--------- UH. >> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, MY NAME IS BEN WEBER. I'M THE DISTRICT SIX CITY COUNCILOR AND THE CHAIR OF THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE. TODAY IS MAY 11TH, 2026 AND THE
EXACT TIME IS 206. SO I HAVE A COUPLE PRELIMINARIES. LET ME GET THROUGH THESE. UM, UH, THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT'S ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED
AT BOSTON.GOV/CITY COUNCIL TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT OR C AND CHANNEL 82 AND FIOS CHANNEL 964. THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS ENCOMPASSES A SERIES
OF PUBLIC HEARINGS BEGINNING IN APRIL AND RUNNING THROUGH JUNE. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS BY GIVING TESTIMONY FOR THE RECORD RECORD. YOU CAN DO SO IN SEVERAL WAYS.
UH, YOU CAN ATTEND ONE OF OUR HEARINGS AND GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. UH. HOLD ON. SORRY I'M BEING SIGNED OUT MY OWN COMPUTER. UM UH I'M SORRY.
AND UH, YOU SEE, AS I DO THIS YOU CAN UH YOU CAN, UH, GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY BY SHOWING UP AT ONE OF HER HEARINGS AND SIGNING IN ON THE SIGN IN SHEET AT THE FRONT. YOU'LL BE CALLED ON IN THE
ORDER IN WHICH YOU SIGN UP. UH, OR YOU CAN, UH, TESTIFY VIRTUALLY UM, BY UH, THE, UH
YOU KNOW, WE BY GETTING A ZOOM LINK IF YOU, UH, EMAIL UH, EITHER THE UH, COUNCIL UH UM I'LL ACTUALLY EMAIL OUR ADMINISTRATOR OUR LEGISLATIVE
BUDGET ANALYST CHRISTMAS SHOW ON THAT CAR IS MCCUE HAND@BOSTON.GOV. YOU'LL BE GIVEN A ZOOM LINK. UH AND YOU CAN LOG IN.
UH, IF YOU'RE TESTIFYING IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY HAVE TWO MINUTES. UH, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR UH, WHERE YOU LIVE, YOUR AFFILIATION WITH ANY UH, GROUPS
AND UH AND AGAIN YOU'LL YOU YOU UH YOU ALL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY. YOU CAN ALSO SHOW UP AT ONE OF OUR IN-PERSON PUBLIC TESTIMONY LISTENING SESSIONS WILL HAVE THE LAST OF 4 TO 4
OF THESE. THE LAST ONE IS ON MAY 26TH AT 6 P.M. RIGHT HERE IN THE CHAMBER AGAIN AT THAT LISTENING SESSION YOU CAN TESTIFY IN PERSON OR ONLINE.
UH UM AND AGAIN YOU EMAIL CHRISTMAS SHOW ON UH@BOSTON.GOV FOR THE ZOOM LINK UH TO UH REVIEW OUR UM I'M SORRY YOU CAN ALSO FIND AN ONLINE FORM TO
SIGN UP FOR VIRTUAL TESTIMONY ON OUR WEBSITE AT CCW AND@BOSTON.GOV. UH IN LIEU OF TESTIFYING IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY AT A HEARING, YOU CAN ALSO SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE
COMMITTEE BY EMAILING AT TWO CCW AM@BOSTON.GOV. LASTLY, YOU CAN SUBMIT A TWO MINUTE VIDEO OF YOUR TESTIMONY THROUGH THE FORM ON OUR WEBSITE. UH FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE
CITY COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS AND OR SCHEDULE AND HOW TO TESTIFY ,PLEASE VISIT VISIT THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET WEBSITE AT BOSTON.GOV/COUNCIL BUDGET. UH IN PERSON PUBLIC TESTIMONY
WILL BE TAKEN FOLLOWING THE FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS. WE'LL HEAR FROM THE PANEL AND WE'LL EACH EACH COUNCIL WILL HAVE A TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM PUBLIC TESTIMONY. SO IF YOU'RE IN HERE TO GIVE
PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND YOUR NAME IS SARAH FRIEDMAN, YOU CAN REMEMBER TO SIGN UP OVER THERE. UM UH SO UH, AGAIN UH YOU'LL EACH PERSON HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR A ZOOM LINK, EMAIL KARISHMA AT CARR ISH MCKEE H O U H A N A BOSTON.COM FOR THE ZOOM LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. THIS AFTERNOON'S HEARING IS ON
DOCKET NUMBER 073320740 AND 0756 AN OVERVIEW OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. THIS HEARING WILL ALSO
COVER THE PARKING FUND. THIS IS ONE OF A SERIES OF HEARINGS TO REVIEW THE ENTIRE UH, FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET. THESE MATTERS WERE SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED
TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL 8TH, 2026. UH, GENERALLY WE WAIVE OPENING STATEMENTS AT THESE HEARINGS AND SO UH I'M GOING TO GO TO THE PANEL FIRST.
UM, WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. THIS IS A RARE UH, EXPERIENCE FOR ME. I GET TO THE FIRST PERSON IS NOT COUNCILOR FLYNN. UH, YOU'RE THE SECOND.
FIRST HERE IS SHANNON DURKAN. UH, FOR SECOND IS ED FLYNN. UH, THIRD IS COUNCILOR ENRIQUE PEPEN. AND FOURTH WE HAVE COUNCILOR JOHN FITZGERALD. UM, DON'T EXPECT TO SEE
COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PART OF AT THESE HEARINGS. SHE DID GIVE BIRTH TO A HEALTHY BABY BOY. THINK SATURDAY. UM, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO HER, UH, AND HER SON JOAQUIN. I THINK IT WAS IN THE 9 POUND
RANGE. UM, BUT, UH, GREAT. UM, SO JUST GOING TO INTRODUCE THE PANELIST AND THEN GIVE YOU THE FLOOR. WE'RE JOINED BY OUR CHIEF OF ENERGY ENVIRONMENT AND OPEN SPACE BRIAN SWETT.
OUR INCOMING IS THAT STILL INCOMING COMMISSIONER OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF URBAN DESIGN FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, DIANA FERNANDEZ. UH, I'M GOING TO BE BOW OKAY.
BEBO NOW. OKAY. BEBO, UH, I'LL LET YOU JUST GO TO, UH, KATHY BAKER ECLIPSE, WHO'S THE INTERIM COMMISSIONER OF PARKS AND RECREATION? UH, THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT TRACY LEE.
OKAY. UH, WE HAVE DIRECTOR OF PARKS MAINTENANCE NATE HINCHCLIFFE. OKAY. AND UH, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND PAYROLL DARLENE BUFORD. UH, YEAH.
UH, NO, UH, BUFFER BUFFERED WAS CLOSE. UH, I APOLOGIZE AND OUR, UH, STILL RELATIVELY NEW DIRECTOR OF FRANKLIN PARK, UH, LUIS PEREZ. UH, DEMOCRACY!
OKAY. UH UH, SO AGAIN, UH, THANKS TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE THANKS TO THE PANELISTS I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE FLOOR AND THEN WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL FOR QUESTIONS. GREAT. >> UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHERE WERE YOU PERHAPS THE FIRST TEST UH, INTRODUCING OUR.
OUR FULL PLAN. YEAH, JUST ADD SOME MORE. I NEED TO KNOW 5 OR 6 MORE PEOPLE. UH, IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO BE HERE AND, UM, REST ASSURED THAT DOES NOT INSINUATE WE'RE ABOUT TO MAKE A MASSIVELY EXTENSIVE,
UM, PRESENTATION. UH, WE DO APPRECIATE ALL THE DIVERSITY OF THE QUESTIONS WE GET FROM THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC AND WANT TO MAKE SURE WE BROUGHT THE RIGHT FOLKS TO, UH, TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. UM, MOST OF THE PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE FROM UH, KATHY
BAKER CLIPS, UH, AND LOUISE UH ,ON FRANKLIN PARK. UH, BUT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, BRINGING THE FULL DIVERSITY OF STAFF ANSWER QUESTIONS. UM, WE WILL BEGIN WITH SORT OF A REVIEW OF SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN FY 26.
UH, I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT, UH, IN THIS, UH, VENUE TO REALLY EXTEND MY THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO, UH, KATHY BAKER. ECLIPSE'S OUR INTERIM COMMISSIONER OVER, UH, THE ENTIRE PERIOD THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. UM, AND IN FY 26, UH, THROUGH
THE END OF THIS MONTH, UH, AND THEN ON JUNE 1ST, UM, DIANA FERNANDEZ BRAVO, UH, WILL BE UH, TAKING OVER. UH, SO THANK YOU, KATHY, FOR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I'M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
UH, IN THE LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, IN INCREASINGLY CHALLENGING FISCAL TIMES, OBVIOUSLY INCREASING DEMANDS FOR UTILIZATION OF OUR OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PROGRAMS, UH, AND IN PREPARATION FOR WHAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO BE A
PARTICULARLY INTENSE SUMMER UH, GIVEN UH, FFA AND SALE BOSTON UH, AND OUR TWO 50TH CELEBRATIONS UH ON TOP OF OUR NORMAL UH, SUMMER TOURISM. SO, UH, HAPPY TO DO A QUICK REVIEW OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AND THEN OUR PLANS FOR FY 27. UH, THANK YOU. UH, KATHY. UH, YEAH. UH, JUST TWO THINGS FOR THE PANEL. ONE IS UM, I THINK THERE'S A
SLIGHT DELAY SO JUST WAIT ON THE CLICKER THERE. ALSO YOU DON'T NEED TO PRESS THE BUTTONS ON YOUR MICROPHONES . CENTRAL STAFF WILL TAKE CARE OF TURNING THOSE ON AND OFF. OKAY. >> GREAT. >> THANK YOU. UM THANK YOU, THANK YOU BRIAN.
UH THANK YOU CHIEF. UM, I JUST ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TREMENDOUS TEAM THAT WE HAVE HERE AT PARKS, UH ,WHO HELPED US HELPED US PREPARE FOR ALL OF THIS. UM, AND DO IS WORKING HARD EVERY DAY TO DELIVER SUCH AMAZING, UH, PARKS AND PROGRAMS
. UH, SO IN ADDITION TO THE PANEL ABOVE, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MIKE DEVLIN, THE DIRECTOR OF RECREATION. TOD MISTER THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN FORESTRY JEN MESOZOIC THE INTERIM DIRECTOR
OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS TOM SULLIVAN, CEMETERY SUPERINTENDENT JOSH ANSWERS OR THE GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT FOR MAINTENANCE ALEXIS BRZEZINSKI, DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL.
JEAN CIRILLO, CHIEF PARK RANGER SCOTT ALLEN, THE GOLF PRO AT BOTH GOLF COURSES. AND JILL ZICK, OUR INTERIM CHIEF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AS CHIEF STATED WE HAD AN
EXTREMELY BUSY FY 26. WE ISSUED 5535 PERMITS AN INCREASE OF OVER 6% OVER FY 25. WE ALSO PERFORMED 485 BURIALS, 17% MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS
FISCAL YEAR. 93 CONTRACTS WERE AWARDED AN 8% INCREASE OVER FY 25. THE BOSTON PARK RANGERS OFFERED 51 INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS INTERACTING WITH THOUSANDS
OF RESIDENTS AND CONTRIBUTED TO OVER 100 SPECIAL EVENTS MANAGING TRAFFIC SECURITY AND CROWDS TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS WE BROUGHT ON 43 FULL TIME
EMPLOYEES, 114 SEASONAL WORKERS AND THREE INTERNS INCLUDING THE FRANKLIN PARK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. THIS YEAR WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED A RECENTLY COMPLETED BENCHMARKING STUDY FOR OUR MAINTENANCE
STAFF, ENSURING THEIR WAGES ARE COMPETITIVE WITH SIMILAR POSITIONS IN THE CITY AND IN THE MARKET. 101,000 ROUNDS OF GOLF WERE PLAYED AT FRANKLIN PARK'S WILLIAM DIVINE COURSE AND GEORGE WRIGHT GOLF COURSE.
THAT'S OVER 50,000 ROUNDS AT EACH COURSE. ANOTHER INCREDIBLE YEAR FOR OUR AWARD WINNING GOLF COURSES. THE HORTICULTURE STAFF PLANTED 30,000 SPRING FLOWERING BULBS
FOR CITYWIDE BEAUTIFICATION AND WE ALSO AWARDED GRANTS TO FOUR VENDORS THROUGH THE SUNFLOWER AND BEAUTIFICATION GRANT PROGRAM SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO ENHANCE THE VISUAL APPEAL OF PUBLIC SPACES WHILE ALSO
CONTRIBUTING TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. WITH OUR RECREATION DIVISION WE HOSTED OVER 31,000 YOUTH AT. FIVE FREE. SPORTS CENTERS IN DORCHESTER, EAST BOSTON, MATTAPAN AND
ROXBURY. THESE SPORTS CENTERS ALSO EMPLOYED 267 YOUTH IN PAID SUMMER JOBS. OUR RECREATION DIVISION ALSO HOSTED 355 INDIVIDUAL MAYORS
CUPS, GAMES AND MATCHES ACROSS MANY SPORTS SUCH AS HOCKEY, STREET HOCKEY, SOCCER, BASKETBALL, FLAG FOOTBALL, SOFTBALL, BASEBALL, TENNIS AND CROSS COUNTRY GIVING 4873 YOUTH THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE
AGAINST THEIR PEERS. WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR ARCHERY PROGRAM AND SERVED OVER 288 YOUTH AND TEENS CITYWIDE AND ALSO 123 ADULTS AND SENIORS REALLY GROWING OUR AGE STRONG
OFFERINGS OVER 72,000 BOSTONIANS JOINED US AT OUR FREE WINTER AND SUMMER WINTER, SUMMER AND FALL FITNESS CLASSES. AT A TOTAL OF. 816 HOURS OF VIRTUAL AND
IN-PERSON CLASSES. IN TOTAL, WE SERVED 11,800 INDIVIDUAL YOUTH AND ADULTS ACROSS ALL OF OUR RECREATION PROGRAMS. THE TREE DIVISION ALSO HAD AN OUTSTANDING YEAR.
WE PLANTED NEARLY 2000 NEW STREET TREES IN 2025. 386 OF THOSE WERE IN PARKS ACROSS THE CITY. THIS IS KEEPING US ON TRACK TO MAINTAIN A CONSISTENT, CONSISTENT PLANTING NUMBERS. AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE ALSO
SEEING INCREASED COSTS. WE PRUNED 7288 TREES IN 2025, ALMOST A THREE FOLD INCREASE COMPARED TO OUR AVERAGE OF ABOUT 2500 TREES PER YEAR. THIS HAS BEEN POSSIBLE BECAUSE
OF A ONCE IN A LIFETIME INVESTMENT FROM THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, ENABLING THE DIVISION TO EMPLOY A BLOCK PRUNING APPROACH WHERE ARBORIST GO OUT AND ASSESS TREES BLOCK BY BLOCK FOR THE MOST EFFICIENT
USE OF THEIR TIME. OVER 1500 MATURE ASH TREES WERE TREATED TO PROTECT AGAINST THE EMERALD ASH BORER, A PEST THAT THREATENS TO DECIMATE STREET TREES BY THE BLOCK IF NOT ADDRESSED.
OUR ARBORIST RESPONDED TO AND CLOSED OVER 9000 URBAN FORESTRY THROUGH ONE ONE REQUESTS INCLUDING 2252 TREE EMERGENCIES WITH 90% OF THEM MEETING OUR 24 HOUR SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT
RESPONSE TIME. THE ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL DIVISION ISSUED OVER 13,000 DOG LICENSES AND 25 KENNEL LICENSES. WE RESPONDED TO 9500 CALLS FOR
SERVICE AND ISSUED 1534 CITATIONS. WE ALSO HELP KEEP ANIMALS HEALTHY BY HOSTING TEN LOW COST RABIES CLINICS FOR CATS AND DOGS AND ADMINISTERED 935 FREE OR LOW COST RABIES VACCINES FOR
THOSE PETS. OUR SHELTER PROVIDED CARE FOR OVER A THOUSAND CATS AND DOGS AND 31 SMALL PETS. WE HELPED FACILITATE 90 ADOPTIONS OF PETS INTO NEW HOMES, AND WE'RE SO PROUD TO
HAVE OFFICER MICHAEL STERN BE HONORED WITH THE 2025 MASSACHUSETTS ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER OF THE YEAR. MAINTENANCE AND OUR PARKS CONTINUED AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH LEVEL THIS YEAR, AIDED BY
CONTRACT SUPPORT FOR OUR FOUNTAINS AND SPLASH PADS. THIS CONTRACT SUPPORT HAS ENABLED US TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR THESE ICONIC AND ESSENTIAL HEAT RESILIENT RESOURCES. WE'RE SO PROUD OF THE FACT THAT
ALL 81 OF OUR SPLASH PADS WERE FUNCTIONAL AT THE SAME TIME THIS PAST SUMMER AND SO AND WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED AN ORNAMENTAL FOUNTAIN MAINTENANCE CONTRACT TO COVER THE 16 DECORATIVE FOUNTAINS ACROSS THE CITY.
NOW THAT THE MURRAY RIVER FLOOD CONTROL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT HAS COMPLETED, THOSE WORK AREAS HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT CONTROL AND WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING CONTRACT SUPPORT TO SUPPORT A HIGHER LEVEL OF MAINTENANCE FOR THOSE
NATURAL AREAS. WE'VE ALSO ESTABLISHED. A NEW GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE CONTRACT TO SUPPORT THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE AND EXPANSION OF THOSE RESILIENT LANDSCAPE INFRASTRUCTURE. OUR MAINTENANCE CREWS CONTINUE
TO MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL FUEL OPERATIONS THROUGH THEIR ROUTINE PARK FUNCTIONS AND FUNDING THINGS LIKE TRASH BAGS MARKING PAINT AND BALL FIELD CHALK THROUGHOUT THE SEASONS. A WIDE VARIETY OF PASSIVE AND
ACTIVE RECREATION PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED IN FY 26 ACROSS THE CITY. THESE PROJECTS PRESERVED EXISTING TREE CANOPY, ADDED COOLING FEATURES AND IMPROVED ACCESSIBILITY SO PARKS CAN BE
USED BY ALL MAJOR PROJECTS AT WALSH PLAYGROUND IN DORCHESTER, COPLEY SQUARE PARK IN BACK BAY DORCHESTER PARK PATHWAYS WERE COMPLETED ALONG WITH FLAHERTY PLAYGROUND IN JAMAICA PLAIN AND COTILLARD PARK IN THE NORTH END.
WE'RE WRAPPING UP CONSTRUCTION ON THE FRANKLIN PARK BEAR DUNN'S FIRST PHASE OF WORK IN THE COMING WEEKS. CONSTRUCTION IS ALSO CONTINUING ON MAJOR PROJECTS IN WEST ROXBURY AT BILLINGS FIELD IN
CLIFFORD AT IN ROXBURY AT CLIFFORD PLAYGROUND AND IN ALLSTON AT RINGER PLAYGROUND. WORK ALSO CONTINUES ON MAJOR ON A MAJOR CLIMATE RESILIENCY PROJECT AT RYAN PLAYGROUND IN CHARLESTOWN TO ADDRESS AN
INLAND FLOOD PATHWAY AND TO IMPROVE THOSE RECREATIONAL FEATURES. CONSTRUCTION IS ALSO BEGINNING THIS SPRING AT THE KENMORE BLOCK OF COMMONWEALTH AVENUE MALL B VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK ON CHARLES STREET AND THE
FENCES ARE ALREADY UP AT THE MARY ELLEN WELCH GREENWAY IN EAST BOSTON. WE'RE COORDINATING CLOSELY WITH THE STREETS TEAM ON THE BICYCLE PATH DETOUR SINCE THE PARK PATH WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE NEXT 9 TO 12 MONTHS.
WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO ADD NEARLY ONE AND A HALF ACRES OF NEW PERMANENTLY PROTECTED OPEN SPACE ACROSS THE CITY THROUGH THE ACQUISITION OF THE AUTUMN SERENITY GARDEN IN DORCHESTER, SISTER MARY VERONICA PARK IN
SOUTH BOSTON, THE WEST OF WASHINGTON FAMILY PARK IN DORCHESTER ON NORWELL STREET AND IN COURT INCORPORATING 43 AND 45 DANUBE STREET INTO WINTHROP PLAYGROUND. WE ALSO TOOK CARE OF SOME
HOUSEKEEPING BY TRANSFERRING CODMAN SQUARE PARK FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND ALSO THE UNION STREET PARK DOWNTOWN ACROSS THE STREET FROM CITY HALL WHERE THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL IS FROM THE PLANNING
DEPARTMENT TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IN LINE WITH THE PREVIOUS MOA, THESE SPACES ARE NOW PERMANENTLY PROTECTED. THE DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO FOCUSED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK ON
THE CITY'S LARGEST PARK, FRANKLIN PARK, IMPLEMENTING SEVERAL KEY COMPONENTS OF THE FRANKLIN PARK ACTION PLAN. WE'RE SO PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LUIS PEREZ DE MORAES THIS YEAR AND
CONTINUING OUR INCREASED MAINTENANCE STAFF THROUGH THE TWO ALLOCATED MAINTENANCE CREWS AND THE ADDITIONAL TWO PERSON NATURAL AREAS CREW WORKING SPECIFICALLY IN FRANKLIN PARK. WE ALSO ADVANCE KEY CAPITAL
PROJECTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS EARLY ACTION ITEMS IN THE ACTION PLAN. WORKING ACROSS AGENCIES CONTINUED WITH THE TENANTS AND OPERATORS COMMITTEE CONVENING REGULARLY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN FRANKLIN PARK.
WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL CONTINUED INVESTMENTS IN THE PARK FUNDED FROM THE MAINTENANCE TRUST. I'M NOW GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE LEASE TO FURTHER DISCUSS SEVERAL ADVANCEMENTS GOING ON IN FRANKLIN PARK.
THANK YOU KATHY. UM AND THANK YOU COUNCIL FOR HAVING ME. SO UM, YOU KNOW, AS KATHY MENTIONED, WE HAVE QUITE A BIT
GOING ON AT FRANKLIN PARK UM, PARTICULARLY AROUND UH CAPITAL PROJECTS AND COORDINATION. UM, SO THIS YEAR WE HAVE KICKED OFF AND ARE CURRENTLY AWAITING
COMPLETION OF THE FRANKLIN PARK TENNIS COURTS. UM, THAT IS DUE TO BE COMPLETED LATER THIS SUMMER OR EARLY FALL OF 2026. UH, THE TENNIS COURTS PROJECT
EXPANDS THE EXISTING TWO COURTS INTO FIVE TENNIS COURTS. THESE COURTS ARE ALSO LIGHTED AND WILL HAVE UPGRADED UH SPECTATORS SEATING UH THE
PROJECT WILL ALSO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY AND UM AMENITIES AT THE PICNIC GROVE UM SO THAT THAT WILL BE COMPLETED UM AGAIN
IN THE FALL. UH WE ARE NEAR COMPLETION OF THE PHASE ONE OF BEAR DENS. UM, MAKE SAFE PROJECT UH, AFTER
WE THE CITY TOOK OWNERSHIP, UH, BACK FROM THE STATE, UH, WE WENT THROUGH A RIGOROUS ANALYSIS OF THE BEAR DENS AND ARE WORKING THROUGH MAKING IT
SAFE, UM, RESTORING SOME OF THE IRONWORK FROM THE ORIGINAL BEAR DANCE AS WELL AS RESTORING THE MASONRY. UM, AS WE MOVE ON TO PHASE TWO
IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS, UH, WE'VE ALSO PROGRESSED ON THE CIRCUIT DRIVE UH, TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECT UH, THAT IS EXPECTED TO
START UH, CONSTRUCTION LATE 2026 AND THIS PROJECT INCORPORATES UH RAISED UH SPEED TABLES ACROSS CIRCUIT DRIVE AS
WELL AS INCREASING UH, PEDESTRIAN UM SAFETY UH BY THE ADDITION OF CROSSWALKS ALONG WITH UH A NUMBER OF RAPID
FLASHING RECTANGULAR FLASHING BEACONS AT THESE UH, CRITICAL CROSSWALKS UH, THE OVERLOOK RUINS, WHICH IS THE FORMER HOME OF THE ELMER LEWIS UH PLAYHOUSE
IN THE PARK IS CURRENTLY UNDER DESIGN AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO ADVANCE THAT DESIGN LATER THIS SUMMER AND INTO THE FALL OF THIS YEAR. UH, A NEW PROJECT THAT WE ARE
UM, BRINGING FORWARD UH, THIS YEAR IS THE FRANKLIN PARK WAYFINDING SIGNAGE MAPPING AND CROSS-COUNTRY TRACK REDESIGN. UH, THIS PROJECT IS LOOKING AT
UH, WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN CLARIFY MOVEMENT THROUGH THE PARK AS WELL AS, UH, ASSIGN DIFFERENT TRAIL LEVELS, UM, SO THAT FOLKS TRAVERSING THE THE
TRAIL SYSTEM, UH, CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, WE WILL ALSO BE, UH, LOOKING AT THE CROSS-COUNTRY TRACK, UH, WHICH IS CURRENTLY USED FOR ITS
ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS ENHANCE IT FOR COLLEGIATE LEVEL UH TRACK MEETS UH IN TERMS OF COORDINATION AND SPECIAL PROJECTS. UH, WE HAVE BEEN SORRY.
THANK YOU. >> UH, CONTINUING TO WORK ON, UH, ERADICATING THE INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES AT FRANKLIN PARK WITH THE DEDICATED CREW OF TWO
,UH, FOUR PEOPLE UH, THAT CREW UH, ALONG WITH MANY UH, VOLUNTEERS ACROSS THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, JOIN FORCES IN REMOVING INVASIVE SPECIES,
TREATING THEM AS WELL AS PLANTING NATIVE UH, PLANTS IN THEIR PLACE. UM. >> ONE CRITICAL ELEMENT OF FRANKLIN PARK THAT WE'VE BEEN REALLY WORKING HARD AT IS
UM THE TENANTS AND OPERATORS GROUP WE MEET EVERY MONTH AND THIS GROUP REALLY UH, IS COMPOSED OF REPRESENTATIVES UH,
OF FOLKS WITHIN THE UH PARKS DEPARTMENT INCLUDING MAINTENANCE. UM GOLF COURSE, UH, THE PARK RANGERS. UM AND UH, THE FRANKLIN PARK ZOO.
IT'S ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS UH GROUP AND THE SHATTUCK HOSPITAL . AND UH WE TALK ABOUT A LOT OF ISSUES, PARTICULARLY AROUND TRAFFIC, UH, USE AS WELL AS UH,
COMING TOGETHER TO DEVELOP A COMMON GOAL OF OPENING UP THE PARK, UH, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE TO. UH, THE PUBLIC. UM.
IN ADDITION TO COORDINATION ACROSS THE PARK, UH, WE ARE TAKING A DEEP DIVE INTO THE FRANKLIN PARK MAINTENANCE TRUST . UH, THIS TRUST EXISTS. THANK YOU.
>> UM, THIS TRUST EXISTS, UH, IN ORDER TO SUPPLEMENT ADDITIONAL, UM, WHAT WE ALREADY DO IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE AT THE PARK. SO WITH THE TRUST WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO ASSESS THE PARK'S HISTORIC MASONRY, UM, AND WORK UP, UH, A PLAN TO RESTORE THOSE . WE HAVE AUGMENTED THE NATURAL AREAS CREW.
WORK BY COMBINING, UH, CONTRACTED WORK, UH, WITH THEIR EFFORTS AND OF COURSE, UH, BEGIN BEGINNING THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR.
START DEVELOPING ON-CALL OR ANNUAL CONTRACTS TO DO ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING MAINTENANCE ACROSS THE PARK. UM, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF SPECIAL EVENTS AND OTHER USES THAT THE
PARK RECEIVED. SO REALLY WORKING TO ELEVATE THE CURRENT CONDITIONS. OF THE PARK AND WITH THAT I'LL. I THINK THERE'S ONE MORE UM. OH YES.
THE MOST EXCITING. OH SORRY. UM. >> AND UH, ONE OF THE REAL EXCITING UH, PROJECTS THAT I CAME INTO THIS ROLE WAS THE
FRANKLIN PARK POSTER COMPETITION. UH, SO PARTNERING UH, WITH THE FOLKS AT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE BOSTON SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AS WELL
AS THE FRANKLIN PARK COALITION ,WE PUT OUT A CALL FOR ARTISTS TO BRING THEIR THEIR BEST INTERPRETATION. >> FORWARD. UM, OF. ART THAT REPRESENTS FRANKLIN
PARK. WE RECEIVED 55 SUBMISSIONS. UH A TOTAL OF FIVE ARTISTS WERE AWARDED UH WINNERS IN THREE CATEGORIES.
WE HAD EMERGING ARTISTS WHICH WERE. UH ARTISTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 AND 24 UH ORIGINAL SERIES AND THEN PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD.
THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD DREW 1300 UH VOTES AND UH WE GOT. UM ON THIS SLIDES REPRESENTATION FROM EACH OF THE WINNING ARTISTS.
THE NEXT PHASE OF UH THE POSTER COMPETITION IS TO. UH FURTHER DEVELOP THEM. >> INTO UH, MERCHANDISE. >> OF SOME SORT. THANK YOU. >> LOUISE. UH. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE.
FY 27 BUDGET. LIKE SO MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WE WERE ASKED TO TAKE A CRITICAL LOOK AT OUR OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGETS FOR THE FY 27 BUDGET YEAR. IT'S CRITICAL THAT. >> WE SUSTAIN THE HIGH QUALITY SPACES, PROGRAMS AND
MAINTENANCE, UH, THAT WE ARE WORKING ON EVERY DAY. SO WE LOOKED AT HOW WE COULD REEVALUATE OUR PRIORITIES AND LEVERAGE OUTSIDE FUNDING TO DELIVER THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE. WE PLANNED TO CONTINUE. CONTRACTED SERVICES TO SUPPORT
OUR ORNAMENTAL FOUNTAINS AND SPLASH PADS, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE AND OTHER KEY SERVICES. WE PLAN TO. MAINTAIN FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR ESSENTIAL FIELD OPERATIONS SUPPLIES INCLUDING BAGS MARKING
PAINT AND BALL FIELD CHALK. WE'RE PROPOSING. TO TEMPORARILY SHIFT SOME OF THE FY 27 OPERATING BUDGET TO EXTERNAL FUNDING SOURCES. AND WILL CONTINUE TO. LEVERAGE OUTSIDE FUNDING
SOURCES TO SUSTAIN OUR ARTS AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS. WE'RE ALSO INVESTIGATING. ALTERNATE PROCESSES. THAT MAY HAVE LOWER UPFRONT COSTS, SUCH AS STARTING PLANT MATERIAL FROM SEEDS INSTEAD
OF PLUGS TO REDUCE MATERIAL COSTS. OUR CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE. >> WITH PRIORITY PROJECTS SUCH AS. MCKINNEY PLAYGROUND IN BRIGHTON. MCLEAN PLAYGROUND IN EAST BOSTON AND RONAN PARK IN
DORCHESTER WHICH HAS A PARKLAND ACQUISITION AND RENOVATIONS FOR COMMUNITIES GRANT FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. WE'RE ALSO ADVANCING. >> WORK IN BOSTON COMMON WITH IMPROVEMENTS TO TEMPLE PLAYGROUND AND AN ACCESSIBLE RAMP FROM BEACON STREET IS
EXPECTED TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION . BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE. EXPECTED TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IN LATE 2026. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO BUILDING PROJECTS SUCH AS THE. ARNOLD ARBORETUM, POPLAR GATE
IMPROVEMENTS IN JAMAICA PLAIN, SALINE PARK IN DORCHESTER AND. BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF RECREATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS AT MOSELEY PARK IN SOUTH BOSTON THAT WILL. IMPROVE THE PLAYABILITY OF THE . FIELDS AND THE ATHLETE
EXPERIENCE. STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS HELP US ACHIEVE MORE THAN. THE CITY BUDGET. ALONE CAN, AND WE WILL. CONTINUE TO BE AND WILL. CONTINUE TO BE AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF OUR CAPITAL
BUDGETS IN FY 27 AND BEYOND. SEVERAL NEW PROJECTS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE FY 27. >> TO 31 CAPITAL. BUDGET TO CONTINUE THE HIGH QUALITY. BUILT AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT IN OUR PARKS. INCLUDING DORSET.
DORCHESTER PARK, ENFIELD IMPROVEMENTS, ARNOLD ARBORETUM ,HONEYWELL PATH. PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EAST BOSTON MEMORIAL PARK. FORBES STREET. >> PLAY AREA AND JAMAICA PLAIN CHANDLER POND PHASE TWO IN BRIGHTON. WHICH AND.
INVESTIGATING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. >> OF. THE PUBLIC GARDEN LAGOON BRIDGE AND THE FRANKLIN PARK WAYFINDING AND CROSS COUNTRY COURT WHICH LOUISE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED. PARKS AND RECREATION ARE
ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR. CITY AND AS SUCH WE INTEND TO. CONTINUE TO DELIVER. CRITICAL SERVICES AND CAPITAL PROJECTS IN A CONSTRAINED FISCAL ENVIRONMENT. OUR SENIOR TEAM. LEADERSHIP WILL BE ADVANCING STRATEGIC GOALS, EXECUTING
PRIORITY INITIATIVES AND MAINTAINING MOMENTUM ON ONGOING PROJECTS FOR. CORE SERVICES OF OUR WORK. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A CENTRAL PARK PARK. OPERATIONS. >> MAINTENANCE AND PUBLIC PROGRAMING AND. CONTINUE TO.
PRIORITIZE HIGH IMPACT INVESTMENTS THAT. IMPROVE CRITICAL OPERATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY NEEDS. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS AN. INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT. ORGANIZATION AND WE'RE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE EXISTING RESOURCES AND
IDENTIFY OPERATIONAL SAVINGS WHERE THEY'RE FEASIBLE. WE'RE ALSO. >> WELL ALIGNED WITH OUR OTHER CABINET DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS THE ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT, THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE RESILIENCY, THE OFFICE OF. HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE OFFICE OF FOOD. JUSTICE TO BE. >> ABLE TO ADVANCE OVERALL.
EQUITY, CLIMATE. RESILIENCE AND DEPARTMENTAL INITIATIVES. COLLABORATION WILL CONTINUE WITH. >> OUR COLLEAGUES IN CITY GOVERNMENT ESPECIALLY PLANNING STREETS OPERATION AND THE HUMAN SERVICES CABINET. THIS YEAR WILL BE A CHALLENGING.
ONE BUT WITH OUR NEW. LEADERSHIP WE'RE EXCITED TO TAKE ON THOSE CHALLENGES AND FIND OPPORTUNITIES. TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER THE. >> BEST PARKS IN THE COUNTRY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO
COUNCILOR DURKAN. UH, WE'LL DO SEVEN MINUTES, UH, EACH COUNCILOR FOR A FIRST ROUND, THEN PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND THEN THE SECOND ROUND. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. AND I DON'T THINK I'M THE FIRST TO WELCOME YOU, BUT, UM.
DIANA, WE'RE SO EXCITED FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. UM. OR COMMISSIONER, I SHOULD SAY AND, UM, WE'RE REALLY THRILLED AND HAVING WORKED WITH YOU AT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, I
KNOW, UM, JUST HOW THOUGHTFUL YOU ARE AND HOW MUCH YOUR PASSION REALLY IS IN GREEN SPACES. SO, UM, GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU HERE. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, KATHY,
FOR ALL OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AND RESPONDING TO ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE WERE NEEDED DURING YOUR TIME AND EXCITED THAT YOU WILL STILL BE WITH THE TEAM. WE ABSOLUTELY NEED YOU AND ARE THRILLED, UM THAT YOU ARE SUCH
A GREAT LEADER IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. UM SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE UH WE'RE HEADING INTO A TOUGH UH, FINANCIAL YEAR. UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE GOTTEN A
COUPLE OF YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR THAT IN THIS FISCAL YEAR. UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A RAILING THERE WAS A BENCH, YOU KNOW THAT I WAS TOLD YOU MAY NOT HAVE FUNDS.
UM, CAN YOU JUST DESCRIBE FROM THE, UM, DEPARTMENT'S PERSPECTIVE, UM, HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DELIVERING ON THE HIGHEST QUALITY PARKS IN
A TOUGH FINANCIAL YEAR WITH RISING COSTS? THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, SO YEAH, SO WE. ARE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT. >> THE. DON'T WORRY.
NATE HAS LOCATIONS THAT I. KNOW I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE BENCHES BUT BUT I THINK. THE UM. WHEN THERE ARE LARGE. PROJECTS THAT WE ARE. THAT ARE NOT FEASIBLE FOR US TO INCORPORATE INTO. OUR OUR OPERATING.
BUDGET, WE USUALLY LOOK. TO OUR. CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THAT. I THINK THE RAILING AT MCLAUGHLIN MAY BE ONE THAT COULD FIT INTO THE INTO THE CAPITAL PROJECT THAT WE'RE THAT IS IN THE FY 27 TO 31 PLAN.
SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE INTO THAT SO THAT WE CAN WE CAN PROVIDE SOME SAFETY ON THOSE STEPS I THINK GOING DOWN TO PARKER. >> STREET. YEAH THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH THE SPECIFIC LOCATION IS LIKE ON FISHER AVE IT'S
BASICALLY LEADING UP TO. TO THE. >> PARK FROM FISHER UP TO YEAH UP TO THE TOP. SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE INTO THAT AS A CAPITAL PROJECT. SO IT'S NOT AN IMMEDIATE FIX BUT IT WILL BE A LONG TERM FIX AND IT WILL BE DONE THE RIGHT
WAY. WE KNOW IT WILL BE. >> DONE THE RIGHT. WAY OR. >> THE SECURITY STRUCTURAL BUT IT'S JUST NOT A QUICK FIX. UM, AND I THINK THAT I THINK THE BENCH MAY BE A SIMILAR PROJECT IF WE CAN IF WE CAN INCORPORATE IT INTO THE INTO
THE BACK BAY FENCE PROJECT, THAT MAY BE THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH THAT. UH, ONE THING I WANTED TO TALK TO, UH, SPEAK TO IS PERMITTING OF OUR PARKS. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A HUGE CHARGE
OF PEOPLE LIKE THE FRIENDS OF THE PUBLIC GARDEN AND OTHERS UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR YOU KNOW THAT OUR PARKS GET THE NECESSARY TIME THAT THEY NEED TO RECOVER. WE HAVE A REALLY BUSY UM I
REALLY BUSY SEASON COMING TOWARDS US AND I SEE THE REVENUE FROM FLOODLIGHTING FEES IS INCREASING OR IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE 200,000 THIS YEAR. WHERE IS THAT MOSTLY COMING FROM JUST THE SUMMER EVENTS
THAT ARE BEING PERMITTED. THE REVENUE FOR THE FOR THE. FLOODLIGHTS IS COMING FROM THE USAGE OF THE OF LIGHTS ACROSS THE CITY THAT HAVE FLOODLIGHTING. WE ASSESS A $25. FEE PER HOUR FOR.
RESIDENTS AND $50 AN HOUR FOR NONRESIDENTS UM TO OFFSET THE ENERGY COSTS. THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE INCURRING. BY PROVIDING THAT A SERVICE UM AND THAT. THAT WORK OFTEN. GETS UH.
INCORPORATED SO. >> IT GOES INTO A REVOLVING FUND AND THEN WE OFTEN USE IT. FOR UM FOR IMPROVEMENTS. >> TO LIGHTS IF A LIGHT COMES DOWN IF THERE'S UM THE LIGHTS. THE LIGHT BULBS. NEED TO BE CHANGED. THAT COST IS OFTEN TAKEN FROM
THAT FLOODLIGHTING I. JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS AN INTERESTING METRIC BECAUSE THAT JUST SHOWS HOW MUCH MORE OUR PARKS ARE BEING USED. UM, YOU KNOW AND. TO WE'RE BASICALLY AT LEVEL FUNDING THIS RIGHT?
WE'RE BASICALLY AT LEVEL FUNDING THIS YEAR FOR FOR THE PARKS. SO THE IDEA THAT THEY'RE BEING USED SO MUCH MORE AND LIKE THAT THAT JUST ONE STAFF THAT POINTS TO THE FACT THAT OUR PARKS ARE
BEING USED MORE AND I KNOW THE MOST PERMITTED PARK IN YOU KNOW IS THE BOSTON COMMON. UM AND I KNOW FROM THE RESIDENTS PERSPECTIVE OFTEN
FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT GOING ON THERE AND UM, BUT WE WANT IT TO BE USED FOR ACTIVISM UM, FOR CELEBRATIONS FOR FOR EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. UM, BUT I DO THINK THERE IS AN
IMPACT ON ON THE ACTUAL TURF AND I AM A PROUD TRUSTEE OF THE BOSTON COMMON MAINTENANCE TRUST FUND AND WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, AND MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE THINGS BUT THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH
RESOURCES TO REALLY UM, GET AT THAT. SO I DID WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO HOW WE MIGHT UM, IMPROVE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN
PERMITTING AND PAYING FOR BASIC THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, TURF CARE AND AND I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT UM, IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD LOOK
INTO MORE IS JUST CREATING MORE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE IMPACT AND AND WHAT WE'RE CHARGING ESPECIALLY FOR UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE UH AND THE BPD HEARING I CAME AGAINST THE FIVE KS IN THE
TIME KAREN RUNS. I DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE THAT PERSON WHO'S AGAINST EVERYTHING, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR PARKS GET THE CARE THAT THEY NEED AND THAT THOSE
GROUPS THAT ARE IMPACTING, YOU KNOW, UM, IMPACTING OUR PARKS, UH, HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT IMPACT . UM. YEAH, I THINK I. >> THINK WE AGREE, BRIAN, ON WHAT. >> YOU. WANT TO YOU KNOW, JUST GOT UM AGAIN I MEAN. UH I SHARE YOUR EXCITEMENT AND
THE UH, OUTDOOR LIGHTING, UH, OUTDOOR LIGHTING UPTICK. UM, I THINK THAT IS A GOOD INDICATOR THAT THE UTILIZATION OF OUR PARKS IS HAPPENING LATER INTO THE EVENING, WHICH IS AWESOME. RIGHT? AND THAT IS AN INDICATOR OF THE REPAIR AND UM, AND STATE
OF GOOD REPAIR THAT THE MAINTENANCE TEAM HAS THE FIELDS AND THAT WE CAN UM, HAVE THAT EXTENDED USE ON MAJOR PERMITTING THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF MAJOR EVENTS AND PERMITTING IN OUR PARKS ABOUT
HOW TO MAKE SURE WE ARE GETTING UH, ADEQUATE COST RECOVERY, UH ,ON EVENTS THAT WE KNOW ARE GOING TO DAMAGE THE TURF. AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE SAYING NO TO EVENTS GIVEN THEIR SIZE. IT JUST MEANS THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE CERTAIN GRASS PADS IF THEY'RE
NEW LIVES OVER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME. SO I THINK ONE VERY SUCCESSFUL ONE UM, THAT I BELIEVE UH, YOU WERE AT UH, FOLKS SPENT TIME AT WAS THAT 250 OR THROUGH THE MARINE CORPS, YOU KNOW, LANDING
YOU KNOW, KIWIS AND HELICOPTERS LAST FALL ON THE BOSTON COMMON. YOU KNOW, THEY WERE GREAT PARTNERS AND THEN FUNDING THE RESEEDING, YOU KNOW, A BAY AREA WHERE THEY LANDED SO THAT WE COULD. UM AND THAT WAS THAT BACK WE WOULDN'T HAVE WANTED TO MISS THAT YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THAT
WAS A VERY. EXACT BECAUSE I WAS ONE OF THOSE LIKE ONCE IN A GENERATION LIKE YEAH, WE WANT TO HAVE THIS HERE BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, HAVING KNOW UM, YOU KNOW, 50 TON HELICOPTERS LAND OR FIVE TIME HELICOPTERS LAND HERE ON THE
BOSTON COMMON IS GOING TO CREATE SOME DISRUPTION. HOW DO WE RECOVER THAT? SO WE DO CONSTANTLY LOOK AT THE IMPACTS OF MAJOR EVENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PRE NEGOTIATED WITH THE COST RECOVERY IS. THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO ASK ONE WHICH IS KIND OF A BIG QUESTION
WHICH WE COULD GO INTO THE SECOND ROUND WITH. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT MITIGATION FUNDS FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON OUR PARKS.
UM, AND IT DOES FEEL LIKE IN A TOUGH FINANCIAL YEAR EVERYONE'S LOOKING TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT FUNDS FOR YOU KNOW, WELL COULD THIS BE THE THING THAT SOLVES OUR FINANCIAL PROBLEM?
I MEAN ONE THE BUILDING HAS TO ACTUALLY BE BUILT FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO UM AND SO YEAH SO I DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR INTO THAT BUT I JUST I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS THAT HAVE JUST BEEN APPROVED LIKE THE SKANSKA LONG PRAISE PROJECT WHICH HAS $6 MILLION. UH, I JUST WANT THE PARKS
DEPARTMENT TO BE REALLY LOOKING AND PLANNING AND I REALLY DO FEEL LIKE, UH, COMMISSIONER UM . FERNANDEZ. UM. BRAVO, BRAVO. SORRY I ALWAYS SAID BRAVO, BUT,
UM, BEING HERE IS GOING TO HELP US CONNECT THOSE PIECES. BUT I THINK THAT'S AN A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A LONG TERM STEWARDSHIP IN MIND FOR OUR PARKS WHEN WE'RE
THINKING ABOUT PROJECTS THAT HAVE LONG TERM IMPACTS ON OUR PARK SYSTEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH SHARON. LOOK FORWARD TO THE. SECOND ROUND OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCILOR FLYNN. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
MACLEAY PARK UM LITERALLY KIDS COULDN'T PLAY ON SUNDAY DUE TO FLOODING. UM FROM THE RAIN ON SATURDAY THEY COULDN'T PLAY ON SUNDAY. ARE WE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO WORK
ON PROVIDING A PLACE SO KIDS CAN PLAY BASEBALL? YEAH. >> I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH SOME OF THE FIELD CONDITIONS. >> IS THAT WATER ISN'T. MOVING THROUGH. THE THE SOIL SO THAT. IN A TIMELY ENOUGH MANNER, UM,
WHICH IS IMPACTING THE KIDS. ABILITY TO PLAY. AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT. THE IMPROVEMENTS TO. >> THE PARK, WE'RE. REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON ON IMPROVING. THE PLAYER. EXPERIENCE AND GETTING RECREATIONAL. FIELDS AS THE FIRST PART OF THE
FIRST PART. OF CONSTRUCTION SO THAT AS WE CONTINUE WITH THE REST. >> OF THE PARK, PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE. TO PLAY IN THE PARK. AND AND UH AND HAVE A HIGH. QUALITY FIELD. BUT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO PLAY
OVER THE WEEKEND. UM, WE COULD HAVE HAD THEM PLAY BASEBALL IF THERE WAS THE MAINTENANCE WAS DONE IF THEY PUT SOME DIRT IN AND AROUND THE AREAS THAT WAS FLOODED. IT'S NOT ALWAYS A. IT'S NOT. >> ALWAYS ADDING MORE DIRT.
THAT'S THE. PROBLEM BECAUSE THAT CAN IMPACT THE THE DRAINAGE MOVING THROUGH THE SOIL SUBSTRATE. SO ADDING MORE DIRT IS NOT ALWAYS THE PROBLEM IT'S MOVING . >> THE. WATER FROM THE. SURFACE OKAY MOVING THE WATER BUT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT
BELOW SURFACE. WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT SO THE KIDS COULD PLAY BASEBALL UH METAL ON A PARK AT CHRISTOPHER LEE UH LITTLE LEAGUE FIELD.
WE PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO IT. UM, $1.25 MILLION ALREADY. THIS, UM, DOGS THAT ARE RUNNING WILD OVER THERE AND HAVING A
NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE ON THE DIRT ON THE PARK, UM, DIGGING IT UP. ARE WE ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? I'VE HAD A MEETING THERE BEFORE AND THE CITY OF BOSTON ANIMAL
CONTROL GROUP WAS VERY HELPFUL. UM, BUT WE STILL HAVE PROBLEMS . YEAH, WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF ANIMAL. CONTROL OFFICERS, BUT I CAN BRING THIS SITE TO THEIR ATTENTION AND THEY CAN THEY CAN, UH, PUT SOME MORE
ATTENTION. THEY ARE TRYING TO, UH, ENFORCE. THE RULES TO KEEP THE DOGS OFF THE PLAYING FIELD. OKAY. >> I WANT TO GO OVER THE BAY VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, I REPRESENT THAT AREA AND I LOVE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE ONGOING PROJECTS THERE AT UH, BEVERIDGE PARK. UM, ELLIOT NORTON PARK ON CHARLES STREET SOUTH. ANY UPDATE ANY UPDATES ON UM, HOW WE'RE DOING IN THE BAY
VILLAGE? UH, THE THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AT. >> BAY. VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK ACROSS THE STREET FROM ELLIOT NORTON. I THINK HAS BEEN BID AND WE'RE LOOKING TO, UM, PUT THE CONSTRUCTION FENCES UP.
UH. THE PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING HAS ALREADY BEEN HELD. UM, AND WE'RE DOING SOME OF THE. BACKGROUND WORK SO THAT WE CAN. >> GET. CONSTRUCTION STARTED. AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. LOOKING TO OPEN THAT PROJECT IN THE FALL OF 2026? OKAY.
>> CHINATOWN HAS THE LOWEST CHINATOWN IN SOUTH BOSTON HAS THE LOWEST TREE CANOPY, UM, TREES IN THE CITY OF BOSTON PERCENTAGE WISE. UM, WHY ARE WE NEGLECTING CHINATOWN AND SOUTH BOSTON?
UH. >> WE IMPLEMENTED SOME A PILOT PROJECT THIS YEAR. TO. >> UH. AND THE PHOTO IS IN THE SLIDE DECK, UM, TO HAVE. THERE'S A LOT OF UNDERGROUND UTILITIES. CONSTRAINING WHERE WE.
CAN PUT STREET TREES. SO WE IMPLEMENTED A. TRIAL TO HAVE. ABOVE, UH, ABOVE GROUND RAISED PLANTERS. TO TRY TO INTRODUCE. UH, STREET TREES IN PLACES WHERE WE CAN'T DIG DOWN.
UH, I THINK WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT MORE OF. >> THOSE AND ROLL OUT MORE OF THOSE AS AS WE EVALUATE HOW THAT IS PROCEEDING. UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING. I MEAN, I TAKE IT YOU CAN CERTAINLY NO ONE IS NEGLECTING
,UH, CANOPY COVERAGE IN CHINATOWN LIKE THAT IS THE HARDEST NEIGHBORHOOD FROM AN URBAN FORESTRY PERSPECTIVE TO FIND DIRT TO PLANT TREES. SO AS YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER MENTIONED. WE ARE. >> DEVELOPING CREATIVE STRATEGIES THERE TO GET.
THINGS ABOVE GROUND. BUT I TAKE ISSUE WITH NO ONE'S NEGLECTING CHINATOWN. WELL, I'M GOING TO PUSH BACK ON YOU ON THAT. UM THAT'S THE NEIGHBORHOOD I REPRESENT IN.
WE WE HAVE THE SMALLEST PARK IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAI TUNG PARK. UM, IT NEEDS SOME WORK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE RESIDENTS OF CHINATOWN NEED AND DESERVE THE SAME LEVEL
OF RESPECT AS ANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD AND I LIKE I LIKE FOR US TO TO DO THAT. IS THAT OKAY? THAT'S FINE. I'M JUST TAKING ACTION LIKE NO ONE IS NEGLECTING TREE CANOPY
COVERAGE IN CHINATOWN. THAT IS THE HARDEST AREA TO PLANT TREES. WE'RE COMING UP WITH WAYS OF DOING IT ABOVE. GROUND LOWEST. UH, YOU THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FRANKLIN. PARK I AM YES.
WELCOME. >> THANK YOU. >> DID YOU MENTION IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT ANYTHING ABOUT THE WHITE. STADIUM PROJECT? I DID NOT KNOW. COULD I ASK WHITE? UM. >> I HAVE BEEN REALLY FOCUSED
UH, A LOT FOCUSING A LOT OF MY ENERGY ON THE REST OF THE PARK . UM, SO. WHITE STADIUM IS ONE PIECE OF THAT PUZZLE AND I REALLY WANTED TO ELEVATE, UH, THE REST OF THE PARK. UH.
>> TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE. WHAT IS THE TRAFFIC PLAN. AS IT RELATES TO WHITE STADIUM AND WHAT IMPACT WILL THAT HAVE. ON PARK USES UM THROUGHOUT
FRANKLIN PARK. SO CURRENTLY THERE UM THERE IS A TRANSPORTATION ACCESS UH PLAN AGREEMENT THAT WAS SIGNED LAST
WEEK AND THE CITY UH, INCLUDING MYSELF ARE WORKING. UH ON. GETTING SOME FURTHER DETAILS WHAT THAT PLAN DOES IT'S SECURE A FUNDING MECHANISM TO ENSURE THAT TRANSPORTATION.
IS, UH, ACCOUNTED FOR. UH. WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS TO MITIGATE. UM. >> PARKING AND TRAFFIC WITHIN THE PARK SO THAT. >> WE'RE. NOT PRECLUDING. PARKGOERS FROM USING. THE PARK.
DURING KEY DATES. YOU MENTIONED CIRCUIT. DRIVE IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT. WHAT IMPACT WILL WHITE STADIUM . HAVE ON. >> CIRCUIT DRIVE IF ANY? UH, WE ARE LOOKING TO NOT HAVE
UH, IMPACTS ON CIRCUIT DRIVE. I BELIEVE THERE WILL BE SOME SHUTTLES THAT WILL BE BRINGING PEOPLE TO, UH, ONE OF THE PARKING LOT AT CIRCUIT DRIVE.
UM, BUT BEYOND THAT WE ARE TRYING TO MINIMIZE, UH, YOU KNOW, SINGLE RIDER CARTS. AND I JUST SAID HOW MUCH. IS THAT? >> HOW MUCH IS OUR. TRANSPORTATION PLAN ON THE BUSSES? HOW MUCH IS THAT GOING TO COST TO.
TRANSPORT PEOPLE FROM THE BUS DEPOTS. BASICALLY TO UM FRANKLIN PARK? >> SO SO THAT'S NOT A QUESTION THAT'S GERMANE. >> TO THIS BUDGET HEARING. THIS IS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. >> THAT'S THAT'S A QUESTION THE COST. KNOW IT'S A. VERY UH. EXCUSE ME EXCUSE ME.
CAN I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? NO I ASKED I ASKED I ASKED HIM IS THAT OKAY? IT'S NOT COMING OUT OF THE FRANKLIN PARK. I'M ASKING A QUESTION. GO AHEAD. >> ASK A QUESTION. I DID I'M WAITING FOR THE ANSWER.
I AM NOT SURE HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO CAUSE I KNOW THAT THE TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION ACCESS PLAN AGREEMENT, UM, IS INTENDED TO HAVE THE LEAGUE OR THE TEAM PAY.
FOR TRANSPORTATION, UH. YOU KNOW, AMENITIES AND COORDINATION. THE COSTS ARE NOT COMING OUT OF THE PARKS PART. >> IS. IS THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR PAPIN.
YOU'RE UP NEXT SEVEN MINUTES. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST. OFF START WITH THANKING THE YOUR DEPARTMENT ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO DURING THE UM I LOVE YOUR
BLOCK INITIATIVES THE POPLAR STREET PARK UM, YOUR TEAM CAME OUT THERE AND CLEANED HOUSE REMOVE A LOT OF THE DEBRIS BEFORE WE EVEN STARTED AND THEN AFTERWARDS AND MY TEAM DID THAT TWICE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, TO LEWIS. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AT FRANKLIN PARK. UM, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR SOME REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK FROM SOME COMMUNITY LEADERS ESPECIALLY I
THINK REPRESENTATION REALLY MATTERS AND FOR THE SPEAK FOR THE SPANISH SPEAKING. COMMUNITY. >> FOR THE LATINO COMMUNITY THAT IS A VERY HEAVILY STRONG UM USE PARK. SO THEY FEEL LIKE THEY THEY HAVE SOMEONE THEY CAN TALK TO
AND PICK YOUR BRAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. SO GOOD JOB. UM REALLY REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO THERE. I WANTED TO. UM SPEAK VERY SPECIFICALLY ON
SOME PARKS IN MY DISTRICT. UM I WANT TO START OFF BY THINKING UM, KATHY BAKER CLIPS BECAUSE UM, WE I KNOW WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH ZOE PETTI NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AROUND
ROSS PLAYGROUND AND AROUND THE PERMITTING THERE FOR THE USE OF THE SUMMER THE ESPECIALLY THE SOFTBALL LEAGUES. OBVIOUSLY THERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE UM OVERUTILIZATION OF ROSS
PLAYGROUND BUT I THINK WE FROM THE FEEDBACK I'VE GOTTEN FROM THE COMMUNITY I THINK WE FOUND A GOOD COMPROMISE AND I BELIEVE THAT UH WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. ARE YOU GOING TO MONITOR THAT SITUATION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR? UM, TO SEE HOW THAT GOES.
BUT I FEEL GOOD. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WORKING WITH US ON THAT. UM, PART OF THE CONCERN WITH ANY ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN DURING THE WEEKEND IS ALL THE
TRASH LEFTOVER. I WANTED TO ASK, UM, ABOUT THE SCHEDULES FOR FOR TRASH PICKUP AT THESE PARKS. I'M TALKING ROSS HEALY ROSS A HEALY ARE REALLY UM ARE THE TOP
TWO USE DURING THE WEEKEND FOR FOR ME AND MY DISTRICT? I FEEL LIKE A MONDAY TRASH PICKUP WOULD MAKE THE MOST SENSE, BUT I'M JUST NOT SURE. CAN I GET A CONFIRMATION ON WHEN DO. PARKS DEPARTMENT. PICK UP TRASH IN THOSE PARTS?
YEAH, I MEAN WE RUN. MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY UM 7 OR 330. WE HAVE A NIGHT SHIFT THAT'S ON FROM 130 TO 10 P.M. ALSO. SO A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE BIGGER EVENTS OR WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE PLAYING OVER THERE.
WE'LL SEND THE NIGHT CREW OVER THERE AFTER THEIR GAME TO PICK IT UP. UM AND TYPICALLY WE ARE WORKING WEEKENDS YOU KNOW, ON OVERTIME WORK JUST TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT WE HAVE OUT THERE. UM, THEY'RE TYPICALLY OFF 1112
UM SO USUALLY IF THE GAMES ARE LATER IN THE DAY YOU KNOW WE WON'T GET IT TO THE NEXT DAY BUT WE DO HAVE THAT NIGHT SHIFT THAT WE CAN GET OVER THERE IF WE KNOW THERE'S BIGGER BIGGER GAMES GOING ON OR EVENTS GOING ON. YEAH OKAY.
THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. UM YEAH THIS IS SOME OF THE CONCERN TO HEAR FROM RESIDENTS OF THE TRASH LEFT OVER. YOU ARE TO TRY TO KEEP THE LEAKS RESPONSIBLE. BUT ALSO I KNOW THAT SOME RESIDENTS STEP UP AND THEY THEY HELP WITH THE TRASH PICKUP.
BUT YOUR TEAM HAS ALSO BEEN. AND THAT'S AT ROSS RIGHT. ROSS AND HEALY. YEAH. >> UM I WANT TO GO BACK TO ROSS A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR IS UH I WANT TO SEE A
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING I COULD SPEAK TO THE NEW COMMISSIONER ABOUT AND MAYBE THIS COULD BE ONE OF YOUR NEW PROJECTS PARTNERING WITH NEW MISSION HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE ROSS PLAYGROUND IS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM NEW MISSION HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS ONE
OF OUR TOP PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A FIELD THAT THEY GET TO CALL HOME. UM YEAH, THEY COULD USE ROSS BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL. LIKE IT'S. THEIRS AND THEY HAVE A SOCCER TEAM THERE. THEY HAVE A BASEBALL TEAM THEY
HAVE THE YOUTH ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO CALL HOME AND I THINK THAT THE PARK IS BIG ENOUGH THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THE BASEBALL DIAMONDS COULD BE LIKE NEW MISSIONS BASEBALL DIAMOND WITH SOME SORT OF LABELING. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS,
BUT I WOULD JUST LOVE TO SEE THEM TO HAVE A PLACE THAT COULD GO AND PLAY. UM. >> ESPECIALLY THAT HIGH SCHOOL WHICH IS BECOMING ONE OF THE TOP SCHOOLS IN THE AREA. UM, SO I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. THIS BEFORE AND UM AND I I'M
I'D LOVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH OUR. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR TO SEE WHAT THAT UM WHAT THAT KIND OF. CREATING A HOME FOR THEM. MEANS TO. >> THEM SO THAT WHEN WE GO TO PUT IT IN THE NEXT CAPITAL BUDGET WE CAN WE CAN REALLY
HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT THAT WHAT THAT MIGHT. LOOK LIKE. UM, IS IT UH, SCOREBOARD. >> WITH THE NAME ON IT IS IT UH IS IT SOME COLORS ON THAT ROUND THE TEAM BENCH? UH. WHAT ARE THE SPORTS. >> THAT THEY'RE PLAYING? WHAT WHAT'S THE.
UM WHAT'S WHAT. SOME MORE SPECIFICS ABOUT WHAT THEY. >> WOULD FEEL LIKE TO. MAKE IT THEIR HOME. THE FIELDS ARE. BEING, UH, ARE PERMITTED TO AS A. BLANKET PERMIT 2 TO 6 P.M. EVERY DAY.
UM, AND HOW THE. ATHLETICS ASSIGNS. THOSE ASSIGNED TO THOSE GAMES AND THOSE PRACTICES IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE. ARE TYPICALLY. INVOLVED IN AT A AT A MICRO LEVEL.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S. OTHER OTHER. UM SCHOOLS THAT ALSO USE THAT SPACE. >> I JUST DON'T KNOW. WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. SO I'M HAPPY TO HAPPY. TO CONTINUE. >> THE CONVERSATIONS UM, AND SPECIFICALLY TRY TO SET SOMETHING UP BEFORE THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR SO THAT WE
CAN. WE CAN REALLY. >> GET A COMMON UNDERSTANDING AND THEN WE CAN WORK THROUGH THAT THROUGH THE REST OF. >> THE YEAR'S WORK. THAT'S GREAT PLAN. THAT THAT'S A GREAT IDEA AND I CAN HELP SET THAT MEETING GREAT. UM I KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY BRING UP
WHEN I GO VISIT SO MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP SET THAT UP. YES. YOUR TEAM. GREATLY HELPED WITH THE EFFORT. UM AND IN A SIMILAR TONE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS HEALY FIELD I KEEP GETTING THAT
QUESTION UM, WHEN ASKED IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET AN UPGRADE I THINK I BROUGHT THIS UP AT LAST BUDGET HEARING WITH YOU GUYS THAT THERE'S ADA ACCESSIBILITY CONCERNS AND THERE'S ONLY ONE RAMP I WANT TO TELL END OF HEALY FIELD NOT THE
OTHER. UM THE BASEBALL DIAMONDS ARE THEY'RE GREAT BUT SOME OF THEM ARE OUTDATED. UH, THE VERY OLD CONCRETE STEPS THAT ACT AS BENCHES AS WELL
THOSE GET QUESTIONS AND THE COMMUNITY GARDEN IN THE BACK. I THINK THEY JUST WANT TO SEE SOME NEW DESIGNS FOR THAT PLAYGROUND. MAYBE THEY'RE ASKING FOR LIKE A STAGE FOR THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME SOME OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE
ETC. SO THERE'S A LOT OF IDEAS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS THEY WANT TO JUST BE WHENEVER THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO HEALY THEY WANT TO BE PART OF THAT PROCESS. AND THEN.
I WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR A FEW THINGS THE SECOND BEST DISTRICT SIX CITY COUNCILOR MATT O'MALLEY ONLY SECOND TO BAN I'M KIDDING. UM, HE WORKED ON A PROJECT FOR
SUNSCREEN DISPENSERS UM, I BELIEVE I DON'T KNOW IF THAT PARTNERSHIPS STILL EXIST. I WANT TO KNOW ONE DOES IT STILL EXIST TO A LOT OF PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN? UM, THEY ACTUALLY ASKED ME TO SEE IF WE CAN INVEST IN
INSTALL, UM, SUNSCREEN DISPENSERS, UH, AT MANY OF MY PLAYGROUND. SO I WANT TO KNOW HOW CAN I ADVOCATE FOR THAT? I HEARD WHAT THE PROCESS SAYS. WE'D LOVE TO LEARN MORE. . >> AND THEN. I WANTED TO ALSO ASK ABOUT DOG
WASTE STATIONS. SOME OF THEM THERE'S A LOT OF DOGS. MY DISTRICT UM. PEOPLE USE PARKS SOMETIMES AS DOG PARKS. I KNOW THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S A
LITTLE BACK AND FORTH. SHOULD WE PLACE THESE SHOULD WE NOT BECAUSE THEN WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE TELLING PEOPLE THAT THIS IS A DOG PARK. WE'RE NOT BUT DOG WE STILL ARE OUT THERE. SO I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S THE
POSSIBILITY OF US INSTALLING DOG WAYSTATION AT SOME OF THE PARKS? UM, ESPECIALLY NEAR TO THE TRASH CANS. UM YEAH. THAT'S IT FOR DO. >> I TAKE THE DOG? YES. THANK YOU SIR. UM, TYPICALLY WE.
>> PUT DOG WASTE, UM, RECEPTACLES IN DOG PARKS OR CERTAIN PARKS THAT ARE REGULATED BY THE STATE THAT WE HAVE TO PUT IN THEIR WATERWAYS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. UM, EVERYTHING ELSE WE USUALLY DON'T PUT A DOG WITH. IS THERE UM, PROBABLY A COUPLE
DIFFERENT REASONS A IT CONTRIBUTES TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THINKING IF THEY CAN HAVE A DOG IN THE AREA OFF LEASH AND EVERYTHING LIKE. >> THAT WITH. AND THEN I SUPPOSE TO UM THE SECOND PART OF IT IS COST. IT DOES COST QUITE A BIT
OF MONEY YEARLY TO A BUY THE DOG LEASH BAGS AND WE TO HAVE STAFF THAT ARE CONSTANTLY FILLING UP THOSE DOG WASTE BAGS. SO MAINLY THOSE TWO REASONS IS WHY WE LIMIT THEM TO SPECIFIC DOG.
PARKS AND WITH THE. SUNBLOCK UM THAT PROGRAM DOES. >> STILL EXIST. UM I. >> THINK WE'RE WE'RE. CONTINUE TO TO. GET UM. THE REFILLS. >> FOR THEM. >> I DON'T THINK WE'VE. EXPANDED THE NUMBER OF STATIONS A NUMBER A NUMBER. >> OF YEARS. BUT I CAN FIND OUT WHAT. >> IT WOULD TAKE.
UH, TO EXPAND THAT UH, AND FOLLOW UP. YEAH. THAT'S PERFECT. YEAH. WE, UM, I'LL PROBABLY FOLLOW UP WITH YOU WITH SOME POTENTIAL PARKS THAT I KNOW PARENTS WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE THE SUNSCREEN
DISPENSERS AND THEN, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE RESPONSE ON THE DOG WASTE. I AS I WAS ASKING I WAS GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF A HINT ON MY WAY. OKAY. I KNOW WHAT THIS IS GOING ON. WATCH OUT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR EXACTLY. UH, I DO HAVE MORE QUESTIONS
ABOUT I'LL WAIT FOR THE SECOND ROUND. OKAY. >> BUT IN TERMS OF HOW MANY COUNCILORS HAVE GOTTEN THE CITY UH, SORT OF SPOOFED ON THE SIMPSONS, COUNCILOR O'MALLEY IS THE GREATEST. DISTRICT SIX COUNCILOR.
UM, OKAY, SO WE WOULD ENJOY MY COUNCILORS, UH, BREADON SANTANA AND WE'RE L I MAY HAVE NOT SAID THAT IN ORDER, UH, BUT, UH, SO NEXT UP IS COUNCILOR FITZGERALD ,THEN SANTANA, THEN COUNCILOR BREADON IN THE
COUNCIL ROOM. THANK YOU CHAIR. UH THANK YOU EVERYBODY. UH, FROM THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE TODAY. UM. >> JUST TO BE CONSISTENT, I. SAID I'VE STARTED OFF EVERY BUDGET HEARING. >> WITH SORT. >> OF. UH THE. >> SAME QUESTION AND. SO I. >> WILL CONTINUE TO. DO THAT. >> BUT YOU GUYS IS THAT WE
KNOW, UH, EVERYONE'S TAKING A HAIRCUT UH, THIS YEAR AND THAT'S UH IT'S TOUGH. UM, WHERE ARE YOU TAKING IT AND HOW DO WE FEEL CONFIDENCE WISE ABOUT THE ABILITY TO. COVER SOME. >> OF THOSE LOSSES? UH, AND DO YOU HAVE ANY
EXAMPLES OF THAT? UH, YEAH. SO WE TOOK A WE TOOK A CLOSE LOOK AT. OUR AT OUR OPERATING BUDGET. AND UH, TOOK. >> IT FROM. TOOK SOME OF THE. THE COST SAVINGS THAT WE WERE ASKED TO.
TO TO. SUBMIT UH, FROM THINGS. THAT WE KNEW. >> WE. COULD UH. SHIFT TO. >> OTHER. SOURCES WE'RE FORTUNATE TO. HAVE UM, UH, FUND FOR PARKS AND RECREATION THAT HAS FUNDING FOR TREES. UH, WE FUND ALL OF OUR
RECREATION AND ARTS PROGRAMING OUT OF THAT. UM, AND THERE'S ALSO THE RANGERS UH, SO TRYING TO SHIFT SOME OF THOSE THOSE COSTS TEMPORARILY ON TO THE FUND FOR
PARKS SO THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO DELIVER THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE. UM, IS THERE MORE OF A MORE DETAIL YOU WANT TO PROVIDE TRACY AND THE GREENHOUSE. YEAH, JUST I MEAN SIMILAR
COUNCILOR FITZGERALD TO THE ANSWER UH. FOR THE ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT WE DID SOME ONE TIME MOVES BECAUSE WE HAD SOME RESERVES AND SOME OF THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE CONTROLLED. THIS IS NOT A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION EVERY YEAR. BUT WE HAD SOME RESERVES AND
TREE PLANTING HAVE SOME RESERVES SOME PRUNING THAT WE COULD SHIFT OVER THOSE COST TO FUNDS THAT UM WERE NOT IMPACTED BY THE OPERATING BUDGET. IT'S PROOF. >> I AM BEING CONSISTENT. >> YEAH THAT'S THAT'S CORRECT. UM I KNOW IN THESE TOUGH TIMES UM.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME OF OUR MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES. THE GUYS MAKING 20 GIRLS MAKING $20 HOUR OR LESS SOMETHING LIKE THAT. UM. >> IS OT STILL ON THE TABLE FOR THEM OR IS THAT BEING TAKEN OFF BY ANY MEANS BECAUSE SOMEONE
HAD TOLD ME AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I JUST LIKE. WELL, I'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO FACT CHECK THAT UM BUT IS OPEN IS OVERTIME STILL AVAILABLE FOR. OUR LOWEST EARNING, UH, MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES? YEAH. >> I MEAN, WE TRY TO BE SMART, UM, AND RESPONSIBLE THAT WHEN
IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, NOT MUCH GOING ON. THE WEATHER'S NOT GREAT. OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T JUST, YOU KNOW, PUT ALL THE TIME OUT THERE FOR NO REASON. BUT YES, I MEAN ESPECIALLY WITH THIS SUMMER COMING UP WITH FIVE TALL SHIPS TO 50TH IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY BUSY SUMMER AND WE
JUST DON'T HAVE THE STAFFING IN PLACE RIGHT NOW IN THE CAPACITY TO HANDLE ALL THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE CITY UM, TO CUT THE GRASS TO CLEAN AND TRASH EVERYTHING LIKE THAT JUST TO SO OVERTIME IS THERE UM IT
HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKENDS IT WILL BE FOR FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKENDS AS LONG AS WEATHER AND SCHEDULES PERMIT. SO IT'S GREAT SERVICE. THANK YOU. >> UM, AND UH, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE CHIEF LANDSCAPE
ARCHITECT. UM, UH, THE INTERIM JILL UH, OCASEK. RIGHT. I'VE WORKED WITH FOR MANY YEARS. SHE'S GREAT AND SHE DOES UNBELIEVABLE WORK. IS THERE A PLAN TO. FULLY, UH, BACKFILL THAT PERMANENTLY?
BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S A UNION JOB AND JUST WANTED, UH, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A TIMELINE OR PLAN FOR THAT. IS IT? >> SHE'S BEEN SERVING, UH, TEMPORARILY. SO SHE'S A PERMANENT PLANNING DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE AND SO
SHE'LL BE RETURNING SHORTLY. UH, BACK TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TREMENDOUSLY THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL FOR HER SERVICE. UM, THIS IS NOT SIGNED UP AS A PERMANENT. NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR COMMISSIONER APPOINTMENT, WE'RE ABLE TO SORT OF BUILD A
LEADERSHIP TEAM, UM, YOU KNOW, AROUND HER, BUT, UH, I KNOW THAT SHE'S WANTED BACK AND PLANNING. YEAH. >> SO WE WILL LOOK TO FILL THE LANDSCAPE I'VE TALKED ABOUT FILLED AS A UNION JOB SO OKAY. YEAH THAT. PERFECT ALL RIGHT. AND WE. >> DO BENEFIT. >> THAT AND IT COMES WITH A LICENSE AS A LICENSED LANDSCAPE
ARCHITECT HERSELF. SO IN THE INTERIM WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT CAN STILL. BE THE INTERIM INTERIM BACK I GET YOU. UM UH, SEVERAL. >> YEARS. AGO THERE'S A PLAN. >> TO. BUILD A NEW. >> ANIMAL SHELTER. UH, I ACTUALLY VISIT LAST YEAR
ACTUALLY HAD YOU AND I WERE. >> THE. ONES WE VISITED UH, ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO AGO. UM, OBVIOUSLY IN DIRE NEED OF. RIGHT. IT'S PRETTY SCRAPPY. UM, WHERE. ARE WE WITH THAT? I KNOW THE PLAN. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT
OF THINGS ON HOLD, BUT ARE WE, UH IS IT STILL IN THE. WORKS OR IS THAT. LIKE NOT EVEN ON THE SHELF ANYMORE? IT'S IN THE IN THE TRASH. I THINK WE'VE MOVED AWAY FROM THE CITING THE ANIMAL SHELTER UH AT. >> THE YARD AT FRANKLIN PARK
AND WOULD LIKE TO RE, UH, REENGAGE THE PUBLIC FACILITIES DEPARTMENT TO TO STUDY WHAT AVAILABLE SPACES IN THE CITY COULD WE HAVE BUILT A NEW
ANIMAL SHELTER, UM, TO MEET THE BASIC NEEDS OF THE OF THE ANIMAL CARE CONTROL? UH, WE WERE KIND OF DREAMING PIE IN THE SKY, UH, FOR A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND
BRINGING A LOT OF A LOT OF PUBLIC PROGRAMS INTO THAT SPACE. BUT WHAT'S THE WHAT IS THAT CORE MISSION FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER? UH, AND WHAT ARE THE BASIC NEEDS OF THAT AND WHERE'S THE RIGHT SPACE FOR THAT?
THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THAT WITH PUBLIC. >> SO UH, I WOULD SUGGEST AND I AM NOT THE OWNER OF THIS LAND. RIGHT. SO THAT DOES NOT COME FROM BUT UH AND WELL WE'RE LOOKING AT THE COUNTY HOSPITAL, UH, AND
THE YOU KNOW, 1112 ACRES THAT WE HAVE THERE. UH, CERTAINLY WE'RE LOOKING FOR NEW UH, HOSPITALS FOR. HUMANS AS WELL THERE BUT I THINK, UH IT COULD BE A CHANCE. I'M ALSO. JUST THINKING ABOUT.
>> HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT NEEDING A CREDIT BACKED USE BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE PLAYING WITH THE GUYS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN IT'S THE FOLKS DOWN IN NEW YORK LOOKING TO THAT THEY'RE NOT. THEY'RE VERY RISK. AVERSE. >> RIGHT. AND SO THAT IF YOU HAVE A CREDIT BACKED USE AND I'M
ALWAYS LIKE WELL IT COULD BE YOU KNOW AN ANIMAL SHELTER A POLICE ACADEMY AND FIRE LIKE ALL THESE NEW THINGS THAT WE COULD. PUT THERE. UM BUT THERE'S NOT MUCH SPACE LEFT IN THE CITY AS WE KNOW. SO THAT'S UH JUST A THOUGHT,
UM, TO GET THAT GOING. YOU KNOW, AND AND I DO WANT TO UM ONE THAT'S A GREAT THOUGHT TO ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'RE WE HAVE RETHOUGHT AND I THINK APPROPRIATELY PUT PUTTING IN THE MINUTES IS THAT WE NEED A PUBLIC FACING OPPORTUNITY
THAT IS AVAILABLE MOST DAYS OF THE WEEK AND THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW A NORMAL MAINTENANCE YARD IS. SO WE UM WE ARE LOOKING FOR AVAILABLE AREN'T AS KATHY MENTIONED UH, EITHER PURPOSE BUILT OR PURPOSE RETROFITTED WHICH. >> WILL. BE NEW FOR THIS, YOU KNOW,
FOCUS UM AND YOU KNOW, DELIVERING THAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR THIS A LOT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS TALK ABOUT UH, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AND PHILANTHROPIC OPPORTUNITIES. I THINK THERE'S A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY THERE. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE OTHER ANIMAL, YOU KNOW, UH,
FACILITIES FROM OUR NONPROFIT BRETHREN GETTING SIGNIFICANT OVERHAULS AND UPDATES WITH PHILANTHROPIC CONTRIBUTIONS. WHY CAN'T WE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON HAVE A SIMILAR MODEL FOR, UH, WHAT IS THE BACKSTOP FOR ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROLLING THE ENTIRE CITY?
GREAT, GREAT. THANK YOU. >> UM, AND THEN. UH. >> FINALLY WITH, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THE LAST QUESTION HERE, UH, WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE TWO OF THE BEST PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE GOLF COURSES, UH, IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS.
UH, WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER REASONABLY PRICED, UH, YOU KNOW, DUES FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS . UM. >> STAFF THERE CLEARLY. >> DO. AN INCREDIBLE JOB. ANY TIME I HAVE FRIENDS OVER A GUEST OR AND COMING IN AND YOU DO AROUND THERE THEY'RE ALWAYS. LIKE THIS IS A.
PUBLIC RIGHT THAT'S ALL YOU AND IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO HEAR THAT. UM. >> BUT WE WE KNOW THAT THE. FUNDS COME FROM. RIGHT? THEY'RE THEY'RE REINVESTED BACK INTO THE COURSES IN TODAY'S. TOUGH ENVIRONMENT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO TO POTENTIALLY YOU KNOW, USE USE WHAT IS DOING WELL AND SUBSIDIZE OTHER THINGS . UM IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT OR IS THAT SOMETHING
THAT WE REMAIN COMMITTED BECAUSE I JUST FEEL LIKE OVER THE COURSE OF GROWING UP HERE IN BOSTON LIKE YOU'VE SEEN THOSE BOTH COME SO. FAR AND I JUST UH, CONCERNED ABOUT IF WE. IF WE. >> DETRACT FROM THAT AT ALL, I THINK IT IS STILL A GEM THAT
PEOPLE COME. TO TO VISIT BOTH COURSES. YEAH YEAH YEAH I THINK THAT THE UM THE. GOLF COURSES IN PARTICULAR WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT THOSE HAVE BEEN BROUGHT INTO A STATE OF GREAT REPAIR FROM A GOLF
COURSES STANDPOINT AND HAVE BEEN SERVING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DEMAND. SO WE WANT TO KEEP UP WITH THAT AND AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MAINTENANCE KEEPS UP WITH THAT DEMAND. WE ARE LOOKING AT UH IN TERMS OF THOSE FACILITIES AT THE MOMENT THEY PRIMARILY SERVE
EXCLUSIVELY GOLF AND SOME SPECIAL EVENTS. NOW THAT WE'VE INVESTED IN THOSE FACILITIES, ARE THERE ADDITIONAL WAYS OF GENERATING REVENUE FROM THE GOLF FACILITIES IN THE OFF SEASON OR AT NIGHT? RIGHT. YOU KNOW KNOW LOOK FOR OUTDOOR VENUES FOR DIFFERENT
OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS, TO HAVE WEDDINGS TO HAVE UH, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATIONS. SO I THINK THAT IS ONE OF OUR TASKS IS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT UM WE CAN ALWAYS INVEST MORE IN THE GOLF COURSES. WE DO STILL HAVE THEM AS. PART OF. >> OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM SO THEY DO RECEIVE SOME CAPITAL DOLLARS
TO INVEST. BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS IS NOW THAT THE GOLF COURSE ASPECT OF THEM ARE RUNNING SO WELL, ARE THERE OTHER THINGS SIMILAR TO WHAT OTHER GOLF COURSES DO AROUND THE STATE IN THE COUNTRY UM TO AUGMENT THEIR EVENT DRIVEN REVENUE.
AND THAT COULD GENERATE MONEY THAT YOU COULD THROW OFF POTENTIALLY TO OTHER USES? YES, EXACTLY. YEAH. OKAY. >> THERE'S A LONG LIST OF CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE STILL NEEDED AT THESE COURSES. THE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS ARE 20 YEARS OLD AND EVERYTHING THAT SO THERE'S AS MUCH AS WE ARE
GENERATING A GOOD AMOUNT OF REVENUE, IT IS GREAT THAT YOU KNOW REINVESTING IS IS KEY . SO YEAH. THERE'S ALL. >> THIS GREAT UH I KNOW I'M OUT OF TIME THERE. UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF OUR OPEN SPACES IN THE CITY.
UM, I KNOW ME AND MY KIDS LOVE IT AND SO, UM, PLEASE CONTINUE DOING A GREAT JOB THAT YOU DO DO. >> THANK YOU. AND CONGRATS, DAN. IT'S AWESOME. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, COUNCILOR SANTANA. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND. UM.
>> THANK YOU TO THIS A PANEL FOR BEING HERE AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO AND, UM, FOR THE WORK THAT YOUR YOUR MEMBERS ON YOUR TEAM DO ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. I DO WANT TO CONGRATULATE UM COMMISSIONER ON AN OVERALL
VERY. EXCITED UM, UM, FOR YOU AND FOR THE CITY AND AND SEEING UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOUR VISION AND YOUR LEADERSHIP TAKES THIS DEPARTMENT. UM. >> I THINK I WANT TO START.
OFF, UM, THINK SO MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES I SAW A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND I THINK AS AN AT-LARGE COUNCILOR I REALLY TRY TO FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT MY DISTRICT. COLLEAGUES. >> UM, ARE THAT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEIR DISTRICT ARE UM, YOU KNOW,
BEING TAKEN CARE OF. UM, SO I DON'T HAVE NECESSARILY SPECIFIC PARKS UM, UH, QUESTIONS BUT UH, YOU KNOW, JUST TALKING ABOUT REVENUE UM, IN GENERAL CAN YOU JUST SPEAK
MORE OF LIKE WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT REVENUE STREAM I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT WE TALKED ABOUT UM THE GOLF I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME FEES. >> THAT WERE. UM, UH THE $25 PER RESIDENT, UM AND $50 FOR NONRESIDENTS.
WHAT OTHER STREAMS OF REVENUES DOES THE PARK. DEPARTMENT HAVE? UM. >> MAYBE THAT WEREN'T MENTIONED. UH. >> THE THE FLOODLIGHTING. FEES ARE A LARGE COMPONENT AND THE THE GOLF COURSES ARE
LARGELY SELF-SUSTAINING MONEY FOR THE FROM THE GOLF UH YOUR YOUR TEE TIMES AND YOUR YOUR GREENS FEES GOES BACK INTO UH INTO PAYING THOSE SALARIES AND THE AND SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL
IMPROVEMENTS AT THE GOLF COURSES WE ALSO HAVE UM OUR OUR ROSE GARDEN PARTY WHICH IS IN JUNE AT THE END OF THE MONTH UM FUNDS ALL OF THE PARK ARTS
PROGRAMING FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. OUR CHILDREN'S FESTIVALS IN UH WINTER, SPRING, WINTER, SUMMER AND FALL ARE ALL FUNDRAISED FOR THROUGH THE THE PARK ARTS FUNDING ALL OF THE MOVIES AND
THE MOVIE NIGHTS UH ARTS IN THE PARKS UH WATERCOLOR WORKSHOPS, PUPPET SHOWS THOSE ARE ALL PRIVATELY FUNDRAISED THROUGH THE PARK ARTS PARTY IN THE PARK UH EVENT OUR RECREATION LEAGUES
ARE ALSO FUNDRAISED FOR UH THROUGH SOME OF OUR DO SOME EVENTS THAT ARE GOING WAS A BIG ONE WAS THE DUCK BOAT POOL UH EARLY IN APRIL WE ALSO PARTNER WITH A LOT OF OF UH
ORGANIZATIONS TO SPONSOR THE THE MAYOR'S CUP. UH, THE BRUINS HEAVILY SUPPORT THE THE MAYOR'S CUP HOCKEY EVENTS AND STREET HOCKEY EVENTS . UM, SO PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO
BE ABLE TO PULL THIS OFF. UM, I KNOW I ALSO WE. HAVE A SMALL WEDDING. FEE AND I KNOW I'M FORGETTING SOMETHING IN THE VENDING PROGRAM. YES. THANK YOU. THAT WAS THE ONE I WAS THINKING ABOUT. UH, SO WE DO HAVE A VENDING
PROGRAM WHERE WE PUT OUT AN RFP FOR, UH, VENDING IN OUR PARKS. WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PUSH CARTS IN IN THE COMMON. WE ALSO HAVE RFP FOR, UH FOR THE BEER GARDEN AT THE AT THE
COMMON AS WELL, UH, FLOWER TO ACTIVATE. >> OUR PARKS. >> THAT'S THE MAJOR BENEFIT BUT IT DOES ALSO PROVIDE SOME REVENUE THAT WE WE INVEST BACK INTO THE INTO THOSE PARKS SO SO OTHER SITES LIKE THAT ACROSS
THE WHOLE CITY UH WE DO HAVE OUR VENDING PROGRAM, UH, THAT BRINGS IN SOME REVENUE AS WELL TO SUPPORT OUR RECREATION PROGRAMS. AND THAT IS UM AND I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HEAR ABOUT COUNCILOR DURKAN ASK ABOUT
DEVELOPMENT FEES. UH, YOU KNOW, WE PARTNER WITH DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS SOMETIMES AS AS MITIGATION FOR THEIR IMPACTS ON THE PARKS. SOMETIMES THOSE ARE ONE TIME FEES AND. CONTRIBUTIONS OTHER TIMES OF THE YEAR OVER PERIODS. >> OF TIME. RIGHT. >> SO WE'LL HAVE FEES FROM
CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS OVER THE YEARS TO SUPPORT. USUALLY GEOGRAPHICALLY. CONSTRAINED AROUND THAT YOU KNOW THAT MITIGATION AREA. UM WE ALSO HAVE SOME PARTNERSHIPS. >> WITH UNIVERSITIES. AROUND OUR PARKS. SO WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP. WITH NORTHEASTERN A CAR PLAYGROUND WITH OUR SOMETHING
IN EAST. BOSTON STADIUM. THOSE INCLUDE REGULAR PAYMENTS FOR O&M AS WELL AS OFTENTIMES CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS. SO IT'S A DIVERSE REVENUE STREAM. BUT MOST OF. >> THE. BUDGET COMES FROM THE OPERATING BUDGET. ALL RIGHT.
OH THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL. UM I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW THAT. SO THAT'S I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM. CHIEF SWETT ACTUALLY, UM I THINK YOUR OFFICIAL TITLE IS CLIMATE.
CHIEF OFFICER. WHAT IS IT, CHIEF CLIMATE OFFICER. CHIEF CLIMATE OFFICER YEAH, SO I THINK YOU DO SO MUCH MORE I MEAN THAT YOU DO I THINK A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. UM, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE YOU JUST UH YOUR UH YOUR VISION
WITH. WITH CLIMATE. >> I MEAN, I. WOULD LOVE TO HEAR I MEAN, DO YOU PARTNER WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION? DO YOU DO WORK WITH THEM? UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK. WE'RE TALKING. ABOUT UM, THE ENTIRE CITY THERE
OBVIOUSLY POCKETS OF THE CITY, UM. WHERE I THINK. WE NEED TO HAVE UH, ESPECIALLY IN OUR BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH LESS GREEN SPACE AND AND ALL THAT LIKE I MEAN, HOW DO YOU.
APPROACH THAT WORK? HOW DO YOU APPROACH UM, YOU KNOW, PRIORITIZING UM, THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS UM. AND THEN I THINK. IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT YOU KNOW, I THINK THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. >> THAT YOU. MAY WORK WITH UM, TO DO TO TO
REACH THOSE GOALS. GREAT. >> UH, SO A COUPLE OF QUICK ANSWERS ARE ON THE LAST QUESTION. SO THE MAYOR. CREATED IN THE FALL OF 24. >> A CLIMATE UH COUNCIL UH MADE UP OF UH CABINET CHIEFS THAT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT DIRECT IMPACT ON CLIMATE ACTION UH,
BOTH IN UH INTERNALLY AS. >> WELL. AS EXTERNALLY. >> SO OUR WORK WITH UM UH COMMISSIONER BUT SO I WORK WITH. UM UH. >> JOSE MASSO WE WORK WITH UM. ASHCROFT AND. >> BERGER TO HAVE A COORDINATED RESPONSE AS 13 CABINET FOLKS. UM, AROUND UH CLIMATE ACTION BOTH.
MITIGATION IN. TERMS OF INCREASING AFFORDABLE. ACCESS TO CLEAN ENERGY AS WELL AS UH, RESILIENCE. UH. >> THE PARKS ARE OBVIOUSLY A. CRITICAL ASPECT OF OUR CLIMATE. RESILIENCE UH, FROM URBAN HEAT ISLAND UH, STORMWATER INFILTRATION. UH TO. >> MAKING SURE OUR OUR COASTAL
PARKS ARE PART OF OUR DEFENSE AGAINST SEA LEVEL RISE AND STORM SURGE. UH, SO MANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT HE WAS. MENTIONING ANYTIME THERE ALONG THE COAST, WHETHER. >> OR NOT IT'S MOSTLY OUR RYAN PLAYGROUND, WE'RE SAYING. >> HOW DOES. >> THIS BECOME. PART OF. >> THAT BUFFERING. IN ADDITION TO. INCREASING GREEN SPACE. PROTECTING NOT ONLY THE USERS.
>> OF THE PARK BUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN WHICH THEY RESIDE? UH, WE. ALSO HAVEN'T TALKED IN. MUCH YET IN THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT STREET TREES, HOW THE PARKS DEPARTMENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALMOST 50,000 STREET TREES. THEY ARE SO CRITICAL TO.
REDUCING URBAN HEAT ISLAND IN PARTICULAR. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE KNOW IF THERE. IS NO. >> CANOPY COVERAGE IT CAN BE 10 OR 15 DEGREES HOTTER. >> ON OUR EXTREME HEAT DAY. UM IF WE HAVE CANOPY COVERAGE. SO WE WORK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN. VERY TIGHT CONSTRAINED AREAS
OF SIDEWALKS THAT SAY CAN WE. MAXIMIZE OUR. CANOPY COVERAGE? CAN WE ADD MORE STREET CHAINS WHEN WE HAVE MEDIANS? UH. >> WE SUPPORT PRIVATE SECTOR UH STREET TREE PLANTING THROUGH SOME CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH NONPROFITS UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CANOPY COVERAGE IS
MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. UM, WE ARE VERY EXCITED. I KNOW YOU A PART OF THE, UH. RELEASE THAT WE'VE MADE PROGRESS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS BEFORE THAT WE'VE BEEN. DECLINING AND WE'RE NOT SURE YOU ADDED 150. ACRES OF CANOPY COVERAGE ACROSS
THE CITY IN THE. LAST FIVE YEARS. SO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT REALLY. >> DOES MAKE. >> SENSE AS PART OF OUR LEADING CLIMATE AGENCIES TO SAY, YOU KNOW. BOTH HOW DO WE CONTINUE FOR OUR ACCESS TO HEALTHY. BOSTON FOR EVERYBODY? BUT HOW. >> DO WE. ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, CREATE A COOL.
SUSTAINABLE, RESILIENT. BOSTON FOR EVERYBODY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS? AWESOME. >> NO, THAT'S REALLY GOOD TO HEAR. UM AND IT'S. SUCH IMPORTANT. >> WORK. AND I THINK IT'S UH. AGAIN THE. >> DIFFERENCE BETWEEN. I THINK PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO AGE IN PLACE IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND AND AND NOT RIGHT. SO UM, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WORK. UM, I THINK MY TIME IS UP. I REALLY I I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. UM, I ENJOY OUR PUBLIC SPACES AND OUR PARKS.
UM, I HAVE A DOG THAT I CAN GO TO FRANKLIN PARK WITH HER. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK. UM, UM, COMMISSIONER BAKER, THANK YOU FOR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A WHIRLWIND
OF MANY MONTHS, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, UM, HOW ACCESSIBLE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN TO ME AND MY OFFICE. UM, THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. OKAY. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BREEDEN. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE BUDGET HEARINGS OF THE YEAR, ALDERMAN PAULSEN PARKS. UM. I WAS WONDERING JUST IN TERMS OF THE CURRENT BACKLOG AND FIELD MAINTENANCE ACROSS THE
PARK SYSTEM. UM, UM, HOW DOES THE REDUCED OPERATING BUDGET AFFECT US. LIKE REGULAR MAINTENANCE? ARE WE ARE WE IN GOOD SHAPE?
I MEAN YEAH, ESSENTIALLY WE WE MADE AN EFFORT TO. PRESERVE OUR FUNDING FOR OUR GENERAL CORE MAINTENANCE ACROSS OUR PARKS ACROSS THE CITY. SO WE DID PROTECT THAT. SO YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE IN
GOOD SHAPE ON THAT FRONT. SO UM, IN WHAT PARTICULAR. SPACES WE I KNOW SO SOMEBODY ALREADY ASKED US BUT IN TERMS OF WHERE YOU WERE MADE SOME MADE SOME. CUTS UM.
WHERE DID WE TARGET THOSE AND ARE THERE ANY OPERATIONAL IMPLICATIONS FROM THOSE CUTS? I THINK THE WHAT WE TRIED TO. DO WAS TO KEEP. >> THE. OPERATIONAL LEVEL OF SERVICE THE SAME BUT CHANGE THE FUNDING SOURCE.
SO BEING ABLE TO SHIFT THAT FUNDING SOURCE FROM OPERATING TEMPORARILY TO OUR FUND FOR PARKS SO THAT THE LEVEL OF SERVICE REMAINS THE SAME UM AND WE DON'T REALLY YOU KNOW,
AS PART OF THE THE PROJECT SPECIFICS WE MIGHT BE FOCUSING MORE ON ON A SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD UM, BUT LARGELY UH ,WHEN WE'RE PRIORITIZING THINGS LIKE STREET TREES, WHICH
WAS ONE OF THOSE THOSE PROJECTS THAT WAS UM THAT WE WERE ABLE TO. >> TO. SHIFT A BIT UH, BECAUSE WE HAD SOME SOME FUNDING SOURCES FOR THAT. UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT UH WHERE'S
THERE AVAILABLE SPACE AND NOT NECESSARILY A NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD UM COMPARISON BUT WE ARE TRYING TO PRIORITIZE SOME OF THE UM MORE UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS WITH. >> REGARDS. TO STREET TREES. >> YEAH, BECAUSE I KNOW I DO
NOTICE YOU'VE INCREASED YOUR TARGET FOR STREET TREES AND. UM. >> SO AT THIS AT THE OPERATING BUDGET SLIGHTLY LOWER. SO I THINK. >> I. THINK YOU'VE EXPLAINED THAT LIKE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STREET TREES
MAINTENANCE REQUESTS BUT ALSO. UM BE ABLE TO PULL SOME MONEY IN FROM OTHER PLACES. UH, I HAVE A. QUESTION ABOUT. UM ABOUT CEMETERIES.
WE HAVE THE EVERGREEN CEMETERY WHICH IS A HISTORIC CIVIL WAR ERA CEMETERY. UM, THERE'S UH IN TERMS OF THERE'S. >> A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. UM, HAVE. >> WE. GOT A PLAN TO UM, INVEST IN.
>> AND SPRUCE UP OUR. SOME HISTORIC. CEMETERIES FOR THE 400TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY 2030S, FOUR YEARS AWAY. HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE IN BETTER. FINANCIAL SHAPE. BUT ALSO LIKE. >> THE EVERGREEN THE REALLY
WONDERFUL PASSIVE GREEN SPACES THEY ARE PART OF OUR THEY'RE PART OF OUR PARK SYSTEM LIKE I. THINK WE ALSO. DISCOVERED CEMETERIES DURING DURING COVID YOU WANTED SOMEONE GREEN TO GO OUT AND BE OUTSIDE
UH CEMETERIES BECAME VERY POPULAR. UM I'M. JUST THINKING IN TERMS OF. EVERGREEN CAN UH I KNOW THERE'S A SPECIFIC FUND AND THE. TRUST FUND. >> FOR FOR THOSE HISTORIC
CEMETERIES BUT, UM, ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO. TAKE A. >> LOOK AND MAYBE EVEN JUST LET LET'S THINK ABOUT TAKING A LOOK AT MAYBE THERE'S A LOT OF TIPPED OVER UM UM GRAVESTONES AND THAT SOME
OF THE THE THE ROADWAYS ARE IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE. UM AND THEN THE OTHER ISSUE I TALKED TO AND THIS IS GONE BACK IN HISTORY NOW FORMER COMMISSIONER CHRIS COOK YOU KNOW HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT.
LIKE ACTIVE UM. CAPACITY FOR THOSE GRAVEYARDS OR THOSE CEMETERIES THAT ARE. UH ACTIVE LIKE ARE WE ARE WE
HOW DO WE PLAN. TO UM MEET THE NEEDS FOR BURIAL GROUNDS OR CEMETERIES UH, IN THE FUTURE AS WE RUN OUT OF SPACE IN THE CITY? UM. >> ANYWAYS, THAT'S MORE OF. A MORBID QUESTION.
BUT NO, IT'S. IT'S A VERY UH IT'S VERY TIMELY . TIMELY UH, QUESTION WE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO MAYBE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WE HAD UM THERE WAS
A. UH EXCEPT AN EXPAND THAT CAME BEFORE THE THE COUNCIL ABOUT UH SOME FUNDING FOR FROM THE CEMETERY. IN DORCHESTER. UH, SO IT WAS A IT WAS AN EXPENDITURE FOR THE CEMETERY
TRUST AND PART OF THAT IS SOME DESIGN WORK TO STUDY HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO UM, HOW WE CAN EXPAND THE CEMETERIES GIVEN OUR LOST LAND AND THE THE.
THE COMMITMENTS THAT WE'VE ALREADY MADE TO MADE TO THE FAMILIES, UM, TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR LOVED ONES IN PERPETUITY. HOW CAN WE CONTINUE THAT? BECAUSE WE ARE LIMITED IN SPACE. SO SOME OF THE UPCOMING WORK
WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IN THE NEXT YEAR IS STUDYING HOW WE CAN EXPAND THE ACT OF BURYING GROUNDS ACT OF CEMETERIES, UH, TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE FOR FOR THE CITIZENS
OF BOSTON WHO WISH TO WISH TO BE BURIED THERE. UM, WE DO HAVE A HISTORIC BURYING GROUNDS INITIATIVE WHICH IS UH, RUN BY KELLY THOMAS AND SHE OVERSEES THE 16
HISTORIC BURYING GROUNDS. UH, THERE'S A SMALL AMOUNT OF CAPITAL FUNDING THAT IS IN THE IN THE IN THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR AS A REVOLVING PROGRAM. SHE ALSO SEEKS A LOT OF GRANT
FUNDING BECAUSE THESE CEMETERIES SOME OF THEM DATE BACK UM SOME OF THEM ARE AS YOUNG AS CIVIL WAR ERA AND SOME OF THEM DATE BACK EVEN FURTHER TO PRE-COLONIAL TIMES. UM, AND THERE ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF HOW WE'RE TELLING THE STORY OF HOW BOSTON GREW WHO WAS HERE? UM, AND SHE'S GOTTEN SOME GRANTS FROM UH FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THIS YEAR FOR THE
SESQUICENTENNIAL THE 250TH UH, SO TO BE ABLE TO TELL THE STORY OF OF WHO BOSTON IS, I THINK THERE'S ONE IN MARKET STREET ON. >> MARKET AND THE OLD THE OLD BURYING GROUND IN MARKET STREET HERE. UM SO I THINK WE WILL CONTINUE. SHE ALSO WORKS VERY CLOSELY
WITH THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND WILL CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN TELL THE STORY OF WHO WAS IN BOSTON 400 YEARS. AGO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR 400TH
ANNIVERSARY. SO I THINK THAT COMPONENT WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. BUT THAT IS A IS A IS A REALLY FASCINATING POSITION FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE TO HAVE THIS PERSON
WHO IS SOLELY SOLELY INTERESTED IN IN THE HISTORIC BEARING GROUNDS OF NOT ACTIVE CEMETERIES. YEAH, YEAH. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THE UH WE HAVE A. HISTORIC MARKERS PROGRAM TO HONOR THE 253 THE 400TH AND THE FIRST.
25 SIGNS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. YOU KNOW. THEY ARE VERY MUCH. FOCUSED ON TELLING THOSE STORIES IN HISTORIC CEMETERIES. >> ARE A. PLACE TO DO THAT. UM. >> I'M COGNIZANT THAT I'M RUN OUT OF TIME BUT. UM, I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON THE
LIVING RIGHT NOW. UM, THERE'S BEEN UM WE. HAVE AN ED. SMITH I KNOW WE CAN WE GET AN ED AND SMITH. UM UH OR AND OR PORTSMOUTH
STREET UH. SOFTBALL LEAGUE REACHED OUT TO OUR OFFICE AFTER A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. A LEAGUE MEMBER PASSED AWAY TRAGICALLY. UM.
AND UH, HAVING AN AD UNITS AVAILABLE AT THOSE PARKS, ESPECIALLY SMITH BECAUSE IT'S VERY HEAVILY USED. UM. >> I WAS WONDERING THAT'S AN ASK FROM THE SOFTBALL LEAGUE FOLKS. UM, AND. >> THEN JUST UH. I WILL I'M CAUSE. >> LISTEN TO MANY OTHER
COLLEAGUES HERE. I'LL COME BACK FOR A SECOND ROUND. THANK YOU. UM, I THINK ON THE AD WE CAN LOOK INTO IT. I THINK THERE ARE SOME SOME CHALLENGES WITH MAKING SURE THAT IT IS IT NEEDS TO BE TESTED REGULARLY TO MAKE SURE
THAT IT CAN BE IT'S AVAILABLE WHEN IT IS NEEDED. UM, BUT I THINK WE DO HAVE AT LEAST 1 IN 1 OTHER CATEGORY. UM, SO I. THINK THERE'S ONE IN CASSIDY AT CASSIDY BECAUSE YOU WANT TO CAST IT IT'S.
SO THAT WE GET UM I. THINK YES. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THERE'S AN AD AT CASSIDY SO UM. YEAH. >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU. YEAH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL EARLE.
UH THANK YOU CHAIR AND. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW ROLE, COMMISSIONER. AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ROLE AS WELL. UM. >> NEW TREES. UM, MY UNDERSTANDING WHAT I WAS TOLD IS THAT.
THE NEW TREES THAT WE'RE PLANTING NOW, UH, THEY ARE NOT, UM, BEING INSTALLED WITH THE SAME DEPTH OF SOIL.
UM, THEREFORE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO GAIN, UH, OR GROW ENOUGH ROOTS SO THEY MIGHT HAVE A SHORTER, UH, LIFESPAN. UH, CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT
THE NEW YOU KNOW, STREET TREES THAT ARE PLANNED IN, YOU KNOW, SPEAK TO YOU KNOW WHAT I. JUST TOLD YOU? SO WE'RE GOING TO WHAT I HEARD. UM. >> STREET TREES. >> IN GENERAL. HAVE A ARE ARE CHALLENGED BY THE LIMITED SOIL.
VOLUME THAT THEY. TYPICALLY HAVE. UM, WE DO HAVE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR STREET TREES THAT IS 24FT2 MINIMUM BUY IN TERMS OF THE SIZE OF THE PIT.
THE AREA OF THE PIT. UM AND THEN IT'S DOWN. TO 3 TO 4 THREE. >> FEET. PLUS OR MINUS UM TO PROVIDE THAT THAT. SOIL VOLUME. SO THE TREES BY NATURE ARE
CONSTRICTED. UM WE ARE TRYING TO EXPLORE WAYS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PROVIDE MORE SOIL VOLUME, UH, WHILE PROVIDING ACCESS AND ACCESSIBLE ROUTE. UM SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE PILOTING ARE UM ARE
PERVIOUS PAVING OVER THE. THE TREE PITS. UM AND INTO THE SIDEWALK AREA TO PROVIDE A LARGER SOIL VOLUME THAT THE TREES CAN ACCESS WHILE WATER IS STILL PERCOLATING THROUGH THE.
THE TOP OF THE OF THE ACCESSIBLE SURFACE. UM AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES UH WHERE THEY WHERE IT MAKES SENSE AND WE'RE RECONSTRUCTING THE ENTIRE STREET TRYING TO PROVIDE MORE SOIL VOLUME SO THAT OUR
TREES ARE NOT ONLY, UH. PLENTIFUL BUT ALSO HEALTHY AND AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE. UM, GIVEN THE CONSTRAINTS OF OF BEING IN THE IN THE AREA THAT THEY ARE SO WE HAVE A MINIMUM
SOIL VOLUME WHICH IS IS VERY CONSTRICTED BUT IT'S REALLY THE BARE MINIMUM THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY PUT A TREE AND AND WE'RE TRYING TO EXPAND THAT. ALSO AND I'D. >> LOVE TO HEAR MORE. >> WHERE THAT CONCERN. >> IS COMING FROM. AND WE CAN TRY. >> TO SORT OF SOURCE THAT OUT. BUT I WOULD.
SAY UH WE ARE NOW VERY. TARGETED ABOUT TRYING TO PLANT THE RIGHT TREE IN THE RIGHT LOCATION TO. INCREASE ITS LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS. SO WE HAVE SOME AREAS THAT OBVIOUSLY ARE VERY. SHADE PRONE. YOU KNOW WE DON'T WANT TO BE PLANTING. TREES THERE. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE
SUCCESSFUL THAT'D BE STARVED FOR SUNLIGHT. UH WE HAVE. >> AREAS THAT ARE MORE CONSTRAINED. FROM A WATER AND UH INFILTRATION PERSPECTIVE. SO WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND WHEN FOLKS REACH. >> OUT TO US TO SAY I WANT. >> A STREET TREE PLANTED IN THIS BACON TREE HERE, YOU KNOW, WE WILL TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE
AVAILABLE. SPECIES THAT WILL BE MOST SUCCESSFUL IN THAT THE PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF THAT. BUT SOMETIMES THOSE ARE. DIFFERENT HEIGHT TREES. THAN YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY HAD BEEN USED TO BUT OUR. OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TREES GET TO MATURITY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE HEALTHY AND THE LOCATION THAT WE CAN PROVIDE. GREAT TO HEAR UM URBAN WILD VERSUS UNPROTECTED A PROTECTED VERSUS UNPROTECTED AND THEN UH,
WE UM PUSH IN I BELIEVE THROUGH THE THE MAYOR'S CLIMATE PLAN THERE WAS A PUSH FOR 35 TO TO DESIGNATE 35 URBAN WILDS. I MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN THAT NUMBER WRONG, BUT CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE AND
THEN ALSO ABOUT THE PROCESS AND ARE WE DESIGNATING MORE, UM, PROTECTED. >> URBAN WILDS? YEAH. >> LET ME TAKE THAT TALK LIKE A FORMAL PROGRAM. SO THERE'S URBAN WILDS WITH THE. CAPITAL NEW CAPITAL. W AND. >> WITH A LOWERCASE. U LOWERCASE W. SO THERE'S LOTS OF LAND IN
BOSTON IN THE LOWERCASE. SPACE. >> UM THAT THE CITY MAY OWN THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY SLATED FOR DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO BECOME DIFFERENT TYPES OF USES. UM, WE OFTENTIMES ARE. REQUESTED TO PUT A CONSERVATION EASEMENT. ON LAND THAT WANTS TO BE
PROTECTED AND MOVED FROM AN UNPROTECTED. STATUS TO A PROTECTED STATUS. THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN WE'RE PUTTING IT IN THE. FORMAL PARKS DEPARTMENT. PROGRAM OF URBAN WILD, WHICH ARE ONES. WHERE WE DO. MAINTAIN FOR.
PUBLIC ACCESS BUT IN A MORE. WILD APPROACH. SO WE'LL HAVE TRAILS WILL HAVE. SIGNS BUT IT'S NOT A PLACE. >> WHERE WE HAVE. NO RIGHT. UM WE DO HAVE A VERY EFFECTIVE. >> URBAN. WILD PROGRAM RUN BY PAUL SUTTON AND HIS TEAM THAT MAINTAINS, YOU KNOW, THOSE PROGRAMS THAT
WE INVEST IN AS. WE REOPEN, UH, IS AS YOU KNOW, MATT WOODS UM, LAST. SUMMER AFTER A BIG INVESTMENT IN THAT FORMERLY DESIGNATED URBAN. WILD UM, YOU KNOW, WITH A CAPITAL PROGRAM. YEAH. >> SO THE URBAN ONES PROGRAM,
UM, MANAGES A SUBSET OF OUR PARK LAND AND ALSO LAND THAT'S OWNED BY THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION AND THOSE ARE LANDS THAT ARE OUR, UH, NOT NOT MAINTAINED LIKE PARKS WITH
TREES AND LAWN AND BALL FIELDS. THEY ARE WILD SPACES. THEY ARE NATURAL SPACES. SO THERE'S A LOT OF WOODLANDS. THERE'S MEADOWS, THERE'S SALT MARSHES UM AND A WIDE VARIETY OF NATURAL SPACES THAT ARE
MAINTAINED FOR THE HEALTH OF THE ECOSYSTEM AND TO PROVIDE THESE THESE NATURE IN THE CITY SPACES. UM, THERE'S A SMALL AMOUNT OF CAPITAL FUNDING. THERE'S ALSO A SMALL AMOUNT IN THE OPERATING BUDGET, UH, FOR
FOR MAINTAINING THESE SPACES. UH, PAUL AND HIS TEAM WHICH IS ABOUT 5 TO 6 PEOPLE THEY'RE ALSO WORKING IN IN THE UH, FRANKLIN PARK NATURAL AREAS TO TO TRY TO SHARE THAT THAT
RESOURCE KNOWLEDGE BASE UM, SO THAT THE THE URBAN WILDS UH, ARE MANAGED SIMILARLY ACROSS DIFFERENT SPACES EVEN THOUGH FRANKLIN PARK IS NOT IT'S NOT DESIGNATED AN URBAN WILD.
IT HAS NATURAL AREAS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF COMMON PRACTICES ACROSS MANAGEMENT LAND MANAGEMENT. THAT IS THERE A FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASING OF UM LIKE AN URBAN WILD AND HOW MUCH IS IN THAT
FUNDING? YEAH. >> SO WE HAVE UM THERE'S A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUNDING FROM THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT FOR OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION. MANY OF THE OF THE SITES THAT WE HAVE ACQUIRED TO DATE ARE TWO OF THE FOUR THAT WE
ACQUIRED TO DATE ARE MANAGED AS PART OF THE URBAN WILDS PROGRAM. ONE IS ADJACENT TO SHARON WOODS SO IT'S AN ADDITION TO THAT SPACE AND THE OTHER IS THE SPRAGUE POND UM UH RESERVE AREA
UM DOWN IN SOUTH HYDE PARK. UM SO THOSE ARE OUR SPACES ARE GOING TO BE MANAGED BY THE NATURAL BY. THE THE URBAN WILDS AREA. SO AS WE CONTINUE TO FIND MORE SITES THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR
URBAN WILD, WE MAY BE PURCHASING THEM THROUGH THE CPI FUNDING. WE MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLY FUNDING THEM THROUGH UM THERE'S A OUTDATED OLD UM COPPER LINE
THAT STILL EXISTS THAT WE WE HAVE SOME FUNDING FOR OPEN SPACE ACQUISITIONS WHERE THAT'S APPROPRIATE AS WELL. OKAY. >> UM I'M GONNA MOVE ON BUT I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, GENEVA CLIFF UM, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN
ONGOING CONVERSATIONS AND THEN THERE'S A LOT, UH, URBAN WILD THAT'S OWNED I FORGOT WHO'S OWNED BY BUT IN EASTERN ROSLINDALE KIND OF OFF AMERICAN LEGION HIGHWAY I COULD SEND YOU.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATION THAT HAS BEEN ONGOING AS WELL. UM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE KIND OF BEEN, YOU KNOW, HITTING A ROADBLOCK BECAUSE OF LIKE THE POLICIES AROUND ACCESS.
UM BUT YEAH, I YES YEAH I GET I DO WANT TO GET INTO A FEW MORE QUESTIONS BEFORE MY 14 SECONDS UM. TO TWO QUESTIONS IS SNOW REMOVAL IN OUR PARKS? UM, SOME OF OUR PARKS ARE WAYS
ESPECIALLY THE ONE IN BOSTON ARE WAYS THAT OUR STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, WALK TO SCHOOL. SO KIND OF JUST SEEING THAT WE ARE YOU KNOW, UH UH, SHOVELING AROUND LIKE A CLEAR PATH UH, FOR OUR STUDENTS WOULD BE
USEFUL. AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS WE WE DO PARKS OR DO RENOVATIONS OR NEW INSTALLS. WHAT WHAT'S OUR WARRANTY LIKE HOW LONG DOES OUR WARRANTY HAVE? AND I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT WALSH PARK.
UM, I KNOW THERE ARE SOME ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN WERE BROUGHT UP THERE WHETHER IT'S THE PLAYING FIELD OR THE DRAINAGE. CAN YOU TALK TO THE WARRANTY? YEAH. >> SO THAT THAT PROJECT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. WE HAVE NOT CLOSED THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT SO WE
STILL HAVE LEVERAGE WITH THE CONTRACTOR TO HAVE HIM GET OUT THERE AND FIX THOSE DRAINAGE ISSUES BECAUSE IT WAS NOT BUILT THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUILT. UM, SO WE'RE STILL PURSUING UH THAT THAT THROUGH THE THE
CONTRACT THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AND THEN ONCE THE CONTRACT ENDS THERE'S LIKE A 12 MONTH WARRANTY PERIOD FOR THE QUALITY OF WORK THAT THEY HAVE INSTALLED IN ADDITION TO ANY UM ,ANY WARRANTIES THAT COME
ALONG WITH SPECIFIC FEATURES LIKE THE SPRAY FEATURE MAYBE UNDER A LONGER WARRANTY SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THAT MANUFACTURER. SO WE'RE STILL PURSUING THE IMPROVEMENTS UH, THOSE THOSE REMEDIES WITH THE CONTRACTOR
THROUGH THEIR REGULAR. CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT. UM, YOU. AND I MUCH LOVE TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND. UM, WE HAVE LIKE 250 SIDEWALKS ,PARCELS WITH SIDEWALKS ACROSS THE CITY LIKE 234,000 LINEAR
FEET. SO IT'S DIFFICULT. UM, YOU KNOW, OUR MAIN PRIORITY IS, YOU KNOW, EXTERIOR SIDEWALKS SO EVERYBODY CAN ACCESS, UM, THE SIDEWALKS AND GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO. UM, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET
TO THE INTERIOR PARKS. UM, A THERE'S A STAFFING UM PIECE PROPONENT TO IT. UM, EVEN WITH OUR EXTERIOR SIDEWALKS WE CONTRACT IT OUT, YOU KNOW, A DECENT AMOUNT OF WORK THIS YEAR BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING, YOU KNOW, THROUGH A WEEKEND STORM YOU
JUST YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GETTING LIKE 30 PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW WILL COME IN TO WORK. SO THERE'S A MASSIVE CAPACITY ISSUE THAT WE EVEN SOMETIMES WILL STRUGGLE OF GETTING EXTERIOR SIDEWALKS CLEANED. THERE'S ALSO A SAFETY PIECE TO
IT IS ONCE YOU KNOW YOU GET SIX 12IN OF SNOW YOU KIND OF LOSE TRACK OF WHERE PATHWAYS. ARE AND WHERE THINGS ARE. WE HAD IT AT UM OVER THERE AT ROBERTS WE HAD UH, TRACKLESS MACHINE ROLL ON ITS SIDE WITH
AN OPERATOR IN IT. SO IT'S LIKE VERY SCARY BECAUSE HE HE DIDN'T NOTICE IT WAS A CURB ON THE SIDE AND HE WENT OVER AND THE WHOLE THING FLOPPED OVER. SO IT GETS KIND OF DANGEROUS ON INTERIOR OF PARKS UM OF OF CLEARING THE INTERIOR PARKS AND
IS ALSO JUST A BIG CAPACITY ISSUE UM ACROSS THE CITY UM JUST TRYING TO GET THEM ALL DONE. WE TRY TO LIKE LIKE BOSTON WE TRY TO CUT A PATH THROUGH THERE. THERE'S CERTAIN PARKS THAT WE DO CLEAR THE INTERIORS OF. THERE'S A HANDFUL OF THEM UM,
ACROSS THE CITY. SO WE DO TRY WHEN THERE IS A SCHOOL COMMUNITY CENTER, YOU KNOW, A HOSPITAL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO MAKE THAT PATH OPEN. WE'RE JUST WE'RE JUST NOT ABLE TO GET TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM OUT THERE. IT IS A GOAL OF MINE TO LIKE
CLEAR THE INTERIORS OF MOST OF OUR PARKS. UM, THAT TAKES A STAFFING LEVEL AND IT TAKES A FUNDING INCREASE TO TRY TO GET I THINK TO A PLACE THAT WE WANT TO GET TO WITH THAT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNSELOR CULPEPER. JUST THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND UH, THANK. YOU, PANEL FOR, UH, MAKING TIME
TO COME IN. SIT WITH US TODAY. UH, SO. >> SEE DIANA, UH, YOU'RE MOVING AROUND, HUH? YOU'RE MOVING OUT. YOU AND YOU KNOW, I MUST ADMIT YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB WITH
THOSE, UH, VIRTUAL MEETINGS DEALING WITH WHITE STADIUM. I SAW HOW YOU MANEUVERED AND QUESTIONS AND, UH, NOW YOU'RE MOVING ON UP, HUH? GREAT.
WELL, YOU DID A GOOD JOB, UH, WITH A LOT OF THAT BECAUSE IT WAS TOUGH. AND SO I KNOW WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH WE'RE GOING TO GET GOING. I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS MOSTLY ON
THE BUDGET. I SEE YOU'RE CUTTING UH OR THE BUDGET IS BEING CUT. I'M NOT SO DOING A 1% FOR THE PARK APARTMENT BUDGET.
UH, AND IT SAYS UH IT'S MOSTLY CONTRACTED SERVICES THAT THAT YOU'RE CUTTING OUTSIDE SERVICES AND UH, SO WHAT'S BEING SHIFTED
WHAT WAS CONTRACTED THAT'S NOW BEING SHIFTED. INSIDE TO MAKE THAT CUT? UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY SHIFTING FUNDING FROM THE OPERATING TO
THE UH AN OUTSIDE SOURCE OF THE FUND FOR PARKS AND RECREATION WHERE WE HAVE SOME FUNDING FROM FOR THINGS LIKE STREET TREES THAT WE CAN WE CAN TEMPORARILY MOVE FROM THE OPERATING TO THE
FUND FOR PARKS AND PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE. SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR FOR FOR OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT THERE WHERE WE HAD AN ALTERNATE FUNDING SOURCE AVAILABLE TO US
UH, WHICH WAS SUCH A BLESSING UH, TO BE ABLE TO TO PROVIDE THAT THAT GAP FUNDING AND PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS SO THINGS LIKE THE STREET TREES, THE RANGERS UH SOME
OF THE PLANTINGS WE'RE MOVING WE'RE ABLE TO SHIFT THAT ONTO THE FUND FOR PARKS FOR. THOSE WHO CONTRACTED SERVICES THAT ARE DISAPPEARING. SOME OF THOSE. >> ARE SO THE. OUR INTENTION IS NOT TO HAVE
THE THE CONTRACTS DISAPPEAR BUT TO FUND THEM DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY HAVE BEEN FUNDED IN THE PAST. SO RATHER THAN FUNDING IT 100% FROM THE FROM THE OPERATING BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO FUND IT PARTIALLY FROM OPERATING AND
PARTIALLY FROM THE FUND FOR. PARKS AND SO WHAT CONTRACT SERVICES WILL NO LONGER BE. USED BECAUSE WHAT WHAT IT SAYS
IS THAT THE THE PRIMARY DRIVER IS THE TRANSFER OF CONTRACT SERVICES. I'M TRYING TO GET TO WHAT SERVICES ARE NOW BEING EITHER
DECREASED OR COMPLETELY TRANSFERRED TO UH TO IN-HOUSE WORKERS. SO SOME OF THAT IS THE TREE PRUNING CONTRACT RIGHT? $100,000 OF THE TREE YEAR CONTRACT IS BEING TRANSFERRED.
FROM OPERATING TO THE FUND FOR PARKS. UM $50,000. >> OF MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES IS BEING TRANSFERRED FROM RECREATION TO THE PHOTOGRAPHS. WHAT ELSE? >> BECAUSE IT SAYS $524,000. IS BEING TRANSFERRED FROM
OPERATING TO THE FUND FOR PARKS SUNFLOWER. THE SUNFLOWER GRANT PROGRAM NOW WILL BE BROUGHT IN-HOUSE. AND SO WE'LL GO WANT TO BROUGHT IN-HOUSE. WELL THE IN-HOUSE STAFF BE
INCREASED. NO SO THE. WITH THE STREET. TREE PRUNING CONTRACT THAT IS A CONTRACT THAT'S CONTRACTED SERVICES. SO WE PUT OUT A BID UH WE ASK
AS COMPANIES TO PROVIDE A BID FOR IT TO PROVIDE X NUMBER OF. OF YOU KNOW STREET TREES PRUNED OR BLOCKS OF STREET TREES PRUNED UM AND RATHER THAN FUNDING IT FROM OPERATING WOULD
BE FUNDING IT FROM OPERATING AND THE FUND FOR PARKS SO LARGELY THE SAME AMOUNT. OH IT'S STILL GOING TO BE CONTRACT IT'S. STILL GOING TO BE CONTRACTED SERVICES BUT THE FUNDING SOURCE WOULD BE DIFFERENT OKAY.
AND SO WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET TO IS WHAT CONTRACT SERVICES ARE NO LONGER GOING TO BE CONTRACTED THAT ARE NOW BEING TRANSFERRED IN-HOUSE.
LARGELY NONE. THERE MAY BE SOME MATERIALS THAT WE'RE WE'RE SHIFTING UM. FROM FROM. PLUGS TO SEEDS AND THE SEEDS ARE LESS EXPENSIVE AND WE'RE GOING TO COVER THE SEEDS FROM THE FUND FOR PARKS.
OKAY. >> UH. TWO TO. ALMOST THREE. I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, BUT BUT LET'S LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NUMBER ONE. IT'S STUCK THERE.
AND SO THE OPERATING BUDGET UM GOING TO BE DOWN 37 MILLION
AGAIN UH FROM 36.6 TO A DOWN 37 FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET. AND THE EXTERNAL FUND THE MONEY
WE'RE BRINGING IN IS INCREASING FROM 8.5 MILLION TO 9.17 MILLION. MY QUESTION IS WHAT'S THE
SOURCE OF THE EXTERNAL FUNDS THAT ARE INCREASING UH, FROM 8.5 MILLION TO 9.17 MILLION 9.17 MILLION. WHAT'S THE SOURCE OF THOSE EXTERNAL FUNDS?
YEAH. >> SO SOME OF THAT MONEY IS OUR IRA MONEY THAT WE GOT WHICH WOULD ALSO SUPPLEMENT SOME OF THE TREE PRUNING MONEY. AND WE ALSO HAVE THE MONEY IN THE FUND FOR PARKS. >> HOW MUCH HOW MUCH OF THAT IS.
I IF I DON'T KNOW HOW CAN I GET BACK TO THE BACK. YEAH. >> DO YOU WANT TO GET BACK THIS TO THE CHAIR? YEAH UH BECAUSE SUBMITTED AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT IT AND IF WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT WE
WILL UH THOSE CDL DRIVER POSITIONS IN THE PAST THE PARKS RANGER POSITION AND I SEE YOU HAVING A TOUGH TIME HIRING FOR THEM. YES. >> IF YOU. CAN GET THOSE POSITION AND THE
PDS TO US TO LET US SEE HOW THE COUNCIL CAN HELP YOU HIRE AS OPPOSED TO THOSE POSITIONS. UH, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. YEAH. >> AND IN THE. >> AND HOW MANY POSITIONS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT FOR CDL DRIVER
POSITIONS AND FOR THE BUS AND RANGER POSITIONS? OKAY SO THE BUS THE. BARGAINING POSITION THERE UM. NOT CDL REQUIRED. NO I UNDERSTAND I SEE THE TWO DIFFERENCE BUT UM THE TWO
DIFFERENT POSITIONS RIGHT. THERE'S THE DRIVER POSITIONS RIGHT? YEAH. AND THEN THERE'S THE RANGER POSITIONS RIGHT. YEAH I'M TRYING TO RANGERS OKAY THE RANGERS. POSITION THERE THERE'S APPROXIMATELY UM LIKE UM FIVE
OF THEM THAT WE HAVE TO FILL. FIVE THAT OKAY. HOW MANY ARE THERE IN TOTAL? UH THERE'S FIVE FIVE POSITIONS . IN TOTAL. HOW MANY RANGERS ARE THERE IN TOTAL? UH IN TOTAL THERE'S UM.
LET ME THINK. FOREST RANGERS 63. SORRY I'M GOING TO SAY APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY GET CLOSE SIX.
UM 1620 GET THEM. UM. >> YEAH I'M APPROXIMATELY 16 BUT I CAN GET YOU THAT'S ABOUT A. THIRD OF THE RANGERS. AND HOW MANY OF THE CITY OF POSITIONS ARE THERE AND HOW
MANY DO YOU NEED TO HIRE? SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A UM CDL POSITIONS. THERE'S LIKE. THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT LIKE 12 UM HEAVY MOTOR EQUIPMENT
OPERATORS AND WE HAVE UM THREE NOW FOR SPECIAL HEAVY POSITIONS THREE IN CEMETERY AND THREE IN UM AND MAINTENANCE.
SO THAT'S ABOUT 50% THAT NEED TO BE HIRED AND 30% OF THE RANGERS. THERE'S LIKE. >> 50% I DON'T KNOW MARCY OF THE HOW. MANY VACANCIES WHAT PERCENTAGE. ON THE VACANCIES OKAY SO YEAH
SO IT'S ABOUT 50% OF THE DRIVERS VACANT. OKAY IF YOU COULD JUST GET THAT INFORMATION OKAY. YEAH APPRECIATE IT THANK YOU MR CHAIR OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH A FEW QUESTIONS FROM THE CHAIR AND WE'LL GO TO I THINK
WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. UM, SO IN TERMS SO I THINK UH, BUDGETS GOING OVERALL BUDGETS GOING DOWN FOR PARKS 37 MILLION
TO 36.6 MILLION. UM SOME OF THE LINE ITEMS THAT ARE THAT HAVE UH YOU KNOW, SORT OF LARGER UH CUTS FROM THERE'S COMMUNICATIONS IT'S A $100,000
CUT. I MEAN WHAT'S HOW IS THAT GOING TO IMPACT YOUR OPERATIONS? I THINK THAT WAS THAT WAS COMING FROM THE UM OFFICE OF BUDGET MANAGEMENT.
UM, BASED ON OUR UTILITY COSTS. YEAH. >> IT WAS REDUCED TO MATCH AVERAGE OF. FY 24 IN FY 25. SO THERE WAS EXTRA MONEY IN THE LINE THAT WASN'T BEING USED. BY 20. OKAY SO SO LIKE IT.
YEAH SO IS THIS YEAR TO DO IT UNDERSPEND IN PRIOR YEARS AND YOU. YOU'VE SORT OF RIGHTSIZE THAT OKAY AND THEN IN CONTRACTED SERVICES THAT'S GOING DOWN FROM
2.9 TO 2.5 PLUS YOU. COUNCILOR DURKAN UM SO DOWN ABOUT 416,000 UM I KNOW I DONE AN AMENDMENT I HOPE YOU'RE GOING TO HIRE AN EXTRA ARBORIST .
UH WE PUT THAT IN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES BUT I THINK YOU IN YOUR WISDOM YOU USE THE MONEY TO PLANT TREES IN MILLENNIUM PARK. SO BUT LIKE WHAT CONTRACTUAL SERVICES DO YOU THINK ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THAT?
SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE. SHIFTING THE FUNDING THAT WAS IN THE OPERATING BUDGET TO THE FUND FOR PARKS, UH, WHILE TRYING TO KEEP THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THE SAME SO THAT 75 FROM FOR THE ARBORIST THAT WAS
AN OPERATING BUDGET WOULD BE SHIFTED TO THE FUND FOR PARKS TO CONTINUE THE PRUNING AND PLANTING PROGRAMS. OKAY. >> SO IS THAT MEAN YOU'RE. HIRING THE ARBORIST INSTEAD OF. NO, IT MEANS WE TOOK THAT MONEY
THAT WE HAD USED FOR CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR FROM THE OPERATING BUDGET AND WE'RE MOVING IT TO CONTRACTOR SERVICES FOR THE FUND FOR PARKS. OKAY. SO WE'RE NOT ADDING AN FTE OKAY. BUT THAT THAT THE CONTRACTED
SERVICES GOING DOWN. THE YEAH. >> THAT'S WHY I'M DOING. CONTRACTS AND. >> SERVICES FUNDED BY THE. OPERATING BUDGET IS. >> GOING DOWN. YEAH BUT WE'RE MAKING THAT UP BY TAPPING INTO THE FUND FOR PARKS AND REC. SO THERE'S YOU KNOW, DROPPING THE ACTUAL SERVICES THAT THE
CONSTITUENTS IN BOSTON ARE RECEIVING. BUT AGAIN THIS IS SIMILAR TO COUNCILOR CONCERNS OR CONSERVATIVE COUNCILOR FITZGERALD'S QUESTION. THIS IS NOT A SUSTAINABLE A YEAR OVER. YEAR OPTION. >> BUT WE HAD ENOUGH RESERVES AND THE FUNDS. WERE BUILT UP IN. >> THE FUND OF SOME PARKS AND
REC TO LEVEL SERVICE PROVIDED WHILE STILL REDUCING THE OPERATING BUDGET HERE. OKAY. >> AND THEN FOR UH WAS A LEASE LEASE PURCHASE THAT'S GOING DOWN ABOUT 500,000 UH OR MAYBE
600,052.8 MILLION TO CLOSE 2.2 OR SOMETHING. UM, AGAIN LIKE YOU JUST GIVE ME I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE AND THEN IF YOU GIVE ME SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES FOR HOW THAT. I'M SURE I FEEL FOR LEASE
PURCHASE IT WAS UM ESSENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS TO LEASE PURCHASE FINANCE TIMING. SO THE TIMING OF THE LEASE PURCHASE SOME STUFF WILL BE IN FY 26 AND THEN SOME WILL BE ENOUGH BY 27. OKAY SO LIKE THE TIMING OF WHEN
WE CAN GET LEASE PURCHASE. IN YEAH I. GOT A. >> CONTRACT BUT WHAT ARE WE USING THOSE FUNDS FOR. UH MAYBE SO THERE'S LOTS YEAH. THERE'S A LOT OF MAINTENANCE VEHICLES THAT UM.
YEAH I MEAN I HAVE TO PULL UP THE LIST OF WHAT WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY IN THERE. WHAT IS THERE NOW? BUT A LOT OF TIMES IT'S OUR DUMP TRUCKS. IT'S OUR LARGE AREA MOWERS. IT'S YOU KNOW, THE CREW CAB PICKUP TRUCKS THAT OUR OUR STAFF IS USING OUT THERE EVERY DAY.
OKAY. >> UM, OKAY. YEAH. UH AND THEN UM, I MEAN, JUST, UH, TRANSITION HERE TO UM, JAMAICA POND.
I THINK SOMETIMES WE HEAR ABOUT VEHICLES THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD HELP IN TERMS OF LIKE REMOVING SAND FROM THE PATH OR DOING MAINTENANCE. BUT THERE IS ANOTHER SECTION OF THE CITY IS THAT IT IS OUR
ABILITY TO USE THOSE MAINTENANCE MACHINES THAT MAYBE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND A WHOLE YEAR IN ONE LOCATION. LIKE DO WE HAVE FEWER OF THOSE? UM, WE'RE YOU KNOW, WE'RE BASICALLY TALKING STREET SWEEPERS ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, SMALLER VERSIONS OF A STREET
SWEEPER. UH, WE DO HAVE ONE OF THOSE IT IS LOCATED DOWNTOWN. IT IS ELECTRIC SO IT HAS TO BE UM PLUGGED IN IN CHARGE AT THAT SAME LOCATION EVERY SINGLE TIME. SO IT IS DIFFICULT TO MOVE IT FROM DOWN THERE. WE CAN'T LEAVE IT AT A MAINTENANCE YARD WHICH IS MUCH
CLOSER. UM, WE ALSO LIKE THIS YEAR WE HAD UH WE WORK A LOT WITH PUBLIC WORKS SO WE'LL WE'LL ASK THEM FOR A FAVOR ESSENTIALLY AND THEY WILL GO THROUGH AND THEY WILL SWEEP YOU KNOW AFTER AFTER THE WINTER IN THE SPRING
THEY WILL GO AND SWEEP THE POND FOR US. UM SO WE DO USE THAT YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN'T GET OUR EQUIPMENT DOWN HERE IF WE DON'T HAVE AN OPERATOR. UM. >> OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WE WILL USE PUBLIC WORKS AS HELP TO GET THAT SWEPT.
OKAY. >> UH, AND COUNCILOR CULPEPPER WAS ASKING ABOUT VACANCIES, I THINK. UH, SO IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE PROJECTING OR 38 VACANCIES.
I THAT'S THE DATA I HAVE IS 293 POSITIONS AROUND 255 FTES. UH, AND I GUESS JUST, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF LIKE WHERE WE SEE
IS THIS SORT OF CONSISTENT VACANCY NUMBER THROUGH THE YEARS, I THINK YOU MAY. YOU MAY BE. >> CUT YOU'RE CUTTING LIKE ONE FTE BUT THERE'S LIKE 30 POSITION I GUESS THE QUESTION FOR US IS YOU KNOW WHY DOES
THIS DEPARTMENT NEED YOU KNOW, THREE DOZEN VACANT POSITIONS LIKE IF WE IF WE USED YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD FROM VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW,
IF WE TOOK FIVE POSITIONS OUT OF YOUR DEPARTMENT USE THOSE FUNDS TO FUND THE VETS LIKE HOW WOULD THAT THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO TELL US NOT TO DO THAT BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S UH OR YOU CAN TELL US TO DO THAT. IT WOULD BE GREAT. UH, HOW WILL THAT HOW WOULD
THAT IMPACT YOUR. YOUR. >> DEPARTMENT OR PARKS? SO I THINK SOME OF THAT IS UH ARE THE THE CHALLENGES OF OF UH OF WORKING WITH UH WITH
MAINTENANCE STAFF AND AND FINDING THE RIGHT FIT FOR THE UH FOR THE THE. ROLE UM AND SOME OF OUR OUR MOST CHALLENGING AND LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEES AND TRYING TO KEEP THEM UH, GROWING THROUGH
THE SYSTEM. I THINK THERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF VACANT AND VACANT POSITIONS, UM, IN SOME OF THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP THAT, UM, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO TO DIANA TRYING TO TO UM.
IS THAT THE IS OF FOR THOSE VACANCIES BECAUSE MY SENSE IS IS USUALLY THE LOWER PAYING JOBS BE A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT IT'S JUST DIFFICULT TO FILL THOSE AND EVEN IF WHEN YOU FILL IT IT MIGHT THERE MIGHT BE MORE
TURNOVER BUT IS IT A MIX. YEAH I THINK THEY I THINK IT'S BOTH OF THOSE ISSUES BUT. UM YEAH. >> I THINK A LARGE NUMBER OF THOSE PROBABLY. >> ARE IN MAINTENANCE I'M ASSUMING UM YOU KNOW YOU HAVE LOWER PAID WORKERS, YOU REQUIRE CDL, YOU REQUIRE YOU KNOW, TO
LIVE IN THE CITY YOU REQUIRE A HOISTING LICENSE ON SOME OF THEM. SO IT'S DIFFICULT YOU KNOW IN THIS CLIMATE. SO IT IS A VERY ACTIVE JOB MARKET RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY FILLING THOSE ROLES BUT NOT HAVING THOSE
ROLES OR LETTING THOSE ROLES GO UM IS JUST GOING TO IMPACT SERVICES YOU KNOW, AS COUNCIL FUNDS SAID THE FIELDS YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T GET THE WATER OFF BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF WORK OUT THERE IS JUST OVERWHELMING BETWEEN GRASS
CUTTING IN AND PULLING THE TRASH AT OUR PARKS AND YOU KNOW, MAINTAINING OUR BALL FIELD. SO WITHOUT. THESE ADDITIONAL STAFFING IN THERE IT JUST MAKES THAT JOB HARDER. IT'S MORE OVERTIME BUDGET, IT'S
MORE BURNOUT FROM THE CURRENT STAFF THAT'S IN THERE OF JUST TRYING TO GET IT ALL DONE. OKAY THESE AREN'T JUST ME. LIKE THESE. >> AREN'T THE SAME ROLES THAT ARE OPEN YEAR OVER YEAR. IT'S TURNOVER. WE HAVE A TURNOVER OF YOU KNOW
A YEAR OR TWO YEARS WE'RE TRAINING FOLKS. UM BUT THESE AREN'T IT'S NOT AS IF NO ONE'S FILLING BECAUSE YOU NEED AFTER YOU TO BRING A PERSON ON ON. >> THAT WE. >> NEED TO FILL IT AGAIN. OKAY. >> UH I APOLOGIZE MY COLLEAGUES. I'M EXERCISING. CHAIR OF PRIVILEGE. >> I'M ASKING ONE MORE QUESTION.
I AND ONE MORE NOTE JUST WANT ONE THING FOR THE NEW, UH, THE INCOMING COMMISSIONER, UH, MOZART PARK, UH, MURAL WAS REMOVED AND DESTROYED IN THAT
PROCESS. UH, AND I I HOPE WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WILL PAY TO REPLACE THAT MURAL AND WE'LL WORK TO DETERMINE A SCHEDULE.
UH, JUST, UM, TO FLAG THAT. UH, AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT ,UH, MAYBE TEEING UP A COUPLE OF MY, UH, CONSTITUENTS, UH, WHO ARE GOING TO BE TESTIFYING AT THE JAMAICA POND THE CAPITAL
BUDGET. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS $500,000 FOR A STUDY IN LAST YEAR'S FISCAL BUDGET THIS YEAR THAT THAT UH, THAT'S THAT'S AT ZERO . BUT THERE IS I THINK 150,000
FOR EXPENDITURES RELATED TO THE JAMAICA PUMP BOATHOUSE. SO CAN YOU JUST TELL US WHAT IS GOING WHAT THE STATUS OF THAT IS AND WHAT. >> THE PLAN. YES. SO THE JAMAICA POND UH, BOATHOUSE FEASIBILITY STUDY IS
BEING LED BY THE PUBLIC FACILITIES DEPARTMENT. THEY'VE ENGAGED UH, AN ARCHITECT, UH, TO STUDY THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE OF THE BUILDING AND KIND OF BEYOND TO THE IMMEDIATE
STRUCTURAL REPAIRS NEEDED AT THE AT THE BASE OF THE BASE OF THE POND. UH, THE SORRY THE UM THE BOATHOUSE STRUCTURE ITSELF THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE UH
WHAT IT MIGHT TAKE TO MAKE THE BANDSTAND ACCESSIBLE SO ALL KINDS OF AND THE AND THE NATURE CENTER, UH, ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE BANDSTAND, UH, HOW TO MAKE THAT AT ACCESSIBLE SPACE AS WELL.
SO LOOKING AT SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND STRUCTURAL, UM, NEEDS TO BRING THOSE UP TO UP TO A HIGHER. LEVEL OF UH OF SERVICE AND CARE, UH, SO THAT WORK WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE END OF THE
YEAR, UH, WITH A PUBLIC FACILITIES DEPARTMENT THAT'S FUNDED THROUGH THAT THAT UH, JAMAICA POND LINE. UM AND YEAH, I THINK WE'VE HAD SOME UH, EMAILS BACK AND FORTH ABOUT THE MOZART MURAL AND
WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO HOW TO MAKE THAT MAKE THAT WORK. I THINK I THINK IT'S WE'RE COMMITTED TO HAVING THE MURAL BACK IS JUST ON WHICH TIMELINE UM AND WHERE THE FUNDING COULD BE IF IT'S NOT ALIGNED WITH THE CAPITAL PLAN, THE.
CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION. PROJECT WHICH WE. >> ENVISIONED TO. BE A FEW YEARS OUT. OKAY. >> YEAH. MY SENSE FROM HIGH SCHOOL TASK FORCE IS THAT THEY'RE THE. MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUNDING AND THAT THE PLAN THAN THE SCHEDULE.
SO THEY JUST YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT A REASONABLE YOU. KNOW WE CAN ABSOLUTELY COOPERATE IT. YEAH. AND IS THE. OVERALL CONSTRUCTION UH. EXCUSE ME. >> THE. LARGER CAPITAL PROJECT.
UM BUT I KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE ARTIST'S TIMELINE. OKAY. >> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, WE HAVE SOME TESTIMONY. UH UH, WE'RE GOING TO START
WITH, UH, LISA MEYER, WHO YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH. UH UH AND THEN UH, MARK TROY BERGER. UM, TONY. OKAY. UH, AND THEN WE HAVE SARAH
FREEMAN ONLINE. SO, UH, LET ME SET THE TIMER TWO. >> MINUTES, TWO MINUTES. GREAT. THANK YOU. CHAIR. >> COUNSELORS. >> UM. CITY STAFF. IT'S GREAT TO SEE EVERYONE. UM, I'M LISA MEYER AND PRESIDENT FRIENDS OF THE PUBLIC
GARDEN. AND FOR 50 YEARS THE FRIENDS HAS WORKED WITH THE CITY SIDE BY SIDE TO CARE FOR SOME OF BOSTON'S MOST HEAVILY USED AND BELOVED PUBLIC PARKS.
SO WE'RE HERE AS A COMMITTED PARTNER IN THAT WORK. UM, BECAUSE THESE SPACES ARE SO ESSENTIAL TO OUR CITY. WE HAVE A FORMAL AGREEMENT WITH. >> THE CITY. AND OUR. WORK SUPPLEMENT CITY
INVESTMENT. EACH YEAR WE CONTRIBUTE. 2.6 MILLION ANNUALLY. IN PARKS CARE AND PROGRAMING. THE COMMON THE GARDEN AND THE MALL SERVES 60,000 NEIGHBORS WITHIN A TEN MINUTE WALK AND
MILLIONS OF VISITORS. FROM ACROSS THE CITY AND AROUND THE WORLD EACH YEAR. SO THESE ARE NOT AMENITIES LIKE ALL CITY PARKS THEY'RE PART OF OUR ESSENTIAL. CITY CITY. CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WE'VE TALKED. TODAY OR WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT UM, HOW THE PARKS BUDGET. IS BEING REDUCED UM, THANKFULLY BY HOPEFULLY ONLY 1% RATHER THAN SOMETHING GREATER WHICH
I'M SURE IS THE CASE IN OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS. UM. BUT I JUST WANT TO FLAG. THAT THE CITY HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON PARKS FUNDING OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THOSE
INCREASES IN PARKS FUNDING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO UM, SEE SOME OF THE GAINS IN URBAN FOREST CANOPY THAT WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE CITY TO SEE SOME OF THE PARKS IMPROVEMENTS IN ALL
NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, MAKING OUR PLAYGROUNDS SAFER, MORE VIBRANT ,IMPROVING PROGRAMING, PRUNING TREES THERE'S SO MUCH GREAT WORK THAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AND AS
SOMEBODY WHO LOVES PARKS YES, I WORK ON BEHALF OF THESE THREE PARKS RIGHT NOW BUT I CARE ABOUT THE PARKS SYSTEM AS A. WHOLE AND I'M REALLY CONCERNED THAT CUTS TO PARKS SHIFTING
FUNDING FROM BASELINE OPERATING TO. >> THE. FUND FOR PARKS EVEN AS A TEMPORARY STOPGAP MEASURE COULD END UP BEING SOMETHING THAT STAYS AS A PERMANENT CHANGE. AND I THINK WE ALL NEED TO BE.
VIGILANT ABOUT NOT LETTING THE GAINS OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS, UH, BACKSLIDE. SO THAT'S. NOT EVEN WHAT I CAME HERE TO SAY, BUT THAT'S WHAT I FEEL COMPELLED TO SAY.
SO THAT'S MY TWO MINUTES AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO SEE UM. I HOPE THAT. >> THE. COUNCIL WILL DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO HELP KEEP THE PARK SYSTEM. IN THE SHAPE THAT IT'S IN TODAY OR GET EVEN BETTER. THANK YOU. OKAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, I GUESS, UH, MARK. HELLO. >> UH, COUNCIL AND UH, THE GREAT STAFF THAT ARE HERE. I'M MARK FREUDENBERG I'M A
RESIDENT OF, UH, JAMAICA POND, UH, OR JAMAICA PLAIN. I'M THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE JAMAICA PLAIN AND HOMESTEAD PARK, A BOARD MEMBER OF THE JAMAICA POND ASSOCIATION AND A STEERING
COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE FRIENDS OF JAMAICA POND. UH, I'M REALLY DELIGHTED WITH THE. UH. >> LEADERSHIP THAT KATHY BAKER ECLIPSES UH, FOR IT OVER THE PAST UH, PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL WORKING RELATIONSHIP AND GETTING TO KNOW HER UH, HAS BEEN A REAL DELIGHT. EQUALLY, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING IN PERSON. UH, THE NEW COMMISSIONER
DESIGNATE. UH, WE HOPE TO HAVE A WALK WITH YOU AROUND THE POND IN OLMSTED PARK. UH, AT SOME POINT. UH, I JUST LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF, UH UH, VERY SPECIFIC
RECOMMENDATIONS BASED UPON THIS HEARING. NUMBER ONE, PLEASE DO MINIMIZE A REDUCTION TO THE OPERATIONS BUDGET. UH, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO, UH
,REDUCE SOME FUNDING OR PUT IT ON HOLD CAPITAL BUDGET IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN, UH, THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET. IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO, UH, CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE
CLEAN PARKS, SAFE PATHWAYS AND REGULAR TRASH REMOVAL. SECONDLY, TRY TO COLLABORATE MORE CLOSELY WITH VOLUNTEER FRIENDS GROUPS WE HAVE
SUPPORTED AND WORKED WITH BOSTON PARKS AND THE URBAN WILDS OVER THE PAST YEAR, AND WE'VE DEVELOPED SOME WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIPS TO CLEAN UP TRASH
TO WORK ON SELECTIVE INVASIVE REMOVALS DURING THIS PERIOD OF BUDGET CRISIS. IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME BOLD AND INNOVATIVE RETHINKING
OF HOW TO WORK WITH US NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, US FRIENDS GROUPS THAT HAVE A LOT OF PASSION. NOT MUCH TECHNICAL EXPERTISE BUT DO WANT TO SUPPORT THE CITY
AND THE CITY PARKS AND MODELS OUT THERE AND FINALLY TRY TO SUPPORT EVEN MORE THE URBAN WILDS PROGRAM AND ITS STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS IN INVASIVES
REMOVALS, ESPECIALLY JAPANESE KNOTWEED. THIS IS A CRISIS THAT WE SEE AS CITIZENS GROUPS AND WE REALLY HOPE TO WORK TOGETHER TO SEEK
INNOVATIVE WAYS TO FINANCE LONG TERM INVASIVES MANAGEMENT CONTROL AND HOPEFULLY REDUCTION. SO THANKS A LOT. OKAY THANK YOU. UM I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE PERSON
ONLINE SARAH FREEMAN. IF YOU CAN HEAR ME. HELLO. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME. I CAN.
>> YEAH OKAY GREAT. THANK YOU. UM I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. TO COMMENT REMOTELY. I WAS THERE AS IN PERSON AS
LONG AS I COULD. I'VE SUBMITTED WRITTEN COMMENTS AND I'LL TRY TO GET THROUGH AS MUCH AS I CAN IN THE TIME ALLOWED.
BUT FIRST I'D LIKE TO SECOND WHAT VOCALIZE. UH, AND MARK COME IN UH, ABOUT UH.
THE PROPOSED DECREASE IN THE OPERATING BUDGET UH, THANKS TO COUNCILOR WEBBER'S TOWN HALL THE OTHER DAY I REALIZE, UM, IT
LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE ONLY THREE DEPARTMENTS THAT DO HAVE THAT DECREASE AND PARKS AND REC IS STARTING OUT AT THE NEXT TO THE
LOWEST UH, TO BEGIN WITH. SO, UM, I KNOW THE PARKS ARE JUST SO IMPORTANT FOR AND FOR MENTAL HEALTH PHYSICAL HEALTH,
MENTAL HEALTH THE HOPE WE CAN FIND A WAY TO DO WHAT WE CAN AND SUPPORT THE FRIENDS GROUPS THAT ARE REALLY WORKING
PROBABLY HARDER THAN ANY OF YOU CAN IMAGINE ON BEHALF OF THE PARKS. OKAY, WHAT I CAN GET THROUGH HERE IN THIS OH UM UH, COMMENTING ON BEHALF OF THE OUR
BROADWAY COALITION AND JP IN THIS TIMES OF CLIMATE CHANGE HE ISLANDS STRESS OVER EVERYTHING FROM PAYING BILLS FOR FOOD, GAS
AND ELECTRICITY AND MORE IN WORLD AFFAIRS OUR PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS AND OUTDOOR SPACES PLAY A PRICELESS ROLE AS PLACES
UH TO GO FOR RELAXATION AND FOR ACTIVE OR PASSIVE RECREATION. THEY'RE EASY TO TAKE FOR GRANTED BUT PLEASE DON'T DO THAT THEY REQUIRE ONGOING CARE
AND MAINTENANCE AND UM THERE'S A LINK TO A WHOLE INTERVIEW ABOUT TREES AND AN ATTACHMENT. UH, WE PUT IN A PLUG FOR THE
PARK RANGERS AND HORSES. THEY IT'S REALLY HEARTENING TO SEE THEM AT EVENTS. PEOPLE JUST COME UP AND
INTERACT AND GET EDUCATED AND IT'S IMPORTANT UM, ON THE FRONT GROUPS THE URBAN COALITION IS A
DCR FRIEND BUT UM OR A DCR DCR PARKWAY BUT WE ARE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND WE'RE WORKING HARD ON PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, INCORPORATING THE THE BROKEN LINK IN THE LINEAR PARK AND HISTORIC LANDSCAPE PRESERVATION. I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND,
UM, DO WHAT WE CAN TO SUPPORT. THANK YOU. YEAH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUST, UH, FOR THE. INCOMING, UH, COMMISSIONER, WHEN I THINK THERE'S AT LEAST TWO FRIENDS GROUPS FOR JAMAICA POND.
UH, AND I RECOMMEND YOU COME OUT AND YOU'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THEM TODAY AND I KNOW JERRY WRIGHT WHO IF YOU HAVEN'T MET TRUSTEES OF LIKE FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED OR MAYBE FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED UH, HE'S OUT THERE
OFTEN. SO, UH, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CARE A LOT ABOUT THE POND. I LOOK FORWARD TO AND JP. UM, I HOPE YOU MEET WITH HIM. OKAY, SO, UH, NEXT ROUND OF COUNCILOR DURKAN.
YOU'RE UP. UH, WE'LL DO, UH, FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. UM, SO I HAVE, UH YOU KNOW, HE MAY BE EXCITED ABOUT HIS FRIENDS GROUP.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME AMAZING FRIENDS GROUPS IN OUR DISTRICT. UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT, UM, THE FENWAY CIVIC ASSOCIATION WHO SENT A LETTER TODAY FOR TODAY'S HEARING WHICH I HOPE YOU ALL WILL READ.
UH, THE FRIENDS OF THE PUBLIC GARDEN WHO WE HEARD FROM TODAY, THE FRIENDS OF THE MOUNTAIN PARK RANGERS WHICH I'M NOW WEARING THEIR PEN. I ALMOST FORGOT IT TODAY. UM, AND THE CHARLES GAIT ALLIANCE DOES A LOT OF GREAT
WORK ON THE KENMORE AREA. I DID WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE KENMORE BLOCK OF THE COMMONS MALL. UM, I KNOW THAT THE MBTA NEEDED TO DO A PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY. UM, AND I WAS HOPING THAT THEY
DID THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY WHEN THE T WAS CLOSED. UM, AND I WAS, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK AND FORTH THROUGH THE T TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. IT DOES FEEL LIKE THE KENMORE BLOCK IS SIX MONTHS LATER THAN
AT LEAST ME AND THE RESIDENTS ANTICIPATED. UM, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T PUT UP A CHRISTMAS TREE IN DECEMBER SO LIKE THAT'S LIKE A GOOD MARKER FOR YOU KNOW, BEING A LITTLE LATER THAN WE EXPECTED AND I
HOPE THAT IN DECEMBER WE'RE ABLE THIS UPCOMING DECEMBER WE'RE ABLE TO PUT UP A CHRISTMAS TREE. SO WE'D LOVE TO GET THIS WORK STARTED. AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK FOR THE RECORD, UH, WHAT WHERE
WE'RE AT NOW WE HAVE ASKED THE T TO SCHEDULE THAT DATE. >> UH, I THINK WE MISSED. OR THEY DIDN'T RECEIVE OR THERE WAS SOME SNAFU WITH UH WITH THE SUBMISSION THAT WE WE PUT IN TO TRY TO GET IT DONE DURING THE
THAT GREEN LINE SHUT DOWN. UM, SO I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE ARE IN THE QUEUE AND UH FOR THAT PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY TO HAPPEN AND THEN WE CAN. PROBABLY TAKE SO I DON'T KNOW.
THANK YOU I'M TRYING TO PUT SOME PRESSURE BUT I'M JUST I'M JUST A LITTLE CITY COUNCILOR. YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE MBTA, BUT, UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, THE PARKS GROUPS AND
EVERYONE WHO'S EXCITED ABOUT THIS UM, IT'S IT'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONNECT, UH, THIS HISTORIC PARK. SO I'M EXCITED AND, UM, I AND I
DID WANT TO PIVOT A LITTLE BIT. UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT WORK THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE BACK BAY FENCE, UM, ALONG THE MUDDY RIVER. THE RESTORATION WORK.
UM, ONE THING THAT FENWAY CIVIC ASSOCIATION MENTIONED IN THEIR BUDGET LETTER FOR TODAY WAS JUST THE ONGOING UM, OBVIOUSLY THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS CAME IN AND MOSSY UM AND THERE
WAS A LONG TIME EFFORT, ALMOST TEN YEAR EFFORT AND NOW WE HAVE COMPLETED THE FIRST PHASE OF THAT TO REMOVE THE INVASIVE PHRAGMITES I MY QUESTION IS WHAT DOES LONG TERM MAINTENANCE LOOK LIKE AND ARE THERE ANY
CONTRACTS IN PLACE TO CONTINUE THAT MAINTENANCE? UM BECAUSE I KNOW THAT PART OF THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS UM PART OF WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR WAS A COMMITMENT FROM THE CITY TO MAINTAIN THAT
WORK. SO AND I KNOW THE DREDGING WORK IS DONE. SO JUST CURIOUS WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHAT CONTRACTS ARE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THE MAINTENANCE AND UM AND TO ENSURE THAT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE I MEAN WHEN I WAS OUT THERE THE OTHER DAY ON A WALK AND JUST IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT BACK BAY FANS THAN WE'VE EVER HAD ACCESS TO AS
RESIDENTS AND SO UM, JUST MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THAT WORK AND ENERGY IS UM, YOU KNOW, IS RESPECTED AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE BEAUTIFUL VIEWS. UM, I THINK IT MIGHT BE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL I CAN'T SAY THE
MOST BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE I HAVE SO MANY I SO MANY OF MY DISTRICTS AND I AND I HAVE SO MANY DISTRICT COUNCILORS BUT IT MIGHT BE THE MOST ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO BE ON A SUNNY DAY IN HONESTLY IN THE WORLD. SO HOW DO WE MAINTAIN THAT? YEAH.
>> UH SO LIKE I SAID AS AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT THAT WE MADE WITH THE ARMY CORPS, UM, WE. WE AGREED THAT WE WILL WE. >> WILL HAVE UH THERE'S A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE HAVE CONTRACTED SERVICES UM, WE'VE
MADE A WRITTEN COMMITMENT TO MAINTAIN THE VEGETATION AND THE NATURE BASED SOLUTION THAT WAS PART OF THE FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT. UM, SO WE'RE STILL IN THAT PERIOD SO THAT FUNDING STILL
EXISTS AND WE WE NEED TO CONTINUE OUR HOPE IS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE IT BEYOND WHEN THE WHEN THE THE AGREEMENT UM EXPIRES WHICH IS IN A FEW YEARS IT'S STILL A FEW YEARS I THINK SO WE'RE STILL IN THAT PERIOD
WHERE WE HAVE A WE HAVE A WRITTEN COMMITMENT UH THAT FOR THAT FOR THE FOR THAT MAINTENANCE. WE UM. HAVE DIVIDED UP. THE WORK. AREAS INTO SEVERAL DIFFERENT
CONTRACTS AND SO THERE'S THERE'S UH A FEW CONTRACTORS I THINK IT'S. THERE'S THESE THREE THREE. ZONES FOR CONTRACTORS WORKING ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT. AREAS EACH WITH THEIR OWN KIND
OF SUBSPECIALTY. UH, WE STILL HAVE UH. WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH. >> THE DESIGNERS OF THE OF THE PROJECT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE PLANT MATERIAL THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED GETS REPLACED. WITH APPROPRIATE PLANT MATERIAL.
AND THAT THE THE CONTRACTOR UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT TAKES TO TO MAINTAIN THAT PLANT MATERIAL. OKAY. >> AND I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME SO I'M SO SORRY TO INTERRUPT. SO WE'VE GOT TWO REALLY ICONIC BUILDINGS IN DISTRICT EIGHT THE
TOOL SHED. YES AND THE DUCK HOUSE. SO MY QUESTION IS UM THEY BOTH ARE VERY YOU KNOW, COULD BE USED FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT'S HAPPENED ABOUT THE DUCK HOUSE. I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO ALL THE MITIGATION AND CONVERSATION AROUND THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT THERE, BUT THERE IS A POTENTIAL
IDEA TO USE UH, THE DUCK HOUSE, UM, AS A MAINTENANCE PLACE FOR THE BACK BAY FENCE WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA. DOES THE DO YOU HAVE AN OFFICIAL POSITION AS UH THE YOU
KNOW, AS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT? DO YOU HAVE AN OFFICIAL POSITION ON POTENTIALLY USING THE HOUSE FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE BACK BAY FENCE IF THERE WAS A TEAM IN PLACE? UH, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE AN
OFFICIAL POSITION YET AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO GET. AHEAD OF GETTING DIANA UP TO SPEED ON ON ALL OF THE ISSUES. OKAY, GREAT. WELL, UM, COMMISSIONER, OUR OUR INCOMING COMMISSIONER I DO HAVE
A COUPLE MEETINGS THAT WE SHOULD TAKE TOGETHER. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> AFTER YOU COME TO JAMAICA AND, UH. SO COUNCILOR FLYNN. AFTER YOU. >> THANK HIM. I KNOW THERE WAS SOME COMMENTS
ABOUT OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS BEING CUT. UM, 1% OR 2%. BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD, THE VETERANS DEPARTMENT WAS CUT 14% .
PROGRAMS THAT ARE IMPACTING LOW INCOME VETERANS. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR GOING TO BAT FOR LOW INCOME VETERANS, WOMEN VETERANS,
VETERANS OF COLOR. SO I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES. MY MY POINT IS UM, I'M FOCUSED ON BUT LET ME ASK THE INCOMING PARKS COMMISSIONER I, I
PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION AT THE BEGINNING. MY FOCUS REALLY IS A DISTRICT COUNCIL AS IT RELATES TO PARKS IS THE ENSURING OUR YOUTH HAVE THE ABILITY TO PLAY BASEBALL.
I DON'T THINK I MADE MY POINT AS CLEAR AS I DID AT THE BEGINNING. UM, BUT WHEN RESIDENTS AND WHEN MY CONSTITUENTS CAN'T PLAY BASEBALL THEY BLAME TWO PEOPLE. THEY BLAME THE MAYOR AND THEY
BLAME THE DISTRICT CITY COUNCIL. SO MY JOB IS TO GET ALL THE PARKS IN MY DISTRICT FOR YOUTH BASEBALL FIXED SO THAT THEY CAN PLAY LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL
WHETHER IT'S A PETERS PARK WHICH I WAS OUT OVER THE WEEKEND OR A PARK OR ANY OTHER PARK, IS THAT A PRIORITY FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT? I CONSIDER THE PARKS DEPARTMENT .
I ALWAYS ADD PARKS AND RECREATION. THAT'S HOW I GREW UP. IT WAS ALWAYS RECREATION WAS PART OF IT. BUT IS THAT STILL A FOCUS OR IS IT THESE BIG POLICY ISSUES
WHERE WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO FOCUS ON THE THE YOUTH AND GETTING GETTING THESE PARKS FIXED FOR KIDS TO PLAY BASEBALL? IT'S A FAIR QUESTION BECAUSE IT'S A QUESTION I GET ASKED ALL
THE TIME FROM MY CONSTITUENTS IN SOUTH BOSTON IN THE SOUTH END. UM, I CAN DEFINITELY. ANSWER THAT. I THINK. IT'S A HUGE PRIORITY. >> FOR ME. I'M A USER. OF THE RECREATIONAL SYSTEMS.
BOTH MY BOYS ARE PLAYING PARKWAY BASEBALL AND SOCCER AND I'M OUT THERE EVERY WEEKEND. UH, WE GOT RAINED OUT THIS WEEKEND TOO. UM, BUT IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO ME FROM A.
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE. AND THEN I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH THE STAFF. I REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN REALLY UPLIFT SOME OF THAT WORK, UM, IN EVERYTHING WE DO BECAUSE AS YOU NOTED,
IT'S THE PARKS AND RECREATION. DEPARTMENT AND RECREATION YEAR. ROUND FOR ALL SEASONS RECREATION FOR ALL AGE GROUPS AND DEMOGRAPHICS ACROSS THE CITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON AND OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS I REALLY WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH THE STAFF, REALLY HEAR FROM THEM, HEAR FROM YOUTH GROUPS. SO I'M MEETING WITH THEM LATER THIS WEEK UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE
ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO LAY OUT A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT PRIORITIZES THAT WORK. THANK YOU. >> THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR BECAUSE I, I HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH ABOUT YOUTH SPORTS DURING THIS CONVERSATION AND I
WAS SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE THAT'S MY THAT'S MY ADVOCACY. THAT'S WHERE I COME FROM. I WANT TO GET KIDS INVOLVED IN SPORTS AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS
AND HOMEWORK AND THAT'S HOW THAT'S HOW YOU BECOME A GOOD CITIZEN IS THROUGH SPORTS AND ACADEMICS. UM, BUT WHEN WE DON'T FOCUS ON CLEANING UP OUR PARKS OR
PROVIDING A PARK SO A KID CAN PLAY BASEBALL, IT'S FRUSTRATING TO THE PARENT. IT'S FRUSTRATING TO THE THE KID THAT PLAYS BASEBALL. YOU DON'T SEE A MORE DIVERSE GROUP OF KIDS PLAYING BASEBALL
THAN YOU DO IN THE SOUTH END WHERE I WAS OVER THE WEEKEND THE SOUTH END BASEBALL PROGRAM KIDS FROM THE SOUTH END KIDS AND ROXBURY AND CHINATOWN WERE ALL PLAYING ALL PLAYING BASEBALL. UM.
AND THERE'S THERE'S NO. PLACE I'D RATHER BE THAN WATCHING THESE KIDS AND SUPPORTING THESE KIDS. THEY DON'T THEY DON'T GO TO MAINE FOR THE SUMMER. THEY DON'T GO TO UM, MARTHA'S
VINEYARD OR NANTUCKET, BUT THEY RELY ON OUR PARKS TO PLAY SPORTS. AND IF WE JUST DISMISS A PARK AS IF OUR THEY'LL PLAY NEXT WEEK OR THEY'LL PLAY TWO WEEKS, WE CAN'T ACCEPT THAT.
MY MY QUESTION IS ESPECIALLY THIS SUMMER, CAN WE ALWAYS ENSURE THAT OUR LITTLE LEAGUE FIELDS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE SO KIDS CAN PLAY BASEBALL EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK?
CAN CAN WE MAKE THAT COMMITMENT? IS THAT IS THAT FAIR? WE CAN WE CAN TRY AS HARD AS WE CAN. WE HAVE OVER 260 IN FIELDS ACROSS THE CITY AND WE HAVE A STAFF OF EIGHT. SO IF WE GET LIKE RAIN OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT IT TAKES AN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND A HALF TO PUMP WATER OFF OF AN INFIELD. UM SO I JUST I CAN'T FULLY COMMIT THAT EVERY SINGLE GAME THAT EVERY GAME WE PLAY THERE
IS UNFORTUNATELY WE ALWAYS PRIORITIZE YOUTH LEAGUES IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THAT'S ALWAYS OUR FIRST PRIORITY. THERE'S A LOT OF VERY ANGRY ADULT LEAGUES OUT THERE BUT I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT. I I AGREE COMPLETELY WITH YOU THAT THE YOUTH LEAGUES ARE THE
MOST IMPORTANT OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, BUT THERE'S TIMES THAT WE DO HAVE A CAPACITY ISSUE WHEN WHEN WHEN WE DO HAVE WEATHER WHEN WE DO HAVE STORMS THAT COME THROUGH TO TRY TO GET WATER OFF ALL THESE FIELDS AND MAKE THEM ALL BUT.
BUT IF THERE'S A RAINSTORM UM, 48 HOURS BEFORE THE GAME STARTS IN THE FIELD IS STILL NOT EVEN ADDRESSED. THE BALL FIELDS ARE STILL NOT EVEN ADDRESSED. THAT'S NOT A COMMITMENT TO OUR
YOUTH. THAT JUST MEANS THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD THE TIME TO GET AT THE PARK TO FIX IT. THE LITTLE LEAGUE FIELD I WANT US TO DO A BETTER JOB.
I WANT US TO MAKE THAT A TOP PRIORITY, A TOP COMMITMENT TO ENSURE THAT OUR LITTLE LEAGUE FIELDS ARE ALWAYS IN GOOD SHAPE WHEN WHEN PEOPLE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND THEY WORK FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THEY SHOULD
GO RIGHT DOWN TO THE BALLPARKS AND LOOK AT THE FIELD THEMSELVES WHETHER THEY'RE WORKING IN CITY HALL OR NOT. BUT WE WE OWE THAT AS DISTRICT COUNCILS ESPECIALLY WE OWE THAT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS TO PROVIDE
A GOOD BASEBALL PARK FOR THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MISTER CHAIR FOR GIVING ME AN EXTRA MINUTE TO SPEAK. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEPEN. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UM. CHIEF. >> I'M NOT SURE IF YOU DO
ANYTHING ABOUT THE POLLEN IN THE CITY, BUT ALLERGY SEASON IS REALLY KICKING IN. UH, I'M FEELING IT AND I'M ON IT. UM. TO THE NEW COMMISSIONER. I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT
YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GET AN INVITATION FROM ONE OF MY AMAZING RESIDENTS, UM, EARL FALK OVER ALMOND PARK. HE HAS ALREADY EXPRESSED, UM, EXCITEMENT THAT THERE'S A NEW
COMMISSIONER AND, UM, AS ANYONE IN HIS DEPARTMENT CAN ATTEST, HE IS PROBABLY THE PROBABLY THE LOUDEST AND MOST HE'S AN AMAZING PERSON AMAZING AT UM ADVOCATE FOR THAT PARK AND HE'S
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO FIND HIM HE'S PROBABLY AT THE PARK. UM SO IN HIS NATURE AND HIS ENERGY. UM ONE OF HIS ASK THAT HE'S BEEN ASKING FOR AND I AGREE WITH HIM LARGELY ON THIS IS UM
ALMOND PARK IS A BEAUTIFUL PARK. IT'S A HUGE PARK AND THERE'S A LOT OF EVENTS HAPPENING THERE BUT THEY HAVE A VERY SMALL BULLETIN BOARD. UM, AND. PEOPLE WANT A BIGGER BULLETIN BOARD.
SO PLEASE, IF THERE'S ANYWHERE IN THE BUDGET THAT YOU GUYS COULD PURCHASE A BIGGER BULLETIN. >> BOARD UH, THE MATTAPAN PATRIOTS THERE THERE'S A NEW. YOUTH LITTLE. LEAGUE PLAY IN THERE. THERE'S WHERE THE MAYOR DOES THE COFFEE HOURS. THERE'S JUST SO MUCH GOING ON
THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SPACE TO POST THE ACTUAL LISTINGS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING. UM, I ALSO GOT A CALL FROM MR FRANK JORDAN AND THE RED SOX. THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING BACK THE YOUTH BASEBALL LEAGUE TO ALMONT PARK.
SO I'M GOING TO PUT IN THE REQUEST THAT THE LINES COULD BE STRIPED FOR FOR THIS SUMMER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THE THE GRASS IS CUT AT THE BASEBALL DIAMOND. I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS REDID IT LAST YEAR. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WORKING ON THAT.
UM THE KIDS LOVED IT. UM 87. THIS IS ABOUT A TREE PIT OR 87 WELLINGTON HILL STREET AT THE CORNER OF HILLSBORO ROAD IN MATTAPAN IN MY DISTRICT.
UM, I BELIEVE YOU GUYS WE PLANTED A NEW TREE THERE. IT'S AN OAK TREE. THE RESIDENT HAS CONCERNS ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE TREE THAT CAUSED ISSUES BEFORE THAT WAS WAS AN
OAK TREE. AND I GUESS THEY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE TYPE OF TREE AND THEY WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAN GO CHECK IT OUT AND UM, IF A DIFFERENT TREE COULD BE PLANTED I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PROCESS
THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IT IN YOUR BALLPARK AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO FROM THAT. UM AGAIN AND. >> THEN MATTAPAN AS WELL. SOMETHING THAT I CONTINUE TO GET IS THE EXPANSION OF TREE CANOPY FOR MATTAPAN IN GENERAL
ALL DOWN RIVER STREET. UM, I KNOW NEW TREES ARE GOING TO BE PLANTED ON CUMMINGS HIGHWAY BECAUSE OF THE BOSTON TRANSPORTATION PROJECT THAT'S HAPPENING THERE, SO THAT'S GREAT. MATTAPAN CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THE TOP NEIGHBORHOODS WITH
THE HIGHEST RATE OF UH, CHILDHOOD ASTHMA. SO JUST PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO SEE BETTER TREE CANOPY PLACES WHERE YOU CAN GET SHADE AND AND CLEANER ENERGY. SO WHATEVER YOU GUYS IF YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON TREE
EXPANSION CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE MATTAPAN WOULD BE VERY GOOD. UM I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO. TWO GROUPS IN MY DISTRICT THE CAPE HIGH PARK BEAUTIFUL GROUP
AND THE KEEP THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED KEEP ROSSDALE BEAUTIFUL GROUP. THEY THEY. DO A LOT OF GOOD WORK IN. MY DISTRICT AND ONE OF THEM REALLY BENEFITED THE KEEPING OUR BEAUTIFUL GROUP BENEFITED LAST YEAR FROM THE SUNFLOWER
GRANT PROGRAM. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR KEEPING THAT ALIVE. THEY WERE ABLE TO BEAUTIFY A LOT OF THE PARTS IN HYDE PARK AND LOOKING FORWARD TO APPLY FOR THIS YEAR AGAIN. UH OKAY GOOD.
I'M GOING I'M ON A ROLL. UM THE PROGRESSIVE LITTLE LEAGUES. I REMEMBER YOU HELPED ME TWO YEARS AGO REMEMBER WITH THE MATTAPAN PATRIOTS WITH THE CONTAINERS. YEAH, THAT WAS GREAT.
I HAVE A QUESTION. UH, ANOTHER LITTLE LEAGUE REACHED. OUT TO ME. NOT NECESSARILY WITH HELP AND PLACEMENT, BUT. HOW DO HOW DO LEAGUES GET THOSE CONTAINERS? UM, WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR
THEM? THIS IS A LOT OF THIS IS A LITTLE THIS MIGHT. >> BE IN. CULPEPER DISTRICT ACTUALLY I PLAYED FOR THE SOUTH BEND LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL OVER AT JIM RICE. THAT FIELD IS GETTING RENOVATE
I BELIEVE IS GETTING RENOVATED OR IT'S IT GOT RENOVATED. THE CONTAINERS THERE HAD TO BE REMOVED AND THE LEAGUE'S STARTING AGAIN AND THAT'S I REMEMBER THAT'S WHERE I WOULD GO AND GET IN LINE TO GET MY
UNIFORM BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE TEAM HAD THE UNIFORMS, THE BASES, THE THE AND EVERYTHING. SO WHAT'S THE PROCESS TO GET UH THAT. THOSE BINS BACK. TO TO JIM RICE FOR THE SOUTH. END BASEBALL.
SO WE HAVE HAD. A UM. A PROLIFERATION. OF CONTAINERS. WE DON'T KNOW WHO. THEY ARE. THEY JUST SHOW UP. THERE'S NO THERE'S NO
ACCOUNTABILITY IF THEY THERE WAS ONE AT JIM RICE SPECIFICALLY THAT THERE WAS A. LARGE RAT INFESTATION UNDER IT . SO THERE'S. WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO TIGHTEN UP THE REGULATIONS AND THE POLICY. >> AROUND THAT.
SO WE'RE WORKING. ON AND PUTTING THE FINAL TOUCHES ON A LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH. THAT LEAGUE'S WOULD ENTER INTO . WHERE WE OWN. >> THE CONTAINER. UM AND WE ISSUE A. LICENSE FOR THEM TO USE IT. >> FOR THE. YEAR AND THEN EVERYTHING HAS TO
BE. CLEANED OUT. ONCE A YEAR AND THAT RESETS. SO EVERYTHING KIND OF TURNS OVER AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE WORKING ON PUTTING THE FINAL TOUCHES ON THAT UM SO. THAT THAT WE KNOW.
WHO IS USING OUR SPACES, HOW THEY'RE USING THE SPACE IS THAT MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S NO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE AND CLEAN, UM, AND IS IN GOOD CONDITION. SO WE'RE.
WE'RE TRYING TO TACKLE THE NEW CONTAINERS FIRST AND THEN ARE LOOKING TO BACKFILL OKAY. SO THERE'S A LOT OF LEAGUES THAT ALREADY HAVE. >> THESE THINGS. IN HERE. THEY OWN THEM. THEY MAY HAVE PURCHASED THEM WITH THEIR OWN FUNDING.
HOW DO WE HOW DO WE MANAGE THOSE THOSE CONTAINERS AS WELL. SO THAT'S WHY THE INITIAL REACTION WAS NO. EXCUSE TO. >> YEAH BECAUSE WHICH. WE HAVE NOT IMPLEMENTED THAT YET. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO ROLL OUT AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE. THAT'S GREAT. JUST ADD TO IT LIKE WE FULLY. APPRECIATE THE. >> SPORTS LEAGUES. NEEDS YEAH FOR EQUIPMENT. WHAT WE CAN'T HAVE IS LIKE EVERY INDIVIDUAL SPORTS ARE HAVING THEIR OWN CONTAINER RIGHT WITH THIS CLUTTER.
YEAH AND THE NEXT QUESTION THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO ASK BUT I'LL ANSWER ANYWAYS UH IS LIKE PORTA JOHNS. YEAH DO NOT PLEASE DON'T ENCOURAGE SPORTS LEAGUES TO JUST CONTRACT ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT REACHING OUT TO US
BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANT IS SOMETHING THAT'S LEFT THERE AND NOT MAINTAIN CORRECT. OR WE HAVE A CRISIS IN THAT AREA AS WELL. WE HAVE A PLAN TO OPEN UP AND NEED TO BE REGISTERED. WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, WHO'S PAYING FOR THEM, WHO'S CLEANING THEM, WHERE THEY SHOULD GO TO THAT WE'RE NOT
TEARING UP OUR FIELDS AT THE SAME TIME AS EVERYONE WANTS TO PLAY ON THE FIELD, BUT I DON'T LIKE HAVING THESE TRUCKS DRIVE OVER THE FIELD TO MAINTAIN THEM. YEAH. SO YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE. WE'RE AT A MOMENT OF SORT OF STRESS OF UTILIZATION WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE THE FIELDS ARE
IN SUCH GOOD SHAPE WE CAN'T JUST HAVE THE WILD WEST IN TERMS OF EQUIPMENT FROM YOU KNOW, LEAGUES AND THAT WOULD JUST DETERIORATE THE YOU KNOW THE THE WHAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO THE FIELDS. YEAH. >> NO THIS IS GOOD THIS IS GREAT FOR YOU BECAUSE AT LEAST I'M ABLE TO NOW GO BACK TO THE
LEAGUE LEADER AND TELL THEM THAT THERE'S THERE'S SOMETHING IN PLACE COMING DOWN THE LINE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO PUT THEIR UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT IN THERE. UM, CHAIR THE LAST TIME IS ON A QUESTION. I JUST WANT TO PUT SOMETHING ON THEIR RADAR.
I MEAN, YOU MENTIONED SPRAGUE POND. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, UM ,ACQUISITION. UM. >> SINCE THAT HAPPENED, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH PAUL SIGN. OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY. >> WITH HIM. HE'S BEEN GREAT SHOUT OUT TO PAUL. WE, UM. >> WE WE'RE STARTING TO RECEIVE
A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, OUTREACH FROM RESIDENTS FROM THAT FROM THE STREET THAT LEADS INTO THAT . I THINK YOU GUYS KNOW IT'S IN TERRIBLE CONDITIONS. UM, I THINK THERE WAS A SURVEY PUT OUT FOR THE RESURFACING
OF THE STREET. HOWEVER THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE THE IT SHOULD BE REGRADED BEFORE RESURFACING BECAUSE THERE'S. FLOODING CONCERNS. >> WHEN IT RAINS ETC.. SO UM.
IF IF THERE IS UM AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT OR WE COULD SIT DOWN THAT THAT'D BE VERY GREAT BECAUSE NOW THAT THE CITY HAS THAT OWNERSHIP OF IT, I KNOW PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO GO YEAH.
SO WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THIS ONE. UH IT IS A PRIVATE RIGHT OF WAY. YEAH. SO IT'S NOT SO THAT ADDS TO THE CHALLENGE SO NOW CORRECT WE ARE PARTICIPATING THAT IS THE OWNER OF PROPERTY CORRECT? IT IS.
SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE SOLUTION AS A PRIVATE RIGHT OF WAY. IT'S NOT WIDE ENOUGH TO BE A CITY OF BOSTON STREET BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT RATE IT ENTERS DEDHAM AT THE END OF THE STREET. I TRUST ME I KNOW HOW COMPLICATED. SO WE GET IT. SO IT'S LIKE IT'S THIS JUJITSU
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT. AND NOW THAT WE'VE RESOLVED SOME OF THE ILLEGAL PARKING ISSUES THAT WERE ON THE STREET NOW I'M SAYING HOW DO WE FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE RIGHT SOLUTION? THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOUR TEAM DOES. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, FOR GIVING ME EXTRA. SECONDS OKAY.
THANK YOU. I KNOW THE PORTA THING. THERE IS AN ISSUE THAT MAY COME UP ELSEWHERE. I KNOW IT COMES UP IN JP WHERE ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL IS USED FOR THE YOUTH SPORTS GPU SOCCER
AND. AND THEN THERE'S A SORT OF. IT'S DIFFICULT EVERY YEAR TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S. THERE IS A PORTA THAT GETS PUT IN IS IS IT PARKS IS IT AND THEN SOMETIMES I THINK WE'LL
SAY WELL THAT'S NOT REALLY OUR FIELD AND IT JUST IT KIND OF I THINK IT FEEL LIKE IT CHANGES EVERY YEAR WHAT THE ANSWER IS BUT UH TRANSIT JUST A IF THAT'S
A DISTRICT WIDE ISSUE UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE COME UP WITH SOME PARAMETERS THERE OR SOMETHING. OKAY. COUNCILOR BREADON, THE FIVE MINUTES OR I COULD TALK MORE ABOUT PORTA. >> OH NO. THAT'S FINE.
I'M JUST FIGURING OUT YOU KNOW WHO'S IN THE HOT SEAT IN THE ON THE BOARD? UM, I KNOW, UM, THAT'S COMING UP RECENTLY SOME I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT BUT UM, AND THE CONTAINERS FOR FOR FOR
EQUIPMENT IS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT HAVE OF MCKINNEY IS OBVIOUSLY LITTLE LEAGUES UP AND GOING WE WANTED THE PORTA FOR A FIELD DAY AND UH THEY WANT CONTAINERS FOR THEIR EQUIPMENT. SO HERE WE GO NOW WE'VE GOT
THEM UP AND GOING THE WHAT WHAT THINGS? UM, PARKS AND RECREATION SPENT UH, 29 MILLION OF THE 81
MILLION BUDGETED IN CAPITAL BUDGET LAST YEAR UH FINANCIAL YEAR 20 THIS YEAR 26. UM, IS THERE A PARTICULAR REASON WHY WE WERE SPENDING SO
LITTLE OF BUDGETED OR IS OR IS THAT JUST A TIMELINE ISSUE OR WHEN THE PROCUREMENT DELAYS STAFFING OR PROJECT MANAGEMENT CAPACITY ISSUES. THE THE. CAPITAL BUDGET AS A FIVE YEAR
LOOK AHEAD. SO IT'S THE PROJECTS THAT ARE. THAT WE. >> ARE PLANNING TO DO IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS SO WE'RE NOT SPENDING. UH ALL OF THAT FUNDING IN THE. FIRST YEAR. OF THAT FIVE YEAR TERM WHERE
IT'S GOING TO BE PACED OUT. AND AND SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION FUNDING FOR FOR PROJECTS IS NOT YET. INCLUDED IN THAT. OKAY. THAT'S GRAND AND UM THEN THE
OTHER UM THE OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT WAS UM. UH RIGHT. WE WE REGULARLY I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY CALLS FROM EAST BOSTON ABOUT THE STATE OF ROGERS FIELD
YET, BUT I'M WAITING UH, ROGERS FEELS AND BRIGHTON AND THE CONSTITUENT DOES NOT MIND AND HE LIVES IN EAST BOSTON, SO GO FIGURE. UM, REGULAR UM, WE GET REGULAR
COMPLAINTS ABOUT BALL FIELD MAINTENANCE AT CASSIDY, PORTSMOUTH AND SMITH AND WONDERING WHAT'S THE BEST WAY FOR RESIDENTS AND LEAGUES TO REACH OUT TO PARKS WITH REPEATED MAINTENANCE.
>> CONCERNS. UM, FOR EXAMPLE FLOODING AT CASSIDY OR WHATEVER I DON'T KNOW, FLOODING AT CASSIDY IS A PERENNIAL PROBLEM BUT WE THOUGHT WE SOLVED IT WHEN WE WE DID THE PARK OVER BUT I DON'T
KNOW THE MUST HAVE A SPRING OR SOMETHING OVER THERE. YOU NEVER KNOW. I THINK THERE'S AN ELEVATED THERE MUST BE AN ELEVATED WATER. TABLE THERE. BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY TO THE TO THE RESERVOIR. UM, BUT I THINK CONTACTING US
THROUGH 311 CERTAINLY PUTS THAT ON OUR RADAR. IT DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF I'M OFF THE FIELD AND. >> I WANT TO PLAY. NOW AND CAN FIX IT. UM BUT BUT PUTTING THINGS IN 311 DOES GET GET THE ATTENTION
AND. YEAH AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO TWEAK OUR PERMITTING FOR NEXT YEAR I WANT TO ANYWAYS UM WE BASICALLY WILL CLEAN UP A FIELD FOR GAMES. THERE'S A LOT OF PRACTICES AND OUR PERMITS ARE BASICALLY BLOCKED OFF BUT WE CAN'T TELL
IF IT'S A GAME OR UH PRACTICE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO WE YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO GET THEIR SCHEDULES OF ALL THESE DIFFERENT LEAGUES AND IT'S AND IT'S DIFFICULT A LOT OF THESE LEAGUES WE DON'T HAVE THEIR SCHEDULES FOR THE GAMES ITSELF .
SO A I WANT TO START ON OUR END OF TRYING TO REQUIRE THAT WHEN THEY DO PUT IN A PERMIT OR TO YOU KNOW, HAVE US HAVE THEIR SCHEDULE SENT TO US. THE SECOND PART RIGHT NOW IS IF YOUR OFFICE OR ANYBODY YOU KNOW
HAS THE SCHEDULE, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL IT OVER MY WAY WE PUT IT ONTO A CALENDAR THAT OUR BALL FIELD LOOKS AT EVERY SINGLE DAY TO REALIZE WHAT GAMES AND WHAT OUR PRIORITY IS OUT THERE. UM AGAIN WE THERE'S A LOT
OF FIELDS OUT THERE SO YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO GET THROUGH EVERY ONE OF THEM BUT SOMETIMES WE CAN'T. BUT THE KEY IS KNOWING WHERE OUR GAMES ARE AT ACROSS THE CITY TO TRY TO TRY. >> TO GET IT DONE. UM THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS
REALLY ABOUT SUMMER UM SUMMER PROGRAMING AND THE DIFFERENT PARKS I I I I OUR BCF INFRASTRUCTURE IS DEGRADED IN ALLSTON BRIGHTON AT THE MOMENT
THAT WE HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER THAT'S NOT ABLE TO RUN AT FULL CAPACITY AND SO WE FIND THAT OUR SUMMER PROGRAMING FOR OUR KIDS AS WELL HISTORICALLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS
BEEN PRETTY PRETTY POOR. UM, I'M JUST THINKING IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'VE GOT ON THE ON THE CALENDAR THIS YEAR FOR ALLSTON ,BRIGHTON AND FOR THE PARKS. UM. IN TERMS OF PARKS, SUMMER
PROGRAMING. PARKS, SWIMMING PROGRAM, ALLSTON, BRIGHTON IT'S. >> A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHOW OFF. OH SURE SHOWCASE OUR. NEW WE HAVE OUR NEWLY PUBLISHED THIS IS ALSO AVAILABLE. ONLINE OR DO SUMMER GUIDE. HAS RECREATION AND ARTS PROGRAMING ACROSS THE ACROSS
THE CITY. UM THERE ARE SOME. UH AND I WOULD LIKE TO FOR NEXT YEAR ORGANIZE THIS BY. NEIGHBORHOOD SO THAT I CAN GIVE YOU IN TWO SECONDS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ALLSTON BRIGHTON. UM.
,BUT I. THINK THERE ARE SOME SOME, UH. SPORTS CENTERS. NONE UNFORTUNATELY IN ALLSTON, BRIGHTON. BUT UM, THERE'S MATTAPAN, DORCHESTER, EAST BOSTON UH
THERE'S ONE UH, ACROSS THE STREET FROM AT IN. ROXBURY AT CLIFFORD. THIS YEAR THAT ONE'S NEW ALSO AT MARSELLA ON THE JAMAICA PLAIN. ROXBURY BORDER. UM AND ONE IN FRANKLIN PARK AS WELL. UH, SO.
THOSE ARE. OPEN TO TO ANYONE CITYWIDE. UM BUT. THIS IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AS WELL. YEAH. I'D REALLY LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU ALL NEXT YEAR TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET SOME MORE THINGS ON THE CALENDAR FOR ALLISON
BRIGHTON BECAUSE IT'S A LONG WAY TO GO TO DORCHESTER TO PLAY SOCCER IF YOU LIVE IN ALLSTON. GREAT. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. OKAY. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS.
REGARDING FRANKLIN PARK. I WANT TO START WITH. THE CIRCLE DRIVE TRAFFIC CALMING. WHAT IS. >> THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE ONCE IT'S FINISHED IN TERMS OF CALMING THE TRAFFIC? YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO HAVE LOUISE.
>> I CAN CHIME IN. UH. >> SO THE FINISHED. PRODUCT UH, ONE STEP PROJECT. >> THAT PHASE ONE PROJECT IS DONE IS A SERIES OF UH, RAISED SPEED TABLES. UM, THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY
DESIGNED WITH THE MBTA BUS IN MIND SO THEY'RE GENTLER. UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF UH, CROSSWALKS THAT ARE ALSO GOING TO BE ADDED UH, TO CIRCUIT
DRIVE. SOME PRIORITY ONES ARE GOING TO HAVE THE RAPID. RECTANGULAR FLASH. RECTANGULAR RAPID FLASHING BEACONS ARE PHASE UM TO HELP
YOU KNOW PEDESTRIANS CROSS SO THEY THEY ACTIVATED WITH UH. WITH A. >> PUSH OF A BUTTON AND AND A FLASH IT'S UM FOR PHASE TWO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL DESIGN UM CIRCUIT DRIVE AND
WE'LL ALSO BE ASSESSING UH SPEEDS UM. POST INSTALLATION OF THESE SPEED TABLES. SO UH, BETWEEN PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO WILL BE STUDYING HOW SPEEDS HAVE BEEN REDUCED AS. >> A RESULT OF THAT LOUIS IS
THERE GOING TO BE ANY MORE PARKING IN THE PARK BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THEY DO THAT. UH AND ONE OF THOSE FRANKLIN
PARK EVENTS IN THE SUMMER ON TUESDAYS THE CARS ARE LINED ALL THE WAY UP AND. DOWN CENTER DRIVE. IS ANY WAY TO CREATE. MORE PARKING THERE FOR THEM.
UH, WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT TAKE. A LOOK. >> AT THAT. >> OKAY. >> AT CIRCUIT DRIVE UM, THERE'S A BALANCING ACT BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE SAFETY AND UH. CARS PARKS. SO WE'LL WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT
THAT. IN TERMS OF EXPANDING PARKING AREAS OR PARKING LOTS WILL LIKELY NOT GO THERE BUT WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT MAXIMIZING PARKING. ON CIRCUIT. YEAH AND.
I WOULD EVEN LOOK AT EXPANDING. THEM BECAUSE. >> IF YOU. >> LOOK AT AS YOU DRIVE TOWARDS THE BASEBALL FIELD UM UH THERE'S A PARKING LOT TO THE LEFT THAT IF YOU COULD EXPAND
THAT UH FARTHER BACK UH AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE ONE TO THE RIGHT. THEY PARK A LOT ON THE UM SO. >> THE FRANKLIN PARK ZOO CUTS. OFF THAT PARKING CUTS OFF AT A
CERTAIN POINT. YEAH. CARS ARE PARKED ALL ALONG THAT AREA UP ON THE SIDEWALK. UM, AND SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT
YOU CAN DO IN TERMS OF THAT AREA OF THAT COMES FROM THE ZOO PARKING LOT, BUT IT. WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE IT A LOT EASIER, UH, WITH THE PARKING. >> AND THE SAFETY ISSUES.
ARE IMPORTANT THERE. >> THE OTHER THING WITH REGARD TO. THE UH THE. BEAR DENS. UH, YOU'RE GOING TO BE FINISHED WITH THAT PHASE ONE THIS SUMMER. YES. >> AND THEN ONCE PHASE TWO
LOOK. LIKE PHASE TWO WILL BE A CONTINUATION OF UH, MAKING THE BEAR THEN SAFER. UM, SO WE HAD TO DO SOME
PATCHING, SOME RESTORATION OF THE MASONRY AS WELL AS RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC CAGES. SO WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER KIND OF LAYER OF THAT AND WE'LL ALSO BE ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY ON
ADDITIONAL UH, PROGRAMING ACTIVATION. YOU BRING IN THE DEER THE BEARS BACK. YOU KNOW. I WOULD LOVE. TO WIN SOME FORM MAYBE NOT REAL BEARS BUT MAYBE A REPRESENTATION OF, UM MAYBE
SOME ART. WILL IT THAT I MEAN BECAUSE IT YOU KNOW, AS KIDS PLAYING IN THE PARK THOSE POLAR. BEARS HAVE ONE OF THE BIGGEST ATTRACTIONS FOR ALL OF US GOING
TO THE PARK AND RUNNING THROUGH THE PARK. AND THAT GORILLA. CAVES. >> UH, THAT'S. >> STILL THERE WHERE. THE GORILLA. BENT THE BARS. THAT'S WHERE THAT MAN GOT. KILLED YEARS AGO. AND SO THE POLAR BEARS AND THOSE CAVES. >> WERE REALLY A BIG
ATTRACTION. I THINK FOLKS WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THERE ONCE YOU'VE FINISHED. THE OTHER THING IS THAT. ,UH 50S LEFT UM, THE NOISE IN
FRANKLIN PARK. SO IT WAS WARM THIS WEEKEND, RIGHT? AND IT. >> WAS JUST CRAZY IN THERE. AND I'M TALKING ABOUT MIDNIGHT. AND SO WHAT PLANS DO YOU. HAVE TO TRY AND DECREASE THE
NOISE IN FRANKLIN PARK DURING THE SUMMER? SURE. >> WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN WORKING UH, QUITE A BIT. THE CITY HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE PARK SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, WHICH IS ON THE WALNUT UH, AD
SIDE OF THE PARK. GARRISON TRY TO. UH NOT GARRISON TROT OR UH SPECIFICALLY UM BUT WE ARE, UH, DEVELOPING A PLAN AND DO WANT
TO COMMUNICATE TO THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, UM. OUR PARK RANGERS ARE LOCKING ALL THE VEHICULAR GATES AT DUSK .
UM, WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT FROM THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, UH, IN THE EVENING AND INTO THE NIGHT CLOSING OFF CIRCUIT DRIVE. UH, AND THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING
WITH UH, BOTH B2 AND F13. UM ON MITIGATING AND CHASING UH THE FOLKS THAT COME TO THE PARK WITH UH, YOU KNOW, HUGE SPEAKERS ON THEIR.
CARS SO SO UH. YEAH. >> SO WITH REGARD TO. LIKE THE MIDNIGHT NEWS THERE I MEAN NOISE THERE ARE FOLKS THAT WALK. INTO THE PARK WITH THEIR INSTRUMENTS AND STUFF.
AND YOU KNOW, BETWEEN 11 AND 1 I. MEAN THEY'RE. UP IN THE PARK ACTUALLY. HAVING A GREAT TIME. THAT'S WHAT I WAS. >> SPEAKING OF MORE THAN I KNOW YOU'VE. >> GOT THE. EARLIER TIME, BUT WHAT. >> ABOUT THE LATE. NIGHT NOISE THAT'S IN FRANKLIN
PARK. WHEN THEY'RE. GOING INTO THE PARK NOT DRIVING AND THEY'RE THEY'RE WALKING UP INTO THE PARK AND HAVE THEIR LITTLE PARTIES. YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO. >> IT IF YOU HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT IT. BECAUSE I THINK IT IT BECOMES.
>> REALLY DISRUPTIVE TO A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORS. WE GET A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. YEAH YOU'RE WELCOME. UH, THE ONE UH CLOSING PIECE TO THAT I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOUR CONSTITUENTS CALL 911 WHEN
THEY ENCOUNTER THAT. THAT WAY WE CAN RESPOND AS WELL . THANK YOU. >> OKAY, THAT. WE'LL WE'LL TALK ABOUT FLYING. UH, I'LL CALL IT I GOT YOUR CAR. I'LL CALL YOU. THANK YOU. >> AGAIN FOR ME ALLOWING YOU EXTRA TIME IS NOT COMPLETELY
ALTRUISTIC. NO WALNUT. A LOT OF THE YOU KNOW, ABUTTERS ARE IN DISTRICT SIX WHO HAVE ALSO, UH, HAD LONGSTANDING ISSUES WITH LATE LATE NIGHT UH
,LOUD MUSIC AND HAVE HAD MEETINGS WITH D13 AND YOU KNOW OR UH WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THAT. SO I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING UP THIS UH.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT FLAG AND WE DON'T HAVE ENFORCEMENT CAPABILITIES ANYMORE SO THE PARK RANGERS CAN'T GO IN AND ACTUALLY ARREST WARRANTS FOR VIOLATING ORDINANCES OR EVEN WRITE TICKETS. BUT IT HAS TO BE A POLICE RESPONSE.
UM, AND WE WE COORDINATE WITH THEM ON LOTS OF COMMENT ON FRANKLIN PARK UH, BUT IN PARTICULAR AFTER HOURS LIKE THAT YOU KNOW, WE WE WANT IT CALLED IN SO THAT WE KNOW IT'S AN ISSUE AND THEN WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR APPROPRIATE YOU
KNOW, PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT. BUT IF FOLKS AREN'T LOGGING IT AND THEY'RE JUST COMPLAINING TO THE CITY COUNCILOR LIKE THEN WE NEED THE DATA RIGHT TO SAY THIS IS YOU KNOW, THE TIMES AND THE AND UH AND REPETITIVE AND YOU
KNOW, THE VOLUMES UM OF ACTIVATION THAT'S HAPPENING SO THAT WE CAN WORK WITH YOU GUYS IN MAKING THE CASE. YEAH I RESPECT YEAH I GOT TWO EMAILS ABOUT IT THIS THIS WEEKEND SO. UM YES.
UM IT WAS. OFF THE HOOK THIS WEEKEND. YEAH. >> AND, UH. THANK YOU. MR CHAIR. >> OKAY WITH THIS INSTRUMENT? YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH. I HAD. >> TO EXPRESS MYSELF. YEAH. SO YEAH. UM, KEEP. >> IT UNDER A. CERTAIN NOISE LEVEL. >> YEAH. UH. >> I'LL I'LL TRY TO LEARN.
UM, OKAY. I JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR ME. UH, UM, IN TERMS OF I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAVE THIS RIGHT BECAUSE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES IS GOING DOWN.
PERMANENT EMPLOYEE LINE ITEM IS GOING UP 680,000 BUT THERE'S ONE FEWER POSITION. SO I'M I'M JUST TRYING TO LIKE HOW IS THAT, UH, WORKING IS. >> IT JUST.
HIGHER PAY. FOR PEOPLE OR IS IT YOU'RE YOU MOVING SORT OF LIKE THE ARBORISTS WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN SORT. OF CONTRACTED WITH. UH, THOSE HIGHER PAYING
POSITIONS COMING INTO THE. FOLD ONE LESS POSITION $600,000 HIGHER IN THE PERMANENT PLACE. SO PLEASE EXPLAIN. I THINK A. >> THAT YEAH. UM LAST YEAR.
SO WE DID DO UP WE. UPGRADED A LOT OF OUR. UM LABOR. SERVICES POSITION SO. THEIR SALARY. DID UM. DID INCREASE THEY GOT YOU KNOW BUMPS OF LIKE TWO AGREED GRADES HIGHER.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOU KNOW THE NUMBERS ARE. YEAH IT WAS SALARY ADJUSTMENTS FOR EXISTING STAFF. IT'S NOT OKAY. YEAH AND I THINK THE THE THE MAYOR AND I HAVE AGREED WITH THIS IS TRYING TO BUMP UP THE
LOWER PAYING POSITIONS MORE THAN YOU KNOW SO NOT EVERYONE JUST GETS A 2%. IT'S LIKE A TOTAL REALLY RAISE THE FLOOR SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THAT IS. YEAH. UM OKAY UH AND I GUESS SO THEN
THE NEXT LINE OF TOTAL EMERGENCY EMPLOYEES WHAT'S PARKS EMERGENCY EMPLOYEE UH YEAH. >> SO WE HAVE I CAN. CANNOT I CAN HAVE DARLENE UH, EXPLAIN THIS MORE OF IT BUT WE HAVE UM FOR.
THINGS LIKE SNOW. >> EMERGENCIES WE. >> HAVE DESIGNATED EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AND NON-EMERGENCY PERSONNEL. SO THE MAINTENANCE STAFF IS. LARGELY EMERGENCY PERSONNEL. THEY'RE EXPECTED TO REPORT, UH. DURING THE SNOW EMERGENCY TO BE ABLE.
TO CARE FOR OUR OUR, UH. SIDEWALKS THAT WE NEED TO CLEAR. AND THE AND SOME OF THE INTERIOR PATHWAYS THAT WE DO UM, SOME ARE. KEY PARKS. UM, SO ALL OF OUR. EMPLOYEES ARE DESIGNATED FOR
CERTAIN ESSENTIAL AND, UH, SUCH A PLACE. YEAH. >> IT'S UM WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY OPERATION PERSONNEL AND ALSO WE HIRE, UM, UNDER OUR EMERGENCY, UM, ABOUT MAYBE UP TO 30
SEASONALS A YEAR ROUND. SO, UM, OKAY. UH, AND THEN THE OVERTIME IS THAT FOR WHEN OVER 40 HOURS OR WHEN DOES SOMEONE EARN OVERTIME ? IT'S 35. >> OR 40.
HOURS DEPENDING ON ON THEIR CONTRACT. OKAY. >> UM WHAT I GUESS WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU'VE. YEAH. >> HAVE YOU HAVE YOU BEEN SPENDING THAT THE THE AMOUNT IS LIKE 1.2. >> MILLION. UH A YEAR.
HAVE YOU BEEN SPENDING THE FULL AMOUNT OR UM WHAT'S THE AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU REACH 1.2 MILLION? I THINK WE'VE BEEN SPENDING HISTORICALLY. OVER THAT.
UM, IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. UM, AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DELIVER. YOU KNOW, THESE. >> THESE LARGE EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER UNDER THE SNOW EMERGENCIES UH, THE SERVICES THAT WE NEED TO WITHOUT THAT OVERTIME TO BE ABLE TO TO HAVE PEOPLE.
ON AT. >> THE END OF EVENTS TO BE ABLE TO. TO CLEAN UP AFTERWARDS. AND AND UM AND ALSO THE WEATHER IS NOT ALWAYS PREDICTABLE UH, FOR US TO BE ABLE. TO SAY LIKE OH YOU WE'LL BE
ABLE TO TO MOW ALL OF OUR FIELDS. UH BETWEEN 7. >> AND 3 DURING. >> THE WEEK. UH. >> IF WE GET A PARTICULARLY RAINY. WEEK WE. WE NEED TO TO PERFORM THAT SERVICE. UH. >> ON WEEKENDS AND OVERTIME. OKAY. >> SO IT'S NOT JUST TO BE CLEAR.
I MEAN, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A VERY SEASONAL DEMAND IN TERMS OF WORKFORCE AND EVENTS. WE CAN'T HIRE THE STAFF FOR THE PEOPLE YOU HIRE. THE STAFF ARE SORT OF THE NORM AND YOU DO OVERTIME TO MANAGE THOSE PEAK HOURS. IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR US TO
HAVE ENOUGH FOLKS TO DO WHEN WE'RE AN 18 HOUR OPERATION MONDAY THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SUNDAY, YOU KNOW, IN THE SUMMERTIME. SO OVERTIME IS THAT IT IT'S NOT AS IF UM, WE'RE NOT PLANNING FOR IT. IT'S LIKE THAT'S HOW YOU PLAN
FOR IS GIVING OVERTIME TO STAFF TO BE ABLE TO FILL THOSE EXTRA HOURS TO DEAL WITH A RAINSTORM OR TO DEAL WITH A SPECIAL EVENT RATHER THAN HAVING MORE STAFF. OKAY. >> UM AND THEN JUST A BILLINGS FIELD. I KNOW THAT CONSTRUCTION'S
GOING ON. WHAT WHAT'S THE PLAN LIKE? ARE WE ON SCHEDULE BEHIND SCHEDULE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE? I THINK. >> WE ARE ON SCHEDULE. UM. >> THE CONSTRUCTION IS. IS PROBABLY. GOING TO WRAP UP THIS THIS.
YEAR AND THEN UH, WE WANT THOSE FIELDS TO GROW IN SO TRY TO KEEP THE FIELDS OFFLINE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. UM. >> AND OPEN IT UP IN THE SPRING. I MEAN, IT'S IT'S THE SAME COMPANIES MURPHY FIELDS OR. IT IS THE.
SAME BECAUSE THEY WERE EARLY WE THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT IN THE SOD INSTEAD OF PLANTING. WE ENDED UP WITH AN EARLY OPENING THERE. THERE'S A CHANCE OF THAT IN BILLINGS OR NO. IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A
DIFFERENT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE. HAVE SPECIFIED IN THE CONTRACT. UM THEY DID THAT. AT A AS A. CHANGE ORDER SO THEY YOU KNOW THEY. THEY SAID. >> HEY IF WE IF WE UH.
SPEND A LITTLE BIT. EXTRA THAT. WE ACTUALLY. >> PAY FOR UH WE COULD. WE'VE PUT INSIDE INSTEAD OF SEED UM AND JUST GOT KIND OF A JUMPSTART ON THAT GROWING THERE'S. QUITE A BIT MORE AREA OF.
GRASS AT BILLINGS FIELD THAT NEEDS TO BE SEEDED. SO THAT MAY NOT BE A FINANCIAL WE MIGHT NOT BE FINANCIALLY IN REACH. UM, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH A CONTRACTOR AS. THE AS THE.
AS WE GET TOWARDS THAT. PERIOD OF TIME. HE MAY. ALSO BE ABLE TO. SEQUENCE HIS WORK SO THAT HE CAN. SEED BE ON SITE. FINISH UP THE REST OF SOME OF THE FINISH WORK. IT'S ALL DEPENDS ON HOW HE'S APPROACHING THE. CONTRACT OKAY.
AND THEN TO THE EXTENT ANYTHING IS GOING TO BE NAMED I KNOW THERE'S THERE'S MANY INTERESTED PARTIES IN THE AREA JUST MAYBE . CHECK IN UH WITH MY OFFICE BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION IF
YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY. YEAH, I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN AT LEAST ONE PETITION. ALREADY FOR. THE BASEBALL FIELD. THE STREET HOCKEY RINK. UH, ANYWAY, UH, I YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD
CHOICES OUT. THERE'S, UM IT'S HARD TO, YOU KNOW, CHOOSE CHOOSE ONE. I'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO YOU BUT UH UH UH OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF MY COLLEAGUE HERE HAS ANOTHER YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION I DO. OKAY, WELL. >> OKAY. >> YOU CAN GET HOLD ON, HOLD ON ZERO MINUTES. THIS WON'T GO DOWN FURTHER. UM, OKAY. YOU JUST ASK YOUR QUESTION AND ,UH. >> WELL, I'VE GOT A COUPLE
QUESTIONS REAL QUICK. KATHY, YOU AND DIANE. BOTH ASKED. ONE IS COMING IN. ONE IS ACTING COMMISSIONER. YOU'RE MOVING TO. UH, DIRECTOR OF.
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION? UM, I'VE BEEN THE DIRECTOR OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SINCE ABOUT 2021. SO THAT'S. A ROLE THAT I PREVIOUSLY HELD STEPPED. >> IN TO THE INTERIM COMMISSIONER. AND THE DIRECTOR OF DESIGN CONSTRUCTION. >> SO THIS IS A LITTLE OLD THIS
ONE. SO YOU'RE BOTH IN THE COMMISSIONER. POSITION RIGHT NOW? YEAH. >> WHEN IS IT COMING? NO ONE IS OUT. SO KATHY HAS BEEN SERVING AS TIME OUT OF GRADE UH AS OUR
INTERIM COMMISSIONER SINCE JUNE OF LAST YEAR. RIGHT. UH, AND SO SHE'S BEEN EFFECTIVELY AND DOING A FANTASTIC JOB JUGGLING HER PERMANENT JOB, WHICH IS DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL PLAN UM, AND DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FOR
THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. THAT'S HER PERMANENT JOB. SHE'S ALSO BEEN SERVING AS INTERIM PARKS COMMISSIONER SINCE. >> SHE WAS THERE TOO. OKAY, SO. >> SHE WILL FINISH THAT, UM. AND THEN GO BACK TO HER. GO BACK TO COMMISSIONER DIANA WITH. >> THE SPONGES ACTIONS. OKAY. >> AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
TRYING TO PARK SO I SHOULD PICK UP THAT CONVERSATION WITH DIANA NOW. UH, SO. >> THAT'S A CAPITAL PROJECT. SO HAPPY TO. CONTINUE TO FEEL THOSE QUESTIONS. OKAY. AND WHAT IS IN THERE WITH. REGARD TO THE CAPITAL PROJECT? SO WHAT WE HAVE. >> IS IS.
THE A CONTRACT FOR DESIGN SERVICES. >> SO WE WE WILL. BE UM IF WE HAVEN'T I THINK WE'VE ALREADY HAD. >> ONE. MEETING NOT THE SCHOOL JUST SO. JUST THE. >> PLAYGROUNDS THE ONE ON UH ONE BACK AND THAT'S. A PLAYGROUND WITH THE TRIAL THE
THE PARK WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. RIGHT, RIGHT. THE PARK WITH THE BANNER AT THE CORNER. RIGHT, RIGHT. >> UM. >> WITH THE BASKETBALL. COURT AND THEN THERE'S. PLAZA WITH THE NAUTILUS. SHAPE UM AND.
THE THE PLAY THERE'S A COUPLE OF PLAYERS THAT ARE RIGHT RIGHT. UH, SO. THAT PROJECT WE'RE WE'VE. BEGUN THE. >> COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE. THOSE UH, FOR YOU KNOW, PERIOD . YOU KNOW.
A FEW MONTHS MOVING. FORWARD, UM, TO WORK. >> WITH THE COMMUNITY TO FIND. >> OUT WHAT IS THE RIGHT. WHAT IS THE MIX THAT THEY WANT TO THEY DO. THEY IS, YOU KNOW, THE PLAZA ABSOLUTELY SACROSANCT AND NO CAN'T TOUCH THAT.
OR IS THERE ARE. WE OPEN TO MOVING SOME OF THE PIECES AROUND? HOW DO WE HOW ARE WE THINKING ABOUT WHAT THAT WHAT THE PROJECT IS THE. MAIN PARTS OF THE PARK THAT ARE
OF. GREATEST CONCERN FOR US. ARE THE THE PLAY SURFACING. UM THAT THAT IS. >> A WOODCHIP. SURFACE AND WE'RE TRYING. >> TO MOVE. >> AWAY FROM. THAT FOR UH SO THAT. >> WE HAVE. A A UM A MEASURABLE AND RELIABLE.
UH, FALL. PROTECTION ZONE. >> FOR. SAFETY AND. SAFETY SURFACES. AND I THINK WE CAN ALSO. YOU KNOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT THE. RIGHT UH, COURT. MIX IS IS IT IS IT BASKETBALL? IS IT TENNIS OR IS IT BOTH?
CAN WE FIT BOTH. HOW DO. >> WE HOW DO WE BALANCE THESE PIECES. OKAY I THINK OH DIANA. CAN YOU JUST. LET US. >> KNOW AS. THOSE REALLY. THOSE CONVERSATIONS REALLY BEGIN SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT
GARETH AND TRY TO BECAUSE YOU KNOW GIVE US A TRY IS GOING TO BE ALL OVER THIS. AND EXCITED. UH, AS WE ALL ARE I KNOW THE SCHOOL IS GETTING THEIR IMPROVEMENT BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR. COMING TODAY, LOIS I'LL BE.
IN TOUCH WITH YOU OF COURSE, ESPECIALLY REGARDING THE NOISE ISSUE OVER THERE. AND, UH, I'LL BE LOOKING FOR THOSE. POSITIONS FOR THE. CITY OF THE DRIVERS AND, UH. YOU KNOW. >> BECAUSE WE WANT THE PD WE
WANT TO HAVE THE PD LOOKS LIKE SO WE CAN PUSH. >> IT OUT TO SOME OF THE FOLKS IN D7. OKAY. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE FOLKS ON D7 ABLE TO WALK UP TO THE PARK. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK ALL OF YOU FOR SPENDING THIS TIME WITH US AND.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TO GOOD LUCK. OKAY. >> THANK YOU COUNCILOR CULPEPER AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE WITH SUCH THOUGHTFUL ANSWERS. AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO CAME AND ASKED QUESTIONS. UH, THIS AFTERNOON'S HEARING IS
NOW ADJOURNED. Part: 2
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS BEN WEBER. I'M THE DISTRICT SIX CITY COUNCILOR IN THE CHAIR OF THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE. UH, TODAY IS UH, MAY 11TH, 2026 AND THE EXACT TIME IS 1002.
SO, UH, I JUST HAVE A FEW PRELIMINARIES TO GET THROUGH HERE. UH, THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT'S ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED AT BOSTON.GOV/CITY COUNCIL TV
AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FIVE CHANNEL 964. THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS ENCOMPASSES A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS BEGINNING IN APRIL AND RUNNING THROUGH JUNE.
WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR HEARINGS AND THEY CAN GIVE TESTIMONY UH, FOR THE RECORD IN SEVERAL WAYS. UH, FIRST THEY CAN ATTEND ONE OF OUR HEARINGS AND GIVE PUBLIC
TESTIMONY. UH, THEY CAN UH, EITHER DO THAT IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM . UH, FOR A FULL HEARING SCHEDULE. UH, LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE. YOU CAN FIND IT ON BOSTON GOV.
COUNCIL BUDGET. WE ALSO HAVE A IN-PERSON LISTENING SESSION ON THE FOURTH OF FOUR WHICH WILL BE THURSDAY EVENING MAY 26TH AT 6 P.M. RIGHT HERE IN THE CHAMBER.
UM YOU CAN GIVE UH, TESTIMONY AGAIN IN PERSON IN ANY OF OUR HEARINGS OR AT THE PUBLIC LISTENING SESSION OR BY ZOOM. UH, FOR IN-PERSON TESTIMONY, PLEASE COME TO THE CHAMBER AND SIGN UP ON THE SHEET NEAR THE
ENTRANCE. FOR VIRTUAL TESTIMONY, YOU CAN SIGN UP USING OUR ONLINE FORM AT OUR COUNCIL BUDGET REVIEW WEBSITE OR BY EMAILING THE COMMITTEE AT CCW AND AT BOSTON
GOV OR BY EMAILING CHRIS MITCHELL ON IT'S CAR MARCO U H A N AT BOSTON GOV. WHEN YOU ARE CALLED TO TESTIFY PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME UH YOUR
RESIDENCE AND YOUR AFFILIATION WITH ANY ORGANIZATION. UH AND UH WE WILL UH LIMIT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS TO TWO MINUTES EACH UH, IN LIEU OF TESTIFYING
VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON AT A HEARING, YOU CAN EMAIL WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE COMMITTEE AT SQUIRM@BOSTON.GOV. UH THIRD YOU CAN SUBMIT A TWO MINUTE VIDEO OF YOUR TESTIMONY
THROUGH THE FORM ON OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW TO TESTIFY, PLEASE VISIT THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET WEBSITE AT
BOSTON.COM/COUNCIL-BUDGET AGAIN IN PERSON AND PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN FOLLOWING THE FIRST ROUND OF COUNSELOR QUESTIONS, INDIVIDUALS BE CALLED ON THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY HAVE SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY.
IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO UH AGAIN PLEASE EMAIL OR DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE BUDGET ANALYSIS KARISHMA CHO ON
AT CHRIS MARCO, YOU HAND AT BOSTON.COM FOR THE ZOOM LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. THIS MORNING'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBERS 073320740.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS ONE IN A SERIES OF HEARINGS TO REVIEW THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET.
THESE MATTERS WERE SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL 8TH, 2026. THIS MORNING I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. APOLOGIES TO
COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE BUT I'VE GOT COUNCILOR FLYNN FIRST. UH, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE SECOND AND THEN COUNCILOR MURPHY. UM UH, JUDGE UH, WELL, WE OFTEN HAVE OPENING STATEMENTS THAT AT
HEARINGS LIKE THIS WHERE WE'RE WAIVING THEM IN THE BUDGET HEARINGS. SO, UH, YOU'LL HEAR FROM MY COLLEAGUES IN A SECOND. I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE THE PANELISTS. WE'RE JOINED TODAY BY DEPUTY
COMMISSIONER OF ADMINISTRATION FINANCE, UH, KEVIN COYNE DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF FOR THE TRAINING DIVISION. SCOTT MALONE, UH, DEPUTY OF OPERATIONS FIELD SERVICES
PATRICK ELLIS AND FOR HIS FIRST HEARING HERE AS OUR UH AS NEW FIRE COMMISSIONER RODNEY MARSHALL. UH, AGAIN, UH, CONGRATULATIONS . AND, UH, THIS IS A AN
INTERESTING WAY TO START UH, BUT, UH UM. I'M SORRY. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMEONE OKAY. I APOLOGIZE. CAN YOU JUST TELL ME YOUR NAME SO I GET IT TO GET IT RIGHT?
UH. GASKINS GASKINS I'M THE RECRUITMENT OFFICER FOR THE DEPARTMENT. OKAY. >> FIRST NAME MICHAEL. MICHAEL. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> WE'RE JOINED WITH MICHAEL GASKINS RECRUITING OFFICERS AT ,UH. RECRUITMENT RECRUITMENT
OFFICER. RECRUITMENT OFFICER FOR THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, AND AGAIN WELCOME. UH, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION UH, OR COMMENTS SO I'M GOING TO GIVE THE FLOOR
TO THE PANELISTS AND WE'LL GO TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU CHAIR WEBER. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MILLWALL FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE
BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. NOW I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE OFFICE OF BUDGET MANAGEMENT FOR THE ASSISTANCE IN THE BUDGET IN THE BUDGET PROCESS. I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK DEPUTY
COMMISSIONER KEVIN COYNE AND HIS TEAM FOR THE TIRELESS WORK THAT THEY DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO KEEP THE DEPARTMENT FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE PANELISTS HERE TODAY WITH US CHIEF
OF OPERATIONS PAT ELLIS, RECRUITMENT OFFICER MICHAEL GASKINS, UH, GRANT MANAGER JULIE DEVON, UH, SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELLNESS DEPUTY CHIEF JULIE
SHAY. UH UH, CHIEF AND AND HAZMAT CHIEF KEITH KELLY. AND UH, THAT THAT'S IT FOR OUR PANELISTS TODAY. THANK YOU AGAIN.
CHIA WEBB AND THE MEMBERS OF THE MEN'S AND WOMEN'S COMMITTEE FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING TODAY. I'D LIKE TO ALSO THANK, UH, COUNCILOR AND FLYNN,
COUNCILORS, UH, ERIN MURPHY AND UH, WE'LL SEE YOU ON THE SHIN. EXCUSE ME FOR THE MISPRONUNCIATION. UH, THE PRIMARY MISSION OF THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT IS TO
PROVIDE THE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS OF THE CITY WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF FIRE PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY SERVICES. EVERY DAY OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OFFICERS AND DEDICATED CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WORK TOGETHER TO
PROTECT THE LIVES, PROPERTIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS OF A WIDE RANGE OF HAZARDOUS WHILE ADAPTING TO THE GROWING DEMANDS PLACED ON THE MOD ON A MODIFIED FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE COGNIZANT OF THE CURRENT FISCAL CONSTRAINTS FACING THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO IDENTIFYING EFFICIENCIES AND REDUCING EXPENSES ACROSS ALL AREAS OF OUR OPERATIONS IN ORDER TO MAKE MEANINGFUL
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY. OUR CITY'S OVERALL FISCAL HEALTH. OVER THE PAST DECADE, THE BASE OF FIRE DEPARTMENT'S OPERATING BUDGET HAS REMAINED LARGELY LEVEL FUNDED. DURING THE SAME PERIOD, THE
COST OF DELIVERING EMERGENCY SERVICE SERVICES HAS STEADILY INCREASED. RISING EQUIPMENT AND APPARATUS COSTS, CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS AND EXPANDING
COMPLEXITIES OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE HAVE ALL PLACED ADDITIONAL STRAINS ON THE OPERATING BUDGET. MORE RECENTLY MORE RECENTLY, REDUCTIONS IN STATE FUNDING FOR FIREFIGHTER TRAINING HAS
REQUIRED THE DEPARTMENT TO ABSORB COSTS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY SUPPORTED THROUGH EXTERNAL SOURCES. IN ADDITION, THE DEPARTMENT HAS MADE IMPORTANT INVESTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT ITS LONG TERM
STRENGTH AND SUSTAINABILITY INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FIRE CADET PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM IS ESSENTIAL TO DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF FIREFIGHTERS AND MAINTAINING A DIVERSE, WELL-TRAINED
WORKFORCE. BUT IT ALSO REPRESENTS A NEW AND NECESSARY BUDGETARY COMMITMENT. THE FUNDING REQUEST BEFORE YOU REFLECTS A CAREFUL AND RESPONSIBLE ASSESSMENT OF THE
DEPARTMENT'S OPERATIONAL NEEDS. IT IS DESIGNED NOT TO EXPAND BEYOND NECESSITY BUT TO PRESERVE SERVICE LEVELS, MAINTAIN READINESS AND ENSURE THAT OUR MEMBERS HAVE THE
TRAINING, EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT REQUIRED TO DO THEIR JOB SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY. AS FIRE COMMISSIONER OF CITY OF BOSTON, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE FUNDING
OUTLINED IN THE BUDGET PROPOSAL BE APPROVED AND WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO UH MY
COLLEAGUES WHO WERE RIVALS THAT THAT THAT'S THE THE END OF THAT . SORRY. >> I WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION . CHAIRMAN WEBER IF WE WANTED TO GO TO THAT FIRST. YES, PLEASE. AND IT'S JUST A SHORT PRESENTATION JUST TO HIGHLIGHT
THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE. UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THE OFFICE OF BUDGET MANAGEMENT HAS SUBMITTED TO, UH, THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS ALL THE DOCUMENTS FOR THE ANNUAL BUDGET SUBMISSION THIS YEAR.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CRITICAL WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. UM, THAT AS A RESULT OF THE FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED THE
CITY OF BOSTON, THE BUDGET OFFICE AND CITY COUNCIL. >> YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO DO THE PRESENTATION. I FORGOT TO REMIND THE PANELISTS. UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRESS THE BUTTONS. UH, WE HAVE CENTRAL STAFF CAN CAN OPERATE THAT. OKAY.
COMPLICATED APPARATUS BUT UH UM, SO WHO WANTS TO. I CAN TAKE THAT. READY? OKAY. YES. SO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THIS IS JUST REALLY JUST A TAGLINE. UH, FROM THE BOSTON FIRE
DEPARTMENT. WE'RE AN ORGANIZATION OF DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO SERVING THE COMMUNITY BY PROTECTING LIFE PROPERTY IN THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH PREVENTION, EDUCATION,
EMERGENCY MEDICAL, CIVIL DEFENSE AND FIRE SERVICE. WE PROTECT ALL BOSTON RESIDENTS AND THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO WORK, SHOP AND VISIT AND CALL THE CITY OF BOSTON HOME. THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT IS
COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE FIRST IN THE NATION. NEXT, PLEASE. SO THIS, UH, DOCUMENT AND LUCKILY I HAVE MY SUBJECT
MATTER EXPERT IN JULIE DUBLIN WHO CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE RELATED TO THE GRANTS. SO CURRENTLY WE ARE RECIPIENT OF EIGHT ACTIVE FEDERAL GRANT GRANTS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT
OF UM DHS AND FEMA, BJ BOSTON JOBS ALLIANCE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TOTALING $1.8 MILLION IN FEDERAL MONIES.
UH, THE GRANTS MAKE UP UH ONE IS THE PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES CLINICAL DIRECTOR AND CHIEF TRAINING WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION. THE NEXT ONE IS MARINE
FIREFIGHTING AND LAND BASED, UH ,FIREFIGHTING COMMITMENT TRAINING AND CONTROL. UH ANOTHER OFFSHOOT OF THAT IS MARINE FIREFIGHTING FOR LAND BASED. UH, WE HAVE ANOTHER GRANT THAT
FUNDS THE HOT WORK. TRAINING AND HOT WORK HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. UM, BECAUSE THAT TERRIBLE TRAGEDY THAT OCCURRED ON BEACON STREET WAS A DIRECT RESULT
OF THAT WHICH, YOU KNOW, CHANGED THE LEGISLATION AND HOW HOT WORK IS DONE. AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY COGNIZANT OF THE ONGOING TRAINING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THAT. UM, THE NEXT ONE IS PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF CARBON
MONOXIDE DETECTORS WITH EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR JUST OVER A YEAR VERY SUCCESSFUL IN SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS WE'VE COMPLETED. UM, A LARGE INSTALLATION IN
CHINATOWN AND MOST RECENTLY ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN IN HYDE PARK IN MATTAPAN. UM, ANOTHER GRANT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED AND WORKED DILIGENTLY ON IS THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT FORENSIC LAB
ACCREDITATION. UM, PREVIOUSLY OUR LAB WAS NOT ACCREDITED. SO THIS WORK WILL ALLOW US TO, YOU KNOW, UH, WILL ENSURE THAT ALL OF THE, UH, WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF ARSON
INVESTIGATION IS FULLY VETTED AND SECURE WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON. UM ARCHIVES. UM, AND THE OTHER ONE IS COMMAND LEVEL TRAINING AND, UM IT'S REALLY JUST MULTI-AGENCY.
IT'S HOW WE CAN WORK BETTER TOGETHER WITH MULTIPLE AGENCIES ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THERE. UM, SO THE OTHER GRANTS THAT
WE'RE RECEIVED WAS SIX ACTIVE STATE GRANTS THAT WE RECEIVE. UM, TWO OF THEM ARE EARMARKS THAT WE RECEIVED IS HAZMAT TRAINING. IT'S $1.4 MILLION AND THE
SECOND ONE IS THE DEPARTMENT FIRE TRAINING ACADEMY GRANT FOR $1.7 MILLION. UM, BOTH OF THOSE HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE SUCCESS OF THE TRAINING THAT THE HAZMAT
FOLKS CONDUCT AND AS WELL AS THE TRAINING ACADEMY, UM, ON THE ISLAND WOULD BE ACTUALLY LOST WITHOUT THOSE. ANOTHER EARMARK THAT WE RECEIVED WAS A LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY, UH, WHICH ALLOWED US
LAST SUMMER TO UM, HAVE A DEDICATED DELTA CAR IN THE SOUTH BOSTON UH, CASTLE ISLAND CASTLE AND BEACH AREA TO PROVIDE TO ANY MEDICAL EMERGENCY OR UM ANY CRITICAL
INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED AND THAT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL LAST YEAR. UM ANOTHER ONE WE HAVE IS THE FIRE ALARM DISPATCH WHICH PROVIDES EDUCATION AND UM FOR THE FIRE ALARM DIVISION TO MAKE
SURE THEY'RE COMPLETELY UP TO DATE WITH THE CHANGING TECHNOLOGY AND ALL THE WORKS THAT THEY DO. UM, ANOTHER OFFSHOOT OF THAT IS THE PERSONNEL WHICH IS THE CAD WHICH YOU KNOW, SUPPORTS FIRE
ALARM WHICH ALSO WILLINGTON WITH EMS AND BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND YOU KNOW THE TRAINING UH WHICH HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT NEW WHICH HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL THIS YEAR IS AN
ELEVATOR RESCUE KIT, UM UH TRAINING EXERCISE THAT HAS BEEN CONDUCTED FOR THE DEPARTMENT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO AGAIN I'M I'M GRATEFUL TO
WORK WITH REALLY TALENTED AND EDUCATED PEOPLE THAT, UM, REALLY CAN HELP SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. UM, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS EXTREMELY COMMITTED TO, UH, THE
DIVERSITY OF THE DEPARTMENT IN TOTAL AND THE BIGGEST COMPONENT OF THAT OVER THE PAST, YOU KNOW ,THREE YEARS OR SO HAS BEEN THE CADET PROGRAM. UM, I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE MICHAEL GASKINS WHO IS GOING TO
HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE DEPARTMENT AND THE CADET PROGRAM ITSELF. THANK YOU KEVIN AND THANK YOU CHAIR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR THE . OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT.
UM WE'RE EXCITED. UH, WE'RE A FEW. YEARS INTO OUR UH. PROCESS FOR THE CADET PROGRAM. UM, WE'RE WE'VE SEEN SOME, UH, GREAT GAINS. ONE THING THAT UM, WE WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT IS THE FOCUS ON CASTING A LARGE NET OVER THE CITY OF BOSTON FOR OUR APPLICANT POOL. UH, PRIOR TO THE CADET PROGRAM AND NOW WITH THE NEW HYBRID
PROCESS, UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT AND CONSIDERING TARGETING BOSTON RESIDENTS THAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE MORE THAN THREE YEARS OF, UH, RESIDENCY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WITHIN OUR APPLICANT POOL.
UH, PRIOR TO THIS WITH JUST USING CIVIL SERVICE AS THE, UH, APPLICANT POOL. WE'RE CASTING A NET OVER THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS FOR THOSE THAT ARE COMING, UH, FROM
MILITARY SERVICE INTO, UH, THE CITY OF BOSTON AND OFTENTIMES NOT BEING, UH, BOSTON RESIDENTS . SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, REALLY HAVE A APPLICANT POOL THAT IS MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE CITY OF BOSTON IS REALLY OUR
OUR OUR APPROACH. UM, WE HAD OUR FIRST CADET CLASS, UM, THAT WAS ELIGIBLE FOR APPOINTMENT GO IN UH, THIS PAST APRIL AND NOW THEY'RE, UM
FIREFIGHTERS ON PROBATION OR FOR PEACE. OUR SECOND CLASS, UH, WENT IN. UM, AS FAR AS APPOINTMENT GOES IN JANUARY AND JUST RECENTLY GRADUATED, MANY OF WHOM ARE NOW
IN THEIR FIRST WEEK OF UH SERVICE TO THE DEPARTMENT. SO WE'RE EXCITED. UM, THOSE TWO CLASSES REPRESENTED, UM, RECORD BREAKING UH, NUMBERS OF WOMEN IN PARTICULAR, UH, WHICH IS A
VERY UNDERREPRESENTED UH, POPULATION WITHIN THE UH FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN UH SUCH. UM, SO THE PROGRAMING THAT REALLY RELATES TO TARGETING
QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WE CAN SAY HAS BEEN UH, RATHER SUCCESSFUL. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT UH, CONTINUED FUNDING AND SUPPORT OF THE CADET PROGRAM. UH, ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS
OF THE CADET PROGRAM IS THE MAJORITY OF THE CADETS THAT ARE GOING INTO AN ACADEMY CLASS ACTUALLY HAVE EMT CERTIFICATION. UM, SO WE'RE EXCITED THAT THE UH, RESOURCES THAT WE'RE
PUTTING INTO THE CADETS PUT THEM IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION TO NOT ONLY GO ON TO AN ACADEMY BUT TO, UH, GRADUATE FROM AN ACADEMY. AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MIGHT
HAVE REGARDING, UH, THE HYBRID OR THAT OR THE CADETS. ACTUALLY, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. UM, GIVEN THAT THE UH, HYBRID PROCESS WAS RELATIVELY NEW WITH
THE PASSING OF UH, CIVIL SERVICE, UH, UM, OPTIONS FOR US TO OPT INTO A HYBRID PROCESS. UM, AGAIN, THE, UH, RECRUIT
CLASS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS, UM, HAD A MORE BALANCED APPROACH TO, UH, THE APPLICANT POOL AND A MORE BALANCED APPROACH TO THE, UH, RECRUIT CLASS IN AND OF ITSELF.
UM, THE HYBRID HIRE DEMOGRAPHICS, YOU'LL SEE, UM, INDICATE WE HIRED 13 PEOPLE OFF THE FOR THE HYBRID LIST AND UM ,IT WAS A REALLY GOOD, UH, MIX
OF PEOPLE DIFFERENT, UH, BACKGROUNDS AND REPRESENTATION WITHIN THE UH, CITY OF BOSTON AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SAY, UM, FROM DEPUTY CHIEF MALONE. UM, THE 13 HYBRID APPLICANTS,
UH, FARED VERY WELL WITHIN THE UH, UH, ACADEMY CLASS AND WE'RE HAPPY TO UM, REPEAT THAT UH, GOING FORWARD.
UH NEXT SLIDE. UM, THIS IS JUST AN OVERALL UH ,VIEW OF OUR DEMOGRAPHICS TO DATE, UH, FOR THE CADET PROGRAM . UH, WE ARE ACTUALLY IN THE VETTING PROCESS RIGHT NOW FOR OUR DELTA GLASS SLEEVE.
WE USE THE, UH, MILITARY ALPHABET ALPHA BRAVO, CHARLIE. WE HAVE THREE CLASSES THAT ARE, UH. THREE THREE COHORTS THAT, UH THAT ARE UH, ACTIVE NOW.
UM, MOST OF OUR ALPHAS, UM, HAVE GONE INTO AN ACADEMY CLASS NOW AND HAVE GRADUATED. UM, WE'RE EXCITED THAT CHARLIE WILL BE COMING UP. UH. EXCUSE ME. BRAVO WILL BE COMING UP ON
THERE, UH, TWO YEARS, UH, FOR APPOINTMENT AND, UH, CHARLIE IS UP AND RUNNING. UH, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF, UH, ACTUALLY VETTING FOR
DELTA TO BE HIRED WITH A START DATE IN JUNE AND AGAIN, UM, IF YOU FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE CADETS ARE THE BEST OF US. UM, THEY REALLY REFLECT, UM, A GOOD PORTION OF THE CITY WITH
LANGUAGE SKILLS. UM, AGAIN, MOST OF THE KIDS, UH ,WERE BORN AND RAISED HERE AND THEY HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AT A GREAT CAREER AND WE'RE EXCITED THAT, UM, A GOOD SHOWING WITHIN THE RECRUIT
CLASSES HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST TWO RECRUIT CLASSES. THE TOP ACADEMY RECRUIT HAS BEEN A CADET. SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO UH, FIELDING ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO AS PART OF THE WORK THAT WE WANTED TO DO TODAY WAS YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO YOU KNOW, UH WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE FUNDING THAT WE'RE RECEIVING. WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO SHOW YOU KNOW, HOW
WE'RE USING SOME OF THESE FUNDS . UM, ONE BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT OCCURRED EARLIER THIS YEAR JUST ACTUALLY MARCH FOR US OF THIS YEAR WAS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A DETAIL UM, DETAIL
SOFTWARE. SO DETAILS ARE A CONDITION WHERE FIREFIGHTERS ARE ASKED TO REPORT WHEN THEY'RE DOING SOME TYPE OF EITHER UM WORK ON IT COULD BE HOT WORK.
IT COULD BE UM A PUBLIC EVENT WHERE UH A FIRE IS USED A FIREWORKS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT . IN THE PAST IT WAS, YOU KNOW, 100% PAPER PROCESS. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS THESE INDEX CARDS THAT WERE FILLED OUT.
THEY WAS SIGNED BY AND THE FIREFIGHTERS THE COMPANY REPRESENTING THE WHO REQUESTED THE DETAIL AND THAT INFORMATION WOULD BE TAKEN BACK TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MANUALLY ENTERED TO PAY FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT
CONDUCTED THE DETAIL. AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO BAIL OUT THE WORK TO THE PERSON THAT REQUESTED THE DETAIL. SO BY YOU KNOW, GOING UH WITH THE SOFTWARE WE'VE TAKEN ALL
OF THAT UH MANUAL PROCESS OUT OF THAT AND IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL. UM, WITH WITH THIS GOING FORWARD, UH, WHERE THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE GETTING PAID IN A MUCH QUICKER TIME, WE'RE
ABLE TO BUILD OUT THE MONEY THAT THE VENDORS HAVE REQUESTED THESE DETAILS AND COLLECT THAT MONEY MORE MORE SWIFTLY AND I'M HOPING AND I KNOW WE WHEN THIS RFP WENT OUT A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO WE WORKED WITH UH, THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND A COUPLE OF OTHER SMALLER CITY DEPARTMENTS I BELIEVE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND ISD WILL BE IMPLEMENTING THIS SOFTWARE AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
UM, A TREMENDOUS UH, INVESTMENT FOR THE CITY BUT WE'RE ALREADY SEEING THE BENEFIT OF THAT. SO THAT'S BEEN UH VERY HIGHLIGHTED. I ALSO MENTIONED A COUPLE ITEMS HERE TO WITH THE CLASS AND I THINK MICHAEL HAS MENTIONED
THOSE I MEAN VERY PROUD OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GRADUATE THE LA CADET PROGRAM HAVE APPROVED PROGRAM. UM, ANOTHER YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN A RECIPIENT OF THE AFG
GRANT FOR SINCE 2017. UM, AND THAT MONEY HAS ALLOWED US TO FUND UM, YOU KNOW, SKIN CANCER CLINICS WHICH LAST YEAR WE SCREENED 587 FIREFIGHTERS 94
OF THOSE MEMBERS NEEDED TO, UH, HAVE FOLLOW UPS FOR UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT APPEARED ON THE SCREENING AND TWO OF THEM HAD IDENTIFIED MELANOMAS. UM, ANOTHER PART OF THAT AFG
GRANT WAS TO CONDUCT COMPREHENSIVE BODY SCANS. SO THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, A COMPLETE ASSESSMENT OF THE BODY . UH, IT WAS DONE THROUGH AN MRI MACHINE, BUT THERE WAS ALSO URINALYSIS AND BLOOD TESTS THAT
WERE TAKEN AS PART OF THAT. IN ADDITION TO THE THE UH, LOW DOSE CT SCAN, UM AND THAT INFORMATION WAS PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE AS WELL.
THERE WERE 637 FIREFIGHTERS WHO UM, HAD HIGH RISK OF UM THINGS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THOSE SCANS. 413 OF THOSE FIREFIGHTERS HAD
CARDIOVASCULAR ISSUES AND THAT ENABLED THEM TO HAVE ACCESS TO EARLY INTERVENTION. UH, ANOTHER VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT YOU KNOW, TREATING DISEASE IS TRYING TO PREVENT THEM.
SO WE HAVE YOU KNOW, A NUTRITIONIST THAT WORKS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND SHE HAS CONDUCTED OVER 546 SESSIONS WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS TO HELP THEM REVERSE, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT'S ON THEIR SCAN
SCANS OR HELP THEM IMPROVE THEIR OVERALL HEALTH. UM, WE ALSO HAVE AN INJURY PREVENTION SPECIALIST WHO DEALS WITH FIREFIGHTERS UH, TO EITHER HELP THEM, UH, STRATEGIZE ON
WAYS TO PREVENT ILLNESS OR IF THEY'RE RETURNING FROM AN INJURY THAT THEY MAY HAVE RESULTED. THE THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST IS WORKING WITH THEM ON THE BEST PROTOCOLS TO BE ABLE TO PREVENT
FURTHER INJURY AND MAKE SURE AT THE SAME TIME THEY'RE STAYING HEALTHY. UM, UH THE FACILITIES I MEAN THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT IS MADE UP OF OVER 40 BUILDINGS. UH, THEY'RE THEY'RE VERY OLD
AND MOST OF THEM AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE HAD SOME DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OVER THE MANY YEARS . UH, BUT PART OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IS AGAIN FALLS DIRECTLY IN LINE WITH THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
WE CALL IT INDUSTRIAL CLEANING WHERE WE WILL GO IN AND WE WILL ,UH, CLEAN THESE UM, FIREHOUSES, UH, AND REMOVE ANY POSSIBLE CARCINOGENIC CARCINOGENS.
UM, SO A PART OF THAT WORK IS THE FIREHOUSE IS EMPTIED OUT. UH, ANY SOFT GOODS MATERIALS, UH, FURNITURE IS REPLACED OR CLEANED. THE WALLS ARE ALL POWER WASHED.
UM, HIGH POWERED CLEANING DONE ON THOSE AND THEN EVERYTHING'S REPAINTED FLOORS AND IT ALSO INVOLVES A DEEP CLEANING OF THE INDUSTRIAL VENTING SYSTEM WITHIN THE BUILDING TO IMPROVE
THE THE OVERALL HEALTH OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. UM, AND THIS IS SOMEWHAT OF A UNIQUE TOPIC ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF AS WE'RE DEALING WITH BOSTON
COMING UP. THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT IS VERY PROUD OF THE MARINE UNIT THAT WE HAVE. AND IN THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE BEEN A RECIPIENT OF THREE NEW VESSELS UM, TOTALING OVER $9
MILLION. THE CITY INVESTED IN CAPITAL GOODS TO ALLOW US TO MODERNIZE OUR FORCE. THIS BOAT THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE IS YOU KNOW, IT'S MAKING ITS WAY TO BOSTON.
I BELIEVE IT'S LEAVING FROM UPSTATE NEW YORK THIS WEEK TO MAKE ITS WAY HERE. AND WE'LL GO THROUGH A SERIES OF TESTS WHEN IT FINALLY GETS THERE. BUT IT'S WILL BE TESTED IN THE,
UH, EN ROUTE FROM UPSTATE NEW YORK AND IT'S A 69 FOOT CUSTOM BOAT UH, TOTALLY STATE OF THE ART. UH, 100%, YOU KNOW, ELECTRONIC REALLY WITH EVERYTHING A MODERN ,YOU KNOW, FIREFIGHTER WOULD
NEED AND ALSO TO DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, BOSTON HARBOR WHICH IS YOU KNOW, A SMALL HARBOR BUT YOU KNOW, VERY CHALLENGING IN TERMS OF WAY IT SET UP. UM, THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE BUDGET OFFICE
HAS GIVEN US FOR THESE BOATS IS $9.2 MILLION AND ALL OF OUR BOATS WILL BE READY TO DEAL WITH THE INFLUX OF PEOPLE THAT WILL BE COMING, UM, TO ENJOY ALL THAT BOSTON HAS TO OFFER THIS SUMMER. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT
THESE BOATS COMING. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS REALLY A DIRECT RESULT OF, YOU KNOW, THE
TRAINING IF THE YOU KNOW, UH, TRAINING IS SO CRUCIAL TO MAKING SURE WE STAY ON TOP OF EVERYTHING THAT IT REQUIRES TO BE A MODERN FIREFIGHTER TODAY. SO PART OF THE TRAINING ACADEMY HIGHLIGHTS FOR LAST YEAR, UM,
WAS, YOU KNOW, A NEW PROGRAM ON ELECTRONIC UH, BATTERY INNOVATION. UM, HOW TO STORE THEM, HOW TO PUT OUT FIRES. UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT UM THE
DEPARTMENT DEVELOPED A CUSTOM NOZZLE TO BE ABLE TO PUT OUT ELECTRIC FIRE, UH, ELECTRIC FIRES, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEY ESTIMATE THAT SAVED OVER $100,000 AND NOT HAVING TO BUY THEM. SO WHAT THEY DID THEY
RETROFITTED, UH, A CURRENT NOZZLE THAT WAS ALREADY IN IN USE WITHIN THE FIRE SERVICE. UM, THE TRAINING ACADEMY HAS ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE MBTA. UH AND AS PART OF THAT
PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE RECEIVED A 300 FOOT RED LINE TRAIN THAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE. AND, UH, WE ALSO HAVE A GREEN LINE TRAIN THAT'S COMING. SO WITH THE TWO ADDITIONS OF THESE CARS, IT WILL ALLOW US
TO HAVE ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, UH, TRAINS TO ACTUALLY TRAIN UH, OUR FIREFIGHTERS ON AND LOCAL FIREFIGHTER FIREHOUSES, UH, FROM THE GREATER BOSTON AREA THAT USE OUR OWN ISLAND ACADEMY
FOR TRAINING. UH, AND THAT'S YOU KNOW, ANYTIME YOU CAN HAVE SOMETHING REAL LIFE TRAINING, IT'S VERY GOOD. UH, WE ALSO HAVE WE'RE WORKING WITH AMTRAK AND SLA TO DO SOME TRAINING ON SOME OF THEIR BOATS
. UM, SORRY. SORRY SOME OF THEIR TRAINS, UM ,MARINE FIREFIGHTING. YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD ON ON WORKING ON OUR PORT SHIP
TRAINING AND WE'RE ALSO, UM, WORKING WITH LOGAN AIRPORT ON SOME, UH, AERIAL TRAINING FOR OF THE USE OF DRONES. UM, PART OF THE UH FIELD TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION THAT
HAPPENS IS ALL UH, FIREFIGHTERS GO THROUGH A CORE, UH, CORE COMPETENCIES WHICH TEST ALL OF THEIR SKILLS COMPLETELY UH, SAFETY AND SURVIVAL AGAIN, MAKING SURE THEY'RE STAYING UP TO DATE ON EVERYTHING THAT'S
POSSIBLE. UM, AND THEN ALSO WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH STATE FIRE SERVICE. UM, THEY YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT WAYS OF IMPROVING THE UH, TESTING THAT WE UH THAT FIREFIGHTERS
ARE OPTING TO GO THROUGH AND MAKING SURE WE'RE STAYING ON TARGET WITH ALL THAT. UH, AND THEN ALWAYS WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS OF, YOU KNOW, CONDUCTING LARGE SCALE SEARCH AND TRAINING AND THEN WE CALL
IT BACK TO BASICS WHICH TO MAKE SURE THAT IN ADDITION TO ALL THE SPECIALIZED TRAINING THAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT THAT WE YOU KNOW, UH, NOT STRAYING FAR FROM YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY THAT THE CORE
OF FIREFIGHTING. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, UH WE UH YOU KNOW, THE FIRE UM, PARTS OF OUR PROBLEM IS MADE UP OF 40 DIFFERENT BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW,
VERY OLD, UH, BUILDINGS FOR THE MOST PART. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY THAT WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, THREE NEW FIRE, UH, FIREHOUSES IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, UH, 4 OR 5 YEARS, UH, AND SEVERAL MORE THAT ARE IN THE PLANNING
STAGES. UM, YOU KNOW, 817 WAS THE MOST RECENT ONE WHICH IS UH, OPEN JUST OVER A YEAR. UM, WE'RE WORKING ON SOME FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND PART OF THAT IS JUST REALLY
UPGRADING THE WAY THAT FUEL IS BEING STORED WITHIN THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT. SOME OF IT WAS UNDERGROUND AND THAT CREATES SOME CHALLENGES. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS OF UPGRADING THOSE FACILITIES
TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE COMPLETELY SAFE. UM ENGINE 17. UM NOW WE'RE IN PHASE TWO OF THAT PROJECT WHICH THE OLD FIREHOUSE IS RIGHT BEHIND THE NEW OLD ONE.
SO, UH, CONSTRUCTION IS UNDERWAY NOW WHICH INVOLVES THE DEMOLITION OF THAT OLD FIREHOUSE AND THAT'S GOING TO MAKE WAY FOR A NEW FIRE PUMP, UH, FUEL PUMP THAT WILL BE LOCATED THERE. AND IF YOU'RE DETECTION SYSTEM,
UM, WHICH IS, UH, ENGAGED TO GIVE US THE HIGH RELIABILITY OF LIFE SAFETY DETECTION, WE'RE WORKING ON ENGINE EIGHT, WHICH IS IN THE NORTH END OF US ON
HANOVER STREET. UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH NEEDS SOME EXTENSIVE WORK. SO THIS IS A DESIGN STUDY CURRENTLY UNDERWAY FOR THAT PROJECT TO WHICH INCLUDE, UH, ROOF REPLACEMENT, KITCHEN RELOCATION.
UM, AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, THE KITCHEN IS ON THE FIRST FLOOR WITH THE APPARATUS AND WITH ALL MODERN, YOU KNOW, FIREFIGHTING ,YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATIONS TODAY. UM, THE MODERN THEORY IS TO
SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE APPARATUS AND ALL THE CARCINOGENS MAY RESIDE FROM WHERE THE FIREFIGHTERS ACTUALLY LIVE. SO ALL THOSE THINGS KITCHENS, SLEEPING QUARTERS, BATHROOMS FOR THE MOST PART SHOULD BE
SEPARATE FROM WHERE THE FIRE TRUCKS ARE GOING IN AND OUT OF AND WHERE THE APPARATUS AND THEIR BUNKER GEAR ARE STORED. UM, WE'RE WORKING ON AN ENGINE THREE STUDY FOR A NEW FIREHOUSE
. UM, ALSO THE MOON ISLAND SEAWALL. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG STANDING, UH, ONGOING PROJECT TO REPLACE THE SEAWALL AND CURRENTLY IT
HAS GONE THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT ITERATIONS OF DESIGN. THEY HAVE BEEN DOING SOME WORK AND WE'RE ALSO WE ALSO PARTNERING WITH, UH, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT IN THE CITY TO APPLY FOR SOME FEDERAL GRANTS UH SOME
STATE GRANTS ACTUALLY TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT. UM ENGINE 21 UH WHICH IS ON COLUMBIA ROAD HAS A RETAINING UM RETAINING WALL STABILIZATION PROJECT THAT IS CURRENTLY
UNDERWAY WHICH IS YOU KNOW, CRITICALLY NEEDED AND WE'RE WORKING ON ANOTHER KIND OF A LARGE SCALE PROJECT AT ENGINE NINE IN EAST BOSTON WHICH IS TO HAVE THE UH APRON WHICH IS YOU
KNOW, BASICALLY THE DRIVEWAY OF THE UH FIREHOUSE REPLACED IT WAS UM SUBJECTED TO SEVERE UM, JUST WEATHER I THINK AND TO TO IT THAT PROJECT.
NEXT SLIDE. SO THAT YOU KNOW IS AGAIN JUST AN OVERALL UH, VIEW OF SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE THIS MORNING AND WE THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. OKAY. >> THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS. UH, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY, UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT UH, LIZ BREADON AND COUNCILOR JOHN FITZGERALD.
UH, SO UH WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS AND UM ,COME BACK FOR A SECOND IF IF NECESSARY AND MAYBE A THIRD IF WE HAVE TIME. SO SEVEN MINUTES.
UH, COUNCILOR COUNCILOR FLYNN, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. THANK YOU. >> AND. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME TO THE FIRE COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER MARSHALL. IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK EARLY THE MORNING WITH YOU. AND I ALSO WANT TO WELCOME THE CHIEF AND TO THE OTHERS AS WELL
THAT ARE HERE MR GASKINS AND MR MR. COYNE. UM, I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE, UM PRESIDENT OF THE BOSTON
FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 718 SAM DILLON, AN OUTSTANDING LABOR LEADER AND OUTSTANDING UM LEADER IN OUR CITY. UM AND.
DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES WHAT I BELIEVE IS IMPORTANT IS WE DON'T SEE REDUCTIONS OR CUTS IN ANY SERVICES AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, FIRE SUPPRESSION THOSE ARE TYPES OF ISSUES AND YOU KNOW, FIREFIGHTERS AND OFFICERS RIDING FIRE TRUCKS AND RESPONDING TO 911 CALLS THAT MUST BE THE PRIORITY.
BUT YOU DON'T SEE ANY UH, CUTS AT ALL. IS THAT IS THAT ACCURATE TO SAY? COMMISSIONER THAT IS CORRECT. UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY CUTS IN TERMS OF PERSONNEL AT THIS POINT.
UH, WE JUST UH AS MR GASKIN SAID EARLIER, WE JUST, UH, HIRED A NEW CLASS THAT JUST GRADUATED AND UH, LAST MONTH IN APRIL OF UH, 52 FIREFIGHTERS.
SO AT THIS TIME A CONTINGENCY OF MEMBERS IS RIGHT. WHERE WE NEED TO BE. OKAY. >> UM, COMMISSION OF BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDING TO, UH, MEDICAL EMERGENCIES QUOTING
OVERDOSES ARE THEY ARE THOSE, UM, CALLS UP OR DOWN? AND OFTENTIMES THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS OFTEN THERE BEFORE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM, DO YOU KEEP TRACK OF THAT DATA? UH, WE DO KEEP TRACK OF THAT
DATA. UH, IT GOES INTO A DATABASE CALLED THE UH UH IN FIRST SYSTEM. UH, SO ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE TRACKED ON A DAILY BASIS AND ON A YEARLY BASIS. .
>> HAVE THOSE CALLS HAVE THOSE RESPONSES GONE UP. AT THIS TIME TO THE CALLS OF CONSTANT HAVE BEEN CONSTANT FROM PREVIOUS YEARS?
BUT UM, WE JUST GOT A NEW REPORTING SYSTEM THAT ACTUALLY UH WE WENT FROM A DIGITAL NUMBER BASED SYSTEM TO THE WARD BASED SYSTEM.
SO UM, AS AS THIS NEW SYSTEM EVOLVES AND UNROLLS, WE MIGHT SEE DIFFERENCES IN HOW THE NUMBERS ARE REFLECTED. OKAY. >> I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE, UM, SPECIALIST BRIAN NEY FOR BEING
HERE. LIEUTENANT BRIAN, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU WERE DOING THE COMMISSIONER WHEN WHEN SOMEONE FENTANYL IS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF ONE OF THE MOST HORRIFIC
DRUGS OUT THERE AND VERY DANGEROUS WHEN A FIREFIGHTER RESPONDS TO A MEDICAL SITUATION OVERDOSE RATHER I SHOULD SAY ABOUT SOMEONE UM, AN OVERDOSE
DUE TO FENTANYL. IS THAT A MEDICAL CONCERN FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS AND HOW HOW DO YOU PREVENT OR ENSURE THAT THE FIREFIGHTER IS ALSO NOT
IMPACTED BY UM BEING CONTAMINATED BY THAT STRONG THAT STRONG DRUG? IT'S ALWAYS A CONCERN THAT OUR MEMBERS COULD BE CONTAMINATED BY THAT STRONG DRUG. BUT WE TRY TO PROVIDE THE BEST
EQUIPMENT MEDICAL UH, PPE FOR OUR MEMBERS TO WEAR. AND THAT'S THE THING OUR PROTOCOL WHEN WE RESPOND TO MEDICAL OR FIRE INCIDENTS TO HAVE ON A PROPER PPE BEFORE WE ASSIST ANYONE.
HAS A FIREFIGHTER. EVER BEEN EXPOSED TO, UM, FENTANYL DUE TO RESPONDING TO THAT TYPE OF OVERDOSE SITUATION? NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. OKAY.
UM, HOW OFTEN A FIREFIGHTER FIREFIGHTERS ON THE SCENE BEFORE ANY OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS. IS IT IS IT A, UM MAJORITY OF THE TIME I DO. IT THAT IT WOULD BE THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME BECAUSE
OF I THE WAY FIREHOUSE IS A PLACE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. UH, WE ARE ABLE TO RESPOND TO MOST INCIDENTS IN LESS THAN FOUR MINUTES. OKAY, COMMISSIONER, A LOT
OF FIREFIGHTERS TELL ME THE DUE TO THE TRAFFIC THAT THE STUFF STUCK IN TRAFFIC TRYING TO GET TO AN EMERGENCY, A MEDICAL CALL PEOPLE ARE NOT PULLING OVER FOR
VARIOUS REASONS BUT UM RESPONSE TIME. YOU SAID IT'S FOUR MINUTES BUT DON'T YOU THINK THE DON'T YOU THINK WE HAVE CHALLENGES WITH THE WITH THE TRAFFIC AND UH, SOME OF THE ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE
. THE CITY UH HAS BECOME MORE. >> AND. MORE CONGESTED AS WE KNOW. UM. BUT TO THIS POINT AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, UM FOR THE MOST PART WAS
STILL ABLE TO GET TO THESE CALLS WITHIN A FOUR MINUTE TIMEFRAME. OKAY. >> UM. A LOT OF A LOT OF, UM, TOURISTS COMING THIS SUMMER TRAFFIC.
BUT WHAT SPECIFICALLY ARE YOU DOING IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS TO ADDRESS TRAFFIC BUT ALSO COORDINATING AND WORKING TOGETHER? UH. >> WE. WORK WITH UH, THE BOSTON POLICE
DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF UM. YOU KNOW, MAKING. SURE THAT ROADS HAVE THE THE CORRECT ACCESS FOR US TO GET IN AND OUT OF. UM, NETS BASED UPON WHATEVER
TYPE OF EVENT MAY. >> BE GOING ON. GOING ON IN THE CITY AT THE TIME. UM, WE WORK WITH THE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT AS WELL. UH, SO WE HAVE A GOOD
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OTHER UM, ORGANIZATIONS AND CITY TO TO MITIGATE. UH. >> OVERCROWDING AND TRAFFIC INCIDENTS. THANK YOU. >> I, UH KEVIN, I WORK WITH YOU AND THE PREVIOUS FIRE COMMISSIONER.
UM, IN CHINATOWN IN THE SOUTH AND ESPECIALLY HELPING THE ASIAN COMMUNITY, UM, GET UM GET RESPONSE UM. UM. >> THE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN
PLACE AT THEIR APARTMENT. UM, SO THE CARBON MONOXIDE UM BUT I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU. WAS THAT ONE OF THE GRANTS YOU HIGHLIGHTED, KEVIN, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU DISCUSSED IN YOUR
OPENING STATEMENT? YES, THAT'S A GRANT FROM THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION THAT WE RECEIVED I BELIEVE IT WAS IN JUNE OF 2025 AND WE HAVE UNTIL JUNE OF 2027 ON THIS GRANT.
YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, WE MET WE CONDUCTED TWO, YOU KNOW, CAMPAIGNS. UM AND WE HIGHLIGHTED THE CHINATOWN DISTRICT FIRST WITH YOUR HELP IN YOUR OFFICE AS WELL AND MOST RECENTLY WE WORK
WITH UM COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE AND COUNCIL FOR THEM AND THE HYDE PARK AND MATTAPAN AREA IN ADDITION TO THE THE LARGER SCALE CAMPAIGNS THAT WE'RE DOING WE'RE DOING SOMEWHAT MICRO CAMPAIGNS.
SO ANY TIME WE'RE JUST KEEPING AN ONGOING LIST OF UM HOUSEHOLDS ALL OVER BOSTON THAT NEED THEM. I BELIEVE WE'RE INSTALLING ABOUT 40 HOMES THIS WEEK. UH, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING ANOTHER LARGER SCALE, UH, PROGRAM IN DORCHESTER UH, PROBABLY SOMETIME EITHER LATE SUMMER OR EARLY FALL. YEAH. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU KEVIN, THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONER.
THANK YOU TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE PREVENTION FIRE EDUCATION PROGRAMS. UH, VERTICAL. I'M A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THEM . I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY CUTS AT ALL TO ANY PROGRAM AT THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT. AND I'M GOING TO FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL IF ANYONE'S GOING TO TRY TO CUT ANYTHING OUT OF THE OUT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE SEVEN MINUTES. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO COMMISSIONER MARSHALL. UH, IT WAS VERY EXCITING TO BE THERE AND PRESENT FOR, UH, YOUR INSTALL INSTALLATION AND TO JUST LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR
RECORD OF SERVICE AND EXCELLENCE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO WE'RE JUST REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU IN THIS CHAIR AND AGAIN WANT TO GIVE ANOTHER JUST THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER BURKE FOR ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT HE DID.
UM, IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO UM, AS AS THE COMMISSIONER UM AND I YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF FIRES AND AND VERY CLOSE TO ME AROUND
THE CORNER ON FRIDAY NIGHT IN MATTAPAN ON CUMMINGS HIGHWAY AND UM, EARLIER IN THE WEEK IN ON METROPOLITAN AVENUE IN HYDE PARK AND JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR RESPONDING AND UH, AS QUICKLY
AS THEY DID AND TRYING TO HELP THE FAMILIES THERE AND UH, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT MY MY OFFICE UM AS ENJOYED PARTNERING WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH EDUCATION AND THE TOOLS
THAT THEY NEED TO PREVENT UM FIRES AND UM THE HAZARDS OF CARBON MONOXIDE. SO THANK YOU. UM, MY FIRST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE. THIS IS A DEPARTMENT THAT SEES
THAT WE SEE AN INCREASE IN THE PERSONNEL FROM YEAR TO YEAR. UH, 9 MILLION OF 9,000,009.7 MILLION IS THAT CAN CAN EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS A RESULT OF IS
THAT THE CADET PROGRAM IS THAT THE THE HYBRID UH WHAT WHAT IS DRIVING THAT PERSONNEL INCREASE AND OR IS THAT JUST AS THE CITY COUNCIL AGREEING TO UM UH THE
COMPENSATION WHAT IS DRIVING THAT? YES. >> UH, COUNCILOR THANK YOU. UH, THE BULK OF THAT IS DUE TO THE, UH, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. YEP. >> OKAY. THANK YOU.
AND WHAT, UM, ARE WE PAYING NOW TO WHAT ARE WHAT ARE THE WHAT IS THE SALARY OR THE COMPENSATION THAT CADETS CURRENTLY ARE EARNING? UH, CADETS EARN ABOUT $32,000.
PER YEAR AND THEY'RE FULLY BENEFITED. SO THE, UH, YOU KNOW, HEALTH BENEFITS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT THEY THEY EARN ABOUT $32,000 PER YEAR. THANK YOU. >> AND WHAT WAS IT STARTING? WELL THIS IS WE ARE NOW IN THE
DELTA CLASS FOR THE CADETS. WHAT WAS THE STARTING WHEN WHEN IT WAS FIRST INTRODUCED WHAT WAS THE SALARY FOR THEM THEN? >> IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AROUND. 2929 SO I'D SEEN ABOUT 3000. UM AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, OFFICER GASKINS, BECAUSE YOU'VE
BEEN INCREDIBLY, UH, FAITHFUL IN STEWARDING THAT PROGRAM AND DOING IT WITH LIKE THE MOST UTMOST INTEGRITY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S BENEFITING BOSTON RESIDENTS IN THE FAIREST WAY POSSIBLE. SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU
FOR THAT. UM, IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AND IT WAS MENTIONED OF THE DIFFERENT POINTS OF ENTRY RIGHT NOW INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THEM, UM,
THE TRADITIONAL PROCESS, THE UH CADET PROGRAM, THEIR HYBRID OPTION AND JUST TALK ABOUT UH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BETWEEN THOSE THAT'S EITHER TO YOU, OFFICER TO UH, CHIEF OR TO
THE COMMISSIONER. YEAH. >> SO THANK YOU. UM, I CALL IT A FULL COURT PRESS WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO UTILIZE ALL THREE AVENUES, UH, FOR RECRUITMENT. PROCESS AND UM, REALLY, UM, A
VALUED PROCESS FOR THE DEPARTMENT. UM, NOTHING LIKE IT IN THE NATION. UM, WE'RE WE'RE EXCITED THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH, UH, CIVIL SERVICE IN A MEMORANDUM
OF AGREEMENT TO, UH, TRY THE NEW HYBRID PROCESS BUT UM, ALSO THE UH SUPPORT FROM UH LEGISLATION IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY HAVING A CADET PROGRAM.
UM, WE MIRRORED THE CADET PROGRAM ON THE SUCCESS OF THE BOSTON POLICE. DEPARTMENT AND UH, WITH THE INITIATION OF IT AND THE UH COOPERATION AND PARTNERSHIPS
ACROSS THE BOARD, WE FOUND, UH, TREMENDOUS SUCCESS, UM, WITH THE CADET PROGRAM WITH THE NEW HYBRID PROCESS THAT WAS A CHALLENGE IN AND OF ITSELF. BUT IT'S IT REALLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO KIND
OF LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT ONE MIGHT SPEND IN BOSTON AND UNDERSTAND BOSTON AND HAVE A CULTURAL COMPETENCY. SO WE'VE MIRRORED THE THREE YEARS OF A MINIMUM RESIDENCY IN
THE CITY OF BOSTON FOR THE HYBRID PROCESS. UH, WE'RE NOT THE ONLY MUNICIPALITY THAT'S ENTERED INTO A HYBRID AGREEMENT. UM, WE'RE ONE OF MAYBE 26 OR SO WITHIN THE STATE THAT HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HYBRID
PROCESS. UH, OFTENTIMES CIVIL SERVICE WILL WORK WITH SMALLER AGENCIES AND THESE TYPES OF INITIATIVES ARE A BENEFIT TO THEM. WE FOUND THAT IT CAN BE A BENEFIT TO US AS WELL,
ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO UH, OUR OUTREACH UM, OUR OUTREACH DOESN'T STOP WITH UH, THE HYBRID PROCESS. WE'RE ABLE TO DO INFORMATION SESSIONS FOR OUR MILITARY CANDIDATES AS WELL, UM, UH,
HERE AND ABROAD UH, MANY INFORMATION SESSIONS. SO UM, BETWEEN THE. TRADITIONAL PROCESS. CADETS AND HYBRID, WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY, UH, DO A LOT OF OUTREACH AND CONNECT AND
HAVE A GOOD PIPELINE OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES COME THROUGH. >> EACH YEAR. THANK YOU. AND, UM, EITHER IT WAS YOU OR THE COMMISSIONER MENTIONED THAT WE'RE THE WAS IT THE CADET PROGRAM? UH, WE'RE SEEING A HIGHER RECRUITMENT OF WOMEN WHICH HAS
TRADITIONALLY BEEN A DIFFICULT RECRUITMENT AREA WHICH I TAKE AS A REALLY GREAT SIGN OF SUCCESS. IF ANYBODY COULD TALK MORE ABOUT ABOUT THAT AND ABOUT, UM ,YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE LEARNING IN ORDER TO, UH, GET EVEN
BETTER RECRUITMENT. YEAH. WELL, SO WE ALREADY KNOW, UH, NATIONALLY THIS IS A MALE DOMINATED INDUSTRY SO WE'RE NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE'RE EVER GOING TO HAVE, UM, ALARMING OR
GREAT NUMBERS OF WOMEN. BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE GREAT NUMBERS OF WOMEN THAT ARE WELL, UH, QUALIFIED TO DO THIS JOB. SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE INFORMATION AND THE RESOURCES
AND THE TRACK. UM, IF WE WERE SOLELY RELY UH IF WE HAD TO SOLELY RELY ON A TRADITIONAL PROCESS, WE KNOW THAT IN THE STATE AGAIN BECAUSE THE UH STATE IS OUR APPLICANT
POOL FOR THE TRADITIONAL PROCESS, 1 IN 26 VETERANS THAT ARE RETURNING ARE WOMEN. AND SO THAT COULD BE UM. ONE IN. >> HOW MANY 2026. AND THAT'S AGAIN FOR THE STATE .
YEAH. UM WITH UH TRADITIONAL PROCESS AND AND BEING A DISABLED VETERAN AS WELL FOR OUR SELECTION PROCESS THAT WOULD BE AN EVEN GREATER UH, TASK IN
TERMS OF REACHING ANYBODY THAT WAS A WOMAN ON A LIST UH, FOR ELIGIBLE UH CANDIDATES. UM, SO WITH THE HYBRID PROCESS AND WITH CADETS, WE'RE ABLE TO
REALLY CONCENTRATE ON THE CITY OF BOSTON AND UH, THAT'S GOING TO BE MORE REFLECTIVE OF OUR APPLICANT POOL WHICH YOU'LL SEE AGAIN DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'LL HAVE 100 WOMEN APPLYING TO BE CADETS. BUT IF WE HAVE TEN WOMEN THAT
ARE APPLYING TO BE CADETS, WE KNOW THAT OUT OF THAT TEN WILL FIND WELL QUALIFIED CANDIDATES THAT ARE ON TRACK TO EVENTUALLY BECOME FIREFIGHTERS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. UM, I HAVE A FEW MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, CONTRACTED SERVICES,
MENTAL HEALTH AND HAS CAPACITY I'M GOING TO GO OVER BUT UM, I'LL JUST SAY UH, ARE WE DOING A BETTER JOB OF BRINGING IN SERVICES THAT WE WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE TO PAY FOR LIKE ELECTRICIANS PLUMBERS? I REMEMBER LAST YEAR WE WERE
DOING A BETTER JOB SO THAT SO THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO CONTRACT THOSE SERVICES. ARE WE DOING A BETTER JOB OF BRINGING THAT IN-HOUSE? YES. >> WE ARE STILL ON TRACK TO UH, TRY TO BRING IN AS MANY UM SERVICES WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT INSTEAD OF USING UH, EXTERNAL
SOURCES. UM, UH WE HAVE UH LIKE OUR WE CALL IT OUR SYSTEMS TEAM WHICH IS OUR CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT TEAMS. THOSE ARE ALL MEMBERS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT THAT WILL HELP
FIREFIGHTERS IN A SITUATION WHERE, UH, THERE'S A COMPLEX UH ,UH, INCIDENT WE HAVE THEY MIGHT BE HAVING ISSUES, UM, THAT THEY CAN TALK TO A MEMBER AND THESE ARE ALL VOLUNTEER
MEMBERS OF OUR DEPARTMENT. SO THAT IS AN INTERNAL SERVICE THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE UH, CONTRACTED OUT. SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF ONE ONE THING. THANK YOU. I RESERVE MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR MURPHY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND. FOR THE ANSWERS WE'VE ALREADY. RECEIVED BEFORE I MOVE. >> I DO WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL
SHOUT OUT TO JULIE. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. I KNOW WE'VE HAD A. COUPLE HEARINGS, YOU KNOW ABOUT THE GRANTS AND YOU DID A GREAT JOB ALONG WITH YOUR TEAM AND KEVIN. EXPLAINING UM, YOU KNOW.
THAT CRITICAL FUNDING THAT WE NEED FOR THE. CITY TO. >> GET WHAT WE NEED FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR RESIDENTS AND ALSO. THANK SAM FOR BEING HERE AND ALL YOU DO FOR YOUR MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON. SOME OF. >> THE KNOWING THAT THE. LIFE EXPECTANCY. OF A FIREFIGHTER IS. FIVE YEARS AFTER THEY RETIRE. IT'S ALWAYS EVEN THOUGH I KNOW IT'S TRUE, I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE I
HAVE TO LIKE CHECK IT. >> BECAUSE IT JUST SEEMS SO UM UNBELIEVABLE. BUT KNOWING IT'S TRUE I'M GOING TO FOCUS MY FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS KIND OF ON SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS BUT I DO HAVE IN MY SECOND ROUND SOME STAFFING. AND HIRING QUESTIONS.
>> FOR YOU. SO DON'T DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M NOT FOCUSING ON THAT. THE SECOND ROUND WILL BE GOOD QUESTIONS ON THAT. SO THE. MATERIALS SHOW THAT. 587 MEMBERS. >> WERE SCREENED THROUGH SKIN CANCER CLINICS.
THERE WERE 94 REFERRALS FOR FURTHER TREATMENT. 711 COMPREHENSIVE. BODY SCANS. WE HAD. $100,000 WHICH WAS RE-APPOINTED FOR THE FIREFIGHTER
CANCER SCREENING PROGRAM. UM THE DEPARTMENT HAS SEEN A 63%. REDUCTION IN TOTAL. INDUSTRY INJURIES THROUGH PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND. >> ON. DUTY RECOVERY PROTOCOLS.
WE'VE ALSO UPGRADED DIESEL EXHAUST. SYSTEMS IN SEVEN. FIREHOUSES TO. THE MAGNA. >> GROUP SYSTEM, AND I'VE. DEDICATED MORE THAN. 300,000 TO. >> HVAC REPAIRS TO PREVENT CARCINOGENS FROM MOVING FROM
THE APPARATUS BAYS INTO THE LIVING QUARTERS. THERE'S ALSO UM AND. YOU TOUCHED ON IT LIKE THE CAPITAL PLAN. FOR CONTINUED UPGRADES TO OUR
FIREHOUSES OR THE NEED FOR JUST, YOU KNOW. COMPLETE REBUILDING. SO JUST SOME QUESTIONS ON THAT. ARE OUR CURRENT CANCER SCREENING. FUNDS ENOUGH. TO MEET THE NEEDS OR SHOULD WE CREATE A PERMANENT FUNDING. >> STREAM FOR.
FIREFIGHTER SCREENING IN EARLY DETECTION? HOW MANY FIREHOUSES DO YOU UM DO WE KNOW STILL NEED THE MAGNET GROUP DIESEL EXHAUST SYSTEM, HVAC UPGRADES,
INDUSTRIAL CLEANING OR OTHER CARCINOGEN REDUCTION IMPROVEMENTS AND. I KNOW I. VISITED SOME FIREHOUSES AND. >> KNOW WHAT'S NEEDED AND HAVE. SAID IN. >> THE. PAST YOU KNOW, EVEN JUST THE. MOVING OF WHERE LIKE THE
KITCHENS ARE THE FIREHOUSES IF YOU COULD. ALSO JUST TOUCH ON. >> AND EXPLAIN, YOU. >> KNOW, FOR THE PUBLIC WHO'S LISTENING. >> IN WHO. I HOPE ARE SUPPORTING WHEN. >> WE'RE. TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FULL OF FULLY FUNDING THE FIRE. DEPARTMENT, EXPLAIN WHY KITCHEN
LIVING SPACES AND VENTILATION AND THESE UPGRADES ARE NECESSARY FOR. >> THE. HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS. OKAY. >> WELL, UM, AS UH COMMISSIONER COINS.
STATED EARLIER, UH, IN TERMS OF UH ENGINEERING, WE'LL JUST FOCUS ON THAT ONE FIREHOUSE. UM, THE KITCHEN IS ON THE MAIN FLOOR WITH THE APPARATUSES. SO WHEN THE APPARATUS ACTUALLY
PULLS INTO QUARTERS, UM, THERE'S A GREAT CHANCE OF DIESEL EXHAUST BEING TRANSMITTED FROM THE, UH, WHAT WE WOULD CALL THE HOT ZONE. TO WHAT SHOULD BE CALLED THE
COLD SORE. SO, UH, NEW FIREHOUSES ARE CONSTRUCTED, UH, SUGGESTED TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN IN TERMS OF DIFFERENT ZONES. SO HOT ZONE WOULD BE WHERE WE WOULD HAVE THE APPARATUS ALL
OUR GEAR THAT HAS NO CARCINOGENS UH, WITHIN IT AND THE WARM ZONE WHERE WE WOULD WE WOULD CLEAN OURSELVES OFF AND THE COLD ZONES IS WHERE WE WOULD LIVE IN AND EAT.
SO IN TERMS OF ENGINE EIGHT THAT KITCHEN LOCATION IS TOTALLY IN THE WRONG SPOT. UM, WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS MAYBE FOUR MEMBERS COME DOWN
WITH CANCER UH, IN THAT HOUSE ALONE AND THEY'VE ALL HAD THE SAME TYPE OF CANCER SO WE'RE NOT SURE AGAIN IF IT'S DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT KITCHEN BE IN PLACE WHERE IT IS.
SO AGAIN WE HAVE A STUDY GOING FORWARD RIGHT NOW THAT'S I THINK 75% COMPLETE UH, IN TERMS OF TRYING TO RELOCATE THE KITCHEN TO THE SECOND FLOOR AND UH REPLACE THE ROOF ON THAT ON
THAT HOUSE. BUT UH, IN. THE LIVING QUARTERS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE SEPARATED FROM THE HOT ZONE WHERE THE APPARATUS AND THE GEAR IS
PLACED. YEAH, I WOULD THINK THAT SHOULD BE AN ABSOLUTE PRIORITY TO. ESPECIALLY WHERE YOU HAVE THE FACTS. UM, AND. THERE I THINK THERE'S A GRANT
IS AT THE AFG GRANT. THAT WE DID. NOT DID WE LOSE IT DID WE GET IT IN THE. PAST BUT WE'RE NOT HAVING IT WHICH. WOULD ASSIST. THE UM CRITICAL NEEDS LIKE EQUIPMENT, PROTECTIVE. GEAR. >> WELLNESS PROGRAMS.
ARE WE LOSING THAT GRANT OR SHOULD. >> WE. NOT RECEIVE IT? WE HAVE HAD THAT GRANT UH, SINCE 2017. WE DID APPLY FOR IT AND WE DID NOT GET IT THIS YEAR AND IT DOES HAVE SOME SERIOUS
RAMIFICATIONS BY US NOT GETTING THAT UH, THE MAJORITY OF THAT MONEY HAS BEEN USED TO FUND THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELLNESS DIVISION AND ALL OF THE SCREENINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED SKIN CANCER, UM, YOU KNOW,
EMPLOYEE MENTAL HEALTH, UM, YOU KNOW, BODY SCANS, ALL THOSE THINGS PREVENTION SPECIALIST WITH THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST AND ALSO NUTRITIONAL NEEDS WILL ALL GO AWAY UM, BY SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
SO DOES THAT MEAN. WE JUST WON'T BE. PROVIDING THAT ANYMORE? SO ARE WE GOING TO FIND WAYS OTHER WAYS TO FUND IT OR ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SURE BEFORE.
WE APPROVE THIS BUDGET THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT FUNDING IS PUT BACK IN. SO WE ARE OPEN. TO LOOKING. >> FOR WAYS TO DO THAT. WE DID YOU KNOW. SUBMIT SOMETHING WITH OUR BUDGET SUBMISSION. >> THE FY 27 SUBMISSION TO YOU KNOW, OFFSET SOME OF THOSE
LOSSES. UM WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT STANDS. BUT WHAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THAT. >> GRANT WE GET? UM. >> $1.4 MILLION. >> IT'S DOABLE. I MEAN.
I THINK ASKING FOR A. $23 MILLION SUPPLEMENT SO. MUCH MORE THAN UM YEAH. WE CAN TALK TALK MORE. I DON'T WANT, UM, TAKE UP ALL MY. TIME BUT THAT THAT'S CONCERNING
. ESPECIALLY WHERE I FEEL. >> LIKE WE'VE GOTTEN TO A. POINT IN. >> THE CITY. WHERE WE'RE TAKING WHAT. WE SHOULD HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS TO TO. NOT BE ABLE. >> TO. CONTINUE THAT.
UM. AND WE DO HAVE DEPUTY SHAY AND LIEUTENANT KNEE WHO COULD ADD MORE CONTEXT TO. YOU KNOW, THE. >> GOOD WORK THAT THOSE THE ACCESS TO THOSE FUNDS HAS GIVEN THE DEPARTMENT. I'LL MAKE SURE ON MY SECOND UM. >> IF THEY CAN COME.
DOWN MORE YEAH I MIGHT RUN MY BOSS BUT. IS THAT THE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU COUNCIL FOR THAT QUESTION. I JUST WANT TO ADD ON TO WHAT KEVIN JUST TOLD UM SAID AND
WHEN I TELL PEOPLE WHAT I DO WHICH IS THAT I, UM I'M IN CHARGE OF SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND I. AND I EXPLAINED TO THEM ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS
IS THE UM, BODY SCANS, UH, SKIN CANCER CHECKS, MENTAL HEALTH, UM, ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH, UH, THERAPISTS THEY SAY WELL, DON'T YOU HAVE DON'T CAN YOUR OWN INSURANCE TAKE CARE OF THAT
? WHY WE PAINT WHY'S TAXPAYER FUNDS PAYING FOR THAT? BUT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THE STATE OF INSURANCE THESE DAYS UM, IN THE MEDICAL FIELD, IF YOU GO TO A DOCTOR AND YOU
DON'T HAVE UH, SOME TYPE OF, UM, SYMPTOM THEY WILL NOT SEND YOU TO TO TO GET THOSE BODY SCANS THEN THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT THAT WE'RE FINDING NOT ONLY
BE FINDING UH, ISSUES WITH OUR ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS WE'RE FINDING UH THE MUCH YOUNG WE'RE FINDING THESE ISSUES WITH MUCH YOUNGER FIREFIGHTERS. SO THERE IS A NEED THERE. YES. >> UM I AGREE ABSOLUTELY.
SO THANK YOU. COULD I ADD ONE MORE THING? SURE. SO ONE OTHER QUESTION AND I JUST LEARNED THIS RECENTLY IS THAT THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T NOT OR MAYBE UNTIL
RECENTLY OUR MENTAL HEALTH UH UH THE NEEDS OF OUR MEMBERS ACCORDING TO MENTAL HEALTH MENTAL HEALTH WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN THE BUDGET AND I'VE I'VE HEARD THAT THE EMS AND
BOSTON UM BOSTON POLICE DO AND I JUST FOUND THAT AMAZING BECAUSE AS COUNCIL FLYNN SAID WE ARE THE FIRST PEOPLE ON ON SCENE AND USUALLY THINGS ARE AT ITS WORST.
SO WE HAD THAT ADDED STRESS ALONG WITH UH WITH THE DISRUPTED SLEEP PATTERNS CAN UH LEAD TO TO ISSUES WITH UH FIREFIGHTERS MENTAL HEALTH. SO I'D LIKE TO YOU TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WELL.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG. WINS I WOULD. SAY AND THE POLICE. CONTRACT THIS PAST ONE WAS THAT THE UNION. REALLY MADE. SURE THAT THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS WAS. >> PART. OF THE PACKAGE FOR OUR POLICE MEMBERS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT OKAY. THANK YOU THANK. >> YOU. THANK YOU OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNSELOR BREEDEN. MR CHAIR, GOOD MORNING. UM, I JUST ALSO. >> WOULD LIKE TO, UM. WELCOME. >> UH, COMMISSIONER OF FIRE.
COMMISSIONER. UH, MARSHALL, IT WAS SO NICE TO BE AT YOUR SWEARING IN CEREMONY AND CELEBRATING THE WONDERFUL JOY OF YOUR FAMILY. THANK YOU. >> UH. IT WAS VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE AND, UH, A WONDERFUL WONDERFUL
HISTORIC DAY IN BOSTON TO HAVE YOU, UH, RISE TO THIS POSITION AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GOING FORWARD. UM. I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, THERE'S AND I KNOW, UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE. UM, THE INCREASED NUMBER OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON THE ROADS UM, IN OUR IN OUR TUNNELS
AND OUR PARKING GARAGES. I'M WONDERING, UH, HAVE WE SEEN AN UPTICK IN THE DEMAND FOR RESPONSE TO, UH, EV FIRES AND CARS? UH, ELECTRIC ELECTRIC VEHICLES
? WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY SEEN. AN UPTICK IN IN RESPONSE TO THOSE, UH, TO THOSE EVENTS. UM, RIGHT NOW THEY ARE STILL
FAR IN FUEL IN BETWEEN AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF THINGS. BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THOSE THOSE TYPE OF FIRES IS THAT THEY'RE EXTREMELY HARD TO EXTINGUISH BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE BATTERIES THEY'RE ENCASED IN.
THEY'RE CLOSED. UH, SO UM OUR TRAINING ACADEMY JUST ACTUALLY UM, CAME UP WITH A PROPRIETARY TOOL TO HELP WITH THE EXTINGUISHMENT OF THESE UH
UH, EV UH, FIRES. UM, BUT IN TERMS OF LIKE I SAID TOTAL UM IN TERMS OF FIRE CAFES ,WE HAVEN'T SEEN AN UPTICK. OKAY. UM. >> I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE THE
CAPITAL BUDGET. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SPENT ONLY 66% OF THE THE FINANCIAL YEAR 26 CAPITAL BUDGET AND ONLY 40% OF THE FUND OF THE ALLOCATION
AND IN FINANCIAL YEAR 25 UH THE FINANCIAL THE CAPITAL PLAN FOR 27 THROUGH 31 HAS INCREASED BY 16%. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO
SPEND PRIOR ALLOCATIONS. UM I'M JUST WONDERING, UM, IS ARE WE UH WHAT IS THE ISSUE WITH THE UNDERSPENDING YEAR OVER YEAR?
IS IT IS IT UH PROCUREMENT LAYER STAFFING PROJECT MANAGEMENT OR SOMETHING ELSE LIKE WE WE REALLY RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR UPGRADES IN OUR FACILITIES BUILDING NEW
FACILITIES. UM, WE SEEM TO BE PUTTING IT INTO THE BUDGET BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE GETTING SPENT. IS THERE SOMETHING WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT? THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO CHANGE. YES THANK YOU COUNCIL. UM.
MOST OF THAT IS A. DIRECT RESULT OF SOME CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WERE DELAYED ON THE CITY SIDE. THEY HAD SOME STALLED CAPITAL PROGRAMS. A NUMBER OF THEM HAVE JUST YOU KNOW, TICKED UP JUST RECENTLY. BUT FOR THE PAST COUPLE
OF YEARS MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN ON A VERY SLOW UH, PROCESS. UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE TOTALLY ON BOARD AND WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, UM, ADVOCATE FOR THE EXPANSION OF THESE PROJECTS
AND GET THEM MOVING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE YOU KNOW, WE SUBMIT THE REQUESTS AND THESE PROJECTS THEMSELVES ARE REALLY BEING MANAGED THROUGH THE PUBLIC FACILITIES DEPARTMENT.
SO WHAT THAT INVOLVES IS THEY NEED TO ASSIGN, YOU KNOW, PROJECT MANAGERS AND YOU KNOW, ARCHITECTS ENGINEERS AND AND GET ALL OF THOSE THINGS GOING. BUT WE HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE EXPANSION OF THESE AND EVEN
SOME OF THE SMALLER ONES THAT YOU KNOW, WE HAD ASKED TO TAKE CONTROL OVER WITH HVAC AND ROOFING PROJECTS. WE FELT LIKE WE COULD MANAGE SOME OF THOSE ON OUR OWN. MHM. UH AND WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH
THE BUDGET OFFICE AND PUBLIC FACILITIES TO SEE IF THEY WILL GIVE US SOME OF THAT ABILITY TO USE THOSE FUNDS TO DO OUR OWN ROOFS AND FIX EVERYONE WHO IS IS WHO IS THIS WAS AND NOT HAVE
TO, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH THE PUBLIC FACILITIES DEPARTMENT PROCESS IF AT ALL POSSIBLE TO. SPEED UP THEM. TIME IS MONEY. THE LONGER YOU WAIT THE MORE EXPENSIVE. >> IT GETS. YOU WAIT THE MORE COSTS. UM. >> I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION.
I KNOW UM I KNOW WE'VE WE'VE TALKED TO, UM, CHIEF ALLISON AND I HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS AND UH, BUT JUST THINKING ABOUT ALLSTON BRIGHTON BECAUSE YOU'RE A LOCAL GUY FROM ALLSTON, BRIGHTON.
I'M JUST THINKING OVER THE YEARS AGO JUST THINKING ABOUT, UM, ALL OF THE EXPANSION NORTH OF THE PIKE IT SEEMS TO HAVE STALLED RIGHT NOW BUT IT WILL CONTINUE.
UM, AND AND THE NEED FOR THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE ARE WE ARE WE WORKING WITH THE THE ALLSTON BRIGHTON COMMUNITY PLAN TO THINK ABOUT SPACES AND
PLACES WHERE WE COULD PUT, UH, A NEW FIREHOUSE IN NORTH OF THE PIKE UH, IN THE FUTURE? LIKE IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY, BUT ARE WE PUTTING THAT SORT OF MARKER DOWN ON THE
ON THE BOARD TO SAY AS WE BUILD OUT LIKE THE POPULATION IS NOW 87,000 AND THAT WHOLE AREA NORTH OF THE PIKE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW IN TERMS OF COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL.
UM JUST THINKING ARE WE ARE WE WORKING WITH THE UM PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO THINK ABOUT DESIGNATING SPACE ZONING FOR FOR A NEW FIREHOUSE NORTH OF THE PIKE? YEAH. >> WELL, COUNCILOR, AS YOU KNOW
,I'VE BEEN IN THESE MEETINGS WITH THE BPD, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING THAT WE SHOULD BRING ENGINE 34 BACK WHEN THE TIME COMES. YOU KNOW, UH, THE BEACON PARK RAIL YARDS IS ALL VACANT LAND NOW THEY'RE TAKING THE TRACTS
OUT IN A LOT OF SPACE AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE THE THE PIKE OVER. MHM. THE WHOLE AREA IS GOING TO BE DEVELOPED. SO WE'VE BEEN PUSHING YEAH WE'D LIKE TO SEE UH AN ENGINE COMPANY AT LEAST AND I'VE
SUGGESTED AN ENGINE AS MATT HOUSE UH FOR THAT AREA BUT IT'S JUST SUGGESTIONS AT THAT TIME WE DON'T HAVE YOU KNOW CONTROL OVER THAT LAND OURSELVES. HARVARD NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE THING.
AND THEN THAT COMES TO, UM, YOU AS OUR LEGISLATIVE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE SUPPORT THE UH THE POWER THE PRESSURE ON TO HAVE IT TO WORK WITH US. YOU KNOW, THEY OWN THE LAND. THEY'RE THE ONES ULTIMATELY THEY'RE GOING TO BE DEVELOPING THE LAND.
MHM. UH, ALL WE CAN DO IS GO TO THESE MEETINGS AND SAY YEAH, WE'D LIKE A FIREHOUSE OR A FIRE DEPARTMENT PRESENCE HERE. YOU KNOW IT ALL COMES DOWN TO RESPONSE TIMES. YOU KNOW THE ISO THE INSURANCE
AGENCY UH GIVES US A NUMBER AND YOUR INSURANCE RATES ARE BASED ON HOW FAST WE CAN GET TO YOU. OKAY. SO IF ALL OUR RESPONSES ARE COMING FROM UNION SQUARE GOING DOWN TO WHERE LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE DOUBLETREE IS YOU KNOW
WE'RE GOING TO BE DELAYED BECAUSE AS THEY BUILD IN UH THE ROADS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE IN THAT AREA, IT'S GOING TO DELAY OUR RESPONSE. WE REALLY NEED A PRESENCE DOWN
UH, IN THE OLD UH UH, ALLSTON NEIGHBORHOOD. YEAH. ENGINE 34 HISTORICALLY IS THE ONE THAT USED TO BE ON WEST. THAT'S YES, THE FIREHOUSE IS STILL THERE. I THINK IDEAS ARE IN THERE NOW BUT YEAH, IN WEST F YEAH I'M
NOT SAYING WE WOULD GO THAT THAT EXACT SPOT SO WE'D BE BETTER OFF FURTHER DOWN BY THE BUSINESS SCHOOL WHILE WE'RE YOU KNOW DOUBLETREE WHERE THEY DWELL DEALT THAT AREA IN THE HOULTON CHEMICAL AREA. UH, FIREHOUSE WOULD BE GREAT
RIGHT THERE. WE'D HAVE ACCESS TO THE, UH THE INTERCHANGE DOWN STERILE DRIVE TO GET TO THE BACK BAY. WE'D HAVE THE PIPE TO GET DOWN UH UH, DOWNTOWN TO 93. IT'D BE A PERFECT SPOT FOR LIKE
A AN ENGINE COMPANY, UH, WITH A HAZMAT, UH, CONTINGENT. YEAH. CONNECTED TO IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. WE'VE BEEN GERMAN COUNCILOR CULPEPER.
UH, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOUR NEXT TUESDAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR. UH, AND COMMISSIONER MARSHALL, LET ME BE ALSO, UH, CONTINUING IN CONGRATULATING YOU AND THAT WAS A GREAT EVENT THE OTHER DAY
AND, UH AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL. UM, I'VE STARTED OFF EVERY ONE OF THESE BUDGET HEARINGS WITH. >> EVERY DEPARTMENT SORT OF ASKING THE SAME QUESTION. SO I WILL I'LL BE CONSISTENT HERE IN JUST SAYING EVERYONE'S KIND OF TAKEN A HAIRCUT THIS YEAR.
UM, UH. HOW MUCH OF THAT. HAIRCUT FOR YOU GUYS AND WHERE ARE YOU FEELING THE PAIN AND SORT OF HOW HAVE YOU SORT OF ADAPTED TO TRY AND COVER FOR ANY OF THOSE CUTS AND HOW CONFIDENT DO WE FEEL THAT WE'LL
BE ABLE TO COVER? WELL, AS CHIEF SHAY JUST STATED, THAT HAIRCUT IS MOSTLY ,UH, CONCENTRATED ON A SAFETY HEALTH AND WELLNESS DIVISION.
UM, AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO, UH, COME UP WITH A A CREATIVE WAY TO TRY TO, UM, COVER THOSE UH, THE LOSSES IN THOSE FUNDS. FROM FROM THOSE GRANTS. OKAY. >> UM. >> I NOTICED THAT THERE IN THE
SIX STATE. GRANTS. >> UH, THAT WE HAVE THERE'S A EXPIRATION DATE OF JUNE 30TH THAT WE ARE, UH, NEED TO EXHAUST THOSE FUNDS BY. IS THERE ANYTHING? UH, DO WE FEEL CONFIDENT WE'RE GOING. >> TO. DO THAT BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR? AND FOR THE EIGHT FEDERAL
GRANTS, ARE THERE ANY, UH, SIMILAR CONTINGENCIES ON, UM. EXHAUSTING THE FUNDS BY OR DATE. WITH THE. >> STATE GRANTS? WE DON'T HAVE MUCH FLEXIBILITY IN UH, BEING ABLE TO EXTEND THOSE AT ALL.
THE STATE BRINGS ON ITS OWN SET OF CHALLENGES WHERE THE STATE WILL, YOU KNOW, VOTE FOR THESE THINGS AND YOU KNOW, THEY BECOME, UH, EFFECTIVE IN JULY 1ST. MANY TIMES AT LEAST FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS WE DON'T GET THE
DOCUMENTS FROM THE STATE UNTIL DECEMBER, WHICH MEANS THAT ONLY GIVES US SIX MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT MONEY IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO SPEND THAT MONEY ON THE PROCUREMENT CHALLENGES ABOUT GETTING SOMETHING IN SIX
MONTHS IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE MONEY BACK BUT WE'RE ALSO BEING YOU KNOW, CAUTIOUS AND NOT SPENDING YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND IT IF WE DON'T HAVE IT. UM BUT I THINK WE'RE IN A
BETTER POSITION FOR THE STATE GRANTS THIS YEAR. UH. >> THE FEDERAL GRANTS THERE'S MORE FLEXIBILITY BUT THERE'S BEEN CHALLENGES WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S CHANGE ADMINISTRATION. UH, THEME OF BEING CLOSED. UM, AND OTHER, YOU KNOW,
POLITICAL ISSUES TOTALLY BEYOND THE CONTROL OF WHAT WHAT I CAN DO WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. BUT UM, THERE IS SOME FLEXIBILITY WHERE WE CAN APPLY FOR AN EXTENSION ON SOME OF THESE BUT WHEN WE HAVE DONE
THAT IT'S THE DELAYS IN GETTING A RESPONSE BACK FROM, YOU KNOW ,FEMA OR ANY OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES IS IS VERY DELAYED. UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF SUCCESSES WITH THEM
IN UM MAY MAKING MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO THE GRANTS THEMSELVES. UM, BUT YOU KNOW, NOTHING UM, YOU KNOW REALLY THAT COMPREHENSIVE. UNDERSTOOD. >> THANK YOU. UM, SO THE FUNDING WILL BE COMING TO OUR. RECRUITMENT, CORRECT.
MR GASSMAN, ONCE WE FEEL PRETTY GOOD AROUND THE FUNDING IN TERMS OF, UH, BOTH OUR HYBRID CADET AND TRADITIONAL UM. ONLY THE TIMING OF OF A.
CLASS THAT WOULD HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON, UM OUR CADETS IN. PARTICULAR. >> UM AND A RIPPLE EFFECT BUT, UM, THOSE ARE THINGS I THINK WE CAN WE CAN SORT OUT DETERMINE UH, WE ARE BUDGETED FOR A UH,
2020 FISCAL YEAR 2027 CLASS. UM, AND SO JUST THE TIMING OF THAT IN TERMS OF WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO UH, ADMINISTER THAT CLASS IS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WHAT. WE WOULD BE. CONCERNED ABOUT NOW BUT UH,
WE'VE HAD 100% UH, SUPPORT UH FOR THE CADETS IN TERMS OF FUNDING FOR THE CAMP PROGRAM. AND AGAIN, THE UH THE HYBRID IS THERE IS NO FUNDING OR LINE ITEM FOR THAT. IT'S JUST PART OF OUR UH, 5051
50% IS TRADITIONAL. THE OTHER HALF IS COMBINATION OF. HYBRID AND CADETS. OKAY SO THAT THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS GOING TO LEAD ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION ABOUT. THE TOTAL COST.
>> OF CADET VERSUS HYBRID. I WAS THANK YOU BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO ASK WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WAS FOR MY OWN EDUCATION. UM, BUT NOW THAT YOU'VE EXPLAINED THAT THE COST SO ONE IS AT NO COST AND ONE HAS A COST BUT I KNOW THIS THAT I
HEARD YOU SAY THE $32,000 RIGHT PER CADET. BUT IN. TOTAL EVEN I MEAN UH UH FACILITIES OPERATIONS EQUIPMENT ANY OF THAT FOR THE CADET PROGRAM? DO WE HAVE AN ENTIRE NUMBER OF WHAT THAT MIGHT BE?
IN TERMS OF WHAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE BUDGET OFFICE, IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT A 1.1 MILLION $1.18 MILLION REDUCTION IN NON PERSONNEL ACCOUNTS. OKAY. >> AND THAT COVERS EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE CADET PROGRAM.
AND THE HYBRID IS JUST A FORMULA. THAT'S BUILT INTO THE PERSONNEL COSTS. UNDERSTOOD. >> OKAY. >> UM A COUPLE OF THINGS ON ON THE CAPITAL SIDE. UH I KNOW AT. ASHMONT UM. ON DOT AVE.
UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE ONE OF THE ANOTHER TROUBLED. FIREHOUSE IN TERMS OF WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IN EAST BOSTON AND THINGS OF THE LIKE UM, I KNOW IT'S NOT NEXT ON THE CAPITAL AGENDA BUT I BELIEVE IT IS UH
IN THE QUEUE UH, TO BE REDONE AND THERE WAS A LAND THAT WAS PURCHASED BEHIND IT AND WE'LL HOPEFULLY SEE SOME. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAD AN UPDATE AS TO A POTENTIAL UH, SHOVEL IN THE GROUND FOR ANYTHING LIKE THAT FOR UH FOR
THE ASHMONT FIREHOUSE. >> THE. TRANSFER OF THE DEED FOR THE LAND THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF BEHIND THE ENGINE. UH 1718 THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED. UM, IT DID NOT MAKE IT ON THE DOCKET FOR THE CAPITAL PLAN FOR
NEXT YEAR AND I SUSPECT IT WILL MAKE IT INTO NEXT YEAR'S THE PLANNING STAGES. BUT IN THE INITIAL PLANNING STAGES IN GENERAL TAKE ABOUT THREE YEARS FOR YOU TO DESIGN AND YOU KNOW, KIND OF DISCOVERY OF THAT. YEAH.
>> NOW THAT THAT TIMELINE SOUNDS RIGHT BUT THAT SOUNDS GOOD I HOPE I HOPE IT CONTINUES ON THAT TIMELINE THEN. UM QUESTION AROUND THE MARINE UNITS. UH, WHAT ARE THE NEW BOATS AND EQUIPMENT. ALLOW US TO DO BETTER NOW THAN
THE PREVIOUS THAT WE HAD WHEN WE SAID WE HAVE UPDATED STATE OF THE ART, WHAT IS IT THAT OUR MEMBERS WOULD BE ABLE TO DO. UH. >> THAT SAY HEY, THIS MADE THIS MADE THE JOB AND LIFE AND THE DELIVERY OF THE SERVICES A LOT
BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD BEFORE. WHAT ARE THE ANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES. >> THAT WHAT COUNCIL. COUNCILOR UH, THE STATE OF THE ART UH, ALLOWS OUR MEMBERS TO WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY WHEN THEY RESPOND TO WE GOT THESE UH THAT
THEY'RE THEY'RE LIKE TURBOJET ENGINES NOW. UH, SUPPOSEDLY I'M NOT A MARITIME GUY MYSELF, BUT THE MORE RELIABLE, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO PUT UH, UH, MEMBERS THAT HAVE MARITIME EXPERIENCE ON
THERE, THEY'RE ABLE TO RESPOND AND WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY ONCE THEY GET TO THE SCENE. UH, WE HAVE THREE UH, MAIN BOATS DOWN THERE RIGHT NOW THE UH THE THE NEW BOAT COMING IN.
UH, I WON'T ANNOUNCE ITS NAME BUT THE MARINE ONE WILL CALL IT RIGHT NOW HAS TOTAL HARBOR BUT SOME OF THE AREAS THAT HARBOR HAVE, UH, LOWER TIDES. SO WE SEND OUT THE LEAHY FOR THAT AND THEN WE HAVE A THIRD BOAT THAT'S DEDICATED JUST FOR
OUR, UH, OUR SCUBA DIVERS. ALL RIGHT, THE JOHN KENNY. ALL RIGHT, SO IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT WHERE WE'RE PUTTING MEMBERS IN THE WATER AT THE DIVE, THEY'RE GOING TO USE THIS BOAT DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY BY THEM FOR THEM.
ALL RIGHT. BEFORE WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, PIECEMEAL THE BOAT TOGETHER OR WHATEVER THE THE OLD, UH, DIE BOAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY OTHER CAPABILITIES OF THIS DAY BOAT? UH, WE'RE JUST MORE EFFICIENT WITH OUR WITH THE INVESTMENT THE CITY MADE WITH IN OUR
MARINE UNIT. THAT'S US AND THE NEW BOAT, NOT THE USS FITZGERALD. IT'S NOT THE FITZGERALD, BUT IT'S NOT MY PLACE TO TO ANNOUNCE ITS NAME. BUT I. >> STILL HAVE A CHANCE. THANK YOU GUYS. UH, MY TIME IS UP I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU JEFF OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND GOOD TO SEE YOU, MR MARSHALL.
I MISSED THAT SWEARING IN, BUT ,UH, I WAS AT THE ANNOUNCEMENT . I, UH, HATED TO MISS IT, BUT I JUST, UM.
RUPTURED A DIS IN MY BACK AND, UH, I COULDN'T MOVE. AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE FIREFIGHTERS AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND THE NUMBER
OF DEATHS THAT ARE RUPTURED AND FIGHTING FIRES, I I REALLY HAVE TO COMPLIMENT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ON HOW YOU HAVE KEPT
THE CITY SAFE WITH REGARD TO FIRES. I WATCH THOSE FIRES AND I WATCH HOW THE MEN REACT AS FIRST RESPONDERS NOT THINKING ABOUT THEIR LIVES, THINKING ABOUT
SAVING LIVES. SO WE REALLY COMMEND THE WORK THAT YOU DO. IT'S REALLY AMAZING THAT WE CAN SIT WITH YOU THIS MORNING AND UH.
I'M GONNA, YOU KNOW, QUESTION IT. YOU KNOW, I CAN BE TOUGH SOMETIMES BUT I FIRST WANTED TO JUST COMMEND YOU AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT FIREFIGHTERS? AND SO THANK YOU FOR, UH THAT ALL OF YOU TO UH NOW TO THE TOUGH PART AND I'M ONLY KIDDING
. I'VE HEARD A LOT OF TIMES ABOUT THESE GRANTS UM, FOR THE STATE GRANTS. WHAT ARE THEY THE SIX STATE GRANTS.
AND HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO SENDING MONEY BACK TO THE STATE? TO COUNCIL? I'M GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE PROCUREMENT GRANTS FOR THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT SPEAK TO
THAT. SHE'S IN THE WEEDS WITH GRANT. OKAY. >> I JUST WANT TO DIG A LITTLE DEEPER INTO MUCH BETTER. OKAY? OKAY.
I I'M ON. MY COMPUTER SLEEPING. I SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT FROM MY HEAD. UM, SO THE SIX STATE GRANTS THAT THE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY HAS IS AN EARMARK FOR THE
TRAINING ACADEMY. UM. >> IT FUNDS ALL OF THE THE NEEDS AND WANTS OF OUR FACILITY IN MOON ISLAND. UH, THAT'S WHERE ALL OF OUR TRAINING OCCURS. UM, THAT IS $1.7 MILLION THAT
WE RECEIVE. UM, WE DID SEE A YEAR I BELIEVE IT WAS FISCAL YEAR 23, UH, WHERE THOSE FUNDS DROPPED DOWN TO A HALF $1 MILLION.
UM, THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME NEWS ARTICLES INDICATING THAT WE WILL BE GIVEN THE 1.7 IN FISCAL YEAR 27. BUT LIKE KEVIN HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, SOMETIMES WITH THE
STATE LEGISLATION WE'RE WE'RE FEARFUL OF 90 CUTS THAT MAY OCCUR AND WHEN WE DON'T GET THE CONTRACT UNTIL DECEMBER, UM, WE TRY TO BE AS FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND NOT HEAVILY
PROCURE ASSUMING THAT THAT MONEY WILL BE COMING TO THE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IF YOU SPEND GRANT FUNDS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AWARDED OR ACCEPTED BY THE COUNCIL, IT BECOMES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DEPARTMENT. AND SO. >> ONCE WE GOT TO THAT DECEMBER
,IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU GET THE INFORMATION EARLIER SO YOU HAVE MORE TIME TO PREPARE FOR IT? I MEAN. >> WHAT CAN THE COUNCIL DO? I MEAN WE COULD DO A RESOLUTION A HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND.
I THINK IT'S IT HINGES ON THE STATE AND THEIR PROCESS WITH EXECUTING THEIR BUDGET. UM SO OFTENTIMES WE'RE WE'RE IN
CONVERSATION WITH THEM. I TEND TO SEND THEM EMAILS ON A DAILY WEEKLY BASIS JUST TO SAY WHERE ARE WE? DO WE HAVE A DOLLAR VALUE? UM, BUT SOMETIMES THEY CAN'T GO GIVE US THAT INFORMATION IF
THERE'S GOING TO BE A9C REDUCTION. UM, SO WE DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN. UM WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT RETURNING ANY OF OUR STATE GRANTS. UM, I'M SURE TO BE DILIGENT AND
MAKING SURE THAT THAT MONEY GETS SPENT ACCORDINGLY. UM SO IF THAT'S THE CASE LET'S GO TO THE FEDERAL GRANTS. IF YOU DON'T THINK ANY OF THE MONEY HAS GO BACK TO THE STATE,
LET'S LOOK INTO FEDERAL GRANTS OKAY. LET'S JUST LOOK AT THE ONES THAT YOU MIGHT BE IN TROUBLE WITH IN TERMS OF THE MONEY GOING BACK. UM, SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE AN
ISSUE OF MONEY GOING BACK. IT'S MORE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE GRANTS THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES ARE COMPETITIVE IN NATURE. SO I, I PREVIOUSLY WORK FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAVE A DECENT AMOUNT OF FORMULA GRANTS SO THEIR CRIME CRIME RATINGS ARE CONTINGENT YOU KNOW POPULATION BASED UH ONE OF THE GRANTS THAT
WE DO RECEIVE THROUGH THE UM POLICE DEPARTMENT IS OUR SAP GRANT. UM, SO THAT'S THE PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT THE CAD SYSTEM
RESPONSE WE DO RECEIVE FUNDS FROM BOSTON POLICE THROUGH EOPS FOR THAT MONEY THAT IS A STATE GRANT. BUT WITH OUR GRANTS THE MAJORITY OF OUR FEDERAL FUNDING HAS COME FROM ASSISTANCE FOR
FIREFIGHTER GRANTS. IT'S COMPETITIVE IN NATURE. OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS WE'VE RECEIVED ABOUT $1.4 MILLION UNDER THOSE AWARDS WE PUT IN AN APPLICATION FOR THEIR FISCAL
YEAR 24 FUNDING. IT WAS DUE ON DECEMBER 20TH OF 2025. WE DID NOT RECEIVE AN AWARD. ALSO LIKE KEVIN HAD SAID EARLIER, WE'RE DEALING WITH
FEMA BEING PART OF UH A FREEZE OR A PAUSE. SO EVEN WITH INQUIRIES RELATIVE TO THE CURRENT GRANTS THAT WE HAVE, THERE'S OFTENTIMES NOT
STAFF AVAILABLE AT THE FEDERAL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO CORRESPOND WITH US TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE MAY LIKE TO SEE. UM, I HAVE A A PROGRAMMATIC
STAFF MEMBER AND SHE AND I WORK WITH A GRANT WRITER. UM, AND WE MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENTS THAT RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDING ON A PRETTY CONSTANT BASIS TO MAKE SURE
THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT FUNDING THEY HAVE, HOW IT CAN BE SPENT AND HOW THEY'RE DOING ON THEIR SPENDING. UH UH, BUT I THINK THE ISSUE AT HAND IS THAT WITH THE FEDERAL
LAPSE WE'RE SEEING THAT SOLICITATIONS FOR THESE ASSISTED FOR FIREFIGHTER GRANTS AS WELL AS UM WE ALSO RECEIVE GRANTS UNDER UH FIRE PREVENTION AND SAFETY IS ANOTHER FEMA
PROGRAM. UM AND WE'VE BEEN STEADILY INCREASING OUR AWARD AMOUNT I THINK WE RECEIVED $106,000. UH, LIKE KEVIN SAID THAT FUNDED HOT WORK.
SO WE HAVE JUST RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED WITH NFPA THE ABILITY FOR ALL OF OUR MEMBERS TO GET A HOT WORK CERTIFICATE. UM, SO IF SOMEBODY DOES WORK
WITHIN THE CITY DEALING WITH WELDING, UH, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A 51 B LICENSE. THIS INSTITUTION UNDER THESE GRANT FUNDS WILL ALLOW ALL
OF OUR MEMBERS WHO ARE OVERSEEING HOT WORK PERMITS BE CERTIFIED OR HAVE THE LICENSE THAT WE REQUIRE THE CONTRACTORS TO DO THAT WORK.
UM, SO I THINK THERE'S JUST A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GRANTS. WE APPLIED FOR A GRANT, UH, FOR
FIRST RESPONDERS TO EDUCATE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. UH, LIEUTENANT KNEE ON NARCAN RESPONSE. SO I KNOW COUNCILOR FLYNN ASKED
ABOUT NARCAN OR OVERDOSE RESPONSES. UH, THE EAP PROGRAM WAS GOING OUT AND AFTER AN OVERDOSE OCCURS IT GETS CODED INTO THE
SYSTEM AND THE EAP PROGRAM WAS FOLLOWING UP AT THAT HOME OR LOCATION WHERE THE OVERDOSE HAD OCCURRED AND CONNECTING THOSE PEOPLE WITH POTENTIAL RESOURCES THAT THEY MAY NEED FOR
RECOVERY. AND THAT GRANT WOULD HAVE FUNDED THIS THE WE GOT A NOTICE THAT YOU KNOW, WE GOT OUR SCORE FOR THE GRANT AND THEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ISSUED A
NOTICE ON THEIR WEBSITE THAT THEY WERE NOT GIVING OUT ANY AWARDS RELATIVE TO THAT GRANT. SO WE'RE JUST SEEING A LOT OF FEDERAL UNCERTAINTY.
UM, WE DO INTEND TO APPLY FOR AFG FUNDING IF IT IS RELEASED BUT GENERALLY THE SOLICIT SOLICITATIONS OR THE NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR AFG
IS RELEASED IN ABOUT APRIL. SO IF THEY'RE NOT RELEASED THIS MAY BEFORE THE FISCAL THE FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR, WE MAY NOT BE LIKELY TO RECOVER OR APPLY
FOR AN ADDITIONAL 1.4 MILLION WHICH WOULD SUPPORT POTENTIALLY CANCER SCREENING, DERMATOLOGY TESTING, UH TRAINING OF OUR SENIOR OFFICERS.
UM OUR CLINICAL DIRECTOR WHO WAS THE NUTRITIONIST AND OUR INJURY PREVENTION SPECIALIST. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED UNDER THOSE GRANTS IN THE PAST.
MR CHAIRMAN, I HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS BUT I'LL SAVE THEM UNTIL THE SECOND ROUND. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. RESPECT TO COUNCILOR FLYNN. JOHN OKAY.
WELL THANK YOU THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. UH, SO I THINK I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FROM THE CHAIR AND THEN WE'LL GO TO A SECOND THAT THERE'S NO ONE SIGNED UP. OKAY. >> UM, UNLESS WE IF THERE'S
FOLKS WHO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY, WE'LL HEAR FROM THEM. BUT, UH, WELL, RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO ONE SIGNED UP. SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND WE'LL GO TO A SECOND ROUND TO MY COLLEAGUES. UM, I GUESS, UH, MR GASKINS SO
IN TERMS OF UH, USING RESIDENCY IN BOSTON AS A AS A TOOL TO, YOU KNOW, INCREASE DIVERSITY IN OUR HIRING, CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN WHAT THE MECHANISM IS THERE?
UH, DO YOU DO YOU GET EXTRA POINTS OR UH BECAUSE I THINK WHEN WE HAD COMMISSIONER BURKE BEFORE US HE SAID HE SUPPORTED LIKE HYBRID PATHWAYS. OKAY, UH, WE DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC
TESTIMONY. UM, UH, YOU KNOW, HYBRID PATHWAYS TO INCREASE DIVERSITY BUT HE'S SORT OF HANDS ARE TIED IN DIVERSITY HIRING BECAUSE OF THE WAY, YOU KNOW, DISABLED
VETERANS, UH, STATUS PLAYED A ROLE. SO I DON'T KNOW CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN HOW YOU'RE USING RESIDENCY TO HELP. WITH RESIDENCY? THANK YOU. UH, CHAIR. UM, WITH RESIDENCY, UH, RIGHT
NOW IF WE JUST RELIED ON THE TRADITIONAL CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS. IF I'M A, UH, PERSON THAT'S SERVING IN THE MILITARY. I'M FROM MARBLEHEAD. NEVER COME TO BOSTON.
UH, OUTSIDE OF A RED SOX GAME UPON SEPARATION, I HAVE 90 DAYS FROM SEPARATION. TO BECOME A BOSTON RESIDENT. I CAN SCORE A 70 ON THAT PARTICULAR TEST.
A CIVILIAN THAT'S A BOSTON RESIDENT CAN TAKE THAT SAME TEST SCORE 100 BUT THAT AND SOMEONE THAT'S BORN AND RAISED IN DORCHESTER, THAT SAME UH, CANDIDATE FROM MARBLEHEAD.
WOULD GET WOULD. >> BE RANKED. HIGHER AND WOULD GET TO. GET THE JOB OVER THE RESIDENT. SO UM, IF WE'RE RELYING SOLELY ON THE TRADITIONAL PROCESS. UH, THE MAJORITY OF. >> OUR CANDIDATES OVER THE PAST
TEN YEARS AREN'T ORIGINALLY BOSTON RESIDENTS UM, THROUGH THAT PROCESS. SO THERE IS A PIPELINE OF. CANDIDATES IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. THAT MAKE THEIR. >> WAY. TO BOSTON AND IN SOME CASES THEY COULD BE FROM. CALIFORNIA OR.
>> OKLAHOMA HAVING MOVED HERE ONE YEAR PRIOR TO TAKING A TEST. AND SO AGAIN, REALLY. LOOKING AT THE THREE YEARS OF RESIDENCY AS A AS A BAR UH, NOT NECESSARILY A BARRIER
BECAUSE WE KNOW PEOPLE THAT ARE UH IMMIGRATING TO TO UM TO BOSTON OR TO TO THE US OR EVEN MY MYSELF AS AN EXAMPLE COMING FROM THE WEST COAST, AS LONG AS I'M INVESTING ENOUGH TIME IN
THE CITY TO GET A. BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF. >> WHAT THE CITY IS THAT CULTURAL. COMPETENCY WE FEEL LIKE THAT GIVES UH, OUR BOSTON RESIDENTS A GOOD. UH. >> OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY TO THE POSITION. SO IF YOU HAVE THREE YEARS IN
THE CITY YOU GET UH YOU GET PUT AT THE TOP OF THE LIST OR YOU. KNOW, IT'S JUST UH SO THE HYBRID PROCESS IS IS MORE UH. CLOSELY RELATED TO. >> AN INTERVIEW PROCESS. UM. >> SO WE'RE WE'RE ABLE TO. UH, VET CANDIDATES THROUGH A UH ,PHYSICAL FITNESS ASSESSMENT
WHICH IS OUR FIRE OR OUR FIREFIGHTER APPLICANT READINESS ASSESSMENT. WE DO REQUIRE THEM TO UH, UH, HAVE PASSED THE CIVIL SERVICE TEST. AND THEN WE. LOOK AT THEIR RESUME
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS, WE LOOK AT THEIR UH, COMMUNITY UH, SERVICE AND. AND UH. >> AGAIN, UH, WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO INTERVIEW CANDIDATES UH, THAT WAY AND. IT SO. >> IT'S IT'S MORE CLOSELY. RELATED TO.
UH A TRADITIONAL. INTERVIEW PROCESS WHERE WE CAN ASSESS A CANDIDATE'S COMPLETE PROFILE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. BUT UM, AT THE. CORE, THE THREE YEARS THE MAJORITY OF OUR CANDIDATES HAVE
MORE THAN THREE YEARS WHILE. WE DIDN'T WANT TO. TAKE AWAY FROM SAY, UH, SOMEONE THAT UM AGAIN, IF I'M USING MYSELF AS AN EXAMPLE I'M FROM LAS VEGAS. I CAME HERE TO GO TO SCHOOL.
ONCE I GRADUATED I DECIDED TO STAY. UM, SO NOW I'VE BEEN HERE FOR FOUR YEARS. MAYBE I'VE REGISTERED TO VOTE. MAYBE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, NOW I'M ELIGIBLE. CANDIDATE TO.
IN ORDER TO APPLY TO TO THE POSITION. OKAY. >> AND THEN I GUESS, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE ONCE ONCE YOU GET HIRED HOW YOU MOVE UP THE CHAIN, YOU KNOW, UH UH I
THINK WE'VE YEAH. AND CASES I LITIGATED AGAINST THE CITY OF BOSTON, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND PEOPLE WERE MOVING UP. UH, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, ARE WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE
SURE THAT THOSE ONCE HIRED, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN ADVANCE IN THE . YEAH. >> ONCE HIRED THE PROMOTIONAL EXAM PROCESS, THEY'RE STILL IN THE CIVIL SERVICE. SO THERE'S A, UH, A PROCESS THROUGH THERE. I WILL SAY THAT IF, UM, I THINK
VETERANS HAVE A DISTINCT ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT THEIR, UH, THAT THEIR TENURE UP TO 25 YEARS WHERE, UH. THEY'RE AT. >> A DISTINCT ADVANTAGE OVER SOMEONE THAT'S A NON VETERAN. UM, THERE ARE DIFFERENT MODELS
IN THE UH, NATION THAT I THINK MIGHT BE MORE, UH, BENEFICIAL AND EQUITABLE. UM, NEW YORK AS AN EXAMPLE IF I'M ENTERING INTO UH NEW YORK CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS I CAN USE
MY PREFERENCE EITHER AT THE BEGINNING OF UH MY TENURE GETTING INTO AN ACADEMY CLASS OR UH DURING ONE PROMOTIONAL EXAM AFTER THAT IT'S ALL IT'S
ALL, UH, THE SAME PLAYING FIELD UM WHEREAS BOSTON UM IF I'M A VETERAN I HAVE POINTS RIGHT OFF THE BAT THROUGHOUT MY TENURE UNTIL 25 YEARS. SO I ALWAYS COMMEND UH
CIVILIAN. EMPLOYEE OR CIVILIANS. THAT DON'T HAVE ANY VETERAN PREFERENCE. UH, WHEN THEY DO MOVE UP THE. RANKS LIKE. UH COMMISSIONER UM, THEY'RE COMPETING IN THE REALLY HAD A
2.4 DISADVANTAGE AND THOSE TWO POINTS MEAN A. WHOLE LOT. >> THEY CAN THEY CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE UH UH BETWEEN GETTING UM. UH AN OPPORTUNITY OR NOT. SO UM, CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS
RIGHT NOW IS AS AS IT'S ESTABLISHED I THINK WHAT I HEAR FROM THE RANKS THAT IT'S A FAIR PROCESS. BUT I WILL SAY THAT, UM, THE TWO POINTS THAT A VETERAN MIGHT
GET IF WE START AGAIN I'M NOT. AND THESE ARE WRITTEN TESTS. THESE ARE WRITTEN TESTS. WELL, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS LIKE HOW DOES A WRITTEN TEST MEASURE LIKE SOMEONE'S ABILITY TO. WELL LIKE SO LEAD PEOPLE AND YEAH.
I SO I WOULD SAY UM I LIKE JULIE MISS DEVIN UM WE COME FROM UH BPD WHERE WE'VE HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND ACTUALLY MISS DEVIN THAT HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY, UH, THROUGH
THE UH, BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S UH, PROMOTIONAL EXAM PROCESS. UM. >> THE CHANGES THAT ONE MIGHT MAKE IN A PROCESS REALLY HAS TO COME FROM A JOB ANALYSIS. AND MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO
WHETHER OR NOT THE COMPONENTS OF THE EXAM, UH, CAN IN FACT ASSESS CANDIDATES. YEAH. IF WE'RE USING UH, THE HYBRID MODEL AS FAR AS OUR RECRUITING PROCESS. GOES. >> UM, I THINK USING THESE
ASSESSMENT TOOLS LIKE CAREER READINESS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE UM IS STRONG ENOUGH TO DO THE JOB AND CAPABLE TO DO THAT AND THEN USING UH TRADITIONAL INTERVIEW PROCESS THAT CONSISTS
OF FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE AT ON THE COMMITTEE THAT ARE ACTUALLY MAKING UH. YEAH I HEAR I'M JUST I'M I'M SORRY TO CUT YOU OFF. MY TIME IS ABOUT TO END AND I JUST I HAD ONE QUESTION IN TERMS OF THE IT'S THE
MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES. UH UH, THE MATERIALS LINE ITEM IT'S IT'S ABOUT LIKE 3.5 MILLION HISTORICALLY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HASN'T SPENT ABOUT 900,000 OF THAT MONEY EVERY
YEAR. I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT THAT GETS USED FOR AND AND WHY, UH, YOU KNOW, WE I THINK TO TO SIMILAR TO COUNCILOR BRADEN'S QUESTION ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET
LIKE, YOU KNOW WHY WE DON'T SPEND THE FULL AMOUNT ON OF. IT'S SIMILAR TO THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE WITH IT'S A PROCUREMENT ISSUE WHERE YOU KNOW, THE CITY WILL ISSUE A
MEMO EVERY UH THAT YOU KNOW, UM ,ALL UM, SPENDING FOR GOODS NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED BY APRIL 15TH. UM, I WAS THE PURCHASING AGENT FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON AND I WAS NEVER AN ADVOCATE OF.
THAT THE TIMING OF THAT MEMO. BECAUSE I DO FEEL IT RESTRICTS THE ABILITY OF DEPARTMENTS TO BE ABLE TO SPEND ACCORDINGLY. SO YOU KNOW ALREADY WE'RE WE'RE OUT OF SUPPLIES NOW, YOU KNOW,
YOU KNOW, ONE MONTH INTO THE DEADLINE WHICH WAS I THINK IT WAS APRIL 12TH. SO WE CAN'T THE CITY RESTRICTS US FROM SPENDING THAT MONEY. UH WE WOULD SPEND PROBABLY EVERY PENNY OF THAT IF WE HAD
BEEN GIVEN UH UH, A LONGER WINDOW TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT NOW WITH SERVICE PROCUREMENTS WE HAVE UNTIL I THINK JUNE 12TH TO END IT. UM, IT'S JUST IT'S VERY
DIFFICULT AND I SEE IT NOW FROM ,YOU KNOW, BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET FROM THE YOU KNOW, THE CITY HALL SIDE. AND I ALSO SEE IT FROM THE RESTRICTIONS IT PUTS ON A DEPARTMENT LIKE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO HAS CONSISTENTLY
,YOU KNOW, GONE THROUGH LEVEL FUNDING AND THAT'S TO A CERTAIN EXTENT SOME BUDGET CUTS OVER MANY YEARS. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH I'M GOING TO GO TO OH SORRY WE DO HAVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. UH OH YEAH. OH.
SO COUNCILOR DURKAN, YOU DID MAKE IT HERE. UH, SO, UM, THE ONE PERSON SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL HAVE TO HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER SEVEN MINUTES. COUNCILOR DURKAN. UH, FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. UM, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE HARD WORKING MEN OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WOMEN. UM, IT'S INCREDIBLE THAT, UH, WE HAVE A NEW COMMISSIONER, YOU
KNOW, AND, UM, IT'S ALSO INCREDIBLE THAT WE'VE, UM, GOTTEN TO A PLACE IN OUR BUDGET WHERE WE'RE BEFORE YOU AGAIN. SO LAST YEAR ASKED A QUESTION
ABOUT, UH, FIRE INSPECTORS. UM, I HEARD FROM ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS ESD THAT, UM, A BIG ISSUE IN MY DISTRICT IS, UM THE TIME IT TAKES A BUSINESS TO GET PERMITTED.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE SAME QUESTION, UM, WITH THE NEW INFORMATION THAT THERE ARE MORE FIRE INSPECTORS. SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE QUESTION OF HOW MANY FIRE INSPECTORS ARE THERE.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE, UM, IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE? YEAH. >> I COUNCILOR OUR PANEL. I'M SORRY. UH, WE GOT ABOUT, UH, 50 INSPECTORS UP THERE, UH, ASSIGNED TO FIRE PREVENTION
THAT GO OUT ON A DAILY BASIS, UH, DOING COMPLIANCE AND ACCEPTANCE TESTING. UM, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, WORKING WITH ESD WITH THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, UH, ISSUING AND WHATNOT.
THANK YOU. >> YEAH, I BIG ISSUE IN MY DISTRICT IS JUST AH I MEAN WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS BUT LIKE SPECIFICALLY I HAVE ONE STREET THAT HAS OVER 400 SMALL BUSINESSES SO OFTEN
TIMES THERE'S CHANGE OVER AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CORE OF OUR CITY AND OUR RETAIL SPACES ARE FILLED. SO I'M GRATEFUL TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR ALL OF THE
COORDINATION THAT'S HAPPENING. AND I KNOW THAT, UM, I, I SENSE THAT THERE'S BEEN IMPROVEMENTS . >> WELL, WE WORKED WITH UH, UNDER THE MAYOR'S UH, INITIATIVE. SHE, UH SO WHAT WAS IT? UH, KRISTEN. SHELLEY IT'S.
THAT SHE ASSIGNED, UH, LIKE THE PERMITS, UH, AND WE TRIED TO STREAMLINE ANYTHING ON OUR END OF IT AND SHE WAS WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE BOARD WITH ESD AND WHATNOT. BUT WE TRIED TO STREAMLINE OUR
APPLICATION PROCESS TO MAKE IT EASIER. SO IF YOU COME IN AND OFF THE STREET YOU'RE NOT LIKE DUMBFOUNDED WHEN YOU COME TO THE DESK. YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO PUT THE INFORMATION OUT THERE TO THE PUBLIC TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU GOT BECAUSE THAT'S 90% OF THE TIME.
AND YOU KNOW, UH, DEPUTY SHAY BEHIND ME WAS ALSO A FORMER UH ,MARSHALL. UH. >> WE'RE NOT HOLDING PEOPLE UP NEEDLESSLY BUT PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME IN THEY NEED TO BRING CODE COMPLIANT PLANS. IF THEY DON'T BRING US CODE COMPLIANT PLANS, WE CAN'T
JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, SIGN OFF ON SOMETHING, YOU KNOW? SO IT'S REALLY THE EDUCATION TO THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED TO BRING IN TO US SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, REVIEW THEIR PLANS IN A TIMELY MANNER, SEND IT AND INSPECT INSPECTOR ROAD THAT IT WAS BUILT ACCORDING TO THE
PLANS AND THEN SIGN OFF SO THE BUILDING IS SAFE BECAUSE YOU KNOW ULTIMATELY THAT'S THAT'S OUR MISSION TO UH MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE ARE LIVING AND WORKING IN SAFE ENVIRONMENTS AND BUILDINGS. ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MISSIONS OF THE CITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK. UM, I, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THIS BUDGET. UM I DO UM I NOTICED THAT THE INCREASE IN PERSONNEL SERVICES THOSE ARE ONES THAT WE ALL VOTED ON THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING PROCESS. SO I WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THAT UH, CONTRACT AND CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE HARDWORKING PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK AND I'LL YIELD MY TIME BACK TO HER. OKAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, OKAY. SO, UH, THAT WRAPS UP OUR FIRST ROUND. WE'RE GOING TO OUR, UH, PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WE'VE GOT A SAM DILLON. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF, UH, TO THE COUNCIL.
UM, YOU YOU GOT TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR. UH, GOOD MORNING, SAM DILLON, PRESIDENT OF BOSTON FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 718. THANK YOU TO MEMBERS. OF OUR COMMAND. STAFF FOR APPEARING. >> HERE TODAY FOR THIS COMMITTEE AND. TO THE COUNCILORS WHO WERE
PRESENT TODAY FOR GETTING TOGETHER. BUDGET SEASON IS NEVER EASY. THIS IS A I BELIEVE THE FOURTH ITERATION OF THIS SINCE I BECAME PRESIDENT. YOU HAVE. EVERY AGENCY, EVERY DEPARTMENT
,EVERY UNION WITHIN THE CITY COMING IN AND ADVOCATING FOR THEIR ASKS WHAT THEY NEED TO SEE OUT OF THIS BODY AND OUT OF THIS CITY FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR. WE ALL READ THE PAPER.
EVERYONE'S PAYING ATTENTION. WE UNDERSTAND THIS UPCOMING F.Y.I AND THIS CURRENT BUDGET SEASON. THE HARD REALITY OF THAT IS IT IT'S DIFFICULT. IT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR THE CITY OR FOR THESE DEPARTMENTS
COMING IN. UH, SO LOCAL 718 UNDERSTANDS THE POSITION THAT THIS ELECTED BODY IS IN. THAT BEING SAID, JUST LISTENING TO UH, SOME OF THE PRESENTATION
AND THE TESTIMONY THAT JUST TOOK PLACE, I DO WANT TO FOCUS IN ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND PARTICULARLY FIREFIGHTERS BECAUSE THAT'S WHO I REPRESENT. THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE
OF EQUIPMENT, IF YOU WILL, OUT THERE IN THE CITY IS A BOSTON FIREFIGHTER IS A FIRE OFFICER. THE MEMBERS THAT I REPRESENT ARE THE ONES FROM MY DIVISION
AND DISTRICT COMMANDERS TO OUR COMPANY OFFICES TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS ON THE APPARATUS, ON THE FIRE TRUCK RESPONDING TO THESE 911 CALLS PUTTING THEIR
HEALTH AND THEIR LIFE ON. >> THE LINE. FOR THIS CITY. ONE THING THAT'S REALLY JUMPED OUT TO ME OVER THE PAST HALF AN HOUR TESTIMONY THAT 1.4 I
BELIEVE WAS 1.4 1.5 MILLION FOR THE WELLNESS INITIATIVE. YOU HEARD SOME OF THE TESTIMONY FROM MY BROTHER COMING OUT OF SAFETY, HEALTH, WELLNESS, THOSE EARLY DETECTION
CANCER SCREENINGS THAT EARLY INTERVENTION. FOR FIREFIGHTER AND FIRE OFFICER HEALTH. YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE TAG ON THAT NOW IF YOU HAD TO YOU'RE
GOING TO SEE IT'S A LOT LESS THAN 1.4 MILLION EARLY DETECTION EARLY INTERVENTION PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE SAVES THIS CITY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR.
ONE STEP FURTHER, THAT PROGRAM AND THOSE INITIATIVES HAVE DIRECTLY SAVED THE LIVES OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS. YOU SAW THE STATISTICS OF HOW MANY OF OUR MEMBERS WENT
THROUGH THAT SCREENING AND HOW MANY NEEDED FOR ONE CARE. THOSE SCREENINGS DIRECTLY. CAUGHT SEVERAL CANCERS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
DETECTED. LIKE MY BROTHER MENTIONED TRYING TO GO IF YOU'RE A FIREFIGHTER TRYING TO GO THROUGH YOUR INSURANCE TO GET THESE THINGS DONE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OF THE SYMPTOMS
THAT THEY WOULD USE TO JUSTIFY THESE SCREENINGS. WELL, IN OUR WORLD BEING A FIREFIGHTER IS THE SYMPTOM. THE THINGS THAT OUR MEMBERS ARE EXPOSED TO THAT IS THE SYMPTOM
OF ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS IF NOT DEADLIEST PROFESSIONS IN THE CITY. I CANNOT REITERATE ENOUGH TO THIS BODY. I UNDERSTAND IT'S A DIFFICULT THAT'S WHY I UNDERSTAND THE
BUDGET'S TIGHT THIS YEAR 1.4 1.5 MILLION AND A SUPPLEMENTAL TO ENSURE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE EVERY DAY. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND
LOCAL 718 IS WILLING TO. WORK WITH THIS BODY AND WITH OUR DEPARTMENT TO TRY AND GET THAT DONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM UH OKAY.
NO ONE ON MY UH OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO FOR A SECOND ROUND. UH, WE'LL WE'LL DO SIX MINUTES UH, FOR PER COUNSELOR. COUNCILOR FLYNN.
YOU'RE UP AND THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND I LISTENED CLOSELY TO, UH, PRESIDENT DILLON'S COMMENTS. ON HOW IMPORTANT HEALTH AND
WELLNESS ARE TO THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE FAMILIES OF BOSTON FIREFIGHTERS AS WELL. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF MONEY HERE 1.4 $1.5 MILLION
FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS EARLY DETECTION SCREENING AS THE PRESS AS THE PRESIDENT MENTIONED, SOME OF THOSE SCREENINGS DETECTED
FIREFIGHTERS THAT HAD MELANOMA HAD PROBABLY HAD SKIN CANCER, PROBABLY SAVED SAVED THEIR LIFE. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW UM I GO I
ATTEND THE LOCAL 718 RETIREMENT BANQUET EVERY YEAR. I DON'T I DON'T MISS IT. I LOVE GOING TO IT AND I TALK TO THE FIREFIGHTERS AND I TALK TO THEIR FAMILIES. AND THEY LOVE THE JOB BUT THEY
WOULD ALWAYS SAY TO. ME, HEY, YOU KNOW WE LOVE BEING A FIREFIGHTER. WE LOVE WE LOVE THE JOB. UM THE PROBLEM ED AS YOU KNOW, IS THE AVERAGE FIREFIGHTER
LIVES 5 OR 6 YEARS FOLLOWING RETIREMENT AND SO I'M SITTING LISTENING TO THESE LISTENING TO THESE COMMENTS FROM FIREFIGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
KNOWING THAT AFTER THIS BANQUET ,UH, THEY JUST RETIRED THEY PROBABLY AREN'T GOING TO LIVE 5 OR 6 YEARS AND I'VE BEEN TO PROBABLY BEEN TO EIGHT OF THEM
ALREADY AND AND A GOOD PORTION OF THE PEOPLE THAT I HAD MET AT THE BANQUET UM, A PROBABLY A LOT OF THEM ARE PROBABLY DECEASED BUT WHAT WHAT'S WHAT
THE PRESIDENT JUST ADVOCATED FOR OR SOMETHING I, I STRONGLY SUPPORT A SUPPLEMENTAL THAT WOULD. PROVIDE ADDED FUNDING THAT WAS
THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY CUT A POTENTIALLY CUT SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS EARLY DETECTION . FOR SO WE'RE ABLE TO DO HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELF ON THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL IS THIS A PRIORITY? IS THIS IMPORTANT? IS THIS THE IS THIS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS WE COULD MAKE ALL YEAR?
FOR ME THE ANSWER IS CLEAR YES YES IT IS IMPORTANT YES IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS WE MAKE ALL YEAR. $1.4 MILLION $1.5 MILLION FOR A
SUPPLEMENTAL IS IS THAT WORTH IT? OF COURSE IT'S WORTH IT. IT'S WORTH IT. >> IF IT'S ONE LIFE SAVED. HOW WOULD HOW COULD WE GO TO A
FIREFIGHTERS RETIREMENT? HOW COULD WE GO TO A PROMOTIONAL CEREMONY? NEXT YEAR AFTER AFTER SAYING NO WE DON'T THINK A SUPPLEMENTAL
IS WARRANTED. HOW COULD WE GO TO A, UH, GRADUATION CEREMONY? ALL OF US, ALL CITY OFFICIALS AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE YOU. BUT BY THE WAY. WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR
YOU IN THE IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS WAS AN IMPORTANT WE CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. WE WE THE SUPPORT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE SUPPORT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE SUPPORT THE FAMILIES. WHILE WE DON'T. BUT I THINK WE HAVE MAYBE IT'S
A MORAL OBLIGATION THIS BODY HAS TO LOOK FOR THIS BUDGET AND SEE IF THERE'S MORE MONEY IN THERE OR MORE MONEY IN CITY FINANCES. ARE WE DOING IT WITH THE BOSTON
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE SUPPLEMENTAL? I THINK WE ARE GOING TO DO IT SHOULD THE SHOULD WE DO IT FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM? YES, WE SHOULD DO IT FOR THE
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. SHOULD WE DO A SUPPLEMENTAL FOR THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT? DEFINITELY, COMMISSIONER, I KNOW YOU'VE ONLY BEEN ON THE JOB FOR A WEEK.
DO YOU SUPPORT A SUPPLEMENTAL. ANYTHING THAT SAVES A LIFE. AS YOU SAID. I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF. SO THE NEXT THE NEXT ASK THE
NEXT QUESTION TO ANY OF THE FOUR GENTLEMEN HERE. HOW DO WE GET IT DONE? WHAT'S THE LOGISTICS OF. GETTING IT BEFORE THE MAYOR GETTING IT BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL GETTING.
IT BEFORE THIS BODY? HOW DO WE. >> GET THAT DONE? I'M NOT REALLY SURE THE POLITICS OF IT ALL, COUNCILOR. UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I KNOW FROM THE PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH IN A DAILY BASIS WE'LL DO WHATEVER
WE CAN TO SUPPORT THAT. WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WITH THE SUPPLEMENTAL IS I WOULD NOT I WOULD NOT WANT TO UM, HAVE THAT SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET TAKEN FROM THE EXISTING FUNDS THAT
HAVE ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED. WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT LAST YEAR AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO DO THAT. IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE FOR THE DEPARTMENT GOING FORWARD TO A YEAR AFTER TO HAVE THESE
ONGOING CUTS AND THEN TO HAVE THAT UM, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE ADDITIONAL MONEY THAT WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR, IT WAS TAKEN FROM OUR FACILITIES DEPARTMENT AND PUT INTO THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELLNESS
WHICH DID TREMENDOUS. YOU KNOW, IT WAS A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT FOR THE DEPARTMENT IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A SUPPLEMENTAL AND IT WOULD BE HANDLED IN THE SAME WAY, I WOULD SAY WE CAN'T SUSTAIN THAT. UM, YEAH. THAT'S A THAT'S. >> A GOOD POINT KEVIN.
THANK YOU. AND AND I AGREE WITH. >> YOU. WE SHOULD NOT MAKE ANY CUTS OR TAKE IT FROM ONE PART OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER PART OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I ALSO KNOW WELL I'LL LEAVE THAT FOR ANOTHER I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. >> FOR ANOTHER ANOTHER TIME. BUT I JUST DON'T WANT US TO BALANCE THE BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF OF BOSTON FIREFIGHTERS AND
THEIR FAMILIES. WE NEED TO DO BETTER. WE NEED TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY AND WE CAN'T SIT HERE AND SAY THANK YOU TO THE FIREMEN AND FIREFIGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THEN BY THE WAY,
NOT NOT PROVIDE THE NEEDED MONEY FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS. JUST MY OPINION. THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE. AND THANK YOU MR CHAIR. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUST IN TERMS OF OUR DISCUSSION, I WANT TO MAKE SURE
WE'RE COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES AND I THINK. YOU NO NO NO. I'M JUST SAYING IN TERMS OF A SUPPLEMENTAL VERSUS AN AMENDMENT. SO A SUPPLEMENTAL WOULD BE FOR
THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET TO FILL A GAP WHEREAS WHERE WE'RE TALKING WE HAVE THE POWER UNDER THE CITY CHARTER TO AMEND THE BUDGET TO MOVE MONEY INTO
CERTAIN LINE ITEMS. A SUPPLEMENTAL WOULD BE TO. ADD MONEY TO. >> THE BUDGET FROM SOME OTHER SOURCE. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S UH JUST IN TERMS OF ALL MY COLLEAGUES
THERE'S AMENDMENTS SUPPLEMENTALS UH, YOU KNOW THAT IN TERMS OF SUPPLEMENTING THE BUDGET THAT WOULD BE LATER ON TO TAKE IT FROM RESERVES OR WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION
LATER. BUT USUALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AMENDMENTS AND LIKE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, UH, MOVING IT FROM ONE PLACE HAS IMPACTS ON THAT DEPARTMENT.
UM ANYWAY OKAY, MR. CHAIR. >> THAT IS ME ASKING. FOR COMMENT ALTHOUGH. IS ASKING FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL TO COVER THEIR DEFICIT IN THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET WHICH. NO NO. YEAH THAT'S I DON'T KNOW IS
ASKING FOR THAT THAT IS WHAT BTU IS ASKING FOR. UM OKAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU MR CHAIR. >> AND THANK. >> YOU TO UH. THE UH. DEPARTMENT FOR. >> BEING. HERE FOR. >> THE CALL FOR YOUR UH FOR ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS.
UM, I HAVE A FEW. PRETTY GRANULAR ONES. UH, A LOT OF MY, UH SOME OF MY OTHER QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN COVERED, UM, IN THE RFI. RESPONSES IT. >> STATES THAT THE CONTRACTOR DIVERSITY IS LIMITED IN SOME AREAS BECAUSE OF PROPRIETARY
MOTOROLA BASED SYSTEMS AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. PARTICULARLY IN THE RADIO SHOP. CAN YOU EXPLAIN AND TALK ABOUT THAT MORE? WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS AROUND CONTRACTUAL DIVERSITY? UM IN THE RADIO SHOP AND ARE THESE LIMITATIONS WRITTEN INTO
VENDOR SPECIFICATIONS REQUIRED BY THE TECHNOLOGY ITSELF OR DRIVEN BY THE AVAILABLE POOL OF CERTIFIED CONTRACTORS? I THINK IT DIRECTLY WITH ITS COUNCILOR TO THE UH, PROPRIETARY NATURE OF THE RADIO
SYSTEM. MOTOROLA IS PROBABLY THE LEADER IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION. IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO IF I HAD A RELATED TO LIKE APPLE IPHONES. YOU KNOW THERE'S REALLY ONLY ONE GAME IN TOWN THAT DEALS
WITH THAT. SO MOTOROLA CONTROLS, YOU KNOW, THE SALE OF THEIR RADIOS, THE UM INSTALLATION AND ONGOING SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE OF THOSE UH, NOT JUST, YOU
KNOW, FOR BOSTON FIRE I BELIEVE IT'S IN EVERY AGENCY ALL OVER THE CITY AND AT LEAST IN THE UNITED STATES. AND THERE ARE LIMITED CONTRACTORS I GUESS I GUESS THERE ARE A LIMITED NUMBER OF VENDORS WHO ARE ABLE TO UH,
TO DEAL WITH THOSE ISSUES WHICH LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO SORT OF PUT ON DIVERSITY PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS. SO I. >> THINK FOR THE MOST PART THEY DO LIMIT UM, THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS THAT THEY WILL ALLOW TO WORK ON THEIR EQUIPMENT.
I DON'T KNOW, UH AND WE CAN LOOK TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOME OF THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU IN TERMS OF THE DIVERSITY OF SOME OF THE CONTRACTING VENDORS, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ANY UM, EXPOSURE TO OR
OKAY WITH WHATSOEVER. UM I WILL JUST SAY MOTOROLA IS JUST A BEAST OF A COMPANY. YEAH. OKAY. AND WE DEAL WITH THEM ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN THE IN THE RADIO SHOP. YES. OKAY.
>> UM, ANOTHER COST SAVINGS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY IN THIS BUDGET WAS THE DEPARTMENT REPORTS THAT THE TRAINING DIVISION. SO YOUR SHOP DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED A PROPRIETARY EV
FIRE NOZZLE IN-HOUSE. UM AND THAT SAVED MORE THAN $100,000 AND THE ACADEMY ALREADY PERFORMS MOST OF ITS UM, IMPROVEMENTS AND LABOR WITH BPD, BFD STAFF RATHER THAN OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS. ARE THERE.
>> ANY OTHER SPECIALIZED TOOLS MODIFICATIONS, TRAINING PROPS, VEHICLE ADAPTATIONS OR SPONSOR EQUIPMENT THAT BFD COULD DEVELOP OR MAINTAIN IN-HOUSE RATHER THAN PURCHASING EXTERNALLY? IT'S SIMILAR TO LIKE THE
CONTRACTING THE INDIVIDUALS EXTERNALLY BRING THEM IN-HOUSE ARE THERE ARE THERE IS THERE EQUIPMENT THAT WE CAN BE SORT OF WORKING ON AND BUILDING IN-HOUSE RATHER THAN CONTRACTING FOR THOSE OUTSIDE?
WELL TO SPEAK ON YOUR UH THE EV KNOW OR SO UH THEY SELL THEM FOR LIKE 3030 $500 UH, EACH. SO UH, UNDER UH, DEPUTY MALONE'S UH, LEADERSHIP DOWN THERE UH, JOHN MCDONALD, THE
DISTRICT CHIEF THEY CAME UP WITH THE MONO NOZZLE. ALL RIGHT WAS THEY DESIGNED IT AND CHIEF. ALLISON, THAT'S ON NOZZLE. YES. >> THANK YOU, THANK YOU. UM, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GO FROM $3,500 DOWN TO ABOUT 300,
UH, 350 PER NOZZLE THAT THAT WILL SO THIS 33 ENGINES UH, OUT ACROSS THE CITY SO A SAVINGS ABOUT UH 3000 EACH ENGINE THAT'S WHERE WE COME UP WITH 100,000. UH, THAT'S. PRETTY EXCELLENT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO.
>> YEAH THAT WAS GREAT THING AGAIN. UH KUDOS TO THEM. YOU KNOW DEPUTY MALONE AND JOHN MCDONALD CAME WITH THE AMENDMENT SO IT WAS GREAT AS FAR AS UH OTHER PIECES OF EQUIPMENT. I MEAN WE'RE ALWAYS ADAPTING.
WE ALWAYS I MEAN YOU GO TO ANY ONE OF THE FIREHOUSES, THE MEMBERS OF OUR DEPARTMENT ARE ALWAYS LIKE, YOU KNOW, COMING UP WITH NEW IDEAS, DOING THINGS ON THEIR OWN WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEIR OWN DOOR CHALK OR A BETTER WAY TO DO THINGS. UM, JUST LIKE TEACHERS WILL
BRING SUPPLIES INTO THE FIREHOUSE, FIREFIGHTERS ARE ALWAYS BRINGING THEIR OWN THINGS THAT MAKE THEM MORE EFFICIENT UH, OUT ON ON UH ON THE FIRE SCENE. UH, WE HAVE A GREAT DEPARTMENT, A GREAT MEMBERSHIP. UH. >> I CAN'T. SINGLE OUT ANOTHER THING LIKE
THE MOMENTUM NOZZLE RECENTLY THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH. BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN THE TIME COMES, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO COME UP WITH THINGS LIKE THAT. AWESOME. >> WELL, I JUST WANT TO SUPPORT AND THANK THE UH. UH. >> THE THE FOLKS ON THE LEADERS
IN THE DEPARTMENT WHO ABLE TO REALIZE THAT AND ACCOMPLISH THAT. I THINK THAT'S GREAT. AND I THINK YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S THE LEVEL OF INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT IN THIS DEPARTMENT AROUND THE CITY.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S UH IT'S GOING TO BE IT'S INVESTMENTS LONG TERM IN THE CITY. YOU REALLY SHOULD COME DOWN THE ISLAND TO UH, WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE. UH, COUNCIL I'VE. >> BEEN ONCE BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN. I WOULD LOVE TO COME BACK. I KNOW WE HAD OPEN HOUSE THERE
RECENTLY, BUT EVEN JUST ON A REGULAR TRAINING DAY WHEN THE ISLAND ROCKS, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THE NEW, UH, TRAINS THERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE, UH, DOING A META TRAINING ON THAT WE HAVE THE SMOKE HOUSE. WE'RE WE'RE CONSTANTLY PUTTING
OUR COMPANIES BACK TO BASICS. UH, FIRST WATER TRUCK COMPANY OPERATIONS TRAINING. UH UH, FIREFIGHTERS FROM THE REGIONAL AREA UH, ON TOP OF OUR OWN, UH, CADET TRAINING. THE ISLAND'S REALLY A BUSY
PLACE. AND IF YOU REALLY IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE, ANY ONE OF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO COME DOWN, YOU SHOULD. WELL, CHIEF ELLIS COMMISSIONER ,I'D LOVE AN INVITATION BACK AND I'D LOVE TO COME BACK. UM, THERE WAS A RECENT ARTICLE
ABOUT A DEMONSTRATION THAT WAS DONE IN AND JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, SETTING FIRES INTENTION INTENTIONALLY JUST TO SEE, UM, TO DO THE WORK OF TEACHING THOSE IN THE ACADEMY. AND I THINK IT'S JUST, UM THE
WORK YOU DO IS SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR PREVENTION AGAIN, UM, WE I ASKED THIS QUESTION IN THE BEGINNING AND I BELIEVE IT WAS UM, OFFICER GASKINS WHO ANSWERED BUT YOU KNOW, IN THIS
IN THIS BUDGET UM ON THE PERSONNEL ITEM IN THE BUDGET OVERALL WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE UM, MOST OF IT ATTRIBUTED TO PERSONNEL AND YOU STATED THAT THE THE BIGGEST DRIVER OF THE INCREASE IN THE
PERSONNEL LEAD ITEM IS A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S DRIVING THAT THE INCREASE IN THE OVERALL BUDGET TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WE'RE SEEING? NO, EVERYTHING IS IN THE INCREASE IN THE PERSONNEL LINE
IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO INCREASE IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING OKAY. SO IT'S ONE IT'S 100% THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT . OKAY. UM THANK YOU. AND I DID WANT TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE PIPELINE
THAT WE'RE SEEING BETWEEN TEEN ACADEMY THE CADET PROGRAM, UM, AND UH, EVENTUALLY TO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT. OFFICER GASKINS, WOULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TEEN ACADEMY WHERE THAT STANDS, HOW THAT'S GOING? YEAH. >> SO THE TEEN ACADEMY IS A, UH, PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY
OF BOSTON. IT'S OUR SUMMER SUCCESS PROGRAM . UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT SINCE 2017 AND, UM, IT'S BEEN SUPPORTED EACH YEAR. UH, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE MAKING SELECTIONS FOR OUR SUMMER TEENS UH, PROBABLY LATER
ON THIS WEEK. UH, TYPICALLY WE'RE UM, GIVEN AROUND UH, 35 TO 45 UH TEENS UH ,TO TO PROVIDE SIX WEEKS OF UH EMPLOYMENT TO UM AND SO WE'RE
ABLE. >> TO. PARTNER WITH THE CITY AND IN THAT AND WE DO THINK OF UH THE TEEN ACADEMY IS OUR PIPELINE UH, ONE OF OUR PIPELINES UH, WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH A LOT OF SCHOOLS IN THE AREA UH, HIGH
SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR ENGLISH HIGH AND UH, EAST BOSTON HIGH. THEY HAVE LEGAL AND PROTECTIVE STUDIES CURRICULUM. UM, AND SO WE'RE. >> ABLE TO SIT ON THE. BOARDS FOR THE. FOR THOSE DEPARTMENTS AND MAKE
SURE THAT THE UH, TEENS ARE AWARE OF THE UH, TEEN ACADEMY PROGRAMS GOING ON FOR BOTH BPD AND UH, BFD. OUR PROGRAM HAPPENS TO BE THE BEST IN THE CITY VERY COMPETITIVE.
BUT UM. WHAT THAT DOES IS INTRODUCES, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE FIRE SERVICES. WE GO OUT. >> TO. MOON ISLAND. >> WE WE DO A. NUMBER OF UH, ACTIVITIES UH, GO TO DIFFERENT FIREHOUSES. WE ALSO BRING IN PROFESSIONALS
FROM OTHER. INDUSTRIES TO GIVE. UH TEENS A UH, PERSPECTIVE OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. UM. IN SHORT, WE WE DO HAVE A
NUMBER OF TEEN ACADEMY FOLKS THAT ARE NOW FIREFIGHTERS. UM, SO FROM OUR ALPHA CLASS I WANT TO SAY THERE WERE THREE. UH. >> FORMER TEEN ACADEMY UH APPLICANTS OR UH PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE NOW FIREFIGHTERS AND
EACH. YEAR UM. IF YOU'RE A TEEN ACADEMY UM PARTICIPANT AND YOU APPLY TO BE A CADET YOU'RE GUARANTEED INTERVIEW DOESN'T GUARANTEE YOU THE SPOT BUT IT. GUARANTEES YOU AN INTERVIEW.
AND SO. >> WE DO SEE THAT AS A GREAT. FEEDER UH, FOR OUR PROGRAM. THANK YOU. >> AND THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR MURPHY. UM. >> SO IN MY FIRST ROUND I DID FOCUS.
ON THE HEALTH AND WELFARE AND THE CANCER SCREENINGS AND I KNOW UM, PRESIDENT DILLON SPOKE ABOUT IT AND OTHERS HAVE ALSO. TALKED ABOUT IT. SO I. >> JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE BEFORE I MOVE
ON. AND AS YOU MAY KNOW, BUT. IF THOSE LISTENING IN THIS IS OUR FIFTH YEAR WITH THE AMENDMENT POWER I GUESS. >> YOU COULD. >> SAY I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A POSITIVE POWER BUT. WE GET.
THE BUDGET FROM THE MAYOR. WE CAN VOTE YES. AS IS AND JUST PASS IT. WE CAN VOTE NO AND HAVE HER GO BACK AND WORK ON IT AND OR WE
CAN PROPOSE AMENDMENTS BUT AS YOU KNOW THE AMENDMENTS THEN HAVE TO BE CUTTING FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE AND I KNOW I HAVE RECENTLY PUT OUT A
STATEMENT ABOUT DEVASTATING $724,000 A 14% CUT TO THE VETERANS AND THAT YES, I DO WANT IT RESTORED BUT IN NO WAY DO I WANT IT TO BE RESTORED ON THE BACKS OF SAY THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND AND SO I'M SAYING AND AGAIN FOR THE 1.2 OR 3 MILLION THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS HAVE THE SCREENING AND MEDICAL SUPPORT THEY NEED
AND THAT IT WOULD BE THAT THE MAYOR WOULD GO BACK AND FIND THE MONEY OTHER. PLACES BECAUSE THERE. ARE WAYS TO. DO THAT. >> THERE'S THE RAINY DAY FUND, THERE'S RESERVES, THERE'S OTHER AVAILABLE WAYS. IT'S NOT ONLY THE AMENDMENT PROCESS.
WE HAVE TO KIND OF PUSH BACK AND SAY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US AND WE DO KNOW MY FIFTH YEAR DOING THE BUDGET. THE FIRST FOUR. YEARS WITH ALL OF THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WITH
ARPA FUNDS AND ESSER FUNDING FOR OUR SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO ADD PROGRAMING. WE WERE IT WAS THERE WERE NO CUTS AND NOW WE'RE IN THIS NO FLUFF NUTS AND BOLTS YOU KNOW
BARE MINIMUM AND TO ME IN A TIGHT BUDGET CYCLE I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING MORE NUTS AND BOLTS ANYTHING MORE BASIC THAN MAKING SURE ANY CITY EMPLOYEE NOT JUST THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
AND I KNOW UM, WE HAVE FORD AND WE'RE ADDING YOU KNOW, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT THE MEDICAL COSTS FOR YOU KNOW, WEIGHT LOSS IS NOT BEING CUT. RIGHT. SO THAT MATTERS TO MANY PEOPLE
ACROSS OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO ME, I MEAN, MY DAD DIED OF MELANOMA. FROM CANCER. I KNOW THAT SCREENING DOES MATTER. >> AND. YOU NEED TO GET IT QUICKLY AND THE FACTS AND THE DATA ARE
THERE THAT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR FAMILY MEMBERS ARE PUTTING THEIR LIFE AT RISK SO WE SHOULD NEVER BE SCRIMPING ON THEIR HEALTH CARE.
SO I WILL ADVOCATE THAT IT WON'T GO THROUGH AN AMENDMENT PROCESS BUT THAT WE WILL ASK FOR THE MAYOR TO FIND THE MONEY SOMEHOW BECAUSE LIKE YOU MENTIONED KEVIN AND IF YOU COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S
TRUE IN THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT WHERE I WORKED FOR OVER 20 YEARS YOU HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY BY A CERTAIN DATE. BUT TEACHERS RIGHT NOW AT SCHOOLS ACROSS THE CITY ARE BRINGING IN THEIR OWN REAMS
OF PAPER NOT JUST THE EXTRAS THAT I KNOW WE'VE ALWAYS DONE AS TEACHERS BUT JUST THE BASIC MATERIALS ARE BEING PAID FOR BY CITY EMPLOYEES TO GET TO GET THROUGH. RIGHT.
AND SO IF THE APRIL 15TH DATE IS YOU HAVE TO SAY YOU'VE SPENT IT ALL BECAUSE THIS HAS COME UP TIME AND TIME AGAIN WE SEE A NUMBER SOMEWHERE ON A SPREADSHEET AND WE SAY WELL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NEVER SPENDS
THIS OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAVE THIS MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS LEFT OVER. SO CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN MORE OF THAT TIMELINE SO THAT WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING? SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS
BEEN OCCURRING FOR MANY YEARS WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON IS A JOINT MEMO THAT COMES OUT TO THE AUDITOR, THE DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND THE PROCUREMENT THE PURCHASING ENERGY FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND IT OUTLINES NOT JUST, UM,
YOU KNOW, THE RESTRICTIONS OF PURCHASING IT OUTLINES IN GENERAL HOW THE REST OF THE FISCAL YEAR WILL CLOSE OUT THE CHALLENGING PART, YOU KNOW, FOR FOR WHAT I SAY AT THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT NOW AND I KNOW MANY DEPARTMENTS HAVE OVER THE YEARS UM, TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS IS THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO ANTICIPATE YOUR NEEDS ON APRIL 15TH WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED TO THE
END UP TO JUNE 30TH. SO YOU KNOW, WE WE DID THE BEST WE CAN WE COULD AT THAT POINT IN TIME TO ORDER WHAT WE NEEDED TO TO CARRY US THROUGH THOSE. BUT ALMOST DAILY I GET 5 OR 6
CALLS FROM PEOPLE WE FORGOT THIS, WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS, WE DON'T HAVE THIS AND YOU KNOW WE HAVE TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS TO YOU KNOW, PUT THINGS ON HOLD OR NOT BUY THINGS AT ALL IN TERMS
OF THAT UM, LOOKING BACK AT THE MONEY THAT YOU KNOW, I'LL SAY IS LEFT ON THE TABLE IS MONEY THAT WE SOMEHOW LOSE ACCESS TO. SO YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD LEFT
MONEY IN CONTRACTS OR SERVICES WHETHER IT'S YOU KNOW, SAY IT WAS $500,000 WHEN THE BUDGET GETS, YOU KNOW, ALLOCATED FOR THE NEXT YEAR, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THEY'LL USE THAT EXAMPLE
OF MONEY THAT WAS LEFT ON THE TABLE AND LEVEL FUND THAT PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT. UH, UM A COST CENTER WITHIN THE BUDGET DIFFICULT TO ANTICIPATE. YOU MEAN THREE MONTHS OUT, RIGHT. OKAY. >> THANK YOU.
UM, A CADET QUESTION YOU MENTIONED AND I'VE HAD CONVERSATION FOR ABOUT THE PAY . DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE POLICE AND THE EMS CADETS GET PAID?
UM, I I I'M FAMILIAR UM, POLICE CADETS I BELIEVE THEY'RE PART OF THE UH THE UH, POLICE UNION AS KIND OF ASSOCIATE MEMBERS. SO THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING,
UH, RECENT CONTRACT. UM, I'D HAVE TO GET UPDATED NUMBERS ON THAT, BUT WE DID BASE THE, UH THE NUMBER THE INITIAL NUMBER ON HOW MUCH UH,
CADETS UH, BPD CADETS GET UM, EMS UM, IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT KIND OF A HYBRID UH, QUASI UH, CITY AGENCY. I DO KNOW THAT, UH, MASS STATE
POLICE CADETS UM, ARE UPWARDS OF 40 SOME 40 AND SOME CHANGE SO THEY GET THEY GET PAY SIGNIFICANTLY MORE. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT MAYBE THE CADETS DO A DIFFERENT JOB BASED
ON THE DEPARTMENT. BUT I KNOW LAST YEAR WHEN I WAS ADVOCATING THAT OUR FIRE CADETS GET PAID A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT MANY POLICE CADETS WHO DO A WONDERFUL JOB AND ARE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY UM WE'RE
SAYING HEY, ARE YOU GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR ME TOO? AND I HAD NO IDEA THAT WE WERE PAYING THEM LESS. SO I DO JUST WANT TO GO ON RECORD THAT WHILE I SUPPORT YOU KNOW, THEM GETTING PAID WELL
THAT I DON'T WANT UM, THE POLICE CADETS WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND IT'S A GREAT FEEDER PROGRAM THAT WE ALSO SUPPORT THEM AND I'VE RUN OUT OF TIME AGAIN SO I WILL BE HERE FOR A THIRD ROUND BUT
THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH. COUNSELOR BREADON. THANK YOU. UM. ONE QUESTION I HAD WAS UM IN
TERMS OF THIS IS WHEN RADIO TECHNOLOGY AND UH IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS IS AND AND THIS IS MORE OF A TECHNICAL QUESTION IN IN AN EMERGENCY IS
DOES THE B T B THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE THEY ABLE TO UH SEAMLESSLY CONNECT WITH UH OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS LIKE THE EMS AND POLICE DEPARTMENT? ARE WE ARE THEY ON A FREQUENCY
WHERE THEY CAN TALK TO EACH OTHER? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THERE'S THERE'S ISSUES OR I'VE HEARD THAT THERE'S ISSUES UM I I ANY ANY INSIGHTS INTO THAT? WELL, I'LL REFER TO MY SUBJECT
MATTER EXPERTS IN THE FIRE SERVICE. UM, BUT I CAN SAY THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN INVESTING, UM WITH A JOINT PROJECT WITH THE POLICE EMS OF UPGRADING THE TECHNOLOGY
AND INSTALLING MORE UM ACCESS POINTS ALL OVER THE CITY. PREVIOUSLY THERE WERE DEAD ZONES AND IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY SO THAT HAS IMPROVED AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING BUILT INTO
THE SYSTEM WHERE THEY CAN EITHER ONLINE OR OFFLINE TALK TO EACH OTHER. IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. >> WE'VE GOT THE SYSTEM IN PLACE. WE HAVE AN SOP UH, IF WE NEED TO CONTACT THE POLICE DIRECTLY
OR THE EMS DIRECTLY, UH, WE GO THROUGH A FIRE ALARM AND WE ACTIVATE THE CHANNEL. THE INITIATING DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO ACTIVATE THE CHANNEL TO LET THE OTHER TWO AGENCIES KNOW THEY YOU KNOW THEY NEED TO
MONITOR IT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE COULD TALK THAT WAY MOST OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS DOES GO THROUGH, UH, FIRE ALARM UH, DISPATCHERS THERE AND THEY USUALLY RELAY THE MESSAGES ON A NORMAL EVERYDAY BASIS AND IT WORKS PRETTY WELL.
BUT IF WE HAD TO TALK DIRECTLY THERE THERE IS A SYSTEM IN PLACE WHERE WE COULD ACTIVATE A CHANNEL. SO IF YOU'RE IN A IF YOU'RE IN A SITUATION HEAVEN FORBID THAT THERE WAS AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION UM AND AND SAY YOU
FOLKS NEEDED TO CONTACT POLICE OR EMS NEEDED TO CONTACT POLICE OR EACH OTHER. THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S EASY. >> TO DO. THERE'S A MECHANISM THAT. THERE IS A MECHANISM LIKE I SAID A MECHANISM IN PLACE THE THE AGENCY THAT WANTS TO
ACTIVATE THE INTER COMMUNICATION NEEDS TO TELL EVERYONE AND THEN WE MONITORED IT OKAY. AND THEN WE CAN THE ABILITY TO FLIP THAT CHANNEL UH TO THAT FREQUENCY. >> VERY GOOD. AND WE WOULD ALSO ESTABLISH A
UNIFIED COMMAND UM POST WHERE WE ALL COULD BE IN A SAME AREA TALKING AMONGST EACH OTHER. OKAY. >> AND HEAVEN FORBID WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS BUT THERE WE ARE A FEW YEARS AGO WE
GOT A GRANT UM FOR AN INVESTMENT IN HOSES THAT DON'T COLLAPSE. UM, HOW HOW IS THE HOW IS THAT THAT UM THOSE SUPPLIES OF THOSE
EQUIPMENT HELD UP AND WE DO WE IT'S A SORT OF A PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE FOR EQUIPMENT LIKE THAT OR WHAT WHAT THIS LIFE CYCLE. I YOU SPEAKING ABOUT THE HOLES THAT UH THE BURNS. YEAH IT DOES IT DOES.
A BURN THROUGH IT. DOESN'T BURN THROUGH AN INTENSE PRESSURE WHEN IT'S WHEN THERE'S WHEN IT'S YEAH. YEAH. >> WE JUST, UH, RECENTLY FITTED OUT ALL OF OUR APPARATUS WHAT WITH THE, WELL, THE ENGINE
COMPANIES ANYWAY WITH THE HOSE. SO, UH, IT'S STILL IN THE, UH, YOU KNOW, EARLY STAGES OF, UH, YOU KNOW, BEING. >> USED AS THE LIGHT CYCLE. >> YEAH, YEAH. OKAY. >> BUT ALL OF THE ENGINE COMPANIES HAVE BEEN, UH, FURNISHED WITH THAT HOSE.
THAT'S YEAH, THE LIKE THE LAST 100FT I THINK WOULD BE A OF ALL OUR TECH LINES HAS THAT, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S THE PART OF THE HOSE THAT'S GOING TO BE CLOSEST TO THE FIRE. UH, THEY'RE ALL USING THAT TYPE OF HOSE. YEAH. >> THAT'S GOOD.
GOOD TO KNOW GOOD TO KNOW THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN THAT THAT UM EQUIPMENT UM AND THEN UH, BACK TO THE THE CAPITAL UM THE
PLANNING, THE CAPITAL, THE SEVERAL HOUSES, UH, FIRE ARE AGING AND IN NEED OF UPGRADES. UH, WHICH STATIONS ARE PRIORITIZED FOR THIS NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR THIS, UH,
CAPITAL PLAN FOR 27 THROUGH 31 AND WHAT CRITERIA USED TO DETERMINE YOUR CHOICE AND ALL THIS MONEY? YOU COULD PROBABLY NEED TO UPGRADE MANY MORE THAN YOU'VE GOT ON THE LIST.
UM, UM, WHICH ONES ARE GETTING PRIORITY AND AND WHAT SORT OF CRITERIA THAT IS IS BEING USED. SO I THINK IN TERMS OF CRITERIA I THINK IT DOES VARY FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE.
UM SOME OF THEM I THINK THE ONE IN CHARLESTOWN WAS BUILT I THINK IT'S 1863 SO THAT'S A RELATIVELY OLDER HOUSE BUT SOME OF THE EVEN THE NEWER HOUSES WERE BUILT A LITTLE SMALLER AND
WITH THE YOU KNOW, THE THE SIZE OF THE APPARATUS THAT'S A UH SOMETHING THAT IS YOU KNOW, SERVICE CONSIDERED AS IS LIKE THE LOCATION OF CERTAIN PIECES . I MEAN THERE WERE SEVERAL UM,
PIECES UH SEVERAL FIREHOUSES ON THE CAPITAL PLAN THAT ARE IN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DESIGN AND DISCOVERY STAGE. UM, I THINK ALL OF THE ONES THAT ARE LISTED, YOU KNOW, ENGINE 21, ENGINE THREE, ENGINE EIGHT AND ENGINE NINE ARE ALL
PRIORITIES RIGHT NOW BUT I THINK THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHERS THAT WE HAVE IN THE PIPELINE THAT WILL BE HOPEFULLY BEING ADDED TO THIS LIST OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR SO. CERTAINLY THE SEAPORT IS ONE THAT HAS COME UP MANY TIMES AND
WE'VE BEEN CLOSE WITH THAT BUT THAT IS UM RELATIVE TO A DEVELOPER, YOU KNOW, ACCESSING SOME LOCATION DOWN ON THE WATERFRONT AREA THAT YOU KNOW, THEY'VE HAD SOME DIFFICULTY GETTING THEMSELVES ESTABLISHED.
THANK YOU. >> AND AGAIN TO OUR QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UH, WELLNESS AND PARTY PARTICULATE MATTER AND AND FIREHOUSES AND HOW DANGEROUS HOW DETRIMENTAL TO
HEALTH OF THOSE CONDITIONS ARE. I THINK UH, IT'S GOING TO BE MONEY WELL SPENT TO MAKE OUR FIREHOUSES SAFER FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
UM, AND THEN UH, I KNOW UM WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE LOSS OF OF UM, FEMA GRANTS AND LIKE HOW HOW SIGNIFICANT IS THE LOSS
OF OF FEDERAL FUNDING IN. THIS PARTICULAR TIME? I DO THINK IT'S IT'S PARTICULARLY EGREGIOUS THAT WE'RE IT'S IMPACTING OUR PUBLIC. SO I THINK. DEFINITELY ESPECIALLY YOU KNOW
,UM, WITH FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE CRISIS THAT THE CITY IS UNDER RIGHT NOW, THE ACCESS TO FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS GIVE US THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD UP
THE DEPARTMENT WHETHER IT'S THROUGH TRAINING OR OTHER INITIATIVES FOR THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF THE FIREFIGHTERS. BUT NOT JUST THAT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE GRANTS PAY FOR YOU KNOW, OVER TIME THAT IS SUPPLEMENTAL TO
THE TRAINING OF WHEN WE HAVE TO PULL PEOPLE INTO THE TRAINING ACADEMY OR FOR THIS LIKE FOR THE HOT WORK, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, A RESULT OF A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY THAT OCCURRED ON BEACON STREET
. I MEAN, THERE'S JUST SO MANY THINGS THAT YOU KNOW, WE CAN USE THESE GRANT MONEYS FOR THAT ,YOU KNOW, JUST AREN'T BUILT INTO OUR CURRENT BUDGET. YEAH. >> AN ONGOING TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS HUGELY IMPORTANT, KIDS. >> YOU WANT TO USE IT OR LOSE
IT? YES INDEED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR. UH, FITZGERALD. SORRY. THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN. >> THANK YOU CHAIR. UM, OKAY, BEAR. >> WITH ME FOR A SECOND, OKAY?
>> BECAUSE I'M GOING TO DO A TRY TO DO SOME BACK OF THE NAPKIN MATH WHILE EVERYONE ELSE WAS ASKING THEIR QUESTIONS. UM, TRY TO FIND WAYS TO TO COVER SOME THINGS HERE. >> IT LET. >> ME START BY SAYING I'M ALL FOR THE CITY JOBS FOR CITY
KIDS. BUT WE ARE ALSO TASKED WITH BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE HERE. RIGHT. AND THERE'S THIS SORT OF A BALANCE WHERE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DELIVER THE BEST SERVICES TO ALL PEOPLE OF ALL THE CITY. SO I SAY THAT, UH, JUST BEFORE
I BEGIN HOW MANY ACADEMY CLASSES A YEAR ARE THEY NOT CADET ACADEMY CLASSES PER YEAR ONE 1 TO 2, RIGHT? YES, RIGHT. ROUGHLY. UM ON AVERAGE THAT THAT CLASS IS.
5050 OVER 50. YES. >> AND SO WE'RE SPLITTING OFF 5050 AND THEN THAT'S DIVIDED IN HALF 2525 RIGHT HALF FOR THE CADET SLASH HYBRID PROGRAM HALF.
TRADITIONAL UM. WE WE'RE ABOUT FIVE CADET CLASSES IN RIGHT FOR THE CADETS FOR AND WORKING ON THE FIFTH IS.
WORKING ON THE FOURTH WORKING ON THE FOURTH OKAY SO AND THERE IS THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF KIDS IN THE CADET CLASSES PER CLASS IS WELL THE UH.
NOW THAT WE'RE RUNNING NOW THAT WE'RE UP AND RUNNING THE THE AVERAGE IS GOING TO KIND OF FLUCTUATE. IT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON HOW MANY CADETS ARE GOING TO GO INTO OUR RECRUIT CLASS.
SO WE'LL JUST BE LOOKING AT OPEN POSITION NUMBERS. SO FOR INSTANCE THE UH DELTA CLASS THAT'S GOING TO START IN JUNE YEAH ONLY HAS 13 SO OKAY BASED ON UM THE NUMBER OF OPEN POSITION NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE
OKAY. ALL RIGHT THAT THAT HELPS BECAUSE THAT WAS LEADING INTO SORT OF WHAT I WAS GOING INTO THE EXTRAPOLATING IT OUT GOING LIKE WE'RE GOING TO CREATE OURSELVES A LOGJAM HERE WHERE WE'RE NOT WE'RE GOING TO BE
TRAINING KIDS THAT WILL NOT HAVE WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TAKE INTO THE ACADEMY. RIGHT. AND SO I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF SAVING EFFICIENCIES OF WELL ,IF WE'RE SPENDING MONEY TO
TRAIN KIDS THAT ARE NEVER GOING TO GET HIRED, MAYBE THAT'S WHERE WE COULD LOOK AT SOME OF THE MENTAL HEALTH HOW TO BACKFILL SOME OF THE MENTAL HEALTH STUFF BECAUSE I THINK IF WE SAID IT WAS 1.1 MILLION UH,
MR QUINN, IF I'M CORRECT FOR THE TOTAL COST ANNUALLY OF THE CADET PROGRAM THAT X AMOUNT OF KIT RIGHT APPROXIMATELY. IT'S BUILT INTO OUR PERSONNEL EXPENSES. AND THAT DOES THAT INCLUDE THE
32,000 PER CADET AS WELL IN THAT 1.1 OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UM SO MAYBE I'M NOT YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT I THOUGHT I THOUGHT I SAW A HOLE IN THE LINE HERE WHERE WE COULD LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST SPRINT SPRINT TO THE END
ZONE BUT UM, SO NO BUT THAT THAT THAT WE'RE RIGHT SIZING THE CLASSES IS IMPORTANT, RIGHT? SO THAT WE WHEN WE DON'T CREATE THAT LOGJAM TWO WE'RE BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND THREE WE'RE ALLOWING THE BEST UH UM,
THE ACADEMIES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE. UM, WELL SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON ANYWAY AND I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT RIGHT SIZING AND OPENING I APPRECIATE THAT. UM.
SOME OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS I HAD UH OH I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT ELECTRIC CARS BUT UH, THE THE STORAGE SYSTEMS, THE BATTERY UH, ENERGY STORAGE
SYSTEMS ARE UH, COMING UP AND I KNOW THEY'RE THERE'S A LOT OF UM I WOULDN'T SAY CONTROVERSY BUT CONCERN ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE BEING LOCATED. UH, HOW CLOSE TO RESIDENTIAL
WHAT POCKETS IN THE CITY DO WE HAVE THEM IN OPEN THAT COULD BE THERE. UM, AND THEN HOW TO, UH, HOW WE'RE TRAINING TO EXTINGUISH THEM. UH, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL I'VE HEARD IS SOME OF THE ISSUES OF JUST LIKE A JUST LIKE A
TESLA CAR, UM, THESE UH AND YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT IT CAN GIVE OFF . BE HAPPY IF THERE'S SOMEONE IN THE STANDS THAT COULD, UH, JUST SPEAK TO THAT. THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC. THANK YOU. UM. >> SORRY TO MAKE YOU WORK AND EARN IT HERE.
UM, I'VE HAD SOMETHING TO DO NOW. YEAH, I SAW HIM NODDING OFF. I SAID I SHOULD ASK A BEST QUESTION. KEEP HIM, UH, KEEP HIM ACTIVE. NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO PLEASE, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT IT IS THE FUTURE SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO AS FAR AS THE LOCATION OF THEM IN THE CITY A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH ZONING AND. THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. WHERE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WE CAN'T PERMIT WHERE SOMETHING IS GOING TO GO IN THE CITY.
WE CAN ONLY MAKE SURE THAT WHEN IT GOES THERE IT'S SAFE. SO THAT QUESTION REALLY NEEDS TO BE HELD IN HOUSE HERE TO TALK TO YOUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT. UH, I HAVE TALKED TO THEM. THEY WERE DEVELOPING.
UH. >> I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK WITH THEM. YEP. >> TURN OFF IF YOU DON'T MIND. SO I'D LIKE THEM, BUT, UH, TRAVIS HENDERSON IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WAS WHO I'VE HAD CONTACT WITH AND FANTASTIC.
I DID TALK TO HIM LAST WEEK ABOUT SETTING UP SOME SORT OF POLICY. SO IT'S IT'S COME LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE WHEN IT COMES TO ENERGY STORAGE WE'RE WORKING
ON IT BECAUSE IT'S TECHNOLOGY IS MOVING WAY FASTER THAN WE ARE RIGHT NOW. YEAH. UM AS FAR AS WHAT WE ARE DOING,
UH, THANKS TO JULIE, THE BFD HAS A APPLICATION IN FOR THE ADVANCING MASSACHUSETTS POWER GRANT. AND, UH, I'M TRYING TO LINE UP .
AN EIGHT HOUR COURSE ON ENERGY STORAGE FOR EVERY OFFICER IN BOSTON PLAY DEPARTMENT. GREG, WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR BACK. UM, ANY MOVEMENT? ON THOSE. QUESTIONS OR AGAIN, WHICH IS
ALWAYS A GOOD SIGN FOR. OUR OPERATION. >> IT'S NOT YET BEEN AFFORDED. UH. >> SO AS FAR AS TRAINING GOES. IT'S COMING. >> ITS WAY. YEAH IT'S COMING. AND HOPEFULLY BASED ON THE GRANT. GOTCHA. AS FAR AS THE.
PERMANENT GOES TO, UH. FIRE PREVENTION DIVISION IS NOW. WORKING WITH INSPECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. SO WHENEVER THEY GET A PERMIT NOW. AND I'VE SEEN A COPY OF IT IF.
ANYWHERE IN THAT PERMIT ENERGY STORAGE IS LISTED. I ASK YOU NOW WE'LL BRING. IN THE BOSS FIGHT DEPARTMENT. SO WE CAN WORK WITH THESE. COMPANIES FROM THE BEGINNING INSTEAD OF AT THE END. SHE FOLLOWS CAN GO INTO THE
FIRE MARSHAL AND THE FIRE PREVENTION SIDE OF THINGS BUT WAY MORE CLEARLY THAN I CAN. WE USUALLY CAME AT THE END OF THINGS. STARTED ABOUT THE BEGINNING. NOW WITH THE BFD.
TRYING TO FORM A STAKEHOLDER. IN ENERGY STORAGE ON FUTURE PERMITS WILL. BE INVOLVED IN THE BEGINNING SO WE CAN WORK WITH ALL THESE COMPANIES. >> AND SAY WHERE IT GOING TO GO. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR BECAUSE LIKE I SAID.
WE'RE WORKING. >> ON IT. THE FIRE CODE IS A WRITTEN YET FOR US TO ENFORCE THE NEWEST TECHNOLOGIES. SO LET US WORK WITH YOU FROM. >> THE BEGINNING. SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THIS IS GOING TO BE THE SAFEST
POSSIBLE LOCATION FOR IT AND WE KNOW ABOUT IT AHEAD OF TIME AS WELL. UNDERSTOOD. >> IF THERE'S ANY WAY THIS BODY CAN HELP, UH, ADVANCE THOSE GRANTS OR ADVOCATE, PLEASE LET US KNOW HOW JULY AS WELL AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO WRITE INDIVIDUAL LETTERS I'M SURE AND
OTHERS TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE OUR WORKFORCE TRAINED FOR WHAT'S COMING AND THINGS ARE CHANGING . SO, UH, I KNOW THAT'S MY TIME. JEFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, IN PANEL THANK YOU SO MUCH AS. >> ONE CAN I HAVE ONE MORE
THING? YES, BECAUSE I'M KIND OF PROUD OF IT. UM. A LOT OF TALK ABOUT EVS. THE EV, THE. THE THE. >> BATTERY FIRES THAT WE'RE RESPONDING TO RESPONDING TO WAY
MORE SMALLER BATTERY FIRES. RIGHT. SO THE. SO THAT. E-SCOOTERS UH E-BIKES. AND UH HOVERBOARDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WHAT WE JUST GOT A HOLD OF UM. A WE'RE SENDING UP AND PACK TO GET. >> A MEETING THIS AFTERNOON ABOUT IT. WITH THE. REPRESENTATIVE OUT OF BORN. AND THE. NATIONAL WASTE AND RECYCLE
ASSOCIATION, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO SET. UP A. LITHIUM BATTERY TAKE BACK RECYCLE FREE FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS OF AWESOME. UH, BFD IS GOING TO HOST IT AT
OUR SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION WAREHOUSE OVER LIVERMORE STREET AND WASH ROXBURY. UM. IT'S SLATED FOR JULY. UH, I GOT MEETINGS. TO WORK OUT A LOT OF THE DETAILS THIS.
AFTERNOON, BUT WE HAVE HAD EV FIRES. I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD WE'VE HAD. I CAN THINK OF THREE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS BUT WE'VE HAD AT LEAST. A DOZEN.
E-SCOOTER FIRES. UH, E-BIKE. FIRES SINCE I'VE BEEN TRACKING THEM SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS POSITION I CAN. THINK. >> UH I LOOK THIS. MORNING BEFORE. >> WE CAME. WE'VE HAD. 16 FIRES.
THAT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY. UH. >> THE MICROMOBILITY LITHIUM ION BATTERIES. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH BUSINESSES AS WELL AS THOSE. >> FOR. WHEN IT COMES TO STORAGE. AND CHARGING.
WHEN IT COMES TO APARTMENT. BUILDINGS, DORMS, BUSINESSES TO MAKE SURE. THAT THEY'RE KEPT IN A. SECURE LOCATION. WELL THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK. ALL THE WORK YOU DO ON A PREVENTATIVE SAID I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU JIM OKAY. YEAH THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YEAH I THINK THERE WAS LIKE A THERE WAS SEVERAL FATALITIES THAT A FIRE RELATED TO LIKE A STORE THAT WAS IN NEW YORK CITY A YEAR AGO TWO YEARS AGO WITH US. WAS A LEADING CAUSE. >> OF DEATH. YEAH, YEAH FOR THE STORE THAT
WAS WORKING ON BATTERIES AND YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE REHABBING THEM OR WHATEVER ANYWAY SO IT'S A SERIOUS ISSUE. THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP. UM OKAY THANK YOU COUNCILOR CULPEPER SIX MINUTES. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER I THINK YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH. THE INVESTMENT. IN THE FIRE HOUSES AND HAD. HVAC ISSUES. I THINK THE 3 TO $300,000 THAT
WENT TO AIDS FOR HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO REALLY UPDATE ALL OF THOSE SEVEN HOUSES? WERE THERE ISSUES? UH, COUNCILOR I AM I CAN'T GIVE
YOU AN EXACT NUMBER BECAUSE. CAN YOU GET BACK TO US? SURE. UM, BUT AS UM DEPUTY UH DEPUTY COMMISSIONER COYNE SAID EACH HOUSE BECAUSE OF ITS CONFIGURATION IS DIFFERENT.
SO, UH, JUST TO PUT A BLANKET COST ON ON THOSE SEVEN HOUSES, LIKE I SAID, WE WOULD HAVE TO, UH, EXTRAPOLATE THAT OUT TO HOW EACH HOUSE IS CONFIGURED.
PLEASE, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR THE TIMING TO GO TO WORK EVERY DAY AND UNDER THE THREAT OF MAYBE CANCER BECAUSE
IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, DOES IT? NO IT DOES I MEAN WHO WANTS TO I THINK I'M AMAZED TO HEAR THAT THIS MORNING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY AND THERE'S A
POSSIBILITY THAT OVER THE YEARS THEY COULD END UP WITH CANCER. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. SO. IF YOU COULD GET THAT TO US AND LET US LOOK AT IT BECAUSE IT JUST. BOGGLES MY MIND.
>> THAT THESE OFFICES TAKE AWAY GOING TO A FIRE AND THE THREAT AND THE CHALLENGES AND THE SAFETY ISSUES DEAL WITH FIRES. BUT THEN THEY GOT TO COME BACK AND GO TO SLEEP IN A HOUSE
WHERE. IN A FIRE HOUSE WHERE THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THEY MAY END UP WITH CANCER JUST THAT MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. AND I CAN'T SPEAK DIRECTLY TO PLEASE WHAT'S IN THE CAPITAL
BUDGET. BUT I CAN TELL YOU SOME OF WHAT'S IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET IS TO REPLACE MAYBE THERE'S MANY MANY FIREHOUSES HAVE WINDOW UNITS. SO THIS WOULD BE UM YOU KNOW, UPGRADING THOSE SYSTEMS TO A
MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT SYSTEM SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY OVERALL UM, BUT WOULD PROVIDE BETTER, YOU KNOW, COOLING AND HEATING WITHIN THE FIREHOUSES. SO THAT'S PART OF WHAT'S IN THE
CAPITAL PLAN RIGHT NOW. OKAY. >> AND IF YOU COULD JUST GET US WHAT WOULD BRING IT SO THAT THE RISKS TO THE FIREMEN ARE LESSENED WHAT THAT WOULD CAUSE I MEAN, BECAUSE I THINK WE
REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT. UM. >> VERSUS A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT ACROSS THE CITY'S BUDGET THAT WE LOOK AT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE SAVING LIVES BUT WE WANT TO
SAVE THEIR LIVES SO AND SO IF YOU COULD BREAK THAT OUT SO WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AND JUST BRAINSTORM OVER THAT BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE A CRITICAL ISSUE IN TERMS UH UH,
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE TIME. SO ONE. THING I CAN GIVE YOU. OH SORRY. I'M SORRY. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, UNDER COMMISSIONER UH, JOE FINN
UH, HE DID START AN INDUSTRIAL CLEANING PROGRAM, UH, THAT TRIED TO ADDRESS MOST OF THESE ISSUES, UH, WITHIN THE CURRENT FIREHOUSES. BUT, UH, AS COMMISSIONER COYNE
IS JUST SAYING, UM, IN TERMS OF THE HVAC SYSTEMS THAT IS A SEPARATE COMPONENT OF OF THAT WE THAT'S NEW TO US. UH, SO BUT WE WE ARE CURRENTLY
ON A PROGRAM WHERE WE DO INDUSTRIAL CLEANING THE MAIN FLOORS OF FIREHOUSES. WE HAVEN'T DONE THEM ALL BUT WE HAVE THEM IN THE PIPELINE TO TO DO THAT. WHEN YOU SAY THE AC C IS NEW TO
YOU BUT YOU MEAN IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING THAT THAT'S UH A SAFETY FACTOR. YES. >> THAT'S ALL PART OF THE SAFETY FACTOR BECAUSE LIKE I SAID UH THE HOUSES SHOULD BE ZONED IN TERMS OF.
UM UM HOT ZONE. WE HAVE THE APPARATUS AND THE GEAR IS UH THE SLEEPING THE SLEEPING QUARTERS AREA. SO THAT HVAC SYSTEM IS THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE.
UM, SO YOU STILL GETTING CONTAMINANTS FROM THE MAIN AREA THE MAIN UH, FLOOR INTO THOSE OTHER LIVING SPACES? THANK YOU. >> THE, UH. WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT.
1.4 MILLION WHETHER THERE WOULD BE A SUPPLEMENT OR UH, AN AMENDMENT AND. UH. >> WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AMONG THEMSELVES. THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT. UH, WHETHER.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT FOR IT. BUT I MEAN. WHATEVER WE CAN DO, WE'RE WILLING TO DO. AND I WANT TO. ASK A QUESTION. UM.
>> IS IT DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT. DEPUTY GASKINS I'LL TAKE A LISTEN TO THAT. UH, I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU IF I COULD. YES, SIR. HEY, LET'S GIVE IT TO THEM. CHAIR. >> WHAT'S THE. PROPER TIME?
YES. >> WHAT'S THE PROPER TIME? RECRUITMENT OFFICER RECRUITMENT? YEAH. I'M A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE WITH THE. SO YOU MENTION. >> THE, UH, THERE WOULD. PROBABLY BE, UH, A NEED FOR A JOB ANALYSIS.
WHAT WHY WHY WOULD. THERE NEED TO BE A JOB ANALYSIS. OF THE QUESTION WAS AROUND PROMOTION FAMILY. SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE OR CONSIDER THE CHANGE OF ANY
PROMOTION EXAM, YOU NEED TO DO A JOB ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE, UH, PROCESS AND THE COMPONENTS OF THE EXAM MAKE THE ASSESSMENT BPD WHAT
GOES THROUGH THAT JOB ANALYSIS ABOUT EVERY 5 TO 7 YEARS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO ADD A ORAL COMPONENT OR UM, SOME TYPE OF UH OTHER COMPONENTS TO THAT.
SO THAT'S UM A LONGER TERM APPROACH TO DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT OUR EXAMS ARE UM ADEQUATE OR WHETHER OR NOT THERE NEEDS TO BE ADDITIONAL UH, COMPONENTS THAT WOULD BE
ADDED TO DETERMINE ONE'S ABILITY TO DO THE JOB. >> AND SO. THERE IS THERE ONE NEEDED. THAT'S NOT MY MY AREA. UM, I WOULD SAY EVERY DEPARTMENT IF THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE IN THEIR EXAM
PROCESS SHOULD GO THROUGH A JOB ANALYSIS ABOUT EVERY 5 TO 7 YEARS. >> AND WHO. WOULD MAKE THAT DETERMINATION WHO WOULD MAKE THAT ASSESSMENT? I THINK THAT'S A UM COOPERATIVE UH UH, KIND OF CONVERSATION
BETWEEN UH, PERSONNEL AND UH, CIVIL SERVICE PERSONNEL INTERNAL UH AND THE CIVIL SERVICE. DEPARTMENT. >> I'LL ALLOW YOU TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THIS, BUT SO JUST IN TERMS OF WHAT I WAS ASKING
ABOUT IS WHEN WE'RE MAKING PROMOTIONS WE USE A WRITTEN TEST, RIGHT. SO IN THESE IN OUR POLICE EXAM CASE THE CITY HIRES A FIRM TO DO A JOB ANALYSIS FOR YOU KNOW,
A FIRE LIEUTENANT AND WHAT WHAT ARE THE CSAS THE SKILLS UH, KNOWLEDGES AND A KNOWLEDGE OF SKILLS AND ABILITIES FOR THAT JOB. AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE TEST YOU TRY TO SEE YOU WANT IT
TO MEASURE. YEAH THE. >> IMPORTANT SKILLS KNOWLEDGES AND ABILITIES. AND SO IN OUR POLICE LIEUTENANT EXAM CASE THE COURT SAID THAT THERE'S A WRITTEN YOU KNOW, AN
8020 EXAM A WRITTEN EXAM WITH THIS SORT OF EDUCATION EXPERIENCE RATING WHERE EVERYONE GOT THE SAME SCORE FAILED TO MEASURE REALLY IMPORTANT SKILLS AND ABILITIES OF A POLICE LIEUTENANT WHICH
WERE ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, USING THAT AS A TEST THAT HAD A DISPARATE
IMPACT ON UH ON OFFICERS OF COLOR LIKE THEY COULDN'T SHOW WAS A VALID EXAM WHEREAS IF YOU HAVE IF I USE THE FIRE LET ME CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG UH, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE A
REQUIREMENT THAT YOU CARRY A HOSE THAT WEIGHS, I DON'T KNOW ,100 POUND WHATEVER 50 POUNDS UP SIX FLIGHTS OF STAIRS THERE FOR UH YOU MIGHT HAVE WOMEN DO
WORSE ON THAT TEST BUT IT HAS IT MIGHT HAVE A CLOSER RELATION . SO YOU HAVE DISCRIMINATION BUT THEN UNDER TITLE SEVEN IT'S NOT ILLEGAL IF YOU CAN SHOW IT YOU KNOW IT'S MEASURING AN
IMPORTANT SKILL AND ABILITY AND I JUST SO I THAT AS NOT AS LIKE UH THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING OR AS AN EXAMPLE SO WHEN I MENTIONED WE TALKED ABOUT THE JOB ANALYSIS IT JUST
WE TRY TO MAKE SURE OUR OUR PROMOTIONAL MECHANISMS ARE MEASURING THE RIGHT THINGS. AND SO TO HAVE A VALID JOB ANALYSIS IT HAS TO BE CONDUCTED I THINK EVERY 5 TO 7 YEARS AND I THINK IN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN LIKE MANY MORE YEARS THAN THAT TO SAY OH THIS JOB ANALYSIS IS EVEN VALID IS THEY'RE BASING IT OFF OF SO THAT THAT I DON'T THINK WE NEED A JOB ANALYSIS NECESSARILY.
>> IT'S UH SO MY QUESTION TO YOU, MR CHAIRMAN DO WE NEED A JOB ANALYSIS AND WHY WOULD YOU SAY YOU DON'T NECESSARILY THINK WE NEED ONE. I THINK AND. WHO WOULD MAKE THAT DETERMINATION?
IT'S NOT THE JOB ANALYSIS THAT'S THE ISSUE. IT'S HOW OUR CIVIL SERVICE LAWS REQUIRE US TO MEASURE CAPABILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT. SO I THINK THAT AS LONG AS THEY'RE UP TO DATE, AS LONG AS
THEY DO EVERY 5 TO 7 YEARS THEY HAVE A VALID JOB AND THAT WE I MEAN I THINK WE ALL AGREE ON LIKE WHAT YOU NEED TO BE A GOOD YOU KNOW, SUPERIOR OFFICER I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL IT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUT UM, YOU
KNOW TO TO BE GOOD AT THAT JOB UH, I THINK WE ALL YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REALLY A DEBATE ABOUT THAT. IT'S LIKE WHETHER OUR TEST GETS TO THOSE THINGS. IF GASKINS WANTS TO. TALK TO COUNCIL CHAIRMAN ABOUT THAT. YEAH. >> YEAH.
I JUST WANT TO CHIME IN BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EVERY 5 TO 7 YEARS OR WHATEVER FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AFTER THE COURT CASE THAT YOU UH, REFERENCE FOR THE POLICE DID CHANGE OUR EXAM PROCESS AND DID
A JOB ANALYSIS AND IT'S NOT JUST 8020 AS YOU SAY AN 80 WRITTEN IN 20 EXPERIENCE. THEY'VE ADDED A SITUATIONAL JUDGMENT COMPONENT TO OUR EXAMS NOW.
SO NOW YOU STILL TAKE A VALUE AT 80 OR 100 UH UH QUESTION TEST AND THAT'S UH READ A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE BUT NOW THEY'RE THEY'RE ACTUALLY GIVING YOU SITUATIONS AND YOU ANSWER QUESTIONS BASED ON THE
SITUATIONS. UH SO IT'S NOT JUST ROTE MEMORY ANYMORE. SO THEY HAVE UH CHANGED OUR TEST AND THAT'S OVER THE LAST 3 OR 4 YEARS. BECAUSE MR. CHAIR, I MEAN, YOU TOOK MY TIME. AWAY. >> I DIDN'T I WAITED TILL THE
BUZZER WENT OFF BUT I DIDN'T TAKE ANY TIME. LET ME JUST ASK HIM ABOUT THIS JOB. NOW HOW LONG. AGO WAS THAT WHEN. >> THEY DID WHEN THEY CHANGED THE SITUATION? UH, FOR OVER FOUR YEARS AGO. UH, COUNSELOR.
OKAY, SO WE PROBABLY DON'T NEED A JOB ANALYSIS. HE'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I. TOOK THE LAST EXAM THAT WAS STRICTLY THE 80 QUESTIONS OR 8020 AND SINCE IT NOW IS ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, I COULD PROMOTE
IT THREE AND SINCE THEN THE TESTS HAVE BEEN ADDED WITH THE SITUATIONAL JUDGMENT. CAN I NOW ASK MY QUESTION? >> WELL, YOU GOT TO THE END OF YOUR TIME COUNSELOR COVER BUT I JUST I THOUGHT I WOULD BUT IF YOU IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT.
>> I JUST HAVE A QUESTION THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO. ANSWER NOW. SURE I WOULD LIKE JUST LIKE I DID WITH THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE MY QUESTION IS SINCE THAT CONSENT DECREE
AND I KNOW YOU REMEMBER WHEN THAT CONSENT DECREE WAS DISSOLVED, I WANTED TO LOOK AT. WHAT'S HAPPENED. WITH THE FIRE. DEPARTMENT SINCE THE CONSENT DECREE WAS DISSOLVED, WHETHER
THE HIRING AND PROMOTION OF MINORITIES HAVE GONE UP, WHETHER IT'S GONE DOWN OR WHETHER IT STAYED THE SAME. JUST GIVE ME WHEN YOU CAN AND
I'M ASKING AS TO THE CHAIR THE IMPACT OF THE DISSOLUTION OF THAT CONSENT DECREE. WE CAN GET THAT DATA. I DO KNOW FROM LAST YEAR'S HEARING AND I BELIEVE I MEAN
MOSTLY YOU KNOW THE THE PERCENTAGE NUMBERS ARE LOWER. YOU KNOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PATROL OFFICERS HAVE MANAGED TO ACHIEVE A LEVEL THAT REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF THE CITY.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT PRIOR LAST YEAR WITH COMMISSIONER BURKE AND IT BEING A COMPONENT OF THESE YOU KNOW THE SCORING SYSTEM WHERE YOU KNOW, EVEN IF
YOU'VE LIVED HERE YOUR WHOLE LIFE YOU'RE NOT A DISABLED VETERAN BUT IF YOU LIVE IN OKLAHOMA AND YOU TAKE THE TEST YOU AND YOU SCORE 30 POINTS
WORSE YOU STILL END UP ON TOP OF THAT RANKED ABOVE THAT PERSON. SO IT'S SOMETHING I THINK THEY'RE WORKING ON AND AND THE GOVERNOR HAS APPROVED THIS YOU KNOW HYBRID PATHWAY SYSTEM
WHICH WE'RE USING AND WE HAVE DATA FROM THE PRESENTATION ON PEOPLE COMING IN YOU KNOW AND IT IS A MORE DIVERSE GROUP. BUT I THINK UH I THINK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THAT RESPECT HAS
WORK TO DO. UH JUST THAT'S MY PERSON. I CAN FINISH. YES. >> AND RECRUITMENT. >> GAS BECAUSE THE OTHER PIECE OF IT WAS. WITH REGARD TO THE EXAMPLE YOU
GAVE OF THE A PERSON THAT LIVED OUT OF STATE OUT OF THE CITY THAT WAS A VETERAN VERSUS SOMEBODY THAT HAD LIVED IN UH DORCHESTER ALL OF THEIR LIFE.
I WANTED TO JUST KNOW AND I KNOW YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE IT NOW. WHAT IMPACT AT THE TIME DID THE SENT THE CONSENT DECREE HAVE ON THE VETERANS VERSUS THE ONES
THAT WERE CITY RESIDENTS FOR YEARS? THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UNDER THE. CONSENT DECREE UH, FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THEY DID ONE FOR ONE HIRING UM THAT ONE FOR ONE HIRING MINUTES UH, ONE PERSON
COMING OFF OF A TRADITIONAL CIVIL SERVICE LIST AND THEN ONE UH, PERSON OF COLOR OFTENTIMES COULD BE A CIVILIAN. SO IF THE UH PERSON SCORED A 99 FROM THE TRADITIONAL LIST, THEY
WOULD TAKE THE 99 UH FROM THE UH CIVILIAN LIST FOR A PERSON OF COLOR. SO THEY DID THAT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN THERE WAS THE DISSOLUTION OF THAT. BUT WHAT. >> ABOUT WITH REGARD TO THE VETERANS? DID IT HAVE AN IMPACT ON
WHETHER A VETERAN. >> WAS BROUGHT IN AT THAT POINT. OR WHETHER SOMEONE THAT HAD BEEN LIVING IN THE CITY? THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET TO. UM, THAT'S HARD TO DETERMINE BECAUSE UM, THERE ARE TWO
PREFERENCES THAT CAN HAPPEN WITHIN THE CIVIL SERVICE LIST DVS WHICH HAVE ABSOLUTE PREFERENCE IN IN VETERANS. UM, IF YOU USE OUR CURRENT UH HYBRID MODEL AS AN EXAMPLE, WE
ACTUALLY HIRED VETERANS TO A HYBRID PROCESS. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT SERVE THE COUNTRY BUT JUST HAVE VETERANS THAT STATUS IF NOT FOR THE HYBRID PROCESS WE WOULD NEVER HAVE REACHED THEM ON THE UH
TRADITIONAL LIST BECAUSE OF THE GLUT OF OF DVS THAT WE HAVE UM ON THE TRADITIONAL. OKAY THANK YOU COUNCIL BUT WE WILL HAVE A BRIEF THIRD ROUND UH, AND I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE
TO GET TO YOU AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAD JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS ,UH, FROM THE CHAIR. UM, OKAY. IN TERMS OF, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE
THERE IS DISCUSSION ABOUT UM. SUPPLEMENTALS TO THE BUDGET, UH ,WHICH WOULD BE JUST ADDING MONEY ON ONTO THE BUDGET FROM RESERVES. I JUST YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF IF
YOU LOOK AT RECENT HISTORY, NEW YORK CITY HAD THEIR FINANCIAL OUTLOOK DOWNGRADED FROM STABLE TO NEGATIVE BECAUSE THEY WERE TAKING MONEY OUT OF THEIR RESERVES TO PAY FOR ONE TIME
EXPENSES AND BECAUSE THEY WERE MAKING OVERLY OPTIMISTIC REVENUE PROJECTIONS. UH AND WHICH IS HURT THEIR ABILITY TO BORROW MONEY TO DO THINGS LIKE BUILD FIREHOUSES,
YOU KNOW, AND UH AND BUILD SCHOOLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I WOULD SAY THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL WITH SPENDING MONEY FROM OUR RESERVES,
ADJUSTING REVENUE PROJECTIONS BECAUSE THE THE CITY OF BOSTON SO WE HAVE OUR HIGHEST POSSIBLE RATING. IT'S A STRONG FINANCIAL FOUNDATION THAT ALLOWS US TO INCREASE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
BUDGET BY 2% THIS YEAR AT A TIME WHEN LOTS OF COSTS ARE GOING UP. SO I THINK YOUR BUDGET IT'S LIKE 335 MILLION DO I HAVE THAT RIGHT? SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 1.4
MILLION FOR CANCER SCREENINGS AND I AGREE WITH ALL MY COLLEAGUES AND UH MY JUST I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THE THE CANCER DATA UH FOR OUR
FIREFIGHTERS IT'S YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP THEM, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS PROBABLY A DECISION MADE, COMMISSIONER, BEFORE YOU EVEN TOOK THIS JOB.
BUT SOMEWHERE IN THAT BUDGET THERE LIKE I THINK WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THE 1.4 TO COME IN AS A GRANT. LIKE WHEN DID WHY IS THAT NOT PRIORITIZED IN IN THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET? I MEAN LIKE WHAT WHAT WHAT DECISIONS WERE MADE TO FUND SOMETHING OVER THAT? WELL, I. >> THINK IT WASN'T A DECISION. IT WAS JUST THAT WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING THIS GRANT SINCE 2017
AND NOW THAT HAS GONE AWAY. SO HOW CAN WE PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF SERVICES AND THE SECURITY NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THE FIREFIGHTERS, YOU KNOW, GET THE ADEQUATE SCREENING TO PREVENT OCCUPATIONAL CANCERS AND OTHER
THINGS? YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO. US, HAVE YOU LOOKED THROUGH THE THE BUDGET TO TRY TO I MEAN I THINK IS COUNSELOR FISHER WAS TALKING ABOUT MAYBE WAYS AND
MANIPULATING THE CADET I MEAN CAN YOU CAN YOU PLEASE COME UP WITH LIKE A A PLAN AND WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT UH, FOR HOW. IT'S IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE TRADITIONALLY WE ARE NOT
RECEIVING INCREASES IN LINE ITEMS ACROSS OUR BUDGET WHICH YOU'RE REFERENCING IS YOU KNOW ,THE INCREASES YOU KNOW, 2.4% IS A DIRECT RESULT OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS AND THERE ARE
SEVERAL OTHER COST CENTERS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. UH 123456789 COST CENTERS TEN CUSTOMERS IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT ARE TAKING HITS REDUCTIONS THIS YEAR.
AND YOU KNOW, THE ONE POINT THAT I MENTIONED TO YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUES YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER UM, MARSHALL COMMISSIONER ELLIS IS YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET IT DOES NOT ACCOUNT
FOR ANY INFLATIONARY FACTORS. YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, AVERAGE CITIZENS CONSUMERS HERE WE SEE INCREASES IN EVERYTHING OVER THE PAST YOU KNOW PROBABLY A COUPLE OF WEEKS JUST LOOK AT THE PRICE OF GAS.
BUT THIS BUDGET IN TRADITIONALLY HAS NOT ALLOWED FOR ANY INCREASES AT ALL IN TERMS OF INFLATION OR UH ANY ANY CHANGES. YEAH NO AND IT'S LIKE YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT A TIME WHEN PROPERTY
PEOPLE'S PROPERTY TAXES, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING UP AND THEY'RE LOOKING AND THEY'RE LIKE WELL WHY IS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET GOING UP? BUT IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WE'RE
TRYING TO PAY PEOPLE MAKE SURE YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC UH, OUR BUDGET IS GOING UP AND EVEN THOUGH IT GOES UP ABOUT $100 MILLION, THEY'RE STILL HAVING TO LAY PEOPLE OFF. UH, IT JUST COSTS MORE TO
RETAIN PEOPLE. SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU. YOU KNOW. >> WE'RE WE'RE MAINTAINING STAFFING LEVELS BUT IN TERMS OF THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE GOING DOWN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES IS TAKING A HIT. UH, AND UH I CAN'T REMEMBER
IT'S LIKE. UH I THINK. IT'S $75,996.82. WELL I HAVE A UH YEAH,
CONTRACTED SERVICES IS 438,000 LESS THAN THE 52 900 LINE ITEM I GUESS WHAT IS THE CONTRACTUAL ? IT'S GOING DOWN FROM 3.7 TO 3.3 MILLION.
I MEAN WHAT ARE WHAT ARE THE HOW IS THAT GOING TO IMPACT. UM. >> THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S. WELL CONTRACTED SERVICES IS YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT WE USE FOR SERVICE WE THAT HAVE WORK IN THE DEPARTMENT AND THINGS THAT WE CANNOT MAINTAIN WITH
OUR EXISTING WORKFORCE. SO IT COULD BE YOU KNOW, LIKE THE YOU KNOW, ADJUSTING OF THE HVAC SYSTEMS HAVING TO CALL IN A SPECIALIZED, YOU KNOW, MECHANIC TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THAT WORK THAT'S JUST YOU
KNOW, ONE EXAMPLE THIS YOU KNOW MANY EXAMPLES OF HOW WE USE CONTRACTED SERVICES MONEY. ARE THERE ANY CONTRACTS THAT YOU KNOW YOU'RE TERMINATING BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET? NO THERE'S NO CONTRACTS THAT WERE TERMINATED OKAY.
BUT THERE'S OTHER OTHER SERVICES THAT ARE TAKING A HIT IN TERMS. OF UM CONTRACT THE SERVICES UM THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF FIREFIGHTERS
LIKE OUR UH, BUNKER GEAR CLEANING WOULD BE CONSIDERED A CONTRACTUAL UH, SERVICE THAT WE, UH, GOING TO TAKE A HIT ON. UH, SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A
WAY TO EITHER TRY TO BRING THAT IN-HOUSE AT SOME POINT, UM, AND AND AND TRY TO LIKE I SAID, DEFLECT THAT COST. BUT UM, AT THIS POINT WE JUST DON'T KNOW HOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO COVER THAT.
OKAY. >> UM UH OKAY. AND THERE IS WELL OKAY THAT THAT THAT'S IT FOR ME FOR THIS ROUND UH WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE THIRD ROUND TO MY COLLEAGUES.
UH, I, I THINK BECAUSE WE HAVE A 2:00 HEARING WHERE WE COULD TRY TO END THIS HEARING AT ONE WHICH IS I THINK IN A HALF AN HOUR, UH, 23 MINUTES. UM, SO. >> I'M DIVIDE.
23 BY FIVE BUT UH UM YEAH. HOW ABOUT UH YEAH. THREE MINUTES. COUNCILOR FLYNN. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BUNKER GEAR CLEANING. UM, THAT THAT PROGRAM IS BEING
CUT. THAT FUNDING IS BEING CUT. THAT THAT COMES INTO CONTRACTUAL SERVICES. UM, LIKE I SAID, THAT PER SE IS NOT GOING TO BE CUT, BUT, UH,
WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS. OKAY. HISTORICALLY IT HAS NOT BEEN FUNDED COMPLETELY SO IT COSTS US ABOUT $880,000 A YEAR TO MAINTAIN THE CLEANING OF THE
BUNKER GEAR AS A LINE ITEM. WE HAVE BEEN FUNDED UH, APPROXIMATELY $600,000 FOR THAT . SO WHAT THAT DOES TO US IS WE ARE FORCED TO MAKE DECISIONS ON WHERE DO WE FIND THAT
ADDITIONAL MONEY TO COMPETE COMPLETE THAT CLEANING ANNUALLY OKAY. DID DID THE DID THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ADVOCATE PRIOR TO THE RELEASE OF THE BUDGET THAT
THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING CUT WELL THAT WON'T BE REFUNDED OR FUNDED UM WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE WOULD HAVE A DEVASTATING IMPACT ON THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF.
FIREFIGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WAS TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MENTIONED THAT TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. UM. >> YES WE DID.
AND WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE? WELL AGAIN MOST OF THE UH THAT FUNDING WAS GOING TO BE CUT FROM GRANTS. SO UM THE RESPONSE IS BASICALLY
THAT YOU CAN'T YOU KNOW, UH DEPEND ON GRANTS UH, TO TO FUND EVERYTHING IN YOUR BUDGET. SO I MEAN BASICALLY WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SOME HARD CHOICES LIKE OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO
REALLOCATE FUNDS TO TO COVER THOSE THINGS. BUT IF WE KNOW THE GRANTS ARE NOT BEING FUNDED. THE THE BUDGET HAS TO BE.
ADJUSTED TO REFLECT THAT THE GRANTS AREN'T BEING FUNDED AND THEN MORE MONEY HAS TO GO INTO THE BUDGET TO MAKE UP THAT DIFFERENCE THAT TEND TO TAKE PLACE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT NOW WE AS A CITY I BELIEVE WE HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO GET THAT MONEY BACK INTO THE BUDGET.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A CHOICE. I DON'T THINK WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. THE ONLY CONVERSATION WE CAN HAVE IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO
IT AND THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE TODAY AND PEOPLE SAY WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S YOU KNOW THERE'S NO MONEY IN THE BUDGET BUT WITH FUNDING A LOT OF PROGRAMS THAT
DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE FUNDED COMPLETELY IN MY OPINION I'VE SAID THAT UM, PEOPLE SAY WELL A BUDGET IS A REFLECTION OF YOUR VALUES. I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO HEAR
ABOUT PEOPLE'S VALUES. I WANT TO SEE THE BUDGET. I WANT TO SEE THE BUDGET. AND IF THE BUDGET SAYS THAT WE'RE CUTTING HEALTH AND WELLNESS THEN WE HAVE TO START OVER.
BUT WE JUST CAN'T WE JUST CAN'T GO ON AND ACCEPT THAT WE'RE CUTTING HEALTH AND WELLNESS AS IF IT'S NOT NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL. THIS IS A MAJOR PRIORITY IF ANYTHING COMES OUT OF THIS
MEETING TODAY, RESIDENTS OF BOSTON SHOULD KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO CUT HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS THAT ARE SAVING LIVES FOR BOSTON FIREFIGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. AND IS THE CITY COUNCIL GOING
TO ACCEPT THAT? THAT'S THE QUESTION. IS THE CITY COUNCIL GOING TO SIT DOWN AND ACCEPT THAT OR ARE WE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? THAT'S THAT'S THE QUESTION. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN.
COUNCILOR MURPHY THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU. >> UM, SO. YOU KNOW. WHERE REFERRED TO AS THE FIRST IN THE NATION I WOULD ARGUE THE BEST IN THE NATION ALSO.
UM, BUT TO ME IT IS OUTRAGEOUS AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR. YOU KNOW, BEING. HERE IN YOUR ANSWERS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE. MOST PRODUCTIVE BUDGET HEARINGS.
MANY TIMES WE COME WE ASK A FEW QUESTIONS. WE LEAVE WITHOUT ANY REAL UNDERSTANDING IF WE NEED TO ADVOCATE. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THESE TOUGH
CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE IF WE'RE FUNDING THINGS ACROSS ALL OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT AREN'T IN MY OPINION LIFE AND DEATH SITUATIONS AND IF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES ARE, YOU KNOW,
SLEEPING AND LIVING AND EATING IN UNHEALTHY SPACES, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE, RIGHT? WE CAN'T HAVE STUDENTS IN CLASSROOMS WITH ASBESTOS AND WE FIND THE MONEY TO MAKE SURE WE REMOVE IT.
WE CAN'T HAVE SENIORS OR LIKE COUNCILOR FLYNN ALWAYS ADVOCATING FOR OUR RESIDENTS WHEN THERE'S RATS AND BROKEN ELEVATORS IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE .
SO WE CAN HAVE FUN AND FUND FEEL GOOD THINGS AND THOSE ARE IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITY TO BE. YOU KNOW. HAPPY AND HAVE FUN. BUT TO ME THESE ARE THE TOUGH
DECISIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG THAT THIS TIME WILL COME WHERE WE HAVE TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS. SO I AM READY TO MAKE THOSE TOUGH DECISIONS AND AGREE THAT WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY AND NOT
THROUGH OUR AMENDMENT PROCESS BUT IF WE NEED THE RESIDENTS TO BACK US WHICH I KNOW THEY WILL UM. TO ADVOCATE THAT THESE THINGS ARE NOT GONE FROM THE BUDGET
BEFORE WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE IN JUNE, BUT I DO WANT TO HAVE MY FEW MINUTES TO ASK THEM. MICHAEL, IF. YOU COULD JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RESIDENCY
REQUIREMENT AND THANK YOU ALSO FOR THE WORK WE'RE DOING. I YOU KNOW, WITH THE CADET PROGRAM AND ALL YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN TO ALL OF THOSE PENDINGS AND WHEN WE GRADUATE ACADEMIES AND.
I DO SEE YOU KNOW, THE. CHANGE AND LOTS OF UM. YOUNG WOMEN MY. GOD IS FRIENDS YOU KNOW SHE GREW UP WITH IT'S GREAT TO SEE CITY KIDS ON THESE JOBS AND
NEIGHBORS THAT I TAUGHT AND JUST SEE AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT THERE IS A THREE YEAR. RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT TO APPLY TO THE CADET PROGRAM. IS THAT TRUE? THAT'S CORRECT.
OKAY. IF YOU'RE SOMEBODY WHO WAS BORN AND. RAISED IN THE CITY OF BOSTON SO YOU YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN HERE YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES LIKE WE KNOW WE WHEN WE TALK TO
POLICE OFFICERS ALSO YOU MIGHT SAY TO SOMEONE IF. >> THEY'VE BEEN ON FOR. >> A FEW YEARS LIKE OH WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND LIKE BUT THEY GREW UP IN DUXBURY YOU KNOW THEY GREW UP SOMEWHERE ELSE. THEY OBVIOUSLY LIVE HERE FOR TEN YEARS. >> BUT IF YOU HAVE LIVED YOU KNOW, WENT TO YOU KNOW.
SCHOOL IN BOSTON, GREW UP HERE. ,DO YOU GET MORE POINTS OR DO YOU HAVE A. AN ADVANTAGE OVER SOMEONE WHO MAY HAVE GROWN. UP IN PEMBROKE THEIR WHOLE LIFE. AND THEN. >> USE THEIR GRANDMOTHER'S
ADDRESS. IN HYDE. PARK, SOUTH BOSTON? MAYBE THEY WERE. LIVING THERE BUT THE TIMELINE OFF AND I'M NOT. LIKE TARGETING ANY ONE. PERSON BUT. >> KNOWING THAT THERE IS A WAY.
TO SAY. >> WELL WE'VE BEEN LIVING. HERE IN THIS ADDRESS IT'S A FAMILY HOUSE AND IT'S A CADET. BUT THEY WERE PROBABLY. AWAY IN COLLEGE. >> THEY'VE NEVER ACTUALLY LIVED IN ANY OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE I JUST DON'T WANT. >> THIS SMALL NUMBER
OF OPPORTUNITIES WHICH I THINK ARE WONDERFUL FOR OUR CITY KIDS TO NOT GO. >> TO. 100% LIKE ACTUAL YOU KNOW, CITY KIDS THAT. >> WE. SEE, YOU KNOW. AT OUR PLAYGROUNDS IN OUR KINDERGARTEN. CLASSROOMS GOING THROUGH OUR
MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL AND. YOU KNOW, WORKING AT YOU KNOW, OUR IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO. >> IF YOU COULD JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT RESIDENCY AND HOW YOU LOOK. AT IT. >> YES. >> THANK YOU MA'AM. UM SO I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYBODY
THAT WOULD USE A DIFFERENT ADDRESS OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE. WE DO HAVE A GREAT INVESTIGATORS THAT THAT WE USED UM THAT ARE USUALLY FORMER BPD DETECTIVES AND SO WE HAVE A
PRETTY GOOD UNDERSTANDING IN TERMS OF UM RESIDENCY. UM, THE THREE YEARS IS REALLY JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LOOK AT CANDIDATES THAT HAVE A MINIMUM OF THREE YEARS THE
MAJORITY OF OUR KIDS BORN AND RAISED HERE. UM YEAH, THAT'S MY QUESTION. SO I'M I'M NOT SAYING IF. THEY HAVE THEIR THREE YEARS THAT MAYBE. THEY WEREN'T. BEING HONEST ABOUT THAT, BUT. I WOULD.
>> WANT THAT THEY. HAVE LESS. HOWEVER THE POINT SYSTEM GOES FOR SOME INTERVIEW ON THEIR KID THAT'S THAT IF THEY. WERE LINED UP AND. >> THEY BOTH DID A GREAT JOB ON THEIR INTERVIEW WHEN THEY BOTH
BRING VALUE THAT YOU CAN SEE BUT THAT SOMEONE WHO'S ACTUALLY LIVED HERE THEIR WHOLE LIFE THAT THEY WOULD BE CHOSEN OVER SOMEONE WHO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY GREW UP SOMEWHERE ELSE AND JUST MOVED HERE FOR
THIS OPPORTUNITY. YEAH, I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU. UM OVERALL THERE'S NO POINT SYSTEM IN TERMS OF THE UH CADETS IN THEIR THEIR ASSESSMENT PROCESS. UM, I WOULD SAY IF I'M VETTING
TWO CANDIDATES AND THEY'RE EQUAL THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY OPT FOR THE. CANDIDATE THAT HAD MORE TIME IN THE CITY BECAUSE CHANCES ARE THEY'RE MORE VESTED IN THE CITY. WE PROBABLY HAD MORE EXPERIENCE
IN THE COMMUNITIES AS WELL. WE LOOK AT VOLUNTEERISM AS A AS A. BIG PLUS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. SO UM, CHANCES ARE IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME IN THE CITY UM, YOU'VE GRADUATED FROM A SCHOOL
IN THE CITY, A MORE METCO PROGRAM. UH, CHANCES ARE YOU WOULD HAVE MORE UM WE WOULD LEAN MORE TOWARD THAT PARTICULAR CANDIDATE'S PROFILE. BUT AGAIN, IT'S A IT'S IT
REALLY IS SUBJECTIVE AND IN A CASE BY CASE I HAVE UH ONE EXAMPLE OF OF A KID THAT CAME FROM UH, NEW JERSEY WHO'S NOW A FIREFIGHTER WAS A CADET. HE'S A HE WAS A CADET NOW HE'S A FIREFIGHTER.
UM, HE CAME HERE AS A YOUNG ADULT TO PLAY UH, COLLEGE HOCKEY. UM AND SO A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE CANDIDATE UM, AGAIN MYSELF NOT BEING A BOSTON UH, RESIDENT LIFELONG BUT I'VE BEEN
HERE LONGER THAN I'VE BEEN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. I THINK I WOULD HAVE MADE AN EXCELLENT FIREFIGHTER BY COMING HERE AND, UH, LAYING ROOTS IN ROXBURY RIGHT ON WOODVILLE STREET IN UH IN REALLY, UH, BECOMING A PRODUCTIVE CITIZEN
OF THE CITY. SO THERE'S A BALANCE TO IT. BUT ALL IN ALL, IF IF TWO CANDIDATES ARE EQUAL A KID THAT UM IS FROM THE CITY CHANCES ARE
THERE WOULD BE MORE WEIGHT THAT, UH ON THAT CANDIDATE'S PROFILE. AWESOME. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD . THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR. UM, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY REMAINING QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
ALL. UH, LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THERE CAN BE SOME MANEUVERING INTERNALLY ON THE BUDGET TO TRY AND COVER SOME OF THESE HEALTH ISSUES. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IF WE'RE SENDING FOLKS, UH, TO FIGHT
FIRES FOR US THAT THEY'RE COMING BACK THE SAME WAY THEY WENT IN. SO, UM, MAYBE THERE'S JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DIGGING WE CAN DO AND HAPPY TO HELP WITH YOU GUYS AT ANY TIME. BUT I KNOW TIMES ARE TIGHT SO, UH, JUST TO CONTINUE THAT
ADVOCACY BUT OTHERWISE THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. OKAY. COUNCILOR COBB WAIVED YOUR THREE MINUTES. UM, UM. PRESS NO. OKAY. YOU GOT THREE MINUTES. RECLAIMING MY TIME.
SO THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UH, COMMISSIONER, I WANT TO RAISE A. QUESTION WITH YOU WITH REGARD TO. THE FIREFIGHTER. GEAR AND THE THE PFA AND
WHETHER THEY'RE STILL USING GEAR THAT HAS THAT PREFERENCE IN IT AND IF THEY ARE. HOW ARE YOU. TRANSITIONING HOW QUICKLY YOU TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM A
PREFERENCE. UH, INCLUDED FIRE. FIGHTERS GEAR. WELL UH COUNCIL WE WE DO STILL HAVE UM THE TRADITIONAL GEAR AND WE'VE PURCHASED THE NEWER
GEAR. UM, THERE'S NOTHING THAT SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO STRICTLY GO TO TO THE FAIR SKIN RIGHT AWAY. SO WE'RE STILL USING LIKE I
SAID, THE OLDER GEAR THAT THAT SUPPOSEDLY HAS THE P FAST IN IT AT THIS TIME. . >> AND SO. LET ME ASK YOU THROUGH THE CHAIR IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND LOOK AT AN ESTIMATE.
UH, WHAT IT WOULD COST TO PROVIDE THE ALL. FIREFIGHTERS WITH HANDS FREE. GEAR BECAUSE AGAIN DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR THEM TO PUT ON THEIR
GEAR AND IT HAS UH. UH THAT HEALTH RISK. TO GO OUT TO FIGHT TO SAVE FIRES FOR FOLKS AND THEY'RE PUTTING ON GEAR THAT IS
POSSIBLY. THREATENING THEIR. >> THEIR LIFE. AND I LOOKED AT THE 637 HIGH RISK CASES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED THROUGH BODY SCANS, 413 CARDIOVASCULAR ISSUES.
THE REFERRAL. TO 94 REFERRALS FOR FURTHER TREATMENT. UM. I'M TRAUMATIZED JUST WANTED TO SEE THESE FIGURES EVEN.
>> WITH. REGARD TO THE UH THE GEAR. UH. >> WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE FIREFIGHTERS WITH FAST FREE GEAR. SO IF THAT IS CONTRIBUTING TO
CANCER THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE BECAUSE AGAIN. I KNOW IT'S. OLDER EQUIPMENT. BUT I THINK WE. >> HAVE TO FOCUS ON. WHAT HELPS SAVE LIVES.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE FROM ALL THE STUDIES AND THE REPORT THAT PIF HAS FREE. GEAR IS HELPING TO SAVE LIVES AND I DON'T THINK FOLKS REALLY UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE GEAR THAT THEY WEAR AND HOW THE GEAR IS A THREAT TO THE SAFETY. SO IF YOU COULD LOOK AT IT THROUGH THE CHAIR TO SEE WHAT. IT WOULD COST. TO AT LEAST PROVIDE.
THE FIREFIGHTERS WITH FAST FREE. GEAR BECAUSE HERE THEY ARE. WORN OUT TO FIGHT A FIRE. AND THEIR SAFETY IS AT RISK TOO.
SO UH I'D. APPRECIATE THAT. >> SO AND. I THINK WE WE HAVE TO BE. SERIOUS ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT THESE OFFICERS UH, ARE TAKING
ON WITH REGARD. TO FIREFIGHTERS. >> AND I WANT TO PUBLICIZE TO THE WHOLE WORLD BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE NO ONE WANTING TO. >> BE. A. FIREFIGHTER BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY
TO MAKE SURE WE DO ALL WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THESE FIREFIGHTERS AT LEAST THE GEAR AND UH. COUNCIL YES. >> UH TRADITIONALLY. WE DO UM ALLOCATE UM RESOURCES
EVERY YEAR THROUGH THE LEASE PURCHASE PROGRAM AND THE REPLENISHMENT PROGRAM WE'RE ON IS ABOUT 400 SETS PER YEAR AT ABOUT $3,500 EACH. SO WE HAVE REQUESTED AS PART
OF THE FY 27 BUDGET SUBMISSION THIS YEAR A $1.4 MILLION ADD ON TO UH, CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT WILL MOVE FORWARD. AND I WILL SAY THE CITY HAS BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT FUNDING THAT LINE EVERY.
YEAR AND WHAT THAT PROGRAM IS THAT USED TO BUY. >> THAT. FAST FREE GEAR. YES. >> THAT WILL BE. AND THEN AFTER YOU DO THAT HOW MUCH MORE. DO WE NEED. AND HOW. MANY OFFICERS ARE ACTUALLY
USING THE GEAR THAT HAS THE FAST CONTAMINANT IN IT BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT TRYING TO AT LEAST GET THEM WITH. UH. >> CONTAMINANT FREE GEAR THAT THEY HAVE TO WEAR ON.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT. I THINK. >> YOU PLEASE. 400 SETS A LITTLE LOOK. THANK YOU TO. EXCUSE ME, COUNSELOR. YEAH, I COULD MAYBE ADD A FEW THINGS. UH, WE'VE MET. >> WITH MANUFACTURERS IN THE PROBABLY. >> WITHIN. THE LAST. YEAR ABOUT FAST GEAR GOING TO
IT. AND THE WAY IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME IS FAST. FREE ISN'T NECESSARILY FAST. IT'S JUST. BELOW THE REPORTABLE. UH, REPORTABLE STANDARD.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER UH, THINGS THAT UH THEY EXPLAINED TO US IS IT DOESN'T LAST AS LONG NOT IT'S NOT AS DURABLE AND IT COSTS PROBABLY 2 TO 3 TIMES AS MUCH. SO WHEN YOU GIVE EACH
FIREFIGHTER YOU HAVE TO GIVE EACH FIRE 5 TO 2 SETS. IT CAN THE COST CAN CAN ADD UP. NO I DON'T WANT TO COME UP HERE AND SAY THAT I'M PUTTING COST OVER A FIREFIGHTERS LIFE.
BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE RUNNING UP AGAINST. I MEAN I'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION IF THERE'D BE. ABSOLUTELY I'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT I THINK IT'S. REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT
WE TRY AND DO ALL WE CAN BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT YEAR EVEN IF IT MEANS GOING OUTSIDE THE GOVERNMENT. I MEAN. LOOK, WE'VE GOT ALL THESE COMPANIES THAT. UH, WOULD PROBABLY BE.
WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE FIREFIGHTERS. SO SO LET'S HAVE SOME, UH, SIDE CONVERSATIONS, COMMISSIONER AND YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM TO TO. TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN REALLY
GIVE. ALL OF THE FIREFIGHTERS FAST FREE GEAR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I JUST UM IN TERMS OF WE TALKED ABOUT THE 1.4 MILLION FOR CANCER SCREENING.
UH, THAT MONEY CAME FROM AN OUTSIDE GRANT. IF IT'S TO BE FUNDED LIKE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET WHERE AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS HAPPENING BUT IT JUST WHERE IS THAT MONEY?
WHERE WOULD HAVE WHERE SHOULD IT GO IN YOUR BUDGET? IS IT CONTRACTUAL SERVICES OR YOU. >> KNOW. I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD SAY THAT ANY ADDITIONAL CUTS WOULD BE ALMOST DEVASTATING.
NO I'M SAYING LIKE IF WE IF WE AMENDED THE BUDGET TO YOU KNOW ,TO FUND THE CANCER SCREENING WHERE IN YOUR FIRE YOU KNOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET WITH THAT MONEY. >> WELL THE MAJORITY WOULD GO
DIRECTLY TO THE UM. THE SAFETY HEALTH AND WELLNESS WHICH I THINK IS UP TO ONE IS THAT YEAH. ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THE ACCOUNT OR. I'M JUST YEAH. WHERE WOULD WE WANT TO SEND
THAT MONEY TO TO DO THE MOST GOOD? UM SO JUST TO BE CLEAR THE. 1.4 MILLION IS THE TOTAL. AWARD THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM OUR AFG GRANT AND IT'S
GENERALLY SPLIT BETWEEN OUR TRAINING UNIT AND OUR SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELLNESS. UM, THE OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT CANCER SCREENING JUST YOU KNOW ,TO BE UPFRONT WE THE UNION
WAS ALSO DOING CANCER SCREENING. UM, BUT THEY HAD CERTAIN CAPS ON AGE AND YEARS OF SERVICE AND YOU KNOW, THERE WERE COSTS TO THE MEMBER.
UM, SO IT HAS BEEN A PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN SORT OF DEVELOPING AND AND STAYING ON TOP OF DESPITE NOT BEING FUNDED THROUGH OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
UM, WE ALSO GOT AN ALLOCATION FROM A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, A DIFFERENT COST CENTER, UH, TO MOVE $100,000 FROM I THINK MISCELLANEOUS SUPPLIES OF OUR
FACILITIES DEPARTMENT INTO CONTRACTUAL SERVICES. AND THOSE FUNDS WERE ALSO UTILIZED WHEN WE DID OUR MOST RECENT CANCER SCREENING, UH, THROUGH UNITED DIAGNOSTICS.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, IT ALL DEPENDS ON OUR WE INTEND YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LAPSE IN FUNDING HAS HAS CREATED A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY CITYWIDE AND
THAT'S WELL KNOWN AGAIN LIKE CHIEF MARSHALL SAID TO OFTENTIMES. YOU KNOW. WE CAN'T RELY ON GRANT FUNDS AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, SO I THINK I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT $800,000 THAT WENT TOWARDS THE CANCER SCREENING IN THIS OR NOT IN THE FISCAL YEAR 23 GRANT
WHICH HAS EXPIRED, FISCAL YEAR 24 GRANT IS ALSO PUTS US AT AN ISSUE WHERE THE CLINICAL DIRECTOR WHO IS OUR NUTRITIONIST AND OUR INJURY PREVENTION SPECIALIST WHO.
IS PROACTIVELY WORKING WITH MEMBERS UM TO PREVENT LINE OF DUTY INJURIES. ALSO THE CLINICAL DIRECTOR HAS HINGED HER TREATMENT NUTRITIONAL PLANS BASED ON A
LOT OF THE. UM CARDIAC RESULTS THAT HAVE COME FROM THE BODY SCANNING. SO I THINK THE FUNDS WOULD BE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING OUR
BIGGEST HIT THAT WOULD BE THE SAFETY HEALTH AND WELLNESS BUDGET BECAUSE THERE'S NOT MUCH OF A BUDGET WITHIN THAT UNIT. AND SO THE GRANT FUNDS JUST TO BE CLEAR THAT 1.4 MILLION IS
WHAT WE WERE AWARDED IN FISCAL YEAR 23, WHAT WE APPLIED FOR ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT WE RECYCLED THE PROGRAMS SOMETIMES UM, SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS
CANCER SCREENING. UM IT'S NOT ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS DEPENDING ON WHERE WE STAND WITH FUNDING OR OTHER FUNDING. UH, WE MAKE THOSE JUDGMENT CALLS THROUGH THE MANAGEMENT.
BUT I THINK IN LOOKING AT THE BUDGET LIKE KEVIN SAID, YOU. KNOW. >> BUNKER GEAR CLEANING HAS BEEN LEVEL FUNDED IF NOT SHORT FUNDED DIPS INTO OTHER CATEGORIES AND SOMETIMES WE'RE
USING THE GRANTS TO SAY OKAY, YOU KNOW, OUR BUDGET IS THIS AND WE'RE ALSO MINDFUL WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE MONEY OFF OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS
WHERE STUDENTS ARE NOT GETTING PAPER OR PENCILS. UM, YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE ADDRESSED OUR CONCERNS UPWARD AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE IN
A VERY DIFFICULT CLIMATE WITH A FUNDING GAP DEFICIT. SO WE DO OUR BEST TO SORT OF MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, OUR CRITICAL SERVICES.
YEAH. I THINK I MEAN IT WOULD HELP TO JUST BE MAYBE TO SKETCH OUT THE NEED TO PROVIDE THE SAME BENEFITS AS WERE BEING PROVIDED BY THE GRANT IF THE GRANT
DOESN'T COME THROUGH. WHAT TYPES OF RESOURCES WOULD AND YOU KNOW AND HOW WOULD THE I COULD FROM THE CHAIR I CAN SEND YOU UH LIKE A JUST A QUESTION AND YOU CAN ANSWER
THAT AND IT MIGHT HELP. I MEAN FOR FOLKS WHO THIS IS A HIGH PRIORITY AND I THINK MOST OF THE COLLEAGUES OF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD WANT TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, CONTINUED UH,
HOW TO EFFECTIVELY ADVOCATE FOR THAT SO WE CAN TAKE THAT. YEAH. >> AND I THINK CHIEF SHAY PROBABLY HAS SORT OF A WORKING PLAN. YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO TO SCAN A GOOD AMOUNT OF OUR
MEMBERS YOU KNOW, THE 700 WHICH IS ABOUT HALF UM YOU KNOW, THEY THEY MEDICALLY CAN'T DO THESE SCANS EVERY YEAR. SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN WORK WITH A NUMBER OF WHAT WE
MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO TO GET A GOOD COMPREHENSIVE SCANNING PLAN SCHEDULED FOR FUTURE YEARS TO KNOW YOU KNOW WHAT OUR BEST APPROACH WOULD BE. UM, SO IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY
BE THE AMOUNT THAT WAS AWARDED IN THE GRANT BUT WHAT WE CAN DO, YOU KNOW, TO BEST SERVICE OUR MEMBERS THAT. >> ARE HERE THAT UH. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WANT TO UH JUST THANK UH, THE
COMMISSIONER AND YOUR STAFF FOR FOR UH, ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND I THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR FOR BEING HERE AND ASKING GREAT QUESTIONS. UH, AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S 1:00 WE WE HAVE A HEARING AT
TWO TRYING TO GIVE CENTRAL STAFF AN HOUR TO GET READY FOR THE NEXT HEARING. UH, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE. OKAY. UH, THIS, UH THIS MORNING'S HEARING IS NOW ADJOURNED. OKAY.
SO.