AMEN. GOOD AFTERNOON. >> FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS ED FLYNN, DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCIL CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON CITY SERVICES.
TODAY IS MARCH 3RD 2026. THE EXACT TIME IS TO 201. THE HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVE
STREAMED@BOSTON.GOV. CITY COUNCIL DASH TV BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FIOS 962 WRITTEN
COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C C DOT CSI@BOSTON.GOV AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL CITY COUNCILS.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THE AT THE END OF THE HEARING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE HEARING AND THROUGHOUT THE HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON
AN ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY. BUT I DON'T LIKE TO CUT PEOPLE OFF. IF YOU TAKE AN EXTRA MINUTE TO THREE MINUTES I THINK THAT'S
OKAY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON, PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER NEXT TO THE TELEVISION OVER THERE. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY
VIRTUALLY, PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON SHANE PAQUETTE, SHANE SHK AND DON PACK PACK@BOSTON.GOV FOR THE LINK YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO
THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET 0270. ORDER FOR A HEARING TO EXPLORE SNOW REMOVAL RELIEF IN OPTIONS .
THE SEVERAL THE SEVERAL DOCKETS SO I'M GOING TO READ THEM INTO THE RECORD. THIS MATTER IS SPONSORED BY CITY COUNCILOR ENRIQUE PEPEN REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
FEBRUARY 4TH 2026 DOCKET 0291 ORDER FOR HEARING TO DISCUSS THE CREATION OF A SNOW CORE IN BOSTON SPONSORED BY COUNCIL AS WELL REALM HERE IN COUNCIL IS
PEPEN REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 4TH DOCKET 029 TO ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE CITY OF BOSTON PURCHASING SNOW MELT AS THE MATTER IS
SPONSORED BY COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILOR HERE I'LL REFER TO THE COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 4TH 2026. TODAY I'M JOINED BY COLLEAGUES
IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. I MAY NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THE CORRECT ARRIVAL. UM. AND IF I DON'T, I'LL MAKE A NOTE OF IT.
UH, COUNCILOR MURPHY, COUNCILOR SANTANA. COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCILOR PEPEN,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT BREADON. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE EVERY CITY COUNCIL THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE
AN OPENING STATEMENT. THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE PANEL HERE FROM THE PANEL COMMUNITY PANEL AND THEN UH, GO TO Q&A THEN WE'LL HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL. UM, BUT SINCE COUNCILOR PEPEN
IS AN ORIGINAL SPONSOR AS A SPONSOR OF ONE OF THE DOCKETS. COUNCILOR PEPPER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO FIRST, PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY. >> UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, FOR HOSTING AND SPONSORING THIS IMPORTANT HEARING.
UM, IT'S GOOD TO SEE A LOT OF, UM, ADVOCATES IN THE ROOM. I SEE SOME FORMER COLLEAGUES IN THE ROOM. UM, AND THEY'RE JUST JUST THANKFUL FOR ALL THE ADVOCACY WORK THAT'S HAPPENING FROM THE COMMUNITY SIDE ABOUT THESE TOPICS. UM, HERE IN BOSTON WE KNOW THAT
LIVING IN NEW ENGLAND MEANS PREPARING FOR BRUTAL WINTERS. SNOW IS NOT NEW TO US, BUT THE CHALLENGES IT CREATES FOR OUR RESIDENTS ARE VERY REAL. IN MY DISTRICT I CONSISTENTLY HEAR CONCERNS ABOUT ACCESS
SIDEWALKS THAT REMAIN UNCLEARED, INTERSECTIONS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO CROSS. SENIORS AND RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WHO FEEL ISOLATED AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THEIR OWN FAIR SHARE OF WORK.
FOR MANY FAMILIES, SNOW ISN'T JUST AN INCONVENIENCE IT BECOMES A BARRIER TO SAFETY, TO MOBILITY AND DAILY LIFE. IN RESPONSE WHEN THE FIRST STORM HAPPENED, OUR OFFICE
LAUNCHED PEPEN SNOW ANGELS UH THE VOLUNTEER INITIATIVE TO CONNECT NEIGHBORS WILLING TO SHOVEL FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT. UM, WE WERE ABLE TO SEE 39 INDIVIDUALS SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER. THAT SPEAKS TO THE SPIRIT
OF THE COMMUNITY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. HOWEVER, I ALSO WANT TO JUST EXPRESS MY DEEP APPRECIATION TO THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT DO STEP UP DURING THE SNOW STORMS BECAUSE IT IS NOT AN EASY LIFT.
UM, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT UM REALLY DOES AN AMAZING JOB. UM, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS PAST BLIZZARD WE WERE ABLE TO SEE QUITE A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN TERMS OF THE RESPONSE TO IT
AND OUR STREETS LOOKED AMAZING. UM 311 CALL TAKERS. I ALSO JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THEM BECAUSE THEY WORK 24 HOURS THROUGHOUT THE DAY RECEIVING A LOT OF PHONE CALLS. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MY APPRECIATION IS SHARED THERE.
UM THEIR EFFORTS DO NOT GO UNNOTICED BY MY OFFICE. BUT TODAY'S HEARING I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS ISN'T ABOUT ANY TYPE OF CRITICISM. IT'S ABOUT IMPROVEMENT. IT'S ABOUT ASKING HOW WE CAN BUILD ON WHAT'S WORKING AND
WHAT'S NOT WORKING AND HOW TO EXPLORE NEW IDEAS IN OUR CITY. UM, INCLUDING MODELS LIKE A SNOW CORP OR SIMILAR TO ONE THAT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED IN NEW YORK CITY. MY HOPE IS THAT WE CONTINUE STRIVING TO BE A CITY THAT
WELCOMES INNOVATION, AND I REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY TODAY BECAUSE I THINK THAT YOUR VOICES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THIS TOPIC. SO YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT TO WORK ON THIS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. >> UM COUNCIL PEPEN LET ME GO
TO COUNCIL. MURPHY. COUNCIL MURPHY OF THE FOR. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR FLYNN. UM. THANK YOU. >> IT'S ALWAYS GREAT WHEN WE HAVE A HEARING IN THE. CHAMBER IS FULL AND SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS HEARING TODAY.
AS YOU'LL HEAR PROBABLY AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT I HEARD FROM MANY. RESIDENTS ACROSS EVERY. NEIGHBORHOOD DURING. >> AND AFTER THE STORMS AND IT IS CLEAR THEY WERE FRUSTRATED WITH THE SNOW REMOVAL RESPONSE WHEN.
SIDEWALKS ARE NOT CLEARED PROMPTLY, WHEN BUS STOPS ARE BURIED. >> AND WHEN STREETS REMAIN DIFFICULT. TO NAVIGATE. THAT AFFECTS OUR SENIORS, FAMILIES, SMALL. BUSINESSES AND ESPECIALLY RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
OUR FRONTLINE CITY WORKERS PUT IN LONG HOURS UNDER DIFFICULT. CONDITIONS AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THEIR EFFORT. AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TOO MANY PEOPLE FELT STUCK AND UNHEARD.
TODAY'S HEARING IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT WHAT DIDN'T WORK WHETHER IT WAS COORDINATION, COMMUNICATION, CONTRACTOR OVERSIGHT, EQUIPMENT READINESS
OR RESOURCE DEPLOYMENT. WE NEED A CLEAR ACCOUNTING OF HOW DECISIONS WERE MADE AND WHAT SUPPORTS MAY BE NEEDED BEFORE THE NEXT STORM. BOSTON RESIDENTS DOESN'T DESERVE A SNOW RESPONSE THAT IS
TIMELY, EQUITABLE AND DEPENDABLE IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT IS THE STANDARD WE MUST MEET AND IT IS A STANDARD THAT I'LL. CONTINUE TO PUSH. FOR HERE TODAY. SO THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO ALSO NOTE
THAT. THE FIRST COUNCIL. HEARING AFTER. >> THE SNOWSTORM WE HAD THREE COLLEAGUES FILE HEARING ORDERS NOT EXACTLY THE SAME BUT TO ADDRESS THE YOU KNOW, THE HEIGHTENED RESPONSE THAT WE
WERE HEARING FROM RESIDENTS. SO I JUST WANT TO UPLIFT THE RESIDENTS FOR. BRINGING IT TO. >> OUR ATTENTION TO A LEVEL WHERE THREE COUNCIL IS FILTERING ORDERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WE DON'T DO THIS AGAIN. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU COUNCIL MURPHY. UM, LET ME GO TO COUNCIL. UM HENRY SANTANA COUNCIL SANTANA. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS
HEARING. AND, UM, THANK YOU TO ALL THE SPONSORS. UM, I THINK THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC. I REALLY LOVE TO SEE THE COMMUNITY, THE RESIDENTS, UH, DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, UM, WHO ARE HERE.
UM, AND I THINK AS MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED, I THINK UM, ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS WERE AFFECTED BY THE SNOWSTORM AND I THINK UM, FOR ME, UM, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO PUBLIC WORKS AND THE
WORK THAT THEY DO. UM, AND WORKING IN EXTREME DIFFICULT, UM, CONDITIONS. UM, I ALSO WANTED TO, UH, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CABINET I KNOW AFTER THIS PAST, UM, UM, SNOWSTORM I
KNOW THAT THE LADIES ARMS GOT TOGETHER, UM, AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AND AND RALLIED OF VOLUNTEERS UM, TO TO HELP WITH SHOVELING. UM, I THINK THIS IS A IT'S A TOPIC THAT MANY OF OUR
RESIDENTS REALLY CARE ABOUT BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT UM, AFFECTS THEM. RIGHT? AND AFFECTS UM, ALL OF THEM AND. UM. >> YOU KNOW, I HAVE FAMILY UM, THAT LIVES IN PUBLIC HOUSING. I KNOW THAT, UM, I HAD TO GO
OUT UM, AND AND HELP MY PARENTS GET SHOVELED OUT AND PUBLIC HOUSING. SO I DEFINITELY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT UM, THE OPERATIONS, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR SENIORS, UM, PATIENTS WITH DISABILITY.
UM, AND UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE I'M REALLY PROUD TO BE PART OF A COUNCIL THAT, UM, WANTS TO STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE. OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE THIS. UM, AND, UM, IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, QUALITY OF LIFE AND BASIC CITY SERVICES.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS HEARING. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM RESIDENTS. I I WILL HAVE TO STEP OUT UM, DUE TO ANOTHER COMMITMENT. UM, BUT KNOW THAT I WILL I'LL BE LISTENING IN. UM, THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA. COUNCILOR DURKAN, YOU'RE UP NEXT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. UM, THE CITY WAS PREPARED FOR BOTH STORMS AND CITY WORKERS WORK DAY AND NIGHT EACH TIME. THIS MOST RECENT STORM BROUGHT
MORE CONSISTENT TEMPERATURES AND MORE PREDICTABLE SNOWFALL, WHICH ALLOWED TEAMS TO PRE-TREAT THE ROADS AND PLAN DEPLOYMENTS MORE EFFECTIVELY. EACH STORM IS DIFFERENT AND THE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS SHAPE HOW
RESPONSE UNFOLDS. ONCE WHEN OFFICIALS ASKED RESIDENTS TO STAY HOME IN THIS MOST RECENT BLIZZARD, THEY DID. THAT GAVE MORE ROOM FOR CITY CREWS TO DO THE WORK OF SNOW CLEARING WITHOUT INTERFERENCE. EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IS
DIFFERENT. RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS DID A BETTER JOB CLEARING SIDEWALKS DURING THIS STORM. THANKS TO CITY ENFORCEMENT, WE OPERATE UNDER A COMPLIANCE BY ENFORCEMENT MODEL.
LAST STORM WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT TO REPORT NON-COMPLIANT PROPERTY OWNERS IN OUR DISTRICT. THAT'S NEVER EASY BUT WE KNEW IF WE LET IT SLIDE THE FIRST TIME COMPLIANCE WOULD BEGIN TO FEEL OPTIONAL.
THIS STORM THE CITY DID A BETTER JOB COMMUNICATING INFORMATION AND TOWING CARS ON MAIN ARTERIES. AGAIN, NOT SOMETHING WE WANT TO DO BUT NECESSARY FOR SAFETY AND THE MOBILITY OF PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS.
THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR US TO. PLOW CURB. >> TO CURB AND REMOVE SNOWBANKS WHERE POSSIBLE. AN ISSUE WE HEARD ABOUT FROM RESIDENTS ON THE FIRST STORM. CONSTITUENTS HAVE REACHED OUT LAST ABOUT THE MOST RECENT
STORM AND I TAKE THAT AS A WIN. I WOKE UP TO A THANK YOU POST FROM THE LONGWOOD COLLECTIVE AFTER THE LAST STORM ABOUT THE JOB DONE AND LONGWOOD MEDICAL AREA. I'M GRATEFUL TO NEIGHBORS AND SMALL BUSINESSES WHO STEPPED UP
TO CLEAR THEIR SIDEWALKS AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER. AFTER THE LAST STORM MANY PEOPLE SAW JUST HOW MUCH INDIVIDUAL EFFORT MATTERS. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT. I LOOK UH TO MY RIGHT AND I SEE
BIKE ADVOCATES HERE. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AS SOMEONE WHO GETS AROUND MULTIMODAL. YOUR ADVOCACY IS WHY I CAN TRAVEL ON A BIKE. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. I KNOW OF THE FIRST STORM
COUNSELOR BREADON AND I ADVOCATED FOR THE CLEARING OF THE BIKE LANE. RESIDENTS GOT INVOLVED WHEN IT WASN'T PLOWED INCLUDING THE VIEW URBANIST AND BOSTON CYCLISTS UNION. AND I KNOW BEFORE THE MOST
RECENT STORM THE ADMINISTRATION MET WITH THOSE ADVOCATES AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ROOM FOR ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTS. UM I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT UH, PEDESTRIAN PATHWAYS WHICH ARE KEY TO MY DISTRICT.
IT TAKES PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND COMMUNITY TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE. WE KNOW MORE SNOW IS AHEAD AND THAT KINDNESS MATTERS. MY TEAM AND I WERE OUT SHOVELING CROSSWALKS WITH OUR KNEES. UM, SOMETHING THAT I WAS SORE
FOR FOR DAYS. IT'S NOT EASY WORK AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE CROSSWALKS WE SHOVELED HERE MOST OF THEM WERE ACTUALLY NOT THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY. BUT WE KNOW THAT PUTTING BOOTS ON THE GROUND MATTERS.
A CONSTITUENT WALKED UP TO ME ON THE SIDEWALK AND SAID YOU SHOULDN'T BE DOING THIS. THE CITY SHOULD. AND I PROUDLY PROCLAIMED WE ARE. I'M YOUR CITY COUNCILOR AND IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN. >> UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT BREADON. THANK YOU. MR UH, CHAIR. AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, I THINK UH I'LL KEEP MY COMMENTS BRIEF. I REALLY FEEL THAT, UM, THESE PAST TWO STORMS HAVE REALLY CHALLENGED OUR SYSTEMS IN TERMS OF, UH, ABILITY TO REMOVE, UH,
SNOW. UM, WE HAD UH, TO, UH I WOULD SAY RECORD BREAKING STORMS THAT WERE IN THE TOP TEN OF SNOWSTORMS. UH, ON RECORD AND I THINK, UH,
WHAT MY EXPERIENCE WITH UH, SNOW WHITE AND ALLSTON BRIGHTON WAS THAT UH IT WAS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT. I DID APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND THE SNOW REMOVAL CONTRACTORS WERE WORKING 24 OVER SEVEN AROUND
THE CLOCK DURING THE HEIGHT OF THAT STORM JUST TO KEEP AHEAD OF IT. AND IT WAS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT. SO WHEN WE WOKE UP, UH, THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE STORM, THERE WAS A LOT OF SNOW ON THE
GROUND. UM AND THE VERY, VERY DEEP COLD TEMPERATURES UH, DIDN'T HELP EITHER. VERY OFTEN IF YOU HAVE A BIG SNOWSTORM AND THE TEMPERATURES GO ABOVE FREEZING, THE SNOW MELTS AND UH, IT GETS TAKEN
AWAY. SO I I FEEL, UM WE HAVE TO BE BETTER AT APPRECIATING, UH, ANTICIPATING THE IMPACTS OF A
STORM ESPECIALLY ON OUR PEDESTRIANS AND OUR MULTIMODAL, UH, TRANSIT SYSTEMS. PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS AND FOLKS WHO USE MOBILITY DEVICES, UH, IF THEY HAVE A DISABILITY.
UM, UH, AND YOU KNOW, THE REALITY IS THAT THE CAR THE ROADWAYS SORT OF HAVE ALWAYS HISTORICALLY TAKEN PRIORITY AND THAT ALWAYS LEAVES THE QUESTION WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE CURB CUTS
ON THE SIDEWALKS? UH, SO I REALLY DO HOPE THAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON SOLUTIONS TODAY OF FOLLOWING UM AS COUNCILOR PEPEN SUGGESTED REALLY THINK ABOUT WAYS THAT WE
CAN ADDRESS THIS, UH, THIS CHALLENGE OF REMOVING SNOW. THE OTHER THING THAT'S REALLY CHALLENGING, I FEEL IS THAT IT'S UNPREDICTABLE. WE HAVEN'T HAD A BIG SNOW BIG SNOW WINTER FOR FIVE YEARS OR SO.
UH, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO BLOCKBUSTER STORMS IN A ROW WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO OF EACH OTHER. UM, SO I REALLY FEEL WHAT SYSTEMS DO WE HAVE THAT WE CAN
MOBILIZE THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY UM, SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS UM IT'S ALMOST LIKE A BACKUP THE SNOW REMOVAL CORPS IS IS DEFINITELY AN IDEA THAT WE NEED TO EXPLORE.
I ALSO WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO THOSE, UH, RESIDENTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DID MOBILIZE AND GO OUT WITH SHOVELS TO CLEAR PEDESTRIAN SIDEWALKS AND, UH, CROSSWALKS AND AND CURB
CUTS, UM, VOLUNTARILY ON THEIR OWN VOLITION, UH, AND AND DIGGING OUT UH OUR UM FIRE HYDRANTS AS WELL AS ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT THING THAT WE
NEED TO DO IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR INTEREST IN THIS. THIS IS AN THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT THAT IMPACTS EVERYONE.
UH, AND UH WE'VE CERTAINLY FELT THE IMPACTS OF MOTHER NATURE THIS THIS THIS THESE PAST TWO STORMS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HERE. I THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO IS HERE TO DEMONSTRATE THE POWER AND THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. UM, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE CREATE SPACE FOR THOSE WHO ARE.
MOST IMPACTED AND OR ARE DOING THE WORK TO ACTUALLY HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE. AND SO I'M JUST I'M JUST ENCOURAGED BY THE TURNOUT HERE. SO THIS IS WHAT I WANT ALL THE HEARINGS TO LOOK LIKE. SO MAKE SURE YOU SEND THAT MEMO
OUT. UM BUT I WANT TO JUST START OFF BY GROUNDING THAT THIS IS IN MANY WAYS UM, SOMETHING THAT WE ALL HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED. I LIVE IN DORCHESTER AND LIKE
SO MANY RESIDENTS ACROSS MATTAPAN, HYDE PARK, ROSLINDALE AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS I'VE SEEN BOTH THE PROGRESS AND THE GAPS IN OUR SLOW UM RESPONSE. UM THIS WINTER MAIN ROADS ARE
OFTEN CLEARED QUICKLY BUT CROSSWALKS, CURB RAMPS AND BUS STOPS AND SIDE STREETS CAN REMAIN DIFFICULT AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUS FOR DAYS. THIS HEARING IS ABOUT GATHERING CLEAR INFORMATION. WE'VE HEARD ABOUT LARGE SCALE
DAYTIME SNOW REMOVAL, THOUSANDS OF TRUCKLOADS HAULED TO SNOW FARMS AND NEW STRATEGIES FOLLOWING EARLIER CRITICISM AND AT THE SAME TIME RESIDENTS HAVE DESCRIBED BEING FORCED INTO THE STREET.
SENIORS WORRIED ABOUT FALLING AND CONFUSION OVER WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SIDEWALKS AND CORNERS. TODAY WE ARE HERE TO UNDERSTAND HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE, HOW NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PRIORITIZED,
WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE AND WHAT STRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS MAY NEED TO BE MADE UM MOVING FORWARD. AND I'LL JUST NOTE THAT UM, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT
TO A KIKI UM AND THE ENTIRE KIKI FAMILY SINCE SINCE I UM, ENTERED THIS CHAMBER THEY HAVE BEEN SUCH A STRONG PARTNER WITH OUR OFFICE. WHENEVER THERE'S AN ELDER THAT
NEEDS SUPPORT SERVICES DURING SNOW REMOVALS, THEY'LL GO OUT AND SHOVEL PEOPLE LITERALLY OUT . AND SO I JUST WANT TO, UM, THANK ELIAS AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM ,UM, FOR BEING A SUPPORT
SYSTEM TO SO MANY OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS SOME OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT HAVE STEPPED UP, UM, TO GO OUT INTO THE STREETS WITH SHOVELS. AND WHILE I DO APPRECIATE THE CITY'S RESPONSE UM, THIS TIME
UM, THE SECOND TIME WAS BETTER I THINK THE WHOLE IDEA IS WHEN WE KNOW BETTER WE DO BETTER. SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EFFORTS THAT WERE MADE THIS GO ROUND. BUT I WOULD NOT BE CONCILOR MEJIA HERE IF I DID NOT SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER AS I
ALWAYS DO. UM, THE FACT THAT WE EVEN HAVE TO HAVE THIS HEARING TO TALK ABOUT IT SPEAKS TO SO MUCH MORE OF THE STRUCTURAL WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. UM I LOVE TO SEE THE LOVE YOUR
BLOCK CONCEPT WHEN THE CITY WAS OUT SHOVELING AND BUT I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD NOT BE PUT IN PLACE ON UM RESIDENTS.
WE SHOULD BE PUTTING UM RESOURCES INTO MAKING SURE THAT WE GET IT RIGHT UM, AS A CITY. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET SEASON AND
MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE HOLDING OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE, UM, TO ENSURING THAT THE CITY IS WELL RESOURCED TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS. UM, AND UH I LOOK FORWARD TO LISTENING TO THOSE THAT I SERVE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL ME HERE. UH, REVEREND COLE, YOU'RE UP NEXT. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND I THINK, UH, IS THAT YOU
MAKE IS NICK GROVE HERE? WHERE'S NICK? HE'S NEXT. >> FOR YOU. THANKS. >> NICK AND I WERE ON THE PHONE AT 1131 NIGHT TALKING ABOUT
SNOW REMOVAL AND SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN. AND SO I HAD NICK AND DANNY ON THE PHONE WHENEVER I HAVE DANNY HERE. TELLING ME WE'RE. NOT HERE. THESE ARE SNOW.
BUT LET ME JUST SAY THE RESPONSE BETWEEN THE FIRST STORM AND THE SECOND STORM WAS LIKE NIGHT AND DAY. YOU KNOW, I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE 60 DAYS. I DIDN'T KNOW WHO NICK WAS.
NICK DIDN'T KNOW WHO I WAS. I DIDN'T KNOW WHO DANNY WAS. BUT I KNEW I HAD TO CALL SOMEBODY TO GET THE SNOW REMOVED AND I CAME UP WITH
THEIR NAMES AND THE RESPONSE AFTER I GOT TO KNOW THEM FOR THE SECOND STORM. IT WAS JUST AMAZING AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HOW THEY
RESPONDED. UH, I GOT CALLS BACK. WE GOT CALLS ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT. I TOLD FOLKS UH, CALL ME BACK
IF THEY HAVEN'T REMOVED THE SNOW. I DIDN'T GET ONE CALL BACK BECAUSE THEY WERE ON THE CASE. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM. GOOD TO SEE HIM IN PERSON.
GOOD TO PUT A FACE WITH THE PERSON THAT'S REALLY OUT THERE DOING THE WORK. I DO THINK THERE'S ALSO A COMMUNITY COMPONENT THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DISCUSS BECAUSE
I DON'T THINK THE CITY SHOULD SHOVEL OUR SIDEWALKS. I THINK THERE'S A CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE ALL HAVE AS COMMUNITY RESIDENTS.
AND SO MY GRANDMOTHER UNTIL SHE WAS IN SHE WAS IN HER 90S SHOVELING SNOW ON THE SIDEWALK AND I THINK IF SOMEONE AT 90 CAN SHOVEL THE SNOW WE CAN GET
SOME OF THE YOUNG FOLKS ESPECIALLY WITH THIS CORP THAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, COUNCILOR TO INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT THEY'VE REALLY ONLY SNOW STORMS.
UH, BECAUSE WE CAN'T PUT EVERYTHING ON THE CITY AND I THINK IF WE WORK THIS PARTNERSHIP AND DISCUSS THIS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY, WE MAY BE IN
THE MIDDLE AS LIAISONS. BUT I THINK WE'LL HAVE, UH, SNOW REMOVAL IN A WAY THAT WILL BE A WIN WIN FOR EVERYONE. I DO THINK THOSE, UH, SNOW
MELTING MACHINES I REMEMBER YEARS AGO REMEMBER NINO AND I TALKED ABOUT I THOUGHT WE HAD SOME, UH. BUT IF WE DON'T, WE NEED TO GET THEM BECAUSE WHAT I SEEN IN NEW
YORK THE WAY THOSE SNOW MELTING MACHINES WORK, I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO CURB CUTS IT MAKES EVERYTHING MUCH EASIER WITH REGARD TO SNOW REMOVAL.
SO I JUST THINK THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT THIS FIGURE OUT UH, WITH REGARD TO SCHOOLS, I CALLED NICK ONE NIGHT BECAUSE I HAD A COMPLAINT ABOUT SCHOOLS
AND ASKED NICK WHO SHOULD BE UH ,REMOVING THE SNOW FROM AROUND THE SCHOOLS. HE TOLD ME THAT THAT WAS HIS RESPONSIBILITY. SO I THINK PART OF IT IS A LEARNING LESSON FOR ME AND FOR ALL OF US.
WE HAVEN'T HAD THESE KIND OF SNOW CAMPS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. UH, AND I THINK NOW THAT THESE MAJOR BLIZZARDS OF BACK THAT WE
CAN BEGIN TO WORK AND PLOW THROUGH WAYS TO MAKE IT A WIN WIN FOR EVERYONE ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMEONE IS CHALLENGE WHEN SOMEONE HAS DISABILITIES THAT
UH, WE MAKE SURE THAT ACCESS FOR THEM IS AVAILABLE AS IT IS TO EVERYONE ELSE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU REVEREND. UM, COUNSELOR BRIAN. WELL. UH. >> FIRST AND FOREMOST I WANTED
TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE AND TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO ALSO, UM, PUT UP PARENT ORDERS AROUND THIS RECENT SNOW STORM. UM, AND FOLLOWING RECENT STORMS. STORM STORMS.
UH, THIS HEARING REALLY COMES DOWN TO ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEDESTRIANS AND COMMUNITY COMMUTERS AND PROVIDING RELIEF FOR OUR SENIORS AND THOSE WITH DISABILITIES. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, THAT
THE CITY DID DO A BETTER JOB LAST WEEK FOLLOWING THE STORM THAN WE DID LAST MONTH. UM, AND THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAS BEEN GIVEN A HERCULEAN EFFORT UH, DURING THESE SNOWSTORMS AND I KNOW EVERY SNOWSTORM IS
DIFFERENT, RIGHT? UM, THE FIRST ONE SPANNED ACROSS I BELIEVE TWO DAYS AND THE OTHER ONE UM, FIRST A FEW HOURS. SO I KNOW, UH, ALL THE HOURS AND TIME THAT GOES INTO THESE
SNOW STORMS AND THIS WANT TO JUST SHOUT OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, DANNY NI UH, CLARENCE PERKINS. UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY RESPONSIVE UM, AND DO RESPOND TO CALLS AND ALSO TO ON US AS
WELL. I SEE CHIEF MALLOY IN THE BUILDING. UM, I HAVE SUGGESTED A VOLUNTEER SNOW CORPSE, UM, THAT MATCHES VOLUNTEERS WITH SENIORS AND THOSE WITH DISABILITIES TO
SHOVEL THEIR SIDEWALKS AND ALSO A SEASONAL, UH, WORKFORCE TO SHOVEL CURBS, RAMPS, BUS BUS STOPS. UM, IF THE MBTA DOESN'T UM AND
THEN SCHOOLS, DAY DAYCARES, LIBRARIES, UM AND OTHER PUBLIC UH, BUSINESS CORRIDORS. UM WE'VE SEEN THIS MOTTO BEING ADOPTED IN BALTIMORE AND ALSO IN NEW YORK.
UM AND THEY HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL. SO LOOKING TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW ,DO SOME COORDINATION AROUND THAT HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO THE MBTA THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME
SORT OF STALEMATE. UM, I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE BUS STOPS AND COMMUTER RAIL STATIONS. UM, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS SOME SORT OF STALEMATE IN THE LAST TWO SNOWSTORMS.
SO JUST FIGURING THAT OUT TO MAKE SURE WHO HAS, UH, RESPONSIBILITY. SO JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION. UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO BOLSTERING, UH, PUBLIC WORKS,
UH, WITH ANY RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE POWER OR TECHNOLOGY OR INVESTMENT BUT JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE MORE PREPARED, UH, FOR THESE SNOWSTORMS WHEN THEY DO COME. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR. UH, COUNCILOR BEN WEBER. THANK YOU. CHAIR. UH, YEAH. UH, JUST TO PICK UP ON I THINK A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY SAID, UM.
YOU KNOW, WE GOT A LOT OF PHONE CALLS, UH, AND EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES AROUND SNOW REMOVAL AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU KNOW, UH,
NICK OVE AND HIS PEOPLE, UH, GENERALLY, YOU KNOW, THINGS GOT RESPONDED TO, UH, YOU KNOW, IN . IN AN. EFFICIENT MANNER. I THINK WHERE WE WEREN'T GETTING RESPONSES WERE ON THESE
SORT OF STATE PROPERTIES LIKE AT MBTA STATIONS AND THAT THAT WAS SORT OF SOMETHING THAT STUCK OUT AT LEAST WITH THE FIRST SNOWSTORM WHERE WE SAW A DELAY IN GETTING THAT SNOW REMOVED.
UH UM BUT YOU KNOW, I'M INTERESTED IN YOU KNOW, HEARING FROM ADVOCATES AND FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER. AS FOR YOU KNOW, WE HEARD ABOUT SNOW MELT ERRORS. I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, WHILE WE
DON'T OWN MANY I THINK WE DID RENT THEM. AND IN TERMS OF SOMETHING THAT IS IT'S, UH YOU KNOW, DO WE WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON EQUIPMENT THAT WE MAY NEVER USE AGAIN?
UH OR CAN WE GET CAN WE BUILD UP THE CAPACITY WHEN IT'S NEEDED? I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT WE CAN DO. THAT'S A FISCALLY SMART WAY OF APPROACHING THIS SO WE CAN
RESPOND QUICKLY. UH, BUT MAYBE NOT, YOU KNOW, BUILD UP EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE OVER TIME. UM, SO I'M INTERESTED IN THAT CONVERSATION. SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK, CHAIR AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE HEARING. THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL. I RECEIVED TWO LETTERS OF ABSENCE FROM ONE FROM CITY COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE ONE FROM DISTRICT CITY COUNCILOR QUARTER
ZAPATA. I WILL TRY TO READ UH, MOST OF THIS INTO THE RECORD. UM, THIS IS FROM CITY COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. I REGRET TO INFORM THAT I'LL BE
UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL HEARING. UH, THESE DOCKETS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO RESIDENTS SAFETY, MOBILITY, QUALITY OF LIFE CONSIDERING SNOW AND ICE CONDITIONS
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT SENIORS, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, RESIDENTS WITHOUT THE PHYSICAL OR FINANCIAL ABILITY TO CLEAR SIDEWALKS AND ACCESS POINTS ON
THEIR OWN. I WILL THOROUGHLY REVIEW THE VIDEO HEARING MINUTES AND PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THE OTHER ONE IS FROM CITY COUNCILOR CORA SABATA.
I REGRET TO INFORM ME THAT I'LL BE ABSENT FROM TODAY'S HEARING REGARDING SNOW REMOVAL RELIEF, THE CREATION OF THE SNOW CORPS PURCHASE OF USE OF SNOW MELTS.
I WANT TO NOTE MY APPRECIATION FOR THE CITY'S DECISION TO RENT SNOW MELTS, WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEPLOYED IN DISTRICT ONE. THEIR USE DEMONSTRATES THE
VALUE OF SUPPLEMENTAL TOOLS THAT CAN ACCELERATE SNOW REMOVAL, IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY. UM, AS SOMEONE WHO MANAGED A DISTRICT WIDE ANGEL SNOW ANGEL
PROGRAM FOR YEARS UNDER MY PRESENT PREDECESSOR, I WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT VOLUNTEER BASE MODELS ALONE ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE WITHOUT CLEAR LONG TERM INCENTIVE OR COMPENSATION.
I WOULD WELCOME LEGISLATIVE WORK TO OUR COMMITTEES TO EVALUATE THESE TOOLS AND ADVANCE A COORDINATED LONG TERM SNOW REMOVAL. SNOW RESPONSE STRATEGY. INCLUDES BOTH.
OPERATIONAL RESOURCES, SUSTAINABLE SUSTAINABILITY WORKFORCE MODELS. MY STAFF AND I WILL BE LISTENING IN AND WILL REVIEW THE HEARING. CAN I READ THIS LETTER INTO THE RECORD? SO I READ BOTH LETTERS INTO THE
RECORD. UM I WILL TRY TO GIVE A BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT THEN I WANT TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE UM COMMUNITY PANEL THAT THAT IS HERE FOLLOWING THE FIRST TIME
IN JANUARY I WROTE TO MAYOR WILL AND CHIEF GOVE TO THANK OUR DEDICATED CITY EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE WORKED HARD UNDER EXTREMELY DIFFICULT CONDITIONS FREEZING TEMPERATURES.
I ALSO NOTED RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO PROVIDE. FEEDBACK FEEDBACK TO CITY COUNCIL AS CITY OFFICIALS ON AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT, DIFFICULTIES NAVIGATING STREETS
AND SIDEWALKS, LIMITED ACCESSIBILITY AND CODING OUR SENIORS PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, YOUNG FAMILIES, RESIDENTS AND SMALL SMALL BUSINESSES REPORTED DIFFICULTY
OF ROAD ACCESSIBILITY FOR FIRST RESPONDERS INCLUDING ON HUNTINGTON AVENUE WHERE THEY SAID AN AMBULANCE WAS UNABLE TO NAVIGATE THE. ROAD AND THE EMTS HAD TO RUN DOWN THE STREET DUE TO A LACK
OF ACCESSIBILITY. UM NEAR EXIT A STREET. MANY FAMILIES CONTACTED ME ON OUR SNOW EMERGENCY PARKING BAN ROUTE AND PLOWING AS CLOSE AS
POSSIBLE TO THE CURB. RESIDENTS HIGHLIGHTED THIS ISSUE IN THE INABILITY TO PARK CARS FOLLOWING REMOVAL OF PARKING BANS, EVEN THOUGH SNOW REMAINED IN THE PARKING SPOTS ALONG THE STREET.
SOME CARS DID RETURN SUCH AS ON FIRST STREET CREATED A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AS THOSE PARKED CARS WERE NOT NEAR THE DOUBLE YELLOW LINE ON A TWO WAY TRUCK ROAD.
RESIDENTS ALSO REPORTED DIFFICULTIES AT MBTA STOPS LIKE TREMONT STREET. I KNOW MBTA WAS DISCUSSED. UM I THINK IT IS THE IT IS THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF BOTH THE CITY AND THE MBTA TO TO SHOVEL THE SHOVEL THE AREA OUT. IT'S BOTH OF IT'S BOTH RESPONSIBILITIES.
UM, I'M THANKFUL FOR THE CITY'S SNOW REMOVAL EFFORTS AND ADDITIONAL ATTENTION TO AREAS OF CONCERN I HIGHLIGHTED, BUT I'M ALSO RESPECTFULLY ASKING
THE CITY TO WORK CLOSELY WITH MY OFFICE WHEN IT COMES TO HELPING TO NOTIFY NEIGHBORS WELL IN ADVANCE OF THOSE EFFORTS. ON FEBRUARY 4TH, CHINATOWN NEIGHBORS REPORTED BEING GIVEN
TWO HOUR NOTICE TO MOVE THEIR CARS ON PEACH STREET, HUDSON STREET, TAYLOR STREET IN SOUTH BOSTON ON G STREET. NEIGHBORS REPORTED THAT SNOW REMOVAL SIGNS WERE POSTED
AROUND 6 P.M. AND TICKETING AND TOWING BEGAN LESS THAN THREE HOURS LATER. WITH SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL. SNOWFALL. IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE EXPLORE PURCHASING THIS NEW EQUIPMENT
AND OTHER EQUIPMENT THAT WILL HELP US DEAL WITH THE SNOWSTORM. OUR PANELISTS TO HERE ALSO THANK YOU TO THEM FOR JOINING US TODAY. TO MY FRIEND CASSANDRA XAVIER
AND BILL TAUB FOR YOUR FIERCE ADVOCACY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES, SAID THESE ARE CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES.
LASTLY, I WROTE AGAIN TO MAYOR WILL AND CHIEF GOVE TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE CITY TEMPORARILY SUSPEND CONCURRENT FACE AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS
FOLLOWING SIGNIFICANT SNOWSTORMS AND SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS IN BOSTON. WITH SO MUCH SNOW IT'S BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE AROUND SNOW BANKS TALLER THAN THE
RESIDENTS THEMSELVES. WE CAN'T HAVE CARS AND PEDESTRIANS HAVING THE RIGHT OF WAY AT THE SAME TIME, ESPECIALLY WITH. LIMITED VISIBILITY. I HOPE WE CAN MAKE THIS CHANGE IMMEDIATELY.
UM YEAH. AS I MENTIONED, THE ADVOCATES FOR THE FIRST UM PANEL UH, BILL TAUB WAS A DISABILITY ADVOCATE
CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER CASSANDRA XAVIER WHO'S ALSO A CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER. UM, I CAME ACROSS A VIDEO POWERFUL VIDEO ON FACEBOOK, UM,
THAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH. THE AUDIENCE NOW. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE IRENE MATONDO AT MASSLIVE FOR INTRODUCING ME TO CASSANDRA FOR THE MEANINGFUL WORK YOU HAVE
DONE. ETHAN, CAN YOU PLEASE START THE VIDEO PLEASE? PRACTICALLY IN THE STREET. WITH CARS PASSING BY YOU WHEN
YOU SHORELINE. I'M OUT IN THE ROAD WITH THE CARS. IT'S DANGEROUS. THIS IS THE REALITY FOR CASSANDRA XAVIER, A 36 YEAR OLD
BLIND. AND DEAF WOMAN. ALMOST TWO WEEKS AFTER A BIG SNOWSTORM IN BOSTON. SHE'S LIVED IN THE CITY FOR MOST OF HER LIFE AND IS A DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATE SINCE THE SNOWSTORM AT THE END
OF JANUARY, CASSANDRA SAYS SHE'S BEEN MOSTLY STUCK INSIDE DUE TO UNCLEARED ICE COVERED SIDEWALKS AND SNOWBANKS BLOCKING CURB CUTS, CROSSWALK BUTTONS AND BUS STOPS. SHE VENTURED OUT TO MEET WITH A
MASSLIVE REPORTER IN JAMAICA PLAIN ON FRIDAY TO SHOW JUST HOW HARD IT IS TO MANEUVER THE STREETS. IF I NEEDED TO GET TO THAT SIDE OF THE STREET. I CAN'T USE THE SIDEWALK TO DO THAT.
AND SO WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IS I AM GOING TO END UP HAVING TO SHORELINE WHICH IS VERY. DANGEROUS AND SHORELINE IS A TERM USED BY MOBILITY
INSTRUCTORS, UM WHEN THEY ARE TRAINING SOMEONE WHO IS USING A WHITE CANE FURTHER DOWN THE STREET TO USE ANOTHER CROSSWALK.
I'M OUT IN THE ROAD WITH THE CARS. IT'S DANGEROUS. STILL. >> THIS IS NOT EXACTLY CLEAR ENOUGH. IF I CANNOT PERFORM A PROPER SHOULDER TO SHOULDER SWEEP. WHICH WOULD. >> BE MORE LIKE THIS TO THAT
WIDTH AND LENGTH LIKE THAT DISTANCE I AM NOT I'M STILL NOT SAFE. A WHEELCHAIR COULD NOT GET THROUGH HERE. A STROLLER CAN'T GET THROUGH HERE. A WALKER COULD NOT GET THROUGH
HERE PROPERLY. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE MAYOR AND THE GOVERNOR TO COME EXPERIENCE THE INCONVENIENCE. UH, NOT HAVING THINGS PROPERLY
CLEANED AWAY AS A PEDESTRIAN ADVOCATE WITH A DUAL SENSORY LOSS, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT . SIDEWALK IS HOW I MANEUVER TO GET TO MY, YOU KNOW,
DESTINATIONS ON A DAILY. AND IT REALLY IT ROBS ME OF MY SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU ETHAN. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, INTRODUCE BILL TOP AND CASSANDRA XAVIER. YOU ASKED THEM IF THEY'D LIKE TO GIVE A OPENING STATEMENT.
LET ME START WITH CASSANDRA. UH, CASSANDRA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. HI, EVERYONE. UM, IT'S GREAT TO FINALLY BE HERE WITH EVERYONE TO DISCUSS
THIS VERY IMPORTANT MATTER FOR EVERYONE WITH AND WITHOUT A DISABILITY. UM, THIS PAST THE VERY FIRST STORM THAT WE'VE HAD FROM THE
VERY LAST TIME, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A VERY BIG STORM AND IT WAS SURPRISING. YES, I WOULD GIVE THEM THAT. IT WAS A SURPRISING STORM AND.
IT JUST YOU KNOW, THE LACK OF HAVING THINGS SHOVELED AND THE SIDEWALK ACCESS BEING COMPLETELY ABSENT.
IT JUST MADE ME FEEL LIKE MY DISABILITIES WERE NOT EVER GOING TO BE SEEN AS IMPORTANT OR WORTH ANYTHING, WHICH IS WHY
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS FREEDOM TO MOBILITY. UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING ACCESS TO A CLEAR SIDEWALK, THE
CURB CUTS AND WHEN WE ADVOCATE FOR THESE THINGS WE'RE NOT COMPLAINING. WE ARE ASKING FOR OUR BASIC RIGHT TO BE RESPECTED EVERY
SINGLE TIME AND TO HAVE TO SHORELINE ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET. LIKE THAT WITH THE FEELING. >> THE. WIND OF THE CARS GOING PAST MY
BODY OR WHEN THE CARS ARE AT A STANDSTILL FEELING THE HEAT COME OFF OF THE CARS ONTO MY BODY SHOULD NOT BE A THING BUT
IT IS AND IT WAS AND JUST A NICE KIND REMINDER. UM NO ONE IS EXEMPT FROM ACQUIRING A DISABILITY. AT ANY POINT IN THEIR LIFE.
MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES CAN CLOSE THEIR DOORS IN YOUR FACE, BUT THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY HAS NO DOORS TO SHUT IN ANYONE'S FACE. WE'RE OPEN 24 OVER SEVEN ALL
THE TIME AT ANY POINT. SO JUST THINK ABOUT HOW IT WOULD FEEL IF YOU SUDDENLY ACQUIRED ANY SORT OF PHYSICAL DISABILITY THAT REQUIRED YOU TO
USE A MOBILITY DEVICE AND IT BECAME YOUR TURN TO HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE THAT SOMEONE IN A WHEELCHAIR HAS TO HAVE BEING STUCK INSIDE FOR TWO WEEKS
BECAUSE OF A STORM AND THE SNOW NOT BEING CLEARED AWAY PROPERLY TO AVOID SHORELINE WHICH IS WHAT EVERY MOBILITY INSTRUCTOR FOR THE BLIND DOES NOT EVER WANT TO HEAR THEIR STUDENT
HAVING TO DO. AND I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK UP NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF BUT ALONG WITH THE DISABILITY
COMMUNITY AND RESIDENTS OF BOSTON AND BEYOND. AS A PEDESTRIAN ADVOCATE. UM. WOW.
WOW. AND I'M REALLY SURPRISED AND HAPPY THAT THIS GOT THE ATTENTION THAT IT NEEDED. SO FOR HOPEFULLY FOR NEXT YEAR . WE COULD DEFINITELY NOT HAVE
THAT HAPPEN AGAIN. UM SIDEWALKS TO BE CLEARED AWAY. UH, CURB CUTS WIDE ENOUGH FOR WHEELCHAIRS, ROLL EATERS AND
WALKERS TO GET THROUGH OR SIMPLY SOMEONE WITH PHYSICAL CHALLENGES TO BE ABLE. TO GET THROUGH WITHOUT STEPPING THROUGH STREET SLUSH. UM I STILL RESPECTFULLY INVITE
THE MAYOR AND THE GOVERNOR TO COME EXPERIENCE A BLINDNESS SIMULATION RIGHT AFTER THE STORM THAT'S CURRENTLY HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. POSSIBLY. AND I'M DONE.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU CASSANDRA . THANK YOU. IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU, CASSANDRA. I ALSO BEFORE I RECOGNIZE BILL I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE A AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADER IN THE
DISABILITY COMMUNITY THE THE COMMISSIONER OF UM DISABILITY COMMISSION ON THE MAYOR'S COMMISSION ON DISABILITY RIGHTS KRISTEN MCCOSH, WHO'S AN OUTSTANDING CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER
IN MASSACHUSETTS. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE KRISTEN MCCOSH WHO DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB. BILL TAUB UM, WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF, BILL AND
YOU HAVE THE UM YOU HAVE THE FLOOR BILL. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS BILL TOM I'M LEGALLY BLIND. I STILL HAVE SOME VISION. THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO
SPEAK. AND THANK YOU FOR CALLING ME A CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER BECAUSE I NEVER THINK OF MYSELF THAT WAY WHEN I RECEIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
THIS AFTERNOON I STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH AND I'VE ALSO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO THE ENTIRE CITY OF BOSTON THAT IS CALLED SNOW BRIGADE FOR
FINANCIAL LITERACY AND I WILL TALK ABOUT IT LATER. I FOUND A COMPANY BASED IN CANADA CALLED TRACKLESS VEHICLES. EVERYTHING IS BUILT IN NORTH
AMERICA. EVERY SUPPLIER AND FOUNDER OF THAT COMPANY IS A NORTH AMERICAN COMPANY. VERY INTERESTING WHAT THEY OFFER.
IT'S INTERESTING WHAT'S HAPPENED TO MONTREAL. MONTREAL FACED THE SAME OBSTACLES AND 25% OF THEIR EQUIPMENT IS NOW IN OPERABLE.
AND YET THE CITY OF BOSTON MANY YEARS AGO SENT A TEAM TO MONTREAL TO OBSERVE. AND HERE IT IS. I LIVED IN THE SOUTH END IN
1978 THE BLIZZARD MY ROOMMATE AND I WALKED FROM THE SOUTH AND UNION PARK TO THE NORTH END. WE FOUND A BAKERY OPEN. WE BOUGHT BREAD. WALKED BACK. IT'S NOW ALMOST 40 YEARS LATER
THE CITY OF BOSTON STILL HASN'T FIGURED IT OUT. SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS AS A CITY? I AM FIGHT EVERY CITY COUNCILOR, EVERY MAYOR, THE
MAYOR WELL ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO WALK WITH ME AND CASSANDRA THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE WILL SHOW YOU WHAT IT'S REALLY LIKE TO BE A BLIND PERSON.
I'M GOING TO DESCRIBE MYSELF FOR THE BLIND COMMUNITY. I'M A WHITE MALE. I'M WEARING A BLUE SWEATER WEARING BROWN PANTS AND KHAKI
CASUAL SHOES. GUESS WHAT FOLKS? I WALK FROM STATE STREET FROM WASHINGTON MALL THERE IS STAIRS
WITH FROZEN SNOW ON THEM. SAID CITY DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB RIGHT AT CITY HALL. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? I'M NOT GOING TO BE SUBTLE ABOUT IT AND I'M GOING TO BE IN
YOUR FACE IN WHO WOULD DO A BETTER JOB. NO EXCUSES. MY DENTIST IS AT 28 QUARRY STREET IN WEST ROXBURY.
I WALKED THERE RECENTLY TO CVS WHICH IS AT 1921 SANTA STREET. I HAD A WALK ON QUARRY STREET BECAUSE SNOW, BANKS AND SNOW
WERE NOT YOU BY THE LANDLORDS YOU CAN'T COUNT ON THE LANDLORDS TO DO THIS TOO INCONSISTENT I WATCHED A MOTHER
PUSH A STROLLER ON QUARRY STREET BECAUSE QUARRY STREET WAS BLOCKED. SHAME ON THE CITY, SHAME ON THE LANDLORDS AND THE LANDLORD I'M
GOING TO NAME PLANET FITNESS AND WHEN I WALKED UP SANTA STREET WAS A VERY NARROW PATH. SHAME ON THE CITY I CALL 311.
I HOPE THEY GAVE THEM A TICKET SO THAT'S WHO I AM. MANY OF THE CITY COUNCILORS KNOW ME AND I'M ALSO GOING TO PRESENT SOMETHING TO EVERY CITY
COUNCILOR RIGHT NOW YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NATIONAL BRAILLE PRESS AND MEET PRIME AND MEET PRIME AND THE PRESIDENT AND CEO COME AND SEE ME. I'LL ARRANGE IT.
CITY COUNCILOR FLYNN TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY IN DECEMBER. YOU WANT TO GO TO THE CAROL CENTER FOR THE BLIND FOR I'M CALLING FOR SIX WEEKS TO BE A STUDENT. HUH? I'LL TALK TO THE PRESIDENT AND
CEO OF. NO PROBLEM MAN. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO MEET WITH HIM FOR ALMOST A YEAR. YOUR STAFF HAS NEVER GOTTEN
BACK TO ME NOW IT'S PUBLIC. YOU DID NOT MEET WITH AN ADVOCATE FOR THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY. SO I WELCOME TO TELL YOU ABOUT
THE SNOW BOOK RIDE FOR FINANCIAL LITERACY LATER. THANK YOU THANK YOU BILL.
AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO ASK MY CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS TO THE PANELISTS AND THEN WE'LL THEN WE'LL GO TO THE
NEXT PANEL WILL GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. LET ME START WITH COUNSELOR COUNSELOR PEPEN I'M GOING TO GIVE EACH CITY COUNCILOR UH,
FIVE MINUTES AND UM. COUNCIL PEPEN EUROPE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. CHAIR FLYNN. UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. UM, CASSANDRA, I THINK I'VE HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON A WALK WITH YOU IN HYDE PARK AVENUE UM ,NOT TOO LONG AGO WITH SOME OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HERE. SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY. >> ON ALL. TRANSPORTATION CONVERSATIONS,
NOT JUST SNOW REMOVAL. I, UM I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU ALL. I IS MORE OF AN APPRECIATION FOR YOU SPEAKING UP AND BRINGING YOUR PERSPECTIVE TO
THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER AND BEING ABLE TO UM I MEAN I SAW I SAW THAT VIDEO BEFORE IT WAS PRESENTED HERE TODAY. IS THAT EVEN VIRAL UM, AS YOU MENTIONED CASSANDRA. SO I JUST WANTED TO TO THANK
YOU FOR THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO WE TAKE A STEP BACK SOMETIMES AND LOOK AT THINGS FROM AND EXPERIENCE THINGS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE. AND I THINK THAT VIDEO SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
SO I JUST I KNOW THAT MY MY QUESTION IS MORE ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LANDLORDS AND ALL THAT STUFF. I'M ASKING AT THE ADMIN SIDE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU COUNCIL IT PEPEN LET ME GO TO COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCIL MURPHY EUROPE. THANK YOU. UM THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY . I ALSO DID SEE YOUR VIRAL VIDEO
. UM, AND I THINK IT IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF WHO CAN ONLY, YOU KNOW, IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE FOR YOU TO REALLY.
SHOW US AND BE OUT THERE ON THE STREETS, UM, REMINDING US HOW IMPORTANT IT REALLY IS. AND LIKE YOU SAY, IT'S NOT THAT YOU'RE WANTING ANYTHING EXTRA,
IT'S JUST BASIC THAT EVERY RESIDENT NEEDS DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT WHEN WE'RE CLEARING SNOW THAT WHAT YOU WERE EXPERIENCING WASN'T NEEDING SOMETHING MORE THAN WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
YOU WISH YOU WERE HIGHLIGHTING WHERE STREETS WEREN'T YOU KNOW, SHOVELED AS WIDE AS WE SAY THEY NEED TO BE OR CURB CUTS WEREN'T CLEARED LIKE THEY. SHOULD BE. AND YOU BEING FORCED INTO THE
STREET IS JUST REALLY SCARY. THE OTHER MORNING LAST WEEK I WAS PULLING INTO THE. GARAGE AND BECAUSE OF THE SNOWBOARDING EVENT THAT WAS
GOING ON HERE ON CITY HALL PLAZA THAT COMING WEEKEND, THEY HAD BLOCKED THE SIDEWALK AND THEY HAD PUT SNOW MORE SNOW ON THE STAIRS.
UM I DON'T KNOW IT WAS LIKE PERFECT TIMING OR NOT BUT I HAD TO STOP MY CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET LEFT MY CAR DOOR OPEN BECAUSE THERE WAS A BLIND MAN USING HIS CANE AND WAS TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, GO ON TO
THE SIDEWALK. BUT BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN COMPLETELY BLOCKED HE WAS. IN THE STREET AND ALMOST GOT HIT. SO I SAW FIRSTHAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU KNOW A
BLIND PERSON AND THEN WAS VERY CONFUSED ON WHERE HE WAS AND HOW TO GET TO A SAFE SPACE. SO I MEAN IT WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS THERE TO HELP THEM BUT IT
JUST SHOWED ME THAT ALSO WHEN WE SET UP BARRIERS ON SIDEWALKS THAT MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS RELY ON TO JUST GET TO WORK, HE WAS TRYING TO GET TO WORK ON STATE STREET AND HE WAS FORCED INTO
THE STREET. SO I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR INVITING YOU TO BE PANELISTS NOT JUST TO GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. EVEN THOUGH. >> PUBLIC TESTIMONY. >> IS WONDERFUL, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO START WITH, YOU KNOW,
YOU GROUNDING US AND WHY WE'RE HERE AND WHO WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR. YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT ADVOCATING FORTUNATELY, LIKE YOU SAID, ONE DAY I MAY NEED HELP BUT RIGHT NOW I'M HEALTHY.
I CAN SHOVEL OUT MY OWN SIDEWALK AND PATH. I HAVE KIDS WHO CAN HELP ME. YOU KNOW WE WE DID OUR ROUNDS AND WENT BY YOU KNOW, MY AUNT'S HOUSE. >> WHO'S. 85 AND HAS A BUS STOP AND
SEVERAL CURB CUTS ON A CORNER BUSY STREET IN MY MOM'S AND SO NOT EVERYONE HAS THOSE, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
ADVOCATE FOR THOSE WHO ONE DON'T CAN'T DO IT THEMSELVES BUT ALSO WE ALSO FIND OUT MANY TIMES AREN'T EVEN DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO TO ASK FOR HELP AND SOMETHING.
THAT COUNCIL CALLED PEPPER NEW TO THIS ROLE, NOT NEW TO BEING AN ADVOCATE IN HIS COMMUNITY BUT REALIZE RIGHT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO. >> CALL YOU WHEN YOU HAVE. >> TO FIND OUT WHO'S GOING TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND HELP US FIX THIS. SO JUST NO QUESTION JUST THANK
YOU FOR REMINDING US. WHY WE DO. >> THIS WORK. THANK YOU. COME TO FLYNN. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR HENRY SANTANA, YOU'RE UP NEXT. OKAY.
>> UH, CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT BREADON, YOU'RE UP NEXT. THANK YOU. UH, MR. CHAIR, UM. AND THANK YOU, CASSANDRA. AND THANK YOU, BILL FOR BEING HERE. UM, I THINK YOUR YOUR TESTIMONY
AND YOUR VIDEO ILLUSTRATES VERY CLEARLY THE CHALLENGES OF FOLKS WITH MOBILITY ISSUES AND ALL OF US LIKE AS YOU MENTIONED, SOMEONE WITH A STROLLER HAS SIMILAR CHALLENGES. I SAW A PARENT PUSHING A DOUBLE
STROLLER OR A DOUBLE WITH STROLLER IN THE STREET UM A FEW WEEKS AGO AS WELL. UM, IN TERMS OF JUST IN TERMS OF UTILITY AND BEST UH,
PRACTICE. UM, CASSANDRA, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU KNOW, THE WIDTH HAS TO BE LIKE THE 42 INCH WOULD SO YOU CAN DO YOUR. YOUR YOUR SWEEP WITH YOUR CANE
. UM UH DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS YOU KNOW, FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE ABOUT WHAT WHAT ARE THE MOST CHALLENGING THINGS AND WHERE UH WHERE WHERE ARE THE MOST CHALLENGING SPOTS?
UM, EITHER BILL OR YOURSELF COULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION. UM, I'LL LET BILL INTO THAT. THE VIDEO I BELIEVE PRETTY MUCH SET EVERYTHING ON MY END.
THANK YOU. BILL ARE THERE ANY SUGGESTIONS? >> YES I DO. IT'S CALLED SNOW GREAT FOR FINANCIAL LITERACY. EVERY RESIDENT WHO'S 16 TO 22
YEARS OLD IS ELIGIBLE. THE CITY'S GOING TO PAY THEM NO AMAZON GIFT CARDS. THE MONEY GOES INTO A SAVINGS ACCOUNT. MY THOUGHT IS THE BANK WHO
MANAGES IT ALSO HAS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SNOW BRIGADE . THE COMPANY WHO WAS GOING TO GET THE CONTRACT FOR THE SHOVELS ALSO HAS TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THE SNOW BRIGADE. SITTING. IF THE KIDS ALL GET OUTERWEAR APPAREL SO WELL THE SNOW WAS GREAT. THE COMPANY TO CATCH THAT ALSO
HAS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SNOW BRIGADE. THE MONEY THEY CAN'T WITHDRAW THE MONEY UNTIL THE 25 YEARS OLD THEN THEY'LL LEARN COMPOUND
INTEREST. NOW YOU'RE GOING TO ASK WHO'S GOING TO TEACH. IT'S VERY INTERESTING. THERE'S A GROUP OF STUDENTS AT
LATIN ACADEMY WHO STARTED A FOUNDATION TO TEACH FINANCIAL LITERACY. THEY ARE OF IMMIGRANT KIDS OR FIRST GENERATION AMERICANS FROM
WORKING FAMILIES. THE LOWEST CUME IS 3.75. HOW DID I MEET THEM? I MET IN FRONT OF ROACH BROTHERS IN WEST ROXBURY
SHOPPING ONE DAY. AMAZING KIDS. THEY ALL WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE. SOME OF THEM WANT TO APPLY TO NEW YORK UNIVERSITY BECAUSE THEY COULD GO TO SCHOOL FOR
FREE 100% TUITION. THEY'LL HELP SENIORS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. WHY NOT SNOW OVER CAKE FOR
FINANCIAL LITERACY? AND ONE OF THEM THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT. THEY CAN GO CLEAN THE SEWERS THE CURB CUT OUTS COMMERCIAL WHAT IT'S LIKE FOR A BLIND
PERSON TO HAVE TO BE LIFTED OVER A SNOW BANK. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO DID IT TWO YEARS AGO.
GRACIOUS VOLUNTEERS CITYWIDE SNOW PRE-K FINANCIAL LITERACY. THANK YOU BILL THANK YOU. BY THE WAY FOLKS IT TOOK ME LESS THAN A HALF HOUR TO
COME UP WITH THIS BECAUSE A FRIEND OF MINE WHO RUNS THE WORKS ON THE TAX KOTEX HEALTHY SOLUTIONS TOLD ME LAST THING ABOUT ME I SERVE ON THE EIGHT
STRONG COMMISSION SENIOR FIVE THREE COUNCIL. I'M ALSO PART OF THE DISABILITY WORKING GROUP FOR THE TAX HEALTHY CUTS SOLUTIONS AND I AM
A COMMUNITY ACCESSIBLE MONITOR CERTIFIED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE ON DISABILITY SNOW BRIGADE FOR FINANCIAL LITERACY . THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU BILL.
THANK YOU MR CHAIR. THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT. AND I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP AND
PROFESSIONAL WORK OF THE EIGHT STRONG COMMISSION AND THEIR EXCEPTIONAL UM LEADER EMILY SHAY AS WELL. COUNCIL ME HERE YOU'RE UP NEXT.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UM AND THANK YOU, BILL AND CASSANDRA FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. UM, WHEN YOU. WHEN YOU SPEAK. FROM YOUR HEART. RIGHT. >> UM AND YOU SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER, THAT IS WHEN WE HOPE
POWER WILL RESPOND IN THE WAYS THAT YOU WANT US TO AND THAT'S WHAT RESULTS. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BOTH. UM, AND I SEE THAT THE BOSTON CYCLISTS UNION ADVOCATES ARE
ALSO IN THE BUILDING AND THEY'RE NOT HERE AS PANELISTS, BUT I'M SURE THEY'RE HERE TO DO SOME PUBLIC TESTIMONY. RIGHT. SO WE'LL BE HEARING FROM THEM AS WELL. AND I'M CURIOUS IN TERMS
OF ORGANIZING, UM, BECAUSE WHAT I'VE SEEN HERE AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER MYSELF IS THAT OFTENTIMES EVERY GROUP IS FIGHTING FOR THEIR OWN GROUP AND WE DON'T SEE REAL COLLABORATION AND OPPORTUNITIES
FOR US TO KIND OF BUILD COALITIONS. AND I'M CURIOUS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, UM, GIVEN THE SITUATION UH, THAT WE SEE HERE TODAY WHAT OPPORTUNITIES EXIST
TO WORK WITH THE THE BOSTON CYCLE, THE UNION AND OTHER YOU KNOW, MORE MULTI MOD UH MOBILE UH ADVOCATES IN YOUR EXPERIENCE
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE FROM AN FROM AN ORGANIZING STANDPOINT I. BELIEVE SOMETHING. LIKE THAT WOULD APPEAR AS A LOT
OF US FROM. EACH OF THOSE. CORNERS COMING TOGETHER. COLLECTIVELY TO. DISCUSS AND SHARE OUR POINT OF VIEWS AND COME TOGETHER WITH
SOMETHING SOLID AND VIABLE. UM, I BELIEVE THAT IS PERFECT TEAMWORK SO THAT WE COULD MOVE FORWARD AS YOU KNOW, ACTIVISTS
IN GENERAL THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WHAT I WORRY ABOUT HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON IS THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE USUALLY PITTING
PEOPLE AGAINST EACH OTHER SO CARS VERSUS BIKES, BIKES VERSUS YOU KNOW, EVERYONE THERE'S ALWAYS THIS UH THE SENTIMENT HERE. AND SO WHEN I SEE OPPORTUNITIES
LIKE THIS I'D LIKE TO REALLY DIG IN A LITTLE BIT DEEPER AROUND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST TO UNITE PEOPLE ACROSS THEIR SIMILARITIES NOT SO MUCH
THEIR DIFFERENCES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT REALLY YIELDS THE TYPE OF POWER THAT WE NEED IN THIS MOMENT. SO I APPRECIATE THAT ANSWER. EXCELLENT. >> AND ONE OTHER THING IS WITH
THE WHOLE THING OF PEOPLE PITTING, YOU KNOW, THE CARS GOING AGAINST THE BICYCLISTS, ONE THING TO REMIND FOLKS WE'RE ALL SHARING THE SAME ROAD, UM,
WHEN YOU GET BEHIND YOUR WHEEL, WHETHER IT BE A BIKE OR A CAR, DON'T GET INTO THIS BUBBLE OF THINKING THAT THE STREET IS JUST YOURS ONLY IT'S A STREET.
EVERYONE'S ON IT. YOU HAVE PEDESTRIANS, YOU HAVE CARS, BUSSES, BIKES, TRUCKS. JUST BE MINDFUL OF THE ROAD. I HEAR THE WAY THEY LEAN ON THE
HORN AS IF THE STREET WAS JUST FOR THEM ONLY. LET'S STOP THAT ONE LESS HORN HONK AT A TIME, SHARE THE
STREET AND WHAT EXACTLY IS THE RUSH? WHERE ARE YOU RUSHING TO? BECAUSE IF YOU HIT SOMEBODY IS DEFINITELY NOT GOING WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO GO. THAT'S RIGHT. YOU'RE NOW YOU'RE REALLY NOT GOING TO GET ANYWHERE NOW
YOU'RE STUCK AND YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE GOING TO SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN YOUR DESTINATION YOU ARE RACING OFF TO. YEAH. SO YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. UM I APPRECIATE THAT I KNOW AND
THIS IS A PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT'S GOING TO BE UH I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE HERE TO UH, LIFT UP, BUT I JUST WANT TO KNOW, UM, THAT THE UM, ALLSTON AND BRIGHTON DEMOCRATIC
SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA, UM, STATED THAT THEY CLEARED OVER 25 UM CROSSING ISLANDS, CURB CUTS AND CROSSWALKS SPANNING ACROSS EIGHT LOCATIONS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EFFORT UM, NOT SURE IF YOU ALL ARE HERE BUT WHILE I HAVE MY MIC I WANT TO UPLIFT YOUR WORK AND THE AND THE LABOR THAT YOU'VE PUT IN TO
PROTECT UM, OUR RESIDENTS AND UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY COMMENTED HERE AND I'LL USE MY TIME TO UPLIFT THEIR VOICES IS THAT, UM, THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THIS IS WHAT
THEY HAD TO THEY HAD TO STAND IN THAT GAP, UM, AND TO SUPPORT BRIGHTON UM AND ALSO ALLSTON BECAUSE THEY WERE UM THEY WERE THERE WAS REALLY NO WAY TO EASILY MANEUVER THROUGH THE
CITY AND THAT THIS APPROACH WAS REACTIVE AND INEQUITABLE AND LEAVING IT'S VOLUNTEERS OR PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS IS UNSUSTAINABLE AND UNRELIABLE. THE CURRENT SYSTEM DEPENDS ON
SOMETHING BEING BLOCKED AND IMMOBILIZED, THEN REPORTING IT AND THEN WAITING. THIS IS NOT HOW WE TREAT MOTORISTS AND MOTORISTS THE VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE THE ASSUMPTION IS ALWAYS THAT THE CITY WILL PROACTIVELY CLEAR THE
ROADWAY. CITIES LIKE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK PROVIDED MUNICIPAL SIDEWALK SNOW CLEARANCE DURING SEVERE SNOWSTORMS AND NEW YORK CITY HAS EXPANDED EMERGENCY SNOW
SHOVEL HIRING TO ENSURE ENOUGH HOURS ARE PUT INTO GETTING THE JOB DONE. SURELY BOSTON CAN DO THE SAME. SO JUST IN CASE THEY WEREN'T HERE TO READ IT, I WANTED TO USE MY TIME TO UPLIFT THEIR VOICES AND SO THE WORK
CONTINUES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU COUNCIL ME UM UH, REVEREND CULPEPER. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UM, BILL, I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
UH, AND ONE OF THEM WAS THAT SNOW. UM. EXCUSE ME IF IT'S NOT WORKING SO IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO HEAR YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES. YEAH. >> THE SNOWBALL GRAY BRIGADE
FOR FINANCIAL LITERACY FROM YOUTH AND LINE WAS THAT THE GROUP THAT WAS LED BY DANIEL IDA MOODY? YOU GOT IT. UH. >> FOR WHO HE'S TALKING ABOUT
EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM SHOULD MEET DANIEL. HE'S AN INCREDIBLE YOUNG MAN. I COULDN'T REMEMBER HIS NAME. YES. >> THAT'S IT. DANIEL AND MARIA.
HE AND HIS TEAM ARE PHENOMENAL. SO THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE I GOT TO SHARE WITH YOU. THE CITY OF BOSTON BELONGS TO WHAT'S CALLED THE OPEN MOBILITY FOUNDATION.
IT'S A WORLDWIDE ORGANIZATION. IT'S ALL ABOUT OPEN SOURCE TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE MONITORING TRANSPORTATION.
IT'S FUNDED BY THE ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION AMONG OTHERS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, CHECK IT OUT. OPEN MOBILITY FOUNDATION UM, BACK TO DANIEL. HE'S AN AMAZING YOUNG MAN.
HE HAD AN INTERNSHIP AT STATE STREET THANK AND HE WASN'T SWEEPING THE FLOORS. HE WAS WORKING AS PART OF THE DERIVATIVE TEAM WAY ABOVE MY
PAY GRADE. GOD, REVEREND. YEAH. >> THANK YOU. THEY ALL WANTED TO MEET DANIEL AND HIS TEAM. I THINK EVERYONE NEEDS TO MEET DANIEL BECAUSE, UH.
GREAT YOUNG MAN BILL. >> I WOULDN'T BE HERE IF IT WASN'T FOR DANIEL. HUH? I WOULDN'T BE HERE IF IT WASN'T FOR DANIEL. NO. DANIEL ORGANIZED A GROUP OF YOUNG FOLKS THAT KNOCKED ON
MORE DOORS FOR ME. AND I KNOW I'M NOT GETTING POLITICAL, BUT HE ORGANIZED A GROUP THAT KNOCKED ON MORE DOORS. ME? THESE ARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS . THEY'RE NOT EVEN VOTING AGE
BILL TALKING ABOUT A YOUNG MAN STUDY FROM VOTING AGE AND HE KNOCKED ON MORE DOORS FOR ME WITH HIS GROUP THAN ANY ADULTS. AND THE CAMPAIGN WENT TO POLLS
ON ELECTION NIGHT TILL 8:00. DANIEL FORMED HIS OWN 501 C3. YEP. >> UH. >> HE'S PRESIDENT. THINK ABOUT THIS A HIGH SCHOOL KID. IS ELIJAH KENT. HE'S THE PRESIDENT. LOOK, HE JUST GOT AN AWARD AS
AN MILK K SCHOLAR FOR $2,000. HE'S HOLDING THAT BIG CHECK ON THE MARTIN LUTHER KING BREAKFAST. SO WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT DANIEL, HE'S TALKING ABOUT AN AMAZING
YOUNG MAN WITH REGARD TO THIS NOBLE GRAVE WHO FINANCIAL LITERACY AND, UH, YOU KNOW. SO WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT HOW WE CAN.
HOW WE CAN HELP DANIEL REALLY PUT THIS BRIGADE TOGETHER. AND THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ASK YOU WAS TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE. I'M SORRY, THE TRACKLESS. TRACKLESS VEHICLE.
IT'S THE NAME OF THE COMPANY YOU'LL FIND ON THE WEBSITE. AND ALL I DID TO DO WAS PUNCH IN A COUPLE THINGS AND GOOGLE BINGO.
LOOK AT THE CITY OF MONTREAL WEBSITE. IT'S AMAZINGLY DETAILED. YES THEY GOT PROBLEMS WITH THEIR EQUIPMENT BUT THEY HAVE A BATTLE PLAN.
EVERY BOROUGH CITY OF MONTREAL'S POPULATION IS JUST OVER A MILLION PEOPLE. HERE'S THE PUNCH LINE CITY OF MONTREAL AVERAGE OF 75IN
OF SNOW EVERY YEAR. EVERY YEAR. WHAT'S AN INTERESTING STATISTIC ? I LEARNED MONTREAL THE QUEBEC
IS 157 MILES. THEY REMOVE SNOW 40 TIMES 157 MILES. THAT'S OVER 8620 MILES OF SNOW
EVERY YEAR. BOSTON'S GOT IT EASY. SO REVEREND, HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT DANIEL. YEAH, YEAH. AND HIS GROUP BECAUSE THEY CAN
PUT IT TOGETHER AND IT WON'T TAKE THEM A YEAR TO DO IT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH ONCE AGAIN. AND THE FINAL THING FOR YOU, BILL, UH, THE TRIP THAT YOU TOOK COUNCILOR FLYNN ON.
I'M SORRY. THE TRIP THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. THE TRIP WAS THAT THE TRIP UP TO CANADA. ? >> NO, I HAVEN'T I HAVEN'T BEEN TO MONTREAL SINCE 1967.
AND SO WHEN I WENT TO THE THE WORLD'S FAIR NOT AND I WENT DOWN REMIND ME WE WENT DOWN AN ALLEY BY BUS THE UP THE WALLS
WERE ON EITHER SIDE. THEY HAVE A PLAN TO REMOVE THE SNOW FROM THE ALLEYS. IT'S ALL PART OF THE PLAN. YEAH. WE DID 75IN OF SNOW EVERY YEAR. DID YOU SAY YOU TOOK A TRIP
WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN? YEP. >> TALKED TO. WHERE WAS THAT TRIP? UH, MAKE CITY COUNCIL MAYOR TALK ABOUT IT. YEAH, I MEAN, I WANT TO GO. >> MAYBE I SHOULD GO ON THAT
TRIP TO NOW. NATIONAL BUREAU PRESENCE ON SAINT STEPHEN'S STREET OFF A HUNTINGTON AVENUE. I ARRANGED FOR CITY COUNCIL FOR
HIM TO MEET THE PRESIDENT AND CEO AND TAKE A TOUR OF THE NATIONAL IMPERIALE PRESS AND YOU KNOW THE CITY COUNCIL WANT TO COME? I'LL TALK TO BRIAN.
MORE RANGE. I WANT YOU TO TALK TO BRIAN. I WANT TO GO ON THAT TRIP TOO. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE CARROLL CENTER FOR THE BLIND. YEAH, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LEARN TO BE A BLIND PERSON.
ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. CHRISTIAN. >> AND I'VE. BEEN THERE. >> I WAS A STUDENT THERE MANY YEARS AGO. I WAS A SO. >> YOU KNOW, WOULD YOU LIKE TO WALK ACROSS UM CAUSEWAY AND PORTLAND STREET?
YEAH THANK YOU. UNDER SLEEP SHADES TO. ALL DOGS. >> I HAVE PROBLEMS DOING THAT. AND I I'M. NOT I'M SAYING THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME.
AND THE CHOIR WAS THERE IN DECEMBER AND THEY PUT THE SLEEP SAINTS ON ME. I HAD A MELTDOWN. WELL THANK YOU SAFFRON. THANK YOU FOR INDULGING ME. THANK YOU THANK YOU. THANK YOU THANK YOU REVEREND
CULPEPER. AND UM. THANKS A BUNCH. AND REVEREND CULPEPER MAYBE MAYBE SOMETIME IN MAY OR APRIL AND MAY WE COULD TRY TO GET A GROUP, UH, VISIT TO THE
NATIONAL BRAILLE INSTITUTE PRESS AND WE COULD WORK WITH BILL AND CASSANDRA AND WE'LL HAVE TO, UH, TO A TOUR THERE WITH WITH, UH, SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES. >> I WAS REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT THAT. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. >> IT'S AN EXCELLENT
OPPORTUNITY. UM, CITY COUNCILOR BRIAN WORLD YOU'RE UP. FOR. >> UH, THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR YOUR ADVOCACY. UM, THE VIDEO, UH, WAS VERY POWERFUL AND, UM, JUST I ALSO
WANT TO JUST THANK BILL FOR COMING UP WITH A, UH, VERY CREATIVE IDEA THAT, UM, I AM BEHIND ON MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING MORE TO.
GET MORE PEOPLE TO HELP SHOVEL OUT OUR CROSSWALKS, OUR BUSINESS DISTRICTS, OUR SIDEWALKS, UH, JUST IN GENERAL JUST UH KNOWING THAT SO MANY PEOPLE NEED TO USE OUR
SIDEWALKS TO, YOU KNOW, GO SHOPPING, UH, JUST GO ABOUT THEIR DAY. SO THANK YOU FOR THE POWERFUL VIDEO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY. UH, COUNT ME IN. UM, TO THE TRIP.
HAPPY TO JOIN. AND I WAS ABLE TO MEET DANIEL. UH, I THINK IT WAS LAST WEEK OR THE WEEK BEFORE, UH, THE CITY CHAMPIONSHIP WHERE, UH, THE
HOLLAND TECH RIGHT IN MY DISTRICT WON THE CITY, UH, CITY CHAMPIONSHIPS. SO DANIEL WAS A GREAT GUY AND I THINK THAT ALL OF US SPEAKING ABOUT HIM JUST INCREASED HIS STOCK EVEN HIGHER.
BUT, UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU HAVE A
MOBILITY DISABILITY OR A STROLLER UH, THOSE SIDEWALKS ARE CLEAR AND ACCESSIBLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL COUNCIL WORLD. NEXT UP, UM, FOR UM FOR A
MINUTE AND A HALF IS COUNCIL WHETHER COUNCIL WHETHER OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH CHAIR UH TIME WHO'S FASTER FOR ME I KNOW BUT UM, UH, CASSANDRA AND BILL
,THANK YOU FOR COMING. UM, UH, I GUESS I IT'S BEEN 15 YEARS 16 YEARS SINCE THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT AND THE PAPADOPOULOS CASE. >> YOU KNOW, SORT OF. MADE, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE
LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY OWNERS LIABLE FOR INJURIES THAT HAPPEN ON THE SIDEWALK WHEN THEY DON'T REMOVE THE SNOW. I DON'T KNOW IF CASSANDRA YOU. YOU APPEAR TO BE A LOT YOUNGER.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, UH SO BILL, I KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON HAVE THINGS IMPROVED AT ALL. SINCE THAT. DECISION, YOU KNOW YOU GOING BACK YOU MENTIONED 1978 UM WHEN THOSE REQUIREMENTS WEREN'T
THERE BUT UH DO. UH NOT. CASSANDRA FEEL FEEL FREE TO COMMENT. ALSO SORRY. I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LEGISLATION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. YEAH. >> SO IN 2010 THE SUPREME. JUDICIAL COURT MADE PRIVATE
PROPERTY OWNERS LIABLE FOR INJURIES THAT TOOK PLACE ON THE SIDEWALKS IN FRONT OF THEIR PROPERTY SO. THAT, YOU KNOW. BASICALLY CREATED. THIS REQUIREMENT FOR. FOLKS TO SHOVEL THE. SIDEWALKS IN FRONT OF THEIR HOMES.
UM, SO. >> I'M JUST ASKING IF THINGS ARE BETTER OR WORSE NO DIFFERENT. UM. SINCE THEN. CASSANDRA HAS UH, HER HAND UP SO.
I WOULD SAY STILL HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, STILL MAKE IT A THING WHERE THEY HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE AS WELL. UM, THE FINGER POINTING OF IT'S
BELONGS TO THE THE CITY OR IT BELONGS TO THE OWNER OF THE SIDEWALK. PEOPLE SHOULD COME TOGETHER TO DO THAT. NO FINGER POINTING, NO PITTING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. BOTH. YEAH YEAH.
AND SO THE REASON WHY I ASK UH BILL IS I. AGREE OKAY THERE IS IS BECAUSE THERE'S ALSO. THERE'S A AMERICANS WITH. DISABILITIES ACT. UH REQUIREMENT THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE. ACCESS TO THE SIDEWALKS AND.
THERE HAVE BEEN. CASES IN OTHER PLACES AROUND SNOW REMOVAL. UH, AND I. >> THINK THE CITIES STILL. HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO. MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE PUBLIC SPACES.
BILL, YOU HAVE. >> YOUR HAND UP. PART OF THE PROBLEM FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON IS IT'S COMPLICATED. YOU GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU GOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE
STATE GOVERNMENT YOU GOT THE CITY GOVERNMENT, YOU GOT THE MBTA. YOU GOT PROPERTY OWNERS. ARE YOU EVEN GOT THE MASS TURNPIKE? AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE REAL FAST YOU WALK UP THE
BACKPACK, COME IN A RAIL STATION, YOU TURN RIGHT, GO DOWN STUART STREET AT THE INTERSECTION OF DARTMOUTH STREET AND STUART STREET.
I WATCHED THE MOTHER PUSH A CHILD UP NO WHEELCHAIR UP STUART STREET BECAUSE WAS NO CURB CUT OUT I CALL IT TURNS OUT THE MASS TURNPIKE IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT INTERSECTION. SO YOU GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHO OWNS WHAT WHO'S RESPONSIBLE I DON'T KNOW COMMISSIONER MCCOSH . HER TEAM ARE DOING A GREAT WORK
TO FIGURE THAT OUT. THINK ABOUT IT. UM, CURB. CUT OUT MASS TURNPIKE. I WAS TOLD BY A CONSULTANT BECAUSE THERE WAS A LAWSUIT
ABOUT THAT INTERSECTION, SO WE CAN'T, AS CHRIS SAID, POINT FINGERS. WE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHO OWNS WHAT, COME UP WITH A PLAN, COORDINATE IT AND MOVE FORWARD FAST.
SHOULDN'T TAKE 15 YEARS FOR THE CITY TO DO IT. OKAY, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH CASSANDRA AND BILL. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND CHANCE TO TALK TO YOU . THANK YOU CHAIR.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. I'LL ONLY SET IT FOR SIX MINUTES FOR MYSELF AS WELL.
I REMEMBER UH, MAYBE FOUR YEARS AGO SIX YEARS AGO THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN WHO. WAS WHO WAS BLIND. HIS NAME WAS. ALEX GRAY. AND I KNOW COUNCILOR PEPEN
KNOWS SOME UM. HE RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL. AND HE ASKED ALL THE CANDIDATES . >> FOR CITY COUNCIL AND FOR THE CITY COUNCIL THEMSELVES TO MEET HIM AT CITY CITY CITY HALL
PLAZA THE STAIRS. AND I WAS THE. COUNCILOR OF WOE AT THE TIME AND COUNCILOR ANDREA CAMPBELL AND OTHER COUNCILOR PRESSLEY AND SEVERAL OTHERS AND.
AND WE WENT DOWN THE STAIRS UM. AS WITH WITHOUT ANY. VISION AND WE. PUT OURSELVES IN IN IN THE STEPS OF. OF OF ALEX.
AND WHAT WHAT I WHY I BROUGHT THAT UP JUST NOW WAS. I THINK OF. THIS ISSUE AS A. CIVIL RIGHTS. ISSUE AND WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY. >> TO PICK AND CHOOSE.
IT'S A IT'S A FEDERAL ISSUE. IT'S A FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES. DISABILITY RIGHTS ARE CIVIL RIGHTS. WHEN WE PUT SNOW ON THE
CROSSWALKS AND IT STAYS THERE. IN A PILE OF. SNOW, IT'S BLOCKING ACCESS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. IT'S BLOCKING ACCESS. FOR SENIORS.
IT'S BLOCKING ACCESS FOR. LITTLE KIDS TRYING TO GET TO SCHOOL. OR OR. PEOPLE TRYING TO. NAVIGATE THE. CROSSWALK NOT ONLY. THE CROSSWALK BUT NEXT TO THE CROSSWALK AS. >> YOU KNOW.
IS THE RAMP FOR SOMEONE WITH THE WHEELCHAIR. THAT'S WHY I TAKE THIS ISSUE VERY SERIOUSLY. I SAW A. PERSON A. PERSON SEVERAL SEVERAL PEOPLE.
ACTUALLY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OF SOUTH BOSTON AN OLDER PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR PERSON WAS 67 YEARS OLD. THE PERSON. COULDN'T GET DOWN THE STREET ON
THE SIDEWALK. RATHER AND THE PERSON WAS IN THE WHEELCHAIR. HAVING TO. GO UP TO BROADWAY IN A WHEELCHAIR ON THE STREET BECAUSE.
THE SIDEWALKS WEREN'T WEREN'T CLEAR. THE PERSON COULDN'T USE THE CROSSWALKS BECAUSE THERE WAS HUGE SNOW PILES THERE. UM. >> ELDERLY PEOPLE I SAW AN
ELDERLY PERSON TRY TO CLIMB UP. THE THE PILE OF SNOW. >> TO STAY IN THE CROSSWALK AND. THEN WALK DOWN OR WHAT IS THE OTHER OPTION. IS GO INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
BOTH BOTH SCENARIOS ARE DANGEROUS. THESE ARE THESE ARE CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES. UM WE CAN'T PICK AND CHOOSE AS I SAID I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO. HAVE LUNCH. A MONTH AGO WITH CASSANDRA AND . REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY. >> TO LISTEN TO HER TALK ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE AS A PERSON WITH
DISABILITY. AND I JUDGE I JUDGE HOW BOSTON DOES ON SNOW REMOVAL BASED ON. HOW IT. >> IMPACTS PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
THAT'S HOW I JUDGE. I JUDGE IT ON HOW SENIORS ARE ABLE TO GET AROUND. THEY MIGHT NEED TO GO. TO THE PHARMACY. THEY MIGHT NEED TO GO TO THE MILK STORE TO BUY MILK.
UM PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES MIGHT NEED TO GO TO THE LIBRARY OR TO. A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT OR. TO WORK. THESE ROADS AND SIDEWALKS UH FOR EVERYBODY.
AND AGAIN DISABILITY RIGHTS ARE CIVIL RIGHTS. THAT'S MY TOP ISSUE ON THE CITY COUNCIL IS MAKING SURE THAT PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND
OUR SENIORS ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY. NOT ONLY IS IT THE RIGHT THING TO DO, IT'S THE LAW AND WE DON'T HAVE THE OPTION TO PICK
AND CHOOSE WHICH FEDERAL LAWS WE WANT TO ABIDE BY. UM BEFORE I BEFORE I AND JUST WANT TO GIVE CASSANDRA AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT OR
FINISH. UM WEIGHING IN ON THIS THIS TOPIC BUT I DO WANT TO SAY TO CASSANDRA AND TO BILL LET ME START WITH CASSANDRA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR STRONG
ADVOCACY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. IT'S NOT ABOUT I LISTENED TO YOU CLOSELY. YOU SAID TO ME YET IT'S NOT ABOUT ME. IT'S ABOUT ADVOCATING FOR OTHER PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES,
MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE SIDEWALK OF THE CROSSWALK. SO I ADMIRE YOU, UM, CASSANDRA, FOR YOUR RESILIENCE BUT ALSO FOR YOUR ADVOCACY ON PERSONS
WITH DISABILITY ISSUES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
IT'S A GREAT PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ADA TO MAKE SURE
EVERYONE CAN NAVIGATE SAFELY. THE STREETS AND THE SIDEWALKS BELONG TO EVERYONE AND THAT'S MY FINAL THOUGHT WITH THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU CHRIS.
THANK YOU CASSANDRA THANK YOU BILL I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT THE ADA AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT IS THE BEST FEDERAL LEGISLATION ONE OF THE BEST I SHOULD SAY THAT'S EVER
BEEN ENACTED ON CIVIL RIGHTS RELATED ISSUES. UM MORE WORK WE CAN DO IN SUPPORT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. IT'S ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER, RESPECTING EACH OTHER.
AND THANK YOU TO THE WONDERFUL PANEL FOR YOUR TESTIMONY TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH . THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK TODAY AND I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS. TEN YEARS AGO I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH MACULAR DEGENERATION. TURNS OUT MY DISABILITY HAS BECOME A GIFT.
IT'S AMAZING THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE DISABILITY AND THEY NEED TO BE THANKED. I'M NEW TO THE PARTY. THANK YOU. WELL THANK YOU BILL THANK YOU
CASSANDRA. AND I WANTED. YOU BOTH TO GO FIRST BECAUSE I WANTED YOU TO TELL YOUR LIFE STORY AND FOR US AS CITY
OFFICIALS TO LISTEN TO YOU AND US LISTENING TO YOU MAKE US BETTER CITY OFFICIALS, CITY COUNCIL AS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND HOPEFULLY. WHEN WE DECIDE.
POLICY WILL CONSIDER THE IMPACT IT HAS ON PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. SO THANK YOU. >> COULD SANDRA. >> THANK YOU. >> BILL. I WOULD LIKE. TO CALL THE NEXT UM THANK YOU SIR THANK YOU MA'AM I WOULD. LIKE TO CALL THE.
NEXT PANEL THAT WOULD LIKE TO TESTIFY FROM THE. CITY OF BOSTON. UM YOU CAN YOU CAN STAY THERE
BUT. UM YOU CAN ALSO UM I CAN HELP YOU GET A MORE COMFORTABLE SEAT IF THAT'S IF THAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU. AND I'LL STAY HERE. >> IF. YOU WANT TO STAY THERE. OKAY? >> OKAY. >> OKAY.
YEAH OKAY. OKAY. >> SO LET ME ASK UH, NICK GOVE WHO'S THE CHIEF OF STREETS KRISTEN MCCOSH. WHO'S THE COMMISSIONER OF DISABILITY. COMMISSION. >> EMILY SHAY IS THE
COMMISSIONER OF EIGHT STRONG. UM BRIANNA MARLOW UM. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WHICH I HAVE SOME OF YOU. >> YEAH.
THE STUDY DONE. UM.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SO I'M NOT A BAD PERSON.
THANK YOU. >> SORRY FOR THE ONE ONE. >> MINUTE DELAY. WE'RE JUST HELPING ARRANGE THE. CHAIRS HERE FOR THE. NEXT PANEL. AS I MENTIONED, THE NEXT PANEL PANEL INCLUDES NICK. GOVE.
>> CHIEF OF STREETS BRIANNA MALLOY. COMMUNITY COMMUNITY. ENGAGEMENT CABINET CHRIS MCCOSH. DISABILITIES COMMISSION EMILY
SHAY EIGHT STRONG. WANT TO GIVE UM THE CITY ADMINISTRATION THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN OPENING STATEMENT. WHOEVER WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST.
THANK YOU COUNCILOR. UH SO GOOD AFTERNOON. >> MY NAME. >> IS NICK GO FROM THE, UH, INTERIM CHIEF OF STREETS FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. UM, AS OF TODAY, MARCH 3RD, THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS RECEIVED
61.6IN OF SNOW THIS WINTER. UH, THE MOST SNOW WE'VE RECEIVED SINCE THE RECORD SETTING WINTER OF 2015. THE MAJORITY OF THE PRECIPITATION CAME FROM TWO HISTORIC EVENTS ON JANUARY 25TH
AND 26TH, THE CITY OF BOSTON RECEIVED 23.2IN OF SNOW OVER A 36 HOUR PERIOD THE EIGHTH LARGEST SNOWSTORM ON RECORD. THE LACK OF RECOVERY TEMPERATURES AND SUSTAINED
SUBFREEZING CONDITIONS MADE POST-STORM CLEANUP CHALLENGING. UH. FOR EXAMPLE, THE BOSTON WATER SEWER COMMISSION RESPONDED TO 29 WATER WATER MAIN BREAKS AND SERVICE LEAKS ACROSS THE CITY
BETWEEN JANUARY 25TH AND FEBRUARY 6TH. ON FEBRUARY 23RD DURING THE BLIZZARD OF 2026, BOSTON RECEIVED 17IN OF SNOW AT LOGAN
AIRPORT WHILE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE CITY SAW HIGHER SNOWFALL TOTALS. WHILE THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT EVENT, TEMPERATURES ROSE ABOVE FREEZING LAST WEEK AND LONGER
SUNNY DAYS ALLOWED UH, MORE TIME FOR SNOW TO MELT. UH MANAGING STONE ICE IS A CRITICAL CORE CITY SERVICE THAT SUPPORTS PUBLIC SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION. AND OUR ECONOMY.
THIS WORK IS A YEAR ROUND EFFORT THAT REQUIRES PLANNING. AND DUE. >> DILIGENCE TO ENSURE PERSONNEL, RESOURCES AND EQUIPMENT ARE PREPARED FOR THE OCTOBER 15TH TO APRIL 15TH SEASON HERE IN BOSTON, FOR
EXAMPLE, THE LOGISTICS OF BUILDING AND MANAGING AN INVENTORY AND SUPPLY CHAIN FOR SALT STARTS IN JULY. WE HAVE CAPACITY TO STORE APPROXIMATELY 44,000 TONS
OF SALT THIS SEASON WE'VE HAD 110,000 TONS DELIVERED, ALMOST 37,700 TRUCKLOADS AND WE'VE DEPLOYED 115,000 TONS OF SALT ON OUR STREETS. AS OF TODAY WE HAVE
APPROXIMATELY 28,000 TONS IN OUR INVENTORY. DESPITE SOME FALSE RUMORS THAT CIRCULATED DURING THE BLIZZARD, WE NEVER RAN OUT OF SALT NOR WILL WE EVER AT RISK OF DOING SO.
AT OUR LOWEST POINT WE HAD ABOUT 18,000 TONS OF SALT ON HAND MONITORING WEATHER AND. ROADWAY TEMPERATURES. UH BECOMES A 24 OVER SEVEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR
LEADERSHIP TEAM. IN ADDITION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS, THE CITY HAS TO PAY PROVIDERS THAT SUPPLY US WITH CUSTOMIZED DETAILED WEATHER FORECASTS AND
INFORMATION IN ADVANCE OF WINTER STORMS. WE USE THIS INFORMATION TO MAKE DECISIONS AROUND HOW MANY PIECES OF EQUIPMENT WE WILL NEED, WHEN AND WHERE TO DEPLOY THEM.
IF IT'S A MAJOR STORM, WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS AROUND WHETHER TO CANCEL SCHOOL, IMPLEMENT A SNOW EMERGENCY AND PARKING. BAN OR DELAY THAT COLLECTION OF CURBSIDE TRASH AND RECYCLING.
EVERY WINTER. STORM IS DIFFERENT AND PRESENTS A UNIQUE SET OF CHALLENGES FOR EXAMPLE, A SIX INCH SNOW STORM OVERNIGHT ON A SATURDAY INTO A SUNDAY CAN BE EASIER TO MANAGE
THAN A FLASH FREEZE BEFORE A THURSDAY MORNING COMMUTE. THE NATURE OF THIS WORK REQUIRES OUR TEAM TO ADAPT AND BE NIMBLE TO EVER CHANGING CONDITIONS WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE
,WE WORK THE PROBLEM IN REAL TIME UNTIL WE HAVE A SOLUTION. DURING WINTER STORM ACTIVATIONS ,THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM AND OUR CONTRACTED PARTNERS WORK TO MAINTAIN OVER 800 MILES
OF ROADWAY. WE START BY PUTTING DOWN SALT. PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO HILLS, BRIDGES AND MAIN THOROUGHFARES BEFORE MOVING INTO NEIGHBORHOODS. IF WE ARE FORECASTING A PROBABLE.
EVENT WE PRE-TREAT AS CLOSE TO THE START OF SNOWFALL AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO BUILD AN EFFECTIVE BRINE TO PREVENT SNOW FROM ADHERING TO THE ROADWAY SURFACE WHEN SNOWFALL RATES
EXCEED AN INCH AN HOUR. WE MOVE INTO PLOWING ONLY AND PAUSE THE USE OF SALT IN ORDER TO CONSERVE SUPPLY. WHEN WE SEE SNOWFALL RATES OF TWO PLUS INCHES AN HOUR, WE
PRIORITIZE PLOWING OUR SNOW ARTERIES FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES, SANITATION TRUCKS. AND MBTA BUSSES SO ESSENTIAL SERVICES CAN OPERATE WITH MINIMAL DELAY. THIS APPROACH IS CRITICAL IN
MAJOR STORMS ONE VEHICLE STUCK ON A HILL OR A HIGHWAY RAMP CAN HAVE CASCADING CONSEQUENCES AS WE SAW IN PARTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH LAST WEEK. ONCE HEAVY SNOWFALL SUBSIDES WE
MOVE INTO PUSHING BACK TO THE CURB. IF WE'VE CLOSED SCHOOLS OUR FIRST PRIORITY WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT DPS IS TO REOPEN THEM. THIS INCLUDES MAKING SURE
THERE'S SUFFICIENT ACCESS FOR BUSSES IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL ZONES, AS WELL AS ENSURING PICK UP AND DROP OFF AREAS ARE CLEAR AND ACCESSIBLE. NEXT WE BEGIN REMOVING SNOW FROM MAIN THOROUGHFARES,
BUSINESS DISTRICTS, TRANSIT HUBS AS WELL AS CROSSWALKS, CURB CUTS AND MEDIAN CROSSINGS IN BIKE LANES AFTER MAJOR WORK AFTER MAJOR EVENTS THIS WORK CAN CONTINUE FOR DAYS AND
SOMETIMES WEEKS. SO FAR THIS YEAR WE'VE REMOVED OVER 10,000 TRUCKLOADS OF SNOW FROM CITY OF BOSTON STREETS EQUALING APPROXIMATELY 170,000YD3.
THIS SNOW IS HAULED TO SNOW FARMS ACROSS THE CITY. WE HAD 14 AT ONE TIME TO MANAGE THESE SNOW FARMS AND ENSURE WE HAVE SPACE FOR FUTURE EVENTS WE HAVE CONTRACTED AND DEPLOYED
FOR SNOW MELT OR SNOW MELT THIS HAVE BEEN PART OF OUR HAVE BEEN A TOOL IN OUR TOOLKIT FOR THE LAST 11 YEARS SINCE OUR FIRST SIGNIFICANT DEPLOYMENT IN 2015 AND SUBSEQUENT USE IN THE MARCH
OF 20 AND THE MARCH OF 2018 STORMS AND THE BLIZZARD OF 2022. WHILE WE RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF THESE ASSETS, THE EFFICIENCY OF THEIR DEPLOYMENT IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT IS BEST WHEN
THEY CAN RUN FOR AT LEAST THE 6 TO 8 HOUR PERIOD HOURLY COST TO RENT AND OPERATE THESE ASSETS AND INCLUDING FUEL COSTS RANGED FROM 2500 TO $4800 AN HOUR.
THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, BOSTON TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAM ALSO PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN MAJOR WINTER STORMS SO FAR THIS WINTER, BPD AND BPD
HAVE ISSUED 6892 SNOW EMERGENCY PARKING VIOLATIONS AND TOWED 1607 VEHICLES. AS OF THIS MORNING, CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS ISSUED
5870 SNOW REMOVAL VIOLATIONS CITYWIDE THE SEASON FOR COMPARISON, WE ISSUED OVER 4300 VIOLATIONS FOLLOWING THE JANUARY STORM AND LESS THAN 1500 FOLLOWING THE BLIZZARD
LAST WEEK. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE POST STORM CONDITIONS FOLLOWING EACH. EVENT DESPITE CHALLENGING CONDITIONS THIS WINTER, CURBSIDE TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTION HAS CONTINUED
CITYWIDE WITH LIMITED SERVICE IMPACTS OVER 3500 TONS OF TRASH RECYCLING WAS COLLECTED CURBSIDE LAST WEEK AND THE WEEK FOLLOWING THE JANUARY STORM ONLY MARGINALLY LESS THAN AN
AVERAGE HOLIDAY WEEK COLLECTION SCHEDULE. AND WHILE THE NUMBER OF MISSED TRASH CASES REPORTED TO 311 WAS HIGHER THAN AVERAGE THOSE THOSE TWO WEEKS 90% OF THOSE CASES
WERE RESOLVED WITHIN 24 HOURS. IN CONCLUSION, I WANT TO THANK ALL OUR RESIDENTS, PROPERTY OWNERS AND COMMERCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND CLEARING SNOW THROUGHOUT THE WINTER.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS WHO HOSTED SNOW FARMS FOR US THIS WINTER. I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR SANITATION WORKERS. THEIR WORK IS HARD EVERY DAY BUT THE LAST MONTH HAS BEEN
EXTREME. AND LASTLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY I WANT TO THANK OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY OVER THE LAST FIVE WEEKS. ONCE AGAIN YOU PUT EVERYTHING
IN YOUR OWN LIVES ON HOLD TO KEEP THE CITY SAFE AND MOVING. THE CITY IS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE PROFESSIONAL, EXPERIENCED AND DEDICATED SNOW AND ICE TEAM WE DO. WE OWE YOU ALL A DEBT OF GRATITUDE.
THANK YOU AND I WILL. HAND IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER MCCOSH. THANK YOU CHIEF. GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR FLYNN AND OTHER CITY COUNCILORS. I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR
INVITING ME TO TESTIFY HERE TODAY IN MY ROLE AS A CITY OF BOSTON DISABILITY COMMISSIONER AND ADA TITLE TO COORDINATOR, I LEAD THE CITY'S COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TOWARDS ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION
OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. THE CITY PUTS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK INTO ADA COMPLIANCE. IT'S AN ALL OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH AND WE WORK ON THIS AS A SYSTEMIC ISSUE.
A BIG PIECE OF MY WORK ON ADA TITLE TWO COMPLIANCE IS RELATED TO BOSTON'S PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY. THESE ARE STREETS, SIDEWALKS, INTERSECTIONS AND CROSSWALKS. MY DEPARTMENT ALWAYS
PRIORITIZES PEDESTRIAN PATHS OF TRAVEL BECAUSE WE KNOW EVERYONE USES THE SIDEWALKS RESIDENTS, COMMUTERS, TOURISTS ,PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES IT'S THE UNIVERSAL WAY BOSTONIANS TRAVEL AROUND
THE CITY. I OFTEN SAY THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS A LOT OF BUILT IN CHALLENGES BECAUSE WE'RE AN OLD CITY, WE'RE A CROWDED CITY AND WE'RE A WINTER CITY. SNOW REMOVAL IS ONE OF OUR
BIGGEST AND MOST DIFFICULT ISSUES TO ADDRESS EVERY YEAR, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF ACCESSIBILITY BECAUSE WE KNOW STORMS, UNPREDICTABLE SNOW CLEARANCE AND REMOVAL IS LABOR
INTENSIVE, EXPENSIVE AND TIME CONSUMING AND THERE ARE LIMITED PLACES TO PUT SNOW. THE CITY RELIES ON RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND OTHERS TO DO THEIR PART SO IN SOME WAYS WE HAVE LESS CONTROL THAN WE WOULD
LIKE. CREATING A CLEAR PATH OF TRAVEL FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES REQUIRES ATTENTION TO DETAIL. WE NEED BARE PAVEMENT AND WE NEED PATHS THAT ARE WIDE ENOUGH FOR WHEELCHAIRS AND OTHER
MOBILITY DEVICE USERS. FOR THE WINTER OF 2026 IT'S ONLY A FEW MONTHS OLD BUT IT FEELS LIKE IT'S BEEN FOREVER. BUT I REALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD WORK OF CHIEF GORE AND HIS STAFF AND
THE INCREDIBLE JOB THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT DOES. I HAVE A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STREETS TEAM AND WE STAY IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION DURING STORMS. AFTER FOUR YEARS WITH LITTLE
SNOWFALL THIS WINTER HAD TWO HUGE SNOWSTORMS AS CHIEF GOVE SAID THAT RESULTED IN FEET OF SNOW WITH VERY LITTLE MELTING. THE MAIN ISSUES THAT WE HEARD ABOUT FROM RESIDENTS WERE
BLOCKED CURB RAMPS, BLOCKED PARKING SPACES AND PLOWS THAT CREATED HUGE SNOW MOUNDS AT THE CURBS. THE WAY MY DEPARTMENT WORKS ON SNOW IS NUMBER ONE WE
COORDINATE WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. WE WORK WITH THREE ON ONE TO RESOLVE ANY COMPLAINTS THAT WE CAN HELP WITH. WE DO INFORMATION REFERRAL FOR RESIDENTS AND WE ALSO HELP WITH
MESSAGING AND CLARIFYING RESPONSIBILITIES. AS BILL TAUB MENTIONED EARLIER ,THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REMOVING SNOW ON CITY SIDEWALKS
PRIVATE RESIDENTS, CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUSINESSES, MANAGEMENT COMPANIES UH FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO COORDINATE WITH.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY TOO THAT THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE. WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND WE'VE ACTUALLY WORKED ON IT FOR A LONG TIME IN MY ROLE AS COMMISSIONER, WHICH IS 15 YEARS NOW, I'VE BEEN
INVOLVED IN SEVERAL EFFORTS TO TRY TO CREATE A PROGRAM TO ADDRESS SNOW. IT MAY SEEM LIKE A SIMPLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD SOLUTION BUT IT REALLY ISN'T. IT'S NOT THAT WE CAN'T DO IT,
BUT IT'S JUST TAKES A LOT OF WORK TO THINK IT THROUGH PREVIOUS EFFORTS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH I'VE WORKED WITH H STRONG AND COMMISSIONER SHEA. WE'VE WORKED WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF NEW MECHANICS, THE BOSTON CENTERS FOR YOUTH AND
FAMILIES. WE'VE WORKED WITH LOCAL AGENCIES LIKE THE LOWRY CENTER IN SOUTH BOSTON AND THERE ARE A LOT OF CHALLENGES. THE REALITY IS THAT THERE'S NOT ONE SIMPLE FIX.
IT WOULD TAKE A SUBSTANTIAL BUDGET AND STAFF WE'D HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHO QUALIFIES FOR ASSISTANCE. IS IT EVERYBODY OVER 60 OR ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE FINANCIAL NEED?
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WE DO WE VERIFY DISABILITY OR DO WE JUST TAKE PEOPLE'S WORD THIS WOULD INCLUDE DOCUMENTATION VERIFICATION A LOT OF PAPERWORK THEIR LEGAL ISSUES LIABILITY
WE'D HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE SIGN WAIVERS. DO WE DO KOREAN STORY CHECKS? FINDING VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF IS VERY DIFFICULT. YOU'D HAVE TO FIGURE OUT SCHEDULING, DISTRIBUTING EQUIPMENT, SHOVELS.
DO WE BUY SHOVELS? DO WE HAVE RESIDENTS BRING SHOVELS? ALL THIS TO SAY IS THERE'S A LOT TO IT. MY OFFICE DID COLLABORATE WITH THE H DRAWING DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS ON A
PILOT SNOW CORE PROGRAM. THIS WAS RUN THROUGH THE POWER CORE UM, OFFICE THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND WHAT WE DID WAS WE IDENTIFIED H DRAWING IDENTIFIED RESIDENTS AND IDENTIFIED
RESIDENTS WHO HAD DISABILITIES AND WHO WERE OLDER ADULTS WHO NEEDED ASSISTANCE. THIS WAS VERY TIME CONSUMING FOR OUR STAFF. AND WE. >> ONLY DID TEN ADDRESSES IN TWO NEIGHBORHOODS. THE FIRST YEAR WE DID 29
ADDRESSES IN TWO NEIGHBORHOODS THE SECOND YEAR AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR US THERE WASN'T MUCH SNOW SO WE DIDN'T GET TO DEPLOY THEM OR FIND MUCH DATA. BUT A FEW THINGS THAT WE DID
LEARN WERE THAT MANY TIMES BY THE TIME THE SNOW CORE GOT OUT TO SHOVEL PEOPLE, THE SIDEWALKS HAD ALREADY BEEN CLEARED. SO A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DO FIGURE IT OUT. I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT AND
CHALLENGING AND EXPENSIVE, BUT WE DO ALWAYS ADVISE PEOPLE TO CONSIDER IT AS A AN EXPENSE OF HOMEOWNERSHIP LIKE OTHER MAINTENANCE COSTS. AND WE KNOW PEOPLE CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE THEIR
FINANCIAL PERSONAL BUDGETS CAN CHANGE THEIR LIVING SITUATION CHANGE WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO MAY BE AVAILABLE TO HELP SHOVEL. BUT IN THE LIGHT OF WITH THE LIGHT SNOWFALL WE REALLY
WEREN'T ABLE TO COLLECT MUCH DATA ON ON SNOW CORE BUT WE DID UM REALIZE THAT IT'S NOT A SCALABLE PROGRAM BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY 15 STAFF IN POWER CORE IN ORDER TO SHOVEL OUT ANY
TYPE OF PROGRAM IT WOULD BE HUNDREDS OF STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE REALLY FOUND TO BE UM MEANING WELL. BUT NOT ALWAYS RELIABLE BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF WORK. THEY MAY COME OUT ONCE OR TWICE
BUT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP THEM COMING BACK. SO IN CONCLUSION I WILL JUST SAY THAT WE ARE VERY UM GLAD TO BE HERE FOR THIS DISCUSSION. WE'D LOVE TO SHARE OUR HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE WITH WHAT
WE'VE DONE. WE'D LOVE TO SEE SOME SORT OF, UH, SOLUTION ON WHERE THE CITY CAN HELP, BUT WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG EFFORT UM, IN ALL WAYS AND I WILL WRAP WITH THAT. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
THANK YOU NICK. UM, I DO. WANT TO. >> ASK MY COLLEAGUES. TO. >> UM FOR. QUESTION AND ANSWERING. UM, I BECAUSE WE HAVE OVER 20
PEOPLE THAT WANT TO TESTIFY. UM. >> SO I'M GOING TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO. I'M GOING TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES
IF THEY COULD UM, KEEP THEIR TESTIMONY Q&A TO FOUR MINUTES I KNOW THAT'S NOT ALL THAT MUCH TIME, BUT, UM. BUT I I THINK THAT MIGHT WORK.
LET ME START WITH, UM, COUNCILOR PEPEN COUNCIL PEPEN. YOU HAVE. >> OKAY, OKAY.
I DO I'M GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF PUBLIC. YEAH I'LL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY AT THIS TIME. SO I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST. I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANY ANY TYPE OF ORDER.
UM BUT I'M GOING TO TRY TO. MIX IT UP IF I CAN. UM AND TRY TO BE FAIR TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS I POSSIBLY CAN UM, IF I IF I CALL YOUR NAME,
CAN YOU PLEASE COME DOWN TO THE MICROPHONE ON THE LEFT OR THE MICROPHONE. ON THE RIGHT? UM, MAHA FROM THE OF THE WALL STREET ALLIANCE.
UM. OKAY. >> JILL FROM. >> THE CAROL. CENTER IS. JILL HILL. >> HI, JOHN.
UM, TEACHERS. NEPHEW NEPHEW NOW SAID PLEASE COME DOWN. AND.
>> BOSTON CYCLISTS UNION. ZACHARY, WHY DON'T YOU COME DOWN TO PLEASE I'M GOING TO TAKE THESE. PEOPLE AND THEN I'M GOING TO
TRY TO GET BACK TO THE UH, Q&A FROM CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. BECAUSE I DO I DO KNOW THAT THEY WANT TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS. >> ABOUT. THE UM, COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM FOR SNOW REMOVAL AND
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. SO IF YOU COULD. PLEASE IF. >> YOU. COULD PLEASE WALK UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND. UM. >> SAY YOUR NAME PLEASE. YEAH. NEIGHBORHOOD AND ORGANIZATION.
UH, HI. >> MY NAME IS MAHA AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF LIVABLE STREETS ALLIANCE AND I'M A RESIDENT OF UH, JP WE ARE A SMALL NONPROFIT. WE WORK IN THE MULTIMODAL SPACE
AND WE WANT TO MAKE BOSTON'S, UH, STREETS MORE SAFER, ACCESSIBLE AND EQUITABLE. UM, I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF BOSTON AND A BUS RIDER, SO THIS IS SUPER LIKE, UM, PERSONAL TO ME AS WELL.
UM. >> THIS WINTER BOSTON WAS HIT BY TWO VERY INTENSE STORMS IN QUICK SUCCESSION WHILE A LOT OF THE MAIN ROADS CAUGHT LIKE SO A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS WE HEARD FROM ESPECIALLY OLDER
FOLKS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THEY HAD A REALLY TOUGH TIME LIKE NAVIGATING THE STREETS BECAUSE AS MUCH OF THE STREETS WERE BEING CLEARED, OUR SIDEWALKS WERE GETTING IGNORED
OR THERE WAS LIKE A LACK OF SYSTEM AND HOW THEY WERE BEING CLEARED. AND THIS IS NOT JUST AN INCONVENIENCE FOR OUR RESIDENTS. IT IS VERY, VERY UNSAFE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE AS WE'VE HEARD SO
MANY TESTIMONIES TODAY. FORTUNATE FORTUNATELY FOR US THERE'S SO MANY CITIES THAT GET SO MUCH SNOW AND WE CAN LEARN FROM THEM AND HAVE VERY, VERY COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED VERY QUICKLY
. UM AND SOMEBODY MENTIONED MONTREAL I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MENTION MINNEAPOLIS. THEY HAVE LIKE A LOT OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE REALLY GOOD DATA UM THAT WE CAN USE
AND YOU KNOW, DRAW LESSONS FROM ONE THING THAT I THINK WAS VERY, VERY LACKING WAS THAT BOSTON DOES NOT HAVE A SYSTEM OF PRIORITIZATION WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE WHAT STREETS, WHAT
SIDEWALKS, WHAT UM, BUS STOPS WHY. WHICH ONES. ARE WE PRIORITIZING AND WHAT THAT SHOULD BE LIKE A PUBLIC FACING THING BECAUSE WE NEED A VERY DATA DRIVEN APPROACH TO THIS. WE NEED TO KNOW WHICH
NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE OLDER FOLKS. WE NEED TO KNOW WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE THE MOST TRANSIT DEPENDENT PEOPLE WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND LIKE WHERE DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO USE OUR. RESOURCES MORE EFFECTIVELY?
SO A SYSTEM OF PRIORITIZATION IS THE LEAST BOSTON COULD DO AND I THINK IT'S A VERY COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION. UM, THE SECOND THING THAT I WILL SAY IS LIKE BOSTON SHOULD DEFINITELY HAVE LIKE A PAID WORKFORCE SYSTEM LIKE NEW YORK
IT WAS SUPER SUCCESSFUL. 1500 PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR IT. WE SHOULD DEFINITELY HAVE THAT. AND LASTLY I WOULD SAY WE. SHOULD HAVE LIKE AN ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM. THIS HEARING IS AMAZING. WE WERE GOING TO HEAR A LOT
OF IDEAS BUT THEN LET'S ALSO HAVE A FOLLOW UP HEARING TO SEE WHERE THOSE IDEAS WENT AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. YEP YOUR NEXT.
COULD YOU COULD YOU SAY YOUR NAME. >> YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHAT. ORGANIZATION PLEASE? YEP. >> UH MY NAME IS MATTHEW NISHAD . I'M WITH ALLSTON BRIGHTON DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA AND ONE WEEK AGO
FROM 5 P.M. ON MONDAY THE 23RD UNTIL 7 P.M. TUESDAY THE 24TH, 23 MEMBERS OF ALLSTON BRIGHTON DSA CLEARED TWO OVER 25 MEDIANS CROSSING ISLANDS, CURB CUTS AND
CROSSWALKS. UH THIS WORK WAS COMPLETED AND ONLY FOR ONE HOUR SHIFTS IN UNION SQUARE, OAK SQUARE, BRIGHTON CENTER, PACKARD'S CORNER AND ALONG COMMONWEALTH
AVENUE AT CRAIG STREET, HARVARD AVE, SPOFFORD ROAD, WARREN STREET AND WASHINGTON STREET. THIS WAS NOT A CITY OPERATION. INSTEAD IT WAS LED BY AND CARRIED OUT BY AVERAGE PEOPLE
AND A B WITH PLASTIC SHOVELS FUELED BY DUNKIN DONUTS HOT CHOCOLATE NOT SPONSORED OVER 36 PEOPLE HOURS OF WORK. WE ORGANIZE THIS BECAUSE AFTER
PAST STORMS THE SYSTEM FAILED UM DAYS SOMETIMES EVEN WEEKS UH SNOW WAS LEFT THERE IN DROVES AND I REALLY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SLOG THROUGH A FOOT OF SNOW
JUST TO REACH THE 57 BUS AND NO ONE SHOULD. SAFE MOBILITY IS A BASIC RIGHT FOR PEDESTRIANS YET THE CURRENT SYSTEM TREATS IT AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT. THE ROADWAYS OF OUR MAJOR
STREETS ARE CLEARED IMMEDIATELY WHILE CRUCIAL PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE IS LEFT TO PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS AND FALLS INTO GRAY AREAS BETWEEN CITY AND MBTA RESPONSIBILITY.
WHEN THIS HAPPENS YOU FAIL SENIORS, DISABLED RESIDENTS, PARENTS WITH STROLLERS, DELIVERY WORKERS AND ANYONE WITHOUT A CAR WHICH UH IS ABOUT
40% OF AB RESIDENTS BECAUSE OF BECAUSE THEY ALL LOSE ACCESS TO MANEUVER THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD . THIS APPROACH IS REACTIVE IN AN EQUITABLE AND RELYING ON
VOLUNTEERS LIKE US AND PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS IS UNSUSTAINABLE AND UNRELIABLE. CITIES LIKE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK PROVIDE MUNICIPAL SIDEWALKS, SNOW CLEARANCE DURING SEVERE
STORMS AND NEW YORK CITY HAS EXPANDED EMERGENCY SNOW SHOVEL HIRING. SURELY BOSTON CAN DO THE SAME. THE WORK WE DID LAST WEEK WAS MEANINGFUL TO MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND ALSO MADE PEOPLE
WONDER IF 23 VOLUNTEERS CAN DO THIS WORK WITH LESS THAN 24 HOURS OF ORGANIZING, IMAGINE WHAT THE CITY COULD ACCOMPLISH ON THURSDAY AT OUR MONTHLY MEETING AT OAK SQUARE AND OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP APPROVED WITH A VOTE OF 30 TO 0 A RESOLUTION THAT CALLS ON CITY COUNCIL AND IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF MAYOR WU TO PRIORITIZE PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY DURING SNOW EVENTS.
A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE COUNCIL, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY THAT I CAN COME AND SHOVEL AND KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS ALREADY BEATEN US TO IT. >> THANK YOU.
COULD YOU. INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND UM. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND ORGANIZATION PLEASE? SURE. >> UM. MY NAME IS JILL SUAREZ AND. I'M A. COMMUNITY BASED ORIENTATION. MOBILITY INSTRUCTOR FROM THE
CARROLL CENTER FOR THE BLIND. I DON'T LIVE IN. BOSTON, BUT I WORK WITH RESIDENTS IN ALL THE DIFFERENT. NEIGHBORHOODS OF BOSTON. . >> AND UM. WHAT I JUST. WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT. WERE JUST A FEW OF THE AREAS
THAT I FEEL ARE BEING OVERLOOKED AND IN REGARDS TO SNOW. REMOVAL. >> UM. >> ONE OF THEM IS THE ISSUE OF THE COMPLEX STREETS WITH SAFETY ISLANDS AND MEDIAN.
STRIPS USUALLY THE THE CROSSWALKS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET ARE SHOVELED OUT BUT MANY TIMES UH OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS WHEN I'M WORKING WITH MY STUDENTS, I'M
FINDING THAT THE CUT THROUGH FOR THE MEDIANS OR THE SAFETY ISLANDS ARE NOT SHOVELED OUT EITHER AT ALL OR VERY INCOMPLETELY SO THAT PEOPLE CANNOT PASS SAFELY OVER THEM. UM.
>> I FREQUENTLY. UH. >> GO TO THE 311. WEBSITE AND OUR REPORT ISSUES. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE IS SOMETIMES I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR A PARTICULAR
STREET. IT'S EITHER THE MASS PIKE OR THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION OR IT'S THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT. BUT AS A REGULAR CITIZEN I
DON'T KNOW WHO HAS JURISDICTION OVER WHAT INTERSECTIONS. SO I PUT IN THE REQUEST TO HAVE SOMETHING ADDRESSED AND THEN NOTHING HAPPENS BECAUSE IT ISN'T THE CITY. SO I WOULD LOVE IF THERE WOULD
BE A LINK ON THE WEBSITE TO REDIRECT ME SO THAT I KNOW WHO TO COMPLAIN TO. UM ANOTHER. THING IS UM I DID REALLY WANT TO BRING UP THE ISSUE OF THE
CONCURRENT WALK LIGHTS. I'M GLAD YOU REALLY MENTIONED IT. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE SNOWBANKS ARE SO HIGH AND WHEN MY CLIENTS WHO
ARE BLIND UM, THEY DO NOT KNOW WHERE THE EDGE OF THE SNOWBANK IS NECESSARILY THEY CAN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, WALK. >> UP. FAR ENOUGH AND UH, A COUPLE OF TIMES I'VE HAD TO STOP MY
STUDENTS FROM GETTING HIT BY A TURNING CAR WHO CANNOT SEE US AROUND THE SNOWBANK. SO I DO DEFINITELY WANT TO, UH, ADVOCATE FOR THAT CHANGE, YOU KNOW, UNTIL THE SNOWBANKS COME DOWN AND LEVEL.
PLEASE, UM, DON'T ALLOW CONCURRENT WALK LIGHT PHASES. UM. >> I THE LAST THING I JUST WANTED. >> TO. MENTION WAS UM, BUS STOPS. FOR THE MOST PART I FIND THAT THE CITY IS OR THE MBTA IS
PRETTY GOOD ABOUT SHOVELING THEM OUT BUT WHERE THEY SEEM TO OVERLOOK THEM IS AT BUS STOPS THAT ARE NOT NEAR A MAJOR INTERSECTION. OR DON'T. >> HAVE A BUS SHELTER. SO THE ONES THAT ARE MID-BLOCK
WITH JUST A SIGN OFTENTIMES THOSE GET OVERLOOKED. THAT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. HI. >> UH, MY NAME IS MICHAEL YARROW. UH, I'M A VOLUNTEER WITH THE
BOSTON CYCLISTS UNION AND THE BOSTON CHAPTER OF CITIZEN CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY. UM, I'M TAKING OUR TIME OFF WORK TO COME TO THIS BECAUSE WE SAW THE PRIORITIZATION
OF MICROMOBILITY LANES, BUS STOPS AND CURB CUTS AFTER THE FIRST STORM AND I SAW MY FRIENDS AND FELLOW VULNERABLE ROAD USERS TAKE TIME OFF WORK TO CLEAR SNOW THAT THE CITY DIDN'T. I WAS GLAD TO SEE IMPROVED SNOW
CLEARING AFTER THIS STORM. UM BUT ENFORCEMENT DIDN'T REALLY, UH, IMPROVE. BUSINESSES STILL SHOVELED SNOW INTO MICROMOBILITY LANES, DIDN'T GET TICKETED VEHICLES
WERE STILL INSTEAD OF SHOVELING OUT PARKING SPACES, PARKING IN MICROMOBILITY LANES DRIVERS WERE BEING AND DRIVERS WERE BEING PERMITTED TO DO THAT BECAUSE EVERYONE ONE WAS MARKING THOSE SIX SEGMENTS AS ALL CLEAR WHEN THEY WERE STILL
FILLED WITH VEHICLES. UM AND THERE WERE I WROTE IN HERE FROM ALLSTON UH WHERE WESTERN AVE COME OUT OF THERE
STILL BIKE LANES BLOCKED WITH SNOW THAT UH A BIKE CAN'T GET THROUGH. UM I LIKE THAT I CAN WALK AND BIKE AND TAKE TRANSIT IN BOSTON INSTEAD OF HAVING TO DRIVE EVERYWHERE.
BUT BETWEEN THIS AND THE YEAR LONG PAUSE ON SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ON STREETS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED LIKE CAMBRIDGE STREET IN ALLSTON OR HYDE PARK AVE AND JP GIVE
ME THE IMPRESSION THAT THE CITY WANTS ME OFF MY FEET, OFF MY BIKE AND IN MY CAR IF I WANT TO GET AROUND MANY PARTS OF BOSTON . SO I'M JOINING MANY OF MY FELLOW VULNERABLE ROAD USERS
HERE CALLING FOR WINTER MAINTENANCE PLANS THAT ENSURE EQUITABLE AND SAFE ACCESS TO THE CITY FOR PEOPLE OUTSIDE PERSONAL AUTOMOBILES LIKE CLEAR, ENFORCEABLE AND ENFORCED
STANDARDS FOR MAINTAINING SIDEWALKS, TRANSIT STOPS AND MICRO-MOBILITY LANE ACCESS ENSURING PLOWING DOESN'T BLOCK ACCESS TO CURB RAMPS TO BUS
STOPS AND TEETH STATIONS AND MICROMOBILITY LANES AND ALSO USING THE WINTER MONTHS TO MAKE PROGRESS ON PEDESTRIAN AND PUBLIC TRANSIT AND MICROMOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECTS SO THAT DURING NEXT CONSTRUCTION SEASON WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON OUR VISION ZERO GOALS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. >> I WANT TO GET BACK TO MY COLLEAGUES AND I'LL GIVE THEM
AN OPPORTUNITY TO UM. TO ASK QUESTIONS BECAUSE. >> THEY HAD SPECIFIC. QUESTIONS THEY WANTED TO ASK THE ADMINISTRATION LET ME GO TO UM. COUNCIL ORAL COUNCIL ORAL.
I MIGHT GO OUT. OF ORDER A LITTLE BIT SO I DO APOLOGIZE. >> I'M JUST TRYING TO, UM, BE. RESPECTFUL TO EVERYBODY. UH THANK YOU. CHAIR. UM, JUST A FEW QUESTIONS.
UH, HOW MANY SNOW FARMS I KNOW REMOVAL FOR ME SEEMS TO BE LIKE ONE OF THE BIGGEST HURDLES THAT WE HAVE TO CLEAR. YOU KNOW, WE DO A GOOD JOB OF PLOWING THE STREETS, BUT WHEN WE PUSH IT UP AGAINST THE
SIDE, THAT'S WHERE THE ACCESSIBILITY AND THE MOBILITY ISSUES, UH, TEND TO OCCUR. BUT HOW MANY SNOW FARMS DO WE HAVE? AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO SNOW
REMOVAL UM, I KNOW I HEARD THE MAYOR SAY THAT IT'S NOT TYPICAL FOR US TO, UH, HAVE A PARKING BAN THAT EXPANDS, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN ONE DAY. UM, IS THAT A POLICY THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT IN THE
FUTURE? UH, SO SNOW FARMS, UM, PARKING BANS? UH, WELL, I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS. SURE. >> THANKS, COUNCILOR. SO IT. AT OUR PEAK WE HAD WE HAD 14, UH, SNOW FARMS GOING AND.
UM. >> YOU KNOW THAT THAT NUMBER KIND OF THEY COME ONLINE AND OFFLINE AS THEY GET FULL AND WE HAVE TO MOVE THE MOUNTAINS AROUND TO MAKE ROOM. BUT UH, AT OUR AT OUR PEAK OF HAULING WE HAD WE HAD 14
SNOW FARMS ACROSS THE CITY. UH, AS FAR AS THE PARKING BANS ARE CONCERNED. UM. >> YOU KNOW, IN THE FIRST EVENT IN JANUARY WE WE LIFTED THE PARKING BAN ON MONDAY EVENING,
YOU KNOW, BASED ON ON THE FORECAST OF WE WERE GOING TO RECEIVE MAYBE AN EXTRA INCH OF SNOW. UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE GOT ALMOST 5.5IN THAT THAT MONDAY NIGHT. UM. >> YOU KNOW, IF WE IF I COULD
GO BACK AGAIN I WOULD HAVE ABSOLUTELY EXTENDED THAT SNOW MAN INTO INTO THAT FOLLOWING DAY. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL FOR THE OPERATION. UM THIS LAST EVENT SAME THING WE WE DID EXTEND IT.
WE HAD A BETTER HANDLE ON THE FORECAST. WE DIDN'T GET THAT EXTRA SNOW AT THE END OF THE EVENT. AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT UM, BOTH AT THE FRONT END OF THAT
PARKING BAN AS WELL AS AFTER IT ALLOWED US TO PUSH BACK TO THE CURB. BETTER THAT WHEN IT COMES TO EQUIPMENT UM PLOWING UM I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE HAS A PLOW ATTACHED TO THE FRONT OF THEIR
PICKUP TRUCK BUT YOU KNOW, REMOVAL UH, THE EQUIPMENT IS DIFFERENT. YOU HAVE TO GET IT UP AND OVER. UH, DO ARE WE DO WE HAVE ENOUGH EQUIPMENT TO EFFECTIVELY DO, UH ,SNOW REMOVAL OR DO YOU THINK
THAT THAT'S AN AREA THAT'S NEEDED FOR MORE INVESTMENT? YEAH, WE'RE WE'RE FORTUNATE WE DO HAVE. A GOOD INVENTORY OF SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT. UH, WE WE SUPPLEMENT THAT WITH
CONTRACTED RESOURCES AND WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THOSE RELIABLE RELATIONSHIPS. UM, THE TRACKLESS UNITS THAT WAS WERE MENTIONED BY BILL EARLIER UM, IN THE EARLIER
PANEL THE CITY ACTUALLY OWNS UH 16 OF THOSE UNITS PUBLIC WORKS OWNED TEN OF THEM. UH THE PARKS. DEPARTMENT OWNS ON SIX. SO YEAH, WE WE WE FEEL CONFIDENT IN OUR. YOU KNOW, OUR.
EQUIPMENT THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR. US AND THEN YOU GAVE A NUMBER UM ON UM THE AMOUNT OF SNOW THAT WAS MOVED. WHAT WAS THAT NUMBER AGAIN? I WAS IT WAS OVER 10,000
TRUCKLOADS WAS UH ESTIMATED AT 170,000YD3. AND THAT WAS UM REMOVED UM, IN THE COURSE OF THE THE MONTH OR.
YEAH, IN FOLLOWING FROM THE FOLLOWING THE THE STORM IN JANUARY UH UP UNTIL LAST WEEK. SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE UPDATED AS OF. YESTERDAY AND DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU REMOVED LIKE ON A
DAILY BASIS? IT VARIED. UM, I MEAN WE WE HAD NIGHTS WE WERE YOU KNOW. WE WERE A COUPLE NIGHTS WE PUSHED ALMOST A THOUSAND TRUCKLOADS. UM SO YEAH, IT IT REALLY
DEPENDED UPON WHERE WE WERE. YEAH. >> I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS LIKE THE CAPACITY IN TERMS OF LIKE THE CONTRACTS AND THE EQUIPMENT TO KIND OF SEE IF THERE'S YOU KNOW, ANY WAY TO REMOVE MORE IN A SHORTER
PERIOD OF TIME. WE'LL REMOVE THAT AMOUNT IN A LESSER PERIOD OF TIME TO INVEST IN AND EQUIPMENT. AND MY LAST QUESTION IS UM THIS IS BASED OFF OF THE LAST PANEL.
DO WE FIND UH, LANDLORDS FOR THE WORK OR THE JUST THE CLEARING IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE? UM, WE WE FINE PROPERTY OWNERS FOR FAILING TO CLEAR SNOW.
WE WE FIND THEM FOR NOT APPROPRIATE WITH. WE FIND. >> WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE WAY. 42IN OKAY. 42 WHICH. WE ALSO FIND IN DURING EVENTS WE FIND PEOPLE FOR THAT WE CATCH PLOWING OR THROWING SNOW
INTO THE STREET. SO YEAH WE WE THERE'S A NUMBER OF UH VIOLATIONS. >> WHAT ABOUT ICE? YES ICE AS WELL IF YOU IF UH IF YOU HAVEN'T CLEARED AND. AND YOUR YOUR SIDEWALK IS FROZEN OVER. YEAH WELL WE'LL SHOOT FOR THAT
AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. >> UH THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL WILL LET ME GO TO COUNSELOR PEP AND COUNSELOR PEP AND OUR NEXT. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER, FOR BEING. >> HERE AND. TO THE OTHER.
COMMISSIONERS FOR TAKING. >> THE TIME TO BE PANELISTS HERE. LOOK OUTSIDE. IT'S SNOWING. SO I KNOW THAT YOUR TEAM IS GOING TO BE BUSY. UM, TODAY A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO JOHN ROMANO, DUSTIN AND UM CLARENCE AND FREDDIE THAT THEY
TOOK CARE OF MY DISTRICT. SO WHENEVER I REACH OUT THEY'VE BEEN HELPFUL. UM, MY HEARING ORDER WAS MORE SPECIFIC TOWARDS THE CREATION OF A SNOW CORP. SO AS SEASONAL WORKERS
OBVIOUSLY WE SAW WHAT NEW YORK CITY WAS ABLE TO IMPLEMENT. THERE IS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT BEHIND THAT. THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP FOR IT AND WHAT WE SAW WAS JUST SEASONAL WORKERS SHOVELING SIDEWALKS THAT MAYBE
WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE UM, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THAT. I REPRESENT A DISTRICT THAT IS OLDER IN POPULATION. IT'S MORE RESIDENTIAL, IT'S FURTHER AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN BOSTON. SO A LOT OF THIS.
A LOT OF. RESIDENTS REACH OUT TO ME ASKING FOR SUPPORT, IS WHY WE DID THE VOLUNTEER THING. UM, IN MY OFFICE I WANTED TO KNOW HOW WE EXPLORE THAT IDEA AND THE CITY OF BOSTON ARE WE
LOOKING TO, UM, GET SOME OF WHAT NEW YORK CITY IS DOING OR OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN HOW ARE WE THINKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY BRINGING THAT HERE? SURE. >> AND YOU KNOW, AS COMMISSIONER MCCOSH MENTIONED, THERE HAS BEEN YOU KNOW, KIND
OF SEVERAL HISTORIC EFFORTS TO TO KIND OF START AND WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE PREPARED TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, DISCUSS ANYTHING TODAY.
WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO REALLY LOOK INTO AND WHAT A NEW VERSION OF THAT LOOKS LIKE. OKAY. >> AND MY OFFICE IS LOOKING INTO WHAT NEW YORK CITY DID OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE A MUCH BIGGER CITY. UM, BUT I THINK THAT IF WE WERE
TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THEY DID ON A SMALLER SCALE PERHAPS MAYBE WE CAN IMPLEMENT IT HERE MOVING FORWARD AND OBVIOUSLY UM, KNOCK ON WOOD HOPEFULLY WE DON'T GET MORE OF ANOTHER BLIZZARD OR
STORM THIS YEAR BUT UM I THINK IT'S AN IDEA WORTH EXPLORING. UM, OKAY. >> IN REGARDS TO CROSSWALKS, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR FOR SHOVELING CROSSWALKS BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL SITUATIONS
WHERE YOU KNOW SOMETHING MAYBE THEY'RE IN FRONT OF A BUSINESS OR THEY'RE IN FRONT OF SOMEWHERE WHERE THERE ISN'T ANYTHING LIKE WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT CLEARANCE. SURE. >> SO SO THE CURB CUTS THAT ACCESS CROSSWALKS UH, ARE
RESPONSIBLE ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNER WHETHER THAT BE A RESIDENT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNER ETC. UM, THAT SAID, YOU
KNOW, THE CITY HAS BEGUN TO DO MORE WORK AROUND CLEARING OUT CROSSWALKS AND CURB CUTS, PARTICULARLY IN EVENTS LIKE THESE TWO STORMS BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE UM, THAT, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT BURDEN, UH ,FOR FOR A PROPERTY OWNER TO TAKE ON. UM, SO YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DONE MORE OF THIS YEAR I THINK THAN ANY
OTHER TIME AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON AND I THINK FORMALIZE IN A PLAN MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU FOR THAT AND A LITTLE BIT SIMILAR TO THAT BUT MORE TOWARDS SIDEWALKS.
I REPRESENT A PORTION OF THE CITY WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF SIDE LONGER SIDEWALKS WHERE THERE ISN'T NECESSARILY A PROPERTY OWNER OR BUSINESS THERE. I'M THINKING ABOUT STRETCHES ALONGSIDE MAYBE HYDE PARK
AVENUE MORE TOWARDS THE INDUSTRIAL AREA UM A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF MY DISTRICT MAYBE CLOSER TO COUNCILOR WORRELL DISTRICT ON AMERICAN LEGION WHERE THERE'S JUST THERE'S BETWEEN THE BROOK SCHOOL AND THE PLAZA AND THERE'S JUST A LONG STRETCH AND THAT WASN'T SO
I WOULD LIKE WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE TYPE OF SIDEWALKS. I THINK I THINK COUNCIL MOVING FORWARD THOSE ARE EXACTLY THE TYPE OF LOCATIONS THAT YOU KNOW THOSE THOSE LOCATIONS THAT
DON'T HAVE AN IMMEDIATE A BUTTER THAT THE CITY WOULD LOOK TO, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY TAKE CARE OF. WE HAVE WE HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A UH, EXISTING UM, YOU KNOW,
PROGRAM FOR THIS FOR BRIDGES IN THE CITY UH, FOLLOWING TRANSPORTATION REFORM MANY YEARS AGO, UH THE CITY MASSDOT AND THE MBTA GOT TOGETHER AND
WE GEOGRAPHICALLY DECIDED WHO WAS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT BRIDGES WASN'T NECESSARILY BASED ON WHO OWNED THE ASSET BUT WHO WAS IN THE BEST POSITION TO TAKE CARE OF IT. AND WE HAVE WE HAVE OPERATED
UNDER THAT PRACTICE FOR ABOUT THE LAST 16 YEARS. OKAY. >> WELL THAT'S MY TIME. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT ARE HERE TODAY. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER YOU.
THANK YOU COUNCIL LET ME GO TO UM COUNCIL ME HERE UM COUNCIL ME HERE. EUROPE THANK YOU COUNCILOR IRELAND UM AND AS
CHAIR I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU TAKING SOME OF THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY OUT OF TOWN. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACE AND ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO, UH, KEEP GROUNDING
THE CONVERSATION ON THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND BEING HERE. UM, SO I DIDN'T GET TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY.
I DO APPRECIATE YOU ALL DOES NOT GO LAST ON ME. I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK RICARDO BECAUSE I WAS BLOWING UP YOUR PHONE THE FIRST TIME AROUND TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS THIS?
COME CLEAN THIS UP IN MY CONSTITUENTS UM, MOVED VERY DIFFERENTLY IN TERMS OF HOW THEY, UM, WANT TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE. SO UM I REALLY DO APPRECIATE UH, THE RESPONSE UH, I THINK
THAT IT WAS A REALLY WEIRD, UH, CLEANING UP OF LAST UH, THE FIRST STORM UM, HAVING GROWN UP HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, UM,
AND BEING A RESIDENT DURING MARTY'S ADMINISTRATION WHEN WE HAD THE 2015 AND 2014 OR 2016 I CAN'T REMEMBER 2015 THAT WAS CRAZY.
UM, IT JUST FELT VERY DIFFERENT UM, IN TERMS OF HOW WE CLEANED UP THE STREETS, UH, IN THE DIFFERENT ITERATIONS OF ADMINISTRATION AND THIS PARTICULAR UH, FIRST TIME
AROUND AND I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT UH, WHAT LESSONS HAVE WE LEARNED FROM THE SNOW STORM IN JANUARY AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE LESSONS THAT WE LEARNED IN
JANUARY WERE QUICKLY APPLIED THIS GO AROUND. UM, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S STILL SOME AREAS FOR
IMPROVEMENT AND UH, SIMILAR TO COUNCILOR PIPPEN'S QUESTION REGARDING OR I THINK IT WAS FLYNN I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO IT WAS BUT I KNOW THAT WHEN FOLKS ARE UH DRIVING DOWN CERTAIN
NEIGHBORHOODS, THERE ARE LOTS OF SNOW BANKS THAT COULD EASILY AT LEAST THIS IS WHAT I'M THINKING COULD BE CLEARED IF THERE'S A LOT OF SNOW IN ONE
PLACE THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR SOME MORE OF THAT MORE MOBILITY UM OPPORTUNITIES OR EVEN PARKING SO THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO WALK THROUGH AND ALL THAT. DO YOU KNOW WHY THOSE PARKING
SPOTS AND REMAIN FULL OF SNOW? SURE. >> SO JUST FROM A CAPACITY STANDPOINT, THE CITY DOES NOT PRIORITIZE REMOVING SNOW FROM PARKING SPACES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DO DO A LOT OF WORK AND MAIN THOROUGHFARES AND BUSINESS DISTRICTS BUT UH, JUST FROM A CAPACITY STANDPOINT WE'RE LIMITED UM, AS FAR AS HOW MUCH SNOW WE CAN REMOVE IN
REGARDS TO THE WINTER OF 2015, I MEAN WE RECEIVED A RECORD 110IN OF SNOW THAT WINTER IN IN LESS THAN FIVE WEEKS. AND UH, WHILE THIS WELL THIS
PAST MONTH HAS BEEN VERY CHALLENGING UH, IT IS IT IS NOT AS CHALLENGING AS THE CONDITIONS THAT THE CITY FACED AS A WHOLE DURING DURING THAT WINTER. UM, BUT YOU KNOW AND I GUESS TO
YOUR FIRST QUESTION, YOU KNOW, WE WE LEARNED LESSONS UM, IN EVERY SNOW AND ICE EVENT AND UH, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE AND UH, DO BETTER.
UM, EVERY STORM FOR US IS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY. UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE A TEAM THAT REALLY WANTS TO HOLD THEMSELVES ACCOUNTABLE AND DO THE BEST JOB THEY CAN FOR THE CITY.
LET ME LET ME YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, LET ME CLARIFY. UM, I'M GOING TO TALK SPECIFICALLY ON WASHINGTON STREET AND GROVE HALL. UM, THAT'S DISTRICT FOUR.
UH, THERE THERE WAS A BUS STOP IN FRONT OF A HAIR SALON, A DOMINICAN ONE THAT I GO TO JUST SO THAT I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. AND THERE WAS A HUGE PATCH
OF SNOW AND FOLKS WHO NEEDED TO GET ON THE BUS NEEDED TO LITERALLY CLIMB OVER BECAUSE EVEN THE CROSSWALK WHERE THERE
WAS A RAMP WAS BLOCKED AND AND THAT'S IS THE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE THAT I'M REFERRING TO BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST FOR PARKING. IT IS LIKE JUST GOING DOWN AND JUST GETTING EVERYTHING THAT'S
ON THE CURB LINING UP NOT JUST FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PARK BUT TO BE ABLE TO JUST HAVE ACCESS TO THE BUS STOP. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A CAPACITY
SUBJECT IF WE ALREADY HAVE THE BOARD THE BOBCATS OUT CAN TO JUST LIKE KEEP PLOWING DOWN THE STREET TO GET RID OF IT ALL OR IS THAT JUST CRAZY TALK?
NO, IT'S UM YOU KNOW, WE DO DO A LOT OF THAT WORK. UM, YOU KNOW, SOME SOME SNOW CAN BE CAN BE STORED UM, WHEN WHEN WE GET AS MUCH SNOW AS WE'VE HAD THIS PAST MONTH, IT
GETS DIFFICULT TO FIND PLACES TO PUT IT. SO WHAT. >> ABOUT FRANKLIN PARK? UH, WE DID HAVE, UH DID HAVE SNOW FARM GOING AT FRANKLIN PARK. UM, SO YOU KNOW, BUT THERE'S A
DIFFERENT SOMETIMES OUR SNOW CLEARING OR PLOWING TURNS INTO UH OR WE NEED TO TO REMOVE AND THAT IS THAT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE INVOLVED. >> AND I KNOW MY MY TIME WAS UP. I WAS JUST IN NEW YORK THIS
WEEKEND AND IT DIDN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE IT SNOWED IN NEW YORK JUXTAPOSED TO WHAT WE'RE STILL SEEING HERE IN BOSTON. SO I WANT TO SHOUT OUT MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY FOR CLEANING
IT UP AS QUICKLY AS HE DID. THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL MAYOR UH, COUNCILOR DURKIN, PLEASE. YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. UM, IT DOES FEEL A LITTLE BIT
LIKE THE FORMATTING OF THIS HEARING WAS BEING DECIDED WHILE WE'VE BEEN SITTING HERE. UM, AND I DON'T I DON'T APPRECIATE THAT AS SOMEONE WHO HAS TO RUN IN BETWEEN, UM, MY COMMITMENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT
I'M DELIVERING FOR MY CONSTITUENTS AND IT DOES FEEL LIKE COMMISSIONER GROVE PROBABLY HAS SOMEWHERE TO BE BECAUSE THERE'S SNOW FALLING RIGHT NOW. UM, SO I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO RESPOND TO THAT. UM, COMMISSIONER SORRY CHIEF
GOVE BUT UM I KNOW YOU COMING FROM DCR YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THESE DIRECTORS CAN JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE. UM, WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROMOTE COORDINATION?
YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LOT OF UM, YOU KNOW, DCR SPECIFICALLY, UM, MASSDOT AND UH, MBTA UH, YOU KNOW, LAND IN MY DISTRICT AND I'M JUST CURIOUS UM, AND I UH
SOME OF THE CROSSWALKS THAT I CLEARED PERSONALLY WERE MBTA ALTHOUGH UM, I UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE A LOT TO DO THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW WE CAN PROMOTE COORDINATION AND WHAT
THE COMMUNICATION LOOKS LIKE. SURE. >> THANK YOU. COUNCILOR. YEAH. I MEAN WE DO A LOT OF, UH, COORDINATION BETWEEN MASSDOT, THE MTA, DCR IN THE CITY, YOU
KNOW, BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER EVENTS. UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE MBTA ON THE BEST WAY TO CLEAR BUS STOPS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY, UH,
CLEARS A LARGE NUMBER OF THOSE BUS STOPS UNDER OUR STREET FURNITURE CONTRACT. THE MBTA COMMITS TO CLEARING A NUMBER OF THE BUS STOPS UM, AS PART OF THEIR PROGRAM. AND I THINK NOW WE NEED TO WORK
TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S GOING TO CLEAN, WHO'S GOING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR. THAT. >> THAT BALANCE IN BETWEEN UM, I THINK WE CAN WORK ON UH, DEVELOPING SOME, YOU KNOW, COMPS FOR THE WEBSITE AND IN
OTHER AREAS WHERE WE CAN BETTER COMMUNICATE KIND OF WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEGUN. AND I HOPE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN WORK ON IN ADVANCE OF NEXT SEASON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I KNOW UM, COUNCILOR PEPEN I ACTUALLY GOT RULE 15 THIS MEETING. UM, I FILED SOMETHING IN SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES AND CREWS AND CONTRACTORS. UM, SO WE ARE PARTNERING
TOGETHER ON A RESOLUTION ON WEDNESDAY TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL OF YOUR LEADERSHIP . I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT AS FOLKS WHO REPRESENT DISTRICTS THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING CITY WORKERS EVERY
DAY, FOLKS THAT LIVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON HAVE BEEN WORKING OVERTIME. UM, AND I UM JUST YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, THAT A LOT OF CITY RESIDENTS, UH,
SPECIFICALLY IN MY DISTRICT HAVE BEEN REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE LAST, UH, STORM AND ALL THE VALIANT EFFORTS I USE THE WORD VALIANT. UM, ENRIQUE USED OTHER WORDS, BUT I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, I DID WANT TO ASK. I KNOW THERE WAS A FILING ON SNOW MELT ERS. UM, DOES IT MAKE FINANCIAL SENSE TO RENT VERSUS BUY? I KNOW WE'RE RENTING RIGHT NOW . CAN YOU EXPLAIN SORT OF WHAT THAT DECISION MAKING PROCESS
LOOKS LIKE? SURE. >> WE UM THIS IS SOMETHING THE CITY HAS INVESTIGATED UH, ON ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. UH, I BELIEVE WE ACTUALLY DID A SOLICITATION FOR SNOW MELT
TOURS ON 23 OR 24, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WE HAVE THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT CHEAP. UH, THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, ASSETS THAT CAN RUN WELL OVER HALF $1 MILLION A PIECE.
UH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S MAINTENANCE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AS WELL. UM, WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO DO KIND OF A FULL ACCOUNTING YET OF OF, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT
WOULD HAVE MADE SENSE TO RENT A ROOM THIS YEAR. THAT WILL CERTAINLY BE PART OF OUR DUE DILIGENCE. UM, YOU KNOW, ONCE ONCE WE GET THROUGH THESE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS BUT, UM. >> AND CLIMATE CHANGE IT'S NOT
JUST GETTING WARMER, IT'S ALSO GETTING MORE BLIZZARD AND COLDER AND SO YEAH I'M JUST CURIOUS I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS. UM I JUST WANTED TO PUT ONE UM
QUESTION ON TO THE RECORD. I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW UM YOU HAVE UH, THOUGHT ABOUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF UM, ISSUES THAT WE'VE FOUND WITH 311 RECENTLY
AND I KNOW THROUGH AND WHAT IS IN EXACTLY YOUR CABINET BUT THERE HAS BEEN SOME UM AREAS IN 311 THAT HAVE BEEN CHANGED OR MOVED. I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF POTENTIALLY WE COULD DO A
MEETING WITH MY OFFICE JUST TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES WE'VE HAD SUBMITTING THINGS TO 311 TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE CATEGORIES THAT RESIDENTS NEED TO USE ARE THERE. SURE NOT NOT AWARE OF THE
SPECIFIC ISSUES, BUT I'M SURE WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP WORK ON WHAT THE ISSUE IS. >> AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH COMMISSIONER AND CHIEF. SORRY. FOR THE FOR THE RECORD UM I
TRIED TO BE RESPECTFUL TO EVERYBODY DURING THIS HEARING. I KNEW THAT THERE WERE. I KNOW THERE WERE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES HERE. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE. HEARD.
>> THAT THEY WERE SEEN, THAT THEIR VOICE WAS HEARD. AND I THINK LISTENING TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES MAKES US A BETTER CITY AND ACTUALLY IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE
AND DELIVERY OF BASIC CITY SERVICES. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT CITY OFFICIALS SUCH AS MYSELF IN THE CHIEF OF STREETS AND OTHERS LISTENED RESPECTFULLY TO
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. THAT'S WHY I WENT FORWARD WITH PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES FIRST. COUNCIL WHETHER YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES. OKAY. THANK YOU.
UH UM SORRY. UH, COMMISSIONER YOU KNOW INTERIM CHIEF UH GOV UH SO WE HEARD ABOUT MONTREAL FEW YOU. >> KNOW. I THINK THEY GET LIKE THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF SNOW WE GET MAYBE SLIGHTLY MORE OR SLIGHTLY
LESS. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT HOW THEY REMOVE SNOW THEY THEY PUSH IT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND THEN THERE'S A LIKE A COMBINE HARVESTER OR SOMETHING THAT UP THE SNOW AND PUTS IN A
TRUCK AND DRIVES IT AWAY. YOU HAVE TO GET. EVERYONE NOT TO PARK ON THE STREET AND THEN YOU KNOW THEY'LL MOVE IT OFF THE SIDEWALK. BUT UM HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THAT ? HAVE WHY WHY DON'T WE DO IT
THAT WAY IN BOSTON? UM, YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT ARE THE COSTS OF THAT? AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW JUST YOUR THOUGHTS. SURE. >> UM, YOU KNOW. YEAH. MONTREAL I THINK AVERAGES
BETWEEN 79 AND 83IN OF SNOW A YEAR, BUT BUT THEY HAVE SEEN SOME HISTORIC WINTERS WHERE YOU KNOW, THAT'S UP TO 125 PLUS 150 . SO UH, THERE I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY SEE THE
SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL OPERATION IN MONTREAL. UM IT IS IT IS YOU KNOW, A COMBINATION OF MANY OF THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE BUT ALSO A
CULTURE AROUND COMPLIANCE, UH, TO MOVE VEHICLES UH, POST-STORM SO THEY HAVE UH MANY OF THEIR STREETS ARE SET UP WITH PERMANENT SIGNAGE SIMILAR TO LIKE OUR STREETS CLEANING
SIGNAGE THAT WE HAVE FOR FOR STREET SWEEPING AND PEOPLE JUST KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING A STORM I THINK THEIR BENCHMARK IS 5 OR 6IN THAT CITY IS GOING TO IMPLEMENT A PARKING BAN.
I THINK IT GOES INTO EFFECT AT EITHER 7 OR 9 P.M. AND AND IT'S ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET AND IT'S JUST IT'S PART OF THE CULTURE THERE. UM SO THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY TAKE UH, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT
COMMITMENT FROM THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO COMMIT TO THAT. UM, BUT IN ADDITION, WHAT MONTREAL HAS UH, THAT WE DO NOT IS A LOT OF SPACE OUTSIDE THE
CITY WHEN YOU GET OUTSIDE THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF MONTREAL THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM TO DUMP SNOW. UH, AND FRANKLY THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FOR
US IS UM, WHERE TO PUT IT ONCE WE HAUL IT? YEAH. >> I. WAS IN I WENT UP TO MONTREAL, UH, AFTER NEW YEAR'S OF THE WINTER BREAK THERE WITH MY KIDS AND THAT THERE. WERE THE.
SIDEWALKS WERE CLEARED OF SNOW BUT THERE WAS LIKE A LAYER OF ICE ON EVERY SIDEWALK AND I'VE HEARD THAT THAT'S AN ISSUE HAVE MAYBE WITH SOME OF THE MACHINES THAT CLEAR SIDEWALKS THEY DON'T GET ALL THE WAY DOWN
AND MAYBE PEOPLE RELY ON THAT IS THAT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ACCURATE BUT THERE WERE CERTAINLY UM, A LOT OF DANGEROUS SIDEWALKS IN MONTREAL EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE CLEAR OF SNOW.
UH, MAYBE THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN SALT. UH, ICE IS A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE FOR THEM ON SIDEWALKS LIKE LIKE IT IS FRANKLY MANY, MANY CITIES.
UM, BUT UH, YOU KNOW, THERE MANY OF THE PEDESTRIANS SNOW AND ICE EQUIPMENT, UH, MACHINES HAVE VARIOUS ATTACHMENTS DEPENDING UPON WHAT THE WHAT THE RESPECTIVE TREATMENT IS. OKAY. AND THEN I GUESS FOR
COMMISSIONER MCCOSH AND UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE UH, COMMISSIONER SHEA ALSO JUST IN TERMS OF LIKE YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THE GETTING THE THE WIDTH OF THE SIDEWALKS, YOU KNOW, ACCESSIBLE
FOR PEOPLE UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT I GUESS WHAT IS YOUR ARE WE I DON'T I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE YOU KNOW WE NEED TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY TO SIDEWALKS ESPECIALLY YOU KNOW,
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUTLYING NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE DISTRICT COUNCILORS WHO REPRESENT UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT'S LIKE YOU'RE RELYING ON PEOPLE TO SHOVEL. SO THERE'S THE THE PROPERTY
OWNER MIGHT BE A SENIOR AND I MIGHT BE SOMEBODY WITH A DISABILITY. UH UM, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE LIKE WHAT KIND OF TOOLS DO YOU WISH THAT WE HAD HERE IN THE CITY
FOR FOR THAT. UM. BUT WE DO A LOT OF MESSAGING. UM, I WILL SAY THAT WE TRY TO BE PROACTIVE WITH GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT THERE SO THAT PROPERTY OWNERS KNOW WHAT THEIR, UM, RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
AND WE KNOW IT'S CHALLENGING ESPECIALLY FOR SENIORS AND FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. UM, WE'VE A LOT OF THE WORK WE DO IS BEHIND THE SCENES. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC DON'T SEE BUT WE
WE MEET ABOUT THIS CONSTANTLY. WE'VE LOOKED AT A LOT OF THINGS. UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE SOME SORT OF UM, SNOW REMOVAL PROGRAM THAT COULD AT LEAST DO LIKE CURB CUTS AND SOME OF THE
MEDIANS THAT WE KNOW UM, DON'T GET SHOVELED WHEN WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO CROSS THE STREET BECAUSE THAT'S A SAFE HAVEN FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO CROSS UM, IT REALLY IS JUST A MATTER OF CAPACITY LIKE I KNOW A FEW
THINGS THAT ARE MENTIONED UM, LIKE WHEN BILL MENTIONED UM, A SNOW BRIGADE YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT OH THIS BUSINESS WILL DO IT AND THEY'LL DON'T DONATE MONEY WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU KNOW, CHARGE SMALL BUSINESSES ANYMORE
BECAUSE WE KNOW THEIR PAIN. WE KNOW RESIDENTS PAY A LOT. UM, SO IT REALLY IS JUST A MATTER OF CAPACITY AND UM IT'S IT'S JUST A CHALLENGE. I DON'T HAVE A MAGIC BULLET I WISH I DID UM I DON'T KNOW IF. EMILY.
YOU HAVE ANYTHING. COMMISSIONER SHOW IF YOU'D LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING. I YEAH, I DON'T KNOW THAT. I HAVE A LOT TO ADD. >> WE DO A LOT OF HELPING RESIDENTS. PROBLEM SOLVE. >> I THINK WORKING WITH OLDER PEOPLE. MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN THROUGH
MANY STORMS. UM, UH, SO WE DO A LOT OF UH, TRYING TO PROBLEM SOLVE ABOUT UM POTENTIAL PEOPLE TO ASK FOR HELP IF THEY CAN DO IT
THEMSELVES OR TO HIRE UM FOR UH FOR THE WORK. UM UH, SIMILAR TO UM WHAT FOLKS ARE SAYING, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS REALLY IT'S A IT'S A WHOLE
COMMUNITY EFFORT, RIGHT. AND WE ALL HAVE TO TO TRY AND DO OUR PART IN THE WINTER. UM, BUT IT IS DEFINITELY A CHALLENGE. OKAY. >> THANK YOU THANK YOU CHAIR. . THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER.
I'LL I'LL ALSO TAKE FOUR MINUTES. UM, BASED ON THE RECENT STORM, DO WE KNOW IF THERE, UH WAS
THERE ANYONE IN THE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES COMMUNITY THAT FILED ANY TYPE OF, UM.
LAWSUIT OR COMPLAINT AGAINST THE CITY UM STATING THAT BASED ON THE ACCESS ON OR LACK OF ACCESS FOR PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES THAT BOSTON WILL HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT THEY, UM, PLOW THE STREETS OR OR ADDRESS SNOW REMOVAL GOING FORWARD. HAS THAT BEEN THE CASE AT ALL?
I KNOW THAT HAS HAPPENED IN OTHER CITIES BUT HAS THAT PARTICULAR CASE UM, ANY SCENARIO LIKE THAT HAPPENED YET IN BOSTON? I'M I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY LITIGATION BUT I WANT TO ASK
COMMISSIONER COURT MCCOSH TO SEE IF SHE'S HEARD ANYTHING. OKAY. >> YEAH. >> WE DID HAVE ONE OFFICIAL ADA GRIEVANCE FILED WITH OUR OFFICE. OKAY. AND, UM, THAT WAS RELATED TO, UM, SNOW THAT WASN'T REMOVED IN
CERTAIN CROSSWALKS AND KENMORE SQUARE AREA AND ALSO, UM, RELATED TO UM 311 UM ISSUES AND HOW THAT WAS RESPONDED TO.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR FOR SOMEONE FILING AN ADA GRIEVANCE . SO THE ADA REQUIRES ALL MUNICIPALITIES WITH MORE THAN 50 EMPLOYEES TO HAVE AN AREA COORDINATOR, WHICH IS THE ROLE
THAT I FULFILL. AND PART OF MY ROLE IS TO UM, WORK ON DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINTS WHICH ARE ADA GRIEVANCES. WE HAVE A FORM ONLINE PEOPLE CAN CLICK ON IT, THEY CAN CALL
OUR OFFICE, THEY CAN SEND AN EMAIL. THEY DON'T HAVE TO USE THE TERM GRIEVANCE. IT'S IF SOMETHING COMES IN AS A COMPLAINT UM I'LL ASSESS IT TO SEE IF IT'S RISES TO THE LEVEL OF A GRIEVANCE.
THIS ONE CAME IN AS AN ACTUAL GRIEVANCE. OKAY SO COMMISSIONER, WHEN YOU PLAY SNOW IN THE MIDDLE OF A OR
ARE IN THE IN THE CROSSWALK IN THE STREET NEXT TO THE SIDEWALK UM AND THEN THERE'S THE RAMP THERE AND IT'S LEFT THE SNOW IS LEFT THERE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME
. WHY IS THAT? SO COUNCIL WE DON'T UH, INTENTIONALLY PLACE SNOW IN IN THE CROSSWALKS OR SECTIONS BUT
THE THE CROSS NATURE OF PLOWING OBVIOUSLY UH, CAN LEAVE SNOW IN THOSE AREAS AS WELL AS THE LONG CURB CUTS UH, GUTTER CUTS THAT WE MAKE WHEN WHEN CLEANING LONG
LATERALS. UM, THAT IS WHY IN IN BIG INTERSECTIONS WE OFTEN GO BACK AFTERWARD AND REMOVE THAT WITH EQUIPMENT SUCH AS SKID STEERS,
LOADERS ETC. BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT BURDEN FOR PROPERTY OWNERS UH, IN THESE LARGER EVENTS. THE THE TROUBLING ASPECT FOR
ME IS IS SEEING A CROSSWALK WITH WITH UM I'VE SEEN THEM 14 15FT HIGH OF SNOW BLOCKING BLOCKING THE ACCESS FOR A PERSON TO SOMEBODY.
COMMISSIONED UM, THE CONCURRENT LIGHTING THAT WE TALK ABOUT FREQUENTLY DURING THE SNOW STORM WITH THE SNOW STILL ON THE GROUND. CAN YOU MAKE A COMMITMENT. TO ME THAT WILL CHANGE THAT
ROLE TEMPORARILY? SO, UM, BOTH THE BOTH THE VEHICLE AND THE PEDESTRIAN DON'T HAVE THE SAME RIGHT OF WAY I SEE PEOPLE I SAW A PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR, UM,
TRYING TO CROSS THE STREET AND THE THE CAR COULDN'T SEE THE PERSON BASED ON HOW THE HOW TALL THE SNOW STONE MOUND WAS. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WOULD CONSIDER? YEAH.
>> I MEAN WHILE WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN AROUND IT, THE CHALLENGE IS THAT WELL, THERE'S A FEW ISSUES. THE FIRST AND FOREMOST THE CITY CAN'T GO OUT AND PHYSICALLY CHANGE EVERY SINGLE UH, EITHER
IN ADVANCE OR IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING UM UH, A STORM. THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT IF WE WERE TO DO SO, THOSE SIGNALS WOULD THEN CONFLICT WITH OUR POSTED REGULATIONS IN THE FORM
OF OUR SIGNS THAT EXIST. UM, IN ADDITION, THE SIGNALS WOULDN'T NECESSARILY THEN BE COORDINATED WITH EACH OTHER. UM THERE WOULD BE IMPACTS TO MBTA BUSSES.
UM AND IN ALL OF THIS WE FEEL WOULD BE WOULD BE REALLY CONFUSING AND UNPREDICTABLE FOR UH FOR THE TRAFFIC PATTERNS FRANKLY FOR FOR ALL MODES.
I DO WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT BUT OUT OF RESPECT FOR MY COLLEAGUES, UH, MY TIME IS UP. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR I EXCUSE ME, UH, CHAIR WITH YOUR I'M GOING TO
DISMISS MYSELF JUST BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, I UNDERSTAND. YEAH. >> THANK YOU CHIEF. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR THE COUNCIL'S TIME AND THANK YOU UH, FOR EVERYONE WHO'S, UM, ATTENDED TODAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. CHIEF.
UM, IF ANYONE ELSE NEEDS TO, UM, LEAVE, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND. UM THANKS AGAIN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCIL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU EVERYBODY. UM I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET
THROUGH AS MUCH PUBLIC TESTIMONY AS I CAN AND I'M GOING TO PROBABLY GIVE I THINK I MIGHT HAVE 50 PEOPLE. UM I'M GOING TO TRY TO GIVE EVERYONE A MINUTE.
I KNOW THAT DOESN'T SEEM ALL THAT MUCH TIME, BUT I DO WANT TO BE FAIR. UM, JONATHAN ON ON ZOOM CAN. >> WE CAN YOU. PUT THROUGH JONATHAN ELVES
RANDY GREELEY. AND AND SOPHIA AND THEN AND THEN PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T TESTIFIED YET. UM. CAN YOU RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU.
>> IF YOU WANT TO TESTIFY BECAUSE I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE LEFT. OKAY. OKAY. SO PROBABLY ABOUT TEN PEOPLE MAYBE IF THREE PEOPLE WANT TO. >> COME. DOWN HERE AND. >> THREE THREE PEOPLE COME DOWN
HERE. IF THAT'S IF THAT'S OKAY WITH EVERYBODY. UM I'M GOING TO TRY TO GIVE EVERYBODY ONE MINUTE. CAN WE PUT.
UM THERE'S JONATHAN ELLIS. FROM THE SOUTH AND JONATHAN UM YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE JONATHAN OKAY. UH THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN I'LL BE QUICK. JONATHAN ALVES, AN 11 YEAR RESIDENT OF THE SOUTH END, UH,
PRESIDENT OF THE BLACKSTONE, FRANKLIN SQUARE AND EAST BERKELEY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. UH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT. UM, THE CONDITIONS THIS YEAR AROUND SNOW REMOVAL HAVE NOT
BEEN GOOD. UH, THERE WAS SOME IMPROVEMENT AFTER THE LAST SNOW STORM AND THE CITY WORKERS DESERVE SOME CREDIT FOR THAT BECAUSE I DID SEE THEM OUT THERE AT ALL HOURS IN THE NIGHT BUT OVERALL IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. UH. >> MOST OF WHAT I HEARD TODAY
FROM THE CITY IS A FOCUS AND A PRIORITY ON STREET INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CARS AND THAT'S OKAY. WE GOT TO MOVE CARS AND BUSSES BUT WHAT WE'RE LACKING IS ON
PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND CLEARING. UH, I AM A FREQUENT RIDER OF THE NUMBER TEN BUS, THE ORANGE LINE AND THE HASSLE FOR SAL FIVE BUS, THE STOPS AND THE
ACCESSIBILITY AT THOSE BUS STOPS THIS PAST WINTER HAVE BEEN UNACCEPTABLE IF NOT DANGEROUS. I HAVE A TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. I HAVE TO PUSH HER IN A STROLLER AND UNFORTUNATELY I GOT A TORN ACHILLES SO I'M IN A
BOAT. SO THE EXPERIENCE UH FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAS BEEN PERSONAL THIS TIME AROUND. UH, BUT EVEN WHEN I DIDN'T HAVE THE DISABILITY IT STILL WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE WAITING IN THE ROAD
FOR THE BUS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T ACCESS TO STOP FROM THE SIDEWALK CALLING THE STATE BECAUSE YOU'RE UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE MBTA DOES THE BUS STOPS AND THEN BEING TOLD IT'S THE CITY AND THEN THE CITY TELLING YOU IT'S THE STATE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
WELL THANKS. >> SO I'LL JUST WRAP IT UP WITH IF SNOW MELT IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO IT, THAT'S FINE. BUT I THINK IT'S A MANPOWER ISSUE AND I THINK WE GOT TO FOCUS ON PEDESTRIANS MORE SO THAN THE CAR INFRASTRUCTURE
WHICH WE'RE DOING OKAY. YEAH THANK. >> YOU. THANK YOU JONATHAN. IS RANDY ON YES COUNCILOR GO AHEAD RANDY HI. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS RANDY REALLY YOUNG WITH THE UM SOUTH BOSTON LOVE
VETERANS. UM I'M JUST REGIONAL TODAY. UM, AS, UM I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AS THEY DID AN AMAZING JOB DOWN IN TOWN FOR
THEIR EVENT THIS PAST WEEKEND, UM, WHERE I POINTED OUR NATION'S HISTORY THAT WE HAVE THERE AND BEGAN EVENTS UM, COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEK AND A HALF UM, WHICH IS OUR ANNUAL
EVACUATION DAY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY PARADE. AND THEN SECOND IS THE REDEDICATION OF DORCHESTER HEIGHTS. UM, I'M JUST HOPING THAT THE
CITY WILL GRACE WASHINGTON WITH THE SAME SUPPORT THAT IT CLEARED THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS OF CHINATOWN FOR
THEIR EVENT BECAUSE THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE IT'S THE EVACUATION DAY NEVER HAPPENED THAT WE'RE NOT HERE AS A COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. THANK YOU. >> RANDY. UH, I WAS AN CHINATOWN OVER THE
WEEKEND SEVERAL TIMES. BOSTON PUBLIC WORKS DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB. IT WAS GREAT TO BE WITH CONSTITUENTS THERE AS WELL FOR CELEBRATION OF LUNAR NEW YEAR. COULD YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF?
UM. AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS HANLON MAO. I'M DISABLED. PEOPLE USUALLY DON'T BELIEVE ME. I'VE ASKED THAT I HAVE A DISABILITY PLACARD FOR MY BICYCLE.
IT'S MY MOBILITY DEVICE BUT I HAVEN'T GOTTEN WORD FROM THE MTA IF I GET ONE. I HAVE, UH, DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS ON THE GREEN LINE ON THE REGULAR AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE MY BICYCLE RATHER THAN BEING FORCED TO BUY A FOLD UP
BICYCLE. I'M A SURVIVOR OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. I'VE WORKED AS A HOSPITAL CHAPLAIN AND MUSIC EDUCATOR AND THE TRAUMA SENSITIVE YOGA TEACHER IN THE COMMONWEALTH FOR THE PAST 22 YEARS.
I CAN'T PAY RENT IN SOMERVILLE AS I SELL A CONDO IN AMESBURY BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF UM, UNEMPLOYMENT THAT I'M GETTING RIGHT NOW AND THE GYM THAT I WORK FOR IN ROXBURY CAN'T WAIT
FOR ME TO TEACH YOGA AND LATIN DANCE THERE. I HOPE THAT WE CAN UM, UTILIZE SOME ASPECT OF COLLECTIVE EFFERVESCENCE AND MAYBE NEXT
TIME I HAVE ALL OF THE CITIZENS TALK FIRST RATHER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. CAN WE DO A SECOND HEARING WHERE THE CITIZENS START TALKING? WE HAVE IDEAS FOR YOU. THANK YOU. >> I WILL COMMIT TO THAT.
UM I DO WANT TO ENSURE THAT COUNCILOR PEPEN AND COUNCIL WE'RE ALL HAVE VERY GOOD IDEAS THAT REALLY WEREN'T FULLY DEBATED. I DO WANT TO I WILL COMMIT TO ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING WHETHER
IT'S IN 30 DAYS OR 60 DAYS. BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO COUNCILOR PEPEN COUNCILOR WORRELL, UM AND OTHERS THAT HAVE VERY GOOD PROPOSALS WE DIDN'T GET THE
TIME TO DO IT. SO I WILL COMMIT TO THAT AND COMMIT TO MY COLLEAGUES. >> TO DO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> WHY DON'T YOU WE'LL SWITCH SIDES. GO AHEAD. SO OKAY. GREAT. UH, MY NAME IS KATERINA. TORRES RADA SICK. I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AT THE BOSTON CENTER FOR
INDEPENDENT LIVING. I'M ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF THE RIDERS TRANSPORTATION ACCESS GROUP. WE'RE A COMMUNITY BASED ADVISORY GROUP TO THE MBTA FOCUSED ON TRANSPORTATION MATTERS IMPACTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULTS.
OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE BUT URGENT TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULTS HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BE FULLY PARTICIPATING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. I'M HERE TODAY TO HIGHLIGHT THE SERIOUS AND PREVENTABLE
BARRIERS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULTS FACE WHEN THE CITY FAILS TO ADEQUATELY CLEAR SNOW FROM SIDEWALKS, CURB CUTS AND BUS STOPS. WHEN CURB CUTS ARE BLOCKED, SIDEWALKS REMAIN ON SHOVELED AND BUS STOPS ARE INACCESSIBLE
. PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CANNOT SAFELY TRAVEL TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, JOBS, SCHOOL, GROCERY STORES OR COMMUNITY EVENTS. THEY CANNOT EXERCISE THEIR INDEPENDENCE OR PARTICIPATE EQUALLY.
I'VE HEARD FROM FELLOW DISABLED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO FEEL FORCED TO HUNKER DOWN FOR DAYS AFTER A STORM, LONG AFTER OTHERS HAVE RESUMED THEIR DAILY ROUTINES. WHAT MAY BE AN INCONVENIENCE FOR SOME BECOMES TOTAL
ISOLATION FOR OTHERS. THE MBTA IS CURRENTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEARING SNOW AND ICE FROM STOPS ALONG THE SILVER LINE AND 22 FREQUENT BUS ROUTES WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE END OF SNOWFALL THAT STILL
LEAVES THOUSANDS OF BUS STOPS UNCOVERED WITH MORE THAN 7000 STOPS SYSTEM WIDE, THE MBTA DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY OR FUNDING TO EXPAND ITS SNOW REMOVAL CONTRACT TO COVER THE REMAINING LOCATIONS.
AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S NO CLEAR LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEARING SNOW AT THE OTHER BUS STOPS THE RESULTS CONFUSION AND ACTION AND UNSAFE CONDITIONS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HI. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS REGGIE RAMOS. I AM THE EXECUTIVE. DIRECTOR OF. >> TRANSPORTATION FOR MASSACHUSETTS. WE CO CONVENE. SHARED SPACES A. COLLECTIVE OF DISABILITY CYCLING AND PEDESTRIAN
ADVOCATES AND COMMUNITY LEADERS IN BOSTON. WE ALSO CO LEAD TRANSIT IS ESSENTIAL A COALITION OF OVER 50 ORGANIZATIONS IN THE BOSTON AREA THAT WORK FOR TRANSPORTATION JUSTICE. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE EFFORTS
OF THE CITY ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST TWO SNOWSTORMS. OUR MOST RECENT EXPERIENCE BEHOOVE US ALL TO INSTITUTIONALIZE SOME SORT OF SNOW STORM RESPONSE AND PROTOCOL.
FROM WHAT WE HEARD FROM OUR MEMBERS, THE CHAOS AND ANXIETY AROUND THE JANUARY SNOW REMOVAL IS MOSTLY ROOTED IN NOT KNOWING WHEN AND WHERE AND WHETHER PLOWING OR REMOVAL WOULD ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE.
RESIDENTS WOULD BENEFIT FROM A SYSTEMATIC SNOW REMOVAL PLAN THAT OUTLINES A TIERED PRIORITIZATION SYSTEM BASED ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND TRAFFIC VOLUME . THIS MEANS A CLEAR
PRIORITIZATION OF PEOPLE OVER CARS MAKING SURE PEDESTRIAN CURB PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, CURB CUTS SIDEWALKS ARE PRIORITIZE PRIORITIZE OVER HIGHWAYS PRIORITIZING FIRST RESPONDERS
ACCESS SCHOOLS AND BUS STOPS. ON THIS NOTE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SAFETY AND SNOW BACKS THAT ENCUMBER ENCUMBER CURB CUTS, PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS AND BUS STOPS DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR
SAFETY AND THE ABILITY OF RESIDENTS TO ACCESS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. LIKE BILL WHO TESTIFIED EARLIER, WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THE CITY ON ITS LARGER TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS SINCE MAY MARCH OF 2025.
WE ALL DESERVE TO KNOW WHAT THE PLAN IS. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THIS COUNCIL FOR ACTUALLY RAISING THE 30 DAY REVIEW OF THE CITY AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE CITY AFTER ALMOST A YEAR OF WHAT ITS PLANS ARE I HAVE
HERE AND SHARING WITH YOU HERE ALL OUR LETTERS THAT HAVE GONE ON RESPONDED BY THE CITY UM SHARING DETAILS THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM SHARING IT WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL THAT HOPEFULLY WE HAVE A HEARING SCHEDULED ON THE 30
DAY REVIEW AND WHAT THE PLANS ARE. THANK YOU. >> THANK. >> HELLO. >> MY NAME IS MATTHIAS REMILLARD. I'M HERE AS A MEMBER OF THE BOSTON CYCLISTS UNION. I LIVED IN JP FOR THREE YEARS AND I OWN A HOME ON HYDE PARK AVE AND COUNCILOR WORLDS
DISTRICT. I CURRENTLY LIVE IN SOMERVILLE. I KNOW I DON'T LOOK DISABLED, I'M EXCITED I'M HEARING AND I'M ABLE TO STAND AND WALK UNASSISTED MOST OF THE TIME I TRAVEL PRIMARILY BY BIKE THE T AND ON FOOT AND I DO NOT OWN A
CAR. I'M VERY PHYSICALLY ACTIVE AND INDEPENDENT AND THAT IS BECAUSE I RIDE A BIKE. IT IS A MOBILITY AID FOR ME SINCE I CAN'T WALK OR STAND FOR VERY LONG WITHOUT FATIGUE DUE TO DIS AUTONOMIA ON MY BIKE
I'M ABLE TO GET AROUND UNDER MY OWN POWER OFF MY BIKE IT FUNCTIONS AS A WALKER AND CARRIES THE THINGS I NEED TO FUNCTION OUTSIDE MY HOME WITHOUT ADDING WEIGHT TO MY BODY. AFTER THE FIRST STORM THIS WINTER I SAW SIDEWALKS SO
UNSAFE THAT PEOPLE TO WALK IN WHATEVER BIKE LANE WAS CLEARED MEANING WE PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS HAD TO SHARE SO LITTLE SPACE AND THE CAR TRAVEL LANES WERE CLEAR. I HAVE TO RIDE IN THE TRAVEL LANES AND I HAVE NOT INFREQUENTLY BEEN HARASSED BY
IMPATIENT DRIVERS TAILGATING AND HONKING AT ME WHEN I HAVE LITERALLY NOWHERE ELSE NOWHERE SAFER TO RIDE. THE BIKE LANES FREQUENTLY HAVE SIX FOOT WALLS OF PLOWED SNOW BLOCKING THEM AT INTERSECTIONS AND CARS PARKED IN THE BIKE LANES BECAUSE THEY DON'T THEY
DON'T SHOVEL OUT THEIR OWN PARKING SPOTS. BOTH OF THESE CONSTITUTE FAILURES TO CLEAR THE BIKE LANES AND PUT ME AT RISK AS I'M JUST TRYING TO TRAVEL. I WANT THE CITY TO ACTUALLY CLEAR THE BIKE LANES AND ENFORCE THE STATE LAW AGAINST PARKING THE BIKE LANES.
I BESEECH THE CITY TO CONSIDER CLEARING SIDEWALKS AND BIKE LANES AS EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO CAR TRAVEL LANES NOT AN AFTERTHOUGHT. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE CARS OVER PEOPLE. IT IS UNFAIR, DISCRIMINATORY AND ENDANGERS OUR LIVES.
THANK YOU THANK YOU. HI MY NAME IS BRENNAN CARNEY. >> I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. >> OF. LOCK MASSACHUSETTS. HI, COUNSELOR. UH, STATEWIDE PEDESTRIAN ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 1990 AS WALK BOSTON. UH, YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT ALREADY. SO I'M GOING TO STRESS THAT
WHAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING CURB CUTS ARE CLEARED. PROPERTY OWNERS ARE REQUIRED TO CLEAR SIDEWALKS AND CURB CUTS THAT ABOUT THEIR PROPERTY. IT'S SO DIFFICULT WHEN PLOW TRUCKS LEAVE MASSIVE PILES OF SNOW ON THE STREET CORNERS.
UH, WE HEARD IN THE LEAD UP TO THIS PAST BLIZZARD THE CITY WOULD HAVE PLOW OPERATORS AVOID DOING THAT. THAT'S A GREAT STEP FORWARD ON THIS ONE STORM THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE PRIORITY ALL WINTER STORM RESPONSE NOT JUST ONE
STORM. UM LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR BEFORE THE LAST STORM INTERIM CHIEF OF STREETS GOVE REFERENCED CREATING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO DCR SNOW SNOW REMOVAL PRIORITIES GREAT MAHA MENTIONED THAT EARLIER FROM
LIVABLE STREETS AWESOME UH REPEAT OFFENDERS IN CAMBRIDGE THEY REACH OUT PROACTIVELY BEFORE THE WINTER SEASON TO THE WORST OF THE WORST TO LET THEM KNOW THEIR REQUIREMENTS AND THAT THEY EXPECT THE SNOW TO BE CLEARED.
WE SHOULD BE DOING THAT TOO. LASTLY, IN THE WALSH ADMINISTRATION THEY HAD A WEBSITE CALLED SNOW STATS WHERE PEOPLE COULD LOOK AT THE SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS FROM GPS TRACKED PLOWS. WE SHOULD BRING THAT BACK.
UM, I ALREADY TALKED TO SOME PEOPLE WITHIN THE CITY WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE THINGS IN THE PAST AND THEY SAID THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD PROBABLY LOOK AT AGAIN. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. AND THE OTHER THING I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT IF PEOPLE HAVE I KNOW THAT YOUR TESTIMONY WAS CUT SHORT BUT IF YOU HAVE LONGER TESTIMONY AND YOU WANT TO FORWARD THE FULL STATEMENT TO ME, UM, I WILL MAKE SURE IT GETS ADDED TO THE RECORD AND
CITY COUNCILORS WILL BE ABLE TO REVIEW IT AS WELL. I UH MY NAME IS HAYDEN. SEAGER UM, RESIDENT OF BACK BAY AND A MEMBER OF THE BOSTON CYCLISTS UNION.
UM YEAH. THROUGHOUT THE TESTIMONY TODAY ,UH, IT SEEMED LIKE THE THE PEOPLE TESTIFYING WERE SAYING UH, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.
UM I DON'T KNOW TO ME IT SEEMS THAT, UH YOU CAN LOOK TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES TO FIND, UH, IDEAS LIKE ARE WE THE ONLY CITY THAT HAS SNOW IN IT? PROBABLY NOT.
UM, THE YORK SHOVELING PROGRAM WAS WAS MENTIONED QUITE A BIT. I LOVE THIS MINNEAPOLIS UH, DATA DRIVEN PRIORITIZATION PROGRAM. I REALLY THINK THIS SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
UM, BUT ULTIMATELY I SEE IT AS LIKE AN ECONOMIC PROBLEM INCREASE THE FINES LIKE IF PEOPLE ARE DOING THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, SUPPLY AND DEMAND UH, TALKS.
SO UM AND THEN ULTIMATELY I AM A BIKER. I'M A WALKER. I USE THE T UM I SEE IT AS MORE OF LIKE A RESPECT ISSUE. UH, PEOPLE WHO WALK AND BIKE ARE IN THIS CITY.
I SAY THEY'RE RESPECTED MORE BUT IN OTHER CITIES, UM, YOU KNOW YOU'RE POOR IF YOU BIKE OR IF YOU TAKE THE BUS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. UH, AND YEAH, I I'D LIKE TO SEE
MAYBE THE RESPECT CHANGE A BIT TO PRIORITIZE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT CARS. SO YEAH THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. GOOD EVENING. UH.
TIFFANY COLE GAL. SHE HER. BOSTON CYCLISTS UNION INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. UH. >> SO TWO WEEKS AFTER THE END OF JANUARY SNOWSTORM ON FEBRUARY 4TH A B U STUDENT
ACTIVISTS POSTED. PICTURES OF A SNOW FILLED BIKE LANE. ON COMMONWEALTH AVE UH, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE BABCOCK AREA AND THE BCU SLACK CHANNEL
ON THE 5TH OF FEBRUARY WE HAD ALREADY ORGANIZED A CAMPAIGN OR A CALL TO ACTION, IF YOU WILL, FOR PEOPLE TO CALL IN TO 311 CONTACT THEIR CITY COUNCILORS MAYOR'S OFFICE AND IT WAS
REPORTED THAT VERY FEW COMPLAINTS RECEIVED RESPONSES. WE WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCILORS THAT TOOK THE TIME TO RESPOND TO THOSE COMPLAINTS. THANK YOU TO THOSE CITY
COUNCILORS AND THANK YOU TO THE THOSE WHO SHARED THOSE MESSAGES WITH THE INTENT OF FINDING A SOLUTION. FEBRUARY 6TH. >> WE HAD A DAY OF ACTION. OVER 20 ACTIVISTS BROUGHT IN THEIR SHOVELS TO CLEAR
MICROMOBILITY LANES OR THE BIKE LANE ON COMMONWEALTH AT BACKUP . A FACILITY THAT SO MANY STUDENTS AND COMMUTERS RELY ON.
WHEN BIKE LANES ARE NOT CLEARED AFTER A SNOWSTORM, CYCLISTS ARE PUSHED INTO TRAFFIC OR FORCED TO STAY HOME AND THAT IS NOT SAFE OR FAIR OTHERWISE EQUITABLE.
IN THE WINTER MONTHS SNOW PILES ,ICE AND SLUSH BLOCKED THE LANES THAT MANY OF US RELY ON TO GET TO WORK, TO GET TO SCHOOL AND TO GET TO APPOINTMENTS FOR PEOPLE WHO CANNOT AFFORD A CAR OR CHOOSE
BIKING FOR HEALTH AND CLIMATE REASONS, INACCESSIBLE BIKE LANES TAKE AWAY A BASIC TRANSPORTATION OPTION THE CITY MUST. TREAT BIKE LANES AND MICROMOBILITY.
LANES AS. ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE. WE ARE ASKING THE CITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN EQUITY ISSUE JUST LIKE ROADS AND SIDEWALKS.
WE NEED THEM TO BE CLEARED AND QUICKLY QUICKLY FAIRED. THANK YOU. >> SAFE WINTER MAINTENANCE IS ABOUT EQUITY, SAFETY AND MAKING SURE ALL RESIDENTS CAN MOVE THROUGH BOSTON WITH DIGNITY.
THANK YOU THANK YOU. OKAY. >> YEP. >> OKAY. >> UH MY NAME IS ALEX ALEX FROM DORCHESTER AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING MY OWN CONSULTING AGENCY 100 FOR DEMOCRACY. I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY
PICKING UP ON A POINT THAT HANNAH MADE INTO ONE HALF HOURS. WE HEARD FROM FOUR TESTIMONIES AND TWO PANELISTS IN THAT SAME TIME CITY COUNCILORS TALKED MULTIPLE TIMES. MULTIPLE CITY COUNCILORS HAVE NOW GONE ALL THE CITY EMPLOYEES
WHO SHOULD BE HERE LISTENING TO THIS HAVE ALSO GONE. I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO ADJUST OUR SYSTEM A LITTLE BIT. UM, MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY IS THAT LAST WEEK I BROUGHT 200 POUNDS OF BROKEN FLEX POST CONES, SIGNS AND OTHER DEVICES
TO CITY HALL PREVIOUSLY BLOCKING BIKE LANES, SIDEWALKS AND CROSSWALKS. WEEKS BEFORE THAT I CLEANED UP BRISTLES FROM A BROKEN STREET SWEEPER THERE WERE ALL OVER THE PLAZA ON THE BIKE LANE YESTERDAY I WAS CONFRONTED BY SEVEN POLICE AND MUNICIPAL
GUARDS FOR CLEANING UP THE REST OF THE BRISTLES A BEER BOTTLE AND A FEW MORE BROKEN SAFETY DEVICES THAT WERE ON THE PLAZA THAT NO DESIRE TO CONFRONT THE PEOPLE PARKING ON THE BOSTON BIKE LANES RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM. IT IS NEARLY A YEAR SINCE I BEGAN PUBLIC ADVOCACY WORK
DOCUMENTING CITY ISSUES AND DRAFTING SOLUTIONS I SHARE WITH CITY LEADERS. I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THE SOLUTIONS THAT I POSTED. THE STATE OF THE STREETS THIS WINTER IS A PROBLEM MADE WORSE BY THE SEASON. THE SNOWS, THE PLOWS AND STILL
UNCLEARED PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS REITERATE MY POINTS ABOUT CITY NEGLECT, CAR WORSHIP AND FAILING CLIMATE EQUITY GOALS AFTER SEEING HOW MUCH DRIVERS AND PLOWS DAMAGE TRAFFIC INFRASTRUCTURE, I HOPE THE CITY DOES NOT PLAN A 1 TO 1 REPLACEMENT OR WORSE STALL FOR
MONTHS AND BASIC CLEANUP LET ALONE IMPROVEMENTS. AGAIN, THE STUFF THAT I BROUGHT TO CITY HALL HAS BEEN OUT THERE FOR WEEKS OR MONTHS. THANK YOU THANK YOU. >> TODAY I BROUGHT A FLEX POST FROM THE BOYLSTON STREET THAT HAS BEEN ON THE SIDEWALKS IN SPALL SECURITY TUNNEL EDIT IN A
CROSSWALK ON CAMBRIDGE STREET FIVE MINUTES FROM HERE IS CURRENTLY FLOODED ON ONE END AND BLOCK THE MIDDLE IN THE MEDIAN LIKE WE JUST BROUGHT UP. I'VE SHARED MANY POLICY SHEETS WITH THE COUNCIL DETAILING IDEAS TO IMPROVE TRANSIT AND STREETS SPECIFICALLY FOR SNOW.
ADOPT THE SNOW DAY EXCHANGE WHERE STUDENTS CLEAR SNOW AND ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY SO THE SNOW DAYS COUNT FOR THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR. LAST WEEK MULTIPLE PLOWS, BALL CROSSWALKS, OUTER CLEARED CROSSWALKS THE CITY AND BPD RESPONSIBLE FOR GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES NEED TO STOP PILING SNOW AT THESE KEY SPOTS AND MAKE AN EFFORT TO CLEAR THEM IN BETWEEN. LAST MONTH I ALSO SUGGESTED THE CITY COUNCIL ORGANIZE SUPPLIES AND DRINKS WARM STATIONS DURING COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO CLEAR SNOW SPECIFICALLY ON THE BIKE LANES
. THE CLEANUP ALONG MASS OUT IS ATROCIOUS. AS OF 130 TODAY IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. I HAVE FOOTAGE OF IT. THANK YOU THANK YOU. I DO WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL TO OTHERS THAT ARE. HERE YET TO THE PUBLIC.
UM I DO RESPECT YOU AND YOUR OPINION BUT I DO WANT TO GET ON TO OTHER OTHERS THAT WANTED. >> TO SECTOR ACTION PLEASE. EXCUSE ME. >> I RESPECT. >> YOUR ACTION. ON THESE ISSUES. THANK YOU. >> UM. >> MY NAME IS MAX PORTIER. I LIVE IN THE HIGH PARK AREA.
I'M HERE. BECAUSE OF, UH, CITY COUNCIL. PEPEN BECAUSE I REACH. OUT TO HIM. AND HE HE UH SENT ME. HE RESPONDED OKAY. BASICALLY I LIVE IN. >> HYDE PARK FOR SOME 35 YEARS
. UH, IT'S. >> A DEAD END DEAD END STREET ISSUE. DEAD END STREET WITH THE DRIVEWAY. >> NO PLACE TO PUSH THE SNOW. AT THE END. THE CONTRACTORS. SIMPLY PUSH THIS. NO.
WHAT IF FRONT OF MY CAR IN MY IN MY IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. BURY FOR THREE DAYS. AT THE END. >> I HAD TO HIRE A CONTRACTOR TO PUSH THE SNOW OUT SO I CAN HAVE ACCESS TO MY CAR.
UH I HAD TO WOULD SPEAK TO POWER FROM THAT LADY OVER THERE. YOU SHOULD. BE ABLE TO SPEAK. TO POWER WITHOUT. WHEN YOU HAVE POWER TO DO
THINGS YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY ALSO NOT THE POWER TO DO THIS TOO. IT WAS CONVERTED FROM YOUR PRIVATE WAY TO A PUBLIC STREET. SINCE THEN IT'S BEEN A
NIGHTMARE BECAUSE WE END UP HAVING A DRIVEWAY AT THE END OF THE STREET. NO PLACE TO. PUSH THIS. NO UNACCEPTABLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
TONIGHT. >> HELLO. >> OKAY. >> JUST THAT IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU. THANK YOU FOR TESTIFYING. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DANIELA DE PINA. I AM FROM THE BOSTON CENTER INDEPENDENT LIVING.
I'M THE INDEPENDENT DISABILITY PEER ADVOCATE AND I'M ALSO VISUALLY IMPAIRED. I LIVE IN DORCHESTER. I KNOW IT'S BEEN SPOKE THAT SAYS THAT THIS SECOND STORM WAS BETTER AND IT WAS TAKEN CARE
OF. BUT I'M HERE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I LIVE IN DORCHESTER AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT SHOVELED . IT'S FULL OF ICE. I CAN'T GET OUT. I CAN'T GO DO GROCERIES.
I CAN'T UM, BRING MY 11 YEAR OLD SCHOOL. I HAVE TO DEPEND ON PEOPLE TO BRING HER. UM I HAD TO GET ON MY KNEES, ON THE FLOOR, ON MY TO GET TO THE
RIDE BECAUSE I TAKE THE RIDE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION TO GO TO WORK. UM, SO I HAVE TO GET ON MY TO GET ON THE FLOOR TO CLIMB THOSE STAIRS.
AND USUALLY WHEN IT'S SO IT'S SO UNSAFE THE RIDE CANNOT TAKE YOU. BUT THEY'VE BEEN GOOD ENOUGH TO HELP ME OUT ON THAT ICY CONDITION WITH ME AND SO
THEY'RE PUT IN DAY SAFETY. UM, THEY LIVE ON THE ROADS TO HELP ME BUT IT'S NOT SAFE. SO I'M HERE TO ASK YOU AS WE
LOOK TO, UM TO MAKING THINGS BETTER, YOU KNOW, AS COMMISSIONER SAID, YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A WHILE NOW. SO I'M ASKING, YOU KNOW, UM, TO NOT JUST BRUSH THIS UNDER THE
TABLE BUT LET'S WORK. UM, PUT OUR BRAINS TOGETHER TO SEE HOW WE COULD, UM, MAKE THIS BETTER. YES. IT'S MARCH AND THE SPRING IS COMING. WE MIGHT SAY OH, IT'S OVER.
WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT IT ABOUT IT NEXT YEAR. BUT LET'S PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESSIBILITY THIS IS AN EMERGENCY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENED AND
I CAN'T GET OUT WITH ME AND MY 11 YEAR OLD AT HOME? THANKS FOR LETTING ME SHARE THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR IMPORTANT TESTIMONY. OKAY, SO. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS RALPH WALTON.
>> I'M, UH I'M A RESIDENT OF THE. UH. >> BROOKSIDE AVENUE UH, NEIGHBORHOOD. UH UH I HAVE SEVERAL, UH SEVERAL CATEGORIES HERE.
UH, THE FIRST IS UH IS UH THERE NEEDS TO BE A AN INVENTORY OF UH OF CROSSWALKS.
WHICH CROSS UH, MEDIAN STRIPS, CROSSWALKS THAT CROSS ISLAND BETWEEN UH BETWEEN THE EDGES OF THE INTERSECTIONS AND A SLIP
LANE UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE CROSSINGS IN IN IN PUBLIC SPACE ARE MAINTAINED.
AND QUICKLY AND. REMAIN TRAINED AS AS STREET UH CLEARING IS WIDENING AND AND UH AND UH SOMETIMES THEY HAVE TO
BE DONE EVERY THREE HOURS BECAUSE. OF THE WIDENING UM I, I WANT TO SHARE NOTES ABOUT DEFECTIVE
CONTRACTED EQUIPMENT AND UH, OVERUSE OF SALT ARE WHAT NOT OVERUSE BUT WASTEFUL. USE OF SALT. WHICH SOMETIMES IS CONNECTED WITH THE CONTRACTED EQUIPMENT
AND AND MANAGED PROPERTIES THAT DO HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH A CONTRACTOR TO REMOVE SNOW WITHIN THREE HOURS BUT THREE HOURS LATER END OF THE STREET
YOU CAN'T GET INTO THERE THEY'RE CLEARED CROSS INTO THEIR CLEARED UM UH THE SIDEWALK. THAT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. >> UH, THE PARTICULARS ON ON THE DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT I'M
GOING TO HAVE TO RIGHT UP I GUESS. YEAH. >> FOR FOR ANYONE THAT DOES WANT TO SEND THEIR FORMAL TESTIMONY AND YOU CAN EMAIL IT TO ME DIRECTLY. >> AT. ED.FLYNN@BOSTON.GOV ED.FLYNN@BOSTON.GOV.
I WILL MAKE SURE WE GET IT TO CITY COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF BUT ALSO TO THE CITY COUNCIL IS UM ALL THAT PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE SHARED TO UM EVERY CITY
COUNCILOR. IS THAT FORWARD YEAH. HI THANK. >> YOU. FOR IT. GOOD TO SEE YOU, COUNSELOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, MY NAME. >> IS FORD CAVALERI. I CHAIR THE. ALLIANCE OF DOWNTOWN. CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS. AND I I'M.
>> GOING TO TRY TO KEEP MY COMMENTS VERY QUICK. UM, NUMBER ONE, UM, NEW YORK CITY HAD EXCELLENT SNOW REMOVAL WITH IT WITH A SIMILAR AMOUNT
OF SNOW THEY ARE POSSIBLY GOING TO GET A 9.5% PROPERTY TAX HIKE. WE ARE GETTING A CERTAIN 13% PROPERTY TAX HEIGHT AND WE HAD
AND LET'S BE CLEAR EYED WE HAD A HORRIBLE SNOW REMOVAL UM ON ON ON IN THE NORTH END WHERE I LIVE THERE IS A FIRE LANE THAT HAS YET TO BE CLEARED.
IT HAS SIX FEET OF SNOW UH FIRE HYDRANT PRACTICALLY BURIED UM FOR FOR A WEEK THERE WAS ACTUALLY AN EMERGENCY EVENT. FORTUNATELY IT DIDN'T INCLUDE A FIRE AND, UM, TWO FIRE ENGINES,
A BUNCH OF AMBULANCES AND I JUST HESITATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THERE HAD BEEN A FIRE. SO I JUST WANT US TO BE VERY CLEAR EYED THAT WE NEED WE NEED IMPROVEMENTS. WE NEED METRICS.
WE NEED TO DEFINE WHAT SUCCESSES AND WE ARE FAR FROM IT. THANK YOU. >> HI. >> HI MY NAME IS ELISE PATTERSON. I'M THE FOUNDER. EXECUTIVE AND. >> ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF ABILITIES. DANCE BOSTON.
UM WHICH EMPLOYS DISABLED AND DIVERSE ARTISTS AND ADMINISTRATORS ACROSS THE AREA TO DO UH. ADAPTIVE DANCE EDUCATION CLASSES TO DO. PERFORMANCES AND MORE. UM, ART, I'M GOING TO BRING UP
ANOTHER POINT OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THIS UM, BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY A HISTORICALLY UNDEREMPLOYED UNEMPLOYED COMMUNITY AS IS. SO WHEN THERE IS THE ISSUE OF SIDEWALK UH, BLOCKAGE MY TEACHERS CAN'T. GET OUT TO TEACH CLASSES.
ON SITE, MY. DANCERS CAN'T GET TO REHEARSALS AND THE VENUES REFUSE TO GIVE US THE UM FEES BACK BECAUSE THE NON-DISABLED ARTISTS ARE ABLE TO GET THERE. BUT MY STAFF. ISN'T AND BECAUSE OF THIS WE SUFFER AS A COMPANY AND A
COMMUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, I'VE ALSO BEEN AN. ARTIST IN. RESIDENCE WITH THE CITY'S. TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT WHERE. >> I WORKED WITH. THEM TO WRITE UP UM ACCESSIBILITY. UH MANIFESTO. UM TO BETTER IMPROVE THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS OF OUR CITY.
SO I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU LOOK INTO THAT AS WELL BECAUSE. >> THESE SOLUTIONS DO EXIST. BUT THEY MIGHT BE LITERALLY ON A SHELF SOMEWHERE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU PERFECT TIME. ARE YOU. >> UP NEXT? YEP. HI I'M. SCOTT KILCOYNE I'M A VOLUNTEER
WITH THE BOSTON CYCLISTS UNION. A FEW WEEKS AGO I HELPED, UH, SHOVEL OUT THE BIKE LANES ON COME EV UH WHICH. NEEDED THAT BECAUSE, UH, THEY WERE COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN.
ABOUT BY THE. CITY UH, THE CITY NOT JUST FORGOTTEN BUT. COMPLETELY DISDAINED. >> BY. THE CITY. THEY WERE USED AS. PLACES TO DUMP. THE SNOW END, WHICH IS. WHERE WE. ENDED UP WITH. UH, SNOW PILES THAT WERE. >> AS TALL AS.
>> ME THAT WE DUG THROUGH. UH, THEY. ALSO JUST THE CITY HAD. COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN OR IGNORED. >> OR HAD DISDAIN. FOR, UH, SOME BUS STOPS THAT THE STOP ITSELF WAS CLEARED BUT THERE WAS NO ACCESS TO THE STOP. WE HAD TO CLEAR THAT OUT.
THERE WAS, UH, ACCESSIBLE PARKING THAT HAD A THREE FOOT BERM OF SNOW. >> YOU COULD NOT ACTUALLY. USE THE ACCESSIBLE PARKING TO GET ANYWHERE. UH, SO IT'S THIS IS A WHOLE. COMPLETE SYSTEM FAILURE ON THE
CITY. BUT THERE'S PLENTY OF SOLUTIONS . WE HAVE, UH, PLACES ELSEWHERE TO LOOK IN CAMBRIDGE. JUST LAST NIGHT THEY VOTED TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, DEVELOPING A SNOW CORE.
UH, IN ROCHESTER THEY HAVE MUNICIPAL SIDEWALK CLEARANCE THAT COST $30 PER RESIDENT PER YEAR. THEY GET MUCH MORE SNOW THAN WE DO UH, IN SWEDEN THEY HAVE WE
DESIGNED HOW THEY ACTUALLY PLAN SNOW REMOVAL TO UH, START WITH THE RESIDENTIAL STREETS AND THE SIDEWALKS AND HAVE FOUND THAT CUT SIGNIFICANTLY ON HOSPITAL EMISSIONS UH, BECAUSE CARS ARE
STILL ABLE TO DRIVE THROUGH SOME SLUSH BUT YOU CAN. ACTUALLY NOW. WALK AND UH, GET AROUND. >> THE. CITY AND REALLY IT'S ABOUT FOCUSING ON THE RESIDENTS AND HOW THEY NEED TO GET AROUND.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS FOCUSING ON SUBURBANITES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND JUST AS A BRIEF FOLLOW UP, I'M GOING TO HOPEFULLY HAVE A
HEARING ON COUNCILOR PEPEN AND COUNCILOR MORALES UM, SPECIFIC DOCKETS MAYBE IN THE NEXT 30 OR 60 DAYS AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE, UM, INCLUDE YOU AND HAVE A
LONGER PERIOD FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AS WELL. UM. WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE ON ITS OWN, RIGHT? WE WE STILL. HAVE SOME PEOPLE ON ZOOM THAT
ARE TESTIFYING. UM, RON, COULD YOU LET, UH, ONE PERSON IN AT A TIME, PLEASE? JUST JUST. >> BEFORE WE START.
>> YEAH, YEAH. OH, YEAH. >> AFTERWARD. HEY. HEY, RICK, YOU HAVE A MINUTE? GO AHEAD. RICK. RICK. >> YOU'RE UP. YEAH. >> THANK YOU. >> IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE TO.
GET IT THERE. UM. MY NAME IS RICK YODER. I'M, UM, RESIDENT ON OF EASTERN ROSENDALE. ALONG AMERICAN LEGION HIGHWAY. >> I CUT THIS. AND HALF OF I CAN, UM, TOUR OUR
MAJOR COMMERCIAL HONORS OF OUR AMERICAN LEGION HIGHWAY SHOPPING MALL CONSTANTLY IGNORE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FOR SHOVELING SNOW ON THE PUBLIC SIDEWALKS. THE LAST MONTH HEAVY SNOW THEY NEVER SHOVELED ANY OF THE
PUBLIC SIDEWALK ALONG AMERICAN LEGION AND RESULTING OBVIOUSLY IN THE PEDESTRIANS WALKING ALONG THE HIGHWAY MUST WALK IN THE ROADWAY AS THEY, UH, PASS THE MALL OR WALK TO THE UM
MALLS BUS STOP. THE OWNERS ALWAYS CLEAR THEIR 400 CAR PARKING LOT WHEN A FEW HOURS OR THE LAST SNOWFLAKE BUT NOT THE PUBLIC SIDEWALK. THE $200 COMMERCIAL FINE IS
APPARENTLY NOT ENOUGH TO MOTIVATE FOR THESE LARGE CORPORATIONS TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR . IT IS NOT CLEAR TO ME IF THEY EVEN BOTHER TO PAY IT OR RATHER WHILE THE CITY MONITORS OR ENFORCES PAYMENTS.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO DURING A SIMILAR SERIES OF SNOWSTORMS, IT TOOK A NEIGHBOR TEN OR MORE TRIPS TO THE MALL OVER SEVERAL WEEKS TO REPEATEDLY TAKE PICTURES, WRITE UP A DESCRIPTION AND THEN SEND IT TO
311 ALL WHILE STANDING IN THE COLD. THE EFFORT WAS NOT ENOUGH. IN ADDITION, VARIOUS ELECTED OFFICIALS APPOINTED UH AND OTHERS HAD TO BE INVOLVED
BEFORE EVEN A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF THE SIDEWALK CLEARANCE OCCURRED. IN THE OTHER HAND IN MINNEAPOLIS TO TAKE TIME TO. ASSEMBLE A SECOND TRUCK. IF YOU DO NOT CLEAR YOUR SIDEWALK IN MINNEAPOLIS IN A
REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THE COST TO THE CITY FOR DOING IT PLUS A FINE IF UNPAID IT WILL BE ADD TO YOUR TAX BILL. I LIKE THAT PLAN. THANK YOU RICK.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU I KNOW THERE'S STILL SOME MORE PUBLIC TESTIMONY BUT I WANTED TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO GIVE A CLOSING STATEMENT. I'LL STILL. BE HERE FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
BUT UM COUNCIL. >> MEJIA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE A CLOSING STATEMENT? I'LL WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I GET MY $0.02 IN BEFORE EVERYBODY ELSE LEAVES. OKAY. >> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER HERE. RON, CAN YOU PUT THE NEXT PERSON UP PLEASE?
HELLO. HI. >> IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. YOU'RE UP? YEP. >> ALI FOLEY HERE IN BACK BAY. UM, I'M. REPRESENTING AS A NEIGHBORHOOD. ADVOCATE TODAY EVEN THOUGH I'M A CHAIR OF THE BLOCK CAPTAINS
PROGRAM OVER HERE IN BACK BAY. UM, WE DID HAVE, UH, SIGNIFICANT ISSUE WITH, UM, ACCESSIBILITY FOR FIRE AND RESCUE AMBULANCE, UM, ACCESSING
THE TRINITY CONDOMINIUM AREA WHICH IS THE AREA AT DARTMOUTH STREET AND UH, BLAGDEN STREET TO THE TO THE BACKSIDE OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. UM AND IT DID DELAY UH, THE 911
RESPONSE TIME AND THE AMBULANCE HAD TO BACK OUT AND GO AROUND AND RE APPROACH FROM FROM EXETER. SO UM THAT AREA DOES NEED A UM A LOOK AT WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHICH STREET AND CLEANING OVER
THERE. UM IT WAS CLEANED BETTER THIS THIS STORM I WILL LIKE TO SAY THAT YOUR WET UM YOU KNOW SNOW MELTING IDEA IS GREAT.
UH, I LIKE TO SEE THAT USED IN THE PUBLIC ALLEYS WHICH, UM, UH, INHERENTLY HAVE VERY NARROW SIDEWALKS AND SO HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE PARKED IN THE PUBLIC ALLEYS CANNOT CLEAR THE SNOW
PROPERLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO PUT IT. SO I THINK SNOW DEICING IN THAT AREA WHERE MELTING WOULD BE MOST APPROPRIATE. AND LASTLY UM, THREE WORDS
SOMEBODY IN THAT ROOM NEEDS TO ADD TO THE WEBSITE WHERE WE TALK ABOUT SNOW RESPONSIBILITY BY RESIDENT AND HOMEOWNERS. UM YOU NEED TO ADD AN ENTIRE
PROPERTY LINE YOU MENTIONED 42 INCH WIDTH PATH NEEDS TO BE CLEARED. THAT IS A LITTLE AMBIGUOUS WHETHER IT'S 42 WIDE 42 LONG WE HAVE PEOPLE INTERPRETING IT AS
42 LONG. SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS GAPS. SO ENTIRE PROPERTY LINE NEEDS TO BE ADDED TO THE WEBSITE LANGUAGE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANKS FOR YOUR APATHY I. THANK YOU WHEN I MENTIONED.
THE UM. AMBULANCE RELATED CHALLENGE PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGE IN MY OPENING STATEMENT I WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ALI UM TOMORROW OR UM SURE OR UH,
THURSDAY ON THAT ISSUE. NOT SURE. THANK YOU AND THANKS. THANKS FOR THE ADVOCACY. THANK YOU. COULD YOU PUT THE NEXT PERSON
IN FRONT? GOOD AFTERNOON. YOU'RE UP NEXT. OKAY. >> THIS IS LISA BATEMAN. ARE YOU REFERRING TO ME? YES I AM. IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH.
WONDERFUL. WONDERFUL. >> THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE MY, UH MY DISTRICT CITY COUNCILOR WORRELL AND, UM ,COUNCILOR CLAYTON. UM. >> I LIVE ON THE BORDER OF BOTH . SO I'LL BE VERY QUICK.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID THINGS THAT I WAS PREPARED TO SAY. UM, SO TWO THINGS. ONE IS, UM, I. I URGE. YOU, UH, GIVEN SOME RECENT COMMENTS.
I HAVE ONE OF YOUR INTERNS CREATE A SURVEY LINK FOR CONCRETE IDEAS TO IMPROVE THE SNOW CLEARANCE SITUATION. UM, AND SEND IT OUT ASAP. YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY
PEOPLE LIKE ME AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF SPOKANE WHO HAVE COME PREPARED WITH SOME IDEAS AND SO ,UM, THAT'S A WAY TO HARVEST THEM, GET THEM IN WRITING. UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT
TO MENTION WHICH UM, HASN'T BEEN SPOKEN OF MUCH IS UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF RESIDENTS THAT SHOVEL AND A LOT THE DON'T INCLUDING A LOT OF ABSENTEE LANDLORDS.
UM, NEXT DOOR TO ME NEITHER THE LANDLORDS NOR THE TENANTS HAVE SHOVELED ANYTHING. UM, SO I WANT TO HEAR CONCRETE WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE AND ENFORCE . ONE IDEA COULD BE ATTACHING
LEADS TO THE PROPERTIES OF NONCOMPLIANT LANDLORDS. OUTREACH NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE MOBILITY IMPAIRED AND SLOW GOING SENIORS . MANY DO NOT REACH OUT FOR HELP INCLUDING MY HOUSEHOLD
OF SENIORS. UM BUT THE THE OTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS CREATED WHAT I'M CALLING KIND OF A SNOW RAGE LIKE ROAD RAGE. AND MANY MANY RESIDENTS ARE
TAKING OUT THEIR FRUSTRATIONS ON EACH OTHER AS THEY'RE COMPETING TO BE ABLE TO PARK AND DRIVE ON NARROW STREETS WITH PEOPLE OF SNOW. LIKE MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN EASTERN NORTH KNOW WITH ALL THESE DENSE POCKET NEIGHBORHOODS WITH OUR
STREETS. ALTHOUGH THERE'S SOME INSTANCES OF COOPERATION THERE'S MORE FAR MORE INSTANCES OF INDIFFERENCE AND SELFISHNESS. THE YOUNGER ABLE BODIED PEOPLE
ARE NOT OFFERING TO HELP. SO SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW THANK YOU. AND YOU MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING YOU YOU HAVE COUNCIL COUNCILOR PEPEN AND COUNCIL.
WELL YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE UM THE DISTRICT BUT YOU HAVE TWO GREAT CITY COUNCILORS THAT ADVOCATE FOR YOU. UM, RYAN WHO'S NEXT?
THAT WAS THAT WAS THAT WAS LISA. YEAH, THAT WAS LISA. HELLO. >> HI. >> IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU. YOU TOO. UH, MY. >> NAME IS NIKKI. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE ALLSTON
BRIGHTON NEIGHBORHOOD AND I ALSO USE AN ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR TO GET AROUND. UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME OF MY EXPERIENCES FROM RECENT SNOW STORMS. THE MAIN OBSTACLES THAT I FACED
WERE SIDEWALKS THAT WEREN'T CLEARED AT ALL BY PROPERTY OWNERS OR SIDEWALKS THAT WERE CLEARED BUT NOT WITH A WIDE ENOUGH PATH TO ACCOMMODATE MY WHEELCHAIR. AND MOST OFTEN I ENCOUNTERED
SIDEWALKS THAT WOULD END AND AN UNCLEARED CURB CUT USUALLY AS A RESULT OF SNOWPLOWS PILING SNOW FROM THE ROAD ONTO THE CURB CUTS. UM AND THESE SITUATIONS I WOULD
USUALLY OPT TO TRAVEL ON THE ROADS WHICH IS DANGEROUS AND A FEW TIMES I HAVE GOTTEN STUCK ON AN IMPROPERLY CLEARED SIDEWALK AND WOULD HAVE TO RELY
ON PASSERBYS TO PUSH ME OUT. UM A NON-DISABLED PERSON MIGHT BE ABLE TO LIKE STEP OVER THESE PILES BUT MY WHEELCHAIR CAN'T DO THAT. THE OTHER OBSTACLES ARE BEING ABLE TO ACCESS A BUS STOPS.
UM, I FOUND THAT A LOT OF BUS STOPS WERE IMPROPERLY CLEARED OUT SO THAT THE BUS WASN'T ABLE TO GET RIGHT UP NEXT TO THE CURB AND DEPLOY THE RAMP SO I COULD BOARD THE BUS. UM, YEAH.
THESE OBSTACLES PREVENT DISABLED RESIDENTS FROM GETTING TO WORK ACCESS AND GROCERY STORES, DOCTOR'S OFFICES AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND SEEING FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND THE CITY
SHOULD DEFINITELY INVEST IN A MORE ROBUST PROCEDURE FOR SNOW REMOVAL AS WELL AS EQUIPMENT BECAUSE WITHOUT THE DISABLED RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO BE ISOLATED, STRANDED OR
NAVIGATING DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK YOU. JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE CASSANDRA AND BILL IS STILL WITH US. UM, ADULT CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS
HERE IN BOSTON BUT WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR TO CASSANDRA AND BILL FOR BEING HERE FOR LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND, UH, WE WE RESPECT YOU AND WE RESPECT YOUR
ADVOCACY. ANYONE ELSE? >> HELLO? >> YOU'RE UP NEXT. SYBIL. OH, HI. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS SYBIL.
JOHNSON AND I. AM A LONG TERM MEMBER OF HYDE PARK. UM. >> TRYING TO. >> SHORTEN THIS. UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS. >> A. SYSTEMATIC GAP OF SECONDARY CLEARING OF THE SIDE STREETS. I THINK THE CITY CLEANS
OBVIOUSLY PRIMARY. ROADS WELL. >> BUT CROSSWALKS, BUS STOPS, ACCESSIBLE RAMPS ARE TREATED AS AFTERTHOUGHTS. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO IMPLORE THAT THE CITY EMPLOY A SYSTEMATIC CLEANING PLAN FOR
SIDE STREETS WITH ASSIGNED CREWS. AND MEASURABLE TIMELINES. UM AND WITH THAT THE CITY SHOULD ALSO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE JUST AS THE RESIDENTS ARE FOR INSTANCE OF SPACE NEIGHBORS ARE
TO BE REMOVED IN TWO DAYS. THE CITY SHOULD ALSO BE HELD TO A REASONABLE TIMELINE OF TWO DAYS TO REMOVE THIS NOW. UM ESTABLISHING A 48 HOUR STANDARD FOR INTERSECTIONS SNOW REMOVAL AND EXPAND HAULING
OPERATIONS SO SNOW IS PHYSICALLY REMOVED FROM CORNERS ETC.. UM I WANT TO SHOUT OUT MY CITY COUNCILOR ENRIQUE. WE'VE MET AND TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS BUT I LEARNED A
LOT DURING THIS HEARING AND I WILL SUBMIT MY UM, OTHER PROPOSALS IN WRITING TO YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SYBIL. AND YOU COULD SEND IT TO MYSELF AND I'LL MAKE SURE ALL
COUNCILORS RECEIVE IT. AGAIN, IT'S ED.FLYNN@BOSTON.GOV. THANK YOU SYBIL FOR TESTIFYING . I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE ONE OTHER PERSON.
OKAY SO I'M GOING TO GO TO CLOSING STATEMENTS RIGHT NOW AND I WOULD GO I WILL START WITH UM COUNCILOR PEP AND COUNCILOR PEPEN. UM YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THE OPENING STATEMENT. I MEAN FOR THE FOR YOUR PUBLIC TESTIMONIES BECAUSE TRULY THERE ARE SOLUTIONS OUT THERE. UM, THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE THIS AND AND THAT'S WHY
THESE AREAS ARE IMPORTANT FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THAT. UH, TO ALEX'S POINT ALSO. IT IS WE SHOULD BE LISTENING TO FIRST FROM THE RESIDENTS. SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD START PRACTICING A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, TO THE RESIDENTS FROM MY DISTRICT THAT CAME ALL THE WAY FROM. UM TO TO MAX AND TO SB JOHN TO ADD TO SB SB UM FOR TESTIFYING HERE TODAY. YOU GUYS ARE THE VOICES THAT
MATTER BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING THROUGH REAL ISSUES. UH, WHICH IS WHY IN MY OFFICE YOU REALLY MADE IT A PRIORITY TO RESPOND TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT CALLS OR EMAILS. UM, SNOW. STORMS IMPACT EVERYONE.
I'VE SEEN THE CASES HOW IT IMPACTS THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY. I'VE SEEN THE CASES HOW IT IMPACTS A MOM WITH A STROLLER. UM EVERY SINGLE DAY I'M OUT THERE MAKING SURE THAT I'M TAKING PICTURES FOR 311 OF A BLOCKS UM CROSSWALK WHERE IF
IT'S THE SOMEONE WITH ICE THAT NEEDS TO BE SALTED. SO I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT TO LOOK AT WHAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE DOING SO THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT THAT HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND I KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUES
ALSO ARE UM THEY'RE GOING TO PRIORITIZE THAT. AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE'VE HEARD HERE TODAY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO NOT ONLY FOR SNOW REMOVAL, BUT
I KNOW THAT THERE'S A PARTNER SHIP HERE AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN JUST TRANSPORTATION ACCESSIBILITY IN GENERAL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION AND UM YEAH THAT'S IT. LET'S TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEPEN. LET ME GO TO UM LET ME GO TO COUNCILOR WORRELL. UH THANK YOU CHAIR AND AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO LENT THEIR VOICE TO THIS CONVERSATION.
UH, WHETHER IT WAS HERE TODAY OR THROUGH EMAIL. UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. AND I DO AGREE WITH COUNCILOR PEPEN IS THAT I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT FOR EVERY, UH
,QUESTION THE COMMUNITY HAS THE ANSWER. SO WE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE'RE COMING UP WITH ANY SOLUTION, UH, THAT WE PRIORITIZE AND PRIORITIZE THE
VOICES OF THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING, UM, WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE CITY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S VOICE . UM, AND AS THE LEAD SPONSOR FOR
SNOW CORP'S UM AND THAT INITIATIVE UM, JUST SHOUT OUT TO OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE IT IMPLEMENTED AND START IT UP. UM, I WANT TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT BOSTON HAS
ITS OWN SNOW QUOTES MOTTO THAT IS MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR BUSINESS DISTRICTS ARE, YOU KNOW, CLEARED ALL OF OUR HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS WHETHER IT'S SCHOOL LIBRARIES, UH MBTA
STATIONS, UH BUS STATIONS, UH ALL THOSE SITES ARE CLEAR BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT MAKING THE CITY ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE, UM ,IS IMPORTANT AFTER A SNOWSTORM. SO THANK YOU AGAIN.
UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING ON THIS CONVERSATION. I WOULD ASK THE CHAIR IF WE CAN CREATE OR HAVE A WORKING SESSION ON THE SNOW CORPSE INITIATIVE. UH, TO BRING BACK IN.
UH, INTERIM CHIEF GOVE UH TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION UH, OUTLINING NEXT STEPS. UH, TO SEE IF WE CAN START TO HIRE EMERGENCY WORKERS, UH, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS.
UM, EXPANDING YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT WORK THAT THEY HAVE. UH, SO WE CAN UH AGAIN MAKE SURE THAT AFTER A SNOW STORM THE CITY IS ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL RESIDENTS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. COUNCIL ROWE AND YES, YOU HAVE
MY COMMITMENT. UM, WE CAN DO A WORKING SESSION AS SOON AS WE CAN. UM, WITH WITH THE APPROPRIATE STAFF FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON
TO DISCUSS THAT AND UM AND AND ALSO INCLUDE COUNCIL OF UM COUNCIL PÉPIN AS WELL BUT LET'S CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AND WHEN WE DO HAVE THAT SCHEDULED
WE'LL MAKE SURE WE, UM, NOTIFY EVERYBODY SO THAT THEY CAN COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES. COUNCILOR MEJIA, UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE A CLOSING STATEMENT? ABSOLUTELY. >> THANK YOU. CHAIR AND I WANT TO THANK THE
LEAD SPONSORS FOR, UM, HOSTING THIS HEARING AND BRINGING SO MANY PEOPLE, UH, TO THE CHAMBER . UM, AND I'LL JUST WANT TO KNOW A FEW THINGS FOR THE RECORD FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE TUNING IN
IS THAT THIS HEARING WAS SLATED FROM 2 TO 5, WHICH MEANS THAT FROM 2 TO 5 THE GOAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS HERE FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE TIME AND NOT
LEAVE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THEN YOU CAN LEAVE SOMEONE ELSE IN YOUR PLACE. I FIND IT UNACCEPTABLE THAT WE HAD TO RUSH THROUGH AND NOT ALLOW PUBLIC TESTIMONY BECAUSE PEOPLE WANTED TO IDENTIFY THE
FACT THAT THEY WERE COMING IN AND OUT OF THE CHAMBER. I DON'T CARE. I DON'T I'M SORRY. I'M NOT HERE FOR THAT. AND SO I FIND IT HIGHLY
UNACCEPTABLE, RIGHT, THAT I STOOD HERE FROM 2 TO 5 AND AND LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE AND FOLKS STEPPED IN AND OUT OF THIS CHAMBER AS THOUGH THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE DO NOT MATTER. SO IF YOU ONLY CAME HERE TO
LISTEN TO THE ADMINISTRATION THEN SHAME ON YOU. SO I SAID WHAT I SAID AND I ALWAYS DO. LASTLY I WILL END WITH THIS THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY RIGHT?
YOU PAY FOR OUR SALARIES. YOUR TAX DOLLARS PAYS FOR THE STREETS THEY GET CLEANED ENOUGH. YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT BEING DONE.
AND AS COUNCIL MORALES SAID YOU ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE THE BEST SOLUTIONS BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ONE THAT IS EITHER DOING THE WORK OR LIVING THE REALITIES. AND OUR JOB IS TO WORK IN
COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY NOT IN COMPETITION WITH. AND SO YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT WHETHER I'M A SPONSOR OR NOT. MY GOAL IS TO WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE AT THE END
OF THE DAY THE BOTTOM LINE IS IS THAT I DO HAVE THE BIGGEST MOUTH ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO USE IT. THANK AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEJIA.
I'LL GIVE MYSELF UM I'LL GIVE MYSELF ONE MINUTE INSTEAD OF THE TWO MINUTES. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE
ADMINISTRATION TO THE, UM THE PANEL THAT'S HERE ON THE COMMUNITY PANEL AND ALSO THE TESTIMONY FROM RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY.
THIS ISSUE RESONATED CLEARLY AND IT'S ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE THE BASIC DELIVERY OF CITY SERVICES, HOW WE CAN SHOW OUR RESPECT FOR
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND OUR SENIORS AND ALSO HOW WE CAN ENSURE THAT, UM, TRANSPORTATION IS NOT AIR IMPACTED BY A SNOWSTORM. IT'S ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER.
IT'S ABOUT RESPECTING EACH OTHER. IT'S ABOUT LISTENING. AND THAT'S WHAT I CAME HERE TODAY IS TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC. AND AS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED, THE BEST
RECOMMENDATIONS DON'T COME FROM CITY HALL. THEY COME FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ESPECIALLY TO, UM, CASSANDRA.
UM, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THANK YOU CASSANDRA. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO BILL. AND WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, UH, CITY
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF RON, WHO DID AN EXCELLENT JOB WORKING WITH US, UM, DURING THIS DURING THIS HEARING. THANK YOU. RON.
THESE THIS DOCKET. WHICH IS DOCKET 027002910292 HEARING FOR OR HEARING ADDING SNOW REMOVAL RELIEF, THE
CREATION OF A SNOW CORE AND THE PRODUCTION PURCHASING OF SNOW MELT IS IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.