Construction projects like Braintree's new middle school have a new financial watchdog
BRAINTREE – The town council has established a new municipal oversight committee to review town-managed construction projects.
The creation of the committee was proposed by District 6 Town Councilor Lawrence Mackin following the payment of $1 million from the Petersen Trust to a former developer of the pool and rink to draw up of plans and obtain permits for the project.
Mackin told the council at Tuesday night's meeting the town has started one major construction project, the new South Middle School, and is looking at another for a fire headquarters.
"This will provide the taxpayers with an additional layer of oversight," Mackin said. "The goal is to make sure taxpayer money is well-spent."
The three-member committee would be appointed by the council president and would investigate matters referred to it by the council.
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"The primary purpose of this committee is the ensure proper procedures are being followed, were followed on past projects, to ensure responsible spending of taxpayer money and to establish reports of independent review and investigation," the oversight committee's charge reads.
Nicole Taub, chief of staff to Mayor Charles Kokoros, said the mayor's office has no objections to the formation of the committee.
"More eyes are certainly better" when it comes to project oversight, Taub said.
In other business, Council President Meredith Boericke announced the appointments of committee chairs and members for the two-year term of the current council.
"The committee work is no small task," Boericke said. "It is where a lot of questions get asked and answered."
District 2 Town Councilor Joseph Reynolds was named the chair of the ways and means committee, which reviews the budget and all spending matters. A first-term councilor, Reynolds was a member of the planning board and was former Mayor Joseph Sullivan's chief of staff.
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At-large Town Councilor David Ringius will remain chair of the ordinance and rules committee and at-large Town Councilor Charles Ryan will continue as chair of the public works committee.
At-large Town Councilor Shannon Hume will chair the public safety and education and library committees, Mackin will chair the elder affairs and veterans services and parks and recreation committees, Ryan will chair the personnel issues committee, new District 3 Town Councilor Elizabeth Maglio will chair the community planning committee and Ringius will chair the traffic and safety committee.
Reynolds will serve as one of the council's representatives to the master plan steering committee along with District 1 Town Councilor Julia Flaherty.
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The council also voted to authorize the mayor to enter into a grant agreement with Norfolk County for funding under the American Rescue Plan Act.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Braintree Town Council creates a new oversight committee
