ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY. HAPPY TO SEE SOME FOLKS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE. I APPRECIATE YOUR PARTICIPATION. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS GABRIELA COLETTE ZAPATA,
DISTRICT ONE CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, RESILIENCY AND PARKS. TODAY IS AUGUST 14TH, 2025. THE EXACT TIME IS TO 11.
THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON. DOUG FORWARD SLASH CITY DASH COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FIREHOUSE
CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT COURT EP AT BOSTON DOT GOV AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKING
IN TAKEN INTERMITTENTLY WILL START WITH TWO GRANTS AND GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME FOLKS THAT WANT TO SPEAK ON THE FIRST TWO AND THEN GO TO THE THIRD ONE WHICH MEANS THAT IT WILL HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE AS WELL AS THE
END OF HIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON AN ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET
NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY AND HAVE NOT DONE SO PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON.
CHARISMA CHUAN AT K A R I S H M A DOT CH0UHAN AT BOSTON DOT GOV FOR THE LINK IN YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON A COUPLE
OF DOCKETS SO THE FIRST OF WHICH BEING DOCKET 1258 MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND A GRANT NOT TO
EXCEED $1,000,170 FROM THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY OR FEMA FOR THE ABILITY BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES OR BRICK PROGRAM. THE GRANT IS AWARDED TO THE CITY OF BOSTON THROUGH THE
PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT FOR RENOVATIONS TO PARK LOCATED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF SOUTH BOSTON. SECOND DOCKET IS DOCKET 1345 MESSAGE AN ORDER AUTHORIZING
THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $644,458 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE U.S. INFLATION REDUCTION ACT AWARDED BY THE
USDA FOREST SERVICE URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND TO GROW AN ACCESSIBLE, INCLUSIVE AND
RESILIENT URBAN FOREST. AND THE LAST DOCKET IS DOCKET 1347 MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXTEND THE AMOUNT
OF $75,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE MVP PLANNING 2.0 GRANT AWARDED BY THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE
OF CLIMATE RESILIENCE. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE WORK CLIMATE. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE WORK CLIMATE RESILIENCE EXCUSE ME COMMUNITIES HAVE DONE TO DATE AND SUPPORT COMMUNITIES WITH NEW METHODS, TOOLS AND
RESOURCES FOR BUILDING CLIMATE RESILIENCE. THESE MATTERS WERE SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND WERE REFERRED TO THIS COMMITTEE ON JUNE 25TH 2025 AND JULY 9TH 2025.
TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE. I'LL NOW. I WILL NOW GO TO THEM FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS THEY MAY HAVE.
COUNCILOR FOURNIER BEFORE. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT IS HERE AS WELL. MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL.
THANK YOU TO MY NEIGHBORS FOR PARTICIPATING AND TUNING IN AT HOME AS WELL. SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS FROM SOUTH BOSTON ARE HERE.
I WANT TO WELCOME THEM. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF. WE HAD A MEETING EARLIER THIS MORNING, A TWO HOUR MEETING SO ON ACKNOWLEDGED THE
PROFESSIONAL WORK OF CITY COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF FOR THAT IMPORTANT MEETING AS WELL. WE ALL SHARE CONCERNS REGARDING FEDERAL FUNDING AS DISTRICT
COUNCIL OF A COASTAL NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL CORTEZ APARTMENT COUNCIL FITZGERALD AND OTHERS. I MADE A STATEMENT ON THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECKLESS CUTS TO COASTAL RESILIENCE FUNDING
BACK IN APRIL. WE OBVIOUSLY UNDERSTAND THE ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN AND CONCERNS REGARDING FEDERAL FUNDING. I HAVE SPOKEN OUT MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR WHETHER IT
BE CUTS TO VETERANS BENEFITS, NIH, HEALTH FUNDING IN OTHERS AND AT THE SAME TIME WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN TO RESIDENTS IN WHAT THEIR OPINION IS ABOUT AS
WELL. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR MY RESIDENTS IN SOUTH BOSTON AND IN DORCHESTER WHICH SUPPORTS JOHN'S WHICH IS JOHN'S JOHN'S
DISTRICT INCLUDING YOUTH SPORTS GROUPS, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, OUR NEIGHBORS ESPECIALLY IN MARY ELLEN MCCORMICK KIND OF BOSTON HARBOR NOW IS HERE SOUTH BOSTON AND ACTION AS WELL
. AGAIN, I WANT TO WELCOME THEM AND I WANT TO LISTEN TO THEM AND THEIR FEEDBACK. I SUPPORT THIS GRANT IN THE NAME OF TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC PROCESS. I ALSO WANT TO AGAIN HEAR FROM
MY NEIGHBORS AND LEARN FROM THEM ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES AND HOW THIS GRANT MAY OR MAY NOT HOW THIS HOW THIS GRANT
WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY. AUGUST IS OBVIOUSLY A DIFFICULT, DIFFICULT TIME WITH PEOPLE OFTEN GOING AWAY AND VACATIONS IN A PERFECT WORLD.
I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED THAT WE DO THIS AFTER LABOR DAY BUT I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO IT NOW BUT AGAIN WANT TO WELCOME RESIDENTS FROM PUBLIC HOUSING THAT ARE LISTENING AND
VIEWING THIS ON TELEVISION INCLUDING MARY ELLEN MCCORMACK IN LYNCH HOMES AT COLONY WEST NINTH STREET WEST BROADWAY. I'M PROUD TO REPRESENT THE LARGEST NUMBER OF RESIDENTS OF ANY DISTRICT CITY
COUNCIL LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING. I LOOK FORWARD TO TODAY'S DISCUSSION AND CONTINUE THE DIALOG WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WE CAN CONTINUE THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE KNOW THE ENVIRONMENT DOES NOT SEE POLITICAL BOUNDARIES OR DISTRICTS AND SO ANYTHING THAT AFFECTS ONE OF US AFFECTS US
ALL ESPECIALLY WITH THE PROXIMITY. I'M MOST INTERESTED IN THE IMMOKALEE THE GRANT, THE MONEY COMING FOR THE MOAKLEY PARK AS IT AFFECTS AND TOUCHES MY
DISTRICT AS WELL AS ITS RELATION TO MORRISSEY BOULEVARD ALL THE WAY DOWN TO TINIAN BEACH ETC.. BUT OF COURSE ALSO TO ADVOCATE FOR IMPROVING OUR TREE COVER CITYWIDE SO ALSO INTERESTED IN THAT BUT
DEFINITELY SUPPORT ALL THESE GRANTS. I JUST WAS I I'M HERE TODAY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH OF THEM IN THE SPECIFICS AND SO THAT'S WHERE I WOULD BE WOULD ASK THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT BUT I CAN THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
PANEL REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, GENERAL. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE ON MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PUSHING FORWARD ON GRANTS . I WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE
SUPPORTING THESE GRANTS AS I HAVE IN THE PAST. THIS IS IMPORTANT FEDERAL DOLLARS ESPECIALLY IN THIS CLIMATE. EVERY DAY THERE'S A NEW ASSAULT ON THE CITY OF BOSTON FROM THIS ADMINISTRATION. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT
WE DON'T DELAY AND THAT WE ACCEPT THESE IMPORTANT FUNDS. I WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS FROM BOSTON HARBOR NOW WHO ARE HERE . JAY MERCY LINDA, NICE TO MEET YOU.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS A FEW WEEKS AGO I WAS WITH YOU ALL ON THE BOSTON HARBOR NOW CLEANUP AND OF REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE HOW MUCH YOU DRAW COMMUNITY IN TO MAKING EVERYONE FEEL LIKE THIS IS THEIR
WATERFRONT AND THAT WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN THE WORK OF RESILIENCE IN ADDITION TO THESE GRANTS, IN ADDITION TO THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE ON THE COUNCIL, THE WORK REALLY ABOUT PROTECTING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS REALLY LIVES IN CENTERS AND COMMUNITY.
AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THAT AS WELL AND I KNOW YOU ARE WORK IN DEEP, DEEP PARTNERSHIP WITH BOSTON HARBOR NOW AND ALL OF OUR COASTAL RESIDENTS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THESE GRANTS ARE AN IMPORTANT
PART. THEY SHOULD BE A PART OF OUR WORK THAT WE JUST TAKE THEM IN AND WE CONTINUE THE WORK BUT THE WORK REALLY IS LIVES AND COMMUNITY ON THOSE SATURDAY CLEANUPS THAT YOU ALL DO AND REALLY ENGAGED COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE WE REALLY DO FOLLOW YOUR LEADERSHIP IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU AS PARTNERS HERE IN THE CITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE I ALSO HAVE MY MY OWN OPENING
REMARKS BUT THEN WE'LL PASS IT TO THE PANEL. I JUST WANT TO ECHO ALL OF THE GRATITUDE ESPECIALLY TO BOSTON HARBOR NOW I SEE WE HAVE A SONG FOR YOU HERE FROM BEACON HOPEFULLY ABLE TO HEAR FROM SOME VHA RESIDENTS FROM MARILYN
MCCORMACK AND LYNCH AND ENSURING THAT EVERYBODY'S VOICES ARE HEARD AND AT THE CENTER OF EACH AND EVERY CONVERSATION. TODAY'S DOCKET INCLUDES SEVERAL GRANTS THAT DIRECTLY STRENGTHEN BOSTON'S ABILITY TO MEET THE
CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES OF OUR TIME. CHIEF AMONG THEM IS THIS 1.1 MILLION FEMA DOLLAR FEMA GRANT . THE BRICK GRANT BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND
COMMUNITIES GRANT FROM OAKLEY PARK. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT IS CENTRAL TO OUR COASTAL RESILIENCE STRATEGY. THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A PARK RENOVATION. IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR
CITY'S ABILITY TO WITHSTAND MAJOR STORM EVENTS SEA LEVEL RISE AND FLOODING. LOCALLY PARK SITS ON THE FRONT LINE OF OUR SHORELINE AND DELAYS IN RESILIENCE WORK PUTS
RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AT RISK . WE SHOULD AND MUST BE MOVING QUICKLY TO PUT THESE DOLLARS TO WORK ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY CHANGES.
WE'RE ALSO CONSIDERING GRANTS TO GROW OUR URBAN FOREST THROUGH USDA FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT ENSURING THAT ALL NEIGHBORHOODS ESPECIALLY THOSE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY
HEAT BENEFIT FROM SHADE COOLING AND IMPROVED AIR QUALITY. ADDITIONALLY, THE MVP PLANNING 2.0 GRANT WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO BUILD ON YEARS OF LOCAL CLIMATE PLANNING PROVIDING NEW
TOOLS, METHODS AND RESOURCES TO SUPPORT RESILIENCY IN EVERY COMMUNITY. THESE RESOURCES AREN'T JUST SIMPLY LINE ITEMS THEY ARE URGENT LIFELINES WHETHER PROTECTING OUR SHORELINE, EXPANDING OUR TREE CANOPY OR ENHANCING OUR CLIMATE PLANNING.
EACH GRANT REPRESENTS A STEP TOWARDS A SAFER, HEALTHIER AND MORE RESILIENT BOSTON AND I WANT TO THANK AGAIN THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I WILL ACTUALLY THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR WEBER.
I WILL GO TO YOU FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, BUT I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCILOR PEPEN AND I THINK THAT'S IT.
I'M JUST GONNA SAY THAT THAT'S IT UNTIL I GET ANYTHING ELSE. OKAY, GREAT. COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS. I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING ABOUT THESE GRANTS. I MEAN, ESPECIALLY THE I THINK
THE EARLY ONES WE'RE DEALING WITH SEEM GREAT AND JUST WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET THESE ACCEPTED AND AND USED FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR. THANK YOU CO-CHAIR WEBER. OKAY NOW WE'LL START WITH DOCKET 1347. THIS IS THE MVP GRANT AND I'LL HAND THE FLOOR OVER TO ELIZABETH JAMIESON WHO IS THE
DIRECTOR OF CLIMATE ADVOCACY AND PLANNING WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS KATHRYN DIAZ, DIRECTOR OF CLIMATE ACTION, INNOVATION AND ANALYTICS WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT. SO JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT
WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY CHRIS OSGOOD WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND MARIAN BRANCO. I APOLOGIZE IF I SAID YOUR NAME WRONG. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME. SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER OF THE
PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS JOSEPH LEE WHO'S THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE WORKER EMPOWERMENT CABINET. BUT I'LL NOW PASS IT OVER TO ELIZABETH OR KATHRYN FOR ANY REMARKS THAT YOU HAVE OR FOR
PRESENTATION OF THE SLIDE SHOW. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HI, I AM ELIZABETH JAMIESON, DIRECTOR OF CLIMATE POLICY AND PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE $75,000 GRANT FROM THE MVP PROGRAM 25,000 OF WHICH WE ARE USING TO SUPPLEMENT OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN TO HELP IDENTIFY
COMMUNITY CLIMATE RESILIENCE PRIORITIES AND THE REMAINING 50,000 WILL BE USED FOR A SEED PROJECT THAT IS BORNE OUT OF THOSE PRIORITIES.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU HAVE YOU HAVE A 3 P.M. HARD STOP. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. SO I THINK WHAT I WILL DO IS IN
THE INTEREST OF TIME I'LL HAVE A ROUND ROBIN WITH MY COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU AND THEN WE CAN GO INTO THE OTHER TWO DOCKETS. I'LL I'LL START WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT HE MAY HAVE AND
THEN I'LL GO TO COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME. I'M NOT GOING TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS. I'LL GIVE IT TO MY COLLEAGUES TO ASK QUESTIONS IF THEY'D LIKE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD?
YEAH. NO. ENGAGING RESIDENTS IS ALWAYS A DIFFICULT TASK AND MAKING SURE OUR VOICES ARE HEARD AND HAVING DONE IT FOR MY ENTIRE CITY CAREER AS WELL. SO I WISH YOU THE BEST OF GOOD LUCK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. NO QUESTIONS. THINGS LOWER YOU DO COUNCIL MEMBER YEAH. SORRY TO WASTE ALL YOUR HARD WORK PREPARING FOR THIS HEARING BUT NO QUESTIONS FOR ME. OKAY. I HAVE ONE HARD QUESTION.
OKAY, SO IT TALKS ABOUT SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES WITH NEW METHODS, TOOLS AND RESOURCES FOR BUILDING CLIMATE RESILIENCE. WHAT ARE THOSE NEW TOOLS, RESOURCES AND METHODS THAT YOU TALK ABOUT?
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO I MENTIONED THAT THE FIRST 25,000 IS USED TO ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITIES. WE ARE LOOKING TO HEAR WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO SEE SO WE'RE HOPING THAT A LOT OF THOSE TOOLS WILL COME OUT OF THE
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT MAKES SENSE. AND SORRY MY LAST FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS THAT WE HAVE AN MVP
GRANT CURRENTLY IN THE DESIGN PHASE FOR FOR RESILIENT CITY CITY WHICH IS CLOSER TO THE BELLE ISLE BOSTON AND REVERE BORDER.
WILL THIS WILL ANYTHING BE SUBJECTED TO THIS PARTICULAR LINE ITEM OR ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO ANY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN D.C. FOR THAT OR IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE ALLOCATED FOR SOMEWHERE ELSE?
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT COMES OUT OF THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES. SO IF THAT'S WHAT WE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY THEN THAT IS NOT PROHIBITED FROM THESE THE REMAINING FUNDS. CHRIS I SEE YOU INCHING TOWARDS THEM. I KNOW I HAVE ELIZABETH FOR THE
GRANT THAT'S THEY ARE IN SEPARATE GRANTS SO THERE MAY BE AN OVERLAP IN ENGAGEMENT. NO DOUBT WE'LL DO ENGAGEMENT AS POSSIBLE AS PART OF THE MVP 2.0 GRANT BUT THEY'RE NOT DIRECTLY TIED. OKAY EXCELLENT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ME YOU WILL YOU ALL ARE FREE TO GO I SO OR DO YOU WANT TO STAY IS UP TO YOU. YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO WELL WE'LL TRANSITION TO DOCKET
1258 WHICH IS THE FEMA GRANT. I'LL PASS IT OVER TO CHRIS OSGOOD AND MARRON FOR ANY PRESENTATION OR OPENING REMARKS THAT YOU HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILOR CLLR ZAPPALA THANK
YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR WEBER AGAIN I'M CHRIS. I WAS GOING TO HAVE THE GREAT PLEASURE OF MEETING THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S OFFICE OF CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND SERVING AS A
SENIOR ADVISOR TO MAYOR WILL ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM ARE INCREDIBLY FOCUSED ON PROTECTING OUR RESIDENTS AND ENHANCING OUR COMMUNITIES PARTICULARLY AS WE LOOK AT THE CLIMATE RISKS ARE IN FRONT
OF US FROM EXTREME HEAT TO INCREASED STORMWATER FLOODING TO COASTAL FLOODING WHICH IS IN SOME WAYS THE FOCUS OF THE PARTICULAR GRANT ACTION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW. THIS WORK THAT WE ARE DOING AND
ACTUALLY ALL THREE OF THESE GRANTS HELP US TAKE VERY SIGNIFICANT STEPS FORWARD ON THESE EFFORTS. THE WORK THAT ELIZABETH AND KATHRYN ARE LEADING GIVES US A FOUNDATION TO CONTINUE TO DO GREAT ENGAGEMENT AROUND SOME
OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT STRATEGIES AND CRITICAL DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS AROUND OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN. THIS GRANT THAT MARIE EMBRACO IS LEADING REALLY HELPS US GET THE DESIGN RIGHT WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY IN ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT PARKS AND THE MOST CRITICAL FLOOD PATHS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND JOSEPH LATER WILL BE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN USE FEDERAL FUNDING TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE ARE BUILDING A WORKFORCE LOCALLY TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THE
CLIMATE RISKS IN FRONT OF US. I WILL TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE MOCA GRANT TURNED OVER TO MARION WHO KNOWS AND HAS BEEN LEADING THIS PROJECT. BUT I DO ALSO JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE I TELL YOU SHE ROGERS AND QUANTUM WISE WHO LEAD OUR
FINANCE AND ENGAGEMENT WORK WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND OPEN SPACE CABINET RESPECTIVELY AND OUR REALLY CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT PARTNERS ON THIS EFFORT. SO BRIEFLY TO TALK THE CONTEXT
OF THIS BEFORE TURNING IT OVER TO TAMARA AND THE THE MOAKLEY PARK PROJECT REALLY FOR US IS A IS A SIGNATURE PROJECT. IT IS A VERY TOP PRIORITY PROJECT AS WE THINK ABOUT BOTH
OPEN SPACE INVESTMENT AND RESILIENCE AND OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS AS MARIANNE WILL GO THROUGH IT, WE'VE BEEN ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING TWO THINGS ONE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE DESIGN RIGHT TO BUILD AN
EVEN BETTER PARK AND SECOND THAT WE'RE GETTING THE DESIGN RIGHT TO ENSURE AN EVEN SAFER NEIGHBORHOOD FROM THE CLIMATE RISKS IN PARTICULAR COASTAL FLOODING THAT IS IN FRONT OF US. THIS IS A $1.17 MILLION GRANT PROVIDED AS A CANCER COUNT AS A PART OF SAID THROUGH THROUGH
FEMA AND THEY'RE BUILDING RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES PROGRAM WORK FROM THIS GRANT THE MONEY THAT FROM THIS GRANT WILL ENSURE THAT WE CAN DO THAT CONTINUED ON THE
GROUND ENGAGEMENT TO GET THAT DESIGN RIGHT, TO GET THE DESIGN RIGHT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING A GREAT PARK AND PROTECTING THE CRITICAL SOUTH BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD AND OVER TIME A MUCH LARGER SWATH OF THE CITY OF BOSTON.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH IS TO TWO THINGS ONE PROVIDE SOME BROAD CONTEXT ON MOAKLEY PARK, GO THROUGH THE PROJECT SCHEDULE THE PAST ENGAGEMENT THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND THE OVERALL INTENT OF THIS WORK AND
THEN REALLY DIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DEEPLY INTO WHAT THIS GRANT IN PARTICULAR UNLOCKS AND SOME OF THE STEPS AHEAD AND AS HAS BEEN SAID BY A NUMBER OF YOU, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE
WITHOUT THE IMMENSE SUPPORT OF FOLKS WHO ARE BOTH IN THIS ROOM AROUND US AND WATCHING ONLINE AND IN THE COMMUNITY THIS PROJECT REALLY HAS EMERGED FROM AND ITS DESIGN PRINCIPLES HAVE COME FROM THE FEEDBACK
WE'VE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS SO FAR. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MARIN AND WE'LL WALK TO THE PROJECT. THANK YOU CHRIS OH I'M GOING THE WRONG WAY.
OKAY AS CHRIS MENTIONED, THIS IS HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE PROJECT IN THE CITY FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS SO I'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH A BIT OF THAT CONTEXT. JUST EXPLAIN THE WORK THAT
WE'VE BEEN DOING AS BACKGROUND TO THE THE NEXT STEPS THAT THIS GRANT WILL ENABLE. SO I'M SURE MOST OF YOU KNOW MOAKLEY PARK IS LOCATED IN SOUTH BOSTON JUST BEHIND CURSON BEACH.
IT'S VERY ACCESSIBLE BY WALKING FOR THE SOUTH BOSTON COMMUNITY BUT ALSO RIGHT ON THE RED LINE AND ALONG THE HARBOR WALK WHICH MAKES IT REALLY ACCESSIBLE TO MOST OF THE CITY AND WE SEE IT
AS A REALLY CRITICAL PART OF THE PARK SYSTEM BEING THE LARGEST WATERFRONT PARK THAT BOSTON HAS AT ALMOST 60 ACRES. IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE LARGEST
ACTIVE RECREATION FIELDS WE HAVE IN THE CITY, PARTICULARLY FOR BALL FIELDS AND THE NUMBER OF OTHER SPORTS THAT ARE PLAYED THERE TODAY AS I'M SURE WE'LL TALK ABOUT AND YOU'LL HEAR FROM
TESTIMONY IT IS IN A STATE OF DISREPAIR RIGHT NOW AND THE OPPORTUNITIES TO BOTH BUILD RESILIENCY AND TO BUILD A SIGNATURE PARK IS REALLY EXCITING.
SO THIS MAP HERE IS SHOWING THE 20 71% STORM SO YOU'LL SEE THAT FLOODWATERS FROM MORRISSEY BOULEVARD FORT POINT CHANNEL AND MOAKLEY PARK WOULD COMBINE TO FLOOD MUCH OF SOUTH BOSTON
AND THEN GO INTO SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH THE BROOK GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS. WE WENT THROUGH A BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS AND SO WE HAVE SOME NUMBERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
IMPACTS WOULD BE CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF STORMS BETWEEN NOW AND 2070 WOULD COST THE CITY MORE THAN $600 MILLION WHICH MEANS FOR THE COST OF THE
BARRIER THAT WE'RE PROPOSING THE CITY GETS $16 IN BENEFITS FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND A LOT OF THE BENEFITS THAT THE PARK OFFERS TODAY IS TO RECREATION.
IN ANY STORM EVENT WE WOULD SEE IF WE DID NOTHING WE WOULD SEE FIELDS TAKEN OUT OF COMMISSION FOR OVER A MONTH EACH YEAR FROM COASTAL FLOODING. EVEN THIS YEAR GIVEN THE
CONDITIONS OF THE STORM WATER IN THE GROUND WATER THERE'S BEEN ALMOST A MONTH THAT THE FIELDS WERE UNUSABLE BECAUSE OF THE THE EXISTING CONDITIONS WE ALSO ANTICIPATE OVER 200
STRUCTURES BEING IMPACTED. THE TWO OF THE LARGEST HOUSING COMMUNITIES MARY ELLEN MCCORMICK AND OLD COLONY ARE REALLY AT THE FRONT LINES
OF THIS RIGHT BEHIND THE PARK. AND SO THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE SCHEDULE OF THE PROJECTS STARTING BACK IN 2018 AND WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED THE AMOUNT
OF TIME IT TOOK TO GET THE BRICK APPLICATION FROM BEGINNING TO END. SO THE VISION PLAN KICKED OFF THIS PROJECT AFTER IT WAS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE CLIMATE
READY PLANNING AS A MAJOR FLOOD PATHWAY. SO THERE WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS OF TECHNICAL ANALYSIS AND A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT THAT LED US TO THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN WHICH IS ROUGHLY 30% DESIGN.
WE USED THAT WORK TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT IN MARCH OF 2021 AND WE RECEIVED THE NOTICE TO PROCEED ON THAT GRANT IN MARCH OF 2025. SO IT WAS A FOUR YEAR PROCESS
TO GET TO THIS POINT. DURING THAT TIME THERE WERE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS FROM FEMA THAT WE HAD TO RESPOND TO PART OF THAT WAS DEVELOPING THAT BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS AND A LOT
OF TECHNICAL WORK FROM OUR CONSULTANT TEAM WHILE WE WERE GOING THROUGH THAT WE WERE ADVANCING THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROJECT AND ALSO ADVANCING THE CONNECTORS WHICH IS WHERE THE BERM NEEDS TO GO
UP OUTSIDE OF THE PARK ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH SIDE OF THE PARK IN ORDER TO CLOSE THE FLOOD PATHWAYS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS THERE'S BEEN A LOT
OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SO I KNOW THAT TEXT HERE IS SMALL ON THE SCREEN BUT WE'VE DONE BOTH A MIX OF FORMAL OPEN HOUSES TO GET SPECIFIC FEEDBACK ON THE
DESIGN AS WELL AS ATTENDING EXISTING EVENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE HAD ONLINE SURVEYS WE RECEIVED THOSE ARE IN FIVE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
WE'VE GOT INPUT FROM ALL OVER THE CITY AND THEN THIS IS SUMMARIZING THE ENGAGEMENT THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS AND I'LL NOTE THAT DURING THAT
THAT GRAY BAR REPRESENTS THE GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS WHERE THE DESIGN WAS ACTUALLY LESS ACTIVE BUT WE CONTINUED WITH OUR PARTNERS AT BOSTON HARBOR NOW IN SOUTH BOSTON AND AXIAL
TO HAVE SEASONAL EVENTS TO START THOSE MONTHLY CLEANUPS TO BEGIN TO BUILD COMMUNITY IN THE PARK AND CREATE STEWARDSHIP. JUST THIS YEAR ALONE WE'VE HAD
OVER A THOUSAND ATTENDEES AND VOLUNTEERS AT DIFFERENT EVENTS AND WE REMOVED OVER £300 OF TRASH FROM THE PARK AND THESE ARE JUST SOME IMAGES TO
SHOW SORT OF THE RANGE OF ENGAGEMENT THAT'S HAPPENED FROM ONE ON ONE MEETINGS FOCUS GROUPS, EVENTS AT THE PARK ONLINE AND VIRTUAL INFORMATION
THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC. AND THEN THESE ARE IMAGES FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHILE WE WERE HOSTING EVENTS AT THE PARK AND THE MONTHLY CLEANUPS
AND SO NOW WE'LL GO INTO SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE HEARD FROM COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND HOW THAT INFORMS THE PROPOSED DESIGN THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FROM THE ATHLETES
OR THE BIGGEST USERS OF THE PARK IS THAT WE NEED FIELDS THAT ARE DRY AND RIGHT NOW AS I MENTIONED IT'S A COMBINATION OF STORMWATER AND A REALLY HIGH GROUNDWATER TABLE THAT MEAN IT
TAKES DAYS FOR THE FIELDS TO DRY OUT AFTER A FLOOD EVENT AND SO THE PROPOSED DESIGN WILL PUT THOSE NEW FIELDS BEHIND THE COASTAL FLOOD BARRIER AND IMPROVE THE STORMWATER DRAINAGE
AND ADDRESS THE GROUNDWATER ISSUES WILL ALSO BE ADDING LIGHTS SHADED SEATING BENCHES DUGOUTS. WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY REQUEST FOR CONCESSIONS AND
RESTROOMS TO MAKE THIS LIKE A REALLY STANDOUT ATHLETIC FACILITY. A LOT OF PEOPLE ALSO USE THE PARK TODAY FOR MORE INFORMAL
USES LIKE SPORT COURTS AND WALKING AND JOGGING SO THE DESIGN WILL INCORPORATE A MULTI-USE PATH ALL AROUND THE EDGE OF THE PARK THE BERM ITSELF WILL ACTUALLY BE A FULLY
ACCESSIBLE PATH WITH A 20 FOOT WIDE MULTI-USE PATH RUNNING THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE PARK WITH OTHER LOOPS OR DESIGNED IN BETWEEN FOR SHORTER DISTANCES.
FAMILIES REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR KIDS TO THE PARK AND FEEL SAFE AND COMFORTABLE. SO WE'VE ADDED IN A LOT MORE PLAYGROUNDS WATER PLAY PLACES THAT SENIORS COULD COME AND SIT
AT A BENCH UNDER SHADE AND JUST ENJOY THE PARK IN A MORE PASSIVE SETTING. AND SO THIS IS A SORT OF BEFORE AND AFTER.
SO THE BLACK AND WHITE IMAGE SHOWS THE EXISTING PARK. YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF ATHLETIC FIELDS WITH LAWN THAT'S NOT VERY WELL USED IN BETWEEN AND
REAL STARK YOU KNOW, VERY FEW TREES AND BENCHES. AND SO IN THE PROPOSED DESIGN WHERE WE'VE LAID OUT THE FIELDS TO SORT OF MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY
AND FLEXIBILITY AND PROGRAMING IN BETWEEN THOSE FIELDS AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE DOUBLING THE TREE CANOPY MANAGING STORMWATER AND GROUNDWATER.
AND SO NOW I'LL GET INTO THE SPECIFICS OF THE GRANT AND THE SCOPE IN THE NEXT PHASE OF WORK AND SO THE GRANT SPECIFICALLY WILL FUND THE DESIGN AND
PERMITTING OF THE BERM AND COASTAL LANDSCAPE. SO THAT'S IN THE DARK BLUE. THE BERM STARTS AT THE HIGH POINT BEHIND THE STADIUM AND GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PARK AND INTO THE END OF THE
ARRAY PROPERTY TO THE NORTH AND THE LIGHT BLUE IS THAT COASTAL LANDSCAPE WHICH ADDS AN ADDITIONAL LAYERS OF RESILIENCY SLOWING DOWN THE WATER AND ABSORBING IT BEFORE IT HITS THE
BERM FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THIS PARK IS A COMMUNITY ASSET AND NOT JUST A RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT AND WE ARE SUPPORTING THROUGH OUR CAPITAL BUDGET THE
CONSTRUCTION, THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF PHASE A SORT OF BEHIND THE BERM. SO THAT INCLUDES A PREMIER BASEBALL FIELD, BASKETBALL COURT AND COMMUNITY PLAZA.
WE ARE ALSO FUNDING THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT OF THE REST OF THE PARK FOR FOR NOW WE ARE CALLING THAT PHASE B AND THAT WILL HELP US FIGURE OUT HOW TO PHASE AND
CONSTRUCT SUBSEQUENT PHASES. I'LL JUST POINT OUT THAT THIS IS A MATCH GRANT SO THE FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION IS 70% OF THAT
TOTAL 1.17 MILLION AND THIS IS THE SCHEDULE AS WE SEE IT FOR THE NEXT PHASE IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS WE'VE BEEN CONTINUING THAT PARK ACTIVATION THROUGH
THE CLEANUPS AND EVENTS WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PARK USERS TO REFINE AND TO CONTINUE TO REITERATE ON THE DESIGN TO MAKE SURE THAT IT BEST SERVES THEIR NEEDS.
HAVING THIS GRANT WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE THAT WORK AND TO PROVIDE MOMENTUM TO HAVE A CONSTRUCTION READY PROJECT 2027 AND TO MOVE INTO CONSTRUCTION IDEALLY BETWEEN 2027 AND 2029.
WE'RE EXPECTING THAT TO BE A YEAR OR TWO PROCESS WITH THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE REST OF THE PARK HAPPEN SUBSEQUENTLY. I'LL NOTE THAT THROUGHOUT ALL
OF THAT WE WILL HAVE CONTINUED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AT THE HEART OF THIS IT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AND IF WE DON'T HAVE SOUTH BOSTON RESIDENTS INPUT THEN THERE'S NO REASON FOR US TO BE DOING THIS
WORK AND THIS IS JUST A MORE DETAILED SCOPE OF THE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE THE BRICK SCOPE VERSUS THE CITY CAPITAL SCOPE. AND SO FOR THE DESIGN FOR THE
BRICK SCOPE THAT'S LOOKING AGAIN AT THE BERM AND COASTAL LANDSCAPE, IT IS CURRENTLY AT 75% COMPLETE. WE'LL BE TAKING THAT TO 100% COMPLETE AND THEN PERMITTING IS A BIG PART OF THIS WORK.
AND IF WE TALK YOU HEAR US TALKING ABOUT TIMELINES IT'S BECAUSE FIT LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL TIMELINES ARE QUITE EXTENSIVE AND THERE IS URGENCY THERE TO MEET OUR OUR GRANT
DEADLINES. THERE WILL BE CONTINUED TECHNICAL ANALYSIS. THIS IS A VERY COMPLICATED SITE SORT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING UNDERGROUND TO UNDERSTAND THE CONTAMINATION AND THE GROUNDWATER AND THE SOIL
CONDITIONS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AS PART OF THIS AND THEN CONTINUED COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. PART OF THAT WILL BE SORT OF SUMMARIZING WHAT WE'VE HEARD IN THE PAST AND CONFIRMING THAT
THAT'S STILL VALID AND REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS TODAY AND THEN ASKING MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF THE PARK IN THAT FIRST PHASE AND THEN IN
PARALLEL WILL BE ADVANCING THE DESIGN FOR THE REST OF THE PARK THAT WILL INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, PHASING COST ESTIMATION AND CONTINUED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
. AND SO THIS IS A PLAN THAT ZOOMS IN ON THAT FIRST PHASE. SO THE BERM IS THAT 20 FOOT WIDE PATH THAT YOU SEE RUNNING
THE LINKS OR PARALLEL TO DE BOULEVARD IN FRONT OF THAT THERE'S A PICNIC AREA AND COASTAL LANDSCAPE WITH WALKING PATHS AND BOARDWALKS AND ON THE DRY SIDE WE HAVE AN OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE A PREMIER
BASEBALL FIELD, A BASKETBALL COURT AND COMMUNITY PLAZA AS WELL AS PARKING AND THIS IS AN EYE LEVEL VIEW OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FROM THE PICNIC AREA WHICH IS AT THE LEVEL
OF THE BERM WHICH PUTS YOU AT THIS POINT WHERE YOU CAN SORT OF SEE OUT AND OVER TO THE BEACH AND INTO THE HARBOR WILL BE A GREAT PLACE FOR COMMUNITY GATHERINGS AND PICNICS.
AND THIS IS AN OVERVIEW SORT OF HOVERING OVER THE NORTH SO THAT WHERE THAT DOG PARK IS AND THE END OF YOUR BUILDING BEHIND WHAT BAY BOULEVARD SO YOU'VE
GOT CARSON BEACH TABLE COVERED THE COASTAL LANDSCAPE AND HERE YOU CAN REALLY SEE HOW THAT BERM AND PATH REALLY INTEGRATE INTO THE LANDSCAPE AND THE ATHLETIC FIELDS AND
OTHER FACILITIES ARE A LITTLE BIT LOWER ABOUT FIVE OR SIX FEET LOWER ON THE DRY SIDE OF THE PARK. AND SO THIS IS JUST I'LL END
HERE WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED PLAN AND JUST SORT OF SOME CLOSING THOUGHTS. THIS WORK SEEKS TO PROACTIVELY
MAKE OUR CITY RESILIENT AND TO PROVIDE A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK THAT REALLY SERVES SOUTH BOSTON. THE OPPORTUNITY THIS GRANT UNLOCKS TO HAVE A CONSTRUCTION
READY PROJECT IS EIGHT YEARS IN THE MAKING. I THINK I SPEAK FOR MYSELF MY TEAM AND PARK USERS AND PEOPLE THAT CARE FOR THE PARK TODAY THAT WE ARE REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT THIS NEXT CHAPTER AND ARE REALLY READY TO START MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I WILL JUST QUICKLY ASK US
TO SHARE BECAUSE I THINK IT'LL HELP FRAME THE CONVERSATION. BUT I DO WANT TO UNDERSCORE A CERTAIN POINT THAT WAS MADE BUT NOT NECESSARILY TALKED ABOUT IN GREAT LENGTH BUT THE AMOUNT
OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND SHOOTS THAT YOU'VE HELD SINCE 2018 ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT . CAN YOU JUST REITERATE IT DIDN'T HAVE IT IN ONE PARTICULAR PLACE WHICH IS WHY
I'M ASKING BUT DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE HELD ON THIS ON THIS PROJECT IN TOTAL? TOTAL NUMBER? NO, I CAN GO BACK TO THE SLIDE
. WE'VE GOT THE TWO SLIDES THAT WE'VE BROKEN IT UP BY PHASE.
YEAH, WE HAVEN'T BROKEN OUT BY PHASE AND BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN FIVE PHASES I DON'T HAVE A TOTAL NUMBER BUT NO WORRIES. NO WORRIES. GET BACK TO YOU WITH THAT. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING HERE THAT'S NEW INFORMATION LIKE HAS THIS
ALREADY BEEN VETTED BY THE COMMUNITY SINCE ALL OF THE MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE PREVIOUSLY HELD IN 2018? THERE HAS BEEN SOME CHANGES AS TO JUST HOW WE DESIGN THE SPORTS FIELDS TO ACCOMMODATE
MORE FLEXIBILITY AND INCREASE THE PLAYABLE HOURS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SORT OF IN DIRECTLY WITH COACHES AND FOLKS USING THE PARK TODAY IN THE
LAST FEW MONTHS. I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY IT'S NOT A CHANGE IN THE LAYOUT IT'S SORT OF A CHANGE IN SOME OF THE SPECIFIC MATERIALS AND DESIGN. BUT THAT'S FROM CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'VE HAD WITH SOME
OF THE LEADERS IN THE SPORTS COMMUNITY. OKAY, GREAT. AND THEN PART OF THE SCOPE OF THE GRANT IS COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE YOU'RE GOING TO YOU'LL BE PROVIDING
CONFIRMATION FROM THE COMMUNITY ON PREVIOUS FEEDBACK RECEIVED IN 2022 AND 2023. IT SAYS THAT YOU'LL GET FEEDBACK ON ACTIVITIES, MATERIALS, FURNISHING AND CHARACTER WITHIN THE COASTAL
LANDSCAPE AND THE MULTI-USE PATH. CAN YOU JUST EXPAND ON ELABORATE ON THE COMMUNITY PROCESS THAT THIS WILL HELP FUND AND HOW YOU PLAN TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT GOING INTO
SOME OF THE VHA PROPERTIES IN SOUTH? SURE. SO I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A MIX
OF ENGAGEMENT AND SO THAT MEANS I'M GOING TO EVENTS WHERE PEOPLE WILL ALREADY BE AND HAVING A TABLE AND WE'VE ALREADY STARTED DOING THAT THIS MONTH. SOME OF THAT WILL BE HAVING
EVENTS SPECIFIC TO MOAKLEY AND I'VE BEEN WORKING ON GETTING CONTACTS AT MARY ELLEN AND OLD COLONY AND OTHER SOUTH BOSTON ORGANIZED SESSIONS TO MAKE SURE
THAT IF I'M SENDING OUT INFORMATION THAT IT'S GETTING TO THEIR COMMUNITIES DIRECTLY. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO TO HAVE SMALLER GROUP CONVERSATIONS.
SO WE'VE ALREADY STARTED SOME OF THOSE AROUND SOME SPECIFIC ITEMS LIKE THE ATHLETIC FIELDS JUST TO BE ABLE TO HAVE LIKE ONE ON ONE OR SMALL GROUP CONVERSATIONS TO GET REALLY SPECIFIC FEEDBACK.
I THINK WE'D ALSO LIKE TO DO SOME SPANISH LED ENGAGEMENT WITH SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT LIVE RIGHT NEAR THE PARK AND I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AROUND CAPITAL PLANNING BUT I
THINK THOSE HAVE BEEN ANSWERED AND MY LAST QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE CANCELLATION OF PHASE TWO. IT'S KIND OF WHAT THIS MEANS GIVEN FEMA'S DECISION TO CANCEL PHASE TWO CONSTRUCTION FUNDING. I GUESS WHAT SPECIFIC STEPS ARE
YOU ALL TAKING TO ENSURE THAT PHASE ONE DESIGN WORK PROCEEDS WITHOUT DELAY? HAPPY TO HAVE YOU TAKE THAT SO AS THE COUNCIL WAS REFERENCING
THE INITIAL GRANT APPLICATION FROM OAKLEY PARK THAT WE APPLIED FOR ESSENTIALLY THE END OF 2021 BEGINNING OF 2022 WAS A $24 MILLION GRANT. SPRING OF THIS YEAR A PORTION
OF THAT WAS CANCELED. THAT IS THE PHASE TWO FUNDING THAT WAS A LITTLE OVER $22 MILLION TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION. THAT FIRST PHASE OF FUNDING THOUGH IS WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON
TODAY AND BEING ABLE TO GO THROUGH THIS ACCEPTING SPEND AND GET THAT WORK STARTED. IT HELPS US, AS MARIANNE SAYS, SORT JUST HAVE THAT THOSE CONTINUED COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS REFINE THIS
DESIGN AND GET THIS PLACE GET US TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN THEN CAN EVENTUALLY BREAK GROUND AND THAT IS STILL MULTIPLE YEARS AWAY BECAUSE OF SOME OF DESIGN CONVERSATIONS PERMANENT STEPS IN FRONT OF US AND THAT RUNWAY
DURING THE COURSE THAT RUNWAY WILL BE LOOKING AT THE RIGHT WAY TO TO FUND THIS. I WILL NOTE THAT THE 20 STATES INCLUDING THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS HAVE SUED FOR THE RESTORATION OF OF THE
PROGRAM WHAT WOULD BE INCLUDING THE $22 MILLION THAT IS CURRENTLY THE COURTS? THANK YOU, CHRIS AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT
YOU DO ONE FOR. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. AND A COUPLE OF MY QUESTIONS WERE ALREADY OUT SO I'LL TRY TO
EITHER REPHRASE THEM OR I'LL MOVE ON. I GUESS THIS IS A PART THAT'S
BEEN NEAR AND DEAR TO ME. MY FAMILY FOR OVER 100 YEARS. I LIVE I LIVE RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD FROM MOBERLY PARK. MY SON STILL PLAYS BASEBALL.
I HAVE MY POCKET AND SENIOR BABE RUTH, LITTLE LEAGUE, BABE RUTH AND SENIOR BABE RUTH. I I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS
ISSUE SINCE 2018 AS HAVE THE SOUTH BOSTON COMMUNITY AND ELECTED OFFICIALS AS WELL. SO I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
RESIDENTS ARE HEARD. SO I KNOW ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT . YOU MENTIONED YOU MET WITH THE YOUTH SPORTS COACHES RECENTLY
JUST COMING FORWARD. COULD I BE INVITED TO THOSE? OF COURSE. AND AS A PARENT, AS A AS A CITY COUNCILOR AND LEADER IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, I REALLY NEED TO BE AT THOSE MEETINGS. DID YOU MEET WITH THE SOUTH BOSTON LITTLE LEAGUE? YES, WE MET WITH THE PRESIDENT. JOE, CHRIS CHRISTINA. OKAY. HOW ABOUT SOUTH BOSTON, BABE
RUTH? WE MET WITH KEVIN LALLY AND BUDDY LANE AND WHEN WE WERE ALL THESE MEETINGS JUST IN THE LAST
COUPLE OF MONTHS LIKE SOUTHWEST AND YOUTH SOCCER AND LACROSSE, WE HAVE NOT MET WITH THEM YET. OKAY, I KNOW.
ALL RIGHT, SO. SO I REALLY WANT TO BE ADDED TO THOSE MEETINGS. THAT'S THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME. CAN WE MAKE THAT A PRIORITY? ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU. HAVE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH STATE OFFICIALS ON
WHAT ROLE THEY PLAYING? SO WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH DCR AND MANTIS OVER THAT. CORRECT. PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF THEIR OBVIOUSLY OWNERSHIP OF CARSON
BEACH, THE OWNERSHIP OF DE BOULEVARD AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TWO PROJECT, THE TWO PARCELS NORTH AND SOUTH OF MORGAN PARK WHICH WE REFER TO AS THE MULBERRY CONNECTORS WHICH ARE PRINCIPALLY IN STATE HANDS.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF COORDINATED CONVERSATIONS PRINCIPALLY WITH DCR TO SOME DEGREE WITH DE CAMP ON THIS PROJECT AND JUST AS ENOUGH
WHERE I HAVE A UPCOMING HEARING ON TREE CANOPY IN DISTRICT TWO BUT THE REASON I BRING THAT UP I KNOW WE NEED MORE TREES IN MOAKLEY PARK.
TELL ME YOUR PLAN AS IT RELATES TO TREES IN THE PARK. SURE. SO WE'LL BE PRESERVING AS MANY EXISTING TREES AS WE POSSIBLY CAN AND THEN DOUBLING THE TOTAL
NUMBER OF TREES AS IT IS TODAY. THEY ARE ALMOST ALL ONES SPECIES WHICH WOULD NOT TOLERATE SALTWATER INUNDATION AND INCREASED HEAT. SO WE'D BE DIVERSIFYING THE TREES AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY
COULD SURVIVE IN THE CLIMATE AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO. SO HOW MANY TREES WOULD YOU CUT? WOULD YOU HAVE TO ELIMINATE? I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE'D BE WORKING OUT IN THE NEXT
PHASE OF DESIGN BUT FROM THE BEGINNING THE INTENT WAS TO PRESERVE AS MANY AS POSSIBLE. AND WHAT'S WHAT TYPE TREES WOULD YOU BE PLANTING LOCALLY? I COULD CERTAINLY PROVIDE A
PLANTING PLAN BUT IT'S A MIX OF NATIVE COASTAL LANDSCAPE. OKAY. I KNOW SENATOR COLLINS AND REP BILL ARE WORKING ON TREES NEARBY AT THE AT THE BEACH AND
IN THE GREENIE AS THEY CALL IT AS WELL. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOUTH BOSTON ACCENT AND ACCENT
IN BOSTON HARBOR NOW ON THEIR CLEANUPS IN CITY OFFICIALS, ON CLEANUPS AT IMMOKALEE PARK AND IT WAS THEY USUALLY HAVE THEM
ONCE A MONTH SO I TRY TO MAKE THEM AS MUCH AS I CAN BUT JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY NEIGHBORS IN SOUTH BOSTON GOING
BACK TO TREE CANOPY. SOUTH BOSTON HAS ONLY 8% COVERAGE WHILE BELOW THE CITY AVERAGE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT AS
YOU KNOW IS A BIG IS A BIG ISSUE. SO I KNOW YOU'D HAVE TO WORK WITH THE STATE OFFICIALS BUT ARE YOU ALSO TRYING TO ADD
TREES ON THE COST AND EACH SIDE TO WORK AS PART OF THIS PART OF THIS PROJECT PARTICULARLY LOOKING AT SOME LAND? OKAY. IS THAT WHAT THE DCR TEAM.
OKAY. SO CHRIS, I MEAN LET ME LET ME ASK YOU WITH THIS BURN WHAT IT IS THAT THE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S TAKING
PLACE IN MOAKLEY PARK KNOWING THAT FEDERAL FUNDS ARE NOW THE MAJORITY OF FEDERAL FUNDS HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM THE CITY, IS THAT IS THAT ACCURATE TO SAY
FROM A RESILIENCE PERSPECTIVE IN MARYLAND BECAUSE THE BERM IS CERTAINLY THE PRINCIPAL FEATURE OVERALL AND OVER THE COURSE THE ENTIRE PROJECT THE MAJORITY OF THE INVESTMENT WILL ACTUALLY
BE THE PARK ITSELF AND THE PLANNING FEATURES OF THE PARK ITSELF AND IN THE PASSIVE SPACES AND IMPROVED TREE CANOPY THAT THAT MARION SPOKE TO IN ADDITION TO THE BERM THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RESILIENCE FEATURES
THAT ARE REALLY ABOUT STORMWATER JUST AS YOU WELL KNOW THE THE CONDITIONS OF THE FIELDS RIGHT NOW AFTER A SEVERE RAIN RAINSTORM THEY TEND TO BE IN POOR CONDITION AND SO
THERE'S A LARGE INVESTMENT IN STORMWATER RELATED RESILIENCE ELEMENTS IN ADDITION TO THE COASTAL RESILIENCE INFRASTRUCTURE. OKAY. NOW WITH THIS INFRASTRUCTURE
IMPROVEMENT WHAT IMPACT WILL IT HAVE ON THE SIZE OF OR REDUCTION OR MAYBE INCREASE OF ANY TYPE OF ATHLETIC FIELD IN MOAKLEY PARK WITH THIS NEW
BURN, WHAT WOULD IT MAKE SOMETHING SMALLER? WOULD IT MAKE IT WOULD THEY MAKE THE ATHLETIC FIELDS LARGER? CAN YOU GIVE ME AN IDEA ABOUT THAT THAT WOULD START IN THIS
FIELD FOR THAT. SO IN MANY WAYS THE THE QUESTION YOU'RE RAISING IS WHAT THIS GRANT ALLOWS US TO EXPLORE AND DEFINE. SO IT IS VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE THIS FUNDING TO HELP US DIVE
MORE INTO QUESTION. WHAT WE WHAT WE WILL SEE IS A PARK THAT WE STRONGLY BELIEVE WILL BE ABLE TO PROTECT THE RESIDENTS OF MARYLAND AND PROTECT THE RESIDENTS OF THE ISLAND HOME THAT WHOLE COLONY
AND ACTUALLY EXPAND BOTH THE QUALITY AND AVAILABILITY OF BALLFIELDS WITHIN MOAKLEY PARK BECAUSE OF THE ALIGNMENT OF ANY OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THERE WILL LIKELY BE IMPACTS ON THE NUMBER OF FIELDS OR
POTENTIALLY THE THE SIZE OF THE FIELDS BUT THOSE ARE DESIGN SPECIFICS THAT WE WOULD BE WORKING THROUGH AS PART OF THIS PROCESS. AND AGAIN OUR COMMITMENT IS AS MARIANNE OUTLINED IS REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE MAKE INVESTMENTS WE'RE MAKING
INVESTMENTS TO HAVE THOSE BALL FIELDS BE MORE AVAILABLE, BE HIGHER QUALITY AND ADD THOSE FEATURES WHICH WE'VE HEARD IN THE PUBLIC PROCESS REALLY MATTER TOO TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS . THINGS LIKE ADDITIONAL PLAY
SPACES BETTER WALKING AND JOGGING PATHS ETC. WHICH WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AND INCORPORATE INTO THE RESIDENTS FEATURES. OKAY CHRIS, ONE OF THE MAJOR
CHALLENGES RESIDENTS ASK ME THEY WOULD SAY TO ME THEY'VE GOT PARK MARY ELLEN MCCORMICK RESIDENTS IN LYNCH RESIDENTS JUST DOWN THE ROAD AS YOU KNOW
AS WEST BROADWAY NOT TOO FAR PROBABLY DIAGONAL ACROSS ACROSS THE WAY IS WEST NINTH STREET AS WELL A SENIOR BUILDING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. SO THEY'RE ALL THEY'RE ALL
PHYSICALLY CLOSE. BUT THE MAJOR CHALLENGE THEY SAY TO ME IS THEY LOVE MOAKLEY PARK PHYSICALLY IT'S VERY TOUGH TO GET THERE AND I AGREE WITH THEM.
I THINK WE ALL WE ALL AGREE WITH THEM FOR VARIOUS REASONS BUT JUST GOING ON THE ON OLD COLONY THAT THERE'S YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE TRAFFIC IS FAST THE
ROTARY IS IS IS CHALLENGING THE ANDREWS SQUARE AREA IS CHALLENGING. SO FACTORING ALL THESE ISSUES IN TRANSPORTATION ISSUES BUT ALSO FACTORING PEDESTRIAN
SAFETY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO CONNECT RESIDENTS PHYSICALLY FROM PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS TO LOCALLY IN A SAFE WAY? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I'M HAVING TO START MY OWN
PERSONAL FREEDOM. SO WHILE THIS GRANT IS SPECIFIC TO THE PARK BOUNDARIES ITSELF TO YOUR POINT WE WANT TO BUILD A GREAT PARK WHICH IS ACCESSED EASILY AND SAFELY BY EVERYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE IS SOME SPECIFIC WORK
WHICH IS HAPPENING AROUND SOME OF THE CROSSINGS AT BABE RUTH AND SORT OF THE NORTHERN END OF THIS PARK. BUT MUCH OF THAT WORK ALONG OLD COLONY ESSENTIALLY IS WORKING IS BEING CONSIDERED AND PARTS OF THE WORK THAT BOTH YOU AND
COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA BEING A PART OF PART OF THAT SORT OF BROADER MAURICIE CORRIDOR. PREBLE SOUTH EFFORT SO THERE IS A LOOK AT THE CROSSINGS INTO THIS PARK AND WHILE THAT SEPARATE FROM THIS GRANT IT IS
CLEARLY A COMPANION SORT OF WORK THAT'S CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PARK AND I SHOULD SHOULD NOTE THAT IN COUNCIL FITZGERALD CAN ALSO OBVIOUSLY TALK ABOUT IT BUT
RESIDENTS COMING FROM FROM HARBOR POINT ARE IN THE SAME KIND OF THE SAME SAME WAY AS IT'S CHALLENGING TO GET FROM HARBOR POINT EVEN THOUGH IT'S CLOSE OVER PAST THE MDC POLICE
STATION BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC ACROSS THE THE OVERPASS AT MARY ELLEN MCCORMACK AND AT MACQUARIE PARK. MM HMM.
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE ARE IS THERE ANY SHORT TERM PLANS OR IS THERE ANY LONG TERM PLANS AS IT RELATES TO THE OVERPASS? BUT RESIDENTS HAVE EXPRESSED TO
ME CONCERNS OBVIOUSLY ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE SAFETY OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BUT ALSO SOME QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES AS WELL IMPACTING RESIDENTS WE
UNFORTUNATELY DO SEE A LOT OF DRUG USE IN AND AROUND THAT AREA IN A LOT OF RESIDENTS WOULD SAY TO ME THEY DON'T NECESSARILY SAFE AT THE OVERPASS.
I MEAN USING THE OVERPASS. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OH WOW, WHAT IS THE WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THE FOR THE OVERPASS ITSELF?
MARY, YOU MAY HAVE I DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE OVERPASS BUT HAPPY TO MOVE BACK TO YOU ON THAT. TO YOUR POINT AROUND THE RESIDENTS FROM HARBOR POINT THERE IS WORK THAT WITH CATAMARAN THE CITY IS IS DOING
IN COLLABORATION WITH WITH THE STATE TO THINK ABOUT THE CROSSING OF DAY BOULEVARD AND THAT SORT OF SOUTHERN SECTION REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY RESIDENT FROM HIGH POINT CAN BE
TO MORE EASILY ACCESS OVER TIME MACLEAY PARK. HAPPY TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE DETAILS ON THAT AND HAPPY TO FIND OUT THE ANSWER ON THE OVERPASS. OKAY. THE ONLY THING I'LL FOLLOW UP ON IS TO SAY THAT WE HAVE MET DIRECTLY WITH THE DESIGN TEAM
FOR MARY ELLEN MCCORMICK TO ENSURE THAT THE ENTRIES AND CROSSINGS FROM THAT DEVELOPMENT TIED DIRECTLY TO ENTRIES INTO THE PARK AND THAT WE'RE CREATING A REALLY WELCOMING SPACE RIGHT WHERE THEY WOULD CROSS.
I THINK IN AN IDEAL SCENARIO THE STREET FEELS SAFE FOR PEOPLE TO WALK ACROSS AND WE DON'T NEED TO RELY ON AN ON AN OVERHEAD PASS BUT THAT HAS NOT BEEN PART OF THE PARK SCOPE.
OH OKAY. NO, NO PARTICULAR CHANGES TO THE OVERPASS NOT CURRENTLY. OKAY BUT BUT ON THE OTHER HAND
WHEN PEOPLE ARE CROSSING IN THE CROSSWALK NEAR THE NEAR THE OVERPASS CROSSING THE BORDER I MEAN I'M SORRY THE AVENUE ESPECIALLY PARENTS WITH LITTLE
KIDS. I AM VERY ABOUT THEM CROSSING THE STREET BECAUSE CARS ARE GOING AT A FAR, FAR, FAR GREAT
SPEED ALONG ALONG THE AVENUE. YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S WHY I DO LIKE THE OVERPASS. BUT I KNOW IT'S IT'S VERY CHALLENGING. BUT IF WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY
CHANGES TO THE OVERPASS, THEN WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT PROVIDING BETTER PEDESTRIAN SAFETY? AND I THINK CHRIS AND I HAVE BOTH WORKED WITH CLOSELY WITH
BTD ON THE PLANNING EFFORTS THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH AND WITH THE STATE ON MORRISSEY BOULEVARD IMPROVEMENTS PURPLE CIRCLE. OKAY.
AND I KNOW IT'S JOHN'S DISTRICT BUT DOES THAT INCLUDE THE CASCO CIRCLE CASE CIRCLE IS THAT ALSO PART OF IT? SO THE INTERSTATE THE INTERSECTIONS ARE THE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE
KOSCIUSZKO CIRCLE PROJECT AND THIS PROJECT ITSELF IS REALLY ENSURING THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW THE THE LITERAL ELEVATION OF KOSCIUSZKO CIRCLE MAY ADJUST OR THE ELEVATIONS MAY NEED TO
BE JUST WITHIN THE PARK. SO THERE'S THERE'S LESS OF A DIRECT CONNECTION. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THESE PROJECTS IS REALLY TO YOUR POINT, COUNSELOR AND APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED FOCUS ON IT HERE AND ACROSS THE CITY AND ACROSS
THE DISTRICT IS ENSURING THOSE SAFE CONNECTIONS FOR FOLKS WHO ARE ACCESSING THE PARK. AND SO AS MARIAN MENTIONED, HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ENGAGE YOU IN
THOSE CONVERSATIONS. SO WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT THE PARK BUT WE'RE ALSO HAVING YOU INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ACCESS TO THE PARK ITSELF. THANK YOU. THAT KEZELMAN THAT'S BEEN ABOUT 15 MINUTES BUT WE WILL CIRCLE
BACK IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS IN YOUR DISTRICT BUT I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL TO COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOU NOW
HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR. WELL, IT'S MY FIRST TIME SEEING WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE PARK. IT SEEMS TO BE VERY EXCITING
AND YOU KNOW, WHILE I CAN'T SAY I'M VERY ATHLETIC, I DO LIKE ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES. RIGHT. AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS REALLY HAS A GREAT AMOUNT OF IT IN THERE.
BUT INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON WHAT'S INSIDE THE PARK AT THE MOMENT I'M THINKING ABOUT HOW AROUND THE PARK IS AFFECTED SORT OF CARRYING OFF OF WHAT COUNCIL FUN WAS JUST DISCUSSING.
THERE ARE NO ROAD CHANGES PROPOSED WITH THIS PLAN. RIDERS ARE INTERNAL TO THE PARK THAT'S BEEN THERE'S NO NO
CHANGE BECAUSE PART OF THIS THERE'S NO CHANGE TO ROAD DESIGN OR USE. THERE IS A ANTICIPATED SLIGHT CHANGE IN ROAD ELEVATION AND BRIEFLY ON THE ROOF AND WHICH
IS BUT DOESN'T CHANGE THE USE OR CROSS SECTION. RIGHT. AND SO I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IN GOING FORWARD WITH ALL THE OTHER CHANGES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ESPECIALLY WITH THE
MORRISSEY BOULEVARD COMMISSION AND ALL THOSE PROPOSED CHANGES THAT THIS WILL ALL SORT OF WORK TOGETHER IN THAT REGARD. NOW ONE THING I'VE NOTICED BECAUSE I DO TAKE TABLE OF ART EVERY DAY TO WORK AND BACK IS
THAT OBVIOUSLY EVEN ON THE BEACH ROAD YOU'VE GOT THE BOSTON CHILDREN'S SPORTS CLUB AND THEY DO THEIR VOLLEYBALL AND THINGS LIKE THAT WITH ALL THE EXCELLENT THINGS THAT LOOK TO BE GOING ON INSIDE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING HERE, NOT ALL OF THEM OF WHICH ARE GOING TO WALK OR TAKE THE T IS THERE ANY PARKING FOR ANYTHING INVOLVED
JUST BECAUSE I CAN IMAGINE ON A BEAUTIFUL DAY AND THIS WHOLE PARK BEING USED THAT WOULD BE I MEAN UPWARDS TO A THOUSAND PEOPLE IF NOT MORE.
AND SO YEAH JUST WONDERING ABOUT WHAT THAT ABOUT OTHER OTHER TRANSIT TO THE PARK BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE ONLY STOP WE CAN UNDERTAKE IS REALLY TO GET OFF OF JFK THERE IS
PARKING WE ARE NOT REDUCING THE PARKING WITHIN THE PARK SO THERE ARE A FEW DISPERSED PARKING LOTS TODAY AND WE WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY PUTTING THOSE IN SIMILAR LOCATIONS IN THE
FUTURE. HOW MANY SPOTS THAT IS UNTIL I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. GREAT. THANK YOU. ANOTHER THING I WAS THINKING HERE IS WHEN WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT THE SPECIES OF PLANTS AND AGAIN I KNOW THIS IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A GRANT HERE AND I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO TOO IN THE WEEDS LITERALLY BUT I WAS THINKING ABOUT IF THE COMBINATION OF HAVING AN
ARBORETUM AND AN ATHLETIC CENTER HERE AND I THINK WHAT DOES IT TAKE 26 SPECIES TO BE AN ARBORETUM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT PROBABLY I MIGHT DO IT YOU GUYS I DON'T KNOW. I THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE A
CERTAIN AMOUNT OR NO I ONLY KNOW BECAUSE MY DAD'S PARK IN MISSION HILL IS OFFICIALLY AN ARBORETUM AND I THINK IT'S 26 SPECIES HAVE TO BE THERE BUT TO TO COMBINE BOTH AN ARBORETUM
AND ATHLETIC FIELDS I THINK WOULD BE A PRETTY COOL THING TO BE ABLE TO SAY AND I WONDER IF THAT WOULD BE A FIRST IN THE A FIRST IN THE COUNTRY FIRST IN THIS DAY I DON'T KNOW BUT I
DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SPECIES WOULD COULD EXIST AT THIS CLOSE TO COASTAL ANYWAY SO I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU CAN GET TO THAT NUMBER BUT TO BE ABLE TO CALL IT AN ARBORETUM JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE AS A POTENTIAL IDEA I LOVE THAT.
THANKS. I WILL SAY WITH ALL CREDIT TO MARIN THAT THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF FOCUS ON IMPROVED COASTAL LANDSCAPE AS PART OF THIS SEASON. I THINK THERE'S A THERE REALLY IS AN INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE THAT IDEA.
GREAT. YEAH I GUESS YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF AS THE DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES UP MORRISSEY BOULEVARD AS WELL THERE'LL BE A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE ATTRACTED TO THIS
PARK. I THINK COUNCILOR FLYNN SORT OF YOU KNOW BROUGHT IT UP AND I DON'T WANT TO HAMMERED HOME BUT JUST TO UNDERSTAND THE AMOUNT OF UNITS WITH BOTH AT HARBOR POINT AND THE POTENTIAL
DEVELOPMENT DOWN THERE AS WE GO UP MORRISSEY THERE'S ALREADY I THINK THERE'S A PROJECT BEING APPROVED TODAY THAT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE SHORES THERE THAT IS 17 STORIES TALL AND THEY
WILL BE HOUSING MANY, MANY FOLKS AS WELL. THEY'LL BE LOOKING TO USE THIS SO BOAT THAT PEDESTRIAN BUT AND VEHICULAR TRAVEL ROUTES AND
WHERE THEY COULD GO BECAUSE MY FEAR FOR FOR COUNCIL FLYNN AND OTHERS IS THAT AND MYSELF IS THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN PEOPLE SAY WANT TO GO SO WHERE DO WE PARK THE PARK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT.
AND I DON'T KNOW I THINK WE CAN ALL ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT SOUTH BOSTON DOESN'T REALLY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO TAKE ON ANY MORE PARKING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I HOPE THAT FOLKS WOULD FIND
OTHER MEANS BUT I DOUBT THAT IS THE CASE AND YEAH, I THINK THAT'S IT IS VERY INTERESTING. I YOU KNOW, I LOVE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE INTERIOR AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
BUT OF COURSE WHAT THAT BRINGS IN THE FOCUS ON THE EXTERIOR HERE BOTH TRANSPORTATION WISE WOULD BE MY MAIN CONCERN AS WE GO FORWARD AND OF COURSE GOING PART AND PARCEL WITH ALL THE OTHER ADVANCES AND DESIGNS
WHETHER IT'S THE CASE CIRCLE REDESIGN BOULEVARD REDESIGN PEBBLE CIRCLE REDESIGN AND ALL THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S TO OCCUR TO TRY AND GET THAT FUTURE OUTLOOK.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT. AND JEFF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION
REGARDING THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FEATURES. I THINK I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON REMOTELY PARK FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND IT'S IT'S GREAT TO ACTUALLY SEE THE PROGRESS BEING MADE BUT DOES THE STORMWATER FEATURE IS THAT
GREAT? IS THAT GREEN WATER GREAT? ARE THERE GREAT WATER FEATURES TO THAT? DID YOU TALK ABOUT IF YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT A MR PAUL ARE THERE ANY GRAY WATER FEATURES? NO I DIDN'T MENTION IT.
THERE WILL BE UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS UNDER EACH OF THE SPORTS FIELDS. OKAY UNDER WATER UNDERGROUND UNDERGROUND STORAGE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S THAT'S MY ONLY QUESTION
BECAUSE WE'VE WE'VE HAD HEARINGS AND WE TALK ABOUT THE BALANCING OUT THE GREEN WATER AND GRAY WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TO DO BOTH TO THINK ABOUT THE NATURAL CONDITIONS AND HOW
WE'RE USING THEM TO DO THE WORK OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT. SO NO QUESTIONS. I WILL BE ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTING THESE GRANTS. I WILL ACTUALLY BE AT MOAKLEY PARK LATER TODAY. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR DILIGENCE AND FOR THE
WORK THAT YOU DO BOTH AT LOCAL PARK AND SO BOSTON SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE INVESTED IN THE PARK AND AROUND OUR CITY AROUND RESILIENCY AND WE HAVE THE RESILIENCY QUEEN HERE IN OUR
MADAM CHAIR COUNCILOR GABRIELLA ZAPATA WHO HAS BEEN REALLY LEADING THE EFFORTS ON THE COUNCIL ON MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE BUILDING OUT A DYNAMIC AND
DYNAMIC COASTAL RESILIENCY PLAN THAT'S UP TO IN ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS INCLUDING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CALLED AS MATTER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THAT AND TAKE IT TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND AGAIN TO THE
FOLKS FROM BOSTON HARBOR NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'LL CIRCLE BACK TO COUNCILOR FLYNN OF HIS ANY OPPORTUNITY QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
CHRIS, CAN YOU WELL CAN I GET A CONFIRMATION THAT WE ARE WE ARE KEEPING THE STREET HOCKEY RINK. THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF RESIDENTS HAVE ASKED.
WE ARE KEEPING THE STRAIGHT TALK. RIGHT. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO GET A COMMITMENT FOR MY CONSTITUENTS, CHRIS UNDERNEATH THE UNDER THE PARK AS WELL UNDERNEATH THE
PARK ESPECIALLY THE AREA MORE TOWARDS YOU KNOW WHAT BABE RUTH DRIVERS SO WHAT IS WHAT IS PHYSICALLY UNDER THERE THIS THE
LAST ONE. OH YEAH. OR ANY ANY OF THAT AREA ALONG THE ALONG THE BOULEVARD FROM THAT AREA UP TO THE STATE
POLICE WHAT IS PHYSICALLY UNDERNEATH THE MOBILE PARK GRASS THERE. ABSOLUTELY TRYING TO SO THAT'S AN NWA A STORAGE TUNNEL WHICH GOES TO THE HEAD WORK SITE
WHICH IS JUST NORTH OF THE PARK PAST PAST B BRUCE OKAY NO BUT UNDERNEATH ON ON MOSTLY PROPERTY UNDERNEATH MOSTLY
PROPERTY UNDERGROUND WHAT IS UNDERGROUND SO THAT EASEMENT IT IS PARTLY IF YOU CAN SEE PARTLY WITHIN THE PARK AND THE EASEMENT EXTENDS WELL INTO THE PARK SO THE BERM IS ACTUALLY BUILT RIGHT UP TO THAT EASEMENT
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THAT PIPE AND THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING ANY ADDITIONAL LOADS ON IT. SO THAT IT REMAINS FUNCTIONAL AND I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE ALSO REFERRING TO THE FACT THAT
THERE'S AN UNDERGROUND EARTHEN BERM THAT WAS BUILT WHEN MOAKLEY WAS BUILT. YOU KNOW, THIS WAS ALL MUDFLATS YEAH, RIGHT. SO THERE IS AN EARTHEN BERM
UNDERGROUND WHICH IS WHY A LOT OF THE PARK IS SO SATURATED WITH WATER TODAY. AND SO THAT'S WHAT SORT OF HOLDS IT IN AND CREATED THAT LAND BACK IN THE EARLY 1900S. SO A GOOD PORTION OF THE PARK
WAS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AT ONE TIME IT WAS MUDFLATS YEAH. HOW HOW HOW FAR HOW MUCH OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN WAS IT? IT WAS MOST OF THE PARK.
IT'S A A VERY UNEVEN LINE BUT BASICALLY THE ONLY NATURAL HIGH GROUND IS AROUND THE STADIUM THAT WAS ACTUAL LANDMASS OKAY AROUND THE STADIUM SIDE TO THE
STADIUM YEAH OKAY SO DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE WHAT IMPACT WILL IT HAVE ON THE ATHLETIC FIELDS? THAT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT
QUESTION AND WE'VE ALREADY STARTED HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR RECREATION TEAM TO ENSURE THAT ANY DISRUPTION TO FIELDS AT THE PARK WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER PARK IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE'VE HAD A COUPLE IMPROVEMENTS TO PARKS NEARBY THAT ARE CITY PARKS AND THEN ALSO POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT SOME OF THE STATE OWNED PARKS NEARBY TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALL THE SPORTS
LEAGUES HAVE A PLACE TO PLAY. BUT BUT HOW DO HOW DO WE GUARANTEE OF THAT? HOW DO HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO IN FACT HAPPEN THOUGH? I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE WORK IN THE NEXT PHASE AS WE
UNDERSTAND IN MORE DETAIL THE THE DESIGN AND WHERE THAT BERM FALLS RELATIVE TO THE PROPOSED AND EXISTING FIELDS YOU YOU
KNOW, I THINK I NEED SOMETHING MORE CONCRETE THAN THAT. I NEED I NEED SPECIFICS ON WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION DOES TAKE PLACE, THE IMPACT IT HAS ON
ATHLETIC TEAMS WILL BE SIGNIFICANT. SO WHEN WHEN THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS TAKING PLACE, THAT CONSTRUCTION IS TAKEN PLACE, I WANT TO KNOW
SPECIFICALLY WHERE BASEBALL T WHERE ATHLETIC TEAMS WILL GO TO CONTINUE THEIR PRACTICES OF GAMES AND HAVE THAT HAVE THOSE DETAILS IRONED OUT. IS THAT IS THAT SOMETHING
YOU'RE COMMITTED TO? ABSOLUTELY. AND SO WE EXPECT CONSTRUCTION TO HAPPEN IN EARLY 2027. SO AS SOON AS THIS PHASE KICKS OFF WE CAN START LOOKING INTO
THAT AND TELL ME HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT. SO IT WOULD BE AN OVERLAY OF YOU KNOW, WHERE THE BERM AND THE FIRST PHASE FALL ON EXISTING FIELDS AND THEN GOING
THROUGH AND SEEING WHO PLAYS THERE AND WHERE DO WE HAVE ROOM AT MCCONNELL OR CHRISTOPHER LEE OR AT THE PARKS NEAR CASTLE
ISLAND TO SEE IF WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THOSE DISRUPTIONS AND KEEP THE THE LEAGUES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. OKAY. THE THE CHRISTOPHER THE MAJOR
CHRISTOPHER LEE IS MORE OF A LITTLE LEAGUE FIELD AND YOU KNOW THE BABE RUTH IS IS A BIGGER FIELD SO HOW WOULD WE HOW WOULD WE DEAL WITH THAT
ISSUE? I THINK WE ALSO HAVE YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OTHER OPTIONS. I THINK IF WE EXPAND THE SCOPE A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF SOUTH BOSTON AND START LOOKING A
LITTLE OUTSIDE OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT PARKS WHERE WHERE WOULD THAT BE THOUGH? AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S ALL WORK
THAT WE CAN GET INTO ONCE WE HAVE A CONFIRMED ALIGNMENT FOR THE FIRST PHASE. YEAH, BUT I MEAN I KNOW WE STILL HAVE TIME BUT I DO I WOULD LIKE TO GET COMMITMENTS
ON ON THOSE TYPES OF SPECIFICS BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE MY CONSTITUENTS, MY NEIGHBORS IN MY SON HAVE A PLACE TO PLAY BASEBALL OR SOCCER OR ANY TYPE
OF SPORT BUT I REALLY WANT TO GET COMMITMENTS ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT CHANGE THE IMPACT IT WILL HAVE BUT ALSO BE BE SPECIFIC OF WHERE KIDS CAN
PLAY PLAY SPORTS DURING THIS SUMMER DURING THIS PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION. ABSOLUTELY. SO WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO WORK WITH WITH YOU AND OBVIOUSLY WITH THE LEAGUES ON THAT.
OKAY. AND THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF YEAH ,I APOLOGIZE ONE MORE QUESTION OR TWO MORE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. OKAY. I MEAN I COULD I'D LIKE TO
CONTINUE I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS BUT IF IS THAT ALL YOU KNOW, LIMITING ME IS TWO QUESTIONS I DON'T WANT TO LIMIT YOU AT ALL. I'M JUST LOOKING AT TIME AND I
KNOW THAT WE HAVE FOLKS THAT HAVE COME HERE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC TESTIMONY SO I'M JUST TRYING TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THEIR TIME. BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK MAYBE TWO AND THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY THEN IF YOU HAVE MORE
QUESTIONS, WE'LL COME BACK. OKAY, CHRIS, ON THIS ON THIS SPECIFIC GRANT THAT WE'RE WE'RE VOTING ON IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, WHAT TELL ME ABOUT THE
GRANT ITSELF. WHEN DID WHEN DID THE CITY OF BOSTON ACTUALLY APPLY FOR THE GRANT GRANT ITSELF? THE GRANT ITSELF THE APPLICATION PERIOD OPENED I
THINK IN MARCH OF 2021 THE WAY THIS GRANT IS ADMINISTERED BOSTON ITSELF AS A SUB RECIPIENT TO ME. MM HMM. AS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY PUTS IN THE APPLICATION THAT THE CITY APPLIED TO LIVE IN
DECEMBER OF 2021. THE STATE SUBMITTED IT IN JANUARY OF 2022 AND AS A MARRON SHOWED ON THAT ON THAT TIMELINE WE ESSENTIALLY WERE IN A
CATEGORY OF IDENTIFIED FOR FURTHER REVIEW BY BY FEMA IN 2022 AND THEN THERE WAS A SERIES OF FOUR REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION RF EIS IS WHAT
THEY'RE LABELED ON THE ON THE CHART THAT YOU'LL SEE AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED OVER BETWEEN 2022 AND LATE 2024. AND THEN IT WAS EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT WE RECEIVED THE
NOTICE TO PROCEED AND THIS WILL ALLOW US THEN TO ACCEPT THESE FUNDS. OKAY. I AM GOING TO ASK ONE MORE QUESTION. SO JUST ON I KNOW WE HAVE SOME OUTSTANDING ISSUES ON THE
SCHEDULE IN RELATING TO ATHLETIC FIELDS. COULD I SCHEDULE A ZOOM MEETING WITH WITH YOU IN WITH THE VARIOUS COACHES OR
COMMISSIONERS OF THE SPORTS LEAGUE AND HAVE A KIND OF A DISCUSSION ABOUT SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I ASKED BUT MAYBE GET SOME RESPONSES FROM YOU AGAIN, I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO DO IT,
YOU KNOW, NOT NEXT WEEK. I WANT TO OBVIOUSLY GIVE YOU GUYS ENOUGH TIME TO GO OVER SOME OF THE ANSWERS THAT I ALREADY ASKED. THOSE WILL BASICALLY BE THE SAME QUESTIONS I THINK WE WOULD BE WE WOULD NOT ONLY BE WILLING
TO DO IT, WE'D BE EXCITED TO DO IT BECAUSE OKAY, EXACTLY SORT THE CONVERSATIONS WE WANT TO BE HAVING AND HAVE BEEN HAVING. OKAY, EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. AND MAYBE WE'LL DO THAT IN MID-SEPTEMBER. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.
OKAY. THANK YOU, MAJOR. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FLYNN, I JUST JUST HAVE TO SAY TO YOU THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WONDERFUL IN IN ACCOMMODATING CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULES AT LEAST WHEN IT COMES TO RYAN PLAYGROUND IN
CHARLESTOWN. THE CHARLESTOWN LITTLE LEAGUE WAS THERE AND YOU KNOW, WE WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP. ALL OF YOU ELECTED OFFICIALS AND AND THE LITTLE LEAGUE AND EVERYBODY TO FIND AN ADEQUATE
PLACEMENT AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL MODERN 21ST CENTURY FIELD THERE THAT IS ALSO RESILIENT. SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. OKAY, WE'LL GO TO IN-PERSON TESTIMONY.
FIRST UP, YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION. WE'LL GO TO LINDA AND THEN MARCY KEITH AND THEN HASSAN.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME UP TO EITHER OF THE MICROPHONES HERE FOR YOUR TWO MINUTE REMARKS AND THEN JUST REMEMBER TO STATE YOUR NAME AND THEN YOUR EITHER YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION OR BOTH. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. CHAIR COLETTE ZAPATA AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL'S COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE RESILIENCY AND PARKS. MY NAME IS LINDA ORAL. I'M THE CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER
WITH BOSTON HARBOR NOW A REGIONAL NONPROFIT. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE $1.17 MILLION FEMA GRANT TO SUPPORT IMMOKALEE
PARK. BOSTON ARBOR NOW PRIORITIZES A CLIMATE RESILIENT WATERFRONT THAT PROTECTS COMMUNITIES FROM FLOODING WHILE ACTIVATING WATERFRONT SPACES THAT WELCOME EVERYONE. FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS WE'VE
HAD THE JOY OF PARTNERING WITH THE BOSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT SOUTH BOSTON AND ACCIONA AND SOUTH BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE AND MANY OTHER LOCAL GROUPS TO EXPAND DIVERSE MULTI-GENERATIONAL
PROGRAMING AT IMMOKALEE PARK. SINCE WE STARTED MONTHLY CLEANUPS IN 2020, HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS HAVE REMOVED OVER £3,000 OF TRASH FROM THE PARK
IN 2021 DURING FEEDBACK SESSIONS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS REQUESTED PROGRAMING THAT PROVIDES ACCESS TO ARTS, MUSIC AND YOUTH SPORTS AND WE DELIVERED. FAST FORWARD TO TODAY WE ARE
THRILLED TO CO-HOST MORE THAN 20 ANNUAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT ALL SEASONS FOR THOUSANDS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS LIKE SOUTHEAST SUMMER NIGHTS WHICH INCLUDES DINNER, EDUCATION, SOCCER, VOLLEYBALL
AND A RANGE OF LIVE ENTERTAINMENT. AND THIS YEAR WE'RE THRILLED TO BE WORKING WITH ARTS ARTIST POSEY MOULTON, WHO'S LEADING THE COMMUNITY IN CREATING A 3D MURAL AND SCULPTURE MADE OUT
OF MARINE DEBRIS AND PLASTICS COLLECTED FROM MONTHLY CLEANUPS THAT WILL BE TEMPORARILY INSTALLED AT MOAKLEY PARK. WHILE WE FOSTER A VIBRANT PARK AND WATERFRONT SPACE, THERE IS STILL MORE IMPORTANT WORK TO
DO. AS YOU'VE HEARD MOAKLEY PARK FLOODS FREQUENTLY EVEN DURING MILD RAIN EVENTS MAKING RECREATIONAL AMENITIES INCLUDING ATHLETIC FIELDS
UNUSABLE. MOAKLEY PARK IS ALSO A MAJOR FLOOD PATHWAY TO COMMUNITIES BEYOND THE NEIGHBORHOOD POTENTIALLY IMPACTING THE EXPRESSWAY AND ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
BOSTON HARBOR NOW STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE CITY'S EFFORTS TO MANAGE FLOODING AND STORMWATER BY RENOVATING THE PARK FOR BOTH RECREATION VISION AND RESILIENCY. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO RECEIVE THE FEMA GRANT TO ENABLE THE CITY TO PROTECT, RESTORE AND IMPROVE THE PARK AND ITS RECREATIONAL AMENITIES AS WELL AS PROTECT THOUSANDS
OF NEARBY RESIDENTS, THEIR HOMES AND TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE FROM FLOODING WHILE AT THE SAME TIME REIMAGINING THE PARK IN A WAY THAT SERVES THE NEEDS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM. THANK YOU, LINDA.
AN EXCERPT WE HAVE MERCY AND THEN KEITH SORRY ABOUT I'M NOT SO FORMAL. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS MARCY ROBINSON. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR SOUTH BOSTON IN ACTION AS A COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION PRIMARILY SERVING THE RESIDENTS OF MARY ELLEN MCCORMICK AND
LYNCH HOMES AT OLD COLONY AND WEST BROADWAY, SOUTH BOSTON. AN OXYGEN UNDERSTANDS FIRSTHAND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING PROACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SEA LEVEL RISE IS NOT ONLY IMMINENT IT IS ACCELERATING
FASTER THAN SCIENTISTS PREDICTED. THIS THREAT DOES NOT STAND ALONE. THE DANGERS FROM STORM SURGES AND THE POTENTIAL HURRICANES COMPOUND THE RISK WE FACE. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS WE
HAVE WITNESSED AN INCREASE IN FLOODING ACROSS OUR BOSTON. AND THESE EVENTS ARE NO LONGER ISOLATED OR RARE. THEY ARE BECOMING A NEW REALITY. IT IS TIME FOR A PRECISE, INFORMED AND URGENT ACTION.
THE PLANNED RENOVATIONS AND THE BERM AT MACLEAY PARK ARE ESSENTIAL MEASURES TO SAFEGUARD THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY THOSE MOST VULNERABLE TO THE
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. AS A MOTHER AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZER I UTILIZE THE PARK FOR MULTIPLE REASONS. TODAY IT IS MY SAFE HAVEN YEAR ROUND FROM THE AUTUMN STROLLS WITH MY DOG ALEXIS.
THE SPRING DAYS HANGING OUT BY THE COMMUNITY GARDEN TO THE LONG SUMMER DAYS WHERE YOU FIND YOURSELF KICKING BACK AT ONE OF OUR SOUTHEAST SUMMER NIGHTS WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY MAKE MOLLY YOURS SPEAKS DEEPLY TO ME BECAUSE I HAVE GROWN UP IN
THIS PARK. NOT ONLY DO I WISH THAT FOR MY CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME BUT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT FOR FOUR YEARS NOW. IT HAS BEEN A GREAT PLEASURE OF MINE TO PARTNER WITH THE
CITY OF BOSTON PARKS AND REC BOSTON HARBOR NOW AND THE EXCEPTIONAL INDIVIDUALS ACROSS VARIOUS DISCIPLINES TO ACTIVATE THE PARK TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER NOT ONLY FOR REPRIEVE FROM OUR DAILY BUSTLE BUT TO
ALSO LEARN AND EDUCATE THEMSELVES ON MATTERS THAT IMPACT THEM AND THEIR NEIGHBORS. I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE WITH CONTINUE THIS FANTASTIC WORK.
SOUTH BOSTON IN ACTION IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT. WE SEE IT NOT JUST AS AN INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE BUT AS A COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING LIVES, PROTECTING HOMES AND ENSURING THE FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN THRIVE IN A
SAFER, MORE RESILIENT SOUTH BOSTON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARCI.
KEITH AND THEN HASSAN. HELLO, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS KEITH. I AM THE OWNER OF PRIDE SPORTS BOSTON. WE RENT THAT FIELD FOR MONTHLY
PARK. MANY FIELDS FOR THOUSANDS OF HOURS EVERY YEAR. THE FIELDS ARE VERY MUCH NOT PLAYABLE AND NOT SAFE. SO OUR KIDS THAT ARE OUT THERE,
OUR FRIENDS THAT ARE PLAYING THERE IT IS. YOU KNOW, WE COULD FIGURE OUT WHERE TO PUT OTHER TEAMS AND PLAYERS. BUT I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT THIS PARK GETS DONE. IT NEEDS TO GET DONE.
THERE ARE MANY WEEKS THAT WE ARE THERE. I AM YOU KNOW, SHOVELING OUT WATER TO MAKE IT PLAYABLE. I'M DOING WHAT I CAN TO TO HAVE GAMES.
IT IS THIS PARK IS. MANY CITIES DON'T HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SUCH A BIG SPACE THAT CAN AND IT IS VERY EXCITING SUCH AN EXCITING PROJECT AND I WISH THAT THIS
CAN REALLY GO THROUGH BECAUSE THIS CAN HOST NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS. THE MONEY THAT COULD COME INTO THE CITY FROM HAVING THAT. AND YOU KNOW THAT JUST SPEAKING THE BIGGER PICTURE BUT LOCALLY WITH OUR OUR PLAYERS AND OUR
COMMUNITY THIS PARK HAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND IT IS RIGHT NOW BEING WASTED ON HOW IT CURRENTLY IS SO TOTALLY IN FAVOR OF THIS HAPPENING. SO LET'S PASS IT. THANK YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU, KEITH. NEXT UP WE HAVE HASSAN FAROOQUI . THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY.
MY NAME IS HASSAN FAROOQUI ON THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BOSTON CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK AND I LIVE IN THE SOUTH END AND I'M HERE TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF ALL THE GRANTS THAT ARE AT ISSUE IN THIS HEARING. ALL OF THESE PRESENT REALLY
IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS THAT I TESTIFIED TO THE LAST TIME I WAS IN FRONT OF YOUR COMMITTEE WHICH IS AROUND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A VERY CHALLENGING FUNDING ENVIRONMENT NOW MORE
CHALLENGING THAN I THINK WE'VE EVER SEEN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THAT MEANS WE NEED TO CAPTURE AND LEVERAGE EVERY DOLLAR AVAILABLE FROM EVERY SOURCE TO CONTINUE INVESTING AND PROTECTING OUR RESIDENTS.
THE CHALLENGES THAT WE SEE HERE OF FLOODING FROM SEA LEVEL RISE, FLOODING FROM STORM WATER AND EXTREME HEAT CAN BE MITIGATED THROUGH THE PROJECTS THAT WILL BE INVESTED IN THROUGH THESE GRANTS AND THESE
ARE NOT FAR OFF FUTURE CHALLENGES. THEY ARE THINGS THAT WE SEE HERE AND NOW. IN FACT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AT AN EVENT IN DORCHESTER THAT WE CO-SPONSORED ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS PASSED OUT
FROM LIKELY HEATSTROKE AFTER BEING IN THE SUNLIGHT. THIS WAS DURING 80 DEGREE TEMPERATURES AND WE KNOW OF COURSE EXTREME HEAT EVENTS BECOME MORE INTENSE, MORE FREQUENT EVERY PASSING YEAR.
WE'VE SEEN THAT THIS WEEK. SO THESE INVESTMENTS CANNOT COME SOON ENOUGH AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN MAKE THESE INVESTMENTS WITHOUT DELAY BOTH WITH RESPECT TO THESE GRANTS AS WELL AS TO THE MANY FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'LL HAVE
TO FUND THIS IN DIFFERENT WAYS. AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP, MADAM CHAIR, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND THE ADMINISTRATION AND OUR MANY OTHER PARTNERS ON IMPLEMENTATION. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. HASSAN, A MINUTE, 30 SECONDS. GREAT. THANK YOU. WE'VE ALSO WE GOT A LETTER FROM THE MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION JUST SAYING THAT THEY'RE WRITING TO ENCOURAGE
THE CITY COUNCIL OF BOSTON TO CONTINUE THE IMPROVEMENTS FROM THE PARK'S CAPITAL BUDGET AS WELL AS THESE GRANTS IN SUPPORT OF MOAKLEY PARK SPECIFICALLY DOCKET 1258. I WANT TO THANK PATRICK CURRAN ,THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR SENDING THAT.
I'M JUST CONFIRMING THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ON LINE. I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE ANYBODY ON LINE. BUT IN THE INTERIM COUNCILOR FLYNN WILL HAVE FIVE MORE MINUTES FOR QUESTIONING IF
YOU HAVE ANYTHING FOR THIS PARTICULAR DOCKET AND THEN WE REALLY NEED TO MOVE TO DOCKET 1375 OR EXCUSE ME 1345. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME I WILL
NOT ASK FURTHER QUESTIONS BUT I DO. I DO FEEL AND I FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR MY CONSTITUENTS TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT HOW HOW THIS GRANT
WOULD IMPACT THEM. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST CITYWIDE ABOUT PASSING THIS IMMEDIATELY BUT I DO WANT TO DO MY DUE DILIGENCE AND ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS I
CAN BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS MY CONSTITUENTS ASK ME WHEN I WHEN I'M IN SOUTH BOSTON WHICH I'M IN THERE EVERY NIGHT AND I'M AT MOAKLEY PARK AT LEAST FOUR NIGHTS A WEEK
WATCHING MY SON PLAY BASEBALL. SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO GET BACK TO MY CONSTITUENTS WITH ANSWERS THAT THEY HAVE. THAT'S WHY I ASK DETAILED
QUESTIONS AND I WANTED TO HAVE A HEARING ON THIS BECAUSE I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME CONSTITUENTS INCLUDING RESIDENTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING. I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO BE HEARD AND TO
UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT IMPACT THIS BEAUTIFUL NEW PARK WOULD HAVE ON THEM. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. OKAY, NOW WE'LL GO TO. YOU ALL ARE WELCOME TO STAY BUT
ALSO FREE TO GO. WE'LL GO TO DOCKET ONE, THREE, FOUR OR FIVE. BUILDING THE WORKFORCE TO IMPROVE TREE COVER CITYWIDE. SO THIS IS THE 644,458 FROM THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE.
AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND FOR SHOWING UP TODAY IN YOUR ADVOCACY. I APOLOGIZE. I NEGLECTED TO SAY THAT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND EVERYBODY TUNED IN ONLINE. THANKS. THANK YOU ALL. OKAY.
WE'LL GO TO JOSEPH LEE FROM THE WORKER EMPOWERMENT KIND OF MINUTE. YOU HAVE A QUESTION? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. AS MENTIONED, THIS IS TO EXTEND
AND EXTEND A GRANT THROUGH THE U.S. FORESTRY SERVICE FOR 644,480 $58 FOR THOSE I DON'T KNOW POWER CORPS IS A PROGRAM THAT THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT RUNS.
IT'S A TEN MONTH TRAINING PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES TRACKS IN URBAN FORESTRY AND BUILDING OPERATIONS PARTICIPANTS THAT RANGE FROM 18 TO 30. IT'S A THEY GET A BIWEEKLY
STIPEND OF 1100 DOLLARS THROUGH THEIR PARTICIPATION ON TOP OF CERTIFICATIONS AND FUTURE JOB PROSPECTS. SO OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS
THREE YEARS YES FOUR WE'VE HAD FOUR COHORTS. SO 125 GRADUATES 70% OF THESE GRADUATES HAVE HAVE CAREER LIFTING OUTCOMES. SO THAT CAN BE A GREEN JOB, A QUALITY NON-GREEN JOB
INTRODUCTION TO THE TRADE UNIONS OR FURTHERING EDUCATION OR TRAINING. AND OF THAT 70% 87% HAVE DIRECTLY GONE INTO THE GREEN INDUSTRY THAT COULD BE EITHER BUILDING OPERATIONS SO COULD BE
GOING IN AND DOING HOME ASSESSMENTS OR COULD BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO TREES. SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT WE'VE HAD IN OUR PROGRAM, LINDA JOBS WITH THE CITY FRANKLIN PARK
ZOO, SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC TREE SERVICES IN PARTS OF YOUR GARDENS JUST TO NAME A FEW. AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE GREAT WORK THEY'VE DONE SO OUR COHORT FOR WHICH RECENTLY JUST GRADUATED THIS PAST SUMMER HAS
PLANTED 43 TREES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, ENHANCED 233 ACRES OF PUBLIC LAND THROUGH ACTIVE AND CONSERVATION EFFORTS REMOVED OVER 248 BAGS
OF ABRASIVE MATERIALS REMOVED OVER 3600 SQUARE FEET OF VICIOUS SPECIES IN THE WHITE STADIUM AREA AND RECYCLED OVER £62.8 OF WASTE AT THE EMC PINE
RINK MANSION. TO JUST PROMOTE MORE SEEMS TO BE SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS IN RECENTLY JUST TO KIND OF BUILD ON YOU KNOW THE NEED FOR FOR
MORE FUNDING WE ACTUALLY DID APPLY AND WERE GRANTED A MASSIVE STUDENTS YOUNG AND ADULTS EQUITY WORKFORCE CLIMATES OF SERVICE CORPS AWARD. SO THIS IS REALLY GOING TO
FOCUS ON CLEAN ENERGY AND BUILDING EFFICIENCY AND THEY ALSO ARE ANOTHER 375,000. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT HEARING TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THAT THOSE DOLLARS AS WELL SO
WE CAN GET AN OUT. BUT REALLY THIS GRANT IS GOING TO REALLY FOCUS ON THE STIPENDS AND TRAINING FOR THESE FOLKS SO THAT WAY THEY ARE ABLE TO ADD TO OUR TREE CANOPY BUT ALSO MAINTAIN WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO
HIRE AN ARBORIST FOR THIS TO HELP WITH TRAINING. I KNOW THE CITY HAS MANY BUT IT IS A DIFFERENT IT'S DIFFERENT TO GO OUT AND GO TO A TREE AND LOOK AT IT AND PRUNE THE TREE
RATHER IS TO TEACH SOMEBODY HOW TO GO OUT AND DO THAT. SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT PERSON TO NOT ONLY UPSKILL AND TRAIN OUR FOLKS BUT ALSO HELP THEM IDENTIFY INVASIVE SPECIES AND JUST UNDERSTAND BEST
PRACTICES. SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THIS GRANT ACCEPTED, EXPANDED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WAY WE CAN CONTINUE TO FUND THESE YOUTH HAVE IDENTIFIED AS WANTING TO GO
INTO THE GREEN SPACE BUT ALSO TO MAINTAIN THE GREEN WORKFORCE THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE THE GREENEST CITY IN THE US. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH JOSEPH AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE TO GOING THROUGH ALL OF THAT. IN HINDSIGHT MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE DONE THE MVP GREAT AND THEN YOU AND THEN THIS BUT THAT'S FINE. MAYBE NO WORRIES BUT I APPRECIATE IT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK TOO.
I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO HEAR THAT WE'RE TRYING TO INVEST MORE RESOURCES IN PLANTING MORE TREES ESPECIALLY IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES LIKE BOSTON AND CHARLESTOWN. WE HAVE SOME OF THE LOWEST TREE CANOPY NUMBERS IN THE CITY NOT
THE LOWEST. I THINK THAT IS IN DISTRICT TWO BUT REALLY GRATEFUL TO HEAR THAT THIS WILL HELP FUND A NUMBER OF OF OF FOLKS. YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT AND I
JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. SO FOCUS THIS IS SUPPOSED TO FOCUS ON THE STIPENDS AND THE TRAINING. CAN YOU JUST REPEAT A FEW AND I'M SORRY IF I MISSED THIS BUT THE AMOUNT OF STIPEND PER PERSON AND THEN HOW MANY FOLKS WE'RE HOPING TO HIRE AS PART
OF THIS PARTICULAR GRANT. SO IT'S 1100 DOLLARS BI WEEKLY SO 550 A WEEK RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW OVER THE COURSE IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE ABOUT 10
TO 15 JUST DIRECTLY FROM THIS FUNDING. WE DO HAVE OTHER FUNDING THAT GO IN RANGE UP TO THE FULL 60 PARTICIPANTS BUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR GRANT IT WOULD BE ABOUT UP TO UP TO 15.
IT ALSO DOES INCLUDE EQUIPMENT SO RENTING TREE WOOD CHIPPERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS. SO IT IS A FULL FUNCTIONING GRANT NOT ONLY FOR STIPENDS AND TRAINING BUT ALSO MAKING SURE
THEY HAVE THE MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT TO CORRECTLY, YOU KNOW, DISPOSE OF ANY INVASIVE SPECIES OR IF THERE IS A NEED TO CLEAR LAND AND TO PLANT A NEW TREE. AND I KNOW THE TEAM HAS ALSO
BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY TO LOOK AT THINGS ESPECIALLY AROUND THE FLEXI GRIP AROUND THE BASE OF THE TREES WITH THE RAT PROBLEM BURROWING HAPPENING. HOW DO WE USE THAT FLEXI GRIP TO MAKE SURE THAT NEWLY PLANTED
TREES DON'T GET ATTACKED BY OUR FURRY FRIENDS AS THEY GET PLANTED? THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S IT FOR ME. I APPRECIATE THIS YOUR WORK AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE GOING AFTER THESE GRANTS
AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TO DEPLOY THEM IN SUCH A MEANINGFUL WAY IN THE CITY. COUNCILOR FLYNN. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WILL BE BRIEF.
I JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT ONE QUESTION FIRST MY COMMENT JOSEPH I SEE YOU OFTEN IN THE COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY IN THE WEEKENDS OR AT NIGHT YOU DO AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB REPRESENTING
THE CITY, REPRESENTING THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON. YOU'RE LISTENING TO PEOPLE, YOU'RE ENGAGING THEM, YOU'RE ANSWERING QUESTIONS. SO YOU'RE YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT
TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR PROFESSIONALISM BECAUSE I'VE I'VE SEEN YOU AND NOTICED YOU MANY TIMES AND JUST WANT TO JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. YEAH.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION AND I KNOW THIS IS MORE MORE FOCUSED ON THE STIPEND AND THE TRAINING AND I MENTIONED AT THE
BEGINNING THAT DISTRICT TWO HAS THE LOWEST NUMBER OF TREES IN THE IN THE CITY BUT AND I FOCUSED ON SOUTH BOSTON BUT I ALSO FOR THIS QUESTION I WANT
TO FOCUS ON CHINATOWN PROBABLY HAS THE THE LOWEST NUMBER OF TREES OF ANY NEIGHBORHOOD AND MAYBE MAYBE YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME IDEAS BUT WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW WE GO FORWARD IN CHINATOWN IN TRYING TO BRING MORE TREES TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD SO PEOPLE HAVE SOME SO THE TEMPERATURE CAN BE
REDUCED BUT ALSO SOME PEOPLE CAN HAVE SOME SHADE COOL OFF BUT THE SUN IS VERY POUND POUNDING FOR PEOPLE AND THERE'S REALLY NO PLACE TO ESCAPE
OUTSIDE TREES ARE TREES THAT ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BUT JUST WANT TO SEE WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS MIGHT BE. YEAH THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE I KNOW AT THE BEGINNING OF POWER THEY REALLY FOCUS ON
THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CITY AND I KNOW THERE ARE TALKS OF OBVIOUSLY MOVING UP SO IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO ATTACK AND GO AFTER GRANTS LIKE THIS BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO
COVER THE ENTIRE CITY IN TREES AND BLANKET THEM CORRECTLY. SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THE GRANTS MAKING THEMSELVES AVAILABLE AND THEN OUR TEAM AS
YOU KNOW, CHIEF WEN IS A RELENTLESS ADVOCATE FOR GOING AFTER DOLLARS. SO IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GO AFTER DOLLARS WE ARE AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT
WE HAVE THE PEOPLE TRAINED TO TO MAINTAIN WHAT TREES THERE ARE IN CHINATOWN FIRST AND FOREMOST RIGHT BECAUSE TREES AGE THEY DO LOSE THEIR THEIR LUSHNESS THEIR ABILITY TO COVER BUT ALSO WORKING WITH
DAVID JEFFERSON WHO IS THE EDITOR OF POWER COURT TO IDENTIFY THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY IN CHINATOWN IS HIGH ON OUR LIST SO IT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE ARE IDENTIFYING.
I KNOW DORCHESTER IS ANOTHER AREA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. IT'S HAS IT'S A MAJOR STREET HAS A MAJOR PARADE AND I HAVE MARCHED IN THAT PARADE MANY A TIMES AND THOUGHT TO MYSELF EVERY YEAR WHY AM I DOING THIS?
BECAUSE THERE IS NOWHERE TO ESCAPE THE SUN. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT EXPANDING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD COVERAGE. BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU
KNOW, GIVEN WE'VE HAD AND I BELIEVE AT THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE IT WAS SO HARD TO LEARN HOW TO LEARN THAT WE ACTUALLY LOST A GRANT DUE TO SOME OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING.
SO YOU KNOW, WE ARE TRYING TO CONTINUE TO GO AFTER TO MAKE UP SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS THAT WE DID LOSE DUE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. NOT UNDERSTANDING TREE COVERAGE IS FOR EVERYBODY. IT'S NOT A POLITICAL GAME
BECAUSE TREES DON'T VOTE OR DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO THINK IN THAT WAY. BUT DEFINITELY WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO OUR TEAM TO HIGHLIGHT CHINATOWN, SOUTHIE, THE SOUTH
END AND CHARLESTOWN IS AREAS THAT WE NEED TO EXPAND INTO BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET OUT OF OUR KIND OF ROXBURY FOCUSED LOOK ON IT AND MOVE
INTO THOSE AREAS. SO DEFINITELY HAPPY TO SIT WITH YOU COUNCILMAN. ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT YOU KNOW DO THINK OF AREAS WE CAN EASILY
ATTACK AND GET TREES PLANTED IN YOUR IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS. JUST TO ADD ONE THING TO JUSTICE COMMENT THE A COUPLE OF VERY WELL THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE RESILIENCE ARE WORKING WITH THE CHINATOWN
COMMUNITY ON TO YOUR YOUR QUESTION AROUND SORT OF NEW APPROACHES AROUND PROVIDING TREES WITHIN CHINATOWN TO SOMETHING WHICH WE HOPE TO HAVE THIS FALL HAPPY TO SIMILARLY CONNECT WITH YOU WITH YOUR OFFICE ON THAT WHICH WE EXPECT
TO BE ABLE TO PILOT SOMETHING ON HARRISON AVE BETWEEN BEACH AND LELAND YOU KNOW THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU JOSEPH AND THANK YOU CHRIS AND MAYBE JUST A FOLLOW
UP COMMENT OR QUESTION OBVIOUSLY CHINATOWN IS SITS RIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM YOU KNOW THE 93 IS IS THERE BUT
ALSO THE THE MASS PIKE IS THERE THAT IT'S A MAJOR TRUCK ROAD FROM MAINE TO FLORIDA BASICALLY BUT ALSO THE SALT STATION TRAIN AND SOUTH STATION BUS I GUESS
MY POINT IS AND I'VE DONE WALKTHROUGHS WITH A GROUP CALLED MOTHERS OUT FRONT. YES. AND ONE OF THEIR MAJOR CHALLENGE ONE OF THEIR MAJOR ISSUES WAS TREES BEING IMPACTED
BY THE GAS COMING FROM THE GROUND GAS LEAKS GAS LEAKS. BUT WHAT IMPACT DOES THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT WITH CHINATOWN RESTS IN THE DISTRICT
BUT RIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM DOES THAT DOES THAT GREATLY IMPACT NEGATIVELY IMPACT HOW WE TRENT HOW WE PLANT TREES IN
CHINATOWN? I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFICS BUT I WOULD SAY YES JUST BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF VIBRATION AND MOVEMENT THROUGH IT WOULD PROBABLY MAKE IT VERY YOU KNOW IT'S UNSETTLING GROUND RATE IS CONSTANTLY SHIFTING IS
CONSTANTLY MOVING SO AS TREES GET ROUTED THAT YOU KNOW IT'S LIKE ANY OTHER PLANT, RIGHT? YOU SHAKE IT ENOUGH IT'S GOING TO LISTEN AND LOOSEN ITSELF UP NOT COMPLETELY DIE PER SE BUT
WILL, YOU KNOW, BECOME WEAKER. SO YOU KNOW, WE ARE WORKING WITH MASS AUTOBAHN IN THE STATE AND DCR TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF THE EFFECTS OF WHAT THAT
LOOKS LIKE WE ALSO WANT TO GET AS MANY TREES BUT ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ISN'T ANY KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE DONE AS TREES GET OLDER ROOTS YOU KNOW, LINES GET DEEPER, GET
THICKER AND YOU KNOW THERE ARE OTHER IMPACTS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AND UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF THAT LAND ISN'T CITY OWNED. IT IS PRIVATELY OWNED IN OR END OR STATE OWNED.
SO IT'S ALSO WORKING WITH THOSE PARTNERS TO SAY HEY, WE NEED MORE TREES. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO PLAY BALL WITH WITH THOSE FOLKS TO PUT THE RIGHT TREES IN AND NOT DISRUPT KIND
OF WHAT'S ALREADY THERE SHORT OF YOU KNOW, BUILDING CLOSING THAT AREA OF THE PIPE DOWN OR OR REROUTING 93 WHICH IS NOT MY AREA EXPERTISE NOR DO I EVER
WANT IT TO BE MY AREA OF EXPERTISE. NO, THANK YOU, JOSEPH. I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND YOU CHRIS AS WELL FOR THE FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN, I JUST WANT TO AGAIN ECHO GRATITUDE AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT I
FEEL COMFORTABLE PUSHING THIS FORWARD AT OUR NEXT MEETING TO VOTE ON. I LOOK FORWARD TO VOTING IN THE AFFIRMATIVE TO GET THIS MONEY OUT AND JUST REALLY TRYING TO BRING A LEVEL OF URGENCY TO THE
WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE SINCE 2018, 2021, 2022 AND GET THIS GOING I DO THINK OH NO, I'M SORRY I'M SEEING IN REAL TIME THAT THERE WAS SOMEBODY
WHO SIGNED UP AND HAS SINCE THEN LOGGED OFF. SO I THINK WE'RE OKAY WITH PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND SO WITH THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF TO SAY THAT WE HAD A PRODUCTIVE HEARING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND THIS HEARING ON DOCKET 12581345 AND
1347 IS ADJOURNED.
THANKS EVERYONE SO MUCH