Click image for Haverhill City Council agenda.
Haverhill is making plans to take the land below the now-mostly demolished Stevens Mill as it attempts to recover costs associated with two recent fires and accumulated back taxes.
Details over whether the land will be transferred in a “friendly” transaction or by other means were not immediately clear. City councilors are scheduled to first meet in a closed-door meeting Tuesday night before publicly considering a request by Mayor Melinda E. Barrett to “to acquire, purchase, take by eminent domain or otherwise the land” at 12-14 Stevens St. The proposed order before the City Council makes clear the city will “award no damages” to Steven Shain and Carol Shain, trustees of Shain Realty Trust.
Haverhill already reached agreement to take ownership of the adjacent Little River Dam without cost. If the city moves forward to acquire the property, it would be able to solicit developers as it did with the former Ornsteen Heel property.
The city is spending up to $5 million to demolish the mill just outside Lafayette Square, following an early morning fire April 28 destroyed the abandoned complex. Three teens were charged with starting the fire that turned into a three-alarm blaze and has required round-the-clock monitoring.
As WHAV recounted earlier, Haverhill has a complicated history with the vacant property, running the gamut from despair over fires and related costs to possibly welcoming about 700 apartments and a restaurant. The mill was a site of another set fire in September 2015.
A vote on the taking requires a two-thirds majority.
Councilors are also expected to formally approve the Barrett’s proposed city spending plan through a series of votes. This involves taking a formal vote on water and sewer rates for the year that begins in two weeks. As previously reported by WHAV, councilors agreed to 9.9% water and 4% wastewater rate hikes. Water rates would increase from $5.93 to $6.52 per hundred cubic feet, an impact of $36 per year on the average user. Wastewater rates would go up from $7.95 to $8.27 per hundred cubic feet, or $24 a year for the average user.
The mayor also submitted an order to spend $1.1 million from wastewater retained earnings to replace the roof at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
The agenda includes adjustments suggested by Barrett and Ward 3 Councilor Devan M. Ferreira to allow more food and beverage vendors in city parks and squares. The proposal includes to suggestion to increasing the number of vendors from one to four in Riverside Park and from one to two in GAR Park, Lincoln Avenue in front of the Haverhill Stadium and Swasey Park. The city’s fixed vendor ordinance regulates sales of goods, wares, merchandise, food or beverages at a fixed location which is carried on in any fixed or mobile cart, wagon or tables.
Barrett also plans to introduce the Rev. Kenneth Young of Calvary Baptist Church to discuss a planned Juneteenth celebration in GAR Park on Sunday, June 21. The event would include gospel and jazz music.
Andrew Herlihy, the city’s community development division director, plans to request a historic preservation restriction agreement for the Peaslee Garrison House at 790 E. Broadway on behalf of the Haverhill Historic Commission. The single-family colonial-era house is currently listed for sale for $825,000.
Nathan Phillips, president of the Haverhill Pride Collective, is expected to request that the council close Washington Street during the Haverhill Pride Celebration Saturday, June 20, and allow the group to use the Harbor Place Plaza on Merrimack Street for a family-friendly party.
At-large Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan plans to announce the Saturday, July 4, Patriotic Bike Parade Contest at Riverside Park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Haverhill City Council meets Tuesday night at 7 p.m., remotely and in-person at the Theodore A. Pelosi Jr. Council Chambers, room 202, Haverhill City Hall, 4 Summer St. As a public service, 97.9 WHAV plans to carry the meeting live.