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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=ppUyahoCmmA

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Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Oh. >> Can I get a motion to get out of recess? >> Motion. >> Second. >> There's a motion to get out of recess, properly second, discussion. There is none. All those in favor, please say "Aye." >> Aye. >> The "Ayes" have it. This is the special

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meeting in continuation of the Monday night meeting, uh which started the discussion of the fiscal year uh of the budget fiscal year 2027. >> [snorts] >> Uh just to read, if anybody

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it is will will be repetitive, I mean, I think in in in case anybody anybody at home is listening, we're just going to read this uh the disclaimer. Pursuant to chapter 20 of the Act of 2022, this meeting is will be hybrid, allowing participation both in person at

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the City Council Chambers, as well as remotely. Uh this meeting is is also being transmitted live uh through the uh YouTube YouTube Lawrence City Council page, as well as the Facebook. Um >> You want me to do Um

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Mano, can I call the roll, please? >> Councilor Gonzalez? >> Present. >> Councilor Miguel? >> Present. >> Councilor Marmolejo? >> Present. >> Councilor Monte? >> Present. >> Councilor Reyes? >> Present. >> Councilor Del Rosario? >> Present. >> Councilor LaPlant? >> Yes. >> Council Vice President Levy?

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>> Yes. >> recess, yes. >> Council President Rodriguez? No, this is a roll call. >> But you >> Did you say? >> We're to come out of recess? >> No, we already voted that. This was just a roll call to show who came out of recess. >> Present, yes, here. Um

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All right, um this meeting since this is a continuation um please uh I know this is not required, but please join me for a moment of silence. It's always needed. Now, join me for the Pledge of Allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag

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of the United States of America. And to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Councilors, can I get a motion to allow public participation? >> So moved. Second.

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>> There's a motion to allow public participation, properly second, discussion. I hear none. All those in favor, please say "Aye." >> Aye. >> The ayes have it. We have one person on the list. >> No. >> Uh Morocco, please. >> Um, Counselor Blanchette? >> No. >> Counselor De Rosario? [snorts]

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>> No. >> Yes. Um, Counselor Reyes? >> Yes. >> Counselor Infante? >> Yes. >> Counselor Mambo? >> Yes. >> Counselor Miguel? >> Yes. >> Counselor Gonzalez? >> Yes. >> Council Vice President? >> Yes.

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>> Council President? >> Yes. What's the count? >> Uh, 9 to 2. 7 to 2, excuse me. >> Okay, motion carries. Uh, we have one person on the list for public participation. The rule The rule for public participation are as follows. You're going to have 2 and 1/2 minutes to speak.

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Uh, at the 2-minute mark, you're going to hear a beep indicating that you still have 30 seconds. Please refer to this council as a whole. Uh, the first person that we have, and the only person that we have, is H. Mali. Name and address for the record, please. >> Thank you. >> Humayun Mali, 53 Chester Street. Good

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evening, honorable members. We, the citizen, pray for the recovery of the honorable police officer who injure in the line of duty. Lawrence Police, this union of pride and honor, with the impeccable leadership by honorable Chief

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Morris Agler, doing excellent job to protect our citizen. Thank you for making Lawrence a safe city. Lawrence is a beautiful city because of our hard working DPW workers and the leadership. Thank you for making Lawrence a

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beautiful city. We, the citizen, support our inspection department and their union. Thank you for excellent job. Lawrence Public Schools, with the impeccable leadership by honorable Superintendent Ralph Carrero, doing excellent job. Million thanks to

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honorable Director Wu. We, the Laurentian, support our teachers union. We are proud of you. Because of you, Lawrence, we rise again. Lawrence always is strong. Lawrence always unite. We are proud to support our veterans. Thank you

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for your service. Thank you for your sacrifices. We must hire two new position in our veterans department and create the best commission for the elders. In this important meeting as we honor the best police officers and the

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first responder. We support our firefighters union. Lawrence firefighters with a impeccable leadership by honor of the chief Delaney, one of the best fire department in the nation. Lawrence police officers, thank you for excellent job. We are

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united to support your union. >> Thank you. Uh all these names are going to be submitted for the record. Now we continue with the discussion for the fiscal year 2027 budget. Uh the municipal budget for the city of Lawrence. Councilors,

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we have received uh information from from the mayor of the city of Lawrence, Brian A. DePeña, and now we're going to expand the opportunity for the administration to present uh the different amendments for the fiscal year 2027.

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So if you if you mind. >> Good evening, Council President and Councilors. Octavian Santana, senior advisor to Mayor DePeña. I'm going to be brief again just so we can uh proceed. The uh

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I am presenting this budget amendment tonight on behalf of Mayor DePeña, Brian DePeña. The mayor remains of the opinion that the FYI uh FY2027 budget he submitted is fair, balanced,

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and fiscally responsible. He continues to emphasize that the management of a municipal operating budget must be viewed not only through the lens of current needs, but also with a long-term vision for the city's

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financial stability and future growth. As the executive branch, uh he has a responsibility to ensure the continued delivery of essential services while pursuing policies and investments that foster economic development, expand

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the tax base, and strengthen the city's long-term fiscal health. At the same time, the mayor has listened carefully to the concerns and recommendations expressed by members of the city council throughout the budget process. In the spirit of collaboration

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and shared responsibility, he has directed the adjustment be made to the uh to the fiscal year 2027 budget to make it as lean and efficient as possible while preserving the city's ability to

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meet its obligation and continue providing critical services to the residents. The amendments before you this evening reflect the that effort. They represent a good faith attempt to address council's concern while

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maintaining a balanced budget that protects the city's financial position and supports its long-term economic objectives. We respectfully request the city council's favorable consideration of these amendments. The amendments are as

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follows. [snorts] I think you all received the the the amendments. Um the from the mayor's uh budget, if we look at advertisement, the [snorts] mayor um has reduced it by 20

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uh thousand dollars. >> [snorts] >> The mayor's other purchases and services, uh there was a reduction of 30 additional reduction of 30,000 from IT salary and wages, there was a hundred

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cut as well as in the planning department one position I believe one position was was eliminated. From the fire

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there there was $150,000 which represented the assistant chief position. And also the emergency management we were considering well let me contain from DPW parks and

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other purchase services $30,000 was reduced. Motor vehicle excise revenue we have added um 88 794,000 dollars.

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And from the school department transportation and lease which covered the 594,794. So which balance presents a balanced budget.

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The cuts that we did and and this is Council President and Councilors >> [clears throat] >> is >> [snorts] >> it was it's it's a difficult task especially considering that certain uh

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items that were included I believe during our discussions and I think Councilor LaPlante you can appreciate we we went before beyond eliminating the emergency management position. That doesn't mean that position was not needed and I know that during during the

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the budget discussions yes there were differences of opinion what was needed or not. We do not agree but we need to compromise at some point. We did feel Council President that there were certain concerns because you know you

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see look at the dynamic during the the different budgets sessions, different department questions that you ask and that information both the capital and staff has related the feedback to to Mayor de Pennier. And

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in discussions with him we believe that we have met you halfway. Based upon your request and what we are basically asking is for you to accept the mayor's

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budget tonight. Thank you. >> All right. Councilors, at this point we have received the amendment that it was asked and I get a motion for the purpose of discussion for the fiscal year 2027 budget. >> Motion Motion to approve the mayor's

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FY27 budget with the amended with the amendments as outlined in his memo dated June 16, 2027. Ex- Do I do the exclusion? >> June 15. >> I mean June June 15, 2027. >> Six.

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>> I mean 20 2020 2027. 2026. >> 2026. >> 2027 here. That's why. Sorry. I'm like my brain. Excluding No, no, no. >> No. Just just okay. >> There we go. >> So there is a motion

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for the purpose of discussion been taken by Councilor Reyes. Discussion. Discussion. Councilor Brown. >> It may be a relief to know that I'm not going to offer any amendments tonight. Maybe I'm disappointing a few of you,

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but I'm [snorts] not offering any amendments tonight. However, what I will do is this. I I want to focus on three places that I think can use some improvements as we go forward in this in the next fiscal year. And then I want to have one comment regarding the approach that we took this year

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Um, how we got here. So, number one, um, in in being a part of the budget and finance committee this year, and listening to the department heads speak, uh, and by the way, I I thought it was a a good job and I um, it was very

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informative despite the lateness. We were able to really think of a lot of information. One was one of the concerns that I have that we need to work on is the ISD revenues. Uh, the numbers that we have for this past

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fiscal year, um, to really be improved upon, I think. Whether it's under the building inspection fees or the trash ordinance fines, for example, there is room for improvement. We We brought, uh, the administration asked and

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uh, while it didn't come before the council, we did reauthorize the prosecutor's position, but across the board, we have new staff there. We got more beef to the ISD department. We should be expecting um, more revenues. Not because we want to

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get more money. We would want to change behaviors, but it just seems to me as though there's a lot of opportunity out there to change behaviors and those behaviors, if they don't change, there's opportunities for us to reinforce a behavioral change with a penalty, with a fee. Um, a penalty, not a fee, but a

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penalty. So, I I would I would number one urge that we go ahead and and look toward um, increasing that and be more attentive to that in this upcoming fiscal year. Number two, uh, I look at the budget, I'm going to raise

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it as a prop. I look at this document more than just a budget, more than just numbers. To me, this is a book that talks about policy. This is a book that provides direction as to how government is going to proceed

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in the upcoming year. Saying that, this should be a surprise to no one who sits here, and perhaps no one who sits out there, that what I believe to be one of the top issues, maybe the top issues, I hate to rank them like that, but it is our

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housing situation. And our budget should reflect the fact that we have an incredible spike going on right now, and that we need to have cooperative cooperation within departments and

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leadership from the mayor to work on the unlawful apartments. If we were as good on the unlawful apartments as we are with building new apartments and new units, we would have a fantastic balance in the city. But right now, we are so

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good at building building and creating more, whether it's through zoning or planning, or whether it's through um ADUs, or whether it's just through um sure growth, but we're not good on the on the other side. There's room for improvement is my

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point. So, that's the second thing. The third thing is and and councilors, I I Council President, I say this not um not to be petty, but I do think that we have a leadership

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position, and even if the dollar amounts aren't large, even if the dollar amounts aren't large, I think there's there's places to improve in our budget. I see things that we're spending money on that I think as times get tough, and

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they will be getting tough, we should not be spending some of the monies that we are on certain items, certain things. So, I'm not offering amendments tonight to cut. I'm not going to go into the details regarding what the problems are. I'm happy to, but I don't want to go down

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that rabbit hole tonight unless people want to. I don't particularly want to. I think the council president knows where I stand on a lot of these issues. I don't need to say it again. So, but there's room for improvement in the council budget and I would hope that we would be more conservative in our

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approach on ex- expenditures in our council budget. Now, on more of the good stuff. I want to applaud uh the budget chair. We may have had differences of opinion. They may be a lot starker recently than they have been, but I can be objective

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and I can see that uh the way the meeting were run, the way that the management of it took place, I need to applaud and give flowers where flowers are due. So, I want to publicly say that I thought that um that I me as a rank and file committee member had every

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opportunity to ask any question that I wanted to ask. I didn't feel as though I was being shut down. I could if I wanted to go deep into a rabbit hole, I was allowed to go deep into a rabbit hole and I appreciate that. So, I just wanted that to say that. The last thing I want to say is

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I want to commend, not condemn. I want to commend and applaud Mayor Brian A. De Peña. I want to appreciate the fact that he sent down to us some cuts.

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So, we don't have to vote on additional taxes. We already going to be voting [snorts] up to the up to the council levy, up to the excuse me, up to the tax levy plus new growth to over $4 million. I have less of a problem with that and

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I'll tell you why. It's becoming more expensive to produce the kind of services we want and essentially going to the 2 and 1/2% provides just kind of a baseline to continue this continue offering government as we've been.

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What really troubles me is if we actually were going to go down and it was discussed to go down the road to dip into excess tax tax ex- help me out with your capo. tax levy capacity. And to extract money whether it's

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200,000, 600,000 or $2. Once we see that we're able to go ahead and do that what's going to stop any one of us or any mayor? I'm shocked that we're even talking about this tonight because I didn't never thought I'd be talking like this years ago.

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What's to stop us from going ahead and increasing taxes beyond the 2.5 and the new growth? If we did it if we did it under this budget, if we did it successfully, right? That should give taxpayers cause for alarm

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that they were not asked. Well, and then they're not required to but if we're going to go ahead and tax people beyond the 2.5 we need to go to I think as good government stewards, we should be going to the taxpayers and asking them that question. We're going to be raising your taxes for whatever it is

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for this purpose. Do you support that? Anyway. But we don't have that tonight. That's fantastic news. Mayor, through you thank you very much for bringing it it's not easy as as Mr. Spanner said. It's not easy finding $600,000

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in a budget and try because you're cutting stuff, right? There were plans that you had and you had to cut. So, thank you for doing that. I appreciate that and I'm going to be supporting tonight's budget. Thank you. >> Councilors, any other questions? Any other comments?

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All right. We are going to get ready to vote on this item. Before we get ready to vote even though we have a motion for the purpose of discussion, we need to kind of like tweak that motion a little bit uh into uh two three different motions, if not if

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not four. The first motion that I'm looking for is a motion to approve uh um the fiscal year 2027 budget uh for the finance department.

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And uh Counselor and also for the inspectional services, those two together, uh Counselor Rosario's going to step out for potential conflict of interest. >> A motion to approve um the budget for the finance

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finance department and also the inspectional services department portion of the mayor's FY 27 budget with the which includes also the amendments as outlined in his memo dated June 16th, 2026.

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>> [laughter] >> Second. >> There's a motion in front of us, properly seconded. Discussion. >> Real quick discussion. I don't think we said tonight yet, and someone needs to say this, that based on these cuts and based on what we're about to vote on,

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the folks that came here two nights ago, that bus issue has just evaporated. We are now fully funding, it hasn't been said yet, that is now being fully funded and that the it is as it was this year, it's going to be again next year, and that's for those

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folks who really wanted is a victory for them as well. >> Yeah, and we will once we get to the general budget uh we're going to we're going to we're going to bring this up uh to make sure people understand that, but I just don't want the confusion with the two other vote that we're taking.

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Any questions, counselors, on those on the on that on this amendment and this motion that we have in front of us? Okay, I I hear none. Madam Clerk, please call the roll. >> Um Counselor Gonzales? Yes. Councilor Miguel? >> Yes.

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>> Councilor Mama? >> Yes. >> Councilor Infante? >> Yes. >> Councilor Reyes? >> Yes. >> Councilor Del Rosario has recused himself. Councilor LePlant? >> Yes. >> Councilor Vice President Levy? >> Yes. >> Councilor President Rodriguez? >> Yes. Motion carries.

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So, now I going to add I would like to get a motion Councilor Del Rosario, you can abstain. Um That is a It's perfect. So, now I'm looking for a motion to approve uh that uh the fiscal year 2027

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uh portion of the budget for the water and sewer department. >> Motion to approve the water and sewer department portion of the mayor's FY27 budget that also includes the amend amendments as

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outlined in his memo dated June 16th, 2026. >> Second. >> Uh the motion has been made properly second uh Councilor uh Miguel have to step out for the potential for because of because of a potential conflict of conflict of interest.

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Um any discussions on this matter? I hear no, Madam Clerk. Please call the roll. >> Councilor LePlant? >> Yes. >> Councilor Del Rosario? >> Yes. >> Councilor Reyes? >> Yes. >> Councilor Infante? >> Yes. >> Councilor Mama? >> Yes.

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>> Councilor uh Councilor Miguel has recused himself. Councilor Gonzales? >> Yes. >> Councilor Vice President Levy? >> Yes. >> Councilor President Rodriguez? >> Yes. Motion carries. So, now I'm I going to entertain a motion for the remaining of the

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fiscal year of 2027 budget which is everything but but those three that we just mentioned. So, can I get an amendment on the original motion on the underlying motion. Uh >> I can make that amendment because >> I'm just >> Oh, make another motion and

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>> Remake the motion. Okay. Motion to approve the remaining but the remaining budgets within the mayor's fiscal year 2027 budget which also includes amendments he he made in his memo dated June 16th, 2026.

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This motion excludes the three departments that we just voted on. >> Second. >> motion is for fiscal year 2020 2027 budget. Uh everything else but the three departments that we just bought which is the water and sewer department,

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inspection services, and also the finance department. Uh any discussions on this? Uh before we continue, that is important to recognize what Councillor LeBlanc just said a few minutes ago. It was seconded by Councillor LeBlanc. >> Oh, okay. >> It was seconded by me. >> Oh, yes. Okay, I didn't hear it.

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>> So, that four the 594,794 uh dollars for the transportation issues for the Lawrence Public School uh [snorts] has been allocated uh uh with the cuts that it was presented by that by the administration and the Mayor Brian A. De Peña

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uh [snorts] and the amendment was just discussed. So, the issues that was brought up up to everybody's attention here at the council, uh all the parents that came here, thank you for showing up and presenting that issue. That was uh taken care of.

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Hopefully, uh the cherry sheet for the Senate budget that we take as a base is accurate so we don't have to come back again with the same issue. Any questions, councilors? Discussion. Councillor LeBlanc.

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>> Um the other night I was listening to my colleague from District C who was commenting regarding the transportation contract and I thought it was a it it intrigued me cuz I wanted to learn more about that. Just because we have the folks here, I

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would like to ask at this point through you if anybody from the school department has a reaction or comment regarding the contract that we have with I believe it's NRT. When does it expire? And I just think that to my colleagues

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point, this may be something we need to review. >> Good evening council. Thank you for your time. We have and I wholeheartedly agree with with what Mr. Counselor Rosario

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expressed the other night on Monday. And it's a concern that is not only a Lawrence concern, it's a concern for the whole Commonwealth. In June of last year, the legislature instructed the office of the Inspector General to

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conduct a study a review of of that very same problem for the whole Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I am happy to provide that for you. It basically had 17 findings. A lot of the findings are the same

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things that were mentioned here the other night. The cost of the bus drivers, the cost of the lack of competition, and uh you know, just what you call that a monopoly, but that is in essence what

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we're talking about. And then they provided some recommendations on how to mitigate some of those findings. And those are some of the things that we are planning on on doing. Some of it is starting the process early.

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The bidding process early. They they recommend the office of the Inspector General recommends 6 to 12 months Um, to start the bidding process and and looking for those things. Some of the things that you talked about of breaking up some areas, for example, that's

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another thing. Um, what else? Um, there are a number of recommendations that were um, proposed by the office of the Inspector General in this study and those are some of the things that we plan on implementing our but our

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contract with NRT just started this fiscal year so we're in the first year of a three-year. That doesn't mean that we cannot go back to the table and and renegotiate and that's what we're planning on doing. That's that's how we're going to move

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forward with this. >> I I appreciate that. I appreciate your attendance and listening to what my colleague had to say. I I support uh, what he was trying to accomplish and it appears successfully accomplished. Uh, we'll see what happens. I don't think

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uh, that we actually have uh, an ability to do anything with respect to that except to bring it to light. We don't vote on the contract. Uh, this is a purely a school department issue. This is something that happens internally. We don't get into those kinds of details

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and weeds. That's not our jurisdiction, right? But our jurisdiction does, at the end of the day, when you look for the budget for the entire school department to pass, that's going to be in there and I would hope and that when we have these budget discussions next year >> Yes, sir.

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>> that we can I want to hear about what happened and how much money are we saving because of that. >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. And and just for for the record, the contract with NRT I said we're finishing up our first year. Um, the first year was a 2.25

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increase percent, 2.25% increase and I believe for next year is 2.25% increase. That's the the extent of the contract that we have with NRT um, for the services of special education and also general population. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Cabrera, and

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thank you. >> Uh before you go, Jason, I just want to say thank you for your military services. [snorts] >> Oh, thank you, sir. Thank you. >> A lot of people don't recognize that because you're young. So, thank you for your service. >> Well, yeah, thank you. When I left Lawrence, I went I went in there

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straight into the military, so I did my time proudly. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Councilor, any questions? >> Council President. >> Councilor Infante. >> Thank you. I was going to say this earlier, but I think uh Councilor Plan did a great job saying

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it, but then I Now I still want to say I also want to follow my colleagues' lead in thanking Mayor De Peña and the team for the amendments that that you offered. Um I also recognize that some some of this was not easy because we did

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hear the petition from the department heads and the need, but um to come together in the middle, I think this is one of the easiest budget process we've been through, so think I do want to thank you for for those efforts. And I once again want to

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thank everyone that was part of the budget process from the committee to to the behind the scenes to to the front line, everyone. Um this is the first year that we did not go past 12 a.m. So, on the other years, we got home

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sometimes at almost 2:00 in the morning. So, I am proud to say this is the first year that we did not do that, and um I'm hoping to continue and continue to to improve this process if elected, Chair, so.

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>> Councilor President. >> Any other questions, Councilor? >> No, just um Councilor President. >> Councilor Vice President Levy. >> Um Well, my Councilor Infante went for me. But I want to thank you. I want to thank

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you. First, want to thank you in the committee also because we have to thank you the committee of the budget. This year, I know that it was a very very long process because you are starting before talking with different department and try to get a very understanding of

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what's going on during uh this coming season budget. So, I want to thank you each one of you for the great work that you already did it. But also I want to thank you all the employee also for all the different department because of the time, because of the patience and

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practically uh you guys, thank you so much for all your great work that in your community to the city. Mayor, thank you for understanding you know what is the process and to work

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and you hear, you know, the voice also of the community and not just the voice of the community but also you hear everything that was say in here during this practically 2 months that we were working uh during uh with the budget.

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Thank you the community also who show all and spread their concern about you know the the problem with it with the school with it with the bus and so many other things that are was happening here. And the school department, thank

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you also for getting the way on how to provide bus again to to the student. And every one of you, everyone that is also in here, I think that we are showing a very concern with whatever that happen to the city. Thank you so much.

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>> Uh any anybody else, councilors? Uh I just want to take one last opportunity to uh >> [snorts] >> I appreciate the the hard work of the of the committee. Uh I'm part of that committee. Uh I And also every department that we

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here, uh they were here on time. They were here available to uh respond to any questions. Uh there were uh a lot of them that were willing to uh uh provide a lot of information.

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Um and that is uh all the departments that we still need to work a little bit around. That's always happen. But the good thing about it is that we hear all of you and all of us. Uh we serve the the city of Lawrence

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on the on different capacity. And when we serve a community that is so much in need, it's is is is a collaboration of all. And having an opportunity to work with every single one of you,

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having different point of view sometime, and having similarities and many others, which are more than uh the oppositions. >> [snorts] >> I It is amazing. So, thank you all, all of the head of departments, all of the workers,

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or everybody that is supporting everybody that is supporting the the administration, everybody that is supporting the the the the general uh purpose of the budget, which provide the services for to the

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community. Uh thank you all. I highly appreciate. I definitely appreciate uh your hard work um and your dedication to the community. So, if it is not any any other questions or further questions, uh Madam Clerk,

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please call the roll. >> Councilor Gonzalez. >> Yes. >> Councilor Miguel. >> Yes. >> Councilor Marmol. >> Yes. >> Councilor Infante. >> Yes. >> Councilor Reyes. >> Yes. >> Councilor De Rosario. >> Yes. Councilwoman Plant? Yes. Council Vice President Levy? >> Yes.

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>> Council President Rodriguez? >> Yes. >> All in favor. >> Congratulations. >> Congratulations. >> [applause] [applause] >> THANK YOU. >> [applause] [applause] [applause] >> MAYOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. Thank you,

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Vice President. Thank you every single uh member to City Council. Tonight everybody make demonstration to the city of Lawrence. When everybody work together, everything is possible.

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And only one is beneficiary. It's a community. I want to say thank you. And I I think it's great opportunity for continue work together. And the city is a more important issue in every agenda.

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Tonight is a better demonstration to the community. Thank you. And thank you Ramona. You team. Thank you everybody in my office because working uh hard very hard.

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Uh everybody in the city include counselor uh member sit my car my staff working late. 9:00 night afternoon

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and study early. But if you don't support >> [snorts] >> my job impossible doing great job. I want to say thank you. God bless you. God bless your family. And I love you. Marlene.

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Marlene, thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you, gentlemen. >> [applause] [applause] [laughter] >> We're not Is motion to adjourn in order? >> Yeah, we need one. >> With no further ado, motion to adjourn.

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>> Motion to adjourn. >> adjourn. >> There's a motion to adjourn, probably second. >> Motion to adjourn, PROBABLY SECOND. >> AYE. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. >> [applause] >> NICE EATING LUNCH ON THE JOB.