Revere City Council Roundup

By The Advocate

The City Council met this week with Jim McKay, the outdoor lighting manager for National Grid, to discuss double utility poles and street light outages. McKay explained that the back up in correcting double poles and streetlight outages involves the fact that poles are partially owned by National Grid and Verizon. National Grid is responsible for setting the poles, while Verizon is responsible for removing them. McKay explained that transferring wires goes in order of the companies and agencies place on the poles. And that takes time.

Councillor-at-Large Joanne McKenna asked that something be done about floating poles that are attached to other poles but several feet off the ground. McKenna said those poles are a safety problem. McKay told councillors they can contact him directly with safety concerns about poles and streetlights.

Councillors were grateful for the discussion, which they had been asking for months.

Zoning Board report

The council voted in favor of granting a 90-day extension for Ardit Kraja’s request for a special permit to reconstruct a preexisting nonconforming structure, a garage, by constructing a two-and-a-half story, two-family dwelling on Lot A Elmwood Street.

Councillors granted a special permit to Andrea Garcia, of Revere, to modify an existing nonconforming structure and use from a tow company to a restaurant at 855 Broadway, Revere.

Congratulations to all

The council voted unanimously to confirm the appointment of Anthony Parziale to the Conservation Commission and the reappointment of Laila Pietri to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board. The reappointment of Sean Bruno as a Constable for the City of Revere was referred to the appointments subcommittee.

Electricity discount

Chief of Planning and Community Development Tom Skwierawski met with the council to explain a new low-income solar program for Revere. Parallel solar energy has been developing large solar arrays throughout the state. The company is required to provide discounts for low-income residents. Parallel is working with Revere Power Choice, the city’s municipal electricity aggregation, which is a kind of group electricity buying program, to determine which households are income eligible for what Skwierawski believes will be a $350 discount on electricity rates.

Council seeks update on eminent domain case

The council supported a motion from Councillors Anthony Cogliandro and Joanne McKenna requesting Mayor Keefe and the city solicitor to meet with the council in executive session and provide an update on the status of the eminent domain court proceedings related to the Wonderland property.

Cryptocurrency concerns

Councillor-at-Large Marc Silvestri requested a public hearing relative to Cryptocurrency ATMs. According to Silvestri, the ATMs are scams that exploit seniors. Silvestri has called for banning the ATMs in Revere.

Parking on Library Street

The council supported Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro’s motion to request the Chief of Police to enforce parking regulations on Library Street and surrounding streets on Sundays between noon and 2 p.m. to address illegal parking.

Televise Site Plan Review

Councillors supported Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro’s motion to explore the cost for RevereTV to televise Site Plan Review meetings as part of their regular meeting coverage. Councillors agreed Site Plan Review is where important information about proposed projects is discussed and having the meetings televised would be extremely helpful.

Brooke DiNuccio

The council supported a motion from Councillor-at-Large Michele Kelley that the council award a Certificate of Merit to Brooke DiNuccio in recognition of her calm, quick thinking, and heroic actions during a recent medical emergency involving her grandfather, where she was able to control severe bleeding following a post-surgical complication until emergency personnel arrived.