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CC MTG MINUTES DECEMBER 19 2011• REGULAR MEETING OF THE AGAWAM CITY COUNCIL Minutes dated December 19, 2011 President Rheault—Welcome to the City Council meeting of December 19, 2011. Item Y. Citizen's Speak Time President Rheault— Do we have a list of any speakers Barbara? None? Okay. Item 2. Roll Call President Rheault—Barbara, please call the roll. ROLL CALL— 10 PRESENT, 1 ABSENT (Councilor Letellier) President Rheault—Ten present, one absent, we have a quorum. • Item 3. Moment of Silence and the Pled e a Alle lance President Rheault—Please rise for a moment of silence and Pledge of Allegiance. • Item 4. Minutes 1. Regular Council Meeting—November 21,2011(Tabled 12/5/11) President Rheault — Item's on the table. Moved to take it off the table by Councilor • Simpson, seconded by Councilor Magovern. All those in favor? Opposed? Item is off the table. Voice vote is sufficient, any changes or corrections? No? All those in favor? Opposed? 2. Regular Council Meeting—December 5,2011 • President Rheault — The second one are not complete yet so I'll entertain a motion to put them on the table. Moved by Councilor Simpson, seconded by Councilor Rossi. All those in favor? Opposed? Item 5. Declaration Lrom Council President • President Rheault — At this time, I'd like the Council to join me down to the podium in its entirety if you would, please? I'm going to do this a little out of order because Jill is not feeling up to par and we want to be sure that she receives this while she's still standing and there's a big smile on her face and I can understand why and with a little memento from the Council in thanks and appreciation, recognition of your dedicated service to the citizens of Agawam from January 1, 1994 to 12/31/2011 as a City Councilor and School Budget Sub-Committee Chair, best wishes and good luck in the 1 future from the Agawam City Council and I'd like to present this to you Jill. It's my honor and privilege, it's a little something different, if I can open it up here and it's inscribed inside with her length of service and we also just in case we gave you the option, the Town Seal, you can either if you'd like to attach it on or whatever, there it is and congratulations it's certainly been a pleasure because I've enjoyed all the years you've been here. (APPLAUSE) Councilor Simpson — Thank you Don. Thank you for going a little bit out of order tonight because I had hernia surgery this morning so 1, don't make me laugh, it hurts even more, but I'd just like to take this opportunity to say my goodbyes and first and foremost, thank you to all the citizens through all those years—it sounded even longer when Donny said the dates — that have supported me throughput the years. It's been quite the growth process when I think about how young my children were when I started and I guess how young I was when I started this endeavor and it's been a privilege and an honor to serve everyone for the Town of Agawam. I feel I did the best job that I could do and I always felt that my heart was in the right place when I made my decisions whether people liked them or not all the time but it was definitely a growth process and we've seen a lot of changes. I've served for quite a few years with some of my other colleagues here and some not as long but it's been a privilege to serve with everyone here present and past councilors also. And to make it short and sweet and say thank you very much for the parting gift and you never know when you might see me pop up here at some point in time. You never know, it won't be too soon but once again and Barb, thank you for all your hard work. I'll miss you and I'll have to pop into the town hall periodically and say hello to you so once again, thank you very much. (APPLAUSE) President Rheault — Thank you Jill and obviously we wish you the very best and enjoy your retirement. Next is to Jill Messick, in thanks and recognition of your dedicated service to the citizens of Agawam from January 6, 2008 to 12/31 2011 as a City Councilor and Zoning Review Sub-Committee Chair, best wishes and good luck in the future from the Agawam City Council and I present to you the very same type and this also it's your option and would you like to say a few words? Your parting words? Councilor Messick— Sure, my parting words. Well, I haven't served as long as many of the other councilors here. I am incredibly proud of some of the things that I did. I think I've accomplished most of what I set out to do. I'd like to thank all the other councilors for helping me out, working with me on a lot of the issues that I've worked on. I'd like to thank Barbara especially; she's done a lot of really good work. I'm gonna miss you popping up to my house with your envelopes full of paper. What I'd really like to, who I'd really like to thank are the people who have come here to stand at this podium to talk to us about issues that are important to them, the people who have come out on a regular basis to say what's on their mind and the people who have contacted me and said this is an idea and I think we should pursue it. It's so important for citizens to be involved and to make things move forward by essentially kicking us in the pants every once in a while, by showing up in large numbers for the things that are important but it's been a really great experience for me. I can't say that you won't see me, you will be seeing me as we bring things forward — conservation issues, energy commission issues, things like that — 2 • and you'll be seeing a lot of things coming up for Zoning Review and I've actually offered to still help with that as well so thank you very much for my gift and I will • probably not miss being up here very much. Thank you. (APPLAUSE) President Rheault—The final presentation is a plaque presented to John Walsh in thanks and recognition of your dedicated service to the citizens of Agawam from January 4, 2010 to 12/31/2011 as a City Councilor and Finance Sub-Committee Chair, best wishes and good luck in the future from the Agawam City Council, December 19, 2011 and John, I must say that as a Finance Chair, I don't know if we could have gotten anybody any better. (APPLAUSE) Councilor Walsh—Thank you very much. • President Rheault—Do you want to speak? You're never at a loss for words. Councilor Walsh — Okay, well, I'll have the shortest speech but I'd like to thank the citizens of Agawam for having voted me in. It's been an honor to serve and I certainly • had a lot of help from the councilors as well as Barbara who has kept me on the straight and narrow when I first started off and didn't know which end was which and I think I'm still a little wet behind the ears but I'm going while the getting's good! Thank you. (APPLAUSE) Item 6. Presentation of Petitions, Memorials & Remonstrances I. TR-2011-55 -A Resolution Amending the Rules and Regulations of the Agawam City Council(Tabled 12/5/11) (Referred to Rules Committee) (Council) President Rheault-- Back to the items of Agenda. The item's on the table. I'll entertain a motion to take it off. Moved by Councilor Rossi, seconded by Councilor Magovern. All those in favor? It's off the table. I'd like to relinquish the Chair to Councilor Rossi now and speak for a few seconds on the item. Vice President Rossi - TR-2011-55 -A Resolution Amending the Rules and Regulations of the Agawam City Council. Any discussion? Councilor Rheault? Councilor Rheault — 1 don't usually raise my hand to speak! Yes, actually we owe a great deal of thank you's to Barbara for putting all of this together and we sat and reviewed quite a bit of the Rules and Regs and thought that before the end of this year and for the new Council arriving that we should have these in a format. You all received a copy of them. The only amendment that's needed at this time is under Page 3, Rule 3 "Special Meetings"and it should read `as stated in the Charter, the Council President or the Mayor or any five (5) members of the Council may call Special Meetings of the Council whenever in their opinion the public business may require it'. So I'll entertain that as a Motion to Amend. • Vice President Rossi — Moved by Councilor Magovern, seconded by Councilor Walsh, all in favor? Any opposed? So moved, 3 • Councilor Rheault — The rest of the, there are some definitions that we've spruced up and clarified and other than that I don't think there's, Barbara we didn't have anything that we needed to amend? No. So if you take a look at the language in here, it makes it a little easier to understand and hopefully, certainly during the next term on the Council, if there's something that we've overlooked or needs clarification, they can bring it up as an Agenda so that's the amendment that I offer. Vice President Rossi—Any other discussion? Councilor Walsh? Councilor Walsh — We probably should read the minutes of the meeting into our minutes of the meeting from the sub-committee? Vice President Rossi— Oh, I'm sorry, yes, the sub-committee report? • Councilor Walsh — Okay, it was called to order at 6:32pm this evening by Councilor Perry. Councilor Perry and myself were present as committee members and also Councilor Rheault, Barbara Bard was also present and Councilor Magovern came in part way through the discussion. TR-2011-55 - A Resolution Amending the Rules and Regulations of the Agawam City Council. We reviewed the documentation as presented and basically we agreed to the change on Page 3 which was that the I think I'll read it, well it was already read into the minutes, but we agreed to the change on Page 3 and the vote was 2 to 0 in favor, one absent which was Councilor Letellier and we adjourned at 6:50pm. Vice President Rossi—Any other discussion on the amendment? Councilor Perry? • Councilor Perry — Yes, thank you Mr. Vice President. First of all, I just want to thank Barbara. You did a great job in putting this together for us. I think the Rules read more clearly. There's more defined definitions in regards to each item of Agenda has its own definition in there. One of the bigger changes, not bigger changes but, is if you went to • Page 8, Rule 17 the Orders of Business —we did change that up a little bit in regards to and it makes more sense. At every Regular City Council meeting unless otherwise determined by a majority of the members present, the Order of Business shall be as follows, like tonight's meeting we had Citizen's Speak Time first, we're gonna have the Roll Call first according to the new Rules, then a Moment of Silence and Pledge of Allegiance and then the Citizen's Speak Time. I • just think it makes more, we're here, we're present, we've taken our Roll, it just makes more sense but again as you go through them, they're more clearly defined, just the wording I mean Barbara did a great job with it and I would recommend to the Full Council to pass this this evening. Thank you. Vice President Rossi —Any other discussion? Seeing none, I will now take the main motion as • amended. Councilor Rheault—You have to vote on the amendment first. Vice President Rossi —Well we already voted on the amendment. So now we're gonna take the main motion as amended, okay? Barbara, call the roll? • ROLL CALL—9 YES,0 NO,2 ABSENT (Councilors Letellier and Simpson) 4 • Vice President Rossi - Nine yes, two absent, the motion's carried. I will now turn the meeting back over to President Rheault. • President Rheault—Thank you. Item 7. Report of Council Committees None. Item 8. Elections None. Item 9. Public Hearings None. Item 10. Old Business • I. TO-2011-50 -An Order Granting or Renewing a LICENSE for a CLASS I or II Dealer(s)—RNK Auto Sales,28 Moylan Lane,Agawam,MA. 01001 (Referred to License Committee) (Clerk) • President Rheault — I'lI entertain a motion to put it on the floor. Moved by Councilor Rossi, seconded by Councilor Walsh. The item is on the floor. License Committee report please? Councilor Rossi — Yes, the License Committee makes a recommendation to the Full • Council to approve these licenses and if I may make a motion to consolidate Item#6 with Item #1. That'll be TO-2011-50 - An Order Granting or Renewing a LICENSE for a CLASS I or II Dealer(s) —RNK Auto Sales, 28 Moylan Lane, Agawam, MA. and TO-2011-55 - An Order Granting or Renewing a LICENSE for a CLASS I or II Dealer(s)—Chris Auto South, 207 Main Street, Agawam. • President Rheault — Thank you. If you're in favor of the combining, voice vote is sufficient, say yes. All right. I missed the numbers Bob. Councilor Rossi — That would be Items 6 and 1, TO-2011-50 and TO-2011-55, Items #1 and#6. • President Rheault — All right. If you're in favor, any further discussion? Barbara, please call the roll. ROLL CALL—9 YES, 0 NO, 2 ABSENT (Councilors Letellier and Simpson) • • 5 President Rheault — Nine yes, two absent, you have approved Items TO-2011-50 through TO-2011-55. What? I'm sorry? Oh, you didn't do all those? I'm sorry. Back to • item#2. 2. TO-2011-51 -An Order Granting or Renewing a AUTOMATIC AMUSEMENT Device(s)—Alano Club of Springfield, Inc.,36 King Street, Agawam,MA. 01001 (Referred to License Committee) (Clerk) President Rheault — Moved by Councilor Rossi, seconded by Councilor Walsh. A report on that? Councilor Rossi — Yes, thank you Council President. The sub-committee makes a recommendation, a positive recommendation, to the Full Council for the passage of TO- 2011-51 and again, Mr. President, may I make a motion to the Council that we consolidate Items #2, #3, #4 and #5? They are all Automatic Amusement Device renewals and I'll read them into the record. That's TO-2011-51 - An Order Granting or Renewing a AUTOMATIC AMUSEMENT Device(s) —Alano Club of Springfield, Inc., 36 King Street, Agawam, MA.; TO-2011-52 - An Order Granting or Renewing a • AUTOMATIC AMUSEMENT Device(s) — Home Plate Sports Bar, LLC, 827 Springfield Street, Feeding Hills, MA.; TO-2011-53 - An Order Granting or Renewing a AUTOMATIC AMUSEMENT Device(s) — Scoreboard Bar & Restaurant, Inc., 15 King Street, Agawam, MA. ;TO-2011-54 - An Order Granting or Renewing a AUTOMATIC AMUSEMENT Device(s) — The Quest, Inc. d/b/a Michael Anthony's, 1251 River Road, • Agawam, MA. President Rheault --- Moved by Councilor Perry, seconded by Councilor Rossi, so if you're in favor of combining -51, -52, -53 and -54, all those in favor? Opposed? Now, granting of the licenses, any further discussion? If not, Barbara, please call the roll. • ROLL CALL—9 YES, 0 NO, 2 ABSENT (Councilors Letellier and Simpson) President Rheault—Nine yes, two absent, you've approved the licenses. • 3. TO-2011-52 - An Order Granting or Renewing a AUTOMATIC AMUSEMENT Device(s)—Home Plate Sports Bar,LLC,827 Springfield Street,Feeding Hills,MA. 01030(Referred to License Committee) (Clerk) President Rheault—See Item# 2 above. • 4. TO-2011-53 -An Order Granting or Renewing a AUTOMATIC AMUSEMENT Device(s)—Scoreboard Bar& Restaurant,Inc., 15 King Street,Agawam,MA. 01001 (Referred to License Committee) (Clerk) President Rheault—See Item # 2 above. • 6 • 5. TO-2011-54 -An Order Granting or Renewing a AUTOMATIC AMUSEMENT Device(s)—The Quest, Inc. d/b1a Michael Anthony's, 1251 River Road,Agawam,MA. 01001 (Referred to License Committee) (Clerk) President Rheault—See Item # 2 above. 6. TO-2011-55 -An Order Granting or Renewing a LICENSE for a CLASS • I or II Dealer(s) --Chris Auto South,207 Main Street,Agawam,MA. 01001 (Referred to License Committee) (Clerk) President Rheault—See Item #1 above. Item ]]. New Business • 1. TR-2011-64 - A Resolution Authorizing the Preparation of a Statement of Interest for a New Early Childhood Center and High School (Councilor Bitzas) President Rheault — There is a time restraint on that and that will appear on the first Reorg Meeting Agenda. I did not want to call a Special Meeting for that purpose so - 2. TR-2011-65 - A Resolution Appropriating the Use of Insurance Proceeds Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44,Section 53 for the Repair of an Agawam Fire Department Ambulance(Mayor) President Rheault—That should go over to the Finance Committee, next Agenda. 3. TR-2011-66 - A Resolution Authorizing the Transfer of Land in the Form of an Easement to WMECO (Western Massachusetts Electric Company) (Mayor) President Rheault—That should go over to Zoning, next Agenda. 4. TO-2011-56 -An Order Granting or Renewing a LICENSE for a CLASS I or II Dealer(s)—Elias Auto, 1123 Suffield Street,Agawam,MA. 01001 • (Clerk) President Rheault—License Committee, next Agenda. 5. TO-2011-57 -An Order Granting or Renewing a AUTOMATIC AMUSEMENT Device(s)—Sinavarg,LLC d/b/a Bruburger's, 241 South Westfield Street,Feeding Hills,MA. 01030 (Clerk) President Rheault—Over to the License Committee, next Agenda. Item 12. Any other matter that may legally come before the City Council. President Rheault—And Item 12, let's start with Councilor Mineo tonight. • 7 Councilor Mineo — I'd really like to say it's been a pleasure to work with the councilors • that are leaving — Councilor Walsh, Councilor Messick and Councilor Simpson. I think they've all been very good councilors. Councilor Simpson I've worked with over the last twelve years. I've made trips to Boston with her; she's been a great councilor. She's done a great job with the School Budget Sub-Committee. Councilor Messick, you've been a great councilor and in my own selfish way I am very disappointed that you didn't run, but I understand but there's a special place in my heart for you. You're a good person. You've done a great job and Jack, you've been here for one term. I really admire some of the things that you've done especially with the Finance Committee. I've got to say you've done probably in the twelve years that I've been on the City Council, you've done the best job and I wish all three of you the best of luck. • President Rheault--Councilor Magovern? Councilor Magovern — I just want to echo everything that Joe Mineo, Councilor Mineo, just said about the three councilors leaving. It's been a pleasure and an honor to serve with all three. Jill, you've stood up for what you believe and I appreciate that and • although we may not have agreed on everything, I still admire your tenacity to get up there and say what you think and that's what you need on the Council —people that will stand up for their beliefs, say what they believe and try to get what they want done. Councilor Walsh — what can I say? I mean you've done a great job on the Finance Committee. Again, in all the years I've been on here, I don't think I've had anybody that • has done such a good job as you have but you've had a slight advantage, you are a CPA which is good to have a CPA handling the finances and Councilor Simpson — her dedication, goes in for surgery this morning and she's here tonight to give her farewell and I think that that's a lot to be said for her and why she's been able to get the votes that she's gotten all these years, it's because of her dedication to the job and again it's been • great and it's been an honor to serve under Council President Rheault for all the years that he's been here as Council President while I've been on the Council and it's just been a great Council to serve with and I'm looking forward to next year and I hope that we can come together like we have on this Council in the next two years. Other than that, I just want to wish everybody a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, Happy Holidays and just • I have to mention last night we had a little bit of Norman Rockwell in Agawam. We had our Christmas caroling down on the green where we were able to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and I wanted to give special thanks to Rev. Earl Eisenbach and Father Brennan from St. John's that hosted a refreshment afterwards and the Academy of Dance and Performing Arts that was there with fifty of their members if you can believe it, • freezing out in the rain, up on the gazebo with joining in with the choirs, singing and it was just a wonderful evening and like I say, to have the lights on the gazebo and standing up there and looking out and seeing all the colonials houses on the other side of Main Street, it really was a little piece of Norman Rockwell so thank you all for coming and again, Merry Christmas! • President Rheault--Councilor Bitzas? 0 8 Councilor Bitzas — Yes, Mr. President. Two things, first of all I would like to wish you all and all the people of Agawam Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year and • the other thing is I will to express the thanks for serving our town to Councilor Simpson, Councilor Messick and Councilor Walsh. I have the pleasure to work with Councilor Walsh in the Lion's Club and also the Rotary Club which is official and a pleasure for both and of course as a councilor for this year, Jack, you did a tremendous job like you did in the Lion's and the Rotary so I wish you were here again to continue but I know we cannot twist your arm to run but I wish you the best. Also, Jill Messick, you did a great job along with my friend Simpson, Councilor Simpson, and I wish you the best and be in touch. Merry Christmas to all! President Rheault—Councilor Rossi? Councilor Rossi — Yes, thank you. I, first of all, would like to wish everybody a very happy, healthy Christmas season and happy, healthy New Year and Councilor Simpson, I mean what can you say, she's been around so long, she's like a staple here and she's done such a great job on this Council. She's really held that School Department and the City • Council together quite well and she's gonna be sorely missed. Jack, I don't know what I can add to what everybody else has said. You've been a great Councilor and deeply passioned by what you do and very thorough with your Finance Committee and your reports and you've just been a great asset to the City Council and you're gonna be missed. Councilor Messick, you've been simply the best as far as I'm concerned. I really enjoyed working with you. I know that there's been times when the feelings • haven't been mutual but I have always admired your passion and for that I want to thank you because you probably won't appreciate this but it's provided me with a great deal of entertainment and I'd just like to say when this is all said and done I'd like to have you think of everybody on this City Council in a good way and especially myself and I look forward to working with you again on zoning issues and Conservation. I know you are • deeply passioned by those things and you'll be missed here on the City Council especially by me and I wish you luck, as you too Jack and Councilor Simpson, I wish you the best. President Rheault--Councilor Perry? • Councilor Perry — Yes, thank you Mr. President. First of all, I'd like to wish all of my colleagues here on the podium, Barbara, the camera crew and all the people at home and the few that we have in the audience a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy New Year coming up. You know we have three councilors that are leaving this Board and for many years I served with Jill, for my sixteen years on the Council, I've been serving with Jill Simpson, Councilor Simpson, and she did bring a passion like everybody else has mentioned to this Council floor. There was many times that I've sat across and issues would come up and everybody would be debating them and then Jill would come in and she had her unique perspective on things. She would bring, where 1 sat there and said . why didn't I look at it that way, you know, she just had that unique style about her that brought a different light to the subject that we were debating and I'll always respect her for that. She did a great job for this community, there's no question about it, eighteen • 9 years I think it was, right, something like that. Jack, you know, what can I say that hasn't been said, you did a great job with the Finance Committee. It was a pleasure serving with you on that committee and you're definitely gonna be missed. I wish you were running again but that was your choice and your decision and you will definitely be missed up here. It was an honor serving with you and in getting to know you, definitely and Councilor Messick, great job! What did I tell you Election Day? I wasn't upset, I was disappointed. I gave you my disappointed face. No, Jill, we discussed a lot of different issues up here together. I greatly respect you, your passion as everyone else has mentioned but you always did your homework on everything. You had your facts in front of you and you stood behind them and I know you and I went head to head a couple times but we definitely respect each other and I'm gonna miss that the most in regards to our debates and discussions and things of that nature and I wish all three of you the best of luck in the future and I'm sure we'll be seeing you from time to time on this Council floor. Thank you. President Rheault—And, Councilor Messick? Councilor Messick — WelI, thank you very much everybody. I don't mean to imply when I say I'm not gonna miss being here, what I mean is I'm not gonna miss being right here on television. I never really liked this part but I do appreciate very much having worked with you all and yes, that's the point of the Council is to have different opinions and occasionally butt heads and have different opinions and to work things out. So yes, I will remember everybody fondly and as Councilor Rossi pointed out, it has been very ! entertaining at times. It's also been a little frustrating and I actually do want to point out that we'll be getting three new councilors. It's not just that people are leaving and I want to wish those councilors luck. There not actually new, new councilors, they're not brand, shiny new councilors which I think would have been good but I'm sure they'll do a fantastic job and fill in all the blank spots. I would like to thank Corinne who's been such a great support for me throughout this entire process and I don't know how many times I called her and yelled about things and she gave me a great perspective on what was going on and how this all works and that kind of thing so yes, I really appreciate your expressions of respect and regard and I will probably come say a few words every once in a while about certain things and Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to everyone! President Rheault—Thank you. Councilor Cichetti? Councilor Cichetti --- Thank you. I just would like to take the opportunity to wish everybody up here and out in the audience and at home happy holidays, Merry Christmas and happy New Year and 1 wish I could have all the memories and all the great things to say about everybody up here. As you all know I was new. Jill it was great working with you on the Energy Commission, hopefully you stay involved. I hope we see you in the audience every week, would love that. Mr. Walsh, it was a pleasure getting to know you and working along side of you and getting our feet wet at the same time and Jill Simpson, it was wonderful working with her on the School Budget Committee and just you're 10 i gonna definitely be missed from everything that's been said up here by everybody and we look forward to seeing you more often. Thanks and have a day. i President Rheault—And Councilor Walsh? Councilor Walsh — My swan song. I want to wish everybody Merry Christmas and a happy New Year and it has been a pleasure working with everybody and yes, we butted • heads here and there but it's good. It's healthy for the process. I'm gonna leave you with a challenge and a complaint. It's my first complaint as a citizen. About two months ago, well going back even into the summer, a lot of people had expressed concern over the stand outs we've had with people running for public office so a couple of months ago I decided that I would look into to see what could we do to control it so to speak. Well, the • first thing I went to the Town Code right there you have to have a parade permit, no questions, it's black and white. I went to the Police Chief and he said well you know that's over thirty years old and he said we run into issues that other communities have run into, you do something and it's a violation of somebody's rights to free speech so he did not want to incur a law suit on behalf of the town so he said he has elected not to push it. So I then in October sent an email to our City Solicitor and basically I said I'd like to get some help in drafting some legislation to address this. He has not gotten back to me. Now, I would have said okay, he doesn't like me personally. That's okay, I can live with that but I've noticed during the year that other Councilors would make requests and you go three or four months and there's nothing. So I'm looking at the process. The City Solicitor is appointed by the Mayor so therefore he probably feels he only should answer • to the Mayor. I think in the future if somebody wants to pick up the ball and run with it on the standouts, I think they should be addressed not that anybody is doing anything particularly wrong. Some elections it has been more orderly than others and it depends on who's running and the enthusiasm of their supporters but obviously I think we should be able to do something and address it so it's not a free speech, a violation of free speech issue. At the same time, I think, in the future I think as we start to change things maybe putting the City Solicitor in a different position so he's not directly responsible to the Mayor but maybe to the City Council might be in order. This way we're the law-making branch of the City and therefore we should have the ear of the City Solicitor when needed and with that I join the citizens of Agawam and I'll be looking at your frequently. Thank i you. President Rheault — Thank you. First I'd like to thank all the members of the City Council for their cooperation and secondly I wish all of them and their families a very Merry and Happy Christmas and a very prosperous and healthy New Year as well as to the viewing audience. To Barbara and her family as well and also our absentee, Gina, who's still out and we wish her the very best in her upcoming surgery and as well a Christmas as she could expect having to do surgery at that time. One of the things as Council President when new Council comes on board is the judgment calls you have to make regarding who's gonna serve in what capacity and what committee and from the accolades that have been passed out here this evening, I think we did not miss a trick. Everyone did an absolute fantastic job which certainly makes my job and awful lot easier and to Jill, thank you very much. Jack, thank you very much and Jill has also left, but � 11 you couldn't get any better I don't think and this Council has differences of opinion — it should — that's what democracy is all about. We shouldn't be rubber stamps and just sit up here like a bunch of puppets so there's nothing personal ever as far as I'm concerned. If you have a difference of opinion and have no disrespect for any one of you, I admire all of your service to the town and thank you very much for the year and look forward to working next year. Thank you and I'll entertain a motion to adjourn? All by the Council to adjourn, seconded by the Council. Thank you very much and good evening. Adjournment • • 12