Good evening. All rise for the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands nationy andice for all. Good evening everyone.
Um, let's get started with a roll call. >> Councelor Tenari Garcia >> present. >> Councelor Jimenez Rivera >> present. >> Councelor Rupro here. >> Council Taylor >> here. >> Councelor Robinson >> here. >> Council Tesh >> here. >> Council Kelly Garcia >> present. >> Council Santigette >> here. >> Council Vega
>> here. >> Council Brown >> present. >> And councelor Jesus >> present. >> All 11 members present. You have a quorum. Madam President. Thank you, clerk. Uh so excited for this evening. Um we will start with our memoriams and celebratory resolutions. Uh first up we
have Chelsea Pride Youth Football. >> The resolution introduced. >> Resolution introduced by councilor Sandigette for Chelsea Pride youth football. Whereas Chelsea Pride Youth Football and Cheerleading has reestablished itself as a cornerstone of the city's youth sports community
through the dedicated efforts of leadership, coaches, and volunteers. And whereas under the leadership of President and head coach Jack Gregorian, and with and with unwavering commitment of board members Kevin Orian, Sandra Castro, Blanca Jakarna, Frank Medbury,
and Yahaya Nor, the organization has rebuilt and expanded opportunities for local youth. And whereas the program's success is also due to hard work of assistant coaches Kevin Orian, Nelson Medina, Sydney Best, and Caesar Cortez, as well as cheerleading head coach
Joselyn Mariah, and assistant coach Rosa Carabio, whose teamwork and guidance have made the program a model for positive community engagement. And whereas Sandra and Blanca have gone above and beyond through their countless volunteer hours, managing the organization's game day hospitality and
community engagement operations, creating a welcoming environment for families and supporters that reflects the spirit and pride of Chelsea. And whereas the return of cheerleading marks a major milestone in the program's renewal and is a testament to the shared commitment of everyone involved. And
whereas Chelsea Pride participants Matthew Escobar, Kuran Young, Jamal Sidi, Hago Gregorian, Vincent Hernandez, Joel Valentin, Saurin Lewis, David Hernandez, Elijah Cruz, Mason Best, Levi
Ramirez, Zachariah No, Justin Barahona, Axel Rodriguez, Junior Bayz, Jordan Sylvestri, and Oscar Diaz all deserve special recognition as they all move on to high school. Now therefore, it be a result that the Chelsea City Council on behalf of
residents of the city of Chelsea commend leadership, coaches, and board members of Chelsea Pride Youth Football and Cheerleading for their exceptional service to the youth of Chelsea and their contributions to rebuild a program that promotes teamwork, community pride, and opportunity for all.
>> Thank you, Cler. Counselor Stan. >> Yes. I'd like to make a motion to accept and file under suspension. Seeing no objections and I'd like to speak. >> You have the floor, council. >> It's uh I'm wearing Chelsea Pride colors. I have red shoes on and black.
So, I just wanted to congratulate you all again. It is so wonderful to see you all here. Thank you for your hard work and um to see the fields in the area filled with all of you playing and doing
your best and um it's just wonderful. So, congratulations and keep on going. And I know that the students who are off to high school, um I know you'll miss Chelsea Pride. >> So, um best of luck and please continue
to play hard and uh show great sports personship and congratulations, >> Counselor Taylor and Councelor Brown. So, this night is fairly gratifying. Um, I think a lot of us were were were
really quite concerned about our youth sports in in Chelsea and uh seeing this room filled with not only the kids uh who who enjoy Chelsea Pride so much, but also the parents.
>> Amen. And let me tell you, thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart for for choosing to participate in our in our youth sports. This this really builds our community in a way that you can't really uh replace and and kids
kids growing up, making friends, being part of a part of a community really binds us all together. So I I salute you for for for being here and for bringing your kids to Chelsea Pride football uh
and cheerleading. Uh I also wanted to uh thank Jack. Tremendous job. I I really uh I really appreciate everything you've done and uh and I will continue to appreciate what you're going to do in the future. I know
it's we're just we're just starting off in rebuilding and so I I really uh I really appreciate it. And uh where's Charlie? He was here. Charlie, stand up for just a second. Let people see who you are. Charlie
I I I I really appreciate all the work that that you have done, not just with with with this project, but with all of our youth sports here in Chelsea. and and we're we're definitely on the right path and uh this is so important to our community. Thank you very much and thank
you parents. >> Thank you. I want to thank thank you all for being here tonight. The coaches, the parents, the staff. Um it's great to have the youth here. the turnout that we have as it's already been said that the program is on in the right direction. Um
it's genuine. I'm grateful to be there for you. I appreciate the time, the effort, um the dedication that you've put into this program and the hours that you do beyond the football and the athletic of the sport, but the mentoring
and the care that you give your children and honoring their skills to go on to the next level. So hopefully you folks is moving up be going on to the next level. Um you know I Todd and I was at the field last week and we saw you out
there and you know we were both I believe Todd like myself were on our way to church but we we came by want to thank Kevin for always just sending us the not notifications that you know these are the last two um eighth graders um you know practices and field
opportunity. But, you know, the youth, the parents, it's so grateful um to have the room filled with tomorrow athletes and stars, but also with the parents and the dedication. And I'm sure that's why they not only act the way they do, but
they perform because of your ability and the positive impact that you show them by being there. Um, as a former athlete myself, my mom was always there and it made a difference. So you guys, you ladies, um you staff members, um you
volunteers, you're making a different by being there and really, really, really proud of the program. Looking forward to the big celebration. I know you're going to have some celebration coming in and it's always my honor to sponsor it and be there with you. So, please um
continue the great work. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. >> Okay, Councelor Robinson. >> Thank you. First, I I'd like to thank the parents. I know it's pretty tough working in participating in the kids uh
u activities. Just a little history and coach Jack goes goes back a long way. Coach Jack was the mascot for the Super Bowl team that won
um the first Chelsea Super Bowl. and also now he's the head coach and running Chelsea youth sports. I just want to thank you for your efforts and your recruitment of getting solid coaches to
be mentors to these kids here in Chelsea. So publicly I want to just thank you for all that you've done. councelor Garcia. >> I also want to um echo the sentiment of my fellow colleagues, but um I want to
thank the the head coach, the assistant coaches. I you know to dedicate so many hours to our youth, Blanca. Um, thank you so much. Not everyone has the time nor the
patience. So, um, I want to thank everyone who spends time with our youth with our future. I want to thank our kids, our our children, our our youth here in in the crowd. Um, be proud. Be
proud of Chelsea. Thank you so much for giving it your all and thank you for not giving up on Chelsea. Thank you. Councelor Kelly Garcia, >> you can tell we're sisters when we're thinking of saying the same exact thing, but I'll make it quick. Um, to the
cheerleaders, can you stand up? >> Yes. Yes. Thank you. Thank you ladies for cheering on our football players. Now can I ask the football players to rise? YES.
May you all continue to wear Chelsea pride today, tomorrow, and years to come. I hope uh that we see all of you on the fields in high school and so I wish you the best of luck on behalf of
the Chelsea City Council. We are so proud of each and every one of you and are really excited to celebrate you tonight. Okay, thanks team. >> Okay, so I think my colleagues have shared pretty much everything I would have shared. I'll just say, Coach Jack, and to your beautiful wife and to the
entire team, thank you because it takes a village. And this has been my village, right? Um, with the many hats that I wear around the city, it's it's tough sometimes for me to spend my weekends with my babies and my kids find you guys as brothers, as their sisters, as their, you know, their parents from another
family. And so, thank you so much. This is exactly what our youth need. and and I look forward to many more years of your leadership with our youth to see, you know, this this work um flourish in the future. So, thank you and big round of applause to you all.
>> All right. Can I ask one of my colleagues to please uh request for a break? >> Madam President. >> Oh, councelor Taylor. >> Yeah. I'd ask to suspend the rules for five minutes so we can get some uh pictures and photographs for the for the
kids, the coaches, and the families. Everyone Let's hear it. Two questions. >> Our house. That was That was That was All right, calling this meeting back to session. And next on the agenda, we have
public speaking. Is anyone here for public speaking? Seeing no one, moving on to approval of the minutes. Thank you, councelor. I'm seeing no objections. >> Moving on to the next item.
>> You also have the minutes for the regular meeting of the city council dated November 10th. >> Move to approve those as well. >> Thank you, councelor. No objections. Moving right along to communications from the city manager. >> First communication received from the city manager responding to council order 25121,
paving central avenue from Shortlift to Highland. Dear counselors, I'm writing in response to council order 25121 regarding paving of Central Avenue from Sheriff Street to Highland Street. I have communicated this request to our commissioner of public works. The area is a high priority for DBW to complete.
The council might remember that we have done water and sewer replacement in the rest of the neighborhood. This portion is currently under design and we expect it to be complete in the next few years. In the meantime, our commissioner of public works and her team will look into extending the life of the asphalt. Thank you for your patience as we plan these
critical infrastructure upgrades. >> Is there a motion >> accepted further communication if there like to speak on it? >> You have the floor, counselor. >> Thank you. >> Um, this order was Yes, within a couple of years, but it needs attention now.
There's plenty of holes. All the holes need to be at least patched up. I understand that with time you do the capital improvement program and then they will fix the road again. The part that I really don't understand is when utilities company do that work.
It should go back to the way it was. But it never is. And if it never is, then the city should make sure that it goes back at least to patch up the holes. I'm not saying DPW in doing its job. DPW does do its job. It does a great job. But right now, that area needs to be
taken care of. So, if they could, I would thank her very much and thank the city manager for explaining that within the next couple of years, we'll fix it. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, councelor. Moving on to the next item. >> Next communication received from the city manager responding to council order
25122, searchable system for parking tickets. Dear counselors, I am writing in response to council order 25122 requesting that the city of Chelsea have a searchable system to confirm whether a resident has paid with cash. Our parking citation system is maintained in a
modern database developed and owned by a company called Passport Parking. Many communities in Massachusetts, including Salem, Boston, Somerville, and others, use Passport Parking. This modern platform allows us to make improvements. >> Brad, >> all right. See objections.
>> I like to speak on it. Councelor uh recuper. >> Okay. Boom. You should have read the rest of it because in here to continue reading, they would have told you that the people have to have a passport account for them to keep track of their tickets. They have to make an account.
They're not just going to give you one. You have to go down and request it from them to give you an account. So this is what I they should have read the rest because there explains to you that even if you pay a ticket and you don't ask them to make an account for you, they can't keep track of it. So they have to
make an account and it says it right here where you don't have an account, the city will make one for you. So you can ask them to make you an account. That's one. And uh something else, too. What if you My my whole point is this. What if you don't want an account? What
if you can't make an account? What if you don't know how to make an account? How do you cover that? What do you do? There's people there that don't know how to make an account. They don't know anything about they don't Some of them just want to pay and that's it. If they
lose their receipt, how do they keep track of it if they don't have an account? Nobody's saying that the department downstairs it's taking money from anybody. The whole point is a simple one. If you lose your receipt and you can't find it, you better make sure
you find it because 90% of the time you're going to have to show your receipt because you're going to have to find out the day of the fine when you paid it. So, there has to be another system. I believe if you went down and you paid, you show them your
license. They should track you on your license. So, whenever you went, you could show them say, "Here, I lost my receipt, but my license will be there. So that will be a an issue to fix because that is I get complaints from people that they can't find their
receipts. Nobody's accusing the city that you're taking their money. Like they say it's your responsibility to keep your receipt. But how many people keep receipts? Sometimes people don't keep receipts. So what are you going to do if you lose your receipt? This says there's a way to track it. You have to
ask them. What if you don't ask them? So what's what's another way? So, this is sort of like a half an answer. It's not the whole answer. Thank you. >> Okay, >> Councelor Brown. >> Thank you. I'm sorry if um it was cut off. I thought we all read the
notification. It gives the residents that pay cash an opportunity if they want to track their money. You can can create an account. It gives you a mechanism because you didn't have a check or you didn't have a license, but you paid by cash. If you wish to create
an account, it gives you that opportunity. That's one of the way and that's what the original request was that for folks that when they pay by cash that they need to have some kind of recourse of trying to you know find out if they were if they can still go in and
check it. So this is a check and balance. Uh it states that um the system is there to put in place so we can help folks just fall in that kind of category. Thank you madam president. >> Thank you counselor. Moving on to the next item. Next communication received
responding to council order 25123, number of overnight parking violations. Dear counselors, I'm writing in response to council order 25123 requesting an update on the number of overnight parking tickets for vehicles parked illegally in the city of Chelsea. In the past 11 months, our parking enforcement
officers have issued a total of 80,430 citations. This includes violations such as residential permit violations, handicap parking spot violations, and many others. Of the total 80,430 citations issued, 32,334
or 40% were issued for residential parking permit violations. This means the team is issuing an average of 2,939 citations for residential parking permit violations per month. Our parking enforcement team does an outstanding job of enforcing the overnight parking
restriction. With the upcoming transition to digital residential parking permits, we believe our parking enforcement team will be able to cover our city overnight at even more of an efficient rate. I would be happy to answer any questions from council regarding overnight parking issues. Thank you for your support. >> Is there a motion?
>> Yeah, accept the communication. There's no objection like to speak on it. >> We'll have the floor, counselor. >> Um, thank you for this update. We seem to be issuing a lot of tickets, but we still have problems. So, here's what I want to explain to people that they don't really understand what what the
new digital parking system means. This is what it means. It means that you won't get a sticker. The city automatically knows where it is. So, now I don't know how it's going to operate, but I think the city, this is I would think, I'm not sure if that's what it is. Maybe we should ask the city
manager. What this happens is they will come the parking enforcement people will come and they will have a reader and that parking people will automatically read your license plate if you live here in Chelsea or you don't live here in Chelsea. That's what that digital means that they're going to have some type of
enforcement where they can go up and down. The police used to have that. They will go down the street and they look at the registered cars and unregistered cars. So this is what it means. I'm not exactly sure, but could you ask the city manager to explain what that means
>> to tell the people what that means? >> Thank you, counselor. Could we suspend the rules to have our city manager please elaborate a little bit more? Thank you. >> Thank you so much, C. And just to emphasize that that um the we are going
to digital um permits to make it easier for residents, right? What we heard a lot is is is that um residents were having a a hard time uh either applying for the permits or or the permits were lost in the mail or for
some reason the stickers would would would uh u would be lost uh or something like that. So what happens with this change is that uh um imagine if you go and and f and pay for parking in a
garage, right? What you do is you you walk up to the kiosk and you enter your license plate, right? And and if your license plate is 1, two, three, four, then that vehicle is registered, right? Uh in in in that garage, right? And and when the parking enforcement officers of
that garage are going around and checking who has paid, they know automatically that 1 2 3 4 uh plate is registered in the garage and it's all set. So it it's going to operate exactly the same.
>> Can one like one thing? So can I ask him >> through the chair? >> All right. Can I ask through the chair? So in other words, the parking enforcement people are going to be able to know if the car is registered or not in our city. >> The the in in order uh the parking the
parking enforcement officers would know if if that person has an approved application, an approved application. So yes, the answer is yes. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you so much, city manager. Moving on to the next item. Next communication received from the
city manager responding to council order 25124, adult and child asthma rates. Dear counselors, I am writing in response to council order 25124 requesting a report on adult and children asthma rates. The tables below provide the information requested. I am also attaching a section of Cambridge
Health Alliance's well-being report specifically addressing asthma. Finally, I am attaching the executive summary of the report highlighting their major findings. The report is also available on the website link below. Thank you, Claire. Is there a motion? >> Acceptance f communication like to speak on it?
>> You have the floor, counselor. >> Um, for years I've had this this study done many many years ago also and this is again uh our city seems to have a big issue with child asthma which is very high. It's one of the highest in the in
the state and I was always wondering what attributes that we're not of a a factoryinfested city. We don't have that many factories lying around. We're not a great pollutant. So, uh, I was wondering what causes it. What
is it? Our proximity to Boston. What What does it do? We don't have a lot of factories in this city. We I don't know how many factories we have that pollute our city, but I guess for a small city, we have a lot of them. I I don't know. I never thought we had a
lot of them for what we have. >> You all set, counselor? >> Wait one more second. And so after we do this study, right, is there any way that we can actually improve it for the people that live here? What could the
city actually do to make it better for them to cut the asthma rate in children so much? What is one of the things we can do? >> Thank you, councelor. Councelor Jimenez, >> I want to echo the sentiment that we should be working towards reducing the asthma rates. And I just want to quickly give u just a little bit more context,
right? We have a lot of we have like 30,000 cars that go over the tobin every day. We have planes. We have ships. There is a lot of industry going around and that's that's what causes this and I agree with the counselor with the urgency of needing to to tackle this issue. Thank you. >> Thank you councelor. Moving on to the next item.
>> Next communication received responding to council order 25125 requesting an update on fire station. Dear councilors, I'm writing in response to council order 25125 requesting an update on our new fire station. We deeply appreciate the city council making a new fire station a priority. A new fire station began with
making engine 4 permanent for our city. Over the next two years, we will gradually increase staffing in our fire department to reach the required number of firefighters to staff this new engine sustainably. Our fire chief and I have met several times on the topic and are committed to making this a reality. In our FY27 CIP, we have included funding
to begin this journey. Similar to our dream of a community center, we should begin with a feasibility study that looks at properties that could house a new fire station. At the moment, the city of Chelsea does not have any properties that can be repurposed for a new fire station. The feasibility study will include a cost estimate that will
inform our decision. We look forward to keeping the city council involved in the process. Thank you for your support. >> Thank you, Cler. Is there a motion? >> Accept the private communication like they speak on. >> You have the floor, counselor. Thank you to the city manager for at least putting
an effort to look and to put in a new fire station. I hope maybe one day will be the dream that a new fire station will come and it'll make us safer because right now especially my my district or my side of my district does
not have a fire station and it's increasing all the time by apartments and more people are moving into that side. That is the only side of the city that does not have a fire station. Everywhere else within the city that has one except the waterfront side of my
district, which is Marginal Street and the surrounding areas and I would like to see at least one go there one day. If not in the near future, maybe in the far future there will be one. Thank you. >> Thank you, councelor. Moving on to the next item.
Next communication received responding to council order 25127 creating special fund supporting seniors. Dear counselors, I'm writing a response to council order 25127 requesting that the city create a special fund supporting seniors and buying food. It feels like
Chelsea has been hit with one crisis after another this year. The SNAP crisis hurt deeply because nearly 10,000 Chelsea residents depend on SNAP to put food on the table. This includes seniors, people living with disabilities, children, and veterans. These are Chelsea's most vulnerable populations. I am incredibly grateful to
our community partners and city council for stepping up and supporting our residents when they need us most. On Monday, November 10th, we announced that in partnership with the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, we are launching the One Chelsea Fund. The One Chelsea fund was originally created during the CO9 pandemic. Back then, the fund raised
more than $2 million to provide direct financial assistance to Chelsea households. The United Way has stepped up by providing $100,000 to support Chelsea residents. The council has a financial order for $100,000 to match the gift. We are also reaching out to funders, community members, and anyone
interested in supporting our community to donate towards the Chelsea fund. Please help us amplify this fund to support as many residents as possible. >> Thank you, Cler. Is there a motion on the >> accept communication like to speak on it? >> You have the floor, counselor. >> I thank the city manager for this and
the city of Chelsea has always been a great city to help the needy of our city. it always has done. And I hope that maybe one day we can have a special fund specifically to target older people, the senior. It's not saying that everybody doesn't need it. Everybody
does need it. But the seniors is the most vulnerable in our community. They need it the most because they are on a fixed income and going back to what I said. I'm not saying that everybody needs help. But I believe that maybe the seniors and
disabled people are the most vulnerable in our city. They should have a a fund especially set up for them. >> Thank you, >> Councelor Kelly Garcia. >> I'd actually like to take a moment to thank counselors on this council who stepped up and paused their campaigns to
support our seniors during this difficult time. It happened right during election week. And yet those who stepped up, I know many I see many um heads nodding. Um it really was a moment of uh it reminded me of the pandemic when we
came together and we helped our community. Um and may we never forget how powerful team work is in the face of challenge and in the face of crisis. So thank you to those who stepped it up and helped our our most vulnerable community
members. May we continue to work together. um the need is now gone and so let's continue to do the work. Thank you and to the organizations that also provided food collaborative capek you know and so on and so forth. So thank
you. >> Uh next item on the agenda >> next communication received responding to council order 25128 pay for employees on active duty. Dear counselors, I am writing in response to council order 25128 regarding pay for employees on active duty. Massachusetts general law
chapter 33 section 59, chapter 32b, section 9, and several others govern pay during military leave. On the eve of Veterans Day, we want to reiterate our commitment to support our veterans and their families. We are grateful for their service and we know that gratitude itself is not enough. Every day in
Chelsea, we are working to show veterans that we have their backs. Honoring veteran service requires policies and resources that make it possible for them to thrive in the home that they defend. Our human resources department has confirmed that Chelsea pays any gap in pay while members are on active duty.
Employees should direct any questions to the supervisor, human resources department, or myself. Thank you for your support. >> Thank you, Cler. >> Accept and file the communication if there's no objection like to speak on it. >> You have the floor counselor. >> This is a great great thing. nor the state allows 80% to
get paid. Now, this is great that the city will pick up the rest. So, it's speaking volume for our city that we do care that all of us care and this is going to happen and I'm happy that this will happen. Thank you very much.
>> Uh, councelor Kelly Garcia. >> Uh, Madame President, if it's okay, I'd like to speak through the chair, but also thank Councelor Cupo for uplifting this issue. I as a proud daughter of a veteran and a sister of an active military uh person along with my sister
uh Tener Garcia and cousin Melinda Vega. Um my brother just came back from deployment uh well not just but like a year ago and he shared with me the the difficulties in having to cover uh the gaps right when he came back. And so I I
gave a call to uh councelor recooper. I'm like Mr. Recooper how can we fix this? and he's like, "I got this." And so, thank you for for standing up, for always standing up for our veterans. Um, and and thinking outside the box and and really bringing it to the floor where um
where it really matters and where change can happen. So, thank you, Mr. Rubbero. >> Uh, moving on to the last item on the section. Last communication received from the city city manager regarding the vision zero action plan request for council approval and endorsement. Dear
councilors, we are pleased to share recent progress on the city of Chelsea's vision zero action plan developed with grant funding from the US Department of Transportation. Since the plan was first introduced to the council earlier this fall, the TPC has held a public hearing on the plan on November 5th, 2025 and
voted to approve it. The public safety committee also met on October 23rd to review recommendations and ask questions about the plan's priorities. Chelsea's vision zero action plan lays a clear path for the city to eliminate traffic related fatalities and serious injury. The plan outlines five goals 33
recommendations spanning design policy systems. >> President asked to wave the rest of the reading uh except and file the communication under suspension if there's no objections. There'll be something coming up under new business. >> Seeing no objections. Thank you. Moving on to you have a communication
and petition to the council received late if there are any objections to consideration >> objected to consideration of late communication. Move on to >> President really quick question. Can we just name which one it was just to make sure that we an understanding of what it was that
we were um >> It's not on the agenda. >> I know and I want to know what it is that it wasn't on the agenda. communication received from the traffic and parking commission regarding your last meeting. >> Okay. I I have a question. I have an approval of a donation. Good sports foundation. Did we do that? >> Not yet. It was out of place.
>> Oh, got it. Okay. Sorry. Thank you. Moving on. >> We move on to second readings. Sole item under second readings, communication received from the city manager being read for the second time regarding appointments to youth commission. Dear councilors, pursuant to section 4-2 of the charter of the city of Chelsea, I'm
writing to recommend the following individuals to boards and commissions in the city for appointment to the youth commission. Sarah Fan and Jessica Gutierrez for new one-year terms expiring September 30th, 2026. >> Is there a motion on the floor? >> Roll call vote on the adoption of no
objections. Uh, roll call vote requested by councelor. Councelor Robinson. Seeing no objections, moving on to a roll call vote. >> Roll call vote requested. Yes. Vote to appoint. >> Councelor Tener Garcia.
>> Yes. >> Councelor Jimenez Rivera. >> Yes. >> Councelor Cupro. >> Yes. >> Council Taylor. >> Yes. >> Councelor Robinson. >> Yes. >> Council. >> Yes. >> Councelor Kelly Garcia. >> Yes. Council Santigette, >> yes. >> Council Oega, >> yes. >> Council Brown, >> yes.
>> And councilus, >> yes. >> 11 in favor, zero opposed, zero absent. Appointments have been approved. >> Thank you, clerk. >> Bless you. >> Moving on to new business. >> Our sole item under new business, resolution introduced by the council
president regarding the vision zero action plan. Whereas the city of Chelsea is joining cities across the world in the vision zero movement to eliminate traffic related deaths and serious injuries. And whereas traffic crashes are among the leading causes of deaths and serious injuries around the world,
including in Chelsea and any loss of life or life-changing injuries due to preventable crashes are unacceptable on Chelsea streets. And whereas vision zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable
mobility for all. And whereas traffic deaths and injuries occur disproportionately in lowincome communities, communities of color and/or communities with low car ownership and access. And whereas the city has historically demonstrated leadership in advancing multimmodal safety improvements through initiatives such as
the complete streets program, safe routes to school, and traffic calming measures. And whereas vision zero complements and strengthens these efforts by setting a clear datadriven framework. And whereas the city departments and bodies involved in the design, construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure, including
the department of public works, department of housing and community development, police department, fire department, and the traffic and parking commission are supportive of adopting formal vision zero action plan. And whereas the successful implementation of vision zero requires a systems level approach to road safety that includes
interdep departmental initiatives and community support of vision zero's objectives to ensure the physical and social well-being of residents. Now therefore be it resolved that the Chelsea city council goes on record as endorsing and adopting the Chelsea Vision Zero action plan to achieve zero traffic deaths and serious injuries on
Chelsea streets by 2040. >> Is there a motion? move to adopt under a roll call vote and >> no objections. >> Oh, and yeah, and I'd like to speak on it, but also I know councelor Senagate has done a lot of work on this, so I kind of want to give her the first uh first half of this.
>> Councelor Sate, >> thank you. Um yes, this is very exciting for the city and very needed. So, um thank you. This is a wonderful resolution. So important. The work of
the consultants, the work of um the housing and economic development has been huge. Sarah Han, Emily Granoff, steering committee. Um
so I am so excited to finally see this resolution and I will absolutely be voting yes. >> Council Himenez. >> Yeah. Yeah, I just want to thank um everybody who has had a hand um in in putting this plan together, you know,
one of the things that when I talk to residents about what we need more of and do better uh with in the city, everyone talks about cars are going too fast. Pedestrians are constantly afraid of getting hit when they're crossing a a sidewalk, crossing a a
street. Goodness, sorry, forgot how to speak for a second. Um and and I think that it it is it's great, right? And and and it's it's building to a vision of zero people, right? being hit or being injured and and I think that is a wonderful thing to work towards. Um I I want to continue to be in conversation
with you know our fire department to make sure that we are able to to get our emergency vehicles through the city quickly as well. Right. We we need to make sure that we are um putting forward a plan that both protects our pedestrians and make sure that our emergency services are able to move around the city. So, um, very excited to
be voting in support of this, uh, and continuing to work with everybody, um, in city hall and beyond to make sure that we can actually implement it. >> Thank you, councelor. Councelor Rick Brown, >> this is great, but in 15 years, the way
it goes, we won't have no cars. You'll get hit by a bicycle. That's what you get hit by a bicycle. So like 15 years from now is a long time, but it's a good thing that at least they're trying anyways to make us safer,
but I hope in 15 years we won't get hit by bicycle. Thank you, >> Councelor Brown. >> Thank you, Madam President. I'd be quickly um I called around on this, so I'm you know, I'm glad that we're adopting this resolution. Uh it's again
it's just a spa uh safety mechanism to make our city a little safer. But I think someone said it in a different context. It requires the whole city. It require the drivers. It required the pedestrians crossing the streets um kids
in the streets. So I um look forward to applauding this and also seeing the fruition of it in the next few months, years. But again, it takes a whole village to make this happen. Fire trucks still need to get down to avenues and
streets when there's fires and stuff. Um, folks still need to know the language, the u the language and the signals of the streets to make this happen and stuff. This year it started with when they saw um communities of color, the low lowincome communities where they saw a lot of fatalities and a
lot of incidents and accidents and stuff and they wanted to take a step on it. So this requires a bunch of us to spread the word in our schools, outside of our schools, but more importantly with those is behind the wheels and traffic cars and buses. Thank you,
>> Councor Taylor. >> So I just wanted to make just a couple things clear on this. Um, so we saw the presentation in the public safety committee and um, I'm usually somewhat skeptical of uh, plans that are coming
from the top down and uh, this is indeed an international um, program uh, that's uh, headed up uh, in the United States by by federal agency. But I can tell you that um there's
actually no strings attached to this money. Everything still has to go through the traffic and parking commission. It's the regular order of business. We're just collecting some money uh in order to make it happen. So,
um I'm all in favor of that. And so, um anybody with any reservations, I think, uh I think this is a generally a good thing. And we do need more um safety as everybody said. There's there's I wish I
had a nickel for every resident that asked me for a speed bump. So, uh it goes it goes to show I see a lot of my fellow counselors nodding. Uh you know, people are driving too fast. We've crammed a lot of people into a very
small space and um so we need to plan better to make sure that people are safe and that people are abiding by the rules of the road. So uh I'm in full support of this. Thank you. >> Thank you counselor. Um moving into our
roll call vote. >> Roll call votes been requested. Yes. Vote to adopt. >> Yes. Counselor is very excited. >> We heard you loud and clear, counselor. >> So sorry to wrap this up.
>> Council Tineri Garcia enthusiastically. Yes. >> Yes. >> Council Jimenez Rivera. >> Yes. >> Council Cooper. >> Yes. >> Council Taylor. >> Yes. >> Council Robinson. >> Yes. >> Council Tesh. >> Yes. >> Council Kelly Garcia. >> Yes. >> Council Santa. >> Yes. >> Council Vega.
>> Yes. Councelor Brown. >> Yes. >> And councelor Odus. >> Yes. >> 11 members in favor, zero opposed, zero absent. Resolution enthusiastically adopted. >> All right. Thank you, Cler. Cler, could you now clarify the >> for some counselors who were wondering, there was a communication left in your
packets. It had been withdrawn by the city manager after the deadline submission, so it didn't make it on the agenda. For accepting of grants, council requires a dollar amount be attached to items. It'll be resubmitted at your meeting December 1st and on the agenda. >> Okay. Thank you, clerk. Uh, public
announcements or moments of silence public announcements. No moment. Council Brown, apologize again. We we blew or we we skipped this part last week. Also, um, two weeks ago, we had this city election
and we just want to thank all the voters and the residents that went out, all the poll workers and volunteers, um, you know, went out um, exercise your right um, to do what your right allows you to do, to go out in a free election to vote
for whoever you choose. So, we want to thank everyone. We missed it last week. There was a lot going on, but I want to personally thank everyone for going out to vote on November 4th. Thank you, >> Himenez. >> Since this is our last meeting before uh
Thanksgiving, I just want to wish wish all of our uh my fellow counselors here as well as everybody watching a happy Thanksgiving holiday. And I hope uh everybody has a wonderful time with their families and loved ones. And we'll see everybody again back in uh December.
>> Yes. Moments of silence. >> Yes. I'd like to make a moment of silence for a thousand people that have drowned in the Sicilian Sea for a better life that are trying to cross over from uh North Africa to Sicily. And this year
alone, a thousand of them died with the boats capsizing. I just the other day I was couple of days ago I was with my dad and uh I was watching the channel the Italian channel and I had a statistics that a thousand migrants died alone this year. But nobody even hears about these
poor migrants that are crossing over from Africa to Europe to have a better life. So I want to recognize them because they are somebody's child, somebody's wife, and somebody's mother. So everybody wants a better life and I hope this doesn't happen to them that but
normally it's about a thousand a year they die trying to make a better life. >> I have I have two actually. uh local resident um Philip Sepo and my brother-in-law Lewis Aliota