City of Brockton Inauguration Ceremony, Jan. 2, 2012
BROCKTON — When will the city become more aggressive in attracting business? When will the mayor’s office provide its roadmap for development? What will become of the now-empty Campanelli Stadium? Those are some of the questions city councilors want Mayor Linda Balzotti to answer when she gives her inauguration speech Monday morning at City Hall.
The same city council sworn-in two years ago will take the oath again, and hear from Balzotti about her goals for her second term.
The seven ward councilors, four at-large councilors and the mayor will be sworn-in at 10 a.m. Monday in the City Council chambers, marking the start of a new legislative term. But with Balzotti entering her second term, councilors are expecting more action on several fronts – most notably city development.
Ward 1 Councilor Tim Cruise said it’s time for the mayor and council to focus on bringing businesses to Brockton.
“We spent a lot of time in the past year on the water issue and the power plant. I think the water issue has been worked through. The power plant is going to end up in the hands of the court, so we need to get more aggressive in attracting more businesses,” he said.
Cruise said he wants to streamline permitting and make it easier for people to start a business in the city. He also wants to reinstate planning and economic development as city offices.
Councilor-at-large Jass Stewart wants to hear about Balzotti’s plans to create jobs in the new year.
But he’s not convinced yet about bringing planning and economic development back to City Hall. “If it’s a new bureaucracy we need to get the job done, I’m for it,” Stewart said. “If it’s additional funding within the existing structure, I’m for that. But there needs to be a roadmap in place. If we have a planning department in place, we spend more money, but don’t see results. I don’t think the taxpayers would support that either.” Restoring the planning office has been a priority for several years of Councilor-at-large Tom Brophy, who takes over this year as council president.
He also wants to expand the police foot patrols downtown that were introduced in September.
“I talked to the mayor about using grant money ...,” Brophy said. “Last year they put foot patrols downtown – she’s in agreement to put foot patrols in the Montello and Campello (neighborhoods).” Ward 3 Councilor Dennis Eaniri said he’ll be paying close attention to Campanelli Stadium and its sole tenant, the Brockton Rox, which recently announced that they won’t be playing baseball in the Canadian-American League this year, but instead will be pursuing at least a one-year membership in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League of New England.
Eaniri wants to hear from Balzotti, Rox CEO Chris Carminucci, Brockton Chief Financial Officer John Condon, Brockton 21st Century Corp. Executive Director Mary Waldron and B-21 Chairman Joe Casey on negotiations between the city, B-21 and the team.
“(The stadium) is our asset. We need to do what we’ve got to do to protect that asset,” Eaniri said. “We can’t afford to have a facility vacant for a year with nothing happening.” Fixing the city’s roads, particularly sinking manholes, is a priority for Ward 5 Councilor Dennis DeNapoli.
“We just did East Ashland Street five years ago, and if you drive down East Ashland today, all the manhole covers are sinking,” he said. “There’s got to be a better way to fix it.” Councilor-at-large Todd Petti said he will continue to press for a renegotiation of the city’s sewer contract with Stonehill College, which he said would result in “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in more revenue for Brockton.
Councilor-at-large Robert Sullivan said he is hoping the council and the mayor can make progress on cutting costs, including the renegotiation of the city’s union contracts, with a particular focus on cutting health care insurance costs.
Ward 4 Councilor Paul Studenski said he too wants to see more businesses come to Brockton, but said the biggest thing he wants to hear Monday is just some good news – any good news.
“Anything,” he said. “That money is better than we expected. That the projected weather forecast is no snow again, ever.” Mayor Balzotti and councilors Michelle DuBois, Tom Monahan and Chris MacMillan did not return calls Friday from The Enterprise.
Erik Potter may be reached at epotter@enterprisenews.com.
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