MassVoter.com← Taunton Municipal CouncilTaunton Municipal Council · 2020–2021 Council · Regular meeting
August 24, 2021
21 recorded votes, 2 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
Attendance
Present: Jeffrey Postell, Christopher Coute, Deborah Carr, John McCaul, David Pottier, Gerald Croteau, Phillip Duarte, Donald Cleary, Barry Sanders
Absent: None
Every vote, in order
Reappointment of Richard Ames as the Superintendent of Public Buildings for a term of (3) years.
To approve
From the minutes
“Motion was made to approve. So Voted..”
City Clerk read a letter from the City Auditor, stating that her office is currently finalizing the encumbrances and year end transfers for city departments as of June 30, 2021. Also, asking if she can present this information to the Council on August 31, 2021.
To refer to the Committee on Finance and Salaries for scheduling
From the minutes
“Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Finance and Salaries for scheduling. So Voted..”
Reappointment of Richard Ames as the Superintendent of Public Buildings for a term of (3) years
To hold an Executive Session with the Committee as a Council of the Whole
From the minutes
“Motion was made to hold an Executive Session with the Committee as a Council of the Whole. So Voted..”
Roll call vote (the minutes do not state the motion separately; see the text before the vote)
Yes: Cleary, Coute, Croteau, Duarte, McCaul, Postell, PottierNo: Carr, Sanders
From the minutes
“On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors present, seven (7) Councilors voted in favor (Councilors Cleary, Duarte, Croteau, Pottier, McCaul, Coute and Postell), two (2) Councilors voting in opposition (Councilors Sanders and Carr). So voted..”
7 City clerk read a buyout letter from Assessor's Office for Scott DeSantis in the amount of $5,264.11.
To approve and place on file
From the minutes
“Motion was made to approve and place on file. So Voted..”
City Clerk read a letter from the Police Chief, regarding the resignation of Patrolman Jared Taje from the police department effective August 29, 2021.
To approve and file
From the minutes
“Motion was made to approve and file. So Voted..”
Reappointment of Richard Ames as the Superintendent of Public Buildings for a term of (3) years
To approve
From the minutes
“Motion was made to approve. So Voted..”
To approve
From the minutes
“Motion was made to approve. So Voted..”
Committee reports
For Committee reports to be read by Title and Approved
From the minutes
“Motion was made for Committee reports to be read by Title and Approved. So Voted..”
Recommendations on the Committee on Council as a Whole, which met last night, Councilor President Coute stated they voted to move a Home Rule petition on updates to the Taunton City Charter. That vote was five to three, with one council recusing himself.
To certify the petition
Yes: Coute, Croteau, McCaul, Postell, PottierNo: Carr, Cleary, SandersAbstained: Duarte
From the minutes
“Motion was made to certify the petition on a roll call vote. So voted. On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors present, five (5) Councilors voted in favor (Councilors Postell, Coute, McCaul, Pottier, and Croteau, three (3) Councilors voting in opposition (Councilors Carr, Cleary and Sanders), one (1) Council (Councilor Duarte) recused himself. Motion passed..”
Resolutions: NONE New Business: Councilor Sanders stated he recently spoke with State Representative Carol Doherty of the 3 Bristol District about a ceremony she recently attended in Easton for National Purple Heart Day on August
To receive an update
From the minutes
“Motion was made to receive an update. So Voted..”
COUNCILOR DEBORAH CARR, CHAIRMAN AND COUNCILORS CROTEAULERK AND MCCAUL MEETING CALLED TO ORDER AT 5:37 P.M. 1. MEET TO REVIEW THE WEEKLY VOUCHERS & PAYROLLS FOR CITY DEPARTMENTS
To move approval of the payroll warrant in the amount of $1,434,422.55
From the minutes
“MOTION: MOVE APPROVAL OF THE PAYROLL WARRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,434,422.55. SO VOTED..”
Resolutions: NONE New Business: Councilor Sanders stated he recently spoke with State Representative Carol Doherty of the 3 Bristol District about a ceremony she recently attended in Easton for National Purple Heart Day on August
To move approval of the invoice warrant in the amount of $2,169,122.97
From the minutes
“MOTION: MOVE APPROVAL OF THE INVOICE WARRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,169,122.97. SO VOTED..”
Petition through the Legislature
To have the law department look into whether they can bring the age up to 75 without a home rule petition, try it out for a few months and see if it works. . the motion was voted on and
From the minutes
“Councilor McCaul made the following motion: MOTION: HAVE THE LAW DEPARTMENT LOOK INTO WHETHER THEY CAN BRING THE AGE UP TO 75 WITHOUT A HOME RULE PETITION, TRY IT OUT FOR A FEW MONTHS AND SEE IF IT WORKS. . THE MOTION WAS VOTED ON AND SO VOTED..” (Motion: McCaul)
Petition should not have been utilized in this fashion and that allowing it to go forward was wrong and punitive in nature against their older retirees
To letter to be part of the record
From the minutes
“MOTION: LETTER TO BE PART OF THE RECORD. SO VOTED..”
Petition through the Legislature
To look into getting the tow contract up to date
From the minutes
“Councilor McCaul made the following motion: MOTION: TO LOOK INTO GETTING THE TOW CONTRACT UP TO DATE. SO VOTED..” (Motion: McCaul)
The following motion was made: ;
To get an update from the law department and city clerk as to why the money from the tow companies has not been collected for two years, why are they not being billed
From the minutes
“MOTION: TO GET AN UPDATE FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND CITY CLERK AS TO WHY THE MONEY FROM THE TOW COMPANIES HAS NOT BEEN COLLECTED FOR TWO YEARS, WHY ARE THEY NOT BEING BILLED. SO VOTED..”
If they request it now they will be able to access it.
To call for the civil service list for 5 officers
From the minutes
“MOTION: TO CALL FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE LIST FOR 5 OFFICERS. SO VOTED..”
The DPW Commissioner did say they have been working out there for approximately 4 years, so what they really need is that as of November 1* this year they are not going to open anything on either the sidewalk or the road. 14 PAGE FOUR AUGUST 24, 2021 THE COMMITTEE ON THE DEPARTME
That the sewer opening be allowed and that the dpw strictly enforce all its rules and regulations as to the opening and the closing and that it is inspected by someone from the dpw to insure that it has been done correctly. councilor mccaul seconded the motion
From the minutes
“MOTION: THAT THE SEWER OPENING BE ALLOWED AND THAT THE DPW STRICTLY ENFORCE ALL ITS RULES AND REGULATIONS AS TO THE OPENING AND THE CLOSING AND THAT IT IS INSPECTED BY SOMEONE FROM THE DPW TO INSURE THAT IT HAS BEEN DONE CORRECTLY. Councilor McCaul seconded the motion. … MOTION CARRIES.”
Councilor McCaul made the following motion:
TO REQUEST A LIST OF THE PROBLEMATIC VENDORS AND REFER THE STREET SUPERVISOR POSITION TO THE SUPPLEIMENTAL BUDGET. Councilor Carr said she would be in favor of adding to the motion and has said before that they should add a $100 inspection fee to every application
From the minutes
“MOTION: TO REQUEST A LIST OF THE PROBLEMATIC VENDORS AND REFER THE STREET SUPERVISOR POSITION TO THE SUPPLEIMENTAL BUDGET. Councilor Carr said she would be in favor of adding to the motion and has said before that they should add a $100 inspection fee to every application. … THE MOTION WAS VOTED ON AND SO VOTED..”
MEET WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT TO REVIEW HOST COMMUNITY AGREEMENT FOR BLAZIN' D'S TO BE LOCATED AT 144 WEST BRITANNIA STREET - WHOLESALE DELIVERY OPERATION Councilor Coute said this is concerning the final version of the Host Community Agreement for Blazin' D's, they have already h
TO APPROVE. The motion was seconded by Councilor Postell
From the minutes
“Councilor Duarte made the following motion: MOTION: TO APPROVE. The motion was seconded by Councilor Postell. THE MOTION WAS VOTED ON WITH COUNCILORS CLEARY AND CARR VOTING IN OPPOSITION. MOTION CARRIES.” (Motion: Duarte, second: Postell)
From the official minutes kept by the Taunton City Clerk (agendas and minutes). From the Taunton Municipal Council’s official minutes, posted in the city’s Agenda Center. Most items pass by voice (“So voted”), and the minutes record only the result for those; how each councilor voted is shown for roll calls. MassVoter never grades officials; votes and attendance are shown exactly as the minutes record them. MassVoter never grades officials; votes and attendance are shown exactly as the minutes record them. Councilor photos: City of Taunton Municipal Council page (taunton-ma.gov). Former councilors show initials.
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