The City Council had finances on its mind during Monday night’s meeting with a request to back a grant application for a new high school, a request to study the feasibility of a new fire station in the Point of Pines area, and a request a new DPW facility and funding a new DCR maintenance facility.
Mayor Brian Arrigo requested the City Council to vote on a statement of interest form to authorize the superintendent of schools to submit a grant application to the Massachusetts School Building Authority for a new high school.
Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky said he wanted more information from the superintendent and the mayor. The council approved the request.
The Point of Pines Fire Station has been closed for a few years, and Ward 5 Councillor John Powers is concerned about the growth in the area and the traffic.
“This is of the utmost concern to residents,†Powers said, noting the wood-frame construction of all buildings going up in Revere.
The $50,000 request for a feasibility study would help determine if it was a rehab project or a complete new build. The current fire station is also small, not able to house a ladder truck like the one that would be needed if a high-rise were on fire.
In the past the building has also been used as a polling place, but now the Point of Pines Yacht Club is used.
Councillor Dan Rizzo said he would like the fire chief and the mayor to come to a meeting and discuss equipment.
“If we aren’t going to have enough people in the building we need to know that,†Rizzo said.
This request was sent to the Ways and Means Committee and will be subject to a public hearing on April 2.
Also sent to Ways and Means and for a public hearing on April 2 was a loan order request for a new Department of Public Works building. Finance Director George Anzuoni presented two options, one for $22.5 million and one for $25.3 million, noting the debt service to taxpayers would not increase until 2021.
“I think the city is moving ahead. We need more DPW and we owe it to the DPW, employees,†said Powers.
The DPW request was sent to the Ways and Means Committee, and will be the subject of a public hearing on April 23.
Another substantial request that came though the Finance Director was from DCR (Department of Conservation Recreation). Anzuoni presented a loan order request of $11 million for the construction of a DCR maintenance facility that was agreed to be partly funded by Revere during the Ambrosino administration.
Ward 3 Councillor Arthur Guinasso said that at some of the beach events Revere is treated like a second-class citizen.
“Eleven million dollars is a lot of money, and I don’t understand why the city has to give,†said Ward 6 Councillor Charlie Patch.
Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna said, “There are so many issue with DCR such as it is not doing its job. They want $11 million? I say. No.â€
The request was sent to the Ways and Means Committee.