Marc Gatcomb

The commission reviewed and processed a Municipal Charges Lien Discharge. The primary business consisted of evaluating multiple water and sewer bill abatement requests, with several adjustments approved following testimony regarding plumbing repairs and water usage. Additionally, the commission evaluated and denied a specific abatement request after determining usage patterns were consistent, and authorized billing corrections for accounts identified as having received incorrect billing forms.

The Commission addressed a request to approve Cummings Excavation & Construction as a Drain Layer in the City of Malden. Additionally, the meeting focused on several hearing requests regarding water and sewer bill abatements. The Commission reviewed testimony and evidence concerning high usage bills, many of which were attributed to toilet leaks or defective flappers. Abatements were granted for accounts including 8 Rockland Ave, 224 Glenwood St, 54 Newton St, 424-426 Salem St (Wing Property of Malden, LLC), and 83-85 Mills St. The Commission also recorded several additional abatement votes for various addresses following the review of hearing testimony.

The board addressed several financial and operational items, including the review of the FY2027 Annual Plan and the approval of service agreements for electronic fob and surveillance systems with BCM Controls. Authorization was granted for the renewal of three HAP contracts under the Section 8 Program Based Voucher Program, as well as the purchase of a new copier for the Forestdale Development Administrative Office. Financial approvals included payments to Mystic Valley Elder Services, the Malden YMCA, and the Malden Police Department. Additionally, the board approved a change order for the Suffolk Manor Electrification Project, acknowledged the substantial completion of the Forestdale ModPhase project, and approved a donation to ACTION Inc.

The Public Works Commission met to review and vote on several requests for water and sewer bill abatements. Key discussion topics included property owners seeking adjustments due to identified plumbing leaks, historical billing errors involving irrigation meters, and discrepancies with estimated usage readings. The commission reviewed testimony for each case and formally voted to approve various abatement adjustments for the affected accounts. Additionally, the commission addressed scheduled hearings that resulted in cancellations or no-shows.

The Board discussed the appointment of a new Senior Inspector and a new Public Health Nurse. The Director provided a report covering the enforcement action taken against a home-based food business, which subsequently relocated to a licensed establishment. The report also detailed various Senior Center initiatives, including cultural celebrations and health workshops, as well as tuberculosis case data and Teen Center programs. Additionally, the Board reviewed language access support statistics and summary data regarding food establishment inspections, rental unit oversight, and gambling addiction outreach efforts.