12-01-2014 REGULAR COUNCIL MEETINGREGULAR MEETING OF THE AGAWAM CITY COUNCIL
Minutes dated December 1, 2014
Meeting was called to order by President Johnson at 7:00pm at the Auditorium at the Roberta G. Doering School,
68 Main Street, Agawam.
Item A. Roll Call
ROLL CALL – 11 PRESENT
Roll Call was taken with the following councilors present: George Bitzas, Cecilia Calabrese, Paul Cavallo, James Cichetti,
Council President Christopher Johnson, Gina Letellier, Joseph Mineo, Vice President Dennis Perry, Donald Rheault, Robert Rossi and Anthony Suffriti. With eleven councilors present,
there was a quorum.
Item B. Moment of Silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.
President Johnson asked for a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Item C. Citizen’s Speak
Time
Richard Theroux was the only citizen signed up for Citizen’s Speak Time and in the spirit of better dialogue and opening communication for the common interest of bettering the
Town of Agawam, he invited the City Council to the annual Administrative Union Holiday Party.
Item D. Minutes
Motion to approve the November 17, 2014 Regular City Council meeting
minutes was made by Councilors Mineo and seconded by Councilor Rheault. The minutes were approved by a vote of: 10 Yes, 0 No, 1 Abstention (Councilor Calabrese).
Item E. Declaration
from Council President
1. Auditor Discussion – Executive Session (please see end of minutes)
Council President Johnson named Councilor Perry as Chair of the newly-formed Golf Course
Committee. Councilor Perry spoke about the committee and named Councilors Letellier and Suffriti to this committee.
Motion to take Agenda out of order by Councilor Calabrese and seconded
by Councilor Suffriti. The vote was unanimous. Moved on to Item 11 New Business and then to come back to Auditor Discussion.
Item F. Presentation of Petitions, Memorials & Remonstrances
None.
I
tem 7. Report of Council Committees
None.
Item 8. Elections
None.
Item 9. Public Hearings
None.
Item 10. Old Business
None.
Item 11. New Business
1. TO-2014-44 - Transfer of $150.00 from Clerk Regular Temp (#11611
51020) to Clerk Longevity (#11611 51400) (Mayor)
Next Agenda.
2. TR-2014-47 - Resolution to accept a restriction limiting “Alteration”of “Riverfront Area” (Conservation Commission
M.G.L.A. 40§8C)
Next Agenda.
3. TR-2014-48 - Resolution opposing mid-year cuts to Unrestricted General Government Aid and Chapter 70 Education Aid (Councilor Bitzas)
Next Agenda.
4. TO-2014-45 -
An Order granting or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device and Weekly Amusement PERMIT for Buccaneer Lounge, 84-86 Maple Street, Agawam, MA (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred
to Administrative Committee.
5. TO-2014-46 - An Order granting or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device and Weekly Amusement PERMIT for Crestview Country Club, 281
Shoemaker Lane, Agawam, MA (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred to Administrative Committee.
6. TO-2014-47 - An Order granting or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device and
Weekly Amusement PERMIT for Ray-Mor, Inc. d/b/a The Elbow, 386 Walnut Street, Agawam, MA (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred to Administrative Committee.
7. TO-2014-48 - An Order granting
or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device and Weekly Amusement PERMIT for Home Plate Sports Bar, 827 Springfield Street, Feeding Hills, MA (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred
to Administrative Committee.
8. TO-2014-49 - An Order granting or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device and Weekly Amusement PERMIT for Polish American Club of Agawam, 139 Southwick Street, Feeding
Hills, MA (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred to Administrative Committee.
9. TO-2014-50 - An Order granting or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device and Weekly Amusement
PERMIT for F.S.F., Inc. d/b/a Riverboat Bar & Grill, 11 South End Bridge Circle, Agawam, MA (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred to Administrative Committee.
10. TO-2014-51 - An Order granting
or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device and Weekly Amusement PERMIT for Scoreboard Bar & Restaurant, 15 King Street, Agawam, MA (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred to Administrative
Committee.
11. TO-2014-52 - An Order granting or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device and Weekly Amusement PERMIT for West Springfield Fish & Game, Inc., 329 Garden
Street, Feeding Hills, MA (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred to Administrative Committee.
12. TO-2014-53 - An Order granting or renewing a Class 2 Dealer’s LICENSE TO ACE Auto Body, 1363
Main Street, Agawam, MA. (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred to Administrative Committee.
13. TO-2014-54 - An Order granting or renewing a Class 2 Dealer’s LICENSE TO Paul J. LaPointe
d/b/a The Car Connection, 820 Springfield Street, Feeding Hills, MA. (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred to Administrative Committee.
14. TO-2014-55 - An Order granting or renewing a Class
2 Dealer’s LICENSE TO Elmwood – D&J Auto Sales, 521 River Road, Agawam, MA. (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred to Administrative Committee.
15. TO-2014-56 - An Order granting or renewing
a Class 2 Dealer’s LICENSE TO LaFleur Auto Exchange, 374 Main Street, Agawam, MA. (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred to Administrative Committee.
16. TO-2014-57 - An Order granting or
renewing a Class 2 Dealer’s LICENSE TO RNK Auto Sales, 28 Moylan Lane, Agawam, MA. (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred to Administrative Committee.
17. TO-2014-58 - An Order granting or
renewing a Junk Dealer’s PERMIT for David S. Camp Collectables & Jewelry, 270 Main Street, Agawam, MA. (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred to Administrative Committee.
18. TO-2014-59 - An Order granting or renewing a Class 2 Dealer’s LICENSE TO Balfour Motors, 1801 Main Street, Agawam, MA. (Clerk)
Next Agenda, referred to Administrative Committee.
Item
12. Any other matter that may legally come before the City Council.
Councilor Calabrese mentioned that the Rosie Robotics Team will be having their all day tournament at the Agawam
Jr. High on December 13th. Councilor Mineo mentioned that the Agawam Jr. Women’s Club of which his wife is a member is collecting for over sixty families within Agawam that are in need
of assistance this holiday. He will be collecting money to send from the Council as a whole. Councilor Letellier thanked the Mayor, the Council and the School Committee members who
attended the Agawam/West Springfield Rotary Thanksgiving luncheon. Lots of food was donated to the Parish Cupboard. Next year Agawam will be the host for this event as AHS won the
football game. She also spoke about a complaint that she received at the new Dunkin Donuts on Main Street regarding night deliveries, etc. She will send a Memo to the Building Inspector
and will follow up. She also mentioned the letter that each councilor received and also received numerous calls and had people stop in to her office regarding this issue. Is there
anything the Council can do? Councilor Bitzas congratulated the AHS football team on the great win.
Item E. Declaration from Council President
1. Auditor Discussion – Executive
Session (please see end of minutes)
Council President opened Auditor Discussion after stating that the majority of councilors have spoken to him in the past with complaints about the
lack of communication with the Auditor. He met with Cheryl St. John last week and informed her about the complaints and that he could not control the direction of the discussion during
the meeting. He gave the Auditor the option of going into Executive Session or discussing issues during open meeting. She elected to go into Executive Session. The language he provided
is directly from MGL and sounds worse than it actually is. Councilor Cavallo was adamantly opposed to going into Executive Session as was Councilor Bitzas. Councilor Cavallo felt he
was kept in the dark until the last minute. He felt that this was done unprofessionally and was personally offended at how this was presented. Councilor Bitzas said nothing was very
serious so it should be in an open meeting. This should have been a workshop, not an Executive Session. Councilor Letellier said we should respect Cheryl’s wishes to go into Executive
Session – she wouldn’t want personnel issues discussed on air either.
Motion to go into Executive Session made by Councilor Letellier and seconded by Councilor Calabrese at 7:24pm.
Adjournment.
The Council returned to the dais after the Executive Session.
The Motion to adjourn was moved by Councilor Cavallo and seconded by Councilor Calabrese with all in favor of adjourning.
The time of adjournment was 8:25pm.