City Council Meeting 11-10-25

Good evening. I'd like to call this regular meeting of the Everett City Council to order. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilor Alcy Jabouin. present, Councilor DiPierro, present, Councilor Garcia, present, Councilor Hanlon, here, Councilor Marchese, here, Councilor Matewsky, here, Councilor Pietrantonio, present, Councilor Rogers, here, Councilor Smith, present, Councilor Van Campen, present, Councilor President Martins, present, 11 members present, 11 members present, we have a quorum, please join us in saluting the flag. Congratulations 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. Before we get started, I would like to welcome and congratulate our councilors-elect, Ward 1 City Councilor-elect Michelle Capone. You're welcome to join us. You're welcome to actually get up and join us in one of those seats. And Ward 5 City Councilor-elect Vivian Nguyen. I'd like to also congratulate our city councilors who got re-elected. Congratulations. And last but not least, our mayor-elect for change, Robert Van Campen. And the chair will now entertain. Oh, sorry, Councilor DiPierro.

Thank you. I'd like to rise quickly on a point of privilege. The community lost a few individuals over the past few days. The first one was former school committee member Dennis D'Antasio, who was an extremely religious man, and it's fitting, unfortunately, that he passed on All Saints Day. The second one is lifelong Everett resident, a constituent of mine in North Everett, Jack Darling, who was a wonderful man, and they will both be missed.

Thank you. Please join us for a moment of silence.

Thank you.

The chair will now entertain a motion to open public participation. So moved. Second. Which has been made and second to open public participation. All in favor? Opposed? The ayes have it. We have open public participation. Mr. Clerk, how many?

Two on agenda, three on non-agenda. The first two on agenda and non-agenda are the same, so my recommendation would be to have them just stay for their full four minutes instead of going back and forth, because we only have 10 minutes of speaking.

Sure, we can do that. So we have two minutes. If you sign up for both, you have two minutes for agenda items first, and then two minutes for non-agenda, and the first speaker on the list.

First speaker is signed up on both, and that would be Peggy Serino.

Ms. Serino.

Good evening. The guy in the corner office said he found the money for homecoming so the school system wouldn't have to pay for it. Where did he find the money? On tonight's agenda, Sabatino Insurance and Contaldo are donating $1,000 each for homecoming. Where did the rest of the money come from? Were there other donations? I don't remember the council voting on money for homecoming. All I can think of is $180,000. I think this needs to be investigated by the council. I don't think anyone should be appointed to any boards until the new administration is sworn in in January. The people of Everett have spoken and they want transparency and a change. I think we need an investigation into all the upper monies. How transparent do you think the process was? To renovate means to make something as good as new. Do you think covering over the old high school roof that has been leaking for decades and must have mold is making it as good as new? I don't. What a waste of ten million dollars of opera money. Trash is a serious problem in Everett. Trash, rats, mice, and so forth all go together. We need to start to give warnings to homeowners and landlords that if they have overflowing trash barrels that they need to get more barrels and give them enough time to do so. And if they don't, they will be fined. Then we need to find those that have overflowing trash barrels and recycling bins. Plus, we need to do something about apartments being turned into rooming houses. These are serious problems that lead to serious trash problems. Did you know that our local access channel number 22 came back this morning? It had been out since election night. But at 1146 a.m., Channel 6 was still out. What's going on? The people of Everett couldn't get the election results. Is it because you couldn't have the council meeting if it wasn't televised? What's the guy in the corner office up to now? One more thing that needs to be investigated. That's the end of the agenda items. We're now starting the non-agenda items. Okay. Do you really think it should take a week to have fixed this problem? How soon before the guy in the corner office raises our taxes? It never happens before an election, always after. Or will the guy in the corner office check it to the new administration about everyone paying their fair share? How about assessing large apartment buildings as commercials? They did take commercial land and built these large apartment complexes. How about helping out Everett renters, homeowners, especially the elderly, and small businesses? It's up to you to start working on this. I'm sure that some of you were surprised to see all of us this evening, thinking that we won and that we'd be walking away. We're not going anywhere. We're going to be watching and hoping to help you do what's right for the people of Everett. Congratulations on your win, and thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker, who is also on both, is Paula Stariti.

This was her idea.

Good evening. We spent several million dollars doing studies over the last 18 years. Most recently, we spent $150,000 to do a study on the old high school roof. The engineering company said it would cost a minimum of $11.3 million. The bid went out for $7.9 million. Does anyone see there a problem either with the people we hired to do the studies or with the bid that went out and with the work done on the old roof? It can't be both. Regarding the upper money, what a waste of $47 million. An opportunity of a lifetime. And now we're talking about businesses, a handful out of the whole city, maybe getting $18,000. The mayor, The City Council, anyone who had anything to do with the upper money should be ashamed of themselves. How can you justify a handful of businesses getting $18,000 after four years after the epidemic? $18,000 to people, to businesses, liquor stores that were open during I don't understand how they qualify. Or businesses that weren't even open during COVID getting the $18,000. Or Sabatino Insurance. Did you have to pay your insurance? I had to pay my insurance. How did Sabatino suffer? Then you have the group that was handling the money and getting money. I'm not even sure what they do for the city or how they suffered. This money, we had $47 million. We ended up with $12 million going out to the community. The majority of the money ended up in three or four non-profits. Non-profits, mind you, their balance sheets look a lot better than ours.

So that's the end of the two minutes on agenda items. We're now moving on to non-agenda.

Thank you. As I've mentioned probably for the last four years, we have a revenue problem and a spending problem. Our retirement liability last year was over $21 million. Everett, for some reason, ends up being the place people come to pay their pension or get their pension. $21 million out of all our tax dollars. That's almost like 20% of what we collect in taxes. So when you look around and see how things aren't getting done, we spend more money on people on retirement. We spend $1.5 million on buybacks. This is people not working. And then I do want to thank Tony Raymond, John Pablo, and Walter Rice for keeping the Everett Reporter alive and giving the Everett residents and people outside of Everett who were from Everett a platform to share information and expose some of the corruption and questionable dealings in the city. I think they put a lot on the line for the people, for the city that they love, and I think they deserve applause and credit for change in the city. I think it's important as we move forward that we look back at history because if we don't learn from history we'll repeat it and we can't make the same mistakes over and over. We have a city that's suffering and we can't keep on spending. We have senior citizens that are at risk of losing their homes are having to move because we continue to give money away. Thank you.

Our final speaker is on non-agenda items, and that's David Fortin.

Good evening. Thank you, Madam Chairman. Thank you to all your councillors.

The Saturday prior to Election. The first of November, I believe it was. My wife was standing on a corner holding a sign. Doesn't matter for which party right now. But I would like to take a moment and express to those people who are concerned at that corner about my wife. She's a senior. She's 74 years old. She's not a spring chicken. Neither am I. There are people from both parties, both teams, that showed interest and helped her, for which I'm grateful. There's one person who didn't, who failed to, and I'm appalled. And that was our old mayor, the one we have presently. I'm not happy with him. For one thing, you do not come up, take two steps off a curb, look at the person and say, oh, it's only Mary Fortin. That, to me, tells me a lot about that guy. And from now until The inauguration in January, he will be that guy to me. Thank you.

Thank you. Motion to close public participation. Second. Motion has been made and seconded to close public participation. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. We have closed public participation. Ms. Clerk, item number one.

Item number one is a order offered by Councilor Stephanie Martins as president, an order requesting approval to accept and expend donations in support of the City of Everett's homecoming celebration as follows. Sabatino Insurance Agency, $1,000. Cataldo Ambulance Service, $1,000.

Favorable action.

Second. Motion has been made and seconded for favorable action with a letter of thanks. Is the clerk please call the roll.

We'll call vote. Councilor Alcy Jabouin.

Yes.

Councilor Garcia.

Yes.

Councilor Hanlon. Yes. Councilor Marchese. Yes. Councilor Matewsky. Yes. Councilor Pietrantonio. Yes. Councilor Rogers. Yes. Councilor Smith.

Yes.

Councilor Van Campen. Yes. Councilor President Martins.

Yes.

Ten yays, zero nays. You have so passed the order. The order has been approved. Item number two. is a order offered by Councilor Stephanie Martins as president in order requesting the confirmation of the appointment of Gabriel Ponce-Limas as a member of the Transportation Advisory Board for a term of one year expiring November 30th, 2026.

Madam President, I move to refer to the Committee on Legislative Affairs and Elections.

Second. Which has been made and seconded to refer the item to the Committee on Legislative Affairs and Elections. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. The item has been referred.

Can we please take items three and four collectively, please?

Second. Which has been made and seconded to take items number three and four collectively. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. This clerk please read items number three and four collectively.

Items three and four are both orders offered by Councilor Stephanie Martins as president. Three in order requesting the confirmation of the reappointment of Cromall, Mark Hand to the Everett Cultural Council for a term of three years expiring November 30th, 2028. And four is an order requesting the confirmation of the reappointment of Katie Rogers to the Everett Cultural Council for a term of three years expiring November 30th, 2028. Move favorable action.

Second. Which has been made in second for favorable action on items three and four. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilor Alcy Jabouin?

Yes.

Councilor DiPierro? Yes. Councilor Garcia?

Yes.

Councilor Hanlon? Yes. Councilor Marchese? Yes. Councilor Matewsky? Yes. Councilor Pietrantonio? Yes. Councilor Smith? Yes. Councilor Van Campen? Yes. And Council President Martins?

Yes.

Ten yays, zero nays, Madam President.

Ten yays, zero nays. The reappointments have been approved.

Madam President, move to suspend the rules, take items five through nine collectively. Second. Looks like they're all renewals of class two motor vehicle dealer licenses and move favorable action.

which has been made and seconded to take items number five through nine collectively in favorable action. I'm sorry, on the motion, Councilor Pietrantonio.

Yeah, I just got a question on one of these. I have to read them first, because once I read them, then you can... Okay, so all in favor of taking the items collectively?

Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. Mr. Clerk, please read items number five through nine.

Items five through nine are all petitions and licenses offered by Councilor Stephanie Martins as president. Five, and they're all renewals. A petition requesting the renewal of the Class II Motor Vehicle Deal, License 4, New England Body Works, Inc., at 39-43 Mystic Street. Six, a petition requesting the renewal of the Class II All paperwork is in order.

Just on number seven, we had a problem with number seven a couple of, maybe five, six months ago. We had the state trooper up here. I just want to know, have any complaints since that day? You know who I'm talking about, right? Absolutely. Do you have any complaints since that day?

Well, we have not had any further complaints either by resident, constituent, or from the police. So at the moment, they're in good standing. We did do a supplemental check. I sent the assistant city clerk there at two different occasions to check on them, making sure they were abiding by all the rules and regulations that we requested. And so far, we've been good. We will continue to monitor them. In essence, what a probationary period, but they have been operating correctly, and if we find anything else, we will make sure to return it back to you.

Okay, so the number of cars and everything, they've been good so far? Yep, they've been good so far. They're staying within their limit and everything? Absolutely. Okay, that was it.

So we had already a motion for favorable action that had been seconded, so on the motion for favorable action, Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilor Alcy Jabouin? Yes. Councilor DiPierro? Yes. Councilor Garcia? Yes. Councilor Hanlon? Yes. Councilor Marchese? Yes. Councilor Matewsky? Yes. Councilor Pietrantonio? Yes. Councilor Rogers? Yes. Councilor Smith?

Yes.

And Council President Martins?

Yes.

Ten yays, zero nays.

Ten yays or nays. The renewals have been approved. Item number 10.

We're now on the committee reports. Item number 10 is a petition offered by Councilor Stephanie Martins as president. Petition requesting a new mechanical repair license for Everett Auto Center, Inc. at 35 Orient Ave. The committee met this evening. They voted three to one with Councilor Hanlon in opposition to report back with a favorable recommendation.

Motion has been made and seconded with feeble action. Item number 10. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

The position has been approved. Item number 11. Item number 11 of the committee reports is a petition offered by Councilor Stephanie Martins as president. A petition requesting a new Class II motor vehicle deal license for Intercar Auto Sales Corp. at 70 Chelsea Street. This was in committee this evening. The committee reported back with a favorable recommendation this evening, 4-0.

Motion to accept the committee report for favorable action. Motion has been made and second to accept the committee report of favorable action. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilor McEwen, Councilor DePierro, Councilor Garcia, Councilor Hanlon, Councilor Marchese, Councilor Martins, Councilor Pietrantonio, Councilor Rogers, Councilor Smith,

Yes.

Councilor Van Campen. Yes. Councilor President Martins. Yes. 11 yays, 0 nays, you have passed the petition.

11 yays, 0 nays, the petition has been passed. Item number 12.

We are now under unfinished business. Madam President, unfinished business. Item number 12 is a resolution offered by Councilor Stephanie Martins and Councilor Gerlaine Alcy Jabouin that the administration provide a status on the business opera grant application decisions and information on the committee.

Have we received any further updates?

I see something from October 27th. Councilor Alcy Jabouin? Which is the most recent.

Honestly, I don't know who we should be talking to because I don't see anyone from the administration to give us an update.

I'm sorry? No update. Okay, that was a no from the back. The voices from the back. Sorry, so, Councilor. Would you like to postpone the item, Councilor?

Absolutely, because I think at this point, the businesses are getting... I would say mad because they're supposed to be getting some help. We're still waiting. Some of them are waiting for money to pay rent. Some of them are waiting for the money to pay their employees. I just, what kind of game are we playing?

It's only been five years. So motion, do we have a second on the motion to postpone? Motion has been made and second to postpone this item to the next meeting. All in favor? Opposed? The ayes have it. Mr. Clerk, item number 13.

Item number 13. Madam President, as a resolution from Councilor Stephanie Martins, that the administration provide information on the process to ensure APA funds distributed to local organizations are being properly advertised and distributed in accordance with each application and intent.

On this one, I have information that no information has been received as of 5 p.m. today. Councilor Alcy Jabouin.

Again, I think we are This item is about how the organizations that received ARPA funds are advertising the programs. We don't have anybody here to talk to us, so I think again we should be We should postpone this.

Second. Motion has been made and seconded to postpone this item to the next meeting. If I may add that we get a copy of the signed MOUs and the sub-recipient applications and any invoices paid to date so far. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. Item number 14.

Item number 14, Madam President, is a resolution offered by Councilor Stephanie Martins. The Administration and Procurement Office provide the winning bids and the expenses incurred by the Old High School Roof Renovation Project to date.

So that's my item. So on this item, Councilor Smith.

And thank you. So the procurement director did provide us all the winning bids, the expenses incurred to date, all the work that has been done to date. So I think they satisfied this item, so I request that we refer it back to sponsor.

Second. Motion's been made and second to refer item number 14 back to sponsor. Councilor Pietrantonio on the motion.

I just want to thank the procurement officer for getting back to us with information. I mean, the other first 12 or 13, we got more information, but I just want to thank the procurement officer for getting back with us information. Thank you.

Okay, motion has been made and second to refer the item back to sponsor. All in favor? Opposed? The ayes have it. Item number 15.

Item number 15, Madam President, is a resolution offered by Councilors Stephanie Smith and Holly Garcia that the administration provides an update for when the overflow trash day this year will be and is discussed during budget hearings.

Councilor Smith. I'm assuming there is no response to this as well.

There is no response, Councilor.

So I would request that we postpone this to our next meeting and they provide us with when this overflow trash day will be this fall. Second.

Motion has been made and second to refer the item to postpone the items to the next meeting. All in favor on the motion, Councilor Pietrantonio.

I'm confused. Are we, are these people still on the payroll? Are we still paying them or did City Hall just shut down? Well, can someone answer that? Did City Hall just shut down? I'm going to try not to raise my voice and I'm going to try not to bang my hand. I'm going to try not to do that. But why do you get information around here? Can we find out? I want to make sure it was still on the payroll. We're still cutting them a check. If we can find that out for me, please.

So motion has been made and seconded to postpone the item to the next meeting and to ask if the people that are supposed to give us an answer are still getting paid and should appear and give us an answer. All in favor? Opposed? The ayes have it. Item number 52.

Our final item, Madam President, is a resolution offered by Councillors Katie Rogers and Caroline Alcy-Jabouin, a resolution regarding the status of Louis Oswaldo, who was reportedly detained by ICE and Everett on September 10th.

Thank you, Madam President. I have been in communication with Chief Strong for the last few weeks about this issue. He did give me an update about Mr. Oswaldo's whereabouts. I'm not going to disclose that here. I don't think it's necessary. However, I think that this does Thank you very much. Thank you. There really needs to be something that goes both ways and it shouldn't be, it's putting people at risk that are not the criminals are getting separated from their families without being able to get updated. So we need to figure out some different protocols and make sure that there's checks and balances between both ICE and the police department that go both ways. Thank you.

Councilor Alcy Jabouin.

I know this is a touchy subject for some people in the community, but we have to think of when someone's being picked up by ICE, sometimes their cars are left on the street. Families don't have any idea where their family members are, and it creates chaos. I think there should be, like Councilor Rogers said, there should be better communications between the police and ICE if they pick up someone, just so we don't have people just randomly go missing. you know we like I mentioned before we do have an issue of organ donors out there and it could be especially they're not required to identify themselves it could just be anybody snatching people on the street and that's not safe at all thank you.

Council Rogers what's your pleasure on this item? We can refer this back to sponsor, please. Second. Motion has been made and seconded to refer item number 16 back to sponsor. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. Motion to adjourn. Second. Before we adjourn tomorrow at 10 a.m., we have our Veterans Services of the Connelly Center. Do we have a second on the motion to adjourn? Motion has been made and seconded to adjourn. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. We have adjourned.