Common Council Approves Mayor’s 2012 Budget

In their last regular meeting before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, The Common Council approved $100,000 in cuts for the 2012 city budget by the Board of Aldermen and so voted 14-3 to enact Mayor Carlo DeMaria’s $145.1M budget on Monday night.

Councilor David Rodrigues said that the $100,000 was not a ceremonial cut but reflected the fact that the budget was very lean and difficult to cut given the many fixed costs.

However, Councilors John Leo McKinnon, Peter Napolitano and Rosemary Miller said that reasoning did not hold water.

“I am voting against it since I am not comfortable with certain items,” Miller said before the vote.

The entire $100,000 cut came from the City Services Salaries Account. See item 6.

Lights Out

Several councilors were charged up about the power outage that lasted more then 19 hours on June 1 from 385 Ferry Street to Glendale Square inconveniencing hundreds of residents and businesses.  However, Victor Santana of National Grid was not the target of their wrath but the Director of the Everett Housing Authority who did not show at the meeting to explain what backup systems can be in place to make sure the residents in the city housing buildings, many of whom were elderly, are not left in the dark.

“This is an act of disrespect,” Councilor Ken Giannelli said about the Director’s absence.

The Councilors said that they will show up en masse with Everett Cable TV at the Housing Authority meeting on June 28 to get their answers from the Director. See item 11.

Meter Parking Going up

Councilors joined the Aldermen in asking that the DeMaria Administration reconsider returning the parking meter charges to their original amount of twenty-five cents a half hour as opposed to the new rate of fifty cents.

Councilor Anthony Ranieri said that the new rates are in line with many surrounding communities and the MBTA lot rates.

Several councilors thought that this hike might hurt local businesses. “Everett Square is not what it used to be and the Norwood Street lot is half empty,” Councilor Peter Napolitano said.

“Let’s see who uses the meters,” Councilwoman Rosa DiFlorio said. The motion that was approved is more of a comment on the new rates than any substantive measure. See item 16

School Bids

Community Development Director Marzie Galazka informed the councilors that there are about half dozen bids for the old high school site.  The bids will be opened on Wednesday morning, June 22 at 10 a.m.  Galazka said that she will inform the councilors of all the bids. See item 9.

Other motions before the Aldermen were as follows:

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