Council to Review 2016 City Budget

By Sue Ellen Woodcock

The city council has agreed to call in the city finance director to review the fiscal year 2016 budget submitted by Mayor Dan Rizzo and approved by the council in June.

The motion, made by Mayor-elect/Councillor Brian Arrigo; Council President John Powers; and Councillors Jessica Giannino and Robert Haas, requests Finance Director George Anzouoni to come to the next council meeting on Nov. 30.

“As we come to the end of the year it’s important to get an update,” Arrigo said. “Especially regarding employees who were hired since the budget was approved.”

Arrigo added that it is important to have regular updates on budget matters.

“The only one that should be hiring is this council,” Haas said. “I was a bit taken aback (when he heard there were new hires). Also, people from the outside need to have a waiver.”

Councillor Anthony Zambuto said people are making accusations about pay raises being handed out.

“Until I see evidence I’m skeptical,” Zambuto said. “I don’t like hearsay coming out of the city council.”

“It’s incumbent upon us to oversee expenditures,” said Councillor Arthur Guinasso.

In other council business;

• A special permit was granted to David Masse, 25 Renee Dr., Wakefield to construct four townhouse units on parcel 1A Lamson St.
• John Colleran, 21 Thurlow Ave., Revere was re-appointed to the Resident Employee Monitoring Committee. Pasquale DeFeo Jr., 84 Trevalley Road, Revere, re-appointed as constable. Michael Fixman, 72 Hancock St., Everett, re-appointed as constable.
• The Board of Assessors and the city council will hold a public hearing on Nov. 30 for the purpose of establishing the minimum residential factor.
• Councillor Jessica Giannino made a motion to have the sidewalk repaired around 166 Winthrop Ave.
• Precinct 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky made a motion to have the mayor request the public works department to budget for two leaf vacuum machines in the street sweeping contract.
• Precinct 4 Councillor Stephen Reardon made a motion to request the Traffic Commission consider making the side streets on the northern side of Park Avenue, alternating one-way. (Allston, Barrett, Cambridge, Dedham, Essex, Furness, Genesee, Hancock, Irving, Jarvis, Kilburn, Lambert, Madison, Newbury and Oxford)
• Reardon made a motion to have the mayor institute a comprehensive program to enforce parking restrictions on the northern side of Park Avenue in front of Harry Della Russo Stadium.