Feb. 5th 2025 Meeting Minutes

MONTELLO BUSINESS ASSOCIATION MEETING MINUTES FOR Sept 2, 2026 IN ATTENDANCE:: Scott Dwyer President, Greg Belcher Treasurer, Lisa Waitt Belcher Secretary, Fran Fistori, Matt Stanton, Brendan Weeks BFD, Derek Salamone BPD, Capt. Bill Carpenter BPD, Al Davis, Sam Audi Bassam, Jim Doucette, PCDA Tim Cruz, Chief Brenda Perez, DjiDji Monteiro, Gale Lutz-Henrickson and Lee, Dan Trout, Alex Bezanson, Eddie Awon, Jim Stapleton, Vincent Colarusso, Shirley Asack, Rita Mendes. Scott opened with Old Business. Greg announced Treasurer report. Derek Salamone on Police: 15 recruits for police, Brockton residency requirement no longer applies! Hybrid hiring briefly explained, will open up field of applicants with experience. Tim Cruz PCDA: said his office has turnover and needs assistant DAs pay to be attractive to keep help. Federal loan assistance taken away and he made efforts as President of National DA Association to have that help reinstated. He also commiserated with us about the court system lagging and social media causing more challenges. He explained task forces and grants for specific types of crimes and international networks ripping off society in general. Example: shoplifting and returning for cash. Human trafficking, drugs, guns; keeping good rapport with D.O.J. despite strained resources. Chief Perez: Captain Carpenter now Captain of Operations. Cleanup of homeless areas, community policing, neighborhood resources, crime reduction unit, traffic shifts, graffiti downtown, all offices now on West Elm in new station. 33 openings currently for personnel gaps. Captain Carpenter: actively addressed car hookups, they are nothing new but getting bigger and more violent; proactive policing: Strategic Crime Reduction Unit; hoping to have backup of 12 to 14 units including MBTA using cameras to i.d. license plates. Trying to charge and avoid dismissal in court; at least inconvenience them. Kratom ban to be enforced in Brockton. The car meetups’ concern is gun violence and SCRU has arrested perpetrators. Call police station non-emergency line for parking issues. Dave Lynch asking for number or webpage to be able to report repeated non-emergency issues like see-click-fix as opposed to calling 911 and being recorded. Maybe text-a-tip line. WCarpenter@BrocktonPolice.com is the Captain’s email. Brendan Weeks updated Warren Ave. progress on becoming 2-way and it will be done soon. Truck accessibility from station being addressed by removing corner obstacles. New ordinance for repair shops out of 176 about 20% causing the problems. Jim Doucette added 370 and 380 North Montello Street going to court for the truck parking and they are being removed. September 17 at 1 p.m. at Shaw’s Center meeting to understand the new ordinance for engineered plans for parking lots. Several addresses have been issued violation notices. Digital platform will be available to departments to have access to the plans per address at all times. April 30, 2027 deadline to comply. Only one up to 6000 lb. commercial vehicle per address only on paved area; only one unregistered OPERABLE vehicle per address. Food trucks brought up, need balance between over- and under-regulation. Shipping containers on private property allowed only 75 days out of the year. Tire storage excess being addressed and removed. Shirley Asack announced the Oak St. repaving. Speed bumps brought up, not practical. Old Stop n Shop space slowly being moved forward and Daily Stop from RI needs to rent some space to others and they want a beer and wine license but that might already be maxed out from the city. Tobacco licenses disappear if a vendor closes their business. The city has to find a balance to keep businesses here in the city. Win Farwell shared via Greg: lots of city managers leaving, need to get qualified people to apply. Rita Mendes said Brockton residents are more conservative than we realize; overly progressive candidates will not fare well here. Rita is on the elections committee at the State House. Recess at state house enables legislators to be in the community at this time of the year; now is the time to speak up. Also don’t wait until after a vote to voice concerns to the legislators. Bills will die out at the end of the year and need to get refiled after the new session begins. Register on the state website so you know what actions are happening on the bills that you flag. DjiDji introduced herself and her hairstyling business at 821 North Main St. Matt Stanton for SOAP thanked donors for the gala donations over the summer. Also their upcoming activities are announced for the positivity of the students. Project manager Kevin Sullivan for new BHS proposed building brought up. Meeting adjourned at 7:28 p.m.

Date: Sept 2, 2026 meeting at Tinray's 6 PM Guest Speaker : Tim Cruise City Clerk

MONTELLO BUSINESS ASSOCIATION MEETING MINUTES FOR June 3, 2026 IN ATTENDANCE:: Scott Dwyer President, Greg Belcher Treasurer, Lisa Waitt Belcher Secretary, Fran Fistori, Councilor Win Farwell, Phil Nessralla, Matt Stanton, Brendan Weeks BFD, Derek Salamone BPD, Gale Lutz-Henrickson and Lee, Dan Trout, Alex Bezanson, Jim Doucette, Al Davis, Sam Audi Bassam, Councilor Phil Griffin, Vincent Colarusso, Jay McLaughlin, Hon. Frank Crimmins, Jim Stapleton. Scott opened with Old Business. Greg announced Treasurer report. Jim Doucette: cleanup of underpass situation has began after contacting the owner [under a bridge off Montello St. across from Woodward Spring with cars and boats blocking the city street] Also East Ashland and Montello corner aware and in process to take over [abandoned and vacant brick building under receivership process] Big trucks over 6000 lbs. need to be on paved surfaces [will add V lot in front of St. Edith Stein] 38 Locust St., 863 N. Main St. vacant abandoned property Greg mentioned, 63 Oak St. working on multiple unregistered vehicles; Jim said he has a list from the city and can add to it. Revision of city repair business ordinances is being worked on and includes enforcement consequences. City Clerk can suspend license; Council can revoke licenses. Parking plan will be required to present to Clerk’s office. 6 month compliance to present plans; any state laws can be enforced immediately. Brendan Weeks: updated Warren Ave. progress on becoming 2-way and it will be done soon. Building progress on long-stalled out of business buildings like in the Village the Lit and the Sandara. Fire department can handle going up 105 feet and for the high-rise we can handle what the city has. Alex Bezanson: looking for illegal apartments, stopped illegal operation on corner of Ames and North Main tattoo/gambling/etc. building, vehicles on lawns, Carl Ave. truck and trailer example going to fine and go to court as needed. Win Farwell: begging us to keep an eye on city finances, said pay attention, provided handout, does not want to see us get in worse shape financially; we will have no reserve soon; marijuana tax only $1.9 million and estimated to be lower next year to maybe $1.5 million; Win wants to eliminate residency requirement for police; will not vote to approve department heads unless truly qualified for the job; not enough accountability and efficiency; the recent “mistaken” billing is an example for the refuse increase. The holdup of the land for the Boys and Girls Club project being held up by the school committee unreasonably after thorough plans and surveying have been done is embarrassing. June 8,9,10 keep an eye on public meetings. Greg brought up issues about new high school and its cost implications, form based code for Montello MBTA area not really feasible, motorcycle violations, missing or downed street signs, capabilities of height for fire department. Derek Salamone: new emergency Warren Ave. building is gradually being activated. Police academy: 1 graduate in June, 9 going to start in July, cannot speak about the residency issue. 15 hired out of 96 fyi. Illegal motorcycle activity, becomes safety risk for those people. Crime suppression operations are happening which is good and includes other entities like state police and sheriff’s department. Street signs should be replaced by a new hire reasonably soon. Phil Griffin: reinforced budget issues, we are in critical financial condition, city planner interim qualifications questioned, Phil brought in Attorney Burke to recent meeting to explain his professional opinion with regards to the city planning projections. Promoted Hon. Frank Crimmins for Governor’s Council in his district. Matt Stanton reminded about the Gala June 20th at Shaw’s Center for South Middle School. Greg posted the Snow Clock garden photo on our site. Meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m.

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Date: June 3, 2026 meeting at Tinray's 6 PM