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Council sends multiple items to staff for study and accepts several grants and conveyance
Summary
The council approved several staff requests directing the city manager to study automated school‑bus cameras, a business‑announcement agenda item, lighting and traffic calming, immigration‑enforcement policy communications and a possible CPA surcharge increase, and accepted grants and a property conveyance.
The Lowell City Council on Tuesday passed a series of motions asking city staff to study or report back on a range of operational and policy issues, and it accepted several grants and a property conveyance.
Among the requests, Councilor Robinson asked the city manager to explore the pros and cons of implementing automated enforcement cameras on school buses under Senate Bill 3005; Robinson summarized provisions he said are in the state law, including that local police would review footage, buses must be clearly marked, vendors may not repurpose data, footage retained up to 30 days for non‑violations and up to one year after case resolution for violations, and annual reporting requirements to the state. The motion passed.
Robinson also successfully moved to ask staff to explore adding a local business announcement section to the council agenda; the city manager reported the communications team had launched two new email newsletters for residents and businesses about an hour before the meeting and said newsletter content could be coordinated with the agenda.
Other staff direction passed on voice votes included requests to: assess lighting on West Sixth and Jewett Street; review the police department's policy and community communications regarding interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; study the feasibility and process for increasing the Community Preservation Act surcharge (including reviewing exemptions); and look into traffic calming on East Merrimack Street.
Councilor Belanger asked for an update on elevator installation and estimated rehabilitation costs at Jeanne d'Arc School; the city manager said an OPM RFP is out and a contract should be in place within about a month. The council asked the manager to assess the roof condition at Pawtucket Memorial School and report repair costs and funding options.
Councilor Scott requested a report on the city's resident service request system (SchoolDude/3‑1‑1), including who signs service requests, expected response time frames, and how reports showing overdue items are generated and monitored; that motion passed.
On formal votes under the consent and ordinance waivers, the council accepted: a $5,000 gift from Champion Drywall to the police department; a $79,100 federal grant (MLCGP) for MIS; an $8,788.89 state grant (MLGP) for MIS; and the conveyance of a portion of 91 Peavey Street to Thompson Family Trust. Those items were adopted on roll call as a package.
Councilors also referred several items for public hearing or planning board review, including an amendment to the fee schedule and a zoning petition for Rivers Edge Road. A motion was moved to enter executive session to consider potential property acquisition and related negotiations and to adjourn from that session.
Several councilors asked staff to prioritize multilingual outreach for upcoming budget sessions and to share meeting notices broadly. The manager said a Budget 101 session for residents is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 6, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at City Hall and that materials and social‑media notices had already been released.
Most motions in this block of council business passed on voice vote; the grants and conveyance were adopted by roll call.
