--------- FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS BRIAN. WE'RE OUT DISTRICT FOR CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS.
TODAY IS FEBRUARY 27, 2025 IT IS 10:13 A.M. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON NCOV MAX CITY DAS
COUNCILOR DAS TV AND BROADCAST ON EXPANDED CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL 964 BRITAIN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT
IWM AT BOSTON DOT GOV IT 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 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR ESSENTIAL STAFF LIAISON AT CHARISMA SHOW ON AT K AIR I AS
HMACH0UH AND AT BOSTON DOT GOV FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0325 COURT ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS BOSTON'S FBI
26 BUDGET. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILOR BENJAMIN WEBER AND I MYSELF AM REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 29, 2025.
I STARTED OFF WITH AN OPENING REMARK AND THEN PASS IT OFF TO MY COUNCILOR COLLEAGUES OUR FISCAL OUTLOOK IS STRONG. WE HAVE WE OVERPERFORMED MANY
OF OUR NON PROPERTY TAX REVENUE PROJECTIONS IN FY 24 AND WE ARE SPENDING WELL WITHIN OUR MEANS TO FURTHER THAT. IT IS THIS ECONOMIC STEWARDSHIP
THAT HAS LED US TO SUCH A SURPLUS BUILT UP OVER THE YEARS THAT WE CAN INVEST IN HOUSING PRODUCTION WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HOUSING ACCELERATED FUND WHICH IS GOOD POLICY AND SMART INVESTMENT.
A TIP OF THE HAT NOT ONLY TO THIS ADMINISTRATION BUT ALSO TO THE WALSH WALSH ADMINISTRATION FOR SETTING US ON THIS PATH. AND SO AS WE DIVE IN, I WANT TO KEEP IN MIND HOW MUCH OF A
POSITION OF STRENGTH THE CITY IS OPERATING FROM IN URGE CONTINUE INVESTMENT BY THE CITY AND THE PEOPLE PLACES AND SERVICES THAT MAKE BOSTON THE
GREAT CITY IT IS TODAY. I LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I M JOINED BY MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCILOR BREADON. WE HAVE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER
OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCILOR PEPEN WHO IS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE NOW LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES IN ORDER ARRIVAL FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS STARTING WITH
COUNCILOR AD FLYNN COUNCILOR YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND THANK YOU MR CHAIR. THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION
TEAM FOR BEING HERE. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND I, I QUITE YOU MENTIONED THE MAYORS THAT PROVIDED STRONG FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITY.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE MAY HAVE FLYNN MAYOR MENINO MAY WHILST MAYOR JANEY MAYOR WILL
MAYOR WHILE SO BOSTON MAYORS HAVE ALWAYS HAD AND CONTINUE TO HAVE A SENSE THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING THAT
BOSTON REMAINS STRONG ECONOMICALLY. I'M GOING TO WAIT MR CHAIR AND WITH NOT PROVIDE A TRADITIONAL OPENING STATEMENT I'LL GO RIGHT
TO QUESTIONS AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. THANK YOU MR TRUMP. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BREADON COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU CHIEF GRAFTON,
BROTHER AND BUDGET DIRECTOR WILLIAMSON FOR BEING HERE AS WE ALL AWARE THIS IS A VERY UNCERTAIN TIME AND THERE'S A LOT OF ANXIETY ABOUT WHERE
WE'RE HEADED AS A COUNTRY, NEVER MIND A CITY AND I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE MIGHT WEATHER THIS STORM AND APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK. I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST
QUESTIONS IS JUST HOW DO WE HANDLE ANTICIPATE, YOU KNOW, A FOUR YEAR ADMINISTRATION AND IN DC THAT IT MAY DO SOME IRREPARABLE DAMAGE AND AND ALSO
HOW WE CAN FIND SORT OF STABILITY IN OUR OWN SITUATION HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR PRESENTATION THIS MORNING AND AND FIGURING OUT HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE TODAY'S PANELISTS TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION. IT'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
CFO GRIFFIN BERGER AND THEN BUDGET DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. DIRECTOR WILLIAMSON, THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS. GOOD MORNING, MR CHAIR. COUNSELORS. I'M ASHLEY GROFF, MURDER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
I'M JOINED BY JIM WILLIAMSON. OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR. THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY TO SORT OF KICK OFF THE BUDGET SEASON IN A WAY IT'S EXCITING. IT'S KIND OF ALWAYS BUDGET SEASON FOR US BUT WE'RE RIGHT
IN THE THICK OF IT NOW. SO GLAD TO BE HERE TODAY TO GET INTO SOME OF THE DETAILS WITH YOU ALL. SO TODAY WE WILL DO A COUPLE OF THINGS. WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE YOU ALL WITH AN OVERVIEW OF HOW WE
ENDED LAST FISCAL YEAR. FISCAL YEAR 2024 GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE FISCAL 2025 THE CURRENT YEAR KIND OF A SIX MONTH SNAPSHOT AND THEN DO A
LITTLE BIT OF PREVIEWING THE FISCAL YEAR AHEAD. SO I THINK THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. I THINK WE AGREE THE CITY IS IN A GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION AS
YOU'LL SEE FROM WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY. THERE IS CERTAINLY A LOT OF UNKNOWNS AHEAD THAT WILL IMPACT US HERE WITHIN CITY HALL BUT ALSO OUTSIDE AND IN THE
GREATER BOSTON ECONOMY. SO MINDFUL OF THAT AS WE FORGE AHEAD. BUT WITH THAT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JIM. HE'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THE SLIDES WE PREPARED FOR TODAY.
THANK YOU, ASHLEY. SO STARTING ON, WE'RE COVERING THE THREE YEARS AS ASHLEY HAD MENTIONED SO IN CHAIRMAN THIS
MAY BE FAMILIAR TO YOU. I THINK WE SHARED A VERSION OF THIS EARLIER BUT THIS IS ON A SLIDE THAT SPEAKS TO HOW WE
ENDED THAT FOR 24 OF YOU. AS YOU MENTIONED, WE THE BOTTOM LINE WE HAD AN $88 MILLION SURPLUS WHICH IS ROUGHLY 2%
OF EXPENDITURES IN JUST TWO. I THINK EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF THIS BUT YOU'RE IN SURPLUSES ARE THEN ON GO TO FUND BALANCE AND AFTER OFFSETTING LIABILITIES AND THROUGH A PROCESS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT
OF REVENUE WITH THE STATE IT THEN BECOMES CERTIFIED AS FREE CASH. SO IN TERMS OF REVENUE, THE OVERALL REVENUE SURPLUS WAS 177 MILLION DRIVEN LARGELY BY
INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS. THEN EXCISE AND DEPARTMENTAL REVENUE AND ON THE EXPENSES SIDE REQUIRES SPENDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IN EXECUTION
OF COURSE EXCEEDED THE BUDGETS BY 89 MILLION AND SO THE 177 RUBBER REVENUE -89 GET THROUGH
TO THE YEAR BUT DURING TO. SO THIS THIS SORT OF SUMMARIZES IT IN WITH THE NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. YOU CAN SEE WE WE ARE THAT
NUMBER REFLECTS YOU KNOW CAPTURING THAT TAX RATE NEW GROWTH ITS GET CERTIFIED AT THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. STATE REVENUES WERE WE'RE
TRAILING SORT OF AFTER THE TAX RATE BUDGET USUALLY THAT THAT'S AN ADJUSTMENT TO TO TO DOLLARS THE TRACK WITH CHARTER SCHOOL
ACTUAL ENROLLMENT EXERCISE DID WELL OVER BUDGET BY 100% INTEREST ON INVESTMENT THAT'S THE REAL STORY THAT'S SORT OF THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF OF THE
OVERALL SURPLUS WHILE IT'S IT'S IT'S CAPTURED AS A RECURRING REVENUE IT'S IT'S NOT THE MOST PREDICTABLE OF REVENUE SOURCES BECAUSE IT'S VERY TRACK TO
INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT AND THEN OTHER REVENUE SHORT DEPARTMENT OF REVENUES ARE ALL THE OTHER MIXES OF REVENUE AND FINES FEES THOSE TYPES OF THINGS IN THE BUDGETARY
FUNDS ARE THE ARE ARE ALLOCATIONS FROM THE PARKING METER FUND AND IN FREE CASH. THEN ON TERMS OF THE EXPENSES
THIS SORT OF A RAISED SORT OF SO WE'RE REQUIRED TO TO BE IN BALANCE EXCEPT FOR PLACES OF PUBLIC SAFETY OR IN LEGAL
JUDGMENTS AND SETTLEMENTS WHICH ARE LIKE MANDATORY REQUIRED SPENDING. SO WHERE WE EXCEEDED CITY APPROPRIATION WAS THAT THAT $89
MILLION IS IS BASICALLY CAPTURING THOSE THOSE THREE ITEMS. SO IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY TRANSLATED INTO LIKE A $70 MILLION DEFICIT FOR THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, $15 MILLION DEFICIT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN AN EXECUTION OF COURSE WAS A DEFICIT OF OF $19 MILLION IN THE OTHER BUDGET. SO BASICALLY AS REQUIRED STAYED
WITH IT STAYED WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT WAS REQUIRED FOR AND THEN TO MOVE INTO FBI.
25 MID-YEAR OVERVIEW YOU KNOW IT'S THE DATA THAT WE PROVIDED TO THE COUNCIL IS A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT THE REVENUES AND
EXPENSES ARE AT DECEMBER 31ST. SO IT'S IT'S NOT ALWAYS EXACTLY YOU KNOW ALLOCATED EVENLY LIKE
YOU CAN'T NECESSARILY JUST DOUBLE THE INFORMATION BUT IT'S A GOOD INDICATOR OF WHERE YOU ARE MID-YEAR IN TERMS OF REVENUE PROPERTY TAXES CONTINUE TO BE VERY RELIABLE
LOCALLY GENERATED REVENUES ARE GROWING MODESTLY AND INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS REMAINS STRONG WITHIN THE BUDGET BUT WILL OBVIOUSLY BE IMPACTED BY FUTURE
RATES OF INTEREST RATE CUTS IN TERMS OF EXPENSES HAVE NO SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS. WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE BUDGETARY PRESSURE FROM REQUIRED SPENDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY EXCUSE ME COURTS AND
LIKELY SNOW THIS YEAR. SO WE ALL EXPERIENCED SOME SNOW SPENDING THIS YEAR AND THE NEW TRASH COLLECTION CONTRACTS WILL
ALSO EXERT SOME PRESSURE. SO THERE WAS A NEW CONTRACT PUT IN PLACE TO SORT OF GET THE TRASH COLLECTION BACK ON SCHEDULE, MAKE SURE THAT
THEY'RE NOT MISSING COLLECTIONS ,UPGRADE THEIR EQUIPMENT IN TERMS OF THE THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF MEDIA REVENUE.
IT FOLLOWS THE SAME SORT OF ARRAY THAT THE FAA 24 THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD BE NEW HERE IS INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE. THAT IS THE AGREEMENT TO HAVE
THE BPA CLASS-A ORGANIZATION PROVIDE THE REVENUE THAT SUPPORTS THE PLANNING AND OFFICE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR ASSOCIATED EXPENSES.
THE ONE. SO SOME OF THESE THINGS LIKE INTEREST ON INVESTMENT DOES HAVE A FOOTNOTE THERE THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY ONLY THROUGH NOVEMBER.
SO THOSE ARE NOT THOSE ARE ALL REVENUES POSTED AS OF DECEMBER 31ST IN TERMS OF YOUR EXPENSES. SORT OF AGAIN THE SAME ARRAY OF INFORMATION CITY APPROPRIATIONS WILL INCLUDE
THOSE THOSE PRESSURE POINT AREAS OF PUBLIC SAFETY SPENDING ,THE EXECUTION OF COURT SPENDING WHICH ARE IN DEFICIT
AS WELL RIGHT NOW AND THE THIS YEAR THEY'LL BE A SNOW DEFICIT . SO YOU KNOW, BASED ON WHAT WE ANTICIPATE I MEAN IT'S IN ITS
FAIRLY EARLY IN THE YEAR TO CALL IT YOU KNOW ON SNOW BECAUSE WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED SNOW RIGHT INTO MARCH AND THEN
MOVING INTO THE FY 26 PREVIEW WE'RE AGAIN WE'RE THE PROPERTY TAX ALTHOUGH IT'S IT IS IT DOESN'T GIVE US A LOT OF REVERSE DIVERSIFICATION IN
TERMS OF REVENUE IS A VERY RELIABLE REVENUE SOURCE YOU WILL GROW BY THE TWO AND A HALF PERCENT PLUS AND THAT'S AN ESTIMATE FOR NEW GROWTH EXERCISES AND DEPARTMENTAL
REVENUE ANTICIPATED TO GROW BUT AT A SLOWER PACE THAN IN PRIOR YEARS. OUR INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS WILL DECLINE DUE TO RATE CUTS IN FUTURE DRAWDOWNS OF THE OF THE CASH THAT'S AVAILABLE TO
BE INVESTED IN STATE AID TO GROW IN LINE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET. BUT WITH WHAT YOU SEE THERE IS IT'S ACTUALLY A NEGATIVE STATE
AID SITUATION BECAUSE OUR GROWTH IN LOCAL AID FROM FROM STATE IT'S OUR STILL OUR SECOND LARGEST REVENUE SOURCE IS NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE ASSESSMENTS
THAT COMES SO CHARTER SCHOOL TUITION GETTING BETTER IN OTHER THINGS EXPENSES LONG TERM LIABILITIES AND LONG DISCRETIONARY COSTS WILL DRIVE
EXPENDITURE GROWTH SO INCREASE IN FIXED COSTS LIKE PENSION DEBT SERVICE GROWTH OF STATE ASSESSMENTS SUCH AS CHARTER SCHOOL AND PTA IN HEALTH INSURANCE IS CONTINUE TO SEE
INCREASES IN PREMIUMS DRIVEN BY RISING NATIONAL HEALTH CARE COSTS. SO THE CITY AS A VERY LARGE EMPLOYER IS SEEING VERY SIMILAR
MEDICAL INFLATION PHENOMENONS WITH THE MEDICATION COSTS BEING DRIVING UP A LOT OF THE HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR EMPLOYERS IN
TERMS OF THIS THE SLIDE PREVIEW FOR RISK AND UNCERTAINTY CERTAINTY I THINK COUNCIL BREADON ALLUDED TO SORT OF SECOND VOTE FEDERAL UNCERTAINTY.
WE DID TOUCH ON THE STATE BUDGET IN THE NEXT STATES SITUATION THAT SORT OF IS IN A DECLINING SORT OF REVENUE OPPORTUNITY FOR US. YOU KNOW WE HAVE CONTINUED
INFLATIONARY PRESSURES AND AND ITS IMPACT ON ON INTEREST RATES YOU KNOW POTENTIAL TARIFF IMPLICATIONS REALLY NOT KNOWING
FULLY AT THIS POINT AND WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT ASSUMING ANY RECESSION BUT THERE'S ALWAYS THAT POTENTIAL FOR FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN THROUGH THEM.
IT'S SOMETIMES THEY DO COME COME UP QUITE ABRUPTLY AND THEN GOING INTO THE CLOSING SUMMARY
THE UNDERLYING STRUCTURE OF OUR CURRENT ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET THE STRONG WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST SORT OF PROPERTY TAX
BASE THAT CAN CONTINUE TO GROW. WE HAVE STRONG ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THAT PRESENTS ITSELF AS SOME OF THE LOCAL RECEIPTS THAT WE SEE EXCISES.
SO WE FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT THAT BUT CONTINUED FISCAL DISCIPLINE IS THE KEY TO THE SUCCESS AND BUT OUR OUR PRIMARY IS THE
PROTECTION OF OUR CORE MISSION CRITICAL SERVICES. THERE ARE TOP PRIORITY. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT RESIDENTS COUNT ON AND EXPECT AND DESERVE. BUT THIS BUDGET DELIVERS
SUPPORT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION AS EVIDENCED THROUGH ITS PUBLIC EDUCATION BOTH AT THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CHARTER SCHOOL ASSESSMENT ALL
ALONG WITH YOUTH JOBS. ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE ARE LAYING THE GROUNDWORK TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR YOUTH IN THE CURRENT RESIDENTS OF BOSTON
BECOME THE FUTURE LEADERS IN CIVICALLY ENGAGED FOLKS AT THE CITY A CITY THAT IS SAFE AND HEALTHY. SO PART KNOW ONE OF THE PRIMARY
THINGS THAT PEOPLE ASSESS THE QUALITY OF THE CITY IS IS IS IT SAFE? WHERE IS THE HEALTH OF THE POPULATION IN THOSE ARE CONTINUE THE AREAS WHERE WE PRIORITIZE FUNDING AND IN A
CITY WITH A VIBRANT ECONOMY YOUR LIFE IN SOME OF THAT IS WITH RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT HOW CITIZENS ENGAGE WITH THE CITY IS IS IMPROVED AND
STREAMLINED. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT THAT WE WE CONTINUE TO MAKE BUDGETARY CHOICES TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE
ARE TARGET TO DELIVER SERVICES . AND THEN THIS THIS IS A SLIDE THAT VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY COUNCIL WHO KNOWS THE MILESTONE THINGS OF WHEN.
SO THE MAYOR WILL ALSO BE PER THE STATE LAW TO THE BUDGET ON APRIL NINTH THERE WILL BE A PERIOD WHERE YOU HAVE THE
COUNCIL HAS TO REVIEW IT AND IN EARLY JUNE THE WILL TAKE ACTION ON THE BUDGET AND THEY'LL FOR THE THE NEED TO RETURN THE BUDGET WITHIN THAT OR THE
REQUIRED SEVEN DAYS AND THEN THE EXPECTATION IS IS THE BUDGET WILL COME TO FINALIZATION ON THE LAST MOVEMENT OF FISCAL YEAR.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT THANK YOU. JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILMEMBER FEE AND COUNCILOR WEBER. NOW LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MY
COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS STARTING WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER HERE AND AND FOR YOUR
IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP, MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE PANEL, JIM AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. YOU HIGHLIGHTED THAT ACCORDING
TO MY NUMBERS F Y 24 REVENUE COLLECTION EXCEEDED BUDGET BY 1.76 MILLION ACCORDING TO A SEE
AROUND REPORT INCLUDING 133 MILLION MORE INVESTMENT INCOME 50 MILLION MORE IN ROOM TAXES, MEAL TAXES, JET FUEL TAXES 20
MILLION MORE AND PILOT. ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES COUNCILOR BREADON MENTIONED POTENTIAL CUTS TO GRANTS SO POTENTIAL CUTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
ALSO BALANCING THE NEED FOR CITY SERVICES INCLUDING PUBLIC SAFETY. SO MY QUESTION, JIM, IS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE CITY
OF BOSTON. A BIG PERCENTAGE OF THEIR STAFF I BELIEVE IS ON FEDERAL THROUGH FEDERAL FUNDS.
MAYBE IT'S AS HIGH AS 70% OR 60% 60 70%. TELL ME HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES IF THERE'S
POTENTIAL CUTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THANK YOU COUNCILOR, FOR THAT QUESTION SO WE DID HAVE A SIMILAR WHEN THE EXECUTIVE
ORDERS WERE RELEASED AND WE ACTUALLY IN CLEAR FROM OUR CHAIR HAD SORT OF CONDUCTED AND WE WERE ALL DISPATCHED I ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO
MANAGEMENT THEY THEY HAVE A CONTACT AT THE COMMONWEALTH BECAUSE ALL OF THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS FLOW THROUGH THE COMMONWEALTH TO THEM THEY WERE
TOLD KEEP ON WITH YOUR PROGRAM THEY ALSO HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP NETWORK OF OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ALSO WERE REACHING OUT TO THEM. BUT OUR OUR INTENT IS TO TO
SORT OF STAY THE COURSE AND MAKE SURE THERE'S BEEN NO COMMUNICATION OF ANY SUSPENSION OR REDUCTION IN YOU ASKING THAT IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY SOURCES
OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT'S OPERATIONS AND THANK YOU, JIM. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I'VE FOUGHT SO HARD OVER THE LAST MANY YEARS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACCEPT THAT FUNDING
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS IT RELATES TO SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT GREATER BOSTON. ON PUBLIC SAFETY. ON ANTI-TERROR ISM HOMELAND
SECURITY INITIATIVES BUT BUT ARE WE WE RELYING TOO MUCH ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND IN NOT SHIFTING NOT
SHIFTING THAT BURDEN ON TO THE ONTO THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO TO PAY FOR THESE CRITICAL CRITICAL JOBS IN EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT. SO I THINK WE TRY TO MAXIMIZE THE USE OF OUR AVAILABLE FEDERAL RESOURCES. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. I THINK IT'S AS A AS AN
ORGANIZATION IT'S TO EVOLVE TO HAVE MORE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS CONTRIBUTING TO THEM WHERE THEY'RE ALSO SORT OF LOOKING TO
POSITION THEMSELVES FOR OTHER BEYOND I IT WAS CREATED OUT OF A PERIOD OF TERRORIST ATTACKS BUT WE'RE ALSO KNOW THAT A LOT OF OUR EMERGENCY
STEMMED FROM ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN RESOURCES ADDED TO THE BUDGET TO TAKE ON THAT LARGER MISSION
OF PREPAREDNESS FOR ALL KINDS OF EMERGENCIES. THANK YOU, JIM. I KNOW YOU HIGHLIGHTED LEGAL JUDGMENT IN SUPPLEMENTS AS WELL.
WHAT DID WE ROUGHLY ESTIMATE? WHAT DO SPEND LAST YEAR ON THAT? WE SPENT IT WAS IN $19 MILLION DEFICIT.
WHAT'S THE TOTAL? GET THAT TOTAL FOR YOU?
YEAH, IT WAS $24 MILLION. $24 MILLION IN IN THE BUDGET WE THE UPCOMING BUDGET DO WE HAVE TO APPROPRIATE A CERTAIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT SIMILAR TO THAT
BECAUSE WE'RE EXPECTING EXPECTING SIMILAR RESULTS. YEAH SO A LOT OF THESE EXPENSES THAT IT'S THEY'RE THEY'RE HIRED
TO MANAGE CONTROL ARE THE BUDGETS ARE OFTEN AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SOME LEVEL OF EXPENSE BUT CLEARLY NOT ALWAYS SUFFICIENT TO COVER ALL
OF THE EXPENSE. SO I PUT CATEGORIES LIKE EXECUTION OF COURSE BUT ALSO SNOW REMOVAL AT TIMES. SO I THINK THE THE CURRENT
YEAR'S BUDGET STANDS AT $2 MILLION AND I THINK IT HAD BEEN $5 MILLION FOR FOR FOR MANY YEARS AS SORT OF AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SORT OF A
SOME LEVEL OF SPENDING THERE. BUT WE WE I THINK WE WE RAN OUT OF THE BUDGET QUITE QUICKLY IN THIS FISCAL YEAR GIVEN THE LOWER AMOUNT. OKAY.
WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT WE SPENT LAST YEAR ON TRASH COLLECTION AND I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE WHAT IS THE AMOUNT WE SPENT LAST YEAR IN TAX
COLLECTION TRASH COLLECTION BUT ALSO WHAT PERCENTAGE INCREASE WILL WE HAVE TO INCREASE THIS YEAR ON TRASH COLLECTION IS
THAT THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE CITY BUDGET AS WELL. IT SURE IS. WE DON'T HAVE WE HAVEN'T FINALIZED THE 26 BUDGET AS OF YET BUT LET ME LET ME PICK
OUT WHAT WE SPENT IN 24 OVER HERE OR SOMEWHERE IN THE TRASH
TRASH EVEN IF IT'S EASIER I CAN I CAN JUST PROVIDE THAT. THAT'S FINE. JIM. THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU CHAIRMAN AND WORKED
WITH YOU JIM FOR MANY YEARS AND YOU'VE YOU'VE COME DOWN HERE AND YOU'VE BEEN VERY PROFESSIONAL AND PROVIDED PROVIDED GOOD INFORMATION AND
HONEST INFORMATION. SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU, JIM FOR THE WORK OVER THE YEARS AS A AS A DEDICATED CITY EMPLOYEE. MR CHAIR, I'M GOING TO WAIT
UNTIL THE NEXT ROUND. I'LL GIVE MY COLLEAGUES AN OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR BREADON, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. SO EXECUTION OF COURSE.
I KNOW WE DID REDUCE YOUR THE POOL OF MONEY FOR EXECUTION. OF COURSE WHEN WE DID SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE THE BUDGET LAST YEAR TEN CAN YOU DO IS IT
POSSIBLE TO GET A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT DEPARTMENTS OF THOSE THOSE THOSE EXPENDITURES HAD TO WERE
PRECIPITATED BY YOU KNOW WHICH DEPARTMENTS WERE FOUND THAT THEY HAD THEY WERE HAD CUT COURT CASES THAT THEY HAD TO TO
COMPENSATE PEOPLE FOR AND REALLY BE HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT IS THAT POSSIBLE? I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY WORK WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT TO HELP WITH THAT. I MEAN ONE THING I WILL SAY ABOUT THE AMOUNTS YOU'RE NOW
AND PROBABLY GOING FORWARD IS YOU HAVE SOME OF THESE LIKE LARGER WRONGFUL CONVICTION TYPE CASES AND SO THOSE INDIVIDUALLY CAN BE QUITE LARGE IN AND
OF THEMSELVES. SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THERE'S YOU KNOW, ONE OR TWO BIG THINGS IN THERE THAT ARE ADDING UP TO THAT AMOUNT BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY FOLLOW UP WITH MORE DETAIL. YEAH, THAT'S GOOD.
AND THEN TRASH COLLECTION THE MATTRESS RECYCLING PROGRAM IT WAS A STATE MANDATED UNFUNDED MANDATE. ARE WE GETTING ANY SUPPORT FROM THE STATE TO HELP WITH THAT OR
IS THAT JUST ON OUR ON US? NO, NO THEY'RE NOT. IS IT THE THE LAST YEAR I THINK THE AND I WILL TALK ABOUT THIS WHEN WE GET INTO THE WEEDS ON THE BUDGET BUT THE LAST YEAR I
THINK IT WAS ABOUT FIVE FIVE OR 6 MILLION TO DISPOSE OF TO RECYCLE MATTRESSES NO I DID I DID FIND THE FINAL NUMBER FOR WASTE REMOVAL. IT WAS $62.4 MILLION.
I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER A LITTLE BIT STREETS CABINET TO GET THE DETAILS ON THE TRACK OF MATTRESS COMPONENT TO THAT. I KNOW SOME COMMUNITIES CHARGE
RESIDENTS FOR MATTRESS DISPOSAL BUT THERE WAS SOME TALK ABOUT HAVING HAVING US DO THAT BUT WE ACTUALLY FIND THAT PEOPLE COME FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY'RE CHARGED A FEE IN THE
DUMP, DUMP THE MATTRESSES WITH US SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A HELPFUL SOLUTION AND WE DON'T WANT THE MATTRESSES THROWN IN THE RIVER OR DUMPED IN THE STREET.
SO LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE INTEREST RATES THAT'S A NICE CHRISTMAS IN JULY SORT OF GETTING SOME
NICE RETURN ON OUR ON INVESTMENTS WITH INTEREST AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE INTEREST RATES ARE DEFINITELY LOWER THAN THEY WERE BUT IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO SINK TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY WERE A FEW YEARS AGO.
SO UM AND THEN DEPARTMENTAL REVENUE IN TERMS OF HOW ARE WE DOING WITH REGARD TO BRINGING MONEY IN FROM PARKING METERS
AND YOU KNOW POST-COVID? I THINK WE'RE SORT OF BACK TO ARE WE BACK TO BASELINE IN TERMS OF OUR REVENUE STREAM THINGS LIKE PARKING METERS, POST-COVID?
YEAH, I THINK ACTUALLY THE STREETS COVERED IT'S IN THE MIDST OF OF UPGRADING ALL OF THEIR PARKING METER EQUIPMENT TO TECHNOLOGY BUT I THINK WE'RE GETTING BACK ON A
TRADITIONAL SORT OF STREAM ON PARKING METER REVENUE AND PARKING FINES ARE TRENDING BACK A I THINK THERE WAS A PERIOD WHERE THEY WERE FILLING PARKING
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER POSITIONS. I THINK THE THEY'RE BEEN PUTTING ON MORE CLASSES TO TO GET THAT BACK UP IN THE RANGE
WHERE HISTORICALLY HAD BEEN PRE-COVID AND THEN LET'S SEE THE STUDENTS HAVE GONE AND SNOW
REMOVAL THIS YEAR WE DID HAVE A LITTLE SNOW PROBABLY SPEND AS MUCH ON IT AS REMOVING A LOT OF SNOW STUFF. YEAH. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE STREETS COVER REMINDS US IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WHETHER
THEY GOT BEEN THEY WERE ADVOCATES WHO REBRANDED SORT OF WINTER MANAGEMENT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF EVENTS THAT THEY'RE OUT THERE RIGHT OR OTHERS MIGHT NOT BE AWARE THAT
THEY WERE OUT YOU KNOW SALTING FOR ICE YEAH YEAH YOU DON'T SEE IT ACCUMULATING BUT THERE ARE THERE ARE SOME REAL EXPENSES THAT STILL CONTINUE AND FREEZING RAIN AND ICE CAN BE
MORE DANGEROUS THAN SNOW. SO YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW. I'LL CONTINUE TO PERUSE THE DOCUMENT AND SEE IF I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU MR CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MURPHY FLOOR IS YOURS . THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. IS APRIL 9TH ABOUT THE TIME WE
ALWAYS GET IT AT THE END OF THE FIRST WEEK IN APRIL? YES IT'S I THINK IT'S STILL LATER THAN THE SECOND WEEK OF WEDNESDAY IN APRIL IS THAT THAT'S WHEN WE USUALLY GET IT AND I KNOW BECAUSE BEEPS IS
ALREADY JUST LIKE SHARE THEIR BUDGET WITH THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE SO WE CAN SEE THEIR NUMBERS. WILL WE HAVE ACCESS TO ANY OF THAT BEFORE IT'S LIKE THE
OFFICIAL BOOK THAT GETS BOUND? YEAH WELL I THINK THEY HAVE A SERIES OF HEARINGS BEFORE THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. I KNOW THEY'VE HAD SOME OF THEM.
NO, NOT JUST BEEPS. I MEAN THE ARE BUDGET WILL THEY BE BEFORE APRIL NINTH WILL WE HAVE WILL WE BE ABLE TO VIEW
THE NUMBERS IN THE BUDGET. WELL I THINK I THINK WE TEND TO BE LIKE FINALIZING THEM SO OKAY WE HAVE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE MORE QUICK.
WE KNOW SOME OF THE ASSESSMENTS THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET BUT SOME OF THE OTHER ONES WE'RE TWEAKING ALL THE WAY RIGHT UP TO THE DATE THE NIGHT BEFORE. OKAY.
COUNCILOR BREADON DID JUST MENTION THE MATTRESS MANDATE AND I'VE BEEN THERE OTHER UNFUNDED MANDATES. I KNOW THE METER COMMUNITIES
HOUSING IS UNFUNDED LIKE THE MATTRESS ONE BUT THAT DOES COST US MILLIONS THERE AND I HAVE A MATTRESS IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE WAITING TO GET PICKED UP SO I'M HOPING NOW IF ANYONE'S LISTENING THEY'LL TAKE IT.
IT WAS IT'S BEEN THERE A FEW DAYS BUT IF THERE ARE OTHERS THAT WE IN THE CITY YOU KNOW THESE MANDATES THAT COME DOWN THAT THEY DON'T FUND AND THEN
WE'RE FORCED TO SPEND MONEY THAT THEY'D HAVE TO YEAH TO LOOK AT THAT I SORT OF AGREE ON THE MATTRESS PHENOMENON THAT IT'S A NEW REQUIREMENT THERE
ARE OTHER REQUIREMENTS WE'RE THROUGH CONSENT THINGS I THINK 88 ROOMS ARE SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO BE INSTALLING AND THERE'S A THERE IS A
COMMUNICATION THAT THEY HAVE TO LIKE TWO SO MANY REPS PER PER YEAR. SO BUT IN TERMS OF OTHER OTHER AREAS LIKE AN OPERATING EXPENSES I DO HAVE TO LOOK AT
THAT TO SEE IT AROUND. YEAH OKAY LAST YEAR I THINK IF YOU COULD REMIND ME THE EXACT AMOUNT AND WE GIVE LIKE 80 TO 86 MILLION OR WAS IT MORE TO BE
SORT OF OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET, HOW MUCH DID WE GET TO THEM LAST YEAR ON TOP OF THEIR 1.47 BILLION THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT. YEAH. AND HOW MUCH IF ANY ARE WE
GIVING THEM MONEY THIS YEAR AGAIN? YES. IT'S ANTICIPATED THEIR BUDGETS GOING UP BY $52 MILLION. YEAH, THEIR PERSONAL BUDGET. BUT ARE WE TAKING ON TOP
OF THEIR BUDGET THAT THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE WILL APPROVE? ARE WE ALSO TAKING LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR 82 MILLION OUT OF OUR OWN OPERATIONAL BUDGET TO GIVE
THEM? WELL, THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S A REAL STORY COUNCIL THE MOST A LOT OF COMMUNITIES USE YOUR YOUR EDUCATION AID FROM THE
COMMONWEALTH TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT OUR CHAPTER $70 DOESN'T EVEN COVER COVER THE CHARTER SCHOOL SO THAT POSSIBLE THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT IS ENTIRELY FUNDED ON THE CITY'S BUDGET. NO NO I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND IT BUT I'M SAYING LAST YEAR THE SCHOOL BUDGET WAS APPROVED IN THIS BODY AND IT WENT TO THE
SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND THEY APPROVED IT. AND WHAT WAS IT LATER $1.47 BILLION BUT THERE WAS 80 SOMETHING MILLION OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN MORE THAT WE GAVE ON
TOP OF IT TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR BUDGET. IT WAS TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. IT COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE HUNDREDS. DO WE HAVE THAT EXACT NUMBER FROM LAST YEAR? SO THE BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED
WAS INCLUSIVE OF THE CITY'S ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION WHICH IS THAT 80 OR SO PRIVATE. SO YEAH AND SO ARE WE GIVING AN ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION FROM OUR OUR FUNDS AGAIN THIS YEAR
TO THEIR BUDGET. YES BECAUSE THE CITY IS REALLY ITS ONLY SOURCE OF OH SO NO I'M NOT SO THAT'S WHY I'M RIGHT SO THE $50 MILLION INCREASE OR SO
THAT THEY HAVE PRESENTED SO FAR TO THEIR COMMITTEE AND TO OTHERS PUBLICLY WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY THE CITY. SO WE ARE SORT OF ASSUMING THAT THE CITY WOULD COVER AN ADDITIONAL $50 MILLION
OF SCHOOL FUNDING PER WHAT THEY'VE PRESENTED. OKAY. SO WE'RE ON FOR AN ADDITIONAL 50 MILLION, RIGHT? BECAUSE IF WE DIDN'T TO GIVE
THAT THAT 50 MILLION COULD GO TO A LOT OF THINGS AND YEAH, OKAY. IS IT TRUE THAT SOME ROOF
REPLACEMENTS HAVE HALTED BECAUSE OF LACK OF MONEY WITH LIKE RUBBER ROOFS WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET SOME SOLAR PANELS ON I'M HEARING FROM SOME PEOPLE
THAT THEY WENT TO START THE ROOF PROJECTS. THEY WERE TOLD THEY CAN'T START THEM BECAUSE THE FUNDING'S NOT THERE TO PAY THEM AT BP'S FACILITY SPECIFIC BUILDINGS WE
CAN IF YOU COULD DO A LITTLE BIT OF DIGGING AND THAT WE'RE NOT NOTHING SPRING TO MIND BUT WE CAN FOLLOW UP AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY PARTICULAR PROJECTS FOR THE MARKET TO UNDERSTAND. OH THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, CHAD. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. SO I I IN TERMS OF CHANGES IN
FEDERAL POLICY AND HOW THAT'S TO IMPACT THE CITY, HAVE YOU DONE AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT THE WHERE THE IMPACTS WOULD BE FELT AND I'M JUST ASKING AT A VERY
HIGH LEVEL LIKE YOU KNOW DO OR YOU KNOW WE'RE JUST YOU KNOW, FOR BUDGET CONCERNS FOR DUMMIES ,YOU KNOW, WOULD WOULD IT TARGET SPECIFIC YOU KNOW, IF
WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS GOING TO HAPPEN AND WHAT THINGS ARE GOING TO BE CUT, WOULD IT IMPACT SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS OR WOULD IT JUST IMPACT OUR GENERAL FUND AND WE WOULD HAVE
TO DECIDE WHAT IMPACT IT HAS. JUST WALK ME THROUGH. SURE. SO MUCH OF OUR FEDERAL REVENUE IS DEDICATED FOR SPECIFIC THINGS. WE DON'T GET ANY SORT
OF GENERAL FEDERAL OPERATING SUPPORT SO WE HAVE IT'S A DEPARTMENTS THAT RELY YOU KNOW ,SIGNIFICANTLY OR YOU KNOW MORE THAN OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON
FEDERAL FUNDS ARE, YOU KNOW, BIPS ARE HOUSING DEPARTMENTS WITH THE HUD FUNDING THAT THEY RECEIVE TO DO THEIR PROGRAMING. SO IT'S REALLY DEPENDENT ON
WHAT REDUCTIONS THEY MAKE IF ANY. BUT YES, IT WOULD BE MORE TARGETED TO SPECIFIC THINGS AS OPPOSED TO JUST KIND OF GENERAL PULL IN OUR BUDGET. OKAY.
AND YEAH, I THOUGHT OF BP'S AND VHA AS BEING THE MAIN TOOLS. YEAH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING AS WELL AND SO WHAT IS I GUESS HOW MUCH ARE WE
TALKING ABOUT FOR MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING VHA IN TERMS OF FEDERAL FUNDING SO CAN FOLLOW UP WITH EXACTLY THE AMOUNTS THAT THEY RECEIVE. I KNOW WE'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW,
TENS OF MILLIONS POTENTIALLY FOR SOME OF THESE TYPES OF AWARDS WHETHER IT'S YOU KNOW, TITLE ONE IT BEEPS OR CDBG FUNDING FOR MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING. SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW,
SIGNIFICANT MONEY COMING IN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS. AND SO AS WE APPROACH THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VOTING
ON IT IN JUNE AND ARE WE DO YOU HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN HOW TO HOW DO WE I THINK WHAT I HEARD FROM JIM WAS JUST WE'RE STILL YOU KNOW, WE'RE YOU KNOW, UNTIL
WE GET OTHER INFORMATION WE'RE JUST GOING TO ASSUME IT'S GOING TO BE THERE IS WHAT'S YOUR I GUESS THE ADVICE FOR US FOR APPROACHING THAT?
YEAH, I MEAN EXACTLY THAT RIGHT. I I WAS SAYING TO COUNCILOR BREADON EARLIER I THINK THE CHAOS AND CONFUSION IS A FEATURE, NOT A BUG. AND SO WE'RE TRYING REALLY HARD
TO BE FOCUSED AND THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY CHANGING IF ANYTHING AS OPPOSED TO KIND OF BROADLY ASSUME THINGS ARE GOING AWAY. BUT I THINK WHAT WILL BE REALLY
IMPORTANT GOING FORWARD IS THAT WE YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO MANAGE OUR BUDGET CAREFULLY, MAINTAIN HEALTHY RESERVE LEVELS IN THE
EVENT THAT WE NEED TO BACKFILL A LOSS OF FUNDS AT SOME POINT. SO I THINK THAT WE'RE JUST REMAINING REALLY VIGILANT AND BEING MINDFUL OF ACTUAL CHANGES WHEN THEY HAPPEN.
OKAY. I MEAN AND JUST FOR FOR US TOO WE DO WE BAKE THAT INTO THE BUDGET THE UNCERTAINTY OR DO IT REDUCES YOU KNOW, THE WORST
CASE SCENARIO WE APPROVE THE BUDGET AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER THE MONEY ISN'T THERE. YOU KNOW SHOULD WE DO THAT ANALYSIS NOW OR WE DO SO FROM A
BUDGET STANDPOINT? YEAH, A POLICY STANDPOINT. THE WAY WE'RE APPROACHING THIS IS AS JIM SAID, SORT OF YOU KNOW, STAYING THE COURSE ASSUMING BUSINESS AS USUAL UNTIL WE HAVE REAL REASON TO
BELIEVE OTHERWISE AND THAT'S WHY HAVING HEALTHY RESERVES IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF THEN WE APPROVE IT AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER SOMETHING GOES AWAY, WE HAVE THE ABILITY OR THE
CHOICE TO RESPOND IF WE IF WE WANT TO. OKAY. AND SHIFTING GEARS SO I GUESS THERE'S $89 MILLION THAT WAS EXPENDED OVER THE YOU KNOW,
WHAT WAS BUDGETED AND THAT I THINK THAT 24 MILLION WENT TO EXECUTION OF COURTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND THE REST WENT TO POLICE OVERTIME IS
THAT MY BOTTOM LINE BUT LARGELY DRIVEN BY OVERTIME. OKAY. SO ROUGHLY 60 MILLION OVER BUDGET ON THE CITY YOU KNOW,
MAYBE A LITTLE MORE ON POLICE OVERTIME IN TERMS OF THE PERCENTAGES THAT YOU KNOW FOR OVERSPENDING OR OVERBUDGET
PARTLY ON THE ASSUMING MOST OF IT IS FOR POLICE OVERTIME. DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT COMPARES TO PRIOR YEARS OR YOU KNOW WHAT
THE TREND IS ON THAT YEAH WE WE DO TRACK THE REPORTABLE DEFICIT SO POLICE IT WAS IT WAS A
FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT OVERAGE IN 24 GIVEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT DYNAMICS THAT A LOT OF IT IS IS PROVIDING SECURITY FOR YOU KNOW
EVENTS WHETHER THE SORT OF BLOW TO CIVIL UNREST OR OTHER SORT OF TARGETED SORT OF RESPONSES TO PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS.
BUT WITH THE GOOD NEWS WE'VE WE'VE BEEN IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH POLICE AND CHECKED IN WITH THE COMMISSIONER AT LEAST TWICE AND THERE ARE GOOD GOOD SIGNS SOME OF IT CAME THROUGH
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WHERE THERE IS CHANGES IN HOW THEY THEY CAN DEPLOY STAFF AND ALSO MANAGEMENT OF THE PROGRAM TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS
WHO ARE ON INJURED LEAVE. SO THOSE ARE PRESENTING THEMSELVES AS POSITIVE TRENDS IN THE IN OVERTIME IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.
OKAY. AND I GUESS WELL IN TERMS OF CONSTRUCTING A BUDGET, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST SHIFTING A LITTLE BIT BACK TO THE FEDERAL QUESTION CAN WE BUDGET MONEY
FOR A PROGRAM? LET'S WE WANT TO THERE'S A SOMERVILLE DOES THIS NOW THE STATE'S LOOKING INTO FUNDING LEGAL SERVICES FOR PEOPLE IN
IMMIGRATION PROCEEDINGS IF WE CAN CAN WE BUDGET MONEY FOR A PROGRAM LIKE THAT ON THE CONDITION THAT OUR FEDERAL FUNDS FROM OTHER PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, AREN'T PULLED OR YOU KNOW
YOU KNOW IS CAN YOU CAN YOU BUDGET SOMETHING LIKE KIND OF SORT OF IF ON A CONDITION THAT YOU KNOW ARE ARE FREE CASH
IS AT A CERTAIN POINT OR HAVE FROM FROM YOUR OFFICE THE STANDPOINT THAT DRIVE YOU INSANE OR IS IT DOES IT VIOLATE THE ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES I THINK THE WAY WE WOULD DO IT IS
WE WOULD APPROPRIATE THE FUNDS AND THEN WE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WOULD MAKE A CHOICE TO SPEND IT OR NOT WHETHER THE CONDITIONS IF THERE ARE CONDITIONS ATTACHED TO IT ARE MET. BUT I THINK WE WOULD NEED TO
ACTIVELY APPROPRIATE THEM THROUGH YOU ALL AND THE COUNCIL BEFORE WE COULD ATTACH CONDITIONS TO IT. OKAY. I JUST I DON'T KNOW WHAT MY
TIME IS BUT WE GOT A TAX FREE RECAPITULATION ON DOCUMENT. CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN WHAT IS IN
THIS WHAT THIS MEANS? I THINK THAT WAS MOSTLY TO TO CAPTURE HOW WE RECORDED.
I THINK IT ALL IT ALSO REFLECTS HOW IT WAS CLOSED IN 24 LIKE LOCAL RECEIPTS SO WHEN THE COMMONWEALTH OR THE IT TERMS OF THE DEAL ARE RIGHT YEAH SO
IN IN MASSACHUSETTS EVERY COMMUNITY NEEDS THEIR TAX RATE APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE SO THE THE YOU SPEND THE LARGEST I MEAN MOST
COMMUNITIES THE BUDGET IS DRIVEN BY PROPERTY TAX WE'RE NOT ALONE IN THAT AND THAT THAT THAT SORT OF TIED TO PROPERTY TAXES SO A LOT OF REVIEW GOES
INTO LIKE YOU KNOW SORT OF TO TO LOOK OUT FOR MUNICIPALITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE STAYING ON TRACK TO DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, HINDER THE PUBLIC TRUST IN OPERATIONS.
SO THEY THEY DO A LOT OF A LOT OF VALIDATION OF PROPERTY TAX ASSUMPTIONS VALUATIONS BUT LOCAL RECEIPTS AS A COMPONENT OF THAT AND WHAT THEY TEND TO
WANT TO HAVE PROOF OF IS IS THAT YOU YOU'RE NOT BUDGETING PROSPECTIVELY BEYOND YOUR WHAT IS TO BE REASONABLY EXPECTED IN THOSE FUNDS IN THOSE LOCAL RECEIPTS AS THEY REFER TO THEM
AND THAT'S THE EXERCISE IS TO FIND SCHEMES. OKAY AND WHAT I GUESS WHAT'S THE CONCLUSION FROM THIS IS THAT WE'RE WE'RE FALLING WITHIN
THAT ACCEPTABLE RANGE OR KNOW JUST WHAT DO YOU WHAT SHOULD WE TAKE HOME FROM FROM THIS IS THAT WAS OKAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH THANK YOU CHAIR THANK YOU
COUNCILOR WEBER I GUESS FOLLOWING UP ON YOUR LAST QUESTION, CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MUCH WE'RE SPENDING THE FIRST
TWO QUARTERS OF THAT BY 25 ON
POLICE OVERTIME ON SLIGHTLY.
IT'S A CONTRACTION KEEPING TIME WE WE'VE EXPENDED COUNSELOR
$43.5 MILLION THROUGH 1231 IN THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. GOT IT. AND DO WE KNOW WHAT THAT IS IS THAT BECAUSE THERE'S MORE
EVENTS OR WHAT WHAT CAN WE ATTRIBUTE THE 43 MILLION WELL THERE'S AN EXPECTATION THAT EVERY SWORN DEPARTMENT IS GOING
TO HAVE A LEVEL OF OVERTIME. IT'S A IT'S IT'S PART OF THE SORT OF DEPLOYMENT PLAN THAT THEY'LL BE NEEDS TO BACKFILL TO
THE VACANCIES OR NOT VACANCIES BUT LIKE PEOPLE ABSENCES THAT NEED TO BE BACKFILLED TO BE BACKFILLED SO BUT BUT WE DO
LOOK AT OURS AND THEY TRACK THEM BY THE TYPES OF HOURS SO WHAT IS IT SICK COVERAGE IS IT VACATION COVERAGE IS IT IS IT
YOU COURT MANDATED OVERTIME? IS IT EVENTS, SPECIAL EVENTS ANY OF THOSE THINGS OR WHAT? I THINK POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS COME BEFORE THIS BODY AND SORT
OF EXPLAINED SOME OF THE COMPONENTS AND DRIVERS OF OF OVERTIME SO SO WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST COMPONENTS WHAT THEY CALL REPLACEMENT OVERTIME AND THAT'S TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
DISTRICT HAS ADEQUATE COVERAGE OF EVERY DISTRICT. SO THE 20 TORS COMPONENT ALLOWS FOR THEM TO JUST HAVE INTRODUCED SWORN STAFF OR MAYBE
IN A SPECIALIZED UNIT INTO THE DISTRICT. SO THAT HELPS WITH NEEDING TO SOMEONE CAN BE THERE ON THEIR REGULAR OR REGULAR ASSIGNMENT RATHER THAN BRINGING SOMEONE IN ON OVERTIME. THAT'S HELPFUL AND ALSO JUST
HAVING MORE OFFICERS AVAILABLE FOR DUTY. SO IF YOU REDUCE THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS WHO ARE OUT INJURED OBVIOUSLY THAT INTRODUCES MORE STAFF AVAILABLE TO WORK WITH. THEY SHIFT.
THANK YOU. AND THEN HOW ARE WE LOOKING TO GET A BETTER HANDLE ON OUR OVERTIME SPEND IN THESE IT THE SAME THESE THE SAME CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE WITH WITH
THE POLICE COMMISSIONER IT IS HIS FINANCE STUFF ABOUT LIKE A BETTER STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES SOME OF IT IS ACHIEVED THROUGH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING I THINK THE 20 TOUR TEAM THROUGH OUR COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING APPROACH BUT ALSO JUST MANAGEMENT AND SOME OF IT IS THAT WE THERE'S BEEN BUDGETARY RESOURCES PUT TO OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO STAY
CLOSER TO THESE INJURIES FOR OFFICERS TRACKING THEIR RECOVERY WE'RE PUTTING THEM ON LIGHT DUTY WHEN WHEN WEREN'T AVAILABLE IT PROVIDES DOESN'T
PROVIDE NECESSARILY THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPLOYMENT IN THE DISTRICTS BUT IT DOES PROVIDE OTHER RESOURCES FOR THE FUND RIGHT WE COLLECT A LOT MORE
THAN BUDGET IN IN PILOT AND FBI 25 CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME HOW HOW DO WE FORECAST PILOT AND WHY DID WE END UP OVER BY SO
MUCH WHICH IS A GOOD THING BUT JUST KIND OF WANT TO HEAR HOW YOU FORECAST IT. YES. SO PILOTS ARE A MIX OF BOTH TAX
EXEMPT INSTITUTIONS AND GOSPORT IS ALSO UNDER A PILOT AGREEMENT BUT YEAH, RIGHT AND OTHER OTHER
NON INSTITUTIONAL ENTITIES THAT HAVE 121 AGREEMENTS THAT ARE EXPIRING SO THAT THAT IS A FACTOR TRYING TO FIND THE NOTES FROM THIS YEAR SPECIFICALLY AND
WHAT WAS DRIVING THAT BUT YOU CAN HAVE A 121 AGREEMENT THAT IS CONTRIBUTING HERE TO THIS PILOT THAT COULD EXPIRE AND THAT CAN OR THAT THEY'RE
SORRY ALSO PART OF THAT SOME OF THE 121 AGREEMENTS ARE TIED TO CAN YOU EXPLAIN LIKE 121 YEAH. SO A 121 DAY AGREEMENT IS A SORT OF ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT IN
LIEU OF TAXES AGREEMENT AND SO THE PROVISIONS INCLUDED IN THOSE ARE VARIED AND ARE GOVERNED BY THAT AGREEMENT AND SOME OF THE PROVISIONS IN THOSE
AGREEMENTS CAN BE DRIVEN BY, YOU KNOW, THE ENTITY WHO HAS THE AGREEMENT. IT'S TIED TO A PERCENT OF REVENUE THAT THEY EARNED. SO THERE'S SOME THERE CAN BE SOME VARIABILITY YEAR TO YEAR SOMETIMES A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT FOR US TO HAVE
INSIGHT INTO UNTIL WE COLLECT THE MONEY. SO WE DO OUR BEST TO, YOU KNOW, TRACK AND UNDERSTAND WHEN THINGS ARE EXPIRING. YOU KNOW WE KNOW THE ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS THAT ARE COMING
FROM THESE AGREEMENTS AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE OUR INSTITUTIONAL PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT EVERY YEAR. SO THERE'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT OF VARIABILITY IN THERE AND WE DO OUR BEST TO CAPTURE THAT.
BUT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THINGS COME IN DIFFERENT FROM BUDGET. ALL RIGHT, I'LL GO TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR SECOND ROUNDS OF QUESTIONS. COUNCILOR FLYNN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
THANK THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND JIM, I KNOW YOU WERE TALKING WITH WITH THE WITH THE CHAIR ABOUT THE POLICE OVERTIME
BUDGET AND I ALSO KNOW THAT AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR WE'RE DOWN ABOUT 130 POLICE OFFICERS. SO FACTORING THAT IN AND WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THE OVERTIME BUDGET WE NEED TO ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND A LOT MORE AGAIN ON OVERTIME JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH
POLICE OFFICERS IN BOSTON ALONG WITH AS WE AS WE KNOW, PARADES ARE DEMONSTRATIONS ARE NOT FOR
OR FOR EMERGENCIES AS WELL. WHAT IS THE SHORT TERM PLAN AND WHAT IS THE LONG TERM PLAN? FINANCIAL FINANCIALLY ON ADDING
MORE POLICE CLASSES AND WHAT NUMBERS ARE YOU EXPECTING TO ADD KNOWING THAT WE'RE STILL DOWN 130 FROM LAST YEAR BUT IF WE DON'T ADD MORE POLICE WE'RE
JUST GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THIS OVERTIME BUDGET. I'M NOT BLAMING ANYBODY BUT THAT'S JUST THAT'S JUST THE REALITY. SO WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THERE'S REPLACEMENT CLASSES. SO YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT IN THE BUDGET PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR A
CERTAIN ASSUMPTION BUT WE WILL WE WILL TRACK ATTRITION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO IF THERE IS AN UPTICK IN RETIREMENTS THAT IS ABOVE THE NORM WE WILL INCREASE THAT
CLASS SIZE ACCORDINGLY. I MEAN THERE ARE ALWAYS CAPACITY LIMITATIONS BOTH IN IN SORT OF THEIR ABILITY TO ATTRACT ENOUGH YOU KNOW,
CANDIDATES TO BE TO FILL THE CLASS BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL CAPACITY TO PUT ENOUGH RECRUITS THROUGH THE ACADEMY, YOU KNOW, THE AND THE DEPUTY
SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE DAN HUMPHREY'S ON A PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING THERE THAT I WAS ON RECENTLY HIGHLIGHTED THAT TO ME TO US COUNCIL MURPHY WAS ON
IT THAT WE'RE DOWN 130 POLICE OFFICERS AT THIS TIME COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. IT'S A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS AND ON THE
OTHER HAND WHERE STILL DEBATING ABOUT THE OVERTIME BUDGET AS IF IT'S THE FAULT OF THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT THEY WERE OVER BUDGET THE SPENDING
OVER TIME. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS MAYBE FOR LONG TERM HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS FINANCIALLY
BECAUSE I JUST I JUST THINK THE THE STATUS QUO CAN'T CONTINUE ANY LONGER. YEAH, WE WE WE WERE TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY WE EVALUATE THE
DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO FIELDING REPLACEMENT CLASSES DOING YOU KNOW COMPRESSING THE PERIOD BETWEEN CLASSES SO WE'RE YOU KNOW WE'RE COMMITTED TO
MAINTAINING THE STAFFING LEVELS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO. SO IF THERE IS AN UPTICK IN RETIREMENTS, WELL WE'LL BE
THERE TO SORT OF FILL THAT VOID WITH THE THERE IS AN INCREASE IN RETIREMENTS AND EARLY RETIREMENTS AS WELL AS YOU KNOW
AND THAT'S HAVING THAT'S HAVING A FINANCIAL IMPACT ON ON THE CITY. SO LET ME JUST SHIFT QUICKLY TO OUTSTANDING FINANCIAL ISSUES AS
IT RELATES TO THE COST OF PENSIONS FOR RETIREES. GIVE US GIVE US A BIT OF INFORMATION ON WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY AT RIGHT NOW IN TERMS
OF HOW MUCH WE SPEND ON PENSIONS AND WHAT IS THE SHORT TERM IMPACT IN THE LONG TERM IMPACT AS AS MORE PEOPLE WILL
RETIRE WHETHER IT'S FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR BASIC CITY SERVICE PUBLIC SERVANTS? YEAH, YEAH. SO OUR PENSION LIABILITY RIGHT
NOW IS OVER 80% FUNDED. I THINK OUR ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION TO PENSION IS SOMEWHERE IN THE $400 MILLION RANGE AND SO WE
ARE AGGRESSIVELY ON TRACK TO AND CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO FULLY FUND OUR UNFUNDED PENSION LIABILITY BY I BELIEVE 2028. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH AN ACTUARY
COUNSELOR WHO TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED LEVELS OF RETIREMENT, YOU KNOW THE LEVEL OF BENEFITS THAT PEOPLE WILL BE EARNING WHILE THEY'RE RETIRED AND WE
ARE SWITCHING TO REFRESHING THAT ANALYSIS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS RATHER THAN BIANNUAL SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A BETTER SENSE EACH YEAR AS WE GET CLOSE TO OUR FULL FUNDING LEVEL WHAT THE IMPACT ON OUR BUDGET IS GOING
TO BE. THANK YOU. I ASK THAT QUESTION AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IT OBVIOUSLY I BELIEVE IN STRONG FISCAL
MANAGEMENT, FISCAL DISCIPLINE AS WELL AND IN MY QUESTION OR A FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS YOU KNOW, IF YOU RETIRE FROM CIT, THIS
CITY DEPARTMENT SAY AT AGE 55 OR 60 MAYBE YOU HAVE A $60,000 PENSION, MAYBE IT'S $50,000 PENSION BUT THE CHANCES ARE YOU'RE GOING TO LIVE MAYBE FOR
THE NEXT 2530 YEARS. THAT WAS NEVER THE CASE PREVIOUSLY BUT THANKFULLY
RETIREES ARE LIVING LONGER. SO HOW ARE WE HOW ARE WE DEALING HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING THAT IN TERMS OF FISCAL DISCIPLINE AND FISCAL MANAGEMENT?
YEAH, SO THE ACTUARY I MENTIONED THEY TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT WHEN THEY'RE CALCULATING OUR UNFUNDED LIABILITY. THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE UPDATES TO SORT OF THE MORTUARY TABLES
I GUESS TO TO ESTIMATE HOW LONG PEOPLE WILL LIVE. SO YOU SEE YOU'VE SEEN OUR UNFUNDED LIABILITY GROW AS A RESULT OF THAT BUT WE AS A CITY
HAVE CHOSEN TO AGGRESSIVELY ENSURE THAT WE ARE MEETING OUR PENSION OBLIGATIONS. IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE RATED SO HIGHLY BY THE RATING AGENCIES SO THAT WE ARE
ENSURING THAT WE'RE MEETING THOSE OBLIGATIONS NOT ONLY TO YOU KNOW, THE CITY IF THE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITY BUT ALSO TO THE RETIREES.
OKAY, MR CHAIR, DO I LOOK OKAY? OKAY. MAYBE I'LL JUST ASK ASK ONE MORE QUESTION.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CAN YOU TALK ABOUT AS AS WE HAD SOME INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED
TO US RECENTLY FROM THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM WHERE ARE WE WITH THE BPAS BUDGET? WHERE ARE WE WITH THE CPS BUDGET AS IT RELATES TO
TRANSFER STATION I BELIEVE LAST YEAR WAS ABOUT $170,000,174 MILLION FOR TRANSPORTATION. ARE WE EXPECTING A SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE IN THE TRANSPORTATION BUDGET AND WHAT IMPACT WILL THAT HAVE ON ON TAXPAYERS YET
THE STILL THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET IS ITS PERSONNEL. IT'S IT'S LIKE OVER 90% FOR TRANSPORTATION OBVIOUSLY IS IS A IS A BIG COMPONENT I THINK I
THINK WITHIN THAT WAS NOT A FLAG FOR A BUDGETARY IMPLICATION IN THE CURRENT YEAR BUT HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON WHAT THE ASSUMPTIONS ARE GOING
INTO WELL WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY A FLAG OH THEY PROVIDE A BUDGET STATUS UPDATE TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE IN DECEMBER AND THEY
OFTEN, YOU KNOW, WILL IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE SPENDING EXCEEDS THEIR BUDGET ALLOCATION. THIS WASN'T ONE OF THE ITEMS BUT BUT ARE WE ABLE TO REDUCE
THE THE TRANSPORTATION BUDGET AT AND AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDE A POSITIVE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO ALL OUR STUDENTS?
WELL, I WOULD I WOULD DEFER TO BPC ON THE ACTUAL OPERATIONAL APPROACH TO ALL OPERATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR COST REDUCTIONS IN MEETING THE
MANDATES OF OF TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENTS AND I THINK ALL PUBLIC STUDENTS OR MAYBE EVEN PAROCHIAL SCHOOL STUDENTS THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE STATE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR
THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PLANNING AROUND THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IN
OVERTIME BUDGET IT'S MORE SO TRYING TO COLLABORATE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION BPD ON TACKLING YOU KNOW THE OVERTIME TREND AS
YOU KNOW WE ALL KNOW THAT THE OVERTIME TREND SINCE FY 21 HAS YOU KNOW, INCREASED IN FY 21. YOU KNOW WE OF WE OVERSPENT IN
OVERTIME BY 19 MILLION, FY 20 TO 28 MILLION IN FY 2333 MILLION. SO IT'S LIKE HOW DO WE HONE THE
OVERTIME SPEND IN END OR HOW DO ACTUALLY BUDGET FOR THE OVERTIME SPENDING. SO I THINK IT'S A AND OR BUT I
GUESS MY QUESTION FOR YOU JIM AND TIM AND ACTUALLY IS ARE WE GOING TO TRY TO AT LEAST ARE WE LOOKING AT RIGHT SIZING NOT RIGHTSIZING THE BUDGET IN
ACCURATELY FOR THE OVERTIME SPENDING THIS YEAR KNOWING THAT WE HAVE UNDER BUDGETED AND LAST YEAR BY 33 MILLION? YEAH THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION
COUNSELOR SO IT'S IN WE'VE THIS IS THIS IS NOT AN A NEW PHENOMENON SO IF YOU GO BACK EVEN FURTHER THERE WAS A PERIOD WHERE WE CAME TO AN AGREEMENT
ON LIKE WHAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE AND TRY TO GET CLOSER TO ACTUAL SPENDING THAT WAS IN IN THAT TWICE 2017
TIMEFRAME. BUT WHAT TENDS TO HAPPEN IS IS THAT IT IT'S IT'S HARD TO MANAGE OPERATIONAL COMPONENTS AND THEN COVID REALLY THREW
THEM WITH A LOT OF OFFICERS OUT ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR DUTY A LOT OF CIVIL UNREST THAT JUST HAPPENED IN THE SAME TIME FRAME
SO WE QUICKLY SORT OF THAT NEW YOU KNOW SUPPOSED TO BE YOU KNOW, AN APPROPRIATE FUNDING LEVEL SORT OF WAS ON PACE BY ACTUAL SPENDING.
SO BUT WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S INTEREST IN AND CONVERSATION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE
OVERTIME NEEDS. SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH THAT YOU KNOW OPERATIONALLY REDEPLOYING FOLKS TOGETHER BECAUSE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE OVERTIME IS WHAT THEY
CALL REPLACEMENT OVERTIME TO JUST THAT'S YOU KNOW THAT'S ACTUALLY THE MOST LESS DESIRABLE OVERTIME FOR POLICE OFFICERS THE MANDATORY BECAUSE IT DOES IMPACT THEIR QUALITY
OF LIFE BEING TOLD THAT THEY HAVE TO STAY ON AND THEY'D LIKE TO GO RIGHT YEAH NOW WE HEARD WE HEAR FROM OUR POLICE OFFICERS ALL THE TIME THAT
THEY'RE BEING FORCED TO WORK. AND THEN JUST ONE MORE FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON THE TRANSFERS OUT IS IS THERE AM I MISSING IT
OR IS IT BEING PULLED FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE ON THE POLICE OVERTIME SO THAT THAT BECAUSE OF THAT A STATE LAW ALLOWS YOU TO EXCEED THE BUDGET SIMILAR TO
SNOW REMOVAL. SO THAT'S ONE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRANSFER TO COVER IT. OKAY SO THE MONEY'S COMING FROM REVENUE REVENUE. OKAY SO WE HAVE TO IT IS
SUFFICIENT REVENUE TO COVER IT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. CONCENTRATE AND THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I'M LOOKING AT THIS THE THE
REVENUE ESTIMATES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS BOOKS LET'S JUST LOOK AT RECEIPTS ARE FROM REVENUES FROM EXCISE TAXES, PAYMENT OF TAXES,
TAX AGREEMENTS, LICENSES AND PERMITS FINES AND FEES. IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE BREAKDOWN
OF DEPARTMENT YEAR ON YEAR DATA ON LOCAL RECEIPTS JUST YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH DO WE BRING IN FROM LICENSES, PERMITS, FEES AND FINES? I KNOW THAT WE THIS YEAR
SUCCEEDED IN HAVING A HOME RULE PETITION PASSED AT THE STATE HOUSE TO INCREASE OUR CITY FINES FOR CITY CODE VIOLATIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SINCE
1987. I THINK SO. AND YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE HOPEFULLY PUTTING THAT INTO ACTION. THE OTHER THING THAT WHEN WE
WERE LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE WAS THE ISSUE ABOUT LANES THAT WOULD HAVE WE THERE WAS SOME LEGAL ISSUE ABOUT THE ABILITY
OR LIMITED THE ABILITY OF CODE ENFORCEMENT TO OR THE CITY TO APPLY LANES ON PROPERTIES THAT WERE CHRONICALLY NEGLIGENT AND TAKING CARE OF THEIR PROPERTIES
WITH CODE VIOLATIONS AND IT SEEMS THAT IT WAS THE COURT'S OBJECTION WAS THAT THEY WERE SENDING IT WERE SENDING BILLS TO THE WRONG ADDRESS, THE WRONG PLACE BUT ASSESSING HAS THE
CORRECT UP TO DATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ASSESSING COULD HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND AND MAYBE I'M MISUNDERSTANDING THIS BUT THIS
IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT. I MAY BE WRONG ASSESSING HAS UPDATED INFORMATION BECAUSE THEY SAID THE BILLS BUT I OSD AND CODE ENFORCEMENT DON'T HAVE
NECESSARILY ACCURATE INFORMATION SO IT SEEMS LIKE THOSE TWO DEPARTMENTS AREN'T ACTUALLY TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND KEEPING THE DATA SERVICE UP
TO DATE. SO IT SEEMS THAT YOU KNOW, LANES ARE SORT OF A LAST RESORT BUT WE DO HAVE PROPERTIES OWNERS THAT ABSENTEE LANDLORDS
WHO ARE KEEPING THEIR PROPERTIES INCREDIBLY POOR CONDITION. SO WE WE LOOKED INTO THAT ANYMORE. I KNOW WE'VE TALKED TO THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO ABOUT IT BUT WHERE ARE WE AT ON THAT ONE?
YES, THANK YOU. THERE'S BEEN A HUGE EFFORT THAT'S BEEN UNDERWAY ACROSS SEVERAL CITY DEPARTMENTS TO KIND OF GET AT THIS CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUE BECAUSE
IT DOESN'T REALLY JUST LIVE WITH ONE OF US. AND SO THERE'S BEEN A GREAT COLLABORATION BETWEEN TREASURY AND THE FINANCE CABINET
COLLEAGUES AND STREETS AND PUBLIC WORKS AND ESD TO REALLY UNDERSTAND AND UNSTICK PARTS OF THIS PROCESS AND UNDERSTAND WHERE THINGS ARE GETTING STUCK .
WE'D LOVE TO KIND OF TALK TO YOU MORE ABOUT SOME OF THAT AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE SORT OF UNCOVERED WHERE IT'S NOT REALLY JUST A DATA ISSUE.
THERE'S YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THE TICKETS ARE ISSUED TO THE APPROPRIATE PERSON, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE THOSE CHALLENGES AND THEN HOW WE ARE
ACTUALLY ABLE TO NOTICE PEOPLE AND ATTEMPT TO COLLECT ON THOSE. AND I THINK THERE'S ALSO A HEARING COMPONENT REQUIRED AS WELL. SO WE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD
TO GET OUR ARMS AROUND THIS AND MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A FUNCTIONING PROCESS SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO NOT ONLY CAPTURE REVENUE BUT ULTIMATELY DETER THE BEHAVIOR WHICH IS I THINK THE GOAL THAT WE ALL HAVE.
YEAH. SO WE'D LOVE TO GIVE YOU MORE OF A BRIEFING AT SOME POINT TOO TO KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ON SOME OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE. THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND THEN YOU KNOW THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF REVENUE COMES IN FROM PERMITTING BUILDING PERMITS. DO WE HAVE ANY PROJECTIONS ON WHAT WHAT THAT ITEM IS GOING TO
LOOK LIKE THIS YEAR GOING FORWARD BECAUSE THERE IS A BIT OF A SLOWDOWN ESPECIALLY IN LAB CONSTRUCTION. YEAH, WE TRY TO IT'S NOT
NECESSARILY CALENDAR WITH YOUR PATTERN LIKE WHEN YOU KNOW WHEN YOU GET THE MOST VALUE FROM THE BUILDING PERMITS BUT I THINK I THINK THEY'RE STRONG THEY'RE SORT OF SOFTENING A LITTLE BIT
JUST PROBABLY RELATING TO THE INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT AND JUST THE APPETITE TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS. IT'S A LITTLE MORE COSTLY FOR PEOPLE LOOKING TO DO WORK.
IT REQUIRES BUILDING PERMITS BUT WE WORK IN TERMS OF REVENUE CONSTRUCTION. THE OTHER THING AND JIM AS YOU KNOW DAVE, DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT THE ISSUE OF TARIFFS IS
GOING TO IMPACT THINGS AS WELL? A LITTLE AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT IN YOUR OPENING REMARKS. YEAH. SO IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT MAY CAUSE AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON PEOPLE BUILDING THINGS AS
WELL OR IF IT'S MORE COSTLY TO GET STEEL AND ALUMINUM AND OTHER BUILDING TARIFFS. AND I KNOW WE WE HAD A
CONVERSATION A FEW MONTHS AGO ABOUT ALTERNATIVE REVENUE SOURCES AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP IN THE CONVERSATION WAS LOOKING AT A REPORT THAT COMPARED BOSTON
WITH DENVER IN TERMS OF POLICE OVERTIME AND THAT SPORTS EVENTS AND DENVER ACTUALLY GENERATE REVENUE. THEY DON'T TAKE MONEY OUT OF THE CITY COFFERS BECAUSE THE
SPORTS IT'S A CHAMPIONSHIP OF GAME THE SPORTS FRANCHISES PAY FOR THE SECURITY OR HELP SUPPORT THE SECURITY OR AND
IT'S IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE EVER LOOKED AT IN BOSTON THE CHAMPIONSHIP TOWN AND ALL THAT OF QUESTION AND I WOULD DEFER TO POLICE ON THE INTRICACIES OF IT BUT WE DO HAVE A THING
CALLED REIMBURSABLE WITH A TO OUR ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SYSTEM BILL FOLKS WERE ASKED TO HAVE OVERTIME AND TO A TO A PROJECT
OR A LOCATION. YEAH, IT KIND OF DOVETAILS WITH DETAILS I THINK ALL THE TIMES IS THE SAME BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE MORE DIRECTLY FROM THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT WHEREAS DETAILS IS MORE OVER TO THE SIDE THAT PARTS OR YOU MAY NOT GET THE CERTAINTY THAT SOMEONE WILL BE THERE. SO THE CHOICES MADE BY THE
PERSON CALLING FOR YEAH DENVER MAKES MONEY AND WE WE'RE IN THE TANK FOR A LOT OF A LOT OF MONEY. THE OTHER THING I HAVE HERE AND THIS IS MORE OF A FROM MY EDUCATION YOU GIVE US THE
TRANSFER FOR THE PURPOSE OF CLOSING ACCOUNTS FOR A CAN TELL YOU IS THIS MONEY THAT'S LEFT IN THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT HAS TO BE HOW DOES THAT WORK LIKE JUST FOR
JUST FOR THOSE WATCHING LIKE WHAT WHAT IS THIS THE TRANSFER OF FOR THE PURPOSE OF CLOSING ACCOUNT IS THAT MONEY THAT'S LEFT IN A DEPARTMENT BUDGET AT THE END OF THE YEAR? IT'S BUDGETARY AUTHORITY LEFT IN DEPARTMENTS OR
APPROPRIATIONS THAT CAN BE UTILIZED BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO COVER SPENDING NEEDS AND THEN SO IT GOES DOES THIS MONEY GO BACK INTO THE FREE CASH POOL
AND IS THAT WHERE IT GOES OR WILL IT USUALLY THE TRANSFER IS DONE TO MAXIMIZE THE SPENDING AUTHORITY SO THAT WOULD REDUCE THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE DOING TO FREE CASH.
OKAY, GOOD. LET'S SEE STATE ID AS CONSISTENTLY GONE DOWN OVER THE
YEARS AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY THAT WAS LIKE AND IT SEEMS THAT IT'S CHALLENGING.
I THINK IT'S CHALLENGING FOR MUNICIPALITIES BUT YOU KNOW IS THAT IS IT WHAT'S THE REASON FOR THAT HISTORICALLY? YEAH, I MEAN YOU'RE CORRECT. IT USED TO BE A BIGGER
PERCENTAGE OF THE CITY'S BUDGET . IT'S IT'S IN THE 11% RANGE NOW BUT IT HAS BEEN AS MUCH AS 30%
OF THE OF THE CITY'S BUDGET. THE NET COMPONENT OF THIS IS THAT THE ASSESSMENTS ARE OUTPACING INCREASES.
SO THE ASSESSMENTS ARE LIKE THE PILOT SCHOOLS AND BETTER YET CHARTER SCHOOL PILOT US AND OUR CHARTER CHARTER SCHOOL CHARTER SCHOOL AND BETTER ASSESSMENTS
YEAH AND WHAT IS THE ASSESSMENT NOW AT THIS POINT IT'S LIKE 100 MILLION AROUND 100 MILLION. 100 MILLION. YEAH. WE'RE GLAD THEY'RE FIXING THE GREEN LINE THAT I THINK THAT'S
ALL I HAVE FOR NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR BREADON AND COUNSELOR MURPHY. THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. A FEW QUESTIONS I KNOW I'VE
ASKED ON THE FLOOR BUT ALSO THROUGH INTERGOVERNMENTAL A FEW TIMES IN THE LAST THREE BUDGETS WE'VE HAD THE AMENDMENT POWERS HERE ON THE COUNCIL AND HAVE
ASKED FOR A BREAKDOWN OF THOSE THAT END UP GETTING PASSED AND IF THEY'VE ACTUALLY BEEN SPENT OUT AND I KNOW THERE IS THE INTER IN THE INTEREST AND OUR FIRST YEAR THEY ALL CAME BACK
AS ILLEGAL AND YOU KNOW COULDN'T DO THEM SOMETHING I DO THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A BETTER GRASP ON THE COUNCIL AND KNOWING THAT EVEN AFTER
SOMETHING SEEMS TO BE APPROVED TRACKING IF IT ACTUALLY WAS EVER SPENT I KNOW ONE EXAMPLE IS THE MILLION DOLLARS THAT COUNCIL OF FLYNN SECURED AND THAT WAS THE ONE THING HE WAS ADVOCATING FOR FOR THE CRIME
LAB. AND THEN WE HAD A HEARING WHERE THE CRIME LAB WAS HERE AND SAID I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT IN OUR DEPARTMENT. ABSOLUTELY WE DIDN'T GET $1,000,000.
SO IF I COULD GO ON THE RECORD AGAIN ASKING FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS OF AMENDMENTS AND I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE BEFORE BECAUSE AS YOU CAN
IMAGINE WE DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE COUNCIL WITH HEARINGS AND WORKING SESSIONS AND COMING TO SOME AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE 13 OF US LIKE WHICH ONES WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE AND
THERE'S THE WHOLE ADDED LEVEL OF COMPLICATION WITH THE WHERE THE POOL COMES FROM. I'VE ADVOCATED FROM THE BEGINNING THAT I THINK THE AMENDMENT SHOULD BE OUT NOW.
SO BEFORE WE START THE BUDGET HEARINGS WITH THE DEPARTMENT SO WE CAN ACTUALLY TALK TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND SAY HEY FIRE DEPARTMENT IT SEEMS LIKE YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE 5 MILLION IN
UNSPENT FUNDS. IS THAT TRUE BECAUSE I WANT TO FUND THIS AND I'M GOING TO PULL FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IT'S OFTEN TEXT MESSAGES, PHONE CALLS HAPPENING FROM INDIVIDUAL
COUNSELORS WITH DEPARTMENTS SAYING HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO PULL FOR MY DEPARTMENT? WE NEED THAT MONEY. SO I DO THINK AND MAYBE IT'S INTENTIONAL I HOPE IT'S NOT BUT THERE'S THIS LIKE LEVEL
OF CONFUSION BETWEEN US ON THE COUNCIL DEPARTMENTS AND THE ADMINISTRATION. SO THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD GET THAT AND AND THEN JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
OVERTIME. I KNOW IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT IS SEEMS TO BE NEGOTIABLE HERE IF WE'RE
TRYING TO FIND MONEY TO FUND OTHER THINGS. AND ONE THING THAT WAS MADE CLEAR AT ONE OF THE HEARINGS LAST YEAR IS THAT OFFICERS
POLICE OFFICERS WILL FILL OUT A FORM TO CHOOSE AND OVER TIME BUT IT'S ONLY BECAUSE THEY KNOW 100% THEY'RE GOING TO BE FORCED
AND IF THERE ARE POLICE OFFICER IN EA 13 THEY MAY BE GETTING FORCED TO GO OVER TO A ONE BUT IF THEY CHOOSE ONE IN THEIR DISTRICT SO THEY CAN SOMEWHAT
CONTROL THE FORCE OF THE OVERTIME BUT ON PAPER IT ENDS UP LOOKING AS THOUGH THESE OFFICERS ARE VOLUNTEER SHARING AND OVERTIME.
AND DO YOU KNOW IF WE'VE COME TO SOME BETTER RECORD KEEPING WAY TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT'S IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT BEING FORCE THEY KNOW THEY'RE BEING FORCED BUT THEY WANT TO AT
LEAST SAY LIKE HEY, IF I'M GOING TO BE FOR TOMORROW'S MY KIDS YOU KNOW, CHAMPIONSHIP BASKETBALL GAME, LET ME TAKE THIS ONE NOW BEFORE THEY FORCE ME TOMORROW. SO BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS, YOU
KNOW, BURDENED WITH A LOT OF THAT OVERTIME I MEAN THERE'S PLENTY OFFICERS WHO WILLINGLY BUT THE MAJORITY THAT I HEAR FROM IS SAYING YOU KNOW THEY'RE FOR SO TO SURVIVE IN THIS
SYSTEM THAT'S REALLY HARD FOR THEM TO KEEP UP WITH THE AMOUNT OF OVERTIME THEY'RE EXPECTED TO WORK THEY'VE FOUND WAYS TO KIND OF SOMEWHAT LESSEN THE BLOW OF IT.
SO DO YOU KNOW IF THERE IS A BETTER MANAGEMENT KEEPING? I DON'T I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION BUT WE CAN FOLLOW. BUT I DO THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE POLITICALLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN ADVOCATES COME, YOU KNOW,
THEY'LL HAVE THESE NUMBERS THAT SAY WELL WAS IT SEEMS AS THOUGH YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALL WILLINGLY TAKING IT WHERE THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT MORE MANAGEABLE FOR THEIR LIFE
THAT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN OTHER THAN THAT, I DO THINK IF WE COULD GET A REAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE AMENDMENTS FROM THESE LAST THREE YEARS AND IF THEY ACTUALLY WERE BECAUSE I
KNOW I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS, JIM, WITH YOU AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT I MEAN I THINK WE AS A COUNCIL ACTUALLY SHOULD RELOOK AT THE WHOLE AMENDMENT PROCESS. IS IT THE BEST WAY WAS
ADVOCATING AND COMMUNICATING AND WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE ADMINISTRATION A BETTER WAY TO GET THINGS ON THE BUDGET THAT YOU WANTED?
MAYBE IT WAS BUT KNOWING WHICH YOU KNOW WHICH PROJECT AND WHICH DEPARTMENTS AND YOU KNOW
WHICH ONES ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO SEE THAT MONEY AND SEE IT THROUGH WHEN IF IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL AMENDMENT WOULD BE HELPFUL BEFORE. AND DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON US PRESENTING THE AMENDMENTS
BEFORE THE DEPARTMENTS COME IN ? I THINK THAT DURING A BUDGET HEARING WITH THE DEPARTMENT PARTICULARLY A LARGER DEPARTMENT IT'S YEAH I THINK YEAH IT MAKES SENSE TO SORT
OF UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WE THAT'S A ROUTINE SORT OF CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE WITH DEPARTMENTS TO ABOUT WHAT
MIGHT BE PREVENTING SOMETHING TOO MOVING AS FAST AND YOU KNOW THERE ARE OPERATIONAL COMPLEXITIES TO THINGS WHETHER IT BE A PROCUREMENT CHANGE OR THINGS LIKE THAT BUT YOU KNOW I
THINK IT'S A GREAT FORUM TO SORT OF DISCUSS THOSE THOSE IN HERE OF WHETHER THERE IS FLEXIBILITY OR NOT. YOU KNOW, I SUSPECT THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TELL YOU THAT
THERE ISN'T AS MUCH FLEXIBILITY YOU KNOW THAT THEY WILL SPEND THAT BUT RIGHT RIGHT. BUT WHEN THEY DO COME IN THEY KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW THEIR BUDGET IS AND WHAT YOU'VE WORKED ON WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO PRESENT.
I MEAN THEY HAVE COME SUPPORTING THAT BUDGET AND THEN WE COME BACK SAYING. OKAY. WELL, YOU SAID YOU CAN DO ALL THE THINGS YOU WANT AND WITH THE MONEY YOU HAVE AND NOW WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SOME AWAY FROM YOU.
RIGHT. SO IT'S BUT I THINK IT TOO IT'S THAT MICROMANAGEMENT TOO, RIGHT NOW WE'RE SAYING WELL WE WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THIS MONEY BUT WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU HOW
TO SPEND IT AND IN MANY WAYS TOO AND I THINK WHEN WE GET THAT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PAST AMENDMENTS AND THE DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE MANY TIMES, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY TAKE IT BUT THEY CAN
I'M PRETTY SURE CHOOSE TO NOT SPEND IT ON WHAT WE INTENDED BUT IT'S MONEY IN THEIR BUDGET AND THEY COULD BE SPENDING IT ON SOMETHING DIFFERENT. SO THAT WOULD BE GOOD INFORMATION TO HAVE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND JUST WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO KARISHMA. WE TRY TO YOU KNOW, KARISHMA
HAS IN OUR OFFICE HAS WORKED ON PROVIDING THE DATA TO COUNCILORS PRIOR TO THE BUDGET HEARINGS. SO WE'RE GOING TO DO A MORE
INTENTIONAL LOOK AT THE NUMBERS THIS YEAR WITH COUNCILORS ON THE OVERSPEND AND UNDERSPENDING. BUT YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR YOU KNOW THOSE NUMBERS WERE
PRESENTED TO COUNCILORS PRIOR TO DEPARTAMENTO AND YEAH, DEPARTMENTS ARE FINE YOU KNOW
THEY RIGHT ABSOLUTELY. NO NO I'M NOT SAYING I'M JUST SAYING LIKE THAT LIKE THEY LIKE THE UNDERSPENDING AND OVERSPENDING NUMBERS HAD BEEN
GIVEN TO COUNCILORS TO JUST YEAH YEAH YOU NEED IT BUT THEN THE DEPARTMENTS WILL SAY THAT'S NOT IT THEY JUST HAVEN'T
FIGURED OUT THAT THE RIGHT TIME BACK TO US TO SAY HEY IT LOOKS LIKE $120 BILLION IN UNSPENT WE
HAVE THIS MONEY RIGHT YOURS WE MAY BE PULLING FROM THAT ONE THE FACT THE THAT YEAH I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS ALL THAT INFORMATION IS GIVEN TO COUNCILORS PRIOR THE DEPARTMENT
TO HEAR RIGHT SO SO WE HAVE THE INFORMATION AND TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS BASED ON THE DATA THAT KARISHMA OUR OFFICE HAS
PROVIDED TO COUNCILORS AND WE'RE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INTENTIONAL TO HELP GAUGE THOSE QUESTIONS AND WORK IN SESSIONS LEADING UP TO THE RELEASE OF THE BUDGET
COUNCIL WHETHER THE FLOOR IS YOURS. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. I THINK I THINK AND JUST A SHOUT TO KARISHMA I THINK ON
THE SURPLUS THE $88 MILLION SURPLUS I THINK IT WAS 54 MILLION WAS SPENT ON POLICE OVER TIME 15 MILLION ON FIRE DEPARTMENT OVERTIME AND
CHRISTMAS THAT I DON'T KNOW AND THEN 19 MILLION ON EXECUTION OF COURSE SO YOU WERE SORT OF JUST WE'RE ALL KNOW WHAT THE
THAT AMOUNT IS I GUESS SO ONE THING THAT CAME UP IN THE I THINK IN THE SCHOOL BUDGET WAS IS AN ISSUE WITH HOW MANY
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE HOW MANY STUDENTS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AND I THINK THEY'VE BEEN PROJECTING SLIGHT GROWTH EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBERS ARE GOING DOWN AND AN ISSUE WITH THAT IS
IF IMMIGRATION IS CUT OFF, YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN FROM FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY OR FROM WHEREVER ELSE AND THAT'S IT.
HOW WOULD IMPACTS ON AND SO THE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM AFFECT OUR REVENUES AND OUR BUDGET AND HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THAT?
IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION DIRECTLY IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE WOULD BE A SUPER DIRECT IMPACT. AS YOU KNOW, MOST OF OUR REVENUE IS PROPERTY TAX DRIVEN AND SO THAT'S SORT OF STABLE
REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING. SO I THINK THERE COULD BE SOME BROADER ECONOMIC IMPACTS TO THE CITY IF WE HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE NOT COMING VISITING YOU KNOW,
CHOOSING TO COME HERE COULD HAVE IMPACTS ON SOME OF THOSE MORE ECONOMICALLY SENSITIVE REVENUES. BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING OUR REVENUE IS STABLE IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT SHOULDN'T BE OVERLY
IMPACTED BY CHANGES. OKAY. AND OKAY. AND THEN JUST IN TERMS OF SO I GET THE NUMBERS RIGHT SO ARE
THERE WAS WE COLLECTED SOMETHING IT'S YOU KNOW 177 MILLION MORE THAN EXPECTED RATE IN PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR WE
BECAUSE OF THE EXECUTION OF COURT'S PUBLIC SAFETY SPENDING THAT ARE NECESSARY WE'RE LEFT WITH 88 MILLION THAT GOES INTO THE FREE CASH POOL
WHICH IS NOW WHAT EXACTLY OUR LATEST FREE CASH CERTIFICATION FROM LAST SPRING WAS ABOUT 515 MILLION SO IT'LL GET RECERTIFIED AGAIN IN A COUPLE
OF MONTHS BASED ON JUNE 30TH 2024 YEAR END. OKAY. SO NOW THAT THAT NUMBERS AND THE 500 MILLION I THOUGHT WAS OVER A BILLION BUT SO OUR FUND
BALANCE OUR TOTAL FUND BALANCES IS I THINK 1.8 BILLION AND THEN THERE'S ALL SORTS OF OFFSETTING LIABILITIES THAT WE NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR AND SO FREE CASH IS THE AMOUNT THAT IS FREE AND
CLEAR AND NOT OFFSET BY LIABILITIES. OKAY. AND THEN FOR BOTH OF THOSE NUMBERS, IS THERE AN ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLE WHAT THE WHEN WHEN THE WHEN THE BOND RATING COMES
OUT WHAT IS THE YOU KNOW, IS A PERCENTAGE OF SOMETHING LIKE WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE SO THE RATING AGENCIES TEND TO LOOK AT THAT LARGER FUND BALANCE NUMBER
THEY'RE NOT SO OR AT LEAST OUR INTERPRETATION IS THEY'RE NOT SO INTERESTED IN THE FREE CASH. THEY'RE MORE INTERESTED IN THAT 1.8 NUMBER. WE AS A CITY HAVE RESERVE
POLICIES THAT DICTATE HOW MUCH WE SHOULD HAVE IN FUND BALANCE RELATIVE TO EXPENDITURES. WE ARE WELL IN EXCESS OF THAT AND THAT GETS CITED IN OUR
RATING REPORTS AS BEING WELL RESERVED IN EXCESS OF SORT OF WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND I'M SORRY WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE PERCENT? SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO GET
THIS WRONG DECREASING. IS IT IN OUR INTEREST? I THINK IT'S IN YEAH I SEND YOU THE POLICY I PROBABLY HAVE IT IN THIS FOLDER BUT IT'S AT
LEAST 15% I THINK OF GAP BASED EXPENDITURES AND SOME OTHER PERCENT OF STATUTORY BASED EXPENDITURES SO I'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW WITH THE POLICY SPECIFICALLY BUT WE ARE RIGHT
NOW THINK OF THE THE STANDARD AS BEING 15% OF EXPENDITURES AT SOMETHING CLOSER TO 30% OF EXPENDITURES. OKAY. AND THEN JUST ANOTHER NUMBER AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
PENSION LIABILITY AND I KNOW WE'RE PAYING MORE OR TRYING TO GET YOU GO FASTER THAN WE'RE REQUIRED TO THAN UNDER STATE LAW.
AND SO HOW MUCH DO DO WE PAY I GUESS IN ADDITION, YOU KNOW THAT AND THAT WE WOULDN'T I GUESS WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE PAYING AND
WHAT THE STATE WOULD OBLIGATE? I THINK ONCE THE STATE GOES TO HAVE US BE FULLY FUNDED BY 2040 AND WE'RE ON COURSE FOR 2027, 2028, 2020. OKAY.
CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME THE NUMBERS? YEAH. SO I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN BREAK DOWN EXACTLY HOW YOUR I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION BUT JUST TO KIND OF DIFFERENTIATE SO I THINK WE SAID OUR PENSION
APPROPRIATION IS SOMEWHERE IN THE 400 $450 MILLION RANGE AT LEAST FOR NEXT YEAR. ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR UNFUNDED
LIABILITY. THE OTHER THIRD IS ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT IS CALLED LIKE NORMAL COSTS JUST KIND OF LIKE THE AMOUNT YOU NEED TO TO FUND THE LIABILITIES THAT YEAR.
SO WE AS WE BECOME FULLY FUNDED, YOU KNOW, WE'LL WILL DROP DOWN AND MAKE THAT SORT OF NORMAL COST APPROPRIATION BUT WE HAVE OTHER UNFUNDED LIABILITIES THAT WE NEED TO
TURN OUR ATTENTION TO IN THE CITY ONCE WE HIT OUR FULL FUNDING. THE PLAN IS TO THEN TAKE THAT MONEY AND MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS OUR OPEB LIABILITY WHICH IS OUR
RETIREE HEALTH CARE LIABILITY. OKAY. AND THEN IS ARE THERE STATE LAWS GOVERNING WHAT THAT NUMBER NEEDS TO BE OR I DON'T BELIEVE THE STATE HAS SET ANY TARGETS
FOR OUR OPEB LIABILITY NOW BUT I THINK IT'S A FOR US IT'S IN EXCESS OF $2 BILLION. I THINK IS OUR UNFUNDED LIABILITY AND WE'VE BEEN CHIPPING AWAY AND KIND OF DOING PAY AS YOU GO BUT NEED TO TURN
TO THAT AFTER. OKAY. AND SO LET ME JUST SUMMARIZE THAT I SAID ABOUT 300 MILLION OR THAT WE PAY INTO THE TO FUND
THE PENSION SYSTEM AND TWO THIRDS OF THAT IS BECAUSE PEOPLE DIDN'T FUND IT PROPERLY BEFORE. YOU KNOW AND WE'VE SPENT THE LAST DECADE OR SO KIND
OF MAKING THAT SOLVENT AND THEN MAYBE AROUND 200 MILLION AND THEN WE WANT TO SHIFT THAT MONEY OUT IN 2029 I GUESS TO TO
MAKE DO THE SAME THING FOR OUR OUR OUR HEALTH CARE PLAN FOR RETIREES PROVIDE THEM WITH HEALTH CARE. OKAY. YEAH, BUT IN TERMS OF THAT FOR
LIFE WOULD YOU SO THAT'S A PART OF EVALUATION SO IT IT MAY BE VERY A LARGE UNFUNDED LIABILITY COULD BE FROM UNATTENDED
SCHEDULE BUT THERE'S THE DYNAMICS OF A VALUATION CHANGE IT WOULD MOVE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS SO THEY THEY YOU COULD GO FROM BEING FULLY FUNDED IN
NORMAL CLASS TO BEING YOU NEED TO USE LABOR TO GROW BASED ON THE DYNAMICS OF THE VALUATION LIKE TO LIVE LONGER WRITE INVESTMENT RETURNS MISS YOUR TARGET SO THERE'S LOTS OF REASONS WHY YOU COULD BE YOU
COULD HAVE AN UNFUNDED LIABILITY NOT JUST WE DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO IT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK CHAIR. THANK YOU. BETWEEN PREVIOUS CBAS AND
PENSION AND DEBT OBLIGATION, HOW MUCH OF THE BUDGET IS ACTUALLY FLEXIBLE?
THAT'S THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION WHICH WE TEND TO APPROPRIATE. I MEAN THAT THAT ALWAYS IS LIKE
WHAT IS FLEXIBLE BECAUSE IT'S THERE'S A TERM I THINK YOU GUYS GET A PRESENTATION FROM THE SUPPLIER DIVERSITY COULD BE THEY USE A TERM CALLED DISCRETIONARY SPEND WHICH I
THINK I DON'T KNOW FEELS A LITTLE STRANGE TO ME WHEN YOU'RE UNDER A WITH A MULTI-YEAR OBLIGATED CONTRACT TO SAY THAT'S REALLY DISCRETIONARY. BUT BUT I THINK WHAT THEY REALLY TRY TO EXPRESS THESE ARE
THINGS THAT ARE OPEN TO COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT THAT YOU KNOW, YOU COULD DIVERSIFY YOUR SUPPLIER BUT WE TRY NOT TO LEAVE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY.
YOU KNOW, IN THE BUDGET WE TRY TO BUDGET BASED ON WHAT WE WHAT ARE THE RECURRING MEANS OF OPERATIONS. THAT'S THAT'S THE CHALLENGE TO WORK WITH DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE
SURE THAT THAT WHAT THEY NEED TO HAVE COVERED IS BUDGETED. WE DON'T LIKE UNBUDGETED EXPENSES SO INCREDIBLE IF THERE'S NO THINGS THAT WE TRY
TO. ARE YOU ABLE TO GIVE ME LIKE A PERCENTAGE OF OF OF THE BUDGET IS WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF OUR BUDGET THAT ACTUAL CBAS PENSION AND DEBT OBLIGATIONS
THAT WE COULD PROBABLY USE? HOW MUCH IS PERSONNEL VERSUS UNION CONTRACTED SERVICES, THAT KIND OF THING. ALL RIGHT. YEAH, CBA UNDER THE CBA IS THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR WORKFORCE
OF UNION EMPLOYEES SO THEY'RE COVERED BY THE CBA. PERFECT. AND THEN A QUESTION AROUND
REVENUE AND FISCAL YEAR 23 WE UNDERESTIMATED REVENUE BY 241 MILLION. I KNOW A GOOD AMOUNT OF THAT
WAS INVESTMENT INCOME AROUND 88 MILLION. OH SORRY. UNDER ESTIMATED 329. 329 MILLION INTEREST INCOME WAS
INTEREST REVENUE WAS 88 WHICH GAVE US IF YOU BACK THAT OUT 241 MILLION AND THEN IN FY 24
WE UNDERESTIMATED REVENUE BY 274,000,133 WAS OF THAT WAS THE INTEREST INCOME WHICH YOU KNOW BACKED THAT OUT 141 MILLION.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS IS THE THE 141 BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THE INTEREST INCOME WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS RELY ON BUT IS THE REVENUE THAT MAKES
UP THE DIFFERENCE AFTER YOU BACK OUT THE INTEREST INCOME LIKE IS THAT SUSTAINABLE REVENUE THAT YOU KNOW WE CAN COUNT ON FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS
AND I'M LOOKING AT YOU KNOW MOTOR VEHICLE TAX THAT HAS JUMPED A GOOD AMOUNT I'M LOOKING AT OTHER DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE THAT HAS INCREASED BY YOU KNOW IT LOOKS LIKE
ALMOST CLOSE TO 20 MILLION ARE THOSE REVENUE THAT WE CAN COUNT ON AND WHAT ARE THE REVENUES THAT HAVE JUMPED AND I PROBABLY BACK TO, YOU KNOW, PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS, RIGHT? SO THAT'S EXACTLY IT.
I MEAN I THINK THE DYNAMIC WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS A REALLY STRONG POST PANDEMIC CATCH UP AND REFLECTING AND TRUING UP A LOT
OF THOSE REVENUES TO REFLECT CLOSER TO ACTUAL COLLECTIONS. AND SO I THINK GOING FORWARD WE STILL EXPECT THOSE REVENUES TO CONTINUE TO GROW BUT THEY WILL
PROBABLY GROW AT A MUCH MORE MODEST CLIP SO THEY'RE RELIABLE AND THEY WILL GROW. BUT WE THINK WE'VE SORT OF CAUGHT UP FROM THAT POST PANDEMIC IMPACT.
AND THEN ANOTHER BIG FACTOR YOU MENTIONED INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS. WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ALSO SOME SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF NEW GROWTH THAT CAME ON TO THE CITY AT THAT POINT.
AND AGAIN, I THINK OUR THEORY THERE IS THAT IT'S A KIND OF POST-PANDEMIC CATCH UP. WE ALSO HAD A REALLY LARGE 121 DAY AGREEMENT EXPIRE I THINK IN
2023 WHICH RESULTED IN A REALLY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN NEW GROWTH COMING ON TO THE TAX ROLLS. SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES I THINK HAPPENING IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT ARE EXPLAINING THOSE
REALLY HIGH REVENUES COMING IN ABOVE BUDGET. BUT AGAIN I THINK OUR EXPECTATION IS GOING FORWARD THEY'LL CONTINUE TO GROW BUT YOU PROBABLY WON'T SEE THOSE, YOU KNOW, REALLY SIGNIFICANT
INCREASES RELATIVE TO BUDGET. AND THEN I GUESS FOR BUDGET AND PURPOSES ARE WE TRYING TO GET AS CLOSE TO THOSE ACTUAL
ESTIMATES? SO I THINK AND JIM CAN CHIME IN WE TRY TO BUDGET REASONABLY RESPONSIBLY BUT ALSO CONSERVATIVELY BECAUSE AS WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT TODAY THERE ARE UNEXPECTED UNEXPECTED COST INCREASES THAT COME IN DURING THE YEAR RELATED TO OVERTIME EXECUTION OF COURSE. SO WE NEED TO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY DURING THE YEAR TO
ABSORB THOSE COST INCREASES. SO IF WE WERE TO BUDGET AND SPEND ALL THE WAY UP TO WHAT WE THINK REVENUE WILL ACTUALLY COME IN, WE'LL BE SHORT ON OUR ABILITY TO COVER THOSE COSTS THROUGH DURING THE YEAR.
SO IT'S A BALANCE WE TRY TO BE REASONABLE BUT ALSO CONSERVATIVE AND GIVE OURSELVES FLEXIBILITY TO DEAL WITH THINGS DURING THE YEAR. ALL RIGHT. THAT MAKES IT WE UNDERSPENT A
LOT ON UTILITIES ACROSS THE BOARD IN FY 24. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WAS ATTRIBUTED TO? I THINK IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERCORRECTION FROM AN F
BY 23 PHENOMENON SO A GOOD CHUNK OF THE UTILITY COSTS ARE MARKET DRIVEN COMMODITY TYPE INFLUENCE.
SO NATURAL GAS, ELECTRICITY SUPPLY AND IF THERE'S A DECENT AMOUNT OF VARIABILITY IN IN THOSE IN THOSE GOT PRICING SO
LET'S SEE BECAUSE AS PEOPLE HOMEOWNERS AND RESIDENTS YOU SEE THAT YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE YOUR OWN BE FUEL NATURAL GAS BILLS SO IT'S IT'S NOT A
STARTER AS PREDICTABLE AS YOU KNOW THERE ARE SOME VARIATIONS ON UTILITIES BUT USUALLY THE UTILITY PROJECTS ARE BAKED INTO LARGE OPERATIONAL DEPARTMENTS
SO THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK AROUND, YOU KNOW, VARIATIONS TO THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. I'LL GO BACK TO MY CANCER COLLEAGUES FOR THREE QUESTIONS IF YOU WANT TO PUT ON YOUR LIGHT.
YOU HAVE THIRD ROUND COUNCILOR FLYNN DISCLOSURES. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON A QUESTION FROM COUNCILOR MURPHY
BUT THE THE AMENDMENT PROCESS, WHETHER IT WAS INTRA OR INTER IS THAT SO WHEN WOULD A DEPARTMENT RECEIVES THAT MONEY SUCH AS THE BOSTON POLICE FROM
FROM OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IS THAT OPTIONAL FOR THEM TO DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO SPEND IT ON REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS FROM THE CITY
COUNCIL IT'S IN THIS IS TRUE OF OF ANY BUDGET WHETHER IT'S SPONSORED BY THE MERITS THERE IS SOME SORT OF DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY. IT FLOWS FROM THE MAYOR THROUGH
TO THE DEPARTMENT. ED TO MODIFY THE OPERATIONAL PLAN TO AND EXECUTE IT IN THE BEST WAY THEY TO DELIVER THE
SERVICES. THERE IS THERE IS THAT OPTIONALITY ON WHAT IS IT PROVIDES ITS. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
AND THE REASON I ASK IS I ADVOCATED FOR THE 1 MILLION FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE CRIME LAB AND YOU KNOW,
I WANTED US IN I BELIEVE WAS NECESSARY. I BELIEVE IT IS STILL NECESSARY FOR US TO USE THE MOST ADVANCED TESTING EQUIPMENT AND
TECHNOLOGY ESPECIALLY FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS WHICH IS CALLED Y SCREENING. THAT'S NOT TAKING PLACE.
BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A CRIME LAB THAT'S SMALL AND DOES IT REALLY DOESN'T WORK ANY LONGER. WE NEED A STATE OF THE ART
CRIME LAB WITH Y SCREENING. BUT WHY WASN'T THAT MONEY SPENT ON WHY SCREENING WHEN CLEARLY THE CITY COUNCIL WANTED IT TO
BE SPENT ON Y SCREENING WHICH WHICH IS THE PREFERRED METHOD OF TESTING SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS ? YEAH. AND I KNOW THERE WAS A HEARING
THAT SPOKE TO THAT ISSUE. IT'S I WOULD I WOULD DEFER TO THE PUBLIC OR THE POLICE COMMISSIONER TO TO SAY YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT'S THE BEST APPROACH? BUT THE ONLY PROBLEM IS JIM
I'VE ASKED THEM THAT QUESTION I'VE WRITTEN WRITTEN TO THEM I'VE WRITTEN TO THE MAYOR AND TO THE POLICE COMMISSIONER. I HAVEN'T RECEIVED A RESPONSE. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THE QUESTION NOW.
BUT I, I, I WORKED HARD TO GET THAT MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE BOSTON POLICE FOR SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CRIME LAB AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MONEY IS
SPENT APPROPRIATELY FOR FOR THAT REASON. BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ANYBODY. THAT'S WHY I'M KIND OF ASKING AND SOMEWHAT CONCERNED ABOUT IT
BECAUSE RESIDENTS HAVE ASKED ME ED, YOU'VE YOU'VE ADVOCATED AND YOU'VE GOT 100 YOU'VE GOT $1,000,000 AT THE CRIME LAB BUT WE DON'T WE DON'T HAVE THE WE
DON'T SEE THE RESULTS YET. IT HASN'T TAKEN PLACE. AND SO I NEED TO GIVE RESIDENTS AN ANSWER OF OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT AND I JUST CAN'T CONTINUE TO SAY WE DON'T WE
DON'T KNOW BUT HOW ARE WE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH RESIDENTS ON EXACTLY. TAXPAYER MONEY THAT WAS SPENT FOR ALLOCATED FOR ONE PURPOSE
THAT HASN'T BEEN ALLOCATED FOR THAT PURPOSE THE PURPOSES FOR HAVING AN ADVANCED STATE OF THE ART CRIME LAB WITH THE WAY SCREENING TESTING, ASSAULT KITS
BUT ALSO HAVING THE RIGHT TOOLS IN THE CRIME LAB BUT I'M NOT GETTING ANY ANSWERS, JIM, FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THERE'S NO ONE IN THIS DEPARTMENT, NO ONE IN THE CITY
COUNCIL THAT HAS DONE MORE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAN THAN THAN MYSELF. SO CAN YOU HELP ME, JIM, WITH AN ANSWER?
I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO FIND OUT THE DETAILS OF THAT. I THINK THERE IS THAT ELEMENT OF THE INTEREST THAT DOESN'T ACTUALLY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN THAT PART OF THE
BUDGET. SO IT'S AND THEN YOU KNOW, IT'S A DECISION ABOUT RESOURCE ALLOCATION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT REALLY YOU KNOW WHAT WHERE DO THEY HOW WOULD THEY BEST EXECUTE ON.
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN LET ME SHIFT TO THE CHAIR, MR CHAIR, YOU KNOW THE WHAT THE QUESTION IS HOW CAN I GET AN ANSWER? I'VE REQUESTED AN ANSWER FROM THE MAYOR AND FROM THE POLICE
COMMISSIONER ON THIS MILLION DOLLARS THE Y SCREENING I WANT TO SEE THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY USED IN THE IN THE CRIME LAB. I WANTED A STATE OF THE ART CRIME LAB WHICH WE ALLOCATED
THE MONEY FOR. WE ALL SUPPORTED IT BUT WE DON'T HAVE A YEAR. MR CHAIR, WHAT WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT AND CAN YOU HELP ME? YEAH, IT'S KIND OF SIMILAR TO THE REQUEST THAT COUNCILOR MURPHY HAS MADE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING ON WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ON AND WHICH IS JUST GETTING AN UPDATE NOT JUST THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR AMENDMENTS BUT PREVIOUS YEARS
AMENDMENTS TO JUST YOU KNOW SEE WHAT PROGRESS THEY HAVE MADE ON ALL OF THE AMENDMENT THAT THIS COUNCIL IN PREVIOUS ITERATIONS OF COUNCILS HAVE.
SO WE'RE WAITING ON ON THAT ON THAT SHEET NOT JUST FOR YOU KNOW, YOUR YOUR AMENDMENT BUT EVERY AMENDMENT THAT HAS COME THROUGH THIS BODY THROUGH THE NEW AMENDMENT POWERS YOU KNOW,
BUT LET ME JUST FINISH ONE MORE POINT IS WE HAD A SEXUAL ASSAULT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH IS PROBABLY 100 YARDS FROM FROM MY HOUSE OF WHERE A YOUNG WOMAN IN MY COMMUNITY WAS
PICKED UP BY AN UBER DRIVER ON FS TWO ON THE CORNER OF F STREET AND BROADWAY. I DROVE A SHORT WALK FROM THERE WALK FROM THERE BUT I NEED TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN FOR YOUNG
WOMAN IN MY COMMUNITY IN THIS CITY AS WELL AND I JUST CAN'T SIT BACK HERE AND WAIT FOR ANSWERS. I'M LOOKING FOR ANSWERS ON HOW WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE A STATE
OF THE ART CRIME LAB. HOW CAN WE INVEST MORE RESOURCES IN POLICE PERSONNEL INTO SOLVING SEXUAL ASSAULTS, PREVENTING SEXUAL ASSAULTS
BECAUSE WE CAN'T SIT HERE ANY LONGER AND DO NOTHING. WE NEED FINGERPRINTING FROM OVERDRIVE US AND A LIFT TRAVIS WE NEED A TRANSFER
OF SUPERVISION FROM THE OBSCURE STATE AGENCY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES TO THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO OVERSEE ALL BURN LIFT DRIVERS.
BUT IS THAT GOING TO BE A PRIORITY IN THIS BUDGET? SOME WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE POLICE COMMISSIONER ON THAT IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE NEW ELEMENTS THAT YOU JUST
INTRODUCED. BUT MR CHAIR, MY MY ISSUES AND IT'S NOT JIM'S FAULT IT'S NOT ASHLEY FAULT BUT I'M STILL I'M
STILL WAITING AND I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING I POSSIBLY CAN FOR MY CONSTITUENTS AND FOR THE AND TO PREVENT THESE CRIMES FROM HAPPENING. BUT I'M NOT GETTING THE
COOPERATION AND SUPPORT ON THIS. YEAH AND I BELIEVE THIS BODY SUPPORTED THAT AMENDMENT. WE SUPPORTED MAKING SURE THAT
YOUR ADVOCACY WAS HEARD AND WE SUPPORTED YOU PUSHING FOR THOSE INVESTMENTS IN THOSE RESOURCES FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE ALONGSIDE YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT
THOSE INVESTMENTS AND THOSE RESOURCES ARE REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET. SO WE'LL PUT IT IN THE LETTER THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEND TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE CFO.
WE'RE GOING TO GET AN UPDATE ON ALL THE AMENDMENT. BUT THIS BODY DID STAND WITH YOU ON THAT AMENDMENT AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU
AND YOUR ADVOCACY FOR THE CRIME LAB AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE FULLY SUPPORTED TO DO THE WORK THAT THE CITY EXPECTS THEM TO DELIVER. SO THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN.
YES. ALL RIGHT, MR CHAIR. COUNCILOR BRAIDING DISCLOSURES? YEP. YEP. THANK YOU. I HAVE TOUCHED FOR ANOTHER MEETING. I THINK ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE AN OVERARCHING IS IS AN
OVERARCHING MANAGEMENT ISSUE IS IS THE LACK OF A CLEAR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT CALLS THE SHOTS OPERATIONALLY ACROSS THE WHOLE ENTERPRISE OF THE CITY I THINK
AND THE THINK THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IT USED TO BE CALLED ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE AND THEN IT GOT SPLIT OUT AROUND 2022 FINANCIAL YEAR
2022 THAT WAS 2021 TO BECOME A SO ASHLEY'S JOB AS THE CHIEF OF FINANCE CHIEF OF THE FINANCE CABINET BUT WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE ADMINISTRATION PIECE AND
ALEX LYONS IS THE CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER BUT THAT'S HUMAN RESOURCES PEOPLE, OPERATIONS, RESPONSIBILITY IS ONLY ONE COMPONENT OF THE ADMINISTER OF THE MEANING OF ADMINISTRATION.
SO THEN THAT MAKES YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE BUMPING INTO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS THE CRIME LAB GETS THE EQUIPMENT TO BE ABLE TO DO Y
YOU KNOW, TO REALLY HAVE SOMEBODY IN THE ADMINISTRATION PIECE OF IT TO TO RUN INTERFERENCE ON THESE ISSUES THAT WE KEEP BUMPING INTO ALL THE TIME AND THAT ALSO GOES
OVER INTO THINKING ABOUT CAPITAL BUDGETS, ETC. SO THAT WE TIE ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER. IT'S LIKE WE'RE ALL TALKING IN ROOMS UNCONNECTED TO EACH OTHER.
IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING. AND THEN THE OTHER ISSUE REALLY IS JUST THINKING ABOUT HIRING. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE
UNDERSTAFFED. THEY'VE TRIED TO HIRE STAFF. WE'VE GIVEN THEM THE MONEY TO HIRE STAFF BUT THEY'RE STILL UNDERSTAFFED AND THEY'RE THE FOLKS ARE GETTING BURNED OUT. THE PROJECTS AREN'T GETTING
THEY DON'T HAVE PROJECT MANAGERS ARE NOT GETTING DONE AND THE COMMUNITIES ARE JUST GETTING MORE AND MORE FRUSTRATED AND ONE PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT I'M GOING TO MENTION IS BTD AND THE TRANSPORTATION
DEPARTMENT. YOU KNOW, IT'S IT JUST SEEMS THAT THEY'RE UNDER A LOT OF STRESS AND THERE'S A LOT MORE MORE WORK THAN THEY'VE GOT STAFF TO DO AND THEN THESE
PROJECTS GET WAY BEHIND. SO BY THE TIME WE GET A GET A TO IMPLEMENTING MAYBE THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF A OF A PLANNING STUDY OR SOMETHING,
THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND IT'S NOT IT'S IT'S NOT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AREN'T APPROPRIATE ANYMORE. SO I THINK YOU KNOW IN TERMS OF JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW WE
HAVING AN ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT SERVICES ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT LIKE WE USED TO HAVE THAT WE COULD TRY AND CLEAN UP SOME OF THESE THE SORT OF SORT
OF SORE POINTS THE PLACES WHERE WE'RE GETTING STUCK AND SEE IF WE COULD SMOOTH IT OUT AND BE MORE EFFICIENT IN OUR MANAGEMENT AND THAT INCLUDES LIKE STRATEGIC PLANNING AND LONG TERM POLICY DECISIONS
ABOUT HOW WE MANAGE THINGS GOING FORWARD AND AND JUST TO BRING IT MORE INTO A UNITARY EXECUTIVE WHERE THINGS ALL SORT OF WORK TOGETHER AND ARE TIED TOGETHER AND THEN WE GET SOME
PREDICTABILITY AND AND MORE AND MORE BANG FOR OUR BUCK ALMOST. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MAKES SENSE AND PROBABLY I HAVE TO GO TO ANOTHER MEETING I'M SORRY BUT I THINK IT MERITS
FURTHER CONSIDERATION OR FURTHER CONVERSATION BECAUSE I ,I KNOW WE WE REORGANIZE THE STRUCTURE OF THE CITY REGULARLY AND YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS THAT
THIS ADMINISTRATIVE PIECE OF IT IS IS WANTING RIGHT NOW BE IT FINANCE TEAM RICH HUMAN PEOPLE STREET TEAM BUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE PIECE SEEMS TO
BE LOST IN THE MIX A LITTLE THANK YOU. I'M SORRY I HAVE TO DASH BUT THANK YOU. I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. BUT THE MEETING THAT WE WANTED TO HAVE AND BUT AND THANK YOU ALL.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BREADON AND YOU ALWAYS GET THE WHEELS TURNING. SO YEAH, I THINK THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING I WOULD
WANT TO EXPLORE FURTHER WITH YOU ON ON THAT PIECE. COUNCILOR MURPHY, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, CHAIR ON THE
AMENDMENT PIECE ALSO MORE JUST A STATEMENT THERE'S THE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF THE CRIME LAB BUT I DO THINK THIS BODY WOULD BE VERY SURPRISED AT HOW
MANY OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE REALLY SPENT A LOT OF HOURS IN MY COMMENT EARLIER I THINK WAS LOST IN TRANSLATION IN NO WAY DID I SAY I DON'T HAVE THE DATA OR THE INFORMATION FROM EACH
DEPARTMENT BEFORE WE GO BEFORE THESE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO ADVOCATE AND TALK ABOUT THEIR BUDGET. BUT IT IS TRUE THAT WE AS A BODY DO NOT VOTE ON AND HAVE
THE MEETINGS TO DECIDE WHICH AMENDMENTS WE'RE GOING TO PUT FORWARD UNTIL AFTER WE'VE MET WITH EACH DEPARTMENT HEAD. SO THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAPPEN AFTER WE'VE ALREADY HAD MOST OF OUR MEETINGS WITH EACH
DEPARTMENT WHERE WE ARE HAVING THOSE WORKING SESSIONS AND DECIDING WHICH AMENDMENTS ARE GOING TO MAKE IT FORWARD. SO THE TIMING OF THAT IS WHAT I'M SAYING I THINK SHOULD HAPPEN FIRST. SO BEFORE TRANSPORTATION,
BEFORE THE ARTS AND CULTURE BEFORE EVERY DEPARTMENT COMES BEFORE US WE ALREADY KNOW OR HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT AMENDMENTS ARE. YOU KNOW THIS BODY IS GOING TO
BE PASSING COME TIME FOR THE FINAL VOTE ON THE BUDGET. I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AND I DO THINK CAN YOU CHAIR GIVE ME THE DATE OF THE FIRST TIME YOU REQUESTED WAS IT WHEN
I ASKED IT AT ONE OF THOSE BUDGET MEETINGS OR HAS YOUR OFFICE BEEN ASKING FOR THAT LIST OF AMENDMENTS FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS? ALSO THE HEAD OFFICE HAS BEEN ASKING DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU
FIRST ASKED I KNOW I CAN'T REMEMBER BUT I MEAN THEY DO IGNORE 17 HOURS BUT MAYBE WE FILE IT AS A 17 OFF IT. NO, THEY ARE THEY I HAVE HEARD
THAT THEY HAVE MAKING PROGRESS ON TRACKING DOWN AND PROVIDING UPDATES ON ALL THE AMENDMENTS BECAUSE IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A LIST. AND ONE THING I KNOW MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL SAY LIKE WHAT
IS IT LESS THAN 1% RIGHT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY WE ACTUALLY HAVE POWER OVER SENDING AMENDMENTS OVER IS A IT'S A SMALL LIST OF ONLY THREE OR SO.
IT DEFINITELY SEEMS LIKE IT'S A MANAGEABLE ASK TO GET THAT ANSWER SOON SO THAT WE CAN REALLY BECAUSE FOR ME IT'S GOING TO TELL ME LIKE HOW MUCH
IS THE ADMINISTRATION ACTUALLY LISTENING TO WHAT THE COUNCIL'S ASKING FOR BECAUSE COMMISSIONER COX I'LL USE THAT EXAMPLE IS TOLD LIKE HEY THIS ISN'T JUST A RECOMMENDATION.
THE COUNCIL ALL AGREED THAT THEY WANTED THIS YOU HAVE TO IMPLEMENT THIS OR IF YOU'RE SAYING TO THE PARKS COMMISSIONER THE CITY COUNCIL AGREED ON THIS SMALL AMOUNT AND THEY REALLY WANT IT
TO GO TO THIS YOU CAN'T DECIDE TO USE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION TOO. ARE WE HAVING THE COMMITMENT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE IF THE ASK IS COMING FROM THE
MAYOR IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND IT SHOULD. SHE'S THE MAYOR, RIGHT? SO IF THE MAYOR IS SAYING NO, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY THIS WAY AND IF WE CAN GET THAT COMMITMENT ALSO THAT OUR AMENDMENTS AREN'T JUST
SUGGESTIONS BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE SEEN THROUGH BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY SPEND A LOT OF TIME DEBATING AND DECIDING ON WHICH ONES WE
THINK AND THEN SOME YOU KNOW, POLITICAL GAMES COME WITH IT, RIGHT? LIKE ARE YOU TRYING TO CUT THE POLICE? ARE WE CUTTING VETERANS? ARE WE DOING THIS? AND AT THE END OF THE DAY PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SAY THERE'S MONEY TO BE SPENT.
LET'S PUT IT TO THESE VALUABLE THINGS THAT WE CARE ABOUT. SO HOPING YOU GET THAT LIST SOON IF THERE IS ANYTHING WE AS A BODY COULD DO TO HELP SUPPORT
GETTING OUT, LET US KNOW PLEASE . ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. CASTLE WEBER. YEAH. JUST AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET LAST YEAR WE LOOKED AT
SOME DEPARTMENTS WHATEVER THEIR PARKS, YOU KNOW, WOULD HAVE HISTORICALLY HAVE 2030 OPENINGS A YEAR. I GUESS SO WHAT HAPPENS IF WE'RE BUDGETING FOR THOSE
POSITIONS? WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT MONEY? IF YOU CAN DO HYPOTHETICAL YOU PICK AN ACTUAL DEPARTMENT THAT'S YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S
MONEY BUDGETED BUT THEN IT DOESN'T GET USED I'M ASSUMING BECAUSE THOSE POSITIONS DON'T GET FILLED SO THAT HOW DOES THAT WORK AND HOW DO WE USE THAT INFORMATION? YEAH.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S UNDERSPENDING IN A DEPARTMENT WHETHER IT'S DUE TO PERSONNEL LIKE YOU MENTIONED OR OTHER REASONS THOSE OVERAGES CAN THEN BE USED TO COVER SHORTFALLS ELSEWHERE.
SO THAT'S NOT TRANSFERS DOCUMENT THAT WE PROVIDED TO YOU AND THEN WHATEVER IS LEFTOVER BECOMES FUND BALANCE BECOMES PRE CASH JUST BUILDS UP IN OUR RESERVES I'LL LET JIM
SPEAK TO KIND OF HOW THEY ADJUST DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS EACH YEAR KIND OF BASED ON EXPERIENCE. YOU KNOW THE PRIOR YEAR EXPERIENCE AND IF YOU COULD JUST ADDRESS THE SORT
OF SOMETHING THAT WE SAW WAS OVER SEVERAL YEARS THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES INCREASING AND THE BUDGET INCREASING, IT JUST
DIDN'T QUITE MAKE SENSE TO ME. THAT MEANS JUST GROW IT THE THE GOAL IS TO FILL MOST OF THESE
VACANCIES IS AN ASSUMPTION WHERE YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT WHERE WE CALL SALARY SAVINGS SO WE DON'T FUND EVERY SINGLE POSITION THAT SOMEONE SOMEONE'S GOING TO BE
IN IT YOU KNOW, 52 WEEKS A YEAR THERE'S THIS EXPECTATION THAT THERE'LL BE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CHURN. THAT'S THAT'S THE REALITY OF TODAY'S WORKFORCE. PEOPLE MOVE IN AND OUT OF JOBS
BUT THERE'S BEEN A BUT I THINK THAT COBRA DYNAMIC REALLY SET US OFF IN A DIFFERENT WAY. I THINK IT IMPACTED THE WORK FORCE ACROSS A LOT OF SECTORS
BUT IN GOVERNMENT PARTICULARLY IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE STOPPED, YOU KNOW, FEELING LIKE A PURE CLASS BECAUSE WE WERE IN A PERIOD WHERE WE
COULDN'T OF BECAUSE OF PEOPLE WERE STAYING AT HOME ENFORCING THE SAME REGULATIONS, THE SAME WAY. SO THEY SAID THEY WOULD DEFER THEIR THEIR WORKING TOWARDS THAT IT WAS AN EFFORT
OF RECRUITING FOLKS INTO THESE ROLES. I THINK WE'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN DOING THINGS LIKE RECRUITING AND HIRING AND AND ALSO LOOKING AT JOBS, IMPROVING
JOB DESCRIPTIONS TO TO FILL THESE VACANCIES SO WE'RE WE'RE DOING IT AGGRESSIVELY IN THE STREETS CABINET FOR, YOU KNOW, FRONTLINE POSITIONS LIKE
PARTNER ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, OTHER SORT OF FRONT LINE TYPE POSITIONS. I'M JUST SAYING LIKE WHY WOULD THE BUDGET IF THERE'S YOU KNOW,
THERE'S 30 OPEN POSITIONS LIKE WHAT'S IT WHY WOULD THE BUDGET INCREASE 25% SALARY SAVINGS? YEAH I MEAN THAT IS THIS THERE IS AN ASPIRATIONAL GOAL TO FILL
THOSE POSITIONS AND WHAT OFTEN HAPPENS IS WHEN THAT POSITION IS VACANT SERVICES OFTEN STILL GET DELIVERED BUT JUST ON AN OVERTIME BASIS. SO THERE IS THAT CONNECTION.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN A LOT OF FRONTLINE DEPARTMENTS IS ALSO A COMPONENT WORKERS CLUB SO IF SOMEONE IS INJURED WHILE WORKING THE SERVICES TO PROVIDE
IT IS JUST THEN COVERED BY YOU KNOW, AN OVERTIME SHIFT WHILE A PERSON IS INJURED. SO YEAH, IT'S WE DO WE'VE BEEN WORKING OUR WAY OUT OF A LITTLE
BIT OF A YOU KNOW A TROUGH IN BUT WHERE THE GOAL IS IS TO FILL AS MANY POSITIONS AS REASONABLE A LEVEL OF SERVICE OKAY SO JUST ONE LAST QUESTION WE BUDGETED INCREASE 8% LAST
YEAR. I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT IN THIS SPACE AND PART OF THE REASON WAS THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT BEING MOVED OVER
WHAT'S THE IS IS DOES THAT MEAN WHERE IS THAT GOING TO REPEAT THE NEXT BUDGET OR HOW DOES WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING IN TERMS
OF HOW THAT WOULD YOU KNOW HOW WOULD THAT IN FOR THAT MOVEMENT AFFECT THIS UPCOMING BUDGET? YEAH SO THE ABSORPTION OF THE PLANNING FUNCTION INTO THE CITY'S OPERATING BUDGET HAPPENED LAST YEAR THAT
REPRESENTED YOU KNOW, ABOUT A 1% OF THAT OVERALL BUDGETARY GROWTH. NOW WE WILL EXPECT THAT THAT DEPARTMENT WILL GROW AT A MORE YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE
100% INCREASING THAT DEPARTMENT AGAIN AND AGAIN SO IT'LL GROW KIND OF MORE NORMALLY. SO WE'RE NOT EXPECTING A MASSIVE INCREASE DUE TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT SIDE 12 IN THE PRESENTATION GIVES A LITTLE
BIT OF INFORMATION ON OUR OVERALL REVENUE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE NEXT YEAR SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FOUR AND 5% GROWTH. SO THAT'S OUR PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE FOR OVERALL GROWTH FOR NEXT YEAR.
OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. COUNCILOR WHETHER I APPRECIATE
YOUR LINE OF QUESTIONS IF IF WE ARE UNDER BUDGET OR IF WE DON'T FILL THE POSITION IN PERSON NOW
AND WE AND WE ARE WE AS THE ADMINISTRATION THEN ABLE TO USE I THINK YOU HAVE SAID THIS THE MINE DOES NOT USE IN PERSONNEL
DO YOU HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND THAT'S HOW THAT MONEY IS USED OR HOW YOU TRANSFER THAT MONEY BETWEEN THE AUDIT DEPARTMENTS WILL TRANSFER
RESOURCES BETWEEN LINES SO IF THEY HAVE A ON ANTICIPATED CONTRACTUAL EXPENSE OR SUPPLY OR EQUIPMENT EXPENSE THEY CAN MOVE MONEY BETWEEN ONCE THE
APPROPRIATION WAS TRANSFERRED. GOT IT RIGHT. AWESOME. AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL TO WOULD HAVE FOR APPROVAL TO MOVING THAT MONEY AROUND LONG AS IT'S
WITHIN THE OVERALL APPROPRIATION THAT'S FINE. IT DOES ACTUALLY HAS A MAYOR'S OFFICE APPROVAL BUT OKAY WE OVER BUDGET IT CHARTER SCHOOL
ASSESSMENTS BY 15 MILLION HOW DO WE FORECAST THAT BUDGET LINE ITEM IT WELL THAT'S A DYNAMIC THAT RUNS THROUGH THE COMMONWEALTH SO WE BUDGET BASED
ON WHAT THE GOVERNOR OKAY APPROPRIATES AND SO IT'S ALSO A FUNCTION OF HOW THE ENROLLMENT IS PLAYS OUT IN THE CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THERE ARE SOME
MIGRATORY THINGS OR PEOPLE MOVE OUT OF THE DISTRICT YOU KNOW A LOT OF IF YOU ARE IN A CHARTER SCHOOL YOU MOVE TO OUTSIDE OF BOSTON I DON'T KNOW THAT'S A HUGE PHENOMENON YOU TO CHARGE
TO THE OTHER TOWN ADJACENT TOWNS AND THEN DO WE HAVE A BALLPARK ON HOW MUCH PERSONNEL WILL GROW IN FY 26 BASED ON THE
ALREADY AGREED UPON CBAS? YEAH, I WOULD THINK THE CBA GROWTH WOULD BE IN THAT WOULD FOLLOW THAT SAME SORT OF YOU KNOW, TWO AND A HALF TO 3%
RANGE. BUT I KNOW WE ALSO ADDED THE LIKE THE 405 400 500 STEP INCREASES LIKE IT WAS LIKE YEAH IT'S A WHOLE A LOT OF THOSE
AGAIN WITHIN A YEAR ALSO JUST IN EUROPE POSITION YOU MOVE UP ON STEPS TO THE RIGHT IT'S A IT'S A COMBINATION OF THE MIX OF EMPLOYEES AND WHERE THEY ARE ON THE PAY SCALE THE SPECIFIC
IMPLICATIONS FOR A SO RIGHT ARE YOU ABLE TO PROVIDE HOW MUCH THE BUDGET WOULD GO JUST BASED OFF OF THOSE CBAS YEAH, I THINK WE CAN PROVIDE AN ESTIMATE OF THAT. IT'S UP IT'S IT'S ALWAYS A
FUNCTION OF LIKE IT'S IT'S IT'S INVOLVES PEOPLE SO IT'S LIKE A POSITION IS FILLED RIGHT IF IT'S NOT RIGHT WHO IS IT WHEN WE CREATED THE BUDGET WHO IS IT NOW RIGHT.
YEAH YOU CAN BASE IT OFF ON ACTUAL PERSONNEL THAT YOU CAN TAKE A POINT IN TIME, RIGHT? YEAH I GUESS THAT MIGHT BE ALL
OF MY QUESTION THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THE YOU KNOW EXECUTION OF COURT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OVER
TIME, YOU KNOW BEING MORE REFLECTIVE OF YOU KNOW, PAST SPENDING. I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO SEE THAT AND THEN AND I AND I THINK
IF WE IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT THEN YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALSO JUST MAKE SURE THAT OUR REVENUE RIGHT IS KIND OF IN LINE WITH WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GOING TO BE COLLECTING.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE ALL MY COUNCIL COUNSELOR COLLEAGUES QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO START THIS BUDGET PROCESS UP SOONER A
LOT EARLIER BY HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS TO EQUIP MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WITH, YOU KNOW, MORE INFORMATION BEFORE WE DIVE INTO DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENTOF HEARINGS AND EVEN
BEFORE THE BUDGET WAS RELEASED. ALSO THERE'LL BE OTHER UPCOMING HEARING AROUND JOBS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS TO DIVE INTO THAT AND THEN WORKING SESSIONS ON
THE NUMBERS SO THAT WE CAN DIVE MORE INTO THE OVERSPENDING AND THE SPENDING ON THAT SO THAT WHEN WE GO INTO THE DEPARTMENT OR HEARINGS WE CAN ASK THOSE TOUGH QUESTIONS ON WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN AND IF WE WERE TO MOVE MONEY AROUND BUT ALSO TO, YOU KNOW, EX DEPARTMENT HEADS ON IF THEY HAD THE CAPACITY ON TAKING ON SOME OF OUR NEW IDEAS. I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE
CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD WHEN WE'RE INTRODUCING AMENDMENTS IS IF THAT DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO TAKE ON AN I'LL USE COUNCIL WEBBER'S
AMENDMENT ACCESS TO COUNCILOR RIGHT SOMETIMES THEY MIGHT TAKE IT MIGHT THERE MIGHT BE A PROCESS RIGHT THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER FOR OUR AMENDMENT TO BE ACTUALLY
REALIZED. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION, LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PROCESS. I WANT TO THANK JIM AND ASHLEY FOR ALWAYS BEING RESPONSIVE AND
BEING HERE TODAY AND WITH THAT THE HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER
0325 IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU Part: 2
HUH. FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS HEATHER SANTANA AT-LARGE CITY COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
TODAY IS FEBRUARY 27, 2025. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAM AT BOSTON.COM FLASH CITY BASH
COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCASTED ON FINNISH CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES CHANNEL 9644 WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL C CC
EDUCATION AT BOSTON DOT GOV AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO OUR 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 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON RON COBB. RON COBB BOSTON.COM FOR THE
LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0267. ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENT ATHLETES THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS MURPHY, COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 15, 2025.
TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR PEP AND COUNCILOR MARIA. COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR CANDIDATES ABOUT THAT. COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.
WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCIL PRESIDENT RUSSI LOUIJEUNE. I'D LIKE TO HAND THE FLOOR OVER NOW TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR OPENING REMARKS BEGINNING WITH
THE LEAD SPONSORS AND ORIGINAL CO-SPONSORS AND THEN PROCEEDING IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL FOR OUR COLLEAGUES. SO WITH WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR BEING HERE. THIS WAS A HEARING ORDER WE FILED LAST YEAR ALSO AND REFILED AGAIN THIS YEAR AFTER
THE WINTER SPORTS AND HEARING AGAIN FROM STUDENT ATHLETES, PARENTS, COACHES, PRINCIPALS ABOUT CONCERNS AROUND TRANSPORTATION ONE OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, I'M GOING TO READ SOME OF THE HEARING ORDER SO WE KNOW WHAT WE SPECIFICALLY WANT TO ADDRESS HERE TODAY. MANY OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES AND BHP'S ATHLETIC TEAMS PRACTICE AND COMPETE AT
FACILITIES THAT ARE FAR AWAY FROM THEIR SCHOOLS AND ARE RELIANT ON SCHOOL BUSSES TO TRANSPORT ATHLETES TO THEIR GAMES AND PRACTICES. HOWEVER THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE SCHOOL BUSSES DO NOT SHOW
UP AT ALL FOR STUDENT ATHLETES WHO ARE EXPECTING TRANSPORTATION LEAVING THEM STRANDED AT THEIR SCHOOLS OR HAVE TO FIND TRANSPORTATION ON THEIR OWN TO GET TO THEIR GAMES. I DO KNOW AND I HOPE TO GET
THAT ANSWER TODAY. NOT ALL SCHOOLS HAVE ALL OF THE SPORTS THAT ARE OFFERED. NOT EVERY TEAM DOES HAVE A GUARANTEE OF TRANSPORTATION
WHICH I AM AWARE OF BUT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE WILL BE TRANSPORTATION SO THEY ARE RELYING ON A BUS TO SHOW UP IS WHERE I THINK IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM.
I THINK A BIGGER CONVERSATION ALSO CAN BE AROUND DO WE NEED TO EXPAND OFFERING TRANSPORTATION TO SOME OF OUR OTHER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE MORE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THE
SPORTS? A FEW OF THE EXAMPLES IS BOSTON HIGH REACHED OUT SEVERAL TIMES. THEY HAD ISSUES WITH THEIR BASKETBALL GAMES. LAST MONTH THERE WAS MANY BLACK
HOCKEY TEAMS I KNOW THE GIRLS HOCKEY TEAM HAD THEIR GAME IN MARTHA'S VINEYARD. MY DAUGHTER PLAYED ON THAT TEAM AND I KNOW THERE WAS A THAT WAS ALWAYS THAT FUN GAME WHERE YOU TOOK THE FERRY OVER TO MARTHA'S
VINEYARD AND IT WAS LIKE A SMALL BUS THAT SHOWED UP THAT ONLY EQUIPMENT FIT ON SO FAMILIES WERE SCRAMBLING TO TRY TO GET ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FERRY AND WOODS HOLE IN TIME TO NOT MISS THE GAME. THIS IS UNFORTUNATELY NOT A NEW
ISSUE. WE KNOW THE GLOBE REPORTED IN 2022 ON HOW STUDENT ATHLETES OFTEN HAD TO SCRAMBLE TO FIND WAYS TO GET TO THEIR GAMES AND WHAT STUDENT ATHLETES NEED TO BE SUPPORTED AND BE ABLE TO
ATTEND THEIR GAMES OUTSIDE THE CITY. A FEW EXAMPLES ALSO IT WAS WHEN LIKE THE BELLA BOYS HOCKEY TEAM WHEN THE BUSSES AREN'T SHOWING
UP OR THEY START TO NOT BE ABLE TO RELY ON THEM. MANY TIMES STUDENTS THEMSELVES HAVE DRIVEN THEIR THEIR
PARTNERS LIKE THEIR COLLEAGUES BUT THERE ARE OTHER, YOU KNOW, FRIENDS ON THE TEAM WHICH WHEN THEY'RE JUNIOR OPERATORS IT'S AGAINST THE LAW THEY SHOULDN'T BE DRIVING. WE KNOW THAT JUNIOR OPERATORS
ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN THEIR CAR AND THERE'S TIME LIMITS ON HOW LATE THEY CAN BE DRIVING. SO IN SOME CASES EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THE TEAM MEMBERS WERE WILLING TO STEP UP AND DRIVE
SOME OF THEIR FRIENDS TO GET TO THE GAME IN TIME THAT IT JUST THEIR TEAMMATES IT JUST IT'S JUST NOT AS SAFE SITUATION TO BE PUTTING ANY OF OUR STUDENTS IN SO HOPING TO GET SOME
ANSWERS ON YOU KNOW AND TALK ABOUT WHERE WE CAN GROW RIGHT. I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER AND I KNOW WHEN WE WERE HERE ABOUT THE BUDGET AND WE'RE STARTING TO ALMOST GET THE LANGUAGE ON,
YOU KNOW, INCREASING THE 31 TO 35 HOURS FOR EACH OF OUR BUS DRIVERS AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE EXTRA HOURS THAT SEVERAL OF OUR BUS DRIVERS WILL BE ABLE TO ASSIST IN GETTING OUR STUDENT ATHLETES TO GAME.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION AND THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU.
COUNCILOR SANTANA FOR CHAIRING THIS IMPORTANT HEARING TODAY FOR FOUR OF MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE FOR SPONSORING WITH ME AS WELL COUNCILOR MURPHY,
COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE PANEL FOR BEING HERE, THE WORK YOU ARE DOING AS WELL. I LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE SEEN
WITH DPS TRANSPORTATION DURING THIS SCHOOL YEAR. COUNCILOR MURPHY HIGHLIGHTED MANY EXAMPLES OF BUSSES NOT PICKING UP STUDENT ATHLETES.
I KNOW THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT MAJOR CHALLENGE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT BUT EVEN NOW IT'S LATE FEBRUARY, EARLY MARCH.
WE CONTINUE TO GET REPORTS FROM BP'S STUDENTS AND FAMILIES INCLUDING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES THAT BUSSES ARE ARRIVING LATE TO PICK UP STUDENTS TO AND FROM THEIR
SCHOOL. BUSSES ARE ARRIVING NEARLY AN HOUR LATE TO AND FROM SCHOOL EVEN WHEN THE TRIP IS ONLY JUST A COUPLE OF MILES AWAY. WE CAN NEVER NORMALIZE THE
DISRUPTION THIS HAS CAUSED TO OUR STUDENTS TO PARENTS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS. THAT IS SIMPLY NOT A GOOD LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. INEQUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE FOR
FAMILIES MANY OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES IN ATHLETIC TEAMS PRACTICE AND COMPETE AS COUNSELOR MURPHY MENTIONED AT FACILITIES THAT ARE FAR AWAY FROM THEIR SCHOOLS AND THEY RELY ON SCHOOL BUSSES TO
TRANSPORT ATHLETES TO THEIR GAMES AND PRACTICES. THERE ARE INSTANCES THAT SCHOOL BUSSES DO NOT SHOW UP AT ALL FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE EXPECTING TRANSPORTATION LEAVING THEM
STRANDED AT THEIR SCHOOL. THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE. I WON'T HIGHLIGHT THE MANY EXAMPLES I HAVE BUT WHAT I WANT
TO RELAY TO YOU IS THERE SHOULD BE RELIABILITY AND PREDICTABILITY IN BP'S TRANSPORTATION. I BELIEVE WE SPEND CLOSE TO 170
$171 MILLION ON BP'S TRANSPORTATION. WITH A BUDGET LIKE THAT IT IS CRITICAL THAT OUR STUDENT ATHLETES AS WELL AS ALL STUDENTS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES THEY HAVE ADEQUATE
QUALITY, RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS. AGAIN, THIS ISSUE THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY IS ABOUT STUDENT ATHLETES BUT WE CAN NEVER ACCEPT WHEN A STUDENT
WITH DISABILITIES IS NOT ABLE TO GET TO TO AND FROM SCHOOL OR AS FAR AS GETTING OUT LATE THE IMPACT IT HAS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT STUDENT IS
SIGNIFICANT. WE NEED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. $170 MILLION WE HAVE TO DO BETTER. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN
JOINED BY COUNCILOR BREADON AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR WEBER. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I'M NOT GOING TO GO TO THE THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR THAT I'LL GO TO MY COLLEAGUES IN
ORDER TO RIVAL COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR. APPRECIATE AND THANK YOU PANEL FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. MUCH HAS ALREADY BEEN COVERED BY MY CO-SPONSORS SO
WE'LL LEAVE ALL THAT BUT I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE AND CONCUR WITH THEM IN THEIR REASONINGS AS TO WHY WE NEED TO DIVE INTO THIS. JUST LIKE IN THE REGULAR BUS TRIPS AS OPPOSED TO THE NON-ATHLETIC BUS TRIPS IT'S
SORT OF SOME OF THESE ISSUES ARE VERY SIMILAR IN THAT THEY'VE JUST COME OVER TO THE ATHLETIC SIDE OF IT, RIGHT? MAYBE NOT TO AND FROM SCHOOL BUT TO INFER FROM OTHER ACTIVITIES AND SO I GUESS WE
JUST REALLY TRYING TO FIND OUT AS TO WHY THAT STILL OCCURS AND WELL THERE HAS MAYBE BEEN STEPS TOO FOR IMPROVEMENT AND I DO APPRECIATE SOME OF THE STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN THIS
YEAR IN TERMS OF THE ATHLETIC BUS TRANSPORTATION, IT STILL SEEMS TO BE THIS ALMOST INGRAINED PERSISTENT ISSUE WHETHER IT'S IN THE UNION SIDE OF THINGS OF HOW THINGS ARE
DONE AND HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THAT NO LONGER IS THE CASE AND WHAT ARE THE STEPS WE HAVE TO TAKE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING THAT AS WELL AND WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT ARE THE STEPS WE HAVE TO TAKE AS A COUNCIL TO MAKE
SURE THAT THIS INGRAINED APPROACH TO HOW WE WHAT BUSSES DECIDE TO SHOW UP WHEN AND WHERE AND AT WHAT TIME THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE, HOW THOSE
CAN BE IMPROVED. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HELPING US EDUCATORS SAY THANK THANK YOU COUNCILOR FITZGERALD I'LL NOW GO ONTO THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES AND ORDER OUR
ARRIVAL FOR A BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL GET STARTED WITH OUR PANEL SO COUNCILOR BUT THEN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, AND THANK YOU TO THE ORIGINAL SPONSORS OF THIS HEARING THE
TRANSPORTATION FOR BEEPS HAS BEEN MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY SINCE DAY ONE AND I JUST WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT FOR ALWAYS BEING SO RESPONSIVE TO MY EMAILS WHEN A PARENT NEEDS
HELP. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND TODAY'S TOPIC IS VERY IMPORTANT AS A FORMER PIECE OF STUDENT ATHLETE THAT WOULD TAKE THE SCHOOL BUS TO GAMES I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD WE SHOULD BE
PROVIDING OUR STUDENTS WITH THE BEST MODEL OF TRANSPORTATION MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE EVERYTHING AT THEIR RESOURCE SO THAT THE COACHES FEEL SUPPORTED SO THAT THEY'RE NOT MISSING A GAME AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE CONTINUED TO MAKE OUR CITY PROUD WHEN THEY REPRESENT
US IN DIFFERENT TOWNS AS WELL. SO TODAY I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING A LITTLE BIT MORE OF WHAT IMPROVEMENT IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO GIVE THE BEST SERVICES TO OUR
STUDENTS AND STAFF AS WELL. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. THANK YOU CUSTOMER AND CUSTOMER HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS AND THANK YOU
FOR THE ADMINISTRATION. I FEEL LIKE EVERY TIME WE HAVE HEARINGS IT'S ALWAYS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LISTEN AND LEARN AND FIGURE OUT WHERE THE GAPS ARE AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THESE SEATS
BECAUSE OUR JOB IS TO TRY TO FILL THOSE GAPS RIGHT? IDENTIFYING WHERE CAN WE ALLOCATE MORE RESOURCES, WHERE ARE THE ISSUES THAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH? RIGHT. BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS THE FINGER
THAT IT HAD. I REALLY WANT I DON'T REALLY WANT TO DO ALL THAT RIGHT AND NO ONE WINS IN THAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT AND I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT WHILE I AM
A BP'S MOM THAT HAS A ATHLETE WHO PLAYS BASEBALL EXCUSE ME SOFTBALL AND BASKETBALL, I UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE GETS TO
AND FROM THOSE GAMES BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THINGS ARE DELAYED? YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT EVEN THE ATHLETES BRING THEIR BEST SELVES INTO THE GAME AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS LIKE
THE HOLISTIC YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST THE PARENTS, IT'S NOT JUST THE BUS DRIVER. IT'S NOT JUST YOU ALL IN THE CALL CENTER. I'VE BEEN THERE AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU ALL FOR LETTING ME IN BUT YOU KNOW, LET'S ALSO
LET'S THINK ABOUT HOW THAT IMPACTS THE CHILD AND THEIR PERFORMANCE. RIGHT. AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE CALLING A PARENT WHO THEN HAS TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO BECAUSE THE BUS IS NOT GOING TO COME OR IT'S
LATER NOW AT 730, 8:00 AT NIGHT, THE WHOLE FAMILY'S SUFFERS. RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT I THINK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH IS LIKE HOW DO WE CREATE AND HOW DO WE
CREATE A PATHWAY WHERE WE CAN BE MORE MORE ON TIME? DO WE NEED MORE BUSSES? DO WE WHAT IS THE WHAT IS IT WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE TO HELP
Y'ALL HELP US HELP OUR PARENTS? I THINK THAT THAT IS WHAT I'M REALLY LOOKING TO LEARN AND I ALSO THINK YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET SEASON IS HERE IF IT'S A MATTER
OF FUNDING, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO WHAT'S THE RETURN ON THOSE INVESTMENTS? HOW WOULD THIS IMPACT THAT AND WHAT WOULD BE THE OUTCOME OF THAT? BECAUSE I THINK WHAT HAPPENS AND WHAT I HEAR WHAT I HEAR
FROM MY COLLEAGUES OFTENTIMES IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE ARE SPENDING ON TRANSPORTATION AND WE'RE NOT SEEING THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT AND I THINK THAT WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WOULD LIKE TO BE
A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION TO HELP FIGURE IT OUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR MEJIA COUNSELOR COLETTE AS A PARTNER YOU HAVE FOR ME THE CHAIR THANK
YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I APPRECIATE THE TIMES THAT WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THE CALL CENTER WAS VERY INFORMATIVE SO THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE HOW RESPONSIVE YOU'VE BEEN TO MANY
OF THE PARENTS THAT HAVE EMAILED OUR OFFICE AND WE'VE LOOPED THEM INTO TO YOUR OFFICE TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON AS A AS ANOTHER FORMER ATHLETE TAKING THE TRAIN FROM
PLACE TO PARK TO EAST BOSTON OR EVEN MILLENNIUM PARK TO EAST BOSTON AS A AS A SOCCER PLAYER AND SOFTBALL PLAYER RESPECTIVELY. I HAVE A I HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE AS TO SOME OF THE
GAPS IN THE SYSTEM. GRANTED IT'S BEEN 10 TO 15 YEARS SO JUST HAVE TO REALLY RELY ON THE VARIOUS COACHES AND TEACHERS THAT HAVE REACHED OUT RECENTLY TALKING ABOUT LATE OR
MISSING SCHOOL BUSSES TRYING TO OR THAT DIDN'T SHOW UP IN THE WINTER TIME AND I WROTE A LETTER WITH MY STATE DELEGATION UPLIFTING THESE CONCERNS, GRATEFUL THAT WE CAN BE HERE IN
THIS SPACE TO TO TALK ABOUT IT. AND WE KNOW THAT EAST HIGH ISN'T THE ONLY SCHOOL THAT'S AFFECTED THESE THIRD SPACES OUTSIDE OF THE HOME. SO OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL AND IN
HOME ARE SO IMPORTANT AND SO IF WE ARE NOT DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS HEALTH AND WELL-BEING IN THESE SPACES, I THINK IT REFLECTS POORLY ON OUR CITY AND IT REFLECTS POORLY ON OUR SCHOOL
SYSTEM. AND SO I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME GREAT WORK I'M SEEING RIGHT HERE THAT 100% OF THE ATHLETIC BUS TRIPS WERE COVERED IN FEBRUARY 2025 SO THAT'S EXCELLENT. I WOULD LOVE TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'VE DONE
DIFFERENTLY IN FEBRUARY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAS BEEN A SUCCESS. I'M INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING THE ROOT CAUSES AS IT'S ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED HERE.
ARE WE MAXIMIZING OUR $171 MILLION INVESTMENT? BUT I AM HERE JUST TO ENSURE THAT EAST HIGH IN PARTICULAR IS IT'S COVERED AND ADVOCATED FOR ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I HEARD
MOSTLY FROM THEM THIS PAST WINTER. SO THANK YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU COUNSELOR CLASS OF OTHER COUNSELOR BREADON YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL. I AM INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING ON SCHOOL
ARRIVAL AND EVENING DROP OFF TIMES BUT I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST AREAS OF CONCERN IS AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED, TRANSPORTATION TO SPORTS GAMES AND ALSO
TRANSPORTATION TOO AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS MANY OF OUR CHILDREN ARE ESPECIALLY YOUNGER GRADE SCHOOL AND PARTICIPATE IN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS AND AT THE
WEST END HOUSE AND AT THE YMCA AND PLACES LIKE THAT. SO THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT HELP OUR KIDS SUCCEED AND THEY'RE
COSTLY TO SET UP. BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE STUDENTS ACTUALLY GET THERE AND ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN IN PROGRAMING AFTER SCHOOL.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW WE'RE DOING WITH ALL THAT I THINK AS WELL BECAUSE OF THE SORT
OF GEOGRAPHIC DISTANCE OF ALLSTON BRIGHTON FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT STUDENTS WHO WHO GO TO SCHOOL AND ALSO BRIGHTON VERY OFTEN IT'S THE TIME THEY'RE LEAVING SCHOOL AS A HIGH MUCH HEAVIER TRAFFIC
TIME AND I'M SURE THAT THE TRAVEL TIMES ARE NOT WHAT WOULD BE IDEAL AS WELL. SO I DO SEE LITTLE ONES ARRIVING HOME AT 530 IN THE EVENING KNOWING THAT THEY LEFT
THE HOUSE SINCE YOU KNOW 730 IN THE MORNING AND IT'S IT'S A LONG DAY FOR FOR LITTLE LITTLE KIDS. SO ANYWAY I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
COME CELEBRATING AND COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR BUT HELLO THANK YOU AS YOU KNOW I PLAYED THREE SPORTS
IN HIGH SCHOOL, TWO IN COLLEGE. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON BUSSES AND REMEMBER A LOT OF TIMES WHERE WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT WHETHER THE BUS WOULD SHOW UP AND KNOW HOW STRESSFUL THAT CAN
BE AND BUT I DON'T REMEMBER A TIME WHERE THE BUS JUST DIDN'T SHOW UP. I HAVE AN INTERN IN MY OFFICE MAYBE COUNSELOR MURPHY MENTIONED ALREADY WHO PLAYS
BASEBALL FOOTBALL AT PLAY AND I ASKED HIM, YOU KNOW I ABOUT THE LAST FOOTBALL SEASON HOW HOW ARE THE BUSSES? AND HE SAID WELL THEY NEVER
SHOWED UP AND THAT THEY IT'S ANECDOTAL THEY SAID IT THEY TOOK UBERS AND AND GOT PARENTS TO PICK THEM UP YOU KNOW JUST JUST HEARING THAT IT'S YOU KNOW IT'S UPSETTING I MEAN HE STILL
MANAGED TO GET TO THE GAME THE FOOTBALL GAME AGAINST BOWLS WEST ROXBURY HIGH AND THEY WIPED THE FLOOR WITH THEM BUT THIS YEAR MAYBE NOT NEXT YEAR
BUT YOU KNOW IT'S IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WE GET WE GET HAVE KIDS KNOW THAT THEY CAN GET TO THE GAMES AND WE ARE PROVIDING THIS THIS SERVICE. AND SO I WANT TO KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU KNOW, MAKE
OUR TRANSPORTATION EFFECTIVE FOR OUR ATHLETES FROM HERE OUT AND I THANK THE FILERS FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING TODAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR WEBER AND I THINK AGAIN ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE I THINK THE SHOWING HERE SHOWS HOW MUCH I THINK PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THIS TOPIC. I MEAN AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE
LEAD SPONSORS FOR BRINGING THIS UP TO US SO THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PANELISTS THE COMMITTEE INVITED TO TESTIFY ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND THEN
WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE HERE AND YOU CAN ALL INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND PUT YOUR RECORD OR PUT YOUR TITLE INTO THE RECORD AS WELL. SO THE COMMITTEE INVITED DANIEL
ROSENGARD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AVERY ARSDALE, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
JAMES FOGG, GENERAL MANAGER FOR TRANSIT OF NORTH AMERICA AND MARY SKIPPER, SUPERINTENDENT OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. FOR THE PANELISTS WHO ARE HERE TODAY, I'D LIKE TO ASK EACH
OF YOU TO JUST STATE YOUR NAME TITLE FOR THE RECORD AND ONCE EVERYONE HAS TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR OPENING REMARKS AND PRESENTATION. YOU CAN ALL GO IN WHATEVER
ORDER YOU WOULD LIKE. I'LL START AMY DANIELS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT SENIOR PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS MANAGER. AFTERNOON AVERY ARSDALE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS BOSTON
PUBLIC SCHOOLS. JACKIE HAYES DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MY NAME IS DAN ROSENGARD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM TOLD I THINK YOU ALL HAVE A SMALL PRESENTATION AND THEN ANY OPENING REMARKS AND THEN WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS. SO YOU ALL HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU.
SO I'M GOING TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES. I'LL TRY NOT TO BE TOO VERBOSE. I WANT TO START JUST BY THANKING YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. THANK THE WORK THAT WE DO IS
NEVER EASY AND I ALSO WANTED TO START OUT BY EXPRESSING HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR THE TEAMS THAT DO THIS WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY AND EXPRESS HOW PROUD I AM OF THE PROGRESS THAT I THINK HAVE MADE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL
YEARS. I WANT TO QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT THINK TWO TRANSPORTATION SUCCESSES AT THE START OF THE 2023 24 SCHOOL YEAR THE FIRST DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR SAW THE
HIGHEST MORNING BASED ON TIME PERFORMANCE AND FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IN THE PAST TEN YEARS AND THIS YEAR FOLLOWING SOME VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT GROWING PAINS THAT WE SAW IN SEPTEMBER ,OUR MORNING ON TIME
PERFORMANCE HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN AHEAD OF LAST YEAR BY ABOUT 1 TO 2 PERCENTAGE POINTS SINCE THE START OF OCTOBER AND THESE SUCCESSES MEAN THAT MORE STUDENTS ARE IN SEATS READY TO
LEARN AT THE START OF EACH SCHOOL DAY AND THEY REPRESENT KEY STEPS IN OUR WORK TO ENSURE THAT ALL BOSTON STUDENTS HAVE SAFE, RELIABLE AND ON TIME TRANSPORTATION ON A DAILY BASIS .
BUT I THINK AT THE SAME TIME AS WHILE WE CELEBRATE OUR SUCCESSES WE ALSO DO NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE MANY COMPLEX AND LONG STANDING CHALLENGES WITH TRANSPORTATION .
THESE CHALLENGES STEM FROM STRUCTURAL ISSUES WHICH INCLUDE SOME OF THE WORST TRAFFIC IN THE NATION SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT POLICIES THAT RESULT IN MANY STUDENTS ATTENDING SCHOOLS FAR FROM THEIR HOME SIGNIFICANT NON
SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION OBLIGATIONS AND UNION CONTRACTS THAT CAN SIGNIFICANTLY LIMIT OUR OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTABILITY. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN PERSISTENT
INTERNAL ISSUES TO OUR OPERATION FOR EXAMPLE CHALLENGES THE BUS VENDOR CONTRACT AND A LACK OF SYSTEM MODERNIZATION. A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO THE
COUNCIL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS CONDUCTED AND DELIVERED A TWO EPS A REVIEW OF THE TRANSPORTATION OPERATION. THEY CATALOGED OUR PERFORMANCE AND OUR CHALLENGES AND THEY
DEVELOPED A SET OF 14 RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE SERVICE FOR OUR STUDENTS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. HALF OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED WITH IMPLEMENTATION IN PROGRESS
FOR THE REMAINDER ONE MAJOR STEP THAT WE TOOK THIS YEAR WAS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE XOOM SOFTWARE WHICH YOU'LL REMEMBER WE SPOKE ABOUT IN NOVEMBER. THIS WAS NOT AN EASY CHANGE AND
IT CAME WITH SIGNIFICANT GROWING PAINS FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WITH A DECLINE IN OTP AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR BUT IT WAS A NECESSARY CHANGE REPLACING AN OUTDATED PAPER BASED SYSTEM WITH GPS
NAVIGATION TABLETS AN IMPROVED MOBILE APP FOR FAMILIES AND AN INTEGRATED MODERN SYSTEM FOR BUS ROUTING AND OPERATIONS AND FOLLOWING THAT INITIAL ADJUSTMENT PERIOD ZOOM REALLY HAS LED TO SIGNIFICANT
IMPROVEMENT ALREADY FOR OUR STUDENTS IN ADDITION TO THE OTP IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE SEEN THIS YEAR, IT IS SUPPORTING OUR EFFORTS TO BUILD AN EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION
OPERATION OVER THE LONG TERM AND I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY HIGHLIGHT ONE EXAMPLE USING THE STUDENT RIDERSHIP TRACKING THROUGH ZOOM WE'VE IDENTIFIED OVER 2000 STUDENTS OR NEARLY
10% OF THE RIDERS THAT WE STARTED THE YEAR WITH WHO CONSISTENTLY DON'T RIDE THE BUS . WE'VE BEEN REACHING OUT TO THESE FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND SO FAR OVER 1000
OF THEM HAVE OPTED OUT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THIS HAS CREATED EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS THIS YEAR WHICH HAS SUPPORTED SOME OF THE OTP IMPROVEMENTS. BUT EVEN MORE THAN THAT THIS IS REALLY GOING TO ALLOW US TO
CREATE MORE EFFICIENT BUS ROUTES AS WE'RE PLANNING FOR FUTURE YEARS. THIS IS GOING TO FURTHER IMPROVE OUR ON TIME PERFORMANCE ,REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIME STUDENTS SPEND ON THE BUS, CREATE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY
WITHIN THE SYSTEM WHICH WE CAN REINVEST FOR THINGS LIKE ATHLETICS AND CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR MILLIONS AND FUTURE TRANSPORTATION COST SAVINGS THAT AGAIN CAN BE REINVESTED TO PROVIDE BETTER
SERVICE FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND NOW I WANT TO TURN MY FOCUS TO MY ATTENTION TO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON ATHLETICS, TRANSPORTATION AND THE SLIDE THAT YOU ALL HAVE TRIED TO JUST
PROVIDE ONE SLIDE WITH EACH TIME I'M HERE WE'VE HEARD THAT YOU KNOW, FEWER SLIDES IS BETTER AND SO WITH JUST ONE SLIDE THIS TIME EASY FOR EVERYONE THEY'RE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ATHLETICS
TRANSPORTATION WHILE THE MAJORITY OF THE SERVICE THAT WE DO PROVIDE IS TRANSPORTING STUDENTS TO AND FROM SCHOOL, WE PROVIDE ABOUT 5000 YELLOW BUSSES EACH YEAR FOR ATHLETICS EVENTS AND FIELD TRIPS AND THIS
SERVICE IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO ENSURING THE STUDENTS HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS WHICH WE KNOW IS A KEY COMPONENT OF THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
FIRST LET ME OUTLINE THE ATHLETICS BUS SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE PROVIDES BUS TRANSPORTATION FOR ATHLETICS GAMES WHERE THE TEAM RELIES ON A SCHOOL BUS TO GET TO OR FROM THE GAME.
WE DO NOT PROVIDE BUSSES FOR PRACTICES EXCEPT IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE IT IS OPERATIONALLY FEASIBLE AND WHEN TEAMS CANNOT OTHERWISE ACCESS PRACTICE FACILITIES IN SOME
CASES FOR IN-CITY TRIPS THAT ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE ON THE TEE WITHOUT INCREASING TRIP LENGTH. WE ALSO DO TEAMS TO UTILIZE THE TEE TO TRAVEL TO THE GAME AND THEN WE PROVIDE A YELLOW BUS TO
RETURN FROM THE GAME. THIS APPROACH ALLOWS US TO MAKE SURE THAT YELLOW BUSSES ARE AVAILABLE TO GET STUDENTS TO AND FROM THE GAMES THAT REQUIRE A YELLOW BUS WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE STAY CONSISTENT
WITH OUR BROADER FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR STUDENTS AND THE CITY. WE SPEND NEARLY $180 MILLION ON TRANSPORTATION AS YOU KNOW MULTIPLE OF YOU HAVE POINTED OUT AND EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON
TRANSPORTATION IS DOLLAR COMING OUT OF A CLASSROOM LOOKING AT THE TABLE ON THE SLIDE, THIS TABLE SHOWS THE PERCENTAGE OF THE SCHEDULED ATHLETICS BUS TRIPS THAT HAVE BEEN
COVERED EACH SEASON FOR THE PAST THREE SCHOOL YEARS. YOU'LL SEE THAT ATHLETICS BUS COVERAGE HAS REMAINED LARGELY CONSISTENT OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS AND THIS ALSO MIRRORS
PRE-PANDEMIC PERFORMANCE. BUT THIS 96% 97% THIS WINTER YOU KNOW THIS WE KNOW THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH RIGHT? STUDENT ATHLETES DESERVE AND RELY ON PREDICTABLE ON TIME BUS
TRANSPORTATION FOR ALL THEIR GAMES AND SO WHILE YOU KNOW THAT 96% COVERAGE THAT WE SAW THIS FALL WAS IN LINE WITH PRIOR YEARS, WE KNOW THAT FURTHER PROGRESS IS URGENTLY
NEEDED AND AT THE END OF THE FALL SEMESTER NO LEADERSHIP FROM FROM BP, TRANSPORTATION FROM THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT AND FROM STUDENT SUPPORT TEAMS WE ALL CAME TOGETHER AND WE DEVELOPED AND IMMEDIATELY
IMPLEMENTED A NUMBER OF NEW STRATEGIES TO FURTHER IMPROVE OUR ATHLETICS TRANSPORTATION. I WANT TO TAKE YOU THROUGH THE EACH OF THOSE NOW. SO FIRST IN JANUARY WE COMPLETED THE TRANSITION OF ALL
ATHLETICS AND FIELD TRIPS FULLY INTO THE ZOOM PLATFORM AND SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SAW IN SEPTEMBER, RIGHT, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL LEARNING PERIOD ASSOCIATED WITH A CHANGE LIKE THIS. BUT AS A RESULT OF THESE
EFFORTS WE'RE NOW SEEING IMPROVEMENT IN SCHEDULING DAILY OPERATIONS AND COMMUNICATION LINES FOR ATHLETICS BUSSES. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, COUNCILOR WEBER, WHEN YOU WERE
TALKING ABOUT TEAMS THAT YOU KNOW THE TEAM SAYING THE BUS NEVER COMES THIS YEAR I WAS LOOKING BACK AT OUR COVERAGE AND SAW THAT IT ACTUALLY IN ALMOST ALL OF THOSE CASES BUS
WAS COVERED BUT UNDER THE OLD SYSTEM THE TEAM HAD NO WAY TO TRACK THE BUS SO THAT MAYBE A LOT OF TIMES WE WOULD RUN INTO SITUATIONS WHERE THE BUS WAS A FEW MINUTES LATE AND THE TEAM THINKS OH IT'S NOT COMING OR
MAYBE THE WHERE THE COACHES PARK OR WHERE THE BUS IS PARKED IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHERE THE TEAM IS AND THAT WAS A BIG CHALLENGE UNDER ZOOM THE COACHES CAN NOW TRACK THEIR BUS FROM START TO FINISH AND THIS
IS REALLY HELPED ALLEVIATE A LOT OF THESE COMMUNICATIONS CHALLENGES THAT WE SAW IN THE PAST AND IS HELPING TO REBUILD SOME OF THAT TRUST IN THE SYSTEM. YOU KNOW THAT WAS YOU KNOW, RIGHTFULLY SO OVER MANY YEARS
OF UNDERPERFORMANCE. SECONDLY, THE TRANSPORTATION AND ATHLETICS TEAMS HAVE WORKED TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT. WE'RE BEST USING OUR RESOURCES TO PRIORITIZE THE TEAMS AND
STUDENTS WHO MOST RELY ON YELLOW BUSSES TO COMPETE. YOU KNOW, GIVEN THAT WE LIVE IN A WORLD OF LIMITED RESOURCES AND CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS, YOU KNOW, TO PUT SOME NUMBERS ON
THAT OUR OPERATION HAS CAPACITY FOR ABOUT 25 ROUNDTRIP BUS EVENTS FOR ATHLETICS AND FIELD TRIPS PER DAY YOU KNOW WITH MORE LIMITED BUS AVAILABILITY DURING THOSE PEAK HOME TO SCHOOL HOURS. AND SO WORKING IN
COLLABORATION, YOU KNOW OURSELVES AND THE ATHLETICS TEAMS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IMPROVE THE SCHEDULING OF GAMES TO LIMIT THE OVERLAP OF THOSE ATHLETICS TRIPS WITH OUR PEAK HOURS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
STAYING WITHIN OUR OVERALL TROOP CAPACITY. SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? IN SOME CASES THIS HAS MEANT RESCHEDULING SOME GAMES TO LIMIT THE OVERLAP WITH PEAK SERVICE HOURS. IT HAS ALSO MEANT REVIEWING ALL
BUS REQUESTS TO IDENTIFY THOSE IN-CITY TRIPS THAT ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE BY THE TEAM AND IN THOSE CASES IN THOSE CASES ASKING TEAMS TO UTILIZE THE TEAM TO TRAVEL TO THE GAME AND
THEN WE PROVIDE A RETURN YELLOW BUS AFTER THE GAME AND THROUGH THIS COLLABORATION WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PRIORITIZE OUR YELLOW BUS TRIPS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE BUSSES FOR OUT OF CITY GAMES AND MAYA GAMES THAT
REALLY NEED THE BUS AND IMPROVE THE COVERAGE AND RELIABILITY FOR THOSE TRIPS. AND THEN FINALLY THE STUDENT SUPPORT AND ATHLETICS TEAMS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO PUT IN
PLACE ADDITIONAL BACKUP OPTIONS THROUGH OUTSIDE TRANSPORTATION VENDORS AND THIS IS EXPECTED TO PROVIDE ATHLETICS WITH BACKUP OPTIONS IN THE EVENT THAT OUR OPERATION IS UNABLE TO PROVIDE
A DRIVER AND A BUS FOR A TRIP THROUGH OUR EXISTING ASSIGNMENT PROCESSES. JUST TO BRIEFLY WRAP UP, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO REALLY KNOW SCHOOL ATHLETICS
ARE A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PART OF A STUDENT'S DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE. YOU KNOW, THEY PROMOTE PHYSICAL HEALTH, TEAMWORK, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, DISCIPLINE ,YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE THINGS
CONTRIBUTE TO A WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATION AND AS A DISTRICT BPP'S IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO WORK TO EXPAND ATHLETICS ACCESS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND WITH THE COLLECTIVE STRATEGIES THAT THE
TRANSPORTATION AND ATHLETICS TEAMS HAVE UNDERTAKEN OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, WE HAVE MADE STEADY PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR IN ADDRESSING SOME OF THE LONGSTANDING CHALLENGES WITH MEASURABLE GAINS IN RECENT MONTHS.
COUNSELOR CLARA ZAPATA YOU STOLE MY THUNDER A LITTLE BIT BUT VERY GLAD TO REPORT THAT 100% OF ATHLETICS BUS TRIPS HAVE BEEN COVERED IN FEBRUARY INCLUDING THAT MY PLAYOFFS
GAMES THAT ARE HAPPENING THIS WEEK THIS APPROACH IT REALLY IS THIS APPROACH IS DELIVERING RESULTS AND ON BEHALF OF ME AND MY COLLEAGUES WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUED STRIVING TO ENSURE
RELIABLE ON TIME TRANSPORTATION FOR ALL ATHLETICS BUS TRIPS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR WHILE CONTINUING TO WORK TO FURTHER IMPROVE OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FOR THE LONG TERM.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING US AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS. AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AGAIN, APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU BEING HERE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO
COUNSELOR'S QUESTIONS STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS AND THEN GOING TO THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER ARRIVAL. WE DO HAVE MANY COUNSELORS HERE SO I AM GOING TO GIVE 6 MINUTES
PER COUNSELOR AND I WANT TO PUT THIS TIME ON BEHIND ME. I DON'T LIKE TO BE RUDE AND STOP CONVERSATIONS BUT JUST BE MINDFUL THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF COLLEAGUES TO GET THROUGH. I'LL DO ANOTHER ROUND OF IF
IT'S NEEDED BUT JUST PLEASE FOR THE FIRST ROUND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL MY COLLEAGUES GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK A QUESTION. SO STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSOR COUNSELOR MURPHY YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION I HEARD LAST YEAR WHEN WE TALKED TO YOUR DEPARTMENT THAT THE FIRST TWO
WEEKS OF THE SEASON WHICH OFTEN OVERLAPS WITH THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF LIKE WHEN THE FALL SEASON IS ENDING AND THE WINTER SEASON STARTING THAT THERE'S OFTEN OVERLAP. SO THE FALL SEASON COULD BE IF
THEY'RE YOU KNOW PLAYING WELL THEY'RE IN THEIR PLAYOFFS AND THEY'RE FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES AT THE SAME TIME THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON STARTING FOR OUR BASKETBALL AND OTHER WINTER SPORTS AND THAT
JUST JUST KIND OF EXPECTED THAT THOSE TWO WEEK OVERLAP AND THEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN WHEN FALL FLOWS INTO SPRING IT'S JUST KIND OF EXPECTED THAT THE
BUSSES WON'T BE RELIABLE AT THAT TIME. COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT AND IS THERE ANY TRUTH IS THERE DATA THAT SHOWS THAT AND IS IT A TIME ALSO WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO SAY LIKE OKAY, WE HAVE TWO
SETS OF SEASON SPORTS HERE AND THERE'S AN OVERLAP HERE AND WE HAVE TO HAVE MORE BUSSES FOR A TEMPORARY OF TIME BUT MAKING SURE THAT AND I WOULD ARGUE I MEAN EVERY OF YOUR ATHLETIC
TIME IS IMPORTANT BUT IF YOU'RE AT THE END OF THE BEGINNING IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT TIME FOR TEAM BUILDING AND ALL TO NOT FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHEN THE BUSSES ARE LEAST RELIABLE.
AND AMY, I CAN I THINK JUST IN TERMS OF THE SEASONAL CALENDARS THEY ARE THEY ARE ALL UNIQUE AND DEFINED SEASONS WHERE FROM
IN MY INTERSCHOLASTIC PIECE WE'RE NOT STARTING WINTER BEFORE FALL COMPLETELY CONCLUDES SO BUT WE DO HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE PART OF OUR OPERATION.
OBVIOUSLY WE DO SOME MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS, WE DO SOME SPECIAL OLYMPIC ATHLETE ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITIES AND SO I THINK IN OUR PLANNING AND OUR CONVERSATION WE WOULD ACCOUNT
FOR THOSE. I THINK THE SITUATION LAST YEAR WHICH WE DID MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT FOR THIS YEAR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL
TYPICALLY STARTS COMING OUT OF FEBRUARY BREAK WHICH IS THE START OF THE BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY TOURNAMENT. SO WE DELAYED THAT FOR A WEEK THIS YEAR. SO WE STARTED THE TOURNAMENT ON
MONDAY. MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL NOT START UNTIL THE ONE DAY COMING UP SO WE CLEARED SOME WAY TO ACCOUNT FOR SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE RAN INTO LAST YEAR.
SO IT WAS A SCHEDULING CHANGE KNOWING THAT OKAY, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW AND YOU HAD PUT THIS SLIDE IN AND I KNOW THAT CAME BACK BECAUSE I HAD REQUESTED A
17 NOW AND WHEN I GOT THE ANSWER BECAUSE IT LINES WITH THE ANSWERS I GOT. SO A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FROM THE ANSWERS I GOT ONE IS IT STATE SO BE LESS HAS ITS OWN
ATHLETIC TRANSPORTATION AND ITS OWN ATHLETIC OFFICE ARE THEY THE ONLY HIGH SCHOOL THAT DOES AND HOW DO THEY FUND THAT? THEY THEY DO HAVE AN ATHLETIC
DIRECTOR I DON'T KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF THAT. I'M ASSUMING IT'S FUNDED BY THEIR ASSOCIATION, THEIR FRIENDS ASSOCIATION AND ALL OF THE TRANSPORTATION FOR ALL OF THEIR SPORTS ARE FUNDED
THROUGH THAT. ALSO WE WORK WITH LATIN SCHOOL, WE WORK WITH THEIR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS
WITHIN OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM BECAUSE IT SAYS HERE THERE'S NO DATA FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T RELY AT ALL. SO IS IT TRUE THAT THEY DON'T RELY AT ALL ON OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FOR
THEIRS SO BLESSED UTILIZES A MIX OF THEY'LL USE OUTSIDE VENDORS FOR SOME OF THEIR GAMES AS I HAVE OR SOME OF THEIR TRANSPORTATION AND THEY'LL USE OUR OPERATION FOR SOME.
SO WE DIDN'T HAVE COMPREHENSIVE DATA ON BILLS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE WHICH ONES INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR GAMES WHERE THEY DIDN'T USE OUR BUSSES. OKAY AND THE SAME AS THE
NUMBERS THAT COME BACK ABOUT RELIABILITY WHEN THERE'S THOUSANDS RIGHT OF STUDENTS IN THE MORNING YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU'RE AT 90 LIKE 10% COULD BE
2000 KIDS RIGHT STRANDED AT A BUS STOP. BUT WHAT I WAS SAYING WHEN WE HAD THE SHEET THAT SAID LIKE
SEASON FOR THE FALL OF 2020 TO 2023 WHEN 95% ARE RELIABLE, THAT MEANS 76 TIMES BUSSES DIDN'T SHOW UP IN FOR LIKE THE
WINTER OF 2020 SPRING OF 23 98% RELIABLE RIGHT BUT 29 BUSSES OR 2023 2024 SPRING THERE WERE
1600 TRIPS AND IT WAS A 92% BUT THAT'S 130 TIMES AND I THINK THAT TIES TO THE NARRATIVE THAT YOU KNOW COUNCIL EVER MENTIONED AND WHAT I HEAR OFTEN IS ONCE IT STOPS BECOMING RELIABLE
PEOPLE ARE USING OTHER RESOURCES AND THAT TO ME BECOMES A VERY EQUITABLE CONCERN TO ME BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE CAN AFFORD AN UBER.
NOT EVERY KID HAS A CAR, A LICENSE AND IS ABLE TO PICK UP THEIR FRIENDS AND WHICH TEAMMATE DON'T GET TO FIT IN THE CAR LIKE THAT'S WHAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT BREAKS MY HEART.
AND IT'S NOT THAT KIDS AREN'T BEING FAIR AND IT ALSO IS THE LEGALITY OF JUNIOR OPERATORS EXPECTING TO DRIVE OUT TO THE RINK AND LIMB SO THEY DON'T MISS THEIR YOU KNOW, PLAYOFF GAME FOR THE HOCKEY TEAM AND
THEY'RE REALIZING WE CAN'T FIT ALL OF THESE KIDS OR THE EQUIPMENT DOESN'T FIT. SO IN THIS ONE I ASKED FOR THIS DATA IT WAS 97% OVERALL BUT
THAT WAS 287 GAMES THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A BUS FOR KIDS AND IN OUR AWARE OF IS THAT MOSTLY
CERTAIN SEASON CERTAIN IT SEEMS LIKE THE CLASSES ALL SAID BUT OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE CITIES IS LIKE EXCEL HIGH WHO IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THIS ALSO
MANY OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS WITH THE LOW ENROLLMENT TO HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO PLAY ON THE FOOTBALL TEAM FOR EXCEL HIGH RIGHT THEY LEAN ON OTHER SCHOOLS AS AN IT THREE SCHOOLS
THAT MAKE UP THAT ONE TEAM WHICH CAN MAKE TRANSPORT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT. RIGHT. I KNOW IT WAS THE FIRST TIME EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THEIR THANKSGIVING DAY GAME A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHERE KIDS WERE
WALKING OVER FROM THE MCCORMICK TO MEET FOR THE BUS. THEY'RE COMING DOWN FROM SOUTHIE. THEY'RE WAITING AT MOAKLEY AND THE BUS NEVER SHOWED UP AND THEY HAD TO FORFEIT THEIR FOOTBALL GAME ON THANKSGIVING
BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GET THERE IN TIME. YEAH. YEAH, I WOULD I DON'T THINK WE
I YEAH, WE CAN TALK ABOUT I DON'T THINK WE'VE FORFEITED THE GAME ON THANKSGIVING DUE TO TRANSPORTATION BUT WE CAN YEAH REVISIT THAT THAT SORT OF I
THINK JUST IF I MAY QUICKLY I THINK AS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YOU KNOW THREE SCHOOLS WHO ALL HAVE TO BAND TOGETHER TO FORM A TEAM THAT'S YOU KNOW CERTAINLY THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR US AND I
THINK THAT SPEAKS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF SOME OF THE BROADER LONG TERM FACILITIES PLANNING WORK THAT THE DISTRICT IS DOING AS WE MOVE TOWARDS FEWER AND LARGER SCHOOLS
POSSIBLY THAT WILL HELP THAT THIS HELPS ACROSS THE BOARD. MY TIME IS UP BUT COULD WE SPEAK TO THE 287 TEAMS THAT DIDN'T GET PICKED UP? IT'S YOU KNOW IT'S EVERY ONE
OF THOSE IS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND THAT'S WHY HAVE TO STRIVE FOR 100% YOU KNOW WE'RE HAPPY THAT WE HIT THAT IN FEBRUARY AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP WORKING TOWARDS THAT FOR THE REST
OF THE YEAR. I THINK THAT IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON IN THE PAST FOR THERE TO BE 40 ATHLETICS TRIPS SCHEDULED ON A SINGLE DAY AND
YOU'RE RIGHT THAT WHEN THAT HAPPENED IT WAS A GENERALLY ACCEPTED NORM THAT SOME PORTION OF THOSE WERE NOT GOING TO GET COVERAGE AND IT YOU KNOW IT
REALLY THE THE WORK THAT AMY JACKIE THEIR TEAMS HAVE BEEN DOING TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE STAYING WITHIN OUR CAPACITY THAT WE ARE PRIORITIZING SCHEDULING IN THE
RIGHT WAY TO STAY WITHIN WHAT WE AS AN OPERATION CAN HANDLE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE TEAMS THAT REALLY NEED A BUS CAN FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEY CAN GET A BUS. THAT'S THE WORK THAT'S GOING TO
ALLOW US TO REBUILD THAT TRUST AND GET TO THAT 100% ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT AND KNOWING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABOUT 185 MILLION IN THIS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
SO WE'RE SPENDING A LOT ON OUR BUSSES SO HOPING THAT WE CAN GET TO 100% IN MARCH TO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY.
COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU GOT THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM AS WELL. LET ME ASK LET ME ASK IN A
QUESTION. SO WHEN WHEN A COACH RECEIVES A SCHEDULE OF THE ATHLETIC EVENTS FOR A PARTICULAR HIGH SCHOOL FOR EXAMPLE IN ADVANCE SO THEY
KNOW WHERE THE GAMES ARE TAKING PLACE AND IN THE TIMES RUN ME GIVE US AN UPDATE ON HOW THE PREPARES TRANSPORTATION FOR HIS
TEAM OR HER TEAM AND THE AMY SPENCE OKAY GOOD. CAN I SET THE TABLE I MEAN OF COURSE FROM OUR OFFICE WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT WORKS ON THE SCHEDULE, RIGHT?
SO THE COACHES WE GIVE THEM SOME LEAGUE GAMES WITH THE COACHES FILL IN THE REST OF THEIR SCHEDULE WITH OUR LEAGUE GAMES SO THEY'RE THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER SCHEDULE ONCE
THAT'S FINALIZED, AMY WORKS TO CONFIRM THE TRANSPORTATION BUT I THINK OUR OUR PIECE HAS BEEN TO WORK WITH COACHES TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY'RE SCHEDULING WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING
TO DO IN THE GUIDE THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL WHERE THEY'RE SCHEDULING GAMES SO THAT WE KNOW WE CAN PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR IT. BUT I'LL PASS IT OVER TO AMY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THE PROCESS. YEAH, JUST AS WHAT AVERY HAD MENTIONED, IT'S IT'S REALLY WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR SCHEDULER IN HOUSES I'VE BEEN IN THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT NOW NINE YEARS
WORKING ON TRANSPORTATION AND ONE ASPECT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A FEW MANY, MANY YEARS BACK WAS THE SCHEDULER WAS EXTERNAL NOT IN-HOUSE AND SO THAT MADE IT DIFFICULT WHEN THERE WERE
SCHEDULING CHANGES OR GAME CHANGES OR FACILITY CHANGES AND OFTENTIMES JUST RELYING AND GETTING INFORMATION VERY LATE AND NOT ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE ANY SORT OF ADJUSTMENTS WITH TRANSPORTATION WE FAST FORWARD
TO NOW IT'S WHEN THE GAMES ARE CONFIRMED WITH OUR SCHEDULE OR THINGS ARE GOING INTO ARBITER THIS IS LIVE THIS IS ACCURATE. WE KNOW THAT THESE GAMES ARE TAKING PLACE THERE. I'M ALSO ABLE TO GRAB THE
ADDRESSES OF FACILITIES EVEN SUBURBAN SCHOOLS THAT MIGHT NOT PLAY AT THEIR SCHOOL. RIGHT. WHICH OFTEN CAUSED AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS IN THE PAST. BUT WE'RE ABLE TO NOW GRAB THE ACCURATE INFORMATION AND THEN
BE ABLE TO WORK WITHIN THE CONFINEMENTS OR THE OF THE SCHOOL SCHEDULE DISMISSAL TIMES WHAT'S GOING TO WORK, WHAT'S OUR CAPACITY THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK BUT DOING IT WITH SUCH TIME THAT WE'RE ABLE TO
RESCHEDULE IF WE NEED TO IF WE'RE ABOVE CAPACITY OR IF WE'RE BELOW CAPACITY WORKING TO YOU KNOW, MAYBE GET REALLY CREATIVE AND HAVING TEAMS RIDE TOGETHER TO YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE
THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THAT ON TIME PERFORMANCE AND IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN IT'S BEEN GREAT SINCE OUR SCHEDULER HAS COME ON BOARD TWO YEARS NOW TWO YEARS
AND IT'S IT'S GREAT BECAUSE HE AND I WORK VERY WELL HE WILL CONFIRM EVERYTHING IT'S THERE. WE DON'T GET TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS UNLESS IT'S ON OUR SCHEDULE. IF IT'S NOT ON OUR MASTER
SCHEDULE THAT'S SHARED OUT WITH EVERYBODY, WE DO NOT YOU KNOW, COACHES CAN'T CALL TRANSPORTATION OR CALL TRANSDEV AND ASK FOR A BUS IN THIS THAN THERE WAS IN THIS GAME OR THEY'RE MISSING THAT GAME OR THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE'VE REALLY TRIED TO
CONSOLIDATE AND BE REALLY ACCURATE IN THE DELIVERY OF THE TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER. I APPRECIATE IT.
IT WAS IT WAS VERY HELPFUL AND INFORMATIVE TO ME AND MY OUR SON IS ALSO A GRADUATE OF BOSTON PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN A STUDENT ATHLETE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOUR TEAM IS DOING. WHAT IS THE NUMBER MORE NUMBER ONE CHALLENGE ISSUE IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE ONE THING AS
IT WOULD START TRANSPORTATION, WHAT WOULD IT BE FOR GETTING OUR STUDENT ATHLETES TO AND FROM THEIR THEIR GAMES?
I CAN START YEAH I THINK WE ACTUALLY ARE MAKING REALLY STRONG PROGRESS ON THIS OVER THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS AND WEEKS BUT HAVING THE SCHEDULE SET FURTHER IN ADVANCE WE WOULD
OFTEN SEE SCHEDULES A LOT OF CHURN CHANGES IN THE GAME TIME LOCATIONS LIKE NOT LOCK DOWN INFORMATION, A LOT OF CHANGE UP TO THE DAY BEFORE
OR EVEN THE SAME DAY AS THE GAME AND THAT MADE IT REALLY HARD TO SCHEDULE THAT WORK AROUND. YOU KNOW A DRIVER MAY BE DRIVING FOR A BLOCK AND THEN HAVE AN OPEN SPACE AND A BLOCK
AND WE CAN FIT THEM IN THAT ATHLETIC TRIP IN THAT OPEN SPACE. BUT IF ANYTHING CHANGES ABOUT THAT TRIP, THEY DON'T FIT IN THAT OPEN SPACE ANYMORE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WOULD HAPPEN ALL THE TIME AND IT WAS CAUSING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF VARIABILITY AND IN LACK OF COVERAGE. SO I'M REALLY THANKFUL THAT THE THING I WANT MOST IS RELIABLE SCHEDULES WITH ACCURATE INFORMATION SO WE CAN SEND BUSSES TO THE RIGHT PLACE AND
THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD TO DELIVER THAT AND IT'S MAKING ALL THE DIFFERENCE SO I KNOW IT HAS IT'S NOT EASY. THEY WORK A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF VARIABLES AND I THINK IF WE
COULD COLLECTIVELY GET SOMETHING IT WOULD BE MORE FIELD SPACE AND MORE SPACE FOR ATHLETICS INDOOR EVENTS THAT WERE INTENSITY AND FIND THAT
RIGHT JUST TO THINK THANK YOU LET ME I KNOW MY TIME IS ALMOST ALMOST UP BUT LET ME JUST ASK ONE OTHER QUESTION.
WELL AND I KNOW YOU HIGHLIGHTED THE NUMBER OF KNOW NO ISSUES IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, BUT COULD I COULD I GET THE INFORMATION FOR THE CHAIR FROM
SEPTEMBER THROUGH FEBRUARY OF OF THE SAME OF THE SAME INFORMATION SAME RESULTS BUT EXPAND IT FROM SEPTEMBER TO FEBRUARY. YEP.
THANK YOU. AND SO IF IF A TEAM IF A BUS DOESN'T SHOW UP IN THE THE PLAYERS GET THERE IN THE WRONG DOES THE BUS THEN GO TO THE
GAME TO TAKE THEM HOME OR TAKE THEM BACK TO BACK TO THE SCHOOL. TELL ME ABOUT THAT PROCESS SO IF A BUS IN THE PAST
INCORRECTLY FAILED TO SHOW THEN YES THE BUS WOULD STILL BE THERE. BUT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE EMPTY SITUATION? YOU KNOW, IF IF STUDENT ATHLETES GET THERE ON THEIR OWN
MAYBE THROUGH THE METER BUT DUE TO THE BEEPS BUS NOT BEING THERE THEY GET THERE ON THEIR OWN. MAYBE THEY TOOK A DELIVERY CAR OVER OR SOMETHING BUT THEN THEY GET THERE AND THEY WERE ON BUT
DOES THEN THE BUS MEET THEM AT THE FIELD AND TAKE THEM HOME AFTER THE GAME? YES WE PRIORITIZE BECAUSE THOSE RETURN ARE USUALLY AT NIGHT OR YOU NEED TO PRIORITIZE MAKING SURE WE GET THOSE ATHLETES BACK
HOME TO THEIR SCHOOL SO THEY CAN GET HOME SAFELY. AND JUST TO ADD TO THAT, I THINK PART OF OUR FOCUS IN WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH WITH ZOOM AND JUST ACROSS THE BOARD IS TRYING TO IMPROVE THAT
COMMUNICATION. I THINK THERE WERE INSTANCES IN THE PAST MAYBE THAT THE BUS WAS THERE FOR THE YOU KNOW, THE TRIP TO SCHOOL. BUT THE TEAM IT WAS LATE OR
SOMETHING AND THE TEAM GOT THERE THEMSELVES AND THEN WE WEREN'T SURE IS THE RETURN BUS NEEDED? WHAT HAPPENED? AND YOU KNOW WE'RE WE'RE REALLY WORKING TO IMPROVE THOSE, YOU KNOW, TWO WAY COMMUNICATIONS
ACROSS THE BOARD AND MAKE SURE THAT WE AND WE BASICALLY HAVE A RULE FOR US AND FOR TRANSDEV WHICH IS WE WE NEVER CANCEL A TRIP WITHOUT CONFIRMATION. THANK YOU. I'M OUT OF TIME BUT I'LL WAIT
FOR THE NEXT ROUND OUT OF RESPECT TO MY COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN FLYNN. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO ME THE PROCESS OF I KNOW ON THE REGULAR TO AND FROM SCHOOL TRIPS THERE'S FORGIVE FORGIVE ME. I'M NOT BEING COMPLETELY ACCURATE HERE BUT THE SENIORITY
OF THE BUS DRIVERS IN WHICH ROUTES THEY GET TO PICK OR WHICH BUSSES THEY GET TO PICK UP RIGHT PRIOR AND SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE THE DAY OF OR THAT MORNING OR FOR A CERTAIN POINT IS THAT THE SAME WITH THESE
ATHLETIC SCHOOL BUSSES THAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT. AND IS THERE A WAY THAT THAT CAN BE IMPROVED OR THAT SO THAT THERE IS MORE OF THIS? YOU KNOW, IF WE IF WE ARE
GETTING THE SCHEDULE EARLIER AND BETTER IN A MORE ACCURATE SCHEDULE AND THEN YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS SO THAT'S FINE. ALL RIGHT SO ATHLETICS TAKES CARE OF THEIR SIDE SAID THESE ARE THE DAYS OF THE GAMES FOR THE NEXT FOR THE WINTER SEASON
LOCKED IN. BUT MY CONCERN IS REALLY ABOUT THE ISSUE OF LIKE YEAH WELL WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S BIDDING ON WHICH RIDE YET AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE PROBLEM COMES IN BECAUSE THAT SOMEONE SAYS I DON'T WANT TO DO WANTED OR I DO
AND THEN I GET SICK OR I PULL OUT AND THAT'S WHERE WE FIND SOME OF THOSE HOW ARE WE COUNTERACTING THAT OR WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE ORCHESTRATED ? THANKS, TERRY. SO WHEN WE GET THE SCHEDULE
THERE'S A COUPLE OF DAYS IN ADVANCE. WE HAVE A WE HAVE A WE CALL ALL THE BID PROCESS. THERE'S ACTUALLY LOTS OF DIFFERENT ONES BUT THE ONE THAT'S RELEVANT HERE IS THAT WORK CAN BE BID BY SENIORITY MULTIPLE DAYS IN ADVANCE.
SO THAT GIVES US THE BEST PLANNING BECAUSE WE HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF THE AVAILABLE DRIVERS WHO HAVE OPEN BLOCKS AND BECAUSE WE KNOW WHERE THOSE OPEN BLOCKS ARE PEOPLE CAN GO OUT AND SAY TO DRIVERS HEY, YOU
HAVE AN OPEN BLOCK, YOU WANT TO FILL IN FOR THIS. SO THAT MAKES IT SO THAT THAT WORK IS SCHEDULED FURTHER IN ADVANCE. WE'VE BEEN DOING A MUCH STRONGER JOB AT THAT WHICH IS PART OF A BIG PART OF WHY FEBRUARY HAS HAD THE RESULTS
OF TAP THAT IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF ALL THE WORK ATHLETICS HAS DONE TO LOCK THOSE SCHEDULES A COUPLE OF DAYS IN ADVANCE WHEN WE WERE GETTING LOTS OF CHANGES UP TO AND ON THE SAME DAY AS
THE TRIP THAT FORCED THE WORK INTO A DAILY BID THAT HAPPENED AROUND NOON AND THAT'S REALLY LATE FOR A PICK UP AT 1:00. SO WE ARE MOVING AWAY FROM THAT BECAUSE OF THE SCHEDULING THAT
HAS BEEN ABLE TO HAPPEN FROM THE DEPARTMENT INTO PLANNING OUT AND SCHEDULING THINGS AHEAD OF TIME IN A RELIABLE WAY. SO WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE A COUPLE OF DAYS OUT OF SCHEDULING RIGHT AND WHEN YOU SAY WE GET THE
SCHEDULE A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE ATHLETICS SCHEDULE, YOU'RE GETTING THE BUS DRIVER SCHEDULE? NO, THE ATHLETIC SCHEDULE. SO IS THERE A WAY BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE A SEASON GETS PRETTY
YOU RIGHT? ATHLETIC DIRECTORS ARE STILL MOVING IN SHAKE IN SOME PIECES AROUND RELATIVELY EARLY BUT I MEAN THERE IS A PORTION OF THE SEASON WHERE YOU CAN LOOK AHEAD. I MEAN I REMEMBER PLANNING IT YOU CIRCLED THE DATE ON THE
CALENDAR. WE HATE THESE GUYS. WE'RE PLAYING THEM ON THIS DATE LIKE, YOU KNOW, MONTHS IN ADVANCE WHEN YOU'RE THE BIG GAME IS UP, RIGHT. SO WHY IS THAT NOT HOW IS THAT NOT LOCKED IN?
LIKE WHEN WHEN YOU AS A STUDENT ATHLETE GET YOUR SCHEDULE BUT THE BUS FOLKS ARE ONLY GETTING THE SCHEDULES SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE AND THEN HAVING TO DO A BID PROCESS TO KIND OF LOCK IT IN. SO WE DO HAVE THE SCHEDULE FOR
THE WHOLE SEASON CONTRACTUALLY. DRIVERS CAN START BIDDING ON WORK 72 HOURS IN ADVANCE SO BASICALLY THREE BUSINESS DAYS IN ADVANCE THEN THAT YOU KNOW
EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO RAISES THEIR HAND AND SAYS, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SIGN UP FOR THIS TRIP THE MOST SENIOR DRIVER WHO FITS THE WORK WOULD GET THE WORK, YOU KNOW, THE DAY BEFORE IF
NOBODY WHO FITS RAISES THEIR HAND AND SAYS I WANT THIS, THEN IT GOES INTO THE DAILY STANDBY BID AND THEN STANDBY DRIVER HOPEFULLY TAKES THE WORK. AT NO POINT IN THAT EITHER
OF THOSE PROCESSES CAN BE PEACE OR TRANSIT OF ASSIGN A TRIP TO A DRIVER. THAT'S WHERE WHERE WE HOPE WITH THE WORK IS DIRECTED AT THAT YOU KNOW, WE HOPE WILL START ON JULY 1ST THAT WILL PROVIDE AN
AVENUE WHERE IF NO DRIVER THROUGH THOSE PROCESSES PICKS THE WORK WILL NOW HAVE DRIVERS WITH CHUNKS OF TIME WHERE WE CAN ASSIGN A TRIP AND WE CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE WELL IN ADVANCE.
YOU KNOW WE KNOW WE HAVE A DRIVER WITH WORK AS DIRECTED DURING THIS BLOCK SO THEREFORE IF NOBODY BIDS ON IT WE STILL CAN WE STILL KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COVER THE TRIP. THANK YOU.
IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE IT WOULD BE LIKE I WONDER WHERE I'M WRONG IN THIS STATEMENT BUT LIKE WELL THE WHY WOULD WE NOT ALLOW DRIVERS TO BID EARLIER? RIGHT. LIKE YOU HAVE THE SEASON CAN YOU NOT BID ON THAT?
LIKE IF WE ALLOWED THE DRIVERS TO BID OUT THE WHOLE SEASON AND THEN YOU COULD CHECK IN DAYS BEFORE HEY JUST CONFIRMING YOU'RE STILL HERE OR BUT LIKE I'M SURE THAT MESSES UP SOMETHING LIKE JOHN YOU'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT SOME UNION RULES
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BUT LIKE WHAT WHAT WOULD PREVENT US FROM SAYING LET'S NOT YOU KNOW, LIKE THE STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM MAY BE WAITING TILL THE DAY BEFORE TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK JUST LIKE THESE BUS DRIVERS RIGHT?
LIKE WHY DON'T WE WHY DON'T WE GET OUT AHEAD AND LET'S FINISH THE PROJECT BEFORE IT'S EVEN DO ? SO I WOULD SAY THAT THAT IS NOT HOW IT THE DRIVER CONTRACT IS CURRENTLY SET UP SO IT'S SOMETHING WE COULD PURSUE IN THE FUTURE BUT EVEN JUST
GETTING THE SCHEDULE LOCKED THREE DAYS IN ADVANCE HAS BEEN REALLY HARD REALLY. SO THAT IS SOMETHING LIKE I CAN'T DESCRIBE THE HEAVY LIFTING GOING ON IN THE
ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT TO MAKE IT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT TEAMS AND SMALL VARIABLES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE . SO EVEN JUST GETTING IT SO THAT THE SCHEDULE IS FULLY LOCKED
AND NOTHING CHANGES YEAH THREE DAYS IN ADVANCE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUSLY DIFFICULT AND I THINK IT'S GREAT AND I THINK IF I SAID TOMORROW WE'RE GOING TO PUSH IT OUT TO TWO WEEKS NOW I THINK MY COLLEAGUES WOULD SAY I
WAS CRAZY BUT I THINK WE COULD WORK TOWARDS IT AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING WE COULD PURSUE IN FUTURE ROUNDS OF NEGOTIATION IF THE SCHEDULE CAN SUPPORT IT. SO I GUESS WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS LIKE YEAH, WE'D LOVE
TO DO IT SOONER BUT JUST THE REALITY OF IT IS AT THE MOMENT IT'S IT'S HARD ENOUGH AS IT IS JUST THREE DAYS IN ADVANCE AND SO I CAN'T IMAGINE YOU KNOW,
THE WORK THAT WE'D HAVE TO DO TO GET IT EVEN TO PUSH IT OUT TWO WEEKS A MONTH BEFORE WE CAN IMAGINE IT. YOU KNOW, THEN WE CAN WORK TOWARDS IT TO THE VARIABLES THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL WEATHER, TRAFFIC, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT
HAPPEN IF THERE'S THINGS THAT HAPPEN AT SCHOOL, AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, THINGS LIKE THAT, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THOSE THINGS SO EVEN IF WE WERE TO HAVE IT OUT AND YOU BET ON IT WE'RE GOING INTO THE SPRING SO THE SNOW AND THE
WEATHER YOU KNOW IF WE ARE ON GRASS FIELDS WHERE WE'RE GOING THAT'S GOING TO PLAY A FACTOR IN TERMS OF MOVING THAT AROUND AND NOW YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE PROVIDING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR THE DRIVERS TO BE ABLE TO BID ON IT IS ACCURATE AND RELIABLE. AND IF YOU PUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO ON ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT, IT'S CHANCES ARE IS THAT IT'S GOING TO FAIL BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE VARIABLES THAT WE
CAN'T CONTROL JUST BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JIM. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR PREPARED AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND AGAIN THANK YOU TO THE
PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE. BEFORE I START WITH MY QUESTIONS, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE ACTUAL BUS DRIVERS. I HAVE A LOT OF BUS DRIVERS THAT LIVE IN MY DISTRICT AND
ESPECIALLY I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL OUT TO DANIEL BELMONT WHO IS A BUS DRIVER THAT ALWAYS KEEPING ME IN THE LOOP OF THE WORK THEY'RE DOING AND HOW JUST EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SOMETIMES WILL SHUT OUT
TO THEM. MY QUESTION IS IN REGARDS TO THE NEW SCHOOL BUS DRIVER UNION CONTRACT OUT I THINK IT WAS RECENTLY AGREED UPON. DID THEY SAY ANYTHING ABOUT
ATHLETIC TRANSPORTATION? I KNOW BIDDING HAS TO DO A LOT WITH I JUST MENTIONED ABOUT GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO THE ATHLETIC INTERPRETATION RIDES FOR THEM AND ALSO IS
THERE EVER AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE AN OUTSIDE COMPANY TO TRY TO TAKE THE KIDS TO A SPORTING EVENT? ANY IDEAS ABOUT THAT? NO. SO FOR THE SECOND QUESTION I'LL
DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUES BUT THERE IS THERE'S NOTHING SPECIFIC TO ATHLETICS TRANSPORTATION THAT WAS CHANGED IN THE MOST RECENT BUS DRIVERS CONTRACT. BUT THE THE WORK IS DIRECTED
LANGUAGE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. I THINK ATHLETICS TRANSPORTATION IS ANTICIPATED TO BE ONE OF IF NOT THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES OF THAT AND SO
WE'RE VERY HOPEFUL THAT THAT'S GOING TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I THINK JUST TO GET TO THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, YOU KNOW, IDEALLY OUR OPERATION
AND OUR TRANSPORTATION OUR GOAL IS THAT IT'S COVERED THROUGH OUR OUR DEPARTMENT AND WORKING WITH WITH DAN AND JACKIE, WE REALIZE THAT SOMETIMES THEY'RE GOING TO BE TRIPS THAT MAYBE
ARE OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF WHAT OUR DRIVERS CAN DO OR YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT THAT WE MAY NEED TO TO WORK OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE HAVE.
WE ARE WORKING TO GET SOME OUTSIDE VENDORS WHO ACTUALLY PROCURE GOING THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS OF HAVING ACCESS TO SOME OUTSIDE VENDORS IN THE EVENT THAT YOU KNOW
WE'RE UNABLE TO TO TO COVER A TRIP. BUT I THINK THAT THE MORE REALISTIC EXAMPLE IS MAYBE SOME OF THE LONGER TRIPS THAT WE'RE SEEING JUST DRIVEN BY LIKE BMI
TOURNAMENT OR TEAMS DESIRE TO TO TRAVEL KIND OF OUTSIDE OF COVERING SOME OF OUR NORMAL SPACES SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. BUT I THINK THAT THE PRIORITY
WOULD BE THAT WE DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITH OUR TEAM AND WE'RE NOT YOU KNOW, WE'RE RELYING ON AN OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, VENDORS FOR NO I LOVE THAT AND I LOVE TO HEAR THAT IT'S EVEN JUST AN IDEA BECAUSE I ALSO DO WANT TO
PRIORITIZE OUR BUS DRIVERS OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE CITY RESIDENTS. THEY'RE UNION WORKERS THAT WORK THEIR BUTTS OFF EVERY SINGLE DAY. BUT I WAS JUST THINKING JUST IN TERMS OF AN EMERGENCY IF IF BUSSES ARE TRULY RUNNING VERY
LATE TO HAVE THAT AS A BACKUP OPTION IN THE MEETING. SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING WORKED ON. SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT TOO. AS YOU ALL KNOW I WAS A VERY BIG ADVOCATE FOR THE ZOOM APP.
I BELIEVE THAT DESPITE THE STRUGGLES OF THE FIRST YEAR I THINK EVERYTHING IN ITS FIRST YEAR IS ALWAYS GOING TO NEED SOME IMPROVEMENT. MY FIRST YEAR AS A CITY COUNCILOR WAS PROBABLY NOT MY MY BEST. MY SECOND YEAR IS BETTER THAN MY THIRD YEAR.
HOPEFULLY EVEN BETTER. BUT WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS DO YOU EXPECT SOME IMPROVEMENT IN THE ZOOM APP? ARE THERE ANY DIFFERENCES COMING IN THE NEXT YEAR? I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT
COACHES NOW HAVE ACCESS TO THE ZOOM APP. CAN YOU JUST ELABORATE ON WHAT YOU EXPECT THE SECOND YEAR TO LOOK LIKE? YEAH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION AND ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT COUNCILOR I THINK THE
ZOOM TEAM HAS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN INCREDIBLY RESPONSIVE TO OUR FEEDBACK AND THEY HAVE IMPLEMENTED A NUMBER OF CHANGES ALREADY. YOU KNOW THERE WERE SOME CHANGES TO THE PARENT EXPERIENCE IN THE APP AFTER THE
FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS OF SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, WE HEARD FROM PARENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THEY HAD NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THE BUS BEFORE THE DRIVER STARTED THEIR RIDE AND NOW THEY HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
THAT TELLS THEM, YOU KNOW, DRIVERS ON TIME ON A PRIOR TRIP VERSUS RUNNING X NUMBER OF MINUTES BEHIND ON A PRIOR TRIP. SO THERE'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT THAT THE ZOOM TEAM HAS IMPLEMENTED ALREADY THROUGHOUT
THIS YEAR TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS FOR FOR BOSTON. THEY WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH WITH AMY WITH JACKIE, WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM TO SET UP, YOU KNOW, TO OR TO KIND
OF CUSTOMIZE THE EXISTING PLATFORM THEY HAD TO REALLY WORK WITH THE WAY OUR ATHLETICS TRANSPORTATION WORKS AND THEN AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT AND I
THINK ARE GOING TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. ONE IS JUST THE THE RIDERSHIP DATA THAT I TALKED ABOUT THAT WE THAT WE HAVE THAT HAS ALLOWED US TO ALREADY OPT OUT
1000 STUDENTS FROM TRANSPORTATION AND IDENTIFY 2000 STUDENTS WHO DON'T RIDE THE BUS. THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW US WHEN WE'RE START YOU KNOW, THAT HAS HELPED MAKE EFFICIENCY GAINS THIS YEAR. BUT THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU
CAN DO TO THE SCHEDULE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR. BUT THIS MEANS THAT AS WE ROUTE FOR NEXT YEAR WE'RE STARTING FROM A MUCH SMALLER BASE OF STUDENTS AND WE CAN ACTUALLY FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THE STUDENTS WHO ARE ROUTING NEED
THE BUS. AND SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A LOT OF EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SCHEDULE AS WE ROUTE FOR NEXT YEAR. AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT AND THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO KIND
OF PREVIEW IT AND I THINK I T COUNCILOR BRAYTON HAS STEPPED OUT BUT SHE WAS ASKING EARLIER ABOUT AFTER SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION IN THE PAST WITH OUR OLD SYSTEM THE WAY IT
WORKED WHICH IS EVERY SINGLE YEAR WE WE REVERTED ALL OF THESE ALTERNATIVE STOPS THAT STUDENTS HAD SO ALL THE STUDENTS GOING TO THE WEST END HOUSE OUR BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS
OR YOU KNOW AND AUNT'S HOUSE OR WHEREVER THEY WERE GOING THAT WOULD GET REVERTED AND YOU WOULD LOSE THE INFORMATION. WE WOULD ROUTE STUDENTS TO THEIR HOME ADDRESS AND THEN FAMILIES WOULD SUBMIT 4000 TICKETS SAYING WELL ACTUALLY I
WANT TO BE AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OR HERE, HERE, HERE AND THEN WE WOULD SPEND THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR REROUTING ALL THESE THINGS AND IT WAS A VERY INEFFICIENT SYSTEM. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THROUGH
ZOOM IS WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO WE'RE PLANNING TO ROLL THOSE STOPS OVER BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE VAST MAJORITY WE'VE LOOKED AT THE DATA THE VAST MAJORITY OF STUDENTS DO KEEP THAT SAME STOP YEAR TO YEAR.
SO WE'RE GOING TO ROLL IT OVER AND THEN THROUGH THE ZOOM PLATFORM WE'RE WORKING TO IMPLEMENT. SO THEY HAVE A FEATURE THAT WE'RE WORKING TO IMPLEMENT FOR BOSTON WHERE IN KIND OF LATE SPRING EARLY SUMMER WE CAN
CONFIRM WITH THE FAMILIES HEY JUST SO YOU KNOW WE'RE PLANNING TO ROUTE YOU AGAIN TO THE WEST END HOUSE NEXT YEAR BUT HERE IS JUST ONE EASY BUTTON YOU CAN PRESS IF YOU'RE IN FACT THAT'S NO LONGER WHAT YOU NEED AND YOU
WANT TO SWITCH IT BACK. AND SO I THINK THAT AGAIN IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO HAVE MUCH MORE STABLE AND EFFICIENT ROUTES EARLY ON AND MINIMIZE OR AT LEAST REDUCE, YOU KNOW, THE LEVEL OF KIND OF CHANGES IN
DISRUPTION EARLY IN THE EARLY IN THE YEAR WHICH IMPACTS THE DRIVERS SCHEDULES AND THEY'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH A NEW ROUTE EVERY WEEK AND JUST LEAD TO A LOT OF THESE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE EVERY SEPTEMBER. THANK YOU.
I KNOW MY TIME IS UP. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THOSE UPDATES AND I HOPE THAT THE SUCCESS CONTINUES FOR THE SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU. COUNCILOR PREPARED AND COUNCILOR MAKIYA, YOU HAVE THE
FLOOR. I'M GOING TO JUST GO OFF A LITTLE BIT OF SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT JUST TO BETTER UNDERSTAND KIND OF I'M TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT FROM AN EQUITY STANDPOINT LIKE LIKE WHICH ARE THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE. IS IT ACROSS THE BOARD? IT'S ALL SCHOOLS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING YOU KNOW BUS DELAY
ISSUES AS IT RELATES TO ATHLETES BECAUSE I JUST HEARD FROM COUNCILOR MURPHY THAT BILL HAS THEIR OWN ENTOURAGE TAKING CARE OF EVERYTHING BUT NOT
EVERY SCHOOL HAS, YOU KNOW, AN ENDOWMENT AND SUPPORTS LIKE THAT. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF OUR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOLS
WHICH ARE ALL OF THEM EXPERIENCING THIS OR LIKE THAT LET'S LOOK AT BOSTON LIGHT ACADEMY. RIGHT.
O'BRIEN YOU KNOW, MADISON PARK KIND OF LIKE THIS GIVE ME A RANGE IS EAST BOSTON. I HEARD YOU KNOW WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE HEARING ORDER
BUT JUST IS IT EVERY SCHOOL OR IS IT SOME SCHOOLS MORE THAN OTHERS? YEAH, I DON'T HAVE THE DATA DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. I KNOW WE WE LOOKED AT IT FOR
THE 17 AFTER COUNCILOR MURPHY REFERENCED EARLIER IN HER TESTIMONY BUT AS I AS I RECALL FROM THAT DATA BEST I RECALL THERE WASN'T YOU KNOW, ANY ONE
PARTICULAR SCHOOL THAT JUMPED OUT AS BEING DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED VERSUS OTHERS. I THINK ONE OF THE THE HARDEST THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE
EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST IS THE WAY THE YOU KNOW, THE TIMING OF ASSIGNING WORK ESPECIALLY YOU KNOW, WHEN WORK IS GOING INTO THE DAILY STANDBY BID WHICH AS JACKIE WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE'VE REALLY DONE A LOT
TO REDUCE THAT. BUT WHEN WORK IS GOING IN TO THAT DAILY STANDBY BID THAT HAPPENS AT 1230 FOR TRIPS THAT OFTEN START AT ONE 130 THERE WOULD BE YOU KNOW, SCHOOLS
WOULD HAVE SO LITTLE TIME BETWEEN YOU KNOW, SO LITTLE NOTICE IF THEY WERE THAT HAPPENED TO BE THE SCHOOL THAT WAS HIT THAT DAY. AND SO THIS REALLY ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE KIND OF MORE CERTAINTY
AND MORE UPFRONT COMMUNICATION. AND I'M CURIOUS HOW DO WE COMPARE TO OTHER URBAN DISTRICTS IN TERMS OF OUR ON TIME AND OUR YOU KNOW, HOW HOW
ARE WE DOING IN COMPARISON TO OTHER URBAN DISTRICTS OR IS THIS BECAUSE I I SOMETIMES THINK THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING PROBABLY NOT DOING THAT BAD OR ARE WE?
IT'S A FANTASTIC QUESTION COUNCILOR. I WISH I HAD A MORE COMPREHENSIVE ANSWER FOR YOU. THE REALITY IS TO MY KNOWLEDGE WE ARE THE ONLY DISTRICT THAT PUBLICLY REPORTS OUR ON TIME
PERFORMANCE ON A REGULAR BASIS AND WE'VE DONE A LOT OF BENCHMARKING AND HAVEN'T REALLY FOUND ANY COMPARABLE DISTRICTS IN TERMS OF THE LEVEL OF REPORTING.
WHAT I DO KNOW IS WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW URBAN DISTRICTS THAT STARTED THIS SCHOOL YEAR NOT CONTINUING TO BE IMPACTED BY DRIVER AND BUS MONITOR SHORTAGES.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT YOU KNOW THAT WHEN WE ARE FOCUSING ON JUST ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE
NOT WORKING THEN WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE WINS THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE. RIGHT. AND AND I AND I WANT TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF REALLY TALK ABOUT THAT. I KNOW THAT YOU IN FEBRUARY
THERE WEREN'T ANY RIGHT. SO THAT'S A WIN AND WHAT LESSONS THAT YOU APPLY IN FEBRUARY THAT YOU CAN APPLY IN MARCH AND APRIL SO THAT THIS
COULD BE A WIN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SEASON. CAN YOU CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT IT TOOK TO GET THERE AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO STAY TO KEEP YOU KNOW, TO STAY THERE? YEAH, I THINK YOU KNOW, THE
FOLKS HERE ARE THE ONES REALLY TO HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS WORK SO I'M GOING TO DEFER TO THEM. YEAH, I MEAN AT A HIGH LEVEL BUT THE NATURE OF THE ATHLETICS BUSINESS IS THERE'S GOING TO BE CHANGES, RIGHT?
WE CAN MAKE PLANS BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE AN EVENT THAT COMES UP AT A SCHOOL OR A SCHOOL THAT MAYBE DOESN'T SEE IT AS A BIG
DEAL TO CHANGE A GAME 1530 MINUTES. RIGHT. AND SO THEY COMMUNICATE THAT WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL. BUT IN OUR OPERATION THAT IS A BIG DEAL.
SO I THINK WHAT WE'VE REALLY HAD TO DO HAVE TO DO AT A HIGH LEVEL IS RETRAIN OURSELVES IN TERMS OF HOW WE HAVE TO WORK WITH TRANSPORTATION AND HOW WE
HAVE TO BE PARTNERS WITH THEM REALLY THINKING ABOUT YOU KNOW, CONFIRMING THAT OUR DETAILS ARE ACCURATE. KNOWING THE WINDOWS THAT THEY WORK IN SO THAT IF THERE IS A CHANGE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THAT AHEAD HAD IN A 72
HOURS CONFIRMING YOU KNOW DETAILS WITH OUR OUTSIDE OPPONENTS TO KIND OF TAKE A PROACTIVE STEP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SO I THINK IN DOING THAT THAT'S ALLOWED THE SYSTEMS
THAT JACKIE AND AMY HAVE WORKED ON TO REALLY GO INTO PLACE AND BE FIRM AND STRONG AND DEPENDABLE. BUT AT THE AT THE HIGH LEVEL WE HAD TO REALLY CHANGE HOW WE,
YOU KNOW, DO OUR BUSINESS. I THINK I ALWAYS AND I SAY THIS IN MOST OF MY HEARINGS THAT I PARTICIPATE IN IS THAT WE ARE RESOURCE RICH FOR COORDINATION POOR AND I THINK A LOT OF THIS
IS JUST REALLY ABOUT HAVING GOOD COMMUNICATION IN AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS REALLY QUICKLY. RIGHT. AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PIVOT AND AND I THINK
THAT THE MORE THAT YOU ALL CAN WORK AS A UNIT, THE BETTER THE OUTCOMES ARE FOR EVERYONE, RIGHT? PARENTS WHEN STUDENTS WIN, HOPEFULLY WE WIN LIKE THE GAME
TOO BECAUSE I THINK THAT JUST CHANGES THE EXPERIENCE. RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT WHEN I LOOK AT OTHER DISTRICTS NOT THAT I HAVE MUCH TO WORKING WITH PARENTS
WHO HAVE STUDENTS IN METCO LIKE I CAN YOU KNOW WE GO TO WELLESLEY AND NEW AND THOSE ARE NOT THE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH AND I KNOW I DON'T WANT TO COMPARE YOU TO A NEW IN OR ANOTHER DISTRICT LIKE THAT
BUT THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEY HAVE THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY LEAN INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE AND FIGURE OUT HOW DO
WE ALSO HIT THAT PLATEAU, YOU KNOW HOW WE GET THERE TO. MY TIME IS UP MY WAY TO THAT. OH YEAH I WOULD LIKE TO I WOULD AGAIN JUST FOR AS LONG AS I'VE
BEEN IN THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT AND BEING THAT SINGLE POINT AND PULLING IT TO TRY TO GATHER LIKE TO TRY TO HAVE SOME SORT OF ORGANIZATION TO ALL OF THIS STUFF THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'M
ACTUALLY EXCITED ABOUT VPC TRANSPORTATION LIKE OUR SPRING STUFF IS ALREADY BEING UPLOADED IN BULK TO SPRING SO ALL THAT STUFF IS GOING TO BE UPLOADED. WE'VE ALREADY FLAGGED A COUPLE OF DATES WHERE WE KNOW WE'RE
GOING TO BE ABOVE CAPACITY LIKE THAT'S THE FIRST TIME IN MY NINE YEARS IN THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT THAT I COULD EVER BE LIKE. LIKE YES LIKE YES. AND IT'S TO THE YOU KNOW, SEDAN
AND TO JACKIE'S CREDIT AND THE WHOLE YOU KNOW, DOT DEPARTMENT WHEN YOU HAVE CRITERIA AND YOU HAVE BENCHMARKS AND YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR GUARDRAILS ARE AND IT'S VERY CLEAR IT'S VERY EASY TO ECHO THE DECISIONS
THAT NEED TO BE MADE AND YOU'RE ABLE TO NOT SECOND GUESS IT OR QUESTION IT AND YOU'RE ABLE TO PUSH BACK. WE'VE GOT TO MOVE THAT IN OPEN AND YOU KNOW, COACHES OUR COACHES AND SCHOOL LEADERS THEY THEY SEE THEIR SCHOOLS THEY
DON'T YOU KNOW, IN THEIR TEAMS AND THEY THEY'RE VERY PROTECTIVE AND VERY PROUD OF THEIR TEAMS. BUT WE ALSO SEE EVERYTHING FROM THE LARGER DISTRICT FROM THE OPERATIONAL DISTRICT PERSPECTIVE AND AND IT'S ABOUT
TEACHING AND EDUCATING THEM AND SOME OF THEM ARE STARTING TO GET ON BOARD WITH IT. SOME OF THEM ARE STARTING TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND IT. AND AGAIN, JUST GOING BACK TO THE ZOOM APP MAN, IT'S SUCH A
RELIEF WHEN A COACH JUST PULLS IT UP LIKE HEY OH NEVER MIND, IT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. I GOT IT AND THEY'RE SEEING IT'S JUST LIKE RIDERSHIP LIKE A UBER RIDE AND YOU SEE THE BUS YOU SEE IT'S THERE. IT GIVES THAT SENSE
OF REASSURANCE AND THEY'RE LIKE OKAY, WE'RE GOOD, WE'RE GOOD. BUT AGAIN I'M EXCITED. I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT. WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A CHALLENGE BUT THAT'S
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR FOUR, NINE YEARS AND I'M I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO THIS AND WHERE WE'RE AT NOW AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO THIS SPRING.
YEAH, TRUE THAT I AGREE AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR FIVE YEARS AND THIS IS THE MOST EXCITED THAT I'VE SEEN YOU ALL IN THIS HEARING IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE I KNOW I KNOW HOW YOU
ALL ARE WHEN I COME IN HERE BUT I CAN JUST SEE THE SHIFT IN YOUR ENERGY AND THE CONFIDENCE IN WHICH YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR WORK. SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS DEFINITELY A LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT YOU
ARE SHOWING HERE AND IT REALLY IS DEMONSTRATING AND I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT YOU ALL ARE MAKING TO SHOW UP THIS WAY TOO FOR OUR FAMILIES. SO THANK YOU. IF I MAY ADD ONE THING WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THERE'S A LOT
OF ATHLETES IN HERE PARENTS OF ATHLETES AND I THINK WHAT REALLY ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IS CHANGES. WE ARE NOT WINGING IT ANYMORE. WE HAVE A PLAN. WE GO IN WITH THAT PLAN AND WE EXECUTE THE PLAN AND THAT'S HOW
WE ARE SUCCESSFUL THAT YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT PICK UP PICKUP IS GREAT. WE LOVE PICKUP BUT THIS IS NOT PICKUP. WE HAVE TO KNOW THE PLACE WE'RE GOING TO RUN AND WE HAVE TO RUN THEM AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE
GOING TO SUCCESSFULLY COVER EVERY GAME BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH AND WE KNOW HOW TO EXECUTE THE PLAN AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT LIKE WORKING TOGETHER IS MAKING
A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS. MAYOR CONCERT SUPPORTER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU CHAIR I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR
QUESTIONS. I DO HAVE ONE OR TWO BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY IN GENERAL LIKE JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PICKING UP MY CALL. I USUALLY CALL CARLA DAN I DON'T HAVE HER NUMBER OR ELSE
I'D BE CALLING YOU BUT YOU ALWAYS RESPOND. YOU ALL ARE VERY RESPONSIVE TO THE EMAILS AS I MENTIONED PROVIDED A VERY THOROUGH AND DETAILED RESPONSE WHEN WE SENT YOU THAT LETTER IN DECEMBER.
SO SO THANK YOU. I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE. THIS IS A WAY TO UTILIZE OUR OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY AND THE COUNCIL BUT I REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE AND HAVE GOTTEN A
LOT OF THINGS DONE CLEARLY WITH WITH THE NUMBERS THAT I APOLOGIZE IF I IF I ACCIDENTALLY TOOK YOUR SCOOP. DAN, I I'M JUST READING FROM THE PAPER THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE NEWS THAT YOU WERE
GOING TO ANNOUNCE BUT THE MORE WE SAY IT THE BETTER IT IS SO FOLKS CAN KNOW THAT YOU ARE WORKING EXTREMELY HARD. THE LAST BULLET POINT HERE IN THE SECOND PART WORKING TO PUT
IN PLACE BACKUP VENDOR TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS. WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE? I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED THIS. ARE YOU GUYS INVESTING IN A FLEET OF VANS FOR FOR TEAM TRAVEL OR WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS OR IDEAS AROUND THAT? YEAH, WE'VE WE'VE BEEN WORKING AT IT. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR OUR BUSINESS OFFICE TO ACTUALLY GET
A CONTRACT IN PLACE TO ALLOW US TO WORK WITH A VARIETY OF VENDORS AND HAVE THE PROCUREMENT AND THE DOLLARS TO
SPEND WITH MULTIPLE VENDORS. GREAT. SO IT'S IT'S IT'S BIGGER THAN US. I MEAN I THINK THERE'S IF YOU THINK ABOUT FIELD TRIPS AND ALL
THE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN IN THE DISTRICT WE BASICALLY REALIZED THAT WE NEEDED TO GET ALL THOSE VENDORS UNDER CONTRACT SO THAT EVERYONE IN THE DISTRICT COULD DO
BUSINESS WITH THEM AND THE ATHLETIC PIECE WOULD BE A PART OF THAT. SO NOW THERE WILL BE A LIST OR OF A GROUP OF VENDORS UNDER
CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO TO DO BUSINESS WITH THAT THERE WON'T BE ANY ISSUES YOU KNOW WITH PROCUREMENT AROUND IT. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THIS IS CERTAINLY WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY IS NOT THE
PRIORITY GETTING THE SCHOOL BUSSES RUNNING ON TIME ACTUALLY SHOWING UP IS THE PRIORITY BUT I ALWAYS LIKE TO BE TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND JUST THINK
CREATIVELY AND UTILIZING SOME OF THE MAJOR BUSINESSES AND THE VARIOUS COMPANIES IN THIS CITY IS IS ALSO A POSSIBILITY AGAIN NOT A PRIORITY SECOND OR THIRD
TIER THERE IS A NEW PROGRAM THAT TOOK MANY YEARS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EIGHT STRONG COMMISSION TO GET SENIORS INTO LIKE UBERS AND RIDE CHAIRS AND ALL OF THAT
CHANCES IS THAT A WAY TO MAYBE SUPPLEMENT GAME DAY TRANSPORTATION WHERE KIDS DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO UTILIZE A BUS, THEY CAN JUST TAKE AN UBER LYFT AND GO DOWN THE STREET OR
WHATEVER IT IS THEY HAVE THEIR HOCKEY BAG. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT AND IF THIS IS TOTALLY NOT A GOOD IDEA, JUST LET ME KNOW. I'M JUST TRYING TO BE CREATIVE AND AGAIN THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S
SOMETHING WE'VE CONSIDERED YET BUT I CERTAINLY WOULD LOVE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT AND YEAH ALWAYS LOOKING TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. OKAY THANK YOU. THAT'S IT. THAT'S IT FOR ME.
THANK YOU. COUNSELOR TOLD US ABOUT THE LINK. I BELIEVE ALSO GREAT. AND WHAT'S NEXT? BUT SHE SAID OH SO I WILL HOLD
ON WITH COUNSELOR WEBER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. THANK YOU, CHAIR. OKAY, SO I JUST TO I I'M GOING
TO READ SOME QUESTIONS THAT MY INTERN ADAM DRAFTED FIRST. WHY IS PLAY SO MUCH BETTER THAN
BOWLS OF FOOTBALL NOW OF OH OKAY WE'LL JUST THAT'S RHETORICAL OKAY BUT SO ONE IS AND YOU WANTED TO KNOW YOU KNOW
IS BP IS BP'S IN CONTACT WITH COACHES WHEN THEIR BUSSES AREN'T ABLE TO SHOW UP AND SO I GUESS CAN YOU JUST DOES EVERYONE HAVE ACCESS TO THE ZOOM AND IS THIS THIS IS GOING
TO THIS IS THE GAME CHANGER TO ALL THE BUSSES ALL THE BUS DRIVERS ARE GOING TO HAVE THIS GOING FORWARD. CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN? YEAH, I CAN START I GUESS SOME
COLLEAGUES CAN ADD SO YES SO EVERY EVERY TRIP IN ZOOM, YOU KNOW ATHLETICS TRIP OR FIELD TRIP WILL HAVE MULTIPLE CONTACTS TYPICALLY THAT'S YOU KNOW SOMEBODY FROM CENTRAL ATHLETICS AND THEN A COACH OR
SOMEONE DIRECTLY FROM THE TEAM AND THROUGH THE ZOOM APP THOSE CONTACTS CAN SEE KIND OF EVERY STEP THROUGH THE PROCESS FOR THE TRIP SO THEY CAN SEE WHEN A DRIVER IS ASSIGNED TO THE TRIP.
THEY CAN SEE WHEN A BUS IS ASSIGNED TO THE TRIP. THEY CAN SEE WHEN THE DRIVER STARTS THE RIDE AND THEN THEY CAN TRACK THE BUS AS IT'S COMING TO THE SCHOOL FOR PICKUP. AND SO YOU KNOW, CONVERSELY
THEY CAN SEE WHEN ONE OF THOSE STEPS HASN'T HAPPENED YET BUT IT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED AND IF AND WHEN IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET HOPEFULLY WE'VE ALREADY COMMUNICATED TO THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY ANY TRIPS THAT YOU
KNOW DON'T HAVE COVERAGE. YOU KNOW, I CAN WITH THAT ISN'T HAPPENING ANYMORE AND HOPEFULLY WON'T HAPPEN YOU KNOW, WON'T BE HAPPENING. BUT IF THERE'S ANY TRIPS THAT DON'T HAVE COVERAGE OR SOMETHING GOING WRONG, THEN WE
WOULD COMMUNICATE THAT, YOU KNOW, TO THE CENTRAL ATHLETICS TEAM WHO WOULD GET THAT INFORMATION TO THE COACH RIGHT AWAY. BUT IF THEY NEED TO THEY ALSO CAN REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO TO GET INFORMATION IF IF THEY'RE
NOT SEEING WHAT THEY EXPECT TO SEE AND TO AND I THINK THE ONLY KEY BECAUSE WE STARTED THAT IN JANUARY ADAM IS EXPERIENCED IS PROBABLY A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN
THE FALL YEAH SO WELL BASEBALL'S SEASONS COME RIGHT SO NOW BE THE BETA THE TEST AND SO IS BP'S TAKING ANY STEPS TO REDUCE THE NEED FOR BUSSES I
THINK LIKE YOU KNOW HAVE YOU LOOKED AT SCHEDULING IN A WAY THAT HAS LESS TRAVEL OR YOU KNOW, REQUIREMENTS? IS THERE ANY WAY TO DO THAT? YOU'RE TALKING SPECIFICALLY
ATHLETICS BUSSES OR BUSSES ACROSS THE ATHLETICS BUSSES, YEAH I KNOW WE'RE WORKING LIKE SOCCER WITH THE STATE TO TRY TO HAVE LIKE A SORT OF A METRO
LIKE THE DIVISION. IT'S JUST TEAMS IN BOSTON SO PEOPLE AREN'T HAVING TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY OUT TO SUDBURY FOR GAMES WHERE WE CAN JUST PLEASE
BOSTON AND YOU KNOW SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY EFFORTS THERE. YEAH AND AGAIN I CAN AT AT A HIGH LEVEL I MEAN I THINK WE WE KNOW THE NUMBER OF TRIPS THAT
TRANSPORTATION CAN COMFORTABLY COVER IN A DAY RIGHT SO SO THAT HAS TO DRIVE SOME OF OUR SCHEDULING AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR DELIVERY. SO WE'RE AWARE OF THAT.
WE'RE ALSO AWARE OF EXTRA SPOTS WHERE WE CAN HAVE LIKE A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE. I THINK WE'VE SEEN MORE TEAMS THAT HAVE USED SATURDAYS ON THE WEEKENDS RIGHT IN TERMS
OF KNOWING THAT KIND OF WHERE THE PRIORITY ON THE WEEKEND IS THERE'S NOT THE SCHOOL RUNS WHICH ALLOWS TEAMS TO TO CONFIDENTLY SCATTER SOME GAMES AND KNOW THAT LIKE
TRANSPORTATION IS NOT GOING TO BE A PIECE. WE ALSO KNOW WHERE THERE'S SOME SPOTS WHERE WE'VE GOT TO AVOID SO WE CAN KIND OF DIRECT TEAMS AND COACHES FROM FROM USING THOSE SPOTS SO I THINK IT'S
THAT KIND OF ONGOING DIALOG THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE'RE CREATING THAT SCHEDULE TO PUT OUR TEAMS IN A POSITION TO BE SUCCESSFUL DELIVERING IT.
OKAY OFF ADAM'S SCRIPT BUT THE IT SEEMS LIKE SO THERE'S THE BIDDING SYSTEM WHICH I JUST I, I DON'T KNOW I DON'T LIKE THAT WORD IN THIS CONTEXT DOESN'T
SEEM TO REALLY APPLY BUT WE USE THAT FOR THE ROUTES FOR PICK UP AND DROP OFF FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS. RIGHT BUT TO ME THAT'S A YOU KNOW THEY DON'T BID DO THEY BID ON THOSE 72 HOURS IN ADVANCE.
I MY SENSE AS YOU BID ON YOUR ROUTE FOR THE YEAR RIGHT AND YOU HAVE BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THE THE WE'RE TRYING TO REPLICATE THAT FOR SOMETHING
THAT IS EVERY 72 HOURS YOU KNOW OR WHATEVER EVERY DAY IS A NEW BECAUSE IT IS NOT RECURRING ROUTE YOU KNOW YOUR EVERY DAY IS A NEW SYSTEM AND WE'RE BIDDING I JUST I FEEL LIKE I WANTED TO HEAR THERE'S SOMEBODY
FROM TRANSDEV WHO'S GOING TO LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE AND COORDINATORS THERE SO ANY SENSE IN THE FUTURE CBA'S TO SET UP A MANAGER SOME I DON'T KNOW A
TRAIN SERVICE DOING YOU KNOW I'D LIKE YOU KNOW YOU KNOW TRY TO SET UP A DIFFERENT SYSTEM FOR THE ATHLETICS THAN WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR THESE DAILY RECURRING ROUTES YEAH SO THERE
IS A YOU KNOW A CHARTER OFFICE WITHIN TRANSIT THEY CALL IT NOT CHARTER SCHOOL BUT ANY OF THIS WORK THAT'S NONRECURRING IS IS WE CALL WITHIN OUR OPERATION CHARTER TRIPS.
SO THERE IS A CHARTER OFFICE WITHIN TRANSDEV THAT'S ALWAYS LOOKING AT THE THE SCHEDULE OF TRIPS YOU KNOW, A WEEK OUT, FIVE DAYS OUT AND THEN WORKING WITHIN THE YOU KNOW, THE
PROCESS IN THE CBA FOR DRIVERS SELECT WORK YOU KNOW TRYING TO YOU KNOW GET THAT WORK SELECTED AND SOLIDIFIED IN ADVANCE AND THAT HELPS US MINIMIZE THE
NUMBER OF TRIPS THAT GO INTO THE THE DAILY STANDBY BID. AND I KNOW IT IS CONFUSING BECAUSE IT'S LIKE THERE'S A BID IN AUGUST, THERE'S BIDS THREE DAYS IN ADVANCE AND THERE'S A BID DAILY. SO IT DEFINITELY A LOT
OF JARGON TO KEEP UP WITH. BUT YES, OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF TRIPS THAT GO INTO THAT DAILY STANDBY BID BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THERE'S THE LEAST LEVEL OF CERTAINTY ON WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
OKAY. AND SO JUST BACKING UP WHAT AT WHAT POINT WILL COACHES KNOW THAT THEIR BUS WITH WILL NOT
ARRIVE AT ALL? SO UNDER THE THE CURRENT SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, IF A BUS GOES
INTO THE DAILY STANDBY BID AND DOES NOT GET COVERAGE THE THE NOBODY YOU KNOW WE WILL KNOW THAT AND THE COACH WILL KNOW THAT AT A LITTLE AFTER 1 P.M.. THAT DOES NOT WORK RIGHT IT
DOESN'T WORK FOR ANYBODY AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE BEING SO SO STRICT ABOUT STAYING WITHIN THOSE GUARDRAILS FOR WHAT WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE CAPACITY TO COVER AND THAT WAY WE CAN JUST MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING INTO A DAY SAYING WELL WE'VE GOT TEN DRIVERS AVAILABLE BUT WE'VE GOT 12 TRIPS TO GO INTO THE BID. SO TWO OF THOSE 12 ARE GOING TO BE YOU KNOW SO WELL.
SO YEAH AND AVERY, WE HAVE HAVE WE LOOKED INTO GETTING VANS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT OR SCHOOLS CAN USE IN A IN A PINCH WE'VE
DONE SOME LOOKING INTO THAT I THINK WHAT WE KIND OF HAVE TO EVALUATE IS HOW DO YOU OPERATIONALIZE THAT AND WHAT IT MEANS TO OWN VANS NOW YOU KNOW,
WITHIN OUR DISTRICT I MEAN YEAH, IN THE OLD DAYS LIKE THE COACH THE COACH WOULD JUST HOP IN THE VAN, DRIVE YOU. YEAH, I THINK THERE ARE I MEAN IF YOU LOOK AT THE NATURE
OF OUR TRIPS, I THINK THERE ARE SOME TRIPS WHERE YOU WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING FROM LATIN ACADEMY, MADISON PARK RIGHT LIKE THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE. I MEAN THAT'S RIGHT.
NOT A GREAT ONE BUT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE IN DOING THAT RIGHT. BUT THERE'S PROBABLY SOME YOU'D SAY, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S EXTRANEOUS HIGHWAY DRIVING WE WOULDN'T WANT TO DO IT. I MIGHT BE OR TRACK COACH DROVE
US TO PENN RELAYS YEAH YEAH I'LL YOU DOES THAT AND MORE BUT YEAH BUT I THINK LIKE YES THAT WE'VE WE'VE EXPLORED IT I THINK WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE IT BUT THAT THERE IS A OPERATIONAL
COST OF HAVING VEHICLES THAT YOU KNOW WE NEED TO WELL I JUST THINK I JUST KIND OF DO IF WE WE FIND OUT AT 1 P.M. IF YOU KNOW DRIVER COMES DOWN WITH
COVID HE'S NOT GOING TO BE HE HAD THE ROUTE AND HE'S NOT GOING TO PICK UP WE JUST HAVE SOME SOMETHING SOMETHING THERE THAT YOU CAN FILL 20 KIDS ON
AND YOU KNOW GET THEM WITH YOU TO DO ANYTHING. OUR GOAL IS TO ELIMINATE THAT SITUATION AT 1 P.M. AND THAT BECAUSE IT'S VERY CLOSE TO WORK
YEAH THAT SITUATION DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE AND THAT'S THAT'S OUR MUCH FEBRUARY WE HIT IT WE'VE GOT TO HIT IT NOW FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR AND NEXT YEAR AND EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER.
I MEAN TO A CREDIT TO EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING INTO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING YOU KNOW WE HAD A TEAM GOING OUT FOR AN MIT GAME AND UNFORTUNATELY THE BUS BROKE DOWN BUT IT WAS LIKE WITHIN AN HOUR THERE WAS ANOTHER BUS THAT
WAS LIKE ALREADY HALFWAY OUT ON LIKE THERE TO PICK IT UP TO TO SUPPLEMENT SO THAT OTHER BUS COULD COME BACK AND AGAIN THAT'S AN EXPERIENCE THAT IN MY FROM FROM MY PURVIEW IT WOULD
TAKE 3 HOURS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN OR IF THERE WAS EVEN A BUS TO EVEN BE AVAILABLE TO THEN GO PICK THEM UP OUT OF OUT OF BOSTON, CONTINUE TO TAKE THEM TO THEIR MID-GAME GAME AND I THINK WE ONLY WE REACHED OUT TO THE OTHER SCHOOL BUT WE WERE JUST DELAYED SLIGHTLY TO JUST
MAKE SURE THAT THE TEAM COULD STILL PREP GET READY FOR THEIR GAME JUST ON LIKE ON TIME. AND SO I THINK THAT WAS A THAT'S A KUDOS AND IT'S ACTUALLY A SHOUT OUT.
YES THERE ARE THINGS BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO WITH TRANS DEVS HELP AND THEY'RE YOU KNOW THEY'RE A PART OF THIS AS WELL AND JACKIE AND KYLE LIKE THAT ALL HAPPENED BEFORE I EVEN GOT A PHONE CALL SO IT WAS LIKE
ALREADY THE BUS IS ALREADY THERE BUT SO THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO THINGS ARE WORKING AND MOVING IN THE RIGHT WAY. YOU KNOW IT'S NOT IDEAL WE DON'T WANT BUSSES TO BREAK DOWN BUT WE KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THAT STUFF IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
BUT THE FACT THAT THERE'S BACKUPS AND THERE'S LIKE SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE THINGS LIKE THAT'S THAT'S A GREAT THING. IT'S A HUGE STEP FORWARD. HUGE STEP FORWARD.
JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION WITH THE ZOOM APP AND MAYBE YOU SAID THIS IF SOME OF THE BUSSES ARE RUNNING LATE, CAN THE COACH CALL THE DRIVER OR MESSAGE THE DRIVER DIRECTLY? NO, IN THE DRIVER CAN'T OPERATE
HAVE A PHONE OBVIOUSLY WHILE THEY'RE OPERATING THE BUS BUT THEY CAN CALL YOU KNOW, WE HAVE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT PERSON IS TALKING TO THE DISPATCHER WHO WOULD THEN, YOU
KNOW, THROUGH THE RADIO SYSTEM GET INFORMATION. SO COACH CALLS CALLS YOU BASICALLY AND THEN YOU CALL THE DISPATCHER OR CALL CALLS OR CALLS YOU INTO OUR PRINCIPAL
HOTLINE, OUR HOTLINE FOR FOR SCHOOL. SO COACHES, THANK YOU TO YEAH, AWESOME. THANK YOU. COUNSELOR WEBER, I HAVE ONE QUESTION AND I WANT TO DO A
SECOND ROUND OF TAKE YOUR MIND OFF OF MY COLLEAGUES STARTED WITH THE LEAD SPONSOR YOU MENTIONED THAT IS KIND OF HOW THE I IF YOU COULD ONLY DO TEN
OR I FIGURE I SHOULDN'T ACTUAL NUMBER 25 PER DAY AND THEN DURING THAT 2 TO 4 PEAK WINDOW IT'S MORE LIMITED. YEAH. SO 25 PER DAY TRIPS LET'S SAY
YOU GET 30 REQUESTS FOR THAT DAY HOW ARE YOU LIKE HOW ARE YOU PRIORITIZING WHICH ONES YOU PICK SO THAT USED TO HAPPEN ALL THE TIME AND THEN WE WOULD GO
INTO THE DAY AND WE BASICALLY SAY WELL PROBABLY SOME YOU KNOW THREE OR FOUR OF THESE AREN'T GOING TO GET COVERED. THE WORK THAT YOU KNOW, THESE TEAMS ARE DOING NOW IS TO SAY WE JUST CAN'T HAVE THAT.
SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE, YOU KNOW, NOW FOR THE SPRING AND THEN CONTINUE TO BE LOOKING AT IT WEEKS IN ADVANCE AND WE JUST NEED TO RESCHEDULE OR SHIFT THINGS SO THAT WE'RE
NOT GOING INTO ANY DAY WITH 30 REQUESTS WHEN WE CAN ONLY FIT 25 AND THAT'S WHAT'S ALLOWED US TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN FEBRUARY AND THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO KEEP US SUCCESSFUL MOVING FORWARD. I'M STILL HAVING TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING SO BUT I
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT IF THE REQUESTS ARE COMING IN FOR THAT DAY HOW ARE YOU RESCHEDULING FOR DIFFERENT DAY? WE USUALLY HAVE DAYS WE HAVE A
FAIR NUMBER OF DAYS WHERE THERE BE LIKE TEN TRIPS AND SOME DAYS WHERE THE BE 3040, 50 TRIPS. YEAH. SO A LOT OF IT IS IDENTIFYING THAT UPFRONT AND THAT BECAUSE THOSE ARE RESCHEDULED SOMETIMES
WITHOUT LOOKING ACROSS THE SYSTEM IT WAS JUST OH THIS DAY SEEMS GOOD FOR ME I'LL SCHEDULE A GAME ON THAT DAY WHICH RESULTED IN REALLY UNEVEN DISTRIBUTIONS OF GAMES ACROSS THE SYSTEM ACROSS MULTIPLE
TEAMS SO HE WERE SCHEDULING HE REACHING OUT TO THE SCHOOLS TO HIS SCHEDULE A GAME IS HOW ARE YOU SO FOR EXAMPLE TODAY THIS MORNING BECAUSE TRANSPORTATION HAD IDENTIFIED TWO DATES THAT
WE ARE WELL ABOVE CAPACITY AT THE END OF APRIL AND ALREADY IT'S LIKE OKAY LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE AND WE'RE ABLE TO NOW THIS IS YOU KNOW, WELL IN ADVANCE WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO MAKE THOSE
ADJUSTMENTS AND WE'RE ABLE TO CONSOLIDATE AND MAKE CHANGES RIGHT NOW TO THE REQUEST WITHOUT DISRUPTING ANYTHING. SO THAT WAY WHEN WE GET TO THAT THAT POINT LIKE WE CAN LOWER THAT NUMBER DOWN SO THAT WE
WERE HITTING OUR CAPACITY WE'RE WITHIN THAT RANGE BUT THAT JUST HAPPENED THIS MORNING AND WE'VE WE'VE TRIED TO DO THAT BEFORE BUT THERE'S ALSO YOU KNOW, THE
SYSTEM THE ZOOM APP ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO COLLECT THAT DATA AND BE ABLE TO VERY ACCURATELY SAY NOPE, THERE'S THIS WE'RE ALSO ACCOUNTING FOR FIELD TRIP DAYS THAT YOU KNOW STUFF THERE'S SPECIAL OLYMPICS SO IT'S ALL COLLECTIVE IN THAT AND
THEN BEING ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER AND MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED MONTHS IN ADVANCE AND I THINK I MEAN TO THE POINT LIKE WE WE DO HAVE SOME CONTROL IN AN ATHLETIC
SCHEDULE WHERE THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT COME UP THAT IT HAS TO HAPPEN UNDER STATE AND WITHIN THIS RANGE. BUT WE DO HAVE SOME CONTROL OF WHAT WE DO. SO I THINK OUR RESPONSIBILITY
IS TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE SCHEDULE FOR SUCCESS WITH TRANSPORTATION AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO APPLY THAT. YOU KNOW, THERE COULD I MEAN SOMEBODY COULD BE IF WE'RE AT A
HIGH LIKE THAT THE RESPONSE MAY BE WE NEED TO HOST THIS TEAM FROM OUT OF BOSTON ON THAT DAY AND THEN WILL TRAVEL TO YOU ON THIS DATE BECAUSE WE KNOW IT
FITS RIGHT. SO IT'S IT'S IT'S MANEUVERING THE SCHEDULE TO MAKE SURE IT WORKS THAT WE CAN DELIVER. AWESOME. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION . I WAS JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED ON
THAT SO THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME. I WILL NOW GO FOR A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSOR COUNCILOR MURPHY. UP TO 6 MINUTES AGAIN THAT'S FINE WITH EVERYONE AND THEN
WE'LL FOLLOW THROUGH IT. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO DIG A LITTLE MORE ON THE REQUEST SO YOU'RE I THINK WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY
EARLIER, DAN, IS THAT REQUESTS COME IN AND IF THEY'RE GUARANTEED THAT THERE WAS 15% OF THEM NOT A BUSTED AND SHOW UP FOR THE TEAMS THAT WERE
GUARANTEED BUS BUT HOW MANY REQUESTS COME IN THAT YOU TELL THEM AHEAD OF TIME WE CAN'T GUARANTEE YOU BECAUSE WE HAD 100% IN FEBRUARY WERE THERE
TEAMS THAT NEEDED TO TAKE THE TRAIN OR TAKE A BUS BECAUSE THEY WERE TOLD WE KNOW ON THIS DAY WE'RE OVER CAPACITY AND WHAT IS THAT? HOW MANY BUSSES DO YOU PLAN IN
THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT TO HAVE ON ANY GIVEN DAY? AT WHAT POINT DO YOU SAY OKAY, WE KNOW WE HAVE TEN BUSSES ON THIS DAY ON TUESDAY AND THERE'S
14 TEAMS DO YOU TELL FOUR TEAMS WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE YOU? YOU HAVE TO MAKE PLAN B AND THEN YOU CONSIDER THAT 100% RELIABLE OR DO WE CONSIDER THE
FOUR TEAMS THAT DIDN'T GET OFFERED A BUS TO COME PICK THEM UP? THE FOUR TEAMS WE WOULD HAVE KNOWN WE WERE OVERCAPACITY IN THIS CASE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT. WE KNOW IN SO YOU WORRY THAT
WE'RE OVERCAPACITY ON A DAY IN APRIL SO WE WORK WITH THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT TO IDENTIFY THOSE TO THE GAMES AND SEE NO WE'RE AGNOSTIC ON WHICH
ONES GET RESCHEDULED, SEE WHICH FIT BETTER A DIFFERENT DAY SO THEY STILL GET THE BUS THEY NEED. THEY JUST GET THE BUS ON A DAY WHEN THERE IS A BUS AVAILABLE. SO PERHAPS THERE MAY BE A TEAM
AND AN OPPONENT WHO WILL SWAP WHO HAS A HOME GAME SO THAT IT'S ON A DAY WHEN WE CAN TRANSPORT THEM AND THEN THE BUSSES FOR THE BUT HOW HARD I MEAN AS A MOM WHO'S ALL MY KIDS
PLAY LOTS OF DIFFERENT SPORTS MY DAUGHTER COACHES HOW OFTEN ARE WE REACHING OUT TO OTHER TOWNS AND OTHER TEAMS TO SAY HEY WE HAVE ANOTHER DAY WHERE
WE JUST CAN'T GET OUR KIDS? THEY'RE ON THE BUS, WE NEED HELP TO SWITCH? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S LIKE A FULL TIME JOB OF YOURS TO SCRAMBLE SCHEDULES BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S VERY HARD TO MAKE ONE
TIME SCHEDULE. WE HAVE SOMEONE ON OUR TEAM AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF BUSSES, RIGHT? SO WHAT IS THE NUMBER OF BUSSES WE HAVE EACH DAY? BUT IT'S NOT TO THE NUMBER OF DRIVERS.
NO BECAUSE I WANT THAT ANSWER FOR LIKE WHAT IS OUR CAPACITY ON ANY GIVEN DAY HOW MANY TEAMS ,HOW MANY BUSSES CAN WE SEND OUT FOR ATHLETICS TO TO ACROSS
ALL NON HOME TO SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION. SO BASICALLY THAT'S ATHLETICS TRIPS PLUS ANY OTHER LIKE FIELD TRIPS OR ONE OFF TRIPS SUCH AS SPECIAL OLYMPICS WE CAN DO 25
ROUND TRIPS PER DAY IS THE CAPACITY THAT WE'VE SET AND THEN YOU KNOW A MORE LIMITED NUMBER DURING THAT LIKE 2 TO 4 P.M. PEAK WE'RE DOING SCHOOL
EXACTLY AND THE 25 THEN IS RELIANT ON ALL 25 DRIVERS BEING ABLE TO SHOW UP TO VISIT FOR A DRIVER DOESN'T SHOW UP. DOES THAT DOES THAT GO DOWN TO
24 SO SO THAT'S NUMBER THAT WE'VE YOU KNOW AS WE'VE LOOKED AT OUR DATA ON YOU KNOW DRIVER ATTENDANCE AND THE SCHEDULING DEMANDS AND EVERYTHING THAT'S
THE NUMBER THAT WE'VE SAID WE CAN CONFIDENTLY COVER YOU KNOW 25 TRIPS PER DAY AND THEN THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF DAYS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE'VE BLOCKED OFF YOU KNOW, A
FULL YEAR IN ADVANCE AND SAID LIKE THESE ARE DAYS WHERE EVERY SINGLE YEAR THIS IS A BIG CHALLENGE. SO ON THESE DAYS IN FACT, YOU KNOW THESE ARE BLACKOUT DAYS FOR FOR FIELD TRIPS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
IT'S A LOWER NUMBER ON THESE DAYS IN ABOUT HOW MANY TRIPS AND IS A TRIP ONE WAY OR IS IT BACK AND FORTH SO IS IT 25 TEAMS CAN GET A BUS TO AND FROM
OR IS IT 12? IT'S 25 BUT IT MAY BE A FIELD TRIP OR SOMETHING ELSE. AND IF A TEAM IS TAKING THE TEAM IN ONE DIRECTION AND A BUS
HOME THEN THAT WOULD BE TWO DIFFERENT TEAMS BECAUSE IT'S 25 ROUND TRIPS OR 25 LEGS 20 LEGS OF A JOURNEY. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THERE IS THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS OTHER THAN BUSSES THAT HELP DETERMINE
HOW THINGS ARE SCHEDULED. FOR EXAMPLE, IF TWO TEAMS NEED A FIELD THEY CAN'T USE IT AT THE SAME TIME JUST LIKE TWO TEAMS CAN'T USE A BUS AT THE SAME TIME IF THERE ARE CERTAIN
DAYS WHEN THE SCHOOL IS HAVING EVENTS THAT TEAMS AREN'T AVAILABLE TO BE ON. OH ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND IT. YEAH. BUSSES ARE NOT THE ONLY FACTOR THAT THE SCHEDULING TEAM WORKS AROUND.
THAT'S ONE OF MANY FACTORS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TOLD BY A COUPLE DIFFERENT COACHES AND PRINCIPALS THAT EVEN IN THE SPRING THAT THEY'RE BEING TOLD THAT START MAKING PLANS FOR
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND TAKING THE BUS BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH BUSSES FOR THE SPRING. HOW MANY TEAMS COME TO YOU SAYING WE DON'T NEED IT LIKE WE'RE ALL SET, WE'VE MADE OTHER PLANS.
DO YOU HAVE A GROUP OF TEAMS THAT DON'T EVEN RELY ON THE BUSSES ANYMORE? I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO A PRIME EXAMPLE. IT'S LIKE HAVING BASEBALL. THE HEAD COACH THERE, JUSTIN
CURLEY DOES NOT WANT ANY BUSSES WHEN THEY'RE PLAYING AT GARVEY FIELD AND THAT'S THAT'S COMING FROM THE COACH RIGHT? AND SO IT'S LIKE HIS HIS KIDS
ARE THEY GET OUT AT 150 I BELIEVE AND THAT'S COMING FROM HIM IT'S NOT THAT I'M TELLING HIM YOU DON'T HAVE A BUS OR ANYTHING IT'S IT'S WORKING WITH THE COACHES BUT HE'S ALREADY IDENTIFIED THAT HIM AND HIS BOY
HIS HIS BASEBALL TEAM WHEN THEY PRACTICE OR THEY'RE PLAYING AT GARVEY, THEY'LL GET THEY'RE ALL SET RIGHT WHEN THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT COACH. IT MAY NOT SAY OF COURSE SO WE DO HAVE TO AND YOU WERE SAYING
THEN HOW AS AND TALKED ABOUT THIS THAT PARENTS ARE BEING ASKED TO OPT OUT OF ROUTES AS TEAMS ALSO DO THE SAME THING BUT WE TALKED ABOUT MANY TIMES IT'S BECAUSE IT'S NOT RELIABLE
AND IF IT'S NOT RELIABLE YOU'VE JUST MADE ANOTHER OPTION AS YOU BECOME MORE RELIABLE, ARE YOU PROPERLY PLANNING FOR MORE ATHLETIC TEAMS OR MORE FAMILIES
TO OPT BACK IN TO THE BUS THAT THEY ARE GUARANTEED IF THEY WANTED TO HAVE? I MEAN IT'S CERTAINLY OUR OUR HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY FAMILY WHO WANTS THE BUS AND NEEDS THE BUS USES IT I THINK
AS WE YOU KNOW, AS WE GET MORE RELIABLE, CERTAINLY IT'S OUR HOPE THAT SOME OF THESE FAMILIES WOULD WOULD OPT BACK IN. BUT I THINK WE WE DO AS A AS AN OPERATION AS A DISTRICT AND AS
A CITY WE NEED TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT THE CAPACITY IS. ALL RIGHT. IF WE IF WE WANT TO SPEND UNLIMITED DOLLARS, THEN WE COULD EXPAND THE TRANSPORTATION OPERATION ON AN UNLIMITED BASIS . BUT WE ARE ALREADY SPENDING A
HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY ON TRANSPORTATION AND CONTINUING TO EXPAND IT DOES NOT IS EXPANDING. NO, I KNOW BUT KEEPING IT IN THE PARAMETERS THAT WE YOU HAVE TO LIVE THIS FAR AWAY.
YOU CAN'T RIGHT NOW. BUT I THINK AS A AS A DISTRICT, YOU KNOW I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING AND TRANSPORTATION IS ONE VOICE AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS AROUND, YOU
KNOW, SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT POLICIES AROUND MERGERS AND CLOSURES AROUND I YOU KNOW, INCLUSION AROUND YOU KNOW, GETTING MAKING SURE THAT
STUDENTS HAVE QUALITY SEATS CLOSE TO HOME SO THAT THEY DO NOT RELY OR NEED TO RELY ON THE SCHOOL BUS. AND I THINK WE NEED TO WE NEED TO CONTINUE HAVING THOSE
CONVERSATIONS AND YOU KNOW, CONTINUE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING THE BUS FOR THE STUDENTS WHO REALLY NEED IT WHETHER IT'S FOR HOME TO SCHOOL OR ATHLETICS OR YOU KNOW, WHATEVER ELSE IT IS.
THANK YOU. THINK A COUPLE MINUTES GO QUICK HAVE THANK YOU COUNSELOR MURPHY COUNSELOR FRIEND, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THEN HOW MUCH DOES THE CITY OF BOSTON BUS PUBLIC SCHOOL
SYSTEM PAY TRANSDEV THE TRANSIT THE MANAGEMENT FEE UNDER. THE TRANSIT CONTRACT IS ABOUT $17.3 MILLION PER YEAR AND THEN
THERE ARE OTHER COSTS WHICH ARE REIMBURSABLE TO THE DISTRICT. SO THESE ARE COSTS THAT YOU KNOW ARE, VARIABLE COSTS THAT THAT TRANSIT OF SPENDS AND THEN
THEY ARE REIMBURSABLE BY THE DISTRICT. SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT IS YOU KNOW, PAID THROUGH TO TRANSIT OVER IN ANY GIVEN YEAR I THINK ABOUT $108 MILLION 100 AND 108
128108 YES. OKAY. HOW IS THE COMMUNICATION WITH TRANSIT BETWEEN TRANSDEV AND YOUR TEAM?
YEAH, I THINK I THINK IT IS IT IS STRONG AND IMPROVING NOTHING. YOU KNOW THEY ARE NOT PERFECT. WE ARE NOT PERFECT. THERE'S A LONG HISTORY
OBVIOUSLY OF OF CHALLENGES WITH THE BUS VENDOR BOSTON THAT FAR PREDATES TRANSDEV YOU KNOW THAT SPANS MULTIPLE DIFFERENT DIFFERENT BUS VENDORS I THINK
WITH THE MOST RECENT CONTRACT THAT WE'RE NOW IN THE SECOND YEAR OF WHICH AS I THINK WE'VE SPOKEN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WAS A SIGNIFICANT OVERHAUL OF WHAT THE BUS VENDOR CONTRACT IN BOSTON EVER LOOKED LIKE BEFORE.
YOU KNOW THAT HAS I THINK IN VERY POSITIVE WAYS REALLY ALIGNED INCENTIVES AND RESET THIS RELATIONSHIP AND ALLOWED US TO, YOU KNOW, TOGETHER MAKE SOME STEADY PROGRESS
IMPROVEMENTS THERE'S YOU KNOW SO WE ARE WE ARE TALKING WITH THEM IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT AVENUES EVERY SINGLE DAY YOU KNOW IN INFORMAL SETTINGS FORMAL SETTINGS INCLUDING
MONTHLY PERFORMANCE REVIEWS WHEN WE ARE YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH EVERY ASPECT OF THE OPERATION ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE COUNCIL MURPHY AND I KNOW
THE CHAIR HAS JUST STEPPED OUT FOR A SEVEN THE TRANSDEV GENERAL MANAGER WAS INVITED TODAY AND JAMES FALK DO YOU
SPEAK WITH JAMES FULK ALMOST EVERY DAY. SHOULD WE TAKE ANYTHING BY HIS PRESENCE NOT BEING HERE? I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
YOU KNOW THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD TAKE AWAY IS THAT THERE'S THIS IS A VERY, VERY LARGE AND CHALLENGING AND DEMANDING OPERATION AND I KNOW THEY'RE THEY'RE WORKING VERY HARD TO
COVER EVERY ASPECT OF IT. WHEN WE SPENT WHEN WE AS A CITY IN TAXPAYERS PAY A COMPANY $108
MILLION THEY THEY SHOULD SHOW TO A MEETING FOR WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL TO TALK ABOUT THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE HERE THEY'RE
ASKING IMPORTANT QUESTIONS BIPS IS HERE ANSWERING QUESTIONS TRANSDEV IS NOT HERE I'M DISAPPOINTED NOT THAT I'M NOT UPSET WITH YOU BUT I AM UPSET THAT THEY'RE NOT HERE.
UNDERSTOOD. I EXPECT HERE AND OBVIOUSLY DISAPPOINTED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK AT TRANSDEV TOP OF MY
HEAD. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH DID WE PAY THEM LAST YEAR? WE PAY WE PAY THEM THIS YEAR ABOUT 108. HOW MUCH DO WE PAY THEM LAST YEAR AND THIS SIMILAR AMOUNT
AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO PAY THEM FOR THIS THIS UPCOMING BUDGET THERE'S A 3% PER YEAR INCREASE IN THE THE FIXED MANAGEMENT FEE COMPONENT OF THE CONTRACT.
OKAY 150 AND 115 MILLION BUCKS MAYBE SO THAT THAT 3% PER YEAR IS TO THE FIXED MANAGEMENT FEE WHICH IS ABOUT 17.3 MILLION.
EVERYTHING BEYOND THAT IF THAT'S REIMBURSABLE PASS THROUGH COSTS OH THEN THEY THEN THEY GET REIMBURSED AFTER THAT. SO THERE ARE THERE ARE COMPONENTS OF BUS
TRANSPORTATION WHICH ARE VARIABLE SO COSTS LIKE FUEL OR DRIVERS OUT DRIVER WAGES, THINGS LIKE THAT YOU KNOW THOSE COSTS ARE DEPENDENT ON THE
VOLUME OF TRANSPORTATION THAT GETS SCHEDULED AND SO THOSE VARIABLE COSTS UNDER THE CONTRACT ARE REIMBURSABLE TO BP'S THEN THE THE FIXED OVERHEAD COSTS OF RUNNING
MANAGING THE BUS YARDS, MANAGING THE WORKFORCE AND RUNNING THE OPERATION THAT IS A FIXED COST WITHIN THE CONTRACT DOES TRANSDEV USE AND DO YOU
DOES BP'S USE ELECTRIC BUSSES? YES WE HAVE 39 ELECTRIC BUSSES IN THE FLEET AT THE MOMENT. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO START A BUS IN THE MORNING AND
ELECTRIC BUS TO TURN IT ON ONE SECOND YOU TURN IT ON THE SAME AS A REGULAR BUS. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO HEAT UP A BUS IN THE MORNING TO PICK
UP STUDENTS IF THE DRIVER PUTS THE BUS ON THE ROAD IT WOULD BE WARM BY THE TIME IT GOT TO ITS FIRST STOP. SO ALL 50 MINUTES OF SIMILAR THAT 20 MINUTES. YEAH. AND WHAT I WOULD SAY IS ALL
BUSSES, ALL ROUTES, ALL DRIVERS EVERY DAY HAVE A A 20 MINUTE PRE-TRIP BUILT INTO THEIR THEIR DAY. SO THERE YOU KNOW THERE'S A PRE-TRIP INSPECTION THAT HAS TO HAPPEN EVERY SINGLE DAY AND SO
THEY ARE YOU KNOW THEY SHOULD BE AT THE BUS 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE BUS NEEDS TO LEAVE THE YARD AND YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, INCLUDES TIME THAT COULD BE USED TO HEAT UP THE BUS WHILE THEY'RE ALSO, YOU
KNOW, DOING ALL THE CHECKS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN. THANK YOU. STUDENT ATHLETES ALSO INCLUDED I'M GLAD I'M GLAD ALL OF YOU MENTIONED IT. ALL FOUR OF YOU MENTIONED OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND
THEY'RE WONDERFUL ATHLETES AS WELL. TELL US ABOUT THE PROGRAMS FOR STUDENT ATHLETES IN THE IMPACT TRANSPORTATION MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE ON OUR STUDENT ATHLETES
BUT CERTAINLY THEY'RE ENTITLED TO THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICES AS AS AS OTHER STUDENT ATHLETES THAT YOU KNOW. YEAH, I MEAN WE'VE RUN THIS
WINTER THREE DATES, THREE SATURDAYS ACTUALLY HAVE THE LAST ONE COMING UP ON THE EIGHTH IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED BUT WHERE IT'S A VERY INVOLVED I THINK PROCESS WE'RE GETTING
KIDS DOOR TO DOOR TO COME AND DO BASKETBALL AND BOWLING. I THINK BETWEEN TEN AND 1210 AND 12:00 SO WE'VE HAD TWO SATURDAYS WITH SUCCESS AND
WE'RE DOING OUR LAST ONE THIS SATURDAY COMING UP BUT WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO TRANSPORTATION AND ALL THE DRIVERS THAT MAKE IT HAPPEN, THAT'S GREAT.
MY FINAL QUESTION DOES THE IN IN AVERY MAYBE YOU CAN ANSWER THIS DOES PEEPS ATHLETICS DO THEY WORK WITH THE CHALLENGE PROGRAM BASEBALL SOFTBALL FOR
CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES MAYBE IN THE BPA SYSTEM I KNOW IT'S A STRONG PROGRAM THROUGHOUT SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS BUT ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE CHALLENGE PROGRAM? I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT.
SOMETHING I DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WEAVE INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING, I THINK WE'RE WE'RE OPEN AND LOOKING FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE CAN CREATE FOR OUR KIDS.
SO IF THERE'S MORE INFORMATION WE CAN GET THAT GOING. YEAH, IT'S ACTUALLY SPONSORED BY THE TEAMSTERS OUT OF CHARLESTOWN LOCAL 25 AND CHILDREN CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THEY HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL AND ACTUALLY MY FATHER IS AN OLD MAN BUT HE'S A COACH. HE COACHES THE TEAM ONE OF THE
TEAMS IN IN THE SOUTH SHORE. BUT I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE SHAUN O'BRIEN AT THE TEAMSTERS FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK THE CHALLENGE PROGRAM PROVIDES MANY
,MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE ACROSS BOSTON AND MASSACHUSETTS, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. SO THAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE A TOP
PRIORITY AND I KNOW IT IS WITH WITH PEEPS BUT THEY ARE ATHLETES JUST AS MUCH AS ANY OTHER ATHLETE IS OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
COUNSELOR FLYNN COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YOU BEFORE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
JUST A CRITIQUE AND A COMPLIMENT IF YOU WILL, OR A CRITICISM AND A COMPLIMENT ONE I JUST LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS AND AGAIN I JUST WANT TO REITERATE I THE ATHLETIC BUS
COVERAGE YOU KNOW THE I THINK THEY'RE A LITTLE SKEWED IN THE WAY OF WHEN A SCHOOL MAY NOT BE ASKED TO TO FIND THEIR OWN ARRANGEMENTS THAT THAT ISN'T
REALLY FACTORED INTO THESE NUMBERS AS I UNDERSTAND IT. RIGHT. SO I THINK LIKE WELL I APPRECIATE THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE ALL HIGH AND YOU KNOW IN THE NINETIES CLOSE TO 100 IN THE 2023 2024 FALL KNOWING THAT
THERE'S STILL NOT SCHOOL ALL SCHOOLS ARE HAVING THEIR REQUIREMENTS MET WE MIGHT BE ASKING THEM HEY YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN AND THEN THAT'S NOT
INCLUDED IN THIS NUMBER. I THINK IT JUST THROWS IT OFF A LITTLE BIT SO IF THAT COULD EVEN BE CALLED OUT OR PULLED OUT IN THE SIDE OUT OF X NUMBER OF SCHOOL YOU KNOW I THINK IT JUST GIVES A BETTER
REPRESENTATION. THAT BEING SAID, IN TALKING WITH SOME OTHER ATHLETIC DIRECTORS AND OTHER COACHES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, EVERYONE HAS NOTED THE IMPROVEMENT.
I THINK YOU GUYS FOR RESPONSE TO TO US IN HOLDING YOU TO THAT HIGH STANDARD AND TRYING TO REACH IT. BUT AGAIN KNOWING THAT EVERY
SCHOOL IS NOT THE NEEDS ARE NOT MET OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS HAVE MORE TO STRIVE FOR AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS ARE THAT THAT IS YOUR GOAL AND SO I LIVE WITH THAT.
IT'S I KNOW IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB SHUFFLING ALL THESE KIDS AROUND TO AND FROM SCHOOL AND ALSO AS FLEXIBLE AND FUNGIBLE AS A SPORTS SCHEDULE CAN BE OVER TIME THAT'S AN ADDED
CRITERIA. BUT THAT BEING SAID, I APPRECIATE I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE IMPROVEMENT IN THE FUTURE AND THE DAY WHERE ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS NEEDS CAN BE MET IN THE
ATHLETIC TRANSPORTATION FIELD. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'LL THINK TANK ANSWER IF I MAY AND NO THERE WASN'T EXPLICIT QUESTION BUT I JUST WANTED TO REACT A LITTLE BIT FIRST.
CERTAINLY WE WOULD WE WOULD NEVER LEAVE A TEAM HIGH AND DRY AND KIND OF SAY YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN. WE WE WANT TO BUILD UP REBUILD THAT TRUST WITH THE SYSTEM.
WE WANT TEAMS WHO NEED YELLOW BUSSES TO, YOU KNOW, TO WORK WITH US TO SCHEDULE THEM. WE'LL WORK YOU KNOW I KNOW AMY MEAN THE TEAM AT AVERY THE TEAM THEY'LL WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SCHEDULE WORKS WITHIN OUR
CAPACITY. SO YOU KNOW THAT IS CERTAINLY OUR GOAL TO GET THERE. WE ALSO DO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING OUR YELLOW BUSSES AND OUR RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, IN
EFFICIENT WAYS AND I THINK THERE ARE TIMES WHERE YOU KNOW, MAYBE A YOU KNOW, TEAM OR SOMEONE REQUESTS A BUS WHERE MAYBE A YELLOW BUS DOESN'T MAKE THE MOST SENSE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE IN THE PAST
WHEN WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL OF THE TRIPS THAT GET SCHEDULED, SEEING THAT SOME OF THE YOU KNOW, YELLOW BUS REQUESTS ARE FOR, YOU KNOW, A TRIP OF LESS THAN A MILE THAT IS ALSO DIRECTLY ALONG A MAIN MBTA
ROUTE. AND YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT OUR BUDGETS, YOU KNOW, OUR OVERALL SYSTEM, OUR CITY, THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK THAT EXISTS IN BOSTON, YOU KNOW,
THAT MAY NOT BE A TRIP WHERE EVEN IF WE WERE 100% AND HAD UNLIMITED RESOURCES THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO MAKE THE MOST SENSE TO SEND US SEND ON A YELLOW BUS. AND SO I THINK WE JUST WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT BOTH OF THOSE ASPECTS ALL OF THOSE ASPECTS AS WE'RE CONTINUING TO STRIVE TO IMPROVE. GOOD. THANK YOU, JIM AND THANK YOU ALL. AWESOME. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNSELOR
PREPARED YOU HAVE A FLOOR. THANK YOU. MR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I HAVE ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION AND JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, WHEN YOU ASSIGNED A BUT IT'S LIKE
BUS ROUTE TO A BUS DRIVER, DO YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHICH BUS YARD AND WHAT SCHOOL THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO FOR EXAMPLE? I HAVE THE REGIONAL BUS YARD IN MY DISTRICT. DO YOU SET THEM THE FIRST DIBS
FORAYS? I DON'T KNOW IF NEW MISSION HIGH SCHOOL HAS A GAME IN CHARLESTOWN. DO THEY GET THAT OPTION OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. SO THE THE CHARTER OFFICE AT
TRANSDEV WHICH I THINK SOMEONE HAD ASKED ABOUT EARLIER YOU KNOW, PART OF WHAT THAT OFFICE WOULD DO IS THEY'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT ATHLETICS AND FIELD TRIPS REQUESTS, YOU
KNOW, FOR A WEEK OUT FOR TWO WEEKS OUT AND THEY'RE SAYING OKAY, THIS PORTION MAKES SENSE OUT OF FREEPORT. THIS PORTION MAKES SENSE OUT OF REED VILLE. THIS YOU KNOW, THIS TRIP COULD MAYBE BE DONE ON A MASS BUS OUT OF WASHINGTON AND THEY'RE
ASSIGNING THOSE TRIPS AND THEN THE INDIVIDUAL YARDS ARE GOING THROUGH THOSE BID PROCESSES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND THEN IF WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, ON THE FLY OR SAME DAY OR DAY BEFORE
WHAT HAVE YOU, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE SHIFT THINGS ACROSS YARDS BECAUSE ONE YARD HAS EXTRA CAPACITY BUT YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS START WITH THE YARD THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR ANY GIVEN TRIP. GOTCHA. OKAY. I WAS HOPING THAT WAS GOING TO
BE THE ANSWER. IT JUST MAKES GEOGRAPHIC SENSE . YEP. THANK YOU FOR THAT. OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK I GOT ALL MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED TODAY. AGAIN, I DO LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED SUCCESS OF THE COVERAGE OF BUSSES AND TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE ZOO MAP IN
THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AND TO OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE COMING. THAT'S IT FOR ME, MR CHAIR. I WILL BE STEPPING OUT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. BUT THEN COUNCILOR RIGHT HERE.
THANK YOU. SO WE GOT 4 MINUTES THIS ROUND 607 SO I JUST HAD TO USE IT ALL THE USUAL CHECK UP. THE CAMERA'S NOT ON ME WHEN I'M
DOING ALL OF THIS LITTLE WITTY BANTER. OKAY, THE CAMERA'S ALWAYS ON SO A JUST I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ME.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. COUNCIL CO-LEADERS QUESTIONS ABOUT KIND OF LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS THE BEST PATHWAY TOWARDS HELPING TO SUPPORT RIGHT?
SO YOU KNOW I THINK ABOUT MY LITTLE NEPHEW USED TO GET PICKED UP IN THIS LITTLE WHITE BUS THAT WAS THAT A YELLOW SCHOOL BUS BUT HE WENT TO A DAYCARE AND A DAYCARE HAD THEIR
OWN LITTLE BUS SITUATION. IT MAY NOT BE UBER OR LYFT BUT IS THERE A LOW LEVEL ENTRY
POINT LET'S JUST SAY FOR FOLKS WHO WANT TO GET INTO THIS INDUSTRY OF DRIVING FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS? RIGHT. AND THIS IS JUST THIS IS JUST BRAINSTORMING HERE WHAT IT
WOULD LOOK LIKE ESPECIALLY IF WE COULD EVEN GET SOME OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE THINKING ABOUT COLLEGE OR WORKING IN THE TRADES. BUT YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO GET
THEIR LICENSE RIGHT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY EVEN HELP YOUNG PEOPLE GET THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE AND AND START BUILDING THE YOU KNOW, THE THE WHAT DO
YOU CALL THAT THE ONBOARDING THE RAMP RIGHT LIKE TO RENT OR BUY A FEW SMALLER MINIVANS BECAUSE I USED TO DRIVE A MINIVAN WHEN I WORKED IN COLLEGE I USED TO BE A SHUTTLE
BUS DRIVER. I DID THAT. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING BUT I USED TO DRIVE A SHUTTLE BUS AND IT WAS A 15 PASSENGER VAN. I DIDN'T NEED ANY SPECIAL LICENSE BUT IT WAS A WAY FOR ME TO MAKE YOU LAUGH AND THAT
IT WAS A WAY FOR ME TO MAKE EXTRA MONEY AND I HAD TO PAY FOR MY SCHOOL. SO WHAT COULD THAT POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE? A PARTNERSHIP WITH BP'S IT'S A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE WHERE WE CAN GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED AND TO DO SOMETHING I'M NOT TAKING AWAY FROM TRANS DEATH AND I DON'T WANT THE UNIONS TO GET MAD AT ME.
I'M NOT TRYING TO TAKE NOBODY'S JOB AWAY BECAUSE I KNOW HOW THAT WORKS. BUT FOR THESE EMERGENCY CASES IS THERE A PATHWAY TO EVEN WORK WITH TRANS STUFF AND MAYBE THEY
COULD BE PART OF THE UNION LIKE HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS HAPPEN? LIKE I'M ALWAYS LOOKING ABOUT TO SEE HOW DO WE GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE BECAUSE THAT WAY EVERYBODY WINS.
YEAH WELL I, I CAN BRIEFLY SPEAK ABOUT SOME OF THE EXISTING PATHWAYS AND THEN I LOVE SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT YOU'RE FLOATING AS WELL AND YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE CAN EXPLORE
THOSE AS WELL BUT TRANS FREIGHT RIGHT NOW AT LEAST DOES DO CDL TRAINING PAID CDL TRAINING FOR BRAND NEW DRIVERS. SO FOR THAT YOU KNOW THEY'RE HIRING FOLKS WHO HAVE A
DRIVER'S LICENSE BUT NOT A COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE AND YOU KNOW, RUNNING THEM THROUGH THREE MONTHS OF PAID TRAINING TO GET THEIR CDL. YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF YOU WERE TO DO THAT ON YOUR
OWN THAT TAKES, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF FULL TIME WORK AND PROBABLY CLOSE TO $7,000 OUT OF POCKET. SO I THINK THAT'S GREAT. THERE'S ALSO YOU KNOW, THE SPACE WHERE THEY DO THAT AT UMASS BOSTON THAT'S SHARED WITH
CITY ACADEMY WHO I KNOW DOES YOU KNOW SIMILAR CDL TRAINING FOR FOLKS. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I WOULD POINT TO AND YOU KNOW, THIS DOES REQUIRE
A SOMEWHAT SPECIALIZED LICENSE BUT WE DO HAVE CONTRACTS BP HAS CONTRACTS WITH ABOUT 40 VENDORS WHO PROVIDE MCKINNEY VENTO TRANSPORTATION. SO THAT'S THE MINIVAN
TRANSPORTATION FOR FOR HOMELESS STUDENTS OR STUDENTS WHO ARE IN THE CARE OF DCF AND THOSE CONTRACTS ARE COMING UP AT THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. SO WE'LL BE RUNNING AN INVITATION FORBID SOON.
AND SO CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO WHO HAS THAT SEVENTH LICENSE WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A REGULAR DRIVER'S LICENSE
BUT YOU KNOW, IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT'S ATTAINABLE. SO WE WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE INTERESTED TO LOOK OUT FOR THAT IFB AND APPLY FOR THAT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE OTHER OTHER
WAYS TO PROVIDE SOME OF THOSE THOSE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT OFTENTIMES WHEN A PARENT CALLS ME AND THIS IS I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ATHLETICS
BUT JUST ONE OF THESE ARE SCENARIOS THAT WILL OCCUR BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU ARE A PARENT AND YOU HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR JOB TO GO PICK UP YOUR KID BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO HAVE TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUTER RAIL. SO YOU MAKE WHATEVER
ADJUSTMENTS I THINK THAT UBER'S AND LYFT'S YOU KNOW USUALLY PEOPLE JUST TAKE OVER AND JUST GET HOLD AND I THINK THAT IF WE LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT FAMILIES HAVE HAD TO PUT
OUT SO THAT THEIR CHILD CAN PARTICIPATE IN A SPORT, I'M CURIOUS IF YOU IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT FIGURE IS IT IS BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE HOLD THESE HEARINGS AND WE THINK
LIKE OH MY GOD, THE WHOLE SKY IS COMING DOWN. IT'S LIKE NOW THERE'S ONLY LIKE FIVE INCIDENTS AND EVERYTHING'S ALL GOOD. I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE CREATING SCENARIOS IN MY HEAD LIKE IS IT ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE PARENTS ARE
COMING OUT OF THEIR POCKETS MILLIONS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR A SEASON BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN NOT ON TIME OR WE'VE
LET THEIR KIDS STRANDED? I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT EVERY EVERY TIME THERE'S A BUS THAT DOESN'T SHOW UP, I KNOW THAT THAT HAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT WHETHER IT'S
YOU KNOW, THE COACH IS SCRAMBLING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THE KIDS OR SOMETIMES IT'S THE PARENTS COMING TOGETHER OR YOU KNOW, COUNSELOR MURPHY POINTED OUT SOMETIMES IT'S EVEN THE STUDENTS FIGURING OUT A WAY TO GET THEMSELVES ON THE TEAM THERE.
SO YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE THAT THAT DOLLAR NUMBER THAT YOU ASKED ABOUT BUT I KNOW THAT EVERY TIME THIS HAPPENS IT'S VERY IMPACTFUL AND WE GOT TO WE GOT TO HIT THAT 100% NUMBER FROM FEBRUARY EVERY MONTH GOING FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, I ASK THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW THE THE IMPACT RIGHT IN TERMS OF IMPACT AND THEN LIKE ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE
MAKING, SOMETIMES IT'S GOOD TO ALSO UNDERSTAND THE IF IT'S A DOLLAR AMOUNT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE CLOSE THAT FINANCIAL GAP FOR FAMILIES? DO YOU REIMBURSE FAMILIES IF
THEY'VE HAD TO PUT MONEY OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET FOR COVERING THESE SORT OF TRANSPORTATION HICCUPS AND NOT FOR FOR ATHLETICS TRANSPORTATION NO REIMBURSEMENT
WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR FOR ANY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAVE TO THE FAMILY HAS TO TRANSPORT THEM TO GET THEM TO AND FROM SCHOOL OR ANY YOU KNOW, SCHOOL SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. BUT THE REASON WHY I ASK
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF MY DAUGHTER'S EVEN GOING TO GET AN ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP I'M LUCKY IF SHE DOES THAT BUT I GOT TO BANK ON SOME SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, SO SHE MISSES GAMES AND I'LL I'LL MESSING WITH MY MONEY RIGHT NOW SO I NEED TO MAKE
SURE MY DAUGHTER GETS TO HER GAMES AND THAT SHE STRIKES OUT, YOU KNOW, THAT SHE YOU KNOW, STRIKES EVERYBODY OUT SO THIS IS I KNOW YOU MIGHT THINK IT'S A FUNNY QUESTION BUT I DO THINK THAT THESE ARE THE SORT
OF THINGS THAT FAMILIES ESPECIALLY FAMILIES WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR COLLEGE WHO HAVE THEIR KIDS ENROLLED IN, YOU KNOW, IN THESE SORT OF PROGRAMS IS IT IS YOU KNOW,
WE'RE LOOKING AT HOPEFULLY I COULD GET A SCHOLARSHIP AND THOSE ARE THE SORT OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, CAN IMPACT THAT IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO BE A SUPERSTAR BECAUSE THEY CAN'T
GET TO THEIR GAME OR THEY CAN'T GET HOME, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM PLAYING. SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING ELSE THAT I WANT TO JUST UPLIFT THAT THAT REALITY IS REAL FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES WHO ARE LOOKING AT
THESE SCHOLARSHIPS AS THE WAY TO BE THE FIRST PERSON IN THEIR FAMILY POTENTIALLY TO EVEN GO TO COLLEGE. SO I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE 100% AND I'M ALMOST DONE I
PROMISE YOU, COUNSELOR, I'M A CHAIR IS THAT THAT I THINK IT'S IT'S THESE SORT OF CONVERSATION THAT HELP US UNDERSTAND THE FULLER PICTURE. RIGHT? IT'S LIKE THESE ARE THE AND I'M
ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT THE THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE NOT HERE TO TESTIFY OR THOSE FOLKS WHO DON'T HAVE TIME TO BE HERE. BUT I KNOW THOSE MOMS THAT ARE REALLY EAGER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CHILD IS ABLE TO BE A
SUCCESSFUL ATHLETE BECAUSE THAT IS THEIR PATHWAY OUT OF POVERTY . THAT SCHOLARSHIP IS GOING TO CHANGE EVERYTHING FOR THEM. AND I THINK THAT AS MUCH AS WE
WANT TO, YOU KNOW, BRING Y'ALL IN AND THAT'S YOUR REALLY HARD HITTING QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WIN WITH THAT. I JUST I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THE THE
WEIGHT THAT'S ON OUR SHOULDERS WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH YOU ALL THAT IT REALLY IS FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES DO OR DIE OUT HERE AND IT MIGHT SEEM
FRIVOLOUS THAT WHO CARES? BUT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THIS IS A BIG DEAL IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO GET TO AND OUT OF THAT I'M JUST YOU KNOW YEAH.
I MEAN OUR I THINK A BIG PART OF WHAT EVERYBODY CARES ABOUT RIGHT IS OUR CREDIBILITY AND ATHLETICALLY LIKE SOMETIMES YOU DON'T GET THAT BACK RIGHT?
SO WHEN WE SCHEDULE GAMES AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO COMNOT ONS THE STATE AND YOU KNOW, WHEN IF WE'RE IF WE'RE UNABLE TO GET TO THOSE GAMES OR THERE'S SOME CONCERN THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE
I GET THERE WE LOSE CREDIBILITY. SO I THINK OUR BIG PIECE IS UNDERSTANDING THAT PIECE WE GOT TO HAVE THE CREDIBILITY WITH YOU. WE GOT TO HAVE THE CREDIBILITY WITH THE PARENTS. WE GOT TO HAVE THE CREDIBILITY WITH THE COACHES.
WE GOT TO KNOW WHEN WE'RE SCHEDULING SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER IT RIGHT. WE'RE DOING PROBABLY OVER 800 GAMES A YEAR, RIGHT THE SEASON SO ABOUT 2400 GIVE OR TAKE IN A
YEAR. RIGHT. AND THERE REALLY IS NO THAT'S A DATE THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS GAME AT THIS TIME AT THIS PLACE AND IT'S OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAPPENS SO WE TAKE THAT
SERIOUSLY. WE UNDERSTAND THAT PIECE AND TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN PLAY THINGS THEIR SCHEDULE BECAUSE THAT THAT MATTERS TOO. SO IT'S ALL TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. I THINK THE ONE THING I WOULD
SAY FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES BE STUDENT ATHLETES, RIGHT? WE WANT TO GET THE ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS BUT LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING STUDIOUS AS STUDENTS AND BECAUSE WITH A HIGH GPA YOU CAN GET THAT
ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP BUT YOU ALSO GET THOSE ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS TOO. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS ARE ENGAGED, THAT THEY'RE CONFIDENT IN THEIR ABILITY TO PLAY, THAT THEY CAN GO AND
SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ELEVATE WHEN THEY HAVE THOSE PERFORMANCES TO TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF WHAT KIDS ARE DOING. BUT BUT IT ALL DEPENDS ON US AND HAVING THAT CREDIBILITY AND
ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DELIVER THAT GAME ON THAT DATE CONSISTENTLY GREAT.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MEJIA I'M GOING TO DO A THIRD ROUND OF CAUTIOUS PROTOCOLS BEFORE ANY COUNSELORS WHO STILL HAVE QUESTIONS STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS COUNCIL MEMBER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU.
HOW MANY ATHLETIC BUS ROUTES DID WE DO IN JANUARY?
I BELIEVE THREE 173 THAT WERE COVERED AND SEVEN THAT WERE UNCOVERED. AND HOW MANY IN FEBRUARY SO FAR
IN FEBRUARY 293 THAT WERE COVERED. IS IT TRUE THAT THERE'S LESS ROUTES BECAUSE THE SEASON ENDS AND IT'S ONLY AT THIS TIME OF YEAR THAT IF YOU'RE IN THE PLAYOFFS THAT YOU'D NEED A BUS
YOU WOULD KNOW LIKE YOU THINK ALL FEBRUARY VACATION WEEK THERE'S LESS HAPPENING, LESS HAPPEN. SO I THINK IT'S THAT END AT THE END OF JANUARY SO WE'RE ABLE TO EXECUTE OUR LIKE SWIM IS DONE.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE LESS TRIPS IN FEBRUARY BECAUSE SOME OF OUR SOME OF OURS AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT IT'S 100% BUT IS FEBRUARY ALWAYS 100% BECAUSE THERE'S JUST LESS ROUTES AND WE'RE ABLE TO COVER AND THERE'S
NOT SO MUCH TOO MANY TEAMS ASKING FOR SUPPORT FOR TRANSPORTATION. ALSO JUST TO JACKIE'S POINT EARLIER AND TO AVERY'S POINT LIKE WE'VE MADE SOME STRATEGIC
CHANGES LIKE BUMPING BACK MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL WE WERE TALKING EARLIER THAT HAD MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL STARTED THIS WEEK WE WOULD BE IN TROUBLE JUST BASED OFF WHERE WE ARE WITH THE MTA AND THEN
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. WE HAVE 27 SCHOOLS THAT PARTICIPATE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL FOR BOYS AND GIRLS THAT FALL IN THAT PEAK TIME AND NOW YOU'RE DEALING WITH YOUNGER KIDS AS WELL. SO IT'S HUGE IN THE SENSE
OF HAVING PUSHED THAT OUT A WEEK GIVES US THAT ABILITY TO FREE THAT UP WHICH I REALLY THINK TOO THAT TESTAMENT TO THAT ADJUSTMENT HAS REALLY HELPED TO ANCHOR THAT 100% MARK
HERE FOR FEBRUARY AND WE NEED TO HIT IT IN MARCH AND EVERY MONTH THEREAFTER. YEAH TO BE A SHORT MONTH FOR VACATION. YEAH AND LESS SPORTS YEAH OKAY
BUT WE ALSO HAD GAMES THOUGH IT WAS A HECTIC OH YEAH LIKE YOU SAID 100 AND YEAH NO THERE WERE A BUNCH OF THEM. YEAH DEFINITELY SO DAN IS THERE ALSO AN INCREASE COMING UP
BECAUSE OF THE CONTRACT WE PASSED FOR THE TO AN INCREASE IN HOW MUCH WE'RE SPENDING TO
TRANSDEV IT'S ABOUT 108 MILLION SO THE DRIVERS CONTRACT HERE RIGHT? YES SO THE YES SO THAT THE COSTS OF DRIVER WAGES AND
BENEFITS THOSE ARE PASSED THROUGH PASS THROUGH EXPENSE CORRECT. HOW MUCH IS THAT GOING TO INCREASE OUR OVERALL EPS BUDGET SO IT WAS 6.6 MILLION THIS YEAR AND A LITTLE OVER SEVEN NEXT
YEAR. OKAY. AND I KNOW COUNCILOR FLYNN MENTIONED IT BUT WHEN WE HAD THE HEARING LAST TIME MANY
DRIVERS AND MONITORS CAME TO TESTIFY AND JAMES WAS DEFINITELY INCLUDED AND INVITED AT THAT ONE ALSO BECAUSE THERE WAS PUSHBACK AFTER EVEN FROM SOME COLLEAGUES THINKING THAT
WE WEREN'T LIKE SUPPORTING OUR BUS DRIVERS. AND I THINK THAT JAMES VOICE IS IMPORTANT HERE ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, THE UNION KNOWS THAT WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE UNION LEADER DIRECTLY LIKE
WHAT IS THE NEEDS OF YOUR DRIVERS AS WE'RE CONTINUING TO EXPECT MORE RIGHT FROM THEM OR EXPECTING, YOU KNOW, 100% RELIABILITY. SO THAT VOICE DEFINITELY I
THINK IS NECESSARY. ONE QUESTION AND YOU CAN GET BACK TO ME BECAUSE I'VE JUST HEARD FROM MANY PEOPLE THAT THE ELECTRIC BUSSES CAN TAKE ESPECIALLY IN THIS VERY COLD
WINTER UP TO AN HOUR AND A HALF ,2 HOURS TO HEAT UP. IF YOU COULD GET BACK TO ME ON THAT YOU KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE OR NOT, A REGULAR BUS OBVIOUSLY 15 MINUTES SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT BUT
THE ELECTRIC BUSSES ESPECIALLY IN THIS VERY COLD WINTER THAT THEY'RE ALMOST DONE WITH THEIR FIRST MORNING ROUTE IN THE BUSSES AND FULLY HEATED. I CAN ANSWER THAT NOW THAT IS
NOT OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THEM. IF THERE WERE A SPECIFIC PERSON WITH A SPECIFIC BUS WE COULD LOOK AT IT. DRIVERS DO ALSO ROUTINELY KEEP THE WINDOWS OPEN AND SOME OF THE DRIVERS ON THE ELECTRICS
LIKE THEM SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM ABOUT CLOSING THE WINDOWS. SO IF YOU KEEP THE WINDOWS OPEN THE BUS WON'T HEAT BUT THAT'S NOT PARTICULAR TO BEING ELECTRIC. THAT WOULD BE THE SAME FOR ALL BUSSES. YEAH. OKAY. I JUST HAPPEN TO KNOW THAT
ABOUT THE ELECTRIC COUPLE THOSE DRIVERS LIKE THE WINDOWS OPEN IN ABOUT THE TIMELINE. REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE HERE ABOUT THE CONTRACTS IN THE WORK AS DIRECTIVE IT DID COME BACK
AS THE QUESTION ABOUT THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE THAT NEGOTIATIONS ARE ONGOING AND THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE IMPLEMENTING ACTION IS JULY 1ST IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WORK AS
DIRECTED IS CONTINGENT ON THE DRIVERS UNION COMING TO TERMS ON IMPLEMENTING LANGUAGE AND TRANSDEV AND BP AS A PROPOSED LANGUAGE THAT ENSURES OUR STUDENTS WILL SEE THE BENEFITS
OF WORK AS DIRECTED UNLESS AND UNTIL AGREEMENT IS REACHED. DRIVERS WILL NOT RECEIVE THE INCREASE IN GUARANTEED MINIMUM HOURS YESTERDAY WE DID APPROVE
THE CONTRACT SO IS THIS NOW CONSIDERED AGREED UPON SO THAT NOW WE CAN EXPECT THE DRIVERS OR WILL THEY NOT BE EXPECTED TILL JULY 1ST BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY BID THIS YEAR'S
CONTRACT? YEAH WELL FIRST THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL FOR YOU KNOW FOR APPROVING THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION REQUEST YESTERDAY. I APPRECIATE THAT.
SO THE THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT WAS IN THE CBA AROUND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WORK AS DIRECTED AND THE INCREASE IN THE GUARANTEED MINIMUM HOURS THAT I DON'T HAVE IT EXACTLY IN
FRONT OF ME BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT SAID WAS THAT EFFECTIVE JULY FIRST 2025 THE GUARANTEED MINIMUM WEEKLY HOURS THAT DRIVERS RECEIVE WOULD GO
FROM 31 HOURS A WEEK TO 35 HOURS PER WEEK UPON ADOPTION OF LANGUAGE BY THE PARTIES AROUND WORK AS DIRECTED AND SO OUR HOPE AND EXPECTATION IS
THAT BOTH THE WORK AS DIRECTED AND THE INCREASE IN GUARANTEED MINIMUM HOURS WILL BOTH TAKE EFFECT ON JULY FIRST. BUT AS YOU VERY WELL STATED THAT'S CONTINGENT UPON FINALIZATION OF THE WORK AS
DIRECTED LANGUAGE AND IF THE WORK IS DIRECTED LANGUAGE CANNOT BE AGREED UPON A WE GOING TO KNOW ON THE COUNCIL IF THERE ARE 20% OF OUR DRIVERS
WHO WORK LESS THAN 35 HOURS WILL BE GETTING PAID 4 TO 5 HOURS EACH WEEK WITHOUT HAVING TO DO WORK SO SO THAT THE TWO GO HAND IN HAND SO THAT THE INCREASE IN GUARANTEED MINIMUM
HOURS IS DEPENDENT ON THE FINALIZATION OF THE THE LANGUAGE AROUND WORK AS DIRECTED SO WE'RE WE ARE IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT WE WERE IN WHEN YOU WERE HERE RIGHT.
THE LANGUAGE HAS NOT BEEN AGREED. I THINK WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE WE WERE LAST HERE IS THAT WE HAD SOME POSITIVE INITIAL CONVERSATION AND THAT TRANS DEV
IN DPS PROPOSED LANGUAGE AND YOU KNOW WE HOPE TO TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK IN AGREEMENT SOON. OKAY. AND THEIR PROPOSED LANGUAGE WHICH IS IF SEEM AS THOUGH THEY'RE ON BOARD TO EXPECT ANY
20% OF THE DRIVERS TO BE PICKING UP THESE MUCH NEEDED ATHLETIC ROUTES OR FIELD TRIP ROADS BECAUSE YOU ARE PRIVY TO THE LANGUAGE RIGHT? SO I GUESS SO TRANS DEVON DPS
HAVE PROPOSED LANGUAGE WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED YET BUT YOU'RE ADVOCATING STRONGLY RIGHT THAT IF WE'RE PAYING 20% OF OUR BUS DRIVERS A MINIMUM OF 35 HOURS
THAT THEY WILL BE WORKING THE FULL 35 HOURS AND PICKING UP MORE ROUTES? THAT'S CORRECT. SO THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO SEE THE BENEFITS. OKAY. AWESOME.
AND ONE THING ABOUT THE COLLUSION SPECIAL NEEDS SPORTS I KNOW YOU MENTIONED A FEW OF THE SPECIFIC LIKE SPECIAL NEEDS DAYS BUT AS WE EXPAND AND
TRY TO MAKE THE ENTIRE DISTRICT INCLUSIVE, ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS TO PLAY ALONGSIDE THEIR PEERS? I WORKED AT THE HENDERSON FOR MANY YEARS AND NOW THE SCHOOLS
AND WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO THEY HAVE? THEY'RE NOT JUST SEPARATE STANDALONE GAMES A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR YOU KNOW WE BRING THEM TO CHARLESTOWN HIGH
AND WE HAVE A FUN YOU KNOW I THINK WE'VE DIVERSIFIED THAT PROGRAM. WE ARE IN YEAR THREE WITH SPECIAL OLYMPICS MASSACHUSETTS
ON A UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOL GRANT. SO I BELIEVE WE HAVE ALMOST 40 SCHOOLS INVOLVED IN THAT. WE'VE DONE UNIFIED SOCCER. WE'LL BE DOING UNIFIED
BASKETBALL IN LATE APRIL OR EARLY MAY AND ALSO UNIFIED FIELD DAY AT HARVARD IN EARLY JUNE. SO SCHOOLS HAVE IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES TO GET INVOLVED.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM TO PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO PLAY ALONGSIDE THEIR PEERS. AND YOU KNOW HOW IF A STUDENT ATTENDS A SCHOOL THAT A SPORT ISN'T OFFERED BUT THEY CAN PLAY
AT ANOTHER SCHOOL IF IT'S OFFERED AT ANOTHER SCHOOL, DO WE DO THAT FOR OUR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS ALSO KNOWING THAT NOT EVERY SCHOOL IS OFFERING SPECIAL ED OPPORTUNITIES
CURRENTLY NOT I THINK THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT AND LOOK AT. I THINK THE PUSH WOULD BE REALLY TO GET THE SCHOOL
INVOLVED AND WORK THROUGH THAT UNIFIED CHAMPION PIECE. WE'VE WE'VE BEEN DELIVERING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY SO IT KIND OF BECOMES A FIELD TRIP OR OPPORTUNITIES WHERE KIDS ARE
GOING TO PLAY A BASKETBALL GAME IN FRONT OF THEIR PEERS AT ANOTHER SCHOOL, RIGHT? SO IT'S GROWN IT HAS GOT SOME TRACTION AND I THINK GETTING THE SCHOOLS INVOLVED REALLY HAS
HELPED TO CREATE THAT ENVIRONMENT AND AND YOU KNOW THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AS OPPOSED TO KIND OF TRYING TO CO-OPT OR YOU KNOW, LOGISTICALLY WORK TO
TO CREATE THEM OTHER WAYS. AWESOME. I APPRECIATE IT AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND KNOWING WE NEED TO KEEP ON EACH OTHER AND I KNOW COUNCILMAN YOU TOUCHED ON IT BUT WHEN YOU GET
CALLS FROM, YOU KNOW, SCARED PARENTS BECAUSE THEIR KIDS ARE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINTER AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN LEGALLY ALLOWED TO HAVE OTHER TEAMMATES OR YOU HAVE TEAMS
FORFEITING PLAY OFFS. I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE IT EITHER. NO ONE'S SAYING ANY OF YOU DO AND NOPE, DON'T EVER THINK THAT I THINK THAT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME OUR JOB ON THE COUNCIL IS TO ADVOCATE FOR
THOSE VOICES AND THOSE SCHOOLS. SO I'M NOT I SEE AND UNDERSTAND LIKE IN THOSE SITUATIONS I THINK OUR OUR PIECES NOT TO SAY PUSH THROUGH AND PLAY THE GAME IF PLAYING THE GAME IS NOT THE
RIGHT DECISION YOU KNOW WE HAVE NO PROBLEM POSTPONING AND REWORKING THE RESCHEDULE. SO I THINK JUST HAVING THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S THERE'S YOU KNOW SOMETIMES THERE ARE WAYS THAT PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT AND PLAY BUT THERE'S NO PRESSURE COMING FROM OUR DEPARTMENT OR ANY OF OUR SIDES. WELL, IF THERE IS PRESSURE FROM THE TEAM WHEN YOU'VE BEEN WAITING AND IT'S TUESDAY NIGHT
AND IT'S YOUR PLAYOFF GAME AND YOUR FAMILY'S AT YOU KNOW, THE RINK, YOU ARE TRYING TO GET THERE AND THEN YOU FIND OUT YOU CAN'T GET THERE OR THE FAMILY THAT CALLED THEY HAD THEIR BOTH PARENTS TOOK TIME OFF OF WORK
AND DROVE TO THE GARVEY PARK AND IT WAS THE SOCCER GAME I THINK FOR THE SPECIAL NEEDS AND THE BUS NEVER CAME TO THE SCHOOL SO THE STUDENTS NEVER SHOWED UP BUT THE FAMILIES WAS THERE AND THEY HAD TO LOVE IT.
I MEAN THOSE ARE THE CALLS WE GET THAT INITIATE HEARING ORDERS LIKE THIS TO SEE LIKE HOW CAN WE DO BETTER AND WHAT SUPPORT CAN WE GIVE LIKE YOU SAID THEN I MEAN I HOPE OUR
PLAN ISN'T TO HOPE THAT LESS FAMILIES WANT TO USE OUR TRANSPORTATION, THAT IT'S RELIABLE AND EVERYONE WHO CAN SHOULD BUT AT THE SAME TIME MAKING SURE YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE
OFFERING A RELIABLE SERVICE SO PEOPLE OPT IN BECAUSE IT'S RELIABLE JUST LIKE FAMILIES OPT OUT OF SCHOOL CHOICES THAT ARE UNDERPERFORMING. RIGHT. WHEN 80% OF OUR THIRD GRADERS
AREN'T READING ON GRADE LEVEL IT MAKES THE PULL OF SCHOOLS YOU'RE WILLING TO SEND YOUR CHILD TO MUCH SMALLER AND THAT MIGHT MEAN A BUS RIDE, RIGHT? SO YES, MAKING SURE THAT ACROSS
THE BOARD AND IT'S NOT JUST THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT, IT'S ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BUS IS RELIABLE AND THAT EVERYONE WHO WHO NEEDS IT HAS ACCESS TO REALLY GOOD BUS SERVICE. BUT I THINK WE ALSO WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT AS A DISTRICT WE HAVEN'T CREATED A SYSTEM THAT REQUIRES EVERY OR SO MANY STUDENTS TO RELY ON THE BUS. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
I THINK A COUNCILMAN MURPHY, COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY ON TRANSPORTATION A VERY GOOD HOW OFTEN DO STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITY HAVE ACCESS TO THE GYMNASIUM PER WEEK? YEAH. AT A PARTICULAR SCHOOL ARE THEY GUARANTEED A CERTAIN NUMBER OF CLASSES SO THAT THEY WERE
ABLE TO GET GET SOME EXERCISE IN DURING DURING THE WEEK. YEAH I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU WITH KIND OF SPECIFICS.
I KNOW THE THE APPROACH THAT A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS HAVE TAKEN THERE HAS BEEN A UNIFIED APPROACH WHERE IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SEPARATE. THEY'RE PART OF PE CLASSES AND THE PE CLASSES MEETING YOU KNOW
X NUMBER OF TIMES A WEEK THAT EVERYONE'S INVOLVED AND INCLUDED. YOU KNOW, I BUT I COULD GET BACK TO YOU WITH SOME SPECIFICS. YEAH, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'D LIKE TO KNOW AND MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ALSO ABLE TO HAVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AT THE AT THE
GYMNASIUM AT THE SCHOOL SO THAT THEY CAN THEY CAN EXERCISE AND YOU KNOW, HAVE FUN WITH THEIR WITH THEIR FELLOW CLASSMATES AS
WELL. MY OTHER MY OTHER QUESTION MY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE WHO
WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FOR THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION ITSELF IF IT'S THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER WHO OVERSEES THEM AS IS IT UNDER YOUR JURISDICTION, YOU
KNOW? PS UNDER THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS. OKAY SO I BELIEVE JOE CARTER IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THERE. OKAY.
BUT JESS GREEN IS THE DIRECTOR OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR THE DISTRICT. OKAY. AND THAT'S A GUARANTEE THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS THE HAS THE RIGHT TO TO PARTICIPATE IN
EXERCISE DURING THE WEEKDAYS AS OUR CORRECT OF CHAMPIONS. THERE'S A THEY'RE THE ONES TO GO TO TO THEY'RE UP THERE ALWAYS MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S PRESENT OKAY I KNOW MR CHAIR THERE IS SOME PUBLIC TESTIMONY
IS THAT RIGHT? I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS NO I'VE BEEN INFORMED THERE HASN'T BEEN. OKAY. I DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE ASKING QUESTIONS IF IF THERE WAS
PUBLIC TESTIMONY NOW THAT'S MY IS I GUESS MY MY MY MY QUESTION WOULD BE MY FINAL QUESTION WOULD BE I KNOW YOU HAVE SAID THINGS ARE GOING VERY WELL WITH TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENT
ATHLETES BUT IS THERE ANOTHER SIDE TO THIS STORY FROM PARENTS THAT HAVE WRITTEN YOU A CALL? DO YOU CONTINUE TO CALL OUR OFFICES?
DO YOU GET THOSE CALLS EXPRESSING CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAVE AS A PARENT TO GET THEIR CHILD TO THEIR ATHLETIC GAME?
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT OCCURS IN IN YOUR IN YOUR DUTIES? WE HEAR SOME I THINK HERE AND THERE IT'S IT'S NOT CONSISTENT BUT I THINK OBVIOUSLY AS A
COLLECTIVE WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT. I MEAN I THINK IN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY'RE REACHING OUT TO YOU, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'D LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THOSE PIECES AS WELL
. WE HAVE HEARD, YOU KNOW, FROM SOME FAMILIES AROUND VARIOUS UNIQUE CHALLENGES THEY MAY HAVE WITH WHETHER GAMES OR PRACTICES AND WE'VE WORKED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE ADDRESSED THOSE.
BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT I MEAN WE HEAR A LOT FROM THE COACHES AND THE COACHES OBVIOUSLY ARE A SOUNDING BOARD FOR PARENTS AS WELL. BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR PIECE IS WE UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS
ARE GOING TO COME UP RIGHT. AND IN THOSE SITUATIONS WE'RE OPEN. WE UNDERSTAND WE CAN WE CAN FACE IT, YOU KNOW, HEAD ON AND TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY BUT ALSO WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT,
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE TWICE OR THAT WE'RE WE'RE WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE. BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK THESE FORUMS ARE GREAT. I WORKED THE BEST KIND OF BEFORE WE GET HERE AND I
THINK WE'D ALL PREFER THAT I'M SURE YOU GUYS WERE FOR THAT. BUT YOU KNOW SO THE MORE THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE AND MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND AND POINT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONS TO TO GET THE ANSWERS AND IF
YOU HAVE QUESTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET YOU THOSE ANSWERS SO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF TIMES BY THE TIME IT GETS TO YOU SOMETIMES IT GROWS LEGS, SOMETIMES IT'S YOU KNOW, EVOLVED TO SOMETHING THAT IT'S
BIGGER THAN WHAT IT WAS AND YOU KNOW AND WE'LL WORK TO TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, IF WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED CAN FIGURE THAT OUT. BUT IF WE KNOW WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE THAT WE GET A
CHANCE TO EXPLAIN THOSE AND TALK ABOUT THOSE IN REAL TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT'S HERE. THE TEAM. MR CHAIR, I HAVE NO FURTHER
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU. I'M ALSO OKAY. YOU DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND HE'S A STUDENT AS
WELL SO I'M SORRY IF YOU WANT TO JUST COME TO THE PODIUM IN THE BACK LEFT HERE. YEAH. AND YOU CAN SHARE YOUR
EXPERIENCE WITH US. YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND MAYBE WHAT SCHOOL YOU GO TO. YEAH, IF YOU WANT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE. SO MY NAME IS OMAR PEREZ, A
SENIOR AT THE JOHN NEAL BRYANT AND I PLAY FOR THE BASEBALL TEAM I'VE BEEN PLAYING FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS NOW. IT'S MY LAST SEASON AND I WOULD
SAY THAT I HAVE HAD A FEW EXPERIENCES WITH I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S WITH WHITE STADIUM OR WHOEVER HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY
OF OF THE BUSSES BUT THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE OCCASIONS LAST MINUTE CANCELLATIONS HAVE HAPPENED. HAVE THAT HAPPENED WHETHER THAT BE TO NATIONAL TO QDOBA WE'VE
HAD TO FIND OUR OWN RIDES THERE AND THAT'S A 50 MINUTE DRIVE FROM HERE EVEN EARLY ON IN SEASON PRACTICES LIKE SCRIMMAGES AGAINST OTHER SCHOOLS WHERE THAT PRACTICE WAS
HEAVILY NEEDED TO START OFF THE SEASON STRONG AND THE ONLY REASON THEY WOULD GIVE US IS THAT THERE'S NO BUSSES. THERE'S YOU KNOW I'VE SEEN THE
BUS THE BUS LOTS THERE'S A LOT THERE'S A LOT OF BUSSES SO I'M NOT SURE WHY IT IS LIKE I PERSONALLY HAVE HAD YOU KNOW
LIKE I SAY MANY ENCOUNTERS WITH THIS AND I WONDER LIKE WHY IS IT THE BUS DRIVER IS THIS OF THE BUSSES IS LIKE WHAT WHAT IS THE MAIN REASON FOR FOR US HAVING BUSSES AND TIMES THAT WE
NEED IT MOST. YEAH IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR RESPONSES TO THAT SO WE YOU'RE HAPPY TO RESPOND WE YOU KNOW THE PANEL RESPONSE TO
QUESTIONS FOR THE COUNSELORS THEY'RE HAPPY TO RESPOND IF THEY WANT TO BUT IF YOU CAN JUST SHARE YOUR REACTION, YOUR EXPERIENCE AND THEN WE'LL HAVE YOU KNOW, THE COUNSELORS HERE WILL BE HAPPY TO ASK QUESTIONS
ON YOUR BEHALF AS WELL. THANK YOU, CASSIE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OF COURSE. THANK YOU FOR BEING THANK YOU FOR BEING A DO YOU DID YOU FINISH YOU FINISH YOUR YEAH. NO I JUST YOU KNOW I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS OFFER FOR BEING HERE
YOU KNOW I WAS LISTENING FOR THE PAST 20 MINUTES AND I SEE YOU KNOW YOU GUYS WANT TO YOU KNOW YOU GUYS FEEL THE SAME WAY AS I DO AND YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU GUYS
HAVE DONE. SADLY TO SAY I WON'T BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE IT BUT I HOPE FOR THE NEXT YOU KNOW, ONGOING YEARS THIS PROBLEM HAS YOU KNOW
,FINISHED AND I JUST WANT TO SAY GOOD LUCK TO TO MY FUTURE TEAMMATES ARE NOW MY FUTURE TEAMMATES BUT TO MY FUTURE BASEBALL TEAM AND THOSE WHO ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCES.
THANK YOU. REALLY APPRECIATE YOU HAMOUDI YEAH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION AND WHAT WAS THE QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED
MOST? THE MAIN REASON I MEAN I WASN'T HERE AS TO LIKE WHAT WAS THE MAIN REASON AS FOR THE BUS CANCELLATIONS AND THEN IN THOSE
TIMES YEAH I CAN'T SAY I WAS GOING TO ASK THE QUESTION I DON'T KNOW FIRST I JUST WANTED TO SAY FIRST THANK YOU FOR FOR COMING AND TESTIFYING AND CERTAINLY I DON'T THINK AT 18
THAT I WOULD HAVE HAD, YOU KNOW, CONFIDENCE TO TO DO THAT. SO YEAH THAT'S THAT'S REALLY COOL AND IT'S IT'S ALSO VERY I THINK MEANINGFUL AND HELPFUL FOR US TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM
YOU KNOW, FROM YOU AND FROM STUDENTS ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE. SO JUST I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO TO BE HERE AND SHARE THAT EXPERIENCE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK AT THE THE HAPPY TO SPEND SOME MORE TIME MAYBE AFTERWARDS KIND OF GOING THROUGH ANY ANY DETAILED QUESTIONS YOU HAVE BUT AT THE VERY HIGH LEVEL YOU KNOW THERE
IS A LOT THAT INTO RUNNING THE TRANSPORTATION OPERATION EVERY SINGLE DAY WHEN WE'RE YOU KNOW WE'RE TALKING YOU KNOW, 640 BUSSES TO GET STUDENTS TO AND FROM SCHOOL AND PLUS YOU KNOW
ATHLETICS TRIPS AND YOU KNOW FIELD TRIPS AND EVERYTHING AND YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT SCHEDULING THERE ARE SOME VERY KIND OF STRUCTURED PROCESSES BY
WHICH GAMES AND TRIPS GET ASSIGNED TO DRIVERS AND SOME OF THOSE HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE DAYS IN ADVANCE AND UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THOSE
PROCESSES SOMETIMES HAPPEN SAME DAY AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS ON THE SAME DAY THAT'S WHERE WE RUN INTO KIND OF CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY AND WE'RE NOT SURE
AND YOU KNOW, USUALLY WE'RE ABLE TO GET IT YOU KNOW, GET THINGS SORTED OUT AND COVERED. BUT WHEN THERE ARE UNCOVERED TRIPS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S YOU KNOW, THEN THE SCHOOL THE TEAM FINDS OUT AT THE LAST MINUTE
AND SO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND YOU KNOW THAT WE WE SPOKE ABOUT KIND OF EARLIER BEFORE YOU GOT HERE IS ABOUT HOW DO WE AS A YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION, ATHLETICS
AND OVERALL SYSTEM IMPROVE HOW WE'RE DOING THE SCHEDULING THING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KIND OF STAYING WITHIN OUR OVERALL CAPACITY FOR WHAT WE
CAN CONFIDENTLY DO AS A SYSTEM SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO RUN INTO ANY OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE BUSSES OR TRIPS ARE GOING IN TO WHAT WE CALL THE THE DAILY STANDBY BID PROCESS
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE YOU KNOW IT USED TO BE THAT YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD TOO MANY TRIPS SCHEDULED ON ANY GIVEN DAY, SOME OF THOSE TRIPS WOULDN'T HAVE A DRIVER ASSIGNED BEFOREHAND AND THEY WOULD HAVE
TO SAME DAY KIND OF GO INTO THIS DAILY BID PROCESS WHERE THERE'S UNCERTAINTY. AND SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO RECENTLY IS IS KIND OF HAVE ADJUST SCHEDULES AND MAKE
DIFFERENT SWITCHES TO KEEP THE TOTAL NUMBER OF TRIPS PER DAY WITHIN OUR CAPACITY SO THAT WE DON'T RUN INTO THAT SITUATION. AND SO THIS THIS HAS BEEN A VERY COLLABORATIVE KIND OF EFFORT ACROSS ATHLETICS,
TRANSPORTATION, MANY DIFFERENT TEAMS COACHES AND YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO KEEP TRYING TO DO THAT GOING FORWARD BUT HOPEFULLY THAT AT LEAST GIVES A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT INTO IT AND HAPPY TO TALK AFTER AS WELL
AS IS IT SORRY MAY I ALSO ADD ANOTHER LIKE EXPERIENCE? IT WAS JUST ABOUT A WEEK AGO TO WE WERE GOING ON A FIELD TRIP
TO FRANKLIN COUNTY SOMEWHERE FAR WEST AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE AT 9 A.M. WE HAD CANCELLATION FOR YOU KNOW,
DELAYED 45 MINUTES, 45 MINUTES, 45 MINUTES BACK TO BACK UNTIL AT 12 P.M. WE GOT PICKED UP AND
IT WAS A 40 BUS LIKE WE HAD TO GO TO THE BUS LOT AND THAT'S WHY I SAY LIKE I'VE SEEN THE BUS A LOT AND YOU KNOW HAD A HAT LIKE WE'VE HAD WE HAD TO GO TO THE BUS LOT LIKE A WHOLE
GROUP YOUNG STUDENTS HAD TO GO TO BUS AND WE AND SO WE HAD TO TRANSFER RIGHT THEN AND THERE AND THEN ONLY AFTER THAT WERE WE ABLE TO GO TO TO FRANKLIN
WHICH WAS A TWO HOUR DRIVE. WE GOT THERE TOO. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET THERE AT 11. YEAH THAT'S JUST ANOTHER RECENT EXPERIENCE THAT I'VE HAD AND MY
SEASON HASN'T STARTED YET SO I HAVEN'T HAD ANY, YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCES YET WITH WITH THE BUS BUT YOU KNOW, I DO HOPE I
ENCOUNTER THAT WITH ALL YOU KNOW, DUE RESPECT OBVIOUSLY SHE'S SHARING AND WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE IT'S A SUCCESSFUL SPRING SEASON
FOR YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M HONESTLY I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD TO HIS POINT BECAUSE I REMEMBER THE NASHOBA VALLEY TRIP I REMEMBER EVERYTHING SO I PULLED OUT I'M KIND OF A I LOVE
DATA SO I PULLED THIS UP. WE HAD SEVEN OR WE HAD 14 OUT OF BOSTON AREA TRIPS ON THAT DAY LAST YEAR IT WAS APRIL 1ST AND SO THAT SCRIMMAGE WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT PRIORITIES AND
GAMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHEN WE HAVE 14 TRIPS GOING OUT OF BOSTON THAT ARE VARSITY AND THEN YOU HAVE SCRIMMAGES AND WELL OVER 30 TRIPS IN TOTAL OVER THAT DAY IT JUST GOES TO
SHOW THAT LIKE THE MATRIX AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH TO TRY TO FLAG THAT STUFF IS IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL RIGHT THOSE THAT PARAMETER REALLY YOU KNOW I'M SORRY THAT YOU WENT THROUGH THAT AND I WAS
ON THE PHONE WITH COACH ALL THE TIME BUT THEY ALSO HAD A COUPLE TRIPS BUT AGAIN THERE WERE DAYS IN WHICH WE HAD 52 TRIPS, WE HAD 36 TRIPS, WE HAD 32 TRIPS,
38 TRIPS. SO AGAIN IT'S ABOUT BEING ABLE TO MAXIMIZE OUR SCHEDULE WITHIN THE CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE AND LEVERAGE THAT BUT ALSO BE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN
WE'RE GOING OUT OF BOSTON BECAUSE THAT TAKES A COMPLETE DRIVER OFFLINE AND TRY TO MINIMIZE THOSE WITH THOSE CONSTRAINTS. SO WE REALLY HOPE THAT THOSE SORTS OF THINGS WILL BE ABLE TO CAPTURE THOSE YOU KNOW, AND
HAVE 100% ON TIME PERFORMANCE FOR THOSE THIS YEAR I'M I'M A COMPETITOR AND I'M LIKE BRING IT SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. SO I'M CHALLENGING MYSELF TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
SO ABSOLUTELY NO THANK YOU. THANK YOU MOLLY MOLLY'S ALSO A YOUTH AMBASSADOR FOR OUR OFFICE AND HE'S BEEN ALONGSIDE WITH HIS OTHER COLLEAGUES.
OTHER YOUTH AMBASSADORS ARE ADVOCATING FOR MANY DIFFERENT THINGS SO YOU KNOW, IF YOU WEREN'T HERE WHEN THEY MENTIONED IT BUT IN FEBRUARY THEY HAD 100% RATE AND
HOPEFULLY FOR YOUR SPRING SEMESTER THAT THAT WILL BE THE SAME TOO THAT'S YOU KNOW THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WE'RE EXPECTING WE'RE HOPING AND HOPING FOR IT SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
COMING OF COURSE WITH THAT. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC TESTIMONY BUT I WANT TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH MY COLLEAGUES TO GIVE CLOSING REMARKS AND THEN ALSO ANY
CLOSING REMARKS FROM YOU ALL CLOSE CUSTOMER FEEDBACK. THANK YOU. THIS HAS BEEN INFORMATIVE AND I THINK EVERY TIME WE MEET RIGHT IT CONTINUES FOR US TO GET TO
KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER AND WORK TOGETHER BETTER TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW THE BASEBALL TEAM AT O'BRYANT AND I ALWAYS LEAVE THESE MEETINGS WITH MORE QUESTIONS WHICH I CAN UP WITH EMAILS.
BUT YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUST CAME TO MIND IS LIKE HOW DO WE RANK LIKE OUR VARSITY TEAMS GIVEN PRIORITY OVER JV AND WHICH SCHOOLS? SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT LIKE YOU SAID I LOVE THE DATA TOO SO
I WILL REACH OUT TO KIND OF JUST AN IDEA BECAUSE WITH THE INFORMATION THE MORE I KNOW WHEN I GET CALLS IT'S JUST SO MUCH EASIER. LIKE YOU SAID IT TAKE LEGS RIGHT?
AND IF THERE IS SOMEONE WHO WILL PICK UP BUT DAN, YOU'VE ALWAYS PICKED UP. THANK YOU. I KNOW I'VE CALLED, YOU KNOW THE SUPERINTENDENT DIRECTLY AND WHEN SHE DOES PICK UP I SAY
LIKE I'M CALLING BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO HELP NOT MAKE THIS SITUATION GET WORSE. AND ONE OF THEM WAS WHEN THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT PARENTS WERE CALLING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOCKEY TEAM DRIVING IN BAD WEATHER TO
LOWELL AND WHEN THEY DON'T PICK UP LIKE I CAN'T HELP YOU KNOW THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT ADDRESSED THE SITUATION AND NOT HAVE IT BE LIKE IN THE NEWS THE NEXT
DAY OR HAVING ANGRY FAMILIES CALL. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMITMENT THEN I KNOW YOU ALREADY DO IT. SO THANK YOU BUT APPRECIATE LOOKING FORWARD AND I'M ROOTING
FOR IT TO RIGHT. WE WANT ANOTHER HUNDRED PERCENT AND WE ALSO WANT TO EXPAND IF WE CAN IF THERE ARE TEAMS THAT NEED TRANSPORTATION IT TO MAKE IT MORE EQUITABLE THAT MORE
STUDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE BECAUSE I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE PARENTS WHO DON'T ALLOW KIDS TO EVEN TRIAL FOR TEAMS IN SPORTS BECAUSE THEY KNOW ON THEIR END THAT THEIR JOB AND THEIR LIFE IS NOT GOING TO
ALLOW FOR THEM TO TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY ON. AND IN THE SUBURBS IN OTHER TOWNS IT'S LIKE THEY CAN 100% RELY IF YOU MAKE THE BASEBALL TEAM YOU KNOW YOUR KID IN IF
YOU CAN'T MAKE IT, YOUR KID IS GOING TO GET THERE. SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION . SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU CHAIR FOR THIS GREAT MEETING.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. COUNSELOR MURPHY COUNSELOR FLYNN THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR AN INFORMATIVE HEARING.
THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION PANEL THAT'S HERE FOR YOUR WORK WAS I ENJOYED THIS HEARING. I LEARNED A LOT I LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU. I LEARNED A LOT FROM MY
COLLEAGUES AMARI I ESPECIALLY LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU AND YOU CAME HERE IN YOUR YOU'RE A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AND CHANGES THAT
TAKE PLACE NOW ARE NOT GOING TO IMPACT YOU BUT YOU YOU CAME HERE BECAUSE YOU ARE WORKING OUT FOR YOUR TEAMMATES AND YOU'RE LOOKING OUT FOR KIDS ACROSS THE CITY THAT PLAY
SPORTS. YOU DON'T YOU DON'T NECESSARILY ONLY KNOW THEM BUT YOU WANT TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR OTHERS AND I REALLY RESPECT THAT. I REALLY ADMIRE THAT IN YOU AND
WHAT A WHAT A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS A LEADER. YOU ARE AN EXAMPLE. SO I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. I HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMAN FLYNN, DO YOU HAVE ANY CLOSING REMARKS OR ANYTHING YOU MAY WANT TO SAY OR JUST THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I APPRECIATE IT. I ALSO THOUGHT I'D JUST ADD ONE PIECE.
I MEAN I THINK WE'VE SHOWN TODAY I THINK OUR RELATIONSHIP HAS CONTINUED TO EVOLVE. THEY HAVE A BIG JOB TO DO, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK WE WANT TO MAKE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTIVE
OF WHAT THEY HAVE TO DELIVER EVERY DAY BUT THEY'RE ALSO VERY RECEPTIVE AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DELIVER EVERY DAY. SO I THINK OUR OUR RELATIONSHIP AS EVOLVED INITIALLY I THINK IT
WAS MORE OF A TRANSACTIONAL PIECE AND AS WE SAT DOWN AND LEARNED HOW EVERYBODY OPERATED WE OPERATED WE GOT TO A SPOT WHERE I THINK WE FEEL COMFORTABLE IN HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AND WE DO THE BEST CAN FOR OUR FOR THE KIDS OF BP. SO I APPRECIATE THEM BEING PARTNERS. I APPRECIATE THEM TAKING THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE QUIRKS
OF WHAT WE DO. BUT THE MORE WE KNOW AND I THINK EVEN BEING IN THIS CHAMBER AND WORK WITH EVERYBODY, THE MORE WE KNOW HOW EVERYBODY WORKS AND WHAT THE DIFFERENT LEVERS ARE THE BETTER WE CAN BE TOGETHER.
SO I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE TO SUPPORT US. AWESOME. NO THANK YOU. I THINK THIS HEARING I THINK IT'S VERY OBVIOUS THAT THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN YOU TWO
IS INCREASING. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S FOR IT'S YOU KNOW, FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR OUR STUDENT ATHLETES. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE WITH I WANT TO THANK
OUR PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND MY COLLEAGUES OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS A FULL ROOM EARLIER. I THINK THAT AGAIN GOES TO SHOW HOW MUCH YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL CARES ABOUT OUR STUDENT
AND OUR STUDENT ATHLETES AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING TO AND FROM ON FROM FOR YOU KNOW FROM A SPORTING EVENT SO AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE
THE LEAD SPONSORS CONCERT MURPHY COUNCILMAN FLOYD AND COUNCILOR FITZGERALD FOR BRINGING FOR SPONSORING THIS HEARING WITH THAT THIS HEARING
ON DOCKET NUMBER 0267 IS ADJOURNED THANK YOU