Revere City Council Round-Up

By Barbara Taormina

Last month, the city raised flags to celebrate Pride Month and Juneteenth. This month, a flag was flown in recognition of the city’s Colombian community, and next week a flag will go up to celebrate residents from Peru.

But this week, Former Councillor-at-Large Steven Morabito, who is now the city’s director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, was at the City Council meeting to present an ordinance outlining rules for flag raising and the use of Revere City Hall. Morabito explained that the ordinance was written in the wake of a unanimous Supreme Court decision that found that Boston had violated the First Amendment rights of a Christian group that was told they could not fly their flag at City Hall Square. Because the city allowed other private groups to fly their flags, the flags were not considered speech by the city and, therefore, a particular group could not be refused the right to raise a flag because of their views. Morabito told the council that the ordinance was meant to protect the city from costly lawsuits and the Supreme Court was telling municipalities that they needed a policy about flag raising.

Not all city councillors were on board with the idea. “Are we trying to stop a certain flag from being raised?” asked Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri.

Silvestri went on to say that there have been many flag raisings on City Hall Square and he could not recall an instance when a request for a flag was denied. He acknowledged the motive to protect the city against liability, but said he didn’t think an ordinance for flag raising is necessary. “As a soldier who fought for our flag, I don’t think we should be taking away anyone’s freedom of speech, or freedom of flag,” said Silvestri.

According to the proposed ordinance, outdoor flags will be flown at Revere City Hall in the following order of precedence: first, the United States flag; second, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts flag; and third, the City of Revere flag

The Mayor may order flags to be lowered to half-staff, including, but not limited to flags of the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in honor of the death of a City employee killed in the line of duty, or in observance of a specific event or circumstance.

Pursuant to the proclamation of the Mayor, or resolution of the City Council, other flags may be flown by the City in place of the City of Revere flag. Flags of the various branches of military services, such as the Blue Star Service Flag or the official MIA-POW flag, may be displayed upon the proclamation of the Mayor or by resolution of the City Council. During the month of June, the LGBTQ+ Pride Flag and the Juneteenth Flag may be displayed upon the proclamation of the Mayor or by resolution of the City Council.

As for City Hall, meeting spaces, including but not limited to the City Council Chambers, exist for the purpose of housing governmental services. Public buildings and facilities owned by the City of Revere shall not be available for use by a for-profit or commercial entity. From time to time, the City may allow use of a City-owned space for a nonprofit or fundraising purpose hosted in partnership with the City at the Mayor’s discretion.

Like Silvestri, Councillor-at-Large Anthony Zambuto questioned the ordinance. “I feel it’s all or nothing,” said Zambuto. “It’s either all in or all out.”

Councillor-at-Large Michelle Kelley said she was also of the all-or-nothing opinion on flags. “If you allow one, you have to allow them all,” she said. Like others, Kelly said the council needed a legal opinion on the ordinance before moving forward.

The council voted to send the proposed ordinance to the Legislative Affairs Subcommittee, which will meet with the city solicitor to continue the discussion on flag raising.

Strike a pose

The council approved a motion by Councillor-at-Large Anthony Zambuto that set out criteria for the installation of City Councillor portraits in the City Council Chambers. Portraits must be of councillors who have passed away. The individual must have made notable contributions to the City.

The Council shall designate the Appointments & Recognition Sub-Committee to review nominations based on the contributions. Nominations for portrait display shall be submitted by City Councillors only. Once a nomination is approved, a high-quality portrait will be selected from existing digital photographs. Portraits will be displayed in designated space in the City Council Chambers approved by the sub-committee.

Immediately after the vote on portrait criteria, Ward 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya nominated George Rotondo for a portrait installation. Her nomination was referred to the Appointments & Recognition Sub-Committee.

Police blotter

The council approved an ordinance requiring the police department to make the police blotter and arrest log available to the public on the police department’s official media page. The police blotter and log shall include a chronological list containing information on arrests, citations, accidents, incidents and any other relevant law enforcement activities within the police department. Geographical information shall not be included for incidents involving substance abuse and mental health. The blotter shall be in an easy-to-read format that is searchable and downloadable.

Wonderland money goes toward the new high school

A motion by Ward 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya that all money collected from the Wonderland site for parking and other uses shall go to the high school stabilization fund was approved by the council. More than $480,000 from Wonderland will go to the high school fund.

Updating the council chambers

Councillors approved an appropriation of $120,040 from the educational technology program for AV upgrades for the City Council Chambers.

Caring for the city’s own

The city will give $31,400 to Denise Mattera (Condelli). School Committeeman Anthony Mattera passed away while serving as a member of the school committee. This amount represents the salary to which he would have been entitled if he had lived and served until the end of his term of office.

Stepping up to serve

The council referred the following list of nominations to the Appointments Subcommittee: William Reedy appointed to the Council on Elder Affairs, Mary Vigliotta appointed to the Council on Elder Affairs, Thomas Carleton appointed to the Conservation Commission, Amelia Viscay appointed to the Conservation Commission.

Bridge over troubled Squire Road

Councillor-at-Large Juan Pablo Jaramillo presented a motion that Mayor Patrick Keefe request MassDOT to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of a footbridge over Squire Road between 35 and 407 Squire Rd. in the interest of pedestrian safety. Jaramillo originally proposed installing a fence down the middle of Squire Road, but other councillors opposed that idea, saying the landscaping on the road has been carefully cultivated and there is a lot of infrastructure in the road that would make a fence installation difficult. Jaramillo then changed his motion to requesting a study for a pedestrian bridge.

Down to the wires

The council approved Ward 4 Councillor Paul Argenzio’s motion that the Mayor request National Grid to install a support pole at the corner of Yeamans and Warren Streets. The current distance between the existing poles on the west side of Yeamans Street does not allow for wires servicing the east side of Yeamans Street to be the required height over the street, causing trucks to pull wires off homes on a consistent basis.

No noise on the beach

Ward 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya presented a motion to have the Mayor request DCR to install “Quiet Zone” signs on Revere Beach Boulevard from its current terminus to Carey Circle. Fellow councillors supported the motion.

Scooter rules and regs

Councillor-At-Large Marc Silvestri filed a motion to have the Mayor request the Traffic Commission, in conjunction with the City’s Policy Writer & Analyst, develop an enforcement and confiscation mechanism for Section 10.16.171 Operation of Motorized Scooters, Prohibited of the Revere Revised Ordinances. According to Silvestri, as written, the traffic regulation is unenforceable. The council agreed.