MOURNING. >> MY NAME IS BEN WEBER. I'M THE DISTRICT SIX CITY COUNCILOR AND THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. TODAY IS APRIL 30TH, 2026 AND
EXACT TIME IS 10:22 A.M.. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT'S ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED AT BOSTON.GOV/CITY COUNCIL TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT OR CN CHANNEL 82
AND FILES CHANNEL 964. THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS WILL ENCOMPASS A SERIES OF HEARINGS WHICH BEGIN IN APRIL AND RUN THROUGH JUNE. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS
TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS IN ONE OF SEVERAL WAYS. UM UH, FIRST, UH YOU CAN VIEW OUR HEARING SCHEDULE ON OUR WEBSITE AT
BOSTON.COM/COUNCIL-BUDGET. YOU CAN ATTEND ONE OF OUR HEARINGS UH AND PROVIDE TESTIMONY THERE IN PERSON HERE IN THE CHAMBER OR ONLINE. UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
TESTIFY IN PERSON, PLEASE SIGN UP AT THE SIGN IN SHEET AT THE DOOR. IF YOU WANT TO TESTIFY ONLINE, YOU CAN EMAIL EITHER THE, UH
SEQUIM@BOSTON.GOV THAT'S THE COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE OR OUR UH DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE BUDGET ANALYSIS CHRIS MITCHELL ON A K
R ISH MA DOTS AND@BOSTON.GOV. UH YOU CAN UM YOU CAN ALSO UH WHEN YOU'RE UH CALLED ON TO TESTIFY YOU'LL BE CALLED ON THE ORDER OF ARRIVAL.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES UH, TO GIVE YOUR TESTIMONY PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AFFILIATION WHERE YOU LIVE AND UH, AGAIN PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO TWO MINUTES.
UM, IN LIEU OF TESTIFYING YOU, UH, IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY, YOU CAN SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE COMMITTEE AT SEQUIM@BOSTON.GOV. UH, LASTLY, YOU CAN SUBMIT A TWO MINUTE VIDEO OF YOUR
TESTIMONY THROUGH THE FORM ON OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW TO TESTIFY, PLEASE VISIT THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET WEBSITE
AT BOSTON.COM/COUNCIL-BUDGET. TODAY'S UH OR THIS MORNING'S HEARINGS UH, HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBERS 073320740 AN OVERVIEW OF THE FY 27 OPERATING
BUDGET FOR THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INCLUSION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF SUPPLIER DIVERSITY. UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE SERIES OF HEARINGS WILL BE HOLDING ON THE UH, FISCAL YEAR 2027
BUDGET. UH, THESE MATTERS WERE SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL 8TH, 2026. TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR FLYNN,
COUNCILOR MURPHY, COUNCILOR CULPEPER, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND COUNCILOR DURKAN. WE'VE RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCILOR SANTANA. SO AT THESE BUDGET HEARINGS WE WAIVE, UH, OPENING STATEMENTS.
I'M JUST GOING TO GO TO THE PANEL WE'LL INTRODUCE NOW. UH, WE'RE JOINED BY INTERIM CHIEF OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INCLUSION DON WRIGHT. UH, DIRECTOR OF SMALL BUSINESS ALICIA PERSONA.
UH, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS UH UH, JOE OLIVIA BURROWS AND UH, DIRECTOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SUPPLIER DIVERSITY ANDREA CARRUTH. UH, SO I KNOW YOU HAVE A
PRESENTATION. WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND, UH, SO THE FLOOR IS NOW. SO I'VE ALSO WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR BRAYTON.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR COUNCILOR WEBER AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO COME BEFORE YOU IN THE CAPACITY OF INTERIM CHIEF OF ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY INCLUSION AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO DISCUSS OUR BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2027.
DO HAVE CLICKERS THAT. JUST TURN. UH I. DON'T I DO. UH THANK YOU. YOU CAN HAVE MY COPY HERE.
YES. >> CORRECT. UH, OKAY. HAVING A LITTLE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY YOU. IT'S OKAY. >> IF YOU DOES EVERYONE HAVE
UH. WELL I GUESS. OKAY. GREAT. OKAY. YEAH I THINK YEAH, I THINK WE MADE UP TO THE STAFF TO PRINT
OUT SO COUNCILOR FLYNN WE'LL. >> GET YOU WILL GET YOU ON CUSTOMER FEEDBACK COPY. YOU READY?
YEAH. I PROCEED. YES. OKAY. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INCLUSION AT LEAST FOR SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SMALL BUSINESS
ANDREA CORRELL, DIRECTOR OF SUPPLY DIVERSITY AND OLIVIA BARROWS, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS . THE OFFICE OF THE CABINET OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
INCLUSION IS MADE UP OF UH FOUR DEPARTMENTS, TWO OF WHICH WE WILL BE SPEAKING ABOUT TODAY AND THAT'S THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INCLUSION, THE OFFICE OF SUPPLY DIVERSITY.
OUR VISION. IS ONE OF RESILIENT, EQUITABLE ,SUSTAINABLE AND VIBRANT CITY THAT CENTERS ON PEOPLE AND CREATES OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH UH, IN ALL
COMMUNITIES. UM, AS WE UNDERSTAND EQUITY IN THE PRODUCTIVE PROCESS OF PROVIDING HISTORICAL EXCLUDED COMMUNITIES AND
RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED TO LIVE AND THRIVE IN BOSTON AND WE UNDERSTAND EQUITY TO BE A PRODUCTIVE PROCESS OF PROVIDING HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED COMMUNITIES. EXCUSE ME REPEATING THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO
LIVE AND THRIVE IN BOSTON. AND WHILE THE NATIONAL DISCOURSE MAY BE REGRESSING, WE WILL REMAIN DEDICATED TO EQUITY. THE PRINCIPLES CONTINUE TO BE TO SERVE AS THE ESSENTIAL FRAMEWORK FOR EVERY PROGRAM,
POLICY AND PRACTICE. OUR CABINET IMPLEMENTS. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. INCLUSION IS MADE UP OF THE BUSINESS STRATEGY UNIT THE
OFFICE OF NIGHT LIKE THE ECONOMY, ECONOMIC AND STRATEGIC PLANNING, OPERATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS POLICY AND THE OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS.
THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS STRATEGY WORKS TO LARGELY ENGAGE WITH COMPANIES OF ALL SIZES SUPPORTING THEIR RELOCATION, EXPANSION AND LONG TERM GROWTH. IN BOSTON WE FOCUS ON
ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESSES, RETAINING EXISTING BUSINESSES AND BUILDING LASTING RELATIONSHIPS TO ENSURE BOSTON REMAINS A VIBRANT PLACE FOR EVERY BUSINESS TO SUCCEED.
THE BUSINESS STRATEGY TEAM HAS ENGAGED, RECRUITED AND SUPPORTED 150 COMPANIES INCLUDING NEW US HEADQUARTERS AND GROUNDS UP GRAND OPENINGS FOR THEIR.
MORE LOVABLE LYDIAN AND THE GERMAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN THEIR BOSTON CHAPTER AND ELECTRIFIED THERMAL SOLUTIONS. WE'VE HOSTED 15 EVENTS AND WILL
HOST CLIMATE TECH CROSSING ON MAY 6TH TO HIGHLIGHT THE CLIMATE CLIMATE INNOVATIONS EMERGING FROM BOSTON. YOU CAN'T BE BOSTON IS A NEW
INITIATIVE LAUNCHED IN 2026 UH APRIL OF 2026 TO ATTRACT TALENT AND INVESTMENT. FEATURING A COLLABORATIVE CAMPAIGN, A THEME SONG, A HARPOON BREWERY PARTNERSHIP AND
ITS DIRECT RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAYOR'S BUSINESS RECRUITMENT TASK FORCE WAS CONVENED AND LED BY THE OFFICE OF BUSINESS STRATEGY IN 2024 TO ADVISE THE CITY ON STRATEGIES
TO ADVANCE BUSINESS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AS A GLOBAL LEADER IN LIFE SCIENCES, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION, BOSTON REMAINS
A TOP DESTINATION FOR FOREIGN TRADE AND INVESTMENT. IN FY 26 THE GLOBAL AFFAIRS HOSTED THE GLOBAL BUSINESS CONNECT EVENT CONVENING 50 PLUS STAKEHOLDERS FROM 30
COMMUNITIES. WE WILL WELCOME 50 PLUS DELEGATIONS FROM 26 COUNTRIES TO CITY HALL AND IN APRIL MERRILL ANNOUNCED A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS
RECRUITMENT FUND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AMITY BANK AND THE BOSTON FOUNDATION AT THE US OPEN BUSINESS SUMMIT. UH BUILDING ON MOMENTUM FROM THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT'S NEW
TRADE OFFICE IN BOSTON. THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT TEAM REMAINS COMMITTED TO ENSURING EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION AT ALL LEVELS OF THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY TO
PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND FY 26 WE LAUNCHED A CENTRALIZED CANNABIS HUB WEBSITE SHIFTING FROM A
BUSINESS ONLY MODEL TO TEAM UH . THE TEAM AWARDED 280,000 IN CONTRACTS TO FIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE DIRECT 1 TO 1 SUPPORT TO
CANNABIS EQUITY APPLICANTS. WE AWARDED 350,000 IN GRANTS TO CREATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR EQUITY UH ELIGIBLE EQUITY BUSINESSES. FROM JUNE 15TH TO THE 21ST WE
WILL BE HOSTING OUR FIRST ANNUAL OUR FOURTH ANNUAL CANNABIS EMPOWERMENT WEEK HIGHLIGHTING THE NEWLY REGULATED SOCIAL AND SOCIAL CONSUMPTION LICENSE TYPES.
OUR ECONOMIC PLANNING TEAM WORKS ACROSS E, EOC AND CITY DEPARTMENTS ON A NUMBER OF CHIEF AND MARY PRIORITIES LED BY PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOCUSED
INITIATIVES. THE UH SMALL TEAM CONSISTS OF TWO FULL TIME STAFF AND ONE RECENTLY WILL NO LONGER WITH US UH RAPPAPORT FELLOW. SOME OF THE PROGRAM INITIATIVES
HERE ARE THE COMMERCIAL ACQUISITION UH PROGRAM AND WEST BOSTON AND THE UP CORNER IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. OUR OFFICE OF NIGHTLIFE ECONOMY
,WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE SPRING OF 2023, UH ONEY IS FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT BOSTON'S NIGHTLIFE IS NOT ONLY VIBRANT BUT SAFE AND WELCOMING FOR EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATES
IN THE WORKERS, OPERATORS AND PATRONS ALIKE. A CORE PART OF OUR WORK IS COLLABORATION. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH VENUE OPERATORS, PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES, PUBLIC HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS AND WORKERS ACROSS THE NIGHTLIFE ECONOMY TO IDENTIFY CHALLENGES AND IMPLEMENT PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS. THE LATE NIGHT FOOD TRUCK PROGRAM WAS ONE OF THE KEY INITIATIVES IN THE PAST YEAR
THAT WAS LAUNCHED IN THE SUMMER OF 25. THE PROGRAM EXTENDS THE VIBRANCY OF OUR STREETS AND PROVIDES A VITAL NEW PLATFORM FOR BUSINESS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO THRIVE.
THE LATE NIGHT FOOD TRUCK PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE IS MORE THAN ABOUT MEALS. IT IS ABOUT UNLOCKING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOSTON'S ENTREPRENEURS AND INCREASING ACCESS TO LATE NIGHT FOOD.
THIS INITIATIVE IS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO CONVERSATIONS WITH RESIDENTS, WORKERS AND BUSINESSES AS THEY INDICATED THE NEED FOR MORE FOOD OPTIONS AFTER HOURS. WE'RE EXCITED TO LAUNCH THIS
YEAR'S LINE UP NEXT MONTH. NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ALISHA TO TALK ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS. THANK YOU, CHIEF WRIGHT. GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ALISHA CENA. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF SMALL BUSINESS. BOSTON IS HOME TO OVER 18,000 SMALL BUSINESSES THAT EMPLOYS OVER 127 PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY AND GENERATES MORE THAN $28 BILLION IN REVENUE EACH YEAR. OUR TEAM PROVIDES SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WITH THE TOOLS AND GUIDANCE TO SUCCESSFULLY GROW, START AND BUILD A
BUSINESS IN BOSTON. I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY TEAM OF 18 INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OVER THE PAST YEAR AND THANK THE COUNCIL FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THIS SLIDE SHOWS A BREAKDOWN
OF SOME OF OUR PROGRAM AND INITIATIVES. SO I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THAT OKAY.
OKAY HERE WE GO. SO OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS LED BY EMILY PATRICK PAIRS ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESS OWNERS WITH CONSULTANTS AND SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTS TO ADDRESS AREAS OF CONCERNS ON A PROJECT BASIS. THEY ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE BUSINESS OWNERS WITH THE TOOLS NEEDED TO START, STRENGTHEN OR EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS. WE WANT TO ENSURE WE ARE
MEETING BUSINESSES WHERE THEY ARE, HELP CREATE STABILITY FOR OUR BUSINESSES, RETAIN JOBS, CURB DISPLACEMENT AND CLOSURE HERE ARE SOME OF OUR NUMBERS TO DATE AND THE TEAM IS STILL
GOING THIS FLIER'S AN EXAMPLE OF A MULTI SERIES WORKSHOP STARTING NEXT WEEK CENTERED AROUND THE PHYSICAL FITNESS INDUSTRY BUSINESS THAT'S GOING TO BE IN ROXBURY.
UM AND THE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF OUR LARGEST PROGRAMS AND MOST WIDELY USED ACROSS THE CITY. OUR OUTDOOR DINING PROGRAM FACILITATES PERMITTING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR
RESTAURANTS SEEKING TO EXPAND THEIR SEATING CAPACITY BY UTILIZING CITY SIDEWALKS IN PUBLICLY OWNED STREETS THROUGHOUT THE SPRING TO LATE FALL SEASON. THE SEASON OFFICIALLY BEGINS TOMORROW, FRIDAY, MAY 1ST SO
THE NUMBERS IN RED ARE FROM LAST YEAR. BUT I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE ARE ON TRACK TO SURPASS LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS. UH UH WE'RE HAPPY.
WE CAN. KEEP ON. >> GOING OKAY. LOOKS LIKE JUST KEEP US. YEAH. >> IF YOU HOLD IT.
TOO LONG I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. OUR MAIN STREETS PROGRAM IS REALLY THE INTERSECTION OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. BY SUPPORTING THESE INDEPENDENT
501 C3 NONPROFITS, WE SUPPORT THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE PHYSICAL CONDITION AND APPEARANCE OF OUR DISTRICTS AND EXPAND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY BY ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESSES.
OUR MAIN STREETS ARE INTEGRAL TO INCREASING NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMERCIAL VITALITY. THE THE PHOTOS ARE NOT EVEN A GLIMPSE OF WHAT THE MAIN STREETS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH HAVE HAVE
HAD A COMBINED ATTENDANCE OF OVER 120,000 PEOPLE. SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE TASTE OF EAST ALLSTON AND ROSLINDALE HOLIDAY MARKETS, FARMERS MARKETS, POP UPS, OUTDOOR PERFORMANCES AND
FESTIVALS SUCH AS DOORS TORCH FEST AND THEY ALSO ADDRESS REAL CONCERNS IN THE COMMUNITY. I WANT TO SPOTLIGHT CHINATOWN MAIN STREETS LED BY DEBBIE WHO WORKED ON URBAN HEAT CONCERNS THIS PAST SUMMER AND PARTNERED
WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND NONPROFITS IN CHINATOWN TO BUILD A COMMUNICATION NETWORK TO CIRCULATE INFORMATION DURING HEAT EMERGENCIES THEY ACQUIRED ,DEPLOYED AND MANAGED MISSING
TEN COOLING STATIONS IN CHINATOWN DURING A SERIES OF HEAT EMERGENCIES AND MADE IT AN ACTIVATION. THIS LED TO THEM BECOMING A NATIONAL EXAMPLE FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE US
FACING SIMILAR CHALLENGES. THEY CONTINUE TO DO NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUPS AS WELL. THE LIST REALLY IS ENDLESS FOR HOW THEY SUPPORT OUR COMMERCIAL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS
MURAL INSTALLATIONS, DISTRICT CLEANUPS, PLANTING DAYS AND ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITIES FROM HOSTING COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND DISTRICT WALKS WITH LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS. THROUGH THEIR PARTNERSHIP, RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO CONNECT MORE WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS
AND BUSINESSES AND TAKE PRIDE IN THE COMMUNITY CREATING A SENSE OF BELONGING. SO IN THE INTEREST OF TIME I'M JUST GOING TO SKIP I UM I'M JUST GOING TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THESE SLIDES QUICKLY OUR LEGACY BIG.
BUT UH YEAH. OUR LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM CELEBRATES 30 LONGSTANDING BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN STRONG THAT HAVE MADE STRONG CONVICTIONS, CONTRIBUTIONS TO
OUR CULTURAL FABRIC, TO THE CULTURAL FABRIC OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. MAY SMALL BUSINESS MONTH ASIDE FROM OUR CORE PROGRAMING WE DO INITIATIVES AS WELL SUCH AS
THIS. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MAY TO HIGHLIGHT LOCAL BUSINESSES AND STRONG BUSINESS IN THE STRONG BUSINESS SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT IS BOSTON. WE HAVE OVER 30 EVENTS ACROSS
THE CITY HOSTED OR SUPPORTED BY OUR OFFICE AND WE HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE HERE TAKE PART IN THE EVENTS BRINGING VIBRANCY TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, INCREASING FOOT TRAFFIC AND SPENDING DOLLARS IN
OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. HERE'S A LIST OF THE 20 PARTNERS WHO RECEIVED UH, GRANTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ACTIVATING ALL MONTH LONG IN
MAY, RESTORE BOSTON HELPS ELIGIBLE BUSINESSES AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS IMPROVE THEIR STOREFRONTS BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL AND DESIGN ASSISTANCE FOR SIGNAGE AND FACADE RENOVATIONS.
THIS PROGRAM HAS UNDOUBTEDLY HAD THE MOST IMPROVEMENT OVER THE OVER THE PAST YEAR. THIS TEAM LED BY ERIN SLIFER AND RENA GIFT TOPLESS HAVE BEEN WORKING EXTREMELY HARD TO
ADDRESS THE BACKLOG OF PROJECTS AND MAKE UPDATES TO THE PROGRAM. I'M HAPPY TO REPORT WE HAVE STREAMLINED OUR PROCESSES, CREATED A PILOT ONLINE APPLICATION THAT HAS SINCE BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED AND IT'S ALSO
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE CITY'S INVESTMENT IS A REAL CATALYST WHICH ALLOWS FOR THE LEVERAGING OF PRIVATE INVESTMENT FROM BUSINESS OWNERS . NOT ONLY IS THE MONEY GOING BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, BUT THIS WORK ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO
JOB CREATION. THIS IS A PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN PHYSICALLY SEE THE DIFFERENCE IF YOU WALK IN. WHAT HAPPENS WHERE WE WORKED ON A PROJECT THAT WAS NINE STOREFRONTS ACROSS SEVEN
BUSINESSES OR WALKED DOWN TO 64 TO 268 BOWDOIN STREET HOME TO SOME LEGACY BUSINESSES YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE. TO DATE WE HAVE 17 COMPLETED PROJECTS AND SOME ARE FEATURED ON THIS SLIDE.
WE HAVE TURKISH LITERARY CAFE IN AUSTIN THAT WAS AN EXPANSION OF A SMALL FAMILY OWNED BAKERY AND CREATION OF A NEW CAFE IN A VACANT COMMERCIAL SPACE COMMUNITY CARE PHARMACY IN
DORCHESTER THAT'S AN INDEPENDENT PHARMACY AND THEN MOST RECENTLY WE HAVE GAMING SPACE IN MIAMI RESTAURANT IN JP THAT HAD NEW SIGNAGE AS WELL. THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE
HOLISTIC APPROACH THAT OUR OFFICE TAKES. UH, EARLIER THIS MONTH WE GOT TO CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF BROWN BEAR XL XL LEARNING CENTER. UM THAT WAS RIGHT.
THAT IS RIGHT NEXT TO BOSTON FLOUR CO CO THEY WERE SPACE RECIPIENTS BUT ALSO THEY RECEIVED SIGNAGE AS WELL. IN ADDITION WE HAVE 17 PROJECTS COMMITTED WHICH WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO THEIR NEW SIGNAGE AND WORK UH IN THE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS THEIR NEW SIGNAGE GOING UP. THIS PROGRAM IS ON TRACK TO COMPLETE MORE PROJECTS THIS
YEAR SINCE BEFORE PRE-COVID TIMES. AND THEN. SOME OF. >> OUR ADDITIONAL. FOOD OKAY SORRY TO TEASE.
SOME OF OUR ADDITIONAL PROGRAMING. UM WE HAVE OVER THE PAST YEAR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS PROGRAM ADDRESSES CAPITAL GATE GRANT GOT CAPITAL GAPS FOR
ENTREPRENEURS AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT, UH, MY OFFICE IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT OUR WORK IS ACCESSIBLE. WE DO REACH UH, WE DO OUTREACH IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AND WORK ON POLICIES THAT ADDRESS THE
GAPS IN OUR BUSINESSES. IN CLOSING, I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF MY OFFICE AND THE WORK THAT WE DO AND CONTINUE TO DO. ACCESS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND WORKING WITH BUSINESS
OWNERS TO EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES IS THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON MY WORK.
OKAY SO MORNING EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING TO THE COUNCIL AND EVERYONE WHO PRESSED TO MAKE IT HERE. UH MY NAME IS ANDREA CARRUTH AND I AM GRATEFUL AND HUMBLED
TO COME HERE AND BE FOR YOU AND SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY DEPARTMENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF SUPPLY DIVERSITY. AND ESPECIALLY TO SO ALONG MY COLLEAGUES CHIEF WRIGHT AND DIRECTOR UM BARROWS AND
DIRECTOR FOR SANTA. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SHARE THAT WHEN I LEFT THE CITY OF SOMERVILLE AS A DEPUTY CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER, THE CITY OF SOMERVILLE WAS JUST
FINISHING ITS DISPARITY STUDY. AND SO TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AT THE CAPACITY AND THE LEVEL AT THE CITY OF BOSTON IS UM LEANING AND LEARNING FROM ITS PAST AND.
WORKING TO IMPLEMENT. SOLUTIONS TO BETTER CONNECT DIVERSE SUPPLIERS WITH CITY OPPORTUNITIES. UM, THAT WAS QUITE A DREAM. IT WAS QUITE A DREAM AND ESPECIALLY TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CULTIVATE GENERATIONAL WEALTH AND TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WHO IS HERE WHO HAS WORK TO BUILD THIS CITY, BUILD THE COMMUNITIES WITHIN IT WOULD HAVE SOME PART OF THAT.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR DEPARTMENT THE DEPARTMENT OF SUPPLY DIVERSITY. THE AIM TO BRING TRANSPARENCY, ACCESS, ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND GROWTH. TO THE PROCESS OF DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE HAVE THE. ROLE OF. OVERSIGHT AND THE CITY'S PLAN CALLED THE EQUITABLE
PROCUREMENT INITIATIVE AND WE SEEK TO LOWER ANY BARRIERS THAT BUSINESSES ENCOUNTER IN DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY. WE PARTNER WITH. DEPARTMENTS TO EMPOWER THEM TO
ENGAGE WITH DIVERSE SUPPLIERS WHILE ALSO GAINING QUALITY SERVICES FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS. AND OF COURSE WE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE AT THIS TIME WE PARTNER
CLOSELY WITH THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT TO EVALUATE OUR POLICIES AND SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY AND USER FRIENDLINESS FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS OUR
DIVERSE SUPPLIERS. AND THAT SAID, WHILE PROCUREMENT POLICY IS VITAL TO ACHIEVING OUR MISSION AS A DEPARTMENT, THERE ARE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT REQUIRE THE
ENGAGEMENT OF AUDITING AND LAW AND SO MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS. AND I CAN GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE UM, WHEN IT COMES TO BARRIERS THAT ARE. REGULATORY IN NATURE, THE CITY CANNOT PAY FOR SERVICES UNTIL
THEY ARE RENDERED AS MOST OF US KNOW WELL WHEN IT COMES TO EMERGING BUSINESSES, THAT MEANS YOU NEED CAPITAL TO PAY TO PURCHASE UH, MATERIALS AND TO PAY PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK
BEFORE YOU ARE PAID. AND I COULD IMAGINE I'M SURE WE ALL CAN IMAGINE THAT THAT IS A PRETTY RISKY SITUATION FOR SOME OF OUR DIVERSE SUPPLIERS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO EXPANDING OUR FOCUS AS A DEPARTMENT TO BE
ABLE TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM AS WELL. AND SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE AIM TO ENCOURAGE TRANSPARENCY, ACCESS,
ACCOUNTABILITY. AND GROWTH. WE CERTIFY BUSINESSES TO HIGHLIGHT THEM AS AN OPTION FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT MOST OF OUR DEPARTMENTS UM THEY HAVE A
TRIED AND TRUE WAY OF DOING THINGS THAT HAVE TO HELP THEM CONSISTENTLY PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY SERVICES TO OUR CONSTITUENTS. THEREFORE, WE REALIZE THE NEED
IN 2022 TO CREATE A PROCUREMENT OPTION NAMED THE INCLUSIVE QUOTE CONTRACT THAT MAKES IT EASIER TO ENGAGE WITH DIVERSE SUPPLIERS IN LESS TIME AND
GREATER VALUE. THAN YOUR REGULAR STANDARD WRITTEN QUOTE CONTRACT AND THE INVITATIONS TO BID NOW INCLUSIVE QUOTE CONTRACTS ALLOW FOR DEPARTMENTS TO RELEASE
QUOTES TO THREE OR MORE DIVERSE BUSINESSES FOR GOODS AND SERVICES BETWEEN 10,000 AND 20 $250,000 IN A SHORTER TIME THAT IT TAKES TO RELEASE AN
INVITATION TO BID. AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE EXCEEDS THEY ACCOUNT FOR 3.2 MILLION OF THE $115 MILLION THAT WE
RECEIVE FOR DIVERSE SUPPLIERS JUST FOR Q1 TO Q3 AND JUST MOVING ON TO OTHER PARTS OF THIS SLIDE HERE WE WE INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY ALSO WITH THE CREATION OF THE EQUITABLE COMPLIANCE FORM THAT REQUIRES DEPARTMENTS TO DOCUMENT THEIR ATTEMPTS TO ENGAGE WITH DIVERSE SUPPLIERS FOR EVERY LEVEL
OF PROCUREMENT. IN ADDITION, WE CREATED THE FIRST EVER DASHBOARD ON A MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WITH THE WHITE STADIUM DASHBOARD THAT ALLOWS FOR EVERYONE TO TRACK
THE PROGRESS THE CITY IS MAKING WITH MEETING OUR GOALS FOR SPENDING WITH. MINORITY AND. >> WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES AS WELL AS SMALL AND LOCAL BUSINESSES, THAT WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND FOR THE CITY AND
THIS DASHBOARD IS A WORK IN PROGRESS AS WE WORK TO REFINE HOW WE COMMUNICATE THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THIS PROJECT. BUT IT IS ONE OF THE INNOVATIONS THAT WERE BORN OUT
OF THIS PROJECT, INCLUDING THE CREATION OF AN ADVISORY BOARD THAT ALLOWS US TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY AND BETTER DISSEMINATE INFORMATION AND
OPPORTUNITIES. NOW I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT LET'S SAY NINE MONTHS BUT WHEN I CAME TO THE DEPARTMENT THERE WAS ALREADY A MIGHTY TEAM
WAITING FOR ME PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN PUSHING THE MISSION OF OUR DEPARTMENT TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESSES OF ALL KINDS IN BOSTON PEOPLE LIKE STACY WILLIAMS WHO CARRY
20 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING WITH MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED CERTIFICATION. SHE HAS BEEN THE LIFEBLOOD, I WOULD SAY OF THIS DEPARTMENT. SHE HAS KEPT US GOING AND
CONSISTENT AND I HONOR HER WORK . SHE IS SUPPORTED BY TWO OTHERS JESSICA DE SILVA AND ADRIAN HAUGE, WHO HAVE TEN AND 20 PLUS YEARS RESPECTIVELY WORKING WITH THE CITY.
AND THEY PROVIDE PERSONALIZED SERVICE IN A TIME WHEN EVERYONE'S MOVING TO AI AND DOING DIFFERENT THINGS. WE PROVIDE VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS WHERE SOMEONE CAN CONNECT WITH
AN ACTUAL PERSON ON WEDNESDAYS 11 TO 1 EVERY WEEK AND THAT TEAM HAS BEEN DOING IT FAITHFULLY. WE'VE HAD AT LEAST 77 VISITORS
IN THE LAST YEAR, AND THAT MEANS THAT ANYONE IN ANY STAGE OF THE PROCESS IS ABLE TO COME UP AND ASK A QUESTION WHETHER THEY'RE STARTING A BUSINESS, WHETHER THEY'RE READY FOR CERTIFICATION.
WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR. A REAL ANSWER. IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE HAVE ALSO FOCUS ON BUSINESS OUTREACH.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THIS MARKET. KNOW ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. AND SO WITH THAT WE HAVE BEEN PARTNERING WITH THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE
AN UPDATED BUYING PLAN AND THAT ENCOURAGES OUR DEPARTMENTS TO FORECAST THEIR NEEDS FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND GIVE PEOPLE ADEQUATE TIME TO MOBILIZE, MAKE THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT THEY NEED SO THEY CAN CONNECT AND BE
READY FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT, UM, AWAIT IN THE CITY WE HAVE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT WE HOLD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AND I'LL JUST MAKE NOTE OF AT LEAST A COUPLE OF THEM THE
SUPPLIER DIVERSITY WEEK IT'S AN ANNUAL. WEEK OF PROGRAMING THAT WE HAVE AND ONE INNOVATION I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT UM WAS ONE OF THE PRIORITIES OF SIS NO BIAS WHO
IS OUR DIVERSE BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT MANAGER. SHE PRIORITIZED MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD GOOD LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICE SERVICES FOR OUR WEBINARS. SO WE HAD AN INTERPRETER ON
HAND FOR OUR CERTIFICATION WORKSHOP AS WELL AS FOR OUR WORKSHOPS ON PROCUREMENT. AND I WILL NOTE THAT THE PROCUREMENT UM WORKSHOP HAD AT LEAST 80 PEOPLE OR SO IN ATTENDANCE AND WHEN IT COMES TO
THE PROGRAMING FOR THAT WEEK WE REACH 60% WHEN IT COMES TO OUR WALK IN ATTENDANCE AND MUCH OF THAT PROGRAM UM THE PROGRAMING OF THAT WEEK ALLOW FOR BUSINESSES TO CONNECT WITH
EACH OTHER AND NOT JUST WITH US. I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO BRING UP THE. BLACK HISTORY MONTH PANEL THAT WE HAD AND WE FEATURED AN ARRAY OF BUSINESSES.
WE HAD OUR LEGACY BUSINESS OWNERS, WE HAD OUR NEWER BUSINESSES. WE HAD WILLIE HICKS WHO HAS BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR QUITE A WHILE AND IS STILL HERE AND
WE HAD SOME WHO HAVE JUST BUILT A LOT OF REPUTATION AND A REPUTATION THAT IS FOCUSED ON BUILDING UP THEIR COMMUNITY AND SO THUMBPRINT REALTY, WE HAD
THEM IN THE ROOM AND WE ALLOWED THE SPACE FOR BUSINESSES TO LEARN FROM BUSINESSES WHO HAVE DONE WORK WITH THE CITY BUT ALSO WHO HAVE SURVIVED AND
THRIVED IN THIS CITY AS WELL. THAT BEING SAID, WE ALSO HAVE A PART OF OUR TEAM THAT FOCUSES ON ENGAGING AND EMPOWERING OUR DEPARTMENTS.
THEY ARE THE ONES WHO REALLY CONTROL THE PROCUREMENT THAT HAPPENS IN THE CITY. THEY MAKE THE DECISIONS AND WITH ALL THE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY HAVE, I APPRECIATE THAT
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD MORE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW OF THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM TO BE ABLE TO PROCURE AND TO ENGAGE WITH
DIVERSE SUPPLIERS. ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE DO THAT IS THROUGH TRAINING AND IN THIS PAST YEAR WE HAD UM OUR PROGRAM MONITORS FOR THE FIRST TIME
HOST A TRAINING FOR THE INCLUSIVE QUOTE CONTRACT AND THAT WAS AN EVENT THAT HAD ABOUT 70 PLUS PEOPLE FROM THE CITY, PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING PROCUREMENT ON THE DAY TO DAY.
WE WERE ABLE TO WALK THEM THROUGH THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT WE PROVIDE FOR THEM. TO HAVE ANOTHER OPTION AND AN
EASIER OPTION PERHAPS TO ENGAGE WITH SUPPLIERS AND THAT IS JUST I GUESS. THE A SIGN OF WHAT'S TO COME BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
>> OUR. PROGRAM MONITORS THE PEOPLE WHO ENGAGE WITH DEPARTMENTS TO HAVE GREATER ACCESS TO JUST THE WHOLE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. SO OVER. >> THE LAST YEAR WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON MAKING SURE THEY'RE
ENGAGED AT THE DRAFTING PHASE BEFORE THINGS ARE OUT AND ABOUT SO THAT WE ARE NOT JUST LETTING THEM KNOW WHO'S IN THE MARKET, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE RFP AND IN THE EYE OF FEES THAT ARE COMING OUT AND LOOKING AT
IT THROUGH THE SUPPLIER DIVERSITY LENS AS WELL. AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY WELCOMING WITH THAT. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ALLOW US TO FOCUS ON
THE SKILL. PROGRAM. AND THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS THAT WHILE IT WAS FUNDED THROUGH ARPA FUNDS, UM, WE HAD $5 MILLION OR SO
THAT WE USED TO HOLD UP THIS PROGRAM AND WE WORKED WITH THE CDPHE BDC, UM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO. WORK WITH. >> THEM AND WE'VE. >> WORKED WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS. THIS WAS A PROGRAM WHERE WE
PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT WAS INDUSTRY SPECIFIC TO BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WERE EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED AND WE ALSO PROVIDED MONEY AS WELL AND
WE GAVE THEM THE WISDOM ON HOW THEY CAN USE THAT MONEY TO BUILD CAPACITY WISELY FOR THEIR BUSINESSES. THE REASON I'M PROUD OF THIS PROGRAM IS BECAUSE IN MANY WAYS
WE CAN SEE THIS AS A PILOT FOR HOW WE CAN USE OUR GENERAL FUNDS TO HELP BUSINESSES AND CULTIVATE THEM. THIS PROGRAM IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN THE
CITY'S ABLE TO INTENTIONALLY FOCUS ON OUR EMERGING BUSINESSES AND GET THEM INTO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN HAVE A FRUITFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY.
AND ALL THIS WORK HAS ALLOWED US TO COME TO THE TIME WHERE WE CAN PROUDLY SAY FOR Q1 AND Q2 WE HAD ABOUT 10% OF OUR
CONTRACTING DOLLARS BE AWARDED TO CERTIFIED MWP EES AND THAT REPRESENTS 84 MILLION. AND OF THAT WE ALSO HAD 11.6%
OF OUR DISCRETIONARY SPEND SPEND ON CONTRACTORS HAVE ALREADY BEEN AWARDED AND EXECUTED IN THERE UNDERWAY IN THE CITY AND THAT REPRESENTS 72.5 MILLION. AND I'LL SAY THAT'S A GOOD FAR CRY FROM THE 2% THAT WE HAD
YEARS AGO. AND SO. THANK YOU. >> OKAY UH THAT. TO WRAP. >> IT UP OKAY. >> WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT AND WE'RE GOING TO GO TO QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
COUNCILOR FLYNN YOUR FIRST I'M GOING TO UH WE'LL DO SIX MINUTES FOR A FIRST ROUND. MR CHAIR, COULD, UH, REVEREND CULPEPPER TAKE MY SPOT? SURE. >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR, I WANT.
TO TRAVEL TO A FUNERAL. NO PROBLEM. JUST GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. SO YOU MENTIONED THERE WERE 2% AND GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU THIS MORNING. GOOD TO SEE YOU. >> AS WELL.
I SEE. MY GOOD FRIEND SAMUEL. TITLE COULD HAVE BEEN THE CITY COUNCIL. HE COULD BE SITTING RIGHT. THERE JUST A FEW MORE VOTES. UH.
>> BUT GOOD TO SEE HIM. GOOD TO SEE. UH. >> FORMER CHIEF IT ALL HERE THIS MORNING TAKING NOTES. GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU. AND, UH, EVERY.
TIME I SEE SAMMY I GO THE OTHER DIRECTION. UM. >> BUT. IT'S REALLY GOOD THAT HE'S WITH THE TEAM. AND I KNOW. HE'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE. UM. >> AND HE WOULD HAVE HAD HE WOULD COME THE CITY COUNCILORS
. AND SO. I'M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE HIM. YEAH. >> HE'S DOING GREAT WORK. WELL, WELL, LET ME ASK YOU A COUPLE QUESTIONS. I'VE GOT THREE AREAS I WANT TO. FOCUS ON.
SUPPLIER DIVERSITY AND I WANT TO FOCUS. ON BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT. AND I WANT TO FOCUS A LITTLE BIT ON. THE REPARATIONS TASK FORCE. AND SO THE BUDGET IS INCREASING
BY. $350,000 FOR THE REPARATION TASK FORCE. BUT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S MEANT BY THAT CONCLUSION BY THE CONCLUSION OF THE.
REPARATIONS TASK FORCE. DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE CITY IS ENDING? IT WENT THAT ONCE THAT REPORT WILL BE PUBLISHED AND WITH THE CURRENT HOW MUCH.
MORE WHERE'S THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING COMING. FROM THAT. WILL SUPPORT. >> THE REPARATIONS TASK FORCE? GOOD MORNING COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU. UM, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GET
BACK TO YOU WITH SOME MORE DETAILS ON ON ON THE REPARATIONS TASK AS I'M NOT AS VERSED UM AND IT COULD BE BUT I'LL LOOK. AT THOSE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. SO I'LL JUST SUBMIT THE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS TO THE CHAIR. UM. >> WELL, LET ME JUST ASK YOU
THIS BUT IT'S NOT. TERMINATING, IS IT? NOT THAT. >> I. KNOW WITH THE FUNDING DECREASE IT'S NOT. TERMINATING AND I. WANT YOU TO TELL ME HOW MUCH FUNDING WILL BE THERE TO
SUPPORT THE ADDITIONAL WORK THAT THE A TASK FORCE WILL BE DOING BECAUSE IT'S ISSUING A REPORT AND THERE'S AN IMPLEMENTATION PHASE OF. >> THE REPORT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
IT'S NOT ENDING, THAT THERE'S A COMMITMENT TO KEEP THE TASK FORCE MOVING FORWARD. BASED ON THE REPORT. THAT WE EXPECT THEM TO ISSUE. ALL RIGHT. >> I'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT COUNCIL. >> THANK YOU.
OKAY. LET ME MOVE TO, UH, THE OFFICE OF BLACK. MALE ADVANCEMENT. BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE. REALLY BEEN PRESSING. IN THIS BUDGET. AND, UM. COUNCILOR CULPEPPER, I ALSO WANT TO ADD. THAT I BELIEVE THAT.
QUESTION PERHAPS MIGHT BE BETTER ASKED WITH UM, EQUITY AND. >> INCLUSION CABINET AS WELL. THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING. OVER ECONOMIC. OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION. BUT THE INFORMATION AND THE
MONEY COMES WITH THE TASK FORCE STILL COMES UNDER. EQUITY AND. >> INCLUSION AND THE BUDGET. YEAH I WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT INCREASE. I WAS TALKING ABOUT WHETHER THE REPARATIONS TASK FORCE. CONTINUES BUT.
I FIND ALL I KNOW. YEAH IT ALL COMES UNDER THERE. WELL LET ME JUST UM ANDREW HAD A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU. THANK YOU. UH.
SO YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS $115 MILLION PUT ASIDE AND 3.2 MILLION WAS SPENT WITH THAT ON AND BWV. YES AND.
115 WERE SPENT DISCRETIONARY NO SPEND. OKAY SO CONTRACTS THAT ARE ALREADY EXECUTED AND THE CITY'S USING THEM AND SPENDING THEM. UM WE HAD 115 OR SO TO.
3.2 MILLION. >> THAT WAS UM FOR THE EXCESS THE VALUE OF THE EXCESS THAT WE HAD. AND SO THE BUDGET YOU'RE ABOUT
IS DECREASING BY 11%. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE SO FIVE DIVERSITY INCREASE ABOUT 11 11.2%. YES. >> HOW WILL THAT IMPACT THE
GOALS THAT YOU HAVE AND THE GOALS THAT YOU'VE SET ASIDE WITH REGARD TO ME IN THOSE WOULD BE PARTICIPATION. WELL AS I SAID I HAVE A MIGHTY TEAM AND SO WE HAVE BEEN VERY
RESOURCEFUL. WE'VE BEEN VERY FLEXIBLE AND WITH THE EXPERIENCE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE, THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE'RE BUILDING WITH BUSINESS SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS .
UH, I DON'T SEE THAT WE WOULD HAVE A BREAK IN THE QUALITY OF SERVICE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE. YOU TALKED ABOUT A DIVERSITY STUDY FOR SOME OF YOU. YES. >> THE DISPARITY STUDY. DISPARITY I'M SORRY DISPARITY.
WHAT ABOUT ONE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON? DO WE HAVE ONE OR DO WE HAVE ONE PLANNED? WELL WE ARE WORKING INTERNALLY UH, AND PREPARING AN RFP FOR THAT.
UM, BUT OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE BIGGER DECISIONS THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO PUT THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF. BUT YES, WE ARE. OUR PAY FOR DISPARITY STUDY. YES. >> AND WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THAT TO BE ISSUED?
I WILL SAY I HAD TO HAVE MORE INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A RESPONSE TO THAT. >> CAN YOU GET BACK TO ME? UM I AS. SOON AS YES. AS WE'VE MADE A DECISION. YES. AND THE 12% OF THE
DISCRETIONARY SPENDING THAT WAS PART OF THE $115 MILLION. WELL LET ME ASK ANOTHER QUESTION.
SO YOU SAID THERE WAS 2% AND WE'RE NOW UP TO 12%. WHAT'S THE GOAL FOR HIM THE CONTRACT. WHAT'S THE GOAL? THE GOAL IS NOT THE 12% RIGHT.
WHAT'S THE GOAL FOR THE OFFICE? WELL I MEAN AS A CITY OUR ASPIRATIONAL GOAL IS 25%. AND WE. AND THERE'S 11.6 ABOUT 12% BUT
YES 11.6 WITH DISCRETIONARY AND THAT WAS FOR Q1 AND Q2. COUNCILOR CULPEPPER BECAUSE YOU ASSUME YOU'RE GOING TO BE HERE FOR A SECOND ROUND IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. YEAH. >> CAN I HAVE TWO MORE? JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE
BLACK MALE. UM, THE BMA EQUITY STUDY THAT WAS TAKING PLACE AND WE NOTED IN THERE THAT THEY HAD A
$501,000 CUT THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH BASED ON THE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT GRANT FUNDING. THERE'S WELL, LET ME WELL, I'M
TELLING YOU THERE'S A 23.7% CUT 501. UM COUNCILOR SO. HOLD ON, HOLD ON, LET ME FINISH AND THEN I'LL GET TO YOU. THAT WAS PART OF THE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT GRANT FUNDING RIGHT
? DID THAT GRANT IT WOULD WILL THAT PROGRAM CONTINUE IT WILL IT WHERE'S THE MONEY GONNA COME FROM TO CONTINUE THAT GRANT?
SO OUR OUR CABINET IS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION THAT GRANT IS UNDER ECONOMIC NO THAT GRANT IS UNDER UH EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND SO BLACK BLACK
MALE ADVANCEMENT DOESN'T FALL UNDER OUR JURISDICTION. IT FELL UNDER THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION. NO NO COUNSELOR. THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT HERE I'M LOOKING AT THE BUDGET I'M LOOKING AT A $2.2
MILLION CUTS. I'M LOOKING AT THE BMA STUDY. WELL LET ME ASK YOU THIS. THEY DID A STUDY RIGHT THEN BMA
EQUITY STUDY IN FISCAL 26. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THIS? COUNCILOR CULPEPPER I THINK I MEAN THIS THIS HAPPENS TO EVERYONE WHO COMES THROUGH HERE.
UH, OFFICE OF, YOU KNOW, FAIR HOUSING LOSS OF HOUSING STABILITY. I MEAN, THEY'RE JUST SO WE WILL HAVE, UH, THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE DANCING BEFORE US AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO IT SEPARATELY. YES. OKAY. >> I WAS TRYING TO GET TO WHO
THEY CAME UNDER. NOT NOT ACTUALLY. AND I KNOW WE'LL GET TO THEM, BUT I WAS TRYING TO GET TO WHERE THE FUNDING COMES THROUGH . THE FUNDING COMES THROUGH OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
AND INCLUSION THAT'S. WHERE THEY'RE SAYING NOW. SO I KNOW IF THAT'S YOU CAN HAVE EVERYTHING AND DEFER TO THE PANELISTS ON THAT ANSWER. BUT UH IF WE CAN WE CAN
CERTAINLY UH OKAY. IF THERE'S SOME THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS THAT THE PANEL SHOULD BE ANSWERING AND THEY'RE NOT WHAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS OFFLINE OR GET A BRIEFING WITH OUR YOUR OFFICE. SURE.
WITH REGARD TO THE MAIN STREETS PROGRAM WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES. I DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT THE NUBIAN SQUARE THE MAIN ROXBURY MAIN STREET FOCUSING ON
NUBIAN SQUARE. WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR THE LAST WAY? MAIN STREET AS IT RELATES TO NUBIAN SQUARE. THERE'S NO CHANGES. UM. AND NO BUT WHAT'S THE PLAN?
WHAT'S THE PLAN? SO WE'RE FOCUSED BUT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON NUBIAN SQUARE LIKE WE HAVE BEEN WE'VE BEEN A UH ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN IN NUBIAN THE WHOLE TIME.
WE WE WE'VE JUST BEEN THERE. YEAH, I JUST WANT I KNOW IT'S GOOD BEING THERE, BUT WHAT'S THE PLAN? AND THAT'S A JUST WHEN YOU CAN
PROVIDE TO ME BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE SOME KIND OF PLAN FOR NUBIAN SQUARE BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN THEN AND YOU'RE JUST THERE I MEAN, HOW
WILL IT GROW WITHOUT A PLAN? EVERYTHING NEEDS A PLAN. JUST GIVE ME WHATEVER PLAN YOU HAVE FOR NUBIAN SQUARE THROUGH ROXBURY MAIN STREET. AND I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAD A MEETING RIGHT WITH SOME OF THE
BUSINESSES FROM NUBIAN SQUARE RECENTLY. WE JUST HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD WALK YESTERDAY AND. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT MEAN I'M. TALKING ABOUT. >> A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR AND SOME OF THE BUSINESSES FROM NUBIAN SQUARE. SO WE HAD A MEETING UH, WITH
REGARDS TO A NUBIAN SQUARE TASK FORCE. IS THAT WHAT YOU RIGHT. WELL, THAT'S PART OF THE PLAN. YEAH. WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR THE TASK FORCE? WELL, THERE'S A THERE ARE TWO
PARTS UH, TO A DEGREE THERE'S, UH, A MORE OPERATIONAL SIDE OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. SO THE ISSUES WITH, YOU KNOW, UM, PUBLIC REALM PUBLIC SAFETY THAT'S GOING TO BE ADDRESSED BUT THE TASK FORCE IS GOING TO
BE UH, TASKED WITH DOING UH, MORE SPECIFIC PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WORK. BUT JUST LET. >> ME KNOW WHEN YOU CAN LET ME KNOW THE PLAN WHEN YOU PUT THE PLAN TOGETHER. AND MY FINAL QUESTION. THAT WAS WHEN WANTED TOOK
QUESTION JUST JUST JUST BEFORE YOU SAY THIS SO THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION IS COMING BEFORE US MAY 12TH UNDER THE EQUITY INCLUSION OFFICE IS THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE
ADVANCEMENT COMMISSION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, FAIR HOUSING AND EQUITY, HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION UH LGBTQIA TWO PLUS ADVANCEMENT OFFICE FOR IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT.
OFFICE OF EQUITY, OFFICE OF LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS AND WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT . SO UH, MAY 12TH I'LL. SAY THOSE QUESTIONS I DID HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION WITH REGARD
TO THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS . RIGHT. UH, AND WITH THE FIVE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS WE KNOW THE FINAL TOUCHES HAD SOME ISSUES. THEY WERE IN TROUBLE BUT I THINK WE'VE WORKED THAT THROUGH RIGHT. CAN WE. CAN YOU SHOW ME THAT THOSE FIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS
WILL NOW BE WORKING WITH FINAL TWO TO HELP THEM WORK THROUGH WITH SOME OF THOSE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE FACING. FINAL TOUCHES RECEIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. NO NO I.
JUST WOULD YOU I MEAN AND AND I THINK IT'S GREAT BUT THEY PROBABLY NEED MORE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET IT. BECAUSE YOU. >> HAVE THESE FIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. RIGHT. >> WE'VE WE'VE WE'VE ALWAYS
PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RIGHT. AND WE HAVE PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RECENTLY WITH UH TRYING TO GET THEM TO LOOK AT AN ONLINE OPTION VERSUS A BRICK AND MORTAR.
SO WE HAVE BEEN PRESENT AND WORKING WITH UH FINAL TOUCH AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO. DO THAT. >> THAT'S TO EVEN IF THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT ONLINE WHERE THEY WANT. >> TO STAY WITH IT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR KILPATRICK. YEAH, I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE OTHER COLLEAGUES A CHANCE.
OKAY, SO COUNCILOR FLYNN UH, SIX MINUTES AND THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. >> THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION. TEAM THAT. >> IS HERE. >> UM, DONALD, A COUPLE QUESTIONS I KNOW WE SPENT YOUR TEAM SPENT TIME TALKING ABOUT
THE BUSINESS STRATEGY UNIT OFFICE OF NIGHT LIGHT ECONOMY. BUT THOSE TWO THOSE TWO DIRECTORS, UH, OR CHIEFS OF THAT PARTICULAR UM
DEPARTMENT IS NOT HERE. IS THAT IS THAT CORRECT? BUT WE DO HAVE UH UM ALIYAH FIRST. OF THINGS FROM OUR UM, BUSINESS STRATEGY UNIT UM, GREEN RENTALS IS NOT PRESENT TODAY.
OKAY. >> I THOUGHT I SAW IT EARLIER. WE YOU MIGHT HAVE. SEEN SOME OF SOME OF MY QUESTIONS OR ABOUT THE, UM, NIGHT LIGHT ECONOMY. I'D BE GLAD TO, UH, GIVE IT A
SHOT. OKAY. >> HOW ARE WE DOING WITH THAT NIGHT LIGHT ECONOMY IN TERMS OF HAVE WE CONSISTENTLY PROVIDED THE CRITICAL TRAINING TO RESTAURANTS AND BARS ON
SPIKE DRINKING SINCE THAT OFFICE WAS, UM, STOOD UP? YEAH. >> SO THERE'S BEEN QUITE QUITE A BIT OF WORK MORE AND MORE RECENTLY. UH NO NO NO AT THE BEGINNING WHEN IT WAS STOOD UP.
SO ENGAGEMENT STARTED A LONG TIME AGO AT LEAST UM WHEN KAREN GOT OUT AND WHAT SHE STARTED DOING WAS MEETING WITH GROUPS WE FORMED A, UH A COMMITTEE. UM, AND THEN SHE STARTED GOING
OUT AND SEEING WHAT WHAT PEOPLE WERE SAYING IDENTIFYING THAT FOLKS, UH, IN THE LATTER HOURS MEETING THAT THIRD SHIFT GROUP WERE LOOKING FOR FOOD OPTIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO SHE'S WORKED DILIGENTLY ON THAT.
SHE'S WORKING WITH THE LICENSED PREMISES UNIT NOW, UM, ON THOSE SPECIFIC INTERACTIONS WITH BRINGING TRAINING ON THE RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES LIKE THAT. BUT THAT'S A FUNCTION THAT
FOLKS HAVE TO OPT INTO. AND SO IF A BUSINESS IS INTERESTED IN ANY RELATIVE TRAINING LIKE THAT, THE LICENSED PREMISES UNIT WILL COME OUT UH, AND AND WORK WITH THEM ON VARIOUS ASPECTS
OF TRAINING IDS UM DRINK SPIKING ETC.. SO THAT'S THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN ONGOING THAT TRAINING AT RESTAURANTS SO SHE'S GOT. IT BUT THERE'S ALSO WHAT SHE STARTED WAS AN OPTION FOR FOLKS
TO DO SORT OF AT THEIR OWN PACE THE ONLINE OPTION WHERE THE THE ACTUAL VENDOR THE RESTAURANT TOURS THEMSELVES WOULD LOG IN, HAVE THEIR TEAM OR STAFF TAKE THAT ONLINE TRAINING
THEMSELVES. SO IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WERE DIRECTLY OVERSEEING. WE MADE THE THE OPPORTUNITY HAPPEN. DONALD I, I TRIED TO GET A I TRY TO GET THAT INFORMATION
FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT TO A 17TH UH ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT. FOR 17. YEAH IT'S BASICALLY A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT THAT I REQUESTED THAT
INFORMATION. UM, SEVERAL TIMES. YEAH. HAVE YOU HAVE YOU RECEIVED MY, UM, ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT I'M SEEKING THAT INFORMATION? >> I'LL CHECK WITH MY COMMS TEAM, BUT WE'LL GET YOU ANY,
UH, ANSWERS YOU NEED THAT COUNCIL. OKAY. >> YOU DON'T YOU DON'T RECALL RECEIVING ANYTHING ABOUT I. RECEIVED SOMETHING INITIALLY. UH, I THINK AFTER OUR FIRST OUR HEARING, UM, FORGET WHAT MONTH IT WAS, BUT, UM.
YEAH, BUT WE'LL GET YOU SOME ANSWERS, COUNSELOR, BUT I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW. WELL, WHEN WHEN WHEN WHEN WHEN WOULD I BE ABLE TO GET THAT SOON. BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY, COUNSELOR
AND TO BE CLEAR THE THE THE ACTUAL TRAINING WAS AN ONLINE TRAINING, RIGHT THAT THAT THAT BUSINESSES HAD TO OPT INTO WHAT WE DID WAS SET THAT UP.
OKAY DONALD THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. CAN I GET THAT INFORMATION SENT TO ME? IT'S IT'S AN ON IT'S NOT ON A CITY PORTAL OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. IT'S AN ONLINE TRAINING. I WILL GET WHAT INFORMATION I CAN FOR YOU, COUNSELOR.
OF COURSE. OKAY. >> DONALD, UM, I LISTEN CLOSELY I MAYBE I I DIDN'T HEAR IT BUT WAS THE WORD YOU KNOW YOUR DEPARTMENT ALSO DOES OUTREACH TO UM DISABLED VETERANS TO
VETERANS COUNCIL. UM I I DIDN'T HEAR THAT WORD MENTIONED DURING THE PRESENTATION. WAS THERE ANY REASON WHY THAT WASN'T MENTIONED IN AND THE ONLY REASON I SAY IT IS THE
CITY OF BOSTON VETERANS DEPARTMENT BUDGET IS BEING CUT 14%. UM, SO THAT'S THAT'S A CONCERN TO ME BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IF THAT ALSO MEANS WE'RE GETTING AWAY FROM UM PROGRAMS
SUPPORTING THE VETERANS. WE'RE NOT GETTING AWAY FROM THAT AND AT LEAST I CAN SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL. COUNSELOR, I I'M A VETERAN SO I'M ALWAYS GOING TO LOOK OUT UH FOR FOR VETERANS IN THAT WAY AND I WAS SOMETHING THAT I STARTED VERY EARLY ON WHEN I
GOT INTO THIS ROLE. NO I KNOW BUT I ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE, DONALD, THAT UM, I'M ADVOCATING FOR VETERANS BUSINESSES AND UH, HOW MANY
GRANTS HAVE WE GIVEN OUT TO UM, VETERAN OWNED COMPANIES? SO, UH, COUNSELOR, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION READILY AVAILABLE. WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT WE HAVE
AN INTERNAL WORKING GROUP CALLED BOS NETWORK WHERE WE'RE WORKING WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS WHERE WE'RE MEETING WITH THEM, ESPECIALLY AS WE ARE FACING
BUDGET CUTS, UM, TO TO PARTNER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THEIR THEIR BUSINESSES FROM FROM THAT RESPECTED GROUP. SO WE'RE MEETING WITH THE UM
CORPORATE OFFICE OF WHERE WE'RE MEETING WITH THE WITH VETERANS WE'RE MEETING WITH UM IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT WE'RE MEETING WITH WOMEN ADVANCEMENT WHERE WE ARE WITH ALL THOSE GROUPS TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF COLLABORATION AND WORK
TOGETHER. COULD I GET A LIST OF UM FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, FIVE YEARS, A LIST OF ALL UM COMPANIES THAT RECEIVED VETERAN OWNED COMPANIES THAT RECEIVED A
GRANT FROM YOUR OFFICE? SURE. >> MAKE NOTE OF THAT. THANK YOU. UM, WHEN HASBRO MOVED TO BOSTON ,UH, LOCATED TO BOSTON, I SHOULD SAY, UH, THEY RECEIVED
SOME STATE TAX BREAKS. WAS THERE ANY TAX BREAKS FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON TO. HASBRO OR AND OR WHAT DID BOSTON ACTUALLY DO TO ENCOURAGE
HASBRO TO COME TO BOSTON. COUNCILOR OUR OFFICE? UM, YOU KNOW, ON THE BUSINESS ATTRACTION SIDE, THERE'S A LOT OF INTERACTIONS WITH BUSINESSES THAT HAVE INTEREST AND AND UH,
YOU KNOW, COMING TO BOSTON, YOU KNOW, WE CONNECT THEM TO UH, SAY THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ALLIANCE, UH, DEVELOPING GROUPS, UH AT THE SEAPORT ETC. BUT I HAVE A LEIA UH, FOR US HERE THAT I CAN KIND OF SPEAK
TO BUT WE DID SORT OF TYPICAL DUE DILIGENCE AND AN ASSISTANT . OKAY. >> WHO DID. DID WE OFFER THEM ANY TAX BREAKS? UH, WE DON'T DO THAT AS A PRACTICE AT ALL BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THEM.
BUT I WOULD SAY NO. OKAY. >> WELL SOME SOME COMPANIES PREVIOUSLY HAVE RECEIVED. VERY I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT OTHER COMPANIES HAVE RECEIVED COUNCIL.
NO I UNDERSTAND I'M JUST ASKING WAS HAS DID HASBRO RECEIVE ANY PAYMENTS. NOT NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE COUNSELOR AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE WE'VE DISCUSSED. OKAY OKAY COUNCILOR FLYNN THANK
YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. UM, WILL CHAIR THE OFFICE OF NIGHTLIFE AND ECONOMY BE BEFORE US COUNCIL WEAPON. I'M SORRY, CAN YOU SAY THAT
AGAIN? WILL THE OFFICE OF NIGHTLIFE AND ECONOMY BE WITH US? SHE'S HERE. SHE'S PART OF THE OFFICE I KNOW. >> I KNOW THAT, YES. YEAH. >> SO WILL SHE BE, UH WILL THAT DEPARTMENT OR BUSINESS STRATEGY
UNIT BE AT THIS HEARING OR ARE YOU. WELL WELL WE'RE WE'RE REPRESENTED HERE AND SO WE CAN SPEAK TO TO. BOTH OKAY. OKAY WE DO HAVE. THANK YOU. >> FOR TOURISM. THIS AFTERNOON. BUT IT DOESN'T FALL UNDER THAT
. SO YEAH IT'S FINE I'LL JUST RESET YOUR TIME BUT UH. NO IT'S FINE THANK YOU. UM WELL FIRST JUST KIND OF OVERARCHING AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE HAPPENED TO EVERY
DEPARTMENT ACROSS THE CITY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 2025 BUDGET FOR DEPARTMENTS UM, IN 2026 A LOT OF THEM HAD A BIG
BUMP FOR LOTS OF REASONS, LOTS OF ARPA FUNDING AND JUST THE WAY WE WERE SPENDING AND THEN NOW WE'RE SEEING UM A DECREASE SO THINGS ARE HAVING TO BE CUT
AND PROGRAMS THAT WERE MAYBE GOING WELL OR HAVING GRANTS THAT COULD SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES ARE NOW GONE AND THE
DEPARTMENT UM, YOU KNOW, 160% INCREASE FOR UM THE SUPPLY DIVERSITY IT SEEMS BUT ON PAGE
181 IT SHOWS THAT THE INCREASE FOR FILMING ALONE LIKE WENT UP LIKE A LOT OF MONEY. CAN YOU DESCRIBE LIKE WHY WE'RE
SPENDING MORE MONEY ON FILMING FOR TOURISM. OKAY TOURISM WE'RE COMING IN AND THE AFTERNOON OF THE TOURISM COUNCIL. CAN YOU THEN SPEAK TO.
WHAT WHAT. THE CUTS BECAUSE I AM HEARING FROM EITHER SMALL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE RECEIVED SUPPORT OR GRANTS FROM THE CITY OR ONES WHO WERE HOPING TO RECEIVE ONES
THAT THEY HAVE SEEN OTHER BUSINESSES BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT JUST AREN'T GOING TO BE THERE ANYMORE. IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THE PLAN TO CONTINUE THE SUPPORT I KNOW YOU SAID LIKE YOU KNOW AND I
BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, HARD WORKERS WHO WANT TO DO THE BEST. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IF WE'RE WORKING WITH YOU KNOW, GOING FROM 160% INCREASE IN
MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS TO NOW HAVING TO MAKE CUTS LIKE THINGS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FALL SOMEWHERE. SO IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO WHAT WE'RE DOING TO KEEP THOSE BUSINESSES.
START AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ALISHA I MEAN. COUNCIL I WORK IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE. THAT'S PART OF THE GOAL IS IS TO CONTINUE PROGRAMING. YES THINGS ARE GOING TO BE A
BIT UH SCALED BACK UH IN THAT REGARDS BUT THERE'S STILL IMPORTANCE AROUND THE WORK THAT WE DO. I THINK WE'LL BE UH STRATEGIZING TO DO IT AND NEW AND UNIQUE WAYS UH, REACHING
OUT TO OUR PARTNERS UH, OUT THERE AS WELL AND AND UH, THOSE VSO ORGANIZATIONS BUT UM, OUR WORK IS GOING TO CONTINUE AT LEAST IN. NO. >> I. THINK THAT WAS GOOD. RIGHT.
SO FOLLOW UP WHAT COUNCILOR FLYNN HAD ASKED ABOUT THE OFFICE, THE NIGHTLIFE. WE DID HAVE A HEARING. IT WAS I BELIEVE THE BEGINNING OF MARCH BECAUSE I KNOW UM IT
WAS BEFORE THE EVACUATION DAY PARADE AND IT WAS ABOUT SPIKING AND JUST THE YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT THAT OFFICE DOES AND FROM THAT HEARING QUESTIONS, YOU
KNOW, OUR RFIS WERE PUT ON THE RECORD AND THEN I HAD SUBMITTED WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN A17 F BACK ON MARCH 18TH I REFILED IT BUT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN 43 DAYS
AND WE HAVE SEVEN DAYS TO GET ANSWERS AND I KNOW THE LIST MAY LOOK LONG EVEN THOUGH NONE OF IT THOUGH NEEDS TO BE LIKE DATA LIKE RESEARCH. IT'S JUST QUESTIONS LIKE UM
BECAUSE MANY OF THE SPEAKERS DID TALK ABOUT PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS THAT THEY HAD ASKED FOR. SO JUST THE STATUS OF PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST, UM, A DESCRIPTION OF ALL THE INITIATIVES THAT THE OFFICE IS
DOING COPIES OF THE MEETING AGENDAS WHERE THEY TALKED WITH SMALL BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATION THAT WAS HAPPENING BETWEEN THE CITIES AND THE BARS. BUT I DO JUST WANT TO FOCUS ON
THREE OF THE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS WERE CONDUCTED BY THE CITY UNDER THAT OFFICE SINCE AUGUST 2022 RELATED TO SPIKE
DRINKS AND WHAT WERE THE DATES LOCATIONS AND LIKE WHAT TRAINERS AND WHAT SUPPORT AND THE NUMBER OF ATTENDEES LIKE HOW MANY BARS OR BUSINESSES ATTENDED IT?
DO WE HAVE THOSE ANSWERS? SO I ALSO WE HAD ASKED AND SHE SAID IT WOULD BE EASY TO GET LIKE WHAT WHAT TRAINING MATERIALS WERE GIVEN. I KNOW SHE HAD BROUGHT A ROLL OF LIKE THE STICKERS AND SHE HAD SHOWED UP AT THAT MEETING
LATER IN THE COMMUNITY UM BEFORE THE PARADE WHERE THEY MEET WITH THE BARS AND UM LIQUOR STORES THE NIGHT BEFORE TO JUST LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE CHANGES TO THEIR UM LICENSING.
THEY HAVE TO CLOSE EARLY AND ALL, BUT SHE HAD THOSE STICKERS THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE THAT WERE BEING USED. I GUESS IF PEOPLE WANT THEM I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE USE THEM BUT ALSO JUST THE MATERIALS AND
PRESENTATION. SO DO WE HAVE THOSE ANSWERS. SO I CAN I CAN SPEAK AT A HIGH LEVEL TO A NUMBER OF THOSE THINGS THERE. UM WHAT I WILL SAY IS AS OF THE 19TH OF MARCH THIS THIS YEAR
AND YOU YOU I THINK YOU WERE AT THE EVENT THE NIGHT BEFORE UM, ROUGHLY ABOUT 10,000 DRINK COVERS UH WERE ISSUED UH TO ABOUT 37 UH, NIGHTLIFE ESTABLISHMENTS.
WHAT I WILL TALK ABOUT IS IS MOST RECENT. JUST MEANS THAT RULES WERE LEFT NO. >> NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO BUT DOESN'T MEAN I MEAN. COUNCIL LET ME LET ME FINISH ABOUT THE WHOLE ENTIRE
INTERACTION BECAUSE THOSE ENGAGEMENTS AND I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE RECENT ONES THERE WERE THREE THAT WERE DONE RECENTLY SOUTHIE SEAPORT AND THE THEATER DISTRICT. THIS WAS A COMBINATION OF THE
OFFICE OF NIGHTLIFE ECONOMY WITH THE LICENSED PREMISE UNIT. THAT'S AN ENGAGEMENT THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO COME TOGETHER. YOU CAN INTERACT WITH.
BUSINESSES THE SEAPORT AND WHAT WAS. SOUTHIE TO SEAPORT AND THE THEATER DISTRICT. WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT THAT INTERACTION WITH THOSE THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS WAS ONE EXCITEMENT SOMEWHERE.
OH THIS IS GREAT. ONE EVEN MADE REFERENCE TO NOT LIKING THE UH THE UH THE ADHESIVE. ON ON ON THE FLY ON THE COVER.
BECAUSE IT LEFT UM RESIDUE ON THEIR GLASSES WHEN THEY HAD TO BE CLEAN. BUT THIS. >> IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US WHEN WE MEET WITH THEM IS FOR THEM TO GET. >> TO KNOW OUR LICENSED PREMISE UNIT AND ALSO. KNOW OUR OFFICE AND NIGHTLIFE. BUT THEY NOW HAVE A.
CONDUIT IN THE CITY THAT THEY CAN. REACH OUT TO NOT WHEN THEY'RE JUST ISSUES BUT WHAT. >> THEY. CAN DO IS REACH OUT WHEN YOU HAVE QUESTIONS AROUND SAFETY THINGS THAT ARE. HAPPENING IN. AND AROUND. >> WITH THEIR STAFF. SO THIS IS AN. ACTUAL IDEAL CONVERSATION.
>> WE'RE GOING TO TALK A BIT. ABOUT THIS IN THE AFTERNOON. BECAUSE IT COMES. FROM OUR LICENSING AND OUR. OFFICE OF NIGHTLIFE ECONOMY WORKING TOGETHER. CAN I JUST ASK UM THROUGH THE
CHAIR TO COUNCIL OF PLAN WHY IF I COULD DO IT THAT WAY, WERE YOU AWARE THAT THERE WERE THESE MEETINGS IN YOUR DISTRICT BECAUSE. UM NO, I WAS I WAS NOT I WAS
NOT INVITED TO THEM. I DO KNOW THE NIGHT MY MANAGER WAS HERE A FEW MINUTES AGO AT THE START OF THE MEETING WAS THAT WAS THE NIGHT MANAGER HERE. I SAW YEAH, YEAH.
AND DO YOU KNOW IF SHE'S ABLE TO COME BACK TO IT'S A SOME BASIC QUESTIONS BECAUSE SHE WAS HERE 15 MINUTES AGO RIGHT. AND I THINK SHE MIGHT NOT BE FEELING WELL SO I CAN FIND OUT.
UM I WOULD LIKE AS AN AT LARGE COUNCILOR ALSO LIKE COVERING ALL THAT IF WE COULD BE SHARED WITH THOSE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE I HEAR DIRECTLY FROM YOU KNOW. >> THE.
NOT JUST THE UM, YOUNG WOMEN MOSTLY WHO WANT THE SUPPORTS BUT ALSO THE BARS, RESTAURANTS AND LIQUOR STORES. SO IF THERE ARE TRAININGS I WOULD LOVE TO AT LEAST GO TO
SOME OF THEM TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT INFORMATION WE'RE PUSHING OUT TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT THAT'D BE GREAT. THANK YOU. OF COURSE. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. THANK YOU. >> MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, UH, TO THE
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION CABINET FOR BEING HERE AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF OUR RESIDENTS. UM, INTERIM CHIEF. UH, RIGHT. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING.
UM, AND I KNOW WE HAVE OUR FORMER CHIEF HERE UM, FOR YEARS, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO BUSINESSES EITHER IN MATTAPAN SQUARE OR IN NUBIAN SQUARE UM, ESPECIALLY, UH, CONVERSATIONS
THAT I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH YOUR OFFICE AROUND FINAL TOUCH FOR YEARS. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR CULPEPER FOR HIS, UM, ADVOCACY. UH, AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AS WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS HEARING THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT
THAT BUSINESS AND UH, A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES, UM, IN NUBIAN SQUARE HOPEFULLY I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING AND I WAS VERY PROUD TO BE THE CITY COUNCILOR THAT GOT THE LIQUOR LICENSE FOR JAZZ URBANE THAT IS
GOING TO BE OPENING SOON IN NUBIAN SQUARE THAT WILL HOPEFULLY HELP TO ANCHOR. AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER EXCITING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE COMING TO THE SQUARE. BUT JUST WANTED TO YOU KNOW WE IT'S IN THE NEWS THAT THERE ARE
THERE ARE A LOT OF BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES THAT ARE STRUGGLING A FEW OF THEM LOCATED IN NUBIAN SQUARE AND THAT WE JUST DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PLAN AND A VISION FOR WHAT THE FUTURE WILL BE. UM, SO THAT A LOT OF BUSINESSES
THAT HALEY HOUSE WILL BE REOPENING UH, VERY SOON SO THAT THOSE BUSINESSES THERE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL. UM AND ALICIA PRESENTED THE THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND TO THIS ENTIRE PANEL AND ANDREA, I APPRECIATED
THE SHOUT OUT THAT YOU GAVE TO MY FORMER STAFFER JUST NOW FOR HOW MUCH SHE FOCUSES, UH, IN YOUR OFFICE ON LANGUAGE ACCESS. SHE CARES DEEPLY ABOUT EQUITY AND, UH, DEEPLY ABOUT, UH, SUPPLIER DIVERSITY.
AND IT WAS IT WAS HEARTENING TO HEAR THAT SHOUT OUT TO US NOW, UM, I LIKE TO HOPE THAT WE HOPE TO TRAIN HER WELL. SO OKAY, UM, THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION CABINET HAS AN OVERALL BUDGET
CUT OF $2.6 MILLION THAT AFFECTS ALL FOUR OFFICES IN THE CABINET. ONE OFFICE IS TAKING THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE CUTS AND THAT'S THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INCLUSION AND SEEING A $2.2 MILLION CUT THE
BUDGET BUT LAYS OUT HOW THOSE CUTS ARE ACHIEVED UH, THE PRIMARY IT'S PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM REDUCTION AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT. UM AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE CONTINUED
INVESTMENT IN SUPPORT FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES THROUGH INITIATIVES LIKE THE MAIN STREETS PROGRAM. UM, YOU'RE ALSO LOSING TWO FTE POSITIONS IN THE OFFICE OF EEO I AND ONE IN SUPPLIER DIVERSITY.
SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR A BIT ABOUT HOW THE LOSS OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE GOING TO AFFECT YOUR WORK. UM, BUT MY FIRST QUESTION IS ONE ON COMMUNICATION UH, YOUR PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS A WIDE
RANGE OF GRANT AND SUPPORT PROGRAMS FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS MONTH ACTIVATION GRANTS TO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND NEIGHBORHOOD BASED FUNDING ,UH, MANY OF WHICH HAVE REACHED DOZENS OF ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES. AND I'VE BEEN PROUD TO BE AT A
NUMBER OF RIBBON CUTTINGS AND EVENTS AND SUPPORT. UM AND WE KNOW THAT THE BUDGET THIS YEAR INCLUDES REDUCTIONS UM, AND SHIFTING OF RESOURCES. HOW ARE WE PLANNING TO COMMUNICATE WITH PAST GRANT
RECIPIENTS ABOUT POTENTIAL CHANGES, REDUCTIONS OR DISCONTINUATION AND FUNDING AND WHAT GUIDANCE ARE YOU PROVIDING THEM ABOUT FUTURE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES WHETHER WITH THE CITY OR NOT SO THAT THEY CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY?
THANK YOU COUNSELOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. SO UM OUR OUR FUNDING IS NOT ONLY OPERATING FUNDING WE ALSO GET FEDERAL FUNDING FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK
GRANTS. AND SO UH, WE ARE EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A LOT OF OUR PROGRAMING THROUGH THAT UM, FUNDING STREAM. AND IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION,
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO UH, CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WHAT KIND OF WHAT WHAT IS HAPPENING, UM, AND PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT
RESOURCES ARE OUT THERE AND WHAT WILL COME UP WHERE WORK BOSTON ITSELF HAS A VERY STRONG BUSINESS SUPPORT ECOSYSTEM. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO BE COLLABORATIVE, TO BE
CREATIVE AND THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT BUSINESSES THROUGH THIS PERIOD OF TIME. YEAH LIKE I THINK THAT'S A GREAT UM, IDEA LIKE YOU KNOW, WE DID A YOU KNOW, PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP.
WE'RE BASICALLY UH IN THE IMMIGRATION SPACE WHERE PHILANTHROPY REALLY IS STEPPING UP MORE TO HELP IN THAT SPACE. I'M WONDERING LIKE IS IT THE US CENTER FOR THE ONE THAT STEVE
GROSSMAN RUNS FOR COMPETITIVE INNER CITY BUSINESSES LIKE WHAT ARE THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE CAN LEAN ON MORE TO HELP US IN THIS TIME OF A BUDGET CRUNCH EITHER WITH PRIMARILY WITH FINANCIAL RESOURCES LIKE IS IT
THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY OR THE OTHER WAYS TO GET MORE MONEY TO SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE? I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO EXHAUST ALL OPTIONS OF COURSE TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES. WE HAVE OUR STRATEGIC STRATEGIC INITIATIVES. UM, MANAGER LINDSAY SWEAT HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO UH TO BRING ALL THE BUSINESS SERVING ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER
AND SO WE WE INTEND TO CONVENE THEM IN THE IN IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS TO REALLY MAKE SURE WE'RE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS AND FILLING GAPS AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO INVITE YOU TO THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
THANK YOU. I WILL SAY THAT WHEN THIS BUDGET WAS ROLLED OUT AND I WAS I KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT YEAR. THIS IS WHEN THE OFFICE WHERE I WAS I WAS ACTUALLY REALLY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THE DEPTHS OF THE CUTS.
UM, YOU KNOW WE HAVE POWER AS A COUNCIL WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, SEEING WHERE WE CAN AMEND THE BUDGET IN CERTAIN AREAS. I'M CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, UM, TO
HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU WHAT YOU THINK IF THERE IS AN ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, EITHER SAVE A PROGRAM OR SAVE A UM, UH, POSITION, RIGHT. MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE
SUPPORTING OUR BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES FOCUSING ON SUPPLIER DIVERSITY, ZAPPOS UM, UH, OUR SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES WHAT PROGRAMS OR WHAT UM, FTE
POSITIONS WOULD YOU THINK THAT IS WORTHY OF THE COUNCIL CONSIDERING FOR INVESTMENT? UM, I KNOW THE THE SPACE GRANT HAS BEEN A BLOCK PROGRAM A LOT OF THAT UH, SPONSORED VIA ARPA . I KNOW THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM.
SO YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF THE WORK THE SUPPLY TO SUPPLY DIVERSITY OFFICE THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT. SO JUST WANTING TO HEAR FROM YOU SORT OF IF THERE WAS AN ABILITY TO RESTORE OR TO.
ALREADY UH WHERE WHAT WOULD YOU DO AND THEN I WILL SAY I HAVE I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS I WILL SAY FOR MY SECOND ROUND AND I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU. YEAH, I DIRECTOR BURROWS I DIDN'T DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS TO
YOU BUT ALSO THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. COUNCIL IF I IF I COULD SAY THIS UM I WOULD SAY EVERY PROGRAM. THAT'S NOT A GREAT. ANSWER FOR ME THAT. I KNOW WHERE TO PUT A BULLET
BUT I SAY FOR THIS REASON THE WAY IN WHICH WE, UH, GOT THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS WAS DUE TO A ONCE IN A LIFETIME, UM, CATASTROPHE WHATEVER YOU WANT
TO CALL IT. WHAT WE DID WAS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM THAT WAS HISTORICALLY LEFT OUT OF A LOT WE WERE ABLE TO
MAINTAIN NOT JUST, UH, SMALL BUSINESS. WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN NOT JUST OUR DEPARTMENT BUT ALSO SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY HOUSING DOING SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY DO. WE UNDERSTOOD. >> THAT THERE WAS IMPORTANCE. >> IN THIS WORK.
WE GOT TO SHOW THAT THE RICHNESS AND VIBRANCY OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM BY PROVIDING THESE RESOURCES WE KNEW THAT THIS WAS GOING TO END BASICALLY UH, THE DECEMBER
OF THIS YEAR SO TO SPEAK. BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT NOW WE HAVE BUSINESSES. THAT ARE IN BETTER POSITIONS THAN THEY WERE PRIOR TO THEIR WE ARE BUSINESSES. >> NOW TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SCALE UM. SURE WITH. >> A LITTLE. BIT OF OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
BUT. THOSE THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH SOME OF THOSE. PROGRAMS OFF. INTO THE RACES AND SO. YES, THERE'S A NEED AND UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T CONTROL.
UH THE OUR FISCAL. CONDITIONS RIGHT NOW BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS CONTINUE TO WORK. >> WITH THOSE. BUSINESSES AND THE SAME WAY THAT WE HAVE IN THE PAST, WE'RE STILL GOING TO DO UH, OFFICE HOURS. WE'RE STILL GOING GOING TO DO
TO WE'RE STILL GOING TO REACH OUT TO. >> OUR BSO. PARTNERS BUT IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A LITTLE. HARDER, RIGHT? UH, OUR. WORK'S NOT GOING TO STOP. IT'S GOING TO BE I WOULD EVEN SAY FROM A REFERENCE MORE ON THE GROUND.
I THINK THERE'S ENGAGEMENT THAT WE CAN DO WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT GO A LITTLE FURTHER THE SAME WAY WITH OUR SUPPLIERS. I MEAN, I JUST THINK THIS IS NOW GOING TO BE A TIME WHERE OUR COMMUNICATION IS REALLY
GOING TO BE FACE TO FACE AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE REAL CHALLENGES. >> BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT WORK A LITTLE BIT A BIT MORE DILIGENTLY THAT. THANK YOU. >> I'LL SAVE THE REST OF MY QUESTIONS FOR SECOND ROUND. THANK YOU. SO OH ACTUALLY I DID ASK IF
THEY COULD ALL RESPOND SO. I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK. >> TO THE FTE. UM SO ONE OF THE UM ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES IS A GLOBAL AFFAIRS POSITION WHICH WAS MOVED TO AGR SO THAT. EXPLAINS ONE FTE.
AND THEN THE OTHER POSITION. WAS A SENIOR DESIGN MANAGER WHICH IS IN SMALL BUSINESS. IT WAS A RECLASSIFICATION TO CREATE TWO POSITIONS SO WE TECHNICALLY DIDN'T LOSE IT. THE OLD POSITION THE OLD
POSITION IS GONE BUT THERE ARE NOW TWO SENIOR DESIGN MANAGERS FOCUSING ON THE RESTORE PROJECT AND THEN THIS LOVELY 2% IS UH 20% OPERATING FUNDING FOR.
A FORMER CDBG. UM FUNDED POSITION. SO JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT CONTEXT. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. COUNCILOR DURKAN, UH. YOU'RE UP. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR WEBER.
UM, SO I FIRST I JUST WANT TO THANK YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND NOW, UM, THAT I'M HERE, I. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE AT LEAST FAUSTINA
ON GETTING BEBE DE 40 UNDER 40. I'M ALSO ON THE LIST, SO SO IT GIVES ME A CHANCE TO SAY THAT I'M ALSO ON THE LIST BUT UM BUT I CAN'T WAIT TO BE WITH YOU AND WAIT TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU. UM YOUR YOUR DEPARTMENT IS
DOING INCREDIBLE WORK. I SEE OUR FORMER CHIEF, UH, SITTING BEHIND ME. UM, THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP HERE. I THINK YOU CAN SEE FROM THE, UM, PROCUREMENT NUMBERS THE
CITY IS MOVING IN A GREAT DIRECTION. UM, ONE IDEA THAT IS IS JUST SUCH A LOW HANGING FRUIT IT FEELS AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE AND A LOT OF WORK THAT'S ALREADY BEEN
DONE ON THIS. BUT I WAS CURIOUS UM, WHEN I LOOK AT SORT OF THE BROADER UM, EXPENSES IN THE CITY BUDGET UM ,AND BASIC CITY SERVICE
CONTRACTS UM, I WAS CURIOUS IF THE CITY HAS THOUGHT ABOUT PILOTING AN INCUBATOR FUND, UM ,TO INCREASE COMPETITION AND UM, DIVERSITY AMONG UM THE
THOSE THAT APPLY WHAT WE FIND A LOT OF TIMES UM IN CITY CONTRACTS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF COMPETITION BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY THERE'S ONLY CERTAIN COMPANIES THAT CAN FIT
,YOU KNOW, THE SCALE AND THE NEED OF WHAT THE CITY IS ABLE TO DO. SO I'M CURIOUS JUST SORT OF HOW ARE WE INCREASING AND I I'VE HEARD A LOT OF GREAT STORIES
OUT OF OTHER CITIES WHERE, YOU KNOW, A COMPANY WAS CREATED TO DO A SMALL THING AND THEN GREW INTO THIS SORT OF YOU KNOW, AND I AND I FEEL LIKE THE ONLY WAY TO PROBABLY GET SORT OF EVEN
EVEN BIGGER GAINS IN TERMS OF SUPPLIER DIVERSITY IS FOR US TO INCUBATE THOSE COMPANIES. AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF WORK BEING DONE. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW HOW WE'RE DOING THAT AND HOW WE CAN
BUILD ON THAT. UM, I THINK OUR SCALE FOR OUR PROGRAM IS WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A REFLECTION OF THAT. I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO ANDREA. BUT WE UNDERSTOOD. UH, THE IMPORTANCE AND I'LL
GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF SUCH. THERE WERE THREE. UH, SCALE RECIPIENTS. UM. >> I'D LIKE TO SAY ALL THREE. WE MET. SOME TIME AGO, UH, WHEN WE HAD AN EXECUTIVE ORDER WE TALKED
ABOUT, UH, COMPANIES. HAVING THE ABILITY TO SCALE UP, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A SYSTEM. >> BY WHICH THEY COULD RECEIVE THAT TRAINING OR. TO, UM, ONE OF THE BUSINESSES.
IS A ROXBURY BASED BUSINESS, UM, THAT I HAPPENED TO MEET. ON THE. >> STREET ONE DAY. UM, THEY SAID THAT. THERE WAS NO WAY THAT THEY COULD GET A. CITY CONTRACT. I SAID I'LL. BET YOU YOU CAN GET A CITY
CONTRACT IF. YOU DO X RIGHT. AND IT WAS. MORE LIKE. LET'S DISPEL THE MYTH, LET YOU RESPOND TO A BID OR A CONTRACT. OPPORTUNITY SO THAT YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE EXERCISE. AND M.
>> HOME SERVICES WAS THIS BUSINESS THAT I ALWAYS USED AS AN EXAMPLE BECAUSE I STOPPED THEM ON THE. STREET THEY HAD TRUCKS, THEY HAD EQUIPMENT. THEY CAME IN. THEY STARTED DOING WORK. >> WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING.
THEY THEN STARTED DOING WORK. UH FOR I WANT TO SAY PARKS, STREETS. OR WHAT HAVE. >> YOU. THEY WERE ISSUED A CONTRACT TO DO. >> UH, THE CLEAN UP OF ME ON THEIR CARS. THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF FINDING A
LOCAL MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS THAT HAD THE ABILITY TO DO THE WORK AND BE SUCCESSFUL. THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE, NIKOLA. UM CONSTRUCTION, WHO ALSO. PARTICIPATED IN SCALE WAS. >> A.
GENERAL CONTRACTOR THAT DECIDED THAT THEY WANTED TO BE A BUILDER AND WANTED TO BUILD IN A CITY. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A NUMBER OF HOMES FOR. THE UH. MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING, BUT
HE FOUND HIMSELF IN THIS PLACE ALMOST. HE COULDN'T GET BEYOND IT AND SO PARTICIPATED IN SCALE AND NOW HE'S IN A IN A MINDSET WHERE HE LOOKS AT HIS BUSINESS
FROM A TOTALLY DIFFERENT LENS. AND SO THAT'S BEEN OUR SORT OF PSEUDO. INCUBATOR IF YOU WANT TO. ADD TO THAT. YOU DON'T. >> HAVE TO WELL. ACTUALLY WELL FIRST OF ALL THANK YOU COUNCILOR DURKAN FOR THAT QUESTION.
UM, I ACTUALLY WAS CURIOUS TO HEAR A BIT MORE OF UM, HOW YOU WOULD ENVISION THAT FUND BEING USED. WELL, I GUESS I WAS KIND OF OPERATING FROM THE THE
OPPOSITE END WHERE IT'S LIKE I SEE THE OUTGOING OF LIKE A LOT OF YOU KNOW, CITY FUNDING TO TO TO AREAS LIKE TRASH REMOVAL, SNOW REMOVAL UM AND WE OFTEN
HEAR THAT THERE'S NOT COMPETITION IN THE BIDDING FOR SOME OF THOSE SERVICES BECAUSE THERE AREN'T THERE AREN'T COMPANIES THAT WORK AT THAT SCALE. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION AT THE
ROOT OF IT IS HOW DO WE BREAK CERTAIN CONTRACTS INTO SMALLER PIECES SO THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITY FOR SMALLER INCUBATOR SIZE BUSINESSES TO TO
REALLY TO TO REALLY YOU KNOW YEAH IT'S LIKE FOR INSTANCE LIKE THESE TRASH DISTRICTS ARE REALLY BIG THESE UM SNOW REMOVAL AREAS ARE YOU KNOW THE CONTRACTS ARE REALLY BIG.
UM I'M IMAGINE EVEN IN LIKE BGT AND STREETS CABINET THERE'S CONTRACTS AROUND YOU KNOW SIDEWALK REPAIR AND SO IT'S LIKE HOW DO WE RIGHT SIZE THE SCALE OF SOME OF THE CONTRACTS
THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE TO ENSURE THAT SMALLER YOU KNOW BUSINESSES CAN APPLY WHICH I THINK WOULD WHICH I THINK WOULD LEAD TO MORE DIVERSITY AND UM, YOU KNOW,
MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES APPLYING. THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. UM, THAT IS UH A WONDERFUL QUESTION AND ALSO GREAT IDEA. UM, UNBUNDLING CONTRACTS HAS
BEEN ONE OF THE PREMIER SUGGESTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO TOOLS THAT YOU CAN USE WITHIN PROCUREMENT. I WOULD SAY THAT THAT WOULD JUST TAKE CONVERSATIONS WITH DEPARTMENTS AHEAD OF TIME,
WHICH IS AGAIN WHY I'M FOCUSING ON HAVING OUR PROGRAM MONITORS MORE INVOLVED AT THE DRAFTING STAGE AND IN THE PLANNING STAGE WITH DEPARTMENTS. UM, I THINK ONE CONTRACT THAT COMES TO MIND IS A MATTRESS
COLLECTION CONTRACT. NOW YOU KNOW THE FIRST CONTRACT UM OF COURSE STARTED BEFORE I WAS HERE BUT WHAT I RECALL UM, JUST LEARNING ABOUT IT WAS THAT WE WORKED WITH THE SUPPLIERS
AND THEY WERE SOME THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NEEDED SOME EQUIPMENT OR DIFFERENT THINGS TO GET THEMSELVES READY FOR IT . AND ONE IN PARTICULAR WAS NEMA, FOR INSTANCE. AND BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO HELP THEM WITH FUNDING UH LEASE
IN TERMS OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND GETTING THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEEDED, UM THEY WERE PREPARED TO BE ABLE TO BID FOR THAT ORIGINAL CONTRACT AND I BELIEVE WITH THE LAST UH.
RENEWAL UH OR AT LEAST THE LAST CYCLE OF PUTTING THAT CONTRACT BACK, THEY WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO CONTINUE ON, UM, BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT WAS VERY PLEASED AND SO I THINK TALKS I JUST JUST.
WANTED TO GET ONE MORE THING ON THE RECORD. I THINK THAT UM OBVIOUSLY I SEE THE $2 MILLION CUT TO CONTRACTUAL SERVICES AND THAT UM CITED IN THE BUDGET OVERVIEW
BOOK THAT WE HAVE UM IT TALKS ABOUT MOST OF THIS BEING LEGACY BUSINESS AWARDS. I WAS CURIOUS UM, IF THE LEGACY BUSINESS UM AWARDS COULD CONTINUE WITHOUT GRANT FUNDING
BECAUSE I DO THINK FOR THE BUSINESSES IN MY DISTRICT THAT HAVE HAVE GOTTEN THESE AWARDS UM, SOME OVER 50 YEAR OLD BUSINESSES THAT HAVE UM SERVED OUR COMMUNITIES UM IT DIDN'T
THE GRANT MONEY WASN'T THE ONLY REASON THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN IT. IT WAS A FEATHER IN THEIR CAP AND SOMETHING THAT THEY YOU KNOW THAT THAT MEANT A LOT TO THEM. UM, YOU KNOW, BEING A CITY
OF BOSTON BUSINESS. SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS HAD THOUGHT ABOUT CONTINUING ON WITH THE LEGACY BUSINESS AWARDS BUT HAVING EITHER SMALLER
GRANTS OR UM OR NO GRANT MONEY ATTACHED. >> WHERE WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT THAT RIGHT NOW. OKAY. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR. >> THANK YOU. COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCILOR BREADON. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
UM, MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE WAS. ALREADY TOUCHED ON SOME. >> UH, JUST THE IMPACT OF. UM THE OPERATING. CUTS IN THE OPERATING BUDGET. UM. ARE THERE PARTICULAR.
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT. >> ARE. BEING REDUCED. UM, THAT ARE IMPACTED MOST OF THE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT SOME LIKE THE NOTION ABOUT UH UM UM.
LEGACY BUSINESSES FOR EXAMPLE BUT WHAT WHAT POSITIONS AND WHAT PROGRAMS ARE IMPACTED THE MOST? MAINLY IT HAS BEEN THE LEGACY
BUSINESS WAS THE THE BIGGEST CUT $1 MILLION. YEAH. >> AND THAT WAS YOU KNOW REALLY INSTIGATED THAT WAS THAT WAS BORN OUT OF OUT OF COVID UM ARPA MONEY. SO UM IT WAS LIKE CHRISTMAS FOR
A FEW YEARS THAT WE HAD SOME EXTRA MONEY TO DO SOME REALLY EXCITING THINGS. UH, YOU MENTIONED UH WHEN IN RESPONSE TO COUNCILOR LOUISIANA'S QUESTION THAT THE THERE WAS SOME VACANT
LONG TERM VACANT POSITIONS ELIMINATED AND SOME UH, PERSONNEL WERE MOVED TO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. COULD YOU REMIND ME AGAIN WHAT WHAT THOSE WHERE. UM SO THAT THE FTE. >> IS WE HAD A SHIFT FROM THE
GLOBAL AFFAIRS POSITION WAS SHIFTED TO EGR AND THEN A POSITION WITH UNDER. ALISHA'S TEAM. WAS RECLASSIFIED. >> AND THEN WE. CREATED TWO ADDITIONAL POSITIONS. SO NOW WE HAVE TWO.
UM EMPLOYEES FOCUSING ON THE RESTORE PROGRAM. AND THEN THERE WAS UH ANOTHER. POSITION THAT WAS. 20% FUNDED BY. OPERATING 80 BY CDBG FUNDING. UM AND THAT.
WAS THE POSITION THAT WE LOST. SO YOU KNOW, I'M WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TOURISM THIS AFTERNOON. UM, I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. BUT IN TERMS OF UH THE GLOBAL
AFFAIRS POSITION, UM WHAT WHAT WHAT WAS THERE WHAT'S THAT ROLE? UH WAS IT A GLOBAL AFFAIRS POSITION WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT MOVING OVER DIAGONAL OR IS IT
AND IN TERMS OF GLOBAL I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE TALKING GLOBAL. OH REALLY REALLY DEFINITELY GLOBAL. BECAUSE I THINK YOU KNOW WE HAVE THE WORLD CUP COMING. WE HAVE WE'RE CELEBRATING 250.
UM WE ARE A HISTORIC CITY UH WITH WITH A GLOBAL SORT OF CONNECTION. UM SO UH WILL YOUR DEPARTMENT STILL BE THINKING AND WORKING? I WOULD LIKE TO.
WE STILL WILL STILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM. MHM. >> OKAY. AND THEN. >> IN TERMS OF THE CONTRACTED SERVICES I THINK THAT'S THE BIG PLACE WHERE WE SEEM TO SEE THE BIG BIG CUT. UM CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHICH
PARTICULAR CONTRACTED SERVICES WE'RE WE'RE CUTTING BACK ON. A 2 MILLION TO 2 MILLION OVER JUST OVER TWO YEARS. SO IN ADDITION TO THE. LEGACY BUSINESS UM GRANT PROGRAM WE.
HAD FUNDING FOR A CRM. SOFTWARE WHICH HAS. BEEN CUT. UM, THERE WAS A ONE TIME INVESTMENT FOR STOREFRONT. REVITALIZATION GRANT WHICH I BELIEVE WAS.
UM JUST ONE TIME FOR FY 26 SO WE WILL NOT RECEIVE THAT FUNDING AGAIN FOR FY 27. AND THEN UH THE LAST ONE. >> WE. DO THESE SMALL UH SMALL BUSINESS ACTIVATION GRANTS. >> THEY'RE. MINI GRANTS.
THEY'RE THEY'RE. UP TO $9,500. AND UH, WE ACTUALLY. ALICIA PRESENTED ON THAT AND WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE $130,000 THIS YEAR TO.
ACTIVATE THE CITY. UM, DURING SMALL BUSINESS MONTH IN MAY. UM, SO THAT. >> WAS ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT WAS CUT. YEAH. YOU KNOW, THE SMALL BUSINESSES EMPLOY MORE PEOPLE AND THE BIG BIG THE BIG GUYS.
SO IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT UM, TO OUR COMMUNITY. UM I WAS WONDERING I HAD SOME OTHER QUESTIONS WRITTEN DOWN. UH. >> IN TERMS OF UM, THE COMMERCIAL ACQUISITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM DO WE HAVE
WE ACTUALLY SUPPORTED THE ACQUISITION OF COMMERCIAL PREMISES. RIGHT. >> YEAH. AN EXAMPLE OF SUCH AND I BELIEVE. ANDREW MIGHT BE HERE BUT AN EXAMPLE OF THAT UM, IS. ROUNDHEAD BREWERY AND. UH AND HYDE PARK. OKAY. UM. WHAT WE. >> WERE ABLE TO DO AND.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY IS AS LIKE MANY OF US THEY SAY, UH, WHEN YOU. ACQUIRE AN. ASSET LIKE MANY OF US HAVE. PURCHASED OUR. >> HOME. >> WE PUT EVERYTHING IN BUYING THE. >> HOME. AND YOU KNOW, WHEREIN WE. >> MIGHT.
WAIT A MONTH TO MONTH THREE MONTHS. >> TO BUY FURNITURE. >> YEAH. THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT WAS THAT WAS THE EXAMPLE UH THAT WE FOUND. >> THAT. AROUND HAD UM. THAT STARTED WELL BEFORE UH WE GOT UH CAP ANNOUNCED BUT IT WAS
AN. OPPORTUNITY FOR. >> US TO COME IN AND. TO TO BE ABLE TO FILL A GAP AND SO IT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL, UM, AND ALLOW. FOR US. >> TO. LOOK AT. >> A BROADER. MODEL BUT UM YEAH, I WAS. WONDERING IF. >> ANDREW WAS HERE TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE BUT. >> UM I CAN GET YOU A LITTLE
BIT MORE DETAIL. THAT'D BE GREAT. AND AND ALSO JUST THINKING ABOUT, UM, I KNOW WE GOT MORE LICENSES THANKS TO THE ADVOCACY OF OUR COLLEAGUES CONSTABLE LOUIJEUNE AND CONSTABLE WORRELL
AND I FOLKS WORKED REALLY HARD ON THAT. UM, YOU KNOW, THE SMALL UM A LOT OF OUR SMALL ETHNICALLY OWNED BUSINESSES AND
RESTAURANTS WOULD LOVE TO GET A WINE AND BEER LICENSE AND UM UH, LIKE I'M COMING FROM ALSO IN BRIGHTON SO WE'VE ALREADY GOT A LOT OF LICENSES COMPARED TO OTHER BUT WE STILL HAVE THESE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE'VE
ABSOLUTELY OWNED BUSINESSES. UM, WHO REALLY GETTING A BEER AND WINE IS A IS A LIFELINE. IT'S VERY HARD TO TO MAKE IT WORK, MAKE THE NUMBERS WORK ESPECIALLY IF YOUR RENTS ARE
HIGH. SO UH ARE WE ANY PLANS TO EXPAND THE. SO UM AND WE'LL WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE. BIT MORE THIS AFTERNOON WHEN WHEN LICENSING COMES ON. >> BOARD WHEN WE'RE DOING TARGETED OUTREACH. . >> UM AND THAT'S TO UH.
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE NOT HAD THEM UM, WE'RE. REACHING OUT TO BUSINESSES THEMSELVES. UM, WE WERE WE WERE. DOING SOME WORK. >> AND I WANT TO SAY WAS. UH, SOUTHIE AND IT WAS A BUSINESS ACROSS. >> THE STREET THAT HAD UH, JUST
THE BEER AND WINE AND I JUST WENT OVER UH, HAD A CONVERSATION WITH. >> THE OWNER. HE WAS DOING A CAMPAIGN. ONLINE. >> YOU KNOW, IS IS. UH, PATRONS ALL WANTED HIM TO, UH, TO GET. A COMPLETE LIQUOR. SO HAVING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
>> TO REALLY DO THAT. TARGETED OUTREACH. IS WHAT IT'S WHAT'S GOING. TO BE ABLE TO, UH. LEAD TO SOME LEVEL OF SUCCESS. UM, BIT BUT I'M GOING TO TRY AND GET UM I THINK THIS IS
MAYBE A QUESTION FOR THIS AFTERNOON JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW WE PARTNER WITH THE WITH THE UM MASS CONVENTION CENTER AUTHORITY AND I KNOW WE HAD A CONVERSATION WHEN COVID HIT
ABOUT HOW WE WERE GOING TO BE IMPACTED ECONOMICALLY BY JUST EVERYTHING SHUTTING DOWN AND THE FOLKS FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER WHERE THEY'RE SAYING REALLY CONCERNED AND WE START A CONVERSATION FOR THIS HOUR. YEAH, WE.
>> JUST UM YEAH, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT THIS AFTERNOON. BUT UM, WE'VE. BEEN IN CONVERSATION. WITH THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UM. AND SO. EXCITED ABOUT THAT. OKAY. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, I'LL BE BACK THIS AFTERNOON.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL BE HERE FOR A SECOND ROUND THIS MORNING, BUT THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BREEDEN. I JUST HAVE A I THINK MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS. I MEAN, I YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 2 MILLION COMING
OUT OF CONTRACTUAL SERVICES. UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE MOST OF IT IS LEGACY BUSINESS. UH, WHICH I AGREE WITH COUNCILOR DURKAN THAT I HOPE THAT CAN CONTINUE BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A REALLY I GET A LOT
OF ENTHUSIASM FOR THAT IN DISTRICT SIX. UH, THE PROGRAM UM AND UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY HOW WE CAN SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES. SO JUST MY MY ONLY FOLLOW UP IS
UH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A COMMERCIAL VACANCY TAX HERE. UH, AND THE FIRST STEP IN THAT IS TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE OUTLYING NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, AND SORT OF FILL IN THOSE
STOREFRONTS. UM, UH AND UH THE FIRST STEP IN THAT WAS GETTING THE DATA ON THE VACANT STOREFRONTS AND I THINK WE WERE TALKING ABOUT UNVEILING A WEBSITE THAT WOULD
DETAIL WHERE THE VACANCIES ARE . AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT DOWNTOWNS. IT'S A DIFFERENT ISSUE. WE'RE TRYING A JAMAICA PLAIN, WEST ROXBURY, MATTAPAN WHERE THERE ARE JUST SOME LANDLORDS WHO FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER
WILL KEEP SPACES VACANT FOR A REALLY LONG TIME. THEY'RE HOPING STARBUCKS COMES IN OR A BANK OR SOMETHING WHERE WE WOULD JUST WANT TO GIVE THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES OPPORTUNITY. SO I DON'T KNOW IS THERE AN UPDATE ON THAT DATABASE AND AND
HOW THAT'S GOING? UH THANK YOU. UM, COUNCILOR WEBER, ACTUALLY WITH YOUR ADVOCACY. YESTERDAY THE TEAM DID DO A PILOT OF. THE UH THE.
VACANCY UM, KIND OF TOOL AND SO WE DID A PILOT OF NUBIAN AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE RESULTS THERE AND SO BECAUSE IT'S ONLINE WE'RE WE'RE JUST REALLY TRYING TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE
TO MAKE SURE UH THAT IT IT IT LOOKS GOOD AND IT MAKES SENSE. AND SO THE FIRST STEP WAS WE'RE PILOTED. IT IN UM A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES AND THEN WE HOPE TO REALLY UM FULLY PILOT IT OUT TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH. AND SO I'M HAPPY TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE STEPS THAT WE'VE TAKEN SINCE WE'VE MET ON KIND
OF WHERE WE ARE AT WITH THE VACANCY TOOL. OKAY, GREAT. >> AND UH AND I CAN ADD COUNCIL I WAS ON THAT WALK YESTERDAY AND LIZZIE SWEAT FROM UH. LISA'S TEAM. WAS INSTRUMENTAL. UM IN MOVING THIS FORWARD WHAT
WAS A REAL SUCCESS YESTERDAY. UH WAS IT GAVE US. AN OPPORTUNITY ONE YES MOVE. UTILIZING THE PLATFORM. BUT WHEN YOU'RE ON THE. GROUND AND YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO. ONE ENGAGE WITH A BUSINESS.
OWNER WHEN. THEY UH IT'S NOT INSPECTIONAL. SERVICES OR IT'S NOT A. CODE ENFORCEMENT. >> OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YOU GET TO NOW. EXCHANGE INFORMATION RIGHT. WE KNEW. WHY WE WERE. >> IN NUBIAN YESTERDAY AND WE
GOT TO SHARE THAT AND WE ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO. >> TO FIND OUT A. LITTLE BIT MORE. HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY. WITHOUT HAVING TO GO IN. SO TO UH TO. ALISHA AND OUR TEAMS FOR. THIS PLATFORM. IS DEFINITELY GOING. >> TO BE.
GAME CHANGING THE WAY WE DO PROCESS IN THAT WAY. OKAY. >> AND THEN JUST BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND SOME UH I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO STICK AROUND JUST UM IN TERMS OF SUPPLIER DIVERSITY AND THOSE
NUMBERS, I MEAN THE GOAL IS LIKE ROUGHLY DOUBLE RATE WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE DOING I MEAN WHAT IS WHAT ARE LIKE THE. LIKE IF THERE'S TWO THINGS WE
CAN FOCUS ON DOING LIKE WHAT WHAT IT'S GOING TO INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS AND HELP US GET TO THE GOAL LIKE AND I GUESS IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN HELP WITH IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET YOU
KNOW IF YOU IF MONEY WASN'T AN OBJECT LIKE HOW CAN. WE INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS? WELL THAT'S A DANGEROUS QUESTION. UM COMES TO WHAT WE'RE UM.
FOR WHO I'M NOT I'M NOT SURE. UH UM WELL, I KNOW THINGS ARE TIGHT, SO I DEFINITELY WOULD NOT, UM, WANT US TO GET TO THE POINT OF ASKING FOR MORE. I KNOW OTHER DEPARTMENTS OF COURSE NEED IT AS WELL AND
IT'S A FIXED AMOUNT. UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT, UM. I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING I ASK AND I MY COLLEAGUES ASK MOST
DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE WE WANT TO HELP YOU INNOVATE. WE KNOW IT'S A TIGHT BUDGET. WE KNOW YOU KNOW THE THE FROM FROM YOUR STANDPOINT THE BUDGET IS PERFECT IN EVERY WAY.
BUT YOU KNOW IN TERMS OF UH YOU KNOW, WATER PROGRAMS AND YOU MAY NOT YOU MAY BE PLANTING A SEED THAT SOME COUNSELOR IS GOING TO PICK UP NEXT YEAR OR TWO YEARS FROM NOW AND LIKE OH, I HEARD THIS GREAT IDEA.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS WE WE CAN DO? AND AGAIN IT WAS JUST 1. >> OR 2 I WOULD JUST SAY THAT. >> I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTION. UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT IN RESPONSE TO THE FISCAL ENVIRONMENT THAT WE ARE IN, UM
,THAT I AM STILL LOOKING TO SEE THE CITY FOCUS ON CONSTRUCTION PROCUREMENT AND MAKING GAINS IN THAT WAY. AND SO PART OF DOING THAT IS
COLLABORATING COLLABORATING WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL AS COLLABORATING WITH OTHER BUSINESS SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS. WE HAVE WONDERFUL UH, SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE WORK TO FOR
INSTANCE, THAT PROVIDE GOOD TRAINING AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR DIVERSE SUPPLIERS. AND WE HAVE MODULES WITH CAMBRIDGE FOR INSTANCE. AND IN DOING SO, UM, WE'VE SEEN
HOW WE CAN PULL OUR RESOURCES TOGETHER TO SO PROVIDE GOOD RESOURCES FOR THE SUPPLIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. OKAY I LIKE TO GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY I KNOW TO ZOOM UH, WE
HAVE BEEN JOINED BY STATE REP UH, JOHN RUSSELL HOLMES OVER THERE. UH, AND HIS WIFE. VERY NICE TO SEE YOU. UH, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE
IF YOU'RE HERE TO TESTIFY, UH, I HESITATE TO RETIRE. OKAY. I'LL. OH, WOW. OH. OKAY. YEAH. UH OKAY.
UH OKAY. UH, YEAH. WELL. >> CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND THANKS FOR CELEBRATING. IS THIS THIS IS WHAT YOU YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING FUN IN MIND FOR
YOU TO COME TO THE HEARING. OKAY, MAYBE WE'LL HAVE TO WORK ON THAT. UH. UM. OKAY. SO SO JUST FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY ,UH, SOMEONE NAMED SHAGUN FROM
HYDE PARK, UH, IS UP FIRST UH, THEN ANTONIA EDWARDS AND THEN AARON ASHLEY BAILEY WILL BE THIRD. SO.
YEAH WHAT'S. UP EVERYBODY YEAH. OKAY SOMEONE SOMEONE SAID I MUST REALLY MISS THIS BECAUSE UH HERE I AM, UM, SENDING MY FREE TIME SO. >> WE ONLY HAVE THREE WEEKS TWO PEOPLE SO YOU DO THREE MINUTES EACH.
SO I WILL I WILL STICK TO THAT. WELL, UM, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S REALLY, UM, REFRESHING TO BE ON THIS SIDE. UM, SO, UH, BUT HAPPY TO BE HERE AND I JUST WANT TO I REALLY CAME TO ADVOCATE, UM,
UH, FOR SOME PIECES RELATED TO THE BUDGET BUT I ALSO, UH THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED THAT I WANT TO UM, ADDRESS AS WELL. UM, FIRST, THIS IS. AN INCREDIBLE TEAM. SO I HAVE BEEN UH GRATEFUL TO SERVE WITH THEM BUT TO ALSO
WATCH THEIR WORK IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. SO I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT AGAIN FOR THE EOC TEAM AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING. THIS IS A REVENUE GENERATING AND REVENUE PRODUCING TEAM. UM AND SO I WANT TO ESPECIALLY
ON THE SMALL BUSINESS SIDE WHEN I ADVOCATE THAT THE MILLION DOLLARS THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP A COUPLE TIMES ON THE UM FOR THE LEGACY BUSINESSES IN MY OPINION I IN WHATEVER WAY WE CAN SHOULD BE RESTORED. UM AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS
THAT, YOU KNOW, AS ALICIA SAID, 19,000 BUSINESSES THESE ARE TAXPAYERS. UM, AND THIS MONEY HAS BEEN CRITICAL. I MEAN, THESE ARE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR TEN OR MORE YEARS. SO THE QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED
SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT HASBRO. UM, WE WERE HAPPY TO NOT JUST WELCOME HASBRO HERE BUT LEGO, ELI LILLY, SO MANY OTHER COMPANIES BOSTON UM, WHEN IT COMES TO TAX INCENTIVES WE
DON'T HAVE UH THOSE TOOLS EXCEPT FOR 121 A'S OR TIFFS BUT THAT'S ONLY RELATED TO NEW CONSTRUCTION. SO IF HASBRO WERE BUILDING A NEW BUILDING THEN THERE COULD HAVE BEEN THAT CONVERSATION BUT THEY MOVED INTO AN EXISTING BUILDING.
SEE WE DON'T HAVE THAT. BUT WHEN WE TALK TO THESE COMPANIES UM, LIKE CHRIS COX AT HASBRO AND UM UH UH I'M FORGETTING LEGO NOW UM BUT AND
THE OTHERS UM, WHAT WE DID OFFER WAS YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE YOUR LIAISON HERE IN CITY HALL BUT ALSO LIKE THEY WANT TO MOVE TO BOSTON BECAUSE BOSTON IS THE PLACE TO BE. OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE VITAL
ANCHORS OF THIS CITY'S ECONOMY AND, UH, THEY'RE PLACES THAT PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE. AND SO THE REASON THAT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PLACES THAT FOLKS WANT TO LIVE IS BECAUSE OF OUR LEGACY BUSINESSES AND THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE THERE. SO I THINK THAT THAT FUNDING
SHOULD BE RESTORED. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD SUPPORT SUPPLIER DIVERSITY WITH THE DISPARITY STUDY. THE LAST TIME WE DID IT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO. THAT'S WHAT'S HELPED TO BUILD THE BASELINE OF ALL THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING AS A CITY.
IT'S WHY WE WERE ABLE TO DOUBLE THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRACTS TO UH TO WOMEN IN MINORITY BUSINESSES. UM, SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THEIR WORK NOT JUST THE DISPARITY STUDY BUT FUNDING FOR STAFFING AS WELL.
UM, I WON'T BE AROUND FOR THE LOCAL UH, LATER ON, BUT I THINK WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT STAFFING THERE SHOULD BE WE SHOULD DO AS WELL. UM, LAST THING I'LL JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO COUNCILOR COVERT AS A TO BECAUSE SHE'S ACTUALLY THE
COUNCILOR THAT, UH, BROUGHT UP AND AND REALLY LEANED IN ON THE SPIKING UM, AND COMMUNITY AND I THE REASON I WANT TO GIVE HER CREDIT IS BECAUSE SHE ACTUALLY WORKED WITH OUR OFFICE. UM, WE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS
WITH HER WITH KAREEN, UM, TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO ADDRESS ISSUES LIKE THAT. AND I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO MANY OF THE COUNCILORS WHO ARE IN THIS ROOM OR NOT IN THIS ROOM WHO ARE DOING WHAT I THINK IS THE THIRD LEG OF THE STOOL OF BEING A CITY COUNCILOR NOT
JUST HOLDING HEARINGS AND WRITING LETTERS AND TAKING CARE OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES BUT ACTUALLY PARTNERING WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS TO DO THE THINGS THAT YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING. AND SO I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO HER. UM, AND OF COURSE, UH,
CELEBRATE WHAT KARINA HAS BEEN DOING. UM LAST THING UH, WELL, I'LL KEEP IT THERE AND JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, TEAM IS DOING A GREAT JOB. THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB FOR DOWNTOWN AS WELL. A LOT OF WHAT YOU SEE HAPPENING DOWNTOWN IS BECAUSE OF THE UH,
THE SIEGE THAT WERE PLANTED BETWEEN THE CITY'S UH, AEAAI TEAM, UH, MIKE NICHOLS AND UH, THE DBA AND OTHERS AND NOW WE'RE BEARING THOSE FRUITS. SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE TEAM AND THANKS FOR ALL YOUR WORK AND THANK YOU COUNCIL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OVER
THE YEARS. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, YES. AS YOU CAN SEE, I IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE A FORMER CHIEF UH I'M NOT CUTTING YOU OFF AND UH, THANK YOU FOR UH HONESTLY THANK
YOU, UH, CHIEF CHIEF FOR DOING FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU PUT IN FOR THE CITY. SO, UH. HELLO. >> GOOD MORNING. >> SO MY. >> NAME IS ANTHONY EDWARDS. I AM A LEGACY RESIDENT OF BOSTON. MY FAMILY'S.
BEEN IN BOSTON SINCE 1940. WE LIVED IN THE DUDLEY AREA FOR 50 YEARS. AND I AM. SO DISAPPOINTED AND DISHEARTENED OF THE CONDITIONS IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND I'VE SAID IT AT EVERY MEETING IN THE COMMUNITY. THERE IS NO OTHER COMMUNITY IN
THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT IS DESPAIR LIKE THE CAPACITY THAT IS WE ARE OVERRAN BY THE OPIOID CRISIS. THERE'S ONLY FOUR BLACK BUSINESSES IN NEW BEING SQUARE
AND THEY'RE ALL GOING UNDER AND THEY'RE SUFFERING FROM BEING PUSHED OUT. WE HAVE A BOOKSTORE WHICH IS A LEGACY UM, BUSINESS. WE HAVE TO, UH, FINAL TOUCH WHO I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR TODAY.
IT'S A DRESS SHOP THAT I PATRONIZE. I PATRONIZE ALL OF THEM. WE HAVE BLACK MARKET AND WE HAVE OASIS BARBERSHOP WHO HAS THE MOST LEGACY OF, UM, BUSINESS IN THE CITY AND THE SQUARE AREA.
BEEN THERE FOR 34 YEARS AND AS APPLIED FOR THE GRANTS I WHAT TIMES I'VE BEEN IGNORED. I REALLY LOVE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING. I SEE THAT YOU GUYS GET IT DONE IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. MY COMMUNITY IS THE MOST
DYSFUNCTIONAL DESERTED LACK OF QUALITY I THINK IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE WHEN I COME OUT OF MY HOUSE AND I LIVE RIGHT AT DUDLEY SQUARE RIGHT ABOUT THE POLICE STATION AND I HAVE TO FIGHT THROUGH THE
SIDEWALKS WITH THE OPIOID CRISIS DEFECATION ON THE SIDEWALKS, PEEING ON THE SIDEWALKS, NAVIGATING MY MOTHER CAN'T EVEN COME OUTSIDE. AND THEN THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THE NUBIAN SQUARE AREA, WHICH IS FINAL TOUCH AND THE BOWLING BUILDING IS A TREAT FOR
ME. THAT'S WHY I GET ALL MY SPECIALTY OUTFITS FROM I'M FINDING OUT THAT THEY'RE GOING OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE THE CITY WON'T HELP BAIL THEM OUT. BLACK MARKET IS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET. NOBODY WILL BAIL THEM OUT. SO THERE'S NOTHING IN MY
COMMUNITY THAT REFLECTS MY MY CULTURE. BUT EVERY OTHER COMMUNITY FEELS CALLED UP IS CALLING THEM OUT OF ROSLINDALE. EVERYBODY HAS THEIR CULTURE REPRESENTED WHETHER IT BE FOOD, CLOTHES, ENTERTAINMENT BUT MY
COMMUNITY HAS SIX BANKS AND FOUR LIQUOR STORES AND THE OPIOID CRISIS. I WANT TO TAKE I HATS OFF TO MINYAK COLE PEPPER WHO'S LISTEN I HAD UM COUNCILMAN FLYNN
MURPHY AND HE HAS BEEN LISTENING TO ME MORE RECENTLY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. THIS IS SERIOUS. OUR COMMUNITY HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE HAVE SUCH A CLOSE PROXIMITY TO DOWNTOWN BOSTON.
ALL THESE UNAFFORDABLE HOUSES ARE BEING BUILT FOR WHAT? THERE'S NO INCENTIVE FOR ANYBODY TO BE IN NUBIAN SQUARE. THERE'S NOTHING THERE. AND SO WHAT IS THE GAME PLAN LIKE? I DON'T GET IT. LIKE YOU BUILD ALL THESE
UNAFFORDABLE HOUSES $5,400 FOR A UNIT. WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO INVITE OR ENTICE TO THE COMMUNITY? BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL LIKE I SHOULD HAVE TO LEAVE MY COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF ALL THESE ILL SITUATIONS AND THAT NOTHING
REFLECTS AN OPPORTUNITY. I DON'T FEEL LIKE I SHOULD HAVE TO GO TO BRIGHAM CIRCLE TO GET A TYLENOL OR GO TO THE SUPERMARKET. EVERYBODY ELSE CAN GO TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND GATHER WHATEVER THEY WANT. SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC INCLUSION, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS
FOR NUBIAN SQUARE TO KEEP THE LEGACY RESIDENTS IN AND WHAT ABOUT THE LEGACY BUILDINGS IT'S OWN BUILDING BUSINESSES? THERE'S ONLY FIVE BUSINESSES AND NUBIAN SQUARE THE THE BLACK AND AGAIN THAT IS FRUGAL
BOOKSTORE THAT IS FINAL TOUCH THAT IS OASIS BARBERSHOP AND BLACK MARKET ALL THERE'S NOTHING ELSE FOR US. THERE'S NOTHING IN NUBIAN SQUARE TO REFLECT THAT CULTURE. AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO FOCUS MORE ON THAT IF YOU CAN. THANK YOU. >> OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH ERIN ASHLEY BAILEY AND THEN UH, WE HAVE ONE UH, PERSON SIGN UP ON MINE. GOOD AFTERNOON. COUNCIL WEBER AND MEMBERS
OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS AARON ASHLEY BAILEY AND I'M THE OWNER OF KETCHIKAN. IT'S A BOUTIQUE PET CARE COMPANY HERE IN THE BOSTON AREA. I ALSO SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND I'M AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE
LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY. I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT AND TO BETTER CONNECT EXISTING RESOURCES ACROSS THE CITY. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, BOSTON HAS MADE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN
EXPANDING ACCESS TO SUPPORT. WHERE I'VE SEEN CHALLENGES IS NOT ACCESS BUT CONSISTENCY IN RELIABILITY AND EXECUTION. FOR EXAMPLE, IN ONE INSTANCE WORKING WITH THE CITY REFERRED ACCOUNTANT ERRORS LED TO
UNEXPECTED FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES AND REQUIRED SIGNIFICANT TIME AND RESOURCES TO RESOLVE AT A CRITICAL MOMENT FOR THE BUSINESS. EXPERIENCE LIKE THIS UH HIGHLIGHT HOW GAPS IN EXECUTION
CAN CREATE REAL OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL RISKS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. FROM A BUSINESS OWNERS PERSPECTIVE, THESE SYSTEMS DON'T FEEL SEPARATE. THEY FUNCTION AS A SINGLE ECOSYSTEM. WHEN THERE ARE INCONSISTENCIES
IN DELIVERY WHETHER ACROSS CITY PROGRAMS OR EXTERNAL PARTNERS, IT REDUCES TRUST AND LIMITS THE IMPACT OF OTHERWISE STRONG INITIATIVES. I WOULD OFFER A FEW CONSIDERATIONS TO HELP ENSURE THAT THESE EFFORTS DELIVER
PRACTICAL VALUE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. FIRST, COORDINATION WILL BE CRITICAL. ALIGNING NEW INITIATIVES NOT ONLY WITH CITY PROGRAMS BUT ALSO WITH TRUSTED ACCESS POINTS LIKE THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP
RESOURCES AT COPLEY COULD MAKE THE SYSTEMS MORE COHESIVE AND EASIER TO NAVIGATE. SECOND, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT SUPPORT PROVIDED WHETHER THROUGH VENDORS OR PARTNERSHIPS IS PRACTICAL AND
IMPLEMENTATION READY. SMALL BUSINESSES ARE OFTEN OPERATING WITH LIMITED TIME AND CAPACITY, SO ENGAGEMENTS NEED TO BE CLEARLY SCOPED AND DIRECTLY USABLE TO BE EFFECTIVE. THIRD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE A
FOCUS ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND OUTCOMES FROM THE BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE. ATTRACTING PARTICIPATION IS IMPORTANT, BUT UNDERSTANDING WHETHER BUSINESSES CAN ACTUALLY USE AND BENEFIT FROM THE SUPPORT THEY RECEIVE IS EQUALLY CRITICAL.
FINALLY, AS THE CITY CONSIDERS BROADER FUNDING PRIORITIES ENSURING THAT FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS ARE ALIGNED WITH WELL COORDINATED RELIABLE SUPPORT SYSTEMS COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
AS BOSTON CONTINUES ADVANCING INITIATIVES LIKE THE SPARK ACT AND INVESTING IN SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT, ENSURING STRONG EXECUTION AND COORDINATION WILL BE CRITICAL TO TRANSLATING THESE EFFORTS INTO MEANINGFUL OUTCOMES FOR BUSINESSES ON THE
GROUND. OVERALL, I THINK THIS IS A STRONG DIRECTION. STRENGTHENING COORDINATION, USABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE EXECUTION LEVEL WILL BE KEY TO SUCCESS. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND I'D BE HAPPY TO BE A RESOURCE AS THIS WORK MOVES
FORWARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH OKAY WE'VE GOT ONE PERSON ONLINE. UH, GREG MAYNARD. HELLO.
>> UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME JOIN YOU. MY NAME IS GREGORY MAYNARD AND I AM THE CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BOSTON POLICY INSTITUTE. THERE REMAIN A NUMBER OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS FROM
THIS PANEL THAT I HOPE THE COUNCIL ADDRESSES FOR THE REST OF THE HEARING. NUMBER ONE, THIS WEEK BOSTON ARTS REVIEW REPORTED A LETTER WAS SENT OUT BY UH ARTS AND
CULTURE CHIEF JOSEPH HENRY TO PAST GRANT RECIPIENTS DETAILING CUTS TO GRANT PROGRAMS. THAT LETTER APPEARS TO BE FAR MORE DETAILED THAN WHAT IS IN THE BUDGET BOOK. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT WE TALK ABOUT IF SIMILAR LETTERS WERE SENT OUT AND WHAT GRANTS ARE BEING AFFECTED. NUMBER TWO IN SEPTEMBER 2025, JOHN DOE PUBLISHED A COLUMN THAT PROVIDED A DETAILED TIMELINE OF HASBRO'S MOVE TO
BOSTON WHICH STARTED WITH THE CONVERSATION IN 2018 WITH THEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY JAY ASH. WHEN CHARLIE BAKER WAS STILL GOVERNOR, ACCORDING TO THAT COLUMN, THE IDEA WAS REKINDLED AND HASBRO'S MOVE ACCOMPLISHED
BY GOVERNOR HEALY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY YVONNE HOWE IN THAT COLUMN. THERE IS NO MENTION OF ANY INVOLVEMENT BY ANYONE FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON. THE SENSE THAT BOSTON DIDN'T PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN HAVING
HASBRO MOVE WAS REINFORCED BY THE YOU CAN'T BEAT BOSTON INITIATIVE THAT WAS ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS MONTH. ONE OF THE GOALS OF THAT PROGRAM IS TO QUOTE, SERVE AS THE CENTRAL POINT OF CONTACT FOR BUSINESSES CONSIDERING
GROWING IN BOSTON. THIS SEEMS TO IMPLY THAT THERE IS NOT A CENTRAL POINT OF CONTACT RIGHT NOW. CAN CITY OFFICIALS DESCRIBE HOW CITY HALL'S BUSINESS OUTREACH WORKS NOW? FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH STAFF AND
CITY HALL WORKED WITH HASBRO OR LEGO? AND FINALLY, UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION OF THE SPACE GRANT AND IN HER BUDGET PRESENTATION, MAYOR WU SAID
THAT THANKS TO THE SPACE GRANT, UM FORMERLY VACANT SPACE HAVE BEEN OCCUPIED. FOOT TRAFFIC INCREASED, TAX DOLLARS WERE ADDED AND JOBS WERE CREATED. CAN THE CITY PROVIDE DATA TO BACK UP.
THOSE THOSE CLAIMS? HAS THE CITY TRACKED, FOR INSTANCE, HOW MUCH VACANT SPACE WAS RENTED OUT OR INCREASES IN FOOT TRAFFIC OR INCREASES IN SALES TAX OR OTHER LOCAL OPTION
TAXES AND JOBS JOBS CREATED? THERE HASN'T BEEN A TON OF DATA ABOUT ALL OF THE ARPA SPENDING, AND THIS IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT THERE SHOULD BE MORE DATA. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND HAVE A
GREAT DAY. OKAY THANK YOU. UH SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS. UH WE'RE GOING TO UH WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH FOUR MINUTES.
UH IF YOU HAVE YOU KNOW UM A THIRD ROUND WILL WE'LL COME BACK. OKAY. SO COUNCILOR FLYNN. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND I JUST WANT TO. UM, CORRECT THE RECORD DURING
THE, UH, DOWNTOWN BOSTON. I HAD TO ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDED A SAFE ENVIRONMENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR BUSINESS, FOR TOURISTS, FOR RESIDENTS, FOR WORKERS.
WE HAD A LOT OF PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES THAT I NEEDED TO ADDRESS WORKING WITH THE BOSTON POLICE WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S. UM, THAT TOOK ME A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO, UM, PROVIDE
A SAFER ENVIRONMENT. SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE, UM THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. UM, IT'S NOT JUST AS SIMPLE AS WORKING WITH THE DOWNTOWN UM,
BUSINESS ALLIANCE. UM, WE HAD SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES THAT I THAT I ADDRESSED AS THE ELECTED OFFICIAL FROM THAT AREA.
UM. DONALD, YOU MENTIONED YOU WERE GOING TO SEE ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF THE NIGHTLIFE ECONOMY DIRECTOR.
WAS WAS. >> THAT POSSIBLE? UH. >> I DIDN'T REACH OUT. >> SHE'S IN A MEETING ON, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY. SHE'S IN A PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING.
THE WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THE, UM, MAIN STREET PROGRAM? AND IS THERE ANY ONGOING INVESTIGATION ABOUT ANY
MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS OR ANYTHING RELATING TO MAIN STREET? THERE'S, UH. >> WE ARE. WORKING WITH OUR MAIN STREETS AS AS WE DO, UH.
THAT WAS AN ISSUE. UM, OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS CAUGHT THE ISSUE. WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ANY OTHER ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED WITH. UM, AND IT WAS THE FACT THAT WE
HAD THESE AN INTERNAL CONTROLS THAT CAUGHT THE INFRACTION THAT WAS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THOSE CONTROLS. UH, ONCE ONCE WE SAW A
MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS I KNOW THEY ONE WAS ADDRESSED TO ME. IT WAS IT WAS OUR STAFF MEMBER ON OUR TEAM THAT ALERTED SHE WAS THE ONE THAT FOUND IT. SHE ALERTED HER BOSS THAT THEN
IT WENT TO LEGAL. SO WE WE TOOK STEPS. SO ONCE ONCE THAT HAPPENED UM AND SO IT ONLY HAPPENED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THEN. AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN BY TIME FRAME.
WHAT I WILL SAY. LIKE WHEN WHEN SOMEONE FROM YOUR TEAM SAW THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING IRREGULAR ABOUT FINANCIAL DATA. MHM. UM ONCE THAT HAPPENED IT THEY
PRETTY MUCH JUST WASN'T AND THAT WAS THAT WAS THE END OF IT. IT WASN'T A MATTER OF IT TAKING A YEAR. OKAY. >> NOW THAT'S THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. UM WASN'T THERE AN AUDIT ABOUT THAT ISSUE?
WAS WAS WOLFE AND COMPANY DOING AN AUDIT? I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. THAT SPECIFICALLY. WOULD ANYONE THERE KNOW ABOUT AN AUDIT BEING DONE BY WOLFE AND COMPANY?
YES. >> UH, COUNCILOR WOLFE AND COMPANY, DID IT NOT? IS THAT PUBLIC? I I'M NOT SURE I I'M NOT I I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION. COUNCIL LET ME FIND OUT AND I
CAN GET BACK TO YOU. OKAY. >> COULD I. COULD I. >> RESPECTFULLY. REQUEST A COPY OF THAT AUDIT? MR CHAIR? YES. DONALD, IF IF THE AUDIT IS DONE, COULD I RECEIVE A COPY OF IT?
ALL RIGHT. I I'VE TALKED TO LEAVE OR WHATEVER PROCESS WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH SO. OKAY. >> BUT IT'S NOT BUT IS IT A PUBLIC DOCUMENT OR A COUNCIL? >> I'M NOT I'M NOT SURE. >> OKAY.
LET ME ASK ONE FINAL QUESTION. UM. THE GRANTS AND THE GRANTS THAT WILL GIVE IT OUT BY YOUR OFFICE TO SMALL BUSINESSES TO HELP THEM. MAYBE IT WAS DURING THE
PANDEMIC. MAYBE IT WAS AFTER THE PANDEMIC BUT TO SUPPORT THEM IN SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THEY WERE FACING OR TO IMPROVE THEIR BUSINESS CLIMATE NOW THAT THAT
FUNDING IS NO LONGER THERE. DOES THAT MEAN WE ARE CUTTING THEM LOOSE AND WE'RE NOT SUPPORTING THOSE BUSINESSES ANY LONGER? OH. ,I MEAN IT'S OUR WORK
CONTINUES. I MEAN I SAID THAT EARLIER. AT LEAST HIS TEAM IS DILIGENT. WE'RE IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY. UM, BECAUSE OUR FUNDS HAVE BEEN
CUT LIKE EVERY OTHER IN THE CITY. CENTRAL CITY SERVICES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR WORK. WE FIND IT TO BE AN ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICE. SO OUR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS MANAGERS ARE GOING TO BE OUT THERE IN OUR
COMMUNITIES, OUR INTERNAL STAFF ,OUR PROGRAMS THEY'LL CUT. UM, WE'RE STILL GOING TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE A POINT OF CONTACT FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM. BUT NONE OF THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE.
WE MAY DO A BIT MORE TO BE FISCALLY IN FRONT OF THEM WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE BUT NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE. COULD I COULD I GET A COPY OF ALL.
UM, EMAILS THAT WENT OUT LETTING GRANTEES KNOW THAT THEIR FUNDING HAS BEEN ELIMINATED OR REDUCED? UM, IS THAT IS THAT SOMETHING I CAN REQUEST, MR CHAIR? I GOT. STUDENT HOUSING. >> WE DON'T HAVE TO.
GO I THINK YET. YEAH. >> GO TO WHAT YOU WANT TO. >> SAY IS THAT BECAUSE I THINK. COUNSELOR, CAN YOU BE A BIT MORE SPECIFIC. >> ABOUT WHAT? GRANT PROGRAMS BECAUSE YEAH. >> ANY ANY GRANT. PROGRAM THAT, UM, YOUR DEPARTMENT OVERSEES THAT WE'RE
NO LONGER FUNDING THOSE UM THOSE ORGANIZATIONS MAYBE IT'S A SMALL BUSINESS. MAYBE IT'S A NONPROFIT. UM, BUT AM I ABLE TO GET A TO GET THE EMAILS OR TO GET THE
LIST OF THOSE THAT RECEIVE FUNDS THAT WON'T BE GETTING THOSE FUNDS ANY LONGER? SO BUT I DO I DO UNDERSTAND THAT AN EMAIL DID GO OUT LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE GETTING FUNDS
AGAIN. IS THAT ACCURATE? I'M NOT PRIVY TO THAT EMAIL, COUNSELOR. UM, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT ANY COMMUNICATION WE HAVE TO GRANTEES, WE LET THEM KNOW THAT IT'S A ONE TIME FUNDING AND
THEN WE ASSESS FUNDING EVERY FISCAL YEAR. AND SO AS THE NEW FISCAL YEAR COMING UP, WE'LL SHARE THAT INFORMATION OUT WITH OUR PARTNERS.
BUT IN TERMS OF REQUIRING GRANTS FROM YEAR TO YEAR, WE WE WE DISCLOSE TO OUR GRANTEES THAT THIS IS KIND OF A ONE TIME AND THEN WE ASSESS EVERY YEAR. MR CHAIR. >> MAY I RECEIVE THAT
INFORMATION? YES. >> I MEAN I THINK YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A LEGACY GRANT YOU GET IT FOR ONE YEAR. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SEND OUT A LETTER. AT THE END OF THE YEAR SAYING YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT NEXT YEAR. BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND IF THEIR PROGRAMS. THAT WERE.
>> ONGOING THAT THEY WERE THAT'S CORRECT. CUTTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DISTRICT. YEAH. SO I THINK WHAT. THEY'RE SAYING IS AND THERE MAY NOT BE ANY. UH, FROM THIS FROM THESE. OFFICES WHICH THINGS YEAH. MORE FLAHERTY ON THE GRANT
PROGRAM WOULD BE UM YOU KNOW, WE RUN ON THE FISCAL YEAR SO THE GRANT PROGRAMS ARE ALL ON THE THE FISCAL YEAR. AND SO IT'S A ONE TIME WE ASSESS THE BUSINESS, WE PROVIDE THEM SERVICES.
IT'S A ONE TIME IF THEY NEED HELP CONTINUING SUPPORT WE ASSESS AGAIN WE LOOK TO SEE IF THEY NEED CONTINUING SUPPORT BUT IT'S NOT UM YOU KNOW WE WE WE WORK WITH BUSINESSES BY
PROJECT OR BY SCOPE OF WORK. UM AND THAT'S HOW WE SUPPORT THEM. AND I YEAH I THINK IT'S FOR. FOR EVERYONE HERE LIKE YOU. JUST AND THERE MAY BE NO. LETTERS SENT OUT LIKE THIS
BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IF THERE WERE ANY THAT. YOU CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE UH. THESE ARE THERE WAS A TWO YEAR THING WHERE YOU STOPPED PAYMENT ON A GRANT THAT WAS GIVEN. OUT. >> YOU KNOW, LAST THE BEGINNING
OF THIS FISCAL YEAR IT WAS JUST TO RUN. >> THE. ENTIRE ONE WHICH YOU CUT OFF A YEAR. YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE ARE NONE. OKAY, SO THEY'RE THERE. I MEAN, THE ANSWER MIGHT BE. UH, NOTHING FROM FROM THIS THIS
PANEL. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. >> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO, UH, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE, UH ,COUNCILOR MURPHY HAD TO STEP OUT. SO YOU'RE UP NEXT. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, UM, TO THIS
PANEL FOR DOING A REALLY GREAT JOB ANSWERING QUESTIONS. UM, AND REPEATING THEM I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, I THINK I MAY HAVE MISSED THIS, BUT THE SPACE GRANT
SPECIFICALLY IS THAT GOING TO BE MAINTAINS EXPANDED OR IS THAT REDUCED BECAUSE OF. THIS THE SPACE GRANT WAS ONE TIME FUNDING THAT WAS THROUGH ARPA FUNDS AND IT. >> WAS ONLY THROUGH ARPA. THERE WAS NO OPERATING DOLLARS
THAT SUPPORTED THE SPACE GRANT. CORRECT? >> NO. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UM, WE HEARD TESTIMONY ABOUT, UH, THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM FIRST SO THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND AS IS BECAUSE COUNCILOR DURKAN ASKED A QUESTION AND WE WERE SORT OF L GOING BACK AND FORTH
ABOUT WHAT ACTUALLY. IMPORTANT ALWAYS WHAT ARE THE FACTS AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT DISAGREEMENTS FROM THERE. BUT WHAT ARE THE FACTS AS I THINK AN IMPORTANT REMINDER FOR ALL OF US. SO THE FACTS.
IS IT TRUE THAT UM EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NOT FUNDING FOR THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM, THERE IS AN INTENTION FOR THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM TO CONTINUE IN TERMS OF LIKE MARKETING AND OR
IS THAT NOT SO IF SOMEONE COULD EXPLAIN TO ME. YEAH RIGHT NOW I MEAN UNDERSTANDING THAT UM THE GRANT ASPECT OF THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT UH, A
COST EFFECTIVE WAY OF STILL RECOGNIZING THOSE BUSINESSES. WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE BUSINESSES IN OUR SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM. AND WE ALSO UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE AWARDS HAVE DONE FOR THEM.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE WE NO LONGER HAVE THE AWARD DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T CARE AND FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT THOSE BUSINESSES. HOWEVER, THE AWARD GRANTS 30 30,000 GIVEN TO HOW MANY
BUSINESSES 3030 OKAY. WHAT WAS WHAT I SAY IS MORE IMPORTANT IS IT WAS THE CONSTITUENCY THAT PATRONS OF THOSE BUSINESSES WERE THE ONES THAT DID ALL THE WORK.
THEY WENT THEY VOTED, THEY TALKED TO THEIR FRIENDS. THEY VOTED. I MEAN IT'S SO SUPPORTING THAT WE ALL WE KNOW THE SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES HAVE AND THOSE
COMMUNITIES AND SO SEEING A PROGRAM LIKE THIS WE STILL HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND LIFT UP THOSE BUSINESSES. I'M STILL GOING TO GO. UM AND I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WAY ANYTHING THAT THAT WE YOU.
KNOW LIKE OKAY GOOD. THANK YOU COUNCIL. UM I THINK YOU I HAVE A ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS BUT LET'S SAY YOU. KNOW. >> BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE DEALING WITH MATH AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
SO WE'RE SAYING THE, UH, LEGACY PROGRAM WAS AT $1 MILLION IF IT IS A PROGRAM THAT THIS COUNCIL IS ABLE TO HELP RESTORE FUNDING TO. DO YOU THINK THAT IS A WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR?
YEAH. >> BUT YOU KNOW, I SAY YES FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS AND AND I ALSO, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS OF THE CITY RIGHT NOW. SO JUST JUST BEING MORAL. >> YEAH I DO TOO I DO TOO BUT SO BUT.
>> FOR. THAT HOWEVER COUNCIL UM I THINK MY OFFICE IS WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU AND OBVIOUSLY COUNCILOR DURKAN TO SEE HOW WE CAN UPLIFT THESE BUSINESSES. YOU KNOW WE WENT THROUGH A PUBLIC NOMINATION PROCESS.
WE STILL WANT TO UH, CENTER BUSINESSES. THAT'S ALL ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE DO. AND SO IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO FIGURE THAT OUT, I'M WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT. THANK YOU. AND WE ALSO HEARD PUBLIC
TESTIMONY AND WE ALSO HEARD PUBLIC TESTIMONY ABOUT SOME SOME BUSINESSES AGAIN YOU KNOW, UPLIFT NUBIAN SQUARE. UM WE'VE BEEN THERE I DON'T KNOW IF FRUGAL FRUGAL BOOKSTORE HAS BEEN A RECIPIENT OF THE LAYOFFS. RIGHT.
SO THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE, UH, SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES LIKE THAT. CAN I CAN I ADD JUST TO THE FRUGAL BOOK CONVERSATION AND THIS IS ONE EXCITING EXAMPLE EVERYONE KNOWS THE IMPORTANCE
OF FRUGAL BOOKS. I STOPPED BY YESTERDAY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM BECAUSE I STARTED A CONVERSATION OF UH ABOUT A MONTH OR SO WHEN I GOT INTO THIS ROLE. FRUGAL BOOKS ARE ONE OF THE BUSINESSES THAT WE'RE LOOKING
AT RIGHT NOW TO BE A PART OF OUR, UH, COMMERCIAL ACQUISITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM . >> YEAH, I YEAH, THAT WAS GREAT. SO WE'RE LOOKING UH, AT THEM EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND UH YEAH, I'M SMILING BECAUSE FRUGAL BOOKS I'VE KNOWN FOR FOR MANY YEARS NOT BEING A BOSTONIAN BUT JUST UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE AND AND BEING HERE SO YES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
OKAY. >> AND UH, JUST BEFORE COUNCIL COMMERCIAL ACQUISITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT IS. NOT BEING CONTINUED NEXT YEAR. AM I RIGHT? UH. >> WE JUST YEAH, WE JUST FUNDED IT. OKAY. >> OKAY. OKAY, GOOD. THANK YOU.
UH. UM. YEAH. COUNSELOR DURKAN FOR MINUTES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. IF YOU WOULD COME TO OUR HEARING. JUST KIDDING. UM. >> SO YEAH, I I'M EXCITED. I THINK THAT'S THRILLING THAT,
UM, THE VRA OR PLANNING DEPARTMENT OR EDC, HOWEVER WE CUT IT. UM, WHAT IS FUNDING THAT THIS YEAR? IT MAKES SENSE THAT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CITY WOULD
BE FUNDING MORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. UM, I THINK WITH THE LEGACY BUSINESS AWARDS I JUST BELIEVE THAT $900,000 IS NOT AN INSURMOUNTABLE FEAT FOR PRIVATE
PHILANTHROPY TO STEP IN HERE. I THINK I MEAN, MAYBE IT'S YOU KNOW, MY FORMER FUNDRAISER BRAIN BUT I JUST CAN'T SEE A WORLD IN WHICH THAT'S NOT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR AN
EXTERNAL FUNDER OF THIS YOU KNOW THE CITY AND AN EXTERNAL PARTNER OF THE CITY. SO I WILL BE CALLING STEVEN CHAN LATER TO SEE YOU KNOW I REALLY DO I REALLY DON'T THINK
THIS NEEDS TO BE THROUGH OPERATING DOLLARS. UM, I FEEL LIKE THERE IS SOME SOLUTION HERE. UM, AND I JUST THINK IT'S MEANT SO MUCH TO PEOPLE IN MY
DISTRICT TO HAVE IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT THE MONEY FOR THEM. IT'S ABOUT THE EXTERNAL VALIDATION OF KNOWING THAT THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO THE CITY AND THAT UM, AND YOU KNOW THAT
THEIR CITY COUNCILOR KNOWS WHO THEY ARE, THAT THEIR THE MAYOR KNOWS WHO THEY ARE AND KNOWS THAT THEY'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB AND THEY I MEAN, I JUST THINK EVERY TIME I'VE BEEN TO THE AWARDS AND EVERY TIME I'VE
WEIGHED IN ON UH THE LEGACY BUSINESSES IN MY DISTRICT, IT'S AND MEANS SO MUCH TO THEM TO GET THAT RECOGNITION AND UM, SO AND I MEAN I'M STILL WORKING ON A COUPLE THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN
ABLE TO GET THROUGH. UH, AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS PROGRAM END. UM, AND I KNOW THAT I'VE, YOU KNOW, BEEN CRITICAL OF, UM, YOU KNOW, OF OF GOING THROUGH THE
BUDGET PROCESS IN A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE HAVE TO MAKE CUTS BUT NOT HERE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LIVE IN THE FINANCIAL REALITY THAT WE'RE IN. UM, BUT I THINK FOR THIS
PROGRAM IN PARTICULAR IT'S JUST SUCH A GREAT THING FOR, YOU KNOW, AN EXTERNAL PARTNER TO LIKE BE PART OF. AND SO I THINK WE SHOULD ALL PUT OUR THINKING CAPS ON ABOUT THAT.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE UM TOURISM AND SPECIAL EVENTS LATER. I DID JUST WANT TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST SO I KNOW WHAT TO ASK IN SORT OF THIS NEXT
HEARING LIKE IS OPEN STREETS COMPLETELY UNDER THIS DEPARTMENT? YES. INCLUDING OPEN NEWBURY. YES. >> NO WE'RE NOT AS OPEN. NEWBURY OPEN NEWBURY HAS NOT MOVED OKAY. JUST JUST.
WANTED TO GET THAT FOR CLARIFYING. UM AND SO UM I'M GRATEFUL TO THIS DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND IT
IS CLEAR TO ME I, I IT I KNOW THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BENEFITED FROM YOUR WORK BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO TALKING TO OUR OFFICE. UM, I KNOW EVERY SINGLE LEGACY BUSINESS THAT HAS YOU KNOW, AND
EVERY SINGLE UM, SPACE GRANT THAT HAS BEEN GRANTED IN MY DISTRICT SINCE I STARTED BECAUSE THAT'S MY JOB AND UM, SO I DON'T NEED A LIST. I DON'T NEED A LIST FROM YOU GUYS.
I'VE BEEN IN DEEP CONVERSATION WITH THESE WITH THESE GROUPS AND WITH THESE BUSINESSES. UM, I ALSO I'M NOT GOING TO LIKE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS WRITE MY QUESTIONS FOR THIS HEARING.
I THINK IT'S VERY APPARENT WHEN THAT HAPPENS. UM, SO I SUPPORT THIS BUDGET. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS BEING MADE HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE LEGACY BUSINESS AWARDS INTACT.
SO I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE MY POINT OF ADVOCACY. BUT I THINK THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO APPROACH THAT AND I THINK IT'S ALL ABOUT COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP. I THINK THE FORMER CHIEF IDAHO HAS UM YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL ABOUT
PARTNERSHIP. IT'S ALL ABOUT ACTUALLY COMING TO THE TABLE AND IT'S NOT ABOUT THESE HEARINGS. IT'S ABOUT WORKING WITH YOU DAY IN AND DAY OUT. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK EMILY FOR HER WORK BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN A REAL RESOURCE FOR OUR
OFFICE. AND UM, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK TOGETHER AND THAT WE PARTNER AND THAT UM, AND I THINK ANYONE WHO'S SAYING I WAS AT THE LEGO YOU
KNOW, I'M SORRY I WAS AT THE LEGO. I MEAN, HAVE YOU HEARD WHAT THESE CEOS AND THESE LEADERS SAID ABOUT OUR CITY AND THE WORK THAT THE CITY IS DOING? UM, THESE ARE INTERNATIONAL
LEADERS THAT CAME IN UM, TO TO LAUNCH THEIR BUSINESS. THEY CHOSE BOSTON BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN THIS CITY. SO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO CLAIM THAT OUR CITY AND THE WAY THAT
WE'RE RUNNING IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BUSINESSES MOVING HERE IS DEVOID OF ACTUAL BUSINESS CONVERSATIONS IN WHICH I'M VERY MUCH A PART OF BECAUSE I'M AND YOU KNOW, REPRESENTING SOME
OF THE ECONOMIC MOST ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT PLACES IN BOSTON. SO I WANT TO SAY PLEASE PAT YOURSELVES ON THE BACK AND DON'T LET ANYBODY GET YOU DOWN. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UH, JUST SO WE CAN GO FOR A
QUICK THIRD ROUND HERE BUT UM, SO IN TERMS OF LEGACY. BUSINESS. >> IF WE IF WE. DID LIKE A PARED DOWN. VERSION. >> UM, UM YEAH. HOW MANY DO YOU DO IT BY. THOSE COUNCIL DISTRICTS? LIKE HOW. >> DO WE MAKE SURE THAT. THERE'S ENOUGH TO GO.
AROUND OR NOT? UH. >> IS IT. >> NINE DISTRICTS OR WOULD. IT SO WE DO IT WE WE WE LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IS REPRESENTED WHEN WE THINK ABOUT LEGACY BUSINESSES WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THERE'S A RANGE OF INDUSTRIES UM, IN TERMS OF AND THAT THE BUSINESSES ARE REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S MINORITY OWNED. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S WOMAN OWNED. WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS IMMIGRANT OWNED VETERAN
OWNED. THOSE ARE ALL IMPORTANT AND CONSIDERATIONS. OKAY. >> UM SO THAT YEAH I MEAN INSTEAD OF MAYBE 2 OR 3 EVERY NEIGHBOR YOU KNOW, IF WE DID ONE IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. UH. >> COUNCILOR. >> I KNOW YOU'VE YOU'VE GONE.
>> THROUGH THE PROCESS. IT'S VERY HARD I. THINK TO. >> DO. ONE FOR I'M JUST NEIGHBORHOOD I'M TRYING TO. IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, UH. OF COURSE. IT'S IN THE AMENDMENT PROCESS. UM. >> WE CAN SET UP A. PROGRAM THAT STILL.
WORKS AND NOT JUST SAY, OKAY, YOU GET TO LEGACY BUSINESSES. >> AND THEN YOU. HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, CHOOSE BETWEEN ALL THESE, YOU KNOW, THEN ABSOLUTELY. I THINK WE ALSO LOOK TRIED TO LOOK AT UM. NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOW BIG THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND TRY TO MAKE IT RELEVANT TO THAT AS WELL. UM BUT AGAIN WE ARE VERY COLLABORATIVE AND SO HAPPY TO KIND OF THINK THROUGH DIFFERENT IDEAS AND OPTIONS WITH YOU.
OKAY. >> OKAY. YEAH. >> UH THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILOR. FLYNN. >> UM, YOU HAVE ANY WE'LL WE'LL GO TO. TWO MINUTES. UH, IF I CAN OPERATE THIS THING CORRECTLY. YEAH. >> THANKS.
THANK YOU. THANK CUSHMAN. YEP. >> YOU'RE UP. YEAH. >> THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I KNOW ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED BOSTON AS A STRONG CLIMATE FOR ENCOURAGING
BUSINESSES. UM, TO RELOCATE HERE. UM, DO. >> YOU. AGREE WITH THAT, DONALD? YEAH. >> LET US RELOCATE. UM. STAKE. >> IN. START, YOU. KNOW. >> BUILD A HEADQUARTERS.
THEY START A BUSINESS HERE. WE HAVE A STRONG STARTUP COMMUNITY HERE THAT WE WORK WITH. DOES THE AND YOU HAVE PROBABLY THE POINT OF CONTACT.
FOR POTENTIAL BUSINESSES COMING HERE IS THAT IT HAS AT OUR CURRENT. FOR THE. >> CITY OF UM ONE OF THE. CONTACTS UM, ARE THEY CONCERNED AT ALL ABOUT TAXES AND LOSS AND
OF A HIGH TAX RATE OR OR TAXES IN TERMS OF UM, YOU KNOW, ANY TYPE OF ISSUE BUT IS THAT DOES THAT HAVE ANY IMPACT AT. ALL OUR CONVERSATIONS AND UM I
HAVE UH DIRECTOR OF UH OUR BUSINESS STRATEGY UNIT UH, AND THEY OF COURSE THAT'S IT. UM, AND I'VE BEEN YOU KNOW, IN MEETINGS I'VE BEEN ON TOURS I MEAN IT'S IT'S IT'S NOT AS
GRANULAR AS AS YOU THINK WHEN IT COMES TO OUR DEPARTMENT. WE'RE A CONDUIT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONNECTING FOLKS TO STATE AND FEDERAL RESOURCES. WE'RE CONNECTING FOLKS TO UH,
BROADER REAL ESTATE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCESS. WE EVEN TALK TO FOLKS IN OTHER, YOU KNOW, SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS WHETHER IT BE CAMBRIDGE, SOMERVILLE FOLKS WHO ARE LOOKING WHAT WE WANT TO BE
AS THE CONDUIT THAT THEY REACH OUT TO FIRST BECAUSE WE HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE. THAT EVEN THOUGH EVEN THOUGH WE THERE'S THE PERCEPTION I SHOULD SAY THAT BOSTON IN MASSACHUSETTS HAS A LOT
OF TAXES. THAT'S NOT THE REALITY. THAT THEY'RE COMING HERE FOR THE TOWN. THEY'RE COMING HERE FOR THE MET . I MEAN, SO IT'S IT'S NOT THE
TAX THING NOW THAT MY OFFICE IS ENGAGED WITH IT'S JUST NOT SO IT'S WHERE DO WE WHERE DO WE LAND? YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO OUR FAMILIES. TO POTENTIAL POTENTIAL
BUSINESSES ASK ABOUT UH, TAXES. AS PART OF THEIR DUE DILIGENCE . I'M SURE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO ASK BUT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY ASK US ABOUT IT. OKAY? THEY ALREADY KNOW AT A MUNICIPAL LEVEL WHAT RESOURCES
WE HAVE. WE'RE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. I'LL HELP YOU. THANK YOU. >> DONALD. UM THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. OKAY. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> AND AGAIN THANK YOU TO THIS PANEL FOR BEING HERE AND FOR
YOUR WORK IN ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS. UM, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING TO REALLY, UM, HIGHLIGHT HOW BUSINESSES WANT TO COME TO BOSTON BECAUSE OF UH, MEDS AND ADS AND BECAUSE OF THE TALENT
THAT IS UNIQUE. NOT TO SAY THAT WE HAVE SOLVED ALL THE PROBLEMS. UH, YOU KNOW, I WILL ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WHEN I HAD TO HAD I DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH TIME. BUT WE STILL HAVE TO SOLVE OUR HOUSING AND TRANSIT ISSUES, WHICH ARE TWO OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS FOR PLACING BUSINESSES
HERE. UM, YOUR PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS OVER 303 30 100 HOURS OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, MORE THAN 100 PROJECTS AND SUPPORT ACROSS 15 PLUS
NEIGHBORHOODS. YET THESE ARE PRIMARILY INPUTS RATHER THAN OUTCOMES. UM WE TALKED ABOUT IT AS WELL THAT THERE ARE BUSINESSES THAT RECEIVED TECHNICAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND ARE STILL STRUGGLING.
WHAT MEASURABLE RESULTS CAN WE POINT TO IN TERMS OF BUSINESS SURVIVAL, REVENUE GROWTH OR WEALTH CREATION FOR BUSINESSES THAT RECEIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE? UM, YOU KNOW AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO. SO THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FOR THE QUESTION. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON WITH OUR DATA AND IMPROVING OUR UM. THAT THE. IMPACT WORK AND RETURN ON
INVESTMENT AND SO UH, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO WE'RE WORKING TO. REALLY QUANTIFY THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
AND I HOPE IT'S UM THAT WE ALSO HAVE DOCUMENTED SO THAT WHEN FOLKS LIKE WE CAN SAY THAT THIS WAS A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, THIS IS YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WAS INTERNALIZED OR NOT. UM, I ALSO WANTED TO YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT UM,
THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM BUT WE COULD ALSO EXPLORE DIFFERENT MODELS, RIGHT OF UH WE HAVE 30 THERE WERE 30 RECIPIENTS RECEIVING $30,000. WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE TO PARE
THAT DOWN? UH, NOT TO 15 BECAUSE I KNOW I STRUGGLE EVERY TIME WITH CHOOSING JUST I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY I GET FIVE OR SO AND THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. RIGHT.
AND SO, UM, WHAT ARE THERE DIFFERENT MODELS THAT WE COULD DO? COULD IT BE A DIFFERENT AMOUNT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT FOR EXAMPLE 10,000 15,000 WOULD STILL BE HELPFUL FOR A NUMBER OF THESE BUSINESSES. AND SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING
FOR US TO EXPLORE AS A COUNCIL. BUT I DID LIKE COUNCILOR DURKIN'S IDEA OF UH YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE IT TO HER BECAUSE I ALSO TALKED ABOUT IT. UH, BUT THE MODEL OF PARTNERING
WITH PHILANTHROPY AND OTHER LIKE WHAT BUSINESSES. SO LIKE MAYBE IF WE DO HAVE TO SCALE DOWN RIGHT RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET SO EITHER IF IT REMAINS NOT IN THE BUDGET OR WE RESTORE IT TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THE COUNCIL, IS THERE
A BUSINESS PARTNER THAT CAN DO THE OTHER HALF THAT CAN MATCH THE OTHER HALF OR SOMEBODY? SO I MEAN I THINK THAT IS REALLY WORTH EXPLORING UH FOR A LOT OF THESE GAPS AND NOT JUST
IN THIS NOT JUST IN THIS OFFICE IN EVERY OTHER DOMAIN WHERE WE SEE CUTS LIKE WHO ARE LIKE THIS IS A TIME FOR OTHERS WHO ARE WELL-HEELED IN OUR CITY TO STEP UP AND DO THE WORK ALONGSIDE
US. I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS BUT I KNOW MY TIME WENT OFF BUT I KNOW I'M ALSO THE ONLY COUNCILOR LEFT. SO YOU. YOU ARE THE ONLY COUNCILOR LEFT ? UH. >> I WOULD SAY. LIKE IN TERMS OF UH, THOSE QUESTIONS ABOUT. WHAT BUSINESSES YOU KNOW, ARE
CONCERNED WITH I WAS AT A. IN A. GROUP WHERE THEY BROUGHT IN JOSH WHO'S THE THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING. FOR THE STATE AND. HE'S TALKING. >> ABOUT. BUSINESSES COMING HERE AND THEY THEY TAKE A TOUR OF THE CITY
AND THERE THEY LOVE ALL THE RESOURCES AND EVERYTHING AND THEN. THE COST OF HOUSING COMES UP AND THEN. THEY THEY'RE LIKE WELL YOU KNOW MAYBE CHARLOTTE NORTH CAROLINA MIGHT BE A BETTER PLACE. >> FOR FOR US UH. >> IN TERMS OF LIKE HOW WE'RE
GOING TO HOUSE. PEOPLE. >> SO YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN HELP IS HELP YOU. ATTRACT BUSINESSES WOULD BE THE. UH, BRING DOWN THE COST OF. HOUSING HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS. UM. >> OR AT LEAST IN BOSTON.
SO I DON'T KNOW. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. >> DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER. QUESTIONS YOU WANTED. >> TO ASK? I DON'T. >> YES, I HAVE THREE QUESTIONS RELATED TO SUPPLY DIVERSITY IF I CAN ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. YES. >> AND THEN. UH, WE'LL. >> WRAP UP. THANK YOU. MY TEAM DID A GOOD JOB OF PREPPING MEJIA, SO I JUST
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I ASK THE QUESTIONS. UM, THE DATA SHOWS THAT IN FISCAL YEAR 26 ONLY ABOUT 10% OF TOTAL CONTRACTING DOLLARS AND 11.6% OF DISCRETIONARY
SPENDING HAVE GONE TO WBS BUSINESS OPERATED, OWNED AND OPERATED BY WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR. GIVEN THE CITY'S STATED COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY BARRIERS TO HIGHER UH UH PRIMARY BARRIERS
PREVENTING HIGHER PARTICIPATION? UH I'M SORRY COUNCIL I WAS. I'LL REPEAT MY QUESTION. UM THE DATA SHOWS THAT ONLY ABOUT 10% OF TOTAL CONTRACTS
AND 11.6% OF DISCRETIONARY SPENDING HAVE GONE TO BUSINESSES OWNED BY WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR AND WBS. GIVEN THE CITY STATED COMMITTED TO EQUITY, WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY BARRIERS PREVENTING HIGHER PARTICIPATION?
AND I DO WANT TO NOTE IS THAT THAT'S STILL AN IMPROVEMENT FROM WHERE WE'VE BEEN. BUT HOW DO WE CONTINUE BUILDING ON THE WORK OF GETTING HIGHER PARTICIPATION? I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT BREAKING DOWN THE LARGER CONTRACTS. WHAT ARE THE OTHER THINGS THAT
WE CAN BE DOING? UM, THERE WAS MENTION OF YOU KNOW, MAYBE ANOTHER DISPARITY STUDY WOULD HELP INCREASE THAT. LIKE WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT IS PREVENTING HIGHER PARTICIPATION NUMBERS YOU KNOW TALK ABOUT WHITE STADIUM AND
YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE EVEN WITH THE STATED GOALS WERE FOR WHITE STADIUM WHICH IS DISAPPOINTING. SO I WANTED TO ASK WHAT MORE CAN WE BE DOING? YES I'LL MAKE AN ATTEMPT.
THANK YOU COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE UM SO TWO THAT I'LL MENTION ARE VENDOR KNOWLEDGE OF OUR CITY PROCUREMENT PROCESSES. SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR UM WITH
PROCUREMENT. DEPARTMENT JUST TO HAVE THE BUYING PLAN MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT. I KNOW THAT THAT THAT THAT DEPARTMENT RELEASED A POSTCARD AS. WELL UM, AS WELL AS JUST LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT
CERTIFICATION. UM. >> BUT JUST HAVING AN AWARENESS OF THE INTRICACIES OF THAT DEPARTMENT. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT. >> COMES. TO CONSTRUCTION UH, CONSTRUCTION CAN BE SO UM, BRUTAL WHEN IT COMES TO THE REQUIREMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW,
THE LAW JUST REQUIRES THAT COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEONE. UM, SOMEONE'S BEEN BEING EVALUATED OR NOT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BID BONDS. WE HAVE DIFFERENT. REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.
AND SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE FOR ONE AND JUST HOW CRUCIAL SOME OF THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE UM, AS WELL AS. JUST KNOWING.
THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND I KNOW THAT THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT IS DOING THEIR BEST TO MAKE THINGS CONSISTENT IN TERMS OF PRICE SHEETS AND TEMPLATES AND WHAT
IT MEANS TO TO APPLY FOR A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR INSTANCE AT PARKS AND REC VERSUS FD OR GOODS AND SERVICES WITH HOW THE HUMAN SERVICES
THERE STILL CAN BE A BIT OF A LEARNING GAP WHEN IT COMES TO KNOWING HOW TO FILL OUT SOME OF. THESE CAN I CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION? DO YOU PROVIDE GENERAL
CONTRACTORS WITH A LIST OR OF MWB SUBCONTRACTORS? OR IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO DO THAT LIKE CONGRATULATIONS YOU
WON THIS BID WHETHER OR NOT THE JC IS ITSELF AN MWB, DO WE FIND A WAY TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE THAT THEY KNOW WHO THE. CONTRACT MWB SUBCONTRACTORS ARE?
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY IS BETTER ANSWERED BY A OR PARKS AND REC. UM I KNOW THAT THOSE DEPARTMENTS DO THEIR BEST TO NOT SHOW THAT WE HAVE A STRONG
PREFERENCE FOR CERTAIN OR STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH ONE CONTRACTOR VERSUS ANOTHER, BUT I KNOW THAT MY DEPARTMENT DOES OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW THE CONTRACTORS THAT ARE IN THE MARKET.
AND SO WE HAVE OUR CERTIFICATION DASHBOARD. UM, IT HAS DIFFERENT UM ITERATIONS AND WE MAKE THOSE AVAILABLE. SO THAT IS REALLY EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR DEPARTMENTS BUT ALSO EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR THE
PUBLIC AS WELL. UM, JUST HAVING AN AWARENESS OF WHO'S IN THE MARKET IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS. UM I THINK. ALSO UM. WHEN I ACTUALLY STARTED SPEAKING ABOUT THE SECOND ONE
BUT JUST IDENTIFYING AS THE FIRST SUPPLIERS IN THE MARKET AS WELL UM, JUST MAKING SURE PEOPLE KNOW WHO THEY ARE BUT ALSO MATCHING THE CAPACITY THAT THEY HAVE WITH THE SCOPE
OF WHAT THE UH WHAT THE CITY OF BOSTON NEEDS. I THINK THAT DEPARTMENT FOR INSTANCE UM SUCH AS FD THEY HAVE MANY EXPERTS THERE THAT CAN JUST BREAK DOWN.
UH BUSINESS WHAT THE HOW THEY ARE COMMUNICATING, WHAT THEY CAN PROVIDE AND HOW IT MATCHES WHAT THEY NEED. NOT NECESSARILY EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS THAT. AND SO WE ARE WORKING TO SEE WHAT RELATIONSHIPS WE CAN HAVE
EITHER WITH SOFTWARE OR JUST UM COMMUNICATION TO BE ABLE TO BREAK THAT GAP OKAY. THANK YOU. >> TWO MORE QUESTIONS. UM, THE. DEPARTMENT HAS INVESTED SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES INTO CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMS LIKE SCALE AND ANDREW, I BELIEVE
THAT YOU WERE RELATIVELY NEW WHEN THE SCALE ANNOUNCEMENTS WERE MADE AND I WAS HAPPY TO BE THAT THAT EVENT IN NUBIAN UH, BUT THAT LIKE. WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF WE HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE WHILE I WAS HERE WE ALSO HAVE THE SCALED IMPACT JUST TO KIND OF ROUND
OFF. YEAH, I THINK I'VE ATTENDED BOTH ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I'VE SINCE NOW UM WORK ON DURING THAT EVENT. UH SO ANOTHER SHOUT OUT TO MY FORMER STAFF WHO Y'ALL SO UM
AND SO IT INCLUDED $5 MILLION IN ARPA FUNDING IN GRANTS TO 27 BUSINESSES. HOW MANY OF THOSE BUSINESSES HAVE SINCE SUCCESSFULLY, UH, SECURED CITY CONTRACTS AND WHAT DOES THAT CONVERSION RATE LOOK
LIKE? YES. >> WELL WE'VE. OR HAVE ANY LIKE. WELL IF YOU WILL ALLOW ME TO AT LEAST OPEN THAT UH CATEGORIZATION OF CITY CONTRACT
TO MORE CITY OPPORTUNITIES. SO FOR INSTANCE ANCIENT BAKERS I KNOW RIGHT NOW THEY'RE WORKING ON BEING ABLE TO START THEIR CONTRACT WITH THE BPD BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO SECURE A LICENSE TO BE, UM, THE
VENDOR THAT'S IN THEIR CAFETERIA. I KNOW WE HAVE BOSTON BUILDERS AND THEY WERE ABLE TO SECURE SOME GRANTS, UM, RECENTLY THROUGH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING AND, UM, THIS IS
FROM LAST FISCAL YEAR BUT NO COY CONSTRUCTION. YES, THEY WERE IN A HOUSE, NOT A CONTRACT. BUT THAT'S A CONTRACT THAT YOU JUST USE WHEN YOU NEED IT. AND SO I AM SURE THAT WITH UH,
ASSISTANCE THAT THEY RECEIVE THAT WHEN THEY DO GET A CALL OUT FOR AN UM FOR A QUOTE TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON A PROJECT THAT THE NEEDS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE ,THE CAPACITY THAT THEY NEED
BASED ON THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE. BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THAT PROGRAM. WE HAD A CONNECT PROGRAM FOR INSTANCE, UH, THAT WE HOSTED A
WEBINAR WITH CPS AND WITH EACH DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON TO CONNECT THEM WITH THE SKILL PARTICIPANTS NOT TO SHOW PREFERENCE BUT JUST TO
ESTABLISH THAT RELATIONSHIP AND LET THEM KNOW HEY, THESE FOLKS ARE HERE AND THEY CAN DO WHAT YOU NEED. UM WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE FRUIT THAT WE GET FROM THIS DEPARTMENT.
I MEAN FROM THIS PROGRAM AGAIN ,IT ENDED PRETTY RECENTLY AND SO I WOULD SAY ALLOW US SOME TIME TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT COMES OF IT. AND IT'S NOT IT'S NOT GOING TO RECUR. REOCCUR. >> UM NO UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE IT WAS UH FEDERALLY FUNDED
THROUGH THE ARPA. THAT BUT AGAIN I WILL SAY I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW WE CAN USE IT AS A TEMPLATE FOR OTHERS. THANK YOU. >> UM, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION UM, GIVEN YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF HEARINGS ON THE. >> WORLD CUP.
UM, AND IT'S A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND UH, FOR CONTRACTING AND VENDOR OPPORTUNITIES. HOW ARE WE APPLYING SUPPLIER DIVERSITY GOALS TO WORLD CUP RELATED SPENDING?
I KNOW I ASKED YOU THIS BUT WANTING TO SEE HAVE WE MOVED THE BALL ALONG UM, PARTICULARLY WHERE CONTRACTS ARE BEING ADMINISTERED BY EXTERNAL ENTITIES LIKE FIFA OR HOST COMMITTEES RATHER THAN DIRECTLY BY THE CITY? AND IT'S A QUESTION THAT I
ASKED THE STATE AS WELL THE MOCK GRANTS THAT THEY GAVE OUT HOW ARE WE ENSURING AND A LOT OF THOSE MIGRANTS $8 MILLION OF THAT MORE THAN $8 MILLION IS GOING TO FAN FEST. UM, AND HOW ARE WE ENSURING
THAT WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE YOU KNOW, TECH IN AV OR THE BUSINESSES, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT SO YOU'RE RIGHT UH THAT FOOD TRUCKS UH, YOU KNOW ARE REPRESENTED HERE THAT OUR
BUSINESSES ARE REPRESENTED HERE BUT IT'S A QUESTION ABOUT LIKE OUR OWN SUPPLY DIVERSITY PRINCIPLES HOW ARE WE USING WHAT STICKS ARE WE USING TO ALSO HOLD VENDORS AND PEOPLE WE ARE PARTNERING ACCOUNTABLE TO ALSO USING THOSE SUPPLIER
DIVERSITY GOALS RIGHT. SO YOU KNOW AS WE HAVE UH I WANT TO GET CLOSER UH TO THESE FUNCTIONS HAPPENING UM AREAS IN WHICH WE CONTROL WE'RE OBVIOUSLY LOOKING TO MAKE SURE
THAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE REAL AND AND DIVERSE. IT CETERA. WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH THE BROADER GROUP AROUND SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY'RE HAVING.
WE'RE HOSTING UH, AN EVENT UM, MAY 4TH UH, I MEAN IT'S CALLED PARTNERING WITH BOSTON 26 TO HOST UM IT'S CALLED UH EXCUSE
ME GET READY FOR SUMMER 2026 BUSINESS FORUM AND SO WE'LL TALK UH, A GREAT DEAL UH, WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THIS WORK, UH, ABOUT WHAT OPPORTUNITIES REALLY EXIST. ONE OF THE THINGS I DID FIND
OUT WHICH WAS PRETTY INTERESTING IS THAT, UM, THINGS HAPPEN IN REAL TIME. UM, AND WHILE THE EVENT IS HERE AND I THINK IN OUR MINDS THAT INITIALLY WE WERE THINKING OH, THIS IT MAY NOT BE ANY
OPPORTUNITIES ONCE YOU KNOW THE PLAZA IS ALL SET UP AND ONCE THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES UH, WHEN THINGS ARE HAPPENING DURING UM THAT THAT TIME THAT THEY'RE HERE. SO WE'RE WORKING ON THOSE DETAILS AS WELL.
THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE THAT MAY 4TH WHICH I THINK IS GOING TO BE A WEBINAR THAT'S GOING TO BE SMALL BUSINESS FACING WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THAT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING RIGHT. THAT'S LOOKING TOWARDS THE BUSINESSES WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE THAT WE'RE ALSO
LIKE PFA AND I WAS JUST AT ME BOSTON THIS MORNING LIKE WELL. THAT THEY'RE PARTICIPATING WITH US OKAY. YEAH THAT OKAY OKAY AND THAT THEY KNOW THE ASSIGNMENT YEAH THANK YOU THANK YOU MR CHAIR. >> THANK YOU. >> AND SO IN TERMS OF THE FAN FEST LIKE SO WHO'S THE.
CONTRACTOR IS THAT A CITY. IS THE CITY GOING TO BE. CONTRACTING FOR SERVICES? SO UM THE PLAZA WAS LICENSED OUT BY ANOTHER ENTITY AND SO THEY HAVE FOR THEY HAVE A
LICENSE TO THE PLAZA OKAY AND DONE AND PUT THOSE UM VENDORS AND THAT TOGETHER THEMSELVES. OKAY. >> OKAY. WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, ALL YOUR ANSWERS AND UH, YOUR PRESENTATION.
I THINK. CUSHMAN SAYS IT'S FINE. UH, SO, UM UH, I JUST, UH SO THIS AFTERNOON'S. HEARING THIS, UH, SORRY. >> THIS. MORNING FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S HEARING IS COMING UP IN AN HOUR.
UH, THIS MORNING'S HEARING IS NOW ADJOURNED. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >>