MassVoter.com← Taunton Municipal CouncilTaunton Municipal Council · 2022–2023 Council · Joint meeting
November 28, 2023
31 recorded votes, 1 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · City meeting page
A monthly email on what it voted on, starting in November.
Attendance
Present: Kelly Dooner, Phillip Duarte, Estele Borges, John McCaul, David Pottier, Christopher Coute, Barry Sanders, Lawrence Quintal, Jeffrey Postell
Absent: None
Every vote, in order
Opportunity for input by the general public. No one spoke during public input.
To go out of the regular order of business to Hearing #3
From the minutes
“Motion was made to go out of the regular order of business to Hearing #3. So Voted..”
On the joint pole petition of Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant and Verizon New England, Inc. proposing to place a new joint pole location, 124S on Bay Street in the City of Taunton.
To open the hearing and invite the interested parties into the enclosure
From the minutes
“Motion was made to open the hearing and invite the interested parties into the enclosure. So Voted..”
Hearing: On the joint pole petition of Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant and Verizon New England, Inc
To open public input for this hearing
From the minutes
“Motion was made to open public input for this hearing. So Voted..”
No one spoke during public input.
To close public input and grant the petition
From the minutes
“Motion was made to close public input and grant the petition. So Voted..”
Hearing: On the joint pole petition of Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant and Verizon New England, Inc
To revert to the regular order of business for Hearing #1
From the minutes
“Motion was made to revert to the regular order of business for Hearing #1. So Voted..”
To discuss the possible revocation of the Tow Service Contract between the City of Taunton and Scott Souza, Tony's Auto Wrecking located at 303 Broadway, Taunton under Section 2 of said contract.
To invite the interested parties into the enclosure
From the minutes
“Motion was made to invite the interested parties into the enclosure. So Voted..”
Hearing: Continued Hearing: To discuss the possible revocation of the Tow Service Contract between the City of Taunton and Scott Souza, Tony's Auto Wrecking located at 303 Broadway, Taunton under Section 2 of said contract
To make the packet a part of the record
From the minutes
“Motion was made to make the packet a part of the record. So Voted..”
Councilor Postell stated that in the packet that was provided to the Council, there is personal information that was not redacted.
To have pages 4, 7 and 15 of the packet redacted and that the Council disposes of those properly
From the minutes
“Motion was made to have pages 4, 7 and 15 of the packet redacted and that the Council disposes of those properly. So Voted..”
Taylor confirmed that all of the vehicles have inspection stickers.
To make the packet distributed by Megan Simpson of Tony's Auto Wrecking a part of the record
From the minutes
“Motion was made to make the packet distributed by Megan Simpson of Tony's Auto Wrecking a part of the record. So Voted..”
Chief Walsh stated that he is not in a position to ascertain when his license was suspended and they would need to get a formal answer from the Registry and for all he knows his license could have been suspended when the contract was signed.
That the Council be provided information from the Registry regarding the dates of Mr
From the minutes
“Motion was made that the Council be provided information from the Registry regarding the dates of Mr. Souza's license suspension prior the next hearing. So Voted..”
The meeting resumed at 9:05pm.
To go out of the regular order of business to Appointments
From the minutes
“Motion was made to go out of the regular order of business to Appointments. So Voted..”
On the petition submitted by Maureen Pert, 15 Rockland Street, Taunton, MA 02780 for the issuance of a personal Kennel License per City Ordinance Section 3-24 to allow a Grade 1 (4-6 Dogs) Kennel License for personal use/dogs, NOT BUSINESS USE, at 15 Rockland Street, Taunton.
To invite the interested parties into the enclosure
From the minutes
“Motion was made to invite the interested parties into the enclosure. So Voted..”
Sergeant Balmain stated that it is not fair to have another company 11 tow for only a day or two.
To continue the hearing for one (1) week and at that time the Council hopes to see the additional information they have requested
From the minutes
“Motion was made to continue the hearing for one (1) week and at that time the Council hopes to see the additional information they have requested. So Voted..”
Councilor Coute stated that in order to get his vote, they will need to provide an understanding of the license status and a positive recommendation from Chief Walsh and Sergeant Balmain.
To recess at 9:01pm
From the minutes
“Motion was made to recess at 9:01pm. So Voted..”
Appointment of Danielle Edmands to serve as the Executive Director of the Board of Health for a term of three (3) years expiring December 2026.
To receive and place on file
From the minutes
“Motion was made to receive and place on file. So Voted..”
Hearing: On the joint pole petition of Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant and Verizon New England, Inc
To revert to the regular order of business to Hearing #2
From the minutes
“Motion was made to revert to the regular order of business to Hearing #2. So Voted..”
Ordinance for a Grade I kennel license, the premises contains 0
To waive the requirement that the dogs be kept on a premises containing 0.5 acres or more and waive the requirement that the dogs be housed, sheltered or kept a minimum of 100 feet from the nearest residential dwelling based on a finding that said waivers will not be detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare and to approve the license
Yes: Coute, Dooner, Duarte, McCaul, Postell, Quintal, SandersNo: Borges, Pottier
From the minutes
“Motion was made to waive the requirement that the dogs be kept on a premises containing 0.5 acres or more and waive the requirement that the dogs be housed, sheltered or kept a minimum of 100 feet from the nearest residential dwelling based on a finding that said waivers will not be detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare and to approve the license. On a roll call vote, nine (9) Councilors were present, seven (7) Councilors voted in favor (Postell, Quintal, Sanders, Coute, McCaul, Duarte and Dooner), two (2) were opposed (Pottier and Borges). The motion passes..”
To close the hearing
From the minutes
“Motion was made to close the hearing. So Voted..”
On the petition of Edmund J
To open the hearing
From the minutes
“Motion was made to open the hearing. So Voted..”
The City Clerk read a communication from Mr. Brennan requesting a continuance of this hearing to December 5, 2023 in order to address concerns raised by various Council members at the pre- hearing on November 14, 2023.
To continue the hearing until December 5, 2023
From the minutes
“Motion was made to continue the hearing until December 5, 2023. So Voted..”
Com. from the Chief Financial Officer stating that the City will be taking ownership of the Coyle Cassidy Building on December 1, 2023
To refer to the Committee on Finance and Salaries
From the minutes
“Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Finance and Salaries. So Voted..”
Com. from the Treasurer/Collector stating that the Finance Department would like to present to the Municipal Council a request for bonding for TMLP in the amount of $12,000,000.
To refer to the Committee on Finance and Salaries
From the minutes
“Motion was made to refer to the Committee on Finance and Salaries. So Voted..”
Com. from the Chief Financial Officer stating that the Finance Department is requesting an executive session with the Committee on Public Property for discussion on potential property acquisition and or potential litigation related to the same.
To move approval
From the minutes
“Motion was made to move approval. So Voted..”
Petitions: Class II License RENEWALS: 1
To refer #1 through #27 to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief
From the minutes
“Motion was made to refer #1 through #27 to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief. So Voted..”
To refer #28 through #31 to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief
From the minutes
“Motion was made to refer #28 through #31 to the Committee on Police and License and the Police Chief. 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..”
Unfinished Business:
To refer to the City Clerk to request that Civil Service increase the number of positions for police officers from seven (7) to eight (8) from the current requisition, which is 09301
From the minutes
“Councilor Postell motioned to refer to the City Clerk to request that Civil Service increase the number of positions for police officers from seven (7) to eight (8) from the current requisition, which is 09301. So Voted..” (Motion: Postell)
Resolutions: Ordinance (or a second reading to be passed to a third reading AN ORDINANCE Chapter 405 15 Sec
To pass to a third reading
From the minutes
“Motion was made to pass to a third reading. So Voted..”
Councilor Borges requested to refer the letter from the Water Department that was sent with the recent water bills notifying residents of water testing to the Department of Public Works Committee for discussion and invite the Water Superintendent.
To move approval
From the minutes
“Motion was made to move approval. So Voted..”
Resolutions: Ordinance (or a second reading to be passed to a third reading AN ORDINANCE Chapter 405 15 Sec
To pass to a third reading
From the minutes
“Motion was made to pass to a third reading. So Voted..”
AN ORDINANCE Chapter 202 - Boating Be it ordained by the Municipal Council of the City ofTaunton as follows: That Chapter 202, of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Taunton, as amended, is hereby further amended by striking the w
To refer the issue of parking on Charles Street to the Safety Officer
From the minutes
“Councilor Pottier motioned to refer the issue of parking on Charles Street to the Safety Officer. So Voted..” (Motion: Pottier)
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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