Heat. Heat. Good evening. I'm Bernard Green, chair of the Brookline Select Board, and this is the regular meeting of the Select Board for December 16, 2025. First item on the agenda is moving into
executive session. So I move that the select board go into executive session for the purpose of one discussing the negotiation position of the town related to real property located at 1220 1290
1300 and 1330 Boilson Street. Two discussing the negotiation position of the town related to real property potentially to be sold by Helenic College. and three discussing strategy related to bargaining with union
employees. The real property matters are being held in executive session because an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the town and the chair so declares an executive session therefore to be necessary. The
matter involving bargaining with union employees must be discussed in executive session because an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the town >> and the chair again so declares an
executive session and therefore to be necessary. So all in favor please indicate by saying I. John Vancoyak >> I. >> Uh David Pearlman >> I. >> Michael Rubenstein >> I. >> Chair votes I. Uh, the select board will reconvene in open session after our
executive session uh, meeting scheduled for 6 a.m., but don't hold me to that. >> 6 p.m. >> I'm sorry. 6 p.m. Yeah. >> All right. Hallelujah. Hey, hey, hey.
Heat. Heat. Hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Oh, heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.
Heat. Oh, heat, heat. Heat. Heat. Oh, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat up here.
Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Good evening. I'm Bernard Green, chair of the Brookline Select Board, and this is the regular meeting of the select board for December 16, 2025.
Um, let's start off with uh announcements and updates from the select board. And I'd like to start with two. Number one, you see this beautiful poster of an original, not an original, but of a uh collage by Ecqua Holmes, a
local artist who allowed the Martin Luther King celebration committee to use this um u picture in our poster. Uh I'm giving you advanced notice of uh the January 19, 2026
uh Martin Luther King celebration event at the Coolish Corner Theater where our speaker will be uh Dr. Noli Rrooks of Brown University speaking on King and the power of education a blueprint for freedom. We will also have a special
guest, the new poet laurate of the state of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, Reggie Gibson. Many of you know Reggie because he's uh spoke at our event uh in past years and has spoken at the high school and and elsewhere here in Brooklyn quite frequently. And our new
uh Brooklyn poet laurate Allison Adair will will also be presenting uh at at the event. So, uh it's uh a little more than a month away, but put it on your calendar because you don't want to miss out on the tickets that you'll need to
get into the event. Um okay. Next, I'd like to uh read a statement taking advantage of my um position as chair. I can do that. Um, so over the weekend we suffered two
attacks of hate on innocent people going about their business that are also attacks on our community. And yesterday uh in Brooklyn, a renowned theoretical physicist who is a professor of nuclear science and engineering at MIT and the
head of the plasma fusion lab. very important work especially from the standpoint of climate and uh environmental uh concerns that we have um was shot and killed. The killing of the two students and
injuring of many others at nearby Brown University terrorize a wide community of students, alumni, families and university supporters across the globe and here in Brooklyn. and the killing of 15 people on a beach
outside of Sydney, Australia during a ch Hanukkah celebration celebration hosted by a local kabad group and including the lighting of a manora. The attack terrorized Jews and others all over the
world and here in Brooklyn where we have a large kapad community. On Sunday, we had a community celebration of the first night of of Hanukkah and the public lighting of the manora at congregation Cahilath Israel
on Sunday. A poignant reminder of hope given the current conditions of the country and the world. The lighting of the manora reminds us that a little light can shine away a lot of darkness and that we need to keep our
focus on the light and the goodness of the vast majority of people here locally and globally. This is a truly dark period in America and the world and with the spread of anti-semitism in word and in violent deed.
But I worry that too often we treat anti-semitism as an isolated phenomenon and not an aspect of a broader threat. In my view, anti-semitism is a is the canary in the coal mine. If you focus
only on the canary, you miss the broader threat. Hatred is indivisible. Those who hate Jews hate me. But also those who hate Jews also hate Palestinians. And to the the extent we lose our connection to other groups
suffering from the poison in the coal mine and if especially we refuse to listen to their pain also we are helping the real haters in their divide and conquer strategy. And while we have to be very proactive in attacking anti-semitism and other
forms of hatred in general, we can't allow our fears to be an excuse to stifle speech or thought or to hate people with different views, experiences, or pain. That's my statement. Any other comments
or statements or updates? John? >> Yeah. Um just on on the tragedy on Gibbs Street, um I I just want to say what I think is true of every member of this board and um everyone in Brooklyn right now, which is that our our hearts go out
to that family um and the um especially uh the Ridley school community u where some of the children from the family attend. And uh I was impressed. Uh and I hope people realize Brooklyn in many
ways is can be a small town and a tightlyk knit town and a caring town and that is very much in evidence tonight. Um there are town meeting members from precincts 2 and eight which are the most adjacent of the town of the town meeting
precincts and they are rallying to the extent that you know they can offer whatever comfort, whatever services um uh whatever is needed to that family and to the children of the Ridley school
community at this time. Uh people are coming forward to say we're here for you and you know we we want you to know that um this event has deeply affected um um all of your neighbors and we're going to
be here you know throughout the days that follow and please call on us and you know plea please let us know what we can do to help. I think that's the spirit of Brooklyn. >> Thank you John. Any other
updates? Okay. Um, Charlie, um, we're opening public comment. Please, uh, present the rules of the game. >> Sure thing, Bernard. Um, just one second while I pull up my script. Thank you for joining us for
public comment. This is an opportunity for us to hear your perspective on the issues in Brookline that matter to you. Each person speaking tonight is limited to 3 minutes. You don't need to use the entire time, but you may if you like. Once 15 minutes has been met, there's an opportunity at the conclusion of the
select board's business for additional comments. Members of the public sometimes raise questions during public comment. We may be able to provide a quick answer to a question, but are more likely to work with staff to get a more thorough answer and respond over email. The onscreen timer will flash orange
when you have 1 minute remaining and red when your time is nearly up. Please conclude your remarks at that time. If you have anything more to say, you are welcome to send an email to board members expressing your thoughts in greater detail. Any person wishing to speak tonight must begin their comment by identifying themselves with their
full name, either their Brooklyn precinct number or street address, and the specific topic on which they wish to speak. The board encourages, but does not require that remote users turn on their video when commenting. The first person signed up for public comment is Lisa Guibond. Lisa, if you're in the
room, uh you can approach the podium. Thank you. Good evening. I am Lisa Gisbond and I live in precinct 12. And I'm going to read a copy of a letter that I sent to the select board, but I wanted feel strongly and I wanted to
share it for the public and for the public record. So, I was shocked, dismayed, and frankly embarrassed by the discussion and decision by this select board against reappointing Chi-Chi Woo to the Commission on Diversity, Equity,
Inclusion, and Community Relations. I watched the recording of the December 2nd select board meeting where the vote on Miss Woo's reappoint was 2 to2, resulting in her being ousted from the commission.
despite her long record of distinguished service as a civic leader with a demonstrated commitment to the purported goals of the commission. Oddly, Miss Woo's record of service did not seem to be a significant consideration in the
decision. I appreciated the comments of Chairman Green and Mr. Rubenstein. I believe they were correct to raise concerns about the implications of denying Miss Woo her seat based on the effort of Mr. Heft and others mostly
unnamed to smear Miss Woo as an anti-semite or at least someone insensitive to the feelings of quote the Jewish community based apparently on selected social media posts that caused offense. My embarrassment comes from
those who purport to speak on behalf of the Brooklyn Jewish community while impuging the reputation of Miss Woo. I am a member of the Brooklyn Jewish community, a community that has diverse views on just about everything,
including the actions of the Israeli government military in response to the atrocities committed on October 7th. I count myself among the majority, 61% according to a recent poll of US Jews who believe Israel has committed and
continues to commit war crimes against Palestinians. Is this the way our town leaders deliberate and make decisions about representation on such commissions? Given the split vote, I hope that you will reflect on this deliberation and
decision and reinstate Miss Woo with apologies to her for being part of this effort to smear and malign her. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next person signed up for public comment is Amy Newell. Amy, if you're in the room, you can approach the
uh podium. Hi, Amy Newell, town meeting member, precinct 7. Members of the select board, I have already written expressing my dismay at your failure to reappoint Chi-Chi Woo, the sole woman of color on the diversity commission. I want to
reiterate publicly that Miss Woo has been the victim of a year'slong campaign of bullying, harass, and harassment, despite which she gained reelection in her precinct last May. Is it any wonder that the diversity commission has struggled to find more people of color
to join tonight? You are interviewing three people for the commission. I read their applications and I have questions. This year, I was a co-patitioner on two warrant articles protecting and celebrating Berke's queer and trans residents. Both were recommended
unanimously by this very select board. Thank you. And passed overwhelmingly by town meeting. It is in part up to the diversity commission to ensure these resolutions are honored. One of the applicants, Miss Kogan, makes reference only to immigrants in her application.
Obviously, the safety and inclusion of our immigrant neighbors should be top of mind these days, but immigration is not the only issue our diversity commission is concerned with. Another applicant, Miss Goldberg, also mentions only immigrants and quote diver viewpoint diversity. One of Miss Goldberg's
viewpoints, as stated in a letter to former select board member Mirian Ashkenazi in 2023, which became public record recently via a public records request, is that if the town must fly a pride flag, it should be an older rainbow flag, not the trans-inclusive
one. While she is quick to say she is not one iota homophobic, she also questions the necessity of celebrating pride at all and writes that she sees it as a problem when the town's public buildings put up banners with the blue and pink stripes of trans activism.
I would like to know if Miss Goldberg's views, which I agree she is perfectly free to hold, have altered it all since 2023. Refreshingly, Miss Weiss's application mentions several kinds of diversity: race, religion, sexual orientation, income, and ability. She does not,
however, mention gender or gender diversity. I urge the select board to question all three women on their ability to serve on a commission that has been directed by town meeting to protect and celebrate our trans residents. Finally, to the people of Brooklyn, it is easy to feel helpless
about national politics and complacent about local politics, but we cannot take Brooklyn politics for granted. Like communities across the country, we also must guard against having our local government hijacked by people who may not share our values. However, voters here have a lot of power. Even many
townwide elections are routinely won or lost by a handful of votes. But only 23% of registered voters voted in the most recent town election. I urge all voters to pay attention and get involved. Ask all the candidates about their values.
Pay attention to what they don't say and be sure to get out and vote in May. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next person signed up for public comment is Alicia Shu. Alicia, if you're in the room, you can approach the podium. >> Good evening. My name is Alicia Shu. I
am a longtime Brooklyn resident of precinct 16, a retired Brooklyn Public School teacher of 30 years, and a steering committee member of the Brooklyn Asian-American Family Network, Baffin. I present the following statement on behalf of Baffin in support
of Chi-Chi Woo. The Brooklyn Asian-American Family Network strongly disagrees with the select board's decision to vote against Chi-Chi Woos reappoint to the Commission for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Relations. We are deeply
disturbed by the lack of due process in which this occurred. Chi-Chi Woo is a responsible, committed civic leader who treats everyone with respect, dignity, and compassion and inspires those around us around her to
do the same. For decades, Chi-Chi has worked tirelessly to make Brookline a more inclusive and welcoming town. Her contributions over the years on the advisory committee at town meeting and in collaboration with the office of diversity, equity, inclusion, and
community relations have resulted in a more equitable Brooklyn. She has fostered dialogue, developed relationships, and built bridges between town and school residents and elected representatives. Chi-Chi belongs on the
commission to continue this work. In 2021, during a time of racial violence, Chi-Chi was willing and able to engage in difficult critical conversations to keep our community safe, especially during the Stop Asian Hate campaign when
collected data shows that over 60 Brooklyn Asian-Americans were bullied, harassed, and or assaulted during and following COVID. That same year, Chi-Chi Woo was named Brookline Woman of the Year by the Brooklyn Commission of Women
for her outstanding civic leadership. Chi-Chi's courage, skills, and perspectives as a woman of color are much needed on this commission. Countless Asian and Asian-American students, families, and residents have a
stronger sense of belonging in Brooklyn because of Chi-Chi's commitment to equity. Baffin was founded in 2009 to address the lack of AAPI representation on Brookline school and town boards. Since then, Baffin has grown to be an
important and effective community advocacy organization thanks to Chi-Chi's unwavering leadership. We want Chi-Chi's powerful voice and vision to represent us on this commission. We charged the select board as elected
officials to engage rather than cancel, to listen rather than rant, to restore rather than punish. We ask that you reject unfair processes and allow for civil disagreement so that all of us can
feel safe and welcome to live, to vote, and to serve in Brooklyn. Baffin is proud to >> Thank you. Your time is expired. Brookline is proud to stand with Chi-Chi Woo. >> The next person signed up for public comment is Katherine Henchin. Katherine, you may approach the podium and your
three minutes will begin. Great. Hi. Uh, hi members of Select Board. My name is Katherine Henchin. I'm a town meeting member in precinct 17. I'm also a Brooklyn homeowner and the parent of a Ridley kindergartener. I am here tonight to speak against consideration of Carrie Beth Goldberg for the Commission for Diversity,
Equity, Inclusion, and Community Relations. I'm not here to oppose her solely because of her emailed statements to former select board member Miriam Ashkenazi, in which she describes the display of trans-inclusive flags on public property as a problem and questions the use of the pride flag altogether. I'm also not here to oppose
her because she attempted to organize opposition to renaming the former devotion school after a black woman, Flora Ruffen Ridley. I'm actually here to oppose her based on her actions to organize her neighbors allegedly against the victory programs residential project at 16 William Street. I know that each
of you is familiar with this project because despite her opposition, you voted 50-0 in favor of letting victory victory programs develop the project. During the debate around 16 Williams, Miss Goldberg organized hundreds of neighbors against housing for single mothers, an effort which included
circulating a petition opposing housing for quote people with substance use disorders over fears of harm to seniors and school children. Might I remind you, the Americans with Disabilities Act expressly covers people with addiction to alcohol and people in recovery from opioids and other drugs. These women are
themselves a protected class. In emails to public list serves, Miss Goldberg characterized our new neighbors as 10 mothers who lost custody of their children because they use drugs. Miss Goldberg repeatedly went out of her way to stigmatize these single mothers who worked hard to regain custody of their
children through the courts and are themselves members again of a protected class. As a Brooklyn resident, I found her comments to be stigmatizing, distressing, and exclusionary. Rather than make homes for these families, she would rather quote see very ugly luxury condos because the victory program for a
protected class of people quote crosses a line. Members of the select word, Mr. Pearlman here has already said that we cannot have members of the ODICR commission that are divisive. The actions of Miss Goldberg are indeed divisive and they are certainly not inclusive. Please do not put someone on
the town's commission for diversity that has basically repeatedly shown public opposition to these exact values. And I got to say on the way over here, I was thinking about two relatives of mine who died of substance abuse. My aunt died of alcoholism and a cousin of mine died of opioid abuse. They never got the chance
to get into recovery, let alone move into a place like Brooklyn. and we are all one bad month or bad life event from being the kind of person that Miss Goldberg doesn't want to live here. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. The next person signed up for
public comment is Chi-Chi Woo. Chi-Chi, you may approach the uh the podium and your three minutes will begin. >> I understand I should have extra time, five minutes. I requested it and the chair granted it. >> Yes.
>> Thank you. Thank you, Chair Green. >> Chi-Chi Woo, Precinct 7. I'm here today because a couple of you made some very personal attacks about me on December 2nd regarding my reappoint to the Commission on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Community Relations,
>> and you didn't give me a chance to respond. In fact, you didn't even let me know there was a problem, and maybe I should show up to defend myself. I was tried and convicted in abstentia. The process was to say the least defective
and that defective process constitutes desperate treatment against me, an Asian-American woman. Town minister Chaz Carrie admitted on video that what you did was out of the ordinary, that the custom and practice is that is if
there's an issue with reappointment, it's handled privately. in contrast to the very public personal attacks that David Pearlman and Paul Warren made against me. And I do want to thank Chair Green and Michael Rubenstein
for supporting me and of course Lisa, Amy, and Lysa for their support today. This is a problem for more than just me because Brooklyn has a serious problem with its lack of people of color on boards and commissions, especially Asian-Americans. While we constitute
nearly one in five residents, there are only a handful of us on boards and commissions. Brooklyn also has a problem with attacks against people of color once they're on boards and commissions. What you did will only make this
disgraceful aspect of town governance even worse and leave a commission on diversity that is all white, which is quite a statement on how this town defines diversity.
You also violated my free speech rights by retaliating against me for my private viewpoint, which David Pearlman and Paul Warren admitted to on video. It's not just a constitutional violation. violate your own handbook on boards and commissions, which states a member has
the right to speak publicly or post on social media as a private citizen as long as they don't purport to represent the board or commission. As to the speech that you retaliated against me for, it consists of three tweets, three two of them criticized Israel's actions,
nothing to do with Brookline. I reject the idea that criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic, as do several letters from Jewish residents supporting me. Again, retaliating against me for my views on Israel's atrocities in Gaza violates my free speech rights. Also, I took my
Twitter account offline in December 2024. I had 6,500 tweets in that account. My harassers cherrypicked three tweets out of 6,500. And I had taken all of them down. one of those tweets regarding the inter art
article about sexual violence on October 7th. I took down one day after it was posted one day. This is the kind of obsessive harassment campaign that the group of people who attack me waged. And it's not just me. They've organized
harassment campaigns against a Muslim American teacher and a Palestinian-American high school student. I repeat, a high school student in Brooklyn. Now, regarding the twi art tweet, I want to make a few things clear. Versus is
not true. It was in response to a Brooklyn news article about Jewish students in this town struggling with college choices. It was a reply to a tweet by Bill Aman, a billionaire hedge fund manager and Trump supporter who ultimately successfully ousted a black
woman Claudine Gay from the Harvard presidency. and Bernie and Bernard Green was correct to print point out on December 2nd was actually a tongue-in-cheek reference to my own community's obsession with Harvard admissions. It was certainly not intended to be anti-semitic or suggest
Asians should proactively replace Jews, but rather that my community would opportunistically take advantage of any drop in early admissions at Harvard by anyone. However, I recognize the difference between intent and impact. So if the
impact of my tweet offended anyone, I would apologize to those persons. I will apologize to those people except for the folks who have harassed and bullied me because I don't apologize to bullies. And this bullying isn't just a problem for me. It's a systemic problem for
people of color in this town for Muslim American and Palestinian-American residents and those who are vocal in their opposition to what's happening in Gaza. Two of the folks involved in this campaign, Jesse Hefner and Dana Perry, are on school committee and they're looking to add to their numbers on
school committee. One of them, Carrie Beth Goldberg, is applying to the CDICR. Finally, because I've been suggested to disperate treatment and my free speech rights violated, I will be filing a civil rights complaint with the attorney general's office and ironically with the
Office of Diversity using the process that Bernard Green set up. I do this not for me but because there are systemic issues in this town about its treatment of people of color as well as a pattern of targeted campaigns.
Thank you. >> Thank you. That concludes the f the people who were signed up for uh for public comment in advance and I believe that exceeds the 15minute aotment at the beginning of the meeting. Um the select board will uh have an opportunity at the end of the meeting for any further
comments. Thank you, Charlie. Okay, next. Uh u well are there any um people in the We don't have time for that. Forget it. Sorry. Okay. Um next uh we have our
miscellaneous calendar. I'd like to call for approval unless someone has some corrections to our meeting minutes for December 2nd and December 9, 2025. Any corrections? Okay. Okay. I move approval of December
2nd and December 9, 2025. All in favor, please indicate by saying I. John Vancoyak. >> Uh I was absent for the December 2nd meeting. I say I. I. Okay. I'm sorry. I thought you were taking a little bit. >> Yeah. Well, I was, but that was a mistake. >> Okay.
>> Okay. Let's start with December 2nd. Uh all in favor, please indicate by saying I. John Vancoyak. >> I abstain. >> Abstain. Uh Paul Warren. >> I. >> David Pearlman. I >> Michael Rubenstein >> I. >> Chair votes I. And now December 9, 2025.
All in favor, please indicate by saying I. John Vanscoyak. >> I. >> Paul Warren. >> Hi. >> David Pearlman. >> I. >> Michael Rubenstein. >> I. >> Chair votes. I. Next. U. I'd like to take items 7B through 7U in omnibus
fashion. Unless someone has an item that they'd like to pull out for further discussion. >> I I do have one question if I may on Lars. Anderson memo. We did receive an email um and they were asking about was the walled garden which I think is
currently the DPW garages. Was that included or not? Um can we get some clarity on that? >> Sorry, what number are we talking about? >> Yeah. What number? >> Uh I think it's Anderson >> Lars Anderson.
>> Oh, okay. Yeah, >> 7B. >> I think it's 7B, I believe. So yes, the memo talks about that it's going to provide a comprehensive site history which will include a site history of all everything that's on everything that's in the in in Lars Anderson or was in Lars Anderson. So it includes that that
cultural history there >> but but so it does include the the the the area of the where the garages are. That was the question. Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Unless there are any other items that someone wants to pull out. I move
of approval of items 7B through 7U. All in favor, please indicate by saying I. John Bencoyak. >> I. >> Paul Warren. >> I. >> David Bowman. >> I. >> Michael Rubenstein. >> I. >> Chair votes I. >> Okay. Next, our regular calendar. Uh, first item
nine. Let me make sure that I'm in the right order. Can I borrow your >> Oh, yeah, sure, sir. No, the agenda. Yep. Sometimes my notes differ from the official agenda. So, checking,
double-checking and checking again. Um, so next item is question of appointing police lieutenant Casey Hatchet to the position of deputy superintendent and the question of appointing police deputy superintendent Paul Campbell to the
position of superintendent. Uh, who's going to >> Chief Pastor is online. >> Okay. >> Good evening. Can you all hear me? >> Yes. >> All right. Great. Thank you so much for hearing this. Uh, as you know, with the retirement of Superintendent Kevin Mey
after 35 years of extraordinary service, I'm requesting authorization to move forward with promotions that'll ensure the continuity of leadership and uninterrupted executive oversight of the police department. After a comprehensive review of experience, leadership performance, operational knowledge, and
organizational needs, I respectfully recommend the promotion of Deputy Superintendent Paul Campbell to the rank of superintendent and the promotion of Lieutenant Casey Hatchet to the rank of Deputy Superintendent. Deputy Superintendent Paul Campbell and
Detective Lieutenant Casey Hatchet each have more than 27 years of service with the Brooklyn Police Department. They graduated from the same academy class in 1998. And if it's okay, I'll begin by speaking about Deputy Superintendent Campbell.
DS Campbell holds a bachelor of science from UMass Amherst and a JD from Boston College Law School and has been a member of the Massachusetts Bar since 1994, bringing rare legal expertise to a police executive leadership position. His command experience includes service
as a patrol lieutenant, a decade as a detective lieutenant in the office of professional responsibility over overseeing internal investigations, and later as district court prosecutor. Since his promotion to deputy superintendent in 2022, he's commanded the community services division,
overseen training and postcertification, and served as our PIO. He's also represented the department on multiple town and regional committees. His leadership has strengthened accountability, transparency, and community trust. His service has been recognized with numerous state and local honors, including the George Hannah
Medal of Honor. Deputy Superintendent Campbell is exceptionally wellprepared to serve as superintendent with deep institutional knowledge, legal expertise, and COVID executive leadership. Next, Detective Lieutenant Casey
Hatchet, as I mentioned, has served the department since 1998. She became the first the department's first crime analyst in 2002 building Brookline's datadriven crime analysis and grant programs. She played a key role and continues to play a key
role in emergency management including the creation of our C program and our junior cert program and she served remarkably in the emergency operations center during the co 19 pandemic. Detective Lieutenant Hatchet was promoted promoted to sergeant in 2018.
She served as a patrol supervisor in the community service division and she coordined she's coordinated several major events including every year the Boston Marathon. She chaired the homelessness task force, led many emergency preparedness efforts and
helped strengthen our partnerships with schools and community organizations. Detective Lieutenant Hatchet was promoted to lieutenant in 2022 where she commanded the second platoon before assuming her current role as the detective, lieutenant, and police prosecutor overseeing all criminal and
traffic prosecutions and has modernized our core related processes and training. Lieutenant Hatchet holds a bachelor's degree from BEu, a master's from Western New England University, and is a 2025 graduate of the senior management institute for police.
She's completed executive extensive executive leadership training and has long been civically engaged in Brookline, including serving as a town meeting member and on the select boards committee for policing reforms. Her work has been recognized with multiple community and professional awards.
Penn and the Hatchet's leadership, operational credibility, and deep community connections make her exceptionally wellqualified to serve as superintendent, deputy superintendent rather. And I respectfully request the select board's approval of these promotions. After which I would invite you all to
join us for the promotional ceremony tomorrow at noon time in town hall uh room 111 I believe. >> Thank you. Okay. Tomorrow. Okay. We just heard about this promotion event uh room 111
>> at noon. >> At noon. Okay. Let me see. >> Okay. Any questions from the board? >> Just have a quick comment. Bernard, uh, thank you, Chief. Um, I just wanted to share with my colleagues. I, and I think many of us have probably had the
opportunity to interact, uh, with both of these, um, outstanding officers. Um, in particular, um, I've had the opportunity of of talking with working with, um, both of them. Uh, Casey Hatchet. Um, she's an outstanding
individual. I think we all know her quite well. Um she's been great with the community uh with um with Lieutenant Campbell. Um he actually participated in a a significant meeting in South Brooklyn back when we were going through a period
where there was robberies there. Um and there was a lot of concerns and I got to see him uh in action uh with a a large very concerned group of residents that were concerned about public safety. Um and he just did an outstanding job. uh in in communicating with them and
speaking clearly about what the issues were and understanding and having empathy for them. So I'm just I'm very supportive of both these individuals being appointed. >> Okay. Any further discussion? >> Like to echo uh Paul's comments. I've worked with uh Lieutenant Hatchet and
Deputy uh Campbell uh over the years on many many um occasions and you know their professionalism, their um focus, their commitment to the values of Brooklyn is without parallel. Um, you
know, we are very, very fortunate to have the caliber of police officers that they represent on our force and they're not the only ones, but I think this is a good uh promotion and uh will be good for the department and for the town
certainly. John, >> I just want to add um you know because this is um the timing of this uh I think it's it's worth mentioning it's a very somber moment for the entire community of Brooklyn because of the shooting that occurred on Gibb Street. And one of the
first things that was published um in the aftermath of the shooting, and we're talking about, you know, just 24 hours plus here, um was from a neighbor saying how reassuring and impressive um the response uh of all of the emergency
responders uh but in particular the police to the scene um and at the scene uh and subsequent to um the events of the evening. Um so that that that is worth noting um because that comes from
quality people um and good leadership in the department and uh I think that's what we have here. >> Great. Unless there any further discussion, I'd like to move approval of the appointment of police Lieutenant
Casey Hatchet to the position of Deputy Superintendent and the appointment of Police Deputy Superintendent Paul Campbell to the position of Superintendent. Um, all in favor, please indicate by saying I. John Vancoyak, >> I. >> Paul Warren, >> hi.
>> David Pearlman, >> I. >> Michael Rubenstein, >> hi. >> And chair votes I. >> Thank you, Chief Pastor. Thank you all very much. >> Next, uh we have digital community display. Uh our communications officer,
Christina Metaf, will present on digital displays in Brooklyn, uh such as a sufa um things out in the street uh and other possible um uh digital display uh
equipment. So, is she on Christina on Zoom? Okay. Yes. >> Good evening, Clifford. Uh just to remind those who are with us today in the uh for the first time this conversation in early November, we reviewed the history behind the 23 SUFFA
kiosks that are currently in Brooklyn. Um the select board has some questions and so I reached out to SUFFA um so they could provide those answers regarding the data, privacy and our revenue share. um I can do a short overview of those answers and uh direct any interested
parties um who want more uh information to the packet for more detailed info and answers. Um can you all see my screen? Oops. >> Yes. >> Okay.
Um so the board had about a dozen questions. So the protocol that SUFFA uses to capture information from devices is Wi-Fi probe requests. There's no Bluetooth. Um the types of devices that SUFFA capture from are um devices that send Wi-Fi probe requests mainly and
almost entirely smartphones according to SUFFA. Um the data that's being captured and how detailed is that data? It's just the number of Wi-Fi probes detectinal signals detected in a given minute. So if four people walk by and four people have smartphones, it's going to collect
that minute for uh pieces of data numbering those people. Um are device zero numbers or IDs recorded? No, they are not. Um the board asked about what data or dashboards are given to the advertisers. There's no sensor data.
It's only ad performer ad performance um reporting that um for their particular ads. Um, SUFFA does not sell their data to any third party. Um, and only the the town reserves and has a dashboard of the the traffic counts that uh is collected.
Um, the town um does not receive I'm sorry. Is there a question? >> I I do have a question. Is do you want to wait till you finish Christine? >> I just have a couple. Yep. >> Okay. >> Um, so the uh does sufa reserve the right to sell the data to third parties? Uh, no data is sold and I'm sorry I hit
that one already. um the town notification rights if the data were ever shared. It's not applicable. There is really no debt. There's no data shared or sold and if it was it would be that but they do not sell um the account. Um policies regarding government request or subpoenas. Um SUFFA aims to protect their users
privacy and follows the law but there's no personal identifiable information and data to share only the anonymous uh aggregate accounts. So there's no it's not like you could track somebody from this particular set of data if that is the uh concern. And I believe that their
privacy uh would not allow that anyways. Um how long is the data stored and what type of data? It's just the aggregate counts permanent. Um how many ads has the town placed this year or how many surveys has the town done? Um that content was not stored. It's not stored like in a history. And so, um, we can
work on, um, with SUFFA to try to get some of those numbers, but also going forward, um, working with the departments and SUFFA, um, or whatever kiosk provider we have to, um, track that. So, we have that data for you. And um the operable radius of the super
sensors is the Wi-Fi detection radius is about typically 30 to 100 ft depending on environmental conditions but there's no location or path or movement that um are tracked. So the revenue share um as you can see
the total revenue share is about $17,812 over a 7-year period of uh 2025 is um not had its fourth quarter numbers reported yet. Um and just those asterisks are that in 2019 was installed in November. So that is that why that
number is low. And in 2024 um that there were the anchor advertiser which I believe is Brookline Bank reduced their spending and commercial operations were downsized to focus on the new fullcolor technology that um I believe uh their representative spoke about at the meeting in November. And
so, um, they were focusing on that, um, while, uh, and not the the ad revenue. So, um, at this point, I'm happy to take comments, uh, feedback and questions. >> Paul, you had a quick. >> Yep. Um, thank you for, uh, for that information. So, I do have a couple of
questions. Um uh the slide mentioned that there was no data collected and shared with uh the advertisers but ad performance data was shared with the advertiser. What isn't ad performance data how many eyeballs or
people walk by and impressions that they had with the ad? >> Let me find that. >> I mean it's it's an advertising thing if they're on. That is I believe the fifth question in your packet and it's um advertisers do not receive sensor data. They only
receive ad performance reporting such as proof of play so that it it played impressions based on standard outdoor advertising models and basic campaign metrics. No sensor counts are shared with the advertisers. So what is the purpose of even capturing the foot traffic information
if they're not using it to justify impressions, which is typically how advertising justify um the spend? What's the what's why do they need to why they need to probe and collect Wi-Fi data
>> imp if if if they're not using it? Um, I think that'd be a question for them, but I also, you know, we do as a town get it. So, we know where we're advertising and um and what information is getting the the highest uh foot traffic. So, we can use that to focus
our messaging uh depending on the event or the area. So, if it's a Koolage Corner Library event, we can place all that in that area. Not that we wouldn't want to advertise it um throughout all of them, but maybe a little bit more concentrated information um during the marathon we can but you know all along
Beacon and Harvard Street where um those are you know marathon information would be most helpful and focused such as their uh the BAA's campaign to make sure that you you know stay clear of the course and cheer um information and so we we do post that during the marathon for people to be able to see but it
makes more sense along the marathon route at those sufas than the ones sort of in for Coin Village or >> Christine. So they're >> so they're providing us the information and we are an advertiser. >> Yes. >> Um I would be very surprised if they're not also providing that to other advertisers. I just it doesn't sound
right to me. Um so that's my first question. And then the second is the total over was it eight years there was 17,000 in revenue for the town? >> Uh I believe seven. Yes. >> Oh, seven years. And um how many units did that represent?
Sophie units do you know? Um I believe uh I'm not sure the the count is up to 23 now and I believe has been so for at least the last three years. Um I'm not sure if you know the installation in Dece uh November of 2019
was what that count was but at some >> but there's there's currently 23 >> units in the town. And then my last question thank you Bernard being patient with me. So I live within the radius of the sofa unit in and um St. Mary's. So,
based on what I'm hearing, it's talking to my Nest. It's it's receiving requests from my Nest, from my Ring cameras, uh from my Apple TV, all all the Wi-Fi stuff that's in my house is hitting this thing, uh because I'm within the radius
of of uh the read that you mentioned, I think 30 to 100 feet. So, um that's interesting. I wonder how much I'm affecting the uh the uh the metrics. >> I have a lot of technology. >> Ring cameras. >> What's that? >> Not the only one with ring. >> Yeah, that's right.
>> David, I'm sorry, Michael. >> Um so you to follow up on the the question of how much revenue we've gotten. You said $17,000. Um, can you provide any estimate about the amount of time that town staff has put into
engaging with SUFFA and what the what the approximate cost of that time is? Is it anything approaching $17,000 or more? >> Um, I'm sorry, can I just want to understand your question a little bit better? So you're looking if if we have
so I have spent have for example have the the half a dozen staff let's say spent $17,000 worth of their time >> right I'm trying to understand the the town cost or the benefit of that $17,000 plus the information that's being
provided. Um, I don't know that we could track that. Those um, not for lack of trying, but so the ZUFA uh, size that you submit is the same size as you would a Facebook post. So you they're already creating content for Facebook, for social media, for their
flyers and posters. So um, it's just a a a really duplicating it and maybe putting in a QR code instead of a link um, into uh the the SUFFA post. though I don't know that I could quantify that for you. >> Right. I'm also thinking about the costs
of uh managing the contract, managing the relationship, answering phone calls, having preparing for meetings such as this. Um it just seems like there's a lot of uh cost to the town for a relatively small benefit. >> Well, benefits not just the money. I
mean, it's the >> I >> getting whatever word we want to get out out. I'm sorry, John. >> Yeah. Um, so, you know, I've been the uh skeptic from day one on on this and, you know, then I sort of got quiet for a
couple years. Figured if people, you know, find them useful, you know, why why would we why would we object to having them? Um, but I I'm still puzzled by um, you know, h how this uh adds up to a net benefit to Brooklyn. Um, people
have to keep in mind we're g we're giving away sidewalk space to a company that then does an installation which is maybe marginally useful to the town of Brooklyn to post its own meeting
notices, etc. Um, but I've never, you know, seen a really hard, you know, um, pencil and paper analysis of how much, uh, viewership we get for the notices
that we publish on these, uh, sufa signs versus the notices that we publish by other means. Um, so then there's the benefit maybe to businesses in Brooklyn. But you know the latest information is that one of the major sponsors of these
um uh has backed out. Um then there's the question of shared revenue benefit and it looked like it's zero. Um to me in the in the latest report, so correct me if I'm wrong, it's always been minimal and now it looks like it's zero.
Um so you know it's it's real kind of uh you know on the edge for me as to whether uh this is actually of any real proven benefit to the town um which is giving away sidewalk space and the the newest screens. I know that you know
we're supposed to be all excited that the they're going to be color. Um, I'd like to know if they're going to also be bigger because I see that that's kind of part of the advertising for the new screens is that they're 75 in screens. I don't know if that applies to Brooklyn.
At some point, you know, we're going to have to decide, is this really in keeping with the kind of um design standards that we apply to commercial businesses in Brooklyn? Um because at some point a you know great big screen
with great big colorful displays um in the middle of a you know quiet sidewalk with trees um and people sitting on benches isn't necessarily an enhancement to your your your commercial district. Um, and my
last uh comment, which is more of a question, is this uh is there any kind of a competitive process that allows us to compare what SUFFA would offer in return for the sidewalk space? >> Yeah, Chaz. >> Oh, sorry. I should let Christine answer that. >> Oh, okay. I thought you had your hand
up. >> Yes. So, the RFP process, which um was one of your your options, would be the best way to ascertain what features, what other competitors are out there. um if there if there's greater chance for revenue. I do know that sofa sufa does
um they have uh ad pro ad revenue projections that obviously I think would be a little bit more which you know more than zero is um great and um I think that again we would be able to decide what we want to have. So looking at the screens, making sure there's no, you
know, does it fit our our light pollution um and doesn't add to that and that makes sure that they're real value ad in terms of revenue, in terms of communication, and in terms of our our community. And so that is the I think the the the ideal situation that we can go and get these this information
without giving preference to any competitor or current um kiosk provider. >> May I just respond to that? I mean, I I like what you just said. Um, but aren't we under some kind of a deadline for renewal with the SUFFA? Is that >> we did? Yes, we were. So, we had let
SUFFA know um back in uh October that we would not be doing a full two-year renewal um uh the past ATA uh Tiffany Oliva and I worked with them to secure a six-month extension which ends at the end of February 2026. So, if you were to
um give the go-ahad to to pursue this RFP process, um we would put together a team um including a select board rep um the TA staff, economic development and transportation, all the people who were involved um during the process and who had been had been involved with SUFFA um
ongoingly. And then um we would be able to uh bring that um put that together, put the RFP process out um and be able to have that answer hopefully by mid uh February in order to give that notice if it is not SUFFA um that we would be
ending that relationship and work with them to um on the removal and communication of their SUFFAs and the um the new if we go for a a new kiosk company to to come in and and do that installation. Paul.
>> Yeah. Uh, thanks Christina. And first, um, my next comment, I just want to, um, prep a little bit. I appreciate all your work on this. I know you you've worked hard on this. You've worked hard on with this relationship, getting the information that we need, making the service that they've offered you under
the approval that the prior select board has given um, uh, staff for this type of service. Uh, you've done a remarkable job with the little bit that you've been given. uh frankly um I just I just want to share that you know I consider
>> let's call it the seven years a proof of concept >> um and a proof of concept period and I just for me um again I live right around the corner from one of these things and I I'm I walk by it all the time. I see people I very rarely see people engaging
with it. Um, now maybe it's hard to read because you're when you're walking by. So, people generally you have to stand in front of it because it it they're not very large fonts. Um, I I just I'm not very supportive of going forward with
this type of program. Um, I would not really I would not really encourage us to issue an RFP and try to replicate a service that might be a little bit better. >> Um, it's just it's you know the sidewalk space. We got 20 of these 20. I'd rather see bike racks put where these uh these
su uh things are. Um frankly, that would be my choice or another bench for the senior or someone else to sit down and enjoy a beautiful day along Beacon Street or wherever they happen to be walking. Um but I I think the considering this kind of a proof of
concept, um it's just kind of proven to me that it's not something I don't think it's really applicable or greatly beneficial to the town. It's just like >> um I know that uh occasionally the town does surveys um that include a question
of like where did you hear about X whatever X is and and I'm wondering whether um a whether these sufas are an option to choose and whether there's any data that says that indicates that people have actually found out about things from the town through this
through this medium. Um I don't believe that um if we have that that is up to the individual uh project and department to to put that you know have you heard it from our newsletter social media um and so I don't know that that is a consistent and
we can add that and you know try to get that proof of concept. I will say um that we do have um some you know some the SBDC and um information from the local businesses is that um I believe it was in the last packet that the uh director of the the chamber of commerce
did support the RFP process to see what is out there that would best support um the businesses in the community and did do a a short survey and got a few responses um that you know they you know would like to see what else is out there for that. So, um I this office I know
the econ economic development team and the the chamber of commerce does support going out for an RFP process and not to um put it uh and I just to Paul's point I understand that it's been seven years in a proof of concept but um the town's
only had a communications office there for two years and so I think that to really um this is an also an opportunity for us to you know you say the the font's too small and it's hard to interact. Those are things that we can change with design and getting everybody up to speed
on the best design practices and things like that which we um are working on and and on implementing and getting to that. So um I understand your concern and I just wanted to point that out as well and to your comment. >> Thanks.
>> One other thing to flag which I do appreciate the the the position on this is that um an RFP doesn't mean you have to say yes to anything. Um, but I think that's that's the so that's the kind of big question is that it's okay if at the end of the day the thought is you we shouldn't we shouldn't even take that step because we shouldn't wake waste our
time but you know the thought being we're not locking ourselves into anything. We're kind of seeing what the market has out there. >> I just ch I just assume that there's a long list of to-dos, >> right? There's a very long list of to-dos uh that I know you have and
others have the staff. Um, and I I would be one to say take this one off the to-do list and go spend it on something else. That's just again my view. I It's not just the font. I I just they just don't feel right. Uh I don't know. It's
just I've never been a fan and I've been kind of quiet about it like John, but I really haven't been a big fan. So that's just my point of view. >> My my concern is that, you know, we're in the 21st century and people aren't reading newspapers uh as much as they used to. and and this is a way of
getting getting information to the public that may reach people who otherwise wouldn't be reached. I don't know that that's uh a significant uh benefit of of the SUFFA thing, but I think that an RFR is one
way of sort of fleshing out that information. um you know what what what do the various u vendors uh say about the uh the value of their product and getting the word out to people in different contexts. So
>> so I have a variation of a question that Michael asked. So Michael asked uh quite astutely in my view. Do we have uh survey results about where people got information and did they get it from the SUFFA? Do we have that data from other communities? Do we have an idea of what
percentage of people in say Newton or Cambridge or other places that may have this receive their information from the SUFFA? I I think that would be informative in my decision on this because I agree with you uh Bernard that
in the current era a lot of people aren't or fewer people are reading newspapers and so we want to make sure that information is out there and available and readily accessible. But if the data exists showing that people are actually using this, then great. I would be supportive. But if it shows that
they're not, >> then I'm inclined to agree with Paul. Let's use that valuable space for benches and other uses. >> Everybody has a sofa in their pocket or on their wrist. >> Yeah. Not everyone has that type of sufa. Um the the other thing is uh an RFR could could sort of flush that out
to some degree by by asking you what have you found in other communities where where your um your equipment is being used. Um so >> did did we just did the flash poll? I think the flash poll had a specific question. How do you get information uh
from the town? Um did we either include SUFFA or was there an other blank uh where they could fill in the blank? >> I'll pull that information. I don't I know we didn't include sufu directly. Um I will say a surprising u number that was higher than I thought is directly from the town website which is good. Um
great. It's indicative that that >> that's good. >> The the work on Christina's work in the last couple years of making that website clearer and more accessible. >> Didn't we get an award? >> Yeah. >> Oh, can't talk about it yet. >> Oh, sorry. Oh, >> a super award.
>> Okay. Uh, so, um, we're not going to be voting on anything, but I think what you're going to do, what are you going to do? >> So, >> take go back and come up with a proposal. >> We we I mean, I think this this this is the question that we have for you is that can we should we work on this RF
RFP? Yes or no? Um, and then we would come back to you to issue it and and and get it out there because we do nothing, right? Sufa's contract expires in February and we'll take the signs down and that'll be that. Um, so we do and you know the process of an RFP does require notice and posting in 30 days
and so forth. So we got to do that sooner rather than later. So we would like to know from you all do you want us to spend a couple weeks working on this RFP going through this process and if so um great and if not if you if you think there's if there's not support on the
board for taking that step then we won't. >> Okay. So, um I will move uh that we instruct the town administrator to um begin the process of putting together an RFR to uh solicit information from the
market on a sufa similar type uh process or our equipment. One caveat to that is that I do think David's point is a good one. And we will also if we could also use that time to call our uh our other communities that have similar things and
see what the engagement level is there so that we have that information. >> Okay. So uh all in favor of that proposal uh please indicate by saying I. John >> I. >> Um Paul Warren >> abstain. >> Abstain. You say no. >> I'm not going to micromanage his time.
Mike I just I I'm not a fan of him. So in any form I don't want to say no. >> David >> hi. Um Michael >> I >> and chair votes eye. Okay. Thank you Christina. >> Could I just ask um I would like a to designate a select board rep. I don't
know if you can do that tonight or if we can discuss that and >> who would like to do that. >> Come on. >> Michael's the most technical. >> Michael. >> Okay. Great. Thank you so much. Okay,
>> good man. >> Thank you for your time. >> Pardon me. >> Thank you for your time. >> Okay, thanks Christine. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Next, uh boards and commissions interviews. Uh we're going to start off with interviews for the Commission on
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Relations. Uh and then we'll have interviews for the Police Commissioners Advisory Committee. Um, as you as you know, I often will actually every time we have an
interview, I try to uh sort of give some guidance as to what we should be looking for when we're interviewing people. Um, and as I've done, I'd like to begin with my my thoughts on what we should be looking for in candidates for town
boards and commissions. In general, I think that at a minimum, each select board member should be looking for four things. Does the applicant have the skills and the background that is required to be successful on the board or commission? Does the applicant have good ideas and perspectives on the work
of the board or commission? Does the applicant bring relevant diversity to the board or commission to ensure that all communities are represented in the work the board or commission does on behalf of the town? And can the applicant work effectively and
respectfully with other members of the board or commission and with town staff that will be working with the board or commission or commission to evaluate candidates. We will gather information on those areas from the application submitted the interview and
from town staff and the chair of the board or commission and other relevant information. So I hope that is helpful. Yeah, I would just amend I I think I'd amend your last uh criteria or guidance that
>> Well, well, well, you typically you've actually there was a time when you actually gave us a set of questions. >> Yeah, >> we don't do that anymore. >> Um, but I do I think yours I think those are good, but I also think it's it's also how they work with the community. Uh, because I think that's really
important. It's critical here. It's kind of central as to what we've been hearing about. So, >> yeah, a good point. Okay. Uh the first candidate for um the diversity commission is Carol Weiss. Okay.
Okay. Um we will reschedu the candidate is uh Carrie Goldberg. So Carrie, u I'd like you to sort of introduce yourself and tell us why you um want to be a member of the diversity commission.
>> Okay. Um if if I may, Bernard, I'd like to start uh by just responding to a couple of the accusations against me that were made Oh, sorry. >> Is this good? >> Okay. Accusations that were made against
me in public comment. Uh the first is that I stigmatize addiction. And I think among the other tragedies in the last few days, we saw the really awful killing of the director Rob Reiner
and his wife by their what the media is saying was their drugaddicted son. And I think it just I don't think addiction needs any more stigmatizing. It's a big problem as everyone acknowledges. I think uh the second accusation was that
I had somehow organized the opposition to the renaming of the Ridley School and uh that is simply untrue. I run the Facebook group for the Ridley School but I was not organizing opposition but I
was glad that it was brought up because uh that renaming was a very pivotal moment for me. There was a moment on my front porch when we were the whole population was being asked to come up with potential new names for the Ridley
School. And I had just been reading the best book ever written on cancer called The Emperor of All Malades. And it had these very vivid scenes of Sydney Farber in his basement on Amory Street developing treatments for childhood leukemia. And so I was chatting with a
local politician who was campaigning on my front porch and I said maybe one possibility would be that the school could be named for Sydney Farber and he said there is no way this school is going to be named for a white man. And I said this is a white man who has saved
the lives of literally thousands of children and you are telling me that what he did doesn't matter at all. All that matters is his identity. and I was told yes. And so that was kind of the moment I think it was 2019 when I I I
started feeling like the sort of beautiful uh progress of civil rights and gay rights and the other things that I had witnessed in my own lifetime were starting to go a little bit off the rails. So that's my little introduction
uh and response to those comments. Okay. So I would like to begin with uh a little demonstration that uh so this is chat GPT. Everyone can have it for free. Yeah. You have to be a little patient
with it. Uh so hang on one sec. Does anybody raise your hand if you use it? Anybody use it? No. Okay. Good. This will be interesting. Okay. >> Do you want to admit that? >> Hello. Can you do some translations for me?
>> Absolutely. I'll be happy to help. Just let me know what you need translated and into which language. >> Okay. So, here's a sentence. You are very welcome in Brookline and we will help you build a life here. Please translate that into Spanish.
>> Great. Now, Ukrainian, please. >> Of course. In Ukrainian that would be Great. Now, how about Arabic? >> Absolutely. In Arabic, you'd say >> okay. Now, Hebrew.
>> Sure. In Hebrew, that would be >> very nice. And finally, Japanese. >> Of course, in Japanese, you'd say, >> thank you. Now, I don't speak all of those. I speak most of them and it sounds pretty good to me. Okay, I'll come back to that. So, uh, please
remember this demo for later. I applied to be on the CDICR because I thought it desperately needed reimagining. It has sometimes be been unable to gather a quorum for meetings and it has sometimes failed to play a constructive role in town governance. Under the town bylaws,
as I understand it, the commission is supposed to undergo a review every five years and that seems more than overdue. So, sorry, a few thoughts on the topics in the commission's name. Diversity. In some
ways, Brooklyn is poor in diversity, but it's lucky to be rich in international diversity. And in my lifetime, and yours, it has never been scarier to be a foreigner in the United States. So, my foremost thought is that the commission should focus even more on helping
immigrants and all foreigners feel welcome. Also, on diversity, there's another form of diversity that's never mentioned in the bylaw, and that is viewpoint diversity. Ideally, the commission would include people who can hash out complex fraught issues together
respectfully and maybe even reach compromises to propose. And I think Kevin could handle that actually. Okay. Community relations. This town has a big problem. Our digital equivalent of a town square is a Facebook group with more than 10,000 members that is
sometimes toxic to the community. Its nastier posts have a chilling effect on many of the normies of all identities who might otherwise weigh in with valuable comments. I'd like commission members to try to detoxify the town discourse a bit by pointing out when
lines are crossed. Too many people have expressed fear to me that if they speak out, activists will try to take them out. And I don't mean just challenging whether they belong on a commission. I mean attacks like complaints to their workplaces. I experienced one of those
back when I was at WBR and getting vocal on school issues or being dragged through the courts in your 80s even though judge after judge dismisses the suit as frivolous. That is frightening and that fear diminishes our town
discourse. My personal response at this point, especially to all the stuff flying around about me today, is you can call me a sexist, racist, transphobic, homophobic, islamophobic, agorophobic, arachnophobic, nimi bigot, but that
doesn't make it true. And that low level of argument reflects on you rather than on me. But not everyone has that luxury. And ideally, everyone will feel able to participate in town discussions. That's not true now. Okay. Next. Equity. That's
mainly an issue in the schools. I'm proud to be on the board of the Calculus Project because it represents equity done right. Adding supports for a broad swath of underrepresented, historically marginalized students will benefit.
Equity done wrong is deleing. Eliminating honors classes. And the last two school committee elections have very clearly reflected that most Brooklyn parents reject this approach. Yet there are still issues, for example, that ninth grade social studies still lacks
an honors pro uh option. And this commission, I think, could help play a helpful role on that kind of thing. Finally, inclusion. If by inclusion we mean that doing our we mean doing our best to make everyone who lives here feel comfortable and welcome, absolutely
yes. But the commission also needs to examine when inclusion turns into exclusion. For example, Brookline has produced this diverse and inclusive business directory that is basically for everyone except straight white men. If
you're a person of color or a woman or LGBTQ, you can automatically get this taxpayer-funded promotion. If you're a straight white man, then it's only if you're disabled or a veteran. So, with back of the envelope math, this inclusive directory is for everyone
except roughly one quarter of the town. And if you're a straight man, we don't care what your personal individual qualities or struggles are. We're not boosting you. Is that inclusion or exclusion? I've wanted to write about this, but I
haven't wanted to draw right-wing attention to what is clearly discrimination. For our purposes, this questionable directory raises a much bigger question. We are a town in fiscal crisis and we have been spending money on a diverse directory by the town when
we already have a chamber of commerce directory and when goodness knows we need any and all businesses we can get. If you look at the fiscal year 2026 budget, the town's office of diversity, equity, inclusion, and community relations spends $440,000
mainly on four staff members, including a language access coordinator. Now, please think back to the demonstration I did at the beginning. We are living in this glorious new era when very high quality translation is freely available to everyone with a phone, which is
basically everyone. I think ideally the commission or others could examine and question the return on investment of this department's activities. It listed the diverse directory fourth on its list of accomplishments for fiscal year 2025.
Was that money well spent? I'm not calling to eliminate the department, but I'm saying it can't be sacrosanked, especially at a time when we're about to ask taxpayers to approve an override. In conclusion, I gather that my conviction that this commission needs a major
overhaul is widely shared among people familiar with its work or the lack thereof. So, I did want to share these views and thank you for hearing me out. But I've decided that I'd rather devote whatever civic time I spend to using skills I've developed over my journalism
career to publish a Substack mainly on local issues. It'll be called Brookline Thinks. It will begin next month and it'll be a venue for thoughtful opinions by various writers, including some I disagree with that are too long and complex to fit into a Facebook post or a
letter to the Brooklyn News. And because of the fear I've discussed, people will be allowed to write anonymously. So, I'd like to withdraw my application to join the commission, but I'll be glad to contribute however I can, and I'm happy to take questions, but you might you
might not want to waste the time since it's all moot now. Thank you. >> Well, you should have told us that be >> what? >> Told us that in advance. >> Sorry, but I wanted to show you the AI. >> Sorry, >> John. You wanted to say something?
>> Well, yeah, if I I mean, I I appreciate that that uh Carrie, you know, gave us the long form even even though she's made the decision that she's made. Um, and uh, you know, I I like I I like a lot of what Carrie
said. I also um had some of the same concerns that people earlier raised, although I wouldn't have raised them the way they did. and she and I have had some personal private discussions, you know, where I've raised them and and you know, and one of the things that I found
um positive and have always found positive about Carrie is that um you can always discuss these things with her. I mean, it isn't, you know, like you have to you have to agree with me or or we're not just gonna we're just not going to have any discussions, you know, it's
she's she's a person with great intellectual curiosity. I like to think I am too. Um we love having discussions in which the in which someone disagrees with us. >> Um so that we can sort of figure out why do we think what we think. Um and I
think those are the kinds of discussions that would be beneficial to have on on the CDEICR. the kinds of discussions that could embrace uh uh what Chi-Chi said earlier tonight and also embrace what Carrie said and then kind of figure out how do
we bridge the different points of view >> that have emerged here. Um, I hope whatever else we accomplish um with the our next appointments to the CDEICR that we'll get closer to that kind of a um spirited exchange of views between
people who respect each other um and who learn from each other and who help the community to learn u via their discussions. So, so thank you for applying and done. >> So be it. You you're pursuing a different activity right now. I'm I
can't wait to see the first uh postings on the on the uh on the blog. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Substack. Sorry. >> Thank you. I think you really understood what I was trying to say. Thank you. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um my question really is moot now, but I
did want to uh make a point that I think is still important. And um you one of the things that you um accused Chi-Chi Woo of doing is posting something from a um a doctor, a Palestinian British
doctor, Gassan uh I forgot his full name, um that had a a a statement that, you know, I would never repost or, you know, whatever. um about uh Israel uh
killing uh children in order to stop a Palestinian state. >> I think it said because they're the future of Palestine or something, >> right? Okay. >> Yeah. My my concern, and I'm going to just say this, I know people aren't going to like it, but you know, the
doctor is a uh um doctor who does facial reconstructions, a plastic surgeon. He went to uh Gaza with Doctors Without Borders and reconstructed the faces of children
who had been bombed by the Israelis. His statement, while we may not agree with it, was an important statement of the pain that someone who's Palestinian feels when they're dealing face to face
with the destruction of children. It may not we we can criticize a statement but if we don't listen to that pain that anger then we are really not being true to to we're not we're not being
open and truthful as to you know our um concerns in this case about what's going on in Gaza right and we we the fact that he is angry and says something that be out of bounds. I'm not making a judgment
on that. Is something that we need to listen to. If we don't listen to it, then what option, what alternative does someone like that have? And that's >> so I'd like to >> and I I think that, you know, you're
attacking Chi-Chi for posting that is particularly um problematic to me >> because it's saying we don't want to listen to your pain. Well, so two points on that. One is I really respect Chi-Chiu and um if I had been on the
commission, I would have been glad to work with her actually. But number two is that I think you're a little bit misremembering that tweet. What it did was attribute a motivation and intention to the Israelis to purposely kill
children because they wanted to hurt the Palestinian future. And that is not true. >> But that's >> and in fact the Israelis I mean we don't need to litigate it but um but I he had every right to express his pain however he wanted to.
>> Um but I don't know. Does anyone else want to >> Well, I I do. Are you saying that Chi-Chi didn't have a right to post that um as as as an example of the pain and anger that uh this doctor representing
you know Palestinians in some way with handson experience of the impact of of the war in Gaza that that she didn't have a right to post that as as let's listen to someone that we don't normally listen to.
uh Paul or David. >> Yeah. So Bernard, I don't know why you're doing this, but you're turning this into a debate about uh Israel and Gaza and Chi-Chi, which I think is completely inappropriate. I really do. >> Well, you you started with with last meeting,
>> anyway, I just I just want to say what you're doing, I think, is is completely inappropriate. Um you know, and so I I'm I'm not going to engage with you on it. um the the the information that Chi-Chi posted, some of it um I told clearly
that I didn't consider it part of my my deliberation. The issue that I had the biggest issue with was not about her views on Israel and Palestine. As you said, there's lots of different views about that. Um my issue was with the fact that um she had the tweet about
Harvard. Okay. Um, it's very simple and I said it at the first meeting when we talked about this. If you do something and you serve in a commission and when it alienates a portion of the community, this is the charge of the commission to
bring people together, not to create division. Okay? When it does that, that third tweet about Harvard had nothing to do with Israel. It had to do with Jews. That's what the tweet was about. It was about Jews. this tweet. She can tweet all she wants back and forth about
Israel and whether they're in the tweet actually says Israel fears Palestinian children. They represent the Palestinian tomorrow and are therefore a mortal threat to the Zionist project. That is why Israel is intentionally targeting
children in its genocidal war. Okay. Now, I'm not Jewish. I'm not Jewish. So, I don't I know there's a lot of history here. There are people that are Jewish that read that that hear that and say, "Oh my gosh, right. And then there's some Jewish people that say they don't have a
problem with it because they disagree with what Israel's doing." My issue isn't that tweet. I made it very clear. The statement that Chi-Chi made by by responding to this guy was about Jews. It wasn't about Israel. And when you say
that, it's fine. Jews aren't applying. There's plenty of room for Asians. They'll make it up. If it was black that she said it about, if she said it about transgender, which we're hearing tonight, if she said it about anybody else, there would be a line out the door from
the same crowd saying, "You can't say that. You can't say that." But because it was said about Jews, it's okay. I have two Jewish grandchildren. I would not invite them to live in Brooklyn the way it's currently going. The
anti-semitism that's taking place is disgusting. It's been around at this table. It's disgusting. >> Excuse me. >> It's It's disgusting. >> Around this table. >> Okay. >> I'm not talking about I No, >> wait. Wait. No, you cannot. >> Hold on. Hold on. Hold on.
>> Sorry. I'm talking about me and I really take >> I'm I'm saying that I'm saying that You know what, Bernard? I said you went to an inappropriate place. You said it was my fault. I'm responding to you. I think what you're doing is inappropriate. Okay? It's inappropriate. Period. She's
been voted on. She's She's no longer renewed on the commission. She can serve until replacements come in. She We need three seats. She can if she chooses to serve until that third seat is filled. That's fine. But the board has voted to not renew her on the commission.
>> And she'll remain until we >> Yep. I agree with that. She can continue to serve. But >> any anybody that comes before this board while I'm on it that presents divisive opinions >> in your opinion >> in my opinion divisive. Okay. As the
community Carrie has done it as well. She's got some interesting ideas but I would not support >> right >> her appointment because she for whatever whatever she said has alienated the transgender community LGBTQ plus
community. to say in a private email. >> I understand that. I'm just working. All I'm saying is >> this is not this is not a dialogue. >> This is not a dialogue. He set me he set me off. So I'm going to finish Bernard. >> So I wouldn't support your appointment and anybody else that comes here that
for the way this commission is currently charged, if we want to reform it, we can reform it. But the way it's currently charged that the the charge of the commission is not to create division. Okay? Period. in my view and I'll be on the board for five more months, four more months and then you can reapply
that >> and and what what is division is is a subjective judgment and you've determined that >> all the things that I've said are not only divis divisive but you've also accused me of anti >> No, that's not what I said. You misinterpreted what I said. Okay, that
that's that's >> I heard it wrong. >> Maybe you heard it wrong. I'm not accusing you of anti-semitism. I'm saying that anti-semitism is rampant in Brooklyn. Okay. And it was rampant in Australia. They didn't address it. And look at where it went.
>> And hatred is rampant, >> right? And so is racism. It's the same stuff. All the same stuff. >> Bernard. And I think you're trying to isolate it as as a as a single thing. >> I'm not. >> Okay. >> I'm not I'm sorry. Don't Don't tell me what my David's gonna
>> I'm going to echo Paul's sentiment, but in a very calm manner. >> Well, he's he's pissed me off. Sorry. I I I very much appreciate and thank you for your impassion defense of uh the Jewish people and also your acknowledgement that there's diversity
among Jews. So we we heard some Jews speak tonight that they have certain opinions and there's not one monolithic Jewish community and I respect that and I understand that. But uh Bernard to deny that there are Jews who feel that this that certain
>> I'm not denying that >> has been divisive of course there's been division and the very fact that we have division on anything whether it's about statements for Jews statements on transsexuals statements on any >> we we the commission has gone through a went through a period where
you know we we we where social media was used to call the select for a racist organization. Um because there was a disagreement on, you know, uh in in the case in that case, uh complaints made by a couple police officers. Um you we've
been through this uh many times. Um no, go ahead. >> I was just going to say that a lot of this has become very personal. It's become personal against Chi-Chi Woo. It's become personal against a lot of individuals. And I I really wish we
could dial it down and focus on the main issue here, which is that a diversity and inclusion commission should be about inclusion and about being welcoming. And anytime you have uh a situation where
people feel that they are being excluded and they are being hurt, to not acknowledge that hurt and to not try to have a board that is comprised of individuals who are committed to boosting all communities, I think is a disservice to the commission and it's a
disservice to the town. And that's all this is about. It's not personal to any one individual. And as we said when we initially discussed this all five of us talked about how we appreciate Chi-Chi Wu's contributions to Baan to the community and in many respects but when
we are talking about a board that's focused on diversity equity inclusion justice etc it's important for the membership to be welcoming of all people to embrace all people and to not create almost a zero sum type game between
groups. That's not something that uh that I know that you certainly don't endorse that. I don't endorse that. >> Jews happen to be the group that uh are the example in this situation. But I would have voted the exact same way if the statement had been uh directed
toward blacks, toward Asians, toward homosexuals, toward any group. And I'm hoping that as we continue to interview candidates that we find that uh the candidates are committed to serving all of Brooklyn, every single group, not pitting one group against another or
even the perception of pitting one group against the other. I'm not going to read Chi-Chi's mind or motivation. That wouldn't be appropriate for me. But as she herself mentioned, there there's an impact to statements. People get affected and we need to acknowledge that. >> Yeah. I I I don't think you can say that
Chi-Chi is a divisive person. I disagree with her on a whole lot of things, but to say that she is so divisive as to not a role on the commission, I think is almost an
insult to a large number of people in this community. And because she's Asian, it it carries over to that huge segment of our population is of Asian um you know, background. Um, you know, like I said, I disagree with
Chichi on a lot of things, but you know, I'm going to stand and defend her as a valuable member of the diversity commission. >> Can Can we agree with people who've been waiting to be uh taken up candidates? No, I I'm just I you know, out of
respect to our >> people who are on our >> Yeah. John, go ahead. >> I out of respect to people who are on our agenda, I just think we should try to move on this >> wrap this up. Okay. Okay. Thank you, Gary. May I >> Michael? Yes. >> Yes.
>> So, I realized at at a previous meeting, John, you had raised the question of what uh the commission for diversity, equity, inclusion, and community relation should be. And it appears that despite our agenda, we are currently
engaged in that conversation. Um so um for my own two cents um and though I had prep prepared questions for both Carrie and Carol Weiss and maybe uh for Marshia Kogan as well. Um I I would
I would urge us when we are thinking about that the role of that commission that we allow for two possibilities which are in tension with each other. One is to have representation of views
um and allow that those views may not be universally held as well as the uh the um the interests that David um put forward um well for the commission that
the commission has to come together and be welcoming inviting for the entire community. I actually think we are doing a disservice by being unable as a select board to balance those two things. You know, I
think that the question for example that was raised about whether we focus on three tweets or we focus on the breadth of somebody's contributions to the community is a fair question and I think that applies to the commission as well.
Um so that um it's not if if we if we take the position that one statement is disqualifying without considering its breadth and without considering the int both the intent and the impact of
people's actions and people's words then I think we are selling Brookline short and we are not doing the best we can do in order for generating this commission. Thank you. And with that, we'll move on to the next candidate for
>> the diversity commission. And this is Marsha. Is that how you pronounce it? >> Um, I'd actually like to start with a correction if I may. >> Okay. >> Is this at a good level? >> Yeah. >> Um, it's Masha. >> Marsha. >> Masha. Masha. There's no R in the name.
>> It's M A S H. >> Masha. >> It's a very common mistake, though. It's not usually made in Brooklyn, I have to say. Um, it's a very common Russian nickname for Maria, uh, which is my given name. So, if Masha is too hard, I
do answer to Maria, but I never answer to Marsha as that name has been dogging me all my life. As you might well imagine, >> Marsha is not too hard. >> Okay, that's great. That's great. Um, so what is your first question for me? >> No, introduce yourself and tell us why
you're interested in being a member of the diversity commission. >> So, my name is Masha Kogan. Um, and as I mentioned, it's a Russian name. I was born in Russia. I immigrated with my parents as refugees, um, to this country in the late 70s, and we were placed very
fortunately in Brooklyn. Um, and I grew up here, uh, going to what was called Devotion, um, up until sixth grade. And we found here a very welcoming um very open and inclusive community that was
even at that time fairly diverse. Uh went to school with a large number of fellow Russian immigrants, Israelis, uh large numbers of Chinese. Um and we we did very well here. Um,
we lived in what I now can see was close to poverty, but I never knew that until I was much older because I got to go to excellent schools. Uh, I availed myself of all the green space and all the resources of Brooklyn and I have a very
happy memory of that whole episode. Um, then we moved to New York for my father's job. um where I attended a public high school that was majority non-white. It was largely East Asian actually um and almost exclusively
immigrants, children of immigrants like me and also themselves recent immigrants. And interestingly, I found that despite the enormous diversity of our student body, we as children of immigrants actually had a lot more in common than than with children who were
not who perhaps shared our backgrounds. ethnically, but we're not also immigrants in that we both had we we all had a foot in each world. We were Americans in our households. For example, my parents often called me the American. And they had a question about
how to say something in English. They'd say, "Let's ask the American >> or uh help with writing a cover letter, checking over their documents." They'd be like, "We can go to the American." >> But out in the world with American friends, I was the Russian. I was called upon to explain the strange ways of
Russians, like why were they always so grumpy and never smiled. >> Um, and this was true with all my classmates in high school. Uh, the Chinese, the Koreans, South Asians, we all suffered from I don't maybe I shouldn't say suffered. We all had a
similar problem which was we were Americans growing up with people who very definitely weren't. And that was sometimes a tension that had to be bridged with why did our parents not act like the parents on TV? Why did they have to be so oldworld and and just not
just not like conforming to the America that we saw? And we we all had to walk that boundary between immigrant and not immigrant. Um, and I think that positions me well uh to serve on this commission because I think there is a
lot of misunderstanding that can happen between immigrants and and the the wider community. So that's why I want to serve. >> Great. Thank you. Any questions?
>> Well, thank you. Um, could you just give an idea or two first? Have you attended any of the meetings? No, I haven't. Um the the existence I wasn't even aware of the existence of the committee to to be to be very honest until about um six
months ago. >> Okay. But you haven't had a chance have you um had a chance to review any of the recordings or read the minutes or >> I've looked at the documents that um the document that was put out a few years ago actually um about findings of uh the state of diversity and inclusion in
Brooklyn. So, one question, what do you what do you hope to accomplish by being on the commission? >> I I think the first thing would actually be to lead by example. Um, some some of I I've been a little surprised by the tenor of the discussion
tonight, actually, the the extremely high emotions. I think that the first job of the commission is I I agree with you. it's it's to be inclusive and to lead by by the example that it sets um to to foster dialogue. Um I I would also
like to see a reduction in in just the the tone and the heat with which we conduct these discussions. Um and I want to agree with Carrie about viewpoint diversity. I think there's not been enough of it and I think that there's actually an intolerance of it.
Um I I I heard earlier a commentator say that our our applications should be disqualified because we didn't mention every protected class. I mean some of these some of these documents have become almost like a roll call of like
let's list every protected class. We can't exclude everybody like it's going to be racist if we exclude somebody. It's going to be bigoted. But I I I think that's just like formulaic. It's just like paying lip service. Real inclusion is inclusion where everyone
feels safe to speak his or her mind and and doesn't worry about, oh, did I miss the trans community? Did I did I miss this community? Did I did I leave someone out of my roll call? Like, that's not diversity to me. That's lip
service. >> Yeah, Michael. >> Um, I have two questions. Um the first um is how do you incorporate a person's intent and a person's impact when
judging their words and their actions? >> Can you be more specific about incorporate? I'm not totally your >> uh incorporate in judging their words and actions as as you as you experience people's
words and actions. um how do you uh incorporate your perception of their intent and a perception of their impact? >> Well, I I think both have to come into it actually. Um of course, the intent is important because it's what a person
obviously meant to say. Um the impact also has to be considered in that a thoughtful person will not just write something being like, "Oh, I'm well-meaning, so everyone will get it." Well, not everyone. you have to think
how will this be read by other people who don't know me who don't know what I'm thinking what might they mean what might they think when they read this so that you can't control everyone's interpretation but you have to keep it in mind I mean it's it's both you you have to consider both
>> okay thanks um and the second question is uh as a commissioner how would you propose that we best follow a warrant article 15 which was passed by town meeting last month by a vote of 225 to 3 to 12 to recognize and celebrate every
month of June as LGBTQIA plus Pride Month and acknowledge every March 31st as transgender day of visibility, every May 17th as International Day against homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia.
Every June 28th as the Stonewall riots anniversary. Every October 11th as National Coming Out Day. every month of October as LGBTQIA+ history month and every Octo every November 20th, excuse me, as transgender
day of remembrance. >> And is it proposed that all of these be town holidays? What would what? >> It was it was propo uh it was voted on by town meeting in a Warren article to recognize and celebrate every month of
June and acknowledge those dates. So, as a commissioner, how would you propose that we do that? >> And the select board is supposed to do that, too, right? >> Well, uh, we should take advice potentially from this GIC. They >> gave us direction. >> Well, that's interesting. The the month
of June, I believe, has long been uh, Pride Month as that's the month that all the Pride parades happen in New York definitely. And I think I'm not sure about Boston. I to this day still know New York better. Um
well the reading material in the library I do see usually reflects the the month month of um what's the word the the pride month that is ongoing like February is always black history month and I believe there's also an Asian-American month um the reading
lists there could be there we could have our own Brookline pride um parade I don't really see a reason why not if that's what's desired I don't have deep personal experience of this particular issue. So I would have to go with the recommendations of the of the community
if in fact there is such a community which I uh my question >> thank you >> John or you just >> yeah you know microphone >> I feel like we have to um move through
these things faster than than I'd like but uh Masha I I uh I found everything you said very compelling and and I thank you very much for saying it and I thank you very much for showing interest in this commission and I do hope people who
um u learned from from Masha tonight uh if they're not already aware um they I hope they become aware of the the really significant uh presence of uh Russians in Brooklyn uh who came here uh in more
than at more than one period in recent history and uh in significant numbers you know, on more than one occasion. Um, and Brooklyn, I think one of the distinguishing hallmarks of Brooklyn is how welcoming it it was to those
communities and remains to those communities to this very day. And I think it's interesting that we t, you know, we have to be accountable for diversity on the commission on diversity, equity, and inclusion, but we also have to be accountable for the many
ways that diversity presents itself. And I'm trying to remember the last time we had someone who came from the Russian community um which is a significant community in Brooklyn on the diversity and equity and inclusion commission. I might be forgetting someone and I apologize if I am but I think it's
actually been a while and >> I think that's right. >> It's good to be reminded. It's really good to be reminded and I thank you for applying to to >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. uh appreciate your application for the commission.
>> Thank you for allowing me to speak >> and we will be making our selections >> who knows when >> at some point. Okay. Next. >> I would like to say something real quick. Um,
>> from times to times, this this board addresses very emotional issues >> and I know that you and I had a strong exchange. Um, it's not personal. >> We can get over it. >> We will get over it. So, I apologize if I upset you and I know you're sorry for
upsetting me, so I'll say it for you. Thank you. >> Okay. Okay. Yes. Okay. Um, next, uh, police commissioners advisory committee. Um, Susan Cohen. Is is Susan in the audience? I
I don't see her. Is she online? Charlie, is >> I'm not seeing Susan online. >> She may have also been timed out. Well, if if she's if she's not here, we will uh we'll send her an email and we'll reschedule her with our apologies.
>> Okay. Uh, next, Isaac Flourish Chapman. Is he in the audience or online? >> I'm not seeing Isaac online. >> Okay. Well, let's move on to our next item. >> License renewals. A public hearing. >> Several public hearings.
>> Um well, not for each. I guess we do have to do public hearing for each license. >> Category. Yes. Um, so I'll introduce, but I also want to first introduce um and thank um Michelle Morrison, our um licensing
specialist um who's um done a huge amount of work this year. Um this is a kind of been a banner year for us in terms of licensing for many reasons. This has been the first full year with the licensing uh panel which has been doing the work um to kind of prep for
the select board to be uh have issues on the miscellaneous agenda um non-controversial issues which has hopefully saved you some time and effort and I want to thank all the select board members who have been a part of that including select board member Rubenstein who's now our current representative on
that commit on that uh panel. Um >> and if I may add it also saves town staff a lot of time when I first came on the board the audience was filled with town staff waiting for their particular uh item to come up.
>> Yes. And that was uh kind of abusive. >> Well, it was, you know, but you know, I think you all you as the select board really did a service to the community for making realizing that efficiency. So, thank you. Um um and I but I do want to thank Michelle and the IT team. This
is the first year that we have moved off of paper applications entirely. Um we have previously done a hybrid of paper and online. Um, we have heard complaints in the business community about how hard it is to do with things in one way and
then the other. We have heard concerns um, you know, just about paperwork coming in and then, you know, figuring out how to get everything together for all the departments to be approved. Um, Tiffany Oliva, our previous uh, assistant town administrator for operations, actually brought in a team
from the Kennedy School, uh, not the same team that did the um, expenditures and revenues, but a different group, uh, different class. Uh, we've been making friends over there. um uh to talk a bit about how to make this process more efficient. Um the good news is it is getting more efficient. We
are getting more positive responses. The issue here tonight is that means for folks that have historically submitted in in paper um there are more licenses than usual that are not complete. Um because licenses are resubmitted and and reertified annually. Our recommendation
for those licenses, with the exception of one of them, is that you uh reapprove them conditionally um uh pending final approval on or before January 13th. Um so that will be the recommendation of
staff and that's how I would frame any potential vote on renewing licenses where the applications are not yet complete. That doesn't mean that there are problems with those applications. It just means that for some of those uh businesses that transition over to all electronic has been tougher than others.
I will say again thanks to it and the whole licensing team um we've been able to smooth some of that out. Um but so because you are not meeting before the end of the year for those businesses, we want to give them a little extra time. We would recommend conditionally
extending their licenses to um on or before um January 13th. that gives you an additional two meetings for them to get their acts together, for us to get that in the packet and get it to you. Um, the other aspect of this that we talk about every year is this is a
public hearing. This is an opportunity for the public to be heard on issues or concerns of uh any on any particular license holder in town. Um, but what we want to be clear on is what happens when those concerns are raised. Sometimes people come to this hearing and they
say, "Hey, I really don't like ex business. I would like you to take their license away." Um, and that is fine. You are allowed to say that. You were allowed to say, "Hey, I had experience with this business. I don't think this business is safe, etc., etc." All of those things are part of a public
hearing process. What the board can't do is the board can't take that information and say, "Okay, we're not renewing the license today, license denied." Um because in order for that to happen, there has to be process, right? There has to be a hearing. There has to be an opportunity for the business to come in
and say, "No, that's not what happened." Or, "Yes, it's what happened, but we fixed it." Or what have you. Um and often times there are steps that the board can take short of taking a license away, particularly if it's a first offense or if it's something they've corrected, um that they can then handle
on that front. So, I want to temper people's expectations. This is not an opportunity to say I don't like this business and you should take their license away. Um, take it back. It is an opportunity for you to provide feedback and we welcome that feedback. However, it's not at this juncture. What that's
not going to happen is that license is going to go away. We take those comments very seriously and we will refer any comments we receive about a complaint or an issue to the relevant um town department to make sure that that's followed up on. And if there's a need for a public hearing or discipline as a
result of that, then that's what will happen. Um, but it takes a little time. So this renewal process doesn't mean that your complaint is just forgotten about. It means that it just takes a little time for that to happen. Um, and in the interim, we cannot suspend or revoke that license. So we renew it, but
the board has the ability to impose discipline at any time. Um and so that will come back if we if the department it's referred to determines that there needs to be a hearing on the subject that will come back. Um I will say um that in this specific instance we uh all
the departments involved in this have been conducting their annual reviews to receive complaints, issues and concerns. All of the businesses in question have uh been recommended for approval by all the relevant departments whose applications are complete with the
exception of one and I will talk about that business. Um that business is going to follow the same process that we just laid out. We can't take the license away but rather than approving the license going forward I would request that you include that additionally pending a
hearing on whether or not that license be renewed permanently. um because in that instance um we have uh recommendation from the fire department um that needs to be followed up on and so we will recommend in that instance but when we get to that class of licenses I can tell you about that
specific concern um how this meeting works um you can see in your packet there are two item two items uh for the traditional license categories and then there's a separate item in there for cannabis uh retailers Um on the uh
license renewals um there's a question of uh approving uh uh certain uh categories of license. Uh so we can just I will go through that and identify in these instances. So there's a big list of every lency that you have in town and
then there is an accompanying list from Michelle indicating which businesses are not yet current in terms of their submissions. Um I have an updated list there actually uh which is not in your packet but I will update you on the individual businesses because even up till this afternoon businesses were
getting their paperwork in. Um so um the renewal uh so the long list for your packet talks about all the um license types here. or so. But the renewal cover package here, we'll go through um in
terms of uh the number of business the businesses in question and we would start in that I'll start in the order uh that they were placed in the packet which is for secondhand motor vehicles class one and class two. Um but before I move through that are there any
questions from members of the board or concerns about how this process works? No. >> You're going to open and close a hearing on each class. Yes. That's it. Okay. >> Yes. Okay. >> Okay. So, you're going to introduce them. Y discuss anything? Yep. And then
open a hearing. >> So, yeah. So, again, there's a list of all of the licenses in the packet. Um it's you can see it's the renewals. It's called renewals list for packet in your in the agenda. >> And then there's the 2526 renewals cover. Um and that has a couple of
updates which I will read into the record um based on what's come in over Monday and Tuesday. Um, so for secondhand motor vehicles, there are no outstanding issues. So all of those licences that are listed in the packet are up for renewal. Um, this is a public
hearing. Members of the public wish to be heard on any of the secondhand motor vehicle retailers in the community. Would you please raise your hand if you're in the room or use the hand raised feature? >> Okay, I have to open the hearing. >> I'm sorry. You you >> hearing is hereby open. Um,
Charlie, is there anyone online who's raising their hand? >> This is a public hearing. Folks online can use the hand raise feature to let us know that they'd like to make a comment at this time. There are 24 people online and no one is raising their hand to speak.
>> Okay. Yes. >> Yes sir. >> Hi. Can you come up to the microphone, please? Sorry. Evening everybody. Uh >> speak right into the microphone here. Yeah, >> that's good. >> Yep. >> Excellent. Uh Rob Miller with Diesel Cannabis. Just wondering about our
renewal status or licensing status. >> Your application is complete and the police department has recommended you for approval. >> Excellent. >> Um you're you're last on the list of lic unlicensed issues though. So there will be a public hearing. If members of the public want to be heard on their application, they'll have that opportunity. But the police department
has recommended you for approval. Stellar. Thank you. >> And thank you for sitting through a long long meeting. >> Yeah. >> Good luck. >> All right. Do we have anyone on uh So, no one no one on secondhand. >> Yeah. Okay. I'll close the hearing and
uh go on to the next uh >> So, I think you should you could take a vote on renewing all those secondhand motor vehicles class one and class two. >> Move. Approval of the um renewal of of secondhand motor vehicles class one and class two. All in favor John Vanscoy >> I
>> Paul Warren >> I >> David Pearlman >> I >> Michael Rosenai >> I >> and chair OSai >> can I ask a quick question just for president so chess I have the document you said to open >> yes >> um it's a long list it has record types
alcohol licenses common vic um am I looking at the right thing >> yep so that's the list of all the licenses okay um and so you can see class one and class two licenses >> it looks like we have no class one lic It wasn't.
Mine quickly goes to alcohol licenses. >> Keep keep going. It's >> Oh, it's Oh, that's it's long. Okay. Sorry. >> All right. I'm Okay. I'm in the right document now. >> Um am I in the right document? Doesn't look like yours.
>> That's That's the list of businesses that aren't current. Um there's there's another list >> comes after that. Okay. >> And yes, Michael, you are correct. There are actually um five class two licences in the community and no class one, but we take them in a group. Um >> what page, Michael? What page is that
on? >> So I'm looking into >> page 270. >> Yeah. >> But >> yeah, >> but you're talking our packet. >> Yeah. Page Oh, sorry. Page four and page five of the individual documents. >> That's four of 16, right? Yes. >> The whole thing is >> very bottom. >> Yeah. We because we pull this report
directly from the online system. >> Okay. Okay. Um, any other questions? And let's open the hearing for uh what we >> So, next secondhand articles and antiques. >> Secondand articles and antiques. Okay.
But we didn't catch up. >> Oh, you didn't take it. You didn't take the vote on secondhand motor vehicles. Sorry. Go ahead. >> I thought we just voted. Did we? >> We did. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's going by too fast. >> Okay. Second articles. I >> apologize. Okay. secondhand article >> watching us.
>> Um, okay. Any questions from the select board on that? Okay, let's open up the hearing. Um, anyone online? Charlie, who is raising their hand for secondhand articles and antiques. Please use the hand raised feature if you'd like to
speak, folks online. Uh, there are 23 participants and so far no one is indicating their desire to speak. Okay, I'll close the hearing and call for a vote. All in favor of uh approving the secondhand license, secondhand
articles, and antique. >> I would just say that there's there's one um so on these there are three um applications that have not submitted. They are Village Vinyl, Zone Design, and GameStop. Um and they need to be so those would be conditional to January 13th.
>> Okay. So, I I move approval of uh the secondhand items and antiques uh with the three that uh Chaz mentioned as being conditional approvals uh until January say 16.
>> Yes, Michael. >> I'm I'm sorry. I have a question. Under there's there's a list that says general business license that has secondhand. Is that the list we're looking at? It seems to include Brookline Booksmith includes Censey's Canteen which is a mobile food
truck for some reason. >> Pulling that up now. >> Buffalo Exchange Gametop. >> Yep. >> But why does it include a mobile food truck? >> That mobile Hi, my name is Michelle
Morrison. I am the licensing specialist um in the select board's office. Um the mobile food truck does not have its it's it's generalized under a general business. Um it's so there's not a
particular license for that. So in our system it pulls um it pulls as a general business. So um they are they are part of the second hand. However,
um our IT system, our IT team is working on trying to adjust the that particular license um to move it to a mobile food truck which gets renewed in the summertime. >> Okay.
>> So, yeah, we're not we're not renewing that currently. Um the general business licenses that we're renewing are just for antiques and secondhand stores. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, we had our hearing. We closed the hearing uh calling for a vote. All in favor of um these licenses, please
indicate by saying I. John Vancoyak. >> I. >> Paul Warren. >> Hi. >> David Pearlman. >> I. >> Michael Rubenstein. >> I chair votes I. >> What's next? >> Inholders. >> Inholders. >> This is not lodging houses. These are inholders. Um, two applications have not
yet completed their renewals and so these their approvals would be conditioned until I would Jan January 13th. That's Homewood Suites and Hilton Garden in the others are all current. >> I have a question. >> Sure.
>> Um, is the the AC Marriott that has rooms in Brooklyn not have a license from Brooklyn? >> Michelle, do you know the answer to that? Give me one second. As listed, those are the only two
licenses that have not renewed. And currently that license for AC is >> like Boston, isn't it? Right now, our in total license only states Brookline
Courtyard, Arcadian Home Suite, Homewood Suites, and Hilton Garden in um I do not have that listed as a license that we have for them.
>> I believe their street address is in Boston and they are licensed. >> Yeah, we do. I will say that we do um the state does give us revenue for those rooms. Uh but they are licensed and managed by Boston. >> Okay. Uh this is a public hearing. I
open up the hearing. Charlie, anyone online wishing to speak? Let's see. This is a public hearing. Folks in the room or online can raise their hand to let us know that they'd like to speak. Um there are 23 participants online and
no one is raising their hand to indicate they'd like to make a comment. And no one in the audience is raising their hand. So I will close the public hearing uh and uh vote for the inholders license with uh
none subject to >> two just two Homewood Suites and Hilton Garden in are conditional >> conditional. Okay. Uh a move of approval of the inholders license uh with the Homewood Suites and Hilton Garden in uh being conditional uh until January 13.
Right. Not 16. All in favor? John Vancoyak. >> Hi. >> Paul Warren. >> Hi. >> David Pearman. >> I. >> Michael Rubenstein. >> Hi. >> Chair Boltz. I >> lodging houses. Um, we have six, sorry, seven applications that have not yet been renewed and we have one that is
closed and is not being renewed. Um, so, uh, 1025 Beacon Street, 1085 Beacon Street, 1459 Beacon Street, 1876 Beacon Street, 58 Manchester Road, and 259 St.
Paul Street. We would recommend for conditional renewal to uh, to January 13th only, pending the completion of those applications. 16 William Street, is our understanding, is closed, and we are not recommending that for renewal. Uh 16 William Street is being uh
renovated. Yes. Okay. And >> in case anyone asks >> and the remainder are being recommended for approval. >> Yes. They've completed their application and there um there's been no concerns raised by the uh departments for >> Jess. Can I ask a quick question? Sure.
Um with respect to I know we had a challenge with on-site managers for some. Has that all been resolved and worked out to your satisfaction? >> The the situation has continued to improve there. I think there are always going to be individual issues, but right now we have a much better relationship there. Yes.
>> Okay. >> And is there a particular reason why 233 Aspenwall Avenue is listed twice? >> No. Um, >> sharp eyes. >> I will uh we'll we will pull that and ensure that that's not a it's not a
double that may just be an error in the uh the system. Thank you for catching that. >> All right. >> Uh, by the way, um, my eyes aren't sharp, but uh, we have 89 Marian Street and 89 Marian Street LLC.
>> Is that is there any reason why >> that looks like there may be a duplicate of entry? This is what's this is what's being happening as we moving as we're moving this stuff over. We're finding duplicates in here that we're trying to eliminate. So, we will we will keep take a look at that. >> Okay. Um Okay. This is a public hearing.
We'll open the public hearing. Charlie, is anyone online that would like to speak? Okay. This is a public hearing. Folks can use the hand raise feature to let us know that they'd like to speak. Um and there are 22 people online. No one is indicating their desire to
make a comment. >> And I see no hands raised in the audience. So, I will close the hearing and uh unless anyone has questions, I would call for a vote on favor uh of the lodging house license uh with the seven
identified by the town administrator as being conditional uh until January 13. Um please indicate by saying I. John Vancoyak. I >> Paul Warren. Hi, David Pearlman. Hi, >> Michael Rubenstein. Hi, Chair Bolt. I
Uh, next, alcohol licenses. Um, we have 17 that we're working on renewals for. Um, there were 18 in your initial packet, but BAB Korean beastro um came into compliance uh this week. And so there are 17 remaining uh which we would
recommend for conditional renewal, which is that list minus BAB Korean beastro. And again, with all of these businesses, we are following up with them. Um, and we should have full compliance by the 13th. >> Okay. I'm sorry. Um, how many are not in
compliance yet? >> 17. >> 17. >> Okay. Okay. Uh, this is a public hearing. I'll open up the public hearing. Charlie, tell us if there's anyone online. Sure thing. This is a public hearing. Folks online, please use the hand raise
feature if you'd like to uh speak at this time. Um there are 23 participants online right now and no one is indicating their desire to make a comment. >> I see no hands raised in the audience here in the town hall. So Michael
>> uh I just have a question. My understanding is that Ugakyu Japanese cuisine is closing or has closed or is closing imminently. >> Yeah. >> And I'm just wondering uh what happens to their license. >> So once they close they'll surrender
that. Oh, sorry. Go ahead, Michelle. >> Um, so right now that particular restaurant, they still are submitting their application for alcohol. The reason being is because it will be an easier transition for them to transfer the alcohol license to an interested
applicant for for them or interested buyer. that way they don't lose or miss out on a alcohol license um when they apply or if they when they apply for ABC um all alcohol license because we only
have a few left in the town. And so the pro it makes the process a lot easier and more efficient if the current alcohol holder or license holder keeps the license, renews it, transfers it to
an interested buyer, and then uh the actually interested buyer will pay that the old restaurant the fee for that year. Does that make sense? >> Yeah. >> Okay. That's different than how we handle other types of licenses because
the state is involved in the alcohol license business. Um, okay. >> And I'll just notice that you Kaku Barbecq Restaurant is supposed to >> Thank you. >> I have one question for CHZ. >> Sure. >> Chaz, the um >> before you go um I'm closing the public
hearing. >> Um Okay. And Chaz, this may not be an alcohol license, but the the the com the comm uh >> Can >> that had some issues and um how was that
going? >> Kav Cana >> is not comma is a cannabis. >> Yes, you're talking about Sunset Cantina. >> There you go. >> Sunset Cantina has remained in compliance with the issues that were identified since then. >> Okay. And they it has an alcohol license. >> It does have an alcoholic license.
>> Okay. Thank you. Um, I will flag one I I apologize. I I'm going to flag this three times. So, there is also one additional license that we are recommending conditional renewal for pending a disciplinary hearing and that is Maruchi Select at 299 Harvard Street.
>> The fire department indicate has visited that business twice now. Um, they issued them a citation that their um vent over their oven was out of compliance. Um, and they have not corrected it and so we need to step in. Um, and so We're going to recommend conditional approval to the
same date which is January 13th and we're going to bring them in for a hearing in the new year with your approval. >> Okay. Okay. Uh so the uh hearing is closed and I'd like to call for a vote on um the
liquor licenses um uh with 18 licenses being conditional until January 13. All in favor, please indicate by saying I. John Vancoyak. Hi >> Paul Warren. >> Hi >> David Pearlman. >> Hi >> Michael Rubenstein. >> Hi
>> Chair Bosai. >> David. >> All right. Next common victer entertainment and outdoor dining. Um this is a large list of businesses that have not renewed yet. However, I will say that this is our largest category.
Um and we are are continuing to see movement on this. There were 42 as of last week that had not renewed. It's down to 38. Um, since uh that list was last published, Cafe Adidake, Cadis, Kaio Matcha, and so Kitchen have all
submitted for renewal. Again, I know Cuddies is closing as well, but they are keeping their license for now. Um, and so, um, that brings you to 38. Um, and then you have, um, with that, uh, Mari, you select, um, we would recommend
conditional approval, pending discipline, uh, potential disciplines. That brings you to 39. >> Jez, when did Cuis announce that they were closing? >> Uh, earlier this year. >> Yeah, it's quite a while ago. >> Really? >> Yeah. >> Maybe I knew it. >> Yeah.
>> And I'm I'm noticing that the Starbucks at 15 Harvard Street is listed here. >> Yes. >> Are they They're not still in operation though, are they? >> Yeah, they are right here in Brooklyn Village.
>> Oh, the one in Brooklyn Village. Yeah, that's a >> it's the one at 277 Harvard Street that was the Wasn't there one included in >> Oh, yeah. Further up near um TJ Maxx, but that was a couple years ago.
>> Okay. So, the the four that are listed are all currently still in operation. >> That's my understanding. >> We have four Starbucks. We have one at 277 Harvard Street, one at 15 Harvard Street, one at 874 Commonwealth Avenue,
and one at 183 Grove Street. >> Oh, okay. Commonwealth Avenue is in Brooklyn. >> That's right. >> That side of it is >> okay. Um, uh, let's see. This is a public hearing on the common victual licenses
um which we will be approving subject to 39 of the licenses being conditional on um making certain corrections by January 13. Um so I've opened the I've opened the public hearing. Charlie, >> may I say something? Um Bernard, um I
also just wanted to piggyback off of Chaz. Um this is a new uh learning curve for both the applicants and the department um as well and we are trying to work very closely with the
applicants. It's a new process so we are having as much patience as we can with them um as well as directing them um to the IT department who has been extremely helpful through this process and very patient as well. So, um, even though
it's the end of the year, we also want to go into this time of the year giving the applicants a little bit of grace because this is a new system for them as well as us. So, um, again, thank you for understanding that the list is kind of
more extensive than last year, but we will be doing and working hard whatever we can do to make making sure that uh the applicants renew their um licenses um sooner than later. >> Great. Thank you.
Okay. Um Charlie, is there anyone with their hands raised in the Zoom box? Okay, folks. This is a public hearing. Uh, please raise your hand using the raise the hand feature on Zoom or in the room. Uh, if you'd like to make a comment,
there are 23 people online, Bernard, and no one is raising their hand to indicate they'd like to speak. >> Okay, I see no one in the audience raising their hand. So, I will close the public hearing and um proceed to a vote. Um we have approval of the common
victual uh licenses uh subject to 39 of them being uh conditional uh until January 13. All in favor? Um, John Vancoyak >> I. >> Paul Warren. >> Hi. >> David Pearlman. >> I. >> Michael Rubenstein. >> I. >> Chair votes. >> I.
>> And what's next? >> Uh, food vendors. Um, so those doing takeout, for example, not having seating and so forth. Um, we have 10 of those applications that have not been renewed yet. Um, we are continuing to work with them. Um, those are listed in the packet.
>> Okay. Any questions? Okay, let's open up the public hearing. Charlie, is there anyone online that would like to uh speak? >> As with the last public hearings, please use the hand raise feature if you're online or raise your hand if you're in the audience to let us know that you
would like to speak at this public hearing. Bernard, there's 23 people online and no one is indicating their desire to speak. Okay, I see no one in the audience raising their hand, so I'll close the public hearing and proceed to a vote.
>> I have one question for Chess Bernard. Um on on these licenses, chest, we um if you remember, we had a conversation when >> um I think it was Japanese >> had open and they didn't have a public bathroom, but they got this huge out
outside. Yeah. >> Um and they weren't allowed to have any even any seating, >> right? Have we cirled back yet on on seeing if there's a way that we can allow for some seeing amenities that aren't uh contingent upon a bathroom? >> We've talked to the We've talked to them
about applying for a variance, you know, trying to get around this. Remember, it's a state there's a state uh building code requirement on restaurants and places like that where you have a certain if you have seating, >> you got to have a bathroom. It doesn't matter where the seating >> even if it's a bench. It's not a table, it's a bench. So, we're we're that's
where we're trying to figure out where the play in the joints is, but we're still talking with them on that. >> Okay. Yeah, it'd be great to >> We want to be, you know, as with all those businesses that have sidewalk space, we want to be helpful. >> Okay. Thank you. >> They have no bathroom. I mean, even though they're takeout,
>> they have no public bathroom. >> No public bathroom. Okay. So, they do have wash facilities. >> Yes. Um Okay. Food vendors. Um have we opened close the hearing yet? No.
Okay, I'll open the hearing on the food vendor licenses. Uh Charlie, tell us if there's anyone online that would like to speak. >> Sure. Folks, please use the hand raise feature. If you're online, if you'd like to speak at this public hearing or if you're in person, you can raise your
hand. And uh there are 23 people online. No one is indicating their desire to speak. Okay, I see no one in the uh live audience here raising their hand. So, I'll close the hearing and move on to a public to a vote uh food vendor license
um with 10 that uh will be renewed subject to uh correcting uh the conditions that I think Chaz has mentioned. Um all in favor please indicate by saying I. John Voyaki. >> Paul Warren >> I. >> David Pearlman
>> I. Michael Rubenstein. >> Hi. >> Chair votes. I >> last but not least, cannabis. Um so, uh there are four cannabis retailers in the community. Three of the four have completed their applications and
received renewal. We received the fourth commas on December 11th. Uh so we are still in the process of reviewing that one. So conditional approval there. But as it so happens, I actually think that's probably what they want too. Um they have made a request and I think it's appropriate that we we raise it
here and for the board at a future date. KFCana is a social equity uh vendor and they have requested the board consider a policy of reducing fees and waving application costs for social equity applicants for cannabis. Um uh I said I
would relay that to the board at renewal and I am relaying that request to the board at renewal. Um >> what are the fees and what do we do? So, uh, the the annual renewal fee for cannabis, uh, retailers with no medical component is $20,000. Um, and there are,
um, Michelle, do you know what the, um, the fees for submitt are? U, not just the fee to renew the license, >> $11,000 and 20,000, >> right? Okay. So, it's 11,000 for medical, right? And 20,000 for retail. >> Correct.
>> But are they just retail? They have >> They're just retail. The only the only >> they're 20,000. >> Yes, they're 20,000. >> Okay. Uh are we being asked to >> that today? >> No, not today. That's why I was say I wanted to they they wanted it raised. So now it's been the board's been noticed and we we'll notice that for a future
date. Uh if the board wants to take it up and discuss it. Um >> I assume they're going to renew whether we reduce or >> they they plan on renewing whether or not. Um but they just they they wanted that you know made they wanted they wanted that request uh relayed in a public session and we are happy to do
that. Um so um so that's so their their renewal would be conditional to the 13th. Uh the other three vendors have all been approved by the police department. >> Okay. This is a public hearing. I'll open the public hearing. Charlie, is
there anyone online that would like to speak? >> This is a public hearing. Uh if you'd like to speak, please use the hand raise feature if you're online to let us know that you would like to speak. Uh there are 23 people online. I'm not
sure if there's anyone in the audience, but no one is indicating their desire to speak. >> Well, Charlie, I can tell you that we have four people in the audience and no one is raising their hand. So, I'll close the hearing and proceed to a vote. >> Yes.
>> So, we have you said we have four licenses. >> Yes. And how many licenses do we have total that we can issue? >> Four. >> Okay. >> You have four licenses and four licenses. Town meeting capped it at four by a vote two years ago. >> Yeah. Something like that.
>> And then the one that was a ballot question too, wasn't it? Was there >> I'm sorry. That was quite Yeah, that's right. I'm sorry. That was three. That's that was right. Question three capped kept the number of licenses. >> And so the so the one that was surrendered. >> So there was never a fifth license. there was the potential for a fifth
license when we so licenses used to be pegged to the number of um package store licenses that were available, all alcohol licenses that were available. We had 20 and it was um for every five alcohol licenses, we would create one retail marijuana license. And so we had
24 for a long time and then a delivery service opened up for alcohol which brought us to 25 which triggered the possib which triggered this idea that there would be a fifth license and then that license uh when the then we held that open because we knew that there
would be there was the referendum. We did not accept applicants for it and then town meeting eliminated sorry not town meeting the town the voters eliminated it and so we are we are capped at four. So which is the license that is being in the process of being surrendered or was surrendered?
>> Um oh so so diesel. Yeah. So sorry. Uh >> that one went to diesel, >> right? Yeah. Got it. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh I opened and closed the hearing, right? >> Yes. >> Okay. So let's vote. All in favor of the
cannabis licenses uh with um Commonwealth Canada being conditional until January 13, please indicate by saying I. John Vansy. >> I Paul Warren >> I proman >> I. >> Michael Rubenstein >> I chair votes I.
>> Okay, >> that's it on licensing. Thank you very much and thank you for your patience as we go through this electronic process. Um it's we're we're getting there. >> Yeah. And it'll be much easier and better for everyone. Yeah.
>> Okay. Next uh municipal decarbonization road map road map. I see uh Alexander Beiel is at the podium and we're waiting for your wisdom. All right. Uh good evening everyone. I'm
Alexander Veio, director of sustainability and natural resources. And uh this evening I also have our deputy director of sustainability Shelley Dean with us. Uh Shelley uh is joining me for this presentation. Joined our staff about 7 months ago and jumped right in on some of this work around the
climate leaders program. So excited to have her on our team and have her with us this evening. So tonight we are talking about the climate leader communities program and um for us to be able to apply for that program there's an application deadline of December 31st
of this year and that requires that we meet different requirements um and two of those include the uh that the town adopts a zero mission vehicle first policy as well as a municipal decarbonization roadmap. And so those are the two items we're here to speak to
you about tonight. So, >> secondly way to get the uh >> Yep. Give me one second. >> Oh, you know what? That might be >> Yeah. What? >> Hold on. >> The transcription is blocking her. >> Oh,
>> sorry. >> Shoot. >> I think that Oh, no. Maybe not. >> Charlie, is that is is that you, Charlie? Are you broadcasting on the big screen here? >> I'm sharing mine. So, let me >> Yeah, it was Alexander sharing her screen. Oh,
>> let me let me >> I am and now I have no captions on. >> One second. Sorry. >> Hold on. >> There we go. There we go. I just hit it from here. Uh, but we can you we move them >> up to the
>> up to up to the upper left maybe somewhere somewhere where there'll be Yeah, because we do need people do need >> There we go. >> Thank you. >> Okay, great. Um, all right. So, I spoke to you all about this program at your August 19th meeting earlier this year
and just outlined the merits of the program. Uh, in case you didn't memorize every word of that presentation, I'm going to give you a quick summary here this evening, but I will be um relatively brief on that. So, this is a state-run program um and it builds upon another state program which is called the green communities program. Brook
Lines's participated in that and been a certified green community for many years now. this climate leaders program and really the impetus behind this new iteration is to help the different communities u municipalities in Massachusetts meet uh and comply with the state's uh clean energy and climate
plan and that sets a goal of uh zero emissions uh net zero emissions by 2050 which is uh Brookline's goal as well. So thus far we've had uh 28 communities that have been designated these climate leaders communities. Um some of our neighbors in that include municipalities
like Cambridge, Lexington, Watertown um and many others. So the reason this program is so important and why um I would advocate for uh client to apply for it is that becoming a certified climate leader community opens up significant grant
dollars uh that allow us um that are coming from the state. So those um can be uh over $115 million that would support decarbonization of our municipal buildings. That's everything from energy efficiency improvements to actually
installing renewable energy on site. So um for example, the uh solar project that we talked about at Driscoll School um is something that would be eligible for this program in the future. So to uh apply for this program uh Brookline has to meet six requirements.
When I was here in August, I mentioned that we already had completed four and two were in process. And so those two are what we're here to talk about this evening. Um, one is to adopt a zero mission vehicle first policy and the other to develop a municipal decarbonization roadmap.
So I'll start with the zero mission uh vehicle first policy. So it requires uh the program requires that this policy be in place which essentially prioritizes the acquisition of zero emission vehicles over uh those powered by fossil fuels um for internal combustion engines
uh where feasible. There are exemptions to that policy. The policy was included in your packet. Um but emergency response vehicles, so those used for police or fire response as well as those used for snow emergency response would be exempt from this policy. Um, there are some other exemptions as well. Um,
anything that's not an off-road vehicle, for example. Um, and motorcycles, things like that. But, uh, this policy has been thoroughly reviewed with, uh, all the different department heads. Obviously, it has impacts on everyone. Um, but I
will say that, uh, I'm very pleased to share that thanks to Brookline's good work over the last few years, this is really what we've been operationalizing for some time. So, it really kind of codifies a process that's already been in place um and uh helps us to um put
pen to paper on something that we've been uh working towards for for the last several years. And um that's in thanks um in part to all of your great leadership and the funding that the town's received through various grant programs as well as ARPA dollars.
So, right now, Brookline's fleet includes about 390 vehicles um not including uh fire trucks um in that. Um in 2022, Brooklyn had only one fully electric vehicle and now today we have 34 fully electric vehicles in our fleet.
So, in a three-year period, uh it's a really significant jump. I recently shared the statistic at a climate conference with other municipalities and there was an audible gasp in the room which I certainly enjoyed. Um, so, uh, right now of what is eligible for
electrification, so non-emergency vehicles, those that aren't used for snow removal, things like that, um, we have 30% of those vehicles that have, uh, been electrified. Um, the vast majority of that has happened over the last several years. As you can see, um, we also have hybrid vehicles in the
fleet. So while I'm talking a lot about fully electric vehicles, the policy as drafted does have a hierarchy in it that basically tells us we first try to prioritize the purchase of a fully electric vehicle. If that isn't feasible for our uh operations for our budget,
then we would look at a hybrid electric vehicle and continue down the the hierarchy as appropriate. Uh so really for the policy um and it's uh as a whole the idea here is that we are looking to the greatest extent possible to
electrify what we can without disrupting our existing operation. Um and uh allowing us to move forward towards our um overall decarbonization goals. Um with that in mind I will uh move on to our municipal decarbonization roadmap.
This um also included in your packet um really focuses on our buildings in particular and I'll turn it over to Shelley to come up and share about the decarbonization roadmap. >> Thank you. And um very nice to meet many of you and to and to uh say hello to to
those of you who I already know. Um uh again I'm Shelley Dean. I am the deputy director of sustainability and um my task tonight is to talk to you about the municipal decarbonization roadmap. As um
as Alexandra mentioned um uh you know this is a a really critical piece for for the town of Brooklyn to become a climate leader. Um and as a climate leader, we would be eligible for significant uh financial resources which
will enable us to meet our goals to decarbonize. Um the road map um as as um Alexandra mentioned uh focuses both on buildings and on our vehicles um uh in ter in terms of our buildings um and and
the road map itself is a document that the there isn't a lot of flexibility um about uh the the rules for the road map were set by the Department of Energy Resources. It requires things like um
there be a baseline of the year 2022. Um it requires things it's got a very prescribed format to it. Um what it does do is it does provide a very high level view of the town's buildings and its
vehicles and determine whether we can actually um uh reduce our fossil fuel use basically down to zero by the year 2050. It assumes that there will be replacements over time. Um when roofs
get replaced when built when um heating systems get to the end of their useful life when vehicles are ready to be retired. Those are the timelines that that the road map assumes that we will be replacing with um uh electrified
options. So, um, the road map looks at the 41 buildings that that the that the town owns and has control over its, um, energy energy use. Um, and it, um, looked very specifically at at the top
22 buildings. Um, the reason why it focuses primarily on municipal buildings and vehicles are because those are the top emitters of the town's greenhouse gas emissions. Um, municipal build buildings represent about 80% of the
town of the municipal emissions. Um, and uh, vehicles represent about 15% of the municipal emissions. So, there are still, you know, about 5% emissions based on uh, water and sewer and uh, street lights and and park lights and
things like that, but those aren't part of the road map. Let me There you go. Okay. Thank you. Um so these are um this is a a quick look at the building section. Um and uh just
to give you an idea um that there were 22 buildings that were really sort of formally analyzed as part of of this road map. Those 22 buildings represent 85% of all of the municipal buildings emissions. Um the other 15% which you'll
see at at sort of the bottom right which says additional municipal buildings um those um um those buildings were included but were not really viewed in in a lot of detail and and they include things like Driscoll and and the fire stations and some other municipal
buildings. they were weren't given as much detail um detailed um attention in the road map um either because in the case of Driscoll it was an already electrified building in the case of the fire stations it was because um their
electrification um is um anticipated and um and some of the other buildings were just really sort of too small in terms of emissions to really pay attention to um and in terms of the findings, the
findings were really that um again we start with the year of 2022 which is three years ago. Um we've made um good progress on many of these accounts. But if you look at the specific lines, it it and again based on the natural uh order
of when things would naturally be retired or replaced, um the expectation is that by year 2050, we would have eliminated on-site fossil fuels. We would have um replaced all of all of the
municipal light duty vehicles. we will will have reduced um all of the heavy duty vehicles that the that the town has um and we would have reduced our overall emissions by about 97%.
Um again um it looks like there's a uh you know by 2027 that we've got a lot to do but I want to remind you that um we've actually already made some progress in that. Um, for example, we've removed, you know, fossil fuels at at
Driscoll. We're underway in terms of removing fossil fuels at Pierce. Um, and and the fire stations as well. Fire station number four is under construction. Fire station number one is my understanding is soon to follow. So, um, and as Alexandra mentioned, we've
already made um, good progress in terms of our, uh, light duty vehicle adoption, in terms of electric electrification. Um and we've even made some progress in terms of heavy duty vehicles. So
um so in in a nutshell that's sort of that is the decarbonization roadmap or at least a quick summary of it. Um what we are asking now and we respectfully request this is that the select board
consider voting to approve and adopt the municipal decarbonization roadmap and the fleet management electrification and vehicle replacement policy. Assuming that that happens, um we expect to go to uh the school committee and ask them as
well later this week to uh do the same to adopt the road map and the vehicle policy and then we will be in a position to uh submit our um our application by the end of this year.
>> Thank you. Michael. >> Uh so, um, director and deputy director, thank you very much, um, for your presentation. Um, uh, I also want to, uh, recognize the zero admissions advisory board, um, for their
consultation and input, uh, into this report. Um, I don't recall if they actually took a formal a formal vote as to whether or not to advise the select board or they just offered feedback. Um, but I know that there was plenty of uh
robust engagement um with the zero admissions advisory board and also the ability to look especially at the uh climate roadmap um and think about how to incorporate the goals of that road
map into the activities both of the zero admissions advisory board and other recommendations that they might make to the town budget. Um so thank you for that. Um and from my perspective, I wholeheartedly support um all of this
work and look forward to its approval and effective submission. Thank you. >> Thank you, Michael. And I will just confirm that um he is correct. The zero missions advisory board, ZAB, did vote um for uh recommending favorable action by the select board and school committee
on the decarbonization roadmap. Um and we had a couple meetings of discussion and review on that um which uh Sleman Rubenite was a part of. So, thank you, >> Mike. Uh, John, >> I had a question about um uh police department vehicles. Um are
they going to be included in the 100% of vehicles or >> they are not in the policy. Um any emergency response vehicle is is not um included. So, that includes police and fire. Um and spoke to the uh police chief about that. Um they do re in the
policy it does uh recommend that we look at whatever is the most fuelefficient vehicle that still allows them um to successfully conduct their operation. Um but in their case that would very likely not be um a fully electric vehicle for
their entire fleet. >> Yeah. I I'm I'm mystified uh why there hasn't been developed. I realize it's not Brooklyn to control, but uh because I've been on this hobby horse for years now and they did develop a a Mustang, a
Ford Mustang police vehicle. As far as I can tell, they haven't developed any others and I'm not even sure the Mustang's been adopted by that many departments. Is that your understanding? >> Our our Brooklyn Police Department does have one of the Yeah. Yep. um and I think has another one on order. Uh Kevin
Johnson, our uh deputy commissioner of operations and director of uh fleet maintenance is online. Um so uh he can confirm that. But um I think there are uh a couple of vehicles that are uh considered uh pursuit rated that are electric. that um part of this policy
and this program really does to your point um John take into account the fact that technologies are evolving and so over time uh there will be uh additional technologies additional funding hopefully lower prices available for all these things and so we need to leave room for that market development to occur for us to comply with that.
>> Yeah. Okay. I hope Detroit is listening. >> Yeah. Right. But there's so many departments that could be, you know, taking advantage of police department vehicles if they if they would develop it, but doesn't seem like it's happening. >> Sorry, Bernard. >> Paul.
>> Yep. Thank you. Thank you for the presentation. Um, you know, I usually ask about numbers, so money. >> Um, do I It's somewhere in here. I think my I got a little tired. Um but um have you did you present the numbers of what
it's going to cost us to do this? >> So no um you didn't you didn't miss it. Um the >> the for the uh fleet policy um there isn't necessarily an estimated cost uh associated with the electrification of
the fleet. Um but the policy while the state does not um allow us to put any language in there that says this is all dependent on the town having Monday to electrify the fleet. That is um part of their program uh documents for the
application say that is acknowledged and we understand and we would work with any community if they were trying to um purchase an electric vehicle and it wasn't in their their budget. So um it's not to uh hold us to any financial constraints and very much accommodates
for that. Um in addition the idea here is that uh we are updating this um vehicle inventory and this road map document uh every 3 years and so with that it will reflect um any changes that need to be made accommodating for
budget. >> And what do we get for being certified or whatever the >> we're eligible for um over a million dollars in grant funding. Okay. >> Um that we otherwise wouldn't be eligible for uh through the state >> and that is that's a million dollars over what period of time is it >> annually?
>> Annually you can get a million dollars. >> Yeah. >> That you could put towards the electrification of the fleet and building. Okay. >> That's correct. Um and then the other half of your question about the decarbonization roadmap. It specifically didn't do a financial assessment and so
um because so much of that is very nuanced and dependent. So there would need to be additional um engineering studies done and the grant program does provide technical assistance to conduct those engineering studies to provide such a cost estimate. >> Just one more question. Okay. And I I think you answered this earlier but so
if we were awarded money they are not requiring that we put in money as well. We could just spend the money that they gave us or is that okay? >> That's correct. >> Thank you. Okay. >> Sounds like a good deal. >> Yeah. So I have a question also about the decarbonization element. So to
become a certified climate leader, I think you had a slide that laid out six criteria and uh you indicated that we have already satisfied four of the six including demonstrating a commitment to decarbonization. But then one of your
asks is that we approve the municipal decarbonization roadmap. So have we achieved that or not is my first question. And then uh second relatedly, what exactly does that entail demonstrating a commitment to decarbonization? Is it just words or are
there certain metrics that get looked at? And if so, what are those metrics? >> Sure. Good question. So those are two distinct things. The commitment is that the T town meeting um uh has voted uh to a net zero goal. Um in this case,
they're just requiring it for our municipal emissions. In our case, Brookline has um adopted that for uh all of our um community emissions, greenhouse gas emissions, and that was recently um reviewed here by the the
select board um a few months ago. Um so that uh is really a a policy commitment that needs to be checked for number three, which has been met. Number four is this road map in particular which is really looking at a detailed analysis of each well I shouldn't say detailed
analysis but is looking at uh u it's actually a high level analysis but looking at all of our buildings specifically our biggest emitters and looking at what the options are to decarbonize those. So it is taking a uh the first is really just looking at a policy vote. The second is really
looking at a a technical review um with the acknowledgement that additional engineering and financial studies would need to be done for us to implement the decarbonization roadmap. >> And just in terms of our current carbon emissions from that slide that you put up uh that ranked them in order of uh
who which buildings emitting the most? Um, is this comparable to what we see in other communities for municipal buildings of compar of of the same size? >> Well, are we at a higher level, a lower level? >> I I don't um I can't say that I know
that for certain. Um, so I Shelley may have a better answer to that, but I'm happy to to compare and see based off of other communities. I mean, it is certainly obviously variable by the number and size of those buildings. Um, but uh I I don't have a direct comparison of apples to apples. Is there
a general square footage metric for calculating what uh an acceptable or understandable or appropriate however you want to call it emissions level would be. I would imagine this would be very building specific because each building has uh different electric systems or doesn't
have electric system at all depending on what's providing its energy. So is it too variable or are there formulas in place by which to measure whether we are on target with our emission level? >> Yeah. So I would say um the thing that
we look commonly at and one of the uh data points that that Shelley referenced in the road map references is our energy use intensity. So that's really looking at um the amount of energy that we're using in that building and then it is um adjusted for the square footage so that we can compare buildings that are of
different sizes. Um so that energy use intensity factor is kind of our our common thread across various buildings of of various sizes. Um but uh overall we're really looking at you know for the buildings um that we can do as much
energy efficiency and tightening that building envelope as possible and then moving to electrification and the the former Brookline's building department has done a a fantastic job on uh Shel I don't know if you would want to add anything to that. Uh no I mean I sorry
um no that's that's actually a very interesting question. Um um typically we talk about EUI the en energy uh use intensity but that really doesn't take into account decarbonization. You know it it it doesn't take into account
whether you're using fossil fuels or not. Um the um I'm not aware that there really is a metric um uh for for specifically what you're saying. Um the decarbonization roadmap though asks that
we not only make our buildings more efficient, but that the the key driver and the difference between this and the uh and the uh green communities program is really that this program is really has to do with decarbonizing our
activities. So, it really has to do with fuel switching. So, um you know, it's it's great that the building is more efficient, but this program is really about making sure that we're removing f onsite fossil fuel use. I always worry about what is the source
of the energy. You can fully electrify a building, but if the ultimate source is still fossil fuel, are you really accomplishing the decarbonization mission? >> Yeah, it's a good point. And excuse me, that is uh part of the the goal for us, you know, complying with this adoption
over time is that while we're doing that, the state's plan also calls for greening the grid over that period of time so that the electricity source um is coming from a sustainable source and then obviously providing funds for us to generate our own power on site through
solar panels, geothermal, things like that. >> Okay, thank you. Now we have to vote, huh? >> Yes, please. >> Okay. >> Um, I think we have two votes. Uh, and we probably should do them separately. Uh, first of all, vote
to approve the decarbonization roadmap. Uh, any questions about that? Okay. All in favor? John Vancoyak. >> I. >> Paul Warren. >> I. >> David Corman. >> I. >> Michael Rubenstein. >> I. >> Chair votes. Sorry.
Second uh vote on the fleet vehicle um uh can't read my writing. Fleet vehicle. What is it? Replacement. Oh, look. Look up there. >> Fleet management, electrification, and vehicle replacement polic.
>> Okay. Um policy. All in favor? John Vancoyak. >> Hi. >> Paul Warren. >> Hi. >> David Pearman. >> Hi. >> Michael Rubenstein. Hi. >> Votes. >> I thank you. >> Thank you so much for your time and thank you to uh Kevin Johnson and Erin Shoot who are online um to support. So I
appreciate you all and your patience. >> Well, thank you for your patience. >> Although it's not as late as I expected it to be. >> It's late enough. That's true. >> Um final item. Um boards and commissions
appointments. Actually, let me see. We have the preservation commission, Gan Wool, uh, for appointment and the building commission, Jason Bowers, for appointment. Uh, any questions about those two appointments? >> No. >> Okay. All in favor, let's do them all
together. >> Um, all in favor, please indicate by saying I. Uh, John Vancoyak. >> Hi. >> Paul Warren. >> Hi. >> David Pearlman. >> I. >> Michael Rubenstein. >> I. >> Chair votes I. >> And that ends our meeting, unless someone would like to speak after at the
end. Okay. Okay, I see. Um, go ahead. Regina Frolley would like to say a few words. Good evening, Regina. Excuse me. Regina Frolley from South Brooklyn. Uh, first of all,
if you're a native Bostononian, which I am, you actually have to learn to use the R in words. We all would have said Masha's name absolutely perfectly because we don't know how to add an R in it. I had to learn how to do it.
>> I had a brother who was in the Korean War and when he went down to training in the Navy, all the Midwesterners made his life miserable because he had a Boston accent. So, he came home and made my life miserable. And that's how I learned at age nine how to use an R. Anyway, uh,
on the serious side, >> well, that was pretty serious. >> I'm sorry. >> Nothing has been not serious. >> On the serious side, Dicker has never been anything but divisive. There's only a couple of people here who
would be aware of that. U, it's been >> very aware of it. >> I beg pardon. >> I'm very aware of it. >> Use your microphone, please. And I >> very aware of it. >> Okay. So this is nothing new.
When I studied under diplomats, um it was at in the late 70s and the government was cutting back on on um funding the diplomats and we had a lot of of uh ambassadors to very important countries and they no longer had
limousines picking them up at the airport, for example. But something more important went on. They looked at how their money, American money, was being spent and how successful was it being spent and where were the problems, the
the bumps in the road that made it unsuccessful. I think that's kind of it's almost an impossible task. It was actually easier to do it in international relations than I think it is to do on Dicker. But you have to factor that in as you look at
who is put on it, who's nominated for it. Uh if they're too passionate, that can often be by definition going to be divisive. Uh I have no magic bullet, but I think it's important that you understand in the bigger context that
it's very difficult not to be divisive when you have passionate people who are usually drawn to that committee because of passion. So I don't have a magic bullet. I wish I did. Uh I think the government did a better job of it internationally than I think you can do
in Brookline, but I thought I'd bring that to your attention. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Very important. Okay. Uh with that, uh I will end the meeting.