Ty’s City Council News: February 15, 2022 – 4th edition.

Tonight, we held eight public hearings. Two of the hearings were of particular interest to me.

1. A public hearing with Mayor Heroux: to place permanent speed humps on Claflin street. The speed hump program is designed for cut-thru streets with high levels of traffic. Attleboro has a limited supply of speed humps and is considering installing them on a few streets in Attleboro.
   
2. A fascinating public hearing regarding a possible amendment to the city charter, Article 3, Section 3-8  “Vacancy In Office Of The Mayor” – Special Election.” Mayor Heroux testified that the Attleboro City Charter doesn’t specify how to replace a mayor if the vacancy occurs more than 9 months prior to the next November Mayoral election. Former City Council President Frank Cook testified in opposition. Well worth watching the tape of this debate by WARA/TV.

Highlights of the city council meeting:

1. VOTED 10 to 0: Approved $10,008 for the Attleboro Historical Commission to hire a consultant. 
   
2. VOTED 10 to 0: Approved $636,000 to purchase body cameras for our police, a in-car video system, and computer software. Not certain when this new system will be put into action. I agreed that the time is right, and this will protect both our police and our citizens.
   
3. VOTED 10 to 0: Approved a $10,000 state grant to Attleboro so we can participate in a public art program that is being promoted across Massachusetts. I’m looking forward to more public artwork like the murals recently painted in Cuddy Corner behind the city parking garage. Maybe we can have attractive murals throughout the downtown area!
   
4. VOTED 10 TO 0: For repairs to a vehicle within the veteran’s department. This may be a minor expense but an important cause. This vehicle is part of the small fleet that transports our veterans to the VA for doctor’s appointments in Providence, Boston or Brockton. We have recently been blessed by additional volunteer drivers to transport our vets.
   
5. VOTED 10 to 0: Accepted to match a Bristol Elder Service grant to fund a Council on Aging part-time outreach worker. Attleboro receives 50% of the cost of this COA social worker. Attleboro has approximately 11,000 seniors, many of them struggling with the pandemic and our economy. I believe in social workers.
   
6. VOTED 10 to 0: Reappointed Deb Gould as City Auditor And Virginia Stuart-Becker as City Council Assistant. The City Council couldn’t work properly without their constant help.
   
7. VOTED 10 to 0: Merged the Budget & Appropriations Committee with the Capital Improvements Committee. The new committee will be called the Finance Committee. I support this merger if we keep the vision to protect our city buildings on a rotating basis.
   
8. VOTED 10 to 0: Add a new council committee called “The IT & Infrastructure Committee. A wise move, spearheaded by Council President Jay DiLisio.
   
9. The city council was informed that Bill Beardwood of 31 Leawood Lane will be appointed to the Planning Board. I want to personally offer my congratulations to Bill. He will be a fine addition to Attleboro’s Planning Board.
   
10. VOTED 10 to 0: Appropriated $450,000 to purchase and equip an ambulance.  
    
11. VOTED 10 to 0: Amend section 10-5.2 (a) of the revised ordinances to prohibit parking on Stobbs drive, westerly side, from North avenue to Commonwealth avenue.
    
12. VOTED 10 to 0: Approved $32,200 in a grant that the Massachusetts Cultural Council awarded Attleboro’s Cultural Council. This grant is the lifeblood that helps Attleboro’s theatrical and musical groups. 

Please watch WARA/TV Tuesday 2/22 at 7 pm. The director of the Council on Aging, Melissa Tucker, and the chair of the Municipal Building Commission, Atty Jack Jacobi will be supporting a feasibility study for a new or a rebuilt senior center before the capital improvements committee. This issue is extremely important for the welfare, not only of our current seniors, but for the next generations of Attleboro’s future seniors. 

Ty’s City Council News for 2/8/2022

The Capital Improvements and City Development Committee approved and sent to the entire city council for a vote on February 15^th these two pieces of legislation: 

1. A request to expend $636,000 to purchase body worn cameras, an in-car video system, and the computer software components to operate the body cameras within Attleboro’s police department. The funds for this project will come from the 3% Cannibas Impact Fee. Police Chief Heagney has stated that this video system will result in improved officer safety and increase the public’s confidence in Attleboro’s policing.

2. The Attleboro Historical Commission is seeking a consultant to assist in ranking Attleboro’s historic resources. 

THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS COMMITTEE: debated and kept within the committee a motion to appropriate $150,000 to fund a feasibility study for a new Senior center. I recommend watching this discussion on WARA/TV. A feasibility study, if approved, would tell the city council where a new or reconstructed building might be located, an approximate cost, and the space needed for a senior center, including parking.  

Note: These two pieces of legislation are very important in this councilor’s opinion. The body cameras will be debated and hopefully voted upon by the entire City Council on February 15th. The senior center feasibility study is not coming out yet for a floor debate/vote by the entire City Council until it is resolved within the Capital Improvements Committee. 

3. The February 15th City Council Votes include: A motion to approve a $450,000 loan for the purchase and equipping of a new ambulance. In addition the City Council will be voted on adding Linda Alger and Delia Russell to the Board of Park Commissioners; the appointment of Michael Morgan to the Traffic Study Commission; and renewing the appointments of Mary Flaherty and Cynthia Van Voris to the Disability Commission, Stephanie Gray and Laurie Sawyer to the Council on Human Rights: John Lepper to the Council on Aging; George Spatcher, Jr. to the Board of Election Commissioners, Sheri Miller-Bedau to the Council on Substance Abuse Prevention and Jackie Romaniecki to the Redevelopment Authority. In addition, the entire council will be voting to re-appoint Deborah Gould (City Auditor) and Virginia Stuart-Becker (City Council Assistant) to a new two year term. 

Tune in at 7 pm, February 15th for 8 public hearings and lots of business/votes in addition to the business listed above.

Look for City Council news on Ty’s Facebook page every week by Sunday or Monday (or Tuesday this week – sorry!). You can view the council meetings live at 7pm every Tuesday evening or watch the meeting via WARA/TV when the meeting is posted on their website.

All the best and enjoy our beautiful new layer of pristine, white, fluffy snow. I’m about to go cross-country skiing!

City Councilor Ty Waterman 

Ty’s City Council News: 2nd edition

Second edition – Tuesday, February 1^st, 2021

Ten City Councilors met to vote and discuss a slew of motions. Here are the highlights:

1. MOTION PASSED: 9 to 1 – To add a new Grade 9 position of “Solid Waste Manager”, operating within the city’s Health Department. This position was first introduced in October 2021, after I made a motion to create this new solid waste manager position. The support wasn’t there in my committee. Therefore, I held this motion in committee for several months until support eventually developed, giving councilors time to research this issue.
   
   Currently, the city has one employee working on solid waste issues, including recycling and the compost center. She spends a good part of each day on the phone listening to concerns and trying to solve solid waste problems in Attleboro. The mayor, the personnel and health dept. directors have advocated with city councilors about Attleboro’s solid waste personnel needs. This is a major step forward in Attleboro’s effort to improve solid waste, recycling, and compost needs. 
   
2. MOTION PASSED: 10 to 0 – To appropriate $1.75 million to engineer and install a new traffic light and site work on Thacher Street (Rte. 123) Rathbun Willard Drive. This project will include a new stop light at the intersection of Thatcher and Rathbun Willard, plus new crosswalks and sidewalk improvements to enable cars, students, and residents to safely navigate the area to and from Studley Elementary School, Brennan Middle School, and the new High School. Much of the credit for this project will go to our Department of Public Works and our DPW Director, Mike Tyler. It will be a busy area this spring and summer.
   
3. MOTION PASSED: 10 to 0 – To repair and resurface school parking lots, including Hill Roberts Elementary School. This project has been waiting a long time and is clearly needed. At this time, I’m not certain when the work will be done but the money has been approved, to the tune of $50,000 for Hill Roberts and $365,000 for the work at the other school parking lots.
   
4. MOTION PASSED: 10 to 0 – To purchase 6 new solar powered crosswalk systems for $62,312.98. This is wonderful news! They will be located at: South Main Street at Mulberry Street, Maple and James Street intersection, Brown Street at Coelho Middle School, Thatcher Street at Maple Terrace, Oakhill Avenue at the entrance to Oakhill Trailer Park, and Park Street at Oakhill Avenue.
   
5. MOTION PASSED: 10 to 0 – To purchase 16 new solar powered radar signs for $70,171.84. One of the most common problems I hear about is speeding throughout the city. This should help.
   
6. MOTION PASSED: 10 to 0 – To fund a Grade 3 Community Engagement Manager through Fiscal Year 2022. This is a new city position to work under the supervision of Catherine Feerick, our Economic Development Director. Catherine has done a wonderful job improving Attleboro’s downtown economy and now needs an assistant with this crucial work. 
   
7. MOTION PASSED: 10 to 0 – To approve the appointments of Albert Richmond and Stephen Theberge to Attleboro’s Disability Commission. We now have a fully functioning Disability Commission. This is great news – welcome aboard to our new members!
   
8. MOTION PASSED: 10 to 0 – Approving the appointment of Tiffany Foster to the Planning Board and Bill Gill to the Traffic Study Commission. More good news!
   
9. MOTION PASSED: 10 to 0 – Approving a generous bequest of $43, 873.01 from the estate of Margaret Santurri to the Attleboro Fire Department to be used for emergency medical services. What a wonderful gift to our fire department and city!
   
10. MOTION PASSED: 10 to 0 – Appropriating $456,744.75 for self-contained breathing apparatuses, including facemasks, 50 harness assemblies, 140 composite air cylinders (30-minute), 6 emergency air cylinders (6-minute), 4 regulators and labels for the equipment. Our fire department protects our lives and our property. Thank you!
    
11. MOTION PASSED: 10 to 0 – Appropriating $48,000 to renovate Willett Field. Our Recreation Dept, under the leadership of Dennis Walsh, will be leveling the playing surface by rototilling and adding topsoil; plus installing an irrigation system and a well. Attleboro takes care of our wonderful parks!

UPCOMING: Committee/council business to be introduced on Tuesday, February 8^th

• The Attleboro Senior Center is requesting funding for a feasibility study ($150,000) for a new senior center, land acquisition, or renovating an existing building with good parking.
  
  This study has been referred to the Capital Improvements Committee, chaired by Richard Conti. There are over 11,000 seniors in Attleboro. Our current center is one of the smallest and oldest senior centers in Massachusetts and does not have adequate parking. Much of the larger programming is off-site at the Good News Bible Church. The Attleboro Council on Aging unanimously supports the need for a new or renovated senior center and parking area.

• Attleboro’s Chief of Police and Budget Director request funds to purchase police body cameras, an in-car video system, and the corresponding software and tech components ($636,000).
  
  This business has also been referred to the Capital Improvements Committee. It is recommended to be funded via monies derived from Cannabis Impact fees collected from the Cannabis store(s) in Attleboro. 

As you can see, a lot is going on in the Attleboro City Council. I am only highlighting a portion of the business we are undertaking. Tune in on Tuesday nights at WARA at 7 pm. The Council Chambers is now open for the public…. please wear a mask if you come in-person.

Ty Waterman, City Councilor At-Large
tywaterman1918@gmail.com

Home: 508-455-1918
Cell: 508-577-1412