Melrose City Officials, Administration Called To Answer To Board

MELROSE, MA — City officials, including Mayor Gail Infurna's administration, have been called to answer to the Board of Aldermen regarding the timeline, communication, response and current status of the Brazil Street sewage disaster.

Order-2020-4 of this Board of Aldermen's July 15 agenda is a "Request for update by city officials on matters related to June 20, 2019 Brazil Street sewer backup." The order is co-sponsored by Ward 5 Alderman Shawn MacMaster, who lives on Brazil Street, and at-large Alderman and mayoral candidate Monica Medeiros.

MacMaster and Medeiros have decided to allow for more time to notify residents, so it the order will likely be sent to the Appropriations Committee, meaning the administration wouldn't be called to Monday, July 15's meeting.

"Although we recognize the need for, and importance of, prompt information and answers from the administration, we must carefully balance the intent of the order with our shared belief in government transparency," MacMaster and Medeiros said in a joint statement Friday afternoon. "We firmly believe that transparency, in certain circumstances, should extend beyond the 48-hour requirement of the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law. In the case of the Brazil Street sewer backup, the affected residents deserve adequate notice, considering that the administration’s decision to not extend hotel accommodations past Monday has caused four families to experience housing insecurity."

Because it's still on the agenda, the public will be able to speak on the issue during public comment Monday night. The meeting starts at 7:45 p.m. in the aldermanic chambers.

The aldermen's request comes days after Patch reported continued communication gaps from the city toward aldermen and residents, as well as the city stopping hotel payments for families expected to go back to homes that are unfinished and potentially and dangerous.

One thing to watch will be how hard the aldermen push the administration on who it talked to and when. The administration has been roundly criticized for poor communication to the aldermen and residents of Brazil Street, including the 36 hours after the incident occurred on June 20.

• Related: Melrose Mayoral Candidates Respond To Brazil St. Situation

In one instance, MacMaster only heard back from the administration on questions he asked two weeks prior after Patch contacted the administration this week with questions about what criteria was used to deem the affected homes were habitable. Also, at least two affected residents were contacted to sit down with the administration only shortly after Patch's inquiries.

Two affected residents told Patch they were asked by the administration during the meeting to stop relaying their concerns to MacMaster. Infurna told Patch through a spokesperson that they did not tell people not to contact MacMaster, but that instead they should contact her office first because he is on vacation.

Several aldermen have been displeased with how the situation has been handled, and it has caused some friction between the administration and members of the Board. The administration has stood by its response, including a defense of Health Director Ruth Clay's inspections of the homes that residents called quick, incomplete and "irresponsible."