Town Council - Special Meeting

Good evening. Welcome to the special town council meeting. It is Wednesday, April 8th at 7:30.

Council Costik here. Councilor Tassinary. Council here. Council Dimes present. Council Romano present. Councelor Rear here. Council Finn here. Vice President Swope here. President Lati

here. Please stand for the pledge. 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. Before we get going, I'm just going to make a brief statement on on behalf of myself and potentially the council. But um I I believe we as a body have a responsibility to the town to to act in a more professional man. I I take my responsibility as chair. I take it very seriously. I've done it for over two decades. Um we will absolutely disagree on items. That's what we do. And and I think everybody has Quinto's best interest at heart. And I believe everybody has different means to get to where we all want to be. Um you know, it's kind of fitting last night. I think we all could learn something from watching the um high school young ladies from the softball team last night. They came in, they had issues. I agree with their issues, but they have they had issues with the field. Uh but they did it in a professional manner. they respected our answers to them. Um hopefully that will be resolved as quickly as humanly possible and they move on. Um you know if if we're trying to uh show ourselves as a membership drive for new people that want to join the council, I don't think we're doing a very good job. I don't think you're going to have a lot of people knocking down the doors to pull papers and uh to put the work what's needed. So, you know, I think I think we need to use integrity, professionalism,

and I will try to do that and that is that. So, thank you for that. Moving on. Um, this is a special town council meeting. It was called at the request of four counselors. Councelor F, council reading, councelor Romano, council again. Um, I will pass it to Council Finn if you want to say why we're here. Council President, I'd like permission to read something before um I make a motion. Um, sure. But if you could just Sure. Yeah. Thank you. Appreciate that.

So again, uh, I just want to, uh, state the following. Uh we have nine councilors here who want to make Winthrup a better place. We all love Winthre. How we get there is an issue and again currently affecting this council. We all have our our own ideas and uh we want to we want to share those. As far as 3A is concerned, five out of the six precinct councils believe we should join the exemption case on behalf of the town. This represents approximately 15,000 council. I don't want to interrupt, but I just want to just I thought you were just going to say something about the meeting. This is all relative to 3A.

No, no, no. I understand, but we'll go to your the reason for the meeting. We could go over that. I I I don't care. I was just asking whoever wants to speak. So, so I'll just go into I just wanted to

so just the purpose of the meeting pursuant to the town charter section 26 CI special meetings of the town council uh shall be held on the call of the council president or on the call of any four members um notice of which shall be delivered at least 48 hours weekday hours in advance at the time set for such meeting. There were two agenda items. The first agenda item is special meeting in relation to MBTA 3A zoning litigation in town. Well, so that's the first item. Uh, who would like to speak on that item? Council,

I I asked permission to speak on that item as it relates to an intro and then and then I can speak on 3A. It's all in here. I'd just like to make a comment on 3A. Is that possible? Yes.

Okay. And the comment is a little lengthy, but please bear with me. So, three of the five of the six council present counselors um make up about 15,000 of the voters in town here. Uh and I just want to uh clarify that it the exemption case itself is not to find the state in any way, but merely wanting them to take Winthre's exemption case seriously and to rule on it through the courts. The voters spoke in November and unanimously voted for a slate of counselors who ran on supporting the exemption. Even the town attorney is consulting with the lead attorneys in this exemption case. This new town council wants to address many issues facing the town that have gone unressed for many years and decades. But I'm not here to blame anyone. It's been a continuous operation, so to speak. Uh, I believe the two motions that will be presented tonight um will be part of many steps needed to move forward to ensure that the town progresses in a way that supports and addresses the needs of all residents and businesses. I just want to add that the councilors these councils who want the exemption case heard it and they want to send it to the courts uh bring many unique talents and knowledge to this council. Mr. Tasineri Bentley, experienced an expert in finance. Councelor VP Swoke, faculty chair at many colleges and professor at several colleges. Mr. R, IT expert working for the DoD. Romano, Mr. Romano, Council Romano, Bentley Grant, accounting, soon to take a CPA exam. Mr. Finn, psychology major, working with the youth in this town through sports and again in coaching. I've seen him at work. I myself am a safety program manager, certified OSHA trainer, emergency

response manager, and uh I've owned my own business in town as well. So there's a lot of talent here. And aside from that, all of us counselors, we are all taxpayers as well. So that's my comment as far as 3A is concerned. And I'd like to make a motion uh as it relates to 3A.

Yes. The town council finds that it is in the town's interest to intervene in and support the plaint plaintiffs in docket number 2484 CBO2351A, an action in superior court. To that end, we direct the town manager to dictate that the town attorney is hereby requested and required to intervene in that suit and advance the town's interest in being free from excess statemandated development, especially under GLC 4A-3A. Thank you. Uh that is right. That's the motion.

I second it. This there's a motion made by council cost again. It is seconded by councelor Romano. Um I will use my council privilege to put it off to the next meeting. Um whatever that might be. I mean the next scheduled meeting is the 21st but meeting on the 21st but before the 21st. Um thank you. Um there is a second agenda item. I don't know council. Uh yes I'd like to council cost again second. Um and I'll just read the um litigation. Town council rules and procedures called on behest of the council. So uh council cost.

Yes. I'd like to make a motion town council president as it relates to rules and procedures. I'd like to move to amend the town council rules and procedures rule two by saying be matters to be placed on the agenda for town council including but not limited to any ordinance order appointment or other matters of business to be presented to the members of the action at the regular meeting of the town council shall be submitted to both the council clerk and council president in paper or electronic format by 1 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the regular meeting at which such matter to be considered. All matters requiring a vote shall be submitted in full and in the form of a motion. Every effort shall be made to have all matters that are submitted for placement on the agenda accompanied by material sufficient to inform council members of the nature and purpose of the agenda item. I would like to add if the same matter is submitted by at least four counselors then that matter shall be placed on the agenda. Continuing the town the council president of the or the council clerk shall submit the agenda in paper or electronic format complete with all motions and attachments to the town clerk no later than 400 p.m. on Thursday proceeding the regular meeting at which matter it be considered. And then C. In addition, other than amendments to existing motions, no business shall be considered by the town council unless there is a majority of of the council to wave this rule. Again, that replaces the word unanimous.

There's a motion made by councelor cross again, second by council Romano. Uh and I will again use my council to put this off until the next um next council meeting. And the chair seeing no further council business in front of it, I consider the meeting a joint. Thank you all. Thank you.