The most topic was the discussion and subsequent approval of a resolution for the renovation of the Nonatuk Spray Park. The project, which is budgeted at $529,000, is to be partially funded by a grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The council highlighted the park’s importance as a community resource and emphasized the environmental benefits of the proposed renovations. These improvements include a water recapture system designed to promote sustainability and financial efficiency. The resolution allows the mayor to manage the grant application process, and the council clarified that the city would need to initially appropriate the full project cost, with the grant reimbursing half of the expenditures. Despite some concerns about advancing appropriations in a single reading, the urgency of the matter justified the procedure, and the resolution passed without opposition. A motion was also made to move the matter of funding the renovations to the finance committee for further review.

Another major focus of the meeting was the city’s technology and billing processes. The council discussed the management of invoices and subscriptions, noting the importance of directing billing emails to appropriate departmental contacts to prevent issues related to staff turnover. It was revealed that the procurement officer was tasked with compiling a list of subscriptions to avoid missed payments. The only subscription identified as potentially unnecessary was Grammarly from the mayor’s office, which was suggested for cancellation unless deemed necessary by future mayors. The council approved a $598 transfer within the software maintenance budget to cover a missed invoice caused by the vendor sending it to a former staff member. This highlighted the need for updated vendor records to prevent similar issues in the future. Additionally, the council approved a $3,504 appropriation to address other missed payments for legal advertisement and printing expenses, which had the finance committee’s prior endorsement.

The meeting also addressed the process of appointing individuals to city committees. A council member expressed concern about the lengthy wait times for appointees to be recognized during meetings and proposed prioritizing appointments at the start of the agenda. Suggestions were made to allow appointees attending in person to be publicly sworn in by the mayor. The council acknowledged the flexibility in the current system but recognized the benefit of a more structured process. They approved the appointments of Bonnie Mloud to the cultural council and Sarah Slacker to the commission on disability.

The appointment subcommittee emphasized the need for transparency and proposed a civic engagement fair to increase public participation. Plans are in motion to consolidate information about committee functions and the appointment process into a single, accessible document. The subcommittee also considered assigning council members as liaisons to various committees to facilitate better communication and proposed tracking open vacancies to encourage public involvement.

Other topics included the management of outstanding checks by granting the treasurer authority under Massachusetts General Law sections to handle uncashed checks, with the funds reverting to the general fund if unclaimed for a year. An update was provided on a new traffic pattern change scheduled for November 12, and the finance committee’s chair noted the need for additional meeting time to accommodate new business items.

The council also approved a motion for a 90-day extension to review the rescinding of borrowing authorizations for projects and another for reviewing language and traffic rules. The Ordinance Committee reported on the approval of short-term rental zoning ordinance amendments, with a public hearing set for December 3. A motion was made to extend the proposal prohibiting the application of bioolids on municipal property by 30 days, with a public hearing scheduled for November 5.