I'm pretty sure There's no one to Yes. >> Good evening and welcome to the ordining intergoverning relation committee. This is a comma of the Lawrence City Council. Today, Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
Um, what is that? 6:17 p.m. This meeting is also conducted as a hybrid meeting and you remotely access to the meeting through the digital platform below. Uh the board members at
this uh in this table um Franklin Miguel the vice chair is on my left, councelor Allar Selena Re and Gregory de Rosario to my my to my right. Person two, the chapter 20 of the act of
2022. This meeting is uh this meeting of ordering committee is being conducted both in person and via remote participation. A reminder that persons who sh who would
like to listen or to view this meeting while in progress may either attend in person at the location uh a use of any of the following asex location. Also this meeting can be seen through FAU and
YouTube. Please stand up for the police alliance for the United States of America and to the stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Council, there is a minutes for to approve from January the 13, 2026. Can I hear a motion, please? >> Second. >> So, a motion is already uh approved and second uh approve it by councelor
Gregory de Rosario and second by uh councelor Selena Re. So, all in favor? Right. >> So that I have it. Uh the next item in the agenda for today,
>> councelor. Um can I hear a motion to take? Item 67 out of order. 6726 out of order. >> So move. >> Second.
So item 6726 is the renewal of the assets to Buckley garage for weekly for weekly meal for the homeless and related service. Uh it's already um make a motion to take it
out the order by councelor de Rosario and approved by councelor re. [snorts] All those in favor? >> I have. >> So the I have it. Uh
well, we have it in here. Any >> Yes. So we are in here for this item. Michael Gman is here. >> Would you like to come to the podium, please? Please state your name and your address.
>> Yep. So, Michael Gorman, 826 Riverside Drive, Mthuan. >> And any comments or anything that you say, please refer to the full counselor or to the all people in the council. No mention any name, please. >> Okay. Definitely. So, I just wanted to
touch base on uh the Buckley Garage and our weekly dinners there and just the the impact that we've been able to have um on these dinners for individuals that may be struggling with both addiction and homelessness. We have been able to get over 100
individuals uh into treatment inatient detox. It's wonderful that we've been able to build a partnership with Spectrum Health Systems in Westboroough, Mass. Every Wednesday, Spectrum, which is an
inpatient detox, uh gives us a phone call or shoots us a text message that they are saving male and female beds every Wednesday. So, if there's anyone at the bus station on a Wednesday night that is ready to seek detox and get into
a program, we can detox, we can uh transport them directly to the program in Westboro by Uber. And we've had quite a few individuals that have taken that route. Uh which is phenomenal because if anyone knows about recovery, it's very hard to find a bed. So for Spectrum and
Westboro to hold those beds on a weekly basis, we have been able to continue to get individuals off the streets of Lawrence and into treatment. This is uh more than just the food piece. I think a lot of people from the outside looking in think we are just
providing a meal, but it's way more than that. As of recently, we've built a partnership with the Lawrence District Court, the diversion program. So, anyone that is a youth or young adult that needs to complete community service hours, that picked up any legal
involvement, they get referred to TMF. And now we have several young inner city Lawrence kids completing community service hours that find so much joy in giving back to the TMF dinners. We've had several high schools um in the state
of Massachusetts that have gotten involved uh specifically Lawrence High School has brought several of their sports teams to give back and find the importance um in giving back to their own city. Methuan High, Tukbury, St. John's Prep, Austin Prep, CESU and
Lawrence, Greater Lawrence Tech, Central Catholic, Notre Dame, Rise Academy, and North Andover are several school systems that will bring their sports team on a Wednesday night to give back. Services that are provided on Wednesdays that we
give that are more than food. Uh we have a donations table that provides, you know, winter clothing, shoes, jackets, whatever an individual may need. Uh we provide haircuts from a barber shop in Lawrence, five-star manicures just to
make someone feel whole for the night. We have a books table. Uh we have Ashley behind me who does art therapy on Wednesdays. So if anyone is looking to just ease their mind from the chaos of the streets can attend that table. Uh we provide a free hug and free listening
table just to provide compassion for individuals that feel alone. Uh recently we've had the Lawrence CTC methodome maintenance program on Embankment Street that comes and has a table. Uh as well as Tom who's been able to have clear
path veterans. So if there is a veteran at the Buckley garage on a Wednesday night, uh we're able to provide that veteran a bed as well as DTA uh individuals that are looking to get food stamps and SNAP benefits. We have a table as well for that. A couple of the
sponsors locally that have sponsored the dinner. Salvatore's restaurant, uh, Michael Agriccola continues to support our program. Uh, Oakland A Pizza, a couple restaurants in the city of Lawrence, such as Pez Dorado Restaurant
on Willow Street, La Essosa Restaurant, Mxico Lindo, uh, Poo Sabau on Lawrence Street, as well as the Lawrence YMC and the Clada Pub. And the reason why I think uh really important why we want the bus station to be renewed is is just
the structure that it brings. Um we're able to have an overhead that protects us from the weather uh such as snow, rain, uh and we also have lighting and electricity. So we're able to provide some of those services with electricity as well as having that lighting. you
know, in the in the past, it was very much a struggle to set up canopies with downpouring rain, uh trying to set up lights to keep the place well lit. So, that's been huge for us. Um, and it and it's more than just Wednesday nights.
Um, it's all about the relationships that are built. Uh, not many people know, but whenever someone is arrested by a Lawrence police officer, that following morning, I start each morning with a cup of coffee and I look at the Lawrence police log and it basically in
detail will show the first and last name, the charges they committed, and within 48 hours, we send a letter out to a county facility such as Middleton, Barnstable, and we we write a letter of hope uh for someone that's being held on those charges.
So even though they may not be attending that Wednesday night dinner, our goal is to build that relationship with that individual behind the wall um for them to set goals so that they don't return to the chaos of the streets of Lawrence and you know cause havoc or whatever may
they they may be. So I just wanted to touch base on uh some of the things that we've been able to uh accomplish as a program and uh how much this means to so many people. It's not just the individuals battling homelessness and addiction, but it's also these these
young Lawrence kids in the school system, the court system that find so much joy in in giving back. I think it's also brought a ton of businesses together as well. So, I just wanted to share that with all of you uh just to go show that it's more than just the food.
Uh we've been able to accomplish a lot within these Wednesday nights. So, thank you, >> counselor. Any question at this time? Any phone? >> Go ahead.
>> Uh through you, Sure. >> Yep. Have you reached out to um any departments like from the city besides the city council or to see if they have any uh I mean what's the current status of any any projects or any plans with
that space >> of the specific place of the Buckley or different locations >> of the the Buckley? >> The Buckley. >> Yeah. Um I don't you know we had we had a meeting with uh Lawrence police chief the the captain and lieutenant uh a few months back um over here in city hall
and uh I know the police chief wanted to utilize um that the buckley >> okay >> uh for his own purposes um so I don't know much more of like details besides that. >> Not sure Tom if you wanted to share a
little bit about that as well. Good evening, councilors. Thank you for having us. >> Um, so we did meet >> y >> I'm sorry, Tom Dugen, 75 Main Street, North Andover, which I know makes the chief very unhappy. When we met with him, one of the first things he said to us was, "Michael Gorman, you're from
Mthan." And Tom, you're from North Andover. In other words, our opinions don't count. We come into Lawrence, we try to help and somehow we're being we're being discounted because we're not from Lawrence and we're here trying to help. But I have to tell you that the one thing that Lawrence needs is more
people coming from the outside to help, not more people coming from the outside to commit crimes, not people coming from the outside to dump um waste on the banks of our river. Um there are not enough people coming to Lawrence from the outside to help. So, I don't think
that's necessarily a bad thing. We did meet with the chief. The chief called Mike Gorman and said that um next week is your last week. You're out of the bus station. We want it for community policing even though we had a permit. So, the mayor interceded and said, "No, you're going to have that meeting in our office." And we [snorts] met with
Octavian, um the chief, a captain, a lieutenant, um I believe Andrea, I think, was there and myself and Michael. And the first thing he said was, "This is your last week, so you're all set. we'll give you a week, but you got to find another place. Um, it's the service
providers that are drawing the homeless to Lawrence. That was his ideology. I love the chief. I've been a big supporter of him for a long time. But he's just wrong. And I've heard him say at this table, at this microphone, that
the homeless come to Lawrence because of the services. Let's stop kidding ourselves. The homeless come to Lawrence for the drugs. That's why they come. This is where it's manufactured. This is where it's packaged. This is where it's distributed. And that's not me saying that. US Attorney Lulling said that four
years ago when they came in and they did a major drug bust of two of the big drug cartels that were stationed in Lawrence. He said, and even Donald Trump said at one point in his last term, that Lawrence is the hub of the opioid crisis in New England because this is where
it's manufactured, packaged, [clears throat] and distributed. Now, that's way beyond my pay grade. It's way beyond Mike Gorman's pay grade. We're here to serve the victims of the drug cartels, the people who are addicted and their lives have fallen
apart. I wrote an editorial for the Valley Patriot, which hit this morning. And um if you could just indulge me for about 2 minutes, I'd like to read it to you out loud because it just came out. I wanted to bring papers so you could just read it, but I didn't have time to go by the warehouse.
For the last eight years, a group called the Movement Family has been hosting pop-up dinners every Wednesday night at the Buckley garage in Lawrence to feed the home to feed the poor, the homeless, and the hungry. They're also doing an outreach, have an outreach team that helps them get
housing, offers detox services through nonprofit partners, and hosts juvenile offenders at the courts. As Michael said, Lawrence is lucky to have TMF. Most communities don't. When former Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera threw TMF out
of the Buckley garage, his attitude was what we're hearing today, that if we push them out, if we make TMF move, the homeless will leave. His belief was magically they're going to move to Mthuan in North Andover
because a three-hour a week dinner is no longer here. Of course, that policy failed. The homeless are not in Lawrence because of the services. They're they're here because of the drugs. Dan Rivera didn't stop the dinner did stop the dinners for a short time. Yet the homeless didn't
leave Lawrence in that time the TMF was not serving. TMF then found a new home in South Lawrence and continued their mission. In fact, since TMF began in 2018, they've successfully gotten 100 people into detox, temporary housing, and then
eventually permanent housing. That's a hundred fewer people breaking into cars, buying and selling drugs, harassing people for money, and burdening the residents in the businesses of Lawrence. When Lawrence Mayor Brian Deina took
office four years ago, he kept his campaign promise to let TMF return to the Buckley garage because he believed in their mission because the results are indisputable. But with the appointment of a new police chief recently and a shift in the
attitudes about the homeless in general, some officials in Lawrence once again seem to be adopting Dan Rivera's failed policy of harassing the homeless and blaming service providers. They are now once again trying to throw TMF out of
the Buckley garage by opposing this permit renewal, promoting this pie in the sky fantasy that if we just make it harder for TMF and service providers like them, the homeless will magically move to Mthuan in North Andover. Well, that's never happened and it's never
going to happen. TMF isn't leaving Lawrence. The only question on the table is whether or not they service the poor in the safety and the security of the Buckley garage or they have to find somewhere else in the city to service those people. So the stated goal already
of getting TMF out of Lawrence by pushing them out of the garage is a failure before it starts. In fact, if TMF simply went away tomorrow, not one homeless person would leave the city. The only thing that that would accomplish is more hunger, fewer addicts
getting into detox, fewer people getting into housing, and fewer juveniles performing community service for the courts. TMF has met with police has met with the police chief and city officials in an effort to work together to address this problem. They've even offered to
compromise with the chief and look for another home if the city was was willing to work with them. But the police chief's response was, quote, "We want you out of the city. Go to Mthuan. Go to North Andover. We don't want you here."
Those were his exact words. We say it's the height of hypocrisy. When I say we, I mean at the Valley Patriot because this is our editorial. This is not from TMF. We say it's the height of hypocrisy for city officials to publicly say that TMF needs to have a plan B if their
permit is not renewed and then in the next breath refuse to work with them to find another home to service those who are being neglected by their government. This is everyone's problem. In a city that's run 100% by Democrats and a state that's run 100% by Democrats
who campaign every year on promises of helping the poor. We actually thought that local and state officials would be moving heaven and earth to help TMF address this issue that has festered in Lawrence for the last few decades. I'm almost done. We understand that the homeless
we understand that the there are serious problems that come with the homeless population in Lawrence, but going backwards to the failed policy of Dan Rivera is not the answer. We urge the mayor and city officials and the city council to remain at the table with us
and continue to be part of the solution instead of going back to being part of the problem. After all, these are human beings and helping them helps everyone. I do want to point out one more thing and then I'm happy to answer any questions. You know, I I I get where the chief is coming from. Before I met
Michael Gman, I had the exact same attitude. I would drive by these homeless people and I'd yell out my car, get an effing job. Someone would ask me for a dollar or for a cigarette and I would be crashed with them because I didn't want to be bothered by them. Go out and help yourself. Pull yourself up
by your bootstraps. And then I met Michael Gman. And what I learned was that they weren't just serving these dinners to feed people and go home to their homes in Mthuan and North Andover. They were there to use the food to lure them into one place so we could find out
what they needed and get them off the streets of Lawrence. Um, I hear what the chief is saying. I'm just not sure it's very genuine because if he really believes and this police department really believes that it's the service providers that are causing the problems
and drawing them here, why is the police department out twice a week providing those services themselves? Every time I go on Facebook, I see the Lawrence Police Department street outreach team bringing blankets and food to the homeless. So, what we're looking for is a partnership with the city. We think
we've done pretty well so far. I think everybody here has been to a TMF dinner. I think everyone in the full council has been to a TMF dinner. We're not here to cause fights. We're not here to make political statements. What we are here to do is we're here to raise awareness that this is not just a dinner. We're
not just providing food. We're here to find out using the food to get them there, what specific services they need to get out of Lawrence, to get into detox, to get off the streets, and to get into permanent housing, to get them the programs they need outside the city, to get them housing that they need
outside the city. That is not what you hear from other people who have opposed this permit. So, I'm happy to answer any questions. If Michael wants to answer any questions, we're here for you. And I apologize for being breathless. through your chair.
I mean, I I I support it. I somehow I I work with Mike, but I have only one issue and I and I and I talked to you about it. >> Four years ago, we gave the bus station. Now, we here again for the bus station. We're going to give it to you if we do for two
years. What's going to happen in two years? >> Well, we don't know. And you know, I'm not sure what the urgency is to get us out of the bus station because we're not leaving the city. So if we move to the Northern Essics, we're in talks right now with Northern Essics if we have to
move to move a few blocks over and use their lot on Franklin Street. So we're still not leaving. Like if they think they're pushing Kim out of the bus station to make us leave the city, they're not accomplishing that because this is where the drugs are and because this is where the drugs are, this is where the homeless are. And as long as that's the case, as long as this is
where the drugs are and this is where the homeless are, having TMF getting people off the streets, it does us no good to be in North Andover. We could set up shop in Mthuan tomorrow, but it's not going to work. And that's another thing. I mean, this meeting was called to to be table because the
administration wanted to be here. And when it comes though, he said, she said, I would like to have everybody in here, but going on my way because I I I have that conversation with you. Let me give you a flashback. 30s something years ago, I walked into a shelter myself as a
kid on a terrible winter >> in Lawrence. >> In Lawrence, I walked the only shelter that I knew was Lassro's house. >> Okay. >> Behind Big and Beefy. >> Mhm. >> They couldn't help me because it was a woman shelter, right? >> But they didn't let me go cuz I was a kid. I was 17, I think. They said, "We
cannot we cannot two things. We cannot let you in. We cannot let you go. So, we're going to call you your family." Great. But now I go to I now I go to Lasso's house and they have grown their services. They transition into from that little
place that they have they still have it behind Big and Beefy. >> Now they have transitional housing. Now they have a warming center. Now they have food pantry. Again, nothing against TMF, but we're still in the bus station. I mean, you [snorts] got a 100 people
out and detox. That's great. There's there's organizations here getting money and they don't get one people on detox, >> right? Thanks for pointing that out. >> That's one thing that we as a councelor also need to call we got to call those in institutions that actually getting money for the homeless and not doing anything for them.
>> So somehow we need to bring them including because I did it once and they didn't show up including the methodone clinics. They make a lot of money and they don't do anything. They might help Mike once a week, but they not doing anything to transition this addict because they
benefit from them. But again, what I want to see TMF do is somehow grow. I mean, grow in a sense that when the snowstorm happened, I was on the phone trying to get move some cars, police cars from the bus station. So, if it's not the bus
station, we don't have anywhere else to go. So, that's what I don't like from this. And and we they need to move those cars. They need to move those cars out of there. We're not going to be able to serve the dinners. So that's when I when I say all the cities, that's when I want all the cities to pull up and say you cannot serve there today because there it's cars in the middle. Bring it over
this side. I want partnership with all the cities cuz all the homeless are not us. Council, are you are you So I'm hearing something different than I think what we talked about on the phone. I just misunderstood. Are you talking about a plan B in case tomorrow night something happens or you talking about a plan B for us to go somewhere else
permanently? a plan B regardless of what happens because we know where we are. I asked you where you going to be in two years. You tell me you don't know and I don't know what's going to happen in two years. But again, I put that sample of the winter storm with we I was on the phone with you trying to get the chief to move some cars from there because we thought the dinner wasn't going to
happen. If we had a plan B at that moment, you could say, "Well, this Wednesday we're not going to serve it there. >> They can leave the cars there. We're going to move here." But we don't have a plan B. Is this bus station or the bus station? And that's what I I even though I'm I support this, that's what I don't like. I don't I don't see any other options for you guys.
>> I I I think we can >> and that's my own opinion. I can I don't know what they think and it's my own opinion. I'm only one vote. >> I think we can very easily put together a plan B for a temporary situation like a snowstorm where maybe we can get somebody to sponsor us. Um two weeks ago
we actually had the dinner at Salvatore. Mike Agricola opened up his function room and and donated the food and let us bring the we bust the homeless from the bus station to Salvadors and had it that night. So, I think if you're looking for a plan B as in a temporary place in case
something happens, a snowstorm, a big fire, um there's an issue, I think that's something we could easily do. But when when you say that we haven't grown, when I met Michael Gorman in 2018, he was servicing five homeless people with a card table and a pizza. Now,
>> let me interrupt there. But growing in that sense is not positive growth. If you were serving five homeless a few years ago and now you're serving 200, that's not positive growth. >> Why not? >> Because there's more homeless on the streets. But that's okay. I know where you're going. But when I say grow, I said, >> "Well, the number of homeless hasn't changed. Just the number of homeless
people who are feeding has changed." >> And I understand. And and and what I want to see eventually is and we have a conversation that I tell you also that you needed to have the administration here cuz if they offer you a place, they should been keeping the words. If they tell you this is what we're going to do
for you in two years or in three years and they haven't done it, you got to bring them there to us and that's why you're still on the bus station. >> Well, I I think I'm I'm not and and maybe I'm just not understanding what the urgency is to get us out of the bus station. He wants to get you out. Well,
the chief does, but he says he wants to use it for community policing. I would I would add, >> I'm not here to tell Lawrence what to do. I don't live here. But I would add Lawrence has 410 pieces of property in tax title that are empty right now. There's 410 pieces of property that if
the police chief or any other agency of Lawrence government needed to needed a building for something, needed a parking lot for something, there's 410 pieces of property that they could choose from. I would I would I would posit that this is somewhat purposeful that they need to
use they say they need to use that garage right now and it's because of what he told us in the mayor's office. We want you out and I think this is an effort to get us out and we can find another place if we have to. We will find another place if we have to. But it
doesn't provide the same safety and security. And I'll add one more thing. There's cameras at that garage. The Lawrence cops are watching every minute of everything that happens in that garage. And we know that because if a fight breaks out outside, it has nothing to do with us. They're there before
someone can call 911. We know they're watching us. And the homeless know they're watching us, too. And that's one of the reasons there's been no stabbings, no shootings, no serious problems in the since 2018, we've had two fights in the bus station. And the
people that were involved in that were expelled for good. We have not had a problem since. So, it's the safety and the security of having it there. It's the homeless knowing the cops are watching. It's everyone there knowing the cops are watching. It's the electricity and the overhead so that it's not raining and snowing on the food
and the paper plates. You can't eat that way. And it's the people who are from the outside, the Westboroough and Spectrum and Clear Path for Veterans New England and the Bridge Club of Lel who are on a moment's notice ready to show up, put someone in a car and drive them
out of the city to get services. That's what the chief says he wants. So, I'm not exactly sure why we're here. >> Well, you here cuz you're permitted. No, I mean I'm not exactly sure why we're having a discussion about these things when I'm asking >> we're actually accomplishing what the chief says he wants
>> but for some reason he still wants us out. >> I mean at the end of the day I don't know what the chief want. I'm asking you the question that I believe that I should ask >> uh and case off. I mean the city has a redevelopment issue that they they redoing the whole city. If you see that block with the dinner is it's that city
that that block is coming brand new. >> Ansbury is going to be a two-way soon. They the city took by the minimum domain all the sidewalks to to make what they want to make. So I want to know what's going to happen if the city say well let's we're going to demolish that garage in 6 months and >> right
>> and and and and that's what I what I was talking to you over the weekend about with plan B. I mean the city is changing. >> I agree with you and we knew going into this that at some point MEVA was going to move out cuz they told us when we started doing the dinners there that eventually they were going to move their headquarters to South Lawrence. We also
know how Lawrence works. Once they move out, launch isn't making money on that building, they're probably going to sell it. A developer is going to come in or they're going to build a school. They're going to do something with it. So, we knew that we weren't going to be here forever. We're not trying to be here forever, but we are trying to be here as long as we can until it's absolutely
needed. Now, if the council would say to me tomorrow, look, the mayor sold that piece of property and in 6 months they're going to start construction and tear it down. Well, then we have to go somewhere else and we're okay with that. But what we're asking is that while it's there, when there's no urgency to push
us out, allow us to keep doing the dinners there. >> But before they sell it or anything, they have to go department by department. If any department of the city shows an interest on that property, they'll get it. >> So, I don't know if the interest has been in writing from the police department to put the auxiliary police there. That's what I've been hearing.
>> Aren't they building a brand new station right across the street? auxiliary police I don't know what they're doing but if if any department put interest in any in any property from the city they they I mean they we need or they process to give it to them to any department is show interest in any in any I don't know
if if it's in writing for the police department or not so I'm just but that's the process so I don't know if they already put it in but again we here now for two two more years which is fine but in two more years where we going to be wasn't it three
we put two okay I'm Sorry. >> That's what I said. I know. Three years, right? It says three years here. Did I Did I do it wrong? >> No, no, no. I I had to ask. >> So, in three years, where we going to be? I mean, if if at the end of the day also, the administration say, "Listen, we're going to do one year and that's it. Where we going to be in 12 months?"
And that's what I told you that you need to sit down with the administration and and and and tell them what what we need to move to move this. >> We are happy to work with the administration. The mayor has been very supportive since day one. He's the reason we're at the station right now. Jan Rivera threw us out. he brought us back. Um he's been very supportive.
Octavian has been very supportive despite the fact that we know what the problems of the homeless population are. We're happy to work with the chief. We're happy to work with the council. We're happy to work with the mayor's office or DPW or whoever wants to work with us. What I guess I'm trying to convey to you is some of what we're
hearing is not that people want to work with us, they just want us out. And I think that's motivating the opposition to this. I don't know what pushing a 3hour a week dinner out of the bus station how that's going to solve the homeless problem. We're not here to solve the homeless problem, by the way.
We're here to help people we think we can we can identify as people who can be helped who want to be helped and get them the hell out of the city. Get them into detox. Get them into housing. And Michael, by the way, follows up with them. You know, some organizations will find you on the street. They'll put you
in housing and they'll get a fee for putting you in housing. We don't. But once they go into housing, once they go into detox, Mike Gman visits them. He visits them in prison. He visits them in detox. He visits them in their temporary shelter to find out what they need to
get them into a permanent housing. So the TMF isn't just a dinner. This isn't just we're giving people hamburgers and pizzas on a Wednesday night and then we all go home. This is this started as a pizza and a card table with five
homeless. And now it's 100 people off the street. Detox services, mental health services, methadone services for the people who are, by the way, whether we're here or not, sleeping on the streets of your city, using, buying, and selling drugs on the streets of your city and committing crimes on the
streets of your city. I would think that that the state officials and the city officials would be bending over backwards to help TMF do what we do. And we're happy to compromise on anything because it's not about us. It's about
the people that we're helping. It's about finding those few people. And let's face it, 60% of the people on the streets don't want help. No matter what you do for them, they're not going to they're not going to take the help. They want their drugs. They're addicted. That's all they think about. But it's that other percentage
that does want the help, but doesn't know how to go about it. They don't know how to. They've given up on their own life. And they need someone to say to them, "If you're willing to take the first step, we'll take that first step with you and follow you through the process. We won't abandon you when you get to detox. We'll visit you. We'll
find out what you need. We'll bring you socks. When you when you leave detox, we're not going to let you come back to the streets. We're going to find you temporary housing. And while you're there, we're going to visit you and find out, do you need money for your electricity? Do you need food? Do you need other things? while we look for
other permanent housing to get them into. So, we we're willing to work with anybody. What we don't want is we don't want to be told one thing publicly, something else privately. We don't want to be told you have to get out just because we want you out. Uh we'll work
with you guys. Michael, his whole team, we're all willing to work with you. However you want to compromise, we're happy to sit down. What we don't want is get out. We don't want you here. By the way, congratulations to all of you on your re-election and your
election. >> I understand John F. Kennedy came back from the dead to endorse Franklin Miguel. So, congratulations on that. >> Uh, thank you. uh don't I love the mission and vision through this beautiful program but at the same time
uh Mr. uh gum uh he explained the collaboration he have through different organization but when I review the iron I only have one page with the memo. I know we receive a lot of email to supporting this organization but at the
same time I would love to see how many homeless you service you mentioned but I want to see in record uh what is the way you use to tracking them um what is the collaboration with another organization through mental health
>> how many homely you accommodate or or or take it out to to to be out the street. I love to see some documentation and also I love to to to be through this conversation through the administration
and also through the chief police because you mentioned him express uh why you don't bring the whole group to normov and do or muin I know but at the same time it's a beautiful program but
our constituent at the same time they have some concern sometime >> but what you mention you only have two incidents that's minimum because uh you're working with with homeless it's a it's amazing this kind of program
but I want to see what my colleague mentioned what is the next plan what is the plan B when we don't have the ability to maintain a book garage you know because we want to know that part because >> well we can always set up in the parking lot next to city hall
>> yeah but I I don't want to to vote in favor For example, uh I don't want to give you my boat and then say to me, "Oh, we don't have the ability to use a book garage." I want to see what is the
ability to maintain this space, continue to offer this beautiful program because I love the program. >> I know you've been down and I appreciate your help. I I I love to see uh the line the people be through the barber show
and they feel hope and and and beautiful at that time but at the same time I would like to see and what is the next step because >> so can I just ask what kind of documentation are you looking for? I know that Michael >> your Michael mentioned a different organization working in collaboration
with you guys. >> So just a letter spelling that out for you. Okay. See, >> I know that um >> how many people they receive services through mental health or other program to create a you know a good balance and good vision through >> we do have a sign in signin sheet so
nobody gets to eat on Wednesday night until they sign in. Now a lot of people don't like to use their own names. Some people have some people have warrants. Some people just don't want anybody to know who they are. So we say put down your street name. If your street name is Taco, put down Taco. That's fine. So we can keep track of how many people come
and then we can follow up with them. The other thing is there are other people who come I would say maybe about 20% of the people who come to TMF are not homeless but they're people with very severe food insecurity. People who are living in the Essex and the Hancock projects people who are living on
Arlington Street who can't afford food. And so in the morning they go to Cororunum and in the afternoon they might go to Bread and Roses and then on Wednesday nights they come to us. So it's not just the homeless although the majority of them are homeless but we do
have a signin sheet and I will have Michael put together a list of you. You're going to have to put a few minutes aside because the list of nonprofit partners and restaurants and people that we work with it's extensive because we've been doing this since 2018.
>> Okay. I would just ask maybe for a favorable recommendation tonight and for the next meeting in between tonight, maybe even tonight or tomorrow, we can get you those things. Um, and then maybe we can have another discussion at the council.
The problem is if you delay it tonight, we're not on next week's agenda, which means we're back here in two weeks. And if we get a recommendation that night, we're up at the following council meeting. And now we're within days of the permit uh expiring. And so one thing we don't
want is we don't want while we're going through this process to have the permit expire and then have somebody who works for the city who doesn't want us there telling us we got to get out until this gets solved. Michael, did you have anything else to
did I cover everything? Okay. >> [snorts] >> Uh, >> yes. I tried to figure out uh what is the day to expiration date is April. [snorts] >> I'm not sure if it's I don't know if it's April 1st or the end of April. I
was under the impression it was April 1st. >> April 1st. Listen, [snorts] if the police chief or the DPW called us tomorrow and said, "We've got a great location for you that might even work better than where you are," we're more than happy to look at that. But right
now, it just only seems like the urgency to get us out is just because they want us out. It's not for any real reason. It's because they just want us out. And I understand that. And I understand that there are people who think the way I used to think about this issue before I met Mike Gorman, and I get where they're
coming from, but the facts on the ground are indisputable. 100 people no longer breaking into cars, no longer stealing, no longer on the streets. I don't know any other nonprofit that can boast that. [snorts] >> I look at my calendar because our next
meeting through ordinance maybe is supposed to be in March 24. March 21st I think four. Yeah. >> 21st we have meeting we have a meeting next
week on Tuesday or the next week. >> Mhm. >> So this is the last >> and then we meet again in April 7. Yeah, he got here. >> Yeah, the next meeting is um in next
week on the 17th. >> This is the last this is the last meeting for [snorts] March. So, our following meeting is April 7. >> Okay. >> And that pushes us past the deadline.
24th supposed to be ordinance but after the ordinance on 24 then our next meeting is on April 7th. >> April 7th. >> So they had the expiration day on April 4th. Um, councilors, my question is why are we
thinking of delaying it? That's that's my questions right now. If if we're talking about the next full council meeting that's on April 7, it's because in top of somebody's head, it's too delayed. >> So, can I know why?
So we are waiting for councelor Reyes that she had another question. >> No, I almost said yes. Uh looking for the information through my calendar to see what time we had to continue. >> I can promise you that information within 24 hours if that helps.
>> Again through you share. Uh you did mention that you met with the administration and uh the chief of police. I'm not sure if I missed the details, but what was the outcome from uh from the mayor's office? >> So, it started off with the chief saying that we had a week to get out.
>> Uh Mr. Spanner reminded him that we have a permit till April, that we would be staying until April and that we would have to sit down again to talk about I think one of the things that we that we we had to deal with in that meeting was everybody wanted to talk about how to
solve homelessness and that's not our mission. you know, they they talked about what was going on with some of the crime in the city, um some of the people defecating in the stories of stores, um some of the things that have gone on at the bus station on a on a Thursday or a
Saturday when we're not there. And we kept trying to bring them back to this is 3 hours a week. We're there from 8:00 to 11:00 on a Wednesday night. We're not responsible for what happens Friday morning, Saturday night, Monday night.
Um, so we're happy to sit down with them again. We're happy to sit down with you guys again. Um, I think this is something that just benefits everybody. If TMF goes away tomorrow, you just have more people who are hungry not getting into detox, not getting into housing. I don't think that helps anybody.
>> Yep. Um, what type of collaboration you do? I mean, TMF gets from um the homeless coordinator from the city of Lawrence. >> Very little. >> Um up until recently, and I I will let Michael speak to this more, but up until recently, your last homeless coordinator
would show up to TMF. >> She would take a headcount >> and she would leave and that was it. We got no services from her at all. Michael, is there anything else with the current homeless coordinator? >> No. So, we're not really um
>> Mhm. We're not really seeing anything. Um, I know that TMF operates almost 100% on donations. >> I know we do get a small stipen from the city, or at least they've offered us a small stipen, but we get no money from the state. >> We get no grant money. We are a
nonprofit. We're a 501c3, but we get no money from the state. We get no money from the federal government. It's almost 100% donated by people who cook in their homes. Um, you know, uh, restaurant owners and pizza shops who donate food. Harrows Pies who comes and donates pies once a month.
>> Um and then the court sending us people to help us with the diversion programs. >> Okay. >> And I did um agree with the comment uh that my colleague uh council Rosario made uh that we need to have present
those uh departments u that I mean the mayor's office, the chief of police and of the police department uh and DPW. So, um I will um submit a Do you had a question? >> No, no, I have a question.
>> So, I do agree with uh the counselor that before we take a a final decision on this matter, we want to hear from them. Um what they have to say about about the the place and and and the data. as well as my my colleague uh
Reyes, Councelor Reyes uh mentioned, we want to have the data from TMF, but we also want to request uh the Lawrence Police Department and DPW what's the information that they have the backup data for us
>> to to be presented for the to extend this permit. >> But I will uh make a motion to to >> Let me I have question. >> Oh, you do have more. Okay. >> Okay. All right. That's >> to you, Madam Chair. Uh,
>> by the way, this is the longest I've stood in one place in about 3 years. >> I'm good. >> You know, uh, you can sit down because we can take >> That's okay. I'm here. >> I want to show my dedication. But uh you
know if we decide to send we full council uh I want to make sure you you notice we had the expectation to have the administration uh bring what is the the expectation
with the space and also we love to hear from the chief. >> Mhm. uh because we want to know for Bob Bar for B group what is the condition for uh book garage >> so I want to mention that >> and I'm hoping he's changed his mind I'm
hoping that through some of our conversations he's kind of moved a little bit on this um so the only thing I would ask is that you send it up to the full council so we don't lose the time um I'm I'm hoping that you're inclined to do that and I'm more than happy to commit Michael whether I he likes it or not to uh get you that
information within 24 hours >> through your chair. >> Mr. >> Oh, you have a question. Go ahead. >> Okay. Thank you. >> TMF is an organization is a company service. >> Well, we we're a nonprofit. We
>> You are a nonprofit. >> Yes. We recently became a 501c3 because so many people were trying to donate to us. We had companies coming and saying, "We want to donate $500 worth of food. Uh, can we get a tax write off?" And we said, "Well, no, no, we're not a nonprofit." So just recently within the
last year or so um through Frank Han Associates and uh Mike Gorman and his board they did incorporate as a nonprofit. So if companies wanted to donate money or food or clothing items they could take a tax deduction and that just helps everybody.
>> I agree I agree with my fellow counselor. Um I think so that as an organization you should have a plan B like we we asked before uh in case of something happen. So we
don't know where we're going to be at in two years and still you guys don't know if in six month maybe you will not be able to use the garage >> right >> because right now with the way that the city is been expanding
it's growing uh any organization from the city can say okay as you know we would like to use the garage like I have been hearing about a police station or soup station because we have the the the the new station that is going to be very soon.
It's going to be uh the inauguration. But what is going to happen? See, we have to also I think that is still is some repair that has to be done in there and there are so many other thing that
could happen and this is great. What you doing guys is beautiful. You know, serving other for me is something that's is taking my my heart. >> I know it's something you've been doing for a long time, counselor.
>> Exactly. Thank you that you recognize that. >> I don't think enough people recognize that. >> And when I see something like this, I would like to be able to do more, you know, and just to help those people. But
through your organization, have you been able to take some of those out of the street, out of the truck? So there are people who say, "Okay, I'm clean right now for so many years due to whatever that you've been doing." Yeah. Over 100
people we've gotten off the streets into detox, from detox to temporary housing, and from temporary housing to permanent housing. Now, that's 100 people. That doesn't include the people that we've gotten into detox, gotten into temporary housing, relapsed, and came back to the streets. That hundred are just the
people who haven't [laughter] come back. There are some people, my sister for example, which is another reason why I'm involved with this. She went to rehab all over the country six times, nearly bankrupted my family until she finally found Teen Challenge in Haveril that was God-based, and she's been clean ever
since. She's the pastor of her church. She's got three beautiful kids. She's married and she now owns a home. But if we gave up on her in the third time or the fourth time, she'd be dead or she'd be under that bridge. And so when we talk about the hundred, those aren't 100
people that we just got into detox and walked away from. Those are the people that haven't come back. There's another maybe 200 that have come back and are still a work in progress. We want to continue working with them. Um, you know, there are there are veterans that we've gotten through um Clear Path for
Veterans and the Bridge Club of Laurel into Detox into veteran housing down at Devons who reaffended and came back three times, four times. We want to continue working with them cuz one of the things that we found is statistically, if they're willing to get
in your car and go the first time, if they relapse, you've got a really good chance of getting them the second and the third time. If they show a willingness that they want to get clean, even though they screw up and they continue to relapse, there's a chance we can if they don't die, you know, in in
between, if they don't overdose in between, there's a much better chance we can get them off the streets. It's those that we can't get into our car that first time that there's almost no hope for because they don't have the willingness. >> I want to say thank you. I don't know
how many letters we got, [laughter] how many we have a lot of support to all the people who take the time to write in favor of your this >> and I hope you'll take a moment to read them all too. There's a lot of information. >> I've been reading a lot principle the one that is on on my email but this is
something that we're going to keep it on the for the record and [snorts] I want to thank you you know for the people who took the times to send all this email just to come here. I can see a couple of people in here. But yes, so I think so
that as an organization, you should starting as as a 501c3, you guys should start looking for your own place that maybe can be very helpful and you can have all this organization,
company that you know that help you guys to come on at least once a week, you know, to provide all kind of service. That was the dream. And when we first met with the mayor when he first took office, we met in Octavian's office. And
Octaven even pulled up maps of pieces of property that were tax titled that the city owns that were just sitting there dilapidated doing nothing. Um, two of the locations we looked at was the former meat parking meat packing plant on Lowel Street. Um, we were all excited that that that was going to happen, but
at the time your homeless coordinator was Kelly Frasier. She doesn't like TMF and so she put a stop to it. We also looked at another piece of property over off of Daisy Street that would have been perfect building-wise, but not perfect location-wise. Um, and then I think
something happened along the way with the L. I don't know if they sold that or or that ended up going somewhere else, but we would love to have a building. We would love to take the overflow from Daybreak. You know, Daybreak legally, they're only supposed to have 44 people a night. They take in 55
people every night. And what that means is the state's reimbursing them for 44, but they're bearing the expense of 55 because there are more people on the streets than beds that are available over there. [snorts] So, we'd love to be able to do that. We'd love to have a building where people could come and it
would be one-stop shopping. Every community has a senior center. I [snorts] think every community should have a homeless center where an office there for Westboro Detox and Spectrum and Clear Path for Veterans where people can go and they can get services and get out of the city cuz that's our mission.
Our mission is to get them off the streets and out of the city. And if we find someone who's here from New York or Worcester or Boston, we try to get them into detox. And when they get out, we try to get them housing outside the city so that they're not back here. One thing
that I learned from my sister being addicted, she was fine till she came back to Lawrence cuz this is where her mental triggers were. This is where she bought her drugs. This was where she used her drugs. So when she graduated from Teen Challenge, she lived there for
2 years to mentor other people and then moved to Worcester. I'm sorry. She moved to Fitsburg to get out of Lawrence. And when she came here for Christmas and Easter, she got off the highway. She went to mom's and jumped on the highway to leave again because she knew she had
those triggers in her head. So, the chief's right about one thing. Actually, he's right about a lot of things, but one of the things he's right about is we have to get these people out of the city because there are a large number of people who are homeless, who are not from Rollance originally. And so, when we work with those people, we try to
keep that in mind. >> Uh, you know something, Mr. [snorts] Dog, you know what is sad? When I hear that you said that they are coming because of the drugs in the city of Lawrence, >> it's [snorts] sad but it's true. >> That's something that break my heart,
>> you know, just to hear that people coming in here or coming to Lawrence. >> US attorney Lulling was the u first district US attorney for the federal government under Donald Trump's first term. When they came in and they targeted the Trinitarios and they did a
wide sweep. I was actually there. I took videos and pictures of that sweep. They had a press conference in Boston. Don't hold me to the number. I'm going to get the number wrong, but the proportion is going to be the same. Here's what he said. He said, "We know Lawrence is the hub of the of New
England for the opioid crisis because a finger of heroin and Lawrence," and again, I'm going to get the number wrong, but I'm going to give you the right proportion. A finger of heroin and Lawrence is $300. If you take that same finger of heroin to conquer New Hampshire, it's $1,200. And if you go up to Augusta, Maine, it's
$2,500 because we know the law of supply and demand that where something is made is where it's more plentiful and where it's the cheapest. So if you wanted to buy a car, you'd pay a lot less going to
Detroit where they make the cars because that's where they have more of them. So the price is lower. And that's why if you buy a car in Los Angeles or Boston, a car that was manufactured in Detroit, you're paying more because you're paying for the transportation costs, the middleman it takes to transport it. So
when he did that, when he had that press conference, it really opened my eyes that Lawrence is the sad to say, but it is. The good news is now we know that and the police at the state police level and the local police and the feds are
doing everything they can to try and stem the tide. But it's a it's a nationwide crisis. And it's not just Lawrence. It's every major city. It's Haveril. It's Worcester. It's Fall River. In the meantime, we have to deal with the victims of those drug
cartels. We have to deal with the people who are using those drugs and killing themselves. ruining their lives, ruining their famil family's lives, ruining their neighbors lives. I think pushing TM out TMF out is just going backwards. I'll just leave you with that. [snorts]
>> Well, I hope that we can change the image of the Lawrence because that's is not what we would like to hear or to see in Lawrence. >> Can I tell you why? Can I tell you why that's not happening? If you don't mind, one more minute. It's not happening
because most of the grants from the federal government and the state government that are allocated to cities and towns for drug addicts and for drug interdiction are based on numbers. So nonprofits, not us, but other nonprofits that are making millions of dollars off
this crisis are making those millions because they're not doing anything to decrease the number of homeless and addicts. Because if you decrease the number of addicts, they get less money. That's why Kelly Frraasier was driving around counting people every day when she was the homeless coordinator because
the more homeless people she could count, the more money the city was going to get. That's putting the That's putting the cart before the horse. We need to talk to our state legislators about changing that formula so that as we reduce the number of homeless people and addicted people in a community, we get more money to service them and help
them stay in permanent housing, stay in temporary housing, help them get money for their electric bills so they don't become homeless again. That's what we should be doing. We should be working with our state partners and saying to them the formula is wrong and because of that formula we we're just with we're
we're with shoveling sand into the ocean we're getting nowhere >> we has to change we have to change Rosario >> but I thank you to you chair but I believe one thing if if we
[clears throat] hold it here it's going to delay the whole process and what can guarantee see that the administration is going to be here on the next meeting. So what I propose and it's going to be my motion is to send it up as a committee report and send letter to the administration and also to the
chief of police to be here in our next uh full council meeting which is going to be next Tuesday. >> Second DPW >> and DPW also by the way the DPW director has been wonderful. He's been very responsive as has the fire department. They've they've done a lot of help for us. >> Maria, did you hear the motion? [snorts]
>> Thank you for the water, too. Yeah, I second it. So, it's been second from council. So, all those in favor I >> there I have it. >> Thank you, council. >> See you next Tuesday. >> And I hope to see you guys at our annual charity bash where we've raised over
$60,000 for local kids to go to college. Hope to see you all there. >> Thank you. >> [sighs] >> Can you breathe out? [laughter] Next time I'm sitting down to speak, >> we have an option in the back.
>> Thank you, >> councelor. The next item in the agenda is 6426. It's a proposed updated to travel reimbursement ordinance. So, uh, right now, councelor I've been asked to table because the
senior advisor Otav Spanner won't be here and nobody also from the administration to speak about it. So may I hear a motion please? >> Motion to table. >> Second. >> So the motion to table is already done by councelor Rosario and second by
councel um Miguel. Uh all those in favor. So the next item on the agenda is item 6526 uh is uh proposed updated to noise
ordinance by Captain Ariel Montas from the Lawrence Police Department. Good evening. >> Good evening council. >> Nas, please. >> Hi council. So, what what we have in
front of you um right now is is just a change to our current um to our current noise ordinance. The issue with the ordinance or what's broken with the current ordinance is that it's uninforceable. Um as of as it stands, I
go to your house, I give you a citation because of um the loud noise that was preventing your neighbors, you know, from enjoying their peace and quiet. And I hand you that citation. And that citation is quite frankly a suggestion. You should pay these two these $200 if
you like. If you you know if you choose not to there is no consequence. There's no adverse consequence against a direct result. What ends up happening is the pattern of behavior continues. So what you have in front of you in and
though it is though it is long because it defines you know decibb it defines like what actual what noise actually is. But when you get into the nitty-gritty of it all, it's basically a mechanism for enforcement. So, it's simply a change. Um, and the way that it works,
if you go to the last, I believe I put it in the last page in your um in your folders, you have a copy of the proposed the proposed um citation. Um, and this is how the process would work. If um if was to be approved, the person could
simply choose to um to pay the citation. Yeah, I had the noise at my house or I had the noise from my car or I I had the noise from my construction equipment. Um, and simply pay the citation. It's a $200 fine. Now, let's say that person, you know, does not agree with the
officer's assessment. They could they could um um appeal it to the clerk, the city clerk. The clerk would have a hearing, would listen to the facts, and would make a determination whether they agree um that was the officer correct in
his assessment? is the person um um correct in their assessment and make a decision. If they're unable to come up with an agreement at that point, the person could also appeal at this point now to district court. So there's [clears throat] no an alternative
method, you know, and at that point um a a a clerk magistrate would make the determination as to who is correct in the in their assessment. Well, that's that's the the meat and potatoes of this ordinance proposal, which is just simply a change onto the way that we could
actually enforce um the the ordinance. So, basically giving it some teeth. The last step of it, if you see um the last option on the on the on that citation, it's simply you had a period of time to um to pay the citation. You didn't
appeal it to any through any of the other means that were made available to you. Then at that point we could go over to the courthouse and file a complaint um and bring you into court to to answer you know in front of a clerk magistrate to make the determination whether you are liable or not.
>> So I'm willing to entertain any questions. I know it's it's a it's a very large document but I'm willing to enterain any questions and I will answer them to the best of my ability. uh council lady >> through you madam chair
uh you know I read I check it out very quickly but uh you mentioned uh change uh uh 7 a.m. to 900 p.m. uh Monday to Saturday. >> Correct.
>> Um >> so this is this is for the purpose of um of so don't think of the noise like for example from like a from like a household radio being applying to this. This is this is my neighbor is out there
doing yard work and he has a a um some heavy machinery in the in the yard. you know, like there has to be a point in time where you could go to your house and enjoy your house rather than, you know, enjoy the the noise or or not enjoy the noise for for lack of a better
term. So that's uh so that's correct. Um and these are things that are not codified on the current on the current ordinance. Um so once again, for the purpose of enforcement, it's uninforceable. Yeah, I want to ask him because uh I have my own business in my
house. When the snow is coming, I plow my sidewalk uh 5:30 in the morning or 6:00 because I need to open my door at 7. >> So, so if you know if you notice, >> I make a lot of noise with my machine. >> If if you notice, we didn't we didn't
address, you know, the snowblower. We do understand that we are in New England. Um and that is uh >> it's an inconvenience that we all get to experience. As a matter of fact, you know, when I go out to use my snowblower, you know, my neighbors to the left and right are probably doing the same thing. Um, so that's expected.
That's the reason why we didn't go dive into that because that's out of necessity. That's not noise that comes as a result of I want to make noise or, you know, or I'm disregarding my my neighbor. That's noise that is that comes out of out of necessity.
>> Okay. And in another case, uh, if I decide to have a party in my house, what is the time to end in the music? >> So, the noise, it's always been about common sense. >> It's always been about common sense. I
go over to your house, I go over to your house, and you have a party and it's 9:00 at night, 10:00 at night. You invite, you talk to your neighbors, you made them aware. There's ways that you could have a party, you know, and >> and have your neighbors even welcome the idea of you having a party.
>> You know, you control you have you have control over your property, therefore you have control over your guests. So, >> it's it's those that when I go to your house at 10:00 at night, I could have a conversation with you, not necessarily immediately go to a citation. I could
have a conversation at the very minimum and get you to put down the the the noise. When I go to your house at 4 or 5:00 in the morning, it's a different conversation. >> You know what I'm saying? So what's reasonable and that's you know that that's where common sense has to
prevail. >> You know something has already. >> Yes. >> Thanks. >> No problem. >> So I was looking in here. So, uh, a complaint that a complaint that a resident send it to me regarding noise
>> because the trucks >> that clean the snow make some kind of noise when they are cleaning the parking. So, and sound like a zoop z and that person say you know that chicken no
sleep when they coming at the middle of the night and during the snow time. So I just send it to DPW and see how we can, you know, remedy a little bit this problem, >> right?
It's um again, you know, we all we all live here and we've all chosen, you know, to to live here in New England and this is one of the problems that that's directly associated with that. But again, I think that we could all make across every department in the city, we could all make common sense decisions um
while still while keeping in mind the the rest, you know, the the peace and quiet of our fellow neighbors and and still get things to work, you know. So, for example, is the is the is the audible chime on that truck really a necessary thing? You would talk to the
to the DPW director and he might be able to tell you, well, you know what, in some instances it's not required. And then at that point, if it's safe to do so, changes could be made. But I think that that this leads to having those conversations and um and obviously
making some meaningful change. >> No, I know that uh that place I explained it to the lady, you know, that play is necessary to keep it clean, you know, at least at 6:00 has to be clean uh the full parking area because it's
been needed for the opening of one of the uh the clinic that we already have around and she sent to me a lot as you know a lot of pictures so and the noise that he's been doing at 3:00 when
they are cleaning or moving all this car they said well we provide uh the space to the resident but also they has to move the car and we has to clean it because the the cleaning has to be open uh at 6:00 in the morning and
necessarily to do it. >> Sadly, we all get to carry the brunt of that uh obey the brunt of that >> me. I already you has to understand that we have so much snow on this winter. >> Hopefully, we got to the to the end of that now.
>> But there was another another problem that also I have people calling that at 3:00 they already hear like on the water a bum bum bum bum and cheese. saw that people were like playing
uh basketball at 2:00 3:00 in the morning and you know what happened they were doing a construction and they they felt you know that that time we don't have any inspector around and nobody is going to know what happened.
So, one one thing that um that this gives us a chance to do, not everything requires enforcement. So, just simply a police a police officer responding to to your house or some of those some of those calls could
actually be cleared with a uh with a conversation. Believe it or not, there is a lot of common sense in Lawrence. You know, you go to you go to most parties, you go to most um noise um disturbances and a simple conversation in a simple conversation
resolves the problem. >> Yeah. >> This is for those who refuse to cooperate not with the police, to those that refuse to cooperate with their fellow law engines, with their neighbors, you know. So ultimately
that's that's what puts me here today. Thank you, >> Madam Chair. >> Yeah, >> me. May I say something about my neighborhood? >> Of course. >> Uh, last summer I live on Thomas Road. I'm just want to make it clear. Um, my
next No Dayate neighbor, he was complaining a lot about the one behind his house was having parties every weekend, every noise. And so it's and the next door also they have
a pool. So basically they even tore down half of their fences so they can press crossed over and to kind of have a joint party and that was like the music past 10:00 1:00 even quite a few times uh the police officers
went over and then just basically talk to them and they didn't give them probably as no citations or anything like that because I know one of them is kind of like little known in the city But even though that's not the case, I
mean, everyone should be accounted for. And I know um Officer Olivier Olivero Olivivera. >> Yeah. He met even with the homeowner next to my neighbor and a few neighbors
and myself. We explained the situation because they just couldn't cuz their backyard is literally back to them, man. It's like they couldn't even sleep. And by the way, even they spoke to the homeowner
and they just basically didn't care. The guy said, "Well, it's my houses and I can do whatever I want." What can we resolve that? Cuz I'm seeing like that is going to go the same way this year. >> Well, hopefully not. So, just just so you are aware whether they whether the
officers chose to site or not, I don't know. Obviously, I wasn't there. But what I can tell you is if that officer would have chose or would have issued a citation, it's optional to even pay it. >> Yeah, >> there at this point there's no recourse
to bring to hold um those people accountable for their actions. So the behavior continues and the behavior gets worse. You know, sadly at some point in time there has to be there has to be a certain level of punishment, you know. So
>> yeah, my reason is cuz I've been there since 2017 and we have a nails issue until this past year, especially them because there's a lot of ne elderly neighbor that they go to bed at 7:00.
>> Here comes all I mean I know everyone wants to live in a good neighborhood, but come on. Don't come in and disrupt the neighborhood either. >> I understand. And my suggestion to you would be and to all your neighbors and to all the residents of Lawrence if you're experiencing something similar um just keep calling because even though we
may not necessarily site or make an arrest at that point in time these are all calls that are being logged. So as officers continue to respond to the area >> the the response obviously will eventually escalate and it could lead it could lead to a citation. It could lead
to an arrest. it could lead to um you know revocations of certain you know permits and licenses that you know we could bring things forward to um to the appropriate city departments and um and hopefully um >> I even have um we reach out to councelor um Infante because she's the the
counselor on district. So I mean but it was just it's to be honest with you I think it's going to get out of hand this year. My suggestion is >> I'm ready for continue to call. Don't give up on us yet. No, >> I'm ready for it >> because we are we are obviously we are
trying to make the situation better. And I have this we're doing this in anticipation to to prevent Yes. >> what you're what you're forecasting, which is it getting worse in the especially with the summer months. >> Thank And I'll let my neighbors know about it too because since they know I work here for the city, they think I can
just find a solution immediately and and I explained to them it doesn't work that way. You know, we have to go through proper channels and like I said the tenant live area, he was very good at meeting with us and kind of like said just logging everything and keep on calling and keep on calling cuz even
though it it's it's loud. >> So we will continue to work with you and again what bring what brings me here today. is obviously trying to prevent that from your your forecast from becoming true. >> All right. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Madame Chair.
>> Yes. >> Hi, it's Councelor Infante. May I also speak on this matter? >> Okay. Farte, welcome. Good night. >> Thank you. Um, so I want to I want to add add some
details to the situation that Maria was just um explaining. There there's a one of her neighbors reached out to me multiple times and um and would send me screenshots
of the numerous of times that he would call Lawrence Police Department. So, I think something like this is needed. I don't know if my colleagues know, uh, Mont's actually been trying to work on this for the last two years to
update this so that they can enforce it because no matter how many times to this point, no matter how many times the police goes to goes to a home, if it's not enforcable, they they're there continue the pattern of behavior. And um
that particular incident, I heard it all the way from my house. I've heard the vibrations as I was as I was even using the restroom in my home. And I would and I recall going outside and standing in front of my my front
door trying to figure out where is this noise coming from? And I live like five blocks away from that area. So something like this I believe is needed and I hope that the committee um takes takes it into consideration. Thank
you. >> Thank you Fe. Any any comment on that? >> I'm sorry. >> Do you have any comment on what >> No, I appreciate I appreciate the vote of support from U. Councelor Infante. Um she we've been trying for a while and
again um this is not about um this is not about punishing anybody. You know there are a few bad actors in the city. So we do have to send a message at some point. you know, the majority of the calls and and and though there isn't a
protocol as to like what the response should be when you go to a a disturbance, a a noise disturbance, the majority of the officers understand that, you know what, Lawrence is not the most affluent city, right? So, the the majority of the officers go ahead and extend that that um that warning that
first time, maybe even the second time, you know, but eventually there has to be a limit. At some point, common sense has to prevail and this is a way to force common sense to prevail. >> Yeah, Rosario.
>> Thank you to you, Captain. I'm sorry if I missed you probably explain it and I was trying to look for it in the notes, but we go there, we go to court, everything is done, the enforcement is done, but at the end of the day, I didn't pay the ticket.
So, what will happen to the people? I mean, we know if it's a traffic violation, you lose your license. If it's if it's a a a cleaning uh tickets, you won't be able to if you don't pay your ticket, you won't be able to sell your house cuz they put a lean holder on it. So, what will be the final
enforcement? If I go to court, I lose and at the end of the day, I'm not I'm not paying a ticket. >> The courts council, the courts could even say jail. They could even enforce jail time. Um, so it is at that point the minute that you don't pay that citation. Um, and you didn't move
through the through the avenues that were made available to you, you fail to pay the citation, we would summon you into court. So at that point, you don't show up to court, obviously a warrant issue for you arrest, you know, you could be picked up at your house and be arrested. Um, essentially you would end
up in front of a magistrate and that magistrate would make the determination. you pay the citation, you don't pay the citation or whatever other punishment they see, you know, they could put you in front of a judge ultimately and you could be convicted of a misdemeanor. Um, again,
it's I I I rather take the path of least resistance. Um, and obviously and I think the message will be eventually let's just simply cooperate. >> Thank you. U motion to send this to the full council with a favorable recommendation. Second.
So motion is already made it to for councelor de Rosario. >> This public hearing is needed a public hearing. >> Okay. >> So motion is made for councelor Rosario. Second by councelor rees or all in favor?
>> I. >> So roll here. Yes. >> Thank you councelor. >> Thank you. Um can so the next item on the agenda now that
we have councelor infante in there is item 6626 is a resolution honoring Lauren high school senior darel Rodriguez on his amixion and full scholarship to
jail university and that's been submitted by councelor Stephanie Infante Okay. Can I hear a motion? >> Motion to send a full council with a favor recommendation. >> Second. >> So already second. All those in favor?
>> I may I have. >> Thank you counselors. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. So council I'm going to start taking some items from pass
and I would like to hear a motion regarding it's going to be item 38725. It's going to be out of table and out of order. The item
387 is remove a handicap parking uh five duram street that was submitted by councelor Wendy Lone. Here we already had that uh
the report. Yes. >> Yeah. We going to call office too much. I don't know. See, he already got >> councelor. Sorry. [laughter] >> Officer Sto. Okay.
>> Good evening, counselors. >> Hi, good evening. >> Officer Saws, please. So, I have some of the ordinances that I had submitted uh I believe it was about a week a week ago uh which do happen to be uh handicap
parking. So, the first one I have here is was submitted by Sophia Rosario. I'm submitting this memo. This is 34-26. I'm submitting this memo in response to
said ordinance 3426. This is a request for removal of a handicap parking >> in front of three courier street. >> That's not on the agenda. >> Um, council. Okay. Officer Sto, we don't have that item on the agenda at this at
this time. >> The 30 Yes. Uh 3426. >> You don't have 3426? >> No. >> So, we can proceed with another one. >> Yeah. We can Can we continue with the next one? >> Sure.
>> So, the next one I have is See, I have another removal. Okay. So, this is a removal for ordinance 38725. >> 38725. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. >> This request is for removal of handicap
parking in front of 5 Durant Street and the Lawrence Police Department has a favorable recommendation for removal. Council >> motion full recommendation over here. >> Second all those in favor.
>> I >> so say I have it. So what is the next one? >> Okay [clears throat] the next one is ordinance 459 and it was submitted by councelor do Rosario. This is uh I'm
submitting this memo in response to ordinance 459-25. This request is for handicap parking to be placed in front of 464 Havil Street and the Lawrence Police Department has a favorable recommendation for handicap
parking at this address. >> Item 459. >> Second already second. All in favor? >> I have it. Uh >> yes, that's what I say. It's going to be
uh out of table >> in a group sometime >> a couple. >> What is the next? >> And then I have ordinance 35-26. This was submitted by councelor Del Rosario and Aiden Jordan.
I'm submitting this memo in response to this ordinance 35-26. This request is for handicap parking to be placed in front of 33 Juniper Street. The Lawrence Police Department has a favorable recommendation for handicap parking at this address.
>> Motion with a favorable recommendation. >> Second one already made it already second. All those in favor? Hi. >> Yeah. >> Uh, the next one I have is ordinance 36-26.
>> This was submitted by councelor Miguel, councelor Reyes, and Patrick Cadet. I am submitting this memo in response to ordinance 36-26. This request is for handicap parking to be placed in front of 42 Kendrick
Street. The Lawrence Police Department has a favorable recommendation for handicap parking at this address. >> Motion or Senator Fel with a favorable recommendation. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I so I have it. from here.
>> That's is all the one that we already >> Okay. Um, so I'm going to defer these last three uh to my captain to Captain Montas all in the same area.
Good evening again. >> Good evening. All >> right. So, we have um ordinance 3126. Um so, this was um submitted um by Council Marl and uh on behalf of Marilyn J.
Rodriguez. So this is a request for residential parking restriction at Fairmont Street um west of um Auburn um from 5 to 7. So the it is a Lawrence Police Department sense that we are not
subject matter experts on um on the how on the parking. Sadly, we we are not affected by that by what would happen if we were to go ahead and make those uh that determination. And then we do believe that there's other city departments that are better equipped to
make that determine and to give you the advice so that you can make um you can make a decision not just simply not on a whim but based on um on somebody that's a subject matter expert, not um not the decision of a police officer that's not going to experience what the residents
of that area would experience. So >> Rosario, >> can we send up correspondence or defer this item to uh engineering and and also the DPW for uh take consideration on on
>> item 313 >> on item 3136 and this item can come back to to be a motion table. Second. >> So a motion to what is already done. All those in favor. >> I there is no discussion. Okay.
>> So 3226 is actually Fairmont Street. Now this is in the opposite side east side from Auburn. >> Um but it's a it's uh 3226. >> It's um it's residential parking the the same as uh a previous one.
So motion to send uh correspondence to the engineering and also the DPW department. >> Second >> for the recon is already made it already. Second also in favor. >> All right. And motion of table item 3226.
>> Second. >> All in favor? >> Okay. >> The last one that I have here is 3326. And this is [music] um oneway parking signage on Fairmont Street um to um from
Auburn to Holly Street. Once again, I think that there are other city departments that are better equipped to actually make uh a a recommendation on this on this matter. >> Motion motion is sent to the engineering department and also DPW department for
um the study on that. >> Second. and motion to table after that 0326. >> Second. >> So motion to table items 3326. All those in favor? >> I have it.
>> Well done. >> Thank you. >> Thank you very much. So council the next item in the agenda is item 6826 share parking 40 Marbor app that was
submitted by council president Joavanni Rodriguez and I am still or discussion motion to send with favor recommendation with the full council. Second. >> All those in favor I >> I
have it. So this has to be sended also for >> clarification police to the police department. >> Okay. So >> got to withdraw the motion. >> Sorry. withdraw my motion and I send
>> correspondent >> no >> to >> send to the police department >> to the police department. >> Second. >> So the M was made already second by council Miguel in favor. >> I have.
>> So the next item in the agenda 60 >> a motion to table. >> Okay. A motion to table >> the item. >> Okay. already second. All those in favor I >> I have it. >> Item 6926
Washington Street is a traffic direction chain that is going to be run from the northeast from Manchester Street to Aton Street that was submitted by councelor Gregory de Rosario and Pablo Pera.
Council >> motion to send to engineering department for street review. >> It's a motion to send to the PW department >> engineer >> and the engineering department and already second by council um Rees
all in favor >> I >> motion to table item 6926. >> Can I hear a second? Second >> already second. All those in favor. >> The item 7026
is one way Kandor S3 that was submitted by me councelor by president Anna Levy. So council >> motion to send to DPW and city engineer. >> There is a motion to send it to DPW and
the city engineer. I already second all those in favor. >> So the I have a motion to table. >> So move second. >> All those in favor? >> I
>> they I have it. So item 7126 it remove handicap parking 87 rail road s3 by councelor Gregor de Rosario and median Santiago council. May I hear a motion or
discussion? >> Motion. >> Can I hear a second? >> Already a second. All those in favor. May I have it? Item 7226 >> table >> remove handicap park motion table
>> a motion to table. Sorry. >> Um >> second >> second by councelor re in favor. >> I have it. Item 7226 remove handicap parking 203
West Street uh submitted by Diamond Ventura Council. >> Motion DPW >> and table after that. >> Second. >> Second. >> All those in favor. >> May I have it? >> So that's Do you hear Maria?
>> Yep. I got it. >> I like that one. >> Item 7326. Jesus transforming lives 2026. Uh this is going to be at the campan
common from July 26. >> It's August >> to July July 25th to July 26. So we have a okay submitted by will.
Hi. Hi. So your name Hoffman Avenue in Lawrence, Massachusetts. >> Um, so it's Una. Can I speak Spanish? Does it matter? >> No. >> English. English. >> Okay. So it's an evangelistic event held at the common park on the 24th and 25th
of July. >> It's 24 and it's Friday and Saturday. >> Here I got 25 26. Oh, >> let me double check the date. It's Friday and Saturday of that July weekend.
Uh, Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th. >> It's 20 Maria. So, please can you take a note? >> 24th. >> Yes. So from the three so from from the recreation department we have 25th and
26. >> Yes I think so that this is the council me if I'm not wrong this is the one that >> huh is this the transforming life >> that one is not the day they be present
in right here. >> But I mean I we're not we're not going to hold it. we can just, you know, put them up and have them bring a new form that says that those days that they actually requested are available. >> I mean, we still have plenty of time because this event is in July.
>> Mhm. >> Yeah. So, what do I need to do? >> So, we had in the form that is being filled, we said July 25th and July 26, and you said it's July 24 and July 25.
We going to send it according to what I hear from my >> Yeah, we can send it and we can have uh documentation pending and you can pass by to the recreation department and clarify the day. When you come back to
our next meeting, you bring the >> the new form. >> Yeah, the new form to clarify the day. >> And the recreation department is here or at the senior center? >> At the senior center >> where I had gone. Okay. >> Yes. >> Yep. All you need to do is what it does is is let us know that the day the July
24th is available right now. We don't know if they have it available because it's not here. Um so what they have is 20 the 25th and the 26th which it could be a a typo. It could be um you can go back and they say yeah we probably put the wrong day but it's available. So
that's all we need. >> Okay. >> So we make sure that the park >> we don't have we don't have their calendar to to make >> to make those adjustments. >> Yes. to make it. >> I think she might have put in the wrong date, but she was aware that it was a Friday and Saturday. Maybe it was just
>> Mhm. >> So, can what is that the motion >> through your chair? >> Yes, Rosario. >> And while ordinance, I tell the church at the park that be mindful of the
noise. Uh this past summer it wasn't that bad cuz we started telling the church that we got to be mindful of the all the noise because two years ago we got the most call of noise complaints and I was an event in the park where there was a church at the stage and I
was in an event on the other corner and I couldn't hear what I was there on the event. So we like the churches to be a little mindful. There's also neighbors around and and we know we we we celebrate the Holy Spirit, but we need to be conscious of of the noise around
the park. And there also we try not to combine two events in the same day, but it might happen. >> You might have another event on the same day, not on the stage, but you might have an event on the corner of the park like I was. I was on the corner of the park and we had a church on top of the
stage and they have speakers and they have all kinds of music which I love but it was too loud and that summer two summers ago we have the most complaints for the churches on the park. So we don't we don't want that you know to happen. Last year it was a little better. >> So I want you to be mindful of that
>> and and sorry that was my husband. >> Okay. So and I want you to be mindful of that you know and and and keep keep uh >> keep that into mind. Yeah. Yeah. We have I've never done um Well, this is the first time in 10 years that we've done an event since 2016. So, that might have
been another church that I know they do it yearly. I'm pretty >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. No, it's not directly to your church. Every church that comes here to ask for for a permit, we're going to I'm going to say I'm going to tell the the sense spill of the noise because I I got too many complaints, too many calls >> and but there's a church. Yeah. But it
it was too loud. And I went also to South to see cuz there was pictures and stuff. And the sound system that that church had in South last year, it was bigger than than a than a than a club. It was bigger than than it was it was a stage and it was it was a state-of-the-art and all kinds of stuff.
And it's I mean lovely concert, but it was for the neighbors. It was too loud too much. >> And when I saw the equipment, I said, "Well, this is this is a church or this is, you know, this is Sunny doing a a a a a show." So we got to just be mindful of the noise a little bit.
>> We're going to keep it with >> we're going to keep it within the park the noise. >> I mean you I know when the Holy Spirit is there we we we tend to forget. I mean >> Yeah. And then we praise the Lord and and but just keep on that. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Just give the speak through the
people that coming to the events not to right >> uh to the different places. So that make it because in here I can say they say that you're going to have a small microphone I think so and a speaker so that it's no be it's not going to be too
big. >> Okay. >> Motion to send the full council with a favorable recommendation pending the um availability for July 24th from the recreation department. Second. >> Okay. The next meeting uh [snorts] is
going to be Tuesday at 7 p.m. over here >> and bring in the form with the new date. >> Yes, please. >> You can have them email it to us, but bring a copy yourself just in case. >> Okay, we'll do that. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you guys. Have a good night. >> Good night. So uh council the next item on the
agenda is 7426 is the five days of worship 2026 of corn. It's going to be from July 26 to July 30 20 uh 2026 from 100 p.m.
from 100 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Yes. >> Um, they sent a new sheet that that it's going to be from August 26 through the 30th, right? >> Yes. I I I can see I can see in here.
So, thank you for remind me. I can see here. It's going to be August 26 to uh August 30, 2026 from 1 to 8:00 p.m. >> Okay. >> Good evening, you council. I'm Sandra, please. Sandra Lopez from 89 Ashland
Avenue in Methun and uh this will be our third year uh doing this five days of worship. We started with three days and then the following year we did four days and this year we would like to do five days. Um it has um brought a lot of uh hope to people.
Um, and I I I understand what he was saying about the noise because, you know, we we um we want to be responsible and and know that that not everybody, you know, agrees or or has the same um ideas as we do of um you know, when it
comes to noise or what we believe in or what other people believe in. Um but this event has has helped a lot of people and um but that's why we're here to um to request permit for this five days of worship which has brought a lot of hope and faith to um to the whole
community and it's bilingual too because um you know for Spanish and English speakers. >> So every day it's going to be one day in English and the other >> No, it's both. It's translated. We have an interpreter translation. Yes, we have it's the the
>> the preacher speaks uh Spanish and it's get it gets translated into English. >> Okay, that's great. So, councelor >> same speech. I mean, I've been doing it for the past two years. So, just be mindful of of the noise.
>> Of course, >> we don't want it, you know, shut down any the police will shut down. You see, they trying to implement more enforcement when it comes to noise, >> but um I mean, I never seen us saying no to to any church event, but we got to be mindful of all the noise. >> Of course.
>> Yeah. So, like I can say the same thing for you guys. >> Motion to send a full council with a favorable recommendation. >> Second. >> Second. >> Those in favor? >> I. >> Okay. There. I have it. So, next Tuesday is the next meeting for the full council. So, you'll be there by 7,
please. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Thank you, too. Have a good night. I The next item is 7526 raining in the ballot campon common August 25st to August 22nd
2026 from 78 a.m. to 10 p.m. by Luis Leonor >> through you. >> Yes. Secretary Thor is uh informed when the meeting started that actually the pastor
is doing this uh event wasn't able to to come to us but they already um they ready to do the thing. Um so they got the day is okay so she want us to move it forward and they will be here uh on the next council meeting.
So the only thing that I can see in here is start at 7 a.m. It's very early. >> But the council >> any comments or concern? No.
>> So can I get a motion? >> Motion to send the full council with a favorable recommendation. >> Second. >> So motion already made it and second. All those in favor >> I >> item 7626 farmer market at the company common uh
Wednesday Jul J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J June 10 through September the 30 uh from 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Uh submitted by Freddy Sosa, Ground Work Florence. Hi, good evening.
>> Good evening. >> Please state your name and address. >> Freddy Salsa on behalf of Gr Lawrence, 50 Island Street. >> Thank you. Okay. Can you tell a little bit about it? >> Yeah, it's the just, you know, requesting the permits to run our
farmers markets going from June till October for Wednesday on the North Commons, the first one and the second one that is coming after. So you're going to be on the same on the same side on the um H street. >> Yes.
>> Okay. Yeah. >> A lot of people that coming. [laughter] >> Yes. Yes. And we're happy for that. >> And they are so happy to have you know those best principal and their >> council any comment or any question on
that regard? >> Motion to senator full council with a favor recommendation. >> Second. So all in favor I >> so I have it. Thank you. So I [cough] sorry say there
7726 farmer market at also is going to be at the Okonum Park. Mhm. >> So from June 13 to September the 26, 2026
from 8:00 a.m. 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. >> And yes, and then again this is for the Saturdays on the south common the same schedule that happen you know 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. >> So you're going to do it just raining or not raining?
>> Yes. As we always do I hope not. Yeah. >> All right. >> Motion to senator full council with a favorable recommendation. >> Second. >> So motion already made it and second by council um >> ra [laughter]
item that you would like to take out of table. Okay, >> Joseph. >> Thank you. So, see you next Tuesday at 700 p.m. >> Do I [laughter] have to come back? >> Yes. >> Yeah, it goes to full counsel. >> It's going to the full council now for
the final approval. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. See you. >> Okay. What is the the motion? >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Okay. Motion to adjourn by councelor de
Rosario. Second by councel Reyes or fo. >> There I have it. Thank you councelor.