Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: How are you today, Mayor?
[00:00:01] Speaker B: Doing fine, Joe. Sun is out. Supposed to get a little above 30.
[00:00:04] Speaker A: We, we might actually have a little melting today.
[00:00:07] Speaker B: We'll take it.
[00:00:10] Speaker A: Not going to be anytime quick, that's for sure.
[00:00:13] Speaker B: Great, great.
[00:00:14] Speaker A: And it's going to refreeze every night, so there's that too.
[00:00:18] Speaker B: And get real cold again, I guess over the weekend.
[00:00:20] Speaker A: This weekend is looking bitter.
[00:00:22] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:00:22] Speaker A: Again, so far it's like the old fashioned ones we used to have. We were kids. Exactly.
[00:00:28] Speaker B: That's true. Yeah.
When you walk to school uphill both.
[00:00:32] Speaker A: Ways in the snow, barefoot, with holes in your gloves. Right?
[00:00:38] Speaker B: That's right. If you had gloves.
[00:00:40] Speaker A: That's right.
Every time we tell the story, it gets a little worse.
How are, speaking of, how is the snow removal effort going in the city?
[00:00:52] Speaker B: I mean, it's going pretty well. I mean, as I think most people know, we're a pretty dense city. There's not a lot of room to push the snow.
You know, the streets are tight, side streets are tight. So we've, you know, since the storm and I think overall the guys work very hard in getting through the storm and I think that we did a pretty good job. But the issue is always, okay, what about the commerce areas near the T station, bus stops around the schools?
So we've been chipping away. We've got a nighttime operation going on for several days.
We have an enormous mountain of snow down at the shipyard. Dan Quirk has graciously provided some space for us to do just this.
You know, we have dozers and loaders pushing it up and pushing it higher and higher so to try to save some space.
But you know, we've been chipping away at it. You know, the first priority of course is schools. When we first following the snowfall and the plowing we hit all around the school areas, the bus stop areas, the drop off areas, try to make it as safe as possible.
And then of course from there we branch out into other areas that may be school related and then of course tea related and commerce areas. You know, some of the business districts, the corners where the crosswalks are and you know, we get, you know, people that call in, we work with the councils, people that call in and we chip away at other areas. You know, we did around the funeral homes, for example.
You know, we need, to, need to help people when they're going through such a difficult time. So you know, Elgarazios, the commissioner and superintendent Prenderville and the gang, they do a hell of a job and it's going to be an expensive, it certainly is an expensive storm, and we're just trying to make it as safe as we can for people.
[00:02:47] Speaker A: Yeah. Some concerns raised at the council meeting last night about sidewalks. Is there a particular focus on trying to clear sidewalks?
[00:02:55] Speaker B: Well, we, we, we punched through about 90 miles of sidewalk, and that goes with some of the commerce areas, but mainly the school roads. So we, we can't, you know, we can't do every sidewalk, we can't do every house, we can't do every corner. That's absurd.
You know, and I understand that not everyone can shovel or move the snow with this kind of, obviously with this kind of volume, particularly the elderly and so forth. So we hope that neighbors help out. And I know my neighbor, we got a guy who, he has the snowblower and he goes up and down the street and helps everybody out.
It's just, we respond when we, you know, requests come in. We try to help people, but the notion that we could do every sidewalk is just not feasible.
And, you know, then you get into the question, okay, should we be fining people for not shoveling their walk? And, you know, I think there's some validity to that, perhaps with some of the commercial residential buildings where it's a for profit entity, more so than just somebody living there. But then when you get into the family homes, when, you know, people are in a position, they just can't do it.
I also know it's hard to get shovels today.
You know, kids don't do that like we used to do. It would shovel for days to make some money. I remember.
So we do the best we can. We'll certainly work with the council on their desires and wishes and we'll figure it all out.
[00:04:25] Speaker A: Yeah. Speaking of cost, any price tag yet?
[00:04:30] Speaker B: I think the storm itself was probably a million dollars, and subsequent to that, I'm not sure. Probably we probably spend 250 or 300,000 a night. When you do a removal, you've got lots of vehicles, lots of trucks and loaders and things to make it happen. And so, you know, we're looking at some other funding sources, perhaps some federal money on a portion of it and, you know, do the best we can.
[00:04:56] Speaker A: Yeah. Does that, does that blow the snow removal budget for the, for the season?
[00:05:00] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, we, we haven't had, you know, tough snow in a few years, so we actually reduced the budget a little bit this year. So it is one of those items under state law, as you're well aware, Joe, that, you know, we're allowed to overspend and then we figure it out at the end of the year. And if we have to put it with the tax rate, we do it at that point. There's two. Two things under the law. One is judgments, you know, there's a bad judgment against the city. And two is no costs, no removal costs.
Both can be rolled into the tax rate. So we will never sacrifice safety, you know, to save a buck.
So, again, I think we've done a pretty decent job overall.
[00:05:40] Speaker A: Has it impacted the move into the new public safety complex at all?
[00:05:44] Speaker B: No, it really hasn't. No.
They're almost completely moved in.
Still working through the contractor was still working through the punch list. It's, you know, the list of things that aren't quite right yet. Gotta figure that out. That happens with every project, but most everybody's moved in. I don't believe they've switched over the 911 yet.
I know there's. There's a lot of work to that and, you know, gotta get that right.
[00:06:13] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:06:13] Speaker B: So I don't know what the date is on that one, but it'll be. We'll. Milton's our backup. We'll be working with them on that and hopefully everything will go smoothly.
[00:06:23] Speaker A: Yeah, spoke with the chief about that. He has a detailed plan in place. So there'll be uninterrupted service for sure.
[00:06:28] Speaker B: I am sure he does.
[00:06:29] Speaker A: Yeah, he does. No question.
[00:06:32] Speaker B: He's a good man.
[00:06:34] Speaker A: Speaking of development, I was curious about the D.J. mcKinnon development at the Ross parking area, Mayor, how that's coming along.
Wondering where Trader Joe's is.
[00:06:45] Speaker B: I haven't checked in on what. You know, what this weather does, certainly. This steep cold and what the snow does. But the project continues to move forward.
There may be some delays in construction, again because of the weather, but the project will continue to move forward.
[00:07:02] Speaker A: Is it still a specialty grocer coming there?
[00:07:05] Speaker B: Absolutely. Still a specialty grocery, maybe Trader Joe's, who knows?
[00:07:11] Speaker A: Okay, all eyes are watching.
[00:07:15] Speaker B: Indeed you are. Somebody asked me the other day, you know, I haven't really paid attention, but what are those garages for?
It doesn't explain the projects. Oh, okay. I get it. Yeah.
[00:07:28] Speaker A: All of a sudden things pop up and you're saying, where'd that come from? Exactly.
[00:07:31] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:07:32] Speaker A: I'm sure you're putting the finishing touches on your state of the city coming up Monday night, 7pm at Quincy High School, right?
[00:07:40] Speaker B: I wouldn't be sure. I'm doing the finishing touches. I'm trying to get underway, Joe, trying.
[00:07:44] Speaker A: To give you the benefit.
[00:07:46] Speaker B: I'm A last minute cabbage. Yeah, we're at Quincy high on the 9th and 7 o' clock p.m.
we'll have.
It'll be a good evening.
We got some guest speakers including Emily Lebo, just finished her terms on the school committee.
We've got Ed o', Kelly, the president of the International Firefighters.
He'll be with us with a few words. The lieutenant governor is going to be with us to share a few words, Michael Blotti with the master ceremonies and we'll have some, you know, the national anthem and a couple of prayers and certainly we'll have the honor guards from both the police and fire departments as part of the program. So it should be, it should be a great evening.
[00:08:29] Speaker A: Yeah. It's a BE 7pm in the auditorium, open to the public, of course.
[00:08:34] Speaker B: Yes. There'll be a reception immediately following the cafeteria.
[00:08:37] Speaker A: Some reflections, I'm sure of the passing of two former mayors.
[00:08:42] Speaker B: Yes, we'll certainly honor both of them.
We dedicate the night and both of their honor both pretty amazing local politicians and you know, both of them left their mark, that's for sure. Both of them left the legacy.
I think both of them would say their greatest legacy was their families. And I think they both of them left large families, solid people, good citizens.
So yes, we will touch on that. Sure.
[00:09:15] Speaker A: Always appreciate the opportunity to catch up with you, Mayor.
[00:09:18] Speaker B: Stay warm, Joseph, and do my best.
[00:09:21] Speaker A: You as well.
[00:09:22] Speaker B: Thank you. Yeah.
[00:09:23] Speaker A: Bye. Bye.
To Mayor Thomas Koch. Our weekly City hall update here on AEM Quincy.
