THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I CALL TO ORDER TODAY'S MEETING OF BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. VIEWERS CAN WATCH THE COUNCIL MEETING LIVE ON YOUTUBE@BOSTON.GOV BACKSLASH CITY COUNCIL DASH TV. AT THIS TIME I ASK MY COLLEAGUES AND THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE SILENCE THEIR CELLPHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES. ALSO PURSUANT TO RULE 42 I REMIND ALL IN THE CHAMBER THAT NO DEMONSTRATION OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL BE PERMITTED. THANK YOU. MR CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL TO ASCERTAIN THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM? COUNCILOR BREADON HERE. COUNCIL COLOR AS OPPOSED TO COUNCIL CULPEPER. COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR FLYNN. YEAH. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE HERE. COUNCILOR MIKE. HERE. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR. PIPPIN. COUNCILOR SANTANA HERE. COUNCILOR WEBER. AND COUNCILOR WORRELL. A QUORUM IS PERFECT. THANK YOU. I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE BY THE TRUCK OF THE QUORUM IS PRESENT. NOW IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INVITE ,UH, COUNCILOR WEBER TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S THIS WEEK'S CLERGY. OKAY. >> HELLO. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. UM. UH, TODAY'S CLERGY, UH. WANT TO COME UP HERE? UH YES. IS DOCTOR DO FOR FLUORESCENCE? UH, ALSO KNOWN AS PASTOR KIKI. UM, YOU KNOW, I FIRST, UH I GOT TO KNOW, UH, PASTOR KIKI BEFORE ,UM, I EVEN GOT INVOLVED IN. POLITICS FROM HIS WORK WITH MY WIFE'S, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT DOES REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT IN THE REGION. UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S HIS WORK. UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S PART OF HIS WORK WITH THE CHURCH BUT HIS WORK IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, I KNOW YOU KNOW, ALL OF US ARE CONCERNED WITH THE TREATMENT OF IMMIGRANTS IN OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. UH. >> BUT, YOU KNOW, ON THE FRONT LINES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT IS, UH, EXPERIENCING THE PAIN OF, UM, WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY. UH, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH OR MORE SO THAN ANY OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE A HAITIAN COMMUNITY. UH, AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN. UH, PROUD TO STAND BY. PASTOR KIKI. UH, WHENEVER, UH, YOU KNOW, I CAN HELP. UM, UH AND I KNOW, UH, HE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING. UH, TO EXTEND TPS STATUS. FOR UH FOR HAITIANS AND THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS. UH. >> THEY MANAGED TO SUPPORT, UH ,CONGRESSWOMAN I HONOR PRESLEY'S DISCHARGE PETITION TO BRING AN EXTENSION OF TPS. STATUS UP FOR A VOTE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND. THIS STARTED. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. I THINK YOU NEED 218 SIGNATURES. THEY STARTED. WITH 8 OR 9 SIGNATURES AND IT WAS PHONE. CALLS AND YOU KNOW, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY GOING UH, YOU KNOW, REACHING OUT TO. UH TO. TO REPS FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE AND THEY MANAGED TO GET. THERE AND. >> IT'S UM YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY AN EXAMPLE UH, FOR ME FOR STEPPING UP FOR A COMMUNITY THAT THAT NEEDS OUR HELP. AND SO I. JUST WANT TO THANK, UH. PASTOR KIKI FOR. BEING HERE AND. UH, UH. GIVE HIM THE. >> MIC. THIS YEAR. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, COUNCIL FOR THIS, UH, GRACIOUS INVITATION. UH. THANK YOU. ALL THE, UH, COUNCILORS THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ALSO FOR YOUR DEDICATION, UH, TO CONTINUE TO REPRESENT, UH, THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. I WOULD DEFINITELY ASK YOU TO STAND AS WE ARE ABOUT TO PRAY. I THINK MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST FOR SAVING ME. UH, HAD CANCER. THAT'S. YEAR WENT TO SURGERY. BUT TODAY I'M ALIVE. TO GOD BE THE GLORY. LET'S PRAY. THE HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH A HEART FULL OF GRATITUDE. WE THANK YOU FOR THE COUNSELORS THE WORK THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS. YOUR WORDS REMIND US IN ROMANS 13 AND ONE THAT AUTHORITY IS ESTABLISHED BY YOU AND PROVERBS 1434 TELLS US THAT'S RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALT NATION BUT UNJUST IS AND SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE. THEREFORE OR GOD WE PRAY THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS GUIDE THIS COUNCIL THAT INTEGRITY, JUSTICE AND MORAL FLAHERTY INFLUENCE EVERY DECISION MADE IN THIS CHAMBER. LORD OF RESURRECTION POWER. WE THANK YOU FOR EASTER. FATHER. >> AND THEN WE THANK YOU FOR THE VICTORY THAT YOU'RE BRINGING TO EARTH THE HOPE AND THE COURAGE AND NOW OH GOD, WE REMEMBER YOUR HOLY REQUIREMENTS IN MICAH SIX EIGHT. WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU TO ADD JUSTLY TO LOVE MERCY AND TO WALK HUMBLY BEFORE YOUR GOD? SO TODAY ON BEHALF OF THESE COUNSELORS, WE PRAY GRANT THEM THE STRENGTH TO PURSUE JUSTICE TO DEFEND THE OPPRESSED, UPLIFT THE VULNERABLE AND ENSURE FAIRNESS AND EQUITY FOR ALL OUR RESIDENTS IN BOSTON. FILL THE HEARTS WITH MERCY SO THAT COMPASSION GUIDE THE POLICIES AND EVERY DECISION SHOWS CONCERN FOR HUMAN DIGNITY . PROVIDE THEM WITH HUMILITY SO THEY LEAD NOT FOR PERSONAL AGAIN BUT IN SERVICE WITH INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. LORD, AS YOUR WORD STATES IN PROVERBS 1114 WHERE THERE IS NO GUIDANCE A PEOPLE FORCE BUT IN ABUNDANCE OF COUNSELORS THAT THERE IS SAFETY. MAY THIS COUNCIL BE A PLACE OF WISE COUNCILOR AND UNITY AND IN ABUNDANCE OF COUNSELORS. MAKE THIS BODY AN INSTRUMENT OF RENEWAL BRINGING LIFE WHERE THERE IS DESPAIR, JUSTICE WHERE THERE'S INEQUALITY AND UNITY WHERE THERE IS DIVISION. BLESS EVERY COUNSELOR, STAFF MEMBER AND CONSTITUTED THEIR SERVANT. MAY YOUR WISDOM GUIDE THE DISCUSSIONS, PEACE GOVERNS THE INTERACTIONS AND THE RIGHTEOUSNESS UPLIFT NOT ONLY THIS COUNCIL BUT THIS CITY AND NATION. WE ENTRUST THIS SESSION INTO YOUR HANDS. OH GOD. TRUST IN YOUR PROMISE. FATHER THAT AS WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOU YOU WILL DIRECT THE PATH. FATHER. AS MANY PEOPLE ADDRESS YOU BY MANY NAMES I PRAY THROUGH YOUR PRECIOUS SON NAME JESUS CHRIST AND THE PEOPLE OF GOD AND SO. AMEN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> AND I RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. BUT THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU, PASTOR KIKI. UH, I KNOW UM WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS TODAY. COUNSELOR CULPEPER IS RECOGNIZING HIGHER GROUND BOSTON AND UH, ALSO THE NEW ENGLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY COUNSELOR CULPEPER. IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US. AND WAIT FIVE MINUTES FOR EACH OF YOUR PRESENTATIONS. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I LIKE AMANDA GOOD AND MARTIN HEMSLEY TO JOIN ME ON THE PODIUM. THE FOUNDER UH, MC HAT AND THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD. IN YOUR MIND YOU MIGHT NOT REMEMBER BUT LAST WEEK THAT FOOD THAT WE ATE WAS FOOD PREPARED BY THE YOUNG FOLKS THAT NICK HAD SO THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT THIS MORNING BECAUSE THEY OUT PREPARING FOOD FOR OTHERS. BUT I HOPE YOU REMEMBER THE TASTE OF THAT FOOD THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK AND THAT IT WILL STICK FOR YOU WITH YOU FOR YEARS TO COME. FOR MANY OF THOSE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT CAN FEEL ISOLATING AND OVERWHELMING A CYCLE THAT'S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO BREAK ALL ALONE. BUT NICK HEART BELIEVES THAT WITH THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT, THE RIGHT SKILLS AND THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN YOUR CORNER. MEANINGFUL CHANGE IS NOT JUST POSSIBLE BUT IT'S ACHIEVABLE. NICK HAD MEETS PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE WRAPPING THEIR ARMS AROUND THEM AND WALKING ALONGSIDE OF THEM AS THEY BUILD TOWARD SOMETHING LASTING. THROUGH HANDS ON CULINARY TRAINING AND YOU HAD SOME LAST WEEK PARTICIPANTS GAIN REAL KITCHEN EXPERIENCE BUT THE WORK GOES FAR DEEPER THAN COOKING. NICK IS EQUALLY COMMITTED TO SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER READINESS, GIVING FOLKS THE CONFIDENCE AND THE PURPOSE THEY NEED TO THRIVE LONG AFTER THEY LEAVE THE PROGRAM FOUNDED ON THE BELIEF THAT GROWTH APPEARS JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN BUT IT HAPPENS BEST WITHOUT JUDGMENT. NICK HAD PREPARED INDIVIDUALS NOT JUST FOR A JOB BUT FOR A LIFE OF FINANCIAL STABILITY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY. IT IS AN HONOR TO PRESENT THIS RESOLUTION TO NICK AND WE ARE SO PLEASED TO HAVE MARTIN HENSLEY, THE FOUNDER HERE AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTOR CHAIRMAN MADRI. GOOD. LET ME JUST READ THIS TO YOU, MARTIN MAN. COME ON. >> CITY COUNCIL CITY OF BOSTON AND CITY COUNCIL OFFICIAL RESOLUTION PRESENTED BY COUNCILOR MINYARD CULPEPER BEARD RESOLVE THAT THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL EXTENDED ITS CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW ENGLAND CENTER FOR ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY IN RECOGNITION OF NICK KATZ DEDICATION, LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY HAVE MADE IT ONE OF BOSS'S MOST SUCCESSFUL TRAINING ORGANIZATIONS SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2013, PROVIDING UNEMPLOYED OR UNDEREMPLOYED ADULTS WITH TUITION FREE CULINARY TRAINING AND CAREER SERVICES THAT PREPARE THEM FOR CAREERS IN FOOD SERVICE AND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRIES. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL EXTENDS HIS BEST WISHES FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUCCESS THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE DULY SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND ATTESTED TO A COPY THEY HAVE TRANSMITTED BY THE CLERK OF THE CITY OF BOSTON BY ELIZABETH BRATTON, PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL HEREBY THE CLERK OF THE CITY OF BOSTON ATTESTING TO OFFERED BY MINYARD CULPEPER ON APRIL 8TH TWO, 2026. IT'S MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT THIS RESOLUTION TO COUNCIL CITY. UH MANY THANKS COUNCIL CULPEPER. FOR THIS. >> INVITATION AND FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR FUNDING REQUEST AND ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCILOR MAYOR OH NO, SHE'S NOT HERE FOR HER SUPPORT AS WELL. UM, I THINK THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE COUNCILOR PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR PROGRAM. THE IMPORTANT NEWS IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING NEXT YEAR INTO NUBIAN SQUARE INTO A NEW BUILDING. UM, WE'VE CIRCULATED INFORMATION TO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN WE WERE HERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY. COUNCIL. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. UM, AS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF ROXBURY, I'M EXCITED ABOUT OUR MOVE TO NUBIAN SQUARE AND I LOOK FORWARD FOR MANY, MANY, MANY MORE UH, YEARS TO COME AND REALLY WANTED ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS ALUMNI BOARD, JUST THANK YOU FOR THE CITATION TODAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE. OKAY. >> I COULD INVITE OUR COLLEAGUES UP FOR A PHOTOGRAPH PLEASE. THANK YOU. >> PRESENT THIS PAST. UM. SOME THAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE. EVERYONE. UM. YEAH. UM. BRANDY HIGHER GROUND. >> THE TRUE HONOR TO INTRODUCE BOSTON'S HIGHER GROUND A TRANSFORMATIVE BACKBONE ORGANIZATION WHOSE WORK TOUCHES THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. THIS VISION IS MY PRAYER. AND WHILE I DO THIS WORK IN BOSTON WHERE EVERY CHILD HAS ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION, HOUSING AND HEALTH SERVICES, HIGHER GROUND HAS BUILT A COALITION OF OVER 65 PARTNERS INCLUDING HOSPITALS, UNIVERSITIES GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE NO CHILD AND NO FAMILY FALLS TO THE CRACKS FROM STABILIZING HOUSING AND THEIR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO BRIDGING THE EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT GAP. THEY DON'T SIMPLY PROVIDE SERVICES THEY BUILD THE FOUNDATION FOR FAMILIES TO STAND ON THEIR OWN AND THRIVE LONG TERM. WE ARE INCREDIBLY WE ARE INCREDIBLY. LET ME SAY ONE MORE TIME WE ARE INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIGHER GROUND IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IT IS WITH DEEP GRATITUDE THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE ESSENTIAL WORK THAT THEY DO EVERY DAY. PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME THE EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BRANDY, WHO IS HERE WITH US TODAY. BRANDY AND TERRY. DAIRY DAIRY. WHAT DID YOU SAY FOR THE. DGA? >> YOU PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BRANDY AND D.J WHO WAS HERE WITH US TODAY. GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. GIVE ME A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR MAKING IT THROUGH. I'M HERE. >> LET ME READ THIS RESOLUTION . CITY OF BOSTON AND CITY COUNCIL OFFICIAL RESOLUTION PRESENTED BY COUNCILOR MINYARD CULPEPER BE RESOLVED THAT THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL OFFERS ITS GRADUATE CONGRATULATIONS TO HIGHER GROUND BOSTON IN RECOGNITION OF HIGHER GROUND DEDICATION TO ADVANCING EQUITY AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY COLLABORATION, THEY HAVE MADE A LEADING BECOME A LEADING FORCE IN BOSTON'S COLLECTIVE IMPACT EFFORTS BY SERVING AS A BACKBONE ORGANIZATION AND CATALYST ACROSS SECTORS, HIGHER GROUND BRING TOGETHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND PARTNERS TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES THROUGH ITS COMMITMENT TO SHARED LEADERSHIP ,CONTINUOUS COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY DRIVEN SOLUTIONS. HIGHER GROUND WORK TO ELIMINATE DISPARITIES AND BUILD SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ACROSS BOSTON. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL EXTENDS ITS BEST WISHES FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUCCESS THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE DULY SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND ATTESTED TO A COPY THEY HAVE TRANSMITTED TRANSMITTED BY THE CLERK OF THE CITY OF BOSTON SIGNED BY PRESIDENT OF THE CITY COUNCILOR ELIZABETH BREADON OFFERED BY MINAKO PEPPER. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, HUH? THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. NO NO NO Y'ALL CAN DO IT. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. ALL RIGHT SO AS COUNCILOR CULPEPPER SAID MY NAME IS DOCTOR BRANDY BROOKS. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BOSTON'S HIGHER GROUND AND IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO RECEIVE THIS CITATION TODAY . AND IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE. WHEN I THINK BACK TO THE TEN YEAR OLD ME THAT IN ONE WEEK LOST MY MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER TO STAGE FOUR CANCER AND OUR HOUSE BURNED DOWN IN THE SAME WEEK AND WE WERE HOMELESS AFTER HER HOMEGOING SERVICE. SO NOW STAND BEFORE YOU AS AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AN ORGANIZATION WHERE ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES IS SUPPORTING HOMELESS STUDENTS AND FAMILIES GET HOUSED, OF WHICH WE'VE HOUSED 625 STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO DATE. IT IS AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE. THANK YOU. UM IT IS AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO DO THE WORK THAT WE DO WHICH IS ENSURING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY ,MAKING SURE THAT THE KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY, AFFORDABLE AFTER SCHOOL CARE AND SUMMER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND SUPPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS AND COMMUNITIES TO ANYONE THAT IS HOMELESS WHETHER IT BE A STUDENT OR A FAMILY THAT THEY GET HELP TO GET HOUSED AND MOST IMPORTANTLY TO STAY HOUSED IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY CHOOSE TO LIVE IN. AND SO IT IS AN HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU. BUT I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS WORK. I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE DARIAN JOHNSON AND I ALSO STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF OUR FOUNDER HUGH B JONES. OUR FOUNDING BOARD CHAIRS CHARLOTTE GOLD RICHIE AND CHARLIE TITUS, OUR CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS AND DEPARTING BOARD MEMBERS, OUR STAFF, OUR PARENT ADVOCATES, OUR EDUCATION COORDINATORS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR PARENTS, OUR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT MENTORS OUR PARTNERS THAT DO THIS WORK WITH US IN THE COMMUNITY. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST THIS CITATION IS FOR ALL THE STUDENTS, ALL THE FAMILIES, ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT OVER THE LAST 16 YEARS ENTRUSTED US IN THEIR MOMENTS OF CRISIS, IN MOMENTS OF. JOY. >> IN MOMENTS OF VIRTUAL SPACES DURING COVID AND EVEN TODAY WITH THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AS A COMMUNITY. SO I'M THANKFUL FOR COUNCILOR COLE PEPPER. I'M THANKFUL FOR THE OTHER COUNCILORS. THOSE OF YOU I KNOW AND THOSE OF YOU I DON'T I WILL SOON LEARN AND YOU WILL SOON LEARN ABOUT US. BUT THANK YOU ALL AND WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE. SO THANKFUL. TO COLLEAGUES LIKE TO COME UP FOR A PHOTOGRAPH THANK. >> YOU JUST TO. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK. YOU. MR. IT'S JUST. THIS PRESENT HERE. UM THEY'RE JUST GOING TO DO. THEIR PHOTOGRAPH AND THEN TO THE PRESENT UNTIL TO THE RESOLUTION OKAY. SO PLEASE JUST. UM I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO INVITE THE LEWIS DE BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE TO JOIN US AT THE FRONT AT THE FRONT FOR A PHOTOGRAPH, UH, AS THEY'RE ONLY ABLE TO BE HERE BRIEFLY AHEAD OF THE RESOLUTION THAT WE WILL BE VOTING ON AND LATER IN THE AGENDA. SO THIS RESOLUTION IS CO-SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS FITZGERALD AND COUNCILOR WORRELL. AND UH, JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS IS FOR A PHOTO ONLY UM, WE WILL BE TAKING REMARKS AT THIS TIME. SO, UH, COUNCILOR WORRELL COUNCILOR FITZGERALD UM AND THE. YEAH HERE FOR THE PHOTOGRAPH AND THEN WE'LL DO THE REMARKS LATER. GOOD TO SEE YOU. >> OVER THERE. THANK YOU. NICE TO SEE YOU TOO. I'LL SEE YOU THEN. COME ON UP. I USED TO GOT SOME BARBECUE. THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY WAS FOR. SOME NOT EVERYBODY WAS, YOU KNOW, WAS MUCH BETTER. SO THIS. IS THE PHOTO UP. EVERYBODY SMILE. AND IT COMES. THANK YOU THANK. >> YOU THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT THANK YOU YES THANK YOU. SO JUST. NICE TO SEE YOU. RIGHT ON TIME. THEY CAN'T SHUT THE TIMER OFF NO DIFFERENT. THANK YOU EVERYONE. FOR WHAT YOU. OKAY OKAY GOOD. NOW ON TO THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS. UM. . UH, MISTER MISTER CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE RECORD THAT COUNCILOR WORRELL HAS JOINED US. TO CORRECT THE ATTENDANCE. WE NOW MOVE ON TO THE FIRST ORDER. >> OF BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING OF APRIL 1ST, 2026. ALL IN FAVOR SAY I ALL AGAINST SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE MINUTES OF APRIL 1ST MEETING HAVE BEEN APPROVED. UH, WE'RE NOW ON TO COMMUNICATIONS FROM OUR HONOR THE MAYOR. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKETS 07332 THROUGH DOCKET 0754073320754. IT'S A LOT. IT'S A LOT. >> THIS IS THE UM ON THE BUDGET DOCKET. SO, UM, I HOPE. >> YOU'RE. READY FOR THE, UH. DOCKING OF A0733 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR ANNUAL APPROPRIATION AND TAX OR FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ON APRIL 6TH, 2026, DOCKET NUMBER 0734 MESSAGING ON FOR ANNUAL APPROPRIATION FOR THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ON AUGUST 6TH, 2026. NUMBER 0735 MESSAGE NOT APPROVING AN APPROPRIATION OF $40 MILLION TO THE OTHER POST EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS LIABILITY TRUST FUND UH AUTHORIZED UNDER CHAPTER 32 B SECTION 20 IS ADDED BY CHAPTER 479 OF THE ACTS OF 2008. THE LATEST AVAILABLE OPEB ACTUARIAL VALUATION AS OF JUNE 30TH 2023 ESTIMATED THE CITY'S UNFUNDED LIABILITY AT $2.68 BILLION FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ON AUGUST 6TH 2026. SO NUMBER 0736 MESSAGE NOT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF VESTED YOU KNOW, APPROVING AN APPROPRIATION ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO APPROPRIATE THE AMOUNT OF $3,500,000 FROM THE CITY'S CAPITAL GRANT FUND TO ADDRESS THE IMPACT OF TRANSPORTATION NETWORK SERVICES ON MUNICIPAL ROADS BRIDGES UH OTHER TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE OR ANY OTHER PUBLIC PURPOSE SUBSTANTIALLY RELATED TO THE OPERATION OF TRANSPORTATION NETWORK SERVICES IN THE CITY. SUCH FUNDS WILL BE TRANSFERRED AND CREDITED TO THE CAPITAL GRANT FUND UH FROM REVENUE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCEMENT TRUST FUND FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ON AUGUST 6TH, 2026. DOC NUMBER 0737 MESSAGE IN UH APPROVING AN APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $5 MILLION FROM THE SURPLUS PROPERTY DISPOSITION FUND CREDITED TO THE CAPITAL FUND FOR PLANNING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF COASTAL RESILIENCE SOLUTIONS AROUND THE CITY FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ON APRIL 6TH, 2026. TALKING NUMBER 0738 MESSAGE NOT APPROVING AN APPROPRIATION ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF 3,000,840 $384,705,000 FOR VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PURPOSES FOR CITY DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING THE BOSTON CENTER FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES, BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY, BOSTON PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT FIRE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING, OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, PARKS AND RECREATION PLANNING, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, PUBLIC WORKS IN THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ON APRIL 6TH, 2026. TALKING NUMBER 0739 MESSAGE NOT APPROVING AN APPROPRIATION ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $13,855,000 FOR THE VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PURPOSES FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ON APRIL 6TH, 2026 NUMBER 0740 MESSAGE YOU NOT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ENTER INTO ONE OR MORE LEASE, LEASE PURCHASE OR INSTALLMENT SALES AGREEMENTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2027, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $28,500,000. THESE FUNDS ARE TO BE USED BY VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS FOR THE ACQUISITION OF EQUIPMENT IN FURTHERANCE OF THEIR RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENT FUND FUNCTIONS. THE LIST OF EQUIPMENT INCLUDE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE, MOTOR VEHICLE MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAILERS, AMBULANCES FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT, OFFICE EQUIPMENT, TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT, PHOTOCOPYING EQUIPMENT, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT. SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONAL EQUIPMENT, SCHOOL BUSSES, PARKING METERS, STREET LIGHTING INSTALLATION TRAFFIC SIGNAL EQUIPMENT AND EQUIPMENT FUNCTIONALLY RELATED TO AND COMPONENTS OF THE FOREGOING DOCKING NUMBERS 0741 MESSAGE NOT APPROVING AN ORDER AUTHORIZING A LIMIT FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS REVOLVING FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 FOR SUPPORT THE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES INCLUDING CUSTODIAL AND UTILITY COSTS FOR EXTENDED BUILDING TIME FOR REFINISHING, LANDSCAPING AND BUILDING REPAIRS RECEIPTS FROM LEASE PERMIT FOR USE AND PARKING FEES FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES WILL BE DEPOSITED IN THE FUND. BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FACILITIES WILL BE THE ONLY UNIT AUTHORIZED TO EXPEND FROM THE FROM THE FUND AND SUCH EXPENDITURES SHALL NOT EXCEED. TO MILLION DOLLARS TAX NUMBER 0742 MESSAGE NOT APPROVING IN ORDER AUTHORIZING A LIMIT FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS REVOLVING FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TRANSPORTATION COSTS INCLUDING BUS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COSTS. THE REVOLVING FUND SHALL BE CREDITED WITH REVENUE RECEIVED BY THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS DEPARTMENT FOR THE PROVISION OF TRANSPORTATION TO GROUPS AND ENTITIES FOR FIELD TRIPS AND ACTIVITIES OTHER THAN TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM SCHOOL RECEIPTS AND RESULTING IS BEING FROM THIS FUND SHALL NOT EXCEED $150,000. DUCKY NUMBER 0743 MESSAGE NOT UH APPROVING AN ORDER AUTHORIZING A LIMIT FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS REVOLVING FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 TO REPAIR AND PURCHASE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY INCLUDING COMPUTERS ,MOBILE DEVICES AND INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE. THIS REVOLVING FUND WILL BE CREDITED WITH ANY AND ALL RECEIPTS FROM EQUIPMENT SALES AND REPAIR FEES FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TECHNOLOGY RECEIPTS AND RESULTING EXPENDITURES FROM THIS FUND SHALL NOT EXCEED $2 MILLION. SECOND OF 074 FOR METHOD YOU NOT APPROVING AN ORDER AUTHORIZING A LIMIT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION COMMISSION REVOLVING FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECURING OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS INCLUDING ENGINEERS, WETLANDS SPECIALIST ,WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST AND OTHER EXPERTS IN ORDER TO AID IN THE REVIEW OF PROPOSED PROJECTS TO THE COMMISSION FOR THE CITY'S ORDINANCE PROTECTING LOCAL WETLAND AND PROMOTING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION ADAPTATION THIS REVOLVING FUND SHALL BE FUNDED BY RECEIPTS FROM FEES IMPOSED BY THE COMMISSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECURING OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS. THE ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT WILL BE THE ONLY DEPARTMENT AUTHORIZED TO EXPEND FROM THE FUND AND SUCH EXPENDITURES SHALL BE CAPPED AT $50,000 THAT CAN HAVE A07, 4 OR 5 MESSAGE NOT APPROVING AN ORDER AUTHORIZING A LIMIT FOR THE DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCE REVOLVING FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 TO FACILITATE THE PURCHASE OF US OFFSETS OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS WHICH SHALL BE ASSOCIATED WITH A PER FOR A PORTION OF THE ELECTRICITY CONSUMED BY THE CITY ANNUALLY AND TO OPERATE, MAINTAIN, MONITOR AND EXPAND THE CITY'S EXISTING SOLAR ARRAYS IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMBINED HEAT AND POWER FACILITIES. THIS REVOLVING FUND SHALL BE CREDITED WITH ANY AND ALL RECEIPTS FROM THE SALE OF RENEWABLE AND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY CERTIFICATES AND DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM REVENUES PRODUCED BY COMBINED HEAT AND POWER UNITS LOCATED AT BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL SITES AND SOLAR RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES PRODUCED BY THE CITY'S PHOTO VOLTAIC ARRAYS. RECEIPTS AND RESULT RESULTING EXPENDITURES FROM THIS FUND SHALL NOT EXCEED $150,000. TALKING OF A0746 MESSAGE IN NOT APPROVING AN ORDER AUTHORIZING A LIMIT FOR THE EQUITABLE EMISSIONS INVESTMENT REVOLVING FUND OUTLINED IN SECTION ONE G OF BIRDO OF FISCAL YEAR 2027 PURSUANT TO MASS GENERAL LAWS CHAPTER 44 SECTION 53 E AND A HALF TO INCUR LIABILITIES AGAINST AND SPEND MONEYS FOR SUCH. A FUND CONSISTENT WITH THE ORDINANCE, THIS REVOLVING FUND SHALL BE FUNDED BY RECEIPTS FROM ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE PAYMENTS. ACP ARE AN APPROVED EMISSIONS MITIGATION PATHWAY THAT CONSISTS OF PAYMENTS EQUAL TO THE AVERAGE COST PER METRIC TON OF CO2 UH TO DECARBONIZE BUILDINGS THE ENVIRONMENT UPON WILL BE THE ONLY DEPARTMENT AUTHORIZED TO EXCEED TO EXPEND FROM THE FUND AND SUCH EXPENDITURES SHALL BE CAPPED AT UH. UM $1,500,000. TAKE A BREAK. >> THE WAY. MY GLASSES. CAN'T SEE. THAT I CAN EMIT 0747 MESSAGE NOT APPROVING IN ORDER AUTHORIZING AND LIMIT FOR THE BOSTON CENTERS FOR YOUTH AND FAMILY REVOLVING FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 TO PAY SALARIES AND BENEFITS OF EMPLOYEES AND TO PURCHASE SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO OPERATE THE CITY HALL CHILDCARE. THIS REVOLVING FUND SHALL BE CREDITED WITH ANY AND ALL RECEIPTS FROM TUITION PAID BY PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OF CHILDREN ENROLLED AT THE CENTER. RECEIPTS AND RESULTING EXPENDITURES FROM THIS FUND SHALL NOT EXCEED $1,100,000. TALKING OF A07 FOR A MESSAGE YOU NOT APPROVING AN ORDER AUTHORIZING A LAW A LIMIT FOR THE LAW DEPARTMENT REVOLVING FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 TO PURCHASE GOODS AND SERVICES TO PAY FOR REPAIRS TO CITY PROPERTIES. THIS REVOLVING FUND SHALL BE FUNDED BY RECEIPTS FROM RECOVERIES FOR DAMAGES TO CITY PROPERTY CAUSED BY THIRD PARTIES. THE LAW DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE WILL BE THE ONLY DEPARTMENT AUTHORIZED TO EXPEND FROM THE FUND AND SUCH EXPENDITURES SHALL NOT SHALL BE CAPPED AT 300,000 $300,000. TALKING NUMBER 0749 MESSAGE YOU NOT APPROVING AN ORDER AUTHORIZING AND LIMIT FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT REVOLVING FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 TO PAY SALARIES AND BENEFITS OF EMPLOYEES TO PURCHASE SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO OPERATE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FITNESS CENTER REVENUE FOR THIS FUND IS DERIVED FROM MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP FEES, RECEIPTS AND RESULTING EXPENDITURES FROM THIS FUND SHALL NOT EXCEED $100,000. TALKING OF A0750 MESSAGE NOT APPROVING AN ORDER AUTHORIZING A LIMIT FOR THE BOSTON POLICE REVOLVING FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 TO SUPPORT THE K-9 UNITS TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR OFFICERS AND POLICE DOGS FROM NON CITY OF BOSTON LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION WILL CHARGE TUITION AND OTHER FEES TO OUTSIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. FOR TRAINING WITH THE K9 UNIT. THE TUITION AND OTHER FEES PAID BY OUTSIDE AGENCIES WILL BE USED TO PURCHASE TRAINING EQUIPMENT, CERTIFY INSTRUCTORS, UPDATE FACILITIES AND PROVIDE FUNDS FOR THE TRAINING NEEDS NOT OTHERWISE BUDGETED. THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION WILL BE THE ONLY UNIT AUTHORIZED TO EXPEND FROM THE FUND AND SUCH EXPENDITURE SHALL BE CAPPED AT $100,000. DOCKING NUMBER 0751 MESSAGE YOU NOT APPROVING AN OR AUTHORIZING AND LIMIT FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE REVOLVING FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 TO PURCHASE GOODS AND SERVICES TO SUPPORT PUBLIC ART TO ENHANCE THE PUBLIC REALM THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON. THIS REVOLVING FUND SHALL BE FUNDED BY RECEIPTS FROM EASEMENTS WITHIN THE PUBLIC, WILL BE GRANTED BY THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT COMMISSION, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE WILL BE THE ONLY UNIT AUTHORIZED TO EXPAND FROM THE FUND, AND SUCH EXPENSES SHALL BE CAPPED AT $800,000. TALKING TO MS. 0752 MESSAGE YOU NOT APPROVING AN ORDER AUTHORIZING AND LIMIT FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE REVOLVING FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 TO PURCHASE GOODS AND SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE OPERATION OF THE STRAND THEATER. THIS REVOLVING FUND SHALL BE FUNDED BY RECEIPTS FROM RENTAL FEES FOR THE USE OF THE STRAND THEATER. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE WILL BE THE ONLY UNIT AUTHORIZED TO EXPEND FROM THE FUND, AND SUCH EXPENDITURES SHALL BE CAPPED AT $300,000. SO I CAN HAVE A0753 MESSAGE YOU NOT AUTHORIZING IN ORDER LIMIT FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF TOURISM REVOLVING FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 TO PURCHASE GOODS AND SERVICES TO SUPPORT EVENTS AND PROGRAMING ON AND AROUND CITY HALL PLAZA TO ADVANCE TOURISM AND PROMOTE PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC CELEBRATIONS AND CIVIC AND CULTURAL EVENTS. THIS REVOLVING FUND SHALL BE FUNDED BY RECEIPTS FROM PAYMENTS FOR THE USE OF CITY HALL PLAZA PURSUANT TO CITY OF BOSTON CODE CHAPTER 11 SECTION SEVEN DASH 14. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF TOURISM WILL BE THE ONLY UNIT AUTHORIZED TO EXPEND FROM THE FUND AND SUCH EXPENSES SHALL BE CAPPED AT $150,000 DOCK AND HAVE A0754 SAID YOU KNOW, APPROVING IN AN ORDER AUTHORIZING A LIMIT FOR THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT REVOLVING FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 TO SUPPORT THE OPERATIONS OF THE BIKESHARE PROGRAM WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THIS FUND SHALL BE FUNDED BY SYSTEM GENERATED USER REVENUES, SPONSORSHIP REVENUES AND ADVERTISING REVENUES. THE TRANSPORTATION IF ONLY THE ONLY DEPARTMENT AUTHORIZED TO EXPEND FROM THE FUND AND SUCH EXPENSES SHALL BE KEPT IN $1,400,000. BUT SAID. >> THANK YOU MR CLERK. DOCKET. 7733 THROUGH ADOPTED 754 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. MR COOK. UH. >> WOULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0755? DOCKET F075 FOR A MESSAGE AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A REVOLVING FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 PURSUANT TO MASS GENERAL LAWS CHAPTER 44, SECTION 53.5 TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF THE BIKE SHARE PROGRAM WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU. >> DOCKET 0755 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 075620757. TALKING M0756 MESSAGE NOT APPROVING IN ORDER APPROPRIATING $1,400,000 FROM THE INCOME OF THE GEORGE FRANCIS PARKING FUND. THE FUNDS ARE TO BE EXPENDED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PARKS AND RECREATION FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT OF BOSTON COMMON AND PARKS IN EXISTENCE AS OF JANUARY 12TH, 1887. FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ON APRIL 6TH, 2026. DOCKING OF A075 SO AS HAD YOU NOT APPROVING AN APPROPRIATION OF $3,600,000 FROM THE 21ST CENTURY FUND ALSO KNOWN AS THE PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL, GOVERNMENTAL ACCESS AND CABLE RELATED FUND PURSUANT TO SECTION 53 F IN THREE QUARTERS OF CHAPTER 44 OF THE GENERAL LAWS, THESE FUNDS MAY BE USED TO SUPPORT PAY ACCESS SERVICES TO MONITOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE CABLE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT AND FOR PREPARATION OF RENEWAL OF THE FRANCHISE LICENSE FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ON APRIL 6TH, 2026. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. DOCKET 0756 THROUGH DOCKET 0757 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. MR CHAIR. CAN YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0758. SO I CAN HAVE ZERO SEVEN IF A MESSAGE YOU NOT AN APPROPRIATION OR IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,763,090 FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATING EXPENSES OF THE CITY OF BOSTON COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 AND A FURTHER APPROPRIATION OR IN THE AMOUNT OF $39,587,798 FROM THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUND. ESTIMATED ANNUAL REVENUES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 TO BE APPROPRIATED AND RESERVED FOR FUTURE APPROPRIATION. FOLLOWING THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ON APRIL 6TH, 2026. THANK YOU DOCKET 075 IT WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE ON THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 70759. TALKING OF A0759 MISS AND YOU KNOW, AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF $10,925,140.07 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 COUNTER UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS GRANT PROGRAM AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, PASSED THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE GRANT WOULD FUND INCREASING BPD ABILITY TO DETECT, IDENTIFY ,TRACK AND MONITOR UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON. DOCKET 0759 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. MR CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0760 THROUGH. 07610760 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR YOUR APPROVAL IN APPROPRIATION ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $860,000 FOR THE CEMETERY DIVISION OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IN THE TRUST OFFICE OF THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT TO BE FUNDED FROM THE CEMETERY TRUST FUND ESTABLISHED UNDER CHAPTER 13 OF THE ACTS OF 1961 FILED IN THE OFFICES OF THE CITY CLERK ON AUGUST ON EXCUSE ME ON APRIL 6TH, 2026 STALKING NUMBER 0761 MESSAGE YOU NOT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $375,000 IN THE FORM OF GRANT RED SOX ARTS AND PARKS PROGRAM GRANT AWARDED BY THE BOSTON RED SOX TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. THANK YOU. UM, DOCKET 0760 AND 07661 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, RESILIENCY AND PARKS. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0762. SO I CAN HAVE A0762 MESSAGING ON AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO EXPEND, ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $250,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AWARDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN THE MOST DIFFICULT TO REACH AREAS BOTH URBAN AND RURAL THROUGH FREE BASIC TAX RETURN APPROPRIATION FOR QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS. THANK YOU. >> DOCKET 0762 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. MISTER CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET. 07630763 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR YOUR APPROVAL IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO SUBMIT TO THE MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL BUILDING AUTHORITY A STATEMENT OF INTEREST FOR UH FOR MELVYN H. KING SOUTHEND ACADEMY LOCATED AT 90 WARREN AVE IN THE SOUTH END OF BOSTON. THE STATEMENT OF INTEREST DESCRIBES AND EXPLAINS THE DEFICIENCIES IN THE PRIORITY CATEGORIES TO WHICH THE CITY OF BOSTON MAY BE INVITED TO APPLY TO THE MSBA IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. >> DOCKET 0763 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. MR COOK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0764. TALKING NUMBER 0764A MESSAGE TRANSMITTING CERTAIN ANY INFORMATION ON THIS SECTION 17 OF REGARDING THE USE OF $558.7 MILLION IN THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON PASSED BY THE COUNCIL ON MARCH 4TH, 2026. THANK YOU, MR TURK. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. YOU'VE GOT TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU. FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. WE HAD A CONVERSATION EARLIER AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO THE 17 F THAT I RECEIVED THAT WE RECEIVED IN OUR PACKET. UM. I HAD SOME QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT IT. A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION. I WAS SEEKING CONFIRMATION AS TO THE EXISTENCE OF MANY INSTANCES OF POSSIBLE MISUSE OF FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING OVER $558 MILLION FROM THE U.S. TREASURY TO BOSTON UM ,INCLUDING ANY NONPROFIT FUNDING THAT WAS EITHER RETURNED OR REQUESTS REQUESTED BE TO BE RETURNED FOR ANY REASON. UM THE SECOND QUESTION WHETHER THE CITY OF BOSTON COMMUNICATED WITH ANY ORGANIZATION THAT RECEIVED THESE GRANTS TO RETURN THE FUNDS BACK TO THE CITY AND I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE SECOND AND THE SECOND QUESTION AND ANSWER AS WHETHER THE CITY OF BOSTON COMMUNICATED WITH ANY ORGANIZATION THAT RECEIVED THESE GRANTS TO RETURN THEM BACK TO THE CITY. THE RESPONSE FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON WAS WE ARE UNABLE TO COMMENT ON THIS AT THIS TIME. UM I DO WANT TO GET FURTHER INFORMATION ON THAT AND I'M GOING TO FILE A UM A HEARING OR COMMUNICATION NEXT WEEK. UM, THAT WOULD. PUT THIS MATTER BEFORE THE POST OF GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY TRANSPARENCY INACCESSIBILITY. AND MADAM CHAIR, I DO WANT TO ADD THAT ON THAT 17 F THAT WAS PROVIDED THE THE LAST TWO PAGES OF THE DOCUMENT UM WERE VERY. BLURRY FOR ANYONE TO READ. I COULDN'T HAVE READ MUCH OF IT ,BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET THE ACTUAL UH, INVESTIGATION INTO UH, THE THE MAIN STREETS PROGRAM BUT IF IT'S PLACED ON UM PLACED BY THE CITY AND IT'S A PUBLIC DOCUMENT ,IT SHOULD BE READABLE AND UM IT'S VERY BLURRY. IT'S VERY DARK. IT CAN'T BE READ AND I'M GOING TO ASK FOR ANOTHER COPY THAT I CAN READ. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. UH, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE SPOKEN TO EGR AND, UH, WE'VE ASKED FOR A MORE LEGIBLE COPY TO BE SENT TO. UM. THANK YOU. DOCKET 0764 AS BEING CLEAR IT WILL BE PLACED ON FILE. AND NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO, UH, REPORTS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND OTHERS. UM, THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET. 0765207700765 NOTICE TO SEE FOR ME AH, THE APPOINTMENT OF ALAN MACK AS AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ADVISORY BOARD EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. DUCK NUMBER 0766 NAUGHT AS RECEIVED FROM THE MAYOR THE APPOINTMENT OF DENISE MARTINEZ AS AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ADVISORY BOARD EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. DOCKET NUMBER 0767 NOT AS RECEIVED FROM THE MAYOR THE APPOINTMENT OF SAM PASTOR AS AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ADVISORY BOARD EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY DOC NUMBER 20768 NO. SO RECEIVED FROM NICHOLAS UH AARON ELO ASSESSING COMMISSIONER OF THE APPOINTMENT OF JOHN MCCOURT AS AN ASSISTANT ASSESSOR EFFECTIVE APRIL 2ND 2026. TALKING ABOUT 0769 NOTICE RECEIVED FROM COUNCILOR ME HERE REGARDING HER ABSENCE FROM THE APRIL 8TH, 2026 CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND DOCKET NUMBER 0770 COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCIL OF COLLETTE AS A PARTNER REGARDING EAST BOSTON HOUSING STABILIZATION TRUST FUND NOMINEES. THANK YOU. >> DOCKET 0765 THROUGH DOCKETS 0770 WILL BE PLACED ON FILE. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0771. DUKKHA NUMBER 0771 COMMUNICATION RECEIVED BY THE CITY CLERK FROM THE BOSTON LANDMARKS COMMISSION FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION ON THE DESIGNATION OF THE PETITION NUMBER ONE FOR 7.89 THE COFFEE PLAZA HOTEL BACK PAY IN EFFECT AFTER APRIL 30TH 2026 IF NOT ACTED UPON. THANK YOU. I'LL GO TO 0771 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION. WE'RE NOW ON TO REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0257. DOC NUMBER 0257 THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT TRANSPORTATION TO WHICH WAS REFERRED ON FEBRUARY 4TH 2026 DOCKET NUMBER 0257 MESSAGING ON AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF UH $500,000 IN A FORM FOR GRANT PLANNING NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT FUNDS AWARDED BY BOSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION. THE GRANT WILL FUND THE LAUNCH AND EARLY IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMERCIAL ACQUISITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING THAT THE ORDER OUGHT TO PASS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DARK AND THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION . YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> THE COMMITTEE HELD A HEARING FRIDAY, APRIL 3RD TO DISCUSS DOCKET 0257. THE COMMITTEE HEARD TESTIMONY FROM PANELISTS WHICH INCLUDED DONALD DONALD WRIGHT, INTERIM CHIEF OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION AND UH, PHILOMENA PHIL KUSHI, A SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE CAP COMMUNITY ACQUISITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OFFICE OF THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INCLUSION CABINET. THE PANELISTS DISCUSSED THE COMMERCIAL ACQUISITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STATING THAT IT SUPPORTS SMALL BUSINESSES SEEKING TO PURCHASE OWNER OCCUPIED COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, CREATING STABILITY AGAINST DISPLACEMENT AND RISING COST. THE PANELISTS STATED THAT CAP EMERGED FROM CONSISTENT FEEDBACK FROM SMALL BUSINESSES ABOUT CHALLENGES WITH RISING RENTS, VOLATILITY AND OPERATING COSTS THREATENING THE CONTINUITY ACROSS GENERATIONS. CAP WAS FORMALIZED IN 2023 WITH FUNDING FROM THE BAR FOUNDATION AND BEGAN SOFT LAUNCH AND PROGRAM DESIGN ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING HIRING A FULL TIME SENIOR ADVISOR AND PARTNERING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCING INSTITUTIONS. THE PANELISTS STATED THAT THIS $500,000 GRANT WILL SEE THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE POOL PRIMARILY AS FORGIVABLE LOANS. THE FUNDING IS EXPECTED TO SUPPORT APPROXIMATELY FIVE TRANSACTIONS WITH DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE TYPICALLY AROUND 10 TO 20% OF THE PURCHASE PRICE. AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND TRANSPORTATION, I RECOMMEND MOVING THE LISTED DOCKET AT THIS TIME TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION AND FORMAL ACTION AT THIS TIME MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL COUNCIL IS THAT THIS MATTER OUGHT TO PASS. THANK YOU. >> THE PRESIDENT THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET 0257. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED? NAY. THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE REPORT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED AND DOCKET 0257 HAS PASSED. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET. 0630 TALKING NUMBER 0630 THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION TO WHICH WAS REFERRED ON MARCH 25TH 2026. TALKING OF A0630 COMMUNICATION WAS RECEIVED BY THE CITY CLERK FROM THE BOSTON LANDMARKS COMMISSION FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION ON THE DESIGNATION OF PETITION NUMBER 228.7 THE BUSSEY HOUSE 1203 DASH 1205 ADAMS STREET, DORCHESTER MASS. 02124 IN EFFECT AFTER APRIL 22ND 2026 IF NOT ACTED UPON SUBMITS A REPORT RECOMMENDING THAT THIS DESIGNATION OUGHT TO BE PASSED. THANK YOU. >> THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION CONSULTANT. CAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? THANK YOU. THE COMMITTEE HELD A HEARING ON FRIDAY, APRIL 3RD TO DISCUSS DOCKET 0630. THE COMMITTEE HEARD TESTIMONY FROM PANELISTS WHICH INCLUDED ELIZABETH TREVOR, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND JENNIFER GALLAGHER, UH, ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN FOR THE BOSTON LANDMARKS COMMISSION. UM, I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN ON THIS DOCKET. UM, SO AND I'VE UH WE GOT GREAT QUESTIONS. UM, AND WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION AT THE HEARING. UM, SO AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION, I RECOMMENDED MOVING THIS DOCKET LIST TO DOCKET AT THIS TIME TO THE COMMITTEE, UH, FROM THE COMMITTEE TO THE FULL COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION AND FORMAL ACTION AT THIS TIME, MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL COUNCIL IS THAT THIS MATTER OUGHT TO BE APPROVED. THANK YOU. >> THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND APPROVAL OF DOCKET 0630. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED. SAY NAY. THE VOTE. UH, MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON DOCKET 0630. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES COUNCILOR. BREADON. >> YES, COUNCILOR. COLOR ZAPATA. COUNCIL COLORS. YES COUNCILOR. CULPEPPER. YEAH. COUNCILOR. CULPEPPER. YES COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. YES. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL. LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCIL. MEJIA. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. YES. COUNCIL. PIPPIN. COUNCIL. PIPPIN. YES. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR. WEBER. COUNCILOR. WEBER. YES AND COUNCILOR. YES. COUNCIL. WELL YES. TALKING NUMBER 0630 HAS RECEIVED 12 VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU. DOCKET 063630 HAS BEEN APPROVED. UH, WE'RE NOW ON TO MATTERS RECENTLY HEARD. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0178? DUCKY NUMBER 0178 ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS DEDICATING DEDICATING THE NEW OPEN SPACE AT PHILLIPS SQUARE TO TONY LEE. PLAZA CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL DURKAN, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION . COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT UM, THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION HELD A HEARING PUBLIC HEARING ON DOCKET 1478 MONDAY, APRIL 6TH TO DISCUSS DEDICATING THE NEW OPEN SPACE AT PHILLIPS SQUARE AS TO NEELY PLAZA. THE MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILOR FLYNN AND WE WERE ALSO JOINED BY COUNCILORS MURPHY AND COLE PEPPER. THE COMMITTEE HEARD TESTIMONY FROM AMY CORDING, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AT THE BOSTON TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, WHO SPOKE ABOUT THE REDESIGN UNDERWAY AT PHILLIPS SQUARE AND THE PROCESS DEDICATING THE SPACE TO TONY LEE. WE ALSO HEARD UM, SORRY TONY LEE I'M SORRY. UH, WE HEARD FROM THE PANEL OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS INCLUDING ALICE KANE FROM THE CHINESE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, DOCTOR CAROLINE CROCKETT, A COLLEAGUE OF TONY AT MIT, ANGIE LU FROM THE ASIAN CDC AND LYDIA LOWE FROM THE CHINATOWN COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND KAYLA LEE, TONY LEE'S DAUGHTER UM THE COMMUNITY PANEL, ALONG WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO PROVIDED TESTIMONY SPOKE TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OPEN SPACE IN THE CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL AS TONY LEE'S EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS AND LASTING LEGACY AS AN URBAN PLANNER IN BOSTON. DEDICATING THE SPACE IN UM IN HIS HONOR WOULD BE DEEPLY MEANINGFUL AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT I GIVE, UH, THE LEAD SPONSOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS I KNOW SOMETHING THAT MATTERS DEEPLY TO HIM. SO COUNCIL, I'D LIKE TO PASS THE REST OF MY TIME TO COUNCILOR FLYNN AND AT THIS TIME, UM, I ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THIS REMAIN IN COMMITTEE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR GERKE. AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR DURKAN. FOR, UH. CHAIRING THIS IMPORTANT DISCUSSION AND. FOR ENSURING THAT THE. COMMUNITY VOICES WERE HEARD. IT WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL MEETING. WE HEARD. FROM MANY RESIDENTS OF CHINATOWN IN. THE SOUTH END. UM, MANY FROM THE CHINESE AND CHINESE-AMERICAN COMMUNITY. ABOUT TONY LEE THE INCREDIBLE IMPACT HE HAD ON THE CHINATOWN COMMUNITY ADVOCATING FOR OPEN SPACE PARKS UM, ADVOCATING FOR A NEW PUBLIC LIBRARY, ADVOCATING AND FIGHTING FOR THE CHINESE COMMUNITY, ENSURING THEY ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY. UM THE OTHER ASPECT I DO WANT TO MENTION UM SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THAT I WAS WITH COUNCILOR WEBER AND WE HAD A LISTENING SESSION IN CHINATOWN. AND THE PLACE. WAS PACKED IN THIS ROOM AT KBA AND ALMOST EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT SPOKE TALKED ABOUT TONY LEE AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENSURE THAT CHINATOWN HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OPEN SPACE FOR RESIDENTS IN CHINATOWN? MANY OF THEM ARE UM, ELDERLY AND THEY RELY ON OPEN SPACE. THEY RELY ON THIS AREA OF THE CITY OF CHINATOWN, UM, BECAUSE CHINATOWN HAS THIS SO FEW PARKS ACTUALLY ONLY HAS ONE PARK IN THE. IN THE. IN THE COMMUNITY. HAS LIMITED TREES THE LOWEST TREE CANOPY OF ANY NEIGHBORHOOD . IT'S ABOUT RESPECT FOR THE CHINATOWN RESIDENTS. IT'S ABOUT RESPECTING UM. THEM AND ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE A PLACE THAT'S ACCESSIBLE AND UH, WELCOMING TO THEM. LET'S SUPPORT UH RENAMING THIS BUT ALSO LET'S SUPPORT UM, PUTTING MONEY INTO THE BUDGET SO WE CAN HAVE THIS WONDERFUL PARK NAMED AFTER A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY. GREAT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, COUNCIL WEBER, FOR BEING WITH ME, UM, AT THIS IMPORTANT MEETING. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. DOCKET 0178 WILL REMAIN IN COMMITTEE. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0290? TUCKER NUMBER 0290 ORDER FOR A HEARING TO REVIEW AND STRENGTHEN BOSTON'S SUMMER SAFETY AND YOUTH PROGRAMING PLAN. THANK YOU. >> THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY, THE CHAIR AND HUMAN SERVICES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WE HAD A HEARING. ON DOCKET 0290 TO REVIEW THE CITY'S IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MAYOR'S SUMMER SAFETY PLAN AND TO EVALUATE THE CITY'S READINESS FOR UPCOMING SUMMERS. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UM, THIS IS A HEARING THAT IS HELD AT LEAST EVERY YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND I KNOW BEFORE I GOT HERE FIVE YEARS AGO THAT PREVIOUS COUNCILORS WOULD ALWAYS HAVE THIS VERY IMPORTANT HEARING TO BRING CITY DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ENSURING THAT OUR YOUTH HAVE A SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE SUMMER. I WANT TO THANK UM THE CO LEAD SPONSOR COUNCIL ARROYO WHO WAS THERE, COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILOR CULPEPER AND FITZGERALD AND THE PANEL INCLUDED SUPERINTENDENT CHEN OF THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE BUREAU OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ISAAC DIABLO WHO WAS THE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND ALSO THE SENIOR ADVISOR FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY, AND PEDRO CRUZ, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND ADVANCEMENT ISSUES THAT WE DISCUSSED DURING THE HEARING, THE ADMINISTRATION DESCRIBED THE CITY'S SUMMER SAFETY STRATEGY AS A COORDINATED CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL EFFORT FOCUSED ON PREVENTION, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH RATHER THAN ENFORCEMENT ALONE. THE ADMINISTRATION HIGHLIGHTED THE CONTINUED EXPANSION OF BOSTON AFTER DARK AS ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF THE CITY'S APPROACH, PROVIDING. STRUCTURED EVENING PROGRAMING ACROSS NEIGHBORHOODS. THE ADMINISTRATION ALSO DISCUSSED PLANS TO HOST YOUTH FOCUSED EVENTS AT CITY HALL, INCLUDING A COMEDY SHOW AS PART OF A BROADER EFFORTS TO EXPAND PROGRAMING AND ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY. IT WAS ALSO DISCUSSED ABOUT REALLY TARGETING THAT 18 TO 25 AGE THAT I KNOW UM COUNCILORS WHO ARE IN ATTENDANCE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES AND I KNOW ALL THE COLLEAGUES HERE ON THE COUNCIL CARE ABOUT THAT AGE GROUP MAKING SURE THEY DON'T FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS. THE ADMINISTRATION EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF CONNECTING YOUNG PEOPLE TO EXISTING RESOURCES. THEY DISCUSSED THE YOUTH LINE AS A CENTRALIZED TOOL TO HELP YOUTH AND FAMILIES NAVIGATE A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMS. THEY ALSO TESTIFIED THAT VIOLENT CRIME MAY BE TRENDING DOWNWARD COMPARED TO RECENT YEARS, BUT ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHALLENGES OUR YOUTH HAVE. SO COUNCIL HAS ALSO EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING THAT YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ARE SUFFICIENT AND MEET THE DEMAND PARTICULARLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE FACING SAFETY CONCERNS OR INVOLVEMENT IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM AND MANY RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER CURRENT PROGRAMS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SERVE ALL ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS . WE HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT PROGRAM IS EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED ACROSS NEIGHBORHOODS AND RESPONSIVE TO REAL TIME CONDITIONS, INCLUDING AREAS EXPERIENCED INCREASED. ACTIVITY OR LACKING. CONSISTENT YOUTH ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES. OVERALL, THIS HEARING HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUED COORDINATION TARGETED INVESTMENT IN MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY BASED PROVIDERS TO ENSURE THAT SUMMER SAFETY EFFORTS ARE BOTH EFFECTIVE AND EQUITABLE. SO THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. I KEEP THIS IN COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU COUNCILOR MURPHY DOCKETS 0290 REMAIN IN COMMITTEE. MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0325. TALKING NUMBER 0325 ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY OF BOSTON CODE OF ORDINANCES CHAPTER 17 DASH 22 ROAD SAFETY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DELIVERY PROVIDERS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COUNCILOR CANADA SUPPORTING YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. HELD A HEARING YESTERDAY APRIL 7TH REGARDING THIS DOCKET. UH, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY OF BOSTON CODE ORDINANCE 17 DASH 22 ON ROAD SAFETY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DELIVERY PROVIDERS. COUNCILORS IN ATTENDANCE INCLUDED LEAD SPONSOR COUNCILOR FLYNN ALONG WITH COUNCILORS DURKAN, MURPHY, PEPEN FITZGERALD, LOUIJEUNE WEBER AND MORRELL. AND WE ALSO GOT AN ABSENCE THAT I RECEIVED FROM COUNCILOR COUNCIL PRESIDENT BRIGHAM. PRESIDENT ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION WAS MIA CAPONE, THE DIRECTOR OF PARKING AND CURBSIDE MANAGEMENT FOR THE UH BOSTON TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT. THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AIMS TO AMEND AN ORDINANCE PASSED BY THIS COUNCIL LAST YEAR. THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE ESTABLISHED SEVERAL CORE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY PROVIDERS. COMPANIES PROCESSING OVER 1 MILLION ORDERS PER YEAR MUST OBTAIN AN ANNUAL PERMIT FROM THE BEAUTY, PROVIDE PROOF OF LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR ALL DRIVERS AND COMPANIES MUST REPORT DATA INCLUDING UNIQUE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS FOR EACH ORDER AND THE TYPE OF VEHICLE USED WITH THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT. THE USE OF MOTORIZED BICYCLES, ELECTRIC BICYCLES, MOTORIZED SCOOTERS AND LOW SPEED MOTOR VEHICLES AND LIMITED USE MOTOR VEHICLES FOR THIRD PARTY DELIVERY WOULD BE COMPLETELY PROHIBITED. THE UH ORIGINALLY PROPOSED ORDINANCE IS SET TO TAKE EFFECT THIS WEEK. ON APRIL 11TH, DIRECTOR CAPONE EXPRESSED A PREFERENCE TO ALLOW THE ORDINANCE TO GO INTO EFFECT AS WRITTEN, NOTING THAT ONCE IMPLEMENTED THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ISSUING FINES TO COMPANIES WHOSE DRIVERS FAIL TO COMPLY. SHE ALSO SPOKE. TO THESE. VEHICLES, HELPING THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND CREATING LESS CONGESTION. COUNCILORS EXPRESSED CAUTION ABOUT A COMPLETE BAN BUT THANKED THE LEAD SPONSOR FOR ADVANCING THE CONVERSATION. THEY ALSO NOTED THE POTENTIAL TO BRING DRIVERS TO THE TABLE, EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUDING ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN DECISIONS THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT INDIVIDUALS LIVELIHOODS AND PRIMARY SOURCES OF INCOME. DURING PUBLIC TESTIMONY, SEVERAL SPEAKERS SUPPORTED ALLOWING THE EXISTING ORDINANCE TO TAKE EFFECT BEFORE PURSUING ANY AMENDMENTS, WHILE OTHERS EMPHASIZED THE URGENT NEED TO ENSURE TWO WHEEL DRIVER DELIVERY DRIVERS ARE HELD IMMEDIATELY ACCOUNTABLE FOR COMPLYING WITH TRAFFIC LAWS. SO AT THIS TIME MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THIS MATTER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE THANK. >> YOU THANK YOU. DOCKETS 0325 REMAIN IN COMMITTEE. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0638. DUCKING NUMBER 0638 ORDER FOR A HEARING TO EXAMINE THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S PROTOCOLS FOR RELEASING POLICE BODY CAMERA AND DASHBOARD CAMERA FOOTAGE. THANK YOU. >> THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR UH SANTANA, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. YESTERDAY WE HAD A HEARING ON THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S PROTOCOLS FOR RELEASING POLICE BODY CAMERAS AND DASHBOARD CAMERA FOOTAGE. AND AT THE HEARING WE HEARD FROM DAVE FREDERICK, UH, FROM THE GENERAL COUNCILOR OF THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE ALSO HEARD FROM EVANDRO UM CARVALHO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY . AND WE ALSO HEARD FROM DOCTOR CHRISTOPHER SCHNEIDER, UM, UM, AS ONE OF OUR THIRD UM, PANELS. UM I WAS JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES UH I WAS JOINED BY COUNCILOR UH MURPHY, COUNCILOR FLYNN, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, COUNCILOR CULPEPER COUNCILOR UM LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL WHERE WE'RE ALL ALSO AWARE AND COUNCILOR COLLETTA SUPPORT THAT WE ALSO RECEIVE UM A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCILOR DURKAN AND FROM COUNCILOR SORRY COUNCILOR THE PEN WAS THERE. SORRY IT WAS UH I DON'T HAVE TO WRITE DOWN HERE. I ALSO DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER ALSO SEND ANOTHER LETTER OF ABSENCE. BUT I WAS AT THE UM. AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, I TAKE SERIOUSLY OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO A TRANS UM PARITY AND IN POLICING, UM, UH ,THE PROTOCOLS GOVERNING THE RELEASE OF THE BOSTON POLICE BODY-WORN DASHBOARD CAMERA FOOTAGE ARE OFTEN COMPLEX SHAPED BY LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, ACTIVE INVESTIGATIONS AND INTERNAL PROCEDURES. UM AND AS I MENTIONED YESTERDAY UM COMPLEXITY UM SHOULD NOT BE A BARRIER TO PUBLIC TRUST. UM I'M COMMITTED TO WORKING UM WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO STRENGTHEN TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND ENSURE THAT OUR POLICIES REFLECT THE TRUST OF THE BOSTON RESIDENTS. I SPOKE TO THEM AS WELL FROM US. UH, I THINK WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION. I WANT TO THANK THE UM THE LEAD SPONSORS UM COUNCILOR UM CULPEPER AND COUNCIL AS WELL FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. UM AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR JOINING US IN THE CONVERSATION. UM, UH, AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE, I RECOMMEND THAT DOCKET NUMBER 0638 REMAIN IN COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA. DOCKET 03063. IT WILL REMAIN IN COMMITTEE. WE'RE NOW ON TO MOTIONS ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS REMINDER THAT UNDER RULE 39 REMARKS AND NEW MATTERS NOT UP FOR A VOTE TODAY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES FROM THE LEAD SPONSOR AND TWO MINUTES FROM THE CO-SPONSORS. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DUNCAN'S 0772. DUNCAN NUMBER 0772 COUNCILOR CULPEPER AFTER THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A CHILDCARE ACCESS FUND. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CULPEPER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR SANTANA AS A SECOND ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. UM, COUNCILOR FROM THE PAST ME AGAINST TANAH SANTANA, COUNCILOR SANTANA SO I JUST. MADAM PRESIDENT RIGHT NOW THE AVERAGE COST OF CHILDCARE IN SUFFOLK COUNTY IS AROUND $2,500 PER MONTH. THAT IS SIMPLY UNAFFORDABLE FOR MANY WORKING FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY SINGLE PARENTS FAMILIES PURSUING EDUCATION OR JOB TRAINING AND THOSE WORKING TO BUILD ECONOMIC STABILITY WHEN CHILDCARE IS OUT OF REACH IT IMPACTS EVERYTHING PARENTS ABILITY TO WORK, TO GO TO SCHOOL, TO MAINTAIN STABLE HOUSING, TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILY AND AS WE'VE JUST SEEN IN DOCTOR NUMBER 0747, IT AFFECTS THE EMPLOYEES THAT OVERSEE THE DAYCARE. AND AT THE SAME TIME WE KNOW THAT CHILDCARE PROVIDERS THEMSELVES ARE UNDER PRESSURE FORCING WORKFORCE SHORTAGES, RISING COSTS, LIMITED RESOURCES . SO THIS IS NOT JUST A FAMILY ISSUE IT'S ALSO A SYSTEM WIDE CHALLENGE. AND MADAM PRESIDENT, I ONCE AGAIN QUOTE THE COUNCIL'S ATTENTION TO THE NUMBER 0747. THE CITY HALL FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,100,000 THAT WE JUST APPROVED FOR SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY HALL CHILDCARE. THE CHILDCARE ACCESS FUND WOULD ALLOW BOSTON TO PROVIDE TARGETED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO CHILDCARE PROVIDERS SO THEY IN TURN CAN REDUCE TUITION COSTS FOR FAMILIES WHO ARE NOT FULLY SERVED BY EXISTING PROGRAMS. IT WOULD ALSO SUPPORT FAMILIES ON WAITLIST, HELP WITH COPAYMENTS AND MAKE STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE CHILDCARE ACCESS IS LIMITED. THIS IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT A PARENT DOES NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN GOING TO WORK AND FINDING SAFE, RELIABLE CHILDCARE FOR THE CHILD. IT IS ABOUT SUPPORTING PROVIDERS WHO ARE DOING ESSENTIAL WORK IN OUR COMMUNITIES. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AND TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE AS A CITY CAN BETTER SUPPORT WORKING FAMILIES ACROSS BOSTON. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. >> THANK YOU. COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SANTANA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UM, AND I WANT TO THANK, UM MY DISTRICT CITY COUNCILOR COUNCILOR CULPEPER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE AND FOR ADDED ME AS A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS ORDINANCE. ALL OF OUR FAMILIES DESERVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE. UM, THEY DESERVE TO KNOW THAT THE COST OF CARE WILL FORCE THEM TO CHOOSE BETWEEN WORK AND THEIR CHILDREN AND IT IS FOR EVERY CITY THE BEST AND MAKING THAT POSSIBLE. UH, I THINK AS COUNCILOR CULPEPER MENTIONED AND THE SUFFOLK COUNTY CHILDCARE CAN COST UP TO 2500 A MONTH. UM AND THAT'S ABOUT INCLUDING UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE PAYING RENT OR PAYING A MORTGAGE UM, FOR SINGLE PARENTS FOR FAMILIES ON WAITLISTS FOR RESIDENTS PURSUING EDUCATION OR JOB TRAINING THESE ARE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICES TO FACE. THIS ORDINANCE ORDINANCE ADDRESSES THAT A POSSIBLE CHOICE BY ESTABLISHING A DEDICATED CHILDCARE ACCESS FUND ,SUPPORTING FAMILIES, STABILIZING PROVIDERS AND CLOSING THE GAPS IN EXISTING PROGRAMS. I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT. I LOOK FORWARD TO UM THE WORKING SESSIONS AHEAD UM, THAT WE ALL HAVE. SO UM THANK YOU COUNCILOR CULPEPPER AGAIN FOR UM FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE. UM, AND THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UM. >> MADE THE PLAN AS A THIRD CO-SPONSOR. HEARING AND SEEING NO OBJECTIONS, COUNCILOR FLYNN IS ADDED AS A THIRD CO-SPONSOR. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YEAH. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO REVEREND CULPEPER FOR ADDING ME. UM, I REQUESTED TO BE ADDED. BECAUSE OF THE INCREDIBLE WORK. OF THE. CHILDCARE, THE DAYCARE FACILITY. UM, UH, AT BOSTON CITY HALL AND IT PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING SO MANY FAMILIES. BUT I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PEOPLE IN FINANCIAL SUPPORT THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE RESIDENTS DID UNDER MAY HAVE FLED UP IN THE MID 80S. AND I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE UM UH THE FIRST LADY WHO IS MY MOTHER UM THE ROLE SHE PLAYED AS WELL BUT. >> THE. THE CHILDCARE THE DAYCARE FACILITY AT CITY HALL UH MEANS A LOT TO ME AND MY FAMILY. I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO SUPPORT IT. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO REVEREND CULPEPER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR FLYNN. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? UH, COUNCILOR DURKAN, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR MURPHY. CULTURE. PEPEN. COUNCILOR WEBER TRANSFER WORRELL UM PLEASE OF THE CHAIR. DOCKET 0772 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 07736. NUMBER 0773 COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PART OF THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE STATUS OF THE CITY OF BOSTON'S CURBSIDE FOOD WASTE COLLECTION PROGRAM. THANK YOU. >> THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR COLOR DISSIPATED. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR DURKAN AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR AND SUSPEND, WHICH WAS AN AD COUNCIL CONTRIBUTION . >> UH UH, COUNCILOR JERKINS ADDED AND SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS CULTURE LOUIJEUNE IS ADDED AS A THIRD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, BOSTON HAS SET AN AMBITIOUS GOAL THROUGH ZERO WASTE BOSTON TO DIVERT 80% OF OUR WASTE FROM LANDFILLS AND INCINERATORS BY 2035. FOOD WASTE IS A MAJOR PART OF THAT EQUATION AND THE CITY'S PARTNERSHIP TO PROVIDE FREE CURBSIDE COMPOSTING FOR SMALLER BUILDINGS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD. BUT THE REALITY IS DEMAND IS OUTPACING ACCESS. ENROLLMENT IS CURRENTLY FULL WITH A GROWING WAITLIST ACROSS NEIGHBORHOODS. AT THE SAME TIME, RESIDENTS IN LARGER BUILDINGS ARE EXCLUDED FROM CURBSIDE SERVICE AND MUST RELY ON DROP OFF SITES OR PRIVATE OPTIONS WHICH ARE NOT EQUALLY ACCESSIBLE CITYWIDE. THIS HEARING IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE THE PROGRAM STANDS TODAY, ITS CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS AND COSTS AND TO EXPLORE HOW WE EXPAND ACCESS MORE EQUITABLY. WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT OUR ZERO WASTE GOALS. WE NEED A SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR ALL RESIDENTS REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY LIVE. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND IDENTIFYING WAYS WHICH WE CAN STRENGTHEN AND SCALE THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKAN CONSTRUCTION. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR CLOUD AS A. PARTNER FOR INCLUDING ME ON THIS HEARING ORDER. AS WE ALL KNOW, UM SHE HAS BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND I'M REALLY PROUD TO PARTNER WITH HER ON THIS ISSUE. COMPOSTING IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR REDUCING WASTE AND SUPPORTING OUR ENVIRONMENT BY DIVERTING FOOD SCRAPS FROM LANDFILLS. IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE ENCOURAGING IN THE CITY AND AN AREA I'VE BEEN PROUD TO SUPPORT. LAST YEAR I SPONSORED A HEARING WITH COUNCILOR RIPON ON BOTH OF THE CITY'S COMPOSTING PROGRAMS CURBSIDE COMPOSTING AND PROJECT OSCAR. THAT HEARING SPARKED A PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION. WE HEARD STRONG SUPPORT FROM RESIDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THESE PROGRAMS BUT ALSO DISCUSSED THE CHALLENGES OF COST AND CAPACITY BECAUSE COMPOSTING INFRASTRUCTURE REMAINS WIDELY AS FOLLOWS UH REMAINS RELATIVELY SMALL SCALE THESE PROGRAMS CURBSIDE COMPOSTING IN PARTICULAR CAN BE REALLY EXPENSIVE. THE CITY CURRENTLY USES ITS OWN TRUCKS FOR CURBSIDE COLLECTION ,AND THE PROGRAM DOES NOT FULLY SERVE ALL RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS WITH MORE THAN SIX UNITS. FULL UTILIZATION BY PARTICIPANTS REMAINS A CHALLENGE MODE EXPANSION HAS BEEN LIMITED BY THE CAPACITY OF OUR CONTRACTED PROCESSING FACILITIES. GIVEN THE FISCAL ENVIRONMENT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT HOW THESE PROGRAMS ARE OPERATING. WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE USING OUR RESOURCES EFFECTIVELY WHILE CONTINUING TO MOVE TOWARDS MORE SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM SOLUTIONS AND THAT MAY REQUIRE US TO RETHINK CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE CURRENT APPROACH. I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THAT PROJECT OSCAR BINS IN MY DISTRICT ARE HUGE SUCCESS. THEY'RE WILDLY USED PROP POPULAR AND THEY REFLECT RESIDENT'S EXCITEMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND FOR MY OWN FREEZER THAT HAS LOTS OF ONION PEELS, LOTS OF BANANAS I NEED I NEED TO SCHEDULE MY NEXT VISIT TO MY BIN OUTSIDE OF THE FIRE STATION IN BEACON HILL. UM WE MUST CONTINUE, UH, ENGAGING PEOPLE WHO ARE EAGER TO PARTICIPATE. AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT WE EVALUATE THE CURBSIDE COMPOSTING PROGRAM AS IT STANDS AT THE MOMENT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION. I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK TO THE MEDIA HERE. SOMETIMES THESE ISSUES AREN'T SEXY AND THEY DON'T GET COVERED AND IT'S JUST COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS. SO PLEASE COVER THESE ISSUES. SPECIAL THANK YOU TO WBUR FOR THEIR GREAT WORK, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ACTUALLY COVER THESE ISSUES THAT UM I FIND THAT THE MEDIA JUST ISN'T INTERESTED IN. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR GERKE. AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL FOR ADDING ME ON THIS DOCKET. UM, I THINK IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, UM, TO COMPOST AND TO THINK ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN INCREASE SUSTAINABILITY AND ONE OF THE THING TO CHAIR FOR I WANTED TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE IN THAT SPACE. I ALSO AM SOMEONE WHO REALLY ADVOCATES THAT FOLKS COMPOSTING THE BENEFITS FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS IN OUR HOUSEHOLD. UM, AND SO UH, I THINK AS BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE STATED, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REVIEW THE PROGRAM, SEE UP THERE ANY EFFICIENCIES THAT WE CAN GAIN AND THINK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AS A CITY IN TERMS OF MEETING OUR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS. UM, IN THE CHALLENGES THAT UM THE BINS UM THAT IT CAN PLACE I KNOW THAT I'M ALWAYS RUSHING IN THE MORNING I COME TODAY THEY COME AT 630 IN THE MORNING AND I'M ALWAYS RUSHING TO MAKE SURE THAT MY COMPOST IS OUT ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET AND FOLKS ARE ALWAYS ASKING ABOUT THE GREEN BINS AND SO UM, I DO THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO PAUSE AND REVIEW THE PROGRAM AND SEE WHAT UM WHAT MORE WE CAN DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR CULPEPER. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR FLYNN COMES FROM MURPHY, COUNCILOR PEPPER AND COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCILOR WEBER, COUNCILOR WIRRAL AND PLEASE UP THE CHAIR. THANK YOU. DOCKET 0773 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON CITY SERVICES. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0774? DUGGAN NUMBER 0774 COUNCILOR MORELLA FOR THE FOLLOWING WATER FOR A HEARING TO EXPLORE PRO GROWTH GROWTH REDEVELOPMENT TOOLS FOR UNDERPERFORMING COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IN BOSTON. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WORRELL YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES IN. BOSTON HAVE NOW DECLINED FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE FISCAL YEARS. ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S DASHBOARD, OFFICE VACANCY HAS REACHED 16.8%, THE HIGHEST OF THIS DECADE AND NEARLY TRIPLE WHAT IT WAS IN 2019. AT THE SAME TIME, OFFICE RENTS HAVE FALLEN BY MORE THAN 14% AND WE ARE SEEING THE IMPACT IN REAL TIME PROPERTIES THAT ONCE SOLD FOR $50 MILLION ARE NOW SELLING FOR UNDER 20 MILLION. THAT MARKET CORRECTION IS A MAJOR LOSS OF VALUE AND HAS REAL CONSEQUENCES FOR THE CITY BECAUSE WHEN ITS COMMERCIAL VALUES FALL, THE TAX BURDEN DOES NOT JUST DISAPPEAR IT'S JUST TO OUR HOMEOWNERS. WE HAVE NOW SEEN RESIDENTIAL TAX BILLS INCREASED BY DOUBLE DIGITS FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. SO OUR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS SIT USE AND UNDERPERFORMING HOMEOWNERS ARE ABSORBING THE TAX INCREASE AND THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE. WE KNOW THE CITY HAS TAKEN STEPS THROUGH COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL CONVERSIONS AND PLANNING EFFORTS LIKE PLANNED DOWNTOWN AND THOSE ARE IMPORTANT BUT THEY DON'T WORK FOR EVERY BUILDING. A LOT OF THESE PROPERTIES ESPECIALLY OLDER CLASS B AND CLASS C BUILDINGS REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT REINVESTMENT. IN SOME CASES THAT MEANS ADAPTIVE REUSE, IN OTHERS IT MEANS MAJOR RENOVATION AND EVEN DEMOLITION BEFORE THEY CAN RETURN TO PRODUCTIVE USE. AND THAT IS WHAT THIS HEARING IS ABOUT. IT'S ABOUT EXPLORING AND EXPANDING OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLBOX. THIS IS ALSO ABOUT MAKING BOSTON MORE COMPETITIVE FOR REINVESTMENT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT DISTRICT BASED FINANCING TOOLS SMART INCENTIVE STRUCTURES, REDUCE FEES GAP FINANCING FROM A PUBLIC PRIVATE VEHICLE AND OTHER WAYS TO HELP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS, LENDERS AND INVESTORS REPOSITION THESE PROPERTIES THAT THEY CAN EVENTUALLY GROW THE TAX BASE. THAT MEANS LOOKING AT TAX INCENTIVES INCLUDING HOW WE ARE STRUCTURING THEM AND HOW THEY HAVE BEEN AND HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN IN PLACE. LAST YEAR MY OFFICE FILED A WHOLE NEW PETITION TO SHORTEN COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX INCENTIVE TIMELINES FROM 15 YEARS TO SEVEN YEARS BECAUSE WE NEED MORE FLEXIBILITY TO CREATE WIN WIN SITUATIONS, GET SHOVELS IN THE GROUND WHILE ALSO PROTECTING THE CITY'S LONG TERM TAX BASE. THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO EXPLORE AN OFFICE TO ANYTHING PATHWAY. IF A COMMERCIAL BUILDING CAN BECOME HOUSING THAT'S GREAT BUT IF IT MAKES SENSE AS A MIXED USE SPACE HOTEL, CULTURAL CULTURAL EDUCATION OR UPGRADED COMMERCIAL SPACE WE SHOULD BE OPEN TO THAT TO THE GOAL IS TO GET THESE PROPERTIES CONTRIBUTING TO OUR CITY AGAIN SUPPORTING JOBS, SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES AND EASING THE TAX PRESSURE ON RESIDENTS. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU I WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME. COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PART OF COUNCILOR CULPEPER COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL MURPHY COUNCILOR. PEPEN COUNCILOR SANTANA, COUNSELOR WEBER AND PLEASE UH THE CHAIR. THANK YOU. DOCKET 0774 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0775. TALKING NUMBER 0775. COUNCILORS MURPHY AND FLYNN OFFERED THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING ON EQUITY AND ATHLETIC FUNDING AND ACCESS ACROSS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. UM, COUNCILOR FLYNN AND I FILED THIS LAST WEEK AFTER. WORD FROM. A BASEBALL TEAM, UM, IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE RECENT EVENTS INVOLVING THE EXCEL HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY BASEBALL TEAM WHERE STUDENT ATHLETES DID NOT RECEIVE BASIC UNIFORMS SUCH AS HATS FOR THEIR OPENING GAME HIGHLIGHT A FAILURE TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL RESOURCES TO STUDENT ATHLETES. OUR STUDENT ATHLETES, COACHES, SCHOOL LEADERS AND PARENTS HAVE RAISED ONGOING CONCERNS THAT TEAMS ARE RELYING. >> ON NONPROFITS. FUNDRAISERS AND OUTSIDE SUPPORT TO SECURE BASIC NECESSITIES. ATHLETIC PROGRAMS SHOULD NOT. OPERATE LIKE YOUTH SPORT PROGRAMS THAT DEPEND ON VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY PATRONS TO PROVIDE UNIFORMS, EQUIPMENT AND ACCESS TO PARTICIPATE INCLUDING PRACTICE FIELDS, FACILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION ESPECIALLY AFTER WE'VE HAD SEVERAL AND ONE RECENTLY HEARING WITH THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT AND AND I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ALSO AND THEY DO OFTEN SHARE THAT THEY'RE FULLY FUNDING AND ALL OF THEIR TEAMS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED. ATHLETICS ARE A CRITICAL PART OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT ATTENDANCE IN SCHOOL CULTURE IT MUST BE TREATED AS ESSENTIAL, NOT OPTIONAL. CONCERNS REMAIN THAT ACCESS TO SPORTS, QUALITY OF EQUIPMENT AND LEVEL OF SUPPORT VARY SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS SCHOOLS, RAISING SERIOUS EQUITY ISSUES WITHIN THE DISTRICT. THESE CONCERNS COME AT A TIME WHEN BHP'S OPERATES WITH A BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY $1.7 BILLION, UNDERSCORING THE EXPECTATION THAT ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE BASIC RESOURCES NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN SCHOOL LIFE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS HEARING TO, UM, GET SOME INFORMATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE AREN'T INDIVIDUAL TEAMS OR COACHES OR SCHOOLS THAT FEEL AS THOUGH THEY'RE NOT GETTING FULLY SUPPORTED BY THIS SYSTEM AND HOPE TO BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES, COACHES AND FAMILIES WHO I KNOW SHOW UP AND HELP IN MANY WAYS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MURPHY. AS COUNCILOR MURPHY MENTIONED, UM, THE VARSITY BASEBALL TEAM AT EXCEL HIGH SCHOOL DID NOT RECEIVE THEIR SCHOOL PROVIDED BASEBALL HATS ON TIME. THE OPENING OPENING DAY BASEBALL GAME. THIS RAISED CONCERNS FROM PARENTS, COACHES AND STUDENT ATHLETES ON HOW SPORTS ARE FUNDED WITHIN DPS. WE ALSO HEARD. FROM OTHER PARENTS ACROSS THE CITY THAT THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED TO UM TO THEIR CHILD UM A STUDENT ATHLETE. IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE HOLD THIS HEARING TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SPORTS EQUIPMENT AND SUPPORT WITHIN DPS, AS WELL AS TO HEAR FROM STUDENTS THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THIS INCIDENT AS WELL. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY NEIGHBORS IN SOUTH BOSTON FOR STEPPING UP AND SUPPORTING UM EXCEL STUDENTS INCLUDING BOBBY FERRARA, ROBERT MACHETE, DAVE MONAHAN AND OTHERS WHO WORK TOGETHER TO HELP OUR STUDENTS. THAT TO ME IS WHAT SOUTH BOSTON IS ALL ABOUT. BUT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME TO THAT WITH THE $1.7 BILLION BUDGET. BOSTON WORKS BEST WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. UM, ANYONE LIKE THE OTHER NAME COUNSELOR COLOR AS A POWDER COUNSELOR AT CULPEPER. COUNSELOR LOUIJEUNE COUNSELOR. UH, HAPPY UNCONSCIOUS INTERNAL CONTROL. WEBER. CONSTABLE WORRELL AND PLEASE, UH, THE CHAIR. UH. THANK YOU. DOCKET 0775 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0776. TALKING OF A0776 COUNCIL OVERALL OFFER THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO EXPLORE THE CREATION OF A PUBLIC PRIVATE LENDING AGENCY IN BOSTON. THANK YOU. >> UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WORRELL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THIS HEARING COMES AT A TIME WHEN ACCESS TO CAPITAL IS BECOMING ONE OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS TO THE KIND OF GROWTH WE WANT IN BOSTON. HIGH INTEREST RATES IN THE PRIVATE MARKET ARE MAKING IT TOO MANY PROJECTS SEEM ON FINANCING ALL OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR HAVE TAKEN IMPORTANT STEPS TO RESPOND TO THAT REALITY, INCLUDING ESTABLISHING THE $110 MILLION HOUSING ACCELERATOR FUND TO HELP MOVE ALREADY APPROVED HOUSING PROJECTS THAT HAVE STALLED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CHIEF. THE CITY HAS ALSO EXPANDED TOOLS TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES GROW, COMPETE AND BUILD WEALTH FROM THE SCALE PROGRAM TO CAP THAT WE JUST RECENTLY FUNDED AND BOSTON IS NOT STARTING FROM SCRATCH HERE. THE BOSTON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PROVIDES SMALL BUSINESS LOANS NOW THE HOUSING SIDE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING AND THE BOSTON HOME CENTER ALREADY PROVIDES SUBSIDIES, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND MORTGAGE SUPPORT THAT HELPS RESIDENTS ACCESS AND STAY IN HOUSING. SO THE ISSUE IS NOT WHETHER THE CITY SHOULD PLAY A ROLE THE CITY ALREADY DOES. THE REAL QUESTION IS WHETHER WE'RE DOING IT WITH THE RIGHT COORDINATION, SKILL AND ATTENTION. WE NEED TO USE OUR FINANCIAL POSITION FOR THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT OUR NEIGHBORS NEED HOUSING THAT MEETS OUR FAIR HOUSING GOALS SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE DAYCARES, PHARMACIES AND GROCERY STORES RIGHT NOW THOSE COMMUNITY SEVEN DEVELOPMENTS ARE GETTING STUCK NOT BECAUSE THE NEED IS NOT THERE BUT BECAUSE THE FINANCING IS NOT THERE. THIS HEARING IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK ACROSS ALL THESE EFFORTS AND LEVERAGE OUR FINANCIAL POSITION TO REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT IN THE CAPITAL MARKET AS A PUBLIC PRIVATE FINANCING AGENCY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR BROWN. ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PART OF COUNCILOR CULPEPER COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCIL DIVISION COUNCILOR. MURPHY COUNCILOR PEPEN COUNSELOR. SANTANA COUNCILOR WEBER AND PLEASE UH THE CHAIR DOCKET 0776 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0777. ? >> DUCKY NUMBER 0777 COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE ROLE, RESPONSIBILITIES AND STAFFING LEVELS OF AT THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES IN LIGHT OF BOSTON'S FISCAL CRISIS . THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN AND THEN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES HAS ALWAYS BEEN. HISTORICALLY INTENDED TO FACILITATE AND ATTEND COMMUNITY MEETINGS, ASSIST RESIDENTS WITH BASIC CITY SERVICES, SHARE INFORMATION, REPORT AND NEIGHBORHOOD FEEDBACK AND RELEVANT INFORMATION TO THE CITY. AND ACCORDING TO VARIOUS BOARDS SUCH AS THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS. OWN US WAS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR HOSTING THE COMMUNITY PROCESS IN MEETINGS ON ZONING AND LICENSING PROJECTS. HOWEVER, IN 2021 OAS WAS RESTRUCTURED TO ALSO INCLUDE THREE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALISTS ASSIGNED TO VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY TO NOW FACILITATE ALL OF THE COMMUNITY PROCESS INCLUDING ABUTTERS MEETINGS. THESE MEETINGS ARE INTENDED TO PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS BY OBTAINING FEEDBACK FROM THE NEIGHBORS MOST IMPACTED BY A PARTICULAR PROJECT. IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, MANY CIVIC GROUPS ACROSS THE CITY HAVE ALSO CONDUCTED THEIR MEETINGS IN A GENUINE HYBRID FORMAT BOTH ON ZOOM TO ACCOUNT FOR PERSONS. >> WITH DISABILITIES. AND THOSE THAT CAN'T MAKE IT IN IN PERSON SO THAT MANY OF OUR SENIORS OR FOLKS THAT DO NOT HAVE DIGITAL ASSET ACCESS ARE INCLUDED. NOT ONLY ARE WE STILL NOT DOING GENUINE HYBRID IN ABUTTERS MEETINGS, THE ONLY CITY BOARD DOING THEM CURRENTLY IS THE BPA BOARD. I HAVE SAID FOR YEARS ALL NEED TO BE IN PERSON AND ONLINE AT THE SAME TIME. BUT BEYOND THE WAY WE HOLD THESE MEETINGS WE SHOULD NOT LOOK TO AVOID REQUESTS FROM NEIGHBORS LOCAL CIVIC. GROUPS IN A DISTRICT CITY COUNCIL FOR MORE COMMUNITY PROCESS WHEN A PROJECT CHANGES FOR EIGHT YEARS, WHEN A PROJECT CHANGED IN THE COMMUNITY ASKED FOR ANOTHER MEETING MY OFFICE IN ON US WOULD PARTNER UP AND ASK FOR A DEFERRAL ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY. THAT DID NOT HAPPEN OVER THE LAST WEEK UNFORTUNATELY. LAST WEEK I WROTE A LETTER TO THE CHIEF OF THE DEPARTMENT ASKING FOR HER PARTNERSHIP AND REQUESTING A DEFERRAL ON A CASE IN SOUTH BOSTON ON BEHALF OF MANY NEIGHBORS IN A CITY POINT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. THAT ROUTINE REQUEST OVER EIGHT YEARS WENT UNANSWERED. BUT JUST YESTERDAY AT THE ZBA THE SAME NEIGHBORS AND CIVIC GROUPS ASKED THE ZBA FOR AN ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY MEETING IN ZBA AGREED THE COMMUNITY PROCESS WAS NOT COMPLETE IN. DEFER THE IN. DEFER THE CASE. THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE THIS IS PUBLIC SERVICE. OWNERS SHOULD NOT BE LOOKING TO GET OUT OF WORK. THEY SHOULD BE WILLING TO WORK WITH RESIDENTS AND HELP COORDINATE AND ENGAGE THESE MEETINGS. WE SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID TO ENGAGE IN THE PUBLIC PROCESS IF WE'RE NOT FACILITATING MEETINGS . UM WHAT ARE THE WHAT ARE WE DOING IF WE'RE NOT SERVING OUR CONSTITUENTS DURING THESE CHALLENGING ECONOMIC TIMES WITH REPORTS THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON IS CURRENTLY. IN A $100 MILLION DEFICIT, IT'S CRITICAL TO CAREFULLY REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE ROLE, RESPONSIBILITIES AND STAFFING LEVELS AT OWNERS ALONG WITH HOW IT IS BUDGETED BUDGETED AND TO ENSURE THAT TAXPAYER FUNDS ARE NOT USED ARE BEING USED EFFICIENTLY AND RESPONSIBLY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PART OF COUNCILOR CULPEPER COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR. MURPHY COUNCILOR. PEPEN CONSCIOUS. SANTANA COUNCILOR. WEBER, CONSTABLE. EARL AND PLEASE OF THE CHAIR. THANK YOU. DOCKET 0777 BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC AND CITY SERVICES. MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0778. TALKING OF A0778 COUNCILOR FLYNN OFF OF THE FOLLOWING ORDER TO AMEND RULE 46 OF THE RULES OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL FOR MUNICIPAL YEARS 2026 AND 2027. THANK YOU. >> THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I FILED THIS ORDER TO AMEND RULE 46. UM, WHICH RULE 46 STATES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MAY NOT SUSPEND ANY RULES REQUIRED BY THE OPEN MEETING LAW, THE CITY CHARTER OR THOSE DEFINING THE AUTHORITY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT. IT FURTHER STATES THAT RULE 1233 AND 35TH MAY ONLY BE SUSPENDED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT, WHILE OTHER RULES MAY BE CHANGED OR SUSPENDED. ONLY WITH THE TWO THIRDS. VOTE OF THE COUNCIL. HOWEVER, RULE 12TH. >> MAY. BE SUSPENDED IN THE CASE OF. EMERGENCY IF A COUNCIL SUBMITS A MATTER WITH WRITTEN EXPLANATION SHOWING THAT IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATED IN ADVANCE AND REQUIRES IMMEDIATE COUNCIL ACTION. RULE 12 STATES THAT ANY MATTER SUBMITTED FOR THE COUNCIL CONSIDERATION MUST BE FILED ELECTRONICALLY. >> WITH THE CLERK. >> ALONG WITH ONE HARD COPY. DELIVERED TO. >> THE CLERK'S OFFICE NO LATER THAN 10 A.M. TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE COUNCIL MEETING WITH RULE 46. WHILE RULE 46 ALLOWS STATE FILES IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY ,IN MY OPINION AN EMERGENCY SHOULD NOT BE DETERMINED BY A SINGLE COUNCIL IT AS YOU RECALL THIS ALSO TOOK PLACE UM SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS WHEN I FILED A RESOLUTION ON BEHALF. OF WORKING MEN AND WOMEN IN THE CITY. FOR THOSE REASONS AND OTHER REASONS, UM, I WANT TO BRING THIS MATTER BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND MAYBE HAVE A DISCUSSION ON IT. THOSE ARE REASONABLE MATTERS TO BE HEARD WHEN THEY OCCUR, WHEN THEY CAN OCCUR IN REAL TIME AFTER THE MONDAY MORNING DEADLINE AT 10 A.M.. FROM CELL FROM 10 A.M. ON MONDAY TO 12:00 ON WEDNESDAY. UM THERE. SHOULD BE SOME. CONSIDERATION FOR EMERGENCY HEARINGS AND THEY SHOULD BE HEARD. I ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN ME IN SUPPORT THIS CHANGE RESPECTFULLY SO THAT LATE FILE MATTERS. THEY MAY BE ONLY BLOCKED BY TWO. >> THIRDS. OF THE COUNCIL. UM THIS IS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY. THIS IS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY. THIS IS ABOUT. ENSURING THE VOICES OF. RESIDENTS ARE HEARD. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR CULPEPER? UM COUNCILOR MURPHY UM. THANK YOU. DOCKET 077 ER WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES, ETHICS AND ADMINISTRATION. OH, AND COUNCILOR FITZGERALD PLEASE ADD FITZGERALD. MR CHAIR. MR CHAIR CAN YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0779? DOCUMENT NUMBER 0779? COUNCILOR MURPHY AH FOR THE PHONE ORDER REQUESTS AND CERTAIN INFORMATION ON THE SECTION 17 F INFORMATION REGARDING BOSTON PUBLIC. SCHOOLS SCHOOL BUS AUTO LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE INCLUDING THE NON-RENEWAL OF THE PRIOR POLICY, THE PROCUREMENT OF A NEW INSURANCE PROVIDER AND ALL RELATED SAFETY CLAIMS AND COST DATA. THANK YOU. >> THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I'M JUST REQUESTING INFORMATION ABOUT THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL BUS AUTO LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE AND IT'S WRITTEN OUT I THINK THOROUGHLY HERE. SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN GET THIS INFORMATION SOON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> UM. DOCKET 0779. OH SORRY. ALL IN FAVOR SAY I THANK YOU. DOCKET 0779 HAS BEEN PASSED. MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0780. TALKING IN 0780? COUNCILORS MURPHY AND FLYNN OFFER THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE AUDIT OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL SPENDING, STAFFING AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. SO THIS IS A RESOLUTION WHICH I FILED LAST WEEK AND RE FILING TODAY OR TRIED TO FILE LAST WEEK CALLING FOR AN INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE AUDIT OPERATES WITH AN ANNUAL BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY $1.7 BILLION, REPRESENTING ONE OF THE LARGEST INVESTMENTS OF PUBLIC RESOURCES FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. RECENT BUDGET DISCUSSIONS HAVE INCLUDED SIGNIFICANT. PROPOSED REDUCTIONS IN THE SCHOOL BASED STAFFING, INCLUDING TEACHERS AND CLASSROOM AIDES RAISING SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT IMPACTS ON CLASSROOM LEARNING, STUDENT SUPPORT AND SCHOOL STABILITY. THESE RESOURCES THESE REDUCTIONS COME AT A TIME WHEN STUDENTS REQUIRE. INCREASED ACADEMIC, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER RESOURCES ARE BEING ALLOCATED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE STUDENT NEEDS. ENSURING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN IS ESSENTIAL TO PROTECTING CLASSROOM RESOURCES ,PRESERVING CRITICAL SCHOOL BASED POSITIONS AND PREVENTING DECISIONS THAT NEGATIVELY IMPACT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. AT THE MARCH. >> 26TH, 2026 BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING, CHAIR JERRY ROBINSON STATED THAT. BOTH AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL. AND AT CENTRAL OFFICE IT'S TIME. >> FOR AN AUDIT. UNDERSCORING THE NEED FOR GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY AND REVIEW QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN RAISED REGARDING SPENDING PATTERNS, CENTRAL OFFICE GROWTH, STAFFING ALLOCATIONS AND WHETHER RESOURCES ARE BEING DIRECTED EFFECTIVELY TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN CLASSROOMS. AND I KNOW. MYSELF AND I WOULD ASSUME ALL OF US. ARE HEARING A. LOT AND WE HAD A HEARING. HERE THAT WAS WELL ATTENDED WITH STUDENTS AND STAFF. BUT HEARING DIRECTLY FROM. STUDENTS TEACHERS ADMINISTRATORS. AND FAMILIES ABOUT THE. CONCERNS KNOWING THAT CUTS ARE COMING IN THE FOLLOWING. YEAR AND WE. EVEN HAD CUTS TO. FINISH OUT THIS YEAR WITH. >> THE SHORTFALL. THEY CONTINUE TO REPORT. CHALLENGES RELATED TO RESOURCE ALLOCATION, SERVICE DELIVERY AND SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS. PARTICULARLY THOSE WE ALWAYS KNOW WITH THE GREATEST NEEDS. BOSTON RESIDENTS DESERVE CONFIDENCE THAT EDUCATION FUNDING IS BEING USED. EFFECTIVELY, EQUITABLY. >> AND IN A MANNER THAT. PRIORITIZES STUDENT OUTCOMES AND CLASSROOM SUPPORT. SO I'M CALLING AND ASKING. UM. >> SUPPORT OF OUR. >> COLLEAGUES THAT WE TAKE A. DEEPER LOOK ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT WITH WE CONTINUE TO HAVE AN. APPOINTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE. BUT THE CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE AGREES AND I KNOW MANY PEOPLE DO ALSO SO HOPING THAT WE CAN GET THE ANSWERS THAT I KNOW MANY. OF US WANT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MURPHY. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UM, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WAS LISTENING TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING, UM, LAST WEEK WHEN THEY WERE DEBATING ON AND VOTING ON THE BUDGET OF BPA AND. LISTENING TO JERRY ROBINSON. WHO'S THE CHAIR OF. THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE REAPPOINTED BY BY THE MAYOR UM ASKING ALMOST DEMANDING AN AUDIT OF BP'S UM WAS. PERFORMED AND. THIS IS. >> SOMEONE THAT IS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR TO. TO THIS POSITION. KNOWING THAT WE ARE IN DIFFICULT FINANCIAL CHALLENGING TIMES. SHE'S ASKING SHE'S CALLING FOR AN AUDIT OF BP'S. DOES THE CITY COUNCIL ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE AN AUDIT OF THE BPA SUPPLIES PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM? I MET WITH THE UM WITH THE PARENTS UH SPECIAL EDUCATION GROUP LAST WEEK AND THEY ACTUALLY JUST FILED SOMETHING UM, RECENTLY UM, THIS BOSTON PARENTS LED SPECIAL EDUCATION COUNCIL. THEY'RE SEEKING AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT ON SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS IMPACTING MOSTLY STUDENTS OF COLOR. I GUESS OUR DECISION TODAY IS ARE WE GOING TO STAND WITH. STUDENTS STUDENTS OF COLOR? ARE WE GOING TO STAND WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, CALL FOR AN AUDIT, STAND UP AND ADVOCATE FOR THEM OR ARE WE JUST GOING TO ACCEPT THE STATUS QUO? I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO FIGHT FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT HEARD IN THE CITY, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN ALWAYS ABOUT IS FIGHTING FOR THOSE WITHOUT A VOICE IN GOVERNMENT. TODAY IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO STEP UP. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL WHETHER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, UH, MADAM PRESIDENT, UH, I JUST TO POINT OUT A COUPLE THINGS. YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY HAVE A FINANCE. COMMISSION. >> AN AUDIT COMMITTEE AND EVERY YEAR WE PERFORM AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT UM, OF. ALL OF OUR SPENDING, UH, THAT I AM TOLD YOU KNOW, WE SPEND CLOSE TO $1 MILLION ON AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT TAKES. SIX MONTHS AND WE GET ABOUT 180 PAGES UH, ON OUR ON OUR, UH, FINANCING AND OUR SPENDING INCLUDING DPS AND OUR LAST REPORT DETECTED, UH, NO MATERIAL MISSTATEMENT OR FRAUD IN OUR SPENDING INCLUDING DPS. WE HAVE ALREADY, UH, HIRED AN INDEPENDENT UH, AUDIT OF THE UH, SORT OF POOR PERFORMANCE OF DPS BACK IN 20 1415, THE CITY SPENT $660,000 ON MCKINSEY ,WHICH TOOK AN EXTRA YEAR TO PROVIDE A REPORT THAT MADE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS TYPE SUGGESTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, THEY SAID WE SHOULD HAVE A HIGHER STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO IN BOSTON. UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT WE NECESSARILY NEED TO BE SPENDING OUR MONEY ON ADVICE LIKE THAT HERE BOSTON. UM, IF THIS RESOLUTION IS CALLING FOR AN EXAMINATION OF PERFORMANCE OF OUR TEACHERS OR THE IMPACT OF THE MONEY, YOU KNOW WHAT WE SPEND MONEY ON THAT'S CALLED BUDGETARY OVERSIGHT. UM, THAT IS FOR THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND FOR THIS BODY TO STEP UP. THE STATE ALSO OVERSEES THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. UH, AND IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED, I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT ARE STILL LEFT TO BE ANSWERED. WE HAVE TO STEP UP AND ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. I JUST, UH, RESPECTFULLY TO THE FILERS. I DON'T THINK THAT THIS PROPOSAL, UH, AT THIS TIME IS A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO THE ISSUE OF WHETHER OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS WORKING WELL, I THINK WE WE SAW THE OUTCOME OF AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT THAT THAT WASN'T WELL, UH ,THOUGHT OUT IN 2015 AND THAT'S WHY I'M VOTING NO ON THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL DRUNKEN YOU UP THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. UM, AS YOU ALL SAW LAST MEETING, UM, I OBJECTED TO TWO DOCKETS BEING READ INTO THE RECORD. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S GUIDANCE IS CLEAR. OPEN MEETING LAW IS ABOUT MAKING OUR DEMOCRACY WORK AND THE PUBLIC HAS TO HAVE ACCESS TO AND UNDERSTAND THE REASONING BEHIND GOVERNMENT DECISION MAKING TO UPHOLD THAT PRINCIPLE . THE LAW REQUIRES THAT ALL AGENDA ITEMS ANTICIPATED FOR DISCUSSION BE PUBLICLY NOTICED AT LEAST 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE. I'LL ADMIT IT I'VE DONE LATE FILES BUT UM I THINK IT SHOULD BE THE HIGHEST BAR POSSIBLE TO GO AGAINST THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S GUIDANCE THE HIGHEST BAR POSSIBLE. IF IF I BRING FORWARD A LANDMARK AND ONE PERSON DOESN'T WANT TO VOTE ON THAT LANDMARK, IT'S NOT VOTED ON THE IDEA THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS PUT FORWARD GUIDANCE THAT SAYS PLEASE NOTICE THINGS 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE SO THE PUBLIC CAN TRANSPARENTLY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR BODY. I THINK THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. AND UM, I THINK THE IRONY HERE IS THAT WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND WANTING TO DO IT WITHOUT IT PROPER BE PROPERLY BEING NOTICED 48 HOURS BEFORE. SO TODAY I ALSO SEE TWO LATE FILES THAT THE PUBLIC MAY BE INTERESTED IN AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PROPERLY NOTICED BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE. WE HAVE A MEETING NEXT WEEK. WE COULD HAVE THAT CONVERSATION NEXT WEEK. I THINK THAT THE MORE THE LONGER I SIT IN THE SEAT AND THE LONGER I SIT DOING THIS JOB ,THE MORE I APPRECIATE WHY THE REASONING AND AND WHY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WOULD WANT THINGS TO BE NOTICED 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE. MY CONSTITUENTS HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT I'M LOOKING AT HERE IN TERMS OF THESE LATE FILES. OUR CONSTITUENTS LAST WEEK HADN'T SEEN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY AND THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN IT. SO UM I HAVE SO MUCH INFORMATION BUT WE HAVE LITERALLY FOUR RULES THAT TOUCH LATE FILES AND WE HAVE GUIDANCE FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND LATE FILE MATTERS AND NOT PROPERLY NOTICING THINGS AS THE TOP COMPLAINT OPEN MEETING OUR COMPLAINT THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL RESPONDS TO. SO I THINK I'M STANDING ON BUSINESS HERE AND UM, I THINK THAT MY UM I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND OPEN MEETING LAW. THERE'S MULTIPLE THINGS THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS PUT OUT ABOUT OPEN BEING LAW AND PUBLIC BODIES. UM, SO I'M GOING TO BE VOTING NO ON THIS FOR THE REASONS BEEN STATED. BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO RESPOND UM, TO THE FEEDBACK I'VE RECEIVED. YOU WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT PUBLICLY NOTICE THINGS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR UM DURKAN. I THINK THE MATTER BEFORE US CONCERNS THE RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE AUDIT OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. UM, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY. YES. >> THANK YOU. JUST FOR THE PUBLIC WHO'S LISTENING. AND I DO JUST WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT WHEN THE AGENDA LAST WEEK CAME OUT AT NOON, THERE WAS COMMUNICATION FROM THE AUDIT COMMITTEE LARRY DECORAH AND ALSO FROM THE FINANCE OFFICE, GROFF AND BERGER WHO GAVE US SOME KIND OF STARTLING INFORMATION AND ALSO LISTENING TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE HEARING IS WHY SO YOU CAN'T FILE SOMETHING BEFORE YOU READ SOMETHING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE AUDIT COMMITTEE SHARED WITH US. SO THAT IS WHY IT WAS PUT IN AND I THINK ANY TIME WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR SUPPORTS MAKING SURE BECAUSE WE'VE HAD GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS NOT GETTING THE RESOURCES AND EDUCATION THEY NEED THAT'S BEEN DOCUMENTED WITH A LOT OF DATA. SO I THINK ANY TIME I'M ADVOCATING FOR STUDENT ATHLETES FOR CITY SERVICES AND CITY WORKERS AND FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF AND TEACHERS TO HAVE WHAT THEY NEED, I ALWAYS CALL IT AN EMERGENCY. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. SO THIS IS THE DOCKET UH, 777800780. UH, A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE AUDIT OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS SPENDING, STAFFING AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION. UM, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? THANK YOU. UH, DOCKET. UH, ALL ALL IN FAVOR? UH, CONSIDERS MURPHY AND EXPANSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET 0780. MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET 0780. COUNCILOR BROOM. YES. >> COUNCILOR BRAYTON. YES, COUNCILOR COLOR AS OPPOSED. COUNCILOR. PRESENT. COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. >> YES. COUNCILOR. CULPEPPER. YES. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. NO. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCIL. CHAPLAIN. YES. COUNSELOR. LOUIJEUNE. COUNCIL. ILLUSION. NO. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. YES. COUNCILOR PEPEN. COUNCIL OF A PEN. NO. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. COUNCILOR SANTANA. NO COUNCIL. WEBER. COUNCILOR. WEBER. NO. COUNCILOR. WORLD. YES. COUNCILOR. WORLD. YES. SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. FIVE VOTES IN THE NEGATIVE AND ONE PRESENT DOES NOT PASS. . >> SO, UH, DOCKET 07870780 HAS NOT BEEN ADOPTED. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0781. SO I CAN HAVE A0781? COUNCILOR MURPHY AND FLYNN OFFER THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE AUDIT OF THE CITY OF BOSTON'S OPERATIONS AND FISCAL MANAGEMENT. THANK YOU. >> THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES UM. WE ARE TALKING SEVEN ZERO. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THEM. COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> MR. SO THIS IS A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE AUDIT ON THE CITY OF BOSTON'S OPERATION AND FISCAL MANAGEMENT. RECENT COMMUNICATION, WHICH. CAME OUT LAST. WEDNESDAY AT NOON WHEN THE AGENDA CAME OUT FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND AUDIT COMMITTEE HAVE IDENTIFIED EMERGING AND SIGNIFICANT FISCAL CONCERNS. THE CITY OF BOSTON IS CURRENTLY PROJECTING A FISCAL YEAR 2026 YEAR AND BUDGET DEFICIT OF APPROXIMATELY. $48.4 MILLION, REFLECTING GROWING FINANCIAL PRESSURE WITHIN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. THIS PROJECTED DEFICIT IS DRIVEN IN PART BY SUBSTANTIAL NEGATIVE VARIANCES IN KEY ACCOUNTS INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 47.1 MILLION IN SNOW AND WINTER MANAGEMENT. 48.7 MILLION IN PUBLIC SAFETY EXPENDITURES AND. 4.3 MILLION IN EXECUTION OF COURTS, PARTIALLY OFFSET BY A PROJECTED 13 MILLION REVENUE SURPLUS. THE CITY'S AUDIT COMMITTEE HAS FURTHER WARNED OF STRUCTURAL FINANCIAL PRESSURES INCLUDING WEAKENING COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES, A SLOWDOWN IN NEW DEVELOPMENT AND HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS EXCEEDING BUDGET PROJECTIONS BY AN ESTIMATED 15 TO $20 MILLION. RECENT ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE ADMINISTRATION INCLUDING INCREASED SPENDING CONTROLS, DELAYED HIRING AND RESTRICTIONS ON DEPARTMENTAL EXPENDITURES INDICATE THAT FISCAL PRESSURES ARE ALREADY IMPACTING CITY OPERATIONS. THESE DEVELOPMENTS WERE NOT FULLY AND PROACTIVELY COMMUNICATED AT THE BOSS TO THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL OR PUBLIC IN A TIMELY MANNER, RAISING CONCERNS REGARDING TRANSPARENCY ,OVERSIGHT AND FISCAL PLANNING . ENSURING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IS ESSENTIAL TO PROTECTING CORE CITY SERVICES, PRESERVING JOBS AND PREVENTING ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL BURDENS ON BOSTON RESIDENTS. BOSTON RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO FACE A HIGH COST OF LIVING AND SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO PAY MORE WHILE RECEIVING FEWER SERVICES DUE TO INEFFICIENCIES OR LACK OF OVERSIGHT. AN INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE AUDIT WOULD PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF CITY SPENDING PATTERNS, STAFFING LEVELS, PROCUREMENT PRACTICES, OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND THE ALIGNMENT OF RESOURCES WITH THE NEEDS OF BOSTON RESIDENTS. SO UM, LOOKING FORWARD UM, TO HAVING THIS AUDIT TO GET THE ANSWERS THAT I THINK ALL OF US WOULD LIKE TO HAVE. I'LL JUST REMIND US THAT EVERY TIME WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET HEARINGS WE KNOW WE HAVE MANY PROBABLY 48 HEARINGS AHEAD OF US AND DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS COME IN. WE GET HUNDREDS OF REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION, HUNDREDS THAT WE ASKED CITY DEPARTMENTS BEFORE WE TOOK A VOTE AND A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF THEM WERE NEVER ANSWERED AND MANY OF THEM WEREN'T ANSWERED FULLY. SO WE HAD HUNDREDS OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS THAT MANY OF US WANTED THE ACTUAL DATA TO MAKE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS. AND I THINK IN A TIME WHEN WE DON'T HAVE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF OPERA FUNDING OR ESSER FUNDING TO SUPPLEMENT PROGRAMS THAT I THINK WE ALL ADVOCATE AND CARE ABOUT, IT'S TIME TO REALLY LOOK CLOSELY AT THE BUDGET AND HOW IT'S WORKING. THANK YOU. UM, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN, THE SECOND CO-SPONSOR, AND THEN I'LL GO TO COLLETTE AS A PARTNER. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. UM, THIS AUDIT WOULD BE IMPORTANT. IT WOULD PROVIDE THE. CITY COUNCIL AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY STUDY THE BUDGET AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST YEAR. WITH WHAT? SPENDING. UM, LAST YEAR THE. BUDGET INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. THE YEAR PRIOR TO THAT AS WELL . UM. >> I THINK RESIDENTS. WANT US TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE. UM, BY BEING. FISCALLY DISCIPLINED, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE TO. >> THE RESIDENTS. AND PART OF. >> THAT IS. REVIEWING THE BUDGET IN DOING THIS AUDIT. WE HAVE WE HAVE HIGH PROPERTY TAXES. >> HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND MANY PEOPLE THINK WE HAVE DECLINING CITY SERVICES. IT'S ONLY NATURAL. THAT WE WOULD. >> ASK FOR AN AUDIT OF. CITY SPENDING. THAT'S THAT'S US. DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE. ON BEHALF. >> OF THE RESIDENTS. BUT I BELIEVE THE STATUS. QUO CAN NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED IN THIS CITY AND WE HAVE TO ASK HARD QUESTIONS DURING THIS BUDGET PROCESS. DURING THE BUDGET DEBATE. BUT WE ALSO NEED. >> AN AUDIT SO WE CAN. PREPARE OURSELVES AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS TAKING PLACE IN THIS CITY. ESPECIALLY WITH THE UM. WHAT THE. >> WHAT THE SO MANY NUMBER. OF UH, NEW STAFF THAT WERE HIRED. HERE AT CITY HALL. WE HAVE AN EIGHTH FLOOR RESTAURANT ON THAT RECENTLY CLOSED BECAUSE CITY EMPLOYEES AND WHEN WE HAVE A. COFFEE STORE. ON THE MEZZANINE. LEVEL THAT. THAT IS CLOSED. UM, THIS BUILDING IS STRUGGLING . CITY WORKERS NEED TO COME BACK TO WORK. WE NEED AN AUDIT OF OUR. FINANCIAL PRACTICES AND ENSURING EVERYONE IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE ROLE. THEY DO HERE. AS A CITY EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PARTNER. YOU YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> MADAM PRESIDENT. UM, I APPRECIATE THE INTENT BEHIND THIS RESOLUTION AND IT'S NICE TO. >> CALL FOR TO PUT IT DIPLOMATICALLY AND RESPECTFULLY . BUT RESIDENTS SHOULD KNOW THAT THIS ALREADY HAPPENS ON A YEARLY BASIS. IT'S CALLED THE ANNUAL EXTERNAL FINANCIAL AUDIT CONDUCTED BY INDEPENDENT AUDITORS. SO THIS IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT. IN FACT IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING. WE HAVE AN ACTIVE AUDIT COMMITTEE ALREADY IDENTIFYING THE EXACT PRESSURES CITED HERE OVER TIME. SNOW COSTS AND RISING HEALTH CARE EXPENSES. THESE ARE NOT HIDDEN PROBLEMS. THEY ARE WELL KNOWN AND ALREADY BEING MANAGED IN REAL TIME. I THINK THIS RESOLUTION ALSO MAY CONFUSE A FINANCIAL AUDIT WITH AN OPERATIONAL OR A PERFORMANCE AUDIT. IT'S UNCLEAR WHICH TAKES YEARS IF DONE CORRECTLY AND WOULD DELIVER FINDINGS LONG AFTER THE CURRENT FISCAL CHALLENGES HAVE EVOLVED. IT'S NOT A TOOL FOR REAL TIME FISCAL MANAGEMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROBLEMS CITED HERE ARE WELL KNOWN. THERE IS COMMUNICATION DATING BACK TO LAST YEAR IN MEASURES THAT HAD BEEN TAKEN REGARDING SPENDING CONTROLS, HIRING DELAYS AND OTHER CORRECTIVE ACTIONS. THESE ARE NOT MYSTERIES REQUIRING AN AUDIT TO UNCOVER. THEY ARE WELL UNDERSTOOD CHALLENGES ACTIVELY BEING MANAGED SO WE RISK DUPLICATION SPENDING TIME IN RESOURCES, STUDYING PROBLEMS WE ALREADY UNDERSTAND. AND SO BECAUSE OF THIS I AM VOTING PRESENT BECAUSE THERE IS AN ONGOING AUDIT ALREADY HAPPENING. YOU CAN GO TO BOSTON.GOV CLICK DEPARTMENTS CLICK AUDITING DEPARTMENT AND THEN CLICK REPORTS AND FINANCIAL REPORTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PART OF THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. WELL SAID UH COUNCILOR CALLED AS A PARTNER. UM, I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE STATUS QUO SINCE 1982 HAS BEEN AN AUDIT EVERY YEAR. SO I'M PLEASED TO TELL MY COLLEAGUES THAT, UM, UH, THE STATUS QUO IS AN AUDIT AND THAT AUDITS TAKING PLACE. I THINK THAT WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE CONFUSED HERE. AUDIT HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS. THE CHAIR OF AUDIT HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS. THERE'S A LOT GOING ON AT THE STATE HOUSE AND I UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES THE WORK WE DO HERE CAN FEEL A LITTLE FLASH IN THE PAN, BUT, UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT HERE THAT WE BRING THE FACTS INTO THIS CONVERSATION. THE FACTS ARE THROUGH THE CREATION OF, UH, THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS BEEN REQUIRED BY MASSACHUSETTS LAW TO UNDERGO THE ANNUAL INDEPENDENT AUDIT SINCE 1982 FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF CHAPTER 190 OF THE ACTS OF 1982. AND IN THAT, UH, IT SAYS THE CITY SHALL RETAIN THE SERVICES OF AN INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM WHICH SHALL ANNUALLY AUDIT THE ACCOUNTS OF THE CITY. THE AUDIT COMMITTEE SHALL MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF SUCH AUDIT AND SHALL MEET WITH THE ACCOUNTING FIRM AT LEAST QUARTERLY THAT IS TAKING PLACE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? OKAY. UM. COUNCILORS MURPHY INFLUENCING SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET 0781. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. HELLO? >> MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON DOCKET 0781. COUNCILOR BREADON. NO. COUNCILOR BREADON. NO. COUNCILOR COLOR AS A. COUNCIL CALL AS OPPOSED TO NO COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. COUNCILOR. CULPEPPER. YES. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. NO. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. NO. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. NO. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. YES. COUNCIL. BEAR PEN. COUNSELOR. FAN. NO. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. NO. COUNCILOR. WEBER. COUNCILOR WEBER. NO. AND COUNCILOR WORRELL. YES. COUNCILOR L YES. EIGHT VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND FOUR VOTES IN THE NEGATIVE. OH SORRY. SORRY ABOUT THAT. EIGHT VOTES IN THE NEGATIVE AND FOUR VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. DOCKET 0781 HAS NOT BEEN ADOPTED. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0782. SO I CAN NUMBERS 0782? COUNCILORS DURKAN AND BREEN OFFER THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING APRIL AS AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH. THANK YOU. >> THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DARK AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD COUNCILOR PÉPIN AS A THIRD CO-SPONSOR. UH UH, CURRENT HEARING AND SEEING NO OBJECTION COUNCILOR PEPPER AND SO ADDED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M PROUD TO INTRODUCE THIS RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING APRIL AS AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH AS OBSERVED EACH APRIL TO PROMOTE INCLUSION AND ACCEPTANCE FOR PEOPLE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE TALENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF AUTISTIC INDIVIDUALS IN OUR CITY AND TO AFFIRM THAT AUTISM IS NOT JUST A DIAGNOSIS BUT ALSO AN IDENTITY AND A COMMUNITY WHOSE LIVED EXPERIENCES ARE IMPORTANT. IN 2021 THIS OBSERVANCE WAS NAMED AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH UM AND CHANGED TO AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH TO EMPHASIZE GENUINE INCLUSION MOVING FROM JUST AWARENESS TO FULLY SUPPORTING AND CELEBRATING MEMBERS OF THE AUTISM COMMUNITY . WHILE WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS, I KNOW THERE'S STILL MUCH WORK TO BE DONE. INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM CONTINUE TO FACE MISUNDERSTANDING AND BARRIERS IN OUR EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING AND OTHER ASPECTS OF COMMUNITY LIFE. AS A CITY, WE MUST REMAIN COMMITTED TO DISMANTLING THESE BARRIERS AND MAKING OUR CITY MORE INCLUSIVE FOR EVERYONE. WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE MANY OUTSTANDING ORGANIZATIONS AND PROGRAMS IN OUR CITY ADVANCING THIS WORK INCLUDING AUTISM SPEAKS, THE ASPIRE PROGRAM AT MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM STRIVE AT WENTWORTH AND THE COMMON ROOM I KNOW WHICH IS IN COUNCILOR BRADEN'S DISTRICT AMONG OTHERS. BOSTON IS A CITY THAT VALUES EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT EVERY RESIDENT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE. AND TO MY NIECE UM I GOT TO TELL HER OVER ZOOM THE OTHER DAY THAT WE WERE MAKING IT AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH AND SO SHE'S GETS YOU CELEBRATING ALL MONTH LONG AND EVIE IS INCREDIBLY EXCITED. UM, THIS IS THIS UM AUTISM HAS TOUCHED MY FAMILY AND WE ARE SO LUCKY UM, TO UH TO GET TO SHARE JUST IN THE BRILLIANCE THAT IS MY NIECE AND, UM, THIS MATTER SO DEEPLY TO ME AND, UM, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS A MENTAL DISABILITY, UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE ACCEPT EVERYONE IN OUR CITY AND THAT WE MOVE TOWARDS INCLUSION FOR EVERYONE AND UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE'S INTELLECTUAL DIFFERENCES. SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO COUNCILOR BREEDEN AND COUNCIL RIPON FOR SPONSORING THIS WITH ME AND UM, REALLY EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THE ENTIRE MONTH. UM SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN. UH, I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN FOR BRINGING FORWARD THIS RESOLUTION. I'M PROUD TO CO-SPONSOR THIS WITH YOU AND CONTRA PEPEN, UH, RECOGNIZING AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH THIS MONTH IS ABOUT MORE THAN AWARENESS. IT'S ABOUT ENSURING TRUE INCLUSION, DIGNITY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM ACROSS OUR CITY WHILE WHILE WE CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE AUTISM COMMUNITY, WE MUST ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE BARRIERS THAT STILL EXIST IN HOUSING, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT. YOU'VE ALREADY MENTIONED SOME OF THE MANY GREAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK UH WITH THE UM PERSONS WITH AUTISM AND ACROSS THE CITY I HAVE A PARTICULAR FONDNESS AS YOU MENTIONED FROM THE COMMON ROOM IN BRIGHTON. UH, AND WE ALSO HAD A VISIT FROM THE FOLKS AT THE COMMON ROOM WITH THEIR THERAPY DOG GLEASON A FEW MONTHS AGO AND IT WAS A GREAT DELIGHT TO HAVE THEM HERE AND ALSO A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE MANY ADVOCATES AND FAMILIES WHO CONTRIBUTE TO PUSH THIS PUSH US FORWARD TO DO BETTER IN SUPPORTING UH, OUR UH FOLKS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND ACROSS THE CITY WITH AUTISM. BOSTON MUST CONTINUE TO LEAD WITH ACCEPTANCE AND I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TODAY TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION. I WILL NOW RECOGNIZE COUNCILOR PEPEN AND THEN WE'LL, UH, RECOGNIZE COUNCIL FLYNN. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU, COUNCILOR JURGEN FOR HAVING ME AS A THIRD AS YOU RECOGNIZE AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH, WE ARE REMINDED OF SOMETHING SIMPLE YET POWERFUL THAT EVERY PERSON DESERVES TO BE SEEN VALUED SUPPORT FOR WHO THEY ARE. AUTISM IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE FIXED. IT IS A DIFFERENT WAY OF EXPERIENCING AND INTERACTING WITH THE WORLD. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ACCEPTANCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MOVING BEYOND THE AWARENESS AND INTO ACTION. IT MEANS BUILDING A CITY THAT DOES NOT JUST ACKNOWLEDGE DIFFERENCES BUT EMBRACES THEM AS WELL. IN BOSTON THE RESPONSIBILITY STARTS WITH INSURANCE. WE HAVE THE RIGHT STRUCTURE IN PLACE ESPECIALLY IN SYSTEMS LIKE LIKE OUR BOSTON POST SCHOOLS EVERY CHILD REGARDLESS OF ABILITY THERE'S ACCESS TO AN EDUCATION THAT MEETS THEM WHERE THEY ARE SUPPORT THEIR GROWTH AND SETS THEM UP FOR SUCCESS. THAT MEANS INVESTING IN SPECIALIZED SERVICES, SUPPORTING EDUCATORS AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH FAMILIES WHO TOO OFTEN HAVE TO FIGHT TO SECURE THE RESOURCES THEIR CHILDREN NEED. BUT THIS DOESN'T STOP JUST AT SCHOOLS. CHRIS HOPKINS MEANS CREATING INCLUSIVE SPACES ACROSS OUR ENTIRE CITY, IN OUR WORKPLACES ,OUR PUBLIC SERVICES, OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN OUR COMMUNITIES. IT MEANS LISTENING TO INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM AND THEIR FAMILIES AND MAKING SURE THEIR VOICES GUIDE OUR POLICIES . AUTISM ACCEPTANCE IS NOT ABOUT IT'S ABOUT DIGNITY. IT'S ABOUT EQUITY. IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT EVERY BOSTONIAN HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE. AND I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO AN INSTITUTION THAT IS NOT IN MY DISTRICT RATES AND COUNCIL FITZGERALD DISTRICT IT'S UM BAY COVE AND IT'S AN AMAZING PLACE WITHOUT PROVIDE SERVICES FOR SPECIFICALLY CHILDREN WITH AUTISM. UM MY FAMILY HAS BENEFITED FROM THAT AND. IT'S JUST AN AMAZING PLACE THAT I CAN'T THANK THEM ENOUGH FOR THE SERVICE THAT THEY PROVIDE. AND ACTUALLY UM I JUST LEARNED THAT COUNCILOR DURKIN'S DISTRICT, UH, FENWAY PARK JUST ADDED A QUIET ROOM, UM, DURING BASEBALL GAMES SO THAT FAMILIES WHO NEED TO DECOMPRESS OR FIND THE TIME TO QUIET TO JUST FIND THE TIME TO GET AWAY FROM THE NOISE THEY HAVE A PLACE TO DO SO. SO I JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO KEEP THIS IN MIND. IT'S A. UM THERE'S A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO THAT YOU KNOW, HAVE SOMEONE WITH AUTISM OR SOMEONE WE MAY KNOW. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. AS A THIRD CO-SPONSOR. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR PEPEN. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND PLEASE ADD MY NAME. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF RECOGNIZING AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IMPACTS ALMOST EVERY FAMILY AND AND NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS THE CITY. I WANT TO SPECIFICALLY MENTION A WONDERFUL GROUP IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN SOUTH BOSTON. IT'S CALLED THE SOUTHEAST SPECIAL KIDS AND YOUNG ADULTS. I KNOW. >> COUNCILOR MURPHY SUPPORTS THEM AND SENATOR NICK COLLINS IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER THERE AS WELL. UM, BUT WHAT THEY DO IS THEY BRING RESIDENTS NOT JUST FROM SOUTH BOSTON BUT THEY BRING THEM ACROSS THE CITY BUT THEY BRING THEM TOGETHER TO TO SUPPORT CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH VARIOUS ACTIVITIES UM, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND I ENJOY GOING THERE SUPPORTING THEM. AND PEOPLE WITH AUTISM ARE OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND THEY DESERVE RESPECT. THEY DESERVE DIGNITY. AND WHAT I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE REALLY THE UNSUNG HEROES ARE THE PARENTS OR THE GUARDIANS OF OF OF THESE CHILDREN. THEY DO A TREMENDOUS JOB AS DO THEIR TEACHERS IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. I SEE THEM EVERY DAY SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, UH STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND THEY DO AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB. AND I JUST CAME HERE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT INCREDIBLE ROLE THEY PLAY. BUT AS A SOCIETY WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US IS TO TREAT ALL CHILDREN OF ALL PEOPLE WITH AUTISM WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY . THEY'VE GOT CHILDREN. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M JUST RISING. UH, TO ECHO A LOT OF THE SENTIMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES AND TO ALSO, UM, JUST PREACH THE INCLUSION THAT'S NECESSARY FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG AND CREATE SPACES OF BELONGING . AND I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO OUR TEACHERS WHO DO SO MUCH, UH, WORK TO CREATE EXPERIENCES OF INCLUSION UH, TO MAKE OUR UH TO REALLY TRANSFORM THE LIVES I THINK WE'VE COME SO FAR IN TERMS OF AUTISM AWARENESS EVEN IN 20 YEARS IN TERMS OF LEARNING HOW PEOPLE LEARN AND HOW TO UM SUPPORT PEOPLE IN THEIR LEARNING JOURNEY AND ALSO IN THEIR INDEPENDENCE. SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO OUR TEACHERS, UM, IN THE WORK THAT THEY DO AND TO ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS AS MESSAGES ADVOCACY UH FOR. CHILDREN UH, THAT DOES A LOT OF WORK WITH UH CHILDREN WHO HAVE AUTISM. I THINK WE HAD A PRESENTATION HERE FROM A GROUP THAT THAT WORKS WITH UM, YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE AUTISTIC, UM, WHO NEED HELP FINDING FRIENDSHIPS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. I THINK THAT WAS I'M NOT SURE. >> A COMMON ROOM. >> YEAH YEAH. MATT. YEAH. THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST LIKE A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION. UH, WE HAVE WORK INC THAT DOES INCREDIBLE WORK WITH FOLKS WITH WITH DISABILITIES AND UM AND UH WITH WITH FOLKS WHO ARE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN LIVE INDEPENDENTLY AND WORK INDEPENDENTLY. UM, AND SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, WANT TO ECHO AND THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR FILING THIS. IT REALLY IS A SPECTRUM AND IT'S A JOURNEY FOR SO MANY PEOPLE. BUT THOSE WHO ARE AUTISTIC WHILE THE SAME THINGS AS THOSE WHO ARE UM I HAVE TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO OUR VERY OWN UH, PRINCESS PERRY WHO IS ON LOVE ON THE SPECTRUM WHO'S AN AVID AVID SUPPORTER UM, AND WHO SHOWS EVERY DAY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO UH, LIVE UH, AUTHENTICALLY AND ARTISTICALLY . SO I WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO UH, PRINCESS PERRY AND TO HER GIRLFRIEND TINA. THANK YOU. AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UM, JUST WANT TO RISE TO THANK THE MAKERS AROUND US ON THE COUNCIL SUPPORTING AUTISM ACCEPTANCE MONTH. I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT WE NEED TO DO IT ALL YEAR ROUND AS A FORMER SPECIAL ED TEACHER, UM, KNOW THE CHALLENGES. SO I DO WANT TO SHOUT OUT THE LEE SCHOOL WHO HAS ALWAYS HAD A OUTSTANDING AUTISM STRAND BUT AS THE SYSTEM GOES MORE INCLUSIVE ACROSS ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AND PARENTS ARE, YOU KNOW, TEACHING AND WORKING REALLY HARD ALONGSIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND DOING GREAT WORK AND THE NEXT PROGRAM WHICH IS HELPING OUR STUDENTS 18 TO 22 HAVE LIFE SKILLS. SO I DO ALSO WANT TO SHOUT OUT LIKE THAT NEXT STEP AND I KNOW SOME OF THESE SPECIAL KIDS CHARLESTOWN SPECIAL KIDS WHERE THEY PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES IF IT'S COMEDY NIGHT BOWLING JUST REGULAR UM EVENTS THAT MANY OF US JUST TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT THESE KIDS JUST REALLY DON'T ALWAYS GET TO PARTICIPATE IN AND FEEL INCLUDED. SO IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE. BUT THE WORK OPPORTUNITIES AND SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR EVER SINCE I GOT ON THE COUNCIL IS THAT WHEN WE'RE OFFERING YOUTH SUMMER JOBS. AND YEAR. >> ROUND JOBS. OR INTERNSHIPS AND DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE OFFERING THEM TO ALL KIDS UM, ALSO THOSE WITH DISABILITIES ON IEPS HAVING SPECIAL NEEDS AND THE. WORK WE NEED TO DO TO SUPPORT THE UM DEPARTMENTS IF THEY ARE TAKING THEM ON BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE UPLIFT TO THAT AND ALSO WORKING TO GOODWILL ALL OF THESE UM NONPROFITS OUT THERE WHO ARE PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE WE KNOW WHEN YOUNG ADULTS HAVE JOBS, HAVE MONEY, HAVE THAT INDEPENDENCE IT'S VERY LIFE CHANGING NOT JUST FOR THEM BUT FOR THEIR FAMILIES. SO THANK YOU FOR FILING THIS. YOUR QUESTION MURPHY. UM, I'D LIKE TO ALSO UH, BUT 20 YEARS AGO I GOT AN INVITE TO GO TO THE THE SOUTH BOSTON SPECIAL KIDS. UH UH, THEY HAD A KARAOKE, UM AND WAS JUST ONE OF MY CLIENTS HAD INVITED ME. IT WAS REALLY WONDERFUL EVENT AND GREAT WORK BEEN HAPPENING THERE FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME. UH, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PART OF COUNCILOR CULPEPER COUNCILOR IF IT'S IF IT'S GENERAL COUNCILOR COUNCILOR FLYNN, COUNCILOR DIVISION COUNCILOR MURPHY UH, COUNCILOR SANTANA. CONSTABLE WEBER AND COUNCILOR WORRELL COUNCILORS DURKAN, BREADON AND PEPEN SIX SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET 0782. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. DOCKET 0782 HAS BEEN ADOPTED. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0783. TCA NUMBER 0783 COUNCILORS FITZGERALD AND WORRELL OR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING APRIL 13TH, 2026 AS LEWIS D BROWN DAY OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. THANK YOU. >> THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UH, AS YOU SAW WE TOOK A PICTURE EARLIER WITH THE LEWIS, THE. BROWN INSTITUTE AND ITS FOLK. >> AND UH, EVERY YEAR UH. WE SORT OF NAME THIS DAY. UH, APRIL 13TH WE RECOGNIZE APRIL 13TH AS THE LEWIS D BROWN DAY OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. UM, I GAVE MY MAIDEN SPEECH ON TRAUMA RESPONSE UH, AND THE NEED FOR IT UH, HERE UH, FOR ALL THE TRAUMA THAT OCCURS BOTH VIOLENT AND OTHERWISE. BUT THE LOUIS DE BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE REALLY STEPS UP FOR OUR CITY AND TAKES ON A LOT OF THAT TRAUMA RESPONSE FOR THE CITY. UH, AND SO WE ARE HAPPY TO SUPPORT THEM. THEY DO A GREAT RESEARCH THAT PARTICIPATED IN A LOT OF THEIR ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS. UH, AND I SEE THE WORK THAT THEY DO AND HOW IT REALLY DOES THE PEOPLE THAT GO FOR THEIR SERVICES AND HOW THEY FEEL WELCOMED AND COMFORTED, UH, AND HOW TO DEAL WITH THE TRAUMA FROM THE SITUATION THAT THEY'VE SEEN AND UH, IT'S JUST UH IT'S AN HONOR TODAY, UH, TO PRESENT THEM UH, WITH THIS RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING APRIL 13TH AS LEWIS D BROWN DAY OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT . UH, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO. UM, AND I OF COURSE I HAND IT OVER TO MY CO SPONSOR BRIAN WERE OUT TO SAY HIS WORDS AS WELL. THANK YOU CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONSTABLE AROUND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH THANK YOU TO MY UH TO THE SPONSOR OF THIS AND UH, THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UH, BUT I JUST ALSO TWO ON JUST RISE UP AND JUST RECOGNIZE THE LEWIS D BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE WORK HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THROUGHOUT THE MANY YEARS UM, UM, OF OF THEIR SERVICE AND MY OFFICE HAS CONSISTENTLY ADVOCATED FOR THEIR WORK UM, IN THIS BODY I MEAN FY 25, UH, PUSH FOR INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE LEWIS D BROWN INSTITUTE BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW CRITICAL AND VITAL UH, THEY ARE TO THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION, UH, HEALING AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT ACROSS THE CITY. UM, AND THEY WORK IS NOT JUST LIMITED TO VIOLENCE IS ABOUT BUILDING A CULTURE OF PEACE. UM AND THAT'S ALSO NOW EXPANDED OVER TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. SO I'M PROUD HERE TO RECOGNIZE UH, APRIL 13TH UH, WHICH IS ALSO ANOTHER NATIONAL HOLIDAY MY BIRTHDAY AS LEWIS D BROWN DAY OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILOR WEBB. UH, WELL, WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PARTNER? UH, COUNCILOR CULPEPER, COUNCILOR DURKAN, COUNCILOR FLYNN, UH, COUNCILOR. UH LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNCILOR PEPEN FUNCHES SANTANA AND CONSTABLE WEBER AND PLEASE, UH THE CHAIR COUNCILOR GERALD AND COUNCILOR WORRELL SEEKS SUSPENSION OF THE RULES ADOPTION OF DOCKET 0783. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT. DOCKET 0783 HAS BEEN ADOPTED. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET. 07840784 COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION TO PROTECT SNAP AND TO SUPPORT AND SUPPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE WORKERS. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YOU HAVE UP YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. UM, MADAM CHAIR, UM, I'D LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR UH, SANTANA AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. UH, SANTANA SO ADDED. THANK YOU. >> AND I AM REQUESTING SUSPENSION AND PASSAGE TODAY. THIS IS A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF SNAP, THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WHICH IS OUR MOST EFFECTIVE ANTI-HUNGER PROGRAM IN THIS COUNTRY. UM, AND TO SUPPORT OUR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE WORKERS WHO FACE A LOT OF STRESS AND RIGHT NOW AS THEY DO THE WORK OF UH, WORKING WITH AND ALONGSIDE OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS, UM, RIGHT NOW WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE UH, IN THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED OF UH, FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO EAT EVERY DAY. UM AND THAT'S WHAT THE SNAP DOES TODAY THERE WAS AN OP ED UM, IN THE GLOBE CALLED HUNGER IN MASSACHUSETTS IS ABOUT TO GET WORSE BY CATHERINE D'AMATO ,THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR IT SAYS NEW SNAP ELIGIBILITY AND WORK REQUIREMENTS PASSED AS A PART OF THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT HAVE GONE INTO EFFECT. THESE WIDE RANGING NEW RULES REQUIRE EVEN MORE AMERICANS WHO ARE PREVIOUSLY EXEMPT LIKE VETERANS, TEENS AND OLDER AMERICANS TO WORK OR VOLUNTEER 20 HOURS PER WEEK TO QUALIFY FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS JUMP THROUGH BUREAUCRATIC HOOPS TO KEEP THEIR BENEFITS. I RECENTLY VISITED ONE OF OUR SHELTERS AND WAS TALKING TO UM, ONE OF THE WORKERS WHO TALKED ABOUT THE INCREASE IN PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE SEEING IN THEIR SHELTERS AMONG OUR ELDERLY. UM, IT IS A TRAVESTY WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING. WE HAVE TO SUPPORT UH SNAP EVEN AS THEY COME UNDER ATTACK. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SUPPORTING IT AT THE STATE LEVEL. UM, AND THAT WE ARE STANDING WITH OUR DTA WORKERS. YESTERDAY I STARTED MY MORNING UM IN ROXBURY IN NUBIAN SQUARE ALONGSIDE COUNCILOR SANTANA ALONGSIDE SENATOR MIRANDA UH ALONGSIDE OUR DTA WORKERS CALL TO ACTION BY THE BOSTON FOOD ACCESS COALITION. UM AND SHOUT OUT TO MERCY ROBINSON FROM SOUTH BOSTON AND ACTION WHO MADE SURE THAT UM I WAS THERE AND PUT THIS ON MY RADAR THAT WE ARE STANDING UP FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN PUBLIC HOUSING, WHO LIVE UM ON THE MARGINS OF OUR OF OUR CITY WHO WE MAY NOT GET CALLS FROM ALL THE TIME BUT WHO ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF OUR SUPPORT AND OUR HELP ALONGSIDE OUR DTA WORKERS. AND SO I'M JUST FILING THIS RESOLUTION TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE THE MAJOR PROBLEM WE HAVE IN PART BECAUSE OF UH, CHANGES THAT OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL MAKING IT HARD AT OUR STATE LEVEL. BUT WE CANNOT UH, RENEGE ON OUR COMMITMENT TO THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED OF FOOD. AND SO I STAND WITH THEM, UM, AND WITH EVERYONE WHO DESPITE THE WEIRD, UH, SNOW, RAIN WHATEVER WE HAD YESTERDAY MORNING WAS OUT IN FORCE IN NUBIAN SQUARE TO, UM TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THOSE IN NEED. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SANTANA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND UM. THANK YOU, UM, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR INCLUDING ME. UM, AND ON YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS I WAS PROUD TO STAND WITH YOU UM YESTERDAY UM IN NUBIAN SQUARE. UM, I THINK COUNCILWOMAN LOUIJEUNE, UH, MENTIONED THAT I THINK THERE'S TWO THINGS GOING ON RIGHT HERE. I THINK THERE'S, UH, AN INCREASE IN THIS FOOD INSECURITY ACROSS, UM, THE BOARD AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ESPECIALLY AHEAD. >> OF BUDGET. >> SEASON THAT WE'RE BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT, UM, HOW WE DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS. UM, AND THEN I THINK I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE OUR DTA WORKERS WHO ARE JUST. UM. >> UH, DEALING WITH SUCH A LARGE WORKLOAD, UM, AND DEALING WITH OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY. UM, AND THEY'RE JUST AND SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERPAID. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY'RE IN THE FRONTLINES TAKING CARE OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE. UM, AND I'M PROUD TO STAND, UM, AND SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION. UM, TO PROTECT UM, I GOT IN OUR MOST VULNERABLE. SO, UM, THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER JOHN, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. >> CONSCIOUS AND TURN OF THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I REPRESENT A LARGE. NUMBER OF LOW INCOME RESIDENTS WHO RECEIVE SNAP. BENEFITS AND RELY ON THESE BENEFITS TO PURCHASE FOOD. FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. FOOD INSECURITY. AFFECTS THE MOST. VULNERABLE IN OUR CITY. IN IMPOSING MORE DIFFICULTIES ON ANYONE WHO NEEDS SNAP BENEFIT TO GET ACCESS TO FOOD IS UNCONSCIONABLE. I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE TREMENDOUS WORK OF ABCD ACTION FOR BOSTON. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE AD FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON IN 2025 INDICATES THAT 17% OF BOSTON RESIDENTS LIVE IN POVERTY. >> WITH. RATES HIGHEST AMONG HISPANIC AND ASIAN RESIDENTS POPULATIONS THAT I REPRESENT IN MY DISTRICT . HOUSING COSTS IN BOSTON ARE ALSO AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY WITH SNAP BENEFITS. IT PROVIDES. A FAMILY AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE NUTRITIONAL FOOD. TAKING AWAY THIS BENEFIT IMPACTS NEGATIVELY THESE FAMILIES AND REALLY IS UNCONSCIONABLE TO DO THAT. SNAP BENEFITS. >> HELP THESE RESIDENTS. >> GAIN. ACCESS TO CRITICAL. FOOD SO THAT THEY DON'T GO HUNGRY AT NIGHT. IN 2019. ,I FILED A. RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S RULE CHANGE TO SNAP UP INACTIVE AND INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF MERCY ROBINSON AT SOUTH BOSTON AND JACKSON FOR HER COMMUNITY ORGANIZING EFFORTS. YESTERDAY SHE HELD. >> A STATEWIDE STAND OUT. IN SUPPORT OF SNAP AND DTA WORKERS. LET'S CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AND PROTECT ONE OF THE MOST. VALUABLE FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE CONGRESSMAN STEPHEN LYNCH, WHO HAS BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE SNAP PROGRAM AS WELL. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. WOULD ANYONE, UH, LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PARTNER COUNCILOR CULPEPER COUNCILOR DURKAN FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNTER. PEPEN COUNCILOR WEBER AND COUNCILOR. WELL, PLEASE OF THE CHAIR. COUNCILORS LOUIJEUNE AND SANTANA SEEK SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET 0784. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL RIGHT. UH, MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON DOCKET 0784. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES, COUNCILOR COLOR AS OPPONENT. YES COUNCILOR. CLOSE. BUT YES. COUNCILOR. CULPEPPER. COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. YES. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. YES. COUNCIL. FITZGERALD. YES. SHOW. YES. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCIL. LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCILOR. MEJIA. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. YES. COUNCIL. THE PEN COUNCIL A PEN. YES COUNCILOR. SANTANA. SANTANA. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES AND COUNCILOR WORRELL. YEAH. COUNCIL ARROYO. YES. TALKING ABOUT 0784 HAS RECEIVED 12 VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU. UH, DOCKET 0784 HAS BEEN ADOPTED. UH, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE GREEN SHEETS, IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME TO A DOCKET THAT THEY HAVE MISSED MAY HAVE MISSED? UH, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD? YEAH. >> COULD YOU PLEASE BY NEED TO, UH, DUKKHA NUMBER 0775. THANK YOU. >> YES. >> THANK YOU. WE'RE NOW ON TO GREEN SHEETS. IS ANYONE WORKING TO PULL ANYTHING FROM THE GREEN SHEETS? UM. >> COUNCILOR WEBER, I UNDERSTAND YOU MAY HAVE SOME DOCKETS TO PULL. I DON'T I BELIEVE SO I THINK THERE HAS TO BE TWO WEEKS BETWEEN MSBA UH. VOTES AND I THINK I THINK THAT'S CORRECT. YES. SO I. THINK WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO. PULL UH NEXT WEEK NEXT WEEK. >> YEAH. THANK YOU. >> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. UM. LET'S NOW UH NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO LATE FILES. UH, MR CHAIR, DO WE HAVE THE FUNDS? WE HAVE THREE LATE. THANK YOU. >> I'M INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT THERE ARE THREE FUNDS ABSENT. OBJECTION. UM COUNCILOR. UM, DURKAN, IF THE FLOOR. I OBJECT TO THE TWO LATE FILES. UM, THE INDUSTRY THAT I. OBJECT TO THESE TWO SPECIFICALLY. UH, CONSIDER MR CHAIR COULD JUST CLARIFY. UM, THERE'S. A LETTER FROM THE. MAYOR AND ABSENCE. THERE'S AN ABSENCE LETTER FROM THE MAYOR AND THERE'S TWO UM. FROM COUNCILOR COFFEE. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. AND MADAM. >> PRESIDENT AT FIVE MILES AN HOUR. UM, FROM ONE DAY FIVE I GOT, YOU KNOW, ALL THREE LAYING FILES. UM, I'M GOING TO GET TO THAT. THANK YOU. UM, CAN WE TAKE, UM MR CLERK, CAN YOU READ THE, UH, LETTER OF ABSENCE UH, INTO THE RECORD AND THEN WE'LL DEAL WITH THE OTHER TWO POINTS. THAT'S ALL. THAT'S ALL OR NOTHING. >> SO WE CAN JUST. PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK. BECAUSE WE BOTH WANT TO TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING. THANK YOU. >> THE FUNDS HAVE BEEN, UH HAVE NOT BEEN ADDED AND, UH, MR CLERK, UM. WE MOVE. MADAM PRESIDENT, I HAVE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE. YES SIR. I MAY GO TO WAIT FIVE. I DO NOT ACTUALLY THINK TWICE ABOUT THIS MONDAY MORNING, UH, BEFORE 10:00 45 UM. SO STAFF, UM STAFF THAT THEY WERE INAPPROPRIATE. THERE'S BEEN. DISCUSSION OVER THE. LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. WE DID MEET THE 48 HOURS. UH. >> THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. THEY FINALLY CAME TO A RESOLUTION LATE. UH. >> THIS MORNING CLOSE TO THE MEETING. KNOW ONE PERSON AT A TIME, PLEASE. THANK YOU. CULPEPER HAS THE FLOOR. AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED, HAD THEY NOT BEEN CHALLENGED BY CENTRAL STAFF MONDAY, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN FILED TIMELY. AND SO I SAY THEY'RE LOOKING AT THEM BEING FILE WITHDRAWN AT THE ADVICE OF THE CENTRAL STAFF BEING REFILED AGAIN TODAY AFTER WAS DISCUSSION I WOULD SAY THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY LATE FILED THEY MET THE 48 HOURS THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THE UM THEY WOULD REFER TO. THE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY I THINK UM THE LATE FILE IT'S BEEN OBJECTED TO SO WE'LL END DEBATE AND WE'LL SEND THESE BOTH DOCKETS TO UH PUBLIC UH PUBLIC SAFETY. THANK YOU. NO, WE CAN'T DO THAT. THIS WILL BE ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK IF THEY REQUIRE. THANK YOU. >> I'M THANK YOU ONE PERSONAL TIME. UM. IT'LL BE ON THE. UM THE REFILED IN A TIMELY WAY AND THEY'LL BE ON THE AGENDA NEXT WEEK. THANK YOU FOR. THAT, SIR. MURPHY. >> UM, MADAM PRESIDENT, LAST WEEK AN OBJECTION WAS MADE BEFORE ANYTHING WAS READ INTO THE RECORD AND MYSELF AND COUNCILOR FLYNN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO ADVOCATE FOR WHY WE ALSO THOUGHT WE HAD REALLY GOOD REASONS AND I APPRECIATE COUNCILOR CULPEPER AND COUNCILOR WEBBER'S LATE FILES AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION, THE DEBATE AND THE SUPPORT OF IT. BUT UM, JUST WANT TO ASK THE CLARIFYING QUESTION WHY SOME COLLEAGUES ARE ABLE TO SPEAK AFTER A BLOCK AND SOME ARE. UH, RIGHT NOW THIS UH THE LEAD FILE ISSUE HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED IS A UH, OPEN MEETING . NO NO. NO IT'S. >> A SO IT'S MY DECISION THAT THESE I'M ASKING. ABOUT THE CONVERSATION UM THE SAME THING HAPPENED LAST WEEK BUT WHEN COUNCIL. LAST WEEK. IT WAS THE SAME TO SPEAK ABOUT WHY. IT WAS THE SAME ISSUE LAST WEEK IT WAS A LATE FILE IT'S I KNOW RIGHT OKAY YEAH SO IT'S MY DECISION THESE ARE GOING THIS WILL COME BEFORE THE BODY NEXT WEEK SO NO THAT'S. NOT WHAT I'M ASKING THANK. >> YOU. I'M ASKING. >> WHY DID THE COUNCIL GET TO SEE. THANK YOU. NO, I AM NOT. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU UM. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON. THESE TWO DOCKETS WILL BE REFILED FOR NEXT WEEK. UM, THE CONSENT AGENDA. WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY THE TRUCK THAT THERE ARE NO ADDITIONS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. THE QUESTION THAT COMES UP COMES ON APPROVAL OF THE VARIOUS MATTERS CONTAINED IN THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I THANK YOU. THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED. WE ARE NOW ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS . PLEASE REMEMBER THESE ARE FOR UPCOMING DATES AND EVENTS. UM A FEW SHOUT OUTS HERE. I'D LIKE TO WISH A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AN ANNIVERSARY UH CHAIR. CHAIR UH WHOSE BIRTHDAY IS APRIL 12TH? AND AS WE ALREADY HEARD, THERE'S A NATIONAL HOLIDAY TO RECORD TO CELEBRATE COUNCILOR WARHOL'S BIRTHDAY ON APRIL 12TH. THERE IS 13TH. UM, I'VE ALSO A LITTLE BIRDIE TOLD ME THAT, UH, OUR CHURCH, UH, IS CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY ON APRIL 10TH. SO I WISH YOU ALL A VERY, VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY. UH, ANY OTHER ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? UM, I'LL START WITH CONSTRUCTION. DO YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT? UM. SO, UH, WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO MEMORIALS. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO UPLIFT IN THEM? CONSIDER. CAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? THANK YOU. UM, I'D LIKE TO, UH, HERMAN GREENFIELD, A BELOVED BEACON HALL RESIDENT AND PHARMACIST A DEVOTED FAMILY MAN PASSED AWAY ON SUNDAY, MARCH 22ND, 2026 AT THE AGE OF 92 SURROUNDED BY HIS FAMILY AND FOR MANY DECADES HERMAN WAS A FAMILIAR AND CHERISHED PRESENCE IN THE BEACON HILL COMMUNITY AS THE OWNER OF GARY DRUG RECENTLY UH NAMED A LEGACY BUSINESS. HE LOVED HIS WORK DEEPLY AND TOOK GREAT PRIDE IN CARING FOR PEOPLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. GENERATIONS OF BEACON HILL RESIDENTS CAME TO KNOW HIM NOT ONLY FOR BEING A PHARMACIST BUT A TRUSTED FRIEND. THE FEELING WAS MUTUAL HE LOVED HIS COMMUNITY AND THEY LOVED HIM BACK IN A PARTICULARLY MEANINGFUL CHAPTER OF HIS LIFE, HIS SON DAN JOINED HIM AT THE PHARMACY AND THE TWO WORKS SIDE BY SIDE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, CONTINUING THEIR TRADITION OF DEDICATION AND CARE FOR CUSTOMERS AND NEIGHBORS. THOSE WHO KNEW HERMAN WILL REMEMBER HIS WARMTH, HIS GENEROSITY, HIS SENSE OF HUMOR . HE HAD A PASSION FOR POLITICS AND TENNIS, A DEDICATION TO HELPING OTHERS AND THE ABILITY TO CREATE A GENUINE CONNECTION WITH SO MANY PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS. ABOVE ALL, NOTHING MATTERED MORE TO HIM THAN HIS FAMILY. UM HE IS PREDECEASED BY HIS BROTHER AND HIS BEST FRIEND UM JULIAN GREENFIELD AND UM HE WHO HE SHARED A LIFELONG BOND. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS BELOVED WIFE SANDY AND HIS DAUGHTER TOBY, UM, HIS DAUGHTER AND TOBY AND LISA GREENFELD AND HUSBAND DANIEL VAN ACKER AND THEIR SON JULIAN. UM A FUNERAL SERVICES ARE GOING TO BE HELD AT TEMPLE SINAI IN SHARON, UM ON TUESDAY, MARCH 24TH AT 1 P.M. FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO CELEBRATE HIS MEMORY. UM SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR DURKAN CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONSTABLE WEBER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH. >> THANK YOU. UM UH, I RISE IN MEMORY OF ANNA MAE COLE, UH, WHO PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 93. UH, I'M JUST GOING TO READ FROM THE STATEMENT FROM THE BAR. UH, ANNA WAS A TRANSFORMATIONAL TENANT LEADER WHO DEDICATED HER LIFE TO EMPOWERING RESIDENTS IN THE MILDRED HALEY COMMUNITY. OVER THE COURSE OF HER LIFE, ANNA BECAME ONE OF THE DEFINING TENANT LEADERS IN THE AGENCY. HALEY FORMERLY KNOWN AS BROMLEY HEATH APARTMENTS, UH ANNA DEDICATED UH HERSELF TO ADVOCATING FOR HER NEIGHBORS AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN. THEY CALLED MILDRED KELLY HOMES IN 1967 AS A MEMBER OF MOTHERS FOR ACTION, ANNA WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING A HEALTH CENTER TO THE DEVELOPMENT. THE MARTHA ELLIOTT HEALTH CENTER FIRST OPENED IN BROMLEY HALL TO PROVIDE INFANT CARE BEFORE LATER EXPANDING TO A STATE OF THE ART FACILITY ON BICKFORD STREET. ANNA WORKED CLOSELY WITH ACTION FOR BOSTON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DR. ABCD TO BRING YOUTH PROGRAMING FREE BREAKFASTS, RECREATION AND RECREATION PROGRAMS TO VHA CHILDREN AT BOB BROMLEY HALL WHICH WAS LATER RENAMED THE ANIMA COLE COMMUNITY CENTER. SHE WAS ALSO DEEPLY INVOLVED IN EFFORTS TO STOP THE CONSTRUCTION OF I-95 THROUGH THE SOUTHWEST CORRIDOR IN 1968, ALONGSIDE THE LATE MILDRED C HALEY, ANNA CO-FOUNDED THE BROMLEY HEATH TENANT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION WHICH BECAME THE FIRST TENANT RUN PUBLIC HOUSING MANAGEMENT CORPORATION IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE ANNA WENT ON TO SERVE AS THE CHAIR IN THE 1990S AND WORKED AS A PROPERTY MANAGER. WHITTIER STREET APARTMENTS. AFTER RETIRING FROM THE BAR, ANNA CONTINUED HER LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO HER COMMUNITY AS A BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS CROSSING GUARD. SHE READ TO CHILDREN HELPING THEM TO HELPING THEM SAFELY ONTO SCHOOL BUSSES AND SOMETIMES BOUGHT HATS AND GLOVES TO KEEP THEM WARM THROUGH THE WINTER. UH, CHERYL PATTERSON WAS A LONGTIME MANAGER AND NIECE OF MILDRED HALEY SAID ANNA RAISED EIGHT CHILDREN OF HER OWN AND SHE WAS A MOTHER OF SO MANY, UH, OTHERS WHO GREW UP AT BROMLEY. SHE WAS A QUEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY AND SHE GREETED YOU WITH A SMILE. SHE WAS JUST A BEAUTIFUL SOUL. UM ENEMY CALLS UH UH WAKE AND AND FUNERAL ARE FRIDAY, APRIL 17TH. UM. >> AT THE MORNING STAR BAPTIST CHURCH, UH, STARTING AT 10 A.M.. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. UM, I RISE TODAY VERY SADLY TO . UH. >> GIVE CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF A VICE MAYOR OF CORAL SPRINGS FLORIDA. UM, NANCY TIRE WHO VERY SADLY PASSED AWAY UM, ON APRIL 1ST. WHILE OF COURSE THERE'S AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TRAGIC INCIDENT IS WHAT TOOK HER LIFE. UM. >> SHE WAS A BALL OF JOY A LEADER, AN ENVIRONMENTALIST, THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN AND THE FIRST AMERICAN, UH, PERSON TO BE VICE MAYOR DOWN IN CORAL SPRINGS FLORIDA. SHE, UH, WAS, UM, A PASSIONATE PUBLIC SERVANT AND CARED DEEPLY ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER VERY SADLY AND TRAGICALLY FOR THE FAMILY. THEY'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF LOSS. LAST YEAR HER BROTHER, UM DIED BY SUICIDE AFTER, UH, SURVIVING THE UH UH THE SHOOTING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL IN FLORIDA, UH, BELIEVES THE DOUGLAS. UM. ,UH, GOODMAN HIGH SCHOOL AND WE HAVE THAT NAMING CORRECT. BUT THAT FAMILY RIGHT NOW AFTER LOSING TWO OF THEIR CHILDREN IS EXPERIENCING A LOT OF LOSS. I GOT TO KNOW THE VICE MAYOR AS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ASIAN AMERICAN ELECTED OFFICIAL NETWORK. AND WHEN I WAS DOWN IN FLORIDA FOR A FAMILY EVENT LAST YEAR UM AND WANTED TO DO SOME CAMPAIGNING OR TWO YEARS AGO, SHE CONNECTED ME RIGHT AWAY TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE SO THAT I COULD DO SOME SOME SOME WORK DOWN THERE AND SO SHE JUST SUCH A LIGHT THAT HAS GONE OUT BUT HER LEGACY WILL LIVE ON. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE MY CONDOLENCES TO THE ENTIRE FAMILY AS THEY CONTINUE TO GRIEVE THE LOSS OF THEIR SON AND NOW THEIR DAUGHTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCIL DIVISION. ANYONE ELSE? ON BEHALF UH THE CHAIRMAN ON BEHALF OF COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A MATTER WE ADJOURN IN MEMORY OF THE FOLLOWING UH, COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A OF ROSE ROSALIE. YEAH. CLEO GIGLIO UH, ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL DURKAN HERMAN GREENFIELD ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE NANCY MATERA ON BEHALF OF CANCER LOUIJEUNE CLAUDETTE MENTOR ON BEHALF OF CONSTABLE MURPHY SONIA LYLE ON BEHALF OF CONSTABLE WEBER AND MAY CALL. WE HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE PLEASE. THE CHAIR MOVES AT WHEN THE COUNCIL ADJOURNS TODAY AND ALSO IN THE MENTION OF THE UH IN THE MEMORY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED INDIVIDUALS, THE COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO MEET AGAIN IN THE IRON CHAMBER ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15TH, 2026 AT 12 P.M. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES, CENTRAL STAFF, THE CLERK CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE COUNTY STENOGRAPHER. ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT PLEASE SAY I. UH THANK YOU. COUNCIL IS ADJOURNED. >>