~ Revere City Council Roundup ~

Linda DeMaio Honored by City Council

The City Council began this week’s meeting by awarding Linda DeMaio, executive assistant to Mayor Patrick Keefe, a certificate of Commendation. DeMaio is retiring after 26 years of service to the city, including her work with the Revere Beach Partnership. Councillors thanked DeMaio for all of her help along the way.

RHS update

Brian Dakin, senior project manager for the Revere High School construction project, met with the City Council this week to provide an update on the project. Dakin told councillors site preparation and demolition work is complete and all federal and state environmental permits are in place. Dakin explained the soil issues that set the project timeline back by three to four months. Soil needed to be moved to bolster the ground for heavy machinery and the building. But once soil is dug up to be moved, it is tested and contamination was found in several areas. That soil needed to be removed and disposed of, which took extra time. Dakin is still optimistic that the time may be recouped and the building could possibly open at the originally scheduled date, September 2028. Dakin said the project is four percent complete and is in a position to achieve the financial goals set by the city.

“We’re in very good shape,” Dakin told councillors.

Special Permits approved

On a favorable recommendation from the Zoning Subcommittee, the council approved a special permit for Flor Gomez to modify a nonconforming structure by converting a retail flower shop to a restaurant at 619 Broadway. The council also approved a special permit to H&J Realty, LLC, to reconstruct, alter and extend a preexisting nonconforming residential structure into a four-story residential apartment structure consisting of nine units at 95 Stanton Ave.

City Council security

The council supported a motion from Councillor-at-Large Joanne McKenna and Ward 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya that the Revere Police Department assign an officer to be present during City Council meetings. According to the councillors, due to the increasingly hostile climate and heightened concerns regarding public safety, having an officer at meetings would provide reassurance to councillors, staff and members of the public. The presence of law enforcement would help ensure that meetings are conducted in a safe, orderly and secure environment. Councillors did raise questions about the cost, and the motion was referred to the Ways and Means Subcommittee.

Investments in technology

The council approved spending $490,000 from the Educational Technology Program funds. A mobile LED screen will be purchased for $115,000 for the Parks and Recreation Department to support recreational activities and entertainment at community events. An additional $375,000 will be spent on a communications upgrade for telecommunications and videoconferencing for all school, city, public safety and 311 constituent services.

City Council requests safety audit

The council supported a motion from Council Vice President Angela Guarino-Sawaya that the Traffic Commission and the Engineering Department conduct a comprehensive citywide safety audit of crosswalk visibility, pedestrian signage, pavement markings, traffic signal timing and traffic calming measures within a defined radius of public and private schools, licensed daycare centers, dance studios and youth recreation facilities, youth athletic fields and complexes and senior housing complexes. In addition, Guarino-Sawaya requested the DPW/Traffic/Engineering Departments report back to the City Council with findings, recommended improvements, estimated costs and a prioritized implementation timeline.