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CC MTG MINUTES SEPTEMBER 21 2015 i REGULAR MEETING OF THE AGAWAM CITY COUNCIL Minutes dated September 21, 2015 Meeting was called to order by President Johnson at 7.00pm at the Auditorium at the Roberta G. Doering School,fib Main Street,Agawam. ' Item A.Roll Call ROLL CALL—10 PRESENT, 1 ABSENT(Councilor Letellier) Roll Call was taken with the following councilors present: George Bitzas, Cecilia Calabrese,Paul Cavallo, James Cichetti, Council President Christopher Johnson, Joseph Mineo, Vice President Dennis Perry, Donald Rheault, Robert Rossi and Anthony Suffriti. Councilor Gina Letellier was absent. With ten present,there was a quorum. Item B. Moment of Silence and the Pledge ofAgg once. President Johnson asked for a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance. IItem C. Citizen's Sneak Time None Item D. Minutes ' 1. Regular Council Meeting—September 8,2015 Motion to approve made by Councilor Cichetti and seconded by Councilor Suffriti. The voice vote was unanimous. Item E. Declaration from Council President ' None. Item F. Presentation of Petitions Memorials& Remonstrant s L TR 2015-37 -A Resolution requesting the installation of "No Parking" signs along School Street (Mayor) (Tabled 9/8/15) (letter of notification sent to residents on 9111115) This item is tabled until the October 5 h meeting. 2. TR-2015-42 -A Resolution to modify,suspend and/or revoke the Weekly ' Amusement Permit/License of The Main Street Still,Inc.located at 858Suffield Street,Agawam,MA.(Council) Motion to table made by Councilor Calabrese and seconded by Councilor Cichetti. The vote was 10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Letellier). The item was tabled until October 5,2015. 1 Item 7.None. Report of Council Committees Item 8. Elections None. Item 9. Public Hec�rines None. Item 10. Old Business 1. TO-2015.40 - Ordering Granting or Renewing a Junk Dealer's PERMIT for Agawam Coin and Gold,270 Main Street,Agawam (flea market) (Clerk)(Referred to Administrative Committee) Motion to approve made by Councilor Cichetti and seconded by Councilor Rossi. Councilor Rossi as Chair of the Administrative Committee provided a report with a positive Irecommendation for passage of the item. The vote was 10 YES,0 NO, 1 ABSENT(Councilor Letellier). 2. TO-2015-41 - Budgetary Transfer of $29,981.97(Mayor) (Referred to Finance Committee) rFrom: Assessor Regular Permanent(#11371-51010) $29,831.97 Assessor Longevity(#11371-51400) 150.00 To: Community Development Regular Permanent $29,831.97 Community Development Longevity 150.00 ' Motion to approve made by Councilor Bitzas and seconded by Councilor Cavallo. Councilor Mineo as Chair of the Finance Committee provided a report stating that the question was asked why was this position needed. He spoke with Marc Strange, Director of Planning on phone and Marc also sent everyone an email stating the reasons why he needed this position. Council Vice President Perry had asked why wasn't this known during budget time? The committee gave no recommendation and tabled the item. Councilor Mineo said the Council is welcome to vote as 1 they wish. Councilor Bitzas said he would like a recommendation from the Finance Committee prior to taking a vote. Motion to table made by Councilor Bitzas and seconded by Councilor Cichetti. ' The vote was 10 YES,0 NO, 1 ABSENT(Councilor Letellier). The item was tabled. i 1 i2 3. TO-201542 - Budgetary Transfer of $5,028A5 (Mayor) (Referred to Finance Committee) From: Admin Bldg for Utilities c/o(#11229-52110) $2,835.14 Line Items Previous Years Bills(#16602-57501) 2,193.31 To: Golf Food Holdover(#65269-52220) $2,193.31 Golf Electricity and Heat Holdover(#65269-52110) 2,835.14 Motion to approve made by Councilor Suffriti and seconded by Councilor Mineo. Again, Councilor Mineo provided a report as Chair of the Finance Committee. They questioned why the bills are not paid in time and why don't they know about these bills before hand and plan accordingly. Anthony Roberto stated the bills were not given to him in a timely fashion and that there is no POS system in place. The Finance Committee recommended approval of this item as the bills have to get paid and that the Ad Hoc Golf Committee will be working with them to help improve the system. Council President Perry stated he will call a meeting as Chair of the Ad Hoc Golf Committee to review these issues. He will invite Anthony Roberto, Dan Shay, Laurel ' Placzek and Cheryl St. John as they know the do's and don'ts of Enterprise Funds. The Council cannot keep bailing them out. There is an unpaid water bill coming as well however that was just received by the Golf Course. Councilor Mineo agreed that the water bill was received July 156. Councilor Rheault questioned whether there was no money to pay the bill or was there no bill received in time in the first place. This continues to happen and something needs to be done administratively. We keep hearing more excuses. He fords it difficult to support this. Councilor 1 Calabrese agreed with Councilor Rheault and stated she is losing faith and that this has turned into a huge money pit. We need to rethink the Golf Course as town-owned. Councilor Bitzas said it is difficult to continue to do this but what choice is there — the bills have to be paid. Council Vice President Perry agreed however when is this going to end? The budget is based on the prior year. He stated that Cheryl St. John mentioned they were $20,000 in the black and that should be going back to the General Fund. At this point,we need to redirect their operations and move forward. Councilor Mineo said we are forced to do this. Councilor Cavallo has faith in the Ad Hoc Golf Committee that they will help what's happening at the Golf Course. Councilor Rheault disagreed with the alternative that houses will be built there if it is not a golf course. We are competing with three other golf courses in town and taking away money from taxpayers. It ' could be open space. Council President Johnson stepped from Chair to state he cannot support the item. One bill from Pepsi made the delivery on June 6 and the food invoice was May/June,he should have known he had these bills coming—that's why we are given until July 15a'to get the ' fiscal year's bills paid. We've held two special meetings for his bills and truly questions how he could not have known about all these bills. We need to get someone there who knows enough about the entire business. Again, not a lot of back up information was provided. He also mentioned that yes, even though "they were in the black", it was because we gave the Golf Course more money and cannot fathom any excuse that covers all of this incompetence. Councilor Bitzas mentioned that he too has trouble supporting this but it would be a big mistake to close the course. The course is in the best shape ever and doesn't want to see homes built ' there. Councilor Rossi finds it difficult to take issue with any of these arguments. If we can help the golf course, we need to but we need to get a grip on the management there. He spoke with Cheryl St. John and she said this is essentially a loan from next year's golf budget. We need to ' get some oversight up there and something really needs to happen. He will support the item this time. Council President Johnson stepped from Chair said no that this was an outright transfer and not a loan. It is money from FY16 budget to pay FY15 bills and doesn't know whether this transfer can be conditioned—to which Bob said Cheryl asked that of the DOR okayed it. Chris reiterated that they okayed it but that Council approval was needed. Councilor Rheault again stated that this IS the taxpayers' money and he too spoke with Cheryl who said it would take mayoral action to put that money back into the fund. He disagreed with Councilor Bitzas and also asked how many times are we going to be asked to help the Golf Course? Where was the limit and he is at his limit. The vote was 7 YES (Councilors Bitzas, Cavallo, Cichetti, Mineo, Perry, Rossi and Suf riti),3 NO (Councilors Calabrese, Johnson and Rheault) and 1 ABSENT (Councilor Letellier). Councilor Rheault made a Point of Order about it should be 2/3 of those present and voting however Council President Johnson said either was it passed with the seven votes. 4. TOR-2015-8 -An Ordinance amending the Code of the Town of Agawam creating the Position of Public Access Studio Manager (Mayor) (1 of 2 Readings) (Referred to Legislative Committee) Motion to approve the first reading made by Councilor Cavallo and seconded by Councilor Cichetti. Councilor Cichetti as Chair of the Legislative Committee gave his report saying he spoke with Jeff Hulbert, 1T Director and this is in legal form and can use money from the Comcast Account for a salaried position and their committee gave a positive recommendation. ' The vote was 10 YES,0 NO, 1 ABSENT(Councilor Letellier)passing the first reading. Item IL New BWjness 1. TR-201543 - A Resolution confirming the appointment of Vincenzo Ronghi, 55 Avalon Place, Feeding Hills, MA to the Agawam Liquor License Commission to a ' term expiring the first Monday in June,2020 (Mayor) Next Agenda. 2. TO-201543 - An Order granting or renewing a Class 2 Dealer's LICENSE to Parrotta's Auto Service,Inc.,357 Main Street,Agawam,MA (Clerk) Next Agenda and referred to the Administrative Committee. 3. TO-2015-44 - 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 and referred to the Administrative Committee. 4. TOR-201.5-9 - An Ordinance to amend the Code of the Town of Agawam Zoning Ordinances §180 entitled "Non-Conforming Uses"(Councilor Cichetti) (Two Readings Required)—City Council vote to be Petitioner and send to Planning Board for their Public Hearing. Suggest City Council Public Hearing- 11/4/1S Referred to the Legislative Committee,next Agenda. The Council has to vote to be the Petitioner and then send it to the Planning Board for them to set up their public hearing. Our public hearing will tentatively be November a once we hear from the Planning Board. Motion for the Council to be the Petitioner made by Councilor Calabrese and seconded by Councilor Cavallo. Voice vote was unanimous. ' Item 12. Any other matter that may legally come before the Ck QuneiL Councilor Bitzas told about the Rotary's donation of 144 backpacks to the elementary school ' children and how wonderful it was to see their happy faces and looks forward to doing it again next year. Councilor Cavallo spoke about a feasibility study on Early Childhood Center and he will have more details coming. Councilor Suffriti hoped to see everyone at Agawam Day at the Big E and a happy 10 birthday to his daughter Gabrielle. Councilor Rheault hoped we took the right vote on the transfer. Councilor Cichetti said there is a Golf Commission meeting Thursday 4 ' morning and hopes to see whoever can make it there. He asked Councilor Perry to send him any questions and he'd be happy to ask them at that meeting. He also questioned why these bills couldn't be invoiced to Cheryl as well, maybe that could help. He stated we need to hold someone's feet to the fire. Council Vice President Perry said that really shouldn't be our responsibility—it should be the Mayor's! Councilor Calabrese commended those responsible for the recent benefit for Antonio Bruno and it is nice to see our community come together for such a nice young man. Councilor Rossi talked about the Games&Lanes property and said the Council ' needs to finally step up and take control and do something about this area. He said the Mayor forgave the taxes and gave an abatement on that property to the potential buyer. He thinks we should for a committee to oversee the property. Adiournment. The Motion to adjourn was moved and seconded all around the house. The time of adjournment was 7:49P.M. t 5