Board of Aldermen Page 2
May 10, 2016
the budget maintains a current rate of services, particularly with schools and police and focusses on trying to
enhance our parks system and yet still remains under the spending cap.
| wanted mention the appointments that we have tonight. We have a lot of good people appointed for many
different Boards and Commissions, the Art's Commission, the Conservation Commission, the Cultural
Connections Committee, the Personal Advisory Board and the Zoning Board of Adjustment. | and everyone on
the Board of Aldermen appreciates of the efforts which all of the members of the volunteer Boards put in and
we really appreciate your commitment to the city and without you city government could not operate.
| wanted to specifically mention two of those people, first Tim Cummings for Economic Development Director;
this is a very important position in city government. Mr. Cummings has appeared before the Personnel &
Administrative Affairs Committee and | think he answered their questions and discussed the issues very
capably. He is currently the Economic Development Director in Marlborough, MA where he has had a highly
successful record in attracting jobs and employers and filling empty warehouse and office space and | think he
will do a very good job for the city. He was unanimously recommended by the committee. He has already
spoken with a number of the Aldermen.
| also wanted to mention the appointment of Bill Parker for the Conservation Commission. At the hearing
before the Personnel & Administrative Affairs Committee he was recommended but he was asked whether he
attended a meeting of the Conservation Commission up to that time and his answer was no. That is not his
fault, he’s someone with landscape expertise and | was so enthusiastic about getting someone with that
expertise on that Commission that | didn’t ask him to go through a lot before | appointed him. Mr. Parker would
like to attend a meeting and meet with Roger Houston and possibly talk with Mike Gallagher who is the chair of
the commission before he is voted on. In his case, | would ask that the next meeting of the Conservation
Commission is June 7 and | would ask that the Board table that appointment until your first meeting in June
and take up the appointment of Mr. Parker then.
RESPONSE TO REMARKS OF THE MAYOR
Alderman Lopez
I’d like to thank the Mayor for making Heritage Trail a priority. | had expressed concerns about it during his last
comments and he answered those concerns and | think he is doing the best he can to get it resolved as quickly
as possible. | also appreciate the approach to Mr. Parker’s nomination. | voted in favor of it because | don’t
want to discourage anybody who is interested in serving the city but | think a very valid point was raised that if
you are going to serve the city you should know what you are getting into first.
RECOGNITION PERIOD
R-16-032
Endorsers: Mayor Jim Donchess
Board of Aldermen
RECOGNIZING AND CONGRATULATING ROB HOLLAND
Given its first reading;
MOTION BY ALDERMAN SCHONEMAN THAT THE RULES BE SO FAR SUSPENDED AS TO ALLOW
FOR THE SECOND READING OF R-16-032
MOTION CARRIED
Resolution R-16-032 given its second reading;
MOTION BY ALDERMAN SCHONEMAN FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF R-16-032
MOTION CARRIED
Resolution R-16-032 declared duly adopted.
