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Votes at a glance: grants, appointments and procedural measures approved Feb. 18
Summary
At its Feb. 18 meeting the Lowell City Council approved a series of grants, appointments and procedural measures, including authorizations tied to EPA brownfields grants and a state ecological‑restoration grant application.
The Lowell City Council, meeting Feb. 18, took votes on several administrative and grant matters, appointments and orders. Most measures were approved with limited discussion. Key items passed or advanced include:
- EPA brownfields grants: The council authorized the city manager to approve contract extensions for consultant services under the EPA brownfields assessment and cleanup grants. The manager explained federal grant start dates required retroactive reimbursement for work beginning in October 2024. The measure passed by roll call.
- Division of Ecological Restoration grant: The council authorized the city manager to apply for, accept and expend a preliminary design services award from the state Division of Ecological Restoration through the Department of Planning and Development; the vote passed by roll call.
- Historic Board appointment: The council confirmed the appointment of Lucia Walker to the Historic Board by roll call.
- Wireless small cell facility: The council approved installation of one wireless small cell facility on an existing pole near 11 Crowley Street (DBA AT&T) after the wiring inspection subcommittee report.
- Wage‑theft bylaw: The council gave first reading to an order to create a new Chapter 268 (wage theft) and scheduled a public hearing for March 4, 2025, at 7 p.m.
- Other routine approvals: The council approved various motions requesting updates from the city manager — including reports on MBTA property cleanup in the Middlesex Street/Merrimack River area, information regarding property located at 475–477 Vonna Mav, maintenance responsibility for walkways in front of businesses, and a DPW divisional responsibilities chart — and approved the city manager’s authority to approve certain EPA brownfields contracts.
Where specified, roll-call tallies were recorded on the record; most items passed by the simple majority required for municipal actions.
