Lowell City Council takes up new, old business

Lowell City Council members, ahead of their Jan. 10, 2023 meeting. From left, Corey Robinson, Paul Ratha Yem, John Leahy, Rita Mercier, Dan Rourke, Mayor Sokhary Chau, Wayne Jenness, Kim Scott, John Drinkwater, Vesna Nuon and Vice Chair Erik Gitschier. (Julia Malakie/Lowell Sun)

LOWELL — Marijuana home delivery, homelessness and tax liens are on Tuesday’s City Council agenda, as well as parking kiosks, the Waste Management contract and housing.

The council is officially on its summer schedule, but due to the cyberattack of April 24 that delayed the presentation and discussion of the proposed fiscal 2024 budget, the biweekly meeting is sandwiched between two special budget meetings.

The June 6 meeting presented the council with the broad outline of a budget that increased property taxes and water, sewer and parking rates. The $549.9 million operating budget, along with a nearly $32 million capital budget, addresses departmental needs across the city. The councilors — and the public — have two weeks to review the 700-plus page document before the public discussion on June 20.

In the meantime, the retail politics of the city marches on.

The 11-member body receives a motion response from City Manager Tom Golden on extra Lowell Police Department patrols at the 24-hour car wash located at 81 Rogers St.

Traditionally, the annual July 4 fireworks program has been held at LeLacheur Park. Due to renovations to the park by UMass Lowell, its new owner, the festivities have been moved to Boarding House Park.

Cultural Affairs & Special Events Director Peter Crewe informs the council that beginning at 5 p.m., there will be “food trucks, street performers from Cirque de Light, bubbles from Bubbles McGee, performances from Tee and the Gents and Xtine and the Intents and music from local DJ BCreativ.” At dark, the fireworks show will begin.

Still under development is the manger’s response to a motion from Councilors Paul Ratha Yem and Corey Robinson for an update on the status of the Youth Commission. Establishing this new commission would bring the total number of boards and commissions in the city to 21, which collectively have more than a dozen vacancies.

According to the city website, which is not updated nor aligned with other portions of the website, some of these advisory bodies, such as the Citizen Advisory Committee, hasn’t met in a year. The committee serves to enhance relations between the community and the Lowell Police Department.

The Board of Health, though fully staffed, hasn’t updated agendas and minutes online since April, and no Lowell TeleMedia Center broadcasts are available despite a council motion in January establishing the televised meetings. The meetings usually take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m. in the Mayor’s Reception Room

The 22-member School Building Committee meets monthly to receive updates and provide oversight on the $381.9 million Lowell High School construction project.

But the committee was plagued by absent members during a critical part of the design phase work. Participation by the committee was notably absent since the 2017 feasibility study until July 2022, when City Manager Tom Golden reconfigured the committee.

Since then, meetings have run monthly, albeit not always with a quorum, and questions have been raised in City Council and the School Committee about the project’s goals and timeline.

Some items are back on the agenda having not been addressed to the council’s satisfaction. A motion from Councilors Wayne Jenness and Robinson again requests Golden to provide an update on the status of the online American Rescue Plan Act dashboard that was previously requested. Lowell’s $79.5 million allocation is to address the social, health and economic impacts of COVID-19.

Another motion by Jenness among the 16 on the agenda requests Golden provide an update on the Waste Management residential trash hauling contract. Trash complaints dominated many council meetings in the 2022 session, and the contract is up for renewal in December.

The City Council meets in the second-floor chambers of City Hall, 375 Merrimack St. on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. To speak at a meeting, contact City Clerk Michael Geary before 4 p.m. the day of the meeting at 978-674-4161 or [email protected].