. I CALL TO ORDER TODAY'S MEETING OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. VIEWERS CAN WATCH THE COUNCIL MEETING LIVE ON YOUTUBE AT BOSTON DOT GOV. FORGE CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AT
THIS TIME I ASK MY COLLEAGUES AND THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE SILENCE THEIR CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES. ALSO PURSUANT TO RULE 42 I REMIND ALL IN THIS CHAMBER THAT NO DEMONSTRATION OF APPROVAL OR
DISAPPROVAL FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL BE PERMITTED. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL TO ASCERTAIN THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM? COUNCILOR BREADON, YOUR
COUNCIL COME OUT AS A PART OF THE COUNCIL DURKAN COUNCIL FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE HERE. COUNCIL ME HERE. COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCIL PIPPIN
COUNCILOR SANTANA PARISH COUNCIL WEBER AND COUNCIL WERE ON A QUORUM. THANK YOU. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE COURT THAT OF COURSE IS PRESENT. NOW IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THIS WEEK'S CLERGY PASTOR WILSON SANTOS WHO WILL
BE PROVIDING OUR INVOCATION INVITED BY COUNCILOR SANTANA. AFTER THE INVOCATION WE RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. COUNCILOR SANTANA, YOU HAVE THE FOURTH.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE . IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE WILSON SANTOS, A PASTOR AND DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT TO LEAD TODAY'S INVOCATION.
MR SANTOS IS AN IMMIGRANT FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC WHO HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE KANGAROO CONGRESS CONGREGATION. THEY OWN THE THE CONGREGATION
LION OF JUDAH, A BILINGUAL CHURCH BASED IN ROXBURY SINCE 1991. THERE HE SERVED AS A DEACON AND A YOUTH PASTOR FOR 12 YEARS
BEFORE BEING ORDAIN AND 2023 AND CURRENTLY SERVING AS A FULL TIME ASSOCIATE PASTOR. NOW. NOT ONLY HAS HE BEEN DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE CHURCH BUT HE HAS SHOWN HIS DEDICATION TO
SERVING HIS COMMUNITY THROUGH HIS WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND HAS UPLIFTED OUR YOUTH AS THE SUPERVISOR OF ATTENDANCE OF FOUR BOSTON
PUBLIC SCHOOLS. PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING A WARM WELCOME TO PASTOR WILSON SANTOS
. THANK YOU FOR THOSE WARM WORDS . AGAIN, THANK YOU COUNSELOR SANTANA FOR THE INVITE. I LOOK AROUND THE ROOM AND I KNOW A LOT OF FAMILIAR FACES
THEY VISITED OUR CHURCH, OUR CHURCHES AND IN ROXBURY AND EVERY REALLY EVERY FRIDAY I MEET WITH THREE RETIRED TEACHERS ONE ACTIVE TEACHER IN
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WE PRAY FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT SINCE THE PANDEMIC IN 2020 AND I THINK IT'S JUST THE INVESTMENT THAT WE HAVE WHICH IS PRAYING FOR OUR KIDS AND THE BIBLE ITSELF TELLS US TO PRAY FOR ELECTED
OFFICIALS. SO I WANTED TO JUST READ A QUICK VERSE BEFORE I DO A QUICK PRAYER AND THE FIRST TIME I'M GOING TO BE READING IS IN JAMES
JAMES ONE VERSE FIVE IT SAYS BUT IF ANY OF YOU LACKS WISDOM LET AN ACT OF GOD WHO GIVES TO ALL GENEROUS GENEROUSLY AND WITHOUT REPROACH AND IT WILL BE TO HIM.
I WANTED TO READ THAT PARTICULAR VERSE IS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE TIMES THAT WE'RE LIVING IN WE NEED JUST GOD'S WISDOM AND THAT'S THE PRAYER THAT I WANT TO PRAY FOR EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM THAT'S
SITTING HERE THAT THIS IS A TIME WHERE WE NEED WISDOM. SO I'M GOING TO JUST PRAY WISDOM OVER YOU AND JUST PRAY OVER YOUR FAMILIES. SO HEAVENLY FATHER, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS.
ALLOW ME TO BE HERE TODAY. LORD GOD, I PRAY FOR EVERY CITY COUNCIL THAT'S HERE AND THE ONES THAT ARE NOT HERE LORD GOD ,I PRAY FOR WISDOM LORD, I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A TOUGH A VERY TOUGH JOB REPRESENTING THE
CITY OF BOSTON LOGAN BUT YOU'VE PUT THEM IN THIS PLACE FOR A REASON, LORD AND I JUST PRAY LOGAN THAT AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE GOING TO
IMPACT OUR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS OR THE PEOPLE AROUND US LORD GOD I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE PUT THEM IN THIS PLACE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE LORD AND LIKE YOUR WORDS SAYS IN THIS PARTICULAR VERSE
THAT IF WE ASK FOR WISDOM FROM YOU LORD YOU WILL GIVE IT TO US LORD SO I JUST PRAY OVER THEM. I PRAY FOR THEIR FAMILIES. I PRAY FOR PROTECTION OF LORD GOD AND UNTO THEM TO ALWAYS KNOW THAT EVERYTHING THAT THEY
DO IN MATTERS BECAUSE YOU KNOW EACH OF THEM INDIVIDUALLY BY NAME LORD GOD AND AGAIN IS NOT A COINCIDENCE EITHER. HERE LORD, I PRAY FOR THE MEETING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING TO BE DISCUSSED TODAY LORD GOD
BECAUSE THERE IS MEANING IN THAT LORD AND THESE MEETINGS ARE IMPORTANT LORD AND AGAIN I JUST PRAY FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. I PRAY FOR OUR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I. I PRAY ALSO LORD GOD FOR OUR FAMILIES OF BOSTON, LORD GOD
AND I PRAY FOR THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND AND AGAIN LORD JUST GIVE US YOUR WISDOM BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING FOR THEM IN JESUS NAME AMEN. AGAIN, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE
INVITE AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL. AND THEN WE WILL NOW RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH
IT SAYS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL INVOCATION, PASTOR SANTOS AND FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND THE ROXBURY AND THE BOSTON COMMUNITY. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE UPDATE THE ATTENDANCE RECORD TO
REFLECT THAT COUNCILORS ZAPATA DURKAN MAKIYA AND WUERL ARE NOW PRESENT AND WITH US. THANK YOU.
WE ARE ONTO TO PRESENT OUR PRESENTATIONS. WE HAD TWO PRESENTATIONS FOR TODAY ONE FROM CASTRO BUT PENN RECOGNIZING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MONTH AND ONE FOR MYSELF
RECOGNIZING DR. BARRY GAITHER
COUNSELOR BUT THEN YOU HAVE THE
FLOOR IN 5 MINUTES TO.
GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. TODAY I AM HONORED TO BE JOINED BY A LOT OF OUR ACTIVIST ORGANIZATIONS RESIDENTS GROUPS
THAT ARE DOING A LOT OF WORK IN REGARDS TO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY NOT ONLY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BUT ACROSS THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS WHETHER WE ARE VOTING TO ADOPT SCHOOL BUS
CAMERAS IN THE CITY COUNCIL OR THE ADMINISTRATION IS REDOING MAJOR QUARTER IN PURSUIT OF VISION ZERO. IT IS HEARTENING TO SEE A SHARED EFFORT ACROSS THE CITY TO REINFORCE OUR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MEASURES WHILE WE
CONTINUE TO WORK FOR INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES WHETHER THEY BE SPEED HUMPS, LIGHTS AND SIGNAGE. SO MUCH OF THE WORK DONE IS DONE BY THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND ESPECIALLY OUR CROSSING GUARDS WHO ARE LITTERING THE
LANE OF TRAFFIC, KEEPING OUR FAMILIES SAFE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS, MANY OF WHOM HAVE JOINED US TODAY THAT HAVE RESEARCHED, ORGANIZED AND CONTINUED TO PROMOTE SAFER
STREETS SO THAT WE ALL CAN CROSS SAFELY HERE TODAY. BEHIND ME WE HAVE BIKES NOT BOMBS. BOSTON BETTER STREETS COALITION. BOSTON CYCLISTS UNION CARGO
WILL BE SAFE THROUGHOUT OF SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION FOR MASSACHUSETTS WALK MASSACHUSETTS WALK UP ROSLINDALE AND WEST ROCKS BIKES. I STARTED AT SOME OF MY
COMMUNITY WORK WITH ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS HERE TRANSPORTATION FOR MASSACHUSETTS. I WANTED TO THANK FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHRIS DEMPSEY FOR GIVING ME THAT OPPORTUNITY. BUT WHAT I REALLY LEARNED ABOUT
TRANSPORTATION AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IS THAT TRANSPORTATION IS HOW WE REALLY RUN OUR DAILY LIVES. IT IS HOW WE GET TO SCHOOL, HOW WE GET TO WORK, HOW WE GET TO OUR APPOINTMENTS, HOW WE GET
OUR MEDICINE, HOW WE GET OUR FOOD, HOW WE GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B AND IF WE CAN'T DO THAT SAFELY THEN WE'RE DOING IT WRONG. SO TODAY I WANTED TO PASS IT ON TO THEM THE ONES THAT ARE DOING THE WORK AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE VERY BRIEF SPEAKERS
STARTING WITH REGGIE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TRANSPORTATION FOR MASSACHUSETTS. SHE'S GONNA BE BACK.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS REGGIE RAMOS. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION FOR MASSACHUSETTS. WE ARE A COALITION WORKING ON TRANSPORTATION JUSTICE ACROSS
THE STATE BELIEVING THAT IT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF A DIGNIFIED QUALITY OF LIFE. OUR MEMBERS RECOGNIZE THAT SAFETY ALONG WITH AFFORDABILITY REMAIN THEIR TOP CONCERN.
OUR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS ARE THE BIGGEST REAL ESTATE WE ALL SHARE AND YET WE HAVE NOT MADE TRULY A SPACE FOR EVERYONE TO FEEL SAFE. SAFETY IN OUR STREETS CRASHES IN OUR STREETS REMAIN HIGH AND
WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THEM AS PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES IMPACTING US AND OUR NEIGHBORS. STREETS MADE SAFE FOR ALL YOUNG AND OLD SENIORS PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES, CYCLISTS BUT PEDESTRIANS ALLOW US TO WALK IN SOLIDARY CITY WITH EACH OTHER AS A COMMUNITY. IT IS IN PUBLIC TRANSIT SPACES AND SIDEWALKS WHERE WE CAN FEEL
CONNECTED TO OUR OWN HUMANITY AND THAT OF OTHERS NO MATTER HOW FLEETING THE ENCOUNTERS. MAKING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AS AN INTENTIONAL POLICY AND A PRACTICAL DECISION ESPECIALLY
AT THIS TIME WE MUST NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE NEED TO KEEP WORKING ON THESE IMPROVEMENTS AND WORKING TO GET THE FUNDING WE NEED LOCALLY AND FEDERALLY TO KEEP OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE AND A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. WE ALL CERTAINLY DESERVE THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NOW I'D LIKE TO BRING ON
BRENDAN KEARNEY FROM WALK MASSACHUSETTS. MY NAME IS BRENDAN CARNEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WALK MASSACHUSETTS. THANK YOU COUNCILOR AND ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR FOCUS
ON PEDESTRIAN AND TRANSPORTATION SAFETY IN BOSTON. IT'S NOW BEEN TEN YEARS SINCE THE MARTY WALSH ADMINISTRATION COMMITTED DIVISION ZERO AND ESTABLISHED THE VISION ZERO TASK FORCE WHICH GREW OUT OF A PEDESTRIAN SAFETY WORKING
GROUP. IT WAS A PLEDGE TO FOCUS THE CITY'S RESOURCES ON PROVEN STRATEGIES TO ELIMINATE FATAL AND SEVERE TRAFFIC CRASHES IN THE CITY BY 2030. SUBSEQUENT MAYORS KIM, JANEY AND MICHELLE WU HAVE HONORED THIS COMMITMENT AND MOVE THE
EFFORT FURTHER TO PROTECT RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. FATAL CRASHES DO NOT TELL THE WHOLE STORY OF TRAFFIC SAFETY. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE INJURY DASHBOARD ON THE CITY'S VISION ZERO WEBSITE IT'S HEARTENING TO SEE THE NUMBER OF CRASHES
INVOLVING PEDESTRIAN INJURIES WHERE BOSTON EMS RESPONDED HAS TRENDED DOWN SINCE 2015. THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO THE WORK THAT CITY'S TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS STAFF HAVE BEEN DOING TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT
STREET SAFETY PROJECTS LIKE SPEED HUMPS BETTER SIGNAL TIMING AND ROAD DIETS SO A PEDESTRIAN DOES NOT HAVE TO CROSS MULTIPLE VEHICLE LANES AT ONCE. WE HOPE THESE EFFORTS RAMP UP ONCE MORE SO WE DON'T LOSE THIS
MOMENTUM NOT ONLY FOR BOSTON BUT FOR THE EXAMPLE IT CAN SET FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY EFFORTS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS. THANK YOU.
AND OUR LAST SPEAKER WILL BE TIFFANY FROM THE BOSTON CYCLING UNION. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEPEN. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
ADVOCACY AROUND SAFE STREETS AND SAFE MOBILITY. THE BOSTON CYCLISTS UNION ADVOCATES FOR SAFE STREETS FOR EVERY BODY WE PUSH FOR MOBILITY
JUSTICE. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE WORD JUSTICE WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE ACCOMMODATE EQUITABLY FOR EVERYONE AND IN EVERY SPACE WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT HOW TO
ACCOMMODATE FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE USERS AND ON THE ROADS THAT ARE THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT TRAVEL BY WAY OF CAR. WE LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL CITY. WE LIVE IN A CITY THAT HAS
ELECTED OFFICIALS AND A LOT OF REALLY TALENTED ENGINEERS BEING ABLE TO BE SAFE. HAVING JUST A WILL TO BE ABLE TO TRAVEL ALONG THE STREETS
SAFELY IS A RIGHT AND I KNOW THAT WE CAN GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE. SO THAT ALL RESIDENTS AND ALL CONSTITUENTS IN BOSTON HAVE THAT ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO CHOOSE THEIR MODE
OF TRANSPORTATION WITH THE EXPECTANCY OF SAFETY THAT YOU SO ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE BALTIMORE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF BOSTON.
I WOULD LIKE TO JUST I'M NOT GOING TO READ EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM OR READ ONE AND THEN I'M GOING TO GIVE IT TO YOU. BE RESOLVED THAT THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL EXTENDS ITS GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU AND RECOGNITION OF YOUR DEDICATION FOR BETTER SAFER STREETS FOR
PEDESTRIANS IN ALL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY TO BE FOR THE RESOLVE THAT THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL EXTENDS BEST WISHES FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUCCESS. THAT'S A RESOLUTION BEING DULY SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE
CITY COUNCIL AND ATTACH IT TO AND A COPY THEREAFTER INVENTED BY THE CLERK OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. CONGRATULATIONS AND HAPPY PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MONTH.
CAN I INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO A PICTURE WITH EVERYONE BUT I'LL
HAVE TO COME IN AND WE IF YOU'RE INTO THAT MAYBE IT'S OKAY. NO, I'M GOOD. I'M OKAY.
I'M TOTALLY GOOD HERE. YEAH, SURE. ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT LIKE HE'S GOT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS A WINDOW. YEAH.
I MEAN, YOU NEVER KNOW WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BLOCK MY KIDS GOT THEIR HALLOWEEN COSTUMES. OH, YEAH? OH, YEAH.
I AWESOME. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS SO MUCH. YOU REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE. MY DAUGHTER ARE FEELING GUILTY, YOU KNOW YOU KNOW THEY SAID OH,
IT IS SO IT'S SO MUCH FUN.
YEAH.
YEAH
, SURE. THANK YOU AGAIN. COUNTS PREPARED INTO ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS HE BROUGHT TODAY TO RECOGNIZE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MONTH.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO TO MAKE BOSTON A WALKABLE, BIKEABLE, SAFER CITY FOR EVERYONE. THANK YOU. WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO OUR SECOND PRESENTATION AND IT'S MY
HONOR TO BE HONORING THE ONE AND ONLY DR. EDMUND BARRY GAITHER. SO IF DR. GAITHER, IF YOU COULD
COME FORWARD THAT I AM SO HONORED THAT I GET TO RECOGNIZE DR. GAITHER IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN TO THE GROUNDS OF THE
NCAA, YOU KNOW HOW SPECIAL OF A PLACE IT IS AND HOW SPECIAL OF A MAN DR. GAITHER IS IT IS A GROUND THAT IS ALWAYS OPEN TO AND FOR COMMUNITY. HE IS AN AMERICAN CURATOR WHO
IS KNOWN FOR HIS EDUCATION AND MUSEUM RELATED ACTIVITIES. BORN IN A SMALL TOWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA, HIS INTEREST AND PASSION FOR ART BEGAN AT AN EARLY AGE.
BUT BECAUSE HE GREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN HE HAD NO WAY TO VISIT MUSEUMS. AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, DR. GAITHER ATTENDED MOREHOUSE COLLEGE ONLY MALE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE IN THE UNITED STATES AND IT WAS
AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TIME FOR HIM. HE GRADUATED WITH A BACHELOR OF ARTS AND WENT ON TO FURTHER HIS EDUCATION AT BROWN. HE WENT ON TO FOUND THE NATIONAL CENTER OF AFRO-AMERICAN ARTISTS
LOCATED IN ROXBURY BIRTHED OUT OF THE WORK OF SO MANY ARTISTS LIKE ALMA LEWIS. HE JUST GAVE US A WHOLE HE'S ALSO A WALKING HISTORY LESSON SO HE JUST GAVE US THE LESSON IN MY OFFICE.
THE CENTER HAS BECOME A VITALLY IMPORTANT SHOWCASE OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTISTS AND CULTURE FOR BOSTON IN THE UNITED STATES. A LOVE FOR EDUCATION LED DR. GAITHER TO DEVELOP A COURSE ON AFRICAN-AMERICAN ART AT WHICH
AT WOULD AT WHICH HE SERVED AS A LECTURER AT VARIOUS COLLEGES ACROSS THE NATION. HE'S A RESPECTED INDIVIDUAL IN THE MUSEUM BUILDING THAT SERVED MANY POSITIONS INCLUDING COMMISSION ON MUSEUMS FOR A NEW CENTURY COMMISSION ON EQUITY
AND EXCELLENCE SERVING AS A CURATOR AT THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS. I ALWAYS LOVE GOING TO THE GROUNDS FOR JUNETEENTH WHEN IT IS SPLENDIDLY OPEN FOR COMMUNITY. I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM
YOU. DR. GAITHER THE CITY OF BOSTON WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU. I HOPE THAT RETIREMENT MEANS RETIREMENT AND THAT YOU TAKE IT EASY BUT I KNOW THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED IN ALL
THINGS RELATED TO THE CENTER AND THE MUSEUM AND THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO TEACH THE IMPORTANCE OF BLACK ART IN THIS CITY. SO ON BEHALF OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL I'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS CITATION.
THIS IS AN OFFICIAL RESOLUTION PRESENTED BY BOSTON CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT RICHARD LOUIJEUNE BRAZILE THAT WE EXTEND OUR CONGRATULATIONS TO DR. EDMUND BARRY GAITHER IN RECOGNITION OF OVER FIVE
DECADES OF VISIONARY LEADERSHIP AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL CENTER OF AFRICAN AFRO-AMERICAN ARTISTS. WE CHAMPIONED THE BRILLIANCE, DIGNITY AND CREATIVITY OF BLACK ART AND ARTISTS. YOUR ENDURING STEWARDSHIP,
SCHOLARSHIP AND SERVICE HAVE LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON BOSTON'S CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC LANDSCAPE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
CONGRATULATIONS. I'LL PUT THESE DOWN. OKAY. OKAY. MADAM PRESIDENT AND ALL OF THE
DISTINGUISHED COUNCILORS. LET ME SAY IT HAS BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARY PRIVILEGE TO HAVE
SERVED MY ADOPTED COMMUNITY. FOR HALF A CENTURY NOW. I CAME TO BOSTON FIRST AT THE VERY END OF 1969 IN THE VISION
OF DR. ALMA LEWIS, A 20TH CENTURY DAUGHTER OF ROXBURY. AND SHE GAVE US A GARDEN AND WE
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY MAKE THAT GARDEN FLOURISH. THE GARDEN IS IN TERMS OF THE INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES THAT
SHE SOUGHT TO PUT IN PLACE AND WHICH I WAS PRIVILEGED TO JOIN HER IN TRYING TO SUSTAIN. THOSE WERE FOR SOME OF YOU WHO MAY BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG
TIME. THE ALMA LEWIS SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS WHICH WAS ENORMOUSLY IMPACTFUL IN BOSTON. THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR
AMERICAN ART IS AND ITS MUSEUM. AND FROM THOSE COME TWO WONDERFUL FRUITS THAT I'D LIKE TO JUST FLAG QUICKLY FOR YOU AS
IN EVIDENCE OF THE CONTINUING PRODUCTIVITY OF HER VISION. YOU MAY HAVE GOTTEN SOME INTEREST STIMULATED ON THE
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS OVER THE EARLIER PART OF THIS YEAR, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE WORK OF JOHN WILSON, AN ARTIST BORN
IN ROXBURY AND NOW RECOGNIZED INTERNATIONALLY AS HE OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN A GOOD 25 YEARS AGO. JOHN WILSON IS THE CREATOR
OF ETERNAL PRESENCE THE MONUMENTAL SCULPTURE ON OUR GROUNDS IN ROXBURY. I HAD COMMITTED TO CELEBRATING HUMAN SPIRIT, DUALITY AND HUMAN
CREATIVITY FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE HUMAN FAMILY TO THE PRESENT. THE SECOND CULTURAL GEM THAT I WOULD FLAG QUICKLY AS BLACK
NATIVITY BLACK NATIVITY IS THE FRUIT OF THE MIND OF LANGSTON HUGHES CONVERTED TO A MUSIC PLAY AND LOCATED IN THE SEASON
OF THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. HOURS WILL SHOW FOR THE 55TH SEASON THIS DECEMBER AND I HOPE YOU'LL ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO
COME AND GET IT COME IN AND ENJOY IT. WHAT I WANT TO ILLUSTRATE BY THOSE TWO THINGS IS AN ONGOING COMMITMENT THROUGH THE ARTS TO
FOSTER STIRRING OUR SENSE OF HUMANITY BECAUSE THE ARTS ON THEIR OWN AND NOT SIMPLY MEANT TO BE BEAUTIFUL AND SATISFYING
THEY THEY'RE MEANT TO GIVE US BRIDGES OF UNDERSTANDING THAT GIVE US HUMAN COMPASSION AND THAT HELP US TO SEE THE BEAUTY
OF SOULS LIKE OURSELVES. AND WHEN YOU BUILD A TRADITION THAT IS A HALF A CENTURY YOU'VE REALLY DONE SOMETHING THAT'S
NOT A FINGER SNAP, SOMETHING THAT HAS LIKE LIFE ITSELF HAD HIGH POINTS AND LOW POINTS DEMANDED LOTS BUT GIVEN BACK
LOTS AND IT BELONGS TO YOU. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU TAKE THE NATIONAL CENTER AFRO-AMERICAN ARTIST AS ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PROPERTIES THAT
YOU OWN AND THAT YOU FOSTER IN YOUR WORK TO MAKE THIS THE BEST CITY THAT IT CAN BE AND TO MAKE OUR EXPERIENCE OF IT THE MOST
POSITIVE, FRUITFUL AND PRODUCTIVE EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY OF PLAYING A ROLE IN THAT
PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING TOGETHER FOR THE LAST HALF CENTURY.
THANK YOU, DR. GAITHER, FOR YOUR WISDOM. YES. YOU SEE THESE ARE GOING TO BE YOURS. BUT CAN I ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO COME FORWARD FOR A PHOTO AND ALSO THE STAFF FROM THE
DISTRICT SEVEN OFFICE AS WELL HONORING YOU COLLECTIVELY THIS IS YOURS. ALL RIGHT.
SO YOU GET RIGHT UP AFTER THAT. ALL RIGHT, CONCENTRATE THAT CAN YOU JUST SO THAT HE CAN MEET?
OKAY, GOOD. SO GOOD.
IT'S AWESOME. Q NOW RETIREMENT I KEPT MY WORD NOT TOO LONG. NOW YOU'RE A HISTORIAN.
IT'S YOUR RIGHT SO YOU DON'T THINK SO? I'M NOT EVER.
I THINK JESSE CAN ALSO JUST BACK YES.
IT'S VERY EARLY SO YOU JUST GO TO THE PRESIDENT'S RESIDENCE
BECAUSE OH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DR. GAITHER FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE ROXBURY COMMUNITY, TO THE ARTIST COMMUNITY, TO BLACK ART, TO EVERYTHING AND WE WISH YOU WELL
AS YOU LEAVE NCR AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S IN REALLY GOOD HANDS WITH ACABA. OKAY. WE ARE NOW ON TO THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES IN THE MEETING ON OCTOBER 22ND, 2025. ALL IN FAVOR SAY I I ALEPPO SAY
NAY. THE AYES HAVE OF THE MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 22ND MEETING ARE APPROVED. WE ARE NOW ON TO COMMUNICATION FROM OUR HONOR THE MAYOR. MR CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ
DOCKETS NUMBER 192421927 DOCKING NUMBER 1924 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR YOUR APPROVAL IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE FISCAL YEAR 26 APPROPRIATION FOR THE RESERVE FOR COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING BY $977,749 TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 INCREASES CONTAINED WITHIN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL COMMITTEE, BETWEEN THE BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE GUILD SEIU LOCAL 885 OTHER THAN THE OFFICE
OF THE CITY CLERK ON OCTOBER 27, 2025 DOCKET NUMBER ONE 9 TO 5 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION FOR THE BOSTON SCHOOL
DEPARTMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 IN THE AMOUNT OF $977 AND 740 $977,749 TO COVER THE COST ITEMS CONTAINED WITHIN THE
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE GUILD SEIU LOCAL 888. THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT ARE
SEPTEMBER 1ST 2024 THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2027. THE MAJOR PROVISIONS OF THE CONTRACTS INCLUDE BASE WAGE INCREASES OF 2% AND THE FLAT
AMOUNTS OF 250 $250 $900 AND $850 TO BE GIVEN IN SEPTEMBER OF EACH FISCAL YEAR OF THE CONTRACT TERM. THE CONTRACT ALSO SUPPORTS INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORING. TALKING OF A1926 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR APPROVAL AND ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON
TO APPROPRIATE $11 MILLION $11,100,000 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PAYING COSTS FOR THE WINDOW AND DOOR REPLACEMENT PROJECTS AT THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS THE
GARDINER PARLEY PILOT AT ACADEMY SCHOOL AND THE LINDEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THIS INCLUDES THE PAYMENT OF ALL COSTS INCIDENTAL AND RELATED THERETO AND FOR WHICH THE CITY OF BOSTON MAY BE
ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL BUILDING AUTHORITY. SET AMOUNT OF BE EXPENDED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE PUBLIC FACILITIES DEPARTMENT ON BEHALF OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN
DOCK NUMBER 1927 MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT SPEND THE AMOUNT OF $2,607,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE
COMMUNITY MITIGATION GRANT AWARDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF BUDGET MANAGEMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND OFFSET COSTS RELATED TO THE
CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF A GAMING ESTABLISHMENT. THANK YOU. THE CHAMPION EDGES COUNCILOR RAO, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING TO DOCTOR NUMBER 1924 AND 1925. THESE ARE THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE GUILD OF THE
BOSTON SCHOOL SYSTEM SEIU LOCAL 888. AS A REMINDER, THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROVED FY 25 FUNDING RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE ITEMS BEFORE US TODAY REPRESENT ONLY THE FY 26
PORTION OF THE CONTRACT THE ADMINISTRATIVE GUILD SEIU LOCAL 88 REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 275 BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS EMPLOYEES WHO SERVE AS SCHOOL SECRETARIES
AND CENTRAL OFF CLERICAL AND TECHNICAL STAFF. THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE OFTEN THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT FOR FAMILIES WHO SUPPORT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONAL WORK OF OUR SCHOOLS AND WHO KEEP OUR EDUCATIONAL
ENVIRONMENTS RUNNING EFFICIENTLY AND SAFELY EVERY DAY. THE PARTIES REACHED AN AGREEMENT A THREE YEAR AGREEMENT COVERING THE PERIOD FROM SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2024
THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2027 WITH THE ESTIMATED TOTAL COST OF $2,917,204 OVER THE THREE YEARS. AS PART OF THIS AGREEMENT BETWEEN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
IS REQUESTING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS OF 394,000 AND $901 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 AND
977,704 70 $749 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 TO FUND THE COST ITEMS CONTAINED IN THE CONTRACT. THE FINANCIAL PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT INCLUDE ANNUAL BASE WAGE INCREASE OF 2% EACH YEAR
ALONG WITH FLAT RATE PAYMENTS OF $250 IN THE FIRST YEAR $900 IN THE SECOND YEAR AND $850 IN THE THIRD YEAR. THESE ADJUSTMENTS WILL BE
APPLIED RETROACTIVELY WHERE APPLICABLE IN ADDITION TO WAGE INCREASES. THE AGREEMENT INTRODUCES SEVERAL IMPORTANT OPERATIONAL UPDATES DESIGNED TO IMPROVE STAFF DEVELOPMENT, EQUITY AND CONSISTENCY ACROSS THE
DISTRICT. IT ESTABLISHES NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM WILL BE LAUNCHED TO PAY EXPERIENCE GUILD MEMBERS WITH NEW SCHOOL SECRETARIES TO STRENGTHEN
RETENTION AND ONBOARDING PRACTICES. THE CONTRACT ALSO REVISES HIRING IMPOSING PROCEDURES TO ALLOW FOR A BROADER CANDIDATE POOL FOR POSITION THAT GRADE 23 AND BELOW AND TO EXPAND THE
WINDOW FULFILLING GUILD VACANCIES OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS ENSURE GREATER CONTINUITY IN SCHOOL OPERATIONS . FURTHER THE AGREEMENTS UPDATE LEAVE AND HOLIDAY BENEFITS TO MEET THE GUILD'S BENEFIT BENEFITS CONSISTENT WITH THOSE
OF OTHERS. BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND CITY OF BOSTON UNIONS DISAGREEMENT CONTINUES TO THE CITY'S INVESTMENTS IN THE STAFF WHO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS WORK SMOOTHLY AND SUPPORT STUDENTS SUCCESS.
AND I'M GOING TO ACT TO SUSPEND AND PASS THIS BECAUSE IT ONLY BEGAN BECAUSE ONLY BEFORE US AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS VOTED ON AFTER THE MAYOR SUBMITTED A BUDGET BUT BEFORE THE NEW FISCAL YEAR BEGAN.
AND AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS I RESPECTFULLY RECOMMEND SUSPENSION SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSES OF DOCKET NUMBER 19241925. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CAVALLARO.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON EITHER DOCKETS. OKAY. OKAY. COUNCILOR ORAL SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1924. MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE
CONDUCT A ROLL CALL VOTE ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET NUMBER 192 FOR COUNCIL DEBATE COUNCIL OVER EIGHT YEARS. COUNCIL COLOR AS A PARTY. COUNCIL COLOR AS A PARTY YES. COUNCILOR DURKIN. COUNCILOR DURKIN YES.
COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FLYNN YES. COUNCILOR WAS IN YES. COUNCILOR IT WAS IN YES. COUNCILOR ME HERE. COUNCILOR ME HERE. YES COUNCILOR MURPHY
COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. COUNCILOR PIPPIN COUNCILOR PIPPIN YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCILOR SANTANA YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES AND COUNCILOR WORLD YES.
COUNCILOR WELL YES. TALKING OF A1924 HAS RECEIVED 12 VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE THANK YOU GOT THE NUMBER 1924 HAS PASSED CASTRO OUT COUNCILOR WERE AROUND THE CHAIR
THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS SINCE SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1925. MR CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL VOTE ROLL CALL VOTE ON DARK NUMBER 1925
COUNCILOR BREADON YES. COUNCILOR BREADON YES. COUNCILOR IT AS OPPONENT. COUNSELOR CLOSE THE PARTY YES. COUNCILOR DURKIN COUNCILOR DURKIN YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILOR FLYNN
YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR ME HEAR COUNCILOR ME HERE YES COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. COUNCILOR PIPPIN YES. COUNCILOR OPEN YES.
COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCILOR SANTANA YES. COUNCILOR WEBER COUNCILOR WEBER YES AND COUNCILOR WORLD YES. COUNCILOR EARLY YES TALKING NUMBER ONE 9 TO 5 HAS RECEIVED 12 VOTES.
SPARE ME THANK YOU. DOCKET NUMBER 1925 IS PASSED DOCKETS NUMBER 1926 AND 1927 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS.
MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1928 DOCK NUMBER 1928 MESSAGE YOU'RE NOT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT
OF $40,685.01 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FROM THE STATE LITERACY PROGRAM GRANT AWARDED BY THE MASS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
THE GRANT WILL FUND THE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS FOR THE ADULT COMMUNITY LEARNING SERVICES AT THE MASAYA CAREER CENTERS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WEBER, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I BELIEVE THIS IS GOING TO BE ASSIGNED TO MY COMMITTEE LABOR COMMITTEE WHICH AND IF SO I'D
LIKE TO SEEK TO SUSPEND AND PASS WITHOUT A HEARING. WE HAD ANOTHER HEARING THIS WEEK ON 11 OTHER GRANTS THAT ARE RELATED TO RELATIVELY LOW DA DOLLAR AMOUNT AND I WOULD
LIKE TO ACCEPT THESE FUNDS ALONG WITH THE OTHERS THAT I'LL DISCUSS WHEN I DISCUSS THE COMMITTEE REPORT. SO ASKING JUST SUSPEND IMPASSE. THANK YOU AND I WOULD LIKE TO
SPEAK ON THIS MATTER. COUNCILOR WEBER TO SUSPENSION OF THE RULE AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1928 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL THE POLICY NAY THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS DOCKET IS PASSED.
WE ARE NOW AFTER REPORTS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND OTHERS. MR CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ DOCKETS NUMBER 1929 AND 1930 DUCK NUMBER 1929 NOTICE TO
RECEIVED FROM THE CITY CLERK IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER SIX OF THE ORDINANCES OF 1979 RELATED TO ACTION TAKEN BY THE MAYOR AND PAPERS ACTED UPON BY
THE CITY COUNCIL AT ITS MEETING OF OCTOBER 8TH, 2025 AND NUMBER 1930 COMMUNIQUE ATION FROM COUNCILOR FLYNN REGARDING A TAX AMENDMENT TO THE BOSTON ZONING CODE RELATING TO DOG
ENTERTAINMENT IN CHINATOWN. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN YOU'RE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THE COMMUNICATION. OKAY. NORMALLY WE DON'T SPEAK ON COMMUNICATIONS BUT I WILL GIVE 2 MINUTES FOR YOU TO SPEAK ON THIS COMMUNICATION.
COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M SPEAKING ON NUMBER 19 1930, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT WHICH IS
AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR ME AND MY CONSTITUENTS IN CHINATOWN IN THE BAY VILLAGE IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON. WE HAD A CASE IN JUNE WITH NO
PUBLIC PROCESS FOR ZONING. NO COMMUNITY MEETING, NO PUBLIC HEARING AT THE ZBA AND NO SAY FOR THE IMPACTED RESIDENTS IN CHINATOWN. COMMUNITIES OF COLOR DOWNTOWN
BOSTON BAY VILLAGE. IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS AFTER MY OFFICE IN MY OFFICE AND I SPOKE TO LONGTIME COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS WHO FELT IGNORED BY THIS ISSUE ESPECIALLY AFTER THE
HISTORY OF BOSTON'S ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND CHINATOWN. I WANT TO EXPLAIN TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT PROMINENT CITY OFFICIALS EVEN ENCOURAGED ME TO
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. ONCE AND FOR ALL FOR THE PEOPLE OF CHINATOWN DOWNTOWN BOSTON AND BAY VILLAGE TO THE RESIDENTS OF CHINATOWN HAVE A SAY IN WHAT HAPPENS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THAT'S THE QUESTION. THEY SUPPORTED THIS METHOD. THEY EVEN SUGGESTED THE LETTERS TO CHIEF CHEN WHICH I RESPECTFULLY REQUESTED. THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S
ASSISTANT TO GET THIS RIGHT COUNCILOR HAS CHALLENGED ME ON THIS AND SAID CHINATOWN SHOULD NOT HAVE A VOICE IN A FINAL ANALYSIS.
TOO OFTEN IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MERITS OF AN ISSUE. IT'S ABOUT POLITICS. AND I WAS CRITICIZED FOR STICKING UP FOR MY CONSTITUENTS ABOUT CONSTITUENTS THAT I
RESPECT. WHEN WE OPEN UP A RESTAURANT, A COFFEE SHOP WE HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING. THERE'S A COMMUNITY PROCESS. HOW DO WE TELL RESIDENTS
OF DOWNTOWN BOSTON BAY VILLAGE AND CHINATOWN? NO, YOU DON'T GET TO SAY THAT'S FOR OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS BUT NOT FOR YOU.
THIS IS ABOUT RESPECT FOR MY CONSTITUENTS AND CHINATOWN. IT'S ABOUT RESPECT FOR MY CONSTITUENTS IN THE BAY VILLAGE IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON AND I'M GOING TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR THEM EVEN IF THIS BODY DOESN'T
BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE A VOICE IN CITY GOVERNMENT OR THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. DOCKETS NUMBER 1929 AND 1930 WILL BE PLACED ON FILE. WE ARE NOW ON TO REPORTS
OF COMMITTEES. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 014 OR FIVE DOCKING NUMBER 0145 THE COMMITTEE IN GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS TO IT WAS REFERRED
ON JANUARY 8TH 2025 DOCKING NUMBER 0145 PETITION FOR A SPECIAL LAW TO ESTABLISH THE COMMISSION OF INSPECTORS GENERAL ON FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING
THAT THE DOCKET OUGHT TO PASS AND A NEW DRAFT. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CLAUDIA ZAPATA, CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. THIS IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER LONG COMMITTEE REPORT SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE AND AND UNDERSTANDING AHEAD OF TIME. SO THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY
COUNCIL IN THE HERE AND BRIAN MORRELL AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 8TH, 2025. THERE HAS BEEN A LONG TIMELINE OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS THAT THIS BODY HAS TAKEN ON THIS
DOCKET AND IN THE ONE PRIOR TO THIS. SO TO PROVIDE SOME FLAHERTY FOR FOLKS AND JUST A REFRESH. SO INITIALLY IN MAY 20 2024 THERE WAS AN INITIAL HEARING
THAT WAS AN ORDINANCE THAT ESTABLISHED THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL. WE HELD A WORKING SESSION ON THAT DOCKET LAST YEAR IN NOVEMBER AND THEN IN THAT WORKING SESSION WE HAD TALKED
ABOUT FOLKS WANTING TO MODERNIZE AND EXPAND AND ENUMERATE THE POWERS OF THE BOSTON FINANCE COMMISSION AND WE HAD COLLECTIVELY THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA.
AND THEN SO COUNCILMEMBER HERE HAD FILED A HOME PETITION. UH, LET'S SEE IF I THE PETITION SHE FILED THE HOMER PETITION EARLIER THIS YEAR AND THEN WE
HELD A WORKING SESSION ON JUNE 5TH WHERE WE HAD MANY, MANY ITERATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF THE PROPOSAL. SO THE ORIGINAL FILING IN
SUMMARY IS A COMPETITION THAT SEEKS TO AMEND THE SPECIAL ACTS THAT ESTABLISH AND ENABLE THE BOSTON FINANCE COMMISSION IN ORDER TO MODERNIZE AND STRENGTHEN ITS STRUCTURE, POWERS AND OVERSIGHT CAPACITY. THIS PETITION CREATES A NEW
POSITION OF INSPECTOR GENERAL APPOINTED BY AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THE COMMISSION. SO WE ARE NOT GETTING RID OF THE FINANCE COMMISSION. WE ARE NOT. WE ARE MODERNIZING IT AND
STRENGTHEN AND STRENGTHEN IT. WE ARE ALSO CREATING A POSITION OF INSPECTOR GENERAL WHICH IS BY ALL ACCOUNTS THE DIRECTOR. SO WE'RE MODERNIZING AND STRENGTHENING ITS POWERS, CREATING A NEW POSITION
OF INSPECTOR GENERAL APPOINTED BY AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THE COMMISSION TO LEAD INVESTIGATIONS INTO FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE AND MISMANAGEMENT ACROSS ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS AND RELATED AGENCIES.
TOGETHER THESE CHANGES ARE DESIGNED TO TRANSFORM THE BOSTON FINANCE COMMISSION INTO A MORE ROBUST, WELL-SUPPORTED AND EMPOWERED OVERSIGHT BODY
CAPABLE OF PROVIDING SUSTAINED INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTABILITY IN MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS. AND SO FOLKS SHOULD HAVE THE COMMITTEE REPORT THAT WAS FILED ON MONDAY.
AND SO I HAVE CREATED A LIST OF SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENTS FOR FOLKS AND THEN MORE THAN HAPPY TO PASS IT OVER TO THE LEAD SPONSOR COUNCILOR HERE. SO WE ARE ESTABLISHING I USED TO BE THE BOSTON FINANCE
COMMISSION. IT'S NOW THE BOSTON INSPECTOR GENERAL OVERSIGHT COMMISSION. IT ALLOWS THE COMMISSION BEFORE I GO INTO THAT. EXCUSE ME. OH, THERE WE GO.
SORRY. IT KEEPS THE COMMISSION AT FIVE PEOPLE WHO MUST BE INHABITANTS OF BOSTON FOR THREE YEARS. IT KEEPS THE COMMISSION IS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR WITH STAGGERED TERMS AND FIVE YEAR
TERMS AFTER THAT AND WILL SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION. THE GOVERNOR HAS THE AUTHORITY TO REMOVE MEMBERS FOR CAUSE AND CAN APPOINT IN THE CASE OF VACANCIES. SO KEEPING THAT THE SAME SOME
CHANGES IS THAT THE COMMISSION IS NOW ALLOWED TO APPOINT AN IG IT SPECIFIED ITS SPECIFIES THAT THEY MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE IN AREAS SUCH AS ACCOUNTING AUDITING, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION INVESTIGATION AND CRIMINAL
JUSTICE. IT SPECIFIES THAT THEY HAVE TO HOLD OR OBTAIN A CERTIFICATION TO BE AN IG WITHIN ONE YEAR OF APPOINTMENT.
IT REQUIRES REPORTS OF THE IG AND COMMISSION AND A QUALITY ASSURANCE REVIEW EVERY THREE YEARS. IT PROVIDES SUBPOENA POWER WHICH IS HUGE SUBPOENA POWER TO THE COMMISSION BY AND THROUGH
THE IG. IT SPECIFIES THAT THE IG IS AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT INVESTIGATION ON ALL MATTERS TO ADDRESS INEFFICIENCIES, WASTE, MISCONDUCT, ABUSE OR
MISMANAGEMENT. AND IT SPECIFIES THE IG IS CHARGED WITH FOSTERING EFFICIENT CONTRACT MONITORING WHICH WE SAW EARLIER THIS YEAR THROUGH MATT CAHILL'S WORK FOR AN UNFORTUNATE EVENT THAT
HAPPENED IN JAMAICA PLAIN. IT REQUIRES THEM TO ENGAGE WITH CONSTITUENTS AND BUILDS PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT THEY DO SO WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT THERE THAT THIS IS
WHAT THEIR POWERS ARE AND THEIR DUTIES. IT CREATES SAFEGUARDS IN WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS TO ENSURE CONFIDENTIALITY IN INVESTIGATIONS AND PREVENTS
RETALIATION AGAINST ANYONE WHO FILED A COMPLAINT AND IT CREATES AN APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THIS COMMISSION. SO WE'RE NOW REQUIRING THE IG
TO PRESENT THEIR RECOMMENDED BUDGET TO THE CITY COUNCIL. SO TO THE COMMISSION FIRST AND PLACE ON RECORD WITH THE CITY CLERK BY FEBRUARY BEFORE THE BUDGET. SO WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS IN
SOME OF THE WORKING SESSIONS AND HEARINGS WHERE THIS OFFICE BECAUSE OF ITS VERY NATURE HAS SEEN A LOT OF DIVESTMENT AWAY FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. IT'S THEIR JOB TO INVESTIGATE US, TO INVESTIGATE THE MAYOR.
AND SO THIS IS REQUIRING US TO UNDERSTAND FROM THE IG IN THE COMMISSION HOW MUCH MONEY THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOBS EFFECTIVELY AND WE'LL KNOW ABOUT IT BEFORE WE ALL GO THROUGH OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
AND SO BECAUSE OF ALL OF THAT, I'M VERY PROUD TO PUT THIS FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT IT OUGHT TO PASS MOVE TO DRAFT. I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR MEJIA FOR HER LEADERSHIP, HER TEAM TO SAY
ELLIE ON MY TEAM FOR FOR HER WORK. ALSO THE MASSACHUSETTS INSPECTOR GENERAL JEFF SPIRO AND OF COURSE MATT CAHILL WHO DOES INCREDIBLE WORK AND WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
SUPPLEMENTING WHAT HE DOES AND EXPANDING WHAT HE DOES THROUGH THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR CUTTER ZAPATA, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MEJIA YOU HAVE THE
FLOOR. MADAM PRESIDENT AND I WANT TO THANK MY CO-SPONSOR COUNCILOR MORALES AND CHAIR COLETTA SUPPORT THERE FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND HER TEAM MAKING
FROM ESSENTIAL STAFF AND ALL OF THE ESSENTIAL STAFF MEMBERS WHO ACTUALLY SPENT MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY HOURS WITH OUR TEAM TO GET THIS TO A PLACE
EVERYONE FELT HAPPY AND THE INSPECTOR WHO OFFERED GUIDANCE . SHAPIRO AND WHO ALSO HELPED US
CONNECT WITH THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL OR THE ASSOCIATION OF INSPECTOR GENERALS FOR THEIR COLLABORATION. THEY WERE SUCH AN AMAZING PARTNER WITH US AND THE
COUNTLESS INSPECTOR GENERAL'S ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO SHOWED UP AT OUR HEARINGS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANT AND THE AND THE ROLE THAT THEY PLAYED IN HELPING SUPPORT
MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE RESIDENTS WHO GATHERED SIGNATURES NOT ONCE BUT TWICE WHO ATTENDED HEARINGS AND REFUSED TO LET THIS WORK FADE.
THIS IS YOUR VICTORY TOO. I RISE AS THE ORIGINAL SPONSOR OF DOCKET 0145A HOME LAW PETITION TO ESTABLISH THE COMMISSION OF INSPECTOR GENERAL'S ON FINANCIAL
OVERSIGHT AND EFFORT OF MORE THAN TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING. IT FEELS LIKE AND PREVIOUSLY LED BY CITY COUNCILOR ANDREA CAMPBELL WHO ROOTED IN THE
BELIEF THAT OVERSIGHT, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY SHOULD NEVER DEPEND ON WHO HOLDS OFFICE. HERE'S THE PATH THAT BROUGHT US
HERE. AS THE CHAIR HAD ALREADY NOTED THE TIMELINES WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND SO I
WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE THE EBBS AND FLOWS OF POLICYMAKING. THIS IS DEFINITELY BEEN A ROLLER COASTER RIDE. WE BEGAN AN ORDINANCE TO CREATE THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE
IN THE CITY OF BOSTON IN RESPONSE TO CONCERNS ABOUT DUPLICATION, COST AND STRUCTURE AND FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE OF OFFICE. WE FIND OUR APPROACH TO MEET
THE MOMENT EXPANDING AND MODERNIZING THE EXISTING FINANCIAL COMMISSION THROUGH THIS HOME RULE PETITION TO MEET THE NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS OF RESIDENTS TODAY.
THROUGH THIS PROCESS WE'VE ENGAGED THIS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE WHO I JUST SPOKE WITH AGAIN THIS MORNING THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
BOSTON FINANCE COMMISSION. OUR COLLEAGUES ON THIS COUNCIL ALONGSIDE THE AUDITOR DE SCIGLIO AND TOGETHER WE BUILT A PROPOSAL FOR A MODERN, INDEPENDENT AND PROFESSIONAL
OVERSIGHT. THIS LEGISLATION UPDATES A 1907 OVERSIGHT BODY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. EVERY NAMES THE BOSTON FINANCE COMMISSION AS THE BOSTON
FINANCE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION AND CLARIFIES APPOINTMENTS AND ESTABLISHING THE STAGGERING TERMS AND REMOVAL OF CAUSE TO ENSURE INDEPENDENCE. IT CREATES A MUNICIPAL
INSPECTOR GENERAL APPOINTED BY AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT COMMISSION NOT TO THE MAYOR AND NOT TO THE COUNCIL. THE INSPECTOR GENERAL MUST BE PROFESSIONALLY CERTIFIED AND
EXPERIENCED IN AUDITING AND LAW AND INVESTIGATIONS WITH AUTHORITY TO INVESTIGATE FRAUD, WASTE, ABUSE AND MISMANAGEMENT, RECEIVE COMPLAINTS FROM RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYEES, ISSUE
ANNUAL PUBLIC REPORTS AND APPEAR BEFORE THIS BODY EACH YEAR. THIS ALSO STRENGTHENS THE WITH THE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION BANDS RETALIATION WHICH AND
ENFORCES STRICT CONFLICT OF INTEREST RULES TO PREVENT REVOLVING DOOR POLITICS. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE BOSTON MUNICIPAL RESEARCH
MERIAL FOR ITS ONGOING COMMITMENT TO GOOD GOVERNMENT AND FISCAL INTEGRITY. WE SHARE THE SAME GOALS A STRONG, INDEPENDENT AND WELL-RESOURCED OVERSIGHT BODY.
MANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE ALREADY SHAPED THIS VERSION INCLUDING ENSURING SUBPOENA POWER, A CLEAR BUDGET AUTHORITY, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS, INDEPENDENCE FROM BOTH THE MAYOR AND THE
COUNCIL. TO SUMMARIZE, WE ARE EXPANDING THE EXISTING FINANCE COMMISSION TO ESTABLISH A FIVE MEMBER COMMISSION OF INSPECTOR GENERALS RESPONSIBLE FOR APPOINTING AND SUPPORTING AN
INSPECTOR GENERAL AND THEIR STAFF. WHILE WE HAVE NOT SET A MINIMUM FUNDING LEVEL RECOGNIZING THAT THE CITY'S CURRENT FISCAL CONSTRAINTS WHICH MAY OR MAY
NOT REFLECT A FULLY FINANCIALLY REALITY, WE HAVE INCLUDED LANGUAGE REQUIRING THAT THE CITY APPROPRIATE A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT TO ENSURE THE EFFECTIVE OPERATION OF THIS OFFICE.
COLLEAGUES, THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO BRING BOSTON'S OVERSIGHT FRAMEWORK INTO ALIGNMENT WITH THE SCALE AND COMPLEXITY OF GOVERNMENT TODAY. WHILE FINAL APPROVAL WILL REQUIRE THE MAYOR'S SIGNATURE
BEFORE MOVING TO THE STATE HOUSE, I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS DOCKET THAT IT
OUGHT TO PASS IN A NEW DRAFT. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE BEATRIX KNIGHT DO SAY WE'RE NOW AND COMING OFF IN PARTICULAR FOR THEIR RELENTLESS ENGAGEMENT.
IT HAS NOT BEEN EASY TO GET HERE POLICY MAKING IS AN ART AND IT'S AN ART THAT SOMETIMES REQUIRES MUCH MORE ARMOR THAN WHAT WE BROUGHT INTO THIS CHAMBER.
BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR NEVER GIVING UP AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE YOU'RE PROBABLY INSIDE THERE LOOKING BUT WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE LEADERSHIP THAT MEGAN PROVIDED US.
THIS IS WHAT CENTRAL STAFF IS SUPPOSED TO DO IS REALLY HAVE THE BACK OF THE CITY COUNCILORS THAT THEY'RE HERE TO SERVE. AND MEGAN, YOU DID THAT. SO I'M SURE MICHELLE IS REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK AND THE
INTEGRITY THAT YOU LED US THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND I ENCOURAGE US TO RISE TO THE OCCASION AND WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES
COUNCILOR BREADON. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I WANT TO THANK THE LEAD SPONSORS COUNCILOR HERE AND CONSTABLE MORRELL BUT ALSO THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR INCREDIBLE
CHAIR OF GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENT RELATIONS. I'M VERY EXCITED TO MODERNIZE THE LEGISLATION THAT EMPOWERS
THE MUNICIPAL NO. FINCKEL THAT'S IT. THE FIRST PERSON WHO CAME THROUGH THE DOOR TO TALK TO ME I THINK WHEN I WAS A NEWLY ELECTED CITY COUNCILOR WAS MAD
COW AND HE SAT DOWN AND EXPLAINED THE WORK AND I THOUGHT WELL, THIS IS A GUY THAT'S A RESOURCE FOR ALL OF US THE CITY COUNCILORS AND AND IN
THE ENSUING YEARS WE HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE FUND COME TO TRY AND ADDRESS ISSUES THAT ARE ARISING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT IS ALWAYS
VERY ACCESSIBLE. I THINK PART OF THE BIGGEST STORY IS THAT AS COUNCILMAN HE HAD JUST REFERENCED IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A FINE CALM THAT'S FULLY
EMPOWERED WITH SUBPOENA POWER BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BUDGET WE NEED TO FUND CALM. IN TRUTH, 1907 WHEN IT WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED THEY HAD A BUDGET OF $25,000.
IF THAT $25,000 HAD KEPT PACE WITH INFLATION, THEIR BUDGET RATE NOW WOULD BE CLOSE TO $800 $800,000 AND YOU IN REALITY
THEIR BUDGET IS MORE LIKE 350,000 WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO A CITY COUNCIL OFFICE SALARY FOR STAFF. SO WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT GOING FORWARD THAT THE INCOME HAS THE
BUDGET TO DO THE JOB THAT THEY WERE CREATED FOR AND AND IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT ONE AREA AS WE HAD A PASTOR AND AN ORDINANCE THIS WEEK THAT ALLOWED US TO CONSIDER THE
DISPOSAL OF PUBLIC ASSETS AND ENSURE THAT THEY WERE GO TO ENSURE THAT THE PUBLIC ASSETS ARE DISPOSED FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD WITH A PARTICULAR INTEREST AND IN IDENTIFYING PLACES WHERE
THEY COULD BE CREATED MADE INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. BUT IN THE PAST ONE OF ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE SUCCESSES IN THE LAST 20 YEARS OR SO WAS THE WINTHROP SQUARE
GARAGE. CITY APPRAISALS ESTIMATED THAT THE WORTH OF THE GARAGE WAS 28 TO 39 28 TO $29 MILLION AND ON
THAT SITE AS A GARAGE IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WORTH 28 MILLION BUT THAT TO GROSSLY UNDERESTIMATED THE VALUE OF THAT SITE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND IT WAS BEEN
LOOKED AT TO BUILD THE HIGHEST TOWER IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AT 725 FEET AND THE ULTIMATELY BECAME ULTIMATELY IT WAS SOLD AFTER FINKEL INTERVENED AND
SAYS HANG ON A MINUTE THE DEVELOPMENT VALUE OF THIS IS WELL ABOVE 29 MILLION AND ULTIMATELY THE CITY SOLD THE SOLD THE SITE FOR 120 MILLION THEN COMPARES FOR ITSELF WHEN
IT'S ALLOWED GIVEN THE RESOURCES AND THE AND THE ABILITY TO OVERSEE THE CITY BUSINESS AND LOOK AT PREVENTING
FIERCE WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE. AND I'M GOING TO BE WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORTING THIS AND THIS WHOLE PETITION THAT WILL MODERNIZE BEEN CALLED TO MEET THE MOMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN AND THEN COMES TO AS A PARTNER CASTRO FLYNN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE THE HARD WORK OF COUNCILORS COLETTA AND COUNCILOR MEJIA AND RESPECT THE JOB THAT THEY THEY HAVE DONE ALTHOUGH I WILL BE
VOTING NO ON THIS PROPOSAL FOR FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. THE BOSTON MUNICIPAL RESEARCH BUREAU NOTED THAT ELIMINATING THE FINANCE COMMISSION, AN
INDEPENDENT FISCAL WATCHDOG FOR THE CITY THAT IS THAT HAS EXISTED FOR 100 YEARS CARRIES SIGNIFICANT RISK AND IT IS NOT EVIDENT HOW ELIMINATE ELIMINATING THE EXISTING BODY
AND CREATING A NEW OFFICE AND COMMISSION WILL IMPROVE GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY WILL HELP MORE EFFICIENTLY COMBAT WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE
THAT WAS THAT WAS DISCUSSED. I'M ALSO UNCERTAIN HOW MUCH THIS WILL COST GUARDING AN INSPECTOR GENERAL TO THE TO THE PAYROLL.
I ALSO THINK AS A BODY WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE AND ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS THE CITY COUNCIL HAS HAD A SERIES OF LEGAL AND ETHICAL LAPSES.
I ADVOCATED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE ETHICS REFORM PACKAGE INCLUDING RELEASING STATE AND FEDERAL TAX RETURNS FROM THE LAST FIVE YEARS. OUR STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL
INTEREST FORM AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE STATE ETHICS COMMISSION TO PROVIDE ENHANCED TRAINING FOR COUNSELORS AND STAFF. WHEN I WAS TOLD BY MY
COLLEAGUES THAT AN ETHICS COMMITTEE CANNOT POLICE ITSELF, I ADVOCATED FOR ESTABLISHING A CITY COUNCIL OVERSIGHT COMMISSION MADE UP OF OUTSIDE AND RELEVANT EXPERTS A
STANDALONE ETHICS COMMITTEE HIRING AN ATTORNEY TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE TRANSPARENCY. NOW IS THE TIME FOR POSITIVE AND ETHICAL LEADERSHIP FROM THE
CITY COUNCIL AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE NOT TAKEN THE NECESSARY NECESSARY STEPS TO REGAIN OUR CREDIBILITY WITH THE PUBLIC. THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE MORE WE LOSE CREDIBILITY THE SIGNAL TO
THE PEOPLE THAT ETHICS IN CITY GOVERNMENT IS NOT A PRIORITY AND I'M HERE TO HERE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE TO REFOCUS ON TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY
AND ETHICS IN THIS BODY HAS LOST A LOT OF CREDIBILITY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. COME TO CLAUDIA ZAPATA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM PRESIDENT. JUST A FEW EDITS. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST I
FORGOT TO THANK MEGAN CAVANAUGH WHO OF COURSE IS AMAZING AND WONDERFUL AND WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE HER ON STAFF. JUST A FEW JUST ONE EDIT IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THIS IS A COMMISSION MADE UP OF INSPECTOR GENERALS. IT'S ACTUALLY A COMMISSION.
IT'S THE SAME COMMISSION THAT WE'RE NOT ELIMINATING THE SAME COMMISSION THAT HAS THE NOW THE AUTHORITY TO APPOINT AN IG WHICH IS BY ALL ACCOUNTS A DIRECTOR. SO IT'S NOT A NEW POSITION. GRANTED THAT PERSON'S GOING TO
HAVE TO BE QUALIFIED, HAVE CERTAIN CERTIFICATIONS AND ALL OF THAT. BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THE COMMISSION ITSELF IS NOT THE INCUMBENT WILL NOT HAVE INSPECTOR GENERALS BUT THEY WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO
APPOINT ONE AND THEN ALSO THEIR DEPUTIES TO HELP HIM WITH HIS WORK. AND THIS IS THE ETHICAL AVENUE LIKE THIS IS THIS IS THE AVENUE THIS IS THE THIS IS THE
COMMISSION THAT IF THERE IS ANY IF THERE ARE ANY UNETHICAL OR IF THERE IS ANY UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR HAPPENING RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, COLLEAGUES, CITY BOSS EMPLOYEES COULD ACT
COULD UTILIZE THIS TOOL, THIS IS THAT AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS AND TRYING TO AVOID THAT THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNTY COURT OF ZAPATA IS
ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS DOCKET? OKAY, THANK YOU. THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS SEEKS
ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 0145 IN A NEW DRAFT. ALL IN FAVOR SAY I I MR CLERK,
COULD YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL VOTE ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKING NUMBER 0145. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES. COUNCILOR COLETTE. AS A PARTY COUNCILOR COLORED AS A PARTY YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN.
COUNCILOR DURKAN NO. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FLYNN NO. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. YES.
COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. COUNCILOR PIPPIN. YES. COUNCILOR FOR TEN YEARS. COUNCILOR SANTANA. COUNCILOR SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES.
AND COUNCILOR EARL YES. COUNCILOR EARL YES. TALKING UP A0145 HAS RECEIVED TEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND TWO IN THE NEGATIVE. THANK YOU. THIS DOCKET HAS PASSED IN A NEW
DRAFT. MR. CLERK OKAY. YOU HAVE A BIT OF YOU GOT SOME READING HERE TO DO. MR. CLERK WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKETS NUMBER 135313540
ACTUALLY THE READING COMPLETED WELL, THIS IS A READING OF TWO AND 1412. CAN YOU READ THOSE THREE DOCKETS TOGETHER? I THINK WE HAVE SOME OTHER ONES THAT ARE COMING. DUNCAN NUMBER 1353 THE
COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION TO WHICH WAS REFERRED ON JULY 9TH 2025 TALKING ABOUT 1353 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE
REAPPOINTMENT OF NORM STONEBRIDGE AS A MEMBER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL FOR A TERM EXPIRING MAY 1ST, 2028, SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING
THAT THE ORDER OUGHT TO PASS. DUNCAN NUMBER ONE THREE BY FOUR THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT TRANSPORTATION TO WHICH WAS REFERRED ON JUNE ONE EXCUSE ME ON JULY 9TH, 2025.
DUNCAN NUMBER 1354 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF ROB STEINBERG AS A MEMBER OF THE SAINT BIDDULPH ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION DISTRICT
COMMISSION FOR A TERM EXPIRING JUNE 20, 2026 SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING THAT THE AUTOMOTIVE PASS IN DUNCAN ABOUT 141 TO THE COMMITTEE ON
PLANNING DEVELOPMENT TRANSPORTATION TO WHICH WAS REFERRED ON AUGUST SIX, 2025 TALKING NUMBER 1412 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF SELINA
BARRIOS MILLNER AS A MEMBER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL FOR A TERM EXPIRING MAY 1ST, 2028, SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING THAT THE ORDER OUGHT TO PASS. THANK YOU.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL DURKAN, THE CHAIR OF PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU CHAIR. LAST WEEK I PRESIDED OVER A NOMINATION HEARING ON THESE THREE DOCKETS THE REAPPOINTMENT
OF NORM STOCKBRIDGE TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL, THE APPOINTMENT OF CELINA BERRIOS MILLNER TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL AND THE APPOINTMENT OF RON STEINBERG TO THE ST PATEL OF ARCHITECTURAL DISTRICT COMMISSION. ALL OF THE THREE NOMINEES ARE
HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND I WAS JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES COUNCILOR FLYNN AND MURPHY FOR A PRODUCTIVE VIRTUAL DISCUSSION. AS NOTED DURING THE HEARING, THE ZBA IS ONE OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL APPOINTED BODIES IN BOSTON.
IT PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN ENSURING OUR ZONING LAWS ARE APPLIED THOUGHTFULLY BALANCING THE NEEDS OF OUR CITY WITH THE CHARACTER THAT MAKES BOSTON UNIQUE. BOTH MR STONEBRIDGE AND MYSTERIOUS MILLNER BRING DEEP EXPERTISE AND PERSPECTIVE TO
THE ZBA. THEY SPOKE THOUGHTFULLY ABOUT HOW ZONING DECISIONS IMPACT ISSUES OF EQUITY RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION AND GENTRIFICATION AND EMPHASIZED THEIR COMMITMENT
TO ADVANCING ZONING REFORM AND PROMOTING HOUSING AFFORDABILITY ACROSS OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. MR STEINBERG IS ALSO WELL QUALIFIED. A GRADUATE OF M.I.T. WITH A BACKGROUND IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT. HE BRINGS VALUABLE TECHNICAL
AND ARCHITECTURAL EXPERTISE TO THE SAME 412 ARCHITECTURAL DISTRICT COMMISSION. HE EXPRESSED AN APPRECIATION FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ENHANCING THE LIVABILITY OF HIS NEIGHBORHOOD. AS CHAIR OF THE PLANNING
DEPARTMENT AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AND BASED ON TESTIMONY AND INFORMATION PRESENTED AT THE HEARING, I RECOMMEND THAT THIS COMMITTEE REPORT BE ACCEPTED AND THAT ALL THREE APPOINTMENT APPOINTMENTS OUGHT TO PASS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR DURKIN, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTRAFLOW AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR DURKIN
FOR CONDUCTING A INFORMATIVE HEARING ON THREE PEOPLE WHO ARE WELL QUALIFIED AND WILL WILL DO EXCEPTIONAL WORK I BELIEVE WHETHER WHETHER WE AGREE WITH THEM OR DISAGREE WITH THEM
THEY'RE CERTAINLY HIGHLY QUALIFIED PEOPLE AND I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THE INTEREST OF THE CITY IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM AS WELL. IT WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY
TO TALK TO THEM AND LEARN ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUND, THEIR EXPERIENCES, THEIR VISION, THEIR VIEW ON SO MANY DIFFICULT ISSUES DEVELOPMENT ISSUES FACING THE CITY.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE THE CITY COUNCIL HAS THE IT HAS THE ABILITY TO ASK QUESTIONS TO THESE POTENTIAL CANDIDATES TO ASK ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUND ANY
QUESTION IS RELEVANT TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUND. BUT WE DIDN'T TAKE OPPORTUNITY . WE DECIDED THAT WE WE JUST WANT
TO THIS JUST VOTE ON THESE ON THESE PEOPLE WITHOUT KNOWING THEIR BACKGROUNDS WHICH IS WHICH IS FINE BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO ATTEND THE MEETINGS BECAUSE YOU
LEARN A LOT ABOUT CITY ISSUES. YOU LEARN ABOUT PEOPLE'S BACKGROUNDS AND WHAT THEIR VISION ARE THAT IF THE CITY COUNCIL HAS THE POWER TO ASK QUESTIONS CITIES CANDIDATES WE
SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT SO WE CAN LEARN ABOUT WHAT WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE. BUT NOT TO SHOW UP FOR AN IMPORTANT MEETING IS NOT PROVIDING THE LEADERSHIP THE
CITY AND THE RESIDENTS DESERVE . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKIN FOR HOSTING THIS HEARING. THESE ARE THREE INCREDIBLE LEADERS IN OUR CITY AND I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE HOW THEY WILL LEAD ON THESE RESPECTIVE
COMMISSIONS. OH, THE CHAIR CAN I JUST CONSIDER AND CONSIDER CAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IS THERE SOMETHING THAT. YEAH. SORRY I JUST HAVE TO SAY I HAD A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCILOR PEP ON. OKAY. THANK YOU.
IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THESE MATTERS? OKAY. THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1353. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I.
DOCKET NUMBER 1353. IT'S PASSED AND THE APPOINTMENT IS CONFIRMED. THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1354 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL
THOSE OPPOSED NAY. THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1354 HAS PASSED. THE APPOINTMENT IS CONFIRMED. THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT TRANSPORTATION SEEKS ACCEPTANCE
OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1412 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALSO SAY NAY. THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1412
IS PASSED. THE APPOINTMENT IS CONFIRMED. OKAY NOW MR. CLERK IS YOUR MARATHON READING. SO HERE WE GO.
MR CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ NUMBER 1625165831660169131695 AND 1697 OKAY PAY 1697 OKAY
PACE YOURSELF TAKE YOUR OWN AND THERE'S ONE THAT I'M MISSING AND 1832 DO WE HAVE THAT ONE? MR. CLERK YEP AN 1832 ALL RIGHT
SO I CAN HAVE A1625 MESSAGE YOU'RE NOT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $1,045,187.20 IN
THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE YOUTH WORKS FISCAL YEAR 2526 AWARDED BY THE MASS EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT POWERS TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRIAL
CORPORATION OF BOSTON TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF YOUTH EMPLOYMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND SUPPORT YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND DEVELOPMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIRED REQUIREMENT
OUTLINED IN YOUTH WORKS PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT GUIDES TALKING NUMBER 1658 MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT
AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $222,041.20 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE WIO YOUTH ACTIVITIES ADMINISTRATION GRANT AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PASSED THROUGH THE MASS HIRED DEPARTMENT OF CAREER SERVICES TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND A PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON
OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 TO 24 WHO FACE BARRIERS TO EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT. DARK NUMBER 1659 MESSAGING ON
AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND AN AMOUNT OF 170 $73,229.50 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE WIO ADULT ACTIVITIES ADMINISTRATION GRANT
AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PASSED TO THE MASAYA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER SERVICES TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE
CREATION OF A SEAMLESS SYSTEM OF ADULT EDUCATION, WORKFORCE PREPARATION AND TRAINING SERVICES SO I CAN HAVE A1660 MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING
THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $89,593.02 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE WEGNER PIS ADMINISTRATION GRANT AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF LABOR PASS THROUGH THE MASK HIRE DEPARTMENT AT COURIER SERVICES TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DOCKET NUMBER 1691 MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING
THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AN EXPERIMENT AMOUNT OF $1,998,370.80 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FROM THE W IOWA YOUTH PROGRAM GRANT AWARDED BY
THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PASSED THROUGH THE MASAYA DEPARTMENT AT CAREER SERVICES TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
THE GRANT WILL FUND THE COMPREHENSIVE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM TO SERVE ELIGIBLE YOUTH AGES 14 TO 24 WHO FACE BARRIERS TO EDUCATION TRAINING AND
EMPLOYMENT. TALK NUMBER 1692. MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND AN AMOUNT
OF $1,559,065.50 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE WIO ADULT ACTIVITIES GRANT AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. PASS THROUGH THE MASAYA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER SERVICE TO
BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND SERVICES TO HELP JOB SEEKERS ACCESS EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, SKILLS TRAINING, APPRENTICESHIPS AND
SUPPORT SERVICES. TALKING OVER 1693 MESSAGE AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON
TO ACCEPT AN EXPANDED AMOUNT OF $1,040,435.67 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE WAGNER PEYSER PROGRAM AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PASSED TO THE MAYOR
CIA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER SERVICES TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE INDIVIDUAL REEMPLOYMENT NEEDS OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMANTS AS WELL AS PREVENT
AND DETECT IMPROPER BENEFIT PAYMENTS AND APPLICATION ASSISTANCE FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS. TUCKER NUMBER 1694.
MESSAGE IN AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND AN AMOUNT OF $966,006 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE WIO
WI0A DISLOCATED WORKERS GRANT AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PASSED THROUGH THE MAYOR'S DEPARTMENT OF CAREER SERVICES TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
THE GRANT WILL FUND A PROGRAM TO HELP DISLOCATED WORKERS GET BACK TO WORK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND OVERCOME BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT. TALKING ABOUT 1695 MESSAGE
YOU'RE NOT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $884,111 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER GRANT
AWARDED BY THE MASAYA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER SERVICES TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND COMPREHENSIVE CAREER SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO UNEMPLOYED JOB
SEEKERS SUCH AS REVIEWING JOB POSTINGS, CAREER COUNSELING AND JOB COACHING EDUCATION SKILLS TRAINING AND JOB PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE.
LUCKY NUMBER 1697. MESSAGE YOU'RE NOT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $107,334 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE WIO EIGHT
DISLOCATION WORKERS ADMINISTRATION GRANT AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. PASS THROUGH THE MASAYA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER SERVICES TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND INDIVIDUAL CAREER SERVICES AND TRAINING SERVICES FOR DISLOCATED WORKERS TO REJOIN THE WORKFORCE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE TO OVERCOME
BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT. IN TALKING ABOUT 1832 MESSAGE YOU'RE NOT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT, ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT
OF $895,657.87 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE ARI SCA PROGRAM FOR FIELD CALENDAR YEAR 25 GRANT AWARDED BY THE UNITED
STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. PASS THROUGH THE MASS DEPARTMENT AT CAREER SERVICES TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND INDIVIDUAL REEMPLOYMENT IN NEEDS
OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMANTS AS WELL AS PREVENT AND DETECT IMPROPER BENEFIT PAYMENTS AND APPLICATION AND ASSISTANCE FOR TRAINING AND EDUCATION RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS.
THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WEBER, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. COUNSELOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I THINK I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE BUT CLARK, I'M SORRY MY PEN DIED. CAN YOU JUST GO BACK AND SAY THAT AGAIN? OKAY. UH, NO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 27TH, THE
COMMITTEE ON LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HELD A HEARING ON 11 LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GRANTS PRIMARILY FOR CAREER CENTERS AND FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT.
AT THE HEARING WE WERE JOINED BY JOSEPH LAY, THE CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THE WORKER EMPOWERMENT CABINET DIRECTOR OF GRANTS IN THE WORK FOR EMPOWER CABINET KATIE GALL. NEAL SOLD IN AN ANGEL IN THE
CAVE FROM THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY COUNCIL AND IN A SHARE FROM THE OFFICE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES WHO ATTENDED THE HEARING. COUNSELOR FLYNN MADAM PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNSELOR BREADON AND
COUNSELOR MURPHY. THE COMMITTEE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNSELOR PIPPIN. I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK ETHAN CHRISTIAN FROM CENTRAL STAFF FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE WITH THE
HEARING ON MONDAY. AT THE HEARING WE WERE GIVEN AN OVERVIEW OF THE 11 GRANTS NINE OF WHICH ARE BEING AWARDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, ONE BEING AWARDED TO THE BY THE MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE
OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ONE COMING FROM THE MASS HIGHER DEPARTMENT OF CAREER SERVICES. AS DIRECTOR GAAL STATED IN HER PRESENTATION, THESE GRANTS ARE FOCUSED ON GETTING PEOPLE BACK ON THEIR FEET BY PROVIDING THEM WITH THE SERVICES THAT ARE
BEING OFFERED BY THE BOSTON PRIVATE INDUSTRY COUNCIL THROUGH OUR CAREER CENTERS ABCD, BOSTON AND JEWISH VOCATIONAL SERVICES. YOUTH WORKS FUNDING HELPS BOTH
YEAR ROUND AND SUMMER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH SUCCESS LINK FOR LOW INCOME AND AT RISK YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 AND 25. MANY OF THESE GRANTS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE THIS BODY
PASSED HAS ALREADY PASSED AND IT'S IN THAT ITS PRIMARY FUNDING THAT THE OFFICE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT RECEIVES FROM THE STATES SUPPORTING THE CAREER SERVICES.
YOU KNOW OUR CAREER CENTERS IN FISCAL YEAR 25 SERVED ALMOST 16,000 JOB SEEKERS INCLUDING 14,000 OVER 14,400 UNEMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS AND OVER 1200
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. THE CAREER CENTERS ALSO SERVED OVER 9000 UNEMPLOYED VETERANS WHO ARE PRIORITIZED FOR SERVICES AT BOTH CAREER
CENTERS. NEIL SULLIVAN, WHO WE ALL KNOW AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE BOSTON PICK JOINT A JOINED US COMPLEMENTED THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE FOR DOING A GREAT JOB OF BRAIDING AND BUNDLING THE VARIOUS REVENUE STREAMS THAT COME FROM VARIOUS DIRECTIONS TO FUND ALL THESE TRAINING VOUCHERS AND CAREER SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES THAT BECOME
AVAILABLE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON. HE REASSURED THE COMMITTEE THAT THERE ARE TWO TWO CITIZEN COMMITTEES THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND THE YOUTH COUNCIL WHO ARE ABLE TO MAKE COMMUNITY INTERESTS KNOWN
AND WEIGH IN ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS AND COMPETITIVE GRANTS AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. I'M SORRY YOU KNOW NEIL SULLIVAN ALSO REITERATED THAT
THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN PARTICULAR SERVES AN IMPORTANT PUBLIC SAFETY POLICY INTEREST YOU KNOW, AS ONE WAY WE CAN KEEP OUR CITY, YOU KNOW, AS A
SAFE PLACE WHERE KIDS CAN THRIVE AND THAT ACCEPTING AND USING THESE GRANTS IS ONE WAY TO SUPPORT THAT. SO AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPMENT, MY RECOMMENDATION
IS THAT THESE MATTERS OUGHT TO PASS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR CAN I JUST PENNSYLVANIA HAVE THE FLOOR? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
PROFESSIONAL WORK COUNCIL THEY DID ON THESE HEARINGS. THEY WERE INFORMATIVE. WE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL FROM NEAL SULLIVAN AND FROM THE OTHERS.
MR LEE WHO DOES AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB AS WELL FOR THE CITY AND IN THE ENTIRE THE ADMINISTRATION I THINK DOES A GREAT JOB ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT RELATED
ISSUES. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO LEARN ABOUT THE FUNDING WHERE IT'S GOING TO, HOW IT IMPACTS PEOPLE OUT OF WORK LOOKING FOR WORK,
LOOKING FOR TRAINING. WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON ABOUT I ADDED IT UP WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON ABOUT $10 MILLION OF FUNDING FOR JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS.
SO A LOT OF A LOT OF MONEY. I DO ENCOURAGE I'LL BE RESPECTFUL. I DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE FELLOW CITY COUNCILORS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS.
THE ATTENDANCE AT THIS HEARING WAS ONLY TWO OR THREE FOR A CITY COUNCIL IS THERE BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO LEARN ABOUT JOB TRAINING
PROGRAMS IN THE CITY BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE ASK US ABOUT JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS WE NEED TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND TELL THEM WHAT PROGRAMS ARE EFFECTIVE, HOW THEY CAN CONTACT PEOPLE,
HOW THEY DO IT, HOW THEY CAN GET INTO THE PROGRAM, WHAT THE CRITERIA HERE IS. YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT THOSE ISSUES AT THE HEARING SO YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS YOU ASK YOU ASK FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS BUT YOU
DON'T LEARN ANYTHING BY NOT GOING TO THE HEARING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BUT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? I WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE WEBER I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR DILIGENTLY HOLDING THESE
HEARINGS ON THESE ROUTINE GRANTS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITY. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO PASSING THEM EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT TO OUR CITY. ALL RIGHT. SO WE WILL TAKE EACH DOCKET ONE
BY ONE AND WE WILL TAKE A VOTE. SO JUST SO THAT I AM CLEAR WE ARE THE FIRST VOTE WILL BE ON DOCKET NUMBER 1625 DIRECT.
OKAY, SORRY. 1658 OC NO 1625 IT'S 165 YES. YEP. OKAY. THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SIX ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND
PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1625 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I'LL OPPOSE ANY THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1625 IS PASSED. THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMICS
DEVELOPMENT SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1658. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I I'LL OPPOSE SAY NAY. THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1658
HAS PASSED THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1659 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALTHOUGH THE POLLS SAY
NAY. THANK YOU THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1659 IS PASSED. THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND
PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1660. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL OPPOSE THEY MAY TAKE YOU THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1660 HAS PASSED THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO THE
ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1691 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL OPPOSED NAY. THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1691 IS PASSED.
THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SINCE ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1692 ALL IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL US SAY
NAY. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN THE NUMBER 1692 IS BEST THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET
NUMBER 1693. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL OPPOSE SAY NAY. THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1693 HAS PASSED. THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1694. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL OF US SAY NAY. THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1694 IS PASSED.
THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSENGER DOCKET NUMBER 1695 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALEPPO SAY NAY.
THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1695 HAS PASSED THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO THE SUBSTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET
NUMBER 1697 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALTHOUGH THE POLICY NAY THE AYES HAVE IT THIS DOCKET HAS PASSED AND THE CHAIR THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SEEKS
ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1832 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I I ALL OPPOSE SAY NAY. THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1832 HAS PASSED.
MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1434 LUCKY NUMBER 1434 AND IN SPITE OF SAYING THE OFFICE OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND ADVANCEMENT THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE CHAIR
OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COUNCIL AS A PARTNER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM PRESIDENT. THE COMMITTEE HELD A HEARING ON DOCKET 143 FOR AN ORDINANCE TO CLARIFY THE OFFICE OF YOUTH
ENGAGEMENT ON MONDAY WITHIN BOSTON CITY CODE UNDER THE HUMAN SERVICES CABINET. THE MEASURE AIMS TO MAKE IT A PERMANENT PART OF CITY GOVERNMENT ENSURING CONSISTENT INVESTMENT IN YOUTH LEADERSHIP,
CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS AGES 4014 THROUGH 25 ATTENDING COUNCILORS INCLUDED SANTANA,
FLYNN, FITZGERALD, BREADON, BREADON AND MURPHY. LETTERS OF ABSENCE CAME FROM COUNCILOR WEBER AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE WE HEARD FROM CHIEF JOSE MARCEAU AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF OH YEAH PEDRO CRUZ. THEY BOTH STRESSED THAT CODIFYING OH YEAH WILL INSTITUTIONALIZE YOUTH VOICE IN CITY HALL STRENGTHEN CROSS DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION AND PROVIDE LASTING INFRASTRUCTURE
TO SUPPORT THE NEXT GENERATION OF BOSTON LEADERS. THE ORDINANCE ENSURES THAT YOUTH ENGAGEMENT REMAINS A CORE MUNICIPAL FUNCTION NOT A TEMPORARY INITIATIVE. ADDITIONALLY, THE COMMITTEE
HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF YOUTH AND IT REALLY WAS JUST SO INSPIRING AND WONDERFUL TO SEE BOSTON'S FUTURE LEADERSHIP ON DISPLAY HERE WHO SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THIS OFFICE ON
THEIR LIVES AND OVERALL AND SUPPORTED THIS ORDINANCE AND ITS CLARIFICATION WE RECEIVED REDLINES FROM THE ADMINISTRATION THAT I AM CURRENTLY REVIEWING A PARTNERSHIP WITH COUNCIL S.A.
OFFICE AT THIS TIME BECAUSE OF THAT AND JUST THE ADDITIONAL WORK THAT'S GOING TO NEED TO BE DONE ON THE LANGUAGE, I RECOMMEND THAT THIS DOCKET REMAIN IN COMMITTEE BUT JUST WANT TO COMMEND CARLOS SANTANA FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS
ISSUE AND PASS IT TO HIM IF HE HAS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SANTANA, COSMO SANTANA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU CHAIR CUT TO BATTLE FOR CONVENING US AND HAVING
THIS HEARING. THIS WAS BY FAR ONE OF MY FAVORITE HEARINGS JUST BECAUSE OF THE YOUTH REPRESENTATION THAT WE HAD. YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MY WHY CITYWIDE
YOUTH COUNCIL SANTANA'S YOUTH FORCE FOR YOU KNOW, TAKING ON THIS POLICY IDENTIFIER THAT THEY WANT TO CODIFY THIS OFFICE AND THEY STARTED FROM SCRATCH STARTED RESEARCHING HOW TO QUALIFY IN OFFICE, HOW TO
DEVELOP THE POLICY AND I WAS JUST VERY PROUD OF THE STEPS THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE AND WAS VERY PROUD TO SEE THEM TESTIFY. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE OFTEN
REFER TO YEARS AS FUTURE LEADERS BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING AT LEAST ONE IN MY OFFICE IS THAT THEY ARE THE FUTURES NOW AND THEY'RE TAKING ACTION RIGHT NOW AND THEY ARE INVOLVED IN
CITY GOVERNMENT AND I JUST LOVE TO SEE IT. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO REVIEWING THE LANGUAGE OF THE VIOLATING AND THEN SEEING HOW WE CAN GET IT TO THE FINISH LINE. WE REALLY WANT TO THANK THE CHAIR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP THAT
YOU KNOW, CONVENING US IN THAT HEARING. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THIS COUNCIL FOR ANY OTHER FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
IMPORTANT WORK THE CHAIR DID AND THE SPONSOR ON THIS ISSUE. IT WAS AN INFORMATIVE HEARING. I LEARNED A LOT FROM THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT TESTIFIED IN TALKING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE
AND SAYS LIVING IN BOSTON AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM AS THEY DISCUSS JOB TRAINING LEADERS THEY DISCUSSED EDUCATION ACCESS TO TRAINING PROGRAMS. SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE AND THE GREAT TESTIMONY THEY PROVIDED AND AS COUNSELOR SANTANA MENTIONED, THEY ARE THE FUTURE OF BOSTON AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM AND PROVIDE THEM
WITH THE TOOLS NECESSARY FOR THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE. THANK THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR MURPHY ENSLER THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THIS HEARING. IT WAS GREAT TO TALK DIRECTLY
WITH DIRECTOR PEDRO CRUZ WHO JUST DOES AN AMAZING JOB. SO ANY OPPORTUNITY I HAVE TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO HIM AND UPLIFT THE WORK HE'S DOING BUT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE
INITIATIVE THAT THEY'RE REALLY LEANING IN ON WHICH I THINK IS SO IMPORTANT IS OUR 19 TO 25 YEAR OLD AGE GROUP WHICH OFTENTIMES FALLS BETWEEN THE CRACKS. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING
THIS BODY SUPPORT IF NEEDED ANY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR THAT AGE GROUP THAT WE KNOW OFTENTIMES MISSES OUT ON SOME OF THE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE ACROSS THE CITY. SO THANK YOU FOR THE HEARING
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUING SUPPORTING THIS. THANK YOU. OKAY. THE CHAIR AND IS KIND OF MAJORITY ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. I THOUGHT ONE COOL THING FROM
THIS HEARING TO NOTE IS THAT WHEN WE ALL LOOKED AROUND AT THE COUNCILORS WHO ATTENDED IT AND WE REALIZED HOW WE WERE CIVICALLY ENGAGED AS YOUTH AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE WERE
ALL INVOLVED IN THAT GOT US TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE. AND SO I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A PRETTY COOL THING TO GO AROUND BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL HAD A PRETTY DIFFERENT YOUTH PROGRAMS THAT GOT US INVOLVED IN THE
CITY BUT THAT STAYED WITH US AND BROUGHT US TO TODAY SO IT WAS COOL TO SEE WHAT IT CAN PRODUCE CURRENTLY AND GREAT TO SEE IT FOR OUR YOUTH TODAY. THANK YOU. THIS DOCKET DOCKET NUMBER 1434
WILL REMAIN IN COMMITTEE. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 01760176 ORDER FOR A HEARING ON GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY
AND ACCESSIBILITY OF DECISION MAKING PROTOCOLS IN CITY GOVERNMENT. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MEJIA YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER THE 28TH THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY HELD A HEARING ON DOCKET 0176 ON GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY ON THE DECISION MAKING
PROTOCOLS IN CITY GOVERNMENT AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO WHITE STADIUM, THE HEARING WAS ATTENDED BY DISTRICT TWO COUNCILOR ED FLYNN AT-LARGE COUNCILOR ERIN MURPHY AND DISTRICT SIX COUNCILOR BEN
WEBER. THE PURPOSE OF THE HEARING WAS TO EXAMINE HOW DECISIONS WERE MADE, WHO WAS INCLUDED IN THOSE DECISIONS AND WHETHER THE CITY MET ITS OBLIGATIONS AROUND TRANSPARENCY, CIVIL RIGHTS AND
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. WE HEARD FROM AN EXTRA AND EXPERT PANEL THAT INCLUDED A RETIRED JUDGE SHANNON FORREST, AN ARCHITECT IN ADAMS
ECONOMISTS ANDREW ZIMBALIST AND ED BIRLEY FROM THE ACP BOSTON BRANCH. EACH OFFERED THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE FIELDS AND WE ALSO
HEARD FROM STACY RENEE WELCH AND BRIANNA, I'M FROM MATTAPAN WHO ALSO PROVIDED SOME CONTEXT . JUDGE FRIESEN REMINDED US THAT
PROCEDURALLY AND SUBSTANTIVELY WHICH WE'VE BEEN SAYING THIS WORD HERE ON THE COUNCIL LATELY DUE PROCESS MUST BE RESPECTED. SHE HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE LEGAL
AND CIVIL RIGHTS IMPLICATIONS OF MOVING FORWARD WITHOUT A FULLY ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE REVIEW ARCHITECT IN ADAMS PRESENTED A FULLY PUBLIC
RENOVATION PROPOSAL ALIGNED WITH THE FRANKLIN PARK ACTION PLAN ONE THAT RESTORES COMMUNITY ACCESS WHICH TURNS THE FIELD BACK TO STUDENTS SOONER AND COMES AT A
SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER COST. HIS PLAN ESTIMATED AT ROUGHLY 64 MILLION WITH AN INITIAL 12 MILLION PHASE READY FOR IMPLEMENTATION, SHOWS THAT THE PUBLIC ALTERNATIVES DO EXIST AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN PART
OF THE CITY'S EVALUATION PROCESS. ECONOMY ECONOMIST ANDREW ZIMBALIST RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL STRUCTURE OF THE CURRENT PROPOSAL LOADING RISING
COST ESTIMATES, LACK OF LINE ITEM BREAKDOWN AND THE NEED FOR CLEAR SEPARATION BETWEEN THE STADIUM'S CAPITAL BUDGET AND THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET. HE QUESTIONED WHETHER THE PUBLIC IS RECEIVING FULL VALUE
FOR ITS INVESTMENT AND HOW ONGOING MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS WILL BE FUNDED IN THE LONG TERM. ED BREARLEY REPRESENTING THE ACP BOSTON BRANCH EMPHASIZED THAT FRANKLIN PARK IS A PUBLIC
LAND. IT SHOULD REMAIN ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. HE CALLED FOR A PROCESS THAT CENTERS EQUITY AND ENSURES THAT ATHLETES ARE NOT DISPLACED OR RESTRICTED FROM USING
FACILITIES THEIR FAMILIES HAVE SUPPORTED FOR GENERATIONS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY INCLUDING REMARKS FROM STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS ACROSS BOSTON INCLUDING ROXBURY, DORCHESTER, JAMAICA PLAIN WHO EXPRESSED
DEEP FRUSTRATION WITH WHAT THEY DESCRIBED AS A CLOSED PROCESS WITH LIMITED PUBLIC INPUT. MANY QUESTIONED WHETHER THE PROPOSED PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TRULY SERVES THE
COMMUNITY OR PRIMARILY BENEFITS PRIVATE INTERESTS. THROUGHOUT THE DISCUSSION ONE THING STOOD OUT. WHILE THERE IS NO WIDESPREAD SUPPORT WHILE THERE IS WHY WHILE THERE IS WIDESPREAD
SUPPORT FOR A RENOVATED WHITE STADIUM, THERE IS ALSO WIDESPREAD CONCERN ABOUT HOW THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN HANDLED. QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT ACCESS FOR STUDENTS ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW LONG TERM FINANCIAL
OVERSIGHT AND WHETHER A FULLY PUBLIC OPTION HAS BEEN GIVEN A FAIR HEARING. I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT SOME WISH I WOULD STOP UPLIFTING THESE CONCERNS AND ALLOW THE PROCESS
TO JUST MOVE FORWARD AS IS. BUT MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY LEFT OUT ARE HEARD, RESPECTED AND INCLUDING IN SHAPING WHAT HAPPENS ON PUBLIC LAND.
OUR COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS PROCESS AND ENSURE THAT FUTURE DECISIONS ARE GUIDED BY TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE PUBLIC GOOD. I HOPE TO CONTINUE TO DO THIS
WORK. THIS DOCKET WILL REMAIN ON FILE AND I WANT TO AGAIN RE-EMPHASIZE SIGNS THAT NO ONE IS AGAINST RENOVATIONS.
WE DO BELIEVE THAT OUR STUDENTS DESERVE A STATE OF THE ART STADIUM. WHAT OUR BIG CONCERN IS IS THAT HOW WE GET THERE AND WHETHER OR
NOT WE ARE REALLY LEANING INTO THE DISCOMFORT AROUND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE CONTINUED TO BE BROUGHT UP. AND I JUST WANT TO THINK AGAIN . RETIRED JUDGE SHANNON PRISON
FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND HER SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SHE SHARED DURING HER TESTIMONY SO THANK YOU.
SCARED NOW. THANK YOU. THE ORGANIZERS COMES WITH PLENTY OF THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCILOR MEJIA.
THE IMPORTANT HEARING SHE HELD AND THE WAY SHE CONDUCTED HERSELF AS CHAIR WAS A VERY INFORMATIVE HEARING, EXCELLENT TESTIMONY, FEEDBACK FROM THE
PANELIST AND FROM RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY IN RESIDENTS CALLING OR TESTIFYING IN PERSON ABOUT REALLY THE LACK OF PROCESS. THAT'S WHAT WAS THE TOP
CONCERN. RESIDENTS EXPRESSED MANY, MANY OR MOST PEOPLE OF COLOR DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THAT THEY WERE HURT OR RESPECTED.
THAT'S WHAT I GOT OUT OF IT. IT WAS AS COUNCILOR MEJIA MENTIONED, THERE WAS A WELL-RESPECTED RETIRED SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE. SHE'S ALSO A UNITED STATES
MARINE CORPS OFFICER AS WELL. INCREDIBLE INTEGRITY AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. BUT THAT WAS HER MAIN MESSAGE
IS WHY ISN'T WHY ISN'T THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR TO WEIGH IN AND TO BE HEARD TO BE RESPECTED ON SUCH A CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE OR AN
IMPORTANT ISSUE? AND AND I AGREE WITH THAT. SHE FELT LIKE IT WAS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE. I DON'T THINK WE CAN PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT ISSUES WE WANT TO WORK ON.
I THINK WE HAVE TO WORK ON THE ISSUES THAT ARE BEFORE US IN U.S. ATTORNEY'S CELL PHONES AND IF THERE'S SILENCE I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S COMING FROM HERE IS THAT COMING FROM OH, IT'S COMING FROM OUTSIDE. OKAY. SORRY. CONTINUE. YES.
IT MIGHT BE EASIER FOR US TO IGNORE AN ISSUE AND HOPE IT GOES AWAY BUT THAT'S NOT LEADERSHIP. LEADERSHIP IS TACKLING ISSUES THAT YOU YOU FEEL ARE WRONG AND
THAT ISSUE ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND NOT ALLOWING OR RESPECTING VOICES OF PEOPLE OF COLOR IS WRONG AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THIS DOCKET WILL REMAIN IN
COMMITTEE. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE BE TALKING NUMBER ONE FOR THREE TWO? I CAN HAVE 1432 AUDIENCE. REGARDING THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF THE COMMERCIAL
AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE OPERATIONS RELATIVE TO WORKERS EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDERS AND RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, COUNCILOR ZAPATA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS HELD A HEARING YESTERDAY ON DOCKET ONE FOR THREE TWO. WE WERE JOINED BY COUNCILOR SANTANA, BREADON MEJIA, PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE FLYNN, PIPPIN FITZGERALD, WEBER
AND MURPHY. WE RECEIVED AN ABSENCE LETTER FROM COUNCILOR DURKIN. WE HAD THREE PANELS TESTIFY REPRESENTING LABOR UNIONS AND RIDESHARE DRIVERS AND THEN ADVOCATES AND REPRESENTATIVES OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE
TECHNOLOGY. THE FIRST PANEL FEATURED UNIONIZED DRIVERS WHO DESCRIBE HOW THEIR LIVELIHOODS DEPEND ON RIDESHARE WORK AND THE FLEXIBILITY IT PROVIDES. THEY WARNED THAT DRIVERLESS
VEHICLES WOULD ELIMINATE JOBS, ERODE THE HUMAN ELEMENT OF RIDE SHARING AND WEAKEN THEIR NEW UNION. SEVERAL SHARE SEVERAL SHARED STORIES SHOWED THE VALUE OF HUMAN PRESENCE SUCH AS A
DRIVER WHO STOPPED TO HELP SOMEBODY DURING AN OVERDOSE AN EMPHASIZED DRIVER'S ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS. UNION REPRESENTATIVES ON THE NEXT PANEL UNDERSCORED THAT
TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS COULD NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF WORKERS AND FAMILIES. COUNCILORS AFFIRMED BOSTON'S LONG TRADITION OF SUPPORTING LABOR UNIONS AND NOTED THAT THE CITY'S APPROACH COULD SERVE AS
A NATIONAL MODEL FOR BALANCING INNOVATION AND WORKERS RIGHTS. DURING PUBLIC TESTIMONY, SOME SPEAKERS MAINLY DRIVERS CALLED FOR STRONG PROTECTIONS AGAINST EVS DUE TO JOB LOSS, WEIGHT
LOSS AND SAFETY RISKS. OTHERS, INCLUDING RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR AVS AS A PATH TO GREATER INDEPENDENCE AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO
TRANSPORTATION. THE FINAL PANEL INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES FROM WAYMO, THE CARROLL CENTER FOR THE BLIND AND MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING WHO HIGHLIGHTED AVS POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND
MOBILITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. COUNCILORS EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR INCLUSIVE DIALOG AS BOSTON CONSIDERS EV REGULATIONS. AFTER ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY WE
CONCLUDED THAT FURTHER WORK IS NEEDED AND I RECOMMEND AT THIS TIME THAT THE DOC REMAIN COMMITTED BUT JUST WANT TO THANK THE LEAD SPONSOR CASA SANTANA AND CO-SPONSORS MURPHY AND FLYNN FOR THEIR WORK AND REALLY DRIVING UP THE TURNOUT
FOR THIS HEARING YESTERDAY. THE CHAMBER WAS PACKED AND WAS GREAT TO SEE AND JUST GREAT TO HEAR FROM ALL OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ABOUT THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. DUNCAN NUMBER 1432 REMAINING COMMITTEE. WE'RE NOW ON TWO MOTIONS ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS. REMINDER THAT PURSUANT TO RULE 39 REMARKS AT THE TIME OF PETITION TO ORDER RESOLUTIONS BEEN ADMITTED AND
ASSIGNED TO COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW SHALL BE LIMITED TO 3 MINUTES FOR THE SPONSOR AND 2 MINUTES FOR ANY OTHER COUNCILOR AS AT AS THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR QUESTIONING AND DEBATE THAT PUBLIC HEARINGS AND WORKING SESSIONS.
MR. CLERK COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1931? NUMBER 1931 COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE FOR THE FOLLOWING AN ORDINANCE REGARDING LIVING WAGE FOR CITY
EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. MY FIRST AD COUNCIL WRITTEN AS A SECOND ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR
HEARING AND SEEING NO OBJECTION TO COUNCIL PEP AND SO ADDED AND COUNCIL. CAN I SUSPEND THE RULES? ADD YOURSELF AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR HERE AND IF YOU NO OBJECTIONS I AM SO ADDED COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS. THANK YOU THIS THIS ORDINANCE
BUILDS ON THE WORK THAT MY OFFICE HAS BEEN DOING PREVIOUSLY WHEN WE DIRECTED A WAGE STUDY ON THE LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEES IN CITY HALL. I WANT TO THANK CHIEF LAWRENCE
AND THE CITY'S PEOPLE OPERATIONS, FINANCE AND EQUITY AND INCLUSION CABINET FOR PRODUCING THAT REPORT AND FOR THAT COLLABORATION ON THIS EFFORT. WE AS A BODY HERE ON THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE TIME AND TIME
AGAIN STATED HOW MUCH WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PAY OUR WORKERS AND THAT WE PAY OUR LOWEST PAID WORKERS A LIVING WAGE. SO THIS WILL HELP US GET THERE . THAT STUDY STUDY FOUND ABOUT
135 EMPLOYEES WHO EARN BELOW OUR OWN LIVING WAGE FOR VENDORS AND CONTRACTORS AND ALMOST 200 IF YOU INCLUDE SEASONAL WORKERS PRIMARILY IN PARKS, PUBLIC WORKS AND FACILITIES.
MANY OF THESE WORKERS ARE RESIDENTS WHO KEEP THE CITY RUNNING YET THEY STRUGGLE TO AFFORD THE VERY CITY THEY SERVE. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED IN BOSTON FOREVER. THESE ARE OUR BLACK AND BROWN RESIDENTS OUR PEOPLE WHO WANT
TO WORK FOR THIS CITY. BUT AND WHO ARE WORKING FOR THE CITY BUT WHO AREN'T ABLE TO REALLY LIVE BASED ON THAT SALARY. MORE THAN 25 YEARS AGO, BOSTON ESTABLISHED A LIVING WAGE
ORDINANCE REQUIRING CONTRACTORS WHO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY TO PAY FEE TO PAY FAIR WAGES. BUT THAT SAME GUARANTEE HAS NEVER APPLIED TO THE SEASONAL WORKFORCE. I WANT TO THANK CITY COUNCILORS WHO CAME BEFORE LIKE MICKEY
ROACH AND CHUCK TURNER AS ADVOCATES WITH THE BOSTON JOBS COALITION AND THE WOMEN'S EDUCATIONAL INDUSTRIAL UNION BOSTON WHO PUSHED FOR WORKERS TO EARN AN HOURLY LIVING WAGE. THIS ORDINANCE WOULD ENSURE
THAT EVERY CITY EMPLOYEE EARNS AT LEAST THE BOSTON LIVING WAGE WITH APPROPRIATE EXEMPTIONS FOR BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, INTERNSHIPS AND STIPENDS. IT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES TO SUBMIT AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT ALIGNS WITH COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. SO WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF THIS ADVOCACY COMES THROUGH OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROCESS. BUT THIS WILL HELP BE A CATCH ALL AND A FOUNDATION FOR THOSE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.
THIS IS ABOUT FAIRNESS AND ABOUT CONSISTENCY. IT'S ABOUT ENSURING THAT PUBLIC SERVICE DOESN'T MEAN FINANCIAL HARDSHIP. PAYING A LIVING WAGE WILL HELP BOSTON RECRUIT AND RETAIN TALENT, REDUCE TURNOVER AND STRENGTHEN THE QUALITY
OF PUBLIC SERVICE. THE FISCAL IMPACT IS MODEST BUT THE HUMAN IMPACT WILL BE PROFOUND. WE SHOULD. BOSTON WOULD NOT BE THE FIRST TO DO THIS. WE'D BE JOINING A GROWING NUMBER OF CITIES THAT HAVE LIVING WAGE ORDINANCES TO
COVER MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES INCLUDING CAMBRIDGE, BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA. SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA. SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, MADISON, WISCONSIN AND PHILADELPHIA. THIS ORDINANCE SIMPLY ALIGNS OUR VALUES WITH OUR PRACTICE.
ABORTION HAS LONG BEEN A LEADER ON ECONOMIC JUSTICE. NOW WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE AGAIN. TOO MANY OF OUR CITY WORKERS, BAPTISTE DEPEND ON SNAP BENEFITS THAT ARE TRYING TO BE
CUT TO BE ABLE TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES. AND SO I THINK THERE'S WORK THAT WE CAN DO HERE AND I THINK THERE'S ENERGY ON THIS BODY TO STAND UP FOR OUR CITY WORKERS. AND I'M ENCOURAGED I THINK FOR ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE
WORKED WITH ME ON THIS SO FAR. I THINK JESSE IN MY OFFICE WHO IS ALSO SENT TO THIS AS AN IMPORTANT ITEM IN OUR OFFICE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR PEP IN COUNCIL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR WELCOMING ME AS A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT DOCKET. ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS ABOUT OUR MUNICIPAL WORKFORCE IS THAT SO MANY OF THEM ARE
BOSTONIANS WHERE THEY ARE BORN HERE AND WERE RAISED HERE OR MOVED HERE FOR WORK. CITY WORKERS CALLED BOSTON THEIR HOME. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT CITY WORKERS FEEL MORE THAN A PROFESSIONAL CONNECTION TO THE
CITY THAT THEY SERVE SO THAT EVERYTHING OUR CITY DOES IS DRIVEN BY COMMUNITY. ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES I HEAR FROM CITY WORKERS MANY OF WHOM HAVE MADE DISTRICT FIVE THEIR HOME IS THE INCREASING
COST OF LIVING IN THE CITY COMPARED TO THE PAY THEY RECEIVE. I'VE MET MANY CITY EMPLOYEES WHO UNFORTUNATELY ARE EAGERLY AWAITING THE END OF THEIR RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS SO THAT THEIR MAY BE ABLE TO RELOCATE
SOMEWHERE MORE AFFORDABLE. I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE THE CASE. I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENT. I DO THINK THAT THESE CONCERNS ARE VALID AND ARE SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS IN CITY
GOVERNMENT BY MATCHING EMPLOYEE PAY WITH THE COST TO LIVE IN A CITY LIKE BOSTON. AND THAT'S WHY I'M HAPPY TO BE INCLUDED AS A CO-SPONSOR AND PROUD TO SUPPORT MADAME PRESIDENT ON THIS AND HOPEFULLY
ALSO HAVE THE BACK OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A LIVABLE WAGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AS A CO-SPONSOR. ALSO, I JUST WANT TO UPLIFT THE
WORK OF ACTION FOR EQUITY WEEZY. EVERY TIME I TALK TO HER ABOUT THE VP SHE CONSTANTLY PUSHES FOR MORE WORK AROUND THE LIVING WAGE AND FOCUSING ON WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT. I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE REFOCUSING ON THIS CRUCIAL MATTER BY UPDATING THIS ORDINANCE AND MAKING SURE ALL OUR CITY EMPLOYEES ARE PAID A LIVING WAGE. IT'S DEFINITELY A BATTLE WORTH FIGHTING FOR AND I KNOW THE
CITY AND THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES WITH BASE WAGE INCREASES AND UNION CONTRACTS THAT ARE TARGETED TO HELP OUR LOWEST WAGE WORKERS. THIS ORDINANCE IS NEEDED BECAUSE IT AGAIN WILL HELP LIFT
THOSE LOWEST WAGE WORKERS BUT ALSO WANT TO KNOW THAT THE LIVING WAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS OUT OF COMMISSION FOR SOME TIME. THE OFFICE OF LABOR COMPLIANCE AND WORKER PROTECTIONS HAS CONFIRMED THAT THEY HAVE NOW BEEN REINSTATED THE COMMITTEE
BUT THIS KIND OF GAP IN OVERSIGHT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN HERE. THE CITY HAS TO MAKE AN ON MAKE THAT COMP COMMITTEE AN ONGOING PRIORITY TO ASSESS WAGES AND ENSURE THAT THE LIVING WAGE IS
ACTUALLY A LIVING WAGE AND NOT JUST AN ARBITRARY TITLE. ONE OF THE TOOLS WE HAVE TO DO SO SO IS THE CITY WAGE STUDY REPORT WHICH WAS LAST RELEASED IN 2023 AND SHOWED US THAT ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 2% OF OUR
WORKFORCE WAS MAKING BELOW THE ESTABLISHED LIVING WAGE WHICH AT THE TIME WAS $17.55 PER HOUR. FOLLOWING THE STUDY THE OFFICE OF LABOR COMPLIANCE HAS NOW
UPDATED THE LIVING WAGE TO 18.78 $0.78 PER HOUR WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS STILL NOT ENOUGH. AND I ALSO LIKE TO SEE THE PEOPLE'S OPERATIONS FINANCE AND EQUITY AND INCLUSION CABINETS PERFORM THIS WAY STUDY
REGULARLY AS ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL TRENDS CHANGE OVER TIME. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD TO MOVE FROM SIMPLY OUR CONTRACT TO VENDORS TO OUR CITY EMPLOYEES. BUT WE CAN'T LOSE SIGHT THAT
THIS WAGE ISN'T REALLY ENOUGH TO LIVE IN BOSTON AND I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO PROGRESS FORWARD BECAUSE WHEN WE LEFT THE LOWEST WAGE EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY ONLY CREATE A STRONGER LOCAL ECONOMY.
IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER WITH ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? OH SORRY I DIDN'T SEE THAT. THE CHAIR NOW RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCIL.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. JUST WANTED TO RISE TO SAY DURING CONTRACT HEARINGS THAT YOU WERE AT EVERYONE COUNCIL.
THEN I'LL JUST REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID EVERY TIME TO JIM. IS 1% 2% 1% ENOUGH? WE CAN DO AND THEY ALWAYS CAME BACK AND SAID WELL IT'S I GUESS YES WE'D ALWAYS RUBBER STAMP IT
BUT I ASKED FOR US TO PAUSE AND LOOK AT THE NEW HIRES THAT WE'VE HIRED. WE'VE HAD OVER 300 NEW POSITIONS ADDED TO THIS WORKFORCE IN THE CITY MANY MIDDLE AND UPPER CLASS POSITIONS NOT OUR LOWEST PAID
WAGES AND I WAS ONE OF OTHER COUNCILORS JOIN ME BUT IN CHAMPION OUR MUNICIPAL POLICE MANY WHO WE'VE HEARD PERSONAL STORIES WHERE THEY LIVING IN CARS AND OTHERS THEIR WAGES
JUST SO LOW THAT TO EXPECT THEM TO SHOW UP TO WORK AND LIVE IN THE CITY IS JUST TO ME UNACCEPTABLE. SO I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK WE'VE DONE CHAMPIONING THAT OUR CITY
WORKERS GET NOT JUST THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE BUT WE NEED TO MATCH PAY AND NOT KEEP ADDING JOBS THAT IF WE COME INTO A SITUATION WHICH WE KNOW WE PROBABLY WILL BE IN THE NEXT
CYCLE WITH THE BUDGET IF WE'RE HAVING TO MAKE CUTS I'M HOPING THAT WE'RE NOT CUTTING OUR LOWEST PAID WORKERS THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT PROTECTING THEM AND SUPPORTING THEM AND THEY DESERVE THAT FROM US.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL THE OTHER FLOOR. JUST ONE THING I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO DARLENE LAMBOS OF THE GREATER BOSTON LABOR
COUNCIL WHO HAS BEEN A PARTNER IN HELPING US PUT THIS TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? WHEN ANYONE ELSE LIKE THE OTHER NAME MR. CLERK PLEASE ADD COUNCIL BREADON COUNCILOR DURKAN
COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCIL ME HERE COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR SETANTA COUNCILOR WEBER DUNCAN NUMBER 1931 WERE REFER TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT
OPERATIONS. MR. CLERK KEY PLEASE READ DUNCAN NUMBER 19321932 COUNCIL OVERALL FOR THE FOLLOWING PETITION FOR A SPECIAL LAW ACT RELATIVE TO REDEFINING COMMERCIAL AND
RESIDENTIAL DEFINITIONS AND CREATING FURTHER EXEMPTIONS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WHERE I WILL COVER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. BEFORE I DIVE INTO MY REMARKS I
WANTED TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO MY TEAM STASSI AND NURSERY AND MATT ALSO A BIG SHOUT OUT TO OUR CENTRAL STAFF MAKING THE CHARISMA THEY PUT IN A LOT
OF WORK AND A LOT OF RESEARCH AND OUTREACH INTO THIS LEGISLATION OR THIS HOME RULE PETITION. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF TOUGH CONVERSATIONS. BOSTONIANS ARE ABOUT TO GET THEIR TAX AND THIS IS EXACTLY
THE MOMENT TO EXPLORE WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S NOT. HERE'S A REALITY. HOMEOWNERS SMALL LANDLORDS ARE CARRYING A HEAVIER LOAD WHILE LARGER APARTMENT OWNERS OFTEN PAY LESS TAXES PER UNIT
SOMETIMES FAR LESS. SAME CITY, SAME SERVICES BUT THE PEOPLE WITH LESS ARE PAYING MORE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS PROPOSAL SETS OUT TO FIX. A TAX CODE HAS BECOME
UNBALANCED. WE'VE HAD A LOT TAX DEBATES THIS PAST YEAR ON PROPOSITION TWO AND A HALF THE TOTAL LEVIES CAPPED. THE REAL QUESTION IS WHO PAYS WHAT SHARE.
RIGHT NOW THE SCALES ARE TILTED AND IT PROP TWO AND A HALF CHANGES IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. WE NEED EVEN STRONGER PROTECTIONS FOR HOMEOWNERS AND SMALL LANDLORDS. LET'S LOOK AT THAT IMBALANCE.
A SEAPORT HIGH RISE ASSESSED VALUE IS THAT AS AT ABOUT $124 MILLION BREAKS DOWN TO ROUGHLY $400,000 PER UNIT. THAT'S IN THE SEAPORT.
IF ALL THOSE ARE LAW BUT THAT NUMBER IS LOW BECAUSE IT'S TREATED AS A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THAT UNIT SHOULD PAY A HIGHER COMMERCIAL RATE. NOW TAKE ONE POINT IN THE TOWER ON THE HERALD FRONT PAGE LAST WEEK.
IT PAYS ABOUT $15 MILLION IN TAXES AS A HOTEL AND CONDOMINIUM. MEANWHILE, THE AVALON AT NORTH STATION NEARLY THE SAME SIZE AND AGE BUILDING PAINT PAYS
ONLY $3 MILLION 15,000,004 ONE 3 MILLION FOR THE OTHER. THAT'S NOT EQUITY. LAST YEAR THIS BODY PASSED A SHORT TERM MEASURE RAISING COMMERCIAL SHIFT TO 181% FOR THREE YEARS.
IT STILL HASN'T CLEAR THE STATE HOUSE. ANOTHER REASON WHY WE NEED LONG TERM SOLUTIONS BESIDES THIS THIS LEGISLATION TACKLES THAT IMPACT IMBALANCE HEAD ON REDEFINING PROPERTY CLASSES.
SO THE BIGGEST INCOME PRODUCING BUILDINGS PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE WHILE PROTECTING LANDLORDS AND HOMEOWNERS. HERE'S WHAT THIS PROPOSAL WOULD DO. HOMEOWNERS WOULD SAVE NEARLY
$1,000 A YEAR ON AVERAGE SMALL LANDLORDS ARE FINALLY GET A REAL RELIEF. LARGE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OWNERS WILL SEE MEANINGFUL BREAKS FOR KEEPING RENTS LOW. THE OFFICE SECTOR PROPERTY TAX
RATES WILL STABILIZE, HELPING STRUGGLING BUILDINGS BUT FIND PREDICTABILITY AND DEVELOPERS WOULD GET A LOWER TAX RATE IN THE SHORT TERM SO THEY COULD KEEP BUILDING AT THE PACE BOSSES SET LAST A DECADE.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT PUNISHING ANYONE IS ABOUT ALIGNING THE CODE WITH HOW PROPERTIES ACTUALLY. DELIVERING RELIEF WHERE PEOPLE FEEL IT MOST AND KEEPING OUR HOUSING PIPELINE MOVING AT
ANYONE ASKING ABOUT RENT. CITIES LIKE PROVIDENCE, PHILADELPHIA AND CHICAGO ALL HAVE HIGHER PROPERTY TAX RATES THAN BOSTON. YET LOWER RENT RENTS FOLLOW
SUPPLY AND DEMAND NOT ALIGN ON A TAX BILL. THIS PLAN SIMPLY REBALANCES WHO PAYS? THE MAJORITY OF THE CITY'S RENTAL UNITS WILL SEE PROPERTY
TAX TAXES GO DOWN. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THIS WORK IN THIS HOLLYWOOD PETITION. MY HEART, THE SINAI AND SENIOR
ACTION COUNCIL OF MASSACHUSETTS . BUT I NEED THE EXPERTISE IN HELPING SHAPE THIS LIST THIS HOLLYWOOD PETITION AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION AND TO MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A FAIR LONG TERM SOLUTION THAT PROTECTS
HOMEOWNERS, RESPECTS MALL LANDLORDS AND KEEPS BOSTON AFFORDABLE AND BUILDING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR CAN I JUST CONSIDER CAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU
COUNSELOR ALL FOR THINKING ABOUT HOMEOWNERS. I KNOW WE'VE ALL ON THE CITY COUNCIL BEEN THINKING ABOUT HOMEOWNERS AND I WANT TO BEGIN BY SAYING I THINK I AGREE I
SHARE THIS GROWING CONCERN ABOUT THE BURDEN ON HOMEOWNERS AND SMALL LANDLORDS BUT I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THIS PROPOSAL ON DISTRICT EIGHT AND THE FUTURE OF HOUSING IN OUR CITY. I DEBATED WHETHER I SHOULD
SPEAK BUT THE TWO BUILDINGS DESCRIBED IN IN THE COUNCILOR STATEMENTS ARE IN MY DISTRICT. WE ALL KNOW THAT BOSTON IS FACING A HOUSING CRISIS ROOTED IN LACK OF HOUSING SUPPLY.
RENTS CONTINUE TO RISE PUSHING RESIDENTS OUT OF OUR CITY WHILE CONSTRUCTION AND PERMITTING ARE AT HISTORIC LOWS. WE URGENTLY NEED TO BUILD MORE HOUSING NOT CREATE BARRIERS THAT WILL MAKE IT HARDER TO DO SO. THAT'S WHY I HAVE SERIOUS
RESERVATIONS ABOUT ANY MEASURE THAT COULD FURTHER DISINCENTIVE HOUSING CONSTRUCTION AND ESPECIALLY IN TIMES IN THE BUILDINGS AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT NEED IT MOST. IT FEELS LIKE THIS PROPOSAL IS
A GUT PUNCH AT THE WRONG TIME AND I DO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE PRO-GROWTH AND PROGRESSIVE. THAT IS THE LINE THAT I'M TRYING TO WALK EVERY SINGLE DAY. HOUSING ABUNDANCE AND DENSITY ARE THE WAY OUT OF THIS CRISIS.
INCREASING THE HOUSING SUPPLY PARTICULARLY IN DOWNTOWN AND DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS, TRANSIT ACCESSIBLE AREAS IS EXACTLY HOW WE CAN IMPROVE AFFORDABILITY, EQUITY AND SUSTAINABILITY AND ENSURE THAT BOSTON REMAINS
ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE. IN DISTRICT EIGHT I REPRESENT MANY BUILDINGS WITH OVER 30 UNITS AND WE HAVE REQUESTED FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT EVERY BUILDING OVER 30 UNITS THEY HAVE THROUGH GIS.
THEY HAVE NOT GOTTEN US THAT DATA YET. AND WHILE SOME OF THESE ARE LUXURY DEVELOPMENTS, MANY ARE NOT. SOME OF MY MOST VULNERABLE TENANTS LIVE IN BUILDINGS THAT ARE CLASSIFIED AS NEW COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL CATEGORY
BUT WOULD NOT COME CLOSE TO MEETING 80% AMI AFFORDABILITY THRESHOLDS. I'M CONCERNED THAT THE TAX RAISE FOR A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS WILL END UP BEING PASSED
DIRECTLY ON TO TENANTS. IN FACT A RECENT MIT DISSERTATION FOUND THAT WHEN MUNICIPALITIES MUNICIPALITIES COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX RATES RENTERS ABSORB 80 TO 90%
OF THAT INCREASE. I UNDERSTAND THAT PROPERTY TAXES HAVE RISEN SIGNIFICANTLY AND THAT THIS IS PUTTING PRESSURE ON HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS IN SMALLER BUILDINGS. I WOULD LIKE TO FIND A WAYS TO
RELIEVE BURDEN BUT INCREASING COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAXES BY UP TO 33% RISKS MAKING NEW HOUSING PRODUCTION FINANCIAL IMPOSSIBLE. AND I'LL JUST SAY I KNOW I'M OUT OF TIME BUT OFTENTIMES WHEN
DEVELOPMENTS ARE BEING PROPOSED, DEVELOPERS ARE WORKING WITH BANKS TO SECURE LOANS. THERE A TAX PERCENTAGE IS FACTORED INTO THOSE LOANS.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF UNINTENDED POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND EVEN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AT THE CITY AT THIS MOMENT AND GIVEN HOW SLOWLY CONSTRUCTION AND PERMITTING MOVE IN SEVEN YEARS WE COULD FIND OURSELVES IN A
HOUSING CULTURE AGAIN. YEAH, RESPECTFULLY THIS IMPACTS ME. I KNOW, I KNOW. BUT NO, I THINK WE LET PEOPLE GO ON ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS. I URGE AND I'M ASKING YOU TO JUST WRAP IT UP JUST WRAP IT UP
THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD A HEARING ON THIS AND THERE WILL BE A HEARING HERE. I'M TRYING TO FINISH THE FACT THAT THIS IS BEING DIRECTLY PROPOSED WITHOUT A HEARING ON THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT.
I THINK IS A GUT PUNCH TO MY DISTRICT. IT'S A GUT PUNCH TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND WE DO NEED TO WE DO NEED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION IN A SETTING THAT MAKES SENSE. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. I DID NOT HEAR COUNCILOR I'LL ASK FOR SUSPENSION AND PASSAGE SO THIS WILL BE ASSIGNED TO A COMMITTEE AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE WILL BE A HEARING. OKAY. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK
ON THIS MATTER? THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR BREADON NEAR THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU, CONSTABLE WORRELL FOR BRINGING THIS THIS
FORWARD. I DO FULLY APPRECIATE THE STRESSES THAT OUR RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNERS ARE UNDER WHEN IT COMES TO REAL ESTATE TAXES
GIVEN THAT ONLY 53.53% OF OUR PROPERTY REAL REAL PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON IS TAX EXEMPT AND ABOUT 12 TO 15% IS
TAX EXEMPT BECAUSE THERE ARE OVER EGGS AND MEDS AND THE OTHER ARE EXEMPT BECAUSE THEY'RE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS EITHER STEPS OF A CITY, STATE OR FEDERAL BUILDINGS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
SO WE ARE SORT OF REALLY DESPERATE TO FIND OUT THE OTHER STRICT REVENUE STREAMS IN THE CITY. I REALLY FEEL I SHARE
COUNCILOR DURKIN'S CONCERNS GIVEN THE NATURE OF OUR DISTRICT IN ALLSTON BRIGHTON 56% OF ALLSTON BRIGHTON HAS FOUR PLUS UNITS APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE NEED A DEEP DIVE INTO GETTING INTO THE NITTY GRITTY AND GETTING INTO THE DETAILS OF ALL THIS AND THEN FURTHER CREATING A
SUPPLEMENTAL AFFORDABLE EXEMPTION FOR CORPORATE LANDLORD TO OFFER 80% OF UNITS SAID RENTS LOWER THAN A SET
OF 80% OF THE AM-I INDIVIDUAL THAT INDIVIDUALS WOULDN'T INCENTIVIZE LANDLORDS TO KEEP RENTS LOWER THAN MARKET MIGHT OTHERWISE DICTATE. I THINK WE ALSO HAVE THE QUESTION OF WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET A MIX OF MIXED INCOME AND PRESERVATION PROJECTS TO TRY AND GROW THE NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE UNITS IN THE CITY AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT JUST THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS HOW WE HOW WE GET TO RELIEVE THE PRESSURE ON OUR RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNERS BUT ALSO TRYING TO FIND A FAIR WAY TO
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WITHOUT ALSO FORCING LANDLORDS TO INCREASE THE RENTS ON THEIR ON THEIR SO GIVEN THAT 80% OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS ARE TENANTS, THIS IS DEFINITELY WORTH
LOOKING AT. BUT I THINK IT DESERVES A REALLY THOROUGH REVIEW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR. CAN I JUST COME TO MEJIA YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR MOREAU FOR COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP. YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE HELP SUPPORT OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETIMES I THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND
PRESENTING PROPOSALS THAT THIS CHAMBER CAN DELIBERATE IS WHAT OUR JOB IS RIGHT NOW WHAT IS COMING HERE BE THE END ALL AND BE ALL WE'RE NOT NONE OF US ARE. SO TO THINK THAT YOU YOU KNOW,
NONE OF US GOT THE ANSWERS. OUR JOB REALLY IS IS TO TRY TO UNPACK AND BRING IDEAS AND PROPOSALS THAT WE CAN ALL DELIBERATE ON WHEN THAT TIME IS
AFFORDED TO US. WHAT WE CAN'T KEEP DOING WHICH I'M TRYING TO LEAD BY BEHAVIOR AND BY MODELING THAT MYSELF IS LEARNING HOW TO SHOW UP FOR
EACH OTHER EVEN WHEN IT'S DIFFICULT. AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO US TO RESTORE TRUST IN GOVERNMENT BUT THAT HAS TO START WITH HOW WE TREAT EACH
OTHER IN THIS CHAMBER AND I HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD AND MY AWARD WINNING PERSONALITY AND MY AWARD WINNING PERSONALITY AND ALEX, YOU'VE SEEN IT IN ELLEN.
YOU'VE BEEN HERE LONGER THAN ANYONE ELSE. LISTEN, IT IS NOT EASY TO BE ANYBODY THESE DAYS BUT FOR ME JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE EXERCISE WE JUST HAVE TO LEARN
HOW TO JUST SHOW UP BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO US TO DELIVER. THEY'RE LOOKING TO US TO RESOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS. THEY'RE LOOKING TO US TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PUT FOOD ON THEIR TABLE. THEY'RE LOOKING TO US TO FIGURE
THINGS OUT FOR THEM AND WE CAN'T FIGURE THINGS OUT IF WE DON'T ALLOW OURSELVES TO LET THINGS PLAY OUT. SO I'M JUST GOING TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE AS WE CONTINUE TO
SHEPHERD THINGS THROUGH THIS CHAMBER THAT WE TRY TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HUMILITY AND HUMANITY FOR EACH OTHER BECAUSE TIMES ARE TOUGH AND THEY'RE JUST GOING TO GET HARDER.
AND SO PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO US TO BE THE ADULTS IN THE ROOM AND I THINK I'M UTILIZING MY POLITICAL CAPITAL AND SPEAKING WHEN I NEED TO. AND SO I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO
SPEAK WHEN I HAVE TO AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS. THANK YOU. THE JURY AND THIS COUNCIL WHERE WE HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN DISTRICT SIX. WE'VE BEEN HAVING SEVERAL
CONVERSATIONS WITH DEVELOPMENT THAT HAD BEEN APPROVED AND DEVELOPERS FIND THAT GIVEN THE THE ECONOMY AND TARIFFS AND COSTS OF LABOR THAT THEY CAN'T
PROVIDE THE AFFORDABILITY THAT THEY HAD PROMISED WHEN THE PROJECT WAS APPROVED. AND SO YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY WHERE WE CAN NOT ONLY BUILD HOUSING BUT BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE
IN THE CITY IS JUST SOMETHING I THINK WE ALL CARE ABOUT AND I FEEL LIKE WE ARE AT THIS SORT OF INFLECTION POINT AND I COMPLIMENT MY YOU KNOW, MY
HAT'S OFF TO COUNCILOR L FOR FOR JUST FOR FILING THIS AND STARTING A CONVERSATION THAT'S GOING TO GET US TO TRY TO COME UP WITH INNOVATIVE WAYS TO GET THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILT IN BOSTON THAT WE NEED.
YOU KNOW, I THINK I HAVE A LOT TO LEARN ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD WORK AND WHAT THE IMPACTS IT WOULD HAVE AND WHETHER IT WOULD INCREASE RENTS OR LOWER RENTS OR INCREASE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR LOWER AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT I REALLY JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR WU FOR BRINGING THIS CONVERSATION TO THE COUNCIL TODAY. THANKS. THANK YOU AND COUNCIL WHERE I HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM.
THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. AND AGAIN THIS IS NOW A FRAMEWORK. THIS IS THE FIRST START OF A CONVERSATION SO I WELCOME EVERYONE TO JOIN IN ON THE CONVERSATION AND I WILL SAY
THAT WE HAVE DONE A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH AROUND HOW MANY UNITS IN THE CITY AND 30% OR LESS THAN 30% ARE END OF OUR HOUSING INVENTORY ARE IN 30 UNITS OR MORE.
SO A MAJORITY OF OUR HOUSING INVENTORY IS IN 30 DIRTY UNITS AND LESS. THE OTHER THING THAT I JUST WANT TO MENTION IS THIS IS NOT A NEW IDEA. THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT
HAVE THIS TIERED SYSTEM APPROACH. SO WHEN WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WE'LL DEFINITELY BRING THOSE OTHER CITIES TO TALK ABOUT THEIR TIER SYSTEM. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AND THIS IS JUST
THE BEGINNING AND THESE NUMBERS AND EVERYTHING CAN BE TWEAKED BASED ON WHAT LEVERS THEY PULL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER BUT ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME?
MR. CLERK PLEASE ADD COUNCILORS BREADON MIA WEBER PLEASE HAVE THE CHAIR THIS DOCKET DOCKET NUMBER 1932 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.
MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 19331933 COUNCILORS MURPHY AND FLYNN OFFER THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING REGARDING PARKING ACCESS FOR TRAVELING BOSTON
PUBLIC SCHOOLS EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY TO THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. ADD COUNCILOR MURPHY SUSPEND
THE RULES AND COUNCIL MAJORITY OF THE 30 ORIGINAL CO-SPONSORS SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS CONSULATE-GENERAL DO SO ADDED COUNCILOR MURPHY TO THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I FILED THIS ORDER FOR A HEARING ON PARKING ACCESS FOR
OUR TRAVELING EMPLOYEES AN ISSUE I'VE HEARD ABOUT FOR YEARS FROM DEDICATED TEACHERS AND STAFF. AS FORMER TEACHER FOR OVER 20 YEARS I WOULD SEE IT FIRSTHAND
WHEN ITINERANT SPECIAL ED IN SERVICE PROVIDERS OR TEACHERS LIKE MUSIC AND OTHERS WHO WERE SPLIT BETWEEN DIFFERENT BUILDINGS WOULD HAVE TO TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SCHOOLS
DURING THE DAY THAT IT'S UNFAIR THAT THEY FACE TICKETS AND TOLLS JUST FOR TRYING TO DO THEIR JOB AND GET TO THEIR NEXT BUILDING ON TIME AND SECURE A PARKING SPOT.
IT'S TIME TO FIND SYSTEM WIDE SOLUTIONS THAT RESPECT THEIR SERVICE AND MAKE THEIR DAYS A LITTLE BIT EASIER BEFORE I CAN HIGHLIGHT SOME OF WHAT THIS HEARING ORDER IS ABOUT, I DO
JUST WANT TO SHOUT OUT LIZ IN THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I HAVE FOR YEARS NOW BEEN GETTING CALLS FROM INDIVIDUAL EDUCATORS LOOKING FOR SOME SUPPORT AND I
KNOW THAT THEIR OFFICE HAS FOR MANY YEARS BEEN SUPPORTING SOME OF OUR EDUCATORS WORKING ALONGSIDE THE BTU TO TRY TO FIND SOLUTIONS AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE EXPANDING WHAT THEY CAN
DO. BUT I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE AS A BODY REALLY LOOK AT WHAT HOW WE CAN EXPAND THIS AND HAVE FULL CAPACITY FOR OUR EDUCATORS. MANY OF THEM LIKE I MENTIONED OUR SPECIAL ED TEACHERS,
SERVICE PROVIDERS, SPECIALIST AND SUPPORT STAFF AND THE TRAVELING EMPLOYEES THEY PLAY AS WE KNOW A VITAL ROLE IN THE EQUITABLE ACCESS OF EDUCATION ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS
ACROSS ALL NEIGHBORHOODS RECEIVED THE SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION AND SERVICES THAT THEY NEED CURRENTLY PROVIDES A LIMITED NUMBER OF PARKING PASSES. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE ON
THIS BODY CAN FIND SOLUTIONS AND WORK ALONGSIDE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO EXPAND IT. SOME EMPLOYEES MANY I SHOULD SAY HAVE SIGNIFICANT PARKING FINES AND PERSONAL COSTS WHILE
PERFORMING THEIR OFFICIAL DUTIES. WE'RE NOT ASKING OR EXPECTING CITY EMPLOYEES TO ALWAYS GET PARKING. THAT'S NOT IT AT ALL. ALL MY YEARS WORKING AS A
TEACHER YOU DON'T GET PARKING. BUT THIS IS THOSE WHO HAVE TO TRAVEL BETWEEN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. IF IT'S THE VISION TEACHER OR THE SPEECH THERAPIST OR THE
MUSIC TEACHER BEFORE FORMER OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE COUNSELOR ANITA ESSAIBI GEORGE WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SCHOOL BUILDING HAD A SCHOOL NURSE BEFORE THAT I KNOW MANY
SCHOOL NURSES HAVE TO TRAVEL BETWEEN TWO SOMETIMES THREE SCHOOLS A DAY JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE PROVIDING MEDICAL SERVICES TO OUR STUDENTS. BUT TRAVELING EDUCATORS DESERVE THE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO PARKING
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN EXPAND IT FOR THOSE EDUCATORS WE DO FOR MANY OF OUR OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES WHO PROVIDE AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN THIS CITY TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR OUR STUDENTS. IT'S IMPORTANT.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION AND HOPE THAT OUR COLLEAGUES WILL HELP USE OUR POLITICAL WILL TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL FLYNN YOU HAVE THE
FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I. I HAVE ONE ISSUE AND I KNOW COUNCIL PEPEN WAS WORKING WITH
ME ON THIS AS WELL BUT JUST AS AN EXAMPLE IN CHINATOWN AT THE DESIRE QUINCY SCHOOL THERE IS AND THERE'S THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT'S HAPPENING WITH TEACHERS
MANY, MANY TRAVELING A GREAT DEAL GREAT GREAT LENGTHS TO GET TO SCHOOL TO TEACH IN THE MORNING DON'T REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARK THEIR
VEHICLE NEAR THE SCHOOL THEY HAVE TO BE IN AT MAYBE 7:00 OR 730. THE THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM JUST WORK FOR THEM SO THEY DO NEED THEIR AUTOMOBILE
TO GET TO SCHOOL. ON THE OTHER HAND, RESIDENTS ARE ASKING IN AND DEMANDING FROM FROM US MORE PARKING IN CHINATOWN.
THEY THEY NEED PARKING TO TAKE THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL OR TO TAKE THEIR KIDS TO AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM. WHAT YOU SEE THEIR ELDERLY PARENTS ARE TOO POOR TO WORK.
THEY MIGHT WORK OUTSIDE OF BOSTON AND THEY DO NEED A VEHICLE. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARKING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WHEN WE
SUPPORT PROJECTS THAT CALL FOR A ZERO PARKING ON A NEW DEVELOPMENT. THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH.
THE THE TEACHERS ACROSS OUR QUINCY ARE UPSET THEY'RE UPSET ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO SCHOOL ON TIME TO PARK THEIR VEHICLE BUT THEY'RE ALSO UPSET ABOUT
OFTENTIMES GETTING A TICKET AND RESIDENTS ALSO WERE DRIVING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD LATE AT NIGHT TRYING TO LOOK FOR A PARKING SPOT. ONE RESIDENT TOLD ME THE OTHER
DAY THEY THEY DROVE AROUND FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES WASTING GASOLINE. THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT IT HAS BUT WE
JUST CAN'T VOTE FOR PROJECTS WITH NO PARKING AND EXPECT THAT THERE'S NO CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE THERE'S GREAT CONCEPT QUINCES AS WE'RE SEEING IT PLAY OUT
THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILMAN GERARDI ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I HAVE A CONSTITUENT THAT IS A TRAVELING BPC EMPLOYEE THAT IS CONSTANTLY BANGING THE DRUM ON
THIS AND I'M SURE COUNCILOR MURPHY IS WELL AWARE OF WHO THAT IS AS WELL. AND SO I THANK HER FOR ALLOWING TO BE A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS. PARKING CAN BE DIFFICULT EVEN JUST LAST NIGHT GOING TO THE
JOSIAH QUINCY I BEAT OUT A FELLOW COLLEAGUE FOR A PARKING SPOT AND WE ALL KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO TO FIGHT FOR THESE THINGS AND THAT'S JUST US GOING TO AN EVENT THESE FOLKS ARE
TEACHING THE YOUTH OF OUR CITY AND TYPICALLY IF THEY'RE TRAVELING VBS EMPLOYEE THEY ARE TEACHING THOSE THAT NEED THE MOST CONCENTRATION AND HELP AND SO WE SHOULD MAKE THEIR LIVES A LITTLE EASIER BECAUSE THEIR JOB
IS THAT IMPORTANT AND EVERY MINUTE THAT THEY GET TO SPEND WITH THE CHILD THAT NEEDS THAT HELP IS ONE MORE MINUTE THAT THE CHILD WILL GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED. AND SO I THINK WE CAN ALL
RELATE TO THEM IN THAT AND CERTAINLY I KNOW MYSELF BEEN TICKETED IN AND TOLD A COUPLE OF TIMES SO FAR IN THIS JOB AND IT IS NOT FUN AND IT IS AN
ADDED COST AND I EXPECT IT TO HAPPEN MORE BUT I WOULD MUCH PREFER TO PUT BP'S EMPLOYEES OVER MYSELF AND OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE JOBS WE DO AND SO LOOK FORWARD TO THE HEARING. THANK YOU, MAN. THANK YOU.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONSIDER CAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE SPONSORS OF THIS. AS YOU ALL KNOW, I FAMOUSLY DO NOT HAVE A CAR BUT I DO THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
I MEAN WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN MAKING TEACHERS LIVES EASIER? I DO THINK WE HAVE A HEARING SCHEDULED FOR ELIMINATING OR PARKING MINIMUMS AND I REALLY
WANT TO INVITE ANYONE WHO CARES ABOUT PARKING TO THAT PARTICULAR HEARING WHICH IS COMING UP IN DECEMBER. I THINK THE COMPANION TO THAT POLICY IS REALLY HAVING A
CONVERSATION ABOUT DISTRICT PARKING AND EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD. HOW CAN THE CITY MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO PARK? OTHER CITIES HAVE LED ON
DISTRICT PARKING WHICH IS POTENTIALLY CREATING PARKING STRUCTURES IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD SO YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO PARK RIGHT OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE BUT YOU WILL HAVE
SORT OF THE OPTION OF WALKING POTENTIALLY TO TO PARKING THAT IS EXISTS AND I THINK THAT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN MY DISTRICT WHERE THERE REALLY IS
NO WE HAVE PROBABLY THE GREATEST EXAMPLE FOR DISTRICT PARKING IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IN THE BOSTON COMMON GARAGE WHICH IS UNDERNEATH THE BOSTON COMMON. SO I AM EXCITED AND I HAD
WRITTEN A HEARING ORDER ON THAT PARTICULAR SUBJECT AND NOW I'M HEARING MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL COULD REALLY GET UNITED ON. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THE LEAD SPONSORS COUNCILOR MURPHY
AND FLYNN AND I JUST WANT TO ADD MY VOICE TO MAKING THE LIVES EASIER OF TEACHERS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? COUNCILOR BREADON, AS YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY AND COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR BRINGING THIS FUND FORWARD. WE HAVE THREE SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR THAT THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM. THE GARDINER PILOT ACADEMY IS
ONE AND WE DID WORK OUT AN ELEGANT SOLUTION THAT TEACHERS WERE ABLE TO PARK IN RESIDENT PARKING SPACES BETWEEN CERTAIN HOURS AND THEY WEREN'T GETTING TICKETED BUT THAT SEEMS TO HAVE
GONE INTO ABEYANCE AT THE MOMENT. THE OTHER SCHOOL THAT WE HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH IS THE BALDWIN AND IT IS VERY, VERY CLOSE TO THE THE THE LINE THE BOUNDARY
WITH BROOKLINE AND IF TEACHERS PARK IN BROOKLINE THEY DO NOT GET ANY ANY BREAKS FOR BEING TEACHERS. WE HAVE DEALT WITH MANY, MANY
PARKING TICKETS. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE OTHER OFFICERS DO THIS AS WELL BUT BRING IN APPEAL THE PARKING TICKETS IF THERE ARE TEACHERS EDUCATORS WHO ARE GETTING
TICKETED CLOSE TO SCHOOLS BUT WHEN THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOBS, I THINK THE BIG CHALLENGE IS THAT AS WE GROW AS A CITY THE COST OF BUILDING PARKING AND
INFRASTRUCTURE IS INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE. I THINK IT COSTS BETWEEN 70 AND $100,000 TO BUILD A PARKING SPACE IN A BELOW GRADE PARKING AREA, A PARKING GARAGE.
SO THIS IS ADDING TO THE COST OF HOUSING. SO I THINK REALLY TRYING TO THINK REALLY CREATIVELY ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS WITH PARKING AND AT
THE SAME TIME HELP DECREASE THE CONGESTION ON OUR STREETS AS WELL. SO I REALLY DO LOOK FORWARD TO THIS THIS HEARING AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? WHAT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR. CLERK PLEASE ADD COUNCILORS REID AND CLEGG AS OPPOSED TO
DURKAN MEJIA, PIPPIN SANTANA, WEBER, LAUREL PLEASE OF THE CHAIR THIS DOCKET DOCKET NUMBER 1933 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. MR. CLERK COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE NUMBER 1934 DOC NUMBER 1934 COUNCILORS PIPPIN AND WEBER OFFER THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING OCTOBER'S
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MONTH IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILMEMBER OPENING OF THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I DON'T WANT TO BE REPETITIVE. I TECHNICALLY ALREADY GAVE MY SPEECH AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
OF THE MEETING BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ISN'T JUST ABOUT CARS ON THE ROADS OR WHAT WE THINK ABOUT CROSSWALKS. IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE CONDITIONS OF OUR SIDEWALKS.
IT'S CONDITIONS OUR INTERSECTIONS PEOPLE WHILE PEOPLE NOT RESPECTING THE STOP SIGNS OF A SCHOOL BUS, A STOP SIGN ON THE STREETS, THE RED LIGHTS, ANYTHING THAT YOU COULD THINK ABOUT THAT CAN MAKE OUR
CITIES OUR STREETS SAFER. THAT IS WHAT THIS MONTH IS ABOUT. I ALSO JUST WANTED TO BRING UP THAT THE REASON WHY OCTOBER IS ALSO HIGHLIGHTED AS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MONTH IS HALLOWEEN IS
ACTUALLY ONE OF THE DEADLIEST DAYS IN THE ENTIRE YEAR FOR PEDESTRIANS UNFORTUNATELY IS CORRELATED TO CHILDREN CROSSING THE STREET WHILE TRICK OR TREATING AND CARS NOT SEEING THEM AT NIGHT.
SO THERE'S A REALLY STRONG CORRELATION TO THAT. SO I JUST I ALWAYS LIKE TO PUT OUT THAT MESSAGE OUT THERE THAT WHEN YOU SEE A STOP SIGN YOU STOP. WHEN YOU SEE A RED LIGHT, YOU STOP WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE ON A CROSSWALK TRYING TO CROSS THE
STREET YOU STOP. THAT IS WHAT THE INTENTION OF TODAY'S RESOLUTION IS ABOUT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE SAFER STREETS FOR EVERYONE SO I ALSO DON'T WANT TO FORGET I WOULD
LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND OUR COUNCILOR BRIAN MORRELL AS A THIRD CO-SPONSOR. I MEANT TO DO THAT EARLIER. SORRY COUNCILOR, BUT I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE DOING THIS WITH MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR AWAY FROM COUNCILOR WORRELL. THANK YOU.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WEBER AGAIN FLOOR THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND YOU KNOW I THINK PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IS SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW IS AN ISSUE ALL ACROSS THE CITY AND ALL OF US DEAL WITH AS
COUNCILORS. I JUST I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR PIPPEN AND COUNCILOR L FOR JOINING ME IN SUPPORTING YOU KNOW, A REDESIGN OF THE HYDE PARK AVENUE IN
FRONT OF THE FOREST HILLS T STATION THAT WILL PRIORITIZE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY OVER CARS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM AND THE ADMINISTRATION ON THAT. YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN JUST OVER A
YEAR SINCE GLEN INGRAM WHO WE HONORED HERE IN THE COUNCIL WAS KILLED BY AN MTA BUS AND JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO ON THE OTHER END OF JAMAICA PLAIN, A 77 YEAR OLD
WOMAN WAS KILLED WHILE CROSSING SOUTH HUNTINGTON. AND YOU KNOW SO I I JUST THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON AND IT'S IT'S
IT'S WORTHWHILE FOR US TO FIND A WAY TO PRIORITIZE PEDESTRIANS AND THEIR SAFETY. SO THANK YOU TO COUNCIL PREPARED FOR INCLUDING ME AS A CO-SPONSOR OKAY THANK
YOU THE CHAIRMAN OF THIS COUNCIL OUR OUTCOMES ARE YOU ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR PEPEN AND COUNCILOR WEBER FOR WORKING TOGETHER ON ON THIS.
IT'S ALSO ONE OF JUST SHOUT OUT AS COUNCILOR WEBER PEPEN HAS NOTICED NOTED THAT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IS NOT SOLELY ABOUT THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IT'S ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THOSE SIDEWALKS. I JUST WANT TO SHOUT OUT COUNCILOR JACKSON AND
COUNCILOR BOK WHO HAVE ADVOCATED FOR INCREASED SNOW REMOVAL ON OUR STREETS AND EXPANDED THOSE SERVICES HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I HAVE IDENTIFIED AND RECOGNIZED
TO OUR CONVERSATIONS WERE FAMILY DAYCARE CENTERS IS THAT OUR DAYCARE CENTERS ARE NOT DESIGNATED AS SCHOOL ZONES OR SLOW ZONES AND THOSE ARE OUR YOUNGEST RESIDENTS WHO OFTEN ARE WALKING TO PARKS OR YOU
KNOW, COMING INTO SCHOOL. AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT AT THE CITY OF BOSTON TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE AREAS ARE SMALLEST RESIDENTS WHO OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, MOVE RATHER QUICKLY. RIGHT.
WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT ENOUGH SIGNAGE IS AROUND THOSE AREAS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR CAN I JUST CONSIDER CAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIR AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCILORS KEVAN WEBER AND
WE'RE ALL FOR INTRODUCING THIS RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE OCTOBER AS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MONTH AS THE CHAIR OF PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION AND REPRESENTING WHAT I THINK TO BE THE MOST WALKABLE DISTRICT IN THE CITY HOME TO
SOME OF THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS ISSUE IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME. BOSTON TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN BEING WALKABLE CITY AND EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT DESERVES TO FEEL SAFE AND PROTECTED ON OUR STREETS.
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ISN'T ABOUT JUST PREVENTING CRASHES OR INJURIES IT'S ABOUT CREATING A SUSTAINABLE AND CONNECTED CITY FOR EVERYONE. SO FOR ME THIS ISSUE IS SO
PERSONAL I THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE PEDESTRIANS HIT IN MY DISTRICT SINCE I STARTED AND THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE PEDESTRIAN FATALITY THIS THIS
ISSUE IS NOT JUST ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE OF EXPERIENCING CLOSE CALLS. IT'S ALSO ABOUT HONORING THOSE THAT WE'VE LOST. IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE REACH OUR VISION ZERO GOALS AND WE ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE
BIGGER PICTURE. WE HAVE TO BE WORKING TOWARDS A CITY WHERE WALKABILITY AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ARE BUILT INTO EVERY PART OF OUR PLANNING PROCESS FROM ZONING AND LAND USE DECISIONS TO HOW WE DESIGN NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND HOW WE
PRIORITIZE INVESTMENTS IN MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION. THE CITY HAS MADE HUGE PROGRESS BUT I HAVE PLACES IN MY DISTRICT THAT ARE WAITING ON SPEED HUMPS AND WE HAVE PLACES
IN MY DISTRICT WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HIT MULTIPLE TIMES AND WE ARE STILL AWAITING AN ANSWER ON WHETHER SPEED HUMPS WILL GO THERE. WE NEED TO EMPOWER THE STREETS
CABINET ON THE AS THE COUNCIL TO BUILD SPEED HUMPS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE ARE SPEEDING. ULTIMATELY THIS IS ABOUT BUILDING A BOSTON THAT SUPPORTS ALL WAYS OF GETTING AROUND AND
THAT'S WALKABILITY, THAT'S BIKE MOBILITY AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING PEDESTRIANS THIS MONTH BUT WE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THE URGENCY OF THIS MOMENT ISN'T ABOUT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IN OUR EMAIL INBOX OPPOSING A SPEED HUMP. IT'S ABOUT NOT ABOUT MAKING LIFE EASIER FOR DRIVERS.
IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE NEXT PERSON IS NOT HIT IN OUR DISTRICTS. AND I JUST I THINK THAT URGENT I TAKE THAT URGENCY INTO THIS BUILDING WITH ME EVERY DAY. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO
FINISH THE FLOOR. THANK YOU FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS FOLLOWING A TRAGEDY ON ELM STREET IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD I'VE RECOMMENDED A 12 POINT PEDESTRIAN PLAN.
I ADVOCATED FOR TRAFFIC CALMING INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS RAISED CROSSWALKS, SPEED HUMPS AT STREET CROSSING ISLANDS WITH RAPID FLASH BEACONS, CURB EXTENSIONS AND MORE.
I ALSO ADVOCATING FOR A REDUCTION OF THE SPEED LIMIT GOING FROM 30 TO 25 MILES AN HOUR. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE FORMER CITY COUNCILOR FRANK BAKER AS WELL. HE WAS HE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN
THAT. WE HAVE HAD SO MUCH GROWTH, SO MANY COMMUNITIES CUTTING THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS, SO MANY UBERS AND LIFTS THAT ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH OUR STREET.
WE HAVE MOPEDS, DIRT BIKES, SCOOTERS, ELECTRIC BIKES GOING THROUGH STOP SIGNS, RED LIGHTS THE WRONG WAY, MANEUVERING THROUGH CARS IN IN AND OUT OF RED LIGHTS AND GOING THROUGH
THEM. WE SEE THAT EVERY DAY. WE NEED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT. FOOD DELIVERY IS NOT AN EMERGENCY.
SOMEONE WAS KILLED RECENTLY. THAT IS WHY I FILED AN ORDINANCE. WE DID NOT DELIVER FOOD THIS WAY BEFORE 2022. WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO
DISREGARD THE FEAR MONGERING OF LARGE CORPORATIONS AND DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON PUBLIC SAFETY. THIS BODY PASSED AN ENORMOUS
RESOLUTION AGAINST CONCURRENT PHASING SIGNALS WHERE CARS AND PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY AT THE SAME TIME. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
BUT THE CHIEF OF STREETS SAYS COUNCILOR DURKAN IS REFUSING TO WORK WITH US. HE'S REFUSING TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS AT INTERSECTIONS ACROSS THE CITY.
HE EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT EVEN AFTER 13 TO NOTHING VOTE HE SAID TO US IN JAMAICA PLAIN RISE AND I SHOULD SAY THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WAS WRONG. I THINK COUNCILOR FLYNN DID YOU
MEAN CHIEF CHIEF YOSHIRO FRANKLY NOT. YES. OKAY. I THINK HE'S SAID COUNCILOR DURKAN SO I JUST I'M SORRY. OKAY. OKAY. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL COMBINATION
OF ROAD DIETS AND BIKE LANES ACROSS THE CITY ON MAIN STREETS AND COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS. IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS AS STRATEGIC SPOTS OF HIGH INTEREST PEDESTRIAN FOOT
TRAFFIC WE NEED RAISED CROSSWALKS, TRAFFIC CALMING INFRASTRUCTURE ON OUR MAIN STREETS. I DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE BECAUSE I KNOW I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME BUT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
MUST BE OUR TOP PRIORITY. THERE'S NO ONE THAT'S DONE MORE ON PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS THAN I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR IS COUNCILOR COLETTE HAS A PARTY AND THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM
PRESIDENT. I AM. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE I ALSO DON'T HAVE A CAR AND I WALK EVERYWHERE. I PROBABLY SAID A MILLION TIMES SO I TRY TO GET 10,000 STEPS IN EVERY DAY AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT I HAVE THE MOST WALKABLE
AND ACCESSIBLE DISTRICT BUT THAT'S FINE. WE CAN TAKE A WALK TOGETHER AND MAYBE 5000. YEAH, YEAH AND WE'LL GET SOME MORE SPEED HUMPS BUT THIS IS REALLY AND TRULY IS A CORE FUNCTION OF CITY GOVERNMENT. THIS IS A CORE FUNCTION OF OUR
JOB AND IT HAS BEEN. THESE ARE THE SMALL WINS THAT BUILD UP TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY INSTANCES IN MY DISTRICT ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTH END WE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO THE
NORTH END WATERFRONT HEALTH TO FIND OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD TRIPPED OR ATTRIBUTED THEIR INJURIES TO A TRIP OR FALL BECAUSE OF OUR SIDEWALKS AND WE REACHED OUT. THEY PROVIDED NUMBERS FOR US
AND ONCE YOU SEE THOSE NUMBERS YOU CANNOT SEE THEM AND YOU CANNOT UNHEAR THAT DATA AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE GAVE TO THE CHIEF OF STREETS AND I DO APPRECIATE OUR CHIEF BECAUSE HE'S BEEN ALWAYS SO RESPONSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE TO OUR NEEDS IN
IN DISTRICT ONE AND WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF SIDEWALKS FIXED AND A LOT OF STREETS FIXED. SO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT I THINK CROSSWALKS FIX SIDEWALKS OR FIX SIDEWALKS AND REPAIRED
SIDEWALKS ACCESSIBLE RAMPS STOP SIGNS, FLASHING BEACONS MAYBE NOT FLEX POSTS NOT A BIG FAN OF THE FLEX POST BECAUSE THEY TYPICALLY GET BROKEN AND THEY DON'T REALLY DO THE JOB THAT
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO. BUT THINGS LIKE THIS THESE ARE ALL INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR PEDESTRIANS SAFE AND THAT'S WHAT ESSENTIALLY OUR JOB IS. WE NEED TO UTILIZE THE TOOLS
AND RESOURCES WE HAVE TO CREATE A BUILT ENVIRONMENT THAT IS THAT IS SAFE FOR EVERYONE BUT ESPECIALLY OUR PEDESTRIANS. AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE
COULD USE THIS CONVERSATION TO TO HELP INFORM OTHER POLICY DISCUSSIONS. SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW WE CAN PLANT MORE TREES, PLANT MORE
MORE JUST GRASS AND GREEN SPACE IN THE PUBLIC TO ALSO KEEP PEDESTRIANS SAFE. SO I LOVE THE NEXUS OF BOTH OF THESE CONVERSATIONS BOTH FROM A CITY SERVICES APPROACH
AND AN ENVIRONMENTAL APPROACH. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD TO THE SPONSORS AND APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO EVERY DAY TO MAKE OUR CITY SAFER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. JUST WANT TO PLUG I STILL THINK THAT EVERY DISTRICT COUNCILOR AND REALLY EVERY COUNCILOR SHOULD GET TEN OR 15 STREETS A YEAR THAT ARE PRIORITIZED BECAUSE WE'RE MOST FAMILIAR WITH EACH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND KNOW WHERE
THE NEXT ACCIDENT IS MOST LIKELY TO HAPPEN. AND SO I THINK IF WE CAN GET THOSE OUT OF THE WAY FIRST WE ARE PROTECTING OUR RESIDENTS FIRST AND FOREMOST AND WE SHOULD GET THOSE 10 TO 15 STREETS A YEAR. THANKS.
THANK YOU. THE CHAIR CAN AT THIS TIME CELEBRATE AND THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HUGE ISSUE AND
ALSO IN BRIGHTON WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL FATALITIES AND AND A LOT OF NEAR-MISSES. WE RECENTLY GOT OUR FIRST SPEED BUMPS IN ALLSTON BRIGHTON TO WEEK TWO OR THREE WEEKS AGO ON
FANEUIL STREET NEAR THE PUBLIC HOUSING OVER THERE WHERE THE VHA HOUSING BETWEEN THE VHA HOUSING AND THE MCKINNEY PARK WAS. AND ALONG THAT STRETCH
OF FANEUIL WE HAVE SEVEN SPEED BUMPS GRAND TOTAL SEVEN SPEED BUMPS AND I REALLY SHARE A CONCERN FITZGERALD'S APPEAL AND WE MOVE ALONG SMARTLY AND SEE
IF WE CAN INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF SPEED BUMPS TO TRY AND DO SOME TRAFFIC CALMING. THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC THROUGH ALLSTON BRIGHTON AND I'M SURE OTHER OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS AS WELL
PEOPLE THAT DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THE SCHOOLS ARE, THE DAYCARES ARE THE PARKS NECESSARILY BUT THEY DRIVE THROUGH OUR STREETS AND 40, 35,
40 MILES AN HOUR AND IT'S IT'S REALLY A TICKING TIME BOMB IN TERMS OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. WE ALSO WILL STEADILY MOVING THROUGH THE REPAIR OF OUR SIDEWALKS AND I DO APPLAUD THE
PUBLIC WORKS EFFORTS TO TRY AND GET THAT DONE IN A TIMELY WAY. BUT THERE'S A HUGE EFFORT GIVEN THAT THEY'RE ALSO UNDER A CONSENT DECREE TO REPLACE THE
ADA RAMPS ON CORNERS. SO JUST KEEP IT GOING AND WE WANT TO KEEP ALL OF OUR WORLD USERS SAFE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR CAN ASSIST COUNCILOR PAPANDREA THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TWICE. I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ESPECIALLY JULIA CAMPBELL, NORMAN PARKS AND THEIR TEAM JUST BECAUSE I ALWAYS LOOK AT
THIS AS A COLLABORATION AS WELL WHEN MY TEAM HAS REACHED OUT FOR THEM TO REPAIR A SIDEWALK WITH THE RECENTLY THERE WAS A CASE ON WASHINGTON STREET WHERE WE BROUGHT THEM OUT DISABILITY COMMISSIONER PARKS DEPARTMENT
AS WELL AND WE HAD FOLKS FROM THE DISABILITY COMMISSION AS WELL ACTUALLY WALKING WITH US ON WHEELCHAIRS AND THEY GOT THE SIDEWALKS, THEY GOT THE SIDEWALKS FIXED IN A MATTER OF NO TIME.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK THEM FOR BEING PROACTIVE AND JUST THINK YOU KNOW, THINK EVERYONE IS PART OF MAKING OUR CITY SAFER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES
COUNCILOR DURKIN FOR BRIEFLY THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I KNOW THAT MY I HAD A VERY DARK TESTIMONY IN TERMS OF THIS.
I JUST WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION FOR THE FIRST EVER CITYWIDE WORK CONTRACT THAT HAS MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN DISTRICT EIGHT AND TO THE MAN ON MARBLE STREET
WHO I SPENT 15 MINUTES ON THE PHONE WITH DEMANDING THAT THE THING OUTSIDE OF HIS PLACE BE FIXED THAT GOT FIXED WITHIN TWO WEEKS AND WE HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN FIXED WITHIN A
DAY AND JUST WANT TO SAY THIS MATTERS TO EVERYONE BECAUSE THE BLACKSTONE APARTMENTS WHICH IS IN THE WEST END WHICH IS MAJORITY MINORITY AND DISABLED I REMEMBER SPEAKING THROUGH A
TRANSLATOR TO SOMEONE THAT I DIDN'T KNOW WOULD USE CHARLES STREET AND THEY WE HAVE DONE TWO AUDITS OF CHARLES STREET AND GOTTEN EVERY SINGLE BRICK FIXED ON CHARLES STREET ALTHOUGH THEY CONTINUE TO BREAK
WITH THE WINTER AND WITH DIFFERENT WEATHER. BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION PARTICULARLY FOR PRIORITIZING THE BRICKS I KNOW THOSE COUNCILORS FLYNN AND COLETTE AS A PART OF THAT ALSO
HAVE A LOT OF BRICKS ARE GRATEFUL FOR THOSE FIXES AS WELL. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR INTRODUCING THIS EFFORT. EVERYONE IN THEIR WORK THEY
FEEL I MYSELF WAS AMONG THE COLLEAGUES WHO DOES NOT OWN A CAR BUT SHOUT OUT TO MY MOM WHO LETS ME DRIVE HER CAR OFTEN BUT I THINK MAKING THE CITY IS SAFER CITY FOR EVERYONE A MULTI-MODAL CITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I WANT TO ELEVATE THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR SIDEWALKS ARE SAFE ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WITH LIMITED MOBILITY. WAS HEARING ABOUT IT FROM
RESIDENTS IN DORCHESTER AT KEYSTONE APARTMENTS. IT'S SO HARD FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS TO BE ABLE TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B AND WE CAN MAKE IT EASIER THE MORE THAT WE'RE
DOING TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES FOR OUR COLLECTIVE WORK IN UPLIFTING THE IMPORTANCE OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AS AN AT LARGE COUNCILOR I HEAR ABOUT IT
EVERYWHERE I GO AND AS DISTRICT COUNCILS. I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT IN YOUR DISTRICTS. IT MATTERS TO ALL OF US BECAUSE WE WANT WE WANT PERSONALLY TO BE SAFE. WE WANT OUR KIDS TO BE SAFE. WE WANT OUR PARENTS, OUR
ELDERLY SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO UNDERLINE HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS NOT NOT ONLY FOR OUR DISTRICTS BUT FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME?
MR. CLERK PLEASED COUNCILORS BRAYDEN CLAUDIA ZAPATA DURKAN FITZGERALD FLYNN. MICKEY MURPHY. SANTANA PLEASE OF THE CHAIR
COUNCILORS BEN WEBER AND WORLD SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET NUMBER 1934 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I. ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS DOCKET IS PASSED.
MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 19351935. COUNCILOR SANTANA FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING NOVEMBER 2025 IS YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT
HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS MONTH. THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCIL AND ANY OTHER FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO ADD YOU AS AN
ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. I'M SO ADDED COUNCILOR SANTINO, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SUSPEND ROLL 12 AND ARTICLES WITH FITZGERALD AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. KANSAS AND TENNESSEE SUSPEND THE RULES THAT COUNTS
FITZGERALD AS THE THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS COPIES OF HIS CHARTER SO ADDED COUNCILOR S.A., YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'M PROUD TO PUT FORTH THIS RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT HOMELESSNESS
AWARENESS MONTH IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT AND WHEN WE FAIL TO SAFEGUARD THAT RIGHT, OUR RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.
ONE IN 30 YOUTH AGES BETWEEN AGES 13 TO 17 WILL EXPERIENCE SOME FORM OF HOMELESSNESS THIS YEAR AND SO WILL ONE IN TEN YOUNG ADULT AGES 18 TO 25.
EACH OF THESE YOUTH HAVE A STORY WHETHER IT BE A STORY OF TRANSITIONING OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, EXPERIENCING ABUSE BEING KICKED OUT BECAUSE OF THEIR GENDER OR
SEXUALITY OR BEING BORN ENTERED INTO INTO GENERATIONAL POVERTY. REGARDLESS OF THE REASON, WHEN YOUTH BECOME HOMELESS IT'S INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO BECOME STABLE HOUSE.
EACH DAY THAT OUR YOUTH EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS THEIR LIKELIHOOD OF FUTURE HOMELESSNESS INCREASES BY 2% ENSURING THAT ALL YOUTH HAVE ACCESS TO STABLE HOUSING. IT'S A DEEPLY INTERSECTIONAL
ISSUE. IN MASSACHUSETTS 65% OF HOMELESS OR UNSTABLE HOUSED YOUTH ARE BIPOC AND 26% IDENTIFY AS LGBT.
Q I HATE TO PLUS WE NEED TO ADDRESS THESE DISPARITIES WHILE ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT THESE STRUGGLES ARE INTERLINKED INTERLINKED. THE FIGHT FOR HOUSING ACCESS THE FIGHT AGAINST RACISM. THE FIGHT AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA
AND TRANSPHOBIA, YOUTH HOMELESSNESS IS AN ISSUE WHICH REQUIRES US TO RECOGNIZE THE WAY IN WHICH ALL SYSTEMS OF INJUSTICE ARE CONNECTED AND CALLS UPON US TO ADDRESS THEM
ALL. NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE NOVEMBER AS NATIONAL YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS MONTH. WE HAVE TO TAKE STEPS AS A CITY TO ADDRESS THE SYSTEMATIC REASONS FOR HOMELESSNESS UPLIFT
THE ORGANIZATIONS PREVENTING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS AND CONTINUE RAISING AWARENESS YEAR ROUND. I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING NOVEMBER AS YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS MONTH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU GOVERNOR SANTANA FOR VALUES AND FOR ADDING ME. I THINK YOU SAID A LOT OF WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THE CITY HAS MADE A
LOT OF PROGRESS IN THIS AREA AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING THAT THEY'VE BEEN REALLY DILIGENT IN TRYING TO ERADICATE YOUNG ADULT HOMELESSNESS AND I AND WE'VE
HAD MEETINGS WITH THEIR OFFICE WHERE THEY'VE PRESENTED US WITH THEIR WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM A BIG, BIG SHOUT OUT IN APPRECIATION FOR THAT TARGET. YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE WORK OF PREVENTION I
THINK INVESTING IN PEOPLE AND IN PROVIDING THEM WITH A PLACE TO CALL HOME IS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT STRATEGY. AND I JUST WANT TO UPLIFT ALSO SOME ORGANIZATIONS DOING THIS WORK. I WAS INTENT ON YOU AND I WERE
RECENTLY AT THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE HUB AT BREAK TIME RIGHT HERE IN DOWNTOWN COVENANT HOUSE. WHY DO Y PROJECT ARE THE HAVEN PROJECT A BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS? WE HAVE SO MANY GREAT
ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WHO ARE DOING THAT TARGETED WORK TO TRY TO ERADICATE YOUNG AND YOUNG ADULT HOMELESSNESS TO MAKE THEM FEEL REALLY SAFE AND TO HELP THEM ALONG THEIR JOURNEY.
SO OF COURSE WE'RE NOT AT ZERO BUT ZERO IS THE GOAL AND WE WORK BACKWARDS FROM THERE. SO THANK YOU FOR FOR ADDING ME AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR TO TO THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. AS CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH,
HOMELESSNESS AND RECOVERY. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO OVERSEE THE HEARINGS ON MANY OF HOMELESSNESS ISSUES, ESPECIALLY YOUTH HOMELESSNESS ISSUES. THANKS TO THE LEADERSHIP OF COUNCIL SANTANA AS YOU'VE
DUTIFULLY BROUGHT THOSE FORWARD AND ALSO GAVE ME INSIGHT ONTO THE DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS WITHIN YOUTH HOMELESSNESS AND HOW IT AFFECTS THOSE PEOPLE. I ALSO THINK ABOUT THIS RELATIONSHIP TO MASS AND CAST AND HOW THERE ARE MANY
DIFFERENT REASONS PEOPLE END UP DOWN THERE AND IT IS NOT ALWAYS FIRST ADDICTION OR DRUGS. IT CAN BE THAT BEING A YOUTH HOMELESS WILL LEAD THEM TO TO USE DRUGS AND BECOME ADDICTED
AS A CRUTCH AND AS WE TRY AND CLEAN UP THAT AREA IT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO STOP THE BLEEDING WHERE IT STARTS AND FIND THESE FOLKS THESE YOUTH HOME SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO DOWN THAT PATH SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AS
THEIR CO-SPONSOR COUNCILOR SANTANA AND I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MEJIA ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR SANTANA FOR HIS
LEADERSHIP ALWAYS UPLIFTING AND SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE JUST WANTED TO RISE AND JUST ACKNOWLEDGE SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE REALLY BEEN THINKING ABOUT HOW THEY SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE
SPECIFICALLY WHO ARE AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE. A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO CAN SAY I GOT YOU. SO TREEHOUSE TREE LIFE THEY
HAVE THIS WHOLE PROGRAM OUT IN WESTERN MASS AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE DO THAT HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WHERE IT'S MIXED HOUSING FOR ELDERS AND YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE
AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE SPACE TOGETHER AND THEY TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER. SO THEY'VE BUILT A COMMUNITY OUT IN WESTERN MASS AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A REALLY GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
WHEN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ARE THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND SO I JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT THEM FOR THEIR WORK. I KNOW JERRY ROBINSON WHO IS THE CHAIR OF EDUCATION HAS BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THAT EFFORT.
SO I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THAT. AND THEN I ALSO JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MORE THAN WORDS AS AN ORGANIZATION AND THAT I KNOW WE'VE WE ALL HAVE REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THAT HAVE
BEEN SOUNDING THE ALARM AND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER 18 AND HAVE DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR PARENTS AND ONCE THEY TURN 18 THEY HAVE TO FIND THEIR
OWN WAY HOME WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY OUR OFFICE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE DID HE WENT THEN MAYOR WALSH WAS STILL IN OFFICE. WE ESTABLISHED A LINE ITEM IN
THE BUDGET SPECIFICALLY FOR 19 TO 24 YEAR OLDS BECAUSE THE HOUSING ISSUE IS PART OF THEIR STABILITY AND HAVING A LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET DEDICATED SPECIFICALLY FOR WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES IS ALSO A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION FOR HOUSING. SO JUST WANT TO UPLIFT ALL THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE THAT THE WORK THAT STILL NEEDS
TO BE DONE AS WE CONTINUE TO GRAPPLE WITH THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
THE COUNCILOR SANTANA FOR HIS WORK ON SUPPORTING YOUTH IN THEIR ABILITY IN THEIR OPPORTUNITIES TO GET SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
IT'S A CRITICAL ISSUE AND SOME COUNCILOR HAS ALSO MENTIONED BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS. I'VE BEEN PROUD TO WORK WITH THEM FOR EIGHT YEARS. IT'S LOCATED IN MY DISTRICT. I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
VISIT WITH THEM MAYBE ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND WANT TO HIGHLIGHT BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS AND ALSO THEIR THE IMPORTANT WORK THEY DO ESPECIALLY WITH YOUNG
PEOPLE AND YOUNG PEOPLE FROM THE LGBT Q PLUS COMMUNITY THAT ARE THAT ARE HOMELESS AND THEY PROVIDE COMPASSIONATE SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO THEM.
SO WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS . I KNOW ALSO THE HUB IS IN MY DISTRICT IN DISTRICT TWO I SHOULD SAY AND ALTHOUGH I
WASN'T AT THE RIBBON CUTTING I DID SUPPORT THEM RELOCATING INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA AS WELL. IT'S ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER, RESPECTING EACH OTHER AND ENSURING YOUNG PEOPLE AND
PEOPLE THAT ARE THAT ARE HOMELESS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT DIGNITY AND RESPECT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I JUST WANT TO THANK THE LEAD SPONSOR FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. RECENTLY I WENT ON A HOMELESS OUTREACH WALK WITH MARIANNE PONTI FROM SAINT FRANCIS HOUSE
THROUGH THE BOSTON COMMON AND DOWNTOWN BOSTON. WE STEPPED INTO COUNCILOR CLARA ZAPATA'S DISTRICT AND COUNCILOR FLYNN'S DISTRICT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HOMELESSNESS DOESN'T KNOW OUR
DISTRICT BOUNDARIES. IT'S I MET A VETERAN WE SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH HIM. HE WAS ADDICTED TO K TO AND I FOUND OUT THE NEXT DAY THAT HE
WENT INTO DETOX AND I WAS REALLY PROUD THAT WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION. WE MET A WOMAN WHO WAS RECENTLY THE VICTIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. WE MET AN ENTREPRENEUR FROM NEW
YORK WHO WHO WAS SO AMBITIOUS AND HE JUST DIDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO STAY FOR THE NIGHT AND WHEN I CAME WE MET A WOMAN WHO WAS DEALING WITH DELUSIONS
AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND I CAME OUT OF THIS EXPERIENCE WITH SUCH A PROFOUND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MENTAL OUTREACH WORKERS ARE DEALING WITH, WHAT HOMELESS OUTREACH
WORKERS ARE DEALING WITH AND WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO PAY THEM MORE. THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE FOLKS GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY OFTENTIMES PUTTING THEMSELVES
IN RISKY SITUATIONS I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD DO THAT JOB OTHER THAN SOMEONE WHO TRULY ABSOLUTELY CARES AND IT'S PART OF THEIR LIFE'S MISSION FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE ARE SPENDING ON EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO JUST
PREEMPTIVELY SAY THAT IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET I WILL BE ADVOCATING FOR THESE OUTREACH WORKERS TO MAKE MORE MONEY. I THINK THAT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION IS DOING WHAT
THEY CAN BUT THEY ABSOLUTELY NEED OUR SUPPORT AND IN THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THE SPONSORS AND I JUST WANT TO THANK MARIANNE FONTANA. EVERY OUTREACH WORKER THAT GOES
OUT EVERY SINGLE DAY IN ORDER TO GET THAT MAN INTO DETOX, IN ORDER TO DO THAT REALLY HARD WORK THAT'S IMPORTANT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR EARLIER ON THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE SPONSORS OF SPONSOR AND ALSO JUST UPLIFT AGAIN AND SHOUT OUT MORE THAN WORDS. BUT YESTERDAY I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT TECH BOSTON ACADEMY 27 SENIORS WHO
WERE FOCUSED ON THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE AND THEY HAD KIND OF LIKE THE SAME INITIATIVE OR IDEA TO PUSH FORWARD WITH WHAT THEY'RE CALLING QUALITY HOME FOR HUMANKIND.
IT'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THEIR PEERS THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THAT HAVE LEFT SCHOOL OR GRADUATED AND ARE NOW FACING HOMELESSNESS . SO I JUST WANT TO UPLIFT
PRINCIPAL CLEARY DR. P BUT ALSO THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE PUTTING FORWARD A CAMPAIGN THAT IS CENTERED AROUND THIS SAME INITIATIVE AND THEIR CAMPAIGN SLOGAN IS WE GIVE A FUTURE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT THEM OUT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH THEM AND CONNECTING THEM TO OTHER PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE A REAL DENT IN THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER?
WHAT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR CLARE COULD YOU PLEASE ADD COUNCILORS BREADON CLARE ZAPATA, DURKIN FLYNN HERE MURPHY TO BEN WEBER WORLD
COUNSELOR SANTANA, LOUIJEUNE AND FITZGERALD THROUGH SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET NUMBER 195 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I. I SUPPOSE THEY KNOW THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS DOCKET IS PASSED.
WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO GREEN SHEET TWO PERSONNEL ORDERS. BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME OR BEFORE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER ON WHEN THEY WERE OUTSIDE OF CHAMBERS? NO. OKAY.
WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO PERSONNEL ORDERS. MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE PERSONNEL ORDER? OH, IT IS GREEN SHEETS FOR SOME REASON IT'S REVERSED HERE. OKAY. WE'RE NOW MOVING ONTO GREEN
SHEETS. UM, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO PULL ANYTHING FROM THE GREEN SHEETS? THE RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR READING CONCENTRATE AND YOU ON THE FLOOR. MADAM PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE
TO TALK IN 0102 FROM THE GREEN SHEETS 0102. IT'S ON PAGE 16. PAGE 16. MR QUICK DO YOU HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF YOU? MR. CLERK COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE DOCKET INTO THE RECORD FROM
THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT? NUMBER 0102 MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $25 MILLION IN THE FORM OF A
GRANT FOR THE HARVARD ALLSTON BRIGHTON FUND AWARDED BY THE HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE CREATION OF AFFORDABLE
HOMEOWNERSHIP AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING IN THE ALLSTON BRIGHTON NEIGHBORHOODS. OKAY. THANK YOU. ABSENT OBJECTION, THE MOTION OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR EXCEPT IN THE DOCKET IS PROPERLY
BEFORE THE BODY. COUNCILOR BREADON, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THIS DOCKET FIRST REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON MARCH 27TH, 2020 FOR. THAT WAS LAST YEAR AND PART
OF THE ISSUE WAS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PLEASE TAKE THIS OUT OF OUT OF COMMITTEE AND PLACE IT ON FILE AND THEN WE INTEND TO REFILE IT THIS DOCKET AGAIN
IN 2026 IN AN AMENDED FORM. THE CURRENT DOCKET 0102 HAS HAS MORE THAN ONE ERROR IN IT IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS IN THE GRANT AND ALSO
THE SOURCE OF THE MONEY AND WE WOULD LIKE TO REFILE IT AGAIN IN THE NEW YEAR AFTER THE AND THE NEW SESSION WITH AN AMENDED DOCUMENT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. JUST CONTRIBUTED TO THEM QUERIES OF THE DOCKET THAT YOU FILED OR A DOCKET THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THE ADMINISTRATION FILED AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO CORRECT THE LANGUAGE BUT WE HAVEN'T DONE IT
YET AND ALSO WE CANNOT WITHDRAW ANY MONEY FROM IT UNTIL NEXT YEAR ANYWAY. SO. OKAY. SO THEY ASK US TO JUST PLACE IT ON FILE ON FILE. WE'LL BRING IT BACK OUT AGAIN IN THE IN THE NEW YEAR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
THIS DOCKET WILL BE PLACED ON FILE. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO PULL ANYTHING FROM THE GREEN SHEETS ? OKAY. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO PERSONNEL ORDERS.
MR CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE PERSONNEL ORDER AND THE PERSONNEL ORDERS FOR FIRST LADY
FILE PERSONNEL ORDER. OH. ARE THESE I'M SORRY. ARE THESE LATE FILE PERSONNEL ORDERS? WE ARE JUST ON PERSONNEL ORDERS. NOT NOT NOT OBVIOUS. THERE AREN'T ANY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
SO WE NO PERSONNEL ORDERS. OKAY. AND THEN WE DID GREEN SHEETS. OKAY. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO LEAD FILES. I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT THERE ARE FIVE LEAD FILE
MATTERS PERSONNEL, THREE PERSONNEL FILE MATTERS AND 2 TO 1 EMERGENCY RESOLUTION AND EMERGENCY. OKAY. WE WILL TAKE A VOTE TO ADD THE THREE LEAD FILE PERSONNEL
ORDERS ONTO THE AGENDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I'LL SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT. THEY HAVE BEEN ADDED ON TO RECORD. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THEM INTO THE RECORD?
THREE LEAD PERSONNEL ORDERS FOR A SWORN COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR COUNCILOR ON MEJIA. SECOND PERSONNEL LEAD ORDER COUNSELOR LOUIJEUNE FOR COUNCILOR AND MEJIA IN THE
THIRD PLACE PERSONNEL ORDER FOR COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU. AND I TAKE A VOTE ON THESE LATE FILED PERSONNEL ORDERS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. I ALL THOSE OPPOSED NAY THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS DOCKET HAS THESE PERSONNEL
ORDERS HAVE PASSED. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE FIRST LATE FILE RESOLUTION INTO THE RECORD OFFERED BY COUNSEL'S COLETTE AS A FATHER AND COUNCILOR ALLUSION
RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S FAILURE TO FULLY FUND THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ALSO KNOWN AS SNAP. THANK YOU. ABSENT OBJECTION.
THIS LATE A RESOLUTION MATTER IS ADDED ON TO THE RECORD. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THAT AS A PARTY YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND RULE 12 AND ADD COUNCILOR DIRECTING AS A THIRD OR TWO CO-SPONSOR
COUNCILOR THAT AS A PARTNERSHIP SUSPEND THE RULES THAT CAVS ARE DURKAN AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS COUNCILOR DURKAN AND SO ADDED COUNCIL CODE AS A PARTNER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH MADAM PRESIDENT.
TODAY I RISE IN OUTRAGE AND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE 1.1 MILLION OF OUR NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE IN MASSACHUSETTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING STARING DOWN THE BARREL OF HUNGER BECAUSE OF THE
CRUELTY OF THIS PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION. THESE ARE WORKING PEOPLE. THEY'RE WORKING TWO OR THREE JOBS. THEY'RE SENIORS ON FIXED INCOME. THEY'RE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
THESE THEY'RE VETERANS. THEY'RE SINGLE PARENTS TRYING TO STRETCH EVERY DOLLAR AND THEY ARE NOT FAILING. THE SYSTEM IS FAILING THEM. THE PROBLEM IS NOT A KID WHO
RECEIVES $6 A DAY FOR SNAP. LET'S NAME THE PROBLEM. IT'S BILLIONAIRES LIKE THE WALTON FAMILY WHO ARE WORTH 700 AND SORRY $470 BILLION OR JEFF
BEZOS WHO IS WORTH $247 BILLION. THEY EMPLOY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND PAY THEIR WORKERS SO LOW THAT THEIR
WORKERS NEED FOOD STAMPS. ONE OF MY FINAL PROJECTS IN COLLEGE WAS TO REVIEW AND STUDY THE THE THE WELFARE DEBATE OF THE 1990S AND THERE WAS A
LOT OF TALK IN THE PUBLIC DISCOURSE ABOUT WELFARE QUEENS. AND SO IN THIS DAY AND AGE THE REAL WELFARE QUEENS ARE THESE BILLIONAIRES WHO PAY STARVATION
WAGES. NEVER IN OUR HISTORY IS A PRESIDENT ACTIVELY CHOOSING TO CANCEL SNAP. AND EVEN BEFORE THE SHUTDOWN HE CANCELED $186 BILLION.
IT'S NOT COVERAGE. ALL THE WHILE HE'S SPENDING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO TERRORIZE OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR BELOVED IMMIGRANTS, NEIGHBORS AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
HE'S BAILING OUT HIS BILLIONAIRE BUDDIES. HE'S SENDING $20 BILLION TO ARGENTINA FOR WHATEVER REASON WE STILL DON'T KNOW. AND HE'S SPENDING $300 MILLION
TO BUILD A TACKY GILDED BALLROOM WHILE AMERICANS GO STARVING RIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING. THIS IS NOT A NATURAL DISASTER. IT'S A MANMADE CRISIS.
AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT'S 100% PREVENTABLE. COME NOVEMBER 1ST, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE INCLUDING 16 MILLION CHILDREN AND 1 MILLION VETERANS WILL LOSE ACCESS TO FOOD
ASSISTANCE HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS. IT WILL DEVASTATE FAMILIES AND OVERWHELM FOOD PANTRIES. PROJECT BREAD HAS SAID THAT THEY ANTICIPATE FOUR TIMES AS
MANY PEOPLE GOING TO YOUR LOCAL FOOD PANTRY. THINK ABOUT THESE VOLUNTEERS WHO DO THIS WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY AND HOW THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO KEEP THINGS TOGETHER. FOOD IS NOT A PRIVILEGE.
IT IS A HUMAN RIGHT. NO ONE IN AMERICA SHOULD GO TO BED HUNGRY WHILE BILL ABOUT BILLIONAIRES BUILD THEIR BALLROOMS. THIS IS NOT ABOUT A DEFICIT OF RESOURCES AS OUR CONGRESSWOMAN HAS SAID.
IT'S ABOUT A DEFICIT OF EMPATHY . AND SO WE CONDEMN THESE CUTS AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO UPLIFT PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS DOING THIS WORK EVERY DAY. PEOPLE CAN CALL THE PROJECT
BREAD FOOD STORES HOTLINE AT ONE 800 6458333. IT'S AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES. ALSO SCHOOL MEALS WITH BENEFITS AND STATE FUNDED PROGRAMS LIKE THE HEALTHY INCENTIVES PROGRAM
AND CASH ASSISTANCE REMAIN AVAILABLE. PLEASE GO TO MASS DOT GOV FOR WORD SLASH SNAP UPDATES TO GET THE LATEST INFORMATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CAVS RICOTTA ZAPATA FOR THAT
FORCEFUL CONDEMNATION AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE GOVERNOR FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND REALLY PUSHING BACK AGAINST THESE CUTS. THESE ARE DELIBERATE. THEY ARE INTENDED TO CAUSE HARM AND THEY WILL CAUSE HARM FOR
OUR RESIDENTS. THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN FORCEFUL IN SAYING THAT THERE IS NO WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE UP THIS GAP FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE GET EVERY MONTH AROUND $240
MILLION TO FEED THE NEEDIEST AMONG US. AND SO THIS IS THIS IS AN UNFORTUNATE PREVENTABLE VIOLENT
ACT AGAINST OUR NEEDIEST COMMUNITIES. I DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE PREPARED FOR THE PHONE CALLS THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET TO OUR OFFICES FROM OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO
FIND FOOD. WE ARE ALREADY SEEING SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH FOOD INSECURITY AND THIS IS JUST FURTHER AGGRAVATING. AND SO THERE'S STILL TIME TO ACT. BUT IF THERE IS NO ACTION ON
NOVEMBER 1ST, A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BE STRUGGLING EVEN MORE THAN THEY ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING. MANY OF OUR WORKING CLASS RESIDENTS WHO ARE WORKING JOBS AND STILL NOT MAKING ENOUGH
MONEY EMPLOYEES AT AMAZON AT DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND OUR CITY WHO ARE JUST TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES AND CAN'T DO SO. MEANWHILE WE'RE SUBSIDIZING
CORPORATIONS AND CORPORATE GREED FORCES PEOPLE TO HAVE TO GO TO FOOD BANKS AND FOOD PANTRIES AND RELY ON FOOD ASSISTANCE. SO WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN SHARING INFORMATION, ADVOCATING BUT WANT PEOPLE TO
KNOW THAT WE STRONGLY AS OUR GOVERNOR DOES CONDEMNS THE ACTIONS OF THIS ADMINISTRATION. THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO ALLOW SNAP BENEFITS TO TERMINATE DURING A SHUTDOWN. IT'S INHUMANE.
AND WHAT RESIDENTS SHOULD KNOW THAT THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK HAS AN AGENCY PARTNER LOCATOR FOR OUR RESIDENTS AROUND THE CITY WHO WILL NEED FOOD. I WANT TO SHUT OUT INCREDIBLE
PAIN FOOD PANTRIES IN MATTAPAN AND SHIRLEY'S FOOD PANTRY ROSLINDALE EAST BOSTON SOUP KITCHEN EVERYWHERE AROUND OUR CITY THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE OUR CHURCHES THAT ARE TRYING TO STAND IN THE GAP BUT THERE'S NO
WAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE LOSS THAT WE'RE GOING TO EXPERIENCE. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES DURKAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR. YESTERDAY I STOOD WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND I AND WITH THE COALITION THAT MAKE HUNGER
HISTORY COALITION WITH PROJECT FRED WITH THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK ON THE STEPS OF THE STATE HOUSE. AND WHAT I TOLD THIS COALITION
WAS THANK YOU BECAUSE A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS FEEL ABSOLUTELY NO HOPE RIGHT NOW. I HAVE KNOWN THE FACES OF THOSE THAT ARE ON SNAP BECAUSE THEY'VE REACHED OUT WHEN THERE
HAS BEEN SNAP FRAUD AND THIS HAS REALLY KEPT ME UP A LOT OF NIGHTS BECAUSE I'VE HAD FAMILY MEMBERS WHO'VE RELIED ON SNAP AND I'VE STOOD IN THE LINE
HANDING OUT FOOD TO FENWAY CARES RECIPIENTS IN THE FENWAY . I'VE GONE TO A WOMAN'S LUNCH PLACE. WE RECENTLY PERMITTED ABCD IS NOW AT THE WEST END
NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER. WE KNOW THAT THOSE THAT ARE NEEDY ARE AMONG US EVERY SINGLE DAY AND BACK WHEN THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL PASSED I PUT
FORWARD A HEARING ORDER ABOUT THE IMPACTS ON OUR RESIDENTS. I HAD NO CLUE THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN SO SOON BUT IN A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE WORLD CLASS CARE
NO BUDDY SHOULD BE GOING HUNGRY IN A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE WORLD CLASS INSTITUTIONS NOBODY SHOULD GO HUNGRY AND SO THE PAST DAY WE'VE BEEN ON THE
PHONE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN HELP OUR CONSTITUENTS. AND I KNOW EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU HAS BEEN DOING THE SAME . I JUST WANT TO THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR CARING
BECAUSE THIS IS A MOMENT THAT IS DEVOID OF A LOT OF CARE. IT'S GETTING COLDER. THERE ARE SO MANY COMMUNITY NEEDS AND I KNOW THAT MY DISTRICT ISN'T OFTEN THOUGHT
OF AS THOSE THAT NEED BUT WITHIN ALL OF THE INSTITUTIONS, WITHIN ALL THE COLLEGES, WITHIN ALL OF THESE INSTITUTIONS THERE ARE SMALL BUILDINGS OF ELDERLY AND DISABLED PEOPLE THAT LIVE
THROUGHOUT MY DISTRICT WHO GET FORGOTTEN ABOUT AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T GET FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT THEY DON'T GO TO SLEEP HUNGRY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU TO JEREMY AND I JUST COME TO YOU ON THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR KYRA'S PARTNER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD CONSOLE. IT'S ABOUT A QUARTER. SPIDER ALSO MENTIONED THE
MILLIONS OF VETERANS THAT WILL SOON BE WITHOUT FOOD AFTER THEY SERVED OUR COUNTRY AND MAYBE
MAYBE INJURED OR DISABLED AND AND AFTER THEIR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY. NOW WITHOUT WITHOUT FOOD UNCONSCIONABLE. SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
COUNSELORS A PART OF QUITE A SPIDER FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE VETERANS AND SO MANY ELDERLY WORKING WORKING FAMILIES.
I ALSO WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNSELOR MURPHY HAD INVITED A FRIEND OF MINE REALLY HER NAME WAS CHERYL TREE FROM THE SOUTHWEST AND WHAT ELSE?
WE MET WITH HER TODAY. AND BEFORE THE START OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN THE SOUTH BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE WHERE SHE WORKED FOR 50 YEARS IS ALREADY WORKING ON THIS
ISSUE AND THEY GAVE US A BRIEFING ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING BECAUSE SOUTH BOSTON HAS THE MOST PROBABLY THE MOST RESIDENTS LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND IN IN POVERTY
PROBABLY THAN MORE MORE SO THAN ANY ANY NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE RURAL SOUTH BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE IS PLAYING IN SUPPORT
OF FAMILIES AND ELDERLY FOR PEOPLE IN NEED. IN COUNCIL MURPHY YOU BROUGHT THE YOU BROUGHT THAT ISSUE FORWARD AND WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT ALSO IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN SOUTH BOSTON ABCD PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE AND THROUGHOUT CHINATOWN AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON REALLY WOMAN IS
THE LUNCH PLACE THAT MY WIFE KRISTEN AND I SUPPORT AMONG OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. THEY DO AN INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE ROLE AS WELL ESPECIALLY SUPPORTING WOMEN AND
WOMEN OF COLOR AS WELL THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THANK YOU MEMBERSHIP. THANK YOU TO CHAIR AGONIZES COUNCILOR PREPARED TO GIVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR CARLOTTA
ZAPATA AND YOURSELF FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION HERE TO OUR TO THE CHAMBER. THIS IS TRULY DISHEARTENING TO TO JUST BE SPEAKING ABOUT THIS HERE TODAY NOT HOW MANY PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THIS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A THERE'S A GRAPHIC GOING ON THAT ONE AND ONE IN FIVE CHILDREN EAT BECAUSE OF SNAP BENEFITS. IT'S A IT'S A VERY HIGH NUMBER. IT'S A VERY HIGH NUMBER OF OUR
PEOPLE DEPEND ON NEED RESOURCES TO SIMPLY PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. BUT UNFORTUNATELY HERE WE ARE AGAIN AS MUNICIPAL LEADERS TRYING TO CLEAN UP THE MESS AND DISTRESS CALLS CAUSED BY OUR
PRESIDENT THAT SEEMS TO NOT CARE ABOUT WHAT OUR DAY TO DAY INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING THROUGH IN THE COUNTRY AND OBVIOUSLY HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON I, I
THINK THAT THIS IS A CALL TO ALL OF US THOUGH TO REALLY STAND UP AND NOT JUST AS CITY COUNCILORS BUT EVEN AS AS NEIGHBORS TO KNOCK ON YOUR NEIGHBOR'S DOOR AND CHECK ON
THEM AND SEE IF THERE ARE OKAY THERE. I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO ME SAYING WHERE CAN I DONATE? WHO IS THERE A FOOD PANTRY THAT I COULD TAKE FOOD TO?
IS THERE SOMEONE FUNDRAISING IS IS THERE SOMEWHERE THAT I CAN HELP? I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS ALWAYS WE ALWAYS STAND UP AND WE LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER. SO I ALSO JUST WANT TO ELEVATE
AS YOU MENTIONED, MADAM PRESIDENT, THE AMOUNT OF FOOD PANTRY THAT EXISTS IN MY DISTRICT. THERE'S QUITE A BIT THAT DO A LOT OF GREAT WORK BUT I KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE BURDENED OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR
TWO MOVING FORWARD WITH HOW MUCH DEMAND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE. BUT AGAIN, I VERY DISHEARTENING THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO PARTNER WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THIS CHAMBER TO MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE GOES FIRE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MEJIA YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL ADDIS ABABA AND YOURSELF AND COUNCILOR DURKIN FOR FILING THIS I TO STAND IN COMPLETE DISGUST THAT WE ARE EVEN HAVING
THIS CONVERSATION IN THIS MOMENT IN TIME WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH CRISIS HAPPENING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND I THINK THAT I WOULD JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT VERY SIMILAR
TO COVID WHEN COVID MADE ITS WAY TO THE CITY BOSTON I ALWAYS SAID IT WAS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE AND I KNOW PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY FOR SAYING IT BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THESE
ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO CHOOSE TO EXPERIENCE THEM FROM A PLACE OF ASSET AND WHAT CAN WE DO AND STANDING IN THE GAP YES CALLING OUT ARE OUR FEDERAL
LEADERS BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS WHERE INNOVATION COMES FROM. DURING COVID WE SAW MUTUAL AID . WE SAW PEOPLE COME TOGETHER. WE SAW PEOPLE TAKING CARE OF EACH OTHER. AND I THINK WHILE YES, WE'RE
GOING TO CALL EVERYBODY OUT, I ALSO THINK THAT THIS IS WHERE THE OPPORTUNITY LIES FOR US TO HELP SUPPORT HOW DO WE STAND IN THAT GAP? HOW DO WE CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SOME OF OUR MUTUAL AID GROUPS
WHO ARE ALREADY TAPPED OUT? HOW DO WE TAP INTO OUR PERSONAL NETWORKS TO MOTIVATE TO TAKE ACTION? HOW DO WE TAP INTO OUR, YOU KNOW, HIGHER ED INSTITUTIONS RIGHT?
AND BIG CORPORATE FAT CATS WHO ARE LIVING OFF OF THE BACKS OF THE VERY SAME PEOPLE THEY'RE JUST PLACING EVERY DAY. SO LIKE I JUST THINK WHERE DOES THE OPPORTUNITY LIE FOR US
LOCALLY TO REALLY GALVANIZE AND TO REALLY SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO BUILD UPON OUR COLLECTIVE POWER? I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE THAT IN THE FACE OF WHAT WE ARE
EXPERIENCING BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE THE BEST CLAP BACK TO THAT ADMINISTRATION THAT WE AS A PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER WHILE WE'RE ALSO
HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO THIS SITUATION. SO YES, ALL OF THIS AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO BETTER AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT HUMANITY IS ALL ABOUT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONSECRATE ANY OF THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UM, I. I THINK EVERYONE HAS SPOKEN
VERY ELOQUENTLY ABOUT THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM. IT IS SORT OF A DOUBLE WHAMMY IN THE SENSE THAT OUR FEDERAL WORKERS MANY OF THEM ARE GOING WITHOUT PAY. SOME OF THEM ARE EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE TO WORK PAY. SO WE'RE NOT ONLY SEEING THE USUAL FOLKS THAT TURN UP TO THE FOOD PANTRY TO FIND FOOD BUT YOU KNOW, FEDERAL WORKERS ARE
ALSO TURNING UP TO FOOD PANTRIES TO LOOK FOR FOOD. IT'S A VERY, VERY EXTREME AND INTOLERABLE SITUATION. I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE AWESOME GREAT FOOD
PANTRY AND THE COMMUNITY FRIENDS WHICH IS A FOUR OR FOUR WASHINGTON STREET BRIGHTON. SO IF WE HAVE NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORS WHO WOULD LIKE TO DONATE SOME FOOD TO THE COMMUNITY FRIDGE, IT'S IT'S AT THAT LOCATION AT THE
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN BRIGHTON CENTER AND THEY ALWAYS WELCOME DONATIONS SO I THINK TO CONTRIBUTE HIS POINT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE DURING COVID WE DID INNOVATE AND FIND WAYS
TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER. I THINK THIS IS A AN EQUALLY EXTREME SITUATION THAT WE FIND OURSELVES THAT IS GOING TO GET MUCH WORSE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS UNLESS WE END UP UNLESS
THE REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION IN WASHINGTON DECIDES TO COME BACK TO THE TABLE AND NEGOTIATE AND END THIS THIS SHUTDOWN
OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I JUST WANTED TO GO OFF OF WHAT COUNCILOR MEJIA MENTIONED ABOUT
HOW WE DID COME TOGETHER AS A CITY DURING COVID. WE CAN DO HARD AND ONE OF THE THINGS CATHY LAFFERTY SAID EARLIER IS, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN FOR DAYS NOW WORKING
TOGETHER WITH ALL OF THE SOUTH BOSTON NONPROFITS AND I KNOW THAT'S HAPPENING IN EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS THE CITY THAT THOSE PEOPLE WHO ALWAYS SHOW UP THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND ONE THING THEY'RE
WORKING ON THAT THEY'RE SHARING OUT WITH US IS THE DATABASE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT PLACES AND ORGANIZED NATIONS THAT YOU CAN GO TO FOR LUNCH FOR FOOD, FOR ACCESS.
AND I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN SAID ABOUT CORPORATE GREED BUT. SHE DID HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE MANY CORPORATIONS WHO HAVE BEEN VERY GENEROUS AND WILLING TO STEP UP. SO WE DO NEED TO ALSO LEAN ON
THOSE WHO STEP UP AND GIVE BACK AND WILL BE HELPING FILL THESE FOOD PANTRIES THAT WE KNOW WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE EVEN LONGER LINES. SO WE NEED TO ALSO USE OUR PLATFORMS TO INFORM PEOPLE
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS SHE SAID IS YOU KNOW, THE CALLS SHE'S GETTING AND HER STAFF ARE GETTING AND WE ALL PROBABLY ARE GETTING ALSO WHERE DO WE TURN AND WHAT DO WE DO AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT AND
DO. SO LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SHARING OUT ALL THAT INFORMATION FOR OUR RESIDENTS. THANK YOU. WHAT IS AND WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER BUT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME?
MR. CLERK TO THAT CONCERNS BREADON FITZGERALD FLYNN MCGWIRE, MURPHY PIPPEN, SANTANA WEBER WORLD CASAS ZAPATA LOUIJEUNE AND DURKIN AND SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND
ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I WAS OPPOSING A THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS RESOLUTION IS PASSED. MR. CLERK COULD YOU PLEASE DO THE NEXT LATE FILE EMERGENCY
HEARING ORDER INTO THE RECORD OFFERED BY COUNCILOR AARON MURPHY AN EMERGENCY ORDER FOR A HEARING REGARDING THE INCREASE IN SPREAD OF NEEDLE RELATED PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARDS IN BOSTON?
OKAY. ABSENT OBJECTION, THE HEARING ORDER DELAYED FILED HEARING ORDERS ALLOWED. AND COUNSELOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR TO LOOK AT
COUNCILOR OF FLYNN COUNCILOR FLYNN AND SO ADDED CUSTOMER FOR YOU ON THE FLOOR. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD COUNSELOR FITZGERALD COUNSELOR MURPHY SEEKS TO SUSPEND THE RULE SAID COUNCILOR TO ADJOURN AS A THIRD
ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS, CANTOR FITZGERALD ALSO ADDED COUNSELOR MURPHY ON THE FLOOR THANK YOU. SO I PREPARED THIS EMERGENCY HEARING ORDER ON THE ALARMING RISE IN DISCARDED NEEDLES ACROSS OUR CITY.
THE RECENT STUDY BY JAMES PICKER RELIEF FOUND THAT NEEDLE REPORTS ARE UP MORE THAN 75% SINCE 2022 AND 20% JUST IN THE PAST YEAR. WHAT ONCE WAS CONCENTRATED
AROUND THE MASS AND CASS AREA HAS NOW SPREAD TO NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS BOSTON WITH PARTS OF THE SOUTH IN ROXBURY, IN DORCHESTER, SEEING INCREASES
OF 200 TO 300%. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY EMERGENCY AFFECTS EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD FAMILIES, SENIORS AND EVEN PETS ARE BEING EXPOSED TO HAZARDOUS WASTE ON SIDEWALKS, PLAYGROUNDS AND IN
OUR PARKS. THIS HEARING ORDER CALLS FOR ANSWERS AND ACTION INCLUDING RESTORING AND FUNDING THE COMMUNITY SYRINGE REDEMPTION PROGRAM OR OTHER OPTIONS THAT WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE NEEDLES
DO NOT GET DISCARDED WHERE OUR CHILDREN AND SENIORS AND RESIDENTS WALK AND PLAY. THIS PROGRAM IS JUST ONE THAT HELPED KEEP OUR STREETS CLEANER AND SAFER. SO COUNCILOR FLYNN AND
FITZGERALD AND I, WE'VE STOOD TOGETHER WITH THE SOUTH END AND ROXBURY DORCHESTER RESIDENTS FOR MANY YEARS NOW ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS. BUT THIS REPORT AND THIS DATA
IS JUST HIGHLIGHTING THE WORK THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING. BUT WE NEED TO I THINK REALLY FOCUS IN ON THE NEEDLE SPECIFICALLY AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY TO CLEAN THIS UP. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL FLYNN NEAR THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. LAST NIGHT I WAS AT A VIRTUAL MEETING WITH THE WORCESTER
SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION . RESIDENTS WERE EXTREMELY CONCERNED. RESIDENTS OF THE SOUTH END IN ROXBURY EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF NEEDLES
THAT ARE BEING FOUND IN IN THE SOUTH END IN ROXBURY AND DORCHESTER SOUTH BOSTON BUT
REALLY ACROSS THE CITY AND MANY NEIGHBORHOODS IN BACK BAY AND BEACON HILL, IT'S HAVING A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE PUBLIC HEALTH AS WELL AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I HAD A LITTLE BOY IN MY DISTRICT. HIS NAME WAS MASON.
HE WAS IN PUBLIC HOUSING RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE PORT ACROSS IMMOKALEE PARK IS HIS MOTHER WAS TAKING HIM TO THE PARK AFTER SCHOOL AND HE GOT PRICKED
BY A NEEDLE AND HIS MOTHER HAD IT TAKEN FOR ABOUT TWO TWO MONTHS TO THE HOSPITAL EVERY EVERY DAY TO GET VARIOUS VACCINATIONS.
THANK GOD HE'S FINE. HE'S HE'S A HEALTHY BOY AND A VISIT HIM OFTEN AND HE'S A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL BOY. BUT IF THIS DOESN'T ALARM US AS
RESIDENTS THEN NOTHING WILL. WE JUST CAN'T SIT HERE AND AGREE THAT WE HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITHOUT TAKING ANY ACTION.
RESIDENTS ARE CRYING FOR HELP ACROSS THE CITY THAT BEGGING FOR HELP FROM SOME CITY COUNCILORS LOOKING FOR US TO COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS AND
ANSWERS ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE THIS BUT WE JUST CAN'T ALLOW SOMEONE TO USE DRUGS ON SOMEONE'S STAIRS AND LEAVE DISCARDED NEEDLES AS YOU TAKE
YOUR LITTLE KID TO SCHOOL OR YOU OR YOU HAVE TO WALK OVER SOMEONE PEOPLE ARE SLEEPING IN OTHER PEOPLE'S CARS BREAKING IN AT NIGHT AND THEN WHEN YOU DRIVE TO WORK THE PERSON'S IN
YOUR CAR AND THERE'S NEEDLES SCATTERED THROUGH HERE THROUGHOUT YOUR CAR. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE. IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AND THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO GET OFF THE SIDELINES AND
GET INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILMAN GERARDI ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT ON
THIS TOPIC AND I THANK COUNCILMAN MURPHY AND COUNCILOR FLYNN IN SUPPORTING THEIR EFFORTS HERE. OF COURSE WITH THE BREAK UP OF MASSING CARS ON ATKINSON STREET IN TOPEKA, WE'VE SEEN SORT OF THE ACTIVITY SPREAD INTO THE SURROUNDING
NEIGHBORHOODS AS WE KNOW EDWARD EVERETT SQUARE ANDREWS SQUARE NUBIAN SQUARE, UPTON'S CORNER AND BEYOND HENCE WHY WE HAVE THE INCREASE IN THE 311. REPORTS ON SAFETY HAZARD.
SO THIS IMPACT IS NOW AFFECTING MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE SPREAD INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE ADVOCACY FROM THE CONSTITUENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL AS FOLKS HERE ON THE COUNCIL THAT ARE
BEHIND THIS AND AS WELL AND EVERYONE ELSE ON THIS BODY THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS. HOWEVER THERE IS A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE. I DON'T WANT TO THIS IS NOT A VICTORY PARADE. I JUST WANT TO HAVE SOME
UPDATED STATS BECAUSE I ALWAYS GET THESE THROUGH MY OFFICE. WE ARE NOW GIVING OUT ABOUT 10,000 LESS NEEDLES PER WEEK. THE FACT THAT 10,000 NEEDLES LESS PER WEEK IS EVEN GIVEN OUT
IS AN INSANE NUMBER AND WE WANT TO WORK ON THAT. BUT THERE IS LESS NEEDLES BEING GIVEN OUT. WE HAVE WORK TO IMPROVE. WE DO PROACTIVE SWEEPS OF THE
SCHOOLS AND PARKS FIRST SO THEY ARE PRIORITIZING THAT FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND WE'RE IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE MOBILE SHARPS TEAM AS BEST WE CAN AND
WE'VE ALSO RESPONDED THE EXTENDING THE OUTREACH HOURS TO RESPOND TO 311 CALLS FROM 5 A.M. TO MIDNIGHT SO THE OUTREACH IS GETTING OUT THERE BUT WE ARE NOT KEEPING PACE
WITH THE FACT THAT THE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FEELING THE IMPACT EVEN ONE NEEDLE IN ANY PARK IS ONE NEEDLE TOO MANY. AS COUNCIL FLYNN HAS POINTED OUT WITH MASON AND SO WE REALLY
ARE TRYING TO LOOK TO DO THAT BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE. BUT I DO WANT TO JUST GIVE ONE SHINING EXAMPLE OF SORT OF HOW WE'RE MAKING AN EFFORT BUT WE STILL HAVE A LONG, LONG WAY TO GO TO THE IMPACT ON THIS ORDER
OF NEEDLES. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN THE COUNCIL FLYNN AND COUNCILMAN MURPHY, APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKAN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WANT TO THANK THE SPONSORS.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AN ISSUE THAT MATTERS FOR MY DISTRICT. I DO ALSO WANT TO JUST SHOUT OUT TO THE SHARPS TEAM MY GRATEFULNESS THAT THEY ARE NOW PICKING UP NEEDLES IN STATE
OWNED LAND THAT HAS BEEN A HUGE ISSUE IN MY DISTRICT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY JURISDICTIONAL NONSENSE SOMETIMES YOU'RE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUT YOUR IT'S
NOT CITY OWNED PROPERTY. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK WE DO STILL HAVE AN ISSUE WITH POTENTIALLY DCR ENCAMPMENTS IN DISTRICT EIGHT OR ENCAMPMENTS
AND DC OWN DCR AND STATE OWNED PROPERTY. WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE WORK TO DO IN COORDINATION SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE LEAD SPONSORS IF THERE COULD BE AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT OF A FENCED IN THIS
JUST IN COORDINATION WITH THE STATE BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT I DEAL WITH IN MY DISTRICT ON THE ESPLANADE AND IN CHARLES GATE AND OTHER PLACES BUT THANK YOU. I ABSOLUTELY HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS ABOUT THIS
PARTICULAR ISSUE. I AM SUPPORTIVE OF HARM REDUCTION STRATEGIES AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF NUANCE THAT NEEDS TO GO INTO THESE CONVERSATIONS. BUT QUALITY OF LIFE IS MY TOP
ISSUE AND I WANT MY CONSTITUENTS TO KNOW THAT I'M FIGHTING FOR THEM AND THAT IF THERE ARE DELAYS IN NEEDLE PICK UPS I AM ABSOLUTELY ON THE PHONE AND ADVOCATING FOR THEM
BECAUSE IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS CAN PLAY THAT SENIORS AND DOGS AND EVERYONE IN BETWEEN CAN TRAVEL THROUGH OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD SAFELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WEBER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU TO THE FILERS. I THINK THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
I, I MYSELF HAVE COME ACROSS NEEDLES IN JAMAICA PLAIN JUST WALKING MY DOG AND I WILL SAY FILING THREE ONE COMPLAINTS HAS RESULTED IN THOSE NEEDLES BEING QUICKLY PICKED UP BUT THAT
DOESN'T EXCUSE THEIR APPEARANCE. YOU KNOW THIS IS AROUND SCHOOLS AND PLAYGROUNDS AND YOU KNOW BUT I DO THINK THAT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEEDLES AND THAT
IS THE PRIMARY CONCERN OF THIS HEARING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE IN THE COUNCIL SAFE INJECTION SITES HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF REDUCING NEEDLES ON THE STREETS. I HOPE THAT WILL BE PART OF THE
CONVERSATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR WEBER, IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR. CLERK QUIZZED COUNCILORS
BRAEDON COLLETTE AS A PARTNER DURKAN MEJIA PUT BEN SANTANA WEBER WORLD PLEASE AT THE CHAIR THIS DOCKET WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH
HOMELESSNESS AND RECOVERY. MR. CLERK OKAY, THAT'S IT FOR LATE FILES. OKAY. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. I I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT THERE ARE NO ADDITIONS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA
. THE QUESTION NOW COMES ON APPROVAL OF THE VARIOUS MATTERS CONTAINED WITHIN THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I BEG YOU THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED. WE ARE NOW ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS
. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE FOR UPCOMING DATES AND EVENTS. MICHAEL, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE. OUR 14TH MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
CLAIRE BROOKS HAS A BIRTHDAY COMING UP. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. WE HAVE OUR CHAMBER TRICK OR TREAT THIS FRIDAY AROUND 11. WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL MY
COLLEAGUES COME BRING CANDY, DRESS UP, DECORATE YOUR DESK FOR OUR LITTLE KIDDOS. WE'LL ALSO BE HAVING SOME SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCES THAT YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS FOR OUR LITTLE KIDDOS SO MAKE SURE
YOU'RE HERE ON FRIDAY. ON SUNDAY IS JP OPEN STREETS AND ALSO NEXT TUESDAY IS THE ELECTION SO HOPE EVERYONE GOES OUT AND VOTES. THERE'S EARLY VOTING HAPPENING TODAY TOMORROW AND FRIDAY AT
CITY HALL AND THEN THERE'S EARLY VOTING HAPPENING TOMORROW AT THE DC Y OF TOWBIN IN MISSION HILL FLORIAN HALL AND STATE AND VICTORIA FLORIAN HALL
IN DORCHESTER AND SAN ANTONIO'S IN ROSLINDALE ALL OF THAT HAPPENING FROM NOON TO 8 P.M. AND ON ELECTION DAY ITSELF IT WILL BE WHICH IS NEXT TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4TH IT WILL BE FROM 7
A.M. UNTIL POLLS CLOSE AT 8 P.M.. SO HAPPY VOTING EVERYONE AND IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS NOW'S THE TIME I'LL GO AROUND THE HORSESHOE THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES
COUNCILOR BRAYTON YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU ALL TO OUR LUNCH AND LEARN IMMEDIATELY WHEN WE ADJOURN IN THE ROOM WE HAVE THE COMMON ROOM.
IT'S A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES A SPACE FOR YOUNG ADULTS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM TO MEET AND GATHER AND SOCIALIZE AND LEARN NEW SKILLS.
SO YOU'RE ALL VERY WELCOME WHEN WE HAVE LUNCH PROVIDED BY SWISS BAKERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR AND AS THIS COMES UNDER WATER CAN YOU THE FLOOR? THANK YOU.
NOW YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. HAPPY EARLY HALLOWEEN TO EVERYONE. I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT SOME OF THE MORE ICONIC THINGS HAPPENING IN DISTRICT EIGHT FOR HALLOWEEN, PARTICULARLY FRIDAY
FROM 530 TO 8 MARLBOROUGH STREET HAS THERE ANNUAL IT'S NOT JUST MARLBOROUGH STREET IT'S NAB HAS THEIR ANNUAL HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION WITH KIDS. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
ALL MY COLLEAGUES ESPECIALLY THE AT-LARGE COLLEAGUES KNOW ABOUT THIS ON FRIDAY. THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING IN DISTRICT EIGHT BUT TWO NIGHT THERE'S THE NAB MOBILITY FORUM
FROM 630 TO 8 P.M.. I KNOW IT'S ON THEIR WEBSITE BUT CHIEF YESHUA FRANKLIN HODGE WILL BE THERE AND JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNEW ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR EVENT AND I JUST WANT TO SAY
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW BERKELEY PRESIDENT JIM WHICH IS WHO WILL BE TAKING OFFICE AT THAT THERE IS INAUGURATION TOMORROW. CONGRATULATIONS TO BERKELEY'S
NEW PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR OF THIS COUNCIL WEBER COUNCIL WEBER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK SO OPEN SAID SUNDAY. DID YOU SAY SATURDAY? OH SORRY. LET'S SAY SATURDAY MAYBE YOU
SAID SUNDAY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE SUNDAY 9:00 OPEN STREETS DURING THE DAY HOPE TO SEE PEOPLE OUT THERE I, I JUST IN THE PAST
WITH MONDAY I'D LIKE TO JUST CONGRATULATE MY DAUGHTER HANNAH JUST TURNED 14. GREAT GREAT JOB GETTING THAT FAR BUT AND JUST ALLENDALE FARM
FOR FOLKS WHO LOSE SNAP BENEFITS IS GOING TO HAVE FARMER'S MARKETS AT THE LORING GREEN HOUSE ON THURSDAYS FROM 11 TO 1 STARTING NOVEMBER 6TH. SO THE SIXTH, 13TH AND 20TH IF
YOU'VE LOST SNAP BENEFITS HEAD DOWN TO LAWN GREEN OUR HOUSE DOWN DALE FARM WILL BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW PROVIDE SOME RELIEF
ALSO I THINK TOMORROW TRADER JOE'S IS OPENING IN WEST ROXBURY SO IF YOU IF YOU'RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD STOP BY AND I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE DO WORK WITH TRADER JOE'S TO PROVIDE FOOD TO
FOLKS. I THINK YOU KNOW, THERE'S UH I KNOW FORMER BOSTON POLICE SERGEANT LARRY ELLISON FAMILY
AHEAD AND JAMAL CRAWFORD DO THAT PROGRAM USING FOOD FROM TRADER JOE'S. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE THAT AS A RESOURCE FOR FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY ALSO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHAIRMAN OF THIS
COUNCIL WHERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THIS IS MORE OF A FUNDRAISING CALL OR DONATION CALL AS MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW
THAT JAMAICA IS EXPERIENCING A CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE RIGHT NOW AND THERE'S A LOT OF EFFORTS TO FUNDRAISE AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE HURRICANE MELISSA GOES TO
JAMAICA THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTED. YOU HAVE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE JAMAICA, JAMAICAN ASSOCIATION OF MASSACHUSETTS WHICH IS LED BY JENNIFER JAMES THAT'S DOING
A FUNDRAISER. THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THE GOVERNMENT THAT THE JAMAICAN GOVERNMENT THAT PUT UP A WEBSITE AND A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO DONATE AND THAT WEBSITE IS
SUPPORT JAMAICA GOV AND ON THAT WEBSITE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE A A LIST OF THINGS THAT YOU THAT THE COUNTRY WOULD NEED AFTER THE STORM BATTERIES,
MATTRESSES, CLOTHES SO PLEASE IF YOU ARE ABLE AND WILLING I JUST WANT TO POINT YOU TO THOSE EFFORTS FOR THE ISLAND OF JAMAICA THANK YOU THANK YOU COUNSELOR AROUND AND WE ARE PRAYING FOR THE PEOPLE
OF JAMAICA AND OTHERS IN THE CARIBBEAN, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, HAITI, CUBA WHO HAVE ALSO BEEN IN THE EYE OF THE STORM BUT REALLY ARE PRAYING FOR THE PEOPLE OF JAMAICA AS HURRICANE
MELISSA MAKES ITS WAY THROUGH. OKAY. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO MEMORIALS. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ATTEND THE COUNCIL MEETING ON BEHALF
OF ANYONE WHO HAS PASSED? NOW IS THE TIME I UPLIFTED HIM LAST WEEK BUT YESTERDAY WAS THE VIEWING AND TODAY IS A FUNERAL FOR THE LATE JUDGE HONORABLE
LESLIE EARL HARRIS. AND I JUST WANT TO AGAIN CONTINUE TO GIVE HIS FAMILY MY BEST AND I HOPE HE'S RESTING IN PEACE AND POWER.
OKAY, I SEE NO LIGHTS. SO TODAY WE WILL DRAW IN OUR MEETING ON BEHALF OF MYSELF GREGORY ANDRE AND TO PILEDRIVER
A LOCAL 56 MEMBERS WHO DIED AFTER AN AVERAGE CRANE COLLAPSE ON MYSTIC RIVER LAURISTON LAKE OF ROSLINDALE AND PAUL
GLADWELL, 37, OF MIDDLEBORO A MOMENT OF SILENCE THE CHAIR MOVES THAT WHEN THE COUNCIL ADJOURNS TODAY IT DOES
SO IN MEMORY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED INDIVIDUALS. THE COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO MEET AGAIN IN THE CHAMBER NEXT WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER FIFTH, 2025 AT 12 NOON. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES CENTRAL STAFF, THE CLERK IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE
COUNCIL STENOGRAPHER ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT PLEASE I I THE COUNCIL IS ADJOURNED