Board of Aldermen 11-09-2021 Page 22
PERIOD FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
Laurie Ortolano — 41 Berkeley Street
Good evening. A couple of things. | listened to the sick leave policy that you adopted tonight or as an incentive to get
people vaccinated and I'm just curious to know if that's a violation of any of the union contracts to specify that they can't use
their sick leave if they catch COVID and are not vaccinated. Also, | think it would have been good if the city had recognized
another thing and that is if an employee has a letter from a doctor that says they've had COVID, that that would be
recognized as well. So if they had natural immunity, it would be recognized and they would be able to use their sick leave if
they caught it a second time. | think that's reasonable. | don't know why we don't give any credit to natural immunity
because they do if you go into Europe now. You can get into a country with a vaccine card or a note from a doctor that
you've had COVID.
Also, | think the bonding for the DPW facility, I'd like you to pay attention to that because it looks like we're approving money
that’s going to the Budget Committee that now takes the project up over $17 million. | have followed along with that project
and what | heard was approved was 15. There's another couple million that got slipped in there and I'd like to understand
why that happened or what that money is used for and I'll pay attention to that when it goes to the budget meeting.
Also, | believe the next meeting you're going to have a discussion about assessments. | think it was due on the agenda for
the second meeting of November and to talk about the shift between commercial and residential properties to try and give us
an idea of what's going to happen next year. | would also ask the Board to pay attention to looking at the elderly exemption
ahead of time and not wait until next year like we did the last time. Our property increases on average were about 23% but
this year coming up in the following year, | think you're going to see increases that are closer to 40 - 45% and that will be
devastating for those folks who are receiving the exemption. They're not going to be able to hold on if you can only cover for
50% of it like you did the last time. So | think that's really important.
Anyway, there was one other thing but | didn't write it down and it slipped my mind and there's still 30 seconds left so I'm
yielding it back to you. Thank you.
President Wilshire
Thank you. Anyone else from the public? Seeing no one. Before | get into remarks by the Board, | would like to - we have
someone who's - oh, Jonathan Cathey.
Johnathan Cathey
Yes, hi, can you hear me?
President Wilshire
Yes.
Johnathan Cathey
Okay. I'd like to make a comment on the sick leave.
President Wilshire
Name and address for the record please.
Johnathan Cathey
Oh, sorry. Johnathan Cathey, 32 Hartwell Brook Drive. Alderman elect for Ward 7. I'd like to comment on the sick leave
policy. Do we know was it vetted through Equal Opportunity rules because from what | understand, that would be a violation
of equal opportunity because you're not supposed to give employees incentives that are of value or have a certain amount of
value in two sick days would obviously be two days of value for work that they're getting for getting the vaccine. | didn't know
if that would open us up to potential employment lawsuits or something of that nature. | don't know if that was talked about in
committee. I'm not aware of that if it was. That's cool. | just wasn't aware if that had happened. If not, personally | think that
it's not a great policy. | think it's unwise because you're basically bribing people to get the vaccine if they don't feel
comfortable with it and then you're also telling other people that if they don't get the vaccine and they get sick, that they're
