Ward 1 Newsletter (05/23/24): Municipal budget
Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra presented to the City Council on May 16 a $136,903,512 budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, an increase of $4,590,520 or about 3.45 percent from this year. The budget includes $39,673,835 for the School Department, up by about $1.9 million from this year's total appropriation, [...]
Ward 1 Newsletter (05/04/24): Gateway District zoning change approved
The City Council on Thursday unanimously approved a zoning amendment to ban motor vehicle sales as part of future developments in the Central Business-Gateway Districts on King Street and Pleasant Street. Auto dealerships had been allowed in those districts if a special permit was approved by the Planning Board. The [...]
Ward 1 Newsletter (04/29/24): Gateway District zoning amendment
A proposed zoning amendment to ban motor vehicle sales in the Central Business-Gateway District failed to receive a positive recommendation from either the City Council's Committee on Legislative Matters or the Planning Board following a 2-hour, 15-minute public hearing on April 11. Legislative Matters Chair Marissa Elkins and Vice Chair [...]
Ward 1 Newsletter (04/10/24): Norwottuck Rail Trail detour
The Norwottuck Rail Trail crossing at Damon Road will be closed from Monday, April 8, through Friday, April 12, while the Massachusetts Department of Transportation installs concrete wheelchair ramps. Bicyclists and pedestrians will be detoured next week via the sidewalk and rail trail parking lot to the existing crosswalk near [...]
Ward 1 Newsletter (03/23/24): Water and sewer rates unchanged
Water and sewer rates will remain the same in fiscal year 2025 that begins July 1, Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra informed the City Council on Thursday. Both the base rate charge and the consumption rate will not change for owners of homes and businesses. This comes a year after the City [...]
Ward 1 Newsletter (03/09/24): Memorial Hall emergency repairs
The City Council on Thursday unanimously approved spending $426,218 from the city's general stabilization fund for emergency repairs to Memorial Hall where plaster recently fell from the ceiling in the Veterans Services Department and chunks of granite and brick fell near the west side entrance beside Pulaski Park, which is [...]