By Joan F. Simoneau, Community Reporter
Marlborough – The City Council’s first meeting of the new year Jan. 11 included a variety of proposals to spend and transfer about $14.2 million for several projects and liabilities ranging from street reconstruction to settling a union contract. Leading the requests made by Mayor Arthur Vigeant was $10.7 million for an assortment of projects, and the use of $1 million from the Sligo Hill revolving account to revamp Stevens Playground.
Much of the planned work involves all or part of Lincoln Street, West Hill Road, Hosmer Street, Elm Street and Jefferson Street. An allocation of $650,000 was proposed to purchase and install water meters throughout the city, along with water and sewer work on all or sections of Concord Road, Hollis Street, Donald Lynch Boulevard, and the water tanks on Sligo Hill and Fairmount Hill.
Among the mayor’s requests were a host of transfers, including $1.8 million for city facilities and equipment; $420,000 to settle an insurance case on the city’s behalf; the sum of $123,000 for personal benefits in the fire department; and $131,000 to settle a three-year union contract.
All requests were referred to the Finance Committee, chaired by Michael Ossing, re-elected to lead the committee for 2016. He was elected during the organizational meeting of the council held following inaugural exercises Jan. 4. Edward Clancy was re-elected council president and Joseph Delano, vice president.
Other council committee chairs are: Public Services, Donald Landers; Legislative and Legal Affairs, Kathleen Robey; Wireless Communications, Mark Oram; Public Safety, John Irish; Urban Affairs and Housing, Delano; Human Services, Landers; Veterans’ Affairs, Peter Juaire; Operations and Oversight, Matthew Elder; Open Space, David Doucette; Personnel, Robert Tunnera; and Rules, Clancy.