By Adam Swift
Outside of the update on the reconfiguration of Bennington Street by MassDOT, the City Council quickly moved through business during its last meeting of 2022 on Monday, Dec. 19.
The only motion presented was from Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino. The housekeeping item would ensure that the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Committee, the Public Arts Commission, and any other new boards or committees abide by the city’s public meetings hours ordinance which mandates that public meetings cannot begin before 5 p.m.
“Since we passed that in 2020, two additional bodies, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and the Public Arts Commission, have been formed, and they are not within the meeting times ordinance,†said Serino. “There was some question if they could hold meetings before 5 p.m. Obviously, that goes against the spirit of the meeting times ordinance we passed.â€
The clarification, which will go to a public hearing in January, states that the only exemptions to the 5 p.m. or later start time are the School Committee, the Licensing Commission, and the Council on Elder Affairs.
“Aside from that, every other public meeting body would have to meet at 5 p.m. or later,†said Serino.
In other business, the council awarded several certificates of commendation and appreciation.
Councillor-at-Large Dan Rizzo made the motion to award a Certificate of Commendation to Arthur W. Foshey in recognition of his 95th birthday. Foshey is a 23 year Navy Veteran who served in WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, and the Lebanon Crisis.
Councillors Steven Morabito and Ira Novoselsky made the motion to award Certificates of Appreciation to the “Singing Seniors,†who bring holiday cheer throughout the city with their caroling.
Ward 4 Councillor Patrick Keefe made the motion to award a Certificate of Appreciation to Revere Police Sgt. Joseph Internicola and the leadership at MassBadge who helped organize and execute Revere’s annual community Thanksgiving. This year, the event served over 600 people and provided over 100 meals to go, all through charitable and in-kind donations from our community members.
Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro, on behalf of himself and Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri, requested a moment of silence for Revere resident Jamie Mantia, who died at the age of 49 on Dec. 16.
“He was a very good friend of mine, and I just want to say that every time I spent time with him, it was just full of laughter,†said Cogliandro. “He was very close to his family, and his family loved him very much.â€