check one two check check check check test test testing one two can come up Che one to one to is it test check check check check check check test test test testing go louder could go louder not really hearing it in the room John do you have these set to push to talk or push to mute so check check check you got can you there's like not enough volume oh yeah I mean I'm not really hearing it okay talking right now uh this is a check check check test I mean it's in the room but I have to struggle to hear it okay there you go that sounds pretty good check check check check one21 two12 so did you bring it up at the mic or did you bring it up at The Amp I brought up at the mixer so I'm not hearing your mic right now you're barely in the room check one two check check test test there you go so are we bringing them up at the Yamaha or we so there's lot enough in let's get them all to the same level one two one two no this one's on all the time one two nope nothing here oh there it is one two one two there we go um talking this is back on my mic again it's this is less than the guest mic we just heard check check test test test one two one two one two one two one two one two one two bring up my yeah okay there you go one two whoa that's high one two one two they generally sit about where I am right now a little further back a little bit further they have to reach to touch the button because sometimes they'll do this and one two one two one two one two much that might be a little hot on that mic espe that right underneath those speakers that's what it is one two one two 1 two that's the Chairman's mic he's on now so we want that good and Loud one two one two he's eating the mic too so maybe push that away from me a little bit one two one two one two here we go that's there go that might be too much just a hair too much the two this three Center ones will be tricky because of the the speak is right under one two one one two one two this is me talking on this mic hey check check check checking test one to that's too much and back me off maybe come up about a click hey one click yep that sounds good I'm guessing this is mic number one I don't know how they're how they're labeled but this sounds okay in the room yep mic number one check check one two one two one two S9 11 12 left right be number one this [Music] let's do that way that's fine but that be 11 okay John a little change of uh semantics in here I'm on mic number one this is mic number one that I am on right now mic number one this may have been how you originally wired it probably it's left to right this is number one far left um maybe Sarah could punch up the um the monitor so that uh I'm visible in the room as I go around the room this is One mic number one 111 headed to number two [Music] that would be 1111 one1 check one two Mike two is this two you can talk into the handheld that should be on one this is one uh that looks like it's four this is four right now yes hang on check one two is this one that's one [Music] okay I should be in one now 111 check one two is this two or three wait U Johnny you talk check check you're in one what am I in right now four [Music] [Music] [Music] yeah okay this one that's two check one two what is this four and what is this check check check one two that's one that's [Music] [Music] one check2 what's this number four check one two that's two check one two that's [Music] four check one two three is that Johnny tapping on four check one two that's four --------- sure [Music] you I don't know yet [Music] uh what is the the ordinance the committee report no not the committee report this is analis this need to be adopted first to be add it e e e e [Applause] I haven't have one regular meeting in you e e e e I need to learn more yeah hey how are you is it John good evening good evening and welcome to the special public meeting of the Len city council and um supposedly the school Committee Member uh today's day is Tuesday April 30 2024 puru to chapter 20 of the act of 2022 this meeting of the it's been uh will be hybrid allowing participation in person and at the city council chambers also remotely this the zoom link was provided to anybody that requested um this this meeting is also viewed digitally and different platform the Len city council Facebook page as well as the YouTube page for the L city council please join me for a moment of silence pursuing to the pledge of allegion I pledge of alleg to the flag the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for all what you just say theedge of Alle is really good yep uh Roco please councelor councelor Levy present Council l plant Council Luzon is noted as absent Council Del Rosario present Council Santiago present councilor marmel present Council Reyes is noted as absent Council vice president Inon present council president Rodriguez present uh councelor we have no public participation that was published but I will entertain a motion to open Public public participation at this point so move second there is a motion on the table properly second I call please roll call Council Reyes is noted as absent councelor marmo yes councilor Santiago yes Council Del Rosario yes councel Lan is noted as absent Council llant yes councel Levy yes Council vice president fonte yes councilor president Rodriguez yes please call the call the role for uh councilor Lon Council Lon pres all right we have now the availability of um having public participation uh at this time since we didn't have a Leist I going to entertain um anybody that would like to speak we have two and a half minutes and uh uh pursuing the two minute uh mark You're going to hear a a sound or a signal for you to uh finish up within 30 seconds um at this point u i going to allow a public participation please uh refer to this Council as a whole not to any individual councelors anybody that would like to speak today name and address for the record please sure thing good evening members of the council my name is Kimberly Barry and I'm the proud president of the Lawrence teachers union, 1400 members strong tonight I stand before you to urge you to stand up for democracy and our schools and to vote to keep our elected school committee Lauren students parents Educators residents know best how to provide our students with the tools they need to thrive it's up to each of you to ensure the citizens of Lawrence regain their rights I strongly urge you to vote against converting the existing fully elected school committee to a majority appointed School Board as proposed by the mayor as this would continue the unjust pattern of State receivership this would give the mayor the power to appoint his own school committee some Lae members are already appointed by the mayor two appointed education boards in Lawrence take us even further away from the process of democracy for our students and our families it would strip parents caregivers and our entire community of a voice in how schools are run Lawrence residents have just as much of a right to local democracy as our wealthy neighbors we have just as much local knowledge and commitment to improve our schools I urge you to support an elected school committee so that when State receivership ends Lawrence voters will have the right to democracy that they have been denied for years I hope I can count on you thank [Applause] [Music] you please hold the Applause for the end please you so thank you very much for allowing this comment my name is Beth Kos just for the record please sure my name is Beth Kos I'm president of the American Federation of teachers Massachusetts I live at 237 Cent Street damis Mass I'm here to support I will not report repeat what Tim said I just want to ask this body to stand up for the people that are living here in this city that have the right to vote right now for everybody who serves them in this in this community there's no way we should take that away as Kim said our families deserve to have a voice in the schools for their children and I ask you to vote against this home rule petition to me it is a u voter repression and we want more and more of our people to vote not less and I find it disrespectful to think that your vote counts when it's anybody on this board or if it's for the mayor but not for the city council I want equal weight on our votes thank you so much I appreciate you taking us thank you next person that would like to speak name address for the record please good evening Mr President member of the council Francisco B for the record 85 Colonial Road um I'm here today to let you know Mr President and member of the council that this is the people who um my kid was educated by then my grandchildren was educated by then too and I look forward to see more children being educated here in the City of Lawrence by this uh uh this group of teachers who today they're looking for for democracy they're looking for transparency and they looking for your support your support is very very very important and here's my fear Mr President member of the council today they want to appoint that school committee tomorrow they want toon the city council we should not let that happen here in this city and I if you may Mr President can I just say this in Spanish is that okay yes thank you [Music] [Music] thank you next person that would like to speak please name and address for the record let me just take my mask name sure for a second uh my name is Tom Myers and I reside at 550 Hail Street uh here in the city and my remarks are are similar to those of those who who had uh preceded me and I think you know the number one thing that I want to try to impress is that when we elect officials the officials are accountable to us and you all know that you know you try to do the best you can as eled officials in the city for the people that you represent and elections and accountability are interwoven together so that when in fact people are elected by the citizens they then are accountable to the citizens and that helps when they are overseeing the school committee I'm sorry the school system to be much more attentive to the issues and needs of the district as articulated ated through the families through the parents and and other citizens and you all sit in those positions because you are elected I'm standing on this side of the Ledger because I'm a private citizen I am not an elected official in this city and so I ask that you support the notion of a democratically elected School Board it's going to move our system forward it's going to allow participation and one of the things I was an educator for well over 40 years and one of the things that I know is when parents are active in participating they are the ones that are are going to drive the system forward and make it a better system and by them electing officials they're going to have a stake in how the system develops and evolves and so please you know I implore upon you all to support a democratically elected School Board this is a systemic issue it has nothing to do with who's in office as the mayor that's not my concern here it's it's respectfully about democracy and you all know that Lawrence is a different city than it was 10 or 15 years ago well educated people young people that are going on to college coming back and putting their Roots into the City and they want to see the city better and they'll make the right choices as to who their school commit should be so I'm really impressed with the quality of of the citizens within the city uh that I reside in and I'm very very proud to be a resident uh of this city thank you so much for your time I appreciate it okay next person please next person please next person please thank you good evening my name is Brian L here I come before you as AF Massachusetts director of organization however tonight I'm wearing a different hat I reside at two ran Street in Lynn and I happen to have the unique perspective of being a Lin city counselor at large just as you are representing members uh citizens of Lynn as you do the citizens of Lawrence I Rise before you this evening um to let you know that the home rule petition is one of the tools that may be used however it should be used so in frequently and not without getting Community Buy in before you are attempting to make such a drastic change that may never be able to be undone once you do vote upon it and I think it's premature as we're just seeing this and we've supported several of you over the years in our community between AF AF mass and of course the Lawrence teachers union who we represent and we've always operated from the notion of getting citizen input first before going and making any changes in our democracy same can be said on this issue I will C C you that we don't have a deadline to support home rule petitions this can come come up throughout the summer of the Fall it may be more appropriate to do something after the state legislature has their session which will conclude on July 31st of 2024 this summer we have legislation right now on Beacon Hill that will be able to do and undo receivership as we know it and it doesn't involve changing the composition of the school committee and its elected capacity so I would caution everybody here as an elected official don't do the May's dirty work for him you stand alone as City councilors representative of your community by your citizens who put you here and don't do the bidding for the mayor the Mia has another agenda and we have the people's agenda and that's who you're elected to serve you have a fiduciary don't abandon the chat don't do an end around don't some circumvent by using this tool at this time weigh all your up options and thank you so much for your time thank you next person please come on let's let's try please skip this for the end please for the record please hell James as a former um I I speak from apologies uh as as a former School Committee Member I speak from a little bit experience of dealing with the administration under receivership um it is as if there was no elected school board at all and that means there's no voice coming from the people of Lawrence representing students teachers parents the superintendent can choose to ignore us if they want to my main point being if the mayor is appointing these positions who's to say the mayor's not going to appoint somebody he's going to want to run against you in the next election who's to say that if you are the ones who appointing if you're in the opposition of the city council president at the time which a few of you have been currently or previously why isn't that person appointing your opponent this is a slippery slope that you do not want to go down if you want more in participation pay your school committee members just like every other community in this area change the way you elect them maybe two districts in one if you're afraid that there's one District that's unrepresented I forcefully suggest you do not allow an appointed school committee there was one community in the entire city the state rather that's Boston and they just voted to have an elected school committee so let's not go backwards thank you next person please that would like to speak next person that would like to [Music] speak 7 he how you doing my name is Bobby Brown 44 Laurel AV haal I'm also the secretary treasurer of the marac valley central labor Council I'm here to ask the council to absolutely oppose the proposal to have appointed members of the laen school committee your community votes and elects you based on your Merit appointments will spit in the face of the de Democratic process this isn't the Mafia Don't let your city and school system be run with that mentality with a select few choosing the future of the city you're elected to vote with your hot and in the best interest of students are brave members of lawren teachers union and this city make no mistake the merac valley central labor Council proudly represents 30,000 voting members many of you in this room today have come seeking our endorsement and we're paying very very close attention to how this process goes I strongly encourage you to oppose this motion thank you next person that would like to SPL next person name and address for the record please my name is Richard Russell 34 cross street as a graduate of lingl high in 1964 I had courses that were taught to me these courses have been eliminated in the present school curriculums one of the courses that was taken away was Civics that taught what government was about I had that in the ninth grade we all know that our government is in a state of flux everything is being changed and not for the better you are faced with a thing of a home rule petition that may not be beneficial to the city this thing is I understand it the mayor will be allowed to appoint members of the school committee of his choosing we all know for the past two plush years the mayor has had a very bad track history of appointing people and keeping them in them those offices uh we also know he does like to throw money around uh I know school committee does not get paid now they should be do a stien when we do get out of receivership but I do not want to see money wasted and unqualified people being put into positions that are going to help that will not help our future Generations education will will be what keeping this country going we need the education system we need people that know what they're doing not appoin these thank you thank you next person that would like to speak NE address for the record please good evening Washington Medina 48 wmin Street um I'm going to talk in Spanish do you want to put a motion not to allow them to speak Spanish I keep talking speak yes but but I mean if you want to have a motion not to speak in Spanish you can do that but I mean he can speak whatever he want it's probably participation I can speak in English Cil president yes another participant yeah if he if whatever he choose to it's public participation doesn't matter what language it could be anything it's okay um I'm here because I've moving to this uh resident Community as I see luren was building um many years ago with people then moving to this city so right now in your hands you have the opportunity to say the people that they V with you because you have their voice so you can use your power to encourage the people or to put the people down is the moment that you have to do sometimes Lord is needed as a politician you have the power now is the community or is the politician doing the things to Lawrence together we can do this thank you all right next person that would like to speak we have uh three more minutes after this after 7:30 we're going to need if Council desire to another motion to extend there over 7:30 in the meantime we still have three minutes um hi my name is wesi G I live at 202b Bailey Street in South Lawrence um I come to you as a teacher um I teach e8th grade at the spark Academy um and I just want to say that this is going to be something that is going to harm my students um right now we're doing a project where we have to write to the school committee and they have to write an essay to the school committee trying to convince them of something um and something that I have to keep reminding them is that the school committee does not have power right now right and it's it's really exciting that we're about to be out of receivership so that they can actually write letters and engage in public discourse like every other citizen in the city but for this to happen they're going to lose that power again and it's going to be so heartbreaking that they've already went through this one time they've already had like I I went through LPS not having a school committee with power and now they're it's been 11 years 12 years they still don't have power and then this is going to be another thing where they do not have power we're teaching them so much about democracy how they can be engaged civically in the city and then to have their leaders not give them that power or to give them um a hope at a democratic process is not fair to them um and I just want to think about the students when you make this decision thank you all right next person uh that would like to speak we have one one more opportunity for somebody to speak before 7:30 uh we have somebody online Luis robes um that he would like to speak Mr Luis go ahead thank you um 183 AB Street um I want to say that um not to look at this in such an emotional way because the appointed position has the ability to be very useful for the city especially coming out of receivership but it also has the opportunity to be misused in the wrong man that's why I will support that the majority members be elected and that there be three appointed members and those three appointed members is to allow people who are not in the community to participate if we are not able to find Prof and challenged local by doing this you are compromising because you are still allowing three members to be appointed while still keeping a majority of the votes based on elected members of the committee I think both sides would win and also apart from that you also have another layer of protection which is that these appointed members have to be confirmed by the city council which add another layer of protection and by keeping it at three members they don't have a majority vote but we still allow appointed members to participate because there is a lot of challenge in Massachusetts and not all of them live in lawence and there's a lot of people outside of lawence that would love to contribute in a nonpolitical way to the city and that's my opinion thank you very all right thank you Mr R all right uh anybody that would like to speak we still have one more minute name and address for the record please Angel mes 16 L Terra as a former High School teacher I'm very surprised about this home rule petition uh I was preventing the former commissioner Dr jester before they took the decision of coming to Lawrence and take the system I knew the state wasn't prepared they didn't know what to do he admitted he said that they were coming to un unch territory and I knew it right now we are in a terrible position in the state the teachers body was dismantled our best teacher they ran away they couldn't support the politic that was you know implemented by the state we were suffering right now these teacher that we have they are heroes right now we are asking for a home R petition I don't know who sponsored this I just was reading Carlos Matos he was a person that he left the city and now he's just writing something that he didn't ask any person in this in this city I was in this system for a long time and I can tell you we are at risk we need to be careful right now we are in the process of electing a new superintendent we are supposed to have a great great announcement in the in the nation get to get for qualified people who have experience in public education these people they are suffering they are trying to teach our kids and they are trying their best now these politic things is tainting everything be careful I was preventing Dr Chester about it they took the decision of coming to this city they left a a mess and right now we are contining with this mess Care thank you and now public participation is closed all right we now we are public hearing we have no public hearing communication from the mayor of the city official City attorney we have none uh committee reports we have the ordinance committee Mr shair uh council plan for the from the ordinance committee thank you the ordinance committee voted by a four to nothing vote to send this document up the mayor's recommendations to the full Council without a recommendation to make that in the form of a motion there is a motion on the table to accept this as a committee report second properly second discussion discussion discussion Council of Vice President Infante thank you I would like to hear um from through you council president either from uh the chairwoman of the Lae or the vice chair of the school committee um to see what their opinions are I I did not watch the ordinance meetings I mean I watched Snippets of it so I'm not sure um what the conclusion was but this is why we're having this meeting today to discuss and also um discuss what um what was what was said on at the ordinance committee level but I would like to hear from Madame vice president do you do you mind if we actually take a vote first for the committee report and then take a motion to for the purpose of discussion this item at this level okay all right we any other discussion for the committee report only um at this motion to accept this as a commit this item as a committee report it was second um all those in favor please say I hi any no the I have it uh councelors at this point uh we I can entertain a motion uh for the discussion purpose of any other motion that the council desire for item 14828 which is the establishment of the home repetition defining the government ass of the L school committee board upon the exit of the state receivership um any motion a motion for the purpose of discussion like to make a motion that for purpose of discussion do we adopt the mayor's recomend recommended proposal there is a motion for the purpose of discussion adopting the mayor the mayor's uh proposal uh this is as council plan estate for the purpose of this caution um I can hear a second second properly second counselors at this point we would like to clarify a few things before we enter into a discussion this special public meeting of the Len city council was supposed to happen with the presence of the school Committee Member uh as an inter mayor last week uh I I decide to uh call this meeting as a joint meeting uh the mayor this week decide to pull them off not to allow in the school committee to be present here and to be part of this table and allow the school committee uh to have the same level of U discussion and also perhaps the same level of respect respect that they deserved uh uh in respect to be here uh that's the main purpose of this U special meeting and I want to disclose that for the record uh that's why they're not here because early today the the mayor's office or the mayor decide uh to pull off the school committee as part of this joint committee oh joint meeting perhaps uh at this time counselors uh we have item 14828 which is the establishment of the home repetition defining the government of socier of the L School Board upon the exit of the state receiver we have two proposals one that was sent and discussed um at the ordinance committee uh was sent by the mayor's office for us to discuss and the other one uh which is uh this the ordinance committee allow the school committee to U study research and present a a proposal perhaps an amendment to the mayor's off to the mayor's office proposal or an stand by self uh proposal which is a second proposal uh coming from the school committee and uh they present that at the ordinance committee it is heing front of us today uh the two proposals are um here uh and I believe believe that there is a common ground between the two that we can work something around but with that said uh I would like to open the floor to councelor Infante Council vice president Infante since since she um reled the floor before and biom Council vice president thank you I had the opportunity to review both proposals both um the one that was uh put together by the mayor's office and also the one that was put together by the receivership subcommittee of the Lawrence school committee and I do have a question pertaining The Proposal from the subcommittee and I don't know whether either uh Miss committee woman Mariano or committee man Guzman can answer this but within the proposal it says they're proposing six elected school committee members three appointed one student rep with the three appointment to then transition into at large elected positions can you walk me through that process what do you mean by transition to at large elected at large positions name and address for the record please uh Jonathan Gman the vice chair of the Lawrence committee 237 XX stre Lawrence Ma I would like to apologize to everybody this system is new we're trying it out the mic are very high and that's that's why we kind of like you know we're adjusting can everybody hear me here yes awesome uh thank you for the question uh councelor vice president Infante I want to take this Liberty First to acknowledge as the BP acknowledge committee woman Mariano from District e committee man committee man uh lening Roa from District C uh committee woman U MAA Ortiz from District a committee woman Sandra Ed from District D and and committee men Santiago rers crw from District B uh all elected individuals in this body uh including the one that this body elected a few months ago in District D thank you for for doing that and getting us an amazing individual like her in the school committee uh that wants to to serve the city uh with that particular question I want to make a a a clarification point that we did submit uh a a a redraft to our draft that provided uh uh lining in where it turns the student body to a non- voting member but still being part of the body and increases the uh appointed from three to four members you council president increases the appointed members from three to four appointed by the by whomever the mayor is withr Mayor by the future mayor um confirmed by the city council correct that is the language that we have written on it and the re and the re but before the mayor actually proposed to the city council or appoint to the city council there is a body that actually going to go through do you mind going through that as well yeah of course so to for your question uh the proposal dictates a process of temporarily appointed individuals for the reason that these four individuals get appointed uh recommended to this body by the mayor for this confirmation but who Nom who who provides those nominations to the mayor is a Nomine uh nomination panel a nomination panel that is formalized by nine individuals of particular educational Platforms in our city from parent groups from uh groups of special needs groups of el ell students from Justice Alliance from Union to this body the school committee body the mayor's body um and and really formalize still having Community voids at looking at these applications looking at the looking at the process I think the computer looking at the process and making sure that it's also set on a public setting so even that particular language is on it and where this committee has to publicly you know post the a job like this body does right and people apply Bas the credentials that they build and this entire process cannot happen behind doors even though they're community members they still going to act under the open meeting law because we put this on the writing uh after these individuals get appointed and confirmed by the city council these individuals we have will have a term of four years when that four years are done that will transition them into a at large elected position meaning that if those appointed individuals would like to stay on those positions they will need to run for office at an election does that answer your question Madam yes um through you council president I'm looking at thank you I'm I'm looking at the changes now I didn't realize that it wasn't part of the other procket so oh we just got them sorry so I I'm looking at these changes and I I do have to say I like the fact that another change that you that is incorporated is that the three of the four um should be or must be former Educators in the lawence public schools um I can say although I was never a teacher but working in the administrative office for good alarms technical school I I did share with the superintendent I wish I would have worked at a school before becoming a school Committee Member I it would have been so much easier for me so I understand that the one the part that I'm having a little bit of difficulties is um with um with one appointing being a parent um I think that or an alumni I think that narrows down um the options um we we have one current Community uh a school Community member who's amazing and not necessarily like a parent correct so I think uh that could definitely narrow down the pool for appointees and but that's just that's just what I think um other than that thank you for clarifying my question and um I think I'm all set with with your proposal for now um council president I do have a question for the mayor's office for anyone if anyone's here from the mayor's office I mean if anybody here from the mayor's office I did see Mr Matos here but I don't know if he's in the hallway I saw the this the advisor okay well I'm just going to put it out there uh if they're watching or anything what I noticed from the May the mayor's proposal is that the the appointed positions that they're proposing not once throughout the proposal does it clarify or state that the appointee would be um would be confirmed by the city council and that's a slippery slope right there I don't know if um in the ordinance committee that was a suggestion that might have been added at at the at the ordinance level but if that is not clear this is a Home Room petition petition which means it's going to change our Charter if this is not not 100% clarified in like say if this is a proposal that the council ends up you know voting in favor for or or whatever the outcome maybe that is going to take away the city council power at the end and I I don't think that's okay I think we have a great system with the city council um con confirming positions I also believe that we have a great system with the city council interviewing voting and confirming um individuals for a a vacant seat um and I do believe that we should keep that aspect as well and with that I rest my case right uh thank you Madame vice president Infante any counselor that would like to speak C Rosario thank you and I like it and through you council president you guys all know how you guys don't know how I feel when we invite people here [Music] we are just experienc some uh technical difficulties we are just trying this out we fine right now we're good and once again through you uh C president you guys all know that been with me here how I feel when we invite people and they don't show up um the purpose of sending this as a community report is to have a join meeting and and once again when the mayor's office is not here I when we invited them and this is an important matter regardless if they would express any opinion on it I feel offended and disrespected and I think we should will take into consideration even though all those people are here The Home Room petition from the school committee which to me after I readed it it's more it's more has to me more potential and now they are here just debating this by themselves so once again when and I want to put it out there you guys that have seen me yell and scream it's cuz is when we invite people here to discuss any item it's important for you guys to show up regardless if you're an elected official regardless if you're an institution regardless if you affirm that we hire to do something it's very disrespectful when we invite something to have a discussions and they don't show up they don't show up this supposed to be a joint a joint meeting with the the P the people that put together the first Home Room petition and the school committees we can meet at the middle and we can find a middle ground base and maybe combine them together and and get a better proposal but when it's only one institution or one committee or one people here defending themsel we should go with those people I mean I'm tired of be a city councelor and be disrespected here by people not showing up no showing us that we a body they approved thing the body the people elected us [Applause] to elected us to represent them and we voice them what the people want all the people wanted us to do is to have the mayor's office and the school committee all together in a meeting and trying to find Common Grounds so we can get this out and get it the better way possible for our kids our school system our whole city of Lawrence and and and and being here once again and I'm going to put it out there being disrespected by people not showing up and maybe pulling out at the last minute is unacceptable thank you con uh just to clarify for few things there um the intense of this meeting as councelor Rosario said it was to find Common Ground between the two proposals that we have in front of us that doesn't mean that we are going to take a determination today but at least we KN it down to a something that we can work with and everybody can read and then eventually down the road the intend even though it is not required by the by that uh by the child to have a a a a u a public hearing on in home RO petitions uh my statement during the ordinance committee when I when I stand in front of the ordinance committee it was that we re we need an a we require to have a a public hearings on stop times on something related to changing our constitution our Chad I think that we sure and uh the intent is to order a public hearing to allow people to speak on this matter uh last night we met I met uh with the mayor's office on other matters and we uh uh touch base on these uh and we have the mayor's office here uh in front of us so they can expand uh around why they're not here today and the intents of uh of counceling the The Joint meeting and just allowing the city council to uh to discuss this important matter uh name for the record uh please Octavian I'm the senior advisor to the mayor good evening uh council president uh City councilors good evening uh the reason why the first of all just to clarify is that the mayor uh was absent or traveling uh during the week uh unfortunately uh when I spoke to council president I tried to convey the message to the mayor so at that point intering mayor so at that point so that's why I called the meeting yes you called the meeting however the mayor as he spoken to you and that's for the information of all of you indicated that uh he was brief last night and then he decided uh for you know that he needed more information and also sit down I believe today he sat down with uh counselor Anna Levy um to talk about um a possible uh you know to listen to a different version or whatever the proposal is going to be for for tonight uh so in no way way shape or form uh he just decided that he was not going to be present or that his office would not be here to further discuss the reality is that he came back on Sunday night and it was until Monday evening that we have briefed him about this situation so um and I think he'd spoken to you whether you agreed with it or disagree he's the mayor uh he spoken to you and give you uh his reasons why he did not feel comfortable uh to uh to have uh the uh school committee in front before you tonight it it is important to um also say that we have a conversation over the phone today and the mayor say his reasons as of why he's pulling off this uh the school committee it is also important to recognize that the school committee by itself is a body that have worked tremendously and great amount of effort onto this home R petition and other matters of the school related to the school and it is also important to recognize that the mayor having sit with the school committee for the last two years having this join meeting with the school committee members the all five members of six member of the of the school committee here wouldn't make any difference because what we were going to do is to discuss the mayor's proposal and also to discuss the uh school committee proposal and find common ground because that's is this government is all about finding common ground but I think that you know we we missed this opportunity it was a great opportunity for us for all of us to sit down and and discuss this possibility council president if I may sure lastly because I don't want to go into this it's more politics than advancement of of our students um I think that next time Mr spanner next time uh let let's avoid the Pol the politics portion or discussing what what what your definition of politic is to us to a lot of us this is the city and passion about the city we stay we're going to stay here so politics shouldn't be part of the conversation as you keep on mention it all the time so please avoid that word because it's offensive sometime I stand corrected however uh this is a public hearing it is not it we we're discussing the topic to express their opinion even as the school committee they can bring it they had the opportunity to speak tonight as well just on a public participation two and a half minutes well I leave if there's any other question we're here yeah we have we have H questions Council infant council person infant you have a question thank you um can you guys hear me hello yes right now now can you hear me now okay so uh quickly uh two things um I I want to say as the vice president of the city council I disagree with the mayor's decision because um yourself and Mr Matos have been the one closely work on the proposal you guys could have came into this meeting join this meeting with us on behalf of the mayor you guys are the experts on this proposal um on on behalf of the mayor um secondly I had a question earlier about about the proposal itself um I noticed that the proposal itself does not indicate that the mayoral appointees would be confirmed by the city council and and I want to know why that wasn't specifically mentioned um especially because say if the mayor's proposal was to pass that can come into a slippery slope where that completely takes out the city council when in general those are not the practices that we have currently um in our Charter with any position appointed position so I just I would like to hear on that as I mentioned during the uh the the committee meeting uh it was brought to you that the mayor made a recommendation however gave the legislative body the opportunity to chime in uh and I think during this is uh a very important process uh as I explained the evening that I presented to you there's not such thing that it's one structure or one model that works if someone comes to you before you and I'll repeat it tonight it's a lie every Community is special Lawrence is also special with with our own complex uh challenges so he left it to the body to have input make certain recommendation we can go back back deliberate and then um and then finally make a decision from both the legislative as well as the executive body I think that's part of the democratic democracy and so it's not as if he submitted something for you to a document for you to say oh we'll approve it no you have the opportunity to to discuss it and also give your recommendation thank you councelors any other questions in regard to this matter to the office any any any other questions to the mayor's office or perhaps to the other amendment that we have uh for the school committee councel La plant thank you I just think it's important council president that we just set the stage for what a home rule petition is one of the speakers who represents the the State teachers unit for the Commonwealth started to talk about it a little bit but that is whatever we do tonight as a home rule petition ultimately it's a vehicle that is going to be sponsored by the legislature that if passed by the state legislature must be then adopted or signed into law by the governor no matter we are we cannot force something here if the legislature decides they wanted to do did this on their own they could but we're doing a home rule petition that gives the sense of the city at the end of the day or at least the city council we represent the city what we believe should be the the new school committee um organization so I just want to make sure that council president we're clear that no matter what we do tonight it can be changed at the state and in Beacon Hill no matter what we do we may want five electeds and they may say we want two electeds or something else anything else this is just a recommendation of what we want to see happen so let's be clear about that number one number two the public participation you know I've been around for a little while uh very rarely have we actually enforced the rule that says as public hearings that public participation stops at 7:30 so tonight was the first time and I was wondering to myself why are we doing this tonight for the first time and then just kind of struck me as to why we're doing it tonight I think council president which is if we and you heard what I had to say at the ordinance committee regarding the public hearing and this will cement that we only had two and a half minutes and people may want to speak longer than two and a half minutes tonight I agree I think that if people want to speak for four or five minutes coherently and bring their message across then we should be able to do that and we should have been able to do that tonight so if uh if somebody wanted to speak more eloquently or had more thoughts or had greater points I think tonight would have been a great time for that to happen rather than to impose the two and a half minutes and say you can't talk it anymore because I know what's going I believe I think what's going to happen the council president I think what you're going to suggest is we need to have another meeting and we need to order a public hearing let me just say right now we don't this may sound really weird but bear me out council president we don't need need a public hearing we need to hear from the public in other words we don't need to spend $1,000 at least to put something in the newspaper that says next Tuesday next Thursday you name the day we name the day we're going to have a public hear we can say without spending over $1,000 we want to invite people to come to the city council chambers to discuss with us we want to hear what you have to say regarding the organization of the school committee whether you want hybrid whether you want fully elected whether you want fully uh selected by the mayor whatever it is we want to hear what you have to say uh so that was the point that I was trying to make during the ordinance committee that we can save ourselves $1,000 frankly because money means something even a thousand bucks and still get to the same spot so anyway I think that council president if we've got people here who want to speak more about that I think we should allow them to speak tonight on this issue if they want to is that a motion um and if there needs to be a motion on that council president I'm happy to make that motion uh Mr President uh I'll say that we can we can still have more public participation but still it's up to the council to have a public hearing not up to you not up to me and uh as a matter of fact we actually requires uh public hearings for an stop sign for other signs and I'm not going to entertain more about the public hearing it's up to the council to make a vote if this Council decide to open a public participation and stop the conversation about what we actually have which I think is an agenda uh not to have the discussion about what matters uh which is basically the discussion here then probably allow this uh uh discussion to continue to The Next Step but I understand uh what what you're coming from and I will entertain any type of motion that the city council decide in the meantime we have two proposals in front of us that one is come one come from the mayor's office and the other one come from the school committee and we also have the school committee members here that it going to be uh fully allow them to uh speak and discuss anything regarding to their proposal so I thought I I have the floor councelors if you guys decide to go out of order uh and uh open public participation again I entertain a motion no problem whatsoever in the meantime it is I think it will be productive to continue the conversation and not to distract this conversation and the way that we have it at this point which is very Advanced but I'm fair enough I I I understand a motion Council I'd like to make a motion that if any other individual who wishes to speak tonight who hasn't we allow them to have that opportunity without having to put a stopwatch on their ability to speak that's the motion discussion discussion no time just motion right no no time as if it was a public hearing people can speak if they have things they want to say that goes beyond two and a half minutes there is a motion on the table properly second discussion Council Infante thank you councelor president Rodriguez one thing if if we do this council president I didn't say no no no I say Council Vice oh Vice pres um if we do do this what I don't want to hear from this city council that we've been exactly saying it over over I've been hearing it and it's been getting and I'm going to be very honest and excuse the Galler but it's been getting on my last nerve is that they're tired of staying here till 1: in the morning I personally do not want to stay here till 1: in the morning tonight I'm half asleep honestly I stayed up studying for an exam last night I'm going to be very honest with the public um so if we do this and if we're here until 1: in the morning I don't want to hear next meeting the the same individual saying that we're here until 1: in the morning cuz it's an agenda so I got you putting it out there also my my second comment is um so regarding this item I'm I'm I appreciate the individuals who who have already spoken especially from the teachers union I did not receive a direct phone call from the teachers union I would have liked one um so you know next time for the future but I did receive one from the union president of the fire department we had uh on their behalf and we had a great conversation um I think me as an individual counselor I heard what the teachers units have to say um they specifically select people to speak and and to passionately speak on on what they're looking for and school committee members have spoken we need to we have two big proposals we need to dissect this we need to see what the common ground is and we need to keep this moving forward yep cilant so to the last thing council president and thank you for entertaining the motion I don't think we'll be here till 1:00 I don't think we'll be and can you hear me I can't help that in the 12 in the 11 can you speak up a little more Anna Wendy Wendy C you have the floor how's this oh this this good okay sir so the other thing is as well and just to one last Point regarding the a public hearing and the home rule petition council president which is this um there's a reason why we have a home rule petition for a stop sign or handicapped parking is we're is we're actually changing we don't have a home petition for an stop sign we we actually are changing the ordinances for the other two which is required by law that we have a public hearing now as we mentioned earlier we do not this is not changing the law this is something a recommendation that we are sending to the state legislature which is reason why we're not required to hold a public hearing however why it's important that we do listen and if we don't finish it this evening council president I do suspect that we move on maybe make a motion at the end that we can continue this discussion and invite more people we've heard from the teachers union loud and clear maybe other people want to speak we should listen to them as well sure uh just to answer to you very quick we are not changing the law we're changing the chadow which is the master law thank you councelors any any other councelor that would like to speak councelor leevy yes for the allowing public participation this motion is to allow public participation and uh if we allow public participation I think that people going to express themselves uh about what they need to say if they desire to um councel Le thank you thank you councelor president um we I would like to have Mr span right Le yes this motion is to allow public participation yes I said and the discussion is around public participation to allow the public to speak we we are coming back later on to the uh if the motion pass we are coming back to the discussion of the two proposals this is not discussing the proposal right now this is I agree to have participation but also I agree my with my college I don't want to be here to 1:00 cancors I'll will call the questions at this point all those in favor that are to allow more public participation please say I no roll call please Council councel Levy yes councelor plant yes councelor Lon yes yes Council Del Rosario yes councilor Santiago yes councelor marmel yes Council Reyes yes Council vice president infon no council president Rodriguez yes now public participation is all is now open this doesn't mean that we're not going to have a public hearing we are going to have the public hearing is that to The Sire to the council anybody that would like to speak Council plant excuse me anybody that would like to speak at this point all right anybody that would like to speak at this point anybody that would like to speak at this point please thank you so at this point public participation is now close close Santiago Santiago who would like to speak come over please you're part of the school committee so you have open floor but go ahead [Music] good evening council members uh you are a member of the school committee just to clarify you have any time you want to speak on this behalf but you rather speak on public participation go ahead yeah name and address for the record refer to this Council as a whole not as an individual counselor you have unlimited time uh thank you uh good evening council members M it's a pleasure mic on yeah you see okay [Music] perfect okay better okay I need someone to press let's go yes wait guys guys guys there you hit it one time okay hit it one time and that's it I I see how would I see all right uh good evening council members is a pleasure to be here with you all today um as you know my name is Santiago Reyes Cruz Jr uh 45 Summer Street down the street really where Miss Wendy lcon she's the city council the city council refer to the council as a whole please uh yes yes uh president and I'm happy that we're all here today as a body I'm sorry that we're not able to meet as a school committee body and uh city council body unfortunately that was outside of my control your control and the fact that we're even having this discussion today is um alarming to me because this type of idea this flower that blossomed doesn't come from a a healthy root it's a um insult to the Democratic process to even suggest a appointed body inside a elected um Community where did this come from what inspired this I do not know but I know it is not rooted rooted in the history of the United States of America and it would be a violation of the Constitution our founding fathers and everyone who believes in the American dream to have a um distilled Community where the school committee members are appointed even if they're reviewed by um City Council Members I believe everyone should have a a fair screening through the voter process and the fact that we're even reviewing an appointed body to me is just alarming a hybrid is not a bad idea if the mayor were here today the mayor would have been able to enrich the current community members of the school committee and with that word enrich I mean have conversations with us create budgets for each individual District so we could spend in our districts how to um manage the transition in a better way not eradicate the uh school committee that we current currently have the mayor's absence for the last 2 years almost three now has shown his inability to be able to strategize during this moment and his inefficiencies as a leader unfortunately thank you thank you anybody else that would like to speak also you are a member of the school committee if you decide to take the floor at any moment during this discussion you will have the floor but go ahead and public participation uh good evening to all of you guys uh um my name is lenon Roa and I am a resident of Lawrence I live at 36 Columbus Avenue in Lawrence Massachusetts um I have spoken with you guys I have stood here seven times already every time I stand before you I say the same thing I'm a parent have three kids going through Lawrence Public Schools right now that is my passion I am doing right now a course at at the at the UN University to become a business accounter mayor um I have three different degrees that I can name myself that I have acquired to my years but my purpose of being here today before you is to let you know how wrong I think it is to have a majority appointed School commit committee for this town specifically for this town I am all in favor of having appointed members three of them now four is fine and we have reasons for that and we have amended this and there's reasons for that that Jonathan Guzman the vice president will elaborate on that even more if you guys need it but one per district is what I am comfortable and happy with and most of the people that I have spoken to in my district are comfortable with too um I would I I would like to to entertain anybody that can really say that having appointed members to a school committee is not the right thing and discuss with them why I think it is but it is democracy is what you guys are enjoying and what you guys are for here with us and as as it is right now uh it our democracy is at stake and I I just believe that you guys should give us a chance to the school committee proposal is my view on this um for that and and many other reasons so thank you very much for having me here today thank you so much anybody else that would like to speak um at this point if there is anybody else that would like to speak I'll close the public participation can I participate again yeah R robes we have you before you would like to speak again yeah um what happens is you know like I I'm not sure why people are seeing the appointed members as being a bad thing yes we not what's that we're not intertaining an answer back and forth it's just no no this is not a back and forth this is my public opinion I'm not answering to anybody specific all right if it is anything else at this time I will close public participation can I finish what I was going to say go ahead um having appointed members is not a bad thing because they're being confirmed by the city council and I think keeping them as a minority member of the committee I'm not sure where the harm is now what's the point of and this is a rhetorical question what would be the point of having them convert to become um uh members at large that doesn't make any sense to me I think this should just remain appointed members thank you at this time I will close public participation thank you everybody that participate on this second round of public participation eventually uh I hope that this Council desire to continue advancing a public hearing uh councilors uh this time we'll continue uh with the discussion of the DU proposal The Proposal that came from the mayor's office as well as the proposal that came from the school committee members that are here present today uh uh Council leevy you have the floor thank you counc president okay in front of you guys you have I a proposal that I'm also doing regarding the home we wa in for uh for the school and we find out that nobody so practically the same problem that we having right now that no one wants to be part of the school committee but no one want to be part of the school committee nobody also from the Hispanic Community or from other community want wants to participate so in 2001 was decided by the justice department to me the school committee by District we expand the district and we make it those this three available you know uh equally in some way with the Border participation so we have two proposal that were brought to the committee um last week one was from the major was by the Lauren Public School uh and I just was here hearing everything that he was telling on that proposal and I said that I was maybe the time for me to try to combine or to get whatever that I feel that was the best in between the two proposals trying to get the middle or everything I do not agree to take away the committee the laen school committee I do not agree to have just everyone be appointed you know by the major so here in the this proposal said 11 member H elect appointed school committee composed of seven member appointed by the major of the city of Laing one boring student elected by the public school student through the laen student council and three GRE voted a large member we have the other proposal that said 11 members hybrid elected appointed a school committee composed of seven members appointed I'm sorry I got so many proposal in front of me okay in seven members one boarding student member elected by the public school through the Lauren student council and three greatly voted a large member elected citywi during the 2024 municipal election so looking on all of this so I think so yes and I agree to have this is my [Music] consideration I agree to have 13 member hybrid elected appoint school committee compos post of six elected members so we're going to continue with our school committee just all of them elected by the city laen voter people from each district six member appointed by the major and one boarding a student member in Ma and the major serving as a chair also I agree that we haven't given to Our member of the scho committee the support that they already needed never no major having done that Levy just to just to clarify one thing I would like to understand your proposal yes uh you have six elected members yes by District you have six appointed and one student and one is the mayor part of the school committee uh the mayor is part of the six member the to people so the mayor is part of so it's it's five appointees the mayor which is six right there and then uh one student member and one student member okay you might continue so I highlight recommend Oro yes excuse me uh the mic thank you council president that's that's her proposal that she explaining yes but that was in conversation with the mayor as well yes that's is what I said she explained so it's six but let me finish something yes uh councelor let me have the floor okay okay let me finish something so this morning I send this proposal to the city Clair to be presented tonight after that I sent the proposal the mayor called me for a meeting to discuss so because that was not what is him what he proposed you know and we got in a common ground you know on this regard having a hybrid committee meeting uh school committee yes so I made the changes and I send this final practically uh home wrong petition or Amendment you know to V of The Proposal submitted by the school committee and also by the mayor so we have Mr espan also that was part of the conversation along with other members you know that were part and this is practically what we get in the agreement um uh uh you reing the floor I can give it the opportunity to Mr espan to speak on the Mr for the record please Octavian spanner I'm the senior adviser the The Proposal if I'm not mistaken included uh a uh a body of 13 plus one non- voting member so six elected six appointed uh and the student and a student yes yes and sorry six she I actually clarify that with a proponent this is a third petition that we are uh in front of us with this petition is it come from the council Levy uh and she has she's amending to me sounds very similar to what the mayor proposed originally because he proposed six elected stay the six elected uh five appointees the mayor six appointed six appointed the mayor and the mayor is not part of it and the mayor the mayor and a non voting that's 14 it couldn't be a non- voting member huh student is voting student is non member okay so 6 + one Mr President through you give me one minute give me one minute uh you finish already the council Levy uh proposal all right Council Levy you have the floor thank you so the major is no was no Mr espan Please Don't Go Away on his proposal the mayor was not proposing the six member of the school committee just only three a large member and that's why we came back to uh the discussion because I do not agree on that you know that's we need to have a people who can vote for our members to represent our school for each district yes uh uh Council Le I believe that during the discussion at the ordinance committee the mayor's the mayor's proposal change to maintain the six members uh during the ordinance committee but uh we are proposing something the the three proposals now Cel Levy proposal which corresponds to six electeds six appointed one student uh one student non voting member and the mayor which is 13 members voting and one non voting member and uh we have the school Committee Member can I say just for clarification sure uh during the discussion if I may during the discussion with councelor councelor Levy uh there were several discussions that happened going back back and forth but one important thing was that uh councelor Anna Levy indicated to the mayor which was the basically the convincing portion is that in order and as I said during the committee meeting that we're not getting candidates for you know to run for the school committee because they're not getting paid so Council councelor Ana Levy recommended as well to enforce or comply with the I believe it's the charter that we will have a and I believe there's a note in the document as well that indicates that the uh that we pay the uh that the city pays the um the members the members through a statement as per City Charter all right um our our chars the the city CH allow a payment but it doesn't it doesn't said specifically how much it would be uh I think that now by ordinance we can set that up I I believe that the three proposals are to the agreement that that uh school committee members should get paid I believe this uh there is an item on the agenda to allow payments for the school Committee Member uh and and uh that's not I I I think that that's not an an issue to anybody uh around the city and this body and the mayor's office everybody into the agreement that they should get paid so Mr President um counc leby you have your floor okay so through you and the last page section n said that the Lawrence city council is responsible for setting an annual salary for the Lawrence school committee members this salary is determined through a formal ordinance if there are is a proposal to increase the salary it must be approved by the two3 boot during the first 18 month of the school committee members however a new salary schedule consoled from this incre won't take it effect until the next turn of the office of the school committee members that's that is the way that the ordin is being WR that's on the shadow yes it's it's on the shadow it is on the shadow so I believe that it is allowed by Chad that doesn't have to be part of the Chad change because it's allowed already uh and and we don't have to discuss this we just need to set up an ordinance uh based on the what ST St on the chat um councelors we have three proposals in front of us I haven't finished Let Me by means counc you have the floor okay so also on section two no and the no and the par is say no the no number two said it is highlight recommended that the appointed members she will include professionals from the following fears Finance accounting law engineering education loss informance athletic and any people from also from Arts to ensure the academy advancement of the student and overall education system so that is another part that I included who should be the appointed people but is also is there in my prop when my proposal that any appointed people has to be confirmed by the city Cel thank you all right Council let me re the floor any any comments from the mayor's office no we I'll will'll be staff is here we're not sitting inside we're listening outside to give you the opportunity but Problem whatever just a quick question um um on the proposal that ccil is proposing um uh is the mayor's office uh agreed with Council levie to over uh to overlap their proposal and and consider uh C Lev proposal instead of the mayor one yes of course so I said before to the council that the mayor is open to any suggestion that comes uh he he's strongly on hybrid version Because he believes and that has been the discuss disc that he had with well not this total this body I believe yeah this body he initiated a conversation with each one of the the council members including yourself council president and he he recommends a hybrid version so it's up to the council to decide uh which which form is the best for the for our students uh all right thank you so much for your your opinion um we have U the mayor's office here talking about their proposal now we have Cel Levy we have councel Levy proposal that it been um um support by the mayor's office and we also have the school committee uh the school committee members uh proposal that are here in front of us council president uh council person infant thank you I have two things one this one one one I would like to say um the major the main reason of why our constituents or our residents of Lawrence do not run for office for the school committees because there's no power and they haven't been respected for a lot of years now um that's that's the main reason why it's not because they're not getting paid um thank you so and I know greater Lawrence Tech is an unpaid position a school committee's position and there's always lawren Representatives running for that seat and it's because they're respected all right um secondly I I would like to give the chance to you council president uh to Miss Pat Marano um because she has a a good solution that I think is worth for the city council to hear with all all three proposals good evening um Pat Mariano 28 Ridgewood Circle representative of the school committee District D now I just want you to understand before I say something I kind of wear two hats I'm the chairman of the Lae and I'm also a member of the school committee I am speaking tonight as a member of the school committee District a so I want you I want to make that perfectly clear but uh it is important to also said for the record uh but Mariano she's a a school Committee Member and the uh chair of the lence Alliance For Education which is the current receiver of that uh of that uh of lence but I am not speaking speaking on the receiver I know that okay that's what I want to make clear yeah um this has been going on for almost two hours now and we really haven't come up with any solution that meets everybody's needs in the room my suggestion is that a subcommittee be formed of the city council as well as a subcommittee be formed of the school committee and and the and a subcommittee or a group of uh maybe two or three people from the mayor's office sit down together what should have happened from the very beginning and Hammer this thing out and come up with a home rule petition that's agreeable to everybody we're not accomplishing anything here tonight um and with all due respect um Anna you made a proposal the the school committee made a proposal the made a proposal they're never going to come together and you're never going to have um something that represents the community and I think the three groups need to sit together and Hammer it out and come up with something that the community can Embrace but uh that's my suggestion to you for tonight um yes I wish that would that I wish that that happened that the intents of these meeting tonight was to sit down with the school committee at the same level as well as the mayor's office at the same level to discuss the two proposals they choose not to be here they pull up the uh the school committee uh through an order uh through an an order that was sent out early today the intent was to sit down and to KN it down to one proposal I believe that we have uh uh actually essentially out of the three proposals we have we have two of them that are uh more agreeable since the mayor's office have endorsed on Cel Levy's proposal what we need to do really is to U allow the school committee um and allow councelor Levy to discuss step by step spend the next 30 minutes uh perhaps discussing this and see if we find common ground on each in each item each article uh which I believe we we should um at least allow this uh to happen and uh and go from there see what What's happen if it is any no agreement whatsoever and then we can definitely keep the discussion open the discussion is not stopping here the intent is to um is to continue the discussion for a later dat and allow this uh this to continue if it's need to through a public hearing through another discussion or anything that the the the city council desire uh but I think that the school committee have a great proposal the man Council Levy have a proposal that have been endorsed by the mayor and I think that uh we should at least figure it out what we have in front of us um and and I and I I truly would like at least this discussion to happen we've been we've been in the discussion for an hour 30 minutes uh 30 minute where public participation and then we have another public second set of public hearings and I think that the intent is to hear at least article by article uh we have Night articles in front of us so thank you for your suggestion let's see if we we get to that point if it's not I I think that uh we should allow uh at least um um to hear the proposal of the people that are here school committee is here and the levy the council Lev is here so at least uh one of them has been endorsed uh with that pres I still have the floor I would like to open the floor for the school committee to see if we can get I still have the floor one last comment that I'm going to make is that and I can only speak for myself um as an individual counselor but out of the three proposals the one that I personally am willing to to digest more and look through more and and edit and and come to a mutual agreement is the one of the of of the school committee um the one that they proposed for the simple fact that we have chair committee woman Pat Mariano who has been within our Lawrence Public School Systems for years for years both on the grounds and also in the Strategic side of things and we also have on this subcommittee a former city counselor that was in the seat that we're sitting in now and has been battling receivership from a councel perspective and and no offense to the vice chair and and uh committee man um Roa but these two individuals come with great experience and especially Miss Mar um committee woman Marano they're the front lines of of our schools and in our L public schools and with four of them together they're the ones talking to the kids every day they're the ones talking to the parents every day I'm sorry the city councilors are not doing that every day maybe here and there um the mayor's office is not doing that either none of us have spoken to the people that are on the front line working for our Lawrence Public Schools and this is coming also from a former Lawrence Public School um student so thank you Council vice president infant I would like to open the floor for um um Committee Member uh Jonathan Gusman the vice president of the school committee and uh can you go over your proposal uh just like uh coun went over uh her proposal want a parliamentary inquiry Mr President sure so the question before for you is can you please describe for us how we are to proceed as far as amendments as far as votes so I have an understanding as to how this how the process I also have a suggestion that I like to offer and I don't know when the right time is to do that yeah the right time will come in the meantime we will in at least hear hear out uh The Proposal that's what we have essentially down the road once we understand both of the proposals the council will decide whether they want to pick one of the two or we can entertain other uh other uh suggestions in the meantime uh uh School Committee Member Jonathan Gusman you have the floor to explain to us what is it that we have in front of us yeah definitely um you know I can I can speak on my for my capacity as the the District of school committee member that I do not endorse Council woman's Anna Levy's talk about yours um and I would like sorry council president no I say just just discuss yours so we can have a better idea of yours there yes we can definitely talk about there has been a lot of attacks to the school committee body and I was I was hoping at any moment that we were going to call to defend ourselves every time that the school committee is mentioned and and there's no ask for the school committee to respond right and I want to say that I want to be able to defend the men and women that I am able to serve with and you know one of the things and I quote senior adviser Octavian spaner on 49 20124 the structure that is before you and tells a hybrid and reason that is that we have seen on the on the look back and other elections that we had some districts that were not represented in order to guaranteed a good education in our children the Goodwill is not enough we need more Goodwill we need people that are parents that are interested and dedicated we need experts in the field to support the school leadership in case it would be a superintendent in order for us to guide our students are going to be educated and to set priorities not only in terms of academic portion but to the good Steward and finance because it would be the city that is responsible for that and I'm so unfortunate that my own counselor just walked away as his school committee was speaking and to to talk about these particular questions do we have a school committee right that is professional background education and financing hi master's degree education and finance and it's literally working for Mass budget may I say that the one organization that even legislators utilize to request Financial reports when we talk about the particular individuals on training what has the mayor's office or this body or Desi provided on financial stability and governance allocation none when we look at do we have parents in the school committee we do do we have former alumni we do do we have grandparents we do do we have lawyers we do do we have people that make policy that this is literally my job every single day we do so tell me how we're not well-rounded you know where we're not well-rounded because we're not provided the tools and mechanisms to become well-rounded since 2011 and where we have to beg for everything beg beg not ask not demand beg and with that right I want to open into this amazing open Home Room petition that we wrote and publicly took on publicly and tomorrow we're publicly again talking about it to hear from community members that have concerns with them because what we're hearing from our community members is I do not want you to fight for a hybrid I want you to fight for an elected skill committee because that's what I put you there to do that's the questions that I'm getting because I'm trying to find Common Ground I'm trying to find common ground and still have a conversation about this and this is why we put this before you but I don't want to do this time again and again I have said it that the first process that we should be doing is a transition conversation and if within the transition conversation this comes up then we have that discussion not now not now again the the school committee receivership board proposal in front of you I don't even know how to like Express how delicate and and well thought about we went through what are spe particular questions that you might have it it calls for elected school committee a Lo it it calls for hyber appointed individuals it's ensured that we still have the right individuals at the table uh representing the best interest of our students right and and this notion that this we need to take politics out of there when politics was literally utilized today for us not to sit next to you today politics was utilized against us because the mayor is a chair and the chair can say no we're not having a meeting so these are the things that we need to really put in perspective right so um just a quick question you mentioned it before that the proposal from the school committee is six elected school committee members by District just like we have four appointees and the mayor so for the total of 11 members compared to the other uh 11 right plus one non elected member which is a student is not part of the mix yes so total 11 total and one non non voting right which is the student um the the the Anna Lev proposal C leev proposal is a total of 14 members which which is six elected six six appointees one stent non body members and the and the mayor uh that's St of 14 so that's a different between the two proposals uh you might continue yeah I guess it's a point of of clarification a a a committee that is basically caught in half right and and and who is the voting members on the space there there is so much out there that you can read on you just focus on two members on on the elected side boom you got majority always to V in your favor we need to ensure that the ball is always on the elected side those are representing the people that got elected and that if you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing by the will of your residents same as you people should be able to run against you and get you out right this is what we're proposing in our end we're proposing a well-rounded piece that provides four appointed members that bring specific you know backgrounds into the space even allows the mayor to appoint the destine because we know that agenda is really busy all the time to show up to important meetings so making sure that that there's experts within that office there right so one another difference that I have noticed uh on both of the proposals is that the school committee members majority elected and the the council Lev uh proposal is is not majority elected is it's is less I elected is it's 14 to remember 13 voting members six members so is not is is is is majority elected with the mayor but not school committee members so that's another difference between the two with all respect council president our proposal is completely different from the proposals that both parties have proposed to you completely different uh it it's really comprehensible we're utilizing language that is currently under the law on on the city chter and we're expanding based on on our year of experience from administrative experience from ensuring that this Notions that the school committee uh you know needs the expertise of financial on the school committee when you really are entitled of hiring people that have the expertise to doing that work what we're doing here is creating a governing body a governing body well not what we're doing here I guess what the mayor in this body is is is entertaining is restructuring with this ideology that is with the transition and I and I will say it again and again and again tell me if there's any public statement even today the commission of Education didn't even speak about any transition plan about the Lawrence Public Schools but this say that he sit down with sou brid school because the school committee the city council the mayor asked for it and they sat down and they spoke about a transition plan look at that there having discussions about a transition plan right now Southbridge Holio but here we are talking about dis disrupting an elected school committee when those bodies who are elected fully are talking about a transition plan with their elected school committee The Proposal in front of you time and time and time speaks about who are the members where are the terms who is allowed to run for office and who is not what happens if one office becomes vacant who is the authority to appoint that vacancy talks about the appointee who those individuals should have qualifications and it talks about a panel of key individuals to propose these four individuals to the mayor on an open space again and with that send that out always getting back here we are a governing body the secetary branch is a governing body you are governing body for the lws of the city and we make sure that everything went back to your ballpark right the only time that the school committee takes ownership on appointment it's on our side which is the school the the student representative if a vacacy happens and the the the student government of Lawrence High School is unable to do that appointment within 30 days we will do the soliciting right because it's our board park not the the the city council's board park we represent the school schol the school system right so these are the things we are really proposing a proposal like I by by point of privilege like I I don't know how we're entertaining anything else I don't understand how we're entertaining anything else before you than this that is direct Focus provide feedback allows you power tell me what's wrong with our this proposal by the receiver St committee tell me what you think it's like this is horrible this is horrible this is Lally that hurting our people you know what what will be you heard a a former council members saying look at the trajectory of the mayor's appointment habits look at that right so again if there's particular questions on where you want clarification on our proposal I hope that your motion today is to switch the language that the mayor has sent your way and think about our proposal and send that to the mayor to the mayor's office and say what do you don't like red line it send it back hi thank you v u um uh School Committee Member Jonathan Guzman vice president of the school committee U any any other school committee member that would like to speak on this matter on their proposal good evening myor uh school committee District a 45 North Street um I want to say thank you so much for all the vigorous conversation that we we've had around this table today I also the first time that I'm hearing about the third proposal was just now so I that's questionable for me as well with UMO to committee woman Levy I fully respect but we were not aware so the practice in itself of having closed door conversations continues to circumvent democracy what I would ask in this space um is that we continue the conversation but we also understand that we're having the right conversation we H as Vice chair Guzman shared out other communities that are in receivership have the ear right have the ear and are having the right conversations like crabs in a bucket Lawrence is acting in this moment for power instead of gaining democracy in this space and having the conversation about a transition plan and showing that our community matters that we work together that it doesn't take a gas explosion for us to come together and have one voice and one sound that our votes matter here not just for photo ops what are we the gateway to are we Gatekeepers that I don't let me start I don't want to preach and and with all passion I joined the school committee initially because I never gave up my parental rights and you can look at the videos I've said that before I walked in and attempted to to become a a a a city counselor and it happened unconventionally but it happened and I serve respectfully alongside some of you and I chose with all respect to my District counselor at the moment I chose not to take that seat and run for that seat because my passion is in the school committee my passion passion is in the Lawrence School System my passion is in democracy and actually engaging our people and what their power is when only in municipality in this space right one to one vote one to one we know around this table that they were recounts cuz one vote matters one to one our kids are spoken down to and it hasn't gotten better but yet they don't get to see the same faces in their classrooms but yet the teachers don't have anybody to talk to because we want to change or direct The Narrative as politics instead of what's really happening here voter suppression marginalized communities can't Poss possibly hold office or decide for themselves how to govern themselves so what chance as I now have a granddaughter walking through this building and two children that have a trauma story from Lawrence Public Schools under receivership what chance do they have if we don't exercise and protect our democracy and lead I say the narrative in a blue in in in this state I thank you for your time I thank you counselor Infante for your recognition of my service to this city I thank you respectfully for the conversations and the listening posture that I I've witnessed in this space But as a colleague in democracy let's have the right conversations every stakeholders are are not all here stakeholders were invited to the proposal that we put forth as a compromise because I also have heard from my constituency and asking why have we even put forth this Home Room petition we vote voted for an elected body we want things the way that they are that the only person or over over the season is the mayor and I'm not speaking specifically this mayor I'm talking about the chair a point of information for everyone here and watching a point of information that the chair of the school committee is the mayor and so anything disparaging over the years and tenure of this receipt receivership starts and ends with that position I have always shown up unless I'm I'm out we have shown up our school committee has shown up I've had the pleasure of serving I continue to want to serve and I hope that democracy is protected and we start having the right conversation which is about a transition plan with which will begin the conversation for all the rest of the things so I thank you for your generous time thank you so much now uh Council leevi uh do you have anything else that we would like to add to your uh proposed thank you council president yes um with all my respect to all of you last Tuesday when I came to the meeting to the ordinance committee after I he heing everything was presented and here I took the initiative you know to write something I said I cannot get quiet and I has to do something because for many year I fight for the SCH school committee for almost n year I BR the justice department I fight for the red District or the city I fight for not to have every single a school committee member at large and give it the opportunity to everyone that wants to hold part of the committee of the city uh of the of the school that is why I took the initiative I got the proposal by the major I took The Proposal that was submitted by uh the school committee vice president Jonathan and I start comparing and doing what I feel that by me was one of the best things that I can do it and I agree to have you know part of each one just point of clarification uh the school committee proposal it's coming from the school committee not from one specific person okay thank you so I start reading and getting back to so many things proposed many many years ago and like I said we haven't given to the members of the Kur committee the support we haven't given to the members of the school committee what they need to represent our children it's not just like it the major right now is coming from very long time ago and that is why we get to the situation that we have to give it to the estate our school and is still the problem on the school persists in this city yes and agree that we are supposed to be here discussing how it's going to be the transition of receiving the school I I agree on that but I also I thought that it was from my heart to take this opportunity and give it also to the city you know some kind of a s or thinkinking regarding what I consider is part of the agreement that we get in through you councilor president I agree with Miss bat that we should have an aot committee at least composed for a couple of members of the city counil a school member and maybe from the major office and get okay I know that most of the thing that I'm proposing is practically the thing that is been proposed by the school committee and but we should get to the best thing for our children for our school and for everybody in this city because right now we as a council are representing no just only the community but we are representing the school committee with also we are representing the children we are representing everyone in here so many things have been say and but I think so that's the most important in here is our children that are in the school right now all right all right Council thank you very much council president so I also have a proposal that's a little more streamlined and completely different than what's been offered so far I'd like to give ourselves some choices um based on some experience so number one nine members let's not increase it to 13 let's not increase it to 11 let's go to nine we've got nine right here let's go to nine I also happen to think that that home rule and having local control meaning having more people elected than there are appointed so out of that nine five get elected five four appointed by the well three appointed by the mayor and the mayor ex officio that's your nine five elected three appointed by the mayor and the mayor he or she themselves right so that's just a clarification on that um are you going to do the red District redistricting for the school committee I'm getting there getting there so how are you going to get to the five is the question council president the answer is this Council Levy was back there in 2001 one 1996 to 2001 96 of 2001 and the Department of Justice came across with the proposal because they wanted to see more what's the right word here participations use your mic there so you can they want to see more participation and also see how the community that's right now was uh he bunny got that's why we come up with the district so the Department of Justice was created the district so that it would be more and this their words not my minority representation uh at elected officials levels and the and if you had it by District you would get it I think looking at the 2024 City of Lawrence we're past that now I think no matter where look at us look at us we are past that we don't need to have District um school committee members to make sure that that the faces on the on the school committee represent and look like our folks I don't think we need that anymore so D answer your question I L you prior to the doj agreement into or mandate in 2001 five at large so if I wanted to vote for someone where I live on Tower Hill Prospect Hill or somewhere else I'm arable for three people that are running there I can I'll have that choice that is appealing to me uh as as as a voter so that I wanted to throw that out there as a as an option thank you okay no problem we we got we got this option celor Rosario thank you uh thank you through you uh without disrespect this is why we have issues uh we invited the mayor's office and their people to sit down and talk to us and they did not show up but they sit down with Anna Levy and and and and Ana Levy after that brought out a a petition without even talking to the school committee um and that's why we having those issues those issues is the individuals are trying to make decisions for a committee for a committee of nine members even if they don't have nine but nine members and only one person is trying to make make a decision and make proposal for them and not inviting them to to make the decisions today the purpose of this meeting was to have that conversation and that proposal the Anna Levy brought up but with the mayor's representation here and say you know what we meet up with Anna Levy and this is what we think we should bring how do you think how do you Jonathan how do you feel uh vice president Jonathan how do you feel about this uh Miss P Marano how do you feel about this but no some of us not me some of us want to make our own proposal without communicating with the school committee and that's the main issues that we've been having for the years again the purpose of this meeting was to sit down and have a conversation all together it was two proposals now we have four it was two proposals and out of the two proposal we should have combined them and maybe bring one to make one better now we have four and I'm not saying you this was better this is that the only thing worse is that we still as individual trying to make a decision and create home petition for our whole committee and that's what's wrong thank you so much counc we are getting close to a vote and we have uh one proposal that has been endorsed by the mayor that therefore overlap the mayor's proposal uh correct and I want to clarify that so we can have one less proposal if that's correct so my question would be does counil levy proposal uh encounter everything that the Mayors want for the school committee council president if I may through you uh and counselors I think tonight the and I heard councelor De Rosario uh and this is part of you know government people have the the freedom to express themselves um my question would be if the city Council will entertain the suggestion because the mayor informed you that he just came back I heard tonight from uh Miss Pat Mrs Pat Mariano that for us to sit down and meet uh and the mayor has said the same thing he said listen I just came out of travel uh and he wasn't ready to attend the meeting so the question would be if the council would entertain for us to table the matter and for us to have a moment for discussion quick question before we do that is the mayor going to be here respectfully I'm respectfully asking I mean if we can if we can or you going to be here I mean it could be the mayor that could be here I mean I don't think he would have a problem to be here because I mean uh if if I'll definitely entertain the motion but we we based on history tells what might happen that that's why we shouldn't repeat you know mistakes from the back but I mean uh the mayor never come up just for the budget and for that uh for that uh for that State of the Union in St of the city is he's going to come he's going to come back to discuss with us this proposal or this is something that is going to allow the staff to get ready and propose something else I believe that if the council would like to invite the mayor to the me to the meeting he will be here I mean he's interested in participating he has participated in the Lae board's meeting he has attended uh on a regular basis so I don't see the reason why he cannot come no problem I will entertain that motion uh later on but before I would like to n it down uh before you leave U Mr spanner just stay around I would like to narrow it down to a few proposals that we have in front of us so that way when we meet again uh if the the ccil desire either for public hearing or any other thing or including the proposal for the mayor to Jo to have a joint meeting uh we have more specific we have uh something uh more narrow it down we have the mayor's proposal the original mayor's proposal that based on conversation that we have here um U uh the mayor's office work with Council Levy and come up with a potential proposal so it would be fair to say that uh the mayor's origional proposal uh was overla by the council levies proposal which encounter everything that the Mayors want so is is that the case yes correct okay with that said counselors I would like to each if I may and uh the mayor's open what we're looking at as and I just for the sake of conver ation that was here tonight in other community in all communities in Massachusetts or most of them uh you have the the mayor because the mayor presents the budget to the city council the mayor uh represents its constituents as well and you do and that's the importance of having uh the mayor serve as chair uh and that would be one of the cons consideration that that I would make a request yeah and based and tonight we're not finishing we're not finishing up this conversation tonight we just narrowing down uh proposals that we have in front of us uh and therefore I I'll entertain a motion to president um just let me let me finish this I will entertain a motion to uh uh consider that uh or reduce the four proposals that we have in front of us by uh uh voting against perhaps the May original mayor's proposal because the analis proposals is encountering uh the mayor's desire perhaps uh that that could be an idea so we can have then eventually three proposals the school committee uh proposal and levies uh Council Lev proposal and uh the suggestion that Council llan has bringed up to us uh as well and we can add it down uh to that but also might be easier if I if I may suggest this that I withdraw my initial motion for the mayor's replace it with the Anna Levy motion and substitute that now this the levy Amendment will be the the vehicle by which we'll have the conversation since that seems to be a motion to withdraw so I'm going to amend I'm withdrawing the the amending my own motion to have the levy motion be the superseding the the new motion for the mayor proposal as the mayor's proposal and that's what we're going to be voting off of the levy the that's for the mayor's proposal and then we're going to consider the other three that's right so so I'm taking right now the motion was to S to approve the mayor's recommendation mayor's proposal I'm withdrawing that and I'm substituting that with the levy Amendment or Levy motion so that's going to be the line I hear a second second discussion Council Council vice president infan thank you I wanted to comment on right first let me backtrack the motion I hand that we're discussing right now to approve the the the proposal from councelor Levy and that would be the main if pass that would be the main proposal that the city council will work off of that is what councel the plan no we are uh we are discussing the possibility of withd drawing the regional mayor's proposal considering uh an proposals instead but the city C uh the school committee proposal still in the um on the discussion the council plan proposal of nine is still on the table as well to be voted uh eventually but we KN it down from 4 to three and then we're going to KN it down to two and eventually we can discuss something around that that's the intent so what I wanted to so I'm going to take this opportunity because thank you cuz but we're going to do it by by motion one by one and we will we will get to that point to nrow write it down all right so at this point we will we have a replacement of the original proposal uh to to be there now eventually counil leev proposal as the original uh and the mayor's proposal perhaps mayor council Levy okay so we are taking a vote on each proposal eventually yes all right we'll get that so we'll get there I'm I'm going to just say I'm a bit confused I'm just going to say what I have to say now it has nothing to do with councelor Levy's proposal but I wanted to make a comment and that's why I was trying to get your attention earlier because it was relevant when when councelor of the plan was speaking of it but councelor of the plan's proposal of the five elected at large I completely disagree with the sentiment that um councelor the plan stated that to that to that proposal we'll get to that proposal we'll get to that proposal in the meantime we containing a motion to uh over uh to withdraw the mayor's original proposal consider an proposal uh to be the original proposal so it's going to be Anna Lev uh and the mayor's proposal in just one uh I hear a second discussion council president just the motion was second by councilor Rosario I the way that I would word this and and maybe the clerk can help is that I'm with drawing my original motion which which was which was the mayor's proposal that he sent to us a month ago whatever it was and I'm replacing that because the mayor apparently has come to an agreement with Council levy on language these repl I'm inserting this as the as the place that we're having the conversation so if somebody else has a discussion matter on a different matter off of the levy like say they they want 15 people well you can make that amend you want 15 and not 13 whatever it is but we're working off of the levy Amendment we need something to work off of so that's going to be the thing we're working off of council president sure councilor Council Maro um we already have four proposals which originally that was not the case when we received this agenda um is it completely off the table to have uh committee woman Mariano's suggestion in creating the subcommittee like is it completely off the table to to consider her suggestion which would avoid us having to dissect these four proposals we we are in the process of uh narrowing down at least to two and maybe we can create that committee to just work out of two if we have to so we have eliminating one right now any other question suggestions Council infant so now from now that Council the plan has clarified his MO motion to make the levy um proposal the one that if voted if approved the one that the city council go moves forward to to work by I want to publicly State I am against that because this proposal did not have any input from any educator any any school Committee Member and I would prefer the school committee proposal to be the main one to be worked off yes no problem Council councel infant what we're going to do once we n it down to two we will consider a roll call for every Council to vote either in number one proposal or number two proposal the anal proposal will be uh number one and and the school committee and the school committee proposal will be number two so in that way we can choose one of the two just like if if it is a candidate for a position we will we will uh eventually uh consider one of the two by voting for Amendment one or voting for Amendment two uh that's that's going to we're going to get to that point eventually but in the mean time we're replacing uh the mayor's proposal for an's proposal and then we KN it down to at least two proposals at this point I call I a question Council I mean you've been mentioning the levy proposal which is underlying in the school committee I just came across with a proposal shouldn't that also be considered if the council thinks it's a good idea if they don't think it's a good idea that's fine too but what happens if another Council thinks I like that idea I like nine this is smaller it makes sense to me why can't we vote on that on what on on the nine members as opposed to the 11 or 13 we will we will get to that point okay you just didn't mention that when you were talking earlier we were just saying we can even vote for we will get to that point it's this that's an amendment to the to the Anais proposal so it's not a proposal by itself give me one minute I call them I at this point I'm calling the questions all those in favor to replace to replace the original proposal to um an Le proposal uh please say I roll call roll call please discussion no discussion R call this is out of order you put it you put the motion I put the motion on the floor as an amendment to my motion once you make this vote this is going to be the anal Levy vote you're going to be supporting this thing I know you're saying that that that wasn't my motion the motion as before is to have the underlying motion the underlying motion now is the levy motion you vote in favor of this right now you're supporting Anna Levy the motion has been made by me second seconded by Council Del Rosario so at least we're having a discussion on that okay we V know then I call just clarify the motion the motion as initially made by um Council plant seconded by Council Del Rosario was a motion for purposes of discussion to adopt the mayor's proposal then Council llant later stated that he wanted to substitute language to say the motion is for purposes of discussion to adopt the Ana Levy proposal since that had been the conversation with the mayor's office so the motion on the table for purposes of discussion would be to change the underlying motion um so I think what the council president is saying is that if we're going to change the underlying motion we should vote to make that change what I hear the former council president saying is we don't need to vote to make that change and that's that's exactly right because I just amended my own motion because it was my motion it was properly second by council do raro on any other motions that we do all right we always have that one person that makes the motion you can vote and then we're going to have amend on that but it's always motion just to to make this clear uh we have a a a a proposal by the mayor this body called vote yes or no on the proposal by the May mayor the motion uh that was that could be an underline motion is to accept or not accept the the mayor's proposal if we if we do if we vote Yes and then we narrow it down we voting yes if we vote no and then we have three other proposals that we're going to be discussing council president let me help you I'd like to amend my motion at this point here's the amendment I like to make a motion that we reject the original mayor's proposal that's my motion that we get it out of a motion a yes to the vote meaning that we rejecting the motion we rejecting the it's an amendment to reject the mayor's original motion original motion vot Yes means that we are rejecting the motion the the original motion from the mayor's office discussion all Us in favor to reject the mayor's uh the mayor's proposal please say I I I Rocko please councilor is yes councilor marmel yes Council Santiago yes Council Del Rosario yes Council Lon yes Council lant yes Council Levy yes Council Infante yes Council Rodriguez yes so now we have we still have U Anna Lev U proposal and it is an amendment to Ana leis proposal which is it was made by councelor La plant uh and now I going to I going to call for a motion to accept or or modify Council Lev proposal to be a nine members elect uh nine members five of them elected three appointees at large and one uh design that's not the motion Mr President no that's that that was your proposal no there's an underlying motion right are we going to vote on all those things right now I no no no that's not a motion that is your proposal to the an Lev's proposal so my proposal right now is this that we have the an we have the anal Levy motion if we're taking votes on on now the individual substances then yes I I guess that um yes if you want to take a vote on the nine person sure are we can have a vote on the other that was that you were proposing the nine so the the council members that's fine you want to vote on that that's fine okay the council members will vote on whether or not they they accept that as a change to the proposal so it I hear a motion I make the motion there is a motion on the table to uh change an alev proposal to be a nine members five elected three appointees uh uh in one uh designate by the mayor actually I take that motion back I'll make I'll make that motion we if we vote if we meaning that if we vote Yes we changing Ana Lev's proposal to that configuration if we vote no an Le proposal stays as original planned so made a motion I'll make that motion for the nine can I hear a second for the nine and five out large that's my motion there is a motion on the table I entertain a second if it is a second second properly second discussion councel vice president infant thank you so going back to my original to my state me a few minutes ago Council the plan stated the fact uh not the fact cuz I I disagree I actually disagree with it but he stated that the five electors should be at large because initially I guess and I please correct me if I'm wrong because I also don't want to misquote you um councelor the plant but there's no minority or whatever that it doesn't matter excuse me excuse mean coun infant have the floor no but no I did ask to to correct me if if yeah she ask if I correct you Council Council of plan you were about to to correct me well sure you you offer that y these are not my words this is the words from the Department of Justice in 2001 not my words the words that that were written in that order from the federal government said that not my words and so I I I don't take ownership for that thank you so Council the plan um uh corrected me and this is from the Department of Justice their word however when I walk through District E when I'm campaigning our Staple in District e is our school committee woman Pat Mariano so that statement does not reflect my district so I do not agree with that statement and I do not agree with five at large um elected school committee members strictly from my own I don't know how any I don't know about the other districts but from what I experience in District um and that's what I that's all I want to say all right um uh councel Infante just stated that she's against the nine members five out large any other counselors would like to U speak on this matter at this point I'll I'll call I'll call the roll call oh Council Levy um thank you council president um I'm doing the same practically the same comment that uh councel by president was doing no problem okay so yes we were not represented before when it was elected and everybody was Lo only five members of the whole committee and they all were a large okay I remember I'm sorry I remember one of the election that we had about seven Hispanic people running and N of they were able to enter as a part of the school okay understood thank you so much uh Mr spanner you have some comments uh not comments basically a question uh the basically the proposal that came from the school committee before you okay um I mean the mayor's part of it we need to know I mean from the mayor's office we haven't received any vote I mean whatever is presented to you was there a vote on it I mean no and and currently currently currently we are we have this proposal just like we have the mayor's office proposal and we are staring both proposals yes but I my question would be has there been a vote no on their recommendation to you uh well it it was it on assum that it was aot from the school committee to present it to us yeah that that particular question I guess is address to the school committee so the school committee subcommittee and receivership presented as uh vice president de mention the proposal of the re subcommittee of the Lawrence SC committee provided recommendation who has this item on their agenda yes voted on the recommendations before you the lawen school committee as a whole has not voted on this you answer before you a recommendation from the subcommittee yeah right behind you you have all the members per District ask them if they okay support so just um just to CL just to clarify that the school committee as a whole haven't vote on it but the subcommittee have a a vot in favor to send this out to that uh to the city council well I we we need to address this with a City attorney I mean your body can continue to do that but I'm questioning the legality of it Council well uh give me one minute um I said that this is a proposal from five member of the uh school committee at the end of the day we are considering this as part of the council proposal for the home R petition a council proposal to the home R petition the mayor will have a choice to sign the home rule petition or not sign the home Ru petition this is not about legal or illegal when it comes to a document this document was send it to was sent to us and ultimately uh this the the this body the the city council would vote on one of the proposal that is the actual home repetition from the uh city council perspective well council president that's why I have uh well I think councelor uh marmel uh made a recommendation that I have requested to table the matter yeah we will we will we will get to that point in a second okay good we will get to that point in a second uh counil infant thank you I want to I want to comment um respectfully and I do and I want to P I do have a good working relationship with the mayor but respect respectfully respectfully to the mayor I am going to State this though he has not attended the school committee members when we try to work with the school committee members it's all it's always the school committee members do not have power but under receivership and now we're talking we want to talk about legal and votes and all of that it makes absolutely no sense he councelor all right great no problem step Council infant you have the floor I would like to hear from the vice chair of the of the school committee council president um the vice chair of the school committee you have the you have the floor I got excited respects on that I was I was excited that the the council woman mentioned that right that now we want to talk about legality process right now and and I want to I want to put something clear here on the 2011 discussion right and that is always happening on this so the the I just want to like think about is the administration is the City of Lawrence ready to face the US justice department again right on on on this proposal itself because you the department itself alleged the voting right violation there was a voting right violation in 2011 and that the process that the violation of the case moved two districts and to hear the senior advisor Carlos MOS during the last ordinance committee right that he was part of this 2011 process and still proposed this discouraging proposal and Justice on that pizs in 2001 right there was a practice of Jerry Mandarin intentionally manipulating boundaries of legislative districts to achieve a desired political end given an increasingly partisan voting practice right of elected official broadly across the United States manipulating the districts to give one political party an advantage over the other one right uh at the municipal to meaningful representation depriving the voting representation of government but in municipal election we don't run based on parties but ideals live experience and serve right that's what we run for what we're see here is to go from what the department years ago said look at large districts you are the majority individuals back then there's minorities individuals in your districts that are not represented you need to allow them the opportunity to be represented on these governing bodies move to districts it just happened to ha at that point right here we are again being with all respect Hypocrites saying now it's okay for us to do it no and U just just to point of clarification on that uh one councilor have proposed it and the and the body will vote on that but we all understand the the intent appointed at large you're still depriving individuals from being represented by the minority individuals in this community who are the minor minority individuals now our white allies right people from the minority South America countries black Americans Asian Americans Dominicans and Puerto Ricans are the majority primarily Dominicans think about this hypocrisy of just thinking that changing and doing this and flipping this like this what does what is that message what is that message if you really were here at 21 fighting for this thank you now we are in in the process of getting an an an an amendment to um one of the proposal U Madame shair could you uh repeat the motion the motion on the table as made by Council plant and seconded by Council Del Rosario is to amend the Ana Levy proposal to bring it down to nine members from the 13 yep and five of them at large five of them being elected at large all right councilor voting yes or this means that you're adopting uh this amendment to the proposals uh of nine members voting no means that you didn't adopt you were not adopt the five members at large and nine members total so at this point I'll call the question Sol Us in favor please say I no the rockle councelor levy no councelor plant yes councelor Luzon yes councelor Del Rosario yes Council Santiago no councelor marmel no council Selena Rees yes Council vice president fonte no council president no motion fails what's the count 54 motion fails motion fails so now we we have two proposals uh Council Lev's proposal which uh include 14 members one uh nonbing member uh six elected uh six uh appointees and the mayor and one student on boing member and we have um the school uh the subcommittee a school Committee Member uh proposal which is six school committee members as we have four appointees the mayor and for the total of uh plus one student nonbing member for the total of um uh 11 body members uh 12 total so now councelors we have we nowed down to two two proposals and uh entertain any particular motion of um other uh proposals it could be that we vote on on one or another or it could be that uh in order a public hearing if we want to uh and then later on we can modify the potential of U one of them or we can uh uto public hearing on both or we can just uh choose one or another one counc pres president Council LAN I through you counil president once again and I keep up you guys mentioned disrespecting well you use all the terms disrespecting the school committee uh but I I think that we are doing that over and over again uh instead of taking in consideration their proposal they are the ones that uh understand and the system they are the ones uh representing the system and we are here trying to propose some another proposal that has not related well it's related but it's more related to The Proposal that the mayor is want us to approve so sorry that's no excuse me c l have the floor yes it's more similar to The Proposal that the major want us to take into consideration C Lon uh I yes cons president to you cons president I think that we should take in consideration The Proposal from the school committee uh instead of taking in consideration councelor Levy's proposal once again which is similar to the mayor's proposal very I will entertain a few motions if you uh if you desire I'll entertain a motion to uh um I make a motion to create let give me one minute let you say you ask for a motion no no no no no let me see what I'll entertain a motion for that uh if this committee would like to have a joint committee with the mayor that could be we can take that as a motion and consider both or we can take we can actually U make a motion to uh approve one of the two uh proposals that we have in front of us I so either or we have one of the two motion I make a motion to create a subcommittee with two members of the city council two members of the mayor's office three members of the mayor which includes the mayor and also two members of the school committee and um for f the to to combine these two proposals for one that the city overall can feel proud of to give to to send to our state delegation uh um yes just for the point of clarity on that I will definitely entertain and uh not a motion but a suggestion for the from the council to create the the IHOP committee if we don't want to vote on these two and prefer to further study this we can uh we can have that uh eventually down the road through a ihob committee and I'm willing to create that that's not a problem that shouldn't be through a motion but I hear the council and I will desire uh based on the desire of the council no problem whatsoever ccil president but sorry for you there is a motion on the table and it was properly second there's a motion on the table as as we speak now that you making all those suggestions but it's a motion on the table and it was properly second I think we should proceed with the motion and then figure it out if that motion go through we go through that with that motion if that go and fails then we go with your suggestion no it's not a suggestion it's what what the law says well but it's a motion on the table and it was properly second the vice president made the vice pres the vice chair made a motion and cons actually second and I also said discussion and after that I said discussion so I think we should proceed with the motion that's on the table and see what what that take um give moment you Cel president discussion because everybody want to speak discussion and as the vice councilors uh at the end of the day I wanted to work with consensus I have no issues whatsoever creating a committee uh but we need to understand that this within the power of the council president I don't want to impose anything on the on the on the committee my intent is to work uh with the committee to make sure that we find Common Ground if that's the way that we wanted to go we can definitely form a a sub a high committee on uh on this item that was my motion counil president to find a common ground and to take the suggestion that came directly from a school Committee Member a long a longstanding school Committee Member and I looked to my right and I saw two of my colleagues in the end also nodding their head and expressing that this is what they they would like to see as well so you just is the motion that's that's currently on the table um I could recognize the motion but right after a moment uh councelors I hear that a lot of u a lot of of counselors would like to consider one of the two if that's not the case we can consider both and sit down in a IHOP committee we would like to vote on one or would like to keep them both keep them both discussion excuse me no not this is not a vote it's not a vote not a v president the motion the motion I hand the motion I hand is to is for the atog committee to go through both of these proposals and to hopefully combine them into one now whomever if there is a counselor that disagrees with that and and believes that we should vote on one tonight then that person has the right to vote no on this motion we have a motion on the tables properly second there there's been discussion now it's time for a vote and through you C president if we have only if we if we voted to keep one motion we should voted to approve that motion there's nothing to discuss with one motion on the table excuse me we always have a discussion on items I understand if we taking both Prof because president through you if we take excuse me are you you're not being recognized I will excuse you're not you're not being recognized no problem thank you so much if you take the two home run position you pick one you got to vot for one your proposal is the best you're not being recognized thank you so much uh I will entertain discussion on the items we have Council Lon that would like to discuss this Council L you have the floor once again I'm going to say that we should uh take in consideration the motion submitted by the school committee uh we uh the other motion that was presented by councelor Ana Levy is very similar to the mayor's uh proposal and I think it's disrespectful to the school committee so if we would if we want to take a vote we should decide in which one uh and I think we should take in consideration the school committee motion proposal right we have a motion that I I'm going to recognize uh to table this m I'm assuming this to table and create a ihob committee Council Council inant correct is that your motion to to table and create an IH committee or that's it's another motion so I think I think the table should be a separate motion U it's to create an IH have committee it's to create the IH have that's within the power of the city council presentent but I will entertain that motion to be fair to the process uh all Us in favor to create an committee all Us in favor to create an IH committee Ro R call please all those in favor to create the ihob committee please yes I uh the r call please Council is yes councilor marmel not I'm sorry she's AB Council of Santiago yes um Council Lan yes Council plant no council Levy yes councilor vice president in fonte yes council president I vote Yes I to be fair um at this point we will create an N committee um um with um as suggested by Council vice president infant two members of the city council um uh three members of the school committee and uh and and the potential of two to three members uh from the mayor's office uh at this point councelors we have two proposal in front of us I I'll entertain any other motion motion to table second motion to table properly second no discussion on the T matters all those in favor please say I hi the I have it any know the I have it uh councelors uh I any other motion I got a question council president what is your schedule for the ad hoc committees when are you going to be selecting the individual counselors can you give us a road map as to where we're proceeding we'll get that later um any other motion there is a motion to adjin properly second all those in favor please say I hi the eyes have it s