onto a sidewalk or driveway apron that was already cleared, now there's a pile of snow there. Call us. We'll we'll put it on the list. Um, we dealt with maybe six or seven of those this year. Um it it's just really the amount of snow and where to put it. We usually then have to go back after we've cleared the road for emergency vehicles. We have to go back, clean up, uh move piles, haul away snow, all that. Uh and the January storm, all of that lasted uh almost a month.

Thank Thanks so much, Tim. I don't want to take even more of the the council's time, so I appreciate all your all your answers. just realized I was on mute. Uh I will turn it over to um President Bears. Thank you. And I'll be super brief because we really got to move into executive session. Um number one, Artemis 2 has launched and is in high Earth orbit. So just if anyone was wondering, astronauts going to the moon soon. Um that happened in the last 30 minutes of discussion. Oh, just wanted people to know that um everyone has asked all the questions that um I had. The only thing I wanted to bring up was I think it's really important to consider or at least think about how we're going to um potentially at some point implement a priority sidewalk snow removal program. I know that requires more staff. I know that requires more equipment. Um, we did draft up a map in 2021 and 2022 before you were the commissioner, Tim, but I think, you know, we have that somewhere and you may have seen it at some point, but that is a I think the next priority to address some of the accessibility issues that we see in severe snowstorms. Um, so just wanted to keep that on the radar as um something that has been identified as a priority for a while and that I think that would be really valuable to a lot of residents uh here in the city. So that's all I got.

Any do you feel like um responding? Commission Commissioner McGib. No, I'm just taking that in. Um I think uh I I've opined maybe on that program before and it yeah just it it would take a a program that is supported with with money and resources.

Great. Um I want to go ahead and give um the public a chance to um weigh in. Please raise your hand if you would like to speak. I don't see any hands raised. Give it another few seconds here. I think we're It looks like we answered every question. We asked and answered every question that could possibly be asked and answered about snow removal here in Medford. Um not seeing any hands. Is there any other discussion or any motions from the council? I make a motion to receive in place on file papers 206028 and 26029. And Tim, if you could just follow up with the mayor's office to have the written report sent over to us ASAP, that would be great.

Second. Great. On the motion from Councelor Bear, seconded by councelor Lemming to receive and place on file. Um, uh, Mr. Clerk, could you please call the role? Councelor Kelly. Yes. Councelor Lming. Yes. Council me. Yes. Councelor Scott Pell. Yes. Councelor Sing. Vice President Lazaro. Yes. President Pierce. Yes. Send the affirmative and the negative. The motion passes. Thank you, councelor. President. Oh, yes. Sorry. Yes.

The affirmative and the negative. Motion passes. Um, and are there any other motions on the floor? I got to take up the the next papers. Ah, great. Sorry about that. Yes, turning it over to is okay. All right. We have papers 26053 and 2605 uh submitted by the mayor um litigation strategy request to enter executive session per math general law chapter 38 section 21 A3. Is there a motion to enter executive session per chapter 38 section 21A3 with the note that votes may be taken and we will adjourn from executive session. The motion of councelor Lemming seconded by Vice President Lazaro. Mr. Clerk, please call the role.

Councelor Callahan. Yes. Councelor Lemming. Yes. Council me. Yes. Council Scapelli. Yes. saying yes. Vice President Lazaro, yes. President Peters, yes. 70 affirmative, none of the negative. The motion passes. Um Mr. Clerk, if you could make me the meeting host, I just need to um make sure that we do not have the transcription service on. Yes. Hold on one second. President Bears

and Tom, Lisa and Tim, we are going to be doing one thing first and then I will invite you to the um breakout room for the further items. Okay, President Beers. Bingo. You should be all set, sir. Great.