PEABODY — The Legal Affairs Committee on Monday evening authorized a nearly $863,000 lease purchase of a new custom fire pumper — the second time the city has upgraded the fleet of trucks employed by the Fire Department this year.
Mayor Ted Bettencourt brought the lease-purchase agreement before the committee, a subcommittee of the City Council, because he is seeking an agreement longer than the three years he is allowed to enter into using his own authority under state law. Bettencourt told councilors that the city is trying to upgrade its fleet, with a particular urgency given the two-year lead time on trucks like the one the city is leasing. He noted that a new engine received by the city roughly six weeks ago was on order for two years.
“We’re trying to get our orders in now so we can get in the pipeline,” Bettencourt said, noting that the city is still awaiting final terms on an agreement. “I wanted to get the authorization now in order to have some flexibility when that time comes.”
Should the city enter into a five-year agreement, it would pay for the pumper at a 5.23% interest rate. If the agreement were to run seven years, the rate would be 5.25%.
Finance Director Mike Gingras noted that the city could ultimately opt to refinance the purchase and pay for the new pumper with its own funds should officials deem that the best path forward.
Bettencourt and newly appointed Fire Chief Jay Dowling have both spoken about the need for new equipment in the department.
“We need to make some real investments in terms of equipment, and rehabbing some of the buildings,” Bettencourt told The Item earlier this year.
The purchase cleared the committee by a unanimous vote, with all five councilors in support.
In other business, the committee approved the taking of 133 easements — 24 of which are permanent takings — for the Central Street Transportation Improvement Project, with the eminent-domain purchases totaling $626,300.
Bettencourt said the $20 million project, funded primarily through a federal grant, will dramatically transform Central Street and the area from Wilson Square to Bill and Bob’s. New hardscapes, landscaping, pavements, sidewalks, trees, and lights would all go into the area, making it safer and more aesthetically pleasing, according to Bettencourt.
City Solicitor Donald Conn told councilors that no structures would be impacted by the takings.
Ward 3 Councilor Stephanie Peach said the project would be a boon for residents of the area.
“Lots of red tape that we have to do to get through this to get this project done. But I appreciate the work that’s gone into it thus far,” she said. “I’m happy to support this.”
The takings also passed by a 5-0 vote.
The final action taken by the committee Monday was to adopt a City Hall Flagpole Policy proposed by Bettencourt. The policy essentially lays out the parameters through which a group could petition the city to raise a flag outside City Hall. While Bettencourt said he has not had to turn anyone requesting to do so away, a 2021 Supreme Court decision that found the City of Boston had to allow a Christian group to hang a flag outside Boston City Hall — in part because it did not have any sort of policy regarding flag raisings — forced the city to take action.
“In large part because of the tense political atmosphere that has taken hold in this country, this has become a topic that has come up at a number of meetings that I’ve had with my colleagues …. and the strong recommendation was that Peabody needed to have its own flagpole policy,” Bettencourt said.
The policy essentially protects the city from having to hang a flag for a group that doesn’t represent its values, and gives Bettencourt the power to determine what flags should and should not fly outside City Hall.
While councilors expressed some confusion about how the policy would function practically, as it is not an ordinance, Committee members unanimously approved the new policy, which will live in the offices of Bettencourt and City Clerk Allyson Danforth.
Bettencourt also raised the possibility of posting the policy to the city’s website to ensure its accessibility.
