City Council - Regular Meeting

Time having arrived, I call this regularly scheduled meeting of the Brockton City Council to order. Will you all please join me in standing in saluting the flag? I pledge 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. Thank you, Mr. Clair. Item one, we have the reappoint of James Sweeney of 33 Montro Street, Brockton to the planning board for a 5-year term ending in April 2031. Referred to finance.

We have the appointment of Abraham Biss of 22 Winterville Street Brockton Mass to the zoning board of appeals as an alternate for a three-year term ending in April 2029. Referred to finance. We have the appointment of Alex Arthur Gayard to the Brockton Housing Authority Board of Directors for a 5-year term ending in April 2031. Referred to finance. We have the appointment of Eve Kajus to 14 Michael Drive Brockton Mass to the Brockton Community Access Advisory Board for a three-year term ending in April 2029. Referred to finance.

Hearings. We have the petition of National Grid to relocate one so pole on Rosemary Street beginning at a point approximately 125 ft east of the center line of the intersection of Anella Road. National Grid is proposing to relocate pole 4-8 out of customers backyard. This pole provides support to pole 4 on Rosemary Street. Pole will now be solely owned by National Grid in city clerk's office March 23, 2026. Hearing is signed for April 27th, 2026. All paperwork is on file. Time having arrived, I declare this hearing open. Is the petitioner present? If so, please come forward and give your name to the name and address to the clerk.

Jared Akre representing National Grid at 100 East Ashlin Street in Brockton. Uh we're just relocating like it said a pole out of a customer's backyard that's needed to support another pole along the street. Understand? Counselors. Is there anyone here in favor? Seeing none, I declare that portion of the hearing closed. Is anyone here in opposition? Seeing none, I declare that portion of the hearing closed. Councilors, question comes on granting by hand vote. All in favor? All opposed? Motion passes. Thank you. Thank you.

Item six, we have the petition of Martell 14 Group LLC of 121 Hamilton Avenue, Sus Mass for a garage license located at 1114 Montello Street, Brockton, Mass. in city clerk's office January 21, 2026. Hearing is signed for April 27th, 2026. Fire department has no objections. All paperwork is on file. Time having arrived, I declare this hearing open. Commissioner present.

Good evening, Mr. President. Attorney Jake Cedon, 70 Legion Parkway, Brockton. Um, with me is Paul de Alivera. He is the owner of the property. Now, most of you will remember that Dave Lynch owned that property and we transferred that through the council here um in 19 uh excuse me 2024. um very quickly. Um Paulo is uh base operation is in Middbor and he has a very exclusive real nice deal because he is the exclusive uh repair guy and whatever for FedEx. So he does all the ground things which in my opinion most of them should be grounded. They're so bad. but he has that exclusive contract. And uh again, we had to get the garage license first because we can't get the motor vehicle uh repair and the body license transferred until we have the garage license. I could go on. He's going to do the same operation that David had, parking spaces. We filed all that already on record. Uh that's about all I really have to say, I think.

All right. Anyone else here in favor? Seeing none, I declare that portion of the hearing closed. Is anyone here in opposition? Seeing none, I declare that portion of the hearing closed. Counselors. Council Castro. Thank you. Good evening, gentlemen. This colleagues, this property is located in Ward 4 right at the corner of Montello and Perkins. And I've had the opportunity to speak with the applicant and he is experienced in repair and he'll be coming back to us shortly for licenses to repair and do uh body auto body work.

We do have to go through the the inspections between now and then, but they passed in 74. Nothing has changed. So we expect we'll be back as soon as possible. Mr. Clerk, thank you. As the owner of the property, Montello 14 Group LLC is entitled to a garage license. So, I support this and I hope you all will too. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, councelor. Councelor's question comes on grant. Mr. Cler, no. Uh, question comes on granting by hand vote. All in favor? All oppose? Thank you, members of the council. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Good luck, sir. We have a communication from the mayor reappointing James Sweeney of 33 Montro Street, Brockton, Mass, to the planning board for a 5-year term ending in April 2031.

Accepted and placed on file. Communication from the mayor appointing Abraham Biss of Inavville Street Brockton Mass to the zoning board of appeals as an alternate for a three-year term ending in April 2029. Accepted and placed on file. Communication from the mayor appointing Alex Arthur Gayard to the Brockton Housing Authority Board of Directors for a 5-year term ending in April 2031. Accepted and placed on file. Communication from the mayor appointing Eve Kajus to 14 Michael Drive Brockton Mass to the Brockton Community Access Advisory Board for a three-year term ending in April 2029. accepted and placed on file.

We have communication from the mayor in accordance with the general laws of Massachusetts chapter 44 recommending that the city council authorized the transfer of $75,000. This transfer is necessary to fully fund the auditor mail budget for the remainder of the fiscal year. Accepted and placed on file. Communication from the CFO relative to the same. Accepted and placed on file. Communication from the mayor in accordance with the general laws of Massachusetts chapter 44 recommending that the city council authorize a transfer of 116,5384. This transfer fulfills the city's obligation to Bristol Agricultural School for the fiscal year 2026. Accepted and placed on file. Communication from the CFO relative to the same. Accepted and placed on file.

Communication from the mayor in accordance with the general laws of Massachusetts chapter 44. I hereby re hereby recommending the city council authorize the transfer of $3,000. This transfer is necessary to fund the overtime cost of city hall's extended Wednesday night hours. Accepted and placed on file. Communication from the CFO relative to the same. Accepted and placed on file. Communication from the mayor in accordance with the general laws of Massachusetts chapter 44 recommending the city council authorize a transfer of $50,000. This transfer will fully fund the Stewart department's overtime category for the remainder of the fiscal year. accepted and placed on file. Communication from the CFO relative to the same. Accepted and placed on file. We

have the communication from the mayor in accordance with the general laws of Massachusetts chapter 44 recommending the city council authorize the transfer of $40,000. This transfer will fully fund the water department's overtime category for the remainder of the fiscal year. Accepted and placed on file. Communication from the CFO relative to the same. Accepted and placed on file. Communication from the fire chief requesting to accept and expend $50,000 from the firefighter safety equipment grant program and the department of fire services. Accepted and placed on file. Communication from the mayor recommending the same. Accepted and placed on file. Communication from the CFO relative to the same. Accepted and placed on file.

Communication from the mayor in accordance with the general laws of Massachusetts chapter 44 recommending that the city council authorize a transfer of $150,000. This transfer is necessary to fund the electricity cost for the department for the remainder of the year. Accepted and placed on file. Communication from the CFO relative to the same. Accepted and placed on file. Unfinished business. We have an ordinance. Ordinance amending chapter 17, planning and development, article 5, department of planning and economic development to amend the term of the director of planning and economic development for a three-year term in city council February 23, 2026 read and referred to the standing committee on ordinance. That report was favorable, passed to a third reading by a hand vote. Questions on ordination by a roll call vote. Madame clerk, will you please call the role? Azac,

yes. Barwell, yes. Griffin, no. Green, yes. Lai, yes. Mcastro, yes. Thompson, yes. Six in the affirmative, one in opposition. The ordinance is ordained. We have a new ordinance to adopt a new ordinance regarding the release of towed motor vehicles in city council February 9, 2026. Ren referred to the standing committee on on ordinance. That report was favorable. Passed to a third reading by a hand vote. Questions on ordination by a roll call vote. Madame clerk, will you please call the role? Azac, yes. Barwell, yes. Griffin, yes. Green, yes. Lai, yes. Niccastro, yes. Thompson, yes.

Seven in the affirmative. The ordinance is ordained. We have an ordinance relative to short-term rental regulations and uses in the city of Brockton during the World Cup events applicable applicable April 1st, 2026 to July 31st, 2026 in city council March 23, 2026. Re and referred to the standing committee on ordinance that report was favorable passed to third reading as amended by a hand vote. This needs to be referred to finance meeting on May 4th for a public hearing and do planning. Councilors, do I have somebody to make that motion? to send to finance for May 4th and to refer to planning. So moved. Second. Motion's been properly made and seconded. All in favor? All opposed? The motion passes.

Item 29. We have an ordinance increasing the refuge trash bill to quarterly payments of $130 build four times a year in city council February 23, 2026. Written and referred to the standing committee on ordinance. That report was favorable passed to a third reading as amended by a hand vote. Questions on ordination as amended by a roll call vote. Madame clerk, will you please call the role? Azac, yes. Garwa, no. Griffin, no. Green, no. Lai, yes. Niccastro, yes. Tvarez, no. Thompson, yes. Matter um went four to four. Does not receive a favorable vote. The ordinance fails ordination

number one. I'm just going to say that one more time. Um, the ordinance vote went four to four. It did not receive a favorable vote. BC, I didn't have my mic. The ordinance fails ordination. We have an ordinance amending chapter 2, article 6, division 8, youth council of the revised ordinances of the city of Brockton as follows. Strike 12 and 18 in section 2-521A. Item 30. Oh, excuse me. Item 30, an ordinance amending article 3 problem properties task force and article 4, regulation of vacant and abandoned properties in city council February 9th, 2026 read and referred to the standing committee on ordinance. That report was favorable, passed to a third reading by hand vote.

The question ordination by a roll call vote. Madam cler, will you please call the role? Azac, yes. Farwell, yes. Griffin, yes. Green, yes. Lai, yes. Niccastro, yes. Tvarz, yes. Thompson. Yes. Eight in the affirmative. The ordinance is ordained.

Now we have an ordinance amending chapter 2 article 6 division 8 youth council of the revised ordinances of the city council city of Brockton council as follows. Strike 12 and 18 and section 2-521a and replace the language with 13 and 19. Strike city and insert the word city of Brockton in each instance and correct a typo in the existing ordinance so that make P is corrected to makeup. Um the rest as attached. Referred to ordinance. Ordered that the following name some being and the same is hereby transferred as the same was submitted by the mayor as follows. Transfer of $75,000 from auditor personal services non-overtime to auditor mail purchase of services referred to finance.

We have ordered that the following name sum be and the same is hereby transferred as the same was submitted by the mayor as follows. transfer of $116,5384 from police personal services non-overtime to education collaborative programs referred to finance ordered that the following name sum be and the same is hereby transferred the same was submitted by the mayor as follows transfer of $3,000 from city cler clerk personal services non-overtime to city clerk personal services overtime referred to finance ordered that the following name summed be and the same is hereby transferred as the same was submitted by the mayor as follows Transfer of $50,000 from DPW Sewer Personal Services non-overtime to DPW Sewer Personal Services Overtime.

Referred to finance. Ordered that the following name sum be the same as hereby transferred as the same was submitted by the mayor as follows. Transfer of $40,000 from DPW Water Personal Services Non-overtime to DPW Water Personal Services Overtime. Referred to finance. Ordered that the city council authorizes the acceptance and expenditure of the total grant funds in the amount of $50,000 from the executive office of public safety and security to the fire department. Referred to finance. Ordered that the following name sum be and the same is hereby transferred as the same was submitted by the mayor as follows. Transfer of $150,000 from public property personal services non-overtime to public property purchase of service.

Referred to finance. ordered that the city of Brockton is hereby authorized to grant and convey a non-exclusive perpetual easement over certain real property owned by the city and known as DW Field Park located on the northerly side of Oak Street in Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts for the benefit of Massachusetts Electric Company, a Massachusetts corporation having an address at 170 Data Drive, Waltham, Massachusetts, and Verizon New England Inc., A New York corporation having a local address at 6 Bowden Square, 9inth floor, Boston, Mass, and their respective successors and assigns said easement shall be for the purpose of constructing, reconstructing, repairing, maintaining, operating, and patrolling an overhead utility system for the transmission of high and low voltage electric current and telecommunications, including but not limited to one utility pole, wires, cables, and all related foundations, anchors, guides, braces, fittings, equipment, and impertinences. the overhead system over, across, under, and upon a portion of said city-owned property. further ordered that set easement shall originate from existing pole P42-1 located on the northerly side of Oak Street and extend in a northerly direction over city property to proposed pole P42-2 as more particularly described in a grant of easement and is generally depicted on a plan entitled exhibit A not to scale the exact location of said facilities to be established by and upon the installation and erection of the facilities thereof dated December 10th 2025 W number 311 50765s, copies of which are on file with the city. Further ordered that the easement shall include the right of ingress and egress over city property for the purposes of installing, maintaining, repairing, replacing, operating, and removing said overhead system and the right to clear and keep cleared such vegetation and obstructions as may interfere with its safe and efficient operation with restoration of the service to reasonably good condition following any disturbance. further ordered that the city council authorizes the mayor to execute the attached

easement and to take other actions as necessary to carry out the terms, purposes, and conditions of the same and subject to such additional terms and conditions as deemed in the best interest of the city. Referred to finance councils, that is the end of our agenda. Does anyone have a moment of council's recognition? Councelor Thompson, followed by councelor Azac. Uh thank you, Mr. President. Uh, I'd like to make an announcement to uh the city council members who sit on the standing committee of public safety. I've scheduled a uh meeting of said uh committee for May 5th uh at 6:00 p.m. here in council chambers. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Councelor Azac.

Thank you, Mr. President. Um we have some exciting things happening in the community coming up. First of all, uh there's a um a community meeting for DW Fields Park this Thursday, April 30th at 6 PM at Fullercraft Museum at 355 Oak Street. This is a public meeting to learn about conceptual parkway designs. Um the presentation will be given by Fuss and O'Neal engineers and uh project partners regarding design concepts and DW fields park master plan. This will allow the public and other stakeholders to review designs and provide some comments. So that's this Thursday at 6 PM at Fuller Craft Museum. We have uh the annual uh citywide cleanup, keep Rockton Beautiful, coming up May 2nd. And um that happening, it starts registration at 7:30 a.m. up at Heights Crossing, 35 Christy Drive. That's where you can go register, um, get your tools, do the cleanup, and then come back for a a cookout afterwards at Heights Crossing. It's always a great event and it's, um, really, it's a great time to clean up. Hopefully, we have great weather, clean up the city, and, uh, keep Brockton beautiful. And lastly, the Brockton Garden Club will have their annual plant sale on Saturday, May 16th, starting at 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Brockton Parks Department, 45 Meadow Lane. Thank you.

Thank you, counselor. Always good news. Counselors, that is uh the end of our agenda. That's the end of public comment. You have something? I was getting ready to leave. I declare this meeting adjourned.