MassVoter.com← Melrose City CouncilMelrose City Council · 2024–2025 Council · Regular meeting
September 2, 2025
14 recorded votes, 5 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
Attendance
Note on these minutes: The attendance table marks John Obremski and Ryan Williams absent.
Present: Cal Finocchiaro, Mark Garipay, Ward Hamilton, Maya Jamaleddine, Manjula Karamcheti, Devin Romanul, Robb Stewart, Kimberly Vandiver, Leila Migliorelli
Absent: John Obremski, Ryan Williams
Every vote, in order
Reading of the Minutes
Accept the minutes of the regular meeting of August 18, 2025
RESULT: ACCEPTED [9 TO 0] AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Romanul, Stewart, Vandiver, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams
From the minutes
“RESULT: ACCEPTED [9 TO 0] AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Romanul, Stewart, Vandiver, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams.”
New Business
Refer to Appropriations & Oversight — Declaration of City - Owned Vehicles Available for Disposition
Motion to Refer to Appropriations & Oversight made by President Migliorelli
The minutes record the result (“assigned to committee”) but no count or names.
From the minutes
“RESULT: ASSIGNED TO COMMITTEE TO: Appropriations & Oversight Committee.” (Motion: Migliorelli)
Refer to Appropriations & Oversight — To implement a fee schedule for certain optional services provided by the Treasurer Collector department and add a postage fee for the mailing of Municipal...
Motion to Refer to Appropriations & Oversight made by President Migliorelli
The minutes record the result (“assigned to committee”) but no count or names.
From the minutes
“RESULT: ASSIGNED TO COMMITTEE TO: Appropriations & Oversight Committee.” (Motion: Migliorelli)
Public Hearing-national Grid Petitions
Close — Petition to install 1 JO Pole on Emerson Pl Order #31108543
Motion to Close made by Councilor Hamilton Seconded by Councilor Romanul All were in favor and motion passed
From the minutes
“Motion to Close made by Councilor Hamilton Seconded by Councilor Romanul All were in favor and motion passed.” (Motion: Hamilton, second: Romanul)
Petition to install 1 JO Pole on Emerson Pl Order #31108543
RESULT: WITHDRAWN [9 TO 0] TO: City Council AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Romanul, Stewart, Vandiver, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams
From the minutes
“RESULT: WITHDRAWN [9 TO 0] TO: City Council AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Romanul, Stewart, Vandiver, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams.”
National Grid install 1 JO Pole on Mt Zion Road NO 31114550
RESULT: WITHDRAWN [9 TO 0] AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Romanul, Stewart, Vandiver, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams
From the minutes
“RESULT: WITHDRAWN [9 TO 0] AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Romanul, Stewart, Vandiver, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams.”
Unfinished Business
Recommend for approval — Appointment of Cole Lepler, 34 Frances Street, to the Conservation Commission
Motion to Recommend for approval made by Councilor Vandiver Seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro All were in favor and motion passed
From the minutes
“RESULT: PLACE ON FILE [9 TO 0] TO: City Council AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Romanul, Stewart, Vandiver, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams.” (Motion: Vandiver, second: Finocchiaro)
Approve — Appointment of Tamara Shovelton as Veterans' Services Agent
Motion to Approve made by Councilor Garipay Seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro All were in favor and motion passed
Yes: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Migliorelli, Romanul, StewartThe roll call lists Kimberly Vandiver as recused for this vote.
From the minutes
“RESULT: PLACE ON FILE [8 TO 0] TO: City Council AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Romanul, Stewart, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams RECUSED: Kimberly Vandiver.” (Motion: Garipay, second: Finocchiaro)
Approve — Reappointment of Charles Harak, 14 Country Club Road, to the Melrose Housing Authority for a three-year term; said term to end on the first Monday of March 2028
Motion to Approve made by Councilor Vandiver Seconded by Councilor Karamcheti All were in favor and motion passed
From the minutes
“RESULT: PLACE ON FILE [9 TO 0] TO: City Council AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Romanul, Stewart, Vandiver, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams.” (Motion: Vandiver, second: Karamcheti)
Passage — Requesting acceptance of a Massachusetts Gaming Commission Community Mitigation Fund Grant in the amount of $166,800 to address the impacts of gambling related harms in our community
Motion for Passage made by Councilor Garipay Seconded by Councilor Finocchiaro All were in favor and motion passed
From the minutes
“RESULT: PASSED [9 TO 0] TO: City Council AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Romanul, Stewart, Vandiver, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams.” (Motion: Garipay, second: Finocchiaro)
Passage — Requesting the Appropriation of $124,500,000 to pay costs for design, engineering, construction, site improvements, equipping, and furnishing of a renovated Melrose Central Fire Station,...
Motion for Passage made by Councilor Garipay Seconded by Councilor Karamcheti All were in favor and motion passed
From the minutes
“RESULT: PASSED [9 TO 0] TO: City Council AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Romanul, Stewart, Vandiver, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams.” (Motion: Garipay, second: Karamcheti)
Place on file — That the City Council accept local option statute M. G. L c. 39, Section 23D for the Melrose Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Conservation Commission, and the Historic...
Motion for Passage made by Councilor Jamaleddine Seconded by Councilor Garipay All were in favor and motion passed
The minutes call the motion a motion for passage but record the result as “placed on file”.
From the minutes
“RESULT: PLACED ON FILE [9 TO 0] TO: City Council AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Romanul, Stewart, Vandiver, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams.” (Motion: Jamaleddine, second: Garipay)
Place on file — Amending City Ordinance to Implement a new schedule of fees for Zoning and Conservation Permits
Motion for Passage made by Councilor Jamaleddine Seconded by Councilor Garipay All were in favor and motion passed
Yes: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Migliorelli, Romanul, Stewart, VandiverThe roll call lists Manjula Karamcheti as recused for this vote. The minutes call the motion a motion for passage but record the result as “placed on file”.
From the minutes
“RESULT: PLACED ON FILE [8 TO 0] TO: City Council AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Romanul, Stewart, Vandiver, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams RECUSED: Manjula Karamcheti.” (Motion: Jamaleddine, second: Garipay)
Passage — Requesting Transfer of Funds from Department of Public Works' Parks and Forestry Salary Accounts to Parks and Forestry Expense Accounts For Contracted Tree Services
Motion for Passage made by Councilor Stewart Seconded by Councilor Jamaleddine All were in favor and motion passed
From the minutes
“RESULT: PASSED [9 TO 0] TO: City Council AYES: Finocchiaro, Garipay, Hamilton, Jamaleddine, Karamcheti, Romanul, Stewart, Vandiver, Migliorelli ABSENT: John Obremski, Ryan Williams.” (Motion: Stewart, second: Jamaleddine)
From the Melrose City Council’s official minutes (the Board of Aldermen’s until October 2019), posted on the city’s Agendas & Minutes page (its CivicClerk portal, City Council). We check every vote against the councilors present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Councilor photos: City of Melrose (cityofmelrose.org), from the official City Council page. Cal Finocchiaro: Melrose Weekly News. Former councilors show initials.
How to read these pagesWhere the votes come from, how we check them against the official minutes, what isn't included yet, and how to report a mistake.About city pages →