AND THE CHAIR ON THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS TODAY'S MARCH 27TH, 2026. THE EXACT TIME IS 1004. IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER TWO OF THE 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 MEETINGS 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.GOV/CITY COUNCIL TV
AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT, RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FIVE CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT SCARGILL@BOSTON.GOV AND WILL BE
MADE 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 HAVE NOT DONE SO, PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON MEGAN KAVANAUGH AT ANY ANN
CAVANAGH@BOSTON.GOV FOR THE ZOOM LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET 0268. A PETITION FOR A SPECIAL LAW REGARDING AN ACT RELATIVE TO PENSION BENEFITS FOR
FIREFIGHTER FIREFIGHTER LEO J. BRACKEN. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS AT FLYNN AND I BELIEVE ERIN MURPHY WAS A CO-SPONSOR AND WAS REFERRED TO
THE COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 4TH 2026. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. COUNCILOR MURPHY AND COUNCILOR FLYNN UM, I UH IF COUNCILOR UH, FLYNN WOULD LIKE
TO GO FIRST AS THE SPONSOR FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS WILL GO TO COUNCILOR MURPHY. UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS I JUST WANT TO FLAG AND THEN WE CAN GO INTO, UM, LINE BY LINE I THIS IS NOTICED BY THE HEARING
. I DO THINK THAT BECAUSE THIS IS A REFILE, UH, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK AS IT RELATES TO LANGUAGE THAT UM IT WAS MY INTENTION TO GO LINE BY LINE. UH, BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY HEAR
FROM, UH, MR BRACKETT WHO'S THE PETITIONER AND UH, HIS REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL O'REILLY ,WHO'S A LEGISLATIVE AGENT FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF CONTRIBUTORY RETIREMENT SYSTEMS.
UM, BUT FOR NOW, COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE, UH, THE SAME FOR ANY OPENING, UH, TESTIMONY OR EXCUSE ME OPENING REMARKS THAT YOU HAVE.
YOU ARE ON MUTE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES WE CAN. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH THANK YOU CHAIR.
UH, COLLETTE, AS THE PART OF THE CHAIR IN THIS HEARING. THANK YOU TO FIRE LIEUTENANT LEO BRACKEN AND HIS REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL RILEY AS WELL FOR BEING HERE.
THIS IS HOME RULE PETITION FOR LIEUTENANT LEO BRACKEN. LIEUTENANT BRACKEN SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES WHILE IN THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS DUTIES ON
OCTOBER 17TH, 2019 AND IS TOTALLY IN PERMANENTLY INJURED AND INCAPACITATED FOR FURTHER SERVICE AS THE FIREFIGHTER. FIRE LIEUTENANT BRACKEN SERVED
THE CITY OF BOSTON WITH HONOR AND DISTINCTION FOR OVER 35 YEARS. HE STARTED HIS CAREER WITH THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT IN OCTOBER 1986.
IT WAS PROMOTED TO FIRE LIEUTENANT IN JANUARY 1993 AND SERVED ON LAND AT 26 AND MISSION HILL IN ATLANTA 29 AND MATTAPAN.
ON OCTOBER 17TH, 2019, FIRE LIEUTENANT BRACKEN WAS RESPONDING TO AN INCIDENT AT THE FIREHOUSE. IT WAS REACHING THE APPARATUS FLOOR VIA THE FIRE POLE BUT DUE
TO AN EXISTING FALL LIGHTING SITUATION AS HE ATTEMPTED TO GRAB THE POLE AND WRAP HIS LEGS AROUND IT TO REGULATE HIS DESCENT, THE WATER PREVENTED HIM FROM DOING FROM BEING ABLE
TO EFFECTIVELY SLOW HIS DESCENT FROM THE POLE, AND HE FREE FELL A MORE THAN 20FT DOWN TO THE CONCRETE APPARATUS FLOOR, BUCKLING HIS LEGS CAUSING HIM TO FALL BACKWARDS AND HITTING
HIS HEAD. AS A RESULT OF THESE SEVERE INJURIES, FIRE LIEUTENANT BRACKEN IS IS PERMANENTLY DISABLED AND WAS FORCED INTO EARLY RETIREMENT AND TO CUT HIS
CAREER SHORT AS A FIREFIGHTER. IN ADDITION, FIRE LIEUTENANT BRACKEN IS ALSO A VERY SKILLED AND TALENTED LICENSED MASTER ELECTRICIAN AND HIS INJURIES UNFORTUNATELY ELIMINATED ANY
CHANCE OF POTENTIAL FUTURE EARNINGS. AS A LICENSED MASTER ELECTRICIAN FIRE LIEUTENANT BRACKEN IS CURRENTLY RETIRED
AND RECEIVING AN ACCIDENTAL DISABILITY RETIREMENT PURSUANT PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 3032 SECTION SEVEN. THIS HOME RULE PETITION SEEKS
TO SECURE FURTHER BENEFITS FOR MR BRACKEN FROM BEING TOTALLY AND PERMANENTLY INJURED, INCAPACITATED FROM ANY FURTHER SERVICE AS A FIREFIGHTER.
UM UH I GUESS MY FINAL POINT IS LIEUTENANT BRACKEN IS HERE AND LOOKING FOR SUPPORT FROM THIS BODY AND I THANK FOR MR BRACK
AND AND HIS FAMILY. IT'S ALSO ABOUT RESPECT RESPECTING HIM, RESPECTING HIS FAMILY. IT'S ALSO ABOUT ACKNOWLEDGING
THAT THERE WERE CONDITIONS AT THE FIREHOUSE THAT CONTRIBUTED TO HIS UH HIS FALL AND MR. LIEUTENANT BRACKEN SHOULDN'T BE
PENALIZED FOR THAT. I JUST I JUST WANT US TO DO EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO SUPPORT LIEUTENANT BRACKEN.
UM, AND RECOGNIZE AND HONOR HIS SERVICE HIS CONTRIBUTION, UM, THAT HE MADE TO THE CITY OF BOSTON. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR MURPHY.
THANK YOU. CHAIR. UM, AND THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR SUMMARIZING WHY WE'RE HERE AND JUST HAPPY
TO BE ON TO LISTEN, LEARN, MAKE SURE WE GET THIS RIGHT AND SUPPORT YOU, LIEUTENANT BRACKEN . AND THANK YOU, MR O'REILLY FOR BEING HERE ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THE RIGHT THING SO
WE CAN GET RIGHT INTO IT AND JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. UM, I DO JUST HAVE SOME QUICK FRAMING UH, REMARKS JUST TO
GROUND US BEFORE WE GET INTO IT. UM, SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE, UH, MY COLLEAGUES ON, UM, UH, MR BRACKETT AND MR RILEY.
I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS CASE WHEN A PUBLIC SERVANT IS INJURED. WHILE PROTECTING OUR RESIDENTS, IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE'S A MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THEY'RE SUPPORTED WITH DIGNITY
AND FAIRNESS. THAT IS A PRINCIPLE NOT IN QUESTION HERE. UM, AT THE SAME TIME, OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A LEGISLATIVE BODY IS TWOFOLD AND SO WE HAVE TO CONSIDER BOTH THE INTENT
OF THE PETITION AND THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING IT. SO THIS PETITION SEEKS TO INCREASE A DISABILITY PENSION TO 100% OF THE COMPENSATION THE MEMBER WOULD HAVE EARNED HAD HE
REMAINED IN SERVICE. HOWEVER, WE'VE HEARD FROM THE BOSTON RETIREMENT SYSTEM AS WELL AS UH, INDIVIDUALS UP AT THE COMMITTEE FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AT THE LEGISLATURE THAT
THERE ARE QUESTIONS. ABOUT THE PETITION. >> AS CURRENTLY DRAFTED AND WHETHER OR NOT IT CAN BE ADMINISTRATED ADMINISTERED. EXCUSE ME UNDER MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAW CHAPTER 32 WHICH GOVERNS PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PENSIONS.
SPECIFICALLY, THERE'S BEEN QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER SECTION SEVEN ACCIDENTAL DISABILITY UH RETIREMENT BENEFITS CAN LEGALLY BE SET AT 100% AND WHETHER CERTAIN PROVISIONS IN THE
PETITION ARE INTERNALLY INCONSISTENT OR REFERENCED CONDITIONS THAT CANNOT BE APPLIED AND WHETHER THE STRUCTURE OF THIS REQUEST ALIGNS WITH HOW THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO FUNCTION.
AND SO OUR GOAL TODAY IS NOT TO RELITIGATE THE MERITS OF THIS INJURY OR THE SERVICE. IT IS JUST SIMPLY TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU KNOW WHETHER THE CURRENT LANGUAGE CAN ACHIEVE THAT OUTCOME. AND WE DO HAVE SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS AND IF NOT WHAT CHANGES UM, YOU KNOW, TO THIS PETITION UH CAN MAKE IT BOTH LEGALLY SOUND AND ADMINISTRATIVELY IMPLEMENTABLE. AND SO WE ALSO HAVE TO BE
MINDFUL THAT HOMEWORK PETITIONS WHILE SPECIFIC TO ANY INDIVIDUAL CAN CREATE PRECEDENT . AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PROCEED IN A WAY THAT IS FAIR, CONSISTENT AND SUSTAINABLE. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS CONSTRUCTION CONVERSATION TO
HELP US ALIGN WITH A PATH FORWARD THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE DELIVERED. AND SO JUST REALLY QUICK AS WELL. UM WHAT THIS PETITION DOES IS IT'S UH, SPECIAL ACT TO OVERRIDE STATE PENSION LAW FOR
ONE FIREFIGHTER. IT MOVES THE DISABILITY PENSION FROM UH, 72% TO 100% OF SALARY. IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR UH 50% OR
MORE OUTSIDE OF EARNINGS. UM OUTSIDE EARNINGS. EXCUSE ME. IT COVERS FULL MEDICAL COSTS AND PROVIDES, UH, 75% OF SURVIVOR BENEFIT. I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I THINK THE CURRENT LAW IS
ABOUT 66 AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE BOSTON UM RETIREMENT BOARD. AND SO I HAD ALREADY OUTLINED SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, INITIAL
PROBLEMS THAT MAY IMPACT ITS ABILITY TO PASS THE STATE HOUSE AND OR ITS UM, UH IMPLEMENT UH THE WAY IN WHICH THE RETIREMENT BOARD IMPLEMENT IT. BUT AGAIN, WE DO HAVE SOME SUGGESTED LANGUAGE.
UM, LET'S SEE HERE. I SEE I MEAN I I DO THINK THAT BECAUSE THIS IS A HOMEOWNER PETITION WE HAVE DONE CASE BY CASE EXCEPTIONS BEFORE.
UM THERE A STRONG LINE OF DUTY INJURY AND EQUITY ARGUMENT HERE AND I THINK IT REFLECTS THE ABILITY TO MAKE WHOLE UM, WHAT HAS YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY
HAPPENED TO THE PETITIONER. SO UH, AGAIN, UM I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS PUT ON RECORD. I IF YOU WANT TO UH, PUT THE
LANGUAGE UP ON THE SCREEN WE CAN GO THROUGH IT. AND JUST TO PUT ON THE RECORD WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE PETITIONER AND COUNCILOR FLYNN'S OFFICE TO UM
TO COME TO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL AS THANK YOU TO THE MILLIONS FROM UH THE UH THE COMMITTEE STAFF FOR HELPING US. SO I WILL GO THROUGH LITERALLY
LINE BY LINE UM AND THEN DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, THE INTENT AND THEN POTENTIAL SUGGESTED FRAMING AND SO UM FOR SECTION ONE A NOTWITHSTANDING SECTION
SEVEN OF CHAPTER 32 OF THE GENERAL LAWS OR ANY OTHER GENERAL OR SPECIAL LAW TO THE CONTRARY AND IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THE PUBLIC GOOD, THE BOSTON TIME AWARD SHALL INCREASE THE DISABILITY PENSION OF LEO J.
BRACKEN, A FIREFIGHTER OF THE CITY OF BOSTON WHO AS A RESULT OF INJURIES SUSTAINED WHILE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS DUTIES ON OCTOBER 17TH, 2019 IS TOTALLY AND PERMANENTLY INJURED
AND INCAPACITATED FOR FURTHER SERVICE AS A FIREFIGHTER. WHAT THIS DOES IS AUTHORIZE INCREASE IN THE PENSION BEYOND WHAT IS ALLOWED IN CHAPTER 32.
THERE'S NO UM CHANGE RECOMMENDED HERE. SO I FIGURED WE CAN JUST MOVE ON. OKAY. >> UM SECTION B AND THIS IS THE CORE ISSUE SECTION.
UH, NOT SO THIS IS UM. UH I WISH WE HAD THE STRIKETHROUGH LANGUAGE, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING HERE. AND SO I WILL JUST, UH.
I WILL JUST I'LL READ IT. SO NOTWITHSTANDING CHAPTER 32 THE GENERAL LAWS OR ANY OTHER GENERAL SPECIAL LAW TO THE CONTRARY UPON PASSAGE OF THIS PETITION THE ANNUAL AMOUNT OF PENSION PAYABLE TO LEO J.
BRACKEN SHALL BE EQUAL TO 100% OF THE REGULAR RATE OF COMPENSATION WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN PAID HAD HE CONSIDERED OR HAD HE CONTINUED IN SERVICE AS A FIREFIGHTER OF CITY OF BOSTON AT THE GRADE
HELD BY HIM AT THE TIME OF HIS RETIREMENT UNTIL DEATH OR REACHING MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. ALL AMOUNTS PAID UNDER THIS ACT
SHALL BE NONTAXABLE TO THE EXTENT ALLOWABLE UNDER STATE AND FEDERAL LAW. IN MY APOLOGIES THERE WAS NO STRUCTURES HERE. THESE ARE ADDITIONS.
UM, JUST TO UH, ELIMINATE THE AMBIGUITY ABOUT THE RETIREMENT AGE AND FUTURE HYPOTHETICAL EARNINGS. AND SO THIS ALIGNS WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR LEGAL
COUNCILOR AND MAKES IT ADMINISTRATIVELY CLEAR WHAT NUMBER TO TO CALCULATE FROM. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. ABOUT THAT.
OKAY. >> AND THEN BEFORE WE MOVE ON I JUST TO STATE IT CLEARLY THE STILL RAISES A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION WHETHER A SECTION SEVEN ACCIDENTAL DISABILITY PENSION CAN LEGALLY BE SET AT 100%. BUT WE CAN WE CAN.
>> MOVE ON. SECTION C UH NO RECOMMENDED OR STRUCTURAL CHANGE HERE. UH NOT WITH. UH EXCUSE ME. GO AHEAD. COUNCILOR FLYNN HERE. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I JUST TURNED MY MY VIDEO OFF FOR FOR A FEW MINUTES. UM, BUT MADAM CHAIR, I COULD I JUST ENCOURAGE, UM, UM, MICHAEL
RILEY UM, IF HE IF HE HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS UM, AFTER YOU READ THE SENTENCE UM I IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IF IF MICHAEL RESPONDS IF IF HE IF HE
HAS A COMMENT IF NOT, YOU KNOW ,UM I JUST WANT TO LET MICHAEL KNOW IT'S OKAY TO TO WEIGH IN AS WELL. GO AHEAD MICHAEL.
YEAH. >> GOOD MORNING. UH, CHAIRWOMAN HELEN AS A PART OF THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH, UH, FOR ALLOWING US TO, UH, APPEAR BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE TODAY AND
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN AND AND COUNCILOR MURPHY FOR ALSO JOINING AND, UH, FOR SPONSORING THIS, UH, HOME RULE PETITION. UM, SO, UH, I ACTUALLY SPOKE TO
TIM SMITH AT LENGTH THIS MORNING. UH, FROM THE RETIREMENT BOARD AND UM, HE AGREED, YOU KNOW, ON THE UH THE UH UPDATED LANGUAGE
THAT WE RECEIVED FROM UH, UH, SIDNEY SCANLON UH THAT NOTWITHSTANDING UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE. THE THE ISSUE THAT HAD COME UP WAS THAT.
UH, THE ORIGINAL LINE. SAID UPON ATTAINING THE MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE WHICH WAS. >> THE. I THINK KIND OF THE THE CRUX OF UH, WHAT FLAGGED THIS AND UH
ALSO THE ISSUE WITH THE UH INCREASE IN A SECTION SEVEN. SO UM BASICALLY UH AS I TESTIFIED BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE FOR THERE'S BASICALLY SOMEWHERE
ROUGHLY AROUND 25 UM, SPECIAL ACTS UH, THAT OF UH BEING ADMINISTERED BY UH EITHER THE BOSS RETIREMENT SYSTEM OR THE CITY OF BOSTON UM, THEMSELVES
AND UH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THEM UH, BASICALLY IT'S A BOILERPLATE LANGUAGE. UM, AND IF YOU GO BACK TO. THE UH, BEGINNING TO SECTION
ONE UH, LITTLE A UM THE NOTWITHSTANDING SECTION SEVEN OF CHAPTER 32 OF THE GENERAL LAW IS ONLY ON SPECIAL LAW. CONTRARY. BASICALLY, UH, WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT TAKES.
IT OUT OF. SECTION SEVEN. UH, SO AND IT MAKES THIS UM A STANDALONE UH, YOU KNOW, SPECIAL ACT FOR THIS ONE
INDIVIDUAL. UM, SO UH, LIKE I SAID IT UPON UM, APPROVAL FROM THE LEGISLATURE UM, THAT'S WHAT THIS WOULD BASICALLY DO IS IT WOULD BASICALLY SO BASICALLY
MAKE HIS SECTION SEVEN GO AWAY AND THEN HE WOULD BE PULLED OUT OF UH ACTUALLY BE PULLED OUT OF THE CHAPTER 32 ALTOGETHER AND THEN IT WOULD BE ADMINISTERED UM, THE WAY THAT
UH THE REST OF THE UH PETITION UH IS WORDED. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO UM YOU KNOW, BASICALLY JUST. >> ADD THAT I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WHATEVER LEGAL WAY,
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU GUYS FEEL OR HAVE TO DO IS IS. IS FINE. >> UH, OBVIOUSLY WITHOUT CHANGING THE ORIGINAL. INTENT, UH. OF THE PETITION. UM, SO THAT'S UH I THINK ALL I WOULD ADD.
UM, AT. >> THIS. POINT UM SO. BUT THAT'S. BASICALLY THAT. NOTWITHSTANDING UH, LANGUAGE IS . BASICALLY UM, YOU KNOW, PULLING THIS UH ONE INDIVIDUAL ONE CASE
,UH ONE PETITION OUT. OF CHAPTER 32 ALL TOGETHER. UM, AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I DISCUSSED WITH TIM, UH, TIM SMITH FROM THE RETIREMENT BOARD WITH THIS MORNING. HE AGREES, UH, YOU KNOW, 100%
UM THAT WHAT UH, IS WHAT THIS DOES AND ODYSSEY UH. ALSO OFFERED. UH HE WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT UH TODAY UH, BUT YOU KNOW, UH, OFFERED THAT ANY TIME UH, FOR.
HIS UH, HIS COUNCILOR OR HIS ADVICE HE'S UH HE'S UH. UH, VERY GOOD AT. >> WHAT HE DOES UP THE. PAST THREE TIME BOARD AND WE'RE LUCKY. >> TO HAVE HIM, BUT, UH, THAT'S REALLY ALL UH, I WANTED TO ADD AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU. MICHAEL. AND YOU KNOW, UM,
COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP REALLY QUICK SO SO YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT. SO WE'RE BASICALLY CREATING LIKE A NEW CLASSIFICATION OR UM, LIKE A DIFFERENT LEGAL
STRUCTURE ENTIRELY. UM AND THAT WAS THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT TIM HAD FLAGGED FOR OR I'M SORRY I FORGET HIS NAME FROM. THE BOSTON RETIREMENT BOARD. BUT HE HAD SAID LIKE WE CANNOT. PAY 100% UNDER. >> SECTION SEVEN.
SO WE ARE ESSENTIALLY CREATING A NEW CLASSIFICATION OR DIFFERENT LEGAL STRUCTURE ENTIRELY. UM, THAT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD I THINK WE'VE ALSO SPOKEN TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE. WE HAD LONG CONVERSATIONS WITH
THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND THEY WERE VERY ADAMANT THAT THE PRECEDENT THAT WAS SET IN THE COUNCIL OF PASSING AT 100%
WAS UM, TOOK PLACE WHEN THAT UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT OF THE PRINCIPAL, UH, GOT INJURED ON THE JOB. AND WAS PUT INTO A COMA.
AND UM, HAS STILL YOU KNOW, IS STILL RECOVERING. SO THERE'S BEEN SOME REFERENCE TO OTHER CASES WHERE INDIVIDUALS HAVE RECEIVED OR ENHANCED UH OR EVEN HAVE FULL
BENEFITS AND SO THE THE UM WE ESSENTIALLY CREATED A NEW LEGAL STRUCTURE FOR HER AS WELL. BUT BECAUSE THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICE AT THE STATE
LEGISLATURE HAS SEEN SOME OF THESE POP UP, THEY IN 2024 THEY UM CREATED THE VIOLENT BACK INJURY FRAMEWORK WHICH APPLIES IN A VERY NARROW
CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL'S DISABLED AS A RESULT OF A VIOLENT ACT INVOLVING A DEADLY WEAPON AND SUSTAINS A CATASTROPHIC INJURY. AND SO THAT'S THE VERY SPECIFIC PATHWAY THAT THEY HAVE
CONSIDERED. AND EVEN NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO. MAKE CHANGES TO THE LAW. UH, BUT. THAT THAT WOULD BE THE. VERY NARROW INTERPRETATION OF WHERE THEY WOULD APPLY THIS
100% EVEN WITHIN THIS LEGAL STRUCTURE. SO I JUST SAY ALL THAT TO CALL THAT OUT. WE CAN. >> TOTALLY PASS 100%. BUT AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE THERE THERE MIGHT BE SOME BARRIERS AS LONG AS THE LEAD SPONSORS UNDERSTAND THAT
MR RILEY UNDERSTANDS THAT MR BRACKEN UNDERSTANDS THAT THAT'S THE INFORMATION THAT THAT I'VE. BEEN GIVEN. >> COUNCILOR WEBER. UM THANK YOU. UH, SO I JUST. HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF MICHAEL OR THE. CHAIR CAN ANSWER BUT SO. >> IT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT. THERE THERE IS A DISABILITY. PENSION IT'S LIKE 72%. >> AND IT'S TAX FREE. UH. >> AND THEN THIS.
WOULD CREATE. WHERE THERE'S. THIS FOR THE PURPOSES. WHERE YOU CAN'T WORK. UH UH. AFTER YOUR. RETIREMENT BECAUSE OF YOUR
DISABILITY THIS WOULD BE 100% OF THE UH OF THE COMPENSATION AND THEN IT SAYS SHALL BE NONTAXABLE TO THE EXTENT ALLOWABLE. SO IS IT 100% UH, LIKE
NONTAXABLE WHICH WOULD BE MORE THAN THE PERSON IS EARNING WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE JOB. HOW HOW WILL THAT HOW DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT WORKING THIS
SORT OF UH MY QUESTION THEN I GUESS THE OTHER ONE IS IS JUST IN TERMS OF SETTING PRECEDENTS, WOULD THIS MEAN THAT PEOPLE AND ANYONE CAN RETIRE WITH A
DISABILITY? UM UH, YOU KNOW, WOULD THEN SAY WELL MY DISABILITY IS SUCH THAT I CANNOT DO ANOTHER FORM OF WORK. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THIS THERE
IS ALREADY A 72% TAX FREE BENEFIT UH, THAT IS AVAILABLE. SO LIKE WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE I THINK AND CHAIR WAS JUST ADDRESSING LIKE THE THE PRINCIPAL SITUATION WHERE THEY
HAVE DRAWN THAT LINE AT THE VIOLENT ACTS LIKE SO I GUESS FOR MICHAEL YOU KNOW IS THE 100% NONTAXABLE AND THEN YOU KNOW WHAT DOES THIS DO FOR UH I GUESS THE WORRY IS THIS OPENS
UP THE FLOODGATES FOR ANYONE WHO RETIRES ON DISABILITY. LIKE WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE ON THIS 100% BENEFIT? UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE PASS THIS.
THANKS. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR. UM, MICHAEL, I'LL GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO ANSWER THE THE SECOND QUESTION. I CAN ANSWER THE FIRST ONE AFTERWARDS. THANK YOU. >> AND, UH. THANK YOU FOR JOINING COUNSELOR WEBER.
I ALWAYS APPRECIATE, UH, THE WORK THAT, UH, YOU ALL DO UP AT THE CITY COUNCIL. UH. SO JUST AS, UH FROM MY EXPERIENCE ALSO. >> UH, I WAS ON THE RETIREMENT BOARD UH, FROM 2014 UH.
UNTIL UH ABOUT A YEAR AGO. UM. >> SO FIRST OF ALL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A TAX FREE LIKE WHEN EMILY SAYS 72% TAX FREE. THAT'S IT'S IT'S. IT'S NOT.
IT'S NOT A 100% TAX FREE. UM, SO YOU'RE TAXED ON UM. THE ANNUITY PORTION OF. >> IT SO YOU STILL PAY YOUR TAXES. IT'S NOT 100% TAX FREE. UM AND THAT. >> WOULD APPLY THE SAME THE. >> SAME WAY IS IF. >> IT WAS 100% UM.
THEY WOULD UH. ONLY BE TAXED ON THE THE ANNUITY UH UH THE ANNUITY. PORTION OF IT UM. YOU KNOW, I GUESS UH AS FAR AS
DRAWING THE LINE UH, COUNSELOR UM UH I THINK THAT'S KIND OF A UH THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION. TO ANSWER. BECAUSE I THINK WITH THE SPECIAL TAX LIKE I SAID, UH
BEFORE RIGHT NOW THERE'S 25 2325 SOMEWHERE. >> IN THAT NUMBER. UH, RIGHT. >> NOW IN THE CITY OF. BOSTON LET ALONE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COMMONWEALTH. BUT UM, JUST FOCUS ON HERE ON BOSTON. AND UH. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT I THINK IT
I THINK THAT LINE. CAN CAN CAN CAN. MOVE UH A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE IT YOU KNOW, IN ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, YOU. KNOW, AS WE ALL KNOW YOU KNOW. >> UH, DISABILITIES CREATED BY
UH UH CANCER LUNG OR UH HOT ISSUES UM OUR UH UH EXEMPT. FROM UH YOU KNOW, YOU CANNOT SEE 100% UM THAT HAS UH THAT
HAS BEEN. UH PROVEN ACTUALLY UH. THROUGH UH THROUGH THE CITY OF BOSTON, UH. WHERE THEY'VE SENT CASES UP. UM, APPROVED. PETITIONS OF CASES WITH UH.
UH CANCER AND UH DEATHS. UH AND THEY WILL THEY WILL KICK BACK. UM UH I PERSONALLY BELIEVE. CANCER SHOULD BE. UH SHOULD BE A UH LINE OF DUTY DEATH BUT THAT'S. NOT A CONVERSATION FOR THIS
TIME. BUT UM SO I THINK. LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT'S UH, THE YOU KNOW, THE GOALPOSTS CAN BE MOVED DEPENDING ON UM, YOU KNOW, UH. I CAN'T.
SPEAK FOR. UH FOR LEO BRACKEN UH, AS FAR AS THIS GOES. BUT YOU KNOW. >> I. THINK IF IT WAS LIKE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY FIREFIGHTING IS INHERENT DANGER, RIGHT? AND WE ALL KNOW.
UH WE ALL KNOW THE DANGER, UM, THAT WE SIGN UP FOR WHEN WE TAKE THIS JOB. SO I THINK MAYBE IF HE WAS. AT, UH, YOU KNOW. AT A AT A FIRE OR AN INCIDENT. UM, IN WHICH HE. >> YOU KNOW, FELL DOWN THE
STAIRS OR YOU KNOW, UH, WAS UH, SOMEHOW OTHERWISE INJURED UH, IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT CASE. BUT THIS CASE WHAT SETS IT APART IS THAT IT WAS A PREVENTABLE, UH, INJURY.
IT WAS A PROFESSIONAL ACCIDENT . UM, YOU KNOW, I HAD SUBMITTED. TO, UH. UH, COUNCILOR FLYNN'S OFFICE AND UH, PREVIOUSLY, UH, THE
PAPERS, UH, THAT HAVE COME BACK 30 PLUS YEARS TO FIX THE ROOF, UM, AND AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT . UH, CITY. >> OF BOSTON. UH UH, THEN THEY NEVER FIXED THE. ROOF AND UH, SO THIS IS.
UH LIKE I SAID, A UNIQUE. UM, UH, A UNIQUE INJURY AND UH, THAT. UH, YOU KNOW. EVERY TIME IT RAINED, UM, YOU
KNOW, HAD A RAIN PRETTY HOT BUT EVERY TIME IT RAINED. UM, THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE FIREHOUSE ON BLUE HILL OUT FLOODED AND IT HAPPENED TO FLOOD BECAUSE IT WAS A LOW SPOT, UH, RIGHT BY THE POLE. UH, IN. >> WHICH, UH, LIEUTENANT
BRACKEN HAD TO SLIDE TO RESPOND . UH, TO. >> THE. INCIDENT IN. >> WHICH HE. >> WAS UH, RESPONDING TO UH IT WAS A VERY NASTY DAY. UM, AND UH, THAT'S WHEN. >> HE TOOK. >> THE FALL. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CIRCUMSTANCES HERE I THINK THAT
A. DIFFERENT FROM. SAY LIKE I SAID, JUST SOMEBODY UH, CHAIRMAN OF ROTATOR CUFF OR OR UH. YOU KNOW. >> UH, PERMANENTLY UH, INJURING THE HIP OR KNEE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT FROM UH, YOU KNOW,
FROM. A FROM AN INJURY. SUSTAINED THAT YOU KNOW, UH, OUR NORMAL UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS LIEUTENANT BRACKEN RESPONDING TO AN INCIDENT. UH, IN WHICH HIS CAREER THEN WAS CUT.
SHORT BECAUSE OF UM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO CALL IT NEGLIGENCE OR, UM. YOU KNOW, AND. THIS IS I'M NOT TRYING TO POINT FINGERS. >> I'M JUST. STATING THE FACTS OF HOW THE INJURY OCCURRED. SO YOU. >> KNOW.
MICHAEL, THANK THANKS FOR THAT. I JUST I JUST TOOK, UH, WHAT WAS I DON'T NEED, YOU KNOW, WORKER'S COMP OR WE CUT OFF LIKE TORT LITIGATION I DON'T KNOW WAS DID YOU GUYS LOOK INTO
WAS THERE LITIGATION AFTER THAT BASED ON NEGLIGENCE OR ANYTHING ? UM, I KNOW IT GETS REALLY TOUGH TO SEE YOUR EMPLOYER UH, BUT UH JUST CURIOUS IT'S NOT REALLY
IMPACTFUL TO THE REVIEW OF THIS, BUT MICHAEL WAS THERE DID HE? SUE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? UH, SO BASICALLY, UH, AS PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES. UH, WE'RE KIND. OF UH KIND OF CAN'T I DON'T THINK WE CAN UH I THINK THERE. IS IN CERTAIN UM UM CERTAIN UM,
GROSS NEGLIGENCE ISSUES THAT YOU CAN YOU CAN UM BUT UH UH. >> YOU KNOW. >> IT'S. IT'S UP TO UH I THINK IT'S UH YOU CAN ONLY SET UP LIKE $100,000 OR SOMETHING BUT AND AND AND AGAIN I'LL LET LEO
SPEAK FOR THIS. UH, LEO BROCK CAN SPEAK. >> FOR THIS, BUT YOU. >> KNOW, I I DON'T THINK YOU KNOW, IT'S I KNOW THAT THERE'S PROBABLY A ROUTE, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS YOU KNOW, LEO
DID THIS JOB. ELI'S COUNCILOR FLYNN STATE. SINCE 86 LIKE THE LAST THING HE. YOU KNOW, BORN AND RAISED IN THE CITY. OF BOSTON. LAST THING. I THINK HE WANTED TO DO WAS. UH. >> GET INTO A, UH, A CRAZY LITIGATION. YOU KNOW, WITH.
THE CITY. UM, BUT THEN ACTUALLY REALIZING AFTER A TIME AND. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IF. >> THIS. INJURY ENDED UP UH, YOU KNOW, CREATING BLOOD. CLOTS, BLOOD CLOTS AND AS LONG AS YOU KNOW. >> ALL THAT AND OTHER SERIOUS
ISSUES THAT CAME ALONG UM, EVENTUALLY AND PROBABLY UH AT WHICH TIME UM, WHEN HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS AT HIS YOU KNOW, HIS. KIND OF HIS MEDICAL HE. HE WASN'T YOU. KNOW, WASN'T COMING BACK.
IT WAS PROBABLY UH. PAST THE. >> TIME IN WHICH HE COULD UM PERHAPS UH, SEEK THAT I THINK LIKE A STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS THING. UH, BUT UM. . >> YEAH, BUT MICHAEL, THAT THAT'S WHY I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWER.
I KNOW SOME OF MY. COLLEAGUES MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT YEAH, THANK THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR WEBER I DO JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THE TWO QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE TO COUNCILOR UM, MURPHY. I KNOW SHE HAS HER HAND UP.
SO YOUR FIRST QUESTION WAS AROUND TAX ABILITY LIKE YES, FUNCTIONALLY THAT IS A POSSIBILITY LIKE THIS REMAINS
UM I MEAN WE ARE TAKING OUT OF SECTION SEVEN SO WE ARE TAKING YOU OUT OF ACCIDENTAL DISABILITY PENSION. UM SO THOSE THOSE BENEFITS ARE GENERALLY TREATED AS LONG TAXABLE. SO UM.
IF YOU SET THAT BENEFIT 100%. >> IN COMPENSATION. YOU COULD CREATE A SITUATION. WHERE MY MIND THE INDIVIDUALS TAKE HOME INCOME EXCEEDS WHAT THEY COULD HAVE EARNED WHILE. ACTIVELY WORKING.
AND SO THAT'S. NOT HOW THE SYSTEM IS TYPICALLY DESIGNED TO OPERATE, WHICH IS WHY DISABILITY PENSIONS ARE SET BELOW. >> FULL STRATEGY. >> BUT AGAIN I THINK THE. THE THE CREATION OF A NEW LEGAL STRUCTURE.
WITHIN THE SPECIAL LAW. I'M NOT. >> SURE HOW THAT. NECESSARILY UM IMPACTS. THAT BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. >> THAT WE'RE CLEAR. EYED ABOUT THAT IMPLICATION AS AS WE CONSIDER THIS PROPOSAL UM . AND SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD
DEFINITELY LOOK INTO UH, AFTER THIS. HEARING AND THEN YOU. TALK ABOUT THE RED LINE. >> I THINK THAT BECAUSE. OF, YOU KNOW. THE THE MOVEMENT IN THE LEGISLATURE AROUND THIS THEY. ARE UM.
,NOW THAT THEY'VE CREATED. A LAW IN WHICH. YOU CAN ONLY. GET 100%. AND THEY'RE. >> ONLY GIVING YOU THE 100% IF YOU MEET THE FACTORS OF. >> THAT. LAW THAT THAT TO ME.
IS IS THE RED LINE AND. >> IN THAT INSTANCE SOMEBODY WAS UNFORTUNATELY. VIOLENTLY BEATEN. AND THAT IS I THINK THE. STANDARD THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS IS. PROVIDING US AS A MUNICIPAL
BODY. SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. AND YEAH. THANKS, CHAIR. UH, APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS AND THANK YOU, MICHAEL FOR YOUR ANSWERS. UH, OKAY. THANKS.
THE COUNCIL WEBER UM, COUNCILOR MURPHY, THANK YOU. UM. >> JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS. MYSELF AND COUNCILOR FLYNN WERE ALSO THE LEAD SPONSORS ON
TRICIA LAMPERT ON THE PRINCIPAL WHO WAS BRUTALLY ATTACKED AND THAT HAS NOT BEEN PASSED YET. JUST SO TO BE CLEAR, I KNOW I WENT UP AND SPOKE LAST YEAR ON IT BUT IT'S STILL IN COMMITTEE SO WE DON'T EVEN HAVE AN ANSWER
YET IF THIS IS GOING TO WORK. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE FOR ME I MEAN EVERY COUNCILOR BRINGING THESE FORWARD IS GOING TO HAVE TO DRAW THEIR OWN LINE BUT IN THIS
CASE OBVIOUSLY COMPLETE NEGLIGENCE THAT PUT THIS DEDICATED CITY WORKER IN A POSITION THAT HE DID NOT SIGN UP. YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT
FIRST RESPONDERS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY WHERE THERE'S OBVIOUS WORK HAZARDS THAT WE CAN EXPECT TO HAPPEN AND WE TRY TO ADDRESS THOSE IN CONTRACTS WITH COMPENSATION AND
I THINK WE ARE DOING A BETTER JOB WITH, YOU KNOW, CANCER RISKS AND YOU KNOW, UNIFORMS AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS. BUT THIS INCIDENT LIKE WHEN
FIREFIGHTER BRACK AND LIEUTENANT BRACKEN WAS AT WORK AND SLEPT, HE DID NOT IT WASN'T BECAUSE HE WAS ON THE JOB YOU KNOW FIGHTING A FIRE THE OBVIOUS THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO IN THIS CASE I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE REASON MYSELF AND COUNCILOR FLYNN I THINK WE ALL SIGNED ON TO BRING THIS FORWARD IS BECAUSE IT GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND WHERE I THINK WE NEED TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND WE HAVE
TO LIKE EVERYTHING WE SEND UP TO THE STATE HOUSE. TRICIA'S IS STILL IN A BATTLE AND WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE STEPS THAT IT'S GOING TO NEED TO, BUT I JUST WANT TO GO
ON RECORD SAYING THAT I HOPE WE CAN GET THIS UP THERE ALSO AND WE'LL ADD IT TO THAT ONE TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE AT THE STATE LEVEL WITH OUR COLLEAGUES UP THERE TO SAY THAT WE AGREE THAT THIS IS ANOTHER CITY
EMPLOYEE. WHO WE. SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING BY THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. AND I ONLY SAID. THAT I PASSED THE COUNCIL.
NO I KNOW AND I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING THAT IS THERE AND I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO DAN HUNT JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO BECAUSE TRICIA HAS BEEN FOLLOWING AND WAITING TO SEE AND THOUGHT IT HAD DIED UP THERE.
BUT YOU KNOW AS WE KNOW THEIR PROCESS IS DIFFERENT WITH THEIR SESSIONS. SO I THINK EVEN IF THIS GETS THERE WHICH I HOPE IT DOES IT TAKES A WHILE. AND THERE'S LOTS OF STOPS ALONG
THE WAY BEFORE IT GETS PASSED. SO WE DON'T YET HAVE AN EXAMPLE WHERE IT HAS ACTUALLY PASSED YET BUT I'M HOPING WE DO SOON. THANK THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT COUNCILOR MURPHY.
UM AND YEAH, THEY'RE THEY'RE CURRENTLY. REVISITING THAT LAW THAT PASSED IN 2024 BECAUSE OF THAT. UM AND SO I LOOK. FORWARD TO.
UH HELPING UM PASS THAT UH PASS UH WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS THEY HAVE. UH I I AGAIN MY PRAYERS ARE WITH UM MUSLIM PROM AND HER FAMILY. UM OKAY. >> I THINK UH DOES ANYBODY ELSE
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ONLY THING THAT I WANTED TO GO OVER AND ELLIE, WOULD YOU MIND JUST SCROLLING DOWN JUST TO. SHOWCASE LIKE HOW LITTLE. MORE WE HAVE TO REVIEW?
UM, I DID JUST WANT TO CALL OUT THE FACT THAT SECTION D WAS STRUCK. UM. >> BECAUSE HE IS IT'S LIKE FACTUALLY INAPPLICABLE.
HE'S ALREADY AT RETIREMENT AGE AND SO AND BY THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE DOING IN SECTION B IT'S. DUPLICATIVE OF SECTION B. SO I JUST WANTED TO TO FLAG.
THAT FOR FOLKS AND. >> UM I'M SORRY I STILL HAVE COUNCILOR MURPHY'S HAND. UM, COUNCILOR EXCUSE COUNCILOR O'RILEY. I JUST MADE YOU ONE. UH, MR O'RILEY, IS THAT STILL A HAND UP FROM EARLIER? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU
WANTED TO ADD ON SECTION D? SORRY, I PUT MY HAND DOWN. MINE WAS JUST A SLOW. THANK YOU. >> UM, I'M NOT AS SMART, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TAKE THE HAND DOWN, BUT NO, THAT WAS AN OLD THING, BUT, UH UH. THANK YOU.
I FEEL HONORED THAT YOU MADE ME A COUNCIL. UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD DO I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD DO THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO. YOU GUYS DO, UH, YOU GUYS. DO YEOMAN'S WORK, BUT, UH, AND I WOULD CONSIDER THAT A PROMOTION, BUT, UH, NO, MY WHAT
DO I DO? TAP ON THE HERE. OH. LOWER HAND. OKAY, I GOT IT. YEAH THANK YOU SIR. OKAY. >> NO WORRIES. UH OKAY. AND THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY THE. LAST CHANGE.
UM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND. WHY WE CHANGED IT. UM, IF THEY HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR CONCERNS
. OKAY. UM. >> MR BRACKEN IS ON. I DO. WANT TO GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A FEW WORDS
IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT ONLY IF YOU'D LIKE. NO PRESSURE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR LIFE. HERE SO I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ONLY APPROPRIATE. NOW I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY I.
APPRECIATE EVERYONE FOR, UH. DOING THIS AND. UH UM, I DON'T ALWAYS. UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE. LEGALITIES OF IT, SO I JUST APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE'S DOING FOR IT AND,
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR BRACKEN FOR YOUR SERVICE. AND PLEASE KNOW THAT IT IS OUR INTENTION TO DO RIGHT BY YOU, UM, AND DO SO THAT WE'RE IN A WAY IN WHICH IT CAN BE
IMPLEMENTABLE AND AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO LEAVE A A VIBRANT, THRIVING LIFE. UM, WITH YOUR FAMILY. SO I WANT TO PROVIDE THE FLOOR FOR MAYBE COUNCILOR FLYNN OR
MURPHY IF THEY HAVE ANY OTHER UM, THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS. I THINK FOR ME UH I DO WANT TO COME BACK. WITH UM MAYBE IT'S NOT IN A
WORKING SESSION UH, FORMAT JUST ,YOU KNOW, BACK AND FORTH WITH COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT SOME OF THE OUTLYING OR OUTSTANDING RATHER
UM SECTION SEVEN THE COMPLETELY REMOVING OUT OF UH THIS SITUATION. >> OUT OF SECTION SEVEN I THINK WE SHOULD BE FINE, BUT I JUST WANT TO CROSS MY TEETH AND MY EYES. BEFORE WE. RECOMMEND THIS. UM. >> BUT YEAH, THAT'S JUST MY. INITIAL REACTION. BUT COUNCIL FINE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER OUTSTANDING COMMENTS. >> YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE PLEASE DO SO. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR FIRST FOR HOLDING THE HEARING FOR GIVING UM,
LIEUTENANT BRACK AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD AND. >> AND MICHAEL. O'REILLY AS WELL. UM, I'M WILLING TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH. WHO'S EXCUSE ME. BLESS YOU THERE. THANK YOU.
>> I'M WILLING TO I'M GOING TO WORK WITH LIEUTENANT BRACKEN AND WITH MICHAEL. UM, GOING CONTINUE TO GO. WORK WITH THEM GOING FORWARD.
BUT I DO WANT TO STRESS THAT THERE WORK THERE WAS THIS LIEUTENANT ON THE BOSTON FIRE TO FIRE DEPARTMENT LIEUTENANT AND UH, THAT WAS DOING
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENT WORK AND DUE. TO NEGLIGENCE, UM, SEVERE NEGLIGENCE ON BEHALF OF THE THE CITY UH, WHERE THEY WE DIDN'T
PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR. ,UM. >> ONE OF OUR DEDICATED EMPLOYEES THIS DEDICATED EMPLOYEE, UH, SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES WHERE
FORCED HIM TO GIVE UP BASICALLY GIVE UP HIS CAREER. UM AND HE PAID A NOT NOT ONLY WITH HIS PHYSICAL PHYSICAL HEALTH BUT HE HE LOST
SIGNIFICANT FUNDS AS A FIREFIGHTER AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE HIS WORK IN THE IN THE TRADES AS WELL UM OFF TIME UM WHEN. >> HE WAS UM.
WORKING AS A FIRE DEPARTMENT AS A AS A AS A MASTER UM AND IN ONE PARTICULAR FIELD I JUST THINK IT'S ABOUT. RESPECTING LIEUTENANT BRACK AND
IT'S ABOUT RESPECTING HIS FAMILY AND IT'S ABOUT ENSURING THAT HE IS HEARD. HE IS. >> HE IS RESPECTED. AND I DO THINK WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION WHEN BOSTON MAKES A.
SIGNIFICANT AND SERIOUS NEGLIGENT MISTAKE AND THAT THE EMPLOYEE SHOULD NOT SUFFER BECAUSE OF IT. AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE BECAUSE I WANT I WANT MY TALENT AND TO
BE. TREATED WITH RESPECT AND TO. LIVE UM, A COMFORTABLE LIFE. HE'S NOT GOING TO HE'S NOT GOING TO BE RICH BUT HE HE WANTS TO PAY HIS BILLS LIKE
EVERYBODY ELSE. I THINK THIS PROPOSAL. HERE WILL GIVE HIM AN. OPPORTUNITY TO. LIVE A COMFORTABLE LIFE. UM, A LIFE HE DESERVES. THANK THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR MURPHY. UM. >> THANK YOU. JUST WANTED. TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS IN YOUR COMMITMENT TO JUST GETTING THE
WORDING RIGHT BECAUSE WE CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO SUPPORT AND DO THE BEST, BUT WE HAVE TO OBVIOUSLY GET THE LANGUAGE IN A POSITION SO THAT IT PASSES. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO
CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM ON THAT. SO WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU MICHAEL AND LIEUTENANT BRACKEN FOR BEING HERE. IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO YOU KNOW PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE BUT
YOU'RE WORTH IT AND WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. UM ALL RIGHT, I THINK WITH THAT. >> WE. WILL, UH, ADJOURN THIS.
HEARING SLASH WORK SESSION. SO WITH THAT, UM, THIS, UH, HEARING ON DOCKET. 0268 IS NOW ADJOURNED. THANKS, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU.