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CIGAR 170 REVERE ST., REVERE (781) 289-4959 he City Council began a three-night marathon review of Mayor Patrick Keefe’s FY2024/2025 city budget proposal on Monday night. Department heads met with city councillors to describe accomplishments and answer questions about the requested amount of money needed for each department. There were no signifi cant disputes or questions about department spending, only questions about reorganization and the use of grant funding to fi ll positions on which the city and School Department now depend. City CFO Richard Viscay kicked things off with some big picture facts and figures. “We are presenting a budget with $294,679,700 in revenue and $294,679,700 in expenditures. This is a balanced, responsible budget with reasonable estimates. I encourage you to vote the budget as submitted,” Viscay Celebrating Our 52nd Year Chris 2024 CFO presents $294M FY25 city budget proposal to City Council School Supt. Dianne Kelly presents $150M school budget By Barbara Taormina told the council. Viscay ran through the city’s major streams of revenue. Property taxes bring in $120 million while the city collects $22 million in local receipts, excise tax, hotel room tax and meals taxes. Revere will receive $117 million in state aid, or cherry sheet funding, $102.1 million of which goes to city schools. Tom Skwierawski, chief of Planning and Community Development, was the fi rst to talk about his department’s accomplishments, which included zoning that put the city in compliance with the MBTA’s Communities Act, new zoning for childcare, 100 project reviews and $14 million in grants. Skwierawski said his department would continue to search for new federal and state grant opportunities and a grant writer will be brought on board. He also mentioned cannabis as a potential resource. Several city councillors asked about staff being paid through grants and ARPA funding, federal aid granted to states in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Skwierawski, like other department heads, said those staff members are being gradually included in the regular budget. “I hope the grant writer position pays for itself,” said Councillor-at-Large Anthony Zambuto. “We’re on a ridiculously tight schedule. We’re talking debt exclusion and that scares me and the taxpayers.” City Solicitor Paul Capizzi explained his department’s need for $250,000 in outside legal services. Capizzi said there’s no way to know when the money will be needed. In cases that involve a legal specialty, such as eminent domain, the city will hire an expert in the fi eld. Councillor-at-Large Michelle Kelley asked Capizzi if he expects an increase in litigation in 2025. Capizzi wasn’t sure but he did say the cost of legal services FY25 | SEE Page 4 Ways & Means Subcommittee Approves FY25 Budget By Barbara Taormina A fter three nights of grilling department heads on details of city services, the City Council Ways & Means Subcommittee voted to refer the 2025 budget proposal to the Committee of the Whole which meets on June 24. Wednesday night’s hearing included presentations from the big-ticket departments, Police, Fire and Public Works. Fire Chief Chris Bright described the new equipment in the pipeline for the Revere department. He also mentioned the need for improvements and upgrades at the Freeman Street Station. Several councillors wanted to know if the department was able to handle fi res from electric vehicles which Council President Cogliandro said can burn under water. Bright said the EV’s are a concern that’s being looked at. The Public Works presentation was divided into slices and councillors had no questions until the Highway and Signs presentation. Self-proclaimed sign king, Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky asked about missing veterans signs and worn and dangling street signs which DPW Superintendent Chris Ciaramella said are getting attention. Ciaramella also said more tree work is planned and the department continues to search for a solution to the drainage problem at McMackin fi eld. Police Chief David Callahan said the police department has “replenished the patrol force and hopes to hire seven to ten new offi cers this year. “It takes a long time,” said Callahan who added fi ve candidates are now at the police academy and he expects them to come to Revere in six months. Callahan said the Behavioral Health Unit has been successful in dealing with the surge of mental health related problems seen over recent years. And he said officers have received a lot of training, such as anti-bias training that teaches them to think diff erently and to interact with residents. Although this was a budget hearing, there was little actual talk about money, and no highlighted fi gures or numbers. Instead, councillors repeatedly expressed appreciation and support for city workers. Committee Chairman Councillor Marc Silvestri called the fi re department a class act with top notch crew. Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky praised everyone, police, fi re fi ghters, inspectors, parking offi cers, crossing guards, for the work they do for the city.
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