Busy Fall River City Council will tackle budget transfers, tobacco sales rules

Along with $3.75 million in proposed transfers by the Flanagan administration to balance the fiscal 2011 budget, the City Council Tuesday night will address ordinances for tree maintenance, prohibition on the sale of tobacco products at drugstores and fee changes for boat moorings and street vendors.

The regular meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Government Center council chambers, with the Committee on Finance session at 6 p.m. and a brief public works and transportation meeting at 5:45 p.m.

Also on the agenda is Mayor Will Flanagan's appointment of Anthony Cordeiro to the Redevelopment Authority, along with several council resolutions. They address changing the time for citizen input at council meetings, proposed federal cutbacks in block grants, an awareness campaign on 9-1-1 calls and restricting access to cheap, flavored tobacco products.

The proposal on citizen input suggests the council floor should be opened to residents before the finance committee meeting, not after the gathering as is done now.
The citizen input time proposed would be to hold the session prior to the Finance Committee meeting rather than after that session.

The 9-1-1 calls on the council’s Committee on Ordinances & Legislation to work with city officials to find ways to get the public not to use the number in non-emergency situations. It says the police communications center has been inundated with calls during storms and power outages.

The tobacco resolution looks for ways city officials can limit sales of cheap, youth-oriented tobacco products that can be sold “anytime, anywhere.”