##VIDEO ID:dDRkZmKMdx8##  GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I CALL TO ORDER TODAY'S MEETING OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL . VIEWERS CAN WATCH THE COUNCIL MEETING LIVE ON YOUTUBE AT BOSTON DOT GOV. FORWARD SLASH CITY COUNCIL TV.  AT THIS TIME I ASK MY COLLEAGUES AND THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE SILENCE THEIR CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THANK YOU.  MR. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL TO ASCERTAIN THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM?  COUNCILOR COUNCIL COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PARTNER . COUNCILOR DURKAN COUNCILOR FOR ANANDA SANDERSON.  COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR FLYNN YEAH.  COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE HERE. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE.  COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCIL 15 YEAR COUNCILOR SANTANA. COUNCILOR WEBER AND COUNCILOR WE'RE ALL HERE. A QUORUM HAS BROKEN.  THANK YOU. I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT A FORM IS PRESENT.  MR. CLERK. COUNCILOR GABRIELLE ZAPATA IS ALSO HERE.  NOW IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THIS WEEK'S CLERGY. RABBI ELIZA SCHWARTZ OF TEMPLE HILLEL B'NAI TORAH OF WEST ROXBURY BY COUNCILOR WEBER I BELIEVE THAT'S ELIZA ELIZA. ELIZA SCHWARTZ SO COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND AFTER THAT WE WILL RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE . YOU CAN STAND GOOD MORNING OR AFTERNOON.  SO I'VE INVITED RABBI ELIZA SCHWARTZ FROM TEMPLE HILLEL BENY TORAH IN WEST ROXBURY TO DELIVER THE INVOCATION. RABBI SCHWARTZ WAS ORDAINED BY THE RECONSTRUCTIONIST RABBINICAL COLLEGE THIS PAST MAY 20, 24 DURING RABBINICAL SCHOOL. RABBI SCHWARTZ WORKED FOR TWO YEARS AS A KUPERBERG RIT MASTER RABBINICAL INTERN AT CONGREGATION BEIT SIMHA TORAH IN NEW, WHICH IS THE LARGEST LGBTQ SYNAGOGUE IN THE COUNTRY. I BELIEVE RABBI SCHWARTZ SPENT ONE YEAR OF HER TRAINING STUDYING IN JERUSALEM AND DOING PROTECTIVE PRESENCE AND SOLIDARITY WORK WITH PALESTINIANS IN THE SOUTHERN WEST BANK.  RABBI SCHWARTZ IS A BOARD MEMBER OF TAIRUA. THE RABBINICAL CALL FOR HUMAN RIGHTS WAS A STRATEGY COACH AND TRAINER FOR IFNOTNOW SERVED AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AT JEWISH BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS AND BEFORE THAT SHE SPENT A YEAR IN TEL AVIV WORKING WITH SUDANESE AND ERITREAN REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS. SHE ALSO SERVED ON AND THEN LED AS BOARD PRESIDENT THE BOARD OF COVERED BOSTON, A MULTI-ETHNIC MULTIRACIAL JEWISH COMMUNITY THAT INTERWEAVES VIBRANT JEWISH RITUAL AND LOCAL JUSTICE WORK. SHE FOLLOWS IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF RABBI BARBARA PENSER WHO DELIVERED AN INVOCATION BEFORE THIS BODY LAST YEAR AND LIVES IN WEST ROXBURY WITH HER HUSBAND.  I'M HONORED NOW TO PASS IT OVER TO RABBI SCHWARTZ WHO WILL DELIVER TODAY'S INVOCATION.  GOOD AFTERNOON ALL AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING MEJIA. I'M REALLY, REALLY HONORED TO BE HERE AND THANK YOU, COUNCILOR RUBBER FOR THE INVITATION.  I'M ALSO SO GLAD TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL AND TOGETHER LOCALLY IN OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY OF BOSTON TOGETHER IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WHEN MANY OF US ARE FEELING A HUGE RANGE OF FEELINGS IN THESE TRULY DEEPLY TURBULENT TIMES. FIRST AND FOREMOST I ACTUALLY JUST WANT TO INVITE US ALL TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH TOGETHER HERE AND MAYBE THREE MORE.  AND JUST FIRST BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE JUST ENCOURAGEMENT AND A REMINDER THAT IN THESE TIMES TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES, ALL OF US AS LEADERS OF THIS COMMUNITY FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TAKING CARE OF OUR NERVOUS SYSTEMS AND THAT TAKES SLOWING DOWN BREATHING DRINKING WATER ALL OF THE FOUNDATIONAL NEEDS AND IT ALSO TAKES IN THESE TIMES STAYING HUMAN.  WE ARE LIVING ACROSS THE GLOBE IN TIMES WHEN ONE GROUPS HUMANITY OFTEN GETS PITTED AGAINST ANOTHER GROUP'S HUMANITY. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT SADLY SOMETHING SO FOUNDATIONAL AS STAYING HUMAN, STAYING IN TOUCH WITH OUR OWN HUMANITY AND THE HUMANITY OF OTHERS IS CHALLENGED IN THESE TIMES IT'S CHALLENGED BY NARRATIVES THAT PIT ONE GROUP OF HUMANS AGAINST THE OTHER. THIS HAPPENS HERE IN OUR COUNTRY. IT HAPPENS IN ISRAEL, GAZA WHERE NARRATIVES SCREAM THAT THE POSITION AND SAFETY OF JEWS IS AGAINST THE SAFETY AND POSITION OF PALESTINIANS. IT GLOBALLY AND WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY THINK HARD AND STAY GROUNDED SADLY JUST TO STAY HUMAN.  IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF TORAH WHICH IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY WE JUST STARTED READING AGAIN ON SIN KATARA. WE READ THAT ALL OF HUMANITY IS CREATED BY B'TSELEM ELOHIM IN THE IMAGE OF GOD.  ALL OF HUMANITY IS CREATED B'TSELEM ELOHIM. THIS SHOULD BE SIMPLE OBVIOUS BUT I ACTUALLY THINK THAT IT'S THE CALL OF OUR TIMES AND I CALL US TO STAY WITH PEOPLE AND WITH LEADERS WHO SEE THE HUMANITY OF ALL PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT AND TO FOLLOW THOSE PEOPLE AND TO BE THOSE PEOPLE AND TO MODEL THAT IN THESE TIMES NO MATTER WHAT JUST WANT TO INVITE US INTO A THINKING EXERCISE.  MANY OF US KNOW THAT IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WHEN TWO PEOPLE ARE PITTED AGAINST ONE ANOTHER AND THE CONFLICT IS IN BETWEEN THEM. PERSON A VERSUS PERSON B AND THE CONFLICT IS IN BETWEEN THEM FAULTS AND BLAME ESCALATE AND PEOPLE DON'T USUALLY GET THEIR NEEDS MET. BUT WHEN WE CAN TRANSFORM THE CONFLICT FROM BEING PITTED AGAINST ONE ANOTHER TO SAYING A AND B ARE ACTUALLY ON THE SAME TEAM TOGETHER AS A TEAM VERSUS THE CONFLICT USUALLY WE SUCCEED IN GETTING OUR NEEDS MET AND EXPANDING WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER. I THINK THAT THE CONFLICT OF OUR TIME IS THAT WE'RE FORGETTING THAT ALL OF HUMANITY IS MADE BUT SELDOM ELOHIM IN THE IMAGE OF GOD AND I INVITE US TO BE A TEAM A HUMAN TEAM FIGHTING THE CONCEPT THAT WE MIGHT NOT ALL BE HUMAN.  LAST WEEK IN OUR TORAH PORTION IN THE JEWISH CALENDAR WE READ NOAH. WE READ ABOUT THE ART THAT CARRIES NOAH THROUGH THE TURBULENT FLOOD AND I WANT TO INVITE US INTO A PRAYER THIS MORNING TOGETHER AND I INVITE YOU TO CLOSE YOUR EYES, TAKE ANOTHER DEEP BREATH, FEEL YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND.  HASHEM GOD, PLEASE CREATE AN ARK FOR US FOR ALL OF US TO STAY CONNECTED WITH ONE ANOTHER TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH ONE ANOTHER, TO CHECK IN WITH ONE ANOTHER TO CONNECT WITH OUR HEARTS TO CONNECT WITH OUR SOULS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW EACH OTHER ARE DOING THIS THESE RELATIONSHIPS WILL BE OUR ARK NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN THE TURBULENT TIMES WE NEED TO REMEMBER TO STAY CONNECTED.  GOD PLEASE BLESS US WITH THIS ARC OF RELATIONAL CONNECTION AND LET US SAY AMEN.  THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.  WE WILL NOW RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.  I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC OF JAPAN. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.  THANK YOU, COUNSELOR WEBER AND RABBI, IT'S AS IF THE UNIVERSE KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO HEAR FROM YOU TODAY ON THIS MOMENT.  SO, RABBI, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER TO ALL OF US AS WE ARE ON YOU KNOW, YESTERDAY A NATIONAL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION THAT HAS STIRRED UP A LOT OF EMOTIONS AND DIVISIVENESS THAT YOU REMIND US THAT WE ARE HERE FOR EACH OTHER'S HUMANITY AND TO DO THE WORK OF BUILDING THIS PROJECT OF DEMOCRACY. SO RABBI, I KNOW THAT THAT WAS CATHARTIC FOR ME AND FOR MANY WHO ARE HERE TODAY. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU.  MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE AMEND THE ATTENDANCE TO REFLECT THAT COUNSELOR BREADON AND COUNSELOR FERNANDO ANDERSON OUR PRESENT MR. CLERK IS THAT THOSE ARE THE TWO. OKAY, THANK YOU.  WE ARE NOW ON TO THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING OF OCTOBER 30TH, 2020 FOR OUR ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES OF OCTOBER 30 WITH 2024 SAY I I I'LL OPPOSE ANY COUNTEROFFER AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON YOUR VOTE?  THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. I DID RECEIVE A EMAIL FROM BACK IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE REGARDING MY 17 F RELATING TO ELEVATORS NOT WORKING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  IT WAS A FRACTION OF WHAT I ASKED FOR SO I AM STILL EXPECTING TO RECEIVE INFORMATION FROM VHA INCLUDING EMAILS THAT WERE NOT PART OF THE PACKET SO I DO HOPE I'M ABLE TO GET THAT FOR THE NEXT MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. CLERK.  PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WAS NO AMENDMENT OFFERED OR CHANGE OFFERED FOR THE MINUTES AND THAT THE MINUTES STILL ACCURATELY REFLECT THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LAST MEETING. WE ARE NOW ON TO COMMUNICATIONS FROM HER HONOR THE MAYOR MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 164 AND 1641 DOC NUMBER 1640 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR YOUR APPROVAL IN ORDER TO REDUCE FISCAL YEAR 25 APPROPRIATION FOR THE RESERVE FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BY $3,806,367 TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 25 INCREASES CONTAINED WITHIN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE SALARIED EMPLOYEES OF NORTH AMERICA, ALSO KNOWN AS SENIOR DUNCAN NUMBER 1641 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ORDER FOR VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,806,367 TO COVER THE FISCAL YEAR 25 COST ITEMS CONTAINED WITHIN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE SALARIED EMPLOYEES OF NORTH AMERICA SEEN UNDER THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT ARE OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH 2027. THE MAJOR PROVISIONS OF THE CONTRACT INCLUDE A BASE WAGE INCREASE OF 2% TO BE GIVEN IN OCTOBER OF EACH FISCAL YEAR OF THE CONTRACT TERM AND FLAT AMOUNTS OF $500 $250, $900 AND $750 TO BE ADDED TO THE ANNUAL SALARIES IN JANUARY OF EACH FISCAL YEAR AS WELL AS A NEW PREPAID LEGAL BENEFIT FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ON NOVEMBER 4TH, 2024.  THANK YOU DOCKETS NUMBER 1640 AND NUMBER 164A1 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS.  MR CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1642 DUCK NUMBER 164 TO MESSAGE AN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $200,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FROM VAT CCI CONNECT LEARNING AND EXPORT GRANT AWARDED BY BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD. THE GRANT WILL FUND BOSTON HEALTHY CHILD CARE INITIATIVE AND THE CONNECT LEARNING EXPLORER PROGRAM. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON STRONG WOMEN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO SUSPEND AND PASS THIS. I WILL READ WHAT THIS COVERS SO MY COLLEAGUES ARE AWARE OF WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING.  THE CITY OF BOSTON IS BUILDING A FAMILY FRIENDLY BOSTON WHERE OUR KIDS HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO THRIVE TO HELP US REACH THIS GOAL THEY LAUNCH THE CONNECT LEARN EXPLORE BOSTON'S COMMITMENT TO YOUTH INITIATIVE AND THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS COMMITMENT ARE LEARN TO SWIM, CONNECT WITH THE ARTS, PLAY A SPORT, LEARN TO BIKE AND GROW A GREEN GENERATION.  SO I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD IT GETS THIS MONEY IT'S AWARDED THROUGH THE BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.  SO I'M ASKING THAT WE MY COLLEAGUES JOIN ME IN PASSING THIS TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CATHERINE MURPHY, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON STRONG WOMEN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. THIS SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND POSITIVE TALK A NUMBER 1642 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I I'LL OPPOSE SAY NAY.  THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS DOCKET IS PASSED WE ARE NOW ON TO REPORTS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND OTHERS. MR CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKETS NUMBER 164321649 DUCKY NUMBER 1643 COMMUNICATION WAS RECEIVED FROM SAM DE PINA, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS REGARDING CERTAIN INFORMATION UNDER SECTION 17 PERTAINING TO CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM TALK CAN NUMBER 0938 PASSED BY THE COUNCIL ON JUNE 5TH 2024 AND DOCKET NUMBER 1061 PASSED BY THE COUNCIL ON JUNE 26, 2024 TALKING OVER 1644 COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM KENZIE BOK, ADMINISTRATOR AND CEO OF THE BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY REGARDING CERTAIN INFORMATION UNDER SECTION 17 UP PERTAINING TO BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY ELEVATORS DOCKET NUMBER 1357 PASSED BY THE COUNCIL ON SEPTEMBER 11TH 2024 DUNCAN NUMBER 1645 COMMUNICATION WAS RECEIVED FROM CLAIRE KELLEY DIRECTOR OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS REGARDING DOCKET NUMBER 1399 IN ORDER FOR A HEARING TO REVIEW THE PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS FOR THE TERMINATION OF CITY APPOINTEES TAKING NUMBER 1646 COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM COUNCILORS MURPHY AND FLYNN REGARDING A LETTER TO THE CITY CLERK LUCKY NUMBER 1647 NOTICE RECEIVED FROM THE MAYOR THE APPOINTMENT OF CAROL SHINN AS CHIEF OF PLANNING EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 15, 2024 TALKING NUMBER 164A NOTICE RECEIVED FROM THE CITY CLERK IN ACCORDANCE OF CHAPTER SIX OF THE ORDINANCES OF 1979 RELATIVE TO ACTION TAKEN BY THE MAYOR AND PAPERS ACTED UPON BY THE CITY COUNCIL AT ITS MEETING OF OCTOBER 9TH 2020 FOR DOCKET NUMBER 1649 NOTICE WAS RECEIVED FROM THE CITY CLERK IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER SIX OF THE ORDINANCES OF 1979 RELATIVE TO ACTION TAKEN BY THE MAYOR ON PAPERS ACTED UPON BY THE CITY COUNCIL AT ITS MEETING OF OCTOBER 23RD, 2024. THANK YOU MR CLERK.  THESE DOCKETS WILL BE PLACED ON FILE. I DO SEE TWO LIGHTS ON I WILL LIMIT SPEAKING WE DON'T KNOW TO SPEAK ON COMMUNICATIONS TO 2 MINUTES. SO COUNCILOR BREADON AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. MADAM PRESIDENT, MAY I ASK THE DOCKET 164 FOR A COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK BUT REGARDING ELEVATORS WE WILL BE HOLDING A HEARING ON THIS TOPIC ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22ND AT 10 A.M. AND THIS SEEMS PERTINENT TO THAT CONVERSATION IF THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU DUNCAN NUMBER 1644 REFER TO THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY, CUSTOMER IF YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU ON DOCKET 1647 EITHER THE CHAIR OF THE APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE OR YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT I'M HOPING THAT WE COULD HAVE A MEETING WHERE WE COULD FORMALLY MEET THE NEW APPOINTMENT OF CAIRO SHAN CHIEF OF PLANNING THAT'S POSSIBLE.  OKAY THAT DOCKET HAS BEEN PLACED ON FILE. IT'S AN APPOINTMENT BUT I WILL ALLOW THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT IN TRANSPORTATION ADDRESS THIS.  COUNCILOR DURKAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION COUNCILOR MURPHY I JUST WANTED TO SHARE I MET WITH CAIRO SHAN ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO AND HE'S PLANNING TO MAKE THE ROUNDS AND MEET WITH EVERY COUNCILOR AND FIND TIME. I THINK THAT THAT'S THE APPROPRIATE WAY FOR HIM TO MEET AND GREET WITH COUNCILORS THAT ARE WORKING ON THAT SPECIFIC SUBJECT AREA AND I FOUND HIM TO BE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND I AM EXCITED FOR HIS LEADERSHIP. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  WE ARE NOW ON TO REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. MR CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 120 TO DUCK IN AND THE ONES TWO ZERO TO THE COMMITTEE AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS TO WHICH WAS REFERRED ON AUGUST SEVEN, 2024 DUCK NUMBER 1 TO 0 TO PETITION FOR A SPECIAL LAW AN ACT PROVIDING CERTAIN DEATH BENEFITS FOR RACHEL MARIE TROY, THE WIDOW OF FORMER FIREFIGHTER OF THE CITY OF BOSTON SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING THAT THE PETITION ARE TO PASS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COUNSELOR CUTTER ZAPATA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. DOCKET 1202 IS A FORMAL PETITION INTENDED TO DEEM THE PETITIONER ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE DEATH BENEFITS AVAILABLE UNDER NATIONAL LAW. CHAPTER 932 SECTION NINE VIA THE PRESUMPTION ESTABLISHED UNDER CHAPTER 32 SECTION 94 BE IN THE COMMITTEE REPORT THERE'S A FULL DOCUMENTATION OF THESE TABULATIONS WITHIN SECTION NINE AND SECTION 94 B BUT I'LL JUST DESCRIBE THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THIS PARTICULAR DOCKET AND THEN PASS IT OVER TO YOU WITH NO CO-SPONSORS OR THE ORIGINAL SPONSOR IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING ADDITIONAL ABOUT RACHEL AND MATTHEW AND THEIR FAMILY. THE COMMITTEE HELD A HEARING ON NOVEMBER FIRST, 2024. THE COMMITTEE HEARD TESTIMONY FROM THE PETITIONER RACHEL MARIE TROY, WIDOW OF FIREFIGHTER MATTHEW TROY AND SAM DILLON, PRESIDENT OF THE BOSTON FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 718 THE PETITIONER SHARED HER PERSONAL STORY DETAILING HER RELATIONSHIP WITH FIREFIGHTER TROY, THEIR LIFE TOGETHER AND THE CHALLENGES THEY FACED TOGETHER AFTER HIS CANCER DIAGNOSIS. THE PETITIONER STATED THAT FOLLOWING HIS TIME IN THE MARINES, FIREFIGHTER TROY JOINED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN 2018. IN 2022 AT THE AGE OF 30, FIREFIGHTER TROY WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE FOUR CANCER A CANCER OF THE BILE DUCTS IN THE LIVER FOLLOWING HIS DIAGNOSIS IN 2024, FIREFIGHTER TROY PASSED AWAY TRAGICALLY AT 32 RESULTS. THE PETITIONER DESCRIBED THE IMMENSE LAYER OF DIFFICULT OF DIFFICULTY AND THE LOSS OF INCOME WHICH HAS ADDED TO HER GRIEF AS SHE MOURNS THE LOSS OF HER HUSBAND IS AND IS CONFRONTED WITH THE REALITY OF MANAGING EXPENSES ON HER OWN . THE PETITIONER STATED THAT SINCE LOSING HER HUSBAND, FINANCIAL PRESSURES HAVE ONLY INTENSIFIED HER GRIEF, EXPLAINING THAT SHE COULD ONLY TAKE ONE MONTH OFF FROM WORK AS BILLS BEGAN TO PILE UP,  PRESIDENT DILLON TESTIFIED TO FIREFIGHTER TROY'S DEDICATION AS A FIREFIGHTER AND THE IMPACT OF HIS LOSS ON THE COMMUNITY.  PRESIDENT DILLON REQUESTED THAT THE COMMITTEE PASS THIS PETITION TO GRANT THE PETITIONER THE BENEFIT SHE WOULD HAVE AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVED HAD FIREFIGHTER TROY BEEN DIAGNOSED JUST A FEW MONTHS EARLIER.  AND NOW THE DIFFERENCE OF ALL OF THIS IS THAT IF A FIREFIGHTER TROY WAS DIAGNOSED FIVE MONTHS JUST FIVE MONTHS BEFORE SHE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED THESE BENEFITS. AND SO THROUGH THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD IN THE COMMITTEE WITH RACHEL, I AM HAPPY AS THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE TO RECOMMEND THIS DOCKET FOR DISCUSSION FOR MORE ACTION AND I RECOMMENDED THAT THIS COUNCIL PASS THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHARLOTTE IS ABOUT TO THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE A FLOOR.  THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR FOR THE HEARING BUT I DO JUST WANT TO RISE TO THANK RACHEL FOR YOUR BRAVERY ON BEING HERE TODAY AND BEING AT THE HEARING. THANK YOU.  YOUR HUSBAND SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND ALSO TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALSO TO SAM DILLON WHO REACHED OUT TO MYSELF AND COUNCILOR FLYNN TO SPONSOR THIS AND HAVE IT AS SOON AS WE COULD AND I APPRECIATE THAT THE CHAIR IS ASKING US TO SUSPEND AND PASS AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS TODAY FOR HER IT'S THE LEAST WE CAN DO. SO THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTRA FLYNN CONTRACT THEN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND I WANT TO SAY FIRST THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR COUNCIL FOR CONDUCTING THE MEETING CHAIRING THE MEETING IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY TWEETING, TWEETING ALL PARTIES INVOLVED WITH RESPECT. SO I WANT TO SAY THANK INTEL COUNCILOR CLETA I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE RACHEL TROY IS HERE AND LISTEN CLOSELY TO HER TESTIMONY.  I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SAM DUNN FROM LOCAL 718 AS WELL FOR HIS HIS PROFESSIONALISM AS WELL FIREFIGHTER TROY MATHIE TROY WAS A UNITED STATES MARINE. HE SERVED OUR COUNTRY WITH HONOR, WITH DISTINCTION ON THE EVE OF VETERAN'S DAY WE THINK ABOUT HIM AND HIS FAMILY.  WE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE MATTHEW'S CONTRIBUTION TO HELPING RETURNING VETERANS AS WELL FOLLOWING HIS RETURN TO BOSTON HE BECAME THE BOSTON FIREFIGHTER WILLING TO PUT HIMSELF IN HARM'S WAY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON.  NOT ONLY HAS HE GIVEN BACK TO OUR NATION BUT HE'S GIVEN BACK TO OUR CITY AND WE'RE NOT GIVING RACHEL TROY ANYTHING TO THE TROY FAMILY.  THESE ARE BENEFITS IN MY OPINION THAT FIREFIGHTER TROY IS ENTITLED TO FOR HIS SACRIFICE AND COURAGE IN SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE PAN, THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON AS WELL. SO JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE TROY FAMILY FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO MAKING THIS CITY BETTER, TO MAKING OUR COUNTRY A BETTER PLACE AS WELL.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES OF JODI ON THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THIS IS REALLY ALL ABOUT RACHEL TO BE QUITE HONEST IN HEARING HER STORY AND WHILE WE THANK FIREFIGHTER TROY FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO THE COUNTRY AND TO OUR CITY AND HELPING SAVE LIVES, YOU KNOW, I DON'T GET EMOTIONAL TOO OFTEN BUT AT THAT HEARING I DID BECAUSE SO MUCH OF WHAT RACHEL DESCRIBED I SAW IN MY OWN MOTHER WHEN SHE WHEN SHE LOST HER HUSBAND RIGHT WHEN SHE LOST DAD TO CANCER AS WELL AND JUST KNOWING WHAT MY MOM HAS GONE THROUGH AND KNOWING WHAT RACHEL HAS TO LOSE IN FRONT OF HER, IT'S IT YOU NEED MORE SUPPORT THAN YOU EVEN THINK YOU BEGIN TO NEED. AND SO IT'S JUST IT WAS AN HONOR TO GET TO KNOW HER. SHE'S ALSO A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT THREE AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT. SAM, GREAT TO SEE YOU IN THE ROOM AS WELL.  THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP ON THIS. BUT HONESTLY IT'S JUST THAT I ASKED FOR ALL MY COLLEAGUES IN SUPPORT OF THIS. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? I WANT TO THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD AND TO THE CO-SPONSORS AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, RACHEL, FOR BEING HERE FOR THE SACRIFICE OF YOUR HUSBAND FOR THIS COUNTRY AND TO THIS CITY. I WANT TO THANK YOU, SAM. IT'S INCREDIBLY LIKE COUNCILOR FITZGERALD JUST STATED IT IS YOUR LOSS IS IMMEASURABLE AND THIS IS THE LEAST THAT WE CAN DO HERE AS A CITY TO SUPPORT YOU. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. COUNCILOR CARLOTTA ZAPATA, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATION SEEKS PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 20 OF DOCKET NUMBER 1202 SHE ACCEPTED THE COMMITTEE REPORT ON PASSENGER DOCKET NUMBER 1202 ALL IN FAVOR SAY HI, MR. CLERK ,WILL YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL VOTE ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET NUMBER 1 TO 0 TWO COUNCILOR BREADON COUNCILOR BREADON. YES, COUNCILOR COLETTE AS OPPOSED TO COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PARTY? YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN COUNCILOR DURKAN YES. COUNCILOR FERNANDES SANDERSON COUNCILOR FERNANDES HANSON YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES.  COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILOR FLYNN YES.  COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE.  CONCILOR MEJIA HERE YES COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR MURPHY YES.  COUNCILOR VIPIN COUNCILOR PIPPIN YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA YES.  COUNCILOR SANTANA YES. COUNCILOR WEBER YES. COUNCIL MEMBER YES.  AND COUNCILOR WORRELL YES. COUNCILOR WU YES TALKING NUMBER 1 TO 0 TWO HAS RECEIVED A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1202 HAS PASSED. MR CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1197 DOCKET NUMBER 1197 THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS TO WHICH WAS REFERRED ON AUGUST SEVEN, 2024 TALKING NUMBER 1197 ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF BOSTON CODE ORDINANCES CHAPTER SEVEN SECTION SEVEN REGULATING RESTRICTIONS ON PARK FRONTAGES SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING THAT THE ORDINANCE ARE TO PASS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CLARA ZAPATA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  DOCKET 1197 IS AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD AMEND THE CITY BOSTON CODE RESTRICTIONS ON PARK FRONTAGES BY INSERTING ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE REGARDING CERTAIN LOCKS LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF BOYLSTON STREET ,IPSWICH STREET AND PRIVATE ALLEY 938 TO BE KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 1161 BOYLSTON STREET TO CHARLES GATE WEST AND SIXTH CHARLES GATE WEST. THE ORDINANCE CLARIFIES SPECIFIC PARAMETERS RELATED TO BUILDING HEIGHT AND SETBACK THAT WOULD APPLY TO NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON SIDEWALKS. THIS ORDINANCE ESTABLISHES AN ADDITIONAL SETBACK RESTRICTION WITHIN THE CURRENT PARK FRONTAGES ORDINANCE THAT WOULD RESTRICT THE DEVELOPMENT OR PLACEMENT OF A BUILDING WITHIN 15 FEET OF THE EASTERLY BOUND OF SAID LOFTS WHERE SUCH PROPERTY LINE ABUTS THE FENCE. THERE ARE ADDITIONAL STIPULATIONS THAT ARE LISTED IN THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND THAT WAS FILED WITH THE CLERK. THE CITY'S CURRENT HEIGHT AND SETBACK REQUIREMENTS APPLY ONLY TO PROPERTIES WITHIN 100 FEET OF CERTAIN PARK FRONTAGES AND WERE DESIGNED TO PROTECT BOSTON'S GREENSPACES FROM ADVERSE EFFECTS SUCH AS SHADOWING AND VISUAL VISUAL INTRUSION FROM NEARBY HIGH RISE DEVELOPMENTS.  TRUE TO SPIRIT AND FORM THIS ORDINANCE BOLSTERS THOSE PROTECTIONS BY ESTABLISHING SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED LOTS AS THEY ALSO BORDER PARK FRONTAGE BUT ARE EXCLUDED FROM ADHERENCE TO THE CURRENT PROVISIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE LANGUAGE OF THIS ORDINANCE IS DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT NEW BUILDINGS SHALL WITHOUT LIMITING THE DIMENSIONS AND BUILDING VOLUME PERMITTED HEREIN AND UNDER APPLICABLE ZONING REGULATIONS BE OF OUTSTANDING ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER AND HARMONIOUS WITH THE FENWAY AREA.  THE COMMITTEE HELD A HEARING ON OCTOBER 28TH, 2024 AND HEARD TESTIMONY FROM LISE MEIER CHIEF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND INTERIM COMMISSIONER DIANA FERNANDEZ BIBEAU, DEPUTY CHIEF OF URBAN DESIGN OF THE BOSTON PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND BRETT BENSON, PRINCIPAL OF UTILE.  COUNCILORS ASKED REALLY GREAT QUESTIONS POINTED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APPROVAL PROCESS THAT WOULD ALLOW A DEVELOPER TO PURSUE A SUBDIVISION TO BUILD IN LINE WITH THEIR GOALS RATHER THAN THE RATHER THAN THE COMMISSION'S. COUNCILORS ASKED IF THIS ORDINANCE SHOULD CONSIDER CLOSING WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS THE SUBDIVISION LOOPHOLE. IN ADVOCATING FOR THIS ORDINANCE LANGUAGE AS WRITTEN, THE ADMINISTRATION EXPLAINED THAT IN PRACTICE CLOSING SUCH A LOOPHOLE COULD PROVE CONSEQUENTIAL POTENTIALLY STIFLING MUCH NEEDED DEVELOPMENT IN THE MIDDLE OF A HOUSING CRISIS AND IN CONSULTATION WITH THE PARKS AND PLANNING DEPARTMENTS.  THE COUNCIL COULD CONSIDER ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THIS IN THE FUTURE.  THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO SAFEGUARD THE INTENT OF THE PARKS PROTECTION ORDINANCE WHILE ALLOWING A CAREFULLY CONSIDERED PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD FURTHER. PASSAGE OF THE ORDINANCE WILL HELP PREVENT THE EXPLOITATION OF ZONING LOOPHOLES UNDER THE CURRENT ORDINANCE AND UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPARENT LEGISLATIVE PROCESS FOR SIMILAR PROJECTS WITHIN 100 FEET OF CERTAIN PARK FRONTAGES IN THE FUTURE.  SO AS CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE I RECOMMEND MOVING THIS DOCKET FORWARD AND MY RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME IS THAT THIS MATTER OUGHT TO PASS BUT WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE ORIGINAL SPONSOR. CONSIDERING I CAN'T YOU CAN'T RECALL IT AS A PART OF THE CHAIR RECOGNIZED AS CONSIDER CAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO COMMITTEE CHAIR CLAUDIA ZAPATA FOR HOSTING HEARING ON DOCKET 1197 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF BOSTON CODE ORDINANCES CHAPTER SEVEN SECTION SEVEN. THIS ORDINANCE SEEKS TO AMEND THE CITY OF BOSTON CODE ON RESTRICTIONS ON PARK FRONTAGES AND PASSING THIS AMENDMENT. AS A COMMITTEE CHAIR RECOMMENDS STRIKES A BALANCE AS WE STEWARD THE CITY WE ARE TASKED TO DO SAFEGUARDING THE TREASURE THAT IS OUR PARKS AND SHEPHERDING BOSTON INTO A VIBRANT FUTURE THAT WELCOMES ALL. OUR CURRENT PARK AND PARKWAYS ORDINANCE HAS SERVED AS AN ESSENTIAL PROTECTOR OF OUR OPEN SPACE AND OUR CITY'S CHARACTER. BUT WITH THIS AMENDMENT I'M PRESENTING A CHANCE TO RETHINK HOW WE INTEGRATE NEW DEVELOPMENT WITH OUR PARKS IN A WAY THAT HONORS OUR COMMITMENT TO STEWARDSHIP. TO CHARLES GATE WEST PRIORITIZES COMMUNITY INPUT, SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY AIMING TO CREATE A NEW MODEL OF URBAN LIVING IN HARMONY WITH OUR GREEN SPACES.  BUT THIS ISN'T ABOUT CREATING NEW HOUSING. IT'S ABOUT REDEFINING HOW BOSTON GROWS RESPONSIBLY AND INCLUDES INCLUSIVELY.  THIS AMENDMENT ENSURES THAT THE CHARACTER OF THE FENWAY HISTORIC PARKWAYS WILL BE PRESERVED WHILE BLOCKING THE BPD ORIGINAL PROPOSAL TO LET THE DEVELOPER SUBDIVIDE THE PARCEL TO CIRCUMVENT THE PARK AND PARKWAYS ORDINANCE. I STRONGLY ADVOCATED FOR A TARGETED AMENDMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS. FIRST, THE BOSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDED THIS APPROACH IN THEIR JANUARY 21ST 2024 LETTER TO THE PROJECT PROPONENT SPECIFICALLY NOTING THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF AVOIDING SIGNIFY RECENT NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE ICONIC DESIGN HISTORIC LANDSCAPE MATERIALS AND USER EXPERIENCE OF THE PARK AND PARKWAYS OF THE EMERALD NECKLACE.  SECOND AMENDMENT PROVIDES CLEAR SPECIFIC PARAMETERS FOR THE PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT TO MOVE FORWARD WHILE AVOIDING THE CREATION OF A BROADER PRECEDENT THAT COULD UNDERMINE A CENTURY OLD PROTECTION OF OUR PARK SYSTEM. THIRD, OUR AMENDMENT MAINTAINS PROPER OVERSIGHT AND REVIEW PROCESSES. THIS PRESERVES ESSENTIAL OVERSIGHT WHILE PROVIDING A CLEAR PATH FORWARD FOR DEVELOPMENT AT THE SITE SPECIFICALLY AT THE SITE. FOURTH, IT ALLOWS FOR MUCH NEEDED HOUSING SUPPLY INCLUDING AFFORDABLE UNITS TO CHARLES GATE WEST HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM AND UNDERUTILIZED SPACE INTO A WELCOMING, VIBRANT GATEWAY TO THE FENWAY A SPACE THAT BLENDS RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FUNCTIONS IN A WAY THAT SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND REFLECTS OUR VALUES. THIS AMENDMENT IS SOLVING FOR AN OVER 20 YEAR DISAGREEMENT. THIS WAS MARKED AS A GATEWAY PARCEL BUT IT ALSO IS UNDER THE PARK AND FRONTAGE ORDINANCE. SO I'D LIKE AND LASTLY I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ALL WOKE UP TODAY LIVING IN A NEW ENVIRONMENT REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS IN D.C. MOVING FORWARD AND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. WE KNOW THAT BOSTON STANDS AS A BEACON TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AS A CITY WHERE WE PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS INCLUDING REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND THE RIGHTS OF LGBTQ PEOPLE, ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY AND PROVIDE QUALITY EDUCATION.  HOWEVER, THESE VALUES THAT ARE CORE TO BOSTON THAT WE'RE ALL PROUD TO UPHOLD COME AT TOO DEEP A COST AND CURRENTLY EXCLUDE MANY WHO WOULD LIKE TO LIVE HERE IN 2023. DURING THE MAYOR'S STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS SHE STATED A GOAL OF BOSTON IS TO SUSTAINABLY REACH A POPULATION OF 800,000 RESIDENTS WITH THE HOUSING AND SCHOOLS, PARKS AND PUBLIC TRANSIT TO SUPPORT THAT GROWTH. PASSING THIS LEGISLATION HELPS ENABLE A BUILDING AT TWO CHARLES GATE WEST THAT WOULD PROVIDE OVER 400 UNITS OF HOUSING. IT HAS THE CAPACITY TO CREATE A SMALL STEP IN WELCOMING THOSE WHO WISH TO LIVE HERE AND IT'S ONE SMALL STEP WE CAN TAKE TODAY TO MAKE SURE BOSTON CONTINUES TO BE A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE'S RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED. BUT IT IS CRUCIAL THAT WE MAINTAIN THE STRENGTH OF THIS ORDINANCE BY MAINTAINING PROTECTIONS FOR BOSTON'S HISTORIC GREEN SPACES. WE'VE THREADED THE NEEDLE HERE AND I HOPE THAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE IN SUPPORT OF THIS SITE SPECIFIC AMENDMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FERNANDO ANDERSON. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR AND COUNCILOR DURKAN. I HEARD FROM MANY CONSTITUENTS WHO FEEL THAT MY CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT SEVEN WHO ABUTS COUNCILOR DURKIN'S DISTRICT I THINK ALSO DURKAN IS DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO HAVE ACCOMMODATED OR TO FIND A MIDDLE GROUND TO THIS IN TERMS OF THE CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE OPPOSED TO IT BUT INITIALLY HAD SUPPORTED COUNCILORS DURKIN'S FILING AND THEN LATER REALIZED THAT THIS WAS NOT SUCH A PERFECT SOLUTION OUT OF RESPECT FOR YOU. COUNCILOR DURKIN I WILL SAY THAT I'M A PRESENT TODAY BECAUSE IT'S NOT MY DISTRICT BUT I DO FEEL THAT MY CONSTITUENTS MADE VALID POINTS ABOUT FURTHER CONVERSATIONS. THEY ACTUALLY PROPOSED THAT I FILE AN AMENDMENT TO YOUR FILING BUT I'VE I'VE SPOKEN WITH YOU AND I'VE SPOKEN I'VE WENT AND REVIEWED THE TAPES OF THE HEARINGS AND UNDERSTAND THE COMPROMISE THAT YOU ARE REACHING HERE.  I DO HAVE SOME POINTS ABOUT YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE 800,000 POPULATION REACHING THAT AND IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT AS IT PERTAINS TO ENTIRE DISPLACEMENT, YOU KNOW THAT I FOCUS HIGHLY ON THESE EFFORTS IN DISTRICT SEVEN BUT THERE IS NO DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT DISPLACEMENT.  UNFORTUNATELY WE TRY TO MITIGATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BUT EVEN WITHIN TO REACH OUT TO ALL TO WEST IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY OFFER SOLUTIONS TO THE MOST VULNERABLE CONSIDERING THE ARMY RATES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED. BUT AGAIN, OUT OF RESPECT FOR YOU AND THE CHAIR, I'M GOING TO BE AT PRESENT TODAY AND I HOPE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN COMFORTABLY AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  MADAM CHAIR, MAY I ASK A QUESTION TO COUNCILOR DURKAN? YOU MAY TO THE CHAIR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. COUNCILOR DURKAN WAS THE FENWAY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.  DO THEY WEIGH IN AT ALL FORMALLY ON ON THIS PROPOSAL? AND IF THEY DID, CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON THAT ON THAT AND ON THAT REQUEST? THANK YOU. CONSIDERING IF YOU'D LIKE TO RESPOND TO THE CHAIR YOU MAY.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO OVER A YEAR AGO I WAS ACTUALLY ASKED BY THE OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE OF FENWAY CIVIC ASSOCIATION TO AMEND THIS ORDINANCE BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.  I THINK ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT SORT OF CAME UP IN THE HEARING WAS THAT PEOPLE WANT FURTHER WORK AND FURTHER DELVING INTO THE ISSUES. WHAT WE KNOW IS IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD TO NOT CREATE A PRECEDENT AT THIS SPECIFIC SITE WHERE THE PROJECT GETS ALL OF ITS APPROVALS. IT ALREADY HAS BPA APPROVAL. WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS CREATE A PRECEDENT WHERE IT HAS BPA APPROVAL APPROVAL AND THEN IT HAS TO GO TO THE PARKS COMMISSION WITHOUT WITHOUT US AMENDING THE ORDINANCE. SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DELIVER ON TODAY.  AND I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTION AND IT THERE ABSOLUTELY IS A NEED TO DELVE INTO THESE ISSUES FURTHER.  BUT WITH THE TIMELINE THAT WE'RE ON MY SITES FOR A CIVIC AMENDMENT IS I THINK THE PATH FORWARD THAT THAT I AM SEEKING TODAY. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? OKAY. THE CHAIR THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS IS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1197. MR. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL COVER ROLL CALL VOTE ON NUMBER 1197. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES. COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PARTNER. COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PARTNER, YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCILOR DURKAN. YES. COUNCILOR FERNANDA SANDERSON.  COUNCILOR FERNANDA STANDS AND PRESENT. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.  YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FLYNN. NO. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YES.  CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE PRESENT. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY. YES. COUNCILOR PIPPIN. COUNCILOR GRIFFIN YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA.  YES. COUNCILOR WEBER. YES. COUNCILOR WEBER. YES. AND COUNCILOR WORRELL?  YES. COUNCILOR WU YES. TEN VOTES. DUNCAN NUMBER 1197 HAS RECEIVED TEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. TWO VOTES PRESENT AND ONE VOTE NO THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED IN DOCKET NUMBER 1197 IS PASSED. WE ARE NOW ON TWO MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS. MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1650 DOG NUMBER 1650 COUNCIL'S COLETTE AS A PART OF THE FOLLOWING AN ORDINANCE REGARDING EMPLOYEE SAFETY WITHIN BOSTON'S OIL TERMINAL.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CODE AS A PARTY YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. I AM PROUD TO INTRODUCE THIS ORDINANCE AND PARTNERS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TEAMSTERS UNION WHO REPRESENTS THESE EMPLOYEES AT BOSTON OIL TERMINALS. THIS IS A SIMPLE MATTER OF SAFETY AND UTILIZING WHAT LEVERS OF GOVERNMENT WE HAVE TO PROTECT NOT ONLY EMPLOYEES EMPLOYERS BUT ALSO RESIDENTS OF BOSTON. CURRENTLY THERE ARE FOUR ACTIVE OIL TERMINALS IN EAST BOSTON. ALL LOCATED IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEIGHBORHOODS THEY ARE THE MOST IMPACTED BY POLLUTION IN MY COMMUNITY. THIS IS BOSTON OIL TERMINAL IS THE BUSIEST TERMINAL IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS DELIVERED BY SHIP AND THE HIGHEST VOLUME OF TRANSIT CARRYING OIL IN THE AREA.  THE OIL TERMINAL PROVIDES 1.6 MILLION GALLONS OF JET FUEL A DAY TO LOGAN AIRPORT. ADDITIONALLY, ANOTHER 1.6 MILLION GALLONS ARE TRANSPORTED OUT OF THE TERMINAL BY TANKER TRUCKS. ALL OTHER THREE TERMINALS SURROUND THE CHELSEA CREEK HAVE MANDATORY STAFFING TO ENSURE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT,  PROPERTY AND ESPECIALLY THE PUBLIC. RECENTLY THE CITY OF CHELSEA HAS ENACTED SIMILAR LEGISLATION TO STANDARDIZE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF STAFFING TO ENSURE TRAINED EMPLOYEES ARE ALWAYS ON SITE.  THIS STAFFING GUARDRAIL PROVIDES ADDITIONAL LAYERS OF SAFETY DURING THE OFF LOADING AND UNLOADING OF PETROLEUM AT TERMINALS. THE EAST BOSTON OIL TERMINAL ONLY REQUIRES ONE OPERATOR ON SITE UNLESS A VESSEL IS AT THE DOCK.  HAVING ONLY ONE TRAINED OPERATOR ONSITE AT ANY TIME CREATES A VARIETY OF SAFETY CONCERNS. THIS INCLUDES LEAVING THE TERMINAL UNATTENDED DURING TIMES WHEN THE OPERATOR HAS TO PERFORM OFFSITE DUTIES. LACK OF IMMEDIATE SUPPORT, IMMENSE SIZE OF VOLUMES AND OPERATIONS AND THEN THE NEED TO LEAVE THE SITE IF THERE IS AN ACTIVE SPILL.  IN RESPONSE TO TWO OPERATIONAL NEEDS ACROSS THE PARCEL. STAFFING NEEDS MUST BE ALIGNED ACROSS INDUSTRY STANDARDS IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE THE SAFETY OF TERMINAL AND THE OVERALL SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC. SO I'M AGAIN PROUD TO PUT THIS FORWARD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TEAMSTERS AND LOOK FORWARD TO ITS SPEEDY PASSAGE AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENS IN SOME OF THESE AREAS AND HOW IF WE DON'T ACT HOW THAT MIGHT IMPACT RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN EAST BOSTON AND ANY OTHER RESIDENTS OF BOSTON THAT LIVE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY.  THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR CUT AS OPPOSED TO AS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER WHAT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? AND SO QUICKLY THAT COUNCIL'S BRAEDEN DURKIN FERNANDO ANDERSON FLYNN FITZGERALD,  MARIA MURPHY PAT DOWNS SANTANA WEBER WORLD PLEASE OF THE CHAIR THE CHAIR. DOCKET NUMBER 1650 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.  MR. CLERK WOULD YOU PLEASE REPORT THE NUMBER 1651 DOG NUMBER 1651 COUNCIL ON MEJIA FOR THE FOLLOWING PETITION FOR A SPECIAL LAW REGARDING AN ACT RELATIVE TO REORGANIZATION OF THE BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CULTURE MCGEE ACADEMY. HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM.  SO TODAY I STAND HERE TO FILE A PETITION THAT SEEKS TO RESTORE POWER BACK TO COMMUNITIES BY REINSTATING AN ELECTED BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE IN 2021, NEARLY A HUNDRED THOUSAND BOSTON RESIDENTS VOTED AND EXPRESSED THEIR DESIRE FOR AN ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE.  LAST YEAR WE MANAGED TO PASS THE HOME RULE PETITION. I WAS ONE OF THE CO-SPONSORS ALONGSIDE COUNCILOR ARROYO.  HOWEVER, IT WAS VETOED BY THE MAYOR WHO THEN ARGUED THAT SUCH A CHANGE WERE COMPROMISED THE STABILITY OF OUR SCHOOLS. BUT I ASK WHAT ABOUT THE STABILITY AND TRUST OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE? WHAT ABOUT OUR RIGHT TO HAVE A VOICE IN THE POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT SHAPE OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES? BOSTON REMAINS YET STILL THE ONLY MUNICIPALITY WITHOUT AN ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND WE ARE ONE OF THE LOWEST PERFORMING DISTRICTS AND I BELIEVE THAT IF WE'RE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT RESTORING TRUST IN OUR DEMOCRACY ESPECIALLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE, I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT PARENTS AND STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS HAVE A SEAT A REAL SEAT AT THE TABLE THAT DOES NOT COME WITH STRINGS ATTACHED AND THAT WE HAVE A WAY TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PROMISES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO US FOR FAR TOO MANY YEARS. I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY NOT ONLY AS A CITY COUNCILOR BUT ALSO AS A BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL GRADUATE. HAVING GROWN UP HERE DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE BUSTLE ERA AND UNDER A ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE BACK THEN I KNOW WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE WAS A POINT IN PERIOD OF TIME WHEN PARENTS OF COLOR IN PARTICULAR STARTED TO RECOGNIZE THEIR POWER AND I THINK THAT THOSE WHO HAD THE CLOSEST PROXIMITY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SHAPE AND INFORM WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR SCHOOLS. FOR FAR TOO LONG DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR US WITHOUT US AND LAST YEAR WITH THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS INTRODUCED TO RELOCATE BILL BRYANT THE THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE BEEN OVERCOMING WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE BUDGET DECISIONS THAT GET MADE IT FEELS LIKE THE THIS IS THE MOMENT FOR US TO REALLY SEIZE TO STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY WITHIN OUR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BOSTON COMMUNITIES HAVE LONG HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR THIS CHANGE AND THE TIME HAS BEEN.  WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO BE TOLD NOT YET.  THE ADMINISTRATION HAS HAD ITS CHANCE TO WORK TOWARDS PROGRESS UNDER THE CURRENT APPOINTED SYSTEM. NOW BOSTON RESIDENTS DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESTORE A DEMOCRATIC AND ACCOUNTABLE STRUCTURE FOR OUR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE ARE NOW AT A VERY CRITICAL JUNCTURE.  I WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE THAT THOSE WHO ARE AS OUR CONGRESSWOMAN AYANNA PRESSLEY SAYS, THOSE WHO ARE CLOSEST TO THE PAIN SHOULD BE CLOSEST TO THE POWER IN FORMING DECISIONS . AND I BELIEVE WHEN YOU ARE PARENTS AND YOU HAVE AN ISSUE YOU ARE GOING TO ORGANIZE AND ALONGSIDE YOUR COLLEAGUES AND YOUR PEERS TO MOVE THINGS ALONG. AND IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO DEEPLY COMMITTED TO DEMOCRACY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A VEHICLE AND A WAY IN WHICH YOU COULD RUN FOR A SEAT ON A PLATFORM THAT YOU DEEPLY CARE ABOUT AND THOSE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED WILL BE ABLE TO ELECT PERSON WHO THEY BELIEVE WILL BEST REPRESENT THEIR ISSUES.  SO FOR ME I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO RESTORE AND HONOR THE WILL OF THE VOTERS A HUNDRED THOUSAND BOSTON RESIDENTS BECAUSE WHAT ARE WE SAYING TO THEM?  NOT YET. NOT NOW OR WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. NO, THIS IS NOT A MOMENT IN TIME IN WHICH WE CAN ALLOW DEMOCRACY TO CONTINUE TO PLAY OUT AS IT IS.  I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE HEARING ORDER THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE FOR TODAY'S DISCUSSION AROUND INCREASING ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY SCHOOL OPTIONS.  THAT'S GREAT. WE CAN HAVE ALL OF THE HEARINGS WE WANT BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IF WE DON'T HAVE AN ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE THAT CAN MAKE THOSE DECISIONS HAPPEN, THEN ALL OF THE HEARINGS THAT WE HAVE HERE AND ALL OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE ABOUT THE BUDGET WILL DIE IN THIS CHAMBER BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NO REAL ACCOUNTABILITY HERE. THE ACCOUNTABILITY HE ALLEGEDLY IS WITH THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE IS APPOINTED.  SO WHO ARE THEY ACCOUNTABLE TO ? NOT THE PEOPLE. AND THAT IS WHAT DEMOCRACY IS ALL ABOUT. THAT IS WHAT THIS MOMENT IS CALLING FOR. FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY WHILE THIS PROPOSAL MAY NOT BE IN ITS PERFECT FORM, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS A BODY TO RISE UP AND SAY HOW CAN WE DELIVER FOR THOSE THAT WE SERVE? WHAT WOULD AN ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE LOOK LIKE IN THIS DAY AND AGE IN BOSTON?  THERE ARE STILL CONCERNS AROUND EQUITY. THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS AROUND THE MAKE UP OF IT AND I WELCOME ALL THOSE CONCERNS.  BUT THE BIGGEST CONCERN THAT I HAVE THE BIGGEST CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT ONCE AND IT DIED WHEN IT REACHED THE OTHER SIDE IN A HUNDRED THOUSAND BOSTON RESIDENTS HAVE ALREADY ASKED US TO RESTORE THEIR RIGHT. THIS IS VOTER SUPPRESSION AT ITS BEST.  WE TALK ABOUT BEING THE BEDROCK OF LIBERTY BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THE LIBERTY TO CHOOSE WHO IS GOING TO REPRESENT YOU IN THE EDUCATIONAL.  WE'VE BEEN AT A THREAT OF STATE RECEIVERSHIP.  WE'VE GIVING SUPERINTENDENT PASS OVER PASS AND YET WE COME INTO THIS CHAMBER AND HOST HEARINGS THAT GO ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE.  SO THIS IS THE MOMENT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED A DIFFERENT STRUCTURE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.  AND I AM HERE TO DISCUSS THAT WORK.  AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO OFFER THAT I UNDERSTAND AND I'M JUST GOING TO LOOK FOR THE RECORD HERE PUBLICLY, RIGHT. I FILED THIS NOT KNOWING WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THIS ELECTION WAS GOING TO BE. BUT NOW MORE THAN EVER, IF WE'RE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT RESTORING TRUST IN GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE TO GIVE THE POWER BACK TO THE PEOPLE BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FEEL DISENFRANCHIZED.  AND SO IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT DOING THIS WORK, LET'S DO THE WORK. AND I WILL SAY CLERK THROUGH THE CHAIR. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU THAT I WANT TO GET ON RECORD. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WORKS BUT I'M CLAIMING THIS AS MY ISSUE.  I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS GOING TO DIE THIS YEAR BUT I'M GOING TO RESUSCITATE IT NEXT YEAR. AND I WANT TO KNOW WHEN IS THE FIRST DAY THAT I NEED TO FILE IT SO THAT NOBODY HIJACKS WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO? I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION AND THEN WHOEVER CAN I'D LIKE TO KNOW ON THE RECORD BECAUSE I KNOW HOW PEOPLE WORK HERE AND NO ONE'S GOING TO TAKE MY LITTLE PIECE OF LEGISLATION AND HIJACK IT. SO I'M THE FIRST SO THAT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE FILED AT THE FIRST MEETING OF THE FIRST CALENDAR FOR NEXT YEAR IS NOT GOING TO BE OKAY FIRST THEN WHAT COULD I PUT IT ON? LET LET ME JUST BE CLEAR THAT THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO FILE ANYTHING IN THE FIRST MEETING AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE FIRST MEETING. BUT IF YOUR CONCERN IS YOU'RE TRYING TO MARK YOUR TERRITORY, RIGHT? I'M TRYING TO MESS YES.  BUT PUBLICLY THEN YOU CAN THE FIRST MEETING OF NEXT YEAR IF THERE IF NO ACTION OR IF NOTHING HAPPENS ON THE START EVERYONE ESPECIALLY FOR THE NEW COUNCILORS YOU CAN REFILE YOUR MATTERS THAT YOU WORKED THIS YEAR NEXT YEAR FIRST MEETING JANUARY 1ST. SO THAT'S THAT WILL NOT BE THAT'S NOT THE DATE OF THE FIRST ONE BUT THE FIRST YES YES. I GUESS FIRST MEETING I CAN GET INTO REGISTER AND I'LL BE FIRST. SO ALL MY COLLEAGUES WHO KNOW HOW TO MANAGE THE CULTURE THAT WE'RE IN I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN MAKING SURE THAT I KEEP IN MY DOMAIN BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT POLITICS LOOKS LIKE HERE.  I'VE SEEN IT AND I AM JUST BEING REALLY CLEAR THAT DESPITE THE TRAUMA THAT WE ALL HAVE EXPERIENCED WHEN IT RELATES TO DEMOCRACY, I AM GOING TO BE VERY WATCHFUL AND VERY ATTENTIVE TO THE POLITICAL GAMES THAT WE ALL LIKE TO PLAY BECAUSE I'M LEARNING HOW TO CATCH UP TO YOU. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR ME HERE FOR FILING THIS. I DO AGREE THAT IT'S TIME TO HOLD OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT ACCOUNTABLE. THEY ARE TASKED WITH CARING AND EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN.  I WOULD ARGUE THE MOST IMPORTANT CITY DEPARTMENT AND TAKES UP THE LARGEST PORTION OF OUR BUDGET $1.7 BILLION. I'VE SAID IT MANY TIMES IN MANY DIFFERENT THAT I'VE FILED HEARING ORDERS 17 F'S THAT WE CAN'T LET ANOTHER GENERATION SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS.  NO, YOU KNOW OUR CHILDREN ARE COUNTING ON US. NO ONE IS NEW ANYMORE. THE MAYOR IS NOT NEW. I WAS RECENTLY AT AN EVENT WHERE THE SUPERINTENDENT SPOKE AND SHE SAID HOW HER THREE YEARS MAKES HER THE LONGEST SERVING SUPERINTENDENT IN THE COUNTRY. THAT TWO YEARS IS THE AVERAGE FOR URBAN SUPERINTENDENTS SO HER THREE YEARS MAKES HER ONE OF THE LONGEST SERVING. SO WE ARE NOT UNCOMMON TO HAVE SUCH HIGH TURNOVER. MY 24 YEARS IN DPS I THINK I HAD SEVEN SUPERINTENDENTS SO THEY TURN OVER QUICKLY BUT THREE YEARS IS MORE THAN ENOUGH AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING NOW OUR CHILDREN ARE COUNTING ON US. SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS DOES MOVE FORWARD AND IF IT NEEDS TO BE REFILED NEXT YEAR I'M THERE TO SUPPORT YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE ADD THEIR NAME? MR. CLERK WHO'S HAD COUNCILORS BREADON FERNANDES ANDERSON FLYNN MURPHY SANTANA WEBER WORLD PLEASE ADD CHAIR. DOCKET NUMBER 1651 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE REPORT THAT NUMBER 1652 DOCKING NUMBER 1652 COUNCILORS FITZGERALD AND PEPEN OFFER THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR HIM TO DISCUSS INCREASING ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY SCHOOL OPTIONS FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ALL NEIGHBORHOODS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES KINDS OF VIDEO CAMERAS JODY ON THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU MEMBERS I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD COUNCILOR SANTANA'S THREAT TO CO-SPONSOR AS WELL COUNCILMAN JOSEPH SUSPEND THE RULES AT CASA SANTANA AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS CAUSES INTENDED SO ADDED COUNCILMAN STRAWBERRY ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. SO LOOK, I DON'T SHY AWAY FROM WHAT THIS THIS DESCRIPTION OF THE HEARING ORDER COULD BE CONSIDERED AS AND THAT'S LOCAL SCHOOLS ENABLING SCHOOLS.  AND SO BEFORE WE LAUNCH IN IT, I JUST WANT TO BEFORE WE CONTINUE I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HEAVY CONNOTATION THAT COMES WITH THAT PHRASE AND THE HISTORY AND STRUGGLE IT REPRESENTS TO MANY LONGTIME BOSTON RESIDENTS.  THE INTENTION OF THIS HEARING IS NOT TO GO BACK TO SUCH A TIME BUT RATHER TO HAVE AN UPDATED DISCUSSION OF THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF IT BEING DONE TO PROPER, APPROPRIATELY AND EQUITABLY. A LOT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED OF THE BUSSES THIS SCHOOL YEAR. WE'RE HAVING A HEARING ON IT TOMORROW BUT THIS HEARING RATHER HOPES TO LOOK AT IT FROM THE BENEFICIAL STANDPOINTS NOT JUST THE BUSSES WHICH IS A BIG PIECE BUT ALSO THE LOCAL SCHOOLS THEMSELVES. I THINK WHEN I PLAY THIS OUT IN MY I SEE KIDS MEETING TO MEETING UP TO WALK TO SCHOOL TOGETHER OR IF NECESSARY CARPOOLING, STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY BONDS, BEING MOBILE, STAYING ACTIVE AND HEALTHY. I THINK OF THE BUS BUDGET AND HOW IT CAN BE REDISTRIBUTED TO CREATE EQUITABLE SCHOOLS AND ALLOCATING RESOURCES BASED ON WHATEVER ISSUES MAY ARISE IN EACH SCHOOL.  THIS MEANS MORE SCHOOL COUNSELORS WHICH WE'VE HAD A HEARING ON JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.  MORE POWERS TO ENSURE ENSURE SUCCESSFUL INCLUSION MODEL.  MORE TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS SUPPLIES AND SUPPORT. I THINK OF ALLOWING THE BUSSES AND OUR FRIENDS AND ROSENGARD TRANSPORTATION TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH THE LESSER WORKLOAD AND HAVING THE CAPACITY NOT TO JUST PICK UP AND DROP OFF STUDENTS ON TIME BUT ALLOW TO RING UP THOSE BUSSES TO PICK UP THE SPORTS TEAMS THAT ARE MISSING THEIR GAMES DUE TO THE LACK OF BUSSES SHOWING UP FOR THEM. I THINK OF LESS TRAFFIC IN A CITY BOGGED DOWN WITH VEHICLES AND OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF LESS IDLING AND CONGESTION, LESS PARENTS DRIVING THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL AND PARKING ON THE SIDEWALKS WHICH IS ONLY EXACERBATING OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT EVEN GOING ELECTRIC WITH THESE BUSSES STILL CONTRIBUTES TO GREENHOUSE GASES SO THE LESS THE BETTER. I THINK OF GETTING RID OF THE STAGGERED SCHOOL TIMES AND ALLOWING FOR MORE UNIFORMITY AND FLAHERTY FOR FLEET FOR FAMILIES ACROSS THE CITY. MY OWN KIDS START AT 920 WHICH IS A PRETTY LATE START TIME AND HONESTLY MAKES GETTING TO THESE MEETINGS ON TIME RATHER DIFFICULT FOR MYSELF PERSONALLY I CAN ONLY IMAGINE FOLKS WHO DON'T HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OF OUR JOBS. I THINK OF A LESS BULLYING OCCURRING ON THESE BUSSES AND WITH NO DATA TO BACK THIS UP THIS CLAIM AT ALL I FEEL LIKE AND STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS AMONGST NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORHOODS. IT WON'T JUST INCREASE COHESIVENESS BUT IT COULD DECREASE CRIME AS WELL A COMMUNITY WHERE NOT JUST YOUR FAMILY RAISES YOU BUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD DOES AT THE END OF THE DAY IT JUST THAT THERE COULD BE A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL BENEFITS AND THAT IF DONE RIGHT MAY BE BETTER FOR FAMILIES AND FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE SOME HARD CONVERSATIONS AND A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. I BELIEVE A CONVERSATION WORTH HAVING AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR COUNCILOR BURBANK AS WITH ANY OTHER FLOOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND COUNCILOR S.A. FOR WORKING ON THIS AND I DECIDED TO BECOME A CO-SPONSOR FOR THIS HEARING ORDER BECAUSE OF MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND WHAT I'M HEARING NOW AS A CITY COUNCILOR AND I KNOW WHAT I WHAT I WANT TO BE. I TOOK A SCHOOL BUS FROM CHARLESTOWN TO THE SOUTH END AND THAT'S BECAUSE MY PARENTS REALLY WANTED ME TO GO TO A BILINGUAL SCHOOL AT THE HURLEY IN THE SOUTH END AND I REALIZED THEN THAT IT'S BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ANY OTHER OPTIONS FOR THAT AROUND IN CHARLESTOWN. AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHITE KIDS TAKE SCHOOL BUSSES THESE DAYS BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS ARE LOOKING FOR BETTER EDUCATION AT A DIFFERENT SCHOOL, THEY MAY NOT BE THAT CLOSE TO HOME. AND I WAS A CITY COUNCILOR . I'M REALIZING THAT WHEN I'M HAVING MEETINGS WITH THE SCHOOL PARENT COUNCIL MEETINGS WHEN I'M MEETING WITH THE YOUTH YOU KNOW, I RECENTLY HEARD THAT THE ROOSEVELT SCHOOL THEY DON'T THEY LOST THEIR ART TEACHER. THEY LOST THEIR LIBRARIAN VISITING THE MOZART SCHOOL. I HEARD THAT YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO SHARE THE CAFETERIA SPACES BECAUSE OF HOW SMART IS THE CONNOLLY SCHOOLS BATHROOM IS A TERRIBLE CONDITIONS. AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT IS HOW DO WE COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS AND EVERY SINGLE PART OF OUR CITY NOT JUST IN MY DISTRICT BUT EVERY SINGLE PART OF THE CITY IS A PLACE THAT PARENTS FEEL PROUD OF . AND I THINK THAT THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE TO START LOOKING AT AND THEN EVEN TO THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION OF DO WE DO A LIKE THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY WE DON'T HAVE THAT. WE HAVE TO TAKE EVERYTHING INTO CONSIDERATION AT THIS POINT BECAUSE WHAT I'M REALLY WHAT I'M SAYING IS THERE'S SOME SCHOOLS IN MY IN MY DISTRICT THAT ENROLLMENT HAS BEEN DECREASING FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS CONSISTENTLY AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE THE FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THAT BUT I THINK THAT OUR SCHOOLS SHOULD REPLICATE THAT AS WELL.  I DO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY THOUGH TO TO THANK BP'S TRANSPORTATION SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WHAT THEY'VE DONE THIS YEAR HASN'T BEEN EASY. IT'S THE FIRST TIME EVER IN THEIR HISTORY THAT THEY'VE USED A ZOOM APP OR ANY KIND OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS BRING IN A BRAND NEW SYSTEM WHERE I'VE HEARD FROM MULTIPLE PARENTS THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY VERY PLEASED WITH. BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE DEEPER CONVERSATION WITH REROUTING MAKING SURE THAT SCHOOL BUSSES ARE GETTING THERE ON TIME, MAKING SURE THAT THE EXPERIENCE OF EVEN GETTING TO AND FROM SCHOOL IS AS GOOD AS THE EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU'RE AT THE SCHOOL. SO THAT IS WHY I DECIDED TO BE A CO-SPONSOR HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM CONTINUES TO BECOME BETTER, THAT WE ARE EXPLORING EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE SOLUTION, EVERY SINGLE IDEA AND I'M EXCITED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION IN THE HEARING. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCILOR SANTONI ON THE FLOOR . THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND THEN FOR FILING THIS HEARING ORDER AND INVITING ME TO JOIN US IN AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR.  RIGHT NOW BOSTON FAMILIES FACE HARD CHOICES TOO MANY NEIGHBORHOODS LACK NEARBY HIGH QUALITY SCHOOL OPTIONS FORCING FAMILIES TO PICK BETWEEN LONG COMMUTES OR SETTLING FOR SCHOOLS THAT MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES THAT KIDS DESERVE. THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT CONVENIENCE.  IT'S ABOUT FAIRNESS AND GIVING EVERY STUDENT AN EQUAL SHOT AT A GREAT EDUCATION.  BY RETHINKING SCHOOL ACCESS WE CAN INVEST MORE IN THE SCHOOLS THAT NEED IT MOST. INSTEAD OF SPENDING A BIG CHUNK OF BP'S BUDGET ON TRANSPORTATION. REDUCING THESE COSTS LETS US LET US PUT FUNDS WHERE THEY'LL BE REALLY WHETHER WE REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE INTO ACADEMIC PROGRAMS COUNSELING, ATHLETIC FACILITIES AND SUPPORT THAT TRANSFORM STUDENT'S LIVES. LESS TIME ON BUSSES ALSO MEANS FEWER EMISSIONS, LESS TRAFFIC AND SAFER STREETS FOR OUR KIDS. THIS HEARING ORDER IS ABOUT CREATING SCHOOLS THAT SERVE STUDENTS WELL IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. SO FAMILIES DON'T HAVE TO COMPROMISE ON QUALITY OR PROXIMITY. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE HEARING FROM EVERYONE INVOLVED AND HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS VISION A REALITY. AND THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS THAT I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO MANY BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT MY CHILDHOOD.  BUT THE BEST EXPERIENCE WAS AT THE TOBIN WHEN I GOT TO GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL THERE.  AND BEING ABLE TO WALK TO SCHOOL AND BACK FROM SCHOOL WITH COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORS IN MY CLASSROOMS WITH TEACHERS WHO UNDERSTOOD AND LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL WAS JUST AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.  BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE IN ORDER FOR THAT TO BE A REALITY FOR FOR A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS HERE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FERNANDA ANDERSON. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. MADAM PRESIDENT, I WITH SUCH IMPORTANT HEARING ORDERS BEING FILED OR SORRY ONE HOME RULE PETITION AND HEARING ORDER BE FILED RIGHT BEFORE THE YEAR ENDING I GUESS YOU KNOW, JUST HOPING THAT COUNCILOR FITZGERALD MARK HIS TERRITORY AND RE FILE SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IT FURTHER. I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR I REALLY ENJOYED LISTENING TO YOUR PRESENTATION THERE THOROUGHLY. IT FELT WARM.  IT HAD HEART AND YOU REALLY DID THINK ABOUT IT HOLISTICALLY IN TERMS OF OF A SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND HOW THAT COULD ACTUALLY HAVE IMPLICATIONS ON STREET VIOLENCE AND ALL OF THAT. SO IT DOES AND I KNOW YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO SIMPLIFY IT IN ONE STATEMENT. I KNOW WHERE YOU GOING WITH THAT SO I APPRECIATE IT.  I DO HAVE JUST SO ONE QUICK SUGGESTION. I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT I KNOW IT'S NOT IN MY DISTRICT I'M THINKING ABOUT SNOWDEN ONLY BECAUSE I HAD A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR. I PASSED EXAM THE FIRST TIME BUT I HAD ONLY BEEN HERE FOR LIKE TWO YEARS AND A HALF AND MY GUIDANCE COUNSELOR SAID YOU NEED TOLD MY PARENTS THAT I NEED MORE ENGLISH AND SENT ME TO SNOWDEN. AND SO ALTHOUGH I PASS EXAM TO GO TO AN EXAM SCHOOL THE FIRST TIME THE SECOND TIME I COULD ONLY GO TO. THAT'S HOW I ENDED UP AT O'BRIAN BECAUSE I REALLY LOVE MATH. THE POINT IS IS THAT I WENT TO SNOWDEN AND IT'S A TINY LITTLE SCHOOL. IT'S PRECIOUS BECAUSE YOU GET TO GO TO NEWBURY STREET AND YOU KNOW, ACT LIKE YOU'RE RICH OR SOMETHING AND GET A LOT OF EXPOSURE TO ALL OF THESE STORES YOU CAN'T AFFORD.  BUT THERE'S NO GYM. THERE ARE THE I TOOK THEATER THERE WHICH IS IN THE CHURCH RIGHT BEHIND IT ALSO A CHURCH AND THE CAFETERIA IS ALSO THE MATH CLASS AND THERE'S ACTUALLY NO RESOURCE ROOM. THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO RESOURCES OTHER THAN THE CLASSROOMS THAT YOU GO TO AND SOMETIMES CLASS CHANGES DEPENDING ON WHO NEEDS THE SPACE. SO IT'S A TINY LITTLE BUILDING ON OVERSTREET AND SO I BELIEVE THAT AND SOMETIMES SNOWDEN PERFORMS HIGHER THAN O'BRIAN. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW THAT.  SO WHY IS IT AN EXAM SCHOOL IF WE NEED ANOTHER EXAM SCHOOL IF NEED TO INCREASE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES WE SHOULD LOOK AT SNOWDEN, A HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOL WHO PERFORMS LIKE O'BRIEN AS AN EXAM SCHOOL AS ITS OWN THING LIKE AN INTERNATIONAL EXAM SCHOOL JUST LIKE O'BRIEN. IT'S LIKE A SCIENCE SCHOOL AND WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT WEST ROXBURY AGAIN. WE DON'T HAVE TO SEND IT TO WEST ROXBURY.  WE CAN SEND THE HEADQUARTERS TO POLICE STATION. ROXBURY DOES NOT NEED TWO POLICE STATIONS. WE CAN SEND A POLICE STATION TO WEST ROXBURY CAMPUS AND WE CAN PUT MAKE A ROXBURY THE OLD SCHOOL SORT OF UTOPIA WE HAVE WENTWORTH NORTHEASTERN OR O'BRIEN MADISON GO TO BIG VOCATIONAL. WE HAVE OUR CC, WE HAVE P THREE ALL THE ARTS WE HAVE THE ART CORRIDOR NUBIAN SQUARE, FRANKLIN, FRANKLIN, CUMMINGS ALL COMING TO ROXBURY. WHY NOT MAKE THAT THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING EDUCATION IT WOULD BE AMAZING BUT.  THAT'S JUST A QUICK IDEA. WE HAVE IDEAS I KNOW THAT COUNCIL DURKAN HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND MANY ADMINISTRATION TO THINK ABOUT TO THINK THROUGH THIS IDEA ABOUT WHERE TO PUT SNOWDEN. BUT YES WE DO NEED TO RETHINK IT. I KNOW THE ADMINISTRATION'S ALREADY DOING THAT ALREADY TALKING ABOUT FACILITIES QUALITY EDUCATION BUT I THINK THAT THIS CONVERSATION IS AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO ACTUALLY PARTNER WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND BE ABLE TO SAY LOOK, WE ALSO HAVE EXPERTISE THAT WE CAN COME TO THE TABLE, LET'S COLLABORATE, LET'S PARTNER ON THIS AND LET'S LOOK AT HOW WE CAN DO THIS. THAT IS COMMUNITY INCLUSIVE BUT ALSO THAT HAS THE COUNCILORS CAN BRING THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE TO IT AS WELL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FILING. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION. PLEASE REFILE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF IT ONLY GOES TO ONE HEARING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR MURPHY CUSTOMER IF YOU HAVE A STORY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  AND THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS, THE FILERS I'M ALWAYS FULL OF HOPE AND WOULD SAY WE SHOULD BE FIGHTING THAT ALL 126 OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE HIGH QUALITY BUT WE KNOW THAT ISN'T TRUE. SO I DO APPRECIATE THIS FILING TODAY AND I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THE REASONS I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING SINCE JANUARY ABOUT EXPANDING A PROGRAM LIKE THE FREE MUSEUMS AND OTHERS IS BECAUSE I KNOW PERSONALLY AND MANY FAMILIES ARE FORCED NOT TO ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN IN A SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY GET ASSIGNED TO AN UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOL AND IT'S JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE AND THERE'S NOT ONE PARENT THAT I'VE EVER SPOKEN TO WHO IF THEY HAVE THE OPTION THEY ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET ASSIGNED TO A CHARTER SCHOOL WHICH WE KNOW HAVE WAITING LISTS OR YOU KNOW THAT THEY WILL MAKE THAT CHOICE FOR THEM.  SO MANY FAMILIES WOULD LOVE TO BE GOING TO THE SCHOOL THAT'S IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.  I WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO GO TO SCHOOL WITH THEIR SIBLINGS AND COUSINS AND FRIENDS BUT IF IT'S AN UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOL THEY DO WHAT THEY CAN SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS HEARING AND HOPING THAT BEFORE MY TIME ENDS AND US HERE ON THE COUNCIL HERE THAT WE HAVE MORE THAN JUST A HANDFUL OF HIGH QUALITY SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS OUR SCHOOLS THAT FAMILIES FOR LOTS OF GOOD REASONS WANT TO ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN AND THAT WE HAVE WAITING LISTS AT ALL OF THEM SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES GREAT AND COMES WITH WAITING NEAR THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I THANK YOU FOR THE MAKERS FOR PRESENTING THIS THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT ALL OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SHOULD HAVE HIGH QUALITY SCHOOLS.  I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT. YOU KNOW MISSISSIPPI HAD THE LOWEST LEVEL OF NUMERACY AND LITERACY IN THEIR SCHOOLS ACROSS THE WHOLE STATE AND THEN THEY THEY HAD A NEW AS SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND CAME IN WITH SOME NEW IDEAS AND THEN HAD THE MOST IMPROVED LITERACY AND NUMERACY IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES AND YOU HAVE TO ASK WHAT'S THE SECRET SAUCE? SO I WAS LISTENING TO A A WEBINAR OR A PODCAST THE OTHER DAY WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT TO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING AROUND THIS GREAT IMPROVEMENT AND SHE SAID THAT THEY REALLY WENT TO THE FUNDAMENTALS OF MATH AND LITERACY EDUCATION AND THEY STARTED WITH PRE-K THROUGH THIRD GRADE AND EVERY TEACHER PARAPROFESSIONAL AND SPECIAL ED TEACHER WAS EQUIPPED WITH A KNOWLEDGE OF THE SCIENCE OF READING AND MATH EDUCATION AND THEN THEY ALSO HAD SPECIALIST MENTORS TO COME IN TO COME IN AND THE NOTION WAS THAT THE MENTORS THE TEACHERS WOULD BE UPSET WITH THESE MENTORS OR THESE TO COME IN SUPPORT THE TEACHERS TO BE BETTER MORE EFFECTIVE IN TEACHING READING AND MATH. BUT THE TEACHERS LOVED IT. IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT AND THEY FELT MORE THEY FELT THEY SAW THE RESULTS AND THEY WERE MUCH MORE REWARDED BY THE EFFORT. YOU KNOW OUR KIDS ARE NEVER GOING TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE AND OUR OUTCOMES ARE NEVER GOING TO GET BETTER IF WE DON'T ACTUALLY TACKLE THE ISSUE OF LITERACY AND NUMERACY PRE-K RIGHT AT THE VERY BEGINNING AND YOU KNOW I HEAR I JUST HEARD RECENTLY YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE WE HAVE A SCHOOL WITH SEVEN CURRICULUM FOR READING SEVEN OR SIX OR SEVEN LIKE THAT. WE SETTLED ON A FEW AND JUST DO IT WELL WE ALSO HEAR THAT VERY OFTEN WHEN THERE'S A CUTBACK THE FIRST PEOPLE TO GET PULLED OUT ARE THE PERIPATETIC SPEECH SPECIALISTS WHO COME TO THE SCHOOL TO TO DO READING READING SPECIALIST SPECIALISMS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR READING SKILLS READING IF YOU'RE NOT READING BY A GRADE LEVEL BY THIRD GRADE BUT IN THAT FIRST FEW YEARS YOU'RE LEARNING TO READ AND THEN AFTER THIRD GRADE YOU'RE READING TO LEARN AND IF YOU'RE NOT READING NOR HAVE YOU ARE NOT READING AT GRADE A THIRD THIRD GRADE YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL AND IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO CATCH UP. SO YOU KNOW THE FUNDAMENTALS ARE LITERACY AND NUMERACY AND I TOTALLY APPLAUD THE THE INTENTION OF QUALITY SCHOOLS BUT YOU KNOW IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE WHILE BUT I THINK REALLY WANT TO GET INTO THE CONVERSATION BUT LITERACY AND NUMERACY ARE FUNDAMENTAL AND YOU KNOW I REALLY FEEL THAT WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING INTO BUDGET SEASON AGAIN AND WE WILL BE RAISING THESE ISSUES AND WE WILL BE CALLING THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OUT ON WHY THIS IS NOT HAPPENING. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COMES FROM HERE. IT COMES FROM HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. AND IF WE HAD AN ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE THEY'D BE TAKING UP THESE ISSUES TOO. SO WE HAVE EXTRA ENFORCEMENTS.  ANOTHER REASON WHY I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE COULD DO ALL OF THIS WORK BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S THE ELECT THE APPOINTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE THAT REALLY DECIDES WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS AND IF THE POWERS THAT BE DON'T WANT TO GO THERE OR HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL TO DO THAT, THEN WE WILL BE PUNTING IT RIGHT BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR ANOTHER HEARING ON A HEARING JUST SO YOU ALL UNDERSTAND HOW WE KEEP SPINNING IN THE SPACE.  BUT I DO RISE TO SAY THAT I WANT IT TO RISE AND THINK COUNCILOR FITZGERALD WE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE I MENTIONED TO YOU THAT I WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS THAT WAS BUSED FROM DORCHESTER TO EAST BOSTON DURING THE SECOND WAVE OF BUSSING AND I ENDED UP DROPPING OUT AND I TRANSFERRED MYSELF BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE THE HIGH WHERE I GREW, WHERE I LIVED AND I MANAGED TO GRADUATE AND WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT MADE TO BE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WITH MY FRIENDS AND NOT SPENDING ALL THAT TIME ON THE BUS AND ALSO IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW THAT WELL.  RIGHT. SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT OF BENEFITS TO REALLY EXPLORING NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS AND BECAUSE I WORKED IN THE EDUCATION SPACE BEFORE I CAME INTO THIS CHAMBER 12 OR 13 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS THIS WHOLE MOVEMENT WHEN THEN RON DORSEY WAS THE CHIEF OF EDUCATION AND OUR MAYOR WALSH JUST TO PROVIDE SOME HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE NOW THAT I FEEL A LITTLE BIT OLDER HERE IS THAT THEN THERE WAS A PUSH TO LOOK AT NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS AND TO CHANGE THAT START TIME AND THE END TIMES AND THERE WAS A BIG UP ARRIVAL AND PUSHBACK FROM FAMILIES WHO WERE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS COULD LOOK LIKE BECAUSE THEN YOU WOULD BE REGULATED TO UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS BECAUSE WE KNOW IF YOU LIVE IN DORCHESTER, ROXBURY, MATTAPAN AND CERTAIN PARTS OF HYDE PARK IN EAST BOSTON, YOU'RE GOING TO GET WHAT YOU GET AND THE HOPE IS THAT YOU DON'T GET UPSET. THAT'S WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE OPT OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS BECAUSE THE QUALITY THAT WE HAVE ARE MEETING THE MOMENT. AND SO AGAIN I'M GOING TO RISE TO SAY IF WE'RE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT CHANGING THE WAY WE THE WAY THAT WE DO BUSINESS, IT'D BE REALLY GREAT FOR US TO HAVE A HEARING THEN THEN GOES TO AN ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE. THEY CAN THEN MAKE THOSE DECISIONS OR MAYBE PERHAPS SOMEBODY WHO'S RUNNING FOR THE ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE CAN USE THIS AS THEIR PLATFORM AND OR OTHER ISSUES THAT WE WANT TO TACKLE AND THEN THEY CAN GET ELECTED BASED ON THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO AND IF THEY DON'T DO IT THEN THEY GET FIRED TWO YEARS LATER THEY DON'T GET REAL. THEY DON'T GET REELECTED JUST THE SAME WAY IT HAPPENS TO US. THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE FOLKS HERE YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE PLAY WELL AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU WANT TO KEEP IT. WE WANT TO KEEP OUR SEATS RIGHT THE SAME WAY IT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE WANT TO GO TO NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS AND YOU ARE AN ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBER, YOU'RE GOING TO FIGHT FOR THAT. BUT IF YOU'RE AN APPOINTED ONE YOU REALLY ARE GOING TO FIGHT BECAUSE WHAT YOU SAY REALLY DOESN'T HOLD A LOT OF WEIGHT.  AND SO AGAIN I AM GOING TO RISE TO HELP US SEE THE DAY OF LIGHT. AND FOR THOSE WHO SAY THAT THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT OUR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHOW THAT CARING IS DEMONSTRATING OUR ACTION BY ALLOWING PEOPLE TO YET AGAIN HAVE A CHOICE IN WHO IT IS THAT REPRESENTS THEM ON THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. IN FACT, I'M REALLY DISTURBED THAT THE MAYOR HAS FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN APPOINTED WHO WERE PREVIOUS EMPLOYEES.  RIGHT. AND AND I THINK THOSE THINGS COME TO QUESTION AROUND PEOPLE'S LOYALTY TO WHO ARE YOU GOING TO BE LOYAL TO? THE FAMILIES ARE YOU GOING TO BE LOYAL TO THE PERSON THAT PUTS YOU IN THESE SEATS? AND I THINK THAT THESE ARE THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE DON'T TRUST GOVERNMENT AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SAY LET'S TAKE THIS ISSUE THAT COUNCILOR FITZGERALD HAS BROUGHT TO THIS CHAMBER AND LET'S TAKE IT ALL THE WAY SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU TO DO JUST THAT. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? CASPER AN ENGINE IS IN SPOKEN BUT I WILL ALLOW YOU TO HAVE A MINUTE COMPANY AN ENGINE IS NEAR THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE FOR HER POINTS.  NOT AN ARGUMENT OR REBUTTAL OF ANY SORT. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT KNOWING THIS THE PERSON THAT GOT APPOINTED PERSONALLY AND SHE IS SUPER QUALIFIED SHE IS OBJECTIVE SHE'S A PROFESSIONAL AND I THINK IS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB ON THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND I DO GET THE POINT BUT IN PARTICULARLY AS DIRECTED TO THIS PERSON I DID FEEL THE NEED TO RISE AND SAY WE WE AT SOMETIMES AND HOPEFULLY ALL THE TIME WHEN WE WHEN PEOPLE ARE APPOINTED THAT THEY ARE APPOINTED ON THEIR MERITS AND BASED ON DOING THE JOB OBJECTIVELY AND PROFESSIONALLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? I'LL JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS FILING.  I THINK YOU KNOW AS WE LAST WEEK WE COMMEMORATED THE TEN YEARS PASSING OF MAYOR MENINO AND MY FIRST STINT IN CITY HALL WAS ACTUALLY ON A COMMITTEE TO REDESIGN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL PROCESS FOR THIS VERY REASON.  AND RON DORSEY, AS HE HAD MENTIONED, WAS A VERY BIG PART OF THAT A REALLY GREAT COMMITTEE THAT REALIZED THE THE DIFFICULTIES OF TRYING TO THE WALKABILITY TO SCHOOLS THAT SO MANY OF US WANT LIKE I EXPERIENCED IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.  BALANCED WITH EQUITY, BALANCED AGAINST SOCIAL CAPITAL.  WHO HAS IT AND WHO DOESN'T AND HOW THAT AFFECTS HOW THE QUALITY OF OUR SCHOOLS.  SO LIKE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION AND THE THE COUNCIL SHOWED AND THE FAILURES FOR PUTTING IT FORWARD.  WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR . MR. CLERK PLEASE ADD COUNCILORS BREADON ZAPATA, FERNANDO ANDERSON FLYNN MCGWIRE. MURPHY WEBER WORRELL PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR DOCKET NUMBER 165 TO WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. MR. CLERK WOULD YOU PLEASE REPORT THE NUMBER 1653 THAT HAS BEEN OC DOCKET NUMBER 1653 HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN. MR. CLERK WOULD YOU PLEASE BE DUNCAN NUMBER 1654 OKAY NUMBER 1654 COUNCIL WE'RE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING NOVEMBER AS MEN'S HEALTH MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR ORAL CANCER ORAL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR PEPEN AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR KASAMA PANCHO SO AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR COUNCILOR EARLIER ON THE FLOOR I LIKE TO BEND THE RULES IN THAT COUNCILOR MURPHY AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR.  CASTRO WHERE ELSE YOU CAN SPREAD THE RULES THAT COUNCILOR MURPHY IS THE THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS. COUNCILOR MURPHY SO ADDED COUNCIL ARE YOU AT THE FLOOR? THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. THIS TIME OF YEAR IS HARD FOR MANY. IT CAN BRING CHALLENGES THAT ESPECIALLY WEIGH ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH. TO COMPLICATE MATTERS THERE REMAINS MANY BARRIERS TO SEEKING SUPPORT AND COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES HIGH COSTS OF HEALTH CARE, LACK OF INCLUSIVE PATHWAYS TO ACCESSING CARE.  SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION AND BIAS CONTINUE TO LEAD MANY IN OUR COMMUNITIES TO SUFFER IN SILENCE. IT'S ALSO OUR SHARED REALITIES THE SOCIETAL AND GENDER NORMS CONTINUE TO INFLICT HARM IN DIFFERENT WAYS FOR DIFFERENT POPULATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, DESPITE MANY DESPITE BEING ALMOST FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE BY SUICIDE THAN WOMEN.  THESE ARE BASED ON STATISTICS FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN MEDICAL COLLEGES.  MEN IN THE U.S. SEEK HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND ARE DIAGNOSED AT FAR LOWER RATES. LESS THAN HALF OF MEN IN THE U.S. WHO ARE DIAGNOSED WITH DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY ACTUALLY RECEIVE TREATMENT AND ABOUT 15% OF SURVEY MEN REPORT HAVING NO FRIENDS AT ALL. FOR BLACK LYING LGBTQ PLUS IMMIGRANT MEN AND THOSE WITH DISABILITIES WHO SUFFER.  THESE DISPARITIES ONLY GROW AND DEEPEN AS THEY ARE FORCED TO NAVIGATE INSTITUTIONAL INTERPERSONAL DISCRIMINATION THAT COMPLICATES IMPORTANT THEIR WELL-BEING AND ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE. FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE STRUGGLING ,IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER YOU ARE NOT ALONE. YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO ENDURE YOUR HARDSHIP ON YOUR OWN. I KNOW YOU MAY FEEL UNSEEN BUT I WANT TO THANK I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE SEE YOU MATTERS AND YOU'RE ALWAYS WORTH WORTHY OF GETTING THE CARE YOU NEED. PLEASE REACH OUT TO GET SUPPORT YOU CAN CALL AND TEXT TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOTLINE AND MASS AT 8337332445. THE NUMBER AGAIN IS 833737732445. IT IS ALSO CRUCIAL FOR OUR CITY CONTINUE WORKING ON BUILDING AND MAINTAINING ACCESSIBLE HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS THAT RECOGNIZE AND ADDRESS THE DIVERSE NEEDS ACROSS ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN ORDER TO HAVE A HEALTHIER CITY FOR IT TRULY TAKES A VILLAGE TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEXITY OF THESE CONCERNS. SO TODAY I'M FILING A RESOLUTION TO FORMALLY RECOGNIZE NOVEMBER AS MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH TO REMIND MEN IN OUR CITY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND TO PROACTIVELY CREATE A MORE OPEN DIALOG AROUND THIS CRITICAL ISSUE. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I'M LOOKING TO SUSPEND AND PASS THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR BUT THEN COMES WITH ANY OTHER FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR EL FOR BRINGING THIS HERE AT THE CHAMBER TODAY. I WANT TO SAY TO MY BROTHERS IN BOSTON IT IS OKAY TO FEEL IT IS NORMAL AND MASCULINE TO HAVE EMOTIONS. IT IS OKAY TO CRY.  IT IS OKAY TO SEEK HELP FROM LOVED ONES, FROM CLOSE ONES FRIENDS AND FROM COUNSELORS AND THERAPIST.  YOU ARE SO LOVED AND EVEN ON YOUR HARDEST DAYS SOMEONE LOOKS UP TO YOU AND LOVES YOU. LIFE CAN BE BRUTAL AND THOSE CHALLENGES ONLY BECOME WORSE IF WE THINK WE CAN WALK THIS JOURNEY ALONE. WE CAN'T. SO THIS MONTH AND EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR AND FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES WE HAVE TO GET THE HELP THAT YOU NEED.  YOU DESERVE IT AND IT IS THERE FOR YOU.  GROWING UP IN A LATINO HOUSEHOLD IT'S VERY COMMON FOR MACHISMO.  IT MUST BE FOR MY EXPERIENCE TO SAY SHUT UP. PUT YOUR PUT YOUR BOOTS ON. UP ALL YOUR EMOTIONS.  THAT CAN REALLY IMPACT WHO YOU ARE AND THAT CAN REALLY IMPACT THE WAY THAT YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE. I'VE IN THIS IN THIS JOB I'VE HAD TO GO TO A THERAPIST WHO I SEE EVERY TUESDAY AT 11 IN THE MORNING AND THAT HE HELPS ME UNDERSTAND THAT I THINK THE PERSON THE CLERGY THIS MORNING SAID IT PERFECTLY THAT WE'RE JUST HUMANS AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE AGREE ON EVERYTHING ON THIS FLOOR, IF WE WHAT OUR BELIEFS ARE JUST HUMANS LIVING LIFE TRYING TO MAKE POSITIVE PLACE TO LIVE IN PROBABLY GET IN MOTION BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A CRAZY 24 HOURS. BUT I AM I'M GLAD I GOT A THERAPIST AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GET A THERAPIST IF YOU NEED IT. IT'S A BIG DEAL AND IT CAN HELP YOU WHICH IS WHY I WANT TO BE A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS. I'M GLAD YOU DID IT SO THANK YOU COUNSELOR PREVENT THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOURSELF AND THANK YOU FOR JUST BEING A ROLE MODEL AND FOR JUST THANK YOU.  THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR MURPHY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR ROLE FOR LETTING ME JOIN.  BACK ON FEBRUARY 2ND, 2022 I HAD MY MAIDEN SPEECH WHICH WAS IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN OUR CITY.  AND AS A MOM OF THREE BOYS AND A TEACHER TO HUNDREDS OF BOYS, I DO KNOW HOW HARD IT IS OFTEN FOR OUR BOYS TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS AND NOT BE TOLD LIKE YOU SAID COUNSELOR PEP AND TO JUST TOUGHEN UP SO I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE BRINGING THIS TO LIGHT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT. AND I RISE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION.  AS WE KNOW, MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH IS OFTEN UNDER REPRESENTED IN PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WELLNESS. YET IT IS CRITICAL ISSUE THAT AFFECTS NOT ONLY INDIVIDUAL LIVES BUT ALSO OUR COMMUNITIES AS A WHOLE. THE STATISTICS ARE ALARMING. MEN ARE FAR MORE LIKELY TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP FOR MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS WHICH OFTEN LEADS TO UNTREATED CONDITIONS THAT CAN MANIFEST IN THEIR PHYSICAL HEALTH ISSUES SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND EVEN TRAGIC OUTCOMES SUCH AS SUICIDE. IN BOSTON WE SEE THAT DISPARITIES IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE ARE PARTICULARLY PRONOUNCED AMONG OUR BLACK AND LATINX MALE RESIDENTS. ACCORDING TO A 2024 REPORT FROM THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION. THESE COMMUNITIES REPORT HIGHER RATES OF MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES UNDERSCORING THE URGENT NEED FOR CULTURALLY SENSITIVE OUTREACH AND SUPPORT . THIS RESOLUTION IS ABOUT MUCH MORE THAN THE STATISTICS IT'S ABOUT CULTURE CHANGING AND MENTAL HEALTH FOR OUR MEN BREAKING DOWN THE STIGMAS THAT PREVENT THEM FROM SEEKING HELP AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO TAKE CHARGE OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AS A VITAL PART OF THEIR OVERALL WELL-BEING. SO I'M HAPPY TO JOIN ON AND TO CONTINUE IN MY ROLE AS A CITY COUNCILOR AND ALL OF US IN THIS ROLE AND THE POWER WE HAVE TO KEEP ADVOCATING AND SUPPORTING OUR MEN AND OUR YOUNG BOYS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COMES FROM HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE ON IT BUT I JUST FOUND OUT THAT I WAS SO BUT I'M GLAD THAT I AM I'M WITH YOU AND SO AND I JUST I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCILOR FOR BEING FOR BRINGING YOUR FULL SELF INTO THIS SPACE. I KNOW AS A LATINA THAT THE MACHISMO SITUATION IS REAL AND SO ANY SIGN OF VULNERABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITY IS OFTEN FROWNED UPON SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE TO SHOW UP THE WAY YOU JUST DID BECAUSE WHAT YOU'VE DONE IS GIVEN SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE PERMISSION TO DO THAT. SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AND I SEE YOU. UM AND SO AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, MY GRANDFATHER DIED BY SUICIDE AND SO DID ONE OF MY COUSINS. HE WAS A VETERAN AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE A LOT OF OUR MEN, PARTICULARLY MEN OF COLOR ARE CARRYING THINGS AND THEY DON'T HAVE WAYS TO UNPACK AND DURING THIS PARTICULAR PAST SUMMER GIUSEPPE BE WHO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU REMEMBER HE WAS MURDERED WITH ONE OF THE MOPEDS IN THE SITUATION BY US SAYING HIS NAME OUT LOUD AND HE WAS PART OF A LEAGUE THE COMPAS AND WE HELD SPACE WITH THEM AND IT BROKE MY HEART TO SEE THOSE MEN TRYING SO HARD TO BE STRONG WHEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO PROCESS THE LOSS OF ONE OF THEIR TEAMMATES. AND SO WE ORGANIZED AND WE CREATED A SPACE FOR THEM TO DO JUST THAT AND I WAS INCREDIBLY BLOWN AWAY BY HOW MANY MEN SHOWED UP TO THIS EVENT. WE HAD A CLINICIAN THERE. WE HAD PASTOR BECAUSE YOU KNOW, GOD HAS THE WAYS OF WORKING WITH OUR HEARTS IN WAYS THAT LEGISLATORS CAN'T EVEN THINK THAT WE COULD.  BUT WHAT I FOUND TO BE SO INCREDIBLY AMAZING WAS IS THAT WHEN THEY WERE ABLE TO HOLD SPACE FOR EACH OTHER THEY WERE ABLE TO REALLY UNPACK AND EMBRACE AND CRY PUBLICLY.  AND I THINK THOSE ARE THE SORT OF SPACES AND PLACES THAT WE NEED MORE OF AND I'M HAPPY THAT THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT HAS DEDICATED SPACE AND COMMUNITY WORK TO MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THOSE ISSUES THAT I THINK IS DEEPLY ROOTED MEN PARTICULARLY MEN OF COLOR RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT IN AGE ARE TRAUMATIZED. IT'S SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION AND ABUSE AND YET THEY STILL HAVE TO SHOW UP.  AND SO I THINK THE SPONSORS FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION HERE AND I HOPE THAT WHEN WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO SHOW UP FOR BLACK MEN AND LATIN NEXT MEN AND MEN OF COLOR AND MEN ALL MEN BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST MEN OF COLOR WHO ARE CARRYING TRAUMA BUT EVERYONE RECOGNIZES THAT WE SEE YOU.  WE APPRECIATE YOU AND WE'RE HERE FOR YOU. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR AND THIS CONFERENCE INDIGENOUS AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU TO THE LEAD SPONSOR AND CO FILERS.  I DO. I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS TO THOSE OF YOU AT HOME MEN, BOYS ,EVERYONE THAT IN ORDER FOR YOU TO GET APPROVED SERVICE OF ANY TYPE OF MENTAL HEALTH YOU IT HAS TO BE A MEDICAL NECESSITY.  AND SO UNTIL YOU GET A DIAGNOSIS WHICH MEANS THAT YOUR INSURANCE WON'T PAY FOR IT UNTIL IT'S CONSIDERED SOME SORT OF PROBLEM MEDICAL PROBLEM. SO IF IT'S NOT A MEDICAL NECESSITY THEN IT TECHNICALLY INSURANCE WILL NOT PAY FOR IT. THIS MEANS THAT IT'S A MEDICAL ISSUE, RIGHT? IT'S A THING TO BE TREATED OR IS A THING TO BE MONITORED OR IT'S A THING TO BE GUIDED THROUGH AND SO IT DOESN'T ALWAYS NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE MENTAL ILLNESS AND WHEN IT IS IT'S OKAY JUST LIKE YOU WOULD SEE AN ORTHOPEDIST OR A DENTIST OR ANY TYPE OF DOCTOR, A THERAPIST OR PSYCHIATRIST IF NEEDED IS A MEDICAL NECESSITY.  SO IF YOU HAVE A PHYSICIAN YOU SHOULD HAVE A THERAPIST. IF YOU HAVE AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST OR A DENTIST YOU SHOULD HAVE A THERAPIST.  SAME CARD, SAME THING. YOU CAN'T JUST TREAT THE BODY. YOU HAVE TO TREAT THE MIND. YOU HAVE TO TREAT THE HEART IN ALL ASPECTS. BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY, YOU KNOW, AS HUMAN BEINGS AND I DON'T WANT TO LIKE SORT OF REPEAT THE POINTS HERE BUT WE WERE VERY FICKLE. RIGHT? WE'RE A SEXIST SOCIETY AND WE'RE A SEXIST WORLD SO WE DON'T VOTE WOMEN IN AS PRESIDENT. NO WRONG TOPICS ARE A SEXIST SOCIETY SO WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS WE TEND TO PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON MEN AND THEN WOMEN. WE TOO ARE INHERENTLY SEXIST AND THEN WE END UP BETRAYING OUR OWN INSECURITIES AND POINT OF VIEWS ON HOW WHAT MEN ARE SUPPOSED TO BE WE PROJECT WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN SOCIETY AS COUNCILOR . THE PANEL WAS EXPRESSING. SO I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST BLACK AND BROWN MEN, ANYONE WHO IS OF LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS OF COURSE IS MOST MORE DISENFRANCHIZED AND LESS ACCESS AND THEREFORE MORE ISSUES. BUT ALL MEN OF ALL RACE SHOULD BE ALLOWED PLATFORMS AND ACCESS AND SUPPORT TO BE EXPRESSIVE, TO BE WHO THEY ARE AND BE ALLOWED TREATMENT SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THEIR LITTLE HEARTS AND WE ALL DESERVE THAT. SO I SUPPORT YOUR FILING AND WE'LL BE OF COURSE VOTING IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. IS ANYONE ELSE WILLING TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNCILOR , FOR THIS FILING AND FOR OFFERING THE NUMBER FOR THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOTLINE.  AND I WANT TO REMIND CITY HALL EMPLOYEES ESPECIALLY THAT THERE ARE RESOURCES I BELIEVE COUNCILOR DURKIN HELD A HEARING WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT INFORMATION OUT.  AND I JUST WANT TO AGAIN THANK COUNCIL BEFOREHAND BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH STRENGTH AND INVULNERABILITY AND SO MUCH OF WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING OF THE BROKENNESS OF THE WORLD IS BECAUSE OF THAT FAILURE TO REALLY BE VULNERABLE WITH OURSELVES AND WITH EACH OTHER. AND SO IT JUST THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR. CLERK PLEASE ADD COUNCILORS BREADON CLOSE ZAPATA DURKIN FERNANDO ANDERSON FITZGERALD. FLYNN MEJIA SANTANA WEBER PLEASE OTHER CHAIR COUNCILORS WORRELL CASTLES, WORRELL PIPPIN AND MURPHY'S EXPANSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1654 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I ALL OPPOSE ANY THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS DOCKET IS PASSED.  MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE REDACT NUMBER 1655 DUCK NUMBER 1655 COUNCIL OF FLYNN OFF THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION CELEBRATING VETERAN'S DAY AND HONORING THOSE WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MADAM CHAIR, MAY I ADD COUNCILOR MURPHY AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR?  COUNCILOR MURPHY SO ADDED COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  WE WILL SOON APPROACH VETERANS DAY.  I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR AND THANK THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED AND CONTINUE TO SERVE IN THE US MILITARY IN TIMES OF WAR OR PEACE WE RECOGNIZE OUR VETERANS FOR THEIR BRAVERY IN SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.  WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL FOR THEIR SERVICE AND THEIR SACRIFICE.  WE RECOGNIZE ALL VETERANS INCLUDING OUR WOMEN VETERANS, LGBTQ PLUS VETERANS, VETERANS OF COLOR, VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAVE MADE GREAT SACRIFICES IN ORDER TO SERVE OUR NATION DESERVE OUR CONTINUED RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT.  THERE CONTINUES TO BE A LOT OF WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO TO ENSURE OUR HOMELESS VETERANS ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT ENSURE THAT THERE IS GENDER SPECIFIC CARE OFFERED AT THE VA HOSPITALS FOR WOMEN VETERANS THIS IS AN ISSUE THIS CITY COUNCIL HAS WORKED ON FOR MANY YEARS THE FASTEST GROWING GROUP OF VETERANS THAT UTILIZE VA HOSPITALS IS OUR WOMEN VETERANS. WE WANT TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO COUNSELING FOR ALL VETERANS SUFFERING FROM PTSD SERVICE RELATED SEXUAL TRAUMA AND THOSE WHO ARE AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS AS WELL FOR WOMEN VETERANS IT'S ALSO CRITICAL NOT ONLY THAT WE WORK TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE PROPER HOUSING BUT ALSO WOMEN VETERANS WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE HOUSING FOR WOMEN VETERANS AND THEIR CHILDREN AS WELL. IT'S NOT JUST ENOUGH TO RECOGNIZE OUR VETERANS ON VETERANS DAY OR ON HOLIDAYS.  WE ALSO NEED TO DO SO TO ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVE THE FULL SERVICES AND RESOURCES THAT THEY EARNED AT THE CITY LEVEL, AT THE STATE LEVEL, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.  LAST WEEK THIS PARTY VOTED IN SUPPORT OF TWO CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTIONS THE BRAVE ACT OF 2024 AND THE VETERAN HOMELESS ACT OF 2024 AS WELL. I DO WANT TO THANK MY CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORTING OUR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CITY OF BOSTON VETERANS SERVICES DEPARTMENT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MY GOOD FRIEND ROB SANTIAGO. COMMISSIONER ROBERT SANTIAGO I SHOULD SAY. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MAYOR WILL AND GOVERNOR HEALEY FOR BEING STRONG LEADERS AS WELL IN SUPPORT OF VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE AN ORIGINAL SPONSOR. WE'RE HEADING INTO VETERANS DAY AND IT IS A GOOD TIME TO REMIND PEOPLE LIKE THE LAST FILING ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUPPORTS WE HAVE WE IN BOSTON AND IN MASSACHUSETTS WE DO HAVE A LOT OF GOOD SERVICES FOR OUR VETERANS WHO WE KNOW SUFFER FROM LOTS OF HOMELESSNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS. SO IT IS A GOOD TIME TO JUST STAND UP AND MAKE SURE THAT WE IF YOU KNOW A VETERAN IF YOU SEE A HOMELESS VETERAN HELP CONNECT THEM TO THE SERVICES WE DO OFFER HERE IN THE CITY BY THE END OF THIS WEEK THIS VETERANS DAY WILL BE EXTRA SPECIAL FOR ME AND MY FAMILY AND I WILL BE FLYING DOWN TO GEORGIA AS MY SON GRADUATES FROM BASIC TRAINING AND WILL BE LEAVING HIM FOR 12 MORE WEEKS ON TO HIS AIRBORNE INFANTRY TRAINING. SO THANK YOU COUNSELOR FLYNN AND ANY OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES WHO WILL BE AT ALL OF THE WONDERFUL EVENTS THIS WEEKEND THAT I KNOW COMMISSIONER SANTIAGO HAS PLANNED. I WILL BE CELEBRATING WITH LOTS OF VETERAN FAMILIES SOMETHING NEW FOR ME AS A MOM. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT THIS WEEKEND AND LIKE WE SAY AT MEMORIAL DAY ALSO THAT WE NEED TO UPLIFT AND MAKE SURE WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR VETERANS ALWAYS. SO THANK YOU TO THIS BODY AND TO THE ADMINISTRATION WHO I BELIEVE WE DO A GOOD JOB BUT WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR MURPHY AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR SON.  THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR FOR AN INJURY. ANDERSON, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNSELOR FLYNN FOR FILING THIS. LOOK, I'M A I'M A MUSLIM AMERICAN BY WAY OF LIKE BEING AN IMMIGRANT BORN COVERED , FORMERLY UNDOCUMENTED COME TO THIS COUNTRY 17 YEARS WITH NO GREEN CARD AND I FILE FOR I RUN FOR OFFICE IMMEDIATELY AFTER BECOMING A CITIZEN MY CARD OF TO A CAR OF CHOICE IS FORD F-150 ANY DAY OVER ANY TRUCK ANY ANY CAR IN THE WORLD THE MOST AMERICAN CARS YOU COULD IMAGINE THAT'S WHAT I LIKE. I LIKE BARBECUES. I LIKE HALLOWEEN AND I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT RIGHTS FOR EVERYONE. I LOVE MY JEWISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS. I SUPPORT LGBTQ THE MOST AMERICAN THING YOU CAN DO IS TO RAISE A LITTLE BOY WHERE WE USED TO GO AND TRAIN BOXING AND TAEKWONDO AND RUN 5:00 IN THE MORNING AND BUILD THIS KID FROM LIKE YOU KNOW, GROUND UP TO SEND HIM TO MECCA OR PICK HIM UP ALL THE SACRIFICE BACK AND FORTH AND THEN BOOM HE RUN HE HE JOINS THE MARINE.  HE TELLS ME HE WANTS TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY BECAUSE HE ABSOLUTELY LOVES THIS COUNTRY.  AND MY QUESTION WAS OH MY GOD, WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME ? SO AS A MOM, AS A MILITARY MOM ,IMMEDIATELY YOU YOUR HEART DOES LIKE SINK TO YOUR FEET BECAUSE OF THE ANXIETY AND THE FEARS OF YOU KNOW, THIS IS YOUR BABY JOINING THE MILITARY. I LOOKED AT HIM AND HIS FACE AND HE LITERALLY STARTED BREAKING DOWN THE REASONS WHY HE LOVED THIS COUNTRY AND THE REASONS WHY HE WANTED TO SERVE. AND I IMMEDIATELY HE UNDERSTOOD AND BECAME A BELIEVER. I STARTED WATCHING EVERYTHING ANGLE MOVIE YOU NAME IT INCLUDING FORREST GUMP. OKAY ON ANYTHING WORE IN UNDIES AND STARTED LOOKING AT MY TRUE RESEARCH PAST WARS AND EDUCATING MYSELF ON WHAT THIS MEANT. IMAGINE GOING TO WAR FOR OUR COUNTRY AND REALLY BELIEVING THAT YOU ARE PROTECTING THE PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE SO MUCH AND THE RIGHTS THAT WITHIN AND THEN HAVING TO COME HOME AND TO FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS JUST SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS HOUSING OR MEDICARE OR LIKE THAT IS ABSOLUTELY HEARTBREAKING. AND SO FOR AS A MILITARY MOM STANDING HERE I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT EVERY SINGLE THING THAT YOU FILE CASTLE FLYNN EVERY SINGLE TIME. I'M VERY PROUD THAT WE HAVE YOU TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR VETERANS AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE COUNCILOR FOR AN INSULT TO ALL THE VETERANS I KNOW SHANE PAC AND MANY OTHERS TOO AND GOOD LUCK TO YOUR SON COUNCILOR MURPHY BUT THIS IS BEYOND JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW,  WE SUPPORT TO OUR VETERANS WE HAVE TO DO SO MUCH MORE. THERE'S SO MUCH TO FIGHT FOR FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO BE RESPECTED AND TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND BE OFFERED THE RIGHTS THAT THEY DESERVE AND THAT THEY FIGHT FOR FOR US TO BE HERE SO COMFORTABLE IN OUR LIVES, IN OUR SEATS, IN OUR CARS, IN OUR HOMES AND THEN FOR THEM TO MAKE THOSE SACRIFICES AND BE DISRESPECTED WHEN THEY RETURN. SO I SALUTE YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN AND ALL THE VETERANS AND ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  THANK YOU GUYS FOR AN INTERVENTION.  THANK YOU TO YOU AND TO YOUR SON FOR HIS SERVICE.  THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR DURKIN. COUNSELOR DURKIN TO THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILOR PRESIDENT AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNSELOR FLYNN FOR FILING THIS.  VETERANS DAY IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME AND MY FAMILY.  I KNOW MY BROTHER IN LAW ERIC FINLEY DID TWO TOURS ONE IN AFGHANISTAN AND ONE IN IRAQ AND MY SISTER KELLY IS A MILITARY WIFE AND THEY LIVE NEXT TO A BASE IN EL PASO, TEXAS. MY GRANDFATHER ON MY DAD'S SIDE, THOMAS DURKIN, SENIOR, SERVED IN WORLD WAR TWO.  MY GRANDFATHER JUAN TEA RUIZ WAS A MERCHANT MARINE. HE WASN'T A CITIZEN SO HE COULDN'T FORMALLY SERVE BUT DID A LOT OF SERVICE TO HIS COUNTRY AND HE PASSED AWAY THIS PAST YEAR AND I REMEMBER HE WOULD ALWAYS WEAR LIKE USA AND FLAGS EVERY SINGLE DAY HE WAS THE PROUDEST AMERICAN YOU'D EVER MEET AND MY STEP DAD DAD BOB OR SENIOR SERVED IN THE KOREAN WAR AND CAME HOME TO AN ENVIRONMENT THAT DID NOT HONOR HIM AT ALL.  I WAS AT A RECENT HEROES SQUARE DEDICATION IN BEACON HILL AND I WAS REMINDED OF HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HONOR AND RE HONOR THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED. I HAD WALKED PAST THIS HERO SQUARE MANY TIMES IN MY TIME LIVING IN BEACON HILL AND HAD NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT WHO SERVED AND WHAT HAPPENED AND WE GOT TO MEET HIS FAMILY AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE.  IT WAS INCREDIBLE. AND I THINK WE HAVE A WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO AND I THINK VETERANS SERVICES FOR ALL THEY DO TO HONOR VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED IN OUR CITY ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MY FAVORITE VETERAN CONSTITUENT GENERAL WOODY WHITEHOUSE WHO IS OFTEN IN THIS CHAMBER AND IS ONE OF THE LAST LIVING TUSKEGEE AIRMEN REALLY PROUD TO REPRESENT HIM. HE IS A GUY OF ROXBURY WHO NOW LIVES IN MISSION.  SO SORRY TO GO ON AND ON. I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HONOR THOSE WHO SERVE AND GRATEFUL. I'M GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY WHO HAS SERVED.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THAT AS A PARTY YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MADAM PRESIDENT, I DO JUST WANT TO THANK COUNSELOR FLYNN ALWAYS FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AS IT RELATES TO ANY ISSUE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR VETERANS. I THINK THAT YOU SHINE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT MOMENTS BY TALKING ABOUT OUR VETERANS IS DEFINITELY ONE ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS. AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR MURPHY FOR BEING A CO-SPONSOR.  I KNOW MY DISTRICT IN CHARLESTOWN IS IS A VERY PROUD COMMUNITY OF VETERANS AND WITH A PROUD HISTORY DATING ALL THE WAY BACK TO TWO BUNKER HILL AND KIND OF TAKING ON THAT THAT RESILIENT SPIRIT AND AND REALLY FIGHTING FOR AT THAT POINT AND AN IDEA OF WHAT DEMOCRACY COULD LOOK LIKE AND JUST GIVEN TODAY AND WHERE WE ARE I KNOW THAT WE ARE STILL IN THAT FIGHT FOR THAT FOR THAT IDEA AND WHAT THIS COUNTRY COULD DO TO PROTECT AMERICANS AND BOLSTER THEIR THEIR FREEDOMS.  BUT I DO JUST WANT TO SAY LIKE IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO JUST LOOKING AT SOME OF THE EVENTS ON THE WORLD STAGE, IT IS REALLY IT'S REMINDED ME IN SORT OF A DIRE WAY JUST HOW PRECIOUS IT IS TO MOVE ABOUT FREELY IN SOCIETY AMONGST LOVED ONES AND JUST NEVER TAKING FOR GRANTED THE ABILITY TO LEAD PROSPEROUS, ABUNDANT LIVES.  AND A LOT IS BEING SAID IN COUNCIL FERNANDEZ ANDERSON ALLUDED TO IT BUT JUST THINKING OF VETERANS THANKING THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE WE REALLY HAVE OUR FREEDOMS AND OUR RIGHTS AND CONTRIBUTE OUR FREEDOMS AND OUR RIGHTS TO THEM. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE VETERANS IN MY DISTRICT IN THE CITY OF BOSTON IN THE COUNTRY INCLUDING MY MY LATE GROUP GREAT GRANDPARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS. AND I DO JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE THE THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY BOTH COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCILOR MURPHY ON HOW BEST TO SUPPORT OUR VETERANS WHEN THEY COME BACK. I HAVE A LOT TO TO IN THIS SPACE ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO HOUSING AND MAKING SURE THAT THEIR EXPERTISE IS FULLY INTEGRATED INTO CIVILIAN SOCIETY.  SO I LOOK FORWARD TO LEADING INTO THE WORK WITH THAT LEANING INTO THE WORK WITH YOU ON THAT. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR OUTCOMES EARLIER THIS YEAR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND YOUR ADVOCACY FOR VETERANS YEAR ROUND.  EVER SINCE I TOOK THIS SEAT YOU'VE BEEN A STAUNCH ADVOCATE FOR VETERANS SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY. I JUST WANT TO THANK MY AND WE RECENTLY PASSED A PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR VETERANS ENTITLED TO COLA AND HOPEFULLY THE MAYOR WILL BE SIGNING THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.  BUT AS YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT WE DO ON THIS COUNCIL TO MAKE VETERANS WELCOME HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING ALL THE RESOURCES AND THAT THAT THAT WE THAT WE CAN MAKE POSSIBLE HERE. I ALSO JUST WANT TO SHOUT OUT A FEW OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE SERVICES SERVING OR OUR VETERANS. MY SISTER MONIQUE WAS AROUND A SQUIRREL ALSO KNOWN AS ADRIAN WORRELL WHO WAS ALSO A POLICE OFFICER HERE AT BPD. NELSON STEPHEN CRAIG ALEXANDER SHANE PHILLIPS. THEN I ALSO JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOME COMMUNITY PEOPLE WHO PLAY A ROLE A BIG PART IN DISTRICT FOUR. COLONEL SHAH WHO WE RECOGNIZE HERE ON THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL MARRIED HIS TO IT COMMANDER STEVENS. HEYWOOD FENNELL I KNOW WE ALL GET HIS EMAILS AND HIS ADVOCACY. STEVE STEVENS MY OTHER UNCLE SHANE PAC HERE ON THE COUNCIL I MEAN ALSO HERE WITH US TODAY PRESIDENT OF OUR FIREFIGHTER UNION SAM DILLON. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS SERVED AND ALSO THEIR FAMILIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CONCENTRATE ANY OTHER FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I CAME TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1995 AND MY SO I DON'T HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF COMMEMORATING VETERANS DAY IN THE UNITED STATES BUT IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND BRITAIN AND VETERANS DAY IS ALWAYS ON THE 11TH OF NOVEMBER AND IN THE UK ARMISTICE COMMEMORATES ON THAT DAY BECAUSE OF ARMISTICE DAY WAS THE DAY THAT THEY SIGNED THE ARMISTICE THAT ENDED WORLD WAR ONE. VETERANS DAY CELEBRATIONS COMMEMORATIONS ARE ALWAYS HELD ON THE 11TH HOUR OF THE 11TH DAY OF THE 11TH MONTH WHICH IS NOVEMBER 11TH AND I THINK IT WAS OUR CAUSE. I GREW UP IN A COMMUNITY IN NORTHERN IRELAND THAT I WAS RAISED PROTESTANT IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND EVERY REMEMBRANCE OF ARMISTICE DAY SERVICE SUNDAY WE WENT TO CHURCH AND WE REMEMBERED THE FALLEN IN WORLD WAR ONE AND WORLD WAR TWO AND THERE WAS MANY VETERANS THERE WHO HAD SURVIVED.  ACTUALLY WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG THE SURVIVORS FROM WORLD WAR ONE AND THAT HORRIBLE WAR AND ALL OF US ALL THE ALL THE TRAUMA THAT IT CAUSED TO THESE MEN THAT HAD CARRIED IT ALL THEIR LIVES AND THEIR ELDERS AT THAT STAGE AND THEN AND THEN ALSO WORLD WAR TWO AND AND WORLD WAR TWO WAS A FIGHT TO DEFEAT FASCISM AND IT CALLED FOR THE SACRIFICE OF SO MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD FROM ALL OVER ALL OVER THE WORLD FOUGHT IN THAT WAR TO DEFEAT FASCISM AND DEFEND OUR FREEDOMS. IT'S COMPLICATED IN NORTHERN IRELAND BECAUSE OF OUR SECTARIAN HISTORY. MANY CATHOLICS WHO SERVED IN THE BRITISH ARMY TO FIGHT HITLER AND THE NAZIS WERE ALSO SUBJECT TO DISCRIMINATION AND THEIR THEIR SERVICE IN THE BRITISH ARMY TO FIGHT TO DEFEAT FASCISM WAS VERY OFTEN UNRECOGNIZED IN A SIMILAR WAY TO HOW THE FIGHT BY BLACK SERVICEMEN IN THE UNITED STATES WHEN THEY CAME BACK AFTER WORLD WAR TWO THEY THEY STILL FACE THE SAME DISCRIMINATION THAT THEY HAD BEFORE THEY EVER WENT TO WAR.  I I HAVE TO SAY IT TAKES A LOT TO BE A BE A SOLDIER OR A SERVICE PERSON GO OFF TO WAR AND DEFEND YOUR COUNTRY AND FIGHT FOR IDEALS OF DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM. AND SOMETIMES IT GETS COMPLICATED THE POLITICS GETS COMPLICATED. IT CERTAINLY IS VERY COMPLICATED IN NORTHERN IRELAND . BUT ONE THING I REMEMBER FROM AS A CHILD GOING TO CHURCH ON A SUNDAY BEFORE A VETERANS DAY IS STANDING THERE WITH THE VETERANS WITH THEIR MEDALS AND HAVING THE BUGLER PLAY THE LAST POST AND THEN THE REVEILLE REMEMBERING THOSE WHO DIDN'T SURVIVE.  AND I ALWAYS REMEMBER THE POEM THAT WAS ALWAYS SAID AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM OR THE YEARS CONDEMN AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER THEM SO WE REMEMBER THOSE WHO GAVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE. WE REMEMBER THE GOLD STAR FAMILIES AND WE ALSO REMEMBER THOSE WHO RETURNED FROM WAR TRAUMATIZED AND INJURED AND MAIMED BY THEIR EXPERIENCE OF WAR AND WE WILL HONOR THEM ALL. THIS VETERANS DAY AGAIN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR BREDA AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR . COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. DISTRICT THREE. DORCHESTER IN THE SOUTH END IS HOME TO MANY VETERANS AND SOON TO BE VETERANS ARE FUTURE VETERANS WITH A LOT OF ACTIVE MILITARY AS WELL. AND WE ARE UNIVERSALLY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SERVICE EVERY DAY. THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR FLYNN, COUNCILOR MURPHY FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR HIS SERVICE. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR ALL THE PEOPLE THAT THEY UPLIFTED DEFINITELY HEYWOOD FOR NOW WHO IS A STAUNCH ADVOCATE ESPECIALLY FOR OUR BLACK VETERANS AND HOUSING. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY WHO ARE WHO HAVE SERVED. I WANT TO THANK MY COUSIN WHO SERVED IN THE NAVY AND THEN WHO SERVED THIS CITY IN OUR VETERAN SERVICES OFFICE AND AS THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO OUR GREAT COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER ROBERT SANTIAGO.  SO THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SERVED THE COUNCILORS FLYNN AND MURPHY'S SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSES OF DOCKET NUMBER. OH, WHAT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER BUT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? MR CLARE COULD YOU PLEASE ADD COUNCILORS BREADON AND CLLR ZAPATA DURKAN FERNANDES ANDERSON FITZGERALD MARIA TO BEN SANTANA WEBER WORLD PLEASE OF THE CHAIR COUNCILORS FLYNN AND MURPHY SUSPENSION THE RULES AND PASSENGER DOCKET NUMBER 1655 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I.  I ALSO SAY NAY THE AYES HAVE IT THIS DOCKET IS PASSED BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO PERSONNEL ORDERS. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME TO A DOCKET OR TO ANYTHING WHEN THEY WERE OUT OF CHAMBERS DURING THIS MEETING? NO.  OKAY. WE WILL BE MOVING ON TO PERSONNEL ORDERS. MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE FIRST ONE OF MY SQUAD? WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE 000 JUST ONE. MAKE SURE I HAVE THE ORDER RIGHT.  WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE BOOK? WILL YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1656?  OKAY. THANK YOU.  DUNCAN NUMBER 1656 COUNCILOR REASON FOR COUNCIL ORDER AND PERSONNEL ORDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I I ALSO SAY THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS DOCKET IS PASSED. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO GREEN SHEETS. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT HOW MANY GREEN JEAN POLLS DO WE HAVE TO GREEN THREE POLLS. OKAY. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR MAKING CENTRAL STAFF AWARE AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE AWARE OF GREEN SHE PULLS IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE . COUNCILOR MURPHY, DO YOU HAVE A GREEN CHEESEBALL? OKAY. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. DOCKET 1547 ON PAGE 20 OF THE GREEN SHEETS.  MR. CLERK, DO YOU HAVE THAT DOCKET? CAN YOU PLEASE READ IT INTO THE RECORD FROM THE COMMITTEE ON STRONG WOMEN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES DOCKET NUMBER 1547 MESSAGE IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $166,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE VBS SENIOR CENTER GRANT AWARDED BY THE DONOR GROUP TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE H STRONG COMMISSION. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE SUPPORT OF THE SENIOR SERVICE CENTER EXPENDITURES.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNSELOR MURPHY ABSENT OBJECTION FOR THAT CHAIR'S MOTION TO PUT THE MATTER BEFORE THE COUNCIL IS ACCEPTED AND IS PROBABLY THE COUNCIL COUNSELOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND AND PASS TODAY THIS GRANT WHICH IS IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AN EXPEND $166,000 TO THE VERONICA B SMITH'S SENIOR SERVICE CENTER IN BRIGHTON AWARDED BY DONOR GROUP TO BE ADMINISTERED THROUGH A STRONG THIS GRANT FUNDS AND SUPPORTS THEIR THE CENTER'S EXPENDITURES FOR SERVICES THAT THEY'VE ALREADY PROVIDING TO OUR SENIORS. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP PAYING THEIR BILLS AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE GREAT SERVICE TO THE SENIORS IN THE ALLSTON BRIGHTON NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY WOULD SUSPEND AND PASS TODAY WITH THANK YOU COUNSELOR MURPHY C SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET NUMBER 1547 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I OPPOSE ANY THE AYES HAVE IT THIS DOCKET IS PASSED THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CASUALTIES IF YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT, I'M HOPING TO PULL DOCKET 1431 ON PAGE 71431. MR. CLERK, DO YOU HAVE THAT BEFORE YOU? CAN YOU PLEASE READ IT INTO THE RECORD FROM THE CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE RESILIENCY AND PARKS DOCKET NUMBER 1431 MESSAGE IN NOT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $1,983,872 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR THE STRENGTHENING MOBILITY AND REVOLUTIONIZING TRANSPORTATION SMART GRANT AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE DIGITIZING OF BOSTON'S CURBS VIA MACHINE LEARNING PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY TRANSPARENCY,  WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND EQUITABLE GREEN POLICY PROJECT . THANK YOU. ABSENT OBJECTION THE MOTION OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR IS ACCEPTED AND THE DOCKET IS PROPERLY BEFORE THE BODY CAM . THE COURT IS ABOUT TO HEAR THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH MADAM PRESIDENT. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF YOU FOLKS REMEMBER BUT I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE I HAD HELD A HEARING TALKING ABOUT DIGITIZING PARKING REGULATIONS AND THEN MANY PEOPLE ASKED WELL, WHY WHAT'S THE ISSUE? IT HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT OUR PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DO GREAT WORK. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO RIGHT SIZE, HOW THEY GO AROUND OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW THEY GIVE TICKETS AND THEIR ROUTES, HOW TO OPTIMIZE THEIR ROUTES SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE REVENUE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON THROUGH TICKETS. AND WHAT I WAS TOLD IS THAT OUR PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DON'T HAVE A CENTRALIZED HUB OR REPOSITORY OF WHAT THE PARKING REGULATIONS ARE ON THE STREET. IT'S A VERY WONKY CITY GOVERNMENT SORT OF THING BUT I LOVE THIS STUFF. SO I STARTED TO GET DEEPER INTO THE WEEDS ON IT AND I WAS TALKING TO FOLKS THAT DO IT AND FOLKS HAD BEEN TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO DIGITIZE OUR PARKING REGULATIONS AND SO THIS IS THAT AND SO I WANT TO GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO CHIEF CENTER YOUNG SAN DIEGO GARCéS FOLKS FROM NEW MOBILITY MATT WARFIELD THIS IS A SMART GRANT FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND WHAT THIS WILL DO IS CREATE A DIGITAL RECORD OF ALL PARKING REGULATIONS IN BOSTON USING MACHINE LEARNING.  THIS INITIATIVE INVOLVES CREATING AN AUTOMATIC PROCESS TO PROCESS IMAGE OF PARKING REGULATION SIGNAGE TO TRANSLATE THE WORDS NUMBERS AND SYMBOLS INTO A COMPREHENSIVE DATABASE OF PARKING REGULATIONS AND THIS DATABASE WILL BE VISUALIZED THROUGH A DIGITAL REGULATORY MAP THAT WILL PROVIDE A REAL TIME RECORD OF PARKING REGULATIONS TO BE USED TO IMPROVE THE CITY'S URBAN PLANNING AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS COMMUNICATIONS TO RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. DATA WILL ALSO BE TRANSLATED INTO THE CURB DATA SPECIFIC STANDARD WHICH IS A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE BEING ADOPTED BY MULTIPLE CITIES THE COUNTRY TO HELP COMMUNICATE PARKING REGULATIONS AND RULES. THE INTENT OF THIS IS TO IMPROVE PARKING AND CURB ACCESS EXPERIENCE FOR USES OF THE CURB WHILE IMPROVING SAFETY AND ACCESS FOR ALL ROAD USERS IN ADDITION TO FUNDING CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES AND DATA COLLECTION. THIS GRANT FUNDING WILL SUPPORT EVALUATION AND USER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH BOTH OF WHICH INFORM AN INTERACTIVE MAP FOR RESIDENTS AND STAFF TO NAVIGATE PARKING REGULATIONS IN BOSTON EASILY. AND SO WITH THAT I AM ASKING MY COLLEAGUES RESPECTFULLY TO SUPPORT THIS GOING FORWARD AND THAT WE VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE POSSIBLY AS BODY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  COUNCILOR CARTER ZAPATA. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? COUNCILOR COLETTE ZAPATA SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF DOCKING NUMBER 1431 ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I OPPOSING. THE AYES HAVE IT. DOCKET NUMBER 1431 IS PASSED. WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO LEAD FILES.  I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT THERE ARE THERE ARE THREE THREE FILE MATTERS AND ALL THE LEGAL MATTERS ARE ON A SIMILAR TOPIC. WE WILL TAKE A VOTE TO ADD THE FIRST FILE MATTER INTO THE AGENDA. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE FIRST LEGAL MATTER? FIRSTLY FILE NOW OFFERED BY COUNCILOR IN ORDER FOR A HEARING SHOWING VOTER ACCESSIBILITY AND ELECTION PREPAREDNESS WHEREAS THE CITY OF BOSTON IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING ACCESSIBLE, RELIABLE AND SECURE VOTING FOR ALL RESIDENTS. WHEREAS DUE TO THE URGENCY OF ADDRESSING THESE EVENTS AND DURING ELECTION DAY AND THE IMPACT ON THE VOTING RIGHTS OF BOSTON RESIDENTS, AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION IS NECESSARY TO EXPEDITE THE FILING AND CONSIDERATION OF THIS ORDER. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE WE WILL TAKE A VOTE TO ADD THIS FORMAT INTO THE AGENDA.  ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADDING RELIEF ON MATTERS THEY I I I'LL OPPOSE ANY.  THANK YOU. THE FOLLOWING MATTER HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE AGENDA. MR VICE PRESIDENT, IF YOU COULD COME FORWARD.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE. COUNCILOR YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR WE'RE OUT. THIS HEARING ORDER IS TO DISCUSS VOTER ACCESSIBILITY AND ELECTION PREPAREDNESS. OBVIOUSLY YESTERDAY WE HAD A NATIONAL ELECTION AND WE SAW IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THE LACK OF BALLOTS THAT REALLY HINDERED THE VOTING PROCESS. AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES COUNCIL BUT THEN COUNCILORS MURPHY FOR FILING A SIMILAR HEARING ORDERS. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD THEM ON THIS MATTER SO WE CAN ALL ADDRESS THE ISSUES. SO IF I COULD ADD MR CHAIR,  COUNCILOR PIPPIN AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR COUNCIL PREPAREDNESS SO ADDED AS A ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR AND COUNCILOR MURPHY AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR SEEING NO OBJECTIONS. COUNCILOR MURPHY IS ADDED AS A ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. THANK YOU AND I KNOW THAT HOURS ARE VERY SIMILAR BUT THERE ARE SOME DISTINCTIONS THAT I'LL ALLOW OF COURSE FOR THEM TO SPEAK TO IT BECAUSE RULE 15 WILL PREVENT OTHERS FROM ENTERING ONTO THE DOCKET.  BUT I JUST IT IS OUR DEMOCRACY IS INCREASINGLY FRAGILE IN SO MANY WAYS AND IT IS IMPORTANT AND INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO DEMOCRACY. AND SO I WAS GETTING CALLS YESTERDAY I WAS GETTING A TEXT MESSAGE YESTERDAY WAS ON THE PHONE WITH OTHER COUNCILORS AND COUNCIL BUT THEN AND WITH BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND MY STAFF TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE RECTIFYING THESE ISSUES. AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT FOR FUTURE ELECTIONS AND I JUST WANT TO SHOUT OUT SABINO AND COMMISSIONER ANTIVIRUS THEY DO GREAT WORK FOR THE CITY BUT FOR A NATIONAL ELECTION THERE ARE MORE WAYS FOR US AND BETTER WAYS FOR US TO BE PREPARED SO THAT NO ONE DISENFRANCHIZED OF WAYS OR HAVING TO DISRUPT THE VOTING PROCESS CAN REALLY SERVE AS A TO DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM VOTING AND WE DON'T WANT THAT. WE DON'T WANT THAT IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE DON'T WANT THAT WHETHER IT'S YOU KNOW, DO THIS OR IN GEORGIA WHERE THERE WERE BOMB BOMB THREATS THAT WERE FALSE BOMB THREATS INTIMIDATE PEOPLE FROM VOTING. WE DON'T WANT WE WANT TO INCREASE DEMOCRACY AND PEOPLE'S ACCESS TO IT. AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THIS HEARING ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE ABILITY TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE IN A NATIONAL ELECTION IN LOCAL ELECTIONS AND IN STATE.  AND SO WE HAVE TO DO A REVIEW OF THAT PROCESS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING OUR ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT IN ANY WAY THAT THEY NEED AND BRING IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T SEE WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY HAPPEN AGAIN. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR PEPEN CASTLE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES BOTH COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND COUNCILOR MURPHY FOR THE THREE FINDING VERY SIMILAR HEARING LAST HERE LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC AND BEFORE I EVEN START I WANT TO THANK THE POLL WORKERS THAT TOOK THE TIME TO WORK YESTERDAY. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE EVERYTHING THAT YOU WENT THROUGH WITH SUCH A HIGH TURNOUT WHICH IS A GREAT THING BUT WHEN I GOT A WHIFF OF THE FACT THAT THERE WERE SOME BALLOTS MISSING FROM A LOT OR A FEW OF OF OF THE PRECINCTS IN MY DISTRICT, I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO ANOTHER COURSE OF COLLEGE WHICH WAS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WAS IMPACTED. UM SHOUT OUT TO COUNCILWOMAN HERE WHO SHOWED UP WITH SNACKS FOR THE PEOPLE IN LINE AND TO KEEP REPRESENTATIVE HOLMES WHO WAS THERE AS WELL WITH ME MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE STAYED IN LINE AND THAT THEY KNEW THE BALLOTS WERE COMING IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE THAT HAPPEN. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO THE BOTTOM LINE OF WHY IT HAPPENED, MAKING SURE THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE JUST FEEL LIKE THEY WERE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS ACCORDINGLY MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARED. UM AGAIN, IT WAS A HISTORIC ELECTION SO I'M GLAD THERE WAS SUCH A HIGH TURNOUT SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AND MAKING SURE THAT MY RESIDENTS IN HIGH PARK MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE ANSWERS TO WHY THEY WAITED IN LINE FOR SO LONG.  SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL IN CASTLE MURPHY YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. YES. GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE. I HAD MADE MY COPIES CAME IN ALSO HANDED THEM TO RON AND FOUND OUT THAT COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND PEPEN HAD ALSO FILED SIMILAR THINGS. SO RULE 15 I AGREE WITH HERE HAD I BEEN FILING THIS ON MY OWN I DID FILE IT AS AN EMERGENCY ORDER REGARDING THE ELECTION DAY BALLOT SHORTAGE IN VOTER ACCESS CONCERNS IN BOSTON YESTERDAY I WAS GOING TO ADD FLYNN AS A ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. WE WERE ON PHONE A LOT YESTERDAY ALSO ABOUT CONCERNS COMING IN MY FIRST WHEN I WENT LAST WEEK TO VOTE AT FLORIAN HALL I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE BECAUSE IT WAS NEXT TO MY NAME WHICH I DID TRY TO EXPLAIN TO THE POLL WORKERS THAT IT MEANT THAT I DID REQUEST AN EARLY BALLOT BUT WASN'T USING IT BUT KNOWING THAT I WAS GOING TO AND HAVE ALWAYS VOTED FIRST IN LINE AT 16 SIX WHICH I DID GET TO YESTERDAY MORNING THAT I WOULD JUST LEAVE IT BE BECAUSE I NEEDED TO GET TO THE B HALLOWEEN EVENT KNOWING I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TIME TO SEE THAT THROUGH.  BUT WHEN I DID GET MY BALLOT YESTERDAY VOTED AND THEN WENT TO SCAN IT WAS STOPPED AND THERE WAS CONTINUED CONCERN. SO I DID NEED TO CALL THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT THEN BECAUSE I WASN'T BEING ALLOWED TO VOTE YESTERDAY WITH THE CONCERNS AND NOT NOT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE EVENT AND HOW YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AND THEN GOT CALLS FROM PEOPLE AT THE CONNOLLY SCHOOL THAT THEY WERE DRIVING THEIR PARENTS WANTING TO USE THE HANDICAPPED SPOTS IN THE PARKING LOT AND THE PRINCIPAL WAS BLOCKING THE PARKING LOT IN THE MORNING SAYING THAT CONTRACTUALLY THE TEACHERS HAVE A RIGHT TO THE PARKING AND WAS NOT LETTING RESIDENTS IN SOON AFTER THAT HEARD FROM HALL THAT THE MACHINE AT 1612 WAS BROKEN AND ALSO AT THE CURLEY CENTER IN SOUTH BOSTON. SO THAT WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY I DID TALK TO SABINO ABOUT THAT THOSE PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE FIXED BUT IT WAS LATER IN THE DAY WHEN I WAS GETTING LOTS OF CALLS FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT THE SHORTAGES THAT LED TO LONG WAIT LINES FOR VOTERS SOME WITH INDIVIDUALS UNABLE TO WAIT. THAT HAPPENED WHEN I WENT DOWN TO FLORIAN TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE VOTING THERE BEFORE THEY WENT TO WORK KNOWING IT WAS GOING TO TAKE AT LEAST A HALF HOUR OR LONGER THEY HAD TO LEAVE LINE AND KNEW THAT THEY WORKED AFTER THROUGH THE NIGHT SO THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO COME BACK. THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO I WANT TO THANK AND THE ELECTION OFFICIALS AND IT WAS IT WAS SAID BUT I KNOW THE POLL WORKERS WHO ALWAYS DO A WONDERFUL JOB BUT HAD EXTRA STRESS YESTERDAY WHO WORKED DILIGENTLY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES BY DELIVERING ADDITIONAL BALLOTS THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. IT I HEARD IN 18 AND THEN IT WAS 20 AND THEN I HEARD THEY WERE IN CHARLESTOWN, SOUTH BOSTON AND I DO BELIEVE IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ENSURE ALL ELIGIBLE VOTERS HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO BALLOT FREE FROM UNNECESSARY BARRIERS OR DELAYS AND THAT ANY SITUATION WHICH IMPEDES THIS RIGHT MUST BE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED AND ADDRESSED TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCES SINCE THIS MEETING HAS STARTED, SECRETARY BILL GALVIN HAS OPENED UP AN INVESTIGATION SO THAT IS ALREADY ONGOING WITH THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT.  VOTERS SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO WAIT INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE AND BALLOT SHORTAGES WHETHER DUE TO LOGISTICAL FAILURES,  INSUFFICIENT PLANNING OR OTHER FACTORS ARE UNACCEPTABLE AND MUST BE RECTIFIED IN FUTURE ELECTIONS. I KNOW THAT WE WILL BE HOLDING A HEARING I HOPE I WROTE IT IN MY HEARING ORDER THAT I WILL HOPE THAT WE FIND OUT WHEN WE SPEAK WITH THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT THE REASONS FOR THE SHORTAGE OF THE BALLOTS IN MULTIPLE PRECINCTS AND ANY DEFICIENCIES IN PREPARATION OF FORECASTING OF THE NUMBER OF BALLOTS THE RESPONSE TIME AN EFFECTIVE LIST OF THE MEASURES TAKEN BY THE ELECTION DEPARTMENT AND OTHER AGENCIES SUCH AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO DELIVER ADDITIONAL BALLOTS. THE IMPACT THAT THESE DELAYS HAD ON VOTER TURNOUT PARTICULARLY AMONG VULNERABLE OR HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES IN ANY RESULTING DISENFRANCHISEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS I HOPE COME OUT FROM IMPROVEMENTS IN PLANNING, VOTER OUTREACH AND ELECTION ADMINISTRATION ENSURE ALL VOTERS HAVE TIMELY ACCESS TO THE BALLOTS IN FUTURE ELECTIONS. IN A REVIEW OF HOW FUTURE ELECTIONS CAN BE BETTER PREPARE TO HANDLE HIGH VOTER TURNOUT AND AVOID LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES SUCH AS WE SAW YESTERDAY. SO I'M GLAD THAT WE THOUGHT ALIKE AND WE WILL BE HAVING A HEARING HOPEFULLY SOON. AND THERE WERE ALSO CONCERNS IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION. SO I'M HOPING ALL OF THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED WHEN WE TALK WITH THE ELECTION DEPARTMENT AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD MAKING SURE I MEAN MANY OF US ON THIS BODY LIVED THROUGH REDISTRICTING KNOWING HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS THAT WE MADE SURE EVERYONE'S VOTING WERE UPLIFTED. SO MAKING SURE THAT WHEN YOU GO TO VOTE YOU'RE ABLE TO STAY IN LINE OR NOT BE WAITING TOO LONG . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CARSON MURPHY, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILOR , YOU HAVE THE FLOOR . THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, AND THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.  YESTERDAY AFTERNOON MY WIFE KRISTEN AND I WENT TO THE CATHEDRAL HIGH SCHOOL IN THE SOUTH AND WE GOT SOME PIZZA IN SOUTH BOSTON.  WE WANTED TO BRING PIZZA TO THE THE POLL WORKERS AROUND 5:00, 530 IN THE AFTERNOON.  AND WHEN WE GOT THERE AT THE CATHEDRAL HIGH SCHOOL IT WAS IT WAS DARK AND THEN YOU COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. THERE WAS LIMITED LIGHT STILL AND I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF HOW DOES A SENIOR OR A PERSON DISABILITIES ACTUALLY READ THE BALLOT?  A COMPLICATED BALLOT WITH MANY QUESTIONS ON IT RIGHT?  THE ANSWER WAS SOME OF THE POLL WORKERS WENT TO THEIR HOMES IN THE SOUTH AND BROUGHT TABLE ARMS.  MANY PEOPLE GOING IN TO VOTE AFTER 6:00 WHEN IT BECAME REALLY DARK INSIDE THEIR USE THEIR CELL PHONE FLASHLIGHT TO READ THE BALLOT AGAIN, HOW DOES AN ELDERLY PERSON FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE THEIR FLASHLIGHT TO READ THE BALLOT?  VOTING IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE AS WE ALL KNOW PROPER ACCESS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IS SOMETHING WE TAKE SERIOUSLY IN THIS BODY.  WE MUST HAVE ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ENSURING ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ANYONE ON THIS ISSUE. BUT I GUESS MY POINT WAS SECRETARY GALVIN SENT TO THE CITY OF BOSTON 766,000 BALLOTS TO THE CITY OF BOSTON BEFORE ELECTION DAY SO THAT THEY COULD BE SENT TO THE POLLING LOCATIONS. APPARENTLY OBVIOUSLY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN THE SOUTH AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AT CRYSTAL WRAY IN SEVEN HILL. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN CHARLESTOWN AND HYDE PARK OTHER LOCATIONS WEST ROXBURY, ROSLINDALE, MATTAPAN BUT AS MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED BUT ON MONDAY THE SECRETARY OF STATE SENT A LETTER TO THE CITY OF BOSTON ASKING THEM TO BE PREPARED FOR MANY PEOPLE COMING TO THE VOTING LOCATIONS.  THE CITY OF BOSTON WAS NOT PREPARED.  MANY POLLING STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY DID NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY BALLOTS.  ADDITIONALLY, AS I MENTIONED, SECRETARY GALVIN CONTACTED BOSTON MONDAY WITH GUIDANCE ON DELIVERING THE BALLOTS AND HERE'S HERE'S THE PART THAT THAT IS REALLY DISCOURAGING.  SECRETARY GALVIN ASKED THE CITY OF BOSTON ELECTION DEPARTMENT TO BE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH POLLING LOCATIONS WITH THE POLL WORKERS IN CASE ANYTHING COMES UP.  SEEMS LIKE A FAIR REQUEST TO MAKE. WELL, THE POLLING LOCATIONS WERE IN CONTACT WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON ELECTION DEPARTMENT BUT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO REACH THEM SO THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IN MATTAPAN OR THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IN CHINATOWN OR THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IN DORCHESTER THAT THEY NEEDED MORE BALLOTS BUT THE CALLS WERE NOT ANSWERED HERE AT THE CITY OF BOSTON. ELECTION DEPARTMENT IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.  I CAN'T ACCEPT THAT AS A DISTRICT CITY COUNCILOR WHEN VOTERS WANT TO VOTE AND THERE'S NO BALLOT DO.  THERE WAS ONE WOMAN IN SEVEN HILL SHE SHE WENT TO HER VOTING LOCATION AT 6:00. THERE WAS NO BALLOT. THE BALLOT DIDN'T ARRIVE IN SEVEN HILL UNTIL QUARTER OF EIGHT. THIS THIS MOTHER IS A MOTHER WITH SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IS A FEAR TO THIS MOTHER AND TO OTHER PEOPLE TO WAIT OR TO COME BACK. HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY IN DORCHESTER WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE NO BALLOTS WENT HOME AND JUST SAID I CAN'T DO IT, I HAVE TO MINE MY KIDS, I HAVE TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR OUR KIDS OR WASH THE KIDS FOR FOR SCHOOL FOR THE NEXT MORNING OR HELP THEM WITH THEIR HOMEWORK.  IT'S UNACCEPTABLE. A MAJOR CITY LIKE BOSTON AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY ADMINISTER OUR ELECTION DAY. THE PEOPLE AT THE VOTING LOCATION ARE CATHEDRAL OR EXCELLENT. THE POLL WORKERS WERE EXCELLENT . THE WARDEN WAS EXCELLENT. HE AND SHE THEY WERE DOING THEIR JOB. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE LEADERSHIP HERE AT CITY HALL. I GOT ON THE PHONE LAST NIGHT. I TALKED TO SECRETARY OF STATE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE I SHOULD SAY JOHN ROSEN VERY I THINK HE'S THE TOP ELECTION LAWYER FOR SECRETARY GALVIN. I TALKED TO COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.  I TALKED TO OTHERS. REPRESENTATIVE MORAN. SENATOR COLLINS ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND HE WAS TELLING ME THAT WELL, THE CITY OF BOSTON BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS IN THE PROCESS NOW AT 630 OF RUSHING BALLOTS TO VARIOUS LOCATIONS IS WHAT THE ASSISTANT SAYS COUNCILOR MURPHY MENTIONED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE BOSTON POLICE. BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT LIGHTS AND SIRENS GOING FROM CITY HALL TO MATTAPAN AT 6:00 IN THE AFTERNOON WITH THE TRAFFIC?  I COULD GO ON AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES COULD GO ON BUT WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY IN MY OPINION IT'S A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE.  I'M GLAD SECRETARY OF STATE IS CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION. I ASKED FOR AN INVESTIGATION LAST NIGHT FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL BECAUSE THE U.S. ATTORNEY IN MASSACHUSETTS DOES HAS A DOES HAVE A FEDERAL ELECTION TASK FORCE WHERE PEOPLE THINK THEIR VOTE IS NOT COUNTED OR IF THEY'RE DISENFRANCHIZED THAT YOU CAN CALL THE U.S. ATTORNEY HERE IN BOSTON AND THERE IS A PHONE NUMBER AND THEY WILL THEY WILL ASSIST AND THEY WILL ENSURE THAT THAT PERSON HAS THE RIGHT TO VOTE. BUT AS CITY COUNCIL AS WE WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHO IS A COMPLETE FAILURE.  IT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.  WE'RE ASKING FOR LEADERSHIP. I'M ASKING FOR A STATE INVESTIGATION. I'M ALSO ASKING FOR A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MEJIA. COUNCILOR , YOU HAVE THE FLOOR . FIND OUT COUNCILOR FLYNN IS LIKE A FOURTH CO-SPONSOR TAKING UP ALL THE SPACE THAT THAT'S OKAY.  SO I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE FILERS FOR BRINGING THIS INTO THE CHAMBER HERE. AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, I ONLY WON BY ONE VOTE. SO THESE ISSUES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME , Y'ALL. SO PRESS OUR PEOPLE LIKE THAT, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF OUR BALLOTS READY TO GO.  AND FOR THE RECORD, THEY WERE NOT THEY WERE LAST NIGHT THEY WERE PARTY LEADERS FROM START THESE BAKERY. JUST SO YOU KNOW BUT I ENDED UP AT YOUR POLLING SITE BECAUSE I GOT A CALL FROM A CONSTITUENT WHO HAD ADVISED ME THAT 1808 AND SO I HEADED DOWN THERE AND WAS HAPPY TO SEE YOU ALREADY THERE AND ALSO STATE REP I'M HOLMES THERE AS WELL SO I JUST WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE ELECTED TO REALLY STOOD UP AND MET THE MOMENT FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS WHO WERE BLOWING UP OUR PHONES. I ALSO GOT A CALL FROM THE THE PILOT THE PILOT SHOW YOU DID TWO CALLS OVERALL BUT THE ISSUE WAS DIFFERENT. IT WASN'T ABOUT THE BALLOTS.  IT WAS REALLY ABOUT THE ACCESSIBILITY FOR FOLKS WHO DID NOT KNOW HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH.  AND SO THERE WERE SOME THERE WERE A LOT OF SPANISH SPEAKERS HAITIAN CREOLE AND CAPE VERDE AND FOLKS THAT WERE SHOWING UP TO THE POLLS AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH LANGUAGE CAPACITY TO HELP PEOPLE FACILITATE AND SOME FOLKS WERE LEAVING CONFUSED. SOME FOLKS WERE BEING ASKED FOR LICENSES AND THEY WERE JUST REALLY CONFUSED BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ASKED FOR LICENSES IN THE PAST. SO IT GOT A LITTLE BIT CHAOTIC FOR SOME FOLKS BUT I WANTED TO JUST UPLIFT THAT LAWYERS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND I ALSO WANT TO UPLIFT MARISOL AND SANTIAGO AND THE WHOLE ENTIRETY THAT WAS OUT PROTECTING VOTERS AND THERE WAS A HOTLINE SO THERE WAS AN OPERATION. I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT WAS AN OPERATION AND THERE WERE OTHER FOLKS I JUST THE CITY BUT REAL YOU KNOW, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZERS AND ADVOCATES WHO REALLY DO THE WORK WERE OUT THERE ALSO DOING THEIR JOBS AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAD ACCESS TO THE BALLOT. AND SO I AM INTERESTED IN HAVING THE HEARING AND I ALSO THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN LEARN IN TERMS OF OUR PROCESSES.  I'M A BIG STICKLER FOR PROTOCOLS, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE SOUND REALLY GOOD IN THEORY BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PRACTICE I DON'T THINK WE'VE BUILT THAT MUSCLE IN TERMS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PART OF IT. I THINK THAT'S SOMETIMES WHERE WE LACK AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO BETTER IN THAT SPACE AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND SHOUT OUT EVERYWHERE EVERY POLLING SITE THAT I WENT FROM WEST ROXBURY THROUGH MATTAPAN, JAMAICA PLAIN, ROXBURY, DORCHESTER,  HYDE PARK ALL ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON I WAS SUPER INSPIRED TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO THE POLLS AND I THINK THAT THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE APPETITE THAT PEOPLE HAVE FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WHILE WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE I ALSO JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I DON'T THINK THAT WE WERE READY FOR IT. I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE REALIZED THAT BOSTON WAS GOING TO COME OUT AND VOTE IN SUCH HIGH NUMBERS LIKE THAT. SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT WAS ALSO A PART OF I'M GOING TO ASSUME THE REASON WHY WE WERE NOT AS PREPARED AND WHILE I APPRECIATE ONE TO SAY THANK YOU THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MEJIA THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL FINISHES ANDERSON BEFORE SHORT TERM I THANK YOU AS CHAIR JUST ON THE RULES MR. CLERK THROUGH THE CHAIR PLEASE IF ARE WE I IT FEELS LIKE THESE THREE FILINGS AND I KNOW IT'S NOT ON THE FLOOR ONLY ONE IS ON THE FLOOR FEELS SIMILAR AND I DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED SORRY I KNOW EVERYBODY WENT TO BED LIKE A52 MORNING I DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED IF WHAT WE'RE DOING OTHER SIMILAR TO NOW SIMILAR ARE WE ONLY TAKING ONE JUST TAKEN ONE THE OTHER TWO ARE GOING TO BE RULE 15. OKAY GOT IT. OKAY THANK YOU. YEAH SO IT'S FUN ON THE TOPIC THEN IF I MAY A COUNCIL FINANCE ANYTHING I'M GOING TO GO TO COUNCIL WHETHER UNLESS THERE WAS ANOTHER POINT OF ORDER. OH YEAH, NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU.  MY CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL , THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW I WAS ALSO OUT AT THE POLLS YESTERDAY. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR POLL WORKERS WHO WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND YESTERDAY.  YOU KNOW I KNOW THERE WERE REPORTS IN WARD 20 OF OF FOLKS RUNNING OUT OF BALLOTS AT THE SPRING STREET APARTMENTS AND AT THE KILMER.  I ALSO RECEIVED A REPORT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN ALL TOO COMMON IN JAMAICA PLAIN IT ON PINE STREET AND THE POLLING STATION HAVING RUN OUT OF BALLOTS LATE IN THE DAY AND HAVING TROUBLE CONTACTING THE ELECTIONS COMMISSION. SO YOU KNOW, I JUST I THANK YOU TO THE FILERS. I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THIS FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED, MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR BRADING COUNCILOR , YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM. SORRY , MADAM CHAIR. MR CHAIR, I WANT TO SPEAK. I HAD FIRST OF ALL A BIG SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE POLL WORKERS YESTERDAY I MET I HAD COFFEE AT JJ CARROLL THIS MORNING IN BRIGHTON. THERE'S A POLL WORKER OVER THERE. SHE'S A RETIRED SENIOR. SHE WORKED 15 HOURS YESTERDAY AT THE POLLS AND SHE WENT STRAIGHT TO BED WHEN SHE GOT HOME BECAUSE SHE WAS SO EXHAUSTED. I GOT A CALL AT 5:00 YESTERDAY AFTERNOON FROM HAPPENS TO BE A FRIEND OF MINE WHO WAS WORKING THE POLLS AT POND STREET AND JP AND SHE SAID THAT THEY WERE RUNNING THEY KNEW THEY WERE RUNNING OUT OF BALLOTS AT 2 P.M. AND THEY TRIED CALLING THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT THEY COULDN'T GET THROUGH AND THEY BY FIVE SHE CALLED ME AT FIVE SO 3 HOURS LATER THEY STILL HADN'T GOTTEN THE BALLOTS TO REPLACE THE TO BRING IN NEW BALLOTS AND SHE THEY SAID SHE WAS FRANTIC BECAUSE THEY WERE ANTICIPATING A BIG RUSH AT FIVE BETWEEN FIVE AND EIGHT. SO THAT WAS PROBABLY THE PEAK TIME OF THE DAY FOR POLLING. SO I REALLY YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. WE WE SHOULD HAVE ANTICIPATED THAT WE WOULD HAVE I THINK BECAUSE IT WAS A HUGE NUMBER OF FOLKS ALREADY VOTED BY EARLY VOTING AND ABSENTEE BALLOTS THERE MAY HAVE BEEN THIS ASSUMPTION THAT OKAY, EVERYBODY, HALF OF THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO VOTE ALREADY VOTED SO WE DON'T NEED TO FUSS ABOUT THIS BUT GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND GIVING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS ELECTION TO OUR COUNTRY, IT WAS VERY PERFECTLY REASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT WE WOULD HAVE A BEYOND AVERAGE TURNOUT YESTERDAY I KNOW WE HAD A MEETING OF THE JACKSON COMMUNITY CENTER LAST WEEK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE JACKSON COMMUNITY CENTER.  I DIDN'T HEAR ANY REPORTS OF RUNNING OUT OF BALLOTS AT THE JACKSON MEN BUT THAT IS A PRECINCT THAT SERVES THAT IS A VOTE POLLING PLACE AT SERVES FIVE PRECINCTS. SO I'M DELIGHTED THEY DIDN'T RUN OUT OF BALLOTS BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR CATASTROPHE. I DID HEAR FROM ANOTHER CONSTITUENT SAID THAT THEY WERE PLEASED THAT THEY ONLY HAD TO WAIT 20 MINUTES IN THE HALL AT THE HOLDEN LIBRARY YESTERDAY MORNING TO VOTE AND YOU KNOW, EARLY MORNING VOTING 50 MINUTES 20 MINUTES ON THE WAY TO WORK. I THINK SOME EMPLOYERS WOULD LIKE THEY'RE A LITTLE OUT OF TUNE FOR WORKERS TO GET TO WORK ON TIME ON ELECTION DAY AND I'M DELIGHTED THAT THEY DO THAT.  BUT I THINK YOU KNOW THE GOOD ORDER AND TIMELINESS OF FOLKS BEING ABLE TO TO ACCESS BALLOTS ACCESSIBILITY IS AN ISSUE AS THE COUNTRY'S BEEN MENTIONED. IF IT'S IF THE LIGHT IS INADEQUATE TO ACTUALLY READ THE BALLOT THAT IS A SERIOUS ISSUE . SO I LOOK FORWARD THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR SPONSORING THESE OFFERING THESE THESE THESE HEARING ORDERS AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET TO THIS VERY QUICKLY AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL BRITAIN THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FINANCE AND IT'S IN COUNCIL TO HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MR CHAIR. I DO APOLOGIZE. I THINK I WENT OVER I WOULDN'T BE ON MYSELF THERE. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT COUNCIL WEBRE HAS LIGHTS ON. I KNOW THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY THAT THAT TOOK PLACE AND IT'S JUST KIND OF IMMATURE AND I THINK WE SHOULD CHECK OUR CONTACTS WITH EACH OTHER HERE BECAUSE WE DO NOTICE EACH OTHER'S RESPONSES TO THESE THINGS IN THESE MEETINGS AS FAR AS THIS ISSUE, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PREVENTATIVE OR INTERVENE ON THESE ISSUES. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW WHERE WE BROUGHT UP THIS ISSUE AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE CONVERSATION WENT BUT I KNOW THAT MY OFFICE COUNCIL DIRECTOR'S OFFICE AND THE OTHER LARGE COUNCILS I THINK HAD BEEN ON AN EMAIL THREAD WITH CONSTITUENTS WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ISSUES PARTICULARLY WITH SOUTH END AND FENWAY AND WE GOT NO RESPONSE FROM THE ELECTION DEPARTMENT. I KNOW THAT THE COMMISSIONER PERSONALLY CAME TO MY OFFICE AND WORK WITH ME AND GIVING HER LISTS OF CONSTITUENTS WITH DIFFERENT LANGUAGE CAPACITIES AND DIFFERENT CULTURES BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THAT LIKE SINCE BEING A POLYGLOT DIFFERENT PEOPLE DO SPEAK DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND WITHIN MY DISTRICT SO THERE WAS EFFORT ON THAT END BUT THEN THERE WAS NO CONTINUITY IN TERMS OF LIKE FOLLOWING UP WITH THE MEETING OR FIGURING OUT LIKE FROM YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY VOICE LIKE WHAT'S THE PROBLEM AND HOW CAN WE BE PREEMPTIVE AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO RESOLVE MITIGATE SOME OF THESE ISSUES.  AND SO I'M ALSO REALLY CONCERNED AS ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, SOME AGAIN SOME OF THIS LIKE WHEN YOU SEE EMAILS RESPOND LET'S TRY TO ALL BE ON THE SAME PAGE BECAUSE THEY ARE EFFORTS THAT ALREADY TOOK PLACE AND SOME OF YOU SOME PEOPLE DID NOT RESPOND FOR WHATEVER REASON BUT YOU COULD HAVE RESPONDED OUTSIDE OF THAT EMAIL. SO I'M NOT ASSUMING THAT YOU DIDN'T I'M JUST SAYING THAT WE WERE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND WE'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENTLY WITH THE ELECTION DEPARTMENT AND WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER THEN I THINK WE CAN MAKE THOSE EFFORTS A LITTLE BIT STRONGER TO BE ABLE TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AND I'M GLAD THAT IT TURNED INTO JUST ONE HEARING ORDER BECAUSE I WAS A BIT CONFUSED LIKE ON THE SAME SO THANK YOU MR. CLERK AND THANK YOU MR CHAIR. THANK YOU THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD ALSO THANK YOU TO ALL THE CONSTITUENTS WHO SOUNDED THE ALARM AND LET US KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUE THAT WAS TAKING PLACE AT THESE POLLING STATIONS.  ALSO COUNCILOR FLYNN MENTIONED SOME OF OUR POLL WORKERS GOT REAL CREATIVE AND THOUGHT QUICKLY ON THEIR FEET.  SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE POLL WORKERS OUT THERE. BUT YES, I DO AGREE WITH ALL OF MY ALL MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID WE NEED TO LOOK INSIDE AND DO MORE OF A DEEP DIVE INTO WHAT HAPPENED SO THAT NEXT TIME NEXT ELECTION CYCLE THAT OUR ELECTED DEPARTMENT IS MORE PREPARED.  WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME TO THE DOCKET?  MR. CLERK PLEASE OUR COUNCIL BRADING CLASSICAL CALCULATOR ZAPATA CASTLEDERG KING COUNCILOR FINANCE ANDERSON CASTLE FITZGERALD COUNCILOR FLYNN CASIMIR CASTLE SANTANA CASTLE WEBER AND PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR THIS DOCKET WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON NO THANK YOU.  NO, IT'S JUST A HEARING ORDER.  YEAH, IF IT WAS YES NOT AN ORDINANCE.  WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT THERE ARE ONE THAT THERE IS ONE ADDITION TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. THE QUESTION NOW COMES ON APPROVAL OF THE VARIOUS MATTERS CONTAINED WITHIN THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I THANK YOU. THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONSENT. DO YOU HAVE YOUR LIGHT ON?  OKAY. YOU DON'T ANYMORE. OKAY. WE ARE NOW ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS. PLEASE REMEMBER THESE ARE FOR UPCOMING DATES AND EVENTS.  POINT OF ORDER. OKAY AND ARE YOU A PATIENT? MADAM PRESIDENT?  YEP. OKAY. IT'S A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE. IS IT NOT? IT IS A IT'S A VOTING IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE. A LOT OF VOTING DOCKETS.  WE WENT THROUGH THIS WHEN THERE WAS A THAT WAS FILED I BELIEVE A FEW WEEKS AGO ABOUT MOVING THE ELECTIONS TO NEXT YEAR ABOUT WHICH COMMITTEE IT SHOULD GO DO.  MY TEAM LOOK BACK HISTORICALLY TO SEE WHERE VOTING DOCKETS HAVE BEEN SENT. THEY'VE BEEN SENT TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE WHOLE KEEPING IT WITH THE COMMITTEE ON THE WHOLE ALTHOUGH THE ISSUES THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THE ALL THE CAUSES OF STATING LIKE ISSUES WITH CIVIL RIGHTS ACCESS AND ISSUE LIKE IT'S ALL CIVIL RIGHTS YOU ARE. IS THIS JUST A PATTERN EVEN THOUGH IT'S A BAD HISTORICAL PATTERN OR IS IT JUST LIKE THIS IS HABIT SO LET'S DO IT AGAIN, LET'S REPEAT IT? WELL, I BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE IN THE COMMITTEE ON THE WHOLE AND THE ENTIRE COUNCIL CAN DISCUSS THE ISSUE IN THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE IT'S ALSO THE COMMITTEE THAT I CHAIR AND WE AGAIN LOOKED AT BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S A BAD PAST PRACTICE. MY TEAM AND I TALKED ABOUT IT.  I HEAR YOUR POINT BUT THAT'S WHY THAT DECISION WAS MADE.  CAN YOU TELL ME WHY THE WHOLE NOT THE CIVIL RIGHTS?  WELL, THE COMMITTEE ON THE WHOLE AS I SAID HISTORICALLY HAS TAKEN THE DOCKETS WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTIONS, WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING AND SO DOESN'T LIKE WHY? WHY IS IT MORE JUSTIFIED IN THE WHOLE THAN RATHER THAN CIVIL RIGHTS? WELL, I MEAN LIKE IT COULD LIKE A LOT OF DOCKETS THAT COME BEFORE IT COULD GO INTO A NUMBER OF COMMITTEES.  I'M MAKING THE DECISION HERE FOR IT TO GO TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE WHOLE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN PASSED PRACTICE ALSO BECAUSE I'M THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE ALSO THERE'S THE ENTIRE COUNCIL HAS AN INTEREST IN IT THE SAME WAY THAT THAT'S NOT THE REASON WHY IT CAN'T GO TO ANY OTHER COMMITTEE. I'M JUST I MADE THAT DECISION THAT'S GOING TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE WHOLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  WE ARE NOW ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE FOR UPCOMING.  DO YOU HAVE A IS IT A POINT OF ORDER MAYBE? I THINK SO. I JUST WANT TO UPLIFT THAT.  WHEN REDISTRICTING NEEDED TO COME BACK IT WENT TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE WHICH YOU WERE THE CHAIR AT THAT TIME. I WAS SO ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I KNOW COUNCILOR FERNANDA SANDERSON WAS PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS. SO I DO AGREE AND THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD GO INTO THAT COMMITTEE SO I JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT THAT QUESTION LIKE SO HOW WOULD WE JUSTIFY THAT NOW BECAUSE ALL OF US DID PARTAKE I THINK NOBODY MISSED ANY OF THOSE HEARINGS. IT STARTED IN COUNCIL OF BRITAIN'S COMMITTEE AND THEN WENT TO A DIFFERENT COMMITTEE TO FINISH THE JOB AND ALL OF US ARE ABLE AND WILLING TO GO TO ANY COMMITTEE IT GOES INTO NOT JUST THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE I KNOW CAN ATTEND SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST EXPLAINING WHY ESPECIALLY AFTER ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBABLY ANY OF US WILL BE DISCUSSING VOTING RIGHTS AND YES SO I HEAR YOU I'VE STATED THAT I PUTTING IT IN THE COMMITTEE ON THE WHOLE IT COULD GO TO A NUMBER OF COMMITTEES. I'M HAPPY IF YOU KNOW EVERYONE WANTS IF WE WANT TO HAVE A SEPARATE FILING ON A VOTING ISSUE THAT GOES TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE IT CAN BE SO I'M JUST IT'S ALSO WHERE YOU PLACE DOCKETS IS IN THE PURVIEW OF THE CHAIR AND I'VE MADE THE DECISION TO PUT IT IN THE COMMITTEE ON THE WHOLE.  THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONCILOR MEJIA HERE.  OKAY AM I GOING TO TRANSLATE FOR ANYBODY? EVERYBODY'S WATCHING. YOU COULD FIGURE IT OUT ON YOUR OWN.  I THINK THAT I'M ALWAYS GOING TO ASK FOR CONSISTENCY AND I JUST THINK THAT THIS IS PROBABLY A REOCCURRING PATTERN SINCE IT JUST THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT? IT FEELS LIKE I HEARD CIVIL RIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DELIBERATION OF WHEN THIS WAS FILED AND I'M NOT GOING TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF MY SISTER. SHE HAS ALREADY PUT DOWN HER ARMOR AND IS GOING TO PICK HER BATTLES AND I APPRECIATE THAT BUT I WOULD NOT BE WHO I AM IF I DIDN'T STAND UP AND ADVOCATE. THAT'S WHAT I GET PAID TO DO FOR JUSTICE AND I THINK THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT THE RULES ARE THE RULES AND THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO MAKE DECISIONS BECAUSE IT'S A PREVIEW, A PURVIEW OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU CALL IT OF THE CHAIR. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AS A BODY TO REALLY START THINKING ABOUT HOW WE FUNCTION AS A BODY AND THAT IT DOESN'T FEEL SO WEIRD. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WORD IS BUT JUST FEELS WEIRD AND SO I BELIEVE AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GO ABOUT THE PROTOCOLS,  POLICIES AND PROCEDURES BUT IF IF THERE ARE A NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THIS BODY THAT HAVE QUESTIONS WHERE THIS PARTICULAR ITEM GETS PLACE, I BELIEVE THERE IS SUCH A PROCESS IN WHICH WE COULD ALSO GO ABOUT IN BRINGING IT UP FOR A RECONSIDERATION. I KNOW THAT TO BE THE CASE BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN AND I BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT THEIR BATTLES ARE.  BUT I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT NOTHING'S GOING TO CHANGE UNLESS WE CHANGE THE WAY WE ACCEPT THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO US AND I SEE US BECAUSE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND I AM HOPING THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO FUNCTION AS A BODY THAT WE DON'T BECOME YOU KNOW, WE DON'T USE THOSE MOMENTS TO SAY OH THERE'S CHAOS ON THE COUNCIL , NO, THIS IS HEALTHY DISCOURSE. THIS IS PART OF FUNCTIONING AS A BODY. THESE ARE THE SORT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO MANIFEST AND WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IS FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE ALL 13 MEMBERS OF THIS BODY FIGURE OUT HOW WE WORK TOGETHER AROUND THESE DISCOMFORT?  RIGHT. IT SHOULDN'T BE OH, SHE'S ALWAYS THE PROBLEM OR THIS ONE IS ALWAYS THIS NO, STOP. LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW WE HOW WE FUNCTION AND IF WE CAN HAVE SOME CONSISTENCY AND WE COULD HAVE SOME YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE ALL OF THESE SURPRISES BECAUSE I REALLY DID THINK IT WAS GOING TO GO INTO THE CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE AND THE FACT THAT IT DIDN'T IT IS QUESTIONABLE AND I RESPECT THE CHAIR AND YOUR LEADERSHIP BUT I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY USE THIS AS A TEACHABLE MOMENT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE FUNCTION IF WE REALLY WANT TO FUNCTION AS A BODY.  THANK YOU. CATCH MEJIA. I WILL JUST STATE THAT YOU KNOW, JUST LAST WEEK THERE WAS A HEARING ORDER THAT NEITHER THE CLERK'S OFFICE OR MY OFFICE BELONGED IN A COMMITTEE THAT THE FILER HERSELF WANTED TO HAVE IN HER COMMITTEE AND I PUT IT IN THAT COMMITTEE SO SOMETIMES THERE IS YOU FOLLOW A PATTERN AND SOMETIMES YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT YOUR COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE AND SOMETIMES YOU YOU DO LEAN ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED. SO THERE'S NO ONE RULE PROTOCOL PROCEDURE I'M THE CHAIR OF THIS BODY AND I MADE THE DECISION AND I BELIEVE THAT IT COULD GO IN A NUMBER OF COMMITTEES I PUT IN THE COMMITTEE THE WHOLE IT'S ALSO A DOCKET THAT I FILED ALONG WITH CO-SPONSORS.  WE FILED SOMETHING SIMILAR BUT I HEAR YOU AND I HEAR THAT THERE ARE OTHER COMMITTEES THAT THIS CAN GO INTO. I PUT IT INTO COMMITTEE ON THE WHOLE THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES IT COMES WITH AN INJURY. ANDERSON I'M SORRY BUT I'M PRESENT. THANK YOU.  NOT TO BELABOR THIS BUT BECAUSE I WAS ADDRESSED BY MY COLLEAGUE, I IT'S IT'S FOR ME IT'S NOT NECESSARILY I TRUST THAT THE WHOLE IS FINE.  IT'S NOT ABOUT LIKE I IT NEEDS TO BE MY COMMITTEE. I DON'T I UNDERSTAND IT. I DON'T AGREE AND I DON'T RESPECT IT BUT I DO UNDERSTAND IT AND THAT'S OKAY AND I DO THINK THAT THE PROCESS WILL BE JUST FINE IN THAT COMMITTEE.  I'M NOT THROWING IN THE TOWEL. I'M JUST IT'S I'M NEUTRAL ABOUT IT.  AND I DO THINK THAT MADAM PRESIDENT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT SHE'S DOING IT BECAUSE OF A PATTERN BECAUSE IT'S HER CHOICE NOT THERE WAS NO JUSTIFICATION IN TERMS OF THIS IS ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS AND I'M CHOOSING NOT TO PUT IT IN CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE CHOOSING TO GO TO THIS BECAUSE IT'S A CHOICE. IT'S MY CHOICE AND THAT'S VERY CLEAR TO ME AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT. I UNDERSTAND IT. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR AND I JUST CONSIDER AND CONSIDER GOING TO HAVE THE FLOOR AND THEN LOOK AGAIN WE'RE MOVING ON BECAUSE YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT I JUST WANTED TO JUST SAY THERE HAVE MULTIPLE TIMES THAT THINGS HAVE NOT GONE INTO PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION THAT I'VE WANTED TO GO INTO PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION AND THE REASON WHY I HAVE NOT PICKED THESE FIGHTS ON THE FLOOR IS BECAUSE I TRUST IN YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I TRUST WHEN I VOTED FOR YOU FOR PRESIDENT THAT YOU WOULD MAKE THESE DECISIONS. SO THAT'S JUST ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT. WE DON'T ALWAYS GET THE COMMITTEE THAT WE WANT BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TRUST IN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PRESIDENT.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKIN. WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS.  PLEASE REMEMBER THESE ARE UPCOMING DATES AND EVENTS. SOME OF THESE HAVE ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED BUT WANTED TO MENTION THAT ON NOVEMBER 7TH THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT IS HAVING THEIR ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY ON NOVEMBER 9TH. THERE'S A VETERANS DAY WINDING THAT'S AT 104 MT. VERNON ON NOVEMBER 11TH. THERE'S THE UNSUNG BLACK VETERANS EVENT AT GORDON VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK AND ON NOVEMBER 8TH THE STRONG VETERANS DAY LUNCHEON CEREMONY AT THE VERONICA B SMITH SENIOR CENTER.  DO ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS?  OKAY. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO MEMORIALS.  WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO UPLIFT ANYONE? OH OH, SORRY I DIDN'T SEE YOUR LIGHT. THE CHAIR IS JUST ON ANNOUNCEMENTS.  THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WEBER. COUNCILMEMBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO WRONG LIGHT.  YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO ANNOUNCE A PEACE WALK THROUGH JACKSON SQUARE BEING HOSTED BY THE DC AND JACKSON SQUARE LOVES IT STARTS AT MOZART PARK SATURDAY AT 11 A.M. NOVEMBER 9TH. SATURDAY AT 11 A.M. STARTED FROM MOZART PARK AND IT'S A IT'S A IT'S A WALK FOR CALLING FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR YOUTH SENIORS AND OVERALL COMMUNITY IN JACKSON SQUARE. THANK YOU THANK YOU THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES HAVE RIBBON BECAUSE WE'RE OPENING UP THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ON FRIDAY EVENING AT THE SQUARE ROOT AND ROSE NO ROSé GREEN AND CLEAN IT'S GOING TO BE CELEBRATING THEIR ANNIVERSARY. SO ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED STOP BY AND THEN ON SATURDAY NIGHT SEE EDITORIALS.  GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH IS CELEBRATING THEIR GALA AS WELL. SO SHOUT OUT TO OUR CITY CLERK ALEX. SO I'LL SEE YOU THERE. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKIN HAS A DARKENING OF THE FLOOR. OH, I'M SORRY . I BELIEVE LIZ HAS ALREADY HAD A LIGHT ON FIRST, BUT IT'S OKAY. COUNCILOR BREADON, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU. AND JUST A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT THIS AFTERNOON. EVENING. 530 TO 730 AT THE HOLDEN BRANCH LIBRARY. VETERANS CURRENT OF FALLEN HEROES ARE HERE. HERO SQUARE DEDICATION.  I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A REVIEW OF SOME OF THE FALLEN HEROES FROM ALLSTON BRIGHTON SO THEY DID THIS EVENT LAST YEAR AND IT WAS VERY MOVING AND SOME OF THE GOLD STAR FAMILIES WERE ABLE TO ATTEND IT AND IT WAS REALLY APPROPRIATE SO I HOPE FOLKS CAN JOIN US THIS EVENING AGAIN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR BREADON THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CANCER DURKIN KAISER DURKIN HERE ON THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . PRESIDENT I JUST WANTED TO INVITE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH AT 6 P.M. I'LL BE HOSTING MY SECOND TURKEY DINNER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RED SOX AT 521 OVERLOOK AND I HOPE EVERYONE CAN JOIN ME AT IT'S A GREAT COMMUNITY EVENT AND WE'LL SEE A LOT OF COMMUNITY LEADERS THERE SO HOPE YOU CAN JOIN US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WITH ANNOUNCEMENTS? OKAY. WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO MEMORIALS.  WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING AND SPEAK ON ANYONE WHO HAS PASSED?  TODAY WE WILL ADJOURN OUR MEETING IN MEMORY OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL RL STEPHEN HOLDGATE ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL WITH A PEN. MARIO EVANS.  A MOMENT OF SILENCE.  THANK YOU AS WE CONTINUE TO HOLD MICHAEL IN OUR PRAYERS AS WE JUST WANTED TO STATE TO ALL OF OUR TRANS SIBLINGS TO OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, TO EVERYONE WHO FEELS AS AND AS IF THEY ARE IN A STATE OF DESPAIR. OUR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES, OUR FOLKS WHO ARE TRYING TO ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE.  WE SEE YOU. WE HEAR YOU. WE ARE YOU AND THE CITY OF BOSTON WILL FOREVER BE WITH YOU BECAUSE WE ARE A CITY THAT STANDS WITH EVERYONE WHO HAS THEIR BACKS.  WE ARE A CITY THAT WITH EVERYONE WHO HAS THEIR BACKS AGAINST THE WALL.  WE CELEBRATE EACH OTHER. WE ARE EACH OTHER'S KEEPER. LET'S DO THAT TODAY REGARDLESS OF WHO IS IN POWER OR ISN'T IN POWER. LET'S DO THAT EVERY DAY. THANK YOU. THE COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO MEET AGAIN IN ANOTHER CHAMBER ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH, 2024 AT 12 NOON. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES CENTRAL STAFF, THE CLERK IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE COUNCIL STENOGRAPHER ALL IN FAVOR OF A GERMAN. PLEASE SAY I. THE COUNCIL ADJOURNED. THANK Y