RIGHT. WE'RE READY TO GO. GOOD AFTERNOON. OH YEAH. I CALLED AND I'VE BEEN GOING. AND I CAN'T. LOOK AT THIS. OH MY GOD. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. IT'S. SO. I JUST WANTED TO GO TO MY KITCHEN. GO. LIKE. ALL DAY. YEAH. LIKE YOU KNOW LIKE BUT. YOU KNOW IT'S LIKE. OH YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. I CALL. TO ORDER TODAY'S MEETING OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. VIEWERS CAN WATCH THE COUNCIL MEETING VIA, UH, LIVE ON YOUTUBE@BOSTON.GOV BACKSLASH CITY COUNCIL DASH TV. AT THIS TIME I ASK THOSE IN ATTENDANCE. COLLEAGUES AND THOSE IN ATTENDANCE TO PLEASE SILENCE THEIR CELLPHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES. ALSO PURSUANT TO RULE 42 I REMIND ALL THOSE IN THE CHAMBER THAT NO DEMONSTRATION OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL BE PERMITTED. THANK YOU, MR COOK. WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL TO ASCERTAIN THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM? I'M GOING TO PUT YOUR MIC ON. THERE YOU GO. COUNCILOR BREADON. HERE COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A OF COUNCILOR CULPEPER COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCILOR. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. COUNCILOR. MEJIA. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNCILOR. PEPEN. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. COUNCILOR WEBER AND COUNCILOR. WORLD. QUORUM IS BROKEN. THANK YOU, MR COOK. UM, I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT. UH NO. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE, UM, COUNCILOR MEJIA WHO'S GOING TO INTRODUCE HER GUEST AT LARGE TODAY. UM, AND, UM, REVEREND HALL IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN US AS WELL. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE HERE. I AM SUPER EXCITED. UM, AND IN THE SPIRIT OF WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL MONTH. UM, AND FOR ALL THINGS THAT ARE. PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING HISTORY. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO INTRODUCE THIS AFTERNOON'S UM, CLERGY. IT IS MY ABSOLUTE, UH, PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE A LEADER WHOSE MINISTRY AND IMPACT EXTENDS FAR BEYOND THE WALLS OF HER CHURCH AND DEEPLY INTO THE HEART OF OUR CITY. DOCTOR ARLENE O HALL IS A BOSTON BASED PREACHER, EDUCATOR ,AUTHOR AND COMMUNITY ACTIVIST WHO HAS DEDICATED HER LIFE TO FAITH AND SERVICE NEARLY 27 YEARS AGO. SHE CO-FOUNDED DELIVERANCE TEMPLE WORSHIP CENTER HERE IN BOSTON ALONGSIDE HER HUSBAND BISHOP RAYMOND HALL AND HAS FAITHFULLY SERVED AS SENIOR PASTOR EVER SINCE. OKAY DOCTOR HALL BRINGS BOTH SPIRITUAL CONVICTION AND ACADEMIC DEPTH TO HER WORK. SHE HOLDS A MASTER OF DIVINITY FROM GORDON UM CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AND A DOCTOR OF MINISTRY IN PASTORAL LEADERSHIP FROM PENTECOSTAL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. SHE CONTINUES TO SHAPE THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS THROUGH HER SERVICE ON MULTIPLE BOARDS, INCLUDING THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT BOTH INSTITUTIONS AS WELL AS LEADERSHIP ROLES WITHIN THE CHURCH OF GOD AND THE CENTER FOR AFRICAN DESCENT AND 2016 SHE MADE HISTORY AS THE FIRST WOMAN AND THE YOUNGEST PRESIDENT OF THE BLACK MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE OF GREATER BOSTON, BUILDING ON MORE THAN A DECADE OF PRIOR SERVICE AND HELPING TO STRENGTHEN THE COLLECTIVE VOICE OF BLACK CLERGY AROUND THE REGION. SHE IS ALSO THE AUTHOR OF THE SECRET PLACE DWELLERS AND THE COAUTHOR OF A GIVING PEOPLE AND CONTINUES TO POUR INTO OTHERS AS A MENTOR A SPIRITUAL LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY. DOCTOR HALL'S LEADERSHIP REFLECTS A DEEP COMMITMENT TO FAITH AND COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE A PRESENCE HERE TODAY AND I JUST WANT TO JUST QUICKLY BEFORE I I JUST GO OFF SCRIPT THAT WHEN I RAN IN 2019. NOT ONLY DID YOU POUR INTO ME. BUT YOUR WHOLE. CONGREGATION LITERALLY WRAP THEIR. ARMS AROUND ME. SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. FOR GIVING ME THE STRENGTH TO FIGHT ON. UM. >> THANK YOU. YOU'RE NOT. GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S SUCH AN HONOR TO BE BACK HERE. IN THIS CAPACITY. ITEM COUNCIL PRESIDENT. AND MY DEAR FRIEND COUNCILOR JULIA. LET US PRAY. THANK YOU. ALMIGHTY GOD. WE PAUSE AT THE OPENING OF THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING THIS MORNING AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOU. WE INVITE YOUR PRESENCE INTO THIS CHAMBER AND INTO THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THOSE ENTRUSTED TO LEADING THE CITY OF BOSTON. TODAY WE COMMIT THE WORK OF THIS COUNCIL AND THE AGENDA BEFORE THEM INTO YOUR CAPABLE HANDS. YOU ARE THE GOD OF WISDOM, JUSTICE AND PEACE AND WE ASK YOU THAT YOUR WISDOM GUIDE EVERY CONVERSATION AND THAT YOU GUIDE EVERY DECISION AND EVERY POLICY THAT WILL SHAPE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY. LORD WE THANK YOU. HALLELUJAH FOR THESE CIVIC LEADERS. WHO HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL TO SERVE THIS CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU FOR THE PASSION THAT THEY CARRY. THANK YOU FOR THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY REPRESENT. WE THANK YOU FOR EVERY AREA THAT THEY SERVE IN. WE THANK YOU FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THE PUBLIC GOOD, THEIR COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO CARRY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LEADERSHIP IN SUCH AN IMPORTANT TIME AS THIS. SO DURING THIS WOMEN'S MONTH WE PAUSE AND WE GIVE THANKS TO THE SHOULDERS OF THE WOMAN WHO HAVE PAVED THE WAY BEFORE US IN THIS CITY AND ACROSS THE NATION. A WOMAN WHO STEPPED INTO SPACES WHERE FEW HAD GONE BEFORE AND WHOSE COURAGE OPENED DOORS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. WE THANK YOU FOR THE HISTORIC LEADERSHIP THAT CONTINUES TO SHAPE BOSTON TODAY. WE THANK YOU FOR MAYOR MICHELLE WU, THE FIRST ELECTED FEMALE MAYOR. OF THIS GREAT COMMUNITY CALLED BOSTON. WE THANK YOU AND WE ASK YOU THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO GRANT HER GRACE AND OF FAVOR, WISDOM AND LOVE. HAS SHE SERVED THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON? WE THANK YOU FOR CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT LIZ. WE THANK YOU FOR EVERY MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL. WE THANK YOU FOR THE CHARGE THAT YOU HAVE ENTRUSTED TO THEM . GRANT THEM WISDOM TO LEAD, GRACE TO GOVERN AND COURAGE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT SERVE THE COMMON GOOD. YOUR WISDOM REMINDS US IN PSALM 68 THAT YOU SPEAK AND WOMAN PROCLAIM YOUR PURPOSE ARE MIGHTY. HALLELUJAH INDEED. IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES WE ASK YOU TO RAISE UP DEBORAH'S HALLELUJAH VOICES OF WISDOM AND COURAGE FOR YOUR PEOPLE. AND TODAY WE THANK YOU THAT YOU WILL GRANT THEM THE WISDOM AND THE COURAGE TO CARRY OUT THE CALLING IN LEADING THE CITY LIKE DEBORAH, GIVE THESE LEADERS COURAGE TO STAND IN SPACES WHERE LEADERSHIP REQUIRES BOTH WISDOM AND CONVICTION, BOLD PRESENCE AND A POWER BOTH ANOINTING AND CONVICTION. OH LIKE ESTHER, REMIND EVERY WOMAN SERVING IN LEADERSHIP TODAY THAT THEY HAVE COME TO THIS CALLING FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS AND IN A WORLD MARKED BY CONFLICT AND DIVISION, WE ASK YOU TO GRANT WHAT ONLY YOU CAN GIVE PEACE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS. LIGHT IN THE MIDST OF DARKNESS . WISDOM IN THE MIDST OF COMPLEXITY AND UNITY IN THE MIDST OF GREAT DIFFERENCES. PROTECT THE CITY. WATCH OVER THE CITY GOD AND GUIDE THE LEADERS TO THE CHARTER THEY'VE BEING ENTRUSTED TO THEM. TO RUN TO IN THE COMMUNITIES. LET EVERY DECISION MADE IN THIS CHAMBER CONTINUE TO FLOURISH THE LIVES OF THOSE THEY REPRESENT. UH. LET THERE BE SAFETY. LET THERE BE A WELL BEING TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. MAY THE WISDOM OF GOD GUIDE THIS COUNCIL. THE COURAGE OF JUSTICE MARK ITS THE LEADERSHIP AND THE PEACE OF GOD REST UPON THE CITY OF BOSTON AND WE ASK THESE BLESSINGS IN THE NAME OF JESUS THE CHRIST. AND IF EVERYONE CAN AGREE WITH ME BY SAYING AMEN. GOD BLESS YOU. WHEN I RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. AMEN. >> I LIKE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU, REVEREND HALL AND, UM. MR. CLERK, LET'S SEE WHAT IS AND I INVITE UP UH, WE'RE ON TO PRESENTATIONS. UM, MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE ,UH, RECORD THAT COUNCILOR COLLETTE SUPPORTERS IN ATTENDANCE AND COUNCILOR UM MORELLE. YES. >> WE'RE NOW ON TWO PRESENTATIONS. UH, WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS. I INVITE COUNCILOR MURPHY FLYNN AND FITZGERALD. UH, UM. THAT WAS THE IDEA AND. >> THAT WAS THE IRISH ONE. SO WE'RE DONE WITH THE FIRST ONE. OKAY. VERY GOOD. >> UH, COUNCILMEMBER FOR YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT. COULD UM LET'S SEE. COULD YOU JOIN US DOWN HERE OUR RECENTLY. RECENT EAGLE. SCOUT AND COULD MR GROSS. YEAH. PLEASE JOIN US. YOU CAN COME RIGHT THROUGH YOU. CAN WRITE UP. YES. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO IT'S AN HONOR FOR. ME TO BE UP HERE TODAY. WITH THREE OUTSTANDING. YOUNG MEN FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON. JOEL, ADAM AND JOHN ON EARNING THE RANK OF EAGLE SCOUT. ON SUNDAY I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING THEIR EAGLE SCOUT COURT OF HONOR. IT WAS A POWERFUL CEREMONY. I WAS PROUD TO STAND ALONGSIDE THEIR FELLOW SCOUT, THEIR TROOP LEADERS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO CELEBRATE WHAT IS. TRULY AN. >> EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT. THE RANK OF EAGLE SCOUT IS NOT COMMON IT REPRESENTS YEARS OF DISCIPLINE, LEADERSHIP, PERSEVERANCE AND SERVICE. IT IS NOT GIVEN. IT IS EARNED. JOEL COMPLETED HIS PROJECT AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF DORCHESTER, THE DENNY BUILDING, AN OUTDOOR. PLATFORM AT. >> THE DENNY YOUTH CENTER THAT SERVES YOUNG PEOPLE. >> FOR YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU FOR THAT. ADAM RESTORED A GAZEBO AND BUILT PLANTING BOXES AT THE BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING CENTER ,IMPROVING A SPACE WHERE RESIDENTS GATHER, REFLECT AND. BUILD COMMUNITY AND JOHN. COMPLETED HIS PROJECT AT THE NEW ENGLAND WILDLIFE CENTER, CONSTRUCTING AND INSTALLING AN INFORMATIONAL KIOSK AND TRAIL SIGNAGE THAT PROMOTES EDUCATION. >> AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. SO I'M JUST HIGHLIGHTING THEIR PROJECT THAT THEY DID BUT WE KNOW IT WAS YEARS. OF SERVICE AS WE CAN SEE MANY BADGES THAT YOU'VE. EARNED OVER THE YEARS. EACH OF THESE PROJECTS REFLECT SERVICE TO A DIFFERENT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY YOUTH SENIORS IN THE ENVIRONMENT THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THEIR CHARACTER. AS A. >> BOSTON CITY COUNCILOR AT LARGE, IT IS ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL TO RECOGNIZE THESE THREE YOUNG MEN AS PROUD BOSTON RESIDENTS WHO REPRESENT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SO WELL. THIS RECOGNITION IS PERSONAL TO ME. MY FATHER EARNED THE RANK OF EAGLE SCOUT IN THE LATE 1950S, AND I GREW UP UNDERSTANDING WHAT BADGES REPRESENT INTEGRITY, COMMITMENT AND SERVICE ABOVE SELF. IT STAYS WITH YOU FOR LIFE ON SUNDAY LIKE I SAID IT WAS MOVING TO BE IN THAT CHURCH WITH YOU FROM FELLOW SCOUTS WHO WALKED ALONGSIDE THEM, FROM LEADERS WHO MENTORED THEM OVER THE YEARS AND FROM FAMILIES WHO SUPPORTED THEM THROUGH YEARS OF CAMP OUTS, MERIT BADGES, LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES AND SERVICE. JOEL, ADAM AND. JOHN TODAY MY COLLEAGUES HERE ON THE COUNCIL JOIN YOUR FAMILIES IN YOUR TROOP IN RECOGNIZING WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. YOU CARRY NOT ONLY EAGLE SCOUT BADGE BUT THE PRIDE OF THE CITY. >> OF BOSTON WITH YOU. AND I DO JUST WANT TO ADD. THAT YOU WERE IN. TROOP 28. AND MAYBE. YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT ONE AND IF I PASS IT OFF BUT TROOP 28 WAS THE TROOP IN DORCHESTER. WHICH BECAME. SMALL AND. >> DURING. COVID THEY SHUT DOWN BUT THEY DID NOT GIVE UP. SO I HOPE YOU COULD GO FIRST PLEASE IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK JUST. >> SPEAK TO HOW WE KEPT. IT TOGETHER AND THEN WE WERE HONORING THEM THIS WEEK. >> SO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR MURPHY MY NAME IS CHRIS GROSS I AM THE SCOUT MASTER NOW OF TROOP 42 IN QUINCY MASSACHUSETTS. I WAS SCOUTMASTER AND TROOP 28 DORCHESTER. WE MET OUT OF THE RACE POST AND AS COUNCILOR MURPHY HAD MENTIONED DURING COVID OUR PAC SHUT DOWN. OUR TROOP WASN'T GROWING. THEY WERE CONTEMPLATING TEARING THE RACE POST DOWN AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO. AN OPPORTUNITY IN QUINCY CAME UP. I INVITED THE KIDS TO COME ALONG AND CONTINUE THEIR SCOUTING JOURNEY RATHER THAN RISK NOT BEING ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS WONDERFUL ACCOMPLISHMENT. SO ON. SUNDAY I. >> DID PRESENT THEM WITH OFFICIAL. RESOLUTIONS BUT NO PRESSURE. BUT WOULD ANY OF YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? NO I DON'T. WANT TO GO FOR. THE OFFENSE. OKAY THAT'S OKAY. WE'RE NOT THAT SCARY BUT WE JUST WANT TO AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN ME SAYING JUST CONGRATULATIONS. >> AND JUST. >> KNOW THAT WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU AND THIS WILL STAY WITH YOU. AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU NEED FROM US HERE WE JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THE GOOD WORK YOU DO AND YOUR WONDERFUL, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORS TO ME IN DORCHESTER AND IT'S JUST GREAT TO SEE YOU ACCOMPLISHED THERE. SO CONGRATULATIONS. COULD WE. >> GET A PICTURE WITH OUR. COLLEAGUES PLEASE? >> THIS IS THE FUN PART. SO YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS COME ON. IT'S ABOUT YOU. YEAH YOU NOT US. YOU DIDN'T SAY. THANK THANK YOU. GOT A STRONGER THAN YOU THOUGHT . YES THANK YOU STAFF. THEY'VE BEEN BUSY. CONGRATULATE THANK YOU. I CAN VERIFY THAT ADAM ACTUALLY DID EARN MERIT BADGES. >> HE JUST. CAN'T FIND. >> THE STAFF. >> BUT TO. MEAN HERE IN MAINE. YEAH. >> CAMPING IN MAINE. AWESOME. >> THANK YOU, THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. >> THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. THANKS FOR COMING. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. >> THANK YOU. AND ALSO THANK YOU. THANKS TO. THANK YOU. AND AGAIN CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR EAGLE SCOUTS. RIGHT. >> UH AND AND I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE UH, RICHARD GORMLEY UH, THE HONORARY LORD MAYOR OF WEST ROXBURY. WELCOME. GLAD YOU COULD JOIN US TODAY FOR OUR CELEBRATIONS, RICHARD. THANK YOU. >> NOW ON TO THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING OF FEBRUARY 25TH, 2026. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 25TH MEETING HAVE BEEN APPROVED . UH. >> WE'RE ON TO COMMUNICATIONS FROM OUR UNDER THE MAYOR. UM, MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0463. TAKEN NUMBER 0463 MESSAGE AUTHORIZING. >> THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPAND A GRANT FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CENTER IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,519,383. FOR CONSTRUCTION WORK RELATED TO IMPROVING HVAC SYSTEMS AT THE POOREST. >> SCHOOL IN EAST BOSTON. THANK YOU. >> MR. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PART SUPPORTIVE FROM EAST BOSTON. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> UH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. UM I'M. >> ASKING MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER SUSPENSION AND PASSAGE TODAY FOR THIS, UM, INCREDIBLE GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE CSC AS PART OF THE GREEN WORKS PROGRAM. UH, THIS PROGRAM IS FULLY FUNDED BY THE FAIR SHARE REVENUE WHICH UH, MAINE USES ARE FOR EDUCATION, TRANSPORTATION. UM. >> THE UH THE STATE CREATED THIS PROGRAM TO HELP SCHOOLS WITH THEIR DECARBONIZATION EFFORTS AND TO MEET THEIR CARBON NEUTRALITY GOALS BY BY 20 BY 2030. UM, BHP'S APPLIED FOR THIS GRANT. THE OTIS GOT 1.5 MILLION. UH, THIS IS GOING TO UM, FUND AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS AND VENTILATION WHICH WILL SERVE UH SERVICE GRADES THREE THROUGH FIVE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE WERE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT WERE ALSO GRANTED FUNDS IN UM IN SOUTH BOSTON AND ALSO EXCEL ACADEMY IN EAST BOSTON. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THOSE WILL ALSO COME THROUGH THIS COUNCIL. THIS IS UM PARTICULARLY SPECIAL BECAUSE THE. >> OLDER. SCHOOL GOT NEW WINDOWS AND SO WHEN THEY WERE TOLD TO PUT AIR CONDITIONERS IN THEIR UH IN THEIR WINDOWS IT WOULD HAVE MESSED UP THE NEW INVESTMENT. AND SO THIS IS GOING TO HELP OVERALL UM WITH THE VENTILATION IN THE SCHOOL AND TAKE A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH RATHER THAN TRYING TO JUST PUT AIR CONDITIONING IN EACH. OF THE WINDOWS. SO I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER SUSPENSION AND PASSAGE TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR COLLINS. THE POWDER UH, COLOR IS A POWDER SEEK SUSPENSION OF RULES AND PASSAGE OF DOC ACCEPT AND EXPAND A DOCKET 0463. UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. HI. >> THANK YOU. DOCKET 0463 HAS BEEN PASSED. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0464? DOC NUMBER 046 FOR A MESSAGE ON AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND THE AMOUNT OF $25,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT THE OBAMA FOUNDATION GRANT AWARDED BY THE OBAMA FOUNDATION TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT. THE GRANT WILL FUND EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT WORKFORCE READINESS SAFETY MENTORSHIP AND OTHER LOCALLY DEFINED PRIORITIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO LONG TERM SUCCESS FOR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN OF COLOR. THANK YOU. >> THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CULPEPER. AND PRESIDENT. MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. FOR THREE MINUTES. I BELIEVE THAT THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE AND HAS BEEN DONE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE DONE BY THE OFFICE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF BLACK MALES IS SIGNIFICANT, IMPORTANT AND HELPS TO PAVE THE WAY FOR THESE YOUNG FOLKS IN THE FUTURE. THE OBAMA FOUNDATION GIVING THIS GRANT TO THE CITY OF BOSTON FOR THE BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT IS EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANT KNOWING THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENTS ARE THE FUTURE FOR THESE YOUNG FOLKS. AND SO I MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND THAT WE VOTE FOR ADOPTION OF THIS. UH. >> GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,000 THAT IT MIGHT BE USED TO CONTINUE THE PATH FORWARD FOR THESE YOUNG BLACK MALES AS THEY CONTINUE TO DO GOOD WORK NOT JUST IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BUT AROUND THE STATE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON CIVIL RIGHTS RACIAL EQUITY AND IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT SEEK SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET 0464. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. UH, MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE, UM, TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON DOCKET 0464. ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET NUMBER 0464. COUNSELOR. BREADON. YES, COUNCILOR BREADON. YES. COUNCILOR COLETTA. ZAPATA. YES. COUNCIL COLETTE AS A PARTNER. YES. COUNCILOR. CULPEPPER. YES. COUNCIL. CULPEPER. YES. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR VISTO. YES. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCIL. FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCILOR. MEJIA. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. YES. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. YES. COUNCILOR PEN COUNCIL. THE PEN YES. COUNCIL. SANTANA. YES COUNCILOR. SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR. WEBER. YES. COUNCIL. WEBER. YES. AND COUNCILOR WORRELL. YEAH. COUNCIL. WELL YES. TALKING NUMBER 0464 HAS RECEIVED 12 VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU, MR CLERK. WE'RE NOW ON TO REPORTS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND OTHERS PER RULE 39 NO REMARKS AND COMMUNICATION. THERE WILL BE NO REMARKS ON COMMUNICATIONS FROM COUNCILORS. UM, MR KERR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 046530470. DUCKING NUMBER 04659 AS WE RECEIVED FROM THE MAYOR THE APPOINTMENT OF GUYANA DANIEL AS AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER OF THE TASK FORCE ON LITERACY RATES EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY DOC NUMBER 0466 NO. AS I RECEIVE FROM THE MAYOR FOR ABSENCE FROM THE CITY FROM WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH 2026 AT 7:30 P.M. RETURNING THURSDAY ,FEBRUARY 26TH, 2026 AT 4 P.M. DUNCAN NUMBER 0467 COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE REGARDING EQUITY AND TOURISM TALKING NUMBERS 0468 COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILOR MURPHY CLARIFYING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH RESOLUTION DOCKET NUMBER 0469 COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILOR MURPHY REQUEST FOR A MEDIA BRIEFING ON RECENT SCHOOL SAFETY INCIDENTS AND DOCKET NUMBER 0470 COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCIL OF FLYNN REGARDING THE TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF CONCURRENT PHASING TRAFFIC SIGNALS IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS FOLLOWING THE SIGNIFICANT SNOWSTORMS. THANK YOU MR TRACK DOCKET 04653 DOCKET 0470 WILL BE PLACED ON FILE. NOW WE'RE ON TO MATTERS RECENTLY HEARD. MR TRUCK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0200. DOCKET NUMBER 0200 ORDER FOR A HEARING ON BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL STAFFING PROGRAM IMPACTS. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. COUNCILMEMBER HERE COMES FROM HERE. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT . AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES. WE HAD ALMOST UH, FULL ATTENDANCE AT THIS HEARING. SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THOSE WHO SHOWED UP. UM, ON MARCH 2ND, THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION HELD A HEARING ON DOCKET 0200 IN ORDER FOR A HEARING ON STAFFING PROGRAMS. UM IMPACT. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILOR ERIN MURPHY, COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND WAS REFERRED TO MY COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 28TH 2026. DURING THIS HEARING WE WERE JOINED BY COUNCILOR AT LARGE, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR AT-LARGE AND RYAN MURPHY, DISTRICT TWO COUNCILOR AT FLYNN DISTRICT THREE COUNCILOR JOHN FITZGERALD DISTRICT FOUR COUNCILOR RURAL DISTRICT FIVE COUNCILOR BURBANK DISTRICT SIX COUNCILOR WEBER DISTRICT SEVEN COUNCILOR CULPEPER AND WE RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCILOR AT LARGE HENRY SANTANA. WE ALSO HEARD TESTIMONY FROM DAVID BLOOM, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MARY TAYMOR, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF MASS POTENTIAL AND ROSS RUSSELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SHAW FAMILY FOUNDATION. DURING THE HEARING WE DISCUSSED THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FY 26 BUDGET OUTLOOK, ENROLLMENT TRENDS, STAFFING IMPACT AND STUDENT OUTCOMES REPORTED THAT IF CURRENT SPENDING TRENDS CONTINUE, THE DISTRICT COULD END THE YEAR WITH A PROJECTED 53 MILLION OVERALL. DISTRICT OFFICIALS IDENTIFIED SEVERAL MAJOR COST PRESSURES EMPLOYEE HEALTH CARE UM INSURANCE COSTS ARE PROJECTED TO INCREASE FROM ROUGHLY 134 MILLION TO ABOUT 168 MILLION. TRANSPORTATION COSTS ARE APPROACHING. 200 MILLION, DRIVEN BY BUS CONTRACTS, VENDOR COSTS AND REQUIRED SERVICE SUCH AS DOOR TO DOOR TRANSPORTATION AND 1 TO 1 BUS MONITORS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. THE COMMITTEE ALSO DISCUSSED ENROLLMENT TRENDS WITH DPS REPORTING AN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF APPROXIMATELY 3000 STUDENTS IN A SINGLE YEAR. IN RESPONSE TO THESE PRESSURES ,THE DISTRICT DESCRIBED SEVERAL COST CONTROL MEASURES THE OFFICE OF MULTILINGUAL AND MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION CENTER BUDGET IS EXPECTED TO DECREASE FROM ABOUT 5 MILLION TO ROUGHLY 3.5 MILLION, INCLUDING 7 TO 8 CENTRAL STAFF REDUCTIONS AND APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION IN SAVINGS FROM REDUCTIONS TO ESSENTIAL STAFF UM OFFICE EXCUSE ME CONTRACTS. THE HEARING ALSO FOCUSED ON STUDENT OUTCOMES AND LITERACY PERFORMANCE. MARY TEAM OUR SHARED DATA THAT ONLY ABOUT 4 IN 10 STUDENTS STATEWIDE ARE READING AT GRADE LEVEL WITH READING SCORES STILL MORE THAN 20% BELOW PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. DATA PRESENTED SHOW FURTHER SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THIRD GRADE READING, ABOUT 66% OF WHITE STUDENTS MEET OR EXCEED EXPECTATIONS COMPARED WITH ONLY 19% OF BLACK STUDENTS AND 20% OF LATINO STUDENTS. OUTCOMES ARE EVEN LOWER FOR SOME GROUPS WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AT ABOUT 8%, LOW INCOME STUDENTS AROUND 20% AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS ABOUT 23% IN THIRD GRADE AND ABOUT 9% BY EIGHTH GRADE MEETING OR SPEEDING EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS. COUNSELOR ALSO REQUESTED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION INCLUDING SCHOOL BY SCHOOL STAFFING DATA, CLEARER BREAKDOWNS OF COST SAVING MEASURES AND ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON STAFFING REDUCTIONS AND PROGRAM IMPACTS GIVEN THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION AND CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION, I ASK THAT THIS MATTER WILL REMAIN IN COMMITTEE . THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER HERE DUNCAN 02001 REMAIN IN COMMITTEE. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0202. SO I CAN HAVE A0202 ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FISCAL YEAR 27 OPERATING BUDGET. THANK YOU. >> ERIC. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WEBER CHAIR OF WAYS AND MEANS COUNSELOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM PRESIDENT. UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK. IT'S A COINCIDENCE THAT, UH, WE SPENT SO MUCH TIME FOCUSING ON DPS. UH, IT'S AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR, UH, OVERSIGHT HERE ON THE ON THE CITY COUNCIL. SO ON MONDAY, MARCH 2ND, THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS HELD A WORKING SESSION ON DOCKET NUMBER 202. UH, AND YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, UH, WHO WERE THERE COUNCILOR FLYNN, COUNCILOR MURPHY, COUNCILOR CULPEPER, MADAM PRESIDENT BREADON, COUNCILOR UH VICE CHAIR, UH JUAN FITZGERALD, UH COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE UH COUNCILOR DURKAN AND COUNCILOR PEPEN UH THE COMMITTEE RECEIVED AN ABSENCE LETTER FROM COUNCILOR SANTANA. UM I'D LIKE TO THANK UH, DPS AND CHIEF BLOOM IN PARTICULAR FOR HOSTING A BUDGET CLINIC FOR STAFF LAST FRIDAY AND FOR SHARING UM, UH, A BOOK OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET WITH THE COUNCIL UH, ON FRIDAY AS WELL UH, PRIOR TO MONDAY'S WORKING SESSION, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY STAFF AND CHRIS MITCHELL ON FROM CENTRAL FOR DIVING INTO THE BUDGET BOOK WITH ME OVER THE WEEKEND IN PREPARATION OF THE WORKING SESSION. UH, AT THE WORKING SESSION WE DISCUSSED UH, A LETTER THAT MY OFFICE DRAFTED UH, TO SEND TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE WHILE THEY UH WAY THE UH THE BUDGET FOR FY 27 UH WE UH, SPOKE IN OUR WORKING SESSION ABOUT AREAS THAT WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND THE SUPERINTENDENT TO INVEST HIM UH ,CHIEF CONCERNS I THINK UH, ARE, YOU KNOW, EFFECTIVE AND, UH, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INCLUSION MODEL AND ADEQUATE STAFFING. SO TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WORKS FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS ADEQUATE STAFFING AND SUPPORTS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS ACROSS, UH, ADEQUATE READING, UH INSTRUCTION AND READING SUPPORTS FOR OUR CHILDREN UH, AND FURTHER INVESTMENTS IN BEHAVIORAL MENTAL HEALTH FOR OUR STUDENTS, UH, ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS UH THE ARTS ATHLETICS UH AND UH IN ADDITION JUST A COUPLE OTHER THINGS. PLUS WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND THE SUPERINTENDENT THAT WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT BUSSING AND HOW WE CAN REDUCE BUSSING COSTS SO WE CAN PROVIDE THE KINDS OF STUDENT FACING SUPPORTS THAT OUR KIDS NEED IN OUR SCHOOLS. UH, I REALLY WANT TO THANK ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK ON THE LETTER. UH, AND UH MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE INCLUDED IN THE LETTER THAT WAS SENT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE TODAY. UH, I WILL BE MY PLAN IS TO GO TO THE, UH, SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING TONIGHT. JUST, UH THEY DON'T GIVE US MUCH TIME. BUT JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE SENT THIS LETTER AND A COUPLE THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE THEM TO ZERO IN ON AS THEY REVIEW THE BUDGET. UH, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST AGAIN WANT TO THANK ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR UH FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AND I KNOW WE'LL ALL BE FOCUSED ON THIS ISSUE GOING FORWARD. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYONE HERE. UH, SO, UH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN. AND UH, I JUST LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT TOMORROW WE HAVE A, UH, A BRIEFING OF THE POLICY BRIEFING WITH HERE UH, AND I THINK THE AMONTE ROOM, UM, TO GO OVER, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR QUESTIONS WITH THE UH, UH, THE BUDGET AND WE'LL HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HER STAFF THERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS I HOPE EVERYONE CAN ATTEND, UH, AS THE CHAIR WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE AT THIS TIME. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THIS MATTER OUGHT. >> TO. REMAIN IN COMMITTEE. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. >> DOCKET 0202 WILL REMAIN IN COMMITTEE. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 02700291 AND 0292 TOGETHER? PLEASE TALK NUMBER 20270 ORDER FOR A HEARING TO EXPLORE SNOW REMOVAL RELIEF AND OPTIONS NUMBER 0291 ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS CREATION OF A SNOW COURT IN BOSTON AND DOCKET NUMBER 0292 IN ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE CITY OF BOSTON PURCHASING SNOW MOTORS. THANK YOU, MR STARK. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN, THE CHAIR OF UH CITY SERVICES. COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YESTERDAY THE COMMITTEE. >> ON. CITY SERVICES. >> HELD A HEARING ON DOCKET 027002910292. RELATING TO SNOW REMOVAL. . >> THE PRODUCTION PURCHASING OF SNOW. MELT IS. >> THE CREATION OF A SNOW CORE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THE FIRST PANEL INCLUDED. DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATES. BILL TODD AND CASSANDRA XAVIER . ,WHO. >> SHARED CONCERNS AND FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE. RELATED TO THE CHALLENGES RESIDENTS. WITH DISABILITIES FACE. NAVIGATING THE CITY IN THE. AFTERMATH OF A SNOWSTORM. THE SECOND PANEL INCLUDED TESTIMONY FROM CHIEF. GOV COMMISSIONER MCCOSH AND. COMMISSIONER SHEA. CHIEF GO PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITY'S RESPONSE TO THE RECENT BACK TO BACK SNOWSTORMS . HE EXPLAINED THAT CREWS BEGIN BY PRE-TRAINING ROADWAYS WITH. SALT BEFORE STORMS AND DURING EVENTS. PLOWS ARE DEPLOYED WITH PRIORITY GIVEN TO MAJOR ROADWAYS THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS FREQUENTLY USED BY AND FREQUENTLY USED BY EMERGENCY VEHICLES AND MBTA BUSSES FOLLOWING PLOW OPERATIONS, CREWS LOAD SNOW INTO TRUCKS FOR TRANSPORT TO DESIGNATED SNOW FARMS WHERE IT IS PROCESSED USING SNOW MELTS IN THE DAYS AFTER A STORM, CITY CREWS FOCUSED ON CLEARING SCHOOL PARKING LOTS, SIDEWALKS ,BIKE LANES, BUS STOPS. UM COMMISSIONER MCCOSH OUTLINED THE DISABILITIES COMMISSION'S STORM RESPONSE EFFORTS IN ITS COORDINATION WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING EIGHT STRONG COMMISSION COMMISSIONER OF EIGHT STRONG EMILY SHAY EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF OUTREACH AND SUPPORT FOR SENIORS DURING WINTER WEATHER EVENTS. AS CHAIR, I RECOMMEND THESE DOCKETS REMAIN IN COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN HOLD ANOTHER HEARING AND I MENTIONED TO COUNCILOR UH PEPEN AND COUNCIL OVERALL THAT UM I WILL HAVE A HEARING ON THOSE DOCKETS WITHIN THE NEXT 30 TO 60 DAYS. UM, THE THE HEARING YESTERDAY WAS OVER THREE HOURS AND THE FOLLOWING CITY COUNCIL WAS ATTENDED CALL COUNCIL IS CULPEPER COUNCIL IS FITZGERALD COUNCILOR BREADON COUNCIL MURPHY COUNCILOR DURKIN COUNCIL WEBER COUNCIL SANTANA COUNCIL PEPPA PEPEN COUNCIL WE'RE ALL COUNCIL ME HERE WE GOT A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE AND COUNCILOR COLLETTA ZAPATA. UM THE THREE HOUR HEARING AND WE HAD OVER 60 PEOPLE SCHEDULED TO TESTIFY UM, ON ALL DOCKETS. SO UM. WE GOT AS MUCH PUBLIC TESTIMONY AS WE COULD FROM THE 60 PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO TESTIFY. UNFORTUNATELY I HAD TO KEEP THE TESTIMONY SOMEWHAT SHORT. >> JUST BECAUSE OF THE. NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO TESTIFY. I DID HIGHLIGHTS OF PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO FORWARD PUBLIC TESTIMONY TO ME, UM, AS THE CHAIR OR THROUGH UH THROUGH CENTRAL STAFF AS WELL. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO RON CORBETT UM CITY COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF WHO UM WHO HELPED AND UH SHANE PACK AS WELL WHO HELPED AND DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. UM AGAIN ONE WANT TO LET BOTH COUNCILORS KNOW THAT I AM COMMITTED TO HOLDING ANOTHER HEARING ON THEIR SPECIFIC DOCKETS UH, WITHIN THE NEXT 30 OR 60 DAYS AND ACTUALLY ONE COUNCILOR RECOMMENDED MAYBE HAVING A HEARING UM, MAYBE HAVING A WORKING SESSION IN THE CURRENTLY UM IN THE CURLY ROOM AT PIEDMONT WHICH I AGREE TO AS WELL. SO I'M GOING TO CALL COMMUNICATE AND CONTACT UH, BOTH COUNCILORS AND SEE WHAT THE NEXT STEPS FORWARD WOULD BE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. DOCKET ZERO UH 27020291 AND 0292. WE REMAIN IN COMMITTEE. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 027285. DUKKHA NUMBER 0285 ORDER FOR A HEARING REGARDING NAVIGATING CITY SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS WITH COMPLEX FAMILY AND CAREGIVING NEEDS. THANK YOU. >> MR. MR. CLERK, UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY, THE CHAIR OF HUMAN SERVICES. COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES. HELD A HEARING YESTERDAY. >> ON DOCKET 0285 ORDER. >> FOR A HEARING REGARDING. NAVIGATING CITY. SERVICES FOR. RESIDENTS WITH COMPLEX. FAMILY AND CAREGIVING NEEDS. . >> COUNCILORS IN ATTENDANCE INCLUDED. CHAIR AND MYSELF. ALONG WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR CULPEPER, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND FITZGERALD. REPRESENTING THE ADMINISTRATION. >> WHERE. JOSE MASSOW, CHIEF OF HUMAN SERVICES. KENZIE BAUGH. ADMINISTRATOR OF THE VHA LYDIA ARGO. CHIEF OF ENGAGEMENT. AT THE BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY AND. >> WE. DID HEAR YESTERDAY THAT SHE HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER UM, TO FILL A. MORE UM IMPORTANT. ROLE OF SUPPORTING UM RESIDENTS . CHRISTINE TREVISAN IS THE. SENIOR ADVISOR. >> TO THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR SPECIALIZED SERVICES AT BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SHE WAS HERE ALSO. THE BAY GAVE A PRESENTATION. SHARING THAT MORE THAN. 17,000 INDIVIDUALS LIVE IN VHA COMMUNITIES AND THAT THE AGENCY SERVES MORE THAN 44,000 RESIDENTS THROUGH ITS VOUCHER PROGRAMS. VHA SHARED THAT IT HAS CONSOLIDATED ITS RESIDENT FACING. PROGRAMS UNDER LYDIA ARGO, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR OF RESIDENT PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE COORDINATION AND PLANNING ACROSS DEPARTMENTS. THE AGENCY ALSO EMPHASIZED ITS ONGOING. COLLABORATION WITH MULTIPLE CITY. DEPARTMENTS TO INCREASE. ACCESS TO SERVICES. FOR EXAMPLE, VHA PARTNERS WITH EIGHT STRONG TO PROVIDE PROGRAMING AND HOST COMMUNITY EVENTS FOR OUR SENIORS. IT ALSO. WORKS WITH THE FRANKLIN FIELD YOUTH CENTER AND THE CHARLESTOWN ADULT. EDUCATION CENTER DCF AND HOSTED ITS UNITY DAYS IN THE SUMMER. IN ADDITION, VHA COLLABORATES WITH THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT'S WATER AND SEWER EIGHT STRONG AND PROBABLY ALL OF. >> THE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS. >> TO HOLD INFORMATION SESSIONS AT COMMUNITY MEETINGS FDA SITES SO THEIR RESIDENTS KNOW WHO THEY CAN REACH OUT TO WHEN THEY HAVE A NEED. ON BEHALF OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHRISTINE DISCUSSED THE DISTRICT'S EFFORTS TO HELP STUDENTS AND FAMILIES NAVIGATE SERVICES ACROSS DEPARTMENTS. SHE HIGHLIGHTED THE WORK BPD DOES TO CONNECT STUDENTS TO APPROPRIATE SUPPORTS, PARTICULARLY AS THEY APPROACH AGE 22 WHEN THEY AGE OUT OF OUR. SYSTEM. >> OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM AND TRANSITION. INTO UM OUT OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. SHE DISCUSSED HER TEAM'S COLLABORATION. WITH VARIOUS CITY AGENCIES TO HELP ENSURE STUDENTS RECEIVE THE SERVICES. >> AND. SUPPORTS THEY NEED AND. ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND ALSO WORKS. CLOSELY WITH THE. DISABILITY COMMISSION. SHE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE ROLE THAT THE FAMILY LIAISONS DO WHO WORK DIRECTLY WITH FAMILIES TO CONNECT THEM TO RELEVANT PROGRAMS, RESOURCES AND ASSISTANCE. OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL. COUNSELORS RAISE QUESTIONS. ABOUT HOW THE CITY COUNCIL CAN SUPPORT STRONGER. INTER-DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION. >> HOW DEPARTMENTS. >> ARE ADDRESSING LANGUAGE. BARRIERS FACED BY RESIDENTS AND. HOW THE. >> ADMINISTRATION IS. ENSURING THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE CONNECTED TO THE FULL RANGE OF SERVICES THEY NEED, ESPECIALLY WHEN THOSE. SERVICES SPAN. MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS. IT WAS A MEANINGFUL, I. THINK A GOOD. HEARING AND I. RECOMMEND THAT. THIS MATTER REMAIN IN COMMITTEE SO WE CAN BRING IT UP AGAIN THIS YEAR IF NEEDED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. UH, DOCKET 0285 WILL REMAIN IN COMMITTEE. WE ARE NOW ON TO MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS A REMINDER THAT UNDER RULE 39 REMARKS ON NEW MATTERS NOT UP FOR A VOTE TODAY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES FOR THE LEAD SPONSOR AND TWO MINUTES FOR CO-SPONSORS FOR RESOLUTIONS OR ANY OTHER MATTERS BEING VOTED ON. REMARKS HAVE BEEN LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES FOR THE DOCKET SPONSORS, TWO MINUTES FOR ANY OTHER UH COUNCILOR WISHING TO SPEAK FOR REFILED MATTERS. I KINDLY ASKED CONSTANT TO LIMIT THE REMARKS TO NO MORE THAN ONE MINUTE AND CO-SPONSORS DEFER TO THE LEAD SPONSORS FOR REMARKS. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0471. DOC NUMBER 0471 COUNCILOR CULPEPER FOR THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO EXAMINE OPTIONS TO EXTEND AND FUND THE UH FARE FREE BUS PROGRAM FOR ROUTES 23, 28 AND 29. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CULPEPER COUNCILOR CULPEPER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. MADAM PRESIDENT, I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR PEPEN FOR INITIATING THIS CONVERSATION LAST WEEK BY FILING DOCKET 0425 URGING CONTINUED FUNDING FOR THE MEDIA'S MTA'S FREE FARE FREE BUS PROGRAM. WITH FUNDING SET TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF JUNE AND JULY 1ST QUICKLY APPROACHING, WE MUST ACT TO EXTEND THIS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL AND MUCH NEEDED PROGRAM. SINCE 2022, THE CITY AND THE MTA HAVE PARTNERED TO MAKE ROUTES 23, 28 AND 29 FARE FREE SERVING ROXBURY, DORCHESTER AND MATTAPAN AND CONNECTING LOW INCOME RESIDENTS, ESSENTIAL WORKERS, SENIORS, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO OPPORTUNITIES. THE RESULTS ARE CLEAR NEARLY 24,000 FARE FREE TRIPS EACH WEEKDAY A 35% RIDERSHIP INCREASE AND THE FIRST YEAR MORE THAN DOUBLE THE SYSTEM WIDE AVERAGE AND RIDERSHIP NOW ABOUT 16% ABOVE PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. MORE THAN A QUARTER OF RIDERS SAY AT LEAST LET ME JUST EMPHASIZE THAT MORE THAN A QUARTER OF THE RIDERS SAVE AND LEASE $20 PER MONTH ON ESSENTIAL EXPENSES. LET ME JUST SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME MORE THAN A QUARTER OF THE RIDERS SAVE AT LEAST $20 PER MONTH ON ESSENTIAL SERVICES $20 THAT REALLY HELPS THAT FAMILY KEEP FOOD ON THE TABLE. THIS HEARING IS ABOUT SECURING LONG TERM FUNDING SO A PROGRAM DELIVERING REAL ECONOMIC RELIEF AND INCREASED MOBILITY DOES NOT DISAPPEAR WHEN THE FUNDING ENDS . IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT EQUITY AND ACCESS, WE MUST PROTECT THE FUTURE OF THE FARE FREE BUS PROGRAM. MADAM PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR PEPEN AS A SECOND ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR ON I LIKE TO REQUEST SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AT COUNCIL AS WELL AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU COUNCILOR CULPEPER. COUNCILOR PEPEN IS ADDED AS A SECOND AND SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS CONSTABLE RAMOS ADDED AS A THIRD AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR PEPPA. PEPPA AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR CULPEPER FOR INTRODUCING THIS HEARING ORDER. AND ADAM IS A SECOND YOU KNOW LAST WEEK I SUBMITTED THAT RESOLUTION AND I'M JUST SO GLAD THAT WE RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM OUR COLLEAGUES AND BE ABLE TO SHOW THEM THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FACT THAT 28 TO 23 OF THE 29 BUS ARE A HUGE BENEFIT TO OUR CITY AND INSTEAD OF WHAT I WANT TO SEE IS INSTEAD OF THE END OF THIS PROGRAM IS A CONTINUATION AND POTENTIALLY EVEN THE EXPANSION OF IT. I HEAR FROM MEMBERS OF MY DISTRICT THAT THEY WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE 32 BUS. THE 34 BUS, THE ONE BUS IS JUST LIKE THIS IS WHEN WE PRIORITIZE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. IT WORKS FOR EVERYONE AND THAT'S HOW WE TRULY GET AT THE AT THE VERY CENTER OF THE ISSUES WE ARE FACING IN OUR CITY REGARDING TRANSPORTATION. SO THAT'S WHY I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION AND BRINGING IN THE RIGHT PEOPLE INTO THE ROOM OF HOW WE CAN EXPLORE AVENUES TO FIND THE RIGHT FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM TO CONTINUE. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEPEN. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WHAT I WILL CONSIDER WHAT I DO HAVE THE FLOOR. UH. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY CO-SPONSORS, COUNCILOR UH, REVEREND CULPEPER AND COUNCILOR PEPEN, UH, FOR THE LEADERSHIP IN THIS MATTER. UM, I ALSO JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SHOUT OUT THE HEALY DRISCOLL ADMINISTRATION ON FAIR INITIATIVES FOR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS, UH, STATEWIDE AND ALSO HERE IN BOSTON. UM, AND COUNCILOR CULPEPER ALREADY GAVE UH THE STAT UH AROUND HOW MANY RIDE IT RIDERS RIDE UP AND DOWN BLUE LIFE UM AND THAT'S 24,000 BEER FREE TRIPS THAT HAPPENED DURING THESE PILOT PROGRAMS. UM, I BELIEVE ON A DAILY BASIS RIGHT THROUGH DORCHESTER, ROXBURY AND MATTAPAN. UM HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE MONEY THAT WAS BEING SAVED AND THOSE MONEY THOSE DOLLARS THAT ARE SAVED, UH, GO A LONG WAY, UM, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I JUST WANT TO, UM, KNOWING THAT THESE FUNDS ARE SET TO EXPIRE IN JUNE. UH, WE DO HAVE BUDGET SEASON COMING UP. UH, SO THAT COULD BE A PLACE OF ADVOCACY. BUT I ALSO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PUSHING ON ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FUNDING AND EXPANDING THIS PROGRAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, COUNCILOR WU, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A POWDER COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, COUNCILOR. UH LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR. MEJIA. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. COUNCILOR WEBER AND PLEASE, UH THE CHAIR. THANK YOU. DOCKET 0471 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0472. DOCKET NUMBER 0472 COUNCILOR SANTANA FOR THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING REGARDING OCCUPATIONAL CANCER RISK FOR BOSTON FIREFIGHTERS AND PROGRAMS THE CITY OF BOSTON OFFICE COULD OFFER TO PREVENT FOR PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT IS A REFERRAL FROM 2025. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SANTANA. COUNCILOR SANTANA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UM MADAM. >> PRESIDENT, CAN I PLEASE ADD COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE UM, AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR? UM COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE LOUIJEUNE LOUISIANA. SO I JUST. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >> THIS IS A REFILE. UM, AND. I WAS JUST SPEAKING. >> WITH SAM DILLON FROM THE FIRES UNION UM, JUST THIS PAST WEEK. UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO TO PROTECT OUR OUR FIREFIGHTERS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. UM, I'M GOING TO BE MEETING WITH THEM OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, UM, AND HOPEFULLY GET A HEARING SCHEDULED AS WELL. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION. UM THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO OTHER NAME COUNCIL? UH, COLLETTE IS A POWDER COUNCILOR CULPEPER CANCER DURKAN, COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD COUNCILOR. FLYNN COUNCILOR. HERE. COUNCILOR. MURPHY COUNCILOR. PEPEN. COUNCILOR. WEBER, COUNCILOR WORRELL AND PLEASE UH, THE CHAIR DOCKET 0472 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0473. DUNCAN OF A0473 COUNCILOR CULPEPPER FOR THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO EXAMINE TREATMENT CENTERED POLICY APPROACHES TO ADDRESS SUBSTANCE OF YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, HOMELESSNESS AND CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES AND THE MASSACHUSETTS HAVE AND MELANIA BOULEVARD AREA. THANK YOU MR. CLERK. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE COUNCILOR REVEREND CULPEPER COUNCILOR CULPEPER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM FOR A HUMANITARIAN HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AND MASS AND CAST AND NOW MOVING INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY ESPECIALLY NUBIAN SQUARE DEMANDS URGENCY. WHAT WE ARE WITNESSING IS NOT SIMPLY A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE OR HOMELESSNESS ISSUE. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY ROOTED IN SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS AND GAPS IN LONG TERM CARE. THE DATA IS CLEAR TREATMENT WORKS 2023 SYSTEMIC REVIEW CONDUCTED BY FOUR DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES FOUND THAT PARTICIPATING IN TREATMENT PROGRAMS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES RECIDIVISM COMPARED TO INCARCERATION. ABOUT 65% OF INDIVIDUALS INCARCERATED FOR SUBSTANCE RELATED RELATED OFFENSES WERE CHARGED WITH A NEW CRIME WITHIN FOUR YEARS, COMPARED TO ROUGHLY 36% UNDER PROBATION BASED ALTERNATIVES AND DRUG TREATMENT ALTERNATIVE TO PRISON PROGRAMS . NEW RESTAURANTS WITHIN ONE YEAR DROPPED ABOUT 23% COMPARED TO 45% FOR INCARCERATION. IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT BREAKING CYCLES OF INSTABILITY AND IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY, TREATMENT MUST BE CENTRAL TO OUR RESPONSE. WE MUST ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CIVIL RIGHTS IMPLICATIONS OF HOW SERVICES ARE CURRENTLY STRUCTURED. THE CONCENTRATION OF SUBSTANCE USE AND HOMELESSNESS IN A SINGLE QUARTER RAISES LEGITIMATE CONCERNS ABOUT EQUITY AND WHETHER PUBLIC HEALTH INTO INFRASTRUCTURE IS BEING DISTRIBUTED FAIRLY ACROSS THE CITY. THE URGENCY, THE URGENCY OF THIS CRISIS DEMANDS THAT WE MOVE BEYOND REACTIVE MEASURES AND COMMIT TO A COORDINATED TREATMENT FIRST APPROACH GROUNDED IN EVIDENCE. THIS HEARING WILL ALLOW US TO EXAMINE AND IDENTIFY THE MOST EFFECTIVE TREATMENT CENTER AND DIVERSION BASED MODELS, LEARN FROM EXPERTS AND OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND EVALUATE HOW BOSTON CAN IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES THAT PROMOTE RECOVERY, STABILITY AND LONG TERM PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE RESPECTING THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF THOSE THAT ARE BEING TREATED. MADAM PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AS THE SECOND READING CO-SPONSOR AND REQUEST SUSPENSION OF THE RULES. COUNCILOR LYNN AND THE THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MISS UH COUNCILOR CULPEPER UH COUNCILOR FITZGERALD IS ADDED AS A SECOND AND SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS COUNCILOR FLYNN IS ADDED AS A THIRD. UM THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND I APPRECIATE, UH. COUNCILOR CULPEPER FOR. >> PUTTING THIS FORWARD. UH, ACTUALLY JUST HAD A MEETING THIS MORNING WITH METRO BOSTON ALIVE. STRAIGHT OUT OF NUBIAN SQUARE WHERE WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THE SPILLOVER. OCCUR INTO. >> THE WIDER NEIGHBORHOODS. UH, AND TALKED WITH THEM. ABOUT, UH, SORT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS LENS IN WHICH TO LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I THINK IT IS AN IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC THAT WE DON'T WANT TO OVERLOOK WHEN TRYING TO APPLY OTHER SOLUTIONS. UM, AND SO HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION THIS MORNING I LOOK AT I TOLD THEM THIS MORNING THAT WE LOOK FORWARD THAT COUNCILOR CULPEPER WAS FILING THIS TODAY AND SO LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION. UH, AND JUST WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD, WHILE I EXPECT IT COULD GO TO PUBLIC HEALTH, I ALSO HAVE NO PROBLEM IF IT GOES TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS UH COMMITTEE UH WITH COUNCILOR CULPEPER BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THIS IS A UM UH CAN BE AN OVERLOOKED PART OF THE RECOVERY FOR FOLKS. UH AND I THINK IT BRINGS A DIFFERENT LENS TO IT THAT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE. SO, UH, I HAVE NO PROBLEM IF IT GOES THERE AS WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCIL FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO REVEREND CULPEPER FOR ADDING ME. WE ATTENDED AN INFORMATIVE MEETING LAST NIGHT SPONSORED BY THE SOUTHERN FORUM COUNCIL AND UM CULPEPER AND UH COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, SENATOR COLLINS AND REPRESENTATIVE MORAN UH WERE THERE AS WELL. UH KELLY YOUNG WHO WAS THERE AND DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB UH, REPRESENTING THE CITY. UM WHAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS AS AS A PROBATION OFFICER FOR EIGHT YEARS I ALSO HAVE SEEN TREATMENT DOES WORK. I SPENT EIGHT YEARS TRYING TO GET PEOPLE ON PROBATION INTO TREATMENT. SOMETIMES IT WAS SUCCESSFUL. MOST OF THE TIME IT WASN'T SUCCESSFUL. UM. BUT YOU YOU NEVER GIVE UP ON PEOPLE, UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE SOMEONE'S SON OR DAUGHTER AND THEY THEY DESERVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE A HEALTHY AND HAPPY HEALTHY LIFE. UM, I HIGHLIGHTED THAT BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW THROUGHOUT MASS AND CASS UM, IN ROXBURY AS WELL AND IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OF SOUTH BOSTON ESPECIALLY IN AND AROUND ANDREW SQUARE AND MARY ELLEN MCCORMICK ,UM, PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. UM THIS IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED AS WELL. AND WANT TO WANT TO THANK REVEREND CULPEPER FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY AND IT'S AN ISSUE WHERE IF WE ALL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER BUT ESPECIALLY TO SUPPORT PEOPLE THAT NEED RECOVERY SERVICES, UM WILL WILL BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE SUFFERING FROM SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS HAVE THE ABILITY AND HAVE THE OPTION TO GET INTO TREATMENT AGAIN. TREAT TREATMENT DOES WORK. I'VE SEEN IT AS A PROBATION OFFICER AND LET'S CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THESE NEIGHBORHOODS IMPACTED AND LET'S SUPPORT RESIDENTS THAT NEED RECOVERY BUT ALSO ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY UH, THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF BOSTON. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLLETTE HAS A PACKET. UM, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL. MEJIA. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR PEPEN CONSCIOUS SANTANA WEBER, COUNCILOR WORRELL AND PLEASE UH THE CHAIR. THANK YOU. DOCKET ZERO UH 473 WILL BE REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0474. TALKING TO HAVE A0474 COUNCILORS DURKIN AND BREADON FOR THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO EXAMINE POTENTIAL REFORMS TO THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE BUILDING CODE TO ALLOW FOR MID-RISE SINGLE STAIR BUILDINGS. THANK YOU, MR BURKE. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKIN COUNCIL AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THIS IS NOT A REFILE. IT'S ACTUALLY AN ORIGINAL FILING. UM. THANK YOU. I'M EXCITED TO INTRODUCE THIS HEARING ORDER WITH YOU TO EXAMINE THE POTENTIAL REFORMS THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE BUILDING CODE TO ALLOW A MID-RISE SINGLE STAIR A RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS IN BOSTON BOSTON IS FACING A HOUSING CRISIS THAT IS BURDENING RESIDENTS IN EVERY ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. IT DEMANDS THAT WE EXAMINE EVERY TOOL AVAILABLE NOT ONLY TO BUILD MORE HOUSING BUT TO UNLOCK WIDER VARIETY OF HOUSING OPTIONS THAT MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES. UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE BUILDING CODE, MOST RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS OVER THREE STORIES REQUIRE TWO SEPARATE STAIRCASES. THIS REQUIREMENT FORCES DESIGNS THAT LIMIT FLEXIBILITY AND REDUCE NATURAL LIGHT AND VENTILATION. MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT DRIVES UP CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND MAKES IT HARDER TO BUILD FAMILY SIZE UNITS OR ON THE SMALL AND MID-SIZED LOTS OF DEFINED BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE DISTRICT EIGHT TO BUILD HOUSING AT ALL. RESEARCH FROM UTL AND THE JOINT CENTER FOR HOUSING STUDIES AT HARVARD ESTIMATES ALLOWING SINGLE STAIR BUILDINGS ON SMALL TO MID PARCELS WITHIN THREE QUARTER MILES OF TRANSIT COULD UNLOCK UPWARDS OF 130,000 NEW HOMES IN GREATER BOSTON. IMPORTANTLY, THIS IS NOT ABOUT COMPROMISING SAFETY. THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUST HAVE FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF INCREASED FIRE RISKS FOR SINGLE STAIR BUILDINGS WHEN COMBINED WITH MODERN SET FIRE SAFETY SYSTEMS. CITIES LIKE NEW YORK, SEATTLE AND STATES LIKE HAWAII HAVE ALREADY MOVED AWAY FROM THIS REQUIREMENT AND SINGLE STAIR BUILDINGS ARE A COMMON PRACTICE ACROSS EUROPE. RECENTLY THE GOVERNOR RECOGNIZED THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THIS REFORM AND SIGNED EXECUTIVE ORDER 651 TO STUDY STATE STUDY SAFE AND AFFORDABLE SINGLE STAIR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING AT THE STATE LEVEL. I TESTIFIED AT THE STATE HOUSE IN SUPPORT OF THIS LEGISLATION TO STUDY THE ISSUE LAST YEAR, AND I'M EXCITED TO KEEP THIS MOMENTUM BUILDING. COUNCILOR RYAN AND I INTRODUCED A SIMILAR HEARING ORDER LAST YEAR THAT BUILDS UPON THAT FRAMEWORK. THIS HEARING ORDER IS ABOUT BEING PROACTIVE AS THE COMMONWEALTH'S MOST DENSELY POPULATED CITY WITH OUR OWN FIRE PREVENTION CODE. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO EXAMINE HOW THIS COULD AFFECT BOSTON AND LEGALIZING SINGLE STAIR BUILDINGS UP TO SIX STOREYS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO UNLOCK MORE AFFORDABLE, MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE WELL-DESIGNED HOUSING ACROSS OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. WE MUST ADDRESS OUR HOUSING CRISIS. THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LEAVE UNEXPLORED AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, UH, COUNCILOR UH, SUSPEND THE RULES AND OUR COUNCILOR SANTANA HAS A THIRD CO-SPONSOR. THANK YOU. UH, SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS. CONTRA SANTANA IS, UH, SO ADDED UM, COUNCILOR SANTANA. UM, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? I WAS THIRD, RIGHT. SO WHO'S THAT? UH, I WANT OKAY. OKAY I SECOND. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, COUNCILOR DURKAN, UM, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS. UM, I JUST ALL OUR HOUSING, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE WE NEED MORE HOUSING. UH, WE NEED TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BUILD MORE HOUSING. UM, AND THAT, UM, MEANS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR ZONING, UM, AND AND HOW WE'RE DOING THAT NOW. I MEAN, YOU'VE BEEN A LEADER ON THIS ON THIS COUNCIL, SO JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO LEARN UM, UM FROM THIS CONVERSATION AS HOW SARTHAK HAD MENTIONED UM MANY. CITIES IN OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE DONE THIS. UM AND IT'S LOOKED LIKE IT'S WORKED. UM, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT UM UH THAT IT WORKS FOR BOSTON . UM, AND UM, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT UM, WAREHOUSING HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN. UM, THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. >> UM, COUNCILORS, WHEN I SEE YOUR LIGHT IS ON. MADAM CHAIR, MAY I SPEAK ON THIS? UH. >> NO, IT'S GOING TO GO TO COMMITTEE. SO IT'S, UM THE TWO LEAD SPONSORS JUST SPEAK ON IT. BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO ADD YOUR NAME OR WHATEVER. THANK YOU. UM, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A POWDER COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILMEMBER HERE. COUNCILOR DURKAN. UH. COUNCILOR PEPEN. SORRY. UM. COUNCILOR WEBER. COUNCILOR WORRELL AND I'M ALREADY ON. THANK YOU. UM. THANK YOU. DOCKET 0474 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. MISTER TROUT, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0475. SO I CAN HAVE A0475 COUNCILOR MURPHY OF THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR HIM TO REVIEW THE APPLICATION AND INTENT OF RULE 15. COUNCILOR. >> UM, THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THIS FILING CAME OUT OF A. CONVERSATION YOU. >> AND I HAD AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SHARING. THIS HEARING. UM, I RISE TODAY TO FOLLOW IN ORDER FOR A HEARING TO REVIEW. THE APPLICATION AND INTENT OF RULE 15. THIS IS NOT ABOUT ANYONE FILING AND IT'S NOT ABOUT. ANY MEMBER. IT'S ABOUT A PROCESS. RULE 15 DETERMINES WHEN A MATTER IS CONSIDERED DUPLICATIVE. OR SUBSTANTIALLY. SIMILAR AND. THEREFORE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD. WHEN A RULE GOVERNS ACCESS TO THE AGENDA IT COVERS GOVERNS REPRESENTATION THAT MAKES FLAHERTY ESSENTIAL. THE RULE ITSELF ALLOWS FILINGS ON DIFFERENT SUB TOPIC. IT ALLOWS FILING FOR THE HEARING OR DEBATE WOULD NOT RESULT IN THE SAME DISCUSSION AS A PREVIOUS MATTER. IT ALSO ALLOWS WHEN IT'S FILED IS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF LEGISLATION. THAT LANGUAGE REQUIRES INTERPRETATION AND. INTERPRETATION MUST BE CONSISTENT. MEMBERS OF. THIS COUNCIL FREQUENTLY FILE. MATTERS THAT TOUCH ON RELATED ISSUES BUT DIFFER IN SCOPE, PURPOSE OR INTENT. RECOGNITION RESOLUTIONS, POLICY RESOLUTIONS AND HEARING ORDERS CAN OVERLAP AND THEME WHILE STILL IN ADVANCING DISTINCT OBJECTIVES. WHEN A FILING IS RULED DUPLICATIVE, THAT DECISION LIMITS DEBATE AND LIMITS A MEMBER'S ABILITY TO FORMALLY RAISE AN ISSUE THAT THAT IS SIGNIFICANT. IT SHOULD BE GUIDED BY CLEAR AND SHARED STANDARDS. THIS HEARING IS NOT IN ANY WAY A CRITICISM OF THE CLERK. THANK YOU ALEX FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR TEAM. THE CLERK APPLIES THE RULE IS WRITTEN. THIS IS ABOUT WHETHER THE RULE ITSELF PROVIDES SUFFICIENT FLAHERTY FOR CONSISTENT APPLICATION. WE SHOULD EXAMINE WHAT CONSTITUTES SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILARITY. WE SHOULD CLARIFY HOW WE DISTINGUISH SUB TOPICS AND WE SHOULD DETERMINE WHETHER ADDITIONAL WRITTEN GUIDANCE IS WARRANTED TO ENSURE FAIRNESS AND TRANSPARENCY GOING FORWARD. REVIEWING OUR OWN RULES IS RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE. IF RULE 15 IS WORKING EXACTLY AS INTENDED. THIS HEARING WILL AFFIRM THAT IF CLARIFICATION IS NEEDED WE CAN PROVIDE IT. TRANSPARENCY STRENGTHENS THIS BODY. CLEAR PROCESS. PROTECTS EVERY MEMBER. AND THAT IS WHAT THIS ORDER SEEKS TO DO. SO THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU COUNCILOR MURPHY. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD IS HERE. OKAY. UM, DOCKET 0475 WILL BE. OH, YEAH. OH, I BEG YOUR PARDON. I'LL START THAT AGAIN. COUNCILOR CULPEPER, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, COUNCILOR FLYNN CONTRA MEJIA AND COUNCILOR SANTANA. UH OH. AND MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR UH WORRELL ALSO. THANK YOU. DOCKET 0475 WILL REFER TO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES, ETHICS AND ADMINISTRATION. MR KERR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0476. TALKING NUMBER 0476 COUNCILOR SANTANA FOR THE FOLLOWING. ORDER FOR A SERIES OF HEARINGS REGARDING FULL CITY OF BOSTON GRANTS ADMINISTERED BY THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, A REFERRAL FROM 2025. THANK YOU. >> THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SANTANA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UM, THIS IS A RE FILE. UM, CAN I I WANT TO ADD IS THE SAME FROM LAST YEAR. CAN I ADD, UM, COUNCILOR UM, FLYNN AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR ? AND CAN I SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD COUNCIL AROUND AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR AS WELL? THANK YOU. >> SINCE IT'S A, UM, A REFUND. THAT'S FINE. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A POWDER COUNCILOR CULPEPER CONSTRICTOR CAN CONTRA FITZGERALD COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL MEMBER HERE COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR PEPEN COUNCILOR WEBER AND UH PLEASE UH THE CHAIR. UH DOCKET 0476 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. UM, MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0477? DUCKY NUMBER 0477 COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE FOR THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF BOSTON'S EMPTY DISPLACEMENT ACTION PLAN. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTRIBUTION CANCELLATION. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. COULD I PLEASE ADD COUNCILOR APPEND AS A SECOND ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR? PEPEN. >> YES. UH YES. THANK YOU. AND I SUSPEND THE RULES. ADD COUNCILOR SANTANA SANTANA AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. UM, SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS CONTRA SANTANA. SO ADAM. THANK YOU. UH, FOR MANY RESIDENTS, DISPLACEMENT ISN'T AN ABSTRACT CONCEPT. IT'S ABOUT LOSING NEIGHBORS. IT'S ABOUT LOSING SMALL BUSINESSES. THESE CONCERNS ARE PARTICULARLY ACUTE IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED HISTORIC INVESTMENT UH, URBAN RENEWAL AND OTHER POLICIES THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT OUR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES. LAST YEAR THE CITY RELEASED HIS ANTI DISPLACEMENT ACTION PLAN, A COMPREHENSIVE ROADMAP INTENDED TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES ACROSS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS AND POLICY AREAS. THE PLAN IDENTIFIES DOZENS OF NEW AND EXPANDED TOOLS TO STABILIZE RENTERS, HOMEOWNERS, SMALL BUSINESSES AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS. THESE STRATEGIES INCLUDE EVICTION PROTECTION, TENANT PROTECTIONS PRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, SMALL BUSINESS STABILIZATION AND IMPROVED ACCESS TO CITY PROGRAMING AND RESOURCES. IT ALSO INTRODUCES A BROADER FRAMEWORK BUILT AROUND PROTECT, PRESERVE, PRODUCE AND PROSPER RECOGNIZING THAT HOUSING STABILITY, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY ARE DEEPLY INTERCONNECTED. UM LIKE THIS PLAN IS REALLY IMPORTANT BUT IT REALLY MATTERS ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION. I SAY I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN IT IS EASIER TO KEEP SOMEONE IN THEIR HOME THAN IT IS TO BUILD THEM A NEW HOME. UM AND I KNOW THAT AS SOMEONE WHO STARTED MY CAREER REPRESENTING FAMILIES FACING EVICTION THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF BARRIERS EVEN WHEN WE AS A COUNCIL DECIDE TO PUT MONEY. UM, AS COUNCILOR WEBER, UH, LED US ON TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS AREN'T FACING UNDUE EVICTION AND THAT THEY HAVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION WHEN THAT'S HAPPENING. SO I WANT TO GET INTO THE WEEDS OF THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT ACTION PLAN. UH I ALSO FILED A HEARING ORDER EARLIER THIS YEAR ON THE ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM ,WHICH IS THE CITY'S BEST TOOL TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT. IT'S THE BEST TOOL TO PREVENT THAT UM FROM TO PREVENT APARTMENT BUILDINGS FROM GOING INTO THE HANDS OF UH THOSE WHO ARE MOTIVATED SIMPLY BY PROFIT OR BY GREED BY MAKING SURE THAT NONPROFIT DEVELOPERS, UH, COMMUNITY LAND TRUST HAVE THE ABILITY TO BUY LIVED IN PROPERTIES. BUT I WANT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND A BROADER CONVERSATION AROUND ANTI DISPLACEMENT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OUR UH RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO STAY IN PLACE THAT ALSO MANY FOLKS HAVE TALKED ABOUT A RIGHT OF RETURN TO BOSTON FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED. SO UH I WANT I WANT TO HAVE THIS HEARING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND WITH ADVOCATES TO REALLY, UH, GET INTO THE WEEDS OF, UH, HOW WE'RE PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT IN OUR CITY. EOP IS THE ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITY UH, PROGRAM IS ONE TOOL UH, THE CITY HAS PUT FORWARD THIS ROADMAP, BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SUCCESSFUL. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THESE HEARINGS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTRA PEPEN. COUNCILOR PEPEN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE FOR FILING THIS. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC AND A VERY TIMELY ONE. UM, LAST YEAR WHEN MY DISTRICT WAS GOING THROUGH THE SQUARES AND STREETS PROCESS ESPECIALLY THE ONE IN ROSELAND SQUARE. UM, I SUBMITTED A HEARING ORDER TO ASK FOR THIS EXACT PLAN AND WE HAD THE UM WE HAD A CONVERSATION WHEN THE WHEN THE PLAN CAME OUT. BUT I THINK AS YOU MENTIONED IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THAT FOLLOW UP CONVERSATION BECAUSE AS WE GO THROUGH REZONING PROCESSES IN THE CITY AND ALL IN WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN BUILD NEW HOUSING ,IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT CITIZENS THAT ARE REALLY LIVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON CAN STAY HERE. UM, AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO JUST MENTION THAT THESE PLANS ARE SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY SPECIFICALLY PROTECT BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES ADAPT UM, ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT ACTION PLANS WERE DEEMED RACIST BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. UH. >> WHICH IS VERY TROUBLING TO HEAR BECAUSE IT IS VERY MUCH THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE. THIS IS A WAY FOR US TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES FROM BEING PUSHED OUT. UM, SO THERE IS A VERY FALSE NARRATIVE OUT IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAPPENING AND I THINK THAT WE ARE VERY MUCH TAKING THE LEAD HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BY ALREADY INTRODUCING THAT LAST YEAR AND BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IT HERE THIS YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR PEPEN THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SANTANA. COUNCILOR SANTANA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE UM, FOR CALLING ME AS A AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. UM, YOU KNOW, DISPLACEMENT IS A RISING THREAT IN THESE TIMES, UM, OF INTENSE AND FINALLY WEALTH INEQUALITY LIFE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY, UM, UNSTABLE FOR THE OVERWHELMINGLY MAJORITY OF OUR RESIDENTS AND DISPLACEMENT HAS BECOME A GREATER THREAT TO OUR COMMUNITIES. IN LIGHT OF THIS THREAT. WE NEED TO CHECK UM, IN ON HOW OUR BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS ARE PROGRESSING UNDER UM THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT ACTION PLAN AND WHAT WE CAN AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO STRENGTHEN THE RESILIENCY OF OUR COMMUNITIES. I THINK IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HOST THIS HEARING NOW AS WE ENTER A BUDGET SEASON. UM THIS TIME IS IS A TIME TO RECONSIDER OUR FINANCIAL PRIORITIES AND AS WE LOOK FORWARD, UM, TOWARDS A DIFFICULT UM, FISCAL YEAR AHEAD WE NEED TO TAKE WE NEED TO TAKE MEASURES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SPENDING IS MAKING THE GREATEST POSSIBLE IMPACT. UM, SO I LOOK FORWARD, UM, TO THE CONVERSATION. UM, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR INCLUDING ME COUNCIL AGAIN. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A POWDER COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. DURKAN. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. COUNCILOR MURPHY. UH, COUNCILOR WEBER CONSTANT WORRELL AND PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR. DOCKET 0477 WILL BE REPAIRED REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0478. DUKKHA NUMBER 0478 COUNCILORS MURPHY AND FLYNN OFFER THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING REGARDING RECENT JUVENILE WEAPON INCIDENTS AND SCHOOL SAFETY COORDINATION. THANK YOU. >> THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNTRY. MURPHY. COUNTRY. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I RISE TO TODAY TO FILE THIS ORDER REGARDING RECENT JUVENILE WEAPON INCIDENTS AND SCHOOL SAFETY COORDINATION IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. OUR CITY HAD EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE SERIOUS INCIDENTS INVOLVING JUVENILES AND WEAPONS. THE 15 YEAR OLD ARRESTED IN DORCHESTER WITH A LOADED FIREARM AND A DEFACED SERIAL NUMBER. A STABBING AT ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND A FIREARM RECOVERED AT ANOTHER WERE ALL REPORTED. EACH INCIDENT MAY HAVE HAD. DIFFERENT FACTS BUT TOGETHER THE FREQUENCY AND PROXIMITY OF THESE EVENTS DEMAND ATTENTION. THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS AND FAMILIES IS NOT OPTIONAL. IT IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN THE CITY OF BOSTON, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. WHEN WEAPONS ARE SHOWING UP IN OR AROUND SCHOOL COMMUNITIES, WE MUST EXAMINE WHETHER OUR COORDINATION IS AS STRONG AS IT NEEDS TO BE. THIS HEARING IS NOT ABOUT ASSIGNING BLAME. IT'S ABOUT ASSURING ALIGNMENT. WE NEED TO EXAMINE TRENDS IN JUVENILE FIREARM POSSESSION AND SCHOOL BASED VIOLENCE. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF THE YOUTH VIOLENCE STRIKE FORCE AND HOW DISTRICT OFFICES COORDINATE WITH DPS. WE NEED. FLAHERTY ON INTELLIGENCE SHARING AND THREAT ASSESSMENT PROTOCOLS. WE NEED TO. REVIEW COMMUNICATION STANDARDS WITH SCHOOL LEADERS, FAMILIES ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THIS COUNCIL. WE NEED TO LOOK AT DISMISSAL PROCEDURES AND PERIMETER SAFETY. AND WE NEED TO. ASSESS WHETHER EARLY INTERVENTION AND TRAUMA INFORMED SUPPORTS ARE REACHING THE STUDENTS WHO NEED THE MOST. I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS COMMUNICATION IN MANY. OF THESE SITUATIONS. >> THE FACTS ARE NOT IMMEDIATELY CLEAR. INCIDENCES CAN QUICKLY BE AMPLIFIED THROUGH STUDENT TEXT AND. SOCIAL MEDIA POST. SOMETIMES WHAT IS CIRCULATING IS MORE SEVERE THAN WHAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED. OTHER TIMES THE INFORMATION IS INCOMPLETE OR JUST NOT. TRUE AT ALL. TOO OFTEN MEMBERS. OF THIS COUNCIL. LEARN ABOUT THESE EVENTS FROM SOCIAL. MEDIA OR FORWARDED MESSAGES RATHER THAN THROUGH DIRECT COMMUNICATION THAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. WE NEED TIMELY FACTUAL. COMMUNICATION WHEN INCIDENTS OCCUR. NOT TO CREATE PANIC BUT TO PREVENT IT. NOT TO MENTION SENSATIONALIZE BUT TO CLARIFY ACCURATE INFORMATION ALLOWS US TO SUPPORT SCHOOL LEADERS, REASSURE FAMILIES AND ADVOCATE APPROPRIATELY. PARENTS DESERVE TO KNOW THAT WHEN THEY SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT IS WORKING TOGETHER PROACTIVELY AND STRATEGICALLY. THE COUNCIL HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS PUBLICLY AND TRANSPARENTLY. THE HEARING ALLOWS US TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION AND ENSURE WE ARE RESPONDING COMPREHENSIVELY TO PROTECT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. WE CANNOT BE REACTIVE. WE MUST BE COORDINATED. WE MUST BE PROACTIVE AND WE MUST BE CLEAR ABOUT HOW WE ARE KEEPING OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY SAFE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. UH, COUNCILOR FLYNN, ARE YOU UM. UH, COUNCILOR MURPHY IS IS OFTEN A IS ORIGINAL. SORRY. AND MY LIST IS JUST ONE OF YOU. SORRY ABOUT THAT. UM, COUNCIL FLYNN, UH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. UH, THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY FOR ADDING ME. THE BOSTON POLICE REPORTED THAT A 15 YEAR OLD WAS ARRESTED FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOLLOWING AN ONGOING FIREARM INVESTIGATION IN DORCHESTER. POLICE STATE THAT THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION INTO A MISSING CHILD WHO WAS FOUND IN A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS ON MORRISSEY BOULEVARD. UM, ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WAS A 15 YEAR OLD MALE AND POSSESSION OF THE HANDGUN. OTHER INCIDENTS RECENT AND SINCE RECENT INCIDENTS INCLUDE A STABBING AT BOSTON INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL, A FIREARM RECOVERED AT ROXBURY PREP PREP AND A FIREARM RELATED INCIDENT NEAR THE MURPHY SCHOOL. THESE TROUBLING INCIDENTS REMIND US ALL OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF US AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO ENSURE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CITY OF BOSTON POLICE, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF EVERY STUDENT, TEACHER, FAMILY AND EDUCATOR. IN 2023 COUNCIL WHERE L AND I PASSED AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF BOSTON CODE RELATING TO THE STUDY AND REPORT OF TRAFFICKING OF ILLEGAL FIREARMS. THIS COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW REPORTED BY THE BOSTON POLICE IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL THAT HELPS LAW ENFORCEMENT AND POLICYMAKERS BETTER UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF ILLEGAL FIREARMS . I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE BOSTON POLICE AND OFFICIALS AND ALSO WAYS WE CAN YOU USE THE GUN TRAFFICKING REPORT, ESPECIALLY WHEN STUDYING STATS INVOLVING OUR YOUTH. WE MUST PROVIDE EVERY STUDENT AND TEACHER A SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. COUNCILOR. DURKAN COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCIL DIVISION. FROM HERE. COUNCILOR. PEPEN. COUNCILOR. SANTANA COUNCILOR. WEBER CULTURAL AND POLICE ARE THE CHAIR. OH, AND COUNCILOR UH COLLETTE AS A PANDA ALSO. THANK YOU. DOCKET 047 WHICH WILL REFER TO THE COMMITTEE ON. EDUCATION. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0479. TALKING OF A0479 COUNCILOR CULPEPER FOR THE FOLLOWING. ORDER REGARDING A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE BOSTON ZONING CODE TO EXAMINE I MEAN TO EXPAND THE ELIGIBLE LOCATION OF OFF-SITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS UNDER THE INCLUSIONARY DEVELOPMENT POLICY. THANK YOU. UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CULPEPER. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I FOLLOWED THIS TEXT AMENDMENT TO MAKE A TARGETED CHANGE TO ARTICLE 79 OF THE BOSTON ZONING CODE BY EXPANDING THE ALLOWABLE RADIUS FOR OFFSITE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS UNDER THE INCLUSIONARY DEVELOPMENT POLICY FROM ONE MILE TO TWO MILES. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE GREATER FLEXIBILITY FOR DEVELOPERS TO HELP ADVANCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. PRODUCTION. >> THE INCLUSIONARY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS CENTRAL TO THE CITY'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY. BUT THE CURRENT HALF MILE RADIUS CAN RESTRICT VIABLE SITES, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH COST AREAS WITH LIMITED DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY. EXPANDING THE RADIUS TO TWO MILES IS A MEASURED ADJUSTMENT THAT MAINTAINS THE INTEGRITY OF ARTICLE 79 WHILE MAKING IT MORE FEASIBLE TO PRODUCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OUTSIDE OF THE HIGHER HALF MILE RADIUS AND INTO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SORELY NEED ADDITIONAL HOUSING FUNDING. ZONING CHANGES ALWAYS INVOLVE TRADEOFFS. WE MUST AVOID OVERCONCENTRATION WHILE ALSO ENSURING AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISN'T EXCLUDED FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT LACK IT. AND I MIGHT ADD THAT THIS UH ARTICLE 79 WAS INTENDED TO ALLOW MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO BE BUILT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE FACED A HOUSING CRISIS AND A RIGID GEOGRAPHICAL LIMITS CAN STILL PROD PROJECTS AND REDUCE PRODUCTION. THIS AMENDMENT PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL TO TO INCREASE HOUSING WITHOUT WEAKENING AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS. THIS MORNING I SENT A LETTER TO ZONING COMMISSION CHAIR MICHAEL NICHOLS URGING THE COMMISSION TO ADOPT THIS AMENDMENT AND TO MY COLLEAGUES I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS AS WELL SO WE CAN MAKE AN IMPACTFUL STEP TOWARD INCREASING AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION NOT JUST IN THE SEAPORT, NOT JUST DOWNTOWN BUT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. MADAM PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL AS WELL AS THE SECOND ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR AND REQUEST SUSPENSION OF THE RULES TO ADD COUNCILOR PEPEN AS A THIRD CO-SPONSOR. AND I ALSO LIKE TO REQUEST SUSPENSION OF THE RULES TO VOTE ON THE PASSAGE OF THIS DOCKET. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I OBJECT TO. >> A VOTE. HOLD ON A SECOND ORDER. FIRST, UH, I'D LIKE TO, UH, JUST RECOGNIZE COUNCILOR WORRELL IS ADDED AS A AS AN AS A SECOND UM, COUNCILOR HEARING AND SEEING NO OBJECTIONS, COUNCILOR PEPPER IS ADDED AS A THIRD CO-SPONSOR. UH, THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPER. UH, WILL GO TO COUNCIL. WELL, NEXT THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WORRELL YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. >> UH, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. UM, ALSO JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS WHO ARE DOING, UH, ANTI DISPLACEMENT WORK EVERY DAY. UM, AND ONE THING THAT I HEAR FROM THEM ESPECIALLY IN THIS TRYING ECONOMIC TIMES WHERE UH INTEREST RATES ARE HIGH AND COST OF LABOR UM IS MORE EXPENSIVE IS THAT THEY NEED MORE INVESTMENT. I MEAN WHAT THIS RESOLUTION OF WHAT THIS TAX AMENDMENT LOOKS TO DO IS TO CREATE A WIDER CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE DEVELOPERS IN THE AREAS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, TO TAP INTO MORE FUNDING TO CREATE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED. UH, THIS AMENDMENT DOESN'T CREATE PATHWAYS FOR MORE OFF-SITE IDP UNIT. UM, AGAIN, WHAT IT DOES IS JUST CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO BE BUILT TO BE BUILT IN AREAS WHERE IT CAN HAVE A GREATER IMPACT TO STOP DISPLACEMENT OF CURRENT RESIDENTS. IT'S ONE OF THE FEW TOOLS WE HAVE IN OUR TOOLBOX TO STOP DISPLACEMENT, AND I'M PROUD TO BE ON THIS RESOLUTION WITH YOU COUNCIL CULPEPER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR WORRELL IT'S IT'S AN ORDER. IT'S NOT ACTUALLY A RESOLUTION. SO, UM, COUNCILOR PEPEN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR CULPEPER AND COUNCILOR RALPH ADAM IS A THIRD. UM, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS TEXT AMENDMENT WHICH WILL EXPAND THE AREA WHERE DEVELOPERS CAN BUILD IDP UNITS. HOPEFULLY THIS WILL ENCOURAGE CONSTRUCTION RATHER THAN FUNDING CONTRIBUTIONS. UM, AND WE COULD GET AFFORDABLE UNITS UP QUICKER. THE REASON WHY THIS IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT MY ATTENTION IS BECAUSE MY DISTRICT HAS ACTUALLY ALREADY SUFFERED FROM THE LIMITATIONS OF THE RADIUS. UM I REPRESENT A DISTRICT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE UM, SPREAD OUT AND WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY AFFORDABLE UNIT PROJECTS THAT GO IN AS CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT THERE WAS A PROJECT ON BELGRADE AVE THAT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY THERE TO ADD MORE IDP UNITS TO THE NEIGHBOR, BUT THERE WAS NO OTHER PROJECT GOING ON AT THE TIME. UM OR PROPOSED PROJECT SO THAT IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO THE GENERAL FUND. HOWEVER IF IT WERE TWO MILES RADIUS THAT WOULD HAVE TOUCH ROSLINDALE SQUARE WHERE THERE'S ALREADY PROPOSED AFFORDABLE UNITS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED THERE AND THAT SO I CAN USE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS COULD BENEFIT A DISTRICT WHERE OR A PART OF THE CITY WHERE WE DON'T NECESSARILY SEE AS MANY UM AFFORDABLE PROJECTS HAPPENING. AND I WOULD JUST I THINK THIS IS A GREAT CONSIDERATION. I'M PRETTY SURE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED TO TAKE IN. UM, WE NEED TO LOOK AT IN TERMS OF THE INNER WEEDS OF IT, BUT I JUST THINK THAT THIS IS A GREAT STARTER FOR THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR ROWE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEPEN. UM, SINCE THIS IS GOING TO GO TO COMMITTEE, I'M I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON THIS AT THIS MOMENT. I CAN'T RULE. NO, NO, WE'RE JUST GOING TO STICK ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THAT THEIR NAME? YEAH I FORGOT WAS. IT'S GOING TO COMMITTEE SO IT'S THE RULE IS THE FIRST THE LEAD SPONSOR GETS TWO MINUTES AND. HE ASKS. >> FOR. UH IF IT'S NOT HAPPENING. WE'RE NOT SUSPENDING AND PASSING IT. IT'S GOING TO IT'S GOING TO GO TO COMMITTEE. WE HAVE A BUNCH OF THESE TODAY AND THEY'RE ALL THESE ARE IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT AFFECT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I FEEL IT TO BE FAIR TO EVERYONE WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AND COMMITTEE WITH RESPECT. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR CULPEPER. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? UH, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. COUNCILOR. MEJIA. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. COUNCILOR WEBER. AND PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR. DOCKET 0479 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION . MR. CLERK, MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 048? COMES FROM HERE. YOU HAVE A POINT OF ORDER. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >> JUST FOR. JUST TO. CLARIFY, UM, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT A TEXT AMENDMENT WOULD I MEAN, IS THIS LIKE A OR THIS IS. ZONING IS A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING CODE TO IT NEEDS TO GO TO THE PLANNING TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. IS THAT OKAY? YOU. >> UH, MR TRUCK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0480.. NUMBER 0480 COUNCIL AS FITZGERALD AND FLYNN OH FOR THE FOLLOWING ORDER REGARDING A TEXT AMENDMENT TO THE BOSTON ZONING CODE WITH RESPECT TO RETAIL ZONING. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THE ONE YOU WANT ME TO GO? OKAY. UM. >> SO I THOUGHT I WAS THE SECOND ON THIS ORIGINALLY AND SO I THOUGHT IT. IT SEEMS YOU'RE THE FIRST ONE. >> YEAH, I KNOW I SAW THAT IN THE READING. I SAID, OKAY, LET ME. >> GET MY STUFF TOGETHER THEN. UH, SO THIS IS IN UH IN RESPECT TO THE RETAIL ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT. SO UM, RECENTLY IN THE SOUTH END, UH, FOODIES AND SMALL GROCERS ONE IN SOUTH BOSTON ON WEST BROADWAY AS WELL BUT ONE ON WASHINGTON STREET IN THE SOUTH END AND I THINK ANOTHER LOCATION UH, HAD HAD DECIDED TO CLOSE. UH, THROUGH NO FAULT OF ITS OWN. AND SO IN DOING SO, UH, THERE WAS POTENTIAL FOR A NON-RETAIL USE TO TAKE THAT SPACE. UH, NOW THAT IS THE MULTIPLE TIMES IT HAS OCCURRED ALONG WASHINGTON STREET A VIBRANT SMALL BUSINESS DISTRICT IN THE SOUTH END. UH, WHAT THIS. TEXT AMENDMENT HOPES TO DO IS TO CODIFY THIS AREA WHERE FOOD ONCE WAS AS A CONTINUED RETAIL UH, IN THE ZONING, UH, SO THAT WE DON'T CONTINUE TO LOSE RETAIL AND SMALL BUSINESS SPACE ,UH, ALONG WASHINGTON STREET IN THE SOUTH END AS WE COULD AS WE WANT TO PRESERVE IT IN ANY NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, IT DOESN'T MEAN NECESSARILY THAT A GROCER CAN GO BACK IN THERE ALTHOUGH WE WOULD LOVE THAT BECAUSE IN THIS AREA YOU HAVE WHOLE FOODS. >> DOWN BY THE. >> INC BLOCK BUT THERE ISN'T MUCH ELSE. UH, IT WAS CLOSE TO VILLAGE VICTORIA OTHER UH, PLACES FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVED IN AND AROUND THAT AREA. UH IT WAS A SOURCE OF DAILY FRESH FOOD AND SO. UH. . OBVIOUSLY. OUR HOPE IS THAT IT CONTINUE TO BE A GROCER. UH, BUT AT LEAST WE WANT TO PROTECT THE RETAIL, UH, PORTION OF WASHINGTON STREET. UH, AND THAT IS THE, UH THE SPIRIT OF THIS TEXT AMENDMENT AND UH, IN THE SOUTH END COMMUNITY, UH, ORGANIZE VERY QUICKLY AROUND THAT. UH, AND WE'RE ADAMANT ABOUT THIS AND SO WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO TRY AND PRESERVE THAT FOR THEM, UH, INTO THE CONTINUED FUTURE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD . THAT CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. UM, LIKE COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, I WILL CONTINUE TO STAND WITH SOUTH END CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CLOSURE FOR THESE ON WASHINGTON STREET BASED ON BASICALLY ACROSS THE THE CATHEDRAL UM CATHEDRAL CHURCH ACROSS FROM UM THE PUERTO RICAN VETERANS MEMORIAL THE SOUTH END DEPENDS ON ACTIVE RETAIL STOREFRONTS TO SUPPORT WALKABILITY, PUBLIC SAFETY, VIBRANT STREETS FOR MANY THIS STORE WAS MORE THAN A PLACE TO SHOP. IT'S BEEN A LIFELINE AS A RELIABLE SOURCE OF FRESH FOOD, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF DAILY LIFE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND AS JOHN MENTIONED, INCLUDING THOSE NEIGHBORS LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING HAD RUTH BERKELEY APARTMENTS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THE LA VICTORIA CASTLE SQUARE AND NEIGHBORS WITHOUT ACCESS TO A VEHICLE FOR MANY RESIDENTS THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO, THEIR PASSION ON THIS ISSUE WAS REALLY ABOUT KEEPING THE NEIGHBORHOOD STRONG, KEEPING THE NEIGHBORHOOD VIBRANT. BUT WHAT I REALLY RESPECTED MOST ABOUT THE RESIDENTS OF THE SOUTH END IS THEIR CONCERN FOR THE WORKERS AT THIS MARKET. MANY OF THE WORKERS WORKED UH MANY OF THE WORKERS LIVED IN VILLA VICTORIA. THEY LIVED AT RUTH PARK BUT THEY LIVED IN THE SOUTH END IN ROXBURY. THEY WORKED HARD UM AND THEY TREATED THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH RESPECT. THE CUSTOMERS LOVE THEM. IT IS CLOSING FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT WHAT THE RESIDENTS ARE ADVOCATING FOR IS A VIBRANT STOREFRONT AND THIS TEXT AMENDMENT UM, WILL SUPPORT WHAT THE NEIGHBORS WANT IS THAT'S A VIBRANT STOREFRONT WHERE RESIDENTS CAN GO WHETHER IT'S A A MARKET, WHETHER IT'S A UH SOME TYPE OF RETAIL SHOP. BUT I WOULD ASK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS OF THE SOUTH BEND. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A POWDER COUNCILOR. CULPEPER COUNCILOR DURKAN, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR. MEJIA CONSTANT MURPHY CONTRA PEPEN CONTRA SANTANA AND SO WEBER COUNCILOR WORRELL AND PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR. DOCKET 0480 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING AND UH DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0481. TALKING OF A ZERO FOR ONE COUNCILOR WHIRL OR FOR THE FOLLOWING ORDER REGARDING A TEXT AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 37 OF THE BOSTON ZONING CODE GREEN BUILDINGS AND NET ZERO. CARBON TO. EXPEDITE AND LOWER COST FOR DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES WELL, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT . I'D LIKE TO ADD, UH, COUNCILOR CULPEPER AS THE ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. AND THEN. >> I WOULD LIKE TO. ADD IT. >> I LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. HEARING AND SEEING NO OBJECTIONS. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD IS SO IS ADDED AS A THIRD. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UH, WE KNOW WE NEED MORE HOUSING IN ORDER TO DO THIS. WE NEED TO HELP THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT HOUSING STOCK. BECOME MORE AFFORDABLE ITSELF. WE CANNOT CONTROL THE COST OF TARIFFS OR HIGH INTEREST RATES. OR WE. >> CAN CONTROL OTHER FACTORS, EVEN SOME THAT APPEAR TO BE MINOR. THE WAY THE CODE IS WRITTEN OUT. ARTICLE 37 REVIEWS OCCUR EARLY ON IN THE PRE SOMATICS PHASE OF A PROJECT, MEANING DEVELOPERS ARE REQUIRED TO FINANCE SUCH THINGS AS A PROVISION OF A LEAD LED LED DIG SCORECARD THE PURCHASING OF A MASSACHUSETTS CLASS ONE RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATE AND OTHER DOCUMENTATION AND DEMONSTRATION OF EXPERT CERTIFICATION RELATED TO GREEN BUILDING AND NET ZERO CARBON REQUIRE REQUIREMENTS UPFRONT BEFORE A PROJECT GETS OFF THE GROUND AND BEFORE THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY INPUT ON THE PROPOSAL. I'VE SEEN DEVELOPERS START WITH A LARGER PROPOSAL OF MORE THAN 25 UNITS. PAY THE FULL ARTICLE 37 COSTS UPFRONT AND THEN END UP APPROVED FOR A MUCH SMALLER PROJECT. THE REVIEW THEY PAID FOR IT DOESN'T EVEN REFLECT WHAT ULTIMATELY GETS BUILT. PROJECTS CHANGE DURING REVIEW, ESPECIALLY AFTER COMMUNITY FEEDBACK BUT WHEN EVERY CHANGE MEANS REWORK AND ANOTHER ROUND THROUGH REVIEW COSTS PILE UP FAST AND BECOME PROHIBITIVE. AND WE'RE SEEING THE SAME ISSUE WITH USE CHANGES DEVELOPERS PAY FOR A FEW OF YOU FOR A LAB PROJECT AND THEN WANT TO SHIFT TO HOUSING. IF REVIEWS CAME LATER THEY COULD ADAPT TO THE CHANGES WITHOUT DUPLICATING COSTS. FOR MANY DEVELOPERS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHO RELY ON SUBSIDIES TO HELP FINANCE A PROJECT. THESE COSTS CAN ADD UP WITHOUT A GUARANTEE OF THE SUBSIDY, SO IT CREATES A REAL BARRIER TO THE CREATION OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING STOCK THAT WE NEED. THROUGH THIS AMENDMENT, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO LESSEN THE BURDEN A BIT MORE BY ADJUSTING THE TIMING OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW TO BE LATER ON IN THE PROCESS. ONCE THE DESIGN HAS BEEN MORE FULLY FLESHED OUT AND SHOWING THAT REVIEW MORE ACCURATELY REFLECTS THE FINAL PROJECT AND PREVENTED THE COSTS OF DUPLICATING REVIEW. IF A PROJECT NEEDS TO CHANGE, I LOOK FORWARD TO ADDING THIS AMENDMENT TO THE BACK OF TOOLS WE ARE CREATING TO MAKE DEVELOPMENT MORE AFFORDABLE AND TO PROVIDE TRULY AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE IN THE CITY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU COUNCILOR. WE'RE OUT. UM, SO THE CO-SPONSORS UM. JOE CULPEPER AND FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR CULPEPER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WORRELL FOR FILING THIS TEXT AMENDMENT AND FOR ADDING ME AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. THIS AMENDMENT MAINTAINS BOSTON'S COMMITMENT TO GREEN BUILDING AND NET ZERO CARBON STANDARDS WHILE ADJUSTING THE TIMING OF COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS TO REDUCE UPFRONT FINANCIAL BURDENS DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT BY SHIFTING CERTIFICATION AND REPORTING OBLIGATIONS TO OCCUR AFTER PROJECT APPROVALS BUT PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF A BUILDING PERMIT, WE CAN HELP LOWER EARLY PRE-DEVELOPMENT COSTS AND MAKE IT EASIER. YOU SAY THAT AGAIN AND MAKE IT EASIER ESPECIALLY FOR SMALLER SCALE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT WEAKENING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPER. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL AS WELL FOR ADDING ME AS A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS. UH, IT'S NO SECRET NOW I DON'T THINK ANYONE CAN DISPUTE THE FACT THAT INVESTMENT IN NEW GROWTH IN THIS CITY HAS WANED, UH, IN RECENT YEARS. AND UH, THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THAT ARE GROWING AND SO WE NEED TO. LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO WHETHER IT'S BIG TWEAKS OR SMALL TWEAKS UH, TO OUR APPROVAL PROCESS AND DEVELOPMENT, UH, TO ALLOW FOR MORE CONSTRUCTION TO HAPPEN FOR NEW GROWTH TO HAPPEN, FOR MORE JOBS TO BE CREATED, MORE TAX BASE TO BE EXPANDED. UH, AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A, UH I'M INTERESTED IN HAVING A HEARING ON THIS, UH, AND SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO, UH, AND HOW APPLICABLE THIS MAY BE BECAUSE I FEEL THAT IF IT ALLOWS PEOPLE A DEVELOPER TO GET APPROVAL AND THEN THEREFORE WE'RE MORE LIKELY TO GET SUBSIDIZED BY A BANK AND THEN WITHOUT TAKING AWAY FROM THE IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW THAT WE WANT TO SET HERE AS A LEADER IN THIS CITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. UM, I THINK THIS IS A NICE SWITCH AND I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW IT'S APPLIED. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCIL. WELL THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. QUESTION UM COUNCIL UM CAN I JUST HAVE HAD A YOU HAD A QUESTION I THREW YOU HAVE A CHAIR. UM I HAVE A. QUESTION TO THE SPONSOR FOR THE CHAIR. YES. THANK YOU. UM. I APPRECIATE THE INTENT HERE AND I JUST. UM WE ARE YOU ACCEPT A QUESTION FROM OUR COLLEAGUE AND. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE HEARING TODAY AND. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AND JUST CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, THE INTENT HERE. YOU KNOW WHO IS ASKING FOR THIS? THE DEVELOPER COMMUNITY, FOLKS IN THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HAS ANYBODY IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY BEEN CONSULTED? I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT MOVING THIS TOWARDS AFTER ARTICLE 80. ARTICLE 37 WAS PURPOSELY INTENDED TO UH TO ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY FROM THE BEGINNING. SO JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW WHO HAS BEEN CONSULTED AND WHY THIS IS BEING BROUGHT UP NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCIL UM. COUNCILOR WU WOULD YOU DO YOU WISH TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION OR DO YOU. YEAH. >> UM MANY STAKEHOLDERS. WE'VE TALKED TO. UM A VARIETY OF PEOPLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM EVERYONE THROUGHOUT EVERY INDUSTRY AND THE IDEA IS TO MAKE SURE THAT UM THE ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE SET. >> HERE IN THE CITY, UH, GET UPHELD. UM, AND WE WOULD NOT. UH, COMPROMISE THAT BUT WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE ARE BUILDING. UM THAT THAT UM WE ARE. LOWERING THE COST. UPFRONT. >> UM, FOR OUR DEVELOPERS. SO WE HAVE TALKED TO MANY PEOPLE UM, AND THIS DOESN'T COMPROMISE ANY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE LAID OUT. IT IS MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE US ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS BEING SET ON WHAT'S ACTUALLY GETTING BUILT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BROWN. COUNCILOR FLYNN, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION IF THEY RELIED ON. YES I DO KNOW. MADAM CHAIR MAY ASK COUNCILOR WERE A QUESTION. UH THROUGH ME THROUGH YOU? YES COUNCILOR. WELL, ARE YOU, UH, ACCEPTING A QUESTION FROM COUNCIL OFFLINE? >> I GOT HERE FIRST. YEAH, BUT YOU CAN CHOOSE NOT TO ANSWER. ALTHOUGH THERE'S ALSO A COUNCIL AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UM, WELL, MAYBE I'LL JUST ASK A QUESTION AS IT RELATES TO THE HEARING ITSELF. UM, FOR THE HEARING, WOULD WE ENSURE THAT ALL SIDES ARE PRESENT SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE TESTIMONY WHETHER THE WE SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL OR AGAINST IT? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE A GOOD GRASP OF THE INFORMATION BEFORE I VOTE, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WE WON'T BE HAVING A VOTE ON THIS WILL JUST SEND IT TO COMMITTEE TODAY. BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT AND HAVING IT IN A IN A HEARING WILL GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A MORE ROBUST CONVERSATION. THAT THAT'S THAT'S MY POINT. THANK YOU. UM, COUNCILOR MURPHY I SEE YOUR LIGHT ON YEAH. I JUST. HAVE A POINT. >> OF. ORDER AND I MAY NOT BE THE ONLY ONE. >> WHO. HAS THIS QUESTION IF WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THIS, WHY WERE PEOPLE ALLOWED TO SPEAK? I WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION THEN. SO GOING FORWARD IF WE WANT TO SPEAK ON A HEARING ORDER WE COULD POSE IT AS A QUESTION. >> IT WAS A POINT OF INFORMATION RATHER CHAPTER FOR SOME CLARIFY AND I THINK IT WAS LEGITIMATE. SO BUT IF WE DO HAVE CLARIFICATION EVEN THOUGH WE COULD ASK THOSE QUESTIONS IN THE HEARING. >> WE COULD NOW GOING FORWARD NO NO QUESTIONS. JUST I JUST WANTED THERE WAS A QUESTION OF CLARIFICATION AND I CHOSE TO ALLOW. THE QUESTION. YEAH SO WE'RE NOT DEBATING THIS NO THANK YOU. UH WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? OKAY. NO NO CROSSTALK PLEASE. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME. ON THE SAME SIDE. TO DOCKET 0481? OKAY. THANK YOU. DOCKET 0481 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION . WE'RE ON TO RESOLUTIONS. MR. CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0482. .043 >> TO COUNCILOR TO PANEL FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE WORK OF PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES DURING CERTAIN SNOW STORM EMERGENCIES. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTRA PEPEN COUNCILOR PEPPER AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I KNOW THAT MANY COLLEAGUES REACHED OUT TO ME WANTING TO SUPPORT THIS ONE BUT, UH, COUNCILOR, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR DURKAN AS A SECOND ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR AND I WOULD LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND HAVE COUNCILOR COLE PEPPER AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. UM, COUNCILOR DURKAN IS SO I DID AND SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTION COUNCILOR PEPPERS ADDED AS A THIRD. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. THIS WINTER HAS BEEN TOUGH FOR ALL OF US AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST RECOGNIZE AND THANK OUR DEDICATED PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO KEEP OUR ROADS CLEAN. UM THIS IS AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR THIS ISN'T FOR WITHOUT FOR THE CHIEFS OR FOR THE DIRECTORS. NO NO NO, THIS IS FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON THE GROUND UM AND FOR SPECIFIC PEOPLE LIKE DUSTIN HORN WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE HYDE PARK DISTRICT YARD FREDDIE MYCROFT WOULD TAKE CARE OF WHO TAKES CARE OF THE WEST ROXBURY AND ROSLINDALE NEIGHBORHOODS, PEOPLE LIKE CLARENCE PERKINS WHO YOU CALL ON THE THERE'S A STREET IN MATTAPAN THAT HAS TO GET FIRED AND HE'S LITERALLY ALREADY THERE AND IT'S LIKE IT'S FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WORK THOSE OVERNIGHT SHIFTS THAT ARE THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT THESE ARE JOBS THAT COULD BE SO THANKLESS SOMETIMES, BUT THEY'RE THE ONES THAT KEEP OUR CITY RUNNING. UM, AND WHENEVER I CALL THEM THEY ANSWER AND I KNOW THAT MY MY MY RESIDENTS REALLY APPRECIATE MY LOCAL DISTRICT YARDS. UM, THEY'RE JUST AMAZING. THEY'RE PEOPLE THAT TRULY CARE ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS. SOME OF THEM LIVE THERE AS WELL. UM. >> AND THIS IS THIS. >> IS AN APPRECIATION. >> FOR THEM FOR NOT JUST SNOWSHOES TO ADJUST THEIR WORK IN GENERAL AND MOVING FORWARD THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES WHO DO. UM. >> VERY IMPORTANT WORK. >> FOR OUR CITY. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >> THANK YOU. COUNCILOR PEPEN. UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKAN. CONSIDER CAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. UM, I FILED VERY SIMILAR LEGISLATION SO I ENDED UP GETTING RULE 15, WHICH I APPRECIATE BECAUSE IT MEANT THAT ME AND COUNCILOR PEPEN WERE ON THE SAME PAGE. UM, I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THE PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES, TO THE CONTRACTORS AND TO EVERYONE WHO HAD TO GET OUT THERE DURING THIS MOST RECENT BLIZZARD DURING THE EXTENDED PARKING BAN, UH, THEY WORKED VALIANTLY . CITY WORKERS IMPLEMENTED NEW APPROACHES TO CROSSWALKS, BIKE LANES, CURB CUTS AND ALSO IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING FACILITATING ADJUSTMENTS TO OTHER CITY SERVICES SUCH AS THE COLLECTION OF TRASH. THEY SUSTAINED THEIR VALIANT EFFORTS UM AND RESTORED ESSENTIAL ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND WE WE WERE IN NORMAL OPERATIONS BY WEDNESDAY AND SO I JUST WANT TO EXTEND MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION TO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, THE SNOWPLOW OPERATORS, CITY SANITATION MAINTENANCE CREWS, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, THE HIGHWAYS DIVISION AND ALL AFFILIATED MUNICIPAL WORKERS WHO SERVED WITH DISTINCTION. UM IT'S REALLY, REALLY HEARTFELT BECAUSE I KNOW I WENT OUT AND I UH DID SOME SHOVELING. I WAS SORE FOR DAYS. THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT THESE GUYS ARE DOING AND WOMEN ARE DOING OUT ON THE ROADS IT'S AMAZING. I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO THEM AND MY CONSTITUENTS. UM, I WOKE UP UH, THE MORNING AFTER THE BLIZZARD TO A THANK YOU POST FROM THE LONGWOOD COLLECTIVE JUST THANKING FOLKS FOR GETTING THE HOSPITALS BACK IN OPERATION WHICH IS IN MY DISTRICT. SO UM I RECEIVED A LOT OF THANK YOU MAIL AND I KNOW THAT THAT THANK YOU MAIL IS ONLY BECAUSE OF ALL THE HARD WORK. SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE CITY WORKERS GOT THEIR THANKS GOT THEIR FLOWERS. UM, BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY JOBS. UM, I ALSO WANT TO JUST, UH, SAY ONE STORY. UH, MY DEAR, UH, CONSTITUENT IN THE WEST END, LOUISE THOMAS ACTUALLY STOPPED ONE OF THESE FLOWERS FROM PLOWING AND SAID I NEED YOU TO GO DEEPER. YOU'RE NOT HITTING THE CONCRETE YET. AND UM AND THEY RESPONDED BEAUTIFULLY AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF STORIES LIKE THIS ABOUT JUST CONSTITUENTS INTERACTING WITH THESE INCREDIBLE CITY WORKERS AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR ALL THEIR WORK. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CULPEPER. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEPEN FOR FILING THIS RESOLUTION AND FOR ADDING ME AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR AFTER A WINTER THAT HAS BROUGHT MORE THAN 60IN OF SNOWFALL AND MULTIPLE MAJOR SNOWSTORMS, OUR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK IN DANGEROUS LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS TO CLEAR OUR STREETS OR SIDEWALKS AND THEY DESERVE OUR RECOGNITION AND GRATITUDE FOR KEEPING BOSTON SAFE AND MOVING. AND I MIGHT ADD, MADAM PRESIDENT, THAT ONE MORNING I HEARD 3 OR 4:00 IN THE MORNING ALL THIS NOISE OUTSIDE. BOOM BOOM BOOM. AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING BECAUSE I DON'T SEE THE STREET MANY TIMES THAT MEANS THERE'S A CAR ACCIDENT. BUT THIS MORNING 330 IN THE MORNING THEY WERE OUT MOVING SNOW FROM THE CURB CUTS FROM AROUND THE MTA STUFF FROM THE FIRE HYDRANT. SO I REALLY COMMEND THEM WHEN I SAY WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK AND DANGEROUS CONDITIONS NOT ONLY DO I MEAN IT BUT I'VE SEEN IT. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. UM, WOULD UH COUNSELOR, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTROL DIVISION AND CONSIDERATION. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> I JUST WANT TO THANK MY. COLLEAGUES FOR FILING THIS. >> AND I JUST WANT TO ALSO ECHO THE THANKS FOR OUR PUBLIC WORKS ,UH TEAM. THERE WASN'T, UH, BUT DURING THE FIRST TERM WE HAD THE SECOND STORM I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES UH, TO CLEARANCE TO HELP, UM, SEND A CLEARANCE THAT HE WAS JUST SO ON TOP OF IT OUR ENTIRE TEAM. ERIC. UM, JOHN MICHAEL LIKE EVERYONE. SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK THEM. AND TODAY, UM, COUNCILMEMBER PENNE MENTIONED A FEW OF THEM, BUT DUSTIN AND JUAN AND THE FOLKS OVER, UH, DANA AVENUE IN HYDE PARK I WAS ABLE TO STOP BY, UH, AND BRING THEM SOME DUNKS, UH, TO SAY THANK YOU TO THEM. UH, THEY WANT WINGS. I'LL BE BACK WITH WINGS SOON, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THEM BECAUSE LITERALLY THEY WERE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK. UH, CLARENCE WOULD EMAIL ME BACK AT FOUR IN THE MORNING. UH, SIX IN THE MORNING. AND SO JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PUBLIC EVERYONE IN OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM, UM, AND TO CLARENCE AND DUSTIN AND THE ENTIRE TEAM OVER IN HYDE PARK. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? I'D ALSO LIKE TO ECHO MY APPRECIATION AND THANKS TO ALL OF THE FOLKS IN PUBLIC WORKS AND STREETS TO ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY DID AROUND THE CLOCK. UM, ONE THING THAT STRUCK ME IS THAT WE OFTEN FORGET THAT WE HAVE 800 MILES OF ROADWAY AND WE HAVE IF WE DOUBLE THE LENGTH OF ROADWAY, WE PROBABLY HAVE SOMEWHERE IN THE REGION OF 1600 MILES OF SIDEWALKS AND THAT'S NOT COUNTING, UH, PARKING SCHOOL PARKING LOTS OR ALL THE OTHER PUBLIC SPACES THAT WE HAVE TO CLEAR FROM SNOW. SO IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE EFFORT AND UH, I THINK UH, ALL OF US WANT TO EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION AND OUR GRATITUDE TO TO THE FOLKS THAT DO. >> THAT WORK. UM, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR UH, COLLETTE AS A POWDER COUNCILOR. DURKIN. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL. MEJIA. COUNCILMAN. MURPHY. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. COUNCILOR. WEBER. CONSTABLE. WARREN PLEASE. UH. THE CHAIR. COUNCILOR PEPEN, DURKAN AND CULPEPER. UH UH, SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET 0482. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NO. NAY. DOCKET 0482 HAS BEEN ADOPTED. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0483 TALKING. >> NUMBER 0483 COUNCILOR CULPEPER FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION URGING MASSACHUSETTS BAY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY AND THE CITY TO CANCEL PROPOSED CENTER RUNNING BUS LANES AS PART OF THE BLUE HILL AVENUE TRANSPORTATION PLAN PROJECT AND REALLOCATE FUNDS DEDICATED FOR THE CENTER RUNNING BUS LANES TO FUND THE CONTINUATION OF THE FARE FREE BUS PROGRAM. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CULPEPER COUNCILOR CULPEPER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I HEARD THE MBTA AND THE CITY TO CANCEL THE PROPOSED CENTER BUS LANES ON BLUE HILL AVENUE AND FOR THE MBTA TO ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS TO SUSTAIN THE FARE FREE BUS PROGRAM, WHICH IS SET TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF JUNE THIS YEAR THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT INVESTMENTS MUST REFLECT THE WILL AND THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF THE COMMUNITY. OVERWHELMING FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS QUARTER STAKEHOLDERS HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE PROPOSED CENTER BUS LANE IS UNWANTED. IN FACT, A PETITION DEMANDING THEIR CANCELLATION HAS ALREADY GARNERED OVER 2000 SIGNATURES TODAY. PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT REDUCED TRAVEL LANES, LOSS OF CURB ACCESS AND PARKING. THE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON SMALL BUSINESSES CAREGIVERS TRADE WORKERS AND FAMILIES WHO RELY ON PERSONAL VEHICLES. LET ME ALSO BE CLEAR ABOUT SOMETHING MADAM PRESIDENT AND TO MY COLLEAGUES WE ARE NOT SAYING THAT THERE SHOULD NEVER BE MULTI-MODAL TRANSIT OPTIONS FOR THE BLUE HILL AVENUE CORRIDOR. WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS THAT BEFORE WE CAN SUPPORT PROJECTS LIKE CENTER RUNNING BUS LANES, THE COMMUNITY MUST BE FELT AND HEARD AND THERE MUST BE COMMUNITY SUPPORT RIGHT NOW. MANY RESIDENTS DO NOT FEEL THAT THEY HAVE EVEN BEEN HEARD BEFORE PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD. THE COMMUNITY DESERVES THE SAME LEVEL OF DIALOG, RESPONSIVENESS AND CONCESSIONS FROM THE GOVERNMENT THAT OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN BOSTON HAVE RECEIVED WHEN MAJOR TRANSIT CHANGES WERE PROPOSED. THERE IS A CONSISTENT PATTERN IN WHICH A NEIGHBORHOOD SOCIO ECONOMIC STATUS INFLUENCES HOW THE PUBLIC PROCESS UNFOLDS. WHEN CENTER BUS LANES WERE PROPOSED ON BOARDS TO THE STREET, THEY WERE ULTIMATELY CANCELED AFTER SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY PUSHBACK WHEN A MULTIMODAL TRANSFER PROJECT WAS PROPOSED IN WEST ROXBURY. THE COMMUNITY WAS ABLE TO SECURE CONCESSIONS BEFORE THE PROJECT MOVED FORWARD. WHY ARE WE NOT SEEING THE SAME PATTERN IN DISTRICT SEVEN? THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT BLUE HILL LAB, MADAM PRESIDENT. IT REFLECTS A BROADER AND RECURRING CONCERN ABOUT DECISIONS MADE FOR COMMUNITIES . LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN IT REFLECTS A BROADER AND RECURRING CONCERN ABOUT DECISIONS MADE FOR COMMUNITIES RATHER THAN WITH THEM. WHITES SAY THAT MADISON PARK P3 UH NORTHEASTERN PILOT FUNDING WINDWARD PILOT FUNDING THE PLAY FOR MADISON PARK AND NOW AGAIN WITH BLUE HILL AVENUE. WHEN WILL THIS BEHAVIOR STOP AND WILL LISTENING START? AND SO LET ME JUST SAY THIS MY TIME IS ALMOST UP BUT ARE THEY TELLING US OR ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT IN ORDER FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO FINALLY RECEIVE BASIC INVESTMENT LIKE TREES, LIKE LIGHTING, LIKE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS BEAUTIFICATION WE MUST FIRST AGREE TO A CENTER RUNNING BUS LANE. THIS IS NOT HOW PUBLIC INVESTMENTS SHOULD WORK. MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. UH REVEREND CULPEPER. UM, COUNCILOR PEPEN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPER FOR FILING THIS DOCKET. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS RESOLUTION FROM A PLACE IS FROM A PLACE OF DEEP CARE FOR ONE OF OUR CITY'S MAJOR THOROUGHFARES. THE RESOLUTION. CO-SPONSORED. >> A QUESTION WILL COVER HOW DO YOU. BECOME A PART TIME? I DO INVITE. MADAM MAYOR. UH, CERTAINLY I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HEAR YOUR APPROACH. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO, UH, COUNCIL AS WELL AS SECOND ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR AND REQUEST SUSPENSION OF THE RULES. MADAM PRESIDENT. AND, UH, ADDITION OF A COLLEAGUE. I HEAR THIS. THAT'S A PRIVATE DISCUSSION. UH. I WON'T GO THERE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPER. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONSTABLE . WHERE I BEG YOUR PARDON, COUNSELOR PEPPER AND I'M REORDERING YOU. UH. >> COUNCILOR WARREN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR CULPEPER FOR FILING THIS RESOLUTION. AND I AM 100% ALL IN FOR BEAUTIFICATION, UH, FOR BLUE HILL LIVE. UM, THE CORRIDOR NEEDS THE INVESTMENT AND I BELIEVE IT NEEDS IT NOW AFTER A LONG YEAR REVIEW OF ENGAGEMENT, UH, AND SERVING, UH, THE PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES ON BLUE LAUGH. UH, ONE THING THAT I THINK WE ALL AGREE ON IN PRINCIPLE AND I THINK THIS IS WHAT THIS RESOLUTION IS TALKING ABOUT IS PAIR FREE BUSSES. UH, THE REAL QUESTION THAT WE ALL HAVE IS WHO PAYS FOR IT? UH, RIGHT NOW THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION HAS PUT IN RESOURCES TOWARD MAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FASTER AND MORE RELIABLE. WE KNOW FARE FREE SERVICES HELPS DO THAT. WHEN YOU TAKE PAYMENT OUT OF THE BOARDING PROCESS. BUSSES MOVE QUICKER AND SERVICE BECOME MORE CONSISTENT, THEREFORE MORE RELIABLE. UH, THIS RESOLUTION IS ABOUT SENDING A CLEAR MESSAGE ON THE PROVEN PILOT AND BEST WHAT AND WHAT WORKS IMPROVE OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM WHILE ALSO PUTTING MONEY BACK AND BEDS IN HIS POCKETS WHICH WAS SPOKEN TO IN THE LAST RESOLUTION THAT WE VOTED ON EARLIER OR THE HEARING ORDER THAT WAS PROPOSED. I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO THE FUNDING PIECE, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REALLOCATING DOLLARS TO SUSTAIN THE FARE FREE BUS PROGRAM, I DO BELIEVE ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, STATE AND FEDERAL NEED TO STEP UP IN A MORE MEANINGFUL WAY. THE EMPTY MBTA IS A STATE AGENCY. UH, THESE ROUTES SERVE THOUSANDS OF ESSENTIAL WORKERS SENIORS, FAMILIES, OUR STUDENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY. KEEPING FARES FREE SHOULD NOT REST SOLELY ON THE CITY. THE PRICE WE'RE PAYING NOW WAS NEGOTIATED, UH, BEFORE THE INTRODUCTION OF LOW INCOME FARE REDUCTIONS WHICH COULD AFFECT MANY OF THE RIDERS ON THIS BUS. AND IT ALSO HAS AN OUTSIDE PERCENTAGE OF THE AMOUNT OF BUS FARE FOR THE MBTA RECEIVE STATE WIDE. UM SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD SO WE ALL KNOW UM BASED ON THE PILOT THAT THIS PROGRAM WORKS. SO WHILE I SUPPORT CONTINUED FARE FREE SERVICES, I BELIEVE LONG TERM FUNDING IS THE REAL QUESTION AND WE SHOULD BE LOOKING TO OUR FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT FOR SUPPORT ON THIS PROGRAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR RAVEL. I'M GOING BACK TO COUNCILOR PEPEN. I KIND OF HAPPEN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPER AND COUNCILOR MORRELL FOR THIS. UM, I UNDERSTAND WHERE THIS RESOLUTION'S COMING. FROM AND YOU ALL KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE FARE FREE BUS PROGRAM. HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM THE ON THE SPECIFICS OF THE GRANTS AND ALSO ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY WE CAN DO WITH THIS BECAUSE AS COUNCILOR MAURO MENTIONED THAT COUNCILOR CULPEPER AND I WE ALL KNOW BLUE IVY NEEDS INVESTMENTS. IT NEEDS TO BE SAFER. IT NEEDS BEAUTIFICATION. IT NEEDS INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR CROSSWALKS. IT NEEDS BETTER SIDEWALKS. PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE GOING FROM ONE SIDE OF BLUE OUT TO THE OTHER. AND I THINK THAT A PORTION OF THIS GRANT WAS MEANT FOR THAT. BUT WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE SPECIFIC DETAILS ABOUT WHAT IS THIS GRANT MARRIED TO? CAN WE USE A PORTION OF THESE GRANTS FOR CENTER RUN? SORRY CAN WE USE A PORTION OF THIS GRANT WITH EVEN IF IT'S NOT GOING FOR A CENTER RUNNING BUS LINE IT'S. STILL IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF BLUE WHOEVER THAT IS STILL A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AND I HAVEN'T RECEIVED CONFIRMATION ON. WELL I KNOW MY VIEWS ON BLUE AVENUE ARE DIFFERENT FROM MY COLLEAGUES. THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT WERE FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS NOT OPERATIONAL COST. BY APPLYING FOR AND ACCEPTING FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION. BOSTON'S DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT TO BUILDING OUT A TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE. MY WORRY AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, IS THAT MANY TRANSIT ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS IS THAT BY RESOLVING TO REALLOCATE FUNDS FROM CAPITAL TO OPERATIONAL FUNDS, BOSTON'S DEMONSTRATED UNWILLINGNESS TO COMMIT TO INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDOUT, WHICH WAS ABOUT $95 MILLION WORTH OF GRANTS FROM THE FTA. THIS MOVE AWAY FROM THE TRANSIT BASED INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT COULD SEND A SIGNAL TO A ALREADY VERY HOSTILE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION THAT BOSTON'S PRIORITIES HAVE SHIFTED, PUTTING OTHER GRANTS THAT ARE ALREADY SET IN PLACE AND TRANSPORTATION PROJECT ACROSS THE CITY AND THE METRO AREA AT RISK. BUT I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE THAT WE SHOULD WORK HARD TO FIND CITY AND STATE DOLLARS TO KEEP THE FARE FREE PROGRAM GOING AS I DID IN MY RESOLUTION AND IN MY HEARING ORDER. UM WE AS A BODY WE MUST SPEAK WITH YOU AND BTA FIRST ON WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO WITH THIS GRANT AND THAT'S WHY TODAY I'M GOING TO RESPECTFULLY OBJECT THIS UNTIL WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE AMBEDKAR AND ADMINISTRATION WHERE WE STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN FLAHERTY ON WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO WITH THIS. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEPEN. DOCKET 0483 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION. KIRK. COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0484. DUNCAN NUMBER 0484 COUNCILOR DURKIN ON FOR THE. FOLLOWING RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING MARCH 8TH, 2026 AS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DUNCAN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'D LIKE TO ADD, UH, THE CHAIR IS A SECOND. UH. >> THANK YOU. I RISE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE MARCH 8TH AS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON . INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY BEGAN IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY AS PART OF THE WOMEN'S LABOR MOVEMENT. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CELEBRATION AND AN ACTION HONORING WOMEN'S SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENTS WHILE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING THE PROCESS STILL AHEAD OF US. IT HAS BEEN SO INSPIRING TO SEE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF WOMEN ON THE GLOBAL STAGE OF THE 2026 OLYMPICS. FOR MELISSA LOU SHOWING US THAT YOU CAN DO THINGS YOUR OWN WAY TO MEMBERS OF OUR OWN BOSTON FLEET BRINGING HOME GOLD AND HOCKEY FOR TEAM USA. BOSTON HAS LONG BEEN THE CENTER FOR WOMEN'S ACHIEVEMENT NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY. BEYOND ATHLETICS I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE CITY UM WHOSE WE WOMEN WHOSE LEADERSHIP IN OUR CITY IS IN EVERY INDUSTRY FROM GOVERNMENT TO MEDICINE TO BIOTECH TO EDUCATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. IT IS BECAUSE OF WOMEN WHO ARE BOYS CHARLES BEFORE US THAT WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES WE DO TODAY WITHOUT THE FEMALE ROLE MODELS AND MENTORS I'VE LOOKED UP TO. I WOULD NOT BE THE LEADER WHO I AM. MOST IMPORTANTLY I WANT TO SHOUT OUT MY SISTER AND MY MOM WHOSE SUPPORT HAVE TAUGHT ME RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE WOMEN ON MY OWN TEAM WHO DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB AND WHOSE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION MAKES EVERYTHING WE DO POSSIBLE. THANK YOU TO ALL THE WOMEN OF THE CITY COUNCIL, TO ALL OF THE WOMEN UM ON FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON WHO SHOW UP EVERY DAY TO MAKE AN IMPACT THROUGH THEIR PUBLIC SERVICE. THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE HOW FAR WE'VE COME BUT ALSO A CALL TO ACTION. OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY MUST ALSO REFLECT INTERSECTING REALITIES. WOMEN FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, WOMEN OF COLOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY. WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES AND PEOPLE WHO FACE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS THAT COMPOUND THE CHALLENGES OF GENDER INEQUALITY . THIS RESOLUTION IS ABOUT RECOGNIZING THAT WORK CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF WOMEN ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON AND REAFFIRMING OUR COMMITMENT TO ALL WOMEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD AND THRIVE INTERNATIONALLY. UM AND AS A SMITH THIS IS JUST ONE OF MY FAVORITE DAYS. SO UM I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN ME IN PASSING THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLLETTE IS A POWDER COUNCILOR CULPEPER CONJURER FITZGERALD. COUNTRY LOUIJEUNE COUNTRY. MAHIA. COUNTRY. MURPHY. COUNCILOR. PEPEN COUNCILOR. WEBER AND COUNCILOR WORRELL COUNCILOR. DURKAN COUNCILOR BRITAIN SEEKS SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET 0484. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. HI. >> UH, THANK YOU ALL. ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. DOCKET 0484 HAS BEEN ADOPTED. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 4850485? >> I AM A048 FOR COUNCILOR DURKIN ON FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION DECLARING MARCH 17TH, 2026 AS BOSTON FLEET OLYMPIC MEDAL THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DUNCAN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'D LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR MORALES. THE SECOND. UM, COUNCILOR WERE ALSO ADDED. ON MONDAY EVENING I JOINED GOVERNOR HEALEY MAYOR RUE SPORTS FANS AND ATHLETES AT VUE BOSTON AT THE PRO TO CELEBRATE BOSTON FLEET'S OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST AND THEIR BRONZE MEDALIST. WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IS JUST BEGUN AND IT'S INCREDIBLE TO RECOGNIZE THESE ATHLETES WHO HAVE JUST MADE HISTORY. WOMEN'S ICE HOCKEY HAS BEEN PART OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES SINCE 1998, AND THIS U.S. OLYMPIC OLYMPIC TEAM HAS MEDALED IN EVERY COMPETITION SINCE THEN. THIS YEAR TEAM USA WAS UNSTOPPABLE GOING ON DEFEATED IN ALL SEVEN GAMES AND OUTSCORING THEIR OPPONENTS 33 TO 2. AND ALL OF THE MATCHES HERE IN BOSTON WERE INCREDIBLY PROUD. THE BOSTON ELITES AND SEVEN COMPETITORS WHO OLYMPICS WERE RETURNED WITH MEDALS MEGAN KELLER AARON FRANKEL HALEY WIN WHO WON TEAM WHO WON GOLD FOR TEAM USA AND ELENA MUELLER WHO WON BRONZE FOR SWITZERLAND. WE ALL WATCHED MEGAN SCORE THE GAME WINNING GOAL TO BRING HOME THE GOLD. ERIN FACED 99 SHOTS THROUGHOUT THE TOURNAMENT AND ALLOWED JUST TWO GOALS. THEIR JOURNEYS ARE DEEPLY TIED TO OUR CITY. MEGAN PLAYED COLLEGIATE HER COLLEGIATE CAREER AT BOSTON COLLEGE AND ERIN AND ELINA PLAYED AT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY. AND I KNOW COUNCILOR MORRELL IS A NORTHEASTERN GRAD, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE HIM. BUT WE'VE ALSO BEEN PARTNERS IN TRYING TO BRING WOMEN'S SPORTS TO BOSTON, SO I'M DEEPLY PROUD TO RECOGNIZE THEIR ROOTS IN BOSTON AND I'M EXCITED TO WELCOME THESE INCREDIBLE MEDALISTS BACK FOR THEIR NEXT HOME GAME TO A GAS ARENA ON MARCH 17TH. THAT'S WHY I FILED THIS RESOLUTION AND I'M SUPER EXCITED TO BE THERE AND GET TO SEE THE JOY IN WOMEN'S HOCKEY BECAUSE IT IS AN INCREDIBLE SPORT AND I JUST WANT TO SAY I GOT TO SEE THESE WOMEN UM GREETING THEIR FANS AND THEY STAYED AN EXTRA HOUR AND A HALF TO MEET EVERY SINGLE FAN. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANY MALE ATHLETE DO THAT KIND OF WORK. UM, THESE WOMEN ARE JUST INCREDIBLE. SO I'M EXCITED AND UM, THRILLED TO SEE YOUNG HOCKEY PLAYERS. I SAW A LOT OF, UH, LITTLE GIRLS FROM SOUTHIE AND COUNCILOR FLYNN'S DISTRICT WHO ARE JUST SO THRILLED TO SEE THEIR SPORTS HEROES. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR DURKIN. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WORRELL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR DURKAN FOR INCLUDING ME AS A ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. AND UM, I AM A HUGE PROPONENT OF BUILDING UP WOMEN'S SPORTS HERE IN BOSTON. UM, WE HAVE TO WAIT UNFORTUNATELY A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO GET OUR BASKETBALL TEAM. UM, BUT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD. UM, AND IT'S GREAT TO RECOGNIZE THE BOSTON FLEET AHEAD OF THEIR UPCOMING GAME. AND WE'LL BE REMISS TO OVERLOOK THE GOLD MEDALIST WHO PLAYED ON THE ON PRIOR VERSIONS OF THE BOSTON PRO HOCKEY TEAM. UH, INCLUDING THE GOAT HILARY KNIGHT. UM, AND HOPEFULLY SOON WE COULD BRING BACK WOMEN'S HOCKEY BACK TO BOSTON FOR GOOD BEYOND THESE ONE OFF GAMES. UH, BUT IT'S GREAT TO SHOUT OUT THESE PLAYERS. UH, THE RESOLUTION BREAKS DOWN SOME COLLEGE TIES. UM, BUT THERE ARE FOUR FORMER NORTHEASTERN PLAYERS. UH HAYLEY UH KENDALL AARON AND GWYNETH ON THE US TEAM. UH, THEY WERE FOUR FOUR WITH TIES TO NEWTON COLLEGE. UH, I MEAN BOSTON COLLEGE INCLUDING KAYLA, MEGAN, HANNAH AND ALEX. UH, THANK YOU AND VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THESE INITIATIVES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ? THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLLETTA ZAPATA. CULPEPER. COUNTRY. FITZGERALD. FLYNN. UH, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COMES FROM MEJIA COMES FROM BIRTH. MURPHY. MURPHY. UH CONSUMER. PEPEN. SANTANA. COUNCILMAN WEBER AND PLEASE OUT THE CHAIR. COUNCILOR DURKIN AND COUNCILOR UH ORAL SEEK SUSPENSION OF THE RULES FOR ADOPTION OF DOCKET 0485. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. MISTER CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON DOCKET 0485. ROLL CALL VOTE AND I CAN HAVE 0485. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES. COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PARTNER. COUNCIL CALL IT AS A PER YES. COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. YES. COUNCILOR. DURKIN. YES. COUNCILOR. DURKIN. YES. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCILOR. MEJIA. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. YES. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. YES. COUNCILOR. PEPEN. COUNCILOR AND YES. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR. WEBER. COUNCILOR. WEBER. YES. AND COUNCILOR WORRELL. YES. COUNCILOR. WORLD. YES. TALKING NUMBER 0485 HAS RECEIVED A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU, MR BURKE. COUNCILOR FLYNN, I SEE YOUR LIGHT ON. MADAM CHAIR ON. DOCKET 0481 AND 0484. COULD I HAVE MY NAME, PLEASE? UM YES. WE WILL ADD YOUR NAME. WE USUALLY DO THAT WHEN WE COME JUST TO THE END BEFORE WE DO ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT OKAY. THANK YOU. WELL WITH THE DOCKETS AGAIN 04810484. ANYONE ELSE WILL CATCH YOU THE NEXT WHEN WE CALL BEFORE THE GREEN SHEETS. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0486. TALKING NUMBERS 0486 COUNCILOR SANTANA OH FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF ENDING HEALTH DISPARITIES IMPACTING THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN BOSTON. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. UH, COUNCILOR SANTANA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MADAM. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UM, CAN I PLEASE ADD, UM, COUNCILOR. CULPEPER AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. AND CAN I SUSPEND THE RULES AND I, UM, COUNCIL AS WELL AS. >> AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR? UH, COUNCILOR CULPEPER IS ADDED AS A SECOND AND SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTION COUNCIL WHILE UH ORAL IS ADDED AS A THIRD. GREAT. >> THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. BLACK RESIDENTS HAVE THE LOWEST LIFE EXPECTANCY AMONGST. ALL RACES. >> IN. >> BOSTON. THE RESULT OF COMPOUNDED INEQUALITIES WHETHER IT BE THE LACK OF ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, FINANCIAL BARRIERS, SYSTEMATIC RACISM OR PREVENTABLE EARLY UM MORTALITY DISPARITIES IN LONGEVITY ARE FELT DEEPLY THROUGHOUT THE BLACK COMMUNITY. OUR BLACK YOUTH DESERVE TO GROW OLD AND I DESERVE TO GROW TOO AND I HOPE AND I KNOW COUNCILOR CULPEPER AND COUNCILOR WORRELL. I HOPE THEY CAN GROW OLDER. RIGHT? UM. BUT ALL JOKES ASIDE, WE DESERVE TO LIVE WITH THE ASSURANCE THAT WE WILL BE CARED FOR UM, IF WE GET SICK AND WE DESERVE TO THRIVE WITH ACCESS TO ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE AND CULTURALLY COMPETENT UM, HEALTH CARE. FOLLOWING THE FINDINGS IN THE BPH BLACK LIFE EXPECTANCY REPORT, IT'S CLEAR THAT WE AS A COUNCIL MUST RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO ENDING THE INEQUALITIES THAT TAKE PRECIOUS YEARS AWAY FROM OUR BLACK RESIDENTS LIVES AND WE SHOULD CELEBRATE AND UPLIFT THE WORK OUR CITY IS ALREADY DOING TO COMBAT THESE DISPARITIES. WHETHER IT BE THE FCC'S NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE WHICH WOULD INVEST $1 MILLION IN CANCER PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ON THEIR INVESTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO IMPROVE BLACK MEN'S HEALTH. I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO INVEST IN THE LIVES OF THE WELL-BEING OF OUR BLACK RESIDENTS AND STRENGTHENING THESE EFFORTS BOTH IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET SEASON AND BEYOND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CULPEPER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OR JUST THE PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA FOR FILING THIS RESOLUTION AND FOR ADDING ME AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. I ATTENDED THE BLACK LIFE EXPECTANCY PRESS EVENT LAST WEEK WHEN THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION RELEASED ITS BLACK LIFE EXPECTANCY REPORT. AND THE FINDINGS ARE A REALITY THAT WE CANNOT ACCEPT. THEY ARE REALLY A CALL TO ACTION. HOW IS IT THAT IN A CITY WITH ONE OF THE HIGHEST OVERALL LIFE EXPECTANCY IN THE COUNTRY, A BLACK MALE IN ROXBURY IS EXPECTED TO LIVE 23 YEARS LESS THAN A WHITE MALE IN BLACK AND BACK BAY. THE DATA IS CLEAR BLACK RESIDENTS HAVE THE LOWEST LIFE EXPECTANCY IN BOSTON AND FOR BLACK MEN IN PARTICULAR PREVENTABLE DISEASES CAUSES LIKE OVERDOSE. HEART DISEASE AND CANCER ARE DRIVING DEVASTATING DISPARITIES. THESE ARE NOT ABSTRACT STATISTICS. THEY ARE FATHERLESS MOTHERS, SONS, DAUGHTERS AND NEIGHBORS WHOSE LIVES ARE BEING CUT SHORT BY PREVENTABLE CONDITIONS AND BARRIERS TO CARE. WE MUST TREAT THIS MOMENT WITH URGENCY AND COMMIT TO SUSTAINED INVESTMENT IN PREVENTION, EARLY DETECTION OVERDOSE INTERVENTION AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE SO THAT WHERE YOU LIVE AND THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN NO LONGER MADAME PRESIDENT DETERMINES HOW LONG YOU LIVE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPER. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WORRELL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU TO COUNCIL SANTANA, UH, FOR ADDING ME AS A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS RESOLUTION AND AS A BLACK MAN WHO HAS EARNED THESE GRAYS. I DON'T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY. UH, I KNOW THERE WERE GENERATIONS BEFORE ME WHO DIDN'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY, UH ,TO GET ALL THIS GRAY IN THEIR BEARD. UM, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LIFE EXPECTANCY GAPS IN OUR CITY AND BLACK MEN, IT IS PERSONAL. UH, THIS REPORT MAKES CLEAR THAT TOO MANY BLACK BOSTONIANS ARE DYING FROM PREVENTABLE CAUSES OVERDOSES, HEART DISEASE, CANCER DESPITE LIVING IN ONE OF THE GREATEST HEALTH CARE CITIES IN THE WORLD. AND WE SHOULD NOT ACCEPT THAT REALITY. I DO WANT TO THANK, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION FOR THEIR INVESTMENTS, PARTICULARLY THE PROGRESS WE'VE SEEN IN REDUCING OVERDOSES AMONG BLACK MEN. UH, THAT DECLINE MATTERS. UH, BUT WE KNOW THE WORK CANNOT STOP THERE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, WE ON THIS COUNCIL PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE. UH, WE VOTE ON BUDGETS, UM, THAT CONTINUE TO INVEST IN AND CLOSING THESE HEALTH GAPS. UH, WE CAN PASS LAWS THAT UNDO HARMFUL PRACTICES AND REMOVE BARRIERS THAT HAVE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED OUR COMMUNITIES. EVERY DECISION WE MAKE, UH, WHETHER IT'S ABOUT HOUSING STABILITY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PARKS GROCERY ACCESS OR NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTERS HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF BLACK BOSTONIANS AND LIFE EXPECTANCY. WHEN WE CHOOSE TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WE ARE CHOOSING TO INVEST IN LONGER, HEALTHIER LIVES FOR BLACK BOSTONIANS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL ORAL CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MEJIA. COME TO MEJIA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR FOLLOWING THIS VERY IMPORTANT RESOLUTION. UM, I WANT TO JUST UPLIFT THAT HERE ON THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. UM, WORKING ALONGSIDE TITO JACKSON AND OTHER BLACK MEN WE ESTABLISHED HERE THE BLACK MEN AND BOYS COMMISSION WHICH TURNED INTO BE THE BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE. AND I'M SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT FRANK FARRELL AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT TO AMPLIFY THE CONCERNS OF BLACK MEN AND BOYS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ,UM, NOT TOO LONG AGO OUR OFFICE ALSO ESTABLISHED A REPARATIONS TASK FORCE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF BLACK RESIDENTS. UM, AS IT RELATES TO REPARATIONS. AND WE KNOW THAT HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG BLACK COMMUNITIES AS STATED IN THIS REPORT, UM, CONTINUES TO PERSIST AND WE KNOW THAT REPARATIONS IS DEFINITELY A CLEAR PATHWAY FOR US TO RESTORE THE HARM THAT WE HAVE CAUSED TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY. AS SOMEONE WHO IDENTIFIES AS A AFRO-LATINA, I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING MY BLACK ROOTS BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY ALSO RECOGNIZING THE WORK OF BLACK COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND RECOGNIZING THAT SOMETIMES WE NEED TO STEP TO THE SIDE AND LET BLACK PEOPLE LEAD. AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN ALLOWING PEOPLE TO LEAD IS AFFIRMING THEIR VOICES WHEN THEY COME INTO THIS CHAMBER AND SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER THIS RESOLUTION, WHILE I DO APPRECIATE IT, I REALLY WANT US TO AS A BODY TO REALLY START UNDERSTANDING WHO IT IS THAT WE'RE HERE TO FIGHT FOR. >> WHEN WE'RE. >> TALKING ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE. AND SO IF THAT IS THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER, I LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THAT WE TURN RESOLUTIONS INTO ORDINANCES AND ORDINANCES INTO ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES. THAT IS HOW WE RESTORE THE HARM THAT WE HAVE CAUSED BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE ABOUT THAT BUSINESS TO DO JUST THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER HERE. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONSIDERATION. CONSIDERATION YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO THANK THE FILERS FOR THIS, UH, RESOLUTION. UM, I WAS AT THIS EVENT LAST WEEK IN ROXBURY AND I WANT TO JUST POINT OUT SOMETHING. THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIES THAT HAVE THIS DISPARITY AND THERE ARE VERY FEW CITIES THAT ARE LIKE ACTUALLY INTENTIONALLY TRYING TO CALL OUT WHAT IS UH, PROBLEM AND TRYING TO ADDRESS IT WITH ACTUAL INTENTIONAL RESOURCES. SO FOR THAT I WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO UH, BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION UH, THE THE HEAD OF THAT UM, UH, BLACK WOMAN HERSELF, DOCTOR BASIL OJUKWU. WHO WORKS TIRELESSLY TO CLOSE DISPARITIES AND TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNITIES HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED. JUST THE DAY BEFORE I WAS IN ROXBURY AT THE WHITTIER STREET HEALTH CENTER WHICH REALLY IS UM, THEY PUNCH WAY ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT GIVEN THE REASONS THAT THEY HAVE. BUT TO REALLY, UH, MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND WE SHOULD LOOK TO THEM AS A MODEL THEY IN THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AMONG THEIR POPULATION UH, CLOSE SOME OF THOSE DISPARITIES UM AND THE DISPARITIES THAT ARE NOT A RESULT OF INDIVIDUAL CHOICES THAT PEOPLE MAKE, THEY'RE A RESULT OF SYSTEMIC. UH UH. SYSTEMIC RACISM, UM, AND UH, THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP AND SO MUCH THAT UH HAS LED TO THESE CHASMS BETWEEN UH, THE OUTCOMES FOR BLACK RESIDENTS AND WHITE RESIDENTS. SO I JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT. UH. >> DOCTOR OJUKWU TO THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION. UM. >> AND THE MAYOR IN OUR CITY FOR ACTUALLY LIKE LOOKING AND REALIZING THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS NOT AN ISSUE UNFORTUNATELY JUST IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BUT ACTUALLY TRYING TO TAKE SOME ACTION WITH THE LIVE LONG WELL AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS AND UH, COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO HELPING CLOSE THIS GAP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MATT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE SPONSOR FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT, UM, COUNCILOR SANTANA HAS PROVIDED. BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL WE'RE ALL AND AND COUNCILOR MEJIA I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL WITH THEM FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND AND WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A LONG TIME ADVOCACY REALLY ON THIS THIS INCREDIBLE AND INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ISSUE. AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH BOTH COLLEAGUES ON UM ,HOW WE SUPPORT BLACK VETERANS AS WELL IN BLACK VETERANS HEALTH DISPARITIES AT THE VA HEALTH HEALTH CENTER. UM IS AN ISSUE THAT WE CAN WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK ON, BUT WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BLACK VETERANS THAT RECEIVE HEALTH CARE AND VA MEDICAL FACILITIES, UM, DON'T GET THE SAME COVERAGE AS AS OTHER VETERANS AND JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. FOR THEIR LONG TIME ADVOCACY FOR FOR BLACK VETERANS. WE CELEBRATED THE BLACK VETERANS LAST WEEK AT AN EVENT IN IN ROXBURY AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES WE TALKED ABOUT IS UH, HEALTH CARE FOR BLACK VETERANS IN THEIR FAMILIES AND ONE I BELIEVE IS I BELIEVE IT WAS CONGRESSWOMAN PRESSLEY MENTIONED THERE MIGHT BE A FEDERAL BILL, UM, ON REPARATIONS FOR WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS THAT BLACK WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS AND OR THEIR FAMILIES. UM, SO MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE WE WANT TO DISCUSS HERE AND CONSIDER HERE ON THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL AS WELL. I THINK I DO THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WEBER. COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YEAH. >> THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU TO THE FILERS, UH, FOR FOR BRINGING THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION. UH, I JUST LIKE TO FOLD INTO THE CONVERSATION THE DOCUMENTED UH HEALTH DISPARITIES AROUND BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, MATERNAL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR BOTH UH, UH, BLACK WOMEN AND CHILDREN. UH, LAST YEAR OF MY OFFICE PARTNERED WITH SOUTHERN JAMAICA PLAIN HEALTH CENTER AND, UH, A GROUP OF GRADUATE STUDENTS AT THE UH CHAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. THEY WROTE A REPORT ABOUT, UH, LOW BIRTH WEIGHT AND OUTCOMES FOR FOR MOTHERS, UH, AND PROPOSED SOME IDEAS INCLUDING UH, JUST HAVING, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, FOOD VOUCHERS FOR PEOPLE WHILE THERE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW ,UH, PREGNANT IN THE LAST COUPLE TRIMESTERS OF THEIR PREGNANCY AND THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP, UH, WITH THOSE TWO THINGS. I HOPE WE CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, IF MY COLLEAGUES ARE INTERESTED IN DISCUSSING THAT, UH, WE'D LOVE TO WORK ON THAT WITH THEM, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER. OOPS. >> WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? UM. >> WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLOR TO A COUNSELOR . DURKIN. COUNSELOR. FITZGERALD. FLYNN. CULTURAL DIVISION CONSUMER HERE COMES FROM, UH, CANCER. MURPHY. COUNSELOR. PEPEN. COUNSELOR. WEBER. UM PLEASE. UH, THE CHAIR COUNSELOR. UH, SANTANA. COUNSELOR SANTANA CULPEPER AND WE'RE WELL. EARL SEEK SUSPENSION OF THE RULES. ADOPTION OF DOCKET 0486. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE DO A ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET 0486. ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET NUMBER 0486. COUNSELOR. BREADON. YES COUNSELOR. BREADON. YES. COUNSELOR. COLOR AS A PART OF COUNSELOR COLLETTE AS A BODY. YES. COUNSELOR. CULPEPER. COUNSELOR. CULPEPER. YES COUNSELOR. DURKIN. YES COUNSELOR. DURKIN. >> YES. COUNSELOR. FITZGERALD. COUNSELOR. FITZGERALD. YES. COUNSELOR. FLYNN. COUNSELOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNSELOR. LOUIJEUNE. YES COUNSELOR. LOUIJEUNE. YES COUNSELOR. MEJIA. COUNSELOR. MEJIA. YES COUNSELOR. MURPHY. COUNSELOR MURPHY. YES. COUNCILOR FOR PEN. COUNSELOR. OPINIONS. COUNSELOR. SANTANA. YES, COUNSELOR. SANTANA. YES. COUNSELOR. WEBER. COUNSELOR. WEBER. YES. AND COUNSELOR. WORLD. YES COUNSELOR. WELL, YES. TALKING NUMBER 0486 HAS RECEIVED A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. DOCKET 0486 HAS BEEN ADOPTED. MR TRAYER, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0487? TALKING OF A0487 COUNCILORS MURPHY AND FLYNN OF THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND. >> ADD COUNCILOR SANTANA. UH, SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS, COUNCILOR SANTANA'S ADDED AS A THIRD. THANK YOU. I RISE TODAY. TO FILE A RESOLUTION. EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR ACTIVE. DUTY UNITED. STATES SERVICE MEMBERS IN THEIR FAMILIES. MEMBERS OF OUR ARMED FORCES STAND READY TO DEFEND THIS NATION AT GREAT PERSONAL RISK. RECENT MILITARY OPS OPERATIONS HAVE ALREADY RESULTED IN AMERICAN CASUALTIES AND SERIOUS INJURIES. DEPLOYMENTS HAVE INCREASED. FAMILIES ARE WAITING FOR PHONE CALLS AND PARENTS ARE WATCHING THE NEWS DIFFERENTLY. ANY TIME MILITARY. ACTIONS OCCUR, ACTIVE DUTY. SERVICE MEMBERS ARE PLACED IN HARM'S. >> WAY AND THEIR. FAMILIES CARRY THE WEIGHT ALONGSIDE THEM. THE CITY OF BOSTON IS HOME TO VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS, NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS, RESERVISTS AND MILITARY. FAMILIES WHO SERVE WITH DISTINCTION. THEY ARE NEIGHBORS. THEY ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITIES. THEY SIT IN OUR CLASSROOMS, WORK IN OUR BUSINESSES AND RAISE THEIR CHILDREN HERE. I SPEAK. >> NOT ONLY AS A COUNSELOR BUT AS A MOM A SON WHO IS CURRENTLY. SERVING IN THE 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION. >> OF THE. UNITED STATES ARMY. I UNDERSTAND FIRSTHAND WHAT DEPLOYMENTS MEAN FOR FAMILIES. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS A FAMILY MEMBER WHO HAS BEEN DEPLOYED. SO THE PRIDE. >> THE FEAR, THE UNCERTAINTY IN THE WAITING. OUR NATION HAS ALWAYS DEBATED WAR POLICY. THIS IS PART OF DEMOCRACY. BUT DISAGREEMENT OVER POLICY MUST NEVER TRANSLATE INTO A FAILURE TO SUPPORT THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE VOLUNTARILY TAKEN AN OATH TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND PROTECT THIS COUNTRY. THIS RESOLUTION SIMPLY AFFIRMS THAT PRINCIPLE. WE STAND WITH OUR ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS WHO MAY BE PLACED IN HARM'S WAY. WE STAND WITH THEIR FAMILIES HERE IN BOSTON AND WE CALL UPON OUR RESIDENTS TO REMAIN UNITED IN GRATITUDE FOR THEIR COURAGE SACRIFICE IN SERVICE OF OUR TROOPS. SUPPORT FOR OUR SERVICE MEMBERS SHOULD NEVER BE PARTIZAN. IT SHOULD. BE HUMAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCIL FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR MURPHY FOR ADDING ME. LIKE MANY PEOPLE, I WATCHED CLOSELY THE VIDEO. OVER THE LAST WEEK CONTINUES NOW ABOUT THE ONGOING MILITARY ESCALATION. THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST. AND PROFOUNDLY SAD ABOUT THE LOSS OF LIFE ESPECIALLY THE LIFE OF AMERICAN SERVICEMEMBERS . I. >> I SERVED IN MANY OF. THE AREAS WHERE UM. THESE CONFLICTS ARE ONGOING AND WHAT I THINK ABOUT IS THE YOUNG YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT WERE THAT WERE KILLED. BUT I THINK I THINK OF THEIR FAMILY I THINK OF THEIR PARENTS OR I THINK OF THEIR THEIR SPOUSE I THINK OF THEIR THEIR CHILDREN KNOWING THAT THEIR THAT THEY WON'T HAVE A MOTHER. OR FATHER. >> OR A A SON OR DAUGHTER ANY LONGER. UM BUT WHAT A WHAT I ALSO KNOW IS IT'S IMPORTANT FOR VETERANS AND PEOPLE SERVING OVERSEAS TO HAVE THE. SUPPORT OR AT LEAST THE RESPECT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOWING THAT WHEN THE WHEN YOU'RE IN HARM'S WAY THAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WILL SUPPORT THEM. AND THIS IS ABOUT RESPECTING OUR VETERANS THAT ARE OVERSEAS ,RESPECTING THEIR FAMILIES BUT ALSO SAYING A PRAYER FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT HAVE BEEN LOST ALREADY OVER THE LAST. OVER THE. >> LAST WEEK KNOWING THAT. THEY WENT TO PUT THEIR UNIFORM ON AND THEIR FAMILY SUPPORTED THEM, THEIR COMMUNITY SUPPORTED THEM BUT THEN THEY WILL NOT RETURN AND THAT FAMILY WILL BE AT A LOSS FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE. SO WE OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH THEIR FAMILY AND UH IN OUR COUNTRIES WITH THEIR FAMILY TOO ESPECIALLY DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SANTANA. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I ECHO THOSE PRAYERS. COUNCILOR FLYNN. UM. >> UH, YOU KNOW, UH, AS A CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS, MILITARY FAMILIES AND MILITARY AFFAIRS, I WANT TO THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY, FOR YOUR TIRELESS DEDICATION TO BOSTON SERVICEMEMBERS. >> AND. VETERANS AS. WELL AS THEIR FAMILIES. UM, I WANT TO ADDITIONALLY THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING ME ON THIS DOCKET. UM, I'M PROUD TO CELEBRATE THE SACRIFICE AND COURAGE OF OUR SERVICEMEMBERS TODAY AND EVERY DAY AND. UM. >> YOU KNOW, I LOOK FORWARD TO ,UM, THE CONTINUED SUPPORT, UM, AND THE URGENCY THAT WE HAVE TO ACT WITH AS A BODY. UM. >> UM, TO. >> MAKE SURE. >> THAT, UM, OUR SERVICE MEMBERS UM, GET AND THE DESERT THAT THEY GET THE THE RESPECT AND. UM AND. >> DIGNITY THAT THEY DESERVE. SO UM, I THANK GOD. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. UM, YOU'VE BEEN A TIRELESS. UM. >> LEADER IN THIS UM IN. THIS SPACE. UM, AND I'M JUST PROUD TO. UM I'M GOING TO BE PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION TODAY. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR PEPEN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I WANT TO RISE IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION AND THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR, UM, SUBMITTING IT HERE TODAY. UM, THERE'S A LOT OF SACRIFICE WHEN IT COMES TO SERVING. OUR COUNTRY AND. YOU KNOW, I'M THERE IN PERSON. I'M VERY MUCH AGAINST WAR AND AGAINST WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE MOMENT. BUT FOR ME, ONE OF THE NAVAL BASES THAT GOT ATTACKED RECENTLY WAS IN BAHRAIN WAS A NAVAL BASE IN BAHRAIN, MY BEST FRIEND FROM HIGH SCHOOL, HE IS CURRENTLY IN ACTIVE SERVICE IN THE NAVY WHO WAS IN BAHRAIN. UM SO I AUTOMATICALLY PANICKED AND THANKFULLY FOUND OUT THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY MOVED TO JAPAN THREE MONTHS AGO. UM I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBERS. WE JUST NEVER KNOW WHEN SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND UM, I JUST APPRECIATE, UM, THE SACRIFICE THAT THEY DO DESPITE THE NONSENSE THAT HAPPENS, UM. AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND ACROSS THE WORLD. SO THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES AND THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR PEPPER. AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCILOR DURKAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. I WANT TO SEND MY LOVE AND SUPPORT TO EVERY BOSTON FAMILY AND SERVICE MEMBER UM, THAT IS SERVING IN THE MILITARY RIGHT NOW. UM, I DO WANT TO CLARIFY MY POSITION. UM, I DO THINK THAT THIS WAR IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND, UM BUT I HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TO SAY WE SHOULD NOT COMMENT ON MATTERS THAT ARE INTERNATIONAL IN THIS BODY. I'M SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY PETITIONED THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT TO ADD THAT TO THE RULES. UM, BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT THESE SERVICE MEMBERS ARE GOING. UM AND THEY ARE REPRESENTING US. WELL, UM, AND I DON'T TAKE ANY OF THIS LIGHTLY BECAUSE, UM, MY GRANDFATHER SERVED IN THE MILITARY. ACTUALLY TWO OF MY GRANDFATHERS AND, UM THEY, UH, OFTEN RETURNED FROM WAR WITHOUT THANKS, WITHOUT GRATITUDE AND THAT SHOULD NEVER BE THE CASE. UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE DEFENDING OUR FREEDOMS DESERVE. ABSOLUTE UM, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTE THANKS AND PRAISE FOR FOR WHAT. THEY DO AND UM BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS OPERATING WITHOUT CHECKS AND BALANCES AND IT'S ACTUALLY RESULTING AND PUTTING PEOPLE IN HARM'S WAY IN A WAY THAT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND IN A MANNER THAT, UH, UNDERMINES OUR CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK. AND SO IT'S WITH ALL THE LOVE AND CARE TO OUR BOSTON SERVICE MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, UH, THAT I WILL VOTE YES, UM, ON THIS RESOLUTION BUT I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY. UM, GIVEN THAT THIS WAS BROUGHT INTO THE CHAMBER. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR COLLETTE IS A PART OF CANCER CULPEPER CANCER DURKAN COUNCILOR FITZGERALD CANCER LOUIJEUNE CANCER ME HERE . CANCER UH PEPEN A CANCER. WEBER. UM COUNCILOR WORRELL AND PLEASE OF THE CHAIR. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILORS MURPHY, FLYNN AND SANTANA SEEK SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET 0487. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. UH OH. UH, MR CURRAN, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE OF DOCKET 0487. ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET NUMBER 0487. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES, COUNCILOR BREADON. YES, COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A OF OF COLOR AS A PARTY. YES. COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. YES. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR. DURKIN. YES. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. YES. >> COUNCILOR. >> FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. YES COUNCILOR. MEJIA. COUNCILOR. MEJIA. YES. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. YES. COUNCILOR. PIPPIN. COUNCILOR. PEN. YES COUNCILOR. SANTANA. YES COUNCILOR. SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR. WEBER. COUNCILOR. WEBER. YES. AND COUNCIL. WORLD. YES. COUNCIL. WE'RE. OH YES. TALKING OF A0487 AS RECEIVED A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU, MR CLERK. COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 048 IT. MR CHAIR. DOCKET NUMBER 0488 COUNCILOR BARELLA FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE MBTA INCLUDING SNOW, UH, SIDEWALK SNOW CLEARANCE AND ITS UPCOMING COMMUTER RAIL OPERATOR CONTRACT. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WORRELL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UM, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN RECEIVING A LOT OF CALLS AND I'M SURE OTHER DISTRICTS AND, UH, AT LARGE CITY COUNCILS HAVE BEEN RECEIVING THE SAME CALL ABOUT THIS ISSUE. UH, I KNOW RESIDENTS ALONG THE FAIRMONT LINE AND OTHER COMMUTER RAIL STATIONS ARE TELLING US THE SIDEWALKS HAVE BEEN LEFT ON SHOVEL FOR DAYS, SOMETIMES WEEKS. RESIDENTS ARE CLIMBING OVER SNOWBANKS, SOME ARE WALKING IN THE STREET AND FOR RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITY THERE'S OFTEN NO PATH AT ALL. THIS HAS BEEN A LONGSTANDING ISSUE AND RIGHT NOW SIDEWALKS NO CLEARANCE AT COMMUTER RAIL STATIONS IS NOT CLEARLY INCLUDED IN THE KEOLIS OPERATED CONTRACT. THAT GAP HAS CREATED A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT WHO IS RESPONSIBLE, AND OUR RESIDENTS ARE THE ONES WHO ARE PAYING THE PRICE FOR THIS. OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM ALREADY HAS A HEAVY WORKLOAD AND SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF THEM FOR ALL THEIR GREAT WORK. UM I BELIEVE THAT THIS RESPONSIBILITY TO BE CLEARLY INCLUDED IN THE MBTA'S UPCOMING COMMUTER RAIL OPERATED CONTRACT AS MBTA PREPARES TO SELECT THIS NEXT OPERATOR. THIS IS THE TIME TO FIX THIS GAP. I REQUEST SUSPENSION AND PASSAGE OF THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WORRELL THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR PEPEN. COUNCILOR PEPEN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I WANTED TO RISE IN FULL SUPPORT OF COUNCIL RESOLUTION. I HAVE THREE COMMUTER RAIL LINES THAT PASS THROUGH MY DISTRICT THE FAIRMONT LINE, THE PROVIDENCE LINE AND THE NEEDHAM LINE ALL HAVE STOPS IN MY DISTRICT AND UM A LOT OF PEOPLE USE THOSE AND I DID RECEIVE CONCERNS FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT THE CLEANLINESS. >> OF THE COMMUTER RAIL STOPS. >> BUT UM, I THINK THAT THIS RESOLUTION HERE SPEAKS VERY CLEARLY ABOUT WHAT THE WHAT WE NEED TO DO MOVING FORWARD AND. UM. >> WANTING TO SHOW SUPPORT. SO THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I ALSO RISE TO SUPPORT THIS VOTING RESOLUTION. I ALSO HAVE THESE THESE STATIONS IN MY DISTRICT. AS WELL. UM, BUT WHAT I DO WANT TO ADD IS LET'S ALL COME TOGETHER DURING SNOWSTORMS AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERY AREA WHETHER IT'S CITY, STATE OR FEDERAL MAKE SURE IT'S SHOVELED OUT. IT'S ON ALL OF US AS AS A SOCIETY TO ENSURE THAT PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO EVERY SPACE. I SAID THIS. YESTERDAY. >> AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT IS ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION WE HAVE AND WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT EVERY SPACE IN THIS CITY AND COMMONWEALTH. IS ACCESSIBLE. >> TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND IN OUR SENIORS AS WELL. IT'S IT'S. IT'S NOT ONLY THE RIGHT THING TO DO, IT'S THE LAW AND WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE DOES THEIR PART, ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE ABLE TO ASSIST SOMEONE IN NEED WHETHER IT'S AN ELDERLY PERSON LIVING NEXT TO THEM UM OR A PERSON WITH DISABILITIES PICK UP A SHOVEL IF YOU'RE ABLE TO AND HELP SOMEBODY OUT. UM BUT I STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION OFFERED BY COUNCIL WORL. THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? BUT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR UH, COLOR AS A POWDER COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. PATRICK. DURKIN. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR. FLYNN, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR. MEJIA COUNCILOR. MURPHY. PEPEN. COUNSELOR. SANTANA, COUNSELOR. WEBER AND PRESERVE THE CHAIR. COUNCILOR WILL MORALES SEEK SUSPENSION OF THE RULES OF ADOPTION OF DOCKET 0488. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. >> UH. >> THANK YOU. DOCKET 0488 HAS BEEN ADOPTED. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0489. TALKING NUMBERS 0489 COUNCILOR WORRELL FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING MARCH 5TH AS CHRISTMAS ADDICTS DAY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU, MR TURK. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WORRELL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UM, I LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR FLYNN AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. UH. >> COUNCILOR FRENZEL ADDED. AND I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD CONCILOR MEJIA HERE AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTION COMES FROM MY HERE IS ADDED AS A THIRD. THANK YOU. CRISPUS ATTUCKS WAS A BOSTONIAN . HE WAS A REVOLUTIONARY AND HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO GIVE HIS LIFE FOR THIS NATION'S FREEDOM. FOR TOO LONG HIS STORY HAS NOT BEEN TOLD THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. HIS LEGACY IS A REMINDER THAT BLACK AND INDIGENOUS AMERICANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE, SHAPING THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY FROM THIS VERY FIRST BATTLE FOR INDEPENDENCE. CRISPUS ATTUCKS WAS NOT JUST STANDING THERE. HE TOOK A STAND. HE STOOD UP AGAINST INJUSTICE AT A TIME WHEN FREEDOM WAS STILL JUST AN IDEA. HIS COURAGE HELPED SHAPE THE HISTORY OF THIS NATION IN 2024 ,ALONGSIDE THE FRIENDS OF CRISPUS ATTUCKS AND MY COLLEAGUES, MY OFFICE FILED HERE IN ORDER TO EXPLORE THE CREATION OF A PERMANENT CRISPUS ATTUCKS STATUE IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON. I JUST WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE ARTS DEPARTMENT WHO HELPED IN THOSE EFFORTS. SINCE THEN, CONVERSATIONS HAVE CONTINUED REGARDING POTENTIAL LOCATION AND FUNDING SOURCES. AS OUR COUNTRY CELEBRATES ITS 250TH ANNIVERSARY, IT WOULD BE FITTING TO ANNOUNCE THE PERMANENT LOCATION OF THIS STATUE. AND AS BOSTON APPROACHES ITS 400TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2030. WE SHOULD AIM TO HAVE THAT MONUMENT COMPLETED. I WAS PROUD TO SEE BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL HOLD ITS SECOND ANNUAL CHRISTMAS ATTIC AT ITS COMMEMORATIVE COMMEMORATION DAY ESSAY COMPETITION THIS YEAR ORGANIZED BY OUR GOOD FRIENDS THE FRIENDS AT CRISPUS ATTICS. THAT IS HOW WE KEEP HISTORY ALIVE BY TEACHING IT, BY HONORING IT AND BY MAKING SURE YOUNG PEOPLE KNOWS WHOSE SHOULDERS THEY STAND ON. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST SUSPENSION AND PASSAGE OF THIS RESOLUTION, BUT I ALSO AGAIN JUST WANT TO THANK THE FRIENDS OF CRISPUS ATTUCKS AND THEIR FEARLESS LEADER PERUN AND ALSO REVOLUTIONARY SPACES WHO ALSO HOLDS AN EVENT I BELIEVE IS TOMORROW ANNUALLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR WILLIAM. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL. WE'RE ALSO ADDING MEGAN. UM, WHEN I WHEN I WAS LITTLE I THINK THE FIRST THE FIRST BOOK I READ WAS ON CRISPUS ATTUCKS AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS HE MADE AND IN THE SACRIFICES HE MADE FOR FOR OUR COUNTRY. AND HE'S HE'S PROBABLY THE FIRST. WELL, AS COUNCIL WE'RE ALL SAID HE'S THE FIRST PERSON TO BE KILLED, UM, SERVING OUR COUNTRY. HE HE HASN'T RECEIVED THE PROPER RECOGNITION I THINK COUNCIL OR ALL MENTIONED BUT HE HAS HE HAS ALSO NOT RECEIVED THE THE PROPER RECOGNITION IN TERMS OF MILITARY DECORATIONS SUCH AS A MEDAL SUCH AS A RIBBON WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT AS AS WE ALL KNOW. UM BUT HE'S PROBABLY ELIGIBLE FOR THE FOR THE PURPLE HEART AS YOU KNOW, ANYONE THAT IS WOUNDED IN SERVICE TO THEIR COUNTRY UM, RECEIVES THE PURPLE HEART AND I'M GOING TO WORK WITH COUNCIL OVERALL AND AND OTHERS AND TALK ABOUT MAYBE INCLUDING A RESOLUTION AND DO SOME WORK IN ADVOCATING FOR CRISPUS ATTUCKS TO RECEIVE THE PURPLE HEART. IT MIGHT BE HUNDREDS OF YEARS TOO LATE, BUT IT'S ABOUT RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND SERVICE AND SACRIFICE HE MADE TO THIS TO BUILDING THIS NATION. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. UH, FLYNN, UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL MEMBER HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCILOR EARL, UH, FOR ADDING ME AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. I ACTUALLY AM THE NEIGHBOR AROUND AND I'M JUST SO HAPPY TO ,UH, SEE HIS LEADERSHIP AND THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN HIM THROUGHOUT THE YEARS REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR EFFORT IN PARTICULAR. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BROWN. UM. >> THAT GROUP HAD BEEN ADVOCATING FOR YEARS. UM, EVEN BEFORE I WAS A BOSTON CITY COUNCILOR AND IT WASN'T UNTIL YOU CAME INTO THE CHAMBER THAT WAS LIKE OKAY, WE'LL DO THIS. AND SO YOU REALLY CHANGED THE GAME FOR THEM. SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THAT SPACE. HE ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT HOW YOU REALLY STEPPED UP. SO I JUST WANT TO UPLIFT YOUR LEADERSHIP AND UH, THANK YOU AND THE ENTIRE TEAM UH, FOR THEIR ADVOCACY REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR MAN WHO HAS GAVE SO MUCH OF HIMSELF. AND I ALSO WANT TO SHOUT OUT IN DISTRICT SEVEN COUNCILOR CULPEPPER, UH, CHRISTMAS ADDICTS UM EARLY CHILDHOOD UH CENTER IS THERE AS WELL. AND SO THERE'S ALL LOTS OF DIFFERENT SPACES AND PLACES THAT UPLIFT HIM. UM SO JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER HERE. WOULD ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? OH, UM, COUNCILOR UH, REVEREND CULPEPER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR, WHERE I FOUND THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF CRISPUS ATTUCKS. CRISPUS ATTUCKS, AS YOU SAID, WAS THE FIRST PERSON KILLED IN THE BOSTON MASSACRE MARCH 5TH, 1770 BECOMING THE FIRST CASUALTY, AS YOU SAID OF AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND HIS DEATH GALVANIZED A MOVEMENT THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO THE FOUNDING OF THIS NATION AS A BLACK MAN BORN INTO SLAVERY AND WHO LATER WORKED AS A SAILOR AND DOCKWORKER. HIS SACRIFICE UNDERSCORES THE PROFOUND AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED ROLE THAT BLACK AMERICANS PLAY AT THE VERY INCEPTION OF THE STRUGGLE FOR AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE. RECOGNIZING MARCH 5TH IS CRISPUS ATTUCKS DAY AND SHOWS BARTON HONORS NOT ONLY HIS SACRIFICE BUT THE ENDURING TRUTH THAT THE FIGHT FOR LIBERTY HAS ALWAYS INCLUDED THE COURAGE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACK AMERICANS FROM DAY ONE. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. >> WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR CANADA SUPPORTER. COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR. MURPHY COUNCILOR. PEPEN. SANTANA. COUNCILOR WEBER AND COUNCILOR WORRELL AND PLEASE OF THE CHAIR. COUNCILORS AROUND FLYNN AND MEJIA TO SEEK SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET 0489. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. UH. >> THANK YOU. >> UH UM, MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET 0489? ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET NUMBER 0489. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES, COUNCILOR BREADON. YES, COUNCILOR COLOR. YES. COUNCILOR COLOR AS A PARTNER. YES. COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN. YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN. YES. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCIL. FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCIL. LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCIL. MEJIA. YES. I'M HERE. YES. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY. YES. COUNCIL PUT PEN. COUNCILOR PLAN. YES. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR. WEBER. YES. COUNCILOR. WEBER. YES AND COUNCILOR. WORLD. YES COUNCILOR. WELL YES. DUNCAN I'M A0489 HAS RECEIVED A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. DOCKETS 0489 HAS BEEN ADOPTED. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0490? DUCKY NUMBER 0490 COUNCIL FLYNN OFF OF THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE TEMPORARY REPLACEMENT OF CONCURRENT PEDESTRIAN AND PHASING TRAFFIC SIGNALS FOLLOWING SNOWSTORMS. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WITH SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS LEAVING LARGE SNOW BANKS AT THE CORNER OF MANY STREETS, MANY TALLER THAN THE PEDESTRIANS THEMSELVES, IT BECOMES ALL THAT MORE DIFFICULT. >> FOR PEDESTRIANS. TO SAFELY NAVIGATE CROSSWALKS AND INTERSECTIONS. RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY HAVE CALLED ATTENTION TO THE DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH CONCURRENT PHASING TRAFFIC SIGNALS WITH A PEDESTRIAN HAS A SIGNAL TO CROSS THE STREET AT THE VERY SAME TIME THAT VEHICLES HAVE A SIGNAL TO GO AND TURN AT AN INTERSECTION WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THE MOTOR VEHICLE WILL YIELD. TO THE PEDESTRIAN IN THE CROSSWALK. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN. AT YESTERDAY'S HEARING, A MOBILITY INSTRUCTOR FROM THE CAROL CENTER FOR THE BLIND. NOTED THAT HER CLIENTS WILL NOT ALWAYS KNOW. BOTH THE LOCATION OF WHERE THE END OF THE SNOW BANK IS. SHE SAID THEY CAN'T WALK OUT FAR ENOUGH TO NOTICE IF A CAR IS TURNING THE CORNER AT A CONCURRENT PEDESTRIAN FACING TRAFFIC INTERSECTION. SHE MENTIONED THAT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS SHE HAD TO STOP HER CLIENT FROM CROSSING THE STREET BECAUSE THE CAR COULD NOT SEE THEM TRYING TO CROSS. SHE ADVOCATED FOR THE TEMPORARY REMOVAL OF CONCURRENT SIGNALS UNTIL THE SNOWBANKS ARE NOT AS TALL AND VISIBILITY IMPROVES FOLLOWING A TRAGEDY ON SUMMER STREET IN MELCHER STREET. THE LIGHT WAS ADJUSTED ON SUMMER STREET SIDE TO PROVIDE A WALK SIGNAL WHERE CARS HAVE A RED LIGHT. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT ADJUSTED ON THE MELCHER STREET SIGN. AT THE SAME TIME THERE WERE REPORTS OF HUNDREDS OF 311 CASES ON PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. DUE TO THIS CONCURRENT PHASE IN TRAFFIC SIGNALS. THERE WERE ALSO REPORTS INDICATING THAT THIS PRACTICE GOES BACK TO THE 1970S AT APPROXIMATELY 319 INTERSECTIONS IN BOSTON. BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO AGREE AND PUT POLITICS ASIDE, ESPECIALLY WITH TESTIMONY FROM DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATES AND CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYERS. CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS YESTERDAY THAT FOLLOWING A SIGNIFICANT SNOWSTORM IT'S OBVIOUSLY MORE DIFFICULT FOR RESIDENTS TO LOOK PAST LARGE PILES OF SNOW OR SNOWBANKS BEFORE CROSSING THE STREET. COULD YOU IMAGINE HAVING A LOVED ONE IN A WHEELCHAIR TRYING TO CROSS THE STREET IN A CAR HAVING THE SAME RIGHT OF WAY AS YOUR LOVED ONE IN A WHEELCHAIR AND YOUR LOVED ONE IN A WHEELCHAIR CAN'T SEE OVER THE BACK? AT A TIME OF INCREASED SPEEDING WITH CARS DISTRACTED DRIVING AND WALKING RIDESHARES MOPEDS, SAFETY CONCERNS ON CONCURRENT PHASE AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS BECOME EVEN MORE DIFFICULT BY THE PRESENCE OF LARGE SNOWBANKS ON SNOW ON ON STREET CORNERS. IN MY OPINION AND THAT OF DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATES THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS FOLLOWING SIGNIFICANT SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS, IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON TEMPORARILY TEMPORARILY REPLACE CONCURRENT PEDESTRIAN FACING TRAFFIC SIGNALS IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. THIS IS ALSO ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS . LET'S PUT POLITICS ASIDE AND DO WHAT'S RIGHT HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONSIDER CAN CONSIDER CAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WITH SO MUCH RESPECT TO MY COLLEAGUE. UM, WE HAVE ALREADY REFER TO DOCKET 0302 TO PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION WHICH I CHAIR. UM, AS OF TODAY I KNOW WE HAVEN'T, UH, WORKED TOGETHER TO FIND A DATE ON THAT AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ASKED FOR A DATE ON THAT SPECIFIC FILING. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S URGENCY TO PASS RESOLUTIONS ON THE SUBJECT MATTER. I UNDERSTAND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY. UM, I ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO TEMPORARILY CHANGE ALL OF THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS IN THE CITY. UM, I AM NOT GOING TO OBJECT TO A VOTE TODAY BECAUSE, UM, IT'S CLEAR THAT MY COLLEAGUE WOULD REALLY LIKE US TO GET ON THE RECORD. I'M NOT PREPARED TO VOTE YES BECAUSE I HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO THE STREET LIGHTING TEAM. I'VE NOT SPOKEN TO EXPERTS WITHIN THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS EVEN POSSIBLE. UM, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I KNOW THAT THERE ARE REAL PROBLEM AREAS IN MY DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY LIKE MASS AVE AND BOYLSTON WHERE I HAVE CROSSED AND FELT VERY UNSAFE. WE ALL HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES IN OUR DISTRICTS AND I REALLY DO WANT US TO HAVE A HEARING. SO THE DOCKET THAT WE HAVE UM IN MY COMMITTEE I PROMISE TO HAVE A HEARING ON 0302 OR WORKING SESSION DEPENDING ON WHAT MAKES SENSE. UM I'M NOT GOING TO OBJECT TO A VOTE TODAY BUT I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO VOTE YES ON THIS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF TEMPORARILY SHIFTING THE LIGHTS IS EVEN POSSIBLE. SO I'LL BE VOTING PRESENT. AND I WANT TO RESPECT MY COLLEAGUE FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD SO I'M NOT OBJECTING. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKIN. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? UH, WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR WORRELL. THANK YOU. UM, COUNCILOR, WHERE ARE WE? HERE. COUNCILOR FLYNN. UH SIX SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE OF TOKEN 0491. OH SORRY. BEG YOUR PARDON? WRONG NUMBER. COUNCILOR FLYNN SIX SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET 0490. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON DOCKET 0490. ROLL CALL. VOTE ON DUNCAN ON A0490. COUNCILOR BREADON PRESENT. COUNCILOR BREADON PRESENT. COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS OPPOSED. COUNCIL COLOR AS A PRESENT. COUNCILOR CULPEPER. PRESENT. COUNCILOR. CARPENTER. PRESENT. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. PRESENT. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. YEAH. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE PRESENT. COUNCILOR. MEJIA. COUNCILOR. >> MEJIA. PRESENT. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY. YES. COUNCILOR. PIPPIN. PRESENT. COUNCIL REPORT AND PRESENT. COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCIL SANTANA. PRESENT. COUNCILOR. WEBER. COUNCILOR WEBER PRESENT AND COUNCILOR. WORLD. YES. COUNCILOR. WORLD. YES. TALKING OUT OF 0490 HAS RECEIVED NINE VOTES PRESENT AND FOUR VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU. >> DOCKET 0490 HAS NOT BEEN ADOPTED. MR TURNER, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 0491. SO I CAN HAVE A0491? COUNCILOR FLYNN OFFER THE FOLLOWING ORDER REQUESTS AND CERTAIN INFORMATION UNDER SECTION 17 OF REGARDING THE USE OF $587.7 MILLION IN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT ARPA FUNDS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M REQUESTING AND SUPPORT FOR US TO GO ON RECORD. THAT I'M ABLE THAT I'M ABLE TO GET SOME INFORMATION THAT I SENT A LETTER PREVIOUSLY. >> TO THE. THE CITY OF BOSTON SPECIFICALLY ON AN ISSUE AS IT RELATES TO THE MAIN STREETS PROGRAM. AND I WANT TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM TO ENSURE WE'RE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH ALL REPORTING GUIDELINES, WHETHER IT'S AT THE CITY LEVEL, WHETHER IT'S AT THE STATE LEVEL, WHETHER IT'S AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. I WANT TO ENSURE WE'RE DOCUMENTING AND ACCOUNTING FOR EVERY CENT WE RECEIVE AND MAKING SURE IT'S SPENT APPROPRIATELY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. UM. COUNCILOR FLYNN SIX SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET 0491. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. HI. >> UM. >> THANK YOU. MR CHAIR. COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE, UH WE DON'T DO WE DON'T A 17 IF WE DON'T HAVE A VOTE ON DOING. WE DO? YEAH. THANK YOU. PARDON? I WAS AROUND THERE. YEAH. >> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON DOCKET 40491. SHE WOULD. >> SHE WITHDREW REQUEST. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. UH, DOCKET UH, FOR NINE DOCKET 0491 HAS PASSED. UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO GREEN SHEETS, IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME TO A DOCKET THAT THEY MAY HAVE MISSED? I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY CORRECTED ONE, BUT OKAY. THANK YOU. WE'RE NOW ON TO GREEN SHEETS. IS ANYONE LOOKING TO PULL ANYTHING FROM THE GREEN SHEETS ? UM, THE CHAIR COUNCILOR. UH, SANTANA, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR SANTANA, CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UM, MR. CLERK HAS NOTIFIED AHEAD OF TODAY'S HEARING I'D LIKE TO PULL DOCKET NUMBER 0356 FROM FILED ON PAGE 15 OF THE GREEN SHEETS. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU READ DUNCAN'S ZERO? UM 356. FROM THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE DUNCAN ON THE 0356 RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO PROTECT BOSTONIANS FROM UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND VIOLENT FEDERAL OPERATIONS. I FORGOT TO SAY THAT ABSENT OBJECTION, THE MOTION OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR IS ACCEPTED. UM, DOCKET 0356 IS PROPERLY BEFORE THE BODY, MISTER UM COUNCILOR SANTANA. UH, SO. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. ONGOING ATTACKS ON OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES HAVE SHOWN AN URGENT NEED FOR PUBLIC SOLIDARITY AMONG ALL AMONGST ALL LEADERS WITH THE MORAL FORTITUDE TO RESIST THESE OPERATIONS. OUR UNITY IS ESSENTIAL IN THE SUCCESS OF ANY EFFORTS TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORS. TWO WEEKS AGO, CITY EMPLOYEES RECEIVED GUIDANCE ON HOW TO COMPLY WITH THE EXECUTIVE ORDER. THEY HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO ASK FEDERAL OFFICERS FOR ESSENTIAL INFORMATION AND PAPERWORK FOR VERIFICATION, TO ASK AGENTS TO WAIT IN PUBLIC SPACES TO GET DESIGNATED POINT PERSON OR DEPARTMENT SUPERVISOR ,TO NOT GIVE UNAUTHORIZED ANSWERS AND TO NOT OBSTRUCT OPERATIONS. CITY COUNCIL EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF WHO OUR PEOPLE ARE AS WELL. THANKS TO THIS GUIDANCE, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO KEEP THEMSELVES AND THE COMMUNITY SAFE AND AND SO DO OUR POLICE OFFICERS. THEY'VE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO INVESTIGATE PROPERTY DAMAGE AND VIOLENT ATTACKS AS THEIR JOBS WITH 20 CALLS FOR IT. OUR CITY GOVERNMENT IS BOTH CAPABLE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE. OUR EMPLOYEES KNOW WHAT THIS MOMENT AND WHAT THIS ORDER CALLS FOR AND SO AND SO DO WE AS COUNCILORS. NOW IT'S TIME TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT FOR THE ACTION OUR MAYOR HAS TAKEN IN OUR COMMITMENT TO THE SAME VALUES WHICH UNDERLIE AND I ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN ME AND PUBLICLY SUPPORT IN HIS EXECUTIVE ORDER AND SHOW OUR UNITY AS A CITY IN THE FACE OF DIVISION AND TERROR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA. CONSCIOUS AND OF THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE MOVES FOR PASSAGE OF DOCKET 0356. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. >> MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON DOCKET 00356. DUKKHA NUMBER 0356. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES, COUNCILOR BREADON. YES. COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PARTNER. YES COUNCILOR. COLOR PALETTE AS A PARTNER. YES. COUNCIL. CULPEPER. YES. COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN. YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN. YES. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCILOR VISTO. YES. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN. YES. COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. YES COUNCILOR. MEJIA. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. YES. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. YES. COUNCILOR. PIPPIN. COUNCILOR. PHINEAS. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR. WEBER. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. AND COUNCILOR. WORLD. YES COUNCILOR. WELL YES. TALKING NUMBERS 0356 HAS RECEIVED A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON RULES, ETHICS AND ADMINISTRATION, I'D LIKE TO PULL DOCKET 0424 FROM FROM PAGE 16 OF THE GREEN SHEETS. ABSENT. UM ABSENT. OBJECTION. THE MOTION OF THE OH, I BEG YOUR PARDON. FOR SIX. I HAVE TO READ. I HAVE TO READ IT INTO THE. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU READ THAT DOCKET INTO THE RECORD? IT IS NUMBERED AS 0424. THANK YOU. FROM THE COMMITTEE ON RULES, ETHICS AND ADMINISTRATION DOCKET NUMBER 042 FOR RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IN THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. ABSENT OBJECTION, THE MOTION OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR IS ACCEPTED AND DOCKET 0424 PROPERLY BEFORE THE BODY I TURN THINGS OVER TO THE SPONSOR OF THIS DOCKET COUNSELOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. MADAM PRESIDENT, I KNOW THAT I EMAILED MY COLLEAGUES PRIOR TO. THE AGENDA COMING OUT AND I WANTED TO CLARIFY THE PROCEDURAL HISTORY OF THIS FILING THAT I FILED LAST WEEK. AT THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING, ANOTHER COLLEAGUE AND I BOTH FILED WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH RESOLUTIONS AND WHEN THE AGENDA WAS PREPARED IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT MY ORIGINAL FILING WAS SECOND IN TIME IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 15, I VOLUNTARILY WITHDREW THE FILING IN GOOD FAITH SO THAT THE FIRST FILED RESOLUTION COULD PROCEED. THANK YOU ALEX FOR CALLING ME ON THAT SNOWSTORM THAT MONDAY MORNING. I THEN SUBMITTED A REVISED RESOLUTION WITH A DIFFERENT SCOPE AND PURPOSE. THE EARLIER RESOLUTION FOCUSES ON POLICY MATTERS AND THE REAFFIRMATION OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS. MY REFILED RESOLUTION FOCUSES SPECIFICALLY ON THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION IN HONORING WOMEN NOMINATED BY MEMBERS OF THIS BODY. THE CLERK REVIEWED AND REVISED THE FILING AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS NOT SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR UNDER RULE 15 AND PROPERLY PLACED IT ON THE AGENDA ON WHEN AN OBJECTION WAS RAISED ON THE FLOOR CITING RULE 15 EVEN THOUGH THAT WASN'T A RULE 50, THE MATTER WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES, ETHICS AND ADMINISTRATION AND PLACED IN THE GREEN SHEET. I APPRECIATE THE CHAIR COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THAT YOU AGREED TO PULL THE RESOLUTION FROM THE GREEN STREETS TODAY, CALLING IT OUT OF COMMITTEE SO THAT IT MAY BE CONSIDERED BY THE FULL COUNCIL. I SHARE THIS CLARIFYING CLARIFICATION TO ENSURE THE RECORD REFLECTS THAT I ACTED IN GOOD FAITH, WITHDREW MY ORIGINAL FILING AND SUBMITTED A MATERIALLY DIFFERENT RESOLUTION . THERE SHOULD NEVER BE CONCERN THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO CELEBRATE AND UPLIFT WOMEN DURING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, BUT I DO THINK WE HAVE TO ALWAYS MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT VIOLATING OUR OWN RULES. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT NOW THAT THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN PROPERLY PLACED BEFORE THE BODY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, SO COUNCILOR MURPHY, THE UM, DOCKETS THAT WAS CELEBRATING WOMEN'S UM YOU'RE RECOGNIZING WOMEN'S HISTORY, THE CELEBRATION OF THE WOMEN IN THE CITY COUNCIL THAT WE WERE GOING TO CONDUCT. UH, THAT WAS DO YOU HAVE THE WORDING DO. DO WE NEED TO REREAD THAT UH, DOCKET? MR. MISTER CHAIR, WE NEED TO READ THAT AGAIN. UM, BUT LET ME SEE. >> WHAT WAS THREE MONTHS. YES. OKAY. SO THAT WAS DOCKET DOCKET 0424 CITY UM CITY COUNCIL UH, PRESIDENT BREADON CHAIR OF RULES, ETHICS AND ADMINISTRATION MOVES FOR PASSAGE OF DOCKET 0424. ALL IN FAVOR SAY I. UH. >> THANK YOU, DOCKET ZERO FOUR. MISTER CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE DO A ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET 0424? ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET NUMBER 0424. COUNCILOR. BRAIN. YES COUNCILOR. BREADON. YES, COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A COUNSELOR. COLLETTE AS A PUBLIC YES. COUNSELOR. CULPA. COUNSELOR. CULPEPPER. YES. COUNSELOR. DURKIN. COUNSELOR. DURKIN. YES. COUNSELOR. FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCIL THE SHOW. YES. COUNSELOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCILPERSON. YES. COUNCIL. LOUIJEUNE. COUNSELOR LOUIJEUNE. YES COUNSELOR. MEJIA. COUNCILOR ME HERE. YES, COUNSELOR. MURPHY. YES. COUNSELOR. MURPHY'S COUNSELOR. PIPPIN. ANSWER THE PIN. YES COUNSELOR. SANTANA. YEAH. COUNSELOR. SANTANA. YES COUNSELOR. WEBER. YES. COUNSELOR. WEBER. YES. AND COUNSELOR? WE'RE UP. YES, COUNSELOR. WORL. YES. TALKING EMBER 0424 AS WE SEE TO A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. AND WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING ALL YOUR NOMINEES RECOGNITION. UH, ON INTO UM. WHAT IS IT? WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH? YEAH. THANK YOU. WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO LATE FILES. I'M INFORMED BY THE CHURCH THAT WE THERE IS ONE LATE FILE MATTER A COMMUNICATION FROM, UH, COUNSELOR CULPEPER ABSENT OBJECTION. MR. UM, CHURCH WOULD. YOU KNOW, UH, ABSENT OBJECTION THESE LATE MATTERS UH, WILL BE ADDED. MR. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE LAST LETTER? UH, LASTLY AT FILE MATTER. UH, LATE FILE UH, FILED BY COUNCILOR CULPEPER A. COMMUNICATION REGARDING THE PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION OF CENTER RUNNING BUS LANES AS PART OF THE BLUE HILL TRANSPORTATION PLAN PROJECT. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. THAT WILL BE PUT THAT COMMUNICATION WILL BE PLACED ON FILE. NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY THE CHURCH THAT THERE ARE ZERO NO VERY GOOD ADDITIONS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. THE QUESTION NOW COMES ON ON APPROVAL OF THE VARIOUS MATTERS CONTAINED WITHIN THE AGENDA A CONSENT AGENDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I THANK YOU. THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED. WHEN I MOVE ON TO MY ANNOUNCEMENTS UH PLEASE REMEMBER THESE ARE FOR UPCOMING UPCOMING DATES AND EVENTS. UM DOES ANYONE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS? SO FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE COUNCILOR DURKAN FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PART OF THIS DURKAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM CHAIR I AM SO HAPPY WE HAVE THE MOUNTAIN PARK. RANGER UNIT HERE, THE CHIEF CIRILLO UM FOR MY LUNCH AND LEARN TODAY. SO JUST HOPEFULLY SOME OF YOU GUYS CAN STOP BY. WE HAVE FLORIANA PIZZA FROM MY DISTRICT WHICH IS AWESOME AND I JUST WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT FREDDIE VIKING IS HERE. UM, FREDDIE IS, UH, INCREDIBLE MEMBER OF THE FENWAY COMMUNITY. UM, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO RAMBLER PARK AND SHE HOPES THAT YOU HAVE IN UM. JUST KIDDING. UM, SHE IS THE REASON RAMBLER PARK EXISTS. HER AND HER HUSBAND ED BURKE, UM, WHO SERVED FOR THE CITY, UM ,WERE INCREDIBLE ADVOCATES AND THEY'RE PART OF THE REASON THE MOUNTAIN PARK RANGER UNIT EXISTS. SO, UM, I ACTUALLY FIRST MET THE MOUNTED PARK RANGERS AT HER HUSBAND'S FUNERAL. SO FREDDIE, WE LOVE YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THE FENWAY. AND I CAN'T WAIT TO BE IN THERE WITH YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKAN. UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL CAN ANTICIPATE. OH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I RISE TO HONOR A FELLOW, UM, EAST NEIGHBOR AND OUR NOW RETIRED BUSINESS MANAGER LORRAINE SCHETTINO. WE TRIED TO GET HER UP ON THE DAIS BUT SHE REFUSED. INSISTING SO WE'RE GOING TO RESPECT HER WISHES BUT WE STILL GET TO SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT HER BECAUSE SHE DESERVES IT. AND, UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK HER FOR HER YEARS ON CENTRAL STAFF. SHE CAME IN UNDER PICCOLO AND UM FOR MANY YEARS HAS SERVED AS BUSINESS MANAGER. SHE WAS A RECEPTIONIST. SHE WAS THE OFFICE MANAGER BUT HAS REMAINED A CONSISTENT, STABLE AND INVALUABLE MEMBER OF OUR TEAM AND I JUST WANT TO THANK HER FOR HER WISDOM, HER GUIDANCE AND HER ADVICE AND NAVIGATING OUR BELOVED HOME OF EAST BOSTON AND JUST WANT TO WISH HER, UH, RADICAL REST IN HER RETIREMENT AND AMPLE TIME WITH HER LOVED ONES INCLUDING HER BELOVED GRANDCHILDREN. SO THANK YOU LAUREN FOR EVERYTHING. WE LOVE YOU. THANK YOU AND I THINK WE ALL ECHO OUR BEST WISHES FOR NOREEN THIS RETIREMENT AND WISH HER LOTS OF HAPPINESS AND HEALTH WITH HER FAMILY AND HER YOUNG ONES. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FRIEND, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND BECAUSE. THIS IS THE FIRST. >> TIME I HAVE THAT I'M MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I DO WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT ON TOMORROW ON FRIDAY THERE IS A BANQUET IN CHINATOWN. UM. >> IN HONOR OF LUNAR NEW YEAR THE YEAR OF THE HORSE. BUT THE IT'S SPONSORED BY THE CHINESE PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION . I WANT TO INVITE MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY. >> WOULD LIKE TO. SIT AT MY TABLE. UM, I HAVE ROOM FOR EVERYBODY. UM, IF THAT'S TOMORROW, I BELIEVE AT 5 OR 530. AND IF YOU WANT ADDITIONAL. INFORMATION, PLEASE. PLEASE SEND ME UM THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN I. LIKE FRIDAY. YES. UM. ANYONE ELSE? UH, MARCH 1ST PLEASE. UH, A BIG SHOUT OUT TO GABRIELA RAMIREZ FROM COUNCIL COLOR. THIS OFFICE, UH, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY IS VERY FAMOUS DAY MARCH 8TH. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. SO NOW MOVING ON TO MEMORIALS. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO UPLIFT A NAME? UH, TO PUT YOUR LIGHTS ON IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE YOU'D LIKE TO REMEMBER, I'LL START WITH, UH, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND I'LL GO ROUND CLOCKWISE. DIVISION, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING. UM, IN MEMORY OF MRS. MARIE. UH, GEMINID DO MORNAY WHO IS THE MOTHER OF A CHILDHOOD FRIEND SABINE DUMINY AND AND THE WIFE OF A PASTOR IN THE FOUR CORNERS AREA, PASTOR DUMINY. UH, JUST WISHING HER AND HER FAMILY ALL OF HER CHILDREN, ALL OF HER GRANDCHILDREN UH MY CONDOLENCES. I ALSO WANTED TO UPLIFT THE NAME AND THE MEMORY OF EMMANUEL DOUGLAS WHO DIED. UH. >> THE 10TH PERSON THIS YEAR TO DIE IN ICE CUSTODY. OF ASIAN DESCENT. HE HAD A TOOTHACHE. UM, EMMANUEL TOMAS. CORRECT. THANK YOU. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY CONCERT. MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> I JUST, UM I'D LIKE TO UPLIFT MRS. MARY. O'TOOLE AND JUST REMEMBER HER CHILDREN JOHN, BETH, STEPHEN, KATHY, JENNY, HER GRANDCHILDREN AND HER GREAT GRANDCHILDREN AND THE ENTIRE FAMILY THE NEIGHBORHOOD UM, SAINT BRENDAN, SAINT GREG'S, YOU KNOW, INCLUDE COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND THAT UPLIFT IN HER NAME IN HER MEMORY AND JUST SENDING LOVE TO HER FAMILY. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR MURPHY CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR PEPEN. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. TODAY I. >> WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE LIFE OF RICHARD CAN ASK OF REIDSVILLE. MR CAN ASK UM BORN IN PENNSYLVANIA AND PURSUED HIGHER EDUCATION IN MARYLAND, HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AND SERVED AS HE CONTINUED HIS EDUCATION IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AFTERWARDS MR CAN ASK HE FELT HIMSELF AT THE START OF A QUINTESSENTIAL REIDSVILLE EXPERIENCE WORKING AT WESTINGHOUSE IN PLANTING ROOTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE MANY REIDSVILLE RESIDENTS INCLUDING THE PARENTS OF FORMER MAYOR TOM MENINO, THE HOMES AND REDEVELOP BECAME SOUGHT AFTER BY WESTINGHOUSE EMPLOYEES. MR COHEN ASKING HIS WIFE REGGIE AND OTHER ANOTHER. UM ANOTHER. WESTINGHOUSE EMPLOYEE WERE NO DIFFERENT. THEY RAISED SIX CHILDREN TOGETHER IN THEIR RIDGEVILLE HOME AND WE'RE AN ACTIVE FAMILY IN THE LOCAL SAINT ANNE'S CATHOLIC PARISH. AS HE APPROACHED RETIREMENT MR CAN ASK HE PIVOTED TO A PUBLIC SERVICE TO END HIS CAREER. HE SERVED AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF INSPECTIONAL SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON AND RETIRED AT THE AGE OF 78. MR CAN ASK. HE IS SURVIVED BY THE FIVE OF HIS WIFE, FIVE OF HIS CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES INCLUDING 18 GRANDCHILDREN AND ONE GREAT GRANDCHILD. ONE OF THEM, MR CAN ASK HIS GRANDCHILDREN WHO MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW IS EMILY CARRARA WHO IN THE WORDS OF HER BOSS MY PREDECESSOR AND CURRENT STATE REP ROB CONSALVO ALWAYS HAS THE BEST LEGISLATIVE AIDE IN THE STATE HOUSE. TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY HER EMILY CARRARA TO JOIN US IN HONOR OF HER GRANDFATHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR PEPEN CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DURKIN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. UM, I JUST I'M A MEMBER OF THE FENWAY, UH, STUDIOS BOARD AND, UM, THEY'VE ASKED ME TO READ DAVID LEE'S NAME, UM, INTO THE RECORD. UM, HE WAS A DEAR FRIEND TO FENWAY STUDIOS AND HE WILL BE MISSED. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? TODAY WE WILL ADJOURN OUR MEETING IN MEMORY OF THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS ON BEHALF OF COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND COUNCILOR MURPHY, MARY REARDON AND MARY B O'TOOLE ON BEHALF OF COUNCILOR PEPEN. RICHARD, CAN I ASK ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL DIVISION MARIE DE MORNAY AND EMMANUEL TOMAS AND ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL DURKAN DAVID LEE. WE WILL JUST TAKE A MOMENT SILENCE IN MEMORY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED INDIVIDUALS. THE CHAIR MOVES THAT THE COUNCIL ADJOURNS TODAY AS IT DOES IN MEMORY AND IN THE MEMORY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED INDIVIDUALS. THE COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO MEET AGAIN IN THE IRON CHAMBER ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11TH, 2026 AT 12 P.M. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, CENTRAL STAFF, THE CHURCH, THE CHURCH OFFICE AND THE STENOGRAPHER. UH AND ALSO A REMINDER I THINK IT'S DAY NIGHT. SOMEBODY SAID TO REMEMBER IT'S DAYLIGHT SAVINGS THIS WEEKEND SO THE CLOCKS ARE GOING TO SPRING FORWARD. ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE SAY I. >> UH. THE COUNCIL IS ADJOURNED. THE. >>