##VIDEO ID:LyBDbZn2tEk##  WONDERFUL .  LET'S DO THIS RIGHT.  FOR THE RECORD. MY NAME IS ENRIQUE PEPEN. I'M THE DISTRICT FIVE BOSTON CITY COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON CITY SERVICES AND INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY. STAY AS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27TH, 2024.  IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACT OF 2023 MODIFYING CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OF THE OPEN MEETING LAW AND RELIEVING PUBLIC BODIES OF CERTAIN REQUIREMENT INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENT THAT PUBLIC BODIES MEETINGS IN A PUBLIC PLACE THAT IS OPEN AND PHYSICALLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE CONDUCTING THIS HEARING VIRTUALLY BECAUSE THERE THIS HEARING HAS BEEN RECORDED AND IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON GLOBE CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON OXFORD TV CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL 964 RUNNING COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT THAT SEAT AS IT BOSTON DOT GOV IT WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. BOTH TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND HAVE NOT DONE SO PLEASE EMAIL OR SEND YOUR STAFF LIAISON SHAYNE PACK AT CHAIN AS A ANY DOT PACK PRC AT BOSTON DOT GOV FOR THE ZOOM LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST.  TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 1559. ORDER FOR A HEARING ON WINTER WEATHER PREPARATION AND SAFETY . THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY MYSELF AND COUNCILOR BRIAN MORRELL AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON OCTOBER 23RD,  2024. TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL OUR CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT RUDY LOUIJEUNE AND CITY COUNCILOR ROMERO.  THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US. I WANTED JUST TO START BY SAYING THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS FOR FOR BEING HERE THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING. THIS THIS HEARING IS REALLY TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW YOU ALL ARE PREPARING FOR THE COLDER MONTHS THAT I'VE HAD AND OBVIOUSLY OUR WINTERS ARE CHANGING HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE SEE LESS KNOWN RELATIVELY COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS AND WE'RE GETTING JUST A LOT MORE RAIN AND MORE SLEET. AND I WANTED TO JUST GET A SENSE OF HOW YOU ALL ARE GETTING READY TO TACKLE THAT ON MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR CITY STREETS ARE TAKEN CARE OF AND PROVIDE MY COLLEAGUES AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS FOR THEIR PROSPECTIVE NEIGHBORHOODS OR JUST ANY PROCESSES THAT THEY ARE CURIOUS ABOUT.  WITH THAT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE MY CO-SPONSOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR QUICK OPENING STATEMENTS AND THEN WE'LL GO WITH COUNCIL PRESIDENT RICHARD LOUIJEUNE.  COUNCILOR WORRELL THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS AND ALL THE TEAMS BEHIND THE PANELISTS. PUBLIC WORKS ALWAYS SUPER RESPONSIVE. YOU CALL CLARENCE DANNY GILBERT AT ANY TIME AND THE TEAM AND THEY'RE ALWAYS ANSWERING THE CALL FOR CONSTITUENTS I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK. I KNOW I USED TO WORK IN FACILITIES SO I KNOW HOW THOSE WINTER MONTHS ARE. THERE'S A LOT OF PREPARATION. IT'S A LOT CHECKING ON THE EQUIPMENT AND IS DONE SO BEFORE THE STORM ACTUALLY HAPPENS ALWAYS DONE BEFORE MONTHS ARE THERE MUCH BEFORE DISPERSED SNOWFALL FALLS AND THEN YOU'RE RIGHT BACK AT IT BECAUSE YOU'RE FIXING ALL THE EQUIPMENT.  RIGHT AFTER THE SNOW THE SNOW ADDS TO WINTER MONTHS AND SO TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING ON THIS CONVERSATION.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MORRELL,  COUNCIL PRESIDENT.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVE.  WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR MAKING TIME BEFORE YOU KNOW YOUR BASE, YOUR TURKEYS, YOUR FRY, YOUR TURKEYS TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF US. I WANT TO THANK CENTRAL STAFF AND BEG YOU TO THE SPONSORS FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING. OBVIOUSLY IN A CITY LIKE BOSTON PREPARING FOR OR FOR WINTER IS VERY IMPORTANT AND I HEAR FROM THE FARMER'S ALMANAC THAT WE ARE EXPECTING MAYBE A GOOD AMOUNT OF SNOW THIS WINTER. SO YOU NEVER KNOW. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS REALLY ALL RIGHT. YOU DO ALL THE REALLY GREAT WORK AND DON'T GET ENOUGH RAIN FOR US. I WANT TO THANK YOU DANNY GILBERT CLARENCE FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO FOR THE CITY, FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. THE QUESTIONS THAT WE OFTEN GET THAT I OFTEN GET AS AN ISLAND CITY COUNCILOR YOU KNOW THAT ASIDE WALKS MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE CLEARED. WE GET A LOT OF INQUIRIES ABOUT PRIVATE WAYS DURING DURING DURING SNOW STORM THE CLEARING PRIVATE WAYS AND SO JUST YOU KNOW WANT TO WANT TO HEAR A BIT ABOUT THAT SORT OF PREPARATION AND HOW WE'RE FEELING ABOUT THIS WINTER. I THINK.  DANNY YEAH, I BEFORE I WAS EVEN ABLE TO LOOK AT THE WEATHER GOOD TO KNOW THAT THAT THE NORTHEAST THAT THEY'RE PREDICTING IS NOT GOING TO BE BE COMING HERE TO THE CITY OF BOSTON WE DON'T THINK SO I APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO AND I LOOK FORWARD TO TO HEARING FROM EVERYONE. MR CHAIR, I'M ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF DELIVERING TURKEYS TO RESIDENTS SO I'M GOING TO BE ON AND OFF BUT THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.  THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU FOR DELIVERING TURKEYS.  I WOULD LIKE NOW TO INTRODUCE THESE PANELISTS AND IT'S A FIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION. WE HAVE DANIEL GILBERT, COSTA KOSTIN, PAUL JONES AND CLARENCE PERKINS.  DANNY, TAKE IT AWAY.  THANK YOU FROM COUNCILOR KEVIN AND PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL WE'RE PLEASED TO HERE REPRESENTING TO YOU 147 MEMBERS OF THE STREET CABINET HIGHWAY TEAM.  YOU KNOW THOSE ARE THE FRONTLINE FOLKS THAT RESPOND FIRST NO BUT ALSO TO REPRESENT OTHER MEMBERS OF PUBLIC WORKS OUR STREET LIGHTING DIVISION, CENTRAL MAINTENANCE FACILITIES BUILDING YOU KNOW, CODE ENFORCEMENT. WE'VE GOT WE GET HELP FROM ESD IT'D GREAT SO A LOT OF FOLKS RAISE THEIR HAND AND ARE WILLING TO COME IN ON THE DROP OF A DIME YOU KNOW IT'S BEEN AND SUPPORT US SO YOU'RE REPRESENTING ALL OF THEM AGAIN TO KEEP MY COMMENTS BRIEF READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION YOU GUYS MAY HAVE CALLS ARE AS YOU KNOW FROM OUR MEETING BEFORE THERE'S NOTHING MORE I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THEM SNOW AND THOSE THAT YOU KNOW FIGHT ALONGSIDE WITH ME SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ALL YOURS.  THANK YOU FOR THAT, DANNY.  I GUESS WE CAN CALL CLARENCE OR GO OVER ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT BEFORE WE GO TO QUESTIONS?  NO, I'M GOOD. PERFECT.  PERFECT, PERFECT. OKAY. SAME HERE. I WILL ALLOW MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO GO FIRST WITH QUESTIONS AND THEN I'LL GO . COUNCILWOMAN, I WAS THE CO-SPONSOR. WE'D LIKE TO KICK US OFF WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. YEAH, I KNOW. LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION I WAS ADVOCATING FOR SOMETHING I SAW BACK WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL WHICH WAS LIKE YEARS AGO IN A SMALL TOWN IN LINCOLN IN SUDBURY, MASS. WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE AND I DON'T KNOW WHO WHO WAS WHO GAVE IT BUT I FEEL LIKE THE TOWN GAVE IT BUT THEY WILL HAVE THESE DRUMS OF SORT OF SAND RIGHT INSIDE THE BUILDING IN THE TOWN HALL SO THAT YOU KNOW ,THE BUSINESSES WERE ABLE TO SPRINKLE THE SAND ON ON THE SIDEWALK IF PUBLIC WORKS OR SOMEONE WASN'T ABLE TO GET OUT THERE AND SHOVEL AND SHOVEL THE SIDEWALK. SO I WAS WONDERING IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE DEPARTMENT COULD LOOK INTO OR WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AROUND, YOU KNOW, PILING INTO A PROGRAM LIKE THAT IN SOME OF THESE AREAS?  YES, YOU SEE THEM A LOT OF TIMES KIND OF BUSY STOPS, DEFINITELY NOT STATIONS.  I'VE BEEN HERE 22 YEARS. I DON'T THINK PUBLIC WORKS HAS NEVER DONE THAT.  YOU KNOW, PROVIDING EITHER SALT OR SAND KIND OF YOU KNOW, MOSTLY BUSINESS DISTRICTS. I WOULD I WOULD THINK I HAVEN'T I HAVEN'T SEEN IT. I THINK YOU KNOW THROUGH VIA 311 WE'RE ABLE TO RESPOND PRETTY QUICKLY YOU KNOW IT'S IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA I WOULD JUST WORRY ABOUT THE SCOPE AND YOU KNOW WHO GETS IT WHO DOESN'T GET IT AND HOW IS IT USED AND I YOU KNOW IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN WE CAN LOOK INTO BUT WE DON'T DO IT NOW. BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE STAFFED 24, SEVEN, 30, 65 IF THERE IS A NICE AND COMPLIANT ON A SIDEWALK YOU KNOW A311 WE DO RESPOND PRETTY RAPIDLY BUT IT'S A IT'S A IT'S A INTERESTING YOU KNOW AND I HAVE SEEN OTHER TIMES DO IT I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THE SCOPE FOR BOSTON WOULD BE WHAT THE SCOPE WOULD BE. I THINK WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO GET SOME PARTNERS ON BOARD TO STORE THE SALT, YOU KNOW, BUT OPEN TO IT, OPEN TO HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. YEAH. YEAH. AND I'D LOVE TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION AND I WAS THINKING LIKE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MAIN STREETS MAYBE THEY END UP HOW ABOUT IN SOME OF THOSE MAIN TREES THEY DO HAVE OFFICE SPACE SO HAPPY TO EXPLORE THAT FOR FOR NEXT WINTER CYCLE. WELL ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I MENTIONED WERE BROUGHT UP LAST YEAR THAT I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I GOT THE ANSWER TO THIS WAS IS THERE A DIFFERENT RATE FOR SNOW?  SO IF YOU IF YOU'RE WORKING IN PUBLIC WORKS AND IT STARTS TO SNOW AND NOW YOU'RE OUT THERE SHOVELING SNOW, DO YOU GET A DIFFERENT SNOW RAKE?  SO YEAH.  SO NO BUT IF IT'S YOU KNOW PAST YOUR NORMAL WORKING HOURS IT'S IT IS A TIME AND A HALF. WE DID DO A PILOT LAST YEAR TO SEE IF WE COULD GET BETTER PARTICIPATION INTERNALLY AND WE OFFERED ANY ANY I'M WORKING SNOW ANY SNOW EVENT WAS PAID IS DOUBLE TIME WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF JUSTIFYING THAT PRESENTING IT TO BUDGET AT THE MOMENT AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE FINAL SAY ON THAT. WHETHER THAT CONTINUES I'M HOPING IT DOES I FELT OUR PARTICIPATION WAS WAS A LITTLE BIT BETTER ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET THOSE LONG DAYS YOU'RE WORKING 16, 17, 18 HOURS. YOU GO HOME FOR A QUICK FOUR OR FIVE HOUR BREAK AND TO GET THOSE GUYS YOU KNOW I'VE GOT THOSE GUYS AND GALS BACK IN QUICKLY. I THINK THAT HELPED THEIR IT WAS IT WAS YOU KNOW, IT WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE TOTAL BUDGET ONE THAT I FELT WAS WORTH IT AND I THINK WITH THE RANK AND FILE EVERYONE I THINK FELT A LITTLE BIT MORE APPRECIATED ESPECIALLY YOU KNOW, TAKING TIME AWAY FROM THE FAMILY TO COME BACK AND WORK THOSE DIFFICULT HOURS YOU CALLED YOU BET YOU'RE HUNGRY, RIGHT? YOU'RE YOU'RE CRANKY.  YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON GUIDANCE FROM BUDGET THAT BUT IN MY MY HOPE IS TO CONTINUE THAT YEAH AND I WOULD DEFINITELY ADVOCATE TO THE BUDGET OFFICE FOR THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I SAW AT THE FACILITIES COMPANY THAT YOU KNOW INCREASED PARTICIPATION PARTICIPATE IN BUT ALSO I FEEL LIKE YOU CAN'T OVERPLAY IT.  I FEEL LIKE THE MORE BODIES YOU HAVE WHEN YOU WHEN YOU PREDICT SNOW COME IN I THINK IT'S ALWAYS BETTER TO OVER PLAN AND TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAD THE BODIES THERE JUST IN CASE YOU ARE HIT WITH THAT WITH THAT NOR'EASTER, HAS THE CITY EXPANDED ITS RANGE OR PARAMETERS FOR SIDEWALK CLEARANCES IN ANY LOCATION OR ADDED TO THAT LIST? SO I THINK THIS IS NOW STARTING YEAR FOR I THINK THERE'S A GO WE STARTED A PILOT WITH KENZIE BY COUNCILOR BLOCK SORRY WHERE WE WOULD TAKE YOU KNOW SKID STAIRS THROUGH KIND OF THE MAIN BUSINESS DISTRICTS, THE BUSY CORRIDORS, THE YOU KNOW THE THE THE BUSIER SECTIONS OF EACH DISTRICT OF EACH NEIGHBORHOOD AND KIND OF THROUGH THE HANDICAPPED RAMPS READY WINRAR SO WHEN WE'RE PLOWING WE ARE CREATING LIKE YOU KNOW, SNOW BAGS, RIGHT? SO WITH SMALLER EQUIPMENT IT WOULD BE ABLE TO CLEAR, YOU KNOW, RAMPS AND YOU KNOW, ISSUES THAT WE'VE CAUSED ON THE SIDEWALKS. THERE ARE AT THE SAME TIME THOSE THOSE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT ARE ALSO CLEARING EXISTING BIKE LANES AND YOU KNOW, SCOTT EATS SCHOOL BUS, YOU KNOW, LARGER PICKUP LOCATIONS.  WE HAVEN'T REALLY HAD A CALL TO EXPAND IT JUST YET. YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE HESITANT TO SAY WE COULD EXPAND IT MUCH BIGGER THAN IT IS NOW PURELY BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE LAST TWO YEARS WE REALLY HAVEN'T BEEN TESTED SO YOU KNOW, I'M OPEN TO THE DISCUSSION CERTAINLY I MEAN THAT WOULD JUST MEAN BRING MORE EQUIPMENT IN AND MORE FOLKS AGAIN,  THERE'S A THERE'S A BUDGET HIT THERE. BUT YOU KNOW, IF IF WE CAN DO IT CERTAINLY OPEN TO HAVING A CONVERSATION I WOULD JUST WANT TO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING WE CAN DO WE CAN DO WHEN WE GET A 12 INCH OR 15 INCH OR YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID A LARGER SNOWSTORM I DON'T WANT TO OVERCOMMIT. I DON'T WANT TO OVERPROMISE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DO WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT WE SAID WE COULD DO SO AND IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE HAD A UH A BIG SNOWSTORM SO I APPRECIATE THAT IS A AND I THINK YOU KNOW YEAH ABSOLUTELY RIGHT AND WE'LL I THINK WE SHOULD REVISIT IT AFTER YOU KNOW WE GET HIT WITH ONE OF THOSE BIG NOR'EASTERS. YEAH. NO NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.  THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR WORK AND I WOULD DEFINITELY BE ADVOCATING FOR THAT'S NO PAY RATE FOR FOR FOR THE WHOLE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.  I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. I THINK IT'S VERY DESERVING.  YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE YOU'RE WORKING LONG HOURS AND SOMETIMES YOU HAD TO FIX THOSE. YOU HAD TO FIX THAT THOSE MACHINES WAS METAL MACHINES IN THE COLD IN WHEN YOU TAKE THE GLOVE OUT AND YET HAVE ARE MEN BRINGING ME BACK BUT I DID LOVE THE SNOW BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT ENDED ANYTIME YOU WHEN YOU WAS OUT THERE BUT IT IS TAXING ON THE BODY YOU PAY FOR IT THE NEXT DAY SO THANK YOU GUYS.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING A COUNSELOR FOR THOSE QUESTIONS. I SEE THAT THING WE LOST CITY COUNCILOR PRESIDENT RUDY LOUIJEUNE SO I'LL GO NEXT ADDRESS IT OFF ALSO I THINK YOU ALL BUTTERWORTH IT'S SUCH AN AMAZING JOB IN MY DISTRICT I BUILT A REALLY STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HYDE PARK YARD IN THE WEST ROXBURY YARD THAT COVERS ROSLINDALE.  YOU GUYS DO SUCH INCREDIBLE JOB . I AM DANNY WHEN WE SPOKE, YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT UP THE BROUGHT UP TO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW ARSENAL RECENTLY HAS BECOME MORE OF A RAIN AND ICY CONDITIONS.  I KIND OF WANTED TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT PREPARATION WHAT HOW DOES THAT CHANGE YOUR PREPARATIONS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON TO KIND OF LIKE MEASURE HOW MUCH SALT YOU PUTTING IN THE ROAD? HOW DO YOU ALL APPROACH THESE KIND OF WINTER STORMS WHEN THEY'RE NOT A TRADITIONAL SNOW STORM? YEAH, SO CERTAINLY THE PAST TWO YEARS IS A TREND, RIGHT? I THINK I WOULD WANT TO SEE A A FEW MORE OF THOSE YEARS BEFORE WE START REALLY CHANGING HOW WE PREPARE. I MEAN WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.  YOU KNOW, 2015 I LIVED THROUGH IT BARELY YOU KNOW, 100 PLUS INCHES A STORM OVER THREE OR FOUR SNOWSTORMS THAT WERE BACK TO BACK TO BACK.  YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR STUFF LIKE THAT TWO YEARS AFTER THAT WE'VE GOT THE MOST SNOW IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD IN BOSTON HISTORY SO WE'RE NOT COMPLETELY OUT OF THE WOODS.  THIS CERTAINLY IS A CHANGE. I KNOW SOME OF THE METEOROLOGISTS I FOLLOW SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, CLIMATE CHANGE WILL RESULT IN MORE MOISTURE BEING THROWN AWAY WHICH I THINK WE SAW THAT A LITTLE BIT LAST YEAR. BUT AGAIN, WE'RE STILL HOVERING AROUND THAT 32 DEGREES WHICH IS YOU KNOW, ONCE WE STARTED BELOW 35, YOU KNOW, THE HAIR ON THE BACK OF MY NECK STARTS TO STAND UP. SO WE'RE STILL PREPARING FOR WORST CASE SCENARIO. WE ARE A FEW YEARS AGO ROLL WE WE GOT KIND OF WIDER AS FAR AS COVERAGE WHERE WE KIND OF SPLIT INTO ALL THE DISTRICT YARDS HISTORICALLY WOULD WORK YOU KNOW A REGULAR SEVEN YOU KNOW ANY ISSUES THAT WOULD BE ON OVERTIME WE'VE NOW KIND OF SPLIT THE YARD SPLIT THE YARDS AMONG THE TWO SHIFTS. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE PRETTY GOOD COVERAGE FROM 5 A.M. TO 11 P.M. SO AND THAT'S IN RESPONSE TO KIND OF THOSE FOGS THAT YOU KNOW, MOST OF MISSED IN THE IN THE QUICK RAINSTORMS THAT CAN THAT ONCE THEY GET A COLD GROUND TURN INTO FREEZING RAIN AND THAT'S REALLY THE DANGER THAT'S THE MOST DANGEROUS THERE IS I WOULD TAKE A 12 INCH NAMED SNOWSTORM RIGHT WITH EVERYBODY ON TV TALKING ABOUT IT IN THE FRENCH TOAST ALERT. I WOULD TAKE THAT 100 TIMES OVER ONE FLASH FREEZE OR A FREEZING RAINSTORM.  THOSE ARE THOSE ARE DANGEROUS. SO WE DID WE HAVE GONE WIDER THAT WAY. BUT YOU KNOW, OUR NORMAL PREPARATIONS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR THE BIG ONE AND WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS WATCHING WEATHER AND LOOKING AT WEATHER AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DO HAVE PREPARED WEATHER PROVIDERS IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THEM. THEY'RE HYPER LOCAL THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO GET GRANULAR AND TALK ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING TO YOU KNOW, EACH ON WHAT'S DIFFERENT ON A FIRM ON HILL IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S GOING ON ON EAGLE HILL IN EAST BOSTON IT CAN BE YOU KNOW 4 TO 5 INCHES DIFFERENCE AND A FIVE DEGREE TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE. SO OUR PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO KIND OF REALLY GRANULAR HYPER LOCAL FORECASTING, YOU KNOW, WHICH HELPS BUT YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION FULLY BUT YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE TO BE READY FOR THE BIG ONE AND JUST THESE ICE STORMS ARE ALWAYS ALWAYS POSE A PROBLEM AND I THINK THAT PERFECTLY ANSWERS THAT QUESTION WHERE SPECIFICALLY HOW YOU MENTIONED THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY THE CONDITIONS COULD BE VERY DIFFERENT.  UM OBVIOUSLY AT THE LEVEL AT WHICH THE NEIGHBORHOOD SITS ON AND IF IT'S CLOSE TO WATER OR NOT I, I WOULD THINK ABOUT THAT AND YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING LIKE FAIRMONT HILL SPECIFICALLY. UM WE'RE JUST IN ANY PARTS OF OUR DISTRICT. IS THERE ANY TYPE OF IS THERE ANY ADVICE THAT YOU COULD GIVE RESIDENTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO WINTER PREPARATION? IS ANYTHING THAT YOU THAT YOU LIKE TO THE RESIDENTS TO JUST HAVE IN MIND?  YEAH, I MEAN CHECKING THE TREAD ON YOUR TIRES IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT. MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PROCEED YOU KNOW IF NEEDED I WOULD SAY YOU KNOW JUST LET THE PLOWS DO THEIR WORK, LET THE SALT WORK. YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T NEED TO GO OUT, PLEASE DON'T GO OUT WHEREVER YOU CAN USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. WE WORK YOU KNOW, KIND OF OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION RUNS SMOOTHLY AND CAN RUN AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. WE HAVE A LOT OF THIRD SHIFT AND SECOND SHIFT WORKERS THAT THEY DON'T GET THE DAY OFF WHEN IT SNOWS. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO GO INTO HOSPITALS. THEY HAVE TO GO INTO YOU KNOW, MY FATHER WORKED 42 YEARS FOR THE POST OFFICE AND NEVER MISS TODAY AND WAS ALWAYS WAS ALWAYS GRATEFUL THAT HE COULD GET ON A WARM BUS TO TAKE THEM OVER TO THE STATION. SO YOU KNOW AND MYSELF BEFORE I CAME TO THE OVER HERE I DROVE A T BUS FOR FOUR YEARS AND HAD A YARD AND I'D BE DOING THE 23 AND THE 15 FROM GAME SQUARE AND TO SEE THE THE GRATEFUL LOOK ON THESE FOLKS FACE WHEN THEY GET ON THE BUS KNOWING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO WALK AT THE STALL THEY DON'T HAVE TO WALK IN THE STREET THAT THEY CAN ARRIVE TO WORK RELATIVELY DRY AND COMFORTABLE YOU KNOW AND MAYBE THEY'RE GOING TO THEIR SECOND JOB OR MAYBE THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, GETTING HOME. MAYBE THAT'S THE TIME THAT THEY HAVE TO SPEND WITH THEIR FAMILY ,YOU KNOW, BETWEEN TWO JOBS OR WHATEVER. SO THAT'S OUR KIND OF GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE BUSSES ARE ABLE TO RUN SMOOTHLY AND KIND OF AS A BYPRODUCT OF THAT WHERE YOU KNOW WHERE AGGRESSIVE WHERE AGGRESSIVE DURING SNOW WERE AGGRESSIVE DURING ICE THAT ALSO ALLOWS FIRE ENGINES, A LOT OF TRUCKS, AMBULANCES TO GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT HAVING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT ROAD CONDITIONS. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THEY'RE THINKING IN HEAD AS THAT THEY'RE RESPONDING TO A YOU KNOW, A SHOCKING INCIDENT OR YOU KNOW, SOMEONE HAVING A HEART ATTACK LOT AND NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, CLEANING UP THE HOUSE THEY'RE GOING TO THROW THE DIRECTION.  YOU KNOW, WE DO GET VERY AGGRESSIVE BUT THAT'S KIND OF THAT'S THE STANDARD THAT WE'VE SET FOR US OF THAT FACILITY THAT HAS BEEN SET FOR YEARS FOR BOSTON AND WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT. THAT'S AWESOME. THAT'S AMAZING AND DANNY, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT YOU KNOW, WITH CLIMATE CHANGE HAPPENING AND JUST THE DIFFERENT TYPE OF WINTER THAT WE'RE HAVING AS A CITY INCORPORATE ANY NEW TECHNOLOGY OR IS GEARING TO USE NEW TECHNOLOGY TO TO TACKLE ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES.  YEP YEAH ABSOLUTELY WE'VE WE'VE HAD HISTORIC KIND OF WEATHER PROVIDERS ARE GETTING THEY GET HYPERLOCAL AND THEY THEY THEY PROVIDE A VERY GOOD SERVICE ALSO A COMPANY THAT WAS KIND OF FOUNDED OUT OF MIT AND THE MIT GRADUATES, THEY'RE A BOSTON BASED COMPANY TOMORROW DOT IO AND THEY'RE PUTTING UP THEIR OWN SATELLITES AND THEY'RE TAKING AND IT'S KIND OF AN AIR FORECASTING SERVICE AND WE'VE HAD THEM UP AND THEY GAVE IT TO US TO TRY OUT AND THEN WE BOUGHT INTO IT BECAUSE WE SAW GOOD VALUE WITH IT'S VERY GOOD AT FORECASTING WHEN THE STORM IS GOING TO END HAS BEEN VERY GOOD WHEN THE STORM IS GOING TO EDGE THEY'VE ADDED SOME STUFF AS WELL BUT AND THAT'S HUGE BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE CAN SHUT THE YOU KNOW, START CUTTING PIECES AND YOU KNOW, TURN OFF THAT SLOW THAT CASH REGISTER DOWN AND THAT'S YOU KNOW,  THAT'S HUGE. THEY'VE ALSO YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOTTEN BETTER. THEY PUT UP THEIR OWN SATELLITES. THEY TAKE DATA FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE LIKE JETBLUE PLANES AND KIND OF FORD VEHICLES. THEY TAKE THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AND EVEN HOW FAST YOU HAVE YOUR WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON SO THEY'RE ABLE TO GET ALL THESE DATA POINTS AND COME UP WITH A PRETTY GOOD A REALLY GOOD IN REAL TIME KIND OF WHAT'S GOING ON. AND AGAIN WHAT'S GOING ON IN FAIRMONT, WHAT'S GOING ON IN EAGLE HILL, WHAT'S GOING ON TELEGRAPH HILL HOPES HILL THEY'RE ABLE TO TELL YOU KIND OF EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON LAST YEAR THAT FEBRUARY 12TH STORM THAT WE DIDN'T GET YOU KNOW MY BROTHER WAS STILL HELPING OUT AND AND ED CARROLL USED TO BE A ON CHANNEL FOUR I BELIEVE HE'S WITH TOMORROW DOT I OH HE CALLED ME YOU KNOW IN MY CHECKING I TALKED TO HIM AND HE SAID HEY YOU GUYS MIGHT NOT GET EVERYTHING THAT THEY SAY YOU'RE GOING TO GET. AND YOU KNOW, I WENT INTO THE OTHER ROOM WHERE MIKE AND NOLAN PARKS AND CLARENCE AND GILBERT WERE ALL PLANNING THE STORM AND I SAID HEY, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS. AND I GOT, YOU KNOW, CURSE OUT IN THE ROOM.  BUT THEY SAW IT KIND OF AND THEN HAD IT SO THAT'S YOU KNOW, I WOULD NEVER PUT FULL STOCK IN THAT NOT YET ANYWAY. BUT YOU KNOW IT'S GOOD TO HAVE TO SEE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO PICK UP ON SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT EVERYBODY SAW.  I THINK A LOT OF THE METEOROLOGISTS THEY ALL KIND OF CONVERGE ON TO ONE PLANE THE CLOSER WE GET TO US WHICH IS GOOD BUT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S WILLING TO GO OUT AND YOU KNOW, NOT TAKE A LEAP BUT SAY HEY, THIS MIGHT BE A THING.  WE'VE ALSO GPS SYSTEM IS GETTING BETTER KIND OF AS WE USE SAMSARA AND THEY'RE KIND OF WE'RE WE'RE LEADING THE WAY AS FAR AS HOW IT'S USED DURING THE WINTER. JERRY GORMAN ARE FROM WASTE REDUCTION AS MANAGED WITH WITH CAPITAL GETTING ON BOARD AND PUTTING THEM IN THEIR TRUCKS WITH THIS NEW CONTRACT HE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO SOME ROUTE OPTIMIZATION TO GET TRASH PICKED UP MORE EFFICIENTLY QUICKER AND WE'RE WORKING ON TO SEE HOW WE CAN WORK THE EFFICIENCIES. YOU KNOW DURING DURING SNOWSTORMS IT'S ALSO PRETTY GOOD AT THE END OF A STORM YOU CAN KIND OF DO LIKE A LIKE A HEAT MAP TO SEE WHEN THE PLOWS WERE THROUGH STREETS LAST YOU KNOW YOU KNOW AS IT GOES, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE PAST HALF HOUR IT'S A RED AND THEN THAT YOU KNOW, TURNS TO ORANGE AND GREEN AND BLUE THE LONGER YOU GO OUT AND WE CAN SET THOSE ON PARAMETERS, THAT'S GOOD. I KNOW ONE OF THE ONE OF THE CONSTITUENT COMPLAINTS WAS OVER SALT RIGHT WHERE WE CAN USE THAT IS WE CAN SAY OKAY THERE WAS JUST A YOU KNOW THE STORM IS ENDING OR HAS ENDED. THERE WAS A TRUCK THROUGH YOUR STREET 45 MINUTES AGO. WE DON'T HAVE TO SEND SOMEONE BACK THAT WAY OR WE CAN SAY WELL HE HASN'T BEEN THROUGH THERE IN ABOUT 2 HOURS. WE NEED TO SEND SOMEONE BACK THAT WAY. SO YOU KNOW, IT'S A LEARNING PROCESS GOING AGAIN, NOT HAVING REAL SNOW THE PAST TWO YEARS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME SOME LEARNING YOU KNOW, A LEARNING CURVE HERE BUT CONFIDENT THAT THAT TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY IS SOMETHING WE CAN USE JUST TO GET BETTER, MORE EFFICIENT.  THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT ANSWER, DANNY. I AM I KNOW THAT BOSTON AND NEW SPECIFICALLY HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW WE REALLY TRY AND CONTINUE TO BE INNOVATIVE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ON TOP OF ALL THE WINTER OR JUST ANY WEATHER RELATED CONDITIONS COMING TO OUR CITY.  UM I DO HAVE A FEW MORE QUESTIONS BEFORE I LET YOU ALL GO.  UM, THESE ARE VERY SPECIFIC RESIDENT QUESTIONS SO BEAR WITH ME AND LOOK FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE ON A PRIVATE WAY.  UM, WHAT CAN THEY GIVE PLOWED ON WHAT IS THE CRITERIA UM, FOR THOSE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PRIVATE WAYS IN MY DISTRICT. YEAH. SO IF WE IF WE USE IT TO PICK UP YOUR TRASH WELL WE WILL WE WILL PLOW IT IF YOU KNOW WITH THE CAVEAT RIGHT LIKE YOU KNOW IF DEPENDING ON HOW CARS ARE PARKED WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A SAY AS FAR AS ENFORCEMENT ON PRIVATE WAYS BECAUSE THEY'RE PRIVATE. RIGHT.  RIGHT. BUT IF WE USE IT TO PICK UP YOUR TRASH, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING TO PLOW IT SO THAT YOU KNOW, TRUCKS CAN GET DOWN AND NOT GET STUCK AND DO THEIR THING SAFELY.  I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, AS A RULE IF IT'S A PRIVATE WAY, WE DON'T USE IT FOR TRASH. WE DON'T WE DON'T PLOW IT UNLESS THERE'S BEEN PREVIOUS ARRANGEMENT MADE OUR REQUESTS IF YOU WERE TO GO INTO IT YOU KNOW THAT THE YARD ON DANA AV OR EVEN MILLENNIUM PARK YOU'LL SEE MAPS ON THE WALL WITH DIFFERENT NOTES AND COLOR CODES ON ALL THE PRIVATE WAYS SO A LOT OF FOLKS ON PRIVATE WAYS DON'T WANT US DOWN THERE AND THEN THEY MOVE AWAY OR YOU KNOW IT'S THEY SELL AND SOMEONE ELSE COMES IN AND THEN SO WITH COMMUNICATION WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT.  WE'RE OUT THERE. WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO HELP.  WE ALWAYS DO THINGS WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A STREET PLOWED AND THEN NOT YOU KNOW, NOT HELP SOMEBODY OUT WHEN GET SO YOU KNOW, TECHNICALLY NO WE DON'T DO THEM IF WE USE IT FOR TRASH WE DO DO THEM. BUT AGAIN THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR COMMUNICATION AND LET US KNOW AND YOU KNOW IT CAN START WITH A311 OR YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO OBVIOUSLY FACILITATE THESE, YOU KNOW COUNCILORS AND GO THROUGH YOUR STAFF TO US BASIS.  I WOULD SAY THAT JUST YOU KNOW I WOULD MAKE SURE THAT KIND OF EVERYONE ON THE STREET IS IN AGREEMENT DON'T WANT TO START IN FIGHTS BETWEEN NEIGHBORS AND BE SOMETHING THAT WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN ANY FIGHTS WITH NEIGHBORS. YOU KNOW IT'S IT'S IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE SOME PEOPLE LOVE US IN THAT REGARD AND SOME PEOPLE HATE US. THEY DON'T WANT US ON THE STREET. SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THAT'S KIND OF IT'S EACH ONE KIND OF HAS TO BE TAKEN DIFFERENTLY SEPARATELY. OKAY. WELL I APPRECIATE THAT TWO MORE ROBUST WHEN IT COMES TO A SOMEONE THAT IS NOT ABLE TO SHOVEL THEIR THE FRONT OF THEIR THEIR HOUSE, THEY KNOW THAT'S A RULE LIKE YOU HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO SHOVEL IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE. WHAT CAN YOU COVER HOW LONG DOES A RESIDENT HAVE TO DO THAT? AND THEN TOO IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DUE TO A DISABILITY OR TO AGE, ARE THERE ANY PROGRAMS IN THE CITY THAT DO THAT OR ANYTHING THAT YOU RECOMMEND?  SO I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANY PROGRAMS THAT DO LIKE THERE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST. AGAIN, I THINK THE PAST FEW YEARS WE'VE NOT SNOW JUST HAVE HAD AN HEARD OF IT. I HAVEN'T SEEN IT AS FAR AS THE ENFORCING THE PART THAT'S THAT WOULD BE CODE ENFORCEMENT AND I BELIEVE IT'S 4 HOURS AFTER THE END OF THE STORM OR AFTER THE SUN COMES UP IF IT'S OVERNIGHT TO CLEAR.  I KNOW THEY'RE VERY FORGIVING AS FAR AS IF THEY WERE TO GIVE SOMEONE A TICKET AND THEY CALL UP AND THEY SAY LISTEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S FOR WHATEVER REASON MYRIADS OF REASONS RIGHT.  BUT I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DO HOLD RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ACCOUNTABLE FOR FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, ARE WALKING AND NEED TO GET THROUGH SCHOOL GET YOU KNOW, I HATE SEEING SCHOOL KIDS WALKING TO THE BUS IN THE STREET. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE STREET IS CLEAR AND FREE OF SNOW AND ICE AND BUT YOU KNOW, SIDEWALKS BECOME A PROBLEM SO YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT I FULLY GET IT WHY SOME SIDEWALKS AREN'T CLEAR, YOU KNOW, BUT AGAIN,  THERE ARE THOSE THOSE PEOPLE THAT NEED THOSE SIDEWALKS CLEAR TO GET TO AND FROM WORK AT SCHOOL.  BUT THERE HAVE BEEN WAS SNOW ANGELS OR SOMEONE CLARENCE MIGHT KNOW HE WAS IN DISTRICT SEVEN FOR A LONG TIME BUT THAT STUFF DOESN'T COME THROUGH THROUGH US. I KNOW A LOT OF MAYBE IT'S I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU KNOW A LOT OF PRIVATE STUFF A LOT OF YOU KNOW, I'M NOT 100% SURE I CAN DO SOME DIGGING AND GET BACK TO YOU. CLARENCE DO ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY WHEN I WAS A SEVEN THEY USED TO BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN IT WAS ALL PRIVATE SO I'M SURE THEY KIND OF MOVED AWAY AND NOT REALLY DON'T ANYMORE SO WE HAD TO RAISE OUR STAFF. OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, YEAH AND I ALWAYS I ALWAYS RECOMMEND NEIGHBORS THAT IF THEY KNOW THAT SOMEONE IS NOT ABLE TO SHOVEL THE FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE TO YOU KNOW, TO LEND A HELPING HAND AND BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I LIKE TO PRACTICE HERE IN MY STREET AND JUST LIKE TO PUT OUT THAT MESSAGE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TO UM BUT THAT IS REALLY UP THAT'S IT FOR ME IN REGARDS OF QUESTIONS I REALLY WANTED TO CREATE A SPACE FOR US TO DO HEAR WHAT YOU GUYS ARE PREPARING FOR OBVIOUSLY BE ON TOP OF EVERYTHING VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK YOU ALL DO AGAIN YOU GUYS DID SUCH AN AMAZING JOB ACROSS THE CITY.  IT JUST REALLY REALLY REALLY ENCOURAGING TO SEE HOW HARD YOU ALL WORK DURING THOSE ROUGH CONDITIONS. SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE ANY CLOSING STATEMENTS ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY.  APPRECIATE THOSE KIND WORDS. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, RIGHT? GABRIEL FROM YOUR OFFICE.  YOU KNOW COMMUNICATION IS WIDE OPEN. GUYS HAVE MY PHONE NUMBER. YOU HAVE OUR EMAILS. CLARENCE GILBERT. WHAT?  THREE COUNSELORS DO HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR SUPERVISORS AND THAT'S WHERE IT KIND OF STUCK.  YOU KNOW, CLARK AND GILBERT RUNS OUR OPERATIONS BUT OUR SUPERVISORS IN THOSE YARDS, THOSE JUST THE DISTRICT GUYS THERE MINUTE BY MINUTE, SECOND BY SECOND THEY'RE THE ONES THEY'RE ON THE GROUND. THEY'RE SEEING THINGS. THEY'RE THEY'RE THE ONES DOING STUFF. SO YOU KNOW, HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THOSE GUYS YOU KNOW ALL THE AS ALL YOUR OFFICERS ARE GREAT LEARNING US THE PROBLEMS IS HELPFUL WHERE YOU CAN BE ALL OF US WANT TO COME TO US AND WE CAN GET THROUGH IT OKAY BUT YEAH I MEAN JUST THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. APPRECIATE THE KIND WORDS.  THANK YOU FOR THAT DANNY A SHOUT OUT TO DUSTIN FROM THE HIGH PARK YARD WHO HOLD IT DOWN SOME MORE BEFORE BEFORE I WRAP UP, SHANE, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC TESTIMONY? NOWHERE.  ALL SET, MR CHAIR. NICE, NICE, NICE. WELL, LISTEN, I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A BLESSED THANKSGIVING. I HOPE YOU'RE ABLE TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH LOVED ONES FAMILY, WHOEVER YOU HAVE NEAR. UM, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO DO THIS ON THANKSGIVING EVE. UM, WHEN THAT I WILL SEE THIS HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 1559 IS ADJOURN AGRICULTURE THANK YOU. THANK YOU EVERYONE. TAKE CARE. THANK YOU. IT'S OBVIO --------- ##VIDEO ID:s1zdW5Gb4K4##  SO I'M CHAIR OF THE BASEL CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. TODAY IN NOVEMBER 2017, 2024 THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON.COM. BACKSLASH CITY DASH COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON THE TRINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL 964 WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT KEY WMI BOSTON.COM.  IT WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AVAILABLE TO OUR COUNCILORS PUPPETEERS AND MONEY WILL BE BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL CHASE'S CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON COMMITTEE MITCHELL HON K A R I AS AGE AND ACH0UHA AND AT BOSTON.COM FOR THE LINK YOU NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST DURING TODAY'S HEARING WE'LL BE DISCUSSING TWO DOCKETS WHICH WHICH ARE AS FOLLOWS DOCKET NUMBER 176 OUT IN ORDER TO REDUCE IN FY 25 APPROPRIATION FOR THE RESERVE FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BY A $170,118 DOUG NUMBER 1761 AN ORDER APPROPRIATING $170,118 TO COME TO THE FY 25 COST ITEMS CONTAINED WITHIN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ANY PBA PATROL OFFICES.  TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY CARDS AND COLLEAGUES IN ORDER TO REVOKE OUT OF FLYNN COUNCILOR PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND COUNCILOR MURPHY WHO'S ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCILOR JACKIE O. NOW TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S PAYMENT PENALTIES. TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION WE HAVE BRIDGET CONLEY FROM THE LABOR COUNCIL OFFICE OF LABOR RELATIONS AND THE BUDGET DIRECTOR. DIRECTOR WILLIAMS SAID THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU CHAIR AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ON THIS HEARING. MY NAME IS JIM WILLIAMSON. I'M THE BUDGET DIRECTOR HERE AT THE CITY OF BOSTON. I'M JOINED BY BRIDGET CONNOLLY FROM THE OFFICE LABOR RELATIONS AND WE'RE HERE TO TO ADDRESS THE APPROPRIATION ORDERS BEFORE YOU WITH THE TRANSACTIONS THEY REPRESENT.  THESE TWO ORDERS OF BOTH MOVE MONEY FROM THE CENTRAL COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RESERVE INTO THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT THE WAGE INCREASES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MUNICIPAL SECURITY OFFICERS CONTRACT.  AS YOU REMEMBER, THE ROUGHLY 25 BUDGET FINALIZED IN JUNE INCLUDED $96.8 MILLION IN AGGREGATE TO COVER THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CONTRACTS THAT WERE OUTSTANDING. THERE HAVE BEEN NINE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL THIS FISCAL YEAR TO AT LEAST $6.3 MILLION. WITH THIS REDUCTION ADDITIONAL REDUCTION OF $170,000 FOR THIS UNION, THE NEW BALANCE OF THE 25 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RESERVE WILL BE $90.4 MILLION. WITH THAT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE BRIDGET KELLY FROM LABOR RELATIONS IF SHE HAS ANY COMMENTS OR WE CAN GO WITH QUESTIONS.  I'M HAPPY TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE COMPENSATION PACKAGE IF THAT'S HELPFUL TO THE COUNCIL . SO SIMILAR TO THE OTHER EXECUTED CDS.  THIS COMPENSATION PACKAGE INCLUDES AN 80% ANNUAL INCREASE TO BASE WAGES FOR THE YEARS 23 THROUGH 26. IN ADDITION THERE IS A FLAT RATE INCREASE IN THE FIRST PAID PERIOD OF JANUARY EACH YEAR DURING THE TERM OF THE CBA. IN THIS INSTANCE IT'S $500 IN 2024 $250 IN 2025, $9 IN 2026 AND $800 IN 2027.  THANK YOU. NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR ANY QUESTIONS STARTING WITH COUNCILOR PLAY ON THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, JIM. THANK YOU, BRIDGET.  WAS THERE ANY PARTICULAR LANGUAGE IN THERE RELATING TO ANY OF THE OFFICERS THAT MIGHT BE VETERANS AND HOW ANY VETERANS BENEFITS IMPACT THIS UNION CONTRACT AND ANY SPECIFIC LANGUAGE ABOUT HELPING OR SUPPORTING VETERANS?  I'M NOT SPECIFICALLY AWARE OF ANY LANGUAGE RELATED TO VETERAN BENEFITS BUT I AM HAPPY TO REVIEW THAT LANGUAGE AND AND GET BACK TO YOU IN WRITING ON THAT.  YEAH.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BRIDGET. JIM.  2% INCREASE. IS THAT THE BEST THE CITY CAN DO AT THIS TIME?  YES. AS WE ALL KNOW, THE WAGES ARE ONE OF THE PRIMARY DRIVERS OF BUDGETARY GROWTH FOR THE CITY AND 2% WAS WHAT WAS COLLECTIVELY BARGAINING AND AGREED TO BY BOTH PARTIES.  2% IS A PIECE WE SHARE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS IS THAT THIS WAGE PATTERN ALSO INCLUDES A LUMP SUM THAT ACTUALLY WHEN ADDED TO THE ANNUAL SALARIES IS A IS A LARGER PERCENTAGE INCREASE THAN 2% PARTICULARLY FOR PEOPLE ON THE LOWER STRANDS OF THE PAY SCALE THAT THAT IS A HAS A BIGGER ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO THOSE FOLKS.  JIM, THANK YOU. HOW MANY MUNICIPAL OFFICERS DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE? WE CURRENTLY HAVE 56 OFFICERS FOR 67 POSITIONS. OKAY.  AND THIS SPREAD OUT NOT JUST AT CITY HALL BUT IT'S SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND VARIOUS MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS.  THEY DO THEY DO AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB BY THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THEM FOR SEVEN YEARS THE PROFESSIONAL THEY'RE HARDWORKING, THE DEDICATED AND THEY THEY DON'T GET PAID ALL THAT MUCH BUT THEY PROVIDE A TREMENDOUS SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON AND TO THE CITY OFFICIALS I'M SUPPORTING I'M SUPPORTING THIS THIS PAY INCREASE FOR MANY REASONS. BUT I DO KNOW THAT THESE WORK IS DESPERATELY NEED A RAISE BUT THEY ARE PROFESSIONAL AND THEY BRING OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE AND PROVIDE SO MUCH ASSISTANCE TO TO VISITED AS WELL THAT COME TO CITY HALL LOOKING FOR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS OR IN NEED OF SERVICES.  THEY'RE OFTEN THE FIRST PERSON TO MEET WITH THE RESIDENTS AND THEY PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION WITH THEM.  SO JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE MUNICIPAL POLICE OFFICERS AND HOW VALUED THEY ARE AS CITY EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU, JIM. THANK YOU, BRIDGET. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.  THANK YOU. I ENCOUNTER PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THE FOLGERS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING.  I KNOW IT'S A BUSY TIME THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING BUT IT JUST SHOWS HOW MUCH WE CARE ABOUT OUR MUNICIPAL OFFICERS AND BIG YOU TO JIM AND TO BRIDGET FIRM FOR FOR BEING HERE. JIM I THINK I MISSED SOMETHING THAT YOU STATED WHEN YOU WERE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YES IT'S A 2% BASE WAGE INCREASE AND YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING IN ADDITION TO THEIR COMPENSATION OR A BACKUP PART OF THE PACKAGE. CAN YOU REPEAT BECAUSE I THINK I MISSED IT THERE SO IN ADDITION TO THE 2% WAGE INCREASES, A LUMP SUM THAT IS ADDED TO THE ANNUAL SALARY SO IT'S ENOUGH FOR 24 IT'S A $500 LUMP SUM IT ADDED TO THE ANNUAL SALARY AND THAT'S WHAT 25 IS TO 5026 IT'S 927 IT'S 800. AND SO WHEN YOU ADD A LUMP SUM ONTO THE ANNUAL SALARY WITH YOU KNOW, COUPLED WITH THE PERCENTAGE IT GROWS AT A HIGHER PERCENTAGE THAN 2%. OKAY, SO IT'S 2% 2%, 2%.  SO IT'S AN OVERALL IT'S AN OVERALL INCREASE OF 8% IS THAT RIGHT? OVER THE OVER THE LIFE OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE LUMP SUM IT ENDS UP BEING 13% OVERALL OVER THE FOUR YEARS. THANK YOU. THAT'S A MAP THAT I WAS INVITED TO THE MATH INCLUDING THAT NUMBER. THAT'S AWESOME. OKAY.  THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND THE OTHERS. YOU KNOW THIS COUNCIL IS A BODY THAT HAS GONE ON RECORD SUPPORTING MUNICIPAL POLICE OFFICERS FOLLOWING A THEY DO IN PROTECTING CITY HALL AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ALL FEEL SAFE.  SO I'M GLAD THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS COLLECTIVELY BARGAIN AND GLAD BUT EVERYONE IS WALKING AWAY FEELING LIKE THEY GOT SOMETHING. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE.  THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT CARTER MURPHY THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHAIR FOR HOLDING THIS. I KNOW I REACHED OUT TO YOU A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND I HAD TALKED TO LEW BECAUSE A FEW OF THE MUNICIPAL POLICE OFFICERS HAD REACHED OUT TO ME KNOWING THEY HAD RATIFIED IT AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE COULD GET THIS DONE BEFORE WE BREAK AND HOPEFULLY THERE THEY'LL SEE IT IN THEIR LAST PAYCHECK BEFORE THE HOLIDAY SEASON.  SO I'M HAPPY TO HOLD THIS NOW SO WE CAN TAKE A VOTE NEXT WEEK IN SUPPORT OF THIS THE THIS CAME UP AT THE LAST HEARING WHERE THESE LAST FEW CONTRACTS ARE SOME OF OUR LOWEST WAGE EARNERS AND YOU KNOW, 2% EVEN 13% COMES OUT TO SOMETIMES LIKE $0.37. RIGHT. IT'S IT'S A VERY SMALL AMOUNT. SO WHAT OVER THE FOUR YEARS IS THE ACTUAL DOLLAR OR CENT INCREASE AT THE 2% LEVEL BUT ALSO WITH THE LUMP SUM AND WILL THEY SEE THIS LUMP SUM WHEN THEIR NEXT CHECK COUNT OR IS THAT SPREAD OUT ALSO REALLY DID YOU WANT TO DO THAT OR I DO. I DON'T I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR FOR EACH STEP HERE AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN AT THE LAST HEARING WITH THE HANDOUTS YOU HAD BROKEN DOWN WITH SEEN AND OTHERS BECAUSE IT CAME OUT LIKE $0.17 $0.36 PER HOUR.  WELL THAT WAS THAT WAS AT THE I BELIEVE THAT WAS SCHOOLS THAT DID IT BY THE LUNCH MONITOR YEAH YEAH BUT I MEAN IT'S LIKE WE KNOW AND I KNOW THAT BOTH SIDES YOU KNOW AGREED TO THIS BUT WANTING TO KNOW WHAT IS THE ACTUAL AMOUNT INCREASE WHEN YOU GIVE IT 2% INCREASE OUT OF YEAH I THINK WE JUST WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TAKE THAT LUMP SUM SPEND IT OVER THE NUMBER OF WORKING HOURS TO GET YOU THAT IN AN ORDERLY RATE BUT WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT. AND WHEN WILL THEY SEE THAT LUMP SUM? WILL IT COME IN THE FIRST? WELL, I THINK ONCE ONCE THE CONTRACT IS IMPLEMENTED IN THE JUST APPROVED AND IMPLEMENTED THE SYSTEM, THEY WILL GET RETROACTIVE TO THE BEGINNING OF THE CONTRACT TERM AND THEN IN BRIDGET, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M MISSTATING I THINK IT IT IS IN IT'S IN JANUARY I BELIEVE THAT THEY THINK IT'S A LUMP SUM ADDED IN THE WAGE CHANGES IN OCTOBER . I COULD THAT'S CORRECT. THE FIRST PAY PERIOD OF OCTOBER IS THE 2% ANNUALLY AND THEN THE FIRST PAY PERIOD OF JANUARY IS THE SLIGHT INCREASE REALLY.  OKAY. AND I KNOW COUNCILOR FLYNN AND HE'S USUALLY ON FIRST SO HE SAYS AT FIRST ALWAYS SAYS, YOU KNOW, IS IT THE BEST WE CAN DO? AND I KNOW IT IS AT THIS TIME BUT JUST HOPING YOU KNOW, WE SUPPORT OUR MUNICIPAL WORKERS ANY WAY WE CAN.  THEY WORK HARD AND IT'S BEEN SAID YOU KNOW, THE FORWARD FACING OF ALL OUR BUILDINGS AND JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR WHAT THEY DO FOR OUR CITY AND JUST THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE WE GOT THIS DONE SO WE CAN BRING IT FOR A VOTE AT OUR NEXT COUNCIL HEARING. I'LL DEFINITELY BE VOTING IN SUPPORT OF IT AND I THINK THE COUNCIL MURPHY JUST A FEW QUESTIONS FROM ME , JIM AND YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW THIS BUT WILL THESE OFFICERS BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FLAG OR LEVEL OF DETAILS ONCE THE CITY SAYS THAT UP TO BPD?  YES, I THINK THEY WILL. THEY ARE CONTEMPLATED AS BEING A RESOURCE TO SOME ELEMENT OF THE DETAIL PROGRAM.  OKAY. AND HOW WOULD THAT WORK IN TERMS OF OVERTIME? WOULD IT BE OUTSIDE THIS ROLE OR WOULD THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR OVERTIME?  I THINK IT WOULD BE A DETAIL RATE WHICH IT'S A DIFFERENT RATE THAN AN OVERTIME RATE THAT IT BUT WOULD IT OKAY I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND WHAT ARE THE RULES IF AN OFFICER HAS TO GO TO COURT AND THAT COULD HAPPEN IS IT HOW ARE THEY STILL PAID? I'M JUST TRYING TO KNOW WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH BPD TRYING TO SEE IT IF THEY WERE TO GO TO COURT. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY DO BUT I JUST WANT TO SEE IT.  IF THEY DID GO TO COURT WHERE THEY'D BE PAID THEY COULD WORK THAT OUT.  I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T THINK THAT THEY TYPICALLY ARE INVOLVED IN COURT AS LIKE AN ARRESTING OFFICER BUT WE COULD CERTAINLY FIND OUT WHAT WHEN YOU KNOW IF THERE IS AN INCIDENT IN THERE THEY'RE ASKED TO OR PROBABLY IT'S LIKE SUBJECT TO LATER THEY GO DURING THE SHIFTS IF IT'S DURING THAT THE COURT PROCEEDING IF THEY'RE JUST LIKE I GUESS ANYBODY WHO IS IN PENALTIES OR SUBPOENAED TO TESTIFY IN A COURT CASE SO THAT WE CAN WE CAN CONFIRM TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING UNIQUE I DON'T KNOW BRIDGET, IF YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU NEED TO A COURT APPEARANCES FOR MUNICIPAL SECURITY OFFICERS NO . TO YOUR POINT, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS A FUNCTION THAT THEY OFTEN SERVE. BUT WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT AND GET BACK TO YOU. AND MR CHAIRMAN, WITH RESPECT TO THE DETAIL RATE THAT WE WERE JUST MENTIONING AND IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT THIS CONTRACT INCREASES THE DETAIL RATE FROM $37 AN HOUR TO $40 AN HOUR AND IN ADDITION TO THE AT THE WEEKEND DIFFERENTIAL HAS INCREASED FROM 125 AN HOUR TO 150 AN HOUR. AWESOME. PERFECT.  GOOD NEWS . WELL, THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL YOUR WORK. THANK YOU TO THE UNIONS FOR BOTH OF US COMING TOGETHER TO COMING UP TO AN AGREEMENT.  OH, I SEE THAT WE HAVE A QUESTION. OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THE FLOOR JOYCE THANK YOU, GENERAL. I HAVE JUST ONE QUESTION FOR FOR JIM AND BRIDGET ARE MOST CONTRACTS THIS IS A FOUR YEAR CONTRACT AND A ONE IT'S A THREE IN A ONE. YEAH. SO WE NEGOTIATED FROM 2023 TO 2026 AND THEN THERE'S THE 2026 TO 2027 AND OKAY I'M MOST CONTRACT TALKS WITH UNIONS IN THE CITY ARE THEY MOSTLY THREE OR FOUR YEAR STATUTORILY THEY ARE CAPPED AT THREE YEARS SO THAT'S WHY WE DO THAT THREE AND ONE SO MOST OF THEM THIS ROUND APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THAT THREE AND ONE AND MOST OF THEM HAVE THERE BEEN ANY THAT HAVE NOT BEEN THAT THREE IN ONE STRUCTURE THAT HAVE JUST BEEN A THREE YEAR. I WANT TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE. I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE. YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO DO THEY JUST HAVE A SENSE OF WHICH ONES HAVE JUST BEEN FLAT THREE AND WHICH HAVE BEEN TWO PLUS AND HAS JUST BEEN A TRADITIONAL PRACTICE OF THE CITY TO DO A THREE PLUS ONE OR HAVE THERE SOMETIMES BEEN JUST THREE?  IT HAS VARIED FROM SESSION TO SESSION. SOMETIMES IT'S YOU KNOW ONE YEAR ANYWAY AND THEN A LARGER BARGAINING ROUND THE NEXT YEAR OR SO REALLY DEPENDS ON THE THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT AND HOW LONG THE NEGOTIATIONS TAKE.  OKAY THANK YOU.  THANK YOU MR CHAIR. AND AGAIN THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND THANK YOU TO I MEAN AS OFFICERS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL TAKING THIS UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR WORK. I THINK YOU'RE ESSENTIAL STAFF FOR MAKING THIS VIRTUAL HEARING HAPPEN THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING.  THANK YOU TO MY TEAM I'M SEEING THAT THERE'S NO PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT THIS HEARING I DID BECAUSE NUMBER 1761761 IS ADJOURNED.  THANK YOU. HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYBODY. AND IT'S GIVEN ME A REAL HAPPY THANKSGIVING. YOU'RE