Councillor Morabito wants to establish Citizens Planning Committee

Councillor-at-Large Steven Morabito’s request that Mayor Brian Arrigo establish a Citizens Planning Committee to “promote citizen participation in planning throughout the city” drew some support and opposition at the Oct. 25 Council meeting.

Council President Anthony Zambuto was concise in his likely, future opposition to Morabito’s motion, stating flatly after the meeting, “I have concerns about this proposal.”

Morabito said the purpose of his motion was to form a committee that will act as an advisory board on ZBA projects and development projects, “anything going on.”

Morabito said the committee’s membership would be comprised of citizens throughout the city. “This way, the people of Revere’s voice will be heard, and it won’t act as a political committee,” he said. “Our ward councillors do an excellent job, but this would take them out of the equation in the sense that you can still go your ward councillor when you have pressing issues, but it gives the residents in each of their wards a voice on matters that really affect and impact our city.”

Councillor-at-Large George Rotondo took the discussion in another direction, suggesting the creation of “a redevelopment authority, like they do in Malden.”

Morabito took Rotondo’s idea into consideration, stating that residents should be able to contribute ideas on such projects “as beautifying an area or redeveloping an area.”
“However we do it, I don’t care. I just want to get the people involved. This way, they can help make a difference on things that can impact our city,” said Morabito.

Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky said on all Ward 2 projects, he always hosts community meetings to get public input.

“Before I ask Mayor Arrigo to do this [Citizens Planning Committee], I would want to see some criteria set up before I vote on this, see what the description is, what their entitlements are, so I’m not really prepared to do an open-book request just like this.”

Novoselsky suggested that the proposal be placed in a Council subcommittee meeting for further discussion.

Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino asked Morabito if the ward councillors would be selecting the members of the Citizens Planning Committee. “Who’s making the decision?”

“Great question,” replied Morabito. “Regardless of what we establish, or what we vote on, the Mayor has to implement it. I’m sure he’d be more than willing to listen to the ward councillors, because who knows their ward better than the ward councillors, other than the people themselves?”

Serino said if an ordinance on the proposal were established, “the City Council should not only confirm a mayoral appointment [to the Citizens Planning Committee], but the six ward councillors and the Mayor would need to agree on the appointees.”

Councillor-at-Large Gerry Visconti said the Citizens Planning Committee should be “completely separate from the Administration and be a citizen-driven type of program where out of courtesy and respect, they should give that ward councillor a call and inform them about what is going on is well, just because they are the ward councillor.”

Zambuto referred the motion to the Council’s Economic, Development, and Planning Subcommittee for further discussion.