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Mayor pitches $93.4M city operating budget By Christopher Roberson
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lthough the city’s financial position remains favorable, Mayor Edward Bettencourt acknowledged that there have been some bumps in the road. He said that for the past year, Peabody has been purchasing water from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) following the three-alarm fire that destroyed the Coolidge Avenue Water Treatment Plant in March 2017. As a result, the city owes $2.5 million to the MWRA. “It’s amazing, the costs,” said Bettencourt as he presented the city’s $93.4 million operating budget during the June 7 meeting of the City Council’s Finance Committee. The school budget will go before the council on June 19. He requested authorization from the state to pay the money back to the MWRA at $250,000 per year for five years.“The state denied our request; they said it wasn’t an emergency,” said Bettencourt. Therefore, he suggested taking $1.2 million from the city’s Stabilization Fund to help cover the cost. The Stabilization Fund would then be replenished at $125,000 per year for 10 years. Bettencourt also proposed taking $300,000 from the salary increase line item, which was originally budgeted at $600,000. The other $300,000 would be combined with the remaining $125,000,
Edward Bettencourt Mayor
which would have been included in the annual MWRA payment of $250,000. Bettencourt said the resulting amount of $425,000 would be transferred to the School Department to assist with a “very difficult school budget year.” Regarding staffing, Bettencourt said he wants a full-time nurse in all of the elementary schools, a full-time farm stand position at Tillie’s Farm, a full-time position in the Human Resources Department and a full-time school resource officer at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School.
In addition, Bettencourt said that Peabody is eligible to receive $10 million from the state and federal governments to reconstruct Central Street starting at the Walnut Street intersection and ending at Wilson Square. He also announced the start of the Route 1 Water Quality Drainage Improvement Project, which is slated to get underway later this year. Bettencourt said that in addition to alleviating drainage problems, the other objective will be to increase water pressure in the homes adjacent to Route 1. This will be accomplished by replacing the current six-inch water mains with 12-inch water mains. Regarding Crystal Lake, Bettencourt said the first phase of the restoration project is complete with 40,000 cubic yards of sediment being removed through dredging. He said the second phase is currently underway and will include the installation of a dock, picnic tables and a spray fountain. Bettencourt touted Peabody’s housing market. “For the fourth year in a row, our average residential home value has increased,”he said, adding that last year property values went up by five percent and an increase of 6.5 percent is expected for this year – “Make no mistake, Peabody is a desirable place to live.”
MAYOR | SEE PAGE 13
Lady Tanners softball earn first playoff win in 10 years
PLAY AT THE PLATE: Peabody’s Makayla Rooney slides into home plate in first inning play during Saturday’s 5-2 playoff victory over Boston Latin. The win marked the Lady Tanners first postseason victory in 10 years. See story and photos on page 6. (Advocate photo by Greg Phipps)
Friday, June 15, 2018
Brodie’s backs out of deal at 1 Main Street By Christopher Roberson
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lthough Michael Votto, owner of Brodie’s Pub, is still planning to move, the establishment’s new home will no longer be in the O’Shea Building at 1 Main St. “I guess, financially, it didn’t make sense; it’s not happening,” said Patrick Todisco, owner of the O’Shea Building, which has been renovated and marketed for mixed-use. Todisco purchased the building in June 2017 for $1.47 million at a foreclosure auction. After Brodie’s decided not to pursue a move to that location, Todisco began receiving phone calls from 15 other establishments vying for the space on the building’s first floor. “We’ve had quite a few people interested,” said Todisco. He said he is currently in negotiations with two of them and will likely have a new tenant in place within the next “30-45” days. In addition, Todisco said the plans for 20 apartment units on the building’s second floor remain on schedule, and the units should be available for occupancy by the second week in September. Todisco said he appreciates the continued support from city officials to fill 1 Main St. “The mayor has been doing a great job down the Square, and the City Council wants it to happen,” he said. While he was “disappointed to learn that Brodie’s is no longer part of the 1 Main St. project,” Mayor Edward Bettencourt said he is still excited about what the future may hold for the O’Shea Building. “The good news is that there are apparently several restaurants interested in that space and in being part of the blossoming restaurant scene on Main Street and downtown Peabody,”he said.“Brodie’s ownership seems committed to remaining in downtown Peabody and is actively seeking a new location.” Like Bettencourt, Councillor-at-Large David Gravel said it was discouraging to discover that the deal had fallen apart. “I
BRODIE’S | FROM PAGE 1