Melrose City Council Gets To Work In First Real Meeting

MELROSE, MA — The first proper meeting of the new City Council went off without a hitch, in front of a crowd of three city officials and an underdressed reporter.

The Council authorized Mayor Paul Brodeur to accept a grant of $70,313 that will help fund a design to fix the City Hall parking lot. The design will include what was called a green infrastructure solution for flooding problems. The endgame would be a new design — one that won't change the circulation of the lot, but rather promote better stormwater flow.

The design will cost the city some $12,000 that had already been appropriated for such initiatives and more in in-kind services.

"This is not a request for new money," Brodeur's Chief of Staff Patrick Prendergast said. "It's already there and we're just using it to unlock $70,000 in grant money from the state."

While other projects rank higher on the city's priority list, the opportunity for state funds — something Brodeur said during his campaign the city would take advantage of — was too good to pass up.

A design plan should be available by mid-April. Construction should't be too lengthy, City Engineer Elena Proakis Ellis said.

The City Councilors were eager to get going; Eight of the 11 had questions for city officials.

The motion passed unanimously.

The Council also approved upcoming elections: the primary for the 32d Middlesex District seat vacated in November by Brodeur will be Feb. 4, while the special election for the seat will take place on the same day as the presidential primary, March 3.

Kamosa noted the city is looking for poll workers. She said those interested can get in touch with Election Administrator Joanne Perperian.