City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. Today is April 7th. Tuesday, April 7th. Messed me up. And we now will start the public speakout portion of the city council. And first I want to recognize the counselors that are here and online. Let me just see my online people. Thank councelor Martin. Uh councelor Govon, councelor Walsh, councelor Delgado, councelor click Bruce. I know councelor Hurst is on the way. Um so thank you all for joining us. This is a regular part of the city council meeting. I'm just going to reiterate that. Um councelor should try to be here. Councelor Finton is away on business. He did let me know that. Um but we hope um councilors will make public speakout. All right. So the per first person on the agenda is Margarite Foster Franklin. Please state your name and address for the record. You do have three minutes.

Okay. This should be an on and off word on here. I'm sorry. I didn't build the system.

I mean, I don't know what the dots mean or the person. So, um anyway, my name is Margaret Foster Franklin. I went live at 185 Thompson Street, obviously in Springfield. Um I'm here to talk about two points and I hope I can. Um one of them is the fact that I feel that um we elected um every city council person who is here. Um and I feel that in order for you to serve or the city that you need to be present. You should not be online. There are many people who come to speak to you um or others that um are not here. We can't do that if they're not here. Um if everyone can come and be here, I think that would be obvious that you are interested in the constituents that you serve. Um the second point I would like to make that and this is my second time. I was very very nervous my first time coming to speak out. But unfortunately, I was saddened because while I was speaking, there were two city council members who were having a conversation and it obviously was very joyful because they were laughing and talking and it stopped me a couple of times to even speak because I felt I wasn't being honored as well as being present. And I thought it was very disrespectful that I found that city council members are here to listen, but they obviously were not listening or were not concerned about what I had to say because they were too busy talking to each other. Um, unfortunately, it also happened to the person who spoke before me um who was they were also being disrespectful to that person as well where one of them got up and just continued to have a conversation with the city council. So, what I'm asking is whenever someone ever comes up to speak that we have the the attention that you expect us to have and the respectfulness for each person who gets to speak. Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Margarita. I do remember that day and again apologize that that happened. Yeah, it was very difficult. Thank you. You're welcome. Do I turn this off? Um, yeah, you can leave it on. Next person got to I don't know what Mr. Howard. Steven Howard, you are up. Name and address for the record, please.

Uh, thank you, Madam President. Good evening, everyone. Steven Howard, excuse me. He live off Wington Street here in Springfield. I just wanted to let folks know that uh the president made an address the other day when it was when he was talking about the budget cuts. Uh I think there's something like 63 billion with a B that will be cut from uh from the budget. Uh something like uh well anyway this is what the president had to say. It's not possible for us to take care of daycare, Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual items. That's what the president said. He continued, "We have to take care of one thing, military protection." Now, to actually go and cut the budget, in one case, it's uh $63 billion. Uh then, uh HUD is going to realize first off, they cut HUD's budget by onethird. And about a month ago, the person in charge of HUD, the secretary, while testifying on Capitol Hill, said that they intend to cut 50% 51% of HUD's budget. 51%. Anybody here? Imagine getting a 51% cut in your salary. What does that do to to your family?

Then HHS is going to see an a a drastic cut. What's that going to do for the for this uh city? Right. And I hope I don't run out of time, but Springfield officials are working to balance the budget without using stability reserves, stabilization reserves, keeping departments lean. Nearby West Springfield restored some positions, but still face reductions of 25 full-time equivalent FTE roles and cut $3 million to create a levelfunded budget impact in transportation and contracting contracted services. Now, I could run off a whole bunch of different billions of dollars that will be cut across the board. So now if the president who ran saying that he will not engage in war is now engaging in in a war and is saying that if Iran doesn't see to his demands he's going to blow up all bridges and energy and send them back into the stone age and and we're going to be part the reason why who will be the the beneficiaries of this cut? What's going to happen to the city budget?

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Howard. Next, we have Desiree Williams. Name and address for the record. Phyllis, are you speaking to with Desiree? You here for moral support? All right. That's a good friend. Hello. Hi, Desire. My name is Desire Williams. Oh, Desire. Yes, ma'am. Desire. I've been saying your name wrong all this time. It's okay. I I'm used to it. I'm sorry.

Um, I live at 115 Dwight Street, apartment 606. And the number one issues that we have, especially as a person with a disability, is there's nowhere for my staff to park. By the time we do have parking with the building I live with, but they're stingy on it. There's nowhere for our to park. There's nowhere for my staff to come if I need medication. There's no way they can come and safely park without getting a $50 to $60 fine. There's nowhere for me to safely get out of their vehicles when I'm going grocery shopping or taking care of business that I need to get out of. As I'm exiting the cars, there's cars speeding past me and they're not a good distance. They're smidges to the door and I'm afraid that it's going to get to a point where either I end up either dead or in the hospital and not I feel like the city won't do anything until there's a massive lawsuit hitting their way. The crosswalk when we line up to use the crosswalk I have cars speeding past me as I'm walking across the crosswalk. That is not working. Yes, there are some officers at the miniature police station that do help, but the rest of them sit there like that's not my job. Or we're in there discussing business, but they don't come out and help. The only few officers that do is like Officer Sanchez and a few of his friends that actually come out and check on the community, make sure we're actually doing what we're supposed to be doing. And it's very frustrating to see as a person with a disability to have my staff have to drive around the block three to four times and we can't she can't even stay to help me be a actual proper adult. Like come help me fold up do my laundry, clean my apartment, show

me how to be an adult. And I'm constantly frustrated because I have to beg or cry for something to happen. And I'm afraid when I cross that street, it takes one stupid driver and I end up either hurt or dead. Not until I'm ready to give out a class action lawsuit for disability abuse or I'm dead and that's it. That's the end of my line. But because I followed the rules, there's no accommodations. It's pretty of what you did to the street. You made bigger sidewalks. I appreciate that. But what I don't appreciate is that drivers can zip by me like with no care in the world, a police officer see it and they just sit there and be like, "Call the cops." And I'm looking at him, "What is your whole position? Aren't you a police officer?" I'm asking them, "Oh, well, I'm asking you to put in speed bumps." It will piss off a lot of the drivers, but it will give me a sense of mind when I step out, I can be safe. Thank you.

Thank you, Desire. We definitely appreciate you coming and letting us know about that going on. Delise the lease Davis. Deliss Davis. Okay. Charles Stokes. And just want to welcome councelor Davila who is on virtual. Charles Charles Stokes will also be presenting virtually as well. Mr. Stokes, you have the floor. you name and address for the record and you have three minutes to speak.

Charles Stokes, 6 Tyrone Street, Springfield, Mass. Thank you, Madam President, for allowing me to uh come on and speak about three important issues that I think needs to be addressed by the public safety committee. Um, as you guys know that I have been um helping Sandra Madrino, a 24 year old African Latino woman who called the police for help around domestic violence. They came out to the house and said there was no probable cause for arrest. On advice from a therapist, she went to the Springfield Police Department to speak to the shift commander and then she was arrested. on March 25th of this year, her case was dismissed. And so I'm asking the city council to have a public safety meeting on what is the protocol from the Springfield Police Department once a civilian comes and asks for a shift commander. Um the second um issue that I think needs to be addressed is the Springfield Police Department and what happened with Captain Toledo and uh Deputy Martin. Um six uh mean Captain Toledo turned in his gun and then six other police officers followed suit and so and they claiming PTSD. The question is how many other police officers are on the police force with their service weapons with PTSD that is um in our communities doing the work that they are doing in our community. How does that translate? And the um and I think this should be a public safety hearing because when these police officers are having internal warfare and then they're out in our communities, when the Latinos look at the African-American, is he having a problem with his supervisor? How does that relate to our community? And the same with the African-American police who deal in the Latino community. This is a a very serious issue. And the

third issue that's I think needs to be addressed is how are we dealing with the crisis team dealing with people with mental health issues. Um there are people that are being treated unfairly by the Springfield police in some cases when they're going to deal with the mental health. The crisis here in our city is ineffective. They don't have a proper data to deal with the uh people with mental health issues. And I think that these issues need to be addressed by the public safety. I understand as you said earlier, madame uh president, that these are not um issues that we want to address, but it needs to be addressed. And finally, um our city has paid out millions of dollars in police abuse cases. We still have a consent decree placed on us and it's not getting any better from the Springfield Police Department and their protocols. And so these issues are tantamount to the safety of our constituents here in the city of Springfield. And I think that the public safety hearing on this matter, Mr. Jerry Martin, um condolences about your dad. Uh forgive me for being late with that. Um I understand what you've been going through, but these issues are very important and I would like to the city council, particularly with the Sandra Madrino case. Stephanie Madrano, her case was dismissed. I've been dealing with this system for years. I've never seen a case dismissed that fast because of the evidence. And so what is the protocol? Do police go back and look at the body camera and then after three police officers who was on the scene, did the investigation that there no probable cause for arrest? And then a sergeant can just overturn that and arrest her and then the case gets dismissed. So these are issues that I I ask the city council to please, Madame President, and all the rest of the city councilors to address this issue. Thank

you so much for allowing me this opportunity. Thank you, Mr. Stokes. We appreciate your concerns and we will have a discussion um to see what we can do to have that meeting. Um Denise Hudson, no. Denise Hudson, John Maggus. Do I press the button or? Yeah, press the button till this turns green. And then your your name and address for the record.

My name is John Megas. I live at 311 Suriri Road across from Pope Francis School. And I was here three years ago complaining about how terrible Suri Road was. It may be a side street, but it has a library, an elementary school, and a humongous high school that is there all the time with a tremendous presence on Suriri Road. The road is absolutely terrible. Uh it hasn't been paved in over 30 years. I'm embarrassed to tell the city at large in this room about it. It should have been taken care of. We also have a second problem on my side of the street. across from Pope Francis where there are 12 taxpaying houses. By the way, my taxes went up $490. Can't get my street paved. And uh the gas company tore up the street 20 years ago and they when they repaired a pipeline and it goes from Memorial School all the way to uh Roosevelt Avenue and that is falling apart bit by bit by bit. School buses are are for me among the most dangerous vehicles on the road with heavy trucks like UPS for example that speed down my street. There are no signs on my street on our side. This the 12 houses that pay taxes. Remember Pope Francis is a religious school and does not pay taxes to the city that take care of Siri road for example. and the people on my side of the street, uh, we just need your help. We need signs. There's no signs on my side of the street saying school zone. There's one sign that says school zone ends. As you're coming down Suriri Road, you look to the left and see Pope Francis. The school zone definitely

doesn't end. It's been there for for a dozen years. And Cathedral High School was in the same situation. DPW will not change that sign. Put a flashing light sign that slows down traffic. Speed galore. I have seen cars doing over 50 miles an hour on my street. I have asked the police to do something about it. They tell me that they are underst staffed. My heart was broken last year after attending 20 meetings in East Forest Park at the civic association. It was announced that Suriri Road would not be paved. Instead, Balffor Drive, a street that is like a little caterpillar that goes around Suriri Road Hill, uh was going to be paved instead. The only people who drive on Balffor Drive live there. The people who drive on my street are everybody else but the people who live there. Some people use it as a cutthrough. My neighbor at 305 Siri Road, uh, the road is falling apart right at her curbon. Uh, her house shakes. Her other neighbor's house shakes. My my house shakes. Is that it? Wow. 3 minutes comes awfully quick.

It goes by fast, but we got the point. And I'm glad Chris Signoli walked in right when you started. So that was perfect timing. Perfect timing. You're welcome. You are welcome. That take a lot of pressure off of us. You heard it all. Oh no. Fun and games. Um Rhonda. Madame Chair. Let me chair. Yeah. Oh, I'm sorry. M counselor. Madame chair for May.

What? I'm sorry. Council, did you want to say something? The uh turn the volume up a little bit. Focus counselor. Yeah. Yeah, I just want to say to the resident that just spoke, I do believe if I'm not mistaken, that the row shy row is on the agenda for approval to be paved. That's the 90 I believe that we are proving today. Uh yeah, I thought that was a good news.

Oh, that there was approval for survey road to be paved. Is that what you said? Couldn't quite hear you, counselor. Correct. I believe in the agenda today we accepting ch Okay. Okay. You're breaking up a little bit. I don't know if it's cuz your camera's on. Yeah. Nothing further. Thank you. All right. Thank you, counselor Rhonda. I'm sorry about that. That's okay. State your name and address for the record.

Yes. Good. Good evening. My name is Rhonda Lney. I live at 91 Flint Street. Now, I'm here tonight regarding the safety and security of my dear friend, Springfield School volunteer, Alberta Howard, who and myself, who back on May 16th of 2020, I filed an abuse prevention order on her behalf by a person named James Charles Votes, who was impersonating be her nephew and still is. On May 16th, on May 18th of 2020, Sergeant Kieran Simmons of the Special Victims Unit appointed assigned Detective Gregory McCain to do an investigation, which led to his warrant 80- I'm sorry, 20-801. On May 19th of 2020, Alberta Howard filed an abuse prevention order against James Charles votes, which was 20 R766. With all that information there on him, he was able to file in family probate court for the estate of 106y old Joseph Robert Copelan who died on April 18th, 2020. I received information that show all the incidents that led to the death of of her unexpected son Pierce Pico Howard who was a Springfield school retirey. Um, when James Votes was arraigned on August 21st of 2020, the office of District Attorney Anthony Giuliani, Assistant District Attorney Joan O'Brien, or Judge Payne never provided a Howard with victim's advocacy protection or myself witness protection under the victim's law, victim's bill of right 258b. After John Payne retired from his

position, Mayor Dominic Sonno would then you um scandily abuse his authority and put him the in the position of city council. From there, John Payne um Sher Capu mere sum would then sign the consent decree and I feel that brought up an issue of ethics violation. James votes has never been prosecuted and because of the Springfield Police Department refusing to do an investigation of these murders. This is a loophole a loophole in our criminal justice system. As long as he's not found guilty, then there is no crime. This man is still in their property at 136 Valley Road. He still owned all of their properties and he got that through the um family district court by impersonating to be the um neph the cousin of Paris Howard on the death certificate of Paris Howard. James Votes is listed as a friend and I know personally that James Votes is no relation to these people. I've been coming to you for the past six years on this matter and we're still here and no investigation is being done. Here you have the pictures of two elderly persons at our centennials. And I hope the listening um audience would look online and see how the city of Springfield never recognized 106 year old Joseph Robert Copelan although he's a centurion or Alberta Howard who's your Springfield school volunteer and who never recognized her 7 107th 108th birthday or when she passed. Here I have a picture of her burial and in this picture is Henderson's Henderson, Pastor Stefan Williams and Elder Davies of the Shiloh 7th Day Adventist Church. I've been

asking Mir Sono for six years to look into this and nothing but after Robera Howard body stayed in Henderson Funeral Home for 108 days. She was buried on June 13th of 2022. Mayor Dominic Sano all of a sudden would meet with the pastor of the same pastor that's responsible for her burial. So we I'm hearing and looking at all this about safety, public and security RDC3 meetings I've been going to a number of people in this office knows about it. No one has done nothing and this is the crime here within the city of Springfield. um registry of probate rosemary Sacramento Sacramento no Sacramento who's running again for office was over all the cases in family probate court and knows very well of it I have here documentation of the crime that is plaguing this city I have spoken and tried to meet with Mr. Cook where all these incidents took place in Ward 5. He has not returned my call. He has not spoken to me. I'm not making this up. All my listening audience have to do is Google these people and ask them what is going here in city of Springfield regarding these elders. And so here is a documentation partial documentation of the cases and everything that we have collect way rainy for the past six years and nothing has been done. So I'm asking how do we get an in investigation into this murder by James Charles V who's walking free and all these people that knows about this and nobody is saying nothing or doing anything. I hear all this talk about safety and security, but when this crime happened, it was

happening during the consent decree and for Judge John Payne to be a city solicitor and find off about that there's no cry in the city and you know I've been coming to these C3 meetings. So all I want to know from Mr. Lavar Cook, what do I have to do to get the Springfield police to look into this investigation? because I filed that elderly abuse complaint on behalf of Bura Howard. Your time is up, Miss Latiny. And we do got to start at 6:30, but we have one more speaker, so I don't need to cut you off. That's Lavar Click Bruce. Um Click Bruce.

Yes. Um just want to make sure you address him appropriately. He's counselor Click Bruce um in the chambers. And so I can speak to him about trying to get an investigation to this because I'm a witness and I didn't get victim's advocate advocacy protection and I can prove this. You can certainly have a conversation with him and he will tell you the role of the city council and what we can and cannot do. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

So now we have Naima Rodriguez. Yes. A student. Give her a round of applause. Springfield public school student and granddaughter of counselor Zeta Govan and she is putting on her advocacy hat for us today. We are super proud of you, Naima. Please state your name and address for the record and then you can proceed with your public speakout. I was prepared. I have it on my paper. Okay, I bet you do. You're your grandmother's granddaughter.

Hello, my name is Naima Rodriguez and I live on 1042 Berkshire Avenue. And I came here to ask the question. I wanted to ask if I could rebuild the abandoned hospital and turn it into a multi-purpose building. It will have a pool, hot tub, gym, skating rink, apartments, offices, and a mall. H I'm asking for the apartments so college students, seniors, and homeless people can have a home. The homeless people can stay there for 4 months without paying rent. And during those four months, I can request, your helper. I can request them getting a job at at the mall or in in or a job as an employee at the apartments. There are six floors. On the first floor, there's going to be a hot tub, a pool, a gym, a skating rink, and an art store. on the on the fourth, fifth, and sixth there's there's apartments and on the next paper and the two other buildings. Wait. And the other building, more apartments for the employees. That way they won't have to drive a long way to go to work or go outside. And this part of the building will be offices for the employees. The next

This is what it's going to look like. The pool will be close to the hot tub. The gym will have treadmills, weights, bouncy balls, and bicycles. The skating rink will look like any other skating rink. The art store will have tables to make art pieces, and a table to show the art. The first floor of the mall will be a food court and the second floor will have stores like Hot Topic and GameStop. GameStop.

There will be apartments on three floors. The apartment rooms will have a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen, and the ones living there will be able to decorate it however they would like. The offices The Office spaces will have box-like walls. So, it's a private office space. The apartments for the employees will look the same as the apartments for people who aren't employees. I'm estimating that it will cost over $5 million. That's all I wanted to say. That was right on time. Naima, before you leave, what what hospital are you talking about?

Um, I don't know the name. Vibra Hospital, you know the name. Vibra Hospital. Vibra Hospital. So, she got she has a great plan for Vibra Hospital counselors. Thank you for your courage. That was fantastic. I'm going to give counselors one minute if they want to give a response. You brought your entourage. Are you all here for Naima? Who? Oh, no. You're here for something else. Okay. Well, thank you for coming. councilors, if you want to say one quick response before we open our regular city council meeting on Naima's courage. Councelor Govan.

Thank you very much. Um, this came about because we drive down State Street all the time and one day she asked me, "What's that?" I said, "Oh, that's, you know, an old abandoned hospital. I actually worked there in high school when it was called Municipal Hospital." And I told her it was abandoned and she said, "Oh, we could make this out of it." And she's been talking about it for a long time. And um I said, "Well, why don't you, you know, present it? You could present it to the state rep. You could present it to city council." And here we are. So, she just needs $5 million. 5 million. Thank you, counselor. Thank you, Phil, for being her assistant. You did a great job. Um, but Naima, great job. This is how we get the students started. How old is Naima? 10 years.

10 years old. So community, if a 10-year-old can get up and advocate and speak and speak for what they want, so can all of us. So thank you for being an example, Naima. We appreciate you. Come back anytime. Okay. All right. Thank you. All right. So, we are not going to take a break because it is 6:33. We are a bit late. Do you all need a break? No. Okay. Hi, Glattus. Our our clerk made it so we can really get started. She was waiting for us. Give her a minute to settle settle down. Oh, I got to change Recording in progress.

all set. Okay, thank you. The time is now 6:35 on Tuesday, April 7 se 7 7th and we will now start our regular meeting of the city council. Will city councilors and their guests please stand for a moment of silence? Oh, am I doing roll call first, guys? Wait a minute. Should I do roll call first? Huh?

Oh, we're all standing. All right. Okay. Moment of silence. Will counselors and their guests please um join us for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Madame clerk, will you please call the role of the city council? Councelor Santelo absent. Council present. Present. Councelor Martin present. Present. Councelor Perez

present. Present. Councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor Govan present. Present. Councelor Hurst. Present. Present. Councelor Walsh. Present. Present. Councelor Davila. Present. Present. Councelor Fenton. Absent. Councelor Delgado. Present. Present. Councelor Click Bruce. Present. Present. Councelor Edwards. Present. Present. Councelor Whitfield. Present. Thank you. Are there any reports of committee from counselors? Councelor Martin followed by councelor Govan.

Uh good afternoon councilors. Um be happy to report that we had our first uh public safety uh subcommittee meeting about an hour ago um regarding um you know some concerns over um the sheriff's budget cuts um you know losing potential um sheriff officers at Forest Park and Union Station and what we here in the city of Springfield um can do to help compensate that and to address those problems. Um SPD seems to be well on top of it. Um as well as uh Director Ash in terms of Forest Park. Um I am waiting to hear back um from Deputy Martin to talk to Lieutenant Elliot uh regarding potential state police uh partnerships. I'd also like to um address I'm not sure if this would be the correct time to bring this up, but um as the school committee uh liaison, I do plan on having a meeting regarding item 10 on the agenda, but with some discrepancy maybe on my end and some misunderstanding on maybe some open meeting laws. Um, I'm only limited to one school committee uh person, so that was unbeknownst to me. So, it kind of delayed that uh the progress, but I do plan on holding a meeting with that um with the vice chair woman uh Latonia Naylor. Um I sent an email out to her this morning um to address that. So, I do ask when that comes up to be uh put back into committee that they'll be filing a motion to put that back into committee so we can get some more information on that as the uh as the council and address that properly. So, thank you.

Thank you, Councelor Martin. Councelor Govan.

Thank you, Madam President. And we did have a finance subcommittee meeting regarding the topic that councelor Martin is speaking about um today. It was on March 18th. Um, councilors in present were Victor Davila, Tracy Whitfield, Jerry Martin, and Maria Perez. And we did come to the conclusion that it would be a good idea to have more conversations about this with the school committee as they are the ones that are um initiating the contract and following through with it. So, um I'm looking forward to sending this back to committee probably um so that we can iron out some more details and hopefully um councelor Martin would have meeting with the school committee and we can all get on the same page. Thank you. Um madam, well, I'm not sure should I I have a second um subcommittee meeting. I we did have a budget review and fiscal accountability committee meeting um last Tuesday and the uh members of the committee were present as was Madame President and um we're planning on meeting every two weeks to continue our task that we have um with this subcommittee. Thank you madam president. Thank you, councelor Govan. Um, and thank you for your leadership with the special committees and we will introduce them to the public at a future meeting. So, thank you for that. Um, councelor Davala, I see your hand.

Uh, thank you, Madame Chair. Uh, the environmental committee met uh and last month uh to discuss the pothole situation as it relates to the environment. Uh as we learned uh potholes do affect the environment by um collecting uh dirty water that contains oils and other chemicals that leak out of the cars. Uh also we discussed the uh plan for the city moving forward uh to fix the pole situation in the city. I do believe the city has allocated either 38 or $40,000. Uh they have already begun doing pothole repairs going to be through the whole season um on some of the avenues. some of the potholes already uh fixed uh but this is a slow work in progress and so um the city is uh on top of that. Um president words yourself madame president uh councelor Hurst um councelor Fenton councelor Santinelo um and myself uh thank you madame president. Thank you, councelor Dagla. Um, councelor Delgado, follow councelor Click Bruce, followed by councelor um Delgato.

Thank you, madam president. Uh, we had a maintenance and development meeting on uh April 2nd. Um, and uh in attendance was uh myself uh councelor uh president Whitfield uh councelor Finton was also present as well. Um and we picked I picked up a discussion regarding um the pedestrian safety in our in our uh schools with uh our school children uh crossing um particularly in front of schools and near schools I should say. And this was a a conversation initiated a while back by uh Walk Bike uh Springfield Betsy Johnson and her crew. And we also have school we had a school committee excuse me school the school department and presence uh Rick and Chris Coleman uh from the school department. So uh they're always going to be in favor of improving uh safety with our schools. So this discussion is going to be continued. I'm going to look to work with you uh councelor Martin with public safety and also being the um the person who can uh schedule a meeting between us and the the school committee to have a further discussion. So um this is going to be on ongoing discussion to look to get speed hump signage and a whole bunch of items that um they have recognized in our city. Chris Nolley who was also in the meeting who was wonderful with uh providing uh feedback and uh input regarding discussion. So again this is going to be an ongoing discussion and we're going to look to again improve our uh our safety with our with our children and also the crossing guards as well. Um we want to make sure they're that they're safe. So those are our updates for that. And then on April the 3 maintenance and development meeting uh regarding the uh food trucks. We'll have

a further discussion on that. Um and uh the only counselor showed up for that was myself. Um so, um I did have a report uh from uh Maria Perez, councelor Perez, excuse me. She was uh ill, but she did call to let me know what what she would like to see in the the resolution. Also, councelor Govan um pres presented something that I did have a conversation with uh councelor Delgado as well. So um hopefully we'll we'll get a discussion in any we'll we'll take it up from there actually. So those are my reports regarding maintenance development.

Just um tell me how many subcommittee meetings you had on that item if you can recall. Councelor uh president I want to say we had about at least three at least three to four. Yeah, I think it was like four and um the last one was at the request of the council and no one showed up except for councelor click Bruce. I thank counselors who gave their feedback. Um but I did want to make sure that we are aware that it is a time sensitive item and all of the subcommittee meetings are recorded. Thank you, Councelor Click Bruce. Councelor Delgado.

Uh thank you, Madam President. On March 10th, the Planning and Economic Development Subcommittee met. Um, in attendance, we had, excuse me, want to make sure I don't mess this up. We had counselors Walsh, Hurst, Davila, yourself. Um, and what we had that night is we had the folks from Planning Echo Dev, Tim Sheen, uh, Brian Connors, Phil Droy, and they talked about the Court Square urban renewal plan. Um, it was a really laidout, uh, plan. And uh the presentation highlighted uh the northeast downtown district ma master plan pretty much outlined their vision for the next 30 years. And so I I want to say 30-year plan in terms of what they hope to accomplish within that time. Uh some of the items were talking about transforming Chestnut Street uh returning it potentially into a two-way street. uh expanding EP uh App April Triangle and developing a thousand to 1500 uh residential units um as well as a number of other uh exciting things again over a 30-year period um but increasing walkability um safeguarding the Veterans Memorial and uh they talked about new development as well. Um so that was the meeting on the 10th of March and then April 2nd the uh special committee uh revenue and economic growth special committee met. Um and that one was just an introduction meeting with the the new members which I know we will be highlighting them uh later on. But at that meeting we also had Kathy Bono, Lindseay Hackit, and Tim Sheen as well um talking to the members and kind of introducing them to the kind of the basic foundations on that end. So um and that's it. Thank you, Vice President Delgado, and thank you for your leadership as well and holding those meetings outside of all of things we have to do. Um, Councelor Hurst also held his special committee meeting along with councelor

Brown um held his special committee meeting and like I mentioned before, those participants will be introduced at a future city council meeting. So, thank you all for doing that extra work. Okay. Are there any other council Hurst? Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Madam President. Uh on March 18th, uh the general government subcommittee meeting of the Springfield City Council met, I was joined by uh Councelor Davila, Councelor Martin, Councelor Perez, Councelor Govan, as well as councelor Whitfield. Uh also in attendance uh were Mike Jacob and Attorney Moore and the law department. Uh we did discuss uh a concern um from a resident uh Dave Poyer uh who actually came before us uh during public speakout to address uh an issue that he had with uh the storage of mobile homes and motor homes and RVs. Uh here in the city of Springfield, uh we have a antiquated um ordinance uh that causes or that says that the length of the motor homes uh are only allowed if they are less than than 20 ft to be stored on the property. And so we had uh we had a good discussion uh about what some of the other cities uh and towns and the surrounding area are doing. And so I'm hopeful to come before the city council at a future date uh with an amendment to that ordinance uh that hopefully um will satisfy uh Mr. Ber uh his concern as as well as um as well as make that law a bit more current um and uh aligned with some of the other cities and towns. Uh in addition to that uh we also discussed the uh public speakout pilot program. Uh and thank you again to Attorney Moore uh who presented us with an executive summary uh of the contents of that particular change uh to our city council rules. Uh I have heard some additional concerns uh from some of my colleagues and so I'm going to ask at the appropriate time that this particular item be sent uh back to committee to see if we can iron out those issues uh before bringing it back to the full body.

Thank you, Councelor Hurst. Are there any other reports of committee? All right, seeing none, Madame Clerk, please call the role on the reports of committee on acceptance. Councelor Santelo, I have a report. Yes. You have a report? Yeah. Okay. Before we call the role, councelor Santelo, please, you have the floor.

Thank you so much. Thank you, Council uh President Whitfield. Um on March 25th, uh we had a meeting on the updates on biomass and um it was uh chaired by myself. The committee met with former counselor Tim Allen, Zida Govan, attorney Ken Shay, Serita Hudson, Councelor Victor Davala, and other stakeholders to review the proposed East Springfield biomass plant legal permitting and legislative and public health status. I believe also uh Madame President you were in attendance via Zoom and I believe also that Justin Hurst was there via Zoom too. So I want to include that into the report. Um I provided an overview noting the ongoing legal administrative and health related uncertainties on the biomass um permit. Attorney Kenshay reported that the original 2008 permit issued to Palmer Paving may not have been transferred to the current entity and the building department's confirmation is pending. He noted the permit's 5-year validity may be near its expiration due to prolonged uh legal appeals. Uh following a Supreme Judicial Court ruling, the Springfield Zoning Board of Appeals issued a building permit in early 2024, but additional approvals, including a mass D clean air permit, are still required. Um, former counselor Tim Allen and counselor Zida Govan uh referenced Jesse Letterman's historic role in over 15 years of community community opposition as well as prior contributions by councelor Edwards and Finton in delaying this project. Um the committee agreed that per the permitting uh remains uncertain particularly regarding

transfer status uh remaining validity and outstanding environmental approvals. Um outstanding questions include whether the new entity has applied for a permit transfer, the remaining duration of the permit, the developer plans, legislative outcomes, and whether a health health impact assessment will be conducted. Um, I concluded that continued monitoring, regional coordination, and attention to public health data are necessary. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Councelor Santinelo, for that very thor very thorough report. Are there

and we also have Ken, Madam President, we also have Ken Shay who might be able to give us an update on have they applied for the permit. He he's in attendance today and he may have an update right now. Uh, if I may, Madam President. Sure. Attorney. Thank you.

I checked with the the U planning department and no um they have not requested any permits to be transferred over to them. So, as of right now, there are no outstanding uh permits that would require any work there. So, right now, it's sort of a mood issue because they haven't gone forward. Thank you, Attorney Shay, for that information. Is there any other reports of committee? Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please call the role. On acceptance, Councelor Santelo. Councelor Santelo. Yes. Yes. Councelor Martin.

Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes. Yes. Councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor Govan. Yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh. Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton. Absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield. Yes. The vote is approved. Mer, please call the first item on the agenda. Item one is the city council public speakout pilot.

Councelor Hurst like to make a motion to send this back to Can you turn your mic on, sir? I'd like to make a motion to send this item back to back to the general government committee. There's a motion on the floor. Second. Seconded by Councelor Walsh. Any discussion on the motion? Seeing none. Madam clerk, please call the role. On the vote to committee, councelor Santanelo. Yes. Yes. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes. Yes. Councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor Govan.

Yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh. Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield. Yes. Motion is approved. Madame clerk. Please call the next item. Agenda. Item two is the February revenue versus expenditure report. Please state your name and address for the record. Heather Benjamin, Deputy Controller, 48 Victoria Street, Springfield.

Thank you, deputy. New face. Um, yes, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam President. Tonight, I'm presenting the February revenue and expenditure report. It represents the first eight months of fiscal year 2026. Uh, as can be seen on the report, year-to- date revenue is 700.5 million or 69% of budget and expenditures are 702.6 million or 69% of budget. Any questions from council? Seeing none, madam clerk, please call the role. An acceptance. Councelor Santinado.

Yes. Yes. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes. Yes. Councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor Govan. Yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh. Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield. Yes. Motion approved. Madam clerk, please call the next item on the agenda. Item three is the Eversource Gerard Avenue petition.

Please state your name and address for the record. Good evening, counselors. Chris Signnoli, DPW director, Bennington Street, Springfield. You just called one item, correct? Thank you. Uh the first petition in front of the council tonight is Eversource Electric on Gerard Avenue. It is in relation to the uh Gerard Circle Apartments uh power increase for the facility there. Installation of about 500 ft of new duck bank and new manholes to support the uh power required for the facility.

Thank you Mr. Signoli. Is there are there any questions or comments from counselors? Seeing none, madame clerk, please call the role on approval. Councelor Santanelo, yes. Yes. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes. Yes. Councelor Brown absent. Councelor Govan. Yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh. Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Councelor Davula. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

Yes. Petition approved. Madame clerk, please call the next item. Next item is an honorary street sign for Pastor Andrew Daniels. Thank you. Good evening, counselors. Chris Signoli. The honorary street sign on Dwight Street um went through the traffic commission and was approved for pastor make sure I get this right. Pastor Andrew Daniels uh and it will be located on Dwight Street. Thank you. Any questions? Oh, councelor Click Bruce.

Yeah, we do have um Thank you, U Madame President. We do have the family of a pastor um Andrew Daniels in the audience as in the chambers, excuse me. And um I'd like to call up uh Sabrina uh Brantley. I know Pastor Daniel's also here as well. Um stand. Yes. If the family could come to the podium and Pastor Daniels, can you please stand? He's here. Yeah, he's Oh, he's Oh, he's 94. Okay. He doesn't have to stand. You don't have to stand,

Pastor Dan. But look at him. 94 is standing. Yes, Pastor Daniels. Let's Let's hear from the pastor first so he can um have a seat. Okay, you can. We don't want to keep him standing, but Pastor Daniels, if you want to say a few words to us. I'm going to speak on his behalf. Okay. Okay, you can sit. Thank you, Pastor Daniels.

Um good evening, um city council members and community leaders. Um, thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak today. Um, I'm here to respectfully request um, an honorary street sign in recognition of Pastor Andrew Daniels, a man whose life, leadership, and ministry transformed this community for generations. Pastor Daniels moved to this city in 1954 and in 1963 he began his pastoral journey. He founded Daniel Zubthal Church for 62 years. This church has been a place of worship, guidance, and support, and spiritual covering for countless families. In 1980, Pastor Daniels led the church to his home on Dwight Street, where it is still now stood for 45 years. That church became more than a location. It became a beacon of hope for the neighborhood. During the most challenging seasons of gang violence when um an uncertainty affected everyday lives, Daniels New Bethl Ch stood firm. Pastor Daniels ensured the doors were always open. He offered a place of peace, direction, and safety. The church served as a stabilizing force when the community needed it most. Young people, families, neighbors found comfort, strength, and protection within those walls because of his leadership. Pastor Daniel's influence reached far beyond his own congregation. His teachings and mentorship helped birth several ministries that continued to serve communities. Harvest Fellowship, Shiloh Church, Power Gospel, Victory Tempo, In Motion, and Lighthouse just to name a few. These churches are living branches of his legacy min ministries that carry forward the values,

compassion and spiritual foundation he has established. One of pastor Daniel's favorite scriptures is Romans 12 and 21. Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good. This verse defined his life in ministry. Through every challenges and hardship, every changing seasons in the city, Pastor Daniels overcame darkness by choosing goodness, faith, and love. He taught others to do the same. An honorary street sign in is more than a marker. It is a lasting acknowledgment of a man who strengthened neighborhoods, uplifted generations, and shaped the spiritual leaders leadership of this city. It ensures that future generation will know the name Pastor Andrew Daniels and understand the extraordinary impact he made. I respectfully ask for your approval of this honorary street sign so that his legacy and the legacy of Daniels New Church will continue to be honored and remembered. Thank you for your time. Very very well said. Very well spoken. always heard of um Daniel New Bethl church cuz going to Macedonia was like a sister church and um so I'm pretty sure that I've seen him preach in my growing up and that is

so wonderful. Thank you. I'm honored to support but I need to open it up to the counselor. Thank you, madam. Um it's just it just means a lot. Um because all of the years that he put into this community. Yes. Everybody knows that name. Everybody know and I didn't even know all of those other churches came birthed from his leadership. So that is also amazing. Thank you, Counselor Click Bruce.

Yeah. So thank you u Madame President. Um, so Sabrina has been a a staunch advocate for her grandfather to make sure this happened. Um, she would hit me up like every single day. Um, also want to recognize the the counselor for the area, Maria Perez. I know she'll have words, but she was also helpful and uh making sure this got done. But the Daniels family is is uh really don't have any words. you you all really represent the city of Springfield in a positive light and um it it will behoove us not to to uh do something special for this young man. He's always dressed to a tea. Uh he represents very well and uh he's just a great man. I haven't heard anybody say a bad thing about Pastor Andrew Daniels. Um and uh his his uh his daughters um are phenomenal. his his children are phenomenal and they're just phenomenal people and uh we really look look forward to uh uh I look forward to supporting this and uh I truly thank you for Sabrina for even having the wherewithal to do this and uh uh taking the courage to step out on faith and uh making sure this happens for your grandfather.

Thank you councilman. Thank you. Thank you madam president. Thank you councelor click Bruce. Any other comments? Councelor Perez. Wow. Brings memories. I want to thank the Daniel family, specifically Pastor Daniel. Back in the 80s, Barb, the late Barbara Rivera. Back then, we didn't have no mental health and and and Pastor Daniel was the mental health of that community when we were going through the abuse of the police brutality and the gang issues that we had in the north end. Um, your doors was always open. Um, even with the fires back in the in the 1980s, let's let's let's speak about the fires that happened in the north end

with two child parish and you guys opened that that church at that time of night to welcome the family that was in the fire. I am in 150% of this because that's history. If this is not history, I don't know what is history. Thank you. Having a leaving this with with Pastor Daniel and the late Barbara Rivera from my heart. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for all the services that you have provided for so many years in the city of the North End. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you, Councelor Perez. Any other comments? All right. Um, Councelor Hurst.

First of all, um, I want to thank Councelor Click Bruce as well as Councelor Perez for spearheading this. Uh certainly welld deserved and I'm hopeful that you all will add me as a co-sponsor to this petition. Uh it's not it's not often that we we get things to celebrate about here in the city council. Uh normally we get a lot of fast balls, but very rarely do we get soft balls. And so this one I'm sure will be supported unanimously. Uh it's easy to support uh this particular petition. And so you know we thank you for your service. We thank you for, you know, giving everything that that that you had uh back to the community here in Springfield and impacting so many lives.

Thank you, Councilman. Thank you, Councelor Hurst. Please add counselor Hurst to the petition. Councelor Davila. Uh thank you, Madame President. Uh I just want to make sure that I heard correctly. Did you say that the pastor is 94? He's 94. Wow. Holy Jesus. I pastor my compliments to you sir. I I have to say that pastor that that's what I thought that I heard and when I heard that it remind me the passage in the Bible that I believe loosely says that the Lord rewards the just with long life.

And so my good sir just the fact that you're 94 years old that in and of itself is a testament of your character. uh not to mention all the souls that you have led to the Lord and all the people that you have set in the right path. Uh pastor, it will be my honor to vote in favor of this. Uh it's a very fitting tribute to you, to your work, to your legacy, and also something that I feel in my heart, pastor. Uh rest easy, pastor, for the work will continue.

Amen. The torch will be passed and souls will continue to be shepherd and saved. Pastor, may the Lord grant you another 94 years. May the Lord give you peace, comfort in this stage of your life and sit back, sit back and enjoy those seeds that you have planted, sir, come to fruition. I respectfully madame uh president as well uh to be added to this uh resolution and uh God bless you pastor. Thank you councilman.

Thank you councelor Dav. Is there any counselor that do not want to be added to this petition? Cuz I want to be added. Councelor Goa wants to be added. Anyone that doesn't. All right, we're going to add all of us. That's how much we appreciate and respect um Pastor Daniels 94 years of life. You look very great and marvelous. I don't even want to say the phrase of black don't crack, but I'm going to say it. Um, I mean, I didn't realize it, so God bless you, sir. Is there anyone else that want to speak?

All right. Seeing none, madame clerk, please call the role. On approval, councelor Santanelo. Yes. Yes. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes. Yes. Councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor Govan. Yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh. Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Council. Yes. Yes. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton. Absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

Yes. The vote passed unanimously. Thank you so much. WE look forward to the celebration and the name um the name change or the name sign going up. So please keep us posted. Councelor Click Bruce, you will and councelor Perez, you will keep us informed on the celebration. Correct. All right. We look forward to celebrating you again. Um Pastor Daniels, thank you so much to the family for coming out. We appreciate you and we appreciate the sacrifice that you all make because when he's out doing the work of the Lord, you know, sometimes families lose that time, but we know that you all know that he's a good shepherd and he's doing what the Lord put on his heart as I hope all of you will continue to do as well. And this is such an honor. So, thank you for joining us tonight. Amen. All right, madame clerk, please call the next item on the agenda.

Item five is a discontinuence of Cloverdale Street. That's you again, Chris. That is me again, counselors. All right.

Uh Cloverdale Street is off is to the west of Fort Pleasant Street, uh south of Edgeland, north of Warner Street. Uh there is a paper street there called Cloverdale. Inside of that area there are a number of landlocked parcels. Uh the owner of those parcels has petitioned the board of public works to discontinue the street um to for ownership purposes for development. Uh and it has been approved by the board of public works and is now being presented to the city council.

Thank you councelor Davala. Thank you, Madame President. Uh, Madame President, uh, this is the first this is not my district and it's the first time that I hear about this. Um, I had no knowledge of this project. Um, I do have a plethora of questions. Um, if I may, I just want to start. Uh, is the council present uh online? Councelor, I mean, um, Attorney Shay. Yes. Okay. Attorney Shay. Um, Councelor Davilla has questions for you. Question. How you doing, Attorney Shay? I'm okay.

Excellent. Don't sound so excited. Ken, uh, so listen, Ken, um, Attorney Shay, the I see here that the petitioners, two of them are LLC's. Is that is that is that okay? They're not people, but are they are they entities? I'm sorry. Can you repeat?

I noticed that two of the petitioners on this petition for this continuence, two of them are LLC's. They are not people. But are they considered entities? In other words, can they sign? Can NLC be a petitioner? an an LLC uh is like a corporation. It's an entity. Okay. So, it's like an entity and the uh registered officers of that LLC are able to act on its behalf. So, yes, an LLC could petition. Um and they, you know, if you want, you can ask who the uh members of the LLC are, but yes, they they certainly can do that. An LLC can do what they're asking.

Okay. Okay. that that I just wanted to make sure that that that's what I thought what the question was, but I was the answer was I wasn't exactly sure. Um, thank you, uh, attorney Shay. Um, Chris, I believe that you still there are. There you go. Um, I believe reading to the paperwork, this is going to be a new mosque. Is that what this is going to be? That is what the petitioners presented to the DPW. No plans have been submitted, but their intent is to build a mosque. There is a mosque on the corner of the street now.

And so their intent is is to build a different one that has um um uh some significant on-site parking, which is an issue with it that they have right now. The facility has none, right? And they definitely need something bigger because that mosque has glory be to God, they really been growing, which is a great great thing. So uh and so all right and madame thank you Chris Madame clerk did they meet with the force park civic association because I don't recall hearing like I said it's the first time that I hear about this I haven't received anything Chris I have no idea I have not heard anything from the civic association regarding this

okay uh do you foresee any kind of variance being needed for this project later later on is uh right now I don't know because I believe the zoning of the uh the lots there are all residential. Yeah. Uh so depending upon what they are constructing they may need a variance to construct on those lots. Off the top of my head I'm not sure whether it's residence A or B

um that's there and the uh budding land that they are taking as part of the discontinuence would then take that zoning as well. Uh Madame President, I do feel more comfortable if uh the petitioners met with the Forest Park Civic Association first before we move forward with this. Uh it is it is a needed project of course because they need more space. I just want to make sure that it's done that we are um dotting our eyes and crossing our tees. And then there is the the issue of are we just going to give the this the land or we're going to sell it. Uh it is a nonprofit. It's a church which is greatly needed but once we give it up we lose it completely. So I will feel more comfortable if we send this to uh I don't know if it appropriate to continue it or committee um at this stage because it's not it's not a hearing

right so I'll make a motion that we send this to committee uh uh go maintance and development um okay um councelor Davlin made a motion to send this to committee is there a Second question. Um, okay. Thank you. Um, seconded by councelor. Um, Santelo, I'm sorry, lost my train of thought. Councelor um Walsh, you have a question?

Yeah, I have a question. I don't, you know, let me just check with you, um, Director Signali, but a discontinuence of a road or a street, I don't think that's has to go before a civic center or association before we vote on it. Has that been your experience?

Yeah, technically nothing really has to go in front of civic associations. We always request that they go in front of them simply to inform them of a whether it's a development or whatever is going on to gain the support. Um and just thing I'm glad he whispered into my ear. The attorney for for the entity is here tonight. If you would have a question for them, you'd be happy to answer it. But yet they to the best of my knowledge it has not been in front of the civic association. It's not required, but uh we always like to see it because we do want their support. when the plans if on any development when plans then start to get developed we I know I never want anybody to be surprised as to what's going in how it's being built and and things of that nature

but hasn't it gone through some hoops before it gets to us it's it's gone through the board of public works uh there were public hearings associated with that as a matter of fact this was done about a year ago um and it's been sitting until uh moving forward uh so it's gone through all the normal normal approval procedures until it comes to the city council. Well, but no development plans have been presented. Okay. It's it's my opinion that the city council should be able to vote on this and I'm not going to support the motion to committee. Thank you, Councelor Walsh. Any other councelor Dava?

Uh thank you, Madame President. Again being consistent with my stance uh that even technically nothing has to go in front of the civic associations uh it has been a very good practice of this council wise practice I must say uh to consult the people that live in the neighborhood again this is my district first time that I hear about this I have a lot of questions uh and moving forward you know I don't want to be put in a position that you know it's a project that may or may not fit the area I agree that we need a new location that's all that's evident that it's on his face. Uh but uh I I feel strongly we should send this to uh to committee may as a development until they meet with the uh civic association. Uh and also consider this is like a neighborhood there and we are going to be now putting potentially more traffic. Similarly, we're on an issue that may or may not be heard today, number 11, where we might be redirecting traffic into a particular tight neighborhood. So I again ask that this goes to committee uh maybe a month or so uh by the time it comes back to us so that we can just do our due diligence and make sure that this is done properly because it's a project that is needed and when something is needed we need to make sure that we do it right the first time. Thank you madame president.

Thank you councelor councelor Hurst. Just a quick question uh for Chris. Chris, are they paying for this property that they will ultimately own? No, it's a transfer from uh city right ofway uh to the abutters. Does this property have value?

Right now, it is a um it's a right of way. It's just a paper street. There's no development there. uh there's an existing street that comes to a dead end and then the right of way continues. Um and the only way that that would ever be extended in the future is if there was development along that right of way. Um I mean to me it doesn't have any value but I mean obviously if it's a piece of land it has some value to somebody cuz otherwise why would they why would they want it? I mean, I I think it probably has significant value. Um, and I think it merits a discussion. So, uh, I'm going to Did I already second sending this to committee?

Yeah. Council Saned it. Oh, you second it. Okay. I will be supporting this. Thank you, Council Gov. Thank you, Madam President. Um I'm not sure when is the next um East Forest I mean Forest Park Civic Association meeting. Isn't it the same time every month? U through the through the um president. Uh I believe yes. Uh second Tuesday of the month. So the second Tuesday of the month. Second. Yeah. So I believe um that we're looking at May 12th.

Okay. So, um I I think I agree because we do tend to send situations like this to the neighborhood associations. So, I don't see any harm in um having them um go to the neighborhood association and just have a conversation with them. I know we always do site visits out in Indian Orchard where we go to the site, we invite the Abutters, and we just have a conversation and talk to the developer. Um, you know, to councelor Hurst's point, you know, the I'm sure the land has value because they're going to build something on it. Um, I just of course, you know, I would love for the pilot um conversations to continue being discussed so that we can have some increased revenue um to the city. But I agree that we should send it to so that they can go to the um neighborhood association. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, counselor. Any other council? Just uh council president just point of information who is the petitioning party for the discontinuence.

Uh Chris, the applicant. Applicant. Yeah. And yeah, I'm just looking because there's a couple names here. Um the signature is under Zahed Farooqi and the name is Bis Salam incorporated. That's under that's under his name. So he is the uh he is the petitioner. Thank you. in the uh I and also in the packet of information uh given to the council uh the letter with their contact is in there.

Thank you councelor Walsh. Any other council dava? Thank you madam president Chris I just cl point of clarification. So this uh Mr. Bayus is that what you said? Faruki Faruki. Yes. Is he is he a private developer or is he the iman? You could probably you could probably answer that better than I can. Yes. By the way, are we I I will I'll let the attorney answer that. Uh and the gentleman himself uh answer that. They're more knowledgeable of what their uh intent and development is. Just for the record.

Sure. Honorable uh city councelor madam president Dave Bartley Holio Mass happy to answer any of your questions. I think the last one I heard was relative to my client and friend uh Zahed Farooqi. He's a member of Ba Salam which is a mosque currently situated at 148 Fort Pleasant Street. One uh the locust in this particular instance is Cloverdale.

Right. Cloverdale is a dead end paper street in a thickly wooded basically um without his vision it would be an undevelopable area. It runs perpendicular to Edgeland. Edgund sits uh in between Long Hill and Fort Pleasant. You're all familiar with those two streets. And Fort Pleasant uh the 140 Fort Pleasant is is at the corner of Edgeland and Fort Pleasant. So, and and it may I uh this is while while we had a a public hearing May 1st, happy to have more discussions would would welcome it. Um, at the same time, at the same time, the the membership wants to move to a modern building, which would be instead of an old building, which they are now, they're looking at a 21,000 square foot modern building with classroom space, cafeteria space, a basketball court, a fulllength basketball court, so a gym and and used for public space and in and an and interfaith uh space space as well,

right? So, it's a very exciting proposal, but again, you're just hearing this for the first time, and I completely respect and understand it as as does my my friend and my client, uh, Mr. Perooqi. So, thank you. I'll stop there.

Thank you, Attorney, and I'm glad that you uh you you guys are open to continue discussion on this. Um, and but again, I just want to make sure because I see here according to the plans, Attorney Bartley, that Beus Salam, Inc. owns according to this the entire side of the street. Right. So it's like seven. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven. Yeah. Seven. Uh I just want to make sure. Did you say attorney Bartley, if I heard you correctly, that Mr. Farooqi is a member of the mosque? Yes, that's true.

Good. Uh so who are we transferring this land to? the mosque, correct? Or to the Is he gonna rent it out to the mosque? Are we transferring to the mosque or are we transferring to him privately and then he's going to rent it out to the mosque? So, custo what you what you found on there is seven parcels that were purchased over the course of time, right?

Uh by by Talam, Inc., which is the the the corporate governing of of the the mosque. And the petition is to close Cloverdale. Um, which is two the first 200 feet of Cloverdale are not being petitioned for for discontinuence. It's the it's a it's a footage after that which is basically a paper street. In other words, it was laid out at one time a 100 years ago by by the city engineers, but has never been. And once you get your feet on the land over there, you'll see why it really hasn't been I know the area and I have to say I have to say

councelor Davilla. Um so this is on the motion. So I think if we're going to send this item to committee Yeah. then we can get all the details worked out in committee. So I think we need to dispose of the vote and then um if we're going to send it to committee and ask that they go to the neighborhood councils, we let that process play out instead of like doing all that. Now, sorry to interrupt um attorney, but but I I do if I I do agree with you if you allow me to finish my last question because I I I don't think my question was answered and then I agree these are the minutia that I think we need to work out. Uh I'm not opposing the project. I just have questions and I think we need to have discussions and so I'm sorry. Yeah, it's going to committee. I just have my question has not fully been answered.

I want to get out and it's not going to be answered right now because it needs to go to committee. We need to dispose of the vote for it to go to committee and then at that point Madame President I understand that but I haven't finished I I have not you have another question related to the project itself do you have another question on the discontinu of the street because we have asked who the ownership is we have asked what's going to be developed these are all the reasons that you wanted to send this item to um committee in the first place and so I think that it is now the time to send to committee and then we could get those questions answered in the maintenance and development committee. Madame President,

also you have spoken a couple of times and we have a rule that I said that I was going to enforce and they have been over 5 minutes. This is my second time on this issue, ma'am. Okay. This is your second time and now I am disposing of the item. But if I may, Madam Madam, you are cutting me off and I am and you may not. And I am the president of the council. My question was making entitled to clarification. You are the We are not getting clarification on this issue right now today. And anything else regarding this on the protest go to you are committee and if you keep disagreeing with me I'm censoring me. I'm not censoring you.

Yes, you are the argumentative forward with this because you want to move forward. So do I. But I just want to clarify the question and you within your wisdom decide that it's time for me to shut up and you're not going to shut say shut up. What I said is you want to send this item. You're completely out of place. Madame President, you want to send the item to committee. Let's do that and then you can get all your questions. A clarifying question and we spending more time if I ask the clarifying question rather than you insisting for me to shut up. I didn't ask you left the COUNELOR HERE. YOU ARE NOT OFFICER. IF WE COULD HAVE A RECESS, MADAM PRESIDENT OFFICER,

IF WE HAVE RECESS, if we could have a quick recess, Madam President, Madam President, if we could have a quick recess, don't kick me out. Officer, you keep arguing with me on the ISSUE THAT I MADE a decision ON. YES, I WILL. YOU ARE CENSORING ME. Madam President, if we could have a quick recess, take a two-minute recess. You're censoring me. You are not. You're just a president. No, you're censoring me. I know. That's I'm not arguing. No, I'm just asking to stop. She's not on the potent She's not God in that the podium. I apologize for that's not like me. Can we have She's not God. Did you you did you just say recess? Yes. Yeah. Okay. It's not worth it.

We are going to vote on the motion to send this to committee. For clarification, if we motion to send something to committee, we are only going to talk on the motion and why it should or should not be sent to committee. Other questions will be answered in committee if it passes. And so we are now going to vote on sending this item to committee. Madame clerk, will you please call the role? On the motion to committee, councelor Santelo, yes. Yes. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes. Yes. Councelor Brown absent. Councelor Govan. Yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh. No.

No. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Councelor Whitfield. Yes. Motion approves. Madam Clerk, will you please call the next item on the agenda? Item six is a lead hazard reduction grant in the amount of 5,123,2765. Please state your name and address for the record.

Not coming on. I can project. No, she's coming. Wrong. Okay, there we go. Thank you. Sorry. Sorry. That's okay. Uh, Tina Quagliato Sullivan, 19 Bedford Road, Springfield. Thank you.

Uh, so this is a lead hazard reduction grant. It's a competitive grant from HUD. Uh, this item and item seven are related. Item seven is the matching funds from the state. So, the state has a designated uh fund that can assist municipalities with matching funds for federal grants. And so the city tapped into that. Um the grant will cover assessment and remediation of approximately 120 units throughout the city. It will also cover uh limited healthy homes interventions using a specific assessment tool that uh identifies the most common home injury hazards for children and it will also cover remediation of those things. It will include radon assessment and interventions as well as outreach and education about lead uh poisoning prevention. The grant will run our period of performance actually started April 1st and it will run through 2030 so cover four years.

Thank you. Thank you. Any questions from counselors? Councelor Perez. I don't have a question, but um I'm glad that this um um project is going through because you know, as being a former chief of housing, one of the problems was when we were trying to uh establish the family, if they have minors in the house, we cannot move them in. I think this is a great program and it was passed over. So, thank you to the committee and the team that put this together and it was awarded. Thank you so much. I should also note, sorry, um the EPA community change grant, the $20 million grant that the city had that um was terminated by the current administration, it had $5 million in there for lead uh abatement. And so this will sort of supplement that lost funding.

Thank you, Council Govan. Thank you, Madame President. And I apologize because I did plan on having a finance committee meeting to discuss all of these, but because I couldn't be here in person, it didn't happen. But I do want to thank you um Tina for pursuing these kind of things cuz like council Perez said, this is a very important issue and I think it will help in increasing the housing availability in the city because of all the hopefully lead removal. So I'm in favor definitely in favor of this. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, councelor. Madam President, Councelor Santanella. Yeah. Uh, can you hear me? Yes.

Yeah. Um, just a question on the radon radon detection. Um, how much of the money is going to be going towards radon detection? What are they going to be using for radon monitors? The reason why I'm asking that is 20% of all the homes in the state of Massachusetts have radon and radon contributes to lung cancer. Um, so those are my questions.

Uh, yeah. So the radon so we will do the assessment. I should say we have been doing those assessments on many of the homes that we have run through our healthy homes program. Uh we haven't found we haven't come across a home yet that requires that meets the levels that requires actual interventions. Um but we will follow the state rules around intervention for radon and we will utilize contractors that have the ability to do that. Thank you.

Any other questions or comments from counselors? Seeing none, madame clerk, can we please take votes on six and seven if there's no questions on either? No objection. Thank you. Madam clerk, please call the role on approval of item six and seven. Councelor Santelo. Councelor Santelo, you're muted. Councelor Santelo, yes. Thank you. Yes. Councelor Martin, yes. Yes. Councelor Perez,

yes. Yes. Councelor Brown, absent. Councelor Govan, yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh. Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield. Yes. Items approved. Madame Clerk, please call the next item on the agenda. Item number eight is an or order authorizing the expenditure of FY7 Chapter 90 fund in the amount of 5,19,60.65. Please state your name and address for the record.

Good evening, counselors. Chris Signali, DPW director. Um, we were notified by the state at the end of February with regards to our notification for our annual chapter 90 uh allocation. Uh, we were at $3.6 million for a number of years. Last year it went up to f up to uh 5 million and it is a five-year bond. So, we are at 5 million again for this year. Uh as part of the 5 million, we have set aside 4 million for paving. Uh and we have supplemented that with other funds to have a paving program this year of 6.5 million. Um in the packet, we list the streets that we're going to be doing. Um, and just for the just for the council, we're using 4 million for arterial for paving, uh, 100,000 for salaries, uh, 125 for traffic signals, road maintenance, crack ceiling, 150, and then for design purposes, we have 600,000. Uh, in the packet, uh, lists the streets that we will be going out to bid for in the next month or so for the beginning of the fiscal year in July. um with $6.5 million. This is probably the most that we're spending on paving um in my years, but I want to let everybody see we're doing 6.5 miles of roadway, centerline roadways. We have 480 in the city. So, we're doing less than 2% of our roadways in the city. So uh I you know when when citizens come up and say my road hasn't been paved in 20 or 30 years that puts us on a road for 50 years uh simply because of the funds that we are receiving are so small. Um but what we are doing this year is we have added a number of arterial streets where we have had massive and chronic pothole problems over the last few years uh such as sections of Parker Street, Worththington, Sumar Avenue extension um

and Bay Street are the kind of the three or four that uh we're targeting. Survey Road is on the list. It is on the list. It has been on the list. So, um, and one of the things we do is we also try to spread the, uh, roadway improvements around the city as well. And just for everybody's purposes, this this work will start either towards the end of June or right at the beginning of the July as it is fiscal year money. Thank you, Mr. Signoli. Are there any questions or comments for Mr. Signoli on this item? Seeing none, madam clerk, please call the role. An acceptance. Councelor Santelo.

Yes. Yes. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes. Yes. Councelor Govan. Councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor Govan. Yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield. Yes. Items approved. Madame clerk, please call the next. Thank you, counselor. Thank you. Please call the role on the next item as it's under our threshold.

Item nine is an honoraria for donation uh to Jerry McCaffy in the amount of $300. Councelor Santanelo. Yes. Yes. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes. Yes. Councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor Govan. Yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh. Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton. Absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield.

Yes. Madame clerk, there are we are going to leave item 10 in committee per counselor Martin's um request earlier. So there's no um nothing that needs to be done at this time on item number 10. Item number 11 for the discontinuence on Wolverham A. I don't think anything needs to be done with that one either. Um item number 12 amending chapter 279 pedaling and solicitation is on second and final step. Just a point information. Sure.

Uh with the item 11 um is that being withdrawn? What's going on with that? I haven't heard uh Madame Clerk, have you heard anything regarding that item? Uh yes. Thank you, Madam President. Uh the petitioners have not officially withdrawn, but it's my understanding that they plan to withdraw. I know that they were quoted on Mass Live and in the Republican as having um they're not seeking the discontinuence, but they have not submitted anything to the council office or the city clerk's office. Thank you.

Thank you, madame clerk. Um, item number 12. I think the item needs to be um, Madame Clerk, can you tell me what the procedure is to take it up tonight? I believe councelor Click um, alluded earlier to the fact that they do want to take this item up tonight. Yeah. So, Madame President, I officially make a motion to uh, take this item up on tonight. Uh number item on agenda number 12 amending chapter 279 pedaling and soliciting. Thank you. Any discussion on the motion?

Seeing none. Madam clerk, please call the role to to take the item number 12 up tonight. Councelor Santelo. Yes. Yes. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes. Yes. Councelor Brown absent. Councelor Govan. Yes. Yes, councelor Walsh. Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton, absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce, did you want to make any comments or um you want to hand it over to Chris? Yeah, Madam P. I'll yield the floor to uh Chris Signoli.

All right.

Back again. Uh and uh just as aside uh madame clerk, the uh discontinued to Wilberham A can be uh they withdrew that that has been withdrawn. I thought I had sent you a note. If I didn't, my fault. That can be pulled out. Um thank you councilors for hearing um uh the ordinance with regard to the mobile food trucks. Again, um correct item. We have had five subcommittee meetings on this. We had one last year, four this year. Um over the last couple weeks following the approval of step one uh we received some information which I circulated to the counselors but I just want to read a couple of them. Uh the comments that we had before were issues related to uh location of food trucks adjacent to residential property the fee for the permit uh and the operating hours. Um, Councelor Perez had forward and just for everybody's purpose from a fee standpoint, we had I had requested $450 uh for a six-month permit with $150 renewal. Uh, Councelor Perez uh had submitted some information asking for a fee of $250 with a $100 renewal. Uh, Councelor Govan had suggested that there be no fees for the permit. Um my recommendation I am very happy to have $250. There has to be a fee associated with this. If if there's no fee, there's no enforcement um on that. So that my comment on that uh councelor uh Click Bruce uh provided three items. Uh number one is that he made a statement that if three food trucks are together on one lot, that would constitute a food truck park. uh and that a food truck park would need a special permit from the city council. Uh he made a recommendation that no mobile food truck should be within 50 ft of residential

property. If the truck has a generator, the distance has to be 100 ft. And no mobile food truck shall operate within 100 ft of any gasoline or diesel fuel pump system. and no food truck shall operate between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. I received one other item from a resident uh who was uh basically just saying uh residents named Christine Agniti uh from the forest uh from the Forest Park, she's not on the Forest Park civic association, but she says coming through the association that was basically stating that no food truck should be allowed to operate in any residential zone whatsoever. That is in the ordinance the way we have it written right now. throughout the city. There are trucks that are operating in front of houses in driveways. Uh so this would bar that from happening, but I think the major discussion items tonight would be what the fee should be and uh the distance from residential property.

Thank you, Mr. Signoli. Councelor Click Bruce. Thank you, Madame President. Uh thank you uh Chris uh for putting this together. Um so yeah this is take some time. Uh we had again we had four meeting I didn't realize we had four meetings um on this this five five four this year. So um yeah so we so just to be clear uh I did make some points um that I would like to see. Now, Chris, do we have to do I have to make a motion for this to be implemented or how does that work?

Correct. All of the items that uh I'm going to use the word I wrote as part of the uh document and if they need to be modified uh the any of the counselors would need to make a motion for amending that. Okay. Thank you for that. Um

go ahead. So, you know, we had four five meetings and um we wanted feedback from counselors. We had uh I know counselor Delgado requested that we had some food truck vendors um be present and we also try to open up to residents to have feedback. Um I respectfully asked counselors and some of the food truck vendors that came to the meetings to actually submit what they would like to see in the in the ordinance. Um, I haven't received uh anything um from from anyone. Um, so may maybe the counselors may have received it directly, but I just want to make sure I got that on the record. Um, to Chris Signnoli's point, uh, Christine uh, Agonetti did send myself and Chris the email with her with her concerns, so we made sure we put that in on the record as well. So, I would I don't want to prolong this, but I council president, I'd like to make a motion to read in uh some of the suggestions I want to make for this resolution. Uh first is uh one is if there are more than three trucks, it will be considered a mobile food truck park. Mobile food trucks will need a special permit from the city council. Um, two, no mobile food truck should operate within 50 ft of a residential property. If the truck has a generator, the the distance shall be 100 ft. Again, I'm open to suggestions on that. Uh, no, no mobile food truck should operate within 100 ft of any gasoline or diesel diesel fuel pumps, fuel pumps. And then four, no food truck should operate between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. I would like to add five, um, if they want to operate outside of those hours, they will have to come and get a special permit um, from the city council.

And last, uh, I'm going to suggest, and again, we can have a discussion on this, is the fee. I'm gonna my suggestion is no fee. Um I understand Chris said that there that's not possible and I understand that there there may be some uh kickback on that or push back in reference to that, but I just want to make it for the record what I'm recommending and again I'm open to suggestions from my colleagues. This is not a oneman show here. So those are my suggestions and recommendations on on this uh ordinance for food trucks. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you. Um on the motion,

uh yes, a matter of order, do we should we vote on these individually? Uh because as I listened to what he just suggested and I'm in favor of everything that he said except for the fee. So as a point of order, should we not vote on these each item independently and that way we can dispose of it in that order? But I'll follow your leadership on this item. Thank you, Councelor Edwards. I do agree with you. We should vote on each item independently in case there's questions. Um, I have three food trucks required special permit. I'll email you.

15 ft um from residential property, 100 ft if there's a generator, 100 feet um away from any gasoline or diesel. Times are 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Um there will be no food truck. um operating. If they want to go beyond those hours, you need a special permit to operate. And six, no fee. And so we'll start with um the motion number one. Three food trucks requires a special permit. Three food trucks on one property requires a special permit. Point of point of information. Yes. Yeah. Um isn't there another component to this on pan handling?

No. There's not. According to um Director Signoli, there's no nothing regarding pan handling. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, councelor Santino. Madam Chair, more point information. Yes. Um Chris, we have food trucks in the city right now that are paying for permits. How much is the permits, please? The food trucks that are on the public way are paying $225 for three months with uh $150 3month renewal.

Excuse me. 151 150. Yes. Thank you. Thank you, councelor Perez. Councelor Govan. Thank you, Madam President. That was kind of like my question. So what you're saying is that one moment madam govant um I don't want to be unfair to councelor Davila and I stopped him. We were going to dispose of item number one that councelor click Bruce um put forward first. So if we could discuss item number one um the three food trucks requiring a special permit and then when we get to the fees. Okay. Um we'll discuss the fees. So can I talk about the um three food trucks? Yes, the three food trucks. Um, one is it residential? Um, no, it can't be residential.

Oh, commercial. Yeah. Okay. Right. Um, so for the three food trucks, is there a fee associated with having a food trucks um park? No, they're going to be individual. Okay. Based upon whoever the food truck vendor is, that would be on those locations. Did I hear correctly that if there's more is if there's three or more food trucks, it's going to be considered a park. And each food truck needs a special permit. Each food truck would then need a special permit. Yes. Okay. And does the special permit cost anything? Uh other than going through the city council, that's it.

Okay. Okay. I think that's a good idea to have three if if we want to have a food truck park, but I I envisioned a food truck park having be like, let's say I want a food truck park, I'll recruit some food trucks and I would get the special permit or something like that or the food trucks themselves would have to get it. I think I'm not sure. I'm not clear on that and I don't know if the food truck owners are clear on that either.

Council click Bruce, do you have any clarification? Yeah, for what what I would like to see is uh it would have to be a lead person um uh doing that. Obviously, we wouldn't well not obviously we wouldn't ask each individual to come before us. Um so it would have to be a lead person that would have to come before um the the city council to to request that. If I if I may, Madam President, and on that as well, the applications require the property owner's uh signature and approval, so they would be involved. Anyways,

thank you. Uh, Director Signoli, any other questions on that particular amendment or motion? Second motion. Thank you, councelor Hurst. So, motion made by councelor Cru, seconded by councelor Hurst. Any other discussion on item number one of the motion? Okay. One thing that I wanted to clarify um Director Signoli is how that would read the the actual amendment.

Uh I'll have to go through the the document itself. It would probably be a new line that would have to be put in there that because we have an item in there uh that basically says um there's a limitation on the number of food trucks that we had in there. So that would just be changed to say if there is a a location that has three or more trucks, they will require a special permit from the city. And what I was going to suggest, Madame President, is whatever gets voted on tonight, I will circulate it to everybody to have everybody take a look at it and just to make sure um there isn't anything that either I've missed or that we as a council need to bring back in in front to to look at.

Thank you. Thank you, Chris. Um any other questions or comments on the motion? Madam President, that's a quick motion. It's not an emotion. I don't want to get in trouble. Okay. Cuz cuz it happened. I wanted to add I wanted to ask I'm sorry. I want

amendment. Well, amendment or or or clarification because I know the discussion was on like when we have stone soul or Indian orcher food uh festivals. This does not uh uh this would not affect those. So, I just want to make that make that clear to to those. Um they'll still go through their same process. This is something separate from that. So, this is something that if they're permanently planning on being there. Correct. Okay. Correct. Um, is that accurate?

Yes, it is. There is a complete separate process for one, two, three day events in the city and uh, Stone Soul. I know the um, Indian Orchard has it. Um, Jazzfest, etc. There's a complete separate process for that. So, this is a motion to amend. No, no, it's just just a vote. Yeah. I just wanted to put it on the record. Vote on the amendment. Okay. All right, madame clerk, please call the role on amending the three food trucks um is considered a park and will require a special permit.

Um Madame President, is it four or more or is it three or more? Three or more. It's so if they have three or more then it's considered a food park. Okay. Thank you. All right. I'm sorry. Just really quickly. So, the one that I see when I drive by Boston Road always has three there. And so, they they would in turn have to come here for a special permit. Okay. Thank you. Anyone else?

Okay. Madame clerk, please call the role on that first amendment. And for clarification, three or more. Three or more. Yes. So, if there are three or more, it would be considered a mobile food truck park and they would need a special permit from the city council. The motion was made by councelor Clickbru, seconded by councelor Hurst, councelor Santanelo. on the motion. Councelor Santanella. Yes. Yes. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes.

Yes. Councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor Govan. Yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh. Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton. Absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Woodfield. Yes. Amendment approved. The second amendment item suggested is food trucks have to be 50 feet from residential property. Is that accurate? Councelor Click Bruce. Yes.

Any discussion on that second amendment? Councelor Davula followed by councelor Delgado followed by councelor Perez. Uh is that is that amendment going to read just uh 50 ft? Um does that include the generator? Um he said generator is 100 ft. Yeah, madam president. I just wanted to read it fully. So no mobile food truck should operate within 50 ft of a residential property. If the food if the food truck has a generator distance shall be 100 feet. So that that's how I was going to read. Okay. So thank you. Can you read it one more time? Yes.

This is a suggestion suggestion. Excuse me. No mobile food truck should operate within 50 ft of a residential property. If the food if the truck has a generator, the distance shall be 100 ft. Okay. Um, amendment made by councelor Cook Bruce, seconded by councelor Edwards. Any discussion on the amendment? Councelor Delgado.

Uh, thank you, Madam President. Uh, I'm going to support this because one of the concerns I had before the original buffer zone at 500 ft I thought would have really precluded a lot of other uh, commercial lots and spaces across the city and essentially would have been a ban. So, I want to thank councelor Click Bruce for his leadership on this and the fact that they continue to not only work with residents but work with the food truck uh businesses which was my main catalyst uh before last year before click uh councelor Koops had it sending this to committee. Um so I plan to support this and um yeah that's pretty much it.

Thank you councelor Delgado. Any others? Councelor Pres. No, no, my question was answered. Okay. Thank you. All right. So, now we will vote on amendment number two. Madame clerk, yours. Um, for clarification, who was the second? No. Council. Thank you. On the amendment, councelor Santanella. Yes. Yes. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes, councelor Perez. Yes. Yes, councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor Govan. Yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh. Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Councelor Dapula.

Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton. Absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield. Yes. Second amendment pass. Third amendment that I have written is um 100 ft from any gasoline or diesel station. Can you read that amendment? Councelor Cook Bruce. Yes, madam president. Uh no mobile food truck should operate within 100 ft of a gasoline diesel fuel pumps. Is there a second on that amendment?

Um amendment made by councelor click Bruce, seconded by councelor Edwards. For clarification, can you read it one more time? Councelor Click Bruce for Madame Clerk. Yep. No mobile food truck shall operate within 100 ft of a gasoline diesel fuel pump stations. Thank you. Any discussion? Madame clerk, please call the role on the amendment. On the amendment, councelor Santanelo. Yes. Yes. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes. Yes. Councelor Brown, absent. Councelor Govan, yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh. Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst.

Yes. Yes. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton. Absent. Councelor Dado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield. Yes. Third amendment approved. Councelor Click Bruce. This is hours of operation. No food truck between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Can you please read that wording?

Yes. Uh, no food truck should operate between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6 a.m. Also want to add if they go outside of those hours, a special permit must be submitted to the city council for approval. So, no mobile food truck shall operate between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Special permit to operate is required outside of those hours. Correct. Second. Amendment made by councelor Click Bruce, seconded by councelor Edwards. Any discussion? Councelor Martin.

Uh, thank you, Madame President. Um, first again thanking u uh councelor Click Bruce and Director Signnoli for all the hard work. I I waited for my discussion on this matter for this particular point. Since our last meeting, I did talk with um one of the the business owners in Ward 7. Uh they operate a bar. Um, and one concern that they had brought to me is essentially sometimes a food truck or, you know, every weekend for them, to my understanding, a food truck would be stationed essentially outside of the bar at like 2:00 a.m. And um, it kind of made it hard for them to like disperse the crowd. Obviously, you know, young people are intoxicated and and it could lead to some potential conflict. So, I'm wondering would it be and this sorry for this is kind of late in the discussion. It just came to my head this evening. Would it be possible to add language that would like maybe add like a distance during these oper hours of operation after that certain time frame like you know 2 am the bars close and then it becomes you know kind of hectic like is there any way to prevent that or add language to that? I think this language is saying they can't even operate. It's between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

unless they get a special permit unless they get well then they will have to come to us and we will have to decide at that time. All right. So, it will have to be based on our approval. Okay. And then in that process, we would then say like, you know, can't be outside of a bar or this or anything like that. Okay. Thank you. That's that's my point. Um, councelor Delgado, I just had a quick question on the the time piece. I'm okay with the 11 to 6:00 a.m. I think the piece that I'm more interested is um if if a food truck has a generator and you're going past the 10 a.m. noise ordinance. I think

that was the one concern for me. I don't know if there was any thought put on that. Um and I should have clarified this for for the second item. Um, but there is such thing from my understanding as inverter generators that don't really make noise like the traditional ones that we think of. Um, but at least for this one, was there any thought I guess on the 10 p.m. on the generator piece versus 11? Well, yeah, if it's an inverter, but I'm talking about your normal traditional generators.

Yeah. So, uh through the president, um we just heard from uh our meetings that we had with the um food truck vendors on their request to to go a little later. Again, I'm open to suggestions and I understand the uh noise ordinance and I'm looking to abide by rules. Um but this is something that I I said I would represent them and put this forward and again I'm open to my colleagues with uh um feedback on that. So, thank you councelor Govar.

Yes. Um, I think to um councelor Martin's point, sometimes um bars or um businesses like have a food truck come and sit there. So, I'm wondering if they have to get a special permit. Well, and probably Chris, would it be like for every weekend? Because they might have them there every weekend. And um hopefully the bar is not in a residential area because of the noise. So that might be something that we might want to think about further because um 11:00 I don't know. They say Springfield's dead and nothing happens after 9. Um but I guess some people are out. I know I'm in bed by then every night. Um, but I guess if we want to think about having a night life, which our young people really want and and should have access to, cuz, you know, when I was young, we were out there. Um, thinking about maybe what is a good time to to be able to have them, you know, be out there. Maybe on the weekends it could be 2:00 a.m. when the bar is closed or whatever, cuz we do we do want people to eat when they're drinking. So, um, that might be a a protective factor, but yeah, something to think about there. Thank you for bringing that up, Council Martin.

Thank you. Um, I don't know if Chris had a response to that. One moment, Councelor Perez. Yeah, the the one response I had is that this whole thing started because of food trucks at or near bars going late 1:00, 2:00 in the morning because, as Councelor Martin mentioned, 25 or 30 cars would show up, music blasting in the cars, generators going, lights, music, and then the police had to be called to disperse them. So this all started simply because of late night food truck activities that was not controlled uh with that. So I just wanted to really go back to the origin of why we even started looking at this.

Thank you Chris. Council Perez. Yes I have a question Chris. Um if we approve this motion my question is any special permit will they inquire and having to pay a fee as well if coming to in front of the council I don't handle a lot of special permits I don't think there's a fee in front of the for the city council for any sort of special permit application and I'm speaking based on the food truck so if they come in front of the council and we approve it they don't have to have any other pay for any other special permit as being a sp a special permit itself. I just want that clarification.

Correct. Yeah. Then they would just have their application their their permit fee and their renewal as they went along. They would still have to have the requirement of submitting sketch plans, showing locations, parking, etc. That's part of any application that would come in. I think madame clerk had something to say it. I think we should make it explicit in the language that there is no special permit fee because right now we do have the ad fee. Thank you for the clarification. That's why I asked the question because we did. Thank you.

Okay. So, we had councelor Govan make a suggestion of maybe tailoring the hours on the weekend. Um, we heard no special permit fee. um if they want to come to the city council for a special permit if they want to go longer than 11:00 p.m. or open before 6 a.m. Do you all want to discuss that any further as far as and we also heard the noise noise ordinance starts at 10 and did we want to consider that? No, you're all set with that. Okay. Councelor Delgado, um, remove that. Um, councelor Govan, did you want to propose anything?

I'd like to maybe propose considering what um, uh, Director Signoli said. So, I propose that maybe having the um, the food trucks on the weekend until maybe 1. So it won't be two when the bar is closed so people could start going home around then hopefully. Um so is that something that um through the president um counselor click Bruce would be amenable to uh through the through the president. Yeah, I'm I'm I'm definitely open to suggestions. So um I'm I'm fine with that.

And can we clarify what the weekend means? So, Friday and Saturday, that's my weekend. Okay. I stay up till 10 that night. No Sundays. Sundays.

Um, Councelor Martin, I just I want to thank uh Councilwoman Govan for articulating that. Well, I at the end of the day, I really by bringing up this discussion, I just want to make sure we're protecting our small businesses, especially one that's so active uh in W 7 and um you know, business leaders that I respect. So, I just want to make sure we're protecting our small businesses and being mindful of that time frame. You know, 1:00 I think is good. Maybe I would even consider like 12:00 12:30. um not to be nitpicky, but I think that you know just to make sure we give them that buffer and we're you know keeping keeping in mind um again these businesses. So thank you again and thank you again councelor Govon for that uh beautiful articulation. So

all right so now we heard 12 1230 and one council click Bruce what do you want to amend it to say? No, one more through council president. Um I because I caught myself as well. And the reason why um I think it's important and again I'm fine whatever the council decides but I think it's important that they come before us with the with the times is that we kind of know where we're keeping track of where these uh food trucks are, especially the ones that are going past the 11:00 time. But again, I'm fine with, you know, pushing up on the week, Friday, Saturday to one o'clock if that's what the the body wants. But the the reason for I was trying to do that is so that way we kind of have a sense of in the city where where the where there's the ones that are going a little bit later. So that was my reasoning.

So how about we do this? We dispose of the amendment as it is presented from councelor click Bruce and if someone else wants to make another amendment with the weekend times, then we do that. You feel good with that, counselor Hurst?

Menopause. No, I'm just joking. That would be my excuse. All right. Well, let

Okay. I was going to say, so so I don't have a problem with the food trucks um being open until 1:00 on the weekends. I do think that they probably ought to come before the city council or someone um so that we do know which ones those are regulated. if it stays within the city council, then we certainly have the power to regulate it. Uh, and we can also take into consideration um our particular areas uh for those individuals that uh represent a ward. Uh, I also um it I also think the fee needs to be eliminated though because when you're talking about a special permit, it's just an arduous process. And so to have, you know, these small business owners who are struggling, you know, we're getting ready to go back and forth, I'm sure, about the actual fees, to have to come in and pay over $1,000 to advertise uh to a Butters. It just it seems like we're asking a lot of them. And so I don't know if it's possible to wave the fee. that that might be a field question, but I I certainly think we need a mechanism in place that allows them to come before the city council to inform us of what it is that we're doing. We vote on it and they don't have to pay. I also think at the end of this, we ought to revisit this particular ordinance after this season uh to see if there are any adjustments that we may need to make. Thank you.

Thank you, Councelor Hurst. I think councelor Delgado was first and then I'm going to look over here. Yeah, I mean I was going to say the same thing that councelor Hurst mentioned was I I do think that they should be coming in front of us after the 11 p.m. thing. Whatever mechanism that be whether special permit not um but I was going to add to it. It's not just you know it's for us to understand where these are popping up but there's you know you're talking about late night now and I'm not against them opening up to whatever it's 121. Uh, but I'm also thinking of of a public safety factor and and now you potentially have these spread all over the city and so I think them coming in front of us to get approval after 11 is definitely a necessity.

Thank you councelor Delgado, councelor Perez and then councelor Govan, council Martin too. Okay. So, so, um, I agree because one of the issues in when it comes to safety in the north end is that in summertime, I got what it called the car racers that parks on Pri Street and on the other memorial square. And then if we and I got to look this from a safety um perspective, if we extended those hours, what it means that we're going to be having people having car racings in the north end up to 1:00. So I just wanted to aware the council that issue that happens every summer in the north end. Thank you.

Thank you councelor Perez. Council go. So um I think that if they if they have to come to the city council to request a special permit there should definitely should not be any fees associated with it. And I know that you know we require them to advertise and and that costs a lot of money. So I think this that might be putting an undue burden on them. Um, I like uh councelor Hurst's idea of of eliminating eliminating that if possible. Uh, because I don't want uh these are very small business owners. They're probably seasonal because they're only outside during certain times. I think we need to be very um cognizant of the cost that it's costing them to do business. Thank you, Madam President.

I'm confused. Are we discussing the hour or the fees? Um um right. It's both. It's it's um 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. um with no um they will have to come to us for a special permit to operate outside those hours with no special permit fee point of information for that particular so for point of information and that's what I asked Chris and I think earlier he said that is no fees are going to be incorpor yeah it was clarified thank you madame chair

okay councelor click Bruce Thank you, Madame President. So, I would like to uh clarify or take back a special permit and call it uh city council issued permit instead of a special permit so it doesn't have to go go through uh Phil Dromy and his team. Okay. So, I like to change the language to city council issued permit with no fee. with no fee. Correct. Okay. Councelor Hurst. Oh, councelor Martin was before you. I'm sorry, Council Martin.

No. So, just to clarify councelor Click Bruce's point, this is just for the hours of operation. So, if special permits for other things like the three food trucks, whatever that's this is completely separate just for this one amendment. So, the city council issued permit which is totally separate from the special permit is only for the hours of operation. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Yes, Councelor Hurst, can we have attorney Sheay uh speak to I'm totally in favor of that. That that makes sense to me. Um I like the idea. I just have never heard of it. Um but I just want to make sure that it's enforcable. And so uh Attorney Shay, if you could just speak to the um newly revised

council issue permit, city council issued permit. C attorney Shay. Yeah. Is the uh question councelor Hurst um is it legal for the city council to require that and they come before you? Is that the question? The question is how do we make it so that it's legal? If it's not legal, how do we make it so that happens? What do we need to do as a body? Cuz that's what we want to see happen.

Okay. So, I I think if the council's desire is to have the food trucks come before the council for the permit, then we would write that into the language of what you're doing now, that to get the permit, you must come in front of the city council, and the city council will exercise its authority in granting permits just as it does in other cases. Thank you, attorney. Uh, sounds like we'll be supporting that amendment as it's written. Um, Attorney Shay, I just want to clarify if we can use the term city council issue permit. Absolutely.

Okay. Thank you, Attorney Sheay. All right. Any other discussion? So, should we council Perez? Should we specify food trucks city council issues permit as a descriptive? Are you asking me councelor? She asked if we should say food truck city council issue permit. Yes, because the the council issues all kinds of permits. So, we want to make sure it's the food truck permit.

Okay. So, um, Madame Clerk is going to read the amendment and let's see if we can agree. All right. Hopefully, I'm encapsulating everything that everyone said, and if I have something wrong in the hours or the intent, let me know. But it said, "No food truck shall operate between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. A city council issued permit is required to operate outside of the aforementioned hours. No permit fee would be associated with the application process.

Oh, we're going to we're going to take that separate. The weekend one, that's going to be she's going to she's going to have to suggest that amendment. Yeah. So, does that that works for you, Councelor Click Bruce? Okay. Oh, sec. Um the amendment made by councelor clickbru um seconded by councelor Edwards. Madame clerk please call the role on that amendment number four. On amendment number four councelor Santanella. Yes. Yes. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes. Yes. Councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor Govan. Yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh.

Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes, councelor Davila. Yes. Yes, councelor Fenton. Absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield. Yes. Amendment pass. All right. Since we're on before we get to the fees, since we're on the times for the food truck, councelor Govon, did you want to make an amendment suggestion? Please. Um, and I think I'm not sure if everybody's if we're going to say 12:30 or 1:00. So, I I guess the amendment would be that on the weekends the food Can you say Friday and Saturday? So,

that the weekend which is Friday and Saturday cuz Sunday's uh going into work um Friday and Saturdays that the food trucks are allowed to be out at specific businesses until 1:00. Is that should I make a a motion or um you should make a motion to make an amendment and then we have to get it seconded and then we'll discuss it. All right. So I make a motion that um to amend the time on the weekends which is Friday and Saturday to 1:00 or do we want 12:30? One one o'clock 12:30. So 12:30 um on Friday and Saturday.

Second. Any discussion? Um motion to amend a fifth amendment by councelor Govan, seconded by councelor Walsh. Councelor Hurst on the amendment. Um Chris, at one point in time we were saying that the um food trucks couldn't operate past the time of when the actual uh space in which they're operating in is open um or the the stores that they're operating on are open. Is that is that still the case?

Correct. in the uh verbiage that I put in uh I stated that a food truck could not operate sharing a site with a business that was closed. And the reason why I put that in there is in a lot of times the business didn't even know the food truck was operating. So one of the reasons is that we wanted to make sure that the food truck wasn't going to stay open if we are modifying it for this hours. I don't have an issue with that. Um cuz councelor Hurst, one of the things that we're requiring now is in order to get the permit, the owner has to sign it. So the owners now would be would be 100% knowledgeable that what's going on on their property.

So are we saying they no longer have to be open? If if we if we change it to these hours, it would be specifically for the true food truck. would not be tied to the um hours of the business. Which I I don't have an issue with. Okay. Thank you. Um Chris, councelor Perez. Oh, I missed. I'm sorry. Council Perez. So for point of clarification, so the owner still will know that that hours of operations are going to occur. Correct.

Correct. Uh the application that is going to come into the DPW has to have an owner a letter from the owner of the property stating that they support the application and they're knowledgeable of the hours. Thank you. Thank you, councelor. Councelor Delgado.

Uh thank you. Um, I just want to make sure I understand this because my understanding of what we just passed, uh, in terms of the hours of 11 to 6 and needing a city council permit, a special permit, I whatever. Um, I think I guess I'm trying to understand what the necessity is. Would the would the new Friday Saturday weekend still go through the spe the the special permit we just approved or um this does the the city council one? Because for me that that's the whole point of that previous one so that we can allow it and then this is a second parameter saying if we do allow that that city council permit then these are the allowable hours. Is that what we're saying?

May madam president. So what I I heard um from councelor Martin was that certain like bars have food trucks out there all the time. So if we decide that they have to come in for a city council special issue permit, then they would have to come every weekend every week to request it or can they have decide to have a food truck out in front of their out in on their business every weekend? Because I think for a special a special issue permit a city council issue permit would be if someone was doing a one-time thing I think or if they're um you know having like say waf they're in Holio um but another establishment the city would have but if it's an every weekend kind of thing because I imagine that's what um you know Nathan Bills does and a lot of other places do as well. So, I'm not sure this may be a bigger issue than what I'm talking about.

From my understanding is these are six-month permits based on the fee structure. And so, they will last for 6 months if that's what we agree on with the fee at the end. And then they will have to come back for renewal um in the six month after the 6 months. And so, whatever we're approving now is in effect for 6 months. Is that accurate, Chris? Yeah. The the way that I would interpret it, uh, councelor Govan, is if we were to approve the weekends, Friday, Saturday to 1:00 a.m., the way that this would be written is that the hours of operation, and I would have it by day would be this time to this time, this time to this time, and Friday and Saturday would just be later. Anything outside those orders requires the permit from the city council.

So, we had to re amend. Well, no, that because it would just be a a change to the uh to those particular days that we would write it. So, when they submitted an application to us, they would have the ability to operate until 1:00 a.m. Friday night into Saturday and Saturday night into Sunday. Anything outside of that before or after would require the uh other permit from the city council. That's the way I would write it. Yes. So Chris for my clarification are you do we need to re amend number four? No I not my opinion if we are just going to change it for these two days I it would just be a modification modification of those hours for those two days. Yes.

Okay. Is that clear to everyone? And it was 12:30 that councelor Govan proposed councelor Delgado. So I don't know if I'm more confused after that. Um, the the way my my mind is understanding this is they can't operate between 11:00 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless they get a special city council permit. Once you go to that, then what the way I envision what councelor Goban was trying to say, then the parameter is this, you know, 11:00 p.m. to 12:30 um would be

that's the way I'm looking at it. So you're So what you just finished saying Chris is they would you would you would you're not setting that you're what you're doing is saying you need to get a special permit if you want to go beyond. So you're saying Friday and Saturday should be a after 11 or if you want to go after 12:30 then you need a special permit. That's where I'm getting confused. I think there's there's too many things going in there. the the the way I'm interpreting it is that the hours of operation and I'm going to rather than saying where they can operate is that they'd be able to operate from 6:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. Sunday night

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Friday night it would be 6 or whatever am we have there 6 am to 1:00 am and then Saturday night into Sunday would be 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. outside of those hours uh you need the the permit from the city council.

I don't I don't know if I could support that um without a special permit for Friday and Saturday for what I mentioned earlier in terms of one knowing where these are operating at from a public safety perspective and from others. So, the way I I would like to see it is 11 to 6:00 a.m. Anything outside of that needs a special permit. I think that makes it more simpler in my opinion. Me, too. Councelor Hurst, I don't think I heard you on this issue. And then council Murray,

I I like the idea of having them open um on Friday and Saturday until 1:00, but provided that the actual establishment that they are operating on is also open. So, I'm not I I I would hate to have someone be closed even with the owner's consent. And then you have trucks out there operating and freelancing without the responsible party present um or operating. And so I would be willing to support this uh that Friday and Saturday provided that the establishment that they were operating on is also open.

Council Murray. So I I don't know if I should take some of the the blame in this and and maybe not articulating this correctly. The way councelor Delgado described it is exactly how what I had in mind as well where it was you have the 11 to6 initial parameter or you know prevention or whatever barring from doing that and then if you wanted to step outside of that if you wanted to operate then you would come before us again and then say hey I want to extend it past that time I want to operate between 11 and six but when it comes to the weekend I wanted to have that firm stop at 12:30 like when Friday and Saturday like after that because it is causing that rambunctiousness. Does that does that make sense? Am I articulating that a little bit better?

I think you kind of said what Chrisi said over what councelor Delgado is saying because councelor Delgado said period if you're after 11 you need a special permit. Period. Period. It doesn't matter if it's Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. after 11 special permit. Councelor Govan is suggesting and that's what's currently we approved that amendment. Council Govan is wanted to add to that time frame and say Friday into Saturday you can stay open till 1 Saturday into Sunday. I mean 12:30 you can stay open till 12:30. So then you don't have to come back because it'll be part of the it'll be part of the um ordinance. So any any food truck can actually stay open till 12:30 on Friday and Saturday

anywhere anywhere one one moment because councelor Walsh haven't spoken on the issue and I want to give her the floor. Um I think that makes a lot of sense having it open later on on weekends. I mean, certainly we want to uh accommodate people that are in the businesses, but also why aren't we doing something to help young people? I don't know how many young people go to bed at 11 o'clock at night. You know, my kids never did. So, I think that we would be accommodating a younger group of people who might be out who might need food before they drive home.

Yeah. Some older people, too. Councelor Wash. Um, so that's what this this that's that's right Chris anyone anywhere could stay open on the weekends from from Friday and Saturday till 12:30 as long as they are in compliance with all the other you know setbacks from properties etc etc as long as they meet everything else.

Councelor Perez, councelor Martin. So my concern and I agree with councelor Hurst is that the operation the owner should be operating at that time because of the the issue that I have in the north end. So you know it'll be a greater safety issue if the owner is not there and I could think of an example of a place that the owner going to be closing and they got they could put music and have road races there. So I couldn't care what uh councelor Hurst in terms of the business being open as well. Thank you. Thank you, councelor Perez. Councelor Martin, councelor click Bruce and then councelor Martin because he hasn't talked on this amendment. Sure. Sorry.

Thank you, madam president. Um and again I thank councelor Govon and councelor Martin for your suggestion and also what councelor Hurst said, councelor Delgado. I think for me, and again, I'm willing to go to to go, but for me, I think it's imperative and important for me that we that we get a track of what's going on in the city. Um, that's why I think it makes it cleaner for us to say uh 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. straight across the board. and they come before us to get a special uh city council issue permit if they want to operate outside of those hours. So that way a we kind of get a track of what's going on and like councelor Hurst mentioned prior to and it's not a knock against all at large but the ward representations uh that we and you all get help as well uh with these food trucks are in you may get issues um uh with that. So I think it's imperative we may have firsthand information when they come before us to before us to say hey uh x y and z you haven't been doing this or you need to do this or we can implement what we want to see in that special uh issued uh city council permit. But again I'm I'm here I'm open but I just want to give my uh my two cents on it. Thank you madam president.

Thank you councelor Cook Boo. And I do want to say this we are all voting our hearts. So, you can be open, but you still need to vote your heart and how you feel on this amendment. Um, I think that these are great suggestions, but at the end of the day, we vote what we think is best for the city of Springfield and um what I guess kind of control the city council wants to have. So, we just going to vote our hearts. Councelor Martin, did you have another comment?

Yeah. So again, I I I think this might have been me kind of mudding up the waters, but um I I I I don't The whole point of me bringing this issue up is I I I didn't want any commotion in front of bars on the weekends. And I I just think um if it if this is going to be an amendment that's going to say, "All right, we'll we'll keep it open on the weekend specifically," then I I might sound like I'm, you know, retracting that statement. But I I I would just go with the initial special permit process because then that way we can keep track on them and say, you know, can't operate beyond that time on the weekend. So I apologize if that was on my end or my confusion, but

no apologies necessary. Um but yeah, so I'm going to go with the uh with the initial special permit policy and probably vote no on this amendment, but thank you Councilwoman Govan for trying to help me out and bail me out on that last one. So thank you. Thank you, Council Min. Councelor Govan.

Thank you, Madam President. And thank you everyone for the feedback. I'm in communication with some food truck owners um who said that I guess even the 12:30 or the 1:00 time is like too too um too soon to close on the weekend because people come out and they want they're looking for food. So that's that's probably a separate issue. Um, so if I understand it correctly, then if someone wants to stay open past 11:00, then they need to come to city council to request the the special city council permit so that they don't have to go through paying everything to get the notifications done. Um, and then they can stay open till 12:30 or whatever time they request.

That's correct. Right. because some they might want to request one o'clock or three not three o'clock, but they'll come here and and we can say, right? Okay. So, I guess we can maybe leave it that way. Um, taking into account what um I really want us to hear what the food truck owners are saying and even the the bar owners, right? Because they they're the ones that use the food trucks to be out there. Um, so that's fine, I guess. council. Should I resend my motion? You can. Yeah, you can. I'll resend my motion. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Council Govan.

Okay. I don't know if we have to, but she rescended her amendment. So, we're going to move on to the final amendment, and that is the I think councelor Click Bruce asked for no fee. And then councelor Perez said 250 for the first 6 months but didn't give a renewal. Um 100. Oh 100. Okay. I didn't write that down. 100. So let's discuss that amendment. Um I should we second because one got no fee and one got

two different motions. I'll be happy. Sorry, Madam President, if I may. I'd be happy to make a We have two motions.

Actually, neither has been seconded. I'm willing to second the motion for the fee of 250 with a $100 renewal. His motion would be for no fee at all. And then we would weigh the two whichever one passed would be what is what is the rule. So, we only got a second on the 250 with the $100 renewal. So, that is the motion on the floor right now because we have a second. We have a motion made by councelor Perez, seconded by councelor Edwards. So, let's discuss that. Counselors, councelor Hurst, followed by councelor Delgado.

Just a quick question. Will this apply to um food trucks across the board? Chris, I know at one point in time you will this apply to food trucks across the board. Whatever amendment I can't turn it on somebody to make uh I would then I would have to modify because right now we have um I can look I believe it's 225 for 3 months for the food trucks on the public way. Um, we would I would then have to come back and modify that because their permits are only for 3 months versus the private property are for 6 months.

And and can you just say for the general public what it is that you're using these fees for? I mean, is there are there administrative costs? What's the what's the purpose of the fees? Again,

the fees number one is everything that goes along with the inspections that DP number one just processing. Number two, us having to go out and monitor the locations as we do on any permit excavation um um occupancy of the public way. We go out and make sure that it's done correctly. And we're the enforcement arms as well. And that's why I have said that this it cannot be zero. It cannot under any circumstance because then look at it this way. An apple can come in and get 10 permits and operate wherever he's wants to at any time that he wants, but if they want a location, they're going to have to make an application for a specific location and at least have some money in the game for it. I I agree with I agree getting off track, but I agree with the 250. I think that's fine. I think I'm done for now.

Thank you, Councelor Hurst. Councelor Delgado,

um I don't know if this is a question that uh Chris can answer. I guess I'm trying to understand. Um like I'm one of those believers. I think you should have some skin in the game, but I also need to understand uh maybe this is to councelor Click Bruce. U I don't know. There's I know there's a couple food truck uh businesses in the in the crowd, but I want to understand the total picture of what these food trucks are paying in general um before I think I can even vote on on giving them a fee. I I do believe that there should be some skin in the game, but you know, I know they're probably paying other health uh health department fees. Like, do we understand the totality of the fees that they're paying in general?

I don't know if that's it. Chris, do you know if there's any other fees associated with the food trucks like from Health and Human Services perspective? And

they have a uh these food trucks would have a permit from the police department to operate. They would have a permit from the fire department if it if the food truck meets certain things with propane and things like that and then there is an approval through the health and human services uh office. The other thing that I would say about it, so does every other restaurant in the city of Springfield. And the other group of people that was upset about the food trucks are the restaurants because they pay property tax. These people do not pay property tax for having a business of this nature. And so, uh, the businesses that we did have some in some of them in here just want to make sure that somebody can operate outside. Well, there is a setback from a brick and mortar, but they're operating and having to have enough skin in the game the same way that a business would who has to pay for a liquor license, pay for their taxes, pay for their their business tax to the city of Springfield as well. So, just making it the uh fairest across the board for all.

Thank you. Um, one moment because I have councelor Perez and councelor Davilla. So, um, are you finished, councelor Delgado? Uh yeah, I think that was pretty much it. I mean um I think to councelor Hurst's original point though too is I also understand that if we're going to be uh inspecting this, there is a cost on the city, right, to have inspectors to go out. So we we definitely need to consider that piece as well. But yeah, I I'll yield.

Thank you, councelor Dado. Councelor Perez, followed by councelor Davala. And looking at the amount that I had recommended was based that the um the food trucks vendors right now pay 225 for three months. Um and this 250 is for six month. So um that's why I look at the at the equation and then I was going to recommend that it'll be across the board because I see uh you know extending it to others for the six month period. Um, so it'll be fair for everyone on across the board fee um on the matter. That's why I came out with a fee of 250 for 6 months rather than 225 for um 3 months and 150. I came out with 250 for the for the six month and the $100 um for for for the renewal. So that's how I base my equation for the recommendation for tonight. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you.

And from a from a permit perspective, from our end, no problem with that whatsoever. We would just modify both of them to be 225 for 6 months and then renewal 250. Thank you. Okay. Um, hold on. Councelor Davilla. Thank you, Madame President. Chris, uh, you might answer my question. So, the regular food truck fee right now is 250 for how long? 225, sorry. 225 for three months. 225 for 3 months. Mhm. And what's the renewal fee again? The renewal is 150, I believe. Yes.

So, what you're saying is that we could modify it to 250 uh for 6 months and 100 renewal. Yeah. 100. Yeah. Uh 100 renewal. Yes. Council. Yes. So, you're saying that you wouldn't mind we have to go back and amend the regular food truck. um ordinance to reflect that 250 and 100. Correct. Because because the mobile food truck ordinance on private property and public property is all part of this ordinance. So putting it in there is going to cover both sides. So that's that's not a problem from our end.

Okay. And so who's going to be responsible for bringing that other that other food truck ordinance back? You so that we can amend it? No, we don't have to amend it because it would be voted on here. Oh, this this would go. Yeah, this would this would amend this would amend both. Yes. Okay. Yes. All right. Thank you, Chris. Thank you for that question. Thank you, Councelor Davo. Councelor Hurst. I'm not coming back. Oh, you will. So, Chris, you said they pay a fee to the health department. Do you know what that fee is?

Um, I am not sure. Um, they are the entity that approves food trucks in general, not necessarily if they're going to be on public way or private way, just that they can operate any time during the year. I don't know what it is. I really don't. So, they also pay a fee to the police department. Yeah, they get a um I'm trying to think of the name of it now. It's it's a peddler license. It's it's Yeah, it's just it's an approval. I want to I can't remember the exact term, but they they get something from the police department and the fire department is considered an inspection fee uh if they have propane or I believe uh anything with grease

and these are onetime fees every year. Yes, I think the Health and Human Services, I may be wrong. I I I don't want to say because I know I'm going to be wrong. It's either a one year or two-year uh approval. And that list, the list that we use, there's like 50 vendors plus on that list um throughout the city. And then they would come to you and get a fee of 250, let's say. Correct. Um and it's and it's for you to

What are they getting at you? What What are they do? What are you doing with that? We're going to issue the permit and then it it allows us to do all of the inspections um that we do uh either throughout the day, weekends, whenever our people are operating to make sure they're in compliance. But aren't we already paying them for that? Excuse me. They're pay they're already being paid to to do. Right now there is no regulation overseeing them at all other than once they get their initial once they get their initial permit there is no oversight ordinance on these trucks. That's why we're doing this.

So is the fee for you for processing or is the fee for you for enforcement? Both. And you think 250 is sufficient? I wanted 450, but 250 I think is fine. Okay. Okay. Councilor Govan. Um I actually those are the lines of my questioning is the other fees that they're paying. We have do have some food truck owners here. I'm wondering would it be okay, Madam President?

Councelor Govan, the time is 8:56. We had four subcommittee meetings. We had food truck people there and um we're going to hear the fees really quick from the clerk, but I am going to decline from hearing from food trucks um tonight because we got like a half hour to get through this. Um, and I I've heard a lot of what they were saying in the subcommittee meetings about fees, but let's get a clear understanding on what the fees are from police, fire, and health and human services. Okay.

I am not certain about the fire. I can see if I get a message from someone at home who's giving me that piece of information that the fee that Chris Signoli was referring to is hawkers and peddlers. Hawkers and peddlers and that's a $60 fee if that if I'm not mistaken it's 60 or $62. What is hawkers and is that police? That's police. Okay. and the 200 another $250 fee for the health and human services like food inspection and to have departmental staff be able to make sure that they're properly certified to handle food.

So that's another $250 fee. So 250 225 for the food truck, 250 for the health department, $60 for the hawkers and peddlers. Hoppers and peddlers. Councelor Dava. Wait a minute. I'm sorry. I'm not sure that councelor Govan was finished.

I apologize. Thank you. Thank you for that um madame clerk. So the another thing that we have to um think about is that they're also paying a lot of other things like the propane. They have to pay of course liability insurance. Um they're running a business and as I said earlier um these are very micro businesses who probably don't have employees because they're so small. um they usually have to pay a rent to whoever property they're sitting on. So, there's a lot of costs associated with this. And I'm wondering if we're going to be putting some people out of business, putting some more people out of business because all the restaurants down here on Warthingington Street, most of them closed that were there before. Um and I don't know if that's something that we want to we want to do. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Councelor Govan. I think councelor click Bruce was next and then I don't know I'm gonna close my eyes and whoever I see first.

Thank you madam president. Actually councelor Govon uh hit on my point which I was going to make and that's what I heard from the food truck vendors. Um they have other fees that they have to uh deal with and also they're paying uh rent as well um at some of these uh premises uh locations I should say. So, that was going to be my advocacy on their behalf. Um, again, I'm here to to listen and get feedback from our from our city councilors, but also want to put that into the record. That was actually what we heard from our food truck vendors as well. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Councelor Click Bruce. I'm going to say councelor Delgado, followed by council Perez, followed by councelor Dava.

Uh, I appreciate the the fruitful discussion and and trying to have the balance between, you know, making sure that we don't overcharge. Um, the thing I I just heard about was the fact also that they're also paying the the landlords. And one of the things that I was I was thinking about, I'm still going back and forth on it. But if the landlords are making money and then we're charging the the fire, excuse me, the food trucks, right, then they're almost getting double taxed. So, is there a situation to councelor H's previous point, we're making sure that the landlords are understanding, do we assess this to the food truck or can we assess this to the landlord to make sure that they're held accountable and that and and um to make the process a little bit more streamlined.

Council Perez, thank you. Wait a minute. Councelor Wash have not spoken on the topic. No, I'm still at keeping open till one o'clock. Okay. Um, okay. So, councelor Walsh, then councelor Perez, then councelor D.,

you know, I didn't realize they had all these other fees. Why are we making it so hard for a small business to operate in the city of Springfield for a limited period of time? Think they have enough fees. I'm going to support no fee. I'm also going to suggest we establish a city council food truck committee. Then we all go around and investigate how they're operating. And this and I have to say this discussion is making me very hungry. So I hope I hope it's time to go. Where's the food trucks? Council Perez.

Thank you councelor Walsh. So I concur with um councelor Walsh and I think the six month then knowing what I know now on the fees. Could we do a whole total fee on a yearly basis rather than every six months and renewal every 3 months? I think that will be the recommendation knowing what we know now in terms of the fee because back then it was $100. Now it's $250 with the department of public health. So, uh, $600 or something on the ballpark of a year instead of renewal every three months. I will I I will recommend that based on the knowledge that of the other fees that has to be parted. That will be my recommendation instead of every 3 months.

So, you changing it's six months, but you're changing your the year amendment to 250 per year with a $100 renewal. No. No. the total amount because that's how I did my equation. So if it's how much you said it was $250 for the and then two and two and 60 something dollar the total fees across departments would be $610. Right? So it could be paid on a three months installment or something, but it's better for the vendors instead of 450 that was originally in 150 every every what was the time the 150 every what? Every six months.

It would be six months. Yeah. The renewals would just be six months. I mean what I'm including is everything across the board that they could be comfortable with that amount. um um including that taking it in accountability. That would be my recommendation on a yearly basis rather than six 3 months or four months and every 3 months 150 because then if you get the equation of 450 250 and then every every 6 months 150 plus the other one it amount to almost $1,000 um based on the equation. See what I'm saying?

Okay. So, we cannot make changes to Health and Human Services and Police and Fire um with this particular ordinance. We can certainly talk to them about making changes, but this one is for the DPW purposes. And the amendment, you want to change the amendment to say 250 for the entire year with a $100 renewal, right? I'm not discussing DPH or anything like that. I'm just discussing the 250 and instead of being every 250 and 100 every what every every year

every year you know it's too much so let's just stay with the 250 and that's um should be the recommendation that I will make but what I was doing the clarification taking in consideration what DPH request is and what the peddler's request was and then totaling and then looking at the whole um um aspect. Thank you. Thank you. So, the amendment has changed to 250 for the year with a $100 renewal after the year. Is that correct, Chris? Yes. And councelor Edwards is seconding it and councelor Davilla on the amendment. Oh, yes. Councelor Edwards have not spoken yet. So, yes.

Thank you, Madam President. Actually, I will second the motion, but I just like to point out one thing in particular. We're talking a lot about the fees and the cost, the associated cost, but the reality is the health department's role is very important because everybody who operates a food truck doesn't keep the refrigerator at the proper temperature to store the food. Every food truck operator does not wear gloves. Every food operator does not know how to handle food. It is the same thing when we go to the bar to actually you have to be tips trained. So you have to know when you can, you know, whether you who you're serving and how much to serve and all those other how to pour the drinks. The same thing with the food trucks. And it's even more important for some of us. We don't eat at food trucks

because we're concerned about how long the food is set on the counter. Those are those fees that we're paying. And those inspections are just as important because the thing is is if you leave the milk out too long, a lot of people can get sick. How do you trace the people who have gone to the food truck when you find out there's been a health violation? So, as we start, the same thing with the fire department when they don't have the proper connections to their fuel source, whether it's propane, whether it's natural gas, or whatever the source is. That's the role of the fire department. Do they have a distinguisher there? Those are the things. So when we talk about these fees and the costs and finally I just want to point out the fact that when businesses restaurants operate most a lot of restaurants that serve food do not own the building they're paying rent just like so with people is talking about the rent and the lot fee that you're paying all businesses that operate don't own their business so they're renting these are all the costs that are associated with your business and they also do the inspections back years ago when I was part stops and I monitored to transfer all the liquor licenses and the serving of our youth by these liquor stores. We had to make sure that they took and were doing their responsibilities and part of that was the health department. It was also the fire department. It's also the police department. So, everybody's role and the thing is is that things that have no cost associated with them then there's no parameters or nothing to draw people to the interest of making sure that they're doing it the right way. And if we are sending people out on a regular basis for inspections, that's a cost. And I understand from the last bud set of hearings, we're about $3 million short on balance in the budget as we stand now. So the thing is the money's got to come from somewhere. And I don't want to put all the burden on these small business owners. I know it's hard for small businesses, but the thing is is when we talk about restaurants closing on Worththing Street. Let's recognize that all restaurants in general close on a regular basis. New restaurants, if they can last two years,

then they they've done well. They usually close within first two years anyway. Some of the economic impacts of these small businesses that are closing and some of the difficulties that we exist with on how to do business in the city are not exclusive to the city of Springfield. For those of you who are economic majors, these are the things that you learn about when you go to class. It is difficult to start businesses. It's even more difficult to maintain them over time and there are costs associated with them. Those are all the calculations that people are supposed to make when they decide to start a business, small, large, or moder in between in between. But I will second the motion as presented by my colleague, Maria Perez. Thank you. Thank you, councelor Dava.

Thank you, Madam President. I just want to make sure. So, the new uh motion is 250 per year. Okay. Okay, because right now I believe man Clark just told me that the total fees they're paying after all those which I didn't know I learned something new today is $610. Uh that's just going in not even whatever we tax. So that is that that is kind of hefty for some for a micro business like that. Uh to be honest with you, I was even thinking that we maybe could do a little lower than 250, but you know, I'm not necessarily married to that because, you know, uh we we you know, this 250 I like the idea that yearly. I think should be yearly. Um I wouldn't mind a little less than 250, but uh if that's what you guys think that should be, then so be it. But uh I didn't realize there were that many fees involved uh with uh with the food trucking. Thank you. Thank you, Council Davilla. I just want to remind councilors that it is now 9:09 and our city council meeting will end at 9:30 unless um if there's one objection to staying open past 9:30. So, I just want you all to know that. Um councelor Hurst.

So, I'll be very brief. I think what council regarding what it is.

I'm sorry. And the fact that we're we're stifling businesses uh by making them pay these astronomical amounts, especially these micro businesses. And what we want to do here in the city of Springfield, to encourage business. And I think we're doing the exact opposite. And I too am shocked by all of the fees that they have to pay. And so I will uh I actually think um I I'm now in the boat of councelor Bruce Click uh as well as councelor Walsh um and not requiring them to pay anything. Uh and so I will support that. Um but short of uh councelor Blick Click Bruce um not making that motion uh I will also support cutting this in half and making them pay $125 a year. Anything above that I will not support. Uh but you know provided counselor Click Bruce makes his uh motion um for no fees at all uh I will be happy to second that. Uh and I cannot support my colleague uh Maria Perez. Um, on this one,

one moment, Councelor Martin, and then councelor Perez. Um, I I agreed a lot with what Councelor Edwards had to say. Um, I I think it just simply put, it's a cost of doing business. When you open a business, there are just a certain degree of of um, payments that you incur. Um, I think he also makes a great point of of increasing revenue for the city of Springfield, which we're all looking for ways to do. I think um I think $200 a year is pretty doable and I think it's a really really fair compromise. I think Thank you, Council Martin. Yeah, I support that 100%. I support that.

250 per year is what is on the table. Okay, just for clarification, um councelor Perez. So for the point of clarification, I arrived to the 250 a year rather than the 450 that we originally started with every three months at 150. I think and I divided by four. So when you look at that from that perspective, I think yearly the vendors and th this is not myself coming with the equation. And I took a walk in the north end in the food trucks and I have many of those in my war and you know what that was the advocation of them. They were advocating at least and I think that we started at 250 for um 6 months and now we have it at 250 for a whole year and I want to hear from Chris. What do you think about that recommendation because I haven't heard from him. My comment is is that if you have a minimal fee, brickandmortar restaurants are going to go bananas and you will be hearing from every one of them because they have to pay significant fees on a monthly and yearly basis to the city where a food truck doesn't. That's what you're going to hear.

Thank you, Councelor Signoli. Councelor Hurst. I mean, oh my goodness, you see my eyes closing like 9:30 is my bedtime. Um, councelor, Director Signoli, Councelor Hurst, followed by Councelor Martin. I get your point, uh, Chris, but my thought process is we probably should be lowering their fees, too. Councelor Martin.

No, I just want to reiterate Director Signal's point of of fairness. Again, like one of the original points I made tonight on this discussion for the previous amendment was um fairness to our small businesses too. They feel the squeeze. They feel a lot of pain competing with these food trucks and some of their hours operation and whatnot. If we want to be fair to our already existing small businesses that aren't food trucks, I think having a very minimal fee um to get them into a regulation process is extremely fair and extremely doable. I think I I would support that.

Thank you. I think we have all said how we feel on this and so I'm going to ask Madame Clerk to call the role on the amendment amending the fee to $250 per year. Um Madame President, I'd like to just confirm it's $250 with an annual $100 renewal fee. Is that correct? Is that correct, Councelor Perez? Or are you doing 250 per year? I'm doing 250 per year. Okay. And that's seconded by Councelor Edwards.

Councelor Edwards. So on the motion to amend for a fee of $250 for an annual fee. Motion made by Council Perez, seconded by Councelor Edwards. Councelor Santanelo. He is not on the screen anymore. No absent away. Councelor Martin. So point of clarification, this is this is to vote on 250 initial per this is per year. Per year. Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes. Yes. Councelor Brown absent. Councelor Govan. No. I wanted zero.

No. Councelor Walsh. No. No. Councelor Hurst. No. No. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Quick Bruce. No. No. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield. Yes. Motion fails. All right. So, we have disposed of that amendment. Is there another amendment?

I I make I'm sorry. I make a motion that we have a zero fee for the um the food trucks in this case. Zero fee. Second. Zero fee. Motion made by councelor Govan, seconded by councelor Walsh. Any discussion on no fee? Councelor Martin.

So, I'm going to say no to the the no fee. I'll be happy to pass a motion to say 250 initial and then 100 per year.

Yeah, I'm going to have to say no either for the no fee. I think that um uh you know people have to have some sort of they already have skin in the game, but we do have some cost uh from the city standpoint that we need to recover every time we send somebody out there. And so um Jesus for the very least for gas money. And so um I'm going to have to say no, but if that fails, I do it to I do intend to um cut that 250 maybe in half uh to 125. We do have, in my opinion, to have some sort of a a fee uh in this. Thank you,

Madame President. May I amend um the motion to $100 a year? That's a good thought. I'm sorry. Thank you. A good thought. Uh we can still over 125 a year. See, look at the negotiations going on. account. Yeah, I'm open to suggestions. I just don't want to see a zero fee because of the other businesses. You know what I'm saying? I think the 125 a year is a good And you know what? I will support the 125, but I will not support the the zero. Okay, one moment. One moment. Councelor Hurst, followed by Council Min. No,

I mean I I'll do I can amend my motion to 125. Can you second? I'll second. Okay. So motion the amendment to the fees are now 125 per year. Motion made by council. Oh, I'm sorry. The amendment is now 125 per year. Motion made by councelor Govan, seconded by councelor Walsh. Any could I My clarification, the motion I had was 250. Your microphone. Yes.

Um um and I from my motion, I was willing to um lower it to 125. Okay. So that's has to be read. Thank you. Okay. So this is a new motion. The one that you put forward failed. This is a new motion made by councelor Govon, seconded by councelor Walsh. 125 per year. End of story. No renewal fee. 125 per year going once. Councelor Martin, did you have something to say? I I would be open to vote for the the 125 a year. I was going to suggest 150 initial fee, 100 per year. Well, this if 125 is fine with Okay.

Yes, we're dealing with that motion. Yeah. Uh I'm kind of with uh I'm with you guys. I appreciate the back and forth. I guess Chris, is there any more work done on the initial setup for these application than there is on the renewal to justify having slightly bigger initial fee? No, the when we had the renewal for the uh food trucks on the public way, the reason why we were doing it for renewal is so that if a vendor had a location that they couldn't get bounced out by somebody new. Mhm.

That was that was the whole idea of the renewal that uh somebody could just keep that space moving along. So if we just change it to um you know the 125 per year um I with the and this goes back to before we even knew what was going on for food trucks in the public way. We're probably dealing with 20 applications a year. Okay. Anyway, so I don't I don't see that as an issue.

All right. Um so I think I' I'd be willing to support that. I I still think we should be assessing it to the landlord uh to keep to keep them involved and making sure that one they know that what's going on on their property. Uh but that that was that was my one caveat is because they're already going to get charged a permit uh a space fee and then this just charge it to the landlord and if the landlord tries to up it then they can go they go to somebody else who's not going to you know price gouge them. That was that was my thing. But I'm not trying to complicate it. I know we got nine minutes left, but that that's my the rent higher.

Thank you, Councelor Delgado. Anybody else on the 125 per year? Can we all vote on it? We ready? Okay. Madame Clerk, please call the role. On the motion to amend the fee to $125 per year. Councelor Santanelo absent. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes, councelor Perez. Yes. Yes, councelor Brown. Absent. Councelor Govan. Yes. Yes. Councelor Walsh. Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton. Absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards.

No. No. Councelor Whitfield. Yes. Motion passed. I mean amendment passed.

We are not done. I if if I if I may, Madam President, just uh two points. Uh when we do when we do an ordinance, uh the document ends up going to the city clerk's office that gets posted. As I mentioned here tonight, I will make the necessary edits and send it to the counselors just to make sure I didn't miss anything and then it will go to the counselor. The other item that I was going to state that we probably wouldn't initiate this till most likely June 1st. uh that we would spend a month or two at least just putting notices out to all the existing vendors. You know, we're not going to show up tomorrow morning and get that done. I will put that together in some notifications to the counselors over the next couple weeks.

Whole thing. The whole thing. So, all the amendments one through five or six, whatever it is. I can't keep count anymore. Um five amendments. So now we are voting on the entire ordinance. Okay. Any discussion on the ordinance? We have seven minutes. So a quick point of clarification. Yes. Uh did we settle the I might have missed the residential areas. I think I feel like the um did they not operate in residential areas? Yes. Oh, 50 ft and 100 ft for Okay, that's

generation. Yeah, thank you. Okay, so yes, council. Um, Madame President, I just want to uh thank Councelor Click Bruce. Uh, this was certainly a Herkian uh lift and we we appreciate you for it and I think the city will be better off for it. So, uh, thank you. Um, and thank you, uh, Chris Ignoli as well for all of your assistance. Thank you, Chris. Council click Bruce, thank you for having all the meetings that you had and you did it expeditiously at the request of counselors and at the request of the community and that's how the work is supposed to get done. So, definitely appreciate your work.

Could we give thank to the whole subcommittee? Thank you. Thank you. I give thanks to the to THE WHOLE SUBCOMMITTEE. BUT I mean, councelor Click Bruce was by himself the last time, but thank you subcommittee. Thank you, Chris. But especially thank you councelor Click Bruce. All right. Now, let's vote on this final item of tonight. Madame clerk, please call the role on amending chapter 279, pedalling and soliciting. Second and final step. Councelor Santanelo absent. Councelor Martin. Yes. Yes. Councelor Perez. Yes. Yes. Councelor Brown absent. Councelor Govan. Yes.

Yes. Councelor Walsh. Yes. Yes. Councelor Hurst. Yes. Yes. Councelor Davila. Yes. Yes. Councelor Fenton absent. Councelor Delgado. Yes. Yes. Councelor Click Bruce. Yes. Yes. Councelor Edwards. Yes. Yes. Councelor Whitfield. Yes. Motion. I mean the Madame President, there's just one thing I wanted to add with this. Come on. Oh, stop. I don't want to hear it.

Um, this item, this item will get incorporated into our um occupancy and uh excavation manual as we did with the previous one. Probably in two or 3 months. I'm coming with that cuz we're making modifications to it. So, you hear it again. But basically, this ordinance is just going to get inserted in there.

Okay. Thank you for that explanation. This meeting is adjourned. Our next regular meeting is April 13th, a regular Monday, regular time. Public speakout is a part of city council meetings. It says shall. So if you can make public speakouts at 6:00, it says shall in our rules. That means we are required to be here. So if we can make it for public speakouts, please make it. Thank you.