License committee, Chair Ty Waterman
- Approved renewal of license for scrap metal recycler/junk dealer – Schnitzer Southeast, 136 Bacon street, South Attleboro. I am very impressed by Schnitzer’s attention to detail, clean and organized property, and concern for the local environment, including a nearby pond.
- Approved class 2 license for Pleasant Auto Center/Toycars Motor Sports: 676 Pleasant Street. The new owners of Pleasant Auto have a neat, clean, efficient business and will continue repairing cars while selling quality used vehicles soon.
Public Works, Chair Laura Dolan
- Appropriated $11,537.00 to build a new foreman’s office at DPW, 101 Lamb Street. This new office will allow Cathy Rego, contact person for DPW concerns, to move into the original foreman’s office. Cathy is moving from City Hall.
- The Dept. of Public Works received $26,412 from the State Dept. of Public Utilities to install a new sidewalk from Mendon Rd. to 425 Brown Street due to the request by local residents. In addition, the city council appropriated $150,000 for sidewalks at the same location.
- Appropriated $500,000 from the Wastewater Enterprise Fund to repair three failing sand filters at our Wastewater Treatment Facility. This is a priority one in the Wastewater Dept.
Finance committee, Chair Richard Conti
- Appropriated $25,700 to partially fund the July 1, 2022, city fireworks display for the first time since 2019. Please check later for the exact date, place, and time of the fireworks. The most important decision was to fund the fireworks through the city budget rather than ask the City Council administrative assistant to raise the money via pledges.
- Voted for a public hearing on April 26th to authorize the CDBG entitlement budget for 2022 through the US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. This is an annual budget to fund local projects.
- Approved expenditure of $156,960.22 to fund the School Dept. Medicaid reimbursement program.
Note: no vote has been taken yet regarding a $150,000 feasibility study for a new senior center.
Transportation & Traffic Committee, Chair Kelly Bennett
- Approved a public hearing, May 17th, 2022: placement of permanent speed humps on May Street and Rocklawn Avenue.
IT & Infrastructure Committee, Chair Todd Kobus
- Appropriated $2,615 to install network drops in the City Clerk’s office to improve the payment process for residents. Currently the City Clerk Office can only accept checks and cash. This will allow a software program to expand the payment process.
- Appropriated $39,179 to replace a failing computer server which runs the police department’s software and files.
Zoning And Land Use Committee, Chair Diana Holmes
- Approved a grant to the city of Attleboro from the Federal Transit Administration of $1,303,600. This money will be transferred to the greater Attleboro – Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) for transportation projects improving Attleboro’s transit-oriented development district (TOD). This grant will build a footbridge crossing the Ten Mile River near Riverfront Drive, extending sidewalks in the same area, and fund a feasibility study and economic analysis for a new parking structure within the TOD. I don’t know the timetable for completion of these projects, but this is great news for Attleboro!
- Approved $325,000 in matching funds to bring in this terrific grant.
- Phase one: the feasibility study/economic impact analysis for the parking structure. This project will cost an estimated $250,000, including $50,000 in city funds.
- Phase two: pedestrian footbridge (a nice one) and new sidewalks: project cost: $1,379,500, including $275,900 in city funds.
Personnel, Veteran’s and Human Services Committee, Chair Michael Angelo
- Approved/accepted an in-kind public health excellence grant. This grant will be shared by North Attleboro, Attleboro, Taunton, Berkley, Dighton, and Rehoboth annually through June 30, 2033. Each community will share in the services of a public health nurse, health educator, and health inspector. This is wonderful news!
- Appropriated $900 to replace a window on a vehicle in the Veteran’s Dept. Has three vehicles/numerous drivers who transport Attleboro vets to three veteran’s hospitals in Providence, Brockton, and West Roxbury for medical appointments.
- Reappointed Rosa Lopes to the Cultural Council.
Special Committee On Tax Abatement, Chair Richard Conti
- Adopted Mass General Law Chapter 60, section 3D in Attleboro. This creates an elderly and disabled citizens taxation fund via voluntary donations. In essence, Attleboro citizens can donate money to this taxation fund to help decrease the real estate taxes of low income disabled and seniors. This fund shall be in the custody of the Attleboro treasurer. The Taxation Aid Committee shall be composed of the City Treasurer, Chair of the Board of Assessors, and three residents. This committee will adopt the rules of this fund and identify the recipients of the taxation fund. I’m not certain when this fund will begin operation.
I would encourage those who can afford to help senior and disabled homeowners pay their taxes will be allowed to deduct their gift from their income taxes. This fund promises to help some of our struggling homeowners. However, it is totally dependent on the generosity of those who choose to donate. Framingham is one community that currently has this program, which is approved under state law.
In closing, let’s thank Laurie Drucker and the Keep Attleboro Beautiful folks for sponsoring Saturday’s cleanup. I was on Laura Dolan’s team helping dig out the nips, trash, and mess along a road heading off Oak Hill Ave. Hundreds of nip bottles were deposited by cars driving into Rehoboth along the stretch we worked on.
Oh, those nips…. Is there any way to encourage drivers to drop their nips into their own trash barrels?
KEEP ATTLEBORO BEAUTIFUL!
All my best,
Ty
Ty Waterman 