New Bedford City Council Agenda – October 11th, 2012

The following is the agenda for the scheduled City Council session scheduled for Thursday, October 11th, 2012.

CITATIONS

1. CITATION, Council President Martins and Councillor Alves, honoring COLLETTE MARSHALL, in Recognition of her Dedication to Community Gardening in the City of New Bedford.

2. CITATION, Council President Martins and Councillor Alves, honoring RENATE OLIVER, in Recognition of her Dedication to Community Gardening in the City of New Bedford.

3. CITATION, Council President Martins and Councillor Alves, honoring LEROY TAYLOR, in Recognition of his hard work and contribution to Community Gardening in New Bedford.

MAYOR’S PAPERS

M1. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting a SEWER ABATEMENT REQUEST for Robert L. Beaulieu, 185 Shawmut Avenue, New Bedford, MA 02740, Account No. 024237A, in the amount of $298.80.

M2. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting a RENEWAL of a ONE-YEAR WAIVER OF RESIDENCY for SHANNON C. SHREVE, Sandwich, MA, as a Counsel II with the Office of the City Solicitor; Mr. Shreve has been a Solicitor’s Office employee since November 2007.

M3. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of WAYNE E. CABRAL, New Bedford, MA as a CONSTABLE.

M4. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of JENNIFER A. TAVARES, New Bedford, MA as a CONSTABLE.

M5. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of NATHANIEL J. ALMEIDA, Acushnet, MA 02743, as a SPECIAL POLICE OFFICER.

CHARTER RULED

CR1. COMMUNICATION, Mayor Mitchell, to City Council, submitting the APPOINTMENT of WILLIAM PETER GUSHUE, New Bedford, MA, 02740, to the AIRPORT COMMISSION, replacing Hershel Alpert, who is deceased; this term will expire December 2013. (Charter Ruled – September 27, 2012.)

NEW BUSINESS

4. AN ORDINANCE, Amending Chapter 2, Section 2-8 of the City Code, Relative to Meeting Times for Boards and Commissions. (Passed to a Second Reading – September 27, 2012.)

5. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Lopes, Council President Martins, Councillors Alves, Gonsalves, Bousquet, Oliveira, Lawrence and Gomes, requesting that the New Bedford School Committee provide this City Council with a full breakdown of the population of each elementary and middle schools, capacity of each school with students that speak English as a second language, students receiving free or reduced lunches and students on IEPs.

6. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Lopes and Gonsalves, requesting, that the Special Committee on the Feasibility of Creating a Dog Park enter into a dialogue with the Town of Dartmouth regarding the possibilities of New Bedford residents using their Dog Park.

7. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Saunders, requesting, on behalf of the New Bedford High School Class of 2013/Gridiron Club, that the following street(s) be CLOSED: LT. WALTER E. FULLER MEMORIAL PARKWAY, from Rockdale Avenue to the Monument in Veteran’s Memorial Buttonwood Park, on WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2012, FROM 6:00 P.M. TO 9:00 P.M., for the purpose of the New Bedford High School Thanksgiving Rally and Bonfire; also requesting that the Traffic Commission post “No Parking” Signs because fire engines and floats will be parked on this section of Fuller Memorial Parkway. (Please Note: Parade Route from New Bedford High School to Buttonwood Park via Hathaway Boulevard, to Rockdale Avenue, to Buttonwood Park.)

8. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Lopes, requesting, on behalf of the Cove Street Neighborhood Association, that the following street(s) be CLOSED: RUTH STREET, from Salisbury Street to Ashley Street, ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012, FROM 5:00 P.M. TO 9:30 P.M., for the purpose of their Annual Christmas Tree Lighting.

9. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Alves, requesting, on behalf of Veteran’s Day participants, that the following street(s) be CLOSED: UNION STREET, from Purchase Street to Acushnet Avenue, ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2012, FROM 8:00 A.M. TO 2:00 P.M., for the purpose of The Annual Veterans Day Parade Ceremonies at the reviewing stand at Wings Court.

10. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Lopes, Alves, Council President Martins, Councillors Oliveira, Bousquet, Gonsalves and Lawrence, requesting that Verizon New England, Inc., Comcast, and NSTAR Gas and Electric send a local community relationship representative to meet with the Committee on Appointments and Briefings, to discuss issues with the disruption of services which can be experienced by local residents during hurricane season and the upcoming winter months.

11. WRITTEN MOTION, Council President Martins, requesting, that the City Council send a letter in support of the effort of the Alma del Mar Charter School, New Bedford, MA, to lease unused classroom space from the neighboring Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church for their expanding classroom needs; and further, it should be noted that the Alma del Mar Charter School is willing to make improvements to the interior of the space, including its mechanical systems, such as updating the heating and electrical systems if the school is granted a short term lease by the Diocese.

12. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Lopes, requesting that Mayor Mitchell, along with the New Bedford Economic Development Council, request funds from Mass Development to conduct a feasibility study through the City of New Bedford’s Planning Office, that would look at the possible reuses and adaptation of 30 Morton Court, taking into consideration Rt. 18, Phase II and the proposed South Terminal Staging Area. (To be Referred to Mayor Mitchell, the Planning Office, the Historical Commission and the New Bedford Economic Development Council.)

13. WRITTEN MOTION, Council President Martins and Councillor Lopes, requesting, on behalf of St. Joseph’s Early Childhood Academy, Inc., that the Mayor’s Office schedule a site visit to the George H. Dunbar Elementary School, 338 Dartmouth Street, with Mr. Mark Olson, Director of St. Joseph’s, to explore the possibility of locating St. Joseph’s at the Dunbar School; and further, that if the site is feasible, Mr. Olson would like to present a plan to initiate additional repairs to the Dunbar School and that the Mayor’s Office should look at this opportunity.

14. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Bousquet and Gonsalves, requesting, on behalf of the residents of Ward Three and the Citizens of New Bedford, that the six acre parcel of land that has been cultivated, loved and invested in by the Haskell Family on Shawmut Avenue since 1953, be looked at for a possible benefactor, or a visionary, perhaps not unlike the late Alan Haskell, someone to step in and save this property with the intent to preserve it in its entirety and either keep its current use as a prestigious nursery, or let it become a teaching tool and public space to be shared and explored and fostered for the next generation of horticulturists; and further, we believe the people of New Bedford would hate to see this oasis of lush greenery become another six house lot, or worse, a commercial development, the Haskell Nursery is a unique and world renowned green space with historic homes and buildings on its property, and deserves to be preserved as such for our future generations. (To be Referred to Mayor’s Office, City Planner, the Coalition for Buzzards Bay and the Trustees of Reservations, State Senator Mark Montigny, Senator Scott Brown and our Local State Legislative Delegation.)

15. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillor Gomes, Council President Martins, Councillors Coelho, Bousquet, Duarte and Lopes, requesting, ONCE AGAIN, due to the fact that we have not received a satisfactory response, that letters be sent on behalf of St. John the Baptist Parish, located on County Street, asking that immediate action be taken to reverse the decision to close St. John the Baptist Parish and give the parishioners of that Church, which is the oldest Portuguese-American Church in the United States the opportunity to continue the good work that they have done in raising money to keep the Church open and make necessary repairs; and further, that this request be made to Dr. Miguel Humberto Diaz, U. S. Ambassador to the Holy See, His Excellency Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the Papal Nuncio to the United States, Bishop Coleman, Diocese of Fall River and Pope Benedict the XVI, along with the Vatican, in an effort to reverse the decision to close St. John the Baptist Parish and give the Church the opportunity to continue to support not only the Portuguese community, but the community at large, the historical value of this Church means a great deal to the City of New Bedford and to the people of the Portuguese community; and further, requesting that Representative Cabral and Senator Montigny also join our efforts in order to convince Bishop Coleman, and the Pope to reverse the decision to close this historic and valuable Church; and further, Members of the City Council are requesting to meet with Bishop Coleman at his earliest convenience to discuss a resolution to this matter.

16. WRITTEN MOTION, Council President Martins, regarding the course of action this Council took back in June, in approving One Million Dollars to the School Department, requesting, that Ms. Deborah H. Brown, Business Manager, New Bedford School Department, provide a full spreadsheet report to this Council, as we requested, explaining how the monies were used, as was the agreement that was made with this Council in the Committee of Finance; and further; that Ms. Brown be invited to the next Committee on Finance Meeting to explain and answer any questions this Council may have regarding how each dollar was spent and to ensure the monies were used as was promised and that taxpayers are made aware how it was spent.

17. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Gonsalves and Bousquet, requesting, that the Committee on Appointments and Briefings meet with Mr. Paul Bishins, owner of Wamsutta Mill Number One, Matthew Morrissey, Economic Development Council, Department of Inspectional Services Commissioner Danny Romanowicz and the owners of the Skate Factory, Phil DaSilva and Russell Anderson, regarding the ongoing and unresolved compliance issues that have prevented the Skate Factory from opening in Wamsutta Mill Number One. (To be Referred to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings.)

18. WRITTEN MOTION, Council President Martins, requesting, that the Committee on Appointments and Briefings discuss with Commissioners Labelle and Worden the snow removal plan for the upcoming winter season and that the Committee have monthly discussions relative to constituent services/calls on the aforesaid matter.

19. WRITTEN MOTION, Council President Martins, requesting, since the area of the new playground at Brooklawn Park is still semi complete, that Community Development be invited to the next Special Committee on Memorials and Dedications meeting to discuss where to place the Ricketson Memorial at Brooklawn Park; and further, that the family of Mike Walsh be invited to take part in the discussion and location of the memorial at the Park.

20. COMMUNICATION/DEMOLITION, New Bedford Historical Commission, to City Council, re: BUILDING DEMOLITION REVIEW OF 82 POTOMSKA STREET – A CIRCA 1891 THREE-STORY WOOD FRAMED STRUCTURE, advising that “the structure is not located in a National Register Historic District and the structure is of no notable historical significance, either recorded or found with the existing condition of the structure, “the NBHC has determined that the building is NOT a historically significant building or structure and not preferably preserved.

21. COMMUNICATION/ DEMOLITION, New Bedford Historical Commission, to City Council, re: BUILDING DEMOLITION REVIEW OF 84-86 POTOMSKA STREET – A CIRCA 1885 THREE-STORY WOOD FRAMED STRUCTURE, advising that “the structure is not located in a National Register Historic District and the structure is of no notable historical significance, either recorded or found with the existing condition of the structure, “the NBHC has determined that the building is NOT a historically significant building or structure and not preferably preserved.

22. COMMUNICATION, New Bedford City Council to Department of Housing and Community Development and Mass Development, regarding a letter of support for the Veterans Transition House, 20 Willis Street, New Bedford, Massachusetts.

23. COMMUNICATION, FEMA Region 1, to City Council, submitting Preliminary copies of the Flood Insurance Map and Flood Insurance Study Report for Bristol County, MA. (Copy all Councillors via email 10/09/2012.)

24. COMMUNICATION, Guillermo Gonzalez, M.D. to City Council, submitting his point of view regarding the replacement of the vacant position on the New Bedford School Committee. (Copy all Councillors 10/02/2012.)

25. COMMUNICATION, Brian Pastori, New Bedford, MA 02740, to City Council President Martins, regarding his support for Maria Mojica to replace Thomas Clark as a Member of the School Committee. (Copy all Councillors 10/05/2012.)

26. COMMUNICATION, Monsignor Antonio Neri, Under-Secretary to His Holiness, Pope Benedict, to City Clerk Arruda, responding to a letter dated July 24, 2012, concerning the closing of St. John the Baptist Church. (Copy all Councillors 10/04/2012.)

27. COMMUNICATION, Law Office Sabra & Aspden, to Council President Martins, regarding injuries sustained at an afterschool programs at Sgt. William H. Carney School. (To be Referred to the City Solicitor.)

TABLED BUSINESS

09/27/2012 RESOLUTION, Councillors Alves and Gonsalves, honoring the MISS NEW BEDFORD SCHOLARSHIP PAGEANT on the occasion of their 60TH ANNIVERSARY.