--------- I HAVE HINTS, LAROQUE. IF YOU'RE, UM. FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS RICHIE LOUIJEUNE AT LARGE CITY COUNCIL AND I AM THE VICE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.
AND I WILL BE CONDUCTING TODAY'S HEARING AND THE CHAIR'S ABSENCE TODAY IS AUGUST 4TH, 2026. THE EXACT TIME IS 10 A.M. IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER TWO OF ACTS OF 2025 MODIFYING
CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OF THE OPEN MEETING LAW AND RELIEVING PUBLIC BODIES OF CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENT THAT PUBLIC BODIES CONDUCT ITS MEETING IN A PUBLIC PLACE THAT IS OPEN AND PHYSICALLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE CONDUCTING THIS HEARING VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED . IT IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED AT BOSTON.COM FORWARD SLASH
FORWARD SLASH CITY COUNCIL TV AND BROADCAST ON ITS UNITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 VIA CHANNEL NINE SIX FOR READING. COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE
COMMITTEE EMAIL AKG O@BOSTON.GOV AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND HAVE NOT DONE SO, PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON MEGAN
CAVANAUGH AT AMIGA AND CAVANAGH@BOSTON.GOV FOR THE ZOOM LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 1223.
IN ORDER FOR YOUR APPROVAL AND ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON ACTING THROUGH ITS ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT TO AMEND THE DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCE REVENUE REVOLVING FUND. THE CURRENT LANGUAGE FOR THE
REVOLVING FUND IS LIMITED IN ITS USE, AND THE CHANGE PROPOSED WILL ALLOW FOR PROPER USAGE OF THE FUND WHILE MAINTAINING ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE. THE AMENDED LANGUAGE WILL ALLOW THE FUND TO PROPERLY CAPTURE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES,
ENSURING ENHANCED AND SEAMLESS FINANCIAL PROCESS FOR CURRENT CITY ENERGY ACTIVITIES. THESE AMENDMENTS WILL PROPERLY CAPTURE DEMAND RESPONSE REVENUE AND ALLOW FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY'S
DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM, INCREASING ENERGY SAVINGS AND REDUCE THE CITY'S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS PRODUCED BY THE EMISSIONS NOT ADDRESSED THE CITY'S DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES.
THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU. IT WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JUNE 24TH 2026. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCIL PRESIDENT BRAYTON,
COUNCILOR MURPHY. AND AS OF NOW THAT'S ALL I WOULD LIKE TO. I WOULD LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE UH, TODAY'S PANELIST TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
WE HAVE OLIVER SALAZAR GARCIA, COMMISSIONER OF THE ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT AND CHRIS KRAMER, DIRECTOR OF THE MUNICIPAL ENERGY UNIT ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT. I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO YOU. THE TWO OF YOU FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILOR. UM. UH, MY NAME IS OLIVER SELLERS GARCIA. AS STATED, I'M COMMISSIONER OF THE ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT AND, UM, CHRIS KRAMER IS THE
DIRECTOR OF THE MUNICIPAL ENERGY UNIT WHICH IS PART OF THE ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT. AND UM, I THANK YOU FOR, UM, SCHEDULING THIS HEARING AND FRANKLY, IF I MAY THE RECAP
THAT IS PART OF THE SUBMISSION IS PRETTY MUCH COVERS IT ALL. SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS JUST KEEP IT VERY SIMPLE. UM, AND WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY
FROM THE START IS THAT THIS IS UM UH IN OUR VIEW ESSENTIALLY AN ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER JUST DOING SOME TWEAKS AND UPDATES TO A UM, UH NAMED REVOLVING
FUND UM, THAT WAS RECENTLY REAUTHORIZED AS PART OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS. SO UM, CHRIS, IF YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE UM, JUST VERY QUICKLY UM, I AM GIVING MY
INTRODUCTION RIGHT NOW AND THEN CHRIS IS GOING TO GO OVER THE UM EXISTING UM FUND AND UH UM, PROPOSED TWEAKS. UM AND SO THEN I WILL JUST ASK
FOR THE NEXT SLIDE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A FRAMING OF UM WHAT WHERE THIS FUND SITS IN TERMS OF THE CITY'S EFFORTS, THE MUNICIPAL ENERGY UNIT IS THE TEAM INSIDE OF THE
ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT THAT ACTUALLY WORKS ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY AND SCHOOLS, UM, TO MANAGE ENERGY USAGE FROM PROCUREMENT TO NEW ENERGY PROJECTS AND, UM,
A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO IS UM, CONTINUALLY LOOK AT WAYS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PROGRAMS OR CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN
UM SAVE ENERGY COSTS AND ALSO CAN CREATE UM, SOME REVENUE THAT WE REINVEST INTO FURTHER ENERGY SAVINGS. SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE DONE IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS OVER THE YEARS.
AND AS PART OF OUR UM HOUSEKEEPING UM, WE SEE UM I NEED TO MAKE A FEW TWEAKS TO THIS REVOLVING FUND AND THAT IS WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. UM, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO
CHRIS WHO CAN WALK THROUGH UM, THE FUND AND THE PROPOSED CHANGES. YEAH. >> THANKS. THANKS, OLIVER. AND LIKE OLIVER SAID, MY NAME IS CHRIS KRAMER. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE MUNICIPAL ENERGY UNIT. UM, OR RATHER IN THE WAY I AS I
WAS INTRODUCED. UH, THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. UM, JUST SOME QUICK DEFINITIONS . SO DEMAND RESPONSE IS UH, A PROGRAM UM THAT UH OR KIND OF A
SERIES OF ACTIONS THAT REDUCES ELECTRICITY USE DURING UM TIMES WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF STRESS ON THE ELECTRIC GRID. REALLY HOW THIS PLAYS OUT IS TURNING DOWN AIR CONDITIONING, DIMMING NON-ESSENTIAL LIGHTING
FOR EXAMPLE. UM, SOME OTHER DEFINITIONS ARE RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATE YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF A REC BEFORE UM AND THAT'S JUST A UH A CERTIFIED KIND OF UNIT
OF ELECTRICITY GENERATED BY IT BY A CLEAN RESOURCE AND A DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCE IS ANY KIND OF DECENTRALIZED UM, THINK OF ANYTHING THAT'S NOT A BIG POWER PLANT.
UH, ANYTHING THAT'S GENERATING ELECTRICITY CLOSE TO WHERE IT IS, UM, USED. OR AND UM, ACTUALLY DIDN'T INCLUDE IN THEIR BATTERIES ARE ARE CONSIDERED A DISTRIBUTED
ENERGY RESOURCE UM SO THAT THE THE FUND THAT WAS REAUTHORIZED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 UM 30396E UH THE UM AND THIS IS A CURRENT
KIND OF FUND OVERVIEW THE PURPOSE ORIGINALLY AS CONCEIVED IN THE EARLY 20 TENS, WAS TO RECEIVE REVENUE GENERATED FROM THE SALE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES AS WELL AS DEMAND
RESPONSE PROGRAM REVENUES. UM, AND THOSE REVENUES CAME SOME KIND OF A DISCRETE GROUP OF BUILDINGS AND KIND OF GENERATORS. WE HAVE TWO CITY OWNED SOLAR
ARRAYS UH, THAT AT THE TIME WERE GENERATING UM SOME REVENUE FROM ENERGY CERTIFICATE SALES AND UH, WHAT WE CALL COMBINED HEAT AND POWER PLANTS UM UH OR
UNITS IN SCHOOLS. SO THE EXPENDITURES MATCHED THE REVENUES AS IS REQUIRED WITH UH WITH REVOLVING FUNDS. UM, ESSENTIALLY WE USE THOSE
FUNDS TO OFFSET GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND TO MONITOR, MAINTAIN AND OPERATE EXISTING UH, CITY OWNED SOLAR ARRAYS AND COMBINED HEAT AND POWER UNITS.
THE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE UH FRANKLY MINOR AND UM, AIMED AT EXPANDING THE PARTICIPATION OF CITY BUILDINGS IN DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAMS SO THAT WE
ARE NOT ONLY CONSTRAINED TO UH SCHOOLS UM AND SCHOOL COMBINED HEAT AND POWER UNITS SPECIFICALLY AND SOLAR CITY OWNED SOLAR ARRAYS. SO WHAT ARE THE PROPOSED
AMENDMENTS SPECIFICALLY EXPAND THE REVENUE SOURCE UH, POTENTIAL SOURCES OF REVENUE TO INCLUDE ALL CITY BUILDINGS NOT JUST BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL COMBINED HEAT AND POWER UNITS THE EXPENDITURES UH, IN
ADDITION TO THE ONES THAT ALREADY EXIST IN THE ORDINANCE UM, WE WOULD ADD THIS FIRST ONE WHICH IS TO SPECIFY THAT FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR MEASURES THAT EXPAND THE CITY'S ENROLLMENT AND DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAMS.
UM. >> AND THAT IS REALLY THE THE UM REQUEST HERE IS JUST TO ALLOW US TO UH PUT REVENUE FROM ALL OF OUR DEMAND RESPONSE
ACTIVITIES INTO THIS INTO THIS FUND AND WITH THAT WE'LL UM, OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. IF I MAY. I'LL JUST MENTION THAT THAT WAS GREAT, CHRIS. THANK YOU. IF I MAY, I'LL JUST MENTION ONE
THING WHICH IS UM, DEMAND RESPONSE IS A UM, STATE ENABLED PROGRAM. AND SO WHEN WE SAY THAT UM, WE GET REVENUE FROM IT, IT'S BECAUSE THE WAY IT WORKS AT A
SIMPLE LEVEL IS ON A REALLY HOT DAY THEY'LL SEND UH RECEIVE A MESSAGE SAYING HEY, IF YOU CAN AND IT'S SAY USE A LITTLE LESS POWER AND IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT AT THE END OF THE YEAR WE
HAVE ALL OF THAT SORT OF LIKE REALLY IMPORTANT SAVING UM CALCULATED INTO UM A PAYMENT WITH THE CITY RECEIVED. SO AS CHRIS SAYS, WE JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AT MORE
BUILDINGS UM, THAN THE SCHOOLS AND THAT REVENUE CAN GO RIGHT BACK INTO GETTING OTHER BUILDINGS READY TO DO THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THANK YOU. UNMUTE YOURSELF.
,MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. UM UH THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND FOR THOSE UM UH AND FOR THOSE I THINK VERY CLEAR EXPLANATIONS. I JUST WANT TO DO ONE HAVE ONE
CLARIFYING QUESTION WHEN TALKING ABOUT DEMAND RESPONSE WE ARE TALKING ONLY ABOUT CITY OWNED CITY OWNED PROPERTIES. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SORT OF LIKE RESIDENTIAL. WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT
ADMINISTRATORS WHY THIS IS IN THE REALM OF SORT OF ADMINISTRATIVE WORK BECAUSE IT'S ALL JUST ABOUT THE CITY INTERNALLY. THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. YEP. >> PERFECT. WONDERFUL. OKAY I'M NOW GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR FLYNN. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH COUNCIL PRESIDENT BREADON AND THEN WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR MURPHY AND COUNCILOR FLYNN WITH ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
UM I'M A BIG FAN OF UM RENEWABLE ENERGY AND UH AND I THINK THIS IS GREAT THAT WE'RE EXPANDING OF UM, NUMBER OF BUILDINGS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE
TO CAPTURE THIS UM BENEFIT. UM, SO I'M WONDERING JUST IN GENERAL HOW MANY ATTRACT, UH, RENEWABLE ENERGIES UH CREDITS DO WE GET GENERATE ANNUALLY AT
THIS POINT IN TIME? THIS IS MORE OF A SORT OF SETTING THE LEVEL JUST TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HOW MUCH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. YEAH. >> UH, I CAN TAKE THAT THE WELL, ACTUALLY.
IS THAT OKAY? OLIVER, I THINK WE WE'VE GOT THE TEAM. YEAH. UM, SO, UH, WITHOUT GETTING TOO INTO THE DETAILS, THE SHORT ANSWER IS WE'RE NOT GENERATING
ANY AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE ARRAYS UM, WHILE THE PANELS ARE STILL FUNCTIONING, THE SOME OF THE OTHER INVERTER EQUIPMENT THAT WE ARE UM, EXPLORING KIND
OF WE WE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, FIX IT ARE CURRENTLY NOT FUNCTIONING SO WE'RE NOT GENERATING ANY RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES OR EARNING ANY REVENUE FROM THE SALES OF THOSE CERTIFICATES.
OH, AND WILL THIS UH WILL THIS CHANGE ALLOW YOU TO UPGRADE YOUR EQUIPMENT SO YOU CAN CAPTURE THOSE ASPECTS BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. YEAH. >> SO X S RECS ARE GENERATED FOR THE FIRST TEN YEAR AND THEY'RE VERY VALUABLE BUT
THEY'RE GENERATED FOR THE FIRST TEN YEARS OF THE EQUIPMENT LIFE . AND SO ACTUALLY BECAUSE THE PANELS WERE INSTALLED IN THE EARLY 20 TENS THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT EVEN ELIGIBLE TO GENERATE S RECS ANYMORE.
UM THEY GENERATE RECS WHICH ARE UH ARE MUCH LESS UH I GUESS UH LUCRATIVE WHEN YOU SELL THEM. BUT ANYWAY UH YES, THESE FUNDS COULD COULD HELP US UH RE
INSTALL NEW INVERTERS AND INSTALL NEW EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD HELP US RE-ENERGIZE THE ARRAYS. AND THEN IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, PEAK UM, DO WE HAVE BATTERY STORAGE LIKE EVEN SMALL SCALE BATTERY STORAGE UNITS THAT WERE
CAPTURING SOME OF THAT ENERGY THAT WE'RE GENERATING FROM OUR SOLAR ARRAYS? NOT CURRENTLY. NOT CURRENTLY. OKAY. BUT WHAT I WHAT I WILL SAY UM, PRESIDENT IF I MAY IS THAT THIS
IS EXACTLY WHAT UM, WE INTEND TO DO UM, BEING ABLE TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAYS TO DEPLOY BATTERIES SO THAT THEY CAN BE USED BOTH FOR THE PROGRAM BUT
ALSO FOR OVERALL ENERGY, UM, SAVINGS AND I I WILL SAY, UM, WE HAVE OUR FINGERS CROSSED WITH A UM, STATE GRANT THAT WE ARE HOPING TO HEAR BACK FROM SOON TO DEPLOY BATTERIES. OKAY.
YEAH. UM OKAY. AND HOW DOES THIS INTERSECT WITH THE BOSTON THE NEW BOSTON FUND IS THIS UM, YOU KNOW THE
THE NEW BOSTON FUND? IT'S MONEY IF MONEY FOR DOING RENEWABLE ENERGY ETC.. WHAT? YEAH. >> SO I WOULD SAY UM THE RENEW BOSTON TRUST IS UM THE WAY WE
THINK OF IT IS UM, NOT JUST IN TERMS OF LIKE A TRUST ACCOUNT BUT THE OVERALL PROGRAM OF UM REINVESTING UM SAVINGS AND REVENUE INTO FOR THEIR PROJECT .
SO UM, THIS IS CERTAINLY A PART OF IT SOME OF THE UM BIGGER WORK THAT YOU'VE SEEN FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, THE LIGHTING IN CITY HALL OR UM OTHER PROJECTS LIKE THAT ARE FUNDED
BY UM THROUGH THE CAPITAL PLAN . UM AND SO TO THAT EXTENT THIS IS UM YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT THAT THIS IS REVENUE THAT IT IS SORT OF SELF-SUSTAINING FOR THE DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM BUT IT
ALL WORKS TOGETHER SO THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WE COULD HAVE A UM A LARGER ENERGY PROJECT THAT IS UM FUNDED THROUGH THE CAPITAL PLAN ALSO
UM, BE PROVIDING THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT TO CURTAIL ENERGY USE ON A HOT DAY WHICH WOULD THEN CREATE REVENUE FOR THIS. SO IT'S ALL CONNECTED AND TO THE EXTENT THAT IT'S IN THE
SAME FACILITIES OKAY. AND IN TERMS OF OUR ENERGY USE NOWADAYS I FIND THAT YOU KNOW, OUR UM A CURRENT AC SYSTEM, THE
UM HEDGE FUND BECAUSE IT'S A BLUNT INSTRUMENT DOES UH UH IS IT A WHEN THERE ARE WAYS TO INVEST IN MORE UM ENERGY EFFICIENT UM HVAC SYSTEMS GOING
FORWARD LIKE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CHALLENGE WITH OUR OLDER SCHOOL BUILDINGS BECAUSE THEY'RE RED BRICK AND AFTER A FEW DAYS THEY GET VERY HOT. BUT UM, UM IS IT A SORT OF A SORT OF A PLAN LIKE A ROAD, A
PATHWAY FORWARD TO INVEST IN THOSE SORT OF INFRASTRUCTURES USING THIS THIS FUND THAT THIS MONEY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CAPTURE FROM THIS PROGRAM? ABSOLUTELY. >> I THINK I I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THIS THE REVENUE FROM THIS
FUND IS WHAT WILL DETERMINE OUR ABILITY TO UM, CONTINUE MAPPING OUT THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECTS THAT HAPPEN ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY.
UM, BUT THAT IT IS IT IS A GOOD POINT TO RAISE UM THAT THE SORT OF OVERALL UM EFFICIENCY OF BUILDINGS PLAYS A BIG PART IN THAT WHAT ULTIMATELY TRYING
TO DO ON THESE UM DAYS WHERE DEMAND RESPONSE IS CALLED UPON . YEAH. BUT ONE THING I WILL NOTE UM, JUST IN CASE THERE'S ANYONE ELSE WITH SOME CURIOSITY OF WHAT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON
THOSE HOT DAYS IT IS NEVER UM, DONE IN CONFLICT WITH THE USE OF THE BUILDING AND IN FACT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT WORKS QUITE WELL FOR BUILDINGS SUCH AS OURS IS THAT THE REASON IT
IS SO IMPORTANT TO REDUCE THE DEMAND IS THAT EVERYONE IN SORT OF THE BOSTON AREA IS AT HOME COOLING OFF AFTER A DAY OF WORK AND THAT'S NOT WHEN OUR BUILDINGS ARE BEING USED.
SO YOU KNOW, COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND BUILDINGS LIKE OURS ARE PART OF THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE WHAT WE CAN DO IS DO THINGS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE BUILDING OCCUPIED WITH UM, SORT OF AIR
CONDITIONING AND LIGHTING. UM AND THEREFORE TO SORT OF BALANCE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BUILDINGS, THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THEM WITH ONES THAT DO. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM UH UM THANK YOU.
THAT'S THE THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. UH, WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO COUNCILOR MURPHY. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. UM. AND THANK YOU TO THE. PANELISTS FOR YOUR THOROUGH EXPLANATION. I'M HAPPY. >> TO SUPPORT THIS AND IT SEEMS TO BE THE RIGHT THING TO EXPAND REVENUE. THE ONE QUESTION I DO.
HAVE AND YOU MENTIONED THAT IT WILL MEAN THAT WE CAN DO MORE THAN JUST OUR BUILDINGS BUT AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, MANY CONCERNS AND CALLS WE GET ESPECIALLY IN JUNE NEAR THE END
OF THE SCHOOL YEAR IS WHEN OUR CLASSROOMS CAN BE ANYWHERE YOU KNOW, 9095 DEGREES. WILL ANY OF THIS EXPANDED REVENUE OR IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK TO IF THIS WILL HAVE ANY
IMPACT ON HELPING SUPPORT THAT BEFORE THE NEXT SUMMER OR IF WE HAVE ANY REALLY HOT SEPTEMBER DAYS? OH ABSOLUTELY. THE THE INTENTION IS ACTUALLY TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF WHAT WE CAN DO WELL IN UM SOME BUILDINGS AND USE THAT REVENUE TO IMPROVE BUILDINGS THAT NEED SOME MORE HELP. SO UM IT'S CERTAINLY NOT UM WHERE WE WANT TO MOVE BEYOND
THESE BUILDINGS ONLY SO THAT WE CAN CAPTURE THE BENEFITS FROM OTHER BUILDINGS AND APPLY THEM IN PART TO BE BUILDING. SO THAT'S THAT'S PRECISELY WHAT IT'S MEANT TO DO. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION I APPRECIATE IT AWESOME.
AWESOME I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL PLANNING FOR QUESTIONS. . >> THANK YOU THANK YOU TO THE
ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT IS HERE FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I DO APOLOGIZE FOR BEING. A FEW MINUTES LATE. UM I. WANT TO KNOW CAN. >> YOU.
JUST DESCRIBE HOW THIS PLAN WILL SUPPORT I THINK COUNCILOR MURPHY REFERENCED IT HOW THIS PLAN WILL SUPPORT STUDENTS IN PUBLIC PUBLIC
SCHOOLS WITH, UH, BUILDINGS THAT ARE OLD WITH CHALLENGING HVAC SYSTEMS. WHAT WHAT CAN WE OFFER TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A HEALTHY
ENVIRONMENT TO UM TO DO THEIR STUDIES AND TO LEARN AND ALSO FOR THE TEACHERS TO TEACH. THANK YOU COUNCILOR, THAT THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND UM, WHILE WE OPEN TO THIS
HEARING MENTIONING THAT UH, THE TWEAKS TO THIS UM, REVOLVING FUND ARE SORT OF MINOR AND UM, ADMINISTRATIVE IN NATURE. I'M GLAD THAT YOU ARE ASKING THE QUESTION OF WHAT THIS ALL
ADDS UP TO WHICH IS UM THAT UM THIS PROGRAM DEMAND RESPONSE IS UM A KEY INGREDIENT AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE UM, OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS MORE COMFORTABLE AND
MORE EFFICIENT. AND WHAT I WILL HIGHLIGHT IS THAT UM, WHAT THE DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM DOES IS THAT IT REALLY TAKES ADVANTAGE
OF UM, JUST SMART USE OF BUILDING MANAGEMENT IN ORDER TO REWARD PROPERTY OWNERS SUCH AS OURSELVES WITH UM, A BIT OF REVENUE THAT WE THROUGH THIS
FUND UM, ARE PROPOSING TO BE ABLE TO DEPLOY INTO OTHER BUILDINGS. SO AN EXAMPLE IS THAT UM WE WOULD LOOK FOR WAYS TO UM UH
THROUGH THIS FUND MAYBE INSTALL SOME UM, YOU KNOW, A BATTERY STORAGE SYSTEM AND A UM UPGRADE A BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEM IN A SCHOOL. SO WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS IT
WOULD UM FOR EXAMPLE, SORT OF KEEP UM UH NOT ONLY JUST REDUCED COST BUT IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO UM PROGRAM A BUILDING SO THAT IT CAN BE MORE SORT OF AGILE AND MORE
AGILE IN ITS CHANGES. UM, DURING THE DAY UM, ON A HOT DAY AND WITH A BATTERY POWER UM, IT WOULD ACTUALLY CERTAINLY PROVIDE MORE UM A RESILIENCE
OPPORTUNITY UM, BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO SORT OF KEEP UM UH OUR STUDY THERE. SO THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO UM WITH UM SORT OF IN IN THE OVERALL UM
EFFORT TO UM MANAGE ENERGY USAGE. BUT THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE THAT I THINK HAS A REAL UM CLEAR BENEFIT TO WHAT IT'S LIKE UM, TO BE IN A SCHOOL BUILDING AND THAT COMPLIMENTS FOR EXAMPLE,
UM, YOU KNOW, UH ANY SORT OF IMPROVEMENTS TO UM HVAC OR OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE THE WHOLE SYSTEM THEN BECOMES UM MUCH MORE MANAGEABLE AND BETTER FOR THE BUILDING OCCUPANTS. THANK YOU ALL OF UM UH MAYBE
JUST ONE MORE QUESTION BASICALLY AS A FOLLOW UP WHEN WHEN WE HAVE AN OLD OLDER BUILDING CITY BUILDING AND WE
ARE UPGRADING THE HVAC SYSTEM UM TELL ME TELL ME THE LOGISTICS OF THE HVAC SYSTEM THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED THAT
MAY NOT PROVIDE THE NECESSARY POWER OR UM, NECESSARY POWER BUT ALSO THERE MAY HAVE BEEN UPDATED ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS IS THAT UH THOSE
FACTORS THAT YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT OR CONSIDERING? UM I JUST WANT TO I JUST WANT TO GET AN IDEA OF HOW UM, SIGNIFICANT THAT THIS CHALLENGE MIGHT BE. YEAH. >> SO I'LL UM THANK YOU FOR
THAT QUESTION. I'LL SPEAK TO KIND OF A GENERAL LEVEL BECAUSE EVERY BUILDING IS UNIQUE. UM, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE UM, DO WHEN WE
PARTNER WITH UM, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CAPITAL TEAM OR WITH OTHERS IS THAT WE TRY TO THINK OF UM, WHAT ARE THE ENERGY UPGRADES
THAT ARE GOING TO DO ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO. SO I'D SAY SORT OF THE TOP OF THE LIST ARE USE LESS ENERGY AND PROVIDE UM MORE
COMFORT INSIDE THE BUILDING. AND SO UM, I THINK THE EXAMPLE THAT I WOULD UM SHARE IS THAT WE'VE UM FOR EXAMPLE AT THE UM OLDEST SCHOOL IN EAST BOSTON
AND WE HOPE TO DO MORE SCHOOLS LIKE THAT. WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IS THINK ABOUT HOW TO NOT JUST IT'S IT MIGHT START WITH ADDING AIR CONDITIONING BUT WHAT ENDS UP
HAPPENING IS ACTUALLY A UM UH THE ADDITION OF MORE COMFORTABLE HEATING AS WELL BECAUSE A HEAT PUMPS DO HEATING AND COOLING. UM, WE END UP WITH A UM SORT OF MORE COMFORTABLE AND QUIETER
SPACE BECAUSE THE EQUIPMENT DOESN'T MAKE AS MUCH NOISE. UM, IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT EQUIPMENT WORK BETTER, YOU NEED AN AIR FILTRATION SYSTEM TO KEEP EVERYTHING CIRCULATING. UM, SO THAT IMPROVES AIR
QUALITY. UM, ALL OF THESE THINGS, UM, COME WITH A COST. BUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT, UM, WE CAN DO THESE THINGS INCREMENTALLY. AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT UM SORT
OF OVERALL WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO, IT'S A COMBINATION OF CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT DO SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT I MENTIONED AS WELL AS UM WHERE POSSIBLE UM WITH USE FROM THIS FUND TO DEPLOYING THE PIECES
UM, THAT GET THE WHOLE THING UH WORKING. WELL ALL OF OUR I THINK WE ANSWERED ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
SO THE PRESENTATION ESTIMATES APPROXIMATELY $150,000 IN ANNUAL REVENUE AFTER THE AMENDMENT IS THAT TOTAL PROJECTED ANNUAL REVENUE $150,000 IN NEW REVENUE ABOVE
THE CURRENT BASELINE. CHRIS, WHY DON'T YOU ANSWER THAT ONE? I THINK I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER BUT YOU DEFINITELY DO. YEAH, IT'S 150,000 UM, IN ADDITIONAL NEW ANNUAL REVENUE
UH ABOVE WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY MAKING RIGHT NOW. SO I THINK IT WOULD IT WOULD GO FROM ABOUT 50,000 TO 200,000. UM AND THAT IS AGAIN SUBJECT TO THE WEATHER. RIGHT.
AND AND WHEN WE RECEIVE THIS UH DEMAND RESPONSE EVENT CALLS FROM EVERSOURCE AND FROM THE REGIONAL GRID OPERATOR GREAT. >> AND THAT GOES BACK INTO THE REVOLVING FUND THAT'S RIGHT WITHIN OUR REVENUE. OKAY. AND THE SLIDES DESCRIBE THE
GOAL AS A SELF-FUNDING UM, THE GOAL IS TO BE A SELF-FUNDING DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM. WHAT IS THE GAP WHAT RIGHT NOW BETWEEN IT BEING SELF-FUNDING WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR IT TO BE COMPLETELY SELF-FUNDED?
WELL I'LL I'LL TAKE THAT ONE. UM, I. THINK THE REASON THAT WE CHARACTERIZE IT AS SELF-FUNDING IS UM BECAUSE IT CAN BE AS BIG
AS WE HAVE BUILDINGS OR AS BIG AS WE HAVE BUILDINGS THAT WE CAN MAKE THE UPGRADES FOR. AND SO UM, WE CALCULATE THAT I MEAN THIS YEAR UM, WE WE BELIEVE WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADD I
DON'T KNOW, MAYBE LIKE HALF A DOZEN UM A LITTLE BIT MORE BUILDINGS. UM AND SO THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT WE'RE PROJECTING COULD DO ABOUT THE SAME. AND SO UM, THIS REALLY ENABLES
A SORT OF REALLY STEADY INCREASE IN BUILDINGS OVER TIME. SO UM, WE THINK THAT IT IS WISE TO UM, YOU KNOW, SAVE CAPITAL DOLLARS FOR EXAMPLE FOR
PROJECTS SUCH AS THE ONE THAT I WAS DESCRIBING UM, TO COUNCILOR FLYNN'S QUESTION AND USE THIS DIRECT WAY THROUGH THE MECHANISM OF THE UM REVOLVING FUND TO JUST ENROLL MORE AND MORE BUILDINGS INTO THIS
PROGRAM. SO UM, IT IS SELF-SUSTAINING AT A PRETTY UM HIGH RATE OF GROWTH EVERY YEAR UM OF SEVERAL SORT OF LIKE A LARGE HANDFUL OF BUILDINGS. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UM, THE PRESENTATION ALSO
STATED THAT, UH, COMPLETED EFFICIENCY PROJECTS AVOIDED APPROXIMATELY HALF $1 MILLION PER YEAR IN BUT COMPLIANCE COSTS UM, WHAT ARE THOSE COSTS THAT ARE BEING AVOIDED AND SO
POPULATE THE AMOUNTS? YEAH, SURE. UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M GLAD YOU ASKED BECAUSE I THINK OVER THE YEARS WILL BE WE'LL ALL BE UM THINKING MORE ABOUT
IT THIS WAY BUT UM, YOU KNOW, BORDEAUX, UM, APPLIES TO ALL LARGE BUILDINGS IN BOSTON INCLUDING OURS AS THE CITY. AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE, UM, ARE SORT OF TRAINING
OURSELVES AND EVERYONE IN THE CITY FRANKLY TO THINK ABOUT LIKE HOW UM, ENERGY INVESTMENTS ACTUALLY HAVE A RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS TO THINK, WELL,
IF WE DIDN'T DO THIS, COULD WE POTENTIALLY HAVE TO, UM, COMPLY WITH BORDEAUX BY PAYING ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE PAYMENTS OR PURCHASING EXTRA RENEWABLE ENERGY? THIS IS WHAT COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY OWNERS AROUND THE CITY ARE ACTUALLY DOING RIGHT NOW AND AND FILING WITH THE CITY. AND SO WE DO THAT CALCULATION JUST TO SAY LIKE HEY THIS DOESN'T JUST HAVE VALUE IN TERMS OF REDUCING OUR LIKE
ENERGY COSTS TODAY IF WE KEEP REDUCING ENERGY LIKE THAT'LL SAVE US FROM POTENTIALLY HAVING TO PAY FEES IN THE FUTURE. UM I WILL SAY IT'S LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF A MIND UH,
SOMERSAULT HERE BECAUSE WE THE CITY ARE BOTH SUBJECT TO BORDEAUX AND REINFORCE BORDEAUX. SO I THINK IT'S SORT OF IF WE HAVE TO KEEP THOSE TWO THINGS SEPARATE. UM, AND THE QUESTION THAT YOU RAISED IS FROM THE POSITION
OF THE CITY COMPLYING WITH BORDEAUX. UM, SO THAT'S WHAT THAT'S ALL ABOUT. OKAY. >> UNDERSTOOD. UM. AND WHAT IS THE. CURRENT BALANCE? CHRIS, DO YOU KNOW THAT. ,UH.
>> UNDER $10,000 I BELIEVE? YEAH. OKAY. UH. I THINK IT'S THE LAST TIME I CHECKED AROUND 2020 $500 I THINK. OKAY, AND WHAT DO THE. EXPENDITURES OUT OF THE ACCOUNT
LOOK LIKE? SO EVERY YEAR WE TEND HISTORICALLY WE HAVE TRANSFERRED UH, FUNDS TO UH, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN TO SUPPORT IN THEIR OPERATIONS AND
MAINTENANCE CONTRACT FOR THE COMBINED HEAT AND POWER PLANTS . UH, SO DEPENDING ON OUR REVENUE EVERY YEAR WE WE TEND TO TRANSFER MOST OF OUR MOST OF THE FUNDS TO TO BE FOR THAT PURPOSE. GREAT. >> THANK YOU.
THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS. WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILMAN GERALD COUNCILMAN TROUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY ASK THEM THAT. UH THANK YOU CHAIR. >> I APPRECIATE IT. NO REALLY JUST WANTED TO LISTEN AND AND LEARN MORE ABOUT IT. UH, APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL.
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE WORK YOU DO IN TRYING TO KEEP OUR BUILDINGS UPDATED CODE. SO UM, NO NO QUESTIONS FOR ME, COUNSELOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DO ANY OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ASK?
I SEE COUNCILOR PLANNING SHAKING HIS HEAD. NO, COUNSELOR BREADON DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT. UM, OKAY, TIME FOR ME TO CHECK WITH CENTRAL STAFF TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE PRESENT FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THANK YOU. ANY FINAL WORDS YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? UM, I YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST STATE THAT THIS WAS INFORMATIVE. THANK YOU FOR REALLY BREAKING
IT DOWN BECAUSE I HAD QUESTIONS UM, REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DEMAND RESPONSE MEANT. I WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INTERNALLY AND ADMINISTRATIVELY JUST TO THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND SO THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, I LIKE THE IDEA OF INCREASED REVENUE INTO THE REVOLVING FUND ALLOW YOU TO DO MORE OF THE EXPENDITURES TO BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR. UM UM WITH THEIR WITH THEIR OVERALL HEATING. UH, ISSUES.
I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR QUESTIONS. UM. >> IT DOES LOOK LIKE. >> THE CHANGES HERE ARE MINIMAL . UM, OVER WHAT THE ORDINANCE HOW THE UM. ORDINANCE HAS EXISTED IN THE PAST TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE
ADMINISTRATIVE UM CONCERNS. BUT IF UM, ANY OF EITHER UM, YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUES ANY ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CHANGES OR IF UH, KNOW AGAIN CHRIS OR
OLIVER WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE CHANGES. >> OR IF YOU HAVE. >> ANY CLOSING REMARKS THAT WOULD BE. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. I WILL ONLY UM, SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
THEY REALLY HELP US PAINT A PICTURE ABOUT HOW THIS EXTREMELY TECHNICAL THING ACTUALLY IS ALL ABOUT MAKING OUR BUILDINGS MORE COMFORTABLE AND AFFORDABLE. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND UM THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS
UP. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THIS IS MY FIRST, UH, HEARING OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL. SO, UM, GLAD TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS AND PARTICIPATE. WELL, YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB ,CHRIS. REALLY APPRECIATE IT ESPECIALLY AGAIN ON BECAUSE THIS WAS SO TECHNICAL EXPLAINING. >> SORT. OF THE TECHNICAL TERMS IS REALLY HELPFUL. SO UM, SINCE WE UH DO NOT HAVE
ANY PUBLIC TESTIMONY UH UH AND WE'VE HEARD FROM CLOSING REMARKS THIS HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 1223 IS ADJOURNED. BANGING MY GAVEL. THANKS EVERYONE. THANK YOU. >> THANKS EVERYONE. THANK YOU. Part: 2
BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PLANNING, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. TODAY IS AUGUST 4TH AND THE EXACT TIME IS 12:12 P.M. IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2025 MODIFYING
CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OF OPEN MEETING LAW AND RELIEVING PUBLIC BODIES OF CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENT THAT PUBLIC BODIES CAN CONDUCT ITS MEETINGS IN A PUBLIC PLACE THAT IS OPENLY OPEN AND PHYSICALLY ACCESSIBLE
TO THE PUBLIC. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE CONDUCTING THIS HEARING VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED AND IS BEING LIVE STREAMED AT BACKSLASH CITY COUNCIL DASH TV
AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT, R C AND CHANNEL 82 HOURS CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT SCOTT
PLAY AND TV@BOSTON.GOV AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORDING AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. A PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING AND INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY HAVE SIGNED UP AND WILL
HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND HAVE NOT DONE SO, PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON SHANE PACK AT SHANE SHC AND E DOT
PACK AT BOSTON.COM FOR THE ZOOM LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET 1316. IN ORDER FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF LISA JACQUES AS A MEMBER OF THE
BOSTON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD FOR A TERM EXPIRING AUGUST 15TH, 2029. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY MARY'S ADMINISTRATION AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JULY 8TH, 2024.
TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR APLIN, COUNCILOR ERIN MURPHY AND IT'S NICE TO SEE OUR SECRETARY PERFORMANCE IS ON AS WELL. UM AND WE HAVE A LETTER
OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCIL WITH LOUIJEUNE. UM, I'M SO SORRY FOR MY LATENESS. THE, UM MY, UH, COMPUTER DECIDED IT WAS A GREAT TIME TO UPDATE RIGHT AS YOU'RE STARTING
. SO I REALLY APOLOGIZE AND, UH, AND WANT TO THANK MY STAFF FOR THEIR HELP GETTING MY COMPUTER UP AND GOING. UM. GOOD AFTERNOON. WE ARE JOINED BY SECRETARY BAHAMAS.
UH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND SECRETARY OF THE BPA AND OUR NORMAL NOMINEE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. I'M HONORED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS DISCUSSION ON AN IMPORTANT
POSITION. UM, WITH SUCH A DISTINGUISHED CANDIDATE. THIS POSITION IS ONE OF FOUR MEMBERS OF THE BPA BOARD APPOINTED BY MAYOR WU AND CONFIRMED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, WHILE THE FIFTH MEMBER IS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
THE BPA BOARD PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY AND SERVING AS THE FINAL UM AUTHORITY ON DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, PLANNING DECISIONS AND ZONING INITIATIVES. AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE
ON PLANNING 12 AND AND TRANSPORTATION, I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS JUST HOW IMPORTANT THESE DECISIONS ARE BECAUSE THEY SHAPE THE LIVES OF OUR RESIDENTS IN SO MANY WAYS. RIGHT NOW BOSTON IS AT A
CHALLENGING MOMENT. HOUSING COSTS ARE AT AN ALL TIME HIGHS AND WE DESPERATELY NEED NEW HOUSING PRODUCTION AND GROWTH TO MEET THE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE. THAT'S WHY I'M INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO HAVE FELICIA HERE
WITH US TODAY. YOU HAVE AN INCREDIBLY ACCOMPLISHED CAREER AND DECADES OF DIRECT LEADERSHIP IN DEVELOPMENT AND ZONING WITH THE DECADES OF UM, TRUCKS. UM, YOU ALSO WORK CURRENTLY
WORK IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND YOU'VE HAD SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF MANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS OUR CITY. SO I KNOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND BOTH THE URGENCY OF HOUSING PRODUCTION AND THE BARRIERS AND
CHALLENGES STANDING IN THE WAY OF THESE PROJECTS. IN ADDITION TO THAT WORK, YOU'VE ALSO SPENT YEARS ENGAGED IN CIVIC LIFE AND IN OUR COMMUNITY SERVING ON BOARDS, UM ,FOCUSED ON DEVELOPMENT
PLANNING AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION INCLUDING THE CPA PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, HISTORIC BOSTON INC., CITIZEN'S HOUSING AND PLANNING ASSOCIATION AND BOSTON LANDMARKS COMMISSION AND IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU ARE
EXCEPTIONALLY WELL PREPARED TO APPROACH DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS WITH A FOCUS ON SUPPORTING HOUSING PRODUCTION AND MEETING THE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE AND PRESERVING THE HISTORIC RESOURCES THAT MAKE OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD SO SPECIAL. UM OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE MORE THAN QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR FROM MY COLLEAGUES AND UM, YOUR UH ANY QUESTIONS THAT MY COLLEAGUES MAY HAVE AND I HAVE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU
TODAY AS WELL. UM, BUT WITH THAT, UM, I'D LIKE FOR, UH I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF. UM, AND THEN WE WILL, UM, GET INTO QUESTIONS UM, AND ANYTHING
ELSE AND THEN, UM, SECRETARY CALL AS IF YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE AN OPENING STATEMENT AS WELL. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AWESOME. YEAH. FELICIA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO FIRST? WONDERFUL. YES.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL CHAIR DURKAN. UM, I THINK IT'S A CHAIR. AS MENTIONED, MY NAME IS FELICIA JACQUES AND I'VE BEEN A
RESIDENT OF BOSTON SINCE 1995. UM, I'M VERY PLEASED AND HONORED TO BE BEFORE YOU AS A NOMINEE TO THE BPA. AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE MAYOR SUBMISSION AND THE COUNCILORS, UH, COUNCIL'S ACCEPTANCE.
MY INTEREST IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ECONOMIC AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN INFORMED BY THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE I DESIGN WHICH SPANS
DECADES FROM MY WORK, UH, BEGINNING IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS TO NEW YORK CITY AND TO IN BOSTON. UH, AS I SAID IN 1995 AND THE CITY IS BELOVED IN MY HEART AND
IN ALL OF THE WORK THAT I DO. MY RESUME REFLECTS MY EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING THOUSANDS OF AFFORDABLE UNITS WITH ATTENDANT COMMERCIAL SPACE THROUGHOUT THE STATE. UH, EARLIER IN MY CAREER, UH
SEVERAL THOUSAND HAVE BEEN IN BOSTON AND MORE RECENTLY UH, OUTSIDE OF OUTSIDE OF BOSTON, UH, IN ALL CORNERS OF THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. MY INTEREST IN JOINING THE BBA
ALLOWS ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AT THE NEXUS OF DEVELOPMENT PLANNING, DESIGN FEASIBILITY AND COMMUNITY PROCESS. ALL OF THESE COMPONENTS ARE NECESSARY TO CONTINUE TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IN THIS HISTORIC YET ALWAYS EVOLVING CITY. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE BPA AND BOARD MEMBERS ALONG
WITH THE MAYOR AND AND THE CITY COUNCIL AS WE TACKLE THIS GENERATION OF WORK TO SECURE BOSTON'S FUTURE AND HOUSING COMMUNITY CLIMATE RESILIENCY ALL THE WHILE MAINTAINING THE ECONOMIC ENGINE IT IS KNOWN
FOR. THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR AND TO THE COUNCILORS FOR THE CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, HOLD THE COMMISSION SEAT BOTH ON THE BLC AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD UH, COMMISSION THE SOUTH AND
LANDMARKS DISTRICT. THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR DOCKETS, COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCILOR MURPHY FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THE CPA COMMITTEE. AS MY TENURE AS CHAIR OF CPA HAS ALLOWED US TO FUND WORK
NEARING $100 MILLION IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY WITH AND WITH THE COUNCIL'S APPROVAL. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND UM, I WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
UM, ANY OPENING STATEMENTS FROM COUNCILOR FLYNN OR MURPHY? UM THE UH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
WITH, UM, THE NOMINEE. UM, AND I KNOW SHE WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO THE BOARD. AN OUTSTANDING SELECTION,
WELL-QUALIFIED EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCE AND AND FINALLY FOR YOU MENTIONED THE, UM, COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT. I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT PROGRAMS IN CITY GOVERNMENT AND IT'S REALLY A WAY TO BRING RESIDENTS TOGETHER THROUGH THE CPA PROGRAM. BUT THEY I JUST WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT AN OUTSTANDING PERSON THAT I WORKED WITH FOR MANY YEARS THAT THEY DEEMED BROWN. UM, HER TEAM DOES EXCEPTIONAL WORK BUT I KNOW, FELICIA THAT
YOU'VE BEEN UM AN IMPORTANT SUPPORTER AS WELL OF CPA BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANYTHING MORE TO SAY OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT I KNOW FELICIA WILL DO A TREMENDOUS JOB AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING HER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR MURPHY YES. THANK YOU. UM THANK YOU TERESA FOR BEING HERE. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY. FELICIA, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING.
YOURSELF OUT THERE AND YOUR RESUME SAYS A LOT AND YOU ALREADY, YOU KNOW, SHOW UP FOR THE COMMUNITY AND DO GREAT WORK SO DON'T NEED TO KEEP YOU ANY LONGER.
BUT JUST SAYING YOU KNOW THANK YOU WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS ON TO HEAR YOU. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY. READ YOUR RESUME AND KNOW THAT YOU'LL BE A WONDERFUL ADDITION. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU AS SOON AS WE GET
TO VOTE IN HOPEFULLY WHICH I'M PRETTY SURE WE WILL UM YOU KNOW, PASS THIS VOTE THIS WEEK COMING UP. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. AND WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR VAN WEBER.
UM THEN WE WERE JUST GIVING OPENING STATEMENTS WHICH I KNOW YOU LOVE. YEAH. >> UM YEAH. I JUST I WANTED TO JUST ECHO MY COLLEAGUES AND, UH, THANK FELICIA FOR. FOR YOU. >> KNOW, HER SERVICE AND FOR
STEPPING UP FOR THIS IMPORTANT POSITION AND I. JUST. >> UH, GLAD WE COULD HAVE THIS HEARING AND AND MOVE THIS FORWARD. THANKS. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR WEBER AND, UM, SECRETARY FAHEY. MISS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANY OPENING STATEMENT AS A PANELIST BUT.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE TO SUPPORT FELICIA'S NOMINATION TO THE BOARD. SHE IS CLEARLY UNIQUELY QUALIFIED FOR THIS ROLE, AND I'M EXCITED FOR THE EXPERTISE
SHE'S GOING TO BRING TO THE BOARD AND TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SECRETARY BOHEMIANS AND, UM, I GUESS I'LL AS I DO WITH MOST OF THESE HEARINGS, I WILL JUST ASK YOU A
COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT I THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, FOR ANY BOSTON RESIDENT THAT ENDS UP WATCHING THIS OR UM, YOU KNOW, ANY SENIOR HOME THAT HAS THIS CHANNEL TURNED ON.
UM, WANTED TO UH WANTED TO ASK YOU A COUPLE QUESTIONS JUST ABOUT UM WHAT PERSPECTIVE DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO THIS WORK RIGHT NOW? UM, TO ADDRESS THE DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES BOSTON IS FACING
RIGHT NOW? UH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN. THAT IS A REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION. UM, WHAT I AM, UH, UH, WHAT I'VE MOST BEEN IMPRESSED BY
WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS PERSPECTIVE, UM, AND BRINGING UH, BOSTON TO THE FOREFRONT AND ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES THAT
WE ALL FACE IS THE OPENNESS AND WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY. UM, UH, GIVE PROPOSALS UH, SORT OF THE CRITICAL OVERVIEW AND
REVIEW THAT THEY NEED WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE FEELS THAT THEIR VOICE HAS BEEN HEARD. UM, AND SO I THINK THE PERSPECTIVE RIGHT NOW THAT WE
ARE REALLY FACING IS THAT WITH THE ONSLAUGHT OF UH, NEW CHALLENGES CLIMATE RESILIENCY BEING ONE OF THEM UM, FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY, EVERYTHING THAT THE CITY IS LOOKING AT RIGHT
NOW, UH, TO MAINTAIN THAT OPEN PERSPECTIVE AND WILLINGNESS TO LOOK AT PROPOSALS THAT ARE PUT FORTH WITH UH, AGAIN, A VERY CRITICAL AND CREATIVE UH, ALL
WITH A GOAL OF UM ADVANCING THE CITY AS WELL AND THE YOU KNOW, WITHIN BOTH THE ECONOMIC AND UH, BUILT ENVIRONMENT BUT ALSO ADDRESSING UM AND ACKNOWLEDGING
EVERY RESIDENT'S NEEDS AND CONCERNS. THANK YOU. AND UM, WHAT DRIVES YOUR INTEREST AND PASSION FOR THIS WORK? OBVIOUSLY LOOKING AT YOUR RESUME, UH, YOU'VE DONE A LOT
AND UH, WE WORK WITH YOU KNOW, I'VE READ UH AND BEEN, YOU KNOW, PARTY TO A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT LIKE COMMUNITY BUILDERS AND LIKE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'VE WORKED ON. SO IT'S REALLY NICE TO MEET YOU
AND NICE TO SEE YOU AND GET TO KNOW THE FACE BEHIND A LOT OF THE GREAT WORK THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AROUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. BUT UM, BUT YOU KNOW, SORT OF LIKE WHAT WAS THE SPARK THAT IGNITED YOUR PASSION FOR THIS
WORK? UM, WELL AS YOU CAN SEE FROM I WAS MADE MY INITIAL SPARK WAS REALLY SPARKED BY ARCHITECTURE . SO MY UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE IS IN ARCHITECTURE AND THAT SORT
OF REALLY OPENED UP THE ENTIRE UH, SORT OF WORLD FOR ME AGAIN AROUND UM, YOU KNOW WHAT MAKES A CITY A CITY UH, SORT OF HONING IN ON THE REAL ESTATE
ASPECT OF IT REALLY ALLOWS UH, FOR THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR TO REALLY BE SEEN. SO IN EACH PROJECT, NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR HOW LARGE IT IS THAT I'M WORKING ON, THERE IS
SOME UNIQUE FEATURE THAT CAN REALLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE LANDSCAPE AND IT'S YOU TO SORT SOMETHING OUT. THAT UNIQUENESS OF EACH OF THOSE PROJECTS IS REALLY WHAT KIND OF UM. YOU KNOW.
>> SORT OF KEEPS ME VERY, VERY INTERESTED. AND UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS SORT OF I MEAN, YOU'RE IN THIS NEW ROLE. YOU'LL BE AT THE CENTER OF A
LOT OF PLANNING DECISION MAKING AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOU'RE THERE FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN WHEN IT'S BEING THOUGHT ABOUT BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THOSE SORT OF TOP NOTES THAT YOU
KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF VOICES AND THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION. UM, HOW WILL YOU BALANCE THE NEED FOR UH THE CITY TO GROW WITH THE NEED FOR THERE TO BE
PRESERVATION AND OTHER UM, SORT OF STABILIZING FORCES OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO KEEP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS VIBRANT AND AND TO HAVE ANY ROAD CHARACTER THAT UM THAT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE
GROWN TO LOVE AND CHERISH. UH, ONE OF THE MORE UNIQUE THINGS FROM UH, BEING IN BOSTON FROM MY OTHER WORK IN OTHER CITIES IS THAT BOSTON IS A NEIGHBORHOOD UH, IS THE CITY
OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE PASSION AND COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING EACH OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS REALLY SPEAKS UM ,I THINK TO THE WAY THAT THE CITY, UH, MOVES ITS PROJECTS
FORWARD. UM, SO YES, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU KNOW, HAVING BEEN AT THE BEGINNING ON SOME VERY LARGE RESIDENTIAL INITIATIVES
AND WORKING WITH EACH OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT I AGAIN I THINK TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE UM, UH ABLE TO BE
ADDRESSED AND SATISFIED UH, AND ADDRESSED TO EVERYONE SATISFACTION BUT BEING ABLE TO TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND CONSIDER WHAT IT'S PUT FORTH.
UM UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WITH SORTS BALANCE AND A CRITICAL EYE AND KNOWING THAT THE OBJECTIVE IS REALLY ABOUT ALLOWING EACH PROJECT IN ITS
OWN WAY TO MOVE THE CITY AHEAD AND TO ADDRESS AND HELP TO SUPPORT UH, THE GOALS OF OF OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND I'M SURE YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS FROM THE OUTSIDE BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS SORT
OF WHAT YOU KNOW OR WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT SORT OF THE CITY'S UM, EFFORTS TO MODERNIZE ARTICLE 80 UM, GIVEN YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT'S KIND OF A BIG YOU RIGHT?
THERE'S A LOT TO THINK ABOUT AND THERE'S A LOT AND THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT FOCUSES. ONE OF MY PRIORITIES HAS BEEN TO MAINTAIN THE SUNSET CLAUSE IN ARTICLE 80, WHICH I THINK MAINTAINS SOME OPTIONALITY FOR
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN APPROVALS, YOU KNOW, 10 OR 20 YEARS AGO, UM, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS THAT DON'T END UP GETTING UM, YOU KNOW, DON'T END UP MOVING.
I'M JUST CURIOUS SORT OF ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN REFLECT UPON WITH UM WITH ARTICLE MAYBE OUR 80 MODERNIZATION IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND ANY THOUGHTS THAT YOU
HAVE TO THAT EFFECT. WELL IT IS A BIG ENOUGH UM AND I'VE SORT OF UM DEALT WITH IT FROM THE SMALL PROJECT REVIEWS AND LARGE PROJECT REVIEWS. I'VE HAD EXPERIENCE IN UH
REALLY VERY MANY ASPECTS OF THE ARTICLE EIGHT PROCESS. UM IT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS A LIVING BREATHING DOCUMENT
AND AND UH HOPEFULLY IT CAN CONTINUE TO SORT OF EVOLVE AND MORPH TO MEET THE THE NEEDS OF THE CITY AT THE MOMENT AT WHICH IT'S BEEN AT WHICH IS
BEING UTILIZED BUT ALSO TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT UH, CHANGE AND TO ACCEPT MODERNIZATION AND UH COMMENTS THAT REALLY HELP.
TO UM, HELP IT'S FOR, YOU KNOW, HELP IT FULFILL SORT OF ITS LEGACY AS THE PLANNING TOOL OF THE CITY THAT IS VERY ALIVE AND VIBRANT AND HAS. TO BE. UM.
ABLE TO UH ALSO. THANK YOU AND UM THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STEPPING UP TO SERVE. I THINK I REALLY LOVE IT ON YOU KNOW, THE BACKGROUND IS THAT YOU'VE BEEN ON THE LANDMARKS
COMMISSION, YOU'VE DONE OTHER UM OTHER SERVICE FOR THE CITY. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A HUGE UM I DO A HUGE BIT OF SERVICE AND I DO TRY TO ATTEND ALL OF THE
MEETINGS MYSELF AND I HAVE A POSITION SO YOU'LL DEFINITELY SEE ME OFTEN MOSTLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING WITH MY THOUGHTS ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS IN MY DISTRICT. UH, BUT I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR STEPPING UP TO SERVE.
I WANTED TO OPEN IT UP FOR ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO MAY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CANDIDATE BY COUNCILOR FLYNN. YEAH. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. UH, MADAM CHAIR, BEFORE I
BEGIN, UM, COULD YOU JUST TELL ME OR MAYBE THERESA MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP ME? UH, WOULD THE IT'S AN OPEN POSITION, BUT WHO IS THE PERSON THAT LEFT? UM. >> UH, DOCTOR TIDELANDS. MARK OKAY.
>> YEAH, I'VE RETIRED WITH DISTINCTION. WELL, I'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN FRIENDS WITH, UM, TED LANDMARK FOR 45 YEARS AND I KNOW THAT'S
AN IMPORTANT HISTORIC NOT NECESSARILY SEAT I WON'T CALL IT A SEAT, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE FOLLOWING IN, UM, FOOTSTEPS OF A TREMENDOUS CIVIL RIGHTS
LEADER AND A WONDERFUL PERSON EDUCATOR, UM, AND FRIEND. AND I KNOW HE HE HE'S MISSED IN THE CITY. UM.
BUT WHAT I WHAT I LIKED ABOUT KNOW WHAT I LIKED ABOUT UM, TED BESIDES. >> THE FACT THAT I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR 40 YEARS AND I WENT TO THE, UM, FIRST TIME I EVER WENT TO
THE, UM MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS. TED TOOK ME AS A AS A KID. UM. BUT WHAT I LIKED ABOUT TED THOUGH WAS. HE HE WAS INDEPENDENT AT TIMES
AND IF HE IF HE THOUGHT IT, YOU KNOW, HE DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO ALWAYS VOTE AS A TEAM OR AS A GROUP IS WOULD YOU ENVISION YOURSELF IF YOU IF YOU
HAD TO IF. YOU WANTED TO VOTE. >> A CERTAIN WAY IN YOUR YOUR. COLLEAGUES IN THE BOARD. MIGHT BE VOTING A DIFFERENT WAY? WOULD YOU STILL VOTE THE WAY YOU THINK IS BEST OR WOULD YOU. SUPPORT WHAT YOUR COLLEAGUES.
THINK IS BEST? WELL I THINK IT'S A YOU KNOW I THINK IT IS A BALANCING ACT. UM I THINK THE ROLE IS FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE.
THEIR EXPERIENCE, APPLY THAT EXPERIENCE UH, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THE DIFFERENT VOICES AT THE TABLE. BUT THE IDEA OF SORT
OF MAINTAINING YOUR UM, INDIVIDUALITY I WOULD THINK THAT THAT IS UM IS A STRONG CHARACTERISTIC THAT I THINK IS, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH LIKE UM
EVERYONE AROUND THE TABLE THE MAINTAINING ONE'S INTEGRITY AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS WOULD ALLOW FOR THERE TO BE AN OPEN MINDEDNESS TO FOLKS VOTING WITH WHAT THEY
THINK. IS UM, IN VOTING THE WAY THAT THEY THINK IS IMPORTANT AS OPPOSED TO SIMPLY UM VOTING IN
CONCERT UH WITH EVERYONE NOW THAT THAT UM I WOULD THINK THAT YOU KNOW, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT UM, THERE IS A CONSENSUS BUT
THE IDEA OF AN INDIVIDUAL VOTE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL PROJECT IF IT DOES. YOU KNOW, IF IT IF IT NEEDS TO SIT. >> WITH THAT UM INDIVIDUAL THAT AGAIN THAT THERE WOULD BE
OPENNESS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT FOR THAT UM FOR THAT KIND OF INDIVIDUAL VOTE. WELL THAT'S AN EXCELLENT ANSWER. UM THANK YOU FELICIA AND I'M LOOKING.
FORWARD TO ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTING YOU WHEN IT COMES FOR A VOTE. AND I KNOW THE BOARD IN THE CITY UH, WILL BENEFIT GREATLY
BASED BECAUSE OF YOUR BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE AND YOUR VISION AND YOUR AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND AND YOUR INTEGRITY. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO. SUPPORTING UM SUPPORTING YOU WHEN IT COMES TO A VOTE.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILOR FLYNN. UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER ON THAT QUESTION TO UM TO OUR NOMINEE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE OFTEN COME AS
DISTRICT COUNCILORS TOO. I IT'S INTERESTING WE'RE ALL DISTRICT LEFT ON HERE RIGHT NOW. BUT AS DISTRICT COUNCILORS WE OFTEN COME TO THE BOARD WITH A SPECIFIC PROPOSAL OR YOU KNOW,
WITH THE SPECIFIC IDEA OF WHAT IS RIGHT OR AND HOW TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF OUR CONSTITUENTS. AND SO I REMEMBER I THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I DID ADVOCATE FOR A PROJECT TO BE TABLED AND I
REMEMBER THE VOTE WAS SPLIT BUT IT DID ACTUALLY END UP GETTING TABLED AND UM AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ON THE BOARD SAYING LIKE YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE HAVE MADE A CASE HERE AND I THINK IT SOMETIMES IS IMPORTANT FOR FOR THAT CASE TO BE RENDERED EVEN WHEN EVERYONE FEELS LIKE EVERYTHING WHEN THE PROJECT IS, YOU KNOW, GOOD TO GO.
UM, SOMETIMES THERE IS A COMPELLING REASON WHY IT'S NOT IT'S NOT READY TO GO. BUT THAT BEING SAID, UM, I DO THINK ONCE THE PROJECT HAS BPA BOARD APPROVAL UM THAT SHOULD
ENCOMPASS ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS HAVING WEIGHED IN UM AND AND THAT ONES THAT I DON'T THINK THERE SHOULD BE CITY DEPARTMENTS ADVOCATING AGAINST THE PROJECT ONCE IT GETS THAT APPROVAL.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THE YOU KNOW, GOES TO UM THE ZBA IT SHOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S DE FACTO SORT
OF SUPPORT AFTER IT'S GONE THROUGH THE BPA BOARD. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF ARTICLE 80 MODERNIZATION IS HAVING THERE BE ACTUALLY HAVING
A BOARD VOTE MEAN SOMETHING, YOU KNOW AND SO ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. SO UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CHANGES UM, TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT BEING UNDERNEATH THE CITY NOW. UM, SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR IT TO
YOU FOR STEPPING UP TO SERVE. UM I WANT TO ASK MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR WEBER IF HE HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU AND THEN UM AND THEN WE'LL GO TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC TESTIMONY. COUNCILOR ROBERT. YEAH YEAH. THANKS. >> UH, YEAH, I GUESS UH,
FELICIA IN TERMS OF LIKE I YOU KNOW, IS IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHANGE IN IN THE HOUSING, YOU KNOW, THAT
IS BEING PROPOSED OR BUILT IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY AREAS YOU THINK YOU'D LIKE TO SEE US IMPROVE ON WHETHER IT'S LIKE. >> THE NUMBERS. >> THE DESIGN I DON'T KNOW WHAT ARE YOUR. THOUGHTS ON OUR YOU KNOW, SORT
OF THE. THINGS YOU THINK. WE WE. NEED TO DO BETTER ON. OH UM WELL I THINK THAT UM THE
CITY DOES A TREMENDOUS JOB BALANCING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF UM, OBJECTIVES AND GOALS AND INTERESTS.
THE WAY THAT I LOOK AT THAT IS REALLY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE I THINK MAYBE COUNCILOR FOR TALKING TO A LITTLE BIT UH, STEPPED AWAY THAT THERE IS A LOT THAT.
NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED AND I THINK EACH OF THE ASPECTS AND CHARACTERISTICS ARE TYPICALLY UH, CONSIDERED IN A WAY THAT ON BALANCE AND AT THE END OF THE
DAY, UM, I THINK MOST PEOPLE REACH THE CONCLUSION THAT UM, YOU KNOW, ALL DIFFERENT INTERESTS WERE ACKNOWLEDGED AND RESPECTED. HEARD THAT BEING SAID, KNOWING
UH, THE FACT THAT I'VE LIVED HERE SINCE 1995 AND HAVE RAISED AND HAVE RAISED UH, KIDS HERE AND HAVE UM SORT OF LOOKED AT THE WAY THAT THE CITY HAS GROWN .
I THINK IF THERE IS ANY WAY THAT UM THE PROCESS CAN BE UH, STREAMLINING STREAMLINED IN A WAY TO ALLOW FOR MORE HOUSING
UH, TO BE BUILT UH, THE BETTER THE CRISIS THAT I THINK THE CITY OF BOSTON IS EXPERIENCING ALONG WITH THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS IS VERY REAL. UM, BUT I ALSO WANT THAT
COUPLED WITH MEASURED GROWTH AND EXPANSION THAT, UH, RESPECTS AND HONORS FOR THE ORIGINALITY OF THE CITY. YOU'LL YOU'LL YOU'LL HEAR THAT MY YOU KNOW, YOU'LL HEAR MY
HISTORIC PRESERVATION HAT COME OUT QUITE QUITE A BIT. UM, BUT TO PRESERVE WHAT IS NOTABLE UM BUT AT THE SAME TIME NOT PRESERVE AN EMBER AND ALLOW
FOR THE CITY TO GROW AND EVOLVE TO SORT OF MEET ITS, UH, HIGHER ,HIGHER PURPOSE. OKAY. >> YEAH, YEAH. THANKS A LOT. THANK YOU. CHAIR. THANK YOU. UM, COUNCILOR WEBER AND WE HAVE
A LETTER OF ABSENCE WHICH I WILL READ UM, UH, ABBREVIATED VERSION OF DEAR OUR DURKAN I REGRET TO INFORM YOU UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY'S HEARING UM, REGARDING THE APPOINTMENT OF POLICE AS A MEMBER OF THE
BOSTON PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD, PLEASE ACCEPT THIS LETTER FOR THE RECORD, UH ,IN SUPPORT OF HER CONFIRMATION, I OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVE OF HER NOMINATION AND HER WILLINGNESS TO SERVE THE CITY OF BOSTON.
THE BPA BOARD HELPS GUIDE DECISIONS TO SHAPE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR ECONOMY AND THE CITY AND THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. I BELIEVE SHE IS WELL PREPARED TO TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
THIS IS FROM COUNCIL JEN. UM AND THEN UM, FELICIA, DO YOU HAVE ANY LAST WORDS YOU'D LIKE TO SAY TO THE COUNCIL BEFORE WE ADJOURN? UM, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK
UM, EACH AND EVERY COUNCILMEMBER FOR ATTENDING TODAY. MY EXPERIENCE HAS REALLY MAINLY BEEN WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCILOR MURPHY.
UM, UH, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO AND THEIR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN, UH, VERY USEFUL AND VERY HELPFUL. UM, AS WE SORT OF MOVE, UH, CPA
AWARDS THROUGH THE CITY, I THINK AGAIN, THE NOTABLE UH, COMMENT THAT WE HAVE UM BEEN ABLE TO FUND PROJECTS IN EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD MULTIPLE
TIMES IS SORT OF REALLY SPEAKS TO THE WIDE LENS WITH WHICH WE, UH, MOVE THESE PROJECTS THROUGH . SO I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING NOT ONLY, UM, WITH THE MAYOR BUT ALL AND THE BPA STAFF
BUT ALSO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE COUNCILORS AS WE UM AGAIN MOVE TO ADVANCE UH, THIS VERY HISTORIC CITY AND UM, THE
EVOLVING BUILT ENVIRONMENT THAT UM, UH, WILL YOU ALL BE RESPONDING? WELL, I'LL BE RESPONDING TO IT FOR THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, FELICIA. AND, UH, WE'VE RECEIVED A
LETTER OF ABSENCE AS WELL FROM COUNCILOR FOR PAM GOING TO READ THAT INTO THE RECORD. UM, AND, UH, THIS ISN'T A NORMAL THING TO DO, BUT A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE WHO USED TO
COMMENT ON DEVELOPMENT PASSED AWAY THIS MORNING HELEN COX UM, THE FENWAY UM WAS A HUGE PROPONENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AN INCREDIBLE LEADER UM, WAS ON THE BOARD UM, A
FOUNDER OF THE FENWAY NEWS UH, WAS ON THE BOARD OF FENWAY FORWARD. UM, INCREDIBLE FRIEND OF MINE. UM, JUST ON UH DURING THIS MEETING IN HER MEMORY BECAUSE SHE SHE DID SO MUCH WITH
DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS A LONG, LONG TIME COMING SO YEAH. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU TO THERESA. UH, THANK YOU UH, TO SHANE, OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON AS WELL AS MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND I
WE LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD TO YOUR NOMINATION AT THE NEXT MEETING. UH, THE, UH UM, THIS HEARING ON DOCKET 1316 IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
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