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Votes at a glance: Rochester City Council approves borrowing, water upgrades, road acceptances and appointments
Summary
At its Feb. 4, 2025 meeting the Rochester City Council approved multiple routine appointments, accepted resignations, adopted borrowing and supplemental appropriation resolutions for public-works projects, added two roads to the FY25 paving program, and scheduled several items for public hearing. Council also held and sealed a nonpublic session.
Rochester City Council on Feb. 4, 2025 approved a package of routine personnel actions, several capital funding resolutions and road acceptances, and scheduled multiple public hearings, the council said during its regular meeting.
The council adopted a resolution authorizing supplemental appropriation and borrowing authority under RSA 33:9 for a receiving facility upgrade (CEPTIS) not to exceed $150,000 and separately adopted a supplemental appropriation to the City of Rochester Water Treatment Plant capital project for hydraulic upgrades in the amount of $4,478,200.
Council members also approved acceptance of Ida Circle and Bovi Lane in the Meadow Court subdivision as city-owned, legislatively classified roads. The Public Works Committee recommended, and the council added Sampson Road and Haven Hill Road to the fiscal year 2025 pavement program.
In personnel business, the council accepted resignations from Josephine Fidelicharo (Planning Board) and Bridal Collins (Zoning Board of Adjustment); approved multiple appointments and reappointments across commissions and boards including parking commission and planning board positions; and elevated and reappointed members to Historic District Commission and other boards.
The council voted to send a letter of support to U.S. senators for proposed federal legislation to address “flushable” wipes labeling, following the Public Works Committee recommendation. The council also scheduled a pilot agreement (G & M 17, 60 Shaw Drive) for public hearing in two weeks.
Finally, the council went into nonpublic session under RSA 91-A (for consultation with legal counsel and other permitted reasons), later voted to seal the nonpublic minutes indefinitely and then adjourned.
Votes at a glance (motion text and outcome): - Approval of minutes (regular meeting): approved (voice vote; “ayes carry”). - Accept resignation: Josephine Fidelicharo, Planning Board — approved (voice vote). - Accept resignation: Bridal Collins, ZBA — approved (voice vote). - Appointments: Michael Scala (Director of Economic Development) — approved (ex officio, Parking Commission). - Appointments: Andrew Swanberry (Deputy Chief of Police) — approved (ex officio, Parking Commission). - Appointments: Seth Crichton (Director of Planning & Development) — approved (ex officio, Parking Commission). - New appointments (Parking Commission): Valerie Dunn (Seat D), Tyler Stebbins (Seat A), Ralph Debonaro (Seat E) — approved (clerk cast ballot per motion). - Planning Board alternate: Kevin Wiley (Seat M) — approved. - Historic District Commission elevation: Brent Vino (Seat B) — approved. - Historic District Commission elevation: Candy Bailey (regular member) — approved. - ZBA reappointment: Matthew Winders (Seat B) — approved. - Rochester Economic Development Commission reappointment: Jonathan Shapley — approved. - Trustees of the Trust Fund reappointment: Brent Johnson — approved. - Planning Board elevation: Zebediah McGill (Seat G) — approved. - Public Works committee: resolution supporting federal wipes-labeling legislation (send mayor’s letter to U.S. senators) — approved. - Public Works committee: accept Hayes Hill Road to be scheduled for public hearing — scheduled for public hearing. - Public Works committee: amend FY25 pavement program to add Sampson Road and Haven Hill Road — approved. - Resolution: supplemental appropriation & borrowing under RSA 33:9 — CEPTIS receiving facility upgrade (≤ $150,000) — adopted (second reading). - Resolution: supplemental appropriation — Water Treatment Plant hydraulic upgrades ($4,478,200) — adopted (second reading). - Acceptance: Ida Circle and Bovi Lane (Meadow Court Subdivision) — adopted (second reading). - Amendment to General Orders Chapter 275-23.2 (relative to chickens) — referred/handled on consent (no separate recorded debate at meeting). - New business: pilot agreement with G & M 17, 60 Shaw Drive — scheduled for public hearing in two weeks. - Nonpublic session invoked under RSA 91-A; minutes sealed indefinitely — approved by roll call vote and minutes sealed.
The actions above were recorded by voice vote unless otherwise noted; the nonpublic session sealing was adopted by roll call. The council did not provide detailed roll-call tallies for the regularly handled consent and appointment items beyond standard “ayes carry” voice votes.
