Wednesday, May 22, 2013
The local option tax will kick-in this summer in Braintree.
Following years of on-and-off debate among town officials, residents and business owners, the local option meals tax was enacted quickly Tuesday night, sailing through the Town Council with support from the mayor and a significant majority of councilors. The approval boosts the tax at Braintree restaurants from 6.25 percent to 7 percent, with the town retaining the revenue on a quarterly basis. It is scheduled to take effect in July. Councilor-at-large Sean Powers voted against the tax. All others voted in favor, expect for Paul "Dan" Clifford and Ronald DeNapoli, who were absent. Clifford voted "present" in committee last week and had previously said he withheld support because the tax would affect residents and businesses directly. …
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Wasabi is located outside of Macy's at the South Shore Plaza.
A re-submitted application to serve beer and wine at Wasabi at the South Shore Plaza was looked upon more favorably by Braintree officials Tuesday afternoon than when the Japanese restaurant withdrew its request for a license last September. Eight months ago, Wasabi officials decided not to pursue its license application after members of the Board of License Commissioners questioned the establishment opening without full permitting and suggesting that it would store alcohol in a location separate from the licensed premises. On Tuesday, the three board members present – Chair Joe Powers, Russell Jenkins and Marybeth McGrath – voted to approve the Wine and Malt Restaurant License after a revised presentation by attorney Carl Johnson. Johnson…
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
A look at salaries of some of the top officials in Braintree.
Ever wonder how much a Town Councilor makes? Or perhaps the head of DPW? Braintree's proposed fiscal year 2014 budget lays out the salaries of town employees. The Committee on Ways & Means has been examining the entire budget and the Town Council will likely vote on it later this month. Below are a selection of the department head and other salaries for the current fiscal year that ends June 30, 2013. Unless otherwise noted, the proposed salary for FY 2014 is the same. Town Council President: $7,500 Town Councilor: $5,000 Mayor: $105,262 (recently raised to $125,000 starting in January 2014) Chief of Staff: $109,547 Finance Director: $123,225 Town Accountant: $78,733 (2014: $80,308) Deputy Assessor: $79,760 Treasurer/Collector: $80,687 (…
Monday, May 13, 2013
It is year two of the second phase of the program.
In Mayor Joseph Sullivan's sixth year in office, he continues to promote the "ABCs" – Accountability, Beautification and Core Services. Along those lines, Sullivan and other local officials gathered on Elmwood Park in East Braintree to announce the list of roads that will be resurfaced this year and next as part of the second phase of Sullivan's 100 Roads Program. "Today Elmwood, the rest of the year all the other roads!" Sullivan said. Sullivan has requested $1.7 million for fiscal year 2014 for the roads program. That is in addition to state Chapter 90 transportation money and water and sewer funding for pipe projects that generally happen before a road is re-done. Over, Braintree will commit $17.5 million over the three years of the …
Friday, May 10, 2013
Kevin Murphy retired as chief back in January.
Lt. James O'Brien was sworn-in Thursday as Braintree's newest fire chief, replacing Kevin Murphy, who retired in January. Friends, family, firefighters and local officials packed Town Hall for a ceremony recognizing O'Brien, a 25-year veteran of the force and the 13th chief in Braintree history. Mayor Joseph Sullivan thanked the other four internal candidates who applied for the position and were vetted over a four-month period this winter and spring. Their desire to serve did not go unnoticed, Sullivan said, and they made his decision a difficult one. Through Sullivan's interactions with O'Brien, he said he found a passionate, idea-driven candidate. Sullivan said he was stimulated by O'Brien's curiosity and plans to communicate the …
Thursday, May 9, 2013
The time would allow Braintree officials to draft zoning rules for the medical marijuana dispensaries.
The Town Council will take up in the next few weeks an ordinance that would block medical marijuana dispensaries from coming to Braintree for a year while local officials use finalized state guidelines to create new zoning regulations. The mayor's office has drafted a temporary moratorium that will likely come before the council by the end of May, Chief of Staff and Operations Peter Morin said. Councilors-at-Large Sean Powers and Lelang Dingee are the probable co-sponsors. "The regulation of medical marijuana treatment centers raises many novel and complex legal, planning and public safety issues, and the Town needs time to study the anticipated regulations from the Department of Public Health and to address the potential impacts of these …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The state also boosted Braintree's Chapter 90 transportation funding for next year by half a million dollars.
Braintree is preparing to take out $8.5 million in loans to pay for road resurfacing, school security, the East Braintree Fire Station project and more, taking advantage of favorable interest rates and potential revenue from a proposed meals tax. "We are being more aggressive in our capital expenditures than we would be otherwise because of the rates," Chief of Staff and Operations Peter Morin told the Committee on Ways & Means as it examined Mayor Joseph Sullivan's capital spending proposal Tuesday night as part of its ongoing budget review. The Town Council will likely vote on the entire budget at the end of May. Responding to earlier concerns raised by Committee Chair Paul "Dan" Clifford, Morin also said that the mayor's office will …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Mayor Joseph Sullivan presented his fiscal year 2014 budget to the Braintree Town Council last week.
Below is a break-down of the revenue streams Braintree will use to fund its government during fiscal year 2014, starting July 1. The Committee on Ways & Means will examine the budget more closely, department-by-department, during a series of upcoming public meetings. See the schedule here: http://braintree.patch.com/articles/braintree-s-fiscal-year-2014-budget-review-schedule Return to Braintree Patch for more coverage of the budget. For a budget spending breakdown, go to http://braintree.patch.com/articles/2014-braintree-budget-breakdown Type of Revenue Amount in FY2014 Difference From 2013 Tax Levy $76,069,177 $2,692,649 State Aid $15,453,909…
Monday, May 6, 2013
Mayor Joseph Sullivan put the meals tax in his fiscal year 2014 budget.
Braintree restaurants and patrons are likely to see the implementation of the local options meals tax this year, as a proposal by Councilor John Mullaney has gained traction through Mayor Joseph Sullivan's advocacy before business groups and his inclusion of it in his 2014 budget. "This modest increase – an additional 15 cents on a $20 meal – will allow for continued investment in our community," Sullivan said in his budget speech last Wednesday. "I am committed to putting the realized revenue towards the principal and interest of an expanded capital plan." The proposal would bring the tax at Braintree restaurants from 6.25 percent to 7 percent, with Braintree retaining the extra revenue on a quarterly basis. The state Department of …
The snow budget will go up $50,000 for next year.
During a winter marked by the Blizzard of 2013 and several other smaller storms, Braintree spent more than $850,000 on snow and ice removal – about half a million dollars over budget. Mayor Joseph Sullivan said during his fiscal year 2014 budget presentation last week that the town had spent $857,000 so far on those costs, with more calculations still to be made. Braintree budgeted $350,000 this year for snow and ice. The final number could be about $25,000 more, Chief of Staff and Operation Peter Morin said, as remaining fuel charges are calculated. Though cities and towns are allowed to roll-over snow debt for up to three years, Braintree has regularly paid off the balance with reserves each year. Last year, the town spent just under its…
Tyler Seguin
8:51 am on Thursday, May 23, 2013
think it said Clifford and DeNapoli were absent from the vote.. but agree with you, Adam, Mullaney is a crook.. clueless, too.. personally, i will go out of my way not to eat in town anymore.. more ›