City Council gives final approval for Fernald loans, wishes luck to WHS hockey teams

The City Council met virtually this Monday, avoiding the snowstorm blanketing Greater Boston, to give final approval to two loans previously requested by Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy, totaling approximately $1.7 million, to contract design services for projects at the former Fernald State School property. These loans will pay for the design of a new Department of Public Works headquarters on the property and a pool at the site’s Howe Building. 

The council also unanimously approved a number of funding items from last week’s Finance Committee, as well as an amendment to its own budgeting timeline and a state lease of city lands for a flood station. It voted to allocate an additional $5000 to buy a new city Zamboni it approved earlier this month; Ward 7 Councilor Paul Katz told the council that the Recreation Department originally asked for this higher amount, but that the mayor had submitted the funding request to the City Council with a typo.

Council members addressed the elephant in the virtual room with updates on the city’s snow plans. Council President and Ward 9 Councilor Robert G. Logan updated attendees about the end of the city’s parking ban, and Ward 1 Councilor Anthony LaFauci clarified that the neighborhood meeting that real estate company BXP Inc. planned to hold for abutters of its proposed development on Winter Street was postponed to next week because of the snow.

LaFauci also encouraged residents to show their support for the Waltham High School boys’ and girls’ varsity hockey teams, who are playing in the first games of their state playoffs at Weymouth and Hingham this week, respectively. 

Additionally, the City Council referred the following items to committee:

• A request of $275,000 to fund engineering studies to replace the deteriorating Farwell Street Bridge. (Finance)
• A request of $9,500 for a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon on Trapelo Road. (Finance)
• A School Department funding request for $564,581 in salary funding for the School Department in response to recent contract renegotiations. (Finance)
• Requests from the Wires and Engineering Departments totalling $13,520.93 for new copy and scanning machines. (Finance)
• An annual permit for local business Charles River Canoe & Kayak to create a temporary dock on the Charles River over the summer. (Licenses and Franchises)
• A used car sales license renewal for JJJ Auto Retailers at 196 High St. (Licenses and Franchises)