MassVoter.com← Watertown City CouncilWatertown City Council · 2024–2025 Council · Regular meeting
April 9, 2024
10 recorded votes, 10 with disagreement.
Sources: Official minutes (PDF) · Meeting video · City meeting page
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Note on these minutes: Page 20 of the minutes file is a scanned image (usually the signed last page, with the adjournment); MassVoter read it with text recognition (OCR).
Present: John M. Airasian, Caroline Bays, John G. Gannon, Nicole Gardner, Lisa J. Feltner, Emily Izzo, Anthony Palomba, Vincent J. Piccirilli, Mark S. Sideris
Absent: None
Every vote, in order
Minutes from City Council Meeting March 26, 2024
Accept the minutes as written: Minutes from City Council Meeting March 26, 2024
Minutes from City Council Meeting March 26, 2024 Councilor Piccirilli moved to accept the minutes as written and Councilor Feltner seconded.
The minutes record a unanimous voice vote; every councilor present is shown voting yes.
From the minutes
“The minutes were accepted unanimously in a Voice Vote..” (Motion: Piccirilli, second: Feltner)
Arbor Day Proclamation
Approve the proclamation: Arbor Day Proclamation
Councilor Piccirilli moved to approve the proclamation and Councilor Feltner seconded.
The minutes record a unanimous voice vote; every councilor present is shown voting yes.
From the minutes
“The proclamation was approved unanimously in Voice Vote..” (Motion: Piccirilli, second: Feltner)
Public Hearing and Vote on a Zoning Code Amendment Regarding Short Term Rentals Greetings:
Make a friendly amendment to reduce the capacity limit from 10 to 8, which in almost all cases would result in securing a bedroom for the homeowner
Councilor Feltner moved to make a friendly amendment to reduce the capacity limit from 10 to 8, which in almost all cases would result in securing a bedroom for the homeowner.
Yes: Bays, Feltner, GardnerNo: Airasian, Gannon, Izzo, Palomba, Piccirilli, Sideris
From the minutes
“The amendment failed 6 No (Palomba, Piccirilli, Airasian, Gannon, Izzo, Sideris) to 3 Yes (Bays, Feltner, Gardner) in a Roll Call Vote..” (Motion: Feltner, second: Gardner)
Make a friendly amendment to eliminate the home share unit use and enforce that the only permittable STR would be one where the owner is present
Councilor Palmoba moved to make a friendly amendment to eliminate the home share unit use and enforce that the only permittable STR would be one where the owner is present.
Yes: Bays, Feltner, Gardner, PalombaNo: Airasian, Gannon, Izzo, Piccirilli, Sideris
From the minutes
“The amendment failed 5 No (Piccirilli, Airasian, Gannon, Izzo, Sideris) 4 Yes (Feltner, Palomba, Bays, Gardner) in a Roll Call Vote..” (Motion: Palomba, second: Gardner)
Public Hearings
Adopt the zoning ordinance amendment regulating short-term rentals
The motion to approve the proposed zoning amendment ordinance failed 6 No (Airasian, Gannon, Izzo, Palomba, Piccirilli, Sideris) 3 Yes (Bays, Feltner, Gardner) in a Roll Call Vote.
Yes: Bays, Feltner, GardnerNo: Airasian, Gannon, Izzo, Palomba, Piccirilli, Sideris
From the minutes
“The motion to approve the proposed zoning amendment ordinance failed 6 No (Airasian, Gannon, Izzo, Palomba, Piccirilli, Sideris) 3 Yes (Bays, Feltner, Gardner) in a Roll Call Vote..”
Public Hearing and Vote on a Zoning Code Amendment Regarding Short Term Rentals Greetings:
Work with City Attorney Reich to prepare what is necessary to amend zoning code to outright ban STRs
Councilor Piccirilli made the motion and Councilor Gannon seconded.
The minutes record a unanimous voice vote; every councilor present is shown voting yes.
From the minutes
“The motion passed unanimously in a Voice Vote..” (Motion: Piccirilli, second: Gannon)
Public Hearing and Vote on an Amendment to the FY2024 Budget to Fund WMEG Agreement
Approve the budget amendment: Public Hearing and Vote on an Amendment to the FY2024 Budget to Fund WMEG Agreement
Councilor Piccirilli moved to approve the budget amendment and Councilor Feltner seconded.
The minutes record this vote as unanimous; every councilor present is shown voting yes.
From the minutes
“The motion passed unanimously in Roll Call Vote..” (Motion: Piccirilli, second: Feltner)
Resolution Authorizing a Transfer of Funds in the Amount of $20,00 from the FY24 Procurement Full Time Salaries...
Approve the transfer: Resolution Authorizing a Transfer of Funds in the Amount of $20,00 from the FY24 Procurement Full Time Salaries Account to the FY24 Procurement Contracted Services Account
Councilor Piccirilli moved to approve the transfer and Councilor Feltner seconded.
The minutes record this vote as unanimous; every councilor present is shown voting yes.
From the minutes
“The motion passed unanimously in a Roll Call Vote..” (Motion: Piccirilli, second: Feltner)
Resolution Authorizing a Transfer of Funds in the Amount of $35,000 from the FY24 City Council Reserve to the FY24...
Approve the transfer: Resolution Authorizing a Transfer of Funds in the Amount of $35,000 from the FY24 City Council Reserve to the FY24 BB&N Field Lights Account
Councilor Piccirilli moved to approve the transfer and Councilor Feltner seconded.
The minutes record this vote as unanimous; every councilor present is shown voting yes.
From the minutes
“The motion passed unanimously in a Roll Call Vote..” (Motion: Piccirilli, second: Feltner)
Recess Or Adjournment
Adjourn
RECESS OR ADJOURNMENT Councilor Piccirilli made a motion to adjourn and Councilor Feltner seconded.
The minutes record a unanimous voice vote; every councilor present is shown voting yes.
From the minutes
“The motion was adopted unanimously in a Voice Vote..” (Motion: Piccirilli, second: Feltner)
From the Watertown City Council’s official minutes, posted on the city’s meeting portal (linked from the City Council page on watertown-ma.gov). We check every vote against the councilors present and quote the exact wording. MassVoter never grades or scores officials. Photos: Watertown News (watertownmanews.com) candidate Q&As, candidate letters and articles that name each councilor; Mark Sideris photo by Charlie Breitrose. The city’s website has no councilor photos.
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