THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2021 Page 5 Resident, councillors spar over City Council procedures By Adam Swift I t was the kind of City Council exchange you can’t get on Zoom when Thorndike Street resident Wayne Rose squared off with several councillors over a proposed ordinance he presented. It ended with Rose and several councillors shouting over each other and one audience member storming out, slamming the City Council Chamber doors and knocking the clock off the wall as City Council President Anthony Zambuto restored order. Rose proposed an ordinance which would give the City Council the right to repeal any municipal board or commission member by a majority vote. Zambuto and several councillors noted that this is a power the council isn’t allowed under Massachusetts General Laws. “I hear many sitting council members talk about checks and balances, yet we have no mechanisms to remove anyone from any of these commissions or committees, so I am asking that you would fi le an appropriate ordinance to address this,” said Rose last Monday night. He said Councillor-at-Large George Rotondo fi led a motion giving the council some of those powers in the Legislative Affairs Subcommittee chaired by Councillor-at-Large Steven Morabito that sat in committee. Rose also criticized how that and other motions go into subcommittee and sometimes never get reported out. “On that particular motion, actually, I had surgery and wasn’t able to go forward with the motion,” said Rotondo. “But Councillor Morabito made a very poignant statement of fact that if you do for one you have to do for all, and so to leave it in committee and let it die was the appropriate thing to do. To single out any one group is incorrect … the question is, what is the litmus test and who decides?” Rose asked if anyone did a criminal background check or vetted the appointees to the city’s boards and commissions. “People go onto these committees; no one knows anything about them; they’re just appointed. You people vote on them; you don’t vet them; you don’t CORI [Criminal Off ender Record Information] them,” said Rose. “So what’s going on? Why can’t we have a balance here?” Zambuto said that what Rose was requesting was not possible by the means he was asking to do it. “This can’t be done in an ordinance,” said Zambuto. “This is Mass. General Law. I J& $45 yd. S LANDSCAPE & MASONRY CO. MULCH SALE! Discount Spring Special PICK-UP or DELIVERY AVAILABLE 617-389-1490 Premium Hemlock or Pitch Black BELOW WHOLESALE COSTS LANDSCAPERS WELCOME $4 yd. $40 yd. $3 yd. Gerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? The city’s maintenance staff repairing the clock that was knocked off the wall of the City Council Chambers. (Advocate photo by Adam Swift) would suggest …” “Can you quote the law for me please?” Rose asked. “I would suggest …” said Zambuto. “Can you quote the law for me, please? I’m asking you to quote the law,” Rose said. “Can I see it? I would love to see it. Do you have it in front of you?” “I don’t have it in front of me,” said Zambuto. “Or are you just going to say you have it?” said Rose. “I don’t have it in front of me,” said Zambuto. “Then it’s not here,” said Rose. “Listen,” said Zambuto. “I’ll stake my reputation on it.” Zambuto said the appointees are made by the mayor and approved by the council, and that the council has no recourse to remove the appointees. Rose then began talking over Morabito as Morabito began explaining the process for appointing board and commission members. “In these council chambers, we speak to each other with respect,” said Morabito. “Then lower your tone, please, if you are going to respect me,” said Rose. Zambuto eventually ruled that the motion by Rose would be placed on fi le and not moved forward to subcommittee. As another resident was addressing the council on the subject after Rose spoke, another audience member stormed out, slamming the chamber doors and bringing down the clock. “I guess we need a new clock,” said Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna. Councillor-at-Large Jessica Ann Giannino said it was one of the most embarrassing moments she has ever experienced in the City Council Chambers. If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657
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