Chelsea, Massachusetts, December 3,2007

							                                        Chelsea, Massachusetts, December 3, 2007


A Regular meeting of the Chelsea City Council was held. The meeting was held at the
Chelsea City Hall located at 500 Broadway, Chelsea. The following members of the
City Council were present: Councilors Troisi, Bongiovanni, Hatleberg, Robinson,
Nowicki, Barton, Vega-Torres, Brown and MeKonnen. Councillor Morgese arrived at
7:10 P.M., and Councillor Avellaneda was absent. Councillor Bongiovanni, President
of the City Council, presided over the meeting. The meeting opened at 7:00 P.M.

Prior to the start of the meeting City Clerk Robert H. Bishop administered the oath to
Permanent Fire Fighters Kevin O’Keefe, Joseph Jurasek, Peter Kannler, David Bishop,
and Michael Fiola. City Clerk Robert H Bishop administered the oath to Firefighter
Wayne Ulwick as a permanent Fire Lieutenant.


Public Speaking:

The public speaking portion of the meeting opened at 7:25 P.M.

No one came forward to speak and it was closed at 7:26 P.M.

The minutes of the City Council meeting dated November 19, 2007 were approved at
the request of Councillor Troisi under suspension.

Communications from City Manager:

The following communication was received late from City Manager Jay Ash. A motion
from Councillor Troisi to accept the late communication and have it read under
suspension. was adopted. After the communication was read a motion from Councillor
Troisi to accept and file was adopted under suspension.
Honorable Chelsea City Council
Chelsea City hall
500 Broadway
Chelsea, MA 02150
Dear Honorable Chelsea City Council:
As you will recall, when the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget was proposed we estimated the
amount of Chapter 70 State Aid we would receive. As we have for many years, we used
the Governor’s budget submitted in January and commonly referred to as “House 1.”
As the State budget goes through the legislative process, it changes. This year we had
estimated that Chapter 70 School aid would be $48,435,815. Thanks to the work of
Representative Eugene O’Flaherty, Kathi-Anne Reinstein and their colleagues, the final
amount we now know is $48,517,117. This difference of $81,302 is available for the
School Department, and only the School Department. If Council does not appropriate
the funds, the extra aid would revert back to the State.
The Boston University/Chelsea Partnership Management Team has voted to increase
the School Department budget by this $81,302 and has forwarded their vote to me. I am
therefore proposing that the Fiscal Year 2008 School Department budget be increased
by $81,302 from $60,219,365 to $60,300,667. To support this increase the estimate of
receipt for Chapter 70 State Aid will be increased by $81,302 from $48,435,815 to
$48,517,117.
I am filing this communication late, as an appropriation order requires two readings. It
would be most convenient to have this matter resolved prior to the New Year, so I
respectfully request that the Council take appropriate action on this matter in
December.
Very Truly Yours,
Jay Ash
City Manager


Communications and petitions to the Council:

A copy of a communication was received from Perac regarding the amount to be
appropriated for our retirement system for Fiscal Year 2009 which commences July 1,
2008. A motion from Councillor Troisi to accept and file was adopted under
suspension.

A copy of a communication was received from Ann Crotty, resident of Chelsea,
regarding Mandatory Drug Testing for police, firefighters and employees who operate a
city-owned vehicle. A motion from Councillor Brown to accept and file was adopted
under suspension.

A copy of a communication was received from Neighbors Against Blight (N.A.B.)
Crime Watch dated November 17, 2007. A motion from Councillor MeKonnen to
accept and file was adopted under suspension.

A copy of a communication was received from Councillor MeKonnen that was sent to
Senator Galluccio with regards to traffic problems on the Tobin Bridge, Route 1 North
and 16 Revere Beach Parkway. A motion from Councillor MeKonnen to accept and file
was adopted under suspension. Councillor MeKonnen submitted a copy of a letter that
was sent to Commissioner Luisa Paiewonsky from City Manager Jay Ash with regards
to the subject matter of noise relief for the residents abutting Route 1. It was attached to
the previous letter received.
Councillor Troisi requested that the Public Speaking portion of the meeting be re-
opened so that anyone who missed the opportunity to speak may do so, under
suspension. No one came forward and the Public Speaking portion was closed.

Committee Reports:

The report received from Councillor Troisi Delegate to the School Committee dated
November 17, 2007 was accepted on a motion by Councillor Troisi to accept and file
under suspension.

Second Readings:



The following Resolve was introduced by Councilors Hatleberg and Morgese. A
motion from Councillor Hatleberg to adopt by roll call passed 10-0-1-0. Voting yes
were Councilors Troisi, Morgese, Bongiovanni, Hatleberg, Robinson, Nowicki, Barton,
Vega-Torres, Brown, and MeKonnen. Councillor Avellaneda was absent.
WHEREAS, the Chelsea City Council on November 19, 2007 wishes to have studies
              conducted to determine the detrimental effects of the sale of single cans
              of beer and miniature bottles of liquor in the City of Chelsea; and

WHEREAS, the Chelsea City Council wishes to address the issue of persons who are
         repeatedly found intoxicated in public; and found to be a burden on the
         residents and municipality of Chelsea through the strain on City
         resources; and

WHEREAS, the Chelsea City Council has recognized that habitual drunkards are
         specific problems throughout the City, and that these persons are
         responsible for an increase amount of nuisance related phone calls to the
         police such as littering, loitering, drinking in public, urinating in public,
         trespassing, and panhandling; and

WHEREAS, the Chelsea City Council recognizes that habitual drunkards become a
         danger to themselves and others, and disrupt local businesses and
         neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS,      the Chelsea City Council does not claim to know why people are
              habitual drunkards, but does know that alcohol facilitates this condition,
              and by taking steps to restrict or limit habitual drunkards access to
              alcohol, less City resources can be spent on the nuisances created by
              habitual drunkards; and
WHEREAS, the Chelsea City Council wishes that once the findings have been
         completed, the Licensing Commission should review its procedures for
         the issuance of off-premises liquor consumption licenses on a case by
         case basis so as to take into consideration these new findings;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council wishes the Licensing
Commission to review the procedures for issuing all off-premises consumption liquor
licenses.


AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council wishes the Licensing
Commission to adopt rules and regulations pursuant to investigative findings, which
prohibit off premise consumption liquor licenses from selling single cans of beer and
miniature bottles of liquor, containing less than four (4) ounces of alcohol, in the City
of Chelsea.


New Business:


The following Resolution was co-sponsored by Councilors Bongiovanni, Robinson,
Hatleberg, Brown, MeKonnen, Barton, and Vega-Torres. A motion from Councillor
Bongiovanni to adopt by roll call passed 10-0-1-0. Voting yes were Councilors Troisi,
Morgese, Bongiovanni, Hatleberg, Robinson, Nowicki, Barton, Vega-Torres, Brown,
and MeKonnen. Councillor Avellaneda was absent.

                                        Resolution



Whereas,       Choice Thru Education has been a vital organization in the
               City of Chelsea that provides students with preparation and
               training for college as well as GED and other technical
               programming for students who dropped out of high school;
               and

Whereas,       Choice Thru Education, just last year, celebrated its 40th
               Anniversary in Chelsea where so many elected officials,
               business, not-for-profit agencies, past program participants
               and residents attended to applaud the four decades of
               Choice’s incredible work in Chelsea; and

Whereas,       This summer, Choice Thru Education attempted to submit a
               funding request for the Upward Bound Program to the
               Department of Education, yet because the computer server
               through which the grant must go was down and the
               application was denied; and
Whereas,      Now, Choice Thru Education has been denied even a simple
              review of their funding request for the only Upward Bound
              Program in Chelsea; and

Whereas,      Important mentoring services that were part of the Upward
              Bound Program will not be available to Chelsea youth; and

Whereas,      Choice Thru Education is at risk of closing this winter due to
              the loss in funding; and

Whereas,      The City of Chelsea and its youth will feel a tremendous loss
              of services to the community should Choice Thru Education
              close its doors; now, therefore be it

Resolved,     That Chelsea City Council and the City of Chelsea supports
              the work and efforts of Choice Thru Education and its
              Upward Bound Program; and be it further

Resolved,     That the Department of Education collaborate with our
              federal and state elected officials to bring a resolution to the
              funding gap felt by Choice Thru Education so that this
              worthy institution will not have to close its doors to Chelsea’s
              youth.


The following Order was introduced by Councillor Troisi. Councillor Troisi referred
the order to a second reading under suspension.
ORDERED, that the Fiscal Year 2008 School Department appropriation be increased
by $81,302 from $60,219,365 to $60,300,667.


The following Order was introduced by Councillor Bongiovanni. A motion from
Councillor Bongiovanni to adopt under suspension was adopted.
ORDERED, that a Sub-Committee on Conference meeting convene on Monday,
December 17, 2007 at 6:00 P.M. in order to hold an Organizational Meeting for City
Council 2008. Topics will include:
   1) Election of Officers
   2) Drawing for seating position.
   3) Drawing for roll call position.


The following Order was introduced by Councillor MeKonnen. A motion from
Councillor MeKonnen to adopt the under suspension was adopted.
ORDERED, that the City Manager instruct the Assessor’s Department to verify
qualified property owner-occupied residency Tax exemption annually to stop non-
residents taking advantage of tax exemption.
The following Order was introduced by Councillor MeKonnen. A motion from
Councillor MeKonnen to adopt under suspension was adopted.
ORDERED, that the City Manager instruct the Director of Inspectional Services to
contact the property owner of 9 Parker Street to remove the trash placed nearby the
fence over 3 weeks ago.



The meeting adjourned at 7:45 P.M.



Respectfully submitted,




Paul G. Casino
Clerk of the Chelsea City Council