7:08 Start Time
Accept Last Meeting’s Minutes
Stephen moves, Jack seconds
Carolyn – Treasurer
$212, hasn’t changed.
Rep. David Nangle
- From the Highlands; lives in Sacred Heart
- Has represented Lowell since 1999
- 70 funding (schools)
- Susan – what’s the status of the high school?
- The state will decide in January if we are getting funding for a new school or a renovation. State aid is in the mid-70s cents on the dollar.
- Susan – What’s the status on the Courthouse?
- Superior, District, Housing, and Probate should move into the new courthouse. Juvenile should stay put. The project has grown from $75M to $200M.
- Current target it 2018
- Corey – Lord Overpass work?
- Money is there ($17M) but the city has the details.
- Brian Hoey, Office Administrator, to get Corey any details.
- Councilor Leahy – Planning begins this year
Ballot Questions:
- Gas Tax: $.21 -> $.24 most recent increase. Rep. Nangle voted against indexing to inflation.
- Patrick promised an increase from $200M to $300M of Ch. 90 (Road) funding. Rep. Nangle voted yes.
- Nangle is fine with the annual votes to increase the tax.
- 50% of bridges in MA are deficient.
- Nangle is against the bottle bill increase. We are too close to NH to absorb the cost and overall Lowell does a good job recycling.
- Kathleen Marcin – there is no recycling downtown.
- Nangle – I may propose a bill to require condominiums/apartments to require recycling.
- Stephen to work with Rep. Nangle
- Gaming
- Nangle is for casino gambling in Massachusetts
- Question is worded backwards.
- Will make revenue for MA.
- Paid Sick Time
- Small businesses are against this.
- Five paid sick days a year.
- Nangle believes the Unions are behind this push and is very conflicted.
- Kathleen Marcin – there is no recycling downtown.
Captain Richardson
- 7:54
- Been having a lot of trouble with a group of kids on Bridge St / Kearney Sq. Turns out that these people were involved in the Shots Fired call on the 600-block on Bridge St in Centralville.
- Otherwise, nothing too unusual this month.
- Lot of focus on disorder due to bikes.
Councilor Leahy
- Impressed with the foot traffic due to the Monster Bash and UML Homecoming.
Mike Demaris
- Communication issues around repaving Market St
- Corey to contact Mike to talk to IT about hosting PDFs to share out.
Jack and Susan
- Did a voter registration drive @ Brew’d. Signed up four people.
- Absentee ballots were dropped @ Ayer Lofts and were extremely popular.
- Chris and Aurora put out a table @ Mass. Mills. People didn’t know about the election and that people thought they had to pay.
- Corey to talk to a UML class for Bill Berkowitz representing LDNA.
- Chris and Aurora moving forward w/ DIY Lowell.
- Jack mentioned that the city is looking at a Business Improvement District (BID).
Meeting adjourned 8:53
Susan moves, Dwight seconds