By Aaron Keebaugh

 

Council awards Certificate of Appreciation to Tatelman

Monday night, the Revere city council awarded a Certificate of Appreciation to Cindy Tatelman for her service on the Disability Commission, crowning her two decades assisting disabled residents and veterans.

Judith S. Robicheau recommended Tatelman for the award.

“She's lived in my Ward for many years,” Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky said of Tatelman Monday night. “Thank you for all of your hard work.”

Mayor Dan Rizzo told Tatelman, “You are an asset to my administration.”

“It's not just me,” Tatelman said after receiving the award and congratulatory remarks. “I can't do this alone. After twenty-one years, I thank God for the people [I work with].”

 

Councillors take aim at MassHighway property

Alleged dumping of trash and debris behind MassHighway property at 130 Marshall Street raised the ire of some city councilors in recent weeks.

Through a motion Monday night, Councillors Brian Arrigo and Charles Patch requested Mayor Rizzo to ask MassHighway to clean the property, install a fence, and erect a No Dumping sign there in order to prevent further dumping. The motion also calls for MassHighway to issue fines to people caught dumping debris at the site.

“I walked by that area today… It’s an eyesore,” Councillor-at-Large John Correggio said to the councilors, noting that he saw garbage—even part of a couch—in piles at the site.

In a separate motion, Councillor-at-Large Anthony Zambuto asked the traffic commission to consider erecting a No Parking sign on one side of Rose Street.

Zambuto explained that residents have been parking along the left side of that street, which presents a potential safety hazard. “You’ll never get a fire apparatus in there,” he opined, reasoning that a restriction of parking there would in the best interest for safety.

 

Councillors ask mayor for update on school signs

A city council motion from this past spring, designed to obtain information about defective school zone signs, has gone unanswered, city councillors said Monday night.

The motion, which Councillor-at-Large Jessica Ann Giannino presented at the April 23 meeting, states “that the Mayor, in his capacity as Chairman of the School Committee, be requested to review the placement and condition of school zone signs.”

Giannino said Monday night that, among other problems, there are holes in the sidewalks and a still unfixed double pole close to the Paul Revere School, which blocks the view for drivers on Roosevelt Street wanting to turn onto Revere Street.

Improper signage near the Lincoln School zone allegedly lead to an avoidable car accident recently, according to the renewed council motion Monday night.

That motion, presented by Councillors Giannino, Correggio, and Patch, requests Mayor Rizzo to provide an update to the original motion from April 23.

Giannino said she placed the original motion to protect the school children and “We have to make sure it’s as safe as possible.”

Correggio agreed, saying “We need to keep on top of it.”

Patch reported that a resident who had been in an accident contacted him to say that some school signs were missing and the electric ones were not working at all.

“Any city you go to, they have signs that work,” Patch commented.

“That we’re waiting six months on this…is absurd,” Ward 3 Councillor Arthur Guinasso said. “Why are we bickering about money? The school department…has a lot of money. They have the money to pay for it.”

As comments came to a close, Council President Richard Penta requested the city clerk send the motion to Rizzo’s office first thing Tuesday morning in order to examine funding for needed repairs and avoid additional delay.

 

Novoselsky asks city solicitor to review PILOT from housing authority

In a motion Monday night, Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky requested the Solicitor’s office to review the total revenue the city receives from the Revere Housing Authority (RHA). (The RHA pays through a system known as PILOT: payment in lieu of taxes.)

The city receives about $80,000 per year from the RHA, Novoselsky said. But with 52 locations in the city, he feels that the amount is too small, he said during the meeting.

“I think it’s time we renegotiate [the PILOT],” Novoselsky told the councillors, adding, in a nod to Councillor Arrigo, that he wants Revere to receive its fair share of revenue.

Novoselsky reasoned: “[RHA] Buildings in my area are deplorable… It’s time to get everything out in the open.”

Councillor-at-Large Robert Haas said that it’s “smart management” for the city to seek the revenue.  And Council President Penta agreed, but added that he would hate to see money taken away from senior housing.

 

Patch calls for cease-and-desist for rug business

An alleged illegal rug business operating out of a residential area on Washington Avenue drew the attention of Ward 6 Councillor Charles Patch Monday night. He presented a motion that calls for inspectional services to issue a cease-and-desist order to the operators of the rug business that is being run from 547 Washington Avenue. Vans and trucks parked at the address, according to Patch, create parking problems—taking up road and sidewalk space—for area residents.

Patch brought photographs showing rugs piled up in front of the house at the address. The photos, which will be forwarded to inspectional services, are evidence of a carpet operation there, he said to the council members.

The councillor recalled that the alleged illegal business came up as an issue in 2009, when he received complaints from neighbors. In 2010 Councillor George Rotondo submitted a motion to bring a halt to the activity, but since that time no progress has been made, Patch said. But now, “hopefully somebody will do something about it,” he added.

“I walk by there every day and I see that truck,” Councillor Correggio said. “We don’t need that type of operation down there.”

 

Council approves many appointments and reappointments

In the wake of Raymond Nickerson’s recent resignation, Mayor Dan Rizzo, in a letter to the City Council Monday, recommended George Anzuoni to fill out the remainder of the term, which will expire in February 2015. (Nickerson had notified the mayor of his departure from the RHA in a letter Monday.)

The council voted unanimously Monday night to approve Anzuoni’s appointment as well as the appointment and reappointment of other individuals to city positions.

Nicolas Giacobbe, Josephine Picardi, Amedeo Iocco, and Irma Accettulo were reappointed to the Board of Elder Affairs for three-year terms, expiring in March 2015.

The council reappointed Michael Bonanno, Laurie Giardella, and Paul Argenzio to the Revere Cultural Council for three-year terms, which will also expire in March 2015.

Rhena Shalachman was reappointed to a three-year term on the Commission on Disability.

James Cerbonne was appointed to the Conservation Commission to fill the remainder of Michael Furlong’s term, which expires next October.

John Colleran was appointed to the Revere Residency Monitoring Committee for a three-year term.

The council also approved two companies as Licensed Drain Layers: Medford-based CRL, Inc. received an appointment and Stoneham-based E.B. Rotondi & Sons were reappointed.