Councillors voice concern over administration protocol, former EHS update and senior meals

By Neil Zolot

One of the items on the agenda of the City Council’s January 13 meeting was to schedule an appearance of the Water Superintendent, Ernest Lariviere, to clarify the purpose of recent letters sent to residents about lead in the city’s water. “It was put on the agenda because we were getting letters from residents,” Ward 5 Councillor Robert Van Campen explained. “They were concerned.”

He made a motion to postpone the matter, but feels there is an underlying problem. “I want to raise a larger issue about how we conduct business,” he said. “There seems to be an inconsistent practice by the Administration as to how it communicates with the Council. I don’t understand why some department heads are stalling the work this Council has every right to conduct and some are more than willing to appear before us.”

He also objected to requests that Councillors submit their questions in writing to department heads. “We have to put our questions in writing?” he asked. “It’s like a deposition and not how the system should work. We can’t anticipate every question we’ll ask.”

“Sometimes you ask a question and another comes up,” Councillor-at-Large Stephanie Smith agreed. “I’ll ask a question and have a follow-up one.”

A motion to postpone was approved.

Van Campen and Ward 4 Councillor Holly Garcia introduced a resolution expressing some frustration by calling for the Administration to provide an update on when community meetings will be held concerning the use of the former Everett High School for 7th and 8th grade classrooms at an expense of $79 million and the former Pope John High School property. “I hope the Administration moves the process along,” Garcia said.” These meetings will be important.”

“We don’t want to delay action but these meetings are critical,” Van Campen, in whose Ward the old Everett High School is located, added.

Smith also expressed frustration over the quality of food in the senior meals program. She said she has observed and been told the food is disgusting and inedible. “I understand procurement laws, but the lowest bid shouldn’t affect the quality,” she feels. “Is it always the lowest bidder regardless of quality or the lowest bidder at a certain level of quality? There has to be something that says if you accept the lowest bid, the food shouldn’t be disgusting.”

She said most of the food delivered that day, with seafood salad as the entree, was in plastic bags. “It’s not even presented nicely; I can’t believe we’re serving our seniors this,” she added. “I don’t believe it’s edible.”

Garcia said she’s visited residents and been told “the food was so bad they just threw the meals away. We need to put quality into what we’re giving people. If they’re not eating it, it’s not right and we’re wasting money.”

“We don’t have to take the lowest bidder,” Pietrantonio answered Smith. “If there are complaints against a company, we can use that against them. We should keep records so we have backup to justify not taking a bid.”

City Clerk Sergio Cornelio confirmed that language allows the City to accept a bid from the “lowest responsible bidder.”

Discussion ended with Smith calling for Procurement Officer Allison Jenkins to appear before the City Council.

Among other items, because Mayor Carlo DeMaria vetoed a December Council resolution requiring all playing fields in Everett to use environmentally sustainable organic grass instead of artificial turf, Councillor-at-Large Katy Rogers reintroduced it. She feels the measure will ensure future Administrations maintain the City’s environmentally friendly policy while allowing flexibility for replacement to come only at the end of an artificial surface’s useful life and to use artificial turf that is environmentally sustainable. Given the absence of Councillor-at-Large Michael Marchese, the Council approved her request for it be postponed.

Rogers also amended a proposal she made in December requiring “the display of the United States flag when foreign flags are displayed by businesses.” New provisions include providing flags or other symbols to businesses that might be distributed at the end of a business’s licensing process “to foster businesses to participate rather than putting the responsibility on them,” she said.

“I’m glad you want to revise it to provide flags,” Councillor-at-Large Guerline Alcy Jabouin reacted. “When I first saw this, I was offended. Immigrant owned businesses fly foreign flags to indicate they speak their customers’ language, not because they hate America.”

She also thought there would be fines, but Rogers told her there would be none and the revised proposal was “to provide opportunities for businesses to participate.”