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Somerville council approves consent agenda, OKs $1.16 million in bills; authorizes counsel review on Cornell Boulevard
Summary
At its Dec. 15 meeting, the Somerville Borough Council approved the consent agenda, authorized payment of $1,160,746.39 in bills and vouchers, heard departmental reports on rescue and fire calls, and noted the borough will engage special legal counsel to review a Cornell Boulevard land‑use matter.
Mayor Brian Gallagher called the Somerville Borough Council to order on Dec. 15 and read the public notice required under the open public meetings law before members conducted roll call and recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
The council unanimously approved the minutes of the Dec. 1 meeting and then moved into routine reports and announcements. Council member Gina Stravik reported, “The Somerville Rescue Squad reports 115 calls for November. So far for December, 48 calls. Sixty‑four patients transported among the 115 calls,” and said the squad’s cadet program is full. Council member Glenn Deny said the Environmental Commission will resume in January and reported the fire department logged 44 calls in November, including 24 alarms and seven elevator rescues, and took part in a large holiday lights parade.
The meeting record shows the borough has authorized the administrator to hire special legal counsel to review a land‑use issue on Cornell Boulevard; the administrator, Kevin, will move forward with that engagement, according to the announcement. The transcript indicates this was reported as an existing authorization rather than introduced as a new motion during the council meeting.
During the public‑comment portion, the council opened the floor but recorded no speakers and closed the public portion by motion and roll call.
On the consent agenda, the council approved items 330–338 by roll call. Items listed in the record included canceling open capital balances (330); authorizing a change order to a landscaping contract (331; amount unclear in the transcript); hiring a scorekeeper for recreation at $18 per game (332); approving final contract closeout payment for a North Auton Avenue reconstruction and drainage project (333; amount unclear in the transcript); directing the Planning Board to examine whether Block 69 should be designated an area in need of redevelopment (334); transferring funds to cover certain 2025 budget line items (335); amending the 2025 holiday schedule to change the observed holiday from Dec. 24 to Dec. 26 (336); affirming appointments to the downtown Somerville Alliance (337); and approving a performance bond release request for Avalon Bay Communities for a CHA project phases one and two (338).
Council member Roger Verum moved to pay bills and vouchers totaling $1,160,746.39; the motion was seconded and approved by roll call with all council members present voting yes.
Before adjourning, Mayor Brian Gallagher offered seasonal wishes to colleagues, saying, “I would just like to wish all of my fellow council members a very merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, and a healthy and happy new year.” A motion to adjourn was made and seconded; the transcript records the motion and call for the vote but does not clearly capture the final roll‑call phrasing in the provided excerpt.
The council scheduled the borough reorganization meeting for Jan. 1 at noon at Somerville Middle School (51 West Cliff Street).
