Page 8 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 2023 REVERE CITY COUNCIL ROUND-UP Councillor questions motor vehicle parking at Wonderland C ouncillor-at-large Dan Rizzo has requested the city solicitor to meet with the city council to discuss the current operations taking place at Wonderland. Rizzo said he received an email saying that could not be discussed at a council meeting because the site is the subject of ongoing litigation. The city acquired the Wonderland site through an eminent domain taking and paid the owner $29 million for the property. However, the owner is not satisfi ed with that amount and has suggested $100 million is a fair price for the site. However, Rizzo was not looking for information about that lawsuit. He said there is a lot of parking taking place at Wonderland and he would like to know how much money is being taken in and where those funds are going. Rizzo also felt it was important for the council to understand what’s taking place at Wonderland because of any potential liability. He said there could be accidents with cars parking there, particularly in the winter, and the council should know what’s happening on the site. Councillors agreed and unanimously supported Rizzo’s request. Project Manager introduces new design plans for new RHS B rian Dakin, senior project manager for the Revere High School project, was at the City Council meeting this week with a set of drawings of the new design for the building on the existing site. Dakin said the design team has been investigating diff erent options for building on the bowtie shaped site. We have been trying to stay away from cost drivers, particularly disrupting a culvert that runs under and diagonally divides the site. Also of concern is the use of fi elds and parklands which have Chapter 97 Conservation Controls, that would require replacement of the green space. The goal is to be on the two fi elds, the baseball diamond and the soccer fi eld next to the highway, said Dakin. Dakin said pulling the design in and building up to fi ve or six stories would keep the building further way from neighbors. And he stated emphatically there is no eminent domain involved or needed for the project. And a little more good news for the neighborhood came when Dakin said there will not be any construction traffic or parking in the residential area. “The cost of the project was weighing on all of our minds,” said Councillor-At-Large Steven Morabito who asked Dakin if there were any cost estimates for the new design. Dakin said if there wasn’t any work involving the culvert and the project didn’t require the use of Erricola Park, the city was probably looking at a share of $300,000 for building with a total cost of something in the low $400,000. The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) is expected to pay the diff erence. Dakin said meetings with the MSBA have been positive and the Authority has worked with the city granting extensions for studies and plans. “They really want to see this school built,” said Dakin. Council President Pro Tempore Joanne McKenna said Dakin would be back with the city council on a monthly basis to provide updates on the project. Council seeks illegal fireworks ban enforcement F ireworks are illegal in Massachusetts and the City Council is looking to make them very illegal in Revere. The city has an ordinance that bans the use of fi reworks in the city. But this week, Councillor Richard Serino proposed amending that ordinance to include stiff er penalties and more enforcement. Serino said fi reworks set off in neighborhoods are a problem for veterans suff ering from PTSD. He also said it disturbs people with pets who are frightened by the noise. And in the city’s neighborhoods which are densely packed with older wooden homes. “We’ve seen a very large increase of people lighting off fi reworks,” said Serino who focused on a group of people who gathered at St. Mary’s parking lot for fi reworks show. Serino said the area was left totally littered with spent fi reworks. Other councillors agreed that streets throughout the city were fi lled with debris from fi reworks. Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novelselsky said police need to patrol and enforce the ordinance and get out and walk if necessary. Councillor At Large Dan Rizzo said the police were already stretched thin but added that putting an ordinance forward was a good start. Council President Pro tempore Joanne McKenna said she stays home on Fourth of July to watch her home, which is an older wooden structure, to ensure no sparks or embers cause a fi re. McKenna proposed a reverse 911 call to residents informing them fi reworks are illegal. Councillors voted to send the proposal to a public hearing. Beat the heat and conserve energy with 5 simple tips from the Sponsors of Mass Save W ith record-high temps nearing 100 degrees across the state all week long, includ ing a heat emergency in Boston, readers could benefi t from a few energy-saving tips to help them stay cool and comfortable amidst the heatwave. Sudden spikes in outside temperature can also trigger an increase in energy use. Luckily, the Sponsors of Mass Save have some simple tips to help you conserve energy while keeping costs down. • Keep humidity levels lower inside with a dehumidifi er! An energy-effi cient model uses 28 percent less energy, saving you energy while keeping your home comfortable. Take advantage of the dehumidifi ers rebate from the Mass Save Sponsors. • Open your windows during the coolest parts of the day (early morning and evening) to naturally cool your home and reduce the amount of time you need to run the AC. • Turn off lights and unplug appliances when they’re not in use to keep rooms cooler and save energy. • Upgrade your home with LEDs for when you do need the lights. Using 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs, ENERGY STAR certifi ed LEDs produce less heat, which can also help keep your home cooler. • Make some summer weatherization upgrades, such as properly sealing air leaks and drafts throughout the house to keep cool air in and warm air out. Heat pumps also pair well with weatherization upgrades to increase the energy effi ciency of your home and are a cleaner, low-carbon way to keep everyone cool on the hottest days. More tips and resources for staying cool and conserving energy can be found on MassSave.com. 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