Loading...
CC MTG MINUTES DECEMBER 2 2013 i REGULAR MEETING OF THE AGAWAM CITY COUNCIL • Minutes dated December 2, 2013 President Johnson —I'd call the meeting to order. Item 1. Roll Call • President Johnson —I'd ask Barbara to call the Roll please? ROLL CALL— 11 PRESENT, 0 ABSENT • President Johnson —With eleven present, we have a quorum. Item 2. Moment of Silence and the Pledge ofA11e�=iance. President Johnson — I'd ask everyone to rise for a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance please? Item 3. Citi en's Speak Time President Johnson — We have no citizens wishing to address the Council at Speak Time. • Item 4. Minutes 1. Regular Council Meeting--November 18,2013 President Johnson — Is there a Motion? Moved by Councilor Rheault, seconded by Councilor Perry. Questions or discussion on the minutes? Seeing none, all those in favor say Ay? Any opposed? They are unanimously approved. Item S. Declaration from Council President • None. Item 6. Presentation of Petitions.* Meurorials & Remonstrances 1. TR-2013-49 -A Resolution Confirming the Appointment of Shelby Hall- Gibbous,49 Anvil Street, Feeding Hills,MA. to the Agawam Housing Authority to a Term Expiring the Second Monday in January,2015 (Mayor) President Johnson — Is there a Motion? Moved by Councilor Letellier, seconded by Councilor Calabrese. Questions or discussion on the appointment or the Resolution confirming the appointment? Councilor Letellier? I • Councilor Letellier — If I may quickly. Yes, thank you. For those of you who don't know Shelby, she's becoming more and more.involved in our town and.when she gets involved in something, she really does a lot of hard work and so I am assuming this is going to be unanimous but I'd like to ask you for your support for Shelby and Shelby — thank you! Shelby Hall-Gibbons—Thank you! Councilor Letellier—You're welcome. President Johnson — Any other questions or discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say Ay? Any opposed? It's unanimous and again, on behalf of the Council, thank you for your service. • Item 7. Re art of Council Committees None. • Item 8. Elections None. Item 9._Public Hearin • 1. PH-2013-15 (ZC-2013-6) -A Petition for Zone Change for property located at Sheri Lane Parcel H13 8 18, by applicants John Conte and Louis Conte, 661 Barry Street,Feeding Hills, (Referred to Legislative Committee) President Johnson — I believe the item is on the table so the Chair would entertain a Motion to take the item off the table. Moved by Councilor Rheault, seconded by Councilor Rossi, all in favor of taking it off the table say Ay? Any opposed? Please note Councilor Letellier's abstention. Next, the Chair would ask for a Motion to approve. Moved by Councilor Rossi, seconded by Councilor Rheault. At this point, the Chair will open the Public Hearing. Anyone wishing to speak in favor of ZC-2013-6 will you • approach the mic. I'd ask you to identify yourself with your name and address. Rob Leveque — Thank you. Good evening. For the record, I'm Rob Leveque from R. Leveque Associates, here this evening representing Lou Conte for his zone change on Sheri Lane. Before you, you'll see that we have a plan, we have a few plans on this board, the first is a plan from D.L. Bean that shows the subject property. It's basically bisected into two zones. The front of the property is zoned Business A, the back of the property is zoned Agricultural. We're here this evening requesting a zoning map amendment to change the rear portion of the property from Agricultural to Business A, fairly straight forward. If I can step away from the mic for a second, I'll show you just • briefly —thank you— so this is the subject property here in green, the front of the property is zoned Business, right here, this is that rectangle here, this is Agricultural, it'll show you on your zoning map. This is where the property falls, this is Sheri Lane here, this is 2 • • the subject property and you see how it's bisected --the orange being Business A and the white being Agricultural —and I'd be happy to answer any questions the Council has. • President Johnson — Any questions for the Petitioner? Seeing none, anyone else wishing to speak in favor of the zone change application? Anyone wishing to be recorded in name only in favor of the zone change application? Seeing none, anyone wishing to speak in opposition to the zone change application? Adneida Rivera—Okay, my name is Adneida Rivera and I live at 41 Sheri Lane and you probably have already noticed that English is not my first language so be patient with me and my concern as a person who is living very near where the change is going to be is the concern that I had to pass through there because it is exactly my only exit and entrance because it is a one-way street and I'm concerned and I don't know how they are going to • address it in to how we are going to be impacted especially in the mornings. As it is right now, when there's some people parked in the other business which is Partners, I have some problems when I have to turn left because I sometimes can't see the opposite traffic because the way it is the parking, it doesn't allow me to see especially in the winter when there's snow there so my concern is my visibility and the parking and also because as I • say it is my only entrance and exit and I'm also concerned about all the traffic there. I don't know how they're going to put the, I know the hours which mean I don't know if there's going to be any in the evenings especially on the weekends or anything. We have children there so I'm concerned about the noise. I mean I know this is something that is happening after I moved there but when I moved I thought it was residential although I did know there was a business there but I Hadn't noticed the impact. So I'm more concerned about more business making more impact and again as I say, English is not that great. I'm better with reading than spoken language but I believe that I made the point somehow of what my concern is and it's not only my point, I just came from the Sheri Lane Association meeting which just finished fifteen minutes ago. We were all just talking about this which means that not only me the only one concerned, okay. President Johnson — Thank you. Anyone else wishing to speak in opposition to the proposed zone change? Seeing none, anyone wishing to be recorded in name only in opposition to the zone change. Seeing none, I'll declare the Public Hearing closed. We have a Motion and a second for ZC-2013-6, any discussion? Please note for the record • that Councilor Letellier has vacated the chambers as she has a conflict so I just want it noted in the minutes on the record that she's not here because she has a conflict. Any other discussion? Questions? The matter was referred to the Legislative Sub-Committee, Councilor Cichetti? Councilor Cichetti - Thank you Mr. President. Our committee did meet on November 21". Present were myself, Councilors Cavallo, Bitzas and Rossi. Councilor Letellier did let us know she was unable to make it because of her conflict. The meeting was called to order at 6:39. We did discuss this zone change. Councilor Letellier again was not present. The Motion was made by Councilor Bitzas and seconded by Councilor Cavallo to send a positive recommendation to the Full Council and the vote was 4-0 in favor with one abstention. Thank you. 3 • President Johnson —Thank you Councilor Cichetti. Any other questions or discussion? Seeing none, eight votes are required to pass a zone change. I'd ask Barbara to call the Roll. If you're in favor, vote yes. If you're opposed, vote no. ROLL CALL—10 YES, 0 NO, 1 ABSTENTION President Johnson — With a vote of ten yes, zero no and one abstention; you've approved ZC-2013-6. I'd ask Barbara to get Councilor Letellier back. 2. PH-2013-16(TOR-2013-8) —An Ordinance to Amend the Code of the Town of Agawam Zoning Ordinances§180;Mixed Use Business District. (Public Hearing set for December 16, 2013). President Johnson — So I'd ask for a Motion to table the item until then. Moved by Councilor Rheault, seconded by Councilor Rossi. All in favor of tabling, say Ay? Any opposed? The item is on the table. Item 10. Old Business 1. TO-2013-24 - Order granting or renewing a Class 2 Dealer's LICENSE for Agawam Auto Mall,Inc. 825 Springfield Street,Agawam,MA(Clerk) (Tabled 11/18/13) (Referred to Administrative Committee) • President Johnson — The item is on the table. I don't know if that is, where it is to remain? The Chair will take that as a Motion to remove the item from the table made by Councilor Rossi, seconded by Councilor Rheault. All in favor of taking it off the table say Ay? Any opposed? The item is off the table. Just because I'm not sure at this point, I'd ask for a Motion in favor— I'm assuming we're gonna take action on it this evening? Councilor Rossi—Yes. President Johnson — Is there a Motion to approve TO-2013-24? Moved by Councilor • Rheault, seconded by Councilor Rossi. I'd ask Councilor Rossi for the Admin Sub- Committee report. Councilor Rossi—Thank you Mr. President. The Admin Sub-Committee met again this evening. This has been an ongoing discussion with the committee for quite some time ! now going back several weeks and it has been determined that the Agawam Sub- Committee is gonna send a recommendation that the application for renewal not be supported and a letter be sent to them with the recommendation that his license for renewal, This person has two licenses in the Town of Agawam, the one license for the Agawam Auto Mall is one that is not currently being used and hasn't been used for quite some time, in violation of Mass statute and Town Code and other violations and • conditions that have been set forth by the Licensing Commission so based upon those 4 • violations, the action that we've taken we deem to be appropriate. So it is the recommendation of the committee not to send a recommendation for renewal at this time. • President Johnson — Questions or discussion? Just stepping from the Chair, I think the Sub-Committee's recommendation is to not renew or grant the Class 2 Dealer's license, I think if that's what the Council's going to do, we need to enumerate on the record what the reasons are. So,just because previous litigation involving Class 2 Dealer's licenses it • wasn't clearly stated on the Council record what the rationale was. At this point, I guess I would ask Councilor Rossi to enumerate for the record what the rationale is for the denial and then we can go from there with discussion. Councilor Rossi— Okay, thank you. It has been determined that the Agawam Auto Mall • has not maintained a business located at 825 Springfield Street, Feeding Hills, MA to carry out dealer responsibilities, facilities dedicated to conducting business of buying and selling motor vehicles in a continuous and lawful manner as required by Mass General Law, the Town Code of Agawam, Chapter 114 inclusive. In addition, information on the application has been falsified, representing them to be truthful, providing information and making statements on the Class 2 Dealer's application known by the applicant to be untrue and misleading and those are the reasons that we found that those non-compliant with Mass Statute and Town Codes for those reasons — that he hasn't maintained an operation for several months going probably better than a year, it has been determined that his business hasn't been lawful. In addition, I have other information here that he • has advertised a dealership in Suffield, CT that he claims that the 825 address here in Agawam is used as an overflow lot for this Southfield Auto Sales, 68 Bridge Street, Suffield, CT and according; to the website at the time, it said that that address is not being currently staffed and is being used as an overflow lot which is in violation of Mass Statute and the conditions under which the license was issued. So based upon the findings of this committee, those reasons and others we find that the application should not be renewed. President Johnson — Councilor Bitzas? Councilor Bitzas — Yes, I've got a question for the Chair or anyone on the committee. I was the last time at your meeting and this gentleman had a lawyer and they make some points about your committee give them a chance to comply with some requests you made and I believe he said he'd comply. What I'm worried about is if we rush to deny the license — first of all we'd be looking like we be anti-business and give the wrong signal • out to the community in the times that we do need some business here. If he made some mistakes, we give some chance not to do it again. What I'm afraid is any lawsuit. I'm not going to be in favor of that because I'm afraid that we have a lawsuit and the town can't afford to lose,another lawsuit. We should not be rushing into it. I request to go again, not to vote, because we have a lot of questions and answers and I'm afraid it's a • lawsuit coining to us. If we have concrete, concrete information that he did violate all these things and by law, we can't do something. Fin not saying yes or not, I'm not trying 5 • • to do, but that's my concern. I think we should consult our Law Department to see how we can do it and we have until January to deny the license, what's the rush? I just don't, I'm afraid of a lawsuit and to be anti-business. Thank you. Councilor Rossi—Did you want me to respond to that? President Johnson — Well, Councilor Letellier had her light on so I would defer to her and then Councilor Rossi and then Councilor Cavallo Councilor Letellier — Thank you Mr. President. To be honest, I would have a much higher comfort level if we did this in a different way. I'd like to see a written report from • the sub-committee that all the sub-committee members vote to approve that written report, that specifically says why they believe they have not been operating a business at that site and what you believe is falsified on the application. You made some very general statements here but I think if we're gonna protect ourselves from a lawsuit, which these things are almost guaranteed when these things get denied, I think we would be • protesting the town a lot better if you had a specific bullet point list, not general beliefs, specific bullet point beliefs, that we believe you have not been operating a business because you haven't had any vehicles on the site since a certain date or you haven't had any sales since a certain date; we believe you falsified your application by saying xyz when in fact abe is the case. I think the more specific we can get, the better it'll be for the town. So my recommendation would be that we table this, get a written committee report that really specifies things in particular but I won't make the Motion because I know other people want to speak. • President Johnson-- Councilor Rossi,then Cavallo. Councilor Rossi — Well, I can tell you this much, that this committee has been going over this thing for several weeks, going into months. I can tell you quite specifically that he is violating Mass Statutes in this and by his own admission; he hasn't operating that thing in well over a year. He filed an application for renewal in 2013 and he hasn't had that operational at that time so that's misleading information. The law says that he must maintain according to 140-59 that he has to maintain an operation that is continuous and lawful during that period of time. He has to maintain log books of his sales. He has none of that stuff. We've asked him to produce that information for us. At the last sub- committee meeting, he gave us a log book that he had five cars that he entered in pencil • or pen, I believe I saw pencil but I'm not gonna say it was, it could have been pen, that he had boughten from New Hampshire dealership under the name of Falcor Motors and those motor vehicles are now sitting on the property at 825 Springfield Street. That does not constitute buying and selling motor vehicles for that address. When you go on a website and advertise for a Class 2 Dealer in Suffield, Connecticut and advertise a location in Agawam that has been duly licensed here by this community and call it an overflow lot for that facility in Suffield and say that it's not currently being staffed here, 6 • • that is in violation of Mass Statute. Now we can put them, if the Council feels much, feels better if I put those things in writing, I mean I have them all listed out over here, I • could very easily send them down to Barbara and have her type it up for the whole, for the entire Council, but you can believe me when I tell you that I would not take this action if I thought that this would result in a lawsuit, if I thought that the committee was not in solid standing on this. But the Council's pleasure, they can do whatever they want with this, I am here to inform you that this person has not been operating within the confines of the Iaw and under the conditions that were set forth when this license was issued to him. This person has been issued two licenses and I might add, he's the only person in a car dealership in the Town of Agawam that has two Class Z Dealer's licenses. I don't know how that ever came into being. I don't see why anybody in this town should be issued two licenses but he was issued two licenses. Now why he needs two licenses to operate in the Town of Agawam? I don't know but that's the case and I'm not • here to make that argument now. My argument is simply when he went for renewal of this license he was less than honest on that application and that is a violation for revocation of suspension. He wasn't maintaining an address that was in the business of buying and selling cars in a lawful and continuous manner and that is a violation that is subject to suspension and revocation and this Council can take whatever action that deem • appropriate. President Johnson — Councilor Cavallo, then Magovern? Councilor Cavallo — Yeah, I personally, I'm gonna vote, I'd like to vote on this tonight. 1 think it's been dragged on for so long now and I think Mr. Rossi and his committee have worked hard and they've really worked hard on other issues regarding these used car lots and I brought up a couple issues and he has taken care of them and I think listening to his rationale for denying the license, certainly he may put it in writing, pass it out to us but I think there's no reason why we can't take a vote tonight and I'm gonna deny the license, I'm voting that way, and ask Mr. Rossi in the interim if he could get that material, those bullet points that Gina talked about, hand them to Barb and have them type them up and we have it. Why do we have to go beyond that? I don't know. I've listened to this gentleman give six or seven reasons why this man has been in violation and he is the Chairperson of that committee and knows the rules and laws regarding it. So I think we have to respect his decision and therefore I think this Council should take a • vote tonight to deny the license. President Johnson —Councilor Magovern? Councilor Magovern — I want to thank Councilor Rossi for all the hours that he's put • into this issue and what Councilor Cavallo said is correct, Bob has put a lot of time into this one particular issue to come up with the rationale for denying the license and I also feel that there should be some ordinance against one agency having more than one license but in fairness to the owner of the license, I don't know if he's attempting to sell that auto lot and if he's attempting to sell his auto lot what we're doing is taking away his right to sell something that has potential value which is the property and I'm afraid of a lawsuit as well and I just want to make sure that what was said earlier about documenting 7 • everything and it's done right so that there's no comeback on us from a lawsuit but I would like a letter to go out to the dealer specifying that his license is about to be denied • and if he has any reason why it shouldn't be to come to the next Council meeting and state it to the pull Council but I ready feel that he's in violation, it should be cancelled but again as Councilor Bitzas says, I don't particularly want to see another lawsuit come to the Town of Agawam so I just want to make sure that this is passed by our legal department and let the oneness of a lawsuit fall somewhere there but I do think that he has been in jeopardy of losing the license. President Johnson -- Councilor Letellier, if I could just step from the Chair, and perhaps it's because we come from a little different background, both being attorneys, and it doesn't speak to whether or not the Admin Sub-Committee has done a good job or hasn't done a good job, I concur with Councilor Letellier and what Councilor Magovern just said, I think that the prudent course of action is to develop the list of specific reasons why we're contemplating denial of the renewal of the license, communicate that in writing to the applicant, tell them that we're going to take it up at our next meeting and give them the opportunity to appear. If they choose to appear, we can go into Committee as a Whole at that point and listen to what they have to say and if we still feel the same way • regarding the rationale of the denial at least at that point they can't argue that they didn't know why, and they didn't have the opportunity to address why. So that's, stepping back into the Chair I know Councilor Letellier you had your light on? I think it just went off. Councilor Letellier — Yes, that's okay. I don't want my comments in any way to be taken as I don't respect the work of the Admin Sub-Committee because I do and these are not easy decisions to make. I've been on the Licensing Committee; I've dealt with used car dealers before and so please don't take my comments in any way to disparage the work of the committee. However, this is not the first time that we've denied a license knowing that there's going to be a problem and I think it, my preference is for a written • committee report voted on by the committee members saying yes this is what we decided in our committee. I don't know that we have an obligation to send the dealer a letter saying we're going to vote on this next meeting, it's already on the Agenda, he already knows that it's gonna be on the Agenda but if people want to do that, I'm not opposed to that. I don't think we can send a letter saying we're going to deny your license because their vote has not been taken but I think we can say that it's going to be under • consideration and this is the report that the Council is going to be considering and we have two full weeks so we can definitely give the gentleman plenty of notice. So at this point, I guess, I don't see any other lights, I'm going to renew my Motion to table. President Johnson — I have a Motion to table made by Councilor Letellier, seconded by • Councilor Calabrese-- Councilor Letellier—Oh, I didn't see your light, Bobby, and it's right next to me. President Johnson,— So I would defer the Motion to table because Councilor Rossi did • have his light on so I would give him the opportunity before I take the vote on the Motion to table. 8 • • Councilor Bitzas —And I also too had my light on. • Councilor Rossi —Just so the Council's aware and I'm sure that they are that even if this Council takes action to revoke, not to renew this application; we send him a letter saying that action's been taken and his license will not be renewed, he has a right to appeal this. So if we send him a letter saying that his application has been denied for renewal, he does have a process where he can appeal that decision and at that time if the City Council wants to take it under consideration or advisement and if they want to say okay, we'll • reverse our decision to give it to him, they can do that so I mean that's, we can deny his application now and set the appeal process in motion if you want to and I probably would think that might be the easier way to go. President Johnson — We have a Motion to table. I don't want to get into further • discussion on the item because we have a valid Motion to table and a second on that Motion. So at this point, if you're in favor of tabling the item, vote yes. If you're opposed, vote no. I'd ask Barbara to call the Roll please`? ROLL CALL — 6 YES (Councilors Bitzas, Calabrese, Cichetti, Johnson, Letellier • and Magovern), S NO (Councilors Cavallo, Mineo, Perry, Rheault, and Rossi) President Johnson —With a vote of six yes, five no, you've tabled TO-2013-24. 2. TO-2013-47 - Order granting or renewing a Class 2 Dealer's LICENSE for ACE Auto Body, 1363 Main Street, Agawam,MA (Referred to Administrative Committee) (Clerk) President Johnson — Is there a Motion? Moved by Councilor Rossi and seconded by Councilor Perry. I'd ask for the Admin Sub-Committee report on TO-2013-47, -48 and - 49, Councilor Rossi? • Councilor Rossi — Yes, thank you Mr. President. The committee met this evening and voted to send a positive recommendation for TO-2013-47 Order granting or renewing a Class 2 Dealer's LICENSE for ACE Auto Body, 1363 Main Street, Agawam. Also on the Agenda tonight was TO-2013-48 granting or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement • Device for FSF Inc., d/b/a Riverboat Bar& Grill, l I South End Bridge Circle, Agawam; also on the Agenda this evening was TO-2-013-49 a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device for Scoreboard Bar & Restaurant, 15 King Street, Agawam — all positive recommendations for renewal. President Johnson — Thank you. We have before us TO-2013-47. Any questions on that Class 2 Dealer's license? Keeping with what we said at last meeting, if you're in favor of the license, vote yes. If you're opposed, vote no. I'd ask Barbara to call the Roll please? ROLL CALL — 11 YES, 0 NO • President Johnson —With a vote of eleven yes, you've approved TO-2013-47. 9 • 3. TO-2013-48 - Order granting or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device for FSF Inc., d/bla Riverboat Bar & Grill, 11 South End Bridge Circle,Agawam,MA (Referred to Administrative Committee) (Clerk) President Johnson -- Is there a Motion? Moved by Councilor Perry, seconded by Councilor Calabrese. Any questions or discussion? Seeing none, if you're in favor of the Automatic Amusement Devices, vote yes. If you're opposed, vote no. I'd ask Barbara to call the Roll? ROLL CALL— 11 YES, 0 NO President Johnson — With a vote of eleven yes, you've approved TO-2013-48. • 4. TO-2013-49 - Order granting or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device for Scoreboard Bar&Restaurant, 15 King Street, Agawam,MA(Referred to Administrative Committee) (Clerk) President Johnson -- Is there a Motion? Moved by Councilor Perry, seconded by Councilor Calabrese. Questions or discussion? Seeing none, again if you're in favor of the Automatic Amusement Device license, vote yes. If you're opposed, vote no. Barbara? ROLL CALL — 11 YES, 0 NO i President Johnson — With a vote of eleven yes, you've approved TO-2013-49. Item 11. New Busifress 1. TO-2013-51 - Order granting or renewing a Class 2 Dealer's LICENSE for Malkoon Motors, 1039 Springfield Street,Feeding Mills, MA (Clerk) President Johnson—That'll be referred to the Admin Sub-Committee, next Agenda. • 2. TO-2013-52 - Order granting or renewing a Class 2 Dealer's LICENSE for RNK Auto Sales,28 Moylan Lane, Agawam,MA (Clerk) President Johnson —Also to the Admin Sub-Committee, next Agenda. 3. TO-2013-53 - Order granting or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic • Amusement Device for Ray-Mor, Inc. d/b/a The Elbow,386 Walnut Street, Agawam,MA (Clerk) President Johnson —Admin Sub-Committee, next Agenda. i 14 • • 4. TO-2013-54 - Order granting or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device for Home Plate Sports liar, LLC, 827 Springfield Street,Feeding Hills, MA (Clerk) • President Johnson—Admin Sub-Committee, next Agenda. 5. TO-2013-55 - Order granting or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device for The Main Street Still, Inc.,858 Suffield Street, • Agawam, MA (Clerk) President Johnson --Admin Sub-Committee, next Agenda. 6. TO-2013-56 - Order granting or renewing a Class 2 Dealer's LICENSE • for Elias Auto, 1123 Suffield Street, Agawam, MA(Cleric) President Johnson — Also to the Admin Sub-Committee, next Agenda. 7. TO-2013-57 - Order granting or renewing a LICENSE for an Automatic Amusement Device for Ferrentino's Inc.,d/b/a Ferrentino's Pizzeria & Pub, • 1676 Main Street, Agawam,MA (Cleric) President Johnson — Also to the Admin Sub-Committee, next Agenda. 8. TR-2013-51 - A Resolution Congratulating the Agawam High School • Varsity Football Team for their undefeated season and playoff victory in the fall football season (Bitzas) President Johnson —That'll go on to our next Agenda. Item 12. Any other matter that may le,-ally come before the City Council. President Johnson —Let's start with Councilor Letellier. Councilor Letellier — Yes, thank you. I want to correct something I stated at the last meeting when I said the Council wasn't invited to a hearing on that new zone. We were i invited to a hearing on the new zone. I guess the point I was trying to make is I think things that are of this big in scope should be part of workshops. That's what we had done when we wanted definitions updated and I think when you're wming from this where it's completely from scratch, I think it'd be better to sit down ahead of time and work on these things. So I apologize I did not mean to misspeak and I want to make sure that I • put that on the record and I think for next year, whoever is on the Legislative Committee, I know we talked about I know we want to really work on getting a lot of this zoning stuff moving forward and I think the best way to do that is through a workshop with the Planning Board so we can all put our two cents in. Thank you. President Johnson — Councilor Rossi? Councilor Rossi—Did you want nee to handle that last resolution also to my committee? 11 • • • President Johnson — Since you're so under worked, no, thank you. Councilor Mineo? Councilor Mineo —Nothing tonight. President Johnson —Councilor Magovern? • Councilor Magovern — I'd just like to make everybody aware that that wonderful column that's been in the Advertiser for many years, Walter Willard's column, I believe he just celebrated his 150`' column that he's written and I know the amount of work and effort that Walt put into writing these columns and it was one of the features of the Agawam Advertiser which I think was a high point of the paper. Well, he was getting • reaIly a nominal paycheck for doing it which was $20 per article and I really feel that it's a shame that the Agawam Advertiser cannot afford to pay $20 an article and there will no longer be Walter Willard's column in the Agawam Advertiser but I really think that he did a wonderful job. It was a great column and I'm sorry to see it go. President Johnson —Councilor Rheault? Councilor Rheault—Nothing this evening. President Johnson —Councilor Perry? • Councilor Perry --Nothing this evening, thank you. President Johnson — Councilor Cichetti? Councilor Cichetti —Nothing this evening. President Johnson —Councilor Calabrese? Councilor Calabrese -- I do have something. I don't know if any of you had seen the kickoff of the Macy's Day Parade but kids from First Robotics were featured with Al Roker and some of our friends from Team Buzz were in the parade. So it was pretty exciting. Also on Saturday, December 14`h, Agawam is once again hosting the First Leggo League Agawam Regional Qualifier and this is something which we've done I believe this is our seventh year, it might be sixth or seventh year, ABC40 did a nice news article about it, everybody is cordially invited to stop by the Agawam Junior High. Most • of the action is gonna take place between 1 Oam and 3 in the afternoon. I will again be judging the projects and our Agawam Robotics team does an incredible job as the host community and I really do encourage you all to come on out and check out the action on Saturday, December 101 at the Junior High. Thank you. • President Johnson --Thanks. Councilor-Elect Suffriti? 12 • • Councilor-Elect Suffriti—Nothing this evening, thank you. • President Johnson —Councilor Bitzas? Councilor Bitzas —Nothing. President Johnson — Please note that for the record, second time in two years. Councilor Cavallo? • Councilor Cavallo — Yeah, I just wanted to make a comment about last week's workshop that we had with the Department Heads regarding Games & Lanes. I really thought that it was well done and that there were quite a few councilors there along with the regular committee and I think it's, there's not much we can do obviously and I think • the arguments were presented well and we certainly aren't gonna buy the property, we don't want to be legally responsible, liable for anything that might happen fifteen or twenty years down the road but you know, some time in the very near future, which would be the next ten or fifteen years, I just pray to God that we don't have something catastrophic happening there and I know I made my point there at the beginning of the • meeting and when we heard some of the statistics that supposedly all the state has high standards but it really isn't that bad, you go to Connecticut they do it the right way, you know, it's almost like, you know it's a crap shoot. It's a serious issue but hopefully we will not have that kind of a problem down the road and I thank you for giving me the time to speak. • President Johnson — Just a quick reminder on Employee Evaluations, the Chair will entertain a Motion to adjourn. Moved and seconded, all in favor say Ay? Opposed? • Adjournment. • • • 13 •