District 1 City Councillor Robert Bishop is proposing a measure that would reduce his salary and that of his colleagues by $6,000 annually if approved.
An ordinance introduced by Bishop at Monday night’s meeting seeks to lower the Council salary from its current $14,000 to $8,000 per year, with the change taking effect in 2020. Bishop expressed dissatisfaction with a salary increase that had raised compensation from $8,000 to $14,000 several years prior, and he wants to reverse that decision.
Before any substantive debate could occur, the ordinance was advanced to a second reading at a subsequent council meeting. Council President DamaliVidot assured members that discussion and deliberation would take place when the proposal came up for its second reading.
The Council had voted in 2013 to approve the pay raise to $14,000, which became effective on Jan. 1, 2014.
During other matters, City Solicitor Cheryl Watson Fisher presented a legal opinion regarding the Council’s finance subcommittee. According to Fisher, the subcommittee had violated the open meeting law by discussing a $20,000 appropriation for legal services that was not properly placed on the subcommittee’s agenda. Bishop, who chairs the finance subcommittee, disputed this characterization and stated that the matter was appropriately posted and constituted a financial request. “I felt it would be appropriate to discuss,” Bishop said. “I see nothing in Rule 26 that says we could not speak about it. … To me, this is kind of petty and picayune.”
Councillor-At-Large Leo Robinson expressed confusion about how the matter had reached the finance subcommittee without first being presented to the full Council.
Vidot indicated that the subcommittee would convene to determine the best approach for handling financial matters going forward.
Bishop also requested a meeting to address traffic concerns at three intersections: Revere Beach Parkway and Washington Avenue, Revere Beach Parkway and Webster Avenue, and Spruce Street and Everett Avenue. He highlighted particular safety hazards for drivers at Revere Beach Parkway and Washington. “It’s a wonder that there are not more accidents than there already are,” Bishop said.
Additionally, Bishop is seeking a subcommittee meeting to examine the city and Chelsea Housing Authority’s rodent baiting programs. He has raised concerns about their effectiveness and potential dangers to workers involved in implementation.
District 6 Councillor Giovanni Recupero introduced an order requesting that the public works director supply the Council with detailed information on how the city establishes water and sewer rates and potential strategies for stabilizing those rates.
Monday’s public comment period was notably quieter than recent meetings, which had featured ongoing resident testimony regarding water and sewer rate issues.
Chelsea High School senior Manuel Teshe spoke in favor of fundraising initiatives to enable the senior class to hold an outdoor graduation ceremony at the school’s football field. Teshe estimated the cost of preparing the field to safely accommodate a graduation would total approximately $30,000. “We are passionate about this and want to graduate from the school in the best way possible,” said Teshe.
Senior class president Jocelyn Poste, also a classmate of Teshe’s, attended the meeting to promote the Red Devil Turkey Trot race scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 17, which would benefit the school’s track and cross country programs.
Further information about the race is available at HYPERLINK “http://chelseahightrack.com” t “_blank” chelseahightrack.com. The race will start at 10 a.m. at Admiral’s Hill.