Marlborough council reconsiders senior assessor ordinance after falling one vote short

MARLBOROUGH — March 25, 2024 — Marlborough City Council deadlocks on senior assessor pay ordinance, revives it on reconsideration. The council voted 7-4 Monday to suspend the first reading of an ordinance lifting the senior assessor from 35 to 40 hours plus a $3,653 in-year transfer, one vote shy of the eight-vote supermajority required, then approved reconsideration 7-4 to keep the measure alive. Council President Michael H. Ossing told colleagues the change was part of a signed union agreement that also covered library, plumber and electrician positions: "To not approve this is not going to make the union very happy." Councilor Brown said it "sets poor precedence" to lift one position ahead of a citywide salary review; At-Large Councilor Kathleen D. Robey agreed. The council also referred a special permit application from Ulta Behavioral Health LLC, proposing a 5,000-square-foot outpatient substance-use treatment facility at 400 Donald J. Lynch Boulevard, to Urban Affairs, and accepted a $50,000 state earmark for the public library renovation and a $15,000 Massachusetts Cultural Council grant to the Downtown Village Cultural District.